#collabing with you is so fun Swan

[starsinmylatte]

𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚖𝚘𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚘𝚐

Here is my submission for @kentopedia's wonderful Love Through the Ages collab!

➻ Summary: Trapped in the gilded cage of Victorian high society, you were determined to rebel. You ran the streets in disguise at night and threw yourself into your work as a typist for Scotland Yard during the day, rejecting the label of “quiet, submissive woman.”  Further rebuffing the ideals of your time, you scoffed at the idea of love and marriage, but a certain blonde Detective Inspector always seemed to make your heart flutter. You’re assigned to work a case under him, and your feelings only grow more complicated… but will your budding romance be able to survive one of history’s most infamous murderers?

➻ Pairing: Nanami Kento x afab!Reader

➻ Rating: Explicit (18+, minors DNI)

➻ Word Count: 8.2k

➻ Warnings: Explicit sexual content and Discussions of the Jack the Ripper case/thematic elements related to the case/time period (rape, poverty, etc.)

➻ Song recommendations (in order):

Toxic- From “Promising Young Woman” Soundtrack performed by Anthony Willis  Les feuilles mortes- Jean-Michael Blais The Swan- Camille Saint-Saëns

➻ Author's note: I did a ton of research to make sure I had my details correct, so there are tons of easter eggs hidden in the fic. I had a lot of fun with this one!

Join my taglist here!

Colors flew through the air as you tossed various skirts, bodices, and any other accessories unfortunate enough to catch your ire clear across the room. They hit your quilted bedsheets with an audible thunk as Misato shook her head at your antics, tsking at you from the corner. 

“Love, you’ll be late if you carry on like that. Wipe that scowl off and pick one already.” 

You shot the maid another half-hearted frown, looking as grim as a young woman clad in only her chemise, garters, and stockings could. Misato strode over with matronly confidence, snatching the next garment out of your hands before it could grace the top of the pile. She held the bodice up, inspecting it in the clear morning light before giving a brisk nod. 

“Right then, this will do. It’s posh enough to keep your father happy without all those extra frills and ruffles you hate. Grab that skirt, and let’s get on with it.” 

You did as you were told, albeit extremely unenthusiastically. Misato hummed soothingly, draping the familiar weight of a corset around your waist. This was a dance you knew the steps of all too well. You fastened the busk up quickly before bending down to grasp at the foot of the bed, adjusting your decollete into the supporting garment. Misato tightened the laces systematically, just as she had done for every year you’d been old enough to dress as a woman. 

Standing back up, you moved your body around, wincing and rolling your shoulders as you reacclimated to the squeeze of the steel boning. 

“I’m sorry,” you murmured, dropping your head in apology at the sight of her soft frown. “I know I’m bull-headed, and I know it only causes trouble for you.” 

With a gentle sigh, the maid slipped a muslin camisole over your head before moving to fasten a bustle around your waist. “I understand, love. But you’re a woman of society, and you’re to dress as such. Now, bear you in mind, I’d rather die than see you in trousers like the men, but I think there’s a middle ground to be found yet.”

You smiled at her, grateful for the affection, “I know, but I’m still glad to hear it.” 

“Who knows… Maybe you’ll finally attract a husband who’ll let you run as wild as you’d like.” The older woman teased you, pinching your cheek affectionately as she slipped several layers of skirt over your head. Her loving prodding pulled an imperceptible flush across your cheeks, and you distracted yourself with the buttons of your bodice. “Lord knows some of those peelers can’t be too horrible to look at.” 

“Love,” you scoffed, choosing to ignore the way your mind immediately wandered to a certain stoic, blonde detective, “is for little girls who still believe in fairy tales.”  

You continued on, selecting a hat from a drawer. “I work because I want to do something important… something beyond embroidery and gossiping at garden parties. There are people out there who need help, Misato.”

The maid laughed softly, pinning your hat at a perfect, jaunty angle. “I’ve known that since you stood at the height of my knee, but I can still hope to see you happy.” 

You bade Misato goodbye with a quick kiss on the cheek, finally venturing out from your family’s warm, comfortable house to wait by the road for your carriage. An icy breeze brushed past as soon as you stepped outside, ruffling through your skirts and causing you to shiver. As you waited patiently, the damp air slowly seeped under your multiple layers of clothing; the strangely oppressive chill only took a few moments to carve beneath your skin like an icy dagger. 

Normally, little birds would flitter throughout the small yards alongside the street, filling your morning commute with their cheerful racket, but there was only silence today. Your only companions were the ever-present fog and smoke that blanketed the city, but today, they seemed so much thicker than usual, making the overcast sky feel even more bleak. 

Thick tendrils of gloom trailed over the cobblestones, swallowing the flickering gas lights one by one. There were no people on your street this early, no signs of life to be seen anywhere. Another shiver shot down your spine, but this time, it had nothing to do with the cold. The world was grey and eerily silent as the fog finally reached you, blanketing your entire body with frigid mist. The downy hairs on the back of your neck began to stand on end; everything felt off… like an ill omen.  

A moment later, the clacking of hooves on the cobblestone echoed throughout the street, and a familiar carriage finally appeared in the gloom. You barely waited for it to come to a stop before you opened the door and climbed in, not caring to observe the proper etiquette. 

“Cold, miss? It’s a chilly mornin’ innit?” The driver chuckled, shouting loudly as he snapped the reins, urging the horses to return to their steady gait. “Don’t worry; we’ll get you back inside soon enough.” 

“Ah, yes… It is a bit chilly.” You smiled and brushed your actions off with a laugh, but the feeling of dread still weighed heavily on your heart. 

Even the horses seemed restless, rolling their eyes and tossing their well-groomed manes back and forth as they plodded eastward. You were grateful to finally see some sense of normalcy as you reached Victoria Street, where people of all ages milled around, setting up their businesses both on and off the street. Shops opened their doors, and street vendors set out their wares, squabbling loudly over placement and price. You smiled wryly as a young boy snatched a steaming pie from the corner of a table, eyes shining with delight as he shoved the greasy pastry into his mouth. He disappeared into the teeming crowd with the shopkeep still blissfully unaware of the theft.

The sight was as endearing as it was heart-wrenching; the cute little boy probably stole out of sheer necessity. If he hadn’t stolen the pie, there was a good chance he wouldn’t have eaten at all today, even in this area of the city. You suddenly felt guilty that you had the privilege of being able to turn down breakfast. 

“So much needs to change,” you murmured, drumming your gloved fingers against the lacquered side of the carriage. Most of the people from the upper crust simply wanted to hide the poor away; their attitude was just to keep them out of sight and out of mind.

Your thoughts continued as you looked off into the alleyways and then glanced eastward to where the worst parts of London were concealed. If your family had their way, you’d have never known those parts of the city existed; you’d have been kept on a pedestal in the opulent West End. To them, all you needed was decorative knowledge meant to accent your pretty face and attract a rich husband, but no one had counted on your tenacity. You had been too intelligent, too fierce of a little girl, always demanding answers from your tutors, rejecting their half-baked excuses about the world and how it worked. 

 Before long, you figured out that not all people grew up similarly. You fished stories out of maids and butlers, learning about how other people suffered in the cruel workhouses and filthy alleyways hidden in the background of the city you loved. But the most appalling thing by far was how little your parents and their wealthy friends seemed to care.  

When you turned ten, you convinced Misato to help you sneak out for the first time, mainly by threatening to go even if she refused to be your accomplice, and from that night on, you began exploring the real London. When your parents thought you were safely locked away in your room practicing embroidery, you were actually exploring the streets wearing ragged clothes “borrowed” from the nearest bin. It was dangerous and wholly irresponsible for a lady like yourself, and if anyone found out, your reputation and life would be ruined forever…. So, of course, you loved it.

“It’s no wonder I ended up here, in the last place a ‘lady’ should ever be.” You murmured, smiling as the carriage finally jolted to a stop outside the stately, brick-and-stone building at 4 Whitehall Place. The driver opened your door with practiced ease, and you entered Scotland Yard’s world of cops and criminals. 

“Odd, there’s so few people here…” You murmured, arching an eyebrow in curiosity as you walked in and reached your desk. 

Typically, the station was filled with men waiting on their orders for the day or waiting to go on patrol. The few men who were present milled about restlessly, and most wore the trademark blue peeler uniform. However, two men were notably different; they were dressed in everyday clothes and stood off to the side of the Chief Inspector’s office. If you didn’t know better, you could’ve guessed they were gentlemen who simply wandered in off the streets. 

“I haven’t seen those two before. They must be detectives.” You pieced together, noting the tension that hung heavily around them. 

The two men were certainly young to be detectives, but one seemed more experienced and slightly calmer than his counterpart. They each wore black frock coats and trousers, but from there, the appearance differed. The composed man had kind eyes and tawny, disheveled hair covered with a bowler hat, whereas his friend sported a red vest, fluffy hair, and no hat. He looked younger and full of nervous energy; for some reason, his hair seemed oddly…. pink?

You sighed, chalking it up to a trick of the light as you set up your desk for the day. In a valiant attempt to neutralize your own nervous energy, you began to clean your typewriter, stealing glances at the young detectives, trying to parse together what was going on from snippets of their conversation. 

“Do you really think- how long will it take?” 

“I don’t know, just wait and see.” 

Suddenly, two more men you did recognize walked into the room without fanfare. Chief Inspector Yaga led a tall, serious-looking blonde man over to the others, and your heart fell through your chest at the expression on his face. Not many of the detectives treated you well, but in all the time you’d worked there, Detective Inspector Nanami Kento had never failed to greet you with a small smile and a polite greeting every morning at the bare minimum. 

This morning, however, his expression could have cut through stone. The stoic man’s lips were set into a cold, hard line, and he didn’t even notice your presence. His dark eyes glittered in intense concentration, and the two young men snapped to attention as soon as he approached them.

Something has happened. Those aren’t the eyes of the gentleman I know… that’s the gaze of a detective entirely focused on his case.

Scotland Yard and its detectives were no strangers to tragedy and brutal events. They carried the weight of investigating the most unspeakable acts people could inflict on each other, but you had never seen DI Nanami look quite this grim. You watched the four men talk quietly for what seemed like ages before they finally walked over to your desk. Chief Inspector Yaga looked you up and down with a critical gaze as if to size you up. 

“How can I help you this morning, sir?” You met his eyes calmly, the feeling of dread rising, squeezing your heart once again. 

“You’ve been with us for almost two years now, correct?” His gruff voice rumbled through you like thunder promising an oncoming storm. 

“That’s correct, sir.” 

“And you’ve never had any-” He paused, gesturing around as if searching for the correct word, “trouble with the cases up until now?” 

Nanami’s chiseled jaw clenched as the Chief Inspector questioned you. He seemed to be looking just past your face, staring at a spot on the wall in a manner that seemed as though he was willing it to spontaneously catch fire. You didn’t try to hide the way your brow furrowed in concern at the question.

“Trouble, sir?” 

He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Deep, dark bruises were blooming under the man’s eyes; it looked as if he had gotten little-to-no sleep for weeks. “I know you’ve certainly heard… more than a few disturbing things in your time here. The paperwork you tend to has details of crimes, and you’re around the men every day….  God knows they don’t know when to hold their tongues.” 

You nodded along, still confused and growing exponentially more concerned. His words were true; you’d certainly heard more than your share of gory details from the policemen as they returned from their patrols, whether it was just accidentally overheard or they told you directly as if it would impress you. 

“Well… It is never enjoyable, but I deal with it in the same way the men do, sir.” You pointed out deftly, unwilling to seem fragile. 

Nanami remained grimly silent, but a small smile played across the corner of his lips as Yaga watched you closely. After a moment of silence, the burly DCI sighed again. “Then there’s a job for you. I am about to ask more of you than I would like to, but you’ve excelled at your current position, and this situation calls for related skills.”

For the briefest moment, you could’ve sworn that you saw Nanami’s fist clench at his side. Still, the stoic man stayed silent as Yaga continued on, “You’ll be working under DI Nanami, and your main responsibility will be to organize and keep a running record of the evidence as it comes in. You’re to help them keep track of any papers they need to revisit during their investigation. Other duties will be assigned as needed.”

Yaga nodded stiffly and walked back to his office, shutting the door firmly as if to signal the finality of his decision. You looked up at Nanami with concern, as the man had barely moved since he arrived at your desk; he still looked silently furious. “Are you… do I need to do anything right now?” 

His mood seemed to shift to calm in an instant. “No, nothing right now. I’ll have a file to give you as soon as I return, but I do need to introduce the case to you so that you’re not blindsided when you… see it.” 

Nanami motioned for the two young detectives to step forward, “First, this is DC Itadori, and this is DS Ino. They will also be working under me for this case; if you have any issues and I’m unavailable, you can go to them.” 

The two young men tilted their heads in polite acknowledgment as they were introduced, each giving you a small smile, almost like the one Nanami usually reserved for you.

Ino spoke first, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Even under these circumstances.” 

Itadori nodded enthusiastically, “Yes! It isn’t often we get to work with a-”

“And I think it’s time for us to go secure transportation to the scene. You’ll have to excuse us.” Ino butted in quickly, placing a firm hand on Itadori’s shoulder and hauling the young man away, blatantly ignoring his noises of protest. 

You turned back to the Detective Inspector, whose expression was unreadable as he sighed, “He means well. Please forgive him.” 

A small, reassuring smile touched your lips as you gazed up at Nanami, “I’m not offended, Detective. I’m no shrinking violet and a bit of levity won’t go amiss every now and then.” 

Your small quip made the blonde man chuckle lowly despite the situation. “I’m well aware. But this case….” His expression shifted once again. “I don’t like involving you in it.” 

Hurt shot through you, stabbing through your heart with a dull ache. You had worked alongside him for two years, and he’d never seemed like the other men who constantly doubted your abilities for the supposed sin of being born a woman. You liked this man; you had trusted him.

“Do you really not think I can be of help?” You frowned as indignation seared through your veins.

You must’ve looked truly hurt because Nanami shook his head. “It has nothing to do with ability. You should know that I hold your abilities in high regard, but…” he said softly, “this case- it’s nothing like you’ve ever seen before, and you should never have to see things like this. No one should.” 

Your firey attitude froze instantly, turning to shame as you realized his true intent. “Forgive me, I’m used to….” 

A flush crept across your cheeks as you took a deep breath, smoothing the fabric of your skirt and regaining your professionalism.

Why is it so easy for me to make a fool out of myself in front of you? 

“ I understand,” he murmured, studying the typewriter in front of you with a strange intensity. “You may as well come into my office and have some tea.”

–

It took you no time at all to understand exactly why everyone seemed on edge and why the Detective Inspector was so affected by the case. You had read files of violence, murder, and rape before, but what Nanami had to sit down and tell you was beyond all of that. There was a monster, some sick freak brutalizing and murdering women throughout the streets of Whitechapel. He toyed with and desecrated their bodies, and all evidence suggested that he had acted multiple times and was going to continue unless he was caught or killed. This wasn’t some random act of criminal violence or murder of passion committed by a jilted lover…. this was something only the devil himself could be capable of.

The warmth of the teacup against your hands brought you some comfort, but you couldn’t bring yourself to drink any of the tea. Your stomach roiled violently; you were suddenly immensely glad you’d skipped breakfast as Nanami softly explained what had happened to the women and the events that led to Yaga deciding that you’d join his team. 

“They found another body this morning,” he spoke plainly, but his deep brown eyes roamed over your face, his expression full of gentle concern. “Worse than the last, even.”

You glanced at the thick file in front of you, your stomach lurching as your eyes landed on the sketch of the previous victim. If it was only growing worse… God, you couldn’t even imagine…. The room suddenly felt too hot, your corset too constricting as you leaned forward, fighting the bile that rose in your throat. 

Nanami was by your side instantly, his large hand warm and soothing on your back as he knelt beside you with surprising grace. “If you don’t want to do this…. I understand. I swear I do. Just say the word, and I’ll have you home.”

It took a brief moment, but you swallowed thickly and straightened up, your eyes glittering in determination as you gazed down at the kneeling man. “No. I can’t- I won’t- sit idly by, knowing I had a chance to help, even if it’s just in a small way.” 

An entire moment passed as the two of you stared into each other’s eyes. Nanami rested his hand on yours for a brief moment, giving it a gentle squeeze, and you could feel your brain short-circuit. You were much closer to a bachelor than society would deem appropriate, but the desire to uphold proper values wilted against your need for comfort. 

The moment was over quickly, and the Detective stood, brushing dirt off his tan pants. “It’s time for me to head out to the crime scene. I’d like you to use my office while I’m gone.” 

Nanami gave you an achingly soft smile, the exact smile you had craved before he tugged his coat on, slid his unique, round glasses into place, and left the room. 

–

Weeks turned into months, but the monster who called himself Jack the Ripper still hunted the women of Whitechapel. It didn’t take long for the press to run with the story, drawing more attention to Jack than his victims. An endless flow of letters and tips began to pour in every day, and the monster had even penned a few himself, mocking the police for not being able to catch him yet. 

You spent every day working beside Nanami, who insisted you move into his office, claiming you could work more comfortably there. The attraction you felt towards the stoic detective grew as you spent more time with him, sharing the intimate workspace. He was always so busy and stressed beyond measure, but he was unfailingly kind and considerate of you. In return, you went above and beyond your assigned duties to care for him. You ensured that Nanami ate as regularly as possible, brewed him tea when he was having a particularly hard day, and provided him companionship. 

You had always known that Nanami was intensely intelligent and focused, but he truly gave all of himself to this case. Unfortunately, the Ripper seemed to be a shade able to pass through walls for all the helpful clues he left behind. You watched, feeling utterly helpless, as the pile of bodies grew and the dark circles under Nanami’s eyes deepened. Despite putting on a brave face, he seemed frustrated and permanently exhausted; if you had to guess, he even slept at his desk some nights. 

As the case progressed and even more women were killed, Nanami made it a point to make sure you were safe, even though you lived on the opposite end of London from where the murders occurred. You reassured him that you’d be fine, but he still gifted you a small firearm, a Derringer, that you kept tucked in your handbag every single day as both a good luck charm and a deterrent. The detective also insisted on escorting you home at night, and on the rare nights he was unavailable, he sent Ino or Itadori in his stead. 

However, most nights, you only waited inside for an hour or two before sneaking back to the streets. You were convinced the people who frequented the bustling pubs and taverns of Whitechapel had to have more information. Many people weren’t keen on sharing any information with the police, but you knew they’d talk amongst themselves and certainly to a pretty girl at the bar. You knew it wasn’t smart, but you were determined to help in every way possible; too many women were living in fear. However, a small part of you did know that you were also desperately trying to ease Nanami’s burden. 

Even though you were determined, you still felt incredibly guilty about the situation. It would undoubtedly drive Nanami mad with worry if he knew what you were up to, but you promised yourself that it was safe enough, that you’d always sneak back home before nightfall. You had even planned only to visit pubs on Whitechapel Road itself, knowing that proximity to the main road made your outings safer. Weeks passed as your covert outings continued without a hitch, but one night, everything changed. You had been far too distracted by the bartender you were conversing with, and before you realized it, the sun had fully set. You might’ve been right on the main road, but you were alone in Whitechapel after dark, where the monster was certainly lurking in the shadows.

Every bump in the night made your heart seize in fear as you started down the street, desperately heading back toward safety. You managed to make a decent headway, but the sound of a familiar voice stopped you dead in your tracks. Nervously, you glanced around to find DC Itadori at the building right in front of you, blissfully unaware of your presence as the young man chatted with a passerby.

You knew that the proper thing to do would be to approach him for help, to admit that you had made a mistake, but you couldn’t ignore the small voice in the back of your mind that whispered, “You know he’d tell Nanami, right?”  

Telling DC Itadori would be bad enough, but the thought of his mentor being disappointed in you or even hurt by your actions made your heart lurch. 

“It’ll be just a quick detour,” you promised yourself as you turned and headed down the closest alleyway.

Your journey was fine for the first few minutes, but it didn’t take long for you to garner unwanted attention. Your dress lacked the finery you usually wore, but it was still the dress of a respectable woman, and this dark alley was no place for any woman. Drunken men leered at you from every shadow, trying to coax you closer. You ducked and weaved your way out of their clumsy attempts to grab you, but you were forced to run down alley after alley to avoid them. The familiar weight of the Derringer that you’d tucked into your garter was the only comfort you had as you fled deeper and deeper into the heart of Whitechapel. An icy chill crept down your spine as you grew painfully aware that you’d gotten lost in the maze of alleyways. 

Thick, oppressive fog curled throughout the already cramped alley as you hurriedly turned the next corner, only to hit a dead end. Your blood ran cold, and tears of exhaustion and fear ran down your face as you glanced around, desperately trying to figure out where you were, but it was useless. The fog was too dense, and you were too lost. Two sets of footsteps were still following you. You could hear them approaching faster and faster,  and you shrank back into the corner in fear, reaching under your skirts for the cool metal of the pistol as a last resort-

Suddenly, you heard the sounds of a brief scuffle around the corner, followed by the sickening crunch of a nose shattering. A man yelled out in pain; you could hear him sprinting back down the alley as another voice rang out into the night, “Miss, are you alright?” 

You could’ve wept at the achingly familiar, husky tone as your Detective Inspector appeared out of the gloom, lantern in hand. 

“I seem to have made a mistake,” You managed weakly.

Nanami froze instantly at the sound of your voice. He raised the lantern to illuminate your tear-stained face, and a look of sheer horror broke over his handsome features. You crumpled against the wall, and the Detective Inspector rushed forward to support your body, his strong arms cradling you with breathtaking gentleness. 

“Are you hurt?” He asked quickly as his gaze scanned you over systematically, desperately searching your body for any sign of injury. 

“No, just cold, afraid….. and more than a little ashamed. Thank you for saving me.” You admitted meekly, fighting the urge to lean into his warmth. 

Nanami groaned audibly in relief, tipping his head back as if thanking god. His arms tightened around you slowly as he embraced you, holding you against his broad chest while you shook with latent fear. You flushed furiously as you reciprocated his embrace, drawing enough comfort from his presence for your heartbeat to calm. 

“You’re trembling,” he murmured, voice low and soothing. “let’s get you somewhere safe, and then you can tell me why you’re out here.” 

“I can’t go home. It’s too late; I won’t be able to get back in until morning when my maid returns. Perhaps I should rent a room here for the night? No one will know me this far out. I do have some money.” You rambled, trying to keep from crying even more.  

Nanami sighed, stepping back slightly to look into your eyes. “I’m not leaving you out here alone. It won’t be ‘proper,’ but I’d like to take you somewhere where I know you’ll be safe.” 

You felt a pulse of clarity flow through you, and you placed a hand on his muscular forearm, gently squeezing it in reassurance. “I trust you.” 

The detective’s warm, brown gaze softened as he saw the honesty written across your face.

“One more question, then. Do you think you’re up to walking? I could carry you, but that may draw more unwanted attention.” 

You shifted on your feet, testing them out. “I think I’ll be alright.” 

Nanami smiled down at you before deftly unfastening his tan, woolen greatcoat. He draped it over your shoulders with heartbreaking gentleness, ignoring your mild noises of protest as he secured it around you. 

“It’s cold tonight,” was all he said as he offered you his arm.

You held onto him tightly, instantly comforted by his solid frame and the quiet strength Nanami carried himself with, even in a tense situation like this. You had never been more terrified only moments ago, but now you felt safe and protected, almost warm despite the cold air around you. 

“Thank you…. It is quite comforting.” You murmured.

Nanami smiled down at you briefly before guiding you through the maze of alleyways, letting you dictate the pace. Funnily enough, the fog seemed to dissipate as the two of you walked down the streets of London together. You could see the stars twinkling above you, and if you didn’t know better, the two of you could’ve been a couple out on a nighttime stroll together. 

Time passed quickly as you walked together in comfortable silence, and soon, you arrived at a comfortable-looking townhouse near Bedford Square. Nanami unlocked the door without any preamble, ushering you inside out of the cold. He led you up the stairs into a tastefully furnished drawing room with a beautiful bay window that overlooked a moonlit garden.

“Please, make yourself comfortable,” he encouraged, leading you towards a plush settee. Nanami busied himself with lighting the ornate fireplace as you curled up against the arm of the furnishing, still wrapped up in his coat. You snuggled against the soft wool, surreptitiously enjoying how it smelled of his fresh, woody cologne undercut with the deeper scent you could only describe as his. 

As soon as Nanami finished tending to the fire, he began to pace around the room in a manner you knew meant that he was thinking deeply about something. 

“What is it?” You asked softly, almost afraid of the answer. 

He took a deep breath and stopped pacing, turning to look at you. Nanami’s expression held no anger as the firelight flickered across his face, but a profound sadness filled his beautiful brown eyes as he spoke, “I don’t think you understand what it would’ve done to me if you were the next body found.” 

You dropped your head, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes as Nanami continued his pacing, “When I realized it was you in the alley, I- I thought the absolute worst had happened.” 

He ran his hands through his hair, pacing even more frantic as he tousled the normally neat blonde strands. “You must know by now…. You have to know…”

Nanami turned to you once again, dropping his arms to his side in defeat. “I love you.” He rasped, voice raw with emotion. “I’ve known for months. I didn’t think I could court you properly until I caught this bastard, so I didn’t say anything. You don’t deserve to be associated with me if I fail, but after tonight, I just can’t take it anymore. I understand if you say no, if you need a better man, but-” 

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. In the blink of an eye, you flung yourself across the room and into his arms. Nanami caught you in surprise, scarcely able to believe he wasn’t dreaming as you clutched desperately at his sides. Uncontrollable tears fell from the corners of your eyes as you gazed at him in unabashed adoration.

“I love you too,” you confessed, “ I don’t think a better man exists.” 

That was all the encouragement he needed. Nanami smiled lovingly, softly as he leaned down to press a slow, feather-light kiss against your forehead. You sighed in bliss, and the detective breathed deeply as if he hadn’t had fresh air in months. Months of stress and fear melted away from both your bodies, the negative emotions paling in comparison to the warmth of your love. Nanami ghosted more kisses across your cheeks and nose, taking his time to savor every inch of your beautiful skin before finally pressing his lips against yours. 

The kiss was soft and sweet. Your eyelashes fluttered shut, and you acted purely on instinct, leaning further into his embrace. One of Nanami’s strong, steady hands moved to cup your waist, holding you like precious china as your lips parted from the chaste kiss. As you shared another intimate breath, his other hand slid under your chin, tilting you forward to capture your lips again. 

“Marry me.” He mouthed against you, voice rough with emotion. “Let me protect you, love you, worship you. I want to hold you in my arms, to keep you by my side until I die.” 

“Yes,” you nearly pleaded, clawing at the material of his blue vest in an attempt to somehow pull him closer. “Kento, please…. I’m yours.”

He groaned desperately at the intimacy of his first name on your lips as his hand moved from your waist to wrap around your back possessively. Nanami trailed his other hand to cup your jaw as he kissed you even more passionately, almost devouring you whole. You had kissed before, but it was only mild, adolescent flirtations with boys you didn’t bother to remember; it was nothing like this. This kiss was searing, threatening to burn you from the inside out if you stopped for even a second. Your chest lay flush against Nanami’s, your body moving against his in a way that made his trousers grow uncomfortably tight. 

Nanami realized instantly and broke the embrace, stepping back to hide the way his cock strained against the fabric. The desirous look in your eyes and your attempt to follow him nearly shattered his resolve completely, but he touched your shoulder gently. 

“It will get increasingly hard for me to remain the gentleman you deserve if we continue.” He warned breathily, a light dusting of pink gracing his cheekbones. “If you need, I can go stand outside until morning.” 

A whimper left your kiss-swollen lips. Your body ached in a way you’d never felt, craving the sweet burn of his touch in places you’d rarely explored yourself. The world felt hazy and syrupy as you tried to regain your mind, but it was a futile task. Your breasts felt heavy, your nipples sensitive as they rubbed against the fabric of your chemise. 

“That’s not what I need,” you pleaded, and Nanami shuddered. 

“Can you tell me what you do need?” He murmured, taking a tiny step towards you. 

“Kento, I-I’ve never done this before,” you stammer, blushing furiously and shrinking back in embarrassment. 

Immediately, Nanami is at your side, holding you tightly once again. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of, darling. I wouldn’t love you less either way. All it means is that we’re on equal footing here.” 

He pulled you into another hug, intent on soothing you further as your mind spun. 

“You’ve never….?” You questioned softly. 

“No,” Nanami murmured, “I haven’t been with anyone.” 

“That does make me feel better,” you admitted, biting the swell of your lower lip. “What I’m feeling right now is new…. strange, even. I want you to touch me so badly that it hurts.”

Nanami groaned again, pulling you against his broad chest; he could easily feel your heart racing, and he wasn’t faring much better. 

“Do you want me to touch you now, or do you want me to wait?” He asked, voice deadly calm. 

“I think I’ll die if you wait,” you pleaded, pawing against his vest again. 

He chuckled roughly, grasping your wrist and pulling it to his lips. Your breath hitched as he kissed the tender skin of your pulse point, savoring the way your pulse raced under his touch. Without further preamble, Nanami reached down for your skirts, slowly drawing the fabric up past the soft leather of your garters. He reached down, tracing up your thigh with his fingers until they caught the cool metal of the Derringer, which you had completely forgotten about. 

Nanami tugged it free as he kissed you once again. He smiled into the embrace, pulling you with him as he stepped over to set the small gun on a nearby table. You glanced at him in astonishment, unsure how he had known. As soon as the firearm was safely put away, he scooped you up into his arms with another soft laugh, “Darling, what kind of detective would I be if I didn’t know?” 

You smiled up at him, “I suppose you do have a point, darling.” 

He sighed in bliss as you turned the affectionate nickname against him. You traced your hands up Nanami’s broad chest greedily, slipping them over his shoulders for support as you leaned in for yet another desperate kiss, unable to sate your desire for his lips. He somehow managed to walk and return the kiss at the same time, only stumbling slightly as he brought you into another room. 

You giggled against him, and he smiled, devouring the sweet sounds and eager to hear more. Nanami leaned down, setting you gently on his large bed. He pulled back to gaze at you in utter adoration, loosening his golden cravat and undoing the buttons of his blue brocade vest. He discarded them both, leaning forward to cage you between his arms as you drank in the sight unashamedly. 

“You know it isn’t proper for me to see you in just your shirtsleeves yet,” you teased, snaking your hands up his arms and growing bold enough to nip at his bottom lip. 

“I don’t think anything that we are about to do is too ‘proper,’” Nanami smiled affectionately as he circled his hands around your corseted waist, pulling you forward to sit at the edge of the bed. He unfastened your boots, caressing your stocking-covered feet gently as he set your shoes to the side. Afterward, his hands returned to your waist, meeting in the middle to trace over the small buttons of your green bodice. 

“May I?” He implored, voice low and breathy with anticipation. 

You nodded, biting your lip nervously. “Please.”

Nanami’s deft fingers began to undo button after button, exposing the other layers of clothing underneath as he went. You’d chosen to forego wearing a camisole, as none of your outerwear was fine enough to need protecting, so he was immediately met with the sight of your corset and the lip of your chemise beneath. The silken chemise you favored was thin enough to be nearly transparent, and Nanami’s breath hitched at the sight of your pebbled nipples peeking over the top of your corset. 

He knelt slightly, enraptured by the sight of your breasts rising and falling with every breath you took. Nanami stared at you ravenously as his breathing grew heavier. You blushed prettily, shrugging the bodice off as the once-stoic detective’s tongue darted out to wet his lips. His hands dug into the fabric of his duvet as he fought the urge to caress and kiss every part of your body. 

“I want to explore every part of you with my hands and tongue,” he confessed with a groan. “I can’t hold myself back much further, but promise that you’ll stop me immediately if I make you uncomfortable.” 

You noticed the pupils of his brown eyes were blown wide and dark with lust as he looked at you, fully enraptured but waiting for your response. His expression forced an involuntary whimper to tumble from your lips, and the heat in your core spiked once again. 

“I promise, but please… I didn’t think I could feel something like this.” You begged sweetly, guiding his large, warm hand to rest on the swell of your breasts.

He caressed the area gently, watching your face as his clever fingers explored your soft curves. You sighed in delight as he squeezed and traced the barely-covered skin, prompting him to investigate further. His fingertips grazed your nipple, and your back arched instantly, mouth parting in a perfect “O” at the waves of pleasure that shot through you. Nanami’s gaze grew half-lidded and hazy; he squeezed the small bud in response, and you outright moaned as your core clenched in need. 

“Feels good?” He purred, utterly shameless in wanting to learn your pleasure. 

You nodded vigorously, unable to speak, as you pulled his other hand to your back. He knelt on the floor, pulling you to stand over him as he reached around to unfasten your skirts and small bustle. They dropped to the floor, and he leaned forward to pepper kisses across your stomach and the tops of your thighs. You couldn’t feel his lips directly for the corset and chemise still in the way, but you could feel the warmth of his body close to yours. The intimacy of him kneeling before you, kissing your body so hungrily, made you throb with need once more. Acting on pure instinct once again, you began to rub your thighs together, desperate to relieve the ache.

He reached for the strings of your corset, successfully untying the knot. Nanami felt around for a moment before leaning back to look the silk and leather garment up and down. The detective chuckled lowly, “Would you mind helping me, darling? This is the first I’ve dealt with a corset, and I’m afraid it’s not as straightforward as the other layers.” 

You gazed down at him in adoration, guiding his arms to grasp different parts of the lacing. 

“Pull here…. and here.” You murmured, and the corset loosened under your combined ministrations, finally becoming loose enough for you to unfasten the busk. 

Nanami watched breathlessly as it fell. He grasped the hem of your chemise, the final major barrier separating him from your soft skin, and rose from his kneeling position to pull it over your head. Finally, you stood before him fully topless, and he shuddered in desire as he removed your drawers. 

He picked you up again, setting you back on the bed to work on the layers of his clothing. You whined in protest, wanting to undress him as he had explored you, but he simply shushed you, only speeding up his movements as he spoke through gritted teeth, “Darling, I promise you that we will have ample time for you to undress me later…. but right now, I need you, or I’m going to fully lose my mind.” 

Nanami was barely able to choke out the words as he threw his shirt aside, granting you a beautiful view of his muscular chest and the smattering of honey-blonde hair that covered it. His arms were just as well-built, and you bit your lip once again, squirming on top of his sheets as you watched him. Nanami hooked his fingers into the waistband of his trousers, drawing your attention to a patch of coarser blonde hair that trailed down his lower stomach, hinting at what you’d see next. 

You felt hot, fully and shamelessly filled with lust as you stared at the outline of his thick cock tenting the fabric. Nanami groaned as he saw your reaction, palming his erection as he started towards you, only clad in his trousers. 

“Lay back for me, darling,” he cooed, guiding you onto the mattress. It dipped beneath his weight as he joined you, running his fingers over your leather garters. He pulled them down with his teeth, pressing kisses to the bare skin that forced a litany of moans and pleas from your lips as he rid you of your stockings. Dimly, you realized the space between your thighs was sticky with your own arousal. Nanami realized a split second after you, trailing his fingers up to your core after disposing of the garters and stockings. 

“You’re beautiful, gorgeous…. Perfect.” His deep voice rumbled against your ear as he traced his finger through your folds. You shivered and moaned in response, your legs falling open even further, begging for him to explore more. He slid up on the bed next to you, leaning down to kiss your bare, sensitive breasts as he toyed with your soaked cunt.

Nanami carried on like that for a few minutes, noting that you grew the most desperate as he circled the small pearl of flesh at the top of your sex. He caressed it, noting with no small amount of satisfaction that his ministrations made you beg for more and whimper his name. Tension coiled in your stomach as he gently circled the puffy bud and kissed you passionately, relishing the taste of his name on your lips. It didn’t take long for that tension to snap in your stomach like an elastic band, and your back arched off the bed as you came hard. 

He growled praises into your ear, teasing his fingers into you as your cunt spasmed around nothing. “My future wife… a goddess.” 

Your eyelashes fluttered shut in a moment of discomfort that soon gave way to the blissful feeling of being filled. There was no pain as the other women had complained of; your world was a haze of syrupy bliss as your lover prepared you with his fingers, gently stretching your velvet walls. 

Nanami rutted his hips against the bed, delaying his own pleasure until you were ready for him to truly fill you. The two of you moaned and sighed, almost in sync. 

“You’re so soft and wet,” he cursed under his breath. “I won’t last much longer… Do you think you’re ready?” 

You leaned up to kiss him passionately, mouthing your desperate assent against his lips. Nanami unbuttoned his trousers, unclothing his lower half in record time as you lay back against the sheets, eyes fully glazed over with lust. He spread your legs, slotting his hips between them, and you felt the swollen tip of his cock kiss your needy sex as he positioned himself properly. The two of you were panting, moaning together like animals in heat as he pushed in slowly, desperately trying not to hurt you. You cried out at the stretch, digging your nails into his back, the pain pulling another guttural moan from your lover. Any discomfort quickly turned to blinding pleasure as he sank into you fully.

Nanami paused arduously, his cock twitching, desperately begging for him to move. 

“Tell me… when.” He forced the words out through gritted teeth, his expression almost a grimace as he fought the urge to thrust into you. 

The warmth and pressure of his body, the feeling of being stuffed full, the feeling of his cock twitching inside you… It was all too much. Your fingers scrabbled at his back, desperate for purchase, as you whined, high-pitched and needy in response. “Now, please- oh, God. Need you now.”

Nanami groaned as he began to move his hips slowly, dragging his thick cock along your velvet walls. He began to move slightly faster as you writhed beneath him, your mind too sex-addled to form a coherent thought or sentence as his swollen balls slapped against you. 

Your future husband fucked you slowly but thoroughly, filling the room with the salacious sounds of your lovemaking. A familiar tension began to build in your core, and Nanami groaned as your walls squeezed his cock. Unlike earlier, there was almost no warning as you shot straight over the edge of a mind-shattering orgasm, and you cried out desperately.

Nanami growled and cursed against your neck as your cunt milked his cock, desperately begging to be filled. 

“So close. Need… need to pull out.” He rasped, almost whining as he left the plush warmth of your sex. You watched him in a lust-filled daze, melting against his sheets as Nanami leaned back, furiously stroking his cock. He grunted and moaned shamelessly, hips still shallowly thrusting against his hand as he desperately sought bliss. His head tipped back as he panted; you could see a beautiful, rosy flush color his chest and neck, and you wanted nothing more than to kiss every inch of it. 

Nanami’s thrusts started to falter from their original pace, and you watched, wholly enraptured, as his brows furrowed and his perfect mouth fell open. He came a moment later with a hoarse cry; thick ropes of his seed coated his hands and stomach in spurts. He stroked his cock a few more times, fully milking out his orgasm before collapsing on the bed by your side. You both lay there in silence for a few blissful moments, basking in the warmth and security of each other’s arms.

“I love you,” you whispered, breaking the silence with a smile. 

“I love you too, my darling future wife,” Nanami murmured back, entwining his hand with yours.

Tagging some friends: @pseudowho @saradika @thefact0rygirl @babygirl-leon-kennedy @hereforthesunrise @ashotofspotchka @ironandglass @amyroswell @cassandrablacker @lady-valtieri @justanothersadperson93 @orangecremepuff @belle-smith07 @outspokenbrat @enchantedsylveon @khaleesihavilliard @spam-love @silverliningsandstorms @msniks @panteramarron @eldritchbeauty @unoriginalidea @cindyneko-strider @markleeisdabestdrug @gabbyburgers @its-chickenwing-450 @luneariaa @akiiireix @tojispookiebear @dangoank0 @ifuckinghateschool @barryatsumu @voids-universe @mahgyu @themoonmonologues @byul9158 @starlitnotes @makingtimemine

#nanami kento #nanami kento x reader #nanami x reader #nanami smut #kento nanami #kento x reader #nanami x you #nanami kento smut #nanami kento x you #nanami kento x y/n #jjk x reader #jjk x you #jjk smut #jjk fanfic #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen smut

[thisphantomlife]

Songs Hozier has covered

Bowie - Changes, Young Americans (see also Trinity Orchestra section)

Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover, Raspberry Beret, Jungle Love

James Carr - The Dark End Of The Street

The Beatles - Blackbird

John Lennon (Donny Hathaway version) - Jealous Guy (at the goldenplec block party with Zaska)

Ariana Grande - Problem

Warren G - Regulate (mashup with Problem)

James Blake - Retrograde

Tom Waits - Strange Weather

Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love

Stevie Wonder - Living for the City, As

Sting - 7 Days

The BeeGees - To Love Somebody

Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (that thing)

Amerie - One Thing

Skip James - Illinois Blues

Muddy Waters - Catfish Blues

Van Morrison - Caravan, Sweet Thing, Domino, Brown Eyed Girl, Saint Dominic’s Preview

Bill Withers - Ain’t No Sunshine

Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know

Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry

Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

Fun - We Are Young

Paul Simon - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Sam Smith - Lay Me Down

Destiny’s Child - Say My Name

Britney Spears - Toxic (snippet)

The Band - The Weight

Otis Rush version of Willie Dixon and the Big Three Trio - My Love Will Never Die

The Talking Heads - Burning Down the House (Instagram live messing around with friends)

The Staple Singers - Let’s Do it Again

The Weather Forecast 🤪

Ed Lewis - I Be So Glad When the Sun Goes Down (Instagram snippet)

Mavis Staples - Eyes on the Prize

Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher

The Meters - Just Kissed My Baby

Christmas Songs - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Winter Wonderland, Santa Claus is Coming to Town (with others at the Xmas Eve Ball 2015)

Traditional Irish songs - My Lagan Love, The Humours of Whiskey, I Am Stretched On Your Grave, The Rolling Wave (on the low whistle), The Parting Glass, The Lonely Jig (on the low whistle)

(Live) Collabs - that are not Andrew’s own songs

Alvin Youngblood Hart - Illinois Blues

Maren Morris - The Bones, My Church, Girl, The Tree

Annie Lennox - I Put a Spell on You (Screamin Jay Hawkins cover)

Tom Odell - Another Love

Noah Kahan - Northern Attitude

Allison Russell - Requiem, Stop Dragging My Heart Around (Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty cover)

Brandi Carlile - The Joke, Walk On (U2 cover), The Weight (The Band cover)

Jamala - Walk On (U2 cover)

Mavis Staples - The Weight (The Band cover), Keep Your Eyes on the Prize (with Our Native Daughters, Jason Isbell and Phil Cook)

Boygenius - Salt in the Wound

Alana Henderson - Ae Fond Kiss (poem by Robert Burns)

U2 - When Love Comes to Town

Tori Kelly - Blackbird (the Beatles cover)

Mumford and Sons - Guiding Light, Awake My Soul, With a Little Help From My Friends (Beatles cover, with other artists)

Lake Street Dive - Everyday People (Sly and the Family Stone cover)

Rachael Price - Rental Love

Victoria Canal - Swan Song

Elwood (his dog) - Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (Elton John and Kiki Dee cover, Insta snippet)

All the artists at Love Rocks NYC 2022 - Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan cover), Feeling Alright (Traffic cover)

Brian Kennedy (and others) - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (Nina Simone cover)

His Dad - The Weight (The Band cover at MSG)

Zaska, Wyvern Lingo, Loah - Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder cover)

Eabha McMahon - Bright Blue Rose (Jimmy McCarthy cover)

Christmas Eve Busk 2015

Bono, Glen Hansard - When Love Comes to Town, Every Breaking Wave

Glen Hansard, Imelda May - The Dark End of the Street (James Carr cover)

Christmas Eve Busk 2017

Glen Hansard, Coronas, Imelda May, Liam O Maonlaoi - So This is Christmas (John Lennon cover), The Aul Triangle

Music Groups

Nova Collective - (original songs) Tuile, Closer, Quick Bossa

Zaska - (original songs) In Your Own Sweet Time, Different Light, She Gunk Gunk Dunk A Funk, Oh Yeah

Anuna - with Andrew on lead vocals: The Raid, La Chanson de Mardi Gras. With Andrew in the choir: Jingle Bells, An Uaithne

The Wiggles - Cherry Tree Carol with Anuna

Trinity Orchestra - songs covered with Andrew on lead vocals

~ Queen - Somebody To Love, Don’t Stop Me Now

~ Arcade Fire - My Body is a Cage

~ Pink Floyd - Time, Breathe, Comfortably Numb, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Money

~ Michael Jackson - Earth Song, Black or White, Smooth Criminal

~ David Bowie - Heroes

*This list may not be complete. It only contains songs that can be found online.

Please let me know if any songs are missing so I can add them 🫶

I’ve not included the songs he sang snippets of on that Song Association interview

#hozier #hozier covers #hozier collabs #list of songs Hozier has covered

[jrob64]

Writing Patterns

I was tagged for this game by @searchingwardrobes & @kmomof4. Sounds like fun!

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 posted fics and see if there's a pattern. (With links to the stories on Ao3)

Pet for Rent

Emma Swan flopped down onto her sofa with a sigh.

Freed to Love (Collab fic with @snowbellewells & @statustemporary - these first words were actually written by one of them, so I'm not sure if that counts!)

Early morning dew soaks through Emma's boots to her stockings.

Hitting a High Note

Killian Jones buttoned his black pea coat, then wrapped a festive green and gold scarf around his neck.

I Loved You First

David Nolan paced in the hallway outside the room where Mary Margaret was helping Emma get ready for her wedding.

Silly Songs with Killian

It's been one hell of a day.

Turning a Foul Ball into a Home Run

Emma Swan joined the group of people who were making their way down the hallway and into the press room.

Saying Goodbye and Moving On

Storybrooke was peaceful for perhaps the first time since Emma Swan crashed into the town sign three years ago.

Never Leave Me (reposted after I added a 2nd chapter)

"It's nice when our schedules sync up," Emma Swan said, rubbing her foot up and down the calf of her boyfriend's bare leg, as they lingered in bed.

Cave Cruises, Cabin Capers, & Cracked Craniums (Another Collab fic with @kmomof4, @snowbellewells & @whimsicallyenchantedrose - again, I don't think the first sentence was written by me)

Emma Swan and her girlfriends–Mary Margaret Blanchard, Ruby Lucas, Regina Mills, Belle French, and Elsa Arendelle–were on the first day of their yearly, week-long girls trip.

Long Overdue Conversations (This work is in parts, not chapters, so I'll post the first sentence of the last part I added)

“You guys gonna finally tell me the name of my little brother or should I just keep calling him ‘hey there’?” (direct quote from the show)

I guess the pattern I see is that I almost always use the name of at least one main character for the story, especially Emma.

Tagging @statustemporary @cs-rylie @kymbersmith-90

#tag game #writing patterns #jrob64 #CS fanfiction #with a splash of Daddy Charming

[kmomof4]

Cave Cruises, Cabin Capers, & Cracked Craniums A fic collaboration between @kmomof4, @jrob64, @snowbellewells, and @whimsicallyenchantedrose

What happens when four fanfiction writer fandom friends go on vacation together? A fic collaboration, of course! We knew from the start we wanted to have a collab sprint involved in our vacay, but it wasn’t until we were in the thick of it that we decided we wanted our story to essentially be a fanfic version of our trip itself. Sadly we did not meet any hot pirates, but it was a lot of fun all the same. All of the pictures in the post were taken by one of us on the trip and the cabin in the picset above is where we stayed.

Shoutout to @motherkatereloyshipper​ for her manip of the Lost Boys Cave sign at the beginning of the fic! You’re the best, babe!

This is a long one y’all, over 16k, so be sure you have snacks and drinks to enjoy while you read!

Summary: When Emma Swan and her friends go on their annual girls’ vacation, they meet a group of guys who seem to keep turning up in the same places. Pranks, yearning looks and romance ensue.

Rating: T for some strong language and a suggestive hot tub scene.

On ao3

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

A collaborative story by @snowbellewells​, @whimsicallyenchantedrose​, @kmomof4​ and @jrob64​, based on our very own girls’ trip (without the guys, sadly)

Emma Swan and her girlfriends–Mary Margaret Blanchard, Ruby Lucas, Regina Mills, Belle French, and Elsa Arendelle–were on the first day of their yearly, week-long girls trip. The friends had been vacationing together since they’d graduated college three years before and all went their separate ways–some to graduate school, others to their chosen career fields. Regina had just graduated from Harvard Law School at the top of her class, and she had job offers in Chicago and Knoxville, so the friends made plans to help her decide on a location by booking this year's trip to Kentucky and eastern Tennessee. The group met in Bowling Green, Kentucky for the Lost Boys Cave tour, and later that day, they would drive to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to the cabin they’d rented for the week. Not only was it near one of Regina’s possible job locations, but Ruby’s grandmother – “Granny” to them all – ran a diner and lived in Pigeon Forge as well.

Regina had been born and raised in New York City and was already complaining that the fresh pine smell in the air was getting to her.

“How much farther is it to this cave that we apparently have to see?” she groused. “My feet hurt already. I didn’t sign up for blisters.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “If you’d taken my suggestion to actually break in your new tennis shoes beforehand, you wouldn’t have that problem.”

Regina was on the verge of what Emma was sure would be an excessive amount of snark, when they heard footsteps approaching them on the walking path.

“Good morning, ladies,” an accented voice said from behind them. Emma turned around and nearly lost her breath at the handsome man who had spoken to them.

His deep blue eyes sparkled in the morning light, and the slight smirk and raised eyebrow on his face sent her heart racing. He had artfully tousled black hair and trimmed scruff the same color, with just a hint of ginger peeking through that became noticeable when the sun filtered through the leaf canopy over the path where they all walked.

A chorus of good morning resounded in response to Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome’s cheerful greeting, but Emma couldn’t find it within herself to speak to him. His good looks left her completely speechless.

“Are you ladies joining the 11 o’clock tour?” he asked.

Emma nodded– still completely tongue tied– while Mary Margaret answered in the affirmative for all of them.

“Wonderful!” he exclaimed exuberantly. “You’re with me then.”

He was walking beside Emma by this time and turned toward her, waggling his eyebrows. “Cat got your tongue, Lass?”

Emma could feel the blush spreading down to her neck as she tried once more to force her mouth to work properly. She wet her lips and took a deep breath, determined to say something.

“Lass?” she asked saucily. “You fall through a time portal or something? What century are you from anyway?” She cocked her head at him challengingly as she lobbed the verbal ball back into his court. She was a bit surprised to find herself anxiously awaiting his reply.

That blatantly expressive eyebrow of his practically leapt into his hairline, and a smirk slid over his mouth at her sassy response. “Let me assure you, Love, though there is nothing wrong with speaking as a proper, dashing gentleman of old, I’m from the same time as yourself, and as you can clearly see, I have quite the youthful glow.”

Someone should register those blue eyes of his as deadly weapons, Emma thought to herself. She was suddenly aware that all of her friends were beginning to take much too curious an interest in their verbal jousting match, so she moved away from him with a rather dry, “Not your love, Buddy.”

He chuckled knowingly but did back up a step. “As you wish then, Darling. Perhaps you will grant me your name instead, so I shall know what I may call you?”

“Her name’s Emma, Handsome,” Ruby interjected, a bit too eagerly in Emma’s opinion. “I’m Ruby. This is Regina, Mary Margaret, Elsa, and Belle.” She gestured to herself and each of her other friends in turn. “And what may we call you? And when? Oh, and how often?”

The man in front of them grinned before answering, “Killian Jones, at your service, ladies.” He gave a small bow and directed a wink at Emma.

Ruby saw it, but she was pleasantly distracted when a tall, curly-headed guy with scruff defining his strong jawline joined them on the path. His eyes quickly took her in as well, before turning his attention to Killian with the message he had come to deliver, “Liam and I’ve got the other boat.”

“Thanks, Graham,” Killian said to the newcomer.

“The other boat?” Ruby asked. “There are two boats?”

“It depends on the size of the group,” Graham answered, a soft smile touching his lips as his eyes lingered on hers.

“How big does the group have to be?” she asked, propping her hand on her hip. “Because I can go flag down some cars on the road, if necessary.”

“Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem, Love,” Killian said as they crossed the footbridge and reached the assigned meeting place, noting the large group of people waiting for them.

Emma leaned back against a large rock and enjoyed the view as Killian greeted the gathered groups–people hailing from Florida, Michigan, Colorado and even California–and began his spiel about the caves, the local ecosystem, and legends and lore of the area. He was good at his job, and it was clear he loved it.

“Be sure to stop me with any questions you have,” he finished.

Ruby groaned. “You have no idea what you’re asking, Killian. Mary Margaret is a school teacher and will definitely take you up on that.”

He gave her a good-natured smile, before turning his charm back to Emma as they began walking toward the cave. “And what about you, Love? Do you have any questions for me?”

“Depends,” she answered with a smirk, “do they have to be about caves?”

He leaned in and gave her a saucy wink. “You may ask me as many questions as you like…perhaps over a few libations after the tour.”

Emma wished very much she had a witty comeback for that, but his low drawling voice, combined with the flirtatious wink left her not only speechless, but unable to remember what words even were.

He gave her a knowing grin, before turning back to the group as a whole.

“To your left, here, you’ll see what we call the Blue Hole,” he said, gesturing toward a small, round body of dark blue water. “Legend has it that if you dive too deeply within its depths, Peter Pan will grab you and drag you to Neverland. It was deterrent enough to keep the locals from exploring it.”

Elsa scoffed. “Neverland? Isn’t that supposed to be a place of wonder and magic? Why would anyone be afraid of someone like Peter Pan?”

“The child is a bloody demon,” Killian answered, completely serious. “I wouldn’t test him.”

After passing beside the Lost River–called such, because no one knew where it began–they finally reached the cave itself. Two other men waited for them, and Killian promptly introduced them as his older brother Liam, and Will Scarlet.

“Some of you will have the honor of riding with Graham Humbert and myself,” Liam explained, “while the rest will be in the nearly-as-capable hands of Will and my little brother.”

“I think you mean ‘younger’ brother,” Killian muttered under his breath.

Mary Margaret turned to those in their group. “Any preferences about which boat we take?”

Ruby grinned broadly. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I know which one I’m choosing. Graham’s hot, and I certainly wouldn’t mind spending a little extra time with him.” She tossed the woman next to her a knowing look. “And from the way Elsa’s eyeing that new guy, Liam, I’m guessing she wants to join me.”

The woman in question blushed a pretty pink, but didn’t contradict her.

“I’ll stick with Killian,” Belle said. “He seems quite knowledgeable, not to mention more than a little smitten with our Emma.”

Emma rolled her eyes and shrugged. “He’s a shameless flirk,” she asserted, her countenance turning confused the moment the word was out of her mouth.

“A what?” Elsa asked.

Emma waved her hands around aimlessly. “Oh, I meant to say a flirty jerk,” she explained, “but what’s the harm in having a little fun? After all, this is a vacation.”

Regina groaned, stepping next to Ruby and Elsa. “No thanks. If I have to spend a twenty minute boat ride with Captain Guyliner, with his yearning looks and doe-y eyes, I may vomit.”

Mary Margaret, for her part, took her place beside Emma for no real reason other than balancing out their group.

With the seating arrangements made, it was time to step into the boats docked side by side at the entrance of the cave. Emma took Killian’s hand as he helped her in. The moment her hand touched his, it was as if sparks went up between them. Emma gasped, pulling her hand back and meeting his equally startled eyes. For a moment neither moved, eyes locked, chemistry sizzling between them.

“Oi! What’s the hold up?” Killian’s co-guide, Will, complained.

It broke the spell, and Killian stepped back, scratching at a spot behind his ear. “Right, if you will, please take your seat.”

After Killian and Will helped the rest of the passengers onto their boat, Killian leaned over to tie the rope mooring back to the dock and Emma blatantly stared at his backside. The man was entirely too hot for anyone’s good. He glanced back as he finished and caught her staring.

“Like what you see, Love?” he asked with a saucy grin.

“You better believe it,” she tossed right back at him.

Killian laughed heartily as he hopped up onto the raised platform between the two rows of seats in the boat. “If you liked that, you’ll love this. Here is the part where I practice for my next job–as a runway model.”

Emma snorted a laugh as he walked, exaggerating his movements as though he were modeling the latest in haute couture, complete with sound effects.

“If you’ll look to the ceiling directly behind me,” Killian said, a moment later as the boat began to slowly glide through the cloudy water, “you will find our first attraction, the Wishing Stone.”

“Oh, that sounds mysterious and magical!” Mary Margaret said. “Why is it called that?”

Killian gave her a grin, having expected the question. As Ruby had warned, she had, indeed peppered him with a steady stream of questions throughout the entirety of the tour to that point. “Because if you don’t duck your head, you’ll wish you had.”

Emma groaned at the corny joke, but obediently ducked her head, turning it toward the back of the boat, where Will seemed to be so intent on something he was saying to Belle that he’d missed his co-guide’s warning. One second he was talking, and gesturing animatedly, and then, with a crack, his head came in contact with the low hanging cave ceiling.

“Bloody hell,” the man exclaimed, as he tumbled backwards and landed with a tremendous splash in the shallow water behind them.

“Oh, for the love of…” Killian said, shaking his head in disgust. “Would someone in the back kindly give my git of a co-guide a hand up?”

Always eager to help no matter the circumstances, Belle offered a very soggy Will assistance as he climbed back in the vessel. The man gave her a grateful smile. Belle returned it hesitantly before turning determinedly away from him. Emma gave her a sympathetic smile. Belle had only recently gone through a very painful breakup, and feelings or flirtations of any kind were the last things she wanted right now.

The boat tour lasted around a quarter of an hour, Killian and Will each pointing out structures of interest.

“If you notice,” Will said at one point, directing his flashlight to the ceiling, “the occasional floods that pass through this area tend to leave the ceilings smooth, but we’ve got a few baby stalagmites forming up ahead.”

“I think you mean stalactites,” Belle answered. “Stalactites hold tight to the ceiling, while you might trip over a stalagmite at your feet.”

Will tossed her a delighted smile. “Right you are, my sweet! When I cracked my cranium I must have lost my good sense.”

Emma saw Killian roll his eyes and mutter. “Said as though he ever had any to begin with.”

When the tour came to an end, Will and Killian hopped onto the docks, secured the boat, and began helping their passengers out. First on, Emma was the last off, and when she took Killian’s hand, it was like before, but this time even more. It was as though an electric current ran through her at the touch and she audibly gasped, her eyes fixed on his. She couldn’t look away, not as she stepped up onto the edge of the boat, nor when she stepped toward the dock. Her foot landed on a rope, and with a pop, it twisted to the side and she fell on the ground with a quick curse.

He was at her side in a moment.

“Emma. Love, are you okay?” he asked, reaching to steady her.

“I’m fine,” she bit out, feeling the intense embarrassment of her tumble far more than the pain of the sprain. “Just…don’t hover,” she said, waving her arms about. “Let me up!”

“Nonsense, Emma, you must let me attend to your injury,” he said, hand on her shoulder holding her still. “Allow me to wrap it for you.” He called for Will to bring him the first aid kit from the boat.

Emma shivered at the thought of his hands on her, even for something as innocuous as wrapping a sprained ankle. She should refuse; she really should, but it was, after all, a bit of a hike back to her car, and she knew her twisted joint could use the extra support.

“Fine, just hurry up with it,” she grumbled. “Mary Margaret has our vacation planned out to the minute, and she’d give me hell for messing with her precious itinerary.”

He laughed. “I think you'll find my ministrations to be both quick and efficient.”

Quick and efficient they might have been, but Emma felt every second of it with a swoop of her stomach as Killian gently cradled her foot on his lap, carefully removing her sock and shoe, and then expertly wound a long bandage around her foot and ankle, before restoring her footwear.

The swoop intensified as he offered to fetch a golf cart and drive her back to the car. These were dangerous waters she was treading in, and she’d best put a stop to it. The flirtatious rogue, she could deal with. The sweet, genuine man, she couldn’t.“Thanks for the offer, but it’s just a little sprain,” she said, a bit more harshly than she’d intended. “I can hobble back to the car on my own.”

He looked as though he wanted to protest further, but the expression on her face must have deterred him. He took a quick step back and glanced aside. “As you wish.”

“Thanks though,” she said, not wishing to give him the impression she was upset with him. “You know, for the tour and everything.”

He sketched an exaggerated courtly bow, “It was my very great pleasure, Love. And should you ever find yourself in the area again, feel free to look me up.”

While she couldn’t say the idea wasn’t tempting, Emma merely gave him a quick smile and then limped over to her friends who were waiting for her. No point in getting her hopes up. After all, once she left the park, she’d never see Killian Jones again.

************

Once they arrived at the cabin and unpacked all their belongings, the ladies made a trip into town to buy groceries they’d need for the week. Emma’s ankle was still very tender, but she wasn’t willing to be left behind, just to sit and be bored while the rest of them were gone. So she promised Mary Margaret and Elsa, the designated moms of the friend group, she’d use a motorized scooter to do her part of the shopping.

When they pulled into a parking space at the local market, Belle ran in to collect a scooter for Emma, who felt herself both blushing and scowling despite being touched by Belle’s thoughtfulness. She knew that the way she was beginning to hobble unsteadily to deal with the pain in her ankle would require her to use the scooter, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. It made her feel either ancient or like she was blowing a minor sprain completely out of proportion. “Thanks,” she muttered dryly, with a sidelong glance at Belle’s smiling face. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Now, enough of that,” Elsa broke in matter-of-factly, taking Emma by the elbow with little ceremony and guiding her right up to the scooter and into its seat. “You just sit yourself down and stop worrying over how it might look. The sooner we get what we need, the sooner we can be back and you can get off that ankle to elevate and ice it.”

There was no comeback to offer for such sensible reasoning, so Emma nodded, zipped her lips, and steered toward the door, the rest of the ladies following in her wake. They paused only briefly in the chilled grocery air to organize who would grab what and where they would reconvene in twenty minutes. Once each had their short list, they split up to complete their mission.

Emma grabbed most of the dairy essentials she had been assigned quite easily, then motored over to the ice cream freezer to finish up. She could nearly taste the creamy, chocolatey Rocky Road melting on her tongue already, and she was leaning in the case to grab the last carton of it off the shelf before she even noticed there was anyone else nearby. In fact, she wouldn’t have noticed at all if the carton hadn’t been taken from her grasp by another hand grabbing it at exactly the same moment she’d intended to lift it herself.

“Hey, that was mine!” she accused, darting a withering glare to the left at the interloper, only to find their unfairly sexy tour guide from earlier in the day.

Wearing an all-too-smug expression, Killian Jones nodded in greeting with a lazy, crooked grin that Emma wanted to punch - or kiss - off of his face. “Are you sure about that, Lass? It would appear that the Rocky Road is in my possession.”

“Only because you took it out of my hands!” she argued. “And what are you even doing here, anyway? Are you following me now? Crippling me at the start of my vacation wasn’t enough?!?”

Tilting his head to look at her, Killian kept his mouth shut. Even if her assessment was completely unfair, he rarely got himself in trouble for things he didn’t say. Instead, he waited a moment, thinking she might calm down and take back her accusation. When Emma crossed her arms over her chest in a huff and instead looked as though she might happily run him over with the scooter she rode, he realized that was not about to happen. Perhaps a bit of well-placed smolder would be in order?

“Come now, Darling,” he soothed, lowering his voice and purposefully allowing the lilt in his words to become more pronounced. “You know as well as I that your unfortunate fall at the cave was no fault of mine. And I did patch you up as best I could, did I not?”

“Don’t you bat those pretty eyes at me,” she warned in a defensive snarl. “I’m not about to fall for that. And I believe I’ve already told you that I’m hardly your anything - lass, love, darling or otherwise.”

“Very well, Emma,” he enunciated the name ridiculously. “And to answer your earlier query, no, I am not following you. We’re on our way to a vacation rental, and are picking up groceries before we get there. And if I’d known how much you abhor my company, and that you were such a vexatious lass, I wouldn’t have even flirted with you.”

“Well, if I had known you were such a self-righteous prick, I wouldn’t have flirted back,” she snarked, unable to help the little flare of regret that curled in her gut at Killian’s statement of finding her so difficult he would not have even engaged with her had he known. It was the one chink in her armor, ever since she was a child - too guarded, too prickly, too much. It had always been the same when she found herself alone again. Quickly, she shook that regret away and focused back on the current challenge standing before her.

“You want to talk about a self-righteous prick, that would be my brother.”

“Huh?” Emma asked dumbly, not quite following his logic.

Killian gestured down the row nearest them to where the tall, curly-haired captain of the other tour boat–Jones’ older brother, she remembered now–was reaching up to the very highest shelf in the cereal aisle, where Elsa had been trying to grasp a box of her favorite cereal that had toppled over and fallen hopelessly out of her reach. The little tableau took only seconds, but was unarguably sweet, and the bright adoration that lit up Elsa’s face as she turned to thank the elder Jones brother, gave her aspect a stunning beauty the likes of which Emma had never seen from her friend before. When Liam offered what almost looked like the smallest of formal bows to Elsa before continuing on his way, Emma looked back to Killian with a grin, and added, “What, you’re both stuffy and old-fashioned beyond belief?”

He seemed to sense that the mood had shifted and allowed a gentler smile to cross his lips as well. “Aye, something like that, I suppose.”

They had begun to move back toward the front of the store side-by-side, almost without consciously realizing what they were doing. Emma was more than a bit flabbergasted when they reached the front of the market and Killian easily plunked the ice cream into the basket of her cart.

She looked up at him from her seat, surprised and ready to argue again, only to find him looking back at her with a softness that warmed her, even as it discomforted her at the same time. “While it can hardly be deemed my fault that I am so devilishly handsome you couldn’t keep your eyes off me and tripped out of your tour boat, I am always a gentleman. The Rocky Road is yours, Emma.”

Floundering for a moment, and out of her depth, Emma finally settled on a simple, Thank you, before coyly adding, “Maybe you would enjoy something like Rum Raisin more anyway.”

“Think nothing of it,” Killian offered gallantly, and moved to saunter back toward his brother and his group of friends. However, just before he turned away, the more proper facade slipped once more as he teased, “And as a matter of fact, I prefer my rum undiluted…and shared with you, if you’d allow it.” Then, with a wink and a waggle of his eyebrows, he was walking away.

By the time Emma, Mary Margaret, Elsa, and Regina were loading their purchases into the back of Mary Margaret’s Traverse, Emma was getting worried about the state her ice cream would be in when they got back to the cabin. She wondered how Ruby and Belle could have both gotten held up in their shopping when Ruby emerged through the doors of the grocery into the parking lot, walking close enough to Killian’s friend Graham for her arm to brush against his with each step.

The lean muscles of his forearms were on full display as he carried both his own purchases and Ruby’s, and she looked up at him with her red-painted lips curved into a satisfied smile. She clearly appreciated his chivalric efforts as Graham placed the meats and cheeses Ruby had been assigned to gather in the back with the girls’ other shopping bags and stood back to his full height. His eyes already gazed at her with puppy-dog devotion as Ruby allowed her fingernails to trace over his shoulder and down his bicep. What most might not see beyond the overt flirtatiousness – they hadn’t known her as long or as well as Emma had – was just how over the moon the striking brunette already was for this scruffy gentleman as well.

They finally heard Belle coming to join them even before they saw her come through the exit. She was carrying a plastic bag with the condiments and spices she’d had on her list, but she was also brandishing a jar of Polaner All Fruit in her free hand and ranting with her intense librarian’s dedication to facts about just why she had indeed needed to purchase the pricier topping.

“...and it’s all natural, lower sugar, and has a purer taste,” she was saying. Will nodded along with utmost attention, even as the mischievous gleam in his eye could only remind their audience of a junior high boy on the playground who lived to tug on the ponytail of the girl he liked. “Not to mention the fact that the company grows and harvests their berries organically, and that the glass jar is recyclable and more environmentally friendly than plastic.”

“Oi, right ya are,” Will exclaimed, clearly not about to set her off any further. “I only asked if ya needed to buy the ritziest jelly on the shelf. Clearly ya do, so I’ll not say anymore about it.”

Belle startled visibly when they arrived at the Traverse, their friends’chuckles finally registering through her lecture of Will. “Oh, hey guys,” she added almost dazedly with a flattering pink staining the apples of her cheeks.

“Hey yourself,” Ruby simpered with a wolfish grin, “looks like you might have found a rather large extra during your shopping.”

Will’s burst of guffawing laughter set them all off again, and Belle couldn’t help but join in, even at her own expense, before they were all finally on their way to the cabin at last.

*********

Emma was out on the deck enjoying the cool night breeze. She sat in a two person glider, ice on her ankle, after returning to the cabin following the grocery run. It was so quiet and peaceful, Emma could feel her eyelids drooping. It had been a very long day, after all.

Suddenly, the pleasant silence was broken by the slamming of a car door and a familiar voice reaching her ears from the parking area of the cabin next door.

No. Way. She thought, rising from the glider and hobbling to the railing. Looking down, she saw the unmistakable backside of Killian Jones as he reached into the back of a black SUV for a suitcase. As soon as he set it on the ground, Emma backed away from the railing, hoping against hope it was dark enough that if he were to turn around and look up, he wouldn’t see her.

He reached back in, and Emma returned to the railing just to get another glimpse of him. She’d deny it to her dying breath to anyone who asked, but she wasn’t enough of a self deluding fool to lie to herself. The man was breathtakingly handsome and the thought of living right next door to him for an entire week was enough to send her pulse into overdrive.

She hobbled back into the house, drawing everyone’s attention as soon as she came in the door.

“Killian Jones is next door!” she exclaimed. There was a chorus of Whats, but Emma didn’t miss the way Ruby, Elsa, and Belle all either lit up or blushed furiously, realizing immediately that their respective guys were probably going to be at the same cabin. Mary Margaret was just suggesting they go next door and say hi, when she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Regina was closest, so she opened the door to find a tall, huskily built man with light brown hair and a mustache and closely trimmed scruff on his jawline. Regina’s heart rate picked up, but she quickly schooled her features. It wouldn’t do to swoon at the feet of a stranger.

“May I help you?” she asked. His smile lit up his face when his eyes landed on her. Yep, it was a good thing she could slip into her queen persona-–an affectionate nickname the girls had given her back in college and that she’d continued to hone during law school–at the drop of a hat.

The man stepped into the room with his hand held out in front of him. Regina looked down her nose at the offering, her eyebrows raised nearly to her hairline. He cleared his throat and dropped his hand, his gaze going around the room.

“Good evening, ladies,” he said, congenially. “I’m Robin Locksley, owner of Sherwood Forest Resort and I just wanted to say welcome and to see if everything was in order for you.”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Locksley,” Mary Margaret said enthusiastically.

“Please, please,” he interrupted. “Call me Robin.”

“Of course, Robin,” she replied. “I’m Mary Margaret.” She then continued introductions around the room, motioning to each of the ladies in turn.

Robin nodded to each one before coming forward and shaking their hands. He greeted Regina last, and with a mischievous smirk on his face, he lifted her hand to his lips. “Milady,” he murmured before brushing them across her knuckles.

Regina couldn’t help the way her heart thundered in her chest at his boldness, but she’d be damned if she let him see it. She lifted her chin slightly and raised a single eyebrow at him, a move that would have lesser men shaking in their boots, but didn’t seem to phase him at all, his smirk widening just a bit.

“If I can help you with anything,” he said, his gaze still firmly on Regina, “please don’t hesitate to ask. My cabin is the one on the other side of your neighbors.” He pointed to where they knew the guys were staying.

“Thank you so much, Robin,” Mary Margaret replied. “We certainly will. We were just going to go next door and say hi. We met the guys staying there this morning at the Lost Boys Cave Tour in Bowling Green before driving here this afternoon.”

“Did you really?” Robin asked, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “What a small world. They’re all friends of mine. Liam and I were college roommates, so I’ve known Killian since he was a teenager. Graham and Will work with them at the cave and so a few years back, they started joining Liam and Killian when they’d come here for a visit a couple of times a year.”

“Wow!” Ruby exclaimed. “A small world, indeed. Tell me, Robin,” she continued, glancing at Belle and Elsa before she spoke, “Are all the guys single?”

Robin smirked again and his eyes twinkled. “I am unaware of any romantic attachments for any of them.”

Ruby’s grin was brighter than the sun at his words. He bowed his head slightly and gave a small two fingered salute as he wished them a good evening and departed.

As soon as he was gone, Mary Margaret shot Regina a serious look.

“There’s that wall again, Regina,” she said, shaking her head slightly.

Regina’s head whipped around so quickly, she was surprised her neck didn’t crack.

“What are you talking about?”

Mary Margaret came over to her friend and put an arm around her shoulders. Regina stiffened but didn’t pull away.

“That wall you put up to keep out pain,” Mary Margaret continued, “can also keep out possibilities.” Regina scoffed. “He was very handsome and obviously interested in you.”

“He smells like forest,” Regina said. “If you think he’s so handsome, why don’t you go after him?”

“Because he didn’t look twice at me,” she replied, exasperation coloring her words. “Just keep it in mind, please, Regina,” she urged her friend. “I know you have a wonderful future ahead of you no matter where you decide to go, but love is a part of all happiness, and Pigeon Forge is less than an hour from Knoxville.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “That would probably be a strike in the Knoxville column instead of a plus, just so you know.”

Mary Margaret squeezed her shoulder. “Promise me you won’t rule it out altogether, Regina. Just see what happens.” Their friends around the room were nodding and voicing their own agreement to Mary Margaret’s words. “But for now, let’s go next door and say hi.”

She let Regina go and led the way out the door and across to the cabin next door. Once they were all on the porch, Emma being helped by Belle and Elsa, Mary Margaret knocked firmly on the door.

It was opened by a tall, well-built blonde man who immediately stole Mary Margaret’s breath.

“Uh… I’m so sorry…” she stammered, looking around at her friends, her eyes wide like a deer in the headlights. “We were… ah…”

“What she means to say,” Ruby interjected, when it became clear Mary Margaret was at a complete loss for words, “is we were looking for Killian and Graham.”

The man smiled and Mary Margaret was afraid her knees would buckle. He opened the door wider, inviting them all in. “Of course,” he said. “I’m David Nolan and I don’t believe we’ve met…” he trailed away, his eyes never leaving Mary Margaret’s as he offered her his hand.

“Mary Margaret Blanchard,” she breathed, putting her hand in his to shake it.

“Lovely to meet you, Mary Margaret.” He turned to the other ladies still standing on the porch. “Please come in.”

The ladies filed in to see all the other men they’d already met around the room. Liam was in the kitchen and when he turned toward the door, his blue eyes immediately softened when they landed on Elsa. Graham and Robin rose from their seats in the living room at the entrance of the ladies, with Will remaining in his seat and looking at the others with a confused look on his face. Graham smacked him on the side of the head, jerking his own head toward the women at the door. Will scrambled to his feet as Killian came down the stairs to a much fuller room than what he’d left a few minutes before.

Everyone squirmed a bit in the awkward silence, until Ruby sauntered over to Graham and looped her arm through his.

“Is this a small world or what?” she asked. Her question broke the ice and all the men invited the ladies to take a seat. Regina remembered Mary Margaret’s words but wouldn’t meet Robin’s eyes when she moved to sit down at the bar separating the kitchen area from the rest of the room. Killian couldn’t take his eyes off of Emma as he approached her.

“Here, Emma,” he said, his hand hovering by her elbow, “let me help you to a chair.”

“I don’t need help,” she insisted, hobbling toward the nearest armchair. Once she was seated, she couldn’t suppress the sigh of relief from being off of her ankle.

“May I bring you an ice pack to put on your ankle?” he asked.

Emma sighed resignedly. She knew she was being short with him, but she just couldn’t get past the embarrassment of the accident in the first place, and then his conciliatory actions at the grocery store earlier. She knew she needed to try a little harder with him, even if it was annoying her in the extreme to have to do so.

“That would be great. Thank you, Killian.”

Once everyone was settled, conversation flowed naturally among the friends. The connection between the men was more fully explained and when David told them he was the booking manager for Sherwood Forest Resort, Mary Margaret exclaimed excitedly, “I thought your voice sounded familiar! You’re the one I talked to when I booked the cabin!” David grinned.

“Where’s Roland tonight, Robin?” Liam asked. “That’s Robin’s five year old son,” he explained to the ladies.

“He spent the day swimming and nearly fell asleep in his spaghetti tonight,” Robin explained, glancing at Regina to gauge her reaction. “I put him to bed before coming over to meet and welcome the ladies to Sherwood Forest.”

“So will we get a chance to meet him and your wife sometime this week?” Regina asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

The light dimmed a bit in Robin’s eyes. “Actually, I’ve been a widower since Roland was just a few months old.”

The girls murmured words of sympathy, but Belle couldn’t mask her shock. “You left a small child asleep in the house all by himself?”

“This is a gated community, my dear,” he assured her, “if you’ll remember from when you arrived this evening. He is also a very heavy sleeper. A tornado siren a mile away won’t wake him.” He pulled out his phone, tapped an app and displayed the screen, which showed a grainy picture of a room with a dark-haired boy sleeping in the bed. “But just in case, I use this app if I’m called away at night for some reason. He can talk to me and he can hear me through it, too.” He looked across the room at the clock hanging on the wall. “But it has been about twenty minutes since I put him to bed, so I’d better be heading back,” he said, rising from his seat.

Everyone took that as the signal that the evening was drawing to an end. The ladies all rose and bid the men goodnight. Emma couldn’t hide her smirk at the longing looks between Ruby and Graham, Elsa and Liam, Mary Margaret and David, and even Belle and Will, though she was a little more circumspect than him. She had a feeling this was going to be a fun week.

*********

“Good morning, Granny,” Ruby greeted, giving her grandmother a tight squeeze upon entering her diner.

“ ‘Bout time you graced me with your presence,” the old woman grumbled, though they could clearly hear the affection in her voice. “Couldn’t bother to come see me when you got into town yesterday?”

“We were otherwise occupied,” Ruby replied, glancing around at her companions, who looked a bit sheepish at the admonishment from their beloved matriarch.

Mary Margaret hugged Granny. “We’re sorry. We were busy unpacking, deciding on sleeping arrangements, and getting groceries,” she apologized.

“And meeting our annoying neighbors,” Emma added, limping over to take her turn for a hug.

“What did you do to yourself?” Granny asked, concern coloring her normally stern exterior.

Emma shrugged. “Just twisted my ankle on the cave tour. It’s nothing.”

The rest of the girls shared a hug with Ruby’s grandmother and settled in at a table close to Granny’s famous breakfast buffet. They were just placing their drink orders, when they heard several boisterous and familiar voices coming from the entryway of the restaurant.

Emma looked over her shoulder to check out the commotion. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me,” she groaned.

The others turned to see the group of men and a little boy they assumed to be Roland waiting at the hostess stand. Ruby gave a squeal of happiness, while Elsa and Mary Margaret sported soft smiles.

Regina rolled her eyes. “Are they stalking us? There are literally dozens of restaurants that serve breakfast around here.”

“None as good as Granny’s, though,” Ruby said, her eyes lighting up as Graham looked up and noticed her.

As the ladies watched, Granny greeted each man with a hug and picked Roland up for an affectionate squeeze, kissing him on his dimpled cheek.

“Wait a minute,” Belle said, a puzzled tone to her voice. “How does Granny know them?”

“Liam did say they come here a couple of times a year to visit Robin,” Elsa said. “Maybe they make a habit of eating at Granny’s.”

David approached their table, his eyes trained on Mary Margaret. “Good morning, ladies. Mind if I join you?” he asked, reaching for a nearby chair.

As Mary Margaret gave her approval, Ruby jumped up. “You can have my seat. I’ll sit with Graham. I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“As if he has a choice,” Emma muttered.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Will grinned, stepping to the end of the table to scan the occupants, his eyes settling on Belle.

“Granny is Ruby’s grandmother,” she explained.

Will’s thick brows shot up. “As in Granny of Granny’s Diner?”

“Can’t put anything past you, can we?” Regina snarked. “Why are you here?”

“Robin discovered this place when he inherited the resort from his parents many years ago, and he recommends it to all of his guests. We eat here every time we visit. Granny loves us,” Will proclaimed.

“I honestly thought she had better judgment than that,” Emma said.

“Hello, Love,” Killian greeted her, as the rest of the men said their hellos. “Excuse me. I meant, hello, Emma.”

Despite her admonishments to the contrary, Emma found she really didn’t mind him calling her his love, but she wasn’t quite ready to admit it to him. “Hi, Killian. Sleep well?” she asked, mentally facepalming over such a trite question.

He smirked, seeming to read her mind. “Aye, in spite of sleeping alone, and having to listen to Will’s snores coming through the wall.”

She covered her giggle with her hand, then pushed her chair away from the table. “I’m going to the buffet before all of you get there and demolish it.”

He stepped aside to let her pass, brushing the small of her back with his hand as she did. Trying not to shiver at his touch, she threw him a small smile and proceeded to the buffet.

When everyone’s plates were full and they were eating, Granny busied herself keeping everyone’s drinks filled and directing the busboys to clear the tables of dirty plates. Carefully watching the people at both tables over the top of her glasses, she made several observations. She had known Robin’s friends for nearly a decade, and Ruby’s group of friends for almost as long, so she was good at reading all of them. What she saw made her heart swell with happiness. Some of them may be fighting it, but she could see some interesting developments going on.

Ruby sat as close to Graham as possible without actually being in his lap. Granny had witnessed her granddaughter’s interest in many boys and young men as she raised her, but she was confident that she had never seen a more smitten look on the brunette’s face before. Ruby looked at Graham as though he’d hung every celestial body in the Heavenly realms, and Granny was very pleased to see it. The sandy haired Irishman was always such a gentleman and made Granny’s own heart speed up a bit when he looked at her with those deep blue eyes and curled his accent smoothly around every word he spoke.

The old woman smiled, sensing the bubble of mutual attraction surrounding David and Mary Margaret. Ever since he came to work for Robin three years ago, Granny had been trying to set him up with her favorite waitresses, to no avail. Now, she could see why. If he had been waiting for his soulmate, he seemed to have found her in Mary Margaret, whose sparkling green eyes looked adoringly at the handsome man beside her.

Granny saw much the same look on the faces of Liam and Elsa. Both of them were the oldest sibling in their family and tended to be quite serious and responsible, allowing little time for romance. Judging by their side-eye glances and shared smiles, Granny was sure they would be able to find the time now.

Something whizzed by her line of sight and Granny looked over to see Will getting ready to throw another chunk of potato in Belle’s direction. Marching over to him, Granny whacked him on the back of the head. “Go pick it up and find a better way to flirt,” she demanded.

“Me poor head,” he groaned, rubbing it as he stood up to do as he was told.

Granny shook her head fondly, taking in the shy smile Belle gave Will when he bent to pick up the potato which had landed behind her chair. They chatted for a while and Granny was pleased to hear Belle’s genuine laugh again. Granny never liked the man who previously dated the auburn-haired beauty. He treated her shabbily, and Granny wasn’t at all unhappy when she finally broke it off with him, although she knew Belle was heartbroken. Perhaps Will, in his own clumsy but endearing way, could help mend her heart.

When she was refilling Regina’s mug of coffee, Granny caught the glance she was slyly sending Robin’s way. “He’s a good man, that one,” she said quietly.

Regina quickly averted her eyes and straightened in her seat. “I’m sure he is, but he’s not my type. I’m not into mountain men.”

“Scoff all you like, Miss Priss, but you’re not gonna meet a better man than Robin Locksley, I can guarantee you that. He’s a hard worker and a good father, and I don’t think I’m stepping out of line by saying that he seems more than a little interested in you.”

Regina folded her hands on the placemat in front of her, her expression giving away nothing, but her cheeks reddening. “I don’t even know where I’m going to end up living.”

“Well, I’d say Robin would be in the pros column for taking the job in Knoxville,” Granny said, then moved on to refill Emma’s coffee. “And what about you, young lady?” she asked.

“What about me?” Emma questioned, her brows drawing together quizzically.

“Don’t think I haven’t seen those looks you’ve been giving Killian Jones, and that he’s giving back to you. It’s a wonder this place hasn’t gone up in flames from the heat of ‘em.”

Emma blushed furiously. “There’s nothing between me and Killian.”

“Huh, never known ya to lie to me before,” Granny harrumphed. “You wanna look me in the eye and try that again?”

Slumping in her seat, Emma chewed on her bottom lip, before quietly admitting, “Maybe I am just…a little attracted to him.”

“If that’s a little, I’m interested to see what’s a lot,” the old woman chuckled.

Leaving the ladies’ table, she passed by the men’s, ruffling Roland’s curls along the way.

The little boy turned to grin at her, then popped up out of his seat. “I’m gonna get another pancake, Papa,” he declared. Robin started to rise from his seat to help him. “I can get it, I’m five now,” Roland told him proudly.

Robin kept a protective eye on his son, even though there were few patrons in the diner besides the two tables of cabin neighbors. Roland was just tall enough to reach the tongs in the tray of pancakes, standing on his tiptoes to grab one and put it on his plate. His father held his breath as Roland dipped the ladle into the syrup and dripped it across the edge of the buffet to pour it on his pancake, turning to give Robin a gap toothed grin when he succeeded.

After breathing a sigh of relief, Robin’s eyes drifted to the other side of the buffet to see Regina filling a plate with apple slices. She returned the tongs and started to walk back to her seat, when she stopped in her tracks. Roland was peeking around the end of the buffet at her and Robin felt a lump in his throat when the lovely, raven-haired woman smiled sweetly at his son and bent down to say something to him. Then she stood up and looked his way, giving him a demure smile before walking past him.

Roland carefully carried his plate back to the table, dimples flashing. “Guess what that pretty lady just said to me,” he beamed.

“What did she say?” Robin asked.

The little boy puffed out his chest proudly. “She said I must be a very big boy to be able to get my own food, and I am, right, Papa?”

Robin put his arm around his son’s shoulder and kissed the top of his head. “Yes, you are and you’re growing up far too fast.”

“That’s right, Rolly Polly,” Will said, reaching across the table to pinch his cheek. “Yer practically ready to start datin’!”

Roland’s giggle drew Belle’s attention and she smiled softly at the exchange between the flirty Brit and the adorable little boy.

From her spot by the drink counter, Granny’s gaze swept over the group of people seated at the two tables and she folded her arms across her chest, a smug smile on her face.

********

Later that same afternoon, just about the time to begin fixing dinner, David called the rest of the guys into their shared kitchen, where he and Robin stood waiting until all of them had gathered. When the other five men were scattered around the room and listening, David began earnestly, his eagerness all too clear, to explain their plan.

“Guys, I know this is a retreat where we plan to spend time together and reconnect each year. Life isn’t easy, and real friendships are few and far between. I’m not denying the importance of that at all, but Rob and I, well,” he said, glancing at his friend and boss, “we’re more than a bit anxious to see if the lovely ladies next door might fit into our lives beyond this week… and….well, I guess we’re trying to see how the rest of you feel about including them in our cookout tonight for instance.”

“Or if they might be game for taking a stab at the escape room on the Island when we go at the end of the week,” Robin added helpfully.

Graham didn’t immediately speak, but he flushed from the top of his head to where his skin was hidden by the collar of his shirt. Killian realized from where he stood to Graham’s right that the other man appeared to have a rather interesting bruise just nearly, but not quite, hidden by the material where his neck met his shoulder. Shaking his head in defeat, he knew that was one definite vote for Dave and Rob’s suggestion.

Will’s cheeky grin and enthusiastic agreement with their proposal was no surprise either. “Sounds great, lads! Wish I’d thought of it meself!”

Even Liam, who could be standoffish and whom Killian had thought would be at least one other person in his corner, seemed uncharacteristically in favor of the idea. “That does seem like a good and neighborly suggestion. In fact, it’s about late enough to get the fire started, and then I’ll go next door and see if they’re interested in joining us for hot dogs and s’mores.”

All of them, except Killian, were in agreement, and their short meeting was adjourned. It wasn’t that he disliked any of the ladies in the adjacent cabin, and his heart thrilled at the prospect of seeing–and flirting with–Emma again, but he wasn’t at all sure his attentions were welcomed. He wasn’t the sort to force himself on a lady, not when she clearly had her reasons for remaining aloof. However, he was grossly outvoted and it seemed this joining of their groups was happening, whether he climbed onboard or not.

*********

Some minutes later, Elsa wandered across the grass behind her and her friends’ cabin as it sloped into the adjoining space occupied by the men they kept running into. She could see the broad-shouldered elder Jones brother just starting preparation for a bonfire, and though she wasn’t at all sure it was wise, Elsa quickened her step to reach him and offer him a hand. Though she could never be as outspoken or as wildly enthusiastic as Ruby, there couldn’t be anything wrong with offering her assistance. That was what she told herself anyway as she drew near enough to capture the intriguing man’s attention.

“Why, hello, Lass,” Liam greeted heartily, straightening to swipe his forearm across his damp brow and offer her a twinkling smile. “Pleasant surprise seeing you here.”

Elsa felt the grin that stretched across her lips in return, surprised by how easy he was to speak to, despite his powerful manner and imposing stature. None of the usual tongue-tied uncertainty seemed to trouble her in Liam’s company, and it was a genuine relief to experience. “I was enjoying the view out here and taking in the evening air when I saw you. Can I help?”

Undoubtedly he would have been just fine on his own, but Liam happily showed her how he was making a domed bed of the small kindling to start the fire effectively, and as Elsa carried on from where he left off, Liam made three trips back and forth up the gentle rise to the back of their cabin, where already cut firewood was stacked, bringing enough back to keep what would hopefully be a cozy blaze for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows going all evening.

Once the fire was truly started, Elsa found herself hesitating five minutes, then fifteen, and eventually half an hour, before going to tell the rest of the girls that they were welcome to join the guys’ cookout if they wished. She was entirely too comfortable there on the log beside Liam, feeling his leg and hip pressed against hers, and enjoying the rise and fall of his voice as he spoke about his and Killian’s upbringing, how they had both come to live in America, how he’d met and ended up rooming with Robin in college, and hilarious stories from his time working the cave boating tours.

It was only once the other guys began to make their way out to the now-crackling bonfire with roasting sticks, hot dogs, buns, and fixings, that she finally stood and went to see if she could find her own cabin mates. She could almost envision how that would go anyway–Ruby would be there before she could get the invitation out, Mary Margaret practically skipping after her with her besotted heart eyes glowing, Belle would join readily enough as well, surely anxious to educate Will Scarlet on some aspect of camping, outdoor cooking, or hot dog manufacturing of which he was unaware. Emma and Regina would trail along, trying stubbornly not to seem overeager. Regina would probably try to claim she didn’t want her clothes to smell of woodsmoke, and Emma would swear she was only joining in because she wasn’t about to turn down melty chocolate and marshmallow sandwiched in cinnamon-y goodness.

Finishing the evening some hours later, Elsa looked around the fire in the starlight at the relaxed and happy faces of her dearest friends, and the attentive gazes each of them was drawing from a handsome and worthy man, and she couldn’t feel anything but gratitude. She would never have thought that two days into their annual girls’ trip she would be leaning her head on the shoulder of a handsome tour guide whose voice was tickling the fine hairs near her ear as he whispered added commentary to the rousing ghost story Will was regaling the group with. That sensation combined with his arm going round her sent shivers skittering all the way down to her toes in the most pleasant of ways. If this was what being a bit more forward got her, she would have to make more of a habit of it.

*********

On their third day of the trip, various members of their groups paired off to accomplish different things they had hoped to see and do. Liam, Killian, and David helped Robin with some simple cabin maintenance jobs against his protests, as a sort of thank you for his providing them such a perfect place to stay virtually free of charge. Graham had been willingly pulled along with Ruby as she went shopping for clothes and souvenirs along the main drag of the tourist town, and Will had just as happily tagged along with Belle as she set out to fully explore the “Original” Book Warehouse.

Mary Margaret and Regina were upstairs on the cabin’s second story deck, taking in the fresh air and the view as they caught up with each other. Emma was the only one essentially stuck inside as she didn’t really feel like limping along and slowing down any of the others as they made their excursions. She was sitting in a chair in the main living room of the cabin, ankle propped up on a footstool, distractedly perusing the same magazine page repeatedly. They had left the door open between the room and the deck so that she could call out to Mary Margaret and Regina occasionally, and they to her, and so that she could at least enjoy the mountain breeze and feel part of the conversation, but it had been fairly quiet from her friends for several minutes, and Emma could admit that she was feeling bored and sorry for herself.

Just then there was a startling sound of wings beating, and Emma ducked instinctively even as she felt the sensation of something swooping wildly over her head. To her dismayed surprise, a frantic bird had flown in from outside and was now sailing from one corner of the room to another in a confused effort to find its way back to freedom. Emma almost jumped up and made for another room, before remembering the swollen ankle hampering her and screeching in alarm as the bird sailed right over her head once more.

“Out! Get Out!” she yelled, flailing, trying to steer the winged creature back the way it had come.

By the time Mary Margaret and Regina came in from outdoors, Emma had managed to stand and was hopping on one foot as she tried to reach for the broom propped in the corner to swipe at their uninvited guest. Moments later, they heard the front door below fly open and heavy footsteps came pounding up the stairs as David barrelled into sight, having heard Emma’s cries from down on the drive between their houses.

He grasped the situation more quickly than the rest of them had, taking in Mary Margaret’s pleading, “Oh Emma, don’t hurt it! It’s confused and it’s only a baby!” Regina standing in one corner, slightly behind the coat rack and out of the bird’s range, watching the mayhem with a bemused expression, and Emma swiping a broom around ineffectually as off-balance as she was, trying to herd a terrified warbler toward the open door while yelling at her friend, “Enough! I don’t want it taking a crap on my head!”

Thankfully, the jostled songbird finally lit on a bear figurine atop the mantle. With it no longer fluttering over their heads, the ladies calmed down significantly, and David stepped over Emma’s dropped magazine and displaced chair cushion to carefully snatch the bird with practiced stealth, pinning its wings to its sides without harming them, before it could take off again. It wasn’t the first misguided creature he’d removed from someone’s rental in the time he’d worked with Robin, and it wouldn’t be the last, he thought wryly as he opened his hands outside the door, letting the bird make its escape.

He’d never received such a pleasant reward for his efforts though, he thought, as he turned back around to see Mary Margaret Blanchard gazing up at him as if he had given her the stars from the sky. Emma offered him a sheepish thanks and flopped back into the chair she had vacated with a winded thump, while Regina brought the pillow to her and helped her resituate her foot, but David really only had eyes for the tiny pixie haired beauty before him, her sweet smile wrapping him all up in knots and ever more tightly around her little finger.

“Thank you,” she murmured, coming to stand so close in front of him that she had to tilt her head up to look him in the face, the tips of her cute little canvas flats touching the toes of his scuffed work boots. “My hero, as well as that poor little bird’s.”

Just then, with her twinkling green eyes drinking him in like that, David really did feel like he could take on the world.

************

The following morning was pretty quiet. Both guys’ and gals’ groups were cooking their own breakfasts and lunches that day and staying around their cabins; there was plenty to see right within the Sherwood Forest Resort. Graham had gotten Robin’s advice on the best scenic hiking trails, which he was anxious to show Ruby. Robin was taking Roland down to the pool on their premises, and David, Mary Margaret, and even Regina, were tagging along with them to take a dip and do some sunbathing.

Belle, meanwhile, was having a bit of quiet time to herself. She loved her friends and looked forward to the time they spent together each year, but she was also dying to make use of the gorgeous view of the Smokies outside the huge window in her room to curl up for just an hour or two with a good book. She had thrown so much of herself into her failed relationship, that when it fell apart, it felt like her whole world went with it.

She set her book down unopened, suddenly realizing that she hadn’t thought about Robert once this week. Maybe, just maybe, she was finally starting to heal…and a lot of it was courtesy of Will Scarlet. There was no doubt he could try her patience with the best of them, but he was honest and funny and there was a genuinely sweet side to him. She never would have thought it when they first met at the beginning of the week, but she honestly thought he was a man who could be depended upon.

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of rustling leaves and something that sounded like a grunt of exertion. Belle froze. Someone or something was climbing the tall tree that stood just outside her second story bedroom window. What should she do? Should she call for help? Should she hide?

No. She had always read stories of heroes facing their fears to defeat the villains. It was about time she did the same. Looking around, she grabbed the first weapon-like item she could find–a large, bronze candlestick that sat on the mantle above her room’s fireplace.

“Alright, Lumiere,” she muttered, “let’s put the fear of God into whoever is trying to break into our room.”

Taking one more deep breath, she opened the blinds and took a look outside. She was greeted with none other than Will Scarlet smiling like an idiot as he dangled…something from his outstretched hand.

Belle looked closer and saw what appeared to be the wriggling body of a big, hairy spider, just before he dropped it on her window sill. Screaming bloody murder, she jumped back, feeling as though she was about to faint. If there was one thing in the entire world she could not stand, it was a spider. With their eight legs and multiple eyes, their affinity for biting and trapping their prey in their webs, they were more than scary. They were terrifying.

“Hey, Belle,” Will said from the other side of the window. “I didn’t mean anything by it; it was just a harmless prank. I’m sorry I scared you! I’m sorry I–AAAAGH!”

Belle rushed to the window, her heart nearly stopping for an entirely different reason as she saw Will lose his grip on the tree branch and go plummeting to the ground, landing with a thud.

Belle screamed again.

“What? What is it? What happened?” Emma demanded rushing into the room, looking around as though she was expecting an intruder.

“It’s…it’s Will!” Belle said, gesturing to the window.

“It’s…what?” Emma asked.

Belle looked out the window again and breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Will groan and get to his feet, rubbing the back of his head. Immediate crisis averted, Belle’s heart rate went back to normal, and her senses returned. In a few short sentences, she told Emma the entire story–from hearing the noise, to seeing Will dangling the spider (which she could now see was just a very convincing fake), to Will plummeting from his perch.

Emma’s face darkened as she heard the tale, and when it was at an end, she scooped the fake spider into her hands and marched out of the room muttering something under her breath about shoving it down Will’s throat.

Belle watched as Emma confronted the prankster. “What the hell were you thinking?” she asked. “She’s terrified of spiders. Like, hyperventilating, fainting terrified. I get that you like her, but stop acting like a fifth grader!”

She growled once more, and then slapped him upside the head.

“Ow!” he complained. “Lay off the noggin!”

“Why?” she retorted. “From the way you act, I’d swear there’s nothing in it anyway!”

Belle grinned, as Will stalked back to his cabin, muttering under his breath all the way and Emma shook her head and went back inside.

An hour later, there was a knock at the girls’ cabin door. Belle opened it to find a single, thornless, red rose accompanied by a small note card that said simply ‘Belle, I’m sorry I’m an idiot. Will’

*********

On the fourth day of their vacation, Emma ventured out onto the front walk about midmorning, finally feeling her ankle was strong enough to take a short stroll and enjoy the gorgeous weather they’d been having all week. She could still feel a twinge of the sprain, but she was tired of being cooped up, and she wanted to enjoy at least a little of the trip before it was over.

Before she could get started, Regina came out.

“Where are you going?”

“I thought I’d take a short walk. You want to join me?” she asked.

Regina looked torn, and it wasn’t hard for Emma to guess what she was thinking. It was clear to all the ladies in their group that Regina really liked Robin, but she’d been essentially raised by a series of nannies and sitters because her rich parents couldn’t be bothered to actually be parents for their only child, or to spend any amount of time with her, and so she’d learned early in her life to keep her heart well protected from those who could hurt her. It had taken years for Emma and the others to get behind that formidable exterior she showed most of the world, to really get to know and love the woman underneath. And now, not knowing where she was going to end up beginning her career, she didn’t want to open herself up to possible heartbreak with the handsome owner of the resort.

Emma smiled, looped her arm through Regina’s, and pulled her along.

“Come on,” she cajoled. “Getting outside will do you some good, too.”

Regina rolled her eyes and acquiesced. They started walking down the hill toward the resort pool until they could see Robin’s cabin. As they got closer, they could see him around the corner on his knees, his hands buried in the dirt of a flower bed. Regina stopped and Emma stopped with her, her heart hurting at the anxiety on the face of her friend.

Emma took her hand. “Regina,” she said quietly, “I know you’re apprehensive, and don’t want to get attached, but we’ve gotten to know him a little bit this week and you have Granny’s endorsement as well. You should spend some time with him and just see. Even if you don’t end up in Knoxville, you can keep in touch with him and take things slow, just to see where it might lead. Life is unpredictable, and you have so many years ahead of you, you shouldn’t close the door on an opportunity like this when it could lead to something truly wonderful.”

Emma watched her friend and could see the indecision in her eyes. But then her gaze turned cunning and a slow smile lifted the corner of her lips.

“Alright,” she said. “I’ll go say hi and see about spending some time with him, but only if you promise to do the same with Killian.”

Emma pressed her lips together in a thin line. She’d walked right into that one and no mistake. There was nothing for it though, so Emma nodded.

“Fine,” she said.

Regina nodded with a self-satisfied smile and walked over to where Robin still dug in the dirt. As she got closer, she noticed Roland on the other side of him copying everything he was doing.

Regina’s smile turned genuine when Roland looked up and saw her.

“Hi, Miss Gina!” he exclaimed excitedly.

“Hi there,” she replied. “What are you guys doing?”

“We’re planting begonias,” Roland said proudly. “Want to help us?” Robin sat back on his haunches and beamed up at her.

Regina’s cheeks heated. “Oh, I really shouldn���t…” she began.

“But, why not?” Roland asked at the same time as his father said “You’d be more than welcome.”

Regina cut her eyes to Robin and smiled shyly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “Are you sure? I don’t know anything about plants.”

Robin’s grin softened a bit and he patted the ground next to him. “There’s nothing to it. Here, let me show you.”

Regina knelt next to Robin and thought about Emma’s and Mary Margaret’s words at the beginning of the week. Growing things took time and effort and at the end, you had a lovely flowering plant that brought beauty, happiness, and joy. Perhaps she was ready to invest some time and effort into a relationship. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain–perhaps love and true happiness with someone who wouldn’t leave her. Regina turned to Robin and gave him a real and happy smile as she joined them in their gardening.

Emma watched as Regina knelt next to Robin and smiled to herself. She had a really good feeling about them, and the job opportunity in Knoxville. She only hoped that Regina would follow where her heart was clearly leading.

Emma turned around and pondered whether she wanted to continue walking down to where the pool and playgrounds were located at the resort entrance, or if she wanted to meander up the drive a ways and see if there were any different views further up the road, when she caught a glimpse of a figure sitting alone in one of the Adirondack chairs which lined the guys’ front porch. It was Killian, looking pensive as he cradled a coffee mug and stared out at the hilltop and sky panorama before him.

Emma nearly turned in the other direction, not wanting to disturb him if he wished to be alone, but then reconsidered. First of all, she’d just made a promise to Regina. Secondly, she’d given Jones an awfully hard time this whole week. And now he looked rather lonely and as though he might welcome some company. Tentatively, she moved toward the boys’ cabin, greeting him quietly when she reached the first step. “Morning, neighbor.”

With a little start, Killian turned away from his perusal of the sky, to meet her gaze and return her smile with one of his own. The crooked curve of it sent ribbons of awareness curling inside her, all the more disarming because he seemed less aware of its power in the stark morning light. “Permission to join you?” she asked playfully, as if asking a captain to board his ship.

The jest seemed to work as she had hoped, the blue of Killian’s eyes twinkling as he nodded and gestured to the seat next to him, “Permission granted.”

Settling in next to him, they both enjoyed the comfortable quiet for a few moments more. However, Emma couldn’t stay that way for long; she was too aware of his presence beside her, his very nearness feeling as though it tingled along her nerve endings deliciously. If her physical reaction to him wasn’t quite so visceral, she wouldn’t have been fighting so hard to shut down all the attempts at genuine friendship he had offered her these last few days. Finally, she drew in a deep breath and gave voice to her swirling thoughts. “Hey, Killian? You’ve probably figured out by now that I’m not exactly very trusting, or even especially welcoming to people I don’t know all that well. I know you didn’t intend for me to get hurt at the end of the boat tour, and you were only trying to help me as much as I would let you afterwards. I was enjoying the flirtation we had going, and I was embarrassed–badly.” She sighed, looking down at her fingers twisted together in her lap. “I didn’t handle it very well, needless to say. But that wasn’t your fault. I think I’ve been taking my disappointment out on you, and I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me.”

A moment later, Killian’s hand reached over to cover her own warmly, giving it a gentle squeeze as she looked up only to be captured in his overwhelming gaze. “Emma,” he said her name as though savoring each letter of it on his tongue, “no apologies are necessary. We all have our stories and scars, and the beginnings that have made us who we are. Perhaps, if you’ll allow me, I may know more of yours in time.” He paused briefly, eyebrow quirking as if asking permission to go on, not wanting to push too far against the barriers of their newfound truce. “I’m only glad to know I haven’t turned your opinion against me permanently.”

Emma’s grin spread across her face of its own accord, her happiness suddenly infectious and spreading out to engulf her completely. Returning the pressure of his hand on hers, she replied. “I think we understand each other perfectly.”

***********

That evening the two groups gathered at the gentlemen’s cabin for a loudly competitive game night. The next day would see them exploring the shops and attractions of The Island before their planned attempt at the escape room. Several pleasant hours flew by before Elsa found that as much as she was enjoying the company, she could hardly keep her eyes open any longer.

Bidding those still playing a ‘good night’ and telling the rest of her cabinmates she would see them in the morning, Elsa stood and gathered her things to head across the lawn and to her own bed. She didn’t mind at all, however, when Liam stood as well and followed her to the door. “Are you sure you don’t need an escort in the dark, Milady?” he murmured slightly, pressing a close mouthed kiss to her temple.

Elsa savored the press of his lips and the cozy glow of comfort that came with them, but she couldn’t help snickering at his question all the same. “I think I should be alright,” she returned, wrapping her arms around his solid torso for a moment in a parting embrace. “It can’t be more than 15 feet over to our cabin.”

“All the same, flick the porch light once you’re safely in the door, and I’ll flick the light over here in return.” The protective elder brother was showing through again, but she found his concern endearing all the same, and it warmed her heart knowing her safety and well-being were at the forefront of his mind.

Once she had reached the porch, signaled Liam, and gone inside, Elsa made her way slowly across the main room, tidying up things which had gathered on the table and counter, and moving over to the door onto their deck to be sure it was locked. Before she could do so, she heard a noise that caught her attention. She also thought she saw a flicker of light, though she didn’t know who would be out there. She didn’t remember who had left the other cabin before her; she’d really been too sleepy to take much note. But now she was grumpy, tired, and just wanted to make sure things were secure for the night, so when she heard a sort of low groan followed by a breathy giggle, things finally clicked into place in her mind, and she wasn’t feeling a lot of patience for the couple she now realized must be out there making use of the cabin’s hot tub.

Swinging the door open, Elsa stepped out onto the deck, thankfully very barely lit by the moonlight and a single candle, with a stern look and her other hand on her hip. Sure enough, there was a wet and entangled Ruby and Graham in the tub, Graham’s eyes darting around everywhere to avoid meeting hers and Ruby grinning back at her unapologetically. Elsa wasn’t sure if Graham was flushed from the heat of the tub, their activities, or embarrassment at being caught, but the poor guy looked mortified by her presence. Ruby just looked like she wanted to devour him whole. Elsa found herself relieved more than anything, that though it wasn’t much, she could still see the vibrant red ties of her friend’s string bikini showing beneath the dark hair streaming down her back.

“Look, I’m too exhausted for this,” Elsa admonished, slicing her hand through the air to halt the words when Ruby started to interrupt. “You need to take that somewhere else, because others would still like to use this hot tub–for less amorous purposes.”

Ruby just grinned at her shamelessly before quipping, “That’s what the filter’s for. We’ll be done in a little while. Now go away.”

Growling in consternation, Elsa threw up her hands and left them to it. She was not about to lose sleep, or the pleasant buzz she’d been feeling after her goodnight from Liam, over those two and their shenanigans. Ruby was a big girl and could take care of herself. Elsa just hoped Graham would survive.

**********

The day for the escape room had finally arrived. Everyone was up early to eat breakfast before going to The Island on the Pigeon Forge strip. The large entertainment venue was home to amusement park rides, hotels, shopping–lots of shopping–food, and The Escape Game–an escape room that Ruby had found online during the planning phase of the trip. Although the girls hadn’t made definite plans to go, when the guys had mentioned their plans earlier in the week, it was an easy decision to team up.

Instead of all the ladies in one car and all the men in another, Ruby and Mary Margaret suggested that the couples pair off–three in one car and three in the other. Belle and Elsa agreed, so when they all got outside to the vehicles, David, Ruby and Graham, and Robin and Regina all rode in Mary Margaret’s SUV and Elsa, Emma and Killian, and Will and Belle rode in Liam’s Expedition.

The cabins were quite a ways up the side of a mountain and the grade going down into town was steep enough and had enough blind curves that they both followed the 25 mph speed limit and kept a safe distance between them. After Mary Margaret, leading the way, went around a sharp curve and disappeared from sight, a wild turkey suddenly took off flying, only about ten feet away from Liam’s vehicle. Elsa and Emma both screamed at the bird’s proximity, but Liam kept his head and the SUV under control.

It was only a few seconds later that he caught up to Mary Margaret who had stopped in the middle of the road.

“What’s going on?” he asked, turning and looking at Elsa riding shotgun.

“That’s a bear!” exclaimed Will, pointing in between the front seats excitedly.

Sure enough, from where he sat, Liam could just see a black bear climbing up the embankment on the side of the road and into the trees. It took a moment for him to close his mouth and start following Mary Margaret again, who’d started moving as soon as the bear was safely off the road.

Once they all met up in The Island’s parking area and started making their way to the escape room, everyone was talking over each other trying to discuss the bear and wild turkey sighting.

“You must have been driving too fast, Mary Margaret,” Elsa scolded lightly. “The turkey took off and almost hit us after you’d already passed it.” She looked up at Liam next to her and the adoring gaze on the face of her friend made Emma’s heart happy. “But Liam didn’t startle at all; he kept the Expedition completely under control.” Liam preened under her praise.

“I never would have expected to see a live bear,” Mary Margaret said excitedly.

“I didn’t expect to see any bear asses on this trip,” Regina snarked.

David waved his hand around in a dismissive gesture. “You get used to them when you live up here. Not that we see them often, but that’s why we keep locks on the outdoor trash bins to keep the bears out of them.”

By this time, they were at the escape room. They entered the rather nondescript lobby and were welcomed by the attendant.

“What’s the name, please?”

“Jones,” Liam said, stepping up to the counter. “Party of twelve for ‘The Heist’, please.”

“I have you right here, Mr. Jones,” the attendant said.

Once the entire group had signed their waivers, they were ushered to the back and into a decently sized room lined with replicas of famous paintings.

Ruby’s eyes widened comically as she took in the decor. Her background in art had her immediately recognizing every painting in the room. “This is gonna be so great,” she whispered to Graham.

With everyone now gathered in the room, they all turned back to the door. The attendant explained what would happen next and the rules of the escape room. Belle was relieved that if they got stuck, they could ask for help as many times as necessary with no penalty. Will waggled his eyebrows flirtatiously at her.

“We’ll be out of here in no time, me lass,” he declared. “As brilliant as you are, we’ll set the record for the shortest escape time ever.” Belle rolled her eyes at him but could still feel the heat on her cheeks at his praise and belief in her, something that had been in very short supply in her previous relationship.

The attendant left them and they all turned their attention to the screen above the door.

“Hello, Team!” The screen was filled with the face of a man with wire frame glasses and curly red hair. He looked around anxiously for a moment before staring back at the screen at them again. “I only have a few moments to brief you on your assignment. The bypass signal we’re using to speak to you is only good for ninety seconds.” He took a breath and looked around before speaking again. “You’re in the outer office of Dr. George Spencer. Known to most of the world as an art historian and philanthropist, we know the truth. He is nothing more than a black market art thief. He has stolen a priceless Monet from the Louvre. He is out of his office at the moment speaking at a nearby college and will return in exactly one hour. You must be out of his office when he arrives back. Collect the clues and solve the riddles to find the priceless painting. Good luck, Team.”

The screen faded to black and everyone looked at each other. Liam and Elsa, Graham and Ruby immediately moved to the paintings lining the walls of the room looking for clues.

Killian noticed the door they needed to get through had two small cutout doors in it near the top and bottom. They were both locked. The top door had a padlock on it, while the bottom had a combination lock. Suddenly he heard a clattering sound near the entry door. Emma stood in front of a marble bust in the corner, staring down at the floor dumbly.

“What happened, Emma?” he asked, as everyone else’s attention also turned to her.

She bent down and picked up a small, gold metal box from the floor, holding it up for them all to see. “I turned the bust and this fell out,” she explained, popping off the lid to find a key inside.

He took the key from her and moved to the padlocked door. It was a perfect fit and the lock popped right open.

“Well done, Love,” he praised, his smile lighting up his blue eyes as he opened the small door. Emma felt a surge of satisfaction inside and smiled back. From where she was standing, she could see something hanging down in front of the small door they’d just opened, inside the second room, but she ignored it for the moment.

Meanwhile, Mary Margaret was busy checking the frames of the paintings for clues when she gave a little squeak. “It opens!” she exclaimed, swinging the framed painting away from the wall.

“OW!” Will shouted, as the painting connected with his head. Everyone in the room burst into laughter, while Belle tried to soothe him.

“Your head certainly has taken a beating this week,” she said, trying to suppress a laugh herself.

“Look, there’s a numbered keypad here,” David said, “to open this safe.” He pointed to the spot on the wall revealed when the painting was moved.

“Try these numbers,” Graham called out. “7-1-4-3.”

David punched them in and a green light flashed. Mary Margaret twisted a black knob and pulled open the door of the safe. “A mirror!” she cried, holding the object aloft.

Emma took the mirror from her and put her hand through the small upper door to see if she could see anything obviously important in the other room.

“How did you figure out the numbers?” Belle asked Graham.

“We followed the clues on the description of the paintings,” Ruby explained, “and we were able to find hidden numbers in them.”

“There’s more numbers on the back of this door,” Emma cried out.

“Let’s hear them, Love,” Killian called from where he knelt below her, ready to put the numbers into the combination lock on the other small locked door.

While Emma and Killian were working on the combination lock, Will was crawling around on the floor, his nose nearly touching the baseboard.

“What the hell are you doing?” Regina asked, after stepping backwards and almost falling over him, only Robin’s quick reflexes and strong arms keeping her from hitting the floor.

“I’m looking for clues, what do you think I’m doing?”

“I think you’re being an idiot. Now get up before you make someone else crack their cranium.”

Emma was adjusting the mirror to see the numbers better. “8-3-6-4.” Killian entered the combination and the lock opened. He reached up and took the mirror from Emma. Angling it toward the door, he could see arrows on the backside of it pointing up toward some sort of button near the door jam.

“The cane inside the upper door, will it reach the button?” Killian asked.

“I’m not sure,” Emma answered.

“Try it,” he suggested.

“I can’t see what I’m doing,” she said. Everyone’s eyes were on her and she was beginning to get frustrated.

“Would you like for me to try, Lass?” Liam asked.

“Yeah,” she said, “your arms are longer.” She stepped aside and let Liam reach through the door.

“Hold that mirror still for me, Emma,” he said, trying to maneuver the cane to hit the button. He finally did and the way he was leaning against the door caused it to open suddenly, nearly making him fall to the floor.

Everyone cheered and rushed into the other room. It was a little bit larger with a huge bookshelf opposite the door. On it were various knick knacks in addition to books stacked artfully on the various shelves. On the wall now behind the open door, hung a terribly faded world map. To the right of the door they’d just entered was a work table with an in-progress Scrabble game board on it. Over the game board on the wall hung a wooden elephant head.

As soon as they had a good look around the room, Belle glanced up at the video screen over the door and announced, “We have forty-two minutes left.” The couples split up to begin scouring the room for clues, calling out directions to one another as they found them.

Robin lifted a scarf out of a bowl, revealing two puzzle pieces, which he held up. “Anyone else find more pieces to the puzzle?”

Soon, Robin and Regina were busy trying to assemble the numerous pieces handed to them. Meanwhile the other couples split off and began gathering different clues from around the room — from elephant tusks, to stone tablets, books, and keys. They solved several puzzles, but it seemed each answered riddle revealed another question to unravel.

Time was ticking away when they got a small fountain on the bookcase flowing which caused the bookcase to slide to the side, revealing a much smaller room containing the Monet painting. A loud cheer went up from the group until the bars in front of the painting deflated their exuberance a bit.

With only fifteen minutes left on the clock, they were getting desperate. Regina noticed there were lasers near the bars and started tracing where they landed within the office. Belle and Will had found a makeup mirror on a pedestal earlier in their searches, so she took the mirror and set it down on a ledge angling it to another mirror hanging on the wall, which directed the laser back to the painting. The word FAKE was emblazoned in the corner of the painting behind the bars.

Regina huffed out an exasperated exhale. “Are we ever going to get out of here?”

She felt Robin grab her arm and spin her toward him, planting a firm kiss on her lips that was completely unexpected. It only lasted a moment, but that moment was enough to thoroughly steal her breath away. He pulled back and stared into her eyes before he spoke.

“That was a stroke of brilliance, Darling,” he said. “Of course we’re going to get out of here, and we’re one step closer thanks to you.”

Regina felt her cheeks heat at his praise. The friends in this room were the only ones who’d ever believed in her like that and she could hardly believe this man that she’d met only five days ago thought that highly of her, too. She didn’t know what to say in the face of such affirmation, so she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her for a passionate kiss, much longer than the first.

“Oi,” called Will, “stop with the smoochin’. We have a Monet to find. The real one!”

Elsa suddenly noticed a small drawer on the book shelf that popped out slightly with the angling of the mirrors. She pulled the drawer open and found a small and very heavy magnet. She held it up with a questioning look on her face.

“Anyone have an idea of what to do with this?” she asked.

“Here!” Will called. He was crouched down next to the bookcase, fingering a small indentation that looked like it was just big enough to hold the magnet. Elsa handed it to him and he put it in the opening. He could feel the magnetic attraction take hold, so he grabbed the end of the magnet and pulled. A full panel opened on the side of the bookcase revealing a hole just big enough for a hand to reach in.

Will knelt on the floor and reached inside, his face scrunched up in concentration. “Don’t get your arm stuck,” Belle advised.

“Aha!” he shouted triumphantly, pulling out a rolled canvas. “It’s the real Monet!”

“Or rather, a replica of the real Monet,” Mary Margaret corrected.

“What do we do with it?” Elsa asked, watching as Will handed it to Belle, who unrolled it and held it up.

“Hey, there are numbers on it!” David shouted, drawing attention to the four bold, black numbers written on the back.

“There’s only one keypad we haven’t used yet,” Emma pointed out. “In the other room.”

They all quickly made their way back to the first room and Emma punched the numbers into the keypad. As soon as she did, the original entry door swung open and the clock on the screen came to a stop with 8 minutes and 15 seconds left.

As the group celebrated with high fives and hugs, Killian turned toward Emma, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him. “I don’t mean to upset you, Emma, but I think we make quite the team.”

“With some help from our friends,” she grinned, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms.

“And one hard-headed git,” he added.

She giggled and leaned in closer until they were nose-to-nose. “And by the way, I’m not upset at all, but…” She paused, her tongue darting out to lick her lips.

“But what, Love?” he asked, searching her eyes.

“But I really want you to kiss me right now.”

His smile lit up his face, before he whispered, “As you wish,” and pressed his lips to hers.

*********

Granny wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand and blew out a tired sigh as the last of the breakfast rush crowd finally left. It had been a long day already, and it wasn’t even noon yet.

The bell above the door chimed again, and Granny bit back a curse–until she saw who it was filing into her diner two-by-two and looking extremely happy together.

Ruby led the way, her arm around Graham’s waist and so close to him it was almost obscene. They were followed by Mary Margaret and David, holding hands and looking as though they didn’t realize there was anyone else in the world. Elsa and Liam followed along, shooting each other shy, smitten glances. Will spoke animatedly about something outrageous, judging by the way Belle rolled her eyes and playfully smacked him in the back of the head. Granny noted the librarian couldn’t keep the smile from her face. Granny’s smile grew yet wider when she saw Regina and Robin walking together, little Roland holding Regina’s other hand, his dimples in full view as he smiled happily. Last of all came Emma and Killian, her head on his shoulder, his arm around her waist.

“Table for twelve,” Ruby said with a broad smile.

“Thirteen!” Roland piped up.

“Coming right up!” Granny said, grabbing a stack of menus and waving the group to follow her. The urge to say I knew it! was strong, but Granny was wise enough to refrain from saying it. It was satisfaction enough just to see how happy everyone was.

The future looked bright for Ruby and her friends, and Granny couldn’t wait to watch that future unfold.

The End!

Notes: You made it!!!! We hope you enjoyed reading our not-so-little story!! Below are the real-life adventures on which our story was built.

–Our first stop was in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The park in question was called Lost River Cave rather than Lost Boys Cave. And yes, we met our tour guide (not hard on the eyes, but no Killian!) as we were making our way to our meeting place for the tour.

--Krystal, rather than Mary Margaret, was the one who became known for asking all the questions.

–The Blue Hole was a real thing–only the legend was that it was bottomless rather than that it led to Neverland.

–Yes, our female tour guide really did a runway walk down the center of our boat.

–The Wishing Stone was real, and we had to duck when going under it, but Will’s mishap was entirely fictionalized.

–The guide in our boat did point out the difference between stalactites and stalagmites, although she didn’t mix them up.

–Jen was the one who made an itinerary–although it wasn’t scheduled to the minute and it did end up being rather flexible.

–No twisted ankles, cracked craniums, or any other injury occurred on our vacation, thankfully.

–Our venture to the supermarket was completely ordinary. Maybe if we’d purchased ice cream, it would have gotten more exciting.

–Yes, our cabin truly was in a place called Sherwood Forest Resort. There were no sightings of Robin Hood, though.

–We never met our neighbors, although we certainly HEARD them on the last night we were there. They chose to pretend the resort’s nightly noise ordinance wasn’t a thing.

–‘Granny's’ was based on a pancake house we visited on our first full day in Pigeon Forge. The potato flinging incident was real–although completely accidental on Marta’s part. And an adorable little boy did peek at Joni around the end of the buffet, although it was his freckles and not his dimples which were so cute!

–No birds flew in through our open door–although the bird landing on the bear figurine’s head was an homage to a storefront we saw on the main strip. Three large bear statues, one with a bird atop its head, stood over a “Jesus saves!” sign. It was so random and ridiculous that it became a running joke all week. Likely Marta is still giggling about it!

-The wild turkey and black bear incident really happened, but as we were all in the same vehicle, we all got a front row seat to the resident wildlife.

–Our free day at the cabin was spent entirely in writing this story. We had no Will character show up to play pranks.

–We did, indeed, have a hot tub, but no one made any use of it, and certainly not the kind of use Ruby and Graham did, lol.

–Finally, the escape room scene was based on our own experience on the first full day of our time in Pigeon Forge, and it was indeed called ‘The Heist’. The clues, descriptions and puzzles are accurate to what we did in our own escape room (which Joni found to be the best part of the vacation). We made it out with 6:05 to spare! 

Can you figure out why the group in our story had 8 minutes, 15 seconds left?

–There might be more to come in this universe. Some of the other attractions we enjoyed in Pigeon Forge we know would also be enjoyed by these characters, so they might get written sometime in the future.

#vacay fic #fic collab #cave cruises cabin capers & cracked craniums #krystal writes #art by krystal

[the-strange-world]

Rating July Kpop Releases (01-16)

Masterpiece 10 | amazing 9 | good 7-8 - ok 6 | meh 5 | not my style 0-4

ALIENS - ID:Earth : 10/10

White Night - Forestella : 6/10

Twenty - Swan : 8/10 • I liked both English versions better which doesn’t make sense because it’s the same song 😂 | FAV BSIDE - Be my everything

BET ON ME - ITZY [Prerelease] : 10/10

Roller Coaster - NMIXX [Prerelease] : 6/10

PSYCHO - JUN : ♾/10

HWEEK - Teen Top : 10/10 | FAV BSIDE - NEXT YOU

Metronome - pH-1 & KEITA : 9/10

Someday - BOL4 feat. Ha Hyun Sang : 5/10

Groovy - CRAVITY [JP] : ♾/10 • the same song released before just in Japanese | FAV BSIDE - I Can’t Fight This Feeling

Sweet - OCTPATH : 10/10 • it’s fun and good for summer song and album | FAV BSIDE - Diary & WAKE UP

Sugarcoat - KISS OF LIFE (NATTY Solo) [Prerelease] : 6/10

Countdown - KISS OF LIFE (BELLE Solo) [Prerelease] : 10/10

Kitty Cat - KISS OF LIFE (JULIE Solo) [Prerelease] : 4/10

Play Love Games - KISS OF LIFE (HANEUL Solo) [Prerelease] : 10/10

Shhh - KISS OF LIFE : 9/10 • Ariana Grande vibes | FAV BSIDE - Bye My Neverland

COCONUT - NiziU : ♾/10 • fun and summery. The whole album was fun and summery | FAV BSIDES - LOOK AT ME, Short Trip, ASOBO, & Love & Like. I loved Raindrops & Paradise too

INVITATION - JUNNY feat. Gaeko : 7/10

UN-NORMAL - Queenz Eye : 5/10 | FAV BSIDE - Domino

Barbie Dreams - FIFTY FIFTY feat. Kaliii [From Barbie The Album] : ♾/10 • the Barbie soundtrack is so good

Do It Like That - TXT & Jonas Brothers : 10/10 • I LOVE BOTH THESE GROUPS AND THIS SONG IS SO CATCHY. You can tell Ryan Tedder did this song

(The Cherry Trees) - youra : 6/10 | FAV BSIDES - (Trapped in The Zoo!) & (Faded)

Cream Soda - EXO : 7/10 | FAV BSIDES - Another Day & Cinderella. I liked Private Party & Regret It too

In Bloom - ZEROBASEONE : 10/10 • my new fav group. Please NEVER give them media training. I was hoping for some waacking or tutting or something in the choreography tho and sadly there wasn’t any | FAV BSIDES - Back to ZEROBASE, And I, New Kidz on the Block (where’s the collab? Someone call Jonathan rn). I loved Always & Our Season too. The whole album was amazing imo

OVERDRIVE (English Ver.) - WEi : ♾/10 • I loved this song even at first but after hearing it a few times it’s a full bop. I’m obsessed!

Party O’Clock - NMIXX : 6/10

Drop It - BLASÉ feat. Lee Youngji : 4/10 • it had the same background music the whole time. There was no levels. Plus I’m not a huge rap fan. They did great with the rap tho and I liked the music (just not for the whole song)

Air Force One - ODD EYE CIRCLE : 10/10 | FAV BSIDES - Je Ne Sais Quoi & My Secret Playlist

FESTIVAL - Sandara Park : 9/10 • a happy and fun song | FAV BSIDES - HAPPY ENDING

This Love - Hyolyn feat. Paul Blanco : 10/10

STRANGER - ichan : 10/10 • I liked the other song on the album too - Not Afraid

WISH - KOYOTE : 6/10 • I loved the da La La part. A very older sounding song. Wont listen to much

SUMMER ISLAND - Yoon Jisung : 10/10

Do not touch - MISAMO : 7/10

Write & Draw - Kim Boa : 7/10

Fallen Angel - AVOKID : 10/10

SEVEN - Jungkook : 2/10 • the lyrics are so so terrible. Nice beat tho. Friday by Rebecca Black vibes but worse. This is why I like not being able to understand the lyrics 😂 EDIT: the clean version is very catchy!!! 8/10 for that one. Wish I would’ve heard that one first

I DO - (G)I-DLE [Prerelease] : 9/10 • this song grew on me

Perfect blues - Hannah Bahng : 9/10 • not kpop but still | FAV BSIDE - OLeander

#rating #comebacks #kpop #july #2023 #itzy #swan #nmixx #zb1 #exo #zerobaseone #jun #cravity #kiss of life #fifty fifty #txt #tomorrow x together #gidle #misamo #hyolyn #odd eye circle #sandara park

[mhizzberry]

Hello girl. Every number ending with 2. :)

: 0 okay every -2 song coming up. putting a read more cos it's long!!

#2:

Also a fun song :) When he (Cheren Slater) wears a sweater in summer weather and it's funeral grey (nothing else in the song fits him)

#12

I'm sorry there's been no variety in my artists so far NJKDSFJK but here's another Alamat song :)

#22

SCREAMING CRYING SOBBING THROWING UP

#32

Another Cherencore song <3 very funky very groovy

#42:

OHHH this is one of my fave Studio Killers songs!! It's so pretty to me 🥺 Also Kuroshiipping /hj

#52:

Alamat again but theyre sadbois

#62:

I think this auto-played when I had Studio Killers on NKDNJS anyway party song :)

#72:

OHH THIS IS CUTE!! It's a lesser-known (???) Alamat song but they also collabed w another artist!! They sing in their own languages here too!!

#82:

As you may know. I am also a Lady Gaga fan to an extent NJKDFDNKS this was one of my fav songs to sing before!!

#92:

Congrats bestie, my last and definitely not the least song is one of your favs <33

#WHEW that was long but thank u for sending aheem 🥺 #Mhizzy's Reply #antihibikase #Spotify Wrapped 2023

[charmergirl2468]

Rating twst characters based off how much they like Set It Off

This is just a heavy meeting of my two hyper fixations right now

Heartstabyul

Riddle- 6/10

He wouldn’t listen to they’re really obscene songs like “Hypnotized” or “The Haunting”. He definitely listens to their positive tracks like “Why Worry” though. And he relates a lot to “Wolf in sheeps clothing” but he’ll never admit it

Ace- 7/10

He’s mostly an casual fan, but will rock out to their more poppy songs like “The Magic 8”. Though he also listens to their more somber songs like “As Good As It Gets” in private to just feel his feelings. He’ll never admit it though.

Duece- 9/10

He got into the band during his delinquent days and was able to sing “End In Tragedy” like it was nothing. He’s calmed down now but still listens to them. And if he thinks he’s alone, he’ll sing out recent songs like “Killer in the Mirror” and “Projector” while he’s doing something like homework or chores.

Trey-3/10

This white bread motherfucker only knows of the band because of Cater. He likes their positive songs but everything else is white noise to him

Cater- 10/10

Look me in the eye and try to tell me he doesn’t have enough angst to listen SIO. I’ll call you a Ra damn liar. If anyone asks, he’ll say his favorite songs are “Diamond Girl” and “Happy All the Time”. But in reality he relates more heavily with “Why Not Me” and “Unopened Windows”

Savannaclaw

Leona- 4/10

He doesn’t really listen to SIO but he likes “Wolfs In Sheeps Clothing” enough. He can respect the fact they’ve kicked out ex members for harassing fans.

Ruggie- 5/10

He can Jam out to their songs just fine, but probably wouldn’t know about SIO unless a friend brought it up. He’d be willing to go to one of their concerts if you pay for everything though.

Jack- 6/10

He’s a casual fan, and will work out to songs like “Uncontainable”. But he has a soft spot for their positive tracks. He likes “Why Worry” in particular.

Octavinelle

Azul- 2/10

Pop Punk isn’t really Azul’s scene to be honest. He’s probably way more into Jazz. But he does like SIO’s sadder songs like “Unopened Windows”.

Jade- 2/10

Again, I do not see Pop Punk being Jade’s scene. He’d probably know a few of their popular songs by pure proxy of costumers but that’s it.

Floyd- 7/10

This unhinged bitch likes really random songs of theirs. It’s a fucking roulette of what songs he’ll sing along to. Like he’ll happily sing “Swan Song”, “Me W/o Us”, and “Go To Bed Angry” all in a row no problem. But then say stuff like “Skeleton”, “Forever Stuck in Our Youth”, and “Lonely Dance” are boring.

Scarabia

Kalim- 8/10

He likes SIO mostly because he thinks their music sounds cool and does not absorb the lyrics. Like he can sing along to “Hypnotized” with a big smile on his face. He’s here to vibe and honestly? I welcome it.

Jamil- 5/10

He mostly listens and sings their angry songs and that’s it. He gets so few chances to express himself and SIO is a good vector for that. His fav song is “I Think It’s Arrogance” for not subtle reasons.

Pomfire

Vil- 1/10

He is so far removed from pop punk that he does even know who they are.

Rook- 1/10

He might say that SIO is “pure beauty” or whatever but would never be able to pin point a favorite song or anything. Plus I fear what Rook would be like if he actually had a favorite band in any capacity.

Epel- 9/10

This fists first, questions later country boy absolutely would love SIO. He probably sings their more aggressive songs when he does chores around the dorm. He absolutely would rock out to “Ken and Barbie” for the fun of it.

Ignihyde

Idia- 10/10

This emo weeb shut-in? He absolutely loves them. He’s one of us who’s had the Hatsune Miku collab song on loop since it came out. He’s the die hard kind of fan who knows even their old-ass cringe songs from their first album “Baby you don’t Tripajaharda”.

Ortho- 2/10

He knows of SIO purely because of Idia. He’s not as into the band as his big brother, but he does like their more upbeat songs like “Life Afraid”

Diasomnia

Malleus- 5/10

He would have to be introduced to them by Lilia or Yuu, but he’d like them alright. He wouldn’t be able to pick out a fav song or anything, but SIO’s general vibes fit him well. This dork probably likes “Dream Catcher” the best

Lilia- 7/10

He likes most of their stuff. He’s casual about liking the band and probably only talks about SIO if someone else brings them up. That being said, he most definitely learned how to play most of their songs on the bass and shows off to the Light Music Club.

Silver- 3/10

Narcoleptic boi only knows about them through Lilia. They are not his vibe but if his dad likes them, he won’t judge

Sebek- 2/10

He doesn’t really listen to SIO, but if Lilia mentions them he will do deep research of the band to impress his mentor. He might even try to get Lilia merch just to prove his loyalty.

#charm chatter #set it off band #twisted wonderland #riddle rosehearts #ace trappola #duece spade #trey clover #cater diamond #leona kingscholar #ruggie bucchi #jack howl #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #vil schoenheit #rook hunt #epel felmier #scarabia #kalim al asim #jamil viper #idia shroud #ortho shroud #malleus draconia #lilia vanrouge #twst silver #sebek zigvolt #sooooo many song mentions

[whysojiminimnida]

YAY GAMES!!

Tagged by @lauraperfectinsanity because COOL PEOPLE DOING FUN THINGS ALL RIGHT OKAY LET'S GOOOO 💜

name: Julie but you can call me Julie. Or YSJ or Auntie Jaya or BITCH or whatever

sign:

time: 9:39 AM

birthday: September 24.

fav band/artist: BTS (as a group and individual members 💜), The Cure, the Police, KoRn, Insert 80s "alternative" band name of your choice here, I like music and have eclectic taste. I like everything except yee-haw country and I even like some of that. Beethoven Sunbaenim.

last movie: Prey. I started Uncharted but I got distracted.

last show: COBRA and Broadchurch. I got sucked in.

when you created this blog: Uh, 2021 I think? Maybe 2020. Pretty sure it was 2021 though.

what you post: the Jeon-Parks, other BTS, general Jeon-Park house elf shit, sometimes my cat or my boring-ass life and that's... it, really

other blogs: I've had many from stream-of-consciousness to a true crime blog that logged about 300K visits a day but was not monetized because I'm a dumbass. Currently this is it kids.

followers: I think about 1400 or so, I should look probably

do you get asks: OH I HAD TO EDIT I FORGOT THIS QUESTION WAS HERE and... probably but I have an irrational fear of my inbox. So it's either me answering tons of things all at once or not looking at it for six months.

average hrs of sleep: 4 or 16 broken up into 2-hour increments over three days.

instruments: Drums. I'm not kidding, it's all I play. Piano, very badly.

what i’m wearing: Adidas grey leggings with black and grey stripes and a white v-neck mens tee shirt size XL. Lipgloss, mascara and underwear. Maybe I'm braless maybe I'm not DON'T JUDGE ME

dream job: I already had it: ballet dancer and novelist. I wanna do more with the second one and also just be rich and go places and dress well okay. I HAVE DREAMS.

dream trip: Korea but also Spain, France, Italy, Russia and Siberia, Egypt, all the islands with beaches. I haven't been anywhere much, I want to go everywhere.

favorite songs: Black Swan, ON, Euphoria, Filter, Look Here, Still With You, Airplane Pt. 2, Promise, okay okay let's just put the whole discography on repeat and add the Jikook solos and collabs okay. But also: The Cure's Just Like Heaven and Lovecats and New Order's Regret and Blue Monday and Muse's Uprising and Kidneythieves' Things To Do Before I'm Dead and Coldplay's Fix You and Viva La Vida and Erasure's Love To Hate You and everything by the Pet Shop Boys and Dead Milkmen and They Might Be Giants' album Flood and anything by Paul Simon ever and many many others. I like music.

tagging: @towardtheblue - @kanmom51 - @onthecuterside - @monkeypug - @lorenuchi78 and whoever else has some shit to say (:

#it's all fun and games until somebody loses a body part #not that we are losing body parts on today #thanks laura #me and my jeon park house elf shit

[regalityandcoffee]

Lord Steven Regal SFW Headcanons, Letters N-Z

Another collab with @kayfabebabe!!!!! GO TO THEM! GO, GO! Here's parts A-M!

Have fun!!!!

♡♡♡♡♡♡♥︎♡♡♡♡♥︎♡♡♡♡♡♡

N= Night (How are nights spent with them?)

If it's after a match your routine includes a shower with him, then cuddling, maybe giving him a back rub. He prefers to spend nights with you in bed, you curled up next to him or laying on top of him while he reads some poetry or classic literature.

O= Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

The odd thing about Steven is he reveals things at the most random times. You could be enjoying breakfast at a diner and you talk about the weather and he's like " Ah yes, reminds me of that day at home when my Grandfather fell off his horse playing polo". He does reveal things over pillow-talk, or on long walks. But it's usually at random points.

He's a bit weird that way.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Very easily. It's almost never about you though. You see what he has to deal with at work! That fool Hogan, pesky commoners, annoying interviewers, BAH!

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing or do they kind of forget everything?)

Oh gods, he doesn't forget a single thing. If he's not asking Sir William to write down facts about you so he doesn't forget, he's making mental notes all the time. What your favorite perfume is, flowers you like, your favorite food, right down to the color of your favorite socks...

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

It was most likely when you agreed to be his partner. As much as the man tries to ooze confidence he is so, so insecure and was extremely nervous when he asked you. He was shocked and ecstatic when you said yes.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Steven is very, very protective, it's why he doesn't like you to be at ringside during his matches in case something happens. As much as the thought of someone like you cheering him on makes him blush, he couldn't stomach the thought of you getting hurt somehow, so he usually asks for you to wait for him in the Gorilla or the locker room or even at the hotel if a feud feels particularly dangerous.

As for wanting to be protected, well, if you stood in the way of him and a rival his heart would burst right then and there. For a multitude of reasons, but mostly out of fear you might get hurt and out of love. He'll quickly move you out of the way and try to take care of whatever the situation may be himself.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, and everyday tasks?)

He used to put in maybe a lil too much effort. See, most of what Steven knows from dating is the grand gesture kind of things from movies. Dates on the river in swan boats, fancy dinners at five-star restaurants, those kinds of things. It would shock him when you just ask for him to go shopping with you, or to go to a carnival. Small, simple things.

He still goes a little overboard with gifts, bouquets, and things like that. And he especially goes overboard on anniversaries, but that's just his nature. He just thinks you deserve good things.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Making fun of others behind their backs, mostly his opponents. He's not a gossiper, it's just a snide comment under his breath here and there. Most of the time it's to their face though, which gets him into loads of trouble.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Oddly, not that much for a Lord. He's mostly concerned about his hair, he takes at least an hour on it daily, but his skincare routine is just to wash his face and maybe some moisturizer. Although, he's also very particular about his nails. He picks at the constantly to keep them clean of dirt, always checking for hangnails and if they're uneven. He keeps up his image on tv and in front of opponents but out of the ring, it's all sweaters and slacks.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Yup. Once he has you he's convinced he couldn't go on without you. He hates every minute he has to be apart from you, even if it's to go do an interview or train, it doesn't matter.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Sleeps in the buff. In his birthday suit. Nude. It leads to... shenanigans sometimes, to say the least.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

He's very unaware of how ironic this is but he can't stand arrogance in his partners. He also doesn't care for people who gossip a lot.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

He snores a bit, and please for the love of gods never tell anyone but he totally drools in his sleep.

Oh, and once he is asleep, good lucking getting out of bed. He's a cuddler and he cuddles very tight. You don't mind it much, though. He's a pretty heavy sleeper, so trying to wake him up so he'll let you go is a task. If you do manage to slip out, that's usually what wakes him up. Pouting, asking where you're heading to with a small "hurry back" at your response. He's oddly clingy when he's sleepy.

But, again, you don't mind it much.

#lord steven regal #steven regal #william regal #steven regal x reader #lord steven regal x reader #wcw era #headcanons

[peppertaemint]

different anon but i feel like i'll die waiting for a tm x jm collab (yes, i'm dramatic) and lately I've been thinking about kai x jm as well. The three of them have been my fav boys for years and now that jimin is (kind of) free, I can't stop thinking about the possibilities, even though I know I shouldn't get my hopes up, especially because I don't remember the last time we saw a SM artist and a hybe/bighit artist interact 👀 and i'm just speculating, but I find it weird how since bts started to open up a bit, they started mingling publicly with artists under different agencies but not a single one of them from SM, not even invited to the JITB party? ANYWAYS I hope this is just me being paranoid and subconsciously looking for drama, because I need some things to happen and I don't have the time for them to play montagues and capulets

Oh Anon, I do think there is probably at least the undercurrent of legit drama somewhere in all of this, but it’s not quite Montagues and Capulets. It’s BTS being isolationist for the last few years that makes it appear that way.

If you look back at old vids, there was lots of interaction between BTS and SM groups, most notably SHINee IMO. Jonghyun praised them on his radio show, and there are cute vids of baby BTS in their orbit and having cute exchanges. Minho worked with Taehyung, too, and they have some cute moments. One underrated gem is SHINee going HAM over a cover BTS did. SHINee really are those ppl everyone stares at like wtf is wrong with them. BTS are performing an old school Shinwa jam and yeah, they like it too much LOL.

But you want mingling and interaction and collabs. Realistically, unless private social events are shared publicly, we’re only going to see stuff happen at events. I don’t know the full guest list for the JITB party, but I had wondered if Key might be in Jhope’s orbit for a few reasons. The question will be who might be around when Jimin goes on music shows with Taeyang? It would be cool to see Jimin mingling with everyone.

If you want to see recent instances of Hybe artists interacting with SM artists, then look at TXT and Enhypen. They both have shawols as members and there are lots of recent things. I think Nikki reunited with Key just this past year (he was part of a baby SHINee performance as a kid 🥺).

Back to the matter at hand: will we ever see Jimin with Taemin or Kai in public for work or fun again? It really seems unlikely because when was the last time we saw him with that friend group? Obviously he’s still close friends with Ha Sungwoon and he seems to be the person Jimin does the most with. There’s no reason to think they aren’t all still friends.

Remember the dance video of Kai, Ten and Taemin? How cool would it be to have Jimin in something like that? I just see a bit of a problem with this happening. Black Swan was the last artistic dance Jimin or BTS did. It’s been years. And look at the collab choice. This is dance “lite” - I have no idea if Jimin is interested in pursuing a dance heavy solo career. Hybe’s strategy for BTS still sounds very US top 40 to me. The Taeyang collab certainly has some of that. RM’s Indigo was majorly US top 40. And let’s be real. Although SuperM’s sales were fine and they have loads of US fans, their sound so far doesn’t match that. We can argue till the cows come home about how American culture and presence have influenced the Kpop genre as a whole, but I still wouldn’t describe most SM artists as capturing a contemporary US top 40 sound. I think SM has a signature sound (which it deviates from at times) and that they lean toward timeless or classic or even out-of-time with their music. So I don’t know. I can see why artists from labels like YG are a more natural fit for BTS collabs. There’s also a stronger k hip hop influence there.

So will there ever be something of a collaboration? Who can say? Sigh.

#sorry this is a ramble #but realistically they probably aren’t a good match for the type of music #kpop #kpop ask #jimin x taemin #Jimin x Kai

[dolliefrancais]

Learning about animal vocabulary in french with loona!

hiii, as an orbit and a beginner French learner, I wanted to start learning more about the vocabulary of animals in French by using my knowledge of loona to help memorise, since in loonaverse lore each moon girl has a specially assigned animal. I hope that this post will help you if you’re also learning French or just wanted to learn something new! also for members like Yeojin and Jinsoul who have preffered different animals than their loonaverse equivalent, I will provide translations for both animals, so sorry if that offends anyone! ALSO i cannot vouch for accuracy of each vocabulary word provided, since I am not a native French speaker and I am going off of my personal knowledge and from resources from google, some words might not be 100% correct, or widely used in certain French speaking areas and dialects, so pls keep that in mind ~ anyways lets begin!!! ALSO JUSTICE FOR CHUU and support Chuu’s new single collab, ‘dear my winter’ and ccdi!

1. Heejin - Rabbit / Lapin 

2. Hyunjin - Cat / Chat

(also check out this article for more information about cats in French, i’ve used this website before and it’s amazing, and I’ve used a lot of the information from there to make Hyunjin’s page!)

3. Haseul - Dove / Colombe 

(also I found like nothing about translations on doves in french online so the translations very well might be totally off oop-)

4 - Yeojin - Frog / La Grenouille  Bear / L’ours(e)

5. Vivi - Deer /  cervidés

(could you tell i was really confused lol 😭 I aw a lot of conflicting info so i checked out this old sketchy blog but the information seemed accurate! hopefully this isn’t super confusing lol but if you remember ‘cervidés’ and biche i believe that is all you would need to remember solely for deer, as im pretty sure ‘chevreuils’ and ‘chervettes’ are also the words for goats tho this is ony coming from my knowledge of the animal jam villager PLS)

6. Kim Lip - Owl / Chouette

7. Jinsoul . - Betta Fish / Betta Poisson  Tiger / Tigre(sse)

8. Choerry - bat / chauve souris 

9. Yves - swan / Cygne 

(the style changed bc my laptop died and I lost the template I had :/ atleast I stopped at oec so atleast theres some semblance of consistincy!)

10. Chuu - Penguins / Manchot (e)

(also justice for Chuu, and boycott bbc and all future loona projects under them!)

11. Gowon - Butterfly / Papillon 

12. Hyeju - Wolf / Loup / Louve

I hope this post was fun / helpful and that you were able to learn something new today!!! this took me wayyy too long with the image editing and the research I conducted, so please reblog if you liked this post! merci beacoup pour à lire, bonne journée!! (pretty sure i butchered that LMAO pls)

#loona

[flowerboycaleb]

this month was a very busy month for music. a lot of big artists started dropping in time for the summer. fortunately, there was a lot of good stuff to come out of it. there won’t be any Swans or King Gizzard on this list because i’m still working through their discographies, but i heard the albums they dropped were amazing. i’ll probably get to them by the end of the year. 

like last month’s, these songs are not ranked. i have listed my favorite track of the month though. maybe i’ll figure out a better order in the future, but they are in a random order for now.

also feel free to follow me on rate your music and twitter

“Dedicated to Tar Feather “ (feat. Anjimile) - McKinley Dixon

◇ featured on Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? - McKinley Dixon ◇ genre: jazz rap

McKinley Dixon’s 2021 album For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her was one of my absolute favorites of that year. His jazz rap sound was so refined and his lyrics had so much weight to them. His new album, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? is an improvement on his already great sound. This track in particular is one of my favorites. The lush intro leading into that nice jazz rap sound is so nice. Dixon’s writing is still sharp as ever and you just kinda hang on to every word. Great track on a fantastic album.

“Green Light” - Squid

◇ featured on O Monolith - Squid ◇ genres: experimental rock, art-punk

O Monolith was one of my most highly anticipated albums of the year. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype for me. The singles still hit hard in the context of the album, but the album track “Green Light” is one of the strongest on the project. The frenetic vocal performances and the equally wild instrumentation make for an exciting listen. The chorus is subdued which subverts your expectations in the best way possible. 

“The Hillbillies” - Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar

◇ genres: jersey drill, west coast hip hop

I’m cheating just a little bit by including this song. It released at the end of last month, but it didn’t end up on streaming services until the beginning of this month. For that reason, I will count it. Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar team up again on this track and they are just having so much fun. There really isn’t much to say about the track beyond that. It’s just a fun listen. Most of the collabs between these two have the kind of playful energy that just clicks with me. 

‧₊˚✧ BEST SONG OF THE MONTH ✧˚₊‧ “Bending Hectic” - The Smile

◇ genres: post-rock, art rock

Yeah this isn’t much of a surprise. I really enjoyed The Smile’s record from last year. It was such a refreshing and fun listen especially in the context of the Radiohead discography. A Moon Shaped Pool was an emotionally heavy album with pain lurking around each song. This side project sounds like Thom and Jonny having fun making music again. Exploring new ideas with the excellent drummer Tom Skinner. "Bending Hectic” is an 8-minute, post-rock track that has you hooked the entire time. Thom’s vocals pair so nicely with the winding instrumentation. This is probably my favorite song of the month. If this track means we’re getting another album from The Smile, I am extremely excited.

“But Not Kiss” - Faye Webster

◇ genre: indie rock

Faye Webster adds new layers to her sound on this new single. The same sensitive songwriting is present here as it is in most of her work, but it puts a dreamy twist on it. I think this shift works very well. The song sort of tricks you at the beginning into thinking this is just another ballad Webster has become known for, but it quickly subverts those expectations through a sudden burst of noise. The drums, piano, and the hazy backing guitar kick this song into another gear. Really enjoyed this track and I hope we get a whole album with ideas like this.

“You Wish” - Flyana Boss

◇ featured on Make It a Double - Flyana Boss ◇ genre: hip hop

This song blew up on TikTok this past month and it has been stuck in my head constantly for a bit now. The verse that blew up is an obvious highlight and such an earworm, but the rest of the song is just as fun. There really isn’t much else to say about it. This is a fun little track and I really hope they go on to do more exciting things in the future.

“Spirit 2.0″ - Sampha

◇ genres: alternative r&b, neo-soul

Admittedly, I’m not super familiar with Sampha’s solo work (I’ve been meaning to listen to Process for a while now). I have heard him through a bunch of features though. He always adds to any song he features on and his voice is very recognizable. This is his first single in 6 years and I was really blown away by it. “Spirit 2.0″ is a beautiful song. The first two verses have this incredible melody to them which he does so much justice to with his vocals. The choruses and the third verse pump up the energy a bit without losing the song’s mellow vibe. Just a really great track. I need to go back and listen to his first album especially if this single is teasing a follow-up.

“Rest” - Foo Fighters

◇ featured on But Here We Are - Foo Fighters ◇ genre: alternative rock

I never expected a Foo Fighters record to make me emotional, but this new album was full of heartbreaking moments. The passing of longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins weighs heavy on the band obviously, but they’ve channeled that grief into making their strongest record in years. There’s plenty of great moments, but “Rest” is one of the biggest highlights. The beginning of the song features a sweet, sincere vocal performance from Dave Grohl before bursting into a full-on noise rock track towards the middle. This is an emotional and almost triumphant closer to the album. Foo Fighters have already cemented their place in the modern rock scene, but I’m glad they’re still pushing along. I can’t lie and say I’m their biggest fan, but I think the music scene is better with them in it.

“Slide” - Feeble Little Horse

◇ featured on Girl With Fish - Feeble Little Horse ◇ genres: twee pop, noise pop

Girl With Fish was one of the most pleasant surprises of the month and quickly became one of my favorites of the year. The album is a great blend of sweet little tracks with an occasional noisy edge to them. This track encapsulates that perfectly. It opens with a gentle acoustic guitar driven verse with some electronic touches before shifting to a loud chorus. The songwriting on this track is also great. I have a feeling this album could rank pretty high on my year-end list.

“You don’t even know who I am” - underscores

◇ featured on Wallsocket - underscores (not yet released) ◇ genre: slowcore

Another great new single from underscores. “You don’t even know who I am” features a shift from the noise pop of their previous single in favor of a more slowcore direction. The instrumentation is sparse and their vocals are backed by an oddly haunting Dance Dance Revolution announcer sample. The lyrics dive into parasocial relationships which is an increasingly relevant topic. These new singles seem to be leading up to a concept album of sorts which is very interesting. 

“Mercury” - Youth Lagoon

◇ featured on Heaven Is a Junkyard - Youth Lagoon ◇ genre: indie pop

Heaven Is a Junkyard was also one of my favorite albums that dropped this month. I hadn’t heard anything from Youth Lagoon previously, but after hearing this I’ll probably dive into their catalogue soon. “Mercury” is a dreamy indie pop track with very nice layered production. The way the strings accompany the chorus is so gorgeous. Highly recommend this track and this whole album.

“Queen Jane Approximately” - Bob Dylan

◇ featured on Shadow Kingdom - Bob Dylan ◇ genre: singer-songwriter

The soundtrack from Bob Dylan’s 2021 concert film of the same name was released this month and while I haven’t listened (or watched) the entire performance, this version of “Queen Jane Approximately” has been on repeat for me. The original is one of my favorite Dylan tracks, but this version is very nice as well. This version is much gentler than the original. It feels as if Dylan is reminiscing as the song goes on, it is really beautiful. 

#my favorite songs of the month #2023 #music #rateyourmusic #mckinley dixon #squid #baby keem #kendrick lamar #the smile #faye webster #flyana boss #sampha #foo fighters #feeble little horse #underscores #youth lagoon #bob dylan

[joyswonderland1108]

Um.. OKAY????

So it appears i’ve died and went to heaven, and so did many of us hey nice to meet you all in heaven

But anygays let’s get into today’s events shall we? 

So before anything else even before Suchwita dropped, Jimin and JK have been dominating the industry hellaur?!!!

Ace duo for real! Then comes Suchwita :

As you may all know Jimin talked about his album briefly with Yoongi and with us basically, it was really cute, really fun, really lovely, really heartwarming, you name it, i fucking loved it! And you could tell how precious Jimin is to Yoongi we love to see that 💜

So after the episode Jimin goes on WV and posts this 

All good all good, it’s always a lovely day to get a notification about Jimin posting anything really. About 3h-ish we get a motherfucking notification and who it is? 

Jimin: Sooooo Letter is a song about my feelings to fans, itsafansong ANYGAYS you were saying Yoongi-hyung? 

JK: A song about who? Hold my fucking beer! 

This man i swear to god!! And the first thing he says is that he basically came live to watch Jimin Suchwita episode that he *cough* Initially was going to watch it with him *cough* whatever you mean by that Jungkook-ssi (we all know what he means he didn’t ask him so boldly to come over 3 times on live just for us to start acting dumb now) ANYGAYS! 

So first thing he does before getting to Suchwita is playing Heize’s cover of Still with You (Mind you this is a Jimin live basically and his first thought is to put Still with You on Okay then lover boy) After that he saw a comment talking about his collab with CK and started talking about it calling us all out because “We might’ve noticed that he wears Calvin Klein all the time” that boy knows where Army’s eyes be wandering but hey i don’t feel a drop of shame that man is fine as wine sue me! 

Suchwita Time! 

So now he puts on Suchwita after starting to get frustrated not finding the episode at first going like “Suchwita.. Jiminie-hyung.. Why isn’t Jiminie-hyung appearing right away?!” Youtube stop frustrating my boy give him his Jiminie-hyung! We’re all over here third wheeling somehow, i don’t even know how this turned into us being a third wheel but here we are, JK watching Jimin endeared and us being endeared watching JK being endeared with Jimin, endearedception. 

Then he proceeded to tell us how Set me Free Pt2 is really his style, he reaaaally likes it, he likes it a lot especially the second verse 

Jungkook is just like you and i for real cause.. AZFFAQFKNFNBFKBBZJ/KGBEHB Boy he simping!!! Then Black Swan Jikook appears on the screen and he just

Right.. 

Anygays, should i mention that JK 100% saw that tiktok where they were recreating the choreo from SMF Pt2 LMFAO He then told us that he will wrap up the live after playing some songs (Or so he said) :

12:45 - Stripped by Etham

Thoughtboutu by Karencici

Another day by Gervs

Adrenaline by Lauv

Where does the love go by Maria Isabel

Honeymoon by Johnny Stimson

Set me Free Pt2 by THE PARK JIMIN

(That boy literally just sat there listening to sappy songs after he started the whole live and made it about Jimin)

And then he ended the live as he said he will.. SIKE BITCH YOU THOUGHT! That boy whipped out a BTS compilation and which one it is you may ask?

.. 

That boy is whipped!! Never have i heard him say Jimin’s name that much during a live as much as this live it was a whole lot of “Jimin Jimin Jimin” like a mantra lol And tell me why tf i just watched him almost giggling and kicking his feet like 

And when you think it’s over.. He plays Smf pt2 again 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Only this time he’s just awestruck really, you and i both JK, understandable. Then that man has the A-U-D-A-C-I-T-Y to whip out a lollipop (an oddly shaped one too) and start suckling on it while listening to “Up at night by Kehlani ft JB” you know just a song with lyrics saying “I think about all of the ways you turn me on”.. For the goodness of all i’m not gonna write my comment “out loud” , i see you, you see me, we see each other. 

 And then 

I’m not even going to comment on the back to back lives, so basically that man said “Y’all wanted to make Letter about Army watch me make a whole live about Jimin” i- *The woman was too stunned to speak* 

And the fact that all of this happened after some dickheads tried to trend some.. things.. That were so very unrelated like.. Who am i? Who are we? Whoa! Because no i still honestly think i’m hallucinating, y’all need to check up on me if i’m stuck in a coma somewhere or something ain’t no way i just witnessed whatever i should even call that? 

I-.. Yeah.. Good for them good for them! Also JK said STREAM FACE!!! (No he didn’t) But he did anygays! Love y’all and love Jikook 💜

#jikook #Kookmin #minkook #Minggukie #Oh JK you're whipped

[taegularities]

WIPs ✑

updated: 01.07.24

KEY:

☾ angst | ❀ fluff | ❥ smut | ヅ crack

➷ readers’ favourite(s) | ❈ my favourite(s)

e2l - Enemies to Lovers

f2l - Friends to Lovers

s2f/l - Strangers to Friends/Lovers

est/rel - Established Relationship

© 2021– taegularities. all rights reserved. Reposting and/or translating is not allowed, even if you credit the story properly.

Please consider reblogging and/or sending me a message, if you like my work. Feedback is always appreciated and helps me improve my writing further!

Visit me on ao3!

ALL BECAUSE OF YOU | collab with @hoebii​ ❀ ❥ ヅ (friends to lovers; fantasy / HP!au)

» part of “the amortentia chronicles”

— They say food is the ultimate way to someone’s heart. It would be a shame if Seokjin didn’t at least try to confirm this belief.

OVER JEWELED HILLS ☾ ❥ (secret established relationship; fantasy!au)

» part of the grimm event

— Alone in the woods and waiting for the queen to hunt you down, the last thing you expect is to be lured in by an enchanting tune; one that has you following the trail of the melody until you're met with the eyes of the love of your life who, to your misery, turns out to be the selected huntsman by your mother's command.

SWEETENER ❀ ❥ (fwb/e2l)

— You used to know how he sounded when you were wrapped around him, but circumstances have pulled you apart and sent you scattering in opposite directions. Feelings shouldn't reappear so easily by simple words, but when you find yourselves in the same place once again, this is exactly what happens.

ALL OF YOU | collab with @hoebii​ ☾ ❀ ❥ (lovers to exes; fantasy / HP!au)

» part of “the amortentia chronicles”

— Time supposedly heals all wounds, but the scars you left behind never seem to fade.

ALL ABOUT YOU | collab with @hoebii​ ❀ ❥ ヅ (s2f2l, fantasy / HP!au)

» part of “the amortentia chronicles”

— Studying prophecies can be fun, but you’d much rather focus on the man whose gaze always seems to linger on you.

MUSCLE MEMORY ❀ ❥ (est / rel, pwp)

— The weather outside might be trying to chill you to your bones, but watching Namjoon’s seething hot presence work out is enough to melt every little piece of you – and he sees the longing in your eyes all too soon.

ALL INTO YOU | collab with @hoebii​ (❀) ❥ (est / rel, fantasy / HP!au)

» part of “the amortentia chronicles”

— Teasing your boyfriend while being surrounded by your closest friends? Entertaining. But when he drags you away to punish you for it? That’s when you’re in for a ride.

LOVE ME BETTER ☾ ❀ ❥ (s2l, detective!au) | ❈

— Park Jimin still remembers you from a fervent night, not expecting in his wildest dreams that you’d join his team to solve the case of the most dangerous thieves in the country. But he soon realises that of all things, you might be the hardest riddle he’s ever had to crack.

DEFINITION OF LOVE ☾ ❀ ❥ (e2l / f2l)

— When the gorgeous student from your literature class starts showing interest in you, you discover that there's much more to him than his know-it-all facade. But is this realization enough to get through your insecurities and secrets?

RUIN YOU (ft. JJK) ☾ ❀ ❥ (est / rel + fwb) | ➷

» pt1 | pt2 | pt3 | pt4 | pt5 (final) » drabbles: once more | sex toys | sexting | echoes

— When your boyfriend Jungkook first suggested a threesome between him, you and his best friend, all of this was definitely not what you’d expected.

RUINED ☾ ❀ ❥ (s2l, office!au)

» epilogue/sequel to ruin you!

— You first see Kim Taehyung at the office you’ve just started working at – and his eyes draw you in immediately. Quiet, powerful, and confident; yet he’s wrapped in a suit of secrets. A suit you want to take off layer by layer.

SONGS ABOUT YOU ☾ ❀ ❥ (f2l + fwb) | ❈

» part of the Sons of Midas collab

» pt1 | pt2 » sequel/pt 3: SWAN’S SONG » drabble 1 (moment with their kid) + drabble 2 (proposal) with a timeskip by @hobisuniverse​​ ❀

— Both of your touches used to fit your little agreement to fulfill your desires whenever you needed it - when had exactly these touches started to become a quiet whisper in the back of your mind that had you yearn for so much more than just careless nights?

RIGHT AMOUNT OF WRONGS ☾ ❀ ❥ (f2l, high school!au)

— How many times does he have to do you wrong until you make the right decision?

SOARING HIGH ❀ ❥ ヅ (s2l, airport!au, dilf!tae)

» drabbles: floating | a day out

— A twelve-hour flight passes fast when a scorching hot, single parent is there to entertain you all throughout the day – with his words… as much as with his fingers. 

THE DIARY OF A HEALING HEART ☾ ❀ ❥ ヅ (s2f / l)

» chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | epilogue

— Time mends a broken heart. What you don’t consider is that the warmth of a completely unexpected person is enough to heal it, too.

CROWDS AROUND US ❀ ヅ (s2f2l)

— No matter how crowded or busy the world around you gets, your thoughts keep drifting back to him until they begin longing for more than just his virtual presence – and when you finally do meet him, he erases all of your thoughts entirely.

TALES OF BROKEN HEARTS ☾ ❀ ❥ (ex2l) | ❈

— When a work trip brings you back home, you don’t expect for anyone to await your return or remember you. But despite the time apart, Taehyung still does – still looks at you the same way he used to five winters ago.

SILK & STONES ☾ ❀ ❥ (s2l, writer!au)

— Kim Taehyung knows his way around words – they cast a spell on your heart and mind, leave you gasping dangerously fast. Until the mystery behind his persona unveils and his touch, along with his words, becomes a vivid memory.

ALL OVER YOU | collab with @hoebii ☾ ❀ ❥ ヅ (exes2l, fantasy / HP!au)

» part of “the amortentia chronicles”

— You just wanted to win the prize in potions class, but it seems as if your ex has other plans.

RUIN YOU (ft. KTH) ☾ ❀ ❥ (est / rel + fwb) | ➷

» pt1 | pt2 | pt3 | pt4 | pt5 (final) » drabbles: once more | sex toys | sexting | echoes

— When your boyfriend Jungkook first suggested a threesome between him, you and his best friend, all of this was definitely not what you’d expected.

SCATTERED STARS ☾ ❀ ❥ (e2l, fantasy!au, soulmate!au)

» drabble/sequel: scattered stars: collision

— It’s easy to despise Jungkook when your contradicting magical powers don’t allow you to touch each other without fatal consequences - but what if your eternal enemy turns out to be your soulmate with whom you, unfortunately, do fall in love?

CHANGES IN BETWEEN ☾ ❀ ❥ ヅ (s2f2l, roommate!au)

— Becoming the roommate of Jeon Jungkook is the biggest change you’ve ever gotten thrown into - but little do you know that the addition of another man will bring even further turbulence into your (love) life.

A THOUSAND REASONS WHY ☾ ❀ ❥ ヅ (f2l)

— After leaving to work towards his dream rather than the bonds that shackle him to home, you didn't expect to see Jungkook again years later at your best friend's wedding. And even less, for love to rekindle at second glance.

BEGIN ☾ ❀ ❥ (s2f2l, fallen angel / fantasy!au)

— Before everything shatters like a mirage of an impossible dream, you teach Jungkook how to live a fulfilling life far from Heaven. His numb heart starts to gradually light up again; you make him begin believing in love and hope when not even starting afresh could. But then... everything shatters.

BEWITCHING ☾ (❀) ❥ (f2l/fwb (?), vampire / fantasy!au)

— Your feelings for Jungkook differ too much from the quiet agreement between you and his free-spirited, cold soul; too dangerous to speak them aloud. But when desire and longing take the lead, how long will you, the loyal servant to her master, be able to silence what resides deep inside of you?

NOT MY FAULT ❀ ❥ (f2l, college!au) | ➷

— After sparking a sinful conversation on a dating app, you vow to yourself that you won’t give in to more the notorious college fuckboy Jeon Jungkook might have to offer. That is, until he rings your doorbell just one night later – and it’s truly not your fault that he’s so damn hard to resist.

COLOUR ME IN ☾ ❀ ❥ ヅ (f2l/fwb/fake dating, college!au) | ❈ ➷

» pt1 | pt2 | pt3 | pt4 | pt5 | pt6 | pt7 | pt7.5 | pt8 | pt9 | pt10 » pt11 | pt11.5 | pt12... » fillers/drabbles: too much | not enough | undying roses | unhindered | seven | ...

— Jungkook's door only opens for you when there's a barter: a trade of lust and haze. But today you knock for something more, as intriguing as it is frightening – and you hope it doesn't close his door forever. 

STARS BEHIND WAVES ☾ ❀ ❥ (estranged bf2l, vacation!au) | ❈

— With a decade’s distance between Jungkook and you, your paths cross on the same island you deemed your second home years ago. And you realise once again – the ocean can never compare to the twinkle in his starry eyes. 

CANDLES & FLAMES ☾ ❀ ❥ (e2l, royalty!au)

» pt1 | pt2 | pt3 | epilogue

— He wasn’t supposed to be yours. His foolery wasn’t supposed to target you. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

FOREVER, WE ARE YOUNG ☾

— How would you imagine BTS to be in 25 years?

Despite the fact that their disbandment happened two and a half decades ago, there are still deep issues between the now grown-up men that they have to settle when meeting after an eternity again - but certainly not without finding each other all over again as well.

THE AMORTENTIA CHRONICLES ☾ ❀ ❥ ヅ (fantasy / HP!au)

» one fic per member

— What is magic without a little sprinkle of love, lust and yearning?

THE RUIN YOU SERIES ☾ ❀ ❥ (est / rel + fwb; Taehyung x reader x Jungkook)

» parts & drabbles

— It started with a gentle spark and harmless gazes; but by now, you’re caught in a wildfire that will expand until you’re burned inside and out.

THE EVERMORE SERIES ☾ ❀ ❥ ヅ (celebrity!au, slice of life)

» one fic per member

— Tales of love as emotions fall apart and grow; vanish and reappear; laced with pain and unadulterated devotion. Friendships, affairs and realisations always linger – now and forevermore.

↳ DRABBLES (all members and genres)

Questions? There goes!

credits: background for the banners taken from here <3

#masterlist #bts masterlist #taegularities

[deepdarkdelights]

Black Swan (Jimin x Reader)

Pairing: Jimin x Reader

Word Count: 10.3k

Warnings: 18+, Yandere, Cursed Jimin, Stalking, Obsession, Forced Relationships, Blood (Lots of it), Gore, Fear, Panic/Anxiety, Depictions of dead bodies, Devious Intentions, Depictions of Weapons, Mourning, Self Harm, Massacre, Murder, Isolation, Drowning, Allusions to Religion (Use of the word Heathen)

I do not condone the acts displayed in this story nor do I believe any members of BTS would actually engage in this type of behavior. This is simply written for entertainment purposes and should not be taken as a reflection of my own values, opinions, or morals. 

<<Forbidden Fables Masterlist>>

Preview:  A princess’s job is to learn etiquette and to marry, so why did you derail from that path? All it took was one instant of you departing from your fiancé’s hunting party to become lost in the enchanted forest and to stumble upon a cursed man who doesn’t believe in love. He must be so lonely…do you dare to befriend him?

A/N: Hello my loves! This is my last fic for the Forbidden Fables Collab! I have had so much fun working on this series with my fellow authors and I still cannot believe that they invited me to be a part of it in the first place. This was literally so much fun, and I think I may actually like this fic better than Run Little Red so that’s interesting 👀 Anyways, happy reading, I can’t wait to see you in my inbox and in the comments 💜💜💜

The carriage you were sitting in was jostling you to and fro, the motion making your stomach twist in uneasy knots. 

You tried your best to lean your head out of the open window, the fresh summer breeze being the only relief to your motion sickness. You despised traveling by carriage, but the journey you were making was long and near impossible to make by foot. 

Not to mention, you were a princess, and a princess never walked to her destination. She was always escorted by a squad of knights and enclosed in a horse-drawn carriage for her safety. 

The day would have been a lovely one, had you not been confined to a space that made you sick and were being sent to another place you so deeply despised. 

Your wedding date had been looming over your head for months, and now with it coming closer and closer, you were instructed to have supervised visits with your fiancé. Your parents had been enthralled with the idea of you being wed to him, his kingdom was vast, prosperous, and wealthy. He was, by all means, the perfect suitor if he wasn’t so goddamn dense. 

He had an ugly arrogance to him, one that had you questioning his faithfulness before the two of you had even wed. He was born with a gold and jewel-encrusted spoon in his mouth and had an attitude that reflected such. His rare good qualities lay in his ability to rule and that seemed to be where they ended. 

You didn’t like to set yourself atop a high pedestal, but you had to admit that somehow you were lucky you didn’t turn out the way he did. Princesses received much different training than princes, perhaps that was how you had gained a sense of humility whereas he had grown an inflated ego, one you so willfully wished you could pop.

You had figured out a long time ago that you were not going to be happy with him. But in the world of politics, monarchies, and treaties, happiness was a sacrifice to be had. 

Your happiness was a political sacrifice. 

Not wanting to dwell on that thought too much, you pulled your head back into the carriage and leaned it back against the seat, your gaze pinned to the ceiling. 

Your fiancé was an idiot, he was more of the court jester than he was the prince. His idea of courtship was bringing you along for his hunting trip. The last thing that you wanted to do was follow around a bunch of foolish men brandishing weapons and competing against one another to see which poor creature they could kill the quickest. 

It was barbaric and utterly stupid. You were not amused. 

Upon your arrival to his kingdom, the streets were flooded with people. Villagers of all ages cheering excitedly as they tried to catch a glimpse of you hidden away. You giggled to yourself in amusement as you caught sight of children running alongside the coach, their small fingers tapping against the polished wood in glee as you peered over the door and waved to them. 

In your kingdom, you have been deemed the people’s princess. You were always one to try your best to engage with them, support their businesses, and push for vital changes to be made. You were lucky that your father had a soft spot for you and on occasion, he would take some of your suggestions to heart. He was a good ruler, but you knew you couldn’t count on him to end the engagement for you. He was kind, but his interest always lay in political advantage. And a marriage like yours would be the best way to help your kingdom prosper, it was your duty as their princess. 

At least that was what you told yourself. 

Sometimes, you wished you could discard your royal robes and tiara and melt away into the crowd of villagers. You were not one to take your position for granted, you were lucky to have the security in life that you did. You always slept in a warm bed, knew when your next meal was coming, and that you would always have a roof over your head. You were very fortunate, but that did not mean your life did not have its own burdens. And in this case, that was your status and your hand in marriage. 

Your arrival to the castle had not been one that you were expecting. To your utter distaste, your fiancé was already waiting for you with his hunting party of buffoons in tow. Was he really that desperate to hunt down such innocent creatures that he couldn’t allow you time to settle in? That he had to kill two birds with one stone and court you at the same time he brandished a knife and a bow? 

You never considered yourself to be a violent person, but he certainly did tend to make your blood boil. 

“My princess!” He greeted as you began to step foot out of your carriage, your footman gently guiding you to the ground. 

“My prince.” You greeted calmly, a dull smile tugging at your lips.

You carefully smoothed out your skirts with your palms as you fell into a graceful curtsy before he began to approach you. Your eyes trailed over his form before settling on the quiver of arrows strapped to his back, he was intending on you joining the hunt with him. Besides, what hunter didn’t enjoy having a prize beside them?

“Come quickly!” He commanded, settling his hand on the small of your back as he ushered you forward in the direction of his men. “You’re in for a treat today.”

“A treat?”

“Yes, my dear princess, our hunting trip is set out to be the most exciting one yet.”

You highly doubted that. In your mind, there was nothing more boring than watching him aimlessly shoot arrows into the trees and throwing a tantrum when he missed his mark. 

“Really now, how can you be so sure?” 

“My father has given us access to land that had gone un-hunted for quite some time, I think this is shaping up to be quite interesting, no?”

“And where will we be going, may I ask?” You replied, coming to a stop and forcing him to cease pushing you along like you were a child. 

“My dear, that’s a surprise.” He said with a smirk, a dangerous glint in his eyes as those words left his mouth. There was a horrible feeling stirring in your gut, one that told you you wouldn’t like where he was going to take you. 

But, you knew that no amount of probing would get him to reveal that secret to you. He was as stubborn as he was arrogant. 

So, you merely followed alongside him, allowing him to help you settle yourself astride a pure white mare. She appeared to be a gentle being with large, brown, glassy eyes that exuded her calm nature. 

You curled your fingers around her bridle, your one free hand gently brushing the smooth fur of her long neck. You could feel her sides rise and collapse with each heavy breath that she took in, she truly was a magnificent creature. You loved animals, that was one of the main reasons why you so strongly detested your fiancé. You were not dimwitted, you knew hunting was essential for survival. But that did not mean you had to enjoy it, and with the death of the animal, their carcasses should be used to the fullest extent. Not ripped apart and stuffed to be on display as triumphant feats. 

Your fiancé loved to debate your philosophy without restraint. 

You had been enjoying the gentle breeze brushing over your face and the sound of the mare’s hooves cantering against the dirt path when you caught sight of something beyond distressing. 

The hunting party had led you down a path that had not been traveled often and there were various signs strung up in the boughs of the trees warning passersby to not enter the tangle of roots, trees, and shrubs. 

Your fiancé had taken you to The North Forest. 

“You are joking,” You breathed with a mirthless laugh, “It is against the law to hunt on these grounds, everyone knows that.”

“Well my dear, not everyone is the prince are they?” Your fiancé said, his chest puffing out in a show of pride. 

“I don’t think you understand, this forest is home to enchanted beings, to great beasts that have roamed these lands for centuries. There are cursed men and women seeking shelter within these woods, how could you possibly want to hunt here? It is inhumane.” 

“I think you have said enough, my princess,” He replied, a sharp glint in his eyes, “Those beings are filthy creatures that have been exiled from the kingdom. Their souls are impure, tainted with magic. We will be doing them a favor by putting them out of their misery.”

What you would give to put him out of his misery. 

“Forward!” He called, snapping the reins of his horse and moving ahead of you with his men in tow behind him. 

You found yourself blending into the back of the group, your fury beginning to bubble up. How could someone be so inconsiderate? How could the king allow his own son to break a sacred law of their kingdom? Apparently, the monarch’s kindness had all been for show. He was one of the many that deemed the cursed to be heathens. 

How absurd. 

A sudden ruffling of wings above you captured your attention. You craned your head back as your mare continued to move at a steady pace with the group. The treetops were thick and overgrown, their branches weaving together into an intricate design, not unlike the ceilings of the kingdom’s castle. 

But through a sudden break in the growth, you could see it. The light from the sunset filtered down with a golden glow, the beams bouncing off of the pearlescent feathers of an elegant swan’s wings. Your lips parted in awe as you watched the graceful creature smoothly glide through the air, angling its body from side to side. You had never seen a swan like this one before, there was something inexplicably entrancing about it. 

Unfortunately, your fiancé was thinking similar thoughts. But his admiration was not enough, he needed it as a trophy, not unlike yourself. 

You watched in horror as he slipped an arrow free from the quiver strapped to his back and strung it through the bend of the bow. His eyes were dark, concentrated, and focused as he raised the weapon.

Your lashes fluttered frantically as your eyes darted from side to side, trying to find a way to stop him before his arrow pierced the delicate flesh of the swan’s underbelly. 

The tree beside you provided you with an answer, it’s lush boughs heavy with ripe, red apples. Your lithe fingers curled around the low fruit and gave it a sharp twist, pulling the dense object free. Your lips pursed together in anger as you wound your arm back and hurled the fruit at the back of his head. 

Your timing could not have been better, the apple connecting with the back of his head mere seconds before he released his grip on the arrow. His torso jolted forward and you found yourself stifling a giggle as his crown tumbled off of his head and his arrow shot freely into the depths of the forest, missing its target by miles. 

A smile of pure glee spread over your lips as you watched the swan give a broad swoop of its wings and dip back above the tree line, far out of sight. They had found their freedom. 

Your fiancé was displeased to put it lightly. His cheeks were flushed as red as the apple that had collided with his head. He was frantically twisting around astride his stallion, screaming at his men as the veins of his neck bulged. No one had suspected the princess, all the way in the back of the hunting party, to be the culprit. 

Of course, you were far too dainty to have made such an impact. At least that’s what they would have thought. 

You watched as your fiancé huffed in anger and snapped the reins of his horse, his heels digging into its sides as he urged it forward. He and his men were far too absorbed in figuring out who had assaulted the prince to see you slip down the side of your mare, your fingers twisting into her bridle as you headed down another path, adamant on going on your own adventure far from their idiocy. 

It was a soft, bell-like sound that had captured your attention. And, the further away you got from the hunting party, the louder it became. The deeper into the forest you got, the more clear it became and soft showers of gold dust began to delicately rain down from the flowers hanging above you. The North Forest was enchanted, everyone knew that, but not everyone got to revel in its beauty. 

You came to a sharp halt as a spray of golden dust came flying into your face. Your fingers quickly snapped up to your eyes, rubbing the skin of your eyelids frantically in an attempt to clear your vision. Upon reopening them, you were startled. Fluttering in the breeze in front of you was a sprite, no bigger than your index finger. 

Her skin was a soft daffodil yellow, a glow of light surrounding her as she hovered in mid-air. She had a set of translucent wings adorning her back that were fluttering rapidly, keeping her afloat. Her little feet were adorned with strips of grass fashioned into shoes that reminded you of ballet slippers. And she was clothed with the bloom of a dandelion, the white puffs of the flower resembling that of a tutu. She tilted her head from side to side in curiosity, the motion drawing your eyes to the light points of her ears. A sudden smile appeared on her face, her lips parting as her body shook with laughter. But instead of hearing a fit of giggles, the noise that shook her chest sounded like the tinkling of bells.

So, that had been the noise you were hearing. 

The sprite lunged forward, her fists tightening around a strand of your hair and pulling. The force was so minimal it did nothing to move you. But you understood what she was asking of you. 

“Hello there,” You whispered so that your voice would not hurt her tiny ears, “Do you want me to follow you?”

The sprite nodded enthusiastically, her whole form vibrating with the motion. 

“Lead the way, my lady.” You laughed, allowing her to keep her grasp on your hair as she fluttered forward. 

You had no clue as to where you were or what your destination would be, but the further away you were from that bumbling fool of a prince, the happier you would be. The night was quickly approaching, and as the sun began to dip below the horizon, more sprites began to descend from the hanging flowers above you. The sight was like that of hundreds of fireflies, but even that comparison could not explain the beauty of the sight. Golden trails of light followed each sprite that mischievously darted around you and your mare as they led you into the depths of the forest. 

The light was quickly dying out, and the longer you walked the more your feet began to ache. Eventually, you slipped your feet free from your shoes and removed your tiara, setting them into your mare’s saddlebags.  The grass beneath your feet felt almost as soft as silk, unlike any texture you had ever felt before. The enchanted forest was coming to life amidst the descending veil of night. 

A thick curtain of vines obscured your sight, your group of sprites having led you beneath a great weeping willow, the size of the tree unlike any you had seen before. In the hallows of the trunk, you could see the familiar dust sprinkling free. The sprites darted in front of you and as a team, lifted the veil of vines and showed you a magnificent sight.  

A crystal blue lake stretched before you surrounded by weeping willows and evergreens. The lake was caught on the fringe of twilight and the cusp of night. You cautiously stepped through the vines, the soft stamp of your mare’s hooves echoing across the lake. 

And, on the surface of the calm waters, was the swan you had saved. Its neck was curved gently as it glided through the water. You had never seen a creature so beautiful, so enrapturing, as the one before you. 

“So, we meet again.” You called to the swan. 

Its head perked up at the sound of your voice, its body following its neck as it turned in your direction and quickened its pace towards the shoreline. 

And just as it made its way to the shallow pool of the lake, the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and the moon hung still in the dark sky, surrounded by a sea of constellations. 

A blast of light lit up the forest oasis, and where the swan once swam, stood a man stepping free from the water. 

“And so we meet again.” He replied with a closed-eye smile.

You stepped backward in surprise, your heart thundering in shock at the sudden transformation that had taken place before you. Your hand settled itself on your chest as you attempted to gather yourself. The man was just as, if not more, beautiful than the swan that had previously stood in his place. He had a sharp jawline, plush lips, and warm brown eyes. His hair was a bright shade, an iridescent color that resembled polished silver. He had the build of a dancer, strong legs, a delicate waist, and defined shoulders. He was stunning, so much so it even flustered you. 

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” He laughed, stepping out of the lake with a smooth glide of his legs. “There wasn’t exactly a way I could warn you.” 

“You - you’re...enchanted?” You asked, your mare’s bridle falling free from your fingers as she meandered away towards an inviting patch of grass to graze. 

“Yes, and you’re observant.” He teased, stepping even closer to your still form. “You saved my life.”

“Oh, well I suppose I did.” You whispered to yourself. You had been trying to save an innocent animal, you had no idea a man was trapped inside the creature. “You’re unharmed?”

“Not a feather out of place.” He said with a teasing smile. 

“If I may ask, how did this happen to you? Were you exiled here?” You asked.

The once joyous glow he had to his face quickly paled under the moonlight, a grimace of discomfort painting angelic features. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry-,”

“It’s alright.” He cut you off with a raised hand. “I was cursed by a sorcerer. His daughter wanted me to take her as my wife and I refused. So, he gave me an ultimatum: marry his daughter or be cursed. I think you can figure out which one I chose.”

“And there is no way to break the curse?”

A bitter laugh broke from his lips. “There are two but both have proven to be impossible. The curse will be lifted if I marry his daughter or through love.”

“Well, falling in love isn’t impossible.” You said as the two of you settled down in the grass across from one another. 

“See, there is one small problem. I don’t believe in love.”

“Oh.” You replied without a thought, your fingers brushing over your lips in surprise at the dumbfounded reaction you had given him. 

“Oh indeed. There is also the fact that the curse dictates that I can only become a human under the moonlight of the lake. And, I’m sure you’ve noticed, entrance into the forest is strictly forbidden. You’re the first person I’ve seen here in years.”

So, the sorcerer had clearly thought of everything. The man before you truly had only one option to choose from. The only way he could possibly exit the North Forest and be disenchanted, was if he were to marry the woman he so clearly despised. 

“I’m so sorry…” You said, your words trailing off as you realized you had never asked for his name.

“Jimin.” He answered while a weak smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

“I’m sorry, Jimin.”

A shiver seemed to wrack through his body as his eyes widened in surprise, his lips parting for a moment as he appeared to have had the wind knocked out of him. “I haven’t heard someone say my name in so long.”

The man before you had tugged at your heartstrings without even trying. He must have been so lonely, trapped in the forest and the lake without anyone to speak to for who knows how many years. That type of isolation, that did horrible things to people. 

“You never spoke to any of the other enchanted beings?” You asked, your head tilting in curiosity as your fingers plucked at the silken grass between the two of you. 

“In the beginning I did. We would try to help one another, but the pain of watching someone else’s curse be broken while you remain bound to the forest becomes arduous. You become angry, spiteful, jealous. Most of us find it is easier to keep to ourselves. Most of us don’t even share our names, it makes it harder for us to form an attachment.”

“What do they call you by then? If not by your name?”

His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, his head tilting back as a breeze tousled his silver locks. His shoulders rose and relaxed with a deep breath before he opened his eyes once more and fixed you with a grim smile. 

“They called me, The Swan Prince.”

You sat there for a moment, your gaze trapped to the man before you. He had seemed so familiar before, the way in which he carried himself, the name he had decided to give you. It was all coming together. 

“Jimin,” You whispered, eliciting a similar response from him as before. “Park Jimin? As in the royal Park family?”

You could faintly remember him from years ago. You were much younger then, just barely a woman. Your family had visited the Park’s kingdom for their youngest son’s birthday. And very faintly in your mind, you could remember a flash of silver hair and the fluid practiced motions of a dancer. You had been so drawn to that particular person, and looking back on it now you were sure that had been a younger Jimin, stealing the entire party’s attention. 

“How did you know that?” He asked in surprise. 

You silently raised your hand out to him and he leaned closer to see what you were showing him. Settled on your middle finger was a ring that cradled the jewel-encrusted insignia of your kingdom. And, as a prince, Jimin immediately recognized what it was. 

The both of you, on instinct, went to bend at the waist in a bow only to have your foreheads collide. Like true royalty. 

The two of you groaned and fell into fits of laughter as you cradled your forehead, your fingers soothing over the throbbing skin. 

“I remember you,” You smiled, your hand falling away from your face. “You were dancing the last time I saw you, you were the most graceful dancer I had ever seen.”

Jimin’s cheeks flushed red with your praise, turning his head to face the stretch of the lake in embarrassment. “I wish I could say I remembered you.” He mumbled. 

“I wouldn’t expect you to. I was sick when I was young, I barely left the castle and when I did it was short and I kept to myself. I’m not surprised you don’t remember me.”

“Let me make it up to you.” He suddenly said, rising up to stand while you remained seated in the grass.

You merely laughed with a shake of your head, “There is nothing to make up for.”

“Nonsense,” He huffed in a teasing manner as he extended his hand down to you. “May I have this dance?”

“There’s no music.” You quickly rushed out, attempting to find an excuse that could get you out of the situation you were in. The last thing you wanted was to embarrass yourself when Jimin found out you had two left feet when it came to dancing. 

“You’re in an enchanted forest, do you really think music is hard to come by?” He said with a raised brow as he gripped your arms and forced you to rise up onto your two feet.

“Jimin-,”

“Please,” He begged, dropping his stubborn attitude for a moment, “I haven’t danced with anyone in so long.”

He was an incredibly persuasive person, and you didn’t know if that was entirely a good or bad thing. With those big brown eyes and that adorable pout, it was extremely hard for you to deny his rather simple request. 

“Alright, I suppose one dance couldn’t hurt.” You mused, settling your hand into his as he pulled you closer to him. 

The second your fingers brushed over his, the soft sounds of music began to fill the clearing and bounce over the stretch of the lake. It was a beautiful song, slow, powerful, and rather sad. But it was still incredibly beautiful. Sad things usually were. 

“How?” You mumbled as his other hand settled on the curve of your waist. 

“Magic, remember?” He said, amusement lighting up his eyes. 

Jimin was a natural teacher, with years of practiced skill on his side, he was patient in waiting for you to catch up with him. And his expertise made up for your clumsiness. He made something you normally despised easier and incredibly fun. You couldn’t stifle the laughter that echoed through the forest as he delicately spun you around before lifting you and turning the two of you. 

You were sure if anyone were to stumble into the clearing, the two of you would look more like lovers than strangers. 

Lovers.

“Jimin?” You asked as he set you down, the two of you opting to slow down to a gentle sway. “Do you really not believe in love?”

His smile fell, his features taking on a pensive, tired expression. “Is it really that surprising? You should know better than anyone why I don’t believe in it.”

“What do you mean?”

“People like us are born for only two reasons, princess. To either become an heir or to foster a peace agreement between kingdoms. Love doesn’t exist for those like us.”

His words sent a jolt throughout your entire body. Not only were they painfully true, but they reminded you of the fiancé and hunting party you had abandoned in the depths of the North Forest. And, more worryingly, you feared you would lead them to the safety of the lake. 

“I have to go!” You rushed out, dropping your hands from his shoulders and frantically turning around to find your mare, the fabric of your skirt swirling around your ankles. 

“Wait, I didn’t mean to upset you!” He cried, wrapping his hand around your wrist and forcing you to a stop.

He was as incredibly selfish as he was lonely. He didn’t want you to leave him, trapped, and alone at the lake after he had finally found the cure to his loneliness. His heart thudded painfully in his chest at the thought of you forgetting him and never returning. He couldn’t bear the thought of having hope ripped away from him the moment he had finally found it. 

He would be lying if he said he didn’t admire you. Admired, not loved. Love and admiration were two different things, he admired you for not only saving his life but also staying with him despite you knowing he was enchanted. 

There was something whispering to him, deep and dark in the back of his mind, that he could force you to stay if he tried. It wouldn’t be hard, he had gotten the sprites to bring you to him, he was sure he could get them to make you stay as well. 

“Please, don’t leave me here.” He pleaded.

You pressed your lips together in distress, your eyes darting from his grip on your wrist and up to his eyes that were drowning in despair. “I...I have to go. The people that tried to kill you are going to be looking for me. I can’t lead them here.”

His heart stuttered. You cared for him, despite knowing everything, despite knowing he was cursed, tainted, a heathen, whatever they were calling the enchanted nowadays, you cared. You were different. 

“I promise, I will come back every day! We can find a way to break your curse and get you home.” You said, pulling your arm back so that his hold on your wrist transferred to your hand. You gently squeezed his own, determination and promise in your eyes. 

Much like how you dealt with your father and the needs of your people, you always came through with your promises. You were determined to help him. And that, that would eventually become your downfall. 

Jimin squeezed your hand in response before taking a deep breath and reluctantly releasing you. He was putting his faith in you, trusting that you would return the next day. 

Park Jimin didn’t believe in love, and he certainly didn’t believe in love at first sight. But with you...he felt like he could understand how that could be possible. 

“Tomorrow, princess?” He asked with a weak smile. 

“Tomorrow.” You agreed with a reassuring grin before turning on your heel and guiding your mare by the reins. “Goodnight, Jimin.”

“Goodnight, princess.” He replied with a slight bow, something that was instinctual yet foreign at the same time. 

Yes, he could see how love could be possible when it came to someone like you. 

~~~~~~~

Your fiancé and his hunting party had been far from the lake, luckily for you. The sprites that had led you to Jimin were able to guide you and your mare back towards the main trail of the forest before disappearing in fright at the impending party. Even they knew that their lives were in danger. 

It infuriated you. 

“Princess!” Your fiancé called, sliding off of his horse and darting towards you. 

Instead of running into his embrace, like he had expected, you slid past him and pulled yourself up onto your mares back. Your patience was already wearing thin the longer you were in his presence. 

“Hello.” You merely greeted, your fingers twisting into the leather reigns. 

“You...you aren’t frightened? Or injured?” He asked, dumbfounded by how composed you were. 

“No, would you rather that be so?” You asked with an arched brow. 

“Of course not! But you must understand, there are beasts out there that could have mauled you in an instant!” He cried in exasperation. 

“Beasts?” You hummed, leaning forward to stroke your mare’s nose. “We had quite the lovely stroll didn’t we? I don’t think butterflies and sprites could pose much harm, do you?”

That one sent a wave of laughter throughout your fiancé's company, the lot of them attempting to stifle their laughter as their prince glared at them. 

“I’ve had enough for today, I’m rather tired, should I show myself back to the castle like I did to the trail?” You said, although your tone appeared polite, the venom and threat was there.

But maybe you had pushed him a little too hard, when you turned and began to make your way back towards the entrance of the forest, you neglected to see the dark gaze of your fiancé pinned to your back. 

He did not take kindly to being made an embarrassment of. 

You were far too preoccupied with making your own plans to notice. 

Your father did not tell you how long you would be spending in your fiancé's kingdom, but you knew that time would be short and precious when it came to finding a way to break Jimin’s curse. There was no telling how much time you had, so you decided that you would need to work fast. 

This also meant, you were going to have to shirk all of your duties as a guest in your fiancé's kingdom. 

You found yourself spending time at the lake from dusk to dawn in your efforts to help free Jimin from his curse.

While he was trapped in his form as a swan, he would stay by your side, resting in your lap and leaning into your touch as you flipped through various books on enchantment that you had found in the recesses of the royal library. 

Obviously, he wasn’t much help during the day, but you often found yourself softly stroking the pearlescent feathers of the swan. It soothed the sudden amount of stress you were enduring with not only hiding from your fiancé but also during your endless amount of research. 

You wished you could say Jimin was more helpful once the sun disappeared, but even in his human form, he tended to avoid conducting any research. Instead, he begged you to dance with him. He finally had found someone who could entertain his favorite pastime after being alone for so long, and it made you feel guilty when you denied him something that ensured his happiness. 

If only you had known you were unwittingly feeding into the flames of growing affection. 

After being isolated for so long, Jimin had become attached to you concerningly quickly. No one was more shocked than he when he realized he was slowly devoting his heart to you. He never wanted you to leave the lake, it was getting to the point where spending sunrise to sunset with you simply wasn’t enough for him. 

Every time you tried to leave he begged and pleaded with you to stay with him. The thought of being left alone in the dark without you was becoming cripplingly painful. What he thought was admiration was becoming something else as time passed. And it wasn’t completely innocent. 

He begged you to dance with him just so he could be close to you. He savored the feeling of your warmth pressed against him, the feeling of the curves of your waist beneath the grip of his hands, and the sweet scent that flooded his senses that was just so unique to you. He wanted to smother himself in that scent. 

The pixies were on his side, unbeknownst to you. And whenever you left the cover of Swan Lake, they would follow you. Despite believing you were alone, safe in your quarters of your fiancé's castle, you were never truly alone. They told him everything, everything except for one great detail. They had not seen your fiancé interact with you, therefore the Swan Prince was unaware of your betrothal. And you yourself were unwilling to mention it. 

He knew far too much and not quite enough at the same time. And you? You had no clue. 

“Jimin!” You called, snapping yet another book on enchantments closed. All of the research you had conducted was proving to be fruitless. You were no enchantress, there was nothing you could do to unravel the curse without magic flowing through your veins. 

Said man was currently a swan, drifting over the glass-like surface of the lake, waiting. As soon as the moon hung still in the vast, deep blue sky, that familiar glow of light emanated from the elegant swan, and in its place stood Jimin ankle-deep in the water.

His neck was craned back as his silver hair shone beneath the moonlight. He still managed to emulate the grace of a swan even as a human. 

“We really must begin to consider some alternatives.” 

“Alternatives?” The prince echoed, plucking a pure white lily from the lake and spinning it between agile fingers.

“Well, there are only two options to break your curse, both of which you are familiar with. And despite my efforts to find a loophole, there are none.”

“What are you trying to say, Princess?” He asked, his gaze lifting from the lily in his fingers to you curled up at the edge of the lake. 

“I am saying you should consider allowing me to find a maiden for you, Jimin.”

“What?!” He choked, panic overtaking his once calm features. “How could you say that?”

“Jimin, it’s your only option. I know you don’t necessarily believe in love but how can you know unless you try? You certainly can’t go off and marry that sorcerer’s daughter now can you?”

The prince’s teeth sunk into the plush, red flesh of his lower lip as his eyes began to dart around in worry. He ran his hand through his pale hair a few times in stress before spinning on his heel and making his way to you.  

You sat in silent surprise as he dropped to his knees before you and gently tucked your hair behind your ear, settling the lily in the space between the crest of your ear and your tresses. His fingers delicately trailed down the length of your cheek before cupping the side of your jaw. 

“I don’t want some maiden.” He whispered. The words, I want you, stayed firmly in his mind. 

“So now what? You stay here? Trapped as a swan for an eternity? How can I do that to you, Jimin? I would be no better than that sorcerer who did this to you. I made you a promise and you’re asking me to forfeit it.”

“I am not asking you to forfeit anything.” He said, firmly. 

“Then what now? What am I supposed to do if not help you?!” You cried, your eyes burning with unshed tears of frustration. You didn’t like not knowing what to do, you didn’t like not having a plan, and you certainly didn’t like going back on your promises. 

“I just want you to love-” 

Whatever it was that Jimin was trying to tell you, you never were able to hear the end of it. A loud rustling sound was coming from deep within the forest and you could just barely make out the light of a lantern. Whoever it was, they were definitely human. And you had a sneaking suspicion you knew exactly who the intruder was. 

“Stay here, Jimin.” You whispered, quickly rising up onto your feet and facing the direction of the faint light. 

“What? I can’t let you face whatever that is alone.” He stubbornly said. 

“Jimin, please trust me. I’ll be back tomorrow. Let me do this, I can’t let them find you.” You rushed out as you began to retreat. 

“Princess!” He whisper yelled back as you scurried away. 

“Tomorrow, Jimin!” You called back.

The North Forest had fallen eerily silent. The chirping of the crickets and the groans of the frogs absent in the cool, night air. All there was left to remind you that you were not alone was the gentle light and soft chime-like sounds of the pixies.

Once you pressed yourself through the thick vines of the willow trees, you froze in fear. Before you was your fiancé, one of his attendants, and four of the kingdom’s finest hunting dogs. Clasped in your fiancé's gloved hand was one of your handkerchiefs that was certainly smothered in your scent. He had tracked you. 

The pixies quickly dispersed at the sight of not only the humans, but the fearsome hounds. Their light died out immediately, leaving the only source of illumination to be the dim lantern your fiancé's attendant held in his hands. 

“So, this is where you have been sneaking off to, my love.” He chuckled darkly. “Not only have you been trespassing into the forest but also consorting with the enchanted.”

He knew about Jimin?

“Please, don’t hurt him.” You said with a shake of your head. 

“You’re protecting him? That monster? You should be more worried about your own safety my princess, no one can enter that lake without his permission. You could have been trapped there.”

There were many things about his words that sent violent chills throughout your body. You never knew Jimin’s enchantment allowed him to rule over the stretch of the lake. You had not one clue he could have kept you there or prevented you from entering at his own will. But, what was most startling was what your fiancé had called him. Monster. 

“Monster? What do you mean? He’s been trapped here, he has done nothing wrong! And you, you knew about him and you refused to help him, you just left him there to rot just the same as his very own kingdom?” You snapped back, your words laced with venom. 

“You...you really don’t know what he did?” Your fiancé asked with an amused chuckle. 

All you could do was stare back at him, confusion clearly present in your features.

“His parents, his kingdom, desperately tried to break his curse. But you know how it is, magic is dirty, tasteless. They refused to enlist the help of a sorcerer or enchantress. So they did what they could, they sent maidens to the lake from every corner of the kingdom, the most beautiful women to grace the lands.”

Jimin, he hadn’t told you any of this. 

“And do you know what he did, my princess?”

You shook your head slowly from left to right, your body tense as you waited desperately for his response.

“He drowned every single one of them in the very lake he inhabits.” 

A hoarse cry broke free from your throat, one you could not bear to smother. The very same hands that had held you so gently, guided you in countless dances, and placed flowers in your hair, had wrapped themselves around the throats of countless maidens in a cruel necklace as they were submerged beneath the thick blanket of the lake. 

He was a monster, unlike any you had ever heard of and your heart was breaking.

~~~~~~~

Jimin had grown worried when you didn’t return to the lake the next morning as you had promised him. You had been so diligent when it came to your timing and your presence which was to be expected when it came to consorting with a princess.  

But you were nowhere to be found. Which, in his mind, meant one of two things. Either you had given up on him and discovered his secret, or you were in danger. 

He wished it was the latter. 

And Jimin was incredibly impatient, he believed he inherited that from his life as a prince. He was never one that was fond of waiting, and despite previously thinking he could wait for an eternity for you, happily, his determination was waning. 

This was how everything went horribly wrong. 

Trapped as a swan in broad daylight, he decided to depart from the safety of the lake and find you, his princess. He cleared the forest easily with his gift of flight which meant that you had not bothered to step foot onto enchanted land. And, as a princess, you were either taking residence in the kingdom outside of the forest or you had returned home. 

This worried the Swan Prince. He knew that he had to be back at the lake by the time the sun set, or else he would be trapped in the form he so greatly despised forever. He hoped that you had not returned home, the trip would take days and with his curse getting you back would surely be impossible. 

But he quickly discovered that he would have much preferred if you disappeared into thin air, returning home to your kingdom and your duties, than what he found out to be the truth. 

Perched on the ledge of an open window peering into the main ballroom of the castle, he could see you. Not only you but you were also wrapped in the arms of another man and you were dancing with him with a gentle smile gracing your lips. 

He could feel a blend of emotions violently stirring in his chest, anger, confusion, but most familiar was the venom-laced grasp of envy in his heart. 

There was something about the sight of you, dancing so calmly with that royal that angered him. That was something special between the two of you, and now here you were, twirling around the floor of the ballroom with the ease of a seasoned dancer. He had taught you that and you had soiled it the minute you had accepted another partner. 

And what was perhaps the worst part of this whole ordeal, was that he was completely powerless. He was still a swan, had he been a man he would have ripped the two of you away from one another and replaced the imbecile that was making a fool out of himself. 

The gentle song of the musicians came to a stop, the ballroom eerily quiet as you and the prince bowed and curtsied to one another bringing an end to the dance. Jimin felt the weight in his chest lift for a moment, but just as quickly it descended once more. 

“We have an announcement we would like to make to you, our esteemed guests.” The crown prince called, his voice filling the ballroom easily. 

“We thank you for your patience regarding our engagement. But you will wait no longer, tomorrow the princess and I shall be wed!”

The look of pure shock and surprise that crossed your once pleasant features mirrored exactly how Jimin felt. His heart thudded loudly in his chest as he stumbled backward, wings flapping in utter shock at what he had just heard. 

He could have sworn he felt his heart shrivel up and disintegrate at that exact moment. 

You were engaged, promised to another man this entire time and you never told him, not once. His own words were coming back to haunt him: “People like us are born for only two reasons, princess. To either become an heir or to foster a peace agreement between kingdoms. Love doesn’t exist for those like us.”

The moment he turned and fled, you did as well, neither having seen one another depart.  

Jimin was sure he was dying, he felt so incredibly weak. Each stroke of his wings through the air felt so heavy like he was swimming through molasses. Sometimes he would dip so low so suddenly he thought he was going to come crashing down into the earth.  Several times he had to catch himself after almost collapsing against several tree branches upon re-entering The North Forest. He looked so pathetic, like an injured animal that was just barely managing to escape the hunter. 

When he finally made it back to the haven of Swan Lake, he laid limply upon its shore, the gentle waves of the water washing over him, until the sunset and he returned to his human form. 

He had hoped you would be the one, he was certain that you had loved him just as he loved you. But you had failed him, just like the rest. 

But still, he couldn’t find it in him to hate you, to want to kill you. No, he wanted to slaughter that bastard that had decided he could lay claim to you. You were his, and no one could tell him otherwise. Not even you. 

Because he loved you.

A sudden surge of pain rippled throughout his back forcing a sharp cry from his lips. It was hot and sharp, slicing down the center of his spine and radiating out throughout his back. The water of the lake lapped against his fingers as he dragged himself closer to it, the pain searing through his body harsher as seconds dripped away. 

He collapsed once more, a scream of agony echoing through the clearing as he tucked his knees into his chest, his back curling then arching. His forehead was pressed down into the ground as his hand gripped his shirt, nails digging and scratching at the satin material covering his back. It felt like something was moving around inside him, trying to break through his skin and free itself. 

He rose back up onto his knees and began to violently rip at the back of his shirt, opening it enough to the point he could finally dig his nails into the once perfect, unmarred skin. Each drag of his nails against his skin provided minimal relief, ironically the harder he dug and the more blood he drew the better he felt. The pain that he could control was more satisfying than the sharp, hot twangs of inflammation beneath his layer of skin. 

The clearing was filled with grunts, screams, and the scent of blood that night. 

It felt like hours before Jimin finally ceased ripping open his own skin, and when he did, he could feel something finally unfurling from the gashes in his back. A sigh of relief left him, his entire body relaxing with that breath. He remained laying limp on the banks of the lake for a moment, basking in the feeling of relief he had been trying to reach for hours. 

After taking his reprieve, he dragged himself up into a seated position and pulled himself into the lake. He froze for a moment as the water washed over him. His hands all the way up to his elbows were covered in his own blood. The color didn’t look quite right though, it was a deep red, so red it bordered on black. And his nails, which were the worst off and caked in blood, were sharper at their tips, serrated. 

It was when he caught sight of his reflection that he realized what had happened. His once silver hair, the same shade as the moon, and the feathers of his swan were now a pitch-black, so dark it bordered on a deep blue like the midnight sky. The same could be said for his eyes, their pupils almost indiscernible from their irises. 

And, most shockingly, was the sight of onyx wings fluttering behind him. They were massive, each one almost as long as the length of his body. And they were incredibly strong, one swooping motion of them sent waves throughout the entire lake. 

There were two ways in which the curse could be broken, if he were to marry the sorcerer’s daughter or if he were to fall in love.

And Park Jimin fell in love, a deep, dark, obsessive twisted love. And his curse which was bound to him mutated to reflect such. For it was not a pure and genuine love, the conditions of the curse were not fully met. Instead, he truly became the monster that he was. 

But instead of being horrified by what he had become, he felt powerful. Compared to the weak swan he was on the ledge of that window, he was like a god now. 

And he was ready to return his princess to where she belonged, with him. 

~~~~~~~

To say you were miserable was an understatement. You had no idea that your fiancé would make an announcement like that and you had not been told prior to that announcement that you were to be wed the next day. You were certain he had convinced your father to allow him to do such because of how elusive and evasive you had been the entire time you were in his kingdom. What was supposed to be a brief visit had turned into a lifetime arrangement. And of course, you had lost the one friend you had made. You couldn’t believe that you had unknowingly been lounging in a monster’s den all of those times. 

And, ever the party lover your fiancé was, he had thrown another celebration the same day of his announcement. This time it was to celebrate the coming wedding. What a waste of the kingdom’s funds. 

So, yet again, you were expected to play the part of the happy bride to be clinging to the arm of your betrothed when in reality all you wanted to do was break off the engagement and return home. But you didn’t have the power that he or your father had. You were weak when it came to this because in reality all you were was “The People’s Princess,” and that title held no leverage. 

If anyone looked at you too closely, they would see the redness around your eyes that was just barely being concealed by layers of makeup. They would see the glassy, far-off look in your gaze that alluded to the fact you had not only been crying, but you weren’t really present. 

You wanted to go home and forget about everything that had happened here. 

You were awakened by the sudden squeeze of your fiancé's hand on your arm, you hadn’t realized how quiet the ballroom had become. The music had ceased as well as the idle chatter of the lords and ladies. The air was filled with tension and the look on your fiancé's face was one of pure, unadulterated fear. 

You followed his line of sight, and upon seeing what he was, your heart stuttered to a stop, your throat closing up preventing the sudden scream that was trying to well up out of you. 

Perched on the banister of the balcony was Jimin, his forearms resting on his knees with his head tilted to the side, eyes wide and alert as he took in the scene before him. A set of dark, massive wings were open behind him, aiding him in keeping his balance. A sudden wicked smirk took over his face, a flash of serrated teeth in the sides of his mouth became prominent. 

“I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?” He said.

And with a strong swoop of his wings, the candles illuminating the room were extinguished and the ballroom was plunged into darkness. 

With the sudden loss of light you were struggling to make out what was happening, but your hearing was working just fine and what you could hear was horrifying. People were screaming, some of their screams getting cut short with a gurgle while others cried in fear trampling over one another as they tried to escape the ballroom. You could feel strong gusts of wind blowing through the room from all different angles and the sound of wings flapping overhead. 

He was killing them. 

You could feel your fiancé's hand still on you, his grip near bruising as he forced you to run after him and attempt to escape. But you knew better than him, you knew Jimin. And you also knew, he could see in the dark. 

In an instant your fiancé was ripped away from you and his screams filled the room as you fell to the marble floor from the force of his departure. Something warm and wet sprayed across your face and the moment you smelled it you knew it was his blood. He was dead.

You shakily tried to rise up onto your feet, your layers of skirts making you struggle to regain your footing. You stumbled backwards in fright, your breaths escaping your chest in harsh, panicked pants. 

The ballroom had fallen completely and utterly silent. The only thing you could hear was the blood rushing through your ears, the steady pump of your heart, and the soft puffs of air parting your lips. 

You hesitantly took a step backward and almost immediately your body tensed, your entire form becoming so still it rivaled that of the stone sculptures in the courtyard. 

You could feel the gentle exhales of warm breath misting over the back of your neck. He was standing directly behind you. Your eyes fluttered shut as you clenched your fists so hard your nails began to bite into the soft flesh of your palms. You didn’t move an inch or open your eyes or even dare to breathe. But it didn’t matter, he knew exactly where you were. 

You could feel his chest just barely brush against your back as he pressed his forehead to the back of your head, breathing in your scent. His fingers brushed over your right hand, still clenched tightly, and you flinched at the feeling of blood smearing over your skin. 

The silence between the two of you was deadly.

You still did not move, a hundred thoughts racing through your head but only one forming into words and shattering the quiet. “Jimin, what have you done?”

He did not get the chance to answer you, if he had even planned to, because at that very moment the doors to the room were being pried open. The guards had arrived, but they couldn’t force the doors open, they were only getting caught on the bodies that lay limply in front of them. 

The last thing you could remember was him wrapping his arms around you and fleeing towards the balcony before the world turned upside down and your vision went black. 

~~~~~~~

You awoke to the feeling of cool water rushing over your legs, plastering the silk fabric of your gown to your skin. 

Your eyes cracked open slowly, still heavy with sleep that challenged you to return to the calm darkness of slumber. You squeezed them open and shut a few times before forcing them to remain open.

The sky was a foreboding color, a deep black that transitioned into a dark blue with a crimson red glittering at the horizon. Dawn was coming, the sun not daring to rise just yet but the power of it’s light strong enough to bleed into the night sky. 

You lifted yourself onto your elbows, tracing the colors of the sky before finally taking in your surroundings. You were back at Swan Lake. 

Almost immediately you deflated, curling into yourself as tears began to flow from your tired eyes uncontrollably. Jimin had dominion over the lake, he had the power to keep people out and in. You would never be able to escape him. 

Your body shook with each sob that left you, your vision obscured by the torrents of tears. But you could feel something soft and airy that vaguely felt like hands brushing through your hair, smoothing over your dress, holding your hands, and touching your face. Those same hands gently guided you up into a seated position and stroked your tears away from your face.

When you could finally see you knew what was happening. You were in the lake, knee deep, and all around you were ten women. They all were touching you, soothing you, and smiling at you. They were all incredibly beautiful, they looked like water nymphs, or naiads. Their skin was a soft blue and slightly translucent, their hair all long and wet. They had devastated smiles on their faces, something you had never thought possible, and their cheeks were perpetually slick with tears that never ended. 

You realized now that what you had thought to be your cries, were actually the cries of many. All of them were crying, holding onto you and one another while attempting to soothe you. But it only made it worse because you knew who they were, these nymphs were the souls of the women who had drowned in the lake. And they were just as trapped as you were. Even in the afterlife, they were bound to the lake. 

You couldn’t stop the flood of tears that rushed down your face, you could tell they were trying to hold you tightly, but their ghostly state only allowed them to feel like the gentle caress of a breeze over your body. 

Your cries echoed over the water and filled the clearing, all of you commiserating and sobbing together in a twisted harmony. 

But just as quickly as you had found them, they began to fade away. As the sun approached they began to fade and flickers of fear struck their expressions. They slowly began to pull away from you, walking deeper into the lake. 

“Please, don’t leave me!” You cried, reaching out to them. 

But they obeyed the rules of the forest, and without the cover of the night they could not exist. They retreated deeper into the lake, the last one to depart from you reaching her arms out to you despite her walking backwards and slipping beneath the dark surface of the water, the last of their cries finally smothered once more like they had been years ago. 

“Why are you crying, my princess?” His voice called to you. 

You spun around, the layers of your dress floating dramatically in the water. He was still human, if you could call it that. Despite the sunrise, he still remained as he was, human-like with those onyx wings relaxed behind him.

He looked like the angel of death. 

Your chin dropped to your chest as you heard him enter the lake, cutting through the water easily as he made his way towards you. 

“You got exactly what you wanted.” He hummed, his thumb and forefinger gripping your chin and forcing you to look up at him. 

His eyes were pitch black and filled with a crazed expression of love. It was an abomination, to stare into those depths and realize the extent to which he had devoted himself to you. He had once told you he didn’t believe in love, and you knew for certain that that was the truth. He didn’t know love. 

“You broke my curse, princess.” 

#bts #bts jimin #bts x reader #jimin x reader #park jimin x reader #yandere #yandere bts #yandere jimin #bts fanfic #yandere jimin x reader #yandere kpop #yandere bts x reader

[hobivore]

Lace

↠ PAIRING: KTH x reader (f)  

↠ WORDS: 8K

↠ GENRE: smut, fluff, established relationship

↠ RATING: explicit (18+)

↠ SYNOPSIS: Taehyung likes to colour outside the lines and you are more than happy to provide him with a canvas. This time, he has prepared a surprise for your three year anniversary: what better way to celebrate than with leather and lace?

↠ WARNINGS: pwp, sub!Taehyung, dom!Reader, Tae in heels + lingerie and red lipstick and a suit because have you seen this man? (click here for the outfit inspo moodboard), exhibitionism, public masturbation, oral sex (f receiving), eat. that. ass (m receiving), spanking, pegging, this is basically an ode to the taebooty, finger sucking, edging, praise, dirty talk, mild degradation, marking, Tae’s a good boy, aftercare, anniversary celebration so things get fluffy too 

↠ A/N: This fic is part of the Pretty Boys Collab. Many thanks to the lovely @btsaudge and @kingsuckjin for coming up with this wonderful idea and letting me be a part of this! And to @hesperantha, @megahwn, @thebiasrekkers and @ddaengyoonmin for the fun, the brainstorming, the support, the sprints and your wonderful stories. 

And last but not least, a shout-out to my beta-readers @hobi-gif and @calixwrites for their help. You guys are the best!

© hauntedlilies Do not repost, translate or use my stories without my permission.

“Do you think you could live here?”

Taehyung’s voice pulls you out of your drowsy haze and you crack one eye open, letting your gaze drift over the cityscape. 

You’re surrounded by reddish-brown brick houses with wooden shutters, most of them closed to keep out the relentless summer heat. A small canal runs along the street and a handful of boats navigate the water at a lazy pace. The passengers take pictures of the swans, the birds seemingly unbothered by the attention, and you chuckle when a man nearly falls overboard in a bold but foolish attempt to pet one. 

Your legs are dangling from the quay wall, heels tapping softly against the stone. The city is beautiful in a warm and intimate way—so different from what you’re used to calling home.

“Don’t know. Maybe?” You turn towards Taehyung. “What about you?”

Squinting against the harsh sunlight you try to focus on his side profile, mentally chastising yourself for forgetting to bring your sunglasses at the height of summer. 

In your defence, this entire trip had been a surprise and you barely had the time to pack anything before Taehyung dragged you to the airport and practically shoved you onto a plane to god-knows-where. 

It turns out god-knows-where lies in Belgium. And it’s called Bruges. 

“I could live anywhere you are.” He smiles at you fondly, nudging your leg with his. 

“Ugh.” You pull a face and give him a playful slap on the shoulder. “I should get you one of those letter boards from Etsy so you can enshrine your sappy quotes.”

He shrugs. “The architecture is great and I like French.”

“We’re in Flanders. They speak Dutch here.”

“Fine. But most people here speak French too.”

You raise an eyebrow at him. “As if you speak French.”

He grins, straightening his back and spreading his arms. A deep inhale gives you a brief moment to prepare yourself for the operatic baritone that’s about to scare the swans out of the canal—

“Bonjour, Mesdames et Messieurs, je m'appelle Taehyung e…” he trails off, his shoulders sagging before he leans back, pouting, both hands resting on the cobbled sidewalk. 

“Omelette du fromage?" You laugh.

Taehyung rolls his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching despite his attempt to glare at you with all the strength he can muster. “I’m sorry you can’t appreciate the finer things in life.”

“Did you just insult yourself by trying to snub me?”

He snorts. “I’m starting to regret bringing you.” 

“What happened to ‘I could live anywhere you are’?” 

“Scratch that. I’m leaving you here.” He pokes a finger between your ribs, chuckling at your surprised squeal. “There’s no way you’re finding me—not with your language skills.”

You huff in mock offense. “Finding you would be easy. All I’d have to do is go to Paris, sit in front of the Monet museum, and wait.”

Taehyung’s grin widens and he pets the crown of your head teasingly, tutting when you swat his hand away, but his words are lined with fondness. “You’re like my personal Hachikō.” 

A lazy smile pulls at your lips and you let your head loll against his shoulder. The air is sticky and humid and your blood trudges through your veins, slowly spreading the heat to your heavy limbs. 

“There’s no way you’re getting rid of me. Better prepare yourself for the next 80 years, Tae.”

He looks down at you, face lighting up in amusement. “That seems like a lot.” 

You hum, your eyes falling shut again. “You know me. I’m aiming for a new world record.”

Taehyung clears his throat and raises his glass. “To...” he pauses, making sure to lock eyes before clinking his glass against yours, “80 more years.”

You take a sip, your boyfriend’s face distorting in disgust the moment the dark liquid hits his taste buds. 

“Why do people drink this?” He whines, frowning at the beer in his hand. 

“I guess some people like it.” You take another sip of your drink, silently thanking yourself for picking a light La Chouffe Blond. You’d suggested the same to him but of course he didn’t listen—he has always been a bit too stubborn for his own good. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t have gone for the Woody.”

He sighs. “I liked the name. And the waiter said it was a limited edition.” 

You point at his elaborate salad, a beautifully plated mixture of vegetables and colourful flowers. “At least the food looks delicious.”

His pout disappears like snow under the sun and he sends you an exaggerated wink. “Not just the food.”

You take another swig of your beer, eyes trailing over his torso. He had insisted on changing into something less ‘blatantly touristy’ for dinner, which you knew was mostly an excuse for him to put on that linen suit you loved so much. Slate grey pants and matching jacket, the latter now draped over the back of his chair and leaving him in his white dress shirt, the two top buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to reveal his sinewy forearms. 

The bastard knew. 

“Speaking of delicious.” You lean in closer, lowering your voice, “are you wearing them?”

A soft blush creeps up his neck and he glances around, doing a quick scan of the terrace—as if anyone could hear his thoughts—then nods. 

“Good.” 

You move your chair back, its legs scraping over the uneven stones. Carrying it around the table you put it next to his, close enough for your knees to touch when you sit down.

“What are you doing?” Taehyung asks, eyeing you wearingly. 

You smile, stealing a slice of cucumber from his plate. “What does it look like? I’m having a romantic dinner with my boyfriend.” You hold out the fork and he opens his mouth without second thought, eyes still narrowed at you as he chews his food.

“So.” You hover the next bite in front of him. “Show me.”

Taehyung nearly chokes on a sun-dried tomato, his cheeks flushing. “Right now?”

“Yes.” You wipe a few non-existent crumbs off his thigh. “Do you want to show it to me, Tae?” Your voice is soft but reassuring, and you search his eyes for any hesitation. 

He scans the dining area again and his eyes widen in realisation; you’ve picked this table for a reason—at the back of the terrace, away from the street and shielded from view by the large plants that are potted between the tables to offer more privacy to the guests.

“I should’ve known.” He laughs, a rich, deep sound that sends flames licking up your spine, and when his eyes find yours again there’s something darker behind them. 

He lowers one hand underneath the table. You track the movement; his slender fingers stroke over his stomach until he reaches the waistband of his pants, hand hovering above the button. 

You notice he isn’t wearing a belt—and if the smug smile on his face is anything to go by, it was a deliberate choice. 

“Did I hijack your plans for tonight?” You ask. 

Taehyung licks his lips. “I don’t mind the change.” He leans back, his legs splayed out under the table. To an outsider he would appear confident and at ease, but you notice the small signs of excitement—the rushed breaths, his movements a little more jittery. 

“Don’t get too cocky now, sweetheart.” You stab a piece of lettuce with your fork and wave it around. “People could see you.”

His body tenses, knee pressing into yours and you lean in closer, his dark curls tickling against your nose.

“Or do you want them to see you?” 

He lets out a ragged breath, eyes glossing over and fingers curling into a fist.

You plant a chaste kiss on his temple and lean back, taking your time to drink in his agitated state, charging the tension between you. It hangs in the air, sultry and humid, making your head dizzy with anticipation. 

Taehyung licks his lips again, eyes trained on the plate in front of him. He loves the thrill; the risk of being discovered makes his heart beat faster and sends the blood rushing south, as evident from his growing bulge. There’s a ringing in his ears that drowns out all noise and he has to strain himself to stay focused. 

“Thought so.” You laugh and shift in your chair—a poor attempt at finding some relief for the growing ache between your legs. 

He has undoubtedly noticed your movement, watching you from his peripheral vision, every nerve in his body on edge. You’ll have to control yourself better. 

“You’re a little slut, aren’t you, Tae?”

He bites back a whimper, his confirmation barely audible above the chatter of voices and the clatter of cutlery around you. 

He’s still looking at his food, left hand flexing underneath the table, the other fiddling with his fork. It’s clear that it takes him a lot of self-control to stay still and keep his breathing even.

“So needy, can’t even wait until we’re home.” You breathe against the shell of his ear, little puffs of air that have him squirming in his seat. “Did you wear this to look all pretty for me?”

“Want to show it to you, jagi—please.” 

You chuckle at his impatience, the last part of his sentence coming out more like a whine. 

“Always so eager.” Taehyung sits up a little straighter at your words and you plant another kiss on his temple. “Show it to me then, baby. Unbutton your pants.” 

He obliges quickly, undoing the button with a twist of his fingers and pulling his shirt out of his slacks, exposing part of his stomach and a sliver of lace-clad skin. 

You scrunch your nose. “Pretty, but I can’t see it very well.”

He takes the hint and drags the zipper down, struggling with one hand and the tightening fabric. Once open, he pulls it to the side, showing you the intricate pattern of flowers underneath. The black lace forms a stark contrast with the sleek grey linen and the deep golden hue of his skin, darkened from the hours lounging in the sun with no clothes on. 

You inch closer and he shivers despite the heat, the faint scent of his sunscreen mixing with the taste of illicitness hanging heavy in the air. His cock strains against the lace, the head slipping out, and you wonder if the fabric will hold. 

A drop of pre-cum slides down his slit and you catch it with one finger before his shirt can soak it up. He gasps at the brief contact, caught off-guard, head falling backwards. 

Taehyung watches you through heavy-lidded eyes as you bring your hand up to your face, tongue darting out to lick the moisture off. 

“Fuck—” He mumbles, and you steal another piece of food from his plate. 

“Keep it together, Tae.” You tsk teasingly. “We’re at a restaurant.” 

Popping the food into your mouth, you check on the other guests and the waiters, but no one seems to be paying you any attention. 

You turn your gaze back to Taehyung, keeping your hands above the table this time. 

“I can’t wait to fuck you when we get home,” you whisper. “Can’t wait to have you naked and begging underneath me.” 

He lets out a strangled sound, eyes pleading, and you wish you could get up and straddle him—feeling him hard and heavy inside you, making him gasp and moan until his throat is hoarse. 

Your own panties stick uncomfortably against your skin but you try to ignore it; eyes dropping down to his lap instead, frowning at the floral pattern pressing against his cock. 

“I don’t think I’ve seen these before? They’re very pretty.” 

His fingers are drawing small figure eights on the lace and you swallow at the thought of what they could do if you’d let him. 

“I bought them. For you.” 

There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes and he trails his hand along the edge of the fabric, mapping it in the same way he’d caress your body, reverent yet resolute. “I’ve got more, back at the apartment. Wanted to surprise you.”

He watches you intently, pupils blown wide, and your heart stutters in your chest. The thought of him surprising you with something new only adds fuel to the simmering fire in your core, spreading the heat through your veins. 

“I can’t wait.” He must hear the excitement in your voice because he raises his eyebrows, looking pleased with himself. 

You match his grin. He probably thought this was the easy way out; to have you run back to your apartment and fuck him hard and fast. 

It’s tempting. 

“Let’s finish our dinner first.” You run your hand up his thigh and his neglected cock twitches at your touch. “Or did you forget what we came here for?” 

“Jagi, please.” 

A hint of desperation laces his voice and the buzzing in his ears is getting louder. His cock is painfully hard, so hard he can feel his heartbeat pulsing and beads of pre-cum are leaking on his dress shirt. 

It’s simultaneously the most torturous and delicious sensation and Taehyung is torn between wanting to hurry home and stay here forever, kept on tenterhooks by your words. He closes his eyes, willing himself to stay still. 

“We can go home whenever you want, just let me know. Do you remember the word?” 

“Strawberry.” He shakes his head, voice sounding a little pinched. “I’m good.” 

Moving upwards, your nails scratch the soft skin of his stomach, just above the lace. His breath hitches in his throat as your hand brushes against his cock, leaving to pick up your glass instead.

He makes a low noise, not quite a growl but close, leg jerking against the table. 

“You have to eat, we can’t have anyone getting suspicious.” You point at the other tables. “But you have two hands. Do you think you can be a good boy and use both?”

“‘Mcanbeagoodboy.” It tumbles from his lips faster than you can blink and he takes a bite of his food, chewing it with devotion, waiting for you to finally utter the words—

“Touch yourself for me.” 

He closes his eyes and cups his length over the panties, hissing at the contact. 

“Good, now stroke yourself—slowly.”

He gives a tentative stroke, biting his lip to keep a moan from spilling out. 

You wonder if the lace feels good. Its scratchy texture rubs against his sensitive cock, the moisture leaking from his tip not enough to ease the glide. 

“Do you like that? Like it a little rough?”

He lets out a soft moan, his knee brushing against yours, fabric on bare skin. It sends a spark of heat travelling upwards, pooling between your legs.

“What would people think of you if they saw you like this?”

You snatch a brightly coloured flower from his plate, studying it in the warm evening light. “Sitting here, looking all pretty with your dick out in the middle of the restaurant.” 

He whimpers and you tut, shaking your head. “And it only makes you harder.”

One glance is enough to confirm your suspicion—his cock lays thick and solid against his palm, twitching at your words.

He flicks his wrist, forcing himself to keep his movements small and inconspicuous.

“Or...” Your voice is barely more than a whisper and Taehyung has to strain to hear you above the sound of his own heart pounding in his ears. “Maybe they’re talking about you already, but you can’t understand them.”

A sheen of perspiration is forming on his brow, his jaw tensing as he bites on his tongue to keep silent, food long forgotten. He is barely touching himself yet your words and the soft noises of the other guests in the background are overwhelming his senses, pushing him closer to the edge. 

“That couple over there—” you nod towards the two people seated behind a large plant, “–if she leans back just a little, she might see you.” 

You rest your arm on the back of his chair and let your eyes drop down to his lap, voice laced with desire, “I mean, you’re hard to miss.”

“Did you enjoy your meal?”

Taehyung doubles over into a coughing fit, the sudden voice surprising you both. You recover quickly and smile back at the waiter, who sends Taehyung a concerned look and pours some water into an empty glass. 

“Are you okay, sir? Here.” He holds the glass out and Taehyung takes it, his chest pressed flush against the table to shield his lower body from view.

You send the man a saccharine smile. “The food was excellent, thank you.” 

The waiter looks uncertain, but doesn’t press further. “Do you want dessert? Something else to drink?” 

You pat Taehyung, who’s starting to look slightly less red in the face, on the back. 

“I think we are saving dessert for later. Thank you.”

Taehyung ended up having to shuffle out of the restaurant like a fool, awkwardly holding his jacket against his body in an attempt to hide his peculiar state. It made his ears burn hotly in a way he liked a little too much. 

He filed that sensation away for the time being and tried to focus on willing his boner to go down instead. 

“You can’t pay with your dick here, Tae.” You’d winked at him, paid for dinner and waited until the coast was clear, dragging him outside. 

The two of you giggle all the way back to the apartment, filled with a care-free giddiness only the presence of a loved one in a strange country can bring. 

Taehyung fishes the key out of his pocket, still shaking with laughter. “I can’t believe he nearly caught us. How did he not notice?” 

You stumble inside and kick off your heels, making a beeline for the large bed in the middle of the room, flopping onto your back. 

“He probably had his suspicions, but what could he have done? Ask ‘excuse me, sir, are you jerking off during dinner?’” 

“Hey! At least it was in front of my own salad!” Taehyung throws his jacket over your head, ignoring your muffled protest from underneath the piece of clothing. He walks over to the large windows and opens one to let in the cooler evening air. 

For five days you could call a late 19th century studio in Bruges your home. Situated in the historic center on the second floor of a three story building, the both of you had been gushing praises the moment you stepped through the door. Taehyung about the restoration of the tall ceilings, you about the large bath that somehow turned out to be even bigger in person than in the pictures. 

Jumping on the bed, he cages you in between his arms, peppering kisses along your jaw. 

“Tae.” You press your hands against his shoulders and he pushes himself up on his elbows, eyebrows raised in question. 

“Didn’t you say you had a surprise for me?”

He laughs, a rumbling sound that vibrates against your chest. “Hmm, look who’s eager now.” 

He clambers off the bed, rummaging around in his suitcase until he finds a canvas bag. It looks rather full. You crane your neck to see if there’s something sticking out which might give you an inkling about the bag’s contents, but he’s holding it firmly closed. 

“I’m gonna need some time to fix myself up a little—” he waves the bag around, “—for the… optimal effect.” He grins, darting off towards the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

You can hear him turn on the faucet and you roll onto your stomach, grabbing his phone and selecting one of his laid-back, jazzy playlists. 

When you’d first met Taehyung at a bar, the blue-haired man with the bright smile had immediately caught your eye. Not just because of his good looks, but because of the way he spoke about his field—architecture—the words tumbling from his lips, thoughtful yet a bit jumbly, but endearingly so. His excitement had sparked something in you and before you knew it you’d found yourself getting lectured on 16th century Gothic architecture for the remainder of the night.

You’d left the place with newfound knowledge and his phone number. 

From the moment you two started dating it became clear Taehyung enjoyed beautiful things. Art, fashion, historical buildings, lingerie. He was never shy about it, even if some of his tastes might be considered a little unconventional: this was simply who he was, and you admired how he always stayed true to himself. 

He’d said he ‘got more back at the apartment’, but you aren’t sure what ‘more’ meant. More lingerie? You’d only ever seen him wear panties, and the thought of him wearing something different has your stomach twisting in excitement.

For now, you’ll have to settle with browsing the internet until he’s ready. You try not to glance towards the digital clock at the top of your phone every few seconds, willing yourself to focus on the cute dance teacher’s video you're watching. His smooth movements and complex choreography does wonders to draw you in, everything around you dissipating into the background.  

A door opens and you flinch at the sound, whipping your head around. 

Taehyung is leaning against the doorpost. The light behind him illuminates his figure in a soft glow and he watches you with a coy smile as you drink in the sight of him.

Nothing he could’ve said or done could have prepared you for this. 

His dark hair falls over his forehead in soft waves, longer at the back, caressing his neck. His lips are painted ruby red, a colour that looks like it was made for him—looking like it would taste of cranberries with a hint of something darker.

He pushes his hair out of his eyes with the back of a lace-clad hand, gloves covering his forearms and extending all the way up past his elbows. 

A sheer, black cincher is fastened around his waist. It has the same floral pattern as his panties—you recognize it from earlier—and ends just under his midriff, emphasizing his strong chest and shoulders. 

Your eyes travel down again, following the suspenders on the cincher, clipped to black gossamer stockings. He notices your gaze trailing lower and moves his right leg, showing off the high heels on his feet. The red backseam on the stockings matches the soles of the shoes, a small detail that makes you want to reach out and trace the red stripe all the way up to his thighs.

“Do you like it?” he asks.

It’s not until you try to speak that you realise your mouth has been hanging open a little. You move to sit on the edge of the bed, finally managing to croak out a response.  

“I—I love it.” 

He beams at you, a broad grin that takes over his entire face, eyes scrunched up. 

He comes closer, surprisingly stable and elegant in such high heels—you wonder if he’s been practicing—the mattress dipping under his weight as he straddles you. His arms come up to wrap around your neck and your hands slide up his stocking-clad thighs, coming to rest at his waist. 

Your fingers play with the lace. “You look amazing.” You nibble at his throat and he tilts his head backwards, allowing you more room. 

He looks like he should be on a film set, smoking fake cigarettes with a fur coat loosely draped around his shoulders—not in a bedroom in Bruges, skin soft and pliant under your touch. 

The scent of his cologne—earthy and warm with a crisp note of pine—mixed with the faint smell that’s so unmistakably Taehyung makes you feel hazy. He moans softly and your fingers dig a little harder into his sides as you suck on the skin just under his jaw. 

“All for you,” he hums.

Hands sliding down again, you expect to feel more lace—but to your surprise, there’s only a waistband and two smaller bands running down his backside. You lean back, catching his gaze. “Backless panties?” You groan. “Fuck, baby, you really went all out, didn’t you?”

He smirks and rolls his hips in your hands, hard length dragging against your stomach. 

A loud slap echoes through the room and he yelps at the unexpected sting, your hand already rubbing soothing circles on the skin of his ass. 

“Not so fast.” 

You grasp his chin between your thumb and index finger, angling his head down so you can look him in the eye. 

“Do you remember that I asked you if you could be a good boy for me, back at the restaurant?”

His eyes burn into yours, pupils blown so wide there’s barely any brown left. 

“Yes, jagi.” 

“And were you?”

He frowns and rocks his hips again, looking for more friction, distracted by your other hand still kneading his flesh. “Yes? The waiter—” 

“Not the waiter; that wasn’t your fault. I asked you to use both hands and eat. Did you do that?”

“I—No,” he stammers. “It—”

His words are cut off by the drag of your thumb over his bottom lip, smearing some of the red lipstick on his cheek. The sight of it awakens something inside you—a burning need to strip down his beautifully crafted appearance of silk and lace. 

To have him sobbing and begging for more. 

You slip two fingers inside his mouth, pressing down on his tongue. 

“You’ve been having trouble focusing lately.” 

Taehyung has been so busy with work—the amount of projects piling up quicker than he can finish them. 

It has become difficult to turn off the endless stream of thoughts sometimes. Made it hard to fall asleep. You’ve more than once caught him wandering around the house in the dead of night, phone screen casting a ghostly blue glow over his face.

He closes his mouth around your digits, saliva pooling on the back of his tongue. 

“And since I intend to take my time with you today—” you pull your fingers out of his mouth, spit dribbling down his chin, “—you’re gonna stay here and suck until I’ve had enough.” 

You push your fingers past his lips again and he groans, lapping at them, gagging when you hit the back of his throat. He licks and sucks, trying to banish all thoughts from his mind and latch onto the feeling of your fingers and the wet, squelching sound they make as they stuff his mouth. 

But it’s impossible when he’s perched in your lap like this, your other hand resting on his hip and his own laying uselessly on his thighs, so close to his throbbing cock. 

He ruts against you and you pinch his nipple, just hard enough to have him writhing. 

“Focus.”

You add a third finger and his eyes slip shut. He’s a mess already—chin covered in drool, red paint smeared around his swollen lips. 

“Look at you. You love this, don’t you? God, you’re so filthy.” 

Taehyung doesn’t miss the flicker of awe behind your words and doubles down on his efforts, moaning his affirmation around your fingers. 

You know how much he loves this. How much it turns him on.

And how hard it is for him to keep himself from moving. Every time his hips jolt you meet him with a resounding smack across the globes of his ass. He strains to keep his body still, the muscles in his legs tensing. 

“Fuck—like that,” you murmur when he takes your fingers as deep as he can. His thighs are clamping yours together and pinning them down to the bed, causing a steady pressure on your core. 

It’s not enough to satisfy you, but the sight of him lapping at your fingers sends another wave of heat rolling over your body, spreading to your limbs and dampening the fabric of your panties. 

The muscles in his jaw and neck are twisting and flexing with every move, muffled sounds resonating in his throat. He has his eyes closed, entranced, showing you everything his skillful tongue has in store while your praise fuels his diligent work. 

He whines when you pull your fingers out of his mouth, wiping them on his cheek.

“That’s it, baby. Clean up.” 

And shit—Taehyung shouldn’t like it that much, the contrast between the sweet pet name and the dismissive action, yet here he is; rock-hard and dragging one of his gloved arms across his face to clean up the mess he’s made.

“Want to taste you, jagi.” He sounds a little breathless, quickly tacking on a ‘please’ when you raise an eyebrow at him. He’s looking at you from underneath thick lashes, lips slightly parted, faint traces of red lipstick still clinging to them. 

“Want to make you feel good.” 

His deep, dulcet voice transforms into molten arousal that clings to your skin and pools between your thighs. You crash your mouth against his in a messy kiss, all tongue and teeth, a hand tangled in his hair. 

You pull back before his sweet lips can turn too treacherous, leaving you hazy and winded. 

“On your knees.”

There’s a waver of excitement in your voice, a small wobble Taehyung undoubtedly noticed, one corner of his mouth turned up when he scrambles off your lap and kneels in front of the bed between your feet. 

Your fingers trace the soft lines and ridges of his strong shoulders, dipping down to circle one of his nipples. He shifts with the growing discomfort between his legs but doesn’t utter a word. 

Taehyung could die here, happily, stocking-clad knees digging into the carpet and eyes locked onto your clothed core. He never knows how long you’re going to make him wait, and it excites him, nerves on edge while he counts the hammering beats of his heart. He’s sure you must be feeling it underneath the tips of your fingers as they trail over his chest; his heart is pounding so loudly it might as well jump out of his skin and into your bare hands. 

“You’ve been such a good boy,” you murmur, eyes fixed on his swollen lips. “You can have a taste.”

Lifting your hips up, you slide your panties down your legs. You can take your dress off later—right now all you can think of is getting Taehyung’s pretty mouth to work.

You spread your legs and his lace-clad hands slide over your bare skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He kisses the inside of your knee, first on your left leg and then on your right, slowly working his way up. 

His hands wrap around your thighs, pulling you closer until his warm breath hits your core.

“Fuck, Tae—stop teasing.” You grab a fistful of hair and press his face between your legs, feeling him chuckle against your skin. 

Then he does exactly like he’s told—and you’re not sure what would’ve been worse.

You have to steady yourself with one hand behind you on the mattress as he licks a broad stripe up your folds, collecting the arousal that has gathered there. You might’ve been embarrassed by how wet you are already if it wasn’t for him circling your clit with experienced ease, turning your thoughts into garbled, incoherent chatter. 

All those times he’s tasted you in your bedroom, in the back of your car, at his parents’ house, or any public place imaginable—like that one time, underneath the table at Seokjin’s—perfecting his favourite pastime, are now paying off. 

There’s a steady pressure building in your core with every flick of his tongue and he groans when your hips start moving to meet his face. 

“Ah—more,” you breathe, arm trembling under your weight. You lower yourself on your elbow, your other hand still tangled in his hair, tugging him closer. 

Taehyung sticks his tongue out and you grind on his face, fingers twisting in his dark strands. They become your anchor, and he lets you use him, lets you coat him in your arousal from his chin up to his nose. 

He makes a choked-off noise and the vibrations send sparks of heat up your spine. He shifts, slipping past your entrance, fucking you with his tongue—only to drag it back up and toy it around your clit, coaxing a series of profanities out of you. They mingle with the wet, sloppy sounds echoing off the high ceiling. 

He holds you there, dangling above the precipice, with his large hands clasped firm around your thighs. The tremble of your legs tells him you’re close, head lolled back and commands replaced by wordless gasps. 

Your vision shatters when he sucks on your clit, core clenching and coating his face in hot release. He laps it up eagerly, savouring every drop, bringing you down from your high with soft brushes of his tongue. 

You slump against the mattress, boneless and basking in the afterglow of your orgasm. 

Vaguely, you register his large hands caressing your thighs and you force yourself to sit up. 

“Good?” He asks, knowing full well that he just made you see the stars two galaxies over. 

“Yes.” You sigh, contented. “Can’t feel my feet.” 

He looks satisfied, eyes turning into crescent moons. You bend down to press a kiss against his lips and the taste of your own arousal stirs up the heat in your core again. Pulling back slightly, you graze your fingers along his jaw, eyes finding his. 

“Tell me what you want.” You trace the slope of his nose, pretending not to know his answer.

“Jagi,” he whispers into the palm of your hand, “will you fuck me?” 

His eyes are dark and focused, and in this moment, there’s nothing you want more. 

“Get on the bed,” you order, and he’s quick to move, hands and knees planted firmly on the mattress. 

You take a moment to admire him—the lace hugs the soft curves of his waist and thighs, leaving his ass on display for you. He arches his back and the sight of him spread out like this, waiting, makes your core clench and your knees weak. 

“You look gorgeous,” you affirm, voice mellifluous and infused with want. “I could watch you all day.”

“Just watch?” He cranes his head back, lifting one eyebrow, and you land a playful smack on his ass. 

“Patience, baby. We gotta get you ready first.” 

You’d told him you were going to take your time—and you’re going to keep your word, determined to wipe that self-satisfied expression off his face. 

Your hands slide over his stockings, trailing up until they reach the soft skin of his thighs. The tips of your fingers tease along the edge of the panties and he pushes back a little, hissing when you tighten your grip, fingers forming dimples in the plush fat of his ass. 

He opens his mouth to say something but the words are cut off when your tongue grazes his skin, just a small flutter at the bend of his legs—barely there, but enough to throw him off, fingers scrabbling for the sheets. 

You suck purple blooms into his thighs, tongue soothing the bruised marks, eliciting a string of soft moans from him.

If it wasn’t for the gloves, you could’ve seen Taehyung’s knuckles turning white from the force with which he’s gripping the linen. His cock hangs heavy between his legs, only supported by the thin lace. The pressure is equal parts welcoming and infuriating; always there but never enough, just like you. You’re nipping and lapping at his skin, hands all over him, but not where he needs you most. 

You’re toying with him and it drives him crazy. 

“Jagi—please, fuck—” he moans when your teeth bruise his hip, just below the lace. 

“Is something wrong?” you ask with feigned concern, delighting in the way he squirms at the loss of your touch. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” he pleads, “please don’t stop.”

“Hmm.” You frown, sliding your hands over his skin. Taehyung’s body is slender, but most of his wiry muscle is in his shoulders, arms, and calves, the rest of him soft and malleable under your touch. For a man this lean he has a surprisingly plump ass, and it’s only being emphasised by the lace trimmed around his waist and the way he arches his back. 

He hears you still behind him, and he wiggles his hips a little, trying to entice you. 

You bend over and tangle a hand into his hair, pulling him up until his back is flush against your chest. He makes a low, guttural sound as you tighten your grip into his curls and nip at his throat, his head resting on your shoulder. 

“You want it bad, don’t you baby?” His body feels feverishly hot even through the fabric of your dress. You’ve barely touched him but he’s already writhing against you and pleading for more.

With his cheeks flushed, hair stuck to his forehead, body covered in purple bruises and faint remains of make-up clinging to his skin, he’s so raw and real—and yet you’ve never seen him look more ethereal. 

“My beautiful, needy boy.” Your lips are soft and gentle against his skin. “Such a pitiful sight.” 

He lets out a broken sob, urgent and desperate and it sends a rush of arousal dripping down your thighs. You release his hair, pushing him back on all fours, and the wet stripe you lick from his perineum to the small of his back takes him completely off-guard. 

Taehyung drops to his elbows with a low moan and buries his face into the sheets. Everything is too bright, too much for his soaring nerves—it’s overwhelming, the sudden press of your tongue, and he has to bite his lip to stop himself from crying out. 

You’re alternating small kitten licks with more pressure, hands massaging his ass while your tongue traces his rim. The noises he’s making are muffled by the sheets, and you slowly feel his body relax under your touch. 

“Lube?” you ask, and Taehyung waves into the general direction of his suitcase. You climb off the bed to retrieve the canvas bag he took to the bathroom earlier, pulling out a bottle of lube, a purple silicone dildo, and your harness.

Quickly shrugging off the remainder of your clothes, you fasten the dildo through the metal o-ring and give it a tug to make sure it’s snug in place. Then you step into the harness, tightening the padded leather strap around your waist, and making sure the ones running along the inside of your thighs are secure yet loose enough so they won’t chafe your skin. 

Stretching your back, you take a moment to let your body attune to the added weight before getting back behind Taehyung, pouring a generous amount of lube onto your fingers. 

“I’m sorry if it’s a little cold.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fi—ahh,” Taehyung’s words are cut off by the soft press of your finger. You trail it teasingly along the ring of muscle, knowing the slick glide will drive him up the walls. 

He’s lifting himself back up on his hands and his hips start to move on their own volition in an attempt at creating more friction. “Jagi, please.”

Slowly, you let your finger sink inside, careful to give him time to adjust. You ease him into the feeling with soft praises, adding a second finger when you feel him loosen up enough. 

The lube creates an easy slide and his body tenses when you curl your fingers, hitting the spot that has him twisting and jerking under your touch.  

You press a little harder, grinning. “Right there?” 

He responds by grinding against your hand, head falling forward when you add a third finger. His thighs are trembling and you run your other hand between his shoulder blades to anchor him. “You okay, baby?”

You wait for him to find his words. It can take him a moment sometimes—especially when he’s feeling overwhelmed like this, stretched and spread out and at his most vulnerable. 

“I’m—yes.” It’s all he can manage to get out right now, ears heating at the tremble of excitement in his voice, a shrill contrast with his dark tone. 

“Turn around.” You remove your fingers and he sniffles at the sudden loss. “I want to watch your face when I fuck you.” 

He moves, and the sight beneath you makes you pause. Taehyung isn’t petite, but he somehow manages to look delicate and dainty under your hands, the intricate lace only adding to his elegance. 

You blink to clear your clouded head, slicking up your strap with more lube, positioning yourself between his spread thighs. 

“Is this what you wanted?” you ask, sliding the dildo against his skin. 

But he doesn’t know what to say, not when you're pressing into him like that—so torturously slow until you’re finally, finally fully sheathed.

And then you’re moving, pulling out and snapping your hips back in one swift motion, stealing the air from his lungs. You steady yourself, knees pressing into the mattress and hands tight around his waist. It doesn’t take you long to find the right pace, core clenching at the continuous stream of illegible words and moans tumbling from his lips, increasing in volume with every thrust. 

"Fuck—” your throat feels parched, and you tighten your grip on his waist, hard enough to bruise, “—you sound so sweet." 

You're smiling down at him, that smile that makes his stomach twist in arousal and embarrassment; that smile that says look at you, so riled up, you really can't help yourself huh? 

And he does sound pathetic, doesn't he, loud whines and whimpers falling from his lips unrestrained. Suddenly, his own voice sounds alien to his ears. Since when did it get this high?

“Do you want the entire city to hear you?” 

You grasp him impossibly tighter, punctuating the words with a roll of your hips. “Go on… Let everyone know how good I’m fucking you.”

He moans, a breathy confirmation whispered into the sheets. 

His cock has softened a little, weeping pre-cum on his stomach. He tugs at it with one hand and you pull his wrist away. “Not yet, baby.” 

He groans in frustration and you bend over, bringing your face above his. “I know. But you’re gonna wait until I say you can come.” You grind against his thighs, and he’s trying, biting his lip until it’s swollen and reddened, keeping the pleasure caged behind his teeth. His back arches off the sheets, body chasing after yours every time you nearly pull out. 

“Hold your leg for me.” He grasps his left leg with one hand and folds it closer to his chest, careful not to hit you with his heel. You grasp the other leg and hike it over your shoulder to use his thigh as leverage for your thrusts. 

He curses at the change in angle, tears prickling in the corners of his eyes. It’s almost too much, and he’s afraid he might shatter into a million little pieces when you tug the front of his panties down and wrap your hand around his cock. 

You can feel his length stiffen in your palm and you glide your slick thumb over his slit, slowing down the grind of your hips to a lazy roll, building it up again in time with the strokes of your wrist. 

“Ah—shit—I’m not gonna last.” Taehyung shakes his head, and somewhere at the back of his mind he registers himself crying with pleasure, so overcome with the feeling he’s sure he won’t be able to hold back. You can see him struggling, one hand pressed against the headboard and his brow furrowed in concentration.

“Such a good boy.” You tighten your grip around his cock and he whimpers. 

“I can’t—” 

“Then come for me, baby.” His entire body tenses before the last syllable has left your mouth and he coats the lace in ropes of white. You stroke him until the last drop, slowing down your hips until he’s jerking with oversensitivity. 

You pull out, moving until you're next to him, pressing kisses on the tip of his nose. “You did so well.” He lets you cradle him in your arms, humming against your skin. 

“Thank you, jagi.” He nuzzles into your neck but you lean back a little, petting his hair. 

“Can you wait here for a moment?” He nods, and you get off the bed. “Hold on, I’ll be right back.”

You remove your harness and turn on the tap in the bathroom, adding some rose-scented soap you’ve found in the cabinet to the water. 

Grabbing a towel, you get back on the bed and clean the cum and sweat off Taehyung’s body and clothes before it gets dry. You pull at his arms, trying to get his limp body to move. 

“Come on, the water will get cold,” you huff. He’s heavier than he looks, and determined not to move a single inch more than necessary.

“My legs don’t work,” he complains. 

You chuckle. “It’s a bathtub, Tae, not an Olympic-sized swimming pool. You won’t drown.” 

He grins, a half-hearted attempt, and hoists himself up with a loud groan. He disappears into the bathroom and you ruffle around in your suitcase, grabbing a small package. 

Taehyung has discarded his clothes and is already sitting in the tub, surrounded by bubbles, his eyes closed and a blissful smile on his face. 

You step into the water and sit down across him, leaning in to kiss the mole on his nose. His long lashes flutter and he lets out a soft hum. 

“Yup. I could live here.” He sighs. “That, or I’m bringing this bath back home.” 

“Hey, Tae.” You gently poke his shoulder, feeling warmth blossoming in your chest at the sight of him. “I got you something, too.” 

His eyes fly open. “You did?”

Thank you for reading!

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