Hello! My name's Anne | An adult in my mid to late 20's | A hobbyist writer
RULES:
• I write for many fandoms, including Call of Duty, JJK, Shadow and Bone, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Haikyuu, One Piece, etc.
• This is an 18+ space, and I also write dark content, so please read all content warnings if that makes you uncomfy!
• Don't copy, paste, or translate.
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General tag
Writing tag
Fic Recs
MASTERLIST:
JUJUTSU KAISEN
ও GOJO
• Possessive Gojo (18+)
He gives you another once-over, thinking of several ways to describe you, silly not being one of them.
• I Hope You Stay (18+) | Long Fic
He’d asked why your coworkers weren’t waiting outside with you—it's not safe here—at the same time you asked for a kiss. It just sort of slipped out.
• Virgin Gojo (18+)
His last slip of restraint is when he finally looks down to find a wet patch on the front of your panties and how you're starting to form a dark gray spot on his sweats.
• Messy (18+)
You look so small like this—smaller than usual because everything about him is big in comparison—and that stirs something foreign in his gut that he can’t name.
• Three's A Crowd (18+)
“If you ask nicely for what you want, maybe he’ll give it to you,” your husband offers evenly. (Gojo/ Reader/ Nanami)
• Be With Me (18+)
The feeling sneaks up on him without his knowing, a throbbing in his chest that festers and grows over time until he can’t ignore it anymore or contain it in the proverbial cup of his hands no matter how hard he tries.
• Everything Comes Back to You (18+)
"Did you know we'd end up here?"
• Possessive Geto (18+)
• What I Never Told You (18+)
Gojo doesn’t understand that the parents (mostly the moms who try to hide behind their giant sunglasses) at Mio’s soccer games talk, and he chooses today to pull you into his lap.
ও GETO
In times like this, he wishes he had never come up with the rule about keeping your relationship a secret—so nobody thinks I’m picking favorites—regret is a thick pill to swallow.
ও MULTI
• Prettiest Baby (18+)
They can't help it, they're kind of obsessed with you.
• Fuck It, I Want You (18+)
They're so infatuated with you.
CALL OF DUTY
ও GHOST
• Good (18+)
“Just a little more,” a small lie because there’s never just a little more when it comes to you.
• Let Me (18+)
There comes a point where Simon finally admits that he hates your new boyfriend. [Part Two]
• I Left It Wet For You (18+)
Simon doesn’t share, but he makes an exception this time after his best friend’s date is a no-show, and he isn’t heartless enough to let Johnny hang out at the pub alone. [Simon/ Soap/Reader]
• Smitten
He watches you swipe lipstick across your mouth, grinning at your reflection in the mirror atop the dresser, and it's the cutest fucking thing.
• In Threes (18+)
Your ex-boyfriend makes you think you are the problem. Simon shows you that's not the case.
• New Girl
He has a feeling that the new girl running the front desk at the gym is going to be a problem—a distraction disguised in a gym uniform polo and khaki pants.
• Neighborly (18+)
Simon looks at you with a cocked brow and something akin to amusement as he watches you squirm in his doorway.
• Abience (18+)
He’ll only realize this after the fact—weeks late, sleepless nights filled with images of daisy-shaped buttons down the front of a summer dress and a smile that nearly knocks him flat off his feet.
ও PRICE
• Redamancy (18+)
You tried not to grow feelings—you really did. Feelings make things complicated, but you can’t help it. John’s just…John.
BALDUR'S GATE
ও ASTARION
• Oh, Darling (18+)
He’s in a perpetually strange mood for the rest of the day, quieter than usual and more sulky, and you have the sneaking suspicion he's upset with you.
✎. you aren’t happy about your roommate’s party until you meet the attractive guy down the hall.
tags. fem!reader, future installments will contain smut, age difference, original characters, college student reader, one-night stands, angst, dirty talk, hurt/comfort, size kink, unplanned pregnancy
featuring. simon
It’s your first semester living off-campus, and Finn is boundlessly enthusiastic about all things that involve cheap liquor and crowded spaces, even more so now that she roped you into being her roommate after promising to split the cost of furnishing an apartment that’s probably too expensive for two undergrads working part-time, low-pay jobs.
You don’t like parties, really.
Movies and the social connotations surrounding parties have always made them seem like some monumental proverbial chip in your college experience; the real thing, once the bright-eyed shine of trying something new wears off, is more or less a bunch of random people packed into a room like sardines who abate their social awkwardness with alcohol and loud music.
So, no, you can’t exactly say that you enjoy the thought of Finn’s friends (and everyone she hardly smiles at) cramping up your already tiny apartment—especially when one of them is Miller from one of your business classes, who gives you the creeps.
And leave it to Finn to invite him, anyway.
"Now he knows where I live," you grumble into your bowl of cereal—something probably too sweet and (definitely) full of sugar for breakfast.
Finn shrugs, not at all worried for you, as she pours more sticky orange batter into the hot pan on the stove. "The guy has a crush on you. I think it's cute. And he seems harmless."
“Harmless until I end up in a ditch somewhere.”
You don’t have to see her face to know she’s doing that thing with her mouth whenever you say something she thinks is ridiculous. “If you’d agree to split the Netflix bill, you wouldn’t be stuck watching horror movies. Why do you only own horror movies, again?”
"That's easy for you to say.” You roll your eyes, ignoring her question. “You don’t have to sit by him every week.”
(As if that would ever convince her to change her mind.)
"Ow! Shit!"
You look up right before Finn drops a steaming pancake onto her hand and rushes to the sink to run it under cold water. The mutilated pancake lay forgotten with the others that didn't survive her last several attempts.
"Finn, I think this is unnecessary," you tell her after swallowing a mouthful of cereal. "Can't you do something more practical? Like sticking a note to their door?"
Finn looks up from the sink, her wild, red curls bouncing from the movement. "Oh, come on! Don't chicken out now. I've already made fifteen of these things." She points her pink spatula at the tower of not-quite pumpkin-shaped pancakes on the counter. "Plus, who's going to turn down free food? Now, go put on your costume and hand these out."
You shovel another spoonful of cereal into your mouth, scowling. "I'm not wearing the costume you picked out. It's so...inappropriate."
You’re pretty sure Finn picked out your costume from the dicey sex shop down the street rather than an actual Halloween store—the amount of mesh compared to solid fabric only solidifies the theory.
Finn finally turns the water off and gives you a stern look, amused eyes set under a furrowed brow. "I can find the one you own in the children's section at Costco."
You roll your eyes. "I really don’t feel like flashing my tits to the neighbors while offering them breakfast.”
She grins, wide and teasing. "You have nice tits, though.”
"Yeah, I'm sure the old woman down the hall would love to see her neighbor in the equivalent of a thong and nipple coverings at the start of her day." You don’t think you’d ever be able to look her in the eye again.
"Miss Yado is cool,” Finn says, returning to the stove to continue cooking. “She'll probably just tell you to wear a jacket or something."
You pick up your empty bowl and lean over the counter to put it in the sink. "I didn't know you talked to our neighbors."
Finn shrugs, flipping the pancake in the skillet. "She normally walks her dog while I'm heading to class. I stop to talk to her sometimes when I'm not running late."
“Oh?”
She shoots you a wry grin over her shoulder. "You'd know the neighbors too if you didn't scowl all the time."
In response, the corners of your mouth tip down. "I don’t scowl."
"Now, would you go change? These are getting cold."
Several minutes later, you come out of your room wearing the same costume you'd worn the past two years. Finn pouts when she sees you forwent the one she had picked out. However, she doesn’t do more than shake her head and shove a handful of food containers full of pancakes into your hands.
“You’ll be fine. Just remember to smile,” she tells you before the front door closes behind you.
You start on your end of the hall, going door to door and handing out the small containers. The whole time, you’re wondering why Finn couldn’t do this herself, considering you’re hardly a people person as is. Thankfully, nobody seemed too annoyed about being bothered on a Saturday morning—only one neighbor shut the door in your face before you could say anything.
But it’s fine. You’re not going to let it ruin your day. Plus, you only have one person left.
There’s a small pit of nerves in your stomach when you knock this time—half expecting another door to the face. What you don’t expect, however, is the tall and imposing guy who answers.
Who also doesn’t appear to be any less annoyed.
Your mouth opens and closes helplessly, all words stuck to the back of your tongue, watching as stray water droplets drip down from his wet hair and travel down the side of his face before dispersing into the dark stubble lining his jaw.
You stare. And stare. Eyes, most likely, bugging unattractively out of your head.
How did Finn never mention the super hot neighbor who lived six doors down the hall?
He gives you a once-over, and part of you suddenly wishes you’d gone with Finn's costume instead. Only because here, at that moment, you’re willing to admit that maybe the one you have on looks like a six-year-old picked it out—especially when this guy, who is way out of your league, scrutinizes it for a second longer, mostly your frilly crew socks.
"Can I help you?" he asks, his voice low as if he hasn’t been awake for long.
You blink, mild embarrassment rushing through you from the sudden realization that you’ve been standing there and saying absolutely nothing.
"Hi, um, I'm your neighbor from down the hall. My roommate and I are throwing a Halloween party, and we're inviting people in the building." Annoyance slowly melts off his face.
"Thank you,” heavily tattooed arms cross over his broad chest, and he leans against the door frame (and you definitely don’t stare at how his biceps seem to strain against his black t-shirt). “But I think I'm getting a little old for parties."
The corners of your mouth tip up in what’s the beginning of a smile.
"Okay, sure. You're, what, twenty-five?"
It’s a stupid joke, and for a moment, you panic, afraid he’d been unimpressed, but then his lips quirked slightly. "Not quite. Nice costume. Let me guess, fairy?"
"Witch, actually. I’ve always gone with something more original," you babble and bite your lip before you can say something else.
"It’s cute."
Cute?
You’re unsure if you should feel elated that he thinks so or self-conscious—that he might be making fun of you—so you settle with a mumbled “thanks.”
"So, what's with the container?" he asks, nodding toward your hands.
"Oh, um, my roommate thought she could bribe people with food to come to the party." Truthfully, it’s to prevent potential complaints from the neighbors, but you decide not to mention that part, although you think he knows by the way the corner of his mouth subtly lifts.
You give him the plastic container and watch as he stares into it with a furrowed brow. "It's a... pancake?"
"Er, yeah. My roommate likes to go above and beyond for everything."
"What's it supposed to be?" he asks, glancing up at you.
"Um, a pumpkin..."
You look between him and the container and find Finn had accidentally mixed up her presentable pancakes with the throwaways. And the pumpkin shape is...well, it isn't.
"Ah, I see," he nods, his slowly drying hair falling onto his forehead. "That makes more sense."
You can’t stop the giggle that bubbles to the surface. "You think you can do better?"
"Yes, actually," he grins back, all cocksure, with a flash of white teeth. "Maybe I’ll bring some over some time."
"I won't tell her you said that." However, you can't wait to rib Finn later.
"Right, it probably wouldn't make a very good first impression." Then he sticks out his free hand, "Simon."
You shyly shake it—ignoring the little skip in your chest at how big his hand is compared to yours—and tell him your name, too.
His eyes flicker down to his watch, and he curses under his breath. "Well, it was nice meeting you. But I have to finish getting ready for work."
Only then do you take note of the tactical pants and heavy boots he’s wearing.
When you meet his gaze again, you find amusement there, and you consider, with a new rush of mortification, that it probably seemed like you’d been openly eyeing his crotch.
You clear your throat, the back of your neck feeling hot, and you pointedly pretend your voice doesn’t hitch when you breathe a soft, tremulous, "Okay, sure.”
"Tell your roommate I said thanks for breakfast."
"Yeah, I'll tell her. Um, I guess I'll see you around." No longer able to make eye contact with him, you turn away and begin walking (though it’s probably closer to running) toward your door.
And you definitely don’t look over your shoulder to see if he’s still standing there.
You spend most of the party hanging out near the front door, quietly hoping Simon might show up—even though it seems unlikely. After all, he did mention that he’s too old for parties, and a small, insecure part of you wonders if it was his polite way of turning you down.
"The guy was running late,” Finn had tried to reassure you. “I'm sure he was thinking about how to beat expressway traffic before the lunch hour rush hit. Not about the crazy lady in a witch costume running away from his door."
That was the initial deciding factor between your witch costume and the one Finn’s been trying to force you into—only so you don’t have to hear another person call you cute just to seem nice.
And leave it to Finn to jump at the opportunity to help you get ready, though she nearly freaked out when you popped into your joint bathroom with an old tube of mascara that you rummaged out of your nightstand.
"Do you know how many germs are probably on that thing?" Finn’s nose scrunched up as she threw it away in the waste bin near the toilet. "Please tell me you haven't used it since you bought it?"
You had rolled your eyes. "Probably not."
Finn sighed, then smiled. "Luckily for you, I own more than a crusty mascara tube."
You were about to argue, but when Finn told you to sit on the toilet lid with a dangerously sharp liner pen, you’d clenched your jaw instead, unsure what you were more scared of when Finn brought the pen close to your face: that your friend might potentially stab you in the eye or that you’d come out of the bathroom with raccoon eyes.
Thankfully, when Finn finally finished, neither was the case, except the number of looks you’ve been receiving anytime someone stops in the kitchen to get more drinks is something you hadn’t anticipated—especially when one of them happens to be Miller.
You’ve been avoiding him and his overly bare chest from the moment he walked through your front door. It grew more challenging after Finn left your side (the traitor) to talk to a guy you’ve seen her hanging around with on campus a few times.
And with the apartment feeling smaller than it already is, you’re only option is to blend in with the group hanging around your kitchen island.
You’ll be fine, Finn said.
Right, you think as you adjust the scanty tube top under your mesh shirt, trying to cover more of yourself with what little fabric you have at your disposal, and you wonder if it’s too late to change—
A knock at the door makes you perk up, regardless of how noisy the room is, with eardrum-shattering music and loud college students. You pull it open, expecting to see Simon on the other side, only to be disappointed when it’s one of Finn’s friends and her girlfriend instead.
"Hey, Roma." You realize you probably sound rude and attempt to give them your best smile—which is more or less a grimace.
Roma smooths out her extremely short referee-style dress. "Sorry, we're late! I couldn't remember where you lived. There are way too many blue apartment buildings around here..."
Everything she’s saying goes in one ear and out the other when you spot Simon stepping out of the door to the stairway across the hall. You hold your breath, waiting for him to look up from his phone.
But he keeps walking.
"Uh, yeah," you say distractedly before speeding up the conversation. "Hey, Finn is in the living room, but I'll see you guys inside, okay? I need to do something."
You step around them to catch up to Simon, which you learn isn’t easy in heels. So you call his name, hoping he hears you and smiling when he turns toward you. And you don’t miss how his gaze trails down your body slowly.
It makes something inside you quiver as you nervously play with the short hem of your skirt.
“Hey,” he says, sounding every bit as tired as he looks—his shirt from that morning now wrinkled with bluish hollows under his eyes—though he tries to hide it with what you think is an attempt at a smile.
And your cheeks burn because you feel guilty.
"Hey," you repeat dumbly.
Your eyes lower as his smile melts into one of faint amusement at your lack of tact. You fidget, shifting from one foot to the other. Maybe, you think, you should have let him walk into his apartment before you could embarrass yourself further today.
After a moment, you meet his gaze again.
"Uh, I just wanted to see if you still wanted to come over…But I imagine you're probably not up for it, so I’ll leave—"
Simon surprises you when he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Sure."
Your mouth gapes, unsure if you heard him correctly. "Wh-what?"
"I just need to shower and change, and then I'll be over. Okay?"
"I... yeah, okay," your nod is shy, trying not to betray eagerness.
A lazy grin stretches across his mouth. "Nice costume, by the way," he disappears into his apartment before he can witness how his words make you flush.
And you walk back to your apartment feeling a little more floaty than when you left.
✎. you aren’t happy about your roommate’s party until you meet the attractive guy down the hall.
tags. fem!reader, future installments will contain smut, age difference, original characters, college student reader, one-night stands, angst, dirty talk, hurt/comfort, size kink, unplanned pregnancy
featuring. simon
It’s your first semester living off-campus, and Finn is boundlessly enthusiastic about all things that involve cheap liquor and crowded spaces, even more so now that she roped you into being her roommate after promising to split the cost of furnishing an apartment that’s probably too expensive for two undergrads working part-time, low-pay jobs.
You don’t like parties, really.
Movies and the social connotations surrounding parties have always made them seem like some monumental proverbial chip in your college experience; the real thing, once the bright-eyed shine of trying something new wears off, is more or less a bunch of random people packed into a room like sardines who abate their social awkwardness with alcohol and loud music.
So, no, you can’t exactly say that you enjoy the thought of Finn’s friends (and everyone she hardly smiles at) cramping up your already tiny apartment—especially when one of them is Miller from one of your business classes, who gives you the creeps.
And leave it to Finn to invite him, anyway.
"Now he knows where I live," you grumble into your bowl of cereal—something probably too sweet and (definitely) full of sugar for breakfast.
Finn shrugs, not at all worried for you, as she pours more sticky orange batter into the hot pan on the stove. "The guy has a crush on you. I think it's cute. And he seems harmless."
“Harmless until I end up in a ditch somewhere.”
You don’t have to see her face to know she’s doing that thing with her mouth whenever you say something she thinks is ridiculous. “If you’d agree to split the Netflix bill, you wouldn’t be stuck watching horror movies. Why do you only own horror movies, again?”
"That's easy for you to say.” You roll your eyes, ignoring her question. “You don’t have to sit by him every week.”
(As if that would ever convince her to change her mind.)
"Ow! Shit!"
You look up right before Finn drops a steaming pancake onto her hand and rushes to the sink to run it under cold water. The mutilated pancake lay forgotten with the others that didn't survive her last several attempts.
"Finn, I think this is unnecessary," you tell her after swallowing a mouthful of cereal. "Can't you do something more practical? Like sticking a note to their door?"
Finn looks up from the sink, her wild, red curls bouncing from the movement. "Oh, come on! Don't chicken out now. I've already made fifteen of these things." She points her pink spatula at the tower of not-quite pumpkin-shaped pancakes on the counter. "Plus, who's going to turn down free food? Now, go put on your costume and hand these out."
You shovel another spoonful of cereal into your mouth, scowling. "I'm not wearing the costume you picked out. It's so...inappropriate."
You’re pretty sure Finn picked out your costume from the dicey sex shop down the street rather than an actual Halloween store—the amount of mesh compared to solid fabric only solidifies the theory.
Finn finally turns the water off and gives you a stern look, amused eyes set under a furrowed brow. "I can find the one you own in the children's section at Costco."
You roll your eyes. "I really don’t feel like flashing my tits to the neighbors while offering them breakfast.”
She grins, wide and teasing. "You have nice tits, though.”
"Yeah, I'm sure the old woman down the hall would love to see her neighbor in the equivalent of a thong and nipple coverings at the start of her day." You don’t think you’d ever be able to look her in the eye again.
"Miss Yado is cool,” Finn says, returning to the stove to continue cooking. “She'll probably just tell you to wear a jacket or something."
You pick up your empty bowl and lean over the counter to put it in the sink. "I didn't know you talked to our neighbors."
Finn shrugs, flipping the pancake in the skillet. "She normally walks her dog while I'm heading to class. I stop to talk to her sometimes when I'm not running late."
“Oh?”
She shoots you a wry grin over her shoulder. "You'd know the neighbors too if you didn't scowl all the time."
In response, the corners of your mouth tip down. "I don’t scowl."
"Now, would you go change? These are getting cold."
Several minutes later, you come out of your room wearing the same costume you'd worn the past two years. Finn pouts when she sees you forwent the one she had picked out. However, she doesn’t do more than shake her head and shove a handful of food containers full of pancakes into your hands.
“You’ll be fine. Just remember to smile,” she tells you before the front door closes behind you.
You start on your end of the hall, going door to door and handing out the small containers. The whole time, you’re wondering why Finn couldn’t do this herself, considering you’re hardly a people person as is. Thankfully, nobody seemed too annoyed about being bothered on a Saturday morning—only one neighbor shut the door in your face before you could say anything.
But it’s fine. You’re not going to let it ruin your day. Plus, you only have one person left.
There’s a small pit of nerves in your stomach when you knock this time—half expecting another door to the face. What you don’t expect, however, is the tall and imposing guy who answers.
Who also doesn’t appear to be any less annoyed.
Your mouth opens and closes helplessly, all words stuck to the back of your tongue, watching as stray water droplets drip down from his wet hair and travel down the side of his face before dispersing into the dark stubble lining his jaw.
You stare. And stare. Eyes, most likely, bugging unattractively out of your head.
How did Finn never mention the super hot neighbor who lived six doors down the hall?
He gives you a once-over, and part of you suddenly wishes you’d gone with Finn's costume instead. Only because here, at that moment, you’re willing to admit that maybe the one you have on looks like a six-year-old picked it out—especially when this guy, who is way out of your league, scrutinizes it for a second longer, mostly your frilly crew socks.
"Can I help you?" he asks, his voice low as if he hasn’t been awake for long.
You blink, mild embarrassment rushing through you from the sudden realization that you’ve been standing there and saying absolutely nothing.
"Hi, um, I'm your neighbor from down the hall. My roommate and I are throwing a Halloween party, and we're inviting people in the building." Annoyance slowly melts off his face.
"Thank you,” heavily tattooed arms cross over his broad chest, and he leans against the door frame (and you definitely don’t stare at how his biceps seem to strain against his black t-shirt). “But I think I'm getting a little old for parties."
The corners of your mouth tip up in what’s the beginning of a smile.
"Okay, sure. You're, what, twenty-five?"
It’s a stupid joke, and for a moment, you panic, afraid he’d been unimpressed, but then his lips quirked slightly. "Not quite. Nice costume. Let me guess, fairy?"
"Witch, actually. I’ve always gone with something more original," you babble and bite your lip before you can say something else.
"It’s cute."
Cute?
You’re unsure if you should feel elated that he thinks so or self-conscious—that he might be making fun of you—so you settle with a mumbled “thanks.”
"So, what's with the container?" he asks, nodding toward your hands.
"Oh, um, my roommate thought she could bribe people with food to come to the party." Truthfully, it’s to prevent potential complaints from the neighbors, but you decide not to mention that part, although you think he knows by the way the corner of his mouth subtly lifts.
You give him the plastic container and watch as he stares into it with a furrowed brow. "It's a... pancake?"
"Er, yeah. My roommate likes to go above and beyond for everything."
"What's it supposed to be?" he asks, glancing up at you.
"Um, a pumpkin..."
You look between him and the container and find Finn had accidentally mixed up her presentable pancakes with the throwaways. And the pumpkin shape is...well, it isn't.
"Ah, I see," he nods, his slowly drying hair falling onto his forehead. "That makes more sense."
You can’t stop the giggle that bubbles to the surface. "You think you can do better?"
"Yes, actually," he grins back, all cocksure, with a flash of white teeth. "Maybe I’ll bring some over some time."
"I won't tell her you said that." However, you can't wait to rib Finn later.
"Right, it probably wouldn't make a very good first impression." Then he sticks out his free hand, "Simon."
You shyly shake it—ignoring the little skip in your chest at how big his hand is compared to yours—and tell him your name, too.
His eyes flicker down to his watch, and he curses under his breath. "Well, it was nice meeting you. But I have to finish getting ready for work."
Only then do you take note of the tactical pants and heavy boots he’s wearing.
When you meet his gaze again, you find amusement there, and you consider, with a new rush of mortification, that it probably seemed like you’d been openly eyeing his crotch.
You clear your throat, the back of your neck feeling hot, and you pointedly pretend your voice doesn’t hitch when you breathe a soft, tremulous, "Okay, sure.”
"Tell your roommate I said thanks for breakfast."
"Yeah, I'll tell her. Um, I guess I'll see you around." No longer able to make eye contact with him, you turn away and begin walking (though it’s probably closer to running) toward your door.
And you definitely don’t look over your shoulder to see if he’s still standing there.
You spend most of the party hanging out near the front door, quietly hoping Simon might show up—even though it seems unlikely. After all, he did mention that he’s too old for parties, and a small, insecure part of you wonders if it was his polite way of turning you down.
"The guy was running late,” Finn had tried to reassure you. “I'm sure he was thinking about how to beat expressway traffic before the lunch hour rush hit. Not about the crazy lady in a witch costume running away from his door."
That was the initial deciding factor between your witch costume and the one Finn’s been trying to force you into—only so you don’t have to hear another person call you cute just to seem nice.
And leave it to Finn to jump at the opportunity to help you get ready, though she nearly freaked out when you popped into your joint bathroom with an old tube of mascara that you rummaged out of your nightstand.
"Do you know how many germs are probably on that thing?" Finn’s nose scrunched up as she threw it away in the waste bin near the toilet. "Please tell me you haven't used it since you bought it?"
You had rolled your eyes. "Probably not."
Finn sighed, then smiled. "Luckily for you, I own more than a crusty mascara tube."
You were about to argue, but when Finn told you to sit on the toilet lid with a dangerously sharp liner pen, you’d clenched your jaw instead, unsure what you were more scared of when Finn brought the pen close to your face: that your friend might potentially stab you in the eye or that you’d come out of the bathroom with raccoon eyes.
Thankfully, when Finn finally finished, neither was the case, except the number of looks you’ve been receiving anytime someone stops in the kitchen to get more drinks is something you hadn’t anticipated—especially when one of them happens to be Miller.
You’ve been avoiding him and his overly bare chest from the moment he walked through your front door. It grew more challenging after Finn left your side (the traitor) to talk to a guy you’ve seen her hanging around with on campus a few times.
And with the apartment feeling smaller than it already is, you’re only option is to blend in with the group hanging around your kitchen island.
You’ll be fine, Finn said.
Right, you think as you adjust the scanty tube top under your mesh shirt, trying to cover more of yourself with what little fabric you have at your disposal, and you wonder if it’s too late to change—
A knock at the door makes you perk up, regardless of how noisy the room is, with eardrum-shattering music and loud college students. You pull it open, expecting to see Simon on the other side, only to be disappointed when it’s one of Finn’s friends and her girlfriend instead.
"Hey, Roma." You realize you probably sound rude and attempt to give them your best smile—which is more or less a grimace.
Roma smooths out her extremely short referee-style dress. "Sorry, we're late! I couldn't remember where you lived. There are way too many blue apartment buildings around here..."
Everything she’s saying goes in one ear and out the other when you spot Simon stepping out of the door to the stairway across the hall. You hold your breath, waiting for him to look up from his phone.
But he keeps walking.
"Uh, yeah," you say distractedly before speeding up the conversation. "Hey, Finn is in the living room, but I'll see you guys inside, okay? I need to do something."
You step around them to catch up to Simon, which you learn isn’t easy in heels. So you call his name, hoping he hears you and smiling when he turns toward you. And you don’t miss how his gaze trails down your body slowly.
It makes something inside you quiver as you nervously play with the short hem of your skirt.
“Hey,” he says, sounding every bit as tired as he looks—his shirt from that morning now wrinkled with bluish hollows under his eyes—though he tries to hide it with what you think is an attempt at a smile.
And your cheeks burn because you feel guilty.
"Hey," you repeat dumbly.
Your eyes lower as his smile melts into one of faint amusement at your lack of tact. You fidget, shifting from one foot to the other. Maybe, you think, you should have let him walk into his apartment before you could embarrass yourself further today.
After a moment, you meet his gaze again.
"Uh, I just wanted to see if you still wanted to come over…But I imagine you're probably not up for it, so I’ll leave—"
Simon surprises you when he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Sure."
Your mouth gapes, unsure if you heard him correctly. "Wh-what?"
"I just need to shower and change, and then I'll be over. Okay?"
"I... yeah, okay," your nod is shy, trying not to betray eagerness.
A lazy grin stretches across his mouth. "Nice costume, by the way," he disappears into his apartment before he can witness how his words make you flush.
And you walk back to your apartment feeling a little more floaty than when you left.
✎. you aren’t happy about your roommate’s party until you meet the attractive guy down the hall.
tags. fem!reader, future installments will contain smut, age difference, original characters, college student reader, one-night stands, angst, dirty talk, hurt/comfort, size kink, unplanned pregnancy
featuring. simon
It’s your first semester living off-campus, and Finn is boundlessly enthusiastic about all things that involve cheap liquor and crowded spaces, even more so now that she roped you into being her roommate after promising to split the cost of furnishing an apartment that’s probably too expensive for two undergrads working part-time, low-pay jobs.
You don’t like parties, really.
Movies and the social connotations surrounding parties have always made them seem like some monumental proverbial chip in your college experience; the real thing, once the bright-eyed shine of trying something new wears off, is more or less a bunch of random people packed into a room like sardines who abate their social awkwardness with alcohol and loud music.
So, no, you can’t exactly say that you enjoy the thought of Finn’s friends (and everyone she hardly smiles at) cramping up your already tiny apartment—especially when one of them is Miller from one of your business classes, who gives you the creeps.
And leave it to Finn to invite him, anyway.
"Now he knows where I live," you grumble into your bowl of cereal—something probably too sweet and (definitely) full of sugar for breakfast.
Finn shrugs, not at all worried for you, as she pours more sticky orange batter into the hot pan on the stove. "The guy has a crush on you. I think it's cute. And he seems harmless."
“Harmless until I end up in a ditch somewhere.”
You don’t have to see her face to know she’s doing that thing with her mouth whenever you say something she thinks is ridiculous. “If you’d agree to split the Netflix bill, you wouldn’t be stuck watching horror movies. Why do you only own horror movies, again?”
"That's easy for you to say.” You roll your eyes, ignoring her question. “You don’t have to sit by him every week.”
(As if that would ever convince her to change her mind.)
"Ow! Shit!"
You look up right before Finn drops a steaming pancake onto her hand and rushes to the sink to run it under cold water. The mutilated pancake lay forgotten with the others that didn't survive her last several attempts.
"Finn, I think this is unnecessary," you tell her after swallowing a mouthful of cereal. "Can't you do something more practical? Like sticking a note to their door?"
Finn looks up from the sink, her wild, red curls bouncing from the movement. "Oh, come on! Don't chicken out now. I've already made fifteen of these things." She points her pink spatula at the tower of not-quite pumpkin-shaped pancakes on the counter. "Plus, who's going to turn down free food? Now, go put on your costume and hand these out."
You shovel another spoonful of cereal into your mouth, scowling. "I'm not wearing the costume you picked out. It's so...inappropriate."
You’re pretty sure Finn picked out your costume from the dicey sex shop down the street rather than an actual Halloween store—the amount of mesh compared to solid fabric only solidifies the theory.
Finn finally turns the water off and gives you a stern look, amused eyes set under a furrowed brow. "I can find the one you own in the children's section at Costco."
You roll your eyes. "I really don’t feel like flashing my tits to the neighbors while offering them breakfast.”
She grins, wide and teasing. "You have nice tits, though.”
"Yeah, I'm sure the old woman down the hall would love to see her neighbor in the equivalent of a thong and nipple coverings at the start of her day." You don’t think you’d ever be able to look her in the eye again.
"Miss Yado is cool,” Finn says, returning to the stove to continue cooking. “She'll probably just tell you to wear a jacket or something."
You pick up your empty bowl and lean over the counter to put it in the sink. "I didn't know you talked to our neighbors."
Finn shrugs, flipping the pancake in the skillet. "She normally walks her dog while I'm heading to class. I stop to talk to her sometimes when I'm not running late."
“Oh?”
She shoots you a wry grin over her shoulder. "You'd know the neighbors too if you didn't scowl all the time."
In response, the corners of your mouth tip down. "I don’t scowl."
"Now, would you go change? These are getting cold."
Several minutes later, you come out of your room wearing the same costume you'd worn the past two years. Finn pouts when she sees you forwent the one she had picked out. However, she doesn’t do more than shake her head and shove a handful of food containers full of pancakes into your hands.
“You’ll be fine. Just remember to smile,” she tells you before the front door closes behind you.
You start on your end of the hall, going door to door and handing out the small containers. The whole time, you’re wondering why Finn couldn’t do this herself, considering you’re hardly a people person as is. Thankfully, nobody seemed too annoyed about being bothered on a Saturday morning—only one neighbor shut the door in your face before you could say anything.
But it’s fine. You’re not going to let it ruin your day. Plus, you only have one person left.
There’s a small pit of nerves in your stomach when you knock this time—half expecting another door to the face. What you don’t expect, however, is the tall and imposing guy who answers.
Who also doesn’t appear to be any less annoyed.
Your mouth opens and closes helplessly, all words stuck to the back of your tongue, watching as stray water droplets drip down from his wet hair and travel down the side of his face before dispersing into the dark stubble lining his jaw.
You stare. And stare. Eyes, most likely, bugging unattractively out of your head.
How did Finn never mention the super hot neighbor who lived six doors down the hall?
He gives you a once-over, and part of you suddenly wishes you’d gone with Finn's costume instead. Only because here, at that moment, you’re willing to admit that maybe the one you have on looks like a six-year-old picked it out—especially when this guy, who is way out of your league, scrutinizes it for a second longer, mostly your frilly crew socks.
"Can I help you?" he asks, his voice low as if he hasn’t been awake for long.
You blink, mild embarrassment rushing through you from the sudden realization that you’ve been standing there and saying absolutely nothing.
"Hi, um, I'm your neighbor from down the hall. My roommate and I are throwing a Halloween party, and we're inviting people in the building." Annoyance slowly melts off his face.
"Thank you,” heavily tattooed arms cross over his broad chest, and he leans against the door frame (and you definitely don’t stare at how his biceps seem to strain against his black t-shirt). “But I think I'm getting a little old for parties."
The corners of your mouth tip up in what’s the beginning of a smile.
"Okay, sure. You're, what, twenty-five?"
It’s a stupid joke, and for a moment, you panic, afraid he’d been unimpressed, but then his lips quirked slightly. "Not quite. Nice costume. Let me guess, fairy?"
"Witch, actually. I’ve always gone with something more original," you babble and bite your lip before you can say something else.
"It’s cute."
Cute?
You’re unsure if you should feel elated that he thinks so or self-conscious—that he might be making fun of you—so you settle with a mumbled “thanks.”
"So, what's with the container?" he asks, nodding toward your hands.
"Oh, um, my roommate thought she could bribe people with food to come to the party." Truthfully, it’s to prevent potential complaints from the neighbors, but you decide not to mention that part, although you think he knows by the way the corner of his mouth subtly lifts.
You give him the plastic container and watch as he stares into it with a furrowed brow. "It's a... pancake?"
"Er, yeah. My roommate likes to go above and beyond for everything."
"What's it supposed to be?" he asks, glancing up at you.
"Um, a pumpkin..."
You look between him and the container and find Finn had accidentally mixed up her presentable pancakes with the throwaways. And the pumpkin shape is...well, it isn't.
"Ah, I see," he nods, his slowly drying hair falling onto his forehead. "That makes more sense."
You can’t stop the giggle that bubbles to the surface. "You think you can do better?"
"Yes, actually," he grins back, all cocksure, with a flash of white teeth. "Maybe I’ll bring some over some time."
"I won't tell her you said that." However, you can't wait to rib Finn later.
"Right, it probably wouldn't make a very good first impression." Then he sticks out his free hand, "Simon."
You shyly shake it—ignoring the little skip in your chest at how big his hand is compared to yours—and tell him your name, too.
His eyes flicker down to his watch, and he curses under his breath. "Well, it was nice meeting you. But I have to finish getting ready for work."
Only then do you take note of the tactical pants and heavy boots he’s wearing.
When you meet his gaze again, you find amusement there, and you consider, with a new rush of mortification, that it probably seemed like you’d been openly eyeing his crotch.
You clear your throat, the back of your neck feeling hot, and you pointedly pretend your voice doesn’t hitch when you breathe a soft, tremulous, "Okay, sure.”
"Tell your roommate I said thanks for breakfast."
"Yeah, I'll tell her. Um, I guess I'll see you around." No longer able to make eye contact with him, you turn away and begin walking (though it’s probably closer to running) toward your door.
And you definitely don’t look over your shoulder to see if he’s still standing there.
You spend most of the party hanging out near the front door, quietly hoping Simon might show up—even though it seems unlikely. After all, he did mention that he’s too old for parties, and a small, insecure part of you wonders if it was his polite way of turning you down.
"The guy was running late,” Finn had tried to reassure you. “I'm sure he was thinking about how to beat expressway traffic before the lunch hour rush hit. Not about the crazy lady in a witch costume running away from his door."
That was the initial deciding factor between your witch costume and the one Finn’s been trying to force you into—only so you don’t have to hear another person call you cute just to seem nice.
And leave it to Finn to jump at the opportunity to help you get ready, though she nearly freaked out when you popped into your joint bathroom with an old tube of mascara that you rummaged out of your nightstand.
"Do you know how many germs are probably on that thing?" Finn’s nose scrunched up as she threw it away in the waste bin near the toilet. "Please tell me you haven't used it since you bought it?"
You had rolled your eyes. "Probably not."
Finn sighed, then smiled. "Luckily for you, I own more than a crusty mascara tube."
You were about to argue, but when Finn told you to sit on the toilet lid with a dangerously sharp liner pen, you’d clenched your jaw instead, unsure what you were more scared of when Finn brought the pen close to your face: that your friend might potentially stab you in the eye or that you’d come out of the bathroom with raccoon eyes.
Thankfully, when Finn finally finished, neither was the case, except the number of looks you’ve been receiving anytime someone stops in the kitchen to get more drinks is something you hadn’t anticipated—especially when one of them happens to be Miller.
You’ve been avoiding him and his overly bare chest from the moment he walked through your front door. It grew more challenging after Finn left your side (the traitor) to talk to a guy you’ve seen her hanging around with on campus a few times.
And with the apartment feeling smaller than it already is, you’re only option is to blend in with the group hanging around your kitchen island.
You’ll be fine, Finn said.
Right, you think as you adjust the scanty tube top under your mesh shirt, trying to cover more of yourself with what little fabric you have at your disposal, and you wonder if it’s too late to change—
A knock at the door makes you perk up, regardless of how noisy the room is, with eardrum-shattering music and loud college students. You pull it open, expecting to see Simon on the other side, only to be disappointed when it’s one of Finn’s friends and her girlfriend instead.
"Hey, Roma." You realize you probably sound rude and attempt to give them your best smile—which is more or less a grimace.
Roma smooths out her extremely short referee-style dress. "Sorry, we're late! I couldn't remember where you lived. There are way too many blue apartment buildings around here..."
Everything she’s saying goes in one ear and out the other when you spot Simon stepping out of the door to the stairway across the hall. You hold your breath, waiting for him to look up from his phone.
But he keeps walking.
"Uh, yeah," you say distractedly before speeding up the conversation. "Hey, Finn is in the living room, but I'll see you guys inside, okay? I need to do something."
You step around them to catch up to Simon, which you learn isn’t easy in heels. So you call his name, hoping he hears you and smiling when he turns toward you. And you don’t miss how his gaze trails down your body slowly.
It makes something inside you quiver as you nervously play with the short hem of your skirt.
“Hey,” he says, sounding every bit as tired as he looks—his shirt from that morning now wrinkled with bluish hollows under his eyes—though he tries to hide it with what you think is an attempt at a smile.
And your cheeks burn because you feel guilty.
"Hey," you repeat dumbly.
Your eyes lower as his smile melts into one of faint amusement at your lack of tact. You fidget, shifting from one foot to the other. Maybe, you think, you should have let him walk into his apartment before you could embarrass yourself further today.
After a moment, you meet his gaze again.
"Uh, I just wanted to see if you still wanted to come over…But I imagine you're probably not up for it, so I’ll leave—"
Simon surprises you when he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Sure."
Your mouth gapes, unsure if you heard him correctly. "Wh-what?"
"I just need to shower and change, and then I'll be over. Okay?"
"I... yeah, okay," your nod is shy, trying not to betray eagerness.
A lazy grin stretches across his mouth. "Nice costume, by the way," he disappears into his apartment before he can witness how his words make you flush.
And you walk back to your apartment feeling a little more floaty than when you left.
✎. you aren’t happy about your roommate’s party until you meet the attractive guy down the hall.
tags. fem!reader, future installments will contain smut, age difference, original characters, college student reader, one-night stands, angst, dirty talk, hurt/comfort, size kink, unplanned pregnancy
featuring. simon
It’s your first semester living off-campus, and Finn is boundlessly enthusiastic about all things that involve cheap liquor and crowded spaces, even more so now that she roped you into being her roommate after promising to split the cost of furnishing an apartment that’s probably too expensive for two undergrads working part-time, low-pay jobs.
You don’t like parties, really.
Movies and the social connotations surrounding parties have always made them seem like some monumental proverbial chip in your college experience; the real thing, once the bright-eyed shine of trying something new wears off, is more or less a bunch of random people packed into a room like sardines who abate their social awkwardness with alcohol and loud music.
So, no, you can’t exactly say that you enjoy the thought of Finn’s friends (and everyone she hardly smiles at) cramping up your already tiny apartment—especially when one of them is Miller from one of your business classes, who gives you the creeps.
And leave it to Finn to invite him, anyway.
"Now he knows where I live," you grumble into your bowl of cereal—something probably too sweet and (definitely) full of sugar for breakfast.
Finn shrugs, not at all worried for you, as she pours more sticky orange batter into the hot pan on the stove. "The guy has a crush on you. I think it's cute. And he seems harmless."
“Harmless until I end up in a ditch somewhere.”
You don’t have to see her face to know she’s doing that thing with her mouth whenever you say something she thinks is ridiculous. “If you’d agree to split the Netflix bill, you wouldn’t be stuck watching horror movies. Why do you only own horror movies, again?”
"That's easy for you to say.” You roll your eyes, ignoring her question. “You don’t have to sit by him every week.”
(As if that would ever convince her to change her mind.)
"Ow! Shit!"
You look up right before Finn drops a steaming pancake onto her hand and rushes to the sink to run it under cold water. The mutilated pancake lay forgotten with the others that didn't survive her last several attempts.
"Finn, I think this is unnecessary," you tell her after swallowing a mouthful of cereal. "Can't you do something more practical? Like sticking a note to their door?"
Finn looks up from the sink, her wild, red curls bouncing from the movement. "Oh, come on! Don't chicken out now. I've already made fifteen of these things." She points her pink spatula at the tower of not-quite pumpkin-shaped pancakes on the counter. "Plus, who's going to turn down free food? Now, go put on your costume and hand these out."
You shovel another spoonful of cereal into your mouth, scowling. "I'm not wearing the costume you picked out. It's so...inappropriate."
You’re pretty sure Finn picked out your costume from the dicey sex shop down the street rather than an actual Halloween store—the amount of mesh compared to solid fabric only solidifies the theory.
Finn finally turns the water off and gives you a stern look, amused eyes set under a furrowed brow. "I can find the one you own in the children's section at Costco."
You roll your eyes. "I really don’t feel like flashing my tits to the neighbors while offering them breakfast.”
She grins, wide and teasing. "You have nice tits, though.”
"Yeah, I'm sure the old woman down the hall would love to see her neighbor in the equivalent of a thong and nipple coverings at the start of her day." You don’t think you’d ever be able to look her in the eye again.
"Miss Yado is cool,” Finn says, returning to the stove to continue cooking. “She'll probably just tell you to wear a jacket or something."
You pick up your empty bowl and lean over the counter to put it in the sink. "I didn't know you talked to our neighbors."
Finn shrugs, flipping the pancake in the skillet. "She normally walks her dog while I'm heading to class. I stop to talk to her sometimes when I'm not running late."
“Oh?”
She shoots you a wry grin over her shoulder. "You'd know the neighbors too if you didn't scowl all the time."
In response, the corners of your mouth tip down. "I don’t scowl."
"Now, would you go change? These are getting cold."
Several minutes later, you come out of your room wearing the same costume you'd worn the past two years. Finn pouts when she sees you forwent the one she had picked out. However, she doesn’t do more than shake her head and shove a handful of food containers full of pancakes into your hands.
“You’ll be fine. Just remember to smile,” she tells you before the front door closes behind you.
You start on your end of the hall, going door to door and handing out the small containers. The whole time, you’re wondering why Finn couldn’t do this herself, considering you’re hardly a people person as is. Thankfully, nobody seemed too annoyed about being bothered on a Saturday morning—only one neighbor shut the door in your face before you could say anything.
But it’s fine. You’re not going to let it ruin your day. Plus, you only have one person left.
There’s a small pit of nerves in your stomach when you knock this time—half expecting another door to the face. What you don’t expect, however, is the tall and imposing guy who answers.
Who also doesn’t appear to be any less annoyed.
Your mouth opens and closes helplessly, all words stuck to the back of your tongue, watching as stray water droplets drip down from his wet hair and travel down the side of his face before dispersing into the dark stubble lining his jaw.
You stare. And stare. Eyes, most likely, bugging unattractively out of your head.
How did Finn never mention the super hot neighbor who lived six doors down the hall?
He gives you a once-over, and part of you suddenly wishes you’d gone with Finn's costume instead. Only because here, at that moment, you’re willing to admit that maybe the one you have on looks like a six-year-old picked it out—especially when this guy, who is way out of your league, scrutinizes it for a second longer, mostly your frilly crew socks.
"Can I help you?" he asks, his voice low as if he hasn’t been awake for long.
You blink, mild embarrassment rushing through you from the sudden realization that you’ve been standing there and saying absolutely nothing.
"Hi, um, I'm your neighbor from down the hall. My roommate and I are throwing a Halloween party, and we're inviting people in the building." Annoyance slowly melts off his face.
"Thank you,” heavily tattooed arms cross over his broad chest, and he leans against the door frame (and you definitely don’t stare at how his biceps seem to strain against his black t-shirt). “But I think I'm getting a little old for parties."
The corners of your mouth tip up in what’s the beginning of a smile.
"Okay, sure. You're, what, twenty-five?"
It’s a stupid joke, and for a moment, you panic, afraid he’d been unimpressed, but then his lips quirked slightly. "Not quite. Nice costume. Let me guess, fairy?"
"Witch, actually. I’ve always gone with something more original," you babble and bite your lip before you can say something else.
"It’s cute."
Cute?
You’re unsure if you should feel elated that he thinks so or self-conscious—that he might be making fun of you—so you settle with a mumbled “thanks.”
"So, what's with the container?" he asks, nodding toward your hands.
"Oh, um, my roommate thought she could bribe people with food to come to the party." Truthfully, it’s to prevent potential complaints from the neighbors, but you decide not to mention that part, although you think he knows by the way the corner of his mouth subtly lifts.
You give him the plastic container and watch as he stares into it with a furrowed brow. "It's a... pancake?"
"Er, yeah. My roommate likes to go above and beyond for everything."
"What's it supposed to be?" he asks, glancing up at you.
"Um, a pumpkin..."
You look between him and the container and find Finn had accidentally mixed up her presentable pancakes with the throwaways. And the pumpkin shape is...well, it isn't.
"Ah, I see," he nods, his slowly drying hair falling onto his forehead. "That makes more sense."
You can’t stop the giggle that bubbles to the surface. "You think you can do better?"
"Yes, actually," he grins back, all cocksure, with a flash of white teeth. "Maybe I’ll bring some over some time."
"I won't tell her you said that." However, you can't wait to rib Finn later.
"Right, it probably wouldn't make a very good first impression." Then he sticks out his free hand, "Simon."
You shyly shake it—ignoring the little skip in your chest at how big his hand is compared to yours—and tell him your name, too.
His eyes flicker down to his watch, and he curses under his breath. "Well, it was nice meeting you. But I have to finish getting ready for work."
Only then do you take note of the tactical pants and heavy boots he’s wearing.
When you meet his gaze again, you find amusement there, and you consider, with a new rush of mortification, that it probably seemed like you’d been openly eyeing his crotch.
You clear your throat, the back of your neck feeling hot, and you pointedly pretend your voice doesn’t hitch when you breathe a soft, tremulous, "Okay, sure.”
"Tell your roommate I said thanks for breakfast."
"Yeah, I'll tell her. Um, I guess I'll see you around." No longer able to make eye contact with him, you turn away and begin walking (though it’s probably closer to running) toward your door.
And you definitely don’t look over your shoulder to see if he’s still standing there.
You spend most of the party hanging out near the front door, quietly hoping Simon might show up—even though it seems unlikely. After all, he did mention that he’s too old for parties, and a small, insecure part of you wonders if it was his polite way of turning you down.
"The guy was running late,” Finn had tried to reassure you. “I'm sure he was thinking about how to beat expressway traffic before the lunch hour rush hit. Not about the crazy lady in a witch costume running away from his door."
That was the initial deciding factor between your witch costume and the one Finn’s been trying to force you into—only so you don’t have to hear another person call you cute just to seem nice.
And leave it to Finn to jump at the opportunity to help you get ready, though she nearly freaked out when you popped into your joint bathroom with an old tube of mascara that you rummaged out of your nightstand.
"Do you know how many germs are probably on that thing?" Finn’s nose scrunched up as she threw it away in the waste bin near the toilet. "Please tell me you haven't used it since you bought it?"
You had rolled your eyes. "Probably not."
Finn sighed, then smiled. "Luckily for you, I own more than a crusty mascara tube."
You were about to argue, but when Finn told you to sit on the toilet lid with a dangerously sharp liner pen, you’d clenched your jaw instead, unsure what you were more scared of when Finn brought the pen close to your face: that your friend might potentially stab you in the eye or that you’d come out of the bathroom with raccoon eyes.
Thankfully, when Finn finally finished, neither was the case, except the number of looks you’ve been receiving anytime someone stops in the kitchen to get more drinks is something you hadn’t anticipated—especially when one of them happens to be Miller.
You’ve been avoiding him and his overly bare chest from the moment he walked through your front door. It grew more challenging after Finn left your side (the traitor) to talk to a guy you’ve seen her hanging around with on campus a few times.
And with the apartment feeling smaller than it already is, you’re only option is to blend in with the group hanging around your kitchen island.
You’ll be fine, Finn said.
Right, you think as you adjust the scanty tube top under your mesh shirt, trying to cover more of yourself with what little fabric you have at your disposal, and you wonder if it’s too late to change—
A knock at the door makes you perk up, regardless of how noisy the room is, with eardrum-shattering music and loud college students. You pull it open, expecting to see Simon on the other side, only to be disappointed when it’s one of Finn’s friends and her girlfriend instead.
"Hey, Roma." You realize you probably sound rude and attempt to give them your best smile—which is more or less a grimace.
Roma smooths out her extremely short referee-style dress. "Sorry, we're late! I couldn't remember where you lived. There are way too many blue apartment buildings around here..."
Everything she’s saying goes in one ear and out the other when you spot Simon stepping out of the door to the stairway across the hall. You hold your breath, waiting for him to look up from his phone.
But he keeps walking.
"Uh, yeah," you say distractedly before speeding up the conversation. "Hey, Finn is in the living room, but I'll see you guys inside, okay? I need to do something."
You step around them to catch up to Simon, which you learn isn’t easy in heels. So you call his name, hoping he hears you and smiling when he turns toward you. And you don’t miss how his gaze trails down your body slowly.
It makes something inside you quiver as you nervously play with the short hem of your skirt.
“Hey,” he says, sounding every bit as tired as he looks—his shirt from that morning now wrinkled with bluish hollows under his eyes—though he tries to hide it with what you think is an attempt at a smile.
And your cheeks burn because you feel guilty.
"Hey," you repeat dumbly.
Your eyes lower as his smile melts into one of faint amusement at your lack of tact. You fidget, shifting from one foot to the other. Maybe, you think, you should have let him walk into his apartment before you could embarrass yourself further today.
After a moment, you meet his gaze again.
"Uh, I just wanted to see if you still wanted to come over…But I imagine you're probably not up for it, so I’ll leave—"
Simon surprises you when he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Sure."
Your mouth gapes, unsure if you heard him correctly. "Wh-what?"
"I just need to shower and change, and then I'll be over. Okay?"
"I... yeah, okay," your nod is shy, trying not to betray eagerness.
A lazy grin stretches across his mouth. "Nice costume, by the way," he disappears into his apartment before he can witness how his words make you flush.
And you walk back to your apartment feeling a little more floaty than when you left.
✎. you aren’t happy about your roommate’s party until you meet the attractive guy down the hall.
tags. fem!reader, future installments will contain smut, age difference, original characters, college student reader, one-night stands, angst, dirty talk, hurt/comfort, size kink, unplanned pregnancy
featuring. simon
It’s your first semester living off-campus, and Finn is boundlessly enthusiastic about all things that involve cheap liquor and crowded spaces, even more so now that she roped you into being her roommate after promising to split the cost of furnishing an apartment that’s probably too expensive for two undergrads working part-time, low-pay jobs.
You don’t like parties, really.
Movies and the social connotations surrounding parties have always made them seem like some monumental proverbial chip in your college experience; the real thing, once the bright-eyed shine of trying something new wears off, is more or less a bunch of random people packed into a room like sardines who abate their social awkwardness with alcohol and loud music.
So, no, you can’t exactly say that you enjoy the thought of Finn’s friends (and everyone she hardly smiles at) cramping up your already tiny apartment—especially when one of them is Miller from one of your business classes, who gives you the creeps.
And leave it to Finn to invite him, anyway.
"Now he knows where I live," you grumble into your bowl of cereal—something probably too sweet and (definitely) full of sugar for breakfast.
Finn shrugs, not at all worried for you, as she pours more sticky orange batter into the hot pan on the stove. "The guy has a crush on you. I think it's cute. And he seems harmless."
“Harmless until I end up in a ditch somewhere.”
You don’t have to see her face to know she’s doing that thing with her mouth whenever you say something she thinks is ridiculous. “If you’d agree to split the Netflix bill, you wouldn’t be stuck watching horror movies. Why do you only own horror movies, again?”
"That's easy for you to say.” You roll your eyes, ignoring her question. “You don’t have to sit by him every week.”
(As if that would ever convince her to change her mind.)
"Ow! Shit!"
You look up right before Finn drops a steaming pancake onto her hand and rushes to the sink to run it under cold water. The mutilated pancake lay forgotten with the others that didn't survive her last several attempts.
"Finn, I think this is unnecessary," you tell her after swallowing a mouthful of cereal. "Can't you do something more practical? Like sticking a note to their door?"
Finn looks up from the sink, her wild, red curls bouncing from the movement. "Oh, come on! Don't chicken out now. I've already made fifteen of these things." She points her pink spatula at the tower of not-quite pumpkin-shaped pancakes on the counter. "Plus, who's going to turn down free food? Now, go put on your costume and hand these out."
You shovel another spoonful of cereal into your mouth, scowling. "I'm not wearing the costume you picked out. It's so...inappropriate."
You’re pretty sure Finn picked out your costume from the dicey sex shop down the street rather than an actual Halloween store—the amount of mesh compared to solid fabric only solidifies the theory.
Finn finally turns the water off and gives you a stern look, amused eyes set under a furrowed brow. "I can find the one you own in the children's section at Costco."
You roll your eyes. "I really don’t feel like flashing my tits to the neighbors while offering them breakfast.”
She grins, wide and teasing. "You have nice tits, though.”
"Yeah, I'm sure the old woman down the hall would love to see her neighbor in the equivalent of a thong and nipple coverings at the start of her day." You don’t think you’d ever be able to look her in the eye again.
"Miss Yado is cool,” Finn says, returning to the stove to continue cooking. “She'll probably just tell you to wear a jacket or something."
You pick up your empty bowl and lean over the counter to put it in the sink. "I didn't know you talked to our neighbors."
Finn shrugs, flipping the pancake in the skillet. "She normally walks her dog while I'm heading to class. I stop to talk to her sometimes when I'm not running late."
“Oh?”
She shoots you a wry grin over her shoulder. "You'd know the neighbors too if you didn't scowl all the time."
In response, the corners of your mouth tip down. "I don’t scowl."
"Now, would you go change? These are getting cold."
Several minutes later, you come out of your room wearing the same costume you'd worn the past two years. Finn pouts when she sees you forwent the one she had picked out. However, she doesn’t do more than shake her head and shove a handful of food containers full of pancakes into your hands.
“You’ll be fine. Just remember to smile,” she tells you before the front door closes behind you.
You start on your end of the hall, going door to door and handing out the small containers. The whole time, you’re wondering why Finn couldn’t do this herself, considering you’re hardly a people person as is. Thankfully, nobody seemed too annoyed about being bothered on a Saturday morning—only one neighbor shut the door in your face before you could say anything.
But it’s fine. You’re not going to let it ruin your day. Plus, you only have one person left.
There’s a small pit of nerves in your stomach when you knock this time—half expecting another door to the face. What you don’t expect, however, is the tall and imposing guy who answers.
Who also doesn’t appear to be any less annoyed.
Your mouth opens and closes helplessly, all words stuck to the back of your tongue, watching as stray water droplets drip down from his wet hair and travel down the side of his face before dispersing into the dark stubble lining his jaw.
You stare. And stare. Eyes, most likely, bugging unattractively out of your head.
How did Finn never mention the super hot neighbor who lived six doors down the hall?
He gives you a once-over, and part of you suddenly wishes you’d gone with Finn's costume instead. Only because here, at that moment, you’re willing to admit that maybe the one you have on looks like a six-year-old picked it out—especially when this guy, who is way out of your league, scrutinizes it for a second longer, mostly your frilly crew socks.
"Can I help you?" he asks, his voice low as if he hasn’t been awake for long.
You blink, mild embarrassment rushing through you from the sudden realization that you’ve been standing there and saying absolutely nothing.
"Hi, um, I'm your neighbor from down the hall. My roommate and I are throwing a Halloween party, and we're inviting people in the building." Annoyance slowly melts off his face.
"Thank you,” heavily tattooed arms cross over his broad chest, and he leans against the door frame (and you definitely don’t stare at how his biceps seem to strain against his black t-shirt). “But I think I'm getting a little old for parties."
The corners of your mouth tip up in what’s the beginning of a smile.
"Okay, sure. You're, what, twenty-five?"
It’s a stupid joke, and for a moment, you panic, afraid he’d been unimpressed, but then his lips quirked slightly. "Not quite. Nice costume. Let me guess, fairy?"
"Witch, actually. I’ve always gone with something more original," you babble and bite your lip before you can say something else.
"It’s cute."
Cute?
You’re unsure if you should feel elated that he thinks so or self-conscious—that he might be making fun of you—so you settle with a mumbled “thanks.”
"So, what's with the container?" he asks, nodding toward your hands.
"Oh, um, my roommate thought she could bribe people with food to come to the party." Truthfully, it’s to prevent potential complaints from the neighbors, but you decide not to mention that part, although you think he knows by the way the corner of his mouth subtly lifts.
You give him the plastic container and watch as he stares into it with a furrowed brow. "It's a... pancake?"
"Er, yeah. My roommate likes to go above and beyond for everything."
"What's it supposed to be?" he asks, glancing up at you.
"Um, a pumpkin..."
You look between him and the container and find Finn had accidentally mixed up her presentable pancakes with the throwaways. And the pumpkin shape is...well, it isn't.
"Ah, I see," he nods, his slowly drying hair falling onto his forehead. "That makes more sense."
You can’t stop the giggle that bubbles to the surface. "You think you can do better?"
"Yes, actually," he grins back, all cocksure, with a flash of white teeth. "Maybe I’ll bring some over some time."
"I won't tell her you said that." However, you can't wait to rib Finn later.
"Right, it probably wouldn't make a very good first impression." Then he sticks out his free hand, "Simon."
You shyly shake it—ignoring the little skip in your chest at how big his hand is compared to yours—and tell him your name, too.
His eyes flicker down to his watch, and he curses under his breath. "Well, it was nice meeting you. But I have to finish getting ready for work."
Only then do you take note of the tactical pants and heavy boots he’s wearing.
When you meet his gaze again, you find amusement there, and you consider, with a new rush of mortification, that it probably seemed like you’d been openly eyeing his crotch.
You clear your throat, the back of your neck feeling hot, and you pointedly pretend your voice doesn’t hitch when you breathe a soft, tremulous, "Okay, sure.”
"Tell your roommate I said thanks for breakfast."
"Yeah, I'll tell her. Um, I guess I'll see you around." No longer able to make eye contact with him, you turn away and begin walking (though it’s probably closer to running) toward your door.
And you definitely don’t look over your shoulder to see if he’s still standing there.
You spend most of the party hanging out near the front door, quietly hoping Simon might show up—even though it seems unlikely. After all, he did mention that he’s too old for parties, and a small, insecure part of you wonders if it was his polite way of turning you down.
"The guy was running late,” Finn had tried to reassure you. “I'm sure he was thinking about how to beat expressway traffic before the lunch hour rush hit. Not about the crazy lady in a witch costume running away from his door."
That was the initial deciding factor between your witch costume and the one Finn’s been trying to force you into—only so you don’t have to hear another person call you cute just to seem nice.
And leave it to Finn to jump at the opportunity to help you get ready, though she nearly freaked out when you popped into your joint bathroom with an old tube of mascara that you rummaged out of your nightstand.
"Do you know how many germs are probably on that thing?" Finn’s nose scrunched up as she threw it away in the waste bin near the toilet. "Please tell me you haven't used it since you bought it?"
You had rolled your eyes. "Probably not."
Finn sighed, then smiled. "Luckily for you, I own more than a crusty mascara tube."
You were about to argue, but when Finn told you to sit on the toilet lid with a dangerously sharp liner pen, you’d clenched your jaw instead, unsure what you were more scared of when Finn brought the pen close to your face: that your friend might potentially stab you in the eye or that you’d come out of the bathroom with raccoon eyes.
Thankfully, when Finn finally finished, neither was the case, except the number of looks you’ve been receiving anytime someone stops in the kitchen to get more drinks is something you hadn’t anticipated—especially when one of them happens to be Miller.
You’ve been avoiding him and his overly bare chest from the moment he walked through your front door. It grew more challenging after Finn left your side (the traitor) to talk to a guy you’ve seen her hanging around with on campus a few times.
And with the apartment feeling smaller than it already is, you’re only option is to blend in with the group hanging around your kitchen island.
You’ll be fine, Finn said.
Right, you think as you adjust the scanty tube top under your mesh shirt, trying to cover more of yourself with what little fabric you have at your disposal, and you wonder if it’s too late to change—
A knock at the door makes you perk up, regardless of how noisy the room is, with eardrum-shattering music and loud college students. You pull it open, expecting to see Simon on the other side, only to be disappointed when it’s one of Finn’s friends and her girlfriend instead.
"Hey, Roma." You realize you probably sound rude and attempt to give them your best smile—which is more or less a grimace.
Roma smooths out her extremely short referee-style dress. "Sorry, we're late! I couldn't remember where you lived. There are way too many blue apartment buildings around here..."
Everything she’s saying goes in one ear and out the other when you spot Simon stepping out of the door to the stairway across the hall. You hold your breath, waiting for him to look up from his phone.
But he keeps walking.
"Uh, yeah," you say distractedly before speeding up the conversation. "Hey, Finn is in the living room, but I'll see you guys inside, okay? I need to do something."
You step around them to catch up to Simon, which you learn isn’t easy in heels. So you call his name, hoping he hears you and smiling when he turns toward you. And you don’t miss how his gaze trails down your body slowly.
It makes something inside you quiver as you nervously play with the short hem of your skirt.
“Hey,” he says, sounding every bit as tired as he looks—his shirt from that morning now wrinkled with bluish hollows under his eyes—though he tries to hide it with what you think is an attempt at a smile.
And your cheeks burn because you feel guilty.
"Hey," you repeat dumbly.
Your eyes lower as his smile melts into one of faint amusement at your lack of tact. You fidget, shifting from one foot to the other. Maybe, you think, you should have let him walk into his apartment before you could embarrass yourself further today.
After a moment, you meet his gaze again.
"Uh, I just wanted to see if you still wanted to come over…But I imagine you're probably not up for it, so I’ll leave—"
Simon surprises you when he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Sure."
Your mouth gapes, unsure if you heard him correctly. "Wh-what?"
"I just need to shower and change, and then I'll be over. Okay?"
"I... yeah, okay," your nod is shy, trying not to betray eagerness.
A lazy grin stretches across his mouth. "Nice costume, by the way," he disappears into his apartment before he can witness how his words make you flush.
And you walk back to your apartment feeling a little more floaty than when you left.
cw: suggestive, just iwaizumi being hot in a muscle tee, use of 'baby', sweat, unedited sawry (this is my pure carnal desire for this man)
iwaizumi hasn’t worn a muscle tee in years—
it hangs off him like a singular piece of cloth, haphazardly cut to show off as much skin as possible. slutty, the way mattsun and makki had intended for it to look when they gifted it to him in his third year of college.
which, to be fair, maybe he was one—a slut, that is. whoring himself out completely with those ‘subtle’, ‘lowkey’ thirst trap instagram stories on his fitness account. the way his skin flushed a darker peach after your joint gym days was always borderline inappropriate, the strands of his hair sticking up in what you could easily mistake as sweat-matted sex hair.
iwaizumi’s muscle tee days are well associated with him being the image of absolute sin.
but it was all for you anyway: the instagram stories he set on ‘close friends’ only, the hours he kept free so he could align his gym schedule to yours—
“oh! that’s perfect!” you beam at him, your smile completely unaware.
“yeah. it all worked out…” he casually brushes it off.
—it was oikawa's idea in the first place.
"you have to sell yourself better iwa-chan," the brunet whines over the phone.
and so he did; followed every embarrassing idea oikawa came up with, posed and posted in ways extremely un-iwaizumi, and stocked up on muscle tees. a lot of them. only for him to be called—
"simp," oikawa snorts on the call. iwaizumi groans, rolling his eyes.
—"baby," you stop dead in your tracks, your breath on hold.
yeah, he thinks, it was all worth it because this is what you call him now.
"is that—?" you inch closer, mouth falling slightly open. he thinks there are stars in your eyes as you ask, "are you wearing—?"
oh.
iwaizumi looks down at the muscle tee hanging off his body and feels a little bit exposed. he just came from the gym and he hasn't worn a muscle tee in years, his collection of them having dwindled over time. the only reason he kept this one is because of its sentimental value, and the fact that it came from makki and mattsun.
compression shirts are his thing now, which you approve of very much, but you're both in the middle of moving, and some of his clothes are still in boxes.
you approach him slowly, "is this a comeback?" the smirk on your face grows when you reach him, your hands fiddling with the fabric.
this is the same muscle tee he was wearing the first time you told him you loved him.
he moves away before you can come any closer.
"sweaty," he scrunches his nose as he takes your hands into his, kissing your fingertips.
you scoff, pressing yourself right into his chest, "even better."
your hands cling to his sides, slipping underneath the damp cotton of his muscle tee as you rake your fingers down planes of taut muscle. he shivers, breath hitching as the heat travels up his body, flushing the sides of his neck deep peach.
you peer up at him and grin, placing small pecks at the areas of his collarbone that peek through.
fucking—
his hands grip your waist, keeping you in place as he tilts his head low, lips grazing just the tip of your ear.
"don't tease," he warns, voice low and hoarse, but his hands show no signs of moving away.
notes: i would like to thank @pastelle-rabbit for asking me the hardest question of all time, otherwise this little blurb wouldn't exist
⟢ synopsis: as devastation rains down on your world, you find sanctuary in the one who loves you most. be it the first time or the last, you will remain at his side for as long as you are able.
⟢ cw: angsty angst, character death, canon universe but not really? blood, injury descriptions, apocalyptic vibes, this is sad
⟢ wc: 1.3k
⟢ a/n: not quite as long as I’d like it to be but I saw one (1) of sylus and mc to die with a smile and I just had to do this :cc
Everything burns.
The trees. Grass. Buildings. Even the heavens are alight with flame and smoke.
Your eyes. Your shoulder. Your throat. Your shoulder. Your lungs. Your shoulder.
There’s something protruding from it, through a clean puncture, a pointed limb belonging to a monstrous Wanderer, left behind after it was severed and the creature was slain by your own hand, the sword you once wielded with pride now laying uselessly on the ground. All around you, the battle rages on, screams piercing bloodied skies, the yelling from your comrades swirling into the cacophonous din that surrounds you. If hell exists, then this is what it must look like.
But none of it registers. Not the shouts of your name, or the wailing and screeching from friend and foe alike, not even the deafening gunshots or the singing of steel. All of it is nothing more than white noise in your ears, muffled as though your head is submerged under the sea. And yet, over all of that mess, the beat of your heart is clear as day, pounding disjointedly throughout your body like a drum as you stumble towards a tree that is yet to be touched by the destruction that rages on around you.
The tree is old. Tall, with a thick, strong trunk and heavy branches that are in full, blushing bloom - a cherry blossom tree. It’s a beautiful sight, the little flowers still clinging to the branches swaying with the breeze, each petal glowing as the sun climbs above the horizon, as though it emits its own unearthly light.
Beneath that tree, nestled amongst the gnarled roots, sits the figure of a man. You drag yourself towards him, every movement you make causing excruciating pain to lance through your every limb. Your shoulder throbs and aches, rivulets of crimson sluicing down the edges of the wound and soaking your already saturated sleeve.
Though he is only a short distance away, the trek feels as though it takes an eternity to reach him. Slowly, through your blurring vision, you can begin to make out his sleek, silvery hair, his usually pristine suit ruined by dirt and ash.
And blood.
So much blood.
His shirt is soaked with the stuff much like yours, oozing from several gashes and stab wounds on his torso, smeared all over his pristine skin. His face is paler than usual, coated in a sheen of sweat, screwed up in pain as he uselessly presses a hand to his injuries. It’s an unusual state to see him in, for one who is usually so composed and vigilant, the sun steadily rising at your back and illuminating his weakened body. He grimaces as the warm light kisses his cheeks, turning away from it feebly.
“Sylus!” you call out hoarsely, throat closing up with the threat of more tears. “Sylus!”
He squints as you come closer, a smile curling the corners of his full lips once your face becomes clearer. “An angel,” he murmurs. “My angel. Who ever thought someone like me could see someone so beautiful in his last moments?”
“You lied to me,” you sob brokenly, dropping to your knees once you reach his side, scrambling blindly to take his hand. It’s colder than usual.
“About?” he hums quietly.
“You told me- you told me that you couldn’t be killed! You said-”
Sylus coughs, a cross between a chuckle and a groan sputtering from his lips. “Do I look like I’ve been killed, sweetie? I’m still breathing. Still here. Can’t get rid of me that easy.”
“Then fix yourself,” you beg through your tears. “Please. Like you did the day we met, remember. Please Sylus. Fix it.”
“It’s a little late for that,” he says softly, raising his chin towards the sunrise. “Guess you were right. I really am like a vampire.”
With a petulant, frustrated cry, you reach up to your shoulder and pull at the thick limb that’s still plugging your wound. A sharp, pained noise leaves your lips as you yank it out with all your strength, the blood that spills free coloured dark and murky as you toss it aside. Sylus’ eyes blink at you blankly, only now realising that you’re badly hurt. “Sweetie-”
“Don’t. A medic can’t help me now. It was poisonous.” You shuffle closer to him, leaning back against the tree trunk, bleeding bodies pressed side by side.
“They can still try-”
“So can you.”
“Sweetie, please-”
“No.” There’s a beat of silence and he scoffs, the desperation in your tone keeping him from pushing back again. He really can’t hold his ground against you - you make him so weak. Weaker than any amount of sunlight ever could. “Not without you.”
“Such a stubborn kitten,” he mumbles, hissing slightly as he readjusts himself to take your hand in his. They’re both sticky with blood and sweat, but you hold onto each other and squeeze like you do each night before you fall asleep. “If I hadn’t been ambushed at dawn, I would’ve dragged you kicking and screaming to that tent.”
“Believe me, I know.”
More silence passes between you, comfortable and almost serene, as if the tree you take refuge under is bubbling you both in peace during these precious moments. The pain is easier to bear like this as well.
“Hey.”
“Hm?”
“C’mere. I wanna hold you. Just for a while.” You can’t seem to stop the tears from flowing but you nod softly at his request, helping him loop his arm loosely around your waist before gently leaning your head against his shoulder. There’s no energy left in your body to sob, so you weep silently, freely, as he turns his head to press his lips to your temple. “Don’t cry, my love,” he whispers. “Look… the sunrise is so beautiful… isn't it?”
“You hate the sun,” you mumble, blinking blearily at the sky. There’s a destructive beauty about it, the reds and oranges swirling together with plumes of grey and streaks of pink to paint a hellish picture.
“Mm… I do burn so terribly.”
“You’re the worst vampire ever,” you sniffle tiredly. There’s not an ounce of strength left in your body and judging by the way Sylus’ words are slowing and slurring, he’s losing his battle with consciousness.
“Can’t be good at… everything…” he chuckles. “Like… making you smile…”
“You do make me smile, Sy…”
“Yeah?” he wheezes. “Why’re you… crying then? Hm?”
“‘M not.” You blink away the tears, too drained to wipe them from your cheeks. “Got somethin’ in my eye.”
Sylus snorts, the puff of breath warm against your hair. “Liar.”
Seconds tick by sluggishly, feeling more like hours as the sun steadily climbs into the sky, The battle begins to dim and fade from your view, and when you let your eyes flutter shut, the world feels different. The air is cool and clean on your skin as Sylus continues to hold you, the lines of his body where it presses against yours as familiar as home. It’s like you’re laying in his huge, comfortable bed at the base, using him as a pillow whilst his slow breaths lull you to sleep.
“Sylus?”
“Hm?”
“I’m tired…”
“I know, sweetie... So… am I…”
“Nap with me?”
“...Sure.”
Softly, he begins to hum. From some place within him, he finds the strength to make his vocal cords work enough to weave a familiar tune. It’s the one from your dreams. The one he hums to you each night before you fall asleep in his arms. A song spun from your love and his. It brings a little smile to your face.
“You’ll… be here… when I wake up…. won’t you?” you whisper. Body heavy and weak, your lips barely move, but he hears you all the same.
“... ‘Course,” he says, taking a tremulous breath. Something wet drips into your hair. “... Nowhere else…. I’d rather…. be.”
he stands in the mirror, twisting side to side. he looks at his reflection again before turning to you.
“it’s a bit much, right?”
it’s not enough, really. you can’t stop staring. from his toned thighs, standing out more than ever, to the faint tan line exposed for once in these rather short shorts. your eyes land on his rear, and he notices.
“creep.”
“i didn’t say anything!”
“you really didn’t need to,” he runs his hands over the material, and tilts his head. “i don’t think i like them.”
“what-“ the words come tumbling out of your mouth and you sit up taller on the bed. the scrunch of his brow and the small frown on his face make you huff. “why don’t you?”
“it’s just too short, guys don’t wear shorts this-“
“shoyo does.”
“why are you looking?”
you smile, and he rolls his eyes. the blue of his shorts matches his eyes, and you wonder if he did that on purpose. he walks around the room, looks in the mirror, and goes up on his toes, checking his reflection again. his calf muscles flex and you lose your train of thought.
kageyama glances at you and how your eyes have fallen to his legs, and decides he enjoys the attention. he adjusts the shorts a little, pulling on the compression shorts that peek out of the fabric, and relishes in the expression on your face.
“i decided im going to keep them,” he walks towards the dresser, snatching his sweatshirt to throw on.
“what changed your mind?”
he smiles, patting your thigh as he walks in front of you and towards the living room. “they’ve grown on me.”
There has always been an innate need to protect Simon from himself.
These days, he is better at disguising the weighty stress of work and the tough decisions that come with it. He’s not a martyr by any means; you’re sure there are things he’s done he’ll never be able to tell you about, and even though you’ve never grasped the world he lives in when he’s away from home, you want him to know that he doesn’t need to bare it by himself.
It’s a touch to the shoulder when you catch his eyes flitting between the doors and windows. A subtle topic change when the neighbor asks questions that make Simon cagey. Letting him talk about his work life because you think he just needs someone who will listen.
But sometimes it’s harder on days like today.
You notice how hollow his eyes look after he throws his keys into the bowl by the front door. You don’t ask about it, not today, not unless he talks first. Instead, you lightly pull him into your arms, softly swaying back and forth, hoping you can somehow rid him of whatever burden followed him home.
He doesn’t push you away, not that he ever has, and his hands cling to the back of your sleep shirt, unwilling to let you go far.
“Alright, love?” he asks with exhaustion slightly tingeing the edges of his words.
“Just wanted to hug you.” Your fingers slide up into his hair, nails scratching his scalp in a way that makes the tension melt from his shoulders. “I missed you.”
His face drops into the crook of your neck, his nose burying into your hair. “I missed you too,” he mumbles.
You stand like that for a while, telling him everything he missed while he was away, grabbing his hand and dragging it to your stomach with a smile pressed into his temple. Because at that moment, he isn’t a faceless man with secrets for miles long; he’s your husband, and he’s allowed to be human.
There has always been an innate need to protect Simon from himself.
These days, he is better at disguising the weighty stress of work and the tough decisions that come with it. He’s not a martyr by any means; you’re sure there are things he’s done he’ll never be able to tell you about, and even though you’ve never grasped the world he lives in when he’s away from home, you want him to know that he doesn’t need to bare it by himself.
It’s a touch to the shoulder when you catch his eyes flitting between the doors and windows. A subtle topic change when the neighbor asks questions that make Simon cagey. Letting him talk about his work life because you think he just needs someone who will listen.
But sometimes it’s harder on days like today.
You notice how hollow his eyes look after he throws his keys into the bowl by the front door. You don’t ask about it, not today, not unless he talks first. Instead, you lightly pull him into your arms, softly swaying back and forth, hoping you can somehow rid him of whatever burden followed him home.
He doesn’t push you away, not that he ever has, and his hands cling to the back of your sleep shirt, unwilling to let you go far.
“Alright, love?” he asks with exhaustion slightly tingeing the edges of his words.
“Just wanted to hug you.” Your fingers slide up into his hair, nails scratching his scalp in a way that makes the tension melt from his shoulders. “I missed you.”
His face drops into the crook of your neck, his nose burying into your hair. “I missed you too,” he mumbles.
You stand like that for a while, telling him everything he missed while he was away, grabbing his hand and dragging it to your stomach with a smile pressed into his temple. Because at that moment, he isn’t a faceless man with secrets for miles long; he’s your husband, and he’s allowed to be human.
There has always been an innate need to protect Simon from himself.
These days, he is better at disguising the weighty stress of work and the tough decisions that come with it. He’s not a martyr by any means; you’re sure there are things he’s done he’ll never be able to tell you about, and even though you’ve never grasped the world he lives in when he’s away from home, you want him to know that he doesn’t need to bare it by himself.
It’s a touch to the shoulder when you catch his eyes flitting between the doors and windows. A subtle topic change when the neighbor asks questions that make Simon cagey. Letting him talk about his work life because you think he just needs someone who will listen.
But sometimes it’s harder on days like today.
You notice how hollow his eyes look after he throws his keys into the bowl by the front door. You don’t ask about it, not today, not unless he talks first. Instead, you lightly pull him into your arms, softly swaying back and forth, hoping you can somehow rid him of whatever burden followed him home.
He doesn’t push you away, not that he ever has, and his hands cling to the back of your sleep shirt, unwilling to let you go far.
“Alright, love?” he asks with exhaustion slightly tingeing the edges of his words.
“Just wanted to hug you.” Your fingers slide up into his hair, nails scratching his scalp in a way that makes the tension melt from his shoulders. “I missed you.”
His face drops into the crook of your neck, his nose burying into your hair. “I missed you too,” he mumbles.
You stand like that for a while, telling him everything he missed while he was away, grabbing his hand and dragging it to your stomach with a smile pressed into his temple. Because at that moment, he isn’t a faceless man with secrets for miles long; he’s your husband, and he’s allowed to be human.
anne!! i hope august has been treating you well 🥺 it’s been a while since i last dropped by, but i thought i’d pop in to ask how you are 🥺💗 and to of course, ask a curious sel question 🤓
going off the whole ‘beauty marks are spots where your soulmate liked to kiss on past lives’ saying, where do you hc your current fave’s beauty marks to be?
(and i have a bonus question too!! something writing related because i’m curious—who comes easiest to write for you? why?)
sending you all my love and fresh flowers for the month 💗🌷
Hello my dearest Sel!! I'm doing well, BUSY (but at the same time, not). Trying to enjoy my summer even though I'm melting onto the pavement every single day (pls, someone, send me a cold draft).
That's actually so sweet, I've never heard that before! Hmm, probably behind the ear. It's such a tender, sweet spot 💕
Unsurprisingly, Gojo, and I think the reason for it is that I've been obsessed with him for 5 years. There's also so many ways to write him because he's complex, and I think that's nice if there's a certain way of writing him I'm uncomfortable with. He'll possibly always remain number one for me 😊
I know you didn't ask, but Draco is the hardest for me to write right now, and I think it's because it's been so long since I've read the books.
Anywho, thank you for stopping by and I hope you're enjoying your weekend and take a moment to have time for yourself 💕
There has always been an innate need to protect Simon from himself.
These days, he is better at disguising the weighty stress of work and the tough decisions that come with it. He’s not a martyr by any means; you’re sure there are things he’s done he’ll never be able to tell you about, and even though you’ve never grasped the world he lives in when he’s away from home, you want him to know that he doesn’t need to bare it by himself.
It’s a touch to the shoulder when you catch his eyes flitting between the doors and windows. A subtle topic change when the neighbor asks questions that make Simon cagey. Letting him talk about his work life because you think he just needs someone who will listen.
But sometimes it’s harder on days like today.
You notice how hollow his eyes look after he throws his keys into the bowl by the front door. You don’t ask about it, not today, not unless he talks first. Instead, you lightly pull him into your arms, softly swaying back and forth, hoping you can somehow rid him of whatever burden followed him home.
He doesn’t push you away, not that he ever has, and his hands cling to the back of your sleep shirt, unwilling to let you go far.
“Alright, love?” he asks with exhaustion slightly tingeing the edges of his words.
“Just wanted to hug you.” Your fingers slide up into his hair, nails scratching his scalp in a way that makes the tension melt from his shoulders. “I missed you.”
His face drops into the crook of your neck, his nose burying into your hair. “I missed you too,” he mumbles.
You stand like that for a while, telling him everything he missed while he was away, grabbing his hand and dragging it to your stomach with a smile pressed into his temple. Because at that moment, he isn’t a faceless man with secrets for miles long; he’s your husband, and he’s allowed to be human.
