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inhuman-obey-me · 8 months

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Human Nature

Word Count: 1330 Description: A sudden discussion about how humans blame demons for all their problems comes up one evening in the House of Lamentation. Turns out, demons don't like to be blamed for human nature. Characters, etc: Satan, Mammon, Leviathan, Asmodeus, MC -- with a little Asmo/MC at the end can be found on ao3 here

“What is it with you humans?”

You look up from your D.D.D. with a quirked brow, turning to Satan who seems to be wearing an expression of exasperation – at least, from what you can see while his nose is buried between pages of whatever it is he’s reading.

“What are you talking about?”

The demon slowly lowers the novel, now looking rather sheepish. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean that in relation to you, it’s just,” He gestures to the viridian book in his grasp, “I get so tired of reading stories where humans blame demons for all of their problems.”

“Oh, don’t get me started!” Mammon butts in, still laying upside-down on one of the other sofas in the common room as he scrolls mindlessly through Akuzon on his phone, sunglasses nearly falling off his head to the floor. “Forget just humans in stories, they do that shit all the time in real-life, too!”

“Mammon, you probably have caused plenty of problems for humans.” Leviathan doesn’t even look up from his game, his fingers furiously pressing and pushing buttons with a loud click-clack-click that’s slightly maddening.

“And ya haven’t?!” The second-born nearly tosses his phone as he twists to point an accusing finger at the other. “As if ya don’t get all smug about your name bein’ all over the damn place!”

“H-Hey, it’s not my fault people are into sea monsters – oh come on!” The melody for GAME OVER. “B-but even with a good-for-nothing demon like me, humans like to create all kinds of stories and legends.”

Shifting in your seat, you look around the room in amusement. “I mean, the stories had to come from somewhere, right? A sliver of truth in every lie, and all that.”

“Sure, some of the stories have merit. Demons have influenced plenty of people, us included.” Satan shakes his head, placing the book to the side as he straightens up in his seat. “But there are humans who think any and all terrible things done by their own kind are somehow our fault.”

“Right, like I’m not responsible for every greedy human who screws others over.” Mammon shoots the third-born a glare to stop him from interrupting. “But then ya got some humans going on about bein’ influenced by the devil, or demonic possession.”

“Aww, I haven’t done a possession in so long!” Asmodeus enters the room with a rather woeful expression, dropping a shopping bag onto a table before twirling around, a gleeful grin replacing his pout. “Now, what fascinating discussion are we all having here, hm?”

“About how some humans blame demons for everything bad that happens.” You answer, resting a hand in your chin as you look at the Avatar of Lust with curiosity. “What are your feelings on that, Asmo?”

“My feelings?” He places a hand on his chest, fingers splayed over his heart as a shadow of ire falls on his features. “Ugh, I’d say that humans are totally full of themselves!”

“That’s rich coming from you, Asmo.” Satan rolls his eyes, earning an offended gasp from the fifth-born.

“But it’s natural for me, I mean who wouldn’t be if they had a chance to be me?” Asmodeus perches on the armrest of one of the sofas, one leg crossed over the other. “It’s true, though. I mean, I love playing games with some humans and all, but so much of that is in the past!”

“Asmo, you still try to pull things all the time.” Leviathan huffs, ignoring his younger brother’s sharp look. “You probably aren’t helping.”

“Excuse me, I don’t want to hear that from you, Levi. You’re the one who summons Lotan at the drop of a hat!” Asmodeus waves off the other’s protest, turning to look at you – you, who have just been sitting back and enjoying the conversation unfolding. “Us demons like to feed off all the negative energy that humans can produce, but that’s the thing – a lot of it comes from humans themselves!”

Satan hums in agreement, also fixing his gaze on you now. “For example, we all in this room can sense if you’re feeling a really strong urge in our particular sin and even contribute to it, but we’re the Avatars, and we have pacts. Your average demon out there can tempt all they want, but temptation works best on humans that already have a proclivity to the sin or act in question.”

“And a lot of the lil’ guys you see here, those real low-level demons? They’re manifestations of humans’ sins and negative energy. Meanin’ humans technically made ‘em!” Mammon is sitting up now, adjusting the sunglasses on his head as he leans on one knee. “So really, humans are to blame for those annoyin’ pests.”

“I’m not arguing that.” You nod, remembering learning some of this in classes at RAD. “Well, I’m not really arguing anything, but I didn’t realize you all felt so strongly about this.”

“Don’t get us wrong, we’re used to it. I mean, we’re demons, we have a reputation for a reason.” Leviathan shrugs, his focus going back to his console. “It’s more like a pet peeve.”

“Just like how humans think angels are all innocent and good.” Satan’s words get a round of snickers from the room. “If a human really wants to blame everything bad on us, so be it. But then they only have themselves to blame if we lean into it.”

It’s then that you remember hearing a story about Satan – a time where some human parents got angry and accused him of scaring their child, even though all he had done was return the child’s smile with his own. He ended up traumatizing the humans with his own anger, having them crying and begging on the floor for forgiveness, much to his delight.

You wonder, had those humans even believed in demons before then?

What of your own wrath? Your envy? Your greed? All of those feelings existed in you long before you came to the Devildom, and there were plenty of times you acted on them both then and now. Has it gotten worse since you’ve been here? It was hard to tell, though you did know the brothers’ got rather pleased when you did find yourself having a burst of pride, of desire. Who was feeding off of who?

“I guess,” you muse aloud, “we’re all connected a lot more than we realize.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Satan hummed. “We just like to give humans a little push, now and then. Give them a taste of freedom, of what they want. After that, it’s really up to them what they do. If they choose the path that benefits us, well, we can’t complain.”

“Oh, what humans will do to get what they desire!” Asmodeus dramatically leans off of his perch, putting an arm around your shoulder. He gives you a rather mischievous look, lips curled into a smirk as he turns your chin towards him. “So, tell me, hon – can I tempt you into anything tonight?”

“Get your damn claws off them, Asmo!” Before you can answer, Mammon is already up on his feet and growling at the sight. “You really think you can pull that with all of us here?”

“Y-yeah, you can’t even charm them!” Leviathan voices his envy. “PDA Police!! Stop touching them!”

As the room erupts into familiar and frustrating arguments, you can’t help but feel some mischief swell in your chest – so you raise your voice.

“Why, yes, Asmo. You can tempt me to something tonight. Shall we?”

The brothers fall silent, even Asmodeus staring at you for a moment before his lips split into a fanged grin. “We most certainly shall!”

With a laugh, you find yourself running out of the room hand-in-hand with Asmodeus while the other three yell behind you.

“You little devil,” Asmodeus snickers as he pulls you along, throwing a glance your way.

With a grin, you respond:

“I’m only human.”

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purinfelix · 5 months

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loved the recent trent fic!! you write so well 🤩 would love more trent works w any trope or theme! take this as a formal request :)

oblivious ✮⋆˙

pairing: trent alexander-arnold x reader summary: trent's attempts at making moves on the new media intern keep failing, and he has no idea why, until he enlists his teammates help warnings: none - just two idiots and miscommunication w/c: 2.7k

a/n: thank u sm for the req anon!! hope u enjoy this <33 i feel like i say this with half the stuff i write but istg i did not expect this being this long ... i just love trent sm writing for him seems so easy 😭

Trent felt like he was losing his mind, and it was all your fault.

Of course, he wouldn’t dare say that to your face, because in reality it wasn’t really your fault - he just wanted something else other than the possibility of you not liking him back to blame for why none of his moves seemed to be getting through to you.

It wasn’t your fault that you had shown up for your first day as a media intern, lanyard pass hanging from your neck, in an outfit so cute he felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him when you introduced yourself. It wasn’t your fault either that his hand had trembled when he stretched it out to shake yours. And it definitely wasn’t your fault that, on this first day alone, he had missed 7 whole passes just because his eyes seemed to keep drifting to where you were watching from the sidelines.

He couldn’t blame any of these things, nor the flurry of butterflies that rendered him speechless everytime he caught eye of you, on any fault of your own. But surely, after almost two weeks of unsuccessful attempts to garner your affection, there had to be something other than his own incompetence at play.

First, there had been the training session a couple of days after your first, where he had finally worked up the courage to ask you for your number. Wiping his clammy palms on the back of his shorts, he had tried his best to walk up to you in as casual a way as possible - the last thing he wanted to do was creep you out before you even got to know each other. You had been in the middle of packing away some of the camera equipment you were borrowing, to which he offered to help. An offer you gratefully took up with a smile so charming he had to hold back from telling you he’d do anything you asked him right there and then.

“Hey, you know, I was sort of wondering if,” he sucked in a quick breath of air to calm his nerves, and stop himself from rambling like an idiot, “if I could get your number? You know, in case you wanted to know your way around or if I have any questions about the media plans?”

He attempted to flash his signature smile in order to conceal how nervous he was, and also how horrible both his excuses for needing your number were. Somehow he had decided it would be better to frame it as a casual, business-related request, to minimise the chances of rejection. But it seemed this wouldn’t be enough.

“Oh, well I’ve already been shown around already and if you have any questions you can always contact the main media department! Here, I’ll jot down their number and email for you.” You shot him a warm smile as you bent down to pull a pen and notepad out of your back pocket, whilst Trent just stood there, frozen.

Sure he had left practice with a number but it wasn’t your number, and almost immediately he started coming up with a list of reasons why. Maybe you were trying to be nice, or thought he actually needed help. Maybe he had come on too strongly and scared you off, or perhaps you were already in a relationship. Or maybe, just maybe, you really were uninterested in him and were trying your best to let him down gently. The last was the most painful to accept, but somehow it was the one his mind kept circling back to.

Then, a couple days later, he had somehow managed to rebuild his confidence enough to decide to try to get to know you gradually, naturally, through conversation. Which was what he was attempting to do the entire time the team had been setting up for a photoshoot showing off the new kit with the help of the media crew, and of course, yourself.

But once again, it seemed like luck was not on his side, because every time he tried to talk to you he would get swept away for a makeup check or outfit change or to be asked for his opinion on the damn lighting. All of this he could really care less about, but knowing you were watching on forced a smile on his face as he tried his best to get through all these tedious formalities as quickly as possible, so that he could get to you.

Before he could though, he found himself sat in front of a camera, next to Dominik, trying his best to maintain his composure as he watched you fiddle around behind it. You were trying your best to be helpful, picking things up off the ground and rushing here and there trying not to geek out over actuall getting to witness a photoshoot in real time. It was almost too endearing for Trent to watch, evidenced by the almost goofy looking smile plastered across his face.

“Yes, exactly like that Trent!” he heard the photographer call out, followed by a blinding flash of white light as he took his picture. You looked up at this of course, scurrying over to where he was, and Trent could almost hear his heart beat rising just knowing your eyes were on him. That was all he needed for another swell of confidence to hit him.

“How do I look?” he called out, making sure to look directly at you so that his intentions couldn’t be misconstrued again. This seemed to catch you off guard though, as he watched your eyes shoot open in surprise, stuttering a little before he heard your response.

“You look really good,” you said, and Trent’s smile only grew wider. That was of course, until you continued, “I think the new kit looks great on you guys!” Of course.

From beside him he felt Dominik nudge his side, already sensing his teasing intensions. “Yeah, she said ‘you guys’ so don’t get too cocky now,” his teammate laughed, and Trent only shrugged off his mocking. Instead, he was more focused on you and how earnestly your tone had been that he couldn’t even find it in him to get frustrated with you for not taking his hints. That’s all he seemed to be able to do though, watch you, in the least creepy way possible - an awkward, slightly confused, smile on your face, clearly not understanding what his teammate had said.

And this sort of scenario would only repeat numerous times over the next two weeks - Trent trying his absolute hardest to drop the most obvious hints at your feet only for you to look at them with that adorable gaze and walk off without entertaining them. He had lost count of how many times he had offered to carry your bags or equipment to which you had only responded with something along the lines of “Thanks, but I’ve got it!”, cheery as ever. He had even brought you coffee one morning, which you had accepted gratefully - and when taking it from him the graze of your fingers across his was enough to make him flustered. However, you clearly hadn’t noticed that he had written his own number on the napkin wrapped around it, which he watched you crumple up and toss away without a second glance.

Small talk was far from his strong point but he had tried time and time again to start up conversations with you, which offered him some peek into your persona, but never enough before he was interrupted by the coach yelling at him to get back to practice or a teammate, clueless to his mission. Even so, if it weren’t for these tiny interactions with you he might’ve given up by now, but each one, drip-fed to him like a tired hamster running on a wheel, only made him more desperate to get closer to you. But he was just about to lose it.

After yet another practice session, which proved that he was getting slightly better at passing whilst under your watch, but not any better at talking to you, he had trudged his way into the lockeroom.

“It’s no use!” he sighed, slumping down on the nearest bench as if his frustration was taking a physical toll on him.

“Oh cheer up Trent,” Robertson chided as swung an arm around the right-back’s shoulder, “I’m sure some day you’ll be able to match my pace.”

“Lay off him Robbo,” Dominik laughed from the other side of the lockeroom, “it’s clearly not that. He’s been trying to get with that new media intern but they keep dodging all his passes.”

“Funny football pun,” Virgil chimed in, clearly amused by this mention of gossip.

“Oh you can’t be serious,” Robertson said, turning to Trent, “That’s what you’ve been doing? I was wondering what had gotten into you when you kept trying to talk to them and offering to hold all their stuff.”

“Look, even you lot have noticed it! So either they’re ignoring all my hints or they’re just straight up disinterested.” Trent huffed, unaware of his teammates looking on with slightly amused pity.

“I don’t think it’s either of thoes Trent,” Virgil hummed, “I mean, have you actually told them you’re interested in them? Directly, without trying to be vague or suave or anything.”

A beat of silence aside from the whirring of the cogs in Trent’s mind.

“... No.”

“Sounds to me like you just need to get them alone so that they’ll actually hear you out once you do tell them directly. Seems like you need some help from ol’ Robbo hey?” Robertson gestured to himself, smiling goofily.

“Yeah because you’re such the lady killer,” Dominik snickered, ignoring his teammate’s offended scoff before adding “Don’t worry Trent, we’ll all pitch in, it won’t just be Robbo.”

“Thanks guys,” Trent sighed, too tired to question whether he was making the right decision or not.

Although maybe it would’ve been worth rethinking his decision to let his teammates ‘help him out’ for a little longer. Because now, as he stood alone in one of the meeting rooms in the club building, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a bad choice. For the past five minutes he had been pacing anxiously up and down the length of the room, nothing but the hum of the ventilator and a few chairs laying askew to keep him company.

Honestly, he had had a bad feeling about this ever since Robertson had told him to wait in the meeting room after practice, without any further explanation. Ever since their talk the previous day he had been revising the words he was going to tell you, as directly and clearly as possible to make sure that he didn’t mess up what he saw as his last shot. His adrenaline was still pumping high from the training session, and he really should’ve showered before coming here because now the paranoia of smelling bad was just another addition to his endless list of concerns.

Suddenly though, he heard the creak of a door behind him. Whipping his head around he locked eyes with you as you slowly creeped out from behind it, somehow looking more lost and confused than he was.

“Hi,” he heard himself croak out, feeling all the words he had prepared hitch awkwardly in his throat.

“Hey,” you responded, voice charming as ever as you walked over to where he stood - face showing a slightly embarrassed expression at having caught him in the middle of what seemed like an awkward solo pacing session. “Robertson told me I was supposed to come to the meeting room, I’m not in trouble or anything am I?”

Trent made a mental note to tell Robbo off later solely for having made you worry, but that would soon be lost under the sweeping realisation that the two of you were alone. Albeit, in one of the least romantic places possible, but alone nonetheless.

“Oh- Well-” this realisation had only seemed to turn him into a babbling idiot. “It’s not that- You’re not in trouble, don’t worry. He probably only told you that because I wanted to talk to you.”

The sigh of relief you had been letting out was cut short as your eyes flicked back up to him, eyebrows raised in curiosity. “Oh? What about?”

He swallowed hard, this was it. With fists clenched he sucked in a quick, but deep breath, trying not to let the fact that you were standing mere steps away looking so effortlessly adorable, distract him.

“I was wondering if-” he could hear his internal voice cheering him on - C’mon mate.

“-maybe you wanted to-” Spit it out.

“- go get a coffee sometime?” Not exactly, but good enough

“A coffee?” you perked up at this, and your smile alone was enough to relieve the nerves that had been building in his chest ever since you had entered the room, “I’d love to!”

Oh thank f-

“I mean, that sounds like a great idea for team bonding! We could invite all the guys and then the media team could get some great shots out of it and-”

Relief truly is short lived.

“No- like just us. Like, as a date.”

Both of you seemed to be shocked when Trent said this. You, for obvious reasons, stood there, mouth slightly agape with your eyes widened. Trent, on the other hand, was surprised at how quickly and firmly he had said it, but considering that it was the accumulation of over two weeks of frustration, he wasn’t that surprised. Instead, he just watched you silently piece everything that he had done over these two weeks together. The smiles, the small talk, the coffee. All of these had been more than just friendly gestures, even if it had taken you this long to figure it out.

“Like, as a date,” you echoed his words quietly, in disbelief almost, and he could only nod shakily in confirmation. “I’d love to.”

Trent felt his heart swell, threatening to burst out of his chest, upon finally hearing your sweet response to the question that had been on the tip of his tongue ever since laying eyes on you. And he made this as evident as possible, letting out a loud sigh as all the nerves and stress that had been building up, finally left him, and were replaced by a much more pleasant feeling.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that,” he said through thankful laughter, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re, like, really oblivious?”

“I may have heard that once, or twice,” you admitted sheepishly, unable to hold back from sharing his laughter. Suddenly though, a buzzing from your pocket cut through the moment, causing you to whip out your phone and scan it quickly.

“Uh, damn, it’s getting late, I should go.” You were already spinning to head out the door, before you were stopped.

“Wait!” Trent made his way over to you quickly, almost desperate in his movements not to let this last chance slip away once he had finally made something of it, “Do you think I could have your number? You know, to text you the details for coffee.”

“Oh! Of course,” you laughed at your own stupidity for not realising this sooner, quickly pulling out the same notepad you had used almost two weeks ago, only this time using it to jot down your own number. As you handed it to him, your fingers lingered in his palm for a second, barely noticeable but enough to send a signal to him, one that said you felt the same, and had been for the past two weeks despite your inability to express this.

You headed for the door, waving him a goodbye before shooting him a quick, playful smile. “See you, Trent!” you called out before disappearing down the hallway.

Trent just stood there, slightly in shock, but more so in a haze of elation, an almost embarrassingly wide smile finding itself across his face. To think the tiny slip of paper he was holding was the result of over two weeks of continuous, frustratingly tedious effort, much of it failing, was sort of embarrassing. But, thinking about this only made him cherish it all the more, as he held it close to his chest, smiling to himself.

#trent alexander arnold #trent alexander arnold x you #trent alexander arnold x reader #trent alexander arnold fluff #trent alexander arnold fic #football fanfic #football fluff #fanfic #football #liverpool fc #lfc #purinfelix #jet writes ★#jet answers ✧

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strawb3rryscorpio · 7 months

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Saw your recent post saw a Dominic fike tag maybe dating headcannons?

𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒:

most romantic mf on the planet. i mean weekly date nights, flowers and gifts at random times. he insists he does all that because he wants to make up for the time he spends in the studio and you really can’t complain with 2k hanging from your neck

pet names!!!!! and from the both of you. you will almost never call each other by your actual name. also it’s literally anything from babe, baby, love, sweetheart, honey.

backtracking to date nights. if it’s something more casual, you will catch a movie and then go out for dinner or you’ll walk around town and window shop. if it’s something formal though, you’ll get dressed up and eat out at a fancy restaurant and then explore the area afterwards talking about anything and everything.

he would get you to listen to his new music before anyone else would. and in all honesty he only really considers and trusts your opinion on what he should release.

you would be his number one supporter no matter what project he was working on. you’d attend as many shows as possible and watch from backstage or even in front of barricade, sometimes. you’d also go to visit him on set if he was filming something, which he’d really enjoy.

while on the topic of music, he is definitely the master of writing tacky songs and then playing then on the guitar you both know it’s cringey but deep down you absolutely love it.

like he’ll notice you being down one day and he’ll tell you to give him five minutes, and before you know it, he’s back and singing some lyrics about how beautiful you are and how he hates when you’re down.

dumb arguments about dumb things are a give. whether it’s about a missing sweater or who has to do the dishes. no matter what though, he will be the first to apologize. (he’s for that princess treatment)

he’s also pretty jealous but it’s like he’s execute it in a toxic or harmful way. he knows his limits and he knows he trusts you but sometimes he cannot help but start imaginary beef with any man that makes conversation with you.

you’d be the IT couple at every event with your matching outfits every time!!! anytime you attend an event together the pictures end up blowing up on social media.

you’d be everyone’s favourite/comfort couple. every time you post some dumb tiktok with him, it’ll end up going viral with tons of likes and comments.

he’s very clingy and i stand by that. your doing laundry? he’s following you around. at an event? he’s trailing behind you. even to the bathroom. you’re running errands? he’s up and ready to go.

you’d assume the clinginess would get annoying at times, but you absolutely love it.

enjoying the most mundane activities together. like folding laundry, cooking, and doing your skincare.

he’s is 100% the type to say that a moment is cute out loud and ruin the moment. it makes you laugh out loud every time he does it.

you’ll be sitting out on the balcony smoking a joint and he’ll say something around the lines of, ‘this is like out of a movie’. you’ll laugh but you agree. ‘dom, when you say it out loud, it ruins it!’

while on the topic of smoking, you guys spend every saturday night out on the balcony smoking a joint or hitting a bong and just talking about random shit and giggling the entire time.

posting each other all the time. he’s always posting cute pictures of you on his story and feed and you’ll post cute pictures of you two together.

his family would absolutely adore you. you’d spend girls day with his little sister quite often. you and his mom would call each other often and talk about anything.

he’s really sensitive even though he might not seem like it. you always watch him closely at events or even during nights out with friends to see if anything is bothering him or if someone’s pissing him off. to you, he’s very easy to read and you know exactly what to do.

you are also so open with each other about every little thing. you’re the definitely the couple that tells each other the tiniest little details about your day. you’ll get texts from each other like ‘just ate an apple’, ‘i put chia seeds in my smoothie’. and just cute things like that.

bomb. ass. sex. do i even need to elaborate??? it’s just so good and keeps you both happy and the relationship super healthy.

super touchy too!! throughout the day he has to have a hand on your boob, thigh, over your shoulder, or on your hip. literally anywhere at all times.

being the ushy gushiest couple ever !!!

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h speaks🪽: i am obviously speaking from experience. i hope you enjoyed and be sure to request anything you’d like!!! appreciate anyone who reads my work it means a lot 💝

#dominic fike #imagine #dominic fike x reader #fanfiction #euphoria #headcanon #sunburn #dontstareatthesun #dominic #writer #euphoria x fem!reader #elliot #elliot x y/n #elliot euphoria #elliothbo

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remlionheart · 1 month

Text

Sex, Money, Feelings, Die (part two)

* ˚ ✦ MDNI ✦˚ *

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ask and you shall receive ~ you guys wanted more, so here it is! 𓆩♡𓆪 thank u so much for all the love on this ♡ i didn't expect my first shot at Chuuya to gain so much traction but i'm really glad it did (he's just soooo ♡‿♡ u know?) hope you like a good slowburn bc buckle up, heavy "we shouldn't be doing this" vibes, Chuuya would honestly be the most arrogant yet easy to break dom because of how badly he wants to please you and you can't convince me otherwise, porn with a plot, 5.6k words. this fic once again had me swooning and gnawing at the bars of my enclosure writing it so pls lemme know whatcha think, also big shoutout to @bratbby333 for helping me edit this ღ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ♡ here's part one if you're new here ♡

You stared at yourself in the bathroom mirror with a sigh, tugging at the neck of your shirt. It was late August, 90 degrees outside, and you were on day three of wearing a turtleneck.

You felt like you were attending a funeral in your black top, black heels, and black tennis skirt - but it was all you had left. You'd already worn your other patterned and pleated options earlier in the week. Already paired each stifling hot sweater with the nicest necklaces you had to make them look more business casual than walk-of-shame.

But no matter how nonchalant you'd tried to seem about your sudden change in wardrobe, it was impossible to ignore the curious stares you'd been getting. The suspicious glances from Akutagawa who just a few days ago could barely even look in your direction without tripping over his own feet. There was a palpable sense of skepticism that followed you and it only seemed to get worse with each high-collared shirt you wore.

You let out another sharp exhale, surveying yourself one last time before heading back to your office. You were busy trying to decide on which expletive you were going to spend the next 7 hours cross-stitching when you rounded the corner, a sudden rush of warmth spreading across your face as a pair of cerulean eyes locked with yours.

Out of all the looks you'd gotten recently, his were by far the hardest to avoid.

Time seemed to slow as you passed him. A subtle but taunting smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth while he continued his conversation with Mori. Something about his upcoming assignment in Osaka and how it'd require him to be gone for at least two weeks.

You disappeared into your office, closing the door behind you as you took a seat and diligently began working on a new project.

Your thread kit had become invaluable over the last few days. It wasn't just a way to pass time anymore - it was an escape. A tool you used to steer your thoughts away from the one place that they kept relentlessly trying to wander back to.

Since the announcement of his solo mission, there'd hardly been a chance for you to see Chuuya outside of the lingering glances you'd exchange in passing. Mori had been keeping close tabs on him, constantly barging in and out of his office to go over the details of his assignment. You tried to remind yourself that it was probably for the best. That the safest thing you could do was keep what had happened between the two of you a onetime fling and nothing more.

It hadn't mattered in the moment how careless you'd both been when you assumed that you'd never see him again, but now that your time here had been extended, you were quickly realizing how critical it was to keep your wits about you. Up until arriving at Port Mafia, you'd barely been skating by. Living off of a dwindling savings account and more often than not having to choose between dinner or rent.

The first check you received from Mori alone was more than you made all of last year working as a barista. You knew that this sort of opportunity would never come again. That it was absolutely fleeting and subject to change at any given moment, but that's what made keeping it for as long as you could so important. The money you were making now would put you through college. It would grant you a future that didn't involve debt. A sense of stability that you never would've had otherwise.

You had no choice but to lay low, for real this time.

You moved your tapestry needle with ease, adding small, strategically placed hearts around the words, "choke me" as you stretched out your legs with a yawn.

The coffee they had here wasn't nearly as good as the coffee you'd usually get from the cafe down the street, but you decided it was better than nothing as you set your cross-stitch pad on your desk and ventured down the hallway.

For as dangerous as this place was, there was still an odd allure of normalcy about it. There were mundane things like work meetings and fax machines and a breakroom that stayed stocked with beverages and snacks. If it weren't for the people that worked here, this truly would be just another business building in downtown Yokohama.

Your suede pumps tapped against the tile as you entered the breakroom, grabbing a k-cup out of the drawer and popping it into the machine before walking over to the cabinet. Despite the three-inch heels you were wearing, you still had to resort to using your tiptoes to reach the mug you wanted.

Your waist leaned into the counter, your arm reaching as high as it could go when your entire body suddenly froze.

You felt him before you heard him, a pair of gloved hands stealthily gripping around your hips. He rested his head on your shoulder, his breath sending chills along your skin as it broke through the barrier of your shirt and danced across the nape of your neck. He pulled you in closer, your ass meeting the firmness of his growing bulge while his palm slowly drifted up past your skirt and brushed against your inner thigh.

"You know you can't ignore me forever, right?" It was posed as a question but held the weight of a threat with the tantalizing way he touched you.

Your pulse raced, heat gathering at your center as he began to toy with the lacy outline of your underwear. His fingers were dangerously close to where you wanted them and where you knew they shouldn't be. Where they couldn't be if you wanted to stay here.

It was cruel irony that just last week it had been him who was trying so hard to keep himself together and now you were somehow the one struggling to maintain your composure. Failing to stop yourself from arching your back against him. Nearly whining when he abruptly pulled away from you and disappeared without another word.

You swallowed hard, looking down at yourself while you straightened out the hem of your skirt, your body still aching from the disappearance of his touch. It was only then that you realized just how fitting your outfit for today actually was.

You were attending a funeral, mourning the loss of your dignity that had died so easily at the hands of Chuuya Nakahara.

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Two days had passed since your run-in with the redhead and you'd barely seen him since. You knew he was set to leave for Osaka tomorrow morning from the conversations you'd overheard while wandering the hall and you knew he wasn’t looking forward to it.

Maybe it would've been easier to not care about what he was doing if you weren't forced to be here every day, but there was no such thing as a break when working for Port Mafia. No weekends. No time off. Even as arguably their most useless member, you were still expected to show up day in and day out without complaint.

You didn't like to admit it, but his assignment had been weighing on you since you'd first found out about it. You didn't understand why he was being asked to go alone. Why he'd have to be there for two weeks. Why you even cared to begin with.

It'd been bleeding into everything you touched, your embroidery going from mindless patterns to things you couldn't possibly bring yourself to say out loud.

Your fingers moved with precision, adding dainty purple flowers around the words "please be safe" when the landline on your desk let out a shrill, unexpected ring.

You paused, staring at the phone with hesitant curiosity. You'd assumed up until now that it was a decorative prop. A piece of outdated technology to help add to the illusion that you had a real office rather than just an empty room to keep hidden away in for 9 hours. You were floored that it actually worked.

On the fourth ring, you finally caved, answering it with a reluctant, "Hello...?"

"You'd make a terrible receptionist, y'know that?"

You hated the smile that crept across your face as you twirled the phone cord around your index finger. "Don't you have anything better to do besides bother the help?"

"Nah, not really." You could hear the smirk in his voice. "Mori's finally out of my hair for a bit. Somethin' about needing to go check the status of one of our bases out in Tokyo so he should be gone the rest of the day."

"Hmm," You hummed, still fidgeting with the tangled wire. "Guess you'll have plenty of time to clean your office before you leave then."

He let out a semblance of a laugh, his tone still riddled with salacious arrogance as he said, "Get your ass in here." and hung up.

You drew in a shallow breath, mentally kicking yourself yet again for how little self-control you had as you stood up and made your way down the hall. Your skin had just healed from the marks he'd left on you and here you were, flirting with the possibility of getting more.

The door opened seconds after you'd knocked, a set of narrowed blue eyes and tousled red hair greeting you as you stepped into his dimly lit workplace.

You took a seat on the leather couch he had in the corner of the room, pretending not to notice as he locked the door behind you.

"Does Mori not pay you enough to have more than one lamp in here?"

He stood in front of you with his arms folded over his chest, a cocky grin breaking through his nonchalant demeanor. “Sorry, where does he have you working again? That tiny ass room that used to be the broom closet? Yeah, I bet the fluorescent lighting is way better in there.”

You bit back your own dumb smile, rolling your eyes as you crossed one leg over the other. "Did you drag me in here to just insult me or do you actually need something?"

"Depends, do you like being insulted?"

You could feel your body betray you, a telling shade of pink decorating your cheeks as you averted your gaze from his.

"Really?"

You didn't have to look at him to know how much it’d piqued his interest.

"Why are you going to Osaka?" You asked, eager to change the subject.

There was a subtle wave of seriousness that washed over him. His voice losing its playful edge as he rolled his shoulders with a sigh. "I can't really go into too much detail without making you a liability. The less you know about the shit that goes on around here, the better."

Your mouth open and then closed, the objection you had lined up dying on the tip of your tongue as you quietly nodded back at him. Even if you didn't want to accept his answer, you knew he was right.

"Aw, don't tell me you're actually worried about me?" He tilted his head at you, his stare softening when he caught the sincerity in your eyes as you looked back at him. "I'll be fine. Trust me, compared to the other missions I've had to go on, this is nothin'."

You had no choice but to trust him, you knew he was blunt enough to tell you the truth and if he wasn't stressed about leaving, then you couldn't be either. As easy as it was to forget, he wasn't just another member of Port Mafia, he was an executive. There was no way Mori would send him alone if he didn't think it was something he could handle.

"Honestly, I'm more worried about you." He said, breaking your train of thought by nudging your leg with his foot. "What're you gonna do for two whole weeks while I'm gone?"

You buried the rest of your concern with a shrug, uncrossing your legs as you shot him a small smile. "I don't know. Guess I'll have to start fooling around with Akutagawa to pass the time."

He nearly snorted he laughed so hard.

"What? You don't think I could have him if I wanted to?” It was infuriating how easy it was to banter back and forth with him like this. How effortless it was for you to both volley off one another without missing a beat.

He shook his head, trying not to burst into laughter again from the thought of you and his perpetually flustered coworker. "Nah, you could. Just think you'd be disappointed is all. Akutagawa wouldn't know what the fuck to do with a girl like you."

There was something about the way he said it that made the blood dance in your veins.

"Fine." You pressed, still wearing the same slight smile. "Tachihara then."

It was becoming a real problem, the way you loved toying with him as much as he loved toying with you.

"He wouldn't."

"I bet he would."

He bent down to become eye-level with you, butterflies flooding your stomach as he reached out to rest his hand under your chin, a gentle but firm grasp holding you in place. "You can try," he said, his thumb lightly dragging across your bottom lip. "But I don't think you'll have much luck."

"Why?" It was barely a whisper let alone an actual question.

You knew him well enough to know where this was more than likely going, but there was a depraved part of you that wanted to hear him say it. Needed to hear him say it.

"'Cause," His eyes glazed over as he leaned in, closing the already small gap between you so that you were forced to share the same breath. "Tachihara isn't dumb enough to touch things that belong to me."

Your heart was threatening to beat straight out of your chest. A week's worth of pent-up arousal nearly dripping onto his couch as you looked back at him without the faintest bit of restraint left in you.

All of the reasons why you'd been trying so hard to stay away from him suddenly held no real merit. They were lost to his touch. Completely eviscerated the moment his lips finally caught yours and his tongue swirled against you with the same tender urgency you'd been daydreaming about for the last five days. The future didn’t seem so pressing when the present was this heavenly.

Your legs parted without him having to ask, inviting his body to come between them while your hands travelled to the back of his neck. Desperate fingertips sinking into his skin in a feverish attempt to somehow pull him even closer.

"'Take it you're finally done ignorin' me?"

You nodded as you watched him push your skirt up, briefly pausing to take his gloves off with the same toothy method he’d used the last time you were in his office. You could tell it was a seldom act for him. Something he had to consciously remind himself to do, but only when he was with you.

"Good."

His mouth attentively returned back to yours, calloused but gentle fingers digging into the softness of your thigh while his thumb swiped your underwear to the side, granting him access to your weakest point.

"Fuck," he groaned, drawing light circles against you, reveling in the way your hips thrusted up for more.

As eager for a challenge as he was, he secretly loved how easy you were to please. How little it took to rob you of your composure and have your legs shaking around him. How pitiful you looked from only two of his digits slipping in and out of you. How your pupils would dilate in this delirious way each time he went deeper, but how you were still submissive enough to never break eye contact no matter how much you writhed and squirmed beneath him.

"Chuuya -"

"What is it baby?"

He could feel how close you were. Knew it wouldn't take much more to have you soaking him, but he couldn't leave for two weeks without making you cum on more than just his fingers. He needed to know what your walls felt like wrapped around him. What absolutely fucking dazed out noises you would make once he was inside of you.

He undid his belt with his freehand, not letting up on you as you grabbed onto the collar of his shirt.

"Fuck, yes. P - please." You whimpered, watching him stroke himself as he carefully lined up with your center. "Please, Chuuya, ohmygod, please."

"Jesus Christ." He choked out, reeling in how pretty you sounded begging for him. Almost not being able to stop himself as he watched you come completely undone, still pleading for his dick.

He moaned against you, forehead pressed to yours as he finally found the willpower to pull his fingers out of you. His tip had just barely made it past your entrance when a loud knock brought both of you to an insanely cruel and abrupt pause.

His hand flew over your mouth, fire flickering across his blue eyes as he drew in a sharp breath.

"What?" he called out through gritted teeth.

"Plan's changed." It was Tachihara. "Mori's back. He wants you to leave now instead of tomorrow."

"Now?" The anger in his voice was palpable. "Like, right now?"

"Yeah, he's waiting in the jet."

"You can't be fuckin' serious." He grumbled, a pained expression taking hold of him as he looked back down at you, removing his hand from your mouth.

"Gimme a minute." He yelled, silently trying to ration what he was supposed to do with your body still splayed so beautifully under his.

He wanted to fuck you. God damn, he wanted to ignore everything else in the entire world and fuck you into oblivion at this point, but he knew it wouldn't be fair to either of you to have to rush through it or be stressed about the fact that someone might barge in at any second.

It needed to be the right time because you both deserved it. Especially with how many mutual pent-up emotions there now were between you.

Pulling out of you was torture, but he didn't have a choice.

You could've cried, your heart and pussy both grieving the loss of something they'd never even had.

"I swear," He said, forehead back against yours, "As soon as I get back, it's me and you, okay?"

You nodded, doing your best to swallow down your emotions.

"Okay." You finally agreed, eyes still locked with his, a faint smile poking through your frustration. "But if you're not back in two weeks, don't be surprised when you see me and Akutagawa holding hands in the hallway."

He let out a half-hearted laugh as his lips met yours, kissing you in a way that he hadn't before. Soft, lingering... affectionate.

"Hey," you whispered seriously this time, "Please be safe."

"Promise."

And with that, you began redoing the buttons on your blouse and smoothing down your skirt while you watched him grab a jacket out of his armoire, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of the pocket.

"You smoke?"

"Only when I really need one."

He shot you a wink, wrapping his arm around your waist as he walked you out of his office, not caring at all who saw.

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You knew it would be awkward without him around, but you hadn't anticipated just how slow the next week would go by. You were tired. Out of ideas for cross-stitch patterns and nearly positive that your curled fingers weren't capable of creating anything else even if you wanted to.

You read manga to keep yourself busy. Looked up recipes on your phone. Took naps at your desk that left kinks in your neck. Called your friends from back home, trying to keep the conversation going long after there was nothing left to say. You were bored. Grateful to still be here, but ready for a day off that you knew wouldn't come.

The check you received on Friday was enough of a reason to stay though. It made the long days of staring at a wall worth it. You reminded yourself again and again that there would never be another job like this. That you might actually miss it one day.

You had no idea, however, just how quickly that day would actually come until you were rounding the corner back to your office and ran into Kyoto. She was the same peach-haired woman who had recruited you from the bar, only she was standing with a fresh face. A girl who looked to be about your age with big brown eyes, flowy blonde hair, and a skirt that was somehow even shorter than yours.

When you had first started, they'd told you that there would be other 'administrative assistants' coming eventually, but you'd almost forgotten about it until now.

Your eyes drifted from her to Kyoto, thinking there was surely no way you'd both be expected to share the same office with how small it was.

You started to extend a hand out to the blonde, ready to introduce yourself when you were promptly cut off by Kyoto.

"Your time here is up." She said curtly. "If there's anything you need to get out of your workstation, I suggest you do it now."

A vicious mix of anger and embarrassment churned in your stomach. "My time here is up?" You repeated blankly. "Why?"

"Mori's decided you're a distraction." She shot you a pointed look. "Especially to that of Nakahara. Now, get your things before I have you escorted out."

Your ears were ringing, your vision blurred by tears at how cold and sterile this all felt.

You went into your office for the last time, grabbing the thread kit and books out of your drawer as you made your way down the hall, looking back to see your replacement excitedly taking over the spot that was once yours.

Goodbye college, goodbye easy money, goodbye Chuuya.

You were able to hold yourself together on the train ride home and on the walk back, but the minute you made it into your apartment and closed the door behind you, everything all spilled out at once. Your crafts and manga falling from your hands as you sank down to the floor and sobbed.

You thought nothing could've been as mortifying as your first day with Port Mafia, but your last day had proved to be far worse. You were right back at square one and it felt terrible.

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The next few days were a blur of filling out online job applications and revamping your resume. You'd hardly eaten. Hardly showered. Hardly done anything that involved getting out of bed.

It was Sunday and rent was due tomorrow. You'd done the math in your head - you had enough money in your savings account to live here comfortably for the next three months without any additional income. If you really pushed yourself and lived uncomfortably, you could probably even skate by for four.

But no matter how much you tried to remind yourself that there was time, you still couldn't shake the feeling of failure that you'd been left with. If you'd been fired for other reasons, it might not have hurt as bad, but the fact that it really was your fault haunted you.

You took a breath, looking over yourself in the bathroom mirror. A combination of three-day old clothes and a knotted side-bun staring back at you. You decided if you were going to continue to sulk, you could at least do it in some fresh pajamas and washed hair.

The hot water felt good beading across your skin as you scrubbed off the grime and regret that had been stuck on you since the day you’d been let go. The air filling with the smell of vanilla as you exfoliated your legs and ran a conditioning treatment through your tangled locks.

You still didn't feel great, but you felt better and that was a start.

You threw on a white tank-top with a pair of oversized grey sweatpants, running a brush through your hair when you heard the buzz of your doorbell. You froze, looking down at your phone to see the time 11:11 flash across your screen.

You hadn't had a visitor since you'd moved here, let alone had someone stop by at almost midnight.

Your footsteps were light as you crept down your hallway, cautiously peeking through the slit in your door watching him impatiently ring the buzzer again, running a hand along the back of his neck while he waited.

"Chuuya?"

"You'd make a terrible doorman, y'know that?"

It was the first time you'd laughed in the last six days, your arms wrapping around him before you even had the chance to think about what you were doing.

He didn't seem to mind though, his hands locking around your waist as you both pulled each other closer. "How did you -" Your thoughts were everywhere. "How did you find my address?"

He let out a slight laugh, his breath fanning across your neck. “I told you it'd be me and you when I got back.”

There was something so sincere about the way he said it. Something so overwhelming about the way he was looking at you. Out of all the things you'd lost recently, you were incredibly thankful he wasn't one of them.

You let him in, locking the door as he followed you down the hall.

“Sorry," you said sheepishly, realizing that you were about to bring him into the messiest part of your apartment. "It's not always like this."

He took a moment to look over your bedroom. The thumb-tacked pictures of you and your friends that decorated the space above your bed. The string lights and cloud-patterned tapestry adorning the walls. The matching baby-pink sheets and comforter set.

It looked like you. It smelled like you. And no matter how many clothes there might've been scattered across the floor or mugs piled up on your nightstand, it was still way cozier than the hotels he'd been staying at over the last two weeks.

"Looks fine to me." He shrugged, taking off his jacket and tossing it onto a velvet chair next to your dresser. "How've things been since I've been gone?" he asked, taking a seat next to you on the bed with a small smirk. "You and Akutagawa official yet?"

Your eyebrows furrowed as you stared back at him, "Mori didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I, um..." Your gaze was suddenly on the hem of your shirt as you began to fidget with it instead of looking at him. "I got fired."

"Mori fired you?" There was a sobering sharpness to his voice as he repeated it. "For what?"

You knew he'd find out one way or another, but it was still embarrassing having to relive your conversation with Kyoto. "For 'being a distraction.'" you sighed, your eyes hesitantly dragging up to his. "To you."

There was a brief moment of silence and then, a laugh.

“Huh,” he mused. “Well they're gonna be in for a real fuckin' surprise when you come in tomorrow then.”

You shook your head at him in quiet confusion. "Chuuya, I can't just show back up. Kyoto threatened to have me escorted out when I took more than five minutes to get my stuff out of my office."

His brow arched in a way that made your heart skip a beat.

"Did she?" The question was somehow calm despite the scornful undertone it carried. "Well," he breathed, gently tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. "She's gonna really hate it when the entire building has to hear me fucking you. Every. Single. Day."

A sudden warmth washed over you, beginning at your cheeks and ending at your core as you blinked back at him cluelessly. "What are you talking about?"

"You're gonna be my personal assistant." The smirk he was wearing was lethal. "And I'll pay you more than that asshole ever did. Weekends off. Full benefits. Alla that."

"Are you -" He'd never lied to you before and you weren't sure why he'd start now, but you were struggling to wrap your mind around the fact that you'd just gone from being unemployed to promoted in a matter of minutes. "Are you serious?"

"Well yeah," He said simply, his grin softening a bit. "I mean, who else is gonna clean my office before I go on trips?"

You both smiled this time before your lips were immediately back on his. Eager, unreserved, bliss.

He fell back into the bed with you on top of him, his hands gliding along your curves while you straddled him. The flimsy straps of your tank-top slipping down your arms as you hovered over him, kissing and nipping at his neck.

He didn't care if you left marks on him. Didn't care if he showed up tomorrow smelling like your perfume with blatantly obvious bites covering his collarbone. He wanted everyone to know if they didn't already. Wanted them to stare and whisper and drop fucking dead at the sight of the two of you walking in together. It made him feral just thinking about it.

Your hips were rocking against him, your center aligned perfectly with his as you moaned at the friction your movements were creating. You could feel him growing hard beneath you, his fingers tugging at the waistband of your sweats.

"Here." he said in-between breaths, helping you out of them and tossing them onto the floor.

You started to pick up where you left off, but he stopped you, swiftly undoing his belt and adding his pants and boxers into the sea of discarded clothing too. You hadn't even been able to see it until now. Hadn't been able to fully appreciate the length and fucking girth of his cock up until this very moment.

You left another kiss on his neck and then on his chest and then on his torso, meticulously leaving them all over while making your descent down to the one place you so desperately wanted to be.

He watched you with wide eyes, your hand wrapping perfectly around him as you looked up and slowly ran your tongue along the side of his base.

"Fuuuck." His voice was heady, his hands tangling into your hair as you made your way up to his tip.

You opened your mouth wider, almost wondering how it was going to fit, but you managed. Taking him inch by inch, going down further each time until you developed a steady rhythm.

You understood why he liked going down on you so much. The noises he was making were gorgeous. Groaning out sweet little nothings the faster you went. "Doin' so fucking good for me, baby." "God, you're so pretty, y'know that?"

You kept one hand on him, gliding him in out of your mouth as the other trailed down to your clit. Feeling your own slick between your fingers only made you all the more blitzed out. You were sucking and moaning and watching him stare down at you like you had put the stars in the sky as you fingered yourself while somehow still staying focused on him.

"C'mere." It was the first coherent thing he'd said since your tongue had so lavishly graced him.

He gave your hair a gentle tug, pulling you back up so that you were almost sitting on top of him.

"I need to feel you so fuckin' bad, you have no idea." he breathed, lining himself up with you, feeling how wet you were before you'd even lowered yourself onto him.

His hands rested on your hips, your grip back around his base as you centered yourself over him.

It’d been so much just to take in your mouth, you were almost afraid of how bad this would hurt, but he was aware of his size. Letting you go at your own pace as he helped keep you steady.

The stretch he provided you with from the first couple of inches alone was noticeable, but heavenly. Your eyebrows knitting together as you looked back at him. A dazed, poutiness taking over you the further down you went.

You took him in deeper and deeper until finally, you were fully riding him.

"There you go, fuck - just like that."

He watched your head lull back, your hand reaching for his as you continued to grind against him. Both of you losing control as he began to thrust into you.

Your eyes went wide, his name echoing across the room while your walls spasmed around him.

"Sucha good girl."

His praises only made you go faster, one of your hands still locked around his and the other now palming at your chest. Squeezing your nipple between your index and ring finger as you looked back down at him. "Chuuya - 'm -"

It was hard to tell where his moans stopped and yours began, the carnal sounds synchronizing the deeper he plunged into you.

He felt another clench, and then, he was suddenly drowning in you. Completely unable to hold himself together anymore as you soaked him.

"Cum inside me." you whimpered, "Please, Chuuya. I wanna feel it. Please, please - fuck, baby, please.”

It didn't take you begging to convince him, but it certainly made it happen faster.

His ocean eyes rolled back as he thrusted into you, absolutely enamored by the sounds you were making. The way you were pleading and pouting as he filled you.

It somehow made every daydream he’d had about you seem lackluster in comparison. You were beautiful you were his.

You both stilled for a moment, trying to catch your breath before looking back at each other with the same exhausted smile.

He pulled out of you slowly, letting you collapse onto his chest as he ran light fingers through your hair. "You should probably set an alarm for tomorrow." He exhaled. "I heard your new boss is a real asshole."

"Oh yeah," You mused, leaning up so that your lips were ghosting his. "He's the worst."

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#chuuya smut #bsd smut #chuuya nakahara #chuuya nakahara x reader #chuuya x reader #bsd chuuya #soukoku #rem writes

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soraviie · 1 year

Text

you assume it's unrequited.txt

━ type: bts x gn! reader ━ navigation

━ about: largely angst, some fluff; reader has a crush but thinks that it's one-sided — it's not

━ pictures taken from Pinterest

━ read the continuation in "pining for you.txt"

━ leave behind a comment or I'll stab you with chopsticks

NAMJOON | The routine itself is quite simple. The rules to be observed are only five — it leaves enough leeway to mold oneself should problematic situations arise.

Rule no. 5: don't accept any gifts.

It's the fact of nature really — humans love gifts. Like corvids, people adored their shiny little trinkets and it is a well-known fact that giving someone something makes them feel special. Adored. But since you couldn't be either of those things, it helped to cut any straying thoughts right in the bud. Hence when he offers to get a cup of coffee from the aggravatingly chique brewery across the street you decline and make a quick stage left.

Which conveniently segways to rule no. 4.

Rule no. 4: no lingering around.

The job is thankful in that way — there's always something to do. Whenever you see his silhouette from the corner of the eye which is not exactly hard — he is big — you flee to safety. If he somehow manages to round the exact same hallway you're in and tosses a hand into the air in lieu of a greeting whilst handing out one of those unfairly charming, dimpled smiles, you follow the rule and as such return a simple nod of recognition, hastily heading the other way.

Should he enter the same room, you're quick to grab anything near and dig deep into a dark corner where inevitably you grow invisible. It's a big company — there's always spaces to hide and you're just another nobody.

Safe to say you never pass him messages or even go near his studio. That can be left to your colleagues who are far more enthusiastic about doing that sort of thing.

Rule no. 3: no conversations.

That is...easy. You think.

"Hi!"

You lifted your head from where your hands were trembling around the paper forms. You regarded him with a blank stare, surprised that not only he'd chosen to talk to you out of all the dozens of people buzzing around the room but also that he was gracious about your lack of friendly disposition.

"Hello," you rasped back, becoming acutely aware of the way everyone is staring.

"You must be new," he remarked, casually plopping down to, for some inexplicable reason, sit next to you, breathing a deep sigh of content. For a second his thigh grazed yours — you shirked away.

"S'pose."

There was a steady pause of silence in which you both just...were.

"You have to write-"

"I know what I have to do."

The finger that previously so helpfully was pointing out at the blank space in the registration form froze mid air. You darted your gaze far away from his unsure, inquisitive stare, tightening your grip around the thin and otherwise helpless paper.

"I'm sorry. What I mean is...I've worked here for three years now — it's just been remote. So I know what to do I'm just..." you laid a palm on your chest — where the bubble was. The bubble that makes it hard to breathe and pressed down on your ribs with such terrible strength your vision grew hazy.

"I think I'm having a panic attack."

Yeah, it was easy to not have a conversation with him afterwards. He must be just as embarrassed as you — what with catching you as you collapsed on the floor just seconds after the first greeting.

Rule no. 2: no touching.

For the most part it's easy to observe. You don't want to be in the same room with him, let alone touch him but sometimes he's just so friendly. If once upon a blue moon you have the misfortune of being stuck with him, you've taken note of how often he reaches to pat you on the back, attempts to carry your things, accidentally bumps into you on those short walks between one location to the next. However, by now you're a professional and you evade all of those damning times of contact with mannered ease.

It is only rule no. 1 that gives you trouble. It's difficult to not think about Kim Namjoon. Not only because his face is splattered across half the world's billboards but because it is Kim Namjoon and oftentimes after long hours of dutifully observing all the other rules, you lay vapidly on the bed and break the one that mattered the most. Too much you think about him and too much time is given to dreams that would never, ever come true.

"Hey, _____________."

You jolt at the sound of another's voice, especially since the room should be empty. As you uncrane your neck from the cramped position by the router on the floor, you find Kim Namjoon poking his somewhat unkempt head through the door. And Kim Namjoon finds himself standing yet again in front of you , breaking all the rules he put between him and the danger that is you. He has no viable reason for asking everyone your whereabouts and then coming here where he confirmed you'd be. There's no merit in him checking the status of HYBE's malfunctioning router but very selfishly he clings even to this most pathetic excuse — if only to take a glimpse at you.

"Hello," diplomatically, you bid back. "The uh...cable is broken."

As a means of an evidence that no one asked for, you wave the plastic around.

"I'll go ask Haejun. She has a shit-ton of spares.''

"We can—" but before he could even reach out to grab onto you, to make you linger around just a little bit longer for the sake of his horrid selfishness, the doors are already closing behind you.

"—go together..." Namjoon lets the sentence finish in the dissatisfied silence fallen over the room.

YOONGI | It should be societally acceptable for one, on occasion, to smash their fucking head against the fucking wall. Though you've turned away from him by now, in such as fast motion there's a definite possibility of your spinal disk rupturing, the disgusting act has been caught and observed. He's caught you looking. Leering. He must be repulsed. You put back the money you've been counting for the last five minutes and with a quiet mutter to a coworker excuse yourself to the back-alley.

"Ah, I don't want to be around that gangster," she cries pathetically, spotting the black haired man at the far end of the counter. Whiskey. Top shelf. A double. The first time you glimpsed him sipping 43% proof alcohol with the ease a child would a juice box, you cursed heavens above — men such as that inevitably acted vile afterwards. Cursing, being loud, groping — it'd just be more headache for you but he was surprisingly different. As if having been aware of the ill suspicion you've been harboring, once he was done, the man brought his glass back, bowed politely and quietly rasped a thank you about your hospitality.

To this day you had no idea whether it was meant genuinely or not.

"He's not a gangster," tiredly, you cut back. Even if he was, he was a polite one. "Just pour him his whiskey when he asks and that's it."

Her lips thin from the nerves as she examines him. His hair is longer now but in her eyes it probably doesn't soften the least bit of his features. In the end, she relents and her harpy like fingers let go of your elbow. Pouting, you rub the sore flesh but quickly leave. You think he's still looking at you, no doubt judging you for slobbering.

"What?" you mutter to yourself grumpily, climbing down the poor lit staircase that led to the reeking trash bins outside. "It's not a crime to have a crush on someone."

Ah, you're a pervert, you groan in your mind, kneeling down the wall. One of these days you'll have to scratch your manager's eyes out in order to get a chair.

You fish out the pack of cigarettes from the apron and in the singular beat between one second and the next, someone speaks right next to you:

"Care to share?"

You scream and almost fling yourself into the trash all while the black haired man looks down upon you.

The first drops of rain begin to fall down on your face and you squint on the automated instinct to protect your eyes.

In his hand he's got a cigarette of his own and you scramble to get the lighter working, cringing at the shooting ache as you press it against your rubbed off skin.

"Here," you outstretch the flame towards him. He hums appreciatively and leans down, briefly putting his much larger palms over yours to stabilize the fire. You hiss in pain.

"Sorry. My hands are rough, I know," he grouses and you shake your head mutely. Jesus fucking Christ on a bike. Even just standing next to him knocks the breath out of your lungs.

"No...it's not that. Your hands are nice," your face scrunches up. "I mean they're fine."

He regards you with a slightly lopsided smirk. You cough and take a drag out of the cigarette.

"These things are not good for health, you know," he shuffles a bit, shoes scuffing against the grey pavement below. They're really shiny and now that you could focus on anything besides his cruelly handsome face, you take in the fact the fact that he was actually wearing a suit. Curious.

"You're smoking as well," defensively, you spit back and sagely, he inclines his head.

"I'm trying to quit. Unsuccessfully. Clearly," he snorts to himself, lips widening into arid, mirthless grin. You think your guts just rearranged themselves. What's happening here, currently, was the smell of the trash leaking into the bins, the cool air blowing a trail of goosebumps up your arm. Your legs are aching, somewhere down your spine there is a yet unidentified pain and both of you smell like smoke and still you've never seen a man so beautiful, despite the grody settings.

"Why you're wearing a suit today?" just at the last second you manage to bite your tongue to not call him sir. For all intents and purposes he's still a costumer. Had your manager heard of you smoking by the trash with one of the most high-paying patrons, she'd drown you in the very bin juice but this doesn't feel...forced. He doesn't feel like a customer and you don't feel like just another person in customer service.

"Are you killing someone?" you tease further, testing the edges and luckily he responds in earnest — dropping his head back and howling a mute laughter into the night.

"No, nothing so dramatic," he chuckles. "I had a...corporate event. Of sorts."

"You don't look like an office drone," you drawl, for the first time actually taking him in. That is, without the leering. As a bartender, over a time a certain kind of knowledge builds. You've seen what the poor wear, what the middle class wears and what the rich wear, and this man was certainly well-off. His suit, though nothing extravagant, is well-fitted and the material is expensive. No one of that stature would ever fit inside a cubicle.

"That's cause I'm not. Say, you don't watch a lot of TV, do you?" even in the piss-poor lighting of the foul alleyway, his eyes glimmer with barely hidden amusement. It plays on the corners of his lips as though he was trying his hardest to not smile.

"No, I don't..." you frown. "Why?"

"Nothing," he shrugs. "I actually like it that way."

"Ah, shit," you drag the last smoke from the cigarette before throwing it away. "Sara always said you were into shady shit. Shame she was right."

"Sara...that's the little girl, right? One whose scared of me?"

"Mmm," you hum in agreement.

"That's good."

As your eyebrows knit together in confusion, he also puts out the cigarette with a side of yet another teasing smirk. By this point, you were growing accustomed to it. Seeing it, however, not be unfazed by it.

"I much more like you. Well," he claps his hands together, the sound falling a bit too loud in the otherwise quiet back alley. "I've got to get going. Will you be working tomorrow?"

"Uh...yeah," dumbly, you respond and the nameless man looks mighty pleased.

"Good. See ya."

He turns to walk away, leaving you alone and befuddled by the backdoor only to lean back as though he suddenly remembered something.

"These are bad for you," his hand snatches the pack of cigarettes shamelessly out of your grasp and only then he deems it fit to make an exit.

JIN | "Look, the love of your life is walking over!"

"Shut the fuck up."

It's 8:30 in the morning and the sun is already scorching. You've gotten off an eight hours flight and somehow you're still hangover. To be less verbose — you're not putting up with any bullshit. And your friend cooing in the ear the second they saw Seokjin climbing out is very much the situation you're far too grumpy to tolerate.

"I'm heading to the forest," you toss over your shoulder, making a hasty beeline to the other part of the shore where the dunes laid quiet and unperturbed. The second you're in their embrace, the tension leaves your body.

By now everyone and their mother knew of the gargantuan and utterly mortifying crush you had on Seokjin. To this day they continued to humor it in the same way they did when you were younger.

"Ahh, look, Jinnie, little ___________ has a crush on you! They even made a card!"

And because you were fourteen and it was a time of great hormones, and you'd still rather kill yourself than ever reveal to older Kim Seokjin outright that you liked him, to everyone's shock, Jin's in particular, you ate the paper card in front of him, growling in between the stiff, glittery bites that obviously you meant a different Seokjin. Seokjin who obviously went to your school even though no one could ever verify his presence.

It's been years and by now you're well out of middle-school but the pathetic squeezing of your heart whenever you saw him, whenever you found yourself in the center of his focus has not yielded. How many years will this continue to drag on? Will he need to be married for this to relent?! With kids?! Dead?!?

With a pitiful groan, you let your forehead hit the dry bark of the nearby tree.

"Ah, fuck."

"Always such a potty mouth."

Anyone else might have taken a glimpse at Jin and pronounced that there was some truth to children's stories where selfless, glamorous princes rode about. While Jin is decidedly not a horse (he could barely even walk as the sand proved to be quite an obstacle), he does look like a prince — carrying a blanket and a small, mysterious bag.

"You get so cold quickly," he half-heartedly scolds, tossing the blanket your way. "Why even come here?"

"You get cold as well," irately, you point out, tugging the fleece around your bare shoulders. Only then you did notice that you were actually freezing.

"I came prepared," carelessly, Jin replies, yanking from some invisible space yet another blanket. "I might be devastatingly handsome but I'm not a bimbo."

"Shame. I happen to like bimbos."

At this point you're just saying shit.

Jin blinks and then with the sincerity of a well-seasoned actor, regards you with a confused stare, face mere millimetres away from yours.

"What do you call a fish wearing a bowtie?"

Nervously, your eyes flit all around his face as you inadvertently swallow from the abrupt proximity.

"I don't know," breathlessly, you answer. "What?"

"Sofishticated!"

Well, good news was that if he kept going like this, your pervading illness will be cured.

"Sofishticated! Get it, because it's like sophisticated..."

You leave him standing there, shouting across the dunes.

"Hey, Ji-Yeong told Cindy to tell Eun-Sook to tell Riri-"

Over the loud roar of the working stove, you attempt to clean your eyes free from the onion and give your friend a good yell.

"GET TO THE POINT!"

"JIN IS LOOKING FOR YOU! HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!"

And because you're a brave, self-sufficient person of 21st century you pretend not to hear and whenever you see a glimpse of shoulders too broad to be on anyone else but him, you run and hide.

You know exactly what he wants to talk about and thus you'd rather, much rather, with a smile on your face in fact, chew your fucking toe off. Because as stupid as you were now, you were infinitely more stupid last summer. The summer during which you got so plastered on tequila the night ended with you confusing very much real, warm-blooded sentient Jin for a cutout. A cutout which you clung onto like a mad person and proceeded to reveal that innermost layer of your heart and how much it was devoted to one very annoying millennial.

It took a lot of pasta and drinking to have the confidence to leave your home once the initial stage of wanting to rot into the sofa ebbed away. You weren't necessarily keen on repeating that week thus the running away. But you also think Jin has caught onto the games and is growing increasingly frustrated with them.

Jin wants to see you, Jin is asking for you, Jin is stopping by and so on and on and on. By now his name doesn't even sound like a word. Even so you keep the charades going, praying for the first time in your life that you could go back to work.

The time is a bit over one in the night. For the most part everyone is sleeping which leaves the back garden of the house you rented near the beach quiet and docile. From here you can hear the waves crashing and for now it's enough to create a piece of your paradise.

"Didn't I tell you that you get too cold easily?"

Cold shivers run up your spine and you quickly swallow, whipping around. The expression on Jin's face is less than impressed.

"Well, hence, I'll be going," you gift a fake smile but quickly stop when you hear what you've never ever heard before.

Jin being angry.

"Stay where you are."

He's not by any means shouting, not even raising his voice in the slightest but the tone leaves not a single space for discussion to take place.

"Sit down."

You do and sternly he watches you do so, eyebrows coming together to create a deep frown. You search for any sign of this being a prank or another one of his jokes but you don't find any. Just him standing and being fed up.

"Now, let us have that talk about last summer."

HOSEOK | It doesn't matter if both of you were adults. He was still your student and you were still his teacher. It didn't matter whether he insisted on you or not, you still should have said no and referred Hoseok back to Marina. She was a better English tutor anyhow even if he very much disagreed.

"Mr Jung, please understand, I am quitting. How can I continue to teach you if I'm not even a teacher?"

His knuckles were white around the edge of the table to which he clung to as you leisurely piled your things into boxes. These two years were good, just not good enough to stay.

"Marina is horrible," he complains, the sound falling a bit muffled through the mask but its quality of desperation is not reduced. "Please, you can't just leave! Not with all of the progress we've made!"

A bit of clunky choice of phrasing if you had to say because what progress did you make? Was it the progress of being indifferent, to growing shy around him, to dreaming about him in the middle of all the lonely nights only to then choke on all those fantasies? Because if it was that progress, it would do you some good to leave. Would do you both some good.

"_______________, please, make an exception?" he pleaded, eyes sparkling and you had felt your resolve breaking even then. "For me? Your favourite Hobi?"

With your walls falling apart, you hadn't even noticed how casually he'd referred to you.

"Stop bouncing your knee," Marina growls underneath the nose as she sips on the coffee. Her exam materials are displayed haphazardly on the table before her, littered with large crumbs of her banana and hazelnut croissant.

"I can't help it," you retort just as morose, nervously eyeing the clock pinned to the wall.

12:01 — he should be done by now.

"You're so in love with him," Marina rolled her eyes, striking a bold red line across one student's essay. 4/100. Rough.

"It's my job as a teacher to make sure he passes his tests," you brittle venomously. "If I don't-"

Before you could so much as finish your sentence, a pair of judgmental eyes sit transfixed upon your face in a heated glare.

"You're not a teacher anymore. You quit and tutor him entirely unofficially," Marina interrupts curtly. "So the excuse of it being that is redundant if anything. Moreover, he's a whole ass grown man. He certainly doesn't need someone like you to fret over him."

Just then your phone dings with an unread message causing both of your eyes to fall on top of it.

"Your prince Charming is calling," she states coldly. "Go ahead and pick up."

You don't think you'll ever hang out with Marina after this.

Hoseok 💗 sent you a message.

The heart he'd added himself, chiding you one night for assigning such a cold contact info.

Hoseok 💗: I PASSED! I KNOW IT! I'VE NEVER FELT SO CONFIDENT! 😻💓〇(＞∀＜)〇

me: I told you you could do it and you didn't believe in yourself ( ￣＾￣)

Hoseok 💗: hahaha yes o great teacher you've always been so supportive! thank you! ( ♥‿♥)

Then after a moment comes the last message.

Hoseok 💗: thank you, __________________.

As your phone grows dark, you see your own reflection — the giddy smile, the lovesick eyes. The pathetic, eager nature that is you around Hoseok. For a second you let yourself be and let your hand press the phone to your chest as if the meaningless emojis and hearts actually signified anything other than the cursory respect he had for you as his tutor. Then you gather yourself.

If Hoseok will pass his test, he'll be technically viewed as fluent and as such you will be of no use anymore.

You wipe the grin of your face, slip the phone in your pocket and walk back home, pretending that none of this is hurting you.

JIMIN | "Stay still," you scold him, immediately receiving a pout in return.

"I am staying still!" he whines.

Though you roll your eyes, you don't argue anymore and continue to measure his neck. If he wanted to layer his necklaces, you'll have no choice but to measure every chain's length to its absolute nanometer. If they overlayed too much it'd just be a mess and Jimin deserved nothing but the best.

"Now, remember, this is the bag for my jewelry," you remind him sternly, waving the grey pouch just before escorting him to the door. The night is deep. Ever since you wound up having Park Jimin as a regular client your sleep schedule has been wrecked. Thinking about the wording, you cringe, cutting a finger against one of the waywardly left awls on the table. Had your old teacher saw the mess on your workstation, the old crow would probably smack you across the face.

Hissing at the sharp prick, you cradled the hand with a juicy curse on the tongue. Jimin, who'd previously been seconds away from falling asleep (which has happened. Safe to say, having an idol drooling on your couch was awkward, just not as awkward as the morning that followed), yanks his head towards you with laser like focus.

"Show me," he insists, expectantly holding out his palm so that it can join yours. You regard it with a passive stare before taking a step back.

"It's just a cut on a finger," you brush him off, coughing from the abruptly stifled atmosphere gripping your lived-in studio. Jimin appears to be quite displeased. One of the simultaneous advantages and disadvantages of being so close to your models for such an extended time was that by the end of it you knew all of their micro-expressions like the back of your hand. From the tightened way his jaw sat to the coldness in his gaze — he was angry. Jimin was a bit like an April day in that way — always surprising you. Was it good or bad, you did not quite know.

"Here, take this," you outstretched the pouch, sucking a bit on the pricked finger. His eyes seemed to linger there before he averts his gaze, taking the bag with his jewelry.

"You look beautiful in them."

Was it a low blow? Perhaps. But it felt somewhat uneasy, problematic even to let him leave your studio in a huff. With the oncoming release of his album he was already stretched taut. You were half surprised he hadn't yet hit a complete mental breakdown by now. Just following his schedule as a jeweller made your hairs grow grey. Still, as expected the compliment mellows the bout of his sudden attitude.

"Eyyy," he complains, tad cautiously. You weren't after all friends, however, the borders of the proper behaviour became blurred the second he showed up on your doorstep outside both of his company's knowledge or permission. As far as you understood it, he actually sponsored your work out of his own pocket. You could recall that night in fine detail — having a national treasure known as Park Jimin sipping a tea out of cracked cup and asking you to create pieces for him. How he'd came to know of you, he did not reveal and after a while you ceased asking.

"You always do this," he continues, rousing you out of deep though.

"Do what?" innocently, you blink up at him. "I've committed no wrongdoing."

"You always compliment me," he pouts, scuffing the sole of his slipper against the floor. They were in the shape of large fluffy cows. You'd offered him a change but since this pair was given to him on that first meeting, he insisted he'd grown fond of them.

"You know how much I like compliments..."

That you did. Once in a while you let them slip a bit too liberally which is something you'd sincerely need to work on. Having a crush on Park Jimin, unrequited one at that, would anyhow lead to nothing. It was simply futile.

"I can't ever stay mad at you."

"Sorry, for being too charming," you flip a strand of non-existent hair over your shoulder prompting a peel of loud, disbalanced laughter. "Now, this is the bag for my jewelry. Don't mix them up with the one you're supposed to wear for Tiffany which by the way..." you narrow your eyes at him. "Traitor."

Still laughing he pats down your head, eyes crinkling in that expression of pure happiness that you adored to see so much.

"Babyyyy, don't be mad. You're still my favourite one."

Had you not been so irrevocably and disgustingly fond of this man you would have kicked him for making your heart feel like this.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," you groused, taking his hand away from your head. "Now go. Good night."

"Can't I crash here?" he pleads, shifting eagerly on the spot. "It's so late at night..."

"And whose fault is that?" you arch an eyebrow pushing at Jimin's back to get him out of your doorstep. "Rich man goes home and sleeps in his rich man bed."

Sensing an easy target in your words, Jimin gleans over his shoulder, his broad smirk proudly on display.

"Does rich man have to be alone?"

"Bye!"

You watched him secretly behind the broken, off white blinds of your kitchen window. The alleyways in this part of the town are narrow, only barely could Jimin's car make way. It's no surprise that no matter what time it is, it attracts the curious glances of your neighbours. The old man at unit 4b across the road was also looking in — the shitty blue tinted light of his crap ass apartment makes his silhouette glaringly apparent in the window. You scowl at him and for a good measure throw up a bird before accompanying Jimin with your eyes. Happily he gets into the car and drives back home where he'll be safe. Now you can rest easy. Somewhat.

"Good night, Jimin," you whisper into the darkness where the only other company you had was the ever-present droning of your old fridge.

TAEHYUNG | Leaning against your hand and watching him speak you think of everything and simultaneously of nothing at all. Though it was not a crime to fall in love with your friend, it very much felt that way sometimes. Times like these when you fantasized how would it feel to hold his hand or to hug him. Not that you didn't know how that felt like. If he could, Taehyung would crawl and make a home in your ribs but he didn't understand. He didn't understand the...spectrum of love you harboured for him. From where he looked onto it the hues were all blue whilst you were far too red.

Red, as you discovered, was not that good of a colour.

"________________? You're not even listening to me, are you?"

Blinking owlishly, you stirred in the seat. The screaming ache in your muscles offers proof to how long you'd been staring at him. Pathetic. You shift your eyes away from the mix of frustration and worry in the browns of his eyes and instead let it sit where's it safe — on the impersonal linoleum cover of the cheap dumpling bistro.

"I was listening," you mumble hazily. "You were...taking Yeontan...for a grooming session, no?"

He sighs.

"Actually I said Jungkook was bitching in my voice mails about having to get a haircut. Are they the same for you?"

You think about it.

"I plead the fifth?"

In spite of it only prompting a thoroughly sassy eye roll from the nominee of 2022 MAMA song of the year, he doesn't much complain, though stuffing his face full of noodles, he does ask. You would rather he didn't.

"What's wrong with you lately? You've been...spaced out."

To feign ease you don't dream of having, you snort.

"Look whose talking."

"Exactly," smartly, he agrees still chewing somewhat aggressively. "If I notice, you know it's bad."

Averting your gaze away once more, you shrug.

"It's nothing serious."

"You sure? 'Cause I was thinking maybe you felt...lonely?"

The so-thin-it's-almost-transparent menu in between your fingers freeze as your heart drops down into your stomach.

"What makes you say that?" lightly, presumably lightly, you wonder.

"Dunno," he shrugs, swallowing a bite so large you can see it travelling down his throat. How he had not yet choked was beyond any science. "It's just you've got no pets, no friends beside me and your place is always quiet so it's safe to say you're absolutely dry in the dating apartment."

Your lips purse in an expression of such pure, unfiltered annoyance that for once it doesn't go above his head. Awkwardly, he coughs, shrinking smaller underneath the gaze of your fury.

"Thank you Taehyung," dryly, you praise him. "That's just what I needed."

"Sorry."

Were you lonely? Probably. Who are you kidding? Naturally.

Exhaling into the black winter air, you watch as the miniature clouds colour white before melting into the night. Did you love Taehyung because you were simply...lonely? Could be. Over the years he was the only one who stayed by your side. Even when you did the most to make him leave, so you wouldn't taint him with your...broken-ness, all too obstinately he'd weathered the storms out. He'd not leave you, that was the end of it. Such he promised and such was the promise he kept, no matter what life or yourself threw at him.

As the gust of biting wind rips through the street, you pitifully tremble in its hold. Shit, why was it always so cold.

"Ah, fuck, my ass is going to freeze off," Taehyung curses, coming to stand beside you just outside of restaurant. He still has a soy sauce in the corner of his lip and without much thinking you wipe it off.

You're both grasping for words.

"My hand is cold," he suddenly complains, swinging on the back of his heels.

"Should have brought gloves then," you retort grumpily. "I certainly don't need you to spend all my hand creams. Again."

He pretends to not see the acussal in your glower.

"I have an idea. Friends help each other out, don't they?"

Suddenly, you find yourself not liking the happy turn of his cheek. That smile paired with that particular glint in his eye always meant trouble. And before you know it, his hand is clasped around yours, the heat of it shooting straight down your entire arm.

"There," happily he chirps, dragging your loudly protesting self down the street. "Now I'm warm and you're not lonely. I see this as an absolute win."

JUNGKOOK | Sure, it was hard to be rendered blind in the middle of a busy street as the sky was dumping down rain with terrible vengeance but you'd still wager a guess it felt better to run head first into a pole than seeing...him.

The light of the billboard pours brightly onto the dark, grey streets below whilst the faceless masses rush to their homes, you included. He stands there, being beautiful, being enticing like a whole dream and mocks you. You can't have him and that's fine but why should you also have the sour memory of his existence be rubbed into the wound.

Droplets of rain steadily fall upon your face though you don't even notice them. Not until you've had your fill of Jungkook.

You hope he's happy somewhere in Seoul.

Coming back home, you set the soaked bags of groceries onto the table, monotonously going through the motions of the day. Many, hell, everyone, would probably say that taking a leave from a high-paying job just to come back home and live an utterly boring life was not the way to go but would they also sympathize with growing depressed about the unrequited love you had for someone who was so far out of the reach, you'd officially have to graduate space flight program in order to ever reach the star that was Jungkook?

No, you don't think so.

Laundry, cooking, laundry, watching TV, laundry. It doesn't offer much reprieve from thoughts about Jeon Jungkook but at least you don't have to look at him and be pathetic. And sure you're miserable but at least somewhat of your dignity is preserved. Even if it's the tiniest, barely existent sliver a man has ever seen.

You don't regret never approaching him. He never went out of his way to say hi, he never so much as glimpsed in your general direction if you were loitering around the room. You remember how hard it was to breathe when the time came to adjust his mic on his chest and you also remember how he'd just sat there, disinterestedly scrolling through his phone. On those rare times you noticed him watching you, there was always a distant gleam in his gaze. He was probably just zoning out and you happened to be there. On those even rarer times that you helped him, he always appeared so unperturbed. He was polite but that was it. Just a polite thank you and long, stretching moments of quiet, that was the only real memory you had of him.

In the end, the whole thing was quite embarrassing and so despite it being abrupt, it felt right to hand in your resignation. He didn't need yet another sick fucker drooling over him....neither did you want to be that person. So why not quit. Why not?

By the time it's evening, you're beyond bored. No TV shows interest you, no movies catch your attention, the span of your focus is too short to read a book and you're too tired to go for a walk. Surely it wouldn't hurt...

When your old computer turns on, it makes itself known. Unlike the sleek, polished versions of HYBE, the surface is so hot it could boil an egg and the sound that comes out of this pre-historic artefact could easily pass off as a roar of a plane. It takes about half an hour for the email to load, so much so that when you come back with a cup of tea, the screen is still suspiciously unresponsive.

Seeing 99+ unanswered messages did not surprise you, what did surprise you was the pile of messages, unanimously sent from one address.

[email protected]

subject: please

The skin on your palms grow wet and you can hardly hear the rain splashing against the window with how hard your heart is beating. Shakily you press to open the email, hardly having the courage to read the words. You've no idea why the subject is named such a way but you're partially sure that somewhere along the way, he's going to call out your affection. How misplaced it is and how much he's disgusted by it. You'd understand if he did.

[email protected]

subject: please

Even if...even if the year we spent together meant nothing to you, that the kindness you extended towards me, that the help you sent my way unknowingly pulling me from a pit of unescapable darkness is nothing but an empty void no more deserving of your attention than the dirt on the side of the road, I beg of you to be gracious once more. Just write to me. Just one letter is all I ask for. No matter what you have to say, should it be something as little as one singular "bye", please, write to me. I'll keep you in my thoughts, forever most likely as you've made your home in them.

Sincerely,

Jeon Jungkook.

tagging: @rmstdio; @pinkcherrybombs; @devilsbooksworld; @btsiguess-kpop; @belladaises; @halesandy; @seok-jinnies; @themochiverse; @cuteipat; @ratherbefangirling; @manchuria; @chimchimmarie; @smalliechelle; @koostarcandy; @flitzerj; @royallyjjk; @dreamamubarak; @anti-social-mochi267; @jung-nika-hoseok; @jminssiii;

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the-writer-ofthe-fandoms · 9 months

Text

Silent Cosmos (Edward Cullen) (Ch. 2)

Pairing: Edward Cullen x GN! Mute!Reader

Words: 4.0k+

Warning(s): Intense car accident scene (its a nightmare/memories. involves blood, gore/body horror), mentions of minor character death/parents dying, swearing, anxiety/stage fright, bullying at Forks mentioned but no scenes depicting it, edward watches MC sleep lmao

A/N: Here is chapter two! I really like this one personally. There is a lot of just narrative, but a good amount of dialogue too. I enjoyed writing the Edward and MC scenes :^) I hope you guys like it too. Taglist is at the bottom.

Series Masterlist

"Bright Star, while thou thy lonely way

Pursu'st in yon expanse of blue,

Thy gem-like form and steady ray

Attract the heedless peasant's view...

...And fancy whispers in mine ear,

That those who once were here beloved,

To friendship and affection dear,

Now from this fleeting scene removed,

Repose, bright star, in thy ethereal sphere."

-- William B. Tappan, "To the North Star"

---

You sigh as you look at several outfits you laid out on your bed. It was Saturday and you spent much of your time getting the last few things unpacked before tonight. The former captain, the firefighters, and the sheriff decided to throw a party at the station for your uncle. Being his immediate family, you had to attend. Your eyes lingered on an outfit that would look nice but would also be comfortable and casual.

As you started getting ready, you began recalling the week you had at your new school. Like Emmett promised, he looked out for you in gym. Apparently, some of the students thought it would be funny to try and target the new kid in the various games the teacher had the class do. Emmett stayed by your side, helping catch dodgeballs or watching your back for 'stray' balls from volleyball. He was easy to get along with. You appreciated that he was more laid back and seemed to always have a smile on his face.

You met Jasper in history. You sat next to him with Alice on his other side. He was tense and looked like he was in pain. You wanted to express concern for him, but recognized through your own experiences dealing with chronic pain from your accident that it can be annoying to have people ask if you're alright. So, you gave him a smile and as the week came on you two were friendly. Alice helped with that of course.

Alice was already treating you as if you both had known each other for years. It was overwhelming at first, but you found that her bright smile and eagerness to talk with you endearing. She has already offered to take out for a shopping and lunch day several times, which you may take her up on next weekend if she were to ask again. You appreciated her friendliness.

You met Rosalie during lunch and met her a second time by your locker; hers and Emmett's were next to yours. Edward had managed to convince you to sit with them the next day after your first. She absolutely, drop dead gorgeous and you couldn't help but stare. You remembered the tense glare she gave you when you sat with them and you almost wanted to bolt out of the cafeteria. Her face softened though when Emmett whispered something in her ear and place a quick peck on her cheek. Still, she almost kept her distance from you and made very minimal steps in engaging in conversation.

The Cullen children were nice. You would be a fool if you couldn't tell there was something amiss with them. They all had matching eyes gold eyes though you noticed by the end of Thursday a few of them had nearly pitch black eyes. There were also times when Alice would stare off to space or Edward would laugh under his breath at nothing. You remember one day you brushed your hand against Edward's as you both reached for his fallen pencil, and you noticed how cold his skin was.

But, despite the discrepancies you've picked up, you liked them. They actually sought to engage in conversation with you since they could under stand sign. Their eyes never lingered or blatantly stared at the raised scars on your neck, not even when you first met them.

That's not to say everyone else ignored you. You had some students talk to you with the help of Edward or any of the other Cullens that lingered around you, but, you could tell quite a few were hesitant in speaking with you. You could feel their curious eyes stay on your neck until yours met theirs. You were used to that from your old school, though at least most of the people here were polite.

There have been a few mean comments and some weird rumors spread about you already. Most of them revolved around you being with Edward for most of the school day. You only heard their directed comments towards you in the morning before first period, when you weren't with a Cullen. You paid it no attention. Some remarks hurt, but as long as they didn't outright say it to your face or harm you, you let their remarks roll off your back.

You applied finishing touches to your look for tonight's party as you concluded your recount of your week at Forks High. You looked in your full body mirror, smoothing our creases in the fabric before approving of what you picked out for yourself. You wondered how the party was going to go. Your uncle, Robert, and your aunt, Phoebe, were bound to go off and converse with others.

Were you to just follow them around or would you stay in a corner until the night was over?

You close your eyes and sigh deeply.

You heard your aunt call your name downstairs.

"It's almost time to go, honey!" She yelled. You open your eyes and give yourself one last glance over in the mirror. You put on a tense smile before leaving your room, heading downstairs.

"You look great." Phoebe smiled, bringing you into a tight hug. You look at her and gave her a thumbs up. She looked good too, her dress fitting her nicely and her makeup was minimal but still beautiful.

When you first started living with her and your uncle it was almost too much. Phoebe looked so much like your mother, her sister. It took a few months to not see your mother in her, but thankfully your brain, despite the trauma you experienced, started registering her as Phoebe. You two have been close since.

"You look good too. That dress is always a good choice." You sign, smiling at her.

"I'm glad you told me to hold onto it. I can't believe I considered getting rid of it when we packed." She laughed and did a small twirl.

You heard a wolf whistle and look over to the stairs at your uncle, who had a cheeky grin as he stared at his wife.

"You look stunning." He winked to your aunt. He then looked at you with a smile. "You look great too. I like what you did with your hair."

"Wow, you actually know how to dress up, Rob." You chuckle, teasing him. Robert was a big believer in comfort and practicality over looking nice so it was rare to see him in something stylish like this.

"Oh ha ha." He said dryly but kept a smile. He glanced down at his watch and his eyes widened. "Shoot, we got to get going. I don't want to be late to a party thrown for me."

---

There were a lot more people at the fire station than you were anticipating. You expected the crew and their families and the sheriff maybe, but this was a lot more than that. Forks is a small place, maybe this was a rare event here. Regardless, you were glad to see many welcome your uncle to Forks and to the station.

It had been about fifteen minutes since you and your family arrived. You had met all the other firefighters and their families; met Sheriff Charlie Swan and his daughter Bella, who you recognized from your history class; and met various of other Forks citizens who came to meet the new captain. A few familiar faces from school floated around at the station too, though you only met three that were children to the other firefighters.

You glance to the large clock on the wall and glanced to your uncle, who was with the former captain. They were getting ready to go to where a microphone was placed in the station for a welcoming speech in about 10 minutes. You were standing idly by you aunt as she conversed with a few of the wives of other firefighters. Even if you could comfortably speak, you wouldn't know what to even talk about with these women. Your aunt discussed her career as a nurse while the others talked about their jobs.

You heard your name being said behind you by an all too familiar voice. Your face brightened with a small smile when you saw Edward. Next to him was a man and woman you've never seen but could tell they were also Cullens by their golden eyes.

"I didn't expect you here." You walked up to him, then glanced at the two with him.

"My father is the chief physician in Forks so he was invited." Edward gestured to the blond man.

"Hello, I'm Carlise." He offered his hand.

"And I am Esme, Edward's mother." She also offered her hand. You shook both, noting how cold their skin was. "Alice is around here somewhere, probably talking with Bella."

"Nice to meet you both."

"It's nice to meet you too, Edward here has talked a lot about you." Esme grinned, a teasing look in her eyes. You saw Edward give her a embarrassed look which made you silently laugh.

"Ah, the man of the hour." Carlisle grinned and step forwards. You jump a little when you see your uncle's arm from your side. You didn't even hear him approach with your aunt in tow.

"You must be Dr. Cullen." Your uncle grinned. Immediately your aunt and uncle and Edward's parents fell into an easy conversation, leaving just you and Edward.

"Are you having fun?" The bronze haired male asked.

"It is nice. I've mostly been following them around." You gesture to your guardians. "I am curious about the refreshment table though, so I may head over there."

"Would you mind some company?" Edward tilted his head slightly, his lips upturned into a small smile. You give him a nod and start making your way over to the food, he followed close behind.

One thing you picked up is the Cullens drew attention no matter what. You can see people's eyes linger on you and Edward. You noticed their stares when you met his parents. And if you could find Alice, you were sure people's gazes would linger. You got used to it in school, but it seemed more awkward when it appeared many people outside of Forks High had their focus on them.

"Everything alright?" Edward's voice was soft as he spoke.

"Yep." You give him a tense smile as you reached the table, looking over the contents.

'I just wish people here didn't have staring problems. Who cares if they look good?' You thought as you grabbed a small plate and started picking up things you liked. You swore you heard Edward chuckle next to you. You look back to him and gesture to the spread as if you were asking if he was going to eat.

He held up a hand and shook his head. "We ate before we came here."

You nodded and quickly ate what you picked out.

Right as you finished your last bite, you heard tapping through the speaker. Looking over to where they set up a microphone you saw your uncle and the former captain of the station. You throw away your plate and keep your spot next to Edward.

"Thank you everyone for coming!" Theodore, the former captain, greeted. Everyone clapped and a few people let out loud 'whoops.' "We are here today to welcome Robert Kennard to the station, our new fire captain."

Your uncle waved and smiled.

"Forks welcomes you warmly, despite the constant cold weather." Many in the crowd softly chuckles at Theodore's words. "And I can speak for the crew in that everyone looks forward to working with you." The former captain steps back from the microphone, letting your uncle step up.

"Hello! Thank you guys for putting this on." He laughed and raised a glass of what you assumed was champagne. "I was concerned at first. When I got offered the position while I was still down in California, I was worried about moving my family up here... starting a new life. However, their support has been unwavering and here we are now."

You heard him call your aunt's name and your name. You froze.

You could see your aunt make her way up to him but you were hesitant. It wasn't that you didn't want to support him, but you weren't sure why a sudden rush of anxiety hit you. You take a step forward but pause.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked softly, his thick brows furrowed as he leaned forward, maintaining eye contact.

You purse your lips and give him a subtle shake of your head. You saw him look confused for a split moment before his facial expression went back to concerned.

"Would you like me to walk forward with you?" You nod at his suggested. He nodded slowly with a small smile and placed a hand between your shoulder blades. Gently, he pushed you forward and guided you to the front. His form stayed next to yours as you moved through the people to get to the front of the small crowd.

When you got close enough to your uncle, you felt Edward's hand leave your back as you kept walking forward. You glance back over your shoulder and saw him waiting at the front, his golden honey eyes never left your form. You flanked your uncle on his right while Phoebe stood at his left.

"To my lovely wife Phoebe, thank you for encouraging me to take this step in my career. Your support has me falling in love with you every second." He leaned in and kissed her cheek. People in the crowd aww'd. "And to you," He looked to you with a smile full of fondness. "Your support towards mine and your aunt's careers has been so appreciative. Raising you as if you were my own has been such a treasure, thank you." He then hugged you tightly before turning to the crowd. "Thank you guys for having us here."

The people attending clapped and cheered. You smiled at how warm the welcoming was, though that feeling of anxiety still lingered. The three of you stepped away from the microphone as the former captain came up to give a final few words. You glanced around for either Edward or Alice, but saw them both in conversation with Carlisle and Esme.

You take a deep breath and excuse yourself from your family. You weave through bodies and made your way outside. The cold air immediately nipped at your face as you wrapped your arms around yourself. You walk over and lean against your uncles pick-up truck.

You look up to the night sky and smile. It seems like the constant cloud cover pulled back enough for you to see the stars and moon. You felt giddy at just how bright the stars looked. You felt at ease now. You felt comforted under the night sky.

'Ah Polaris, my old friend.' You sigh contently when you found that bright star shining brightly in the inky black sky.

"Are you okay?" Edward's voice startled you. You jumped a bit and looked back at him with wide eyes, your heart felt like it was racing wildly in your chest. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No worries, I assumed nobody would come outside." You offer a friendly smile, keeping your eyes on him as you felt yourself begin to ease.

"Parties aren't... my thing." He joined you, leaning against the truck. "Carlisle asked me to come along."

"I'm not big on parties like this either. I like smaller get togethers."

There was a brief moment of silence before he spoke again, repeating his previous question. "Are you okay?"

You exhale, your breath visible in the air. "Yes. Just felt overwhelmed and wanted space."

"Ah. I can leave then."

"You can stay. I know you after all."

---

Edward smiled sincerely when you told him he could stay. Even though Alice and Esme did point out you left out and made comments for him to follow you, he chose to join you on his own. He wanted a moment of peace away from the other humans... and he wanted to explore your mind more.

He tried peering into your thoughts again as a comfortable silence washed over the both of you. Ever since you sat next to him on your first day at Forks High, he attempt to discern your mind. He was still confused at the presence of such a detailed cosmos that lies in your thoughts and how it wasn't always there.

Edward noticed he could always hear your thoughts when you communicated with him or others. However, outside of that he never was sure if he would be hearing your voice or viewing that space. He picked up you weren't aware of this. Nothing you ever did or said gave him any reason to suspect you were purposely putting up this galaxy to block him out. He also kept track at how the galaxy would coincide with your emotions. When you were stressed about going up to your uncle earlier, he could almost feel heat against his mind. He could see how bright the sun residing in the middle had gotten until he was pushed out, which was another thing he noticed.

It was like the galaxy was trying to keep him at arms length from you; always forcing him away from peering too deep into your mind.

Edward shifted his eyes to looking at the sky like you were doing, but his focus was purely on your thoughts. He saw the familiar galaxy once again and this time, it was the most serene he has ever seen it. The sun at the center, still bright, was calm. He didn't feel heat pushing him out. He just saw stars, planets, and various colors around. It was peaceful. Compared to the many thoughts from the party goers back in the fire station, this was nice.

Edward felt welcomed in this vast cosmos.

The scene melted away rather than push him out, causing him to look at you. You were now staring at him with an unreadable gaze.

"Do you know any constellations?" You asked him. It didn't take reading your thoughts to know how excited you were at the prospect of discussing this with him.

"No, I don't." He lied. In the 1970s he spent some time studying the stars. "But I take it you do? Can you tell me?"

"Sure!" He could barely contain the large grin threatening to form on his face at how excited you were.

He could hear your thoughts in tandem as you signed. You would tell him the constellation name and then point it out in the sky. You'd lean close to him, your arm barely brushing against his, as the the other raised up to the sky. He'd subconsciously lean in as well, easily finding said constellation on his own but he let you help him 'find' it. You hadn't mentioned to him before how much you adored stars, but it came to no surprise to him after seeing what goes on in your mind.

Showing him constellations came to an end when neither could see more through the lingering clouds. That didn't stop you from pointing out the brightest star in the black sky.

"The North Star represents guidance and direction." You explained to him. "For hundreds of years, it provided guidance to anyone who needed it in many ways."

'It helped after the accident.' Edward heard from your thoughts. It had him curious and he tried delving more but all he saw was space and felt heat keeping him at bay.

"You must really like stars." He smiled gently.

"Yes, I've been drawn to them since I was young. My dad was into anything space related, so I guess that's were it came from." You smiled, though the vampire could see a certain sadness lingering in your eyes. He then saw you shiver and immediately started shrugging off the coat he wore. "Wait, you'll get cold, Edward."

"Don't worry about me. I will be fine." He spoke softly, his lips upturned. He placed the coat over your shoulders and you gingerly slip your arms into the sleeves.

Confusion briefly flashed on your face. 'I expected some warmth. Ah well, this is still nice.'

Edward had to contain his chuckle at the thought that slipped through.

"Do you still want to stay out here for a few more minutes?" He asked.

"Yes, just a few more minutes."

---

It was near midnight when Edward slowly opened your bedroom window. He felt some guilt as he waited for you to finally fall asleep, but his interest in your mind hand him wondering what he would see when you were unconscious. Would that galaxy appear to him when you were asleep, or would he have full access to your dreams?

He easily slipped into your room, leaving the window open. His eyes scanned around at the various posters you had placed on the walls and the decorations lying around. He saw one half unpacked box in the corner then shifted his gaze to you, tucked under your covers in a deep slumber. There were a few plushies in bed with you and he couldn't contain a small smile when he saw one on the floor. Carefully and silently, he walked over and crouched down. He picked up the stuffed cat and leaned over, setting it aside next to the others. He found himself back near the window and zeroed in on your mind.

He saw a grassy field and a woman sitting on a blanket. He heard high pitched giggles from who he assumed was you as you ran around. It was clear he was seeing your memories. You were running, squealing, and giggling in what Edward could make out as a park. You glanced behind yourself as you ran and could see a man chase after you. He could make out the similarities in his face with your current face. Suddenly, you tumbled and hit the ground with an 'oof.' Your father immediately helped you up and sat you on his knee.

"Aww, poor baby. Are you okay?" He cooed.

"Yeah! My leg hurts, but I'm fine!" You giggled. Your father held your leg and your focus was now on your bloody knee.

"Hmm, you must of snagged it on a rock. Lets get you back to momma, my little nova." You were lifted up and Edward watched through your memories as you were brought to your mother on a picnic blanket.

Suddenly, he thrown into a new memory. He suddenly felt dread in his being.

It was dark.

He could hear what sounded like a car blinker non-stop clicking. You groggily blink and Edward started making out that you were upside down. He heard gargling and pained noises come from you. Your eyes barely focused but he started making out you were upside down in a car at night. He can see bright lights from the front and shards of glass. Then he sees all the blood and what looked like a severed arm on the ground. It was attatched to a feminine hand with a gold band on the ring finger.

"Sweetie? Oh God..." He sounded in pain and like he was crying. Edward then heard your name from your father. "Nova please answer me. Fuck, please."

You responded, but it wasn't a word. It sounded like you tried to say daddy, but it came our jumbled and wet.

"Nova-!"

Suddenly, all Edward could hear was a high pitched noise. It was the same he heard when Alice replayed her vision to him. A blinding light filled the car.

Then, it was that same galaxy. However, it was turbulent. He could see planets shake and stars dim. A sun, larger than ever glowed brightly before an eruption from the Sun's atmosphere blasts out and hits hum with intense heat. He stumbles back as his vision is back in your room, right as you woke up gasping for air.

Without you catching him, he was out of your room and in the forest. His eyes were blown wide and if he had to breath, he knew the wind would of been knocked out of him at all he viewed. He felt the sting of venom-tears fill his eyes.

"Fuck..." He muttered and sat down on the forest floor. His fingers carded his hair before he clutched tuffs.

---

Taglist: @buckybarnes-1917, @trawberry-fire , @dreamy-caramel, @urgirlfriendspage

#edward cullen #edward cullen x reader #edward cullen x you #edward cullen x y/n #edward cullen imagines #edward cullen imagine #twilight #twilight saga #twilight edward #twilight edward cullen #twilight x reader #twilight x you #twilight x y/n #twilight imagines #twilight imagine #silent cosmos

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heartcomms · 8 months

Text

days over a minute

pairing: abby anderson x reader

a/n: this is my very first time writing anything I post so please keep that in mind <3 also if this is similar to anything i apologise, i admit i’ve been inspired by multiple works on here so.. i hope you all enjoy!!

warnings: swearing, allusions of drug addiction, violence, abby is really terrible but it gets better i promise

wc: 3k

as the car got closer to your new home stadium, your felt air get stuck in your throat. you knew your social media team kept a smaill camera focused on you to capture small candid moments to share with fans of the club, so you tried your best to remain calm.

as if he could tell how nervous you were getting, your new manager’s voice interrupted your inner chatter. still trying to get used to the accent, your eyes followed to where the older man was pointing and listened carefully,

“this is the hotel where you’ll be staying for today, i’ll have my assistant carry your luggages there while you visit the stadium.” he casually said. he might’ve noticed the way your brows faintly knitted at the mention of your luggages.

you did feel a bit uncomfortable with the idea of people pampering you, people scrambling to meet your needs and expectations. you still haven’t coped with the fact that you had, or were about to sign a multiple million dollars contract to run behind a ball.

you looked back at your manager and nodded you head with a small smile to ease the tension that was building up in the car. he just looked back at you sternly and whispered word as he turned his head back to the window.

well. what a start.

you also focused back on the road. as the car pulled into a small tunnel, you caught glimpse of your reflection in the car window. corners of your mouth rise a bit as you watch your golden pendant shine, your hand found its way around it, something you did often to calm yourself.

faster than you realized, the driver had parked into the training academy’s parking lot. you let the older man with you in the car come out first and quickly followed his steps. as you got out of the car, you were greeted by another group of people, three men and a woman that introduced herself to quickly as she guided you and your team into the building.

while she tried to engage into small chatter to fill the blanks, aware of the interaction being filmed. you were again introduced to more and more people as you walked around the spacious building, finally the conversations and introductions stopped you reach your new team’s head coach office.

as you shook the man’s hand, it all suddenly became real. this was it - you were a professional soccer player now.

you took a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves, and took in your surroundings, the background chatter all blurred. this was it - you were a professional soccer player now. the excitement was building up inside you, but so was the pressure, you knew that all eyes would be on you, both on and off the field, you couldn't help but feel a wave of doubt wash over you.

did you deserve to be here?

could you live up to the expectations of your new team and fans?

you pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the present moment. you were here, and you were ready to give it your all. the journey wouldn't be easy, but you were determined to make the most of this opportunity.

the day went by faster than you would realize. you had to sign a couple more contracts, get to know the grounds where you will play and train, do interviews, and photoshoots.

it was bit later in the afternoon, you did went back to hotel to get ready for your first outing in london, with your new teammates. to say you were nervous was an understatement. you wouldn’t describe yourself as introverted but you did feel a bit anxious about meeting your new teammates, like anyone else would.

what if they didn’t like you ? tons of what ifs scenarios filled your thoughts before you took a breath as you stood in front of your bathroom’s mirror, trying to calm you nerves. you took last good look at yourself and texted lewis, your new manager, that you were ready. you carefully chose an outfit that was simple yet fitting with the help of two friends back in your hometown via facetime. you opted for a black, oversized blouse paired with matching black jeans. anticipating a lot of walking, you wore a pair of black loafers and added tiny pieces of jewelry to polish off your outfit.

you went to check your phone after hearing the device ring, it was lewis telling you he was waiting for you outside the hotel so you quickly grabbed your bag and went to meet the older man outside the hotel.

the drive was less tense than it was this morning, you did get to know lewis a little more, he was born and raised in north london so he knew the city very well, he insisted on giving you a tour in a few days. he had 2 daughters who loved football as much as he did and a little dog called elon, after elon musk, which made you frown a bit because why on earth would you name anything after that man?

when you pulled to the restaurant, you felt your heart bit a little faster than earlier and your hands getting a bit more clammy. you took a deep breath and followed lewis who was already out of the car waiting for you. as he locked the car, he smiled at you with a reassuring look,

“it’s going to be okay, be yourself, i’m sure they’ll like you alright.” he affirmed before you both walked into the restaurant. he showed you the way to the table where your teammates sat as you reached the table, you felt yourself stumbled on your feet and stepped back a bit. you didn’t expect to meet 22 people at once, wow. you did know you were meeting a whole team but the sight of all 22 women did shake you up a bit.

“hi, are you the new girl ?” your head turned in the direction of the woman who spoke to you, looking at her, you felt like you were seventeen again. you were taken back by how gorgeous the woman was. the restaurant’s dim lighting made her tanned skin beam, she had a mole above her plump red lips and one on her left cheek. her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue, so light they were almost grey and she had brown hair that was highlighted by some dark blonde streaks. she had on a black strapless top, a black mini skirt and a pair of black heels. she had a soft smile on her lips and held eye contact with you as you stuttered an answer.

“uh. yes. i’m y/n.” you tried your best to reciprocate the smile she had on.

“i like your name. i’m vladlena, but everyone calls me lena. come, i’ll introduce you to the girls.” you noticed a small accent, you couldn’t quite locate it but it did sound east european, maybe russian. vladlena took you by the arm and led you closer to the table.

“guys, y/n is here!” she cheered.

you smiled and whispered an ‘hi’ to the women at the table. vladlena, still holding your arm, patted the chair next to the one she was going to sit on, signalling you to sit on it. you both sat and the conversation started again.

“is everyone here, i don’t see andy?” vladlena asked as she looked around the table.

“yeah, she said in the group chat, she’ll be late. some issues with her dad.” a woman that looked like she was your age answered. she also had an accent but she sounded local, british. “oh, i’m leah, by the way, so nice to meet you.” she was a bit far from you, so she just smiled at you. you nodded, smiling back to her.

“speaking of group chat, i’ll add you. you have a english phone number, right?” vladlena asked you as she pulled her phone out of her small bag.

you also pulled out your phone and start reciting the digits.

Waltfield Girls ⚽️

+44 7911 123456 added you

“guys, andy’s here.” a voice far from you announced.

you looked up from your phone to look at the person that was coming in.

oh my god.

you almost dropped your phone when you saw who was coming up to the table. you’d heard your new teammates refer to her as ‘andy’ but you didn’t make the connection. Abigail Anderson. you felt your ears get hot and your palms get clammy as she got closer and closer. you idolised her. you were only a couple of years apart but her talent put years between the two of you two. she was a national hero at only 24 years old, being a well decorated player both with her and the football clubs she played in, her impact in women’s sport was also quite undeniable. you were just in awe. you knew you were going to meet her, you dreaded this part of the day, in fear of embarrassing yourself in front of oh so great anderson.

“hi everyone, sorry i’m so late, had to drop my dad off at airport.” she stated with an apologetic tone and a small smile.

“andy! don’t apologise kotik, it’s okay.” she threw her phone on the table as she stood to up to go hug abigail. abigail hugged her back and quickly kissed vladlena on the forehead and sat at the head of table. vladlena sat on abigail’s lap and got the conversation going again.

abigail’s legs were spread apart leaving just enough space for vladlena’s legs to cross, her tiny skirt riding up. abigail’s left arm rested around vladlena’s slender waist and vladlena’s right arm sat around abigail’s neck. they looked like the jock and cheerleader couple from every single cheesy movie you’ve seen before. you looked away from the pair and glanced around the table. abigail had everyone in this sort of trance. from the moment she sat down, the conversation only revolved around her. even when she didn’t speak, the conversation would somehow comeback to her. you enjoyed listening to everyone talk about their vacations, their world cup anecdotes and latests gossip.

you eventually got to talk to almost everyone on the team during the dinner, you got numbers here and there and warmed up a bit more to the team, as you talked with everyone, you found out that two girls of the team were staying in the same hotel as you, sofia and bruna, the pair played in the brazil national team and just came back from the world cup. they both transferred from their academy a few months ago and still haven’t found a place to permanently reside in. they were kind enough to ask you to join them on their house hunting journey and you gladly accepted.

“guys, let’s take a picture for insta!” vladlena said as she got up to pick up her phone next to your chair.

everyone scurried around abigail to pose for the picture.

“lena, wait. let’s put y/n in the middle, since she’s new.” abigail said while standing up from her chair to let you sit in it.

you felt the hair on your body stand when you heard her say your name. you hesitatingly sat in her chair, thanking her with a shy smile. you sat down on the chair and leaned into it. you flinched a little when you felt hot hands in your shoulders, you tried your hardest to keep the teenage girl squeal that almost came out when you looked up and met abigail’s glance. you quickly looked back at the camera and posed for the picture.

“in the box, ladies !” vladlena chirped.

everyone went back to their seats, and got back to their little chats. you also took time to get to know more of your teammates, then came the time to eat. you’d all decided that you’d all leave before 10pm because you all had practice to tomorrow. sofia and bruna had asked to go back to the hotel you three stayed with them and you had agreed cause why not.

tracy, who sat on the opposite side of you, left first, the entire team huffed when she argued that she missed her daughter.

“she always does this when we go out.” bruna whispered next to me.

after quite sometime more girls started leaving. you also felt time fall on your shoulders and got more and more stale. you tried to keep up with the small conversations around you but failed to register anything. you glanced around the table and noticed that you, bruna, sofia and two other girls that names you forgot were the only ones left at the table. you mentally patted yourself on the back for actually staying that long.

“y/n. we have to go out for a smoke, do you want to come with us ?” you hear bruna say, taking you out of your inner rambling.

“yeah sure, i’ll just go to the bathroom first.” you announced before getting up to look for the bathroom. you almost whistled when you pushed the door of the bathroom. everything was impeccable.

you quickly jumped inside a random stall and you eased yourself. as you stood up to get out of the cabinet, you hear the bathroom door slam and flinched at the person who just entered the bathroom’s voice.

“stop fucking following me, lena, i’m gonna get violent.” the woman said.

you hear heels clanking on the bathroom tiles.

“abby, this isn’t you. look at me babe. you’re not you right now, okay?” you recognised vladlena’s accent.

you sat back on the toilet with your feet up, not wanting to make yourself known. you almost laugh at how nosy you were being.

“where did you put them, you fucking bitch. i fucking told you. i- oh my god,” heavy breaths and heavy steps resonated in the large bathroom.

you flinched again when you heard a thump against the door next to the stall you were in.

“i don’t know what you’re talking about, baby, i’m so-,” her heels clanked against, you guessed she was getting closer, to who you assumes was abigail.

“shut the fuck up, you bitch,” she grunted, you tried not to gasp when you heard the slapping noises.

you hear vladlena gasp.

“abby. abby, please. please stop. you’re choking me.” she struggled to let out. abigail was choking her.

you had to get out there. you had to help her.

“where. are. the. fucking. pills. you stupid fucking bitch,” abby grunted again, you could hear vladlena let out small whimpers. you were just stuck, you couldn’t move. your own breath hitched and you felt your entire body got cold. your arms were stuck together around your legs. you just couldn’t believe what you were hearing. vladlena’s gasps got louder, you just shut your eyes, praying she would stop.

“you, you need help, abby,” she whimpered, “i am helping you, kotik.” abby let out a breathy laugh.

“you think you’re helping me, you cunt?,” she spat, ”these pills were prescribed to me, you fucking idiot, they help me more than you ever will, bitch.” she hit vladlena and the poor girl moaned.

“abby. abby, please, please stop. you’re going to kill me.” she gasped again. you knew you had to do something but you just couldn’t move. you knew for a fact that you couldn’t take abigail out in a fight, she was massive, compared to you. you couldn’t come up with anything, your whole mind was blank. you were scared.

you heard struggle noises, vladlena tried to fight abigail back but failed, she gasped again.

“fine, fine, i’ll tell you.”

her heels clanked again and she inhaled again.

“i’m sorry abby. i, i was just trying to, to help you-“, she sniffed.

“do you want to get hit again, you whore?” abby spat. “where are they?”

“no, no!”, vladlena whispered. “i hid them at my place, okay, you take me there and i’ll give them back.”

heavy steps resonated again in the bathroom.

“you try anything funny, i’ll fucking kill you, lena, i’m not fucking joking. let’s go.” she hissed.

heels clanked again.

“wait, babe, i have to clean up. they can’t know.” her voice was low, your heart broke even more.

“10 minutes. i’ll wait for you in my car.” heavy steals resonated again, as well the sound of the door opening and closing behind her.

abigail is deranged. you felt sick.

you heard vladlena sniff again and you before you even registered what you doing, you were out of the stall. vladlena was already looking at you through the mirror. you couldn’t help your heart from breaking into more pieces when you saw the state she was in. her hair was now out of her tight ponytail and disheveled, her red lipstick was smeared and her black mascara and eyeliner had stained her cheeks. her eyes were red and glossy. she had red marks all over her throat.

“did you hear everything?” she didn’t turn around to face you, still looking at you through the mirror. your mouth felt dry, it just fell open but you couldn’t say a word. you just slowly nodded.

she sighed and took tissue out of the dispenser in front of her and made a pile. she pulled a hair tie out of her small bag and tied her hair. she dried her cheeks with one of the tissues for her small pile. you just looked at her. you felt like maybe keeping her company was helping in someway. so you just stood there,

she felt your eyes on her and spoke,

“i’m okay, you know.” she looked back at your reflection, “she needs help. she.. abby, she’s going through something right so. it’s okay. we’re okay.” she gave you a small smile. you tried to give her one back.

“we’re gonna go back home, she’ll have a xanax...or two, we’ll have some makeup sex and she’ll be good as new.” this poor girl. you watched as she pulled out a small concealer container and applied some on her face and on her throat. she winced a little when she tried to blend the concealer on her neck. she applied some mascara and let her hair fall on her shoulders again.

“how do i look?” she said with a smile on her face. this time she turned and looked at you. you couldn’t look at her in the eyes. you fell eye to eye with the poorly covered marks in her neck. you felt like crying.

“hey! eyes up here young woman!” she chuckled. how was she doing all of this. you assumed she was in a denial state about what happened to her. you felt sorry and scared for her. what if it happened again? what if this time abigail didn’t stop?

you worked up the courage to look at her in the eyes. she looked so bright yet so sad.

“y-you look great.” what a fucking loser, you were.

“great!” she turned around and put her things back in her small bag and turned around again,

“hey. i’m okay. yeah?” you nodded, “if anyone asks, and i mean anyone, asks, you say that you caught us having sex in the toilet, okay?” you nodded again. “great! you have my number, right? you call if you need anything, i mean, anything.” before i could react, she wrapped her arms around your body and kissed your cheek,

“you have a goodnight, love. thank you for staying with me.” and with that she left.

you let out air that you didn’t even know you were holding.

what the fuck.

you looked at your reflection and worked up the courage to go back to the girls waiting for you outside. you went back to the table and saw that everyone was gone. you looked around the chairs, looking for your phone and your handbag but failed to find them. exactly what you needed to end the weirdest day of your life.

you hesitated between just sitting back in defeat on a chair and waiting the police to take you out or going to look outside if bruna and sofia were still outside the restaurant. you chose the latest option. you stepped out of the restaurant and luckily, you found bruna, waiting for you with your handbag in her arms. you sighed in relief.

“what took you so long, friend” she said handing you your bag.

“if i tell you won’t believe it.” you plainly stated. she just shrugged and asked if you’d care for a ride back to your hotel. you jumped in the car with her, you didn’t have it in you to deny yourself a free ride. the ride back wasn’t that long, bruna insisted on walking you to your room despite the fact that the both of you had rooms on 2 different floors.

you got into your room and took a quick shower, got into comfy clothes and immediately fell asleep.

***

the next morning, you surprisingly woke one hour before your alarm. after tossing and turning in your bed, you decided to start your day. you check your phone before getting up. 8 am. you scrolled through all the notifications you’ve gotten while you were asleep. you frowned a bit you saw how many you’ve gotten. you check your hometown friends’ groupchat, the conversation was still on going so you scrolled up to see what was going on.

ellie🤍 i got so scared when i got the twitter notif i thought y/n got injured. i was abt to cry. turns out it’s WORSE. MY HERO ABBY💔.

dina💕 ???

ellie🤍 abby injury 💔 she probably won’t play until the next international break

you frowned even harder. what? when did she get injured? mind still foggy, you tapped a quick reply.

you wait ellie where did you hear about this ?

ellie🤍 oh look!!! it’s a professional football player 😨 you’re so busy you don’t even know what’s going with your teammates. wow.

you i’m serious ellie

ellie🤍 wait you fr didn’t know? here’s the link https://twitter.com/waltfieldfc/status/1700793208819622151?s=46

you clicked on the link and read the entire statement.

Waltfield FC @waltfieldfc

We can confirm that Abigail Anderson suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament on Wednesday night.

Abigail will now begin a period of rehabilitation and is set for an extended spell on the sidelines. She will undergo surgery in due course.

Everyone at Waltfield will be supporting Abigail closely throughout the journey ahead and we would ask that her privacy is respected at this time.

We're all right behind you, @abby19anderson ❤️

“that’s bullshit”, you yelled to yourself still lying in bed. an acl injury is any footballer’s nightmare. how could they just lie like that. some players never come back from that. how could they?

you copied the link, and sent it to the number you saved as ‘lena’ yesterday.

you is this serious [link attached]

FINALLY! ahhhh hope this wasn’t too long… PLEASE GUYS BARE WITH ME this is my first time writing bare with me okay!!!!

#abby anderson x reader #abby anderson #abby anderson fics #abby x fem!reader #abby the last of us #abby tlou #abby x reader #abby x you #abby x y/n

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gamesception · 4 months

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Sception Reads Cass Cain #31

Superboy (1994) #85 Writer: Joe Kelly Pencils: Pascual Ferry

Another Guest appearance. I vaguely recall DC trying to push a Cass/Conner relationship, or at least a crush or something? I don't remember there ever being much to it, more of a kind of arbitrary 'might as well try pairing batgirl and superboy, because compulsory heterosexuality or something'. Not bad exactly, but nothing I remember anybody wanting or caring about.

But I only would have seen it from a single side, since I didn't really follow Superboy. Like, I read scattered issues of Young Justice here and there and liked that, but not enough to follow any of those characters outside of the team up book. So lets see if Joe Kelly writing of the two can win me over. Also, I think Ferry's another new artist to tackle Cass, and that's always neat.

Ok, right off the bat, the writing isn't really my thing. Conner is supposed to be that annoying-but-funny-and-endearing chatterbox type characters that is so often just ends up being obnoxious, with the annoyance of the other characters around them only enhancing that obnoxiousness instead of undercutting it. And, yeah, that's kind of what happens here, at least imo.

Not to get all 'cinema sins ding' or anything, but why is Kelly having Conner do a parody of Adam West batman? Like, where is he pulling those mannerisms from in universe? Minor nitpick, but kind of adds to the obnoxiousness.

We're here for Cass, not Conner, though, and Conner makes a strong enough first impression rescuing her from a bunch of random exploding zombies no it's not worth getting into.

To which Cass flips over to Tim and is like "who is this?"

I do like Cass in that last panel there. I like how expressive the eyes are, how the chunky belt pouches are used, the casual conversation between Cass and Tim, who knows her well enough to know what she's saying without saying anything. Honestly, Cass's interactions with the rest of the Bat Family could have used more of that sort of easy camaraderie within her own book.

Her waiste is weirdly pinched in that panel, but surely that's just from Ferry squeezing her into the panel and not because we're dipping into outright escher girls territory, right?

Oh, oh yeesh, uh oh.

On a more positive note, this was a cute moment from Kelly, and well executed by Ferry.

But then this, and, yeah, ouch. Ooof, Ferry.

Kind of a shame, because he does a pretty good job with her face, and it's honestly rare to see her unmasked in a guest appearance.

Conner and Cass escape of course, but the villain's long gone by that point, and Batman's medium pissed, plus doing his overprotective strict dad 'I don't like you hanging out with that boy/metahuman' schtick.

But then Conner stands up for both himself and Cass in this bit here that's, uh, honestly kind of endearing? Like, if more of his appearances with Cass were like this, in particular if they were about standing up to Bruce, about giving her a human connection outside of Bruce's sphere of influence that could call him out or help Cass see the problems with how Bruce treats her, then I think it would have made more of an impression on me. It could even have been an important part of Cass's own character development and story arc instead of the plot cul-de-sac it ended up as, iirc.

For now, though, this is honestly pretty cute. Which is way more than I expected, especially after not gelling with Conner's dialog throughout most of the issue.

#cassandra cain #batgirl #conner kent #superboy #sception reads cassandra cain #guest appearance time #with shorter commentary than usual #all the better to ease back into the update habit #after a couple weeks break

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wwouldvecouldveshouldve · 2 months

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Tachihara, Jouno, + Tecchou with a TS! reader in her reputation era

okay I had an idea and I knew I needed to write, so here we are. inspired while listening to Call It What You Want, but I wrote the whole thing while listening to this playlist. also, you may not know this, but Tachihara is actually one of my favourites.

brief mentions of alcohol.

Every lover known in comparison is a failure I forget their names now, I'm so very tame now Never be the same now, now

(ready for it, taylor swift)

because of his work in the mafia, you would obviously have to be private. which was easy, because you were currently keeping yourself away from society after an incident with a 'friend' that seemed to have the whole world in-the-know about it. your plans for a revenge album were partially thrown out the window when you met him. I mean, how could you NOT write songs about this man? he was drop-dead gorgeous and always tried to help you out. when you first saw each other, he recognised you instantly but did not show it because he was with Hirotsu. it was a nice surprise to him when you came across each other again at Barnes & Nobles, and you two decided to have a brief conversation. he was charming, but it took a few other meetings of coincidence for you to give him your number. you got closer by him crashing at your place. you would talk about things you didn't tell anyone else and he would start to tell you little snippets about what he carries in his heart. you casually mentioned there was a new book out from your favourite series (it's my writing y'all it's my writing I'm not a published author but your favourite series is written by Keys in this story and you don't have a choice <33) and he brought it to you the next day with your favourite dessert. you were not very affectionate with each other at first, but eventually you could not stay away from or off of each other. holding hands beneath the dinner table, goodbye and greeting kisses, and he would always go home and cuddle you until you fall asleep together (your alarm clock (which was more his, since he is the only one who really used it) always ticked you off). some nights you would talk, have a glass of something, and others you would just lay on the couch with a blanket and cry without a single word being exchanged. you would share the entire songwriting process with him and he supported you the WHOLE WAY. and when you finally released it? he attended as many shows as possible and always told you how much he adored the songs on it!

Say my name and everything just stops I don't want you like a best friend Only bought this dress so you could take it off

(dress, taylor swift)

first of all, he is not sure about the phone call. it feels fishy to him (no he doesn't feel fish thank God for that) but he still really likes your music. it does not add up because you have never seemed to be a bad person or liar before. he takes a neutral stance on the controversy until he meets you. you both meet when you're out of your house, getting something from a store, and he happens to be on a mission. he is instantly sidetracked and asks for an autograph. you end up signing his sword and you meet again at the bakery. you bonded over some obscure food opinions and hesitantly gave him your number. he seemed like a golden retriever, so it couldn't be too bad, right? the friendship progressed slowly. you were cautious, he didn't want to overstep boundaries because he's a precious baby. he doesn't really confess to you for a while later but he still does everything he can with his schedule to show that he cares. he gets the feeling you're having a bad day? he will show up at your door and give you a hug. he is not great with words and he does not really trust himself to give you good food. Jouno is really suspicious of this behaviour but decides it isn't worth his time. when you confess to him, he accepts with so little hesitation that, in the following silence, you know you're both in love. you kept some of his stuff, and he kept his word not to tell people. you spend all of the next day thinking about him and writing songs, and when he's back in the evening, you sing them. when you release your next album and come back strong? he has never been happier. even though he can't always show it with his words, you can tell, quite easily, that he loves you.

Ugh, I love him but I hate how this turned out. :/ this is weirdly hard to write???

I want to wear his initial On a chain 'round my neck, chain 'round my neck Not because he owns me But 'cause he really knows me Which is more than they can say, I

(call it what you want, taylor swift)

this bitch didn't even know about the drama or listen to your music when you met. I mean, he had heard of you and that you were supposed to be really talented and all, but he wasn't invested and didn't mind. when he met you running errands for Fukuchi, you two had a brief conversation to make fun of a rude customer at the store. you got along because of mutual snarky humor and saltiness, but it eventually turned to teasing each other. you introduced yourselves, and took each others' rather shocking identities as calmly as possible. you gave him your number because it seemed like he hated most other people enough to not give it to them. because he can tell when people are telling a lie, he took the news about the drama from you with a ticked-off attitude. who else could piss you off like he could?! of course, he understood how much it hurts you, it's obvious to him. so you make fun of a certain person together and you get closer from late-night conversations. he knew when you fell for him, and he was bothered by it at first. not bothered at you, but because he returned the feelings and this could put you in danger. even when he loved seeing you mad at him, he always preferred to see you happy. he does things for you, and his love language was giving you acts of service. you, in turn, showered him with your time. with time, you became inseperable. you could not stop writing songs about him, and when you quietly sang them to him on midnights, his ears were finally soothed from Tetcho's yapping. he would never stand for someone disrespecting you, and it makes your heart flutter every time.

okay, we're done! this took a little long for me to write, and it's not well-edited. reminder that requests are open and to take care of yourselves. Have a wonderful day! (also, how would you all describe my writing style? low-key curious????)

edit: I'm not sure how to feel about this piece.

#bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd x reader #bungo stray dogs #jouno #jouno saigiku #bsd jouno #jouno x reader #saigiku jouno #tachihara #tachihara michizou #bsd tachihara #tachihara x reader #tetchou suehiro #bsd tetchou #tetchou x reader

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justwearthegoddamncardigan · 1 year

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Love your touches - not in a weird way though

Minho x fem!reader

Warnings: N/A except for some minor language (glader slang)

Overview: reader is a tactile person and Minho is oblivious, reader also ended up pretty confident and chill so that was fun to write, and then they’re both dorks at the end

Side note: this was literally written at 3am so excuse mistakes or incoherency please and thank you

Look, Minho’s not exactly a very hands-on guy alright? I mean, he’s not lacking in human interaction or anything. A casual throw of an arm around Ben’s shoulder after a good run, or coaxing a fist bump out of a reluctant but begrudgingly smiling Alby. That’s all Minho needs in terms of touch. He’s not gonna be reaching out for hug all the time or anything.

He knows some of the others are different, and he understands that just fine. Newt will give you a hug on the spot if you show up teary eyed and Zart is always surprise-hugging-slash-jumpscaring people around the Glade. It’s nice, for other people. Minho doesn’t need that.

So with that background info, why is he losing his mind over a shucking Greenie and her dumb sweet stupid gentle nice stupid touches?

Let’s rewind a bit.

As usual, the Greenie (you know, you), stuck with Newt. Minho heard that you ended up being selected by Clint and Jeff, but not much else crossed his mind about you. Oh right, you were the first girl.

To be honest, that wasn’t really a big deal for Minho, in comparison to the reaction from some of the other guys. Anyways, with you holed up in the Medjack hut treating injuries and Minho out running in the Maze, you didn’t really cross paths until a month after your arrival.

For the next Greenie welcome celebration, Gally had concocted a new blend of his drink, and long story short the entire Glade was collectively experiencing the worst hangover they’d ever had. Even Alby was subject to the pounding headaches and waves of nausea.

There were only a few unaffected people. You had decided not to try Gally’s new drink, as you wanted to soberly experience a Greenie welcome night without the initial terror of being dropped into a shucking Maze. Minho had only drunk a little in an attempt to avoid a hangover for his morning run.

With most of the Glade bedridden and unable to do their jobs, Alby had cancelled the morning’s work tasks. Frypan was thankfully stable enough to cook up some breakfast, while Newt had to run around looking after everyone (i.e. motherhenning). Clint and Jeff were stuck mass-making hangover cures and had waved you away to get breakfast first.

As such, this left you with Minho, and this is where his issue began. You had a lot of questions - apparently you were very curious about Runners, but you kept touching him to ask the questions.

Conversation flowed well and it was easy and casual, but every time you wanted to ask something you would nudge his arm or grab his wrist. It was a little weird, to be honest.

It went something like this: “Ben’s so out of it he’s gonna forget the entire maze,” joked Winston, who was always hangover-free no matter how much he drank.

“Wait, so do you guys have to memorise the Maze long term or just until you write it down?” You asked, pulling Minho’s elbow to get his attention.

“Long term is best, that’s why we still run the sections that have been mapped for years,” he explained. “We have to commit it to memory.”

You hummed in understanding, tapping his forearm with a single finger “Ohh I get it.”

These touches extended into other events too.

Example: the council meeting. Runner briefings were always first, followed by Medjacks and then the rest of the groups. Minho was prepared for mild annoyance and distraction when you sat down beside him, but you didn’t do anything and instead listened intently to your parts of the meeting.

But when the Medjack session was over, you crumpled against Minho, grabbing his arm to draw invisible patterns with your fingers. He rolled his eyes - this was exactly what he was expecting.

He caught your gaze and raised his eyebrows in a pointed gesture.

Instead of stopping, you grinned up at him from your slumped position and hooked your ankle over his leg.

“Slim it,” he whispered, giving your leg a little kick (but he let it rest for the rest of the meeting). His stomach felt strange for the rest of the meeting **but he refuses to say ‘butterflies’.

You’d been… friends, for about three months now. Eventually Minho got used to the touches and started to lean into them and reciprocate too. He also noticed other things about you.

You have a perpetual smile on your face, but all the smiles are different. You've got the regular sunshiny one you give to everyone, and the wicked one you give when you’re teasing people. His favourite is the smaller, private smile you seem to give only to him.

Your personality is usually bright and energetic, but the positive demeanour means you can deliver devastating blows when no one expects them. The most Minho has ever laughed has often come from the little quips and comebacks you use to respond to people.

He also loves that you tend to lean on him when you’re laughing, either hiding your face in your arm, which you rest on his shoulder, or just fully leaning back and knowing he’s there to support you.

You often link arms with him and skip playfully around the Glade, but it’s a little awkward when only one person is skipping, and the other is, well, walking normally with a bouncing person attached to his arm.

Wow. There were a lot of examples in that. If he cleared out the brain space it took to know all the stuff about you, they’d probably know the whole maze by now. (But he doesn’t mind).

One day, Minho finds you and Newt sleeping against each other in the town hall, since you're both on break. This is as good a time as any to ask for another opinion, he supposes.

“Hey, Newt,” he says after you've left, “What do you think of Y/n?”

“What do you mean?” asks Newt.

“I just- she really... I don’t know. She’s really touchy I guess.”

“Oh. Yeah, I mean, she’s just a more tactile person. Does it bother you? You know, if you asked her to she’d stop or at least tone it down a bit.”

“What? No!” his stomach sinks at the thought of you stopping your touches and smiles. “I just meant, does it ever make you feel weird?”

Newt stops walking and turns, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “Weird how?”

“Not bad… just weird.”

“Like… your heart beats faster, or your stomach feels fluttery, and you want to be around her more?” suggests Newt.

Minho frowns. “I mean, kinda, that’s a little… though.”

“Yeah there isn’t another explanation.” Newt claps a hand on Minho’s shoulder. “You’re in love with her, mate. Congratulations.”

Minho freezes. “I- what? That’s not even, no,” he stutters out.

“Think about it for a second,” says Newt, watching amusedly.

“What are you shanks on about? Minho looks like he just ate klunk,” Ben snarks as he passes by.

“Oh, just about how he’s in love.”

“What, with Y/n- ohh,” Ben grins. “So you’ve realised,” he says, patting Minho on the shoulder.

“There’s nothing to realise,” he insists. Hell, am I actually…?

On your end of things, you’ve pretty much accepted your crush. It’s there, it’s present. You acknowledge it and move on.

From your first day Minho was put in the ‘didn’t try to hit on me’ category in your head, a category only filled by a good few guys. Even better, he also fit in the ‘is a good friend without any initial intentions to hit on me’ category, which was a step up. Plus, it also helped that you get along well - his attitude melds well with yours. And also, yeah, he’s pretty shuckin' hot.

You tried dropping a few hints so see if the feeling was mutual; talking to him more than any others, letting yourself be a little looser with the casual touches you give all your friends, but nothing came out your small efforts. Sure, you got closer as friends, which was nice, but a romantic bond would have been even better.

So all in all, the crush is there. That’s not new. It’s expected. What you don't expect is Newt walking up to you, jabbing a thumb behind him, and saying “your boy wants to talk to you,” complete with a full eye roll and exasperated huff.

You tilt your head in question, interest piqued, and head off in the direction Newt pointed - towards the Runners’ hut.

“Hey,” a voice greets you as soon as you step in.

“Hi? Is everything alright,” you ask, concerned.

“Well, we’ll see,” says Minho, frowning. “I’ve been told I’m in love with you.”

“Oh,” you start, not quite sure what to say. “…Are you?”

“I love your touches,” he blurts. He stops, looking down, and seems to steel himself. “I love all your little touches, and that you’re so fun to talk to… and” he pauses. “And you’re beautiful. Really beautiful.”

You laugh softly, and a smile curves your lips. “And that smile,” he exclaims. “So if you… do you… uhh too?”

“Do I…”

“You know,” he huffs impatiently.

Taking a deep breath, you step closer. “I love all those things too… but with you, I mean. Not myself. I mean, self love and all, but- OK! I’m just gonna repeat the statements. I love touching you… in not a weird way, and I love talking to you too. And you’re really beautiful too,” you finish with a grin. You slowly loop your arms around his neck, looking up to meet his eyes and a little down to meet his- Hang on.

“So are you? In love with me?”

And then he kisses you, wrapping an arm around your waist.

He pulls away, resting his forehead on yours as you run a thumb over his cheek. “Does that tell you the answer?” he asks softly.

“Well you didn’t actually say any-,” and then you’re having a second kiss.

Sooo this came out. It’s completely different to my previous fic, but it was so fun to write

Hope you enjoyed ❤️

Part 2 of Come Back to Me is in the works

#the maze runner #tmr minho #minho x you #minho x reader #tmr minho x reader #my writing

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tachiguin · 6 months

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hi, english is not my native language, so sorry for any mistakes... you know about the songs of bsd characters? I really love your analyzes and theories, it seems like there was nothing about songs among them, maybe there are any thoughts about them?

Hello there, Anon! I'm happy to hear that you like my posts :) And thank you so much for asking; as it happens, I do know about the songs. Though if I'm being honest, the only one I listen to semi-regularly is Tanizaki's "Bewitching Screens" (usually when I'm roleplaying/writing fanfiction with him and need the inspiration).

youtube

I do have some thoughts, though I think the reason I never posted anything about the song is because I feel like the lyrics are kind of self-explanatory anyhow, but they do reinforce my interpretation/meta of Tanizaki.

Rambles under the cut :)

His song has a very low key, chill vibe, but only at first. It goes from carefree and casual, to something with a darker, more aggressive undertone, then finally, the ending, (which I will touch on later in this post). It's representative of who Tanizaki is as a character-- the deceptive "softboy" energy he has normally, which belies his proclivity towards violence and darker psyche.

Also, it's worth noting that the lyrics kinda just come out and confirm that Tanizaki has "secrets [he doesn't] want to tell anyone", particularly in regards to "[his] existence". The song is essentially him singing about himself, repeating the usual narrative:

Maybe that’s why miscellaneous odd jobs is sort of my specialty My social status is so-so Even getting carried away is fine,

My redeeming quality is probably my diligence I don’t even want to shed blood As far as myself is concerned

But these verses always end on a darker note:

But there is only one thing I cannot forgive

But don’t cross over the forbidden territory.

Of course, I think the other reason why I never really talked much about the character songs is because I wasn't sure how much of an input Asagiri actually had in their lyrics/composition. Like sure, there's definitely some reading between the lines to be done, but at the end of the day, I felt like it didn't really tell me anything new about Tanizaki, it's just a song about what can already be deduced based on his actions in the series.

BUT! One thing I always found interesting was that his character song ends with "Sayonara" (goodbye), WHICH could be interpreted as just a melodramatic thing thrown in there for the aesthetic, but… I guess it wouldn't be me if I didn't read too deeply into things that probably aren't that deep. I do recall reading a comment once (which I cannot find atm, if you think you're the person who originally made this connection then lmk and I'll mention you if you want) that Dazai and Tanizaki's character songs both end on the "goodbye", though now that I'm actually looking into it, it's completely different, because Dazai says "goodbye" in English (a.k.a. its another "Guddo Bai" reference, which is a completely different meta that I'm certain someone else has already written)

The thing is that there's multiple different ways to say "bye" in Japanese, and "sayonara" has a certain sentimental connotation, therefore, its really awkward and a dead giveaway that you're not a native speaker if you use it in casual conversation. The correct way to say 'goodbye' to a friend would be some variant of "Jaa mata ne" (see you later then), though notably this is pretty informal and should not be used with a coworker or teacher or senior-- but I digress! The point is that "sayonara" has the implication that you may not see the other party for a long time, possibly forever.

Okay the other element here is that, assumably, he's singing to Naomi, due to this verse:

I want to protect you (I want to be here) I want to protect you (I cannot forgive this) I want to protect (the incorruptible) everything “you” are –

Which, combined with the "sayonara", really kinda makes me wonder. I think the easy interpretation to get out of this is further reinforcement of the "Naomi is actually an ability construct and her real self died in Middle School" theory, which is valid, but also, consider that the rest of the song is about who Tanizaki is. In the chorus, he asks the listener:

Slowly…look, at the illusionary screen Tell me, what do you see?

To me, it sounds like Tanizaki is asking "do you see the real me, hidden behind this facade of ordinariness?". And when he wants "to protect the incorruptible"-- he doesn't want "you" (Naomi?) to know about this darker side to him. Again, that's just what I'm getting from the song lyrics, which weren't necessarily written with Asagiri's manga canon in mind (still unsure?). But, this interpretation is supported by the fact that Tanizaki only ever snaps when Naomi is in danger, therefore unconscious, and ignorant to Tanizaki's actions following her being harmed.

Personally, I think it's a disservice to Naomi's character to think she's completely unaware of Tanizaki's darker psyche, the side of him who would literally burn the world down if it meant keeping Naomi safe, but… BSD never claimed to write women with agency :,) On the other hand, as much as Naomi acts airheaded and oblivious, we also frequently see a much more perceptive side of her, usually, when Tanizaki isn't in the picture. It's canonically stated that Naomi is, in fact, smarter and more observant than her brother, but, just like Tanizaki, this "hidden" side of her only emerges when Tanizaki isn't around to witness it.

Anyway, that was kind of off topic from the character song, but what I was getting at was that the "sayonara" means that Tanizaki has revealed his "true self" to "you"/Naomi, therefore, he's saying farewell to the peaceful illusion he had built between them— of himself, as just a "normal guy", and of their relationship, just an innocent sibling pair that used to be high-schoolers.

Hopefully my rambles satisfied your curiosity, Anon! It's a good song, and it's pretty validating for my headcanons/metas.

#junichirou tanizaki #tanizaki junichirou #bsd tanizaki #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd meta #bsd analysis #anonymous #answered

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kurogane2512 · 2 years

Note

because of our conversation the other day, i am here to request pining with signora (or maybe rosalyne, if that’s easier) & jean !

sfw, all fluff — basically how they deal with their crush over reader or how they realize they have a crush :)

sending you loads of kisses 💘💘

~Is it Love?~

Character: La Signora (reader gender unspecified)

Synopsis: Signora's way of loving you

Warnings: None (SFW, Fluff)

Hear me out, I was initially going to write both Signora and Jean as you asked but I wrote this whole ass one shot for Signora and couldn't stop hence decided to only include her. Hope you don't mind that :( Side note- I love how you mentioned optional Rosalyne but you know what I love doing? Making La Signora's inner Rosalyne come out when she's in love ;)

"Lady Signora being in love? Not a chance!" is what everyone thought of whenever the word 'love' was associated with the 8th Harbinger. It was easy for everyone to think that she had never been in a relationship, not even any casual ones. Little did they know that a certain someone was on her mind for quite some time now, a certain subordinate of hers.

How did it really happen? It was quite unclear to her. Was it your undying loyalty towards her? Was it your meticulous and diligent attitude towards work and training? Was it your unusually caring and concerned side for her? Was it how your eyes always looked passionately at her, ready to follow her anywhere and everywhere? Was it that moment you two happened to share by chance where she let herself become vulnerable after a long time? She did not know, neither did she want to know. But what she did come to know was that she had indeed fallen in love once again after 500 years of her life.....which was unacceptable. Unacceptable because of her position, her status, her work....and herself.

That's right, Signora's way of dealing with a crush was 'sad' to put it nicely. It wasn't that she didn't want to confess and love again, it was that she felt she didn't deserve it and that you didn't deserve someone tainted like her. There was also the underlying fear inside her of losing a loved one once again, perhaps this is what was truly holding her back.

But she still wanted to love you and care for you in some manner, no matter how small or how unsuspecting it was- it was enough for her to feel satisfied knowing she did something for you. A few things change in your usual routine, your room is no longer the common dormitory but one of the individual ones where Harbingers casually frequent in order to meet their most trusted subordinates.

Signora didn't have any, she wasn't the kind to show favoritism but now she did though it didn't matter much as she barely ever came to meet you; and whenever she did then it was quite a short-lived meeting as she only asked for your general wellbeing and nothing else. Another thing that changes is your position in her unit, being promoted to essentially her secretary who would always follow her everywhere and be the first person she'd approach for any work.

But truly, all she wanted was to keep a close eye on you in order to ensure you are fine. You also notice her tone and choice of words become softer when you two are alone, almost as if she lets go of all her reservations and acts like herself, truly herself. Smiles and giggles become more common between you two and you can't help but notice how she looks more beautiful than usual.

What she doesn't realize is how she was slowly falling even harder for you and how she was unaware of that. Her previous acts of love consisted of simply spending more time with you but now they slowly began to escalate into physical intimacy. It all started when she spontaneously hugged you one day after your training session, she didn't even realize when she did it and how tightly she was holding you but she didn't want to let go.

Once she came back to her senses, she brushed it off by just walking away and acting like it never happened but inside, she was craving for so much more. She wanted to hold you in her arms and embrace you, she wanted to feel your arms around her, she wanted to snuggle into your neck and inhale your relaxing scent and listen to your heartbeat, she wanted to run her fingers through your hair and caress you, she wanted your tempting lips on her crimson painted ones and never let go again.

Holding your hand to simply drag you somewhere, touching you ever so lightly at various places like your face and arms, giving you small hugs- it all became quite common. And she didn't realize when she fell deeper and finally crossed the line she had decided she would never- the day she kissed you. Or, more like- you kissed her. You had loved her for a long time and didn't want to dance on the edge of your feelings any longer.

The moment you pinned her on a wall in her office and swiftly connected your lips, you expected her to push you away and perhaps slap you for your unfilial behaviour but what followed caught you by surprise quite a bit. She placed her hands around your neck and quickly turned around to pin you on the wall instead and came closer to kiss you deeper.

That moment was so fleeting for you both, you didn't even realize how long you kissed for. All you could feel was each other; your bodies pressed closely, your hands were held out open and pressed on the wall by her own as your fingers intertwined, her lips seeking yours relentlessly and her tongue exploring every corner of your mouth that it could. "Call me Rosalyne from now on, Y/n." was the first thing she said the moment she pulled away from the kiss only to come in again and kiss you even deeper. Perhaps she decided to let herself fall in love again, no matter what happens in the future. Would this path lead to a sea of flames again? Maybe, maybe not. She realized she didn't care, all she wanted was to love and be loved.

#signora x reader #la signora x reader #la signora #genshin women #genshin fluff #genshin x reader #genshin impact signora #alice❤️#kuro's letters🥳

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reggies-eyeliner · 1 year

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THE CLASSIC & PLATONIC MATCHUP - 🐛anon!

-> THE "TAKE-MY-JACKET-IT'S-COLD" COUPLE<3

& THE "WHY DID YOU FORGET YOUR JACKET" SQUAD

[ ANON / STEVE HARRINGTON || ANON & ROBIN BUCKLEY, DUSTIN HENDERSON, ERICA SINCLAIR, STEVE HARRINGTON ]

#now playing ... "SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW" by keane

he falls for you when you're patching up his wounds. he falls for you when you gently caress his hair as tears fall down his face because he's so so tired. he falls for you when you ramble for hours about your interests; when you're the only one who points out the remarkable designs on the stairs of the house they've newly discovered can be linked to the upside-down. you made it so easy for him to fall in love and he is both terrified and at peace with that (begins to sob on the floor bangs fists on the table oh my GOD)

it's during the scariest of times that he'll start cracking a dry joke just to lift your spirits, or he'll let you talk about mythology to calm yourself after a rather stressful mishap. he'll be the first to tell you that you did your best, and that's all anyone could ever ask for. his breath will be taken away when he sees you dressed up for the first time, even when he's already speechless when you show up in casual clothes.

robin + steve + you, the trio that stays out to play badminton until late in the night, only to hear something in the woods as you both scamper in doors, sheltered form the cold as you turn on a film (as background music for your conversations) and talk until the sun rises. the trio that'll have unscheduled, mutual therapy appointments for hours, to talk about all of the deep things that are hard to talk about, but talking about it with each other makes things so much easier.

dustin and erica continuing to look up to you, even when you fail, knowing that you always get up and try again no matter what, but also reminding you that you can ask for help. dustin seeing you and steve as parental figures in a sweet, yet a bit sad, way.

robin being completely chill about you and steve's relationship, she'd assumed that you two had been dating previously, when really you had only gotten together after a particularly life-threatening moment that separated you two, and after that he didn't want to waste a single moment without you

dustin sees you as an older sibling in a sense, he's always asking questions because he wants to start conversations with you, and he's genuinely there to listen to you talk whenever you need it

erica absolutely loves your hair and will ask you to do hers !! (begins to sob and curl up into a ball) you two are so so iconic, erica will stop at nothing to ensure your safety, contrary to her behavior around others. she enjoys your company a ton, and will usually be on your side, no matter the circumstance

steve harrington, who learns how to really feel his emotions around you instead of keeping them bottled up, who lands gentle kisses on the forehead while patching up wounds, who is always the first to ask how you're doing

RANDOMIZED TROPE + INCORRECT QUOTE

" FOUND FAMILY "

-> robin: guys imagine if someone handed you a box full of all the items you have lost throughout your life erica: oh my god my childhood innocence?? how fun, thanks! dustin: i knew i lost my potential somewhere! steve: my moral code, is that you? you: oh man, my non-perfectionistic views? robin: damn i was just gonna show you this cool trunk my mother left me but do you guys need a hug?

a/n: oKAY THIS ONE WAS SO FUN TO WRITE HOLY SMOKES. WOW. i wrote this and went thIS COULD FIT SO MUCH HURT/COMFORT AND FOUND FAMILY AND OH MY GOSH?? i hope you're doing well anon + THE PICKUP LINE IM CRYINGFFSHCSC THANK YOU SO MUCH HELLO ?? anyways please take care + remember to hydrate lots and eat well! get plenty of rest! :-)

REQUEST A MATCHUP HERE!

#ellie's.matchups<3!#stranger things matchup #stranger things #steve harrington #robin buckley #erica sinclair #dustin henderson #steve harrington headcanons #stranger things headcanons #steve harrington x reader #platonic #SKCHHSCHJSCHTAKE CARE!!

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tranakin-skywalker · 5 months

Note

20, 21, 22 for anakin for the ask game?

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

I feel like Obi-Wan is the easy answer here (doesn't mean it's not true though, two halves of a whole warrior- yadayada. They are so mentally ill about each other but separate them and everything breaks)

Goddamn this is a lot harder to answer than I thought it would be. The problem with Anakin is he doesn't really have friends. He'd got people he's friendly with, certainly, but those seem more like familiar acquaintances than real friendships. Anakin jumps straight over the friendship stage and right into insane codependent batshittery. There is no in-between. If you're going to be buds with Anakin Skywalker you have to be chill with him dropping the fact that he will gladly burn down the entire galaxy for you into casual conversation. That's not a thing for the faint of heart.

Now that I think about it though, Anakin and Sabe as BBFs would be really fun (I am maybe feeling shrimp emotions over the 2020 Darth Vader comics. Just a bit.) Canon gave them a rocky reintroduction but I think if Sabe had been brought in on the whole secret marriage thing, she and Anakin could have really hit it off.

21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

I don't think this is something that's really shown up in anything I've published yet, but I think it's really really fun to make Anakin do domestic stuff, because there is something just so off about it. He is entirely incapable of doing Normal People things because of his general Everything. Like, I don't think this is a guy capable of doing normal housecleaning. Instead, he is going on a 3 am spiral deep cleaning the bathroom floor with an old toothbrush because he did something that his poor hell brain interprets as some great moral failure (broke Obi-Wan's mug on accident) and this is the only way to make it right. Trauma of being a child slave, you know?

Like holy shit, the neurosis of this guy make is so that every little thing he does has this extra layer of 'what the shit??' intensity behind it. I think that's fun.

Something I dislike having to do (at least 4/5 times) is figure out how to write his dialogue. Sometimes it comes pretty easy but half the time I'm wondering if I'm writing his lines in character. His dialogue is just all over the place, so it's hard to know. Guy says "You are in my very soul, tormenting me," full pussy. Which is, ya know, something I have to keep in mind.

Honestly my quick cheat is to come up with the most autistic delivery of what I want him to say and I'm usually golden lmao

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to this character? Something you don't like?

When people write him smart. Like, holy shit, I don't think there's a bigger turn off for me when reading a fic as when the author makes Anakin an idiot. This is a character who is scary smart both in a traditional sense, but also tactically. Child fucking prodigy material. I really appreciate it when a fic acknowledges his intelligence.

And (maybe controversial take??) I think he's actually very emotionally aware, both of his own emotions and of the people around him. He just has a hard time translating that awareness into appropriate action. I think he's deeply in tune with what other people are thinking and feeling (maybe too much), it's just when it comes to actually doing something about that where he fumbles hard.

Fics that treat Anakin like he's completely oblivious to the emotions of other people just rub me the wrong way.

#sorry i was at work all day yesterday so i'm only now able to answer these

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duckprintspress · 1 year

Text

How to Write a Great Query Letter

Part 2 of a 2-part series of guest posts by Alec J. Marsh. Part 1, “Why Query Letters are Good, Actually,” came out last week; you can read it here!

Alec is also the author of Duck Prints Press’s forthcoming novella To Drive the Hundred Miles, about a young man coming home for the holidays and finding more than he expected. It’s coming out December 21st, 2022. They know what they’re talking about, as an author and about a writer-writing-about-writing, so read on and learn!

Now that you’ve read the first post in this series, and had a week to reflect on it… are you convinced yet? Are you ready to acquire the most important marketing skill of your career? Great!

If you’re primarily interested in how to pitch to Duck Prints Press specifically, there will be a full post about that coming out in the near future. But I promise, these skills will help you whatever your writing aspirations are.

1. The Really Boring Part

Most queries open with a paragraph called “metadata.” This is all the marketing stuff that you need to get out of the way so your agent/editor knows what kind of book it is. This includes

Title: Self-explanatory

Length: This is vitally important for traditional publishing. If you are a debut author and your story isn’t within the accepted range, you’ll get automatically rejected by most agents. There are very good industry reasons for that, but discussing that’s a different article. If you want to look at the averages, check out this link.

Genre and age range: This is practical for marketing and readership purposes, and it also puts the summary in context.

Comparative (or Comp) Titles: This is a tricky one, and a full discussion on selecting appropriate comparative titles could easily be its own separate blog post, but the short version is that you should pick titles that your book can be compared to. That can be descriptive—"Supernatural but set in Eastern Europe"—or genre—"For fans of Tamora Pierce"—or even trope based—"Sunshine/Grumpy romance set in a world of danger and magic." There are a ton of options, but the main point is to position your story in the market and make it easy to pick up quickly.

Logline: This serves a similar purpose as the comp titles do and is meant to sum up one cool part of your story. It doesn’t have to sum up the entire story. For example, Gideon the Ninth sounds wild if you try to summarize the plot, but I’ve been able to convince all my friends to read it by saying simply, “it’s about lesbian necromancers in space.” That’s all you need! In casual conversation, this is often called your “elevator pitch.” Imagine you’re at a convention and you get into the elevator with your dream agent, and you have only the length of the elevator ride to sell them your novel. What do you say? That’s your logline.

***Both comp titles and logline are technically optional, and you don’t need both of them. It’s better to write something unique than to waste the space putting something in just because you think you need it.

2. The Biography

This usually goes at the end of the query. Don’t overthink it. If you have any credentials, put those in; relevant credentials can include past publications, editing jobs, or a creative writing degree. Then write one to two sentences that make you sound interesting. For example, I say that I like long walks in the fog (because I write moody fantasy) and have a history degree (because it inspires my fantasy world building).

3. The Body

I left this until the last because it’s the hardest and most important part. A killer summary will make up for dull metadata and a lackluster bio. But if the body of your query letter is weak, no MFA in the world will save you. This section should be 300 words maximum.

Your simplest formula for including what needs to be in this paragraph is four sentences: LEAD, OBJECTIVE, CONFLICT, TWIST. It’s simpler than you think to write the first draft. I promise. Let it be terrible, get it down, then edit it to a fine shine (much like you’ve already done with that novel!).

Lead: This is your main character. Name them and describe them by including their profession, skills, or other plot-relevant details.

Objective: What does your main character want? Try to make this as specific as possible. “Longs for acceptance” is vague and generic. “Wants to be accepted into the Book Guild” is specific and gives a reader clues about their personality and the setting. You can put in some information about motivation here too. Maybe her father was also a bookbinder and she needs to redeem the family name.

Conflict: Now we’re getting to the meat of it! Why can’t your main character get what they want? Again, try to be specific and don’t leave it to platitudes. If the bookbinders just don’t like her, that’s generic. If they don’t like her because they think she’s as corrupt as her father was and will bring ruin to them, that’s something a reader can really dig into. We have themes implied now! We understand this is a story about family ties, redemption, and preconceived notions, and you didn’t even need to spell that out.

Twist: This is the most nebulous part of the query. The twist can be a real plot twist, like her discovering that the bookbinding guild also sells occult books. It can be a cool thing about the setting, like the bookstore being on an airship. It can be the romantic subplot, if she falls in love with her rival apprentice. It can be the historical inspiration, if the book is set in a fantasy world reminiscent of Renaissance Italy. In short, what makes your book special? What’s going to prompt people to shove it in their friend’s faces? It’s similar to the logline in that way.

You can also put the twist at the beginning of the body paragraph, if it’s really cool. You can weave it throughout. You can put it at the end in a mic drop moment. Just make your book sound cool. That’s literally all this is!

And those three sections…are basically it! Doesn’t sound so scary now, right? Oh wait, it still does? Okay, then, here’s some more tips to help you!

Write down everything you need in a query in whatever order works for you. I do it like a sad, clunky mad libs just so it’s all on the page. It’s a lot of pressure to include all this important information AND make it pretty in one go.

Ask your beta readers to help! It’s hard to summarize your own stories when you’ve been living inside them for months. I’ve helped so many friends with their queries because they wrote something perfectly serviceable and technically correct that somehow still made their story sound frightfully boring. (This is not a condemnation of their skill as writers. The skills needed to write queries are completely different.)

Don’t use rhetorical questions. This is mostly personal taste, but I think they’re a waste of space. “Will she follow her heart?” is sort of useless when 99% of stories are about people following their heart. “She must choose between her ambition and the chance at true love” is so much more clear and includes more conflict.

The body of your query letter actually only needs to include the first 30-50% of the story in most cases—enough to leave the reader/agent/editor eager to know what happens next, and no more. This isn’t true if the twist is necessary to understanding why the story is exciting. Can you imagine trying to sell Gone Girl without including the twist that it was all a set up? That twist took the story from generic true crime to something truly original. So to some extent, you’ll need to use your judgment, but there’s rarely any need to try to fit the whole plot into that 300-word paragraph.

Above all, be specific.

Do not shy away from giving spoilers (again: BE SPECIFIC). “She finds information that may change everything,” are seven words that tell you nothing. If you say what the information is (“she finds a note from her father that makes it clear he was framed”), you’ll leave the reader desperate to know what the outcome will be, begging for the rest of the story.

Get the query competent and coherent, and then leave it for at least a week. This is good editing advice for any story, but it’s absolutely vital for a query. Because they’re so short and so much rides on them, every single word you write in the query has to be useful, and every sentence has to be clear, concise, and intriguing. Don’t rush this; it’s better to go slow and get it right then hurry along and face a pile of rejections.

Have a query beta reader who hasn’t read your story. Make sure it makes sense with no context. Revise it again. Leave it for another week. (I’m sorry. But I’m not really.)

I know this sounds like a lot. Query letters are hard, and the pressure makes it harder. Writing culture loves to hate on them, for good reason. But you learned to write a novel, something that takes years to master! You can learn to write a query letter too. I won’t pretend it’s easy, but it is a skill you can learn, and it’s worth it! With a single page, you can convince people to buy your book, and that’s magical!

You can learn more about Alec here; you can learn more about To Drive the Hundred Miles here, and read a teaser here. And, you can check out Alec’s two already-published erotica works Heart’s Scaffolding and Study Hall.

Who we are: Duck Prints Press LLC is an independent publisher based in New York State. Our founding vision is to help fanfiction authors navigate the complex process of bringing their original works from first draft to print, culminating in publishing their work under our imprint. We are particularly dedicated to working with queer authors and publishing stories featuring characters from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.

Love what we do? Sign up for our monthly newsletter and get previews, behind-the-scenes information, coupons, and more!

Want to support the Press and get lots of our stories? Consider backing our Patreon or ko-fi monthly at a level that includes free stories, and read your fill!

#duck prints press #guest blogger #alec j. marsh #writing advice #publishing #query letters

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fromallie · 11 months

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Happy Coincidences ☆ ｡ - ᴋᴀɢᴇʏᴀᴍᴀ ᴛᴏʙɪᴏ

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

characters: kageyama x reader

contains: coincidences that aren't so unfortunate and intentional lowercasing.

a/n: we're taking a small break from writing about tsukishima, let’s all show some love to kageyama <3 also i was meant to post this like a week ago so, my bad T-T

━━━━━━━━━━━ 🥛🏐 ━━━━━━━━━

it was a peaceful sunday morning when you decided you were going to go shopping and run a few errands you had been putting off. normally you would be too busy with school work to have time to go shopping, but as exam season was coming to an end, your workload had lightened and you had some time to yourself.

as well as running a few errands, you were hoping to visit a new cafe that had opened if it wasn't too busy. you changed into a comfortable set of casual clothes and made sure you brought everything you needed before leaving your house and waiting for the next bus to come at the bus stop.

when you arrived at the mall, you noticed it was a lot busier than you were anticipating but you weren't going to let a few crowds of people stop you from doing what you needed to do. as you started to head to the stationary store, you scrolled on your phone to look over your shopping list before you were interrupted by the collision of your nose with the firm surface of another person's chest.

thud. your butt was the first to hit the tiled floor of the mall and you hissed in pain, looking up to identify the source of your pain you were shown the sight of a boy that went to your school, kageyama.

he extended a hand to pull you up and within a moment you were standing upright again, "y/n, is that you? i'm so sorry, are you okay?" you were slightly upset and wanted to lash out at the boy but decided against that and calmed your arising temper, "yeah i guess, never mind that. what are you doing here kageyama?"

his face was dusted with red as he faced the ground apologetically, obviously he hadn't done it on purpose so you brushed off the incident, "i was going to buy some knee pads for volleyball, what about you?"

"i'm just here to pick up a few things-" you were going to finish your sentence when a brilliant idea had stumbled upon your brain, "hey, seeing as you almost gave me a concussion, what do you say about shopping with me. we seem to both be alone and it would be nice to do something together right?"

he seemed slightly shocked at your suggestion with how sudden it had come, but soon enough the both of you were chatting away as you continued your route to the stationary store. surprisingly enough, conversation had come really easy to the two of you. having never interacted with the boy, you had assumed he was an anti-social, volleyball obsessed introvert.

well, you weren't necessarily wrong, as the two of you conversed mainly about volleyball which was nice seeing as both of you played. you had applied to manage the boys volleyball team with yachi so it was good that you had a chance to familiarise yourself with one of the members.

when you reached the entrance of the stationary store, you saw that they had new shelves with sanrio themed stationary on display. you needed more pens as your classmates who borrowed them seemed to always fail to return them, you picked up a few ballpoints and strolled through the aisles of the store with kageyama following close behind.

when you had finished gathering your items, you waited at the cash register whilst the cashier rang up your total. "all the items i needed to buy were in this store so, we can go buy your kneepads now." he nodded his head and as the two of you exited, you followed as he led the way to the sports store.

when you entered the store, it seemed that the whole atmosphere changed as cool and fresh air hit your face. with all the people in the mall it was starting to get hot, so the cool air was very much welcomed.

the store smelt like new shoes, which sounds odd but it was a pleasant smell. as the two of you walked to the volleyball section, neon yellow balls lined the shelves. the knee pads kageyama was looking to buy was on a shelf and there was a promotion going on, "buy two get 20% off." "hey y/n, did you need a pair of knee pads, they're having a sale." you turned to face kageyama before giving him the double thumbs up, he grabbed two packs and the two of you headed to the cash register, "hey kags, did you want me to pay for half?"

as he handed the cashier a few notes, he looked at you with confusion "why would you pay for it?" "uh, you know what, never mind, thank you kageyama." leaving the store, he handed you one of the two bags of knee pads "oh and y/n, you can keep calling me kags if you'd like."

your eyes had widened as you cringed at the realisation that you had let that nickname slip, you started to walk behind him to hide the faint blush on your face "oh okay, thanks kags."

with nothing left to buy, the two of you headed to the bus stop waiting for the next bus to come. the sun was starting to set and you had begun to get sleepy, when the bus arrived, the two of you took seats near the back next to each other and sat in comfortable silence as the bus took off. being so close to kageyama, you had began to get all warm and before long you had drifted off to sleep.

"hey y/n, wake up" your eyes fluttered open as you noticed the position you had put yourself in, immediately you sat up straight removing your head from kageyama's shoulder. you opened your mouth to apologise before you were interrupted, "you're lucky i know that we get off at the same stop, you must've been really sleepy huh?" you noticed the glint of tease in his voice and you had a large desire to bury yourself in a 6 foot deep hole. "i'm sorry for sleeping on you kags." he laughed as the two of you stepped off the bus, despite the cool breeze, your face wouldn't stop heating up so you covered it with your hands and tried your best to walk without being able to see.

as you walked, you bumped into kageyamas chest and he removed your hands from your face, "it's fine, really y/n, no need to be so embarrassed." you knew he was trying to make you feel better, however it seemed that you had become even more flustered so you quickly jogged a few metres in front of him and fanned your face in attempts to cool it down.

the bus stop wasn't too far from your house so, you had to handle a few more meters and you would be able to be rid of this situation. for the rest of the walk, you continued to stay in front of him and no words were exchanged between the two of you.

after a few minutes of mental torture, you had reached your house and turned around to finally face kageyama, "this is my stop, i'll see you tomorrow kags!" he smiled at you before bidding you farewell, "have a good evening y/n." you rushed to your front door and quickly opened it to escape into the comforts of your home.

you ran into your bedroom and changed out of your clothes before jumping into bed, "what an eventful day" you thought to yourself as you tried to calm your mind before heading to the kitchen to eat dinner.

when you finished eating dinner and showered, you sat on your bed having finally forgotten the embarrassing events that had occurred today before your phone rang with a notification.

"i had a lot of fun today, let's do this again sometime. also, i got your number off of the short bastard hinata." - kageyama

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#haikyuu!!#kageyama tobio #kageyama x reader #kageyama fluff

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