#find genuine toyota

[ghostchems]

Story idea: Now that Terzo has retired he has to take driving lessons because Imperator won't let any of the ghouls drive him around anymore. Reader is hired to teach him but what happens when love (or just sex) gets in the way of his lessons?

@ramblingoak tagging you bc i know you sent this, haha.

i really took off running with this one!

you drive me (crazy) - papa emeritus iii x fem!reader

a/n: mdni! 18+! there is smut and some angst here. about 2.6k words. ao3 linky!

When Sister Imperator had first directed you to teach the former Papa to drive, you had been ecstatic to have such a big responsibility within the clergy. That is, until the driving lessons started. At first, you thought it was rather cruel of Imperator to force Terzo to learn to drive. He’s never done it in his life and surely there was at least one ghoul who could be relegated to be his driver. You thought that maybe it was some kind of punishment for him, that he needed to fend for himself now and no longer had access to the perks of being Papa or high up in the clergy. 

You started off with such patience during each lesson but gradually over time, it began to wear thin. It was as if no matter what you tried to teach him or show him, he always did the opposite. You’re not sure if he just had a hard time following directions or if he genuinely didn’t know any better. He always seemed distracted, more focused on what the buttons do in the actual car rather than what was going on in the road. The amount of time he spent changing radio channels from station to station drove you up a wall. 

And that wasn’t even including the flirting.

There were times when you would look to him to watch what he was doing and you would find him gazing at you dreamily. For a moment, you would feel a small spark in your chest but then it would be immediately replaced by panic because he wasn’t looking at the road. Every time, you would basically yell at him to keep his eyes in front of him and every time he ended up with a smug grin on his face. It was getting under your skin. 

He would always greet you with a compliment about your appearance and took to calling you Istruttrice (instructor in Italian), rolling his Rs with such dramatics that is almost sounded like he was purring. Terzo also always looked tired, far more tired than you had ever seen him while he was Papa. He usually dressed in all black, black slacks and a black dress shirt that became more and more wrinkled as time went by. Still, he was always so cheerful when he would meet you in the parking lot and he would open the passenger door for you like the gentleman he is. 

You really do feel for him but your sanity is starting to suffer. It’s been almost three months of giving him lessons and he hasn’t progressed at all. 

Today, he is already waiting for you at the car — a junky 2008 Toyota Corolla. He quickly puts out his cigarette using the sole of his shoe when he sees you and hurries to the passenger side to open the door for you.

“Buongiorno, Istruttrice. You are looking radiant this evening.” Terzo purse as you step inside the passenger side of the car and all you can manage is a soft sigh. Your patience is already wearing thin. He gets into the car beside you and turns to you, eyes wide as he waits for your instruction. 

“We are just going to take a quiet drive around the parking lot, okay?” Something simple. Something that surely won’t stress you out.

“Okey dokey, Istruttrice.” He puts the car into drive and starts to slowly inch forward. For a while, he is going painfully slow but it gives you some time to center yourself and calm your nerves. 

Then, he starts to accelerate (still at a slow speed) toward the only other car in the parking lot.

“Papa, where are you going?” There is panic in your voice and your fingers dig into your seat.

“Do not worry. I am only trying to eeehhhh… get a little bit close to it.” 

You hold your breath as he inches closer and closer to the car. Once you are closer to it, you are able to make out that it is Cardinal Copia’s Buick.

“Papa, you are… you’re already very close to the car, could you just —“ You are cut off by Terzo swerving the car out of the way to just miss Copia’s. He gives you a sweet smile but it doesn’t soothe your nerves. “Please don’t do that again.”

“Oh, come on, istruttrice. It is fun! And look, I am doing well, I think, eh?” He purrs as he circles the parking lot slowly but you don’t respond, already on edge. The car accelerates and is once again heading towards the Cardinal’s. You bite your tongue and your eyes are glued to Buick. Terzo gets even closer this time and your breath catches in your throat but he once again swerves at the last moment. 

“It is like a delicate dance, si? I am like a, eh, a bird, dancing for my mate.” 

“Driving isn’t about dancing, it’s about being safe and not hitting other cars.” You know he is trying to make light of the situation but you are not entertaining it, not today.

“It is also about having fun.” Terzo sings to you as he swings the car back around. He hits the gas this time and cruises on back. Your grit your teeth, you jaw clenching and unclenching as his speed increases. 

 the sound of the front bumper hitting Copia’s back bumper. You sit there, stunned for a moment, eyes wide as you stare at the other car. “I can’t do this anymore.”  You bury your head in your hands.

“Istruttrice?”

“Why do you do the opposite of everything I say?!” You are startled by how angry you sound but you’re unable to stop yourself. “I can’t keep doing this! You are impossible to teach and you are making me lose my fucking mind.” It’s harsh. You know it’s harsh.

Terzo looks at you in silence. You can tell that he’s hurt and you start to feel tension building in your chest. Anxiety. Feeling shameful about your outburst. Suddenly, he puts the car in reverse and guns it. He puts his arm on your seat and looks over his shoulder as he effortlessly speeds backwards to the other end of the parking lot. Terzo backs into the farthest spot away from the Abbey and he puts the car into park. 

Silence falls over the two of you. Your jaw is nearly on the floor. The control he exhibited over the car while steering and driving backwards has rendered you speechless. You have no idea what to say.

“I can drive.” Terzo says sheepishly, his hands moving up and down the steering wheel. “I picked it up quickly, thanks to your teaching.” His gaze shifts to you and you notice his eyes look sad.

“Then what… then why—“

“I do not get to do much of anything anymore.” Terzo winces at his own words. “I don’t get to leave the Abbey. I don’t get to spend time with siblings like I used to…” He gives a soft sigh. “I enjoy getting out and spending time with you. I see you more than I see my own brothers.” 

He’s been using you. You press your lips into a thin line as you look back at him. Once again, you are speechless. You swallow thickly and push the car door open, slamming it behind you. Gravel crunches beneath your feet as you walk to the back of the car and lean against the bumper. You need a moment and he gives you at least five minutes before he comes out of the car.

“Per favore, please do not cancel our lessons.” Terzo’s voice is quiet as he approaches you, much different than the suave confidence he usually displays. “I… I watch you out of the corner of my eye as we are driving. The look on your face when you are concentrating makes my heart flutter. And when you’re mad, your nose scrunches up and there is such rage in your eyes — it is adorable.” 

Terzo’s standing in front of you now, shifting from foot to foot while his eyes scan your face. You can feel your cheeks start to burn. He inches closer and even though you are averting your gaze from him you can see his hands are trembling.

“I want to continue seeing you. I want to get out of the Abbey with you. Please.” He gives a shaky breath. You finally look up at him and bite your lip. This man is a mess. But the look on his face… he needs you. He wants you. You feel warmth blossom in your chest. His eyes are soft and he’s breathing heavily. “La mia bellissima istruttrice.” Terzo whispers huskily, his mismatched eyes boring into yours as he reaches for your cheek, his fingers stroking it lightly before slipping to the back of your head. Your eyes flutter and you force yourself to hold back a moan. 

He firmly presses his hand against your head as his lips crash against your, timid at first but they grow feverish and more needy with each shallow breath. His fingers tangle in your hair and he groans into your mouth, his tongue pressing against your lips, begging for entry. Your head is swimming, your cheeks are hot and you are beyond confused but… you part your lips for him. The growl that rips from him as his tongue licks into your mouth sends shivers down your spine.

Terzo pins you against the car with his body, his free hand slipping down your back to your ass and then to your leg, tugging at it to open your legs for him.

“Papa —?” You break free from the kiss, breathing raggedly as you look at him with half-lidded eyes. The wetness between your legs is only growing. He lets go of your head and moves his hand to fiddle with your leggings, pushing them along with your underwear down your legs. Your base ass is now against the car bumper. His forehead presses against yours and he hikes your leg up to prop it on his hip. You can feel how hard he is through his pants and he grinds himself into you. Your eyes fall shut and you tip your head back, a deep moan spilling from your lips. 

“Allow me to give you something, istruttrice, something other than trouble. Maybe this will convince you to continue seeing me, eh?” Terzo works at his own pants, unzipping them and freeing his leaking cock. He drags his cock against your dripping cunt. “Ready for me, si? So wet for your Papa.” Your breath hitches and part of you cannot believe that he is getting this reaction out of you. He angles his hips and pushes the head of his cock inside you, holding it there to take in your reaction.

“You like — ahh — being bad, don’t you, P-papa?” You gasp as you writhe against the car. Terzo blinks at you, his lips swollen and parted and you feel the tip of his cock twitch. He snarls and jerks his hips, pushing into you to the hilt. Your hands sly up to his chest, fingers digging into his rumpled dress shirt. “I know you do.” You struggle to say between choked breaths. “S-show me, ah, how bad you—“

Terzo doesn’t let you finish. His hips snap at a frenetic pace and his mouth latches onto your neck. You cry out and curl your leg further around his hip while your hands grab at his shoulders. He bites and sucks at the sensitive skin on your neck, hard enough to leave marks. His growls and moans vibrate against your neck, filling your ears as he slams into you over and over again.

You feel yourself tensing and flexing around him, his cock massaging your inner walls masterfully. The car behind the two of you is bouncing and rocking with each thrust and for a moment you are afraid that someone might see or hear you. Your attention is fully brought back to him as he presses his tongue just beneath your earlobe, a jolt of arousal shooting through you. His strong hands fall to your ass and he digs his fingers into the soft flesh.

“Is this enough, istruttrice?” Terzo rasps into your ear, feeling his hot breath against you. He gives one thrust and holds himself inside you, waiting for your answer.

“I think you can do better.” You taunt, a wicked grin spreading across your face. You could be a troublemaker too, if you wanted. Terzo’s hand shoots up from your ass and clasps around your throat, squeezing it harshly as he pushes you down onto the trunk of the car. Your hands grab at his arm, holding on for dear life as he pounds into you at a more ferocious angle. Wet, loud sounds fill your ears and you manage to push against each of his thrusts. Your back arches off of the trunk and he squeezes your throat, a string of strangled moans pouring from your lips. Heat is spreading beneath your skin and you feel yourself start to tense around him. 

“F-fuck, istruttrice.” Terzo groans as his thrusts grow more frantic. Your nails dig into his arm, hard enough to break the skin while he squeezes your throat again, this time harder and longer than before. You start to see stars and your eyes roll back as you are pushed over the edge. He isn’t too far behind you, letting go of your throat so he can grip both of your hips. Strangled noises rumble up from his chest before he comes undone, flooding you with his seed.

Terzo’s thrusts slow and he moves to hover over you, his eyes meeting yours before dipping down to kiss your lips. It’s tender and sensual, his soft, pillowy lips melting against yours. You lose yourself to him for a moment, then he breaks away and helps you up off of the trunk of the car. The both of you adjust yourselves with Terzo tucking away his softened cock and you pulling up your leggings. You can feel him dripping out of you.

He steps toward you, closing the space between you and starts to gently rub his thumb along your jaw and then up to your cheek. Your eyes flutter, leaning into his touch as you gaze back into his mismatched eyes.

“Please do not cancel our lessons.” His voice is soft yet stern, his eyes focused on you as he traces your lips with his finger.

“Oh, no. Actually, I think you need more frequent lessons, Papa. Maybe even some classroom time to go over the rules of the road.” You say nonchalantly as you adjust your leggings. Terzo flings his arms around you causing you to lose your balance and fall directly into his chest. He holds you close, his grip on you so tight as he buries his face into the crook of your neck.

“Grazie, grazie istruttrice.” 

“Don’t thank me.” You give him a squeeze and lean back away from him as he lifts his head from you. “I am just happy to know that you have actually learned from me… meet back here this time tomorrow?” 

Terzo nods happily, still hovering so close to you. You lean in and press a gentle kiss to his cheek.

“I’ll see you then, Papa. Try not to be late.” 

#papa emeritus iii x reader #papa emeritus iii #papa emeritus x reader #terzo x reader #ghost fanfic #ghost fanfiction #ghost fanfics #terzo request

[dilemmaontwolegs]

omg a māori f1 writer! not a request, but genuine question - who’s someone you can see being with a māori girl 👀 like who can you see being taken to a marae and learning how to hongi and meeting all the aunties and uncles

Haha omg it would be such an eye opener for all of them!

Lewis: he would be the type to ask to come with you because he wants to know more about where you come from. He is eager to learn and inquisitive, feeling prepared when he arrives at your ancestral land to a pōwhiri. Lewis has tears in his eyes when he sees the beautiful brown woman welcoming him with a karanga and from there he falls in love with the culture. He loves that there are always dozens of kids hanging around the marae and he never has a chance to sit down as he plays games with them for hours - they also teach him the haka. He would particularly like those hours after dinner where someone brings out their guitar and everyone sings along, the aunties harmonising perfectly, and he feels connected even if he doesn't understand the words.

Daniel: for obvious reasons 😂 being an Aussie, he’s laid back and it probably wouldn’t be the first time drinking a crate of beers in a paddock in the middle of nowhere. It would feel like a second home to him once he remembers to take his shoes off before he steps inside the marae. He doesn’t mind kissing every aunty on the cheeks but takes a bit of practice going in for a hongi without missing the uncles nose. After the formalities are done he is in his element and charms everyone which his infectious smile and constantly makes them laugh.

Oscar: another Aussie that is chilled af so he wouldn’t cause any drama at the marae. He is polite and helpful so the aunties love him and try to coax him out of his quiet state while recalling stories of you as they peel hundreds of potatoes. He is strong too so the uncles would steal him to dig the hangi pit and take the moment to threaten him if he hurts you. He can't hide his surprise when you explain the sleeping arrangements but after all the mattresses are laid out in one cavernous room he warms up to the idea and even feels nostalgic for the nights his family/cousins/friends would all sleep over and they would all drag their mattresses to the living room.

Lando: he’s lived/raced in NZ when he was younger so there would be a sense of familiarity coming back. He likes learning about different cultures (like his recent trip to the temples in Bali) so he would pay attention to the rundown given about customs. Unfortunately he has a terrible memory and may make a few mistakes with what’s tapu like snacking in the marae or sitting on the table. Also, he would fall in love with the food because there’s nothing spicy, something he cannot handle. Known to giggle at inappropriate times with the little cuzzies like when someone says whakapapa. Wakes up to find he rolled the wrong way in the night and is spooning an uncle not you.

Max: takes everything too seriously and is worried about messing up so he buys a book on Maori culture as soon as he lands at Auckland Airport and finishes by the time he reaches the marae. Is pleasantly surprised to find that after the formalities the entire atmosphere relaxes and he is treated like he has always been there. The aunties shoo him out of the kitchen when he tries to help, handing him a drink and sending him to the uncles who are all inspecting the new 4x4 someone bought. Surprisingly, he learns a bit about cars from them and wants his own Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux now, despite Daniel trying to get him to convert to one for years.

#f1 imagine #f1 x reader #f1 x y/n #maori!reader

[2chopsticks2eyes]

What You Deserve: Part 2

This is part 2 of a three part series, please be sure to start from part one!

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

Pairing: Lee Minho/Lee Know x Fem Reader

Themes: Smut, Angst, Fluff

Word Count: All parts are ~67k | AO3

Warnings: Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, mentions of non-con, PTSD, Anxiety, Alcohol, Cussing, Come Eating, Oral Sex, Hand Jobs, Vaginal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Loss of Virginity, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, References to Drugs, Drug Dealing, Alternate Universe - College/University, Eating Disorders, Childhood Trauma, Vaginal Sex, Protected Sex, Unprotected Sex

Summary: After unfortunate circumstances, you pack up and move to Korea with your best friend Bang Chan to attend college. After falling into Chan's group of friends he had established, you find yourself getting a little too close to the mild tempered and snarky Lee Minho.

Author's Note: I am probably spoiling the whole story with the warnings, but I like to be safe. I originally was only on AO3, but I wanted to link platforms with Tumblr and Twitter too. Hope you enjoy!

________________________________________

Part Two: Discoveries

“Is everything okay with you and Channie-hyung?” You whipped your head around at Felix. You were currently sitting in the passenger seat of his beat up old Toyota Corolla. Chan had left before everyone else to help set up so Felix had offered to drive you to Seungmin’s for the party.

“Of course Lix, why do you ask?” You tried to not actively show how pissed off you were, but you suppose your other flatmate had picked up on the cold atmosphere between you and your best friend.

“It’s just… I don’t know, you two are usually laughing and talking twenty-four-seven and I feel like you two are intentionally avoiding each other now…” You looked at the sweet boy’s face and he seemed genuinely concerned. The boy’s got a goddamn heart of gold.

You breathed a deep sigh and looked forward to the road again. “Yeah, everything will be fine, Lix. We just… we got in a stupid ass fight and I don’t think either of us are ready to hash it out just yet.”

“Oh…” He sounded disappointed as he nodded his head in understanding. “Well, I’m sure you two will work things out fairly quickly! I’ve never seen a pair of friends quite as close as you two are, maybe Minho and Jisung, but none other!” Ugh. Why did he have to bring up Minho? It’s not as if your airhead mind wasn’t already being plagued by the man constantly. The LAST thing you needed was to add fuel to the fire. The fire that may or may not have been burning in your pants. Constantly.

“Thanks, Lixie. That’s sweet of you to say.” You raised your hand and gave him a small pat on his shaggy blonde head as he answered with a squinty smile.

The two of you rolled up and you braced yourself to face Chan as Felix knocked on the expensive apartment building’s door. You two heard a loud ‘COME IN!’ from none other than the ever-yelling Seo Changbin and the two of you tentatively stepped inside.

You stepped out of your shoes in the fancy entryway and rounded the corner on the right to fully enter the apartment. “TA-DAAA!” You stopped in your tracks as soon as you were faced with Jisung and Minho with their arms spread out in presentation of their surprise. And, boy, was it one HELL of a surprise.

Both of them were sporting brand new silky, midnight blueish-black hair. DAMN THOSE TWO FOR WRECKING YOUR HEART! You felt your stomach fall out of your ass and you were cursing them in all languages under the sun. “Holy SHIT.” You didn’t even give two flying fucks that you let that one slip.

“You like it?” Jisung was lightly bouncing, making his fresh new hair floof out in the process. He looked exponentially hopeful of your approval and looked stupid adorable with his cheeky smile.

“Fuck yeah I do!” You walked up to the two boys who smiled at you in suspension of your words. “Damn, you two are looking FINE AS HELL!” You shamelessly brought each of your hands up to their heads to run through their silky locks, to which they allowed with pleasure.

“Good, ‘cause I’d hate to have to redo it if you didn’t.” Minho winked at you and you silently kicked yourself for your dumbass swooning. You had desperately tried to avoid eye contact, but how could you when he looked like a whole fucking SNACK? With his stupid new hair color with his stupid black ripped jeans that hug his stupidly thick thighs deliciously and his stupid plain black t-shirt that would look boring on literally anyone but him, topping it off with that stupid fucking leather jacket that fits him perfectly.

“Psh, I highly doubt my opinion would convince you to go through another color treatment.”

“True, but it’s the thought that counts.” Cheeky bastard.

“Wait, is this why you skipped class?” You wouldn’t put it past him, he’s a fucking god at dancing so he can afford to miss a class or two.

He shrugged. “The world may never know.” He gave another breathtaking wink and you fumed at the damned tease.

You couldn’t help but glance over at Chan who was staring daggers at your interaction with the boys from his position next to Seungmin in the kitchen. You knew it was petty, it really was, but you couldn’t help it. You turned to stand in between the boys and looped your arms through each of theirs tightly. “C’mon, my two favorite blueberries, let’s get trashed!”

- - - - - - - - - -

Everyone sat in a circle around the large coffee table in the living room with their various drinks of liquor, cocktails, beer, et cetera. Chan was on the opposite side from where you were on the couch sandwiched between Jisung and Minho.

“Why can’t I be blueberry number one?” Said a very disgruntled Lee Minho from your left.

“Because she obviously likes me more!” Jisung said from your right, leaning over you to poke his tongue out at his best friend.

You chuckled at the quokka. “It’s because his cute little cheekies are so round and cute like a blueberry. I just want to grab him and squish them!” You took his alcohol flushed face in your hands by his cheeks and smooshed them accordingly, to which he promptly decided to close his eyes and pucker his lips out as you laughed at him.

“Yah! Back off, Han Jisung!” Minho shoved Jisung away from you as the quokka giggled. You felt your ears heat up as you imagined it to be over possessiveness of you. Even though it was stupid... No, IT IS stupid. End of story.

“What? It’s not as if she’s taken hyuuuung.” Jisung taunted his fellow blueberry, who just glowered right back at him.

“No, it’s because she’s just like one of us. One of the guys. Stop harassing her, Hanji.” Chan spoke up from across the table with a dead serious glare. You heard the laughter beside you go quiet and you could feel your anger rise again.

You threw your arm around Jisung’s shoulder. “Cool it, Chan. It’s all for shits and giggles, right Ji?” You could feel Jisung tense under Chan’s menacing eyes.

“Heh, yeah, just all for fun hyung…” He chuckled nervously and you reclaimed your arm from his warmth.

Everyone in the room went silent as you and Chan were having a damned Mexican stand off in the middle of the living room. You abruptly decided to chug your double bourbon and coke in one go and stood rigidly. “Whatever, I’m getting more to drink.”

Once you were in the privacy of the kitchen, you could hear low mumbling coming from the other room. Damnit, Chan! Why are you being like this? I mean... you, yourself, weren’t necessarily helping the situation, but it’s not as if you were intentionally dragging the rest of the group into it!

You refilled the glass of melted ice and you stiffened as you heard footsteps approach from behind you. “Hey…” You physically relaxed. You turned around and presented your most convincing smile to Seungmin.

“Hey, sorry about all of that. Oh! I forgot to tell you congrats buddy! I really like your new place, you must be loaded as hell. How much do you pay for this shit?” He looked utterly unconvinced.

“I appreciate your interest, but you know that’s not what I want to talk about right now.”

You sighed and hung your head. “I know I know, sorry Seungmin. I know we shouldn’t bring our drama into your party… I’m willing to ignore our petty quarrel for tonight if he is, but I really don’t think this is something he and I can solve in just one night.”

He nodded in understanding. “Okay Kiyomi, I appreciate it. I’ll talk to Chan-hyung too. Don’t be too long, okay?”

“Kay…” You gave him a meek grin as he exited the room again, exhaling in defeat once he was gone. Why tonight, of all nights, is it when we fight like this? It’s not like you two were strangers to disagreements and petty tiffs, even so, they were very few and far between so when they happened, it felt ten times worse.

Just as you finished making your drink, you turned to go back to the living room. However, lo and behold, the bane of your existence, Lee Minho crashed right into you as you rounded the corner. Bourbon and coke drenched  the both of you, on display for everyone to see, the darkened drink fully soaked through your white t-shirt. You looked down in horror as your bra became more and more visible through the dampening cloth. Lord, kill me now.

“Aw fuck, Kiyomi, I’m so sorry! Are y–” You flushed in embarrassment as you saw Minho look down at your current situation and you threw your arms over your chest to cover yourself. Minho was quick to turn and face away, but he didn’t cut and run like you had expected. Instead, he slightly spread his arms, fanning out his leather jacket and stepping to the side so that you were out of view from the group. “Where’s your overnight bag?” He said over his shoulder.

“By the front door…” You squeaked out from your mortified state of being.

“Walk behind me over to the guest room and you can shower in the ensuite and change clothes. I’ll leave your bag just inside the door.” He said it to you, but loud enough so everyone would know to piss off and keep it velvet.

“I’ll clean up!” Jeongin jumped up on his feet and you handed the empty glass to Minho for him to pass on to the maknae. The two of you shimmied over and you muttered a small ‘thank you’ as you closed the door behind you. You melted on the other side of the door and buried your face in your hands. You were reminded that, yes, you’re just like one of the guys, however you ARE still a female. Some things you just can’t mutually brush off. You weren’t exactly proud of your lithe body and now the whole group got a good glimpse of it along with your undergarments. 

You groaned in frustration as you stomped off to the shower.

- - - - - - - - - -

Your heart swelled with warmth as you stepped back into the room - your towel wrapped firmly around you - and saw your bag right where Minho said he would put it. It also appeared that he had closed the door and locked it behind him for good measure. He had always been attractive to you, but the act of respect he showed you earlier made him all the more desirable. You were SO far beyond suppressing your fucked up affection for this man.

You shimmied into your mint colored silk pajamas, A cute, collared button-up with matching shorts that actually complimented your slim figure. Not to make an impression or anything. Definitely not… You took a deep breath and mentally convinced yourself to not be awkward when you returned to the party.

As you opened the door, you were relieved to see all of the boys chatting amongst themselves. Changbin and Minho were yelling at each other and being rowdy like usual. You reclaimed your seat in between the blueberries and Felix cooed at you. “Aww your pj’s are so cute, Kiyomi! I’m jelly!”

“Well Chan bought them so go ahead and thank him.” You offered a small smile to your bestie and you felt a bit of weight lift from your shoulders as he returned it. You lightly shoved Minho’s elbow, pulling him from his zoned out state that was focused on your silk nightwear. You mentally patted yourself on the back. “Yah! You’re the one who wasted my drink, go get me a new one!”

He gaped at you in mock offense. “As you command your highness!” You smiled at him with triumphant smugness as he stood from his seat to play bartender.

“Okay!” Seungmin stood up in front of the group. “Before everyone gets shitfaced, we need to go over sleeping arrangements. There are three bedrooms, all with California kings so we can fit three on each, we just need to figure out who’s sleeping with who.”

Chan looked at you warily. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for Kiyomi to sleep with two of us?” Minho returned and silently passed your mixed drink to you which you accepted with an exaggerated bow.

“What’s the big deal, Chan? You and I would sleep together most nights when I stayed at your place growing up. Or would you rather me sleep on the couch?” You knew that would strike a nerve, but you needed to make your point clear. 

“No–” Minho and Chan eerily said in tandem, making them awkwardly glance at one another.

Chan added, “Absolutely not.”

“You're not sleeping on any damn couch.” Minho’s face was stern and it got you super heated to see him be so serious. The group looked confused at their outburst. 

You looped your arms around the two boys on each side of you. “If that's the case, I’ll just cuddle up with my adorable blueberries!” You swiveled your head back and forth like an oscillating fan at the two and watched as they both suppressed their endeared smiles. And you may or may not have minded the idea snuggling up to Minho in the sheets…

“Fine, do whatever you want…” Chan crossed his arms and sighed. At least he was backing off a bit. Maybe?

“We’ve decided to play ring of fire like old times, I’ve already translated and explained the rules to everyone. You cool with that?” Chan sounded surprisingly calm in contrast to his earlier demeanor. You’re grateful that he is trying to be civil for the party. Even if you know you two will be at each other’s throats when you return home.

“Hell yeah I’m cool with that! I feel like I’m back in high school, hiding out in your parent’s shed.” Chan huffed a suppressed chuckle.

"Yeah, and I had to nurse your wasted ass back to consciousness." A wide smile spread across your face at the memory. You were abruptly startled as Minho grabbed the drink you’re sipping on and took a swig of it for himself.

“What a rebellious little mouse. I never would have guessed.” You scoffed at him and snatched the iced beverage back from his hands.

“Well there’s a lot of things you don’t know, kitty cat.” That’s the understatement of the century. You petulantly poked your tongue out and he returned it in kind. Bad idea, I don’t need to see his tongue right now. What is wrong with my BRAIN?!

“Yah! Let’s get this show on the road, everyone!” Changbin fucking screamed from his place on the other side of Minho. Everyone covered their ears instinctively, Hyunjin - the drama queen - writhed around as if he was bleeding out.

“Hyuuuung, I’m right next to you! For the love of god, shut the fuck up!” Jeongin collapsed against Chan on his left with his fingers in his ear sockets. Minho joined the yelling with a ‘yah!’ of his own, making you crash into Jisung in an attempt to escape the noise, earning a laugh from the quokka.

Once Chan and Felix situated the game together and plopped a large beer can in the center, the boys were itching to begin. And to be honest, you were too, many fun times flooded your memory as you peered down at the game, filling your brain with pure bitter-sweet nostalgia.

Several rounds passed and you ended up being picked as Jisung’s ‘mate’ when he drew an 8, making you have to join him every time he was forced to take a drink. Which was a SHIT TON apparently with how horrible he was at this game. People had several varieties of drinks in their hands so the ‘pot’ on the side of the ring was filled with an absolutely repulsive concoction by the time the fourth King was drawn by none other than the little baby bread. He swore to the heavens that he would never play this game again as he gagged copiously.

With each Jack that was drawn came worse and worse rules. First, everyone simply had to say something nice to the person on their left any time they had to drink - courtesy of sweet Felix.

Jisung drank a lot so you were basically showered with exaggerated compliments. However this meant you also had to drink, showering Minho with little sassy remarks like ‘I guess you are tolerable’ and ‘you dance pretty good for a man with acrimony tendencies’. He was constantly sour back at you but you could tell it was all in good fun. You quite enjoyed playing with him. Uhm... well maybe not like that... Even though you wouldn't exactly mind that either... Oh god, don’t be dirty minded stupid brain.

Second Jack was to completely speak in third person, if you didn’t you had to take a straight shot of Jäger. A few got caught on that one, but not as many as you had expected.

Thirdly, nasty ass Minho decided you needed to literally lick the bottom of Jisung’s foot if you didn’t end every one of your sentences with ‘I am Minho’s bitch’. And, let me tell you, everyone avoided that penalty like the damn plague. Much to Minho’s dismay, everyone escaped that fate.

And lastly, the final Jack to be drawn landed in the almighty Hwang Hyunjin’s greedy hands. Everyone hunkered in suspense as he conjured up the final rule with an evil grin.

“Okay I’m ready!” He sat up straight with pride written across his angelic face. “Any time you cuss…” You can already predict everyone to fail. “…you have to kiss the person on your right. With. Tongue.”

Jaws dropped across the room. “Damn, babe. You’re ruthless.” Felix said with a hungry smile from Hyunjin’s left.

“And you love me for it. Now pay up.”

“Hell yeah I do.” Felix harshly grabbed his boyfriend’s face and smashed their mouths together in a passionate kiss. The room was equally filled with either cooing at the couple or sounds of disgust. “You do realize that Ji is probably going to have to swap spit with me, right?” Felix realized this as he pulled away.

Hyunjin just shrugged his shoulders. “Collateral damage I guess.”

“Hyunjin, you’re the devil incarnate. You know the majority of us curse like sailors.” Hyunlix just cackled at the Chan’s devastated reaction.

Meanwhile, you were legitimately having an internal melt down due to the fact that, against all odds, you could end up not only making out with one, but both of your blueberry boys. If Minho cusses, you might as well die on the spot.

“Piglet, if you mutter a single goddamned word, I will throw you in a legitimate meat grinder.” Minho was seething at Changbin sitting on his left who looked like his soul just evacuated from his body. He nodded in compliance without another word.

The game moved on and the air was thick with tension, most everyone had resorted to silence, save for Felix who just wanted to suck Hyunjin’s face off.

When Jisung failed the category game again, you groaned in frustration at having to take another drink with your ‘mate’. “Ughhh, what the actual fuck Jisung?! I swear, you're doing it on purpose just to spite me!” Everyone gasped and gawked at you. Your peculiar expression portrayed your pure confusion to the men. What the hell happened? Oh… Ohhh fuck.

Your eyes were as wide as saucers as you stared down at your lap in disbelief. You refused to make eye contact with both Minho nor Chan as you turned to face Jisung’s cheeky grin.

“Hyunjin, I would like to worship you for this glorious moment in my lifetime. I have truly been blessed.” He bowed to the tall man as deep as he could manage in his seated position to which the action was returned. When he turned back to you he gave you a soft look.

“Don’t worry baby, I’ve been told I’m an excellent kisser.” You saw his eyes float down to your lips eagerly. It’s not like you hated the idea of kissing Jisung, he was incredibly handsome and his lips definitely looked kissable as fuck, but he was just the cute little quokka you have come to know and love. Your mouth craved a different set of lips...

“Jisung…” You were flabbergasted as Minho and Chan spoke up at the same time again, both with same murderous expressions. You at least knew why Chan was being an ass, but Minho? It was beyond puzzling as to what was going on in his mind. Don’t even think about it…

“Oh come on you two, stop babying her! It’s just a game!” Seungmin was obviously thoroughly enjoying the show from his spot between Hyunjin and Chan.

You chuckled, a little more relaxed from the puppy’s lightheartedness. “Okay you feisty quokka, get over here…” He was already sitting fairly close to you, but he scootched closer nonetheless. It’s just a kiss, no need to make it weird, right?

You made the first move as you placed your palms on his chubby cheeks and pulled him in close. You felt his hands respectfully gently rest high up on your waist as your lips lightly touched.

“We need to see tongue, you scaredy cats!” Right. That. You initiated the task - reminded by a fairly tipsy Jeongin - by slipping your tongue out to meet his.

He wasn’t lying when he said he was a good kisser. Not too slobbery and not too stiff, a proper, sensual kiss. If this were... someone else... you would want to kiss them for days on end. The only problem was the fact that there were no sparks. No stirring feeling in your gut that indicated you really wanted it. Nothing like your most recent kiss…

You felt a broad hand wrap around your forearm as you were being yanked backward. “Okay! That’s enough! We get it! Task done. Move on.” Minho announced a bit too loudly as he released his vice grip on your arm.

“I am officially the luckiest man in the room!” You laughed at Jisung's proclamation when his hands lifted in the air. You couldn’t help but glance in Minho’s direction as Jisung reiterated his happiness. He was glowering down at you with fire and hunger in his eyes like you had never seen before and you felt heat zap up your spine and reddening your face. Welcome back butterflies.

“I beg to fucking differ!” You watched as Felix dived on top of Hyunjin to execute his ‘penalty’.

You heard Changbin clear his throat. “Well then… that was hot as h—“ you heard him pause and shrink away from Minho in terror as he caught his own curse. “-hhhhades! Y-yeah. Hades. *Ahem*” You could almost visibly see him mentally seal off his speech from then on.

“Are we going to continue the game or not?” Chan was visibly fuming, glaring daggers across the table as Jisung feared for his life.

“Cut it out Daddy Bang Chan, it’s just a game.” Felix rolled his eyes and took his turn. 

As the game went on, of course Jisung ended up cussing. Everyone hollered as Jisung and Felix got down to business, except for of course Hyunjin who just grimaced and turned away.

“You asked for it, hyung!” Jeongin pointed out to the disgruntled ferret, already sloshed from the nasty concoction earlier.

The tab on the beer can in the middle of the circle got progressively closer to popping the seal as the previously drawn cards filled the space underneath where everyone had slipped them to fit. Everyone held their breaths as the next person after the next entered their card carefully, praying they wouldn’t hear the telling *tsss* that indicated the seal had been broken.

Minho tactfully drew from the circle, making sure not to break the ring of cards. “Four is for whores! Drink up, whore!” An extremely wasted Felix pointed at you from the other side of Jisung. You loopily giggled as you gulped down the fifth glass of your watered down alcohol from the ice that has melted. You had an extreme lack of judgment as you leaned your dizzy body to rest against Minho’s shoulder. You immediately noticed how he tensed up.

“Fuck it.” Your brain glitched over Minho's cursed words and you peered out at the group of bewildered faces. Minho then decided to unceremoniously shove his card under the tab of the can - with no small amount of force - and promptly popped the seal, indicating the end of the game.

Your mind was in overdrive as you watched him fulfill his duty of chugging the whole can in one go and crunching the empty aluminum container once it was empty. Without warning, his warm hands cupped the sides of your jaw and angled your head up to meet his.

Your body was on fire. His eyes were ravenous and you could feel yourself drown in them as he pulled you closer, lungs refusing to cooperate. When his lips touched yours, everyone in the room disappeared, leaving only the two of you sitting blissfully in the universe. Your lips intertwined freely and your tongues explored each other’s mouths.

He tasted like shitty beer and liquor, but you had never tasted anything more addicting. You could feel your fingers involuntarily glide through his dark locks of silky hair and his thumbs caress where they were placed on your cheeks. Holy fucking hell please don’t let this be a dream.

Your euphoria was abruptly stolen from your grasp as you felt the warm hands and lips leave your skin hastily. Your drunken mind made you want to cry from the loss.

When you opened your droopy eyes, you jolted to your feet - making you stumble gloriously - when you saw that Chan had yanked Minho away and was holding him up by his shirt collar. “What the FUCK, Minho?! The game was over! You didn’t have to force yourself on her like that you piece of shit!” Minho’s face was completely devoid of emotion as his friend cursed at him.

“CHAN!” With all of your intoxicated might, you shoved your best friend away from Minho. “He didn’t force shit on me and you know it!”

The rest of the room had also jumped to their feet and were ready to intervene if things got ugly. “Hyung, it was just a part of the game…” The sweet maknae tried to insert a voice of reason.

“In his defense, Chan-hyung, he technically broke the rule before the game was officially over.” Jisung hid behind Changbin as he tried to protect his best friend.

You and Chan glared daggers at each other while the room fell silent. “Whatever, Y/N. You don’t want me to care anymore? Fine. Here’s me not giving a damn.” With that, Chan stormed out of the room and shrugged on his coat, slamming the front door behind him as he left the apartment. He barely ever uses your given name.

You don’t know when it had happened, but tears were cascading down your face in buckets. You hid your face in your hands to shield your ugly-ass crying face from your friends.

You felt the warm arms of the man at your back wrap around your front in a tight hug. “I’m s-so *hiccup* sorry Min…” You refused to reveal your face from your safe space in your palms as you choked on your sobs.

“Shhh, it’s okay, I’m not hurt. It’s my own dumbass fault anyway.” He chuckled. You know he was just trying to cheer you up, but it just made you sob more.

You could hear shuffling throughout the room and you could feel another pair of arms wrap around you. You were almost positive that it was Felix from the lithe frame of the body. Then you felt another, then another. You were afraid to look up and see just how many of your friends were trying to comfort you.

“You know he’s just trying to protect you, noona. You know that right?” You weakly nodded your head and assumed Seungmin could see it from wherever he was at.

Once you felt the sobs that were wrecking your body subside, you lifted your head from your hands and saw all seven of the boys crowding around you. You were exponentially emotional from the situation and you felt extremely undeserving. Chan was the reason you were here with them. Hell, Chan was the reason you were even still alive, really.

“I need to make this right…” You started stumbling towards the door.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Changbin had a hold on your wrist. “It’s the middle of the night and your fucking plastered, NO WAY are we going to let you go chase him around when it’s dark out and you’re as boiled as an owl!” He pulled you back to the group as Jisung and Minho bracketed you on each side and threw their arms over your shoulders.

“Let’s get to bed, Kiyomi. You can talk to Channie-hyung in the morning.” Jisung smiled at you brightly and you returned it with a weak grin.

“Okay…” You took one last look at the front door and worried about your best friend. He had been drinking too...

After everyone bid good night to each other, you quickly texted Chan.

 

Kiyomi😈:

Let me know when u get home, kay?

We can talk in the morning but I really do love u Channie…

G’night pup.

You tense in anticipation when you receive a text almost immediately after.

Channie🐺:

I’m home

It takes a minute longer but then you see another message appear.

Channie🐺:

I love u too, sis…

Get some sleep, sweet dreams

You could almost cry in relief when you felt that your relationship wasn’t completely in shambles. How could it be? You two were family. Always would be.

The three of you crashed onto the California king bed together in the room with the ensuite. Jisung on your right side and Minho on your left. It felt weird, almost wrong , to be laying in bed with two incredibly attractive men. But to you, they weren’t really labeled strictly as the opposite sex, they were so much more to you.

The two boys hugged you on each side, squishing you into a sandwich and squeezed a strangled giggle out of your mouth. When they relaxed their grip, you couldn’t control the words that fell out of your gob. The phrase being all-too-common coming from your mouth. “I don’t deserve you guys…”

“Stop saying nonsense.” Minho cupped his hand over your mouth while Jisung tickled your sides. 

“Ack! Okay! Okay!” You cackled at the feeling. You brought your hands up to rest on both of the arms that were wrapped around your tummy and you sighed in content as you closed your eyes.

- - - - - - - - - -

You slowly regained consciousness as you felt a rustling in the bed next to you. As you turned your head, you saw the warmth of Minho leave the bundle of blankets that incased the three of you. Just as he was about to leave, your arm moved on its own to grab onto his wrist.

“Please don’t leave…” Your half asleep slur made him smile and sit back down.

He patted your head that most likely looked like a rat’s nest. “I’m not, little mouse, don’t worry. I’m just going to get some water.” His words were hardly above a whisper.

“Oh…” You reluctantly released his wrist and he briefly rested his hand on the back of yours. “...well…I want some too, then.”

“As you wish. I’ll be right back.” Not even a witty quip back?

It took a couple minutes, but he eventually creeped back in the room quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping quokka. The water was nice and cold and soothed the stinging acid left behind by the liquor. He crawled back in bed next to you as you sipped on the refreshing liquid. When you handed it back to him, he took a few large gulps for himself and sat the glass down on the nightstand.

The two of you naturally faced each other with Jisung at your back. You and Minho laid there and stared into each other’s sparkling eyes. For some reason it didn’t feel awkward. It felt sweet and intimate as if unspoken words were lingering in the air between the two of you.

Your mind wandered back to when he broke the rule in the game. It was beyond obvious to everyone of the risks and tension of the penalty. ‘Fuck it.’ Fuck it, he said. There’s no way that was an accident. Well, you know what, you agreed with him. Fuck it, there was no point in holding back now.

Faster than you intended, you scooted closer to him in bed and grabbed his head with both hands, fingers running through his silky hair yet again. You didn’t think you’d ever be able to get over his beautiful mane. No matter what color. Your eyes moved from his blown out eyes down to his plush lips. The expression on his face was equal parts of surprise and anticipation.

This moment. This is what you’d been longing for. You pressed your lips to his and he eagerly returned the kiss, snaking his arm underneath you so he could wrap both hands securely around your waist. The kiss stayed slow and controlled, the both of you simply enjoying the relief of each other’s touch. Fucking finally.

You were only mildly aware of the sleeping quokka behind you, but what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. Right then, it was only you and Minho, and he was way more intoxicating than anything you had drank that night.

There was a growing ball of heat that consumed your core and you felt like it was best to break the kiss before you lost all sense of proper judgement. You backed away with one last chaste kiss and stared into his eyes once more, heavy breathing emitting from both of your chests. You couldn’t control the huge smile that made your cheeks ache in a happiness that spread across your face.

He returned it in kind. “I kind of like you, little mouse. I think I’ll keep you.” You scoffed at his whispered words, but the annoyance wasn’t able to reach your face as the smile still consumed the space.

“Wow, what a smooth talker. Oh how it makes me swoon.” He chuckled and it seemed - no matter how hard he tried to suppress it - he couldn’t shake his own smile either. You watched his face get nearer and saw as his vision focus on your lips. You prepared for another heavenly kiss, but you suddenly felt yourself being pulled away.

Jisung had apparently rolled over and decided he wanted to cuddle in his sleep. His arm was pulling you in by your waist and his face was buried in the crook of your neck, lightly snoring like a baby pug. You and Minho shared a perplexed expression and when your eyes met, the two of you bursted out in giggles that wrecked your bodies.

The whole bed was shaking from the both of your guys’ hysteria. It was a damn miracle that Jisung didn’t wake up. That boy slept like the dead.

After several moments of smiles and light pecks, you and Minho fell back asleep with fingers intertwined.

- - - - - - - - - -

Boop.

Boop. Boop.

You wrinkled your nose in irritation.

Boop.

You groaned at the pokes you felt across your face, disturbing your sweet dreamland of pancakes and bacon. You could almost smell the delicious scent from the vivid images your mind had conjured up.

Boop.

“Kiyooomi… wakey-wakey…” You smiled at the warm, deep voice of Felix on the other side of your slumbering eyelids. Without much thought behind it, you reached out to the void in front of you until your hands found the small arms of the boy and you pulled him down for suffocating cuddles. “Haha! Kiyomi, you faker!”

He wrapped his arms around you to return the embrace. “Ten more minutes, Lixie. I feel like I just woke up from my deathbed.” You snuggled into his chest and felt the dark clouds return to your consciousness.

“GOOOOD MORNING, SUNSHINES!” Your eyes flew open to the sight of a flying quokka landing a full lunge onto yours and Felix’s balled up forms. You groaned loudly as he joined in the cuddle party. “Wake up lady! Changbin-hyung and Minho-hyung are making breakfast for our sorry, hungover asses.”

You quickly sat up and realized that that smell wasn’t from your dream as your body floated on its own to follow the delicious scent. “Holy fuck. Why didn’t you say so Lix? I’m starving.”

The small blonde shrugged and followed you out. “I was enjoying the cuddles.”

You could feel the smile overflow your face as you stepped into the kitchen and saw the two boys hard at work. Just like your dream had envisioned, a fluffy stack of pancakes and a simmering pile of bacon made their appearances to the side of the work space. You squeezed in between the two men that were diligently working together by the stove and threw your arms over both of them.

“You guys are my goddamn guardian angels. I thought I was going to die.”

“That's a shame. If you died, we could have had sausage and bacon.” You shoved Minho’s chuckling frame to the side.

“I take it back. You–” You pointed at Minho. “-asshole, are a whole damn slice of devil’s food cake.” You shot an exaggerated set of piercing eyes in his direction.

“Is that so? How do I taste?” The man looked like a predator stalking his prey as he scooted back over close to you. You felt your whole face light up in flames and butterflies stir in your gut as you stepped away from his tempting smile. You taste how a motherfucking dose of black tar heroin does to a drug addict. You moved to the other side of Changbin, out of sight from your personal demon.

“Can you two stop dicking around? You’re going to mess up the perfection of my flapjacks.” Changbin whined with an over-concentrated look on his face as he poured another circular form on the skillet.

“Hyung, let’s be real, it was ruined as soon as you took over the task.” Felix said from his spot by the sink, washing his hands.

“Yah! Do you not want any Yongbokkie?!” 

“Sorry Binnie-hyung! Love yooou!” Felix hugged Changbin around the neck briefly and you followed the ball of sunshine to help as he scurried away to set the table.

- - - - - - - - - -

“Lix, don’t worry about driving me back home. I’m going to get a head start so I can talk to Channie, okay?” You had finished your breakfast - barely making a dent before you felt like you were going to burst - and were walking out of the kitchen after you cleaned your dishes. You didn’t eat an extraordinary amount, but you felt more full than you had in weeks. To say the least, Minho was not happy with the amount of leftovers you slid off onto Changbin’s plate.

You informed the other of your plan when you passed the Aussie in the dining room as you headed back to the room to collect your things. “You sure?” His words were muffled with the amount of food stuffed in his freckled cheeks and you nodded with a confident smile on your face.

“I’ll help you get your things together.” Minho stood from the table and followed close behind you as you stepped into the room. 

Once you were safely inside, you froze in your tracks when you heard Minho shut the door behind him. You slowly turned around to face him with an apprehensive expression, heart thumping in your chest as you waited for his next move. But as you looked at his face - where you had expected to find amorous fires emitting from his eyes with a confidence that only Lee Minho could exude - instead, there was a somewhat insecure longing. You had never seen such a look on him, but damn him to hell for looking so freaking beautiful no matter what expression he held.

“Y/N…” He took a hesitant step towards you. “You know that I like you… right?”

You had never seen him so unsure of himself. He always held a confident and intimidating attitude that melted you to the spot, so this reaction was quite startling. You wanted to take away anything that could possibly make him feel anything less than the force of nature he was.

You smirked up at him to stride over to where he was standing, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Unless you kiss everyone like that, I would say I’ve had an inkling.” You could feel him physically relax under your touch and finally felt his muscular hands slither around your waist.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say quite like that, but my cats definitely get plenty of my smooches.” His wink and blinding smile had returned to his face and you could feel it carry over to your own. You felt magnetized to him as your arms subconsciously pulled him down for a reassuring kiss. It sure as hell felt real now. Now that neither of you were drunk or half asleep, the both of you moved like it had always been that way.

The arms that wrapped around you made you feel even tinier than you already were with the way they almost doubled over around you. The warm pressure of his lips made you sigh in pleasure and you found yourself reaching up on the points of your toes to get closer to him. The tongue that snaked out to meet with yours tasted like butter and maple syrup and you drank in the pure bliss the taste brought to you.

You lightly gasped as he pulled your body flush to his and you felt your skin set aflame when his fingers glided up and down your back through the thin material of your top. The skin on the back of his neck felt like lava and you skimmed your fingers underneath the collar to try and feel of more of the satin flesh. You were visibly keening when you felt his fingers find the bottom hem of your silk shirt to do the same.

“Hyung, can you help me w–” You almost screamed when you heard none other than Han Jisung step into the room, but your voice couldn’t express more than a squeak. Minho looked indubitably pissed when you jumped backwards and he whipped around menacingly to face his best friend.

Jisung quickly stepped inside and shut the door behind him. “Ji, wait, it wasn’t w–”

“Well well well! It’s about damn time you made a fucking move, hyung!” Jisung crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at Minho while your brain short circuited. “I was prepared to tell her MYSELF if you kept your gob shut any longer.”

You stared at the pair, completely lost. “W-what?” You looked at Minho expectantly.

He meekly turned back to you as he scratched the back of his neck. “I may have *ahem* mentioned once or twice that I kind of have a thing for you…” He chuckled nervously. So… this wasn’t a new thing for him? He’s had these feelings for a while now? Holy shit…

“He only told me, though. I’m pretty sure everyone else is completely oblivious. Even though I'm not sure how they could be when he looks at you the way he does.” Blueberry #1 just stood there with a smug look on his face when Minho turned his attention back to him.

The feline took a step toward the quokka with malice. “YEAH, which is why that bullshit you pulled last night with your filthy lips was NOT FUNNY.” 

Jisung put his hands up in defense. “Hey, I’m not the one that cussed, she was! Besides, how else was I going to pressure you to get the fuck on with it?”

You stood flabbergasted as you watched the boys bicker. Minho rolled his eyes. “Well you definitely seemed a bit overeager to get your hands on her…” You had then decided that Minho's pouting was now one of your favorite things to witness.

“Can you blame me though? I haven’t gotten any action in AGES and she’s actually a fucking goddess with those lips!” Jisung threw you a sly wink, making you blush furiously.

Blueberry #2 came back to you and wrapped an arm around your waist. “Yeah, I know. So get your own, Sungie! And give us some goddamn privacy while you’re at it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” He traipsed over to the door and started to step out before turning back. “But, Kiyomi, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me.” He flashed yet another crooked grin and winked at you once more.

You couldn’t help but giggle when Minho threw a pillow directly at Jisung’s face, the latter closing the door before it could meet its mark. You heard the fading sound of laughter from the quokka on the other side as he walked away.

You felt an overwhelming sense of giddiness consume you. You gently walked up to the man still glaring at the closed door and placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him to turn around and face you. “Hey Min?”

As he turned around, his face softened. He brought his left hand up to cup your cheek. “What’s up, my little mouse?” You blushed and look down with a smile on your face, suddenly feeling shy under his intense gaze. “Oh? What’s this? The girl that was sucking on my tonsils a few minutes ago is feeling shy?”

Damn him, he’s not wrong… You harshly punched him in the shoulder. “It’s not like you were any better! Anyway, as much as I would love to bicker over swapping spit, Chan is probably waiting for me…” You turned to collect your things and you felt a strong hand pull you back.

He abruptly spun you around to roughly grab your waist and - in contrast to his hands - he gently pressed his lips to yours. He sensually moved his mouth against you, not quite chaste, but also not quite open-mouthed. “When will I see you next?” He breathed against your lips.

You felt dizzy from his proximity and ethereal face. “I... I don’t know… it depends on how my talk with Channie goes. I’ll text you, but I might not see you until class on Monday.” He pulled back with reluctance.

“Okay, well… I hope everything goes okay. I know he loves you unconditionally and he means well, so I hope you two go easy on each other.” 

You smirked at his comment. “Wow, I think that’s the softest, most heartfelt thing I’ve ever heard you say!” You grabbed his shoulders and turned him left to right as if you were inspecting him. “Is my cat broken?”

He dramatically rolled his eyes at you and suddenly you could see a scheming glint pass over his eyes. You trembled when he stepped closer to you with a bone-chilling smile. He leaned down to whisper in your ear, his lips grazing your lobe. “Would you rather I be rough, little mouse?” His hands landed on your hips and he pulled you flush to him with force. God, I’m a weak, weak woman. You felt like a horny teenager all over again when you found warmth starting to swim through your core, right down to your groin.

You pushed him back in an attempt to avoid the temptation with the whole group just on the other side of the door. “You're the devil, Min. We don’t need the whole friend group to hear you getting ‘rough’.” You tried to glare at him, but you were pretty sure you just looked like a stubborn child.

Where you expected to find more teasing, you found the opposite. “Oh…” He awkwardly dropped his gaze and you wondered if you had said something wrong. “So you don’t want them to know?”

Your heart broke when you saw his downcast face. “It’s not that I don’t want them to know that I’m yours! I'm just not quite ready for Chan to murder you…”

He nodded in understanding, then his face grew that cocky, crooked smile once again. “Sooo, you’re mine?” He bit his bottom lip and all you wanted to do was bite it for him.

“Don’t get cocky, Minnie. You’re still on a tight leash, babe.” What the fuck? The word just instinctively fell out of your mouth and you were mortified at how upfront you were being.

He stepped closer to you again with that darkness in his eyes and regained purchase on your waist. “Babe, huh? I like that, say it again.” He licked his lips and bit it again in anticipation.

You weren’t sure where your sudden confidence came from, but you leaned in close to his ear in preparation to whisper. “I have to leave, baaabe .” You quickly pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek and skipped off to gather your belongings, leaving a blushing statue behind.

- - - - - - - - - -

You took a deep breath as you stood in front of your apartment door. Patience, Y/N. Patience and understanding. Nerves wrecked your body as you opened the door to enter your living room.

You immediately spotted your best friend pacing in front of the kitchen and your heart instantly dropped. He looked awful. His hair was disheveled and there were bags under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept all night. He has insomnia, so you were usually used to this, but he looked way worse than other sleepless nights.

Once your eyes locked, you broke down. You ran up to his anxious form and wrapped your arms around his neck. Tears streamed down your face as he squeezed your waist in a tight hug. “I- I’m so s-sorry Channie. I love you so much and I don’t want us to fight anymore… you deserve someone better than me as a shit friend…”

He squeezed you tighter, leaving you slightly breathless. “Kiyomi, I wouldn’t trade you for anything or anyone on this god forsaken planet. You mean the world to me.” He pulled back and wiped your alligator tears away with his thumbs and laid a small peck on your forehead. “Let’s gather our bearings and veg out to chill for a bit before we work things out, yeah?”

You meekly nodded but refused to let go of his neck. He chuckled at your clinginess and picked you up to lay you on the couch. “I’ll go get snacks, you still want pretzels and chocolate?” You eagerly nodded your head and offered a small smile. No one could ever know you better than Chan.

- - - - - - - - - -

“I- I just don’t think that you need to worry about me 24/7, Channie. I love that you care so much, but I’ve protected myself over these past years that you’ve been gone, haven’t I?”

He hung his head low and nodded. The anime and snacks that had previously been helping to avoid the difficult conversation were completely ignored as the two of you tried to reconcile.

“I suppose that is true. But mom and dad moved you here so I can protect you, love you, and give you a better life. I don’t want to risk you getting a heartbreak or worse from someone who doesn’t love you unconditionally…”

Your face morphed into a sad smile. “Channie, you know that love doesn’t present itself right off the bat, right? If I don’t even get to try, is that really living life to the fullest? I want YOU to date. I want YOU to have a special intimacy with someone. I want YOU to have someone so you don’t feel lonely anymore. I’m not sure if what you have with that one girl is serious, but I have the same fears for you. I don’t want you to get hurt. But even if you do, that is part of the risk of finding someone better.” 

He chuckled under his breath. “It’s times like these where you show that you really are the noona and not the little sis that I treat you like…”

No shit. You smiled at him with the kind of love a mother would give to her child. “So will you tone it down?”

“...I will... try… but please - for the love of god - don’t choose one of our friends. I absolutely love them, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable thinking about any of them…” He shivered in disgust. “...doing… things to you.”

You froze, limbs going stiff and face dropping to a frown. Luckily he was focused on snacking and not your reaction. The ‘things’ that you were wanting to do to Minho flashed through your mind and you knew for sure that Chan would murder him if he ever found out.

You sat there in silence and sadness, but Chan leaned over and hugged you warmly. “I am glad we had this talk, Y/N. I felt awful that we were at odds. I love you so much.” You briefly relaxed and hugged him back.

“I love you too, Channie.” You stared over his shoulder blankly while wrapped in his arms. Now you knew you really had to hide the fact that you and Minho were a thing. A thing? I mean what are we really? You couldn’t help but ponder to yourself, ruminating over the fact that there may or may not be something concrete between the two of you, but you didn’t know what to call it.

When the two of you were ready for bed, you agreed to snuggle that night. The way that you were used to doing growing up when his insomnia was at its worst. He always said it helped him sleep and you definitely felt like he needed the assistance that night.

He laid a kiss on your head as he took over the position of big spoon. “Night, Kiyomi. Love you.”

“Nighty night Channie.” You stared into the darkness and battled with your own thoughts. How am I ever going to tell Chan about Minho?

Needless to say, you didn’t get much sleep that night.

- - - - - - - - - -

Minnie🐱🔥💋:

R u and Chan-hyung all good?

Little Mouse🐭😘:

Thankfully, yes 🙌🏼 

But, um…

Kinda have bad news too…

Minnie🐱🔥💋:

😳 Uh oh

At least ur still breathing

I assume

But do tell

Little Mouse🐭😘:

U free tomorrow?

I don’t have to work tomorrow since it’s a Sunday

Minnie🐱🔥💋:

Hmm 🤔 I’ll have to check my schedule

But I think I can fit u in 😉

Little Mouse🐭😘:

Wow. I’m so touched 🙄

I’m spending a lot of the day w/ Chan

U know, reconciliation and shit

So I’ll probs be there around 7pm

Cool? 👍🏼

 

Minnie🐱🔥💋:

I’ll be waiting 😘

You were nervous and excited that morning. Nervous to tell Minho the uncomfortable news, but excited to spend the day with your best friend and your… ‘Man? Lover?’... whatever Minho was to you - that night.

The day with Chan was spent going to Lotte World. You had never been to an amusement park and Chan was as giddy as a school girl to get to show you around. You had decided that you love roller coasters. The thrill of it gave you tingles in your nerves that made you feel like you were flying. Much like the feeling of riding the motorcycle with Minho.

Chan went all out in giving you the full experience. You were not sure how he possibly could have wracked up that kind of money from his ordinary fitness trainer job, but he sure spoiled you nonetheless. Popcorn, cotton candy, ginormous soft pretzels, hot dogs, and ice cream. That’s not including all of the random carnival games where he won you a mountain of plushies. The most impressive was when he won you a cat stuffed animal that was as tall as a fully grown man when he hammered the high striker.

You couldn’t believe the sights and sounds of laughter and fun that filled the air. You felt like a kid again and Chan was with you through all of it. You looked over at your self proclaimed brother and laughed as he fumbled with all of the plushies. When you reached Felix’s car - that you guys borrowed - and he sat down all of the fluffy toys, you hugged him tightly with a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, Channie. You are the greatest man I’ve ever met. You take care of me so well.” He hugged you back impossibly tighter.

“Love you, big sis. You deserve all of the happiness in the world.” You smile and your heart swelled with your love for this man. 

When you got home, you helped him dump all of the plushies onto your bed. You weren’t sure if you should tell him that you were going to Minho’s. Chan was already uneasy with the two of your guys’ relationship and you didn’t want to stoke the fire.

“Hey, Chan. I have some friends that are needing tutoring in calculus tonight and I was going to go help them at one of their house’s.” You felt slightly guilty for the lie, but you knew the risk of telling him the truth.

He gave you a flabbergasted face. “Kiyomi, you absolutely suck at calculus.” He looked so confused and his face twisted extremely crooked. 

Shit, he’s right. I should have picked a different class. You thought you could play it off, but it didn’t even sound convincing to you. “Yeah, tell me about it. I told them that too, but they insisted.”

He slowly nodded his head. “Okay well, be careful and let me know when you get there and let me know when you are headed back, okay?”

You chuckled at his fatherly instincts. “Yes, sir!” You raised your hand to your forehead and sarcastically saluted him, earning a small scoff.

Before you left, you snuck a tiny kitten plushie with you out of the door.

- - - - - - - - - -

You texted Chan to notify of your arrival as you stood outside of Minho’s apartment door. You didn’t know why your nerves were going haywire. You had already stayed there before. Maybe it was because you two weren’t together before? Were you two together? Anyway, let’s get on with it.

Your knuckles rapped on the door panel and almost instantly you see the ethereal being that was Lee Minho standing on the other side of the threshold. All you could muster was a breathless “Hi” as you stepped into his entryway. Once he closed the door behind you, he wrapped his arms around your waist against you in a back hug as you took off your shoes.

“Well hello, little mouse. Fancy meeting you here.” You turned around in his arms to face his smoldering eyes.

“I figured it was a nice spot to chill.” He smirked at you and you could see him lean in for a kiss.

You decided that you wanted him to earn it. Before he could touch down on your lips, you pulled the plushie out from behind you and held it to his face. He looked shocked as he leaned back, unhooking his arms from you. He almost looked hurt from the obtrusion of his advances.

“What the hell is that?” 

“It’s you!” You smiled triumphantly as you held the cat up to his face. “I got it for you! That way you have a little mini Minho to keep you company.”

“Awww” He pinched your cheek. “What a sweet little mouse.” You pierced your lips together and swatted his hand away.

“Well then, I guess if you don’t want it, I can always give it to Ji…” You pulled it away but he snatched it from you quickly and walked away with a grumble. As you followed him, you see that he had placed it on the center of the island in his kitchen.

“There, now I get to see it every morning when I eat breakfast.” He turned around and smiled mockingly down at you. You felt giddy with the way he looked at you, feeling as if you were lucky to even be in the same presence as this man, let alone having intimate encounters with him. You turned around to hide your blushing smile and walked over to plop down on the couch. Not even a second after, the man sat down next to you with his legs crossed, fully facing you. “So what’s the news? No more brownies before bedtime? He needs to walk you home from school?”

His smirk earned an unamused expression from you. “Wow, you’re a true comedian, you know that?”

He simply shrugged. “Maybe I should change jobs.”

The seriousness of this man is severely limited. “I think you’re better at dancing.” You patronizingly patted his shoulder. “No, but Chan and I have restored harmony, which was the biggest relief I’ve ever felt before in my life…” He nodded, but you looked at him hesitantly. “...and he’s okay with me seeing people…” Minho’s face lit up like a damned Christmas tree and your heart sank. “...but… he said he doesn’t want it to be anyone from our circle…”

You deflated when you had to witness his face drop. “W-what? Why?”

You sighed in frustration. “The fuck if I know. Something about him not wanting any of you guys doing ‘things’ to me.” You raised your eyes to the ceiling and then dropped your face into your hands.

“So, is that it? We can’t see each other?” You whipped your head up to look at his frustrated face and you were sure you looked like a terrified puppy as you grabbed onto the hand that was resting on his lap.

“W-well, not necessarily… we just might need to… I dunno, keep it on the down low?”

He held your hand in return. “Well… as much as I would hate to keep you a secret… I suppose it’s better than nothing.” You two sat in comfortable silence for a moment and Minho seemed to be contemplating something. You couldn’t keep your eyes away from his beautiful face, fearing that he was considering that it might not be worth the trouble. That is until he looked up at you with a smirk on his face. “Sooo…” He leaned in a little closer from his spot next to you. “Care to elaborate on the ‘things’ Chan-hyung was worried about?”

You felt the blood rush to your face and nervousness swirl around in your gut. You definitely never anticipated this is where the conversation was going to go, but, hell, no complaints from your end. “Care to take a guess?” You feigned your confidence when, in reality, you felt like you were going to pass out from anxiousness.

“I might have a few things in mind…” He whispered against your lips, suddenly right in front of your face. You felt your resolve crumble as he pressed his lips to yours. A teeny tiny sliver of your subconscious whispered to you that you were betraying Chan, but it was nothing compared to the burning hot desire you were currently feeling.

You basically jumped him as you threw your arms around his neck, making him chuckle as he almost fell back against the arm of the couch from your impact. You wasted no time in coaxing him to let you explore his mouth, which he did so eagerly. You’d never tasted anything more addicting than Minho, hinting at a bit of dark chocolate and citrus.

Your upper body leaned against him, while your lower body remained respectfully seated on the couch. You ran your hands through his hair and under the hem of the collar of his shirt while one of his hands claimed purchase around your waist and the other was rubbing up and down your thigh. And my god did it feel heavenly. He repositioned his crossed legs to halfway sit on the sofa proper while his left leg folded underneath him to lean in closer.

His tongue was extremely experienced and you were sure you were currently soaking in your panties from the intensity of the situation. You decided to take matters into your own hands as you pulled him down on top of you, slotting him in between your legs. You couldn’t help but moan into his mouth when you felt the effect you had on him through his tightening pants.

“God, you’re so sexy.” He whispered as his lips moved to nip at your ear. Your body moved on its own as you grinded up against him, seeking the sweet friction from his body. The sound of heavy panting filled the room and the hands that were currently on your hips slipped down to grab underneath your thighs, lifting them slightly so he could press even closer to you.

You whimpered as he grinded down on you with his mouth sucking on your pulse. You wrapped your legs around him and pulled him impossibly close. You almost felt desperate for more of his touch. You were new to this but all your instincts could think about was feeling him all over.

While your legs were wrapped around him, one of his hands moved from your thigh up to the hem of your shirt, teasing with it to silently ask permission. “Minho, if you don’t touch me right now I think I will actually combust.” You felt his smile against your neck and he roughly grabbed your shirt, leaning back to shuck it off your body.

You slightly felt embarrassed as he intensely looked down at your body, running his hands over your sides and protruding ribs. You could've sworn for half a second you saw a sad smile cross his features, but then he licked his bottom lip as he slid his hands to cup over your bra. You silently praised Felix for the black, lace bra he provided you with. “You're so goddamned beautiful, Y/N…”

You didn’t expect it when he laid himself on top of you again, switching his movements against your lips to a slow, intimate kiss. Your body melted on the spot and decidedly resolved yourself to allow this man to do whatever the fuck he wanted to do to you. Your heart was pounding as you two gently moved your tongues together in a delicate dance, his hands massaging your breasts all the while.

You arched your back as he wrapped his arms around you to allow him to remove your bra, much more controlled than the last time you two fooled around on this couch. He wasted no time in throwing the lacy fabric to the side and running his palms across your bare breasts. No man had ever touched you under your clothes (not welcomed hands anyway) and you felt as if you were hyperventilating.

He flicked his thumbs over your sensitive, pink buds and you couldn’t sustain the squeak that escaped your mouth. “Hmmm, I like to hear my little mouse make those sweet noises.” You were sure your whole body was flushed as he moved his open-mouthed kisses down your chest. You felt another wave of pleasure pulse through your groin as he took your nipple into his mouth and sucked  hard .

You whined as he moved from one nipple to the other as to not neglect the other from his abuse. All you could do was lay there in suspense as he continued the journey of his lips down to your navel, the absence of his hard erection making you whine. “Oh, god, Minnie…” He thumbed at your clit through your jeans and you immediately took matters into your own hands. “Bedroom, now.”

With that, he swiftly lifted you from the couch (Damn, he’s strong) and shuffled to the bedroom to gently lay you down on the bed, quickly pulling off his shirt like a damn porn star and making his dark hair fluff from the friction. You giggled as he pounced on you and peppered kisses all over your face, eventually landing his lips on yours. It was hungry this time, pressing into your mouth furiously.

His hand snaked down to your navel and eventually popped open the button on your jeans. You were almost scared of what was to come, not knowing what to expect with another person’s hands on you. Well… hands that you actually wanted on you. However, this fear was quelled as he reached in and massaged your clit over your panties. Your eyes fluttered closed and you threw your head back with a loud moan, running your hands over his soft, toned chest in an attempt to gain purchase on something to ground yourself.

His mouth moved back down to flick his tongue over your nipples. “You’re so soft, baby.” He gently nibbled the swollen bud and you almost drew blood as you bit your lip. You lifted your hips as he peeled off your skinny jeans and he propped himself up on his knees between your legs. His eyes refused to leave yours as he slid his hands up the inside of your thighs. You were visibly quivering and you were embarrassed of the effect he had on you. 

He smiled down fondly at you. “Don’t be afraid, darling.” He moved one of his hands to caress your cheek. “I’ll take excellent care of you.”

You were speechless as you just nodded at him. He returned to your aching sex and lowered his body to kiss your inner thigh. “Holy fuck…” You breathed in a whimpered tone. You were immediately praising yourself for keeping yourself neatly groomed down there every day. You could feel his cheeky grin on your skin as he slid his tongue further up your thigh. His face hovered over the black lace that matched your bra and he stared directly into your soul with fire in his eyes. Never breaking eye contact, he closed his wet mouth over your clit through your panties and you felt like you died and went to heaven.

Your eyes rolled into the back of your head and your body couldn’t help but squirm from the delicious new sensation. He grabbed your hips to keep you still and your already soaked panties got even wetter as his saliva seeped through the fabric he was sucking on. Surely - with how you were bugging out like a teenager - he knew that you’d never done this before, right?

Your breathing picked up to hyperventilation mode as he thumbed at the hem of your panties. His mouth left your bliss button and you huffed in frustration. He chuckled and raised his body back up to whisper in your ear, grinding his bulge down on you all the while. “Calm down, little mouse. I don’t want you passing out before I’ve even started.” He pecked an open-mouthed kiss under your ear and sat back up to continue his previous ministrations.

He looked hesitant as he looped his index fingers through your panties, looking in your eyes for approval. “Please…” you whispered. And that's all he needed to swiftly slide your panties off your legs. You were completely naked and vulnerable in front of this man, but you didn’t feel scared of being touched. Not like last time…

He plunged down in between your legs and latched his mouth onto your bare, sensitive pearl, swirling his tongue around and making you whimper like a puppy. Grabbing onto your wiggling hips again, his mouth closed over your clit, he sucked hard . And goddamn was he a fucking god at this. You never thought anything could feel this good.

That was until his mouth moved down. Your knuckles were completely white as they gripped onto the sheets. He had traveled his tongue down to the base of your folds and licked up between them, ending the journey with a flick of your clit. You couldn’t hold back the cry that breached your lips. His tongue then plunged in between your slick lips and ate you out as if it were his last meal.

Your hands instinctively laced through his silky blue locks and lightly tugged on them, not pulling him away, but more to coax him for more. He received the memo and quickly looped his arms underneath your legs, using his pure strength to lift your pelvis to gain a better angle. “Fuck… shit… Oh god, Min! – ah!” One of his arms released your leg and guided his middle finger to join his tongue inside you. You could almost cry from the pleasure he was giving you.

You grinded down on him and he finally relented the attack with his mouth. He kept his finger inside you, slowly probing in and out as he moved back up to hover over you. “You taste so delicious, little mouse. So fucking good for me.” You desperately pulled him down for a kiss, tongues wrestling and you tasted yourself on his lips.

You whined into his mouth when you felt his index finger slide in next to the one already torturing you. You threw your head back, disconnecting your lips, when you felt him curl his fingers up and press against your sweet bundle of nerves that threw you into pure ecstasy.

He quickened his pace and you thrashed your body around, whining from the extreme intensity. He grabbed your arm with his unoccupied hand and pinned it to your side to lessen your movement. He latched his tongue to your clit again and it was too much to handle. “M-Minnie! I– I…” You felt waves crash over you as you released the tightness in your core, soaking the man’s face and sheets in the process.

“There we go, darling…” He left a sweet kiss on your inner thigh as he sat up to assess the damage. You closed your legs in shame, embarrassed of the mess you made. He looked up into your eyes with a sweet smile, putting his hands on your knees in the process, spreading them again. “Oh baby. That is so fucking HOT, you drive me crazy, baby.”

You felt your core heating up again, unable to get enough of this unreal human. You lunged up at him and tugged on his belt, slipping it out of his loops and undoing his jeans, loosening the tightness from his erection. Your eyes bulged out of your head when he pulled his pants down, displaying the ginormous tent in his boxers. The shakiness returned to your body tenfold.

You were terrified of your inexperience, afraid that you would humiliate yourself. You scooted closer to the edge of the bed and put your hands on his hips, eyes never moving from his painful looking erection. He stood there patiently, awaiting your next move. You hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided he deserved to know. “I– I’ve never done this before… you might need to help me…”

You could feel him tense up under your hands and you looked up at his face in apprehension. “Wait... are you a virgin?” You lowered your hands to your lap and looked down at them with a red face.

“Oh… O-oh shit!” He stepped away from you in a rush and pulled his pants back on at light speed.

You felt your heart sink and your head fill with desperation and doubt. “Min?” 

He scratched the back of his neck once his pants were fully on. “Y/N… I… I don’t know if I can do that…”

You felt the tell-tale signs of your stupid angry tears prick at your eyes. “You can't do what exactly?” You tried to control yourself, but your statement came off as extremely pissy.

He frustratingly ran his hand through his hair. “That’s… that’s a special kind of thing, Y/N… I can’t–”

“It’s so special that your dick won’t work?” You cut him off as you stood up and crossed your arms over your chest, feeling humiliated and exposed in your bare state. You began to pull up your soiled panties and jeans to at least feel a little bit of security. 

“That’s not it, babe–”

“You’re afraid to steal my ‘virtue’ or what the fuck ever? Well, news flash, I’ve lost that in about every other category.” You realized you were yelling now, staring daggers into him.

His scowl didn’t make you feel any better. “You don’t get it, Y/N. That kind of thing is not something that–”

Why the fuck did everyone judge your lack of ‘experience’? I’m not a goddamned child. You interrupted him again, not wanting to hear anymore. “Save it, Minho. You sound just like Chan! I thought you…” You cursed yourself for the unexpected tear that rolled down your cheek. You saw his face fall, but you were determined to stand your ground. “...I thought you wanted me…” You looked down at the ground and closed your eyes, your face twisted in anger. You didn’t want to face him anymore in you humiliated state. “But whatever, forget it. At this point, I’ll just stay a virgin forever. Or maybe I should just find someone with the balls to actually fuck me!”

You knew you didn’t mean it, but the rage that blinded you didn’t care. All you wanted to do was escape. And that’s exactly what you did. You marched into the living room to reattach your bra and pull your shirt over your head, immediately heading for the door with Minho close behind.

“Babe, please don’t leave…” He tried to grab your hand as you put your shoes on, but you yanked it out of his grasp.

“Don’t ‘babe’ me! Just…” The tears were streaming down your face and the woman you thought was strong, ended up to be just an emotional bitch baby. Just like you had been ever since you had stepped foot into this god forsaken country. “...just…” You gasped for air through your sobs, not knowing what to say in your anger. “...just fuck off, Minho…” You hastily turned and slammed the door in his face.

You skipped the classes you specifically shared with Minho on Monday and Tuesday, picking up an extra shift at work on Monday evening to drown your thoughts.

- - - - - - - - - -

You were balled up in your blankets as Chan walked in to bring you another plate of food on Tuesday, switching it out with the previous uneaten one in its place. “Kiyomi… please eat… I know you are feeling sick, but you aren’t eating enough on any given day already. I’m worried about you, hun.”

You stuffed your face into your pillow and mumbled back to him. “I’m sorry, Channie… I’ll try…” You knew you wouldn’t, but at least you could give him hope.

He caressed your hair with his face downturned in worry. “Okay, sweetheart. I’m praying for you to get better soon.” You smiled into your pillow and felt the black fog of sleep engulf you as he caressed his fingers through your hair. Chan is all I’ll ever need to make me happy, even if that means I’ll never have a real relationship with someone... These were the last thoughts that ran through your head as you drifted off into dreamland.

- - - - - - - - - -

You slowly regained consciousness and smiled again as you felt fingers still carding its way through your hair. You opened your eyes to look up at your best friend and almost jumped out of your skin when you saw another man. You had apparently jumped to the other side of the bed as you sat face to face with the man of your desires and heartache.

There was a moment of silence where the two of you searched each other's eyes, looking for some sort of explanation. “What the fuck are you doing here, Min?”

He looked down at his fiddling hands. “Um… tutoring? It is Tuesday, right?”

You scoffed and images of his rejection on Sunday ran through your mind. “Did I get lost in translation the other night? I specifically remember telling you to fuck off. Obviously you didn’t understand that included your company on tutoring days.” You crossed your arms and refused to look him in the eye.

“Y/N, please let me explain.”

“I think it’s crystal clear, Min. You are too much of a pussy to take my virginity. A concept that means nothing to me, by the way. Especially with the way I almost lost it last time…” You felt the prickling in your eyes of your potential tear ducts acting up and you tightly closed your eyes to hold them back.

“It’s not that it’s–” You peeked over at him sitting on your bed when he cut himself off mid sentence. “What do you mean ‘the way you almost lost it’?”

You kicked yourself for letting that slip. “Nothing, forget it.” You crossed your arms and faced away from him. He probably wouldn’t give a fuck anyway.

You felt a gentle hand rest on your knee and you almost broke down. “I know I might not be the most serious person in most situations, but please know that you can talk to me… I… I really like you, Y/N… the thought of you finding someone else to do that to you… it drives me crazy.”

You faced him and you were sure he could see your glossed over eyes that threatened to spill over. You hesitated, but after a moment of silence your hand naturally gravitated to hold the hand that was on your knee, intertwining your fingers and feeling his strong hand squeeze yours. You hadn’t realized how much you had missed touching him only in the span of a couple days.

“I… I didn’t really mean it, Min. I was just angry… I’d rather just forget about it…”

His face was downcast and his eyes were zoned out on your intertwined hands. “I feel like I know nothing about you, Kiyomi… I wish you wouldn’t hide from me…”

You looked up to the ceiling in an attempt to avoid your tears from falling. “It’s not that I want to hide from you, Minnie… I just have an ugly past. You wouldn’t look at me the same. Chan is the only one who helped me through it and the only one who has never judged me.” You looked down with a sad smile.

“Y/N…” You dared to look him in the eyes. “I want to be with you. I want to call you mine and have the honor to be called yours. I want to scream from the rooftops of how lucky I am to have you with me. I want to take you on dates and cuddle you when you’re sad. I don’t want to…” He looked down, considering the weight of his words. “...I don’t want to just fuck you, Kiyomi… I want to make love to you… but only when that time comes. You deserve your first time to be the best experience possible. Because you deserve to be happy, Y/N.” 

You didn’t know when you had started crying, but you only realized when he wiped away a stray tear from your cheek. “I’m not blind, little mouse. I know you have had some sort of shit happen to you… I can see it…” He freed his hand from your grasp so he could take both sides of your face in his hands, kissing your forehead gently. “If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. But I would really like to know what’s going through your pretty little head when you fret over these things.”

He wanted to be with you, not only as a lover or a friend, but something far more intimate. You almost couldn’t process all of the words that were thrown at you, but as you cleared your mind of the fog of anger it once held, you found pure affection took its place. He was right, if you wanted this man, really wanted him (and you did) he deserved to know the truth.

- - - - - - - - - -

You looked down at the scrap of paper that had small lettering with shit handwriting of an address on it and looked up at the faded numbered door of a seedy motel, hoping the address was correct so you could get the fuck on with it. You briefly felt down to your boot, ensuring that your switchblade was secure inside your tight sock. 

The late autumn wind whipped around you and through your hair, causing you to shiver and grow goosebumps up your bare arms. Your jacket, admittedly the only jacket you had, had been ruined when your mom dropped the embers of a couple lit cigarettes and an ashtray on it, burning through the material. You should have at least worn long sleeves, but there was no point in ruminating on it now. The best thing you could do now was to get this over and done with.

You rapped on the door with your knuckle systematically and saw the blinds of the window next to you part slightly, inspecting who the visitor was. You rolled your eyes as the figure left. Do they seriously have to be so sketchy about it? As you waited for the man to open the door, you heard muffled voices on the other side of the teal, paint chipped door.

Once the door opened, you were quickly ushered to enter the room. “Ah, nice to see you again, Y/N! How are mom and pop?” The overweight man sitting next to a crappy table in the corner of the room shined a yellow, toothy grin at you. The two men who ushered you in the door retreated to resume their places on opposite corners of the room, one lighting the foul stench of a cigarette, the other scrolling through his phone.

“Can we please skip the pleasantries? I have school in the morning and I’d rather not chit chat.” You tossed the McDonald’s paper sack down on the bed, one of the lackeys grabbing it to inspect the contents. You watched as the man poked his pinky finger in the white substance and smeared it on the inner side of his lip, smacking his tongue to distinguish the taste.

“That’s it, boss. A full kilo.” You outstretched your palm to receive the roll of money that was sitting on the table next to a full syringe and a line of cocaine. Of course they aren’t satisfied with just one. The man stood up from his place next to the table and stepped towards you, making your fight or flight instincts flare up.

“Do you really have to leave so early? The night is young, little girl! At least stay for a drink.” He held up his lowball glass of brown liquor, making the contents slosh and the ice clink against the edges of it's containment. Your face twisted into one of disgust at his proposition.

“I’m good, thanks. Just give me the money and I’ll be out of your hair.” He huffed as he turned to grab the wad of cash, presenting it to you. As you went to claim it from him, he pulled it back.

“I think you could earn a little extra, kitten.” He licked his chapped lips and looked you up and down.

“Thanks but no thanks.” You tried to reach for it again, but he pulled it back further, making you lean closer to him. You stood back to your previous position and huffed. “Don, seriously? I don’t have time for this shit. Can you please just pay me so I can go?” You held out your hand expectantly once again.

Finally, he dropped the bundle into your hand and you grasped it firmly. You started to walk away, but when you turned around, your fear froze you on the spot as you watched one of the useless assholes pulling the chain over the lock on the door. 

There had been a couple of deals before where the recipient tried to hold you back, but they were easy enough to handle. Because you were a young, skinny girl, many thought you were a scared baby lamb. They were wrong.

You turned around with a blistering glare. “Don, what the fuck?! Let me out of here! You got your fix, you don’t need me anymore.”

“Oh, on the contrary, love. I think you have far better uses.” With that, the two men grabbed each of your arms, pulling you over to the bed and pinning you to it on each side. You cursed yourself for not watching your own back. The one that was smoking held up his cigarette to your neck and pressed the embers deep into your skin, making you scream in pain. The searing white pain fogged your eyes and fuzzed your mind.

When you regained composure, horror filled your veins as the fat man started unbuckling his belt and pulled down his pants and underwear in one go, showing his erect dick underneath bundles of fat. Sick motherfucking piece of cow shit.

Without even a second thought, your self defense instincts kicked in and you twisted your body in the men's firm grasps and wrapped your legs around the neck of the man on your left, making him relinquish his grasp on you as he tried to pry your thighs from his throat, choking and gargling on his spit all the while. You didn’t have much time before the other two men reacted, the larger of the two tripping over the pants around his legs and falling to the ground (fucking dumbass). And the man holding your other arm refused to loosen his grasp as you clung onto the other’s neck with your thighs for dear life.

The other man tried to pull you away, pulling your arm and twisting. You heard a pop and a grind in your shoulder followed by another yelp from your mouth from the pain, but you used the advantage of now having a free hand to punch his throat with all the strength you had in you. The man’s eyes bulged out of his head as he grabbed his throat with both hands, most likely having his esophagus collapsed. With both of your hands now free, you lunged over the bed to chase your escape, grabbing the money off the floor in the process and popping your shoulder back into its socket.

Both lackeys were clinging onto their throats in attempts to regain oxygen and the hefty man was rolling around on the floor, suddenly grabbing your ankle and pulling you backwards. Your body moved on its own as you reached down into your boot and flicked open the blade. You pulled back with a swift move and plunged the knife down. You heard a high pitched scream as you saw the sharp metal pierce straight through the middle of his hand, going all the way through and ripping through the tendons and veins there.

The hand that had held you captive retracted at light speed as he cradled it in his chest, whimpering like a baby. When you turned around, your terrified fingers trembled as you stumbled to slide the chain out from the lock with one arm, the other loosely hanging at your side. The pain in your shoulder would have to wait to be assessed at another time, because all the adrenaline worked towards one goal. Getting the FUCK out of there.

Luckily, you finally got out of the door just in time as you could hear Don yell ‘go get the bitch’ to his lackeys. You didn’t even hesitate to redirect your normal route to the bus stop, instead opting to round the corner of the motel and sprint through the back alleys of the area to sprint 3 miles to Chan’s.

- - - - - - - - - -

You sat in the dimly lit shed - and personal hang out spot - in Chan’s backyard and inspected your bruised knuckles from smashing that guy’s throat in. You felt yourself beyond lucky to make it out of there with only a few minor injuries. Your fingers fiddled with the loose strings on the bean bag’s covering that you sat on in the semi-decorated shed, making it seem a bit more homey.

Finally, Chan’s scowled face returned with a first aid kit and frozen peas in each of his hands, tucking one under the other arm to lock the latch of the door behind him. “You should just come inside so we can properly wash it.” He handed you the two bags of peas, one to place on your throbbing hand, and the other on your shoulder. 

He helped you as you flung a makeshift sling around your neck and secured it under your fucked up arm. He then opened the first aid kit on the small end table in between you and the other bean bag he sat in. 

“And let your parents see me in this state? No fucking way.” You winced as he pressed an alcohol swab against the ringed burn on your neck. The furious look on your best friend’s face refused to let up.

“I’m going to call the cops.” He didn’t look you in the eyes as he muttered the words.

You pulled away from his helping hands and glared at him. “Like hell you are! I wouldn’t have come to you if I were looking to get hunted down by drug dealers for narking. I’d just go home and suck it the fuck up.”

He just returned your glare and grabbed the back of your neck forcefully, continuing his aid with his other hand while he held you still. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself, Kiyomi…” He turned to grab the antibacterial ointment. “You’re…” You felt a pang in your chest as you saw his eyes water. “You’re going to get yourself killed…”

You took the bruised hand of your uninjured arm and raised it to his face. “That won’t happen, Channie. I’ve survived so far, yeah?” You dipped your head over to try and catch his fallen gaze. “Besides, I can’t leave my little pup to fend for himself.” You pinched the cheek where your hand was laid and he attempted to suppress his smile as he pulled away from your grasp.

A small chuckle escaped his lips as he lifted the swab of cream to your neck. He stayed silent though as he finished bandaging you. After he closed the kit, he patted your knee. “All done, sweetheart. Let’s go to bed, kay?”

You shook your head as you stood up. “No can do, love. I gotta get back home with this money before my dad has an aneurysm.”

“Would that be so bad?” He muttered bitterly. You panned over to him with an unamused face. “I can’t believe you keep going back to that shithole! Can’t you just come live with us?”

You scoffed and dropped your eyes to the ground. “Yeah, if you want them to come find me and harm not only me, but you and your entire family as well. It’s already been risky enough trying to keep you a secret from them…”

You felt his arms wrap around you and you buried your face in his shoulder. “I hate this, Y/N. I just want you to finally be free… safe.”

You deflated before you pulled back from him, trying to put on the most unaffected face you could muster. “Don’t worry about me, Channie. I’ve made it this far. I’ll be able to protect myself until I can save enough money to move out after graduation.” You offered him a sweet smile, which he halfheartedly returned. “Now, I have to get back before it gets too late. I don’t want them to come searching for me. You placed a peck on his cheek and showed yourself out of your tiny safe haven.

- - - - - - - - - -

You felt your skull crack against the cheap, hard linoleum flooring in the kitchen as your dad stood over you, your mom burning down the embers of a cigarette furiously in anxiety and talking on the phone a few feet away on the couch. “How THE FUCK could you lose us Don, one of our best buyers?!” You felt the breath leave your lungs as he landed a harsh kick against your ribcage.

You didn’t cry, you couldn’t. Your mind retreated elsewhere while your body laid there and awaited the end. “All for what?! Your stupid fucking pride?! If one of our buyers wants something, you do it, NO QUESTIONS ASKED!” Another kick.

“I know Don, we are taking care of the problem, just hear me out–” You faintly heard your mother trying to reason with the monster on the other side of the phone.

“If you can’t keep up with a stupid, fucking simple task, what good are you?!” A punch to the face this time, blinding your vision as you curled in on yourself on the ground. “You’re only taking up space here, so you’d better start pulling your goddamned weight!”

The anger that was boiling inside you released in a small snap. “He tried to fucking rape me dad! What was I supposed to do?!” He punched the side of your jaw, making you spit out a tooth and taste a disgusting flow of iron flowing from its place.

“If someone wants you to spread your legs, you tell them to pay up and then say WELCOME TO FUCKING POUND TOWN! Hell, it’s more revenue and a better use of your useless cunt anyway!” 

Your mother had ended her call and shouted over her shoulder. “He won’t fucking get over it! We lost him!” She slammed the bedroom door.

Your father’s face couldn’t get any more red. One, two, three more punches. You could feel the ring on his fingers denting and gashing into the bone and flesh on your face. You saw more and more blood build on his fist each time he pulled back. You could hardly believe it was coming from your body due to the amount of pain nearing the sense of numbness.

It was almost as if your soul had left your body, leaving nothing but a bloodied stick figure in its wake. Pain and acceptance was a dichotomy that was slowly blurring lines. Somehow, you were numb to the point of acceptance, but you were hyper aware of the feeling of every centimeter of your body. Your toes were scrunched up where they laid on the cheap linoleum. Your hands were balled in fists on your abdomen, attempting to protect your damaged ribcage, completely ignoring the pain that was already wrecking your shoulder. Your back was hunched into a ball like a fucking abused dog. And your face… you could feel the disfigurement increasing with every swing of his fist.

Once he stopped, heaving from his anger and effort, he spat down on your bloody and bruised body. “Find somewhere else to sleep tonight, bitch. I want you out of my sight.” With that, he turned and slammed his bedroom door behind him.

You laid there for a good ten minutes, uncontrollably shaking as you failed to get up. You were sure that one of your ribs was broken and you knew your nose was broken. When you finally came to, you limped your way over to the bathroom and examined yourself in the mirror.

The sight was grizzly, the entire left side of your face was flushed and swollen. You had a black eye that was swollen shut and cuts all over your cheek, jaw, and brow bones. The worst coming from your high cheek bone where you could feel the indentation underneath the skin into the hard surface of bone under the heavy flow of blood. 

Blood gushed out of your nose and you decided to bite the bullet. Picking up a nasty ass washrag from the floor, you shoved it in your mouth and bit down on it. With no small amount of hesitation, you counted to yourself. One, two, THREE . You heard a loud crunch as you snapped your nose back into place, blood gushing all the more into the washrag and sink as you removed the soiled cloth from your mouth.

You decided to bring the rag with you to hold up to your bleeding nose as you grabbed your rucksack and headed out of the apartment and into the brisk autumn weather. You definitely didn’t want to be present if your father had caught you still hanging around. It was about three in the morning when you had finally limped all the way to Chan’s house. You really didn’t want to call upon him twice in the same night, so you snuck around to the backyard and pulled a small key out of one of the pockets in your pack.

You snuck into the shed and locked it behind you, finally collapsing on the rug that adorned the decorated space. You laid there for no more than a minute before your vision turned to black.

- - - - - - - - - -

“OH MY FUCKING GOD, Y/N!!!” You awakened from your haze, sore and out of breath with the taste of blood still lingering on your tongue. Your vision was blurry at first when you opened your eyes, but eventually Chan came into view, on the ground next to you and tears streaming down his face. Your heart broke at the sight of your friend hurting. You tried to sit up to comfort him, but the pain racking from your ribs threw you back down with a thud and a whimper. He reached out towards you, but pulled back as if you were going to break if he touched you. “No no no, Y/N, why?! Why??? ”

You turned your head and tried to smile at him to quell his worries, but the smile only met half your face as the other half is still too fucked up. “Hey baby Channie…” Your voice sounded gurgled and rugged coming from your mouth. Funny, you wanted to ease his concern, but you probably just made it worse with how you sounded. You chuckled from the irony, making you cough up blood.

He reached toward you with tremored hands and a shaky breath. “I’ll take care of you, baby girl... I– I’ll fix this… I’ll fix this…” He sobbed into your hand he was holding and pulled out his phone with the other. You already knew what was going to happen. He was going to call the hospital - or worse, the police - and you would be utterly fucked if anyone found out. You weakly put your hand over his phone, making him look back at you with his blurry eyes.

“Channie… it’s okay… I’m okay, really.” You attempted a smile again.

“Bull fucking shit, Y/N! I LITERALLY THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!” He instantly regretted his words when you flinched from his anger. The tears refused to subside from his eyes as he gently caressed the less harmed side of your face with his fingertips. “I looked everywhere for you, sweetheart…”

You were utterly confused. “What do you mean, how long have I been out?”

He sobbed. “It’s fucking Wednesday, Kiyomi! I haven’t seen or heard from you since Sunday night!” You felt like you were hit by a truck with this news. You desperately tried to raise yourself from the floor, clenching your teeth through the pain. You felt as if you had face-planted down a flight of stairs while fighting a hangover. Your head rang and the world spinned on a top.

“Holy fuck, my parents are going to think I bounced on them. Fuck!” You fumbled around to get up from the ground, struggling to breathe, but Chan firmly held you down.

“NO.” Chan looked murderous when you looked up at him in frustration.

“Chan. You don’t get it. It’s one thing to be kicked out for a night or two, but the last time I stayed out longer than that, mom had locked me in the bathroom with nothing to eat for two days. I have to leave.”

“I DON’T GIVE A FUCK! Tell your dad or who the fuck ever that you are staying away, at least until you’re healed. I– I–” The sobs plummeted out of his body and you gritted your teeth as you sat up to hold him. “Please. Please, Y/N! Don’t go back. I can’t lose you…” He wrapped his arms tighter and you cried out from the pain that shot through your diaphragm and shoulder.

You instinctively clutched your sternum and doubled over, eventually falling backwards again against the ground, knocking the wind out of you. His eyes looked horrified as he gently placed his hands on your arms. “Kiyomi, w-what–?” He grabbed the hem of your shirt and pulled it up without warning. You weren’t necessarily uncomfortable with it, you trusted him more than anything in this world. But you were afraid of what he would find underneath.

Sure enough, Black and blue bruises were blotched all over your exposed, protruding rib cage, an angry red surrounding it all. The man had fire in his eyes, shaking from ferociousness and most likely homicidal thoughts. “Fuck this, I’m taking you to the hospital.” He wrapped his arms around you, one under your back and the other underneath your knees, carrying you like a baby toward the shed door.

You screamed out in pain and the only indicative response that he was hurting to hear you like that was the slight hesitation in his step and the agony on his face. “CHAN PUT ME DOWN!”

“NO!” He yelled back through his tears.

“CHAN IF YOU DON’T PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW I’M NEVER COMING BACK!”

That made him freeze in his tracks. “W-what?” He looked down at your balled up form with saucers for eyes. “Y-you don’t mean that…”

“If you expose me, you won’t ever see or hear from me again. There is no way I could keep you and your family safe with ties like that to link my life back to you.” You were killing yourself to say the words, but your face remained fierce. Well, as fierce as it could be in its debauched state.

He turned back and gently laid you flat against the carpet again. You breathed a sigh of relief, wincing from the action momentarily. “Thank you Channie. I’ll… I’ll call mom and tell her that I need to lay low until I heal so the school doesn’t get suspicious. That I’ll find somewhere to stay out of their hair in the meantime… That should pass as a fair excuse, at least in mom’s eyes. Do you think your folks will notice if I hole up in your room? I’d stay out here, but at least your room has an ensuite bathroom I can hide in.”

He reluctantly nodded and pulled your phone from your backpack, hesitantly handing it to you. “Call her, I’m going to go make sure the coast is clear.”

- - - - - - - - - -

There were really too many tales to recount, each one worse than the next, so you decided on one of the more sordid stories, only briefly describing other smaller encounters. You had figured that if Minho really wanted to know, you might as well get the worst out of the way. You finished your trip down memory lane by telling Minho the reason why you were here. The reason you ever moved in the first place.

That night with your father. The week with Chan’s family. The move that saved your goddamned life.

You had figured he would be disgusted with you. Terrified or awestruck. You knew you would be if you were in his shoes. But all you could do was sit there in silence, refusing to look up and find out what the expression on his face had morphed into. The silence was deafening and the air crackled with preemptive lightning you knew was bound to come. 

But it never did. Why the fuck isn’t he saying anything? You spared a look at his hands and you saw his knuckles were completely white with a murderous grip. You slowly raised your gaze to try and read his eyes, consequences be damned. What you saw made a chill run down your spine.

His jaw was clenched and trembling, his nostrils flared, face red as his eyes were screwed shut. You could only speculate as to why he would be so mad. You supposed it wasn’t too far off that it was because you hid this from him, making him think you were a person you really weren’t. Chan was a pure golden hearted angel, never judging you or making you feel inferior - but realistically - you knew you couldn’t expect that from everyone. No matter how much it hurt to admit it…

You stood from the bed, wanting to be anywhere but there. Always running from your fucked up past. But you abruptly felt yourself being pulled back by the wrist, falling flat back down on the unmade bed with a thud. You felt the warm presence of the man of your desires wrap you in a tight hug, laying down next to your confused body in an unyielding embrace.

You felt all of your worries and machinations wash away as you pulled him indescribably closer, grateful for allowing you to burrow into him. You couldn’t bring yourself to say anything, nor could he, so the two of you just laid there with your bodies intertwined and his consolatory hand ran up and down your back.

You eventually puffed out a shaky breath and looked up from where you were buried in his chest to look at his face. He stared back down at you with an expression that was part adoration and part agony. One of the arms that were wrapped around your back was pulled to your face, his fingers gliding over your forehead and behind your ear to brush a stray hair out of the way. His hand found its resting place on your cheek and the fingers of the hand on your back swirled around in soothing circles.

You looked into his glossy eyes and couldn’t control the natural force that pulled your lips to his. His thumb brushed over the permanent indentation in your cheek bone as your lips whispered and melded over each other. The moment was more intimate and loving than anything you had ever experienced.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against yours, closing his eyes. “Y/N… H-how… w-why…?” You could tell he was at a loss for words and you shushed him with a chaste kiss.

“Min, it’s over now. I’m here and I’m fine. Chan saved me…” You offered him a small smile but he was remiss to return it.

“Well I can definitely say that a lot of the things I’ve been worried about have been made painfully clear now. How could you keep going back? You were literally on the brink of death, Y/N.” He stuffed his face in the crook of your neck. “I don’t even want to think of what those sick fucks would have done to you. I’ll fucking kill them.” He growled into your shoulder and you tried to calm him with your own ministrations on his back.

“It’s okay. Shhh… I’m sorry I kept it from you, Minnie. I was afraid…” He looked back up at you in confusion. “...afraid you would be disgusted with me. With the things I’ve done.” You refused to meet his eyes at your confession.

You felt his soft hand dip under your chin and lift it up to meet his eyes. “Oh, little mouse. Never think of yourself as anything less than extraordinary. You are the most strong, brave, and badass woman I’ve ever met. I think I’m starting to fall for you more and more by the second.”

Fall for me? As in love? That’s preposterous, there is no way anyone could feel that way about you knowing the things you’ve done. You were surprised enough that he didn’t run for the hills. You never could have even imagined ending up with someone who wasn’t already a pothead let alone anyone at all. You always considered Chan the only man in your life that miraculously loved you unconditionally, even if it wasn’t romantic.

He looked down at you as if he was seeing you for the first time. “So beautiful…” His hand smoothed over the curve of your waist and his eyes traced your body. He leaned in and breathed against your neck, the hot puffs stealing the air from your lungs. “So powerful for such a small little mouse.” The smell of him filled your nose with ginseng, sandalwood, and citrus and you got chills from the delicious aroma.

As his hand traveled down your body - over your waist, hip, ass - he stopped at the back of your thigh, lifting it to drag over his own hips. “Minnie…”

You’d never experienced this much desire in your entire life. Honestly, with your experience with sexual encounters, you thought you wouldn’t be interested at all. Meeting Minho completely reversed any of those thoughts and enhanced your libido tenfold. Surprisingly enough to you, you wanted nothing more in life right now than to jump this man’s bones.

You felt a wet kiss touch down on the base of your jaw and you loudly sighed in desire. You closed your eyes and felt hot waves of arousal spread over your body and through your veins, making electric shocks shoot to your nerve endings. Just a single touch from Minho was enough to thrill you into wanting and make you throw all caution to the wind.

You made your intentions very clear as you pulled your groin closer to his. Well, as much as you could in the awkward angle you two were in - facing each other on your sides. He responded in kind, grabbing your ass and pulling you flush to him.

He lightly suckled on your pulse and you threw your head back in bliss, allowing him more access. You slipped out a tiny whimper when he lightly bit the flesh on your neck, immediately soothing it with his delectable tongue. You could feel his hardening length tighten his pants as you pressed into him, making you giddy that he was just as worked up as you were. 

The haze of ecstasy momentarily cleared when a pressing thought crossed your mind. “Wh-where’s Chan?” It was only but a whisper, but you knew he had heard you, stopping his sinful actions to briefly respond.

“Gone.” He moved back to your mouth, planting a sensual kiss before whispering against your lips. “Said he’d be out late…” He licked up into your mouth and you clenched your thighs around him, feeling your shorts soak with your arousal.

You took matters into your own hands and straddled your personal, beautiful incubus. You paused to look down at his gorgeous form. His iconic look of dark ripped jeans, a black v-neck t-shirt, and that same damned sexy leather jacket. You wanted it all gone.

He seemed to be appreciating you as well as his hands ran up and down your thighs that bracketed his hips. Your hands lightly crawled up his clothed chest and parked on the collar of his jacket, gripping it firmly. You leaned forward and planted a small kiss on his cheek before whispering. “Minnie… I want you…”

The groan that left his throat was low and controlled. He involuntarily grinded his hips up, making you gasp at the friction. “Oh baby…” He closed his eyes. “You’re making this so difficult for me…” His hands traveled to grope your ass and grinded you forward.

“Ngh *gasp*… Well… if you aren’t ready… can I at least take care of you?” You said between movements, breathing heavily. You scooted back slightly and splayed your hand over his rock hard bulge to encourage him. “I want… I want to taste you…” His eyes were about to pop out of his head at your bold statement. You feigned confidence.

He was breathing just about as heavily as you were and you continued to stare into each other's souls. His face looked pained in conflict as he fluttered his eyes shut from your touch. “God, Kiyomi… you’re unreal… ” He opened his eyes and searched your own for any uncertainty. He would find none, you were hungry for him and you wanted to do anything that would show him that. You decided to be a bit more daring and deftly popped open the button of his pants.

He smirked at you with that confident smile that you hadn’t realized you missed until he graced you with it. “Well you seem to have already made the decision for both of us, eager little mouse.” You bit your lip seductively, egging him on as you steadily lowered his zipper. His eyes burned in anticipation and flit between your eyes and your wandering hands. “Are you sure you want this?” His face still had that teasing demeanor, but you could hear the genuine hesitation and indecision in his voice.

You paused the exploration of your hands to gently place them on his shoulders, kissing him with a slow, passionate tenderness that you hoped would ease his doubts. When you released his lips, you whispered. “I’ve never been more sure in my life. I want all I can get from you Lee Minho.” That was all it took.

His movement was swift as he sat the two of you into a sitting position with his legs swinging over the edge - you still straddling him - making you dizzy as his lips latched onto your cleavage just above the dip in your shirt. You used this opportunity to slide off his jacket and his hands slid up under the hem of your shirt to unceremoniously yank it over your head, freeing your braless chest and lithe frame.

For half a second, it seemed like he was looking at your figure in a new light, now having known the knowledge of your previous child neglect and linking it to your current self neglect. Although you were starting to fill out gradually with proper meals, you were still severely underweight. But after that second of contemplation, he gently kissed your belly, just above your navel. His hands ran up your sides slowly as he continued kissing your torso. When his hands traveled up to take purchase of your breasts, he softly flicked his thumbs softly over your perky nipples and - at the same time - laid a sensual kiss against your visible rib cage.

You sighed in pleasure at his pure affection and pulled back momentarily to peel off his shirt, your hands returning to run through his silky mane. You rolled your hips forward to seek out the sweet friction from his erection and he squeezed your breasts harder before releasing. His mouth replaced them to latch on to one of your nipples and, with his free hands, he blindly fumbled around for your pillow and threw it down on the floor at his feet.

You knew what your next task was, so you pressed a sweet kiss on top of his head and removed yourself from his lap, slinking down onto your knees in front of him and running your hands over his magnificent clothed thighs with desire penetrating him through your eyes. Your hands slid up his legs to the hem of his jeans, feeling each and every groove in the rough fabric, and you looped your fingers underneath them and his boxers. He awaited your next move, letting you set the pace.

When you tugged on them, he lifted his hips to assist you as you gradually pulled down the offending piece of fabric. Once they were finally thrown to the side, your gaze was blown wide at his bare tumescence. There was no fucking way you could fit all of it, but you’d definitely try like hell. You were surprised with yourself when you realized your mouth was literally watering at the sight.

“Min, porn can only teach me so much. I’ll probably need your help…” 

“Oh?” He smirked. “I wonder what type of porn my cute little mouse likes.” His condescending tone lit a fire in you. He leaned down to catch your gaze and whisper. “I bet it’s not so innocent, is it, darling?” His crooked smile challenged you and you wanted to do nothing more than gain the upper hand and wipe that smirk off of his face.

You unexpectedly reached forward and ran the palm of your hand up the length of his dick, applying the delicious pressure that you knew would make him weak. “Maybe you should stop stalling and find out for yourself how innocent I really am.” He shuddered and his eyes closed fleetingly, making you proud of the effect you had on him.

That was until he returned to that exigent glower. His admonitory hand raised to leisurely smooth his thumb over your lower lip. “I’ll never know until I see these pretty lips wrapped around my cock.” Your jaw dropped and it was your turn to quiver this time, making him sit back in triumph as your face lit up to an alarming shade of red. Damn him and his stupid ability to make me completely muddled with just a few words.

You absentmindedly licked the spot where his thumb grazed you and tentatively wrapped your hand around his length, your small fingers not able to fully wrap around the full width. He guided you with his hand covering your own, indicating the pressure and movements you were to execute. His dick felt like fire in your hand and it made your head spin to think about how it would feel inside of you.

The veins were prominent and you couldn’t understand why that turned you on so much. The level of arousal was apparent with how much precum he was leaking onto your hand and you felt your confidence skyrocket.

He was patient and alit with desire, but once you got the hang of it, he released you and let you continue your ministrations on your own. You could tell he was enjoying it by the way his breathing picked up and his eyes fluttered.

Again, continuing at your own pace, you placed a small kitten lick to the underside of his head, making him gasp at the abrupt sensation. The precum didn't taste awful like you had imagined, just a bit bitter.

Satisfied with his reaction, you tried to pull out some of the skills you had learned from your recent searches. Pulling away your thumb from your grasp, you completely flattened your tongue, making it wide enough to run from the base to the tip of him, flicking your tongue up at the end of his sensitive slit. You followed it up by wrapping your lips around the very tip of his sensitive head with tentative suckling.

A groan fell out of his mouth as he sighed and his fingers gravitated to intertwine through your long tresses. “Oh baby… fuck, you’re doing so good…” Your heart swelled with pride and you took in a bit more. “...just wrap your lips over your teeth and do what you feel is right. I trust you, baby girl.” You felt a fluttering in your chest and you realized that you wouldn’t rather be anywhere but here, sucking the life out of this man’s dick. 

You followed his instructions, sinking down further and trying to mimic the pressure you had used with your hand. As you had previously assumed - far before he was fully sheathed - the tip hit the back of your throat making you accidentally gag and pull off. You looked up at him with a pout. “I can’t fit it all…” You wanted to cry with frustration. All you wanted was to please him, which wasn’t characteristic of you at all. You were ashamed of yourself and hated the thought of him not being satisfied with you.

He cooed at your frustration and pinched your cheek. “That's okay my little mouse. Just do however much you’re comfortable with.” He grabbed your previously used hand and placed it on the base of his length. “This can do the rest, yeah?” His smile was one of adoration and your already flushed cheeks reddened even further as you meekly nodded to him.

You returned your mouth to him and his hands continued to lace through your hair. Once you were fully choked again, the hands on the back of your head gently guided you up and down, making you hum in appreciation. As your hand had worked the rest of him, you stared up at his face. Your shorts soaked even further when you saw that he had freed one of his hands from your hair so he could lean back on it on the bed, throwing his head back in pleasure and huffing from the euphoric feeling through his raw, bitten lips.

The precum that was oozing from the tip started tasting acidic and salty, but the underlying sweetness made up for the uncomfortable sting. The hum you vibrated against him earned you a strained croak from the depths of his throat and your pride returned to you.

You decided to redouble your efforts and quickened your pace with abandon, wanting to hear more beautiful noises from him. You tried with all of your effort to swallow down his ridiculous length and not gag, but it wasn’t an easy feat. You could tell he was struggling, but he was very well controlled when it came to vocalization. You didn’t want that.

You let your mouth take the reins and you swirled your tongue around him and flicked the slit on the underside like a lollipop, letting your saliva drool out of your mouth and down his shaft. That is what did it for him. His low groan almost sounded like a growl and the hand in your hair gave delicious little tugs. “Fuck, Kiyomi… baby *ngh* so fucking good… shit.” You hummed in appreciation and you could feel his dick twitch. Your slobber was dripping down your chin and it was messy as hell, but that turned you on even further.

His gut was palpitating and you could tell he was getting close. You made eye contact with him as your free hand slid down your body to tuck underneath your shorts and make circular motions on your sensitive clit. His eyes blew open wide and you groaned at the sensation you were granting yourself, the vibration on his dick was making him come undone. “I– I’m c– cumming…” He grunted out as he tried to pull you away by your hair, but you always knew one thing - the hottest thing a person can do is swallow. So you remained firm in your actions, speeding up and sucking harder. “Y/N–!”

You felt a thick, warm liquid collide with your throat and blend in with your saliva. You stroked him a few more times to milk out the rest and then slid off of him altogether with a loud *pop*. The taste was definitely more prominent, but with the tangy substance still sloshing around on your tongue, you made sure Minho saw it as you cleaned the rest of his tip with your dripping tongue, punctuating your action with a loud ‘gulp’ at the end.

It took a moment for him to regain a modicum of composure, but when he did, he spoke with a heavy breath. ”I now have no doubt in my mind, you are indubitably a motherfucking goddess.” He fell back against the sheets and you raised from the floor to follow him, draping one leg over his own and wrapping your arms around his neck.

You were just happy that you could make him feel good. It was a goddamned miracle that he didn’t bounce out on you as soon as he heard your story. So if that meant that you would just have to take care of your own aching pussy once he left, it was well worth it.

You looked up at his resting face and his beauty never failed to take your breath away. His sharp jawbone perfectly framed his gorgeous high cheekbones and the straight slope of his nose was as if it was carved from stone. His huge, beautiful eyes were closed and his long eyelashes fanned over his cheeks like black waves.

You could've stayed there forever, just basking in the pure ethereal beauty of Minho. You took in a large inhale of his musk and earthy scent and snuggled closer to him. His bare skin felt like velvet under your touch and you took a moment to appreciate his milk and honey skin.

You raised your hand and - once again - tangled your fingers through his silky midnight hair, lightly running the tips of your fingernails over his scalp, making him hum in gratitude. Your eyes finally landed on his delicious lips. His overbite was insanely adorable, but the plumpness and slope of his lips were sexy as hell. The heavy, hot breaths he puffed out of them turned you on even more.

You found yourself licking your lips and figured you could indulge yourself just a bit more of him. While his eyes were still closed and he was still trying to catch his breath, you latched your lips onto his briefly and sweetly before ghosting down against his skin on your way to continue your open-mouthed kisses on his jaw.

He was addicting, the light sheen of perspiration on his skin gave you a salty-sweet taste that made you want to lick him all over. Your tongue traveled further to fleetingly suckle and nip on his ear. The sound he made as he sighed out made your wet shorts even more drenched. 

You gripped his hair a bit harder as the other hand ran over his pecs and lightly defined abs. You started devouring him. Sucking hard against his neck, pulse point, collarbone, chest, anything that could elicit more of his sweet noises.

The arm that was wrapped around your waist underneath you snuck its way over the back of your shorts to gingerly kneed at your ass. His other hand raised up to travel his fingertips over your breast, tweaking the swollen nip periodically. His head craned back further into the bed to give you more access to mark him up and the hand that was exploring your breasts traveled further down.

His single index finger slid far too slowly down the center of your abdomen and dipped into your navel before traveling further. Your breath hitched against him when you could feel him teasing with the edge of your shorts. “Please Minnie…” You whined against his neck and you could see his dick twitch. Damn, does this man not have a refractory period?  

He gained a mocking tone of voice. “Well, since you asked nicely…” You breathed heavily in anticipation as he dipped his hand down the front of your shorts before he chuckled. “Tsk tsk, no panties? Maybe my little mouse isn’t so innocent. So naughty for me.” Blood ran to your face making it bright red and you never thought you would like dirty talk, but coming from his mouth it lit you on fire. His finger dove further down into your wet shorts and found your aching pearl. You cried out as he stimulated it with figure eight movements. “Is this what you wanted, baby girl?”

You frantically nodded your head in the crook of his neck, relenting your attack on his skin in response to his sinful activities. You’d been stimulated by him before and you could now confidently say that he was a pro at this. You were breathing against him rapidly as his finger teased at your labia. He dragged his finger through the center, but not quite inside you, ending his journey with a light flick of your clit.

“Damnit Minho! Stop winding me up!” You roughly bit his shoulder and he growled at the sensation. Before you knew it, he had pushed you over on your back and hovered over you.

“I’d like to see you make me. What can a mouse even do when faced with a tiger?” His evil grin made you glare in sexual frustration.

You looked down at his now fully erect cock and your hand flew to its base, making him choke on his words. You leaned up to whisper in his ear. “If you ever want your dick in me, whether it’s now or later, you’d better stop being a fucking tease.” 

You released his erection and he regained his senses. He climbed off of you in a rush and grabbed your ankles, roughly pulling you to the edge of the bed and got on his knees where you had been positioned just moments before. Your breath escaped you at light speed and excitement flowed through you like a babbling brook. He grabbed onto your soaking sleep shorts and quickly yanked them off of you (almost tearing them even).

“You asked for this, you damned bratty rat.” He growled. He immediately plunged two fingers inside of you and dove his face right in, devouring anything he could get his mouth on. His tongue joined the two fingers that were already relentlessly pumping in and out of you, making you whine at the stretch.

“Fuck–!” You watched his concentrated face as he probed you with his tongue while his nose stimulated your clit. He then moved up to your clit, sucking on it hard and looked into your eyes with an eyebrow raised as if he were taunting you. You had never felt so malleable.

Without warning, he added a third finger into you alongside the others that were abusing you. You belted out a high pitched yell and thanked god that both of your roommates were gone for the night.

“Is this what you wanted, frisky baby? For me to fuck you with my fingers?” He pulled off with your juices running down his face.

“Fuck– ngh! – I want– ah! – you to fuck me with your *gasp* dick!” His fingers were teasing across your g-spot and you were losing your composure quickly.

“All in due time, princess.” He curled his fingers up to abuse you right in the spot that made you scream. He leaned down to continue to lick up into you and flicked your sensitive bead when you felt the painful buildup in your core start to increase.

“Ah! Min please! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD don’t stop!” You saw stars burst and your vision went black for a half a second. You felt your release explode and soak your lovers hand and face, making the experience all the more euphoric. You would never let this man go if he could make you orgasm that hard just by eating you out. Your whole body was limp and you felt numb, only able to see him .

He raised up from his knees and licked his fingers clean while seductively staring at you. You would be swimming in your shorts from the sight if you were still wearing them. He then wiped his face with the back of his hand and walked into your bathroom. Moments later he returned with a damp cloth and started cleaning you. Can this man be any more fucking perfect? He threw the rag into the laundry bin and pulled his boxers on. Once he climbed back on the bed and hovered over you, that stupid ass smirk returned to his face. “Any other requests, my sweet mouse?”

Everything faded away as you looked up at him. You couldn’t believe that this man wanted you at all. It took everything in you not to cry from disbelief. You felt as if this were some sick trick, someone spending money to make this feel real just to eventually rip the rug out from underneath you and send you plummeting into darkness again. You wanted this to be real. You wanted Minho.

You grabbed his face and pulled him down so his lips could meet yours. It was slow and intimate, a drastic change from the earlier hunger. When you pulled back, you were inches from his face and staring deep into his two black pools for eyes. “Be my boyfriend.”

His smile was enormous and you had never seen anything more beautiful. He wrapped you in his arms and rolled the two of you over so you were flat on top of him with his hands tightly squeezing you in a hug. You dug your face into the crook of his neck to inhale more of his earthy and musky scent. “Fucking finally.” 

You looked up at him with an unamused face. “I assume that’s a yes?” He laughed at you.

“Yes, I suppose I will keep you around.” You giggled as you smiled at him and, again, he was all you could see, the brightest light smiling at you. He usually kept a confident or indifferent composure, but this was a completely different side of Minho you had never witnessed.

“Fucking finally…” You mocked and repeated his earlier statement and he squeezed you tight while rolling around on the bed. You protested but he continued rolling you around like a ragdoll. You suddenly realized that you were still completely naked. “Min!” You laughed as he winded up squishing you with his strong body flat on top of yours.

“Mousebed, 5 stars.” He snuggled up on top of your neck.

You squeaked out. “Min… I can’t breathe!”

“Don’t act like you don’t like it.” He kissed your neck gently.

“I’m gonna die.”

A dramatic sigh escaped his lungs and he reluctantly rolled over to lay next to you. “I would threaten you more, but I can’t hurt my new girlfriend just yet.”

“Just yet? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” You sat up and looked down at him incredulously.

He formed an evil grin. “Pain and pleasure are just two sides of the same coin, little mouse.” He grazed his hand over your thigh and your heart dropped out of your ass. Holy hell this man is going to be the death of me. Your thighs squeezed together as your pussy started to ache from excitement. And of course the bastard's eye catched it. “Excited are we?”

You pushed yourself off the bed and glared at him. “No! I was just contemplating whether to punch your stupid smug face or not!” He sat up on the bed and watched your naked body saunter off to start the shower.

“Even though you might be the most badass girl I’ve ever met–” He said it loud enough for you to hear. Without realizing he came up behind you, he wrapped his arms around you after shucking off his boxers and the two of you entered the shower as he whispered in your ear. “But I can still make you weak underneath me, baby girl.”

Your heart palpitated as he trailed open mouthed kisses down the side of your neck. “No marks, Min…” You breathed out your words in a desperate tone.

He hummed in response. “Hmm… It doesn’t seem quite fair that you marked me all over my neck, but I can’t claim you with mine.” He bit your earlobe, still swaying you back and forth with his arms around you from behind as the hot water cascaded down your bodies.

You twisted around in his arms and grabbed his shoulders, pushing him away at arm's length. He still had a cocky smirk on his face. “You want Chan to question me? Have me tell him that I’m fooling around with some other guy? You know he would want to meet the mystery man.” His smile dissipated into a scowl.

“Fuck no, I don’t want our circle thinking your fucking anyone but me.” He crossed his arms and looked like an annoyed teenager.

“Okay well, one: you refuse to fuck me. And two: the guys don’t and won’t know we’re together anyway.” He rolled his eyes and zoned out on the wall with his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. You put your hands on his cheeks and turned his head to face you. “What is it, Min?”

He grabbed your hands and pulled them off his face. “Do we seriously have to keep it a secret? It really is stupid.” His arms returned to their crossed position. “Do you not want people to know?” His voice was accusatory.

You glowered at him. “Min. Are you serious right now? Chan made his intentions blatantly clear. I don’t want my boyfriend to end up being a smear on the carpet, it would never be able to get that stain out!” That earned a repressed smile out of him and your annoyance slightly decreased. “You know I am more than proud to officially be yours… I… I just need time to change his mind…”

He tensed his jaw, closed his eyes, and let out a big sigh. “Okay…” 

- - - - - - - - - -

It had been a few weeks and you and Minho had been so busy with school and work, you only got to see each other in classes. Even your tutoring days were postponed due to constant work.

When you did find a break in your schedule, you had taken the chance to find a good doctor. She was able to get you set up with an IUD for good birth control. That is… if Minho was ever ready.

You couldn’t do much fooling around at the moment anyway with all of the work you had to do. The spring season made everyone want to get out and enjoy the air. Causing more people stop by the café and more work for you.

You didn’t mind work, you actually loved your job at the coffee shop, but it also meant less Minho time. You finally started taking orders when your boss was satisfied with your Korean speech and Hangul writing.

One day during work, the boss man came to check up on things. You actually really liked him, he was patient and funny. A really chill guy. So you decided you would try your luck at a suggestion for the business.

“Good afternoon Mr. Choi! How’s your day been?” He sighed and slumped into the back room office chair.

“About as well it can be with a full day of paying bills.” He cracked his neck and looked half asleep.

“Wow, my favorite days! Don’t you have a secretary or a manager that helps you with that?”

“Psh, I fucking wish. No, I’m alone in this fight.” He leaned forward in his seat. “So what’s up girly? You needed to talk to me?”

You caught yourself nervously fiddling with your fingers and pulled them to your sides. “Yes, sir! First off, have you heard of that lounge down the road? Eunsincheo?”

“Yeah! Pretty cool little place they’ve got there. Seems really chill.” He suddenly looked more lively and you regained your confidence.

“Yeah! It’s a really nice place! My roommate actually works there—“

“Oh yeah, that muscley guy that comes to see you all the time?” 

“Yeah! That’s Chan. Well, I go there a lot to see him and their coffee is… for lack of a better word, it’s complete shit.” He absolutely cackled at that and you chuckled to yourself. “Well, my point is, I was wondering if you had ever considered collaborating or creating a sister store? Both of our businesses are small and local and I feel like it would have a positive impact on not only our revenue, but also on theirs.”

He was nodding to himself in contemplation with furrowed brows. “Is this something you have discussed with their management?”

“No, sir. I didn’t want to get ahead of myself until I spoke to you first.” He seemed to appreciate that answer.

He suddenly swiveled to face the office desktop and pulled the agenda up on the screen. “How about this, you write up a plan and an outline of all the expenses and steps needed to take. I will email you a summary of our current budget and you can calculate what our potential revenue would be. If you can get that information to me by next month and it looks doable, I will let you handle the entire project.”

You almost couldn’t believe it. You were sure he would at least give you the stereotypical ‘let me think about it’ and then never mention it again. This was better than anything you could’ve asked for. You deeply bowed. “Yes, sir! Thank you so much!” You enthusiastically shook his hand. “I will work on that right away! You won’t regret this, sir.”

He laughed at your eagerness. “Well, it’s not a done deal yet, Y/N. It all depends on the budget.” He stood up and shook your hand again. “I look forward to see what you will prepare.”

You were almost jumping with joy. You couldn’t wait to tell Chan. Hell, if you got to be in charge of it, you could probably get to work at Eunsincheo with Chan, Changbin, and Jisung! Every day in this country kept getting better and better. The next time you decided to pay your dues to your Bang ‘parents’, you would have to let them know, once again, how grateful you were to them.

_________________________________________

Click here for Part Three

2chopsticks2eyes - Masterlist

#lee know smut #lee know x reader #lee know fanfic #minho smut #kpop smut #stray kids smut #kpop imagines #skz smut #stray kids imagines #stray kids scenarios #stray kids x reader #skz x reader #skz imagines #stray kids fanfic #skz scenarios #lee know x female reader

[lunatiqez]

“LOSING ROWDY” — Texas McCormick

PAIRING: Texas McCormick x reader

GENRE: romance

SUMMARY: After selling Rowdy and Toyota, Mason sends Texas over to your house to help him cool down.

WORD COUNT: 1.1k

A/N: my poor baby didn’t deserve to lose his horses‼️‼️ I feel so bad for him :(. Requested by anon & proofread by @mictodii !!

TEXAS LOVED HIS HORSE. HE’D DO anything for that thing. So, when he called you saying Mason had sold not only his own, but also Tex’s horse, you were absolutely devastated for him.

“Mace— he s- he sold Rowdy! He sold Rowdy and Toyota, they’re both gone!” He said over the phone, his words pouring out like a spilled glass of water. You were so shocked that you didn’t respond.

“Y/N, Y/N are you there?” He asked you frantically.

“Yes, I’m here. I’m here for you.” You told him, he sighed softly.

“I’m gonna go find them— I’m gonna find them and I’m not coming back to this house till I do!” He raised his voice, you assumed it was because he wanted Mason to hear.

“Oh, c’mon, Tex…” you sighed. “Don’t do anything rash, please?” You asked him, knowing he’ll ultimately get himself or someone else in trouble.

But Tex was too stubborn to listen to anyone, even you. Especially when it came to his prized possessions.

“Tex, I’m telling you now, somethin’s gonna happen and either you’re gonna get hurt or go to juvenile detention.” You tried to talk him out of whatever he was gonna do, but he was quiet.

“Tex? Hello?” You asked through the speaker. Then the line went dead.

“God dammit, Tex!” You said in your mind as you slammed the phone back into its holder.

Without thinking, you rushed out your front door and to your farm truck, worrying for Tex. You started the car and rushed over to his house. On your way there, you noticed the green shirt he was wearing at school today alone with Johnny and Jamie walking beside him.

“Tex!” You shout, this catches the attention of all three of the kids. You continue going past them for a while, and then turn around so you’re now all going in the same direction.

“Tex, babe,” you sigh.

“I told you! I ain’t going back till I find Rowdy.” He shouts at you. You sigh.

“Tex, why don’t I take Jamie back, an- and then we can talk about this, yeah?” Johnny asks.

“Don’t you three understand English?! Get lost!” Texas says as his fists close into tight balls.

Johnny and Jamie are taken aback, and, not knowing what to do, get on Johnny's dirt bike and ride off.

You, on the other hand, stay driving close by him, still trying to reason with the boy. He ran a hand through his hair anxiously and continued walking.

“Y/N, please, just let me find Rowdy, will ya?” He asked you, his tone less harsh than when Johnny and Jamie were there.

“Tex—“

“Please, Y/N. He’s my horse- he ain’t yours, he ain’t nobody’s but mine!” You sighed again, deciding that there was no winning in this argument.

“Okay, I love you.” You reminded him, driving off and going home feeling completely guilty.

A while after, there was no word from Tex. It was getting dark, so you went and sat on your couch to watch your nightly show. Then there was a knock at your door.

You walked over, hoping it was Tex, but instead you were greeted by his brother's face. Mason's hands were on his hips and his hair was messy, he looked as if he had just finished wrestling a greased pig.

“Hey, Mace, everything alright with you and Tex?” You asked him. Mason leaned against your doorframe.

“No, he just won’t listen to me. Won't even give me the time of day to explain to him.” Mason sighed.

“Well, you did sell his horse…” you said quietly. Mason glared at you. “Sorry.”

“He's just emotional right now. I mean, he’s had that horse since he was about 12.” Mason says as he rubs his temples.

“So, why are you here?” You ask— not to be rude, but out of genuine curiosity.

“He’s in the truck. I’m wonderin’ if you can get through to him. Y’know, see if you can try to explain why I had to do what I did.” You nodded immediately, agreeing to Mason’s favor.

You watched Mason walk over to the passenger side of his red truck and talk to Tex. Eventually, he got out of the truck and walked over to you, his head focused on the ground. He stood at your door, not saying anything.

“I’ll be back later to pick him up,” Mason called as he got into his truck. “Thank you.” You nodded slightly and, as Mace drove off, you let Texas in your house.

Tex walked over to your couch and sat down silently. You could tell this was really taking a toll on him. You sat down next to him and rubbed his back, quietly letting him know he’s going to be okay.

He leaned his head on your shoulder, sighing and closing his eyes instinctively.

“I’m so sorry, Tex.” You whispered.

“It’s—“ he hesitated. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault. Just wish Pop was here.” You grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

“Let’s go to my room, huh?” You asked him, to which he nodded slightly. Luckily, your parents were gone for the week, so Tex could stay as late as he wanted to.

You took Tex to your room and had him lay down on your bed. You laid down with him, facing him. He held eye contact with you, the twinkle in his being more faint than it usually is. He gently placed your palm on his cheek, cupping it lovingly.

The two of you started a conversation about why Mason had to sell the horses and eventually led into Tex’s memories with Rowdy; how one time he thought there was a bear when it was really just a rabbit, and how another time he raced Johnny on his dirt bike and won, and how Rowdy hated baths— and so did Tex.

Eventually, the boy fell asleep. You didn’t, though. You stayed up and watched his peaceful chest rise and fall and rise and fall.

You were just about to drift off when, yet again, there was another knock on your front door. You carefully got out of bed so as to not wake Tex from your sudden moves.

When you opened the door, Mason was there once again.

“Hey, Mace,” you said. “Tex is sleeping right now, I can go wake him up if you want me to—“

“He is? Oh, alright then. Just leave him be. I’ll pick him up in the morning.” You smiled.

“Alright, goodnight Mason.”

“Night Y/N.. and thank you— for calming him down. I appreciate it.”

“Of course, I’d be crazy not to help Tex. I hope your pop comes back soon.” Mason nodded and then drove off.

With that, you went back into your room and fell asleep next to Tex.

#tex 1982 #tex movie #tex movie 1982 #matt dillon tex #texas mccormick 1982 #texas mccormick #texas mccormick x reader #texas mccormick x you #texas mccormick x y/n #Texas McCormick fanfiction #Texas McCormick fanfic #Matt Dillon #matt dillon 1982 #matt dillon x reader #matt dillon x you #Matt Dillon x y/n #📝 — liv’s requests ★. #📂 — liv’s writings ★.

[seat-safety-switch]

Every time I see a Celica in my neighbourhood, I’m filled with envy. How dare those other scumbags own such a primo car, and not a hard-working, top-tier scumbag like myself? In truth, I have owned a Celica in the past. Many, many Celicas. These personal luxury coupes come direct from the Home Islands to torment me with their shapely bodies and almost-but-not-quite-perfect handling.

Why then, do we part? It is simple: these cars have value, and folks offer me way more money than I paid. And I would like to put that money into my other, more worthless cars. I see the tail lights of a Celica disappear from my driveway, and I wipe my tears with a few thousand dollars in cold, hard cash. Every time, I would tell myself that I can just get another one, and then a few months later, a tattered-but-lovely junker would show up in my life, ready to begin the cycle anew.

Now though, things are different. Something has broken down at the very core of the world, like that time my clutch went out, so I tried to float gears for my entire drive to work. Every car is worth a hojillion dollars, even though the very newest of the Celicas is approaching legal adulthood, and every seller needs every single cent they can get from that value in order to continue being able to afford lettuce and small-caliber ammunition. Barn and auction finds are a thing of the past, as other car nerds are working tirelessly to resurrect every single car, no matter how shitty, knowing that they are likely to never see another inexpensive fun car, rather than give up on them for inconveniences like transmission failure or “floor gone.”

Still though, there is hope. I recently befriended a billionaire industrialist, and by “befriended” I mean I pushed him out of an airplane while we were on a skydiving trip without putting his parachute on first. What this means is, for the next few weeks at least, I’ll be in control of a vast manufacturing empire, dedicated solely to punching out just-slightly-wrong-looking knockoffs of the 1988 Celica. With any luck, we’ll be bringing back the glory days of Toyota, and if it makes them angry enough to try and defend their trademark by releasing their own genuine article, even better. Plus, flooding the market with brand-new Celicas will make everyone else realize how stupid they were to hold onto any other car, and release them into my loving arms.

[things-about-cars-in-posts]

What would you consider the best, most reliable, low maintenance car? Bonus points for affordability. After having to take my 2011 Corsa to the garage for the fourth time this year due to a faulty temp sensor (this car just runs on a constant fever I swear. I'm in the UK for goodness sakes it shouldn't get that hot!!!), I'm curious as to whether there are any cars that don't have expiry dates outside of carefully maintained classics.

Well someone's not read my shooting brake post that thoroughly eh! :P

Jokes aside, I've touched on reliability a couple of times so those could be interesting reads for you, but I can tell you that, you'll hear it a lot, Toyota Land Cruisers are usually what you see when a dozen people need to cross a desert and camels aren't an option. And I cannot talk about the durability of old Toyotas without bringing up a piece of television that has been burned into my mind from when I was six or seven to this day and has never faded or faltered in clarity for a single of the seconds between them. Like, genuinely, you go pay me a visit eight years since I last saw it to hit me with a trick question about shot composition details and as you open the door shouting it you walk in on me losing my virginity and I shoo you away yelling "Piss off with your trick questions, I'm getting laid here".

But in terms of advice that is more actionable for you, I would as noted in other posts advise Toyotas and Hondas, and by extension Toyota's luxury brand Lexus (but please don't consider this advice against anything else, especially because these brands, Toyota and Lexus especially, have in some contexts developed a bit of a premium due to their reputation). And I know what you're thinking: "Mate I've a Corsa ya think I could get me a Lexus?" And the answer is yes. And other positively splendid pieces of kit.

I mean, you can find yourself plenty of first generation Lexus LSs in various states of rattiness, and one of those most famously did literally a million miles so I'm pretty sure you're going to be good on that front.

...but if you're not in the extremely lucky position of ULEZ compliance not being a dealbreaker, while looking for those, I also found some second generations...

...and I saw an ad for a third generation, and you know when you see an item and a price and you go through the description just to find out what the deal is and as you comb through you slowly realize that the part where they explain how this is not actually a functioning, usable product isn't there you start whispering "what the fuck? what the fuck?" and you put your hands in your hair and- yeah this is that level. Like genuinely I do not CARE if you were not asking purchasing advice and are not interested in changing your car you go phone your insurance for a quote and if it is anything below "This insurance price will actually ruin my life" you go click on that "Buy it now" button before someone else does.

But of course you may want a smaller car, what with coming from a Corsa and all that. Well, if that's the case, there's a little beauty that you're going to love love, and needs no TLC you and my help can't tackle. Remember my kei sportscars post? Well guess what it just so happens to turn out:

(if you are actually interested in getting a new car but have requirements these don't fulfill don't hesitate to drop me a line, there is little I love more than window shopping car ads and I have plenty other great ideas. If you want a new car you are going to end up with something cool whether you like it or not.)

Links in blue are posts of mine explaining the words in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

#reliability #lexus ls

[nocluejustexisting]

The Poor Way Pt. 2

Pairing : Ransom Drysdale x Street Racer!Reader

Warning: mentioning stealing and illegal activities

Ransom had an audacious plan forming in his mind as he stood there, his smug smirk undeterred by Bolt's annoyance. Her reputation as a legendary street racer intrigued him, and he was determined to experience the thrill that had eluded him for so long.

Bolt, on the other hand, was not impressed by Ransom's proposal. Her world was built on speed, skill, and adrenaline, not on privileged whims. She glanced at her Toyota 86, contemplating her options. Could teaching this rich, impulsive guy the art of street racing be worth her time?

Ransom noticed her hesitation and decided to sweeten the deal.

"Listen," he began, his tone more persuasive,

“I can make it worth your while. I've got resources, connections, and, most importantly, money. You help me become a street racer, and I'll pay you a hefty check”

Bolt crossed her arms, still skeptical.

"Money won't buy you the skills you need to race," she retorted "Pursuing illegal activities isn't a walk in the park. It requires dedication, practice, and constant alertness against the risks of getting caught, all while trying to outwit authority."

Ransom, undeterred, leaned in closer. "I may not have the skills yet, but I have something you might find valuable – a challenge. If you can turn me into a formidable street racer, it'll be a testament to your expertise.” he says with a smug look

Bolt raised an eyebrow, her irritation giving way to a hint of curiosity. She had always loved a challenge, and teaching a rich playboy the secrets of the street could be the ultimate test of her abilities.

"Fine," she conceded, her expression softening slightly. "I'll teach you, but only if you're serious about this. Don't act like a snob, just follow my lead."

Ransom nodded eagerly. "Deal”

As they sealed their agreement, Ransom couldn't help but remembered vividly how Bolt had hijacked his car just two months ago, a fact he hadn't shared yet.

Bolt noticed the mischievous expression on Ransom's face and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "What's going through that head of yours now?" she asked.

Ransom hesitated for a moment before deciding to come clean. "That Beamer you saw me driving earlier? You hijacked it two months ago."

Bolt's expression shifted from surprise to a defensive stance. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing as she faced Ransom. "So, you knew it was your car all along, and you still approached me?"

Ransom nodded, still grinning, but his tone had nothing but exitment. "Yeah, I did. But it got me thinking. I want to commit Grand theft”

“No” she says with no hesitation

“Oh come on! I want to commit to doing it the unethical way possible” he says practically on his knee begging

Bolt sighed, realizing that Ransom was genuinely excited about the idea of car part theft.

“Fine," she relented, but her tone was measured.

“But remember, this isn't just about grabbing parts. It's about knowing which parts to take and how to use them. It's a strategy, not just theft."

Ransom nodded enthusiastically, fully embracing the challenge.

“I get it, Bolt. So, who do you think I should target first?"

Bolt smirked, her competitive spirit rekindled. "Tell me, Ransom, who do you hate the most in this town? That's where we start."

#ransom drysdale #ransom drysdale x reader #ransom drydale x you #chris evans #ransom drysdale series #ransom drysdale fanfiction #knives out

[nikjmiles]

Conquer the Wild: America's Top 4x4 Vehicles Gear Up for Adventure! from Our Auto Expert on Vimeo.

In the heart of America's rugged landscapes, a new breed of 4x4 vehicles is making headlines, promising to take your adventures off the beaten path to the next level. With the market more crowded than ever, discerning which vehicle will serve as your next expedition ally can be as challenging as the terrains you aim to conquer. Today, we delve into the world of the most sought-after 4x4s, from the iconic designs of the Land Rover Defender to the family-centric Jeep Grand Cherokee, each boasting features that set them apart in a fiercely competitive arena.

After a hiatus that left enthusiasts yearning, the 2024 Ford Bronco has roared back onto the scene, not just to stir nostalgia but to assert its dominance with a starting price of $41,025. This isn't merely a comeback; it's a declaration of war against the Jeep Wrangler, equipped with a Bronco Raptor variant that houses a 400-hp twin-turbo V-6 engine, ready to tackle any challenge thrown its way.

Then there's the 2024 Land Rover Defender, which commands attention not just with its starting price of $57,875 but with a design that nods respectfully to its predecessors while embracing the future. Beneath its stylish exterior lies a 518-hp supercharged V-8 engine, capable of launching the Defender to 60 mph in an astonishing 4.4 seconds, making it a potent mix of heritage and high performance.

For families who live for the thrill of exploration without sacrificing comfort, the 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee emerges as the front-runner. With a base price of $41,330 and a 293-hp V-6 engine, it promises a blend of overlanding capability and everyday utility, ensuring that every trip is memorable.

The 2024 Jeep Wrangler, priced from $33,990, continues to uphold its legacy as the quintessential off-roader. Factory-equipped to navigate through almost any terrain and updated to offer modern comforts, the Wrangler demonstrates that practicality and adventure can go hand in hand.

Not to be overlooked, the 2024 Toyota 4Runner, with a starting price of $41,350, maintains its stronghold on reliability in the 4x4 segment. Its longstanding presence since 2009, coupled with a massive fanbase and robust aftermarket support, cements its reputation as a durable companion for the long haul.

For those seeking an all-encompassing solution, the Chevrolet Tahoe starts at $56,095 and doesn't disappoint. It merges the toughness of a truck-like chassis with a genuine four-wheel drive system, offering the capability to tow over 8,000 pounds and accommodate up to nine passengers, making it the epitome of versatility.

As we explore these titans of the 4x4 world, it becomes evident that each vehicle offers a unique proposition. From the style and power of the Land Rover Defender to the unmatched versatility of the Chevrolet Tahoe, and the family-friendly Jeep Grand Cherokee, the market is teeming with options that cater to every adventurer's needs.

In the quest for the perfect 4x4 companion, these vehicles are not just tools but partners in adventure, designed to meet the demands of both the untamed wilderness and the urban jungle. With the landscape of 4x4 SUVs richer and more diverse than ever, finding your ideal match means embarking on an adventure in itself. May your journey lead you to the 4x4 that not only drives you forward but inspires your next unforgettable expedition.

[teekays]

teddy... do quinn hughes also

OHOHO... let's get into it.

First impression

i was anti hughes from the gecko because i kind of only knew jack and i was like. averse to his brand of greasy frat boy but tanya txstars is quinn's official pr person and i saw him a little more and i was like WAIT. i can work w this he's cute in a classmate kind of way. also it helps that he's jewish and that made me like him automatically

Impression now

i have been lovingly asked to stop tweeting about quinn hughes having meek petite penis vibes by multiple beloved friends of mine which i think speaks volumes... but on a more serious note he fascinates me. this is a guy who has the double "growing up too fast" whammy of being an oldest sibling in like. the hockey royal family and thus being the Example and also of moving out at a really young age and having to handle the weirdness of the hockey world kind of on his own and now i think he tries to protect himself by kind of forming this little outer shell of Boring Media Persona so no one knows how deeply he wants things or how he's really feeling but i do find it SO interesting that he will not hesitate to speak his mind if it has to do w his brothers or his team and any sort of perceived slight/insult against them... very older brother of him to be like oh me? i'm fine. i'm good. it's okay. my team sucks? well you should kys :) like he is genuinely very chill and easygoing except for when he's insane. many such cases. he's also a sleeper contender for funniest guy imo he will only show it in certain contexts but he IS hilarious. unfortunately he is very boyfriend to me!!!

Favorite moment

pretending to crash the car after petey made fun of him for driving a toyota is an all time moment but also the game this season where van was playing jersey and he absolutely RACED across the ice to stop jack from scoring. older brother rights

Idea for a story

if i speak.

Unpopular opinion

he's actually not that miserable LOL like he's fine he just looks like that. and if he is he's got his reasons! you would also be miserable if you were on the vancouver canucks! but like seriously the bit is played out let him live. also i think someone being sexually mean to him could fix him

Favorite relationship

quinn and his brothers such a fascinating little relationship to me esp when you frame it as like... they were raised in the same house but had different Experiences growing up yknow? quinn and brady freak4freakism is so like. foundational. what if you lived with a guy and him and his dad had to teach you to stop being such an uptight fucking freak. and then he got engaged and you were stuck on a flop team? what then?

Favorite headcanon

kind of based in fact but him desperately wanting to be a mama's boy and ellen just kind of being like okay? and? is SO FUNNY. sorry quinn

#asks

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

___

82. Mile High by Liz Tomforde--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MILE HIGH is the epitome of those romance books where they're a million hours long (in audiobook format) and even though everything seems like it's going well, there are still 10+ hours left in the book. My anxiety had a field day with that one and even though I was terrified, I really wanted to see these two get the happy ending they deserved.

I knew there was a lot of hype around MILE HIGH. In fact, I had convinced myself that I would probably not like it because sometimes hyped up things are just not for me. But I was very happy to find that I actually really, really enjoyed this. The chemistry between these two characters pulled me in, and their mature way of going through life together (save for a couple of instances) made me want to stay. Also, holy, that spice? Jaysus.

There's some pretty great conversations in this about self-worth and how we view ourselves and our bodies. Being someone who has always had a messy relationship with my body, this book was almost healing? The way the MMC talks to the FMC and helps her grow into a more genuinely confident woman was empowering. Even though he was that person who is really good at giving at advice but has a harder time retaining said advice for himself, this only made him more relatable as a person.

I loved the side characters and I'm salty that I didn't read their story before meeting them in this one. I also really loved how supportive they all were.

I enjoyed a lot of things about this book and save for some of the decisions made and admittedly, the length of the book, this was such a great and sexy read. I'm glad I gave it a shot! Now I need the sequel.

___

83. My Love Mix-Up! Vol. 3 by Wataru Hinekure (Writer) , Aruko (Illustrator) , Jan Cash (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, this was FREAKING CUTE. This volume had me kicking my feet in bed like an excited child. I'm so excited to see more of this relationship as it develops!

But I also loved seeing the best friends finally be more honest with each other. I'm excited, as well, to see that one relationship grow and change.

There was more honesty in this volume and more silly hijinks.

I can't say too much because spoilers LOL but I really liked how the characters were being called out for being scared to admit how they were feeling. I think everyone worked off each other really well.

___

84. Under Currents by Nora Roberts--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

UNDER CURRENTS started a bit differently than the past suspense books I've read by Nora Roberts and I think it was different mainly because it was from the POV of a MMC. It was also something that I could tell had some seriously dark undertones. And this book was DARK in that it dealt with a lot of physical abuse. It's not the darkest I've read, but it was still a bit surprising to see--which isn't a bad thing, it was almost slightly refreshing after I read a few of Robert's books.

I also liked that while this did have its similar formulaic outline as Roberts's past suspenseful romance novels, it deviated in some instances. That kept me on my toes, even though I could still kind of guess where the story was going.

What I will comment on is the fact that there was so much random kissing others on their lips? Like, not couples. Just like, an old ex gf who is married kissing her childhood dance date on the lips "lightly" as a platonic thing, or the FMC kissing a teen boy in "thanks" "lightly" on the lips. LOL why was there so much random light kissing on others' lips? It was weird LOL.

Anyway, another fun romantic suspense novel! Will hopefully pick up another Roberts book in the near future!

___

85. Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! by Yuu Toyota--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, I really enjoyed CHERRY MAGIC! even if it gave me severe secondhand embarrassment LOL. I was screeching and giggling as I read the dirty thoughts going through the love interest's mind. I especially related to how the MC notices how different thoughts can be from the look on a person's face. It's so easy to hide what you're thinking because your brain and the privacy of your thoughts is that one part of you that truly belongs to you.

I like this concept and I'm excited to see how these two characters get on. Have I already ordered the next three volumes? Maybe...

___

86. Ready or Not by Cara Bastone--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READY OR NOT was so much more than I was anticipating. I already loved this trope, but the way Cara Bastone explored this topic and the relationships surrounding the protagonist and her friends and love interest was done so well.

While this was definitely about the pregnancy the MC experiencing from the very beginning of the book, READY OR NOT was more about the characters and how all relationships have various levels to them. Also, how a pregnant woman is sometimes viewed by society--especially one that doesn't fit to the societal norm of how a pregnant woman should present herself and her "situation".

I know that some might view some of the situations as idealistic, I mean this is a fiction novel--the characters get to have idealistic outcomes sometimes. I loved the level of communication between everyone, the MC's level of maturity but also self-awareness. I loved her over-the-top energy levels and how she herself had some pretty big character growth moments.

I also listened to the audiobook of READY OR NOT and phew, that narrator was GREAT. She fully committed to the role and gave the MC so much personality. Also, the smuttier scenes will have you blushing. There weren't a lot of those, but the ones we got were definitely worth the wait after the building of anticipation.

This was just such a pleasant read and I think it's one of those drama-free books that will leave many readers happy and surprised.

___

Have you read these books? What were your thoughts?

___

Happy reading!

#Reviews #Review #book reviews #on books #on reading #my writing #my opinions #book blog #book blogger #Features #read #reader #reading #book list #long text post #books #booklr #bookish #bookworm #bookaholic #books and reading #bookblr #book lover #books books books #readers of tumblr

[togglesbloggle]

Before the Discourse gets too Discoursey, I do wanna go on record and say that I was and am genuinely fond of the James Cameron’s “Dances With Smurfs” Avatar movie. My reason is this:

All of it, as far as I can tell, happened because Cameron himself just decided to go absolutely balls-to-the-wall making the movie he really, truly, had always wanted to make. Any AAA movie is a work of an astonishing number of people, but there’s a real and nontrivial sense in which Avatar is in fact Cameron’s passion project, the thing he could do after he got respected enough that he didn’t have to compromise with anybody. Whatever the movie achieves, whatever sins it carries around, whatever cringe it carries in from the woods and drops directly on your lap, they are more or less entirely his fault.

When it came out, Avatar was constructed to be the most technologically advanced spectacle that the movie business was capable of achieving. In this, it largely succeeded, even if it didn’t really make a cultural impact otherwise or cultivate much of a fandom. And to accomplish this, it was fed monstrously large sums of money- costs not quite as unprecedented as its revenues, but $250 million dollars is not small potatoes in 2022 and it certainly wasn’t in 2009.

If somebody spent a third of a billion dollars making my dream come as close to true as Hollywood can provide, I think it would also be pretty embarrassing. But it would be embarassing because I am embarrassing, as an extension of the basic fact that I’m a monkey trying to achieve virtue using a brain originally meant to detect tasty berries and saber toothed tigers. Same with Avatar, I think- where it was weak, it wasn’t weak because of muddled focus-testing or because of a budget shortfall or because they had to find a way to advertise some Toyota car in a chase scene somewhere, it was weak because the dream itself is just doofy sometimes. I can’t help but imagine James Cameron’s eight-year-old self sitting in the seat next to me watching it, shoveling popcorn in to his mouth and yelling at the scary bits and having the time of his life. We should all be so lucky.

[mrs-nubenueve]

What are your top three headcanons or for any character/show/movie/piece of media you have them for?

Ooooh, nice! We’ll keep it Hq!! for relevancy~

Kenma has nice cars. This is one I had to wrestle with myself on, considering he’s a Tokyo bby and his most familiar mode of transportation is most likely the public one. But, time-skip wise, he definitely has the money to splurge. And maybe high school volleyball traumatized him to the point where, out of spite, he’s vowed to never walk anywhere again (I’m sure the experience of riding on public transportation didn’t sway his resolve, either). So, yes, I like to believe he’s got some trendy cars. I imagine models like Toyota Supras or even Acura NSX’s—sleek, fast. They don’t have decals, and they aren’t chrome wrapped (I wish), but they’re shiny and dark and absolute beauties.

Imagine the gang decides to meet up for some McDonald’s. They’re waiting up. Suddenly someone’s like, “Who tf brought a Corvette stingray to the McD’s??” And, of course, it’s Kenma. Kenma, in all his messy-haired, raggedy-clothed glory. Hinata, passenger princess, pops his head out from the window with the largest grin on his face. 

And if Kuroo ever wants to go cruising, sure, Kenma concedes and tosses him the keys. But he says, to Kuroo’s horror, “Start up the Nissan.”

Akaashi’s long-hair is a choice. I think a lot of fans interpret time-skip Akaashi’s long hair as something he has because he just can’t find the time to cut it. And I definitely can see that being canon; it feels in-character, for sure. But I’ll offer a different perspective. A lot of the time-skip characters were given haircuts—probably to signal their maturity/aging. It might even be because it’s a trend right now in Japan, to have shorter hair (can’t say for sure, though). Whatever the case, Akaashi was one of the few who didn’t get this haircut treatment. But if you want to hit me with, “Well, that’s because it couldn’t get any shorter without us rioting”—you know what. Yeah. I’ll give you that one.

Anyways, his hair is probably one of the first things we all noticed when we saw his time-skip design. It’s a major change. And it’s lovely! It looks deliberately styled (if fluffy), not as if he’s too busy to take care of it. For Akaashi, who wanted to right-off-the-bat work in a ‘traditional’ literature department, it makes sense to me that he perhaps wants to experiment with longer hair—something that also holds traditional significance in Japan. I’m also of the mind that his parents are strict fellows and think that, while they could enforce their expectations/rules on him as a minor, they disapproved of their son running around with long hair. So, that’s why we see this change in adulthood only. 

Kiyoko had to like Tanaka in high school!! OK, OK. I know this one seems like it’s coming out of left field, but I’m putting it on here because I genuinely do find myself wondering about their relationship on a regular basis. Maybe ethnocentrism blinds me when I say this, but I don’t find the idea of “I’m gonna keep trying until she falls for me” romantic at all. Especially considering the fact that Kiyoko legitimately showed no interest in Tanaka, ever, and his and Noya’s gushing over her typically centered on her appearance. Another disclaimer: maybe I’m missing something that’s portrayed differently in the manga, which I began reading at the nationals arc because I wanted to know what happened after the events of s1-4 of the anime. But, yes, Tanaka’s fanning over her felt like a running gag retconned into seriousness. And for me to reconcile their relationship, I have to believe that Kiyoko in her journal was secretly doodling “K+R” and “Tanaka Kiyoko” in hearts. We love a cool, calm, collected love-struck queen.

#haikyuu!! #headcanons #kozume kenma #kuro tetsuro #hinata shoyo #akaashi keiji #tanaka ryuunosuke #kiyoko shimizu #q & a #NOT ME THROWING SHADE AT NISSANS #sry my partner's dad is a big car fanatic and he's always throwing shade at them #he be influencing me fr fr #tysm for the ask zee <333 #i just love to talk lol #isaspeaks #edit: i love how shiggy is asking me this #✉️

[moteldogs]

New Mexico, part 3: Silver City to Grants

Hitchhiking! Pie! Confusion!

May 15

I wake up in Fuzz’s spot in the park and walk back to the town center in the early morning light, footfalls quiet on silent suburban streets. I head for the Javelina Café and use my four dollars of busking money to buy a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee, then sink down in a comfy armchair and plug my battery pack in to charge.

I’ve decided to make for Reserve instead of Pie Town, and get back on trail there to squeeze a few more New Mexico miles in. From the Reserve trailhead (which is 25 miles further on past Reserve, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there) to Pie Town should be about 40 miles, or two days. Reserve is closer, anyways, and might be an easier hitch.

I walk out of town a ways, four miles or so, until I find a decent hitching spot. I again get picked up pretty quick, only about forty-five minutes after I pick my spot.

My ride is an older guy again, retired, big stomach spilling over his seatbelt, plastic cannula in his nose. He doesn’t like retirement — he used to be in sales, he misses talking to people. “All the bullshitting,” he says. These days he gardens, mostly, growing vegetables and mushrooms. He explains aquaponics to me for twenty minutes, and makes it genuinely interesting.

He’s only going as far as Buckhorn, and he drops me in front of the liquor store there, which is a two-story clapboard building with a solid wood slab of a door. It looks straight out of a Clint Eastwood movie. “A lot of people stop in here,” he says. “Probably your best chance to get picked up again.” Ha ha. If only.

Inside the store, three people sit around a plastic folding table eating pizza — an older lady with long white hair pulled back in a ponytail and a face like the plains of Wyoming; a pretty blonde girl about my age in a pink tank top and cutoff jeans; and a guy about my age in matching camo shirt and hat.

“Can I help you?” the older lady asks, and I startle. I thought they all were customers. I ask to fill up my waterbottle, then I buy a bottle of Gatorade too because I feel rude not buying anything.

Camo guy is watching me with interest. “Where you from?”

“Alaska,” I tell him, because after a certain number of times of being asked that question it feels easiest to just list the last place I lived in.

“Alaska!” he says, grinning. He’s friendly, I like him.

I take my Gatorade and water and pick my spot, just off the parking lot. I stick out my thumb for every car that goes past, but no luck. An hour passes; I’m not too worried. Sometimes you gotta wait a while.

Pink tank top girl and camo boy are heading out. They give me a slice of pizza as they leave. I feel a little like a stray dog that people feed on the street, but they were sweet to offer and I’m not dumb enough to turn down free food.

Another hour passes. No luck. The sun beats down. Two guys, maybe a dad and son, come by in a bright blue Honda sedan. They’re going the wrong direction to give me a lift, but the younger guy hands me an ice cold can of Natty Light. “Stay hydrated,” he says. That guy’s my hero.

And that’s maybe the peak of my time in Buckhorn, New Mexico. Hours pass and I don’t get a ride. It’s Sunday traffic, light and trickling, and all the cars that go by are boxy new Ford SUVs and oversized Toyota Tacomas, washed and waxed. I’ve never gotten a ride from one of those kinds of cars. Just one beat-up tiny pickup or wheezing ‘98 Forester, please God. I know those vehicles are the type to stop for me.

I sing Wagon Wheel to myself to pass the time — “starin’ up the road, pray to God I see headlights” — then start making up my own song about Buckhorn, which eats up about two hours. The sun beats down on the asphalt. No ride.

Finally, it’s been five hours. I go back inside to buy another Gatorade. It’s a different lady, still with white hair pulled back, but with the roundness of her face she looks like a storybook grandma. “I seen you sitting out there for awhile, you okay?” she asks.

“I’m alright, ma’am, just trying to get to Reserve. You know anybody who might be going that way soon?”

She can’t think of anybody, and isn’t sure if traffic might pick up tomorrow. “If you’re still out there when we close, though, I’ll ask my husband if we can let you roll out your bedroll in the shed.” And she says she’ll ask anyone who comes into the store if they’re going that way.

Fifteen minutes later, a dusty white truck pulls up to the store, and picks me up on the way out of the parking lot. It’s a rancher with his young son in the passenger seat, neither of them wearing seatbelts. He says he can drop me at the 78 junction, which is just past their property line. His family’s ranched that land for seventy years, and he’s lived here his whole life.

“Lady in the store said you looked about fourteen and like you needed help,” he says.

“I’m twenty!” I say, maybe a little more indignantly than I mean to. “I just got a baby face, I guess.” The rancher laughs, eyes crinkling.

He drops me off right at the junction, near a line of parked, empty big rigs. (Why are they there? Where’d the truckers go? Who knows.) I’m finally out of Buckhorn, and my next ride comes only ten minutes later in a beat-up tan pickup.

He’s on the younger side, maybe late twenties or early thirties, dark-haired and dirt-covered, and he talks with a lisp. “You get a ride or something from a blue car earlier? They told me to look out for you,” he says. Blue car… Natty Light guy? My hero once again!

He’s clearing stuff off the passenger seat as he pulls over, and even still I end up sitting on clutter. He has a small rock collection on the dashboard, and when I comment on it he reaches into the center console and pulls out a big dark-colored rock, larger than palm size and flecked with air bubbles like a volcanic rock. “Rhodiesum,” he says. “Most valuable rock on the planet. That’s five pounds. I’m gonna take it down to Tucson or Albuquerque this week to sell it.”

“Hope you get good money for it,” I offer.

“At least nine hundred thousand four hundred dollars,” he says. I can’t tell if he’s serious, or thinks he’s serious, anyways.

Like the rancher, he’s lived here his whole life, and he doesn’t wear a seatbelt. Unlike the rancher, he drives like a maniac. He’s reaching for his pack of Marlboro Black hundreds, tapping a smoke into his hand while careening around a canyon corner, fumbling with his lighter and almost veering into the oncoming lane. Once the cigarette is finally and mercifully lit, he’s on his phone texting with one hand, barely glancing at the road until we’re halfway through a sharp curve and then it’s brakes squealing, pedal to the floor.

He says he’s hiked a lot of the CDT, and he’s thought about doing a thruhike. “I don’t know if I could do it, man. Four months is a long time to not get laid!” And he cackles like a coyote.

He’s a cool guy, though, and doesn’t actually crash the truck. We pass by the gas station and he asks if I need anything from the convenience store, and then he goes out of his way to drop me off at a National Forest campground instead of just leaving me on the side of the road.

I set up my tent in the quiet of the campground. There’s a cyclist there, and an RV, and later it sounds like another hitchhiker gets dropped off, but nobody makes much noise. I eat my dinner of coldsoaked instant refried beans and Fritos, strip down for the first time in days in the privacy of my tent, and get cozy. These days, setting up my tent feels almost as cushy as having a motel room, especially seeing as I’d been expecting to have to stealth camp by the side of the road somewhere. But somehow things always seem to work out okay in the end. People are weird and crazy but largely kind, and I’m grateful.

One more shoutout to Natty Light guy. What a bro. Nobel Prize and knighthood for him, stat.

May 16

There was another hitchhiker dropped off last night! I meet him on the way out of the campground. He looks to be mid-20s at oldest but he’s already done the Triple Crown — thruhiking the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the CDT — and now he’s stringing together his own long trail, up to Canada by way of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Idaho. He has the tiniest pack I’ve ever seen. We stand on the shoulder talking and hitch together, getting a ride in ten minutes flat.

Our ride is driving a big full-cab Ram pickup, and he’s going all the way to the junction with 12, the road that will take me into Reserve. He’s lived in this area his whole life, and he and his girlfriend are driving up 180 to a plot of land they recently bought and mean to build a cabin on. He hunts a lot, raises horses, and thinks I’m crazy for traveling solo without a pistol. There are wolves and mountain lions and bears around here, he says, and it’s people you really gotta watch out for.

As a matter of fact, we see a wolf, on the hill beside the road, darting away into the trees. “That’s a big bastard there!” says my ride. The wolf is light-colored, almost blond, and it slips away into the landscape with ease.

The guy drops me at the junction. It’s only 7 miles into Reserve from there, so I start walking, turning and holding out my thumb when I hear a car coming. Traffic’s light and I don’t expect to get picked up, but a green Kia passes me, then pulls off ahead in front of me and reverses.

The driver’s a young woman around my age, dark hair, who works as a hospice nurse. “I don’t usually pick up men,” she says, “but you have kind eyes.” (Score one for the puppy dog eyes and baby face!)

She drops me at the ranger station, where I check for information about fires and trail closures, then I walk into town to the tiny diner that is the Main Street Grill and have the best damn cheeseburger on the trail so far, served by the nicest waitress who keeps topping up my iced tea and calling me hon. Reserve is the best.

At the Frisco Lodge motel, I use the check-in phone to ask for a shuttle to the trailhead. It’s $40, which is cheaper than I was expecting for the distance and price of gas. In 45 minutes, a guy named Daryl who looks like a jovial Santa Claus comes and picks me up. In half an hour I’m back on the trail, in the peace and quiet.

It’s mid-afternoon and hot out, so I walk just until I’m out of sight of the road, then settle down under a shade tree to digest my burger. I flip back and forth between books on my phone. Finally I just lay there and watch the clouds overhead. It’s warm and sunny and I’m glad to be alone in the woods again.

Eventually the day winds down towards evening and I walk a few miles further on, then in the dusk I cowboy camp in a meadow just off-trail. I eat my dinner of instant refried beans and Fritos sitting up in my sleeping bag, and fall asleep watching the stars.

May 17

Mileage: 31.5

Something about being in an open field with the hills all around doesn’t sit right with me. There’s this barking sound in the middle of the night that wakes me up and gets me freaked. Do wolves bark? I don’t know. It’s not a dog’s bark, that’s for sure. I have this image of a wolf running down the hill out of the trees, straight at me, and me all tangled up in my sleeping bag, dead meat. I remind myself that wild animals, even carnivores, don’t tend to seek out interaction with humans. Wolves and bears don’t hunt humans unless something goes real wrong. Eventually I fall back asleep.

In the morning, my sleeping bag is crunchy with frozen condensation and there’s shards of ice in my water bottles. I’m wearing tiny running shorts and it takes a good long while for me to make myself pull my legs out of the nice warm bag. When I do get up, I’m speedwalking four-minute miles for a while, trying to get warm.

The sun finally slants down through the trees enough to warm the air, and I sit down to eat breakfast (a sleeve of Florentina cookies) and check the maps on my phone. 35 miles to Pie Town, all of it on a dirt road. This is my first long trail, and I haven’t hit the fabled landmark of walking thirty miles in one day. But my legs are strong and my feet feel good, and roadwalking on dirt roads is easy as it gets. Fuck it! I think. I’mma do a thirty!

A side effect of hitching around the Gila section is that I’ve caught up with hikers who started earlier than me. At the first water stop of the day, I meet three other hikers sitting in the shade — Send-it, Cream, and Hammer. (These are trail names, nicknames that other hikers give you based on some characteristic of yours.)

It’s weird, seeing people on the trail instead of just in town. I feel like one of those feral children raised by wolves who come back into society and don’t know how to act. I’m used to going days without seeing another person and now I don’t know what to do with this glut of companions.

We sit and talk around the water cache for ten minutes, then leave one by one to walk up the long climb ahead of us. Send-it says she looked at the elevation data and it’s the only real hill between here and Pie Town. Once we make that climb, we’ll be cruising the rest of the way.

The hill is easy, and the downhill on the other side feels good too. I pass Hammer when he stops to put on sunscreen, and now I’m in the lead. I feel fast as hell, and strong. It feels good to be able to hold my own in the company of these other hikers, who’ve all thru-hiked at least one long trail before.

I pass another hiker, Hot Pocket, sitting in the shade eating lunch. So many people! What even is this.

I meet Cream and Hammer and Hot Pocket again at a water spigot, which is just inexplicably there on the side of the trail. “Should I filter this?” Hot Pocket asks. Who knows, man.

Five miles up ahead is this place called the DaVila Ranch Rest Facility. It’s like an oasis, with laundry and showers and a stocked fridge, but I’ve only done 21 miles today and I’m set on getting my 30. I peel off my shoes and socks, fix up a blister, and let my feet air out. All the hikers from today filter into the shelter, plus a couple more I hadn’t met yet. It’s crowded; I’m overwhelmed.

There’s wifi here and somebody announces that the Forest Service is closing down the Santa Fe, Cibola, and Carson National Forests. The trail runs through all those areas at some point. We’re not sure where, we’re all flipping between mapping apps trying to figure it out. How far can we keep going? What are we going to do? “I wish this place didn’t have Internet,” Carl says morosely. “We could’ve had such a peaceful night.”

“You heading out?” a guy named Shea asks, watching me put my socks and shoes back on. I’m not limping or hobbling, so I figure I’ll leave. It’s too busy here and I feel weird and alien. I want to be alone and walking again.

When I hit the trail, it’s easy. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are at CRUISING ALTITUDE!” I crow. I’m wearing my tiny running shorts and I watch my quads work with every step, amazed that my body can do this. My feet don’t even hurt!

I walk and walk and keep walking. The sun goes down and the stars come out. My body doesn’t hurt but the darkness makes me tired. I’ve been going to bed at 9 for days now, and I’m on the sun’s schedule now. Finally, at 10:30, I’m asleep on my feet and staggering side to side. I find a spot just off the road with no barbed wire or Private Property signs and toss down my sleeping bag behind a tree. 31.5 miles under my belt — baby’s first thirty! I fall asleep exhausted and content.

May 18

Mileage: Like 4 or 5, I don’t know

I wake up at seven and walk the last few miles into town, only limping a little bit. Pickup trucks keep rumbling past and blowing up clouds of dust. I have to keep stopping to blow my nose and cough up dusty phlegm.

At 9 am I arrive at the Toaster House, the donation-based hiker hostel in Pie Town. About a hundred old metal and plastic toasters are fastened to the fence with baling wire. There are tents pitched in the yard, hikers hobbling around the house. I’ve arrived right as people are finishing breakfast and heading out, so the house is a bustle of activity with too many people. I drop my stuff and walk to the post office to pick up my resupply box.

Both the pie cafes are closed today. This town is tiny — no gas station, no grocery store, no laundromat, no reliable cell service — and the pie places seem to keep whatever hours they feel like. I take a shower and shave, then the rest of the day is spent at the hostel eating food from the hiker box (where hikers leave food and gear they don’t want), laying in the sun, and drinking beer.

At night, someone finds a guitar and somebody else plays a keyboard, and Hank Williams tunes drift through the house. A joint gets passed around. Everyone who arrived today made the mutual decision to stick around for pie tomorrow, so there’s no need to get up early. We sit up late listening to the music and smoking.

May 19

Mileage: Zero!

In the morning, I wake up on the couch to the sounds of people moving around the house. I get up and make breakfast and coffee, and sit out on the porch.

We all go out to one of the pie places for breakfast and accidentally get there an hour early. Just a pack of twelve or fifteen dirty hikers sitting on the porch of this tiny restaurant. Finally they open. I get a slice of jalapeño apple pie, and another slice of blueberry and peach, both with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and good hot coffee. Might be heaven.

Afterwards I go to the RV park in town, which has free wifi, and sun myself on the hot concrete staring at my phone, trying to figure out what’s going on with the trail. With the forest closures, nobody can hike any farther north in New Mexico than Grants, about 80 miles north of Pie Town. But it’s still only May, way too early to head into the San Juans in Colorado. What are we going to do? I google and stare at maps until my phone battery runs down and I go back to the Toaster House.

I eat two dinners and smoke more weed and hang out on the porch with Wagon, an older guy with a white beard and at least six earrings who keeps passing me a joint. There’s at least twenty hikers in the house and nobody is in a hurry to get anywhere anymore. We’re just gonna deadend in Grants anyways, it seems.

I also talk to Chance, short for Not-a-chance, who has deeply tanned skin and wild brown hair and has been doing this thruhiking thing for the last ten years. She’s friendly and sweet, and somehow gets me talking about my childhood, and moving out at 17, and getting into wilderness. “You’re fearless, kid,” she says. I’m not.

May 20

Another zero. Still don’t know what I’m going to do after Grants. More weed. Weird contemplative mood. Back to the pie place for breakfast — biscuits and gravy this time — and then back to the RV park for wifi. There’s just not enough information to make a decision, no real way of knowing what conditions are like in Colorado. I’m restless already, this drive to keep moving on, but to where?

A new group rolls in — Randall (Blue Steel), who I started with, and the group of tech bro frat boys he’s accumulated. A kid named Jules (trail name, after Pulp Fiction) with floppy brown hair and a baggy, bright turquoise button up also turns up. He’s 20, my age, and talkative as hell. I get a kick outta him.

Jules and me hang with Wagon, who seems to have an endless supply of weed and a similarly endless desire to share it with us. The new guys play Trout, a drinking game that involves tossing around a can of Miller Lite and then shotgunning the foam (??).

I end up stoned as hell, in the living room reading a book from the sixties — Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism. Feel like some beat generation Kerouac type. I fall asleep at 6:30 pm on the couch and sleep hard.

May 21

Mileage: 16

I wake up at 5 in the morning, but it’s on the heels of a dream about home, which leaves me aching too bad to get up. I go back to sleep and wake up again at 7 to chatter in the kitchen and the smell of brewing coffee. Today’s the day to get moving, I decide. I’ve been here long enough.

I eat breakfast and hang with Jules and a couple other hikers, then mess around for a few hours packing up my shit, wandering the house, pacing back and forth.

Around lunchtime I shoulder my pack and get outta there. It’s only 16 miles to the TLC ranch, which is private property but the owners allow CDT hikers to camp there, and even provide water for us.

I get to the ranch just before sundown and eat dinner with a guy named Cuddles, who’s from Germany. We talk for a while and eat Jolly Ranchers, then I pitch my tent and go to bed.

May 22

Mileage: 17.4

I’m up at 6, walking down the dirt road again at 6:45. Cuddles is off a half hour before me and I doubt I’ll see him again until Grants. I’m slow today, and every mile feels like it takes forever. What’s wrong with me?

10 am. I’m tired, so tired. I think about the two or three cups of coffee I’ve been having every day for the last few days, and realize I’m probably having caffeine withdrawals. I have to either stop drinking so much coffee in town, or bring instant coffee with me on the trail.

It’s only been a few weeks on this trip, but this is my world now. There’s town and trail, and I like trail better. Everything in the world that I need can fit inside my backpack. I like the simplicity.

I toss down my sleeping pad in the shade of a juniper, then have to put on my puffy jacket and wrap my bandana around my head as a hat. With the wind, it’s chilly. I read books on my phone and eat dried cranberries, and curl up in the shifting shade and sun.

A plane rumbles overhead and I imagine the people on board. They can’t see me, all the way down here in my nest under the juniper.

Eventually I get up and keep walking to a muddy stock pond that’s my next water source, then camp when it gets dark. I pitch my tent again, because I’m living a life of luxury over here. Snug in my little silnylon shelter, warm in my sleeping bag, well-fed. The good life.

May 23

Mileage: 18

I sleep in until 6:30, and I’m not really conscious until 7 or 8. Then I lollygag around, reading my books, eating a breakfast of 2 Snickers bars, and still being hungry. My appetite is huge these last few days, which is a little alarming given I didn’t pack that much food. It’ll be fine — I know how to be hungry and still functional, and Grants is only 30 or so miles away. At least my pack will be light.

The morning is beautiful. The trail is a dirt road through a high canyon, looking out at mesas and plains. Around noon I come to a solar well next to a broke-down windmill. There are dark clouds forming overhead, and if I didn’t know better I’d think it might rain.

Cream shows up at the well, and very generously lets me borrow her water filter, since mine’s a piece of shit. I need to pick up a new filter first chance I get.

After refilling water, I walk along the highway for a few miles, then duck under a barbed wire fence to take a shortcut. The fence doesn’t say No Trespassing, so I figure I’m fine, but I make for the treeline across the dry sandy field anyways. Better safe than sorry.

In a hollow behind a rise, tucked among the rustling yellow grasses, I watch the dark clouds roll overhead. The wind rumbles through the tall pines, sounding like a semi truck on the now-distant highway. The dry weeds and the smell of coming rain is a sense memory I’d forgotten I had. Six years old in northeast Arizona on the Navajo nation, tucked away in the tall weeds in the backyard while the monsoon rains thundered down, turning the red dirt to mud, drenching me in warm water.

Now, I watch the sky and ache for rain.

A few more miles down the road is the trailhead for the Narrows Rim Trail, overlooking the lava flows of El Malpais. The CDT section that I’m on technically just follows highway 117 for the next twenty-five miles, but most people take the Narrows Rim even though it adds a couple miles to the distance. Because why roadwalk when you can scramble over rocks!

[Content warning in the next paragraphs for mention of weight, disordered eating, etc. Skip to ‘I skim along the mesa rim’ if you’re not down to read all that right now.]

I eat an early dinner tucked in a small cave just off the start of the trail, hiding from the wind. Two packets of salmon, coldsoaked instant refried beans, a few pieces of cheese. This leaves me with half a packet of refried beans and a handful of peanut M&Ms on which to walk twenty miles tomorrow. I’ll be okay, I tell myself.

The food I packed really should have been enough, it’s just that I’m hungrier than ever. I think this is “hiker hunger” kicking in — that yawning chasm that opens up in your stomach, usually a few weeks into a long hike, when your body realizes that you’re going to keep burning this many calories every day. I could eat five burgers right now and have room to spare.

The last time I felt hungry like this I was sixteen. There was a year or so where I didn’t eat much. In hindsight, I was already small, and I dropped enough weight to make even my dad start to worry. In the car, somewhere in Montana or maybe the Dakotas, my feet on the dashboard, his hand over my thigh, marveling at how little of it there was. “When’d you get so skinny, kid,” he said, and I preened over his noticing. I’m not sure why I’m thinking about that right now, except that I’m hungry and it feels the same.

I skim along the mesa rim, feeling on top of the world. Dirt roads are okay but it’s good to be on a trail again. Sure beats a paved highway shoulder, too. The trail overlooks the lava fields of El Malpais below — the Badlands — and so I listen to Springsteen’s “Badlands” on repeat while I fly over the rocky trail.

The trail ends at an overlook of La Ventana Arch, a beautiful sandstone formation. I scramble the 200 feet down a gully from the cliff edge to the valley floor, watching the sunset turn the sandstone pink, making it down just before dark.

I walk along the highway for awhile, wanting to run down the miles while I have a full stomach. It’s dark and I’m tired and I can’t find a place to sleep. Eventually I duck under a barbed wire fence, through the gap where it runs over a small gully. I walk over bare earth, between big cholla cactuses, toward the huge looming shadow of the mesa. My headlamp only lights up a few feet ahead of me; I don’t really know where I’m going. And then I stumble on a copse of trees, enough to shield me from view. One of the trees has boughs that drape down and form a perfect me-shaped hollow, right there in the soft sand. I lay out my bedroll and feel safe and held. The trail provides.

May 24

Mileage: 32

I open up my food sack for breakfast and I have almost no food. I eat the peanut M&Ms and decide to save the refried beans for if I get desperate.

Most of the day, I’m actually not hungry. My body’s gotten the message that there’s no food. It’s not like roadwalking’s especially hard, either. Just boring.

I make it to the (closed) ranger station and finish off my water in the shade of two big ponderosa pines, then refill 2 liters from the spigot at the station. Vista, a hiker I met in Pie Town, is on her way out and we say hi in passing.

I hang around in the shade for a little while, then get going. Only 9 miles to a gas station on the outskirts of Grants that has water and a Subway. I listen to music, watch the road ahead, and dream about my sandwich choices.

The last three miles to the Subway feel like they take a lifetime. My stomach starts growling. My feet move automatically. Just a little farther. There’s another hiker behind me, a tall guy with long brown hair tucked under a baseball hat. I wave hi, but really all that exists for me right now is the dream of a huge sandwich. And chips. And sweet tea.

I get to the Subway.

It’s closed.

The hiker behind me turns out to be named Wingnut. He’s super fast, he’s been doing 40s, and is similarly distraught at the closed Subway. We walk miles to Denny’s together on the shoulder of Route 66 in whipping headwinds that are sometimes strong enough to move my feet. We have to run across a sketchy highway overpass with the tiniest shoulder I’ve ever seen. Then we get to Denny’s and eat all the food. I order a milkshake and a double cheeseburger and 2 blueberry pancakes, and inhale it all. I’d been planning to go to the hostel in town but it’s two miles away back across the sketchy overpass and I’m in a food coma, so we go to a Motel 6 a few doors down and get rooms there for relatively cheap. Have decided that Wingnut and I are now best friends even if we never see each other again. That was a real bonding experience.

In the motel room, I call my brother and we talk for awhile, then I fall asleep to the flickering light of the TV and the sound of the interstate roaring past.

#cdt22 #.txt #took me forever to write all this up now that there’s other people to talk to and be social with lmao

[seat-safety-switch]

So there’s this house near my house. I walk by there once in awhile, usually when my car has broken down on the other side of the neighbourhood and I have to walk home (to get another car, to retrieve this car.) Look, it’s not important why I’m there. The thing that you need to know is: this house has a Toyota Previa in front of it.

The Toyota Previa is Western civilization’s most passive-aggressive way to signal to others around you that you are a bona-fide car person with a few holes in your head. It’s got everything “car folks” crave: mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive (or all-wheel-drive!) Toyota chassis. Available forced induction. A hatch. A weird bean shape, with an even weirder dashboard. The very likely possibility that you will be killed in even a minor traffic accident. To everyone else in traffic, a Previa looks like a boring old van from the 90s. To someone like me, it is catnip.

Of course, the owner of this one Previa didn’t go in for subtlety. It has a giant shark-mouth vinyl on the side, has obviously been used for drift practice, and spent most of last year up on jackstands, awaiting new front struts. I don’t know what a normal person would make of all those data points, if they even noticed, but I was fairly sure that I would find the owner of this Previa tolerable for at least thirty minutes while we talked about our favourite kinds of reckless endangerment of the public good via automobiles. And then it happened.

This morning, as I walked past, I found out that they have obtained a second Previa. You might think that this would cement their position in my mind as a Genuine Freak, but it has done almost the opposite. I find myself angered that they are now hoarding these uncommon egg-vans, rubbing it in my face that they would enjoy a surfeit of such rarity and refuse to share it with their fellow nutbag, myself.

The only solution is to go to war, and by “war,” I mean slowly driving by their house with the weirdest shitboxes I can find until they realize just what kind of bad neighbour they’re dealing with. Sure, you think you’re pretty smart because you can get Toyota’s least-well-known 90s sports car, but have you ever seen someone hit the rev limiter on an Isuzu Gemini in eBayed fake-Irmscher trim? Two can play at this game, bucko.

[nashvilletoyotanorth]

Tune-Up in Tennessee: Your Local Toyota Dealer in Nashville

Introduction

When it comes to finding a reliable and trustworthy Toyota dealer in Nashville, Tennessee, it's essential to choose one that offers exceptional service and a wide range of options. Whether you're in the market for a new Toyota vehicle, need maintenance and repairs for your current Toyota, or simply want to explore the latest models, finding the right dealership is crucial. In this article, we will explore the benefits of choosing a local Toyota dealer in Nashville and how they can provide you with the best service for all your automotive needs.

Why Choose a Local Toyota Dealer in Nashville?

1. Expertise and Knowledge

Local Toyota dealers in Nashville have a deep understanding of the Toyota brand and its vehicles. They are trained and knowledgeable about the latest models, features, and technologies. Whether you have questions about a specific Toyota model or need advice on maintenance and repairs, the dealership's staff can provide you with accurate and reliable information.

2. Wide Selection of Vehicles

Local Toyota dealerships in Nashville offer a wide selection of new and pre-owned Toyota vehicles. Whether you're looking for a fuel-efficient sedan like the Toyota Camry, a versatile SUV like the Toyota RAV4, or a rugged truck like the Toyota Tacoma, you can find the perfect vehicle to suit your needs and preferences. The dealership's inventory is regularly updated, ensuring that you have access to the latest Toyota models.

3. Quality Service and Maintenance

One of the significant advantages of choosing a local Toyota dealer in Nashville is the access to quality service and maintenance for your Toyota vehicle. The dealership's service center is staffed with trained technicians who specialize in Toyota vehicles. They have the expertise and knowledge to diagnose and address any issues your vehicle may have, ensuring that it runs smoothly and efficiently.

4. Genuine Toyota Parts

When you visit a local Toyota dealer in Nashville for repairs or maintenance, you can be confident that they will use genuine Toyota parts. Genuine parts are specifically designed for your Toyota vehicle, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Using genuine parts also helps maintain the resale value of your vehicle and protects its warranty.

5. Customer Satisfaction

Local Toyota dealerships in Nashville prioritize customer satisfaction. They strive to provide a positive and personalized experience for every customer. From the moment you step into the dealership to the moment you drive off in your new Toyota or leave after a service appointment, the staff is dedicated to ensuring that your needs are met and that you are satisfied with your experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I test drive a Toyota vehicle at a local dealership in Nashville?

Yes, local Toyota dealerships in Nashville offer test drives for their vehicles. It's a great opportunity to experience the performance, comfort, and features of the Toyota model you're interested in before making a purchase decision.

2. Can I trade in my current vehicle at a local Toyota dealership in Nashville?

Yes, most local Toyota dealerships in Nashville accept trade-ins. They will assess the value of your current vehicle and offer you a fair trade-in value that you can put towards the purchase of a new Toyota.

3. Do local Toyota dealerships in Nashville offer financing options?

Yes, local Toyota dealerships in Nashville have financing options available for customers. They work with various financial institutions to provide competitive rates and flexible terms to suit your budget and needs.

4. Can I schedule a service appointment online at a local Toyota dealership in Nashville?

Yes, many local Toyota dealerships in Nashville offer online scheduling for service appointments. This convenient feature allows you to choose a date and time that works best for you without having to make a phone call.

5. Are there any special promotions or discounts available at local Toyota dealerships in Nashville?

Yes, local Toyota dealerships in Nashville often have special promotions and discounts on new and pre-owned vehicles, service appointments, and parts. It's worth checking their website or contacting the dealership to inquire about any current offers.

Conclusion

Choosing a local Toyota dealer in Nashville provides numerous benefits for car buyers and owners. From their expertise and knowledge of the Toyota brand to their wide selection of vehicles, quality service and maintenance, and commitment to customer satisfaction, local dealerships offer a comprehensive and personalized experience. Whether you're in the market for a new Toyota or need maintenance and repairs for your current vehicle, a local Toyota dealer in Nashville is your go-to destination for all your automotive needs. Visit your local Toyota dealer today and experience the exceptional service they have to offer.

#toyotadealernashville #toyotadealer #toyota

[danie1edwards]

Fork Lift Truck Spare Parts: How Much KS Have To Offer!

After having several positive experiences wirth KS Lift Trucks, I also wanted to find out about other things that they offered beyond large lifting machines.

And I was not dissapointed!

But what exactly do KS have on offer? Well, this blog will explain the types of fork lift truck parts and accessories on offer as well as the many brands which KS work with.

Firstly, KS have 3 main categories in terms of what they offer:

Genuine Parts: They supply a full range of genuine parts from all major manufactorers.

Aftermarket Parts: They work with quality aftermarket part suppliers and their aftermarket parts come with a warranty

Accessories: These range from LED lights, cab accessories, fleet management, oils, lubricants and much more!

Make notes! You don't want to forget about these amazing offers!

If you're still not convinced about their trustworthiness, then maybe the manufacturers that they work with and supply may change your mind. Here are the brands they work with and provide parts and accessories for:

Toyota

JCB

Nissan

Doosan

Terberg

Fantuzzi

Baumann

Still

Caterpillar

There are some reputable brands that they work for, so their trustworthiness is more than well-assured. They also offer an enquiry form. So, if you enter your vehicles details and your contact info, then they will get back to you within 2 hours with expert advice on the kinds of spare parts that you will need for forklift trucks.

So, when it comes to fork lift truck parts, there is no other place to go than https://kslifttrucks.co.uk/. They have you covered on every front, and are sure to make your storing operations a breeze!

#fork lift #forklifttrucks