#reflections seem to be the theme of my angst lately

[yoona-jnr]

Meant To Be - By Ryan McCartan (Musical)

Pairing: Ryomen Sukuna x Female Reader

Prompt: “I was meant to be yours, we were meant to be one. Don’t give up on me now, finish what we’ve begun.”

A murderer? He can’t be…

Oh, but he is. And he’ll do whatever it takes to make you accept that.

Tags: Slight angst, mentions of sexual themes, heavy dub-con, Sukuna on his own is a warning, modern au, insanely toxic/psychotic boyfriend au

-BANG

Another forceful thud reverberates through the door, causing your head to jolt as his fist connects with the wood. “(Name),” his voice echoes from the other side, the sound of him struggling with the doorknob audible. “Get out of my house!” you shout in response, ensuring your body remains firmly pressed against the door, the only barrier preventing him from getting to you. “Our house, (Name). I can explain.. Just.. open the door.” 

It was clear to you that ignoring the softness in his voice was the right decision, no matter how tempting it was. The feeling of betrayal and heartbreak was overwhelming upon realizing that he had deceived you throughout the entire relationship. While he may not have been the most ideal boyfriend, discovering that he had murdered countless people, all while using you as an alibi, was a shocking revelation. You were a fool, a fool who was in love with him.

As you find yourself standing in front of the door to your shared bedroom, you mentally slap yourself for not knowing sooner. The signs were all there, staring, almost taunting you in the face, yet you had failed to connect the dots until now. His habitual late returns, the lingering foul odor that seemed to follow him home from “work”, and the sudden change in his demeanor whenever you asked to use his computer - all now pieces into a disturbing puzzle that had led you straight to where you are now. 

“I don’t like playing games, (Name),” he expresses, frustration evident in his voice as he struggles with the doorknob once more. A disapproving click of his tongue escapes his lips as he realizes that you still haven’t unlocked it. “Just.. get out before I call the police.” From inside, he hears your sobs, the pulsing vein on his forehead reflecting the mounting annoyance in his stomach. He was getting angry. It wasn’t his fault your perfect relationship was ruined. After all, he had told you repeatedly to stay away from his private folders. But oh.. you just had to look. 

“Baby-” – “DON’T FUCKING CALL ME BABY YOU MURDERER!” Fuck. He clenches his jaw, knuckles turning white from the force of his grip on the knob. “I thought you loved me. But it turns out you were just using me to hide from the cops?! Are you fucking craz-” Before you could continue your tirade, another blow landed on the wooden door, the impact making you flinch.

“Don’t raise your voice at me, woman. Did I not tell you to stay the fuck away from my shit?” He attempts to turn the knob, his annoyance intensifying as he struggles to pry it open. “How can I not raise my voice when all you’ve been doing is lie to me?!” Lie? Oh, how he wished for that to be the case. Initially, it may have been a falsehood. The intention of involving you as an alibi gradually transformed into something more.. self-serving. It became a desire that impelled him to prolong your presence despite only requiring your assistance for a year. 

Sukuna releases a heavy sigh, his grip on the handle loosening. “(Name).” – “Please, just go away,” you plead, voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and sadness. Despite the barrier, he can still hear the sound of your cries, slowly tugging at his heart. Would you doubt the authenticity of his emotions if you could feel the turmoil he is experiencing at this moment? No. He’ll show you that despite the lies he may have told- his love for you is genuine. 

Going through great lengths to uphold his principles to spare you, even if it meant resisting the urge to harm you like he did with his other victims. Wasn’t that sacrifice- this act of restraint, a true testament to his love for you? He allows you to vent your anger and frustration at him through the door, knowing full well that he could easily break it down if he desired. Can’t you tell how much he loves you from sparing that much? 

“I didn’t lie about how I feel towards you.” His mouth twitches. “The only thing that I’ve ever lied to you about was my job, that’s all, nothing else.” Were you really about to make him say all this shit just to get you out of that goddamn room? 

“That still doesn’t help the fact that you lied to me for three years, Sukuna. Just.. please leave already. I don’t want to talk to you.” He scoffs. “Do you wanna know what I did? From the moment our relationship started, I stopped killing for fun. I started killing people for YOU.” Sukuna’s patience was wearing thin, evident from his sudden need to justify his actions. “I got rid of them. People who hurt you, every single person that ever tried to get in between us- I didn’t even bother to kill anyone else. I did it for you, for us.” 

“..Don’t you understand? You’re mine, and I’m all that you could ever fucking need. So, fuck-” He rests his other hand against the door. “Open the door.. open the door for me baby.. I know you want to. You can’t just abandon me now, not after everything we’ve been through.” The sound of his voice gradually returning to its customary tone sends a shiver down your spine. Why did this have to happen to you? He expects you to open the door, but then what? Easily welcome in the fact that he was a ruthless murderer? You haven’t even introduced him to your parents yet. What would he do if they disapproved of him? Would he resort to killing them as well? 

“(NAME)!” Startled by the sound of your name being yelled, you instinctively move away from the door, your eyes fixed on it in disbelief. The doorknob rattles again, but this time with even greater force. “..Open the door, please.” The sudden shift in his volume makes you tremble. He’s gone insane. It becomes clear to you now that this wasn’t your boyfriend. The man on the other side of the wall was a completely different person, devoid of the love of your life. “Open the door (Name).”

Have you been cherishing a lie? The mere thought of it was unbearable as you reached for your phone resting on your bed, trying to unlock it while the fear of him catching you intensified. ‘Please, please, open.’ Was the only thing running through your mind as you struggled with the lock, tears welling up in your eyes the moment you succeeded. “(Name), can we not fight anymore? I know you’re scared baby.. it’s okay.”

Despite your lack of attentiveness, it was obvious from the intensity of his voice that he was both frustrated and desperate to get to you. The way he expressed himself made it seem as though he was teetering on the edge of losing control. You were well aware of his explosive temper when provoked, and it was clear that he was exerting every ounce of self-restraint to prevent himself from resorting to violence. 

With trembling thumbs, you hastily open the dial pad, a surge of fear coursing through your veins. Never in your wildest dreams did you imagine that you would find yourself in a situation where you needed to call for help from your own boyfriend. The very same person who vowed to protect you from any harm that may come your way. “(NAME)!” He slams his fist against the door. “You’re not calling the cops, are you?” Inhaling sharply, you inadvertently confirm his suspicions by the mere sound of your breath. “Don’t make me come in there.” 

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” You sob uncontrollably, not wanting to witness your supposed-to-be husband getting dragged out by the police. He was a murderer, hell, you even hate him for lying to you all those years. Yet just a few hours ago, he was your loving, caring, boyfriend who struggles to show affection, but tries his best for you. “Open. Before I count to three.” shit. Shit. SHIT. SHIT-

You start dialing- 

“..one” 1..1

.“Two-“ You hear him speak just as you finish dialing the numbers, anxiously waiting as the phone continues to ring. 

“Fuck it.” Sukuna grumbles without prior notice, forcefully propelling the door open with a powerful kick to the knob. With remarkable agility, he catches the door with his hand as it rebounds off the wall, preventing it from dislodging from its original position.

As soon as he enters the room, a wave of terror washes over you, causing you to let out a piercing scream. His usually calm face was now twisted into something much more sinister, making him almost unrecognizable. “If only you fucking listened.” With heavy, stomping steps, he makes his way towards you, and despite your attempts to move out of his path, he grabs you by the waist- effortlessly throwing you onto the bed. “If only you weren’t such an insufferable bitch.”

The impact of his words were sharp, yet it paled in comparison to the sensation of him forcefully holding both of your wrists above your head, while his other yanks the phone out of your grasp. You tremble as you watch him slowly press a finger to his lips, a silent warning.

“110.. What’s your emergency?” A man’s voice resonates through the phone, leaving you stunned as you witness a sinister grin spread across Sukuna’s face, almost relishing in your vulnerability. “Sorry about that,” He begins, his tone oddly friendly. It makes you sick. “My kid accidentally called while she was playing around with my phone.” The man on the other end lets out a weary sigh, another moment of silence passes before he responds, “Sir, please make sure this doesn’t happen again. Your daughter needs to be aware that calling this number has consequences.”

“Will do,” he laughs, observing the way you quietly sobbed. “What was that?” – “Nothing. My kid’s just crying cause she’s scared she might get in trouble for this.” Sukuna warns you again by tightening his grip. “Ah, I understand. My son reacts the same way, always crying as soon as he realizes he’s in trouble,” the man chuckles. “Alright, have a good day sir.” – “You too.”

Beep..

.

.

Beep..

.

.

Beep..

Sukuna hurls your phone across the room, showing no concern for its potential damage as it crashes onto the floor.

“Please, let go- i-it hurts..” He shakes his head, dipping his face in the curve of your neck, tracing the tip of his nose along your skin as he breathed in your scent. He momentarily stops, parting his lips to lick a path up to your chin, sending shivers down your body. Fuck, you hated how your body naturally reacted to him. It felt like a curse, one that you were no longer proud of possessing. “You know I hate hurting you baby.. But you keep testing my fucking patience.”

He emphasizes his words by leveraging his free hand to pry your legs open, positioning himself comfortably in the space between them. Sukuna releases your bruised wrists, repositioning his hand near your head, while the other tenderly strokes your inner thigh. He gives an experimental squeeze, immediately picking up the sound of your breath hitching. “Oh?” He lets out a deep, sinister chuckle. “Don’t tell me you’re getting wet from this?” Leaning in closer, he spreads your legs even more as he presses against you. “Didn’t take you for someone who likes it this rough.”

Your faces were now inches apart, his smile only growing wider as he observes the way you make an attempt to divert your attention elsewhere- anywhere but on him. “Then again..” he mutters, slowly sliding his hand closer to your center, clicking his tongue the moment he realizes you were wearing nothing but one of his shirts and underwear. “You always did like being treated like a toy in bed, hmm..?”

“Tell me,” he gently pulls at your underwear, making you hiccup, tears continuing to flow from your eyes. “Did you wear this just for me.. With the thought of having my dick shoved right in this tight pussy?” You shake your head, tilting it slightly to the side to avoid any unintended eye contact. 

“Tsk.” Unimpressed, he firmly grips your face, forcing you to meet his gaze while his hands skillfully slips underneath your underwear. “Why don’t I make it up to you, yeah?” He shoves a finger in, hissing from the sensation of your arousal coating his digit so easily. “I’ll fuck you to the point you start losing your mind as an apology.. How does that sound, princess?”

Author’s Note: No part two will be made as this was a test to see if I could still write sexual stories. (It’s been years my brain’s literally decomposing as I type.) But, if you guys like shit like this then I’ll make more. This time with completed smut!

Sorry for edging you guys 😔🙏

#jujutsu kaisen #sukuna x y/n #sukuna x you #sukuna angst #sukuna x reader #ryomen sukuna #jujutsu kaisen x you #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x y/n #sukuna smut #sukuna x reader smut

[kwanisms]

The Library of Illusion — the Keeper of the Keys

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➮ vampire!Seonghwa × fem!Reader wc: 5.7k summary: Y/N finally has all 6 keys and returns to Seonghwa only to learn that not only does she now need his key but he's also much more than the man she thought he was. genres/themes/au: angst, smut; fantasy, supernatural, biblical & demonic; non idol au, vampire au warnings: adult dialogue, female reader, biblical & demonic themes, sexual content (18+ mdni), see smut warnings under the cut!

permanent taglist: @yoonguurt @wonderfulshinee @candidupped @dejavernon @violagoth @tigermoonbiss @katsukis1wife @luvsooby @thesolarplanetarysystem @salty-for-suga @devilsmatches @dmnspiit @simeonswhore @yangracha @seonghwalover @atinypurr @aikyubi @labyrinthonmymind @bintificreads @toxic-babexe @prestineaugstine

ateez taglist: @2hodefender @cixrosie @pyeonghongrie-main @flowerboykun @sanjoongie @anyamaris @stardragongalaxy @kpop-stories-21 @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @mlysalt @cinnamoon-belle @briannabk22 @is4b3ll3s @hyukssunflower @vampiirose @0325tiny @ateezstanforever @justiny @jeongwangjessmina @lacie220900 @aaaaajonghooooo @dementedaly @rangerobbie

special tags: @thelargefrye

join my taglists! Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED.

a/n: I hope you really like this second to last piece. Y/N's journey is almost over but we still have one part left. I'm gonna let this part speak for itself and as always, I love reading your feedback! Thank you so much for reading and a friendly reminder that this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only. Header and line breaks made by me. Content and support banners made by me with a template made by @cafekitsune. I do not allow reposts, translations, or continuations of my works. All my writings are ©️ kwanisms.

smut warnings: possessive!Hwa, jealous!Hwa, unprotected sex (wrap that shit), brief fingering (f receiving), rough sex, use of pet names (mainly Kitten), dom!Hwa, bloodplay, dubcon (Hwa's vampiric venom is an aphrodisiac, so technically Y/N is under the influence), slight brat!Reader, multiple rounds (multiple orgasms), cum inside, and I think that's all but of course, let me know if I missed anything!

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‘Am I too late?’

You spun around, eye scanning the room. “Seonghwa?” you called out, waiting for a response. You started looking around again, peering between the shelves. “Seonghwa, where are you?”

As you rounded the end of one of the bookshelves, you saw Seonghwa leaning against the desk. Your heart pounded as you let out a sigh of relief.

“Where were you?” you demanded as you walked up the steps to meet him. He looked you over before meeting your gaze. “I’ve been here,” he answered simply. You opened your mouth to retort but he cut you off.

“Were you successful?”

You narrowed your eyes before nodding towards the box. “Take a look.”

Seonghwa hesitated before turning to the box and lifting the lid to see the sixth and final key resting in its spot. A smirk spread across his face. “Perfect,” he said softly, letting the lid shut before turning to look at you.

“You’ve done exactly as asked,” he continued. “You should be congratulated.”

You nodded, a triumphant smile on your face. “Now I can finally leave this place,” you said, moving to grab the box. Seonghwa didn’t stop you as you lifted the heavy wood and carried it over to the final door under the orange glowing Restricted Section sign.

You hadn’t had the chance to see the door up close but now standing before it, you could see it was much different from the other doors. Each wooden door leading into the sections was plain, heavy wood. This door was the same heavy wood but it was carved.

The scene carved into the wood was like something out of the bible. What seemed to be the bowels of hell, full of fire and skeletons reaching up from the flames was front and center while above seemed to be a great chasm, complete with what looked to be demonic figures, laughing and dancing around the fire.

A chill crawled up your spine as you inspected the wood carving, looking it over slowly. “It’s gruesome, no?” Seonghwa called from behind you, making you turn to look back at him. “I’ve always thought it was a little too… ostentatious. Too showy,” he added before shrugging.

You turned back to the door and glanced below the carving where you noticed the six keyholes, spaced evenly under the scene. “So I just enter the keys?” you asked, raising your voice for Seonghwa to hear.

“Mhm,” he hummed. “Just insert the keys into each keyhole but don’t turn them yet. They have to all be in the keyholes simultaneously.” You glanced back at him before setting the wooden box on a ledge next to you and lifted the lid, looking down at the keys, each with their own insignias.

You glanced back at the door, at the carving. The insignias were present in the carving as your eyes scanned each figure bearing the insignia on its chest. ‘What the—’

“Time is of the essence,” Seonghwa called, interrupting your thoughts. “The longer you take, the smaller your window to escape becomes.” You nodded wordlessly and picked up the keys.

One by one, you inserted the keys into the corresponding holes using their insignias. Once all six were in, you turned to look at Seonghwa who motioned for you to turn the keys. “In the order you visited the section,” he added.

You did as he instructed, turning the science fiction key, followed by the one from the horror section, then the history key, the crime key, the fantasy key, and finally the adventure section key.

A series of clicks and mechanical mechanisms sounded behind the door and instead of the door opening a small slot above the six keys opened revealing another keyhole. “What the…” you trailed off, staring at the key.

You had been so preoccupied by turning the keys in the right order, you hadn’t noticed Seonghwa sneak up on you. “Oh would you look at that,” he whispered, peering over your shoulder and making you jump.

You looked back at him with wide eyes.

“Looks like you need another key.”

You looked back at the new keyhole. “Where am I supposed to get another…” your voice trailed off, turning slowly to look at Seonghwa who watched you with a smirk.

Was there something you were missing? Had you forgotten something along your journey? He had said there were six keys and you had six keys. Had he lied to you? Where were you supposed to get a seventh key.

Your eyes widened as a thought entered your head.

“You?” you whispered. Seonghwa tilted his head. “Me?” he asked curiously. “What about me?”

“Do… do you have a key?” you asked before it finally dawned on you. Of course he had a key. He was the Keeper of Keys after all. Like the reel of a film, you saw in your mind each time he pulled out a key to unlock the doors to each section.

Of course his key would be needed to get into the final section.

Narrowing your eyes, you turned full to face the Keeper.

“So, are you going to unlock this door for me or am I going to need to get your key from you?” you asked, crossing your arms over your chest. Seonghwa’s smile dropped. “Well,” he said nonchalantly. “I could open the door for you,” he said, pacing slowly in front of you.

“But where’s the fun in that?”

You sighed heavily. ‘Of course.’ You thought bitterly.

“So what do you want?”

Seonghwa turned to look at you with his dark eyes. “You’ve been through a lot,” he started. “Your body has been pushed to the limit,” he added. You nodded, hoping he would hurry up and explain faster since you already knew where this was going.

He had seen everything already. Every sexual encounter. Every minute detail. He’d seen it all. He knew what you’d done to get the keys and get to this point. There was no way he didn’t want in.

“You’ve been running a marathon that most could never imagine. And you’re at the finish line,” Seonghwa continued. “Now you just have to sprint the final lap.”

You rolled your eyes, tired of him beating around the bush. “Just get it over with and tell me what you want.”

Seonghwa was before you in an instant, hands against the door on either side of your head. “I want what everyone else has gotten,” he said softly, his tone dangerously low. “Which is?” you pressed as he leaned in, lips inches from yours.

“Satisfaction.”

The next moment, his lips were against yours and your hands moved up to tangle in his hair, your lips parting and allowing his tongue into your mouth with a groan.

Seonghwa pulled you from the door, never breaking the kiss as he backed you towards the stage in the center. Not wanting to make it easy for him, you pushed him against the nearest surface which happened to be a bookcase, the force causing a few books to topple from the shelves and to the floor.

You moaned into the kiss, making Seonghwa growl, pulling you back. “This might hurt,” he said softly, glancing from your eyes down to your neck and back up. You opened your lips to respond but the next second, Seonghwa had you pushed against the shelf, pressing into your back as he forced your head to the side, exposing your neck.

“What are you—”

You didn’t have a chance to finish your question before you felt sharp teeth sink into your skin, letting out a scream. You tried to push back against Seonghwa but he was clearly much stronger.

‘This whole time he was vampire? Well fuck,’ you thought as your body grew weak. ‘That’s not what I expected.’

You’d had your suspicions by now of what kind of creature Seonghwa was. You’d considered many things but vampire had not been among them.

Seonghwa finally let go, letting out a groan. Your body felt weak but there was something else under the haziness, something hot and tingling spreading through your veins. ‘What is this? What has he done to me?’

You felt Seonghwa back up from you and you tried to stand up straight but you were too weak, your knees buckling as you turned and you fell back into the shelf.

“What did you do to me?”

Your vision blurred as whatever had entered your system continued to spread, growing hotter and hotter until it settled in the pit of your stomach. “I couldn’t resist,” he started. “You just smelled so good. I needed a little taste.”

‘A taste? That confirms it. He is a vampire.’

You shook your head, trying to shake away the fuzziness. “It’s almost over,” you heard him whisper. He was back in front of you, pushing you against the shelf, holding your wrists above your head. “Just calm down.”

You tried to focus on your breathing but the heat in your stomach was starting to spread throughout your body. You were burning up. “Did you change me?” you asked incredulously. Seonghwa chuckled. “No,” he answered.

“But when I bite,” he continued. “My venom does enter the bloodstream.” You looked up, his face starting to come back into focus as your vision cleared. “Venom?” you asked, your voice sounding panicked. Seonghwa nodded, moving a hand up to cup your cheek. “It sounds worse than it is,” he explained.

“But I promise it’s not that bad. A vampire’s venom enters the blood and keeps your blood from coagulating. Makes it easier to feed,” he explained, brushing a single finger over the bite in your neck and bringing his blood covered finger to his mouth, licking the liquid. “But it also has another side effect,” he continued.

Your chest heaved as you tried to focus on him. You started to feel hot all over. Your clothes were suffocating. ‘What has he done to me?’ you wondered, shaking your head, grabbing the edge of the bookcase to keep yourself steady.

“W-what effect?” you stuttered, looking up at Seonghwa, your vision blurring and looking as if everything was lagging behind. Seonghwa smiled sweetly at you, despite having your blood staining his bottom lip.

“It’s an aphrodisiac.”

You whined, pulling at the collar of your clothes. “Fuck, it’s so hot,” you complained. Seonghwa resisted the urge to chuckle. “Maybe you should take them off,” he suggested. You shook your head. “I can’t,” you replied. “I need that key so I can get out of here.”

Seonghwa’s hands moved up, pulling at the top button of your shirt. “Without me, you can’t get that key,” he answered. “And I already told you what I want.”

He had a point. He’d already told you exactly what he wanted. He wanted you the same way the other guardians had gotten you. Knowing that the aphrodisiac was coursing through your veins and had a considerable effect on your decision, you still couldn't deny that you didn't want him, too.

From the moment you set eyes on him, you couldn’t deny how attractive he was. You’d be a liar if you said he wasn’t one of the most beautiful beings you’d ever laid eyes on. So ethereal, regal, and downright seductive.

Whether that was just him in general or his vampiric powers shining through, you didn’t know but one thing was for sure. Your desire for him was growing by the second and if you didn’t get your release soon, you were going to scream.

You looked up into his eyes. “Then take it,” you answered, your voice dropping. Seonghwa tilted his head. “Take it?” he asked. You nodded. “Take what you want.”

Seonghwa chuckled, taking your face in his hands. “You’re telling me to take you?” he asked, studying your face. You nodded. “Even without the aphrodisiac, I’d be telling you this. Take me so I can get your key and get out of here.”

Without another word, you felt Seonghwa’s hand wrap around your throat. “Are you completely sure?” he asked to which you nodded. “Please,” you moaned, squeezing your thighs together. The heat was getting to be too much for you to handle and you needed release.

And you needed it now.

“Be careful what you wish for, Kitten,” Seonghwa murmured.

You let out a gasp as he turned you around, pushing you backwards and guiding you up the steps until your ass hit the desk. “Once I start, I won’t stop,” he explained, placing one hand against the desk as he pushed you over it, leaning over you.

“I’ve waited for this moment since your first encounter with the alien.”

You stared up at him. “Did you really watch everything?” you asked, looking into his golden eyes as they flashed at you. “Everything,” he confirmed. A wicked smile spread over your face.

“And did you enjoy the show?”

Seonghwa’s expression turned into a scowl and he growled, showing you his pointed canines. ‘That would be a no,’ you told yourself as he leaned in. “Don’t play with me, kitten,” he growled, the sound rumbling from his chest. “This isn’t a game.”

You liked the way he bent and fought back. It only made you want to tease him some more, see how far you could push before he snapped entirely. If your encounter with San had taught you anything, it was that you liked it rough.

And with Seonghwa's physical power, you knew rough is what you’d get.

You fought the urge to smirk. “Why are you so mad?” you asked sweetly. Seonghwa narrowed his eyes. “You know why,” he murmured. Shaking your head, you lifted one of your thighs, wrapping it around his hip. “I don’t think I do,” you answered.

Seonghwa let out another growl, pushing you onto the desk, hovering over you and squeezing your neck just a little more. “You’re testing my patience, Kitten,” he hissed.

“Oh, I’m so scared,” you retorted.

Quick as a flash, Seonghwa had turned you around and bent over the desk, spreading your legs as he pressed his hard cock into your ass from behind. “If you don’t stop fucking with me, I’ll make you regret it.” Your stomach flipped, arousal pooling in your shorts.

“Now now, don’t threaten me with a good time,” you teased.

Seonghwa let out another deep growl, leaning over you as he breathed in your scent before he tilted your head to the side, exposing the bite wound on your neck to him. “I’ve been patient,” he added. “I could have just killed you earlier,” he continued. “But I’m merely a servant.”

‘A servant? What does that mean?’

“But I still have my… urges,” he continued, drawing you from your thoughts. You let out a moan as he grinded against you again. “You know,” he whispered, lips brushing against your ear. “I only got a little taste earlier but I think another is in order.”

Your words failed you as your heart pounded. “With the way your heart keeps pounding, all this blood just keeps coming out,” he murmured, leaning over, running his tongue over your neck, letting out a groan as he tasted the blood.

“I still will fuck you,” you heard him mumble. “But I really just want a little more,” he added, lowering his mouth to your neck. You shut your eyes preparing for more pain but when you felt nothing else, you opened your eyes.

Seonghwa let out a groan of frustration. “Fine,” he grumbled, standing up, you felt him rip open your shorts, hastily undoing the zipper and pushing the material down. “You still want this?” he asked, pressing his erection into your ass.

You pushed yourself up and looked over your shoulder at him. You nodded, meeting his gaze. Seonghwa sighed heavily. “You have to say it,” he noted.

Meeting his eyes once more, they flashed briefly at you. “And I’d really like it if you’d say ‘yes please,’” he added. You nodded. “Yes please,” you said breathlessly, leaning into his touch when he reached up to cup your cheek, thumb grazing your skin.

“Please, Seonghwa, I want this.”

Seonghwa’s lips parted in a smile before he pushed you back against the desk before quickly undoing his own pants. “I may bite,” you heard him say as his hand disappeared between your thighs.

You opened your mouth to respond but only a moan came out as you felt two of his fingers push into your pussy.

“Oh,” he said softly, looking down. “So tight,” he added, pumping his fingers in and out of your wet cunt.

“I’m really going to enjoy this.”

Without another word, he pulled his fingers from your cunt but they were quickly replaced with the head of his cock as he pushed into you from behind. “Oh shit,” you gasped as he bottomed out, stilling inside you.

“So this is what he got?” you heard him whisper. “And six times? How unfair.”

Before you could ask what he meant, you cried out as he set a hard, punishing pace. “Don’t talk,” Seonghwa growled. “As much as I've enjoyed it, I’ve had enough of your conversation.”

You moaned, grabbing the edge of the desk as the vampire behind you pounded into you. Much like San or Yeosang, Seonghwa’s cock wasn’t massive or monstrous but it still filled you nicely with each thrust.

“Fuck,” you gasped, nails digging into the wood of the desk. “You have any idea how mad it drove me,” Seonghwa started, his voice breathless as his hips hit your ass repeatedly. “To watch you with each guardian?”

You moaned loudly.

“When all I wanted was to fuck you like this? Like they got to?”

You cried out as his hips thrusts harder against you, cock pounding your walls. “Is that hard enough for you?” he asked, voice coming out lower and gravelly. “You seemed to like it when San took you this hard.”

You whimpered, unable to keep a firm hold on the desk. “S-Seonghwa,” you moaned. “Too hard?” he asked with a breathless chuckle. “Nhg, harder,” you groaned, surprising him. “Harder?” he asked, a smirk forming.

“I don’t think you can take that, Kitten.”

You growled, pushing back against him. “Goddamn it, Seonghwa, harder!”

You cried out, feeling his hand hit your ass. “Easy, Kitten,” he growled. “I’m in charge here.” You pushed back to meet his thrust. “Just shut up and fuck me,” you whined.

“Make me forget the others.”

That seemed to set him off. Seonghwa growled deeper, grabbing your hips hard, his nails digging into your skin. “I’ll make you forget,” he replied. “Fuck you until you’re dumb and you can only say my name. Mark you, fill you up, and make you mine.”

His pace didn’t falter, ramming into you from behind as he moved one hand to your back and kept you pushed against the wood of the desk. “You’re mine,” you heard him grunt. “Only mine.”

You moaned loudly, each thrust making you see stars. “Say it,” Seonghwa snapped suddenly. “Say you’re mine.”

You opened your mouth to reply but only moans came out. “Say it!”

“I-I’m -hng! I’m y-yours,” you moaned. “Ah, fuck!”

Seonghwa grabbed the back of your shirt, pulling you up. “Take this off,” he ordered. You moved as quickly as you could, his hips never faltering as your fingers worked to unbutton your top.

As soon as the buttons were undone, Seonghwa pulled the fabric back, tugging it down your back before sinking his teeth into the same spot he’d bitten into before. You let out a moan, walls fluttering around his cock as your head fell back onto his shoulder as you felt him feeding from the wound on your neck.

“Fuck,” you groaned. “M’gonna cum.”

Seonghwa’s hips stilled, mouth detaching from your neck. “What’re you doing?” you whined as he pulled from your warmth before turning you around and pushing you on the desk. “Lay back,” he ordered, shrugging his jacket off and moving to undo his shirt. You did as he said, watching him undo his shirt and shrug that off as well.

You took in his appearance; his messy black hair, glowing golden eyes, lips stained with your blood and some that dripped down his chin and onto his exposed collar. Your eyes traveled lower, taking in his toned body and honeyed skin tone.

Before you could get an eyeful of his wet cock, he was pushing back into you, hooking his forearms under your knees. You moaned as he slid his entire length into your pussy. “Look at me,” he demanded.

You looked up, meeting his gaze, your walls clenching around him.

“That’s it, Kitten,” he said as he started thrusting slowly. “Fuck, you’re so beautiful,” he murmured, thrusts growing in speed.

“Come here,” he said as he reached to grab the back of your neck, pulling you up. “Have you ever tasted your own blood?” he asked softly to which you shook your head, eyes glancing down to where his cock disappeared into your cunt.

“Eyes up here, Kitten,” he snapped. You looked up, meeting his gaze. “Tilt your head for me,” he instructed. You did as he asked, moaning as he sank his teeth into your skin again, taking another drawn out mouthful of blood.

Pulling back you watched as he swallowed but pulled you forward, taking you in a searing kiss, his tongue entering your mouth. You tasted nothing but metal. Letting out a moan, your walls clenched around his cock again, your thighs starting to tremble.

“Fuck, fuck, Seonghwa,” you whimpered. “I-I… m'gonna- ah!- gonna c-cum,” you stuttered. Seonghwa lowered you back to laying on the desk. “Then let go and cum for me, kitten,” he ordered, pushing your thighs back and driving his cock further into your cunt. “Don’t talk, don’t think, just cum.”

The merciless pace at which he pounded into you had you cumming in a matter of seconds, crying out in pleasure as your walls fluttered around him. “I need you to do something for me,” he said breathlessly as he slowly fucked you through your orgasm.

“W-what?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“I need you to feed from me.”

Your eyes opened, meeting his gaze instantly. “F-feed from you?” Seonghwa nodded. “Yes,” he answered. You hesitated, looking up at him, wondering just what was going on inside that head.

“But won’t that make me a vampire?”

Seonghwa chuckled at your question. “That’s not how vampires are actually created, Kitten,” he replied. “You have to make a deal with a demon to become a vampire.” Your cheeks burned. His hips hadn’t stopped once since he asked.

“If you don’t want me to drag this out and trust me, I could fuck you for days, I need you to do this. It’ll make me finish faster,” he explained. As much as you wouldn’t mind having him fuck you for hours on end, you knew you were running out of time. You needed that key and to get out.

“O-okay,” you replied finally.

You pushed yourself up as Seonghwa used the pointed claw ring he wore on the tip of his thumb to pierce the skin of his wrist. “Don’t think about it,” he said softly, offering you his wrist. Taking a deep breath, you took his wrist, parting your lips and biting onto his skin.

The taste was just like it had been when you kissed him earlier. It tasted of metal only much stronger. Seonghwa let out a groan, keeping a firm hold on your hips with his free hand as he slammed into you.

“Fuck,” he cursed. “That’s it,” he urged. “M’gonna cum,” he warned. “Gonna fill you up and make you mine.”

You moaned, letting go of his wrist. “C’mere,” you heard him snap. He took the back of your neck, pulling you into another messy kiss as his hips stuttered before you felt his cock twitch, releasing inside you and fucking his load into you further until he couldn’t anymore.

Finally coming to a halt, Seonghwa groaned against your lips. “Fuck,” he hissed. “I’m tempted to take you again,” he murmured, pressing light kisses against your lips. “Make you mine fully.” You whimpered against his lips as he gave you a shallow thrust. “I could go again,” he noted. “Please,” you whined. “Another round?”

The aphrodisiac hadn’t worn off just yet and if that was the kind of sex you got with Seonghwa, you couldn’t turn down another round. You felt his fingers close around your throat.

“Such an insatiable kitten,” he muttered. “I give you some and you want more?”

You nodded, looking up at him with pleading eyes. He leaned in, kissing you once, twice, three times before smiling. “That’s okay,” he replied.

“I’m insatiable, too.”

Seonghwa made sure you were fully satisfied before he finally handed over his key. “I’d get up,” he said, lying on the floor next to the desk where you’d taken over in the end and rode him until you both came. “But I’m drained.”

You snorted as you dressed, pulling up your shorts and buttoning your shirt. “Pardon the pun,” Seonghwa added with a dazed grin. “You go, enjoy your freedom and the treasure if you can find it,” he added with a wave of his hand.

You walked over to the door to the restricted section and looked at his key before inserting it into the keyhole and turning it.

The mechanism inside the door clicked and the door slowly creaked open. You glanced back to find Seonghwa had already gotten up and was dressing. He looked up as you stood at the doorway. “It’s been a pleasure,” he said with a grin.

“Come back and see me if you’re bored,” he added with a smirk.

You turned back to the door after rolling your eyes and stepped past the frame, allowing the door to swing shut behind you, leaving you in darkness. You pulled your flashlight out, glad to have grabbed your pack on your way to the door.

Shining the light around, you noticed how there were rows upon rows of bookshelves. You walked down the path ahead of you, noticing a dim light in the distance. ‘Is that the way out?’

You picked up the pace, hurrying towards the light but froze in your tracks when you heard a thud echoing around the room. You turned your head, following your line of sight with your flashlight. There was a book lying on the ground.

Glancing at the light, you turned to the book, stepping into the aisle and picking it up. You read the words before you, your eyes widening as you read.

‘Y/N moaned, walls clenching around Yunho’s cock and pulling a grunt from him as well. “F-feels so good,” she whimpered, chest still resting against the floor. She tried to push herself up but Yunho let out another snarl, pushing her chest to the wood again. “Down,” he growled. “Stay down.”’

You threw the book to the floor and backed away from it. ‘What the hell? That’s impossible! How the hell was that in a book?’ There’s no way it was a coincidence. Decided to return to the center aisle, you were more determined to get out of this place.

A few more steps and another book fell, this time, landing at your feet. You glanced up, shining the light from one side to the other but saw nothing except the empty aisles. You knelt down, picking up the book slowly, reading the text on the page before you.

‘Without another word, Wooyoung pulled Y/N’s hips back, pushing his cock past her folds and driving it deep into her wet pussy. She let out an involuntary moan as he bottomed out, cock stretching her walls as they fluttered around him. “Oh,” he murmured. “You’re much tighter than I expected.” Y/N let out a moan as he gave her a measured thrust, pushing and pulling her hips back, her ass meeting his own hips.’

You hurled the book away with a gasp, watching it land in one of the aisles. “This is not possible,” you whispered, heart starting to race. Your stomach churned, a sour feeling creeping up your throat before you turned to continue down the center aisle toward the light.

As you continued, trying to focus on escaping, you stepped on something and glanced down to see yet another book, this time lying open under your foot. ‘Not again…’

You picked it up, eyes scanning the text yet again.

‘San let out a deep moan, removing his thumb and grabbing Y/N’s skirt with one hand while the other grabbed her shoulder, pushing her chest against the hardwood of the table. “Be a good kitty,” San growled, hips smacking her ass with each thrust, whimpers leaving Y/N’s lips. “And stay down for me.”’

Your eyes burned, the corners filling with unshed tears. “How is this even possible?” you whispered, dropping the book with a dull thud and stepping over it. You only went another few steps before another book appeared in your line sight.

Blinking away the tears, you picked it up, knowing full well what it was going to say but it still took your ability to breathe away.

‘Y/N moaned as three of Jongho’s fingers plunged into her aching cunt, the stinging was quickly replaced with a burning desire. He didn’t let her adjust to the intrusion, instead moving his fingers in and out of her rapidly, trying to stretch her enough to take his cock.’

Teardrops fell onto the page as you held back a sob. “What is this?” you whimpered, fear flooding your senses. You let the book fall to the floor before picking up another one.

‘Yeosang chuckled in her ear. “Faster? You’re so impatient,” he mumbled, lips brushing against the lobe of Y/N���s ear. “You want me to draw this out or stop?” Her eyes snapped open. “No, don’t stop!” she protested. Yeosang smirked at her reaction. “Then don’t rush me, Y/N.”’

You blinked, more tears streaming down your face as you continued, picking up another book and reading a passage from what seemed to be your own stories.

‘Without another word, Mingi did just that, his scaly skin hitting Y/N’s soft flesh with each snap of his hips, the end of his tail squeezing her body just enough to keep her firmly in place but not enough to hurt. “Oh fuuuuuuck,” she moaned as her walls squeezed around the naga’s cocks.’

You set the book down, moving to grab the next one, an involuntary sob leaving your lips.

‘The vampire’s pace didn’t falter, ramming into Y/N from behind as he moved on hand to her back, keeping her pushed against the wood of the desk. “You’re mine,” she heard him grunt. “Only mine.” Y/N moaned loudly, each thrust making her see stars. “Say it,” Seonghwa snapped suddenly. “Say you’re mine.”’

‘How is this possible? This just happened!’

You let the book slip from your hands as you looked up towards the dim light, pointing at a small stand with a large bound book resting upon it. Standing up slowly, you glanced around the room before cautiously walking over to it.

The book cover was in a language you couldn’t read. You reached a hand out to touch the cover which was so old it looked like it might crumble.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice said, making you jump and look around, shining your flashlight around. You saw nothing until you turned to face the way you’d come from and saw a figure standing there. Your light fell to the figure’s feet displaying heavy black boots. As you raised the light slowly, more came into view.

Tight black leather pants, a black coat with tails, opened in the center, exposing the toned torso of a man. You continued to raise the light until you stopped on his face. He was extremely handsome, with a pointed nose, plush lips, almond shaped eyes with red irises.

His hair was light brown, almost caramel, longer in the back. Protruding from his forehead near his hairline were two, black horns, curving up and back over his head, almost like a goat.

Your eyes widened as you looked over him once more. He gave you a cheeky grin, stepping forward until he entered the circle of light, allowing you to see him fully.

“Aren’t you a pretty one,” he said with a chuckle. He raised a hand, allowing you to see the pointed black nails on the tips of ring clad fingers before he ran his fingers through his choppy hair.

“Perhaps even prettier than the others,” he added. You glanced around the room quickly. ‘The others? What is he talking about?’ you wondered.

“Who are you?” you whispered as he stepped closer. He tilted his head, giving you another cheeky grin. “Where are my manners?”

He did a little skip to the side and gave you a little bow. “I am Hongjoong,” he answered, looking up from his bowed position. “This is my Library.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Your library? But I thought Seonghwa—”

Hongjoong stood up straight, the smile gone from his face. “Seonghwa?” He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Seonghwa simply works for me,” he replied.

“This is my Library. This is where I live.”

You looked around again. “You live here?” Hongjoong nodded, another mischievous grin spreading across his face, showing you pointed teeth like Seonghwa. ‘Another vampire?’

“I’m not a vampire,” Hongjoong said suddenly, making you gasp and cover your mouth. “C-can you read my mind?” you asked softly. Hongjoong swayed from side to side, smiling at you. “Of course I can,” he answered.

“Because you’re a vampire?”

Hongjoong shook his head. “I’m no vampire,” he replied.

“I’m much more than that,” he added with a wink.

“Then what are you?” you asked as Hongjoong cleared his throat.

“Allow me to introduce myself properly,” he said, closing the distance in a flash, taking your hand and bringing it up to kiss the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Y/F/N Y/L/N. I am Hongjoong, the demon and this is my Library of Illusions.”

Your eyes widened. ‘A demon?’

You let out a squeak of surprise as he reached behind you, placing his hand on your back and pulling you flush against his body.

“Welcome to my home.”

#cultofdionysusnet #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez fanfiction #ateez fanfic #ateez smut #ateez x reader #seonghwa scenarios #seonghwa imagines #seonghwa fanfic #seonghwa smut #seonghwa x reader #series: library of illusion

[back2bluesidex]

Rainy Days - KTH

Pairing: Ex-Taehyung X Fem!reader

Summary: All Taehyung could remember is you, on a rainy day like this.

Wordcount: 872

Theme: Exes au, Angst, a follow-up drabble for Baggage.

Warnings: mentions of infidelity, Tae suffers from guilt, he writes a reply to reader's letter. SFW.

Minors and Karens are not allowed in this blog.

A/N: This idea has been sitting on my head ever since I heard the song. So, it's here as a follow-up drabble for Baggage. and I am really sorry for this poor quality banner.

Taehyung’s phone goes off with a few rapid notifications again. 

He pauses his task of shoving a spoonful of that honey flavored cereal that you love so much and hurriedly clutches his phone. 

Again, it’s not what he expected. Again, it’s not you. 

Placing his phone upside down, he goes back to what he is doing. 

As he munches on the cereal, which he finds delicious now, he recalls how he lashed out on you once for buying this same thing over and over again. 

“Why do I have to eat what you prefer? Can’t you buy something else for me? Don’t you know I can’t bear the same shit for a long time.” Taehyung semi-screams. 

“I called you for like four times in a row while I was grocery shopping. But you, being you, never answered once. So I chose this, since you initially liked this cereal.” You reply calmly, “and I know you can’t bear the same shit for a long time, like me.”  You whispered, but he heard it loud and clear.

Taehyung doesn’t reply anything. He obviously ignored your calls intentionally and you seem to know it. 

He sighs at the memory. 

How stupid he had been back then. How cruel he must have been to let you down so easily, to let you go as if that’s no big deal. How delusional he must have been to seek warmth in unfamiliar embraces when you were there to give your everything to him. 

Now that he reflects on his wrong doings, he realizes what he has lost. He lost a part of himself, the part that was genuinely happy. 

A lone tear escapes his eye and rolls down his cheek, he sniffles. Looking up at the glass window he finds the sky crying along with him. 

Whenever it rains, he only thinks of you. He thinks of that rainy day and your first date. You two shared an umbrella since two broke college students couldn’t afford more than one 7/11 umbrella. Both of you got soaked and your pretty white trench coat got a big ugly yellow patch. You mentioned it in your letter. That letter, damn. 

Taehyung clutches his phone again, he dials your number and watches as it goes into voicemail. Nothing new. The same thing has been happening ever since he started calling you, ever since your letter arrived. 

He opens the messaging app and types and deletes, types and deletes. He thinks about what to say, how to explain he has been so lost without you, how to apologize for being so cruel. He finds no words, no justification, no expression. Nothing. 

Then finally he decides upon something… 

Running back to his office, he grabs his notepad and a pen. He sits down by the window, in his notoriously butt-shaped chair and starts writing. 

Dear Y/N, Lately I have been thinking about you. Well, to be honest, I have been thinking about you ever since your letter arrived. I won’t say your letter woke me up and made me realize how wrong I was. Because deep down I always knew I was wrong, I was cruel but was too adamant and egoistic to come clean.  But, your letter, your words have definitely punched me hard on my gut, knocked every little bit of air I have been breathing. And I have been breathless ever since. I will not apologize over this letter. If I ever see you again, I will make sure to let you know the amount of guilt and regret that has been burdening me, through my actions. I will. I promise.  I have been calling you a lot lately, even when I don’t know what I should say. It’s good that you don't pick it up. I don’t know if you will be reading my texts or not, so I decided against it too.  Rather I decided to write this letter, so that I can at least be sure about this piece of paper reaching your address. If you still live there you will get it right away and if you don’t, you will be coming to pick up your mail and find it. You will at least see me replying to you even if you choose not to read it. I will be satisfied with that much.  Or will I?  I don’t know, really.  Because what I really want is to go back to the time I shared with you. Time with you was so amazing and I was genuinely at my happiest. That part of me hasn't changed, it’s still the same. I know it’s too late but somehow.. Can we go back to that moment again? I know, I have no right to say this, but let me make up for all the time we lost. We can start again, I will open all the doors I had closed. I promise I will treat you right this time.  I am a mess here. I can feel your touch. I remember your kiss and those hurtful words. And I miss you. I miss you like crazy, Y/N.  I want to go back to you, right into your arms, on rainy days like this.  Always yours, Taehyung.

Taglist:

@phenomenalgirl9 @variety-is-the-joy-of-life @soraviie @sukunabitch @chimchimmarie @coffeedepressionsoup @meowstake @vonvi-blog @nochuel

#bts angst #taehyung angst #bts taehyung #bts fanfiction #taehyung x y/n #taehyung fanfic #taehyung x reader #bts fanfic #bts x y/n #bts x reader

[endless-ineffabilities]

Maroon (part two)

modern!Aemond Targaryen x f!reader

And I wake with your memory over me

That's a real fucking legacy to leave

A series loosely based on the song Maroon of off Midnights by Taylor Swift ▪︎ read more Daemon & Aemond midnights imagines here: masterlist

series list: part one - part two - part three -

themes/warnings: fluff, angst, slow burn, mutual pining, slight love triangle, language, accident/severe injury (towards the end)

word count: 7.3k

a/n: just a little explanation on their ages, since they are aged up for this series. Jace, the reader, Helaena and Aemond are in their mid-twenties. Alys is in her mid-thirties. Luke is around 21/22. Feel free to adjust if you wish.

Also, the photo I used is of Tom Bennett, as I felt the need to use a modernized look for Aemond, but nevertheless, he is still Aemond - silver haired, sullen, and soon enough, sapphire-eyed. If my photo editing skills are up to par, then I would have edited shoulder-length (yup, for this story) silver hair and modern clothes on our Aemond, but alas...

happy reading, beautiful people. 🖤

The morning after their interrupted kiss, the reader learns more about Aemond's apparent lover. She grows discouraged with striking up a romance with him, but he is determined to change her mind.

There is a curious knot in your stomach when you wake, remembering the night before. Aemond had leaned in close, so close, that you feel as if his scent still surrounds you.

The deep green walls of his bedroom are still burned into your eyes. From then on, there is no way that this particular shade of green won’t bring you back to that night. With him.

With Aemond. The one who has flooded your thoughts for almost a year now. The object of your desire.

Although, it seems… that he might already have his own object of desire.

Why did Alys visit him so late last night? You want to feign innocence, and remain oblivious to any and all lewd possibilities. Maybe she’s just a dear friend, who needed some company. Perhaps to have a drink, or to borrow a book? Or perhaps she has had some romantic trouble earlier last evening, and needed to vent her heart out to Aemond, who is nothing if not an attentive listener.

Well, shit. You slam your palm to your forehead as you allow reality to set in. You can continue to hope, but deep down, you know that Alys is not just a friend to Aemond.

This might be one of the very few instances wherein tabloid fodder has some truth to it. Dragonstone heir and model socialite spotted leaving Claridge’s Hotel in London after a wild night out.

That was just one of the several headlines that caught your eye, and immediately chose to ignore. You don’t even remember how long ago that was, but it seems as if their story is yet to reach its end.

If, indeed, it ever will.

But why was he going to kiss me? I mean, he was, wasn’t he?

You turn to the side, and notice that you’re all alone in bed. Helaena always wakes up much earlier, preferring to be awake as the sun rises, which leaves her ample time to go about her extensive morning routine.

Before you allow your rampant thoughts to get the better of you, you finally get up, wiping sleep from your eyes, and stumble to her bathroom. As you study your reflection is the mirror, one thing springs to your mind. What is going to happen if you meet Aemond downstairs? Granted, it is rare for the whole family to convene early during weekdays, but he did say he will meet you in the morning.

You take your sweet time getting ready, delaying the inevitable, before finally heading downstairs.

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

The clock above an alcove in the kitchen reads 8:17. The smell of pancakes waft through the air, calming your senses. Breakfast food is always a good idea.

Helaena comes into view, stacking the last pancakes on a plate.

“Hey, sleepyhead. Nice face.” She jokes, smiling in her carefree way.

“What about it?” You scrunch your nose in response, picking off a blueberry from a glass bowl on the kitchen counter.

“Rough night?” She turns off the induction stove, having finished, and you help her carry the dishes to the dining table.

Talia, their housekeeper, walks in the kitchen. A worried look is etched on her face. “Ma’am, are you sure there isn’t anything I can do for you? I can cook you something else, or fetch something from the store? Your mother says - ”

“Everything’s fine, Talia.” Helaena assures her. She has never really indulged having a maid to clean up after her. One thing about Helaena, she’s very likely the most simple one out of the family, not bothering with the usual trappings of luxury, and that includes having a maid at her every beck and call. Helaena only asks for help when she needs it, and as it stands, she’s perfectly capable of cooking up a damn good breakfast. “Why don’t you attend to yourself this morning?”

“A-attend to myself, ma’am?” Talia asks.

“Yes,” Helaena shoots a smile at you conspiratorially, “Talia, go out and take a walk, or watch a movie, or get a massage. Whatever you want, it’s on us. The rest of the family are either busy working, hungover somewhere, or out of town, anyway. We’ll be fine for today.”

Talia smiles brightly in appreciation. “Very well then. Thank you, ma’am. Please do call me if you need anything at all.”

Helaena nods her head once. Talia makes a move to leave, but she seems to recall something.

“Oh, uh, Miss Y/n?” She addresses you this time. “Sir Aemond did say that he’s very sorry that he isn’t able to see you this morning. He left very early, quite in a rush. There must have been something very pressing at work.”

“Oh.” You could not hide the disappointment in your voice. Or was it relief? “Aemond’s not here?”

“He did say he would call you, though, as soon as he can.”

Aemond isn’t here. “Right. Well, thanks for letting me know, Talia.”You smile at her genuinely, while feeling slightly empty inside from the notion of Aemond’s absence. There was no reason to be excited or nervous, after all. A shame, really. “And please, call me Y/n.”

“Of course, Y/n. And, it’s not a problem. Sir Aemond did seem quite distressed about having to leave. I’m sure he’d be annoyed with me if I don’t let you know.”

“Oh, that’s for sure.” Helaena rolls her eyes, smiling at you. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that my brother’s kinda infatuated with you.”

Before a warmth can develop in your chest from what Helaena claims, another person walks in the kitchen. A long-legged, impossibly unblemished figure that is Alys Rivers.

Talia straightens, not as comfortable around Alys as she is with you and Helaena. She takes that as her cue to leave. She politely addresses each of you in turn. “Have a lovely morning, Ma’am. Y/n. Miss Alys.” Her tone bristles at the last name.

“Sooo,” Alys saunters over to the table, and daintily plops down on the seat opposite you and Helaena, “good morning, girls. You don’t mind if I join you for breakfast, do you?” She pops a piece of fruit in her mouth before you could respond.

“Not at all, Alys.” Helaena sighs. “It would be nice to finally speak to my brother’s…” She trails off, one eyebrow raising slyly. “…friend.”

Alys simply laughs it off, unfazed. “That’s nice of you, Helaena, but you don’t need to watch your words around me. I know that Aemond has never clearly stated what we are yet. But we are something, that much I’m sure of.” Her gaze trails over to you. “Nice sweater. You know, it looks a lot like my Aemond’s.”

My Aemond’s. God help me. “Oh, uhm,” you balk, not wanting to overstep the line with something that is completely none of your business, as far as you’re concerned, “he lent it to me last night. Clumsy ol’ me apparently can’t handle too much red wine. Literally and figuratively.”

You smile at Alys placatingly, but you’re not sure what for. Nothing happened last night, right? Nothing at all.

“Well, it looks good on you, darling.” She winks at you. The more she speaks, the more you realize how self-assured she is. Your first meeting, you’re wearing her… boyfriend’s…. sweater, and she’s only quick to accept your explanation. It’s as if she’s truly certain that no one can steal Aemond away from her.

“Thank you.” You awkwardly say, taking a sip of your coffee.

“So, Alys,” Helaena says, “tell us more about yourself. Surely we cannot just believe everything the gossip blogs say about you.”

“Right, well. I’m aware that I do have a certain image, but that’s all it is. An image. A kind of persona. It makes it easier to draw a line between my job and my personal life. I do enjoy the luxurious and fast-paced lifestyle that modelling brings, but that’s not everything. I am… more than that.”

Her statements catch you by surprise, slightly. You knew more than just to take her reputation at face value, but it’s different now. Aemond’s attraction to her might run deeper than you had hoped.

“I think it’s right that you do whatever you feel is best for you.” You find yourself genuinely saying, empathizing with how she feels. “I can’t claim to know exactly what it’s like, being in the public eye like that, but it must be hard. You should protect yourself, and if keeping up a kind of mask is something that works, then…” You purse your lips, and tilt your head, a show of your approval.

“Solidarity, sister.” Alys smiles at you, one which you return. “I mean, thanks for not judging me right away. Most people do.”

The rest of the morning is spent in a way you never would have expected to enjoy, but you do. Alys turns out to be more friendly than she seems, and it’s plain to see that she truly cares for Aemond. She did share her insecurities when it comes to him, and how he has set implicit boundaries between them.

Whenever she gets too close, he’s only quick to pull away. Aemond has predictably not made it clear what they are, and has never protested when Alys goes on dates with other people. Although she wishes that he would.

Each time Alys hints at how Aemond means to her makes you feel guilty. You know you want him, but she has been in the picture much longer than you. Do you even have a chance? Do you want one?

Eventually, Alys receives a call, which she explains is from her disgruntled manager, telling her that the call time for her photoshoot is nearing. She excuses herself, sashaying confidently out of the apartment. You can’t help but feel small, and the fact that you find her a tad intimidating is the least of your worries.

Aemond seems farther away from you, if he ever was close. Helaena notices your lowered spirits, and she spends the rest of the morning helping you get your mind off things.

But no movie, series, or copious amount of baked goods proves effective.

Despite your best efforts, Aemond Targaryen has taken refuge in your mind. And perhaps, your heart. But you would never admit that too soon.

Especially not now.

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

The weekend is a welcome respite from your busy university schedule. Although you have to work a full shift at a local bookstore, you wouldn’t complain about it. It’s a calm and decent enough part-time job, and while it doesn’t pay much, you’re more than happy to be surrounded by books all day.

You rush into the bookstore, already half an hour late. Your bus was delayed for too long, and you did not even get to pick up your usual coffee on the way.

“Mel?” You call out to the owner. She’s always the first to come in, and open up shop. You rub your boots on the welcome mat, and make your way around the tall bookshelves. You spot her at the counter, arranging yesterday’s receipts into a folder.

“Good morning.” She greets you with her usual warm smile. “Don’t even worry about it, y/n.” She reassures you in time, already knowing you would apologize profusely for being late.

You breathe a sigh of relief, dropping your bag behind the counter. “I’ll just stay a bit later after closing. Help clean up everything.”

“No need.” She places a hand on your shoulder, and whispers close. “By the way, you have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

“A handsome one, might I add. He’s sitting in the corner desk by the Classics section. I found him waiting outside so early. Poor kid said he wanted to be here as soon as the shop opened, and I don’t know about you, but I hardly believe it is because of his raging love for literature.”

“Oh, I see.” You stand dumbfounded, a new sense of nervousness settling over you. That handsome visitor can only be Aemond, can it?

“Go on, honey. Take your time. It’s not like the shop gets particularly busy this early.”

You slowly walk deeper into the shop, past the new releases, the sci-fi section, and then the romance.

And sure enough, there he sits.

His shoulder-length silver hair is in its usual half-up style, and his expensive black coat is draped on the back of his seat. His left hand holds a book on the table, while the other props up his face, his index finger absentmindedly running over his lips, deep in thought.

Your footsteps carry no sound, so he does not notice as you walk closer. You almost don’t want to bother him, as he looks so serene. Faint sunlight from an awning window warms the scene, casting a glow over him. Beautiful.

You find yourself leaning against a bookshelf, studying him, flashes of that night running through your head. He did leave you a message, explaining why he had to leave the morning after. You were not sure what to respond with, apart from “No problem. See you soon.”

Impersonal. Direct. Safe. Getting to know his lover that morning was a sort of wake-up call. You aren’t sure whether you’re ready to dive in deeper into the enigma that he poses. So you decided to leave it at that.

But it clearly was not enough for him, as evidenced by numerous subsequent missed calls.

His head turns, languidly, finally sensing your presence. When your eyes meet, a soft smile forms on his lips.

“Hello, darling.”

Shit. Two simple words and you’re all but ready to let go of any uncertainty you might have about him, then and there.

“Aemond,” you can’t help but smile in return, “to what do I owe this visit?”

He closes his book and sets it down on the table. He turns his body towards you, still seated, leaning back to take you in.

“Would you believe me if I said that I missed you?” He says smoothly, so sure of himself. He stresses, “I miss you.”

“It’s only been days since I last saw you, Aemond.” You roll your eyes in a poor attempt to hide the way you grow flustered.

“Feels like forever.” He stands, walking over to the bookshelf you’re leaning on, making a show of perusing the titles. “You have not answered my calls, darling. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’re ignoring me.” He steps closer to you, mirroring your position.

“I was busy.” You respond quickly with a defensive tone. And you were, but not busy enough to avoid staring at your phone every time his name blinks on the screen, waiting for his call to drop.

“Hmm. I was hoping we could have a moment alone. To… talk,” His eyes rake your face, landing on your lips, “or perhaps, more?”

“More? Getting ahead of yourself, Aemond?” You look down, unable to meet his heated gaze.

“I really enjoyed our night together, and I was hoping we could have some more time to ourselves.”

“I’m sure we will. The next time Hel invites me over, or you guys throw a party…” You trail off, raising your head to look at him again, and sure enough, he continues to watch every change in your expression.

“How about now? Could I steal you away for an hour or two? I’m sure Melanie wouldn’t mind.”

“Already on first-name basis with my boss. Fast work, Aemond.”

“She’s a sweet woman. Nurturing. I’m glad you have someone like her as your supervisor.” His lips quirk in amusement.

“Really…” you raise your eyebrows.

“Mhmm. If she was unfair or unpleasant to you in any way, I would not hesitate to have someone better appointed in her stead.” He explains smugly.

“It’s an independent bookstore, Aemond, and not one of the hundred businesses your great empire owns. You wouldn’t have the jurisdiction.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.” He lowers his face nearer to yours, his breath fanning your face. He continues, “I don’t believe you understand how much I would be willing to do for you.”

His proximity makes you short of breath, so you take a step back, wanting to clear your head. A frown materializes on his face, but it disappears just as quick as it arrived. He is determined to make himself heard.

“I have known you for a good part of a year now, y/n. And… my admiration for you has only blossomed as time passed. When we had a moment to ourselves that night, it just felt… right.”

“Aemond… ”

“I’m inclined to assume that you feel the same way. At least, I hope.”

Your throat feels dry all of a sudden, and you struggle to match his unabashed sincerity. “I’m not sure where this will lead. What you expect this to be. You already have… someone… ”

“Someone?” Props to him for seeming genuinely clueless as to who you’re referring to.

“I met her the morning after. Alys. She’s actually quite lovely.”

“It’s not what you think.” He finally looks away, his mood changed with the mention of Alys.

You sigh flatly, "That is exactly what someone involved would say. Look, I have no interest in ruining anyone's relationship - "

"I am not in a relationship - "

"But there is something between you and Alys, isn't there?"

"We aren't together. I have made this clear to her, time and again." He paces at the aisle, running his hand over the books. "Though I admit, in the times when I need... company... she's the one I have become accustomed to calling."

"Company." You almost roll your eyes at his casual implication.

"Hmm." His lips curl in distaste. "It does not come easy for me to connect with anyone. Even for a purpose as unseemly as that."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"I know, I just... hope that you don't think any less of me."

"Aemond," you take a step forward, "you're free to want... company with whomever you want. So is Alys. But I can't get into this, whatever this is, with you if I will have to share you with anyone else."

"You won't. That already is far from the truth, darling. I have not even considered anyone else for a while now."

"But Alys - "

"I did not invite her over that night. I hadn't even seen her in weeks. Nothing happened after you left my bedroom."

"She cares about you. A lot."

"I know," he shakes his head slightly, "and I care about her, too. But it never became..." He bows his head, almost sheepishly. "... it's not... I don't love her."

Your gaze softens as you watch the torment in his expression. It becomes clear that Aemond does not throw around the word love without care. He sounds cautious. Nervous, almost.

His eyes find yours suddenly, the intensity behind them catching you by surprise.

"But you..." His brows furrow in frustration. He takes a deep breath, before repeating, almost accusingly, "You."

Suddenly, he pulls you close by the waist. His violet eyes keep you in place, holding you dear.

You take each other in with hungry eyes. His every little movement, every twitch, catches your attention. The way his lips purse, the way he swallows nervously. A stray strand of silver hair has fallen in front of his face, and you unconsciously reach up for it, your hand freezing mid-air when you realize what you're doing.

His hand comes up to caress yours, and slowly, he presses a soft kiss to your palm.

A soft moan nearly escapes your lips at how soft the gesture is. How gentle it feels. How right.

"I want you." He says, still holding your hand.

The two of you stand, mere inches away from one another.

Until a startled voice pierces the atmosphere, destroying the mood. "Shit, excuse me."

A boy stands in the middle of the aisle, a book in his hand. The day's first customer. He smiles sheepishly, pointing to the section you and Aemond have conveniently blocked, "Sorry, uh, I need to check out some of those."

You quickly step away from the shelf, and from Aemond. "Oh, excuse us. Please go right ahead." You wave him through.

Aemond does not move, his eyes irately landing on the boy. He is plainly displeased at the intrusion, not bothering to hide it. Spoiled, rich baby.

"Aemond, move over here." You address him, pulling at his hand. That gets his attention.

He does not let go of your hand, and directs you to the next aisle. But the haze has subsided for you. Or at least, it has to, for now.

"I have to work." You mumble. The words sound so dull after everything that has been said.

"Alright. I'll wait here."

"Pardon?"

"I'll wait here until you can leave with me for a little while."

Your mouth parts in frustration, confusion, or is it awe? You no longer know for sure. This day is certainly shaping up to be more eventful than you are prepared for.

"Aemond," you try to implore gently, "my first break is in four hours. Surely, you won't just wait here until then."

"Why ever not?" He looks amused at your growing incredulity. "I've got time to kill. Besides, I've got all these books to keep me busy."

"You would wait for me for four hours, and then what?"

"Then, I suppose, I'll take you out for lunch." His thumb continues to draw circles on the back of your hand, which almost escapes your notice. It felt so normal, just as if he has held your hand a thousand times before.

His hand reaches up to stroke your cheekbone, before tilting your head up at him. "Please say yes, darling."

Your heart races, even without its usual helping of caffeine. Looking at Aemond, you think that your break cannot come soon enough.

"Okay."

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

For the next four hours, Aemond keeps his word and waits.

He moves to a table within eyeshot of the counter where you're working. It is clear that he is watching you, glancing at you from time to time and throwing a smirk your way.

You struggle to keep up appearances, cordially greeting customers and ringing in their purchases. You fight the temptation to walk over to Aemond, nudge his face towards his book, and tell him to quit staring at you like that.

His presence makes you infinitely more self-aware, and you try not to watch your every move, but you do anyway.

Aemond seems content to wait in silence, poring over the pages of his novel, until someone in particular walks in the store.

“I’m sorry, miss, I must be in the wrong place. My good friend Y/n promised that this would be the best bookstore in the city.” A familiar voice says. “Seems cozy, sure, but far from the best, wouldn’t you say?”

You look up at the new arrival, whom you immediately recognize. Aemond visibly straightens in his corner, noticing him as well.

“Jace!” You exclaim brightly, reaching over the counter to give him a hug.

Jacaerys chuckles deeply, and you can't help but feel warm at the sound. The sound of his laughter is something you love about him, genuine and free.

"Somebody missed me." His voice is muffled against your hair, and his arms wrap around you tightly.

"Course I did." You move to stand in front of him. "Back from Pentos so soon?"

"Yes, I finished my course early. I'm just that smart, as you well know." He taps the side of his head smugly.

"Ha-ha." You playfully punch his shoulder.

"Nephew." Aemond greets, interrupting your little reunion. "It's been a while."

"Aemond," Jace turns around to face him, "I didn't notice you, dear uncle. You look well."

"As do you." Aemond replies stoically. His hands are neatly kept behind his back, and he watches you and Jacaerys with keen eyes. "I was not aware that you and Y/n are so close."

You know that Aemond does not have the best relationship with his half-sister Rhaenyra's children. At first, you could not understand why. Jace and his siblings are among the kindest boys you've met. Luke is a bit roguish, but that is part of his charm.

But that was before Helaena explained to you how Aemond must have felt neglected growing up, always in the shadow of his nephews, who are much favoured by his own father Viserys. Helaena learned not to mind, telling you how she has found peace with her own self and her passions. She is aware that Viserys loves Rhaenyra above everyone else, and by extension, Rhaenyra's children. His marriage to their mother Alicent was borne out of necessity, not love.

And she only hinted at it, but apparently, Aemond was also bullied by the younger boys when they were children. Of course, that was long ago, but some scars never fully heal.

"We're good friends, Aemond." Jace responds, putting one arm over your shoulders, a movement that makes Aemond's lips curl in distaste. "Met her through Hel, of course, and I just couldn't get enough of this little rascal." He squeezes your shoulders, pulling you closer, making you wrap an arm around his waist.

"You're the rascal, leaving me for nearly half a year like that." You jest, matching his smile.

"Well, I'm back now, aren't I?" He says, then he turns back to his uncle, "What are you doing here, by the way? Just browsing for a new read?"

"No," Aemond loosens his stance a bit, looking at you, "I'm actually waiting to take Y/n out on a date."

A date? Is that what I agreed to?

"To lunch." You clarify, meeting his gaze.

"A lunch date." Aemond simply shrugs, deeming the matter settled.

"Uh-huh." Jace looks between the two of you, growing amused. "Listen, uncle, could you give me just a few minutes with Y/n. Then, I promise, she's all yours."

Aemond stands still for a few seconds, deliberating whether he should leave you with Jace. The silence is utterly deafening, so you say, "Aemond. I'll be with you in a bit. We can head out soon."

"Hmm." He relents, then stalks back to his table, his silver hair gently flowing behind his neck.

Jace watches Aemond walk away with a weird look on his face, and you already know what's coming next.

"Y/n?" Jace smirks at you. "What is going on?"

"He's... here for me."

"Worked your magic on him, I see? I remember you having a crush on him and all..."

"Alright, pipe down about it." Your face becomes flushed, and you catch Aemond's eye in the corner. "I didn't even do anything. He sought me out."

"Riiiight," Jace says, "and this is what you want?"

You shrug, "I do like him. You know this."

Jace studies your expression, seeing sincerity but also a tinge of something else. Doubt, perhaps? "Just be careful, alright? My uncle can be a little... unpredictable."

"He's... I mean, he actually seems a lot better than I expected. It's a shame you two aren't close."

"Yes, well, some things can't be helped." Jace's eyebrows furrow in thought. "What about that model that he's rumoured to be seeing? He can't keep messing around with her, if he wants you, y/n."

"Oh, I even met her, actually. She's nice. But Aemond says that they're apparently... over. Or... not working out. You know, I'm not sure." You shake your head, not wanting to think about it any further. It isn't really a matter that's been resolved yet.

"Okay, just be careful, alright? You're too good for him, y/n."

"Don't worry about me, Jace." You smile, looping your arm with his as you lean against the counter. "How's the family? How are Luke and Joffrey?"

"Well, Luke is Luke. You know. Gets into a fair share of trouble, what with his penchant for racing cars and all. Bloody well gives mum a heart attack each time he has to do a competition. I think he's coming back tomorrow from some race in Casterly Rock."

"That's our Luke." You sigh fondly.

"And Joff's as sweet as ever. Nearly done with middle school, that one. You're invited to his finishing ceremony, of course."

You smirk at his assurance, "I think Joff should be the one to invite me, no?"

Jace moves to stand in front of you again. "Doesn't matter. I'm the big brother, I say you're in."

He cages you in, with each of his hands on the counter. You then press your forehead against his chest, and he rests his chin atop your head. A position that the two of you have gotten so used to doing. Jace is truly like a brother to you, and he loves you like his actual sister in turn.

"Mmm, I did miss this." You breathe.

Aemond's fist bunches on the table, his book long-forgotten. You and Jacaerys were only friends, right? So why did he have to feel so uneasy?

He stands, not able to watch the scene any longer, and walks over to claim what he thinks should be his.

"Let's go." Aemond's voice pierces the silence, catching you by surprise. You move away from Jace, and throw him a sheepish smile, as if to apologize for Aemond's behaviour.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave.” Jace’s arm drops from your sides, and he takes a step back to keep Aemond’s envy from worsening.

“Won’t you join us for lunch?” You ask Jace. One glance at Aemond, and it’s plain to see that he’s not particularly fond of that idea.

“Nah, you two go ahead. I’ve got some matters to attend to.” Jace is quick to respond. Whether he’s telling the truth, or he just wants to appease Aemond, you remind yourself to ask him about it later.

“Nice seeing you, uncle.” Jace says to Aemond, as he heads for the door.

His hand is already at the doorknob, when he recalls something. He calls out to you, “Y/n, you will be coming to the Dragonstone ball, right?”

“Oh, I don’t know yet.” You reply. The annual Dragonstone ball is a grand event held by the Targaryens, and almost anyone of repute is sure to be invited. Celebrities, philanthropists, academics. You vaguely recall seeing last year’s ball everywhere in the news. That must have been around the time you first met Helaena, your friendship quickly developing soon after.

“Well if you are, would you - ” Jace begins to say, but he is immediately interrupted by Aemond.

“She’ll be coming with me.” Aemond declares.

“I am?” You say, startled, as you pick up your bag from behind the counter.

“Mmm. You are, darling.”

What the hell?

“See you around, y/n.” Jace relents, taking note of the heightened tension in the room.  

As soon as he’s gone, you address the silver-haired scoundrel who was quick to make a decision for you, much to your annoyance. “Listen, sweetheart,” you pat him on the chest, and head for the door, expecting him to follow suit, “it’s not going to be that easy.”

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

The two of you sit in the secluded veranda of a Valyrian restaurant that, unsurprisingly, is owned by the Targaryens. Beautifully gilded tables are nestled in a garden, and Aemond had led you to their best section under an archway. The restaurant had been empty when you arrived, with all the staff standing ready to usher you inside. You suspect that Aemond went ahead and purposefully reserved the entire place for this very afternoon, but you let it slide.

“When is the Dragonstone ball?” you ask, after finishing most of your meal.

“I’d say in around two months. My mother is overseeing everything, as usual, so it’s really all up to her.”

“And,” you lean back, smiling wryly, “apparently, I am going with you?”

Aemond smirks, “Why wouldn’t you?”

You scoff. The ‘Prince of the city’ sure has a pair on him. “I don’t know, Aemond. Maybe because you did not really ask me to come with you.”

His smirk does not fade. He leans forward, taking your hand from across the table, his fingers tracing your skin. Your prideful facade is at risk of breaking, and you wish to simply hold his hand back lovingly.

But you keep a hold of yourself, waiting.

“Darling,” the corner of his lips turn up in amusement, most likely at your rapidly changing expression, “would you do me the honour of being my partner…” He deliberately pauses, taking delight in how your eyes widen, “… to the Dragonstone ball?”

Oh, you little shit. “Mmm,” you swallow, attempting to steel your nerves. Aemond patiently waits for your response, the damage already done. For a split second, he gets the urge to reach for your knee underneath the table.

Perhaps to comfort you. Or solely for his pleasure, adding to your already fluttering heartbeat. Or both.

“Okay,” you clear your throat, “I will go with you. Thank you for asking.”

Aemond smiles brightly, the dimples on his cheeks deepening. “I’m glad, darling.”

Something crosses your mind, and before you can push it down, curiosity gets the better of you. You find yourself asking, “By the way, who did you go with last year?”

His face falls, “You probably already know. Alys.”

“Of course,” you nod, “and the year before that? Her as well?”

“Y/n,” he says sternly, “that’s not of any importance.”

“Won’t she be expecting to go with you again this year?” You ask.

He simply shrugs, “She may have mentioned something recently to that effect.”

“Aemond - ”

“Look, the main reason why I brought her to previous balls was because I’ve always been expected to take a date. It’s just the proper thing to do, to keep up appearances, though I don’t really agree with it. If I were to bring someone, I don’t want to do it out of obligation. And I can finally do that now, with you. I want to be with you, and take you as my partner for the ball.”

How can I argue with that? It’s almost impossible, when his violet eyes blaze at me in the way that they always do.

“I just,” you look away, choosing to admire the way the vines wrap themselves around the archway, to distract yourself from Aemond’s heated gaze, “I don’t want her to feel like she’s being slighted in any way. I don't want her to feel like I’m… stealing you away… or something.”

Aemond smiles, “By all means, steal me away, darling.”

“I’m being serious.” You attempt a stern tone, but it falls flat as soon as you see his smile.

“I was never hers to keep. You, however…”

“What?”

“You’re more than welcome to call me yours, if you wish.”

“Aemond.” You want to scold him for being so forward, not when there are some things that still need to be resolved. But you also want to trust him, to trust in whatever it is the two of you are becoming.

You realize you are already in too deep. How? The possibility of ever losing him is enough to fill your stomach with dread. If Aemond will be yours, then he will also be yours to lose.

And you don’t know what you will do if that happens.

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

The next two weeks pass by in relative bliss. Aemond makes an effort to see you almost every day, visiting you in the bookstore or meeting you after your lectures. You learn more about him in this time, than in the past year you’ve known him. The two of you have always admired each other from afar, but now that Aemond has begun to completely open up to you, it’s as if you’ve known him your whole life.

It's as if he’s one of the pillars holding everything together around you. A comfortable constant. As well as a conflagration, casting his radiance over everything. Aemond is like a magnet, a desirable paradox drawing everyone to him. The amount of looks you get from your fellow students whenever Aemond picks you up from university made you uneasy at first, but you’ve learned to find the humour in it.

Aemond’s smug smirk at their reaction each time he takes your hand, stealing you away, is surely enough to make you feel giddy inside.

Everything seemed too good to be true, and perhaps it was.

The abrupt end to this brief golden period began one evening, as you and Helaena are in her bedroom, perusing through countless gown designs online to wear for the Dragonstone ball.

Aemond had been away on business to a nearby city, and you eagerly await his return. Then a sharp ringing echoes throughout the room, coming from Helaena’s phone, a sound that makes you anxious though you cannot pinpoint why in the moment.

She glances at the screen, before quickly turning to you. “It’s my father.”

“Oh, answer it then.”

“That’s strange,” her face contorts in confusion, “he almost never calls.”

Helaena excuses herself, walking over to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her reflection on the glass is only faintly visible to you, and you struggle to make anything out of the muffled conversation.

A long, torturous minute passes before the call finishes. When Helaena turns to face you, her face is white as a sheet.

You stand, and rush over to her side. “Hel? What is it?”

At your touch, something snaps in her, and she becomes frantic. “It’s… it’s my brother… it’s Aemond… ” She quickly scrambles around the room, putting on her coat and shoes.

“Aemond?” You feel nauseous with worry. “What happened, Hel?”

“I have to get to the hospital. Aemond and Luke got into an accident.”

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

An entire week passes before you hear from any of them. Helaena had rushed off alone to the hospital that night, and while you were desperate to come along and see Aemond, she explained that her parents preferred that only family came to visit.

You understood. Or at least, you tried to. You went home feeling weak all over, and it only worsened when you saw that the accident was already plastered all over the news.

It was reported that Aemond and Lucerys were each driving their cars at dangerous speeds, when one of them must have collided with the other, crashing onto the freeway. It was alleged that Aemond’s car had flipped over multiple times before finally landing down a hill. The extent of their injuries are not made public, probably at the authority of Viserys himself, but the masses have been quick to speculate.

Jace calls you while you are staying home one afternoon, having opted out of attending all your lectures for the day. For the past few days, actually.

“Hey, you,” He greets softly, knowing how you must already be reeling with stress. “Holding up okay?”

“Me? What about you, Jace? How is everyone? How is Luke? Aemond? Fuck, I haven’t heard from anyone.”

He breathes, “We’re fine, y/n. Luke just has a broken leg, but it should heal fine. He does have to put up with a cast for several weeks, though.”

Okay. Luke is alright. But you still can’t let out a sigh of relief, not until…

“What about Aemond?” You ask nervously.

“That’s… another thing.”

“Please just tell me, Jace.”

“Are you home? I’m actually nearby. We should maybe discuss this in person.” He offers.

And only half an hour later, he is standing at your door. You quickly envelop him in a tight hug, and he breathes deeply, feeling comforted by your presence.

Once the two of you are settled on your couch, cups of warm tea held between each of your hands, you begin talking.

“Aemond is fine. For the most part.” He says. “He’s alive and well, but he’s suffered an injury.”

“What injury?”

“He doesn’t want anyone to know, Y/n. At least, not just yet.”

You pause, unsure if you want to press further. You do want to know, but you also want to respect Aemond’s privacy. Besides, if he wanted you to know, he would tell you himself, wouldn’t he?

“I understand,” you relent, sinking into the couch, “I’m just glad they’re okay.”

Jace notices your distress, and reaches for you, “Come here.”

The embrace offers a momentary respite. Your head drops down on his shoulder, and you both enjoy the silence that follows.

“One thing’s for sure,” Jace says after a while, “There’s no way in hell that mum is letting Luke drive again. At least not for a long, long fucking time.”

You smile at that, feeling light for the first time in a while.

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

The Dragonstone ball is once again making its rounds in the media, and this year, it is reported to have been delayed for two more months, allowing the dust to settle over the terrible accident that befell two of the Targaryen heirs.

Just a week after you learn about this piece of news, you finally hear from Aemond.

Your heart skips a beat when his name flashes on the screen, and you pick up your phone with a slightly trembling hand. You press the green button, and lift the phone to one ear.

Nothing. But then, you hear soft breathing at the other end. It’s a silly notion, but you think you recognize those breaths to be his. It can only be him.

“Aemond, I know you’re there.” You say, biting your lip in anticipation.

“Dar…” he cuts himself off, “Y/n. I’m alright, I apologize for only calling you now.”

Coldness seeps in your bones when you notice how he corrected himself. Why?

“It’s alright, Aemond. I’m just relieved that you’re fine. I was so worried, you have no idea.”

The sound of your voice tugs at his heart, one which he sorely missed. He swallows, struggling to bring himself to say what he means to. “I need to tell you something. About the ball… I’ve decided that I should take Alys instead. She was already expecting that she is to be my date, and I just think that it’s rude if I…”

“That’s fine.” You say, far too quickly, not believing your own words. “I… I did consider that. You should take her.”

“Darling,” Aemond finally says, unable to hold back, “I…”

“It’s okay,” you attempt to comfort him, but it’s mostly for your own sake, “I completely understand.”

He takes a deep breath. As he envisions how you must look on the other line, he instantly feels a pang of regret.

“I’ll… I’ll see you around, yeah?” You say, wanting to be done with this damned call.

“Hmm. I’ll see you, darling.”

You throw your phone down on your desk. Feeling numb all over, you make your way to the kitchen, and quickly take a bottle of red bottle from the cabinet. You make quick work of the cork, and pour yourself a hefty amount.

You slosh the liquid around your glass, staring at that familiar shade of maroon.

And sure enough, it brings you back to that night on their balcony.

“For fuck’s sake.” You whisper to yourself. Closing your eyes, you see him.

What happened, Aemond? Have I already lost you?

“How could I?” You say bitterly. “When he was never mine?”

The part two preview that I posted, has been relegated to part three, after much editing. It's meant to be a steamy, little scene that unfolds in the Dragonstone ball.

And I had to work in the tragic injury that Aemond suffers in a way that might be suited to this modern setting. It's just hard for me to picture child on child violence happening here, with one of them taking a brutal dagger to the eye. At least not in this world, which is meant to resemble ours 😂

Oohh and thoughts on Jace? I actually don't intend him to be a love interest for the reader, and more so a genuine friend. But Aemond doesn't need to know that, does he? He surely won't believe it in the events at follow... 😏

Taglist for this series is still open (for now) so comment below if you wish to be added. 🤍

Series taglist: @caught-in-the-afterglow @aemondtargaryensrider @punggo66 @dollfaceyourfear @candypurplebutterfly @moonmaiden1996 @bdpst-massacre @mxrgodsstuff @lolitaisreal @blue-serendipity @depressedperson88 @melsunshine @thejanecampaign @fxngsfxgxrty @padfooteyes @msmarvel-19 @noxytopy @louschan @aemondssuit @virginslut08 @tempo-rary-fix @lauraneedstochill @julczimozart @booknerd2004 @sarcasticfangirl @witchyvik @julieeba @pyjama-shorts @bellaisasleep @account3168 @this-is-a-bad-idea @zillahvathek @thincrusttheworks @krispold @yougotthatlove @raging-panda @fleetingly-artistic @its-hopes-world @ririrare @throughgoeshamilton @polireader @katsav17 @minttea07

#house of the dragon #aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen imagine #aemond targaryen x reader #ewan mitchell #midnights #maroon #modern!aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x y/n #aemond targaryen x female reader

[seokstrivia]

Written In Pages

Summary: Sometimes, it’s for the best, 

Work!AU | KHH M.List | Word count: 2.4K

Boss Christian Yu x Writer Reader - angst, old feelings, exes, new love vs old love, drama(?)

After slamming your laptop shut for the umpteenth time, you groaned in irritation and took the last sip of your wine.

Your dream job was to write articles for a magazine, specifically inspiring stories about everyday life situations. You disliked writing about new cafes and hotspots to visit in Seoul, South Korea on a hot summer day. Your boss, Christian Yu, was someone you despised.

You let out a sigh as you leaned back on your couch, feeling exhausted from working for long hours and staring at a bright screen. Despite the fatigue, you were able to enjoy the peacefulness of your apartment which was quietly enveloped by the sound of light rain tapping against the tall windows that offered a view of the brightly lit city at night. The cityscape was a sight to behold, with buildings and cars stretching out as far as the eye could see, and you found it captivating.

It felt surreal.

You struggled with the idea of writing this article for a while, but now, as it is almost 3 am, you just want to finish it and move on, without having to worry about it anymore.

You worked tirelessly on your article all night, only the clicking of your keyboard keeping you company. As the sky began to lighten just before 5 am, you finally completed your 12th and hopefully final draft. After sending it to your boss, you collapsed into your bed, exhausted.

—>

“Wow, you look like shit.”

“Shut up, Dabin,” you scowled while you pointed a pen at him, almost as if threatening to hurt him if he said another word. “I was up late working on an article.”

“Again?”

As you nodded your head, a yawn escaped your lips, but Dabin didn't seem too impressed. He was aware of your writing skills, and he knew that Ian, his best friend, also recognized your talent. Despite this, Ian never allowed you to demonstrate your best writing abilities.

It annoyed him.

“Do you want me to speak to...“

“No,” you cut him off knowing exactly what he was going to ask. It was his favourite question. “It’s fine.”

Dabin suspiciously leaned over you, face a lot closer than you were comfortable with, and stared into your eyes as if they had a different answer to the one you’d given him.

It made you laugh.

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” you genuinely smiled as you pushed his face away from yours.

The two of you discussed where to go for lunch and what you were in the mood for, which varied daily.

“Y/N, can I see you in my office?”

The sudden voice behind you caused you to drop the smile on your face. You quickly locked eyes with Dabin before shifting to see your boss standing behind you.

Ian didn't give you time to respond to his question since he was already on his way back to his office. His strides were long and swift as you hurriedly followed behind.

A sigh escaped your lips as you thought about all the terrible things he might say about the draft you sent just a few hours ago.

Christian's office exuded a sense of sophistication and elegance with its predominantly black theme. The black furniture and décor complemented the black walls, creating a sleek and modern atmosphere. The aesthetic aligned perfectly with Christian's personal style, which is characterized by his sharp black suits, crisp white shirts, and multiple decorated tattoos. Overall, the office was a reflection of Christian's impeccable taste and attention to detail.

There’s no denying that he was a handsome man. 

“Do you enjoy working here?”

His voice was firm and almost intimidating, but it was nothing that you weren't accustomed to.

“Ye—“

“Answer me honestly,” he interrupted.

An exasperated sigh escaped your lips as he once again failed to listen.

It was annoying. 

You gazed out of the window, avoiding eye contact as the rain poured heavily over the city. It was ironic that you had just written an article on what to do on a hot summer day.

“Y/N—“

"Ian," you sighed, interrupting him as he had interrupted you earlier. "I don't hate working here, and I want you to know that. I genuinely enjoy the people and the work that I do. But it feels like you never give me a fair chance to show you how good I am, or how much I love being here."

As you stood up, your eyes met Christian's dark and mysterious ones. You never really understood him, as he always kept his distance. Even when you were dating, he never let you get too close.

His eyes reminded you of the heartbreak you felt when he told you he needed to focus on work and being a boss. There was no sadness or remorse in his expression. He was emotionless.

You subconsciously took a step back as he took one towards you, both caught off guard. You were afraid of falling for him again, especially after the pain he had caused you.

“I think maybe I should find another company to write for.”

“No.”

“Ian—“

“Y/N,” his voice was stern. Cold. “I said no.”

A deep chuckle reverberated in his office. You stepped back and crossed your arms, "It's not up to you. I can do what I want."

He knew you were right, but he didn't want you to leave. He had already given you up once.

Here's a clearer version of the text:

"Will you stay if I let you write your own story?" he asked, trying to offer a bribe.

"Why?" you questioned him, catching him off guard. He had hoped that you would just say yes and leave it at that.

There was an uncomfortable silence as he stood his ground, looking at you intently, but he didn't offer an explanation.

He was being stubborn.

After a while, you looked away from him and said, "I'll stay. See you around, Mr. Yu."

Christian watched as you left his office. He let you walk away.

Again.

—>

It was another late night in the office. Ian had finally given you the green light to write your own story - something exciting, new, and inspiring. However, you were struggling to come up with an idea. You didn't have any unique experiences to discuss, except for your own heartache and the pain you had gone through, along with the emotions you had felt.

It had been more than a year since Ian had broken up with you. Now, you were in a much better place emotionally, and seeing him around the office didn't hurt as much as it did when the wound was still fresh.

Your experience of getting over a breakup could serve as a source of inspiration for many individuals out there who may be going through the same thing. You could write about how you coped with the situation and be honest in your narrative. The idea is to make your readers relate to you and feel that they are not alone in the world and that going through a breakup is a common experience that everyone faces at least once in their lifetime.

As you were lost in thought, a voice interrupted you, asking "How are you getting on?"

You glanced up to see Dabin holding a box of fried chicken and a pack of four beers. You couldn't help but smile as your stomach growled in hunger. You were grateful for your best friend's arrival.

"Thank god for you," you exclaimed, feeling much better now. "I'm starving."

The two of you were quick to get settled into the couches in the staff room; away from computers and cubicles and depressing grey walls.

"This is delicious," you moaned as you took another bite.

Dabin laughed in return, "I'm glad I can help during times like this."

Dabin was a really good friend.

"So, how's your writing coming along?" He asked.

"Fine."

Nodding his head, he asked, "what's it about?"

You took a sip of your drink before turning to face Dabin. It was obvious what he was doing.

"You can let Ian know the article's content will be revealed in my final draft, okay?"

"How did you know I was asking for him?"

You lay back on the couch, sighing as your eyes stared at the plain white ceiling. Dabin followed suit, resting his shoulder neatly against yours.

It was quiet.

There was nobody else in the building except for the two of you. Normally, nobody stayed back late. However, you enjoyed staying late because of the peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The lights would turn off automatically on a timer, leaving you with a breath-taking view of Seoul from above.

Being on the top floor definitely had its perks.

"He didn't want to end things with you, but he had no choice. He misses you," Dabin finally spoke.

You avoided eye contact and stated, "Everyone has a choice."

You were in a three-year relationship with Ian before he broke up with you. As time went on, your love for him grew stronger and you were convinced that he was the one.

But no.

On a frigid winter night, he arrived at your doorstep and broke up with you. Declaring that his work was his priority and that he wanted to become a boss his father could be proud of.

So, he married his job instead.

It was a horrible experience that left you feeling utterly shattered. A heavy weight seemed to sit on your chest, and no matter what you did, you couldn't shake off the feeling. You cried yourself to sleep that night, and dealing with the aftermath was so difficult that you had to take a month off work. Seeing him again was too much to bear after feeling so broken.

"I thought he was the one, Dabin," you expressed. "But after he broke up with me, I realized that I didn't really know him. He never let me get close to him, and he never opened up to me. I was blindly in love."

Dabin looked at you with sad eyes; it was the first time you had openly talked about your breakup.

->

Saturdays were your favourite day of the week. You could sleep in as long as your stomach allowed before getting too hungry. You didn't have anything on your to-do list. It was a day just for you to relax, unwind, and not think about anything or anyone for that matter.

However, on this particular Saturday, instead of being awakened by hunger, you were awakened by the doorbell.

You were confused as to who was turning up at your apartment this early on a Saturday. You quickly got out of bed, grabbed your slippers and dressing gown and headed to the door.

You didn't think to look through the peephole before opening the door.

"Hey."

His voice was deep.

"What are you doing here?" You blurted out before thinking.

Ian.

He ran his hand through his hair.

Then sighed. Deeply.

"Can we talk?"

You stared at him, completely gobsmacked. What the hell was he doing here?

"Ian, please go home," you declared, your voice quavering. "I don't want to talk to you right now."

He didn't allow you to close the door as he barged in and let it slam shut behind him.

"Please," he begged.

You witnessed an unusual display of emotion in his gaze, something completely foreign to you in all the time you'd known him.

This was new, and you were in shock. It was so unlike him to do this.

"There's nothing to talk about," you declared, finally breaking the silence.

Ian sighed again, except this time, he sounded annoyed, "just give me five minutes of your time. Please."

Upon not wanting to argue, you silently nodded and sat on your couch, wondering what he wanted to discuss.

"Dabin spoke to me," he began. "He told me about how I made you feel."

"Okay? And?"

"Do you hate me?"

You scoffed. Was he serious? This is what he wanted to ask you?

"No, Ian. I don't hate you," you said honestly. "But I don't like you either."

He rolled his eyes, and you smiled smugly.

"Ian, please get to the point," you stated, your annoyance palpable. He was ruining your favourite day of the week.

"If I proposed, would you have married me?" Ian asked as he sat next to you on the couch.

The shock in your eyes didn't go unnoticed.

You let out a nervous chuckle and moved away from him. He was sitting too close to you, which made you feel uneasy. It had been a year since the two of you had been this close to each other, and you didn't like it.

"Ian, we're not a good match-"

"But would you have said yes?"

As you felt your heart beating harder against your chest, you began to feel nauseous and the sensation of wanting to throw up arose.

Why was he asking you this all of a sudden?

"Y/N, would you have said-"

"Shut up!" you snapped, taking a few steps back as you stood up. "You always have to have your own way, win arguments- even need to get the last word in. God forbid anyone says anything to you."

You were pacing the room, but he was listening for once.

He was actually listening.

"We were together for three years, I loved you unconditionally and fell more in love with you every day. It wasn't until you broke up with me that I realised I'd been dating a fucking rock."

"Y/N, I'm so sorry" he apologised as he stood up.

"Save it," you sighed.

His eyes searched yours, seeking answers, searching for any sign of love.

"I would have said yes. Of course, I would've" you told him honestly. His lips curved into a smile, but faltered when you added, "but not now."

He didn't say anything except, 'sorry' before leaving, making sure to slam the door shut behind him. Except this time, he was the one who was walking away and you were the one who let him.

That night you decided to quit your job, there was no way that it was healthy for either of you to go on like this.

He didn't question it this time or stop you, he didn't even look at you. Your words had hurt him just like he'd hurt you. This wasn't what you wanted, but realistically what else could you do?

It just wasn't written in pages for you two to be together.

And maybe, that was okay.

->

A/N Pls go easy on me with this, its my first time writing since being on my long ass hiatus, but I hope you still enjoyed <3 xoxo

#dpr ian #dpr imagines #christian yu #christian yu scenarios #christian yu imagines #Khiphop #khh #khh scenarios #khh imagines #khiphop imagines #khiphop scenarios #khipkhop #dream perfect regime

[nerdraging4point0]

Mad Hearts and Temptations // Chapter Two // Wonderland Romance AU

Tropes and Tags: Wonderland romance, instalove, too much sex, destiny, fated lovers.

Content warning: 18+ only minors DNI. dark themes, gore themes, gothic themes, PinV, PinA, oral (f!recieveing, m!recieving), voyeurism, exhibitionism, angst.

This work below is fictionalized ideas and stories involving real people but does not directly reflect their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Please keep in mind that this is a work of fiction.

Taglist(click to be added): @poisongirl616 @ladyveronikawrites @shilohrosechicken @th0ughts-pr4yers @meliferafaerie @itsafullmoon @viofcrows @letmeadoreyoux @latenightmusiclover @transparentwitchnightmare @darling-millicent-aubrey @badomensls @cookiesupplier @concreteemo @mysticdoodlez @srorgana1 @in-another-life @broken0mens @somewhere-diamond @celestineveil @littlefoxkota @silentglassbreak @hayleylatour @sundamariis @lma1986 @thatchickwiththecamera @lilhobgobbler @missduffsblog @asilentsiren @catharsis-in-darkness @dsireland86 @skulliecadaver-blog @laurpartyprogram @faceless-mirror @somebodyels3 @jakeygvf21 @badomensls @thisbicc

It’s different this time. 

As I walk down the long, dreary corridor lined with identical doors, I feel a sense of weary familiarity. How many times have I made this journey, desperately seeking the door at the end that always seems to remain out of reach? My footsteps echo off the cold tile floor, the sound bouncing back at me mockingly. Yet something feels different. There's a charge in the stale air, a shift in the energy propelling me forward. 

“You’re late,”  her voice catches me off guard, I turn to see a striking, surreal sight. The pretty girl from the coffee shop stands there, only now with white bunny ears twitching above her cascade of perfect curls. Her ensemble seems plucked from a fairy tale, from the lace gloves to the ruffled corset and tulle skirt. She consults the pocket watch in her hand, it’s chain softly wrapped around her delicate wrist. Sweet caramel eyes meet mine as her lips curve into a smile, pointing down the hallway I've become so familiar with. 

I sense this is no longer the hopeless cycle of before. The static has lifted, rules rewritten. My quest down the corridor feels destined, each step bringing me closer to the door I've always sought. Something has unlocked within the universe's machinations. The end, once perpetually out of reach, now feels attainable. 

Racing down the twisting corridors, my feet barely touching the ground as I move with haste. I round the last corner and there it is, waiting for me. I approach with purpose, my hand outstretched. This is it. As my confident fingers close around the cool metal knob, a bright light suddenly floods out from the keyhole. I freeze, squinting against the harsh glow. A voice emerges, disembodied, yet clear. It calls my name, beckoning me. I stand transfixed, pulse racing, unsure whether to turn the knob or run. The light is warm against my skin, the voice soothing, but caution wars with curiosity.

I squat down, one knee touching the cold tiles beneath me as I brace myself on either side of the keyhole. I line up my eye with the bright light and it dims as I get closer, looking through the gaping hole to see what lies behind it. As the light fades, I can see the silhouette of someone. Whoever they are, they are tall, wearing a long tail coat and trousers with their hands clasped elegantly in front of them and a top hat placed neatly on their head. The voice carrying my name sounds miles away but just the same, clear as a bell - it's a man. 

Ember.

My name has never sounded so haunting and yet so beautiful to my own ears before. I open my mouth to say hello, to call out in response, but before any sound escapes, on the other side of the door, an eye flashes before me, looking back at me from the other side. I jump back in fear as I'm met with the deep realization that it's Alice's blue, deranged orb staring back at me. The icy blue iris bores into me, surrounded by veins spider webbing outwards across the white. Her heavy-lidded gaze feels menacing, hinting at the madness brewing within. I shudder, unnerved by her unblinking stare as a chill runs down my spine.

I wake startled and sweating, the dream leaves goosebumps over my skin as I pant trying desperately to catch my breath. Heart pounding, I scan my familiar bedroom but can’t shake the lingering sense of danger. My eyes dart to the front door and I am gripped by fear when I see it is unlocked. Propelled by raw panic, I leap from bed scrambling to the door on shaky legs. I turn the lock and slide the chain into place, reinforcing the barrier between me and my imagined pursuer. Only after double-bolting the door do I begin to calm down, the cool wood against my back restoring my senses. 

I try desperately to slow my heart, to calm my heavy breathing by holding my breath, letting it out in slow exhales. My eyes search the dark wildly to make sure I am alone, scanning every corner available without moving from my spot. I swear I can see someone in the shadows resting in the corner of the apartment; tall, dark, and ominous, top hat and all.

 "Help me, Ember. Set me free." The voice is wistful and melodic and I'm drawn to it. The way each word is articulated slowly, the deep tenor of it. Rationality has me bringing my knees to my chest, holding them tight as I keep my eyes on the shadow. Outside, a car passes by and it casts light through my window, horizontal lines dancing across the clean walls of my studio apartment. With them sweeping away, whatever shadow I think I see in the corner is gone, leaving me reassured that I am alone.

 Yet a lingering unease remains as I stand up crossing the room, curling up on my bed, heart still racing as I struggle to slow my breathing. The voice seemed so real, almost seductive in its plea for help, and I can't shake the image of that tall, shadowy figure in the corner, top hat and all. 

Was it just my imagination playing tricks, or something more sinister? I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing for the morning light to banish the darkness and the strange visions within it. But until then, I cling to my knees, listening intently for any further sounds in the still of the night. The encounter has left me rattled, and I know that sleep will not come easily tonight. 

–

I am only offered a couple of hours more of dreamless sleep before it is interrupted by an early morning call from Tori. 

“Hello?” I answer the phone groggily, not even opening my eyes. 

“I need help!” she whines. I hear shuffling and then something crashes on the other end. 

“What else is new?” I tease giving a tired giggle at my own joke. Tori is sweet but she is a chaotic mess sometimes. 

“Ha, ha. No, I have a shoot next week and have no props for it. I repeat no props!” She wails. Tori and I were hired at the shop around the same time, and you could say we built sort of a workplace friendship. She's been diligently building up her photography side business as of late, and ever since I offered some creative suggestions after perusing her portfolio a while back, she's enlisted me to join her on prop scouting adventures. We've scoured high-end boutiques with ornate mirrors and vintage furniture, dingy thrift stores bursting with kitschy knick-knacks and retro dishware, even dusty antique shops filled with weathered books, faded maps, and tarnished silverware. 

“So, will you please go with me?” When she asks again I realize that I have drifted off in the middle of her conversation. I sigh, rubbing my face with my hand, turning over in bed. I look into the corner where the shadow loomed last night, empty and clear. 

“Pay me in coffee and you’ve got a deal.” 

–

Entering the store, we seemed to be the only two people other than the cashier and the customer he was occupied with at the cash register. Despite being busy, he glanced up and offered a polite, welcoming smile as the bell on the door announced our arrival. Since it was just an antique shop I didn't think I had to overly dress for the occasion, black leggings and tank top and with oversized white cardigan paired with a simple pair of stylish cream boots seemed fitting. Overall, my outfit achieved the ideal balance of comfort, flexibility, and presentability for an afternoon spent digging for hidden gems in the cluttered aisles.

The place is a chaotic jumble of items from various eras, crammed together on shelves and stacked in teetering piles that threaten to topple over. Mismatched antique furniture, including ornate Victorian chairs with worn velvet upholstery and chipped mahogany tables, are shoved into every available corner. 

The wooden floorboards creak under the weight of the haphazardly arranged clutter. Navigating the narrow aisles requires contorting your body to avoid bumping into precariously placed porcelain vases and stained-glass lamps. Some items are caked under layers of dust, evidence that they've sat undisturbed for ages. Others appear practically new, though still decades-old – vintage comic books with crisp pages, classic toys in their original packaging, kitschy 1950s kitchenware in pristine condition.

“It’s gonna be dark, I need as many gothic things as we can find.” Tori says her voice trailing off as she starts to pick through the shops inventory. Her pretty brown waves gathered into a loose ponytail, white tank and highwaisted jeans accent every curve she had, her red plaid jacket tied around her waist. I nod along, half-listening as I note the diverse array of products. 

My eye catches a purple love seat in the back with buttons all along the back. It looked like it belonged in a vampire's cottage. It was perfect for her. 

"Why don't you start with the chair in the back, it looks like it would fit what you're looking for." Tori's eyes immediately pop up finding the chair and her feet carry her toward it. I laugh a little as I follow behind her. The loveseat truly did look like it belonged in a Gothic vampire's lair, with its deep purple crushed velvet upholstery and ornately carved wood frame. The buttons marching down the back were large and shiny, looking almost like black pearls. It had curved wooden arms and clawed feet, adding to the overall sinister Victorian aesthetic. As Tori rushed over and sunk into the cushions, I could imagine her hosting a vampire tea party on that loveseat.

I pause to gaze at the intricate display of antique timepieces, the faded faces and tarnished metals speaking to their age and history. Though motionless now, I can almost see the second hands sweeping around the numbered dials when first purchased long ago. I imagine the gentlemen who once carried these watches, checking the time with a flip of the enameled case, the steady ticking marking the passing minutes. Now they sit preserved behind glass, the once polished chains artfully draped. Yet as I lean in, the ghostly echoes of multiple ticking movements seem to sound in synchrony.

Tori busies herself examining the dark wooden furniture adorned with intricate carvings and velvet upholstery, I meander through the rest of the store without much purpose. My eyes drift over an assortment of antique items, ranging from ornate lamps to faded paintings in gilded frames. Tucked away in a back corner, angled to reflect the ceiling, sits an elegant mirror atop a gold stand. Unlike much of the shop's inventory, not a speck of dust mars its glimmering surface. As I stride past, a flicker of motion suddenly grabs my attention. I freeze, pulse quickening as I glimpse a blur of long white hair in my peripheral vision.

I set my coffee down and squat in front of the glass reflection. My eyes scan the mirror intently, searching for any imperfection or oddity that could explain the strange flash of light I thought I saw. I lean in, my nose almost touching the cool surface as I examine every inch, looking for a reasonable explanation. But the mirror seems completely normal, its smooth glass surface flawlessly reflecting my puzzled face staring back at me. I stand up and take a few steps to the left and right, carefully observing how the light hits the mirror at different angles. But no matter how I position myself, I can't recreate that brief, bright flash. It couldn't have just been my imagination...could it? 

Perplexed, I lower myself in front of the mirror once more, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. As I peer deeply into the glass, the surface seems to swirl and blur. I feel an odd sensation like the floor is tipping beneath me. Gripped by a sudden vertigo, I tumble forward as if falling into an abyss. The mirror envelops me in a grey vortex, its cold tendrils wrapping around my helpless form. Icy darkness consumes me as I spiral into the unknown depths beyond the glass.

#bad omens #noah sebastian #bad omens band #bad omens cult #noahsebastian fanfic #wonderland!au #alice in wonderland retelling #bad omens smut #bad omens au #wonderland!omens #madhatter!noah #bad omens fanfic #bad omens fanfiction

[saninthebuilding]

"it's your golden hour"

❤️‍🩹 pairing: kim taehyung x reader

❤️‍🩹 summary: being in a relationship with an idol can be a bit busy, especially when it's one of the members of bts. however, despite all taehyung's idol activities, you're there to show him- both to his face and behind his back -just how much you love him, even when he doubts his worth.

❤️‍🩹 word count: 2.8k (edited!)

❤️‍🩹 genre: idol!taehyung au, art major!reader au, university student!reader au, fluff, slight angst, hurt/comfort

❤️‍🩹 trope: pre-established relationship

❤️‍🩹 warnings: self-doubt, crying, mentions of sleep, taehyung is unsure of reader's love for him, reader is completely in love with taehyung, they're really soft, fluffy-haired taehyung (because i consider this a warning, he's so fine-)

❤️‍🩹 a/n: changing up my theme! to be honest i like this a lot more, it's so organized and clear, but anyways. i really liked how this turned out, even though i had a completely different idea when i started this, but i've been so in love with taehyung's hair in his recent lives and i just had to write something for him because he's been bias-wrecking me really hard lately. i hope you enjoy!

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leaning back into the couch, i stretch my arms high above my head, basking in the evening sun currently streaming through the large french windows in the living room.

taehyung lay sprawled out beside me, head in my lap and feet hanging off the side of the sofa as he taps away at his phone, playing some game he'd downloaded recently.

he cheers, pumping his fist into the air as a celebratory tune rings out from his phone, and i shake my head, smiling down at him as i brush his hair out of his eyes. he looks up at me, excited, before turning back to his screen.

it was a lazy sunday for taehyung and i, the two of us having cleared up our weekend to make time for each other. although he was currently on break from his idol activities to work on his solo career, he was still busy. having secured several deals, he was bomboarded with photoshoots and modelling by major companies like celine and elle korea- just to name a few.

however, my schedule wasn't any better. as a current art major in my fourth year of university, culminating week was just around the corner as my last semester rounded to a close. it was a stressful time, but i was lucky enough to have submitted my portfolio assignment early, so i had the rest of the week free before my final evaluation.

sighing, i look down, staring at taehyung playing his game. he seemed so focused, the reflection of the colourful lights from his screen painting his determined expression in hues of reds and blues.

looking at the time, i see the clock on the opposing wall reads 6:13 pm.

i pouted, glaring at his phone that had held his undivided attention for the past hour. i had thought he would put it away after a while, but it seemed like he had been waiting all week to try the app out, so i'd taken the opportunity to just enjoy his company.

still, i did miss actually interacting with him.

we'd barely gotten free time until now, and until his final photoshoots finished and my semester ended it was unlikely we'd get to spend some proper time together like this again.

not gonna lie, i feel like i'm third-wheeling here.

"taehyung, why won't you hang out with me?" i whined, taking him by surprise as i drum my hands on his chest. he lets out a startled yelp, quickly pressing something on his phone before looking up at me.

"yah, i almost lost!" he protests, looking at me in absolute horror- "you can't scare me like that!"

"yea, well maybe you should lose" i say, cheeks puffing up as i spoke. "all you've been doing is playing that game for the past hour. it's like i freed the weekend up just to watch you-"

realizing this wasn't what i had intended to say, i backtracked, waving my hands around frantically in panic, "which i love, don't get me wrong! uh- watching you, i mean. but, i just..."

i trail off, hands coming up to cover my face in embarrassment, before i peek down through my fingers. taehyung is gazing up at me, a soft look on his face, phone forgotten on his stomach.

i sigh, taking his silence as an encouragement to keep going.

"i've just missed you so much" i mumble, turning away from him to look out the window. the sun was setting lower now, rays turning golden as they hit the glass and splintered in the air.

it was magical.

"this is the only weekend we both have off until all our work is finished, and that isn't for another week or so. and i've barely seen at all except for when i'm leaving early morning for a class and you're there to drive me, or when you come drained after a day of work and slip into bed next to me, so it's a little..."

i pause, confused as i see taehyung's mouth falls open in shock. but before i can ask him what's wrong, he quickly sits up, shifting the two of us on the couch so we're facing each other.

"shit, do i wake you up every night?" he asks as his hands glide up and down my sides in what seems to be apology, "i swear i try to be quiet-"

i laugh, realizing he thinks he disturbs my sleep, before shaking my head, "no, no, don't worry. you don't wake me up." i let my hands rest on his knees, tracing small patterns with my fingers to calm him down.

"but then how do you-" he stops talking, confused, "it's always really late when i get home. and you're always asleep when i lie down..."

"well, no, not really. i just..." i feel heat start to creep into my ears, and i look down, focusing on the soft white material of his t-shirt.

"i wait for you. i know how tired you are when you get home, you barely even wash up or change before coming to bed. so i just, you know..."

i don't see it, but taehyung's eyes go wide, as if something clicked in his head. "that's why my clothes are always changed, and why my face and hair aren't full of all the products the staff use when i wake up."

suddenly taehyung tilts his head down, and as he looks at me, i see his expression has turned gentle, loving, adoring, as though i were the most precious thing in the world. his hands have stopped on my waist, and when he speaks his voice is heavy with emotion.

"no wonder on some nights i'd feel you moving around. and others i'd wake up with memories of hands cupping my face, guiding a glass of water to my lips, brushing the hair out of my eyes. you take care of me every night after i fall asleep, don't you?"

i bite my bottom lip, feeling a little embarrassed, but i nod anyway.

it was true. each night i'd wait for taehyung to get home, and after he had knocked himself out among the sheets, i would get up and start with his clothes. sometimes he'd wake up halfway, helping me swap his dress pants for a pair of soft pajama bottoms. other times i'd gently peel off his leather jacket or button-up while he slept, leaving him more comfortable in a t-shirt.

next i'd wet a towel with warm water and wipe the beauty products off his face (even though he doesn't need any). but it was never too much since the stylists try their best to use as little as possible when shooting, so it was always the easiest thing to do.

then i'd get another wet towel and start on his hair, working out the gel and hair spray that was occasionally still there on days where taehyung didn't have the energy to wash it out before coming home.

and if i was lucky, he would sometimes wake up just as i was getting back into bed, drunk on sleep and exhaustion, and i'd use the opportunity to coax a glass of water into his hands, encouraging him to finish it.

it was nights like these i cherished most, the stolen moments i was sometimes blessed with when i helped him drink some water and he would mumble how his day had been, eyes bleary and hands reaching for my warmth. the days where he trusted me enough to let me take care of him, even in his most vulnerable state, before pulling me into his chest and falling back to sleep with me in his arms.

and as i felt his fingers under my chin, guiding my head to meet his gaze, i stared into his soft, brown eyes, taking in the way the sun hit his tan skin just right, bathing him in a golden glow so breathtaking that he looked unreal, seeing the way his eyes shined and his face was so full of love, for me, all for me, and i realize that, no, those moments were not what i cherished most.

it was him that i cherished most.

"y/n?" taehyung breathes, and as i saw his eyes begin to turn wet, i understood that he felt the same way.

even though we barely got any time together, even though we barely saw each other, even though our lives were so busy, at the end of the day these things would never change the way we felt for each other.

because i loved him, and he loved me, and regardless of all our photoshoots and assignments and mismatched schedules, that love was never going anywhere.

it would never waver, because the bond the two of us had created over the years was deeper than scenic dates and bouqets of flowers and fancy gifts.

it was trust and comfort and support and understanding- but above all else, it was unconditional love.

and that is the kind that lasts forever.

"yes?" i whisper, and my voice comes out breathless, dazed, as i am completely transfixed by the man before me.

"don't i burden you? don't you think i rely on you this much, even unknowingly? doesn't it bother you that i'm barely around, showing up late at night only to fall straight asleep and wake up early only to leave you again?"

my lips part as a gasp comes out of my mouth, his unexpectedly serious words spearing my chest- "of course not taehyung, how could you say that?"

he shakes his head, teeth nipping at the corner of his mouth. "i mean, i know i'm an idol, and that this relationship is probably already something that puts strain on your shoulders due to the possibility of fans finding you and harming you. but i'm also your boyfriend. and boyfriends are supposed to be here, supposed to be present, supposed to show you how much you mean to them."

taehyung leans closer, tentative, wary, almost scared as he reaches out to me, only to pull his hand away. he swallows hard, before looking up to meet my gaze, eyes glistening.

"don't you get tired of being with me?"

my heart drops at his words, at how ashamed and anxious he sounds. he clenches his jaw, a nervous habit of his, and i let my eyes linger on the movement, watching how the veins in his neck make a quick appearance. i see the muscles in his arms flex as he lifts his hand to my face again, seeming unsure. i admire the ethereal glow the sun casts upon his skin as he raises my head to his. the mole on his lower lip, on his nose, on his cheek. the way he pulls the skin of his bottom lip between his teeth, sinking them into the soft flesh before letting go. the way the salt water in his eyes threatens to spill over his lashline.

i lift my hands up to his cheeks just as he rests his own on mine, gently brushing my thumbs over his eyes, preventing the tears from finding their way down his face.

he opens his mouth to continue, but i'm faster, the words tumbling out of me before i can stop myself.

"i love you so much taehyung" i breathe, voice catching in my throat as i feel my own eyes starting to sting. "so, so, so much- more than you can ever know. but you have to know. you need to know. i need you to know."

taehyung lets out a shaky breath, something halfway between a hiccup and a sob, and i move closer, climbing into his lap.

"we're both busy, and that's unavoidable. you have your life and i have mine, and even though we are so closely part of each others' lives, there are some things i cannot be included in, just as there are some things you cannot be included in."

his hands have come to rest on my hips, and letting one hand rest on his cheek, i maintain eye contact as i carefully run the other under his eye. over his cheekbone. his cheek. along his jawline. down his neck. he swallows under my touch, and i feel his adam's apple bob beneath my fingers. his eyes stay on mine, and when my hand reaches his chest, i flatten my palm directly over his heart, feeling his heartbeat thumping against my skin.

"but even though i may not be everywhere with you physically, i will always be in here."

i gaze at him, feeling my own heart beginning to speed up as i feel his fingers creep under my shirt, tracing circles with his thumbs on the skin of my waist.

"it doesn't matter how much time we spend together, it doesn't matter how much time we don't spend together. i need you to know that my love for you is not going anywhere."

my voice cracks a bit, a tear escaping down my cheek, and this causes taehyung to sniffle, eyes watering again.

"it doesn't matter how late you come home, it doesn't matter how early you have to leave. i will be there" i say, pressing my hand into his chest, "both in here..." i take my hand away from his face and gently grip his wrist, before placing his hand on my cheek, "and out here."

he bites his lip, visibly struggling to keep his tears at bay as he lets out a shuddering breath. he's clutching my sides now, as though trying to ground himself, to control the sobs threatening to take over.

"i will always be there to wipe your face down when you're too tired, to make sure you eat or drink something after a long day, to tuck you into bed so you can get a good night's sleep- to do whatever it is you want me to do for you."

i let go of his hand, reaching over to cup his face again, before pressing my lips to his forehead. and it is this action that seems to be too much for him, that breaks the dam he was so desperately trying to maintain, and he lets out a sob, arms wrapping around my body as he pulls me close, burying his face into my shoulder.

"because i love you, taehyung" i choke out, my own tears spilling down my cheeks upon hearing him break in my arms, "and i will always love you. so don't you ever doubt that."

he's crying in earnest now, his hands fisting the cloth of my shirt as his body shakes from the force of his tears. he inhales shakily, before forcing himself to say something.

"y/n" taehyung sputters, and i'm instantly hugging him closer as my own tears fall, rubbing his back and planting soft kisses into his fluffy hair.

"i'm right here, taehyung. i'm not going anywhere, i promise," i whisper into his ear, gently rocking us side to side. "it's okay, you're okay. we're okay."

i let him cry for a while longer, holding him up even as his body gives out under the weight of his tears. i feel him pulling away, and as i wipe my tears away to glance at him, his hands are suddenly cupping my cheeks, looking me straight in the eyes before he presses his lips to mine.

the tears streaming down his face mix with my own on our lips, the salt water a stark contrast to the sweetness of the kiss. he goes slow, as though trying to engrain the moment into his heart, into his mind, convincing himself that i did actually, truly love him despite the burden he considered himself to be.

i tangle my fingers into his hair, and as i marvel at the softeness of his brown locks under my hands, i pull him closer, wanting him to feel all the affection and adoration and sheer love i had for him.

taehyung leans back after a bit, panting softly, his glossy eyes blown wide as he studies my face. he lifts a hand to caress my cheek, absentmindedly brushing at the wetness on my skin before pressing his forehead to mine.

"i love you" he whispers, "i love you so much, y/n, and i can't tell you how grateful and lucky i feel just to be able to call you mine."

he pulls away, grabbing my hand and slips his fingers between my own, before lifting our intertwined hands to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the back of my hand, keeping his eyes on mine the entire time.

despite my current drowsiness due to all the tears i just cried, i let out a surprised giggle. taehyung's gaze is gentle as he watches me, wiping the tears from my face, and i lean into his touch before throwing myself into his arms. he catches me easily, arms supporting my weight as i kiss his cheek, smiling softly.

"i love you taehyung."

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❤️‍🩹 i hope you enjoyed! likes, comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated! thank you for reading!

#kim taehyung #taehyung kim #bts taehyung #bts kim taehyung #tae #v #bts v #v bts #taehyung #kim taehyung bts #taehyung ff #bts #bangtan sonyeondan #bulletproof boy scouts #bts ff #bts imagine #bts x reader #bts fanfic #bts taehyung x reader #taehyung x reader #v x reader #bts fluff #bts angst #bts scenarios #bts au #bts aus #so soft for him #miss him so much

[still-with-koo]

Just Neighbours | MYG | KSJ

Series: Chapter Three

summary: You move to a new city hoping to leave behind all the fragmented memories of your past. But the universe has other plans for you. Instead of helping you move on from the one person that haunts you still, the universe brings him straight to you. Is it a cruel joke, or is fate taking its final aim?

pairing: yoongi x reader; seokjin x reader; maybe some jimin x reader

wc: 3,971

genre/warnings/rating: 15+; slow burn; angst; fluff; exes to something… maybe friends, maybe lovers; some idiots to lovers; some enemies to friends to lovers; there’s pining, more so in future chapters; some pov switches; mentions of emotional abuse; mentions of infidelity; mentions of stringing someone along; some (poor) attempts at humour; oc gets embarrassed a lot; oc can be a bit insensitive; a few swear words; some self esteem issues come up down the line; kissing; sexual innuendos; suggestive themes; there may be explicit sexual content in future chapters. the characters in this story are my own and do not reflect on the members of bts or anyone else. this is all made up and just for fun, please don’t take it too seriously!

playlist: she’s in the rain by the rose

a/n: it’s been a long wait. i hope this makes up for it! we see a bit more of seokjin in this one <3

ch. 1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4

It is raining preternaturally strong this morning. You slide the glass door open and step onto the balcony to observe the downpour closer still. The sun has barely risen and yet the storm seems to be in full bloom. 

You suddenly wonder if anyone watching below might think you are mad for standing on your balcony in such weather. But the outer ledge extends far enough to keep you from getting drenched to the bone. You only feel light drizzle across your face, which is reason enough to stay out here. 

You lazily place a hand on the railing and glance towards your neighbour. Their balcony blinds shuffle a little. You see the tiniest sliver of a face peeking through them but it leaves much too fast for you to make out.

The blinds are now being drawn and on any other day you would have stayed, delighted with the possibility of finally making their acquaintance. However on this day, you are not in much of a mood to pretend you are something you’re not. 

Slinking indoors, you decide to make yourself some warm tea to console yourself. It has only been a few days but Jimin’s absence is felt so strongly you wonder what would happen if he never speaks to you again. That is why you’ve been feeling so blue lately. There is no other reason that comes to mind to explain the gaping hole in your chest. 

Your kitchen light flicks on and you reach into the cupboard, grabbing the first mug that comes to hand.

And then freeze.

The familiar inscription brings a strange feeling to the pit of your stomach. And a memory you thought you had long forgotten. 

“My whole heart?” You giggle, tracing the inscription across the mug with your fingertip. Slowly looking up at him, you smile, “I never pictured you as the cheesy type, Yoongi.” 

A lopsided grin is his initial response, but then he kicks a nonexistent rock on your carpet, avoiding your gaze while he whispers under his breath, “Well, I couldn’t put ‘sex kitten’, could I?”

You snort, replying, “Because that would be you, silly.” 

At that, he pounces on you, grabbing your hand in his and biting your lip. “Naughty thing,” he growls.

“What? Are you going to prove it now?” You are breathing shallow, mesmerized by the mischief sparkling in his eyes.

Shallower still when he catches your chin between his thumb and index finger. “Oh, I will get to that, but there is so much I want to do to you first.” 

You try to push him away giggling so much you can hardly breathe as he plants kisses all over your face. “Enough, enough! I surrender,” you say finally, hands in the air as he sits back on the couch, surveying you with delight. 

“I love you.”

Those three words hung in the air and at first you didn’t know who said them. But by the look on his face, it becomes painfully clear. 

You did.

It was as if he just saw a ghost. He grew as pale as the wall behind him and to ease whatever strange discomfort arose you try to laugh it off. A couch cushion is thrown in his direction and soon it was as if nothing had happened. 

The sound of knocking on your door rouses you from your daydream. 

It takes a few seconds to register what is happening as you stare at the mug in your hands.

“Coming!” You throw in their direction as you walk over to the trash can, letting the mug hover over the bin. Sighing, you quickly place it back in the cupboard before yelling out, “I’m coming!”

Wiping your hands, you press up against the door. 

Odd. You don’t see anyone through the peephole. 

Slowly opening the door, you check. The coast is clear. 

Closing the door behind you, your back hits the solid wood with a thud. Things like this have been happening a lot lately. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard knocking at your door without any visitors. And just last night, you could have sworn you heard your name being called out.

Shaking your head, you suddenly realize you will be late for work and start getting ready. 

You’re mindlessly inputting inventory when your phone lights up. The sound of the storm outside must have drowned out the ding but there is a new notification. A message, surely.

You know you shouldn’t have your phone on the shop counter (it’s against store policy or whatever) but you can’t help it. You have a pretty good hunch one of these days (any moment now!) Jimin will come to his senses and call you back.

Or at least send a text.

Maybe a noncommittal ‘hey’.

Any acknowledgment would be nice, really. Anything to show he is close to forgiving you for scaring the life out of him during your drunken blackout.

You haven’t even told him that Yoongi brought you home that night… not that he gave you a chance. A ‘You ok?’ ‘Yes’ and he hung up. Just like that. And radio silence ever since.

“Are you trying to telekinetically vaporize your phone or something?” Taeyeon’s voice drifts into your consciousness. You didn’t even notice her enter from the backroom.

You give her a small smile and grab your phone, noting the junk email notification before quickly slipping it into your pocket while she comes around the corner to inspect your work.

“Finished with the inventory check yet?”

“Not yet.”

The storm grows louder and you catch a flash of lightening outside.

You can feel Taeyeon peering over your shoulder, a small click of her tongue punctuating some thought you can almost hear as her brows furrow. She then inhales slowly, her words coming out even slower, as if she’s measuring them carefully. “Are you feeling ok?”

You glance back at her with a puzzled expression, “Yes?” There is a searching look in her eyes. You know that look. Your mother used to give you that look every time you said you were fine when you really weren’t.

“Ok, I’ll take your word for it,” she replies, hands falling to her hips, “but you need to get your act together. This isn’t like you.” You follow her finger to the screen and notice a ‘daffy duck’ where ‘daffodils’ ought to be. Face heating up, you correct the mistake and chirp out a “sorry” as she clicks her tongue again.

“Business has been good lately, but we need to draw in more high end customers.” When your blank expression doesn’t change, she pulls out her phone, pointing to some article in Forbes magazine. “We need those rich heiresses who’ll spend a grand on a few special centrepieces. Or their gold digger husbands.”

You bite your lip. The business side of things has always felt a little bit daunting. But you are determined to do well… if nothing else, simply to prove to yourself you can do it. You nod and she gives you a small smile. Then her face lights up. “Ah, I almost forgot, the company is throwing a…” Taeyeon’s voice fades out as the front door chimes.

With a quick clear of your throat, you glance towards the front door. “Welcome to Stay Gold Marigolds,” you sing out in your best customer service voice. The one that’s a bit too high, an iteration that still needs a bit of work admittedly.

A yellow umbrella folds up and out from behind it appears a rain-soaked but unmistakably luminous face.

He looks up and smiles.

You recognize that face.

“… scary pregnant friend!” You’re now pointing at him with a smile. When you notice your hand, you quickly bring it down.

He nods, grinning back.

“That’s my alias,” he replies, casually glancing at Taeyeon with a polite smile. “But most people just call me Seokjin.” He’s fixing his tie with one hand as the now folded umbrella dangles languidly from his other. Even slightly drenched, he looks immaculate. The universe really has favourites.

Then you realize you just called him “scary pregnant friend”.

Oops.

“Ah, of course,” you reply, grimacing slightly. “Seokjin. Always happy to see a returning customer.”

Something flashes across his face, but you’re too busy fending yourself from Taeyeon’s elbow to notice.

“Um, Seokjin. This is Taeyeon, the store manager.”

She sends him a dazzling smile before straightening her blouse. Seokjin glances at you momentarily before approaching with a rather quick pace, extending his hand out to Taeyeon. Taeyeon’s mouth opens slightly but Seokjin doesn’t seem to notice as his attention immediately fixes back onto you.

“I’m glad you’re working today, Y/N,” he comments, hand leaving Taeyeon’s to rest on the shop counter. “I owe you my life.”

“Your life…?” You can feel Taeyeon’s eyes burning a hole in the side of your head. “For what?”

“For getting me out of trouble. My scary pregnant friend,” he pauses, his unexpected wink earning a knowing smile from you, “loved the flowers. She wants another bouquet for her birthday.” He glances down and adds, “and this tremendous umbrella, thank you for saving me from the downpour.”

“Oh, um, you’re welcome.” Your reply comes out a bit stilted as Taeyeon catches your eye, her smile seemingly plastered on as her eyes dart between yours and Seokjin’s. You respond with a slight tilt of your head as if to ask ‘what is it?’ You’re clearly lost.

Frustrated, she clears her throat. “You know, we have quite a selection of other arrangements. Perhaps you… or your wife… would—“

Seokjin’s eyes widen at Taeyeon’s insinuation. “Oh, I’m not married—“

You watch him scramble to switch the umbrella to his right hand and if it weren’t for the shrill sound of a phone cutting him off you’re sure he would have shown you his empty fourth finger. Confusion spreads across Taeyeon’s face before she realizes it’s her office phone. As she runs off, you smile at Seokjin.

“Ok, so no funeral, then?”

Seokjin laughs, and with a little prompting he starts telling you about his face off with the scary pregnant friend. Before long you’re giggling at his dramatic retelling, amused by how believably he re-enacts the scene for you. He even does her pregnant waddle, and smiles extra big when you laugh so hard a snort escapes. You’re positively red but he finds it endearing.

You laugh freely, he thinks, a trait he doesn’t see as often as he likes.

But then your focus shifts. Not that he notices, though. Not yet at least.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket, a soft ding drawing only your attention.

It would be rude to look at your phone now, you think to yourself as you bite your nail, eyes still locked on Seokjin but mind now on your phone.

The possibility that Jimin—

No, he definitely hasn’t texted you back.

But then again, you did send him a special something in the hopes of guilting him into forgiving you.

It wouldn’t have gotten there yet, though… would it?

Wait, Seokjin is still talking.

You clear your throat and smile, trying your best to look interested in whatever Seokjin is saying. But suddenly it’s silent and it looks like he might have asked you a question.

“What do you think?”

He did. He asked you a question.

Shit.

You inhale, considering your options: You could fess up; or take a stab at an answer.

Swallowing your pride, you decide to come clean about zoning out for a few seconds.

But those aren’t the words that fall out.

“Sounds good,” you choke out, clearing your throat again.

Stupid.

Stupid stupid stupid. Why would you say that? What did he even ask?

It must have been a good response because he is positively radiating with happiness. His smile is so big it’s infectious and soon you’re smiling too. But you have no idea why.

“It’s only a few minutes walk from here, actually,” he continues, but the sparkle in his eye slowly fades as yours does.

“Walk…to?” You’re biting your lip now. 

His eyes narrow and you know he’s caught you redhanded. But then he chuckles, responding with a sweetness you didn’t expect.

“Well, I was just… I mean if you have time, maybe you could join me at my coffee shop,” he starts, and you notice the tips of his ears turning red. When the expression on your face starts to shift, he quickly adds, “I need to completely revamp it. I would love if you could drop by to help me choose decorations.”

Taeyeon enters at this last part and excitedly starts pushing you towards the door before you can even reply. “Of course, she would. Go on, Y/N. Help him choose.” And then she whispers, only for your ears, “This is it. Go get ‘em”

Seokjin wasn’t lying about the distance. It really was but 5 minutes from your flower shop. And the rain had let up thankfully. 

However, the small cozy coffee shop you were expecting isn’t at all how he described it. 

It’s not a tiny, out of the way place. It’s a beautiful place attached to an even more beautiful restaurant. 

He opens the glass door and you put one hesitant step in front of the other, taking in the marble tiles and spacious set up, with exquisitely decorated tables and a front desk with a glorious bouquet.

You catch Seokjin waving behind you and when you look ahead, the hostess quickly pulls the bouquet down. You can’t help the quirk of your lip at this gesture. 

His hand at the small of your back gently ushers you towards a table at the glass corner outlooking the park outside. Gesturing to the seat, you sit down and look up at him with orbs for eyes. 

This can’t be his. Maybe he is renting the coffee shop from the owner of the restaurant?

“So, this place needs a remodel. Have a look around and let me know your thoughts. I’m just going to get us a coffee, hmm?” You nod and get up to survey the area. 

A hostess walks towards you with a very broad smile. “You must be Mr. Kim’s girlfriend,” she immediately says as she comes within earshot. “Nice to meet you! I’m Anya.”

You gasp, quickly shaking your head. “No, no, I’m just here to help him with decorating. I work at the flower shop nearby.”

She looks at you closely, finger coming up to her cheek. “I’ve never seen Mr. Kim look at anyone the way he looks at you. He is clearly smitten.”

That is ludicrous, you think to yourself.

But her tone doesn’t give even a hint of sarcasm. She sounds dead serious.

“And if I were you,” she continues, “I would make a move. He is quite the catch.”

You smile politely. “I’m sure he is. A very handsome man with a … coffee shop like this. I’m sure whoever his girlfriend is, she is very lucky.”

Anya laughs. “He owns the whole restaurant chain, coffee shop and all. His mother passed down the ownership last year and he has been doing wonders to make the name even more well known than ever.”

Her eyes sparkle as she continues to tell you more and more about Seokjin, and you notice Seokjin speaking with a waiter over her shoulder. He turns slightly and catches your eye, giving you a sweet smile. 

“So many people come to this location to see him. I mean, look at him. Even I took this job to have the chance of meeting him, thinking maybe he might fall… oh, I sound delusional.” She laughs again. 

There’s no way someone like him is interested in me, you think to yourself. 

“He is so focused on work like it is the only thing that matters in the world. So I was surprised to see him looking at you like—“

Lips pulling into a straight line, you decide you’ve heard enough. “I’m sorry, I really think I should take a look around now. Thank you, though!”

She nods but you don’t wait for another word as you turn away to look at the rest of the place. You run your fingertips across the sparkling glass countertops. He really doesn’t need a remodel. It already looks so perfect. 

“Any ideas, yet?”

Seokjin’s voice startles you. He then extends a mug towards you as he takes a sip of his.

“Ah, I’ll need to mull it over, but I’m thinking we could add some more bold pieces. Most of your decorations and flower pieces are quite understated, but I think you need something louder, something that stands out…”

The more you say, the more his smile grows. He doesn’t say anything though, and just keeps smiling at you. When you finish, you look at him, expecting a response. But his sunny silence remains.

“And you have quite a few windows, Seokjin, but I think you could use some more lighting by this corner here.” You walk over to the edge that is blocked by the counter. 

His smile turns lopsided, and you come up to him with your hands on your hips. “Are you not going to say anything?”

“It’s just that… when you stood in that dark corner, it lit up immediately. I think all I need is you… for this place to brighten up.”

Your jaw drops. “Mr. Kim Seokjin, are you flirting with me?”

“Depends. Did you like it?”

“Seokjin!”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

If you didn’t know better, you would think he was about to kiss you with that look in his eye. Your heart is suddenly beating really hard as you try to avoid Seokjin’s rather intense gaze. 

“Right. Well, the lighting is not our department. Just a friendly suggestion,” you reply, clearing your throat. You can feel his gaze follow you as you walk towards the centre aisle. 

“For the flowers, I think we can arrange some samples for you. Maybe some lovely arrangements of peonies, carnations and crown imperials in vibrant colours? Or even a colourful mixture of rumex, parrot-beak and larkspur…” Your finger comes to your chin as you consider the options. 

“You’re amazing, Y/N,” Seokjin says, hand lightly touching your arm to get your attention. He’s still smiling. “I was wondering if maybe you…” When you look up at him, there is a look in his eyes that has you swallowing hard. “Maybe you…”

“Mr. Kim, your twelve o’clock has arrived.”

The moment breaks and Seokjin excuses himself with the most apologetic look on his face. 

When he returns, you’re done with taking measurements and pictures. 

“I have all I need, Seokjin. So unless there’s anything else, I should get going.”

“Let me walk you.”

“It’s pouring!” You’re holding your hand out, watching the splashes on the palm of your hand. 

Seokjin opens up the umbrella in an instant and steps out onto the sidewalk. “Your umbrella is going to save us again,” he shouts over the storm. He slowly steps back in towards you and holds out his hand. “Join me,” he asks with a twinkle in his eyes. 

You put your hand in his, and suddenly he starts running, pulling you closer to him. You’re both dashing towards your flower shop, gliding out of the way of an older couple with an even bigger umbrella, and you both laugh with childish glee as you look at each other, relishing the angry curses they throw your way. 

You’re nearly out of breath when you reach your shop. He looks at you with a glow.

The umbrella has not saved either of you as drops glisten on his sparkling skin, his dark strands damp. And the left side of his beautiful Italian suit is soaked through.

He looks at you and notices similar twinkling droplets on your flushed cheek, and gently wipes them away, eyes shifting up to meet yours. With a furrowed brow, he moves a few wet strands from your eyes. “Probably should have brought you in the car, huh?”

“What? No way,” you exclaim, finally catching your breath. “This was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.” You look up into his eyes and see a sparkle you recognize as his pretty, full lips pull into an even bigger smile. 

“Really?” 

“Yes. I used to love running in the rain back in my hometown. This brought back so many memories.” You shake your head when an old memory tries to resurface. Not now, you think to yourself. You don’t want to be reminded of an old flame when soothing water stands right before you. 

“Then, can I ask if maybe you would—“

Before Seokjin can finish his question, his attention shifts past you, followed by a quick apology on his lips for being in the doorway for so long. He slowly pulls you aside and you meet a set of brown eyes as they walk past you. 

Yoongi’s eyes shift from yours to Seokjin’s and back to yours again and you see something flicker in them momentarily before he’s walking away from you. 

“Hey, isn’t that Min Yoongi?” Seokjin asks, astounded by the sudden run in. But you’re not really paying attention, a slow nod being your only response. Why was he in your flower shop?

Seokjin is oblivious, of course. When you look at him, he still has his sunny smile as if nothing has happened. 

You give him a slightly dimmer smile in return.

Taeyeon’s head pops out the front door as she starts to call out, but then she notices you and Seokjin. “Hey, you two. Come in, will you? You’ll get…even more drenched than you are.”

Inside, your mind is still on Yoongi when Taeyeon drops another piece of news. 

“We’re going to a charity ball next Friday, Y/N. So let me know if you need a shopping buddy? I need a dress myself.”

“A charity ball next Friday! It’s not the one at the Palisades, is it?” Seokjin asks excitedly.

“It is,” Taeyeon replies, “Are you going, too?”

“I am, but I don’t have a date unfortunately.” At this, he glances at you but you’re still lost in thought. 

Taeyeon picks up on it, though. 

“Y/N doesn’t have a date either! Why don’t you two go together?”

Seokjin turns to you for your answer, but you’re not paying any attention to him.

He watches as you fish out your now ringing phone from your pocket and notices how your face lights up tenfold. From this angle, he can make out a big ‘JIMINIE’ splashed across your phone screen.

If you had been paying any attention to him, you would have noticed his shoulders slump a little and the corner of his mouth falter a degree before he sits back up, smiling pleasantly while you excuse yourself to take the call.

#yoongi x reader #yoongi angst #yoongi fluff #yoongi fanfic #suga x reader #suga angst #suga fluff #suga fanfic #seokjin x reader #seokjin angst #seokjin fluff #seokjin fanfic #52hertz #lilo fics #sorry this took so long - writing has been so hard lately but i think this turned out ok :)

[librosamarillos]

passed down like folk songs

chapter 38: in my head i do everything right

Maegor Targaryen x OC

Also on Ao3

chapter index

Tags: hurt/comfort, friends to lovers, angst, mature themes, targaryen incest, violence, Maegor is a red flag himself, characters are ooc probably, MINORS DNI

Visenya tapped her fingers on the vanity. Rowan was never late, a trait she had inherited from her father. It was only normal that after everything she’d need more rest than she normally did, but Visenya was beginning to worry. The past few days on Dragonstone had been peaceful, and Rowan was clinging onto routine as a distraction from her melancholy, so the fact that she had yet to join her for breakfast was making her anxious. She stared at her own reflection, deep in thought. She was ready to go and check on her, but, as if she were hearing her thoughts, Rowan knocked and entered the room, a few letters in hand.

But the letters were the last thing on Visenya’s mind, as her eyes darted to Rowan’s hair. It had been a very long time since she had been stunned into silence. Rowan’s hair, the beautiful hair that framed her face so elegantly, was now back to being short, like it was when she was a child. Rather, a more honest approach would be that she had attempted to cut it like so, but it came out crooked and uneven, too short for her face, to the point where instead of framing her forehead, it had curled up. Judging by the clear embarrassment on her face, she had tried to do this herself, with no assistance. 

“What happened?” was all Visenya could muster out. She wondered if she had drunk too much wine, but the girl would barely touch a cup, let alone get drunk. But perhaps heartbreak had led her to try something she hadn’t done before?

“I… I wished for a small change…” she replied, almost too ashamed to look at her. The change was anything but small. It was choppy and wonky and it was painfully obvious that it was a mistake.

“And you did not wait for any help from the maids? Quite a few of them know how to cut hair.” Visenya asked, approaching her slowly, trying to take in her new appearance. She looked ashamed once more. Of course she knew that the maids were skilled in cutting hair, but she did not seem to be thinking much while picking up the scissors. 

“It was… it was a sudden decision…” she mumbled while Visenya studied her hair. Maegor’s actions affected her all the way here. No matter how calm she tried to keep, it seemed that her sadness overtook her judgement. 

“I can see that.” she replied, trying to adjust some of her curls in a way that could conceal her choppy work, but with little success. It must’ve shown on her face, because Rowan spoke up as Visenya tried again. 

“Is it horrid?” she asked, seemingly terrified of the answer. It did. It absolutely looked awful. But as raw and straight forward as Visenya was, she was not about to push Rowan into an even bigger pit of misery, so she shook her head. 

“No, not horrid. Just… uneven.” she said softly. It was not easy to find gentle words to describe her awful haircut, but she’d manage to find some. “Do not cut any more. Let it grow out a bit and let the maids help you, my girl.” She comforted her, patting her back. 

“I was feeling overwhelmed.” Rowan admitted, alluding to her late night decision. Visenya had many nights like that, overwhelmed by anger, sadness and grief, but they often ended with her taking dark sister to the training yard, not by giving herself a new and drastic makeover. 

“I understand. A lot has happened.” she added softly, trying to think of something to take her mind off of things. She looked over to her vanity, thinking of applying some oils onto her hair to help with the frizz, but she knew Rowan had her own that she preferred to use. The younger girl followed her gaze, but caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and her brows furrowed. 

“Gods… it looks hideous!” she shook her head, her eyes beginning to water. 

“Nonsense! Come here.” Visenya was quick to intervene, lifting Rowan’s face in her hands, her expression one of sympathy. She rubbed her cheeks before moving her hands back into her freshly cut curls. “Just separate the curls a little bit and… alright, I’ve made it worse.” she bit her lip, as she realised she only made her hair much frizzier and more noticeable than before. “Once you’ve washed it and it curls back naturally, it’ll look much better.” she added, trying to save the situation from complete and utter humiliation, but it was not an easy task. 

“I look a mess, it’s no use.” Rowan sighed, shaking her head again. Visenya frowned again, lifting her face with her hands once more. Sad, that’s what her eyes were betraying. Her poor girl felt everything too much. 

“Do not say that. You are absolutely beautiful and lovely. This is just a bit messy. It’ll grow out in no time, before you even notice.” she reassured her again, giving her cheeks a squeeze, like she did when she was a child. Rowan sniffled, trying to not upset herself even more, but it was clear she did not believe her words.

The next fortnight was making Visenya feel vindicated in a way she hadn’t in a long time. Ravens and letters came flooding to Dragonstone, giving her updates of what was happening all over the realm, and things were not looking that good for her weak nephew. The capital was anticipating an attack. There it was, clear as day, and yet he was still hesitating to act. Still hesitating to get on his dragon and burn them all to the ground. She had always told Aegon he had spoiled him.

She was not about to allow anything like that to happen to Dragonstone, so she was preparing everything to keep it safe. The threat of Vhagar’s wroth was enough of a warning to any of those Warrior’s sons who were feeling overly brave. 

In a sense, having Rowan worry about something as trivial as hair was a breath of fresh air. She had seen the girl worry about so many serious things, that made this distraction a very welcome one, regardless of how short lived it was. Visenya watched over the guards and knights from her solar window, and she felt the young girl joining her.

“Do you plan on flying over the capital?” Rowan asked, straightening her skirts after being seated for hours. A gentle way to ask if she planned on helping her nephew.

“I do not plan to offer him any help. He’s made his choices, let him live with them.” she replied, sharply eyeing the men preparing their weapons. Swords and axes and hammers and arrows. Good. 

“What of Viserys and Alyssa?” Rowan asked, following the dowager Queen’s gaze. “What if… what if amidst the chaos that will ensue, something happens to them?” she added, turning to look at Visenya, who frowned.

“The King can handle it. He’s made that quite clear, has he not?” she asked sarcastically. Aenys had felt so confident in robbing her son of his title, let him deal with the realm on his own then. 

“What if he cannot?” Rowan countered, fully turning to face her now. “You know how he is, what if he cannot protect them? Viserys is but a child, and Alyssa-”

“Do you truly think Alyssa was not in his ear, speaking in favour of her son receiving Dragonstone over mine?” Visenya asked dryly, turning to face Rowan as well. Of course Rowan knew, she was no fool, but she was too kind. 

“I know. But they are still your blood. And seeing as Maegor has no heirs, any of the children’s deaths would make it harder for you two to establish stability once more.” Rowan replied, causing the former Queen’s brow to raise. Finally, Rowan spoke in a tone that got Visenya to stop. “Not to mention, the children are innocent. Completely innocent. They should be kept safe, if not in King’s Landing, then here.” she pleaded, her voice laced with concern.

Visenya thought for a second before smiling, pride in her eyes. As much as her girl had been unsure and scared and depressed, she still knew her language, still understood how she operated and how she thought. She turned her gaze to the window once more. 

“I will not turn them away if they come here seeking refuge.” she concluded, making Rowan sigh in relief. It would not be wise to let them die out, even though their stupidity would surely lead them to early graves. It would be inconvenient. 

She had given Rowan an early dismissal that day, giving her some well earned rest, after making her swear upon the seven to not touch her hair again. Visenya had loads of intricacies to plan out, to make her son’s return as smooth and grand as possible, so she’d stay over the map a bit longer. It was empty without Aegon next to her, helping each other with different tactics and ideas, though she doubted he’d be enthusiastic about his favourite son getting humiliated before the realm.

She decided to write to Duncan, as she wanted to keep him updated on how his daughter was doing, and she was walking down to the rookery to send a raven, when an interesting conversation caught her ears.

“Gods, you reckon she did that on purpose?” a female voice asked, her tone hushed. She recognised it as one of the maids, but she could not pair it to a face or name, not without revealing herself completely.

“Of course not! Who would do such a thing on purpose?” an older woman responded, almost offended that the first woman even asked such a thing. This caught Visenya’s interest, so she stalled, her letter still in her hands.

“Oh mother above, why would she do such a thing? She had the most beautiful hair, why would she go on and chop off the front bits? She could’ve asked me! I would’ve helped her if she wanted to have it frame her face again.” a third, more familiar voice sighed. Visenya raised both brows in amusement, as she realised they were talking about Rowan.

“So, who do you think broke her heart?” the first woman asked again, earning a confused ‘huh?’ from the third one. “That’s always why young maidens chop their hair all funny. No, no, really! Happened to my niece, when a boy she liked was caught with another woman in the stables! She chopped off her long hair all by herself! And gods, consoling her after the fact? Took ages!” she explained further, earning an amused gasp from the other two.

“You forget, the Lady Rowan is not the niece of some maid, she’s a proper lady!” the older woman countered, lightly patting one of them on the shoulder.

“Not to mention, the favourite of Queen Visenya, so you better hush before someone hears you!” the third woman scolded, but in a lighthearted tone. “The Lady Evergreen is kind and sweet, and it is not proper to joke around about her hair.” 

“Were you not just crying about why she didn’t ask you for help just this very moment?” the second woman laughed. “Besides, it’s only hair. It will grow out.” she concluded, and Visenya could hear the three women start to disperse. “But come on, she does look funny.” the woman laughed, but once she turned the corner and came face to face with Visenya herself, her laughter died that very second.

The three maids immediately curtsied and kept their heads down in shame, as they realised Visenya had heard everything. She eyed them for a moment, recognising one as the maid assigned to Rowan. It was good that she was the one standing up for her.

“I believe you have better things to do than stand here talking about hair?” she asked, causing the three women to nod quickly before she dismissed them. She looked at their leaving forms for a moment longer, before slowly making her way to the rookery once more. 

Duncan was going to be furious.

Aenys walked around the gardens, in a very rare moment of free time. Everything was a mess, everything was chaos and he was barely keeping himself together. His mind was on Rhaena and Aegon, who had begun their progress. It still felt like yesterday that he and Alyssa had seen them off, and it had been a moon and a half. 

He kept telling himself that it would all be alright, as he was following his father’s plan to the letter, which was the only reason Alyssa had calmed at the idea of sending their eldest children away at such a rocky time. They would be alright. He had to remain positive. The people cheered for him and Alyssa, and they would surely cheer even louder for their children.

The gardens were still unfinished. It was one of the first things he had thought to fix when he became King, and yet here he stood, in an unfinished garden, in an unfinished realm that was on edge. His father was fond of roses, as he knew he had a garden on Dragonstone. There weren’t that many here, so he walked around to try and find some in bloom. He was just turning the corner, when he felt someone running up to him.

What followed was a complete blur, as he felt someone grab him by the cape and drag him back. He didn’t even have the time to scream out for help when he felt the man draw a blade. Thankfully, the Kingsguard were swift to save him, dragging the assassin away to the cells. Aenys was completely shaken as he was rushed back to safety.

He hated making Alyssa worried, let alone when she was with child. She had been resting when the attack happened, and rushed to Aenys’ rooms to comfort him. It hadn’t fully dawned on him what had just happened, until Alyssa went to touch the small cut on his neck. It was then that he realised that had the guards been a second late, he would be dead. 

Alyssa was saying something, but no matter how much he tried to focus, he could not make out the words that were coming out of her mouth. His heart was pounding in his ears, and his throat was closing up. All he could see was his wife’s worried face, trying to calm his panic. He should be angry, should he not be angry? Should he not be shouting at his guards for allowing anyone to come this close to him to attack him? Then why did he feel like a frightened child, needing comfort?

“I don’t understand.” he kept repeating silently, as Alyssa ran her fingers through his hair. “Why don’t they like me? Why won’t they just speak to me? Why, Alyssa?” he asked and asked, before he realised his wife was crying. She did not understand either. He did what he was supposed to. He did as his father asked, and yet it was all crumbling. People no longer loved him, they all hated him for all he fell short of.

Panic arose once more. If they hated him so much, if he had fallen from their graces, then his family was in danger. If someone had managed to come this close to killing him, here, in the red keep, here with all the guards and protection, what was to happen to his children? They were so far away, and Alyssa and Viserys? What if someone had tried to harm them to get to him? Gods be good, what was he to do?

“You cannot stay here.” he said, finally shaking himself up. Alyssa was caught off guard, looking at him with worry, her eyes questioning. “It is not safe, I cannot risk anything happening to you, or Viserys, or our babe.” he took in a shaking breath.

“Aenys, what are you saying? We cannot run away from our castle. We just need more guards and-” she paused, trying to think, when she was not in any position to be making long term decisions with all her shock. Aenys shook his head. “We could… we could go to Driftmark, to my family. But I will not go without you, I will not leave your side.” she protested.

Driftmark was an option, but not the safest one. He had to swallow all his pride and shake his head again. Dragonstone was the safest place. It would be easier to control who came in and out of the island, and thus he could perhaps rest in ease. But there was an elephant in the room. How could he face his aunt again? 

“Aenys?” Alyssa squeezed his hand lightly, trying to bring his attention back to her. “What do you think?” she asked, worried. She knew what he was thinking, but hoped she was mistaken. She did not get along with his aunt either. 

“Dragonstone would be the safest place for you to go. I cannot risk your safety.” he said, and Alyssa sighed in disappointment. She could not argue. Visenya ran the castle so strictly, so harshly, that there was no room for error, for mishap. “Have the servants prepare your and Viserys’ things. I cannot risk another moment.”

“Aenys, I am not leaving without you. Either you come with us, or we all stay here.” she protested some more. It broke his heart to see her like this. Worried and stressed and unsure. It was all his fault. 

But he couldn’t just run away, he couldn’t abandon his capital, the throne his father had forged with dragonfire. They’d all laugh at him, the coward King, the abomination as they began to call him. But what choice did he have? He could not leave Alyssa and Viserys in harm’s way for the sake of his own bruised ego. 

The next few days he found himself unable to breathe, with the tension in the palace and the city reaching a new high. Home did not feel safe, because home was not safe. His mother wasn’t there to reassure him, and his father wasn’t there to protect him. It was like quicksand swallowing him whole and each attempt to pull himself out of it, it only pulled him down further. The only difference was that now, it was pulling Alyssa and their children down with him.

The people of the city were now fully against him, the high septon calling him a disgrace, a pretender who had no right to rule the seven kingdoms, an abomination. That’s what the man who tried to kill him believed, no doubt. The castle he was building was crumbling around him, leaving him in the middle of it all.

The Warrior’s sons had taken the sept of remembrance, the one on his mother’s hill, the one his father had built in her honour and her memory, and he stood there, doing nothing. His children were away from home, Rhaena without her dragon at his own insistence, a decision he was now regretting by the minute, as it would’ve been the only way for them to return to them unharmed. Alyssa was right to worry, right to doubt him. He had failed them again and again.

He had his servants prepare all his and his family’s most necessary items, but as he was rummaging through his rooms, he felt more lost than ever. How could one pack away all he deems important at a moment’s notice? Yes, he had clothes, but how could he leave behind his mother’s things? His father’s? 

His father was never one for frill and beauty, but his mother loved it. Everywhere in her rooms, in his rooms, there were trinkets, little pieces of her. How could he part with them? Her elaborate headpieces, her jewels, her books, her old quills, what would happen to them if he was not there to look after them? What if, in his absence, thieves broke in and stole them, or worse, what if those who now hated him just destroyed everything they could get their hands on? 

“Aenys, we’re not leaving forever, you do not have to pack every little thing.” Alyssa spoke softly, as she watched him from the comfort of the bed. She was still early in her pregnancy, but she needed all the rest she could get. Unlike him, she had managed to have everything packed in no time, and now she was trying to calm him down. 

“I know, I know…” he mumbled, nodding, but did not at all stop rummaging through the drawers. Alyssa was right, but he could not do it. He couldn’t let go of the pieces of his mother he was left with. King’s Landing was home. It was where he was born, where he was raised, and now he had to leave it behind, with no certainty of when he’d return. And of all places he had been to, Dragonstone felt suddenly so far away and grim. 

He wondered if Maegor had felt the same when he had to pack up his belongings within a day’s notice. This helplessness; this feeling of being lost, did he feel the same? No, he could not imagine his brother so attached to things to the point of stalling. He wondered what he’d say if he saw him right now. He’d scowl and berate him, just as he knew his aunt would do when they’d arrive to Dragonstone. He’d call him a coward, a shame, a pathetic weakling. 

“Aenys?” his wife called for his attention again, perhaps because she realised he had tears in his eyes. “We can call for the servants to pack the rest.” she suggested, hoping to calm his nerves. She went to get up, but he shook his head. 

“You do not have to get up. Just one more hour and I’m done, I promise.” he said, straightening his back. He couldn’t have Alyssa worrying about him as well. She was already worrying about so much, he did not wish to add more to her plate. Thankfully, she nodded, relaxing her head back on the pillows. 

There was a moment of comfortable silence, before the doors opened, revealing a curious Viserys, followed closely by his nursemaid. 

“Father, mother? Am I not to have my lessons today? At all?” he asked, barely able to hide his excitement. Aenys was well aware that Rhaena and Aegon would sometimes get Viserys out of his lessons with the maester to join them in their mischief, and he seemed to enjoy being included. He thanked every god that listened that their son did not pick up on the tense atmosphere, or if he did, he was not letting it affect him. 

“No, my dear.” Alyssa spoke up, opening her arms for their son to walk into. “We will sail to Dragonstone soon, and you will continue your lessons there, but until then, I want you with me at all times. Do you understand?” she asked him, cupping his cheeks. Her voice was calm, and Aenys was in awe of how she could pull herself together to appear strong for their young son. 

He wondered if he came across as calm, or strong. His father was always so calm, level headed, never afraid, not even when his mother was taken from them did he show any fear or uncertainty. Aenys took a shaky breath, feeling full of dread, and walked up to their son, ruffling his hair.

“It shall be a nice change of scenery.” he said, trying to mimic Alyssa’s steady tone. Again, much to his relief, Viserys nodded with excitement. He almost envied his little boy, as he was not yet fully aware of all the pressure and problems that plagued the adults, only concerned with his toys and his friends. 

As Viserys jumped onto the bed, explaining in heavy detail his plans to find an egg once they reached Dragonstone to Alyssa, Aenys turned his attention to the drawers in front of him. There was so much, too much to leave behind, all of the things he wanted to pass on to Rhaena when she was old enough. 

He did not know what to do with his eldest two. Would they be safer if they were to remain away from King’s Landing, or should he demand they go to Dragonstone as well? Would those who hated them assume that he’d call them back and thus ambush them on the way, or if they’d be tracked down no matter where they were? He had to swallow his pride and ask his aunt for help.

With shaking hands, he continued to pack.

taglist:@heartstalked@stupidocupido@discowizard88@slytherisstuff

#maegor targaryen #maegor targaryen x oc #maegor the cruel #visenya targaryen #visenya the conqueror #im alive besties

[jihyology]

THUNDERING THOUGHTS,, minatozaki sana.

WARNINGS: sad sana, angst?, well an attempt anyway, reader is dead lol

note for the requestor! thank you so much for requesting! I hope this is up to your expectations, if not I apologise! I’m quite new to writing in general. my requests are open if you’d like another piece, or to have this re-done. <3

serenity was the only thing sana ever seeked, relying on it being stationed where it usually was; within her late night escapades to the willow tree fused into the rim of a mossed pond. the few-minute trip was one the japanese woman often found herself stumbling along, her body seemed to fight off any urges of an idea that could vary from that one destination.

it was quite an underground place, buried deep within hues of green, brown, and stoney grey. cobbled tablets chipped away from one another on the floor, stranded within a field of grass blades and delicate daisies; sana never had much to do, other than reflect, so she often looped the flower stems together. there were multiple of those instances scattered along various tree branches.

moonlight seeped through the gaps within the trees, casting moonbeams along the ripples of pond water. selenes palm cupped sanas cheek, highlighting her face ethereally; she looked peaceful. the minatozaki tilted her chin, eyes fluttering with the same mesmerising delicacy of a butterflies wing; pools of light showcased in her eyes, reflecting in the water before her.

moments like this were nice. and the fact your face suddenly appeared next to sanas made it even better. the two of you had claimed the spot as yours, appreciating how much it fit the other. it was the home that housed the roots of your flourishing relationship.

the both of you would meet there everyday, further nurturing the stem until a flower bloomed. the seeds of life, upped many stages, to become a fully formed asphodel flower.

you sat next to the girl, lulling a small tune of love; you were like a personal jukebox, producing a new song everyday. todays selected sound, was mr. loverman by ricky montgomery. sana smiled, humming along to the tune, and joining in every few lines.

she swayed with the trees, closing her eyes and revelling in the honeyed words spilling from the both of your mouths. your two voices entwined, practically made for you to both melt into song.

sana rose from her seat, pulling you up by your hand. her fingers filled the gaps between yours, fusing them together in a tight lock; her thumb ran along the back of your palm, smooth and intime with the music. the japanese woman took control, twirling you within her hold, and pulling you into her chest.

her arms enveloped your waist, hanging appropriately, head nuzzing into your nape. your hand rose to play with her hair, running your fingers through it like she were fragile, and she may not have been, but you still never wanted to harm her. the two of you swayed, rooted to that spot.

the song progressed further, but the two of you stayed swaying. the song came to its final few lines, and sana sang in time with you. she belted the words as you did, putting all of her emotions into the music. while sana was an idol, and therefore she sang basically on the daily, twice were more known for their happily-themed songs. not this.

this, was a gut-wrenching plea. you knew that. so, you removed your hands from her shoulders, and instead used them to guide her to the floor. sana almost cried, boiling specks of pain spitting from the cup, and dripping too far over the edge. still singing, sana seemed to cool down, but her agony still prevailed.

she hummed the last few words, cradling your face.

and I miss my lover..

with that, and one last smile, you disappeared. sanas arm fell to the floor, as she curled into herself; there weren’t many moments her yearning turnt to hallucinative dreams, but her heart was chipping by the second.

she missed you, and she hated that she had to be the reason why you were gone.

anyone else would tell sana she weren’t to blame, but in her mind it was a fifty-fifty between herself and the storm. it wasn’t pleasant to know some of the last words you heard from her weren’t the ones you deserved.

you deserved a reminder of her love; bitten into your bones, engraved into your skin, carved into your mind. but, life isn’t so kind.

in those last few moments before disaster she said a cluster of words that would bounce from you, and instead affect her. if sana had it her way, you’d get reassurances of love until it took her and your breaths.

instead, she hurled pure heartbreak in a worded form.

“leave then, y/n! you can be replaced, it’s almost too easy for me to find someone else.” it turned out, she wouldn’t stay true to her word. she wouldn’t have in the first place.

you were a constant state of euphoria to sana, a high that let her fly further than even the stars could reach. now, she stayed on the ground, led along tufts of grass, with tears trickling from her eyes.

she stared at the sky, letting her gaze linger for however long her eyes would stay open for, and then repeating. the stars glittered, some clustering together in constellations of various names.

pretty things are lethal, though.

many things are rare. cut into percentages of probability, and thrown aside when a chance isn’t higher than twenty. because, when something isn’t likely to happen, why should you have to fear? I mean, your parents have told you that you’re safe from a probable fear at least once.

but, rarities can happen. and when it does, you’re compressed into a number, stared at in awe. because, it’s not everyday you’re struck by literal lightening is it?

if she weren’t there throughout the situations progression, sana wouldn’t have believed it. but she was.

she had to witness your bodies weak shuddering, the splatters of marks running along your abdomen, and just, well, the pain you had gone through.

sana gazed at the moon, sadly. clouds charged along the sky, flickering, like an old film, displaying bitter wisps of memories.

your face had become pasty, welled with sweat floating along your cheeks and anywhere it could reach. your once rosy cheeks had been sucked of the colour, and left to pale.

your eyebrows tugged together, eyes rolling underneath the sheathed lids. electric currents rode your skin, pulling temperamental tides of agony, something you had grown used to at that point.

sana hadn’t realised she had fallen asleep. it was quite an inopportune time to do so, given a few minutes after the flutter of her closing eyes, yours had opened. you didn’t have long, willing to submit yourself into the dark.

“I forgive you…” you whispered, closing in on yourself when you realised you couldn’t muster enough strength to reach for her hand. you didn’t alert the nurses, you didn’t need to.

with a single tear falling from your eye, you gave in. the tightness behind your eye loosened, unwinding the curtain, and signalling the end of the show.

sana blinked. peeling herself from the thought of it. a tear trickled along her cheek, giving a light tickle, she held the feeling adjacent to that of your hair brushing along her cheek.

that was the past now. but she wouldn’t dare to move on.

——————————————————————

tag list !

@itzyetc @roacheeznutz-in-an-openfire @ihrtvivi

#twice imagine #twice imagines #sana twice #sana imagines #sana imagine #twice sana #sana x reader #minatozaki sana x reader #minatozaki sana #minatozaki sana imagine #twice sana x reader #twice sana imagine #sana angst #twice jline #sana angst imagine #twice sana angst

[yami268]

The Darkside of Justice Theme:  The Darkside of Justice Genre: Angst/Drama Rating/Warnings: T with some implied graphic torture Words: 1333

Summary: When a Viscount gets away after hurting Amelia, Zelgadis decides to take matters into his own hands.

The new moon cast darkness into the somber night. Only the stars and lamps dimly lit the cobblestone streets. The air felt still, and there was a hush that filled the ominous atmosphere. If any sound, other than the meowing cats, was the one of someone walking this late night. A figure whose own heart was teetering on the brink.

It would’ve been sufficient to say that Zelgadis wasn’t very happy, his mind reflecting on the case that transpired. At the start of it, Amelia had been called on to deal with one of the nobles of a neighboring kingdom. There had been rumors surrounding a Viscount who had been dealing in some shady affairs. The visit had been typical for the most part. But then, the Viscount revealed his maliciousness by kidnapping Amelia. She was held hostage, having to deal with his own perverse torture. Luckily as time passed with no news from her, Prince Phil sent Zelgadis along with Lina and Gourry to go save her.

Considering the raw power Lina had, they had managed to take down the Viscount and save Amelia. Her body was pretty rough up, but she still remained her optimistic self. They then took the Viscount to the royal court where trial for him was held. Though the prosecution had presented well, most of the evidence had been destroyed. And with some interference from his allies, the Viscount got off lightly. His only punishment was a decrease in position and seizure of most of his assets.

Zelgadis clenched both his fists and teeth in silent rage. The judgement left an impact on him and the others. Lina was a bit mixed, but she took it as a win if it meant that the noble was thwarted. Gourry seemed to agree with her, also saying that the kingdom was going to keep a closer eye on him. The worst part of all was how Amelia was acting. She still kept a brave face, saying that justice has done its part. But he could tell she was still traumatized from her captivity.

The chimeric man continued to seethe over the situation until he finally saw him. There, also wandering around the nighttime streets was the weaselly Viscount. He was wobbling around, a bit tipsy from whatever he consumed. Without hesitation, he started to approach the man, his pace increasing with each step. He was only a couple of feet away when he was seen by him. Though it was too late as Zelgadis grabbed the Viscount by the shirt collar and dragged him into an alley.

The Viscount snapped into his senses once he was slammed into a wall. “What are you doing?! Get your filthy hands off-!” He immediately became silent when Zelgadis tightened his grip on his collar.

“You think you’re lucky, right?” he asked, his tone filled with animosity, “That you’re fortunate to still be free?”

“What are you talking about?” the Viscount managed to say despite the slight choking grip.

“Today, you evaded the justice of courts thanks to your influence.” Zelgadis’ hand trembled, his inner anger almost to the breaking point. “But just because you have gotten away with it doesn’t mean you’re immune to others’ justices either. In fact…” His face soon became dark and cold. “You should face my justice.”

The Viscount’s own face went flushed as he began to struggle. Unfortunately for him, Zelgadis threw him deeper into the alley before he took out his own sword. He then approached him, his sword tip lightly scratching the pavement. Seeing the impending executioner, the nobleman backed away and panicked.

“Help me! Someone, help me! Please!”

“No one’s going to help you,” Zelgadis said, giving him a grim stare. “We’re pretty much alone here…”

With that in mind, the Viscount started to crawl away much faster, his eyes kept on the polished blade. The attempt for escape was in vain though as he found himself right up next to a wall. His body began to tremble, seeing the man moving in. Sweat began to drip down his face as he was nearing him closer and closer.

In a solemn tone, Zelgadis spoke, “This is my justice for all the lives you hurt. The ones you toyed and tormented with for your own indulgence.”

“P-please,” he begged, “I’ll give you anything! Anything I can offer! Don’t kill me, please.”

But his pleads fell on deaf ears. Zelgadis now stood before him, his sword moving up to the Viscount. The two stared at each other, the silence shared between them. Then, raising his sword high, Zelgadis thrust his sword with great speed.

CLANG!

The Viscount’s face went pale as the weapon passed by the side of his head. It struck deep into the wall, cleaving the stone. His heart almost gave in to the sheer terror of what would’ve happened. Zelgadis then leaned in, the expressionless look still on his face.

As his eyes kept onto him, he said, “I won’t kill you. As much as I want to, I won’t because I know she wouldn’t allow it.” He then took a deep breath to calm himself. “So, here’s the deal. If I hear you have gone back to doing evil or coming close to the Seyrunn princess, you will face actual justice. If not by me, then I’m sure Lina Inverse and her bodyguard would care to do so. Got it?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the Viscount nodded. The answer left Zelgadis skeptical, but slowly, he removed his sword from the wall. He then watched him flee from the alley, disappearing from his view. With another sigh, he placed his sword back into its sheath and started to head back. The others were probably wondering where he had gone off to. Hopefully, they wouldn’t ask any questions he didn’t want to answer.

_________

The inn was quiet as Lina, Gourry, and Amelia sat in the waiting area. Lina and Gourry were playing a game of slap jack while Amelia was by herself, resting on one of the armchairs. Despite her injuries, she insisted on staying at the inn and heading off as soon as possible. She felt her body had been healed enough to return home, and she didn’t want to stay in the city for much longer. Lina had agreed, though she expressed some concern on the reasoning. Seeing how the trial went, she wouldn’t put it past her that she was afraid of something drastic happening.

As she heard the door opened, Amelia’s head perked and looked over to see Zelgadis coming in. He looked cleaned for the most part, a sign that gave her little relief. But she noticed the detached expression that covered on his face. In a soft voice, she said, “Oh, Mister Zelgadis. Are you alright?”

“Hm?” Zelgadis’ ears perked as he turned to Amelia. “Oh, I’m fine. Was just wandering around.”

“Oh really?” Lina asked in a very skeptic tone. “Sure took your sweet time with it.”

“Yes, I was taking in the scenery and now, I’m going to bed.” Zelgadis scowled before he headed off to one of the rooms they got for the night. As he was about to head up the stairs, Amelia got up and hobbled over to him.

“Ummm, Mister Zelgadis,” she said, causing him to stop. He noticed the mixture of concern, weariness, and relief on her face. “I want to say… Thank you…”

Zelgadis was a bit stunned for a moment before he smiled. “Yea, you’re welcome.” He then continued up the stairs, ready for the next leg of their journey. A part of him felt like she knew what he did or what he was going to do. But she didn’t seem too upset about it. Still, he felt a little better and was prepared to put this all behind him. He wasn’t sure if his warning did anything. Still, he was willing to make use of it if necessary. It was his own justice after all.

#Slayers #Zelame Week #Zelame #Zelgadis Graywords #Amelia Wil Tesla Seyrunn #Lina Inverse #Gourry Gabriev #Yay! I missed doing Zelame week #Or just fun fandom days/challenges in general

[kwanisms]

Under Your Skin 03 — s.changbin

playlist

➮ tattoo artist!Changbin × fem!Reader summary: Everything seemed to fall into place for Y/N. She had a loving boyfriend, her dream job, and the bestest friend in the universe. She never thought her life was missing something until she was introduced to Changbin, the town's newest tattoo artist who happens to be harboring an unimaginable secret. genres/themes/au: angst, fluff, smut, slow burn, “forbidden” love, strangers to lovers; supernatural themes; non idol au, tattoo artist au, werewolf au, supernatural au warnings: adult dialogue, female reader, alcohol consumption, established boyfriend!Joshua (please note this story does NOT include cheating)

series taglist: @yoonguurt @wonderfulshinee @x-woozi @candidupped @snow-pegasus @brownieracha @avyskai @i-say-choco-you-say-ice-cream @biribarabiribbaem @mchslut @hgema @oiminho @ughyeka @honey-lemon-goose @fixation-dump @sleeplessdawn @changbinnss @racha-enthusiast @sanjoongie @chillllllli @nattisbored @chrollosforehead @tai-loves-skz @labyrinthonmymind @spookyauthorspopmusictrash @mamieishere @mariesakamari @buttergumz @emithecharmer @binnies-donuts @v3n0mszn @kazzilla @jihanlovic @thezombiepandaleague @moonl1ghtmuse @woozarts @ateezkeepmysoul

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If you don't see your name, I cannot tag your blog or you've been removed for either being a minor or not having your age listed on your blog. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED. AGELESS BLOGS WILL ALSO BE BLOCKED.

a/n: here we have chapter 3. I lost some steam for this after being so strong in the beginning but I finally finished it. There isn't much to say other than here it is. I finished it lmao it's a slow burn so it'll take some time before we see any Changbin action. I hope you like it and as always, I love feedback and pls consider reblogging if you liked this chapter!

A huge thank you to Sky ☁️ for this entire story idea. Without her late night thoughts, this series wouldn���t even exist. Also a massive thank you to @icybluehosh for her professional input on all things tattoos. Thank you so much for reading this story and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! As always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only.

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𝗰𝗵 𝟬𝟯 - 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

wc: 16.1k «« previous || masterlist || next »»

Soft subtle jazz tones floated through the air as you worked, a soft but catchy beat causing you to bob your head as you tapped your foot.

You’d been working on this new set, a beautiful antique set from Japan. You had finished making the gold paste earlier and were currently applying it to the broken seams of the carafe while Mr. Serizawa worked in the woodshop.

An old couch had been brought into the shop in dire need of restoration. The foam was lumpy and lopsided, the upholstery was ripped and beyond salvaging, and one of the back legs was broken, having splintered off. 

He’d spent most of the previous day stripping the loveseat down to its basics, tossing the old upholstery and foam cushion. You didn’t have much time to watch, having finished painting the details on the English tea set which was drying in the safety of your cabinet.

The whirr of the sander had been drowned out long ago as you listened to the music Mr. Serizawa put on instead. He did it as a courtesy to your ears but you’d learned a long time ago how to tune out the noise while you worked. 

You held two pieces of ceramic together, joining them at their seam with glue and once it set, you placed them aside to finish drying before you could add the resin. It was tedious work but you loved it all the same. Your eyes wandered to the clock and you were surprised to see it was almost six pm.

You wiped your fingers on your apron as you stood up, grabbing a cloth from your table as you walked over to the door of the woodshop, covering your nose and mouth with the cloth.

You peered in where you saw your boss looking over his work, sanding the wooden surfaces of the couch smooth before applying the stain. You took his break in sanding to call out to him and get his attention.

“It’s almost six pm, Mr. Serizawa!”

He looked up and you had to fight the urge to laugh at his appearance. He had forgotten his goggles and was instead wearing a pair of black sports sunglasses with blue shift lenses and his respirator. He always wore a pair of coveralls when he worked on furniture to protect his clothes from dust, stain, paint, and resin. He looked quite silly.

“Is it really?” he asked, his voice muffled by the mask. You nodded as he lifted the sunglasses.

“You don’t need to stay to close up,” he said as he turned off and set aside the electric sander, stepping over the cord as he moved towards you. “I’ll close up tonight. Shinju is making pork belly for dinner so it will be ready by the time I close up shop,” he added. You smiled at the mention of his wife.

Ever since his call the other day, he reported her progress each day. It filled you with relief that Shinju was doing so well. “Are you sure?” you asked softly as he started to walk back over to the work desk. He nodded, waving you away. “Just make sure to put that finished set out for sale!” he said, pointing as you started to walk away.

You moved to your station and cleaned up your supplies and left the pieces to dry as you opened the cabinet housing the finished English set. Carefully, you gathered all the pieces before closing the door and heading to the front where you set the items on the counter and started to write up a description and figure out a price.

As you were placing the set on one of the shelves, the front door opened. You looked up, expecting a customer but were surprised to see your best friend entering, the soft jingle of the bell echoing around the shop.

“Be right with you!” you heard Mr. Serizawa’s voice from the back. “I’ve got it!” you called back and turned to Lilah who smiled at you as she shut the door. “Is it a bad time?” she asked which you shook your head as you turned back to the shelf and set up the description and price tag.

Lilah walked over to look at the newest addition, leaning in to see all the tiny details.

“You really have a knack for that,” she noted as you moved behind the counter to add the English set to the inventory roster, adding the price and date. “Thanks,” you replied as you set the book back under the counter and looked up at your best friend. She was dressed rather casually you noticed but there was something about her make up that had you second guessing your assumption.

“What’s up?” you asked as she looked at you expectantly. “Are you off?” she asked. You nodded, leaning forward and resting your elbows on the counter. “Good,” Lilah said leaning in as well. “Cause we’ve been invited to a house party.”

You sighed and rolled your eyes, stepping back and moving away from the counter. “Lilah,” you started.

She followed as you walked out from behind the counter and towards the curtain that blocked off the back of the shop. Lilah followed you, pushing the green curtain aside as she stepped into the backroom. “Come on, Y/N!” she whined. You turned to her and noticed Mr. Serizawa peering out from the woodshop door. “Is that Lilah?” he called.

Lilah turned to look over her shoulder. “Hi Mr. Serizawa,” she said politely, greeting him. His face lit up. “Oh good to see you!” he said with a smile. “Make her leave,” he added, nodding towards you as you sat back down behind your desk.

Lilah turned back to you, giving you a smirk as she waited for you to move.

You sighed heavily and stood back up, reaching behind to untie your apron.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay, Mr. Serizawa?” you called as you folded and set your apron aside. His head appeared in the doorway into the woodshop again.

“It’s Friday night,” he started. “Go have fun with your friends!”

Lilah smiled brightly, thanking him as she ushered you out of the backroom, grabbing your things hastily in an effort to get out of the building faster. You whined as she shoved you out the front door, allowing it to shut. You glanced back in time to see your boss locking the door and waving you off.

You allowed Lilah to steer you town the sidewalk, no doubt in the direction of the party. “Wait,” you stopped in your tracks, forcing her to halt as well. You glanced down at your outfit and looked back up at her. “You don’t want me to change?” you asked and she smiled, shaking her head.

“You look perfectly fine,” she replied, linking arms with you and starting off down the sidewalk again.

Compared to her outfit, you looked ready to run errands in your peach floral skirt and cream colored blouse. There’s no way Lilah would have deemed this party appropriate under normal circumstances. You stopped her again. “Why do you keep stopping?”

You narrowed your eyes at her. “What’s your deal?” you asked suddenly. “You’d never let me go to a party dressed in my grandma clothes,” you added, using her words, not yours.

Lilah rolled her eyes. “Will you stop,” she asked, taking your arm again. “You look cute right now,” she added as she steered you down the pavement to the end of the block. “It’s just a house party.” 

“And besides,” she continued. “You have a boyfriend, so it’s not like you’re trying to impress anyone!” You rolled your eyes as you made a turn at the end of the sidewalk and started down the street that led into a residential area. “And another reason is because we’d have to go to your place and then come all the way back here which would take longer,” she said as you neared the end of the block where you could hear heavy bass coming from one of the houses.

The true reason why she didn’t want you to go home and change. She wanted to save time.

“Are we going to see Chris?” you asked as you neared the house.

It was a medium craftsman style home with a nice sized front porch with the signature columns framing it. The front door was a rich red wood with glass windows at the top. The house was two stories with a small fenced in front yard and a one car driveway leading up to a small garage.

The front door opened as the two of you headed up the steps, a few partygoers exiting just before Lilah shoved you over the threshold.

Inside was like a scene out of a movie. The living room was just off the foyer with a staircase just in front of the door that led up to the second floor. To the left of the foyer was the dining room where the dining table had been moved aside and a beer pong table had been set up.

A crowd was gathered in the dining room watching the current match. Next to the staircase was a hallway that led all the way to the back of the house but you couldn’t see much as it was pretty crowded. Lilah dragged you into the crowd, bypassing the living room where a DJ had set up a table and all his equipment.

Lilah led you into an opening in the wall and into the kitchen.

You wove through the crowd until you reached the kitchen island where the drink station had been set up. Lilah was quick to pour you a drink despite your protesting. “It’s not that strong,” she told you over the bass. You lifted the cup to your lips and took a small sip, amused that she was right.

Lilah finished making her own drink before taking your hand and taking a large sip. She dragged you through the house, no doubt looking for Chris. You kept your wits about you, looking around as you dodged people and danced around them until you were back in the foyer, facing the dining room.

A few people had moved and you could now see on one end of the table was Chris and Minho. ‘They must be one of the teams,’ you told yourself as you sipped your drink. Lilah only waited a moment before dragging you into the mix and worming her way through the crowd until she reached Chris’ side as Minho aimed and bounced the ball in his hand into one of the cups on the opposite side.

Half the crowd erupted into cheers as Chris and Minho celebrated their small victory.

Chris turned from Minho and you watched as his eyes landed on Lilah and even you could see the way his expression changed. It was like no one else was in the room. It was the way Joshua used to look at you.

“Hey!” you heard him say, pulling Lilah into a hug. “You made it!”

You turned your attention to him as he spoke to you. “And you, too?” he asked, offering a hug which you accepted. Despite the empty cups in front of him, he smelled like cologne and not the alcohol you knew he’d consumed since before you even arrived.

“Yeah,” you replied. “She kidnapped me from work!” You nodded at Lilah who smiled sheepishly. Chris turned to look at Lilah, mimicking her grin. “I hope you don’t get in trouble for leaving work,” he replied. You shook your head as Lilah answered him.

“No, in fact, her boss practically kicked her out!”

Chris let out a laugh as he picked up his drink and downed the rest of it. He turned to Minho. “I’m gonna go get a refill,” he announced. Minho nodded nonchalantly before his eyes landed on you and you could have sworn you saw a small smile grace his features before he turned his attention on the opposing team. 

Lilah leaned into your frame to speak directly into your ear. “I’m gonna go help Chris,” she said before downing the rest of her drink and sending you a wink. And just like that, she left you alone.

You looked into your cup, wanting to avoid the gaze of practically everyone.

As you tried to act natural, you felt someone’s gaze on you and glanced up at the side across from Minho and Chris’ and felt your breath catch in your throat.

Changbin was standing with his friend, Jeongguk. They were the opposing team. Jeongguk was sporting a black oversized tee as he usually did but instead of his signature sweats you’d seen him in twice now, he was wearing a pair of jeans and some brown Timberlands.

Changbin on the other hand was dressed for the occasion, wearing a black graphic shirt with white geometric lines and black cargo pants fitted at the ankle and tucked into black combat boots and for the first time you’d ever seen, he was wearing black framed glasses. A pair of dog tags hung from the chain around his neck. Jeongguk was looking at Minho, a very cheeky smile on his lips as he pointed at Minho who glanced down and groaned at seeing a small white ball in one of the cups.

Changbin, however, had his eyes trained on you. His expression was unreadable but when he noticed you looking back, a small smile, almost a shy one, spread across his lips before he looked away. You looked away as well as Lilah and Chris returned with fresh drinks, laughing at some joke you hadn’t heard.

The party raged on around you and you downed your drink. Chris had offered to get you a refill but it was Minho who went instead, despite your protests. Your second drink dwindled quickly and soon you were venturing into the kitchen for something else to sip on.

The pong game had ended after Minho brought your second drink to you and the group had migrated into the kitchen nook, taking up empty seats around the table. Lilah had taken up residence on Chris’ lap and a girl whose name you didn’t know managed to steal Changbin��s lap and make it her spot.

You tried not to watch out of the corner of your eye as the two of them chatted animatedly about his tattoos and as he spoke, he pointed them out to her. You also tried not to pay attention to the way her hand rested on his bicep a little longer than necessary.

Changbin didn’t seem to mind the attention from what you could tell. As you tried to focus on anything else, you noticed in the living room Seungcheol who was leaning into and talking to… Joshua?

Your boyfriend laughed at something Seungcheol said before he caught your eye. He sent a smile your way and turned back to his friend. You managed to find something else to drink and were back at the table, ignoring the way the girl on Changbin’s lap was whispering into his ear.

You tried to focus on the conversation at hand.

“That place was so unsanitary, I’m glad they shut it down,” Ari said from her spot next to Minho who had his arm draped across the back of her chair. “It was an iconic staple!” Lilah argued, turning her head to look at Ari. The blonde rolled her eyes. “You got food poisoning from there like five times, Lil,” she reminded your best friend.

“When did you get food poisoning five times?” you interjected, drawing the attention of half the table.

The girl on Changbin’s lap finally seemed to notice you, giving you a once over before speaking.

“Uh, who the hell are you?” she demanded.

Your attention snapped to her.

You couldn’t focus on her face. Instead, you looked past her at Changbin.

He was looking at her with a look of unmistakable anger. He tapped her back, motioning for her to get up. She got up, still looking at you as he got up and excused himself from the table and disappeared into the crowd.

“She’s my best friend, Pax,” Lilah said sternly. Ari nodded, turning to look at Pax. “Don’t be a cunt, Paxton,” she added. You downed the rest of the liquid in your cup and excused yourself, feeling the overwhelming urge to run away and cry.

It had never bothered you before when some of Lilah’s friends asked who you were but when someone looked at you with such disdain, it really dug deep.

You returned to the kitchen island, glancing around. Joshua was nowhere in sight and you wondered briefly what he was up to. “Hey,” a voice said and you looked up. A man you’d never seen before was standing across from you at the island. “Keep walking buddy,” another voice said and you watched as Minho and Ari passed you, heading for the dance floor.

“Yeah,” Ari added. “She’s taken!”

The two of them disappeared into the dancing crowd, leaving you to the mercy of this talkative stranger.

“So you’re not single I take it?” he asked as you searched through the available drinks. You shook your head. “Nope,” you answered. He leaned in, watching you with brown eyes. “Then where’s your boyfriend?” he asked. You looked up to meet his gaze. 

He was decent looking and who knows. Maybe if you weren’t dating Joshua, you might have taken him up to one of the bedrooms. “He’s around here somewhere,” you replied, sifting through the small trough of ice on the counter, looking through the canned and bottled drinks.

“You should try the punch,” the guy said before winking and standing up straight. “Your boyfriend is a lucky man,” he added before bidding you a goodnight and walking away. Your eyes fell on the bowl of punch and deciding what the hell, you grabbed a clean cup and reached for the ladle.

You scooped a couple ladlefuls into your cup and placed the ladle back into the bowl before lifting the cup to your lips. Before you could take a sip, however, a hand grabbed the cup and tore it from your hand. You looked over as Changbin dumped the cup into the sink and tossed the cup before holding up an unopened can of soda.

You looked from the can up to his eyes and then took the can, offering a small thanks.

He gave you a small smile as you opened the can and took a sip, silence falling over the two of you.

“Lilah mentioned your tolerance,” he said just loud enough for you to hear him. You felt heat rise to your face so instead of speaking, you took another sip of the soda. Changbin watched you before speaking again. “And I’m pretty sure I saw someone spike the punch with something other than alcohol.”

You looked at him, brows raised. He was… looking out for you? You nodded silently, taking another sip of your soda before raising the can. “Thanks by the way,” you said and started to walk away. Changbin followed as you wove through the crowded kitchen.

“So, where did Paxton go?” you asked, noticing she was no longer seated at the table. Changbin glanced at the table before his gaze fell back on you. “Eh, she’s probably with someone else right now,” he answered. “To be honest, I wasn’t really interested in her.”

Changbin had no idea why he was even telling you this. It’s not like you cared about his dating life. Or so he thought. “What about Hana?” He looked up at you, the shock on his face must have shown because you continued to speak. “She seemed nice.” Changbin nodded slowly, still astonished you were even asking.

“Uh, she was,” he admitted. “But we didn’t really have that much in common. The attraction was mainly surface level,” he added. He let out a chuckle. “Actually, I’m pretty sure she only wanted to date me because she might get free tattoos.”

You looked up from your drink, clearly surprised by this admission. You looked away and said something under your breath, prompting him to ask you to say it again.

“If people want you to tattoo them, they should pay for it. Regardless if they’re dating you or work for you,” you replied. “Art is art and people need to remember that artists are people who deserve to be paid for their work.” If Changbin hadn’t already respected you as an artist he certainly did before.

“I couldn’t agree more,” he said more to himself than to you but you seemed to have heard him anyway. “Take my art for instance,” you said as he listened. “If I just gave it away to friends or my boyfriend or my family, the shop would never make any money off something I spent hours, even days, making.”

Changbin nodded as you continued. “Art is a valid career and people need to remember that,” you added, taking another sip of your soda. Changbin watched you briefly before contributing to the conversation. “I’m glad someone else feels the same way about art. A lot of people see art as a hobby and not a livelihood so they expect you to do it for free,” he said as he leaned against the counter.

“They expect you to do it for free because someone else did it for free,” you interjected, catching Changbin off guard. “Which is why I always tell people to never sell themselves short. Don’t do anything for free, especially if you’re good at it.” Changbin’s lips pulled into a half smile.

The conversation between the two of you dwindled as you both watched over the crowd until Changbin noticed you fanning yourself with your hand. “You alright?” Changbin asked, brow knitting together in concern. You forced a smile. “I’m just a little warm. There’s a lot of people here.”

Changbin tossed his empty container in the trash and stood up straight. “You wanna get some fresh air?” he asked and you stared back at him, contemplating your options. You could stay inside where it was really warm but where Joshua could see you or you could go outside with Changbin and cool off.

You hadn’t seen Joshua in a long while so you decided it wouldn’t hurt to go outside. It’s not like you were with a total stranger. Changbin was friends with Chris and if both Lilah and Chris trusted him, then you had no reason not to trust him either.

“Sure,” you replied finally, standing up straight and downing the rest of your soda. Changbin took the empty can from you and tossed it before letting you lead the way to the backdoor, squeezing through the crowded kitchen, into the hallway before finally stepping out into the cool night air.

The backyard was a decent size, fenced in with a privacy fence. The deck was large, accommodating several partygoers and an eight person hot tub that was currently being used. You skipped down the steps, feet landing on the grass. In the corner to your right was a small garden, a large oak tree stood, a rope swing with a wooden seat hung from one of the sturdier branches.

Changbin followed as you walked over to the swing, taking a seat as he stood nearby.

“This is a really nice place,” you noted, looking around the backyard. Changbin nodded. “Yeah,” he answered. “I’m not sure whose place it is,” he added with a chuckle. “Chris and Minho dragged us here,” he continued, moving to stand behind you.

“Yeah, me neither,” you replied, chuckling when you felt him gently push you. “You gonna push me?” you asked as you swayed lightly on the swing. Changbin chuckled, grabbing the rope to stop your momentum. “Sorry,” he said softly. “Old habits.”

You glanced back at him, meeting his gaze. You felt heat rise in your cheeks as you looked away. Changbin let go of the ropes and moved around to lean against the trunk of the tree. “So,” he started, hands in his pockets. “Is that one tea set still at the shop?” he asked.

You turned to look at him. “Which tea set?” you asked, cocking your head. “The kintsugi one,” he answered. You hesitated before answering. “Yeah,” you nodded. “It’s still there.” Changbin nodded silently. “Why do you ask?” you continued. Changbin fought the urge to smile.

“Jeongguk keeps talking about it. I think he really wants it but doesn’t want to admit it.”

You smiled, looking down at your knees. Changbin glanced down as well. He hadn’t said it earlier because he wasn’t sure if it was crossing a line but you looked really nice. The peach skirt with floral pattern complimented your skin and the cream colored flowy blouse looked good on your frame. Your makeup was subtle and different from almost any girl he normally associated with.

His eyes wandered of their own accord, moving down your legs to take in the shoes you wore. Beige colored mary jane style pumps with low heels completed the look and Changbin had to force himself to look away from your legs. If he stared any longer, you might think he was a creep.

“How many tattoos do you have?” you asked suddenly, pulling him from his thoughts. “Uh,” he hesitated, counting in his head. “A lot,” he finally answered with a chuckle. “Where are they?” you asked, leaning your head against the rope. “Well,” Changbin said, standing up straighter. “I have them almost everywhere,” he answered. “Arms, legs, chest, back,” he continued.

“Do you have full sleeves?” you asked, looking up at him. Your question was genuine and full of curiosity. Something he didn’t expect from you. He nodded. “I do,” he answered. “From the shoulder down to my wrists and a few hand tattoos,” he added. “Which I’m sure you’ve seen by this point,” he added with a chuckle, showing the tops of his hands to you. With a smile, you nodded slowly. 

“And your chest?” you asked. “Oh, just one,” he said softly, raising his hand to place it over his chest tattoo. “A tiger,” he explained. 

A smile grew on your face. “I have plans to add more,” he added. “Jeongguk has the sketches on his tablet.” You smiled at him as he spoke. “Do you have any tattoos?” he asked suddenly and you laughed loudly. “Sorry,” you said as your laughter subsided. “No,” you continued, shaking your head.

“Lilah is the tattooed one.”

Changbin nodded slowly. “Have you ever thought about getting one?” he asked and again you shook your head. “No,” you repeated. “It’s never really interested me before,” you added. Changbin watched as you swayed gently on the swing. “Do tattoos bother you?” he asked, tilting his head.

You looked up, meeting his gaze. “No,” he said softly. “They’re just tattoos,” you added. “Most people in this town are divided when it comes to them. Half the population has them and the other half doesn’t,” you explained. Changbin watched as you started to turn the swing, the rope twisting together above your head. “Some people think archaically,” you continued softly.

“They think people with tattoos are somehow inherently bad.”

Changbin snorted. He’d experienced his fair share of those kinds of people. “And what do you think?” he asked, watching as you lifted your feet and spun around on the swing. “I think tattoos are a lot like accessories only you can’t change them or take them off easily,” you started, putting a foot down to stop your momentum.

“They don’t change a person. You are who you are with or without them,” you continued. “It’s just art but instead of being on a canvas, your skin is the canvas.” Changbin stared at you with new found appreciation. You looked up to meet his gaze, a small smile gracing your features.

Changbin opened his mouth to respond but was cut off.

“Y/N?” a voice called, making both of you look towards the source.

Changbin watched as your boyfriend, Joshua, walked towards the two of you. “Everything okay?” he asked, looking from Changbin to you and back. “Everything is fine,” you said, smiling at him. “We’ve just been talking,” you added. Joshua’s gaze shifted to Changbin again.

“Is that right?” he heard Joshua murmur. Either you didn’t hear Joshua or chose to ignore it, the smile on your face not faltering. “I’m heading home,” Joshua announced. “Would you like me to walk you home?” he asked, turning his gaze back to you. Changbin glanced at you as you got up from the swing.

You turned to face him. “Thank you for the talk,” you said, brushing off your skirt. Changbin nodded, smiling as you crossed the short distance where Joshua stood. “I’ll see you around,” you added, looking back over your shoulder at him. Changbin nodded. “See you around,” he said.

You took Joshua’s arm and allowed him to steer you towards the house as Changbin watched your figure disappear into the house. Jeongguk appeared moments later, jogging down the steps and walking over to where Changbin stood. “I was wondering where you’d gotten to,” he said.

Changbin shrugged. “You found me,” he joked. Jeongguk nodded, glancing back towards the house. “Were you out here with Y/N?” he asked, walking over and taking a seat on the swing. Changbin nodded silently. “Yeah,” he answered.

Jeongguk stared up at him, one of his brows raised. “It’s not like that,” Changbin said, rolling his eyes. “We were talking inside, she got hot so we came out here to cool off and get some fresh air.” Jeongguk nodded slowly, still giving Changbin a look. “Nothing happened,” Changbin clarified.

“Dude,” Jeongguk said, tattooed hands holding onto the rope. “She’s got a boyfriend.”

Changbin shrugged, gesturing wildly. “Nothing happened! We were talking!” Jeongguk nodded. “I know man. But you know how people are,” he replied. “They’re gonna talk. And you don’t want that kind of attention, trust me.” Changbin nodded, moving around behind Jeongguk and paused.

“You ready to go?” Jeongguk asked. “That Paxton chick was looking for you but I saw her making out with some dude in there like minutes before that.” Changbin nodded again, staring at Jeongguk’s back. “Yeah,” he said, pulling his hands from his pockets.

“I’m ready to go. I just need to do this first,” Changbin said. “Do what-YAH!”

Changbin pushed Jeongguk hard enough to cause him to slip off the wooden swing seat and onto the ground before he took off towards the house. “SEO CHANGBIN!” Jeongguk called as he clumsily got up and chased after him, Changbin giggling maniacally as he squeezed between the other partygoers.

“I’m heading out!” he called to Chris who looked up and nodded, waving at him with Lilah still perched on his lap. Changbin headed for the door as Jeongguk started to enter the kitchen. Changbin managed to make it out the front door and out onto the sidewalk as Jeongguk exited the house and made a beeline for him.

“Truce?” Changbin asked, backing away as his friend advanced on him. “Truce?!”

“No mercy,” Jeongguk said, trying to grab Changbin who managed to dodge and duck Jeongguk’s attempts before the older finally gave up. “You’re too small,” he whined as Changbin laughed, keeping pace with him as they walked away from the house.

“Too fast for you,” Changbin clarified. Jeongguk rolled his eyes. “Yeah sure,” he retorted.

“Too fast and short.”

Your walk with Joshua was mostly full of silence as you held onto his arm, thankful he matched your pace as you walked. The night was cool and the air crisp now that the sun had set. The sound of crickets still lingered as you walked through the mostly empty streets.

“So,” Joshua finally said, breaking the silence between you. “What were you doing outside with Changbin?” he asked. You looked at him, shrugging your shoulders. “We were just talking,” you answered. “We started talking inside the kitchen. He warned me that the punch bowl might have been spiked with something other than alcohol,” you added.

Joshua looked at you, eyes wide. “Really?” he asked. You nodded and continued to speak. “Yeah, so he gave me an unopened can of soda and then we went outside cause I was feeling a little warm. Too many bodies in one room,” you added. “And we just talked.”

“What did you talk about?” You looked up at Joshua again, trying to discern the look on his face. You couldn’t tell if he was being genuinely curious or if he was prying. Either way, you had nothing to hide from him. 

“We talked about his tattoos,” you answered. “He asked if I had any and I told him no. We also talked about art.” Joshua nodded as you walked, mulling over your words. “Art, huh?” he asked more to himself than to you. “You know, the last thing I want to do is make you feel like you’re a child incapable of making your own choices,” Joshua started and you suddenly felt as if you should have lied.

“But I don’t like the idea of you and him alone together,” he continued. You held back what you really wanted to say, choosing instead to smooth over it. “We weren’t alone,” you reminded him. “There were plenty of other people outside.”

Joshua looked at you as the two of you neared your apartment building. “A bunch of drunk people,” he said as you slowed to a stop at the base of the stairs. “Joshua,” you started, letting go of his arm and turning to face him. “I was fine. Chris and Lilah trust Changbin and I trust them, so why shouldn’t I trust Changbin?” you asked.

Joshua sighed, taking both your hands in his and pulled you closer. “I’m just looking out for you,” he replied, placing your arms around his waist and wrapping his arms around you, pulling you into a hug. “I don’t trust any man alone with you,” he added.

“Don’t trust them,” you started, pulling back to look up at him. “Or don’t trust me?”

Joshua clicked his tongue in mild annoyance, taking your face in his hands. “I don’t trust them,” he replied. “I trust you fully,” he added, leaning in to press a soft kiss against your lips. “Then,” you said as he pulled back. “Trust me to handle myself,” you continued.

“I’m not a damsel in distress that you have to save all the time,” you reminded him.

“I’ll see you Sunday,” you said, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “After church?” he asked, sounding hopeful. You shook your head. “I have to have dinner with my parents,” you explained. “I need to borrow one of their cars and the fee is dinner,” you added.

Joshua looked at you with a mix of concern and confusion.

“Why do you need to borrow one of their cars?” he asked. “I can take you anywhere you need to go, you know that,” he said softly, caressing your cheek. “I know,” you chuckled, taking one of his hands and pulling it away from your face. “But you work Monday,” you reminded him.

“What’s Monday?” he asked, cocking his head. “Mr. Serizawa asked me to go to the next town over and pick up Daniel,” you explained. “Lilah is going with me so I won’t be making the drive alone.” Joshua nodded and sighed. “I wish you’d told me sooner. I would have requested it off,” he replied.

You smiled at him. “It’s alright,” you responded, pulling his other hand from your cheek. “I’ll be okay,” you added. “I’m just going to the ferry station to pick him up and then coming straight back, but it will take most of the day,” you continued. “Besides, a little road trip with Lilah should be fun.”

Joshua smiled and nodded. “Well, I suppose it’ll be okay. I’ll see you when you get back then? We could grab dinner, maybe watch a movie at my place?” he said, holding onto your hand as you climbed one step. “Sure,” you said, looking back at him. “Perfect,” he replied.

“Get some sleep,” he said as you took another step. “Hey,” he called, gently tugging your hand and making you look at him. “I love you,” he said, stepping up onto the bottom step. You leaned in, pressing your lips against his, following his lead as his lips parted and his tongue slipped into your mouth.

“I love you, too,” you replied as you pulled back. “Get some sleep, babe,” he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to your lips and letting go of your hand as you climbed the rest of the steps. “Goodnight,” you called, looking back as you reached the door. “Night, babe,” he replied as you unlocked the door and entered the building.

You headed up the stairs to your door, unlocking and letting yourself into your apartment. Tomorrow you’d tackle your chores since Sunday you had church and Monday morning you’d be leaving to go pick up Daniel.

You dropped your purse on the counter and shrugged off your jacket, draping it over the back of one of the island barstools. You sat on the couch, bending over to remove your shoes and stood up to take them to the door, making sure the door was locked.

You headed to your bedroom, slowly stripping out of your clothes and changing into something more comfortable. You headed back into the kitchen to grab a snack as you had left work and gone straight to the party without eating dinner.

While you ate, you scrolled your social media feeds on your phone before finally turning off all the lights and settling down for bed, leaving your phone on the charger on your nightstand. It didn’t take long after climbing into bed for you to pass out.

═══════════════════════════════════════════

It had been a couple days since the party and you had gone to your parents’ house after church the following Sunday for dinner and to ask your father to borrow a car to pick up Daniel. You’d sat through the usual interrogation that occurred, asking about your job, your relationship, and somehow your parents managed to swing the conversation around to Lilah.

You did your best to answer the questions as vaguely as possible. After agreeing to spend the night at your mother’s request, the next morning, you headed out, stopping at your place before driving over to pick up Lilah.

As you pulled up to Lilah’s building, you slipped your phone out of your purse and typed out a quick message. You knew Lilah could sometimes take a moment to answer or even read her messages but as you looked up from your phone, you were surprised to see Lilah already walking towards you.

She waved as she got into view. You waved back, putting your phone in the holder on the dashboard as Lilah opened the door and got in. She smiled as he set her bag on the floorboard behind your seat and started to buckle her seatbelt as you put in the address for the ferry station.

“Hey,” Lilah said as the seatbelt clicked in place. “Hey,” you replied pressing the start button on your phone navigation. “How was dinner with your parents?” Lilah asked as you put the car in gear and pulled out of your parking space.

“It was… dinner with my parents,” you replied with a slight chuckle. “Did they grill you about your job again?” You nodded as you drove, following the road that led to the highway. “As usual,” you added. Lilah shook her head as she settled into her seat.

“And did they ask when you and Joshua are getting married?” You glanced at Lilah and your expression said everything. “Of course they did,” she scoffed as you continued to follow the signs for the highway. “Why do they always ask that? It’s not like you’re in a big rush to get married and settle down,” she added. “This isn’t the nineteen-fifties. You don’t need to be married with kids by the time you’re thirty.”

You hummed in agreement as you turned onto the highway and started to speed up to merge with traffic.

“You know how they are,” you replied. “I’m sure Joshua is getting the same treatment.”

Lilah snorted as she pulled out her phone and started fiddling with the bluetooth settings of the car.

“Yeah, well Joshua has always been a bit… old-fashioned.”

You glanced at your best friend as she focused on pairing her phone.

“And what does that make me?” you asked softly.

Lilah didn’t look up as her phone connected and she started playing her music. “You know how I feel about your relationship with Josh,” she said softly, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. You sighed softly as you changed lanes to go around a van crawling ahead of you. “I know,” you replied.

An awkward silence settled between you as Lilah turned the music up a bit.

She had always made her thoughts about Joshua known, especially after she and Seungcheol split and now that Joshua was starting to show more controlling tendencies. You understood and appreciated her concern but you knew you could handle your boyfriend when it came down to it.

“So,” you finally said, wanting to change the subject. “Tell me about this new tattoo you’re getting.”

It seemed to be the right call on your part, asking Lilah about tattoos always put her in a much better mood. She started off showing you pictures of the inspiration of the tattoo she was getting. She explained the details, even the minute ones. She finally showed you a drawing of the final design and explained the colors and shading that would be used.

“It sounds really cool,” you said as she put her phone back in the console. “I love the flowers.”

Lilah’s smile widened. “You wanna go with me to my appointment?” It wasn’t uncommon for Lilah to ask this and more than once you’d gone with her to get piercings but you’d never been to one of her tattoo appointments. “When is it?”

“Wednesday,” she replied, watching you as you contemplated. “I’m not off until six on Wednesday,” you explained. Lilah nodded. “It’s at seven,” she offered, hoping it might sway your decision. “It’ll take a few hours but you’re off on Thursdays,” she continued.

You felt the corners of your lips twitch as a smirk threatened to spread across your face. “I didn’t realize you had my schedule memorized,” you replied to which Lilah let out a laugh. “You’re my best friend,” she started as the song on the stereo changed. “Of course I know your schedule.”

You grimaced but said nothing. You thought about the conversation you’d had with Joshua the night of the party. He didn’t trust Changbin to be around you alone so surely being surrounded by people at the tattoo shop was fine.

Then again, you suspected it was really you Joshua didn’t trust though you couldn’t fathom why. You’d never so much as thought about another man since you started dating him. You’d never entertained the thought of cheating nor would you ever.

You were loyal.

“Hello? Earth to Y/N?” Lilah’s voice snapped you out of it. You blinked rapidly and looked over at her quickly. “Sorry,” you replied. “What did you say?”

Lilah settled back against her seat. “I asked if you want to go with me to my appointment after you get off work,” she repeated. You nibbled on your bottom lip, checking your mirrors before changing lanes to go around yet another slow moving vehicle.

“Fine,” you finally answered, switching back into the lane in front of the truck. “I’ll go with you but I’m not getting anything and I expect you to respect that,” you added. Lilah nodded excitedly. “I’m just glad you’re going with me!” she said, grabbing her phone and changing the music.

“For moral support,” you explained. “That’s all.”

The first hour of the trip was spent listening to music, chatting. Lilah told you about the progress of her situation with Chris, keeping you up-to-date on all the juicy gossip among her friend group. You didn’t care much for gossip but you knew Lilah and how much she loved it so you let her carry on.

“Which reminds me,” she said as she finished telling you about Ari’s mishap at the party where she fell going up the steps with Minho. “Where did you go?” she asked. You glanced at her before looking back at the road. “When?” you asked.

“During the party,” Lilah asked. “Ari and Minho went upstairs to hook up in one of the many rooms,” she stated. “Hana spent the whole night outside in the hot tub, Paxton says she hooked up with Changbin--” you snorted, drawing her attention. “What?” she asked.

You glanced at her and then back at the road, fighting the urge to laugh. “She’s lying,” you replied.

Lilah eyed you suspiciously. “How do you know?” she asked. “I mean, I did see her making out with a guy that looked an awful lot like him,” she said, watching as you burst into laughter. “When does she say this hook up occurred?” you asked. Lilah shrugged. “I’m not sure. Probably around the time you disappeared.” You laughed again.

“She may have hooked up with a guy,” you said as you kept your eyes on the road. “But it certainly wasn’t Changbin,” you added. Lilah narrowed her eyes. “How do you know?” she asked. “Cause he was with me outside,” you replied.

Lilah’s jaw dropped.” You got in the hot tub in your skivvies and didn’t tell me?!” she yelled. You looked at her incredulously. “Okay first of all, never say skivvies again,” you started, laughing. “And second, no,” you continued. “Changbin stopped me from drinking the punch and gave me a can of soda and we started talking.”

Lilah watched you as you continued to explain. “And then I got warm inside the kitchen so we went outside to get some fresh air and continued our talk. We were over by the garden. And then Joshua came up and I left with him,” you explained.

“Changbin was with you the whole time?” Lilah asked and you nodded. “So unless he went back in and hooked up with her after, which I doubt because he told me he doesn’t even really like her, she’s either lying or she doesn’t remember who she really hooked up with.”

Lilah let out a laugh, shaking her head. “Changbin told you he doesn’t like her?” she asked, to which you nodded. “Yeah. He said he also doesn’t really like Hana,” you continued. Lilah sighed, leaning back in her seat. “Is there anyone he does like?” she wondered and you shrugged.

“Maybe stop trying to set him up with your friends and let him do his own thing?” you asked and Lilah clicked her tongue. “That’s no fun,” she pouted, crossing her arms before she gasped. “What?” you asked, looking around. “I have an amazing idea!” she said, bouncing in her seat.

You groaned. “I thought you saw something,” you whined. “Don’t do that gasping thing when I’m driving!” Lilah grimaced. “Sorry, but wait until you hear this idea!” she said, sitting forward. “I have the perfect match for Changbin!”

You turned to look at her. “We just talked about this Lilah!” you admonished. “Leave the poor man be!” Lilah shook her head. “I can’t. This pairing is just too perfect!” she said, pulling her phone out and scrolling through it. “I know this girl. I think she’d be perfect for him.”

You sighed as you continued to drive. ‘Poor Changbin.’

The next two hours were spent listening to music until you stopped at a small town to get coffee and something to eat now that you were both more awake and hungry. “Look at her,” Lilah said, showing you a picture of a really pretty girl with a pale complexion. She had split colored hair, half blonde and the other half black. 

In the picture her hair was curled in soft waves reaching her shoulders, half of it pulled up into a high ponytail with strands framing her face. She had makeup similar to the style Lilah wore, graphic liner, heavy blush on her cheeks and nose, highlighter, false lashes, but she differed in that she wore nude pink lip colors.

She was covered in ink, tattoos decorating her chest, shoulders, and arms. She had multiple nose piercings, an upper lip piercing, stretched ears and multiple cartilage piercings. She had a slim waist with curves. 

She wore a high waisted black pleated skirt with black fishnets and combat boots. The shirt was black with white stripes and a tiny green alien peeking out of a small pocket on the chest tucked into the skirt. Half her curled hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, strands falling and framing her face.

“She’s pretty,” you noted with a nod. Lilah swiped to another picture. “She’s an instagram model too,” she explained, showing you the next picture. It was of the same girl kneeling on a bed, wearing a high waisted black thong with lace and a cropped shirt with a Mario star on it. She had extensions in her hair, part of it pulled up into twintails, the rest cascading in waves.

She wore a pink headset with kitty ears, white thigh highs with pink bows and in her hands was a gaming controller. You said nothing, instead nodding as you waited for your food to be ready. “She’s really cool,” Lilah said, fawning over her phone.

You watched as she scrolled a bit more and showed you a few more pictures before asking for your opinion. “Do you think he’d like her?” she asked. You looked at your best friend. “Why are you asking me?” you asked. Lilah shrugged. “I thought maybe since he told you what he didn’t like, he might have told you what he does like.” You snorted, shaking your head.

“Most certainly not,” you replied. Lilah sighed, returning her attention to her phone. “I’ll ask her if she’s interested anyway.” You said nothing again, instead focusing on the barista as she bagged up your food and grabbed your coffees. 

Back in the car, you ate your sandwich quickly while Lilah fiddled with her phone, exchanging messages. “She’s interested!” she said excitedly. “She wants me to send a picture of Changbin. Should I just take one from his insta?” she asked, looking up at you.

You shrugged, wanting to stay out of it. “Do you have any pictures of him on your phone?” you asked. Lilah stared at you unblinkingly. “Why would I have pictures of him on my phone?” she asked. You shrugged again. Lilah fiddled with her phone. “I think Chris follows him,” she murmured, searching through Chris’ follow list.

You started the engine and pulled out of your parking space, pulling onto the road and making your way back to the highway as Lilah searched for Changbin’s account. “Shit, it’s private,” she hissed. “And that’s bad?” you asked as Lilah grabbed your phone, unlocking it with your passcode.

“How do you know my passcode?” you asked incredulously. “It’s not like it’s a secret,” she said, looking up at you. “It’s your dead dog’s birthday,” she reminded you. “Isn’t yours Chris’ birthday?” you asked, eyeing her. She stuck her tongue out at you as she pulled up instagram, going into the search bar.

“What are you doing?” you asked, trying to keep your eyes on the road and on her at the same time. “I’m gonna follow him from your account,” she said nonchalantly. “What?” you shouted, reaching for your phone. “Hey, hey!” she shouted, shielding your phone from you.

“Eyes on the road, maniac!” she added, pointing at the road. “Why can’t you follow him from your account?” you asked angrily. “You follow his tattoo page, don’t you? And you follow the shop!” Lilah ignored you, typing in Changbin’s name. “I don’t follow either!” you added.

“I know,” she said softly. “That’s why I’m making you follow them all right now,” she added with a mischievous grin. You tried to snatch your phone again only for her to pull away. “You’ll crash if you keep doing that,” she retorted.

You checked the mirrors before pulling over and parking the car.

“What are you--”

You reached over and snatched your phone, looking at the screen. “You’re literally insane,” you said as you made sure she wasn’t able to follow any of the accounts through your phone before opening your settings and changing your passcode, shielding the screen from her.

“Y/N!” Lilah pouted as you locked your phone and set it in the console. “Use your own account,” you replied, putting the car back in drive and slowly pulling forward to pull back onto the highway. Lilah grumbled as she grabbed her phone and tapped away on the screen.

The next couple hours went by without issue, mostly listening to music as Lilah texted back and forth with a few people. “He followed me back,” Lilah announced as you followed the signs for the ferry station. You were getting close to the coastal town. “He doesn’t have many pictures on here,” she said as she scrolled. “Which one should I send?” she asked as you got off the highway and came to a stop at the light.

You glanced at the phone and she showed two different pictures.

The first looked more recent. It looked as though he’d just woken up, his hair was messy and curly. ‘Is that what his hair naturally looks like?’ you wondered silently. His tattoos were visible and he was wearing his signature fitted black tee shirt.

The other picture was older. His hair was a completely different color. It almost didn’t look like him. His hair was styled and he wore a black suit with a red tie. He looked amazing. His hand tattoos were missing and you wondered how old the photo was.

“The first one,” you answered. “It looks more recent,” you added. Lilah nodded, looking back down as she took a screenshot of the picture and you waited for the light to change. The drive through the sleepy seaside town was quiet, most people were at work or school as you drove, winding down the side of the mountain. In the distance you could see the ocean, waves crashing into the sandy beach.

You pulled into the ferry station parking lot with some time to kill and parked the car. “Let’s go get some pictures,” Lilah said excitedly. You grabbed your jacket from the backseat and got out, locking the doors and pulling on your jacket as Lilah pulled her hood up over her head and shoved her hands in her pockets. You followed behind her, checking the time on your phone before pocketing the device and rushing to catch up with your best friend.

The look out over the ocean gave a spectacular view and you could see an island not far from shore. “You want to go down to the shore?” Lilah asked over the wind. You nodded and followed her down the steps leading to the shore. The sand was unlike what you expected. Less like sand and more like stones. Pebbles. You were glad you chose to wear sneakers and were sure Lilah was faring just as well in her boots. “Look!” Lilah called, hurrying over to a spot and kneeling down.

You followed her and leaned over her back as she unearthed a rather large piece of sea glass. “Whoa,” you said as she lifted it to reveal another piece under it. You reached down, grabbing the second piece, revealing yet another piece of sea glass.

“It’s like a rabbit hole,” you murmured, picking up the other piece. “These are so cool,” Lilah said, looking over the piece in her hands. You looked down at it. She held a black piece with tiny white flecks from who knows how many years spent in the sea water.

It was shaped like a shark fin, smooth and rounded at all three points and flat. “I wonder what this is,” Lilah said, flipping it over to look at the other side. “It’s glass,” you pointed out. Lilah looked up at the pieces in your hands. A bright pink and a deep purple, both frosted like hers.

“What kind of glass is black?” she asked, looking back down at hers. You held out your hand, lifting to inspect the glass she placed in your palm. “It’s probably from a really old bottle,” you started, handing her the pink and purple to inspect.

You held the black up towards the sky, tilting and turning it. “It’s green,” you stated. “Along the edges, it’s hard to see without the light,” you explained. “It’s probably from really old beer or gin bottles,” you added, handing it back to her, taking the pink and purple from her.

“What about those?” Lilah asked, nodding at your hands. “The pink is probably from the Great Depression era,” you noted. “Pink glassware was common during that time period because it was decorative but extremely cheap,” you explained, looking at the pink piece.

“The purple,” you began, shifting your gaze to it. It was a deep rich purple color, frosted just like the others due to exposure and time spent in the ocean. “Probably came from purple glass. Between 1840 and 1880, hair tonics were commonly sold in amethyst bottles,” you explained, turning the piece over. “But it could very well be glass made with manganese.”

Lilah stared at you as you looked over the glass. “What’s that?” she asked. “Venetian glassmakers discovered they could neutralize the color caused by imperfections in glass by adding manganese to the sand and create clear glass,” you explained, handing over the purple piece.

“But over time, the glass will turn purple when exposed to ultraviolet rays,” you continued, looking down at the ground, searching for more glass. “I’ve heard sea glass glows under a black light,” Lilah said, looking up to watch you explore. “Is that true?” she asked.

You shook your head, pushing some pebbles aside and unearthing another black piece of sea glass. “No,” you replied. “Uranium glass glows under black light,” you replied, digging out the piece and holding it up. ‘More green edges,’ you noted.

“Uranium glass has uranium added to the glass before melting,” you explained. “It produces green glass that then glows under a black light,” you continued. “That’s so cool,” Lilah said as she watched you dig in the pebbles. “How do you know all this?” she asked.

“We’ve gotten a lot of different glass types in the shop,” you said, looking up. “Including an entire tea set made from uranium glass,” you added. You managed to find a few more pieces of sea glass ranging from blue to clear but no more purple or pink.

You stood up, brushing your hands off as a horn sounded in the distance and both you and Lilah turned to see the ferry in the distance. “Let’s go,” you said softly, leading the way back to the steps. You and Lilah had found a decent amount of sea glass and pocketed it to take back home.

Back up at the station, you and Lilah huddled close to the building to avoid the wind that had picked up. “Fuck! I should have worn sweat,” you cursed and Lilah laughed, huddling closer. “Would they hurry up and disembark already?” she snapped.

Finally it seemed like the wait was over and the gates opened, passengers making their way off the boat. This early in the morning you didn’t expect so many passengers but it sort of made sense. People making the earliest commute possible.

You spotted Daniel and waved, calling out to him. He spotted you and a smile spread across his face, weaving through the other passengers until he reached you, pulling you into a hug. He’d grown taller, nearing almost six feet. “Jii-chan said you were coming so I was really excited to see you,” he said as he let you go. “You got taller,” you noted, making him laugh.

He turned, noticing Lilah. “Lilah?” he asked, almost shocked to see her. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” he added, pulling her into a hug as well. “Y/N asked me to keep her company on the drive out here,” she replied. “And she annoyed me the whole way here,” you added, dodging Lilah’s attempt to slap your arm. 

Daniel was amused by your antics as he followed you two back to the car, listening and laughing as you bickered back and forth. Once his luggage was put in the trunk and the three of you inside, strapped in, you put the car in drive and pulled carefully out of the parking lot.

You asked Daniel about his time in Busan and Jeju.

“It was amazing!” he said excitedly. “We went to the aquarium in Busan and hung out on the beach most of the time,” he explained, going into further detail, describing the beach. “And then in Jeju, we went to their aquarium and we also went hiking. So much hiking!”

You smiled as he went on. “And then, since we finished our itinerary early, we took the ferry to Japan,” he continued. You nodded, glancing up in the mirror at him. “That would explain why your grandfather asked me to pick you up at the ferry station and not the airport or bus station,” you mused.

“Tell me about Japan,” Lilah said, turning in her seat to look at Daniel.

You listened to him tell his stories of Fukuoka and the surrounding areas. He talked about the food, what the group did, and even showed pictures on his phone of him and his friends.

“It sounds like you had a really good time,” you said after listening to him go on for almost an hour. He nodded as Lilah took his phone to look at a photo of him and his friends. She swiped to the next photo and let out a yell. Daniel noticed and tried to grab his phone but Lilah held it out of his reach.

“Who is this?” she asked, looking at a picture of just Daniel and a girl. She showed you. It was very pretty girl you recognized him meeting with for study sessions. “Is that Kari?” you asked, taking your eyes off the road briefly to get a better look.

“Give it back,” Daniel protested, trying to grab his phone from Lilah. “She’s cute!” Lilah remarked as she swiped through a few more photos of Daniel and Kari. “Will you stop it!” Daniel grumbled, fighting to regain control of his phone but Lilah swiped again and gasped.

“What?” you asked, glancing between her and the road. She showed you the phone and it was a picture of the two, Daniel was taking the photo and Kari had her head turned kissing his cheek. “Daniel!” you said, sounding scandalized. He groaned, leaning back in his seat and pulled his beanie down over his face.

“Dannie’s got a girlfriend!” Lilah said in a singsong voice as she looked at more photos. Daniel groaned in embarrassment and you chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry, Dannie,” you said, making him peek out from under his hat. “I won’t tell your grandparents.”

He sat up, readjusting his beanie and waited, watching Lilah before he made his move, snatching his phone back. “Yah! I was looking at pictures of you and your girlfriend,” she whined. “She’s not my girlfriend,” he clarified. “We haven’t even been on a date.”

“Then change that,” Lilah said, turning to look back at him. “Ask her out. Go to the bowling alley or something else. Something you kids find fun these days.” You glanced at her. “You kids?” you asked her and she shrugged. “He’s in high school,” you added. “He’s not twelve.”

“Take her to the fall festival,” you suggested. “That’s coming up soon.” Daniel shook his head, not looking up. “I can’t ask her out,” he murmured. “And why the hell not?” Lilah asked, turning to look back at him. “Because,” Daniel said softly. “You saw her,” he added. “She’s gorgeous.”

Lilah scoffed and you snapped your fingers. “Look up,” you said. “Look at me Daniel.”

He looked up, meeting your gaze in the mirror. “Don’t do that to yourself. You are an extremely intelligent, funny, and good looking guy. Kari would be an idiot to say no to you,” you said in a firm but gentle tone. “And if she says no, I’ll kick her butt,” Lilah added. “She’s a minor,” you said incredulously. “You can’t beat up a minor, Lilah!”

Daniel smiled as the two of you bickered. “Thanks, you two,” he said softly.

The next hour passed quickly as Daniel told Lilah more about Japan and what Fukuoka was like. You listened, keeping your eyes on the road as you drove. Another hour in, you glanced down at the gas gauge and sighed. “I gotta make a stop,” you announced, pulling off the highway at the next exit.

“We’re running low on gas.”

Daniel and Lilah continued to chat as you filled up, both of them heading into the convenience store. While the pump worked, you pulled out your phone, checking your notifications. You had a couple texts from Joshua, asking how the trip was going.

You texted him back before noticing another notification from Instagram. You had a new follower and opened the app. Your eyes widened as you read the username, tapping on the profile and your lips parted in a soft gasp. Changbin had found and followed your account.

Your thumb hovered over the follow back button before tapping it quickly as Lilah and Daniel headed back to the car. You pocketed your phone as the pump switched off and took the nozzle out of the tank, placing it back in the cradle.

Getting back in the car, you set your phone in the console, buckling your seatbelt and Lilah and Daniel divided up their snack haul. “We got you something to drink and some snacks as well,” Daniel said as he pulled a bottle of soda out of the bag and set it in one of the cup holders.

“Thanks,” you said softly as you started the engine and pulled out of the gas station parking lot, following the signs to get back on the highway.

As you drove, you tuned out Lilah and Daniel’s conversation, instead mulling over the notification you’d gotten from Instagram about Changbin’s personal account. How did he find you? Had Lilah gotten through before you grabbed your phone?

You glanced over at your best friend, meeting her gaze. “What?” she asked softly.

You shook your head and looked straight ahead. “What?” Lilah asked again. It took a couple more minutes for Lilah to pry it out of you.

“Did you like one of Changbin’s pictures on my account or something earlier?” you asked softly. Lilah’s confused expression morphed into one of excitement. “No,” she answered. “Why? Did he follow you?” she asked excitedly. You narrowed your eyes, glaring at her.

“What did you do?” you hissed, not noticing how Daniel leaned forward between the two of you.

“Who is Changbin?” he asked suddenly, making both you and Lilah jump. You glanced at his curious expression. “No one,” you said quickly, hoping Lilah would drop the subject but when you looked at her, a mischievous grin had taken up residence on her face.

“Don’t,” you warned her. “I just want to know why he followed me.”

Lilah laughed excitedly, grabbing your phone. “What did you change your passcode to?” she asked as she stared at the screen. “It’s none of your damn business,” you retorted, snatching your phone from her hands only for her to pout at you.

“I just need screenshots of his pictures to send to Riley,” she grumbled as you set your phone in the pocket on the driver’s side door, far from her reach. “I told you,” you replied as you continued to drive. “Follow him from your own account.”

“And what would Chris think?” Lilah asked, crossing her arms. “Uh, that’s you’re following your tattoo artist on instagram who you also happen to be friends with?” you offered. Lilah scoffed. “You’re no fun,” she mumbled as she sank down in her seat.

“Is someone going to explain what’s going on?” Daniel asked, making you and Lilah glance back at him. You’d partially forgotten he was there as you and Lilah bickered about Changbin and his instagram account. “Who is Changbin?”

Lilah turned to look back at him, turning in her seat. “He’s new to Sejong,” Lilah explained. “He just moved here and opened a tattoo shop on Market,” she continued. “And why are you following his instagram from Y/N’s account?” Daniel asked slowly.

“Because I need pictures of him to send to this girl I know who is interested in him!”

You sighed as you followed the signs for Sejong. “Despite the fact that he didn’t like either girl you threw at him before,” you interjected. “Changbin isn’t a wall that you throw girls at like pasta and expect them to stick. Let the poor guy settle into Sejong, let him figure things out for himself.”

Lilah’s lips curled up into a devious smirk. “You like him, don’t you?” she asked. Your eyes widened and you turned to look back at her. “What?” you asked incredulously. “I knew it!” Lilah said excitedly, sitting up quickly. “You like him!” Daniel looked between you and Lilah quickly, eyes wide.

“Lilah,” you said sternly. “I have a boyfriend.” Lilah rolled her eyes. “Yeah, a shit one,” she murmured. You reached out, smacking her arm. “Ow!” she exclaimed, holding the spot you hit. “Don’t start that shit again,” you snapped. “Joshua isn’t perfect,” you continued. “None of us are.”

You stared at her pointedly. Lilah conceded and sunk back into her seat. “Fine,” she groaned. “So, this Changbin guy,” Daniel asked, leaning forward, breaking the tension. “What kind of ink does he do?”

The rest of the ride, Lilah showed Daniel pictures on Changbin’s professional instagram, showing off his previous work and explaining the tattoo she commissioned from him. You listened as you drove. The sun had started to set as you reached the outskirts of Sejong, driving through town and heading for the Serizawa’s house. Daniel had wanted to come back and stay a few days with his grandparents before moving back into the apartment above the shop.

“Thank you so much again,” Daniel said as he leaned down to peer into your window, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “It was good to see you, Lilah,” he added. Your best friend leaned forward, smiling at him. “You too, Danny,” she replied. Daniel turned his attention back to you.

“I’ll see you at the shop,” he said and you nodded. “See you later,” you replied as he waved and headed for the front door of his grandparents’ house. You waited, watching to make sure he made it in safely before driving off and making your way to Lilah’s building. The ride was silent as you followed the memorized route.

“I’m sorry,” Lilah said, her soft voice punctuating the silence. “For what I said about Josh,” she clarified. “I know I should stay out of it,” she continued. “But I can’t help it. Not when I see how he treats you from the outside.” You pulled to a stop outside her building.

“He’s too controlling,” she added. “I know you care about me,” you started, turning to look at her. “But please trust me when I say I can handle it. I know how to handle my boyfriend,” you added. “If I need help, you will be the first to know.” Lilah nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt and leaning over the center console to pull you into a tight hug.

“You’re still coming to my tattoo appointment, right?” she asked as she pulled back, making sure to grab her bag and things from the cupholders. You nodded. “Of course,” you replied as she opened the door and got out, leaning over to look at you through the open window. “You promise?” she asked.

You nodded again with a smile.

“I promise.”

═══════════════════════════════════════════

Wednesday came much faster than you were expecting. Lilah had asked the days leading up to the appointment if you were still going with her and you kept reassuring her you’d go. It wasn’t like you hadn’t attended her appointments before, you had. So why she was so adamant about you attending this one was lost on you. Until you showed up to White Lotus Studio.

Lilah had insisted on you meeting her at the shop instead of going there together. You didn’t really question it since you only had an hour after getting off work to go home, change and meet her. You didn’t really need to change but you preferred to.

The walk to the shop didn’t take long and soon you were walking up to the door, stepping aside as a couple of patrons exited, chatting excitedly about whatever work they’d gotten done. Lilah was seated inside on one of the black armchairs you’d sold Changbin as you crossed the threshold into the building. It seemed to be a busy day, each station was occupied.

Minho was sitting on a black stool, working on the leg of a man you’d seen briefly at some of the parties Lilah brought you to. In the same space, Chris was explaining jewelry options to a girl who was getting her ears pierced for the first time, her friends crowded around her but staring at Chris instead of the jewelry.

You walked over to Lilah who was talking to Hana and looked up in time to catch a glimpse of Changbin through a glass window. He was talking to a client, no doubt explaining something related to the tattoo he’d just done as he wrapped it. Your eyes lingered a moment longer as you really studied him.

You’d only ever seen him outside the studio in social settings. Parties, the club, and your work. You never saw him in his own element before. He looked much more confident in this setting.

You tore your gaze away before he caught you staring and smiled as you moved to sit on the ottoman across from Lilah. Your best friend smiled widely, leaning forward to pull you into an awkward hug. “You made it!” she said happily. You chuckled as she let go and nodded. “I said I would,” you replied.

You turned to Hana, nodding politely. Hana returned the gesture and then went back to her phone, thumbs tapping on the screen. You took the lapse in conversation to look around the shop. It was a completely different space from what you remembered. The walls were mostly an off-white color except for a bump out that was painted entirely black with a massive tiger painted.

The decal was impressive and looked imposing and intimidating, as if the tiger was leaping from the wall. Whoever had painted it was incredibly talented. Behind Lilah was a counter, behind which Paxton stood. She threw a dirty look your way but you ignored it. You were here for Lilah and if Paxton didn’t like it, that wasn’t your fault.

The front of the counter was glass, showing off a vast array of jewelry for all types of piercings. Bright lights mounted to the underside of the counter top made the gems in some of the pieces sparkle. You looked away at the black velvet sofa. You wondered where Changbin had gotten it as it was almost a perfect match to the armchairs. 

Behind the sofa, on the same wall as the tiger bump out, large rectangular planters stood behind the sofa, dark bamboo stood against the wall in contrast with the paint.

You looked towards the front of the shop, a low console table, also painted black with a matte finish and glass surface, stood under the large box window with books sitting atop the surface. The box window had a small collection of decorations in it, a few small statues of buddha, a dragon perched atop its treasure hoard, a golden lucky cat waving at anyone who passed by.

The rooms were separated by half walls with large glass windows, the doorways were open square arches. The walls inside each room were different in the decor and decals. In the room Minho and Chris were working, a dragon decal had been painted in the center of the wall, lined up with the door. A neon sign, green in color, hung on the wall next to the dragon displaying the name of a brewery in town.

There was a backlit shadow box with comic strips framed and spaced evenly from top to bottom.

You looked away from the room, taking note of the light wood floor with pale ashy tones, the black and gray ornamental rug that filled the lobby area was stunning and the patterns very intricate. You wondered if Changbin knew about the history of the rug and if so, you’d love to hear about it.

Changbin had gotten so used to the sound of the bell that he almost didn’t hear it anymore, especially when he was in the middle of an appointment with a client but whenever the tattoo gun wasn’t in his hand, he paid more attention.

Looking up as the bell rang, he saw two patrons leaving, both having been serviced by Chris. Changbin was about to return his gaze to the client who was currently counting bills when his heart skipped a beat. You had just walked in, politely bowing to the clients who were leaving.

It had been several days since Changbin had last seen you at the house party Chris and Minho had invited him and Jeongguk to. You looked just as radiant as ever. You wore a light pink jacket over a flowy cream colored dress where the hem fell just above your knees.

The tights you wore with the ensemble were nude with a swirly floral pattern. You’d paired the look with black suede pumps with straps which brought out the black details of the dress. A thin black ribbon tie at the high neck, black buttons that went up the front of the bust. It was a simple look but you made it look anything but simple. Every time Changbin saw you, somehow you always managed to look so well put together. It was clear you spent a lot of time picking out your outfits and planning things.

From your outfit to your makeup and hair. It was a huge contrast to your best friend who Changbin had noticed was wearing high waisted black cut-off jean shorts, a black tank tucked in and a black oversized cardigan. She wore black combat boots much like Changbin and it never managed to surprise him how different the two of you were.

Like night and day.

Changbin smiled as his client handed him a wad of cash, thanking him for the newest work on his calf before exiting. Changbin quickly counted the money, moving over to the counter and opening the top drawer where he kept his built-in safe, carefully putting in the code and opening the door. He separated a few of the larger bills before adding the cash to the safe, closing it up and tucking the rest in his wallet.

He went about cleaning up his station to set up for the next appointment, trying not to look out the window where he could only see the top of your head. He could faintly hear you talking to Lilah but couldn’t make out what the two of you were talking about.

He picked up the spray bottle on the counter and gave the chair a few sprays, quickly wiping the surface down. He moved about his station, opening and closing drawers and cabinets as he gathered the supplies he would need for Lilah’s tattoo. Once he had the basics, he exited the room, popping over to Jeongguk’s station to check on his progress.

He then left the room and walked into the lobby. He noticed how you were looking around, no doubt inspecting his choice in decor. He suddenly felt self-conscious. How would you perceive him through his design choices? Were you impressed or underwhelmed?

He shook his head, and walked over to where you and Lilah sat. “You ready?” he asked, taking note how you didn’t seem to hear him as he spoke to your best friend. She nodded and Changbin beckoned her to follow him.

As you were lost in your thoughts, staring at the rug, Lilah stood up and snapped you out of your thoughts. “Come on, spacey,” she joked and you got up, following her back and into the room. Your heart skipped a beat as you realized Changbin was the only artist in the room. It then dawned on you that Changbin was going to be doing her tattoo.

Lilah hopped up on the chair and pulled out her phone, connecting her head phones to the device and leaving one ear free. “Just the line work today, right?” Changbin asked as you stood awkwardly by the doorway. Your eyes raked over his form, taking in his outfit of the day.

He was wearing another fitted black tee tucked into black cargo pants with the cuffs of his pants tucked into his signature black combat boots. His hair had been straightened and styled, showing his forehead. He had a simple silver chain around his neck. It seemed that this was kind of his go to outfit.

Changbin turned slightly to glance your way before chuckling to himself. “You know you can sit down, right?” he asked, nodding at the chair near the chair Lilah was sitting on. You murmured a thanks and walked over to the chair, removing your jacket and sitting down

You glanced around the room, taking in the features. Changbin’s station was the only one in the room. The same floor ran through this room as the rest of the shop. The walls were the same off white with a custom made neon sign in the shape of a lotus hanging above the counter top that ran the length of the wall opposite the doorway.

The countertop was black quartz, the cabinets below the same off white as the walls with gold hardware. The chair Lilah sat on was a bright red leather with an adjustable headrest, arm rests, foot rest and heavy circular base. The entire chair looked fully adjustable and quite comfortable.

Changbin was looking over supplies sitting on a silver rolling tray. Various tools and equipment sat before him. He had a few small ink pods waiting to be used. You continued to scan the items, noticing he had two pairs of black gloves. ‘Two pairs?’ you wondered to yourself.

A stool, at least you thought it was a stool, sat near him. It looked like a small chair with a back and arm rests but the arm rests were backwards, sticking out from either side of the back of the stool. You looked away from the equipment to the artists as Changbin moved over to the counter and opened a drawer, grabbing a small clear bag of black rubber bands and shutting the drawer before he walked back over to Lilah. 

“If we can knock out the shading this time too, that’ll save you another session,” he said softly as he looked up. Lilah glanced over at you. “Do you mind if we stay a little longer?” she asked. Changbin turned to look at you as well. You shook your head. “No,” you said softly. “It’s your appointment,” you added with a smile towards your friend.

She beamed and nodded as Changbin turned away. “Alright,” he said moving to the side of the chair and you watched as he pushed a button and the leg rest started to raise, splitting in half. “Is the headrest in a good spot?” he asked as he finished raising the leg rest. Lilah nodded and scooted back into the seat and got comfortable. Changbin moved back over to the tray, using his toe to pull the stool closer.

You watched as he sat on it, the backrest in front of him. “You can move closer,” he commented towards you as he grabbed a glove and pulled it on before putting the other on. You realized your chair had wheels and you slowly scooted forward, moving closer to Lilah as Changbin prepared the tattoo gun.

You didn’t pay much attention to the process as it looked extremely complicated but it was still fascinating to watch. Changbin rolled closer, bringing his tray with him. You watched as he prepped Lilah’s skin, wiping the area with a cotton pad and taking a brand new disposable razor.

You watched with rapt attention as he prepared the area, shaving any hair and wiped the skin again. Once he was ready, Changbin grabbed the stencil he’d prepared and placed it on Lilah’s thigh. He pressed it firmly against her skin, making sure it stuck before peeling the paper away.

“Check the placement,” he said softly, waiting patiently as Lilah hopped up and walked over to the mirror to check it out. “Perfect,” she said excitedly, returning to the chair. Changbin nodded and moved into position. Once he got started, you watched him work.

He didn’t speak much as he worked, focusing instead on tracing the lines of the stencil. You’d been to a few of Lilah’s appointments before but most of the tattoos you’d witness her get were smaller. This was the largest piece you’d seen her get.

It was a large lion’s head, mouth open in a silent roar. You continued to watch silently as Changbin worked, finding the constant hum of the tattoo gun comforting. You glanced up to see Lilah had her eyes shut, mouthing to lyrics to whatever song she was listening to.

The song playing over the speaker of the shop’s intercom was a familiar one, you’d heard Lilah play from her playlist before. It was a heavy rock piece with a lot of drumming. It wasn’t your favorite kind of music but you didn’t mind it. You watched the tattoo take shape slowly, watching the way Changbin worked slowly but diligently. He clearly didn’t like to rush things, something you could appreciate.

After he’d managed to get half of the lines done, you looked up, hearing footsteps behind you. You turned back to Changbin. “Do you mind if I look around?” you asked softly. He glanced up briefly before shaking his head. “Just don’t get in anyone’s way,” he said with a slight smile.

You got up, leaving your jacket and purse in the chair and headed out of the doorway. Across from the room Changbin was set up in was a larger room with two stations in it. The one near the door was empty but the other station had Jeongguk, sitting in a similar stool as Changbin. He was working on an arm tattoo. The client was a young woman, maybe around Lilah’s age.

Her arm was resting on what you assumed was a separate arm rest, inside of the forearm exposed as Jeongguk colored in the line work of a tattoo you assumed he previously had done. His style was much different than Changbin’s but the tattoo was still just as intricate and beautiful.

It was an hourglass design inside a compass. You apologized softly when Jeongguk glanced at you. “I’m just curious to see what everyone else is doing,” you added. Jeongguk smiled and shook his head. “Don’t apologize,” he replied. “I don’t mind spectators,” he added with a chuckle.

After watching a couple more minutes, you left the room and peeked in to see the progress of Lilah’s tattoo. Changbin had almost completely finished the lines. You decided to check the other room. Paxton was no longer behind the counter and was instead coming back from the back of the shop.

You turned to look into the room Minho and Chris were in. Minho was still working on the same tattoo as before while Chris now had Hana in his seat. You leaned against the frame, offering a polite smile to Hana who surprisingly returned it. Chris glanced back and smiled widely.

“Lilah still getting her piece done?” he asked to which you nodded. “I’m just looking around. The boss said I could,” you added with an amused tone. Minho glanced up before going back to his work. You walked over, making sure to stay a reasonable distance away.

The tattoo he was working on was a traditional style dragon with clouds behind it. The lines were thicker than the lines on Lilah’s piece but you could tell it was intentional. “You spying on me?” Minho joked as he glanced back at you. Shaking your head, you moved a little closer. “Admiring your work,” you replied.

Minho chuckled and continued to work. “Next you’re going to tell me you want a tattoo,” he mused. You rolled your eyes, resisting the urge to nudge him as he was working and turned back to Hana and Chris. “You wanna watch?” Chris asked, looking over at you.

You glanced at Hana who shrugged. “I don’t mind,” she added. You walked over and stood beside them. “What kind of piercing is this?” you asked. “Bridge,” Hana replied simply. You pointed at the bridge of your nose and Hana nodded. You nodded and watched as Chris took a black marker and marked either side of the bridge of Hana’s nose.

“Is that where you want it?” he asked, handing her a handheld mirror. You watched as she tilted his head, checking the placement before handing the mirror back. ���Yep,” she said simply. Chris nodded, grabbing an alcohol wipe and opening it. He carefully wiped the spot before picking up the needle.

“Alright, he said softly. “Close your eyes. Deep breath in.” You watched as he carefully lined the point of the needle with the mark. “Deep breath out.” As Hana breathed out, Chris pushed the needle in, carefully lining the point with the opposite side to make it even. Once the needle was all the way through, he turned to the tray, opening the package with the jewelry.

“Keep your eyes closed,” he instructed as he removed one of the balls from the barbel and placed the end into the open end of the needle. You watched with morbid fascination as he pulled the needle through, guiding the barbel into the new hole. He removed the needle and grabbed the ball, screwing it on and making sure it was firm and tight.

“And done,” he said simply. Hana opened her eyes, taking the mirror from him to look at the new piece of jewelry as Chris started to clean up. “Be honest,” Hana said, turning to you. “How does it look?” You inspected it a little closer. “It looks really cool. It’s perfectly even, too,” you replied. Hana smiled and looked back into the mirror.

You excused yourself and headed back to Lilah, passing Paxton who glared at you once again. You still didn’t know what her issue with you was but you decided not to dwell on it as you entered Changbin’s station. He’d finished the lines and was now working on shading the lion head.

“How was your trip?” Lilah asked, eyes still shut. “Fascinating,” you answered as you sat back down. Changbin glanced up at you and smiled before returning to his work. “Jeongguk was working on an arm tattoo. It looked like some kind of mandala,” you explained to Lilah. “Minho was doing this really cool traditional dragon tattoo and Chris did a bridge piercing,” you relayed, feeling like a child telling your mother what happened in school that day.

The rest of the appointment passed quickly and soon Changbin was turning off the tattoo gun and setting it down. “Alright,” he said and Lilah opened her eyes. “Let me finish wiping it down and then I’ll cover it. You looked up from your phone, having zone out a while ago while playing some kind of coloring game on your phone. Changbin wrapped up quickly.

As he was finishing, Jeongguk peered in. “We’re ordering from the noodle place down the street,” he announced to Changbin. “You want your usual?” Changbin nodded without looking up as he applied vaseline to Lilah’s tattoo and started securing the plastic. “Get some of those beef dumplings,” he called out. He looked up at Lilah. “You know the drill. Bandage stays on for four days, no soaps except that antimicrobial I told you about, lotion for sensitive skin without dyes or perfumes, blah blah blah,” he added as he got up and started cleaning.

“If the bandage comes off before four days, come back in and I’ll replace it,” he added as Lilah walked over to the mirror, pulling out her phone to snap a picture of it. “And send me that picture,” he added as he noticed her taking another. “I want to add both it and the finished piece to my instagram.”

Lilah nodded and opened her messages to send him the picture. “So what do you think?” Lilah asked, showing off the new ink. You smiled, inspecting it. “I like it,” you replied. “The lines are really clean and the shading is really good. It’s gonna look pretty sick with the color,” you added.

“Does this mean you want to get something?” Lilah asked, wiggling her eyebrows, making you laugh loudly. “No,” you replied. “Absolutely not.” Changbin removed his gloves and tossed them in the trash bin, the snap of the gloves making you and Lilah look over at him.

He had a playful smile on his face. “Is my art not pretty enough for you?” he asked jokingly. You shook your head. “Your art is beautiful,” you replied, catching him off guard. “I just don’t have any desire to get a tattoo,” you explained. Changbin chuckled lightly. “I’m just messing with you,” he replied. “Tattoos aren’t for everyone,” he added. “I get that.”

Lilah thankfully punctuated the subject with her change in topic.

“How much do I owe you?”

You turned to gather your things as Lilah paid Changbin, thanking him once more. “Come back once you’re ready to add some color to that,” Changbin reminded her. She nodded and turned to you. “I’m gonna go see Chris really quick. I’ll meet you up front.” You nodded as you unplugged your phone from your charger and packed up.

As you were pulling on your coat, Changbin spoke up.

“If you ever change your mind,” he said, drawing your attention. “About getting a tattoo,” he added, noticing your confused expression. “I’d be happy to do any work you’d like done.” You smiled warmly. “Thanks,” you said softly, picking up your bag as he leaned against the counter behind him, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’d love to be your first,” he added, an amused undertone to his voice.

Your heart hammered in your chest as you met his gaze. There was something about the way he looked at you. Something in the playful smirk on his face. Before you could respond, you heard Lilah calling your name, pulling you from your trance.

“I gotta go,” you announced. Changbin nodded, the same smirk still on his face. “See you around, Y/N,” he said softly and you turned away, forcing yourself to walk out of the room and towards the front of the shop where Lilah was waiting.

You followed her out onto the sidewalk, Chris locking the door behind the two of you as they set about closing the shop. “Are you hungry?” Lilah asked, linking her arm with yours. You nodded slowly, still mulling over Changbin’s words and playful banter. “Yeah,” you finally replied as Lilah steered you in the direction of the town square. “Let’s get some dinner,” you added.

“Good,” Lilah said excitedly. “Cause I’m starving.”

ⓘ If you enjoyed this, please consider reblogging as it helps me out more than you know. All graphics made by me. Content and support banners made using a template by cafekitsune. I do not allow reposts, translations, or continuations of my works. All writing and graphics are ©️ kwanisms.

#cultofdionysusnet #mfu-net #ksmutsociety #stray kids scenarios #stray kids imagines #stray kids fanfiction #stray kids fanfic #stray kids angst #stray kids fluff #stray kids x reader #changbin scenarios #changbin imagines #changbin fanfiction #changbin fanfic #changbin angst #changbin fluff #changbin x reader #series: under your skin #series: uys

[kinosternon]

same person who asked abt ur opinion on the movie! i think you made good points; i again didnt actually watch it mostly bc idk how to access it so i cant really gauge the flow of it, for lack of a better word, but from the plot of it i felt like it was too many things pushed together. notably i feel like kinjou’s involvement was unecessary, i dont understand why theyd add another character to the ensemble in the movie closing off the series when we have SO many characters at play already.

i know albert and specifically haru and albert’s rivalry/rship drives a lot of the swimming plot but similarly to kinjou i dont think it was necessary to get into a whole other backstory and angst about another character to achieve the same themes message conclusion etc.

you’re right that expectations probably play a big role in how you receive the movie - personally i think more could have been done to actually tie off the major conflicts amongst characters, but i guess free! has always dealt with conflict through swimming so i cant actually complain. i do wish that we could have seen hiyori and ikuya’s rship (ie their conflicts and development) a little bit more bc thats one of the most unresolved plot points from past seasons imo.

anyway thank you for responding to my question! your insight was rlly interesting :)

These are very good points, honestly, and they reflect a lot of the more...unconventional storytelling decisions KyoAni made with Free! So I hope you're ready for another short essay about them :D

But I'd argue that the "let's add new characters instead of solving old problems" thing has been showing up from the beginning. Like, I agree it's weird! But they did it in season 2, with the addition of Sousuke, and again in s3 with Hiyori and Ikuya. (And as they're officially my favorite, I feel like I've somewhat lost the right to complain about it lmao)

And speaking more broadly...it's kind of like life, isn't it? Especially for young adults. The biggest problems are not easily solved (or even easily recognized), and new people keep coming into our lives, recontextualizing those old problems in new ways. That and the decision to build the story backwards as intensely as they did forwards were some pretty innovative-feeling storytelling choices, at least from my perspective.

As for adding Kinjou and Albert, and HiyoIku development: (more spoilery stuff below)

Kinjou's arc really didn't make sense till this finale, even though it was really started off in the Road to the World movie (which was mostly a Dive to the Future rehash) where he randomly threatens Hiyori at the end. The setup seems to have started from (roughly) there, so this direction had to have been planned from at least that far back. (..."Road to the World" indeed. Huh.) And by the end, his role felt absolutely essential to me given the direction Haruka's arc went in.

Basically, Kaede acts as a really direct foil for Haruka's arc in the final film.

Most importantly, he has secondhand (but intense) familiarity with the risks Haruka seems to be taking for granted, and it's his choices more than anyone's that lead to Haruka making it to and winning the final race STRIKEalive and relatively unharmed.

Moreover, his relationship with swimming is so interesting to compare to Haruka's. It's not that Kaede was always a talented swimmer! He actually got started pretty late, and for reasons that didn't have to do with the water at all! Instead, it's implied that he started swimming seeking a place to belong, because he couldn't find one outside of it. And when he lost the person he was closest to and was rejected by Hiyori others, he became even more dedicated to swimming, seemingly at least a little out of spite.

This isn't Haruka's relationship with swimming at all! And yet, a lot of the underlying factors keeping them focused are similar—they're just more explicit in Kaede's case. (More than once in the film, via flashback, Kiyofumi tells him things like "swimming will become something that accepts you," which between that and his extremely ND vibes as a kid? Implies to me that he faced a lot of rejection growing up.) And yet he still is more aware than anyone else of the very real risks Haruka is taking, when the people around him are intentionally letting them slide.

Because—this is important—who else was going to tell Haruka to stop literally risking his life, just to win against Albert? Ryuuji tries, but ultimately, can only do so much. Almost everyone else looks up to Haruka too much to tell him to stop, and know him just well enough to believe that he wouldn't listen if they tried.

The only real options, to me, would've been Sousuke, Hiyori, Rin, or Makoto:

Sousuke does actually try in the movie, but he just isn't close enough to Haruka to be able to make much impact.

Hiyori already went through all this with Ikuya once, more or less, and deserves a break. Actually, I kind of wonder whether on a creative level Kaede was introduced as closest to him because he didn't really turn out to be dickish enough to get this job done.

Rin could've been quite interesting! And he seems relatively well-positioned to do this, especially with his very visible concern for Haruka throughout the movie. But even though he's finally making real steps to repair some of the interpersonal issues he's had with Haruka from the beginning...he's still really inspired by him and wants him to compete. Plus there's the problem that everyone who knows Haruka well comes up against—knowing how deep his passion goes, and not wanting to fight him on it.

Makoto...see, this would have been another place where the movie could've happened very differently, I feel. What if Ryuuji had pushed Makoto, not Rin, to try to reach Haruka? What if Haruka's well-being had ended up depending directly on Makoto finally managing to drill it into Haruka's head that he cares about him himself—not as an abnormal person and not as a prodigy? But instead, by this point Makoto's so worried about hurting Haruka's chances or their relationship (possibly remembering their s2 argument that was never fully resolved??) that he's actually more willing than Rin (or at least agrees first) to let Haruka keep hurting himself in the name of his dream.

(Actually, one weird dark-horse option would be Albert himself? But the timing doesn't really work on that.)

But with Ryuuji's tragic backstory (of Kiyofumi) already added in and everything, Kaede was really uniquely positioned to do the job he does regarding Haruka.

And speaking of Albert: I'd actually agree that a lot of his stuff felt shoehorned in, but I get why they did it—it adds an "international" level to the rivalries that's pretty necessary, given that the world championships are the final setting. Then as far as backstory goes, Free! has always been about coming to understand people's situations/perspectives better to overcome conflict with them. Haruka's journey with Albert (or vice-versa) is about him coming not to hate Albert's swimming, and showing Albert's issues to the audience helps make him relatable as that happens.

I enjoy that they tried to make a character like Albert work (even though his English lines made me cringe a little bit, especially this time around). I just...don't think they quite got there.

Then there's Hiyori and Ikuya. So. I say this with absolute love for them and their dynamic, but like—drama was never going to be the main fix for HiyoIku, because they're both predisposed to being dramatic in a way that is frankly part of the problem. Instead, Hiyori's development seems to come from both settling into a healthier role supporting Ikuya, and also learning to lighten up a bit and think about people other than him. Kaede plays a surprisingly important role here, as do Kisumi and Ikuya's friends. Even littler moments like his exposure to the disaster (at least on the surface) that Rin and Haruka's interactions often are probably had an impact. Ikuya's development, OTOH, mostly comes in the form of getting to know Rin and realizing that he isn't the only person in Haruka's orbit, while also making friends in general after years of acting like a loner. (Sousuke is a particularly good influence on both Hiyori and Ikuya, I think.)

So overall, getting away from the drama of everything after basically being the center of the drama for Dive to the Future is probably a welcome reprieve where they're concerned. And we did get to see them have a very pleasant convo pre-Ikuya's final race that hints that they're much better adjusted than they were, so for me it was an exercise in faith that they've worked on their shit more behind the scenes.

#free! the final stroke second part #free! spoilers #haruka nanase #kaede kinjou #albert volandel #hiyori toono #ikuya kirishima #sousuke yamazaki #if you're wondering if I'm aware of the irony in my position on HiyoIku drama: the answer is yes. #I am and I'm having a good time anyways (lol) #meta rant #disclaimer that I am not an expert and am just having fun here #after watching the movies a bunch to figure out what was happening #in conclusion though: it WAS a lot and there are SO MANY BOYS #thanks for coming to my ted talk lol

[circa-specturgia]

Hey! Happy storyteller Saturday!

Are you into romance? if so, what kind of romance does your WIP have? (angst? comfort?.. etc?) Also, does your WIP have a planned dance scene? (Someone got me into dance scenes lately haha so this is a very self-indulgent question) If not a dance scene, would like to write any other romantic scenes with your OCs? 👀

@bloodlessheirbyjacques (:

Alright, time get on this! Thanks so much for the ask @bloodlessheirbyjacques!!! ✨

I’ve been itching for an excuse to give romance some thought as I’m in the process of slowly rethinking and tweaking my boy Cas’ dynamic with their love interest…

Lets start from the top!

Also, Note! I’m currently running on staying up till 4:30AM and 6:30AM the past two days, but I’ll do my best

Am I into romance?

Yes yes YES!!! I most certainly am, I feel like romance and themes of love in all meanings of the word, familial, parental, between friends and romantic, all of them show sides of characters which would be difficult to show otherwise.

(If anything I can use your brilliant snippet with Elijah and Astrea as proof, after all, Elijah showing a side he didn’t have before because of his relationship to Astrea! Read it if you haven’t yet, it’s SO damn good y’all.)

While I don’t know if I’m all too great at writing any romance myself, I feel like I can picture some good scenes and relationships progressing and evolving over time, and I definitely want to give writing them a shot in my main WIP! It is, if anything, one of the main driving forces behind the characters, especially Cas himself, as I outlined previously with how selfless and dedicated to his friends and loved ones he is.

Types of romance…?

Ohhh that’s a good question! I hope to add a lot of little moments, angst, comfort, fluff, and probably some implied smut? If not straight out smut though I doubt I’d have the energy to actually write and then send out into the world any piece of it, so, let’s leave it at implied, considering that some characters are more physical about their attraction than others! Love languages differ after all ✨

Quiet scenes between characters who have been off and on for decades, loud passion, moments of silent adoration, unmistakable love seeing the other succeed, worry when seeing them fail, getting through things together, I intend to mix in ALL that good stuff.

Small detour and bonus, Love in the setting!

Love is not quite an emotion but an experience, a whole blend of all sorts of emotions all wrapped in one, which makes it more powerful than any single emotion. Being motivated by anger or rage isn’t the same as being motivated by the rage created when you see a loved one hurt. Simply put it hits different.

And so, in the setting of mine, while I understand all the posts on magic so far have seemed pretty uptight and professors-y, I have kinda neglected the emotional part of Specturgy, which I might have to make a post on now that I think about it!

Specturgy relies on focus and practiced skill, however when emotions are added, Specters are often times able to better tap into the more instinctual side of Specturgy, acting naturally and bending reality to their will by force of will, being empowered by the feelings.

I intend to include several such moments, with a variety of emotions empowering a Specter, but the root from which these emotions arise are in nearly all of the cases I imagine is love!

Dance scenes!

Self-indulge away! You BET I’ve got some dance scenes!!! Jynkaturgy, or the elemental type of Specturgy, most often is practiced through the body physically moving, the style adopted by the Jynkaturgist reflecting the element itself, and so an Jynkaturgist using their gift can look like they’re dancing!

In fact it’s not uncommon to use it as practice, referred to as simply letting the body go to the elements and being led by the natural flow, moving as the movement comes to you, while the element is shifted and brought to reality around you!

A scene I’ve sadly scrapped but will probably recycle is a dance between Ciro and Cas, less romantic and more just a moment of kinship, both working in synergy.

Another would be a sleepless night during which neither Adira nor Cyril can get any sleep, going out and talking, perhaps in an empty courtyard, before Cyril begins dancing, slowly at first, fluidly, eyes closed, until Adira joins in, weaving her magic into the movements, matching the tempo, the styles completing each other, not clashing, in a Yin-Yang sort of moment between the two, followed by both being able to smile, although with a silence that neither wants to break by moving too far forward, both feeling brittle, and not wanting to move too far, despite the fact that the desperately need it…

And finally, a scene I’ve got to do some more work on, two scenes that parallel each other! The first is a dance between Cas and his Love Interest, though it’s forced, the two of them needing to do it due to circumstances? The second though is a callback by the Love Interest as they invite Cas to dance and confess ✨ I really love the scene tbh but I’m very skeptical whether or not I’ll use it as I’m considering scrapping the circumstances that lead up to the first dance but I’ll think of something!!!

Hope that answers everything for now!!! Thank you again for this ask, it was fun to think about!!!! 🤩✨

[veronicaphoenix]

Chapter tags & trigger warnings: Angst, mentions of blood, mentions of sex. | Word count: 1.3k | Cross posted on AO3. | Series masterpost. ✧.*

General trigger warnings: This work addresses and depicts issues related to addiction and violence, contains explicit sexual content, and explores themes of childhood trauma. Reader discretion is advised. +18

Tour was good. Great, in fact; better than we could have ever dreamed of. We were happy, elated. The sold-out venues and adoring fans, the late-night bus rides and hotel rooms filled with laughter and excitement… They provided a surreal backdrop to the struggle in Lia and I’s relationship.  

It felt like Lia and I were living different lives. Suddenly it was as if being in the same room was a death sentence and we both suffocated in the words we couldn’t and wouldn’t say to each other.

The boys were putting up with our bullshit the best they could. Sensing the growing divide between the two of us, they tried to maintain the harmony within the group. They played the role of peacemakers, navigating the awkward silences and mediating when conflict arose. Yet, it was obvious that the dynamics between me and Lia were affecting the overall vibe. During soundchecks and backstage moments, the music that once served as a unifying force began to sound like a distant melody. The lyrics that were once a reflection of shared experiences now seemed like a cruel reminder of what was slipping away. We were clashing more often than we ever did, having small arguments about technicalities of the tour set up and everything involved. The rest of the team was caught in the crossfire.

With the seething anger coursing through my veins after our last stupid argument, I lugged a heavy box from the venue’s backdoor to the green room. I did it carelessly, and in my reckless haste, when I was about to set it on top of another pile of stuff, I dropped it, causing it to crash onto my fingers. The sharp pain elicited a coarse “fuck!”. Every head in the room turned in my direction. Alana, who was touring with us and helping with the photography and videography, abandoned her work on the Macbook swiftly and hurried to my side, genuine concern etched on her face. From the other side of the room, I heard someone say “that must’ve hurt.”

"You okay?" Alana asked, her eyes scanning for any visible damage as I held my hand.

"Damn it," I muttered, my frustration bubbling over.

"You're bleeding," she pointed out. "Let's get the first-aid kit and—" Her words trailed off as she turned, only to be met by Lia, who was already holding the kit.

“Let me handle it,” she said sternly. Her expression remained unreadable as I looked at her from under my eyelashes, a blend of concern and a hint of something more profound crossing her features. I was not in the mood to ask her what that look meant.

Though only a few were privy to the details of what had happened between us, the rest of the team sensed the growing breach. As I said, they had been putting up with our fucked-up dynamic since the tour started.

As Alana briskly gathered her belongings and signaled for the others to follow suit, the gravity of the situation hung in the air. With a nod, she left the room, leaving Lia and me to address the situation.

"It's nothing," I dismissed with a half-hearted attempt at nonchalance as I settled onto the sofa, where Lia indicated me to settle.

She took a seat on the coffee table, facing me, her proximity almost unnerving in its closeness. The unspoken distance between us was marked by her deliberate avoidance of eye contact.

Opening the kit, Lia extracted a half-empty bottle of alcohol, and with focused determination, she soaked a sterile gauze. The sting of the alcohol on the cuts near my phalangeal joint was sharp and it made me curse again. Those wounds were going to bother me every time I flexed my fingers, but whatever.

"It's not that bad," I offered, attempting to lighten the atmosphere, though her intense focus on the task at hand betrayed my words.

"It's better to disinfect it," Lia's words cut through the air, dispelling any attempt to downplay the severity of the situation, and I was immediately taken back to the day I met her, when I let her ride my bicycle and she fell of it, grazing her knee. Nicholas’s mom had been there to make sure that her wound was tended, but Lia had insisted in the fact that a wound could heal on its own, a testament of the treatment she was receiving from her careless mother. I was glad to know that it had changed. She took her of wounds now, and mine, apparently.

I, usually the composed one, found myself teetering on the edge of vulnerability given our closeness. Lia, seemingly stoic, showed nothing in her expression as she continued to tend to my injured hand. Yet, the touch of her fingers, the warmth of her hand, hinted something else.

One of her hands held mine with delicate fingers. What I would have given to keep that sensation with me. I was usually the restrained one, the one that didn’t lose control of emotions, but here she was, pretending that she didn’t feel anything as she touched me, as her fingers wrapped gently around mine and her hand held me.

I couldn't help but wonder if this moment of shared vulnerability could be the catalyst for the heart-to-heart conversation we desperately needed. As the sting subsided and she meticulously worked on the cuts, it became evident that the path to reconciliation, much like the healing of my fingers, would require time, patience, and a willingness to address the deeper wounds we had been ignoring for far too long.

"I don’t think it requires a plaster. Keep the gauze on it for a while until the bleeding stops," Lia's practical words were accompanied by a subtle withdrawal. As she moved away, the absence of her proximity left a void in me. I found myself missing not just her practical care but the warmth and familiarity that I was used to.

"Lia," I called out, seeking to bridge the emotional gap that had widened over weeks of clashes.

"What?"

"We need to talk," I asserted, my voice carrying a sense of urgency. "We really need to."

"I don’t want to talk," she retorted, her resistance evident. Her eyes moved away from me.

"You’ve been ignoring me for weeks,” I replied. I moved the burning sensation coming from my fingers to the back of my head. “I think it’s time. Or how long do you plan on extending this stupidity?" I pressed on, frustration bubbling to the surface.

She stood up, her expression a blend of defiance and internal turmoil.

"There’s nothing to talk about. I told you everything the morning after," Lia admitted, her words heavy.

The morning after we fucked.

"I didn’t want to jeopardize our relationship, and I did, and now it’s fucked. End of the story," she concluded, her gaze avoiding mine.

"You’re so wrong," I argued, determined to break through the walls she had erected.

"Definitely," she retorted, her tone final. With that, she collected the first aid kit, disposing of the blood-stained gauze in a distant corner's dustbin, and left the room once again, leaving me to grapple with the weight of her decisions.

I sat there, frustration and disappointment settling in. The green room, once a space for collaboration and laughter, now felt like a battlefield. Lia's departure left me with a lingering sense of finality, a realization that perhaps our friendship had reached a breaking point.

As the door closed behind her, I felt a surge of frustration. I was done with Lia's evasiveness and unwillingness to confront the issues that had led us to this point. It was clear that if our friendship was to have any chance of survival, it would require more than just tending to physical wounds, and if she wasn’t willing to give it what it was required, I would force her to, for both our sakes.

I was done with Lia’s bullshit.

#noah sebastian #bad omens fic #noah sebastian fic #noah sebastian x ofc #bad omens fanfic #bad omens #bad omens fanfiction #the inevitability of love at second sight

[cosmicjoke]

Levi and OCD ask anon here! Thank you for answering! :)

Regarding your story, I’m an absolute sucker for angst, so add as much of it to your stories as your heart desires, hahaha. I don’t know why I love reading about my favorite characters suffering so much, but I do. The more I love them, the more angst and hurt/comfort I desire. I’m very much enjoying your story, and I respect your writing so much! You do so much justice to Levi’s character and all the hardships he’s battled.

Personally, I do sort of headcanon Levi as having OCD, but I think he’s able to sort of compartmentalize that aspect of himself for when he and everyone around him are in safer situations. And, of course, there are good days and bad days with it. I say that as I’ve struggled with something similar (anorexia with strong contamination OCD tendencies), and for example, with things like birthday celebrations for others, I’m able to sort of reel my issues in and act normal to avoid ruining the event or burdening others. As soon as it’s just me, though, the issues come back. I see Levi as someone similar in the sense that he’d feel awful having his mental health issues affect others’ lives and well-being, and due to his immense care for others, is somehow able to keep his compulsions in check. Unfortunately, he doesn’t extend that same consideration toward himself. I also see it as something that he’s perhaps able to contain in his mind as long as he’s focused strongly on a goal or task, but it’s those moments where there’s not much else to do but think and reflect, where he might struggle the most with OCD symptoms.

Of course, I do agree with you that there’s no evidence of this explicitly in canon, but something about the way Levi talks about filth and the feeling of it on him and the way he grew up in the Underground just seems to line up well with OCD and using it as a coping mechanism. Sometimes I kind of wonder whether that’s something Isayama had in mind when writing that in as one of Levi’s personality characteristics, but given that that’s not related to the ultimate themes of the show, he chose not to focus on it and just let readers form their own conclusions. I think it’s somewhat similar to how Reiner seems to suffer from a dissociative disorder, even though Isayama doesn’t go super into depth with it.

I love talking about this with others, so thanks so much for answering my ask ^_^ If you have any additional thoughts, I’d love to hear them, but don’t feel pressured at all to do so.

Thank you so much again, truly. That really means a lot to me!

You make some really great points about how it is possible that Levi suffers from OCD. It would be right in line with his personality to hide any sort of mental health issues from others, similar to how he tends to hide his emotions in general. Levi rarely lets it show, how things are actually affecting him, but of course we know he IS greatly affected. There's small moments which starkly reveal his true feelings all throughout the story, subtle expressions and things he says and actions he takes which tell the audience just how deeply he cares about the people around him, even as he maintains a stoic facade. A good example of that, I think, is when Kenny kills Nifa. It's just for a split second that we see Levi's expression when he looks over at her, and there's such a look of extreme anguish on his face, that you know he's devastated by her death. But he wipes the expression away a moment late and launches into action against Kenny and his squad, pushing his devastation aside because there's no time to indulge in it, not if he wants to stay alive himself. So I can definitely envision a scenario like the one you've laid out, in which Levi does suffer from certain mental problems, but he just does a good job of keeping it under wraps as a means of not burdening others, and keeping himself in control and focused on his duties.

Levi's obsession with cleanliness can certainly be seen as a manifestation of a deeper, psychological issue. You make a great point too when bringing up the way Levi speaks about the filth of the Underground, and his desire to get away from that. No doubt, growing up in that kind of extreme poverty and squalor left a deep impression on him, and I absolutely think his need to be clean and to keep his environment clean is rooted in that. I think it's possible also that Levi is a germaphobe, specifically because of how his mother died. She became sick, so I think Levi is probably hyper-vigilant when it comes to disease, and his need for cleanliness seems likely to be rooted in that as well. A fear of illness.

Whether Levi suffers from the need to engage in repeated actions and patterns of behavior, that would be more speculative, but again, it's possible that it's there, and as you said, he just has learned to keep it under control when in the company of others.

#Levi Ackerman