#I'll tuck this one away in drafts until I'm ready...

[umberpath]

screw it, sketch dump.

[carrotsworld]

my (not so) lovely guardian angel

pairings: comfort! guardian angel! eric sohn x reader

word count: 15k

genre: comedy, fluff, fantasy

tw: blood, gore, mentions of torture

who's scared when you always have your guardian angel with you at all times?

or, apparently heaven assigned the wrong guardian angel to you. but it's okay because he promised to always be there by your side.

"guardian angel? you're more like my guardian puppy."

do you know that when you cry, it rains in heaven?

read the spin-off love. here!

a/n: this was a very, very old draft of mine. it was supposed to be just fluff and angst, i don’t know how it became a full blown fantasy storyline :)

@deoboyznet

we could never see our guardian angels, unless we really needed them, or when they decided to make themselves seen. (which rarely happens) it was always in the stories, people who have seen them would say it was a miracle, having these beings among us.

you never believed it, that is until, you woke up to see one staring straight at you a few months ago. you thought you hallucinated, but immediately snatched the night lamp of your side table as soon as he started talking, ready to defend yourself against the said stranger. the said stranger was mumbling a string of colourful words to himself, pacing around your room. who knew angels could curse?

"you have three seconds to explain who you are before i'm throwing this lampshade at you." you started, mentally preparing yourself if he was some psycho killer.

he held his hands up in front of him. "wait! wait! wait! i'm your guardian angel!" he shouted, closing his eyes and bracing for the impact that never came.

"what?" you asked dumbfounded, still clutching onto your night lamp tightly.

"i mean... technically i'm not yours... you were supposed to be hyunjae hyung's responsibility but... i don't know how i accidentally ended up here." he explained, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"well? can't you go back?"

"that's the thing. i can't. once a human sees us, we are bounded to be their guardian angel for the rest of their life." he said, running his hand through his hair. "hyunjae hyung is gonna kill me."

"how can i trust you're not lying and you're not some psycho killer?" you asked.

he looked at you in offence, gesturing to himself. "do i not look like an angel?"

you ignored his question. "show me your wings." you demanded.

he sighed. "do you really have to go that far?"

you shrugged. "or i don't believe you and i'll call the police."

"fine. fine." he agreed. "just look away for a second, the initial glow of my wings might blind you."

you narrowed your eyes at him.

"i'm not kidding." he said as soon as he saw your expression. "we've had a previous few cases... and i don't want that happening to you. not when you're my responsibility now. just close your eyes for a second." he assured.

you sighed, deciding to blindly trust the stranger in front of you and closed your eyes, counting down from three.

before you could mentally count to one, you heard the sound of things crashing, and you jolted your eyes open to find a pair of majestic ivory wings, with the stranger looking sheepishly at you.

"sorry for messing up your room. i promise to clean it up for you." he winced, as his wing hit yet another decoration off your table.

you shook yourself out of your reverie and peeked over the edge over your bed, seeing your things scattered all across your carpeted floor but that was the least of your worries.

"so... angels are real." you gasped in awe, unconsciously reaching your hand out to touch his wings, to which he flinched.

"sorry." you apologised, retracting your hand quickly.

"they're... uh.. sensitive." he explained. he quickly changed the topic, tucking his wings away and clearing the awkward tension in the air. "does this proof that i'm not a crazy psycho killer now?" he asked, gesturing to himself.

you nodded, slowly placing the night lamp back onto your bedside table.

"great." he beamed. "my name's eric by the way."

"eric." you repeated softly, your hands fiddling with your blanket.

he hummed, picking up your things and organising your table back to how it once was. "by the way, were you in some sort of distress? you were calling out to hyunjae hyung."

"i was?" you asked, confused.

"your soul was. i was running some errands when i found his chain glowing, which somehow... brought me here." he explained. "though angel chains are normally bounded to their owners.... and theoretically only their owners can have access to it..." he mumbled to himself softly, his eyebrows scrunched into a frown.

he absentmindedly reached towards the chain around his neck. "it's weird..."

"and a tiny bit suspicious?" you continued.

"huh?" eric asked, looking at you.

"i don't know... but it kinda sounds that someone was trying to sabotage you." you explained. "i was not in distress until you popped up in my room. at 3 a.m. at that."

he threw the nearest pillow at your direction.

"hey!" you exclaimed. "can angels even be violent?"

"you'd be surprised." he shrugged. "though you might have a point. i'll have to discuss this with headquarters."

"that sounds weird." you commented. "sounds like there's a hierarchical society up there too."

"we might be angels but we're not perfect, you know." he sighed, making his way towards your window. "i'm genuinely sorry for bringing you into whatever mess this is. and disturbing your sleep at 3 a.m."

you waved his worries away. "don't mention it. life's no fun without a little adventure right?"

he nodded, the corners of his lips curling up into a gentle smile. "see you again soon, little human." was the last words you heard before he disappeared into the summer night air.

__

it hadn't been a week before eric showed up (or popped up) again in your room, nearly giving you a heart attack while you were studying, or stressing, really, about your physics question.

"you really need to give me a warning before you suddenly appear out of nowhere." you stated, spinning around to face him while sitting your study chair, deciding to disregard your revision for a moment.

"do you mind?" he asked, gesturing to your bed.

you shook your head, and he immediately splayed out on your bed head-first, heaving a sigh.

"you know," he started, his voice coming out muffled due to the covers. "you might be right."

"about?" you tilted your head to the side, confused.

"about someone trying to sabotage us, or me and my brothers, specifically." he explained, flipping over to face you.

"continue." you said, crossing your arms.

"hyunjae hyung said he lost his chain a few weeks ago, and he filed for a new one to the headquarters, that's why it wasn't with him. headquarters was supposed to deactivate it once it was reported missing, or stolen..." he trailed off.

"but they never did."

"bingo." he snapped his fingers. "the question here though is why."

you hit your head against your study table. "physics questions and now philosophical?" you mumbled to yourself.

eric jumped out of your bed, immediately coming over to inspect your now slightly redden forehead. he sighed, his eyes glowing a faint gold colour as he waved his hand over your forehead.

"so, what now?"

"don't worry that pretty little head of yours. it's supposed to be mine to worry about, anyways." he said, peeking over your shoulder. "what are you working on?"

"physics." you said, blowing the stray strand of hair away from your face. "i apparently have a test almost every other week."

"that's brutal." he commented, his eyes narrowing in focus at the physics question.

you looked at him expectedly. "my guardian angel wouldn't have a knack for physics, would he?"

he ignored your question, pointing to your working. "did you notice that the velocity was supposed to be in negative because it's going the opposite direction?"

you glanced back at the question. "shit. you're right." you agreed, quickly correcting your mistake. you mustered your best puppy eyes, "could you please help take my test this thursday?" you asked, innocently.

he stared at you, unimpressed. "angels also have limits, you know. plus, i'm not supposed to help you cheat. it's not an angel thing to do."

you sighed in defeat. "well, at least i tried." you pondered before asking, "were you on bad terms with anyone? maybe the fallen?"

he shook his head. "no, we disagree sometimes but they hardly ever interfere unless it has something to do with the nephilims. speaking of which, hyunjae hyung did have a mission on earth last month."

"i know you said not to worry about it, but promise to update me if anything happens."

"i promise. in the end, we're all in this together."

"did you just quote high school musical?" you asked.

he looked at you confused. "did i... what?"

you shook your head. "never mind." though you did make a mental note to make him binge watch it in the near future.

eric didn't have to reply you because the small feline decoration on your table started glowing before exploding into golen dust.

"pixies." eric cursed under his breath. "watch out!" he shouted, pulling you into his arms as the matryoshka dolls next to you exploded.

"what? pixies?" you exclaimed in shock, your heart beating erratically from the sudden chain of events.

"they're pesky little creatures meant to cause mischief. you know about the fallen but not pixies?" he asked, scanning your room and noting there wasn't any exploding hazards left before letting you go.

"no?" it was supposed to be a statement, though it sounded more like a question.

"someone's messing with me." he sighed, opening your window and sticking his head out, looking around. "hah! gotcha!" eric exclaimed, using your transparent pencil holder to trap who knows what.

"who sent you?" eric asked, his tone demanding.

you peeked out from behind your guardian angel, seeing a tiny green creature, not larger than the size of your hand, with wings.

"human..." it snarled as soon as it spotted you.

eric slammed his hand on the table, startling both you and the creature. "answer me."

you didn't know angels could be so scary.

"master hyun sends his regards." the creature smirked mischievously.

"i should've known. what does he want?" eric asked.

the creature glanced at you, it's eyes filled with menace. "if i were you, i would think there would be more pressing matters to attend to, such as your little human behind you."

"what do you-- shoot! y/n! watch out!" eric shouted. but it was too late as a black entity shattered your glass windows, and you stumbled back. you came face to face with a 7ft demon, it's eyes glowing red.

you grabbed your night lamp and threw it at the demon slash creature, hitting it square in the face.

"seriously?" eric looked at you incredulously.

"what?" you shrugged. "at least i tried!" you exclaimed, though the night lamp barely did any damage to the demon. you managed to duck just in time before the demon swiped its claws at once your head was.

eric jumped at the demon, and the exchange of blows was too quick for you to comprehend what you were witnessing. you saw him reaching a knife at his ankle, plunging it straight into the demon's chest before it turned to ash.

eric immediately went to you, remnants of ash still in his hair. "are you hurt?" he asked, checking you for any injuries. "you are." he grabbed your left arm, your left arm that you didn't even know was bleeding, and his palms glowed, sealing the wound.

your eyebrows furrowed as you noticed as a faint identical scar to yours appeared on his left arm, exactly where you had been cut. but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"the pixie escaped. let's go. we need to leave." he said, grabbing your arm and leading you out your front door.

the familiar sound of your car unlocking snapped you out from your daze, and you wondered when he took your keys from your apartment. he got into the driver's seat, and you settled into the passenger's, securing yourself with your seatbelt before eric took off.

the car was silent for a moment, before you decided to break the silence. "i didn't know angels could drive." you commented. you paused, before another thought popped up yet again in your head. "do angels have a driver's licence?"

"that's the first question you ask after coming face to face with a seven feet demon?" he glanced at you, a small smile tugging at his lips.

you shook your head. "i don't even want to know what that is. where are we going?"

"a safe house. i already informed my brothers. we're meeting them there." he said. "it's going to be a long drive."

your eyes flicked over to eric, pondering whether or not to ask him about whoever the pixie had mentioned but decided against it, not wanting to pry.

whether human or angel, we all have our secrets to keep. and you trusted eric to tell you if you needed to know.

you don't know when you had drifted off to sleep, maybe it was all the fatigue that had crept up to you, but when you woke up at an empty parking lot outside a diner and eric was no where to be seen, you internally panicked.

taking a deep breath, you managed to spot eric coming out of the diner with his hands full, making his way back to the car.

"sorry if i took long." eric apologised, handing you a burger. "i didn't want to wake you, so i figured to stop by to take out some food in case you were hungry when you woke up." he explained. "i made you worry didn't i?"

"was it that obvious?" you asked, embarrassed.

"i would be lying if i said no. other than the fact that it's written all over your face, we're bonded emotionally too. so i can sense if you're in danger." he answered, pulling the car out from the parking lot and onto the freeway.

"oh." you replied in understanding at the new information he gave you. "so, other than the fact that we're bonded emotionally, any other things between a guardian angel and a human i should know?"

he pondered for a moment. "i'll let you know when it comes to mind." he said, taking a bite of his burger with one hand on the wheel.

"do angels need to eat?" you asked, curious.

he shook his head. "nope. but it's just one of the mundane things some of us take pleasure from." he gestured to your burger. "you should try it. it's really good."

you nodded, your stomach grumbling at the thought, taking a bite of your own burger that eric had gotten for you and savouring the taste. it had been more than 12 hours since your last meal, after all.

you reached over to switch on the radio, a taylor swift song coming on. you could hear your guardian angel softly humming to the tune of 'love story'.

"a swiftie?" you asked.

"one of my brothers, jacob, used to blast her music in our room last time." he explained.

you nodded. "he has good taste."

"i'll have to agree with you on that one. he's musically talented, and is the nicest amongst us." he paused. "don't tell anyone, but, he's my favourite hyung."

"my lips are sealed."

---

eric pulled up into a driveway of a white majestic house, (fit for angels, really). though it looked empty from the outside, the door swung inwards before eric could knock, and an almost 6ft man with blonde hair popped his head out, smiling at eric and you with his dimples showing before opening the door widely, allowing you and eric both to step inside.

"hello." he greeted you cheerfully. "i'm changmin. it's nice to meet you."

you smiled at him. "hi, changmin. i'm y/n. it's nice to meet you too."

"it's finally nice to put a face to a name. don't tell him that i told you, but, eric talks about you. a lot."

"he does?" you asked, surprised.

he nodded, smiling. "don't worry. i promise he said good things only."

you followed changmin into what looked like the living room, the living was decorated with various greek elements, with the high ceilings and grand foyer making you feel like you got transported into a movie. but what was even more beautiful were the six men sitting on the sofa, and their conversation stilled when they saw you.

you don't even know when eric disappeared, but when you tried to look around to find eric for help, he was nowhere to be seen. the six men (or angels, you would rather say) must have sensed your nervousness, because they each sent a small smile at you.

you figured changmin could sense it too, because he told you not to worry and that they were all his brothers. they all introduced themselves to you, and you learnt that their names were jacob, younghoon, chanhee, haknyeon, kevin and sangyeon.

"there's two more, sunwoo and juyeon who are busy running some errands, but they'll be back soon." jacob explained kindly as your eyes wandered.

"please make yourself at home." younghoon said. "we don't bite."

your ears turned red at his comment and younghoon bursted out laughing, which earned him a swat from chanhee. "don't torment the poor girl." chanhee turned to you. "how was the journey here? you must be tired. i'm sorry that our house is located so far in."

you shook your head. "it's alright. i slept most of the way here, so i'm really okay."

"chanhee's just excited that there's another girl in the house. it's been ages since he was assigned to one anyways." changmin teased, taking a seat next to you.

if looks could kill, changmin would've been dead as chanhee narrowed his eyes at him, but it seem liked changmin was already used to it.

"you're late." sangyeon commented as two other men stepped into the living room, who you assumed were sunwoo and juyeon.

"the demons downtown were being a bit of a hassle. nothing we couldn't handle." sunwoo explained, then continued. "but seeing hyunjae and eric still absent, i'm betting that they're having a brawl in your study." your eyes widened at his comment. "you must be y/n." he noted, as he turned to you.

you nodded, greeting the both of them. "i'm just kidding about the brawl." sunwoo said, which let you release a breath you were holding. you followed his eyes that were trailed to the staircase to see eric and who you assumed was hyunjae before he added. "or not."

---

although eric assured you that angels heal quickly, you were still worried about the bruises on his face, and the cut on his lip.

"what happened?" you asked, as you applied the ointment younghoon gave you.

eric would never admit it, but he found it cute how you scrunched up your eyebrows in focus while tending to his cuts and bruises.

"it was nothing. we were just talking." he yelped when you pressed lightly on his cut.

"right." you mocked him. "talking would have you ended up in bruises."

"i'm touched that my human is concerned about me."

"uh-uh. don't change the topic." you warned, finishing up with his bruises, proud of your own work.

a knock on the door, made you turn around to see kevin by the door. "hi. sorry to interrupt but sangyeon wants to have a talk with us, eric."

eric practically jumped up from his seat before dashing out the door. "yup. coming!"

kevin turned to you, smiling sheepishly. "i deeply apologise for the actions of our youngest. thanks for taking him out of our hands, and taking care of him."

you shook your head. "it's nothing."

"i gotta go." he said pouting, looking out the door. "you seem really cool. let's talk again soon, y/n."

"ditto."

---

after exploring the whole house and left with nothing to do (since the rest of the guardian angels were still busy), you made your way up to the rooftop. the sun was already setting, and because the house was located deep in the woods, you could see some stars peeking out.

you pulled your legs close to you, resting your chin on your knees while admiring the view. you wouldn't lie that you weren't feeling a bit overwhelmed with how quickly things changed, but you were slowly getting used to it.

"when everyone else couldn't find you, i thought i could find you here."

you turned your head to find the source of the voice, unfamiliarity evident across your face.

"i'm the last of the eleven brothers you haven't met, hyunjae. your supposed to be guardian angel." he said, taking a seat next to you, his presence oddly comforting.

"oh." no wonder his name felt so familiar.

"i also frequently come up here to think." he continued, also tucking his knees into his arms. "the stars are really pretty tonight, they must've known you were watching." he commented, smiling.

"huh. though i feel it's the other way around." you said, as he settled down next to you comfortably. you both sat in silence, admiring the stars above before you.

"can i ask you a question?" you asked.

"go ahead."

"if things had turned out differently, would you have still been my guardian angel?" it felt as if you had known hyunjae for decades, vulnerability evident it your voice.

"always." he replied. "i know that i've never shown myself to you, but i was always there. silently watching over you."

you pondered in silence, thinking back to when some situations that felt like pure luck, or miracles for you. "that night, when someone was following me home, you sent darong, the labrador to protect me, didn't you?" you asked, finding the way how darong suddenly appearing out from nowhere strange.

he nodded. "she did a good job of keeping you safe. i promise to bring her the next time we meet."

"i would really like that. i always wondered where she always went after walking me home. that explains why she always disappeared after." you commented. "thank you." you added, sincerely. "it's nice to know that someone was always there for me."

"even though i'm not your guardian angel now, you can always come to me if you need someone to talk to, or if you want to complain about eric. it's been a long time since he cared for a human. i'll scold him for if he's not taking care of you properly." he said.

"noted. i'll hold you to that." you paused, debating whether or not to ask what they had discussed about without you.

"i can see the gears in your head turning, y/n. ask away."

"i forget that you know me too well." you pouted. "if you don't mind, can you tell me what caused the demon to come after us?"

he sighed. "eric told me what happened." and if someone had flicked a switch, hyunjae's voice turned serious. "we used to have a half brother, centuries ago. but things didn't turn out well between him and our father, which caused him to join hands with evil."

"like the fallen?" you asked, shocked at the revelation.

he shook his head. "the fallen... they're different. fallen angels made their own choice. but our half brother, well, father ripped out his wings and banished him from heaven. and he thinks we were the ones who caused it, especially eric."

"why?"

he paused. "that's not my story to tell." and for the first time, you've never seen the eyes of an angel so sad. "if you want to know the whole truth, it's best you ask eric yourself."

---

the whole night, you just spent tossing and turning, thinking back to your conversation with hyunjae. a soft knock sounded at your door, and you opened it to find eric standing there.

"couldn't sleep?" he asked, stepping into your room, (or their guest room for that matter).

you nodded. "i woke you, didn't i?"

"i could feel your anxiety, so i came to check up on you." he explained. "i heard that you had a talk with hyunjae hyung."

"yeah. i'm sorry that i woke you."

he shook his head, though fatigue was evident in his eyes. "it's alright. this must how you felt when i suddenly appeared in your room at 3a.m."

"that feels so long ago."

he sat at the edge of your bed and smiled. "it does, doesn't it? i still remember you wanting to throw your night lamp at me."

you looked at him in mock offence. "the world is really dangerous nowadays!"

"i've forgiven you for it." he said, playfully.

your eyes widened in shock. "i didn't do anything wrong!"

"and how you threw it at the demon." he continued.

"that was kinda stupid, i admit. i really didn't know what i was thinking then." you said, before both of you bursted into laughter.

when the both of you calmed down, he asked. "though as your guardian angel, what can i do so that my human can go to sleep without all her thoughts running through her head?"

"what's your speciality?" you asked, leaning against the backboard of your bed.

"everything. just name it. i can even bark if you want me to."

"that's oddly specific." you noted. "are you sure you're my guardian angel? you're more like my guardian puppy."

"everybody tells me that. jacob says that i'm like a chihuahua because chihuahuas are cute. but i swear i don't think it's a good thing."

"puppy, come here." you beckoned, patting the empty space next to you.

"is that my new nickname now?" he asked sighing, but obeying your request anyways.

"it does have a nice ring to it..." you trailed off, looking at the angel next to you. he was so close, that you could count his eyelashes if you wanted to. which indeed he had really pretty eyelashes. and lips.

wait. what were you thinking?

you shook yourself out of your thoughts. arranging the pillows so you were settled comfortably. "can you sing me to sleep?" you asked.

"sure. any song request?"

"any song would be fine." you replied.

"close your eyes."

it would have been an understatement to say that eric's voice was beautiful, because he sounded like angels (no pun intended). his soothing voice lulled you to sleep as you slowly surrendered yourself to your fatigue.

---

you didn't know when you had such huge pillow to cuddle with, but it was cuddly. and warm.

sure, you remembered that the pillows were super soft and cuddly. but warmth was a new addition. and now your pillow was moving on its own. that was strange.

were you even snuggling a pillow?

"didn't know my human was such a hugger."

your eyes jolted open to see eric right in front of you, with your arms around him. "why are you still in my room? i thought you would've went back to yours." you said, any evidence of your grogginess fading away.

"i was planning to but you're like a koala bear, you know? you were clutching on to me so tightly like you were scared of letting me go." he answered nonchalantly.

your eyes widened as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer to his chest. "plus, it's nice to cuddle with my human like this for awhile."

your cheeks flushed. you had to admit, you felt safe in eric's arms. "eric. can i ask you a question?" you asked, your voice slightly muffled.

he nodded, his chin resting on your head.

"can you tell me what happened between you and your half-brother?"

you could feel him tense up at the question. "hyunjae hyung did tell me that he told you about it last night and i think you deserve to know." he paused. "but promise me one thing, okay? promise me that you won't hate me."

"i promise. i could never hate you."

he released a breath he was holding. "me and hyun, my half-brother used to be very close. like stuck at the hip close. but then, one day he started questioning our father's rules, and he started looking into the occult, dark magic and all. when i caught him in the act, i tried to warn him against it. that nothing good will turn out from evil. but he refused to listen, saying that we were brainwashed by father."

you could feel his hands tighten around you, and you rubbed soothing circles on his back. "you don't have to continue if you don't want to, eric."

he shook his head. "i want to." he took a deep breath. "things started going downhill when he visited the human i was protecting when i was running some errands. back then, everyone knew everyone. guardian angels used to always show themselves to their humans so she knew my half-brother. the reason why he needed her was to summon the king of hell. god, he wanted to start the apocalypse to wage war on our father. the ritual went wrong and the demon he summoned killed her. and the worst part of it? i wasn't there."

"eric, it wasn't your fault." you reassured.

"but it was. y/n, do you know that I could feel her fear, pain and agony? and i couldn't get to her in time before the empty feeling settled in my chest. if only i had reported him to my brothers, or to someone, it wouldn't have happened. she wouldn't be dead."

"eric." you cupped his face with your hands. "listen to me. you couldn't have done anything and it wasn't your fault."

his eyes watered. "i'm sorry that you're stuck with me, y/n. i'm sorry that i'm your guardian angel when it's supposed to be hyunjae hyung. when you could've been safe with him instead."

"eric, i wouldn't have traded you for anyone else. and i promise it'll be different this time."

"how can you be so sure? i don't want to lose you, y/n. not this time. not again."

"you won't. because i trust you. and you've protected me up until now. if it wasn't for you i would have probably be dead."

"i don't deserve you, you know that?"

"i know." you teased playfully, ruffling his hair.

he looked at you in mocked offence before breaking out into a smile. that beautiful smile of his.

"come on, puppy. gotta get up or your brothers are gonna wonder where we went if we don't show up for breakfast."

he shook his head, pouting. his strong arms not letting you escape his hold as he pulled you closer and buried his face into your hair. "five more minutes."

"alright. alright." you smiled, finding his pout adorable.

"good morning, y/n. breakfast is ready--- oh."

what you didn't hear was the knock on your door before the door swung open and jacob stepped into your room, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

---

breakfast was awkward to say the least, as you caught jacob stealing glances at both of you from the opposite side of the table. the food sangyeon had prepared was scrumptious, but you couldn't fully enjoy it due to the awkward tension at the table.

"so, did you have a good sleep last night y/n?" kevin asked.

your head snapped up at the question, and you nodded at his question. "yeah. thank you. the room was very comfortable."

"eric was pretty comfortable too, huh?" sunwoo mumbled under his breath, and all heads whipped to the both of you.

"what? didn't you both sleep together?" sunwoo asked, nonchalantly. you winced at the question.

eric denied. "god, no."

"this just got ten times more awkward." kevin commented, and you wanted the world to swallow you whole.

"what do you mean no?" sunwoo asked.

"not in the way you're implying it!" eric countered.

"i wasn't implying anything. you know, the same room, sleeping." sunwoo replied, his hands up in surrender.

"yeah, right."

sangyeon dragged them both by the ear from the table before things could escalate further. everyone was silent for a moment at the table, before continuing whatever they had been doing, as if nothing had happened.

"it's normal for the both of them to bicker." hyunjae whispered to you, explaining the situation. "they're like dogs and cats at each other's throats. and if it makes you feel any better, i have no idea what they were talking about. and i bet the others don't know too."

you smiled at him gratefully. "thanks. that escalated quickly."

he shrugged. "though, i've got to admit, sunwoo should've been more low-key about the teasing." he puts down his fork. "do you want to get out of the house for a bit? i need to run some errands at a town quite nearby. you should come along, it'll be a change of scenery for you."

you nodded. "that sounds nice."

"great. just let me put away the dishes real quick and we'll head out."

changmin wanted to tag along, but he apologised as he needed to visit downtown for a pick-up, and promised to come along next time. hyunjae showed you around the town, bringing you into some of his favourite cafés and letting you try some of his top ten food.

you were having fun chatting with hyunjae as he picked up some groceries along the way. but you did occasionally (well, more than occasionally) wonder what eric was doing, hoping he didn't get into any trouble. the day was going well with hyunjae.

all of a sudden, a piercing scream reached your ears, and you froze. hyunjae looked at you worriedly. "stay here. i'll go check it out."

you nodded as you watched him run to the scene. the sky had suddenly turned dark, and you felt a suffocating tension in the air. you saw the dark creatures that similarly looked like the ones that had attacked both you and eric in your room, but there were so many of them. too many.

you tried to help as many people as you could to evacuate the area, and you made eye contact with a young girl no more than five, hiding near the fountain. you quickly ran to her as dust and debris were flying all around you, some missing you just narrowly.

you hoped hyunjae was okay.

you crouched down to the girl. "hey, are you okay? i'm gonna get you out of here."

she nodded as you wrapped your arms around her, using your body as a human shield. before you could sprint your way to the exit, you came face to face with a demon, but it didn't attack you, not yet, as if it was just taunting you. you hugged the girl close to your chest, reaching for the angel knife tucked away in your right boot, and aimed for an opening at the demon's neck.

thank god for eric giving you one.

as the demon fell to the ground, you managed to make your way to safety, returning the girl to her parents. when you returned to the scene, the air stilled, an uneasy feeling settling in your chest. dust was clouding your vision and destruction was evident but there was no sign of any demons left at the scene. or hyunjae.

"hyunjae?" you called out, stepping over chunks of debris. hyunjae was nowhere to be seen.

you tried calling out again, and this time, you could barely make out a figure with wings through the dust. you let out a sigh of relief, heading towards it, glad that hyunjae was safe. but it became clear to you when the dust settled.

hyunjae wasn't the one heading to you. it was someone else. his wings were obsidian black stained with red, and horror struck you at the possibility of what happened to hyunjae. every cell in your body told you to run, but it was as if something rooted you to the ground.

"i've been waiting for you for a very long time."

and everything went black.

---

you woke up to an unfamiliar environment, and you tugged at your arms only to notice they were chained to a post. you saw hyunjae opposite you, also chained up, but he was in a worse condition than you, unconscious.

hyunjae was bruised, battered. his once pristine wings were tattered with blackened blood. he was so much more different than the angel you first met.

you needed to help hyunjae get out of here.

your hands trembled as you tugged at the chains, trying to find a weak spot or some sort of leverage to free yourself.

"uh-uh. not so fast little one."

you snapped your head up to see your abductor walking towards you. even angels in hell were beautiful, and your eyes were drawn to his red ones.

what were you supposed to do now? you've only ever seen this in movies, not expecting to experience it in real life.

your breath came out in puffs of air. you never expected hell to be cold. so cold.

your eyes darted away from his, trying to focus on anything but the angel turned devil in front of you. he grabbed your chin, turning your head side to side, as if he was trying to look for something.

“huh. weird…” he mumbled under his breath. “valak, are you sure she is the right one?” he asked, his voice booming.

a lesser demon came to his side immediately with his head bowed down. “positive, your demonness. she was the one spotted with your half brother.”

“she doesn’t have the mark.”

the lower demon’s eyes widened, and his hands trembled. “i apologise, your demonness!” he bowed, his head on the ground. “we shall look into it once more.”

“leave before my patience runs out.” he demanded, as the demon, valak, scurried away.

he sighed, letting go of your chin. “this wasn’t in my list of expectations when i took over hell centuries ago.”

you raised an eyebrow, “you don’t sound too happy about it.”

his head snapped towards you. “you’re one to talk. i bet hell wasn’t in your list either.”

“ditto.” you paused. “what do you want with us anyways?”

“you never questioned the angels, have you?”

“what do you mean?”

“they probably told you i wanted to summon the king of hell. but they never told you I failed. it’s true that the demon i summoned killed the human, in exchange for the aetherion, an artifact that is imbued with immense divine energy. something that eric stole.”

“forget about it, jun. she’s mine.” hyunjae mumbled. “eric’s never had a human in centuries after you murdered his previous one. there's no reason to keep us."

“does he not?" he questioned. "how pathetic. does father finally know that he is possession of the aetherion?"

the room fell quiet.

"i guess so. why, brother, cat got your tongue?" the demon's cold smile lingered, his eyes gleaming with malice and a hint of amusement.

he slowly turned back to you, his gaze unwavering. "you've never heard of the aetherion before, have you?" he asked, his voice laced with a dark undertone. "it's the very source of divine power that binds heaven to hell, and earth, to the both of them. something the creator created before he even created heaven or hell. with it, one can obliterate heaven, hell or earth. and not even the strongest warriors can stop them."

your mind reeled, as your brain struggled to process what he was saying. the aetherion-- something even more powerful than heaven or hell, can wipe everyone off the face of existence. at this rate, you're convinced that the four horsemen are real.

"you're never going to get it." hyunjae muttered. "the aetherion belongs to no one."

jun laughed bitterly. "belongs? no, brother, it commands." he knelt before hyunjae. "your strength is now gone, brother. you were once father's favourite angel, but now look at you, a broken shadow of what you once were."

you tightened your grip on the chains, your fingers bleeding from the effort. "and you're willing to risk it?" you asked. after all, it was dangerous to all, demons and angels alike.

he leaned in closer to you. "i have nothing to lose, do i? and you, little one, are going to help me get it."

---

it was hard to keep track of time when you were thrown into the dungeons of hell, the air damp and suffocating, heavy with despair. the flickering glow of distant torches cast long, ominous shadows on the jagged walls, amplifying the eerie silence punctuated only by the occasional distant screams.

time passed in agonising uncertainty. minutes, hours, or days—you couldn’t tell. when they finally brought hyunjae in, you almost didn’t recognize him.

his once radiant presence was dimmed, his golden aura now a faint flicker. bruises marred his face, his body littered with cuts and his clothes hung in tatters. he stumbled as they threw him back into the cell, collapsing onto the cold stone floor.

you crawled towards hyunjae, ignoring the pain that came with every tug of your chains, as it bit further into your skin. he struggled to lift his head to look at you, and in his eyes, you saw it all.

regret. sadness. despair.

"i'm sorry i couldn't protect you, y/n." he whispered, weakly.

you cupped his bloodied cheek with your hand, shaking your head. "don't go down that road, hyunjae. you did everything you could. i wouldn't be alive without you."

you tried to take care of him as best you could, tearing strips from your own clothing to clean his wounds.

you could see hyunjae drifting in and out of consciousness, as his head lulled to one side. "hyunjae, stay with me." you urged, your voice trembling, as tears burned your eyes. blood smeared on your hand as you patted his cheek lightly, trying to keep him awake.

"hyunjae... hyunjae! don't you dare die on me!"

his eyes fluttered open briefly, dull but searching yours. "you.. need to survive." he murmured, his words barely audible. "eric... he'll come for you."

"don't you dare talk like that. you're not leaving me, hyunjae. you hear me?" it felt as if someone was crushing your heart, as you were faced with the weight of the situation, yet helpless at the front of it.

a faint smile ghosted his lips, but it lacked its usual radiance. "stubborn as always." he whispered, his voice fading.

your heart clenched as he slumped forwards, his once strong figure now reduced to a fragile shell. panic surged through you. "no! hyunjae, stay awake!" you shook him again, ignoring the searing pain in your injuries.

you leaned in close, the shallow rise and fall of his chest indicating he was still alive, but barely. you let out a breath of relief. it was better than nothing.

you glanced at the chains holding him, iron biting into his wrists, keeping him anchored to the stone wall like a caged animal. you tugged at your own, trying to find some sort of weak spot, some sort of leverage you could. it hurt like hell, but you tried to pull through.

a low rumble interrupted your thoughts as you heard heavy footsteps echoing in the dungeon hall, and your heart skipped a beat. fear clawed through you as you frantically pressed against hyunjae, trying to shield him with your own.

the figure that stepped through the doorway wasn't jun, but it didn't bring you any relief. a tall, shadowy figure with yellow eyes sneered down at you, showing its sharp canines. "afraid, human?" it taunted. "you should know that i feed on fear."

it's eyes narrowed to slits as it shifted to hyunjae who was behind you, its lips curling into a menacing grin. "and despair tastes even sweeter. your angel here is practically dripping with it."

you glared at the demon. “don’t hurt him.”

the demon chuckled. “a mortal protecting an angel? how noble. how… futile.”

you flinched as it reached a clawed hand towards you. you clenched your eyes shut, bracing yourself for the inevitable.

but it never came.

bang! a huge burst of force sent the demon flying away from you, skidding across the dungeon floor. you opened your eyes to see eric standing by the doorway, his silhouette faintly framed with a glowing aura.

“touch her, and you’ll wish that you never crawled out from whatever pit you came from.”

“angel, angel. that’s not how you greet someone, do you?” the demon snarled.

without warning, the demon lunged at eric, moving faster than any mortal could comprehend. their clashes sent shockwaves across the room, and you scrambled back to avoid getting caught in the fight.

the sounds of swords clashing echoed throughout the room. the difference between light and dark was evident as the room felt like it was split into two— one half bathed in angelic power, while the other, was full of demonic energy.

they clashed violently, both moving with absolute precision, sending fatal blows to the other.

“you can’t hold out forever, angel. the light always dims in the dark.”

eric gritted his teeth, shoving the demon back with a burst of energy. “and the dark always cowers before the light.”

the demon swung its blade downward, aiming for eric’s shoulder, but eric managed to sidestep it at the last second. using his speed, eric drove his sword straight into the demon’s chest before the demon disintegrated into ash.

breathing heavily, eric turned to you, his eyes softening. “y/n, are you hurt?”

“i’m fine.” you managed, though your voice shook. “but hyunjae— he’s—“

eric’s gaze shifted to the angel lying limp on the floor, his expression hardening. he crouched beside hyunjae, gently pressing on his pulse point. “he’s alive, but barely. we need to get him out of here before more demons come.”

he snapped the chains binding hyunjae with a strength that startled you, then moved to your side, breaking your restraints just as easily.

“can you walk?” he asked softly.

you nodded, though your legs wobbled as you stood. “i think so.”

eric swept hyunjae into his arms effortlessly and held out a hand to you. “then let’s move. we don’t have much time.”

---

eric led you through the twists and turns of the dungeon's corridors, his steps sure despite the oppressive darkness at every corner. the flickering torches along the wall were the only source of light, casting uneven shadows on the jagged stone walls. you struggled to keep up, the weight of exhaustion pulling at your every moment.

"stay close." eric said, his voice low and steady as he glanced over his shoulder at you. "we're not out of danger yet."

you nodded, clutching the tattered fabric of your sleeve to your bleeding arm. each step felt heavier, but the adrenaline coursing through your veins pushed you forwards.

"how did you know where to find us?" you asked, your voice barely audible.

"we're connected, remember? i'll always know where to find you if you're in danger. i'm sorry i couldn't get to you sooner." he apologised, his voice softening as he glanced back at you.

you shook your head. his words stirred something warm and bittersweet in your chest, but there was no time to dwell on it. the looming danger kept you grounded in the moment.

"the others are waiting for us." he continued. "we just need to get out of here."

you stumbled slightly, your body betraying the toll the dungeon had taken on you. eric immediately stopped, his eyes scanning you with concern. "y/n, you're hurt." he said, his voice tightening. "i should've checked you earlier."

"i'm fine." you insisted, hiding your bleeding arm behind your back. you didn't want him to bear the cost that comes with healing you. "we need to focus on getting hyunjae out of here."

eric's frown deepened, and he stepped closer, gently but firmly catching your uninjured arm. "don't do that." he said quietly, his voice carrying a rare sternness. "don't pretend you're okay when you're not."

“nothing i can’t handle,” you deflected, your voice steadier than you felt.

eric’s eyes narrowed. “don’t lie to me, y/n. i saw the blood. show me.”

you took a step back instinctively, clutching your arm. “it’s just a scratch, eric. i don’t want you wasting energy on me when hyunjae—”

before you could protest further, he closed the distance between you, gently but insistently pulling your arm forward. his brows furrowed as he examined the torn fabric and the deep gash beneath.

“this isn’t just a scratch,” he said, his tone tight. “why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“i didn’t want you to—”

“to what? help you?” eric’s voice rose slightly, a rare show of frustration. “you think I wouldn’t notice? that i’d just let you bleed out?”

“i didn’t want you to take on my pain!” you snapped, pulling your arm back. “i know how it works, eric. if you heal me, you’ll take the wound yourself. i couldn’t let you do that.”

eric’s expression softened, the anger giving way to something far more vulnerable. “y/n… that’s not your decision to make.”

you stared at him, taken aback by the raw emotion in his voice.

“i’m your guardian angel,” he continued, his voice quieter now but no less intense. “it’s my job to protect you, even if it hurts me. don’t you understand? keeping you safe means so much more to me than the pain i might feel.”

the weight of his words settled heavily in the air, and you couldn’t bring yourself to meet his gaze. “it’s not fair,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “i don’t want to see you suffer because of me.”

eric stepped closer, his movements deliberate but not forceful. “i’d suffer a hundred times over than see you in pain,” he said softly.

"y/n, if I don’t heal this, it’ll get infected. you’ll be in even more danger.” he stepped closer, his gaze locking onto yours. “please. let me do this.”

you glanced at hyunjae, his breathing shallow. you were all running out of time.

you hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “fine,” you murmured.

eric’s eyes softened as he gently took your injured arm, his fingers light against your skin. “thank you,” he said simply.

he closed his eyes, and the faint golden glow of his aura brightened. warmth spread through your arm, washing away the pain as your wound began to knit itself closed. but as the injury faded from your skin, a sharp hiss escaped eric’s lips. you watched in horror as the same gash materialized on his forearm, blood seeping through his sleeve.

“eric!” you exclaimed, reaching for him.

he waved you off, sweat beading on his forehead. “i’m fine,” he insisted, echoing your earlier words with a wry smile. “see? not so bad. angels heal way quicker than any mortal would.” he showed you his forearm, the gash disappearing as quickly as it appeared.

before you could argue, the air around you shifted. a cold, oppressive energy crept into the chamber, and the faint echo of footsteps resonated from the hallway you’d just left.

"they're coming." eric said, his voice low and taut. he shifted his stance slightly, angling his body to shield both you and hyunjae. “stay behind me.”

your pulse was pounding in your ears as a hulking figure stepped into view, its form monstrous and grotesque. "you thought you could escape?" it rasped, sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

eric's jaw tightened as he set hyunjae gently against the wall. "y/n, stay back." he ordered, drawing his blade in one smooth motion.

the blade hummed faintly, its angelic energy casting a faint glow in the suffocating darkness.

the creature lunged at eric without warning, its claws slashing through the air. eric parried the attack with a burst of energy, the clash sending sparks flying and illuminating the corridor in bursts of light and shadow.

“go!” eric shouted over his shoulder, his voice strained as he pushed the creature back. “find the others and get hyunjae out of here! i’ll hold it off!”

“but—”

“now, y/n!” he exclaimed, his golden eyes blazing with authority.

you hesitated for only a moment before you scrambled to hyunjae’s side, your hands trembling as you tried to lift him. he was heavier than you had anticipated, his unconscious body limp in your arms.

another growl tore through the air, and you glanced back to see eric locked in combat with the creature, their movements a blur of light and shadow. you clenched your teeth, forcing yourself to focus. with every ounce of strength you could muster, you began dragging hyunjae down the corridor, your legs trembling under the weight and fear.

you gritted your teeth and pushed forward, dragging hyunjae step by agonising step through the dark corridor. The air felt heavier with each movement, pressing against you like an invisible force trying to hold you back. hyunjae’s unconscious weight grew unbearable, but you didn’t stop.

you couldn’t. not when both of your survival relied on you.

behind you, the sounds of the fight were relentless. every sound sent a fresh surge of fear coursing through you, but you forced it down. eric was buying you both time, and you wouldn’t waste it.

“almost there,” you whispered to hyunjae, as much to reassure yourself as him. “we’re going to get out of here.”

your heart leapt as you saw a faint light ahead, filtering in from what looked like an open chamber. summoning the last of your strength, you half-carried, half-dragged hyunjae towards it, your breaths shallow and ragged.

the chamber was vast and empty, its walls lined with faded carvings that seemed to pulse faintly in the dim light. you stumbled into the centre, collapsing to your knees with hyunjae still in your grasp.

"hyunjae, stay with me." you murmured, your voice trembling. the faint light filtering into the room cast a ghostly pallor over his face, and your heart clenched at the sight. you cupped his face with trembling hands, brushing his blood-matted hair back from his forehead. his skin was icy, his normally vibrant glow dimmed to almost nothing.

you barely noticed when jacob dropped to his knees beside you as he examined hyunjae's injuries. "he's fading." jacob said, grimly. "we need to stabilise him before it's too late." he uncorked a small vial filled with some sort of silvery liquid. "y/n. do you mind helping me lift his head a little bit?"

you did as you were told, as jacob tipped the vial against hyunjae's lips, the liquid sliding into his mouth. "it's gonna take awhile before the medicine sets in." jacob explained. "you need to get checked out too, you don’t look too well.”

“i’m okay.” you assured. you turned back to look at the corridor you came from, the silence deafening. “something’s wrong.” you blurted out. “i’m going to look for him.” you pushed yourself up despite the exhaustion.

jacob’s head snapped up. “no. you can’t—”

“i can’t just sit here,” you interrupted, your voice firmer than you felt. “what if eric’s in trouble?”

“and what happens if you walk into something worse?” jacob countered, his tone sharper now. “you’re in no condition to fight. even if you weren't injured, the weakest demon would be able to rip you into shreds in seconds."

you swallowed hard, the weight of jacob's words settling over you like a heavy cloak.

right. you were just a mere mortal.

"kevin and sangyeon are out there looking for him now. trust them." he continued. "it's safe here. i've warded the place with protection. no demons can get through. "

safe. the word felt foreign in this hellish dungeon.

"trust them," jacob said again, his voice firm yet gentle, as though sensing your spiraling thoughts. "sangyeon and kevin will make sure he comes back."

you opened your mouth to respond, but a distant crash interrupted you, the sound reverberating through the walls. your head snapped toward the corridor, your heart racing.

jacob cursed under his breath, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his blade. “stay here,” he ordered, standing quickly.

“no!” you blurted, grabbing his arm. “you just said i’m in no condition. if anything happens—”

“i’ll be back,” jacob interrupted, his tone sharp. “but if they’re in trouble, i can’t stand by.”

before you could protest further, a new set of footsteps echoed from the corridor. this time, they were uneven and rushed. you held your breath, every muscle in your body tensing, hoping—praying—that it was them.

sangyeon emerged first, his face set in a grim expression, black ichor staining his blade and splattered across his uniform. kevin followed close behind, his usually composed demeanor replaced by a weariness that mirrored the battle they had endured. and then, finally, eric stepped into the light, his golden aura faint but present.

“eric!” you called out, relief flooding your voice as you rushed toward him.

his gaze found yours instantly, and the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease just slightly. “i’m here,” he said, his voice steady despite his labored breathing. his sword, slick with ichor, hung loosely at his side. his usually pristine appearance was marred by smudges of soot and blood, though it was impossible to tell if any of it was his own.

without thinking, you closed the distance between you, your hands instinctively reaching out to check for injuries. “are you hurt?” you asked, your voice trembling. your fingers ghosted over his arm, then his chest, searching for any signs of wounds.

“i’m fine,” he assured you, though his words were quickly followed by a wince as you pressed against a sore spot. his golden eyes softened as they met yours. “what about you? are you okay? did anything happen while i was gone?”

you shook your head, but the weight of the past few minutes hung heavily on you. “i was worried,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “you were gone for so long, and with the demons...”

“i know,” he interrupted gently, his hand coming up to grasp yours. his fingers were warm despite the chill of the dungeon, grounding you. “i’m sorry i worried you. but i’m here now.”

you opened your mouth to argue, to point out the flickering of his aura and the way he swayed slightly on his feet, but the look in his eyes stopped you. instead, you squeezed his hand tightly. “don’t do that again,” you muttered.

a small smile tugged at his lips. “deal.”

“i hate to break up the moment,” sangyeon interjected, his voice sharp but not unkind, “but we need to move. the demons are regrouping, and they’ll be back in force.”

kevin nodded, already scanning the chamber for supplies. “we don’t have much time. is hyunjae stable enough to move?”

jacob glanced at hyunjae, his expression grim but determined. “barely. but we don’t have a choice.”

eric released your hand reluctantly and stepped forward, crouching beside hyunjae. “i’ll carry him,” he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.

you hesitated, watching as he gently lifted hyunjae into his arms, his movements careful despite the obvious strain it placed on him. “you’re already exhausted—”

“i can handle it,” he said, cutting you off with a reassuring glance. “we need to stick together now.”

“we need to leave,” sangyeon said, his voice clipped as he surveyed the room. “kevin, help me secure the path. jacob, get everyone ready to leave.”

as soon as you left the chamber, you could feel the air growing heavier with every passing moment, the oppressive darkness pressing in from all sides. the faint light from kevin and sangyeon’s weapons illuminated the narrow corridor ahead, casting eerie shadows on the jagged walls.

“how much farther?” you asked softly, your voice barely above a whisper. the tension in the air made speaking feel like a risk.

“not far,” sangyeon replied, his tone grim. “but they’re closing in fast. we’ll need to hold them off if they catch up.”

“they won’t,” kevin said, his voice unwavering. “not if we move fast enough.”

behind you, eric adjusted hyunjae’s weight in his arms, his jaw set in determination. despite the strain, he kept moving, his golden aura flickering faintly but steadily.

a sudden noise—faint but distinct—brought the group to an abrupt halt. it was a scraping sound, like claws against stone, followed by a low, guttural growl that sent chills down your spine.

“they’re close,” jacob murmured, his hand gripping the hilt of his blade.

“keep moving.” sangyeon commanded. he and kevin turned to face the oncoming threat, their weapons glowing brighter as they prepared for the fight. “jacob, stay with them!”

the group surged forward, but the sound of clawed footsteps scraping against the stone floor grew louder. shadows flickered at the edge of the light, and a guttural snarl sent a chill down your spine.

you turned your head just in time to see the first demon emerge from the darkness—a hulking creature with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp claws. it lunged toward kevin, who met it head-on, his blade slicing through the air in a brilliant arc.

“don’t look back!” jacob shouted, grabbing your arm and pulling you forward. “focus on the exit!”

eric’s pace quickened, his breathing labored as he carried hyunjae, but his steps were steady. “we’re almost there,” he said, his voice strained but resolute.

the corridor widened slightly, and ahead, you saw a faint glimmer of light—daylight. hope surged through you, but it was short-lived as more demons poured into the corridor, their snarls filling the air.

jacob stepped in front of you, his blade flashing as he blocked an oncoming attack. “go!” he shouted over his shoulder. “don’t stop!”

you hesitated, your heart pounding as the battle unfolded around you.

“trust us!” jacob said, his eyes blazing with determination. “we’ll hold them off. just get out of here!”

eric glanced at you, his expression fierce. “go, y/n. i’m right behind you.”

swallowing your fear, you forced your legs to move, sprinting toward the light with every ounce of strength you had left. behind you, the clash of steel against claws echoed, but you didn’t dare look back.

the light ahead revealed a massive stone doorway carved with intricate runes. it was partially open, a faint golden glow spilling through the crack. hope flared in your chest, but it was quickly overshadowed by the sound of claws scraping against stone.

jacob showed up moments later, his blade slick with black ichor. “the wards won’t hold much longer!” he shouted, his eyes darting to the door. “we need to get through now!”

sangyeon and kevin followed close behind, their faces grim and their movements sharp. as soon as everyone got through, sangyeon slammed the door shut behind him, leaning his weight against it as the first impact hit—a thunderous crash that sent cracks spidering through the stone.

"we need to activate the runes! or the seal will break!" sangyeon shouted. you quickly ran to the door, using your body weight to help sangyeon brace against the relentless pressure from the other side. the vibrations beneath your palms made the ancient runes shimmer faintly, but they didn’t hold.

jacob took a deep breath, his hand gripping his blade tightly as he started tracing the runes etched into the doorframe. the runes glowed faintly in the golden light, their intricate carvings vibrating as though alive.

kevin rushed to his side, his expression fierce as he worked on the other runes. eric began to channel his energy into the runes alongside jacob and kevin, trying their best to seal the door.

sangyeon, still braced against the door, called out, "keep going! we don’t have much time!"

“we’re almost there,” jacob said, his voice steady despite the chaos surrounding him.

the crashing sounds behind the door grew louder, more frequent. sangyeon gritted his teeth as he strained to hold back the onslaught. "hurry! they're breaking through!"

you pushed harder against the door, feeling every tremor and crash echo through your body. the air was thick with tension, each second feeling like an eternity.

the runes were beginning to glow brighter, the energy building with every second. you could feel the faint pulse of power thrumming through the air, strengthening with each passing moment.

“keep pushing!” sangyeon urged, his voice strained as the door began to groan under the relentless attacks.

before the demons could breach, a barrier of golden light erupted, forcing them back with a deafening screech.

the air grew still, the light dimming as the runes completed their work. the demons were gone—sealed away, at least for now.

"we did it," kevin muttered, his gaze distant. "for now."

you collapsed to your knees, exhaustion finally overtaking you. eric caught you before you fell, his arms steady despite the toll the battle had taken on him. “we made it,” he murmured, his voice filled with relief.

you looked up at him, your vision blurred but your heart steady. “we’re alive.”

“barely,” sangyeon muttered, slumping against the wall with a weary smile.

but you couldn’t help the small smile that formed on your lips. against all odds, you had survived.

---

when your eyes fluttered open, you were lying in an unfamiliar bed. your body felt heavy, every muscle aching. you panicked when memories from what felt like the night before hit you like a wave, and you scrambled back, your back hitting the bed rest.

“don’t panic. you’re safe here.” a gentle voice said, and you turned your head to see younghoon seated beside you, his dark eyes filled with relief.

you placed your hand on your chest, willing your beating heart to calm down.

“how long…?” you croaked, your throat dry.

“two days,” younghoon replied, handing you a cup of water. “you passed out as soon as you arrived. we’ve been keeping an eye on you.”

“the others?” you asked, anxiety bubbling to the surface.

younghoon nodded, a small reassuring smile on his lips. “everyone’s fine. a few scratches here and there, but alive.”

the door creaked open, and kevin poked his head in, followed by changmin and sunwoo. “she’s awake?” kevin grinned, stepping inside with a tray of food.

“finally,” changmin said, crossing his arms. “you scared us.”

sunwoo nodded, his usual mischievous expression replaced with genuine concern. “eric’s going to lose it when he finds out you’re awake.”

you tried to sit up, but younghoon gently pressed a hand to your shoulder. “not so fast. you need to rest.” he helped you prop yourself against the headboard. “you’ve been through a lot.”

"i brought something sangyeon prepared from the kitchen." kevin said. "you must be starving."

your stomach growled at kevin’s words, and he smiled, setting the tray down on the bedside table. “told you,” he teased.

“it smells amazing,” you admitted, your eyes lighting up at the food. the tray held a bowl of steaming soup, a slice of fresh bread, and a small cup of tea.

changmin leaned casually against the wall, his sharp eyes scanning you. “you gave us all a scare,” he said, though his tone was lighter now. “eric hasn’t left the house in days. he’s been hovering like a mother hen.”

“he’ll be here soon,” sunwoo added, sitting at the foot of the bed. “he’s just with sangyeon and jacob, talking about the wards and defenses.”

younghoon handed you the soup, steadying your trembling hands as you took a cautious sip. the warmth spread through your chest, and you sighed in relief.

“how’s hyunjae?” you asked suddenly, the question slipping out before you could stop yourself.

the room grew quiet for a moment, and kevin exchanged a glance with changmin.

“he’s stable,” younghoon said softly. “he woke up briefly, but he’s still weak. jacob and sangyeon have been keeping an eye on him.”

“he’ll be okay,” kevin added quickly, trying to reassure you. “hyunjae’s tough. don’t worry about him.”

you nodded, the tension in your chest easing slightly. “thank you… for everything. for taking care of me.”

sunwoo snorted, breaking the seriousness. “you can thank us by not doing something reckless again. and pushing yourself too hard.”

“sunwoo,” changmin warned, though he didn’t seem entirely opposed to the sentiment.

you managed a small smile, feeling a strange warmth despite the lingering exhaustion. “noted.”

the door creaked open again, and eric appeared, his golden aura faint but present. his eyes immediately locked onto yours, relief flooding his face.

“you’re awake,” he breathed, stepping into the room.

“eric,” you said softly, guilt and gratitude mixing in your chest.

he was at your side in moments, crouching beside the bed. “you scared the hell out of me,” he muttered, his voice tight. “don’t ever do that again.”

“it wasn’t exactly part of the plan,” you said, managing a weak laugh.

he shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the worry etched on his face. “i’m just glad you’re okay.”

“me too.” you agreed softly.

kevin cleared his throat loudly, shattering the moment. “okay, guys, before we keep distracting her, we need to let her finish her soup.”

changmin smirked, folding his arms. “agreed. she needs strength if we’re all going to survive whatever’s coming next.”

you laughed softly, the warmth of their teasing making you feel more grounded. “i’m fine,” you reassured them, though the soup did look inviting. “but thank you. all of you.”

for the first time in a long time— you felt safe. if only for a little while.

eric stood, his presence still close as he glanced at the others. “has anyone updated her on hyunjae?”

“we told her he’s stable,” younghoon said. “but maybe she should hear it from you. you’ve been the one keeping watch most of the time.”

eric’s expression shifted, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his face. “he’s been in and out. he’s still weak, but his recovery is steady. he’s resting now.”

your heart clenched at the thought of hyunjae, his usual strength and confidence reduced to fragility. “can i see him?”

“not yet,” eric said quickly, his tone firm. “you need to focus on getting better. hyunjae would say the same if he were awake.”

“but—”

“no buts,” kevin interrupted, grinning as he handed you the bread from the tray. “listen to mother hen over here. you’re no use to anyone if you don’t recover.”

sunwoo leaned closer, his mischievous grin reappearing. “besides, hyunjae’s not going anywhere. you can visit him once you’re steady enough to walk without toppling over.”

you huffed in mock annoyance but relented, knowing they were right. “fine. but let me know if anything changes.”

“of course,” eric said, his voice softening.

“now, now, out of the room—everyone,” younghoon declared, standing with an air of authority. “she needs rest.”

“bossy,” sunwoo muttered, but he followed the others toward the door, tossing you a wink. “don’t miss us too much.”

“as if she could,” changmin teased, earning a chuckle from kevin as they filed out.

eric lingered for a moment longer, his gaze meeting yours. “if you need anything, just call for me, okay?”

you nodded, offering him a small smile. “thank you, eric.”

his golden aura flickered faintly, a sign of his own lingering exhaustion, but he returned the smile before stepping out of the room. younghoon shut the door behind him, leaving you alone with the soft hum of silence.

as you sank deeper into the pillows, exhaustion weighed heavily on you, and your eyes fluttered shut. the steady hum of silence wrapped around you, and before long, sleep claimed you, pulling you into its quiet embrace.

—-

the next few days passed in a blur of quiet recovery. you worked on regaining your strength, your muscles slowly losing their ache as you started getting better. during this time, you learned more about the boys—each of them with their own quirks and charm. their camaraderie was infectious, and you found yourself surprisingly at ease in their presence.

changmin always found ways to make you laugh, sunwoo was endlessly curious about your mortal life, and younghoon often lingered nearby, offering quiet support. kevin filled the safe house with music and humor, while sangyeon and jacob balanced the group with their steady leadership. eric, of course, never strayed far, his protective nature always evident.

juyeon, quieter than the others, often sat with you during your recovery, reading with you or simply keeping you company. while chanhee would always chat with you about the latest trends.

on the third morning, as you were carefully making your way to the kitchen, jacob appeared in the doorway, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “hyunjae’s awake,” he said simply.

your heart skipped, a mix of relief and nerves washing over you. “really?” you asked, setting down the cup of tea kevin had made you earlier.

jacob nodded. “he’s still weak, but he’s been asking about you.”

you didn’t hesitate. “let’s go.”

jacob led you down the hallway, his steps steady and calm as if trying to ease your nerves. your heart pounded with each step, a mixture of relief and apprehension swirling inside you.

jacob knocked lightly before pushing the door open, guiding you inside. hyunjae was propped up against a stack of pillows, his usually sharp features softened by exhaustion. despite the paleness of his skin and the faint shadows under his eyes, he managed a faint smile when he saw you.

“glad to see you’re back on your feet,” hyunjae said, his voice hoarse but laced with warmth.

you managed a small smile, stepping cautiously into the room. “and i’m glad to see you awake. how are you feeling?”

“like i went a few rounds with a demon,” he joked lightly, though the faint wince that followed betrayed the toll his recovery was taking. “but i’ll live. thanks to you.”

you hesitated, guilt flickering across your expression. “it wasn’t just me,” you said quietly, lowering yourself into the chair beside his bed. “everyone worked together to get us out.”

jacob stepped back, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. “he’s been asking about you since he woke up,” he said with a faint smile.

hyunjae smirked weakly. “figured i owed her a ‘thank you.’”

“you don’t owe me anything,” you said quickly, your voice firm. “just focus on getting better.”

“yes, doctor,” hyunjae teased, though his eyes softened.

“do you need anything?” you asked softly, your gaze steady as you studied his pale features.

hyunjae shook his head slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “just for you to stop worrying so much. i’ll be fine.”

“easier said than done,” you murmured, leaning back in the chair.

his expression softened, and for a moment, the weight of everything you’d been through together hung in the air. “i mean it,” he said. “you’ve done more than enough. now it’s my turn to catch up.”

“catch up?” you repeated, your brow furrowing.

“yeah,” he replied, his voice quiet but steady. “i don’t plan on letting everyone else shoulder everything. not anymore.”

“also, the demons made a mistake when they were questioning me in the dungeons because they thought i wouldn’t survive,” hyunjae continued, his tone sharper now, the faint smile fading from his lips.

you leaned forward, heart pounding. “what kind of mistake?”

“they let slip some of their plans,” hyunjae said, his eyes darkening as his voice grew grim. “they’re building armies—bigger and more dangerous than the last. they’re not just hunting the aetherion; they’re preparing for war.”

“war…” you trailed off, the word heavy on your tongue.

hyunjae nodded grimly. “and not just to seize control of heaven, but earth too. if they get the aetherion, they’ll have the power to do it.”

“which is why we need to act fast,” hyunjae said firmly, his gaze locking onto yours. “they’re desperate, and desperation leads to mistakes. we need to stay ahead of them and make sure their next move works in our favor—not theirs.”

“what’s the plan, then?” you asked, a determined edge creeping into your voice despite the unease in your chest.

hyunjae hesitated for a moment, his expression unreadable. “we start by strengthening the wards and regrouping with everyone. and after that…” he sighed. “we figure out how to protect the aetherion—no matter the cost.”

—-

as hyunjae got better, you also started learning basic fighting skills. the boys took turns teaching you whenever one of them had a moment to spare, each bringing their own unique style and expertise.

changmin focused on agility, pushing you to dodge and outmaneuver, while sangyeon emphasized strength and precision. kevin and sunwoo kept the mood light, turning drills into playful competitions that left you laughing despite the bruises. juyeon’s quiet patience made him a natural teacher, guiding you through techniques with calm encouragement, while younghoon’s protective nature ensured you never pushed yourself too far.

chanhee was sharp and analytical, quick to point out weaknesses and help you refine your strategies. though his critiques could be blunt, they always came with useful insights that helped you improve faster than you thought possible.

hyunjae occasionally watched from the sidelines, giving a few of his own tips now and then. though he rarely interrupted, you could feel his presence, quiet but steady. every once in a while, his eyes would meet yours, offering a flicker of encouragement.

and then there was eric. when you struggled, he was patient, stepping closer to guide your hands into the right position or demonstrating a move again without a hint of frustration. “you’re getting it,” he’d say softly, his golden aura flickering with warmth. “trust yourself a little more.”

he’d flash his boyish grin as he challenged you to mock duels or turned footwork drills into impromptu games of tag. his lighthearted approach made it easier to forget the stakes, and you found yourself laughing more than you expected.

and it reminded you of the first time you met him.

“tired?” he asked as you sat by the stairs, drenched in sweat, your legs aching from the drills.

"mmhm." you hummed, thanking him as he handed you a towel.

eric plopped down beside you, his own breath coming in short bursts. "you did really well today. you’re starting to look like a pro.”

you let out a soft laugh, dabbing your face with the towel. “i don’t think pros trip over their own feet.”

“hey, that was just once. and i caught you, didn’t i?” he asked, flashing that familiar grin.

maybe, just maybe, your heart skipped a beat.

“barely,” you teased, though the memory made your cheeks warm.

he nudged your shoulder gently with his. “you’re doing great. better than i did when i first started training, actually.”

you gave him a look. “you’re just saying that.”

“nope,” he shrugged. "you can ask sangyeon hyung. he'll say the same thing."

“hard to believe,” you teased, though his words sent a flicker of pride through you.

"i guess all the lessons are rubbing off on you." he said. “come on, let’s take five, and then i’ll show you a trick for keeping your balance. sound good?”

“sounds good,” you replied.

though the lessons were challenging, you found solace in their support, and for the first time in a long while, you felt a spark of control over your circumstances. you weren’t just surviving anymore—you were preparing to fight back.

---

on one of the rare evenings when the house was quiet, the soft glow of the fireplace bathed the room in flickering light as you sat across from hyunjae. he looked more himself now, his strength slowly returning, but there was still a heaviness in his expression that made your chest tighten.

“you’ve heard the others talk about the aetherion,” he began, his voice low, almost hesitant. “but no one’s really told you what it is. not completely.”

you nodded, unsure of what to say. the name carried weight, whispered in fragments and cloaked in fear.

hyunjae’s gaze lingered on the flames for a moment before he turned back to you. “the aetherion isn’t just an artifact. it’s a fragment of divine power—pure, uncorrupted energy left behind from the creation of the realms. it was meant to remain hidden, untouched by mortals, angels, or demons alike. but centuries ago, it was bounded to a guardian angel.”

your breath hitched. “eric.”

he nodded, his expression unreadable. “eric didn’t choose it. it chose him. the aetherion is… alive, in a way. it senses something in its bearer, and once bonded, it amplifies their power but also binds them to it.”

you swallowed hard. “what does that mean? for him? for me?”

hyunjae hesitated, his jaw tightening. “when eric became your guardian angel, the bond between you two linked you indirectly to the aetherion. that’s why the demons are after you. they think they can exploit that connection to locate it—or worse, manipulate it.”

the weight of his words pressed on your chest. “but i don’t even… i don’t feel connected to it. i don’t even understand it.”

“you don’t have to,” hyunjae said softly. “the connection isn’t something you’re aware of, but it’s there. that’s why they targeted you in the first place.”

your gaze dropped to your hands, trembling slightly in your lap. “so, if something happens to me…”

“the bond between eric and the aetherion would weaken,” he admitted, his voice grim. “but it wouldn’t sever. not unless—”

“unless what?”

hyunjae leaned forward, his gaze intense. “unless eric willingly broke the bond, which would destroy him. or if the aetherion itself chose a new bearer, which it hasn’t in centuries.”

"so the reason why eric didn’t have a human for so long…” you trailed off, piecing together the fragments of what you’d heard over time.

hyunjae nodded, his expression unreadable. “it’s because of the aetherion. the bond makes him... different. unique, even among guardian angels. the council feared the risks of pairing him with a human, knowing the kind of power the aetherion holds—and what could happen if it fell into the wrong hands. and he knew whoever that he was assigned to would immediately have a huge target on their back.”

your brow furrowed as another thought struck you. “and that’s why… that’s why the demons kept looking for a mark on me. because i didn’t have it. because you were my first guardian angel before eric.”

a flicker of something passed through hyunjae’s eyes—regret, maybe, or something deeper. “exactly. they knew something wasn’t adding up. you were an anomaly to them. no mark meant no typical bond, no trail to follow. especially when eric became your guardian angel. it threw them off. they’re desperate to understand what happened… and how they can use it to find the aetherion.”

you swallowed hard, the weight of his explanation settling heavily on your shoulders. “so, in a way, i’m the weakest spot to finding the aetherion and the reason they haven’t found it yet.”

“it’s not your fault,” hyunjae said firmly, his tone softening. “this isn’t something you chose. but it’s why we have to stay one step ahead. they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want.”

for a long moment, silence stretched between you, the crackle of the fire the only sound. finally, you looked up, meeting his steady gaze. “thank you for telling me. even if it’s a lot to take in.”

hyunjae’s expression softened. “you deserved to know. and whatever happens, we’ll protect you. all of us.”

you took a deep breath, trying to steady the swirl of emotions inside you. “i guess i just didn’t realize how deeply i was connected to all of this. i never expected to play such a big role in, the aetherion, the realms, everything.”

“it’s a lot,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “but you’re stronger than you think. you’ve come this far, despite everything.”

his words were meant to comfort, but they only added to the weight you already carried. “and if i make a mistake? if they find a way to use me—”

“we won’t let that happen,” hyunjae interrupted, his tone firm. “you have all of us by your side. and eric… he’d tear the realms apart before he let anything happen to you.”

the thought of eric—of his unyielding determination and the weight he bore for your sake—made your chest ache. “he’s already done so much. on top of everything he needs to do. sometimes, it feels like i'm too much of a burden for him.”

“he doesn’t see it that way,” hyunjae said simply. “for him, you’re worth it.”

you looked back at the fire, its flickering light casting long shadows across the room. despite the overwhelming truths you’d just learned, there was a quiet resolve building within you. “then i’ll do my part. i won’t just sit back and let everyone protect me. i need to be ready for whatever’s coming.”

hyunjae’s lips curved into the faintest of smiles. “that’s the spirit of the girl i know.”

the words were meant to reassure, but the storm brewing in your chest didn’t subside. there was so much more at stake than you’d ever realized, and the aetherion wasn’t just a distant legend—it was woven into your life in ways you couldn’t escape.

---

you knew the time you had with all the boys was just the calm before the storm. something as simple as having a meal together wasn’t something you would take for granted.

the laughter that filled the room, the way sunwoo playfully argued with kevin over the last piece of chicken, or the soft hum of a song that younghoon absentmindedly sang while setting the table—all of it felt precious. fleeting.

each moment was a reminder of what you were fighting for, of the bonds you’d built amidst the chaos. though the shadow of what lay ahead loomed large, you found strength in the small, quiet moments like these. they were your anchor, grounding you when the weight of everything threatened to pull you under.

as you watched eric teasing changmin over his choice of toppings, his grin so effortlessly bright, you couldn’t help but smile softly to yourself.

"what do you wish for, y/n? after all of this is over," jacob’s voice broke through your thoughts, drawing your attention away from the playful banter.

you blinked, caught off guard by the question. after everything? the idea of a life beyond the storm seemed almost too distant to imagine. but as you looked around the room—at the faces of the people who had become your family—you felt a flicker of hope.

“i don’t know,” you admitted softly, your gaze dropping to the table. “i guess… i’d like some peace. a chance to live without always looking over my shoulder. to wake up and not feel like the world’s about to end.”

the room stayed silent for a moment before younghoon spoke, his voice gentle. “that sounds nice.”

“it does,” juyeon agreed, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“and maybe,” you added, your voice quieter now, “to keep this. all of us, together. no matter where we are.”

eric’s gaze lingered on you, something warm and unspoken in his expression. “we’ll make it happen,” he said, the confidence in his voice a stark contrast to the uncertainty of the future.

kevin grinned, leaning back in his chair. “yeah, we’re pretty hard to get rid of anyway.”

sunwoo chuckled, nudging him. “speak for yourself.”

the laughter returned, lighter this time, and for a moment, the weight of everything seemed to lift. you didn’t have all the answers, but maybe that was okay. as long as you had them by your side, you could face whatever came next. for now, at least, you had this—a family pieced together in the unlikeliest of ways, sharing a fleeting sense of normalcy before the world demanded more from you all.

——

the air inside the safe house was thick with tension. the moment sunwoo burst into the room, panting and wide-eyed, you knew—there was no more running.

“they’re here,” he breathed out, hands gripping his knees. “they found us too quickly.”

eric was already moving, securing the exits, checking his weapons. you watched as his wings flickered in and out of existence, a habit when he was restless.

“we end this now,” sangyeon said, voice steady. “no more running.”

you nodded.

outside, the distant sound of chaos signaled their arrival.

“positions,” hyunjae whispered.

you took a deep breath, gripping the hilt of the blade eric had given you what felt like decades ago. it felt foreign in your hands, but fear wasn’t an option anymore.

the first impact came like a thunderclap—the door blasted open, and they poured in.

chaos erupted.

eric moved like lightning, his wings cutting through the air as he took down the first intruder. sunwoo was right behind him, fists meeting flesh, a well-timed kick sending another enemy crashing into the wall.

you ducked, narrowly avoiding a strike, before twisting and driving your blade into the demon’s side.

kevin and chanhee fought back-to-back, their attacks synchronized. jacob’s healing light pulsed through the room, mending wounds almost as fast as they were inflicted. juyeon and haknyeon worked in tandem, their strikes precise and ruthless.

but they just kept coming.

eric’s voice rang out above the chaos. “stay close to me!”

you didn’t need to be told twice.

the battle was brutal. fast. the safe house, once a place of refuge, was crumbling under the weight of destruction.

then, the room fell into a eerie silence.

a deep chuckle echoed from the doorway.

jun.

“you all put up quite the fight,” he mused, voice laced with amusement. “but this is where it ends.”

without warning, he lunged.

eric met him midair, their clash sending a shockwave through the room. light and darkness clashed violently, illuminating the safe house in bursts of celestial gold and abyssal red.

“i shouldn’t have hesitated then. you’re not the brother i once knew.” eric said, blood dripping from his lips.

with one final strike, eric plunged his blade into the its core. the room trembled. shadows shrieked as jun convulsed, its form unraveling like smoke in the wind.

but they weren’t done yet.

sangyeon raised his hand. “now.”

as one, the group activated the exile spell. golden chains wrapped around the demon, pulling it into a swirling void. it roared, thrashing, but the light was too strong.

“sent to headquarters.” sangyeon declared.

eric wiped a hand across his face, blood staining his fingertips. he turned to you, eyes searching. “are you hurt?”

you shook your head, swallowing the lump in your throat. “i’m okay.”

sunwoo collapsed onto a chair. “that was insane.”

eric exhaled, finally letting his wings fade. “it’s over.”

and for the first time in what felt like forever, you let yourself believe it.

——

“five more minutes.”

“eric, we’re gonna be late.”

he groans, burying his face deeper into the crook of your neck. “only five more minutes, i promise.”

you sigh, but there’s no real frustration behind it. months had passed since the last battle, and they managed to sort everything out with heaven. (or headquarters as they say). now, for the first time in what felt like forever, peace wasn’t just a fleeting dream. it was real. it was here.

eric had decided to take a break from angel duties, staying at your place while you continued with your school. it was nice to have someone, to say the least.

and today, you were all having a reunion lunch at sangyeon’s place.

eric tightens his arms around you, refusing to let you go. the warmth of his body, the steady rise and fall of his breathing—it’s all too comforting.

“you’re the one who said we had to be responsible now,” you remind him, though you make no effort to move.

“i lied,” he murmurs against your skin, voice still thick with sleep. “responsibility can wait. let’s stay like this for a little longer.”

“sangyeon might lock us out of his house if we continue with this.”

“he wouldn’t. he likes you too much. something about freeing his hands and lessening his chores.”

you scoff. “you give him that much trouble?”

“depends. occasionally. sometimes.”

you raise a brow. “so… all of the time?”

he grins. “i like to keep him on his toes.”

shaking your head, you finally manage to slip out of his hold, standing up to stretch. outside, the sun is bright, and the distant chatter of people starting their day filters through the window.

“we’re gonna be late,” you remind him, heading towards your bathroom, not before throwing a pillow at him. “if sangyeon does lock us out, i’m blaming you.”

“okay. okay. i’m up.” he says, catching the pillow before it can hit him on the head. he stretches his arms, yawning as he finally swings his legs over the edge.

as you both got into the car (him in the driver’s seat), eric reached over to buckle your seatbelt for you, his fingers brushing against your shoulder.

“you know, i can do that myself,” you tease.

“i know.” he grins, tapping your nose before pulling away. “but i like taking care of you.”

you roll your eyes, but the warmth in your chest is undeniable.

“are you ready to see everyone?”

you nodded. “are you?”

“yup. let’s go.”

as he starts the engine and pulls onto the road, the radio hums softly in the background, the city passing by in a blur. everything feels calm, like this is exactly where you’re meant to be—next to him, in a moment that is finally, beautifully, just yours.

[webslingingslasher]

https://www.tumblr.com/webslingingslasher/746523472745955328/does-cherrys-peter-still-have-ethan-if-so-how-is

I LOVE SHY CHERRY!! i need more shy cherry and how peter reassures her 😭😭 so cute

*cleaning out my drafts*

'go say hi, they won't bite.' you circle around peter's side to hide behind his shoulder as he tries to push you into the kitchen. 'they're going to sniff me out like a shark with blood in the water.'

'cherry.'

'i'm serious, peter. frat boys are not nice, i batted a thousand with you. they're gonna make fun of me.' peter frowns, 'they're nice. i promise no one's going to make fun of you. if they try, i'll kill 'em. how about that?'

you whine out his name, you've avoided them fairly well up until this point. peter said that if you were going to be spending all your free time here, which you have been, you needed to introduce yourself.

'hey, no one knows what's going on between us, okay? all they know is that you're my girl.' your eyes flit to the kitchen, you hear laughter and ignore the pang of anxiety it creates. 'does that mean they think we're having sex?'

peter's searching your face, he's not sure how you want him to answer it. he assumes truthfully. 'probably.' you smile wide and perk up. 'cool.'

chatter overflows from the open room, you're about to break up the conversation and have all the attention on you. no, you can't do it. it doesn't matter if they think you're a virgin or not. they're going to scrutinize you.

'i can't.' peter rolls his eyes, 'yes you can.' you dig your shoes into three floor, he'll be able to move you but it'll need some force. 'i can't. you know i'm shy.'

a token of sympathy is given. 'remember the first night you met me?' of course you do, it ended with you in a mere panic attack at the sight of his naked body. 'that wasn't the act of a shy person, that was someone who was brave.'

'i balked. and almost cried.' peter traces your bottom lip and tilts his head, you can feel his heart eyes on you. 'but then you doubled down and asked if i would be willing to take your virginity.'

you did do that, didn't you? 'i had nothing else to lose, the second you gave me my shirt it was social suicide.' peter ignores how you minimize yourself, he doesn’t think you’re shy and it makes you feel a little more secure. ‘you could’ve ran, but you didn’t. if you could do that, i promise you can do this.’ 

you’re doing it for him and his belief in you. 

'alright, fine.' you stare at the entryway and nod once before looking at peter. 'kiss of confidence?' you’re granted with one before taking a bold step forward and immediately stopping.

'you need to go first. make sure they don't stare at me.' you're hiding behind him again, peter reaches his hand back to hold yours and you feel a little more comfortable.

'ready?' you're already walking with him and holding your breath, you're able to squeak out a no before you're in the thick of it. 'what's up, parker?'

peter smiles and makes small talk, you peek an eye open and look around him. only one person is looking at you, you shrink back down behind peter.

'i'm ethan, your boy's best friend.' you swallow hard, he crossed all the way over the kitchen to stick his hand out. peter squeezed the one in his hold, he's telling you it's okay.

you slide away to gently shake his hand and softly greet him. the second you let out a tense breath the whole crowd says hi to you. you try to hide behind peter, he doesn't let you.

you grit your teeth into a friendly grin and feel everyone staring at you. 'hi. nice to meet you.' it's polite and you pray it's enough, you nudge peter's arm to tuck yourself underneath it.

you need his touch or you'll start crying.

‘peter,’ you speak his name under your breath, you don’t want anyone else to be aware of your anxiety and how childish it may seem. ‘please.’

peter’s best friend tucks a straw between his left molars and gnaws while directing more attention your way. ‘so, cherry, what’s the story behind the name?’ your eyes are wide, your cheeks feel hot as you point a finger at peter and sputter out 'he started it.'

his lips twitch with a smile, he's got a certain look in his eye that only you could understand. you're both replaying the memory, he could share it but he likes that it's between you and him only.

'it's an inside joke.' you nod your head in agreement and try to get under his arm again, you feel your nerves turn into frustration and demand his attention while someone is talking about next sunday's dinner.

harshly tugging at his shirt, you speak stern and slowly like you would to a child. 'peter. i am not playing around, let me in.' you were louder than you thought you'd be, ethan being one of the three brothers who 'oo' at him.

peter's amused, lifting his arm up so you can wrap your arms around his waist and hide your face in his side. 'don't let her fool you, this is all an act. did you see how she just talked to me?'

your hold tightens. he knows how anxious you are over being shy and he's brushing the attention away from you. you'll give him a big kiss the second you're alone.

'it's about time someone put you in your place, parker.'

'can she do the same thing but with tarrent and banana bread?'

another guy does a series of woofs and barks, you hide a snort in peter's shirt. 'wow. thanks guys, nothing like some positive reinforcement for being verbally assaulted.'

you pull away from him with a gasp, you forget you're in a room of frat boys for a second. 'i was not verbally assaulting you! i was being stern because you were teasing me.'

'yeah, parker, you’re a dick.'

'oh god, parker you're such a tease.'

'stern him some more, cherry!'

peter gladly accepts any shot his friends throw at him because you're standing tall with a proud grin. 'see? they already like you more than me.'

ethan claps his hands, 'yes! now bully him some more.' 

[hermesserpent-stuff]

@honey-minded-hivemind a draft idea of essex meeting Remy in stuck gambit au

Remy bounces a little as Creed guides him into his favorite cafe. He breathes in the smell of the sea that they burn candles specifically to create. The smell of coffee and baked goods also fills his nose. The Barge. A fantastic cafe that offers a wide variety of coffee and breakfast items, along with offering up the smell of the sea and soft ocean noises. 

“Describe.”

He says, despite Creed having told him what the inside looked like before. Creed purrs and rubs a thumb over Remys knuckles. 

“Alright. Let's see here. So we are in a medium-sized room, with wood floors.”

“What does the wood look like?”

Remy chirps, leaning against Creed. He wants Creed to stay a little longer. Creed snorts.

“It's a warm brown. Well vanished. Looks like a new deck on one of those old sailing ships. The walls are blue and painted to look like the ocean and a blue sky.”

Remy opens his mouth and Creed bumps his head against Remy’s. 

“Dark blue in the ocean waves with white froth. Lighter mid day blue for the sky bits. There are booths with similar wood and dark blue cushions. There are a few scattered wooden tables with chairs. Lotta people on their computers and reading books. No one looks like a threat. Yet.”

“Merci Creed. Think I'm ready to order.”

Remy says, squeezing the elbow that he is holding. They go up to the counter and he orders confidently, already familiar with the menu. 

“Oh, hi Remy! You're usual?”

Ah, Erica. She's nice and always is patient with him. Checks on him too if he looks like he needs it. 

“Yes, please. Merci.”

“We'll get that right out to you. Read anything interesting lately?”

Remy smiles. He pats his bag.

“Working on the odyssey right now. It's thick mais fun.”

“You'll have to tell me all about it some time. Alright, I've rung you up.”

Remy pays and then lets Creed guide him to the back booth against the wall. Remy stalls before sitting and wrapping his arms around Creed.

“Do you have to?”

“It's a job cub. I need to be able to keep taking care of you. I'll be back in a few hours. You know I'm not abandoning you.”

Remy sighs.

“I know. Gonna miss you. Good luck, Minou. Come back soon. Ill be waiting.”

Remy hugs tightly. 

“Love you, cub.”

“Love you too, Creed.”

He breathes in the scent of Creed and lets himself slowly be pushed away and into the booth. A kiss is placed on his forehead. 

“I'll be back.”

And with one more kiss, Creed is gone. Remy lets out a tiny breath at the loss of heat near him. He takes a second to settle down into the booth cushion. He pushes himself over to wall, finding comfort in having two firm surfaces around him; one to the back and one to the front. He pulls out his copy of the odyssey translated into english and into braille. His papa keeps him well supplied with books and tools to help him in the world. But Remy relies mainly on Creed, loving each moment that the feral proved that he would not abandoned to the darkness that Remy has come to expect upon opening his eyes each morning. 

When his food and drink comes he tucks it close to him and memorizes wher it is. A iced caramel latte and an egg sandwich. He continues to read, getting reabsorbed in the tale. He hums a small tune to himself, thinking about the lyre tucked deep down in the Guild vaults, said to be able to sing the tale with a knowledgeable player. Maybe one day he will get to play it. 

He keeps reading until a voice stirs him.

“The rest of the tables have been filled. May I share the booth? I will not speak?”

The voice is deep and calm. Rich like one of the voices on a nature documentary. Remy twitches his fingers over his text and then nods.

“Oui, er, yes. You may. Need me to move anythin’ to make room?”

“No. There is adequate room.”

Remy nods and shifts a bit. He flexes his fingers and starts reading again, brain swirling back to the spot that he had been at before. He keeps half an ear on the man sharing his table. There is paper shuffles and the click of a keyboard. A whir of a small laptop and the slight breath of someone concentrating. Remy dismisses the noises as part of the ambience in the cafe and shifts back to reading.

--

“That's a lot of snow.”

Remy hears the murmur and stirs from his reading. What? He listens into the murmurs of the people around. He starts picking up on different facts.

Sudden snow storm. Several inches thick. Most people heading out to get home. There is enough snow to block some people in. 

Nerves shoot through him.

Creed might get delayed getting to him. And Remy has no way to get home. Remy swallows and bites his lip. He feels panic starting to arch up his spine. He licks his teeth and starts to twitch. He starts running through a few different formulas for explosives that could bust open locks. 

“What?”

Remy jumps at the voice that is closer than he expects and bangs his shoulder on the wall. Oh. right. The man that he let sit with him.

“Is it snowing? Really hard?”

He asks, fingers twitching on the table. The man huffs.

“Yes. Now what were you saying?”

“Just… Just a formula for explosions. I think through them, as a calming technique I guess. So there's a lot of snow?”

“It looks like there will be several feet worth at the end of the storm. Do you often babble formulas?”

Remy feels a flash of despair at the news and grips his hair. He takes a deep breath and forces himself not to panic.

“I- Yeah. I like the structure of them. Gives my brain something to do.”

“Ah I see. That formula is not one Im very familiar with.”

“Well its meant to only explode when in contact with specific kind of wiringing. And its meant to be a very small explosion.”

Remy babblyes about it for a minute, slowly relaxing as he talks through something he understands. 

“I see. Is that what your major is, something scientific?”

Remy laughs at the question and then runs a hand through his loose hair.

“Oh, no. Remy is not meant for schoolin’. Not a bookworm, me. I just like learning all sorts of things.”

“Not a bookworm? Yet you seem to be reading a rather thick text.”

Remy tilts his head and give a rye smile.

“Aw, you caught me. I do enjoy reading some things. This is the Odyssey. You ever read it monsieur…?”

“I am Doctor Essex. And yes. I have.” 

Remy grins a bit as the man starts talking to him about the mythos and what creatures might have existed that explained the different creatures present in the story. Remy quickly jumps in with his own theories rathering to think about that over thinking about the piling snow and that he can't get home on his own. His hands tighten on the table a little with each snatch of conversation about the storm. He can hear the screech of the wind just beyond the walls and the sound of people leaving. 

He startles a little as someone knocks on the table.

“Remy, are you okay?”

 Erica asks and Remy relaxes slightly. His fingers flex against the surface of the table. Nerves creak and groan through his spine.

“I… its bad out there. Isnt it?”

Remy asks. Erica breathes.

“Its looking bad. Most people have left. But Im going to keep the store open for anyone who cant go home. Which includes you. Is Creed supposed to be back?”

“Yeah…”

“He’ll come.”

Erica says softly and pats his shoulder.

“Ill stay until this Creed comes.”

Essex says and Remy grins.

“Merci monsieur.”

He reaches out tentatively and a large cold hand takes his gently. Remy relaxes, flexing his fingers slightly. Feeling someone else is grounding. It helps with the twitching swaying nerves. 

“Now. we were speaking of medusa.”

The man says and Remy grins. They start talking a little bit about mutants and what creatures might have been mutants in a past age. Remy finds Essex’s perspective interesting. And finds it refreshing that Essex seems to hold no anti-mutant views while speaking of his speculations, just simple curiosity. At least that is how it seems. Remy has a hard time reading the man’s emotions. Maybe Essex is a mutant too. Remy wont ask, does not want to be seen as rude. 

The hand does not leave Remy’s and it keeps the panick from sloshing over and burning a acidic river down his back. He tightens his fingers ever so slightly. Essex shifts a bit and pats Remy’s hand gently with his other hand. Remy relaxes again. They restart their conversation.

They do not pause again until…

Remy hears the door open and the creak of the floor. There is a deep growl and a chufff of breath. 

Creed.

Remy leaps up and rushes to the door. 

“Creed! Minou!”

Remy is scooped up and his head is nuzzled happily. 

“Cub. Cub.”

Creed’s clothes are wet and cold, snow melting beneath Remy’s finger tips. He nuzzles up under Creed’s chin happily chirping.

“Im so glad you came. I was worried that the storm-”

“No storm can keep me from you. Especially not one made by the lame villain of the week.” 

Remy sighs happily. 

“I know. Youre the best.”

The world feels safer with Creed;s warm arms wrapped about his waist.

“Come on. Lets get you something warm to drink. Oh! And I get to introduce you to Doctor Essex!”

Remy shifts so his feet are back on the ground and he tugs eagerly on Creed.

[gurugirl]

I miss the priest and his pet!!

What about if we get to kind of see a continuation of where she was sitting on his lap with him inside her while he was getting his homily ready at the end of part 3??? Because that was hot and I want to know where that went. There’s no way they didn’t have hot seggggs after he was done.

Summary: Harry lets you sit in his lap while he finishes his homily. But you continue being a brat so he has to take further measures to get you in line.

A/N: Thank you for this request! Loved writing this one - though it's been in my drafts for months! Enjoy babe! 4k words

Warning: 18+ only, smut, bondage, overstimulation, cage play, dom/sub dynamic

Priest!harry Masterlist

✞✞✞✞

Excerpt from Ch. 3 of Forgive Me, Father (read for refresher)

“You’re naughty today. You were given a lot of attention already this morning pet. You know the rules. But let’s try something else now. Climb up into my lap and sit over me. But you have to stay still, otherwise, I’m going to tie you up and put you in your cage where you’ll stay until I’m done.”

Harry helped her stand up and she sat over his lap, facing him. Harry held onto the base of his cock as Y/n angled herself to slip down over him. She watched his face as she slowly encased him and Harry was barely holding it together. He pulled her into his chest and she tucked her face into his neck so he could see his work as he scooted back up to the desk and picked up where he left off once Y/n had coated him with herself fully. The tiny squeezes and clenches felt good around Harry’s big dick, but he remained calculated as he read the scripture he was using for inspiration for the homily he was preparing for Sunday mass.

✞✞✞✞

Y/n was a very good girl for nearly ten minutes. Harry was impressed. His pet had been a bit of a brat all day but it seemed all she needed was just to be close to Harry. He'd let her sit with him as long as she kept still.

Her warm breath was humid against Harry's neck and he could feel her breathing in soft puffs. Her naked body sat against his clothed one as she gently shifted over him.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment to call on a higher power to control himself. The girl was warm and wet and her walls were clenching around him each time she tilted her hips.

Harry was prepping for his Sunday homily. It was a Friday and it was important for him to have it ready that evening so he could go over it again the following night to make sure he hadn't missed anything.

He scribbled a note in the margin of his Bible and then jotted down a verse in his notebook when he noticed his pet shifting back and forth very very slightly. The tiny tick of her hips and the way her pelvis tilted and she squeezed around him was delicious but he needed to finish before they could really get to playing.

"Little girl," he said in a tone of warning, "what did I tell you?"

Shifting back a little so she could look up at him she rounded her eyes sweetly and batted her lashes, "Sorry, Father. I'll stay still."

"Not what I asked you. What did I tell you was going to happen if you didn't stay still?"

She bit her lip and let her eyes wander to the side of the room before slowly bringing her faux innocent gaze back to Harry, "You said you would tie me up and put me in my cage."

Harry hummed, "That's right. If you do that again I will have you sitting in your cage away from me until I'm done. If you're a good girl for me, you can sit here in my lap and you'll get to feel me inside of you the whole time. And when I’m done, then we'll play."

Y/n nodded. Her soft bottom lip bit into her mouth.

Harry pulled her into his chest as he turned his attention back to his homily. Y/n sighed and he could feel her fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt. But she was being good keeping still and not moving over him. For a few more minutes.

Harry's focus was already interrupted by having her in his lap as her soft and wet pussy kept his cock nice and warm. But when he noticed her breath pick up and he felt the way she was gently pulsing herself around him he sat his pencil down and she moaned at the small movement he made and then rocked down over him once. And then twice. A third time.

"You're a brat today. So you'll get the punishment a brat deserves," he spoke and he moved her off of him and stood up, grabbing her by her ponytail and leading her to the bedroom.

"Father! Please! I need you! Please!!" She squealed as he opened up the cage.

She put her hands onto his forearms and he let go of her hair, "Get in."

Immediately she fell to her knees and grasped onto the fabric of his trousers just under his knees, "No. Please! I just... I need you so bad today. Father," she pressed the top of her head into the space between his knees before slowly craning her head back to look up at him, blinking her eyes with her lips set in a pout, "please."

Harry stood tall and unmoving. He wasn't buying her act. She loved all his attention on her when they were home alone together. It wasn't the first time she'd interrupted his studying because she was too needy. Sometimes he'd give in but the more he gave in, the more she did things like this, thinking she could possibly persuade her dominant to let her have her way.

She needed to learn her lesson. He couldn't leave another homily prep until the last minute. He hated to rush. Hated to feel like he wasn't prepared. He'd allowed it too many times, secretly enjoying the way she needed him and begged for his attention.

"In the cage."

Y/n let go of his pants and put her hands in her lap as she looked down. She wasn't moving.

"Do as you’re told like a good girl."

No answer. Just a huff.

Harry sighed and shook his head as he went to the dresser and removed the red cotton bondage rope.

Kneeling behind her he pulled at her arms and drew her wrists behind her back and began winding the restraints together upward toward her elbows until the fit was snug and she would be unable to get out but not so tight that her circulation was cut off.

As he stood, he pulled her with him, grasping the back of her arm, and brought her into the cage, where he had her sit on her pillow, moving her legs to the side and began to wrap more rope around her ankles.

She didn't say a word as she kept her head down.

"There," the priest spoke when he'd finished tying her up as he stood to close the door.

"Please don't go,” she spoke with her face still downcast.

Harry latched the door closed and paused, "Look at me, pet. Right now."

She turned her head and tilted her neck back so she could look up at him.

"Are you okay?"

She sat for a moment as she blinked her eyes. She just wanted his attention. She hated when he was so focused on something else.

"Please will you give me one more chance? I'll be good this time."

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head, "I have to get my work done. You are making it impossible. Last week you pulled something like this and I had to rush through finishing my homily last minute,” he swiped his tongue over his bottom lip and tried to keep a grin from breaking out onto his face (because she was so cute and he actually enjoyed this kind of play with her), “You’re naughty. Stay in here until I’m done. And I don’t want to hear a peep from you either or I’ll have to gag you.”

He took the skeleton key from his pocket and placed it into the lock, twisting it and securing the door. Harry looked back over his pet to make sure she was okay. As much as seeing her in the cage with her hands and ankles tied gave him a tinge of excitement, power he always wanted her to be okay.

When Harry left the bedroom he closed the door behind him and she whined quietly. She knew she deserved this. And he might not fall for it anymore. Last week she really made a scene. She was a brat, interrupting his work repeatedly. He spanked her. She resisted. So he put her in her cage (but made the mistake of not locking it because she promised to be good) but she got out and crawled to him begging for his attention. He put her back in the cage, tied her arms above her head, and gagged her. And by the time he sat back down he was fully distracted, turned on, and too much time had gone by to get his mind back into his work. So he didn’t finish his homily that night. Rather, he listened to her muted whines and grunts from his work desk and planned out a more appropriate punishment for her.

And now, a week later, here they were again. He loved to play with her. He enjoyed their dynamic but she had been quite a lot brattier over the more recent weeks. So he was being made to stay on his toes with her. It was fun. He actually liked this. But he truly did have a homily to finish.

She was tempted to call for him. Or whimper loudly so he could hear it. But she decided against it. She didn’t know what had gotten into her exactly. She just liked having his attention on her. Liked it even if was in the form of punishment (but of course she liked punishment and spikes of pain that led to an overflow of oxytocin afterward).

She shifted on the pillow, trying to keep herself in a comfortable position, sitting on her bottom and bending her knees into her chest. She used her feet to push herself back against the cage to lean onto the cool metal, her arms behind her digging into the bars. She rested her head back and closed her eyes. She’d try to be a good girl for her priest. Y/n knew getting his homily finished was important to him.

With every line Harry wrote and each passage he read and contemplated, he couldn’t get over how quiet she was being. Why was he now unable to stop wondering what she was doing (which was obviously nothing because he’d tied her up and locked her in her cage) when he’d finally gotten her to be quiet and could focus on his work?

He groaned and closed his eyes. It had only been about a half hour and he had made some ground in preparation for Sunday, but he didn’t get as far as he wanted. He hoped to be mostly done at the half-hour mark but he was far from it. In fact, at the pace he was going it would take two hours to have everything prepped.

Looking toward the bedroom door he had an idea. It would make for a long night but in the end, they’d both get what they wanted and he could clear his mind to focus on the task at hand when he was done with her.

She popped her eyes open when Harry stepped into the bedroom, “Father! Are you done?”

Harry unlocked the cage door and grasped her underarm to help her scoot out of the metal enclosure and he lifted her up to bring her to the bed, “Not yet. But I’ve decided to show you mercy.”

The truth was that he was just as needy. His cock was still half-hard in his pants the whole time he’d been studying and so he was really the one that needed mercy if he were to tell her the whole truth. He needed his urges soothed.

Lying on her side she stretched her neck to see what he was doing behind her but he was across the room and she was unable to get him in view.

“Need to calm you down. Make you feel all soft and pliable so I can get my work done finally.”

Y/n grinned to herself. She knew the truth. She’d been good and quiet for a while but he couldn’t stop thinking about her and now he was the one that needed to calm down so he could concentrate. She’d done her job then.

When she felt the bed dip and Harry grab her wrists, he pushed at her to lie face down into the mattress. He lifted her ankles up, pushing them close to her wrists behind her back, and began tying another rope in between to attach her ankles and her wrists.  

He tugged at the braided material when he was done and grunted. She felt the mattress shift and she turned her head to look at her priest but he swatted her bottom with the leather paddle and she squealed, “Face down.”

She could hear him removing his clothes. She loved to look at his body and ogle him. He was fit and muscular. And he was strong. He always handled her as if she weighed nothing and she knew it was because he was in such good shape. But she took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she kept her face into the comforter below, using her sense of hearing to determine what was happening next.

Harry kneed up behind her and nudged her thighs apart so he could have access to her. Smoothing his hands over the outside of her thighs and up to her hips he pulled at her and lifted slightly before she felt his fingers spreading her cheeks apart.

She was vulnerable tied up this way. She couldn’t move much. She was able to open her thighs up and twist to her side but that was about it.

Suddenly Harry’s fingers were in her ponytail and he pulled her head up with one hand as he stuffed the gag ball into her mouth with the other. He buckled the gag in place and released her hair so her face fall back into the mattress. But with the gag, it was far less comfortable. She’d deal with it, though. She’d had worse.

“Was this what you wanted?” Harry spoke in a deep voice. Dominant and dark.

She moaned as a response and the priest laughed, “Oh. My sincerest apologies. You can’t talk right now, can you? Well, I guess that’s a good thing since you’ve been trying my patience for most of the day. I’m gonna fuck you and make myself come. I don’t care if you come at all,” his words were tight as he pushed his thumb into her labia, already wet for him. He actually did care if she came. In fact, the intention was to make her come until she couldn’t take it anymore. And since Harry knew just how to do it and make it happen fast, he was going to torture her with overstimulation until he finally came himself.

A stinging smack against the side of her bum with the paddle caused her to groan but the next smack had her eyes watering. The third rendered her silent as drool pooled onto the blanket below her mouth where she was gagged.

When he’d gotten her nice and red, and the skin was raised and hot to his touch he chuckled at how quiet she’d gotten. But the glistening from her pussy was the giveaway indicating how much she enjoyed it. She loved being spanked. He loved spanking her.

Suddenly she was being pulled at again, her hips brought up another few inches when suddenly she felt the cool silicone of one of the vibrators enter her pussy. Harry pushed it in slowly but she was fully aroused and ready for it. He brought it into her until it was secured and the front tip of the silicone that laid against her clit was in place. She knew this vibrator. This was the one that had her coming fast because of the way it vibrated against her clit and curled into that yummy spot on the inside. He turned it on and cooed at her when she moaned around the gag, “S’good isn’t it pet? This’ll have you nice and subdued for me while I come in your ass.”

She was already shaking and her heart was racing by the time Harry had prepped her bum for his cock, adding lube and fingering her open.

Harry could hear the way she was moaning and breathing through her nose heavily. He’d have her nice and worn out for him by the time he was done.

Filling her bum slowly she suddenly stiffened and her muffled moans were louder, “Aww, poor baby. Did you need to come? You can if you need to.”

As he continued to prod into her he could feel her clenching around him and he held the vibrator back in place as the way she was squeezing and pulsing nearly had the toy being pushed out, “Ah ah ah… this stays in.”

She wasn’t in any mind to understand what he was saying as she had her first orgasm, letting the electricity heat up her core as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. When she began to come down she squealed as the vibrator was buzzing against her sensitive clit. She tried to cry out around the gag but the noise was muffled and her drool only increased. Her chin and cheeks were drenched. But now she was feeling his cock too. He was slipping himself in and out, pressing into her deeply and moaning above her as her pussy was still being stimulated.

Harry kept his hand on the vibrator as he fucked her. The vibrations filling her insides and tapping into his cock the entire time. It felt good. Harry loved fucking her when she had the vibrator in.

“Your bottom is all red but your pussy is dripping pet. You’re so needy today. You were even taken care of this morning and yet here you are on the cusp of coming a second time in less than five minutes.”

Harry smirked as he eyes the scene below. Her ankles and wrists tied together behind her back, her sore bottom needing a bit of soothing (which he’d get to later), her pussy packed with the vibrator and the little nub at the end dancing over the hood of her clit, shiny with arousal, and his favorite thing to see; the way his cock filled her bottom and how she opened up wide for him.

Each time Harry’s hips met her ass she was shoved forward slightly. He was inside of her deeply, moving in and out, making her brain turn to mush when suddenly she was hit with another wave of ecstasy. She gurgled and clenched hard around the toy and her lover’s cock as he continued pounding into her.

Harry closed his eyes and groaned. He needed to last as long as possible, which he knew wouldn’t be long with how worked up he’d been and good she felt around him at that moment.

Her shaky limbs were stunted by the rope as he fucked into her fluttering muscle.

“Fuck…” he let out a curse. His own hips stuttered as he struggled to keep it together. But part of her punishment would be to come a couple more times. He knew he could hold out.

She whined and arched her back at the excess of sensations. Her clit was revolting, her pussy was clasping and leaking, her ass was getting stuffed so hard it ached.

Harry buried himself into her and paused for a moment, the little toy buzzing and making him moan. He had to still himself for a moment before he came as his balls were already tightening and preparing for his orgasm.

But the way his orgasm continued to slowly build he knew he had to pull out. The vibrations alone would make him come. He slipped himself out and panted as he held the vibrator inside of her and used his other hand to hold the rope to keep her position for him.

She was making soft little whimpers and her hips were gently swaying as she was trying to fight the hyperstimulation. But she was powerless against it. Because she began to come again for the third time. Harry choked out a moan and watched as her body convulsed and her neck tightened, causing her head to lift upward. Her tensed muscles had her constricted limbs jerking in compact little movements.

When she had come down from her orgasm and began to wiggle away from the vibrator (which was impossible as he kept it in place with his hand) he finally dipped himself back in and gasped. His cock twitched and the sensation was delicious.

“Gonna come again, pet? Bet this will teach you to behave, won’t it?” His words were panted as he languidly pushed and pulled himself into and out of her tight hole. His thick cock was being squeezed and petted by her insides as he sunk into her repeatedly.

He watched her closely as he clenched his jaw holding back his orgasm. He wanted her to come once more before he poured into her.

And it came quickly. When her body tensed again and her soft muted moans grew louder around the gag he began to pump himself into her harder and faster as his release finally took over.

She jerked around him as she came and he pushed into her until his come was filling her. He stopped his hips as he spurted warm sperm from his tip inside her but her body was trembling and lurching.

It was so much. So much. She thought she would simply cease to exist. Her body didn’t feel real. Her insides were melted by his cock and the vibrations from the toy. It seemed as if she didn’t exist as a human, but only a thing that kept coming involuntarily and was being used as a holding vessel for her priest.

When Harry clicked the toy off she felt her heart beating again but her mind was elsewhere. Her body floating in the clouds above.  

The priest pulled his cock out and watched as his come dripped from her ass. He’d leave her lying on her side, filled with his come, tied, and gagged as she came down while he finished his homily.

Now he was ready to get his work done. His mind was cleared, his body relaxed. And afterward, he’d untie his sweet girl and kiss her all over, put her in a warm bath, and speak softly to her as he brought her back.

He kissed her temple as he gently laid her on her side, “Stay here and relax. I’ll be back for you, pet.”

She was in a dream state with her eyes closed and her body like jello so she didn’t even notice when he finally returned and his warm hands deftly untied her until her arms and legs were free and the gag was removed. He kissed her wrists and her ankles and her bottom before placing her in a tepid bath. He held her to his chest and whispered to her.

“Such a good girl. I love you, pet. My little sweet submissive. I’m right here when you’re ready.”

She could hear him. His words and his voice but to unscramble the sentence and make any sense of it was difficult at first.

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms and squeezed every now and then to switch up the sensation and bring her back as he continued speaking into her ear, “Tomorrow we’ll have a movie night. Whatever you want to watch,” he chuckled when he felt her move and she groaned lightly, “How does that sound?”

Harry stayed with her and coaxed her back slowly with soft coos and touches, damp presses of his lips on her neck and cheek.

They’d both gotten what they wanted. Harry finished prepping his homily and Y/n had gotten his attention. He adored having her so soft and gooey after she came so many times and her body was limp, but he loved it even more each time she began to come back to him, her doe eyes blinking and soft sighs falling from her mouth.

Helping her dry off and steadying her as he brought her to the couch with a big blanket he tucked her in and brought her a warm tea with honey to share.

“Father?” Her first real words to speak since he’d had her gagged.

He looked at her as he secured her red leather collar back to her neck (which he’d removed before the bath) and her eyes were on his, “Yes, pet.”

“I’m hungry too.”

Harry smiled and took the mug from her hands and placed it on the coffee table.

“You know what? So am I. I’ll make us some cucumber tomato sandwiches with that cheese you like. Does that sound good?”

She nodded and hummed, “Yes, Father. Thank you.”

Feedback/Thoughts | Support Me! | Main Masterlist

Thank you for reading! I appreciate any support so remember to comment, reblog, & like 💕

Tags: @michellekstyles @golden-hoax @a-strange-familiar @reveriehs @yousunshineyoutempter @the-gardener-31 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @swiftmendeshoran @luvonstyles @tiaamberxx @lukesaprince @harrys-foxy @dirtytissuebox @closureesny @lhharrylilpumpkin @chaptersleftunwritten-deactivat @justlemmeadoreyou @harrysmimi @itsgigikay @angelbabyyy99 @lllukulele @lanadelharry @novasblogofstuff @gills-lounge @damnasstyles @malwtilda @walkingintheheartbreaksatellite @0oolookitsme @babybunharry @anothermannharry @love-letters-to-uranus @itjustkindahappenedreally @love-all-things-writing

[bireggiemantle]

this is for the jabitha fic prompt!

Jughead and Tabith and Fencing. Because he was coached by Donna and lost to Bret and Tabitha was a champion 🏆 fencer who won against a demon.

ty for the ask! I'm very out of practice with writing so I hope this is what you were looking for :)

-

Tabitha's the kind of woman to take on a hundred hobbies at once. Jughead has seen her come home with armfuls of oil paints or with bags full of doll parts, covering their coffee table with scraps from each new venture, until it felt like she had no more hobbies to try.

They have mugs that she's sculpted with Cheryl and CDs piled in the corner from her karaoke days with Toni. They have an ever-growing bundle of yarn on the chair in their living room and an equally ever-growing stash of crocheted beanies tucked in Jughead's corner of their closet. They have LEGOs and wood carvings and models of the buildings around town, and their house has slowly become something akin to an art museum, but Jughead absolutely loves it.

Maybe it's because Tabitha loves to work with her hands, or maybe it's because she seems to loathe relaxation, filling every quiet moment with upbeat music and a new activity, but it's most likely a combination of both factors.

Recently Tabitha's been going on runs with Archie. She asks Jughead every morning if he'd like to join them over two cups of his perfectly brewed coffee, even though they both already know the answer. The offer is still appreciated, though. Jughead likes to feel included, even if he ultimately won't be. It's just to be thought of.

And it isn't like sharing a hobby is new to either one of them. Jughead loves handing each draft over to his favorite editor and watching her pace around the apartment as she reads every word. And Tabitha loves teaching Jughead the ins and outs of whatever skill she's managed to acquire that week (most of the LEGO sets in their apartment were a joint effort), so it really shouldn't come as a surprise when Tabitha bursts through the door with a wide smile and a pair of blunt swords.

"You ever fenced a three time state champion before?" she asks, offering him the hilt of one sword.

Jughead grins, wrapping his fingers around the leather binding. "Not yet, but I think that might change soon."

"Well," Tabitha tosses her purse on the kitchen table and readies her own weapon, "would you like it to change now?"

Jughead's smile widens. "Couch?"

"Couch." she answers, and they briefly drop their weapons to readjust their living room's layout. Every fencing tournament needs an arena, and there's no such thing as an arena full of furniture.

With their coffee table and sofa now flush against the wall, Tabitha takes the first step towards the center of their empty room.

"Have you ever actually done this before? With a three time champion or not?"

"A few times. I wasn't very good."

Tabitha winks. "Maybe I'll go easy on you. Do you know the rules?"

"Is one of them..." Jughead trails off before jabbing his sword to the right and just narrowly missing Tabitha's side. "not to catch your girlfriend off guard and win through the element of surprise?"

"Only if..." Tabitha swings her own sword towards Jughead, this time lightly tapping him in the chest with the round tip. "another one is to always kick your boyfriend's ass."

Jughead rolls his eyes and steps away from her blade, readying his own sword once again. "Ready?"

"Oh, bring it on, Jones."

[vesperstalksclones]

Wrecker x Mando Femme OC

The Naked Truth

(18 +) explicit

So this is a gratuitous smut snippet of a Wrecker centered Bad Batch story, post Order 66. But of course, I'm writing the juicy parts first lol. I wanted to post because who knows if I'll finish it, and tumblr needs some Wrecker smut! So, following is unprotected sex, a difficult first coupling, ample fondling, and one surprisingly gentle guy, which is still pretty rough since he's built like a draft horse.... and hung like one... 😳

Quick synopsis:

(OH please pardon my lazy editing, I forgot to go spell check my Mando'a, so I kriffed up a few things 🤨)

The crew have been hiring themselves out to make $$ to fuel the Maurauder, buy supplies, etc. They take a job as armed support for a Mandalorian cell on a rather obscure outer rim planet, who have been clashing with the local crime syndicate. He meets Kessa-Lan, a stoic female warrior with a knack for explosives and an excellent rifleman. Of course our big goofy boy is smitten instantly, but her voice! Its all husky and full of pepper (think like Demi Moore) and he is going to die from loving it. But.. she refuses to take her helmet or armor off in his presence, but not because of strict code; Kessa was injured badly several years ago when her village was attacked by several of the crime family's enforcers. The burns resulted in the loss of her right arm, and her neck, shoulder, and face on the right side are terribly scarred. She has no ear on that side, and half her face is covered by cybernetic skin, with a replacement eye as well. She grows her hair in to thick braids, woven with beads and mementos, so that the locks can hide some of the disfigurement. She is ashamed and afraid that he wouldn't be so enamored if he saw her properly. So some stuff happens… pew pew, boom, pew, etc,etc. Wrecker ends up captured by the crime syndicate's local cell, with a few of Kessa's Vode, and he recognizes their sigil as the group who destroyed Kessa's village and harmed her so terribly. He manages to trick them into bringing him to a meeting hall alone, so they don't use the others as human shields to keep him in check. He taunts the leader in to a one on one fight (they think he's heavily sedated) and when they've uncuffed him, he visits some terrible hell on the three odd dozen elites, but suffers serious injuries in the process. The Bad Batch finds him and rushes off planet to an old friend with a bacta tank and the medical skills to save him. Upon returning, the Batch proceeds to obliterate the criminals and Wrecker seeks out his love interest, hoping she is at least a little bit happy to see him.

 

       OOOOO Here's the good stuff OOOOO

Wrecker Circled her silently, looking her up and down with a quiet intensity. A few times he stilled, and she felt the calloused pads of his fingers ghost over a scar or a patch of freckles. Stopping behind her, his hands came to rest on her shoulders, thumbs caressing for a moment before they slid to her wrists and gently lifted her arms to the air. She felt him shift, no doubt examining them as he had done the rest of her, running his fingers along the lengths, assessing the differences between the one, flesh and bone, and the other, cold cybernetics. 

"Beautiful." He whispered so low she could barely make out the word.

"Hmmm?" 

"Beautiful, Mesh'la." He reached for her wrists again, raising her arms higher and positioning them around his neck, "You're a dream come to life." 

She leaned against him as his lips brushed her undamaged shoulder, nibbling a gentle path towards her neck. 

Retracing the path along her arms, he splayed his fingers wide and his great hands smoothed along her sides and over her hips, climbing up over her abdomen and ribs in slow circuits. When his lips reached her cheek, she turned her face, catching them with her own, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her torso, pulling her as flush against him as he could manage. He sighed into her mouth, kissing and licking at her softly. 

For a moment Kessa was able to appreciate that no matter how brutally strong this behemoth may be, he had an inherently gentle heart. She had half expected to be flung down and ravaged by Wrecker the moment she bared her skin to him, as eagerly as he had flirted with her and as hungry as his eyes always were. She certainly hadn't expected this sensual caressing as he savored her in his arms. Despite the tautness of every muscle she could feel against her back, and the slight tremor in his hands, he held himself quiet and steady.

He broke away from her, turning his gaze back down her body, thoroughly enjoying the view. He slumped backwards, leaning against the crude table, hands full of her breasts as he arched her against him, and she hissed as he toyed with the dark peaks of her nipples. He experimented for a few moments, weighing her in his hands, varying the force of his grasp, rolling and pinching at the buds until he found just the right movement to make her whimper.

"That's right Sugar, sing for me so I know what you like…." he growled low in her ear, his voice growing impossibly deeper. One of his massive paws had crept to the juncture of her thighs, and he traced the crease thoughtfully. "Spread your legs, Dala. I want to touch you". 

She obliged, wiggling her hips as she did so, feeling his hard member ride up against the small of her back. Wrecker hummed in appreciation, as his fingers crept into her warmth and, finding her slick and eager for him, dove right in. Seeking out the bundle of nerves at the front, he stroked with two fingers, trapping the delicate flesh and sending marvelous tingling sensations through her belly. 

"Remember… my tongue was here before…" he whispered, ".. but you hid the rest of you then, all tucked away in that armor and that helmet… killed me to have to listen to you through a moderator." The two fingers flexed and curled, and then plunged inside her, and she clamped around them with a ragged moan, her jaw dropping open from the sudden intrusion. " Kriffing hell! That's nice!" he gasped into her neck.

He thrust into her eagerly, dragging his thumb across her clit each time, spurred along by Kessa's mewls and cries. 

"Fuck! That voice ad'ika! Just listening t'ya could finish me!" He scraped his teeth along her jaw, and she could feel him trembling against her, his breath warm and moist at her ear. "So many times, all I could think was what you'll sound like when you take my cock."

She squirmed, rocking her hips and riding his hand. "Ah.. Wrecker! I want you inside me cy'aire, please!"

"Not yet, doll. Ladies first, then we'll see what happens." He couldn't ignore the burst of sensation brought on by her plea, begging for him to stuff himself between her thighs, and he couldn't help but to roll his hips against her, finding small satisfaction in rutting against her lower back.

"So tight, love. I'm giving you another…" he ground out hoarsely, before adding a third thick finger to her besh, groaning in satisfaction as she arched against him with a sob. "I'm so 'fraid I'll hurt you." 

He felt her relax after a few thrusts, her slick running down the back of his hand. Her sounds were growing more frantic, and she was moving against him with purpose… "Are you there Sugar? Give it to me doll, come for me…let it go..." he pleaded gently.

She pulled his hand roughly to her breast, and he massaged and plucked at her roughly, causing Kessa to yelp and tighten around his knuckles. He stroked her only a few more times before she stiffened and shuddered, giving a broken cry. Wrecker watched in awe as the climax washed over her features, feeling her body contract around his fingers, her nails scraping at his shoulders. He could have wept at the sight, her lashes fanned over her dark cheek… the slight chatter of her teeth as her head lolled against his shoulder.. She drew out such profound feelings in him, his beautiful, pepper voiced, warrior goddess… that is if he wasn't so insanely desperate to pound her 'til her bones rattled.

Chest heaving, Kessa made to move away and he withdrew carefully. She turned and plastered herself against his chest, beaming up at him, one soul-less cybernetic eye blazing red, the other an explosion of green and gold and brown, a swirl of starlit colors as stunning as the glowing gas nebulae he had seen in his travels. 

 "Now!" She gasped, breathless still, "I want you on top of me!"

"Hmmmm.. mesh'la I don't dare."

Her eyes widened in confusion.

"Kess'ika, there isn't a soft surface anywhere in here; I'd beat you to hell darlin. I know my strength and I know how stupid I'm gonna get." 

He rose from where he leaned against the rough work table, considering it carefully.

"But this'll do, I'll break this instead!" He shoved it back hard against the wall with a soft chuckle and turned to reach for her. She came to him eagerly, and he scooped her up, grinding her against  him a few times with a satisfied groan, and he deposited her on the surface. 

"You're ready for me?" He asked, drawing himself close between her legs.

"Um-hmm. Wrecker, take this off." She demanded gently, tugging at the skin tight black shirt he wore. He obligingly peeled it upwards and felt her hands on his skin before it cleared his shoulders. Flinging the garment away he admired the look on Kessa's face as she explored his chest and abdomen. 

"These look terrible." She whispered, her fingers ghosting over the newly healed blaster wounds. 

He gently butted his head against hers. "They're worth it if it means you sleep better at night." He grinned as he kissed her; she framed his face with her hands, deepening the kiss, and when he opened for her, Kessa's tongue brushed over his, making him see stars. 

He jerked his trousers down his thighs and pressed her backwards upon the bench. Wrecker grasped her knees, spreading her wide before him and rolled himself against her, gliding his rigid cock through her wetness for good measure. She pushed up on her elbows, watching him thoroughly wet himself, before fisting his member and aligning himself with her opening.

Seven hells, he was big, well proportionally correct anyway for a man the size of a mountain, and she realized his purpose in using his fingers first... it would have been difficult without some preparation. He pushed against her, gritting his teeth with strain. Her jaw fell slack as he stretched her, his rounded head easing its way in. 

"Is this alright cy'aire?" He hissed. "Hurts?"

He paused, shaking against her as he struggled with his overtaxed libido. 

"Yes, love, I'm alright," she held his gaze, wanting him to see clearly that she wasn't lying for his benefit. She groped for his hands where they held her hips tightly, clinging to them for stability. He continued to push in to her, pausing to withdraw and return to claim another inch of her space. Her muscles burned as she took him, but it wasn't unbearable and each gentle motion felt better than the last. 

"Give me all of you, Wrecker. I'm ready," She gasped. 

He watched her for a moment, sweat beading on his forehead from the tension, and then flexed his ass and plunged forward, landing flush against her thighs and she wailed under him.

"Fuck! Kessa, I'm sorry! I'll stop…" 

"No! Wrecker don't you dare!" She dug her nails into his wrists. "Just hold still a moment." She drew a deep breath willing her protesting muscles to relax, as he gently kneaded her hips.

"Kessa, we don't have to do this, love..."

"I'm ok cy'aire. It's just.. it's been a long, long time, and you're… well… you!" She gave a tug at both arms. 

"Again, just start slowly, I was made for this, you know."

"To be mated by a bantha??"

She burst out laughing, and his eyes rolled back in his head from the contractions it caused around his cock. 

"Jengo's bones woman! Kriffing HELL that feels amazing!"

"You said before you liked my voice enough to get off on it," She quipped, a coy look settling on her face.

"No doubt."

He stooped and kissed her hungrily, before bracing his palms on the table and tentatively moved his hips against her. Gradually he withdrew and then returned, filling her to bursting. She felt him drag against the most deliciously sensitive places, and each one sent hot electricity up her spine. Catching his honey brown eyes, she nodded and he quickened his movements, breathing raggedly from the sensations. 

"Kessa… " he uttered her name again and again, like a prayer. " Oh… Kessa... Gods… you feel so good, woman.. I can't…  I can't believe .. you let me … touch you like this!" Wrecker gasped, punctuating his words with sharp thrusts. "Wanted you for so damn long. Want you for myself… keep you…  My woman.."

"You'd better ruin every other cock for me then" she replied, the words turning in to breathy moans. 

With a sound somewhere between a groan and a snarl, he roughly gathered her up in his arms, his kiss pressing her into the table, his thighs slamming forward harshly against the wooden edges - and they were vaguely aware of the sound of something breaking. She mewled into his mouth, clawing at his back and neck, desperate to pull him closer than he already was. 

"Are you going to come on my cock, love?" He growled. She couldn't do much more than whimper. "Come on mesh'la, scream for me. Wanna feel you!" He reared up, cradling her hips in an iron grip as he rammed into her, feral noises curling from deep within his chest. Kessa dug her nails against the table, watching his member disappear within her again and again, shining with her slick. She knew that she only ever wanted him. No other man should ever have her this way. 

"Wrecker… I love you cy'aire, only you.. I'm yours however you want me.." she cried as her tension built, her release looming. "Come inside me cy'aire, I want you to…" something shattered within her and her climax washed over her. The world turned upside-down and the stars exploded in her eyes, and she screamed, just like he'd asked..

Seeing Kessa coming undone beneath him, her hot tight muscles contracting around him proved his undoing. A hard thrust, and another, and the third had him surging into her, her cries ringing in his ears; a more beautiful sound he had never heard, and his own climax claimed him, drawing blackness across his eyes. 

He didn't quite faint; he was still sailing on the ripples of the best orgasm he had ever had, and his vision slowly came to focus. Kessa was watching him with a look of immense satisfaction, like a proud loth-cat who had just eaten the proverbial song bird.. He was trembling still, with the occasional harsh shudder as she continued still to tighten and relax against his softening cock. 

He reached for her chin. "Kessa, did I hurt you sweetheart?"

"Yes." She groaned. "It was amazing. Do it again."

He wasn't quite sure what to make of that, when she grabbed his neck and pulled him down for a wet kiss.

 "I meant what I said. Wrec."

He grinned crookedly and kissed her back. "We need to find a proper bed darlin'. 

Pretty sure this pic is by Mollo101; whose Star Wars art is AMAZING!! Sorry so dark and melancholy, but there is a lack of Wrecker fanart out there!

[helloalycia]

solar flare // kara danvers

SUMMARY: Unaware that your girlfriend is Supergirl, things get a little confusing when she gets into an accident that should have threatened her life.

WARNING/S: mentions of death.

Author's note: this has been sat in my drafts for a looooong time, along with a bunch of other stuff that I'll probably be putting out over the next few days. Sorry it's a little shit lol 

masterlist

       I felt my dreamscape fading as I realised somebody was shuffling next to me, eventually making me open my eyes tiredly. I realised it was Kara, evidently uncomfortable, trying to find a comfortable position. I groaned quietly, trying to wake myself up a little more so I could ask her what's wrong.

       "Sorry," she whispered, sounding exhausted.

      "Mmmt's okay," I mumbled incoherently, before motioning for her to come closer.

      She instantly moved towards me, tucking her head into the crook of my neck. I wrapped my free arm around her waist, resting my hand on the slight exposed skin where the hem of her shirt was. I heard her breathe out contently and I pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head before trying to fall asleep again.

      That morning, I ended up waking up before Kara, so I did my usual boring routine before deciding to cook some breakfast for us both. It didn't take long and by the time I was done, Kara walked into the kitchen area, a sleepy smile on her lips.

      "Good morning," she said, approaching me with open arms.

      I accepted her hug with a smile, kissing her cheek before saying, "Morning, sleepyhead. I made breakfast."

      "I can see that," she noted, staring out at the island, where everything was. "You didn't need to do that."

      I ushered her to take a seat as I said, "It's nothing special unfortunately. Just some eggs and whatnot. Buuuuut I figured since I'm here, I may as well make the effort. It might make you reconsider about us moving in together."

      Kara sighed, massaging her forehead with discomfort. "Y/N..."

      "If it's about staying in your flat, I'm completely okay with it," I added hopefully. "I mean, of course I'll miss my place, but if it means I get to see you every day then it's worth it, right?"

      "Y/N, please, not today," she said, giving me a pleading look. "I'm just... I'm not in the mood."

      I breathed out slowly. "Right, sorry."

      Kara and I had been together for almost two years and I had proposed the idea of us moving in together a few months ago, since we pretty much spent most nights together anyway. I was instantly met with rejection, Kara claiming she wasn't ready. At first, I respected her decision, hoping it was just nerves and she'd eventually come around, but I was still waiting for the latter to happen.

      I served up breakfast and the two of us sat there in an awkward silence, until I finally decided to say something.

      "We still on for drinks with my friends after work?" I asked, glancing up at the quiet blonde.

      Kara's expression told me everything I need to know - she'd forgotten. After swallowing a sip-full of orange juice, probably to buy time, she nodded. "Yeah, yeah, of course. I'll be there."

      "You sure?"

      She nodded. "Of course."

      "If you're not up for it, it's fine," I said, giving her a knowing look.

      "I said I'll be there," she promised, dropping her fork to grab my hand and give it a supportive squeeze. "I'm not feeling well, but I'm sure it'll pass. Sorry for being off this morning... you hate me?"

      I gave her a small smile, unable to resist her adorable sparkling blue eyes. "I could never."

***

      "...it worked out though because I got the promotion, so yeah, that's how I got here," Y/BF/N finished explaining with a bright smile.

      "She says it so simply, but it took a lot of hardworking and perseverance on her part," her boyfriend, Hasan, added, making me laugh.

      "Oh, shut up," Y/BF/N said with a blushing face, nudging her boyfriend in the arm.

      I smiled at the two of them, admiring how cute they looked. I was having a long overdue catch up with my best friend and also meeting her new boyfriend. Well, they'd been together for almost six months, but he'd been on a business trip, so I was only just now meeting him. Kara was here, too, as promised, but she was acting a little off, worrying me a little. She was usually a bubbly personality, especially when it came to Y/BF/N, but all she'd been doing this evening was giving one-word responses and playing with my hand under the table.

      "You guys want any more drinks? I'm gonna get another," I said, already standing up.

      "Yeah sure, same again if you don't mind," Y/BF/N said.

      "Thanks," Hasan added, nodding.

      "Same again, got it," I said, before looking to Kara. "C'mon, Kara, you can give me a hand."

      She seemed reluctant, but nodded and allowed me to drag her away from the table and to the bar. I ordered the drinks as Kara spoke.

      "Did you really need my help to carry two drinks?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

      I gave her a knowing look. "Kara, I asked for you help because I want to know what's wrong with you."

      "What do you mean?"

      "Kara, you know what I mean," I said. "You're acting weird and the others are beginning to notice. What's wrong?"

      She sighed, frowning and avoiding my eyes. "I don't really want to be here..."

      "Here's your drinks, Miss," the bartender said, pushing two glasses towards me.

      "Cheers." I nodded his way before looking back to Kara with worried eyes. "I asked you this morning if you were still up for it. And again before we came in here."

      "I know, but I just don't feel well," she admitted, giving me an apologetic glance, "and you were really looking forward to tonight."

      I grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "Kara, I'm sorry if I made you feel like you had to come tonight. That wasn't my intention"

      "You didn't," she reassured, meeting my eyes.

      "Well, either way, I think we can call it a night," I said, giving her a small smile.

      "You don't have to leave just because of me-"

      "It's okay," I cut her off, grabbing the drinks from the bar. "Come on. Let's go back to mine."

      She followed me to the table and I set the drinks down before grabbing my jacket.

       “I'm really sorry, guys, but Kara isn't feeling too good, so I think we're gonna call it a night," I said with an apologetic smile. "It was really great to catch up though, and of course, to meet you Hasan."

      "Aw, okay, I hope you feel better, Kara," Y/BF/N said, standing up and pulling us both in for a hug. "It was nice to see you both again."

      "Thanks," Kara said, forcing a small smile.

      "It was a pleasure, ladies," Hasan said, giving us a quick hug. "Hopefully we can meet again soon."

      "Of course," I agreed, looking between them, before putting some money on the table. "Drinks are on me. Enjoy yourselves."

      Kara and I left the bar, only to find ourselves in some terrible weather. It was chucking it down, making us both stay standing under the the umbrella extending from the roof of the bar.

      "Damn, okay, this isn't going to help with you not feeling well," I muttered, glancing out at the road to see if I could spot a taxi. I looked to Kara, saying, "Just wait here. I'm gonna try and get a taxi for us."

      Kara nodded and I headed out from the umbrella, feeling the cold rain smack down on me harshly. I sighed and stood on the edge of the pavement, looking out to see if I could spot a taxi in the distance. Eventually, in the darkness, I could spot the familiar yellow bumper of a taxi under the nearest street lamp, so I raised my hand to get its attention. It flashed its headlights briefly, so I lowered my hand and watched as it came to stop by me, except as it tried to pull over to the side, its tyres skidded in the rain and propelled the car towards at me at a dangerous speed.

      I barely had the chance to register what was happening because everything moved so fast. One second I was stood at the edge of the pavement with headlights beaming at me, and the next I was on the wet ground, trying to understand why people were shouting around me.

      "Miss, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

      I looked up and saw a stranger trying to help me stand up. I looked around with confusion, only to see a few people gathered around a body in front of the taxi. A few more people were helping the taxi driver out of his cab and I realised that I was about to get hit, but someone had pushed me out the way. Wait a minute...

      "Kara?!" I yelled, shoving the stranger out of my way to see if Kara was where I left her, but she wasn't.

      I immediately ran over to the body in front of the taxi and felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach when I saw the state she was in.

      "Kara, oh my god, no, Kara," I cried out, kneeling by her side.

      She was bleeding from her head, it soaking into her wet hair. The rain was washing the blood into a puddle all around her, which made me see the odd angle her leg was twisted in.

      "Please open your eyes," I begged, my own eyes blurring with tears. I cupped her face, hoping she'd wake up, but I knew it was impossible. I leaned down and held my breath, hoping she would breathe to let me know she was alive. After what felt like forever, I felt a tickle against my skin, and I sat up with relief.

      "We've called an ambulance, Miss," someone said from behind me, but I couldn't formulate a response because I was too focused on how pale Kara was getting as each second passed.

      The ambulance arrived soon enough, but I couldn't remember the specifics because it went by in a blur. They were hooking Kara up to a bunch of machines and it was frightening me, seeing her look so vulnerable. I must have called Alex at one point during the ride because when I got to the hospital and ushered to the waiting room, Alex was already there.

      When she saw me, she immediately came to give me a reassuring hug.

      "I'm sorry, Alex, I don't know why she did that," I rambled out, feeling the guilt sink in. "She said she didn't want to come and I shouldn't have made her because then we wouldn't be in this mess. I'm so sorry."

      Alex grabbed my arms and looked me in the eyes. "Y/N, calm down, it's okay. You can't blame yourself for what happened. But I need you to listen carefully, okay?"

      I nodded, still feeling discomfort in my gut.

      "I'm going to talk to Kara's doctors and get her transferred," she explained.

      I furrowed my brows. "Transferred? Why would you do that?"

      "I'll explain after, I just need you to stay calm and know that Kara will be okay."

      I shook my head. "Alex, she looked really bad. I'm scared that... I don't know."

      "I promise you she's going to be fine," she said confidently. "Now, I'm gonna talk to the doctors and when I get back, we're gonna take a drive."

      "Alex-"

      "Trust me, Y/N," she said, giving me a slight nod before leaving me standing in the waiting room, wondering what the hell was happening.

      Alex returned, as promised, and she led me to her car before driving us to God knows where. I tried to get some answers out of the older Danvers sister, but she refused to budge and insisted I'd find out eventually. So, I was left to worry about Kara's life and wondering why Alex was so sure she'd be okay. It was her little sister and she didn't even seem concerned?

      We reached our destination soon enough and I grew confused as I saw how secure this location was. I'd probably walked by this building so many times, yet never questioned its existence. I'd apparently never noticed the armed guards at the doors either.

      "Come on, this way," Alex finally spoke when we left the car.

      I sucked up a shaky breath and wiped away at my tears as I followed her through the building. The guards by the door seemed to know who she was as they straightened up with respect and let her pass. We took a lift up to which Alex seemed nervous, glancing my way every now and then. I desperately wanted to ask her where we were and if Kara was here, too, but I knew she'd give me the same response each time, so I stayed quiet.

      Finally, the doors opened and I widened my eyes with surprise, taking in the vast room before me. There were people dressed in uniform all around, some at control panels and their attention focused on the giant monitors on the wall, others walking around with serious expressions.

      I followed Alex like a lost lamb, letting her lead me up some stairs onto the balcony above. I tried to look around the room for a symbol or a logo - something that would tell me where we were, but I couldn't find anything distinguishable. I continued to follow Alex until we reached a room with glass windows, allowing me to see inside. I did a double take when I realised Kara was inside, laying on a bed, motionless.

      "Kara!" I shouted, already running inside to her bedside.

      I startled some of the (what I'm guessing are) nurses, as they moved out of my way. Alex waved her hand, signalling for them to leave.

      "Why is she here?" I asked, worriedly, realising she wasn't in surgery or being treated for her visible injuries. "What's this...?" I motioned to the light sources above her, emitting some sort of yellow light on her pale skin. "She should be in surgery or something. Alex!"

      I looked over my shoulder to see Alex stepping by my side, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and leading me away from her bedside for the moment. I wiped away my tears and waited for an explanation.

      "I know you're confused and you're scared, but Y/N, I need you to listen to me," Alex spoke calmly, never breaking eye contact. I nodded as she continued. "As crazy as this sounds, you need to believe what I'm about to say. Kara needs you to."

      "Alex, you're starting to scare me," I said, feeling shivers run down my spine. "What's wrong with Kara?"

      Alex bit her lower lip before taking a breath. "Remember how I said Kara is gonna be fine?" I nodded as she continued, "Well, she is. She looks battered and bruised now, but it's because she exerted her powers and has momentarily lost them. A solar flare."

      I stared at Alex like she was a ghost. "What the hell are you talking about?" I was convinced she'd lost her mind at this point. Maybe it was the shock of Kara's accident or something, but she was definitely not making sense.

      "Y/N, Kara is Supergirl," she said bluntly. "The reason she's been off lately is because she's been agitated that she doesn't have her powers and she can't help people."

      I gave her a confused look. "Alex, you sound insane!"

      "Look, we're at the DEO," she continued to explain, not fazed by my judgemental expression. "I'm the director. We work to handle any extra-terrestrial threats invading our planet and we do that with the help of Supergirl."

      I felt my heart rate increasing with every word she spoke. I could barely keep up with what she was saying.

      "My parents adopted Kara when she landed on Earth," she explained, and I tried to understand. "She wears those glasses to hide her identity and to help with her x-ray vision."

      "X-ray vision?" I squeaked helplessly.

      She nodded. "Yes. I can even show you the suit, but Y/N, I'm telling you this because I need you to understand that Kara will be fine. She's technically vulnerable like a human, but as soon as her powers come back, she'll heal with those UV lamps and be absolutely fine."

      Alex searched my eyes to see what I was thinking. I stared at her, letting her words digest, before finally speaking.

      "Please tell me you're joking."

      She groaned, before grabbing my shoulders. "Y/N! Look at her!" She twisted me around, forcing me to look at Kara. "She's Supergirl! You have to believe me."

      I knew she was right, as much as I didn't want to admit it. If I admitted it, it meant that she didn't trust me with her secret and that she made me worry for her life when she would be fine this whole time.

      "She didn't tell me," I finally spoke, my voice barely above a whisper.

      I calmed down a little, reassured that she would be okay, but that didn't change the fact that I thought she was going to die not long ago. I felt like hot water bubbling over, trying to settle after someone turned the gas off, but I couldn't quite keep up.

      "I'm sure she had her reasons, Y/N," Alex began sympathetically, but I cut her off.

      "How do I get out of here?" I asked, tearing my gaze away from Kara and looking to Alex.

      "You're leaving?" Alex sounded surprised.

      "She'll be fine, right?" I asked and Alex nodded, about to respond, but I rolled my eyes and gave her a sarcastic smile. "Of course she will be - she's the Girl of Steel! Now, how do I get out of here?"

      "Y/N, come on," Alex tried to reason.

      "Come on what? She didn't-" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "She didn't tell me. There's nothing more to say. Now, please let me go home."

      Alex searched my eyes for something more, and when she found nothing, she sighed and nodded before leading me out. I glanced at Kara one last time, feeling distaste at the thought of everything that had just happened, before following Alex.

***

      I found myself lounging on my couch the next day, sulking into a bowl of popcorn as I watched The Office reruns. I was trying to use the show as a distraction, but all that was on my mind was Kara. I tried to imagine her as Supergirl, remembering all those times I'd seen the hero on the news or flying in the sky. That was her.

      All those times when she'd bail on a date last minute, or when she'd leave a date early... it made sense. Why she didn't like the idea of taking a mini vacation with me, or sleeping over at hers all the time. I thought it was a weird quirk of hers, or that she was insecure about something, but no, she was too busy flying around National City.

      And that explained why she didn't want to move in together. She hadn't told me the truth about her, so moving in and seeing her act even more secretive would raise questions. Here was me thinking she was losing interest, but no, she was hiding a huge part of herself.

      I constantly tried to wonder why she didn't trust me. I mean, almost two years of being together was a long time. I thought I knew everything about her and vice versa. Why was this any different? I could care less if she was an alien and she knew that, so what was the reason?

      Kara let me believe she was human. Vulnerable, breakable and soft, like me. She got hit by a car and let me believe, even for a moment, that she could have died. That it would have been my fault that she died, or at least, suffered major injuries. She let my mind run around with those horrible thoughts and scenarios, let it break me apart as I watched her limp, bruised and battered body lying on the wet tarmac.

      She didn't tell me the truth.

      I groaned loudly and stuffed more popcorn into my mouth when I realised I was getting stuck in my thoughts all over again - the same thoughts that had kept me up all night. I tried to focus my attention on what was happening on the TV when I heard a knock on my door.

      I rolled my eyes and glanced at the door before choosing to ignore whoever it was and wallow in my own self-pity.

      "Y/N, I know you're in there!" a voice called from the other side of the door, and I recognised it as Kara's.

      I clenched my jaw and ignored her.

      "I can see you watching TV," she said in a hushed voice. "Please open the door. I have to explain."

      "That must be the x-ray vision, right?" I called back, bitterly.

      I heard her sigh. "If you don't open the door, I'm gonna come in."

      "That would be breaking in," I reminded her, before getting comfortable on the couch. "Go away."

      It went quiet and I assumed she'd listened, but then I heard a loud crack. I looked to the door with a puzzled expression and stared wide-eyed at Kara, who had twisted the door knob enough to break the lock. She stepped in and pulled a face at the slight crack in the lock.

      "I'll get that fixed, I swear," she said quickly, glancing up at me.

      "You can't just break into somebody's home like that!" I yelled at her, standing up to glare at her.

      "You're not somebody," she pointed out, closing the door behind her, "and I told you I would come in."

      I crossed my arms across my chest, narrowing my glare. Admittedly, I was taken aback by the lack of injuries she had. Or should I say absence of injuries. I knew Alex said she would heal like nothing had happened, but it was different to see it with my own two eyes. It was like the accident had't happened. The colour was back in her skin, her head wasn't bleeding, she was walking. She looked as good as new, save for the sudden super strength I had just witnessed. Another thing I should have expected but was still surprised to see.

      "I have to explain myself," she began, carefully.

      "Alex caught me up on everything," I said angrily, "Supergirl."

      She frowned, looking down at her shoes guiltily. "I wanted to tell you, Y/N."

      I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Was that before or after you almost died? Because saving an important piece of information like the fact that you're fucking indestructible would have been nice to know before I thought you were going to die because of me!"

      "Y/N-"

      "No!" I shouted, feeling my eyes grow watery at the reminder of last night. "You let me believe the worst, Kara! I thought you were going to die! You didn't see what I saw, okay?! There was blood and there- there were so many scratches and the puddle was turning r-red and I thought you were leaving me and it- it would be my fault because I made you come to see my friends and- and- and-"

      "Y/N, it's okay," she cut in, moving forward to stand me up straight.

      I was crying, I realised, my throat closed up and my vision blurred. I was too upset to push her away, and the warmth coming from her skin reminded me that she was here and alive and well, only intensifying my sobs.

      "Y-you should have told me," I cried into her shoulder. "I thought you were going to leave me."

      She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed gently, reassuringly. "I know," she agreed, her voice hoarse. I felt her nod several times as she said, "You're right. I should've told you. I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm so sorry."

      I swallowed thickly, trying to get rid of the lump in my throat. "Why didn't you?"

      She breathed out as I quietened down, managing myself the best I could. She pulled away, letting me see her glassy blue eyes behind her glasses. She pulled her glasses off, pocketing them, before rubbing the bridge of her nose and meeting my eyes again.

      "It wasn't because of you," she reassured firstly. "It wasn't. I just kept putting it off. I didn't know how to say it and I never found the time. It's a stupid reason, I know. I wish I had something better. But I don't. I can only apologise, Y/N."

      I pursed my lips in thought. Her eyes were darting between mine nervously and I tried to think what I could say.

      "Do you hate me?" she spoke quietly, almost expectantly.

      I felt her grip on my waist loosen as she prepared herself for my answer. I shook my head.

      "I could never hate you," I answered. "I love you, Kara."

      A hint of a smile ghosted her lips as she looked down, breathing out with relief.

      "I want you to tell me everything," I continued, earning her attention. "I want to hear it from you."

      She nodded. "Of course."

      "And I want you to be honest with me from here on out," I added, giving her a knowing look. "You can't hide stuff from me, especially when it involves Supergirl."

      "I promise I'll tell you everything," she said with a nod.

      I read her expression, sensing the honesty. Satisfied with my instructions, I moved forward and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. I closed my eyes, appreciating her presence, even if she pissed me off a little.

      She returned the embrace, pressing a kiss to my neck before pulling me closer.

       “You'll never lose me," she said quietly. "I promise."