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sorryimananti-romantic · 1 month

Text

Cyberpunk

housewifekeeper droid!jongho x programmer!reader

futuristic/apocalyptic droid au

genres and warnings: fluff, angst, established relationship, a bit tragic but no tears i hope :) yunho, woo and san cameos, violence warnings, hostage situation, near-death experiences, etc.

word count: 23.7k

synopsis: when you find jongho assigned to be a droid you need to 'fix', it takes everything in your power to pretend that you don't know him, that he isn't the boyfriend you left behind to keep safe. with no idea where you are and being under constant surveillance while trying to find a way to turn jongho back to human, you manage to run away with him only to learn a shocking and sinister truth that makes you regret ever being part of the eden droid project. you must put an end to your mistakes once and for all, and it may cost you a lot.

manager-nim: @eightmakesonebraincell (we call it cryberpunk bc it became the bane of our existence)

“You really think I’m incapable of taking care of myself?” you asked, making a face as you grabbed your bag and slung it over your shoulder. “I’ve been doing just fine so far, Sir.”

“You’ve lost a lot of weight ever since we woke up, so yes, you definitely haven’t been eating well. You can’t keep surviving on instant noodles,” your supervisor, Mr. Han said. “Besides, this is a good chance to test if the droids we’ve programmed can actually perform household tasks.”

“I did not programme droids to make food for us,” you muttered under your breath but you supposed that was the least of your worries right now. “I’m pretty sure you need a housekeeper more than me. A housewife, perhaps. You must miss your wife.”

Mr. Han only smiled in response and you felt annoyed by that. It was as if an unspoken rule had been passed- that no one could talk about their life before they ‘woke up’. You reckoned everyone was just keeping silent until one of them would complain out loud. It hadn’t been that long since that little episode so you figured no one was that desperate right now.

“It’s the Team Leader’s orders. Nothing I can do about it. Maybe I’ll get a droid next to drive me around- if they’ll allow it. It would be nice to have a look around this empty town and see if we’re the only ones awake while the rest of the world is asleep.”

“I don’t like this,” you pursed your lips, scratching your wrists. Something about all of this was making you anxious. “Just between you and me, are they really sus-”

Mr. Han shushed you with a finger on his lips, his eyes flickering in the direction of the CCTV in the corner of your office. “They’re testing out your droids, miss. You know what they say- a perfect droid should be as good in battle as it is in the kitchen.”

“Wasn’t that supposed to be a joke?” You muttered, deciding to leave it there. “It feels like a big joke. It’s like my droids are being insulted by being placed in the kitchen.”

“You thank the deities there isn’t a war right now,” Mr. Han almost whispered. “When everyone wakes up… there might be. And if there is a war in the future when every nation will possess their own set of droids, when you have to run for your life and are injured… who do you think will take care of you? Not a human, I’ll bet.”

Those words stuck with you during your ride back home. They kept looming over your head while you took a shower and changed into a comfortable set of light blue pyjamas. With a towel hat, you sauntered into the kitchen to make yourself coffee, looking in the fridge for something to snack on and finding nothing.

Perhaps you really did need a housekeeper. A droid- one that wouldn’t complain and would do as told.

And as the doorbell rang after a few minutes, you took your words back when you opened the door to a familiar face. The anxious feeling in your gut finally settled in resignation.

This was what you had been dreading.

A million thoughts processed in your head in a matter of seconds- maybe you could give the droids a run for your quick decision-making. Because you needed to make a big decision, right now.

It had to be some sick, twisted joke that Dr. Jin, Head of the Eden Droid Project, was playing with you. There was no way that this wasn’t intentional. Of all the 7 billion people in this world, they chose the one person you had been wishing would never appear in front of you- at least not until you were done wrapping up what you had begun.

Choi Jongho. Your best friend, the person you loved and had to leave for good.

The one person you had done everything in your power to hide from these people, from everyone. Hell, you didn’t even dare think of him ever since everything went downhill lest someone spy on your own thoughts.

And now he was here, and worse, a droid. A lab rat. His left pupil flickered blue to confirm that.

“I’m CJ, the droid assigned to take care of your personal needs.”

“CJ,” his codename rolled like a foreign language on your tongue, your voice coming out as almost a whimper but you cleared your throat. “CJ. The housewife, eh?”

The droid appeared confused and you, for the first time, loathed programming the droid’s facial expressions to sync with the human emotions. “I’m not quite sure…”

“The assistant,” you let out a short laugh. “I presume you have your identification files and code?”

Jongho said your team’s code out loud before handing you the files and you quickly looked over them. Assigned by your own team- how fucking convenient. You nodded and handed the files back, peeking behind him- looked like he had his personal belongings. “Please, enter and make yourself at home… I guess?”

“There’s another document you need to look at before I enter,” Jongho said almost mechanically, digging out a letter from the inside pocket of his jacket and your brows rose in surprise when you saw that it was from Dr. Jin himself. Begrudgingly, you unsealed the letter and read the contents, the smile falling from your face when you were done.

“Alright,” you breathed. “I see how it is. You can enter now… CJ-”

You caught Jongho staring at you almost like he was fully human. Fear gripped your heart in that moment and when he only bowed in response, you stifled the sigh of relief. He stepped inside your apartment, looking around. He was probably scanning every nook and cranny for potential threats. When he was satisfied, he turned to you.

“Is there anything you would like me to do?”

“Tonight… nothing,” you nodded slowly as you thought. “I’ll show you your room and you can uh… rest? You should wake up at 7 tomorrow and prepare a light breakfast for the both of us before accompanying me to the office. That should be your first task.”

“Understood,” he said and you showed him the spare room and he assured you he had his basic personal necessities. You went to your room, the coffee long forgotten at the kitchen counter and you shut the door.

Make no mistakes.

You turned off the lights and went under the blankets, covering your face like you usually did- and that’s when you let out a shaky exhale and let your emotions take the better of you.

There could only be two reasons why Jongho was here as the droid assigned to you. The first one was pure coincidence- maybe he was just one of the other humans randomly selected by your team. Maybe this was all just bad luck. Maybe this was a slap on your face from the force above, since you dared to play god yourself.

But another possibility… the one that made more sense, was that they knew. They knew Jongho was someone important from your ‘previous’ life. From before you entered Phase I of the Eden Droid Project- . They must have known and were using that to their advantage, but either way…

Either way, Jongho wasn’t sent to assist you and play housewife. That was all bullshit. He had one purpose, and that was to have you under surveillance. That probably meant that the New Government was aware that you weren’t as loyal as you appeared to be. Perhaps, this was a test of your loyalty, and they were going to confirm it with the task that was detailed in that letter.

Fix CJ.

Two words, yet you understood the message. You were to live with the droid for a certain period of time and fix the only glitch your droids had- that they were too human. All the while, you would definitely be under surveillance by him. Perhaps, the Team Leader thought that giving you the space you needed with your own personal test subject was what you needed to finish debugging the droid. Perhaps, they knew you had been delaying fixing the droids on purpose. Whatever it was, you had no choice now.

You would have to fix Jongho or else you would be exterminated along with him.

—---------------------

It was almost unsettling waking up to the smell of eggs, butter and bread. For the few seconds that you lay in the bed, you almost thought you were back in your parent’s home and your mom’s voice would call you for breakfast or your sister Cookie would tickle you until you yell at her, but the bed was too soft and the blanket did not smell like the sun. The alarm rang only a few seconds later and on cue, two solid knocks sounded at the door.

“Miss Jeon? Breakfast is ready.”

God, you thought. This was going to be difficult.

You said you’d be out in 10 minutes and forced yourself to walk to the bathroom like every other day. Somehow, your steps felt heavier than the first day you woke up here. The feelings of disorientation and panic then were nothing compared to the anxiety that dissolved in your bones the moment you heard Jongho’s voice.

Whatever you did, you could not slip. You would have to keep on pretending that Jongho was just a stranger, a droid to you. Just a bug that needed fixing, you told yourself as you exited the room and walked towards the kitchen-

“I told you, the pan needs to be tapped in the middle of baking so the top of the brownies crinkle!” Jongho said as he took out the said pan, now with fully baked fudge brownies with a perfect crinkly top and you gasped at how good it looked. “Would you believe me if I say this really is my first try?”

“Looks too good to be a first try,” you admitted. “I’ll give my verdict after I taste these. Who knows? Might find an eggshell in there.”

“Hey, what do you take me for?!” Jongho looked offended and you grinned. He shook his head as he cut a piece for you and put it on your plate. You spotted a faint smile on his face and you dug your fork in the brownie, about to take that bite when he tsk-ed and held your wrist.

“You’ll burn your mouth,” he took the fork from your hand and you pouted. You watched him wait a few seconds, blow on that little bite before feeding it to you himself. Your eyes went wide as soon as you realised how rich the brownies tasted.

“Oh, my god,” you breathed. “Jongho. You’ve just won my entire heart all over again.”

Jongho burst into laughter, looking down and you leaned across the counter to cup his face and make him look at you. “You look at me when you laugh like that, okay?”

“Stop it,” he wriggled away from you, a flustered mess. “Let me taste them.”

“Here,” you took your fork and blew on the new bite before handing it to him. He nodded in satisfaction. “Normally, I wouldn’t contribute to anything that would give you an ego-boost, but this one deserves it. Cookie won’t believe it when she hears about this.”

Jongho smiled once again, continuing to cut the rest of the brownies for later. “What did you mean when you said… that I won your heart again?”

You stifled your smile. “You want to hear it?”

Jongho looked expectantly at you in response. You scanned his figure- his hair messily swept back, flour on his cheeks, rolled sleeves baring his strong arms, and to top it all, your apron on him. Your smile grew wider.

“I fell in love with you all over again.”

“Miss Jeon?” Jongho called, frowning at the way you stood in the middle of the living room, your eyes stuck on the apron that wasn’t yours on the person who wasn’t yours. He wasn’t even the same person anymore.

“Sorry,” you gulped, shaking your head. “Needed a moment to process uh… what I’m seeing right now.”

Jongho didn’t respond and that finally made you move and sit at the table where he set down a mug of coffee. He would have retorted if things were normal and you smiled sadly to yourself at the thought. You heard the clink of the mug and when you saw Jongho pick up his own tray of breakfast and move, you cleared your throat.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To eat my breakfast and give you privacy while you eat yours?”

This was the time to make things clear- better yet if you were being watched. You put one leg over the other before you said, “Look, I assume you know what you’re here for, CJ. Who are you?”

“A droid that needs a little fixing.”

“And how would I figure out what needs to be fixed if I don’t watch your every move?” You cocked your head. “Does that make you feel unsettled?”

“I do not feel, for I am a droid,” Jongho responded mechanically and you shook your head, urging him to join you. You detected reluctance in his movements and your heart sank a little.

“That’s the thing with you droids,” you almost whispered as if letting him in on a secret. “You forget that you are humans programmed to be droids. Until you possess human nature, you cannot be fixed… that’s what I believe. The superiors think otherwise. What do you think… droid?”

“I…” Jongho frowned again. “I’m just following orders.”

“I know,” you told him and he relaxed a bit. “We’ll need to interact and talk more for me to figure out what exactly needs to be fixed, okay?”

“Okay,” he said. You took a bite of the bread and he mirrored your actions. You ate the rest of your breakfast in silence, finishing together.

“I will examine your code when we go to the office,” you told Jongho. “You will need to guide me a little. I may have created the blueprint for you droids but I haven’t programmed every single one of you.”

“You can access my code only at the office, by the way,” Jongho said and you set your cup down, almost clenching your jaw as you looked at him. “I’ve been programmed to reveal my code files only in the office.”

“Have you now?” You scoffed internally. “Well, I’ve been programmed to be a lazy bum who works best in the comfort of her home and I’m human, so let’s see how we deal with this… predicament.”

Jongho almost looked curiously at you. You checked the time and told him to meet you outside in 10 minutes. Just before he took your car keys from you and opened the door, you sighed.

“Do you know how to make brownies, CJ?”

—--------------------------

“Don’t you think it’s ironic?” You said, sparing a glance at your supervisor who was examining the code on the shared screen right across from you. “We’re trying to find an error in a human. Being human is the error. How do we override the nature of who the droid really is- completely and irrevocably?”

Mr. Han had heard that quite a lot, and not just from you. Every programmer and developer in this project had asked him this question at least once, and he often found himself wondering the same too. “I’m highlighting this line of code, see what you can do about it.”

You looked back at your screen and clicked your tongue. “Not this one. That’s Dr. Seo.”

“Oh, then I won’t tweak it,” he said, scrolling further. You glanced at Jongho who lay on his front on a stretcher with a cord attached to his back to access the chip and its data inside. He was unconscious which you thought was convenient but every time he came back to consciousness, you were afraid he was going to recognise you, make a mistake and destroy everything you had worked for so far.

How could you tell Jongho to pretend he didn’t know you without telling him?

“You look spent. Shall we call it a day?” Mr. Han caught you staring at the droid’s body.

“Please, yes,” you stretched dramatically, producing cracks and he chuckled at that. “The amount of times I have zoned out today… I think I need a chip inside me that would override my mental stamina at least.”

“Says you,” Mr. Han scoffed. “The child prodigy. The kid that built the foundation of this project.”

Oh, how you regretted that. “Please, you flatter me way too much. I was only one coder with a few hundred others.”

“But you were the youngest and your work is our blueprint. I have every right to flatter you,” he said, his conclusion leaving a sour taste in your mouth. “Dinner at the cafeteria?”

“Why would I? I have my own personal chef now,” you grinned.

“I thought you were against droids doing housework or something.”

“Yeah, well,” you finished shutting down the programme and unplugged Jongho. “This one is quite good at it.”

Jongho was, and it was making you realise a few things- muscle memory. Something you nor any coder so far had considered to be a factor worthy of attention. You noticed that when he made the brownies for you a few days ago and exactly at half-time, he opened the oven to tap the pan against the counter once.

It took everything in your power to not react to that. To not let your emotions take the better of you and maintain your composure. However, you did ask him if he had accessed some recipes recently before making the brownies and when he denied, you knew then. You knew that this was not only from memory but muscle memory.

Could this be the reason droids were not perfect? That their muscle memory was ingrained in them to the extent that no programme, no code so far had overridden it?

Whatever it was, you knew you had to keep this observation to yourself.

As Jongho started to regain consciousness, you maintained a certain distance between you two, glancing around- most of your colleagues had signed off for the day. There were only a few at the far end of the room and then there was Mr. Han who was just leaving for the cafeteria. You locked eyes with the droid and found your hands getting clammy when he started blinking rapidly, trying to adjust his eyes to the light. As soon as he looked at you, you started tapping on the desk lightly, waiting for something while praying for the opposite.

Waiting for him to look at what your fingers were tapping and praying that he wouldn’t recognise it, even if you were doing this to rock his human memory.

However, your prayers were actually answered this time and Jongho straightened as the confusion in his eyes disappeared. “CJ of Team 8.”

“That’s right, welcome back,” you sighed, tossing him his t-shirt and he wore it. It irked you a lot, how the droid was not reacting to having woken up from unconsciousness without clothes on his upper body. Jongho would have been a flustered mess.

This was not Jongho. He looked as different as he felt different.

“We’re done for the day,” you told him when he got up. “Are you feeling okay? Any haziness? Something off?”

“Perfectly fine, Miss,” he confirmed and you nodded.

“Let’s go, then,” you said.

Over the past few days, you had made no progress whatsoever with the droid assigned to you. You weren’t sure if people were expecting quick results from you- Mr. Han was monitoring each and every move you made in the office as if you weren’t already being surveilled by the droid itself. You were half certain that Mr. Han was also ordered to keep an eye on you but you’ve always had doubts about that man. His ‘fatherly’ nature was a little too overbearing and demanding at times.

You had no idea how long you were going to keep working on Jongho until he would be deemed ‘unfit’ like the other droids you had failed to save. Failed to fix, actually, but resultantly, they lost their lives. You could not do that to Jongho- perhaps, fixing him as a droid was the only way you could save him, but…

How could you do that to him?

How could you do that to him, you wondered as he set the table and settled down on the chair in front of you, saying his usual ‘enjoy your meal’ before digging in himself. You almost expected him to put a piece of meat in your bowl like he used to do before everything went wrong. You almost expected him to ask you what was wrong when you would zone out just like you were now-

“You’re not eating,” the droid said.

A simple statement, void of emotion, but…

Muscle memory.

Could this be what could really change everything?

“I… I’m just tired,” you said. The truth, but you wished you could tell him what exactly was going on. You put a spoonful in your mouth anyway.

“You worked overtime today,” Jongho said and you nodded. This droid had a knack for sounding way too human, or maybe you were over analysing everything because it was someone you were familiar with. “Would you like me to make you some tea after dinner?”

“No, thanks. I’ll make my own tea,” you scoffed to yourself. If his muscle memory was really still intact, he would get your tea just right and you were not prepared for that. “Isn’t it ironic, though?”

“What is ironic?”

“Humans have made so many machines for the sole purpose of serving them,” you ate another spoon as you watched Jongho, noticing that he needed a haircut now. “All these machines, and yet they would prefer a human to work in the kitchen.”

“A droid is not a human.”

“A droid is a human,” you corrected, locking eyes with him in challenge. “A machine is something like… that coffee-maker. That microwave,” you pointed. “Something like that, yeah? As long as you have a functioning heart, you are human.”

“Whatever you say, Miss,” Jongho said almost dismissively and you rolled your eyes at his automatic response.

“I wonder if humans need someone to work in the kitchen for them- for a specific taste that only humans can construct or to keep company or for whatever reason… why would they not send these heartless machines to fight for them? Why would they send humans?”

“A machine can only make so many decisions,” the droid said.

“Yeah, well, they want me to fully turn you into a machine,” you scoffed loudly. Damned be the consequences- if they were watching you, they should pay heed to your words. “What’s the point of you being a human-turned-droid then? We could have built a human shaped machine designed for war from scratch. We could install whatever thinking ability it needs.”

“But it would not think or make decisions like a human does.”

“Well, are you human right now, then?” You wondered and that finally got the droid to shut up. “Because you sure sound like one right now despite insisting that you are a droid.”

“Can’t a droid be both?” Jongho frowned and your eyes twitched in response- you couldn’t believe what you were hearing. You searched his face for any signs of recognition but found none.

“I guess that’s why it has to be a human that gets turned into a machine,” you concluded. “A machine wouldn’t have asked me that question.”

Jongho didn’t react to that. He simply finished his meal and waited for you to finish before he cleared the table. You made yourself that cup of tea and looked over your code from today, wondering how you were going to proceed from here. If you were really being watched right now, you somehow needed to let Jongho know that he should not react when he recognises you. How were you going to pull that?

It was near impossible. And with that thought, you went to your room to prepare for the worst.

You were trapped in a town that wasn’t yours. Just like everyone else here, you had magically woken up in your new house, in your new room and had simply been instructed to follow the orders if you wanted to live- no further explanation. What you had gathered so far though was this whole thing had been planned since decades. The New Government- the group of people from all over the world who were the masterminds behind the Eden Droid Project aimed to create an army of droids and then distribute them among the powerful nations so they could have the ultimate leverage over the less powerful nations and make them submit to them.

It was evil, it was twisted, and when you first began programming for robots instead of droids that were actually humans, you never would have thought that this was what it was going to come to. You worked with your friends Yunho and Wooyoung- an inseparable trio. As soon as your team sensed something darker, you all decided to leave and you cut ties with your family and friends, moving away without any explanation to attempt to make things right again. Your sister was the only one who had an inkling of what was going on and she had kept your parents calm but Jongho…

He didn’t deserve what you did to him, and now he was here. You were probably going to die by his hands. And maybe… maybe you deserved that.

You prayed your family was unconscious just like the common people who weren’t a part of this. Sometimes, you wondered if you had been fed a lie- sure, the world had progressed a lot but how could 99.9 percent of the world’s population be in a state of unconsciousness as they claimed? How was the world functioning? Machines could only handle so much especially if autorun, and droids couldn’t replace humans even if the world had progressed a lot in the past few decades. You were sure you had been brought to another piece of land and fed this lie so you would cooperate with them.

Whatever it was, you had no choice but to obey. You were not allowed to question anything. And if you gave up on this project and they killed you, it wouldn’t make a difference because someone else would eventually figure out how to fix the droids.

As you finished showering and sat down in front of the vanity, wrapped in your bathrobe to dry your hair, you wondered if this environment was created for the coders and programmers specifically so they could produce quick results. You felt like a lab rat and the fact that this might be true was making you nauseous. Just when you were about to settle down in bed, you heard the sound of a dull crash and you went to inspect- it looked like the sound came from the direction of Jongho’s room.

Sure enough, Jongho was picking himself up from the floor, brushing his clothes and when he looked at you, he flinched-

In pain.

You started tapping a single word on your thigh repeatedly, hoping he would understand it- just a simple ‘no’. No to whatever he was thinking, no to whatever he was about to do if he managed to get a few moments of clarity as a human. Jongho’s gaze fixed on your thigh and you asked him if everything was okay, continuing to tap that word.

“I heard a crash- did you trip or something? Are you having motor problems?”

“I…I don’t think so, I…” Jongho exhaled loudly, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as if that could rid him of the ache in his head. “Sorry for disturbing you.”

“Will you let me check if everything is good with you?”

“You can’t access my code here-”

“I actually can, I just haven’t been allowed to,” you told him. He must have known since he didn’t react much. Good, you thought. He was still CJ. “I’ll just have to override the security files… or we could head to the office. It’s going to take the same amount of time.”

“I think I’m fine,” he straightened. “You can check my code in the office in the morning, or right now- whatever you prefer, Miss.”

“Morning it is,” you shrugged, feeling defeated. “Goodnight-”

To your disbelief, Jongho was tapping something on his thigh as well. You did your best to appear nonchalant when he finished tapping a single command.

“Goodnight, Miss,” he said in his usual flat tone before turning to go back to his room. You took a deep breath before going back to your room and sitting at the edge of the bed as you translated his message.

Help.

—------------------------

You were more suspicious of everyone around you including Jongho now- now more than ever, especially since you just came back to your office after presenting your monthly progress-

Which was little to none, if you had to admit. You did try talking in circles but it never worked in front of the panel.

“You’ve been here for 3 months now, Miss Jeon,” Dr. Seo closed your files detailing your progress and winced as if the lack of your progress physically hurt him. “I can’t tell if you’re being stubborn or if you no longer want to be a part of this. Because there’s no way you haven’t figured it out already.”

“I… I appreciate that you believe in me so much, I really do,” you met eyes with all of your seniors who had seen through every step of your journey especially in the beginning, when things were normal. “But I’m sorry to admit that I really don’t see a future with what we’re trying to achieve. You simply cannot turn a human into a droid and not expect some drawbacks- it’s humans we’re dealing with, not machines.”

“But it has worked brilliantly so far with your help and everyone else’s who has been a part of this team,” Dr. Jin, one of the masterminds behind the Eden Droid Project said. “And I’m sorry but I expected more from you.”

“Has anyone else figured it out yet?” You asked.

“It’s not that we’re comparing you,” his smirk was almost devilish as if he knew exactly what you were hiding. “It’s because we believe you’re the only one who will figure this out. What is the one thing keeping humans from becoming almost the perfect version of droids?”

“Their human nature,” you said.

“What part of it?” He shifted in his chair and you wiped your sweaty hands on your trousers. “Emotions? But you synced them. Is there a fault there, or is it something we haven’t even considered yet?”

You fell silent. They were definitely on to something.

“Should we have a meeting with the other brilliant coders of this project?” Dr. Seo attempted to break the tension in the air. “Maybe what all our coders need is to interact with each other and exchange ideas.”

You suddenly felt hope- you did consider the possibility that Yunho and Wooyoung were also here, forced to work just like you. If you could just meet them, if you could just see them-

“You know why we haven’t allowed them to meet,” Dr. Jin reprimanded. “I can only allow healthy discussions within the designated teams. Miss Jeon, if you need some help, we will accommodate you as best as we can, but I will have to ask you to be quicker with this. We do not have much time and if we do not come up with a solution first, if another nation beats us to it, we will lose our advantage. Don’t you want to go back home and be with your family?”

And that was it. The last straw.

You were aware that this was some sort of a race now. Whoever would figure out what was wrong with the droids would have the advantage- they could keep it from other nations. They could use that as a leverage because they would be the ones with an army of droids at their disposal. Droids that could make excellent spies, fighters, doctors, and whatnot. Droids that would be weapons for all the powerful and selfish leaders of this world, to use at their disposal when they terrorise the weaker nations into submission. Sure, this was nothing new- the world was always at war with each other but with droids in the question, it could go very wrong.

And the fact that they were using your family to bait you? The fact that most of the people here had something to lose if they refused to cooperate? How could you undo all of this? Every day, you cursed yourself for ever being a part of this project, for ever giving them the idea that led to this day, yet beating yourself over it would achieve nothing. You had to take action, soon. You couldn’t let them know that you had the answer already.

You had to wake Jongho up.

“Everything alright?” Mr. Han asked, having spotted you zoning out in the corner of the office next to the window, glancing at Jongho’s unconscious figure attached to the cords- you hadn’t paid much attention to him today. He approached you and opened a box, revealing an assortment of donuts. You smiled despite yourself, picking a glazed donut.

“I just came back from the monthly report presentation,” you told him and he hummed in understanding. “How did yours go?”

“They reminded me why we’re doing this,” he rolled his eyes and you scoffed. “As if I’ve forgotten.”

“Do you think we can figure it out before someone else does?” You asked casually and he looked at you for a few moments.

“It’s not that I have an insurmountable amount of belief in you,” he began and you relaxed. “You’re only human too, and it’s been tough to be away from what was normal, right?” You nodded and he continued. “But I really do think that you can do this. You just need some time. Should I ask them to allow you to work from home too?”

“I don’t think they will agree, but I appreciate it,” you smiled. “They’re doubtful for the right reasons too, after all.”

Mr. Han shrugged and gave you the box, asking you to share it with CJ when he woke up. “He must be having a hard time.”

“Don’t let the superiors hear that you’re empathising with a droid,” you whispered and he winked at you before he went to his station. You went to yours, hoping the office hours could quickly come to an end before you could unplug Jongho. But…

You needed to access all his code files. “Mr. Han?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think I could be granted access to all the code files of this droid? Even if it’s just a preview? I think I should check if some other code is interfering with my code files.”

“Should I make a call?”

“If you can?” You asked and he nodded. You went back to pretending you were actually working and Mr. Han told you that you would know your answer in the morning.

You hoped they would agree, especially after today’s meeting. If they really thought that you’re the one who should debug the droids, maybe they needed to start trusting you more and stop hiding things.

And when you gain their trust and figure out how to save Jongho…

That’s when you would have to make a decision.

—-------------------------

You were not sure exactly what part of you sitting casually in the living room, watching TV with the smell of your favourite tea filling the room, a donut in your hand, rocked Jongho’s human memory but you watched him faint in front of your eyes and your jaw fell open in shock. You remained still as your own memory flashed in front of your eyes-

“Oh, what a sight,” Jongho shook his head as he entered his living room, finding you already having made home on his couch- a towel on your head and donut in your hand as you watched the TV while you waited for him to come back from the convenience store. Jongho put the groceries on the kitchen counter. “I found your teabags.”

“Oh my god, thank you so much,” you gave him a look of gratitude before turning your attention to the drama. “I would have gone myself but you know how tired I feel after showering- it’s like a sign that my day is over and I should just relax.”

“Yeah, and how convenient for you that your boyfriend is willing to do anything for you, huh?”

“Of course,” you muttered absently, eyes widening at the turn of events playing in the drama. Jongho turned on the kettle and sneaked behind you, planting a kiss on your cheek that caught you by surprise and you looked at him as a smile made its way on your lips.

“What was that for?”

“For being cute?” He booped your nose before going back to the kitchen and pouring the hot water in the cup. You weren’t interested in the drama anymore- you turned your full attention to him. He hummed an unfamiliar song before bringing the cups to you.

“Did you leave some donuts for me or are they already long gone?”

“Of course I did,” you pouted. “Kept your favourite ones.”

“Good,” he slung his arm around your shoulders and you snuggled into him, making him laugh when your towel bumped with his face. You spent the next few minutes wrestling him as he tried to get the towel out of the way while you argued that on one condition- that he dry your hair for you. Jongho pouted in response, nothing going his way and you pecked his lips to make amends, handing him his favourite donut and he could only smile in defeat.

You poked the droid’s thigh with your bare feet- he really was unconscious. You sucked in an annoyed breath- how you wished there were no surveillance cameras in your living room. You moved Jongho’s limbs so he was in a more comfortable position and went back to what you were doing.

Sure, you couldn't do anything about this right now but you sure hoped that whoever was going to give you the pass for accessing Jongho’s code files in your home would see this moment and make his decision afterwards. For now, you finished your donut and tea and as soon as Jongho moved, you sat down on the floor next to him and began tapping on his thigh.

Don’t.

One single word, but perhaps Jongho’s mind was too hazy- his eyes widened in recognition and you subtly shook your head no but it wasn’t enough-

“What are you-”

“Ah, good thing you’re back,” you attempted to sound normal but perhaps your unusually high pitch betrayed you. “What do you think? I should be allowed to access your code files at home now, no?”

It wasn’t CJ- it was Jongho looking at you in confusion, and you were so glad your legs blocked the sight of Jongho linking his hand with yours and squeezing it in confusion, in desperation. You squeezed them back to assure him that you knew, that you could hear him even when he couldn’t speak. That you understood him even when he was not himself.

“Do you recall what you felt right before fainting?” You asked.

“Uh… confusion. Haziness.”

“All normal- are you feeling alright now? We can call for permission to access your code if you think it’s necessary right now, CJ.”

“I wouldn’t know,” he muttered and he shut his eyes as if in pain. You immediately unlinked your hands and when he opened his eyes, the blue lens in his left eye flickered-

CJ was back.

The droid immediately started getting up and you followed, straightening your clothes awkwardly. “Sorry for the inconvenience, Miss.”

“Oh, that’s alright. Would you like a donut?”

His brows furrowed in confusion and you went back to your seat, sliding the box towards him. When he opened it they were all half eaten- neatly cut in the middle.

“Sorry. I really had to taste all of the flavours. Kept a whole one for you, though. You might like it.”

You pointed at the chocolate-dipped donut and internally cursed yourself for asking him to join you for donuts. You had kept them to rock his memory but considering the events of today, you didn’t need to do that anyway. He stared at that donut for a long time before he finally picked it up to eat.

And you knew then- whatever happened tonight was enough. Whatever went through Jongho’s head tonight was enough- you didn’t have much time. You needed to save him before the human in him gets lost forever. With that thought, you went to your room.

To prepare for the battle ahead. One that might cost a lot of lives. One that was necessary to fight, to undo the damage you had done to this world.

—--------------------------

“Miss Jeon, I would advise you to drop your gun and talk it out,” Mr. Han’s fatherly tone almost made you put the gun you had been aiming at his direction down on the nearest surface and follow his orders- talk it out.

Except there was nothing to talk about anymore. Everything had gone so very wrong, so very quickly.

“And risk an arrest? Or worse? I’d rather not,” you attempted to scoff but it came out more like a whimper.

“Come on- what did you hear?” Mr. Han never moved the gun aimed for your head- good thing you were both stationed at opposite ends of the room.

“Oh? Should I have heard something then?” You cocked your head. “What I saw was enough.”

What you saw was the file on his desk regarding the self-destruct code installed in the droids that were assigned to different coders- including Jongho. You weren’t sure if it was a careless mistake or if he left it out on purpose for you to see- maybe it was a mistake since you rarely ever went to his part of the office. But your suspicions were confirmed- they had indeed installed some self-destruct files in Jongho in case someone tried to meddle with his code. So with that anger- with that boiling, seething anger, when you went to find Mr. Han and confront him, you spotted him in the next building through the window talking to none other than Dr. Jin.

You couldn’t help but wonder how much of this was planned. Anger consumed you and within minutes, you were back in your office overriding Jongho’s code files and putting him to sleep and then hacking your building’s system to turn off the CCTVs- just like you had practised so many times in the past few days. They may have the best coders and programmers in this building and you probably had seconds, but…

They had forgotten that you were the pioneer of this damned project. You were what they were against, and you had to surprise them again, just like the first time you did when you were still a stupid teen who thought they did something smart. You attached a USB in the main PC with an auto-run file to keep the system glitching while you unplugged Jongho and hastily put his shirt back on his unconscious body.

You had a couple of minutes at most- you went to Mr. Han’s desk and grabbed all the files you could and stuffed them in your briefcase, taking out the gun you had slipped past the detectors a few days ago during a system crash episode- pure luck. The gun had been in your car for a while but as soon as you saw the chance, you slipped it into your office, not knowing you’d need it this soon. You weren’t surprised to see that Mr. Han kept a gun of his own- you were simply disappointed.

The lights flickered on and off and you figured the technicians must be having a tough time figuring out exactly what was wrong. You could hear your shallow breaths as you shifted your grip on the gun, the sweat from your palms making it feel slippery.

“If you think you know what’s happening here, you’re wrong, sweetheart,” Mr. Han shook his head. “I’ve been following orders just like you. I can’t believe you’re being this reckless when you too must have a family waiting for you. Someone they use as leverage against you.”

“Almost everyone is here against their will,” you corrected him. “You’re no different than the rest of them. So go ahead. Go ahead and shoot me, but if you do, you’ll lose everything and everyone you love. Eden cannot debug droids without me- I’m sure of it.”

“I never intended to shoot you,” he sighed, lowering his gun and you frowned. “If we’re not being watched right now… we don’t need to do this.”

“Aim your gun at me either way,” you told him and he obeyed. “Did you know that CJ was going to be assigned to me?”

“I knew a droid was going to be assigned to you, but not the specifics. Is there a problem with CJ?”

“A problem?” You scoffed. “Imagine you were in my shoes and it was your wife that was assigned to you as the droid you needed to fix. How would you feel?”

When Mr. Han paled visibly, you realised he may not have known CJ’s identity after all. “CJ… is he someone you know?”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t know everything, y/n,” he pleaded. “I’m only following orders and supervising you- though you hardly need that.”

“He’s the person I tried to protect all these years,” you bit your lips as you looked at Jongho’s limp figure on the stretcher. “Can you imagine how I’ve been feeling all along? I have to turn him into a droid or else he’ll be killed.”

“I’m sorry, I really am, y/n,” Mr. Han lowered his gun. “Damned be the consequences. What do you plan to do?”

“I’m going to run away,” you told him, lowering your own gun. “With CJ. He won’t self-destruct for now, I’ve taken care of it.”

“They’ll find you,” Mr. Han said. “There’s no way you can be on the road and not be found. The car must have a tracking device.”

“I took care of that too- all it will take is a click. As for them spotting me… I think I know how to take care of that as well…”

“Of course you do,” Mr. Han laughed in disbelief. “Tell me… you know how to fix the droids, don’t you?”

When you didn’t respond, he nodded. “Tell you what- you can do whatever you want from here, but never, ever fix the droids, okay? You hear me?”

You passed a weak smile in response and he finally approached you, emptying his gun and handing you the extra bullets. “I won’t need them.”

“They’ll punish you for letting me go.”

“You can knock me out- I’ll play dumb for as long as I can,” he grinned. “Besides, I don’t think the cameras caught me entering the office.”

“Can you help me get Jongho in the car first?”

Which was how a few minutes later, you found yourself on the road, a jamming device fixed on the dashboard to make the surveillance cameras glitch whenever you would pass. You sped through the unfamiliar roads but you knew you would need to ditch your car soon- there was no way you could blend in when this was a black SUV with the office plate. You looked around the billboards and the street signs for any clue of your location but they were all blank or painted over. The only guide you had was the map in the car but that turned off as soon as you strayed away from your usual path.

You considered waking Jongho up and asking for help but there was no guarantee he wasn’t going to try something that would cost you both a lot. You decided to keep going forward and look for an abandoned building- it was getting dark and you needed to sort this mess out before you could proceed forward. Sure, you had prepared beforehand- you had everything you needed in the trunk of your car, discreetly putting necessities in the bag day after day since the beginning. From tools to clothes to food, you had everything.

Now you just needed to take care of Jongho- currently sprawled across the backseat, his hands fastened with a cable tie. You had no doubts he could still overpower you but for now, you had to make do with what you had. So when you spotted an empty area of the town with a few warehouses, you decided to take a chance and make home in one of them. You parked your car in the narrow space between two warehouses, deciding to hide it later with the empty tubs lined next to the walls. You searched the car for a physical tracking device and when you found it, you crushed it under your feet- you needed to take the jamming device inside with you so this was necessary. Then you turned off the infotainment system for good and finally sighed in relief.

You had done it- you finally ran away.

Just like you had run away from home two years ago.

You looked at Jongho from the front mirror and recalled the last day you had spent with him and your family- a memory you had kept in your heart as the days following got lonelier and regretful-

“Wonder what’s gotten into her,” your sister, Cookie, whispered to Jongho. “Did you propose to her? Is she showing off her housewife skills? Which are little to none, by the way…”

“Please,” Jongho scoffed. “I think she’s just collectively going to poison us all. She’s still sour about how we ditched her to go hiking last weekend, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, well that would make more sense,” Cookie said. “But it was her fault- I asked but she was too busy with her little codes to process what I said and told me to get out. That’s a no, right?”

“Definitely-”

“I can hear you both, you know,” you said, looking at the two. While at other times, you would have chucked something at them and ensued chaos, this time, you simply smiled at the sigh of your little sister and your boyfriend standing shoulder to shoulder as they watched you arrange everything you had cooked (or bought- they didn’t need to know that) on the trays. When you were finally pleased with the presentation, you asked them to help you take the trays out to the backyard where you were going to have a little party- all of you.

The two obeyed and marched outside singing another song that you didn’t know- Jongho and your sister got along way too well and were usually partnering against you. He probably adored her more than you but your sister was smart and knew she had to be on good terms with him so he could spoil her- and spoil he did.

Your heart ached at the sight of the two and you prayed they would stay like this forever- happy. Even without you. You hoped they could fill your absence in the house and make your parents feel better.

Jongho’s parents cheered for you when you came out. “This is something your sister usually plans but we’re glad you’re not holed up in your room for once.”

“Thanks, uncle,” you laughed. “Just wanted a little breather.”

“You should have joined us last weekend!” His mom sighed in happiness. “The view was so good and the air so fresh. I think I feel younger ever since I came back.”

“I thought you felt older- you were complaining about your kneecaps- ow!” Jongho earned a smack on the back of his head from you and everyone laughed at that. Your mom patted the space next to her and you took the seat, urging her to try the sandwiches you made. The air filled with the sound of their laughs and you felt warm all over as you looked at each one of them, not saying much but committing this memory to your heart.

You went to take a walk with Jongho later that night to share a beer and go to the park to sit on the swings and relax. Jongho asked you if everything was okay- he never missed anything.

“Perfectly fine,” you assured him. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget today.”

“Me neither,” he smiled and you clicked your cans before drinking. “You’re a bit different today, y/n. If something is bothering you… you can tell me, you know that, right?”

“I know. I trust you, Jongho,” you looked at him. “You know that you’re the one person I trust the most in this world, right?”

Jongho frowned at the sudden confession but nodded. You continued. “And you know that I love you, right?”

Jongho would have gotten flustered and teased you but tonight, he noticed the sadness in your voice. “What is up with you? What are you planning?”

“Nothing,” you laughed. “Just wanted to tell you this before the night is over.”

Jongho narrowed his eyes but when you didn’t give in, he sighed.

“I don’t know what the matter is, but I hope you know that I trust you too. And I love you too. You’re not alone. You know that, right?”

“I know,” your smile was genuine. “I know.”

And the fact that you were not alone was what needed to change. In the middle of the night, you packed your necessities and left the note for your sister in her room by her bedside which said that you ran away to protect them and you would return soon, but no one could know. You told her to stay strong for you and help the rest cope. You apologised for the burden you gave her but she knew- she had seen you cry in your room for so many nights. She knew you had done something and the guilt was eating you up. She knew it was related to your job.

You prayed Jongho would remember the conversation you had with him and not blame himself.

Perhaps, he did blame himself. Perhaps he never gave up trying to find you, which was how they found him. Maybe running away wasn’t the best choice since they found Jongho anyway- your eyes welled up with tears at the thought of all the lost time, the years you could have spent with your family. Maybe you would never see them again now. With tears rolling down your cheeks and a blurry vision, you surveyed the area and deciding that it looked safe enough for now, you dragged Jongho inside and propped him on a bench, coughing due to the dust. You took off his shirt again and plugged him to your laptop- there were some things you needed to get done immediately- check if you were being tracked, check if Jongho’s trackers were all blocked now, see if there were any signals nearby- droids or not, and finally-

Find out your coordinates.

—-----------------------------

“We are not in the office.”

“Clearly,” you muttered, hugging yourself tighter with your folded arms as you looked at the droid seated in front of you, unbound this time. The droid scanned the new environment, his eyes lingering at the odd things in front of him- especially at the cord and your laptop, your bags and the packets of snacks sprawled on the table between you.

“This is unauthorised,” Jongho stated.

“Yes,” you admitted. “What are you programmed to do in case you find yourself in a situation like this?”

“Find my way back. If I cannot, I will have to activate the self-destruct code.”

“Going to be quite an explosion, huh?” You sighed.

“It will be very dangerous for you, yes,” he looked down at his limbs. Was he surprised that he was untied for once? “Why are we here?”

“Are you programmed to find out the reason for your unauthorised absence before you make a decision?”

He wasn’t. You got that from the red flicker in his usually blue lens in the left eye. This was the humane curiosity in him questioning things a droid shouldn’t have cared about. You shifted in your position- you hadn’t really planned this conversation so you would have to tread carefully from here on.

“Jongho,” you locked eyes with him. “What is the next step that you are going to take?”

“I can’t access the server,” Jongho frowned. “My code has been altered.”

“You didn’t ask how I know your name,” you whispered. “Choi Jongho. Don’t you remember me?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” an unrelenting answer from a droid.

“Are you programmed to self-destruct if your identity is found out?” You asked. He shook his head no. “Interesting. That can only mean they sent you to me knowing we had history. Do you remember the last time you saw me?”

“In the office-”

“No, you, Choi Jongho. Not CJ. You,” you insisted and he finally frowned- it was working. “How did you feel to learn that I ran away?”

“I… don’t know.”

“You know,” you told him. “Your memories are just locked away. Deep inside, here,” you tapped your temple. “All you gotta do is dig in and think. Remember when you, CJ, saw me with the donuts? Did it rock a memory of yours?”

When he didn’t respond and continued to stare at you, his lens flickering, you leaned forward. “How did you know how I like my tea?”

That was another odd thing that took place a few days ago. No one could make your tea the way you liked it. Only Jongho knew, and only he could make it perfectly every time. Sometimes you wondered if you simply liked the drink he made because he was the one who made it.

“I don’t know. I just made it how I learned to-”

“Learned from where?” You asked. “From me. We learned to make it together, Jongho. Two dips, let it sit, add exactly 1/4th spoon of honey and dip thrice. Don’t mix it, let it sit for exactly two minutes before you take the teabag out and mix the honey. How did you know? It’s your muscle memory, Jongho. It’s what makes you human.”

Jongho’s eyes widened just a fraction and you relaxed. You had him now. “We’ve been so close to home all this time, Jongho. I found out where we are- only a few hundred miles away from home, an abandoned town. I thought we were someplace else entirely. I thought only we were the ones awake and the rest of the world was asleep- surely they would have searched for you if not for me, right?”

He shook his head as if in disbelief of what he was hearing. You sighed. “How did they find you, Jongho? Did they find you… or did you find them?”

“Y/n.”

Even though your name was called in warning, your lips parted in surprise because this wasn’t CJ- this was Jongho who called your name. And goodness, how long had it been since the last time you heard your name roll from his lips? How long had you waited for this moment?

You shifted to get up but he raised a hand in the air, muttering ‘don’t’ and you sat right back down. His eyes twitched in pain and he groaned deeply. “You need to get out of here- leave me here and run.”

“Jongho-”

“You haven’t deactivated any trackers- they know you’re here, they meant for this to happen-”

“What are you talking about?” You whispered, blood rushing to your head and making your vision darken for a moment.

“They even know what we’re talking about right now,” Jongho cried out and you put a hand on your mouth in sheer horror, sweat taking root in every pore of your body.

Muscle memory, Jongho. It’s what makes you human.

Oh, how absolutely foolish you had been. Jongho got up and whispered, “They’re near.”

You mirrored his actions but almost fell on the floor due to the dizziness- everything was too much. This is not happening. Nothing made sense anymore- you had deactivated every tracker- how could they have found you-

There was a tracker on you.

How could you have been so incredibly stupid?

Jongho reached you in a hurry, the lens no longer a blue or red but simply transparent, revealing his brown orbs as he grabbed you by the arms and shook you a little. “Come to your senses, y/n. You have to get out of here- I don’t know what they’ll do with us. I’ll stay back and distract them-”

“No,” you cried, feeling nauseous all of a sudden. “I’ve run away once. I won’t run away again.”

“This is not running away,” he smiled a little as if it finally dawned on him that he was here so close to you, he was human and he had you in his arms. His hands were steady as they found your face, tucking your hair behind so lovingly, eyes travelling on every inch of your face.

“Don’t you look at me like it’s the last time,” you whispered. “Don’t you dare leave me, Jongho.”

But perhaps, it wasn’t meant to be. Not this time. You heard the unmistakable sound of vehicles- not one but too many vehicles circling the warehouse. Jongho sighed in defeat yet from the look in his eyes and the smile on his lips, it seemed like he wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here. He cupped your face and leaned in, locking his lips with yours and the tears that had been threatening to spill finally found a reason to. He kissed you surely and soundly, breaking apart to wrap his arms around you, his fingers on your back tapping rhythmically-

Morse code.

“What-”

“Shh,” he urged, tapping again. “Everything will be okay. Don’t forget this moment, alright?”

You nodded and buried your face in his chest- your safe space. “Have you forgiven me for running away?” You asked as the sound of the door being slammed open echoed in the warehouse- so loud yet the sound of his dull heartbeat was louder.

“Oh, we will talk about that. One day,” he assured you. “But for now… I love you, y/n. I hope you remember that.”

“I hope you remember that I love you,” you countered, breaking away just to get a good look at his face, at his messy curls falling on his forehead, at the absolute adoration in his eyes replaced by devastation when the soldiers who came barging in pulled you from him harshly and the last thing you saw was him screaming your name before you felt something slam against your head and the roaring in your ears finally came to a silence. You welcomed the darkness this time.

—-------------------------

“Y/n! Will you please wake up? I need to go to the convenience store and I need some company!”

“Go alone, Cookie” you groaned, “Let me sleep some more.”

“I’ll treat you to fried chicken.”

Now that was something worth opening an eye to take a good look at your little sister. Was she bribing you? Clearly. Was it working?

“Give me 15 minutes,” you said, getting up with a groan and she grinned. “I need to get ready.”

“It’s almost evening so take a jacket, you’ve been out cold for far too long. Thought I’d let you know the day has ended!” Cookie called as she left your room.

Perhaps, getting up immediately was a mistake- it seemed like all the blood rushed down from your head and you fell back on your bed unceremoniously. You groaned in pain- why were you having the worst headache of your life?

When you felt stable enough to move, you made your way to the toilet and washed your face, noticing a fading bruise on your left temple. Now how did you get that? You reached for your toothbrush-

It was not there. Odd. You did not remember throwing it away- if you did, where was the replacement? Groggily, you made your way back to your room to check the cupboard where you kept your supplies and found no signs of a toothbrush.

“Cookie, what prank are you playing with me now?”

“What do you mean?” She called from her room.

“Where did you hide my toothbrush?”

“Why would I hide your toothbrush?”

“To prank me?” You yelled in frustration. “I won’t go to the store with you if you keep this up.”

You heard the angry pads of her footsteps. “Look, that prank was one time. You were so mad I wouldn’t try it again.”

You narrowed your eyes in suspicion. “The smirk on your lips says otherwise.”

“That’s just me finding this funny,” she flipped her hair dramatically as she went back to her room and you sighed deeply, the voice of your mom calling your names in warning stirring something deep inside you.

I will not cry over a missing toothbrush, you told yourself and got ready, wearing a denim jacket over a casual outfit. You went into the living room to drink some water and when you turned-

You almost dropped your glass.

“Can you pour me a little too?” Your mom asked and you found your mouth going dry, nodding subconsciously as you reached for another glass. You watched her drink- why did it look like she had aged a whole lot since you last saw her? Didn’t you just see her last night? Didn’t you spot the grey in her hair, the wrinkles around her eyes ever before?

Or maybe you always saw her but never cared to look. Your mom made a face at you, making you laugh a little as you broke out of your trance. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” you shook your head. “I was just counting your grey hairs.”

“Y/n,” she laughed loudly. “I think this is my sign to book a salon appointment.”

“Yes, mother!” Cookie came in, squeezing her shoulders. “You should get your grey strands dyed a fun colour- like pink.”

“Oh, come on, what will your dad think?”

“I think he’ll like it,” she winked. “We’re going out- be back before curfew!” Cookie grabbed your hand and dragged you out before your mom could say her usual chant- stay safe, don’t do stupid things, don’t fight, and so on. It seemed like forever since you had heard that and a part of you wished you had stayed to hear it.

Before you knew it, you were deep in a heated discussion about school being fun versus school being a bad memory. Of course, for Cookie, everything was fun. It was kind of endearing how she always saw the positive in everything and made sure to enjoy every moment. You, however, were the pessimistic of the two, though you preferred the term ‘realist’. School did have fun moments, yes, but you didn’t have a normal school experience at all- you were always working with the teachers and seniors who could code. While that was the beginning of your career, you didn’t get to interact with people much and they didn’t make an effort when you had some normal moments.

It was a relief then that Jongho was in your class and never made you feel alone, you wondered as you finished the argument with your sister and the food. She was paying the bill- a rare occurrence because ever since you started working at a very young age, you made sure to spoil her (a mistake- the brat learned that she could convince you to get her anything). Cookie turned to smirk in some sense of superiority she felt for having treated you and you let her have that moment, chuckling as you exited.

“Ah, the weather’s nice,” you looked up at the sky- it was too cloudy to see any stars. “I’m craving beer. When will you get old enough for beer?”

“Just a few more months, sis. We’ll see who’s the better drinker out of us.”

“Yeah, I might be bad, but you can’t beat Jong-”

“Oh, would you look at that,” Cookie pointed at a cafe at the end of the street. “I heard they’ve added cookies to their menu. Let’s get some to take home.”

You rolled your eyes. There was a reason you called her Cookie. Before you could protest, she was already speed-walking, her short hair flowing behind her and you struggled to catch up, looking at your surroundings.

“Yo, wasn’t there a barbeque place here?”

Cookie paused to look at you. “That was like what- two? Three years ago? You should really leave the house more. Being cooped up in your room all day is doing something to your memory, I swear-”

“It’s not that,” you, for once, didn’t argue, telling her to get some for dad too while you decided to wait outside.

Why did everything feel so… new? Tangible? You looked at your hand, moving it- were you dissociating? Was it that strange realisation that you were real? But it didn’t explain the ache in your heart since the moment you opened your eyes today. And you were glad Cookie was lost in her own thoughts on the short walk back home, giving you time to think. Just like always, you made a tray with cookies and milk and knocked on your parents’ room, entering when they gave the signal.

“Oh, dear,” your dad sighed in happiness. “Just what I wanted.”

“Long day?” You asked, grinning when they took the tray and placed it on the bed.

“Not really, but was just craving something sweet,” he smiled and you scanned his face- again, the sadness in his eyes was something unfamiliar to you.

“Well, enjoy your cookies. My Cookie is waiting for me outside.”

“Always attached at the hip,” your mom shook her head. “I don’t know how they do that when she’s home all day and the little one is rarely ever home.”

You scoffed when they continued that discussion, exiting the room to see Cookie smiling cheekily with the box of cookies open and one glass of milk-

“Cookie.”

“I don’t like milk!” She protested. “You drink milk. I only dip- why do I need a new glass?”

“I don’t like to dip cookies in the milk!” You argued, sitting across from her. “I don’t like the crumbs you leave!”

“Well, what am I supposed to do?” She pouted. “You won’t drink the leftover milk if I get my own glass?”

“Nope,” you shook your head sternly. “Want me to call Jongho over? He can share with you.”

“And who’s Jongho?” Cookie frowned.

“Oh, please,” you took a bite of the chocolatey goodness. “As if this prank is gonna work on me.”

“No, but seriously, who’s Jongho?” Cookie wriggled her brows. “New imaginary boyfriend?”

“Imaginary?”

“Yes, imaginary. How would you find a boyfriend when you’re home alone- oh, is Jongho a bot?”

You rolled your eyes so hard that you felt an ache. You unlocked your phone to dial his number but found no contact saved. Frowning, you typed his number- did you accidentally delete his contact info?

“This number does not exist.”

“Strange,” you muttered. “Did Jongho change his number? Did you know about this and decided to prank me because of this?”

“Aren’t you the one pranking me right now?” Cookie actually paused to stare at you. “Who’s Jongho?”

“Choi Jongho? The neighbour kid? Your best friend? Your big brother? My boyfriend? Do I need to say more?” You laughed in disbelief. “Don’t push my buttons by taking it too far.”

“Y/n, are you… are you okay? We don’t know anyone named Jongho. And what do you mean the neighbour’s kid? They never had one- they moved two years ago, don’t you remember?”

Two years. You were hearing this number a lot today. You went to your room to grab a photo of Jongho and slam it on your sister’s face but the grid on your desk only had polaroids of you and your family- no signs of Jongho. Feeling the hair on your neck rise, you unlocked your phone again to find some photos but again, no signs of him. You started sprawling through your drawers, checking your laptops, the pockets of your clothes, your eyes a blurry mess and when you heard the small voice of your sister calling your name, you looked at her.

“Where did you hide the photos? Please tell me, I need to look at him-”

“Y/n, come to your senses,” she sank down on her knees in front of you. “Who are you talking about?”

You glared at her before snatching your hands and marching to her room- you examined the grid on her desk- again, no signs of Jongho. You went through the things on her desk, opening the drawers-

“What are you doing?” Cookie whimpered and you turned to see her crying as well. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong with you, tell me.”

This couldn’t be happening. “It’s Jongho, don’t you remember? The one who taught you how to ride a bike? The one who protected you when you were being picked on in elementary school?” Tears rolled down in succession on both your faces- one trying to pick all the pieces that were threatening to disappear and the other trying to make sense of them. “Jongho, the one you called big brother? The milk to your cookie? The jelly to your peanut butter? Don’t you remember?”

“I- I don’t,” Cookie cried harder, sinking to the floor and breathing as if something was consuming her from the inside.

“My Jongho, Cookie,” you whispered, gripping her desk. “The love of my life. You had a whole document on your computer about all your plans for our wedding- you made that when you were ten,” you laughed and Cookie chuckled as well, crying harder. “How can you forget?”

“I don’t know!” Cookie’s voice was loud in denial. “I don’t know him!”

“Don’t you remember when I made food for all of you and you teased us about marriage and how I was preparing to be a housewife?” You laughed at the memory, Cookie’s ‘you made food?!’ indicating she was somehow more surprised to hear that. “We had that little party in the garden, his family and ours, remember?”

“That was-” Cookie paused, frowning. “I remember a party in the garden but… there were our neighbours there, yes, but not someone named Jongho- that was two years ago, right?”

Two years.

“Why did we have that party? Why did you make food?” Cookie looked at you, partly horrified as the dreadful realisation made its way to your mind.

“I… we had that party because I was going to run away. I… I ran away- how am I here?” You looked at your hands and then at Cookie. “How am I here?”

“Uh… this is your home?”

Home. You hadn’t stepped inside your home in two years.

It all started coming back to you in a series of chronological events- from that party to you running away from home and living in a studio apartment that Jeong Yunho had arranged for you. The two of you working to undo everything about that damned project that you could-

That damned project.

Droids.

“Oh… oh goodness-” you rushed to the toilet as a wave of nausea overtook you and threw up, groaning as you clutched your hair- Cookie was quick enough to help take care of your hair while you threw up some more, sobbing along. Your sister was also wise enough to shut the door and let you sob a little before urging you to get up and wash your face, helping you clean up. Once you were done and you had downed a glass of water, Cookie took you to her room and made you wrap a blanket around yourself- necessary at this point since you were shivering.

“You need to start making sense now. What’s happening?”

You looked at your little sister. You hadn't seen her in two whole years, and she had grown so much in that time. She was also an inch taller than you now, you had noticed while walking. “Do you remember what we did yesterday?”

“Of course,” Cookie folded her arms. “You were in your room all day-”

“And the day before?” You asked. “And the day before that?”

Cookie’s brows finally unfurrowed in realisation. “I… I don’t remember.”

“Do you remember the note I gave you two years ago?” You asked. “The one that told you I was running away?”

When it looked like she was still lost, you sighed deeply, looking around. “If I gave you a note that told you that I was going to run away but you could tell no one that I’m running away for a reason… that I’ll be back and you have to take care of everyone… where would you hide it, knowing you have to pretend you know nothing as well?”

“I don’t know,” Cookie sighed in frustration. “Why don’t I remember?”

“You’ll get your answers,” you got up, running your fingers along her bookshelf. “Where would you hide something like a secret note? Think, Cookie. They couldn’t have searched that deep, they couldn’t have found that.”

Cookie got up, looking around, and almost mechanically, she went for her underwear drawer and despite everything, you laughed. Of course. No one would dare rummage through her private things- but it got better. She had it taped on the inside of a bra.

“I don’t wear this one, so,” Cookie admitted and you shook your head, watching her open the note and read it again and again. “Make it make sense.”

“Where do I start?”

“From the beginning. Tell me everything.”

—------------------------------

Seeing a familiar face after riding a train all day was what finally gave you some strength to believe that things would be alright, and what finally put a smile on your face as you walked to your mentor, partner-in-crime (quite literally) and old friend, Jeong Yunho. When he spread his arms with a sad smile on his face, you didn’t hesitate to hug him, muttering how sorry you were to learn that he went through something quite similar to what you did.

“I’m just glad you’re safe, little one,” he broke the hug to look at you. “Are we sure there’s no tracker on you?”

“None- they put one on here,” you turned your arm to tap your shoulder blade. “Almost like a needle, Yunho. I would have missed it.”

“What did you do with it? If it’s stationary, they would know-”

“I put it on my sister,” you grinned. “And told her to act like me until I’m back.”

“Hoho, look at you,” he scoffed in amusement. “Finally told her everything?”

“Had to,” you sighed. “And this was the one step that I did not want to take, but she suggested that she could hold the tracker for me,” you handed one of your bags to Yunho who opened his car trunk and tossed it inside. When you were seated on his passenger seat, you asked, “How’s your brother?”

“Oh, all good. He forbade me to come back to the office after he saw the state I was in- broken limbs and everything. I don’t know how I managed to run away. Only a few months later and when I tell him you need me? He lends me his car with a threat that I better bring it back unscratched.”

“Damn,” you whistled. “Better keep that promise.”

“What about you, y/n?” He asked.

“Do you remember how they took me? That part is still a bit blurry.”

“I thought they tailed me and found your apartment, but turns out you were just unlucky and they spotted you when you were going to Wooyoung’s place. They tailed you- I tailed them- it was a mess. Wooyoung and I barely managed to escape and when we opened our eyes, we were tied to chairs.”

“You were tied? Alone? Is he okay?”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “They should have tied my legs better- I walked around with the chair tied to me until I found someone and they helped us.”

“I can’t believe I missed that sight,” you exhaled in disappointment and he shook his head.

“You should have seen yourself. I thought they killed you or something. What happened after?”

“Well… I woke up in a new world, Yunho. All futuristic with savvy tech and whatnot. It didn’t look like home. I was alone in a luxurious apartment that wasn’t mine, with a set of instructions to follow. Once I got to the office, I learned that all of us who were present had something to do with the Eden Droid Project- or something to contribute. There were coders, engineers, doctors, literally everyone they could find. We couldn’t ask questions, we weren’t allowed to talk other than for work, and we were watched like hawks. We were made to believe that only we were the ones awake while the rest of the world was on pause. Honestly, if there weren’t people like us there, it would have been so much more difficult.”

“Was there someone you knew there?”

“Dr. Seo. Dr. Jin. The big brains behind the Eden Droid Project- you remember them, right?”

“By faces, yes,” he asked you to hand his water bottle and drank a few sips while he drove on the highway. “So… what next?”

“My team- we were all tasked to work together to fix the droids. The droids that I programmed and the codes that Dr. Jin took forcefully from me when we were his interns.”

“He should have waited until we had perfected them,” Yunho scoffed and you mirrored that.

“So it’s all starting to feel normal, a month passes. I realise I need to somehow run away and expose what they’re doing, but I have literally no idea what my location is and there’s no one to trust. And to make things worse, they have this brilliant idea to assign Jongho to me. They turned him into a droid, Yunho.”

“Oh… crap,” Yunho glanced at you. “Is he okay?”

“I don’t know,” you pursed your lips. “They decided that I needed to monitor a droid closely and figure out what was interfering with his droid mechanisms. They knew who he was and what he meant to me. They must have had a good laugh seeing me pretend I didn’t know him.

“Anyways, he’s not functioning properly as a droid- seeing me triggers him into remembering whatever memories they’ve locked away inside his brain. I can see that he’s suffering, yet I can do nothing about it, even when he tells me to help. I trust the first person who acted like he cared- Mr. Han, my team’s supervisor. He does help me escape but…”

“But it’s all a part of their plan.”

“Bingo,” you sighed. “I run away with his help, take Jongho far away from all of this, block every tracker and finally get Jongho to feel human long enough to speak- and he tells me what this- all of this was a part of their plan. This was like a simulation for me- I was a player in their game and they waited until I won- or thought so. That’s when they got their answer to the question- what was making droids not act like humans?”

“What?”

“The link between their subconscious brain and muscle memory, Yunho. That’s been the key this whole time.”

“Oh. Oh!” Yunho almost stopped his car in excitement. “How did we miss that?”

“There’s a reason they got Jongho to be a player too,” you shook your head. “Did you find any signs of him?”

“Not yet, but I will continue my search tonight,” Yunho said. “Why did they let you go, though?”

“I don’t know,” you sank down in your seat, hugging yourself. “I woke up back in my house and they made it look like I had been there all this time. But… strangely, only I remembered Jongho. They locked away everyone’s memories, wiped any physical signs of him- whatever they could find. Cookie forgot who Jongho was too- she still doesn’t remember but she believes me thanks to the note I gave her before I ran away two years ago.”

“If they knew where you lived during that span of two years, they would have made it look like you were there all along. That might have been more believable for you, and could have worked- but maybe not. Wooyoung and I would have found you anyway.”

“Does he still blame me for what happened two years ago?”

You, Wooyoung and Yunho were teammates in the initial days of the Eden Droid Project. You were their supervisor and leading the project, and Wooyoung always had qualms about what you all did- rightfully so. When everything went wrong, you had an argument and a falling out with him. Yunho tried for a long time to get you two to talk to each other but without success so he let you two be. You and Wooyoung did often share your files as you all were working to expose the project but that was it.

“He’s forgiven you. He forgave you long ago- he was just being stubborn,” Yunho chuckled. “When he learned you were taken, he’s the one who tried the hardest to find you. Harder than me too.”

“God, he’s so dramatic,” you chuckled. “Do I get to meet him now?”

“Oh, yes,” Yunho grinned. “He’s waiting for you- party hat and all.”

“No way.”

He was. Party hat and all. You couldn’t believe how much he changed- his hair was longer, he looked more mature, but he still had those fierce eyes and lovely smile. He greeted you with a glare but as soon as your smile fell, he laughed and you finally joined, smacking the hat on his head before hugging him.

“I’m just glad to see you’re unscratched- oh, that looks painful.”

“Glad to see you’re in good spirits too,” you touched your temple- the bruise didn’t hurt anymore but it was an ugly shade of green now. “What did I miss?”

“What did we miss?” Wooyoung turned to get the tofu lying on the table.

“Yep- that certainly was no less than a prison,” you laughed, your stomach growling at the sight of the variety of food on the table. “Can we talk while we eat?”

And so, you briefed them of your ‘prison time’ again, connecting the dots with their help- they intended only to get you from the beginning because only you could have solved that mystery of why the droids acted so much like humans- the link between their subconscious memories and muscle memory was too strong. You could lock away a person’s memory, sure, but the subconscious was something you hadn’t messed with yet, and never intended to either. The reason the people of that project could manipulate memories was because of your team too.

When the three of you were interns in the Droid Project, they had told you to code for machines, not humans. That was how you began. Artificial intelligence was nothing new, you were just aiming to take it to the next level. When they told you that you needed to start coding to make droids, they talked about a better world- a world where soldiers could be able to fight better to defend their land. A world where a doctor could hold an insurmountable amount of knowledge and skills. A world where a patient wouldn’t have to feel all of the pain he would be in. A world where, they mused, you could cook anything you like for yourself without having to go through the trouble of thinking if you were capable. It wasn’t such a bad idea to code for that world.

But it was Wooyoung who accidentally heard what the real deal was. And when he told you both, you hacked into several databases to find out what they really intended to do with droids- and oh, the revelation was startling enough to make you all cry. You couldn’t believe that they used teens to make the blueprint for a world where the Elites- the people of power- would be controlling the droids to make the rest of the world submit to them. This world wasn’t their playground, and they shouldn’t play gods- with that message, the three of you ran away.

And now you were here with the consequences of your actions, with no idea if Jongho was okay. You couldn’t sleep for the past two days and when Wooyoung saw you zoning out in front of the fire in the backyard instead of being in bed, he decided to share a beer with you.

“You look like you have an idea but you’re worried how it will play out,” he observed.

“I mean…” you wrapped your shawl tighter around you. “It can’t get any worse, can it?”

“If they still think you’re back at your home, you might have a chance. They’ll be unsuspecting- we just need to hack into their system and get the Panel to listen.”

The Panel being a group of coders and developers who were, at one point, part of the Droid Project but left just like you. Yunho told you that ever since you were taken, they had been quick with contacting world leaders and giving them a sign that something dark was unravelling right under their noses. He didn’t tell you the identity of those people and you didn’t ask- you trusted him enough to take the right steps. He also told you that they were trying to find a way to get Eden’s military to side with them, but there was no guarantee that the military and the government weren’t already working together so if you made a mistake, you’d be doomed.

“We can’t simply sit and try to hack into their system, Wooyoung, while they have Jongho and several other people suffering with chips inside of them. I’ve seen their experimentations fail and lives lost. I cried myself to sleep everyday and the only reason I’m still sane is because I need to put an end to this as soon as possible-”

“Well, you’re not alone,” Wooyoung told you and you took a deep breath. “We’re here. We’re helping you. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.”

“I do have one idea, but I’m not sure you will agree.”

“If it’s something stupid and you think we won’t agree? You’re probably right and I won’t hear a word about it-”

“About what?” Yunho came outside with his own can of beer. “Was gaming and going to sleep but I heard the chatter.”

“You really should touch the grass once in a while,” you teased. “You can’t spend all your free time in front of screens too.”

“Whatever,” he plopped down on a chair. “Continue, please. Don’t stop on my account.”

“Okay, listen,” you leaned forward, the orange hues of the fire illuminating your face as you spoke. “I need to go and get Jongho back- you both know I can’t simply sit and wait for our hacking attempts to be successful. If they could be hacked, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

“Right,” Yunho agreed.

“When they found Jongho and me, when we ran away, Jongho gave me a short message- two words. ‘Yunho’ and ‘Strictland’. Strictland must be the name of the town they’ve made home at. What do you know about Strictland?”

“Did he… did he tell you to find me and say Strictland?” Yunho frowned. “Are you sure?”

Wooyoung looked as lost as you and you told him you were sure. You watched Yunho’s expressions change from confusion to realisation. “Do you remember when we first found out about the Droid Project, I talked about how this couldn’t have been the first time that humans have tried to create droids?”

“Maybe?” You shrugged.

“I don’t remember, I don’t think so,” Wooyoung admitted.

“Well, the term ‘droid’ only originated recently. There have been other terms used to define the concept of a human machine- and since, at first, the only reason for such a creation would be to fight wars. So they were called super assassins, X-fighters, and a bunch of other stupid terms. Whenever I tried finding more about their history, I got blocked. I even got a few warnings. I thought it must be some confidential information- it would make sense if the general public doesn’t know that such attempts have been made. But… I did find something that suggested that they did succeed once.”

“They did?” Wooyoung looked at you in disbelief. “Wasn’t this supposed to be the first time?”

“I wouldn’t know? They sure make me feel like I’m the one who came up with this. I know I’m not, but I didn’t think that far back into the past?”

“The current droids, you came up with that,” Yunho corrected. “But whatever version- or versions- existed before… there have been occurrences. One that began in Strictland a few decades ago but there’s no evidence. It is said that everything related to that project was burned, all the evidence erased. It was quite a disaster and they covered it up with a few bombs thrown to call it a ‘terrorist’ attack- the military got involved and there was a major clean-up or something. But the facts never matched, and those who dug enough know that the government has been hiding the real incident.”

“And how did Jongho know?”

“Maybe he heard things? He definitely did. And if he heard my name too… they might be coming after me next,” Yunho concluded.

“Well, that just means I have to proceed with my plan.”

“What plan exactly is that?”

You told them what you were thinking. There was a series of ‘no’ from Wooyoung, ‘absolutely not’ from Yunho, but you made them consider every other option and when the sun started to shine its first rays on the trees, you all agreed that this might be risky, yes, but this was probably the only way you could win.

Fight fire with fire.

—---------------------------------

“You must have finally gone insane.”

You lightly shrugged when you heard that- it was rich coming from Dr. Jin when he was the one who pushed you to this point.

“I mean… it’s been a while…” your finger circled the dramatic red button, itching to press it- Wooyoung’s idea. You told him it was stupid but when he insisted that nothing riles people up than seeing big red warnings, you let him craft this goodness.

“What do you want, y/n? Why are you here?”

“I thought you’d know,” you finally stood up, brushing your clothes. “You still have something I can’t go back without.”

“Oh, that stupid droid? You came back for that?”

“That is a human very close to me, which you must have known when you decided to turn him into a droid,” you glared at him. “Don’t test my limits, Dr. Jin. You know how short a temper I have.”

And you had proven that in the span of the last few hours. Your genius plan had been to walk to their office in Strictland, which was relatively easy because all the soldiers recognised you and whenever they tried to move from their places, you told them the purpose of the device in your hand. Not a bomb, but better, you told them. You had one of the soldiers drive you to the office and then you sat down on the ground, waiting for Dr. Jin to show up.

In the meantime, you had a messy confrontation with Mr. Han. You told him you had not expected him to cooperate with any of this but he insisted that he was still following orders to keep his family safe. Though you despised him for making a fool out of you, not even giving you a hint of what was happening, you could understand his reasons. Your reasons were the same after all.

“He’s my family, and I would have you bring him to me right this instant.”

“Or what?”

“Or else I press this,” you raised the remote in your hand. “And it sets off a chain reaction. A droid self-destructs– for real this time, no games,” you looked pointedly at Mr. Han. “and if there’s a droid within a 2 mile radius of that droid, it self-destructs, and so on.”

“All we need to do is snatch it from you,” Dr. Jin scoffed.

“Well, unluckily for you, I’m the droid that will be setting off that chain reaction.”

A chorus of gasps sounded and your seniors- the one who had once been your mentors- all gaped at you. Dumbfounded. Confused.

“You wouldn’t,” it was Dr. Seo that spoke. Your first mentor.

“I would, and you know that,” you extended your wrist showing a small opening where the chip was installed. “Do you remember this version of the droids, where you would still be more human than a machine? The one Dr. Jin was so quick to reject? Turns out it’s the better version- doesn’t require all the surgeries and whatnot.”

“That’s a bluff, isn’t it?” Dr. Jin scoffed. “You wouldn’t kill yourself over some droid.”

“Again, that droid is my family, and yes, I would kill myself if that means everyone here in Strictland dies and this cursed project comes to an end,” you glared at him. “To save humanity, a few lives sacrificed won’t be in vain- oh, and if you try to snatch this?” You waved the device in your hand. “This was just for the dramatics. It doesn’t work- I don’t need it to activate self-destruction.”

Dr. Jin’s nostrils flared in anger, the wrinkles on his face deepening as he tried to make a decision. “Any chance for negotiations? Because I won’t simply hand over Jongho to you- you couldn’t hack into him and deactivate his droid functions. We clearly have the upper hand.”

“You do,” you admitted. “And you can continue with whatever the fuck you’re doing in here, but I can do something for you and you can do something for me in return, right?”

“What do you suggest?” Dr. Seo spoke this time. “What can you give us?”

“What you clearly want. I know you haven’t found a way to solve that muscle memory problem yet.”

“But given more time, we could definitely do it,” Dr. Seo shifted on one leg, pushing his glasses up. “Why would we need you for that?”

“Because I’m pretty sure you can’t do this without me- I’m the only programmer in Eden who can accomplish this,” your smirk was devilish. “You needed me when you began this project, and you clearly need me now. It’s a shame I didn’t cooperate, right? Maybe if you hadn’t used Jongho to rile me up, I would have actually solved the problem.”

“But you didn’t know what the problem was in the first place,” Dr. Seo said.

“I didn’t, but come on. I would have found out with any droid had I observed it as closely as I did Jongho. Now… I code to make the link between muscle memory and the subconscious dormant, and you uninstall the chip in Jongho and let me leave in peace. Do we have a deal?”

“What’s the guarantee you won’t try anything once you have Jongho?”

“None,” you admitted. “But if you trust me, I’ll trust you. For old time’s sake? And you know where my family lives anyway- I wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything.”

Dr. Jin and Dr. Seo looked at each other, whispering. Mr. Han looked like he wished he was beside you at that moment fighting with you, not fighting against you. You gulped down the anxiety bubbling in your throat- you had bluffed a whole lot just now but you needed them to buy it. Yes, you could self-destruct but there was no way you would simply just go back.

“Alright, I think we can work with that,” Dr. Seo came closer, extending his hand. “For old time’s sake.”

“You should apologise for playing dirty,” you shook his hand but he only scoffed in response.

“You’ll have to follow some rules here. Protocol,” Dr. Seo explained and you cooperated this time, letting them scan your body for potential threats and then asking for access to your code. You let them see it- Dr. Seo had made this version with you so when he seemed satisfied save for the self-destruct file that you didn’t allow him to access, he decided to let it be for the moment.

“I have a condition too,” you told him. “I’ll work on uninstalling Jongho’s chip first. Once he’s human, I’ll play my part.”

“Okay- I’ll have a programmer work with you.”

Thus initiated the second part of your plan. You had successfully gained access inside their building and so far, their actions had been very predictable. Wooyoung was right about them asking to read your code too. The self-destruct wasn’t a bluff but you had hidden the real code elsewhere because you just knew Dr. Seo would attempt to replicate it if he got one look at it. You were pretty sure he had gone to note down what little he saw.

What he missed, though, while worrying about the new code was that you did not have one but two chips, side by side, inside your wrist. The other, a tiny thing, attached to the main chip. You finally pressed on your wrist to turn it on.

Surveillance through your eyes. The simplest, most basic droid function, installed in each droid as well as you. But you were reporting back to your server- to Yunho and Wooyoung, who were right at the outskirts of the town, who must have detected your signal by now and would be transmitting the live coverage to the Panel. The Panel, where different world leaders, scientists, human rights workers and other brilliant people were present, the group bigger than ever, waiting to see what you would show them.

And the first sight they saw- oh goodness. Rows and rows of humans strapped on to the stretchers lit by a light so bright that they looked blue. One of them was being brought to you- you were pretty sure your whimper was heard by everyone in the Panel.

Jongho did not look good. The signs of his struggle were quite visible on his bare upper body- a big, ugly bruise on the left side of his stomach, a long slash running down his right arm, a twin bruise like yours on his temple. You were never going to forgive these people.

With newfound fierce determination, you nodded to the person you were to work with- a woman who looked to be in her late thirties with her stern face and slicked back hair. Without saying a word, Jongho was plugged to the screen and his code files secured with multiple passwords were accessed. Then the two of you started working side by side to end every running code in his chip. It must have taken only an hour and then you were done.

“We’ll take him to surgery. You can access whatever you need here while we take the chip out of him.”

“No thanks, I’ll take whatever laptop you have and work from there. He needs to be in front of my eyes.”

“I’ll get back to you,” she said and moved to a corner to convey your message. After getting confirmation, she allowed you to follow her to the medical section of the office. The lights started to dim the further you walked down the hallway, almost to the extent that you thought they were going to surprise you with something unexpected, but a turn to the right and you were suddenly in a familiar setting of a hospital. You were glad it looked normal- all the neon lights used in the offices had rooted some trauma in you for sure.

Unsurprisingly, the waiting room was equipped with all sorts of necessities you would need. The woman simply turned on the systems and plugged in the USBs before instructing you to wait for Dr. Seo. You rolled your eyes- nothing you could do about that, so you resorted to monitoring Jongho, trying to quell the seed of hope in your heart.

Jongho would be okay. You would make sure of that.

The process of installing the chips in humans was something you had seen a lot- however, uninstalling the chip was rare. You tried not to recall the time when you first tried to save a person- it had backfired and induced a seizure. While you had worked with a lot of programmers to make sure something like that wouldn’t happen again, the people here kept insisting they didn’t need you to work on this because they thought there wouldn’t be a time when they would have to turn droids back into humans. But you were grateful that you and your team had been stubborn enough to at least make it a little better.

Now it was up to Jongho and his willpower to make it out of there with full health. You weren’t sure what you would do if something happened to him.

While monitoring Jongho, you started working on the one problem that had doomed your life- the link between subconscious and muscle memory. You had Dr. Seo working with you from his office- it was no surprise that he was monitoring your progress and making contributions considering he was one of the brains behind this project and had a lot of medical knowledge to contribute from the years he worked as a neurosurgeon before he started learning programming.

But since he was watching, that meant you had to do this properly- and you would. You understood that coming here to save Jongho meant you would have to share the knowledge that could change the power dynamics of this world. You could only pray that the Panel would make sure that these people would never get to put your theory into practice, because you couldn’t imagine a world where humans would be programmed to lose the very essence that made them human to fight for people that could only be called monsters. And you prayed your wildcard- getting the military involved- would work.

It had to be the longest three hours of your life. By the time Jongho was out of surgery, his vitals normal, you were almost done but your hands were trembling uncontrollably, your sniffs were getting louder as you tried to control the sobs that threatened to leave your body, because-

You did it. Jongho was okay, Jongho was okay.

And you may have just doomed all of humanity with your code. You were pretty sure Dr. Seo might be testing your code on some unfortunate human right now. You should have gone with him- but you couldn’t leave Jongho. He needed to be in front of your eyes. You wished you had some means of contacting Yunho and Wooyoung right now- all they needed to do was tell you that you did well and you would be fine. But you didn’t have the means to hear their reassurance so you had to settle for the hope that the Panel was proceeding with the final part of the plan.

A military raid. Eden’s military against the New Government’s soldiers. Eden had never been so divided.

A notification popped up on your laptop and Dr. Seo confirmed the validity of the code so far and asked you to wrap it up. You took a deep breath.

The last step. The final step you had to take in order to destroy the foundations of the Eden Droid Project, once and for all.

You told him to give you a minute- you needed to check if Jongho was okay. With that excuse, you got up and went inside the ward to check on your unconscious friend. The surgery wasn’t anything big, no. It was just like removing a piece of shrapnel from your body, the chip relying on signals to send to the neurons. You just had to make sure that Jongho’s body hadn’t adapted to the chip’s presence so much that it couldn’t function without it anymore.

You wiped your face with your sleeves before clutching Jongho’s hand- you needed his strength, every bit of it. With your other hand, you combed his hair so it wouldn’t fall on his eyes. Jongho stirred in his sleep and you whispered his name. He subconsciously squeezed your hand before his eyes fluttered open. He wasn’t surprised- seeing you wake him up was nothing new, though it had been quite a while. He looked around to get his bearings-

“Oh, goodness, what are you doing here?”

“Good to see you too,” you laughed, wiping your eyes again. “How are you feeling? Can you move? Is your vision okay?”

“Never been better,” Jongho groaned as he sat up, exhaling. “I feel tired. That’s new.”

“That means you’re human,” you smiled.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re no longer a droid, Jongho,” you told him, for once pleased with your work. “You’re okay now.”

“But where are we?”

“Still there,” you let go of his hand to squeeze his shoulder, letting it trail down his bicep which was when you started tapping. “You’ll go home soon, I promise.”

“And you?” He asked, “Won’t you come too?”

“I’ll be right behind,” you kissed his forehead, having finished tapping your message on his skin. Jongho squeezed your hand in warning but you shook your head. “I have to wrap things up here, but I promise I’ll be home soon.”

“We go together, or we don’t go at all.”

“Jongho-”

“I won’t leave you behind, not this time,” he shook his head fiercely. “I know you’re strong. But we’ve always worked better together, haven’t we?”

“You’re still recovering though.”

Jongho called your name in warning and you caved in. You told him to make sure to follow your instructions and you made a request to Dr. Seo that you wanted to be there to witness the end of this. Dr. Seo sent an escort who accompanied the two of you to a lab where he was indeed working on an unfortunate young man just like you had suspected. Dr. Seo cast a wary look at Jongho before turning to you.

“You’ve worked brilliantly so far, Miss Jeon. Shall we begin?”

You nodded and asked Jongho to take a seat. You first went to check the man’s vitals, taking note of his label - CS, 005. “He’s one of the first few, isn’t he?”

“He is,” Dr. Seo confirmed, setting up your station. “A volunteer, though he didn’t quite know what he was getting into at that time.”

“Right,” you muttered, swallowing the distaste his words brought. “I’ll start now.”

Feeling sorry for the man who was about to lose the last shreds of humanity in him, perhaps forever, you started typing the codes, Dr. Seo watching from his screen across you. There were just a few lines of command left to type and you cast a quick glance at Jongho who passed a subtle nod.

He was ready. And so were you.

You had tapped a message to Jongho- Cookie’s play. A joke that ran in both your families of how Cookie would pretend to be sick whenever she wanted to have her way or skip school. And he was going to do just that.

Jongho groaned loudly in pain, clutching his head, causing Dr. Seo to stop what he was doing and frown at him in confusion while you asked Jongho if everything was okay, your fingers typing a series of codes that were going to be your salvation now. Jongho fell on his knees and you, feigning panic, got up along with Dr. Seo who was genuinely worried for Jongho’s wellbeing since you had made sure that you weren’t going to give them anything if he wouldn’t make it out alive. You started walking across the room to where Jongho was, the droid CS on your way and you paused just a fraction of a second to slip your chip- the small chip they had missed during inspection- in the port on his back from where he was plugged to the system.

You rushed to Jongho and asked him if he was okay- he continued to act like his head was going to burst open with pain and just when Dr. Seo took out his phone to call someone, Jongho pounced on him, tackling him to the ground and placing a hand over his mouth. You didn’t wait to see who would win as they started clawing at each other- you ran back to your station to your laptop, glancing once at Dr. Seo’s panicked face before pressing enter and enabling the ‘run’ function.

The guards outside must have heard some commotion and one of them peeked in to check but it was too late- thanks to Dr. Seo being impatient and sceptical, testing your code after every few minutes, it only took a handful of seconds for the code to stop running itself which was when the droid opened its eyes. Dr. Seo finally managed to land a punch on Jongho and get him to let go of him. He rushed towards you but before he could stop the guards, one of them yelled ‘freeze!’ and you raised your hands-

Unplugging the droid in the process.

“What have you done-” Dr. Seo reached for his screen to read the code, consumed by confusion and panic as he read the last lines which must be making no sense to him now-

Because the original code was also in that mini chip you had sneaked in. If this went well, you would owe Yunho your life- and Jongho’s.

“CS, 005, what’s your status?” You whispered just so the droid could hear.

“Okay,” he confirmed.

“Then get up and protect us from the threat.”

You thought you saw the slightest hint of a smirk on the droid’s face and before you could ponder over it, he rose to full glory, straightening and cracking his neck before asking you to take cover.

What you saw next was something you were sure you would never forget. There was no way this person wasn’t a skilled fighter before he became a droid because he dodged each bullet with expertise and kicked the gun out of the guard’s hand, catching it mid-air and pointing it at Dr. Seo, creeping towards him and holding him at gunpoint.

“Down on your knees, now,” he commanded and the guard obeyed instantly, backup arriving too late. Nothing they could do now- the Head Coder of this project could lose his life if someone made a wrong move.

“How,” Dr. Seo muttered when he spotted you from the corner of his eye. “I saw the code- there was nothing.”

“It’s just like what you did with Jongho and the other droids,” you finally let out the laugh you had been holding. “I am the master now, and my wish is his command. Isn’t that right, CS?”

He nodded in response and Jongho whistled, thoroughly impressed by you. You took out Dr. Seo’s phone from his pocket, unlocked it and called Dr. Jin.

“Is it done?”

“Uh, you might want to come here, Dr. Jin,” you said innocently. “We may have an emergency.”

You hung up before he could respond and Mr. Han came bursting into the room, freezing when he saw just what was going on.

“Uh, I was going to inform you that there’s been a military raid but it looks like it was planned…”

“Maybe,” you shrugged but you couldn’t keep in the sigh of relief- all hope was not lost after all. The military was on with you in this one- looks like the Panel had played their part well.

Mr. Han, to your surprise, was smiling in satisfaction. “Is it going to be over soon?”

“For you lot, yes,” you narrowed your eyes. “You don’t look too mad about it.”

“I’m not,” he smiled and you tried to figure out just what he was thinking but Dr. Jin appeared, fuming. The old man looked like he was going to have a stroke any second.

“Stand. Down.” He commanded. “Or you’ll face the worst consequences, Miss Jeon.”

“Like what?” You cocked your head. “I could have this droid blow your favourite coder’s brains out, right here. I don’t think it can get worse than that-”

Dr. Jin’s phone rang and when he frowned at his screen, you finally let the little ray of hope you had been harbouring in your heart consume you. Dr. Jin picked up the call and you watched all the blood drain from his face.

“Ah… It can get worse,” you finally grinned, looking at Jongho who appeared a little lost but squeezed your hand in assurance anyway. “CS, you will continue to hold Dr. Seo as leverage until I give you the signal. Dr. Jin… I think it’s time you sit down and accept your defeat.”

Dr. Jin scoffed and attempted to leave the room but you shared one look with the droid and he knew what to do- with impeccable aim, he fired the gun in his direction, hitting right in the middle of his calf. His painful yell echoed throughout the vicinity and some of the guards pointed the gun in your direction instinctively while some rushed to help the man. You ignored Dr. Seo’s series of curses aimed at you amidst the chaos. Soon, a man in Eden’s staple blue military uniform walked in followed by a group of soldiers, ordering them to start arresting everyone in the building- and to your surprise, he nodded at you. CS finally let go of Dr. Seo only for him to be handcuffed and escorted outside.

“Thank you for coming,” you said as a greeting to Eden’s Military Commander- everyone in the room must have recognised him seeing how they were so willingly cooperating now. “I wasn’t expecting you to.”

“It took me quite some convincing to come, but seeing what’s going on here,” the tall man looked around, “I think it was necessary. If you could be so kind as to guide me through the appropriate measures to be taken regarding the droids?”

“Yes- can you make sure Mr. Choi is escorted safely outside first? He might require some medical attention-”

“Y/n-”

“It’s okay, Jongho,” you assured with a smile. “It’s going to take me a while here, but I’ll be with Yunho and Wooyoung. I’ll be okay.”

Jongho looked at the Commander for permission and he nodded, letting him take you to a side for a little privacy. “I’m anxious, y/n. I don’t want to leave you here-”

“I’m not alone, trust me,” you took both his hands in yours. “I need you to get out of here and get to Cookie, okay? She’s going to be worried sick- she knows everything now.”

“Really?” Jongho shook his head. “What about your parents? My parents- are they okay?”

“They’re all fine,” you told him. “They had a memory blocker but Yunho was going to take care of that before he came here. Everything will be normal when you go back.”

“Not normal. Not if you’re not there,” he said and you laughed at that.

“Jongho, I’m so thankful to you for a number of things. I’ll tell you all about it once we’re back, okay?” You promised. “But I need to take care of all the droids first. You know they can’t keep on living like this anymore. You know that better than anyone.”

Jongho nodded reluctantly and you continued. “You saved me today, Jongho. I’ll thank you for that now. And you need to be safe, at home with our families, so I can work peacefully here, okay? We’ll be in contact- here,” you went to grab a paper and pen to scribble your contact number. “You can call me whenever.”

“Alright,” he finally gave in, bringing you in for a hug and you gladly soaked in every bit of it. You needed that for what was next.

—--------------------------

“You’re burning the toasts, Wooyoung.”

“They need to be just the right amount of brown for this dish to come together,” Wooyoung tsk-ed at your ignorance and you scoffed, looking for someone to back you but apparently everyone’s new favourite sport was to gang up on you now.

“We get that you’ve not been in the kitchen for a while,” Jongho began. “But how did you survive living alone in Strictland?”

“Let me guess. Instant noodles and microwave food,” Cookie shook her head in disappointment when you pursed your lips guiltily. “Mom’s gonna have a stroke if she hears.”

“Shut up,” you muttered though your heart ached at the mention of your mother- two years of not knowing where her daughter was had really aged her. “And you’re laughing, Yunho. As if you’re one to say.”

“Still better than you,” he stuck out his tongue at you and before you could retort, you heard the door open.

“I’ve set everything, what’s taking so long?” San said, going to check on Wooyoung. “Now that looks good.”

“See?” Wooyoung turned to look at you. “Man’s got taste.”

“I think I was better off coding in my room, what say you, Cookie?” You turned to leave but Yunho grabbed your arm and swung you back to your spot, laughing along with Jongho. You noticed Cookie was too busy staring at San who was helping Wooyoung plate the last of the dishes now. You met Jongho’s eyes and you shook your heads- her crush on San was way too obvious. Yunho shook his head, amused, and you all decided to let her have her moment.

It had been about 3 months since the raid in Strictland and since then, you were working on wiping clean any signs of the Droid Project in the land. You, Yunho and Wooyoung had worked day and night for a whole month to turn the hundreds of droids back to normal and then it was the military’s job to get them back to where they belonged. Everyone had unanimously agreed that since you guys were the brains behind this, it was your decision if you wanted to keep the data or delete everything permanently. One look at Yunho and it was decided- you were going to burn everything related to the project. It had almost caused the world to lose its humanity. There should be no signs of it anymore.

Everyone who was a part of the Eden Droid Project was tried in court and imprisoned with heavy sentences of treason, especially those who had collaborated with people from other nations and risked their homeland’s security. These included everyone who willingly cooperated- testimonies were heard, yes, but they didn’t prove to be much valuable. All the military needed was a background check of their activities which attested to their willingness- people like you who had left the project in its early stages and suddenly found themselves back were let go of with non-disclosure agreements. Some were put on probation but it turned out good.

What surprised you was when you were called as a witness for Mr. Han’s testimony. He revealed that he had purposely not blocked your memories of Jongho so you would quickly realise what was going on and do something about this project. Since he had always been a part of this project, it was hard to believe that he had contributed to the downfall of this project but you had to agree- if it weren’t for him, things would have been much, much different. He got the lightest sentence among those who willingly participated in this project and he was grateful that you came on his behalf. You figured you couldn’t be mad at him for too long- he probably did what he did for his family too.

The Panel was sure to not let a whisper of this project out- everything was hushed and treaties were signed. You met with a few of the members who commended your efforts but you didn’t take any credit. You did what you had to. You only asked for one favour- to let you and your friends be. You were never going to play with the idea of droids again- this was enough. You were simply going to work on the last droid- CS- from ‘the headquarters’ which was Yunho and Wooyoung’s home. The Panel agreed- they knew better than to get on your wrong side. If the world came to hear about what happened in Strictland, the establishments would collapse.

As for San, your new friend… he was CS- the droid. The person you felt the most sorry for. The person you had apologised to at least a hundred times in a span of the past few months because it took you the longest to get his droid functions to hibernate, and once he became somewhat human?

You recalled the look in his eyes that absolutely shattered you- the look of guilt and horror. It was very messy at first, countless arguments as you tried to convince him that you were not a monster (but weren’t you? You created the droids, after all) and that you were so sorry for using him as a weapon and as a shield, and you were sorry for what he had to go through all this time. Sometimes, it looked like you two were getting along but then one night, you had your worst argument- screaming and yelling, tears and anger. Yunho and Wooyoung had been out and they chose the worst (arguable) timing to come back home- with Cookie and Jongho.

And how Cookie defended you. When she heard the yells, she stormed inside and hugged you and you sobbed into her chest while she sent daggers in the stranger’s direction. And then what she said afterwards was how you got here- to being a group of tightly knit friends.

“My sister has been used, manipulated, held hostage in a simulation and made to code you droids with the threat of her family hanging on her head. She went back to sacrifice herself and everyone including you if that meant the world could be a safer place for the rest of us, so don’t you dare call her a monster. If it weren’t for her, you would have been their first killing machine, do you understand? You should be thanking her for trying to save you- she’s still a fucking droid and refuses to feel tired or sleep until you can!”

“Cookie!” You scolded. “Language!”

“I’m almost 18 now, I’m not a kid anymore,” she glared at you and you felt that stab, having missed two of the most important years of her life. She went back to glaring at San who looked… starstruck? “She didn’t see her family and her boyfriend in 2 years because she was afraid she’d hurt us. Don’t you call her a monster ever again.”

Now? Now you smiled proudly whenever you thought of that night. After Cookie’s outburst, everyone was too surprised to say anything and it was Wooyoung who tried to cut the tension in the air by asking Cookie to take you to his room. Jongho stood gaping at the little kid he had practically raised, muttering, “I did not raise her like this but damn.” And he was right. The boys had a good laugh and San slept over it and realised he may have been acting like an idiot.

And that idiot was clearly very curious about Cookie, you realised when he opened his birthday present for her to reveal a lilac cardigan- Cookie had very casually pointed at someone’s cardigan in the street calling it cute. You did not expect San to be so observant.

“Oh, this is lovely,” Cookie ran a hand over the cardigan’s soft fabric. “The colour- I love it, San.”

“Stop shooting daggers at San,” Jongho, who was sitting next to you, whispered, poking your stomach and you swatted his hand away.

“I can’t help it,” you whispered back, eyes still locked in San’s direction. “He’s getting way too chummy with her lately. I don’t approve.”

“You literally told San you love him like, two days ago,” Jongho pointed out and you glared at him.

“That’s because he got me my favourite brownie when I had been working all night long,” you said as if that warranted your admission of love for him. “As a polite servant should. His master is losing sleep trying to get his droidy senses back to human.”

“This droid still possesses his super hearing,” San whispered just for you to hear- you possessed that too. “So maybe shut up.”

“Stop looking at Cookie like that and I’ll shut up,” you countered and Jongho laughed out loud, having put two and two together from what he heard you whisper to San. “Don’t make me activate the master-servant dynamics back.”

“Oh, stop that,” Cookie glared at the two of you and you both immediately pretended to be normal, smiling at her. “Please get along for once. It’s my birthday. Where’s your gift, sis?”

“Uhh,” you looked around, digging in your pocket, “Here.”

A finger-heart. Cookie groaned loudly and everyone laughed as you ran for your life when she got up from her chair. “It’s on the way!” You yelled. “I forgot to order it on time!”

“It better be good or else I’ll have San droid-handle you!”

You stopped running, coincidentally finding yourself behind San’s chair. “You wouldn’t. She wouldn’t, right?”

“Your wish is not my command but her wish,” San pointed at Cookie before looking at you with that smirk you wished to wipe off his face, “very well might be.”

“Oh, I’m going back to code,” you started and San laughed, grabbing your hand before you could go inside and apologising like a true gentleman (he was actually a gentleman, you found). Wooyoung complained that the food was going to get cold if you all kept joking around and you finally gave in, settling between San and Jongho and digging into the feast.

It was heartwarming to have all of them together like this, after everything that you went through. You had never felt more content in your life, and it showed, even though you hadn’t reached the finish line yet. You still had to turn San and yourself back to normal- you had been far too busy erasing all evidence of the Droid Project to worry about yourself. As for San, it was a sensitive line to tread on. You did not want to hasten it and he understood- he was just glad that his droid functions could be controlled at his will. He was content too, having reunited with his family and found another here.

Jongho noticed you smiling to yourself as you walked back home from the convenience store- you had gone to get more drinks but you also volunteered because you wanted to take Jongho along with you. You barely had alone time with him ever since you came back so you made most of the stolen moments.

“What’s going on in your head?” Jongho teased, elbowing you lightly.

“Nothing. I’m just happy,” you grinned. The simple truth- you were happy. “Wanna take a little break?” You pointed at the empty park with swings and Jongho led you inside, the two of you settling on the swings.

“How are your parents?” You asked Jongho. “Are they still confused about your disappearance?”

“They are, I mean… I told them I went to find you but you’re not back home yet. They wonder why sometimes.”

“When did you guys move?” You asked. “It’s a shame that we won’t be neighbours anymore.”

“I know,” Jongho sighed. “My grandmother was sick two years ago- they wanted to move closer so they could take better care of her. We still own that house so we haven’t ‘fully’ moved away’.”

“Oh, does that mean you can come by sometimes?” You asked but then you remembered. “You have college, though.”

“I could come stay there on the weekends if that means we can spend some time together,” he shrugged and you poked his thigh.

“Just like when your parents went on a trip and I would sneak out in the middle of the night so we could have sleepovers?”

“Good old times,” Jongho laughed. Now that you were getting a good look at him, you noticed how much he had changed in the years you had been gone. He was much broader now, the muscles peeking through his half-sleeve shirt more defined, and-

“You’re staring.”

“You got a haircut,” you said. “I like your hair a bit longer, I think.”

“I’m going to shave my head,” Jongho declared and you laughed loudly. Just like the old times. “This reminds me of the last time we were at a park. On the swings, just like this.”

While you had thanked Jongho for a lot of things ever since you came back- for taking care of Cookie while you were gone, for believing in you and not going out and beyond trying to find you, for making sure your parents knew you were safe wherever you were and this was something you needed to do, for not giving up when he got taken and turned into a droid, and for keeping you safe there… you were still struggling with words needed for an apology. Jongho told you time and time again that he didn’t need your apology, but that didn’t mean you felt less sorry.

“Do you consider it a bad memory?” You asked and Jongho shook his head.

“Never. I was a bit out of it when I learned that you were gone, but one night I came back to the park and recalled our conversation. I told you that you could trust me and you told me that you did. You assured me that you loved me and you knew that you weren’t alone-”

“Jongho-”

“Let me finish,” he smiled gently at you. “If you hadn’t told me all of that… I don’t know what I would have done. I was grateful that you had told me that. It meant that whatever you did was necessary.”

“God, how did I get so lucky?” You looked up at the sky, laughing to keep the sting in your eyes from getting worse. “I think I’ve used maximum luck. It can’t get any better than this.”

“Please,” Jongho smacked your arm, his ears going red and you giggled. Even after all these years, simple confessions like these made him fluster and it was the cutest thing. “I’m just telling you this so you can stop looking at me like you owe me a big fat apology. Not a good look at you, y/n. I like it better when you act like you’re the boss and can do whatever you want.”

“But I am sorry,” you told him and he looked pointedly at you but decided to accept it. Perhaps that would take the weight off your shoulders. “I should have told you more. That’s the only regret I had.”

“Oh, we’re fine anyway, aren’t we?” Jongho said. “We’re all back. Our gang has grown, Cookie is finally sharing drinks with you, we got a new friend-”

“Choi San,” you muttered. “I don’t know how you two get along so well. How all of you do. I think we’re still moments away from going full warrior-mode droid on each other.”

“Oh, that’s because you don’t like how chummy he and Cookie are,” Jongho laughed heartily. “Don’t let her find out. She’s gonna start rebelling.”

“Like, I know they can do whatever they want, I’m not against it at all. I’m probably wary because, well, I’m her sister. Of course I’m going to be. It’s just that… he looks at her the way you look at me. It’s unsettling.”

Jongho raised a brow. “Oh? And how do I look at you?”

“With those big eyes,” you grinned, and when his gaze got softer, you smacked his arm. “Stop!”

“Why?” Jongho pulled you closer, making you rock dangerously on the swing but he was quick to cage your legs between his so you wouldn’t fall over. “How do I look at you? Like I’m in love? Like you’re my everything?”

“You need a drink,” you told him, about to bend to pull one out of the grocery bag but Jongho grabbed your arm instead, making you look at him. “Stop, you’re making me shy!”

Jongho must have been in a dire need of drink because he wasn’t all for such romantic moments- but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a romantic. When he was in the mood, you often found it overwhelming simply because you couldn’t believe he could love you so much. He intertwined his hands with yours, caressing the scar on your wrist below which the chip was embedded. When he looked at you, your gaze was already stuck on his parted lips and he didn’t waste time drawing you in and meeting your lips in a heartfelt kiss. You let your arms travel around his neck mostly for support because you were still worried you would fall off the swing but Jongho had you secure, one hand on your waist and the other on your neck as he deepened the kiss.

It was perfect. It was quiet with only the sound of cicadas carried by the cool breeze, the faint sound of traffic almost dismissable. It was nostalgic and contained longing from all the time you spent apart, the time you lost and wished you could get back. But what made your heart content was that it was still the same. He was still the same, just like you had left him. He still kissed you like he couldn’t have been elsewhere. He still held you like he did the first time- with caution and care, making sure you felt safe. As you continued to kiss, he let go of that caution and let himself get comfortable too, the kiss turning passionate. It was only when you heard the sound of passersby- children- that you broke apart with a little laugh.

“Can we ditch going back to give them the drinks and continue?” You asked and Jongho laughed, kissing you for a few moments more before he let go with a sigh.

“You owe me two years worth of kisses,” Jongho said, getting up and helping you get up next. “You better make up for it.”

“Really?” You took him by surprise as you pulled him for another short kiss. “That’s one less for you now.”

“I’ll take another then,” Jongho kissed you back and when he drew apart, you two burst into a fit of giggles. “Let’s go back.”

The short walk back to the headquarters cut a few more kisses from what you owed him and when you set the drinks on the table, you found everyone looking pointedly at the two of you. “What?”

“What took you so long?” Yunho shook his head, opening the drinks and then pausing mid-air. “Actually… don’t answer that.”

“Oh?” San unintentionally quipped in, looking confused for a moment before he looked around and connected the dots. “Oh.”

“Ew,” Cookie said and everyone burst into laughter, making Jongho hide his face in a corner and you threw a packet of chips at Wooyoung who was laughing the loudest, who proved you wrong instantly by laughing even louder. You couldn’t help but join despite everyone ganging up to tease the two of you. You subconsciously touched your wrist, remembering that you were part droid right now but San caught that, sharing the sentiment-

That even though you were part droid, you had never felt more human. You had never felt more emotional, and perhaps, these moments that became a part of your subconscious had ultimately saved all of you. You made a silent prayer wishing everyone’s subconscious would be filled with such wholesome and happy moments. As long as you had this, you would be okay.

Elsewhere, at the outskirts of Strictland, a man dressed in all-black with a cap was standing anxiously waiting for someone. As soon as he saw a car approach, he clutched his briefcase tighter, worried his attempt at a negotiation would go wrong. The car halted a few feet away and a man in a suit accompanied by another of a much bigger stature drew closer.

“What have you got?”

“A few documents and one chip that I managed to hide before they found me,” the man adjusted his cap. “I have a trial scheduled this week so I thought I’d get this done.”

“And everything is here, in this briefcase?” the man in the suit asked and got a nod. He signalled . “Thank you. Your job here is done.”

Before the man could ask what was next, the one standing in the shadows pulled out a gun and shot that man in the forehead before he could blink. The man in the suit wiped his suit mockingly.

“Get rid of him, and make it quick. We’ve got work to do.”

#FINALLY.#jongho x reader #jongho angst #jongho fluff #choi jongho #choi jongho x reader #jongho #choi jongho fluff #choi jongho angst #ateez x reader #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez fluff #ateez angst #ateez au #ateez ff #ateez fanfic

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rosenbergamot · 2 months

Text

“The snails like you?” Gem’s bewildered voice knocks him out of his building trance. He turns to her, then looks down at the snail that’s standing at his feet. It’s beady little eyes stare up at him. One could say they’re filled with love and admiration, but Grian is not that person.

“I… guess?” He reaches down and pats it on its shell. His hand comes back thick with slime. His nostrils flare. “I dunno, they just keep coming back to me? I haven’t really given them anything.”

Gem puts her hands on her hips, stares down at the snail. She looks just about ready to punt it across the bay. It’s just a snail, though! “These stupid things have been eating my builds ever since I got here, and look at you! They love you! What are you doing that I’m not?”

“Fishing an exorbitant amount?” He tries.

She throws her hands in the air. The snail begins to slowly turn to her. “No, I do that too! I’ve been doing that since I got here! I swear, you’ve just got a snail spirit or something, because I haven’t known anyone else whose builds they don’t eat.”

The snail has reached her and begins to chew on her boots. He watches as its slime dissolves the leather at her toe. He looks down at his hand and notes that his skin isn’t dissolving.

Huh. That’s weird.

She shakes it off and huffs, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “Tell me what you did!”

“Gem, I seriously have no idea. I-I’ve just been fishing!” The snail slides towards him and starts to crawl up his leg. There’s a slight tingle where it touches. He reaches down and pats it again. “I think maybe they just like what I’ve got going on here. Isn’t that right, snail?”

No response, just beady lifeless eyes.

“Ugh.” Realistically, he agrees with everything she’s saying and has no qualms with her getting this angry. Because of this, he doesn’t know what to say. There really is no reason these silly things like him so much. It’s just as confusing for him as it is for her.

The snail is now climbing up his back and staining his sweater with slime. “Next thing I know, you’re going to turn into a snail and start eating my stuff!”

He giggles. The snail sits on the top of his head like a hat. It’s ridiculously cold. “Come now, Gem, you know I wouldn’t go for your base. I’d go over there and eat Scar’s stuff.”

The tension drops from her shoulders. She rolls her eyes, smiling a bit now. “Yeah, that’s only natural. Well, don’t let me keep you from your snail shenanigans! But I swear I’ll get to the bottom of this!” She waggles her finger at him playfully.

The snail falls off of his head as he nods. “I’ll hold you to that!”

He watches her hop across the water back to her lighthouse. His back is tingling from where the slime met his skin. It feels like he’s been dunked in mucous. Ugh. He needs to go have a shower.

Later that night while he’s cleaning up, Grian stares into his bathroom mirror. Something has been feeling off. His back has started to itch. It feels like something is crawling underneath his skin. He wants to check his back to make sure nothing is wrong, but there’s a heavy feeling of dread that overtakes him whenever he thinks about it.

Indisputably, that must mean something is wrong.

Still, he manages to steel his nerves and turn so he can see it in the foggy mirror.

The first thing he notices is how red his skin has gotten. It looks like it’s raised a bit, as if a foreign object has been shoved underneath the surface and is trying to escape. He turns more fully, allowing himself to see all of his back.

The raised skin is in the shape of a spiral, bigger towards the outside. It spans the entirety of his back, sucks up his shoulder blades, dwarfs his waist.

He flexes, noting the dull ache that comes with the movement. Curious. It looks a little bit like a snail shell.

Huh.

#hermitcraft #YEAH #hermitcraft s10 #rosie writing #watched gems latest episode and was like Cool Snails what if they were uzumaki and horrifying though #thoughts ?????#horror and hermitcraft my beloved

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pholla-jm · 7 months

Text

Innocent Love

IMAGINE: INNOCENT LOVE ~ LUFFY X READER GENRE: FLUFF WARNINGS: NONE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luffy loved his nakama, his friends and food. He especially loved you. He thought he loved you the same way he loved his nakama. But this was a different type of love. The best way to describe it was puppy love. It was like this when he first laid eyes on you. You were so pretty to him, and then when he saw you fight- it was love at first sight.

You really had no choice but to join his crew. He was very adamant about you joining the straw hat pirates. To be honest, he only had to ask you twice.

He had the urge to follow you around. His eyes would always drift over to you, wondering what you were doing. He also made it his mis mission to always make you smile. He loved the smile that graced your face and the way your eyes sparkled whenever you laughed. It was honestly never a dull moment with him.

Luffy didn’t really understand these types of feelings though. It wasn’t until dinner time and some teasing for his true feelings to be shed to light.

“Mmm!” Luffy moans while eating Sanji’s food, “(y/n)! Have you tried this? It’s so good.” He says handing you some of his food. Everyone’s eyes widen when they saw him hold his food out to you. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Maybe he was just showing you his food?

“No, I haven’t yet. But I have some on my plate. So I’ll try it soon.” You tell him. “Shiishishi. Here! Have some.” He says not giving you any time to reject his food offer. He had shoved the food in your mouth causing everyone’s jaw to drop. So he was giving you his food. They had never seen this before.

“Mm! You’re right. It tastes really good. Here, have some of mine.” You say giving a spoonful to Luffy as well. You were about to drop it on his plate, but his mouth found your spoon first. You didn’t really mind though; it was a normal thing between you two.

“Thanks (y/n)!”

No one could really believe their eyes right now.

The silence in the dining room was broken by Usopp’s snickers. “Ooh, it looks like our Captain is in love.” He sing songs causing some of the members to chuckle as well.

A blush was starting to creep on your face from Usopp’s words. You could also hear Sanji start to wail at his words. You didn’t really pay any attention to it though.

“Hm?” Luffy tilts his head to the side, “of course I love (y/n). They’re my nakama!” You groan, putting your head in your hands. You were starting to feel a little embarrassed by the situation.

Nami starts laughing, “no Luffy. You love (y/n) as more than a nakama.” Luffy only grew more confused, “what do you mean? What could be more than a nakama?” “Oh, you are so hopeless Luffy.”

You really hated that they were talking about this while you were still in the same room. It was embarrassing for you. You could feel your face turn completely red.

“Hey (y/n)! Why is your face so red?” You hear Luffy ask causing your eyes to widen. “Nothing!” You shout, abruptly standing up from the table. “But you’re not done eating.” He says. “I’m full! Here.” You pass his plate to Luffy. Which he wastes no time scarfing his food down.

You really needed to get out there. You knew if you stayed a second longer, you would spontaneously combust from embarrassment. Once you were out on the deck, you could feel the cool sea breeze blow against your warm cheeks. You sigh in content, happy that the hot feeling was going away.

However, that was short lived it. Five minutes passed by until you heard the shout of your name and someone crashed into you. You fell to the ground with a thump with Luffy on top of you. Luffy laughter riveted around you as he got off of you. You couldn’t even be mad at him.

You didn’t even have to look back to know it was Luffy and that warm feeling was rushing back to your face.n

“Nami explained everything to me.” Luffy says causing you to groan as you stood up. You really didn’t want to talk about this now. “Luffy- “

You suddenly felt his arms wrap around you, and you were pulled into his chest.

“Will you stay with me?”

You blinked a couple times, trying to make sense of his question.

“What? Well of course. I am part of the crew after all.” “I want you to stay by my side forever.”

As the words started to compute in your head, you realized that this was as close as you were going to get to a confession. You smiled at him and finally wrap your arms back around him. “I’ll always stay with you.”

You were definitely going to have to talk to Nami about what she said to Luffy after you left.

#one piece #oneshot #monkey d. luffy #one piece luffy #straw hat luffy #luffy x reader #luffy x y/n #straw hat pirates

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pluto-00 · 3 months

Text

DRUNK OFF YOU.

nsfw(16+), black fem reader, eating out, afab reader, praising, degrading(not directed to reader), whining/begging, mentions of spit, dom reader(ish), sub/switch male, and after-care.

pet names; my love & baby.

pussy drunk men! who are kind of pathetic when it comes to you. You always have him needy when your away, poor baby can’t even get off properly when you aren’t there.

pussy drunk men! who’d want nothing more than to please you when you finally come home.

“please my love, let me have a taste, i’ll promise to take good care of you t’nite.”

pussy drunk men! who’d at the drop of a hat would get on they’re knees if you’re stressed and needed some relief.

pussy drunk men! who’d take one lap of it, and start moaning and rutting into the the mattress like a little bitch. Causing you in response to laugh, and push his head away from your heat.

“I let you get a taste, and you start acting like a complete whore.”

“M’sorry baby, i’m g’nna calm down..I promise.”

pussy drunk men! who’d groan as your lower half started to get wetter. His muffled sounds collidin against your sopping cunt.

“Fuckk, you’re getting everywhere.”

pussy drunk men! who enjoys when your thighs cramp around his face, priding himself on your physical reactions alone. The way you tug on his hair, as your back arches are some of his favorite things he likes to see.

pussy drunk men! who are very skilled with their mouth alone, can have you seeing stars for hours if you wanted.

pussy drunk men! who likes maintaining eye contact the entire time when he’s going down on you, he just loves watching you come undone.

“I wish you could see how you gorgeous you look right now, mhm.”

pussy drunk men! who can go on for hours, he could have an aching dick in his boxers and yet still drink you up like a man in the desert who found a well.

pussy drunk men! who’s absolutely a mess when its comes to you, your slick all over his lips, and his spit dripping down your inner thighs

pussy drunk men! who’s probably has you in tears or close to it. A soft smile plays on his lips, as you buck your hips up into his mouth, a clear sign you need more.

pussy drunk men! who’s made you cum probably twice already just by his tongue alone, and is now pushing for another. This is by pure enjoyment alone, you're over-stimulated, and not once has he stopped.

pussy drunk men! who praises you relentlessly, he’s just so thankful that you let him go on for this long. His thumb runs over your puffy clit, trying to get another climax out of you with a slight grin on his face.

“You’re being so good for me, my love. thank you.”

pussy drunk men! who when they are done, kiss you on the lips, and go put on a warm bath as another thank you.

———

thinking of..! leon s kennedy, geto suguru, satoru gojo, trafalgar law, and spencer reid.

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luluia · 4 months

Text

Blindly In Love

Pairing: OP!Luffy x Reader

Part: 2/?

Master list:

Part 1 ➡️⬇️

Rating/Content Warning: Pretty much none/the same as my first work. It is fluff so there is nothing you should be warned about besides soft kissing

Summary: The Straw Hats are surprised to find their captain the Monkey D. Luffy share food with you.

Disclaimer(s): None that I can really think of? OH! Eating Disorder. Reader is called 'love' or ‘Mademoiselle’ again numerous times but again, in a sfw context. Reader is very briefly referred to as a "woman", but other than that it is very gender neutral. But definitely keep that line in mind if it might trigger any nasty feelings for y'all, stay safe <3xxx

It was a boring day on the Sunny. Nothing to do. No Marines. No Pirates. No anything.

You yawned ready to head to bed right after dinner

“DINNER’S READY!” Sanji called out from the kitchen as everyone rushed in, mouths watering

“For you, Mademoiselle” Sanji said giving you a bit extra before giving Nami and Robin extra too

“Hey! That’s not fair” Luffy said stuffing his face with food as you tried to bite into your food before feeling the need to throw up so you excused yourself

“Y/n, are you okay?” Luffy asked following you soon after

“Yeah I just can’t eat right now” You said inhaling the salty air

“Is your food bad? Do you want some of mine?” Luffy asked you smiled and shook your head

“You should go eat before your food gets cold. I’ll be back in a couple minutes” You say surprised he even followed you in the first place he grabbed your waist as he shook his head

“Nuh uh. It’s not as fun without you” He said you smiled ruffling his hair

“Go back and I’ll join you soon okay Luffy?” I said as he thought about this for a second before letting go of your waist

He shoved a piece of bread in your mouth before leaving but instead of gagging or throwing up you were able to eat it.

‘Oh, Captain’

Bonus

“I think we know who the favorite member really is” Nami snickered

“LOVE IS SUCH A WONDERFUL AND SUUUPPPERRR THING!” Franky whined

“THEY’RE BOTH RED! ROBIN ARE THEY BOTH SICK!” Chopper panicked

“I can assure you they’re alright Chopper” Robin reassured him

A/n: I might continue this story in parts to lead onto when Luffy finds out his feelings for Y/n and what happens between them and stuff but for now enjoy this little scene I thought of in my head at 3 in the morning.

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frostbitebakery · 23 days

Note

Anything from Who Ordered The Resurrection Special please?

DO I! :D

“The war is over. What now?”

Ryloth’s mountains rise on the horizon with the setting sun.

Obi-Wan rubs at the corner of his eye, leans back on his other hand. The grass is tickling against his skin. Kashyyk’s vegetation has always been so soft and lush; it’s a balm that almost, almost makes him smile. “I’m afraid we’re not out of tasks to do yet, my friend.” Perhaps his tone is too sarcastic, too downtrodden. But the exhaustion is clamoring up his every nerve and muscle and strand of thought.

“You’re right,” his Commander agrees softly, small chuckle rounding the vowels, echoes of it flowing back from the cliffs. Geonosis is not a good resting place. “Even death can’t keep you away from work.”

It sounds too serious for a joke. “What do you mean?” he asks and turns his head towards—

Goda shakes him by the singed shawl, breath burning and fire. “The one who should have been didn’t care and now everyone is paying the price.” The hole in his gut sizzles, melts, and Obi-Wan frantically pulls at the bandages. “Stop them before—“

“Goda, please, hold on, yes?” They’re alone but they shouldn’t be. It had been carnage the last time. Goda pushing Obi-Wan into a fighter with his last breath, voice cold and droid-like when it wasn’t drenched in despair.

Goda’s glove smells like death as it brushes against Obi-Wan’s cheek. “We weren’t ever meant to be, were we?”

“Who—? Commander—“

“Your men.”

Obi-Wan wakes up.

Day 2

Wolffe hauls the backpack higher up on his shoulder, pulls the cap deeper into his face. “Sinker owes me. I’ll rig up the IV once I’m back.”

“I’m sure Nurse Rosa appreciates the nickname.”

Wolffe holds up his hands. “She’s the one who came up with it.” He slaps Cody’s shoulder before turning to the front door. “I’ll get something to eat, too,” he says, stepping through the door and into the faint morning light.

Cody leans against the door, closing it with his weight, and lets himself sigh deep and even.

Their plan is to put an IV into the zombie for electrolytes until his organs can handle digestion. Wolffe gets some supplies from the hospital since going there is still out of the question even though the zombie has drastically healed since the first moment he appeared. It’s not leathery skin stretched over bones and gnarled limbs anymore. He had almost looked fresh faced when Cody had helped him into a loose t-shirt and sweatpants. Very fresh faced. It’s easy now to imagine what he’ll look like once he’s fully alive again.

Cody’s cheeks turn warm and that’s enough of that.

Maybe Cody’s family is in a unique position when it comes to… the stranger side of life, and as a firefighter he’s certainly seen enough shit one can’t explain that easily. But he’d rather not make tinfoil hats in a padded room while the zombie is whisked off to be sliced and diced.

“Hel…lo…”

Perfect timing. Cody looks up to his unalive guest standing in the doorway of the guest bedroom, looking lost in Cody’s borrowed clothes. “Oh, hey, you’re up!”

“…there.”

Cody blinks. “Where what?”

Cody has to think about that one for a minute. Which might give Obi-Wan the wrong impression about his family and Cody’s relationship to them but he’s not exactly thinking about them day and night anymore. Not now that they’re all adults with their own lives.

“My siblings mean everything to me,” Cody lands on, tipping a finger against the red MFD mug. “They didn’t have it easy growing up but they worked hard and,” he huffs out a laugh. He isn’t cynical usually but working hard to achieve dreams and success hasn’t been cutting it since before he was born. “Our father had some helpful connections so they could at least get a foot in the door.”

Cody refuses to publicly acknowledge the reality behind those connections for his siblings’ sake. He dug deep to uncover the truth behind Bly suddenly getting the scholarship of a lifetime, the top notch medical school of the country personally inviting Wolffe into their program.

Fox had fucked off to the Navy following his dream of reenacting the beach football scene in Top Gun. So it was up to Cody to ensure their father’s shady business wouldn’t bite them in the ass in the long run. Ponds had already paid the highest price for that. Boba—

“Boba is the oldest,” Cody starts, smile tugging at his mouth despite everything. He’s currently in jail for murdering my second oldest brother, Cody chooses not to say.

Obi-Wan tilts his head in interest but Cody moves right along.

“You met Wolffe,” he continues, grinning at Obi-Wan’s sigh. “Yeah, he has that effect on people.”

“I’m not here to hold people’s hands, Dr Koone,” Wolffe says reasonably.

The medical superintendent looks down at his hand being held by Wolffe and raises a bushy eyebrow around the breathing mask contraption covering most of his face.

“This means nothing.” Wolffe about had a heart attack when he got the news of the gas leak explosion rendering his mentor comatose. “It’s not my fault you like to live in a medical drama.”

Dr Koone pats his hand.

Wolffe sighs. “I’ll have Boost fluff your pillows. He’ll sneak in your ER novels.”

“I actually am not sure what Bly does,” Cody says slowly. “She got a bunch of doctorates hanging in her garage and her favorite hobby is making slime.”

Bly punches the end call button on the touchscreen with a growl. “No one lets me do anything around here!”

Cody blows on the spoonful of sauce before taking a careful sip. “They’re not going to fund you your own CERN, Bly.” A bit more oregano should do the trick.

“The things I could do with it!”

The alarm is about to go off and Cody stops it before the first beep. “Drain the spaghetti, please.”

Bly takes the huge pot over to the sink, hitting the cold water. “They act like I’m one inevitable lab accident away from becoming Doofenschmirtz.”

“They aren’t wrong.”

Bly whirls around, hands over her heart. “That’s the nicest thing you ever said to me, Codes.”

“I love you no matter what doesn’t count at all, does it?”

His sister scoffs out a laugh and waves him away. “I already knew that, idiot.”

Cody shakes his head and announces to the station that lunch is ready.

“After Fox’s stint in the Navy and fulfilling that dream, he went on to the next one,” Cody explains and pauses.

“Please give a warm welcome to our special guest tonight,” the club host says into the mic. “His unapologetic attitude towards life and its wonders has firmly established his name in the poetry community worldwide.”

Cody is about to clap when he notices everyone around him snapping their fingers.

“I swear, all your lives are made purely out of 90s tropes,” he murmurs to Bly.

“You would know, old man.”

Fox slinks onto the stage in a tight fitting black turtleneck and board shorts, and grabs the mic. “Pain.” He stomps onto the floor once. “Spite.”

The crowd goes wild.

#my wips #who ordered the resurrection special #Goda means honor in Latvian

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f10werfae · 1 year

Text

Pretty Boy

pairing: Frat!Chris Evans x Girlfriend!Reader

summary: Chris can’t help but drop everything to go see his precious princess, even if it means ditching his frat parties in the process. Once again taking the role of a lovesick puppy, (requested by @fallon-carrington123)

requests are open💌/likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated♥️

Chris Masterlist, Full Masterlist, Taglist Form

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

‘should I text him?’ Y/n thought rolling about on her bed, her lips pouted out at the thought of her boyfriend Chris. She’d seen him this morning since he slept over last night, and the night before that, she was already missing the hell outta him. It was only this morning that he’d kissed all over her body to wake her up, whispering filthy things into her ear to fluster her. “You belong right here, on top of your man”

Today he was out with the rest of his frat brothers, going out shopping and going to eat at their usual restaurant.

“There’s no harm in texting him, yes, i’ll just do that” Y/n said to herself, grabbing her phone from her bedside table, snuggling deeper into his college hoodie she was wearing.

Y/n: Missin you so much baby boo, what time will you be home?”

Laughing and drinking beer with the others Chris picked up his phone and felt his heart quicken at her text. Instantly putting bills onto the table, putting his cap back on and grabbing his car keys from the table. The other brothers looking up at him confused, they’d only just finished eating?

“Woah where you going man?” Josh asked,

“Y/n texted so i’m gonna go back n' see if she’s alright”

“Bro you’re so whipped, what a simp. What happened to bros before hoes?” Brian said from down the other side of the table, the other guys cackling and hitting their chest from the amount of laughter.

“Haha, keep laughin it up, wait till y’all are in a relationship with a hot, sexy, caring and loving woman like Y/n. That’s right I said sexy, cause my woman is fine as fuck and you’re all just jealous” Chris snarked back flipping Josh’s hat backwards jokingly before leaving the restaurant hearing their shouts of excuses for being single.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

“Chris what are you doing heree?” Y/n said now feeling shy leaning onto her dorm door, her frat boyfriend just smiled at her and picked her up, closed the door with his foot and set her down gently onto her cotton sheets.

“Gah you smell so good bubby, jus wanna eat you all up” He growled nuzzling his head into her neck, feeling her fingers play with the hairs on his nape. “Thought you was out with the guys today huh?”

“I mean I was, but then I saw your text and I just can’t let my baby stay here all alone can I?” He pouted placing a small kiss to the corner of her lips before standing up straight and removing his football jacket, leaving him in a tight black t-shirt and some grey sweats. “Well come on in then” She said wiggling her eyebrows at him.

Y/n giggled lifting up the blanket and opening up her arms, a big groan leaving her as Chris practically jumped on top of her and shimmied up the massive hoodie she was wearing. Yes they were extremely close squished. If anything Y/n treasured the fact that she had managed to turn a campus frat boy into a committed man so quickly; it’s actually sickening how much they’re into each other.

“Can you even breathe in there pretty boy?”

Y/n asked peeking down the shirt, seeing Chris sloppily kiss the top of her breasts, his hands fondling her hardened nipples. “Don’t need to breathe baby, trust me” He sighed kissing her chest once more before just setting his head down onto it and slowly closing his eyes.

“Ya can’t sleep in there babe, come outta there” Scoffing Chris pulled his head out, his hair sticking in all sorts of directions leading Y/n to comb it back with her hands, accompanied with a peck onto Chris’ forehead.

“Are you tired bab? Cause I am” Chris said sitting upright suddenly and throwing his shirt to the floor, Y/n’s hands immediately went up feeling her man’s body, a smirk making its way onto his face as he noticed her gawking look.

“You tired yeah?” Chris asked again, this time cupping her cheeks and kissing her squished lips cutely, Y/n nodded in his hands pulling up the covers over them both as she cuddled on top of him.

“Now isn’t this a bit unfair? I’m more naked than you are” Chris groaned pulling back a bit,

“But what if I get cold?” Y/n snarked back giving him a side glare as she felt his hands holding onto the hem of his hoodie she was wearing. “Then you’ve got me baby, come n' get some of your mans very own natural body heat”

“You’re so stupid” Y/n chuckled letting him take off her hoodie with a sly smirk on his face, his eyes clearly trained on newly exposed flesh. “Oi eyes up here mister”

“I know and you have lovely eyes my love, as well as beautiful tits, and a sweet pus-“

“Chris jus go to sleep already n’ stop teasing me ya meanie”

“Awk i’m sorry baby, ya know I love love love you don’t ya?” Kisses were being thrown everywhere from her shoulders to her neck, to her jaw and finally to her lips. Her creased brows falling relaxed once she felt how soft his lips were against hers, his fingers threading through her hair as his tongue dominantly played with hers.

Reminding her of the times he’d show up out of nowhere at her lecture halls and just pull her into a tiny corner, smashing his lips onto hers until they couldn’t breathe or were told off.

Or the time when they had their first argument and Chris stood outside her window with a big poem proclaiming his love for her, his frat brothers holding up an ‘I’m sorry’ sign behind him. PDA was definitely a major part of their relationship, not because they wanted to show off, but because they simply could not keep their hands off each other.

“I know you do, I love love love you too”

———

Taglist Tags (Taglist is up there^^): @emvebee @annajustwrites @pandaxnienke @patzammit @ilovereadingfanfics @stormcloudss @vrittivsanghavi @dumb-fawkin-bitch @chrisevansdaughter @cevansgurl @marvelgurl @evanstanwhore @taramaria @mirikusashes @mysticfalls01 @hallecarey1 @misshale21 @mischiefsemimanaged @thereisa8ella @uwiuwi @bval-1 @diyabhanushali1 @angelmather1 @lastwandastan @ravenhood2792 @feltonswifesworld87 @fdl305 @bluebellsn @mdpplgtz03 @alexxavicry @bookfrog242 @alina02 @roofwitty779 @aerangi @s-void @oliviah-25 @nikkitc0703 @meetmeatyourworst @girl-of-multi-fandoms @imboredat2am @mansaaay @adoreyouusugar @ilovetaquitosmmmm @caps-shield1918 @xoxokiaraaxoxo @royalwriteroftheuniverse @inlovewiththefictionalcharacters @chrisevansangel @tinyelfperson @madebylilly @bxdbxtxh15 @tojisbabymomma @kimhtoo17 @itsaylayay1213 @mrspeacem1nusone @wintasssoldier

#romance #chris evans x reader #chris evans imagine #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans #chris evans one shot

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arcade-writing · 1 month

Text

Tea party for two

NSFW 🍋

Pairing: Jervis Tetch x AFAB! reader

Warning: ribbon bondage, Oral - man EATS out, drool and spit kink, scent kink, he's a little weirdo, brief sex toy, March Hare! Reader, he's as giddy as he is horny, alot of whimpering, Jervis is very vocal, probably cringe dirty talk - man rhymes and speaks silly, established relationship, boss x henchmen, cheesy petnames, premature ejaculation, messy sex, creampie, mating press, a lot of praise, minor light degrading for hatter, hair pulling, table sex, abit of aftercare, they’re ridiculous your honour

I'm aware a Hare and a rabbit/bunny are very different but I don't give a shit quite frankly!

This is a non specific Hatter, it is implied he's got a gut on him and said he has curly hair but he's not detailed in description where you can't imagine your own version. He is also intended to be shorter than you but ehh again, nothing is overly defined.

Being one of the mad hatters goons wasn’t too bad. Not many people In Gotham can say they get paid to dress up for a criminal and enjoy it. Tea parties were routine at this point, always at the same time and well- you couldn’t even be so sure the clocks even worked accurately in Jervis’s underground lair. They always say to expect the unexpected but this was certainly not expected; currently you were being wheeled into the tea party on a carrier. Your arms tied to the oversized metal tray you were sitting on, your knees forced to your chest as your ankles and thighs were tied together with thick ribbon. The other goons just looked mindless as usual as the hypnotic chip in their head softly beeped. There you saw Jervis sitting in his usual chair, it was tall and wide enough to sit comfortably in. Now, you and the tray were on the table right In front of him. Displayed like a meal ready to be eaten.

“There’s other ways of inviting me to tea..” you finally spoke up, raising a brow, your foot just brushed the hatters chest. Nudging it just beneath his large bowtie.

Jervis made the other goons leave the room with a usher of his hand. Shooing them off as he tutted, having everything he wanted now you were Infront of him – perfectly presented and even tied up with a bow! Oh how marvellous! He laughed with that mischievous yet playful tone that you’ve gotten used to over time. Leaning forward as he cupped one foot with his gloved hand and raised it to his lips, kissing it.

“They say a rabbit foot is very lucky to have, wouldn’t I just be lined up for fortuitous events if I got to have a cheeky nibble on my dearest Hare?”

He pulled back to clap, giddy with his own excitement and anticipation. Giggling as he grinned so uncomfortably large, those buck teeth of his on full display. “Rabbit for dessert! They say they’re best for stews and supper but no no! But I’m sure you’ll just ooze with sweetness!”

You slightly flush, nudging his chest with your foot once again in retaliation knowing full well what this was leading to as your upper back pressed against the large and long table. You weren’t in the proper state of dress but that was because you had your own plans, until those large Tweedle henchmen came barging in. Your knees pressed together from how your tied as you could just about watch him from this position.

“oh? You’re hoping I’ll have some special filling for you to enjoy, hatter?” Your hands flex as your wrists were tied with ribbon to the handles of the large tray.

Oh such temptation in that tone of yours! It was oh so sweet and full of mischief. His grin grew wider as he licked his lips, his face so close to your knees as he hummed. Eyes darting all over you, those greedy eyes soaked up your thin fabric of your knee highs. Already drooling at just the idea, he’s been a fidgeting mess since he made those big goons grab you. And hard too, straining in his trousers already. He adjusted his big top hat to look more presentable, he was the boss after all.

“Hmm… I suppose that depends.. If I were to dig in, would I get to lick my fingers once I’m done and find all the delicious drippings and honey still on them?” He was only growing more jittery as he grew more flustered at the thought. Twitching fingers reaching for the big bow keeping your legs together as he pulled it undone.

“why don’t you try and see? I’m not a mirror, Hatter, you have to seek more than just a glance.” Even with the spontaneous and ridiculousness of it all; wishing Jervis would approach these kind of topics and desires like how most would but that wouldn’t be him. Once your legs were untied you parted them, resting your feet on his shoulders as you made sure to arch your back a little for show. “I’m sure with your attention I’ll be stickier than toffee.”

He let out an audible gasp, cheeks turning red, his eyes practically popping out of his head. A cheeky smirk flashed all over his face with that devious look in his eye. “If you insist, dear Hare.” He didn’t hesitate to move his gloved hands down and grasp your knees, pushing them more to your chest as his hands slid along your thighs. His breath became shallow and his heartbeat quickened, kissing from your ankle up to your knee. Biting at your socks the way up as he let out muffled giggles.

“Oh my! Getting a little dewy already?” He peered down at the underwear you currently had on, seeing a wet patch already formed. Just spotting an outline of something else, growing curious as his fingers danced up your thighs and to the waistband of your underwear.

As he stripped your bottom bare, he was nuzzling into your thighs as he pressed them to his head more. Tucking His face against your clit as he his big nose peeking over as he inhaled with a proud ‘oh ho ho ho!’. He loved that scent of yours; it’s why he always tried to get clothes of yours into his grubby hands. Wanting to smell you whenever he could.

You squeeze around his head, almost knocking off his top hat in the process as the ribbons and feathers decorating it tickled at your legs. Rolling your eyes with a smile at his giggles and noises of pride. Pushing him closer with your legs considering you were still bound at the wrists. “I just want your attention, makes me all warm.” You coo, your legs wanting to tense but each kiss just made your body melt.

“ohhh don’t you worry, my attention is already all yours, dear Hare” He chuckles as he nuzzles you more, your legs squeezing his head making him all squirmy, hips rolling against the plump of his chair. Getting that needed friction. “Warm is definitely the right description. You’re practically a cocoon of warmth with all that blood pumping, I’m sure your heart is just THUMPING!” He adjusted his hat to sit more firmly on his head and let his hands venture, sliding down to your slicken folds and finally found what brought his curiosity.

“And what’s this? Have you been hiding carrots from me?” He teases with a scolding brow, awaiting your answer as he feels the rubbery end of the toy currently stuffing your hole. Its end looks like cartoonish leafs and a stem, looking between you and the toy as he flicks the stem.

“I know how much you like games, I was hoping you’d enjoy playing with me but you ended up beating me to it.” You huff, your toes curling as he brought attention to the carrot toy. Biting on your bottom lip as you almost completely forgot it was there – your feet pushing him by the shoulders to be as close as he could as your hands clenched and unclenched.

“Aha! So you ARE hiding secrets.” He let out a giggle with a grin and a mischievous look in his eye, clapping his hands together in his glee, you really had no idea how much you were teasing him. Before he gave your thigh and smack as punishment. “Naughty! Naughty! Bad rabbit! Such a cheeky little thing!” He tutted and tsked, giving your thigh a few more smacks in quick concessions. “Planning to toy with your poor ol’ Hatter, I can only imagine the maddening game you would have played.”

He hummed to himself as he grabbed the rubber stem of the toy, twisting and pulling at the ends and bouncing it about between his fingers. Giving it a testing tug as he could see it wasn’t an easy fit. You gasped sharply at the slaps and then my breath caught in my throat as he played with the stem, tugging and twisting. Your reaction only just made his breathing more rapid, drool slipping past his trembling lips. His buck teeth caught on his lip as he chewed on it. "ohh I should take your carrot from you! Yes yes! Naughty rabbits like yourself don’t get lovely carrots.”

Squirming as your feet lightly kicked at his shoulder. Your hands grasping at the table cloth as you bit down on my lip tighter to muffle the sound that escaped you. “Then why don’t you take it then? Huh, hatter?” You breath out, eyes fluttering at just the thought as you saw just how excited he was getting – his energy rising and rising was more obvious. He never was one to stay still for long.

“why not indeed?” He asked as he finally stopped teasing the toy and grasped it properly, pulling with a bit more force then he thought he would have to. Pulling out the large carrot – much larger than he expected it to be- as his eyes widened, his jaw dropped slightly as he breathed in with a sharp intake of air. “O-oh my!” Marvelling at your cunt squeezed and fluttered as he pulled it out, listening to the sweet moans pooling out as it dragged along your walls. Your legs trembled as you arched. Delighting in the friction but already feeling that full sensation in your stomach retreat. His boner was pressing hard against his trousers, pre-cum smearing and wetting the fabric through his boxers at just the sight alone.

Once the toy came out with a loud pop he was staring at it with wide sparkling eyes. His cheeks utterly flushed and his heart pounding. “You…you are naughty, my Dear Hare…utterly and entirely naughty..” he breathed out, staring at your body as he can only imagine delightfully in his head the struggle you went through just to stash this carrot away just for him.

Panting, as you could feel how embarrassingly messy your thighs and pussy now were. Leftover lube and slick stringing out and dripping down to your ass. It rattled even you with how wet you were. Watching him through glazed eyes at his surprise as your hips wiggled, trying to pull his attention back into focus.

“Hatter…” You whimper, feeling so empty now. You just needed him to fill you up. You needed his attention.

His eyes are glued to the puffy folds between your legs, mouth agape and still stunned by the size of the toy and of your willingness to use it to such extremes just to get him in a tizzy. But more so, the way you gushed. Oh he has never thought of a day more fitting to be deemed Fractious day more than now. “Oh- dear Hare..” his voice was nothing but soft and breathy. As he swallowed against the sight.

His eyes looked back at the toy in his hand, but at the sound of you whimpering his focus was refocused to your wiggling hips. With haste he grabbed the largest teapot he had and shoved the carrot in it. Practically Jumping into action, Not wasting a beat he began to nuzzle your thighs and kiss around your fluttering cunt. His nose was practically smothered by your soft pussy as he huffed and puffed under his breath. His mouth opened as he began to lick away at the wetness you left behind as he moaned. His gloved hands gripping tightly at your thighs as he let out an approving groan at the mess. At your taste, always so sweet.

Your legs tighten at his head again, your hands thumping against the table as you just wanted to grab him and pull on his thick curly locks of his. He was acting like he was starved and it made your head spin. You loved it. Gasping and whining as you strained in your restraints. “Oh that’s it- my pretty Shortcake..” your breathing is thick in your throat and heavy as it escapes you. Looking down to watch him as you can just see his eyes rolling and twitching.

Your sweet mess on his face was like the perfect desert, the smell and taste driving him into a delirious state. His breath became shallow as he continued, his eyes rolling back as they fluttered. His nostrils flaring in and out as he took in your smell, it made him feel drunk. Your scent was intoxicating. His tongue taking it's time to trace around your sticky hole. Savouring every moment. He continued to suck and lick with no end.

“oh….as juicy as an apple, a ripe delicious fruit you are!” Jervis praised between slurps he let out a moan, he sounded so desperate and needy. Bucking and rolling against his chair more. “yum..yuuuumm my Hare..so sweet..so very delicious.” he hummed the song of the tea party against you. “just perfect to eat!”

You wanted to roll your eyes, to huff and complain at his nonsense but you couldn’t deny he was doing perfect. Your hands tugged on the restraints and you finally felt the ribbon loosen against the handles, yanking your arms forward and the bow came undone as your hands grabbed the back his head, intertwining into the thick heap that was his curly hair. Hatter’s eyes widened In surprise as you broke free from your bounds, his mouth opening to scold you but you beat him to it.

“Poor Hatter… you’re ravenous… someone’s been needing his desert, hasn’t he?” You coo once more, scrunching a fist fall of his hair just beneath the rim on his big top hat.

Hatter turned to putty as you pulled at his curly locks, gasping with a breathless giggle. Your fingers ran deep into his hair, his breathing was frantic as he moaned and whimpered with your hands being so greedy.

Nodding feverishly at your words. “oh yes! I’m famished! I am but a starving man and like the wolves I hunger for tasty rabbits.”

And it was true, he was ravenous, every cell in his body was hungry and wanting more. He couldn’t hold himself back anymore. His lips glued to the sticky mess that was your sex, sucking on your throbbing clit as he hummed, suckling on you like you were the finest meal he’s ever had. Moaning as he let his nose nudge and nuzzle against the pearl as his tongue slid between your folds and to your entrance.

With great reluctance, he pulled back from you as a string of saliva connected his tongue to you as he panted. His hands pried from your thighs as he began to eagerly tug off the silk gloves finger by finger. “But to truly enjoy my meal, the gloves must come off!” He declared, growing impatient as he just yanked his other glove off his hand and dived back in.

Your hands tighten In his hair as you see him discard his pretty gloves so eagerly. His hand reached between your legs to hold open your dripping cunt as he prodded his tongue inside. Keeping his face as pressed to you as humanly possible as he fucked you with his wiggling tongue. Needing to taste you inside and out. To feel you clench and flutter. To savour each dewy drop you produced just for him. Keening under all his attention as you let out a whine. One hand raising to keep his precious hat on his head as he enjoyed himself vigorously. Knowing he’d go into a moody state if his top hat was knocked off his head no matter his enjoyment. Your thighs trembling against either side of his head as you nod, unable to as words felt impossible. Feeling his tongue deep in you, hungrily lapping and fucking you.

Jervis’s eyes sparkled to see you put care into making sure his hat didn’t fall off. He had you well trained, a marvellous Hare! But then again with a good bunny like you, you would know better not to ruin his hat. Jervis’s grubby hand feel along your thigh as he uses his free hand to hold on to your hips. His other hand using his bare fingers to keep you spread open for him. Spitting directly onto your dewy spot as he giggled, chewing on his bottom lip. Sucking in what was left of his spit as he smeared it into you with his fingers. Watching it string and connect his fingers to your sex.

“Messy bunny…oh you sticky little treat.”

You gasp at the feel of his spit, leaning up as you yank on his hair and tug his head back. “filthy Hatter!” You scold, even if it did make your face warm and your body shudder. Your breathing heavy as you make his big eyes stare up at yours. Brows scrunched up to keep some display of authority. “you’re a dirty little man, aren’t you? Just spitting on your desert, no manners.”

A smile lit up his face, your voice scolding him made it all the more better. His tongue sliding out of his mouth as he let it trace along your wetness, his eyes wide as he looked into yours. Oh how one part of him wanted to put you in your place for scolding him, telling him how he should enjoy you but another whined at your light jabs at his character. Unable to decide, drunk on the taste of you as he licked his lips.

“No manners? No no! I have manners, my sweet, yes – your hatter has all his table manners but…oh you make me feel as if I am topsy-turvy! I am spun in the head!” He shook his head but he couldn’t deny this was pushing at his restraint. He needed more of you. “But I am a starving man and I am in need of more than just a succulent meal, I need warmth and a cosy place to tuck myself into.”

The hatter hastily undid his trousers and shimmered them down as he pulled himself out of his chair and up onto the table, crawling over you as he pulled your legs to your chest, his shoes letting out a squeak against the wooden table as the cloth rode up in his pursuit.

“JERVIS-!” You yelp with surprise, the teapots and cups rattling at the sudden movements. His chest pressing to yours as he nestled himself right where he needed to be, right between those pretty legs as his hands grasped at the edge of the table to keep himself steady. Your legs were hooked under his arms and dangling in the air. Staring up at him with eyes as wide as his as your breathing hitched. Heart racing faster than ever as your hands kept a tight grasp on his hair and down to his shoulders for stability. The weight of him was a welcomed change, feeling his stomach press against yours, feeling its roundness through his waistcoat.

His face was just mere inches from yours, his eyes glued on yours as you breathed. Your warm breath being the only thing he could feel with every exhalation, you could almost feel his heart beating against you. Your arms holding on to him for dear life was just the icing on the cake, a tasty cherry to top it all off.

“oh my, oh my, I’m not too heavy am I? A little hapless Hare like you, you’re not struggling with little ol’ Hatter, are you?” He teased, as he nestled into you, sinking his cock into your warm heat as he gripped the table tighter. His knees slightly bending to keep himself balanced, but more so it was then buckling at just first contact.

He sank in slowly as he stretched you out with the girth of him, as thick as the rest of him but just as short, as he let out giggles. Chewing on his lip to muffle them as he nodded. You gasp, clinging onto him as your legs kick out slightly. Letting out a strained and wobbly ‘ooooh…’ as he pressed into you. Staring down at you he spoke up once more, though strained in his words.

“mmph! Oh-oh h-haha! Hatter has fallen into his very own rabbit hole! I think Hatter will never escape! Ah-!” His hips met yours as he pressed more of his weight onto you, bottoming out completely with delight. He really has been training you well.

Scoffing at his words as your nose pressed against his, your hands gripping at his shoulders. Feeling the ribbon draped off the edge of his hat caress your cheek, returning his intense stare. “I don’t think this rabbit wants you to-“ you finally responded, able to gather the words that threatened to lose themselves on the tip of your tongue. You never wanted him to stop whenever you two got intimate, he made your head spin and your body react in ways you never did with others.

His mouth split Into a smile as he nodded, your hands on him were a delicious pleasure, his hands clawing at the table cloth. He started to pump, keeping pace with his words, his hips moving downwards to meet you. Balls smacking against your ass. “Oh…is that so?” He let out a soft moan as he felt a nice little jolt go through his body that made a little hum escape his throat as his eyes rolled slightly as a spark went through his body. Oh you were so perfect.

“mmm that’s it darling! Good Hare! Good bunny! Good good! Yes! Oh yes!”

You were clenching into him so tightly – why would he ever want to escape when your perfect sex was hugging him? Wrapping his cock In the warmest embrace he could ever withstand. Wanting him as desperately as he wants you. Panting as that familiar warm knot in his gut already formed. Your heat was too much- he whimpered. His eyes widening with a cry of protest as he thrusted into you.

Suddenly, cumming before he could even fully grasp. He couldn’t help but stutter out his breath, a bloom of shame appeared in the heat of his cheeks, trying to maintain appearance. He knew this may happen but this was not what he wanted. Not the first he’s been a quick shooter but with you? He was a man who liked to impress and this was certainly not a moment his own excitement getting the best of him was desired.

“I- you snug rabbit-“ he hissed, that pride of his burning at his own action. He was a brilliant man! The mad hatter! He was-! He…oh he was humiliated. You mouth part, my eyes locked downwards as you watch him falter. Feeling the hot seed shoot and paint your walls, not expecting it at all.

“Oh hatter…” You whine, your hands pulling him closer as you nuzzle your nose to his. “oh my shortcake..my hatter.” You coo, searching his eyes as one hand goes to his cheek, spotting the shame in his red cheeks and now wavering gaze.

“I am not so easily..explosive..” Jervis tried to explain as he tried to pull away from you. Which you hastily made sure he was securely pressed to you, the both of you moaning as his cock twitched inside you. He was in a frenzy of emotions. Your touch was so stimulating, your words sent jolts down his spine as his mind raced. His eyes were glued to your lips, almost wanting to kiss them. But strangely between you two, it felt too sacred. It was expected of two people who have such an affair.

“Did I squeeze too tight? You just make me so excited, I can’t help it, just like you can’t help that little burst, now could you?” You mumble quietly, trying to make sure he doesn't feel embarrassed. If anything, you found it flattering. You loved when he cummed and this was no different.

“oh…dear me…” the heat in his cheeks grew, and his breath quickened as you nuzzled him. Your voice was so sweet and smooth. A shiver went from his shoulders all the way down to his knees when you nuzzled your nose against his. Your comforting hand stroking his face made his lip curl up into a wobbly smile. “oh you are not mad at your Hatter, I couldn’t help it, when you squeeze and squeeze I go pop!”

“oh no, I’m not mad at all, I want…more of that-“ oh how you wanted him to just be blunt but he was a fickle man. Whenever your mouth was too dirty he’d rattle on about manners and how one Should talk to a man of his class so you do your best to reassure him. “-filling of yours, Jervis.”

Spotting his gaze flickering to your lips and you lean forward, kissing the top of his big nose as you shift my hips. Giving them a small wiggle as your feet press into his back to push his body more into yours, feeling him bottom out once again with a shudder.

“I think it would only be fair, wouldn’t you?” You give his hot cheek another caress as you smile at him. Abit strained with your own growing embarrassment. “I know you can do it, you’re the hatter and he can do impossible things, can’t he?" Doing your best to sound as encouraging as you could. You knew if he couldn’t handle it he’d say, no matter if you stroked his ego. He knew his limits.

The man's eyes were locked on yours as they met. Your words of encouragement spur him on, pushing him to go forth. A whimper escaped his lips as you shifted your hips and pushed up against him. The feeling was so incredible, your fluttering heat coaxing a few more strings of cum to ooze out.

“You-you’re so naughty and persistent…oh…oh-…oh damn it-! Just like your delicious quim you can’t go five seconds without wanting more…how is that fair? How can your Hatter ever compete with such a hungry and needy bunny like you?” He pouted, leaning over to kiss your nose back. Leaving another kiss on the edge of your lips as he trembled at the mere act. The tender kiss he couldn’t dare himself to steal.

Jervis started to pump into you once again, but this time slower. Easing himself in and out as the drag of the ridges of your walls and the veins of his cock rubbed so agonisingly deliciously together. His lips were trembling as he began to breathe heavily again. His brows pinched as he felt that confidence warm his chest as he tried to not focus on the twitch of overstimulation just on the edge of sensation. Threatening to make his brain putty.

“But- I am capable of doing many things…”

“I know you are, you’re just so brilliant like that.” You grin, mewling at the feeling of his thrusts. Tilting my head away just enough so your lips couldn’t touch, teasing him. Knowing even when he was balls deep he couldn’t bring himself to kiss you on the lips. It was cute in a way. Charming even.

Gripping onto him tighter than before as you nod. Relishing in his stamina still able to keep him going. “big capable Hatter, huh? I think it’s plenty… fair…you have someone that can’t get enough of you…”

Talking felt easier with the slow pace, words coming out between heavy puffs of air. Your head pressing more against the table, your legs squeezing just under his armpits. There was a numb pain in your back, the cold of the metal tray beneath you but your blood was rushing too fast to truly feel it. Too focus on the feel of him.

The warmth you gave him with your compliments caused him to melt further into you, your words making him smile more. But when you shifted, he frowned a bit, your tease was very naughty. Using his timidness (shocking he could still be) against him. He pouted his lips and made a low noise in the back of his throat as he pushed even more into you. Biting your cheek with a nip as retaliation making you let out a small yelp of surprise.

“But it's been…hard to not keep you filled with cream, turn you into…my little éclair-'' Jervis whined, your heat causing more shivers down his spine as his pace grew more steady. Confident. He grinned, squeezing his eyes shut as his jaw was clenched. Your walls still hugging him like your life depended on it. How very naughty you were!

“oh god- oh god your too tight-!” He whimpered out with a small cry. His hands almost ripping the table cloth as the table trembled and rocked from his movements.

“Your éclair-?” You gasp out, your brain was mush as your legs gripped and lightly kicked at his back. Your eager hands lifted up to reach his, grasping them tightly as your eyes fluttered. “you want that?” You tease more, testing how he’ll react, not the first time he’s said something like that to you but in the silly ways he spoke his filthy desires you couldn’t help but encourage him. Perhaps you were as whipped for him as cream.

Feeling that familiar knot in your stomach as your fingers interlocked. Your own orgasm approaches with each electrifying friction. Feeling his stomach just graze against your clit, the fabric of his waistcoat making you keen.

The feel of your hands grasping his and interlocking with them was like a new set of handcuffs keeping him in place. And how could he ever dream of escaping the wonderland that was you? He couldn't. He wouldn't.

“H-haha…ha ha…oh-oh yes-! I- I want you to be my little éclair. A creamy, delicious one.” He hummed, licking your cheek with one long slow drag of his tongue, tasting your skin. Just able to taste the layer of salt forming on It as his cock twitched. The faster his hips moved the more overstimulation bit at his nerves but you were far too delicious to give up. But he knew his limit was approaching. “I want to fill you till you’re overflowing…and I’ll eat you up-“

Licking his damp lips as he pressed his nose to your cheek as he groaned. Overstimulation began to sting at his pulsing nerves as tears started to form into his eyes, his second orgasm rushing towards the finish line with you.

Just another hard few thrusts and the feel of his body just flicking your bud made that knot slap. “Hatter-!” You let out a squeal, your heels completely digging into his back as your eyes squeezed shut. Toes curling as your own release crashed over you. Your hands gripping his so tight as you chew on your bottom lip, trying to stop from being too loud but your attempt was futile. The loud clattering of the table and the teapots just barely drowning the sounds out.

His eyes shot open at the sudden release of yours. His grip tightened on your hands as he moaned into your cheek, tears falling down his cheek as he slammed into you. Completely filling you.

“oh god- squeezing-! Oh dear god- oooo-ooo-“ his voice faltered as your moans took its place, his body shook uncontrollably, his mind was in oblivion as he emptied himself into you. Painting your walls again, drooling as his mouth hung open. So caught up in it all he didn’t even realise his precious top hat fell off his head!

Feeling his body slump, your hands reached up to his head and cradled it. Easing him down as he jerked and trembled. Feeling sticky wet from his drool against your skin. Your legs falling down and resting on the back of his knees as both of your bodies gave out. His knees knocking against the table with a thud. Cooing as you nuzzled against him. Your hands smoothed and toyed with his curly hair, grounding the both of you as you caught a glimpse of his fucked out expression.

“oh Jervis.” You whisper, giving his cheek a kiss as you tried to ride out the high with him. Your bodies clumsily rub against each other. Feeling the pitter patter of his tears fall down onto your cheek. Immediately consoling him with kisses under and around his eyes.

The man's body was limp, the heat he felt coursing through him left him exhausted, his lips were curled into a small smile as you nuzzled him. Your cooing voice was like a dove's melody to his ears. He was still drooling slightly, he was like a puddle of melted chocolate on your lap, utterly ruined. Liquid in your hands, defenceless and blissed. You were definitely the best sweet he had ever had. His eyelids slowly opened back up, his eyes were tired and his throat was hoarse, his cheeks were still wet with your kisses. He was too exhausted and overwhelmed to speak any words. Only able to make a few slurred giggles and whines. You had completely wrecked him, just as he hoped you would when he got those goons to bring you to him, to present you so prettily with a bow.

“sweet Jervis…my shortcake.” The high left you in a daze but the adrenaline was dying down. Letting out a small noise of discomfort, the consequences of the continuous smack of your bodies made your tailbone hit the large tray you were resting on. In your shared bliss you completely forgot you were still set up like a delicious meal and now your back was feeling sore. Trying to nudge his heavy weight off you, though it was soothing to have. Grounding your dizzy mind.

“I need to move-“

But he didn’t want to move, his legs were jelly and every bump of your bodies together made that overstimulation strike him. Whimpering as his brain screamed for him to move but his body pleaded to stay in your wet heat. He tried to roll over for your own benefit but he miscalculated how far you two were to the side.

Letting out a yelp, never more thankful the flooring of his tearoom was padded as his back smacked against the floor as he fell off the table. Bringing you with him, yelping with him, as the table rattled loudly, the tray under you went clattering down on the floor. His cock falling out of your heat only adds to the jolt. His blissful high ruined as he was forcibly snapped out of it. Blinking as his cheeks were as bright as they could be now before he started to laugh. Unable to restrain himself as laughter poured out.

His laughter cut through the second of silence that came after the crash. Blinking in surprise as you finally noticed the puddle of tea on the table and the floor from all the moving on the table in your vigorous play. Your brain needing a few seconds to catch up to the sudden fall as you looked down at him; The lingering afterglow coating your mind as you listen to his sudden burst of laughter. It caught you off guard. A surprised chuckle escaped you before I started laughing too. Joining him as you both grew amused by the ridiculousness of it all.

His giggling became more genuine, and his eyes finally cleared up as he glanced at the tea mess on the floor. If it weren’t the honeyed glaze coating his brain and the absolute enjoyment of you he’d be sent into a tizzy. He took a big breath before sighing, his laughter turning into dying out chuckles.

“Oh dear, this is why we shouldn’t partake in such acts of debauchery. It's simply not good for our health.”

Your hands slid along his chest, letting out a little whine as you can feel the consequences. The pain shooting up from your tailbone up and the emptiness without his dick stuffing you beautifully. The feeling of his cum dribbling down your thighs and getting on his stomach. Adding to the mess around you two. Nosing his red cheek as I shook my head, a few giggles slipping out.

“perhaps not having it on the table will be for the best”

“Tables will be off limits…until I make some adjustments.” Jervis muses with a grin before a small, disappointed frown washed over his face the consequences of your wildness began to take its toll on you.

His hands went to your back as he saw the little aches of you and it made him frown more. Rubbing your back in tiny little circles with his fingers. He was a responsible person after all. Even after such activities, he shouldn’t have been so greedy with you.

“Oh My dear Hare, are you alright? Are you feeling pain?” His eyebrows wrinkled together in worry.

You nodded, sighing as you sank against him, the mess can be handled after. “My tailbone hurts, must have banged it on the tray dish I was on.” You admit, utterly caught up in the bliss of it all, of him, to even notice but now with adrenaline running out of my system you could feel it. Cuddling close to him as you stroke his cheek.

Oh that displeased him greatly.

“oh bad- bad hatter.” He tuts, shaking his head as he scolds himself. Bad, bad bad.” As he says that each time he makes your hand slap his tear stained cheek, not too harshly but it left a small sting. You wanted to protest, not wanting him to slap himself but he was already moving on. Cuddling you up to him as he forced himself to sit up.

“Luckily I have all the ailments to your issues right here-“ Jervis reaches up for his hat, his marvellous top hat, but it finally struck him! it has fallen off! His eyes wide and a sharp panicked gasp left him.

“my hat! Oh! My hat! Where-? When-?!” His head whipped side to side to see if it landed with you two on the floor. His fingers tapped and searched the very top of his head as if the hat would somehow be found in his curls. “thief-! Theft! Oh I bet it was that blasted cat-!”

The man rants as he scrambles around, but still reluctant to move far from you, checking under the table cloth to find his hat. He needed his hat, it had everything – his hard work and love poured into it. He kept things tucked into the band on the inside. His precious gadget was attached to his hat. How could he ever face batman- his goons- the world without his hat!?

Knowing he was a sensitive man about his hat, you look around with him. Spotting his hat still on the table as you wobbled up, reaching over to and grabbed It. Another wince leaving you as you stretched out your back. Hastily, you placed it firmly back on his head. Making sure all the ribbons and accessories were placed on it were still tidy and didn’t get tea split on it.

“Oh there, there, see it’s like it was never gone.” You sooth, kissing both of his cheeks as you dust off some powdered sugar from the top of it. Keeping your face close to his as you did your best to give a reassuring smile. “No cat, it just fell off.”

Jervis exhaled in relief, his breathing steady again as he watched you reach over and grab his beloved hat. Your touch, sweet and gentle as you place it on Jervis’s head again. It’s as if he breathed better once it hit his head, he seemed less frantic with you there supporting him and his hat back in place. Jervis was still shaking a little, his heart pounding in his throat. You truly were a blessing in his miserable life. He knew you were different from the day he met you, when he stopped hypnotising you and you still obeyed him so happily. You were perfect. So utterly Perfect.

“Oh – my- thank you, oh- god..thank you..”

Now his hat was back, he whipped back to his usual demeanour. Smiling, kissing your nose before he pulls out a ibuprofen packet from the side of his hat, hidden behind some feathers as he lets out a ‘ta da!’.

“Now let’s get you feeling better…I think after all that I need to have another taste of my bunny to calm me down.” He giggled, a mischievous look growing back on his face, his hand stroking along your aching back as he grinned so wide.

#arcadejohn1279 #mad hatter #mad hatter x reader #jervis tetch #jervis tetch x reader #afab reader #March hare nsft #mad hatter nsft #Jervis Tetch nsft #dc comics #dcu #dc universe #Dc comics nsft #bunny nsft #he's calls me his silly rabbit and i giggle and laugh because hes so right #i am not normal about him #mad hatter! Jervis Tetch

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harryforvogue · 9 months

Note

how about FAYE taking care of HARRY because he’s got a COLD because he ALWAYS bundles HER in HIS hat/scarf/gloves while they’re walking to the bus cause he needs his girl to be WARM but that leaves his little ears and nose all cold & red which leads to him getting SICK. & she’s living her best life making him soup & tea & cuddling him & watching his favorite movies <3333

( and don’t come at me because it’s summer i’m manifesting cooler weather tnx <3 )

“So I’m not saying I like it when you’re sick,” Faye says, very concentrated on bringing the tray of food to Harry without slipping. In fact, she stops talking altogether until she’s in the living room, placing the tray very slowly on the table. “But I do like taking care of you. After the whole freak out thing of course. I am much more calm and level headed now.”

Harry’s resting with his head back against the couch, his face flushed with fever. His chest rises and falls with labored breaths. “If I said that, I think you’d cry.”

“I do not cry anymore.”

“Please,” Harry says weakly. “Don’t make me bring up all the examples from the past two weeks.”

She sits beside him. “Anyways, I didn’t have chicken on account of being vegetarian and all and I didn’t have chicken stock either so that soup is more of a miso and tofu noodle soup, okay? I probably should have asked if you even eat tofu.”

He awkwardly sits up, pushing the layers of blankets down to his lap. Instead of reaching for the food, he takes Faye’s hand. “I love you. As my dying wish, I ask you to find happiness. Date and marry the man who makes you happy. All I ask is that you don’t date any of my coworkers. They’re too mean for you.”

Faye smiles. “So thoughtful of you. Want me to feed you?” But the way she says it actually makes it seem like she’s demanding it. “Good.” She takes a spoonful and brings it to Harry’s mouth.

“Love,” he says tiredly. “It’s too hot.”

“Oh right. Um, do you want me to blow on it?”

At that exact moment, Timothée walks by. He looks at Harry on the couch. “What the hell happened to you? Who’s blowing what?” He holds a hand up. “Don’t answer that.”

“I got him sick,” Faye says.

“She didn’t,” Harry croaks. “It was basically on me.”

Timmy looks at her. Then Harry. Then slowly puts his arm over his face and steps back. “Er, alright. Well. I’m going to work so … you’ve got the house to yourself.”

“Yeah yeah,” Harry says.

“If you need anything, just let me know. I’ll grab it on my way home.”

“Tell the guys I should be back by next week.”

With that, Timmy is gone. Harry’s eyes are closed again. Faye decides she shouldn’t blow on his food, so she just awkwardly waves the spoon in the air until it’s cooled enough. Then she holds it to his mouth. “Ready?”

Harry’s eyes flutter open. “Yes. Sorry.” He drinks it. “Mm that’s good.”

“Really?!”

“Really. Thank you, love.”

“Let this be a lesson for you. No more giving me your hat and gloves when we’re out, got it?”

Harry tries to laugh. “How about you start bringing actual warm clothing, especially during the winter?”

“Sure. I'll do that too.”

“No, I’m not so sure that you will since you like taking care of me so much. You’ll get me sick on purpose.”

She gasps. “I’d never.” She gives him another spoonful. “Maybe your body is just weak because I’ve never gotten sick from the cold.”

“Weak?”

“Yeah. I mean before you, I always went out in the cold like that and never got sick.”

Harry opens his mouth for more soup. “It’s some medical thing we can’t explain.” He frowns. “I don’t like that nobody took care of you before me.”

“Well in their defense, I’m a grown woman and should be able to take care of myself. It’s really a fault on my part.”

“You were sad,” he argues. “You needed someone.”

“Well then I found someone.”

Harry perks up. “Yes. You did. And you know what? I’ve changed my mind about the whole dating after me thing.”

“Oh yeah?” Faye smiles.

“Yeah. I’ll just come back as a ghost so we’ll never really be apart.”

“What made you change your mind?”

He says, “The thought of you spoon feeding another man.”

“Really?” she laughs. “That’s what got you? There are far other romantic things I could do with someone else.”

“Being spoon fed is at the top of my list of romantic actions. It’s a love language I think.” She gives him another spoonful. He sighs deeply and then shuffles over to rest his head on her shoulder. “Your boyfriend is a mouth breather. How does that make you feel?”

“I don’t mind,” she tells him, patting his cheek. “I love you.”

“Despite the sweatiness.”

“Despite.”

“You're my baby."

She lays her head on his, kissing his sweaty hair. “Despite me never dressing for the weather?”

He takes a very deep breath and stays silent for longer than necessary. He finally says, “Yes” and then opens his mouth for more soup.

#harry and faye #harry styles blurb #harry styles fic #harry styles #timmy cameo for da win

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greenscreen-dress · 10 months

Text

Vocalsynth doodle page!! I haven’t doodlepaged in ages!!! ^^ Started off with No plan, Song of Eared Robot came up on the playlist so i drew Tetobot, then i just kept going w the singing robots bc they’re the miracle cure for my artblock apparently. Only stopped bc while drawing Po-Uta I made the “mistake” of listening to his demo song and after that I was too busy sobbing /pos to pick a new synth :’D

If the colour saturation is Way Too Much on any of these uuh blame my computer screen, as always it tells naught but lies but I’m too tired to doublecheck on my phone x). Also i might go back n shade some of these properly, so if i do i’ll tweak the saturation while I’m at it ^^;

Closeups, rambles & more song links below the cut!

Kasane Tetobot from the absolute banger Song of the Eared Robot

Tetobot SV design attempt, it has potential but i’m too attached to the clunky charm of the OG ^^. Mostly listened to this UTAU cover while drawing her, but everyone should check out this masterpiece by suzie with the SynthV VB

Miku go ooeeoo. No comment no thoughts head empty just :D

THE GUYYYY :’) if he looks like he’s crying it’s bc i was, see above :D (also suffering bc his hair shape was a pain to draw but MOSTLY bc of the gorgeousness of Humansongs... & then Circus’s banger Right As Rain... and then The Surface by Eggtan which i just discovered today, so nice to find a new original song & it’s so prettyyy... i’m getting sidetracked)

...Girl if someone stuck me in a trenchcoat long jeans knee-high boots and a SCARF as my default outfit my character item would be ice cream too. o7 for the blue boi, I don’t think i’ve ever drawn Kaito before and that absolutely has to change. Also TIL how to draw fans i guess!

Heehee hoohoohoo the sillay the child the creatura the Otomachi Una. Wanted to see if i could doodle her delightful deviantart OC-lookin design off by heart and I think i mostly got it right? The only major thing i forgot were the horns on her hat, & she felt so wrong once i noticed that i had to add them ^^; I love her somuch :D

Ogh dingus fcuk it’s 1:30 a.m uuuh whoops i go zzz now. The art creativity juices are there, mainly i don’t drawn bc I just take so LONG to get Literally Anything Finished, even a doodlepage like this takes me 7+ hours so i just. don’t sit down & draw if i know it’s gonna eat up my entire day lol. SCHREEPTIME. NOW. :D

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aviawrites · 9 months

Text

i’ve had kenough. (barbie)

𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘬𝘦𝘯 #2 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺: 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘦𝘯; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘸𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘦𝘯 #2. 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵? (6.3𝘬)

𝘢/𝘯: 𝘪 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭. 𝘪 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵, 𝘪 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵!! 𝘪’𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥. 𝘪 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘪’𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘭𝘺<3

𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘺𝘯 𝘪𝘴: 𝘤𝘰𝘸𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦

Muffled music continues to play from Barbie’s dream house as you close the door to your own. Being as you’re Cowgirl Barbie, it’s essential that your boots are with you wherever you go. They click against the cement as you walk to the dream house, prepared for girls night. The area is sprinkled with confetti even with the dance party having ended an hour ago.

Just as you look up from latching the last button on your PJ’s, you see Beach Ken leaving the dream house.

“Hi, Ken!” You tilt your hat, walking closer.

He slowly looks up, a frown plastered on his face. “Hi, Barbie.”

You stop in front of him, your smile now upside down. “Are you alright? Did you eat too many cake pops again?”

He turns to face you, shaking his head.

“Barbie turned me away again.” He confesses. “She said she didn’t want me here since it’s her dream house.”

“Oh, Ken. I’m sure she didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. It is an all-girls night, you know?”

Ken solemnly nods, “Yea, I know. I just wish she’d spend time with me. You know, since we’re boyfriend girlfriend.”

“Right.” You recall.

You stare at him. His hair is stringy from sweating on the dance floor and the moonlight highlights his glossy eyes. He’s so pitiful, it’d be a crime not to help him out.

“Hey, Ken?”

“Hm?”

“Would you want to see my horses?” You ask, remembering how much he loves animals. Though, he’s only ever talked about beach animals. Like dolphins and Mermaid Ken.

“Won’t you miss your girls night?”

“I’ll only be a little late. Besides, Stereotypical Barbie won’t mind me missing a few minutes to make you feel better.”

Beach Ken stares at the floor for a moment, seemingly contemplating if he should take you up on your offer...Or perhaps contemplating if he’s ever seen a real horse, which you doubt he has.

“Sure, I’d like to see your horses.” He agrees, looking at you.

“Great!” You smile, ecstatic at any chance you get to show off your mares.

Now at the back of your dream house, you walk Ken to the stables.

“There’s Misty, Lady, and Ruby.” You point to each one of the brown horses as they look over the half doors.

“They eat…that?” Ken points over to the haystack sitting outside of their stalls.

“Mhm. Sometimes when they’re grazing they eat apples or grain. But mostly hay.”

His eyebrows furrow as he looks from the hay, to the horses, and back at the hay.

“What?”

“I just- I thought Cowgirl Barbie had…cows. And I thought cows ate grass.” He looks to you like his brain is in a million different places.

“I only have horses, Ken. The cows stay with Farmer Barbie. Along with the chickens and the pigs and the ducks-“

“So Cowgirl Barbie is really…Horsegirl Barbie?” He places his hands on his hips, stunned.

“No, Ken. Cowgirl doesn’t mean I’m a girl with cows.”

“Then what does it mean-“

Just as you suck in a frustrated breath, you see your soft white cat curl his tail around Ken’s leg. Ken cautiously raises his arms as if he’ll wobble over and fall at any moment.

“Relax.” You tell him, picking up the white Maine Coon. “This is Mr.Cat.”

Ken stares at him, “I didn’t know you had a cat.”

“It was sort of a secret.” You admit. “It was a gift from Ken #2 when we first became girlfriend boyfriend. “Supposed to be an us thing.”

Ken reaches his hand out, “…Can I-“

“Go ahead.”

Ken warily pets Mr.Cat between the ears and he lets out a low purr. Using your non-occupied hand, you check your cowboy hat shaped watch.

“Oh!” You put Mr.Cat down, Ken’s hand almost following him. He scurries inside through your kitty door. “Time to go home, Ken. I can’t be too late.” You begin walking around your dream house toward Stereotypical Barbie’s.

“Um, I don’t have a home.”

You stop and turn toward him, “I’m sorry?”

“The Ken’s don’t have houses. Certainly not dream houses.”

“…At all?” You confirm.

“Ken #2 never told you?”

You think, tilting your head. “Huh, I guess I never asked. He’s just always…there. Whenever I need him.”

“Like I am for Stereotypical Barbie?”

“Exactly!” You agree. “Well, just go…wherever you go at night.”

You turn, making it around your dream house and back to the central area, right in front of Barbie’s home.

“I hope you feel better, Ken!” You say as you jog to the dream house the best you can in heeled boots.

“I do!” He calls behind you, “Thanks, Barbie!”

“Anytime, Ken!” You shout back.

His footsteps retreat and you step inside, a big smile on your face as you await the night ahead of you.

Moments later, you hear the giggles of your favorite girls. You round the corner to see them all sat criss cross in a line in the backyard. A braiding train of about 6 of your friends by the pool is your favorite sight to see.

“Barbie!” President Barbie stands up and walks toward you. “Where have you been?”

“Sorry I’m late,” You say as she takes your hat and hangs it for you, “I was showing off my horses.”

“Ugh, love your horses.”

Lawyer Barbie looks over from the braiding train. “We were just discussing how much we love Author Barbie’s new frames!”

“Don’t they make her look so smart?” Stereotypical Barbie adds. “Smarter than she already is, of course.”

“Like that’s even possible.” You remark, sitting behind the last girl and beginning to braid.

——

Your ponytail bounces behind you as you walk toward the beach, volleyball in hand.

“Goodmorning, Barbie!” You wave to Stereotypical Barbie as she eats breakfast in her dream house.

She gives you a smile and a wave as she takes another bite of her pancakes.

You continue walking with a smile on your face, more than excited to see Ken #2 and your girls at the beach.

“Hi, Barbie!” The ginger waves from her yard, “Love the new patch.”

You look down at your bathing suit top and see the ‘You’re Awesone’ Sheriffs patch right over your heart.

“Thanks, Midge!”

You’ve barely removed your pink embroidered boots before Ken #2 is rushing up to you, dropping his pom-poms on the way. He takes both of your boots from you, prepared to guard them with his life on the sideline.

“Thanks, Ken.”

“Of course, Barbie.” He smiles, admiring you. “You’re going to do so great in volleyball today.”

“Thanks, I know I will!”

The last Barbie with the ball switches out with you and you begin playing, serving the ball to the other team.

‘Keep that Barbie spirit up! Pump, pump, pump it up!’ The cheerleaders chant as the game continues.

“You’re doing great, Ken.” Allan cheers on the cheerleaders.

Barbies and Kens alike cheer for the players as the game is in full swing. Your toes are hot in the sand and your hands are stinging from hitting the ball. Just as you go for your final spike, you hear something from the ocean.

Mermaid Barbie lets out a loud shriek and everyone looks over. She stares down at the road and as everyone follows her gaze, you see a sight you’ve seen before.

Beach Ken lays flat on his back on the pavement, his surfboard alone in the waves. The crowd groans, having seen this go down before. They all turn back to the game.

Knowing no one else would help, you reluctantly jog out of the game and toward Ken; Allan and Ken #2 following closely behind.

“Ken!” Allan rushes over, “What happened?”

You and him kneel beside a winded Ken.

“I was-“ He tries to catch his breath, “I was practicing my big entrance for Barbie and I…It must’ve been a dolphin.”

You hear a scoff from behind you.

“I don’t even know why you try anymore.” Ken #2 laughs, “You’ve been trying for weeks. You couldn’t pull it off then and you can’t pull it off now.”

“Ken!” You scold, turning to him.

“I- I’ll go get Doctor Barbie.” Allan says before running off.

You turn back to Beach Ken.

“B- Barbie-“ He mutters.

“You’ll be okay, Barbie’s on her way. Just, think about the horses. Or better yet, Mr.Cat.”

A smile creeps onto his face as he remembers, “Mr.Cat” He slurs, out of it. “Misty, Lady, Rugby.”

“Ruby.” You correct.

“Ruby…Mr.Cat.”

“Yep.” You sigh, “Just focus on Mr.Cat.”

You hear rolling not too far from you and heels clicking. Looking up, you see Stereotypical Barbie and Doctor Barbie on their way with a stretcher. You stand up, knowing Beach Ken is in good hands.

The two women reach down and strain to lug Ken onto the stretcher. Ken #2 reaches down to help.

You put a hand on his chest, stopping him. “They’re strong, they got it.”

He nods.

Ken throws his head back on the stretcher, still not completely there.

“Barbie, hold my hand!”

“You’re okay.” She assures, grabbing his hand.

The three roll away toward Doctor Barbie’s office.

Out of the woods, you sigh a breath of relief before turning to face Ken #2. You’re met with a saddened expression.

“…How does he know about Ruby and Mr.Cat?”

“Oh,” You murmur, not knowing how Ken would take this, “Last night. Ken was feeling down, so I showed him the horses. Mr.Cat sort of showed himself.”

“Wh- You-“ He blinks, flabbergasted. “Ken. That Ken, was in your dream house?”

“Only to make him feel better, Ken. He was really bummed about Barbie.” You explain.

He lowers his head, “But I thought Mr.Cat was our secret.”

“Hey,” You grab his hands, “We have tons of other secrets, right? Like our lava cake recipe that we’d never tell a soul. Mr.Cat was bound to be revealed one day.”

He sniffs, nodding.

“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”

“No.” Ken rubs the back of your hand with his thumbs. “Don’t apologize, you never do anything wrong. You’re perfect.”

“Awe, thank you, Ken.” You pull him in for a hug, “Your cheers were very beautiful today.”

“Thanks, Barbie.”

——

“I just love you guys.” President Barbie sighs as she pulls the muffins out of the oven.

The kitchen buzzes with chatter as you and the girls decorate Stereotypical Barbie’s dream house. Blue and pink themed pastries fill the air as baby bottles and bows are hung around the house.

You pass Allan on the way to the backyard with a stack of pink bows to stick on the roof fascia.

The baby congratulations party is meant to be surprise for both Allan and Midge. But seeing as Allan got too anxious and stressed with the secrecy, his fear of the unknown and chronic FOMO forced you all to tell him. Now, you have an extra decorator.

You’re all wearing either pink or blue, depending on what you think the gender of Midge’s second baby will be. Of course, the majority of you are decked out in full pink outfits. You’ve just begun sticking the bows on the roof when you hear a knock at the door.

The heels clacking toward the door are only matchable to Stereotypical Barbie as she opens the clear doors. You can’t see, but you hear an all too familiar voice.

“Hi, Barbie.”

“Ken!” You hear her say, slightly worried. “You aren’t- um- What are you doing here?”

“Look, I already know it’s a surprise party.”

You duck down to look into the dream house and to nobody’s shock, you’re all looking at the same person. Allan stares back at all of you, ashamed.

“I got excited, okay! You know I’m not any good at keeping secrets.” He frowns.

President Barbie rubs her forehead, stressed. “Please don’t tell me you told Midge.”

“I didn’t! I only told Ken, I promise.” He raises his eyebrows, holding his pinky out for President Barbie.

She lingers on him before rolling her eyes and locking pinkies with Allan. A soft chuckle escapes you as everyone turns their attention back to Ken.

“Come back when the party starts, yea? It’ll only be about 15 minutes.” Barbie tells him.

She begins to shut the door when Ken holds it open with his free hand.

“Wait, wait-“ He reveals a pile of tangled fairy lights from behind him. “I brought decorations.”

Sent to your side of the river, Ken patiently waits at the bottom of the ladder for his turn. You stick the last pink bow on the roof and begin making your way down. You hold your hand out for the lights.

“Are you sure? I can do it if it’s too much-“

“It’s okay, I’ve got it.” You assure him.

He nods, handing you the mess of lights and you climb back up. You begin hanging them around the bows.

“Ken, could you pass me the tape?”

He looks around himself for a moment before seeing the hot pink tape in the grass. He tosses it to you, wincing as you wobble to catch it.

“Please be careful, Barbie.”

“I will, Ken!” You insist.

Ken anxiously looks up at you as you tape the lights in between the bows. He’s near biting his nails, flinching at every wobble of the ladder.

You sigh, rolling your eyes at his attentiveness.

“So,” You begin, hoping to calm him down, “What did Doctor Barbie tell you?”

“Um,” He blinks, trying to focus on anything but how high up you are, “I- I was fine once I saw Barbie. She said I was brave.” He smiles widely.

“Good! That’s good.”

“What did Mr.Higher-than-thee have to say about it?” Ken crosses his arms, a sour expression now on his face.

“Mr.Higher-than-thee?” You tilt your head.

“You know, mini me? My wannabe?”

You blankly stare down at him.

“Your Ken.” He grunts, rolling his eyes.

“Ohhhh,” You nod, “He’s not my Ken. Just Ken #2.”

“That’s even worse. Sounds like he’s a version of me which he is not.”

You stop and think, “Well…he kind of is.” You shrug.

“Whatever.” He sighs, visibly irritated.

You begin hanging lights again, realizing how soon the party starts.

“He wasn’t too happy to hear that I told you about Mr.Cat.”

A smirk grows on Ken’s face, satisfied that he successfully irritated his nemesis.

“You should get Barbie one.” You continue. “Her own pet.”

“Should I?” He ponders, “What would I get her? I don’t even know if she likes cats.”

“Barbie loves cats.” You assure him, surprised that he didn’t know that. “Or you could get her a dog.”

“…What about a horse?”

You laugh, nearly falling off of the ladder.

“I don’t know if a horse is a reasonable pet.”

“Maybe she’ll be like-“

“Guys!” Diplomat Barbie interrupts him, running out of the house. “Midge is almost here!”

You nod, quickly climbing down. Ken sighs a breath of relief, putting a hand over his heart. He runs toward you as you silently wave him over, not knowing how to disassemble the ladder.

The two of you frantically try to figure it out before Midge is at the door when abruptly, it begins to lean. It feels like it’s in slow motion as the ladder tips over and crashes down, echoing loudly. You and Ken look at each other horrified before you snap out of it, pushing him into the dream house.

All eyes are on you two as you re-enter the house. Without hesitation, you point to Ken.

“Wha-“ He puts his hands up, “That wasn’t me it was her! She was trying to-“

“Shh!” Stereotypical Barbie interrupts him, motioning for both of you to get down.

Joining everyone else, you and Ken duck down so that Midge won’t see you. You hear footsteps as Allan walks an unsuspecting Midge to the door.

As he pushes it open, President Barbie gives you all a quiet countdown from three. Then, all at once, you spring up.

“Congratulations on the second baby Allan and Midge!!” You all shout the rehearsed line.

Her jaw drops as confetti flies and celebratory shouts fill the room. A big smile grows on her face as you and Diplomat Barbie walk up to her.

“Congrats, Midge!” She offers up a muffin.

“If it’s a girl, I think you should name her Molly.” You add.

Diplomat Barbie gasps, “That is such a good idea, Barbie.”

“Thanks, Barbie!”

Midge takes a muffin as Stereotypical Barbie walks up. You retreat back into the kitchen as more people begin to walk to the dream house and chatter ensues. Author Barbie turns the pop music up and the party really feels like it’s in full swing.

“What do you think the baby’s name should be, Ken?” You ask as you grab a cookie from the platter.

He picks one up as well, taking a bite as he thinks for a moment.

“What about…Dolphin?”

You almost choke on your cookie, “Dolphin?”

“Yea! Like the ones at the beach. Maybe the baby will be a surfer like me. I can already imagine it, ‘Dolphin Wave Shredder Barbie.’” He smiles as he envisions it.

You chuckle, “You’re silly, Ken.”

“Thanks, Barbie.” He innocently smiles wide.

You lean on the counter, taking another bite as a very familiar someone walks up to you.

“Hi, Ken!” You say, leaning in for a hug.

“Hi, Barbie!” Ken #2 squeezes you tight.

As he lets go, he sees the bleach blonde Ken next to you and his grin quickly falls.

“Ken.” He clears his throat.

Beach Ken gives him a dry nod, both of them staring each other down.

“We were just discussing baby names.” You inform him. “You got any?”

“I think the baby’s name should be…Shark. like the ones at the beach.”

“Gosh, why do you guys like beach animal names so much?”

“What would you recommend, Barbie?” Ken #2 asks, grabbing a cookie for himself.

“I thought Molly would be a pretty name.” You shrug.

Ken #2’s jaw drops and you furrow your brows. As you look to Beach Ken for help you realize that his expression is the same.

“…What?”

“That. Is. A really good name, Barbie.”

You laugh, the anxiety dissipating in your stomach.

“Oh!”

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.” Beach Ken adds.

“Well we all know why you didn’t think of it.” Ken #2 says.

“What’s that supposed to mean you donation pile?”

“Really?” Ken #2 steps closer, getting into Beach Ken’s face. “That beach off offer still stands, man.”

“Oh really-”

“Okay!” You stop them, placing a hand on both of their chests and softly pushing back. “Let’s dance!”

Ken #2 lingers on Beach Ken as you grab his hand and swiftly pull him outside onto the dance floor.

It quickly becomes crowded as Stereotypical Barbie and the rest of the girls join. The disco ball lighted dance floor is buzzing with excitement as President Barbie grabs both of your hands, pulling you away from Ken #2 to dance.

“This is the best night ever!” You hear Doctor Barbie say behind you.

“This is the best night ever! And so was yesterday and tomorrow and every night until forever!” Stereotypical Barbie says as she dances with Midge.

Smiles all around as hands are held and drinks are downed. You spin around your friends and wave your arms as the air seems to thicken with all of the fun you’re having.

Stereotypical Barbie is in the middle of the dance floor as she announces her next thought, “Do you guys ever think about dying?”

The music scratchily stops and the dance floor pauses. Barbie is frozen in her spot as you all stare at her, worried looks on all of your faces…

…

"Goodnight Barbie's! I'm definitely not thinking about death anymore!" You hear ring out before your head hits the pillow and you doze off.

——

You and your friends stare in horror as you surround Stereotypical Barbie in the bleachers. Her heels are on the floor and the the m word has been thrown around.

And when you m word…you have to visit Weird Barbie.

“Promise me you guys won’t tell anyone. Not even other Barbies.” She asks as she stands up.

You all agree, attempting to hide the worried looks on your faces as you stare at her. She cautiously walks away from the beach, trying her best to stay on her toes. She looks back to see you all watching her.

“Act normal!”

Clearing your throats, you all snap around to face forward. Although twirling your hair and looking around worriedly isn’t the most normal you can act, you’re trying your best.

Athlete Barbie looks at you all from the volleyball court.

“…You guys want to play?”

“Yes!”

The Barbie’s all jump at the opportunity to escape the thick tension, scrambling off of the bleachers and onto the volleyball court.

You cautiously stand, stiffly walking off of the bleachers and heading home. The big secret weighing on your shoulders is making you feel like Allan. It’s a much bigger secret than Mr.Cat.

As you speed walk across the sand, you bump into someone. As if you conjured him up, Allan stands there with a smile on his face.

“Hi, Barbie!” He says, his voice always just a little shaky and anxious.

“Hi, Allan.” You dryly smile before continuing to walk.

“Wait- What’s the hurry?” He jogs to catch up with you, getting a little worried himself. “Does it have something to do with Barbie? I saw you guys talking-“

“No!” You insist, “It has absolutely nothing to do with Barbie. I’m fine!” You walk away from him but he relentlessly keeps a pace with you.

“Barbie…you might be a worse liar than me.” He says, “And it’s making me a little anxious so could you please just spit it out?”

“What are you and Midge thinking of naming the baby?” You ask, desperately needing the change of topic. “Did she tell you about my suggestion?”

“No- Uh, we’re still discussing. We haven’t got the gender yet.”

“Really? We had a whole party. I’d think you’d have seen Doctor Barbie about it by now.” You pick up the pace.

“We plan to soon- Uh- You’re walking really fast.”

“Am I? I think I’m walking at a perfectly normal pace.”

“You’re really not, I’m practically running- What did Barbie tell you?”

“Fine!” You break, stopping not too far out from your dream house. “Barbie is malfunctioning.” You whisper, “And now she has to go up to the hills and see Weird Barbie in hopes that she can be fixed!”

Allan draws in a long deep inhale, throwing a hand over his mouth.

“Malfunctioning!?-“

“Shh!” You put your own hand over his mouth, “Allan, you can’t tell anyone. It’s a super secret. Beach Ken doesn’t even know.”

“Is she- Is she going to be okay? She’s supposed to be Perfect Barbie, she’s the Barbie. What about Barbieland? Are we coming to an end? How will the Ken’s survive? How will anyone survive? Are we all going to die-“

“Allan-“

“Surprise, Barbie!” Ken #2 swings your door open.

He looks at Allan oddly in a ‘This is us time,’ way and he reluctantly walks away, murmuring questions under his breath. You don’t have time to worry about Allan as you stare at Ken #2, or more so, what he’s holding.

In his hands, a white Maine Coon with the fluffiest tail looks up at you. Only, this cats eyes are blue, and Mr.Cat’s eyes are yellow.

You gasp, reaching out as Ken #2 places the cat in your arms.

“Who’s this?” You ask, voice high as you pet the kitty.

“Meet Mrs.Cat.”

Your jaw hangs open, “You got me another cat, Ken?”

“Now Mr. Cat has a friend.” He smiles widely, guiding your waist as you walk inside.

You kiss the cat over and over before letting her down and heading toward the kitchen cabinet.

“Now leech Ken won’t know all of our secrets.” He says as you pull out the pink cat food and walk back around to Mrs. Cat.

“Hm.” You mindlessly agree, not wanting to always be in the middle of their bickering.

“Imagine the look on his face in 10 years when he realizes we’ve had another cat right under his nose. The little q-tip will never see it coming. He won’t even-“

“Ken.” You stop him as you finish pouring Mrs. Cat’s food.

“Yes?”

“Let’s not talk about Ken anymore.”

“Y- You don’t want to-“

“No.” You lean your elbows on the kitchen counter thats separating you and him, “I’d much rather talk about us.”

“That works for me.” Ken shrugs, also leaning on the counter.

“We haven’t made lava cakes in a while, huh?”

“Last time was at Midge’s dance party.”

“Jeez, that was before the news about the baby. We’re past due for some lava cakes. Maybe we can give some to Barbie, she’s going through a hard time.”

“What happened? Is she okay.”

You stop yourself as soon as you realize you’ve said too much.

“Oh- Oh yeah! She’s just a little under the weather.”

“Perfect Barbie? Under the weather?”

“She won’t be for long once she gets a taste of our cakes!” You deflect.

He smiles, soothing your worries that he’d be suspecting.

“You always have the best ideas, Barbie.”

He pecks you on the nose before you round the counter. Ken preheats the oven as you gather all of your routine supplies and ingredients to make the famous pink lava cakes. Soon after, you play soft pop music and get to work.

Not long into the cake making process, both of you are dough covered and laughter fills your dream house, the stress of Barbie’s situation fading to the back of your mind.

…

“Goodbye, Ken!” You wave.

“Bye, Barbie! See you tomorrow!”

“See ya!”

The sun has gone down and the smell of warm cake whisps through Malibu. You stand at the palm tree and watch Ken #2 walk out of your sight, a smile on both of your faces.

You’re full of happiness as you head back toward your house, your boots clicking beneath you. Opening the door, you slip inside. Turning back toward your doorway, you’re seconds away from closing it when you jump.

In front of you, as if he appeared out of thin air, a dripping wet and heaving Beach Ken leans on the frame.

“Ah!” You shout, slapping a hand over your mouth. “Ken, you scared me.” You now matching his heaving.

Getting a better look at him, you realize just how disheveled he really is.

“A- Are you okay?”

“I can’t-“ He struggles to get the words out, “I can’t find-“

“Do you need some water?”

He frantically nods, practically throwing himself in the door as you retreat to the kitchen. He hurls himself onto your couch, sprawling out as you fill up a glass.

You jog into the living room, not fully being able to tell if that’s Ken or the corpse of Ken laying motionless on your sofa.

“Here.” You kneel at his feet, placing the water in his hands.

Ken chugs 2/3 of the glass before messily wiping his mouth and sitting up the best he can.

“I can’t find Barbie.” He finally spits out.

A breath of relief almost escapes you as the situation is much less frank than he made it out to be. Though, you should’ve expected such a reaction from someone like him.

“Oh,” You begin, “She’ll be away for a little. I can’t exactly tell you why but- Just trust me, She’s okay.”

You hope.

“What? Wait, Barbie you can’t just not tell me-“

“I’m sorry, Ken. I’m sworn to secrecy.”

“But Barbie, it’s me. Secrets of hers are secrets of mine.” He differs, trying his best to calmly pull the secret out of you.

“I wish I could, Ken.” You shrug, feeling that cornered feeling that you felt with Allan.

“Okay well could you just-“ He deeply breathes, trying to calm himself, “Could you just, tell me where she is?”

You scoot back, “Ken…”

“Barbie, please!” He comes closer, desperately grabbing your hands. “I can’t sleep without knowing. It’s tearing me up inside, Barbie. Please.”

“All I can say is that Barbie isn’t…”

“Isn’t?”

“Well, she hasn’t been…”

“Hasn’t been what?”

“Ken, she just-“

“Just what, Barbie! Please for the love of Mr. Cat spit it out!-“

“Stereotypical Barbie malfunctioned!”

“Malfunctioned!?” He launches off of the couch, holding himself in terror.

“Ken, shh! Sit down!” You pull him. “I’m not supposed to tell you!”

Ken looks at you in horror. He mirrors your breathing demonstration in attempts to calm himself down.

“What happened?” He shakily asks.

“Barbie’s routine was all off. She didn’t look how she usually does when she woke up, she fell off of her dream house; and worst of all, she had flat feet.”

His eyes get wider and wider as if he’s seen a ghost, “H- How will she get fixed? Where did she go?”

“Ken, she had to go to…Weird Barbie.” You whisper.

Once again, Ken throws himself off of the couch like a frightened cat.

“No! Not Weird Barbie!”

“Ken, please!”

He brings his tone to a whisper shout, “Anything but Weird Barbie!”

“She’s the only one who can fix her!”

Ken places one hand on his hip and one on his forehead, pacing the floor as he works himself up again.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m just-“ He sits back on the couch, laying down, “I’m just going to lay down…”

You nod, standing and placing a pink bow shaped pillow under his head as he nearly passes out. Mrs. Cat cuddles beside him and you flip the lights off, leaving them alone in your living room.

——

“Bon Voyage to Reality and Good Luck Restoring the Membrane that Separates Our World from theirs so you don’t get Cellulite!” The crowd chants.

Drink glasses clink as the going away party for Barbie climaxes. You stand beside Ken #2, a weight lifted off of your shoulders now that Barbie has revealed the big secret.

You mindlessly look behind you and to your surprise, Beach Ken stands in your doorway, Mrs. Cat purring in his arms. You feel slightly bad for not waking him up earlier; Now he’s finding out about Barbie’s departure moments before she goes.

Confused, he walks over to you.

“What’s happening?”

Ken #2 looks at him.

“Barbie’s going to the real world!” You inform him.

“Wh-“

“Go! Go!” You push him through the ring of people and toward Barbie and her pink car.

A smile on your face, you take another sip of your drink before turning toward Ken #2. But when you do, you slowly lower your glass. He stares down at you with glossy eyes and a blank expression.

“You let him stay in your dream house?” He asks, his voice low and somber.

“Ken, I-“

“And you told him about Mrs. Cat?”

Your heart sinks, the fact completely slipping your mind when she curled up to him last night.

“Oh, Ken.” You cup his face, “I’m so so sorry. I completely forgot it was a secret!”

“You forgot…” He stares at you, stone faced.

“…Ken, I didn’t mean to-“

Before you can finish, he’s ripped your arms off of him. You follow quickly behind him as he storms into your dream house.

“Every time I think I’m enough for you…” He mumbles.

“Ken, you are enough for me!” You jog into the house. “You are!”

“I’m not!” He raises his voice, startling you. “I can’t be! I make cakes with you, I get you two cats, I cheer you on in volleyball!”

“And I appreciate you for all of those things, Ken! I do!” You try to soften your voice in attempts to bring his down. “I’m only so sympathetic for Ken because you’re so mean to him!”

“He’s mean to me!”

“Well he’s only mean to you because Barbie’s mean to him!”

“So now you’re sticking up for him!?”

“No! I-“

“If I were Barbie I’d be mean to him too!”

“Ken, do not speak for what you’d do if you were Barbie, I do not want that image in my head!” Tears fill your eyes, “What I want…is you, Ken. I want us.”

“No. You want him.”

“Wha- Beach Ken? Ken, I would never. I don’t want anyone but you-“

“Then why does he get to stay in your dream house?!”

“He was having a hard time-“

“That’s what you said last time! You always give me excuses, Barbie!”

“Ken, I’m so sorry-“

“We’re supposed to be boyfriend girlfriend.” His voice drops and his tone is now eerily quiet. “Us, Barbie. I do everything right for you. I don’t know why you love him and not me.”

Tears run down his cheeks and you frown, never knowing how much your seemingly harmless actions were affecting him.

“Ken…” You near him, grabbing his hands by his side. “How can I make this up to you?”

He shakes his head, pulling his hands from yours and wiping his tears.

“You can’t, Barbie.”

“What?” You ask just above a whisper, tears now filling your eyes as well.

“You can’t. I don’t want to be boyfriend girlfriend anymore.”

He shakes his head at you, conflicted, before walking away, leaving your jaw dropped and your makeup tear stained.

“Come back here, Ken!” You shout. He continues walking toward the door. “You can’t break up with me because I break up with you!”

He turns back one last time, “Well I said it first, Barbie! We’re over!” He slams the door behind him.

You stand idly, staring at the door with your eyes puffy and your heart broken. Your mind blurred with a million thoughts, you round the couch and plop down on it. Your lip quivers as you pull your knees to your chest, burying your face in your arms. The familiar furry body curls up next to you, making you weep even harder.

Just as you’ve let yourself cry as hard as you wish, you hear the songy tune of your doorbell ringing.

Not having the will to get up and check who it is, you mumble a crackly ‘come in.’

Please don’t be Ken, please don’t be Ken, please don’t be Ken.

You hear footsteps getting closer and closer before they’re right beside you. The couch dips as they sit in front of you. As you look up, you see almost a mirror image of you. Only, it’s Beach Ken.

He’s let go of Mrs. Cat but her fur still sticks to his shirt. His face is red and tear stained as he tucks his own knees to his chest, sniffling.

“Me and Barbie aren’t girlfriend boyfriend anymore.” He reveals through held back sobs.

You shake your head, barely able to admit it.

“Neither are me and Ken.” Beach Ken cries harder, you can’t tell if it’s for you or for himself. “Why?” You ask.

“She said- She didn’t want me to go with her to the real world. She said we should…take a break.” He buries his head in his arms with that last part.

“Maybe it’s a good thing, Ken.” You try to be there for him, “I’ve heard the real world isn’t a place we’d want to be.”

“Yea, but I’d go through it all for Barbie.” He shrugs, wiping his eyes. “What about you, why did that wannabe break up with you?”

You sniff, “Because I showed you Mrs. Cat. She was supposed to be a secret.”

Ken half laughs, “Jokes on him, I didn’t even know it was a different cat.” He sighs, “I really love cats.”

“I do too, Ken.” You agree. “I do too.”

“Maybe we’re just, two big malfunctions.”

You shake your head, drying your own tears, “Don’t be silly, Ken. I could never be a malfunction.”

“You’re right, Maybe I’m just a malfunction.”

“Well I think you’re perfect the way you are.”

“Not as perfect as Stereotypical Barbie.” He frowns.

“No one is as perfect as Stereotypical Barbie.”

He looks at you, both of your eyes bloodshot.

“I think you’re perfect the way you are too, Cowgirl Barbie.”

“Thanks, Beach Ken.”

Your gazes linger on each other for what seems like decades. Neither you or him mean to be moving your heads closer but by some anomaly, they’re nearing. Soon enough, your lips are locked…and neither of you pull away.

Once you do, you just sit and stare. Another 10 years seem to go by before either one of you speaks.

“…Did you hate that?” Ken asks.

“I did not hate that.”

“Good. Neither did I.”

You sit in silence, wondering what to do next. Trying to worry less about what just happened.

“Does that make us…boyfriend girlfriend?”

“I don’t know.” You think for a second. “I don’t think so?”

His eyes wander, this clearly being too big of a topic for his Ken brain to handle. And quite frankly, it’s too big for your Barbie brain as well.

“Would you want to watch a movie, Ken?” You abruptly offer.

“Absolutely.”

You grin before handing him the tv remote and hopping off the couch. He channel surfs as you heat up two bags of popcorn, extra butter.

Together, for the rest of the night, Cowgirl Barbie, Beach Ken, Mr. Cat, and Mrs. Cat sit on the old pink couch watching the old pink tv and letting out old pink giggles.

The topic that is too big for either of their brains to handle will remain unhandled for as long as that may be. And if it were up to them, that would be for the rest of time. Staying like this, on the old pink couch, with two cats and two popcorn bags, was more than kenough for them.

#barbie 2023 #barbie #the barbie movie #barbie movie 2023 #barbie the movie #barbiefication #barbieimagine #barbie and ken #i am kenough #ken imagine #kenfic #kenfanfic #barbie fanfic

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newtonsheffield · 9 months

Note

Is there gonna be any call on their "we aren't exclusive" bluff? Like, is one of them going to be propositioned by someone they otherwise would have been interested in?

Well, Kate’s not helping herself because she keeps going out, telling herself that she and Anthony aren’t exclusive and she’s absolutely not going to call him tonight.

But there’s also the fact that Siena’s back in London for a few weeks and normally, when she messages Anthony he just sends through his roster so she knows when he;s free to hook up between her shows. But now he’s kind of… not that into it. Siena’s great, they’re great friends but he’s… kind of really feeling this thing with Kate right now. His heart pounds in his chest when he sees her and it’s nice when they sit in a hotel room and eat dinner with his arm around her shoulders, one fork between them. He feels like he can let Kate see parts of himself that he’d be too embarrassed to let anyone else see. Like when he could feel his head spinning and his pulse pounding in his ears as he fumbled in his bag for his stain remover pen and her hands had been steady.

“Let me do it. You’re okay. It’ll come right out.”

“Sorry, um… Sorry.” He murmured while she stamped lightly at his tie with the pen.

Kate shrugged, “Don’t be embarrassed. We all struggle.” She smiled, recapping the pen, “All done, handsome.”

He’d felt the kindness and understanding in her eyes and it settled in his chest. “Thank you, Kate. I appreciate it.”

She smiled again perching her hat on her head with a wink, “Always happy to help a gentleman in need.”

He likes Kate, maybe too much if he’s being really honest with himself. And he hasn’t responded to Siena’s text yet, hasn’t decided what to say when Kate picks up his phone by mistake.

“That’s my phone.” He chuckled, kissing her neck, “Who is it?”

“It’s Siena.” Kate said awkwardly, “She wants to know if you want to hook up or not.”

Anthony’s stomach dropped, “Oh, well… I… no.”

He saw something else in Kate’s eyes for a moment before she cleared her throat and it was gone “Why not? Doesn’t matter to me, we’re not exclusive, right?”

And he tried not to feel like his heart was breaking when he nodded, “Ah yeah, I guess we aren’t.”

“Just… wrap it up or get an STI check before we hook up again.” Kate tugged her shirt back on, even though she’d only just arrived, “I actually have to go.”

She reached the door before Anthony could find his voice, “Kate?”

She turned slowly, her eyes watching him carefully as she stood in her doorway. “What?”

Stay

Don’t leave

I don’t want to see her. I don’t want to see anyone else.

But he couldn’t bring himself to say any of it. So he just said “I’ll see you at work on Wednesday.”

“Yep. See you at work. Have fun.”

#mile high #kathony #anthony x kate #kate sharma #kate sheffield #anthony bridgerton #molly’s asks and answers

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fleckcmscott · 1 year

Text

Pillow Talk

Summary: While Y/N spends some time away, she and Arthur find a way to play.

Words: 3,992

Warnings: Smut, Swearing

A/N: This story stems from a request made by @jokerownsmysoul. I really hope I got it right. 😂 Please enjoy, everyone! And thank you for reading! 💜

If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment, feel free to message me, or send me an ask. Requests for Arthur and WWH are open!

Y/N's happiness at attending the Atlantic Legal Society's conference had rubbed off on Arthur. Made her upcoming absence worth it.

Often he'd tag along, see the sights while she worked. Check out clubs, sign up for open mics where no one would ever see him again. Low-risk refinement. But this week's jobs were too good to pass up, and Amusement Mile's opening day meant lots of families and plenty of tips.

He could hold down the apartment. Hell, maybe he'd even enjoy it. Pour condensed milk over frozen strawberries, smoke as much as he wanted, catch a movie on Gothamvision. (When their rabbit ears had required aluminum foil to get a TV signal, he'd convinced her cable was a dire need.)

He wrapped an apple in a paper towel, tore a banana from the bunch, and stuck both in her purse. A breakfast that'd tide her over for the three-hour ride to Baltimore. Stirring milk into her coffee, he side-eyed the oven clock. When the java was halfway cold, he made his way to the bathroom.

Toes flexed in annoyance, Y/N grumbled around her toothbrush. "I can't believe I overslept."

"You'll get there," he said, and took the hairbrush from the shelf. "Here, let me." He drew horsehair bristles through her untamed mane.

"Thanks." The foam in her mouth made it sound more like fankhs. She spat into the sink, rinsed and spat again. "I don't want to buy another ticket."

A soft scowl crossed his brow. "You shouldn't've had to buy the first."

"Well, you know my boss. He didn't think it was necessary, which is silly with the WARN act being passed. That kind of ridiculousness makes me want Phil to come out of retirement." She hung her robe on the door hook and jogged to the bedroom, calling over her shoulder. "At least they're paying me!"

Minutes later Y/N emerged, frazzled around the edges but smart. She straightened a ruffle at her collar, tugged the corner of her blazer. She wore her age and era with pride. She guzzled her coffee like an engine on empty, poured herself another and skipped the dairy. "I'll regret this on the train."

They dashed to the elevator, vinyl suitcase in his grasp, her hand hooked at his elbow. As the steel doors parted, he made a show of holding them open with his foot. A beam to rival the rising sun crossed her face.

"Thank you, sir," she said, and curtsied. The gesture made him want to lift her, spin around. They were running late - and she'd still taken a spare second to be playful.

God, how he loved her.

At this early hour, only a handful of Gothamites rode the subway. A guy sat in a corner seat. Sixty, gray stubble, wearing a flat leather cap. His outstretched arm held a wrinkled centerfold. Ms. December, judging by the Santa Hat, the sole fabric in the photo. A familiar friend that must've been in his pocket for a while.

Y/N grasped the stanchion at the other end of the car. Arthur moved to stand behind her, a protective arm at her waist.

At every stop she inched towards him. Her round bottom nudged his thighs, her back grazed his chest. She smelled good, like the strawberries he'd eat tonight. He pressed his nose to the crown of her head, filled his veins with her scent.

A scarlet stripe bloomed from collarbone to temple, her ear a crimson shell. The corner of her mouth threatened to curl. Pink tongue darting to wet satin lips.

He squeezed her hip. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," she said. An obvious untruth given how her neck tightened.

Suspicion slanted his stare. But he let it lie. For now.

Wayne Central Station was a Beaux-Arts beauty smack dab in the middle of modernization and commercialization. And it had far too many flights of stairs. After the ups and downs of finding the right track, they landed on thirty-seven, the platform for the commuter line.

"You know," Y/N said, steps slowing to an amble. "I bet there are clown conferences. You could learn to juggle."

His days of working with other clowns were long behind him. But the suggestion was sweet, so he smiled. "My hands are already busy. You're a handful."

She stopped at a concrete column and riffled through her purse. "I'll call you when I check-in and give you the room number. There'll be a direct line." Then her riffling escalated to a frantic search. Patting her coat, the inner breast pocket. Checking her bag one more time. Taking advantage of her distraction, Arthur reached into his jacket. Anticipation tickled his shoulders into a shrug.

"Oh no," she said. "I could've sworn I put my ticket with my credit card."

He reached as if to tuck her hair back. Pulled a green card from behind her ear. "Is this it?" A relieved huff as she snatched her prize. She swatted his chest, wound her arms about his neck.

The squeal of metal on metal bounced off tile walls, announcing the oncoming train. A gust of wind whirled her silvery brown locks. Despite the mundanity of it all, the thousands of people about to step onto public transportation, the moment felt like a movie. A bona fide blockbuster. The ordinary suddenly extraordinary.

Fingers brushing his, she took her bag, speaking between kisses. "I love you. We'll talk soon."

~~~~~

The McKeldin Exhibition Center seemed a blunt, bulky building for the Atlantic Legal Society's twenty-fifth conference, a number Y/N would've considered celebratory. Four stories of concrete, cold steel, muscular exterior. A once modern design that now represented an idea of the future that, if the first five months of 1990 were to go by, wasn't bound to happen.

The registration attendants were friendly and professional. But Y/N wasn't a member of the guild, so she was directed to a line at the other end of a vast, airy hall. The additional hundred dollars she'd paid to attend included extra exercise. A gilded stripe ran along the top of her name tag, like she was a flake of gold to pan for, from which extract a membership fee.

Goodie bags contained the usual swag. A pen with the organization's logo, two legal pads, a folder to hold her notes. At the bottom were a blue stress ball and a gavel pinback button, which she'd pin on Sylvia back at the office. The young intern had received so little recognition in her short life that it'd thrill her.

White tablecloths and serving trays covered the tables in the reception area. Y/N maneuvered to a buffet to the right, snapped a napkin, two cheese and pepperoni skewers, and a paper cup of goldfish crackers. Munching away, she took the temperature of the room.

Lawyers and attorneys general, magistrates and judges swarmed, chatting and laughing, giving handshakes and back slaps. Legal secretaries and paralegals circled up to chat amongst themselves. Judging by overheard introductions, their origins stretched from the Eastern Seaboard all the way to Chicago.

Y/N recognized a former Gotham District Attorney, a lawyer from one of Shaw & Associates' satellite offices. The passing years had salt and peppered his hair, too. The city's newest criminal court judge was on the premises, one Henry Jake. An upset after an affair with one of his legal aides, his promotion from magistrate had been splashed on all the front pages.

He appeared eager to continue the scandal, proceeding to flirt in the way of men who like to wield their authority. A palm on the forearm here, an unwanted compliment there. It made Y/N want to chuck a stress ball at his head.

She stirred powdered creamer and irritation into a styrofoam cup of coffee, noted the restroom sign on the left wall. A woman in a floral shower curtain of a dress approached with tiny steps. Said she'd never been to a big city before, took a sip of Lipton and pushed her plastic glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"I'm Flossie Barteux, but all my friends call me Flo." The red stripe on her nametag denoted her as a fresh recruit.

"Nice to meet you, Flossie." Though maintaining distance, Y/N spoke with warmth. "I moved from the Ozarks to Gotham ten years ago. The lobby has some brochures. I think there's an aquarium on the waterfront, a couple museums, too. You should take advantage while you're in town." Then she gave a friendly nod and excused herself to the Industry Auditorium to sign up for presentations.

Whistleblower protections sounded interesting, considering past capers; she made a note to review Gotham's statutes for the next. Tips for wage and hour investigations filled an entire notebook. The presenter droned on in one agonizingly long sentence. It was impossible to keep up, even in shorthand. Y/N's fingers grew so fatigued she dropped her pen. It took several tries to regain the ability to make a fist.

When the conference broke for the evening, Flossie hopped in the same revolving door as Y/N and suggested dinner at a chain steakhouse across the street. A good number of attendees already stood in line.

To be honest, she could've used a break from the whole thing. But she didn't want to hurt the woman who sorely needed a work friend. She put their names on the waitlist and browsed chalkboard specials. Listened to Flossie's story of how going through probate for custody of her granddaughter had led her to the legal profession.

By the time Y/N stumbled back to her hotel, she could've dozed upright. At the bar, she ordered a variation on a Sidecar, a little number called Between the Sheets. She didn't ask for permission to take it to her room. She dropped a dollar bill in the tip jar and turned towards the lobby.

It was well equipped, a fax machine and pay phone in one corner, a stand with free chocolate chip cookies to the right. In the center of the far wall stood a bookshelf, flanked by overstuffed aqua chairs. A sign was propped on the coffee table: "Please read and return!" A set worthy of Donahue's photo studio.

She stepped onto the woven rug to browse the plethora of outdated bestsellers. Self-helps with mountains on the covers, charlatans offering poor financial advice. Children's books were piled haphazardly on the bottom shelf. And right in the middle was an entire row of romance novels, the ones in which every heroine's bosom heaved and bodice ripped. Ragged covers told the tale of how popular they were, spines split from overuse. As a pre-teen, Mabel had caught her reading a few. ("Why's your face red, Y/N? Are you sick?") Amused, Y/N took the one with the deepest seams.

Forbidden Seas was a terrible if fitting title, given the coverhunk's puffy shirt. He was alarmingly muscular, as though a bee had stung him, and he desperately needed an ice bag. Long, blonde tresses brushed the careening cleavage of the woman bent over his knee. Arthur's wiry frame held a hidden strength, cleaved her tightly whenever they danced, but that position would've ended with her on the floor.

Cackling, she returned the paperback to its place, betting the hunk would be at full mast by chapter four.

When she reached her room, she stretched her arms over her head, pushed herself to her tiptoes, released a short squeal. The conference center's folding chairs had next to no padding. Soreness nagged at her tailbone, a deep-seated throb ached her rear. She could really use a bath. She checked her watch. Arthur would be calling in about fifteen minutes. Luckily, the restroom had a phone.

Pantyhose rolled down her legs, a nail caught on the reinforced toe. The star-patterned vinyl floor was cold on her feet. A claw clip kept her hair off her shoulders, spare tendrils falling to her cheeks. Steam coated the mirror as the room filled with a pleasant heat. She dabbed away her mascara and eyeliner before it could streak. She sipped her cocktail, stepped into the bath. Gave her breasts a casual squeeze and sighed out the stress of the day.

The ringer rang right on the dot.

Voice as light as a game of I Spy, she said, "This isn't reception telling me to pipe down, is it?"

On the other end, Arthur's smile sucked his teeth. "No, it's just me."

"I'm glad it's just you."

The day had gone well, he told her. One of his gigs had cancelled, but that was all right. It let him get some work done around the apartment. He'd replaced the window shade that no longer rolled up, mopped the kitchen, sorted the drawers of his desk. He'd just tuned into a movie on TMC, a screwball comedy she'd deem too silly and dislike.

When he asked how the conference was going, she told him about Flossie, how she hoped the woman's eagerness to excel wouldn't result in her being suckered into membership upgrades. That the WARN act - while a step forward - put some guardrails on the mass layoffs that'd become the norm in the last decade but didn't prevent them. And the overeager judge she was happy to never have to face in court.

"You should teach a class on how to be a gentleman." She slunk deeper into the heat. "I'm learning a lot, but I'll be happy to be home."

"You're not missing much."

"I'm missing you."

"But you saw me this morning!" His protestations didn't fool her; he was pleased as punch. A hitched giggle, one of his many laughs she loved. "Me, too. I mean, I can't wait to see you. But don't worry. I'm fine. Talk to me more. Tell me about the hotel."

"We'll have to stay here someday. There's a bar with a player piano, and I'm having a cocktail in the bath."

"You- You're on the phone in the tub?" The sound of him puttering. A drink set on the coffee table, a middle-aged groan as he sat on the sofa. "There is one thing I can't get out of my head." Nervous tongue smacked his lips. "What were you thinking about on the subway?"

Mercury threatened to crack the thermometer. But still. She was reticent to go there. "I already told you. It was nothing."

"Come on. You were as red as my clown nose."

She pressed the cool glass to her sweaty forehead. The flight of fancy had been completely inappropriate, not to mention out of character. She knew exactly what telling him would lead to, the direction in which this conversation would race. Tacky and cheap, belonging to a $3.99 a minute hotline.

And yet. She was grateful to have a husband she could blush around, whom she could fantasize about, whom she wanted to fantasize about. Besides. It'd been a stretch since they'd last made love. Tacky and cheap might be just what the Doctor of Laughter ordered.

She let the cognac trickle down her throat. Knuckles dragged up and down her breastbone. Her forearm brushed her pebbled nipple. A drop from the faucet plopped.

"Do you want to continue this?" she asked, an eager if uncertain invitation.

"Yeah," he purred. That rasp, the one positive of his cigarette addiction. "But I'm- I'm not sure what's next."

Neither was she, not quite. The next steps felt at once natural and as if they belonged to an unread novel on a hotel bookshelf. But it was him, so it would turn out all right. They'd figured it out every time before. "Tell me what you're wearing," she said. "Or what you're thinking about. Whatever you want."

"I'm in my pajamas. Um. I found my old journal when I was cleaning. I hadn't read it for years - it has everything from when I met you. Anyway, I read what I wrote our first night together? I'd wanted to touch you so badly and-" He gave a throaty laugh. "And all I knew what to do was squeeze your breast too hard."

The recollection struck a match in all the right places. She'd wanted him, too, more than was smart after such a short acquaintanceship. There'd been something that'd set him apart immediately. Whenever he'd looked at her, her heart had skipped to a new but familiar beat. His good looks, his kindness. Passion and flair hiding beneath a surface shyness, a mask you could see through if you took an extra minute.

"You knew how to look at me. How to listen. How to be gentle." She caressed her hip absentmindedly, a movement that soon became deliberate. "And when not to be."

Her knee shifted to rest on the lip of the tub, opening herself to the warm water. "I wouldn't want you to be gentle now," she whispered, and tugged at the curls between her thighs.

"I wouldn't be." Ragged breaths tempted over three hundred miles. A muted moan that meant he was palming his shaft. Her own palm felt empty. How she hungered for him to be in her grasp. Then he asked, "What- What did you pack for bed?"

"The blue nightie you gave me. The one that ties at the neck." It was six years old but a perennial favorite for both. The approval that'd radiated from him when she'd modeled it flashed in her memory. Strokes blazed at the crease of her thigh. "I'll wear it tonight - unless you want me to sleep naked."

A husky chuckle before he pressed her. Again. "Tell me what you were thinking about on the train. I wanna know."

Fingertips dipped to where she ached for him. Lower to tease plush, squishy flesh, plump with desire. Her eyelids fluttered shut, returning to the occasions she'd pleasured herself in front of him, both when he was inside of her and out. Even on the occasions he wasn't able to get hard, he loved it, asked her to do it again. Holding her. Stealing her breath from her mouth. Covering her hand with his. His thumb taking over until she cried his name.

Fever rippling through her arteries, she tapped her slick nub, body throbbing with need. She cleared her throat. She thought she'd lost her ability to be bashful with Arthur. But dirty talk didn't come as naturally now that she was alone, not the way it did when it was foreplay. When she'd beg him to fuck her, plead for more, more, more.

Yet, she wasn't alone. Though he was afar, she was abuzz with his presence. Spreading joy and happiness to others, always entertaining his audience, he was the performer in the relationship. Tonight the performer became the audience, and she was putting on a show for one.

A show she'd drag out a bit longer. Make it worth his while. "I'm touching my clit, Arthur. Slow and soft, like your tongue. God, I wish it was your tongue. You feel so good."

He groaned. Her grip on the telephone tightened, knuckles gone white. "When we were on the train," she began. "I imagined you shushing me. Your breath was hot on my ear. I wanted you to put your hand on my skin, down my skirt." Her strokes halted while she laughed. "I don't know why. I wasn't even horny."

"You're horny now."

"All hot and bothered."

A grunt came through the copper wire, luring her along. Her foot pressed the tub's curved rim. Splashes of imagery knotted her belly. The play of light on his slender abdomen when he'd put on a shirt. How his biceps flexed when he'd wash his hair. The tightening of his brow the second he lost himself to euphoria. The musky weight of him on her tongue.

She rubbed herself a little harder. A steady, firm pace. "When I come I feel your cock at my back-"

"Keep talking."

"-and I have to bite my lip to keep from moaning, because I know you'll fuck me as soon as we walk through the door."

"Oh, fuck..."

Water licked at her labia with each flick of her wrist, awakening every nerve ending, cresting wave upon wave of sensation. She shoved the receiver under her jaw, lifted her shoulder to lock it in place. Cradled her breast, nipples just at the waterline Lapping, lapping, lapping. She circled the right with her middle finger, wishing her hand was as large as Arthur's, so that she could play with the left. Shivering, her knees drew together and upward, pelvis striving towards her wanton touch.

Splish, splash. Splish, splash.

A growl rumbled out of him. "I- I'm gonna come."

"Yes."

She was there. She was there. About to fly over the edge, her feet about to leap. Gasps caught in her throat. Half his name lost in a whimper. The peak of delight finally reached...

The phone tumbled off her shoulder and plunged into the water. Landed on the fiberglass. An unenthusiastic thud.

"Shit, shit-"

Locked in spasm, she watched air bubbles rise from the sunken plastic. It was hard to move mid-orgasm. Her legs weren't yet in the Jello stage. Hanging onto the towel bar, she stood on very shaky ankles.

She plucked the receiver from the water, shook it out over the tub. Yanked the drain and placed the handset on the rim. Fingers a blur, she dialed their home number on the bedside phone. How quickly had Arthur realized she wasn't on the line?

Had he heard any of the denouement?

Nine rings and Arthur answered, out of breath but with a laugh. "What happened?"

She covered her face. "I dropped the phone. It's ruined." It would be the one time she would pay a fee for damages.

"Oh. Well, I was just cleaning up."

The cord twined through her fingers. "Did you?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Me, too."

"I know. I heard half of it."

Giggling, she excused herself to dry off. Pulled the clip from her hair, retrieved her nightie from her bag. She crawled between cool sheets, fluffed her pillow, pressed Arthur to her ear.

"What'll you do tomorrow," he asked, scratching his cheek.

A Department of Labor inspector would give a presentation on the Severe Violators program, a list of closely monitored companies that violated labor laws like it was a talent and never lifted a finger to change their ways. The padding to their bottom lines was bigger than the fines. She'd chatted with the inspector during a break.

"ACE Chemicals being on the list isn't a surprise. But Wayne Steel?" A sharp inhale before she yawned the rest. "I hadn't even heard of them."

"You're tired.”

"No. Relaxed. Happy. But not tired." She curled up on her side, burrowed deeper into the blankets. "This bed is empty. I have no one to press up against." Another yawn betrayed her.

At her third, Arthur interrupted. "Y/N, go to sleep." A grin in his words, like he was about to call her cute. "You need your rest."

"And why is that?"

His voice lowered to the volume of secrets. "Because when you get back, I'm going to fuck you as soon as we walk through the door."

Her eyes went wide, then she burst out laughing. A wave of dizziness swept through her. She brought the heel of her hand to her forehead. "What time'll you wake up tomorrow?"

"Six, probably. Maybe 5:30?

"Let's have coffee together. I'll make a cup at 6:15."

He agreed before she'd completed the request, said how dearly he loved her. And, yes, to her consternation, called her cute. She kept the eyeroll out of her reply. "You're wonderful, too. Now take your own advice and get some sleep. No journaling until dawn. All right?"

"All right. Have a good night. And Y/N?"

She was already fading, his lilt her favorite lullaby. "Yeah?"

"Wear your blue nightie for coffee. I’ll be in my briefs."

~~~~~

Tag list (Let me know if you want to be added!): @harmonioussolve @ithinkimaperson @sweet-nothings04 @stephieraptorr @rommies @fallenstarsabyss @gruffle1 @another-day-in-chuckletown @hhandley80 @jokerownsmysoul @rafaelbottom @ralugraphics @iartsometimes @fleckficgirl

#arthur fleck #arthur fleck fanfic #arthur fleck smut #arthur fleck x reader #arthur x ofc #joker 2019 #arthur x female reader #watchwhathappens

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changingplumbob · 1 month

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York Household: Chapter 9, Part 4

Time for a York family brunch!

The Yorks are Italian so if you see them using words that don't look like English it's Italian, or what google assures me is Italian. Caro/Cara: Dear Buongiorno: Good morning Piccolo: Little one Tesoro: Treasure Nonno: Grandfather Nonna: Grandmother Si: Yes Grazie: Thank you Per Favore: Please Buon Compleanno: Happy Birthday

Paris has been watching some kids TV in the apartment she shares with Deanna but, eventually getting bored, starts playing with an infant toy she found in Kelly’s toybox. Perks of being a childish sim.

Deanna: I’m done!

Paris: You are?

Deanna: Well 3 out of 4 lots of homework but I’m to tired to do more

Paris: You can always do it tomorrow

Deanna: And how about you? Can I do you tonight?

Paris: *coyly* If you want

Deanna: I do want

Aaron: Think we can woohoo without a kid barging in saying Kelly made them cry

Calista: I think the kids he hangs out with are tougher than that

After the pair are satisfied Calista cuddles up beside Aaron as he plays with her hair.

Calista: Por favore, can you be in good Nonno mode for brunch

Aaron: What do you mean

Calista: No telling Rilian he’s coddled or Alfred that he's the better twin. They’re speaking now, they can catch on

Aaron: *sighs* Rilian cries at the drop of a hat

Calista pinches Aaron.

Aaron: Fine, fine! I’ll try keep my annoyance to a minimum

At long last the whole house slumbers.

Devin: Buongiorno pa

Aaron: Cara, you’re here

Devin: Forget fashionable late I’d far rather be fashionably early

Deanna: Shh! They’re sleeping

Devin: Why is the lounge full of sleeping kids at almost 11am

Aaron: I think Kelly kept them up late with his spooky stories. We should probably get them up before brunch starts though

Devin: Yep. I don’t need any kid stealing all of ma’s omelettes

The family arrive for brunch and while Calista gets the last of Kelly’s guests on their way Aaron puts the toddlers in the high chairs.

Aaron: Here we have some omelettes cooked by your nonna, just for you

Alfred: For me

Devin: Si. Make sure you eat it before it gets cold

Alfred: No eat. Talk mama

Devin: Rilian, will you please eat

Rilian: It poison?

Calista: I don’t know what your cheeky Zio Kelly told you, but I would never give you poison. I promise, I made this with love and it tastes very good

Devin takes time to encourage Rilian to eat, he’s a picky eater, but eventually he starts to nibble on the omelette. His little face lights up and he begins to tuck in happily. Of course nonno Aaron is oblivious to this show of superior twin power as he’s over with the second generation of Yorks to eat.

Luna: How is the nectar garden going

Calista: We’re still waiting for the fruit to grow but-

Rilian: I DONE

Luna: *tuts* Rilian it is not good to interrupt. I am happy you finished your meal though

Alfred: This good nonna

Devin: What do we say

Alfred: Tank? Tank nonna

Calista: *smiles* at least he’s trying

Luna: We figure we’ll teach them grazie and danke after they know what thank you actually means

Aaron: How are you today Rilian? *looks at Calista deliberately*

Rilian: *smiles* I good good nonno. I eat up

Aaron: Oh? Molto bene

Rilian: *looks puzzled*

Devin: It’s Italian caro, you’ll learn in time

Rilian: Oh. Nonna can I out

Calista: Since you have finished eating sure

Joey: I see you also ate yours Alfred

Alfred: Yes Zio Joey *blows kiss*

Joey: aww, thanks piccolo

Freed from his chair Rilian toddles around and toddles right into Kelly.

Rilian: Zio Ke, Zio Ke! I eat up

Kelly: Did you now? How do you know it wasn’t poison

Rilian: *thinks* it taste good, mo bean (molto bene)

Kelly: That’s good news. You’ll have enough energy to survive then

Rilian: Huh

Kelly: See I was bitten last night and now I’m a MONSTER

Rilian: *jumps out of skin*

Rilian: *wailing*

Kelly: Shut up you’re fine

Rilian: *cries loudly* NONNO ZIO KE MEAN

Aaron: *sighs* Coming Rilian

Rilian: *sniffles and smiles at Kelly*

Kelly: Oh you little poop you're totally acting

Aaron: What’s going on over here then

Alfred: Up nonna up

Calista: Here I come. Uh oh, sounds like Rilian might be having some trouble

Alfred: I help, I snuggle

Calista: *hugging tightly* That’s right, you’re a snuggle bug aren’t you piccolo. All right, down we go

Alfred: I free, I free

…

Aaron: Kelly what did you do?

Kelly: He’s fine, he just smiled at me!

Rilian: *sniffles* Nonno Zio Ke scare *pouts*

Aaron: *sighs* You decided it was a good idea to scare a three year old?

Kelly: I said I was a monster and he overreacted

Aaron: Kelly he’s a toddler, of course monsters are scary

Rilian: *sniffles* Nonno I sad

Aaron: Don’t worry Rilian, we can find something fun. As for you Kelly, time out

Kelly: *sighs* nobody has a sense of humour in this family

Defeated he goes and sits. Alfred comes over and tries talking to him but like normal Kelly prefers to ignore his nephews. Meanwhile Aaron scoops Rilian up and plays with him until he’s calmed down properly.

So what do we reackon folks? I'm still not 100% certain what happened with Kelly and Rilian. Reminder to read the whole option before clicking (it's me, I only read half the sentence then realise I was too eager to click)

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#sims 4 #the sims #the sims 4 #simblr #My Sims #ChangingPlumbobStorytime #R0901 #ParisPearl #DeannaYork #CalistaYork #AaronYork #DevinVillareal #RilianVillareal #AlfredVillareal #LunaVillareal #JoeyYork #KellyYork

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total-drama-takes-takes-2 · 6 months

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ttwt episode 3

“Last time, on Total Takes World Tour: we dropped off our contestants in Seoul, South Korea- literally! Though they survived the fall, not everyone survived the challenge- after losing half their players, Team Mojo was doomed from the start, and ultimately took the fall- leading to Frollo’s real fall, haha. Mal made some brand new enemies, and Bonnie showed off their soft side when they made buddies with Julia- aw. Who will be falling from altitude next? Will anyone survive today’s challenge? Find out now, on Total Takes: World Tour!”

The inside of first class is illuminated with light classical music, mood lighting, and the smell of fresh pain au chocolat. Kelly and Staci are lounging with their feet up and cucumbers over their eyes, Phillip is busy writing in a thick journal (while giving everyone sideways glances) and Bonnie is absent-mindedly toying with their Switch.

Max walks into the cabin holding a small bag. “Bathroom’s full. Is anyone here afraid of needles?” then, after a short pause. “Oh, right. I don’t care.”

He sits down next to Bonnie and rolls up his pant leg, then starts unpacking some medical supplies. The latter looks up from their switch curiously. “Whatcha got there?”

“Heroin,” he says plainly, lightly pinching his thigh with one hand and readying a needle with the other. It suddenly hits Bonnie and their face goes blank.

“Oh. I didn’t know, sorry,”

“It’s fine. Not like I’d be getting any more privacy in the Orwellian nightmare bathroom back there,” he says, not breaking a sweat as he finishes up the injection.

Kelly leans over the back of their seat. “I do patches,”

“Congratulations,”

---

Ass wakes up with a long stretch, groaning as they work the kinks out of their back from the bumpy and uncomfortable ride. The sound of merry chatting is like nails on a chalkboard to them as Joner and Sha-Mod discuss their upcoming album from across the cabin.

“I mean, we both have great ideas,” Joner says.

Sha-Mod nods. “Really great ideas,”

“But it’s not fair to make big decisions without McLovin,”

He thinks for a second, then shrugs. “I guess you’re right. Sucks that we can’t all be here,”

“Tell me about it,” Joner sighs, looking at his teammates. “You gotta promise not to get kicked off. I need you now more than ever, buddy.”

“I swear it! If we go down, we go down together,”

---

SHA-MOD: “Okay, Joner’s my friend and all, but… I’m starting to think maybe this time apart from each other, and MC is good. We’re all a little… What's the word… codeperous!”

From outside the bathroom, Max’s voice shouts “THAT IS NOT A WORD!”

---

Chris’ voice blares over the loudspeakers. “Goooood morning! All campers report to the galley in five for the deets on your next challenge,”

Economy class grumbles and starts unbuckling themselves for the depressing walk to the tiny eating area.

---

Chris is standing on the metal picnic table in the center of the room, wearing a viking hat and fake beard. “Welcome to Iceland! Land of the vikings and reduced alphabets!” Chris says. “In just a moment, we’ll be right over some of the most famous hot springs in the world, where I’ll give you the deets on your next challenge. Before then, I’d suggest buckling up- this landing’s gonna be bumpy!”

The teens look at each other and then rush towards the nearest seats, buckling in fast as the plane hits a massive wall of turbulence, shaking everyone like they’re inside a blender. Chris laughs with glee and the plane promptly lands.

Now dizzy and disoriented, the teens take a moment to collect themselves before unbuckling, but Chris is already five steps ahead of them. He throws open the doors and shouts, “HELLOOOOO, Iceland!” to crickets.

The plane sits atop an ice sheet in the middle of nowhere. “Um. Where are we?”

Chef walks up to the door behind him. “It’s Iceland,”

“No it isn’t!”

Chef looks across the empty ice sheet. “I see ice. I see land. Iceland,”

“Chef,” Chris sighs, massaging his temples. “Where are we on the map?”

“Big island thingy by Newfoundland,”

“Greenland! We’re in Greenland!” Chris shouts. “What can we even do in Greenland?!”

“That’s not my job,” Chef shrugs and disappears back to the pilot’s quarters. Chris groans. “Okay, okay. Does anyone here know anything about Greenland?”

Silence. The teens look between each other silently and Chris sighs. “Okay, fine. Everyone out. We’re gonna walk across the ice sheet til we find something,”

The entire group groans and follows Chris out into the cold. The wind is blowing snow across the sheet and everyone is shivering as the host zips up his parka and loudly sips from a Thermos. “Mmm. Hot chocolate really lifts my spirits,”

“I am going. To kill him,” Ass grumbles, wrapping their arms around themselves. “Or myself.”

“Ugh, don’t you dare leave me with Mal,” Courtney says, trudging along.

Near the back of the group, Mal rambles on happily about her favorite manga to Joner, who’s starting to look like a corpse.

The group suddenly stops, crashing into each other as Chris stops in front of them. “Here we go!”

The teens stand before a massive glacier face. “Didn’t think there were any of these left,” the host chuckles. “Okay, impromptu challenge. First team to scale that glacier gets hot chocolate dibs back on the plane.”

Without another word, the freezing teams rush by him and start climbing the slippery face of the massive glacier. Kelly climbs with an unseen precision and speed, outpacing all of the other competitors.

---

KELLY: “Fusion gymnastics really pay off,”

---

They reach the top of the glacier in minutes, and peer over the edge. “Come on, Team Friendship! We can do it!”

“Speak for yourself, you spider monkey freak!” Max shouts from the base.

“Spider monkeys are beautiful creatures!” Kelly yells back.

Nearby, Michela struggles on the slippery, icy surface- her hands won’t hold onto the sleek edges of ice, and her heavy boots keep pulling her down. As she loses her balance for what feels like the millionth time, someone grabs her arm and hoists her over a ledge.

“Try digging your heels in more,” Albert says. “And your hands. I did a campaign against oil drilling in Alaska, and did some climbing. while I was there”

She huffs. “Thank you,”

He salutes her and starts climbing upwards while Max watches in annoyance from nearby.

---

MAX: “I just want to point out, for the record, that he could be flirting with any other girl on the show, but he had to choose mine. There’s something wrong with that guy,"

---

“Dude, later,” Bonnie says as they climb past him. Max sighs and follows them up.

Albert reaches the top of the glacier and huffs, looking around. Kelly is a few yards away, still shouting down to their team. “Let’s go, guys! You’re doing great,”

He smiles and sits beside them. “Well, aren’t you a little ray of sunshine?”

“Hm?” Kelly looks up. “Oh- I try! We could all use a little push in the right direction, don’t you think? There’s no point to giving up.”

“You can’t win everything, though,”

“Not with that attitude,” they say, matter-of-factly. “Let’s go, team!”

Albert walks off to help Michela over the ledge and Kelly cheerily returns to their team, most of whom keep shouting back at them to be quiet.

Michela and Albert hoist Austin over the ledge and fall backwards as he collapses on top of them with a scream. Kelly’s attention is diverted to the scuffle, but they quickly turn away when they see who it is.

“Hey, baby, don’t be a stranger,” Austin says, noticing the avoidance. “Friends, right?”

Kelly looks back and clears their throat. “Yeah, I mean…. It’s been a while, that’s all,”

“Not too long for an old lover, eh, bird?” he nudges them and they giggle. Patrick makes it over the ledge and slips across the ice, crashing into Michela and Albert like bowling pins and sending them tumbling backwards again. “Well, best get back to the old ball and chain- the team that is!” he laughs at his own joke and walks off.

---

KELLY: “Sometimes I forget how much I liked Austin when we were together. I mean… we broke up for a reason, and-and I stand by that! But still…”

---

Phillip reaches the top and skids across the ice before coming to a stop in front of Michela and Albert, preventing them from being barreled over again. The first of Team Yaoi successfully makes it over the top and pulls Joner up with them. He and Courtney wheeze atop the ice for a few moments before brushing themselves off and peering over the edge.

Ass and Julia come next, followed by Mal, who’s been talking about Yuri on Ice for the past eighteen minutes.

“Someone either get me a pair of earmuffs or a shotgun,” Ass grumbles, pushing past Courtney as Mal babbles on.

While the team is distracted, Joner runs over to the edge and pulls Sha-Mod up, looking both ways for witnesses.

“Thanks, man,” he huffs. Joner shrugs.

Next up is Max and Bonnie. “Has anyone seen Staci?” The latter asks, looking from side to side.

“Right here, bozos,” Staci says, sitting in a makeshift ice throne. “I found some scrap metal and used it to make ice picks like, ages ago!”

Max rolls his eyes.

“Looks like you all made it up alive. Good on you!” Chris says. “While you were busy doing whatever, I went ahead and found a real challenge for you- ice fishing! A common pastime here in Greenland, the sport requires a fair bit of travel. The traditional method is dog sledding, but since we already did that in the original World Tour, you’ll be taking a different twist- building your own out of the materials provided!”

A large helicopter hovers overhead and dunks piles of junk on the top of the glacier, right before the teams. “After that, you’ll be choosing who gets to pull you! Meet you at the finish line!”

A ladder drops from the helicopter and Chris grabs it, waving goodbye as he flies off.

Staci turns back to the team. “This should be easy enough! We just need something to move on, some rope, and a body,”

“I see cardboard and diapers,” Bonnie says, pointing to the trash pile. “Where’d Chris get this stuff, anyway?”

“I’d assume some kind of current carries trash in the Atlantic up here,” Max says, tossing a tin can behind him. “But what do I know? Let’s ask the genius.”

They all turn to Staci, who shrugs. “How would I know? It doesn’t matter, anyway- we’ve got everything we need. Max, start collecting those cardboard boxes. Bonnie, get me something metal. Kelly, you’re on shoelace duty,” they salute. Staci continues. “Everyone else, start looking for some kind of adhesive and some kind of grease. Let’s go!”

The team disperses, leaving the two others behind. Ass and Courtney watch them section off. “So, we’re screwed,” Ass says, unamused. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be dying of hypothermia.”

They walk off, leaving the team behind. “Can we please not fight?” Joner whimpers.

Courtney sighs and nods. “Joner’s right, we need to stick together,” they scan the horizon. “Someone find some… wood, or something. There’s gotta be something we can do!”

Joner and Julia look at each other (the latter rolling her eyes) and both cautiously walk off into the garbage.

---

COURTNEY: “Okay, so I’m not a perfect leader. So what? Someone has to keep this team together!”

---

“Look what I found, baby!” Austin glides back over to Team Mojo, who so far have only collected sheet metal. Michela looks at him, and the rest of the team raise their heads as he stops in front of them gracefully.

“Ice skates! Way to go!” Albert says. “We can attach them to the bottom of our sled.”

“There’s a whole line of them over there, baby!” Austin jabs his thumb backwards, then begins taking off the skates. “But they make me look really shagadelic, don’t they?”

Everyone looks at Michela for comment. She rolls her eyes. “Whatever,”

---

MICHELA: “Why am I ‘the girl’? I mean, I know why, but come on! Patrick is right there!”

---

Kelly sifts through the large pile of abandoned boots in the old shoe sector of the trash heap, pulling out shoelaces and humming to themselves. They crawl on their knees, ducking under alcoves in the garbage island. Their pockets are stuffed full of laces, and as they continue along the depressing manmade horror, they bump their head against something.

“Ow!” they exclaim, adjusting their vision after the bump knocked them dizzy.

“Oops- sorry, baby, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Austin says. “Here, let me help with that.” he pulls off his blazer, wraps a chunk of ice in it, and presses it against Kelly’s forehead. They smile gratefully and hold it to their head. “Thank you,”

---

KELLY: “Despite everything, he’s still a gentleman,” they pause for a few moments, then sigh. “Sometimes… I really miss him.”

---

“How’ve you been holding up? Groovy, I hope?” Austin asks, pulling another ice skate out of the snow.

Kelly shrugs. “Oh, you know. Good, bad, in between. Lonely, mostly,” they sigh.

Austin places a gentle hand on Kelly’s shoulder. “Sorry to hear that, baby,”

The two look at each other for a moment, both crouching on the ground in their little cave of ice and garbage. Austin slowly begins leaning in, and Kelly takes the cue and does the same, closing their eyes.

But Austin, instead of doing the expected, ducks to the left and nabs something behind Kelly. They fall forward and land face-first in the snow. “There you are, you little bugger,” he says, holding up another skate. “Well, fun chat! Later, baby!”

Austin gets up and walks off with his bundles of ice skates, leaving Kelly behind. They struggle for a moment before sitting up and backing out of the cave, their tongue attached to the blade of an ice skate that was embedded in the snow.

“Uh-oh,” they say with a heavy lisp.

Chris walks over to observe the scene. “Wow. What’re the chances,” he chuckles. The familiar ring of the musical bell sounds and Kelly mumbles.

“Now?”

Chris nods. “Now. But, uh- let’s get some backup singers, shall we?” he chuckles. “You seem a little tongue-tied.”

Kelly’s brow furrows at the annoying joke while Chris laughs at himself. Michela, Ass, and Courtney are shoved over by Chef, much to their collective annoyance.

“Ah, here we are. Take it away, ladies! And… things,” he squints before walking off.

“What happened?” Michela asks. Kelly grumbles as the bell rings again, almost passive-aggressively this time. “The strings of my heart are a tangled mess!”

“Oh, I love this one,” Courtney says, elbowing Ass to join in. “Ooh, mess!”

“It’s beating so hard, it’s jumping out of my chest!”

Michela begrudgingly joins in this time. “Ooh, chest!”

“I tried to start with a clean slate!”

“Ooh, slate!”

“I ended up stuck to a skate!”

“They got stuck, tried their luck, sucks to suck- stuck, stuck to a skate!”

“I was a fool, thought nothing had changed!”

“Ooh, changed!”

“Now I realize that was totally strange!”

“Ooh, strange!”

“He’s moved on, I’m still stuck in the past!”

“Ooh, past!”

“I probably should’ve just asked!”

“They got stuck, tried their luck, sucks to suck- stuck, stuck to a skate! Stuck, stuck, stuck to a skate!”

“Are we done now?” Michela asks. No one responds and she walks off.

“Um… help? Please?” Kelly asks.

Ass rolls their eyes. “Maybe next time you should think before throwing your lips at anyone who looks your way,”

Courtney holds up a finger. “But-”

“Come on,” Ass grabs their wrist and drags them away from Kelly.

---

ASS: “Strawberry Shortcake? Oh, please. They’re like a weird pet to me. I’ve got them completely wrapped around my finger,”

---

COURTNEY: “Ass is annoying, but they’re not a threat. Like a small, loud dog. I’ve got them under my thumb,”

---

“Um… what happened to you?” Max asks as Kelly walks back to the group, holding up the skate (still attached to their face). “You know what? I don't even want to know.”

“Oh my gosh, Kelly! Where did you find this?!” Staci says, holding the skate. “This is perfect!”

“Austhin,” they mumble. “They hath a bunch over there.” they jab their thumb back towards Team Mojo, who’s sheet metal sled is almost complete.

“Well, nevermind that. I made something even better. You guys are gonna love this,” Staci says, pulling out their sled- a futuristic, yet simple design. “The runner is made out of tin can lids for traction, with an automatic feature that’ll cover them with this metal slip when we need to go smooth. I reinforced the cardboard, and these shoelaces will work perfectly to hold everything together and make up the reins.”

Max rolls his eyes. Bonnie elbows him. “It looks great, Staci,”

They shrug. “Oh, it’s nothing,”

Ass watches Team Friendship’s sled come together and looks back to the Yaois, who’s contraption looks more like an unfinished Ikea product.

“We need to hurry things up,” they announce curtly. “We’re WAY behind.”

“Please, keep standing there and telling us how bad we’re doing. It’s SO helpful!” Courtney says, using a cable to tie together the miscellaneous wood and cardboard pieces they found.

“Guys, can we please not argue?” Joner pipes up from behind them. “It’s really not helpful.”

Ass rolls their eyes and walks off. “Whatever. I’m going to find more wood,”

Courtney grumbles to themselves and angrily tightens the cable to a suffocating degree. Julia sits next to Joner and shakes her head. “What a crowd, huh? If you’d ask me, you’re the glue holding us together, Joner,”

She pats his back and he shivers. “Um… okay. I’m going to go sit by Mal,”

Joner gets up and stiffly walks over to Mal, who’s busy trying to get a signal on her phone.

---

“Attention, construction crews! You have five more minutes before the race begins!” Chris’ voice blares over his megaphone as his helicopter hovers overhead.

“How’re we feeling?” Bonnie says, stepping back. “Do we need a steering function, or will our “sled dog” take that on?”

“Do we have time to add anything else?” Max asks.

“There’s always time for finishing touches!” Staci squeals, running over and dumping a bucket of glitter over the sled. Max sighs and massages his temples.

---

STACI: “What? Just because I’m an engineer doesn’t mean I can’t have fun,”

---

Team Friendship piles on the sled, getting covered in glitter in the process. Max looks like he’s about to kill someone, and Bonnie isn’t faring much better.

The three sleds- each of varying quality- line up in front of the opposite end of the glacier, where Chris is waiting.

“Um, someone’s going to come and clean all this extra trash up, right?” Albert asks, looking at the pile behind them.

“Suuuuuuure,” Chris grins. “Just be grateful you’re reusing, buddy. Your next challenge is simple- your designated ‘sled dog’ will pull you down the glacier to the frozen lake, where you’ll cut into the ice and fish out one of these!” He holds up a handful of mugs, each a color coordinating to the teams. “Once you have your mug, you can cross the finish line and receive your reward-”

The crowd Oohs.

“-Not going to the elimination ceremony!”

The crowd sulks again.

“As soon as you choose your sled dogs, you’re free to go!” Chris fires a flare into the sky and chuckles to himself before walking off as the teams turn to each other.

“I volunteer!” Phillip says. “My raw strength is deeper than what meets the eye…”

“Yeah, that’s not happening,” Max says. “How about Skate Face? Not like they’ve done a lot today besides frenching a shoe.”

Kelly protests, jabbing their finger, but their words are unintelligible.

“I’ll do it if it means less glitter on me,” Bonnie says, climbing out of the back and circling around to the front, fastening the harness. “Don’t even think about whipping me.”

Across the ice, Michela fastens the harness around herself and gives a thumbs up to the team behind her. Ass and Courtney watch the other group fix themselves up and turn to theirs.

“I’ll do it,” Courtney says, raising a hand. “It’s only fair after my terrible leadership today.”

“No kidding,” Ass grumbles. “But I don’t think you’re really up for the task, no offense. Wait, actually- offense!”

“Like you’d do any better,”

“Watch me!”

“Okay, then why doesn’t Mal do it? She hasn’t done a single thing all day!” Courtney shouts.

“Um, not true! I’m Wattpadding,” Mal scoffs, offended. Ass rolls their eyes.

“Enough!” Joner shouts, catching everyone’s attention. “I’ve had ENOUGH of your fighting! I’ll do it, okay!” He gets up and walks around to the front of the sled. “Now are you done acting like children, or do you want a juice box and a cookie with that?!”

Courtney, Ass, and Mal stare blankly, then slowly shake their heads.

“That’s what I thought,” Joner says, fastening the harness around him. “If I hear a single peep out of you, I’m turning this whole sled around!”

Julia smiles and leans into Joner to whisper. “Imagine how much smoother we’d run if one of those guys were gone. Just saying!”

---

JULIA: “I need an ally. No way I’m trusting basket case 1, 2, or 3, plus- Joner is probably the weakest link on the team. He needs me,”

---

Joner looks away as he finishes fastening the ropes around his torso and shoulders. “Me and Sha-Mod are already kind of allies,”

“You have a cross-team alliance?” Julia says. “I’m impressed. But Sha-Mod can’t help you here, and trust me- if we lose, you’ll be next.”

He thinks for a moment, and then nods. “Fine, but just for today, and just in case we lose,”

“Whatever works for you!” Julia says merrily.

Joner starts off, shortly ahead of Bonnie and far behind Michela (as Team Mojo’s vote for sled dog was unanimous). He dashes right off the side of the glacier and the crowd in the back scream in terror as they drop down.

Bonnie watches the Yaois fall and turns back to Staci. “This better work!”

“Trust me!”

They sigh and start running, screaming as they go off the edge- as the serrated edges of the tin can runners dig into the ice, though, the fall is dramatically slowed and much safer.

By the time they reach the ground below, they soar past Team Yaoi, who are all buried waist-deep in snow.

“I can see Michela and the boys!” Bonnie yells. Staci starts up the mechanism to cover the runners, and they pick up speed, gliding past the Mojos.

Kelly makes fleeting eye contact with Austin as they pass, and then quickly looks away.

---

“Joner? JONER!” Julia shouts as the Yaois dig through the snow, searching for their missing sled dog.

“Maybe he ran away?” Mal asks, using her phone flashlight to very slowly melt the snow underfoot.

Julia rolls her eyes. “He’s not an actual dog,”

“Isn’t he, though?” Ass snickers. Courtney whacks them upside the head.

A faint groaning catches everyone’s attention and they turn to a massive pile of snow and rocks up ahead. Courtney approaches and winces. “Oh, that’s… not good,”

Joner is lying in the pile of rocks, bruised and battered. Courtney and Julia lift him up and carry him to the back of the sled, then turn to each other. “So… who’s gonna pull it now?”

---

“Come on, Bonnie!”

“You got it, Bonnie!”

Bonnie rolls their eyes. “Okay, I get it!” and they speed up.

“Mush, mush!” Patrick yells, using his blazer as a whip to goad on Michela, who’s looking less than amused. “Good doggie!”

“Can someone do something about him?” she yells. Albert looks cautiously at him, and he snickers. “Oh, I dare you,”

Albert curls his hand into a fist and punches Patrick’s lights out.

---

ALBERT: “When you work in a field like mine, you have to learn how to defend yourself eventually. I’ve been threatened, attacked, attacked with bricks, attacked with pillowcases full of dead birds, and stoned at least five times,” he pauses. “And yet, they still built that dam.”

---

Bonnie slows down at the mouth of a frozen lake, Michela shortly after. Each respective team unloads and runs to the ice, where three sets of fishing rods and saws are sitting.

“Anyone know how to fish?”

On Mojo’s side, Albert begins sawing while Michela grabs the rod. “For the record,” he states. “I do not condone commercial fishing.”

“This isn’t commercial, nor is it fishing,” Michela says, dunking the fishing rod in the water the second the ice is cleared off.

Minutes later, Team Yaoi finally arrives, everyone but Joner pulling the sled behind them. “Let’s go!” Courtney shouts, dropping the ropes.

Ass grabs the saw and starts cutting the ice open while Julia readies the hook. Nearby, Michela shouts “Got something!” And pulls up an orange mug. “Let’s go!”

Team Mojo runs off, leaving behind Friendship and Yaoi, only one of which has gotten in the water yet. Max maneuvers the fishing rod around. “I’m not feeling anything,”

“You’re doing it wrong,” Phillip says. “I would know. I have a fishing encyclopedia.”

“So you know how to fish?” Staci asks.

He looks away and avoids the question for a few moments. “...No,”

“Why would you have a fishing encyclopedia if you don’t fish?” Bonnie questions, raising an eyebrow.

Phillip sighs. “You wouldn’t understand what it’s like to be a man,”

“I got something!” Max yells, just as Courtney gets their lure in the water. He pulls out a lavender mug and Team Friendship cheers, getting up and running off.

“Hurry!” Julia snaps at Courtney.

“I can’t fish any faster!”

---

Team Mojo crosses the finish line and cheers.

“And Team Mojo has won the challenge!” Chris announces. “Nice going, guys. Enjoy some complementary winners hot chocolate.”

Chef rolls out a large metal beverage dispenser.

“But we only have one mug!” Michela protests.

“I know. Sharing is caring, guys!” Chris chuckles. The team groans.

Team Friendship pulls up next, panting. “We-we made it! Not latht!” Kelly says. The team cheers, and only seconds later does Team Yaoi pull forward, holding their mug and panting.

“No. NO!” Ass shouts, dropping to their knees as they see both teams have arrived before them. “NOOOOOOOOOO!”

Courtney wheezes and collapses in the snow and Mal rolls her eyes. Julia looks around. “I feel like we forgot something,”

---

Sha-Mod pushes Joner back to the finish line in the shoddily-made sled, shaking his head.

---

“Team Yaoi, I’ll see you at the elimination ceremony tonight. The rest of you can enjoy a nice, toasty evening on the plane,” Chris grins. “Cause the engines are overheating and we can’t figure out why!”

---

Team Yaoi sits in the wooden bleachers at the elimination ceremony, wrapped in blankets and shivering.

“Team Yaoi- wow. You sucked. I can’t even think of a single nice thing to say about you!” Chris chuckles. “Your absolute hatred of each other led you to the pits- for some of you, literally!” he says, gesturing to Joner in a full-body cast. He groans. “But now it’s time to cast your votes and see who gets the boot for good,”

---

Courtney sits in the confessional and sighs. “As much as I want to get rid of Mal, and Ass… it’s cruel to keep Joner in the competition,”

---

Ass stamps out Courtney and flips their passport closed with a smile.

---

Joner mumbles erratically as he sits in his cast, trying to stretch out to reach the passports.

---

Mal stamps out Joner without even looking up from her phone.

---

“I know we’re supposed to be allies, but what use is someone who can’t even move his fingers?” Julia says, crossing her arms. “Can just one person I bet on make it to merge?” She stamps out Joner.

---

“Let’s see- Ass, Julia, and Mal- you’re safe,” Chris reads the votes aloud, tossing each player named a bag of pretzels. “And no surprise- Courtney, you’re safe, too. Sorry Joner. The good news is that there should be a hospital under us riiiiight about now.”

Chris tosses him a parachute, which Julia helps him put on. Ass rolls their eyes.

Joner mumbles something loudly, glaring at the team as he stands at the door. And without another word, he jumps out.

“Dramatic,” Chris chuckles.

---

Kelly sighs as they hold their hair dryer to their tongue, trying to unfreeze it from the harsh metal of the skate blade in the confessional. The door opens and someone jumps. “Sorry, didn’t realize someone was in here,”

“It’th fine,” Kelly says. “I didn’t lock it.”

“Still stuck to that thing?” Albert says, turning on the water tap and letting it run warm before gesturing for Kelly to try it out. They do and the blade immediately separates from their mouth.

“Finally!” They exclaim. “That could’ve saved me a few hours.”

He shrugs. “I do what I can. How’d you get stuck to that thing, anyway?”

“It’s a long story. Short version is that you should never assume someone’s going to kiss you,” Kelly sighs, shaking their head.

“Um... I don’t think I would. I think you’re a little too optimistic for your own good,” Albert comments, then leaves the bathroom.

Kelly sighs again, then closes the door to be alone.

#ttwt #total takes world tour

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