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gifted-burnout-archive · 3 years

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Driving Home For Christmas

Word Count: 3.8K+

Author’s Note: we’re back bitches, and with new stories every day until the 25th!! and we had to start with our favourite star herself, julie molina, because of course! i loved writing this, we love brother alex, we love having last names for the fucking characters!!!

Pairings: julie x reader - brother!alex mercer x reader - willie x alex

Warnings: fluffiness!!

The Mercer children hated spending their Christmas holidays in Aspen. In fact, there wasn’t anything the siblings hated more.

The luxurious ski resort cabin certainly had charms: the hot tub on the porch, the on demand hot chocolate, the fast passes to get on the slopes ahead of the general public, and that was all before you got to the world renowned chef, Portia, that was on-call twenty four hours of the day, seven days a week, able to make whatever their hearts desired. Anyone else might have thought the resort, covered in snow and holiday decorations, like a scene from one of those Hallmark Christmas movies that are always just on in December, was the perfect winter wonderland, and the sort of place anyone would die to spend the end of their year.

But Alex and Y/N Mercer didn’t hate Aspen; they hated their passively-homophobic parents and extended family that always showed up to ruin the festive cheer. Whether it was by berating the heir to the family fortune about his boyfriend back home in California; or their consistent pestering of Alex’s younger sister Y/N about when the girl would find herself a decent, upstanding boyfriend, like she hadn’t spent her entire childhood until the last year stuck in an array of all girls’ boarding schools across the great United States.

With the pros of the cabin weighed out by the con of their family, it came to be that on Christmas Eve the brother and sister sat amongst the slow-moving traffic on some interstate between the Colorado ski lodge and home, in sunny California, already ten hours into their drive.

“I still can’t believe… Dad is going to kill us, you know?” Alex said, swaying along to the song playing softly from the beaten up car’s stereo, his knees pulls up to his chest thanks to the bags that sat in the footwell. The car was overflowing, a mixture of luggage and gifts for those waiting on the other side of the sunshine state’s border.

Whatever snow adorned the old red car roof had been melted away the closer they got to the coast, the driver more and more grateful with every slow passing mile that she had saved up to buy her own mode of transportation. She hadn’t followed in her older brother’s footsteps of taking dad up on the offer of a car: the high-tech monstrosity Alex drove around Los Angeles was the sort of car that would be shut down remotely if stolen: Y/N’s car could barely get a radio signal.

“Dad will kill me; he needs you to complete some masterplan. Wanna theorise about what private institution he’ll send me to next?” Y/N asked with a smile to her older brother, the pair sharing a laugh in the glow of red brake lights.

Their relationship had always been easy: Alex was his little sister’s best friend, and he hers. Whether that was because money led to lonely children, or because they genuinely enjoyed each other’s company beyond their sibling obligations, the pair didn’t bother to find out. They were close, and that was what mattered to them.

“He’s running out of them now, you know. How many was it before you convinced him Los Felix was the answer to all your problems?” Alex asked with a raised eyebrow and smirk, leaning an elbow on the central divider of the tiny car, avoiding the sharp edge of a ski blade to tease his sister with a knowing look. “Was it seventeen or-”

“Twenty-four… I made a point to average it out to one every four months or so. Keeps mom and dad on their toes, makes the disappointment even more apparent when I show up on the doorstep again.” Y/N cut in, correcting her brother, the blonde boy taking her free hand and squeezing it.

“At least we keep disappointing them together…” He offered as words of solace, their hands breaking apart upon the movement of traffic, red lights dimming as the cars began rolling forward at a steady pace. “Thank you, Smalls… For this whole thing.” The nickname he used so often rang in Y/N’s ears and made her smile.

Her brother meant the words, she knew it: he had pleaded with their parents before they left to stay in California, with Reggie or Julie or Luke, but the mention of his bandmates had ended the conversation and turned it into their dad reprimanding Alex for his ‘fanciful’ mindset. The drummer never stood a chance against the united front that was their parents: they knew he wanted to stay for Willie, of course he did: the two had been planning their Christmas vacation together since Halloween, dates to the ice rink at Santa Monica Mall, to the university for lectures, to the movies to catch old Christmas movies on the silver screen. Half the reason their parents had forced Aspen onto the kids once again was because Alex had found his person, and Willie found Alex, and Mr and Mrs Mercer would do a fair amount to convince the general public, themselves, and Alex that he wasn’t gay.

The other half was because Y/N was pretty sure she had found her person too.

“Don’t sweat it, Alex.” She shrugged, moving up a gear as the traffic finally began to move towards an expected speed for the freeway. “Hearing mom and dad shout at us once they sober up enough to realise we’re gone? Priceless.” She let a regular smirk rest on her lips, indicating to take the upcoming turnoff, hopeful she might hit easy driving instead of the stop and start. The sun was setting before them, the sky painted shades of yellow and orange and pink and purple into the deep blue of the encroaching night, despite the time on her car dashboard only reading 16:42. It would be gone within the next few minutes, and the driver switched on her headlights in response.

“Alexander Washington Mercer! How dare you defy me in such a way: you know better than to follow your little sister so blindly!” Alex yelled into the cramped space, impersonating their father with the gruff voice the man in question used, like he constantly had a cough in his throat he couldn’t dislodge.

“Y/N Y/M/N Mercer! I expected better from a young lady of your fine standing! How are we meant to find you a good husband if you run off with your brother like you haven’t a care in the world?” IT was Y/N’s turn to impersonate a parent: the shrill shriek of their mother, Y/N raising a hand a messing with the locket around her neck the same way their mother fiddled with her pearls when she was distressed. The two shared a look through their chuckles.

“It’s just a phase!” They said in chorus, the line their parents most often used in arguments against either of the pair. The laughter died away with the words, both letting out a soft, melancholic sighs, and falling into a comfortable silence. They were just skirting the outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, with at least another six hours of driving left by the state of the road, Y/N joining the back of another queue of cars all headed somewhere.

“Driving home for Christmas. Oh, I can't wait to see those faces, I'm driving home for Christmas, yea. Well I'm moving down that line. And it's been so long, but I will be there. I sing this song to pass the time away. Driving in my car, driving home for Christmas…” Alex turned the volume dial, letting the song play out, beginning to sway along to the radio once again, humming a harmony line over Chris Rea’s raspy lyrics.

Y/N always like that: that her big brother was so musical. She had spent so long away form him, at every other boarding school in the country, she forgot how talented Alex was sometimes. IT was only getting to see him and his band perform the year before that she really clicked to her brother’s undeniable star power, and that ability was shared amongst his friends. But it wasn’t just his talent that made Y/N happy, but that fact that she never saw her brother happier than when he was performing with his ‘other’ family.

In truth, they were hers too… One of them was why she was racing home so eagerly, why she had masterminded the entire escape for her and Alex. Neither of them would have been able to survive another minute with the monsters they unfortunately call relatives.

By the time they had passed Las Vegas and were closing in on the California border, the dashboard read 19.53. The countless games of ‘eye-spy’ and ‘would you rather’ grew old quickly, replaced for an hour by Alex reading out the pages of the closest book they could scavenge amongst the piles of presents and luggage, one of Y/N’s art textbooks. That then turned onto Alex recovering his drumsticks, tapping and singing along with the radio as Christmas song after Christmas song played.

“Smalls, what if we don’t make it?” Alex posed the question for the first time that night, and Y/N was honestly shocked it took her big brother so long to reach his usual state of worry. “What if we drove all this way and we don’t make it in time?”

“Relax, Alex, honestly… Look, we’ll get there when we get there. No-one even knows we’re coming, it’ll be fun, a surprise!” Y/N suggested, stopping herself for continuing to press down on her car horn, honking in anger at the dude who just cut in front of them. “Fucking asshole.” She muttered, looking back to her brother to be met with a face of surprise.

“How is it that I am always labelled the emotional one?” The question made Y/N smile, reaching over and patting on the blonde locks atop her brother’s head.

“Because rage isn’t emotion, it’s power.” Y/N quoted their dad again, putting on the gruff voice Alex had portrayed hours before, letting her neck roll and crack out air pockets once the words hung in the air. “With your little bandmates, it may not be true, but in this car? It most certainly is.” She reminded turning her eyes back to the road and putting the car back in gear to drive, following the car in front as the traffic began to move again.

“You know, I never thought church would be that fun! Is it always like that, or do they just ram up the wow factor for the holidays?” Reggie asked as he followed close on the footsteps of the Molina family, Luke to his right as he received glances from those surrounding him. “What?! I’m not exactly the person you’d expect to head on over to midnight mass every year, dude.” Reggie defended, Ray unlocking the front door of the house before turning around and placing a hand on the bassist’s shoulder.

“Well, we were glad to have you along with us, Reggie. Glad to have you for the holiday too, both of you, in fact.” Ray opened the statement to Luke, whose eyes darted up and were followed by a bright grin.

“Glad to be here, Mr Molina.” The guitarist responded with a dashing smile before rushing inside, his destination quite certainly the fridge, where Carlos was already searching for snacks before bed.

The Molina family had kept the tradition of midnight mass ever since Julie was little, a chance for some spiritual connection to the holiday season as well as familial. That year, with the Peters and Pattersons off on a Bahama cruise, Ray had welcomed Julie’s best friends and bandmates with open arms. The only thing that would have made it better was the Mercer kids.

It seemed to be why, while the boys all gravitated to chocolate chip cookies and warm milk before bed, Julie had idled over to the window, her eyes drifting out into the front yard, searching for someone who wasn’t going to show up.

“Mija…” Ray said softly, watching his daughter from across the room, a soft smile tracing his lips as she let out a yawn. “Mija, you should be going to sleep. Papá Noel won’t deliver his gifts if you stay awake all night staring out a window.”

“But dad…”

“I know it sucks, honey, but we’ll see them at New Years, right? And tomorrow we’ll have Flynn’s family and tía and Willie all over for food.” Ray reminded, and Julie let out a sigh, finally diverting her eyes from the window and up to her dad, his hand outstretched for her to take. She took it, and Ray lifted his daughter to her feet and into a hug. “I love you sweetie, now go get ready for bed. I have to round up your friends before they eat all the food in the house.”

With that, Julie gave up on the sliver of hop she had held for that night, shuffling up the stairs somewhat defeated. She knew it wouldn’t happen, in the back of her head she knew it wouldn’t happen, but she had really hoped Alex and Y/N would just show up, out of the blue, and surprise them all by spending Christmas back home, with them, with her. Of course, Mr and Mrs Mercer were far from nice people, far from unwealthy people: the idea of their kids spending Christmas at the Molinas was probably something they flat out refused to even think about.

It didn’t take long for Julie to get into her Christmas-themed pyjamas and brush her teeth, tying her hair into braids and tidying them back with a cap for the night: her night time routine was one she knew well, and was efficient in doing. Her makeup washed its way down the bathroom sink, her glasses perched themselves onto the slight dents the pads had carved into the sides of her nose, her blue monster slippers kept her feet warm as she shuffled back to her room and into her bed. She tried to focus on the better parts of the day: of making gingerbread houses and rehearsing Christmas songs with the guys, of putting up the final decorations on the tree in the living room while trying to avoid her father’s cries of anguish over another badly wrapped present from the other room.

But she couldn’t help but think about how much better it would have been had Alex been banging on his drumkit, how much happier he would have felt spending Christmas Eve with Y/N by her side…

The thought had Julie grabbing at her nearest pillow, squeezing it under crossed arms as she scrunched her eyes shut and willed sleep to come. At least if she slept, she wouldn’t be thinking about Alex and Y/N being trapped with their not-so-nice family in some snowed in cabin in some mid-west mountains, not consciously anyway.

tap.

A noise, one Julie excused as a creak of the house floorboards or a falling branch from the tree outside, seemed to echo in her near silent room, save the girl’s breathing.

tap.

This time, Julie’s eyes darted open, though she refused to move. Two was a coincidence, there were plenty of explanations for two almost identical sounding taps spaced apart almost perfectly.

“JULIE!” A loud whisper sounded from outside the girl’s window.

Now, that wasn’t coincidence.

The girl jumped out of bed, rushing over to her window in a blur of sequined candy cane pyjamas, muddling with the latch on her window before opening it up wide to the chill of LA winter air, her eyes darting across the grounds below to find the source of the noise. A part of her wondered if she might be dreaming, if it might have all been the saddest and happy dreams because she’d wake up any moment and the sight would be gone.

But there they stood, Alex and Y/N, in her driveway, the latter’s car parked behind them and looking like it most certainly drove for nineteen hours straight.

“Dad!” Julie called back into the house, the smile on her face brighter than any of the Christmas lights Y/N had seen on their drive through the residential district. “Dad, we have some extra guests.” She finished, her calls waking Carlos, Luke and Reggie in the process of alerting Ray, the windows of the house suddenly lighting up and the household woke for good news.

With a final grin out the window, Julie disappeared from Y/N’s sight, to no doubt meet her and Alex by the front door, and the pit in her stomach Y/N had tried to ignore for the entire car journey from Colorado seemed to only get bigger, louder, more persistent, now they had finally arrived back in California, in LA, at the Molinas. She had initially pinned the feeling to adrenaline from disoberying her parents, from packing up her car and driving almost a full day to arrive three states west of her original destination.

Looking at the house’s front porch, a muddle of Christmas gifts in both her and her brother’s hands, Y/N came to the conclusion that the pit wasn’t because of leaving Aspen: it was because of arriving in LA.

“I’m not going to ask how you made it or why you are here, but we are happy to see you all the same.” Ray’s kindly tone and words brought Y/N from her thoughts, blinking away the haze to find the door now open, Alex, Reggie and Luke in a tight embrace with presents scattered over the driveway, and Ray standing in front of her with Carlos by his side. “I would suggest one of you text your parents’ that you are safe though.” He added with a chuckle, opening his arms for Y/N to rush into, the pair embracing in a tight hug.

“Nice to be home, Mr Molina.” She replied with a smile as the pair broke apart, only for Alex to take the next slot of hugging Julie’s literal, and the four other teens’ figurative, dad.

“I made up the spare room just in case, you know. Julie’s request.” Ray added, gesturing with a thumb back to the front door, forcing Y/N’s eyes to follow.

She was so beautiful, every time Y/N saw Julie Molina her breath escaped her body, her limbs became heavy, her mind fogged: her heart began beating at a pace too fast for her body and her lips lost any real words.

“I thought you’d be in Aspen until the day after Boxing Day.” Julie said with a shy smile, the five guys in the front yard glancing amongst themselves before Carlos cleared his throat.

“I think we should put the presents under the tree!” The ten year old declared, scooping up some of Alex’s dropped gifts and marching inside, prompting Ray and Luke to do the same. Alex rans back to the car, retrieving the last straggler gifts from the car’s back seat while Reggie relieved Y/N of the stacks of presents in her own hands, save one. The two teens shared a smile, Reggie going the extra mile to pass on a wink of good luck to the younger Mercer before the bassist and drummer both disappeared into the house, leaving Julie and Y/N alone.

“I uh, I made a decision… A decision to kidnap my brother and drive a day across country.” Y/N managed to get the words out without too much difficulty, trying to get over the cotton mouth she was experiencing. “Because I didn’t want to spend the holidays without the people I love most.” She added, finally reconnecting her leg movements to her brain and walking across the driveway to meet Julie at the foot of the porch steps.

“Without the people you love most?” Julie questioned, taking a step closer, the girls standing toe to toe, Julie looking up at Y/N with doe eyes that could melt diamonds.

“Without the girl I love most.” Y/N corrected herself, tucking the small gift box she held into her back pocket. The words were seemingly sufficient enough in hello, as Julie launched herself onto her girlfriend, their lips crashing together in sweet harmony for the first time in weeks, thanks to the Mercer parents.

Y/N’s hands cupped Julie’s face as they shared in the sweet, intimate moment, Julie’s hands pulling Y/N closer by her t-shirt. Their lips colliding was the action required to dissipate that pit in Y/N’s stomach completely, her senses in overdrive finally being close to her girlfriend again. The smell of Julie’s perfume, the minty taste of toothpaste still on her lips, her glasses brushing against Y/N’s cheek. For Julie, it was much the same experience: the kiss made her head spin, overcome by the smell of Y/N’s car air freshener and the taste of red vines on her lips.

The pair broke apart after a few moments, their foreheads pressing together as peaceful silence washed over them, the cool breeze counteracted by the red heat that had risen to both girls’ cheeks.

“I wouldn’t want to spend Christmas with anyone else.” Y/N breathed out softly, one hand taking Julie’s in hers, the other retrieving the gift from her back pocket. “Mostly because I missed you like crazy, partly because I wanted to give you this.” She explained, the girl before her grinning and taking the gift box offered with bubbling excitement.

“Can I open it now?” Julie asked, and Y/N glanced at the watch on her wrist.

“I mean, it’s technically Christmas so…” Y/N giggled when Julie let out a shout of joy, pulling off the ribbon holding the box shut and shimmy-ing the lid off, to reveal a small potion-looking bottle amongst tissue paper. Julie lifted it out of the box, a small key glinting in the porch light within the bottled, caught in mid-air by invisible strings withing the decorative gift.

“It’s so beautiful… What is it?” Julie asked, pure curiosity in her words as she looked at the bottle in wonder. In response, Y/N pulled her locket out from beneath her shirt, gesturing to a small keyhole on the front Julie had never noticed adorning one of the girl’s most essential items before.

“That, Miss Molina.” Y/N started, grinning from ear to ear, exuding a shaky confidence that seemed like it might falter at any second. “That is the key to my heart.”

“Y/N…”

“I love you Julie.” They had never said it so directly before, ever. They always skirted round the actual words, always knew what the other meant without need for clarification. But under the porch light of the Molina residence, unaware of Alex, the guys, Ray and Carlos watching from the living room window, after having driven through so much traffic just to try and get to her on time for Christmas, and with Julie standing there in her festive pyjamas and blue fuzzy slippers and looking at her like that, Y/N had never felt more sure of something in her life.

“I love you too, Y/N.” Julie promised, pulling her girlfriend close again, the kiss shared this time chaste, though no less sweet.

“Merry Christmas, Molina.”

“Merry Christmas, Mercer.”

Tags (some people I think might like this festive nonsense): @reggiesleatherjacket @parkeret @calamitykaty @crybabyddl @delicatelukepatterson @lukespatterson @kcd15 @siennanoelle01 @eries45 @lolychu @lazydaisy19 @reggieandthereggies @writerinlearning @mjflower @uhmitstori @walkingonshunshine @kristencoontz @vicesvsvirtuesfanfic @ritz-hell-hotel @mishappend @dovegranger @dmcfarland1 @cherrymaybank @oswinsleaf @only-here-for-jatp @jatpfan99 @n0wornever @bookdealer5

Twelve Days Of Christmas: 2/12 will be released in 24 hours! Who will our story focus on? Can you guess? I’ll give you a hint: we’ll be going back to 1990s...

#abby's twelve days of christmas #julie molina x reader #julie x reader #brother!alex x reader #julie and the phantoms #willex #jatp #alex mercer #reggie peters #luke patterson #jatp fanfic #fluff

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sunlit-squid · 3 years

Note

I don't care about everyone else! i care about you, SQUIDWARD! (simping softness asks)

For those who don’t know, my ask box is open. Send me a simping softness prompt, and I’ll write a short sbsp ficlet for you. ✰

so, uh -- i might have gotten a bit carried away with this prompt. it’s definitely longer than a ficlet, but oh well. either way, it was a lot of fun to write! selfish spongebob is so rarely explored.

fic under the cut. also, just in case, cw: drinking, drunkenness, etc.

Spongebob rose bright and early, long before his foghorn alarm went off at 7:00 a.m. With a cheerful shout, the poriferan jumped out of bed, earning a disgruntled “mrow” from Gary, who was still asleep nearby. Stretching vigorously, the sponge leaned down, planting a soft kiss atop the snail’s shell.

“Gary,” he whispered, practically vibrating with excitement. “Today’s the day!”

Turning away, Gary simply replied “mrow”, in a disdainful way that most certainly meant “whatever.”

Undeterred, Spongebob ran to his calendar. Sure enough, the day’s date -- July 14th -- was circled in bright-red, permanent marker, with the words “My birthday!” written neatly across it. And just below those words, was a tiny drawing of Squidward’s face, with dozens of little red hearts surrounding it.

Making his way over to the window, Spongebob gazed out at Squidward’s moai in the distance. He sighed, dreamily. What was Squidward doing right now? Probably sleeping, in that adorable dress of his.

The sponge lingered there, staring dazedly out at the moai, for perhaps a moment too long. Then, remembering himself, he sprinted to the bathroom. Once inside, Spongebob pointed a finger at his own reflection in the mirror.

“Enough beating around the bush, Mr. Squarepants!” he yelled -- much to Gary’s annoyance. The sponge lowered his voice down to a soft whisper. “Today, you tell him how you feel.”

His reflection simply shrugged. “I mean, okay,” it said. “But this is like, the 57th time you’ve said this.”

“Oh, shush.”

-0-

The party was supposed to start at 6:30, but Spongebob, in a manic cleaning fit, had the entire house ready by noon. This year, the party was themed around As The Tide Turns, a very polarizing-but-popular soap opera, especially in Bikini Bottom. If you were a Bikini Bottomite, you either watched the show genuinely, or ironically -- there was absolutely no in-between.

Spongebob and Squidward both genuinely enjoyed the show. It was one of the first things they bonded over, back when Spongebob started working at the Krusty Krab. Through the window to the galley, the two coworkers would talk for hours about the show, and whatever drama was center-stage for that season.

It got to a point where Mr. Krabs -- who only watched ATTT ironically -- got on them both, for shirking their duties.

“If yer gonna flirt,” he’d said, “do it on yer own time.”

So, Spongebob started coming over to Squidward’s house on Friday nights, when the new episodes would air. In fact, even when the show was between seasons, Spongebob still came over, just to watch reruns. It was one of the few times Squidward would (begrudgingly) let Spongebob inside, with no complaints.

Spongebob hummed softly to himself, his eyes scanning the small clipboard in front of him. Food, decorations, party games … Check, check, and check. Everything was present and accounted for -- and he had to admit, the house looked spectacular.

Every room was themed around a different, iconic arc in the ATTT series. His living room, filled with chalk drawings, crime scene tape, and red-string boards, was inspired by the murder mystery arc. His kitchen, decorated with leftover Halloween gear, was inspired by the vampire arc … and so on and so forth. Each and every room had its own particular, careful design -- and in all, it was probably Spongebob’s most intricate and detailed party to date.

That was because it had to be. Spongebob had a plan, a carefully detailed plan -- one that was sure to sweep Squidward Tentacles right off his … er, tentacles. And it went like this:

Squidward and Spongebob’s favorite arc, in all 42 seasons of As The Tide Turns, was the murder mystery. In the arc, the dashing Detective Heartthrob, accompanied by his sidekick-slash-lover Joey, must bring a heinous mass murderer to justice. At the climax, it is revealed that Detective Heartthrob is the true killer -- having been hypnotized by a witch, who was also his evil twin sister, for some reason. In the end, Joey must kill Detective Heartthrob, in a tragic display of love and sacrifice.

The season was thrilling, silly, and emotionally traumatizing, to boot. For months after the finale, Squidward and Spongebob would not shut up about it -- much to the annoyance of Mr. Krabs.

Either way, Spongebob had set up an elaborate, original mystery game, inspired by the events of the show. Each attendee would get a “random” card, assigning them a different role in the story. Squidward would be Detective Heartthrob, and Spongebob would be Joey.

Together, they would embark on an original mystery, one that Spongebob had devised all by himself. After he and Squidward solved the mystery together, and the party was over … Spongebob would finally, finally confess his feelings.

Of course, Spongebob had, more or less, rigged the game to ensure this would happen. Which was cheating, sure, but this was for love! So it couldn't possibly go wrong.

-0-

It went wrong. Almost immediately, in fact.

For one, the party started at 6:30 -- and, nearly two hours later, Squidward had yet to show up. Spongebob spent those first two hours lingering by the door, staring out the window towards the moai, and forgetting to refill the punch bowl. Sandy, ever the observant one, noticed immediately.

Pulling Spongebob aside, she asked, in a hushed voice, “Hey, partner. You good?”

“Oh, I’m -- I’m great!” chirped Spongebob, putting on his worst, most unconvincing smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Uh-huh,” said Sandy, flatly. “This about Squidward?”

Spongebob blushed, immediately. The squirrel sighed.

“I thought so,” she mumbled, folding her arms across her chest. “Did he say he was gonna come?”

The sponge nodded. “He said, ‘I’ll see if I can make it work’, which in Squidward-speak, is practically a yes!” groaned Spongebob, staring up at Sandy with his huge baby blue eyes. “He’ll come, right, Sandy?”

Sandy hesitated. She didn’t really know Squidward that well … but he did seem to have a soft spot for Spongebob. Awkwardly, she replied, “I mean … I can’t say for sure, but he did say he would try. Let’s be patient, okay, Spongebob? Maybe he just got caught up with something.”

Spongebob sighed, then repositioned his face into its usual chipper smile. “Alrighty. You do usually know what’s best, Sandy.”

“I sure do,” she giggled. “Oh, and Spongebob?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t cut his cable this time,” she said, before walking off to get more punch.

-0-

By 9:30, the party started to go a bit haywire. At this point, practically all of Bikini Bottom was at Spongebob’s house, except for Squidward -- and Larry thought it would be a great idea to play Truth Or Dare: Extreme Edition. The rules were pretty much the same as Truth Or Dare: Standard Edition, but with one exception: each subsequent truth or dare had to be more extreme than the last.

It started off alright. A few people were dared to take off their pants, or do a somersault down Conch Street while blindfolded. However, as the game progressed, the stakes grew astronomically. At one point, Patrick was dared to eat half of Spongebob’s pineapple. Later, Sandy was dared to juggle three of Plankton’s bombs, while riding a unicycle. Even later, Larry and Mr. Krabs were dared to switch shells and wrestle -- which wasn’t really destructive. Just disturbing.

The dares were stupid, but if there was one thing Bikini Bottomites had, it was a complete lack of common sense. Or any sense, really.

It certainly didn’t help that as the night progressed, the partygoers grew more and more … inebriated. The punch itself was non-alcoholic, but apparently, Karen and Plankton had taken it upon themselves to bring their own alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.

By 10:30, Squidward still hadn’t shown up yet. Several people had either passed out or thrown up. And the pineapple was a complete disaster.

Spongebob sighed. He was seated on his living room sofa now, watching as the partygoers reveled inside (and outside) his home. Of course, the sponge was happy they were enjoying themselves -- but this day was supposed to be about him, and … well, nothing had gone as planned. His entire house was destroyed, it would take days to clean up the mess -- and Squidward hadn’t even bothered to show up! The nerve.

“Hey Patrick,” muttered Spongebob, waving a tired yellow hand at his drunken best friend.

Immediately, the starfish stumbled over to him, drink in hand. “Wha… haha … whasss’ up, Spunchblarb?” he slurred.

Spongebob pointed to the drink in Patrick’s hand. “Could I have that?”

Patrick grinned widely. “Yeeeeeahh! Now -- now, yer talkin’, buddy!” And with that, the starfish handed Spongebob his first drink of the night.

-0-

About three drinks in, Spongebob Squarepants was well and truly intoxicated. Which was nice, in a way. Now, the world was a weird, misty haze, and he didn’t have to worry about his pineapple being destroyed, or his party being ruined, or Squidward, or whatever. Now, he could just be peacefully drunk and stupid, just like everybody else in his house. Blissfully unaware of the world around them.

As the night went on, Spongebob began losing track of time. What time was it? Midnight? 3:00 a.m.? Did it even matter?

Over the course of one very stupid evening, Spongebob made more than a few bad decisions. For one, he bought like, ten mops online. Which was both counterproductive (he was a sponge) and financially irresponsible (he was also a frycook). Later, the sponge swam to the surface of the ocean to see how long he could breathe without water. He fainted within the first ten seconds, and had to be retrieved by Larry. After that, the night became a dizzying blur. Spongebob was certain he had been driving, at one point, and also dancing, and maybe singing?

Either way, several hours later, Spongebob was still dancing in his living room, a lampshade stuck on his head, when he felt something on his shoulder. Turning woozily, the sponge tried to get into “kara-tay” position, and ultimately failed.

“Who -- what -- stay back! I’m warning you!” shouted the sponge. “I know … er, kar .. karat … carrots?”

There was a familiar sigh, then a soft chuckle. “Oh, you moron,” came a voice, a voice that Spongebob loved so dearly, even in this drunken state. “You’re drunk, aren’t you?”

“Squ … squib … ?”

“Yeah,” said Squidward, wrenching the lampshade off of Spongebob’s head. “It’s me. Sorry I’m late.”

Spongebob looked up at Squidward -- and in his inebriated, hazy stupor, he couldn’t take it. He loved him so much, and for so long. It hurt. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. “Squi -- Squidward, you -- you came,” the sponge stammered, his bottom lip quivering. “I -- I didn’t think …”

“Hush,” said Squidward, looking around the room. “This is, uh … wow, you really had a rager, huh? I didn’t think you had it in you, Spongebob.”

Stepping away, Squidward began picking up random items off the floor -- the punch bowl, some photographs, and a spilled carton of milk. The octopus had to step over and around several bodies, which were lying passed out on Spongebob’s floor.

“Listen, I’m gonna try and find a way to get everyone home,” said Squidward, sifting his way through the pile of garbage and bodies. “Everyone else is knocked out -- ”

Spongebob had had it. He’d had enough. He’d planned out this whole day perfectly, just for Squidward to not show up, for his whole house to be demolished in the chaos. Sure, he was glad everyone had a good time, but deep down, Spongebob was a little selfish, and deep down --

“I don’t care about everyone else!” shouted Spongebob, clenching his fists at his sides. “I care about you, Squidward!”

Squidward, startled, nearly dropped everything he was holding -- and before he could properly respond, Spongebob fell over, unconscious.

-0-

For once, Spongebob didn’t wake up to the sound of his foghorn. Instead, he woke up to the sound of the television nearby. Very soft dialogue wafted its way over to the sponge, bathing him in its pleasant familiarity.

“Why, Joey, I think you’re right -- the killer is closer than we seem to think!”

“Then we best get cracking, Detective Heartthrob!”

Groaning, Spongebob sat up -- a dull, throbbing pain coursing through his skull. Dear Neptune. What happened last night? There was the party, the drinking, and … Squidward, maybe? Spongebob felt his heart drop at the thought of his neighbor, and sighed. He hadn’t gotten to tell Squidward how he felt. Attempt 57 had failed. Miserably.

Blinking slowly, the sponge looked around, and with surprise noted that his bedroom was not a mess, like it had been during the party. In fact, it was squeaky clean. The only thing out of place was the living room television, which had been moved to the end of Spongebob’s bed. The TV was playing an old rerun of As The Tide Turns, from the murder mystery arc. A smile tugged at Spongebob’s lips. How ironic.

Wait a minute. Who moved the TV?

Just then, there were footsteps on the stairs -- the tell-tale pat-pat-pat-pat of someone with four legs. Squidward. He was still here! Steeling himself, Spongebob sat at attention, gripping the blankets tightly.

When Squidward entered, he was holding a tray of food and wearing a long pink apron. When he saw that Spongebob was now conscious, the octopus jumped, nearly dropped the food, then steadied himself just in time.

“Squidward!” said Spongebob, cheerily. “You’re here!”

“Of course I’m here, you nitwit,” muttered Squidward. “Who else was gonna clean up that messy party of yours?”

Squidward crossed the room to place the food tray on Spongebob’s nightstand. Once there, the octopus shoved a glass of water and two pills into the poriferan’s hands, with one simple command: “Drink.”

Spongebob did so, gratefully. Then, he asked, “The party … what all happened?”

“I don’t know, but it was a mess,” sighed Squidward. “I’m pretty sure half the town was completely passed out by the time I got here. I’m surprised the cops didn’t get involved.”

“Oh,” said Spongebob, feeling very guilty all of a sudden. “Did -- did everyone get home okay?”

“Yeah,” said Squidward. “Listen, don’t -- don’t worry about it, okay? I took care of everything. Your house is clean, Gary is fed, everyone got home. That’s all.” Squidward’s cheeks were stained red.

Spongebob smiled, his heart jumping happily in his chest. “Thank you, Squidward.”

After a moment of silence, Squidward brought the food tray up to Spongebob’s lap. “You should … you should eat that,” he muttered, then took a deep breath. “Look, I … I’m sorry I was so late, alright? The truth is, I … I got caught up.”

With a mouthful of food, Spongebob asked, “Wif whaf?”

Squidward grimaced. “You’re disgusting,” he snapped, then looked away, blushing brightly. “Anyway, I … was trying to get ahold of your birthday present. It was supposed to be delivered here, to Conch Street, yesterday -- but I guess there was a mix-up, and it was instead delivered to Conch Road, which is … in an entirely different town. Several hours away.”

Spongebob blinked. “You drove all the way to get it?”

Squidward scowled. “Whatever,” he snapped, pulling a small red present box from beneath Spongebob’s bed. “Either way, it’s here. So, I guess … open it, maybe.”

Shoveling down the rest of his food (much to Squidward’s disgust), the sponge quickly shredded the pristine red wrapping paper to reveal -- a boxed set of the entire As The Tide Turns series. The extended edition, with all the bonus scenes and commentary tracks. And to top it all off -- the box was signed by the stars of the show.

Spongebob looked up at Squidward, eyes shimmering with shock and awe. “Squidward, this is -- this is amazing, I thought they didn’t sell these anymore!”

“Oh, trust me,” said Squidward, shuddering. “You have no idea what I had to do to get my hands on that.”

“Let me guess,” said Spongebob, holding up two yellow hands to form finger-guns. In his best Joey impression, the sponge said, “You had to kill a lotta folks, didn’t ya, Detective Heartthrob?”

Squidward chuckled immediately. In one suave motion, he leaned against Spongebob’s bed, and pointed a finger-gun of his own. In his best Detective Heartthrob impression, the octopus replied, “I did, and I don’t regret it at all, Joey!”

The two laughed for a good long while. Then, suddenly embarrassed once more, Squidward looked away. Taking a deep breath, the octopus said, “Look, Sponge, I -- last night, you said something kinda weird, and I wanted to know if -- if maybe --”

“Huh?”

“You said -- you only cared about me, not anyone else, and I -- I wanted to ask,” stammered Squidward, “... what exactly … you meant by that.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened. Oh, barnacles. Did he really say that? Well … there was no hiding it now. Gripping his sheets tight, Spongebob steeled himself for what was to come. “It means I … I wanna keep hanging out with you, Squidward,” said the sponge, staring down at his yellow knuckles. “I wanna hang out with you more than anyone else.”

Squidward swallowed, hard. “Sponge, what are you saying?”

Spongebob looked up. Their eyes met. “I like you,” said the sponge, smiling nervously. “A … a lot.”

A long moment of silence passed. Spongebob’s heart hammered furiously at his chest. Then, Squidward sighed, and picked up the ATTT boxed set. Walking over to Spongebob’s TV, the octopus inserted the first disc, grabbed the remote, and returned to Spongebob’s side.

Lifting the blankets, the octopus said, “Scooch over.”

Spongebob blinked, then did as instructed. “Why?” he asked.

“You really are an idiot,” muttered Squidward, climbing into bed with him. “It’s a Sunday, the Krusty Krab is closed, and we have a whole boxed set to watch together. Might as well start now.”

Spongebob smiled, happily. “So -- so you -- ”

Squidward rolled his eyes. “If you must know, yes, I … I like you,” he snapped. “I’m not gonna drive halfway across the ocean floor for just anybody, you know.”

Spongebob grinned stupidly. “I guess not.”

With that, the show began, its melodramatic theme tune echoing pleasantly across Spongebob’s pineapple home. And just below the bed, Gary let out a soft, contended meow -- which almost certainly meant “finally.”

-0-

References:

The line about cutting Squidward’s cable is a reference to the episode “Party Pooper Pants”, in which Spongebob cuts Squidward’s cable to get him to come over for a party.

#sbsp #my fics #spongebob squarepants #squidbob #spongeward #spongebob #squidward #ask #asks #sunlit-squid

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myhaikyuuthings · 4 years

Text

Road Trips

request: Omg can you please do a hc of what it would feel like going on a road trip with kuroo, akaashi, bokuto, and oikawa (separately) + their close friends? Like who would ride in the same car as them and their s/o? Who’s driving? What type of music are they listening to (can one of them be IFLY by Bazzi where they sing/scream w their s/o and it’s all fluffy) Are they going to playfully race the other car with the rest of the group? Hand on thigh? Playing with their hands? Night at a hotel? Thank you!

a/n: i love road trips omg this is such a cute request. i looked up real locations for this as well! i highly recommend looking them up they’re all gorgeous

Pairings: kuroo x reader, akaashi x reader, bokuto x reader and oikawa x reader ( separate )

warnings: suggestive themes mentioned, very very minimal

Kuroo:

okay so in this car is Kuroo, Kenma, Tsukishima and you

you sat up front beside Kuroo for most of the ride, his hand holding yours over the gear shift

yes he drives a stick shift and Will use your hand to switch gears instead of just letting go of your hand because hes clingy and yes tsukki teases the both of you for it

the four of you were on your way to Mount Iwaki in Hirosaki, you picked Tsukishima up along the way

so the first good bit of the drive was just you, your boyfriend and his best friend

Kenma laid in the back playing on his switch with headphones in while you and Kuroo... well belted out lyrics of love songs to each other

kenma had endured it for two songs before finally snapping and getting his headphones out

“i was a player that was the old me” kuroo sang out, giving your hand a squeeze when you started laughing

“at first, i was hesitant” you sang back in between giggles, dancing in your seat

“now all them other bitches is irrelevant.... i guess what i’m saying is i fucking love you” he brought his face close to yours as he sang, taking advantage of the stop light to kiss you gently

“lights green romeo,” kenma spoke up, shaking his head as the two of you pulled back with a deep blush

you and Kuroo moved to the back seat after getting Tsukki, letting Kenma drive for a bit while Kuroo slept on your chest

“is he trying to push your boobs against his head like he does his pillows” tsukishima groaned from the front seat, having turned around to give you your snacks

“...yes yes he is”

Akaashi:

the only other person in your car was bokuto tbh

no one else could handle his energy Or his emo mode without Akaashi

he was in control of the aux for your short roadtrip, only heading to Joren Falls in Izu

Akaashi isn’t big on PDA even if it’s just Bokuto around , so it wasn’t often he held your hand while driving

you Did feed him while he drove though, and he always made sure to press a kiss to your hand in thanks

Bokuto sulked because he didn’t get any kisses, literally only stopped sulking when Akaashi kissed his hand too

Bo played a lot of “bubblegum pop”

specifically, ‘baby one more time’ by britney spears on repeat for well over half an hour

by the fourth play, Akaashi looked Done with life... until you started singing along

“ Boy, you got me blinded” you and bokuto sang out together, holding your snacks as microphones

“Oh, pretty baby, there's nothing that I wouldn't do for you” you sang, adding on to it as you looked at Akaashi, giggling at the deep blush that covered his cheeks

bokuto took over driving half way through, completely content with you sitting in the back with Akaashi as long as you still passed him snacks

the two of you sat in the back, your thigh pressed against his with your head resting on his shoulder

honestly a road trip with him is just a lot of subtle touches, blushy Akaashi, and many many snacks

Bokuto:

in his car we have akaashi, kuroo, bokuto and you

the four of you were going pretty far out, planning to visit Ogawa Waterfall in the Kimotsuki district

the four of you routinely threw darts at a map to find the next roadtrip location and Bokuto had spun around so much that you ended up farther than ever

he had driven for the first few hours and was now in the back with you, laying with his head on your lap in the admittedly large backseat

kuroo had mac miller playing in the background, bokuto mumbling along to the lyrics as you ran your fingers through his hair

“ I never thought life would be this sweet” his words were so low you almost didn’t hear him as he sang along, a smile tugging at your lips as he was only singing the positive parts of the song

“Life couldn't get better” he sang, looking up at you as you passed Kuroo the chips “This 'gon be the best day ever “

you smiled to yourself, leaning back in your seat and returning your fingers to his hair

he winked at you, moving gently to the music

you leaned down, pressing your lips to his

“hey at least wait until we get to the hotel, making us single guys watch is so unfair,” kuroo groaned playfully, laughing as you chucked a pack of gummies at him in embarrassment

it took another five hours for you all to reach the hotel, you all needed to sleep before continuing the long trip. you stopped in a little town in Hyogo

the night was spent with soft praises and love confessions while you two cuddled

Oikawa:

you two didn’t go far, but Iwaizumi tagged along ofc

you were on your way to Kitaibaraki beach in Ibaraki

with only seven hours left of your trip, Iwaizumi had moved to the back seat and you sat in the front with your boyfriend

his hand Stayed on your thigh the entire drive, his thumb rubbing circles into the exposed skin

“Stop being clingy Shittykawa,” iwaizumi groaned from the back, just teasing

“he’s baby it’s okay!” you pouted, poking your tongue out at your friend

in your defense, you were very sleepy and wanted as much of Oikawa’s attention as possible, usually you’d tease him with Iwaizumi

Oikawa literally almost wrecked the car because he was so happy “I’M BABY EAT THAT IWA-CHAN”

you’re 90% sure his hand left a mark from how hard he grabbed your thigh & if he hadn’t been driving Iwaizumi would’ve hit him for sure

You were in charge of the aux, but on Oikawa’s phone

you scrolled a lot before finally deciding on a song

oikawa laughed a little at your song choice, Iwaizumi already passed out in the backseat as you sang along

“ I feel so comfortable with you” you removed his hand from your thigh, lacing your fingers with his with a smile

“You make me comfortable with you” he sings along, bringing your linked hands to his face to press kisses to your knuckles

“ wanna go deep Into me,” you sang, trying to hold back your laughter when his eyes widened “let you in me, inside you deserve it”

thankfully Iwaizumi stayed asleep through the song, and the... help you gave Oikawa after how the song made him feel

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ace-in-a-shopping-cart · 4 years

Text

Day 12

Prompt: You meet your soulmate in your dreams every night.

Word Count: 3,321

Main Taglist: (Send an ask to be added or removed!) @starlocked01, @spoopy-turtle, @lizluvscupcakes, @more-fandon-than-friends, @i-cant-find-a-good-username, @vindicatedvirgil, @star-crossed-shipper, @justaqueercactus, @gayboopnoodle, @sanderssidesweirdo, @the-sympathetic-villain, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart, @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun Soulmate taglist:(Send an ask to be added or removed!) @elizabutgayer, @melodiread, @tsshipmonth2020, @mikalya12, @8-writes, @lizzy-lineart

Logan drifted off with a smile on his face. Soon, he was met with a large room that took up two stories, a bay window that had a lovely area to curl up in, and more bookshelves than anyone could ask for filled to the brim with books on any subject he’d ever learned. Looking out the window would reveal that it was constantly pouring, a gentle rain that released a calm into the air. Upon the seat at the window was a figure in a hoodie, the hood pulled up over his head. His feet were curled beneath him as he sat back against the padded wall. He was deep in a book, lost to the world around him.

Logan smiled at the sight of his soulmate, walking over to the window seat and the figure curled up on it. “How are you tonight?” His voice was soft, speaking before he approached.

Virgil looked up, eyes bleary from being dragged out of the story. “Hmm?”

Logan couldn't help but laugh as he sat down next to his soulmate. He knew he wasn’t really his soulmate, just his mind's recreation of him. But he’d been assured that his soulmate acted just like his mind thought he did. Logan didn’t know the science behind it but assumed it was a defense against differences in time zones and sleeping habits or a way of letting soulmates meet, even if one has died.

“Oh, I’m doing fine.” Virgil‘s voice drew him out of his thoughts.

Logan smiled, shifting so he was sitting with a pillow in his lap and his legs drawn up beside him. He gently patted the pillow, inviting Virgil to lay his head on it. When he did so, Logan began to run his fingers through his hair, having been told that it calms Virgil’s anxiety as it lets him know Logan is there and it feels nice. “Do you have a topic in mind for our talk tonight?” Logan asked absentmindedly.

Virgil shrugged. “I mean, I could always just read to you.”

Logan shook his head, pausing to gently scratch his nails against Virgil’s scalp. “No, I don’t think I’m in the mood for that. Are you?”

“I was simply offering it. If you want to talk about the latest episode of the paranormal podcast I’ve listened to, that’s up to you.”

Logan smiled. “Sure, tell me about that.” And thus, another quiet night was spent with his soulmate in his arms.

The next morning, Logan woke to an empty bed, an empty room, an empty apartment. He got dressed, ate his breakfast, and left for work. That was the thing about seeing his soulmate in his dreams; he got used to it. He got used to seeing him on a regular basis, got used to living with him in his mind. He got used to having Virgil there. It was hard to wake up sometimes, knowing all he had to do was drift off to see him.

He shook himself out of his thoughts when he got to work, his mind switching gears to focus on the lecture of the day. He went about the morning classes productively, until he got to office hours. He’d just sat down at his desk, his door open for students, when a knock sounded.

“Come in!” He called without looking up.

Footsteps sounded before a voice he would recognize anywhere spoke. “I seem to have gotten a bit turned around. Could you help me find Professor Engel’’s office?”

He raised his head, eyes coming to rest on a face he’d only ever seen in his dreams. He smiled. “Are you her new TA, Virgil?”

The man startled. “Have we met before?”

Logan decided to just be cheesy, knowing Virgil loved Disney and secretly loved cheesy things. “Once upon a dream.”

He relaxed, sagging against the door frame. “Great, I just found my soulmate.” He muttered beneath his breath.

Logan chuckled. “Sorry, did I startle you?” He decided to forgo the question of why Virgil didn’t recognize him as he could already see the eye bags that signaled he was not one to sleep often.

His soulmate shrugged. “Just a little. Seriously, though,” he glanced at the nameplate on the door, “Logan, I really need to know where her office is.”

Logan nodded. “Of course. Take a left at the end of this hall and a right at the end of that one. Her office should be the third door on the right.”

Virgil smiled. “Thanks.” There was a pause as he stood there for a few more seconds. “Should I come back later to discuss the soulmate thing?”

“I’m just doing office hours right now so as long as a student isn’t in here, you’re free to do so.”

Virgil left, coming back in half an hour. In that time, only one student had briefly dropped by in between classes to ask him to clarify something from the syllabus. He made a note to change that to be clearer if he reused that particular syllabus. “Hey, you still open?”

Logan looked up briefly. “I just have to finish this note and then I’m free to talk.”

Virgil took a seat and waited, his fingers fiddling with the lid of the thermos he carried. Logan jotted down the correction on a sticky note before spinning around to stick it to the wall. He let the momentum carry him around a full rotation, coming back around to face Virgil, who was smiling at his antics.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

Virgil sighed, his fingers stilling. “How about that stupid law that says that once you meet your soulmate you have to move in with them as soon as possible?”

“Yeah, there’s that. How is your living situation?”

Virgil shrugged. “I’ve just got a small apartment. No pets, no roommates.”

Logan pulled out a notepad and began to jot things down. “How many bedrooms does it have?”

Virgil’s brow furrowed as he frowned. “Why does that matter?” His voice was defensive.

Logan looked up at him. “It matters because I’d prefer to sleep in two separate rooms as we are still practically strangers. This way, we’d be closer to roommates than soulmates and would feel no need to form a romantic relationship if we don’t desire one.” He paused, ignoring the fact that he knew he was already in love with Virgil. “Would you be more comfortable sleeping in the same bed?”

Virgil shook his head almost too quickly. “No, two bedrooms is ideal. My current apartment only has one.”

Logan made another note. “My apartment has two bedrooms. Is yours close to anything you like, such as a favorite store, park, movie theatre, or even the school?”

Virgil bobbled his head as he thought. “Not really.”

“Mine is only a fifteen minutes drive from most things.” Logan paused as a thought hit him. “Even though my apartment sounds like the obvious choice, would you prefer to find a completely new apartment? It might feel better for both of us to move into something instead of one person moving into the other’s space.”

Virgil smiled. “Yeah, a new apartment sounds nice. You know, this is almost providence as the lease of my current apartment is almost up anyways.”

Logan wrote that down as well. “Do you have anything you are allergic to? Food, creatures, medicine?”

“I can’t have most seafood due to iodine. I’m also allergic to red fire ants. You?”

“I’m allergic to peanuts but you are welcome to have them in the house in any form as long as you make sure to label them and clean up after the mess as even just a bit of the oil on my skin can be dangerous. Other than that, I don’t think so.”

Logan searched through his drawers, pulling out a calendar. He flipped it open to the current month. “Do you have any time that’s good for apartment hunting?”

Virgil pulled his phone out of his hoodie pocket and Logan couldn’t help but notice the Nightmare Before Christmas case he had on it. “Uhh, I’m free on the weekend or any time after three in the afternoon.”

They planned for the next few minutes of where they preferred the apartment to be and what times worked best for them. A few days later, they were out apartment hunting together. They found the one they wanted and applied, managing to get it on the first try. Both of their names were on the lease and they were moving in the next weekend. Logan had his friend Roman come and help while Virgil roped his brother Patton into doing so, finding out the pair were soulmates in the process.

Logan had loved Virgil for about three years now but it was quite clear that Virgil hadn’t been aware of Logan’s existence until they’d met. So, while they were sitting on the floor of their shared apartment and eating a dinner of pizza, Logan decided to ask about it. “Virgil, may I ask about your sleeping habits?”

Virgil put down the slice of pizza he’d been raising to his mouth. “Sure, I don’t see why not.”

“I’m sure you know of seeing your soulmate in your dreams so by all means you should have recognized me on sight, just as I did you. Have you . . . never seen me at all?” Logan was scared. He was scared to think that Virgil had never seen him but was more scared to think that Virgil had chosen to forget about him, chosen to not acknowledge his existence within him.

Virgil shrugged, a small almost apologetic smile gracing his face. “I don’t sleep.”

Logan’s brow furrowed as a million questions jumped into his brain. “How is that possible? You’d have to sleep eventually.”

“I have pretty bad insomnia. Only one thing seems to have helped but I haven’t been able to do that since I was small. So, I deal with it. I plan around it, drinking energy drinks and caffeine, waiting for the inevitable collapse that comes where I basically just pass out for a few hours. As I’m unconscious, I don’t dream. Thus, I’ve never met my soulmate until you recognized me.”

Logan nodded, wiping his hands on a napkin. “Is there any way I can help? You mentioned something you could do to help it?”

“No, there’s nothing you can do to help although I appreciate the offer.”

With that, the conversation changed to a different topic while Logan’s mind wandered. He wondered if there was anything he could do to help. Determined, he silently promised to be the best housemate anyone could ever ask for. He was going to be quiet whenever possible and make sure to stay out of Virgil’s way. He’d pretend to not even be there for much of the time.

That lasted a week before the system broke down. Logan had been sitting on the couch doing some work when Virgil came home, looking even more exhausted than usual. Logan began to gather his things, meaning to move to his room to give Virgil space. As he did so, he glanced up at his roommate, who looked close to tears.

Logan instantly dropped everything he had, not caring about the scattering of his neat piles, to move over to Virgil, hands hovering. “Is something wrong? Did something bad happen?”

Virgil dropped his bag. “Do you really hate me that much?” His voice was watery and he looked even closer to tears now.

Logan paused, confusion plain on his face. “What do you mean? Why would I hate you?” His voice was as soft as he could make it, trying to be gentle with his sleep deprived soulmate.

“You always leave the room as soon as I walk in, you only talk to me when I speak first. Do you really hate me already?”

Logan shook his head. “No! I don’t hate you, quite the opposite in fact.”

Virgil sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. “Then why do you avoid me so much?”

“I don’t mean to avoid you. My intention was to give you space so you don’t feel like I forced you to move in with me.” Logan had no idea what to do about the sleep deprived TA in front of him so he was as sincere as possible.

Virgil nodded before shuffling over to the couch and dropping onto it. “Don’t. Just stay.”

Logan got the hint and sat back down, beginning to fix his piles. He glanced over at Virgil every once in a while, seeing he was in the same position of sitting with his head thrown back and eyes closed. He eventually sat back as he set up his computer on his lap. It was then that Virgil tilted to the side, his head ending up on Logan’s shoulder. Logan froze, waiting for Virgil to move or say something. Instead, his roommate and soulmate just snored.

Logan smiled, taking the opportunity to kiss the top of his head and whisper, “Sleep well,” before going back to his work.

When he woke, Virgil stirred and Logan’s hand came up to cradle Virgil’s head, quietly shushing him. Virgil pulled away entirely but still sat close. Logan put down his book and looked over at him. “Did you have a nice nap? I tried to be quiet so as to not interrupt it.”

Virgil smiled. “I dreamt for the first time in ten years.”

Logan was surprised but happy. “Oh, that’s nice. Did you enjoy the experience? I find it rather calming myself.”

Virgil nodded. “I did. Although, I do have a few questions for you.”

“I’ll answer them as best I can.”

“Did our conversation before I fell asleep actually happen or was that part of the dream?”

“You came home and got upset when you saw me begin moving back to my room. You expressed a feeling of inadequacy that I corrected as best I could. Is that the conversation you were thinking of?”

Virgil nodded. “Okay, so, how do you feel about me?”

Logan reached out, as if he wanted to cradle Virgil’s face. “I don’t want to tell you the extent of my emotions as I’m not sure you’re ready for them. I can say that I don’t hate you in the slightest.” He hesitated. “Do you hate me?”

Virgil was quick to shake his head, hand reaching out to rest on Logan's arm. “I may not have had enough time yet to accurately gauge your personality but I like what I’ve seen so far.”

Logan nodded and he felt like there was a weight lifted from his shoulders. “Okay. In that case, I think we need to establish some house rules.”

They discussed at length such things as shared spaces and personal ones, communication of needs, and communication in general. Then, as it was already getting to their usual eating time, they both made their way to the kitchen. Logan started looking through the fridge. “Hey, how was the latest episode of your paranormal podcast?” He popped his head out of the fridge to look at Virgil. “Sorry, I just realized how creepy that could sound.”

Virgil just shrugged, settling onto a clean and out of the way part of the counter. “It’s fine. I’m always willing to talk about that thing as no one else seems to care.”

Logan pulled out ingredients for pancakes before closing the door. “Well, I enjoy hearing about it and find it a calming part of my routine.” He didn’t mention that he found Virgil looked his best when he was animated and talking about a topic he enjoyed. He didn’t mention that he could watch and listen to him for hours, never getting bored of him. He didn’t say it, knowing that it’s too soon and it would freak him out. So, instead, he listened to him ramble with a smile on his face, occasionally making comments to spur him down a different rabbit hole.

The rest of the month went smoothly. They got to know each other over that time, Logan learning the small things that showed that Virgil was alive and not just his imagination and Virgil learning everything there was to know about Logan. Logan made sure to answer any question he had and gave him as much information as he could while doing so.

It was toward the end of the month when it happened. Logan had just been drifting off when he heard a soft knock at his door. Sitting up, he fumbled for his glasses case and the lamp switch. “Virgil? Is that you?” He called quietly.

The door opened with a barely audible click, Virgil coming to stand in the doorway. Logan finally got his glasses on to see Virgil in his nightclothes, fingers playing with the ends of his too long sleeves. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” His voice sounded different, softer and more scared than Logan had ever heard from him.

Logan smiled, gesturing for him to come in. “It’s alright. Is there something I can help with?”

“I can’t sleep.” It almost sounded like an apology.

Logan nodded, sitting up fully and crossing his legs beneath his weighted blanket. “Okay. Do you want me to talk with you for a bit?”’

“I was actually hoping you could . . . Nevermind, this was stupid.” He turned to go.

Logan stood, reaching Virgil in a few strides. He didn’t try to stop him, but did put a gentle hand on his arm. “Hey, no. Your needs and wants are valid. Talk to me, please.”

Virgil shrugged. “I fell asleep on your shoulder a month ago and dreamt for the first time in ten years. I don’t know, I guess I was just wondering if I could try that again.”

Logan smiled. “You want to try to sleep with physical contact?”

“Yeah, that.” Virgil sounded relieved that he didn't have to explain himself further.

“Okay. Come on in and make yourself comfortable.”

In a few minutes, they were curled up together in bed. Virgil was on his stomach, head on Logan's chest, while Logan had his arms wrapped around his roommate. The lamp had been turned off and Logan’s glasses had been safely returned to their case. After being in a similar position with his imagination’s fabrication of Virgil, Logan raised a hand to card through Virgil’s hair. He realized what he was doing and stopped, putting the hand flat on the mattress.

Virgil tilted his head to look at Logan. “You don’t have to stop. That felt kind of nice, actually.”

Logan smiled, his hand going back to the familiar rhythm that calmed him even after years of doing it. They both soon drifted off like that, held in each other’s arms and perfectly content. In the morning, Virgil told Logan he’d dreamt again and they celebrated a little before they had to get to work.

Soon, that became a recurring event. Sometimes, it was three nights a week that Logan would find Virgil curled up beside him, sometimes it was less or more. After the third week in a row of this behavior, Logan had to sit down and talk with Virgil about it. They worked out that having physical contact with another human helped Virgil sleep, something about his anxiety calming when he felt protected.

One night, Virgil was curled against Logan, who was reading aloud in an attempt to lull Virgil to sleep. Virgil reached up, his hand coming to curve around Logan’s jaw and pause his reading. Leaning closer, Virgil softly planted a kiss on Logan’s cheek and muttered, “I love you, soulmate.”

Logan turned, kissing Virgil’s palm. “I love you too, soulmate.” He closed the book and set it aside, turning off the lamp before sliding deeper into the bed and curling around Virgil. They both fell asleep, comfortable, protected, and loved.

#tsshipmonth2020 #analogical #virgil sanders #logan sanders #soulmate au #food mention #ace writes

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harrysweasleys · 4 years

Text

seekers keepers // h.p

Summary: Hi lovely! I'm not sure if request are still open but would you write a Harry Potter x reader where the reader is a Weasley and is Fred and George Triplet? reader has a crush on harry so they tease her about it (with him being younger and that) but she doesn't know that harry also has a crush on her and is just a cute oblivious mutual pining until they realize their feelings for each other? i really liked this idea in my head and i hope you liked it too, send you my love and best wishes!

Warnings: language? idk

Word Count: 3.6k

A/N: requests are still closed but will eventually reopen! (sooner rather than later, don’t worry!) enjoy. xoxo

———————————

Being a triplet was hard. So very hard.

You loved your dear brothers, they were quiet a blast to be around, but there was just one tiny problem. People quite often never saw you as you. They saw you as Fred, George and Y/N. Your name always came with theirs, just like you did. You’d spent most of your life surrounded by these two boys — so much so that every friend they had was a friend of yours.

Not that you minded, especially when that friend was Lee Jordan, who was quite possibly the most optimistic, bubbly person you had ever met and easily became your best friend as well. No, that you didn’t mind. But what you did mind was that when your younger brother Ron befriended Harry Potter, Fred and George decided to pal him up as well.

Harry was lovely. Awkward, intelligent, and quick on his feet. Always had been, even as a young wizard with little to no knowledge of the magical world.

You had met him in your third year, when he was in his first. Ron had talked about him non-stop since then, really, so when Harry himself reached his third year, Fred and George decided the three of you would take him under your wing and pass on the legacy of the Marauders Map to the adventurous dark haired boy.

And in that moment, when Harry thanked you with everything he had, you knew you were done for. What was it that made you fall for him, you can’t pinpoint. But as the years progressed, Harry just got more and more intriguing. You had nearly lost your marbles completely when he was chosen for the Triwizard Tournament. When he had given your brothers his winnings, your heart completely forgot all the worry it had experienced in the past year and became filled with adoration.

But in your final year, when Harry had founded Dumbledore’s Army to retaliate against Umbridge’s evil reign, you knew in that moment that there was no chance you’d ever find someone as kindhearted as him. And if it was even possible, you feel for that boy even more.

The only thing holding you back from confessing to him was the fact that you were a triplet. Would Harry see you as just another Weasley? Would he see you as just Fred and George’s triplet? Was that all you were? He was the Chosen One, the boy who lived, quite possibly one of the most famous young wizards of all time. How could you be good enough for that?

Fred and George, naturally, knew about your crush from the get-go. Just like you knew about all of their crushes from the moment they bloomed as well. As a triplet, being so connected to your siblings creates this mental and emotional bond — you can easily tell how the others are feeling just by being near them.

They took every chance they could get to tease you about it. Like right now, for example, as the three of you walked down to the Quidditch pitch on a cloudy spring afternoon.

“Oi, there’s your man,” George nudged your shoulder, an annoyingly teasing grin plastered on his face as the three of you entered the Gryffindor tent, “You gonna go tell him you love him and all?”

“Shut your trap, George,” you snapped, glaring him down as you walked to your cubby, “Or should I tell a certain someone about your feelings? No? Don’t want that? Then shut it.”

George raised his hands in surrender, narrowing his eyes at your comment, “Fine, I’ll stop.”

Fred reached your other side, opening his own cubby and grabbing his robes, “Oi, Harry!” he called out, eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face, “C’mere.”

Your heart sunk as you glared at Fred, who was glaring right back at you with an unreadable expression. He was obviously doing this to rile you up, and you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t working.

“What is it?” Harry jogged over, already donned in his Quidditch gear.

Fred looked between you and Harry, placing his hand on your shoulder and giving you a sarcastic smile, “Lovely sis here wanted to tell you something.”

You glared daggers at Fred. If looks could kill, you’d happily be watching him lying motionless on the floor right about now.

“What’s up, Y/N?” Harry asked, clearly nervous. You figured it was just due to the upcoming match. After all, it was for the Quidditch Cup. And it was against Slytherin.

“Uh—” you completely blanked as you turned your attention to Harry, “Just wanted to say good luck. The usual.”

Harry grinned, but it didn’t meet his eyes, “Right, thanks. You too.” He continued to look at you, nodding awkwardly as silence filled the tent.

You had never wished to be further away from the tent than in that moment. You could hear Fred and George stifling laughs in the background. Oh, how badly you wanted to turn around and jinx them.

“Uh, anyways,” you broke the silence, clearing your throat, “See you on the pitch.” Harry bid you a good game once more and took off in the opposite direction. You spun on your heel, turning to face your brothers with pure frustration.

“You two are right gits, y’know?” you glared, storming over with your hands placed on your hips.

“C’mon, we reckon you two just need a bit of a push,” George smirked, motioning a slight push with his hands, doing a terrible job at trying to pretend he was no longer laughing.

You shook your head, turning to your cubby and grabbing your robes, “Don’t blame me if I give you a slight push off a cliff, dear brother.”

They continued laughing as you walked into the changing booth, switching your comfortable, warm clothing for your Quidditch robes. You loved them, you really did, but they barely did the proper job of keeping you warm.

After changing and neatly folding your clothing, you exited the booth and stuffed your clothing in your cubby. You could hear the loud audience starting to fill the Quidditch stands, the heavy footsteps above echoing throughout the tent.

“Big game,” George leaned in beside you, a grin on his face, “Last chance to win the cup.”

“I know,” you grinned, forgetting your previous anger towards him and focusing on the game ahead, “We bloody well better win.”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Fred appeared on your other side, also grinning like an idiot, “We’ve got your boyfriend on the team.”

Your eyes shot in his direction, throwing your hand over his mouth to prevent him from saying anything else. Luckily, you noticed, Harry was too busy talking to Angelina to notice the commotion.

“Oi, what did I say about pushing you off a cliff?” you spoke through gritted teeth, Fred’s wiggling eyebrows only adding fuel to the fire bubbling in your belly. You couldn’t stand them sometimes.

“Freddie, let her be,” George snickered, trying his best to be the better brother in the current situation, “Sometimes, you can’t help falling in love.”

“I’m fed up with you two,” you groaned, slapping a hand to your forehead and glaring back and forth between the two of them, “Not a word, you hear? I’ve had enough.”

They both nodded understandingly, “Fine, we’re sorry.”

You didn’t believe them, but you dropped the subject and focused on the sound of the cheering audience above you, Madam Hooch calling for the teams to join her on the field.

You followed Angelina out of the tent, the deafening cheers being amplified now that you were out in the open. Much to your pleasure, the clouds seemed to have vanished and the bright sunshine was beaming down on the pitch.

Angelina and the Slytherin Captain shook hands, and the match begun.

You flew up to your goalposts, taking your position as Keeper and letting your eyes rapidly scan the field in order to prevent Slytherin from getting on up on you.

Nearly half an hour into the game, Gryffindor was up by seventy points. It was thrilling, but you were beginning to get anxious. Harry was zooming around rapidly, stopping ever so often so scope out and search for the flicker of gold. But it didn’t appear as if he had seen it just yet.

You had found yourself struggling to focus, despite the pressure and weight that this particular match held. You could see Harry zooming by your goalposts out of the corner of your eye, smiling at your whenever you made eye contact. It was pleasantly frustrating, but you knew that the team would have your head on a stake if you didn’t stop Slytherin from scoring.

“Keep your eye on the Quaffle,” Fred’s voice nearly scared you off of your broom, zooming by you to knock the Bludger in the opposite direction.

You scowled, “And you keep yours on the Bludger, you bloody wanker!”

He chuckled as he flew off, leaving you be to continue your duty. Quidditch games were usually nerve wracking, but cup games were a whole new level.

You had won the cup back in your fifth year — one of the highlights of your time at Hogwarts — and you wanted nothing more than to complete your time here with another victory.

“Gryffindor scores!”

The crowd cheered, causing you to grin widely, shooting a thumbs up to Alicia Spinnet who was boasting proudly about her goal. You watched as Harry went over to congratulate her, wishing that you could fly over and be a part of the fun as well, but you sat by your goalposts and celebrated by yourself.

The game started up again, your team up in a decent lead, until you noticed Harry zoom down towards the ground in a determined dive, Malfoy following his move to try and catch the Snitch before him.

You had been so distracted by the neck to neck fight that you nearly let in a goal, luckily stopping it a second before it went in. You tossed the Quaffle to Angelina —

“Harry has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup!”

If the audience was loud before, it was nothing to how loud it became after the announcement. Your heart did a gleeful summersault and you left your post, rushing to join your team on the pitch grounds to celebrate.

Harry was beaming proudly, holding the Snitch high in the air. You couldn’t help the smile that rose to your lips as well as you watched him in his element, the pride radiating off of him and becoming contagious.

You felt someone nudge you from behind, causing you fall into Harry’s body with a slight ‘oomph.’

“Blimey, sorry, Harry,” you mumbled, pulling yourself off of him and hiding your face, knowing damn well it was either Fred or George who had knocked you over.

He grinned, clearly unbothered by your fall, “It’s no problem, Y/N. Congrats on the win!”

Your previous embarrassment faded quickly, “Yeah, same to you.”

Before you could register his movements, he pulled you into a bone crushing hug. All the coldness you had felt out and about in the chilly spring air completely vanished, warmth surrounded your body. Whether it was from your flushed state or his body, you couldn’t tell. But it was comfortable and you didn’t want him to pull away.

“Where’s our hug, mate?” Fred smirked, opening his arms wide and facing Harry, who pulled away from you hastily and flushed a light pink.

“He’s only jokin’,”George knocked Fred’s arms down, “How are we going to celebrate?”

You pursed your lips, narrowing your eyes and trying to think of something, “We could just do a small party. The common room couch is calling my name.”

Harry nodded appreciatively, “I’m not in the mood for anything too big, guys. Common room party sounds brilliant to me.”

“Lame,” George scoffed, “But if it’s what our star wants, it’s what our star will get.”

Harry chuckled awkwardly at George calling him a ‘star.’ It took everything in you not to smack your brother over the head.

Sometimes, they knew just how to push every last button.

——

The Gryffindor common room found itself incredibly packed that evening. People were scattered across the couches and the empty corners, practically shouting to their friends over the blasting noise coming from all directions.

Mellow music was playing, curtesy of Lee who had stolen the record from McGonagall’s office that afternoon. Groups of friends laughed and cheered as more and more members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team piled in, each looking as pleased about the win as the rest of the House.

“Oi, Y/N, get your arse over here,” Lee shouted at you from the corner of the room. You groaned, walking over and raising an eyebrow. You loved Lee, but you were currently searching the room for any signs of Harry.

“Yeah?” you asked, not focusing on him.

Lee seemed to notice your distracted state, “Am I not interesting enough for you?” There was no hint of offence in his voice — he seemed intrigued by what you were focused on.

“Huh?” you turned your attention back to him, blinking rapidly to clear your mind, “No, sorry, I’m paying attention.”

He cocked his eyebrow, “Sure. You’re looking for Harry, aren’t you?”

Your eyes shot open and you were nearly certain your face was now completely drained of colour, “Bloody hell, how do you know about that?”

“Fred and George, of course,” he shrugged as if it was no big deal, “Those lads tell me everything.”

“Oh, I am going to jinx them into next year,” you grit your teeth, anger overpowering the embarrassment you were feeling, “They had no right—,”

“Hey, if it makes you feel any better,” Lee cut you off with a chuckle, “They only told me so I could help set you up with him.”

You gaped at him, suddenly rendered speechless, “They — you — what?”

He placed his hand on your shoulder before pointing to where Harry was standing in the corner talking to Ron, “They wanted to set you two up.”

You turned away from Harry and faced Lee with wide eyes. You couldn’t believe that after all their teasing about your crush on Harry and the fact that he was both famous and younger than you, they still tried to set you up with him. And they had even gotten Lee involved. You weren’t sure if you were flattered or pissed off.

“Well, their plan hasn’t worked, has it?” you muttered quietly, “Pretty sure Harry just sees me as Y/N Weasley. His best friend’s older sister.”

Lee shook his head, “Do you not see the way he looks at you when you’re not looking?”

You furrowed your eyebrows, turning your head back in Harry’s direction. You immediately locked eyes before he turned away quickly, cheeks becoming tinted light pink.

“Point proven,” Lee smirked, crossing his arms and leaning up against the wall behind him, “Oh, here they come.”

You were about to ask who he was talking about, but your question was answered when Fred and George appeared at your side, holding a box of products that they were bound to test out on unsuspecting students.

You grinned to yourself, already excited to see if the products would go as planned. The three of you wanted to open a joke shop after graduating. However, you felt yourself too occupied by Harry’s presence to want to be involved with their shenanigans tonight.

“So, dearest sister,” Fred winked at you, “Charming young Harry is sitting there waiting for you, why don’t you go join him?” He nudged you in the ribs, causing you to glare at him.

“Sod off, would you?” you groaned, nudging him right back, a lot more forcefully. The last thing you wanted was Harry to overhear. Sure, it was loud in the common room and you could barely hear Fred who was right next to you, but maybe he’d hear. You could never be too safe.

“Y/N,” George placed his hands on both your shoulders, turning you to face him, “Go speak to him. We’ve been watching you pine for the lad nearly two years now. It won’t do you any good to sit back and let him be. Just go chat with him, yeah?”

You thought over his words, hating the fact that he was right. You wanted to leave Hogwarts with no regrets, ready to live your life to the complete fullest. You wouldn’t be able to do that if you regretted never speaking to Harry when given the chance.

On one hand, if Harry felt the same, you’d get to spend your last month here with him. On the other hand, if he didn’t feel the same, you’d only have a month left before you’d only get to see him on the rare occasion.

The pro’s outweighed the con’s, really.

“Fine,” you gave in, ignoring how the two boys grinned knowingly, shooting each other a thumbs up. You glanced back in the direction that Harry had been previously standing, only to notice that Ron and Hermione were the only ones there.

You walked over, collecting your nerves, and tapped your other brother on the shoulder, “Ron, where’d Harry go?”

Ron shot you a quizzical look before pointing right behind you, “He’s right there.”

You spun around on the spot, heart caught in your throat as you stared into Harry’s eyes. He was awkwardly smiling at you, fidgeting his feet and looking between you and Ron.

“Hey, Y/N,” Harry nodded, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. You thought he looked nervous, but you couldn’t figure out why he would be. If anything, you should be the one nervously looking down at your feet, not him.

The only reason you weren’t feeling overwhelmed was because of what Lee has just told you. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance Harry was attracted to you as well.

“Hiya, Harry,” you grinned, pushing your hopeful thoughts out of your mind, “Having a good time?”

You flushed at your embarrassing question, but he seemed to slip right past it, “Yeah, I am. I hope you are too.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s great,” you nodded, pursing your lips. The tension was unbearable. You could practically feel Ron and Hermione cringing behind you, and if you weren’t staring dead on at Harry, you’d probably be cringing too.

“Do you uh, want to go somewhere more quiet?” Harry asked, his eyes darting back and forth between your eyes and his own feet.

Without thinking, you quickly replied, “Yes.”

He seemed taken aback by your speedy reply, but he brushed it off and nodded his head up the stairs, starting to walk up. You followed suit, still ignoring the grins that Lee and your triplet brothers were shooting your way.

Once you two reached the opening at the top of the stairs, where it was still loud but reasonably easier to hear properly, he took a seat and motioned for you to do the same.

Under the light of the window, Harry’s eyes had never looked so blue and it was taking your breath away.

You sat next to him, eyes practically glued to him, and smiled nervously, “So...” you trailed off, unsure of what to say.

“I actually want to talk to you about something,” he sighed, looking at you so intently you swore he could probably see into your soul, “I uh, have heard that you may or may not take a fancy to me.”

You had never wished to be dead more than when he said those words. Had your two idiot brothers spilled to Harry how you felt about him? Had they told Ron — who couldn’t keep a secret for life of him — that you had a crush on his best friend? You didn’t think you were that obvious. How could he know?

You ducked your face, hiding the growing blush, and cursed everyone you knew. The pounding in your chest picked up exponentially, uneasiness settling through your whole body.

“Uh — I’m sorry,” you said the only thing you could think of, wanting to smack yourself over the forehead.

Harry’s eyes widened, “No, don’t be sorry. I only brought it up because I—,” he stopped to take a deep breath, closing his eyes, “I actually fancy you too.”

Your heart suddenly stopped completely. Was Lee right? Had Harry actually felt this way about you the whole time?

“You — you do?” you asked, clearly starstuck. You didn’t know what to say. What did people usually say when their crush told them they liked them too?

“Yeah,” he chuckled nervously, running his hand through his hair and shaking it slightly, “I couldn’t find the right time to tell you and I thought I might as well just do it.”

It was as if your entire body had gone numb. It made no sense, but at the same time, you didn’t want to overthink it. He liked you back, and that was the best news you could have received. Despite winning the Quidditch cup, this here was the best feeling.

“I’m glad you did,” you grinned, your voice coming off shaky as the nerves continued rambling through your body, “I probably wouldn’t have said anything, to be honest.”

He chuckled, “So, uh, do you want to go to Hogsmeade together next weekend?”

You nodded before you could even properly process his words, “I’d love to.”

If it was any quieter, you could have sworn you heard George’s forced whisper from down the stairs saying, “We’re the best matchmakers.”

Grinning like an idiot, you rested your head against the wall and continued to gaze adoringly at Harry, who you were now going on a date with next weekend.

There could be no better feeling.

#harry potter #harry potter imagine #harry potter imagines #harry potter one shot #harry potter one shots #harry potter x reader #harry potter reader insert #harry potter fic #harry potter fics #harry potter fanfic

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americasass81 · 4 years

Text

Make Her Mine - Chapter Two

Tony Stark x Reader Warnings: Dark!Tony, mostly just mild swearing and stalker behavior here.

A/N:- Also re-editing this chapter from original female character to reader.

Word count: 2000 approx.

Letting yourself into your room, you locked the door behind you before heading towards the bedroom. Sitting on the bed, your accountant's brain began to work through your survival plan for the next seven days. You knew a week wasn't a long time, but since credit cards could be tracked, you knew that cash was the only safe way to stay under the radar and you were now woefully low on that. You also figured your sister might be the first port of call for tracking you down, so that left your best friend.

Calling Sabrina, you gave her a very brief account of your predicament and that if she was willing to help, she really only had until about four o'clock to get what was needed from your apartment. Being better to you than your own sister, you told her where to find your getaway bag and also asked for some basic workout gear, figuring you didn't need anything fancy to outrun an Avenger. Then you told her where to find you and the name you were using before hanging up to wait for her arrival.

One hour later, a text message told you she was outside your room, and upon opening the door you checked to make sure no one else was there before you pulled her inside and locked the door again.

Dropping your bags, she pulled you in for a warm hug before stepping back to give you the once over. "Angel, what exactly is going on and why do you look like crap?" she asked, taking your hand and leading you to the nearest couch.

Sighing heavily as you sat down, you stared at your hands before speaking. "Do you remember the reservation I had Monday night for La Scala?"

"Is that the Italian place you've been going on about for the last three months?"

"Yes. Well it turns out that when they were switching over reservation books, they lost my booking and the best they could offer me was a seat at the bar until a table became available. Obviously I was fine with that, until I drew the attention of Tony Stark and had to turn down his offer to join him."

"Wait, are you telling me you said no to THE Tony Stark? The same Tony Stark who probably doesn't even know the meaning of that word."

"Exactly, and whether or not he knows the meaning of it, he definitely doesn't like hearing it. Apparently he's had Happy Hogan trying to find me since then, which was made kinda redundant when my boss sent me to deliver reports to one of his meetings this morning."

"Well damn, Y/F/N, that must have been some shock. What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

"No, it's fine. I mean you have a right to know, since I may or may not have put you in harm's way."

"You what now?"

"Look, I think it's safe to say that Tony Stark is not the hero he appears to be and I think I may have pissed him off a lot more than I should have."

"Y/F/N, what did you do?"

"I barely gave him any information when he questioned me before the meeting, and when he had me threatened and brought to his office afterwards, I said I'd report him to Human Resources."

"Wow, you never do things by half, do you? But that doesn't explain why you're hiding out here or why you think I might be in danger?"

Refusing to look at your best friend, you took some deep breaths before continuing. "Well because when a meeting with Steve Rogers interrupted us, he told me to go back to work and then wait for Happy to drive me to his place afterwards. Obviously I didn't do that and I don't know if he's willing to let this go. If not, I don't know who he's willing to hurt to get to me."

"Fuck Y/F/N, all this because his ego couldn't handle the word no."

"I know right. I'm so sorry for putting you in the middle of all this, but I didn't know who else to trust. I love my sister, but you and I both know she'd sell me out in a heartbeat."

Wrapping her arms around you once more, Sabrina held you tight as she thought through the situation. "You know Y/F/N, this situation might not be as dire as you think. Considering who my husband is, do we really believe that Tony Stark is willing to go up against New York's mob boss just to get to you?"

"I don't know, Sab, and that's the worst part. I don't know what he's capable of. I mean Happy threatened to have me arrested for stealing money from the company if I didn't go to his office. You really think Sebastian can protect you?"

"Oh Angel, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt Seb won't let anything bad happen to me. But what about you? Should we see what he can do for you?"

"No Sabrina, you've done more than enough. Hopefully I'm just overreacting and this will all blow over. If not, then I have my getaway bag and more than enough cash to start over. Your husband would be proud of me." you finish with a chuckle, hoping to ease the tension lines you could see appearing on her forehead.

The next hour was spent with a bottle of wine and some girly chit-chat until Sebastian texted Sabrina to let her know he was in the lobby. Giving your best friend a smile and a hug, you said goodbye and decided to head for a relaxing bath, not knowing the shitstorm that was about to kick off at Stark Industries.

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

No pun intended, but upon arriving at your desk ten minutes before clocking off time, Happy was not a happy camper. After finding your desk empty, he made enquiries from Melinda who informed him that you weren't feeling well and had gone home early. Deciding that it was best not to upset Tony unless absolutely necessary, he brought up your employee file and got a hold of your address. Getting in the car and driving to your place, he was pissed to discover that it was locked tight and no one had seen you all day. Swallowing his anger, he headed off to Tony's to relay this development and see if he really was serious about pursuing you.

Upon walking in, Tony told him to take you to the living room and he'd be right out. However, on entering said room and seeing only Happy, Tony was full of questions. "Happy, would you care to tell me what is wrong with this picture?"

"I know Tony, I can't explain it. From what I've been told, shortly after you sent her back to work, she complained about not feeling well and no one has seen her since."

"No one? Are you fucking kidding me? Nobody just disappears without a trace. F.R.I.D.A.Y. I want a trace put on all credit cards in the name of Stark Industries employee 2474789, back timed to two months ago. I want to know where she's been and where she might go."

"Tony, don't you think all this might be a bit excessive over someone who clearly wants nothing to do with you?"

"You know I was kinda resigned to not knowing who she was, but my god, when she walked into that meeting room and I discovered that I've technically been supporting her for three years. I can't explain it, Happy but she's awoken something in me. F.R.I.D.A.Y. what's the status of recent activity?"

"Nothing Boss. The last credit card purchase was Tuesday at the cafe in the lobby of Stark Industries. Mint flavored hot chocolate with whipped cream, around lunch time."

"Damn, how does one disappear and go over twenty-four hours without financial support?"

"Um Tony, I don't want to state the obvious, but do you think she might be using cash?"

"Cash? Seriously Happy, people still do that?"

"It would explain how she's getting by, while staying off F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s radar."

"Ingenious. My little girl's a clever one, it seems. Thanks Happy, but I think I can handle her from here. You can show yourself out? F.R.I.D.A.Y. pull up any footage you can for Y/F/N's apartment for the last forty-eight hours." Tony ordered, as he headed towards his lab.

Sitting at his workstation, Tony combed through all available footage from your apartment, starting from half an hour before he knew you left work. Noticing nothing out of the ordinary, he was prepared to try some other approach when he saw a young woman exit your building carrying what appeared to be two black duffel bags. Watching her deposit them into a black SUV, he waited to see if her face became visible.

"BINGO! F.R.I.D.A.Y. freeze frame 17a and run facial recognition on that individual."

"Facial recognition scan identifies the young lady as Sabrina Stan. Wife of Sebastian Stan. Current head of the New York mob."

"New York mob connections, huh? Well that could explain her ability to fly under the radar. Still, let's try this without starting a war. F.R.I.D.A.Y. I think it's time I stopped fooling around, run Miss Y/L/N through facial recognition and let me know the second you find her."

"Will do boss." Fifteen minutes later, he heard a beep and looked up from his desk to see footage of you walking through the lobby of the famous Waldorf Astoria towards the elevators.

"Well I'll be damned, either my girl has expensive taste or her mob connections go deeper than a passing acquaintance. F.R.I.D.A.Y. do a complete, deep data scan. Cross reference everything to do with Y/F/N Y/L/N, the Waldorf Astoria and the New York Mob. I need to know if I have to mobilize the Avengers."

Two hours later, having torn himself away from his pet project to play Iron-Man, Tony barely gave himself enough time to rehouse his nanoparticles armor before harassing his A.I. “F.R.I.D.A.Y. do you have the results of that search?"

"Indeed Boss. It appears the connection is nothing more than an acquaintance. Mrs. Stan and Miss Y/L/N were both part of the same book club and writing group a year and a half ago. It seems a friendship developed out of it."

Though it bugged him, all the bother you were putting him to, this new information coupled with you appearing to be somewhat of an introvert, gave him renewed confidence in his plan. Having so far found you utterly fascinating, he knew that once he had you, he would make sure you never said no to him again.

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thatesqcrush · 4 years

Text

Fall From Grace, Pt. 9

Bryan Kneef x Reader. Fandom: The Good Fight. Reference: S4, E.4, “The Gang is Satirized and Doesn’t Like It.” CW: Angst, language, fluff. AN: Our lovely REE was on The Good Fight for all of 3 minutes so I am taking lots of liberties. I am obsessed with the anti-Barba. He was just delicious.

WC: 2313

Six months.

It had been six months since you moved to the East Coast and enjoyed all that NYC had to offer. However fast paced Chicago seemed to be, New York City moved just a little bit faster.

You had crammed a bagel with an obscene amount of cream cheese in your mouth when a plethora of emails with electronic case filings came through your inbox. You switched gears and began associating the files with the respective cases when one in particular caused you to freeze.

STR Laurie

Bryan Kneef, Esq.

233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 8000

Chicago, IL 60606-6448

Attorneys for Defendants

APPEARANCE OF COUNSEL

LIBERTY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY,

HOLBROOK SECURITIES LLC (Defendants)

Allison Kensington (Plaintiff)

Pearson Specter

Civil Action No. 10-cv-3752

TO THE CLERK OF THE COURT AND ALL PARTIES OF RECORD: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the undersigned is admitted to practice in this court, and hereby enters an appearance as counsel in this case for defendants. Please serve all papers related to this action on the undersigned.

By: Bryan Kneef

STR Laurie

[email protected]

Attorneys for Defendants

You swallowed the half-chewed bagel, grimacing as it scraped your throat as it went down.

“Motherfucker!” You swore loudly, slamming your hand on your desk.

“Am I interrupting?”

You jumped in your seat. You looked up and found yourself face to face with Rachel, who was standing in your doorway.

You felt your cheeks grow hot in embarrassment. “Oh, uh…”

“Safe to say you saw the notice of appearance.” Rachel remarked, her brow cocked.

You nodded. “Yup.” You smacked your lips on the end of the P, emphasizing it.

“I wanted to know if you still wanted in on the case.” Rachel sat in the chair in front of you, her arms crossed. You had been at the firm maybe two weeks tops before you spilled everything to Rachel about Bryan.

“Yes, I do.” You replied. “And before you ask me if I'm tough enough to be in there, I want you to know that I am tough enough.”

“That's not what I wanted to ask.” Rachel replied. “I want to know if you think it will rattle him.”

“Frankly, I think it was purposefully done.” You sighed. “Is there a deposition?”

“Of course there is. Monday.”

The week surprisingly went quickly, and Monday came before you knew it. You looked over your appearance in the mirror. Suddenly your go-to pantsuit and button down didn’t cut it anymore. You hemmed and hawed in front of your closet and settled on a crisp white top and a muted grey pencil skirt. You popped the collar slightly and rolled up your sleeves.

Your mind flew to the memories of what happened whenever you did wear pencil skirt – somehow it’d end up over your hips or by your ankles with Bryan bringing you to the height of pleasure. You pinned your hair up and kept your makeup minimal, with the exception of a bold lip.

Your heels clacked against the pavement of the city’s sidewalk as you approached Pearson Specter. And sure enough, Bryan was in front of the building, pacing while on the phone.

You ducked your head hoping that he wouldn’t notice you. But curiosity got the best of you and you looked over your shoulder as you entered through the revolving door. Your eyes met Bryan’s as he pivoted while on the phone. You quickly turned and hurried into the building.

---

Bryan walked down the hall of the firm after being directed to the conference room. He was anxious to see you. He knew he was playing with fire being here in New York. When the case fell in his lap, he knew he had to see it through and maybe, just maybe, see you. He missed you immensely. Truth be told, no other woman had ever gotten to him like you did. Through the glass, he noticed you setting up and his pulse quickened. Bryan rapped on the door before swinging the door open.

“Good morning.” You clipped. ‘Shit. Stay strong’ you thought to yourself as you drank him in. You nearly forgot how good he looked in his three piece suit. His gaze was smoldering and you shifted uncomfortably in your stance.

“Y/N.” Bryan greeted, with a small smile. “You look well.”

“How’s everyone in Chicago?” You replied, ignoring his compliment as you stapled some paper together.

“Good. You’re remembered fondly.” Bryan replied.

“I mean, can’t say I am surprised.” You retorted, as you finished organizing the conference table. “I’ll be sitting in on the depo, just so you know.”

“You think being in the room is going to keep me from doing my job?” Bryan asked, his brows furrowed.

You pointed at Bryan and then at yourself. “Aren’t I the reason you even signed on counsel?”

“Liberty Life is my client. Of course, I had to show up.” Bryan replied.

“So what – you figured you’d orchestrate this stunt and then –”

“I didn’t orchestrate shit.” Bryan sighed, irritated. “I am doing my job.”

You cocked your head and leaned over the table slightly. “Is this a joke?”

Bryan walked around to where you were standing. He was dangerously close to you and your eyes met his. “I miss you. Can’t we just talk?”

You stood silently, racking your brain as to what to say. “About what? Us? What is there to say? Our relationship…”

You moved to push back some hair when Bryan noticed the sparkling bracelet on your wrist. “You are wearing it.”

You looked at the tennis bracelet. “Oh. Yes. It’s beautiful. Thank you. It was very generous of you.”

Bryan reached for your hand and at the same time, Rachel entered the room. “Am I interrupting?”

Bryan shirked back his hand. “No. Just catching up. Reminding Y/N that Chicago has better hot dogs. And that we should have never let her go.”

---

The deposition was grueling, lasting a few hours. Bryan was relentless in his questioning. As he fired his questions, your mind was transported back to the case you first helped him with and how you got to watch him in court. Your whatever it was, with Bryan was complicated and was tempestuous. Deep down though, you still had deep feelings for Bryan. You spent your first month in New York crying your eyes out, wondering if you had made a mistake leaving.

You escorted your client out and then returned to gather the rest of your belongings. You paused before entering the conference room again, watching Rachel and Bryan speak. They shook hands and you wondered what that was about.

Finally you took a breath and entered. “Everything okay?”

Rachel smiled. “I think we’ll be settling. Bryan has made a very generous offer.

You smiled. “That’s great. I am happy to hear that.” While you were happy for your client, you were disappointed because you knew that Bryan would be leaving town. You groaned inwardly, hating how Bryan caused such a mix bag of feelings within you.

“Walk me out?” Bryan asked.

“Sure.” You blurted out, not even giving it so much as a second thought.

The walk to the elevator bank was silent. Finally, Bryan spoke. “Can we go out to dinner?”

You raised a brow and sucked in a breath. “That … sounds sincere.” You searched Bryan’s eyes and realized he was indeed being genuine. “Okay.”

“Is your number the same?” Bryan asked and you nodded. “I’ll text you the details. I’ll see you tonight.” Bryan replied as the elevator dinged, signaling its arrival.

You bid Bryan adieu and went back to your office. Despite the piles of work on your desk, you found yourself distracted. You couldn’t focus one bit. Your mind kept going back to the events prior. You kept checking your phone to see if Bryan had texted you.

Groaning, you took your phone and threw it into your drawer. You opened a new browser window and were just about to throw yourself completely into your work when your phone buzzed loudly from inside your drawer.

It was Bryan. Reservations made at The River Cafe. 7pm.

You texted back. See you then.

You threw your phone back in the drawer and dropped your head into your hands. “What have I gotten myself into?” You wondered out loud. You knew you were playing with fire and that there was a real possibility of getting burned, but you looked forward to the date.

“It’s two people sharing a dinner. Nothing more. You got this.” You muttered to yourself. Part of you knew it was a lie. Part of you figured if you said it enough times, you’d believe it.

You left work an hour early to get ready. The River Café was situated right on the East River, just a hair south of the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. You knew you needed enough time to get back to your apartment in Chelsea and then all the way down to Brooklyn. You decided to wear a cream-colored tulip hem skirt and a black lace deep v-neck blouse. The material of the blouse was quite thin and you decided to forego a bra to avoid lines. You knew your outfit was dangerous with Bryan. Simultaneously, you wanted Bryan to eat his heart out and maybe tempt fate so you could get dicked down.

You left your hair loose, just curling it slightly to make loose waves. You kept your makeup the same, just touching up your liner and lipstick. A spritz of perfume and a change of shoes to heeled strappy sandals and you were well on your way.

Your stomach lurched as the cab sped downtown to the restaurant. You watched as the city flew by in a blur and subconsciously you played with your tennis bracelet. The cab came to a stop and you found yourself in front of the restaurant.

Bryan was at the bar and the corner of his lips turned up into a devilish smile as you approached. Bryan wore dark jeans, a white button down and a matching navy suit jacket. The restaurant is gorgeous and the wafts of the various smells of food made your stomach rumble.

“You look gorgeous.” Bryan complimented as he embraced you into a hug.

“Thank you. You look great yourself.” You replied. You inhaled his cologne and emotions flooded you. ‘Relax.’ You commanded to yourself.

“I took the liberty of ordering you a glass of Malbec.” Bryan replied.

“You remembered.” You smiled as the bartender came over with a glass.

“Of course I did.” Bryan replied. “It’s your favorite.”

“The Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino for the lady, and an Old Fashioned for the gentleman.”

Bryan thanked the bartender, tipping him generously. You barely managed a sip when the hostess came over and seated you both at a table overlooking the East River – providing a clear shot of the Brooklyn Bridge. The view is breathtaking and you find yourself captivated by Bryan once more – all of the inner guards you had in place crumbled.

You both easily catch up over the last few months and dinner goes by quickly. Dessert is brought out and as you lick chocolate mousse off the spoon, you become acutely aware of Bryan’s lustful gaze on you. You give him a bashful look and you put the spoon down. Bryan paid for dinner while you excused yourself to the bathroom to freshen up.

The weather was warm and the breeze was inviting so you decided to walk along the Brooklyn Bridge back towards Manhattan. The tips of Bryan’s fingers grazed yours and the feeling is electric. The second time your fingers grazed his, they interlock and you hold hands the rest of the way until you get to the midpoint of the bridge.

You take in the view of Manhattan ahead. Bryan stood next to you, also taking in the view.

His hand traced concentric circles on your back and you involuntarily shivered. Bryan tilted your chin towards him. “I—I had a really nice time tonight.” You reply and you are surprised by how genuinely you mean it.

Bryan’s gaze lowered to your lips and instinctively you parted them. People on the bridge walk by but your oblivious to anyone else around you but Bryan. He pulled you flush against him. Instinctively, your arms wrapped around his neck. Bryan’s lips ghosted yours and then he paused. You both breathed in each other’s air and finally you gave in, colliding your lips against his. His kisses taste like the mousse you shared and the cocktails he had had during dinner. His tongue swirled against yours. Arousal shot to your core. A hand slipped up the slope of your side and somehow, discreetly, Bryan cupped your breast. His thumb ran over a hardened nipple and you let out a quiet moan. Finally you pull away breathless. Your lipstick was smeared and you could see evidence of it on Bryan’s lips. “Bryan we can’t do this.”

Bryan’s brows knit together and jaw tightened. He pulled away from you and faced the view of Manhattan. “Why? Because we’re on the opposite sides of a case now? I settled.”

You don’t reply and you could feel your eyes brimming with tears.

“I still love you. I haven’t stopped loving you. I know I hurt you. And I have apologized.” Bryan replied, his voice clipped.

“I know you have.” You replied. Your voice cracks and you kick yourself inwardly.

“Then what is it?”

“I’m afraid.” You admitted. “I am scared you’re going to hurt me again.”

“I will do whatever it takes.” Bryan replied. “It won’t be easy since you decided to move to the wrong city.” He adds with a slight sneer.

You laughed haughtily, rolling your eyes. “I wouldn’t have had to move if you just treated me like a human and not as if I were disposable.”

“I told you I didn’t do the girlfriend thing. And then things got complicated. And I fucked up. It was all fucked. I…” Bryan paused. “I said I was sorry for fucks sake Y/N.”

You knew he was baring his soul. You turn back to him, and cup his bearded cheek. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Bryan furrowed his brow once more. “What the fuck does that mean? Does that mean you and I...”

You nodded slowly. “We’ll try again. Because the truth is that I still love you too. And we owe it to at least really try. No more hiding anything to anyone.”

Bryan pulled you into a kiss once more. The kiss was with such intensity, it left your breathless.

“Now would be the time for you to show me your bedroom.” Bryan growled in your ear.

You smile. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

TBC.

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#the good fight fanfic #bryan kneef x reader #bryan kneef and reader #bryan kneef imagine #brian kneef x reader #Brian kneef and reader

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aloha-solar · 3 years

Text

The Spaces Between the Stars: Three

Rating: M

AO3 link here

It was soothing to see that this project was like the Lazarus Project. Of course, the guidelines and steps this time were simpler but the two’s commonalities made Miranda feel more confident as she worked. It made her feel even more confident that she didn’t have a doctor glancing over her shoulders every five minutes, second-guessing every decision she made. No, for the most part Miranda worked in complete privacy, only calling in assistance when Shepard needed surgery.

For the most part. The doctors stayed away, but the visitors certainly didn’t.

Some of Jack’s students had already been discharged, but at least half of them still needed to remain in the hospital for further treatment. As a result, Jack took to sticking her head round after she visited her students.

“Jack, you do realize that I’m actually trying to work here?” Miranda said one evening. It had been two weeks since Hackett hired her, and she felt pleased with the progress Shepard made. The burns were mostly superficial, and while Miranda felt certain they would leave some scarring, it wouldn’t be debilitating. The wound on the left side of Shepard’s torso still needed regular dressing, but it hadn’t showed any signs of infection or major damage. Her lung puncture was healing nicely as well, and they’d been able to switch her to an oxygen mask instead of full intubation. The only problem seemed to be her brain…

Jack shrugged, offering Miranda a paper cup of tea from the canteen. “Yeah, I know. But I’m currently out of commission until the kids are all back on their feet, so what else am I supposed to do?” She took a slurp of her energy drink. Miranda rolled her eyes.

“You can learn other skills,” Miranda said. “And I know most of those tattoos are self-inflicted. You could open a tattoo parlor in the meantime.” Jack laughed before downing the rest of her drink in two seconds flat.

“Why? Want to be my first customer, princess?” Jack said. “How about a nice Cerberus symbol on your—”

“Maybe you’re good at something else,” Miranda said quickly. Jack laughed again before punching Miranda on the shoulder. Miranda shot her a quick smile before turning her attention back to her datapad. Jack walked over to the window to Shepard’s hospital room.

“She’s doing as well as she can, considering the circumstances,” Miranda said, not turning around and answering the question that was playing in Jack’s mind.

“She wasn’t this bad when you guys dug her up, right?” Jack asked. Miranda glanced over at Jack. Jack was still looking through the window, but she’d crumpled her can in her hand and ruptured it. Miranda turned off her datapad and then stood next to her.

"When we got her, we couldn’t tell if she was a man or a woman,” Miranda said. “A lot of her gear was infused onto her body, and—”

“So she’s not as fucked up,” Jack said flatly.

“No,” Miranda said. “She’s not.” She wondered if she should something nice for Jack—perhaps give her a shoulder pat or a hand squeeze—when Jack suddenly stepped away.

“Gotta go see the kids one more time before visiting hours are up,” Jack said. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Miranda saw that Jack’s jaw was slightly more rigid than usual. Her voice sounded thicker as well. “See you around, princess.”

“Jack—” Miranda began but Jack had already walked down the hallway and turned the corner. Miranda sighed, before taking a sip of her tea and heading back into Shepard’s room.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were lots of visitors to Shepard’s room in that month. Miranda never saw Kasumi in-person, but there would be little hints that she’d stopped by whenever Miranda left the room: once there was a teddy bear stuck at the end of Shepard’s bed; another time, an abstract painting hanging on the wall that said, “Get well soon, Shep!” When Miranda scanned it with an omni-tool, she saw that it was an elcor creation, a piece that had been declared stolen just before the war began. Miranda considered calling the police, but instead ended up taking the painting home to her apartment. Shepard would probably get a laugh out of it, she decided, before they handed it in.

Zaeed came once, carrying a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates. Miranda chuckled when she saw him. “I didn’t think you were the romantic type, Zaeed,” Miranda said as the two of them shook hands. “And I don’t think Shepard’s ready to eat solid foods yet.”

"I couldn’t damn well smuggle her in a gun now, could I?” Zaeed said. “Figured it was the next best thing. These are damn good chocolates, and the wine’s from 2122.”

“How do you know the chocolates are damn good?” Miranda said.

“Because I had to try a couple to make sure they weren’t poisoned!” Zaeed said. He handed Miranda the box and the bottle, before taking the seat next to Shepard’s bed. He put his arms behind his head and crossed his legs.

“How did you even get these anyway?” Miranda asked, putting the bottle down on the floor next to Zaeed and plucking a raspberry cream chocolate from the box. “You were on the Citadel, weren’t you?”

“Not all of the Citadel was destroyed,” Zaeed said. “Most of the Outer Wards did get pretty fucked over, and there were apparently a couple of attacks on the Presidium, but most people fled to the Inner Wards when the Reapers decided to bloody drag us across the galaxy. And that isn’t bloody alien swill: that is pure Earth chocolate. Speaking of which, the marzipan ones are pretty good. Toss me one, will you?”

“I thought we were supposed to be saving these,” Miranda said, but she obliged.

“There’s a good girl,” Zaeed said, popping the chocolate in his mouth. He nodded at Shepard. “How’s my favourite commander doing? She all right?”

“As all right as she can be, Zaeed,” Miranda said. She closed the lid on the chocolate box and put it on the floor too.

“She’ll get up eventually,” Zaeed said. “When I got shot in the head, doctors thought I was done for. Said I’d be in a coma for the rest of my life. Shows how much those bastards know.” He chuckled. “Rage ain’t just an anesthetic, it’s a hell of a stimulant.”

“I don’t think rage is going to help,” Miranda said.

“You don’t think she’s not gonna be pissed that the Reapers nearly destroyed Earth and every fucking planet in the galaxy? Nah. She’s gonna be pissed when she wakes up,” Zaeed said. “Now if you need a merc to help discharge her early, then I might be available..."

Garrus and Tali were still off the grid, which left Miranda thoroughly unsurprised. All the Normandy crew would be banging down the hospital door if they were still on Earth, and none of the alien crew would even dream of going off-world until they saw Shepard wake up. She hoped that wherever they were, they’d be back on Earth by the time Shepard woke up. It stung, but they’d been with Shepard since the beginning. And as much as Shepard cared for Miranda, it would be stupid to assume that Shepard wouldn’t be disappointed when she only saw Miranda, and none of the rest of her crew.

Jacob and Grunt were off-world too, but at least Miranda had spoken to Jacob. She didn’t expect anything from Grunt—the krogan quickly dispatched themselves the second the last Reaper fell—but Jacob was stationed on a ship near the ruins of the Arcturus Station, part of a team that was supposed to rebuild it

“But you don’t know how to build anything, Jacob,” Miranda said, two days after Zaeed visited. “How are you supposed to help rebuild an entire space station?”

“By not being part of the building team,” Jacob answered. The connection was full of static, but Miranda could still here Jacob's voice above it. “I’m there to help guard the workers, prevent any attacks and fights from outsiders.”

“Ah, Jacob. And here I thought you left your merc days behind you,” Miranda said.

“I’m still serving as a member of the Alliance,” Jacob countered. “Plus they want to make Arcturus a military outpost this time, instead of being a hybrid between a base and civilian housing. They’re going to heavily reinforce it and everything.”

“What else could be out there besides the Reapers?”

“No idea,” Jacob said. “But…doesn’t it make you feel better at night knowing that we have a major base against outside attacks?”

“I suppose,” Miranda said, knowing that pointing out Arcturus Station's quick destruction during the Reaper invasion would not be a good idea. “But I’ve got to run, Jacob. Shepard isn’t going to make a full recovery without me. Tell Brynn I said hello and that I hope everything’s going well with the baby.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Miranda,” Jacob said, laughing. “And Brynn…Brynn will be fine. Let me know when Shepard wakes up. Maybe I’ll treat us all to a few drinks. Just like old times.” Miranda smiled wanly before she disconnected. She liked Jacob—he was a good soldier, and she knew that if she spent more time with him, he’d be a good friend—but their lives were taking different routes. He seemed intent on forgetting about the Normandy and his time spent on it. She, on the other hand, had grown fond of some of the crew members. But then again, did she really have a choice in that fondness? Miranda didn’t suppose she did. Before the Normandy, the only other person she cared about was Oriana. Now…well. It felt odd, and it was more than a little distracting, but she liked those unexpected visits from her former crew-mates. She hadn’t realized how much she missed them.

The last person to visit was Samara. She came in late one night, exactly a month after Miranda started working on Shepard. After Miranda spoke to Jacob, she found herself in the hospital nearly twenty-four-seven, scanning Shepard’s body this way and that, trying to find some explanation as to why Shepard wasn’t waking up. Her abdomen wound had started closing up, her lung puncture was nearly healed, and her scars had faded, so it couldn’t have been from body trauma. The brain scans showed no major damage. No, the implants were the issue. They hadn’t failed: they were still working, keeping Shepard’s heart beating and her lungs full of oxygen. But they weren’t behaving properly either: if they were, Shepard would have been awake the second most of her major injuries were treated.

So Miranda slaved away in Shepard’s hospital room, running every test under the sun and still coming up empty-handed. She couldn’t even ask the doctors for help: they were her implants, her creation, and if she asked the medical staff for help, they wouldn’t have a clue as to how they could help. It all left Miranda tired and frustrated…and scared.

"Is that going to be it then, Shepard?” Miranda said the night Samara arrived, throwing her hands up in the air. She’d run another round of tests, trying to see if electro-shock therapy could get Shepard up, but still nothing. It was a long shot, anyway—electro-shock therapy stopped being used at all, even for mental illnesses, at some point in the 2080s—but after hitting every single wall in the maze, Miranda was fast running out of ideas. “Are you just going to lie there for the rest of your life?”

“That would be very unlike Shepard to do so,” Samara said, and Miranda jumped and turned around. “My apologies, Miranda. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Don’t worry about it, Samara,” Miranda said, putting the paperwork away and turning the lights up in the room ever so slightly. “But what are you doing here? Visitor’s hours ended a while ago.”

“I had thought you had left already,” Samara said. “I don’t know Earth time that well, but I believe twelve o’clock at night is rather late for humans.”

“Not just here in the hospital,” Miranda said. “But here on Earth. I thought you’d have returned to Thessia by now.”

“I thought so as well,” Samara said, crossing her hands behind her back and walking slowly towards Shepard’s bed. “But it seems that the relay damage has delayed my leave. And after I heard that Shepard was the one who set off the Crucible, I felt that I needed to see that she was all right.”

“I see,” Miranda said.

“But you didn’t answer my question,” Samara said.

“What question?”

“Why you’re still here instead of resting,” Samara said. “When I received the message about Shepard from Kasumi, I wanted to see her as soon as I was able. Kasumi said that you usually went home at eleven o’clock.”

“That’s what I usually do,” Miranda said, making a mental note to check the room to make sure Kasumi hadn’t cloaked herself without Miranda’s knowledge, “but…it’s funny, but as Shepard’s injuries have healed, I haven’t been as home as often as I should.”

“I see,” Samara said. Miranda felt her insides squirm. As much as she respected Samara, there was something about her that made Miranda nervous. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Samara could kill Miranda for breaking asari law without any consequences, or perhaps it was because Samara’s eyes were so piercingly, unnaturally blue, almost the exact shade of her skin. Miranda wasn’t sure. She didn’t want to find out.

“You’ve done an excellent job with her,” Samara continued, gazing at Shepard. “I believe Shepard would be pleased to know that her friend is taking such care of her.”

“I’ve had practice,” Miranda said simply.

“Shepard mentioned you being the one who brought her back to life,” Samara said. “I imagine this project is easier for you.”

“It would be even easier if Shepard actually woke up,” Miranda said. She started pacing, twisting her fingers. Samara’s eyes followed her, but she stayed by the bed.

“It’s…” Miranda began, but then trailed off. How could she describe it? It wasn’t a coma, but it couldn’t be sleep either. A vegetative state? Was that what Shepard was going to be? Alive, but only by the loosest definition of the word?

“She’s not…I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” Miranda finally got out. “She didn’t score terribly on the Glasgow scale, but she didn’t score well either. But the doctors ran so many scans on her that they were able to rule out any sort of brain damage. It must be the implants that are the issue, but I don’t know what’s the matter with them.

“I’m the one who designed the implants, so why don’t I know what’s wrong? They want me to bring Shepard back again, but what if the first time was a fluke? What if she’s supposed to stay dead this time? I know I’m doing everything right, but the implants were supposed to wake her up the second her injuries started healing!” Miranda kept burbling on, coming up with different theories—had Wilson interfered during the Lazarus Project? Did the Illusive Man have some part in this? Did the Alliance?—when suddenly, Samara grabbed Miranda’s hands. Miranda stopped mid-sentence, finding herself face-to-face with Samara’s piercing eyes.

“Tell me, Miranda, when was the last time you slept?” Samara prodded. There was something almost motherly and tender in her tone that nearly made Miranda cry. Samara killed hundreds, if not thousands of people for the sake of preserving ancient justice, but Miranda had forgotten that Samara had been a mother before all of that.

“Do you want the last time I actually slept, or the last time I slept well?” Miranda asked. Samara gave her a sad little smile.

“Both,” she replied.

“Then I’m fairly certain you won’t like the answer for either of them.”

“Then perhaps you should get some rest,” Samara replied. “You’ll only injure yourself if you keep working like this.”

“I would,” Miranda said, letting go of Samara’s hands and stepping away. “But I can’t rest until I know Shepard will be all right.”

“You mean until she wakes up,” Samara said. She took a step closer to Miranda, closing the distance that Miranda created. “Tell me, Miranda: did you work yourself this hard when you were rebuilding Shepard?” Miranda paused. Truth be told, she had worked herself that hard in the beginning. She overworked herself in the three months before Shepard woke up as well, but she had no choice that time: she couldn’t risk Wilson waking her up again and nearly killing her. But those months in-between, when it was clear Shepard was healing and stable, she finally let herself relax. How could she not? Shepard would have been fine: the implants were placed and working well. But this was different: the implants were working, but as if they were at minimal power.

“If you’re worried about doctors interfering, you have no need to,” Samara said. “I will watch over Shepard until you return.”

“But what if something happens when I’m not here?” Miranda asked, looking down at Shepard. She looked peaceful, her black hair fanned out on her pillow, her breathing even and regular, but she kept thinking about the implants. What if they failed the second she stepped out of the hospital? If she didn’t get back quickly enough, there would be no chance of saving Shepard. All her hard work would be for nothing.

“You cannot keep thinking of the possibilities that something will go wrong,” Samara said. “Something could have gone wrong this past month, yet Shepard has remained stable. She is no danger if you step away for one night.”

“But what if it does?” Miranda said. “I know it’s stupid that I can’t trust my own handiwork, but—“

“Miranda,” Samara said. She placed her hand over Miranda’s again and rubbed her thumb over Miranda’s knuckles. “You have let yourself become overtired and over-paranoid. Once you have rested, you will be able to think clearly. Besides,” Samara said with another small smile, “even genetically-engineered humans need to get some sleep.” Miranda stepped away again and gave one last worrying look at Shepard. She took a deep breath.

“You promise to let me know in case anything bad happens?” Miranda asked. She hated how high and pleading her voice sounded—almost childlike—but she knew that Samara wasn’t going to let Miranda stay.

“You have my promise,” Samara said, walking to the chair and sitting on it in the lotus position. “Now go. Shepard will be safe under my watch.” Samara closed her eyes and lit up the dim room with her biotics. Miranda gave one last look at both of them before slowly walking out.

As she walked down the hallway and outside into the cool London air, it occurred to Miranda that for the first time in a month, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She inhaled sharply, taking in the smell of rain on concrete and the sharp scent of the takeaway places around her, before hailing a taxi to take her back to her apartment. She’d scarcely been in it since Hackett gave her the job.

She barely made it onto the couch before collapsing on the lopsided cushions and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

She didn’t wake up until evening the next day. Bleary-eyed, Miranda stretched and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. The clock said six twenty-three. Miranda groaned. She ran her fingers through her hair and popped a few peppermints in her mouth before sprinting out of her apartment and back to the hospital.

She didn’t know why she rushed back. Shepard was still unconscious, her various monitors providing a beeping harmony in the background. Samara, by the looks of it, hadn’t moved either, still in the same position and chair she’d been in when Miranda left. Samara opened her eyes when she heard the door open.

“You should have phoned me when I didn’t turn up this morning,” Miranda said, running her omni-tool over Shepard’s body and checking all her vitals.

“I felt no need to,” Samara said. “Nothing about Shepard’s condition changed while you were away, and you needed the rest.” Miranda sighed. Samara was right on both counts.

Well, nearly right.

“Her implants are becoming more active,” Miranda said. She turned around to face Samara. “If they’re becoming more active, it means that they’re getting ready for when she’s conscious again.”

“I see,” Samara said. “Then the rest turned out to be good after all?”

"I…yes, that’s right,” Miranda said, turning around and facing her. “I suppose that running all those tests might have interfered with the implants.”

“Perhaps,” Samara said. “Or you two needed to spend some time apart.”

“A doctor and a patient spending time apart?” Miranda said. She crossed her arms as a smile tugged at her mouth.

“I remember my daughters fighting with each other about such trivial things,” Samara said. “I often needed to separate them before they would apologize to each other.”

Miranda chuckled. “I see,” she said. Samara nodded at her.

“I should take my leave now, Miranda,” Samara said. She gave her a pat on the shoulder before walking to the door. “I hope I see you again before I return to Thessia.”

"Same to you,” Miranda said. “And maybe I should tell Kasumi to send you in whenever I need to take a break.” A small smile flickered across Samara’s lips.

“Yes, that would be an excellent idea,” Samara said. “I will await her message. But in the meantime…good-bye, Miranda.” Miranda gave Samara a nod and watched the door close behind her. She turned back around to Shepard, pulling out her omni-tool to check her vitals again. As she walked over to Shepard’s head, she saw her eyelids begin to flutter and she let out a sharp breath.

Miranda’s jaw dropped.

#Mass Effect #mass effect fanfiction #mass effect fanfic #shenko #f!shenko #fshenko #femshep x kaidan #kaidan x femshep #Kaidan Alenko #femshep

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saint-cichol-is-watching · 4 years

Note

For the Asmo birthday event do you think you could write about a normally shy MC who goes out to celebrate for his birthday, but MC gets drunk and ends up being very affectionate/clingy? Cuddling him and telling him he's really really pretty etc?

Honey I’m so sorry I didn’t your request yesterday when I skimmed through everything for birthday requests but I am here now ! It will probably be short but I hope you’ll like it nonetheless !

You were never the type to go out and party. The noise, the sweat, the smell, the people constantly invading your private space all of this made clubbing quite difficult for you.

But you were ready to work onto your aversion for Asmo’s birthday.

It was the first birthday of his that you spent together in the Devildom and Asmo made it clear that going out and party was a habit of his for his birthday and that he was very set on going there and bringing you along with him to enjoy a little of the night life in the Devildom.

It was going quite well at first, you had found yourself a small table for the both of you and Solomon, whom Asmo of course invited as well, it was still early in the night so the dance floor was not as crowded as you expected (even though there was still quite a crowd) and the music was quite nice, even though a bit too loud for your taste since you practically had to yell in Asmo’s ear to tell him that you only wanted a glass of water when he asked you what you wanted to drink.

You were never the type to drink and to be honest you weren’t really thirsty for now so you thought a glass of water would easily suffice.

Enormous was your surprise when you saw the two boys coming back holding onto three colorful drinks. That did not look like water.

“What’s this?” you asked pointing at the drink Asmo handed you.

“A cocktail of course!” Asmo answered happily.

“I-I told you I wanted water!” You exclaimed.

A look of realization dawned onto Asmo’s face but soon washed away and was replaced by his usual carefree expression.

“Oh yes you did! Should I get you some water then?” He asked giggling “But that would waste that drink tho...” He added his expression turning a bit sour before once again switch back to his natural obliviousness “Well too bad then I’ll get you your water Love!”

He said that in quite a cheery tone but it was enough for you to remorsefully grab onto his arm to hold him back from going to fetch you some water.

“Is there a lot of alcohol in there? Is it strong?” You asked looking at the colorful drink in front of you.

You couldn’t smell any alcohol coming from it, only a nice fruity sent so you thought maybe just maybe it was worth a shot.

“Only a bit of demonus” Solomon informed you “It’s not that strong as long as you keep a it low”

Nodding you looked at the two guys and told them you were going to keep this drink, in fact you were even going to chug half of it right now, right in front of them just as they tried to warn you.

“They really can’t hold their liquor huh?” Solomon said a bit later as he watched you swaying dramatically from left to right, trying to follow the music but failing miserably as it was now pretty obvious that you completely and utterly drunk.

“I guess they can’t” Asmo said giggling “But look at them they are really the cutest aren’t they?”

They had dance for a bit with and were now taking a short break. You, on the other hand, were having the fun of your life and there was no way you would stop now so you decided not to follow them. Well you barely even noticed they went back to the table to be completely honest.

When you suddenly got aware of the fact that Asmodeus and Solomon had disappeared you searched the club with your eyes only to find them still at the table.

You trotted over to them happy and cheery and all of sudden grabbed onto Asmo’s arm pressing yourself against him.

“Asmoooo” You whined “Come dance with meee”

“Waaah that face you just made was so cute MC! I could just eat you up” Asmo exclaimed while he squished your cheeks with the palm of his hands.

Almost instantly you responded to his affection by putting your own hands on top his and nuzzle your nose in his palms.

“Your hands smell good Asmo” You said something so random Asmo couldn’t help but laugh

“Asmo I want a hug” You then said and Asmo opened his arms ready to give you some affection.

The next hour basically consisted of you being all over the Avatar of Lust. Hugging him, sitting on his lap, cuddling on his chest, kissing his face over and over again. Basically...You were doing everything you always wanted to do to Asmo, well not everything thankfully for Solomon who was still standing there, but had always been too shy to initiate.

And Asmo was loving every single second of it, swimming in your bold affection, nearly ignoring Solomon who was telling him he should bring you back home now. It was only when you grew a little too bold that he stopped you shaking his head from left to right

“That’s a no-no MC” He said holding onto your wrist after you tried to slip your hands under his shirt “Not in public”

“We should call it a night” Solomon said and Asmo finally agreed.

Leading, a very whiny you, out of the club you parted ways with the sorcerer who slipped Asmo his birthday gift right before he headed back the other way towards the Purgatory Hall.

“Shall we go too MC?” Asmo asked you cheerfully.

But you didn’t listen, you were followed after him but you were more focused on the wrapped gift Asmo was holding. The gears in your head started working full speed and in a sudden moment of clarity you remembered : His gift.

You didn’t know where it was your brain was still too fuzzy to process anything, to be honest you couldn’t even remember what it was you got him. But what you knew is that you had absolutely no idea where you had put it.

“ASMOOOOO” You whined once again “I LOST YOUR GIFT”

You grabbed onto his arm as you were still walking looking right at him with big teary eyes.

“Ah did you?” Asmo asked barely even bothered by the news “What shall you do then?” he teased you.

And bit on the bait, pressing yourself on his arm you thought hard about what you wanted to do.

‘Asmo, the Avatar of Lust...maybe he...’ you thought had troubles coming clear to you.

But before you could understand what you were thinking you exclaimed:

“ME! I’ll be your gift Asmo!”

Asmo laughed out loud, oh was he expecting you to say that? Absolutely. You were adorable looking so naive like that.

This was an appetizing proposition you made, after all he always wanted you to taste what real love felt like but Asmo was no fool.

You were drunk, there was no way he was going to take advantage of you like that, especially you who were so precious to him.

Plus sex with a drunk partner were no fun anyway

“Maybe another time MC” He said happily.

By the time he answered you, you had reached the House of Lamentations and you were looking absolutely sad and dejected, he rejected you...

Walking you to your room Asmo held onto your waist and smiled.

“Are you disappointed MC?” He teased.

“No not at all!” You exclaimed.

But it was pretty clear that you were from the way you jerked out of his arms.

“Oh MC don’t be sad love? Should I sleep in your room tonight? I’ll hold you all night long” He said to you with a flirty smile that you barely even noticed.

You shook your head “no” and Asmo giggled. Putting both hands on your face to keep it still he looked right at you and slowly his lips came closer to you before going up and rest on the corner of your lips.

It was such a soft kiss all your worries washed away and you found yourself in a pure moment of clarity, like you had sobered up all of sudden. ‘His lips are very warm’ you even thought.

“Good night MC” He said still so carefree “Have lots of dreams about me alright? I love you so much”

Leaving another sweet kiss on your face, this time on your forehead Asmo turned away and ran to his own room.

“Good night” You answered softly even though he had disappeared already “I love you too” you added before slipping into your own room.

#it's 1am i am so fcking tired #obey me #obey me one master to rule them all #swd obey me #obey me asmodeus #obey me asmo #asmosweek #thefandomlovesasmo

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levi-s-shitty-brat · 4 years

Text

Drunken Night

Summary: Levi gets a little bit drunk and returns back to his offic, where you, his right hand is just finishing some paperwork.

Pairing: Levi x Reader

Tags: fluff, pre-relationship, Levi is a little bit drunk

Word count: just a little over 3000 babe

A/N: I can't say I'm proud of this but I'm glad to be writing something even though I should be writing my dissertation. Also, I swear this was only supposed to be 1000 words idk how it became 3000.

You had told him to spend some time with the other squad leaders and the commander, at Hange’s request. He declined first, wanting nothing more than to drink tea and finish his paperwork with you, his right hand. But you persistently requested that he’d go and you’ll handle the paperwork – he deserved a night off after all and so, reluctantly, he went.

“Heichou, you’re back.”

After pushing open the door to his office, he blinked at the sight of you. He had not expected you to still be here seeing that it was the very early hours of the morning. “You’re still here?”

You looked at him sheepishly. “I literally just finished and am packing away sir.”

To be honest, you didn’t know if you were expecting him to come back to his office even if it was attached to his bedroom. Maybe he would have just passed out wherever he was.

He nodded and you were silently happy that he was not chewing you out for making him attend, but then again he might have been too tired to and would proceed to do so in the morning. Hopefully, he’ll forgive if you gave him a cup of tea and told him that most of his work was completed.

To your surprise, he didn’t move away from the door as you packed away. Instead, he observed your movements, the way you shuffled the papers into a neat pile so they could be taken to Erwin in the morning and how you filed away those that were needed later. The way you tucked your hair behind your ear before you put away the stationery you used.

You figured that he was trying to make sure you were tidying up properly, in the exact way that he liked it.

Just as you were finishing, Levi then, almost suddenly, moved to the couch which was pushed to the wall. His eyes flickered to you every couple of seconds, as if to make sure you weren’t an apparition of some sort.

He slipped off his coat and folded it was concentration etched onto his features. Luckily, for him he had already taken off his gear before he went. He sat down his usual posture relaxed but his eyes were still on you.

Okay, so it wasn’t like he was fixated on you. You knew he watched over you often, as capable as you were. You weren’t disturbed by it. Sometimes you liked that you captured his gaze. Other times you wondered if he was waiting for you to do something stupid.

Having now finished packing up, you grabbed your coat, slipped it on and pushed the chair in.

“Goodnight, sir! I’ll see you in the morning – which, I suppose is in a few hours now,” you said and glanced at the clock. You couldn’t believe you had stayed here that long.

Time really flies when you’re drowned in paperwork huh.

You turned to give Heichou one last look because he didn’t respond to you. You found he was looking ta you even more seriously now. One of his hands outstretched and pat the couch next to him.

“Sit,” he said quietly.

Your eyebrows knit together but you did as you were told.

As you moved towards him, you were surprised that the smell of alcohol hadn’t hit you sooner because there was nothing else you could smell of it.

You sat beside him, the space between you just big enough to fit your hands if you had so desired.

You met his gaze and realised that his gaze was unfocussed, which was unusual considering how sharp a look he could give you when he was half asleep.

“Heichou, are you drunk?” You asked, knowing that he most likely wasn’t but there was no harm in asking.

He waited a few seconds before responding.

“No.”

“Really, you smell like a liquor store. I’m surprised I didn’t smell the alcohol from across the room.”

He scowled at you and while that look would scare a new trainee, you had seen it too many times. Now it brought a smile to your face.

“It’s okay, still not as bad as Gelgar,” you assured.

“Heh,” he said, almost smiling. “Good.”

You blinked, not expecting him to be so easily pleased.

Okay, so maybe he was a little bit drunk.

“So… did you need me for something?”

He parted his lips as if he was going to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, the look of concentration deepened on his face and after a minute you realised he was getting annoyed.

“You know, Heichou, as much as I have gotten to know you, I still can’t read your mind.”

He frowned at that, almost as if he had expecting you to. Almost as if he was annoyed that his telepathic messages had not gotten to you.

You thought it was kind of cute.

“Speak,” he said suddenly.

You arched an eyebrow at him. “About what?”

“Just speak.” You noticed that his voice was slightly slurred but still held its usual authority.

Did he just want you to talk? About anything?

You shrugged and started to do so. You filled him in about the paperwork you had completed for him.

Levi listened with such great attentiveness you felt bad for talking about something as banal as paperwork and so you switched to talking about your sisters – who were a lot more chaotic and exciting in your opinion. Then about the books you’ve recently read and have yet to read, what you wanted to do on your days off, the types of tea you wanted to try and the places you wanted to go.

He continued to listen and even nodded every now and then in acknowledgement. He always listened to what people said, even now he surprised you with the details he picked up about you and the people around you.

So, you wouldn’t be surprised if he remembered everything you said to him in the morning.

You didn’t know why he wanted to listen though. If the bags under his eyes were any indicator, he really needed to sleep.

Maybe he just wanted company and you weren’t going to deny him of that.

If he ever got drunk like you did, getting lost in your thoughts which often took a dark turn, you didn’t mind distracting him until he wanted to sleep.

When you had talked your throat dry you stopped, knowing it was going to still be raspy in the morning. Levi noticed this too when you rubbed your throat and gave you a softer but an apologetic look.

A silence lapsed comfortably, his steel gaze still upon you. There had been many nights that you had spent with him talking usually whilst drinking tea. The two of you got along well, so much so it evoked teasing from a certain squad leader.

You even knew bits about his life before the Survey Corps. You had been surprised when he shared these details. You couldn’t help but feel, had the two of you meant under different circumstances you would’ve been good friends, or maybe even more.

“You’re good.”

You blinked, surprised at the sudden admission. You hadn’t expected him to speak anymore. Let alone say something about you.

While it was a simple compliment, the way in which he uttered the words made you believe that they held a greater gravity of meaning, but you didn’t dwell onto it. Instead, you let out a soft laugh.

“So, I’ve been promoted from ‘not bad’ to ‘good’ now, sir?”

His eyebrows knitted together thoughtfully for a second before he nodded.

You laughed again. Oh how honest he was being, it made you want to make him do the talking.

“Heichou –”

“No Heichou,” he interjected quickly.

“What?”

“Levi.”

You stared at him for 10 seconds before deciphering what he was trying to say. “Oh, you want me to call you Levi?”

He nodded.

All of a sudden, you forgot what you were about to say and that the room didn’t feel big enough for the two of you. Somehow, the two of you had moved closer together without even realising, his knee was touching your thigh. His breath fanned slowly over your face and you knew that he could feel yours. Yet neither of you moved away.

All you felt was that the situation was getting a lot more intimate and you knew you should leave if you still wanted to face him in the morning.

Luckily, his eyes drooped as you thought this.

“Anyway Hei – Levi, you should go to bed. You’re going to have a headache in the morning, and you don’t want your sleep deprivation to make it worse.”

He paused and considered what you were saying, something he had done repeatedly tonight, and the action was warming up your heart. Usually he’d respond so quickly but now he really considered every word that came out of your mouth.

He nodded again and laid back on the couch.

You blinked. The times he never listened to you were when you told him to go to sleep. A part of you considered forcing him to drink with the other squad leaders more often.

You wanted to tell him to go to sleep in his bed but you reckoned you shouldn’t push your luck for tonight. Maybe next time.

He gave you a look and parted his lips again, as if he was to say something but nothing came out. You, again, wanted to remind him that you couldn’t read his mind.

But you ignored it this time and got up. But before you stepped away he grabbed your arm and pulled you back onto the couch.

“Stay.”

You paused, your heart suddenly thundering in your chest. “Huh? Why?”

He lifted his hand and raised it to your face, so his thumb lightly brushed the bags underneath your eyes. “You’re tired,” he observed, still touching your face lightly. “You’re going to go back and finish the work in your room, aren’t you?”

You smiled, hoping that it and the bags under your eyes would distract him from your warming cheeks.

“You know me well, sir – Levi.”

“Stay,” he repeated.

His eyes implored you and so, any protest you had died in your throat.

He leaned back again, and you did too. You figured that you could leave when he fell asleep, you had done so in the past when he had fallen asleep at his desk.

You rested your hands on your lap and Levi crossed his over his chest, taking his usual sleeping posture until his head lulled to the side and rested on your shoulder.

You tensed up.

You only had to turn to the side for your lips to touch his hair. And you didn’t want to think about that.

Secretly, you weren’t complaining. The man did so much that if you could be a comfort for him for one moment, you would do it.

You tried to relax as Levi’s breaths started to even out. A small smile graced your lips when you realised he had fallen asleep. The weight of him pressed against you was somehow soothing. He was warm and you dared not to think about how he would feel in a bed next to you.

You closed your eyes figuring you didn’t mind sleeping like this at all.

His head was pounding before he even woke up, he didn’t know what possessed him to drink so much last night. It started with Hange teasing him about you, his right hand. How he liked to monopolize you to himself. How he kept his eyes on you no matter where you were. How he made you tea, instead of it being the other way around. And not just any tea, quality tea that he had ordered especially for himself.

Mike then joined in when Levi vehemently denied feeling anything for her. I mean, for fuck’s sake, you was his right hand! Him, involving himself with a fellow comrade? Who wants that kind of messy work environment?

Apparently, he had smelt like ‘a man in love’ and whatever the fuck that was supposed to mean, Levi had no idea.

Even Erwin had joined in at one point and somehow, he had managed to drink his body mass in alcohol and maybe, just maybe got a little bit drunk.

He peeked one eye open and saw that light shined in the room. He sighed, no-one closed the damn window last night, which then certainly explained the slight chill he was feeling.

He then realised that he was pressed against something warm and his arms were wrapped around the same warm thing. But he couldn’t, for the life of him, figure out why, that is, until he raised his head and found that his face had very snuggly fit into the hollow of his right hand’s neck.

What the fuck?

He inhaled and realised that your scent was the reason he had so uncharacteristically dreamt of flowers.

What were you doing here? And how did this happen?

He leaned back from you and slowly (and reluctantly) removed his arms, ignoring the cold that replaced you.

You murmured in your sleep, the arm you had wrapped around him tightening for a second. He held his breath and prayed to whatever the fuck was out there that you didn’t wake up.

He tried to remember last night, to the circumstances that led to the both of you being wrapped in each other’s arms. He remembered that you were still here when he had come back last night, to his surprise. You were becoming a little bit of a workaholic like he was and whenever he tried to call you out for it, you simply quipped that he was the bad example.

But he suspected that was because you wanted him to work less. But the joke was on the both of you though because the more you and Levi did, the more work Erwin gave the both of you in return.

You were about to leave but he decided to watch you like a lovestruck fool and then demand that you sit on the couch with him. And it only went downhill from there.

He wanted you to talk, because he loved your voice. The way it changed in pitch, tonality and volume depending on what you were saying but at the same time, how you could become as emotionless as him if the situation called for it.

It soothed him. If he heard your voice, talking the way you did, then you were okay and that’s all he ever wanted.

And so you spoke to him. You spoke to him last night, mainly about work and the damn paperwork but then you spoke about other things like your sisters and what you were planning to do on your day off. The books you wanted to read, the tea you wanted to drink. It warmed his heart that you so easily shared things with him.

Though, he wanted to bash his head against the wall when he realised he called you good. Whatever the fuck good was supposed to mean.

He knew what exactly what he was trying to say to you, and he was glad he was at a loss for words.

Imagine if he had told you how amazing he thought you were? How much easier you made his life? How less shitty things felt when you were around? How much he cherished the moments where the professional line was blurred, and you felt like a friend or even something more?

But then he knew it was getting worse when he remembered he told you to call him Levi.

You very rarely called him Levi, usually just Heichou or sir (not even Levi-Heichou much to his distaste). He didn’t mind really, it was a small thing but he couldn’t deny how he loved the way his name rolled off your tongue.

He didn’t know if he wanted you to question the strange behaviour he had displayed last night or not.

Especially when he asked you to stay.

Fuck. He swore to never drink again.

He got off the couch, her arms dropping from him. He tried hard not to entertain the thought of thinking fuck it and cuddling you for the rest of the morning.

Instead, he opted to shower and deal with his pounding head but before that, he unfolded his jacket and placed it over you.

Levi tried not to stare at your sleeping form. He did enough staring last night and to make up for it, he needed to tone it down for the next two weeks starting with right now.

Once he showered and gotten changed into a fresh uniform, he returned to his office and found that you were waking up.

You stretched deliciously and he wished he had told you to take off your gear before you fell asleep.

You turned to him when you heard his footsteps. “Oh, Heichou you’re awake,” you said, stating the obvious.

Levi tried not to frown at Heichou. “Feeling fucked? How’s your head?” You asked.

He grumbled, and you smiled slowly knowing exactly what he meant.

“Want me to quickly make you some tea? I think we might have something akin to a hangover cure.”

He shook his head, he had asked enough of you already. Besides, they were going to have a long day, you should rest some more.

“It’s fine. Go back to sleep. You have some time before breakfast.”

“Oh, are you letting me miss morning laps?” There was a smile evident in your voice.

“You can do them later.”

You nodded, knowing he wasn’t going to cut back on your training. You studied his face for a minute but he was perfectly stoic. You wondered if he remembered the night before at all.

You turned on your heel and walked towards the door but before you left, he spoke.

“Sorry about last night… I was…”

You turned towards him, seeing that his gaze had fixated onto his desk. You stifled a giggle.

“A little bit drunk?”

He grumbled again.

“Nah it’s okay,” you assured and then threw him a smile, whether he saw it or not it was present in your voice. “I thought it was cute.”

You then turned and left, missing the completely scandalised expression on your Heichou’s face.

#levi ackerman x reader #captain levi x reader #levi heichou #captain levi #attack on titan #aot #aot x reader #reader insert #levi ackerman #fluff #pre-relationship #drunk levi #soft levi

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melonkooky · 4 years

Text

maybe it was fate [bang chan]

not requested

word count: 14605

genre: businessman!chan, barista!reader, mainly fluff with some sprinkles of angst here and there

author’s note: please don’t feel intimidated by the amount of words this one shot is. it took me several days to write it and i spent all day today finishing. i also spent a lot of time looking for mistakes. i know it’s not perfect, but i’m extremely proud of this since it’s my longest one. please read it and give it lots of love!!

please do not copy my work. but please like and reblog it. thank you!!!!

“one large coffee, black, please.”

you hummed in response as you tapped a few buttons on the register. “that’ll be 4,000 won.”

the gentleman in front of you handed you his credit card. he seemed exhausted, an all nighter perhaps. you’ve done lots of those before. you were a college student after all, and had a full time job at a coffee shop.

the coffee shop was relatively popular. it was also close to your dorm, which also meant it was close to your campus. sometimes fellow students would pop in, and then when you recognized them and they recognized you, basically that one spiderman meme becomes a reality. lots of times your friends would pop in to tease you, and to get coffee.

after you swiped the customer’s card and asked if he wanted a receipt - to which he declined - you yelled at your coworker for a large black coffee.

“okay.” he yelled back, sliding an iced latte across the counter while shouting a name.

this morning was busy, what else was to be expected? the mornings were always the busiest because that was when everyone was on their way to work. you hated the rushes because of how busy and loud the coffee shop got. the atmosphere of being a comfortable and relaxing place was often ruined. however, due to you having classes in the afternoons, you could only work morning shifts.

it usually took some time before the rushes end. from then on, only a few customers came in, some of which sat down at tables and sofas, pulling out books or laptops from their book bags.

you glanced at the time that showed on the bottom right corner of the register. you sighed. only a few more minutes before you could go home and relax a bit, just before your first class of the day.

you turned around to rest your back against the edge of the counter. your elbows came up so you could lean back. your neck and upper back felt a little stiff to say the least, and your legs were feeling sore. you’ve been working at this shop for many months now, and somehow you’ve hardly grown used to being on your feet for so long.

you looked over at your coworker, alex. he was using a wet washcloth and was wiping down spilled coffee and scattered coffee dust and other various ingredients. “you only have, what, like half an hour?” he teased.

your cheeks heated slightly. “almost there. you get to leave too, don’t you? because mina and irene take over.”

alex shook his head. “mina called in sick again. she asked if i could take her shift.”

you looked at him, feeling bad. alex was a hard worker and didn’t hesitate to help people. still, you wished he could take a break.

“i mean, more money for me right. i’ll finally be able to afford a nintendo switch.”

you smiled. you were about to ask him if he was going to buy it for animal crossing, having hardly any knowledge of what that game was but knew it was popular, when the cell phone rang. a twitch of anxiety coursed through your veins. you hated answering the phone, but alex was busy. he already did enough. you picked it up. “you’re calling kawaii coffee, this is y/n.”

“hey, i have a large order that has to be made immediately.”

“o-oh, ma’am, we’re actually not allowed to take orders over the phone.”

“yes, i understand that but this is really urgent. i am an assistant at bang and lee industries-”

you didn’t hear the rest of her words because your gears were turning. you were surprised because bang and lee industries were well known throughout the country. they were the most influential company, a very large and popular business to say the least. and yet they were calling your coffee shop. you would think in a building like there’s they would have their own coffee shop.

“i can’t really explain too much,” she continued, “but i need fifteen coffees to go. i’ll pay for it.”

you wanted to help her. you knew you would be breaking protocol but it sounded really urgent. she really needed these coffee. however, your coffee shop also didn’t deliver.

“ma’am, i’m willing to make an exception and complete your order, but we also don’t deliver.”

she sighed. she was obviously stressed, and you felt a bit of pity for her. she probably had a very difficult job. “look, i’ll pay extra. couldn’t you deliver it? we have a meeting in twenty minutes.”

your eyes moved to meet alex’s. you wondered if he could hear the assistant lady because he had stopped cleaning and was looking at you. he shrugged, which to you meant that he was down.

you started to shake your head. “okay, what would you like to order?”

she told you everything that she needed and said that she’d pay when you arrived at the building. you were nervous at the thought of going to the tallest and most well-known building in all of south korea. they probably had enough money to buy the entire country for themselves. perhaps that was an exaggeration, but the point was that they had a lot of money. and here they were, ordering coffee from the shop that you worked at. as you helped alex make fifteen coffees, each different from the other (some with preferences that made you and alex roll your eyes), you wondered why they chose your shop, of all other coffee places in seoul.

finally you and alex packed them into drink carriers and tried to stack them. you managed to fit them into three bags. you struggled to carry them but you managed.

“alright, i’ll see you in a bit, alex. sorry to leave you alone.”

he waved you off. “hurry up. money is waiting.”

you laughed as you left the shop. alex and money, a relationship you would fully support.

as you drove to the directions that the assistant lady gave to you, anxiety and nervousness ate at your stomach. you were shaking, and your body felt tense. you felt stupid for being so worked up. you most likely weren’t even going to see these people again, or at all. you were just going in to drop off urgent coffee, get the payment, and leave.

you pulled into the parking lot, finding a spot as close to the front doors as you could. then you grabbed the bags. your mind was racing with a million thoughts. you prayed that the amount of sweat you were feeling wasn’t as visible as it felt. you approached the front desk, telling the receptionist exactly what the assistant lady told you to say so that they wouldn’t think you were being a threat - her words.

just as the worker picked up the phone to call her, an elevator dinged nearby. “oh good, the coffee’s here.” the relief coated her voice.

you turned as you recognized the voice, catching a tall lady hurrying out of an elevator. with cherry red lipstick and heels higher than your current gpa, she strutted over to you. “oh my god! thank you so much. you’re a job saver.”

maybe she was supposed to get coffee earlier and had forgotten.

you and her worked out how to pay you. she was using the company’s money. then you handed her the bags. however, you gasped, eyes wide as you stared at the bags.

“what is it?” she asked, immediately setting the bags down on the counter and looking inside them.

your face turned red as you admitted your mistake. “i forgot a bag in my car.”

she looked back at the bags. “well, hurry along. i don’t want to be late.”

you turned on your heel, hurrying out of the building without running. but just as you left the building, you didn’t realize that there was a black car pulling up to the curb. your thoughts were occupied by the coffee and you forgetting it in the car. the vehicle screeched to a halt, and you jumped.

the car was only a foot away from you. and you didn’t notice. the driver got out of the car, and was spitting various words and phrases at you, probably things about being stupid for not paying attention to where you were going. you were still shocked at the fact that you were almost hit by a car, all for the sake of coffee.

then, another person was opening a door and he stepped out, seeming surprised. but his eyes were soft, concerned. “miss, are you okay?” this young man said.

you looked at him, finally closing your gaping mouth. the driver didn’t even care. you nodded, feeling like your heart was going to burst out of your chest. the young man had moved closer as if unconvinced. his eyes were kind, and you couldn’t help but stare in them. he couldn’t be any older than you were, but when you noticed that he was wearing a suit, your mind began to connect the dots.

another voice, much deeper than the others, boomed, “we’re going to be late now. look what you did!”

your face was red and you felt tears threatening to fall. they were blaming you. you knew you should’ve paid more attention. how stupid you had been.

“father!” the young man said, stepping closer to you. “stop it. can’t you see you’re only making things worse?”

then the assistant lady and her heels were walking across the sidewalk. “little lady, the coffees.” she reminded you, once again, not caring about you. then she looked at the older man as he slammed the car door. “mr. bang, sir, you’re actually right on schedule.”

your eyes widened again. mr. bang? the mr. bang? as in the one that is the richest man in the country, the one that co-owned bang and lee industries? now you really were in a huge mess.

“are we?” he said, checking the time on his watch. “well, we should hurry then. chan, step away from her. let’s go.”

you were embarrassed, but also slightly angry for how these powerful people were acting towards you, well, except for mr. bang’s son, chan.

you glanced at chan as he flashed you a sympathetic smile, just before he turned and followed his father into the building. you released a breath, weight lifting slightly.

“hey, lady, get out of the road.” the driver reminded you.

you gasped and hurried to your car, grabbing the final bag of coffees. as you walked back into the building, the assistant was talking to mr. bang. from what you could pick up, you could hear her mention times and unfamiliar names, probably meetings. she noticed you walk in, quickly finishing her thought. “finally! i already wired money to your little shop. now scurry.”

you sighed, feeling discouraged. you set down the bag next to the others, which still sat on the receptionist’s desk. the coffees were probably getting cooler by the second, another problem and embarrassment to add to your list.

a voice snapped you out of your thoughts. “hey, are you sure you’re okay?”

you met chan’s eyes, blush creeping up in your cheeks. “oh, yeah. thanks for asking.” your heart was racing again. this man, looking so handsome in his tuxedo, was so nice. the biggest quality you looked for in a man.

but, of course, his father squashed the moment, if there even was a moment to begin with. “son, stop talking to her. we have a meeting to get to. miri, the coffees.”

chan’s warm smile faded as he glanced at his father, his eyes losing their brightness with it. the assistant lady hurried and grabbed the bags. the two businessmen walked away, stepping into the elevator with the assistant following behind, smiling nervously. you watched them leave with a sad look in your eyes. this was not the experience you were expecting to have, and needless to say, it ruined your day.

----

a week has passed since your terrifying experience at bang and lee industries. you had tried your best to forget about, all of it, even if it meant forgetting about bang chan. he was often on your mind since then, and you hated it. it was mentally draining.

you didn’t want to call it a crush. that felt childish. crushes were for teenagers desperate for love and attention in high school. besides, only a few words were exchanged between you and him. chan was just being a gentleman, you weren’t special. but the way he had looked at you after you were almost hit by the car seemed to be permanently cemented in your brain.

you groaned. there you were, trying not to think about him which only led you to think about him more. it was distracting you.

“hey.”

you looked up. you had been resting your forehead on your arms, leaning over the countertop. mina was looking at you with concerned eyes. “what’s wrong?” she asked.

you shook your head. “i just can’t stop thinking.”

she nudged your shoulder with her own, her eyebrows wiggling up and down. “about mr. bang chan?”

you rolled your eyes and turned, distracting yourself by grabbing a washcloth to clean some of the coffee makers. however, mina easily caught sight of the pink blush in your cheeks. you couldn’t hide it no matter how hard you tried.

“look, you don’t have to be so hard on yourself. sure, the richest person alive turned out to be a dick, and your whole experience was a nightmare,” wow, thanks, “but there was some good. you met bang chan. many don’t even know about him. he practically lives in his father’s shadow. you’re a lucky girl.”

you fought a small smile.

“there you go.”

in that moment, the bell that signalled when the front door was opened rang. “oh, a customer.” but then mina gasped. she quickly jabbed your ribs, making you whine angrily at her.

annoyed at the action, you sent her a glare before turning to look at the customer. you were prepared for another sleep deprived student or a fancy lady or just an average citizen looking for coffee. you were not expecting to see bang chan himself, standing there in the most average coffee shop in seoul. not to mention that he wasn’t dressed in a suit, nor in expensive designer clothes. he obviously wasn’t trying to be noticed or flaunt his wealth.

“m-m-mr. bang.” you stuttered, voice rather high pitched.

“that couldn’t have gone any better.” mina mumbled next to you.

he smiled stepping closer. “i was hoping this was the right place.”

you smiled nervously. “what can i get for you?”

“actually, i am not here for coffee.” the young man grinned nervously. his hands slithered to his back pockets as he timidly took a few steps forward.

you were blushing, and you were self-conscious of it. you felt like your cheeks were so obvious, so red, so hot that the room would begin to feel like a sauna (as if it already didn’t feel that way as soon as mr. bang stepped foot into your coffee shop).

when mina realized that you weren’t going to say anything, she rolled her eyes. “well then what are you here for, mr. bang?”

“i came because of her,” he met your eyes, “you.”

finally you felt yourself slipping out of your daze, only to be even more confused than before. this man was here for you? you? why?

“me?” you felt yourself saying.

“i wanted to see if you were okay. i mean,” mr. bang started to stutter, his face rapidly reciprocating yours. you were positive your heart skipped not just one, but many beats at how cute he looked. “i just meant, you know, just you almost got hit by a car and seemed really scared. i also know my dad can be very stern, i guess is a way to put it.”

stern, you thought. more like emotionless, self-centered, and an asshole. but you would never dare to say that outloud.

“i also know it’s been a few days, a week, since it happened. i should’ve came sooner. i’m sorry.”

you frantically shook your head. you hurried around the counter to get closer to him. “no, no, mr. bang, don’t be sorry. it’s not your fault.” you paused, a smile creeping its way onto your lips, “unless you were secretly the one behind the wheel.”

he laughed, and your smile widened. you had made him laugh. this moment was definitely going to be on your mind for the next few days. perhaps you really were falling in love with this man.

“that’s a relief.” he finally said, his shoulders visibly relaxing.

you felt relieved as well, maybe even more confident.

“mr. bang, do you want some coffee?”

his eyes brightened. god he was adorable.

he grinned. “ah yeah, only if you will call me chan. mr. bang is my father, and way too formal for me.”

“of course, chan.”

mina was wiggling her eyebrows at you, chewing on her bottom lip. you gave her a look, shaking your head afterwards. chan had asked you to make his favorite drink. as you prepared it behind the counter, you felt yourself wanting to look at him.

chan wandered around the shop a bit, looking at the wall art, the pictures, the paintings and decorations. as he looked around, you saw that he had a faint smile. it was like his lips permanently smiled. however, you almost got distracted by him. you would have filled up his iced coffee too much.

“chan, your coffee is ready.” you announced, just like you would with any other customer.

he grinned and bowed slightly. “thank you.”

chan sipped the drink, pausing a second afterward. you were a little nervous, even though you knew nothing was wrong with it. but he seemed to like it. he hummed and he sipped more. “wow, that’s really good.”

you blushed. “thank you.”

“you know. i don’t know your name.”

your eyes widened. “i haven’t told you?”

he laughed. you heard mina snort next to you.

“oh, it’s y/n.”

“y/n.” chan repeated.

he sipped his drink again. you were staring, and you were begging your cells to let your brain know to look away. it seemed mina beat your cells because she was nudging your shoulder again. you finally were able to avert your eyes elsewhere.

“anyways,” chan said, breaking the silence. “i should probably get going. can i get another coffee?”

you nodded. “of course.”

chan offered to pay for both but you told him it was on the house. he was a special customer, after all.

you felt like you had hardly spent time with him. before you knew it, he was yelling goodbye and slipping out of the door with his two coffees. a part of you wondered who the second coffee was for. it had been a sugary drink, one that you didn’t take his father to like. perhaps he was meeting a friend. it was none of your business anyway.

----

you released a relieved breath when you noticed that a few employees showed up for their shifts, meaning that you could finally clock out and leave. as you removed your apron, seeing that your shift had been replaced, you looked over at alex. he seemed just as excited to get off of work.

“do you have classes today?” he asked, tossing his used apron into the dirty bin as if he were a professional basketball player. his apron barely touched the top of the bin before falling onto the floor.

you snorted before bursting into laughter. “you were so confident, so confident.”

“just let it go.” he whined, picking it up and properly disposing of it.

you followed en suit, grabbing your things afterwards. “to answer your question, no, i don’t have classes today.”

“do you want to hang out?” alex asked, spinning around you.

how did this man have so much energy? especially after a shift? or did he just seem really excited about something? wait, he probably drank multiple cups of coffee.

whatever the reason, you decided to agree. you had nothing else to do. “sure! why not?”

he grinned, “yeah, so anyway since the weather looks absolutely spectacular today, why don’t we go to the amusement park?”

your eyes widened slightly, your mouth forming an upside down ‘u’ shape. “is that open already?”

“it’s been open.” alex replied with a laugh.

you and alex left the coffee shop while yelling goodbye to your other coworkers. “alright, so-” alex began to speak when you suddenly collided into a solid surface...someone’s chest.

you gasped and stumbled backwards, just before hands grabbed your wrists. they steadied you before you could fall backwards. you blushed, cheeks red with embarrassment. you were about to apologize to the one who had saved you, but you recognized his face. your eyes widened.

alex glanced between you and the strange man, then at the girl next to him.

you stumbled over your words, trying to thank bang chan. he wasn’t letting go of your wrists, you noticed which was really strange. you were balanced, standing still and upright. despite bang chan’s gentle grip on your wrists, the contact between your and his skin burned.

finally, after staring into his soft, caring eyes, the unknown girl groaned and pulled his hands off of yours. before you could even process what had happened, she was snaking her arms around his arm; a possessive and jealous move, her eyes boring into yours.

your heart cracked, ever so slightly. alex finally cleared his throat. the atmosphere felt tense and heavy, and alex must have felt that because now he was laughing, trying to lighten the situation. “oh y/n, always looking down instead of up when you’re walking.”

no one laughed. you felt awkward and wanted to escape the situation.

“anyways, maybe we should get going, y/n.”

you let alex pull your body away from bang chan. you couldn’t stop looking at him, and the girl that was next to him. the way she acted around him set you off. it pained you. but, maybe she was his girlfriend.

of course that thought only hurt you more, but it was the only explanation. she must’ve been who the second coffee was for, not that it mattered. after all you and chan, well, you would hardly consider him a friend. you hardly knew him and have barely spoken to him. it shouldn’t matter to you, and yet your heart was sinking to your stomach.

“did you know him?” alex asked you.

you looked at him as you pocketed your wallet, grabbing your wristband. you were so lost in thought and moving almost robotically, you almost hadn’t realized you had arrived at the amusment park. you avoided your coworker’s, and friend’s, eyes. “barely.”

he hummed, pouting slightly at your vague yet sad answer. he quickly put on a smile, however, and wrapped an arm around your shoulders, “nevermind him, my friend, let’s spend our afternoon getting whiplash in our necks and stuffing our faces with funnel cake.”

at that, you laughed. “sounds like a plan.”

——

“who was that, channie?” the girl next to him asked.

chan turned, watching you as you left him on the sidewalk. he felt like his hands were still holding you, the warmth from your skin hardly fading. he frowned.

the girl whined, tugging on his arm. “baby.”

he turned to her. “please… don’t call me that.”

“why not? you’re my boyfriend. i’m supposed to call you that.”

chan closed his eyes, suppressing his anger and annoyance. he wanted nothing more than to get away from this woman. but it was his father’s wishes.

and chan didn’t want to disappoint his father.

——

soon it was getting dark outside. you and alex giggled as you and him shared cotton candy, exitting the amusement park. you laughed at something he said. alex had been complaining about a coworker that everyone seemed to like as a person but dislike as a coworker for the last five minutes.

“did he really?” you inquired, trying to rmember if you were there or not.

“yeah! he just left the coffee beans on the counter! naturally, you clean it up, right? but no, jeongin was like, ‘that’s not my problem’.”

you laughed again, thinking about the relatively new employee. he was funny, you’ll admit, but not the brightest.

“anyway, i should get going.” alex said, taking one last piece of the pink treat.

you held the stick on your hand, feeling sad that you were parting with your friend, your only source of distraction. “yeah, it’s getting late.”

“i’m so glad we did this though. see you later!”

soon you were left in the quiet, with the exception of faint screams of children and gears of rollercoasters and carnival music in the background. you had a lot of fun. time really did fly.

you felt tired and you wanted to get home. you got onto a bus, told them your stop and found a seat near the front.

before you knew it, you were grabbing the keys from your bag and unlocking your apartment. it was a small and cheap apartment, something that you could afford from working almost everyday at a coffee shop.

you sighed as you entered, dropping your bag on the floor while turning on some lights. you loved your apartment despite its quirks. sometimes the lights wouldn’t turn on, the air conditioning cut out every so often, but it was home.

besides, sometimes you just have to accept how things are and make do with what you’ve got.

——

it was another day at the shop. it was quiet, seeing as it was wednesday and hardly anything happens on wednesdays. but it was quiet because alex wasn’t working with you.

but mina was there with you, keeping you company. she liked making you laugh and smile. and she was doing a great job at distracting you, that is until you both heard the bell sound from the door.

you and mina instantly stopped laughing, trying to be the professional coffee shop employees that you were. but you realized who was walking into the coffee shop.

“chan?”

he smiled, seeming nervous again. “hey, y/n.”

mina seemed to pick up on the light tension between you and chan. she didn’t understand.

you attempted to smile but it hardly lasted half a second.

“have you gone on break yet?” he asked as he approached the counter.

you stared at him. even though you were feeling a mix of emotions, he still was there. his gaze was still so soft and so warm, enough to make you melt. your heart was beginning to race and your stomach felt nauseous. only chan can look nervous but still be cute.

“um, no. not yet.”

mina slid over from her spot by the coffee machines. “go ahead.” she smiled. “you can go first.”

you thanked mina before removing your apron. you asked mina to make you and chan coffees and then sat down with him in a booth. it was awkward to say the least.

“so, how are you?” chan asked, breaking the silence.

“i’m okay. you?”

“fine.”

“so,” you paused, scared to ask the question that’s been giving you a headache, “i mean, i don’t want to pry and i know it’s none of my business, but who was that girl that you were with?”

chan’s heart began to beat rapidly. he was hoping you wouldn’t ask. he didn’t like the situation at all. “ah, you must mean emily.”

“emily.” you repeated quietly. “she was beautiful.”

your heart sank to your stomach as you made that comment, because it was true. she had beautiful blonde hair, blue eyes, unlike everyone else that you saw in south korea. you wondered if she was foreign. nevertheless, she was stunning, and it made you want to shy away, disappeared under a rock, at least disappear from chan.

why were you in love with someone who had a girlfriend? you didn’t know before, but now you did, and you felt sad. perhaps you never had a chance to begin with. but why was chan here, still visiting you? your heart felt crushed.

chan didn’t respond for a while. “anyways, i just wanted to see you.”

“see me? what for?”

chan shrugged. “i just wanted to. i needed to get away from everyone, everything. sometimes, you just want to disappear from it all, you know?”

you eyed him worriedly, pushing away all of your own feelings. “chan, are you really okay?”

he sighed. “it’s just...work. it’s really stressing me out.”

“then, why don’t we get out?”

chan’s eyes widened. “don’t you have to work?”

trying to replace all your sadness and insecurities, you grinned. “well, after work, we can get out.”

chan began to smile. you thought, you would always fall in love with him everytime he smiled and looked at you. you reassured yourself that you would be okay with just being friends with him, if that’s what you and chan were.

“i think that would be really good for me.”

so after work, you and chan left the coffee shop (chan did, indeed, wait for you even if it was a few hours). you and him were excited. you planned on taking him to your favorite restaurant ever. you and him pretended to be prestiged food critics, even though everything was absolutely delicious and mouthwatering. and then you and him went into the city and tried on a bunch of outfits from various stores.

this was the most fun you have ever had in a long, long time. and chan was so fun to be around. it would be hard to imagine him as a serious businessman investing and talking about the economy. you didn’t think it fit him, if you were going to be honest.

finally, you and chan ended up at an ice cream parlor, a little ways from your apartment. it was your favorite place.

you and chan ordered, offering each other’s choices. you tried his, humming in response and secretly wishing you got that flavor instead. when chan tried your cone, you moved ever so slightly. there was an itch on your inner arm, so you tried to scratch it. ice cream got onto his nose. you and him laughed, you barely even able to keep your cone from tipping over.

finally you hurried inside for a napkin. you came out, still giggling, and leaned forward to look closer at chan’s nose. you gently cleaned off the ice cream, but got worried that his nose was going to be sticky. maybe you should try to clean it. no, that would be gross…

you shrugged and threw away the napkin.

meanwhile, chan’s cheeks were burning like wildfire, his face becoming red and hot. you seemed unfazed by the whole event, and yet chan’s heart was beating against his rib cage.

when you met his eyes, your own face mimicked his. “sorry.”

he frantically shook his head, “no, no, it’s okay.”

then a slightly uncomfortable silence washed over your shoulders. you sighed, eating your ice cream. this popular form of comfort food wasn’t being particularly comforting.

“chan,” you said, “do you like being part of bang and lee industries?”

chan was shocked by your question. sure it was random, but it was like you could read his thoughts.

“eh, it’s okay. it has its perks. i do like being a leader sometimes, and helping people. but, nevermind.”

you scooted closer to him on the bench that you and him had been sitting on outside of the ice cream parlor. your shoulders began to touch his. you wanted to comfort him. “no, it’s okay. talk to me.”

“it’s my father. he’s so strict, and he always puts his business first. it’s always about the business. it drives his actions. he tells me that when i’m older, i’m going to have to take over the business, but then doesn’t let me try and figure things out on my own. he doesn’t let me have a say in things, and when i try, he just claims that i’m young and don’t know what i’m saying. how am i going to take over this business if he doesn’t let me learn and grow? besides, it’s not like i’m going to be by myself. i want to run it with minho, mr. lee’s son. it’s supposed to be a partnership in the first place.” chan sighed, calming himself down. “he’s so...greedy. and i’m worried he’s going to do something that splits his and mr. lee’s partnership. that would cause so many problems.”

you leaned closer to him, watching him intently. “i can’t say i can understand what you’re going through, chan, but i’m sorry that you feel those things.”

he nodded, staring at his ice cream.

“this is why you wanted to get out.”

chan inhaled a deep breath, putting a smile on his face. “let’s not talk about it anymore. i’m sorry for just ranting like that. i guess i just needed to get it out of my system. anyways, is there anything going on with you?”

you looked at him, unsure if you should allow him to change the subject, before taking a big lick from your cone. the ice cream melted in your mouth, numbing your taste buds. you found yourself scooting away from chan slightly, as if with you touching him, he’d be able to read your mind and hear your thoughts.

you set your cone in your lap, your fingers messing with the paper label with the parlor’s logo on it. “well, i think i’m falling in love with someone.” you finally admitted, more to yourself.

chan’s full attention was on you now. he took note of the light pink color of your cheeks. they looked so rosy and warm. he was tempted to touch them, wanting to brush back a piece of your hair that you had been annoyed with the entire day. and the small smile on your lips, you looked so beautiful.

but who were you talking about?

he laughed, nudging your shoulder. “ooh, tell me about this person.”

“well, i don’t know. recently it seems like my feelings for him get stronger and stronger, with every time i see him. he’s funny, he’s goofy, has a beautiful smile. i think he’s afraid to be who he really is, and i worry about him.”

chan began to wonder if it was him. but suddenly, he remembered one of your coworkers, the one you were with when he and emily ran into you. he didn’t know his name, but he saw how he acted around you; friendly, goody, very outgoing… his heart felt numb and heavy suddenly, but he maintained a smile.

“but, i don’t think he likes me back.”

chan thought about grabbing your hand. but he held himself back. “well, you’ll never know until you try.”

you pretended to acknowledge his advice because chan didn’t know that you were talking about him. you knew you didn’t have a chance. he had a girlfriend.

----

chan stepped into his luxurious apartment, a perk of being one of the richest people alive. he sometimes loved it, but then he would be reminded of his father and the industry. and oftentimes, despite it being so big, he felt constricted, claustrophobic, and very lonely.

he took off his shoes, leaving them by the door, and then walked in. he went into his kitchen, looking around for food. he found some leftovers and began to heat them up. as they warmed up, he turned on his tv, turning it up loudly as an attempt to drown out his thoughts and problems, but then his phone began to ring. chan was forced to turn the tv volume down.

chan’s heart began to beat. he thought it was you, seeing as you and him finally exchanged numbers before you went home. but his heart sank when he saw it was emily.

hesitantly, when it just got to the final ring, he answered.

“channie!” she annoyingly sang, her voice cracking slightly.

“hm?”

“i came by your apartment three times today and you weren’t there.”

chan felt a bit of heat emanate near his heart. it wasn’t the good type of heat, one that came from live. this was anger. he began to feel a bit annoyed at her. she was so clingy and annoying, and she never respected his wishes. she was often asking him to buy her things and take her places. he was attractive, and she loved that. and, most of all, he was wealthy.

“sorry.” he replied without any emotion. “i was out.” and there he was, thinking of you again. seeing as he was alone, he allowed himself to smile.

“out? out where?”

“emily, you don’t have to know my whereabouts 24/7. i’m allowed to have my own life, my own privacy, and you need to learn that you’re not going to be with me all the time.”

she groaned, then whined. “why are you so mean to me?”

chan sighed, his hand coming up to rub the space between his eyes.

“i’m not being mean to you. please, will you let me spend the rest of my night in peace?”

“jesus. fine. whatever.”

and chan hung up before she could say anything else. emily was emotionally draining.

suddenly, his microwave was beeping, alerting chan that his food was done. but, did he even feel hungry anymore?

----

a few weeks passed in a flash.

you went to work and to school, but many of your free days were spent with chan. he was always texting you and visiting you in the coffee shop. and you accepted that, you loved to see him and talk to him. he was fun to be around. you and him already had lots of inside jokes. despite your heart aching when you remembered emily, you still continued on, laughing with chan, falling in love with chan.

you could feel things happening between you and chan, but you often wondered if you were being delusional? you just wanted chan so badly, you were so in love with him, that you were tricking yourself. perhaps you were creating illusions for yourself, trying to make yourself feel better, to have hope. you didn’t really know how to cope.

little did you know, chan was in love with you. he wanted nothing more than to tell emily that they couldn’t be together, because it was all his father’s wishes, him and her father’s just so that they could merge businesses together. chan didn’t even think that this was a good idea in the first place, however, and his father knew that. he voiced it at the meeting. and yet he and everyone else thought that chan was too young and too inexperienced to have a say about it.

he didn’t like emily, and he felt a bit guilty because chan wasn’t a mean person. he tried to be friends with everyone. but emily was slowly testing his patience, pulling all his strings. she didn’t truly love him. it was all business related, and she just wanted someone with money and a secure future.

but you, you liked him for him. you didn’t care if he was wealthy or not. you understood him as much as you could, and you were there for him when he needed to vent about his problems. he didn’t have anyone like that in his life.

one evening, you were about to crawl into bed and sleep. your legs hurt from working and your head was pounding from homework. but your phone, as it rested on the bedside table, began to obnoxiously vibrate. it interrupted the peaceful silence in your apartment, well, the peaceful silence with a slight hum from the vents. but you had long grown used to that white noise.

you flipped it over and your phone screen brightly flashed into your eyes. you blinked away the spots. you read chan’s name and immediately you answered. he hardly called this late at night.

“chan?” you asked, your voice laced with concern.

“can i come over?” he asked.

his voice was quiet, sad, empty.

his voice alone caused your heart to ache. “y-yeah, of course. i’ll text you my address. i warn you though, it’s a little messy and old.”

“it’s okay. i’ll see you in a bit.”

you hung up, anticipation and anxiety coursing through your veins like racehorses on a racetrack.

you turned on your lights and sat on the couch in your living room, waiting patiently for a knock on your door. and it came minutes later.

you hurried to open it, finding chan. he met your eyes, flashing a sad smile, “sorry to call so late. i didn’t want to be alone.”

you pulled him into a hug, something you’ve never done before. chan was surprised by the sudden action, but thankful for your warmth. as he held you tightly, you pulled him into your humble apartment. you didn’t want to ask him what was wrong, or why he was upset. chan would talk to you if he wanted to.

finally you pulled away, flashing him a smile. “is it your father?”

he nodded. “i swear, i have a million ideas that would better bang and lee industries but he thinks i still have the mind of a five year old.”

you couldn’t help but snort, holding back a laugh. but when you heard chan laughing, you didn’t hold back.

“chan, i think you could really take this business places. i think you’d be good for it.”

he scoffed. “if only my father listened to me.”

“i think he’ll realize it one day. i think he’ll really see what you’re capable of.”

chan smiled at that, glancing into your eyes. you were blushing underneath his gaze, and wondered if you should look away. then, as if you really had gone to sleep and were dreaming, chan was leaning his face closer to yours, his gaze now on your lips. your stomach immediately became tangled and contorted with nervousness, but you allowed yourself to meet him halfway, where your lips touched his.

his lips were soft and warm, just like his eyes, something that you admired. just his whole presence was warm, comforting, full of happiness and love, despite all that he has to go through with bang and lee industries.

----

chan arrived back at his apartment with warm and red cheeks and a small smile on his face. he was feeling happier than he’s ever felt in a long time. but all of it instantly faded when he spotted emily. she was leaning back against the wall, right next to the door of his apartment. she had a glare on her face, an angry scowl counteracting her beautiful features.

he felt a little scared. he was worried as to what she seemed so angry about. “emily?” he asked as he approached his door.

she huffed at his, handing him her phone. on the screen of her iphone 11 plus was a picture of you and chan hugging, your face was pressed into his shoulder.

immediately, chan’s eyes widened, anger replaced his fear. “you...followed me?”

she scoffed, a laugh escaping past her lips. “no, i hired someone to follow you.”

“emily, what the hell? you can’t do that.”

“i can to!”

“no, you can’t.”

“i needed to see why you haven’t been with me lately. you’ve been blowing me off, being short with me, i had to find out the reason. you didn’t think i wouldn’t be suspicious?”

chan eyed her angrily. “that’s my business, my privacy.”

“chan, in a marriage, the man and wife share everything with each other.”

“emily, we’re not married. this thing between us isn't’ even a real relationship.”

she scoffed, her face becoming as red as her glossy lipstick. “w-w-well,” she stuttered, “we’re going to be married. it’s what our fathers’ want.”

chan ran his fingers through his hair. “well i don’t want it!”

emily’s mouth shut. she glared at him even more as if she were trying to melt him. “chan-”

“i never wanted this!” he sighed. “emily, i can’t be forced to be in a relationship with anyone. it’s supposed to be my own decision as to what i want. we’re being forced to be together, don’t you hate that?”

she seemed to think about it. “i don’t mind it too much, especially since i get to be forced to be with someone as hot as you, as rich as you.”

her words made chan’s blood boil. “you know what? i’m done.”

“what?”

“i’m done. this relationship is over, if it even was a relationship. all you wanted was for me to buy you things and to brag about having someone like me to be your boyfriend. that’s not love. and it wasn’t our choice. so, i’m ending this.”

her eyes narrowed, and chan could almost see a lightbulb appear above her head. she took a step towards him. “you love her.”

chan avoided her eyes, taking a risk of getting closer to emily in order to unlock his door and escape. she didn’t even step away and give him space.

“you love her.” she repeated. “you want to leave me for her.”

“so what, emily? it’s my decision to make.”

“wait until my father hears about this. that little deal your father wanted will crumble.”

“good.” chan said stubbornly, “it was a bad decision to begin with.”

emily scoffed, her phone in her hands, fingers stopping in the middle of typing. she was practically throwing daggers at chan’s face. chan took this chance to flee into his apartment, slamming and locking the door behind him. he released a heavy breath afterwards, back leaning against his door. “finally…”

he was a little fearful of how his father was going to react, chan had to admit. perhaps he should try to transfer money into his personal account, in case his father cuts him off. maybe he’ll prepare a new home, in case his father tells him he can’t live there anymore. in the case his father will disown him for whatever he thinks the reason was for the merge to fall through, chan felt like maybe he should expect the worse.

chan’s body felt heavy. as he walked further into his living space, it felt like rocks were tied to his ankles. he suddenly felt exhausted.

with that, chan forced himself towards his bedroom, collapsing onto his bed with a heavy sigh. instantly, it felt like he sunk into the mattress. he felt like he was disappearing, even if it just was for a second. and chan fell asleep without any more thoughts.

----

the next morning, chan’s phone was vibrating crazily. he groaned, yelling a string of unholy words before picking his phone up. the call went to voicemail as chan failed to pick it up in time. from there, he saw various calls and voicemails from his father.

chan had forgotten.

he scrolled down. father, father, father, father, father, y/n… y/n?

there was a text from you saying, ‘good morning!! have a good day’. but chan’s day had just begun, and he already felt like he was having the worst day of his entire life.

chan’s phone began to ring once more, causing his head to pound even more. he finally answered it.

“hello?”

“chan! i’ve been calling you!” his father angrily yelled.

chan rolled his eyes, as if he hadn’t noticed the dozens of missed calls and voicemails from his father.

“i’m sorry,” chan said, “i was asleep.”

“i need you to come to the office right now. do you hear me? we need to have a talk.”

“yes, father.”

and his father hung up. chan was angry again. he hated everything. he hated his father. he hated his life.

chan wanted to be normal. he didn’t want to be rich. he didn’t want to live in an apartment that might as well be a house. he didn’t want to have a chauffeur (not that he used him, chan drove himself as much as he could). chan didn’t want to have to worry about his father’s business and money and economic stuff. he wanted to be worrying about school or college, something that he would never have a chance to do now.

chan finally forced himself out of bed, taking his sweet time. he ate breakfast and took a shower. then he got dressed in business casual clothing. he didn’t want to put effort, or show how his father had an effect on him, but he at least needed to try.

finally chan got into his car and drove to the office building. on his way over there, he passed by the very coffee shop that he had grown so fond of. he was tempted to pop in to see if you were working this morning.

chan shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. but he couldn’t fight the warm fuzzy feeling that began erupting in his chest and the butterflies in his stomach as he thought of you.

finally, he turned into the parking lot, finding a spot near the front entrance. he parked the car and stepped out. there was a light breeze outside, the temperature contrasting the warmth of the sun. the wind increased, blowing chan’s car door as he pushed it closed. his hair blew around as he hurried inside, wanting to escape the wind.

the young man greeted everyone as he entered the building. anxiety and fear began to grow like little trees, their roots and branches entwining with his nerves and veins. chan felt stuck, claustrophobic, something he's never really felt as strong until now. he hopped into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor where most of the higher up offices were, where his father was waiting for him.

for some time, the entire ascend more like, chan ran by every possibility of making it out of his father’s office alive. he knew his father was angry, but if only his father would listen to his reasoning, maybe he would understand.

chan wondered if he should mention you, but decided against it. his father probably could buy your coffee shop or something and make it go out of business, or complain and have you fired. then you’d never speak to him again. chan couldn’t risk losing the only light in his life.

suddenly, chan was standing in front of his father’s door. he was talking to someone.

“i’m so sorry, mr. smith.” his father’s accent was thick as he spoke the foreign last name. but that wasn’t what was shocking chan.

“yes, yes, i understand. please, just let me speak to my son. i assure you i will fix this.”

chan wished his father spoke to him with that much emotion.

after hearing enough, chan knocked, not caring about interrupting his father.

“that might be him.” he heard mr. bang whisper. “come in.”

chan entered, his eyes half-lidded, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

“it’s him. mr. smith, i’ll call you back.”

mr. bang hung up, held the phone in his hands, and gave the device a squeeze. chan was sure he was going to snap his phone in half. “chan,” his father said, greeting him in a warning tone.

“father.” replied chan, with just as much repulsion.

“please sit.”

“no, i think i’m okay standing.”

mr. bang’s nose flared, grinding his teeth as his eyes bore into chan’s. chan remained unfazed, keeping his expression as neutral as possible.

“do you realize what you’ve done?”

chan pretended to ponder. “yeah, i have.”

“you broke things off with emily! do you realize that the merge with mr. smith is on thin ice because of you. we could be going overseas, expanding my business, getting more money.”

chan couldn’t help but scoff. “first of all, your business? it’s yours and mr. lee’s. it’s a co-ownership. you don’t own all of it.”

“mr. lee isn’t good for this company.”

“you’re not good for this company. you keep trying to expand and expand, but it’s all for the sake of money for yourself! not for the benefit of the company. if you just listen to me-”

“listen to you?! that’s like listening to a five year old.” mr. bang laughed, “you hardly know what you’re doing.”

nothing pushed chan’s buttons harder than hearing from his own father that he was too young, too inexperienced, didn’t know what he was doing. after following in his father’s shadow for years, and talking to both mr. lee and his son, minho, chan could say he knew quite a lot about running a business as big as bang and lee industries. if only his father would realize…

chan shook his head. he forced himself to take deep breaths, calming himself down. he shouldn’t even be letting his father influence him like this.

finally, chan fished out his phone from the pocket of his jeans. he opened up an app where he kept all his files and plans that he knew would benefit the business. one’s that his father rejected. however, he and minho had recently come up with one that was their best one yet. he quickly emailed it to his father. “i’m not going to get back with emily, and if you’re not okay with that, then i quit. but at least, father, look at this plan minho and i came up with. just as least, look at it.”

with that, chan left, almost slamming the door behind him.

as chan walked towards the elevators, he noticed that some of his father’s workers spared pitiful or confused glances with him, and then at one another. he had forgotten about them. they must’ve heard his father yelling, or chan yelling. it was all a blur. it all happened very fast.

chan was walking to his car when he heard his name get called. he spun around, looking to his left when he saw minho running towards him from a black car. he had a grin on his face, a contagious one, but not enough to lift chan’s spirits up. “i’ll meet you inside, dad!” he yelled at his father.

chan was a little envious of minho. he had a good relationship with his father.

“yah, what’s wrong?” he asked, noticing chan’s expression.

“just my father.” he sighed. “i broke up with emily.”

minho had known about the whole situation with emily and merging with her father’s company. but he was against it as well. “finally, that’ll show mr. bang, right?”

the older one only shrugged, “not so much. but i did show him our latest idea, hoping it’ll change his mind about everything.”

“that idea makes me feel so professional, so proud, so proud.”

chan finally smiled. “it is our best one yet. anyways, why are you here?”

“my dad just wanted to speak with your dad. i don’t know about what though.”

he nodded, staring at his friend. “well, i’m going to leave. i need to get out of here.”

minho nodded, placing a hand on chan’s shoulder. “don’t worry, chan. i’m sure everything’s going to work out.”

chan suddenly remembered you, because you had said almost those exact same words to him, just last night. he had hope afterwards that everything would take a turn for the better.

“thanks, minho.”

minho flashed him a cheeky smile before hurrying into the office building. as he walked through the lobby, he turned around and waved, then hopped into the elevator.

chan could only wish to have as much energy as minho.

----

you were in the back of the coffee shop. you were in the office where employees could have their breaks. you were enjoying the silence. you enjoyed the feeling of not having to worry about customers, much less talk to them. with only the light hum coming from the company’s computer, directly in front of you, you found yourself drifting off. sure, you only had ten minutes left of your break, but ten minutes could go a long way.

however, two seconds went by before someone was yelling your name and shaking you awake. it was alex. he was saying your name in a variety of voices and lengths, ultimately trying to annoy you.

“alex!” you yelled, squinting at him through tired eyes, “you supposed to be on the line. i still have ten minutes.”

“yeah, no, i know. it’s just some customer is asking for you.”

your eyes widened as you stared at your friend.

“i feel like i’ve seen him before.” he pondered out loud.

your heart skipped a beat. immediately your stomach was swarming with butterflies. you sat up from your chair, eager to see him, but also extremely nervous. you hadn’t seen chan since the previous night, when you and him shared a kiss. after he left, you were giddy and ecstatic, but you remembered that he was dating emily, and suddenly felt scared. he really did that? even when he was dating emily?

you met alex’s eyes again. “what?” he asked.

you pushed him suddenly. “wait, you’re supposed to be up front, where the customers are.”

“alright, i’m going, i’m going. but what should i tell him?”

you whined. you weren’t sure. you wanted to see him, you really did. but you also felt too scared to see him.

“y/n, your break is ticking away. you won’t be able to talk to him because as soon as it’s 11:00, i’m going on break.”

with a dramatic sigh, calming your nerves down, you followed alex out of the office and towards the line. you couldn’t stop fidgeting with the hem of your shirt. your brain tried to form conversation starters and topics, as if you were going on a first date.

before chan noticed you coming, he had a slight frown and he was distracting himself by looking at your menu, as if he hadn’t been there many times (in the past two weeks) already. but then he spotted you rounding the corner, his eyes lightened up, even if it was just slightly, and he smiled. but he still seemed bothered. was it because of the kiss? was he regretting it?

you stood in front of chan, dragging him off to the side where a booth was, the booth that came to be dubbed “our booth”. “chan, look, i’m sorry about what happened last night. i forgot you were dating emily. i really overstepped and-”

suddenly chan was laughing, grabbing both of your hands and caressing them. “no, no y/n it’s totally okay. i actually broke up with her.”

your eyes widened as relief washed over your shoulders. “you did?”

he nodded, eyes trained on your hands. “well, after you and i kissed, which is kind of a dick move on my part, but really it gave me the courage i needed to actually break things off. it was a fake relationship anyway. it probably didn’t even mean anything to her.”

you nodded your head, understanding. but, “then why are you sad?”

he finally met your eyes. “well, the thing is, emily and i were dating for the sake of merging the company with another one overseas. it was going to be a business marriage kinda deal. i thought it was a bad idea the entire time, not a good decision. but, because i broke up with emily, she told her dad, and now her dad is mad at my dad, and now my dad is mad at me.”

chan’s mind was elsewhere you could tell, probably thinking about his father. you wanted to help him, making him feel better, but there was only so much you could do. you adjusted your hands so that you were holding chan’s, instead of him holding yours. “i’m sorry, chan.” your voice was quiet, soothing.

he shrugged. “i mean, it gave me a chance to present an idea that i think would be beneficial. i just hope my father will actually look at it.”

you pursed your lips. “i think it’s best to give him time. and maybe you should take a break too, let things settle for a day or two.”

chan nodded, agreeing with you. “i honestly could use a break.”

you smiled, then glancing at the clock on the wall by the door. you winced when you saw that it was almost 11. you didn’t want to leave chan alone, but you also needed to get back to work. “hey, why don’t i make you a coffee?” you offered, smiling, “and then after my shift we can hang out. a karaoke place actually opened up nearby. i’ve been wanting to try it out, but it’s kinda weird going alone, you know.”

chan’s eyes brightened. “i can wait. and i’d love a coffee.”

you nodded and stood up, removing your hands from chan. but before you left to go make his favorite coffee, you pressed a kiss to his cheek. with a heavy blush on your cheeks, you hurried away. chan’s cheeks were pink too, and he couldn’t stop smiling suddenly.

----

“just stay in my lane! nananananana.” you finished, panting slightly.

chan clapped loudly, screaming as if he had just witnessed a concert. and you went along with the act, bowing dramatically and pretending to wipe tears from your eyes, “thank you, thank you. you’re too kind.”

chan laughed as you sat down next to him, leaning back on the bench.

“i don’t think i can sing anymore. my throat is dry! i’m also thirsty.”

“what time is it?” chan asked while mindlessly scrolling through songs.

you were about to reply but you didn’t have the slightest idea. “almost three. damn, i’m hungry too.” you replied, after checking your phone.

chan sighed, “well, let’s eat then.”

you and chan went to a nearby restaurant, one that you and him had never been to before.

while you and chan were stuffing your faces with food, chan lifted his head up, his eyebrows furrowed. “you know,” he began, pulling your attention away from the dishes, “i don’t think i’ve ever had this much fun in my entire life.”

your eyes widened. “really?”

“yeah,” he said, as if it were obvious, “i’m the son of mr. bang for crying out loud.”

you and chan laughed. then chan swallowed the rest of his bite, becoming serious. he had a dreamy look on his face. and there was that smile that made you fall in love with him. “i’ve never felt so free. i didn’t even think about my father, or the business, or if i had to sign any papers when i got home, or if i gave someone some files…” his voice drifted off. “i don’t think i want to go back to work.”

you sat up straighter in the booth, anxiously rubbing your hands together between your thighs. “well, chan, whatever decision you come to, no matter what,” your cheeks felt extremely warm, “i’ll be by your side every step of the way.”

the young man in front of you began to grin mischievously. “is this...is this your way of confessing your feelings for me?” he teased.

you rolled your eyes, although your cheeks and smile told a different story. “shut up! as if that kiss we had last night didn’t mean anything.”

chan’s cheeks were just as rosy as yours and both you and him relived the intimate moment that was shared. you and chan had almost forgotten about it, especially with everything that was going in your and chan’s lives. for chan, it feels like so much has happened, like it’s been forever since the kiss.

then, chan was recalling everything he’s done with you. you were fun to be around. you were the person that made him forget all his struggles and problems in his life. you lightened up his mood, brought relief and joy into his day, and made him smile so much that his cheeks grew sore. he’s never met anyone in his life that had that kind of positive influence on him (well, his mother was kind to him, but she shared more of his father’s opinions more than anything… he still loved her though).

maybe… maybe a thought crossed chan’s mind, one that was related to his life, and you being in it for the rest of it. chan couldn’t imagine a day in his life where he won’t see you. it was like it was a part of his routine.

“chan.” your voice echoed in his head. “chan.” you repeated.

chan looked up at you. you had stuffed your face with more food, but your eyes showed that you were worried about him. “are you okay?”

he nodded, blushing again. he felt like your name and his feelings for you were written all across his forehead and on his cheeks. “y-yeah, i just got lost in thought.”

“anyway, i was just saying that-” you paused. “you know what? nevermind.”

chan burst out laughing. “no, you can’t just do that.”

“i just did!”

“no, no, tell me.” he whined.

“no!” you said laughing. “are you done? i need to go for a walk after eating all that food.”

chan rolled his eyes, curiosity at an all time high. he threw some money on the table, scolding you when you tried to pay for your half. you felt bad for eating so much but it was no big deal for chan.

after eating, you and chan went for a walk around the city. it was getting late and the sky was beginning to darken, but not before the colors of the sunset danced across the sky. you couldn’t remember a time when you walked around this late in the day, and honestly, you felt like you were missing out. it didn’t matter to the citizens of seoul that it was getting darker. the city was still bustling with people, many going to restaurants for dinner, many still shopping, a lot of couples were out at this time as well, and honestly, you felt like your hopes were rising. maybe there was a chance that you and chan could be together.

you spared a glance at the said man. his head was tilted up slightly, his mouth hanging open slightly as he admired the city. maybe he’d never been out at this time either.

you felt a little awkward with the silence, despite it being relatively comfortable. as you and chan walked, you passed by a restaurant that already had a line out the door. you laughed, “at least we beat the evening dinner rush.”

chan looked at you and then at the restaurant. “thank god. i could never wait for food.”

you laughed, a content and satisfied look falling onto your face afterwards. you felt at peace, happy, fulfilled, for some reason. maybe it was because of chan.

“so, what were you going to tell me back there?”

chan had nudged your shoulder. you looked at him, blushing once more. “it’s nothing. it was cheesy.”

the man next to you shrugged. “so? i want to know.”

you met his eyes. his eyes were just so warm, loving, and inviting. you were crumbling beneath his gaze. “i don’t know.” you started. “i was just thinking that maybe fate brought us together, or something stupid like that.”

chan laughed a little. you felt self-conscious suddenly but he urged you to continue, “well, i think we fit really well together, like maybe fate was trying to bring us together. i mean, we wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for your dad’s assistant forgetting to get coffee for that one meeting. there were plenty of other places in the city, and yet my coffee shop was chosen. and then me almost getting hit by the car… it’s almost...obvious. i still don’t know why she chose us. if she hadn’t done that, we probably wouldn’t have seen or met each other.” a heavy blanket fell onto your shoulders at that thought. you didn’t want to imagine the last month without chan.

chan was surprised by your words. you were right, he could say. if it weren’t for his father’s assistant making a mistake, you and him wouldn’t have met. “i guess you could say she’s a matchmaker.”

you gently pushed chan’s shoulder. his laugh eased your tension, lifting that heavy blanket off your shoulders. “that’s a funny way to look at it.”

chan’s heart was fluttering as your words repeated in his mind.

minutes passed in silence as you and him walked, window shopping and looking around the city. “that’s kinda cute.” you mumbled as you passed a mannequin with an outfit on display.

“you want me to buy that for you?”

your eyes widened. “no, no, it’s okay. i just thought it looked cute.”

chan grinned, “i’m just teasing.”

then, in a heartbeat, chan was holding your hand, his fingers threading between each other yours. you gasped at the sudden feeling of warmness. chan’s cheeks were bright, but he had a smug smile on his face.

you grinned, blushing alongside him. “very smooth.” you commented.

“thanks.” a minute of silence and arm swinging passed before he spoke again, “hey, are you getting tired?”

you looked at him before shrugging. “i mean, if you want to do something else, i’m down.”

“let’s go home, but i mean, to my place this time.”

“your place?” your eyes lit up. “is it, like, super expensive? and big? does it have trims and doorknobs made of gold? do you have a waterfall that changes colors? or a fish pond in the center of your living room?”

chan gave you a look of disgust, making you laugh. “that’s ridiculous. you know what? nevermind.”

he was messing with you, payback for the little stunt you pulled during dinner. “okay, okay, i’m sorry. i’d love to see it.”

----

chan opened his front door for you. your eyes widened at how large his living space was. it was expensive-looking, just as you were expecting given chan’s life and family. it was large and extremely spacious. you were gawking at something with every turn that you made.

“don’t you get lonely living here?”

chan walked in behind you, taking his shoes off. “yeah. but, it’s what i have, so i have to make do.”

you laughed. “that’s what i say in my own apartment.”

chan remembered how small yours was compared to him. despite that, however, you seemed to enjoy where you lived.

“anyways, come in.”

he led you around. chan laughed at your expressions, especially when you gawked at his shower and how many different ways you could shower. there was a heavy setting, a light rain setting, water can from the walls or the ceiling, music can even be played. you were very fascinated by it.

“so, do you, perhaps,” chan began.

you could tell he was nervous.

chan was leaning against a countertop in his kitchen. his hands were busy with his bracelet. you walked closer to him, “yes?”

“do you perhaps,” he said again, finding the courage to wrap his arms around you, “want to stay here...for...the night…?”

you grinned, blushing madly. “i would like to, yes.”

chan grinned, “great. i’ll fetch you clothes.”

“do i get to wear one of your shirts and look incredibly small in it, like all other couples on social media?”

chan shook his head and grabbed a shirt and sweatpants for you to wear. he was hesitant to leave his closet though because a thought crossed his mind. you and him weren’t officially dating, although he was sure you and him had feelings for each other. but if he could count last night when you and him kissed as the day you and him started dating, it wouldn’t even be twenty-four hours. so, was it weird that he was already sharing his wardrobe with you? and letting you sleep over?

his thoughts were running wild. you and chan had been close for many weeks though, so it shouldn’t be weird.

“chan?” you called, wandering into his bedroom.

you were eyeing the size of his bed when chan approached you. he chuckled at that before handing you the clothes. you were blushing, feeling shy suddenly. “thank you.” you mumbled.

after you changed, chan couldn’t stop looking at you everytime you walked around. the outfit was too big for you entirely. the tshirt was an old one he hadn’t worn in a while but it was still slightly baggy. the bottom of the sweatpants had to be rolled up so that you didn’t trip everytime you took a step.

as the night continued, snacks were eaten and movies and dramas were watched. it was getting late, but neither you and chan wanted to admit that you were getting tired.

chan turned to you as the credits for a movie rolled onto the screen. “are you crying?”

you sniffed and wiped a tear away. there was a pout on your face. “he loved her! of course i’m going to cry.”

“yah. don’t cry.” chan leaned over and wrapped you up in his arms, rocking you slightly.

you couldn’t but laugh. chan, before he pulled away, looked at you. “y/n, would you say that we’re a couple at this point?”

you blushed. your expression told chan you were thinking. you held out your hand, turning to him. his hands moved to rest on your lap. “well, we’ve kissed,” you put down a finger. “that’s probably the first thing. we’ve been on dates and know almost everything about each other.” you put down a second finger. “thirdly, we’re spending the night together.” you paused. “i think it’s safe to say we both know about each other’s feelings.” you put another finger down, leaving just your thumb.

chan looked at you with such adoration in his eyes, all while you were talking and describing your and chan’s relationship. when you met his eyes, you blushed. “what?”

“you’re just really cute.”

you giggled and forced your face closer. “am i?”

he blushed, and then without any hesitation, pressed his lips against yours. to say the least, you were not expecting him to make that kind of move. a small squeal sounded from your throat before you closed your eyes and leaned in to the kiss.

when chan pulled away, he laughed and pulled you into bone crushing hug. “so, we’re dating now.”

you laughed, “did i not just explain that to you?”

“i wasn’t listening. i was looking at you.”

you pulled away, “of course you were.”

“well, should we go to bed? i can sleep on the couch, you can have my bed.” chan, such a gentleman.

you shook your head. “no, i want you to lay with me. with a bed of that size, i’d be cold and lonely.”

chan nodded and grabbed your hand, leading you over to his bedroom. you turned off the tv before he could pull you away, and then turned off the lights as you followed him.

you and chan got situated in the bed. it was awkward, and there was a foot of space between your and chan’s body. he cleared his throat, turning off the light that rested on the bedside table. “good night.” he sang quietly.

you suppressed a smile, “good night.”

----

the next morning, you were awakened by a phone ringing. still groggy and 75% asleep, you reached for your phone, finding that it wasn’t yours. however, you realized that your waist felt heavy, and you couldn’t move much. chan was sleeping, and somehow during the night he had turned over and swung his arm over your torso. you blushed, all of your sleep diminishing. he felt so warm, it was almost addictive.

however, the ringing from chan’s phone was annoying and you were shocked that he wasn’t awake yet. or, he was purposely trying to ignore it.

you poked his cheek. “chan? chan?”

he shook his head, cuddling closer to your body. with a sigh you flicked his forehead. “answer your phone. it could be important.”

“but you’re so warm.”

you blushed, before smiling shyly. you gently pushed him away, “hurry before it goes to voicemail.”

with a dramatic groan, chan unlatched himself from you, flashing you a tired glare. then he reached over and answered his phone. he didn’t even look at who was calling him, whoever it was that made him wake up.

you sat up and watched him patiently, pulling the covers up to your shoulders as the cold air brushed along your exposed arms, giving your goosebumps.

“you want me to come in?” he asked, seeming surprised.

he met your eyes before hanging up. “i guess i have to go to work.”

“that’s good news! maybe your father had finally come to his senses.”

chan nodded, but still seemed bothered. “maybe. he did seem really calm.”

you smiled, reaching over to hold his wrist. “i think this is a good thing. besides, you won’t know until you go. and if it turns out not to be good, i’ll be here waiting and we’ll go get ice cream or coffee after.”

he smiled at that thought. “alright, i’ll go, but only for you.”

chan slid out of the bed and hurried into the shower. you made breakfast while he was showering, and when he came out, you told him to eat before he leaves. he was surprised, but thankful. and then after you gave him a good luck kiss on his cheek, he set out for his car and drove to the building.

the young man’s anxiety grew stronger, building up with each step towards his father’s office. when he arrived at his father’s office, he knocked.

“come in.”

chan took a deep breath before walking inside. his father seemed stressed, but it was the kind of stress that made him look calm and tired. chan felt a little guilty, given everything that had happened. sure, his father pined for success and money but at the end of the day, he was doing what he thought was best, and he was still his father.

“please, sit.” mr. bang said, pointing to the chair in front of his desk.

chan sighed as he sat down. “morning, father.”

“good morning, son. how are you today?”

chan was a little surprised. normally his father got straight to business. what was making him act this way?

“um, i’m good. how are you?”

his father chuckled a bit, “good i guess.”

chan’s heart lightened as he laughed with his father.

“anyways, i called you here today because i want to apologize.”

the young businessman’s eyes widened in shock, meeting his father’s gaze. he could see the guilt in his father’s eyes. “what do you mean?”

“sorry it’s such a shock, but after our argument, i did some digging on emily’s family. turned out that they’re gold-diggers, to say the least.”

chan shook his head, laughing. “i could’ve told you that. all emily asked for from me was to buy her things.”

“and i sorry i forced you to be with her.”

chan wanted to comment, but at least i’ve found someone much better…

“also, i looked over your and minho’s plan, the one that you left for me. and i got to say, i’m proud of you.”

chan felt his gut contorting on itself. he was nervous, but also relieved and happy. “you are?”

his father nodded, “it’s brilliant. i’m sorry i didn’t listen to you earlier. you’re already surpassing me.”

“now i wouldn’t say that.”

they both laughed, all the heavyweight chan felt in his heart and on his shoulders had disappeared. he felt incredibly relaxed.

he and his father talked most of the morning, mainly about he and minho’s plan for the company more than anything else. but it was a good conversation.

chan was excited to get home to you. he wanted to tell you everything. he couldn’t help the smile on his face as he approached the front door of his apartment, with the thought that you were inside.

as soon as chan walked into his apartment, he was yelling your name. you weren’t expecting him so you ran from the living room and to the door. “jesus christ chan! i was half expecting you to be covered in blood for something.”

your new boyfriend ignored you, instead running towards you and wrapping his arms around you. you felt your stomach fall as you were lifted off of your feet. you wrapped your arms around his shoulders to keep from falling. “i’m guessing you have good news.”

chan set you down. “i guess you can say my father and i made up, or whatever, but that’s not the good part. the good part is that,” chan reached for your hands, “he liked my plan, me and minho’s plan for the industry.”

“chan! that’s amazing.” you jumped and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “that’s great! what did i tell you?”

chan laughed. you seemed more excited than he was.

“we should celebrate.” you suggested.

“what should we do?” he asked, smiling happily.

----

you ended up planning a last minute event, inviting both your and chan’s friends to a nearby restaurant/bar that was near bang and lee industries. you also invited his father and some of his employees (not to be rude but only the ones that were relatively involved and important, at least according to chan when he helped you invite people). his father made a toast to chan and minho for their excellent planning.

“i look forward to see bang and lee industries grow under the leadership of our sons bang chan and lee minho.” mr. bang said while gesturing to mr. lee.

everyone clapped at the ending of his toast.

then everyone went about socializing and drinking. however, you were a little suspicious when chan came over to you with a shy smile. “what are you thinking?” you asked, sipping your drink.

“do you think it’s too early to meet my dad?”

your felt your face pale. instinctively you felt yourself looking for said person. you couldn’t find him anywhere, that is until you heard a familiar voice behind you and chan.

“too late.” chan mumbled as you and him turned around. you guessed that from your facial expression and hesitation, chan didn’t think you were ready to.

your words got stuck in your throat as you looked at his father. he was a little shorter than chan, but even more intimidating than him. you cleared your throat and bowed.

chan laughed nervously. “father, this is y/n, she’s,” he paused, meeting your eyes, “my girlfriend.” his lips formed a smile as he said the word girlfriend.

you blushed at the words. “i don’t think i’ll ever get used to you saying that.” you mumbled quietly, heart fluttering.

his father grinned. “y/n, it’s very nice to meet you. chan mentioned you this morning.”

“h-he did?”

chan was the one blushing now. he sent his father a look.

“you’ve definitely made him happier. i didn’t realize it before but emily was definitely not the right choice, so to speak. also, i’m sorry for how i reacted to when driver kim almost ran you over,” he chuckled quietly, seeming apologetic.

he and chan laughed. you had forgotten about emily, but was glad that she wasn’t in chan’s life anymore. you had also forgotten that this whole thing with you and chan had started because of that incident.

he and his father began to talk, but you found yourself staring at chan. you and him had come so far. many changes happened along the way, and there had been many good outcomes. you wondered how different things would be if you and chan hadn’t met.

would he and his father’s relationship still be rocky? would chan still be with emily? would chan have the courage to stand up to his father? you wouldn’t even be here if you hadn’t met chan.

“y/n?” chan’s voice brought you out of your daze.

“sorry.”

“anyway, it was nice meeting you miss y/n.”

mr. bang went around you and chan to converse with mr. lee and minho. they were laughing at something.

“well, that went better than i expected.” chan said.

“yeah, except i totally spaced out and didn’t hear a word you guys were saying.”

and there’s that look again. chan wrapped an arm around your shoulders, leading you to a booth. the booth was located a ways from where everyone else was, giving you a sense of privacy with your boyfriend. he pushed you into it first, sliding in next to you. “and what, miss y/n, were you thinking about?”

you closed your eyes. “chan.”

“y/n.”

“i was just thinking about us.” you said with a shrug. “look how far we’ve come. i mean, everything is falling into place, like one giant puzzle. it’s like i was saying yesterday, it’s like this is all fate’s doing. everything is working out.”

“what about us?” he asked, recalling the conversation similar to this one just yesterday.

“well, i was thinking how different things would be.”

chan pulled you closer to him, grabbing your hand. “let’s not think about that. we’re here now, together,” he flashed you a fond, sweet smile.

you smiled, blushing. “we are.”

“do you think it’s too early to say those three magical words?”

you rolled your eyes, “oh my god, chan. stop asking questions.” however, your stomach had a million butterflies, all flying around and making you giddy with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

“what?” he said defensively, “i want to know what’s going on inside that head of yours. we’re dating now, we trust each other. i don’t want any secrets between us. i also don’t want you to ever be uncomfortable around me. i don’t ever want to make you cry,” he paused, “well, unless they’re tears of happiness, like say when i propose.”

“bang chan! we’ve only been dating for two days! what about to being in the present?”

“i can still think about the future, y/n. our future is bright. besides, we kissed before we even made things official. usually those things don’t happen until a few weeks or a month into a new relationship.”

“well, i say this is a conversation for another day, one much further down the line. let’s live in the now.”

“fine.” chan said, jutting his chin out.

you stared at him in disbelief. “are you ignoring me?”

chan shrugged, sipping his drink. he pretended to be uninterested, his eyes mindlessly looking around the restaurant. he’d occasionally (with exaggerated enthusiasm) wave at someone.

you scoffed. “you’re such a child.”

he shrugged again, frowning as he did so.

“will you talk to me if i say the three magical words?” you sighed, rolling your eyes.

your boyfriend didn’t respond. you felt nervous saying it, but when you finally did, you felt like there was truth to your words. “chan, i love you.”

he turned, cheeks flushing a red the color of roses. he was flustered.

with a smile, you wrapped your arms around his torso, “you’re a big baby.”

he laughed, cheeks still bright red. “i love you too.” he said so quietly, you almost didn’t hear it.

and you really did love this man… and he loved you.

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