stᥲrᥣιght

jieun nods, a nostalgic smile falling over her lips. “we thought it’d just be easier to spend time together that way.” she has an entire false backstory curated and perfected down to the millimeter — one she keeps readily available if he asks. but it is wiser to wait until he prompts her with curious questions rather than overwhelming him with her narratives. “we both left our old places. my lease was up, and it made more sense for us to get somewhere larger, anyway.” the car continues moving smoothly along the highway, tracking further away from the bustling city center. “you were incredibly busy when we were moving in, so i had the privilege of picking out most of the furniture,” she recalls with a fond, constructed smile. “it’s a two-bedroom, and we both get a study for our own things.”

he nodded like he understood her explanation, as if he was beginning to understand or as if pieces were starting to fall into place, though it was mostly for show. every bit of information she was telling him, the man felt guilty since he truly couldn't recall any piece of it - wondering just how extensive his amnesia really was. "i'm sorry i didn't help with that, picking the furniture," the athlete offered with a sincere look in his eyes. "am i busy a lot?" last thing he could remember was his first few years in college, and even then most of his days were filled up with his most prevalent extracurricular. "do i still play basketball?" he followed up with instead, remembering how badly it was something he wanted since he was young. but he shook his head after his last question, feeling guilty as if he were bombarding the other with more questions than she was ready for. "i'm sorry, i don't want to overwhelm you out of the gate." haneul cleared his throat before mentioning instead, "i know it probably doesn't mean much since we've been together so long, but you really are beautiful." his words were gentle but genuine, the man offering a small smile as he spoke them.

     the way nimble fingers are grabbing around her sketchbook display a slight nervousness, praise from trace was something most tattoo apprentices anticipated, practically looking toward him with hopeful eyes. akari, however, being the assistant in drawing designs meant that little comments of  ‘ good job ’  or  ‘ nice work ’  was frequent. though, him complimenting her passion, the little scribbles turning into story-telling images, it warmed across her entire being  ;  so much to the point of the shell of her ears got painted in a dusted pink.  “  yeah  ?  you really think so  ?  ”  subtle smile, opening the book a little more and freely showing the sketches to him, showcasing images of two people interacting  —-  clearly shaping a love story of sorts.  “ my inspiration... ”  spoken in a pondering manner, looking forward and to the ceiling as her feet lightly wagged back and forth in the air underneath counter.  “ a friend of mine's first love story ? ”  nodding a couple of times, then a cheekier grin appeared on features.  “ with that additional sprinkle of cringe, that needs to be present you know ~ ”  sitting up straight again, attention was brought over to trace  ; always finding herself comfortable around him.  “ do you read these ? ”

while he would have commended akari either way for her efforts since it was something she obviously seemed to enjoy to do, the artist was genuinely impressed by the artwork she'd been hiding in her journal. "scout's honor," he joked, holding three fingers up momentarily to facetiously show his honesty. looking closer once she permitted, neck leaning in to notice even more detail, he glanced back her way as she seemed to wonder aloud what exactly was her inspiration to start. "hey, you can't have a love story without some cringe, right?" crooked smile on his features matching the cheekiness of her own. a piece of him wondered if the 'friend' she spoke of was more like a reflection of herself, but he figured should that be the case it would be something she'd choose to tell him instead. "i'll be honest, i haven't in years," the man admitted, though he was hit with fond memories from his past once he mentioned this. "bleach was my weakness for the longest time, but i gave up once it never seemed to end." gaze lingered on the page longer that she chose to show him before he took in her features once more. "is that what made you want to start drawing, one of these?"

“Morning,” Wesley mutters back begrudgingly. It still doesn’t feel quite real that Valerie is sitting in front of him, in the flesh, and his eyes critically drink in her appearance, taking note of any changes to it, however small. Ever since his life turned upside down, back when he was still thirty-two and a mere mortal, he’s been a suspicious, paranoid man and that remains true still, his unease about the whole situation not letting him feel anything else. “Is it really a surprise? Or are you stalking me?” Wesley likes to think that he’d notice someone following him, especially someone like Valerie who had once been so important to him, but even his sharp senses fail sometimes, especially with the past couple of days being as busy as they were. “Why are you here, Val? Do you need something?”

She wasn't necessarily surprised at the sour tone that her ex greeted her with, especially from what she could recall was the last note they had left off on. "Ooh, not such a good morning for you, I'm guessing?" the femme inquired, eyes slightly doe-eyed as she tilted her head. These of course were signs of someone being genuinely curious, even if Valerie was anything but. Cleaning some dirt that had made its way under her fingernails, she gave the man a sweet smile before answering his next question. "Stalking you?" she asked, attempting to keep up the facade of being unaware before adding, "why would I need to stalk you when your routine never even changes?" Adjusting slightly in her seat, the clerk folded her arms across her chest in contempt with his assumption. "Am I not allowed to just visit an old friend? Why does there have to be some secret hidden agenda?"

all  confidence  and  noise  and  impossible  enthusiasm.  he  talks  with  his  hands,  painting  the  picture  faster  than  thoughts  can  keep  up.  “and  i’m  not  talking  about  one  of  those  sad  family  beaches  either.  i  found  this  place  online—boardwalk,  bonfires  every  night,  live  music,  tiny  little  seafood  spots  that  look  sketchy  but  apparently  change  your  life.”  he  points  dramatically  into  the  distance,  like  the  ocean  is  already  waiting  for  them  somewhere  past  the  parking  lot.  “we  rent  a  place  for  a  week,  sleep  like  three  hours  a  night,  make  horrible  decisions  we’ll  laugh  about  for  the  next  ten  years.  tell  me  that  doesn’t  sound  perfect.”

but he couldn't deny all of the benefits that his best friend was listing off sounded appealing, even if he did try to pretend they were merely mediocre with the scrunch of his nose. "you say that — but if i end up in the emergency room with food poisoning, you'll be the one footing my bill." he pushed the man lightly if only to jest further. "but i guess if you've planned that much, i'd be a pretty awful friend if i didn't at least try to enjoy it." a beat passed before he tilted his head in curiosity. "what inspired you to do such a deep dive into the summer plans?" he wondered before adding, "you're not looking for a specific cute girl, are you?"

the  backstage  waiting  room  was  smaller  than  she  expected,  crowded  with  a  handful  of  guests  and  several  players  still  flushed  from  the  game.  laughter  and  casual  conversation  filled  the  air,  the  athletes  towering  in  relaxed  post-game  clothes,  effortlessly  carrying  the  same  energy  they’d  had  on  the  court.  yeji  hesitated  near  the  doorway,  suddenly  aware  of  how  out  of  place  she  was.  she  didn’t  know  the  players’  names.  she  didn’t  know  who  had  won  awards,  who  was  famous,  or  even  what  counted  as  a  good  game.  but  as  one  of  the  players  glanced  up  and  met  her  eyes  with  a  small,  curious  smile,  her  pulse  stumbled  unexpectedly.  maybe  staying  hadn’t  been  such  a  bad  idea  after  all.

finally by the last quarter, haneul reminding himself that he was in fact the captain and needed to perform as such, that he was able to let his focus be pulled into the game instead of those in attendance - with the small exception of when he noticed the ball hurdling her way, the athlete almost diving to knock it away. it earned him a bruise or two, but he felt it was worth it either way. but after their win, he looked her way once more before they had to head backstage, the man feeling a whole different level of cloud nine that he hadn't registered before. he had barely been able to come down from this before welcoming the vips who were ushered into the cramped space with them, though his heart felt like it almost stopped when he noticed she was among those very few. what on earth were the chances? "hi," he greeted warmly as he stepped up to the group, though his gaze had inadvertently fixed on her once more. "i'm haneul, nice to meet you all."

jaeho  slipped  into  violet’s  restaurant  just  before  closing,  baseball  cap  low  over  his  eyes,  and  the  second  she  looked  up  from  wiping  down  the  counter  and  froze,  every  exhausting  day  of  tour  suddenly  felt  worth  it.  he  wasn’t  supposed  to  be  back  in  seoul  for  another  three  days,  “missed  you  too  much,”  he  spoke  softly,  jaeho  thinking  that  no  stage  in  the  world  ever  felt  as  good  as  coming  home  to  her.

though tonight was a busier one than normal, it made cleaning up at the end of the day that much more satisfactory. her last couple of staff members were finishing up with their rounds as she moved to wipe down each and every countertop to ready for whatever tomorrow would bring. the femme had to do a double take when she looked up, ready to let a customer know that they were unfortunately closed when her eyes instead widened in a happy surprise. dropping her rag on the table she'd ended at, violet hopped up onto the same surface to swing her legs around and meet her husband that much quicker. "but don't you still have one more show in macau?" she beamed, reaching her arms up to wrap around his neck comfortably nonetheless.

this isn’t the first time he had a sleepover at his best friend’s place, but it isn’t the same and everything is different now. theo’s smile brings an equally fond smile on his lips, making his dimples bloom. he looks dazed as theo leans forward to press soft kisses on the tip of his nose and his lips, a faint blush climbing upon his cheeks even though it’s not their first kiss anymore. memories of the previous night come back to the front of his mind, kisses that were hungrier and less innocent than this, greedy hands that wandered everywhere, causing the blush on his cheeks to deepen without his permission. “it doesn’t.” he echoes, a nervous chuckle escaping him but at least he’s not the only one who is still adjusting. “it’s going to take some time to get used to.” he admits, but there’s no hint of regret in the doting gaze fixated on theo, the soft cotton of his t-shirt brushing against his skin.

the man had wondering for so long just how it would be if you could exist with his best friend the way he'd been yearning to for years, so it was almost as if in that moment he was waiting to wake up from the dream. but each kiss felt more real, and each touch reminded him that the other yearned for him also. "i'm happy though," he admitted softly, laying back into the comfort of freddie's warmth. "of anyone to have to get used to it with, you're the best person i could hope for." it may have sounded cheesy, hell theo could be finding out soon just how cheesy he could be in a relationship, but the truth was seeming to com out one way or another. looking at the man's face in the soft glow of the sunlight, theo reached up to his cheek, letting his thumb stroke the soft skin along the edge of his jawline. "can i ask you an honest question?" he wondered, now that the alcohol had made it entirely out of their system - at least for the most part. "do you know how long?" whether he was asking how long he knew he had feelings for the other, or how long he'd harbored feelings for himself, even he wasn't certain. but he knew he was curious to hear whatever his best friend's answer would be. || @nouvelis

it is hypocritical of her to be seething with jealousy when she, too, has someone else in her arms, but she brushes past it for now, focusing solely on her anger. thankfully, he’s wise enough to open the door quickly, rushing to her as soon as she makes her presence known. their lips collide against each other like this is how they’re meant to be — a messy blend of unrestrained hunger and aching need — before the door shuts behind them with a click, and he ushers her inside the hotel room, kissing her back with the same urgency. the anger dissipates slightly at his playful remark uttered between kisses, replaced by a flicker of amusement. “missed me that bad?” she whispers against his lips before she pushes him onto the bed, and soon she has him under her, her legs straddling him as she kisses him with a possessiveness that feels almost primal.

their game of teasing was endless, and with anyone else river had no doubt he would have lost interest by now. but there was something about ivy that cause his focus to be all in. and while it was very likely it was linked to the fact that he shouldn't be with her, that the femme was more or less off limits in every right of way which she was, there was a feeling deep down in him that nagged if maybe it was something else - something that he couldn't think too long over or else it would pull him from the excitement of here and now. and instead of the man uttering a simple 'yes' in reply to her question, a surprised 'oof' escaped him instead as his back met the stiffness of the hotel bed. "how could i not when she didn't taste like you, baby?" he cooed, placing his hands on either side of her hips as his body arched up, aching to be even closer to her every second. "i'd rather you leave your mark on me instead." || @nouvelis

the  homme  had  a  glint  of  wonder  in  dark  hues,  his  lips  had  a  mind  of  their  own  as  he  didn’t  realize  he  had  been  smiling  the  entire  time  he  prepped  diner.  oddly,  the  biker  was  in  a  peaceful  state,  one  that  he  didn’t  think  he  deserved.  whether  it  was  the  domesticated  boyfriend  or  the  grease  covered  mechanic  —  he  liked  being  a  civilian.  albeit,  he  felt  tempted  to  revert  to  certain  strategy  when  ruby  poured  her  frustrations  to  him,  he  had  put  her  first.  her  laugh  dusted  his  own,  healed  features  shift  into  a  ray  of  light  when  she  made  her  way  towards  him.  lengthy  limbs  had  been  extended  to  embrace  the  blonde  with  a  swoop  of  his  arms  around  her  waist  and  a  nosedive  in  the  crook  of  her  neck.  inhaling  scents  of  citrus  and  vanilla  that  kept  him  captivated.  “  i  can  say  the  same.  “  he  chuckled  at  the  timing  of  the  mutual  feeling  —  hands  found  the  sides  of  her  hips,  holding  her  with  a  gentle  cup  while  he  took  a  slow  scan  down  the  beautifully  sculpted  features.  how  he  admired  her  resembled  an  art  lover  who  studied  his  most  biased  art  piece.  never  out  of  shock  and  awe  over  such  a  masterpiece.“  you  know,  there  is  a  saying  about  maybe  ‘  kissing  the  chef  ‘  or  something  around  the  lines  of  that.  i  think  we  should  follow  the  rules.  “  a  humored  flirt  slipped  by  his  lips,  the  cheekiest  of  grins  had  found  their  place  on  his lively  features.  “  i  figured  you  could  use  a  hot  meal  and  a  nice  soapy  bath  after  today  .  .  .  it  sounded  like  you  needed  one."

the blonde was unable to hold back a squeal met somewhere between excitement and surprise as his face took comfort in the curve of her neck, her arms tensing from the shock but the wide smile crescent shaped closed eyes made evident that it was a welcome one. after a moment however she relaxed in his hold, even if her cheeks were a little warm as she felt his gaze rake slowly over her. "oh, is that so?" ruby jested with a quirked brow, nodding slowly and allowing her lips to near his own teasingly before pulling to look at the meal in question once more. but it was when he offered not only a meal but an accompanying bath that made the femme's heart truly melt. to think that he had taken a frustration she had mentioned in passing and made a point to not let that same feeling last into her coming home. an indecipherable look was heavy in her gaze as she stared at her boyfriend, the tears prickling in her eyes as she thought of just how lucky she was to have someone as thoughtful and considerate as him. "okay, i don't know about the cheesy chef line," the designer looked back up once more, attempting to tippy toe the best she was able to in her already heightened heels. "but that deserves a kiss." and she found home in his lips once more, the femme cupping his cheek as she let her body relax entirely into his own. "and maybe even more, depending on how good that hot meal is."

"you should've taken me here sooner." except minhee would've argued had he tried. her eating habits weren't the best but the longer she was with her boyfriend, the better they got. which is exactly why minhee reaches forward to grab another piece to place on her plate. "oh, you have to have extra cheese if you're getting pizza. it's the only way." it might also be because minhee preferred no other toppings. just cheese on cheese and honestly? if they had cheese stuffed cheese then she would've gotten that too.

"you're not wrong," the man agreed wholeheartedly, surprised that mrs. moon hadn't came out to lecture him just yet about not having introduced her to the pretty lady he was sitting with. "okay, moment of truth," he began moving his posture to an exaggerated 'ready' type position. narrowing his eyes to further this dramatic gesture, he bit his lip momentarily before letting out the oh-so-serious question. "pineapple on pizza: yes or no?"

"Thank you" Jaemin professed his gratitude as he let the other help him with his forsaken tie. Coming from boarding school, it should have been easy as the breeze for him to prep his tie yet today, his hands had to malfunction terribly, which made him look rather like a fool and a child. "What would your parents think seeing their future son-in-law like this? Do you think everyone is already here waiting for us?"

The man gave his partner eyes of warmth with his praise. He knew how difficult it could feel to do even the simplest of tasks when he was anxious, and even for someone who 'hunted monsters' so to speak, that feeling was even prevalent with him when it came to something as serious as meeting parents. "Would you believe me if I said that I wouldn't care what they think if they thought anything less than that you're wonderful?" he joked, though he knew the true question Jaemin was asking. "But seriously, I'm sure my dad wished that you were his son." This was also stated with a teasing tone, though considering Orion's profession it was rooted in plenty of truth. "Biologically, at least."

centuries drifted by without jieun's presence. having been condemned many years ago and forbidden to collude with life on earth- until now. light materialized before her. an exit? without second thought, her soul rushed to where salvation was found. clawing and thrashing against the limits that had kept her contained for far too long. a gust of air, physical space materializing, the sun peeling through blinds, floorboards cold beneath feet. this was freedom. a grin ripped her expression for the first time in only god know's when. her joy was short-lived. a spiritual tether extended from her wrist to their's. she was brought to a time and place entirely foreign to her and bound to a stranger by some sort of magic. the same anger that got her condemned quickly arose, twisting delicate features into a mask of fury. "who are you, and what the hell did you do?"

but despite his excitement that the ritual had worked, surprise soon became present on the man's features as he noticed he was no longer alone. "i- i-," he stuttered, wondering if he truly should have listened to the warnings he'd been given. "i was trying to get rid of someone, not summon someone different..."

“are you really going to sulk all night without telling me what happened?” joonho asks, raising an eyebrow as he settles in the seat opposite them across the dining table. the restaurant is now closed, leaving the two of them alone in each other's company amid the low, thrumming noise of his worries. “you haven’t even touched the cake, and it’s your favourite.” he can barely recall the last time they looked so defeated and it casts a deep concern in his eyes. “what’s wrong?”

for someone who made it her job to try and convince others of something, lale always seemed to have difficulty keeping up the facade when it was those that she was most comfortable with. maybe it was the comfort she felt in joonho that caused the woman to allow herself to feel vulnerable, but either way a large sigh accompanied by the slump of her shoulders indicated that she wasn't going to try and conceal it any longer - even if it was a failed attempt. "they're talking about declaring the cincinnati street case as a mistrial," the brunette admitted softly, unable to meet the other's eyes. "i just..i feel so stupid."

“yes, we’ve moved — moved in together since summer last year, actually.” jieun explains the timeline as she drives from the hospital to what is supposed to be their shared apartment. it is all a lie — a fabricated orchestra to gain their trust and keep them close, exactly as she dreamed. “we’re almost there… just another fifteen minutes.” she places her free hand over theirs, offering reassurance while the other grapples with the weight of the unknown that's been smothering them ever since they woke from the coma. “you’ll like it, i promise. you wouldn't stop gushing about the view when we first started living there.”

while haneul was typically considered that of a silent man, his amnesia had caused him to be slightly more inquisitive of everything around him. he tried reasoning in his mind that the uncertainty of how he felt with the woman was simply because of the accident, that muscle memory wasn't always accurate - especially when your mind tried telling you that you didn't know someone you were said to be in a happy relationship with. "last summer?" he echoed as he looked out the window, trying his hardest to remember each etch of the landscape as they drove by. turning his head back to face the femme in the driver's seat, a brow quirked in continued curiosity. "did we both leave our old homes? or did one of us move in with the other?" not that such probably mattered, but he didn't want to step on her toes in the home if he was the one who'd been welcomed into it initially.