A Chance Encounter
Jul. 20th, 2012 06:47 pmAuthor:
Pairing: Jin x Kame (Kat Tun)
Genre: AU, humor, some romance
Warning/Disclaimer: Nothing to warn about. I own no one.
Rating: PG
Chapter(s): 1/1
Summary: Kame is ill with pneumonia and assumes his hospital stay will be lonely, boring, and horrible... and then Jin from the next room comes over to complain about his coughing and he finds himself with company.
Author's Comment: I wrote this for
Kame coughed and rubbed his chest, slumping back against the pillows. He hadn’t been able to sleep well due to the cough and his chest pains. He also kept waking up because he felt like he couldn’t breathe. Then his nurse would come into the room to check on him every few hours, which made sleeping even more difficult. It had been a long night… and he had several more ahead of him before he could leave the hospital.
“You’re really sick, aren’t you?”
Startled, Kame raised his head and raked back his light brown hair so he could see who had spoken. A man who looked to be about his age was leaning against the door to his room. Kame blushed since the man was very good looking. He had fluffy black curls, pouty lips that looked so kissable, and big brown eyes that girls probably melted in. Or boys, if that was his preference.
“Yes,” Kame said once he’d recovered from his surprise. “Um, what are you doing here?” he was clearly a patient since he was injured. His left arm was in a sling, the lower part of his face was scraped, and there was a bandage around his forehead. But who was he and why had he come to Kame’s room? They had never seen each other before.
“Your coughing kept me up all night,” the man said bluntly. “I have the room next to you and it was impossible to sleep.”
Kame’s mood soured immediately. Typical handsome jerk. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” he said stiffly. He assumed the private room would prevent other patients from hearing his loud coughing, but apparently he was wrong.
He frowned as the man sat down on the edge of his bed. Why was he still here? “What are you sick with?”
Kame sighed. He was too polite to tell the man to go away, even though it was tempting. “Pneumonia.” He turned his head so he could cough again. He glanced up at the man once he was done, surprised to see that he actually looked concerned.
“That sounds awful. I’m Jin by the way. Akanishi Jin. Just call me Jin though.”
Kame blinked. They just met each other and were already on a first name basis? Jin was definitely one of the strangest people he’d ever met. “I’m Kamenashi Kazuya.”
“Can I call you Kame?”
Jin wanted to nickname him already? That was sudden… “Sure,” he laughed weakly. “Everyone else does.”
The other man smiled. “Nice to meet you, Kame. I’ll go get you some water.” He abruptly got up and left the room. Kame sighed once he was gone. Despite Jin’s initial rudeness, it had been nice to speak with someone besides a nurse. He kept hoping his co-workers or the children he coached would call him, but no one had called yet. Not even his family.
“There.” Jin returned with a bottle of water. “Let me know if you need more.” He handed the bottle to Kame then sat down on his bed again.
“Thank you.” The sick man uncapped the bottle and took several sips. He shifted slightly, feeling uncomfortable since Jin was watching him. Why? And why was he still here even though he had just come to complain? He should have gone back to his own room by now. And wasn’t he afraid of getting sick too?
Finally, Kame couldn’t take it anymore. “Is there something on my face?”
“Huh?” Jin started. “Oh, no. I was just thinking.” He leaned back a little, looking thoughtful. “How did you get pneumonia?”
“I’m not quite sure,” Kame replied, rubbing his chest. “It started with a bad cough and a fever. My fever wouldn’t die down though and it was getting hard for me to breathe, so I went to the doctor. I was diagnosed with pneumonia and checked into the hospital two days ago.” He paused to catch his breath. Maybe it was for the best that no one had called him since it was hard for him to have a conversation. He took another drink of water and almost spat it out as he started coughing.
Jin looked worried again. “That sounds really bad. Do you still have a fever?”
Kame nodded. “A little. And my chest hurts from coughing so much.” He probably sounded like he was dying because of the horrible, hacking coughs. There was nothing he could do though – just wait for his good health to return. “What… what happened to you?”
Jin glanced down at himself. “Motorcycle accident.” He sighed and raked his curls back, giving Kame a forced smile. “Yesterday was a rough night. I had a lot on my mind so I went out to the bar to have a drink. Ended up having one too many… then got on my motorcycle to go home. I didn’t get far though since I crashed into a guard rail.”
“A guard rail?” Kame asked, wide-eyed. What had possessed Jin to drink and drive? He was lucky he hadn’t injured someone else or died in the accident.
“Yeah. I had my helmet visor up to feel the wind on my face… stupid I know. That’s how I got these.” Jin turned his face so the sick man could see the scrapes. They did look pretty bad. He touched his face, frowning. “That helmet saved my life though.”
“They usually do,” Kame murmured.
Jin nodded. “Even though I wore it, I got a concussion so they’re keeping me here.” Jin adjusted his sling. “Not as long as you’ll be here though.”
“When do you get out?”
“Either tomorrow or the next day. It depends on my head.”
Kame felt a little disappointed at losing his company so soon, but immediately felt guilty. It was selfish to want Jin to stay longer and also risky since Kame was still contagious. Jin needed to be at home so he could take care of himself. “Oh.” He forced a smile. “That’s good that you’ll get out soon.”
“Are you hungry?”
Kame blinked. He hadn’t expected that, but Jin seemed nice despite his initial rudeness. “Yes, I’m starting to get hungry.” All he had to do was call for the nurse and ask him to bring food, but he would like to eat with someone – despite the risk of contagion. He’d have to get a mask and hand sanitizer to protect Jin from his germs.
“Me too. I’ll get us something to eat.”
“How can you carry everything with only one arm though?”
Jin smiled. “I’ll manage.”
Kame returned his smile. Maybe this hospital stay wouldn’t be so terrible after all.
* * *
Jin spent most of the day sitting on his bed. He left whenever Kame’s nurse returned to check on him or when his own nurse came looking for him, but he was always quick to return and keep him company. They talked about random things – movies, what music they were into, hobbies… Kame learned that Jin was two years older and enjoyed singing as much as he did. The other man was already making plans for them to go out to karaoke once Kame was healthy again since he wanted to hear him sing. It was a little strange for him to be planning this already, but Kame didn’t mind. There was just something about Jin that made it hard to say no to him.
“So what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a waiter and I coach a first grade baseball team three times a week.”
Jin chuckled. “I can see you being good with kids.”
“Yeah… I love them.” Kame smiled fondly. He adored his team and sometimes took them out for ice cream after they’d won a game. He couldn’t always afford it, but the kids always looked forward to those days and so did he. “What about you?”
“Do I like kids?”
“Well, I meant where do you work but that too.”
“I adore kids. And as for my job, isn’t it obvious?” Jin smirked.
Kame frowned. Why was he playing with him like this? “No,” he said truthfully. How was he supposed to guess when he barely knew Jin? He studied the other man. He couldn’t be an office worker. Kame couldn’t picture this man stuck in a cubicle all day.
Jin huffed. “I thought my sexy body would make it obvious.”
Kame blushed. The other man did have a good body… but surely he was joking. “What?”
“I’m a stripper of course.”
The sick man laughed. “No you’re not.”
Jin pouted. “What makes you say that?”
Kame laughed again, wincing as it turned into another coughing spasm. He rubbed his chest and pushed up his mask. He took a few sips of water before replacing the mask and speaking. “You don’t give off stripper vibes.”
“Have you met a stripper before?”
“Well, no…”
Jin smirked, looking triumphant. “Then how would you know?”
Kame was starting to doubt his logic now. “Are you a stripper?”
“No,” Jin cackled. “I just wanted to see if you’d believe me.”
The sick man playfully smacked him with one of his pillows, laughing again at Jin’s indignant squeak. He was grateful that Jin had come over to talk to him since he’d desperately needed company and a good laugh. He hadn’t had much to laugh about in the last few days what with getting sick and being hospitalized.
* * *
“What are you going to do when you get out of the hospital?” Jin asked. It was late evening of the second day and their conditions were still the same.
“Avoid hospitals for a long time,” he replied, smiling as the other man laughed. “I haven’t decided yet. I wanted to go down to the baseball field and play… but I should rest instead. I think I’ll go see a movie.”
Jin nodded. “That sounds good.”
“What about you?” Kame leaned over and touched the bandage on Jin’s head. “You get to leave the hospital tomorrow.” It would be lonely without him, but he was happy for Jin. It was always better to recover at home.
“I’m going out to dinner.”
“Treating yourself?”
“Exactly.” Jin grinned and surprised Kame by moving closer, turning on his right side so he could lie next to him. The sick man stared at Jin in shock, completely caught off guard by his action. “What?”
“What are you doing?” Kame asked. “I-I’m sick, you shouldn’t be so close.”
“Getting comfortable.” Jin shrugged. “I like talking to you and as long as you keep your mask on, I’ll be fine. I don’t feel like going back to my room anyway so I might as well stay with you.” He glanced up at Kame and smirked. “You’re really cute when you blush.”
He could feel his cheeks heating up more. “W-What?” Jin thought he was cute? But he’d only seen his face for a few minutes before Kame had gotten a mask.
“Aw, is someone shy?” Jin teased. “I said you’re cute.”
“B-But we barely know each other,” Kame stammered. It was a stupid thing to say. Why was everything so awkward all of a sudden? They’d been having a good conversation about their favorite sports. Then Jin had asked him about his plans and suddenly gotten so close. Personal space obviously wasn’t important to the man, but this? So soon after they’d met each other?
Jin shrugged again. “I don’t have to know you to think you’re cute.” He fluffed up Kame’s pillow and made himself comfortable. He looked up at the sick man then, expression a little insecure. “Do you want me to leave?”
“No,” Kame said honestly. It was a little awkward, but he didn’t mind the cuddling or the compliment. Jin was sweet and very attractive. And he’d always preferred to date a man anyway...
“Good.” Kame shifted his legs so Jin would have more space. The hospital bed was cramped and definitely not meant for two, but they managed. It was good they were both skinny otherwise they’d never have fit.
“You’re kind of bony,” Jin grumbled.
“I work out though,” Kame protested. He jogged, went to the gym, and did floor exercises when he lacked the time for the first two.
“Not enough obviously.” Jin smirked and pushed up his shirt to show lightly defined abs. “See? I work out.”
“By no means is that a six pack,” Kame said dryly.
Jin pouted and pushed his shirt back down. “At least I have some muscle! It’s better than nothing.” He smirked as he looked at Kame. “You obviously like my body though since you’re blushing again.”
“I…” Kame was relieved when he had another coughing fit. That forced him to turn away instead of looking into those big, brown eyes. He probably would have ended up saying something stupid.
“You what?” Jin prompted, passing Kame a bottle of water.
“Never mind.” He took several sips of the water and rubbed his chest. What would his nurse say if she walked in on them lying in bed together? Maybe she would think it was cute. Or make them all embarrassed… but Jin didn’t seem to be the type who was easily embarrassed. Kame sighed and brushed his hair back. Maybe the antibiotics were interfering with his brain.
“You sure?” Jin smirked. “If you were going to compliment my looks too I’d be happy to hear it.”
“I’m going to push you out of my bed.”
Jin huffed. “That’d be mean. I might break my right arm too and then I’d really be helpless.” He tickled Kame’s side, earning an amused look in return. Kame’s collarbones were the only ticklish part of his body. Jin looked disappointed. “Not ticklish?”
“No,” Kame replied. It was best if the other man didn’t know the truth. Also, he might flail and hit Jin’s broken arm if he discovered his sensitive collarbones. It’d be the other man’s fault, but Kame would still feel guilty about hurting him.
“Too bad,” Jin huffed.
Kame chuckled softly then glanced down at him. “Will you come visit me again?” he asked, voice small. He shouldn’t be risking the other man’s health by making that request, but he really did want to see him again.
Jin grinned. “Of course! I’m not going to abandon you just because I leave the hospital tomorrow.” He reached up to ruffle Kame’s hair. “I like talking to you and I definitely want to get to know you more.”
Kame nodded. “Me too.” Hesitantly, he draped his arm around Jin’s shoulders. This did feel extremely forward of him, but the other man obviously didn’t care. And Kame enjoyed the closeness once he relaxed.
“I just realized something,” Jin murmured.
“What?”
“I can only wear sweatpants until my arm heals. It’s almost impossible to zip or button pants with one hand.”
Kame smiled faintly. “You don’t have a girlfriend to help you?” He felt a little anxious about asking that question. Jin cuddled him and told him he was cute, but his straight friends had done that before. He didn’t have the greatest luck either so gorgeous Jin was probably straight.
The other man frowned and shook his head. “No. I never told you why I went to the bar, did I?”
“No.”
“It’s because of my now ex-girlfriend. Meisa wanted to get married and start a family, but I wasn’t ready. I wanted to live more of my life before I became a husband and a father. And I didn’t want to marry her. Meisa wasn’t the right girl for me. Anyway, we had a bad fight and she said I was immature since I didn’t want to grow up and start an adult life. We said a lot of nasty things and broke up. I was pissed because her words made me think and I just wanted to get away from my thoughts.” Jin made a sour face as he looked at his arm. “I guess she was right about one thing though. Drinking then getting on a motorcycle isn’t something a mature adult would do.”
Kame ran his fingers through Jin’s curls with his free hand, appreciating how the other man had opened up like this. Sometimes it was hard to open up to family or one’s closest friends, but here he was sharing his life with a near stranger. “That’s a sign of poor judgment, not immaturity. A lot of people do that.”
“That’s not very comforting.”
Kame chuckled. “I know. But it’s the truth, and isn’t that better than false comfort?”
Jin nodded. “It is.” He yawned softly and shifted to lay his head on the sick man’s shoulder again. “I’m tired.”
“Go to sleep then.”
“Mm…”
Kame smiled and settled back against the pillows, closing his eyes. He hoped he’d sleep better tonight for Jin’s sake.
* * *
It was lonely without Jin. He checked out of the hospital in the afternoon and stopped by to visit Kame before he left. They’d exchanged phone numbers, and Jin had promised to call him later that day. He’d also said he would visit tomorrow. True to his word, he called and told Kame about the great dinner he had and how he’d like to take the sick man there once he got out of the hospital.
“The food is seriously amazing. You have to eat there.”
Kame chuckled. “I’d like that.”
They talked about random things until it became too difficult for him to carry on the conversation. He kept coughing and having trouble breathing. Talking was only making everything worse, so he regretfully had to say goodbye. It felt too quiet without Jin’s voice in his ear. He didn’t have time to be bothered by the silence though since the other man just texted him. Kame smiled at his phone. He could do this at least.
They spent the next few hours texting each other before Kame’s nurse came into the room to check on him. She put a stop to the texting for tonight and told the sick man that he should rest. Kame knew she was right and didn’t protest, even though he would have liked to keep texting Jin. He sent his new friend one last text to tell him he was going to sleep then shut his phone off to avoid temptation.
* * *
For the next few days, Jin came to visit Kame and stayed for as long as he could. He brought three magazines one day – sports, music, and fashion. They looked through each magazine, pouting out bands they liked or disliked and playfully arguing when one of them disliked a band the other adored. The fashion magazine had a similar conversation.
“I wonder if your nurse would let me stay the night with you,” Jin mused.
Kame almost choked on his water. Having the other man asleep at his side had been relaxing even though he worried about getting him sick. Kame was careful to wear a sick mask though and kept hand sanitizer with him so he could keep his germs away from his new friend. “What?”
“Yeah, I liked the company. And you look cute when you sleep.” He smirked as Kame blushed. “Just as cute as you do when you blush.”
The sick man shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “You were pretty cute too when you snuggled my arm and talked in your sleep.”
Jin groaned. “Did I say something stupid?”
“You talked about bad music and purple kangaroos.”
The other man laughed. “It could have been worse.” He frowned as Kame set his water bottle aside and replaced his mask. “You don’t have to wear that thing all the time.”
“Yes I do! I don’t want to get you sick.”
“You won’t.”
“I will if I’m not careful,” Kame said firmly, smacking Jin’s hand away as he reached for the mask. Even sick, he could still win against the man since he only had one working arm. “Don’t, Jin. I won’t take it off.”
“I want to see your face though.”
Kame gave him a frustrated look. He felt like he was dealing with one of his kids instead of an adult. “No.” The argument was temporarily halted as he turned his head aside to cough. The bed creaked as Jin moved closer, rubbing his back.
“I hope you get rid of that soon.”
Kame rubbed his aching chest. “Me too,” he said hoarsely. He pulled the mask down so he could take another drink from his water bottle. He would be extra careful about his health from now on. He set the bottle back on his tray, jumping as Jin cupped his face. His hand automatically flew to the mask to replace it, but Jin batted his hand away. He locked eyes with Kame, making him blush and avert his gaze almost immediately at the intensity he saw there. What was Jin doing?
“Kame,” the other man said softly.
“What?”
“Look at me.” Jin turned his face back so he could look him in the eyes. Again, he wanted to turn away… but Jin was leaning in, closing the distance between their faces. Kame felt like someone had flipped a switch to turn his brain off when the other man pressed their lips together. He was too shocked to do anything. What? A kiss? But they were friends – not lovers. And he had pneumonia.
Jin didn’t seem discouraged by his lack of a response and kissed Kame again. He had nice, soft lips and was definitely a good kisser. Jin made a soft whine after a few more kisses, clearly unhappy by Kame’s failure to react to him. The sound jumpstarted his brain back into action and he ripped his mouth away from Jin’s, staring at him with wide eyes. Part of him wanted to order the man to kiss him again, another wanted an explanation for the kiss, and other was just worried about keeping Jin healthy.
“You’ll get sick,” Kame said stupidly.
Jin looked disappointed. “That’s all you have to say? Usually I get a better reaction when I kiss someone.” He patted the sick man’s thigh. “Like a demand for more.”
Kame rolled his eyes and smacked his good arm. “Stop being childish. I have pneumonia and you’re going to get it if you aren’t careful.”
“Screw being careful.”
“J-mmf,” Kame was silenced as Jin cupped his face and kissed him again. This time, he responded a little hesitantly. They shouldn’t be doing this while he was sick, but loneliness overrode logic. It had been a long time since he kissed someone. He felt Jin’s lips curve into a smile against his and kissed him again. Kame broke the kiss as Jin started to get too eager, replacing the mask and lying against the pillows again.
“Why… why did you do that?” Kame asked, nervously fiddling with his shirt.
“Because I wanted to.” Jin stroked the sick man’s hair back. “I know we just met each other this week, but I like your company. You’re gorgeous and sweet and I actually wanted to kiss you the night I shared your bed, but I assumed you would think I was a creep and beat me with your pillow. So I waited.”
Kame blushed again. That sounded like a confession. “Um… thank you.” He smiled, even though Jin couldn’t see it. But he would be able to tell by his eyes. “I always thought you were so good looking.”
Jin smirked. “You should have said something then.” He shifted so he could lie beside Kame. “I’ll stay with you until the nurse kicks me out.”
“Okay.” The sick man slowly ran his fingers through Jin’s curls. The sudden kiss had caught him off guard and he wasn’t sure what they were to each other. Friends? Boyfriends? Friends with benefits…?
Jin laid his head on his shoulder. “Will I get in trouble if I kiss you again?”
Kame glanced down at him. “Ask me that question when I get out of the hospital.”
“And you’ll answer?”
“I promise.”
“Deal.” Jin rubbed Kame’s arm. “You know I’ll kiss you anyway then see if that gets me in trouble.”
Kame chuckled, wincing as he had to cough again. “I know you will.” He expected as much from this man. They were quiet after that, until he broke the silence. “Jin… what do you want from me?”
Jin snuggled closer to him. “Ask me that question when you get out of the hospital.”
The sick man smiled. So it was going to be like that then? “All right, I’ll do that.”
“I think I’ll sleep… I’m tired. Night, Kame.”
“Good night.” Jin would have to leave when his nurse returned, but for now he could enjoy his company.
Kame stayed awake after the other man had fallen asleep, thinking about what had happened. They had a mutual attraction, enjoyed each other’s company, and liked kissing each other. Jin also enjoyed using him as a pillow even though he complained about Kame’s shoulder being bony. He wasn’t sure what the future would bring, but decided to wait and see. Whether Jin stayed a friend or became his lover, either way he’d found a good friend that he wouldn’t have met before.
Maybe pneumonia wasn’t so bad after all.
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Date: 2012-07-21 02:29 am (UTC)I was still worried since I'm not in the fandom and get insecure about writing people I've never written before/don't know much about XD
Haha pretty much XD Add in some bitching about his coughing
Kame seems like he'd be very cute when embarrassed and it fit with the story. You're welcome! I'm glad you like it so much
I'm sure it's fine, if I can finish this then so can you xD
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Date: 2012-07-21 03:03 am (UTC)Thanks XD
And it has princess Hyde, which the fandom needs more of!
I got sucked into writing more of Hyde with Asagi... have 11 pages of a new scene a few months after they meet. Lots of princess Hydeno subject
Date: 2012-07-22 04:36 pm (UTC)I'm not overly familiar with Jin and Kame, but I thought it'd be fitting if Jin was bold and playful.
lol thankfully I've never had it. I'm just good at researching ;)
No, I won't be writing about Kat Tun again. This fic was a gift and it's her favorite band, not mine. I honestly don't even listen to them so I'll be writing about bands I actually like
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Date: 2012-08-07 11:53 am (UTC)But it wasn't bad posting this, right? ;) I know you did good! :D
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Date: 2012-08-07 05:34 pm (UTC)That's fine, I assumed I'd only get one person to read this but decided to just post it anyway. And no point in reading a fic if it contains a pairing you won't enjoy.
Thanks!
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Date: 2012-08-07 07:02 pm (UTC)Actually I just wanted to check if you posted it and then I kinda felt like commenting! :D
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Date: 2012-08-07 10:24 pm (UTC)I did :) Haha all right
This was kind of fun to write. I need to get out of my Hyde comfort zone more often XD
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Date: 2012-08-07 11:15 pm (UTC)Haha I see what you mean! I started writng in KT fandom writing about Ueda and only including Uda in my pairings, but by now I think it's a lot of fun writing other pairings and fandoms, too...Actually I often don't take it too serious, but it's really a lot of fun! :D
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Date: 2012-08-08 01:47 am (UTC)I just won't be exploring any variety in Kat Tun.
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Date: 2012-08-08 11:16 am (UTC)Yes, sure...I mean when you don't even know them or listen to them there's not really sense in writing them more I think.
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Date: 2012-08-08 04:41 pm (UTC)But yes, I think that is a normal process too. Exactly!
Pretty much. I was nervous about writing this because I just don't know the band all that well, but it was fun to write since it was something new and it was a challenge.
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Date: 2012-08-08 04:52 pm (UTC)Oh strange crossovers are seriously great! I think those are so much fun to write actually! :D I might have a look at it.
I think challenges are really good to get more alternation into writing, just some things are too much of a challenge and then it's not fun anymore. Then it get's really annoying and I seriously hate that! :D
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Date: 2012-08-08 05:39 pm (UTC)I usually avoid writing them, but this one worked so well I couldn't leave it as just a one-shot. They are really fun. It's posted and I'll be writing more in that universe. I have a few parts already written... just need to write the first scene in that universe then I can start posting more.
They really are. Yes exactly... I'm finding that out in some of my stories. It's hard to keep writing when it's become more of a chore than a hobby
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Date: 2012-08-09 08:34 pm (UTC)It depends on my mood....when I feel like writing crack I almost always end up writing crossover. When I feel serious I don't use to strange pairings. :D
Yeah true...or when people ask you for a sequel and you don't want to disappoint them and the sequel gets so annoying to write...
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Date: 2012-08-14 02:57 pm (UTC)Ahh makes sense. Well this one isn't crack. It's just a strange crossover, but it works in a way.
Ugh... people do that to me all the time. Like demanding a smutty sequel. Nowadays I just put "No sequel" so I don't have to deal with those XD
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Date: 2012-09-04 04:26 am (UTC)Yeah right, it's always the smutty sequels...well I think I just can't say no! :D
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Date: 2012-09-22 02:53 pm (UTC)...Or I'm bored in school so write smut in the library between classes.
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Date: 2012-10-29 12:22 pm (UTC)Ohhh okay...bored in school, that might happen quite often? At least if it was me, it would happen a hell often! :D
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Date: 2012-11-03 01:30 am (UTC)Trust me it does. Some classes aren't too bad but two of them are ones I start to get really bored in