#maybe do THREE questions instead of one or the occasional two? ...

[sammrapp]

Wanda Maximoff

"THE QUESTION"

part three here

part 4/?

The soup is thick and slightly salty, the kind that sticks to my ribs and doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. Wanda serves it without ceremony, sliding a bowl toward me, then sitting across from me again with her own. We eat in near silence, broken only by the occasional clink of a spoon against the bowl. I notice how Wanda holds herself — carefully, almost politely, as if she only recently remembered how to perform the motions of ordinary life. She doesn't slouch. She doesn't fidget. She just… exists, with the kind of stillness that doesn't belong to people who slept well. When we finish, Wanda gathers the bowls, washes them by hand in the sink, and then dries them with a dish towel that looks handmade — maybe by someone else. I don't offer to help. It doesn't feel like help is what she wants. The fire has already died down to embers. I sit with my knees pulled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket I hadn’t realized I had been given. Wanda returns without a word, stood for a long moment looking at me.

“I have a spare room,” she says finally. “You can take it.”

I furrow my eyebrows as i turn my head to look at her. “You don’t even know me.”

Wanda tilts her head slightly. “I know those men. That's enough.”

The words weren’t quite cruel, but they were tired. Heavy. Wanda crosses her arms, her gaze flicking briefly to the window, where only black trees stared back. “I don’t need help. I don’t want to order you around. But…” Her voice dipped, rawer now. “If you’re going to be here… I’d prefer the company so it's not silent. It isn't a plea but the statement around the sentence bent like it wants to be.

I sit up straighter. “You want me to stay?”

Wanda's eyes met mine, unreadable.

“Just… talk to me sometimes. Be here. That’s all.”

My chest starts to ache — not from the bruises this time, so I nod.

“I can do that.”

Wanda doesn't say anything, but her shoulders ease a bit. She turned and began walking toward the narrow hallway beyond the main room. I stand, following her carefully, barefoot on creaking floorboards. The hallway is narrow and dim, the wooden walls closing in on me. Wanda walks ahead of me, not looking back, but she moves slowly enough for me to follow without rushing. As we pass one door — closed, locked by the looks of it — a trace of something hung in the air, so thick it made my skin get goosebumps. Wanda stops at the end of the hall and opens a door; Inside is a small bedroom. Clean, but clearly unused. A simple bed. A small dresser. A shelf with a few books and an empty vase. The window is covered by dark curtains, and the floor creaks as i step inside. On the wall, above the dresser, a small painting. It's clearly Wanda; a man and two small boys. The lines are rough, the colors faded but its clearly her. I turn back slowly. Behind me, down the hall and in the living room, i catch sight of something else i hadn't noticed before: a basket tucked beside the fireplace. A twin pair of small boots. A set of toys — still clean, untouched by dust — stacked neatly as if they're waiting for playtime that hasn't come. Wanda doesn't explain any of it. She just stands in the doorway, watching me. Her voice, when it comes, is quiet and soft.

“There are towels in the chest. The window sticks. You can open it if you use both hands.”

I nod slowly, my throat tight. Wanda lingers just a moment longer, like she might say something else — a warning, or a rule, or just a thank you carved in her own unspoken language, but instead, she gives a short nod.

“Goodnight, Sam.”

And then she turns, shutting the door before her footsteps soft as she vanishes down the hall, leaving the room — and its silences — leaving me alone. I sit at the edge of the bed, glancing towards the picture above the dresser. Wanda is smiling and seems genuinely happy in the picture. something I haven't seen from her yet. will I ever?

I sigh to myself as I finally peel off my boots and slip into bed, I pull the blanket up to my chest as I lay down. I glance towards the picture again, staring at it as my eyes slowly droop until they stay shut and I drift to sleep.

[pagesofkenna]

Finally went through and rearranged my podcasts (I'm subscribed to way too many podcasts

Green = podcasts I'm actively keeping up with whenever they post (also basically in order of which I'm most anxious for new episodes for currently)

Blue = podcasts I'm kinda keeping up with, or newly added and slowly catching up on

Purple = podcasts I'm not really keeping up with but will occasionally check in on if I need something different to fill the air

Red = podcasts which aren't actively posting/are on hiatus and which I'm waiting for new episodes of

Orange = podcasts which aren't posting and I don't really expect new episodes of, but I want to stay subscribed to Just In Case

Yellow = podcasts I've newly subscribed to that I either haven't tried yet or don't have time to invest in yet

[philosians]

ɪɴᴅᴜʟɢᴇɴᴄᴇ

a three week paid-vacation provided by your captain gave rise to the opportunity to finally show you the gift sylus had gotten you. and no, it isn’t the yacht you’re on—but he wouldn’t be opposed to giving you that either.

[ !! ] — mdni | established relationship, smut, breeding kink, pregnancy mention, fingering, oral (female receiving), praise kink, mating press, unprotected sex, sylus is soft in the bedroom okay now hush ;; alcohol mention (sylus drinks whiskey), fluff. oh did I mention soft! sylus?? uhhh maybe more tags than this idk there’s a lot going on lmao. unedited af I know that’s a warning. if y’all see cut sentences just know it’s a brain glitch >.< lol

a/n: Happy Valentine’s Day! phew i got this out before it ended hehe just in the nick of time. I do wanna forewarn everyone I don’t actively write smut so I deeply apologize for any sort of repetitiveness or just it being inaccurate and rushed overall, my apologies. but please enjoy reading! bc i wanna curl up and die and delete this after writing it actually lmao I’ll probably never write anything like this again haha

word count: roughly 4.8k

The starry expanse of sky moves quickly outside of the window of the car, nothing but a blur of cosmic colors. Where you’re going you’re not quite sure, with all the secrecy from Sylus and the twins. It’s something Sylus has clearly planned for awhile, from the way he wanted you to dress tonight, but you’re still unable to put your finger on it.

At the very least, you’re glad that Kieran is the one that’s driving instead of Luke.

“Are you two going to tell me where we’re going yet?”

“Afraid not, Miss,” Kieran replies. “That’d be against orders from Boss.”

“Are we at least almost there yet?” you ask.

“We have about ten more minutes,” Luke chirps. “Then you’ll finally get to see Boss, don’t worry.”

You’re stunned into a mild fluster and look at your hands in your lap. You heard the twins snicker and you can’t help but shake your head incredulously. Oh well. You’re almost to your destination anyway.

After the last two months of an increase in Wanderer appearances, you could most certainly use a break. It’s been nothing short of hectic, battles here and evacuations there and the occasional dumbass that doesn’t want to listen to the warnings given out that an area is too dangerous to go into.

You softly sigh. You really shouldn’t be thinking about work.

You tug the large coat on your shoulders over you further, closing your eyes and sinking into the warmth and the smell of the man it belonged to.

Whatever in the world Sylus had planned must be big, even so that he couldn’t be bothered to tell even the twins exactly what he had in store. All the three of you knew was that he had a surprise, and the two brothers were more than happy to have the opportunity to have the base to themselves.

You just wish you knew where you were going.

“Is this it?”

“I think so. Ah, there’s Boss.”

Oh, already?

True to word, you open your eyes and see a familiar patch of silver against the darkness of the world. And you also happen to see a very, very large yacht not far from him.

A marina? You blink incredulously. A private fucking marina. Good lord, how much money does this man really have?

Upon stopping, you watch as Sylus turns his head slightly to the car. Luke quickly jumps from the passenger side and opens the door for you, ushering his hand outward dramatically and says, “After you, Miss.”

The heel of your shoe clicks against pavement as you step out, holding Luke’s hand for stability until you find your balance.

“Thanks, Luke.”

“Not a problem! Enjoy the honey— Uh, vacation!”

Luke jumps back into the car, more than likely to save himself from your questioning eyes. You can’t help but shake your head and make your way toward Sylus and the man in uniform, more than likely the captain of the yacht.

“Ah, Mrs. Sylus,” greets the captain with a tilt of his hat. His eyes blink as he does a once-over on you and then laughs. “I was wondering what kind of woman would tie such a man down, and now I understand. Please, come aboard.”

Your brows raise at Sylus as the captain pivots and boards the yacht. “Care to explain that?”

Sylus, in all his audacity, simply shrugs and smiles. “Nothing to explain, sweetie. He came up with that himself after I told him my lady would be joining me.”

You scoff in disbelief, but can’t help the small smile that falls to your lips. You take Sylus’s arm, wrapped your hand in the crook of his elbow as he leads you onto the ship.

“It’s beautiful,” you murmur, gazing around as he takes you to the deck. And you could only imagine what it would be like when you went out to sea.

“I figured you would like it,” he murmurs. “Glad to see my instincts weren’t wrong.”

You don’t miss the way his red eyes look to you, knowing he’s waiting for your words of affirmation. You laugh behind your hand, because yeah, he’s right.

You hum, taking his hand in your own. “Thank you for considering me.”

You also don’t miss the way his large fingers eagerly twine with your own, nor the way his eyes soften and blend with devotion and affection.

“Always.”

Thirty minutes pass before the ship takes off into the open sea. You barely feel it until Sylus has you stand to take you back outside from the dining area.

“So, where are we going?” you ask, gazing up at him.

Sylus’s mouth twitches into a smirk. “It’s a surprise.”

You grumble, humoring the man. “Of course it is.”

Sylus’s coat never leaves your shoulders the couple hours you’re both out on the deck. He seems to enjoy that, too; you wearing his clothes sparks something behind his eyes that you’re all too familiar with. The thought itself has your cheeks warming and thighs pressing together.

He flicks his wrist to check his watch when a timer beeps twice. You can’t help it when your eyes linger on his hand. You’ve always had a fixation on his them—on how big and warm they are in comparison to yours, on how his long fingers stretch across your body, and how they gently wrap around you and pull you close like he’d die without touching you. Those hands that had once forced you to attempt to resonate with him for three days had become soft, remorseful and loving. And he’d more than earned your forgiveness.

“Dinner should be ready.”

You grin. “You brought your chef?”

“Just for this trip,” he retorts, standing to full height. “Come.” His hand outstretches to you and you take it without hesitation.

You don’t miss the way his eyes briefly light up at the way your fingers immediately interlace with his. It’s a small joy to you, but to him it means everything—a testament to how far the two of you have come.

Dinner, as always, is perfect. Dessert even more so. You’re not too full, but more than satisfied. You give your compliments to the chef, who in turn happily skips back to the kitchen like he’s on cloud nine. And you can’t help but look at Sylus and smile as he downs his whiskey like it’s water.

“You don’t compliment your chef enough,” you comment. “One sentence from me and he acts like he’s never heard praise.”

Sylus hums as his brows raise, humored. He chuckles with the whiskey in his mouth before swallowing it to retort, “He knows his cooking is excellent. I suppose I just have a limit to how many compliments I can give out in a day.”

You place your chin in your hand. “Oh, really? Then how many do I get to have in a day?”

Adoration fills his ruby orbs. “As many as you want, my beloved.”

His hand reaches for your left over the table. Sylus’s thumb rubs over your fingers, resting atop your ring finger.

“Have I told you that you look exquisite tonight?” he whispers.

“You haven’t,” you reply cheekily. “I think you owe me a few more, don’t you think?”

The soft music in the background dies as you begin to hear your heart thunder in your ears. You do hope that Sylus can’t hear it pounding away like you can.

“Seems like I do,” he says in an exhale, leaning back in his seat but not letting go of your hand. His eyes have changed—once filled with adoration, now filled with a fire that makes heat rise to your cheeks and desire burn between your legs. “I don’t think I’ve shown you the bedroom yet, have I?”

You grin. “You haven’t. I’d like to see it.”

But what you don’t anticipate is your man standing and abruptly lifting you into a one arm carry. Your sharply inhale in surprise, arms immediately weave around his neck for support, but you know he’d never drop you anyway.

You trail your nose under his jaw, pressing a long kiss to his skin by his ear. Your fingers dig into his shoulder, the subtle presser making him hasten his long strides.

“Sweetheart—” Sylus gulps as you press two fingers to his mouth to silence him.

You pepper slow kisses down his neck, nipping at the skin every other kiss. It’s when you reach his collarbone you hear the click of a door. And seconds later you find the plush fabric of blankets underneath you and Sylus’s firm hand cradling the back of your head as he tilts your head back to capture your lips with his.

Between each heated kiss you attempt to catch your breath, only for your lover to devour your mouth with his own again and again.

“Mmmh— Sylus, let me—” another kiss “—catch my breath.”

He has a hard time pulling away. Sylus rests on one knee at the edge of the bed, hands grasping at the back of your bare calves as he catches his own breath and tries to pull himself back to his senses before he finishes himself off early.

While you toss your head back and close your eyes, trying to let oxygen catch up to your brain, Sylus lifts his head to look at you. He drinks in your appearance—the starry night sky sewn into the strapless obsidian dress (one that he had specially made for you) accentuated your body exactly the way he envisioned.

As he watches your breasts rise and fall with every breath, he feels his pants tighten even more. He’s so painfully hard just from simply kissing you—a testament to what you do to him, how deeply you affect him.

He rests his head against the plush of your thigh. As he trails his hand down your leg, he realizes you still have your heels on.

Your head snaps up at the feeling of one heel coming off, then the other.

“Sylus, what— Oh, shit.”

The momentum of him lifting your body further up the bed and hiking your dress up catches you off guard. His mouth latches to your thighs, kissing and biting all the way up until he reaches the fabric of your panties—the only thing between him and what he wants.

“Such a dark red, darling,” he hums. “Was this for me?”

“It might’ve been,” you tease.

As his finger loops around the red fabric covering you, Evol ready to help rip it off, your hand makes its way into his hair and tugs, forcing his eyes to attention.

“Rip these, I’m okay with that. Rip the dress, and I’ll kill you,” you say, half-joking. But damn did you really like this dress.

He chuckles, eyes glazed with lust. “Understood.”

As soon as he tears them away and hikes your dress even further around your hips, Sylus’s mouth does nothing short of devour your pussy. You let out the loudest, wanton moan you’ve ever heard from yourself as his tongue buries itself in and against your folds. Your head falls back against the pillows, hands moving to grip the sheets beneath you to maintain some semblance of being grounded as Sylus eats you out like a starved man. Your legs are over his shoulders, allowing him the best access to your womanhood.

“Oh— Fuuuck, Sylus. Ohmygod, please don’t stop,” you beg, threading one hand through his hair again, grip tighter than earlier.

His reply comes in the form of him pushing his thick middle finger inside of you and mouth sucking on your clit. You wail, bucking your hips into his mouth. His ring finger promptly follows, stretching your cunt and sinking deep inside of your walls. Tears of overstimulation line your eyes as you grasp at then pillow behind your head.

Both hands twine into his silver locks of hair, pressing him deeper into you. What you miss amidst your own haze of ecstasy is Sylus grinding himself against the mattress to find some sense of relief. His mind is at war, wanting nothing more than to cum right then and there versus wanting to watch his seed spill from your hole. It takes every ounce of self-control of his own body to not climax while he simultaneously loses his mind while his mouth is attached to your cunt.

“Don’t— Please— Sylus! Sylus, I’m gonna—”

Your back arches off of the bed, and you can’t help but press him further into you and grind against his face. Sylus’s arms wrap around your thighs, holding you steady. The deep groan of his satisfaction that leaves him only spurs you on further and further and further until your thighs clench around his head and you cum. Hard.

And Sylus more than enjoys sucking and licking away at your release as you climax, prolonging it as much as he can. He lifts your lower body into the air as he continues his onslaught of your pussy with his mouth and tongue, the pressure of your thighs on either side of his head making him dizzy. Your essence coats his chin and nose, your scent driving all his senses wild and pulls the remainder of his blood down to his cock.

He gains a free hand as you tighten your legs around his shoulders. He unbuckles his belt and slips it off with practiced ease before moving to unzip and unbutton his pants, tugging away at them.

When your hips stop shaking is when Sylus grabs your thighs with both hands and sets your body back down on the mattress. He hovers over you once again, taking in your disheveled appearance and partially-lidded eyes. His long fingers brush your skin and cradle your jaw.

“Still with me, sweetheart?” he asks.

You pant and gaze up at him. “Barely.” You swallow. “That tongue of yours is brutal.”

Sylus laughs. It’s almost enough to make him forget about the painful fact that his cock is straining against his pants. Until your knee brushes against it when you lift yourself from the bed and he groans.

You giggle as his head presses against your shoulder.

“You really shouldn’t neglect yourself like that,” you hum, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Sylus’s lips meet your neck opposite of your arm wrapped around him and presses a long kiss to your sweaty skin, murmuring hotly into your ear, “There’s no one to blame but you, beloved. And I highly suggest you take responsibility.”

You moan and arch into him as his hands work on your dress, unzipping the back entirely and lowering it just below your breasts. You arch your back so he can undo the bra, and as soon as it’s on the floor, his mouth is on your chest. Sylus sucks and bites at your nipples, worshipping them and your breasts as he grinds his clothed erection into your bare pussy, soaking his dress pants in your juices.

You begin unbutton his shirt through the haze of your desire… before you slip your hands through the remaining buttons and fully rip his dress shirt apart, exposing his thick torso. You both chuckle at the sound of the buttons hitting the floor.

“Impatient?”

“Like you aren’t,” you remark.

Sylus shrugs off his shirt in a fluid motion and tosses it to the side from one arm. You manage to slide off your dress within a few moments, just as Sylus manages to get off his pants and briefs and… Oh…

You’d almost forgotten how big he is. Sure, the two of you have spent a couple more… sensual evenings together since you had him use your place as a safe house (and then him bringing you to his), but it always makes you shudder when your eyes land between the apex of his muscular thighs.

His tip weeps with precum, heavy cock red and flushed and—

Sylus’s breath is hot against your ear as he asks, “Like what you see, darling?”

—goddamn it you need it inside of you.

Your nails dig into his bicep, your other hand wrapping around his neck to pull him into a heated kiss, and Sylus is more than happy to oblige. His kiss is deep and reverent. A small moan escapes him as you two briefly pull apart for air before diving back into one another.

Everything is hot; your cheeks are flushed with the heat of desire and your pussy aches to have Sylus buried inside of you.

You pull him down on top of you with the arm around his neck, your other hand grasping his cock and positioning it at your entrance. Sylus hisses, hips bucking slightly as his fingers clench at his attempts at restraint.

“Fuck,” he pants. His red eyes clear for a moment, turning into a gentleness reserved for you as he asks, “You think you can take it?”

“I think you ate me out enough earlier I’ll manage,” you joke. Then your nails dig into the meat of his back, the sensation making him softly hiss again. “But if you don’t I’ll be doing it for you then.”

Sylus chuckles, nose dipping to your collarbone.

“My beloved is always so greedy, isn’t she?”

There is no retort from you—only a loud moan as Sylus’s tip enters you fills the room. He stops after that though, and as you look up to him to ask him why he stopped, you’re stunned at the sight before you.

Sylus is flushed red, panting and sweating as his muscles flex.

“Sylus?”

“Don’t,” he warns, shaking his head. “Give me… a moment. You feel… too good.”

The implication is clear. Sylus’s head falls as he inches himself a little further, delighting in hearing you gasp as he sinks more and more inches of himself inside of you. It takes all he has not to just cum at the feel of you; every ounce of self-control he has is being tested. He’s never been harder in his life, and being inside of the woman he loves—who feels like heaven wrapped around his cock—only proceeds to spiral him into a deeper pit of pleasure.

“Sylus… Sylus, more, please,” you hears you beg.

He’s halfway in, trying to take his time and let the romance of the evening last. But at that, and the sensation of your nails digging into his back, he finds himself a goner and lets his hips fall into yours, sinking the remainder of his fat cock into the depths of your wet pussy. A deep shudder passes through him, bliss running through his body.

“Fuck. Fuck, you feel divine,” Sylus says in a deep exhale.

“You’re so big,” you gasp, eyes clouded with the haze of lust. “Oh, Sy, you feel so good.”

The praise goes to his head immediately. He drags his cock back out slowly and a whine escapes you, hating the emptiness. But when Sylus places your legs over his shoulders and leans over you, it’s over for you both.

Your eyes roll into the back of your head as Sylus rolls his hips, sliding his full length back into the warm expanse of your pussy. His head falls back, and the pace he sets proceeds to bury you both alive underneath overwhelming ecstasy.

“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he pants, clenching his fist into the sheet. “How I feel every time I look at you? Utter perfection is all I see. Do you feel what you do to me, darling?”

All you can feel is Sylus’s weight on top of you and the feel of his heavy cock inside of you as he stretches you open on him, carving your pussy into the shape of his cock. His pelvis rubs against your clit deliciously, spurring you on further. As much as you want to drive your hips up to meet his thrusts, Sylus has you pinned down into a mating press and all you can do is take what he’s giving you.

The papping noises of your bodies meeting filled the room, sending your thoughts into an even dirtier place. He feels so good reaching so deep inside of you, tip rubbing against that special spot perfectly, like you’re made to be perfect for each other. You clench around Sylus at another thought and he inhales sharply.

“What’re you thinking about?” he questions.

You shake your head. “N-Nothing.”

His long fingers grab your jaw gently. “Tell me.”

And then he slows his pace. “No, Sylus—”

“Then tell me what my beloved is thinking in that pretty head of hers,” he murmurs into your ear. “Or else.”

“I was thinking… about… Uhm…” Sylus rolls his hips back into you, his heavy balls pressing against your ass as he awaits your answer.

“Well?”

“I, uh— A baby.”

At the word, you shy away into your arm. But Sylus doesn’t say anything, which makes you confused. After a couple seconds, you gaze back up at him. His eyes show how stunned he is, pupils blown as no doubt the word also revolves around his own mind.

“Sylus, I— Oh, fuucckk.”

His body weight presses your body into the mattress further, leaving you at his mercy as Sylus’s pace becomes brutal, like he’s let his base instincts take over. His big hand finds yours and twines your fingers together as he drives his cock into your pussy over and over and over again, the squelching noises only growing louder and louder in your ears.

“My kitten… wants a baby then?” He hums into your ear. “She wants me to cum inside of her and carry my baby, is that right?”

“It was… just a thought.”

He laughs as your pussy clenches around him more at his words.

“Seems like it’s more than just a thought.”

Sylus’s mouth meets yours in another kiss, powered by something more than just lust. Your brain turns fuzzy and hot, reality beginning to finally blur as another climax ascends from the depths of your core.

Your eyes shut as his mouth finds the sweet spot on your neck. He sucks and nips at the skin with his teeth and you’ve no doubt that there’ll be plenty of love bites scattered across your skin for days after tonight.

When he nips at your ear, you squeak and clench around him again. Sylus groans into your ear, “Do that again.”

You oblige, clenching down on him and making him piston himself in and out of you faster. Every thrust turns into one that pushes the air from your lungs. All you can see, all you can feel is Sylus—feel his body heat as he presses your body down with his; feel the thickness of his cock stretch you open and the weight of his balls as they slap against your ass.

And it feels so good. The shlick and pap noises are getting to you. The coil that’s been winding up all night finally feels like it’s about to burst. Your back arches off the bed, breasts pressing into Sylus’s firm chest.

“Ohmygod, Sy, gonna cum, gonna cum fuckfuckfuuucckkk!”

He nips at your earlobe, biting down on it gently before whispering into your ear, “Indulge, my love. Indulge and I’ll fulfill every single one of your desires tonight.”

At long last, the coil snaps. Euphoria pilots itself to your brain and all across your body. You shake from the intensity, having to wrap your arms around Sylus to ground yourself as you reach your high.

Your orgasm sends him over the edge. He thrusts a few more times before he finds himself pressing himself as deep as he can possibly go and releasing his seed inside of your pussy. It’s almost too much, even for him. He doesn’t think he’s ever cum harder than tonight.

Your bodies rock together as you both fall from the heights of cloud nine. Sylus peppers your sweaty skin with kisses, across the bruised love bites he’d left earlier.

It’s only when he feels himself soft enough to slip out of you does he ask, “A family?”

Sylus’s voice is soft. So soft in fact that you barely hear him. You take a moment to reply, only to find yourself being easily lifted from the bed and onto Sylus’s chest.

“It’s… Something that’s crossed my mind a few times,” you admit bashfully.

Silence fills the air for a moment before he asks again, in the same, quiet tone he’d just used.

“With me?”

Your smile stretches across your face instantly. Your lips meet his chest, right over his heart. Your eyes meet his—uncertainty meeting unconditional love.

“And no one else.”

The next three days after are filled with you and Sylus partaking in all the activities that his yacht has to offer (plus more intimate times across the boat and it’s other rooms). He’d told you at one point that he would’ve just used the one he sails on regularly. But due to him wanting to spend more time with you than anything, and for you to have fun during the trip, he’d bought another and hired the captain to ensure safe passage.

Tonight however, was the night that you both were supposed to be arriving at your destination. You tried to help the anxiety and giddiness inside of you, trying to flatten it under a cool demeanor but Sylus just saw right through you.

Of course he would.

“There’s no reason to be nervous. It’s not like I’m taking you into enemy territory,” he jokes, gaze flicking to you from the stars in the open sky.

“I know that. I just can’t help it,” you mutter.

You shiver from the cold breeze, and Sylus shrugs off his leather jacket and places it over your shoulders. He leans down and zips it partway, resting his chin atop your head.

“Those hunter instincts of yours need to settle down,” he hums.

“I wish they would— Sylus!”

A hearty chuckle leaves him as you bounce away from his hold. Your eyes narrow at his treachery.

“What? Did I do something wrong?”

“Don’t you try and tickle me,” you warn playfully. You slip your arms through the sleeves of his leather jacket, trying to pull the sleeves back from over your palms to point at him. “Or I’m gonna tickle you back.”

Sylus smirks and rubs his fingers together. “Is that a challenge?”

“Mr. Sylus, Mrs. Sylus,” greets a familiar voice.

Embarrassment makes you duck your head away from the captain for a brief moment before you look at him.

“Just thought I’d come and let you know we’ll be docking soon.” The captain takes his hat off and bows before you both. “Thank you for allowing me the chance to sail you both for the last three days.”

Sylus nods his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you for giving us safe passage, Arthur.”

Arthur nods, reapplies his cap and heads back to steer the ship into the upcoming port.

You don’t get to watch as he disappears since Sylus wraps his arms around you, pulling your chin to his chest. He presses a sweet kiss to your temple and murmurs, “I do believe we’re here.”

The distraction of the captain was long enough that the scenery before you had changed into the moonlit sea into a large landmass illuminated by the full moon above.

Your jaw drops open at the sight, eyes lighting up as you get closer and closer to the port where the ship would dock.

“Sylus, where are we?” you ask quietly.

“It’s an island,” he states. “One that I bought awhile back and was making… renovations for.”

“Renovations? For what?”

He laughs softly and looks at you like you’re a goddess. “For whom, you mean.”

Your eyes widen into saucers. Is he…? Could he seriously mean…?

“Sylus, you bought me an island?” you inquire, utterly flabbergasted.

“I can’t exactly un-buy it, so I do hope you’ll like it,” he replies. To your ears and yours alone you can hear his wavering tone, like he’s awaiting your disappointment. You can’t have that.

You cup his cheeks and force him to look at you again.

“Sylus, I love it; even if it’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever been gifted, I love it. It’s just going to take me time to get used to it,” you tell him. Then you step on your tippy-toes and give him an eskimo kiss. “Thank you. I love you.”

You kiss him there at the front of the ship, wrapped in his warm, protective embrace, momentarily oblivious to the world and your surroundings.

What you’re also oblivious to, and have been since the start of the trip, is the fat diamond ring that’s been tucked away, hidden in Sylus’s bottom drawer to his dresser. And also to the fact of his other reason of being nervous.

To him hoping that you’ll say “yes” when he gets down on one knee to ask you to marry him.

But he’ll save that for later. Right now he intends to indulge and savor your lips on his and you being tucked into him, safe from the world to be loved and worshipped by him.

And hopefully, for the rest of this lifetime.

[yasministration]

before you go - fred weasley

summary: fred weasley has relentlessly asked you out for years, but you've never given the younger boy a chance. not until sixth year, when he makes the compelling argument that if the date goes terribly, at least it'll be the last year you'll ever see him at hogwarts. wc: 3.4k+

Fred Weasley had been chasing you since your fourth year at Hogwarts. As a young teenage girl, you’d been absolutely horrified. Having a younger boy chasing after you had been a nightmare: your friends teased you about it and no matter how hard you tried brushing him off, he never relented. Over the next couple of years, you had learnt to accept Fred’s flirting, rolling your eyes and occasionally entertaining his conversations. Fred would smile, watching as you would finally walk away from him, catching up to your friends, sighing in awe as he observed your retreating form.

“Maybe if you stopped flirting and became genuine, she’d give you a shot.”

Would sassily throw Ginny as she pretended to do her homework, watching your exchange instead. Fred scoffed, rolling his eyes at her as he tried to mask his true feelings towards you. “I don’t know what you mean Ginny.”

But it was true: Fred was utterly and irrevocably in love with you.

He remembers the first time he saw you. It hadn’t even been his first day at Hogwarts. In fact, it was during the sorting ceremony, nervously strutting over to the Gryffindor table and catching your eye as you clapped uninterestingly, a comment of “Huh, twins.” Leaving your lips as you watched the younger twin walk onto the stage. That night, George complained about how much Fred spoke about brief eye contact, and from that moment, Fred knew he was screwed.

Contrary to popular belief, Fred wasn’t extremely confident when speaking to older students when he was a mere first year, sticking to the idea of becoming liked by students his own age before broadening his horizons. He had more brief encounters with you over the next two years, remembering the time he walked into the common room after a late detention, slumping onto a couch in exhaustion without awareness of who he’d joined. It was only when a soft question of “You okay?” was heard that he jolted upwards, instantly recognising your voice. Fred gulped, nodding eagerly, a blush blooming onto his cheeks. You’d laughed softly at the shy look on his face, patting an arm on his bicep before returning to your conversation.

After hearing that story more than a dozen times from his twin brother, George decided things had to change. And there was only one thing that could ensure Fred made a move on you; a dare. “I can’t do that.” Fred had instantly refused. George crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back with a raise of his eyebrows. “Is Mr. Fred Weasley refusing a dare?” Fred felt the blood drain from his face, and he quickly shook his head, mustering the courage for what he was going to do.

It happened the next day.

Three years of crushing on you, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and he was finally making his move.

Sure, your group of friends widely intimidated him, but he had to stick to the reputation he’d built of being a confident jokester. At breakfast, he marched right up to you, sitting down facing you, forcing himself not to be affected by the presence of your friends. “Hey Freddie!” You greeted, buttering a slice of toast. He replied with a call of your name. “You look absolutely beautiful today.” Although Fred was fully intending to continue his flirting, your immediate reaction threw him off. Your eyebrows instantly shot up, a smile tugging on the corners of your lips shyly. You ducked your head down, avoiding eye contact with him as you thanked him.

Fred cleared his throat, continuing “What do you say we go out together? On a date?” Fred never heard your answer, watching carefully as you slowly chewed your toast, pondering what to tell him. Your friend on your left hand side glanced towards you, deciding to save you from decision-making.

The gasp that escaped her lips was award-winning, and she cried “We’re about to be late to class!” but even as Fred watched her drag you away, he knew class started in another twenty minutes.

Well, at least you hadn’t rejected him.

Yet.

Because when he saw you that night in the common room, catching your eye from across the room, you shook your head at him, fully convinced that he had only been joking with you. However, now that Fred started, he couldn’t stop until you agreed. Besides, he liked the reaction you gave him, exactly the same every time. So the flirting continued: across the Great Hall as you entered, crossing each other in the hallway, leaving a class that he was entering.

Despite your feelings for the boy, you had built a strong dynamic. You were afraid that if you finally accepted his offer to on a date, he’d stop giving you attention. Afraid that your date would be disastrous and you would never speak again.

It was endless.

At least, until it finally came to an end.

But what could you say? Sixth Year Fred Weasley’s argument had been so convincing. “Come on, this is our last year together! Give me one chance before you go, and if the date sucks, so be it! But don’t let us miss out on an opportunity just because you’re… stubborn.”

Finally, you put your book down.

You’d been reading your book when Fred decided to come and resume his flirting, asking you out. You had quickly glanced his way before returning your gaze to the words on these pale pages. That was when his desperate words had stumbled out. “You want to go out with me that bad?” You questioned, unable to stop the smile from climbing onto your lips. Fred nodded, a hopeful look in his eyes as you swung your legs over the side of the couch to lay flat on the floor, properly sitting up.

“Okay then.” Fred’s eyes widened, and he stumbled to sit next to you on the couch, holding one of your hands between both of his. “Yeah?” He double checked, watching with a wide grin as you nodded, picking up your book and mumbling “Don’t mess it up Weasley.” Fred twisted his body to watch you walk away from him, calling out “Is Sunday good?” His only response was a thumbs up.

When you finally reached your dorm, you could only sit atop your duvet in silence, the realisation of what you had just agreed to dawning on you. You screamed in your pillow for a short while before recollecting yourself.

Did you believe that the Weasley twin really liked you? Yes. But did you think that the two of you would get along so well that it would satisfy the years of his building expectations? Well, not really. However, you were officially going out on Sunday, and you had to at least make an effort for the younger boy.

So when Sunday rolled around, you dressed yourself in your most appropriate date attire. You considered taking a jacket to wear over your little dress, however as your fingers grazed the warm material, decided against it. No, Fred would enjoy draping his jumper over your shoulders, the bold letter “F” claiming you as his while he smoothly tugged you closer to him, a glad smile on his face.

And you were right, pretending not to notice Fred’s wide grin as his arm settled around you, guiding you to the date spot he’d always dreamt of taking you to. You were surprised when Fred walked you past Zonko’s without looking back, offering sweetly to pop into Honeydukes together. You nodded eagerly, beelining straight towards your favourite candies and asking the taller boy if he’d ever tried them. At the shake of his head, you immediately grabbed another bag from the shelf, dragging him to the counter by the hand. Fred didn’t have the time to even take out his pouch of money before you were tossing a couple of sickles onto the counter and dragging him back out of the colourful shop. A grumble of disagreement bubbled in Fred’s chest, but you ignored it, cozying up in Fred’s side as he pulled you snugly against him.

Fred was nervous, you thought, noticing how unusually quiet he was, as though stopping himself from saying anything true to his personality that might put you off him.

“You know,” You started, hopeful to boost Fred’s confidence. “I’m really happy to be here Fred.” The boy’s face snapped towards you, a red flush adorning his cheeks. “Yeah?” You hummed “Mhm, I’m glad you gave me that final push.” “I’m happy you agreed.” He mumbled quietly.

“You know, I do really really like you. I was willing to try anything for you to finally go out with me.” You genuinely smiled, bumping your hip with Fred’s. “Well, let’s make it worth it, yeah?” You gasped softly when you felt a pair of lips on your forehead, kissing you softly. Heat climbed up your neck to land on your cheeks, and you raised an arm to rest on Fred’s back as he guided you into the forest behind the small village.

You joked to Fred about the suspicious location, but he only grinned at you, telling you to watch out as he stepped over a fallen branch, the path to your date spot imprinted in his mind. He dragged you deeper into the forest until the you could barely catch sight of the buildings in Hogsmeade. But it was worth it, because when you finally reached your date location, you couldn’t help the gasp that flew past your parted lips. “Didn’t know Hogsmeade had gems like this, did you?” You shook your head as Fred’s arm fell from around your body, instead slipping down your arm so he could slide his hand into yours, intertwining your fingers together. Your heart fluttered at the bold move, letting Fred tug you along towards the green grass.

The boy swung his backpack off his shoulders, only letting go of your hand at the very last possible second so that he could quickly empty the contents of his bag. He carefully laid out a picnic blanket on the grass — one he had charmed to keep you warm despite the remnants of winter still lingering in the air. He sat down, patting the spot next to him before extracting two sealed butterbeers from his bag a small camera.

“Thought this would be good to capture the moment. Show you in a couple decades that I was right about us. You know, when we’ll look back on this day.”

You raised your eyebrows at Fred, trying to act annoyed, but his playful smirk and the subtle blush on his cheeks only made the corner of your lips tug upwards into a smile.

You swallowed thickly, folding your legs on one side of you before shifting them to the other. Fred frowned slightly. He didn’t realise that you’d be uncomfortable sitting on the floor. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise-” But his quick thinking had already solved your confining situation, slipping his hands around your ankles to pull your legs across his lap. “Oh. Thank you.”

You removed Fred’s jumper from around your shoulders, but you missed the fleeting look of sadness that crossed his features. No, you didn’t notice it, because you were too busy trying to find the holes that would introduce the sleeves to the jumper, messily pulling it over your head. Fred grinned widely, reaching over to help you fit your head into the right hole. You huffed as your head emerged, wiping the hair away from your face.

“Sorry, it’s colder than I realised.” Fred shook his head at your apology, boldly placing a hand over yours. “Are you not cold?” Fred shrugged his shoulders, pulling a face and dismissing the question with his hand. “No, not really.”

“Shame. Otherwise I could help warm you up.” You saw the blood creep up Fred’s face and settle in his ears, and you tried suppressing the smile from your face. Fred cleared his throat, mumbling “Actually, it’s freezing.”

Laughing, you reached the hand Fred wasn’t holding upwards, brushing rogue strands of hair away from Fred’s face. His eyelashes fluttered weakly as your fingertips tore away from his face. “Well, we don’t want you getting hypothermic, do we?” Fred shook his head frantically before diving in closer to you and eagerly pressing his lips against yours. You gasped loudly, a hand freezing mid-air, as the ginger-haired boy kissed you.

Fred began pulling away, suddenly convinced he had completely ruined his chance with you, but just as his lips separated from yours, you were gripping his shirt and pulling him back onto you.

Fred whimpered quietly before both his hands were suddenly on your waist, his lips parting so your tongue could dip into his mouth. He was panting heavily when you broke the kiss, head immediately falling over your shoulder before tilting it, and pressing a couple of kisses onto your neck. Your fingers snaked into his hair, and you giggled as Fred declared “I’ve been waiting years for that.”

“Was that worth the years of waiting?” Fred hummed ‘yes’, lifting his head off your shoulder. He looked adorable to you, with his flushed cheeks and shy smile.

“Can I show you everything else I’ve been waiting for? Please?”

“Open me a butterbeer and you can do whatever you want to me, Weasley.” And Fred was jerking away from you, looking around for the butterbeers. He was quick to open the bottle, silently thanking whatever power that they were the twisty kind. He gave you the bottled drink, watching with eager eyes as you sipped it, humming in satisfaction. Then, he was instantly hooking his arms around your thighs and tugging you towards him. A loud gasp left your lips as your back hit the floor, and you carefully placed your butterbeer at arm's length, away from danger.

“Fred!”

“I’ll prove to you I’m worth more than just a pity date.” You gulped at his words, mumbling “I do like you, Fred.”

“But you only agreed to this out of pity. Don’t worry, you’re going to begging for more after this. We’ll be even.”

You felt your cheeks heat up, but you decided to argue with him nonetheless. “It’s this ego that made me reject you so many times. Someone needed to humble you.” Fred grinned, hovering over you, “I’m sure you’ll only be feeding into my ego after this, yeah?”

“You know what? Try your best.”

So he did. Fred was immediately pulling down your underwear, and laying down on his stomach so he could be levelled with your cunt. He brought his cold fingers to your pussy, and you immediately jumped at his touch. Fred grinned, his playful persona coming through as he trailed his fingers down to your clit, where he immediately started rubbing slowly. You propped yourself onto your elbows to look at him, reaching over to take a drink from your butterbeer.

Fred added pressure to your clit, watching happily when your hips bucked slightly and you choked out a moan, some of your drink dribbling down your chin. Finally, Fred averted his attention to your dripping cunt, bringing his lips down to press slow, teasing kisses down your slit. “Fred.” You whispered, furrowing your eyebrows at him.

If he wanted you crawling back into his bed, this was not the way to do it.

“Fine.” He rolled his eyes joking, moving down to begin sucking harshly on your clit, causing you to jump, a loud cry escaping your lips. You slapped a hand over your mouth to silence yourself, suddenly aware that anyone could walk out and see you, despite being in an estranged area. Fred reached up to yank your hand away from your face, so you resorted to biting your lower lip.

Fred’s arm tightened around your thigh, pulling it to the side as he brought his free hand down to touch you. He ran his fingers up and down your slit, gathering your wetness before probing his fingers at your hole. He suddenly pushed them in, just as he stopped sucking on your clit, instead, laying his tongue flat against you and licking a bold strip up your cunt.

Fred suddenly pulled his fingers out of you, and you deflated, but quickly found yourself moaning again as his tongue pushed inside you, curling inwards as deep as possible. And just as quickly as he was there, he’s gone again, replacing his tongue with his fingers. “I’ll stop teasing, I promise.” He revealed, propping himself up on one arm and kneeling as he plunged his fingers into you, curling them just right that your thighs squeezed, closing shut around his hand.

With a shake of his head, Fred tutted at you, hooking and arm underneath your thigh and bringing it upwards until it hung over his shoulder. The new position allowed him a new type of access, and he was suddenly thrusting his fingers into you at a much faster pace, grinning over you as you shut your eyes and arched your back against the hard ground.

“Yeah, you like that?” Fred teased, turning his head to the side to press kisses down your leg until he’s at your inner thigh, sucking and running his teeth over your soft skin in between kisses.

“Fred, please!” Fred didn't understand what you were begging for until you brought a hand down to grip his collar, weakly attempting to pull him up towards you. He lowered your leg down to the floor so he could climb over you and press a kiss to your lips, one that you immediately deepened by forcing your tongue into his mouth. Fred broke away from the kiss too quickly for your liking, but he moved his kisses down your neck and jaw, until he was restricted by his own jumper you were wearing.

“Fuck, you look so beautiful falling apart on my fingers. Shit, wearing my jumper too.”

“Fred, mouth please!” You panted, a hand tangling in his hair, trying to push him down towards your cunt. But Fred didn't need to be told twice, because he was instantly returning to his previous position and closing his lips around your clit, beginning to suck on it relentlessly.

It didn't take thirty seconds for Fred to know you were about to cum, practically riding his face as he ate you out, long, veiny fingers pushing at the spongy spot inside you with ever harsh thrust. Fred shut his eyes, savouring the moment as he laid a hand over your abdomen. But soon after, he felt fingers lacing with his, and Fred couldn't help but moan at the realisation that you wanted to hold his hand as you came.

The vibrations up your cunt had you bucking your hips harshly, high-pitched moans falling from your lips as your body was overtaken over by a hot sort of pleasure, your orgasm causing your thighs to shake around Fred’s head.

His face stayed buried between your thighs, and he pulled his fingers out, moving his hand to grip your thighs, smearing some of your orgasm onto your skin while he lapped up at all the juices between your legs. His second hand stayed intertwined with yours, thumb caressing your skin.

Fred was barely satisfied when you tugged him upwards to desperately connect your lips together, eager to spend all day between your thighs, tasting you. You wrapped one arm around his neck, the other one hanging by your side, not letting go of his hand.

“That was,” You began as your lips parted, still touching.

“Amazing, right?” Fred finished for you, lifting his body off of yours to retrieve something off the blanket. Your eyes widened when you see the camera pointed towards you, Fred cupping your face with his free hand and snapping a photo of you, all spent, laying down on the floor of a park in your post-orgasm glow.

“That enough to get a second date?”

“Fred, that might have been enough to secure me for life.” You panted, accepting the help he offered for you to sit up. You reached for your butterbeer, purposefully ignoring the way he grinned, and made a face, mumbling. “It’s gone all flat.”

But luckily for you, the smitten boy in front of you opened the second butterbeer and offered it to you, taking the one from your hands for himself. You felt your face go hot.

If that orgasm didn’t secure you for life, that sweet gesture sure did.

taglist: @ravisinghs-wife, @amatoanima, @starry-remus, @pain-in-the-ashe, @hiireadstuff, @superlegend216, @treefairy-28, @superlegend216, @kitkatkl, @rory-cakes, @juliet-017, @boromoony

[desturns]

──── favorite position. m.s.

part one

warnings. some grinding, tickling session, major pussy behavior

a/n. bye i decided to make a pt two to this randomly, but this might just be a little series with only three parts sooo... this is fun!!

୨ৎ

matt didn't attempt to move once. after you had fallen back to sleep and somehow melted into him even more than before, it was like he died and went to heaven about fifty times. how else would he have been so lucky to have this angel sleeping right in his lap, practically straddling him as your head rested on his shoulder? it was everything he'd dreamed of and more.

of course, his brothers weren't very angelic when it came to their teasing.

“i’m just sayin’, kid, maybe it's time to actually do something instead of sittin’ back like a bitch—”

“chris, hey! he's not a bitch… he's a pussy, there's a difference.”

“oh, wow, thanks for the help, nick,” matt sarcastically replied as he simply rolled his eyes, no longer focusing on the game as they all just talked. he noticed you wiggled slightly, but didn't think much of it.

“just the truth, bro. only pussies have their crush—” “—not my crush—” “—sleep on their laps without making a move. y’know, not while they're asleep, but y'had the opportunity to do something when she woke up.”

“she was tired and was gonna get off me, me asking her to stay was me making my move.”

“damn, matty, your moves are weak then.”

“shut up, chris.”

“i’m just sayin’, matt. when the opportunity presents itself, y'can't be a pussy and back out. get her, dude.”

again, he felt you move against him and at first, he wasn't going to question it. maybe you were just having an intense dream or you were stirring around on his lap to get more comfortable. that seemed obvious, right? but it wasn't until he felt your hips roll against his thigh that matt thought to himself, okay, a little strange, but whatever.

and then it happened again. and then once more. now being both incredibly confused and slightly curious, he pulled his head back enough to look at your face, and it was no surprise when he saw you were still soundly asleep. both your eyes were closed and for a second, you looked like the perfect essence of peacefulness.

and then it happened again, this time a bit more firmly, and your eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, followed by the smallest whine. matt was positive if he was still entertaining chris and nick, he wouldn't have even been able to hear it.

oh.

oh.

so you were having an intense dream

it all clicked right there for matt. his eyes widened a bit and his body tensed up, and he could practically feel the blood rushing to his dick. in his defense, nothing could've prepared him for this. here you were, the girl he's been secretly pining after for months, having a wet dream right on top of him, your body subconsciously grinding against him for some relief. yeah, he knew getting hard at the scene was probably extremely wrong and disrespectful in many ways, but he just couldn't help it.

he could no longer hear chris or nick teasing him about his poor flirting skills or even pay attention to the trio on the screen about to kill him because before he knew it, you were rocking your hips again. he bit his bottom lip in order to suppress a groan as his brain was currently racking up ways to get out of this situation. at least before you woke up and it got really awkward.

“matt, hello? y'there?” in that moment, he didn't really want to be.

“y-yeah, um, i’m here, uh,” he stumbled over his words for a second, his hand leaving his controller and moving to your hip, softly holding it so he could get the courage to stop you and toss you onto his bed. okay, maybe not toss, but to stop you definitely. “actually guys, um, i-i’m gonna get off, ‘kay?”

“kid, we’re in the middle of a game right now, are you serious?”

“yes, chris, ’m serious.” was all matt responded with before leaving the discord call, his hand still firmly on your hip as you occasionally rocked your hips, his other working fast to exit out of everything on his pc.

the dim light from the monitor plus the sound of your shorts rubbing against his sweats was starting to become a bit too much for him. matt wasn't dumb, any longer and his dick would be rock hard and then that'll definitely be awkward if you woke up. so, with much restraint and strength and now holding onto both of your hips, he stiffed your movements, bringing you to a stop. he couldn't just get up, he wasn't that strong. plus, matt was a bit nervous he'd drop you before he could even reach the bed despite it being a foot away.

he could feel your body trying to protest the halt, your hands around his waist tightening slightly, more little whines escaping your mouth and matt honestly wanted to die right then and there. of course, the first time he gets you like this, you're not even conscious of it, and there was no way he'd take advantage of you. not like this.

he was going to do it the right way.

suddenly, your body stopped and matt could feel you tense up.

now, to say you were horribly mortified was an understatement. when matt stopped you in real time, it was like your dream came crashing down. the mysterious faceless man in it stopped his ministrations and you were so incredibly pent up, so pent up that your body refused to find solace in sleep any longer. it didn't take an idiot to figure out what the hell happened, especially when you woke up with soaked panties sticking to your folds and matt's hands on your hips. did you…? no. surely not. right? no, there's no way.

but it was hard to deny when you could now feel matt's dick through his sweats and suddenly, you were shooting your head up from his shoulder, no longer tired. “oh my god, matt! i am so– i'm sorry!” you were speaking with a raspy voice, both from the ridiculous amount of exhaustion and humiliation you just experienced.

he quickly shook his head, trying to hide his flustered expression while also finding the strength to take his hands off you. it’ll come eventually, he was sure. “no, no, i-i mean, it happens, right? you're cool, it’s fine!”

“i can't believe i did that, matty, i am so sorry!” you shrieked again and hid your face in your hands, shaking your head at yourself. you were sure your cheeks were now tomato red and, with the way his hands were on your hips, it was getting worse.

matt stared at you as you tried to shield yourself from his gaze, trying to save yourself from the embarrassment. he thought it was downright adorable, the way you got all flushed and shy. he knew it was for good reason, and he so badly wanted to tell you that it truly was okay, that he didn't even mind. but something held him back and instead of making a move, or charm you into having him ease that ache of yours, he chose the safest route.

and maybe he just wanted to see you smile again.

he took one last moment to look at you perched on his lap, all self-conscious now and guarded up before slowly moving his hands from your hips to your sides. you were confused when you felt his hands move, but before you could even question it, his fingers were tickling the most sensitive part he knew would get to you. your hands immediately moved from your face, moving to try and grab him to stop as laughs and giggles left your lips.

your predicament of getting yourself off on his thigh was momentarily forgotten, now focused on getting him to stop making you squirm in a new way.

“s-st-stop, m-matt!” was all you could express as you flailed on top of him, your face burning itself in his shoulder.

there it was. he could see your lips stretched wide across your face, your smile making him forget about his own arousal as he continued to make you laugh. “not until you promise to stop actin’ embarrassed about it,” he chuckled, the teasing tone in his voice making your stomach flip.

“i-it-it's an emb-barassing thing!” you tried to defend yourself through the forced involuntary giggles that were escaping you. as he tickled you, you slowly but gently began to fall off his lap and onto the floor, but that didn't stop him.

“it is, but it's normal!” he rolled his eyes, his hands now moving under your arms and to the back of your neck. god, who needed grinding and sex when just the sight of you rolling around in laughter was enough to get him off then and there. “y/n, babe, i promise— i don't care. i’d just prefer that next time, you're conscious for it.”

his words made your brain freeze. ‘babe’. ‘if next time, you were conscious for it’. next time? he wanted there to be a next time? you tapped his arm twice, the silent but serious “enough” signal the two of you created and he took the hint almost immediately, his hands leaving your body in an instant as he looked down at you.

you were on your back on the floor, all flushed, chest heaving and your hair sprawled out beneath you. you looked gorgeous. and matt was glad he didn't follow any of his brothers advice. and as you looked up at him, you didn't know what to say. thankfully, matt didn't waste time before continuing, his voice now a bit unsure and hesitant as he realized what the hell he just said.

“i mean, y’know, if y’want to. i wouldn't want to make things weird between us or ruin things or make you, um–y’know what? forget i said anything, actually–do y’need some pajamas or anything, wanna go in the living room—”

“matt,” you cut him off once you caught your own breath, a small smile now on your face. “stop worrying. next time, i’ll definitely be conscious for it.”

it was if you took your fist and physically hit his stomach. he thought he was being too straight forward, but knowing that you were agreeing, that you seemed into it... it was doing things for him.

as you got up from the floor and moved to the living room, as matt's brain caught up with the intense beating of his heart and as he ignored the countless texts from chris asking “what the hell was going on up there”—there was a silent understanding.

and that was good enough for matt.

[evermoreness]

moonlight and mending pt. 2 | remus lupin

pairing: remus lupin x reader

summary: since taking care of remus after his full moon, both of you became inseparable.

obs: this is the second part of a series. please read the first part before this one and part three after it.

masterlist

The library at Hogwarts had always been one of the few places that felt like a sanctuary. Unlike the bustling corridors or the chaotic Gryffindor common room, it was peaceful—just the quiet rustling of pages, the occasional scratching of quills, and the warm scent of parchment and ink.

It had become routine for you and Remus to meet there after classes, settling into your usual spot by the tall windows where the light streamed in just right.

This particular afternoon was no different.

The library was quiet, as it usually was in the late afternoon as Remus entered. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting golden streaks across the wooden tables and shelves.

Remus searched for you in the middle of many people.

Most students were scattered in groups, whispering over essays or practicing spells under their breath.

You, however, were sitting cross-legged on your chair, the table was between two tall windows, you were completely engrossed in a thick, ancient-looking tome resting in your lap. Your brows were furrowed in concentration, and you absentmindedly chewed on the end of your quill as you traced a line of text with your fingertip. You even had a little cup of tea.

Remus let out a little smile when he spotted you.

He sat down across from you without a word, leaning back against the chair with a tired sigh.

You glanced up, smiling. “You found me.”

He huffed a quiet laugh. “I wasn’t looking.”

You raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

“…Maybe a little,” he admitted, smirking.

You grinned, then gestured to your book. “What brings you here, Lupin?”

He tapped the cover with one finger. “You, apparently. What are you reading?”

“A book on advanced healing spells,” you said, flipping the page. “I found a new one I want to try.”

Remus gave you a skeptical look. “On who?”

You smirked. “Dummies, for now. But if you ever want to volunteer…”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You just love fixing people, don’t you?”

“I do, actually.” You grinned. “I like knowing I can make things better.”

Remus watched you for a moment, something warm curling in his chest. You always want to help. It was something he wasn’t used to.

“Speaking of fixing people,” you continued, your eyes scanning him critically, “how are you feeling?”

Remus blinked at the sudden shift. “I—I’m fine.”

You narrowed your eyes. “You always say that.”

“That’s because it’s true,” he said, smirking slightly.

You weren’t convinced. Slowly, you leaned closer, reaching out before he could stop you.

Remus stiffened as your fingertips brushed his wrist, gentle but firm, as if you were checking for injuries.

“I know you get hurt often,” you murmured, your voice softer now. “And I know you don’t like talking about it.”

His throat felt dry. “I—”

Before he could think of a way to steer the conversation elsewhere, you shifted closer, your eyes flicking toward his collar.

Your fingers hovered over the edge of his sleeve. “Can I?”

Remus swallowed hard. He should say no. He should move away.

Instead, he nodded.

Carefully, you rolled his sleeve up, revealing the faint remnants of scars littered across his forearm. Some were thin and pale, long healed. Others were newer, still slightly pink against his skin.

You traced a finger over one of them absentmindedly, your touch featherlight.

Remus tensed at first, but then—he relaxed.

No one ever touched his scars like this. Not with curiosity, not with gentleness.

You weren’t disgusted. You weren’t asking questions he couldn’t answer.

You were just… looking.

“Does this one still hurt?” you asked, pointing to a deeper mark near his wrist.

He shook his head. “Not really.”

You hummed, looking thoughtful. “I could make a salve for it, you know. It would help with the tightness.”

Remus chuckled. “Are you always trying to heal me?”

“Yes,” you said immediately, smirking. “You’re my favorite patient, after all.”

His heart stuttered. “I—your favorite?”

You grinned. “Of course! You’re the most interesting one. And you actually listen when I tell you to rest.”

He laughed at that. “That’s only because I don’t want Madam Pomfrey to hex me.”

You nudged him playfully. “I could test some potions on you.”

Remus raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know if I should be worried about that.”

You gasped dramatically. “I’ll have you know, I am excellent at making potions.”

“I believe that,” he said, smirking. “It’s the testing part I’m concerned about.”

You rolled your eyes. “You wound me, Lupin. I would never give you something unsafe.”

“That’s what every potioneer says before something explodes.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Fine. I’ll just keep testing them on myself.”

Remus frowned at that. “You test them?”

“Well, yeah,” you said, as if it was obvious. “How else am I supposed to know if they work?”

His brows knit together in concern. “That’s—reckless.”

You smirked. “Says the boy who gets new injuries every month.”

Remus opened his mouth to argue but… yeah, you had a point.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Just—be careful, alright?”

Your expression softened. “I always am.”

For a moment, neither of you spoke. You were still close, your fingers still barely touching his arm.

Remus wasn’t sure if he wanted to move away.

Then, you pulled back, clearing your throat. “I should get back to studying.”

He exhaled, nodding. “Yeah. Me too.”

But he didn’t move.

Neither did you.

After what seemed like minutes, both of you started actually studying. The silence was comfortable, despite the bit of tension you just had.

The time was passing by quickly.

You were seated across from each other at a wooden table, books spread between you. Your Potions essay was half-written, but your attention had long since drifted. Every so often, you’d glance up and find yourself watching him instead.

Remus was utterly absorbed in his book, elbow propped on the table, fingers absently toying with the edge of a page. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his lips moved faintly, as if he were reading something particularly interesting. His hair was slightly ruffled—probably from running his hands through it—and he looked so comfortable, so himself here.

“You’re staring,” he murmured without looking up.

You smirked. “You’re interesting to look at.”

His lips twitched, but he kept his eyes on the page. “Are you actually studying, or are you just here to distract me?”

“A little of both,” you admitted, tapping your quill against your parchment. “You make for excellent entertainment, Lupin.”

He finally looked up, one eyebrow raised. “How thrilling for me.”

You grinned. “Truly. I should start charging you for my company.”

He snorted. “Oh, should you?”

“Mm-hmm,” you said, nodding seriously. “It’s a privilege to study with me.”

Remus leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “And what exactly does this privilege include?”

You pretended to think. “Exclusive access to my brilliant mind, occasional help with Potions, and—” you reached into your bag, pulling out a small bar of chocolate, “—snacks.”

His eyes flickered to the chocolate, and you swore you saw a glint of excitement before he schooled his features. “Alright, now I’m listening.”

You slid the chocolate across the table. “It’s yours if you admit I’m your favorite study partner.”

Remus eyed you, then the chocolate. He exhaled dramatically. “Fine. You’re my favorite study partner.”

You gasped, pressing a hand to your chest. “I knew it!”

He rolled his eyes but took the chocolate, unwrapping it with careful fingers. “Merlin help me,” he muttered.

You watched as he broke off a piece, popping it into his mouth. He let out a quiet sigh of contentment, and you couldn’t help but smile.

“You really do love chocolate, don’t you?” you mused.

Remus swallowed, licking his lips. “It’s… comforting.”

Something about the way he said it made your heart squeeze. You didn’t press further, just stored that little detail away for later.

A comfortable silence settled over you again, the only sounds being the occasional turning of pages. After a while, you reached for your tea, only to frown when you realized it had gone cold.

Remus noticed immediately. Without a word, he flicked his wand, and the tea warmed instantly, small wisps of steam curling from the cup.

You blinked. “Did you just—”

“You looked disappointed,” he said simply, smirking slightly.

You beamed at him. “You’re my favorite person today.”

His ears turned slightly pink, and he quickly looked back at his book, clearing his throat. “Don’t let Sirius hear you say that. He’ll be devastated.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I’ll make it up to him with a prank potion.”

Remus chuckled, still focused on his book. “You’re becoming just as bad as them.”

“Oh, I know,” you said, grinning. “It’s fun.”

He shook his head but didn’t argue.

And so, you continued, side by side, the library feeling a little warmer, a little brighter, simply because of each other’s presence.

Just to see you.

The bond between you and Remus had grown stronger with every passing day. You had become—if not his closest friend—at least the one person he felt safest with.

He found himself looking for you in between classes, in the library, at meals, but more often than not, he knew exactly where to find you: the hospital wing.

And that’s where he started showing up. A lot.

Remus didn’t really need to be in the hospital wing that often. In fact, besides full moons, he rarely had a reason to be there at all. But ever since he’d started spending more time with you, he found himself dropping by for no reason other than to see you.

At first, he had excuses. A headache. A sore throat. An aching wrist from falling down the stairs (which, you later discovered, was a complete lie). But after a while, he stopped bothering with the excuses and just showed up because he wanted to.

Madam Pomfrey, of course, was less than impressed

“Back again, Lupin?” Madam Pomfrey’s exasperated voice rang from her desk. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to move in.”

Remus, standing just inside the doorway, did his best i-am-so-sick face. “I think I might be coming down with something.”

Madam Pomfrey gave him a look. “You’re perfectly fine.”

“You don’t know that,” he said, feigning innocence. “I could be terribly ill.”

You rolled your eyes, biting back a smile. “Remus, you’re not sick.”

He turned to you with an expression of offense. “You don’t believe me either? What if I’m suffering in silence?”

“You’re always suffering in silence,” you teased, finishing up your work and setting the salve aside.

Madam Pomfrey huffed, waving a hand at him. “Fine, sit over there if you must, but don’t get in the way.”

She bustled off, muttering about nonsense and teenage distractions, leaving you and Remus grinning at each other.

You nudged him playfully. “You know, one of these days, she’s going to hex you out of here.”

He smiled, leaning against the nearest cot. “Worth it.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the warmth spreading in your chest. You loved when he came to see you. Even after long hours of tending to students, even when exhaustion pulled at your limbs, seeing him standing there—soft smile, warm eyes—made it all worth it.

“What are you working on today?” he asked, nodding to the tray of potions.

“Restocking,” you replied. “There’s always someone needing Skele-Gro or Pepper-Up this time of year.”

He chuckled. “Ah, the season of Quidditch injuries and common colds.”

“Exactly,” you said, carefully sorting the bottles. “Last week, a Ravenclaw tried to fly his broom inside the common room and ended up with a broken wrist.”

Remus snorted. “And people say we’re reckless.”

You smirked. “You are reckless.”

“Not me,” he protested. “That’s all James and Sirius.”

You gave him a pointed look. “Remus. You enable them.”

“…Fair point.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “And what about you? How was class?”

Remus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “McGonagall assigned an essay on advanced transfiguration spells. I might actually have to put effort into this one.”

You grinned. “Oh no. Effort.”

Remus chuckled, glancing at you. “I just think it’s fascinating. You go to class all day like the rest of us, and instead of resting after, you come here and take care of people.”

You smiled softly. “I like helping. It doesn’t feel like work when you love it.”

He studied you for a moment, then said quietly, “That’s… admirable.”

You felt warmth spread in your chest, but before you could respond, he smirked. “And slightly insane.”

You gasped. “Take that back, Lupin.”

“Never.”

You shoved him lightly, and he laughed, the sound soft and genuine.

After a moment, he tilted his head. “You like when I come here, don’t you?”

You rolled your eyes. “No, I love having an incredibly healthy, completely uninjured patient taking up space.”

He grinned. “Thought so.”

You shook your head, but you didn’t tell him to leave. And he didn’t move.

Because, if you were being honest, you did love when he came up to see you.

Two sides of the same coin.

One afternoon, you were sitting in the courtyard with your Potions book open, scribbling notes in the margins. The autumn breeze ruffled your hair as you absentmindedly chewed the end of your quill.

“Oi, Moony, you’ve been replaced,” James announced dramatically.

You looked up just as the Marauders approached, grinning.

Remus, sitting beside you, raised an eyebrow. “Replaced?”

“By that,” Sirius said, pointing accusingly at your Potions textbook. “She spends more time with it than with you.”

You laughed. “Not true.”

Sirius smirked. “No? When was the last time you had a proper conversation that wasn’t about healing potions or magical remedies, or how to properly fix Moony’s self-inflicted injuries?"

You blinked, opening your mouth—then closing it again.

James gasped. “You can’t remember, can you?”

You turned to Remus. “Tell them that’s not true.”

Remus smirked. “Well…”

You gaped at him. “Remus!”

Peter snickered. “I think you might actually love books more than you love us.”

You sighed dramatically, closing your book. “Fine. What would you all prefer I do? Set fire to my studies and embrace a life of chaos?”

Sirius grinned. “Now we’re talking.”

Remus rolled his eyes. “Merlin help us.”

James flopped onto the grass beside you. “You know, it’s weird.”

“What is?” you asked.

He gestured between you and Remus. “You two. You’re like… opposite sides of the same coin.”

Sirius nodded. “Yeah. Moony’s all broody and quiet, and you’re—”

“Loud?” you offered, raising an eyebrow.

“Delightfully chatty,” Sirius corrected with a smirk.

Peter grinned. “It’s kind of nice, though. Remus actually smiles more now.”

Remus huffed. “I smiled before.”

James waved a dismissive hand. “Not like this.”

You glanced at Remus, amused. “Do you smile differently now?”

Remus, looking slightly flustered, cleared his throat. “Ignore them.”

Sirius gasped, clutching his chest. “How dare you? We are your dearest friends!”

James threw an arm around Remus. “We just want you to be happy, Moony. And she makes you happy.”

Remus opened his mouth to argue, but Sirius cut in, smirking. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say it out loud. We can see it.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “You lot are ridiculous.”

And the Marauders weren’t wrong.

You did make him happy.

Remus sighed, rubbing his temples as if this entire conversation was giving him a headache. But the little smile on his face gave him away. He liked this—having his friends tease him, having you beside him.

You smirked, leaning slightly toward him. “I think they just like gossiping about us, Rem.”

The second the nickname slipped from your lips, Remus went still.

So did the Marauders.

Then—

“Rem?!” Sirius practically howled with laughter, clutching his stomach. “Did you just—did you just call him Rem?!”

James had already fallen backward onto the grass, cackling. “Oh, this is—this is amazing.”

Peter gasped dramatically. “Rem! That’s so—sweet!”

You frowned, confused at their reaction. “What? It’s just a nickname.”

“It’s adorable, that’s what it is!” Sirius grinned, nudging Remus with his foot. “Oi, Rem, how come she gets to call you that, huh?”

Remus was still frozen in place, his ears tinged bright red.

“Oh, he likes it,” James teased, pointing at Remus’s flustered expression. “Look at him! He’s all—” He waved his hands in the air, mimicking someone completely lost for words.

Remus finally snapped out of it, clearing his throat. “Shut up.”

Sirius wiggled his eyebrows. “Make us.”

You bit back a laugh, leaning against Remus slightly. “So? Do you hate it, Rem?”

Remus turned his head to look at you, his golden-brown eyes studying you for a second. You could see the war going on in his mind—the part of him that wanted to roll his eyes at the teasing, and the part that secretly loved the nickname.

“…No,” he muttered, voice quieter.

James gasped again, clutching his heart. “I knew it!”

Sirius wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. “Our Moony is growing up.”

Peter sniffled dramatically. “So proud.”

Remus groaned, shoving his face into his hands. “I hate all of you.”

You giggled, nudging him. “But not me, right?”

He peeked at you between his fingers, then sighed in defeat. “Not you.”

James and Sirius howled at that, and you just grinned.

You had won this round.

Another full moon.

The hospital wing was quiet in the early morning, the first rays of dawn barely creeping through the tall windows.

Remus stumbled through the door, his limbs aching, his skin burning, his throat raw.

This one had been worse.

He hadn’t even made it back to his dorm this time—Madam Pomfrey had been waiting for him outside the Whomping Willow, her wand ready, her expression tight with worry. She had levitated him all the way back, and he barely had the strength to protest.

Now, as she tried to ease him onto the hospital bed, he resisted.

“I’m fine,” he muttered, voice hoarse. “I just need to get to my dorm.”

“Remus,” Pomfrey sighed, exasperated, “you can barely stand.”

He gritted his teeth, trying to push himself up. “I can—”

But the moment he moved, pain shot through his body like fire. His knees nearly buckled, and Pomfrey had to catch him before he collapsed onto the floor.

She huffed. “That’s it. You are staying.”

Remus groaned, letting his head fall back against the pillows as he clenched his jaw. He felt awful. Worse than usual. And something was missing—

No. Someone was missing.

His tired eyes scanned the room. But you weren’t here.

A sharp pang settled in his chest.

He wasn’t sure why, but the thought of being patched up without you made his stomach twist.

Maybe it was because you were gentle with him.

Maybe it was because you always talked to him through the pain, giving him something to focus on.

Or maybe—maybe it was because you were the only person he truly felt safe with.

Madam Pomfrey noticed the way his gaze darted around the room.

“She’s not here,” she said, understanding immediately.

Remus clenched his fists, trying to ignore the crushing disappointment.

“I’ll be fine, then,” he muttered, trying to sit up again. “I’ll come back later.”

“Absolutely not.” Pomfrey pressed him back down with surprising strength. “You are staying right here, and I’ll go get her.”

His eyes snapped to hers. “You—what?”

“She’s the only one you actually listen to, apparently,” Pomfrey said dryly. “So if it gets you to stay put, I’ll fetch her.”

Remus swallowed. He didn’t argue.

Pomfrey disappeared through the doors, leaving him alone. His head lolled to the side, exhaustion weighing on him like a stone. He had never needed anyone before. Not really. He was used to handling things alone.

But you—

Merlin, he just wanted you here.

Madam Pomfrey quickly asked a student that was heading towards the great hall for breakfast to send you her message.

A few moments later, a sharp knock at your door startled you awake.

Groggy and confused, you sat up, blinking against the dim light.

“Who—?”

Another knock, more urgent this time.

You threw your blanket off, quickly padding across the room. When you opened the door, a younger student stood there, looking slightly nervous.

“Madam Pomfrey sent me,” they said hurriedly. “She said you’re needed in the hospital wing.”

Your heart clenched.

Remus.

It had to be Remus.

“Is he okay?” you asked immediately.

The student shrugged. “I don’t know. She just said it was urgent.”

You didn’t waste another second. You grabbed the first sweater you could find, pulling it over your nightdress before slipping into your shoes.

You ran the whole way there.

The doors swung open, and your breath hitched at the sight of him.

Remus was lying on the hospital bed, looking worse than you had ever seen him. His face was ghostly pale, deep shadows under his tired eyes. His arms and chest were wrapped in fresh bandages (Thanks to Madam Pomfrey) but you could see angry red scars peeking out beneath the gauze.

Your heart twisted painfully.

“Remus,” you breathed, stepping closer.

His head turned at the sound of your voice. And when his tired, stormy eyes met yours—something inside you melted.

“Hey,” he rasped, the corner of his lips tugging into the weakest version of his usual smirk. “Took you long enough.”

You let out a shaky breath, relieved he could still joke.

“I had to run here,” you muttered, sitting beside him. “You owe me for that.”

He huffed a quiet laugh, but the movement made him wince.

You reached for his hand instinctively.

He didn’t pull away.

You laced your fingers through his, squeezing gently. “You’re a mess, Lupin.”

He sighed. “You should see the other guy.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’d rather see the idiot who keeps getting himself hurt like this.”

His smirk faded slightly.

"It's alright, i just fell down the stairs"

You knew he wouldn’t tell you the truth. Not yet. But you didn’t push.

Your fingers traced over his knuckles absentmindedly, your eyes still scanning him like you were memorizing every wound. He could feel the concern rolling off you in waves.

You reached up to his face, touching his forehead slightly.

“You’re burning up,” she murmured, shifting to grab a damp cloth from the bedside table.

“I’m fine,” he lied.

You scoffed. “Liar.”

Remus didn’t even have the strength to argue.

You pressed the cool cloth to his forehead, your touch featherlight. The contrast of cold against his feverish skin sent a shiver through him, but he didn’t protest.

“Better?” you asked softly.

He hummed in response, his eyelids fluttering shut.

You were always so gentle with him.

Not that he didn’t appreciate Madam Pomfrey—he did. But Pomfrey was brisk, efficient, always focused on getting him patched up as quickly as possible.

But you—

You lingered.

You stayed.

And Remus didn’t even realize how much he needed that until now.

He exhaled. “You’re too nice to me.”

You tilted your head, watching him. “Would you rather I be mean?”

He cracked one eye open, smirking weakly. “Maybe. Might make me feel less… soft.”

You laughed softly, dipping the cloth in cool water before pressing it to his cheek. “I like being nice to you.”

His breath hitched, but he said nothing.

For the next few minutes, you worked in silence—replacing his bandages, cleaning his wounds, making sure he was comfortable.

You knew he was in pain.

So you did what you always did: you talked to him.

“You know, I was just thinking earlier,” you mused, dabbing at a particularly nasty scrape on his arm. “You owe me at least three chocolate bars by now.”

Remus raised an eyebrow. “Three?”

“Yes,” you said seriously. “One for running here, one for putting up with your stubbornness, and one for not shaking you until you tell me what happened.”

Remus chuckled. “That last one should be worth at least two bars.”

You grinned. “Alright, four.”

His tired smile lingered as he let his head rest back against the pillow. “I’ll get you chocolate.”

You smirked. “Good. I’ll hold you to that.”

His smirk lingered, but as you reached for his face, he flinched.

You inspected his newest scar. The scar went from his bottom lip to his jaw. It wasn't bleeding much, but it was still there.

You both were very close, mere inches apart. Your thumb running gently through his jaw.

He tried to pull away, but you held firm, carefully turning his head to inspect the deep, half-healed scratches trailing down.

You lips pressed into a thin line.

“Remus,” you said quietly, “this wasn’t from falling off the stairs, or even from fighting with someone else.”

His breath hitched.

You were too observant. Too smart. Too caring.

It was dangerous.

He swallowed, trying to force a smirk. “What, you don’t believe my excellent fighting skills?”

You didn’t even blink. “No.”

Remus looked away, his jaw tightening.

You exhaled softly.

But instead of pressing him further—

You simply dipped the cloth in cool water and resumed your work.

“I won’t push,” she murmured, gently dabbing at the wound. “But I do want you to take care of yourself.”

His chest ached at her words.

Because if you knew the truth, if you knew what he was, you would probably run in the opposite direction.

Wouldn’t you?

People feared werewolves.

They didn’t stay.

But you were still here.

Still touching him like he wasn’t a monster.

Still looking at him like he was worth something.

Remus exhaled shakily, his gaze flickering up to meet yours.

“I like it when you’re here,” he found himself whispering.

The moment the words left his mouth, his face flushed.

But instead of teasing him, instead of brushing it off—

You just smiled.

A small, soft thing, like you understood.

And then, ever so gently, you squeezed his hand.

“I’ll always be here, Remus.”

His breath caught in his throat.

For the first time in a long, long while—

He believed it.

The warmth of your hand lingered against his face as you pulled away, and Remus could still feel the ghost of your touch even as you reached for the last roll of bandages.

You had been tending to him for what felt like hours, moving with a patience that made his chest ache. Every touch was careful, precise. Every movement filled with an unspoken tenderness he wasn’t used to.

And the worst part?

He liked it.

Too much.

Your fingertips brushed over his forearm, tracing lightly over the edge of a scar.

He shivered.

"Cold?" You asked, glancing up.

Remus swallowed thickly. "No. Just—your hands are warm."

A small, knowing smile tugged at your lips. "Well, that’s a first. Normally, they’re freezing."

You carefully tied off the last bandage on his arm before sitting back slightly, examining your work.

"There. All patched up," you announced.

Remus let out a breath. "Thanks."

"Of course," you murmured. Then, your eyes flickered to his uniform—torn at the sleeves, stained with remnants of blood and dirt. You frowned. "You can't stay in that, Rem."

He blinked. "I—what?"

You raised an eyebrow, as if it were obvious. "Your uniform. It's ruined. You need to change into something clean."

Remus stiffened. His entire body ached, too exhausted to even think about moving. And besides, the thought of you seeing more of the mess that was his body—his scars, his bruises, his truth—made something tighten in his chest.

"I'm fine," he muttered, looking away.

You crossed your arms. "Liar."

He huffed. "I can change myself, you know."

You gave him a pointed look. "Oh? And how exactly are you planning on getting your shirt off when you can barely lift your arms?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it.

Damn. You had a point.

You sighed, softer this time. "Just let me help, okay?"

There was something in your tone—something so gentle, so patient, that all of his defenses cracked at once.

Remus exhaled, slumping slightly against the pillows. "...Fine."

You smiled triumphantly.

Then, ever so carefully, you reached for the first button of his shirt.

His breath hitched.

You were focused, your fingers working quickly but delicately, as if you were afraid of hurting him.

"Let me know if anything hurts," you murmured, concentrating.

Remus was pretty sure his heart was the only thing hurting right now.

You undid each button with care, peeling the fabric away from his tired skin. He tried not to stiffen under her gaze, tried not to flinch as your fingertips brushed over the raised scars littering his torso.

You said nothing about them.

No gasp of horror. No pitying glance.

You just...took him as he was.

Like it was normal.

Like he was normal.

He forced himself to breathe.

Once his shirt was off, you reached for the set of fresh pajamas Madam Pomfrey had left for him.

"Alright, arms up," you instructed.

Remus groaned. "You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?"

You grinned. "A little."

He rolled his eyes but obeyed, letting you slip the soft fabric of the pajama top over his shoulders. You guided his arms through the sleeves carefully, mindful of his bandages.

As you adjusted the collar, smoothing it out against his skin.

You gave him the pyjama pants, turning around so you couldn't see him changing. Remus smiled at that, already doing the best he could to change his clothes.

"Don't peek" He said

"I am not" You stiffened a laugh. You could hear him wincing every five seconds while changing his clothes.

After what felt like he just ran a marathon, he groaned as he fell back in the hospital bed. "You can turn around now"

"Better?" You asked softly.

Remus swallowed hard.

It was better. Not just because of the clean clothes, but because of you. Because you were here, because you were touching him so gently, because you were looking at him like he wasn’t something to be feared.

He nodded. "...Yeah."

You smiled, brushing a stray strand of hair from his forehead. "Good."

By the time you finished tucking the blankets around him, exhaustion was pressing heavily against his limbs.

His body was aching, drained, but he still fought the pull of sleep.

Because if he slept, you might leave.

And he wasn’t ready for that.

But you seemed to sense his struggle.

You sat down on the stool beside him, leaning forward slightly, your elbow resting on the edge of his bed.

"I’ll stay," you murmured. "At least for a little while."

His breath caught.

He didn’t deserve you.

But Merlin, he wanted you.

"...Okay," he whispered.

You smiled softly, reaching out to brush your fingers through his hair.

And that—

That was the final thing that broke him.

Your touch was slow, soothing, gliding through his hair in gentle, repetitive motions.

He sighed, his body instinctively leaning into the warmth of your hand.

"Sleep, Remus," you whispered.

His eyelids fluttered.

"You're...too nice to me," he mumbled sleepily.

You let out a soft laugh. "Someone has to be."

Remus wanted to say more.

He wanted to tell you that you were a ray of sunshine in his dark world.

But sleep was pulling him under—

And all he could feel was the warmth of your hand in his hair, the softness of your voice lingering in the air.

For the first time after a full moon, he slept peacefully.

[miabebe]

Calendar Killer (HJS)

Was it really love if it didn't include just a little madness? What was love if it didn't cross the line? And how was it love if it didn't care whether it was the red of love and the red of blood?

Pairing - Afab!reader x Detective! Hong Jisoo (Joshua)

Word count - 14K (we are back to Mia's inability to be concise)

Genre - Psych thriller, smut (18+), supernatural elements hinted, warnings under the cut!

A/n - This is the last installment of my 95s psych thriller Halloween series - I know its late but I just wanted to finish up what I committed to. Also, this is the wildest thing I have ever written, I'm not kidding, buckle up! I do suggest reading Jeonghan's and Cheol's before this!

Thank you to Lola ❤️ @monamipencil, the love of my life for beta reading this and filling our chat with 'oh my god's and frantic comments - I'm a lot more pleased with this piece now hehe

Warnings - Please note that this fic is dark, not morally appropriate at all and as psychotic as it gets. With that being said, let's goooo - people missing, mentions of deaths, bodies, murders, serial killer, mentions of stalking, choking, blowjobs, throat fucking, hair pulling, cum in mouth, masturbation, manhandling, unprotected sex, rough sex, marking, slight dubcon, creampie, psycho thoughts and behaviour

The station buzzed with the oppressive hum of a fluorescent light, flickering occasionally. The air was thick with the musty scent of old paper, the subtle clicking of the typewriter and cold winds blowing in through the open door.

“Great job today boss.” 

Joshua looked up from the paperwork strewn across his desk at Minho standing by the coffee machine, a mug in hand. the dark circles stark under his eyes. It had been a sleepless few weeks for everyone in his team and nights at the station were only getting longer and longer. 

Giving a tired nod of acknowledgement, Joshua turned his attention to what he liked to call his ‘murder board’. Wrong choice of name yes, but someone once told him that positive manifestation was a real thing. Maybe if he kept calling it a ‘murder board’ for long enough, one day he’d finally find himself climbing the ranks, handling real murder cases. He knew with just a little more power in his hands, he could be brilliant - he was a good detective, he had great intuition, he was sharp, efficient. Oh he’d make a fantastic sergeant or maybe even a lieutenant but instead, here he was, sitting in a tiny cubicle, the pages of his case files scattered across his desk, each one heavy with unanswered questions.

Six missing persons cases. That’s what Joshua was stuck on now.

Given his brilliance, it normally didn’t take more than a week for him to crack a case but these? These cases had turned into a three-month-long nightmare of frustration - endless hours of interrogation, dead end leads and constant running in circles. What bothered Joshua the most was that he had spent five years in the field, aced every exam, and most importantly, the sergeant position had been vacant for two months—ever since Hye Jin left for maternity leave. And yet, here he was, stuck in this cubicle, staring at the empty faces on case files, with no promotion in sight. How could he ever climb the ranks with these six cases making him look like an undeserving amateur?

One miracle—that’s all he needed. Six miracles, really. One clue per case, just a single point he had missed, one thing he might have overlooked. Shutting his eyes and leaning back in his chair, he sighed, wondering where on Earth he should look for answers. If only they walked into the station, looking for him. 

And then, you did. 

The creak of the door was what made Joshua’s eyes flicker up, following you as you stepped into the precinct.  You were wet from head to toe, hair sticking to your face and neck, your knee-length white nightgown clinging to your body as if you’d been caught in a downpour.

Joshua glanced outside. 

The sky was gray and heavy, but it was not raining. 

He frowned, rising from his chair. “Can I help you?”

You didn’t speak right away, your eyes darting around the room, searching for something. Joshua’s instincts flickered to life. Something was off, not in a way that screamed danger. Just… unsettling.

Water dripped all over the floor as you walked barefoot, struggling to take steps, shaking eyes, trembling lips and bruised knees accompanying you. Hand hovering over his pager, Joshua’s gaze shifted to his team, who were quietly filling the room, all of them sensing the shift in the air.

 “Are you okay?” He took a tentative step toward you, searching for answers on your face when you refused to meet his eyes. Instead they kept darting nervously over your shoulder and towards the door as though someone was about to follow you in. 

Joshua frowned at the entrance. “Is someone else coming-” 

“Don’t look.” You whispered, grabbing his hands, skin cold and grip tight. “I need help.” 

With a single gesture, Joshua had his team pull up a chair for you as he shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around your trembling shoulders before gently guiding you to sit. The air around you hummed, almost electric, as if something unknown was lingering.

Stepping back, Joshua leaned against his desk. “What’s going on?”

You hesitated, glancing nervously around the room. When you finally met his eyes, Joshua softened his expression, silently urging you to speak.

“Talk to me.”

“I.. I’m..” You muttered, your hands nervously fiddling with the fabric of your nightgown. “I’m being followed.” 

Joshua's brow furrowed, and he exchanged a glance with his team who immediately began heading towards the door. But you shook your head, fear evident in your voice. “They’re already here. In the precinct.”

“What do you mean?” He studied the room, his mind racing as everyone began frantically looking around, more alert than ever. “No one came in after you-” 

“Y-you can’t see them.” You raised your head, looking directly over Joshua’s shoulder, gulping. “.....Only I can.” 

Joshua followed your line of vision, his eyes finding the empty corner of the room. What on earth were you looking at? 

“I don’t understand, Miss…?” 

“Y/n,” Your voice was steady despite the fear in your eyes.

“Miss Y/n.” Joshua hesitated but still squatted in front of you, his eyes level with yours. “I’m here to help. You have to tell me exactly what’s happening..” 

Taking a shaky breath, you pulled the jacket closer to your body. “It started a week ago, I was coming back from the supermarket and there was a woman, standing right at the edge of the street.” 

“Was she someone you knew?” 

You shook your head. “I could sense her following me all the way home so I made sure to close the door as soon as I stepped inside but when I went into the kitchen…. ..she was already there.“ 

Joshua’s jaw tightened as he listened, watching you gulp the phantom lump in your throat. 

“I grabbed a knife and ran out, screaming for help, but when I brought my neighbor in… there was no one. It was like she vanished…. disappeared, into thin air.”

Joshua’s brows furrowed. “She ran off before you got back?”

You didn’t answer the question, simply continued. 

“Then the next day she was there again, but this time with three others. It was too early in the morning, the street was empty, I-I couldn't even ask anyone for help. When I entered the house I locked myself in again, but when I went into the kitchen…” You let out a shaky breath. “They were already inside. And just like before, when I tried to get help… they disappeared.”

 Joshua leaned forward, concerned.

 “The third day there were more of them, but this time I ran back to the store to get the cashier or the other townspeople to help me but no one could see them….. even though there were, standing right there, at the door, no one could see them.” 

The room grew tense as Joshua exchanged looks with his team. What was happening here?

“Miss Y/n are you sure they were there?” Joshua asked, his voice low.

“I’m not crazy,” You whispered, voice trembling. “They were there then… and they’re here now. All ten of them, right behind you.” 

Joshua felt something cold trickle down his spine. This time, he didn’t feel like looking behind him..

“Y-you can’t see them because they…” You hesitated.. “They are spirits.” 

The room that was already quiet to begin with grew more silent. Even the fluorescent light seemed to pause, waiting for someone to break the tension. Joshua blinked in disbelief, then scoffed softly.

“Spirits?” He repeated, incredulous. “You’re saying ghosts are following you?”

You didn’t flinch at his tone. Your gaze remained serious, too serious as you nodded.

Joshua’s eyes flickered to his team, who were exchanging nervous looks. Things were slipping beyond the edge of rational thought. Was this the universe’s way of taunting him? Yes he has always wanted to work on more complex cases but a beautiful looking seemingly mad woman who could see spirits? That was not on his bucket list. Nor was it his expertise. 

Ji Ho, the only woman on the team and ever the skeptic, slowly walked up to you, her voice calm but firm. “Miss Y/n, don’t worry, we can get you the help you need-” 

“You think I’m crazy.” You shook your head, eyes wide, desperate and not leaving Joshua’s “I swear, you have to believe me, I’m not insane.” 

Realising you wouldn’t cooperate, Joshua held up a hand, signaling for Ji Ho to step back as he slowly reached for his pager, dialing in the code for help.

 “I promise we’ll help you Miss Y/n, you need to trust us-.” 

Suddenly, moving with startling speed, you grabbed the pager out of his hands, anger in your eyes sharp. 

“You’re not listening!” You hissed, your grip tightening around the tiny device. Your hands, which had been shaking just moments before, suddenly stilled. It was as if you had snapped into a new state of resolve - you weren’t just pleading for help anymore; there was something else behind your gaze. Demand.. “These spirits won’t leave me until I give them what they want and you're the only one who can help me do that. I-I can’t live like this anymore.”

Joshua’s fingers tightened around the edge of the desk, his knuckles turning white. Something was off. You were clearly in distress, but there was something more beneath the surface. Something dangerous. The guard he had called for arrived at the door, waiting for his orders. Joshua nodded at Ji Ho who understood immediately and whispered something into his ears. As the uniformed man took off, Joshua walked over to this seat, pulling out a book and a pen. He had to engage you till he had help, he had to play his cards right. 

“Fine.” He flipped to an empty page, ready to write. “Tell me more. These spirits, what do they want?” 

“T-they’ve been telling me their stories, about who they are, about what happened”

“Okay…. Who are they?” Joshua tapped his pen against the surface. “Do you know their names?”

You shook your head. “I…I don’t but, I can ask.”

Looking around the room at nothing in particular you began mumbling something. Slowly, one after the other, you started dropping names as though you were repeating after an invisible, unheard voice. Joshua scribbled them down, eyes constantly darting towards the door, waiting for help. But as the list got longer, with each name he wrote, Joshua felt his guts twist. 

As did the whole team.

 Because they had all spent enough nights on those case files to have every detail memorised. 

Six of the ten names were the missing cases they had been working on. 

“A-are you sure these… these are the six names?” 

“Ten.” You corrected him. “Yes, these are the ten names.” 

Ji Ho met Joshua’s eyes from across the room, shaking her head. How could it be? More than half the names matching their list of victims, this…. This couldn’t just be a coincidence right? 

“You said you can see them? Can you, maybe, describe one of them for me?” Joshua studied your face as your eyebrows furrowed. “The old woman, Ye Soon, what does she look like?” 

“S-she’s around 60 years old. White hair, kind of like a curly bob. She’s got scoliosis so she stands a little crookedly.” You looked at the empty space behind him. “She also has a burn mark on her right hand.” 

Joshua froze. You were right. Down to every detail. 

“And Macy?” 

You turned around, looking over by the window. “She looks like a typical college kid - soft features, long straight hair, cheeks a bit sunken. She also peels the skin by her nails, they’re all bruised.” 

Right again. Your words matched the photos tucked away in the case file almost exactly. 

“And Jason-” 

“Officer Hong, we’re wasting time.” You shook your head. “Describing them is of no use, it doesn’t matter. What matters is what happened to them.” 

“You mean….” Joshua tapped his foot, his mind racing, the realisation just dawning upon him.. “You mean how they died?” 

“I mean how they were murdered.” You lowered your voice just a little. “And now they want justice.” 

The silence now was cold, heavy and deafening. No one knew what to do - the weight of your words had immobilised them all. 

“Josh.” Ji Ho, the only one unable to stay silent anymore, stepped up. “A word?” 

Excusing himself, Joshua got up and made his way to his team, all seven of them huddling around. Some of them looked terrified, constantly looking around, some looked at him plain confused like they still hadn’t put the pieces together. 

“Something’s wrong.” Ji ho crossed her arms. “There’s no way she-” 

“Knows the exact names and descriptions of missing people? Details of a private investigation?” Minho quipped. “I think it finally makes sense why we’ve not been able to trace these people…. They're dead.” 

“Which means all this while what we should have actually been looking for, are bodies.” Jaehyun sighed.

“What?” Ji ho looked at the boys like she couldn’t believe they were falling for this. “You think this is real? You think spirits are actually talking to her?” She turned to Joshua. “Please tell me you’re smarter than to believe in this madness.” 

“I don’t know what to believe right now.” Joshua pinched the bridge of his nose, lost in thought. “I think we should hear what she has to say-” 

“Josh-” 

“Ji Ho, we've been on these cases for months without a single solid lead.” He sighed. “As impossible as this might seem, I am desperate and I want to take a shot.” 

“You’re wasting the team’s time. I don’t think-” 

“She came to me, the case is mine,” Joshua looked at her pointedly. “So I call the shots.” 

Throwing her hands in the air, Ji Ho walked away, refusing to be a part of what she mumbled - a meaningless spectacle. Joshua returned, pulling a chair up, sitting right before you. Although he was the one who wanted answers, you beat him to the questioning. 

“You don’t believe me do you?” You sounded so scared. “You think I’m insane.” 

“I want to believe you, trust me Miss Y/n, you have no idea how easy it would make my life to believe you, six of these people are actually….” Shaking his head he held himself back, sticking to what was important. “The point is, you have come to the right place for help, the law can help you. But the law also requires proof, you need to prove what you’re saying is true.” 

You gulped, tapping your feet unsure, eyes darting around. 

“Ye Soon, that old woman.” You looked at him, slightly hesitating. “What if I took you to her?” 

Joshua frowned confused.

“What if I showed where she is…. “ Scooting closer to him, you whispered. “She told me everything, I can take you to where her body is.” 

Ji Ho looked at Joshua with narrowed eyes. Joshua returned her look with an unreadable expression. As though the universe had timed it all, the guard finally returned with help - two men dressed in soft blue scrubs carrying the logo of the town’s only psychiatric hospital. 

There were one of two things Joshua could do. He knew sending you away was the right thing to do, he knew you needed help, he knew listening to you was madness. 

But he also knew you were the closest thing to answers he had gotten in months. 

Turning to you, he pulled your chair closer. “Show me.” His voice was low, urgent. “Right now.”

Joshua stood by the back door, the rain slashing against the pavement like a thousand tiny daggers. He lit his cigar, inhaling the smoke as the faint hum of the town’s heartbeat seemed to vanish into the downpour. The cold air bit at his skin, but he didn’t care. His thoughts, heavy with the case, weighed him down more than any storm ever could.

Beside him you stood, leaning against the brick wall, your arms holding on to his jacket, wrapped around your midsection as if bracing against the cold. Your damp nightgown had long since dried, but the way you stood, your shoulders slightly hunched, made it seem like you were still caught in the storm.

Joshua couldn’t help but watch you. Something about you unsettled him, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. His eyes found their way to you, running all over your features, lingering longer than they should have. 

“Smoking is bad for your health.” 

You finally spoke, looking at him with those big eyes. Brown, soft, expressionless eyes. 

“I believe every man should have some bad habit.” Joshua chuckled, offering a small smile. “Keeps him grounded.” 

You laughed softly—a sound that almost got lost in the rain’s incessant roar, but thankfully, his ears were sharp enough to catch it.

“Do you have a bad habit Miss Y/n?” 

You hummed, looking far off at the quiet darkness of the town. “I don't know if this is bad but, I tend to go to any lengths to help the people I love.” 

Joshua’s lips pressed together. His gaze flicked to you, considering your words. “Must be why the spirits chose to talk to you,” he muttered, more to himself than to you. “Maybe they knew you’d help no matter what.”

When he turned to see what you thought of that, he found a small almost imperceptible smile tugging the corner of your lips. It was subtle, but present, making his chest tighten unexpectedly 

“What?” he asked, his voice betraying the flutter in his chest.

You shook your head, still smiling. “I’m just relieved you believe me.” 

How could he not? Afterall, Ye Soon was indeed where you said she would be - at the abandoned ice cream factory, tucked away in a large freezer, the body months old and ice cold. His team—especially Ji Ho—had recoiled in disbelief, but you? You hadn’t flinched. You stood aside, quiet and composed, as the body was recovered.

Over the last two hours, samples of hair, nails, fluid and whatever else that could be found were gathered and sent to the forensic lab for analysis but Joshua had a bigger question to address. 

“Is…” He took a deep breath. “Is Ye Soon somewhere around here?”

“She’s by the gate.” You turned to him. “Why?”

“I just want to confirm….. you’re sure she didn’t see the face of her killer?”

On the ride back, you had recounted Ye Soon’s entire story to the team. How she had felt  like she was being stalked for a long time. How she didn’t usually go anywhere at night but on the evening of her birthday, she couldn’t resist the free dinner invitation she received. How she was walking to the restaurant, dressed up and all alone when she was attacked from behind. 

You shook your head, expression slightly dejected. “No, her killer wore a mask so she had no idea who it was. One moment she was hit on the head and bleeding to death and the next, she found herself looking at her body in the freezer…. as a spirit.” 

“If justice is what she wants, it's going to be hard without having any idea who the killer is.” He sighed. “For now, we can start looking into why a freezer was functioning in an abandoned factory for the last 4 months but…. I’m not sure if it’ll lead to anything solid.” 

“Don't lose hope already.” You pushed yourself off the wall, taking a step closer to him. “The forensic team might have some answers.” 

“I hope so.” He nodded, but his thoughts were elsewhere. His gaze lingered on you, and for a brief moment, he imagined what it might be like to trust you completely. “Miss Y/n, I'll need you to lead me to the other nine bodies too. I hope it won’t be too much trouble for you.”

“Of course not.” You shook your head, hand finding his wrist reassuringly. “Although one of them is quite far and it's already past midnight-”

“Not now, tomorrow morning.” He glanced at your eager expression, hands itching to tuck that tiny strand of hair behind your ear. “It's late now, you should head home.” 

You nodded, drawing your hand back, and Joshua already missed the warmth of your touch. Taking a step back, you attempted to remove his jacket, but when a strong gust of wind blew, a shiver ran down your body.

Joshua chuckled, pulling it up your arms, adjusting it over your shoulders. “Keep it, it suits you better.” 

“Careful officer.” You smiled at him. “If you come asking for it again, I won't give it back.” 

“Fine by me.” He laughed. “Let me grab my keys, I'll drop you.” 

“That's okay, I'll walk.”

“It's raining Miss Y/n. I don't think-”

“I like walking in the rain.” You stuck your hand out in the pouring water. “Makes me feel good.” 

“I could walk you.” 

“It’s not like I don’t have company.” Joshua frowned as you giggled. “The spirits, officer. They follow me everywhere.” 

That flicker of something playful in your eyes - Joshua was seeing it for the first time. When you had walked in here earlier you had been so terrified, shaking, desperate for help. Now you seemed so unfazed. Maybe you were glad that you were finally getting help. Maybe you were never really terrified. Either way, the unsettling shift in your demeanor troubled his mind. 

“You sure you’ll be okay?” His tone was lighter than he intended, masking what he was truly feeling.

“I’ll be fine,” You brushed him off with the wave of a hand. “I’ll just get lost in my own thoughts, without any distractions.”

Joshua didn’t stop you as you began walking. He simply watched as you glanced over your shoulder, muttering a small “good night” before stepping into the rain. Slowly, as your figure was swallowed by the darkness of the night, Joshua retreated into the debate in his mind. Should he follow to make sure you weren’t in trouble?

Or were you the trouble that was looming around the corner?

Joshua leaned back in his chair, his eyes locked on the scattered files in front of him. The low hum of the fluorescent lights above, along with the steady, almost rhythmic tap of his fingers against the desk, were the only sounds that filled the otherwise silent room. The pile of crime scene files seemed to grow heavier with each glance—each one a grim reminder of the ten bodies they had recovered. Ten people dead, each with their own story, now reduced to nothing more than photos, forensic reports, and police notes.

Two weeks. Two long weeks of following the trail you’d led them to, finding all ten victims hidden in the most unimaginable locations, each one’s story recounted with haunting detail. As per protocol, his team had collected every piece of evidence they could find, and the progressive inspection of each item only further corroborated your stories. Ji Ho, who had initially resisted being part of this madness, had also joined, keenly looking into the details of the investigation.

There was just one detail that Joshua could not wrap his head around - the fact that all ten victims had apparently not seen their killer’s face. 

Each one had been attacked from behind - either struck on the head, run over by a car, strangled from behind or shoved off a building. It was always from the back, perfectly concealing their perpetrators face, keeping that identity a mystery.  Aside from this one detail which was making the progress of his investigation incredibly difficult, Joshua did not notice anything strikingly similar amongst all the cases. 

That was until he was staring at his now very real murder board earlier today. 

It was filled with a dozen pictures and pins, only getting messier with every detail but there was one connection Joshua happened to piece as he searched for the finer details - Ye Soon was going for a dinner on her birthday, Macy was returning from a birthday party her friends had thrown her, Jason was going to meet his girlfriend to celebrate his birthday….. All ten of them had died on their birthday and not just that - all of their birthdays fell on the 30th of the month. 

And that was when the pieces clicked. Joshua arranged all ten cases according to a timeline, spanning from January this year to November. Every month on the 30th, right on their birthday, one victim had died and Joshua knew for a fact that this was a pattern because there was no victim in February - the only month without a 30th. 

This was an MO. This wasn’t the work of ten different killers. It was one. One serial killer.

The moment he realized this, he knew he should share it with his team, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to. Perhaps it was because he knew the moment he revealed this discovery, all eyes would turn to one person—You.

And sure enough, the door slammed open and Ji Ho entered, a thick file in her hand. 

“I heard back from forensics.” She walked over, setting the papers on his table. “But you’re a brilliant detective Joshua, so you must have already figured this out.” 

“What?” Joshua sipped on his coffee, trying to appear nonchalant. 

“There were many different DNAs collected at the crime scenes, but one particular DNA was found at every single one.” 

Fuck. There it was.  His worst fear, out loud.

“This is clearly a serial killer Joshua.” When he didn’t meet her eye, she moved into his line of vision. “For heaven’s sake, why are you trying to protect her?” 

“Who?” Joshua shot back, his jaw tightening.

“Y/n.” She spoke through gritted teeth. “Please tell me you’re not being an infatuated fool-” 

“I’m not a fool.” 

“But you don’t deny the infatuation.” Ji Ho’s voice rose as she pointed at him. “I’ve seen you two over the last many days - you think I don’t recognise the way you look at her?” 

“Ji Ho, just because the two of us were once a thing and it didn’t work out-” 

“This isn’t about us!” She threw her hands in the air, frustration evident. “You know I’m more professional than that. This is about you. You saw a petite, pretty damsel in distress who told you a sob story and leaned on your shoulder and you decided to forget about everything sensible.” 

“You aren’t being sensible!” Joshua turned to face her, anger simmering. “Ji Ho, if Y/n was the killer why would she lead us to the bodies? Why would she try to implicate herself?” 

“You know how the brains of psychos work. They think they’re too smart, that they’ll never be caught.” Ji Ho crossed her arms. “This is just a game for her.” 

Joshua shook his head. “She’d have to be too dumb to expose herself like this. Using the paranormal to do it, don’t you think it’s too much?” 

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me.” Ji Ho let out a heavy breath. “So I did what I had to do. I called Y/n here.” 

He frowned. “Why?” 

“I took a sample of her hair without her knowledge and sent it to the lab.” Ji Ho took a step back, her eyes cold. “In a short while, we’ll know if that DNA matches hers… You’ll have your answers then.” 

“Ji Ho, this wasn’t my order—”

“I’m sorry but I don’t care, Josh.” She stopped her tracks by the door. “We might have been in love years ago, but I know what you are like. You’ll do anything to protect her and I cannot just sit back and watch you indulge in this stupidity.” 

“I’m none of your fucking concern!” Joshua’s voice rose in frustration as she walked out without another word. “Ji Ho, come back here, goddammit!”

Frustrated he slammed his hands on the table, the coffee cup toppling to the ground. It wasn’t like Joshua hadn’t thought of this possibility but this was his case to solve. He wanted to talk to you first, hear whatever it was from your mouth, not some cold DNA report.

Recalling Ji Ho say that you were here, Joshua bolted out of his room to the visitors lounge. There you were, sitting on the couch with your feet pulled up, flipping through a magazine while the sound of a Spanish telenovela played in the background. Annoyed by the noise, Joshua grabbed the remote and switched it off before walking toward you.

 In the sudden absence of the sound you looked up, eyes finding him, a smile spreading across your face as he sat beside you on the couch. Normally, Joshua wouldn’t sit so close to a witness—or take her hand in his—but you were different.

“Hi.” You whispered. “You look tense.” 

“How long have you been here?” 

“About half an hour,” You rubbed his arm comfortingly. “Ji Ho said you wanted to talk to me.” 

Joshua swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. “There’s been some progress in the case.”

You turned to him, curious. “Did you find any of the killers?” 

“Not exactly.” He shook his head. “I…I got a lead, though. Actually I’m not sure it’s much of a clue.” 

“What is it?” 

“All of them were killed on the 30th of the month.” He watched you closely, studying your face for any flicker of recognition, of guilt. “It seems like a pattern. Like this might be the work of one person.” 

“One person?” Your eyes widened. “You mean like a serial killer?”

Joshua nodded. 

“A serial killer who kills on the 30th of every month.” You muttered, lost in thought. “Why the 30th?” 

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, his voice tight. “Maybe they don’t like the number.”

“I won’t be surprised.” You pursed your lips. “I’ve never really liked the number 30 either. It’s like a deadline... something always looming, reminding you of the things you haven’t done. The things you can’t undo.”

Joshua blinked, trying to keep his expression neutral. Please, please, please, this can’t be true.

“But if I am right and if this is a pattern,.” He stared at their intertwined hands. “30th December is not far off and maybe they have another victim in their sight…. I need to find this killer soon.” 

“If it is a serial killer then this is much easier than we thought.” You reassured, turning towards him. “Think about it, isn’t it better to find one person than ten? And won’t all the evidence help you narrow down who the culprit is? All you have to do is something common amongst them all, right?”

Joshua nodded. Exactly. It was easy. Which meant it couldn’t have been you, could it? You wouldn’t have committed those crimes and then set up a trap for yourself would you? That made no sense. 

Or perhaps Joshua was refusing to see sense in it. Perhaps he was so drawn by you that he couldn’t bring himself to see reason. 

With each passing day, he had found his eyes lingering less over the crime scene and more over you. With each body being discovered, it was like the weight on your shoulders was lessening. You seemed more free, more at peace, more…..beautiful. Whenever your eyes met his, you began to smile. Whenever he rode his bike and you sat behind him, he felt his heart do a somersault in his chest. Just watching you walk into the station every morning made him feel a relief like no other.

Joshua had begun to like these small things. Your presence, your tiny quirks, the way you told stories, even though they were quite horrendous recounts, he liked how expressive your face was. He liked you. 

And it was evident you liked him too.

At first, Joshua thought you liked to be around him because you felt safe but slowly you began sitting closer to him than usual. You began following him on walks to survey perimeters, holding his hand when you tripped but not letting it go even when you were steady. He could tell by the way you looked at him - you felt the same thing he was feeling. That undeniable attraction, that magnetism. 

Except there was only one tiny thing between the two of you - you might be a potential murderer and Joshua might have to implicate you for your crimes. Which is why none of this could be true. You could not be the killer. 

But no sooner than he thought that, the door to the visitors room flung open making the two of you jump apart and Ji Ho stepped in, a thin file in her hand. 

“The results are back.” Her eyes flickered between both of you. “I’m sorry Josh but the DNA matches…. It’s her.” 

Joshua's heart dropped. The words echoed in his mind, and for a split second, the world seemed to stop.

It was you. You were the killer.

Joshua stood in the observation room, his eyes locked on you through the two-way mirror. 

You were slouched at the table, head low, your exhaustion palpable. The harsh light above cast long shadows across your face, making your features appear fragile and worn. Joshua’s heart tightened as he watched you. He longed to step in, to pull you close and promise that everything would be okay, but he couldn’t. He had to remain detached, professional—even though every instinct screamed to comfort you.

For the past three days, he had avoided entering the interrogation room, choosing instead to watch from the observation window, a silent witness to your suffering. He could see the strain in your eyes each time you pleaded for belief, for a chance to prove your innocence. Occasionally, you’d look towards him, and in those fleeting moments, it was as if you could see him right through the mirror. The desperate, pleading look you gave shattered something inside him—his resolve, his detachment. Every time, he felt that same arrow pierce his heart, and yet, he remained still, unable to intervene. Helpless.

His gaze flickered to Minho, who had just entered the room, pulling up his sleeves with the usual resolve. Joshua turned away from the mirror, his jaw tightening. He had to hold it together. He couldn’t let Minho see how he was unraveling inside.

“It’s my turn boss.” He glanced at Joshua. “Unless you want to?”

Joshua shook his head, sipping on his coffee. Minho sighed, pulling the door open and stepping in, catching you off guard with his sudden appearance. Joshua watched the man as he took a seat, settling the files on the table before you. 

“Where’s Joshua?” You asked, your eyes flickering toward the door expectantly.

“I’ll ask the questions Miss.Y/n.” Minho cleared his throat a little too loudly.

“For the last time,” You sighed. “I did not do it. I am not the killer-” 

���I’m not suggesting you are the killer Miss Y/n.” He pushed the file towards you. “I simply want you to explain why your DNA has been found on all ten sites.” 

“I’ve already told you,” you leaned back in your chair, frustration evident in your voice. “When the spirits first talked to me, I went to some of those locations to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind. How many times do I have to repeat myself?”

“You mentioned you went to-” He flipped through the papers “-four sites. Then how was your DNA found at all ten?” 

“Maybe because I was the one who led you to those locations,” you shot back, crossing your arms.

“Are you suggesting we are stupid enough to mess up the sample collection?” Minho’s voice grew colder. “That we sat back and let you contaminate those crime scenes?”

“Then are you suggesting that I am stupid enough to commit ten murders and walk into a station and implicate myself?”  you retorted.

Minho leaned back, narrowing his eyes.“I don’t know Miss Y/n. I’m looking for you to give me the answers.” 

“For god’s sake!” You slammed your palm onto the table, frustration boiling over. “If you think I’m going to cave to this tortuous questioning and admit to something I didn’t do, you’re wrong. I. Didn’t. Do. It.” 

“But you could have helped the killer.” Minho shrugged. “The sentence for an accomplice to murder is less severe Miss Y/n, if you admit to it, we can help you-” 

“I don’t need your help because I did not do this.” You glanced at the mirror,your eyes locking with Joshua’s yet again. “I made a mistake coming here thinking you could help me, you’d help them. But now I am being held here, blamed for something I didn’t do.” 

Joshua’s grip on his coffee tightened, his gaze sliding away from you. He had nothing to say.

Minho exhaled sharply. “Miss Y/n, you are being held because the evidence clearly points at you-” 

“Or maybe I’m here because you need a scapegoat to take the fall.” you interrupted, voice dripping with bitterness.

Surprised, Joshua straightened out. 

“I heard six of these cases were in fact missing people that your team hadn’t been able to find in months.” you continued, your tone mocking. “Convenient isn’t it, to blame it all on the only other person involved in the uncovering of the crime scene? A nice, easy way to wrap this up neatly.” 

“Are you implying that one of us manipulated the evidence to make it look like you’re the killer?” Minho snapped.

“I didn’t say that,” you tilted your head, your gaze sharp. “But you seem to be admitting to it.”

“Miss Y/n, don’t twist my words….” 

But there was no need to. 

Joshua took a step back, mind running through the possibilities. About who might have such a motive, who might have manipulated the evidence…..

There was only one person who popped in his mind. Someone who was as driven as him to solve these cases. Someone who didn’t want to be a part of the investigation but had joined regardless. Someone who could possibly benefit from trapping you in this case. 

Ji Ho. 

Joshua knew his ex girlfriend well enough to dismiss this possibility of her involvement. It was the reason the two of them had broken up - She was incredibly competitive, she never seemed to remember the relationship the two of them shared when they were in a professional space, she was never happy for him, never acknowledged his achievements.

But that did not mean there was no passion between them outside the walls of the precinct. God they were wild and couldn’t keep their hands and eyes off each other. Things were fine till whatever happened at work stayed at work, but the more Joshua became successful in his career, Ji Ho started bringing her professional grievances home, between them. The suffocation her competitiveness brought forth was what stifled their bond - Joshua couldn’t live with it any longer. 

But maybe, now that he thought about it, this situation allowed her to kill two birds with one stone - on one hand, the cases termed nearly impossible could finally be closed and on the other, you, his new person of interest would be out of the way. Joshua saw the way Ji Ho looked at the two of you, like she didn’t like it one bit - her incriminating you wasn’t exactly impossible. When she had secretly taken a sample of your hair to cross verify with the identified DNA, who’s to say she didn’t plant the other evidence the same way? 

Grabbing his pager from the table, he gave you one last glance before pulling the door open, setting off to look for the woman in question. He had to act fast. He needed to find out if Ji Ho was involved. 

Thankfully he didn’t have to look far, she was right at the visitors room, remote in her hand, watching the same Spanish telenovela that had been perpetually on the station’s TV for months.

“Ji Ho-” Joshua called out.

“Shh,” she raised a hand to silence him, keeping her eyes on the screen. “I’m watching.”

“Is that more important than what’s happening with Y/n-” 

“Honestly? Yeah,” she replied without missing a beat, her tone flippant. “This is actually what helped save her.”

Joshua stared at her, bewildered. “What do you mean, ‘save her’?”

“I think she’s innocent,” Ji Ho said, finally turning to face him.

All points of argument that Joshua had come up with died in his mind. What? 

“You do? You believe she’s innocent?” He placed himself right before the screen. “You were the one who was so sure she did it-” 

“I simply believed the evidence that came up.” She rolled her eyes. “But unlike you, I don’t let my emotions rule over practicality.” 

“I did not-” 

“I know you Josh, I know something is wrong. Your judgement has been clouded for days, you’re not thinking straight. But I am.” She crossed her arms, taking a deep breath. “I knew we needed more irrefutable evidence and most importantly, we needed a motive so I had been looking and asking around. Turns out she has an alibi.” 

“What kind of alibi?” 

“The people at the store confirmed that a few weeks back she had run in, scared and shaking, claiming she was followed. The neighbours also said that she had approached them for help a few times but they didn't see anyone.” 

“Didn't you say that she might have done all that to make her story more convincing?”

“Yes but,” Ji Ho bit her lower lip hesitating. “I also broke into her house-” 

“You what??” 

“-and I found her passport and a couple of other things that prove she wasn't even in town when three or four of those murders happened, the timelines don't match.”

 “So it might not be her?” Joshua let out an inward sigh of relief. “Then… then what about the DNA?” 

“Precisely.” Ji Ho nodded, gesturing him to turn around. “Watch this.” 

Frowning Joshua did, eyes falling on the tv screen. He wasn't really familiar with this show, the only reason he had ever watched it was because Ji Ho was obsessed with it. He did remember this particular part of the plot though - everyone thought Maria was the mother of Lizzy but it was actually her twin, Gloria. 

Twin?.....

“Identical twins have the exact same DNA.” Ji Ho muted the show as his mind raced with the possibilities. “Do you know if Y/n has a twin?”

Joshua shook his head. He didn't ask much about your family or personal life, he didn't really find the chance to have such a conversation but if there was even a possibility….

Rushing out, Joshua barged into the interrogation room where Minho was still badgering you with his questions. 

“Joshua….” You looked up at him, eyes widening. For the first time in days, you saw something other than apology in his eyes. You clung to that look, hoping it meant he was still on your side. Ji Ho followed him, walking into the room right behind, earning a small frown from you. 

“Y/n,” Watching Joshua unable to say anything she walked up, shoving her hands in her pockets. “There's something important we need to know.” 

“What is it?” You continued to look at Joshua who simply nodded softly, signalling you not to worry. 

“Do you happen to have a twin? An identical one?”

Blinking rapidly, you hesitated. “I…. I do, yeah, why?” 

Joshua and Ji Ho exchanged looks. Fuck. 

“Where is she?”

“I- I don't know. We both grew up at the St. Mary orphanage. At around the age of eight, she was adopted. The family didn't want two kids so they only took her in. Few months later I was adopted by a different family so we haven't really seen each other or even heard from each other since then.” Your eyes flickered between both the officers. “Why? What happened?” 

Thank god. Thank fucking god. 

Joshua let out the breath he was holding, shutting his eyes briefly out of relief. 

Ji Ho, who looked both guilty and curious, stepped closer to you. “So you don’t know where she is right now?” 

You shook your head, “But I know she's a Mayor's daughter, I don't remember for which town though.” 

Nodding at Joshua, Ji Ho whispered something into Minho's ears before the two of them hurriedly left the room. Standing up confused, your eyes followed them as Joshua neared you. 

“Joshua what's happening?” 

He didn't say anything, just simply pulled you into a hug, finally feeling your warmth again as you wrapped your arms around his waist. 

“You'll be fine.” He held onto you tighter. “I'm not going to let anything happen to you.” 

Joshua watched you fast sleep on the couch of the visitor’s lounge. 

Curled up, with your hair spilling over your face like a dark veil, you looked peaceful, untouched by the weight of the world. As much as Joshua longed to slip in beside you and to hold you as you slept, he knew better. He had to maintain some distance. The team had already been giving him looks whenever you stood too close to him, leaning over case files, working through the details of the investigation. At least the pity and disdain in their eyes had faded—now that you were cleared, they saw you as less of a suspect. 

Ji Ho, ever the efficient one, had tracked down your twin just a few days ago. She had been found in a town several hours away, barely conscious, dragged into the precinct with the sour smell of alcohol still clinging to her. Standing beside Joshua, you watched your twin in the interrogation room, hungover and dazed, trying to make sense of the evidence mounting against her. Though you hadn’t spoken in years, the ache in your chest was unmistakable. You didn’t want to believe it was her but even after sobering up when she failed to provide any alibi, the truth was undeniable.

Her neighbors, friends, and even family all corroborated the fact that she had fallen deep into drugs, her life spiraling out of control. The last few months had turned her into someone unrecognizable—violent, unpredictable and uncontrollable. No one could vouch for her whereabouts during the killings either and as the investigation wore on, the evidence stacked up against her, leaving little room for doubt. In the end, she was arrested, the case moving forward to court where she was to be prosecuted for her crimes. 

Today was your final day at the station—just a few papers to sign, a final nod to close the investigation. After this, the case would be officially closed and the two of you would not be bound by the investigation anymore - there was no obligation to see each other. 

“You know,” Ji Ho’s voice broke the silence, pulling Joshua out of his thoughts, “just because the case is over doesn’t mean you won’t get to see her.”

Joshua turned to see her standing in the doorway, arms crossed, leaning casually against the frame.

“I know.” He muttered, feeling a familiar pang in his chest. “But how do you always know what I’m thinking?”

She chuckled, stepping into the room. “Because I know you, Joshua. Better than anyone. I just wish you knew me too. I wish you knew me better. I would never incriminate someone out of pettiness.”

He winced, guilt tugging at him. “I’m sorry. I guess I was just ready to believe anything that meant Y/n was innocent.”

Ji Ho glanced at you. “Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore. She is innocent. “ 

“Thanks to you.” He smiled, looking at you slightly shifting in your sleep, mouth now slightly open as you continued to doze off. “She would have still been a suspect if not for your brilliance.” 

“Nah.” Ji Ho waved her hand, dismissing his words. “I only did what I had to, it's my job. But what's really amazing is you cracked the cases Joshua, the ones no one could solve for months. I heard the promotion letter is on the way.” 

“It should have been yours Ji Ho.” Staring at the ground Joshua shifted uncomfortably, refusing to meet her eyes. He couldn't bring himself to. “I know how much you wanted this too, and I… I don’t understand why you gave all the credit to me.”

Ji Ho sighed, her gaze distant. “I did want it. But I felt like you deserved it more, especially for all that I put you through the last many days.” 

“So this is out of pity?” 

“It's out of admiration.” She corrected. “I don't know if I would have been able to keep my calm the way you did when Y/n was being accused. You put your job above everything, you were the one who figured out the killer's MO, you were the driving force of this investigation. It's only right that you go up the ranks.” She then paused as though she was unsure if she should continue. “You can also think of it as an early birthday present from me.” 

Joshua glanced at the calendar, the black rimmed circle placed over 29th December. His birthday was tomorrow. Here he was, too wrapped up in all this to even remember but of course Ji Ho did. Even after all that happened, she remembered. 

“Thanks,” he muttered, trying to mask the sudden rush of gratitude. Before he could say more, his gaze shifted back to you. You were beginning to stir, shifting on the couch, their voices perhaps pulling you from your slumber.

Ji Ho noticed it too, and with a small nod, she tucked her hands in her pockets and began to back out of the room. “I should go. You and Y/n should have a nice celebration tomorrow, okay?”

Joshua smiled, not entirely convinced as she disappeared into the buzz of the busy office. Was he really worthy of a celebration though? Even though the six biggest problems of his life had been solved giving him the promotion he wanted more than anything, Joshua didn't quite find himself fully relieved. It was as though there was something he still wasn't seeing. 

When you finally raised your head, blinking sleepily, Joshua pushed all his conflicting thoughts aside. Right now, only you mattered.

“Morning sunshine.” He smiled softly, voice light.

You glanced at the window, then at the clock. “It's 6pm Joshua.” 

“Yes but you've been sleeping like it's the dead of the night.” 

“Can you blame me?” You yawned. “For the first time in days, I'm able to sleep without thinking about somebody constantly watching me.” When Joshua looked confused, you sat up, crossing your legs. “The spirits, Joshua.” 

“They're gone?” 

“I haven't seen much of them the last few days, ever since she was brought in…..” You trailed off, your gaze flickering down to your restless hands. “I guess they've gotten the justice they're looking for.” 

“I'd have thought they'd stick around at least till the trial.” Joshua looked thoughtful. “She's the Mayor's daughter. What if she buys her way out of this?” 

“I don't know.” You shrugged. “I know her background might allow her to escape this unscathed but I hope not. Perpetrators deserve to be punished.” 

Something about your words stung Joshua differently. Indeed, the perpetrator should be punished, but for that, it was necessary to find the real culprit. A tiny voice in his head was making him doubt his choice. 

“I thought twins were naturally very protective of one another.” He glanced at you carefully. “You seem okay with whatever is happening to your sister.” 

You looked at him incredulously. “Of course I'm upset but you know what she did. I'm not emotionally attached to her because we barely know anything about each other but even if I was, do you think someone who killed so many people deserves to walk freely? The spirits trusted me to ensure they got justice Joshua, how can I let their murderer not face any consequences?” 

Joshua stared at the wall behind you, mind racing to the time it all began with you walking into the station. Your claim about spirits only you could see, all ten spirits being unaware of their killer yet all ten of them conveniently being killed by the same person. Your knowledge of all the crime sites, finding your DNA in every single one. You happening to have a twin sister who, in contrast to your perfect alibis, didn't have any. It was all too easy - was it a lucky coincidence that the spirits found the estranged twin of their perpetrator to be their yielder of justice? Or had he in fact caught the wrong sister…..Joshua felt a chill run down his spine. Somehow, it didn't seem like this case was over - there was clearly more to it. 

He turned his attention back to you, gulping when he realised you were studying his zoned out expression intently. 

“What is it?” You raised an eyebrow. “What are you thinking?” 

“Just…” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to come over and get my jacket back but I realised I didn't even know where you lived.” 

You cocked your head at him, a knowing expression on your face. “I told you - Once you give it to me, I won’t return it if you ask.” 

“Right.” Joshua chuckled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. 

Fuck. This was his one shot to confirm the truth before it was too late. Twins might look identical and even have the same DNA but their fingerprints? Fingerprints were unique even among twins and Joshua wanted to get his hands on yours. His jacket being a leather one would have been an easy way to obtain them but now, he had to think of something else.

“I was thinking, do you want to maybe go out and get dinner today?” He looked at you feigning casualness he was not feeling. “We've never really gotten the chance to do anything outside the precinct, I thought we could spend some time….”

You shook your head softly, a small, apologetic smile playing at your lips as you got up. “Not tonight. I have something I need to do.”

“Something more important than me?” He smiled half-heartedly, trying to mask the hurt. “Than us?” 

Laughing softly you walked up to him, hands clasped behind your hand as you leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “I'll be seeing you tomorrow anyway, birthday boy.”

Joshua watched as you slowly pulled away from him and began to leave, the lightness of your kiss still lingering on his skin. It didn’t feel like an intimate gesture, more like a goodbye, a farewell to something unspoken.

He stood frozen, entangled in his web of thoughts, unsure of what to do with himself. But when the moment passed, he made up his mind. - he couldn’t wait any longer. He had to know the truth.

Rushing towards Ji Ho’s cubicle, his heart pounding in his chest, he called out to her breathlessly. 

“You said you broke into Y/n’s place, right?”

Her eyes widened, surprised by his urgency. She nodded.

“I need you to give me the address.”

Joshua slowly pushed the door of your house, both surprised and thankful it was unlocked. 

He had been hiding in the bushes for over an hour now, watching you move around through the glass of the window. About ten minutes ago, you had donned his jacket, pulled your hair into a high ponytail and left the house, walking into the dead of the night. Joshua glanced at his watch - it was 11pm and he had no idea what kind of business you had set off to do. Now that he thought about it, Joshua didn’t know anything about you at all - why then was he so enthralled by you?

He had to snap out of it. He was here to find the truth and that’s what he was going to do. When he was finally convinced that you weren’t returning to grab something you might have forgotten, Joshua mustered his courage and stepped carefully into the dimly lit house, his heartbeat quickening with each creak of the floorboard beneath his shoes. This was the only chance he might have to explore your space, your sanctuary, see who you were outside that mask of affection you always wore when they were together. He knew it was dangerous and reckless, but he had to be sure. 

The house was quiet. Too quiet. It smelled faintly of lavender, mixed with a subtle undertone of something he couldn’t quite place. He moved through the living room, avoiding the clutter of half-empty cups and newspapers, scanning for anything that might give him a clue. The space looked like it hadn’t been cared for in a while, like you hadn’t been home for a long time. Joshua made mental notes of everything as he walked in, his feet taking him around like he had been here a hundred times already. 

It was only when he tripped over the rug that his tracks stopped, prompting him to look at the cause of his near fall - A loose floorboard. Frowning he crouched down and pried it loose, the cool edge of the tile slipping from its mortar with a slight scrape. Underneath, hidden in the narrow compartment, was a small wooden box, its surface worn with time. Turning it in his hands, Joshua pried it open.

Photographs. 

Hundreds of photographs of you. 

No, not you… you didn’t dress in designer wear, drink expensive champagne or drive in a Rolls Royce. This was your sister. 

You had uncountable photographs of her, carefully taken and meticulously arranged. She looked young in some of them and much older in others. Some were clearly taken from a distance while others seemed more intimate, like they’d been taken while she was unaware….. You had been stalking her.

From the looks of it, you had been keeping an eye on her for years, watching her every move. Joshua’s stomach churned, a new sense of unease settling over him. You said you hadn’t seen her in years - you lied. 

Spreading them out on the cold floor, he flipped through them, realising that everyone was right about her - she had an affinity to party and indulge in drugs, often blacking out in the middle of nowhere. But he also realised that she in fact, had an alibi…. A couple of dates on these photos were on the 30th… she couldn’t have possibly been the killer. 

And more importantly, you knew that. If you had taken these pictures, you knew your sister was innocent - yet you watched her be put away behind the bars. 

Fuck. 

This was a terrible mistake. 

Quickly moving, Joshua grabbed the relevant photos - Ji Ho had to see this, the whole team had to see this. But before he could smoothly stash them away in his pocket, he heard the familiar creak of the floorboard at the entrance. You were back. 

Joshua’s breath hitched as the soft footfall of your steps echoed through the quiet room, getting louder and louder by the minute. Panicking, he quickly stuffed everything back in the box, shoved it back into its hidden compartment and placed the floorboard back in place, pretending like nothing had happened.

Just as he stood up, turning towards the sound, his eyes fell on your figure lingering by the large wooden arch, watching him intensely. Slowly, almost deliberately, you closed the distance in between, eyes not leaving him, not blinking. Joshua tensed, his body stiffening with a mix of fear and anticipation. And when you reached him, you didn’t speak - merely tilted your head, your eyes searching his face as if reading something he didn’t want you to see.

Then, without warning, curling your fingers around his collar, pulling him closer, you kissed him. 

Your lips pressed against his, tenderly but also carrying an undeniable weight. Joshua's body froze for a moment, completely caught off guard by the intensity of it, the subtle brush of your lips conveying something far deeper than simple affection. Your hands moved, one sliding up to his neck, the other tangling in his hair, and for a brief second, Joshua forgot himself. His hand cupped your face, as he pushed you back against the wall, kissing you passionately, like he was a hungry man, finally being fed. You moaned as the heat swelled between the pressed bodies, both of you powerless to the undeniable attraction between the two of you. 

Finally, you pulled away, just a fraction, your breath warm on his lips, and in that silence, you softly bit your lower lip, looking at him with big, lust blown eyes. 

"Did I play my part well, Shua?"

Joshua’s heart stuttered in his chest, his breath slowing down, eyes fixed on you. 

And then he cocked his head and gave a short nod.

At last, at fucking last, Joshua allowed the mask to crack, a small, victorious smile dancing on his face. The smile that had once been charming and controlled, faltered at the edges, now that he had come face to face with the full scope of the story he had spun. The facade he worked so hard to maintain, the calculated version of himself that had held the reins of this twisted game, finally slipped away. 

Dragging his hand down from your cheek, he wrapped it around your throat, pulling you closer, angling your face up, pressing contrastingly soft kisses along your jaw. You sighed happily despite struggling to breathe, eyes rolling back as you grabbed his wrist, not to pull his choking hand away, but to hold it in place. Fuck. He loved that you loved this. 

“You did great, baby.” He whispered into your ear. “You did so so well.” 

“A…” He loosened his grip when you failed to speak. “Aren’t you going to reward me then?” 

“Of course I am.” He pulled back, fully letting you go, supposedly to allow you to breathe again. But before you could, hand on your head, he pushed you down, forcing you onto your knees. As you quickly stripped out of his favourite jacket, placing it under you to cushion you from the cold floorboard, he unbuttoned his pants, getting ready for your mouth, his favourite place to be. Within seconds, you took over, pulling his pants down and his dick out, spitting in your hand before stroking it slowly. Joshua slapped your hand away and slipped his thumb between your lips prying your mouth open as he pushed his dick into your mouth. 

“Fuck,” He threw his head back. He had missed this warmth of you, wrapped around him. “That’s it baby, that feels fucking good.”

Pleased with yourself, you hummed around his girth and without a warning, his hand finding the back of your head, Joshua pushed himself further in, your sound of surprise lost in your throat. You didn’t struggle too hard to take him all the way in, afterall, Joshua had been here a hundred times already. When he noticed you were running out of breath, he pushed himself just a little further before completely pulling out, throwing you into a coughing fit. Looking at you disappointedly, he shook his head, 

“You can do better baby.” He tilted your face up. “Don’t you want to do better for me?” 

Nodding eagerly, you took him in your mouth again, bobbing your head around his length just the way he liked it, just the way he had trained you to pleasure him. Without him even needing to say it, you clasped your hands behind you, only your mouth working vigorously, alternating between blowing him fast and letting him deep in your throat. Grinning at you, Joshua wrapped your ponytail around his hand, jerking his hips forward to match your pace, finding his orgasm building in him much sooner than usual. 

Of course it did. Joshua was unusually happy today - afterall, everything he intended went according to plan. He had supposedly solved all six of those never ending missing cases, he had secured his promotion and no one even found out that he was the real killer. 

Throwing his head back, he groaned as you skillfully let him so deep in, your nose nearly touching his groin, your face reddening. Dragging you off his cock, he looked down at you impressed, receiving your fucked out expression in return - eyes blown, drool leaking from the corners of your lips, mouth still open, waiting for more. Chucking, he stroked himself. 

“Strip.” 

And you did, pulling your gown over your head, tossing it somewhere far. Then you unclasped your bra, your perfect boobs spilling out of the cups as Joshua felt his mouth water from the sight of it. He had missed them so bad and by the end of tonight, he was going to irrevocably mark them as his. When you looked at him questioningly about taking off your underwear, he shook his head and pushed you against the wall by your shoulders, the back of your head softly hitting the concrete. Knowing what he was going to do next, you obediently stilled as he held your face with both his hands and, god did he fuck it like there was no tomorrow. 

This was what Joshua loved about you the most - you never complained. Anything he gave, you took it oh so well, beyond his expectations, always proving just how devoted you were to him. That was why he was able to use you as the perfect instrument to orchestrate his scheme. Without you, there was no way he would have been able to secure that promotion and get out of this town. 

He had committed too many crimes here, lingered for too long and if he had spent any longer, he knew the chances of him being caught were high. Although he was meticulous in choosing his victims and ensured they had no family or friends to notice their absence, six out of ten of them had landed on his table regardless. Just looking at the case files annoyed him. How the fuck was he supposed to get promoted if solving the very crimes he committed was the only way to deem him worthy? That meant Joshua needed someone else to take the fall, he needed a scapegoat and a story. 

And that’s what everything so far was. Joshua spun an unimaginable, unbelievable story and centered it around you, his main character. He made you a meek, scared and vulnerable woman, just the kind that good old officer Hong would fall for while he himself played a well crafted role - a man tired of unsolvable cases finding his last ray of hope in a woman he happened to fall for. Being a part of a moral battle, guilt tripping his ex-girlfriend into handing him the promotion and coming out of all this with his love being victorious was just the icing on the cake. It was actually all too easy - the accurate decoding of his team’s psyche was what drove the whole plot. 

He knew most of them were highly superstitious and the idea of spirits would terrify them enough to believe your tale. Although the idea of spirits was absurd and haunting, in a small town like this a touch of the supernatural was precisely what was required to get everyone on the edge, to make coincidences believable, to make the unreal seem real. He knew you wouldn’t mess this up - he spent hours telling you about each victim, making you memorise their appearances, their habits, their stories. He trusted you to do a good job, but it was Ji Ho who was the wild card, the one he had taken a risk with. 

Joshua knew Ji Ho being the realist that she was, would never believe the idea of ghosts and would look only for solid facts and evidence. That’s why he had very meticulously planted your DNA in all ten sites, well aware that his ex-girlfriend would immediately suspect you. He wasn’t trying to trap you, no no, you were his favourite doll - he just needed to somehow introduce the twin twist, his most brilliant plot point. 

Joshua was also well aware of Ji Ho's addiction to that stupid Spanish show - it was only a matter of time before she had a lightbulb moment and considered the idea of you having a twin. From there, it was a cake walk - he had already spent months ensuring your sister did not have significant alibis. Thanks to her drug addiction, she was already naturally sketchy, often aloof and most importantly, frequently unaware of her actions and locations. With the deletion of a few CCTV footages, and ripping up some parking tickets and restaurant bills, Joshua had made sure she had no solid evidence to back her innocence. Her being found in a state too far gone to vouch for the truth was no coincidence too - he had been secretly supplying her with stronger than usual doses of drugs for a while now.

And that’s how things went down exactly like he planned - an innocent person was sitting in jail, waiting to be tried for crimes she didn’t commit while here he was, promoted, free and fucking the mouth of the woman undeniably devoted to him. 

Joshua focused his gaze on you, tears running down your cheek, the back of your throat most definitely bruised but you didn't ask him to stop. Instead you contracted your throat around him, drawing out those tell tale groans as he felt himself nearing his high. With a swift movement he let you go and pulled himself out, jerking himself hard as you waited for him patiently, mouth hanging open. The moment you stuck your tongue out desperately, Joshua came, spurts out white coating your tongue, spilling out of the corner of your mouth, down to your boobs. His chest heaved, much like yours, as he took a step back, letting go his softened length as he glanced at you. His masterpiece, the queen on his chessboard. 

Slowly walking back he pulled up a chair, kicking his pants off before settling down on it. He wanted to pause this, let you catch your breath but the ironic thing was, you yourself didn't want to stop. Getting ready to crawl to him, you leaned forward but Joshua shook his head.

“Take a minute baby.” 

You pouted. “I don't want to.” 

“I know but I need to.” He chuckled, looking pointedly at his currently semi hard length. “Do you want to play with yourself till then?” 

Nodding eagerly, you rested back against the wall, spreading your legs out wide, displaying your nearly soaked underwear for him to see. Fuck. Was that how wet you were from just sucking him off? Joshua bet he would slide all the way in with ease and god did he want to. But he could wait - he had all night to wreck you. 

Raising your hips slightly, you pulled your panties, dragging it down your leg, tossing it to join the rest of your clothes. Sucking two fingers, you slid them along the folds, rubbing and spreading them, soft moans leaving your mouth. Joshua could already feel the blood rush down to his dick again. But not yet, he wanted to savour this sight first. 

He watched as you reached for your clit, putting some much needed pressure on it as your head fell back, breath getting shaky and ragged as the feeling built in you. Your free hand found your boobs, squeezing it hard, the remnants of Joshua's cum smearing filthily. The man almost gave in, ready to rail you into tomorrow when coincidentally, the chime of the clock echoed in the room, indicating it was midnight. 

You stopped moving, eyes glancing at the clock before turning to him, lips breaking into a sweet smile. 

“Happy birthday Shua.”

Cocking his head at you, Joshua returned your smile. 

“Happy birthday to you too sweetheart.”

The two of you sharing birthdays, Joshua didn't know whether to call it fate or a lucky coincidence but it was this similarity that drove the entire plot. It all started 4 months ago when he was looking for his next set of victims. He had just finished up with that old woman, Ye Soon, and frankly, all his targets were getting incredibly easy, serving him no excitement, no thrill. 

He had stopped by at the gas station one day, hopping over to the store to buy a pack of gum when he overheard a bunch of young women chattering away about how the end of the year was packed with back to back parties - first with the Mayor's daughters birthday on the 30th, then new years on the 31st. Joshua had smiled to himself. What a perfect way to end the year indeed - a significant figure like the Mayor's daughter would definitely raise the stakes. Oh it would be so fun. 

And fun it was. 

The Mayor's daughter was a beautiful girl and stalking her was more exciting than Joshua anticipated. He didn't think it would be this easy to follow her around but she had an affinity for running away and falling in trouble. Oh she was perfect. But that was something else that was a little more interesting than the silly shenanigans she was up to - Joshua wasn't her only stalker, you were too.  

At first, Joshua thought his eyes were playing tricks. The two of you were strikingly similar, but as far as he knew, the Mayor only had one daughter, not twins. Upon throwing himself into a little more research, Joshua found out about how the two of you grew up in an orphanage but were adopted into different families and to his luck, you were actually a part of his town. Something told him having you on his side might just make all the difference.  

So he began with meeting you almost regularly at the bee farm you worked in. Not many people dropped by there given the bees were quite terrifying but those tiny things were nothing for Joshua, he had bigger things to focus on. Given he was the only person you saw nearly everyday, a friendship began blossoming between the two of you and you slowly started opening up to him, telling him about your life. About how you hated your sister, how you were the one the Mayor wanted to adopt but she had locked you in the storeroom while she took your place and left to live a life full of luxuries. You on the other hand were taken in by two farmers who were negligent, unbothered and died very early in your life in a car crash. Since then you grew up isolated, constantly looking at your sister's life bitterly, knowing that it should have been yours. 

Joshua's joy knew no bounds when he discovered the tumultuous relationship between you sisters. Oh this could be his most elaborate scheme yet, so many birds to hit with one stone. But the first and most important thing he needed for that was for you to be irrevocably in love with him. 

Surprisingly, that was the easiest part. All it took was some praise, some attention and a few sessions of love making - within a month, you were ready to do or die for him. Then all he did was feed you his sorrows - talk about how he wasn't getting a promotion because his ridiculous ex was interfering in his workplace, about how he needed to do something exemplary to climb the ranks. That's how he had convinced you to do this stint - you promised you'd go to any extent for him and in exchange, Joshua promised you revenge. This was your chance to get back at your sister for ruining your life. 

You did however keep asking him who the real killer was. Joshua knew you were head over heels for him, but he wasn't sure if you'd really stick through something as dark as his past. He didn't want to take the chance before his plan came to fruition. But now as he observed you looking up at him with earnest eyes as you fingered yourself, he wondered if you were ready to know more. Sure you listened to everything he said, going faster when he instructed you, stopping when he asked you to, even though you were almost about to cum, you loved him enough to listen. But was it enough to handle more?

He could find out about that later, right now he had enough of looking at you pleasuring yourself, he needed to be inside you urgently. 

“Come here.” 

Standing up immediately, you walked over to him as Joshua fixed his eyes between your legs, at the arousal dripping down your inner thigh. Using your own fingers, he collected your release, slipping them into his mouth, relishing the taste of you. No matter how many times he had eaten you out and made you scream on his tongue, every time felt heavenly. 

Grabbing you by the thighs he pulled you closer and you already knew what you had to do. Turning around, you leaned back against him, grabbing his dick from behind and aligning it with your wanting hole before sinking down on it slowly. 

“It doesn't matter how many times I fuck you.” Joshua groaned, relishing the way your walls fluttered around him. “You're still so tight.” 

You didn't say anything in response, it didn't seem like you could, not with his dick so far in you. 

“Fuck yourself on me baby.” He whispered, his grip on your waist bruisingly tight. “This is your reward.” 

Muttering a string of thank yous, you began moving, rotating and rocking your hips, wantonly squeezing him tight. Joshua knew you were trying to reach for those sensitive spots so he let you, biting and sucking on the soft skin of your shoulder instead, leaving a trail of red. When you began clamping around him unbelievably tightly, he landed a warning smack on your ass.

“Move.”

And you did, bouncing up and down his length vigorously, pouring your everything into it, loud moans tumbling out of your mouth. Squeezing your boob hard, he trailed his hand up your chest, wrapping it around your neck, holding you against him while his other hand found your clit, drawing figure eights. It didn't take you much to fall apart around him considering you had already fucked yourself on your fingers for a while. Joshua could feel your arousal dripping down his length as he continued to thrust his length up. 

“Sensitive…” You whined, holding his hand tight, when he just wouldn't stop. “Shua please…” 

“Shh.” He muttered, pushing you off him much to your surprise before getting up himself and throwing you onto the chair instead, your knees on the seat as your hands held the backrest. Joshua stripped out of his shirt tossing it aside before he smacked you again hard, thrusting himself much deeper inside. 

“Fuck, shua….it's too much.” You nearly cried as he began to snap his hips into you, your orgasm blending into another one. 

“Come on baby.” He softly nibbled on your ear in complete contrast to how roughly he was pounding into you. “Don't I deserve a gift too?”  

You didn't complain after that, only graphic moans and whines escaping your lips. This was the best birthday he could have asked for - here he was finally fucking you after so many days and there, your sister, his final victim was taking her last breath. 

Joshua thought it was rather beautiful, the way it all came to an end. He knew your sister couldn't go more than a few hours without her usual drugs so he had made sure she had access to a little secret stash that she could sniff on when no one was looking. Little did she know, Joshua had poisoned it. 

Not only that, he had also managed to slip a thin folded paper into her pants just before she was thrown in the cell. It read that she was guilty for all ten crimes and was incredibly repentful - she didn't think she deserved to live. That was his final victim of the year - another death on the 30th, another death on their birthday. 

There was no particular reason why Joshua picked this date or why it had to be their birthday - he simply wanted to create a pattern, see if anyone could crack it, if anyone was smarter than him. So far, it seemed like nobody was even close. Perhaps, only after he died and as per requested in his will, if his diary was published as a book, would people know exactly what he was capable of. For now, he alone revelled in and celebrated his intelligence. Maybe you if you were strong enough for it. 

Perhaps not, Joshua wondered as he glanced at you, sound slowly reducing as you inched closer to passing out. Gripping your hips tighter he began fucking you harder and faster, pushing himself to finish before you blacked out. Recognising his pace becoming erratic as he neared his climax, you looked over your shoulder. 

“I haven't been taking the pill for a while Shua…” 

He groaned, not stopping his thrusts. “You know how much I love cumming inside you.” 

“Shua please…” You could barely manage to beg him to stop. Your body had been pushed beyond its limit. 

Owing to your silence, he groaned, jerking his hips, once, then again and then he came, white coating your walls as he emptied himself into you. You fell forward, spent and exhausted as Joshua pulled out, watching his cum drip out of you. 

Fuck. You were perfect. 

This was perfect. 

Everything was perfect. 

It was probably the wee hours of the morning when you woke up, your throat hurting and dry. You rolled your head to the side finding Joshua fast asleep beside you on the bed. He had dragged you here for round two, fucking you into oblivion before moving to round three where he slowly made love, dumping load after load in you. Thankfully, he cleaned you up before sleeping - you had passed out the moment the two of you were done. 

You slipped out of the bed slowly so as to not disturb him, desperate for a glass of water. Stretching, you grabbed the spare blanket and wrapped it around your naked body. Struggling to walk thanks to how sore you were all over you made your way to the kitchen, flipping the switches and bit back a scream. 

Stranding by the counter was an old woman, leaning against it, looking at you like she was waiting for you. Instinctively you grabbed a knife from the nearby drawer, pointing it at her threateningly. 

“W-who are you? And what-” 

“You know who I am.” She said, straightening and stepping closer to the window. Your eyes widened. That was impossible - it was as though the moonlight was passing through her. You ran your eyes over her features. She had white hair, her back was bent weirdly, there was a burn mark on her hand….. Ye Soon. 

“Oh Y/n,” She took a step forward. “Don't you want to know who the actual killer is?” 

You continued to stare, jaw slightly hung, still unable to fathom what was happening. The spirits were a story the two of you had spun, how could it be…

“Who are you talking to?”

You turned around sharply at the sound of Joshua’s voice. He walked out, dressed in his pants, rubbing his eyes as he looked at you confused. 

He couldn't see Ye Soon. 

“You wanted to know the killer didn't you?” The old woman's voice was right by your ear. “Look, there he is.” 

Your eyes widened, grip on the knife tightening as you stared at the man before you wordlessly. Joshua frowned, his eyes flickering between the knife and you as his eyes narrowed. 

Outside, the loud sirens of the ambulance heading towards the precinct resounded in the otherwise quiet town. It seems the story of the Calendar Killer had finally come to an end.

A/n - If you have made it all the way here, thank you for reading, I know it was intense and heavy but I hope you enjoyed it! Do let me know your thoughts in the comments or tags, particularly about the twist - I need to know if my crazy mind managed to pull this off or not hehe You can also read Jeonghan's and Seungcheol's :)

[infiniteimaginings]

Could you write some angsty Anthony bridgerton x wife reader. Maybe he took his anger out on her cus he was stressed or something.💋😭😫🩷

A Loving Marriage (Anthony Bridgerton x Fem!Reader)

Summary: Anthony had married you, he adored you during your courtship. He showed his affections through floral arrangements, joyous laughter, your dance card always had his name first. When he married you though, some things changed. He would be warm, but it slowly dimmed. He was always in his office, he never spoke to you, why does he do so? Pronouns: You/Yours, She/Her Warnings: Angst Word Count: 4.0k A/N: I love angst, I love it! I looked at this request three times, midnight struck, and I turned into a writing goblin.

It had been a nice day, you had finally drawn your husband, Anthony Bridgerton, out of the house to have a delightful picnic with you. The two of you were discussing anything but pressing matters, laughing, eating the small sandwiches, drinking the sweet but tart lemonade. Occasionally your fingers would touch, a burst of energy escaping into your bodies until your fingers interlocked, accepting the warmth with open arms.

The sun was shining brightly, the clouds perfect white and fluffed into shapes the two of you pointed out and playfully teased each other for. The slight tilt of his head when you spoke of a cloud being shaped as one thing, his squinted eyes and scrunched nose were all that mattered to you. The way the sun kissed his skin and a few freckles had come to light, it was so beautiful to you, he was so beautiful.

When Anthony turned his gaze to you from the heavily brightened sky, the corners of his eyes crinkled with the smile he gave you. His toothy grin was matched with him asking, “What is it?” You paid no mind to the question, simply smiling at your husband, your heart warming as you stared at him in adoration. You shook your head, “I just love you.” You told him, the comment making him smile wide, his teeth showing in his grin. The day was beautiful, and neither of you could deny that fact. To make the day even more beautiful, flowers were spread around your blanket on the ground, showing proof of spring.

You began to ramble a bit about the newest items you saw in the shop, Anthony just listening with loving eyes. A bee had hummed and buzzed as it circled around your head, when Anthony noticed he straightened up, his eyes widening a bit in fear. He went to move the dreadful creature from you but the bee had found its attention with him instead, buzzing around his head. Anthony had fallen still, horrified.

Anthony had just returned from shooting with his father, Edmund Bridgerton. The elder man had clasped his shoulder, telling him that in due time he will be able to show someone his best. He gave him a truthfully meaningful message about having to show someone your worst before you can show them your best, but the message didn’t stay in Anthonys head very long.

The elder had noticed a group of vibrant purple Hyacinths within their gardens, his wife's favorite flower. He decided to pick the flowers with a hum, expressing how Anthonys mother would love them. The younger boy laughed and began to pick a few himself, his father standing up, swatting a very persistent bee, Anthony shaking his head playfully. He expressed how his younger sister would be quite jealous until he noticed his father had not responded.

”Father?” Anthony spoke, turning to Edmund, the man was touching his neck. “The bloody thing stung me.” He told his son, moving his hand a bit with a twitch of his mouth. A bee sting didn’t mean much, so Anthony nodded and continued to pick a few flowers until his father began to gasp for breaths. Anthony stood, walking to Edmund, “Father, what is it?” He asked, and that question would be repeated a multitude of times with no verbal response.

Edmund Bridgerton had turned to his son, a bright red patch on his neck where the bee stung him, his face extremely pale, his eyes almost black as he struggled to breathe. Anthony watched his father struggle for air and collapse into his arms. He couldn’t even hear when he yelled for someone to help, he didn’t even hear when his pregnant mother, Violet Bridgerton, had come running down the small hill after seeing them through the open door in the back of their home.

Everything happened so fast and all Anthony could process was his father reaching up to cup his mothers cheek one last time, before his hand fell and the light left his eyes. Edmund Bridgerton died that day, Violet Bridgerton became a widow that day, he and his siblings lost their father that day.

Anthony was abruptly snapped out of his thoughts when you swatted the bee away mindlessly. You hummed with a breathless chuckle, “You know it’s spring when the bees are out.” you spoke, looking in the basket for another small snack, unaware of the daze Anthony had just been in. He blinked a bit, looking around as he deeply inhaled, trying not to ruin your nice moment. He clapped his hands to his knees, “Well then.” He began, “I think I have some paperwork to attend to.” He told you, standing up and brushing himself off. You looked up rather quickly from your spot on the blanket, “Can’t it wait? We were having such a nice time.” You said, pouting ever so slightly.

He shook his head, leaning down to you, pressing his lips to yours in a short kiss. “Unfortunately it can not, enjoy the rest of the picnic.” He spoke hastily, walking back into the home, leaving you alone to watch the sky.

Days had passed, Anthony had not joined you again for a picnic, nor had he joined you for any sort of meal after that day. You didn’t understand why he felt the need to lock himself in his office, what was so interesting about paperwork he could tend to at any time? You were worried for him, you knew the footmen in the household brought him food, you just weren’t sure if he ate any of it.

With that, you decided to pay your husband a visit. You dismissed the footman at the door and simply knocked, a muffled ‘Come in’ came from the other side of the door. You gently opened it, smiling sweetly at Anthony who looked up at you, expressionless. You closed the door behind you, observing your surroundings and your husband who sat behind a desk, papers piling it. He looked like he hadn’t slept, if he had then he looked like her hadn’t slept well.

You walked to him, slow steps, the heels of your shoes sounding muffled as they clicked upon the polished floors. “You’ve locked yourself away.” You told him, standing in front of his desk, fingers twiddling in front of you. Anthony kept his eyes on you, quill pen in hands, plenty of papers around that needed signatures. He cleared his throat, “Well, some matter can not be left.” He told you simply, head looking back down to his work.

You walked around the desk, hands smoothing along his shoulders, he tensed more than relaxed. “You need a break.” You hummed to him, gently pressing your hands into the blades of his shoulders. Anthony leaned his head back into the chair, sighing, “I’m sorry my love, I just have so much work to do.” He told you with closed eyes, his mouth in a frown. Your expression mirrored his and you turned his chair a bit, taking his hands in yours. “We should go to town, go for a walk.” You suggested, “Maybe we could pick some flowers and visit your family.” You continued on, hands holding his slightly larger ones in yours.

You saying that seemed to invoke some sort of reaction from your husband, he removed his hands from you, “No.” He spoke harshly, turning back to the papers. You huffed, trying to get him to look at you, he wouldn’t budge. “Why do you refuse to spend time with me? Is your paperwork that important?” You pressed on, standing at his side, pure disbelief on your face.

Anthony put his clenched fists on the desk, “Yes, it is!” He spoke loudly, not looking at you. “You are interrupting very pressing matters, so go.” He told you, head turning to you ever so slightly, one hand raised to point to the door.

The outburst had shocked you, you stood there with a hand to your chest, a frown on your face, tears threatening to prick your eyes. “Anthony I merely hoped…” You began, trying to find the words, instead you found yourself stumbling over them. Anthony shook his head, hand to his temple as he looked back down to the papers, “I care not for your wishes, leave!” HeYou stood up straight, swallowing harshly with a small sniffle. You bowed your head to him, “Of course Mr. Bridgerton.”You spoke, walking out the room, hands clasped together and head held high as you left him alone to his work.

Anthony had not come to the bedroom that night and you had not visited his office for the rest of the day. Neither of you had come down for dinner, eating respectively in separate rooms.

The next day, mid afternoon, you walked into the office area with a tea tray. Typically, a maid would bring it in for you, but you had seemed to reject the idea and believed you were perfectly capable of doing it yourself. Anthony had heard the sound of the door opening, no knock, no announcement. He looked up and saw you setting the tea tray on the low table in front of the seats in the office. The tray had two teacups and saucers, a teapot with freshly brewed tea, a sugar bowl, a milk jug, and a strainer. All of which were porcelain with multicolored, delicately painted flowers and the Bridgerton name along the side.

Anthony sighed deeply, he didn’t look irritated, he just looked tired. “ Did I not tell you to leave me be?” He asked since you had not greeted him. You didn’t look at him as you prepared your cup of tea, “That is such a way to speak to your wife Mr. Bridgerton.” You spoke sarcastically, stirring in your sugar and taking a small sip to see if it were to your tastes. A warm smile formed on your face after you drank the warm liquid, sitting comfortably in the chair a little ways across from Anthony's desk, a table in the way of you being directly in front of his desk.

Anthony clasped his hands together, elbows on the desk, “What are you doing?” He asked, lips pursed. You placed your cup on the saucer, “If you truly believe I will let you sit in this office and rot,” You spoke, finally looking at him, “you are gravely mistaken.” You told him, expressionless. Anthony tilted his head to the side, he didn’t believe he was ‘rotting’ in the office space, but he couldn’t speak since you beat him to it. “I shall remain here and tend to you until you see fit to conduct yourself as a gentleman.” You stated, hands in your lap, straightening your posture, “Or to put sourly,” You began, “an adult.”

“Do not treat me like a child.” Anthony told you, hands dropping back to the desk, no movement towards the quills.

“Then do not act like one.”

“What has prompted this?”

You pretend to think for a moment, pulling up your hand to count, “Your blatant disregard for your wife in your own home,” You spoke as you put up a finger, “your refusal to acknowledge her presence or engage with her” you continued, putting another finger up, “or even talk to her.” You finished, putting up the last finger, slightly glaring at him.

There was silence from Anthony as he bit the inside of his cheek, twitching his nose. Due to the silence, you continued to speak, “I vowed to cherish and support you through all, but I will not endure your silence.” You explained, shaking your head a bit with your words. Anthony sighed, moving a few papers out of his way, “You are aware that traditionally wives do not-”

“You did not marry me due to my traditional nature.”

There was more silence from your husband until he ran a hand through his hair. “You will not leave until I discuss ill with you?” He asked, seeming to be contemplating the idea that he just spoke into existence. You nodded, “Precisely.”

“Very well, let’s discuss ills.”

The Bridgerton man stood from his desk and strode to sit next to you. You gestured to the tea and he shook his head, leaning forward, clasping his hands. His leg shook and tapped the floor as he struggled to find the words, “My fathers death left my mother heartbroken, she never remarried.” He spoke suddenly. The words confused you a bit, was that why he had been so closed off? You turned to him fully, crossing your leg over the other, “Your mothers strength,” You began, taking a breath, “is commendable.” You commented, the Brdigerton in front of you chose not to look at you but he nodded. “She said her love for your father was true and her devotion for your father lies strong.” You continued on, thinking about the older woman and how powerful she was for standing strong for her children. “She does not need to marry if she does not wish to.” You completed your thought at his words about his mother.

Anthony put his hands on his knees, straightening himself. He sucked his teeth, “I understand that,” He told you, “but you do not understand how she flinches when they refer to her as Dowager.” He continued on.

At parties they would announce Violet Bridgerton as Dowager VIscountess Bridgerton, and they have for the many years since Edmund Bridgerton had passed.

“My mother remains a widow.” Anthony continued, voice slightly cracking when he thought about the way his mothers hand would tighten around his arm when someone greeted her as ‘Dowager’.

You nodded in understanding, no matter how strong Violet was, it still hurt. You just didn’t process why that caused him to pull from you. “Nevertheless, I am not,” You told him, the words causing him to look put his face in his hands, “hence my lack of understanding of your coldness and sudden refusal to be with me.” You spoke, staring right at him, hands in your lap picking at your nails.

“What if you find yourself a widow?” Anthony asked suddenly, now fully turned to you.

“Pardon me?” You asked blankly, brows furrowed, lips slightly parted.

“What if you find yourself to be a widow?” He repeated, slightly differently.

“If you suspect you may act recklessly, you must inform me at once." You told him cautiously, hand moving towards him, but he pulled back. "My father's passing was but a consequence of being outdoors.” He stated blankly, eyes staring forward, distantly. He never talked about his father's death, it wasn’t a topic he was very open about. “He committed no recklessness, yet the heavens saw fit to claim him.” Anthony's hands were beginning to shake before he clenched them into fists, “A virtuous man, struck down."

“Anthony-”

“What if I do not live a graciously long life?” He asked, head snapping to you, “What if I meet my end, just as young as my father?” He asked another question that you had no answer to other than, “Anthony you will live a long life-”

He stood abruptly, face red, eyes watering, “How could you possibly know that!” He yelled at you, “You do not!” He continued to yell, face such an angry red it almost scared you. He didn’t seem angry though, his eyes were filled with fear, he was scared. You did not expect him to yell or be so emotional, it hurt you deep in your heart to see him look so terrified about what could happen.

Anthony began to pace, hands in his hair and desperately pulling at his collar. “I didn’t even wish to marry,” He told you, seemingly muttering to himself. “I feared leaving my wife alone, especially if we were to have children.” He continued, not gazing at you at all.

You stood, slowly walking to him, “Yet, here you continue to stand,” You said, “alive,and wed.” You reminded him, concern flowing through you as he paced.

He stopped walking, looking at the wedding ring on his finger. “My mother was left with eight children to raise alone.” He mumbled, having to clear his throat from how low he was speaking. “I, the eldest, lost my father when I was eighteen left to carry his title and responsibility.” He spoke to you, reminding himself of all the information he didn’t know when he was eighteen and how he had to figure it all out, how he had to be the man of the house at such a young age. “I do not wish for you and our future child to endure the same fate.”

You were quiet, “Then why did you marry me?” You whispered, your expression was slightly crinkled but you were listening. Anthony had turned to you, a soft but sad expression on his face. He gently held your hands, looking into your eyes. “My affection for you was undeniable.” He confessed, cupping one of your cheeks with his large hand, a bit of sweat dripping down his forehead from being so worked up. “It was so difficult to be inexplicably in love with you and watch for you to have other suitors.” He continued, drawing a breath, “I was drawn to you, as a moth to flame.”

You licked your lips, “Yet, you still harbor fears of leaving me-”

“The responsibility of children and a title you cannot shed unless you remarry.” He interrupted you, thumbs rubbing at your cheeks. He looked at you desperately, desperate for you to understand how he was feeling, but you could not. “Which I have no intention to do.” You retorted to his comment, he is the only man you believe you’ll ever love and nothing will change that.

Anthony nodded, dropping his hands from your face. He remembered how he wasn’t there for his mother, for his family sometimes. “I acknowledge that I was a challenge to deal with for my mother.” He spoke, and you were aware of such things. He had admitted these feats to you during your courtship, during small corners of vulnerability. “I just do not wish for you to face similar struggles alone.” He finished his thought, ultimately refusing to meet your gaze as he found the bookcases to be far more interesting.

You shook your head, “She did not endure it alone.” You stated matter-of-factly. Anthony looked up, eyes blinking in confusion, “What?” He asked you, so you continued. “Your mother, she had you, she had Benedict, Colin, Daphne. All of her children were her solace and support.” You expressed to him, reminding him of all of his siblings. They all had each other, they were all her shoulder to cry on just as she was theirs.

Anthony sighed for the thousandth time within that conversation, “We were not easy children.” He told you. Eloise didn’t wish to marry, he had been such a terrible man of the house in the beginning, Benedict did not wish for the responsibility, Colin rushed into things too quickly, Daphne had so much going on when she was named the diamond of the season, his younger siblings couldn’t even fathom the world they were in.

“No child ever is.” You told him simply, holding his hand gently. This time, he did not pull away.

You smiled at him, kissing his cheek gently and pulling back to look him into his eyes. “Now,” You started, letting out the puff of air that was compressing your chest the entire conversation. “I’d prefer if we do not speak the subject of your demise as if it were to greet us at dawn.” You told him, the comment causing him to chuckle a bit, holding your hand a little tighter. “You will come down for dinner and we will enjoy a meal together.” You told him and he nodded, “I will be down in a moment, I shall see the papers are put away first.” He spoke, looking around to all the papers scattered on his desk and some even on the floor.

You left him to the papers and asked your maid to get dinner started, the woman asking if there were any preferences you wanted. The door had closed and Anthony was soon left alone.

Once the door had closed Anthony had begun to gasp for breath, unbuttoning the top of his shirt for air. His chest began to have as he leaned against the door, tears filling his eyes. He furiously wiped at them, trying so hard to push them back but he couldn’t stop them when a choked sob left his lips. His hands were shaking when they reached his face to wipe at his eyes hurriedly. The topic of conversation was difficult, you were so sure that the two of you would grow old together with your children, that you would not have to worry about being a widow, but Anthony was not so sure.

Everyday he saw a little bit of his father in himself and it terrified him. Such a good man was taken from the world by something as simple as a bee and it scared Anthony of everything around him. Sure, before he was not scared of death, even going as far as to call for a duel where he was prepared to die for his sister's honor. But now, he had you, and he did not wish to leave you.

Anthony shakily clasped his hands in a prayer, praying for all the time in the world to be with you. Praying for more time than his father had, praying for a chance. He muttered small prayers, “Please, I just wish to be with her, I will never ask for anything else.” He cried out quietly, eyes closed, tears pouring from his eyes. “I just want time, time with her, please.” He begged quietly, his prayers in reflection to how lonely he saw his mother was. She had so many children but he knew that his mother wished for his father to be there to help her everyday.

A knock had sounded at the door, the noise caused Anthony to stand quickly and rush to the other side of the room with documents, back to the door. He cleared his throat, sniffling one last time, “Enter.” He spoke, the door opening.

“Lord Bridgerton, dinner is served.” A footman had announced, standing in the doorway.

Anthony put the documents away, wiping his tears without the man noticing. “I shall be there in just a moment's time.” He told the man, putting some documents into the drawers. The man nodded and closed the door, going to inform you of the comment.

The door closed once more and Anthony felt his legs were so weak that he had almost collapsed into the furniture. One of his hands gripped the edge of the drawer, the other clawing at his chest. He felt as if every time he took a breath his chest would tighten, he felt nauseous, dizzy. The room was spinning and his vision was blurry from his tears. It almost seemed as if he were dying, but he was not, everything felt like so much but nothing was happening.

It all felt like too much.

He tried to take a few more deep breaths, the pain ceasing and his vision returning back to normal. He slowly exhaled, blinking and wiping his tears. He clenched his jaw as he stood up straight, muttering some words of ‘man of the house’, ‘loving husband’, ‘time’. He couldn't connect the words even if he tried, all he knew was that he was going to dinner.

All he knew was that his father's words rang in his head, but he kept shaking them from his mind. “You cannot show someone your best without allowing them to see your worst.” If only his father had told him how difficult it was to show someone your worst. How frightening it was to show true vulnerability, to find the words to explain feelings you don’t even understand fully yourself.

[reverie-verse]

Azriel x Reader: The Bond of a Century

An old request that I decided to revamp

Request prompt: Can I request an Azriel x reader where the mating bond snaps for Azriel but not the reader? Kind of like how Feyra didn’t know Rhys was her mate till she was told.

My prompt: A bond forgotten for over a century and a half makes its way back to the forefront. All of it starts with Rhys asking for a favor.

This is a fluffy, steamy, angst-ish fic

I hope you enjoy!!!! My requests are open!!!

____________________________

This was the last thing you thought you would be doing for Rhys. Out of all the things, this-this is what he chose for you to do. Rhys had a sick twisted mind that put you in a situation you had no desire of being in or a part of. You mentally cursed at the high lord, hating him in the moment even though he was your dearest friend. Elain scoured the city for certain pots for her plants, and certain seeds for her garden. Azriel right by her side and you trailing behind them. All you wanted to do was to go back to your home near the docks. It was the first home you had when you first moved from Dawn to Velaris less than a century ago, but with some convincing Rhys and Feyre were able to get you to stay at the town house. It was only then did her sisters arrive, and at some point you were put to the task of keeping an eye on Elain with the occasional visit of Az. Honestly you wished you could train with Nesta, but Cassian was chosen for that task. You wouldn’t have minded living in the house of wind-“ I think I need to go to Day Court or maybe Spring, Oh perhaps we can go to Dawn instead. They must have better pots.” Elain speaks more to Azriel than she does you. You were eyeing the various shops, and the people delighted to be around you, each grinning and waving at you. Another beautiful thing about Velaris you’d come to love. People were kind here.

Azriel smiled softly at her “ Of course, if that’s what you want” his voice was tender and sweet. You fought the urge to roll your eyes, turning your attention elsewhere. You hated being there dealing with this shit, but Rhys insisted you tag along, “It’s good for the soul. Get some fresh air” with that insane cat-like smirk. Ooo you shoot daggers into your mind, a deep chuckle echoing in the background.

“ Yes that’s what I want, thank you Az” Elain returned the gesture.

“ Alright then I’ll let Rhys and Feyre know-“ You say as you pinched a flower petal between your thumb and index finger. You looked away from it then back at them. The two watched you with curiosity, you let go of the petal. It was no simple task, an easy reminder of what you needed to do and a simple approval came from Rhys. A gentle poke in your mind causes you to shake your head.“-Let's get this over with” You take steps towards them placing your hands on their arms you effortlessly winnow the three of you to Dawn. The landing was gentle and less sickening, the three of you placed in a Market, one that you were familiar with.. Elain squealed with excitement as she rushed over to an area where she had seen fresh flowers, a few shops down could be seen a pottery shop, the two of you already trailing her.

“ Look at this beautiful bouquet! Y/N? Should we get this for the town house?” She gestures to the bouquet filled with many vibrant colors, various shapes and sizes. You were stumped, she normally doesn’t ask you these questions most of the time they were directed at Az.

“They look lovely Elain, I’m sure they’ll fit anywhere you put them..” You replied not really sure how to respond. Honestly you’ve never really thought about what flowers you liked or didn’t . It wasn’t something that was ever given to you, nor something you found and immediately fell in love with. You didn’t have anything against anyone who knew what they liked, you just-never had the experience of looking forward to your own set of plants. Even when you first attempted gardening most of your plants and flowers died, you simply didn’t have the skill or the eye for it..but that was okay, though on rare occasions it was something you wished you had..

Elain smiles awkwardly “ Well, maybe we can get it, it might brighten up the home. Make it seem more natural..comfortable” She pulls out her coins, handing it to the shopkeeper. The three of you move further heading over to the pottery shop that she explained earlier how she wanted to visit. Your eyes searched the area, checking for predators, anyone who might cause harm to the high lady’s sister, before entering the shop. You had other plans that you needed to attend to while the two looked around, it was in the midst of Elains discussion, mostly to Azriel about the various styles of pottery, that you planned to sneak off. It was only then did a voice capture your attention from behind you.

“ Y/N, I must admit I never pegged as you someone who might be interested in pottery” Thesan, high lord of Dawn, speaks out, the entire shop haunting their work to bow at his presence. He waved his hand dismissing them easily back to work. Azriel positions himself so that he stands near you with Elain behind him, she peers her head out, trying to see who it was that spoke so elegantly. A small smile graces your features at that familiar voice you knew so well as you shifted to face Thesan, who was already grinning. Azriel didn’t miss it, taking note of it.

“What if I was?” You retorted,

“ Then that would be a surprise”

“I hate to burst your bubble High Lord but I’m here on business not for pleasure” You replied, the two of you sharing a small laugh together. Azriel forced his expression into neutrality, Elains eyes sparkled with curiosity and intrigue. Thesan looks behind you for a moment, taking in the Shadowsinger and the woman next to him.

“ Ouch, that one hurt Y/N, I see you brought friends, Shadowsinger” Thesan greets civilly no hate present.

“ Thesan,” Azriel gives a simple head nod in his direction, there was no need for malice, Thesan had always been a great friend of Rhys’s and now apparently yours. Though a feeling crept inside his chest, this odd feeling takes root, Azriel does his best to shove it away, especially with Elain right next to him..

“ And you must be Elain, one of the sisters of High Lady Night.”

“ Yes I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you” Elain smiles with a blush that creeps along her cheeks. She wasn’t sure how to respond being that a high lord, whom she never met knew she existed. The surrealness of the situation becomes a reality, the more she realizes how well known her sister is, how well known both of her sisters are including herself. A delighted yet astonishing experience for her, something she wasn’t used to yet.

“ Same to you, i hope you don’t mind if I borrow Y/N for a moment or two, there’s somethings I’d like to discuss” Thesan offered but secretly it was a meeting that needed to take place. You were in fact here on business, something that Rhys specifically shared with you and no one else. Dawn used to be your home, but when you were moved to Velaris, you became the seg way for Dawn and Night. Your job was to be the emissary for both sides, keeping the courts relationship in even better shape. You missed your home dearly at times, and you missed Thesan whom you were extremely close too, and who you cared about, even with this being only for business there was some pleasure that came out of it.

“ No of course not, I’m sure she could use a break from us, right Azriel?” Elain looks up to him but his eyes were trained on you and Thesan. You were ready to join him without so much as another word, it struck a nerve in him, why? What could possibly be the topic of conversation between you two? Why do you only need to speak with him? Surely Rhys would’ve told him what this meeting was about? Why hadn’t you come to him for advice or as a second set of ears? Why was the meeting a secret?-“Azriel?”Elain calls out to him, you were looking at him suspiciously, your eyebrows furrowed, your eyes flickering across every part of his face and bodily language. Azriel adjusts himself, shielding off whatever thoughts or feelings he harbored in the moment. He blinks, his eyes drift back to Elain then back to you and Thesan “ Go ahead, we’ll be here in the shop if you need us, we leave in about two hours”

“ Alright then I will have my men escort the two of you back to my palace.” Thesan replied, You eased the questioning look off your face, you shift back towards Thesan, the two of you walking out of the shop, the conversation immediately flowed. He could see the smile on your face, and yet again the melodic sound of laughter that left your lips. The high lords' guards remained in place while Azriel and Elain both continued their shopping. However, that didn’t stop him from taking one last look out the door.

When the two hours were up, Azriel and Elain were guided securely to the Palace where he’d find you and Thesan walking along the hall. Thesan stopped in his tracks grabbing your arm, it forces you to halt in place, your body halfway facing him. His mouth moves but Azriel can’t hear what he’s saying, he lifts a hand to your face gently swiping at your cheek. He removes his hand, pulling you gently into a tight embrace. Azriel could see the way you held onto him tightly, as if you dared to let go. The two of you stayed in that position for a few moments until you both eventually pulled away. Why were you crying? Were you hurting? Were they happy tears? Did he say something to you? What was it? There were too many emotions to pinpoint, Azriel’s chest continued to tighten at the emotions he felt. You left Thesans' side offering him one last smile, but that smile fades, when you approach them.

“It’s time, are you ready?” You ask softly, your demeanor changed, a bit relaxed but a heavy weight stays on your shoulders. You roll them back, adjusting yourself. Azriel watches you with such careful eyes, you paid no mind, your thoughts elsewhere.

“ Yes-“ Elain starts but her gaze flickers back and forth between you both. For Elain it was rather odd to see the two of you interact, when she had met you, your relationship with Azriel was already thin, you were distant with him compared to everyone else. Elain assumed that your relationship had always been like that, but now she wasn’t so sure..

“ Are you alright?” Azriel asks you, his hand twitches slightly, part of him restrains himself, the other yearned to reach out for you. But you were quick to recover, offering him a reassuring smile.

“ Yeah I’m fine, let’s go.” You placed your hands on both of them, winnowing them back to the town house. There Nuala and Cerridwen greeted the three of you. Nuala took the pots out of Elains hands, Cerridwen took the flowers and placed them in another vase. Elain begins gushing about the journey to Dawn, how gorgeous it was..You sighed exhausted leaving the space quietly to head to your own room. Azriel was about to follow you when Elain called for his help in the kitchen. Azriel hesitated staring up at the staircase. Why couldn’t he just talk to you? He’s a Shadowsinger, a spymaster, and he can pry details out of anyone but you. All he can feel is your emotions-your emotions... Elain had pulled Azriel from his thoughts as she hugged a pot to herself.

“Az? Are you coming?” She says as she waits for him to follow her to the garden. Again he hesitates but he feels a stirring in his chest. Azriel lifts up a hand instinctively touching it, a sharp sensation could be felt beneath his chest. It couldn’t be? Could it? Azriel’s eyes widen, Elain takes a breath “ I’ll be outside Az when you’re ready-“ Azriel moves his feet faster than his mind could process, he was out of the town house door, his wings pushing him off the ground shooting him into the sky, he needing some time to think..

___

The moons at its highest peak, your curtains flowing with gentle breeze that filtered through your bedroom. The candles and lights burnt out signaling that you were asleep, that was until you heard a creak in the floorboard, and the atmosphere changed, a darker presence filled the space. You were lying on your stomach, your hands slipping beneath the pillow as you grip the handle of the blade you’ve hidden beneath it. You felt the figure stop just before your bed frame, you could hear them bend down towards your face. As they reached for you, you swiftly reached out a free hand grabbing them, you flipped them onto the bed, rolling over pinning them down with your blade tucked against their neck in the most vulnerable area.

“ It’s only me” He whispers, the lights in the room reaching a dim hue, illuminating the area.

“ Jeez Az, I could’ve killed you” You replied tiredly, you pulled back the blade placing it on the end table. Azriel’s eyes followed your movement above him, your hips and legs straddling him, your hair in an unruly nature, from slumber. The candles hue amidst the room, caresses your face, your bare legs, your skin making it appear warm to the touch. You had worn a tunic that wasn’t yours, it hugged loosely around your body frame. The tunic looked oddly familiar to Azriel but then again he wasn’t so sure. All he wanted to do was rip whoevers tunic that belonged to, off of your body and replace it with his.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you-” He apologizes,”-I have one question I’d like to ask you” Azriel whispers, as he watches your facial expression twitch into a sleepy confusion.

“This couldn’t wait till morning?” You sighed as your hand moved to rub the sleep from your face. You remove yourself from him, you slip off the bed but not before Azriel caught your wrist. He shifts himself so that he sits up lifting himself off the bed. He towers over you, the candle's glowing light touches his features in a way that it could come off intimidating, but there was a more intimate, soft, texture that made him appear more angelic.

“ No I’m afraid not.” He admits.

You nod your head” What’s your question?”

“ How long have you known about the bond?”Azriel’s voice low, as if to test the waters but enough to plunge himself. He needed answers and after speaking with Rhys, it was his right.

“ What?” Your face dropped, your skin becoming clammy as nervousness passes through you, sleepiness evades you.

“ You heard me, answer the question” his eyes switch between both of yours, searching and evaluating. He tried to pinpoint every emotion you felt, he tried to feel you through, the only thing stopping him was- you.

“ It's not that simple-” You shook your head, pulling your wrist out of his hold. You weren’t prepared for this, you weren’t ready to unravel all that you worked so hard to ignore.

“ It is that simple” Azriel continued to pry, he didn’t need the bond to notice how uncomfortable and painful this topic was for you-it was news to him, he wanted the truth..no lies no games only the truth

“ No, it’s not. It’s complicated-“ You looked away from him moving to the other side of the room. You couldn't find the words to explain this situation, your reasoning. What if what you told him set him off? What if this ruins everything between your friendships? The alliance that has been created? So many thoughts and questions, never enough answers…but for Azriel you did have an answer to his question..

“ Complicated enough for you to leave.” It was then that feeling in your chest, it builds a thick pressure. A heavyweight on your shoulders, the air almost sucked out your lungs. “ Is that what you told Rhys when you were packing your bags?” You couldn’t breathe, Azriel’s footsteps followed you till he was right behind you. You faintly feel the pulse of his surprise and his anger, as if it was your own, but it had been so long since you’d tapped into the bond. You had spent a century ignoring it, shielding it, and now, it was muscle memory..

“ Don’t make me do this..” You whispered out, a silent plea to move on, to let this go.

“ You knew, and yet you decided not to tell me” His voice held a deep frustration, a deep want and need. He wasn’t going to give up, he had a way with finding out the truth..

“ That’s-not what happened..” You were again stumped with words, torn between giving in or lying, torn between running away or staying..

“ No? Then what happened?” He continues to look down at you, you refuse to meet his gaze. Azriel doesn’t take no for an answer moving towards the front. He stands in front of you. His smell, his faint emotions from the bond slowly consuming you. It surrounds you, his shadows dance along the edges of the room, waiting, watching, whispering.

“ Az-” You warned him, it was another weak attempt to fight him off. But he continued to poke, to pull, to pry, to grasp at anything you’d give him. You were tired, exhausted, hiding your emotions, your thoughts, your protected heart and mind bound to collapse, all secrets were meant to escape..

“ I want the truth, Y/N-”. You took a deep breath, your nerves running a mile a minute. His own anxiousness was replaced with a demanding thirst for the truth. A truth that belonged to him too. You’ve kept this wonderful secret to yourself, he watched as his own family found mates that paired well with them. Watching as their life finds the pieces to the puzzle it was missing. Deep down he wanted that very same thing. He felt as though he may not deserve it but he craved it, to be loved unconditionally… “-You owe me that much”

You sighed, your heart shattering, you gave in, you really hadn’t planned too but the look in his eyes-, “..Before Amarantha began her reign, Rhys made an offer to Thesan to let me stay in Velaris, as an emissary between the courts. It was then that I found out that we were mates… It was then that the deal was made.“

“All these years and you kept this to yourself, why?” His eyebrows furrowed.

“ Because I knew you were in love with Mor. I wasn’t going to take that from you. But I did wait for you, I waited a long time. But when it became an achingly slow desperation, I gave up. I practiced silencing the bond, so I couldn’t feel the emotions you felt when you were around other-women..romantically and lustily I mean. Then Elain came around and it was the same process. I’m exhausted, Azriel. I can’t keep doing this”

“ You didn’t bother to try! You’re running back home because you never thought to ask how I might’ve felt!” His jaw tenses, his head slightly tilted to the side, his frustration grows, at this notion of forcing the information out of you, when you should’ve let it happen, when you should’ve told him..

“ I didn’t because I wanted you to come to your own conclusion. I wanted it to be as natural as possible but you were so invested in Mor and Elain and I’m not one to take you away from that. But I also miss the people I care about, I miss my old home-It’s time for me to go-” You protested.

“ What does Rhys think of this?” Azriel jaw twitches.

“ He was the one who encouraged me to speak with Thesan-“

“ Is that what the discussion was between the two of you?” He presses.

“ Yes but-“ You attempt to defend yourself.

“ Y/N, what exactly did you say to him?” Azriel wanted every detail, every version of this story, of his story, of his mates-his mate.

“ I didn’t- I didn’t say anything. I asked if I could return home, and he told me that I should stay here, that if I truly wanted to come home then he’d considered it.” Your heart leaps into your throat, you swallow it back, the feeling collecting.

“ His answer wasn’t even a Yes” Azriel’s scoffs shaking his head, his hands on his hips as he looks at the floor and then away at the window.

“ Yes- but it’s my decision-“ You looked up at him, watching his movements carefully.

“ No it’s not, you’re not going back there.” He challenged, his eyes find their way back to yours.

“ You can’t decide that.” You tell him, the two of you hurting by the weight of your decision. Azriel’s own heart squeezes painfully, at how easy it was for you to say those words to him. You were his, he wasn’t going to let you just walk away, not without fighting for you.

“ Why not? You’d already decided to keep this to yourself regardless of how I felt” He takes a step forward his arms falling back down to his side.

“ Azriel please listen to me-“ You tried to reason, you tried to find a way to break through, he wasn’t thinking straight, you weren’t thinking straight, neither one of you.

“ No you listen, all those years, all those centuries, you were my friend, and you were someone who loved me. Loved me enough to sacrifice what you felt so I could find happiness. In the depths of my mind I have fought and searched for you without realizing that you were here in front of me..I was too blind to see it. ” His hands flew to your face, your jaw, cupping it, his thumbs grazing your cheekbones. Your hands follow suit as your fingers grip his wrists. His shadows remove themselves from the dark corners of your room, shooting out to tangle around your wrists, not to pull your hands away but to hold you there in place. “ Please don’t run from me” He whispers, his forehead dipping down to rest on yours. His hands slide from your cheeks to the sides of your neck.

“ Az-I can’t stay” You replied quietly, your hands pulling at his wrists weakly at his. You both knew that you could take him down easily, but at this moment in time the two of you were struggling. The tension grew thick in the air. A sort of sharp feeling intensifies, the faded familiarity that was the bond, solidifies. You thought that you had successfully mastered the art of blocking the bond but no. Azriel must’ve truly accepted it, a different feeling takes over, Azriel hums at the feeling. You sucked in a breath.

“ You can’t leave without knowing I’ve accepted the bond” His nose brushes against yours. You shook your head once more, completely pushed Azriel away. Your hands fly to your head, your fingers tangling in your hairs. You wanted nothing more than to curl into yourself, this was too surreal, too overwhelming. You’d spent so long, alone, and working, on occasions waiting. Now you were uncertain, even more than you had been hours ago. Azriel could feel your indecisiveness, he just needed to bring you back to him.

Azriel followed you, he pulled your hands from your hair, one of them he placed on his chest, his heart beating beneath it, you couldn’t look at him. But you could feel the gentleness, the love that flowed through him into you. “ My heart, my soul belongs to you” he tries again. You could feel your body sag at the feeling of comfort. It was so intense and welcoming. You wanted to wrap yourself in it-but you fought it, you were so used to the fighting, the restraint, the self control. “Let go” His voice reaches into the depths of your mind, into your soul, calling out to you.

You placed your forehead on his chest, your hand leaving the area above his heart. Azriel’s wings moved to surround you, his shadows moved to get to you, tangling themselves in your hair, caressing your face and hands. They speak to you wishing you nothing but love and happiness. They bring you comfort, your eyes fluttering shut.

“ Y/N” Azriel calls out. You could feel his hands cupping your face once more tilting it upwards, his breath light. You could feel how close he was, Azriel was right there, all he needed to do-Az’s lips crashed down onto yours, so soft, and yet his kiss held all his desperation, his passion. He couldn’t hold back, not with you, not when he loved you so. You weren’t surprised, in fact you hadn’t realized how much you yearned for his touch, his kiss. Azriel turns his head to the side deepening the kiss, a quiet moan slips out. By the cauldron Azriel loved to hear that sound, he wanted to hear it again, and again, and again. For as long as he lived and breathed.

You were putty in his hands, the feeling of his touch, his thoughts, his emotions was putting you in overdrive. Your mind couldn’t comprehend nor catch up to the pace in which things were happening. Azriel lets go of your lips for a brief moment, allowing you a chance to breathe, a whimper and the need for air also escapes your lips. Azriel had to fight the urge to keep himself from taking you right then and there. You had the urge to let him do it, you placed your hands on his chest pushing him back a step. You couldn’t think with him in your space, Azriel wasn’t going to budge, but with the way you were so caught up and caught off guard, he let you take a second.

“Okay-“ You breathed out. Azriel’s eyes light up, a smile threatens to break out. “ I-um-“ You cleared your throat,”Uh-I-I accept the bond..” you whispered the last part. Azriel’s heart gave a squeeze of joy, his chest filled with lightness, with happiness and relief. All he had ever hoped for had finally come to fruition. A twinkle of mischief sparks in his eyes, a smirk finds its way onto his beautiful features.

“ What was that?” He asks, yet you squint your eyes at him, you know he heard, he knows he heard you, but he wanted you to say it again. “-I didn’t quite hear you” You bit the inside of your cheek still squinting at him. You sighed, your body began to relax, your facial expressions changing to that of a sheepishness. You were struggling to admit it, Azriel waited for you patiently.

“ I-“

“ Yes?”

“ Az” You raised your eyebrows at him, as if to say I’m trying here.

“ I’m sorry, please go on.” He encourages you.

You sighed as you tried again this time “ I accept the bond-” You are much more confident and certain. “I’ve loved you since I’ve known you. You were right, my heart and soul belongs to you-“Azriel couldn’t contain himself much longer as took you into his arms and spun you around. A victorious grin graced both of your features, and for once the weight of the world didn’t feel so heavy in your chests. You gave a light hearted giggle, your heart swooning. Azriel places you back on the ground. You smiled brightly, the twinkle reaching your eyes. “This is happening?” You asked out loud, you searched for clarification.

“ Yeah it is” Azriel let go grabbing your hand pulling you towards the window. You tilted your head to the side, a sweet smile on your lips, a playful yet teasing expression stretches onto Azriel’s face. “Do you trust me?” his hand extends outward.

“ Yes.” You lift your hand to place it into his, this time a new height sense fills both your bodies. The touch feels like a loving hum on your skin. Your minds, your souls, finally resting after all the searching that it had done. You place your hand in his, he guides you out of the window onto the terrace of the town house. You followed him blindly, willingly. Azriel stood taller in the moonlight, and the stars above shining, his shadows nowhere to be found, it was just him. “ Az wait- Elain-“

“She knows, and I’m sure she will be upset with me, but she has Lucien..She doesn’t need me.” He nods. You watch him closely, as you slowly lift a hand to caress his cheek, the touch sweet and warming. Azriel instinctively leans into your touch, turning his head slightly to kiss the palm of your hand.

“ I’m sorry” You whispered, you realized that you may have ruined a friendship for him, a little bit more than a friendship..

“ No I’m sorry” he replies as he takes you back into his arms, the sounds of the city's music playing amongst the trees, the flowers, the plants, the night sky seeming more inviting, more alive. All Azriel knew was in this moment in time he finally understood the accept of the bond, the waiting, the calling, you had always been there waiting for him, you gave him time, space, anything he needed to figure himself out..All those times he spent with other women- then it dawned on him, had you done the same? You chuckled upon feeling that jealous emotion. “ Who’s tunic are you wearing?”

“ Az, it’s yours”

“ What-“ You peel yourself out of his arms.

“ This tunic you let me borrow on a mission we had, remember? Court of nightmares? I was stuck in a brothel, I ended up fighting my way out, my clothes were completely shredded?” You offered bits and pieces of the memory, Azriel’s takes a moment to recollect and it hits him.

“ Yes I remember, you ate a bowl of soup that night at one of the hostels. You hated it,” He chuckled as he remembered the disgusted look on your face. You laughed alongside him. You moved to head back towards your room but Azriel was quick to catch your hand.

”Where are you going?”

“Um-to make you something, we still have to seal the bond.”

“ Not here”

“ Then where?” Azriel grins as he throws one of your arms around his neck, one catches your back the other catches your knees.

“ Somewhere private, where I can have you all to myself, no distractions, just you and me” He whispers to you, his face dipping closer to yours, you sucked in a small breath, the blood beneath your skin singing, practically humming. His arms tightened their hold on you pressing you as flush to him as possible. Azriel looks away and upwards towards the night sky, his wings strong as they help push the two of you off the ground. Excitement filled the air, the night, seemed sweeter, less stuffy, inviting. You guessed that Thesan was right for making you stay here, to reconsider, you were thankful that he pointed you back in the direction of your mate. Azriel was happy that his brother fought for his love, fought for him to find happiness. It was more than just two courts keeping a civil peace, it was about two souls that needed to find each other, even if it takes a century.

[hisfavoritesundress]

vices

a/n: slightly suggestive

tw: mentioned of smoking, drinking, addiction (maybe?) other than that fluff!

dating jason todd means doing things that he never thought he would.

and that includes drinking and smoking.

especially being vigilante and a wayne there's not much complains around his life expect some occasional remarks of bruce or alfred about his unhealthy eating habits, but he usually get away with it just like the rest of his habits.

he faces danger every single night, that's his justification, his job is not exactly a walk in the park or consistent like an average 9-5 work, so in his defense, he needs something that will ground him at the end of the day, which is fair to say the least, plus he's not really overdoing it, just something to cope up either the stress, exhaustion or even nightmares.

yet... when he start dating you, although he doesn't magically change himself overnight, rather deliberately and gently, for you, always for you

it began when you told a story about growing up with a drunk family member and how much you despises it, of how it can affect the people around them, later that night when the boys invited him, he had three shots of vodka instead of 15.

then it continues when both of you are walking in the afternoon around Gotham with his fingers laced yours and you passed by a man blowing the cigarette then the wind taking it to your direction, filling your nose with unwelcomed sting, running to your throat.

he saw the way your face change into displeased expression, he began to smoke one or two cigarettes at a time instead of two packs a day.

he could just continue his old habits, it's not like you've seen him do it anyway or you actively stopping him when you caught him one night, smoking.

jason is very good at hiding his vices, but now that you've moved in with him, he can't anymore.

he doesn't want to have his girl live in the same apartment filled with the smell nicotine and reeks of expired alcohol.

it wasn't easy for him either, there are times where he's having a hard time controlling, tempting to take more and more than he allowed himself.

especially when he wakes up some evening from nightmares, panting and sweaty from the intangible horror of his head and immediately grab a stick and light it up hoping to numb his head with chemicals.

but now, now that you're sleeping beside him, on his bed, in his apartment, he can't as much as his vices are calling him.

"jay you okay?" you murmur a question as you felt the warm empty place next to you.

jason who is sitting on the edge of the bed, catching his breath quietly rubbing his face with his rough hands, "m'fine baby, go back to sleep."

he's hiding and you know it, you roll on your back lazily and sat on the bed, crawli5 towards him, seeing the thin layer of sweat on his shoulder, you placed a soft kiss on his bare back, hoping it'll ground or calm him.

"nightmares?" you whispered, running your hands on his arms.

"s'kay, I'm fine," he insisted softly, exhaling the air and turn around slightly to face you.

his face shines against the soft light streaming from the window, from a nearby street lamp.

"you don't look fine to me," you said softly, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"let's just go back to sleep," he shook his head, holding your hip, guiding you to lay down.

you grab his arm, stopping him. "babe," he sigh, closing his eyes for a mere second.

"is there anything i could help?" you asked softly, probing, his eyes locked into yours then shakes his head, "just a nightmare," he said, it is just a nightmare for him, but his head is sprawling to grab the pack of cigarette in the kitchen and chain smoke until his lungs drowned in nicotine lolling him back to sleep.

"just tell me," you said, easing him into open himself, "anything i could help?" you added, with that worried expression that always present whenever he's struggling or hurt.

he paused, looking at you as though reading your face. "anything?"

"yeah, anything," you nodded, "nightmares aren't easy to deal with, do want me to make you a tea, chamomile is very good at calming you down, or I could put essential oils in the humidifier?"

he smiled softly at your sweet and caring suggestions. "you're so sweet doll, thank you but i don't think those will help me baby"

you frowned. "what, why?"

"tired em before, does nothing," he answered, brushing your cheeks gently, "don't worry about me."

"maybe there's something else, like–"

he clenched his jaw and shook his head. "let's just go back to sleep," he said about to crawl into his side

again you stopped him.

"come on jay, please?"

he looked away for a second and then sigh again. "wanna smoke but im tryin to quit." he search your face to see a reaction but all he saw was the softness of your eyes that he knows will would eventually kill him in every way possible.

he never saw anyone looked at him the way you do, that worries itched on your face, even when you're scolding him quietly, and in all honesty he's doing better for you at least, not pushing himself more than what he could take because he wants to go home to you, safe and in once piece, he doesn't wanna worry you as much as he craved that attention thay solely for him and no one else's.

"then what do you want?" you asked quietly.

his gaze softens, moving stray hairs away from your forehead. "it's late, don't wanna keep you up."

"you always do that," you said with slight disappoinment and frustrations.

"do what?" he frowned slightly.

"that," you said, pointing at his face, "dodging, you always brush it off whenever you're struggling or need of something, im your girlfriend remember?"

he stares at your face for a few seconds as if mustering himself to say what's in his mind.

"fine, you really wanna know?'

"duh of course," you rolled your eyes

he rolled his eyes playfully as well, crawling back to the bed, he move his head upwards signalling you to do the same. "sit by the headboard," he said softly, voice deepening as if he about to say some secret to you, or his secrets, "prop a pillow at your back."

you move gently towards the headboard of your shared bed and stare at his face, waiting...

"good girl," he whispered, "spread those legs," he added, crawling in between your knees, which immediately flooded your mind with thousands of scenarios, "wider"

his gaze are up to your face and on your spread out legs, drinking your position, like he's going to rewind this over and over later, dragging his eyes from your face to your body.

he smiled softly, "since you're so eager to help, how about you turn off my brain while drench this face at the same time mhm?" he murmur into your inner thighs, eyes dilated and never taking off from you, as he place lingering kisses on your skin

your stomach began to churn, nerves around your legs lightening up themselves, the rush of blood running towards your cheeks.

you nodded feverishly, anything to help him.

he immediately smirked and eyes softening more. "atta girl, make me proud."

who said he can't replace his old vices to a new one (you)

[silens-oro]

Well Enough Alone: Baby Blurb #7

Not all fics have adult content, but this blog is 18+. Andrew "Pope" Cody x f!Reader (nicknamed Hawk) Animal Kingdom Masterlist Pope x Hawk Playlist Well Enough Alone Baby AU Masterlist

General Synopsis: Hawk has a late night craving and gets more than she bargained for. Word Count: 2.5k Content Warning: childbirth, but nothing in detail. AN: please don't make me go back to the main WEA fic. I'm begging. please comment & reblog :)

It was a rare night when Lena stayed with Baz instead of at Hawk and Pope’s place, and tonight was one of those rare nights. Hawk hit the eight and a half month mark and she felt every bit of those eight and a half months. Her back ached, her boobs were sore every waking second, she was always hot, and the near constant heartburn was driving her crazy. 

Hawk’s sleep schedule had been thrown out of whack by the seventh month, and she was now up at odd hours of the night —occupying herself with the plants in the garage or going for late night swims in the pool if Pope was up with her. Most of the time, though, she’d just sit up in bed while Pope slept beside her, murmuring to baby Thalia about anything and everything that happened throughout the day, or plans they had coming up, or anything Pope did in the nursery to get things ready for her arrival. Pope would wake up to full on one sided conversations Hawk would be having with the baby, taking their kicks and punches as confirmations to her questions. He’d smile into his pillow as he listened, not wanting to disturb Hawk’s ritual that became a more frequent occurrence the later in her pregnancy she got.

Hawk had taken her maternity leave from the shop at the eighth month mark at Pope’s request. If she had it her way, she’d still be working up until she went into labor, but Pope insisted she needed to take it easy because she could. Not everyone was afforded that luxury, he reminded her, so she should take it while she could.   

Pope had been on edge the further along Hawk got, especially now that she was feeling the full brunt of the pregnancy. Her due date was inching closer and closer and he was chomping at the bit for this to be over, for Hawk to be safe and for the baby to finally be here. He was with her everywhere she went, giving her just enough space to not feel suffocated, but he hovered all the same. He had the occasional nightmares of something happening to her, or the baby, and the days that followed those were unrelenting to him. He just wanted them safe and healthy, and he’d do everything in his power to make that happen, even if it meant keeping Hawk at arm’s length.  

Tonight though, Hawk’s cravings were out in full force and she was taking no prisoners. Pope, god love him, only put up a small resistance at leaving the house at three in the morning with Hawk in tow because she would not give up. They took Hawk’s small SUV when they needed to go anywhere together nowadays because she had a hard time climbing in and out of Pope’s massive truck by the time she was five months along. This all led them to where they were now -driving along the coastline to one of the local 24 hour donut shops at two in the morning. 

Pope’s right hand held Hawk’s, his thumb rubbing over the top of her hand affectionately as he drove with the stereo playing in the background. 

“I can’t believe how close we are.” Hawk breathed out, letting the salty sea air hit her face from the open passenger window. 

“Only a few more weeks.” Pope glanced at her, grinning softly. 

“Believe it or not, I’m gonna miss doing all of this. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done to get us ready for this. I love you so much, Andy. I really mean that.”

“I know you do.” He kissed her hand, “and I’d do it a dozen more times if you’d let me.”

“Settle down,” Hawk laughed, head tilted back. “I’ll settle for maybe one more, but you’re out of luck for the other eleven.”

“You mean that?”

“That you’re not getting your baker’s dozen of kids? Yeah, I mean that.” Hawk scoffed.

“No, that you’d have another.”

“Possibly.” She shrugged, “I actually liked being pregnant more than I thought I would. Granted, there are things about it that drive me nuts, but I wouldn’t trade this experience with you for the world.” Her other hand rested on her bump, rubbing circles to feel the baby move. Hawk grunted when Thalia gave a particularly strong kick. “She wants a cruller…and a chocolate frosted with sprinkles, by the way.” 

“Oh, she’s got a sweet tooth tonight?” 

“She sure does.” 

“You sure you want to get down?” Pope asked her, but Hawk was already undoing her seatbelt and propping the door open. “I can run in and out.”

“Yeah, I’m getting antsy.” She said as she heaved herself out of the vehicle. Pope was quick to come around to her side and held out his arm for her to take. Instead, she pulled him down to kiss her and she pat his ass playfully. He grinned down at Hawk with a brow raised at her boldness, but walked ahead of her to open the door like a gentleman. 

When Pope noticed Hawk wasn’t right behind him and he couldn’t hear her feet over the gravel, he turned around to see her looking down at where she was standing halfway between him and the car.

“You alright?”

“I uh, I think my water just broke?” Hawk looked up at him with wide eyes. Pope blinked at her, brows furrowing as each individual word processed through his brain until they were comprehended after Hawk repeated herself. “My water broke, Andy.” Her voice was calm, but her eyes held shock. Pope, to his credit, all but levitated over to her, trying to herd her back to the SUV. 

“What the hell are you doing?” She asked as she waddled back to the passenger side. 

“We gotta go.” Hawk gently pushed him back towards the donut shop, but he stood as solid as he ever did. 

“No, no -I need those donuts!”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I’m not going to be able to eat anything for god knows how long, Andy! Do not deprive me of this one last thing before I pop our kid out.” Pope wanted to argue, to toss Hawk into the car and fly to the hospital “-and I don’t want to get the seat wet.” Hawk mumbled as an afterthought as she shimmied one of her legs to kick off the remnants that were dripping down it uncomfortably. 

Pope leveled her with a look, then against his better judgement he turned and went inside the shop, shaking his head the whole way. He waited in line, but kept an eye on her as she waddled back and forth next to the car, shaking her legs every few steps. She sent him two thumbs up with a big smile when she caught him watching. He could only nervously half-smiled back, but inside he was panicking. 

Pope’s heart pounded in his chest as he placed the order, his mind going on cruise control as he realized that the baby was coming, and she was coming early. Two weeks early wasn’t a big deal, Pope knew this, but it still worried him that something could possibly be wrong. 

Pope jogged outside once he had the bag and picked up his speed when he saw Hawk slightly bent against the door, clutching the metal and trying to steady her breathing with her forehead pressed against her arm. 

“Why are you still outside?” He pulled his sweatshirt over his head and opened the passenger door so he could set it on her seat before helping her in, placing the paper bag on her lap. 

“I didn’t want to get the seat wet. We’ve already discussed this.” Hawk peeked in the paper bag and smiled. Pope hustled to the driver’s side and they were flying out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. 

“Are you timing the contractions?” His fingers tapped against the steering wheel. 

“Considering that was my first one? No,” She said as she stuffed half of the cruller into her mouth. 

“You’re killing me, Hawk.” Pope groaned. His knuckles were white against the steering wheel and the last thing Hawk needed was for Pope to have a coronary while he was driving. 

“Hey,” Hawk said firmly to ground Pope, her hand reaching over to squeeze his bouncing thigh, “Look at me.” Pope glanced over to her, then back to the road. “I am fine. The baby is fine. We’re going to be okay. Just get us to the hospital safely, alright? That’s all you need to worry about right now.” Pope nodded, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth. “We’re going to be parents, Andy.” That seemed to settle him for a split second.

“Are you nervous?” He asked, full irony present, nervously. 

“I’m fucking terrified,” Hawk answered honestly, “but I’m also so excited to meet Thalia.” 

“We’re gonna meet Thalia.” Pope repeated, his eyes fluttering as nerves wracked his entire body. Hawk smiled at him tenderly and squeezed his leg when another contraction hit. 

To Pope’s credit, he tried not to glare at everyone who came in and out of the room once they were settled in, especially when Hawk winced as they checked how dilated she was. And then they kept checking. He was becoming more agitated than she was, but he kept it to himself for her sake. 

By the time they made it to the hospital, Hawk was four centimeters. He knew they needed to make it to ten, so he did everything he learned through his hours upon hours of research through articles, YouTube videos, and message boards. 

Hawk held onto his arm as he walked the halls with her, he let her squeeze any part of his she could get her hands on when a contraction hit, and he soothed her, letting her know he was staying right there with her through all of it. He had the nurses being in a yoga ball so she could open her hips and alleviate some of the pressure in her spine.  

Pope wasn’t a stranger to birth and just how brutal it was. He helped deliver Deran on the dirty bathroom floor of a gas station when he was a troubled teen, and that had been traumatic for everyone involved. Now, he just had to support Hawk in any way he could as she pushed with the best team of doctors and nurses, in the nicest hospital they could afford. He wanted this experience to be as beautiful as it could be for Hawk -and Thalia, when she finally made her appearance. 

It was seven hours of grueling labor, of screaming, crying, and pushing, but she did it. 

Pope didn’t care how many strangers were in the room —the second he heard his daughter’s thunderous wails echo in the room, he felt like he was floating off the floor in absolute euphoria. Hawk was crying tears of happy relief when a nurse placed a teeny, tiny bundle on her chest, her shaking arms holding the now quiet infant to her after she had been checked out and cleaned up. The team was finishing up all of the afterbirth tasks and the adrenaline was still pumping through her. Pope was right up at her side, looking down at Hawk with pride bursting through his chest. 

“Oh, my girl.” Hawk cooed quietly, her voice shaking as her fingertips brushed against the baby’s cheek. The infant’s just looked up at Hawk. “Welcome to the world, my Thalia.” Pope kissed Hawk’s sweaty forehead, lingering long enough to say how proud of her he was and how much he loved her. How grateful he was. His eyes shined with unbroken tears and he held Hawk’s shoulders as they both looked down at the now sleeping infant. 

The room had quieted down as everyone left to give the new parents some time alone as a family. 

“We did it.” Hawk whispered, looking up at Pope. He leaned down to kiss her lips, his hand bracing her arm so Thalia didn’t jostle. “I can’t believe she’s here.”

“She’s beautiful.” Pope whispered against the crown of Hawk’s head. “You don’t understand how much this means to me. What all of this has meant to me.”

“You deserve happiness, Andy. We both do.” He nodded, allowing himself to feel the happiness he was never afforded as he continued watching Thalia’s every little movement. “You want to hold her?” Hawk asked with a knowing grin. His palms were itching, she could tell, but he’d never rush her first time holding the baby she carried and delivered selflessly. 

“Really?” Hawk chuckled, wincing as it started a round of cramping from her waist down. 

“Yes, really. She’s your daughter, Andy, and you’ve waited long enough to meet her.” 

Pope pumped some sanitizer into his palm from the bedside table. The act itself was second nature as the man had a germ phobia (and kept a bottle of Purell in nearly every room of the house), and he made damn sure that his daughter would be well protected from things that could be prevented. 

Hawk patted the side of the bed near her hip and he gently sat down, his body angled towards her. When Pope felt the minuscule weight of his tiny daughter in his hands, the tears that had built finally fell. A small sob broke through his trembling lips as he bent down to give her tiny forehead a kiss.

Hawk’s hand soothed his leg, rubbing circles as she saw the immediate bond he lassoed around Thalia take place. Hawk was exhausted, but the smile never left her. Thalia opened her eyes when Pope pulled back and his jaw fell ever so slightly. He didn’t try to hide any of the emotions he usually kept tight under lock and key, leaving himself wide open and vulnerable to the only two people he’d allow himself to be around. 

“Hi, Thalia.” Pope got choked up, “I’m your dad and I already love you so much.” He said softly, words shaking. Hawk had never seen the smile he gave Thalia before. It lit him up completely from the inside out, and it was enough to send Hawk into another round of happy tears. Pope brought Thalia up to his chest and just held her there for a moment with his eyes closed as he tried to steady his breathing. She cooed and gurgled for a moment before settling against the heat he radiated, and Pope felt it send a shock wave through his system. 

How could Baz, or Smurf, or any of them see what he saw or physically feel what he felt while looking down at the infant they made and not want to give their child everything they had in them? How could Baz look at Lena and not feel grateful that this piece of him and Cath was on this planet? Pope didn’t understand it before becoming a father, but now? He couldn’t comprehend it. 

Pope would move mountains, he’d split rivers, he’d kill or be killed for Thalia. He only had her for minutes and yet he’d burn the world and everyone in it for her. 

“This doesn’t feel real.” Pope whispered, not wanting to disturb Thalia as she fell asleep. Hawk had given him the greatest gift anyone could have given him in his life, and he had no way to outwardly express to her how precious she and their daughter were to him in that very moment. 

she's heeeeeeeeeere

[sensorytuna]

── VENI, VIDI, VICI.

part one . part two . part three .

synopsis. a stupid bet with cartman forces kyle to prove that he can, in fact, pull and be able to date. after hearing about it, you agree to being his fake lover.

notes . occasional swearing, aged up characters (high school students)

♡ : kyle broflovski x reader

- the four boys are at the mall food court, eating greasy fast food while talking about anything that comes to mind

- suddenly the topic shifts and cartman begins to run his mouth about how kyle is “pathetically single” and “completely incapable of getting a date”

- fatass can’t even get a girlfriend that lasts more than a week, smh

- kenny, of course being kenny, joins in on the teasing while stan tries to shut them up

- kyle wasn’t having it

- to make things worse, cartman makes a bet with him

- if kyle doesn’t get a girlfriend (or anyone really, he’s that desperate) within a week, he has to do something embarrassing like listen to everything he does or wear an “i paused my game for this (this better be good)” shirt without his winter coat for an entire week

- in return, if kyle somehow wins the bet; cartman has to shave his head (which was a little unfair but it was too late for kyle to realize)

- in the midst of it, kenny recalls the list of most to least cute boys back in middle school (the forged list), causing kyle to groan and tell him to fuck off lmao

- he comes back home after the weekend hangout and kyle just completely forgets about it

- he was all talk at the mall a while ago and then it’s like the bet just completely vanishes in his head

- lol

- he doesn’t know what’s about to bite him in the ass

- friday night comes along and kenny suddenly chats him on instagram

- digbickkenny: dude cartman’s been talking mad shit, you better come to school next week with a girlfriend or ur fucked lmaoooo

- he stares into the phone for a good second, just staring at the text while all the color drains away from his face

- he realizes he only has 2 days left to get into a relationship

- aw shit

- that sent kyle in a whiplash

- he immediately scrambles and starts considering his options because there’s no way he’s gonna have a girlfriend by the weekends

- and of course he doesn’t want to say that cartman is his supreme overlord and that he’s handsome to the entire school

- he realizes he has to fake a relationship if he wanted to get out of his bet safely

- he would’ve gone for his crush or someone of romantic interest, but… he hasn’t liked someone since last year, so that’s out of the question

- he begins narrowing down who he can ask like a beggar

- someone he trusts not to rat him out to cartman

- someone who can be convincing enough to fool his friends (and everyone basically)

- someone who might actually say yes instead of laughing in his face

- and then you enter his mind

- you and kyle are close, maybe not as close as him and stan but you two sit next to each other in class and have interacted multiple times

- you hate cartman just as much as kyle hates him

- you’re a wild card, no one ever knows what to expect from you; but dating kyle? sounds just about right

- next thing you know, your phone is lighting up with a notification from kyle

- that guy from new jersey: ok so hypothetically if i asked you to be my fake lover would you say yes

- free food (do not call): kyle what the fuck

- that guy from new jersey: ok first of all rude, second of all it’s just for tomorrow

- free food (do not call): why the hell would you need a fake lover for one day

- that guy from new jersey: you remember that stupid bet cartman keeps on talking about

- free food (do not call): no

- that guy from new jersey: the one where he said i couldn’t get a girlfriend by monday and i told him to go fuck himself and now if i don’t prove him wrong i have to listen to everything he says for a whole week

- free food (do not call): LMAO WAIT YOU WERE BEING SERIOUS???

- that guy from new jersey: yes unfortunately

- that guy from new jersey: and i may or may not have completely forgotten about it until kenny reminded me just now so like, you in?

- free food (do not call): so let me get this straight

- free food (do not call): you want me to pretend to be your caring and devoted lover just so you don’t have to walk around school looking like cartman’s personal bitch?

- that guy from new jersey: correct

- free food (do not call): what’s in it for me then

- that guy from new jersey: uhhh the satisfaction of making cartman shut the hell up?

- free food (do not call): tempting but no

- that guy from new jersey: fine

- that guy from new jersey: i’ll do your history homework for a week

- free food (do not call): make it two

- that guy from new jersey: are you serious

- free food (do not call): kyle i am putting my reputation on the line for you. two weeks or good luck finding someone else

- that guy from new jersey: fine. deal.

- free food (do not call): pleasure doing business with you babe

- oh my god this is already a mistake

- on monday cartman is absolutely ripping kyle

- “well kahl, where’s your mystery girlfriend, huh? does she go to another school?”

- of course kenny doesn’t help

- “or better yet, is she invisible?”

- both of them burst into laughter while stan tries to defend kyle

- “guys stop it, give him a secon-“

- you randomly approach them and tug kyle’s arm to kiss his cheek

- “hey babe!”

- what the fuck?

- cartman’s smile falters and kenny is unable to contain his laughter even more

- “here’s your lunch, made it myself”

- kyle’s blinking at the paper bag of the lunch you apparently made for him, his ears increasingly turning pink

- “oh- uh, thanks” as he takes the bag

- you smile him with an expression that can be only described as “love” (with air quotation marks) before you say goodbye and leave

- holy shit what the fuck just happened

- cartman’s the first to speak

- “no fuckin’ way, i call bullshit! you definitely paid her to be your boyfriend”

- “for the love of god shut the fuck up fatass” kyle retorts

i have an idea for a second part if anyone’s interested! who wants me to write it? :-)

[spiicii]

bloodline property / part four

jey uso / jimmy uso / roman reigns / solo sikoa / sami zayn x fem!reader  word count → 7.4k summary → after wargames, sami is officially accepted as part of the family. and the family is more than happy to reward him. links → masterlist / part one / part two / part three tags → multiple partners, possessive behavior, unprotected piv sex, bondage, double penetration, daddy kink, dirty talk, praise kink, hair pulling, crying, overstimulation, some samijey (if you squint), aftercare, cuddling and fluff

You could only imagine what you looked like.

It was Solo who was tying each ribbon to you, taking his time to craft intricate knots across your exposed skin. You watched in amazement as he crisscrossed the ribbon to form perfect patterns up your arms and legs, the knots firm, but not too tight. 

You didn’t know he knew how to do this. His hands, normally so rough and brutish, were gentle as he intertwined the ribbons, occasionally offering you a reassuring pat whenever he noticed goosebumps exploding across your skin. It was strange to watch his thick fingers create such delicate knots, his movements far more dexterous than you’d given him credit for. And as the patterns of the ribbons began to emerge across your skin, you couldn’t deny that they were beautiful. 

You’d never done this before. 

In all the time you’d spent with the Bloodline, they’d never tied you. You’d never asked for it and they’d never mentioned it, but sitting here now, watching Solo continue to craft complex knots across your skin, you knew that this practice was familiar to them. Or, at least, familiar to the Enforcer. 

You wanted to ask him about it, maybe question the hows and the whys, but it didn’t feel like the time. So instead you sat back and watched as the youngest of the Bloodline drew the silk across your skin, his brow furrowed in concentration as he worked. 

He had you in a sitting position in the middle of the bed, your arms tied behind your back and your legs tied together to the side, knees bent. It felt comfortable, for now, and Solo had made sure that none of the bindings were too tight. 

He’d told you to sit still, but you couldn’t resist tugging a bit at the ribbon that kept your hands tied behind your back, just to see if there’s any give. There wasn’t. You couldn’t move your arms, not even a little bit, and the realization sent a bolt of arousal straight to your core. You felt your heart rate begin to speed up, wetness beginning to coat the ribbon that Solo had tied between your legs. 

Solo noticed the change in your breathing and paused, looking up at you. 

“You alright, pretty girl?” 

Solo’s voice was low, his eyes scanning yours in concern. 

You nodded, your cheeks beginning to flush as you shifted on the bed. You could feel the silky ribbon rub against your clit and you couldn’t resist the urge to roll your hips forward, just to chase the friction. 

Solo seemed to understand, something almost playful twinkling in his eyes. He reached out to cup your cheek and you leaned into his touch, your eyelids fluttering. 

“Just sit still, baby.” He murmured, pressing a soft kiss to your temple. “I’m almost done.” 

You couldn’t suppress the pitiful whimper that escaped your lips, but you forced yourself to obey, watching with wide eyes as Solo finished the final knot around your ankles. He leaned back to admire his work, his eyes scanning for any imperfections or mistakes, occasionally reaching out to adjust a few of the knots. 

He’d tied them all with small strings hanging out, ensuring that all it took was one simple tug to release the binding. You were meant to be a present to be unwrapped and Solo had taken his time to ensure that the knots were firm enough to keep you bound, but easy enough to release once pulled on correctly. 

“Does anything feel wrong? Are you in pain?” 

Solo’s eyes bored into you, his expression once again concerned, but you shook your head. 

“No. It feels good.” 

Solo released a breath, looking as if he were about to say something else before the bedroom door opened behind him. 

Roman’s gaze landed on you, his eyes immediately drawn to the blood red ribbons crisscrossing your body. He seemed shocked, his eyes raking across your vulnerable form. You weren’t entirely sure what you looked like to him, but his stunned expression made you think that must look nice. 

You watched in astonishment as Roman stumbled forward, his legs unsteady as he made his way to your side. You’d never seen him like this. He was normally so cool and composed - totally in control of everyone and everything around him. Seeing him walk on shaky legs, his expression positively slack-jawed, was something new. 

His hands were on you instantly, his touch gentle as not to disturb the delicate knots that Solo had worked so hard on. He licked his lips, his eyes blown wide with desire as he took in your bound form. 

“You-” The Tribal Chief’s voice was breathless. “Sweetheart, do you have any idea what you look like?” 

Your cheeks suddenly felt hot and you found that you couldn’t meet Roman’s eyes, biting your lip and looking away. 

“Jesus, baby,” Roman’s voice was wrecked, his eyes dark as he reached out to trace one of the ribbons binding your left breast. His touch sent a flurry of goosebumps across your exposed skin. “Why haven’t we done this before?” 

You didn’t know how to answer him, especially as he continued to run his hands across your body. You felt drunk on the feeling, the helplessness combined with his attention sending more warmth to the already growing wetness between your legs. 

Roman leaned forward and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to your neck, his breath hot against your skin. 

“I should rip these off you.” He mumbled, hooking a finger into one of the ribbons across your stomach and giving it a small tug. “I should tear these apart and fuck you into this mattress right now.” 

You shuddered at his words, letting out a small gasp as you felt his breath in your ear. 

“Would you let me, pretty girl?” The Tribal Chief’s words were soft and syrupy. “Would you let me rip these pretty decorations off so I could give you what you need?” 

His hand drifted between your legs, finding the ribbon tied across your pussy. He let out a dark chuckle at the wetness he found there, pressing another kiss behind your ear. 

“And you clearly need it, don’t you, baby?” 

You tried to shift your hips forward to feel more of his touch, but you could hardly move, a frustrated groan tearing from your throat. 

Roman’s lips met yours and the kiss was urgent and hungry. He was back in control again, his tongue forcing your lips apart and licking into your mouth. You tugged on your bound arms, wanting more than anything to touch him, and felt another spark of arousal when you couldn’t. 

The Tribal Chief was right. You should have done this long ago.

Roman reached out and tugged again on a ribbon, the knot coming undone with ease. 

“Daddy!” You gasped against his mouth, looking down to watch the ribbon fall. “Please. You’ll mess it up!” 

“Mess it-” Roman blinked at you in surprise. Then his face twisted into something much darker, his large hand shooting out to grab a handful of your hair.  

You gasped at the feeling, your pussy spasming and clenching around nothing at his rough treatment. God, it felt delicious. 

“If I want to shred these ribbons and fuck you against the wall, I will.” He snarled, something feral shining in his dark eyes. “If I want to rip these bindings off and keep you all to myself, I’ll do it. And no one, not even you, would stop me. Would you, slut?” 

You both knew that you wouldn’t. He claimed your lips again, the kiss dark and possessive. The grip he kept on your hair was unforgiving. 

“I’ll make my cousins and Sami watch as I pound this tight little pussy of yours.” He growled, his eyes so dark they looked black. “I’ll make sure none of them lay a finger on you and keep you all to myself if that’s what I want. Because even though I generously allow my Bloodline to use you, who owns you, pretty girl? Hm? Who do you belong to?” 

The answer was ingrained in your soul. “You, Daddy.” 

Roman smirked, leaning forward to press a much softer, sweeter kiss to your lips.

“Good girl.” 

He slowly released his grip on your hair, his eyes continuing to roam your bound form. You could see the way his fingers twitched against your skin - the only sign that he was still tempted to follow through on this threat and rip the bindings off of you. But he held back. Despite his possessive words, he’d agreed to reward Sami tonight. And the Tribal Chief never went back on his word. 

“Say your safeword back to me.” 

You met his gaze evenly. “Red.” 

“And you promise to use it? If you need it?” 

There was an edge behind the Tribal Chief’s words and that’s when you recognized the slightest trace of worry behind his brown eyes. This was uncharted territory, the bindings across your body new. He wanted to be sure that you felt safe. 

“Yes, Daddy. I promise.” 

Roman let out a small breath, seemingly satisfied by your answer. 

“Good girl.” 

******

You weren’t sure how much time had passed before you heard the front door to the penthouse open, the twins and Sami chattering amongst themselves as they made their way into the living room. You couldn’t make out their words yet, the sounds muffled behind the closed bedroom door. 

Roman sat beside you on the bed, running his hands appreciatively across your bound form. You couldn’t help but lean into his touch, your eyes fluttering close at the feeling of his large hands on you. 

“It’s a shame I don’t get to unwrap you, sweetheart,” he murmured, almost to himself. “But we’ll do this again. I promise.” 

You let out a contented hum, smiling as Roman pressed another kiss behind your ear. 

“Where’s everybody at?” You heard Sami ask, the first clear thing you’d been able to decipher since they’d arrived. 

“They in there, dawg,” Jimmy replied, no doubt motioning to the bedroom. “Remember? We told you we was gon’ set up something nice for you.” 

You couldn’t hear the beginning of Sami’s response, but eventually you were able to hear him say, “-told you it’s not a big deal.” 

“Nah, don’t start that shit again, uce.” You heard Jey respond and you could hear the smile in his words. “You earned this. Go on. They waitin’ fo’ you.” 

You looked up and could see shadows moving across the floor from beneath the bedroom door. 

“Go on, dawg.” You heard Jimmy urge, now just on the other side of the door. “We ain’t got all day.” 

The door to the bedroom was finally pushed open and you were met with three new pairs of eyes, all of them immediately zeroing in on you in the middle of the bed. 

Your eyes met Sami’s first, watching his face flush a violent shade of red at the sight of you. His eyes were wide as he took in the ribbons crisscrossing your exposed skin, his mouth slightly parted in shock. He seemed frozen in the doorway, forcing the twins to push him further inside so they could get a better look at you. 

Jimmy let out a long whistle, moving closer to the bed to examine the intricate knots his brother had tied. 

“Goddamn, baby girl.” He groaned, seemingly unable to take his eyes off you. “You look amazing.” 

You couldn’t help but blush at his sweet words, burying your face into Roman’s neck to hide your heated cheeks. You weren’t sure how to feel with all eyes trained on you. You felt more exposed than ever before, your body trussed up and on display for the Tribal Chief’s Bloodline. You felt a weird mixture of arousal and adrenaline shoot through your veins at the feeling, your pussy spasming beneath the ribbon tied between your legs. You felt vulnerable, as if you were under a spotlight, unable to move your arms to cover yourself even if you wanted to. 

You felt fingers tug in your hair and you realized that the Tribal Chief was pulling you back up, unwilling to let you hide in the crook of his neck. 

“Tsk, none of that.” Roman admonished, a knowing smile on his lips. “No hiding. Let them look at you, princess.” 

Sami and Jimmy had moved closer to the bed to get a better look at you, but Jey was still in the doorway, seemingly stunned as he stared at you. His smoldering eyes took in every inch of your bound form, his eyes following the intersecting pattern of ribbon across your skin. And when he met your eyes you saw a variety of emotions there: surprise, lust, maybe even some desperation too. You saw his eyes flicker to the others and understood him immediately. 

He was like Roman. He too was resisting the urge to run forward and tear the ribbons from your skin himself, wanting more than anything to claim you as his. He had the same possessive streak as his cousin, his hands suddenly forming into fists at his side as he fought the overwhelming desire to push the others aside and take you himself. 

“Whatchu think, uce?” Jimmy clapped Sami on the back, his smile wide as he looked at him. 

Sami seemed taken aback. “Wha…what do you mean?” 

“Ain’t it obvious?” Jimmy laughed. “She’s for you, my dawg. A present. See all the bows and shit? You gotta unwrap her.” 

Sami’s eyes met yours and you offered him a shy smile. Sami couldn’t help but smile back, happiness shining in his pale blue eyes. He reached out, as if to touch you, before he paused, catching the Tribal Chief’s watchful gaze. 

“Is this, um…” Sami seemed uncertain, now pulling his hands away. “Are you okay with this?” 

Roman seemed pleased that Sami still had enough sense to ask for permission from the Tribal Chief, his eyes shining with pride. 

“Yes, Sami. I’m okay with this.” Roman offered him a fond smile. “She’s all yours. After everything at WarGames, I’d say you've earned it.” 

Sami seemed speechless at his words, but he still bowed his head in deference as the Tribal Chief stood. 

“I’ll be right over here, pretty girl,” Roman murmured in your ear, offering your arm one last reassuring squeeze. “Be good for Sami.” 

“Yes, Daddy.” You breathed, your eyelids fluttering as he pressed one final kiss to your temple before taking his seat beside Solo. 

“You good, uce?” 

Jimmy seemed to notice for the first time that Jey was still in the doorway, his eyes glued to where you sat in the middle of the bed. His twin’s words seemed to shake Jey from his reverie, taking a few slow blinks before finally tearing his eyes away from you. 

“Hm? Oh right.” He seemed to notice Sami for the first time, his face breaking out into a wide smile. “Whatchu think, dawg? She look good, right?” 

He moved up beside Sami, clapping him on the back. “Good enough to unwrap, huh?” 

Sami’s cheeks were still bright red. “I…well, I don’t know, man…” 

“Come on, uce.” Jimmy urged, motioning for Sami to get on the bed. “You just gon’ make her sit there and wait? She got all prettied up for you!” 

Sami met your eyes again and you could see nervousness there. You decided to give him some initiative. 

“Please, Sami,” You pleaded, using your best bedroom eyes. “I need you.” 

It certainly wasn’t a lie. Your muscles were beginning to cramp from being in one position for so long, the wetness between your legs making it difficult to focus. You looked up at him through your lashes in anticipation and want. 

Sami let out a visible gulp, now unable to take his eyes off you. He reached out with a shaky hand to trace one of the ribbons on your arm, watching with wide eyes as goosebumps followed his touch. 

You saw out of the corner of your eye that Jimmy had finally taken a seat near the bed, his long legs stretched out in front of him as he watched the show. Jey stood nearby, leaning against his brother’s chair as he kept his eyes trained on you. You could feel Roman and Solo’s gaze as well, all eyes in the room focused on you as Sami moved further onto the bed. 

You offered Sami a sweet smile, trying to not to seem impatient as you shifted uncomfortably against the bindings. 

“Unwrap me, Sami,” You murmured, your voice low. “Please. I’m all yours.” 

Sami reached out his other hand to experimentally cup your cheek, watching with rapt adoration as you leaned into his touch. 

“You’re beautiful.” Sami said, his tone laced such conviction that you couldn’t doubt his sincerity. You felt your cheeks heat up again, your smile now shy. 

Sami seemed a bit more at ease now, running his hand down your leg and tugging on the first knot. You both watched as the ribbon came undone with ease, revealing the soft indentation on the skin across your upper thigh. 

Something darkened in Sami’s eyes at the sight, his fingers quickly moving to undo a few more knots on the same leg. More indentations appeared on your skin - beautiful crisscrossing patterns from how long you’d been bound. Sami seemed mesmerized, using his long fingers to trace the grooves left behind.

When he reached the ribbon tying your knees together, he tugged easily and the knot released, another ribbon fluttering to the ground. You groaned in appreciation, your legs falling open to stretch your sore hips. Although your ankles were still tied, this new position revealed the silky binding tied between your legs, Sami’s eyes zeroing in on the sight immediately. 

You knew the ribbon was likely soaked and you offered him a mischievous smile, wiggling your hips playfully. 

“If you keep unwrapping you might like what you find.” You teased. 

Sami reached forward to untie a few more knots, his eyes still glued to the wetness between your legs. He seemed more impatient now, tugging on the knot that held your ankles together just to watch your legs fall open further, now fully able to stretch your sore limbs. 

Sami leaned up further, moving closer to you as his hand drifted to the heat between your legs. And when his fingers grazed against the wet silk you felt your hips buck in response, instinctively chasing the feeling. 

“You ought to save that for last, Sami.” Roman’s booming voice immediately caught Sami’s attention, his eyes flickering over to his Tribal Chief. “Don’t want to spoil your dessert, do you?” 

Sami seemed lost for words, but he at least had enough sense to nod, obediently moving his hand away from the wetness between your legs, despite your desperate whines. 

You watched as Sami forced himself to focus on the knots across your stomach and chest, his fingers shaky as he untied each ribbon. You watched him work, feeling almost sorry for him as you caught the sight of his erection straining in his jeans. 

He couldn’t resist reaching out to palm at your bound breasts, gently squeezing the flesh straining through the ribbon. You let out a small whine as Sami leaned forward and captured one of your nipples between his lips, sucking delicately against the sensitive skin there. Your eyes fluttered at the sensation, biting your lip to keep any more embarrassing noises from passing your lips. 

And when Sami finally released you, your eyes met again. He seemed desperate, the pale blue of his eyes swallowed by his pupils as he stared at you. You knew you didn’t look any better, your hips bucking forward again in a silent plea for him to use you. To claim you, just as the rest of the Bloodline had. 

Sami seemed to understand, moving quickly to undo the knots across your chests and arms. When he reached the ribbon tying your wrists together he leaned even closer, reaching around you to tug on the binding to finally release your arms. 

You let out a gasp at the feeling, finally free to stretch your arms above your head to extend your sore limbs. 

Sami leaned back to watch you, seemingly mesmerized as you laid back against the pillows, giving a cat-like stretch across the bed. He didn’t miss the way your legs fell open again, catching sight of the final bow tied just above your pussy. 

Movement out of the corner of your eye had your head turning, watching as Jey began to stalk the length of the room. He often got like this when he was impatient, his brow furrowed as he watched Sami place a pale hand against the inside of your thigh to push your legs even further apart. Jey’s expression was frustrated, his eyes never leaving yours even as his twin reached out and tried to urge him to sit down. 

Sami noticed too, leaning back to meet Jey’s unhappy gaze. 

“Hey, man,” Sami’s voice was soft, color still dotting his pale cheeks. “You wanna…I don’t know…” He seemed nervous, suddenly unable to meet Jey’s eyes. “You wanna, maybe join us?”

Jey stopped his pacing, his face now surprised. It was clear he hadn’t expected Sami to ask this. His eyes instinctively flashed over to Roman. He knew, as all of you did, that nothing happened in here without the Tribal Chief’s permission. 

Roman, however, seemed amused. “She’s Sami’s gift,” he chuckled, his posture relaxed in his chair. “If he wants to share, then he can.” 

Jey’s posture wasn’t nearly as relaxed, his eyes dark as he met Sami’s flustered expression. There was a question on his face - one that Sami was quick to answer. 

“I do.” Sami said, the blush now creeping to his throat. “Want to share, I mean.” 

The corner of Jey’s mouth tugged into a smile. “Didn’t think you’d be that generous, Sami.” Jey mused, even as he made his way to the bed. “Especially fo’ yo’ first time.” 

Sami gave a nervous chuckle. “What can I say? I’m a generous guy.” 

Jey smiled, leaning over to meet your lust-filled eyes. “Hey, mamas,” he murmured, reaching out a gentle hand to trace one of the grooves the ribbons had left on your arm. “Missed you, baby.” 

You couldn’t help but giggle. “You saw me this morning!” 

“Doesn’t matter.”

Jey’s lips were on yours, his touch sending electric sparks across your skin. As always, his touch was intoxicating, his taste almost sweet on your lips. 

He didn’t kiss you for long, his eyes flashing over his shoulder to catch Sami’s hungry gaze. You were surprised when Jey moved behind you on the bed, leaning back against the headboard to pull you into his lap. He placed his hands on your thighs, drawing your legs further back to provide better access for Sami. 

“Go on, uce,” Jey’s voice was an octave deeper than usual. “You ain’t finished opening up yo’ present.” 

Sami’s face was flushed for a different reason now, his eyes glued to the wet silk still tied between your legs. He moved deeper onto the bed, almost as if in a trance, reaching out to carefully trace the ribbon above your clit. 

You made a pitiful noise at his touch, your hips bucking forward again. “Please, don’t tease me.” You pleaded, letting out another noise as Jey’s lips brushed the shell of your ear, his breath warm. 

Sami didn’t seem to be listening, seemingly hypnotized as his fingers moved forward to slowly tug at the final bow. And when the ribbon fell away, revealing your dripping pussy, Sami’s eyes darkened. You let out a surprised gasp when he darted forward, his tongue against your sex so quickly you hardly had time to react. 

“Shhh,” Jey cooed from behind you, pressing sweet kisses against your neck. “It’s alright, baby. We’ll take care of you. Just relax.” 

You couldn’t have disobeyed him even if you wanted to, Jey’s honeyed voice causing your muscles to automatically unwind, sinking further back against his chest. You let out a sigh at the feeling of Jey’s lips against your neck, his other hand snaking around you to palm at one of your breasts. 

Sami’s tongue was tentative. He seemed to be taking his time, savoring your taste as he continued to explore. And when his tongue flicked into the entrance of your empty hole you couldn’t help but let out a high-pitched keen, so whiny and needy that Jey laughed. 

“Been waitin’ all day, sweetheart?” Jey teased, twisting one of your nipples between his fingers just to hear another breathy moan leave your lips.

You nodded against Jey’s chest, burying your face into his neck as Sami’s tongue pushed in deeper, your walls spasming helplessly around him. You didn’t miss the way Jey’s erection pressed against the swell of your ass, twitching with interest as you leaned back further into his lap. 

“Think you can take us both?” Jey’s words had your head spinning, but you nodded, nuzzling into his soft beard. 

“Use your words, mamas. I wanna hear it.” 

“Yes,” You breathed, your back arching as Sami continued to lick up inside you, tasting your nectar as it leaked out. “Yes, I want you both.” 

Before you fully realized what was happening you felt Jey’s hand reaching down to spread one of your asscheeks, his long fingers teasing the puckered hole hiding there. You immediately shook your head. 

“No.” 

Jey’s hands froze against your ass. No wasn’t a word you often said. 

You pressed a reassuring kiss to Jey’s neck. “Not there.” 

Jey withdrew his hand from your ass, his beard scratching your neck as he planted more kisses there. “Then where you want me, baby?” 

You spread your legs wider, tugging on Jey’s hand until his fingers were brushing your clit, just centimeters above Sami’s forehead from where he continued to feast on your empty hole. 

Jey chuckled, his next words so low only you could hear them. “Right where I belong, huh?”

You nodded, leaning back to press a kiss of your own beneath his jaw. 

“And what about Sami, pretty girl?” 

Upon hearing his name, Sami’s eyes flickered up to the two of you, the irises of his eyes reduced to nothing more than a thin sliver of blue around large, lust-blown pupils. He looked so cute like this, his gaze up at the two of you adoring. You both watched in rapt fascination as Sami’s puppy eyes fluttered as you thrusted further into his greedy mouth. 

“I want him inside me too.” You breathed, your fingers reaching out to curl in his wild mane of ginger hair. “With you.” 

Jey took a moment to consider. “You sure, mamas?” He sounded concerned and you knew he didn't want to hurt you. 

You nodded, brushing some of the hair from Sami’s forehead so you could keep sight of his lovely blue eyes. 

“You good with that, Sami?” Jey asked, leaning forward to watch as Sami nodded against your pussy, unwilling to pause his ministrations to answer. 

Jey chuckled. “Alright, baby. Then lift up fo’ me.” 

You obeyed, feeling Jey’s large hands on your hips to assist you. Your movements caused Sami to lean back, watching with wide eyes as you allowed Jey’s cock to nudge against your slicked hole. You couldn’t help but whine as you took the first few inches, your toes curling in satisfaction. As usual, you could feel your thoughts beginning to slip from your grasp, the world turning hazy and warm as Jey’s cock filled you so perfectly. 

Jey was quick to bottom out, your body easily adjusting to him. Like you were made for him. 

Jey seemed to agree, letting out a low groan as your pussy fluttered around him. “Jesus, baby. You feel perfect.” 

He took a moment to collect himself, taking a few deep breaths as he resisted the urge to thrust up into your tight hole. He met Sami’s gaze and a look of understanding passed between them. 

“Sami’s gonna open you up more, pretty girl,” Jey murmured, his hands gentle as he kept you balanced on his lap. “Just be a good girl and relax fo’ me, ok?” 

You nodded, letting out a sigh as Sami’s tongue returned to your pussy. He seemed uncertain at first, his tongue staying close to your clit to draw out hungry and desperate moans from you. Eventually he dipped further down to your filled hole, his tongue tracing over your entrance as well as Jey’s cock. His eyes flickered up to the two of you and he looked worried, as if he’d crossed some kind of imaginary line. You were quick to reassure him. 

“That’s good, Sami,” you praised, reaching out to curl your hands in his ginger hair. “Feels so good.” 

Sami relaxed a bit more, his tongue adventuring further as he continued to lap at your stretched hole. Occasionally he would lean down further to coat the base of Jey’s cock with more wetness, his tongue providing equal pleasure to both of you. 

Jey didn’t protest. Instead, he pulled you flush against his chest, his free hand cradling the underside of your jaw so he could press more kisses there. He seemed to be enjoying himself, moaning softly into your neck as you continued to clench around him and Sami’s tongue continued to lick up his shaft. 

Eventually Sami reached up to add the first finger, sliding in alongside Jey’s dick. You felt so relaxed that you didn’t register the feeling at first, completely lost in the sensation of Sami’s tongue against you. 

You let out a contented sigh as Sami continued to lap at your pussy, his finger pumping slowly in and out as he began to work you open. 

It was when he added the second finger that you could begin to feel the stretch, your brain short-circuiting at the feeling. You’d only done this once before with the twins and you hadn’t been able to walk for days afterward. 

“Doin’ so good, mamas.” Jey’s voice was strained, his fingers curling in the soft flesh of your hips as he forced himself to sit still. “Such a good girl.” 

Your eyelids fluttered at his praise, a new noise tearing from your throat as Sami leaned up to capture your clit between his lips, pulling the small bud into his mouth and sucking. The feeling was otherworldly and you felt your hips move on instinct. 

“Nuh uh, none of that.” Jey’s voice was tight, his grip tightening on your waist. “No moving yet, baby. Not until you ready.” 

You heard yourself make a pitiful noise, though you choked on the sound as Sami added a third finger. 

Things started getting hazy after that. You were vaguely aware of Jey continuing to murmur praises in your ear, Sami’s tongue and fingers working you open with a patience that you were certain no other member of the Bloodline had. You could feel your wetness, mixed with Sami’s spit, dripping onto the sheets, your legs beginning to tremble at the feeling of fullness. 

“I think she ready, uce.” 

It took you some time to realize that it was Jimmy speaking. He was standing near the bed, passing Sami a bottle of lube before leaning down to kiss your forehead.

“You look so pretty all stretched out, baby.” Jimmy’s words sounded far away. 

Sami was on his knees now, his eyes level with yours as he squirted some lube onto his cock, giving it a few strokes before lining up to your filled pussy. He met your eyes. 

“Okay?” 

He was sweet to ask, but you didn’t really have any words to respond. You could only nod, throwing your head back against Jey’s shoulder as he finally pushed into you. 

You tried to think, tried to string some kind of coherent sentence together in your brain, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that your brain could focus on was that you felt full. Everything else faded into the background. Even Jey’s sweet kisses seemed miles away. The only sound you could hear was your own heartbeat in your ears. 

“Easy, easy,” One person’s voice cut through the radio static and there was no question about whose hand was on your cheek. “That’s it, baby. Such a good girl.” 

Daddy. 

You opened your eyes and met the Tribal Chief’s gaze, his expression kind as he looked down at you. He looked like a god at this angle. Benevolent. Strong. Powerful. 

You opened your mouth, as if to speak, but only a broken sound came out. 

“Shhh, it’s alright.” The Tribal Chief was quick to shush you. “You’re doing so good, sweetheart. Look at how well you serve my Bloodline.” 

Sami pushed in deeper and your eyes rolled back into your head at the feeling, both cocks sliding against each other in the wet, tight heat of your pussy. 

“Fuck!” Jey hissed in your ear, his hands gripping your hips so tightly you knew they’d bruise. 

Sami finally stilled, his body flushed against yours as he gave you time to adjust. He leaned forward to press a tentative kiss to your cheek, his eyes wide as he stared at you. 

“Pretty girl.” 

Sami had never called you that before, but he said it with such reverence that you had no choice but to believe him. You watched with glassy eyes as he reached out to trace the shape of your lips, his gaze at you so tender that you felt tears spring into your eyes. 

Their first few thrusts had you moaning. The arousal that had been simmering low in your stomach the entire evening was beginning to bubble to the surface, your body hot as you felt your pussy flutter helplessly around the two dicks inside it. 

Jey’s movements were slow, though you knew he wouldn’t take long. He’d been waiting for this, his muscles tense beneath you as he held you close. You could feel his breathy moans in your ear, his large hands keeping you still as he thrust into you alongside Sami. 

Sami’s movements were a little faster, his puppy eyes wide as he watched your face contort with pleasure. He leaned forward to kiss your lips and you could still smell the sweet aroma of your own arousal lingering in his beard. 

You could vaguely hear the sounds that you were making - half-bitten whimpers and pathetic moans - but you were too far gone to care. Instead you could only sit helplessly as two members of the Tribal Chief’s Bloodline abused your hole, the pleasure so good that you could barely keep your eyes open. 

“You getting close, sweetheart?” 

Roman’s voice was back, an anchor amidst the rising waves of pleasure and overstimulation. 

“You gonna come like this?” 

You were too fucked out to register the mocking in his voice, too drunk on cock to think of anything else. You could feel the tension coiling inside you so tightly that you felt your legs shake, teetering dangerously on the edge of orgasm. 

“Yes, please,” Your voice was hoarse, as if you’d been screaming. And maybe you had. “Please, can I come, Daddy?” 

Roman’s voice was kind. “You can come, pretty girl.” 

Your vision went white, pleasure wracking your every muscle as the tension inside you finally snapped. You clenched down on the cocks inside you, gushing around their lengths as your back arched off of Jey’s chest. Your body felt impossibly hot, your chest heaving as if you’d just run a marathon. 

It took a few moments to float back down to reality, the distant burn and stretch of your pussy the only thing keeping you grounded now. 

You opened your eyes and saw that Sami’s face was a beautiful shade of pink, his eyes and hair wild as he continued to thrust into you. “Oh, fuck,” he swore, his hands now overlapping Jey’s on your hips to keep you close. He turned to the Tribal Chief, his words breathless. “Can I…Can I….?” He couldn’t seem to get the words out, but he was smart to ask. He wouldn’t come inside you without expressed permission from the Tribal Chief.

Roman understood, ruffling Sami’s hair affectionately. “Of course, Sami. You’re one of us now.” 

That was enough to send Sami over the edge. You felt him spill into you, coating both your gummy walls and Jey’s cock with his seed. 

You heard Jey curse behind you, his teeth clamping down on your shoulder as he quickly followed, warmth spreading inside you at the feeling. 

Eventually the world stilled, all three of you breathing hard. Sami had his face pressed into the side of your neck, his breath warm against your heated skin. Jey rested his head near Sami’s, peppering you with small kisses and words of praise. And so what if a few of those kisses brushed Sami’s forehead? The lines were blurry, the world hazy and fragmented as you struggled to return to planet earth. 

You were aware of hands surrounding you: Jey’s, Sami’s, Roman’s. You could hear the Tribal Chief’s low rumble, his words praising and sweet. And when Sami finally pulled his softening cock from you, you heard yourself let out a broken sob, the sound so pitiful that you almost felt embarrassed. 

“Shhh, it’s alright,” Someone’s voice was in your ear, the words calming. “Just relax, babygirl. It’s okay.” 

Jey was shifting behind you and you heard someone say, “Careful, uce. She’s sensitive.” 

No amount of gentleness could prepare you for the feeling of emptiness as Jey pulled out of you. Your cheeks felt wet from your tears, despite someone’s warm hands brushing them away. You felt vulnerable, your muscles trembling from exhaustion and overstimulation. 

“Come here, baby.” 

The Tribal Chief’s words were soft and you realized that he was pulling you close, his large arms encircling you. He was murmuring sweet praises to you, stroking your hair in an effort to calm you down. You didn’t even realize you’d been crying, the drop in endorphins and adrenaline leaving you an emotional wreck. Things still felt fuzzy and splintered, your brain still having difficulty stringing a coherent thought together. 

You couldn’t be sure how long Roman held you there, keeping you curled against his chest so you could focus on his steady heartbeat beneath your ear. It wasn’t until you finally calmed down that you could make some sense of the words he was saying to you. 

“Let Solo and Jimmy take care of you, sweetheart.” He said, rubbing reassuring circles into your exposed arm. “Come on, up you go.” 

You let out a mournful noise as you were torn away from the Tribal Chief’s warm embrace, though you were quickly pacified as you felt more strong arms encircle you, picking you up with ease. 

“Sweet girl,” Jimmy cooed, cradling you against his exposed chest as he carried you to the bathroom. “I got you, baby. You’re okay.” 

You realized now that they had drawn you a bath, the smell of lavender in the air as Solo dumped the remainder of your bath salts into the filled tub. You were glad that the tub was big enough to accommodate Jimmy as well. He knew, as the others did, how much you needed skin-to-skin contact, making sure to pull you close to him as the warm water soothed your aching limbs. 

Jimmy’s arms were wrapped around you, his lips brushing against your forehead as he whispered sweet nothings to you. You watched as Solo knelt down beside the tub, taking your hand and pressing a gentle kiss to your sudsy palm. 

“I’m sorry,” Your voice was hoarse, the words shaky as they passed your lips. “You didn’t…you didn’t get to…” 

“Shhh,” Jimmy was quick to shush you, reaching up a wet hand to brush some of the hair from your face. “It’s alright, honey. You shouldn’t be worried about that.” 

Solo’s eyes were kind. “You did good.” He rumbled, squeezing your hand reassuringly. “You just need to relax.” 

“But-”

“Hush, baby,” Jimmy soothed, peppering your cheek with kisses. “Just let us do this for you, ok? We want to.” 

His words sounded so tender that you had no choice but to believe him, leaning back against the older twin and watching as Solo began to clean you up. You felt spoiled. Did you really deserve all this? You felt more tears well up in your eyes but you quickly buried your face into Jimmy’s neck to hide them. 

Solo’s hands were soothing against your skin, taking his time to massage some of the aches in your arms and legs. Your eyes started to feel heavy, your body finally relaxing in Jimmy’s embrace even as the water turned lukewarm and your fingers started to prune. 

You made a disappointed sound as Jimmy gently lifted you up and into Solo’s waiting arms, though it quickly turned into a soft moan at the feeling of a warm towel being wrapped around you. You allowed Solo to take his time drying you off, offering him a dazed smile as he pressed sweet kisses to your lavender-scented skin. 

Solo was gentle as he carried you back to the bedroom, his strong arms keeping you tucked against his chest. You nuzzled into his neck as a silent thank you. 

You could see that the sheets had been changed, Sami and Jey already snuggled beneath them. You let out a satisfied hum as Solo laid you down beside Sami, smiling as Sami quickly pulled you close to offer a sweet kiss of his own to your cheek. 

“Are you okay?” he whispered, his puppy eyes worried as he met yours. You offered him a lazy smile, your eyelids drooping in exhaustion. 

“M’perfect,” You slurred, burrowing into his side to seek more of his warmth. 

Sami let out a breath, reaching up with almost tentative fingers to stroke your hair. His heartbeat was steady beneath you, the peach fuzz of his chest soft as you leaned against him. 

You felt long fingers stroking your side and you opened your eyes just enough to see Jey pull both you and Sami close. His eyes were already closed in exhaustion, his body pressed against Sami’s as he wrapped his long arms around the two of you. Even in his sleepy state, Jey managed to find one of your hands beneath the covers and interlace your fingers together, offering a small squeeze.  

The bed dipped and you saw Solo move behind Jey, joining the three of you under the covers. He met your gaze and you saw that his eyes were sparkling. While Solo wasn’t normally one to show his emotions, you could tell that this is where he felt happiest: surrounded by his family, curled up beneath the sheets with the people he loved the most. He pressed a small kiss to Jey’s temple as he settled in behind him, watching as his older brother let out a small sigh of contentment. 

You felt another warm body press up behind you and you realized it was Jimmy, his hair still damp from the bath as he snuggled up close. He wrapped his own arms around you, his long arms blending with yours and Sami’s. He gave you a few more kisses to your forehead before leaning back against the pillow, his nose pressed into your hair. 

All five of you had your legs intertwined like vines, long limbs all tangled together beneath the sheets. It was hard to tell where one person began and another ended, but it didn’t really matter. You pressed a kiss to Sami’s chest and he made a pleased sound, his fingers still in your hair. 

“Best present ever.” He mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep, and you couldn’t contain your smile. 

The room grew quiet, Jey’s soft snores the only sound as Roman stepped closer to the bed. He’d been keeping his distance, watching with unconcealed fondness as his Bloodline snuggled together under the sheets. You were just awake enough to watch as Roman stepped closer to the bed, his eyes shining with affection. 

He pressed a finger to his lips once he caught your eyes, reaching out to adjust Solo’s neck so he wouldn’t catch a cramp and pressing a kiss to his youngest cousin’s temple. 

“You should get some sleep, sweetheart,” the Tribal Chief murmured, leaning forward to press another kiss to both Jey and Sami’s foreheads. “You’ve had a long day.” 

You watched as he walked around the bed to give a kiss to Jimmy’s temple as well, brushing some of the hair from his cousin’s sleeping face. 

“It’s alright, baby,” Roman murmured, his hand soft against your cheek as he pressed one final kiss to your face. “I’ve got you. I’ve got all of you.”

_____

next part: bloodline property (snapshots)

previous part: bloodline property (part three)

[cumironi]

Hi hi! I love your satosugu x reader fics so much that I love to read-read a lot of them! So i saw ur requests are open and I was wondering if I could request a satosugu x reader where reader got food poisoning and her boyfriends are just taking care of her and nursing back to health? Thank you!🫶

FOOD POISON : UNITY OF HELL : GOJO SATORU, GETO SUGURU

day off, clothes off, sleep until noon, take-out and relaxing day: that’s the original plan, but they didn’t notice among the food they’ve ordered, there is one food that would make you go through hell.

warning. established relationship! satosugu, fluff, crack, GAY SATOSUGUUUUUU, you screaming at them for asking stupid questions while you are in pain lol.

i’ve never had food poisoning before, no one is closer to me ever had one, so i don’t really know how it works and how the reaction is supposed to be, but i’m trying my best with some research and i hope i’m doing your request a justice. (and reader have to be dramatic, as always)

it was a lazy sunday noon, and you, along with your two boyfriends, were just waking up from an unusually long sleep. the sun was peeking through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room, but none of you had any intention of getting up right away. the week had been exhausting, filled with missions, work, and meetings, but today, there was nothing—no obligations, no expectations, just the three of you together in the comfort of your shared home.

none of you had bothered with clothes either; it was one of those days where the world outside didn’t exist. you were in your underwear while your boyfriends in their black boxer, hugging there body perfectly, sprawled lazily on the couch in the living room, just enjoying each other’s company. the decision to cook was quickly dismissed as too much effort, especially since the three of you had been sleeping for what felt like forever. instead, you decided to order food, something simple and satisfying, and now you were all gathered around the coffee table, your meals spread out in front of you.

you sat in between geto and gojo, your legs comfortably stretched out across their laps. the atmosphere was serene, peaceful, the only sounds being the occasional clinking of cutlery and the low murmur of conversation as you talked about nothing in particular. gojo was leaning back against the cushions, his arm resting lazily over your shoulders while he occasionally brought a bite of food to his mouth. geto was on your other side, much more focused on the food, though he’d glance over at you every now and then, offering a small smile or a teasing comment.

“i could get used to this,” you sighed contentedly, taking a sip of your drink before reaching for another bite of your meal. “no work, no missions… just the three of us doing absolutely nothing.”

geto laughed. “and waking up at noon,” he pointed out, glancing at his phone’s clock and taking another bite of his rice. gojo groaned. “hey, it’s already been so long since we were able to stay in bed this late. don’t judge.” he pinched your thigh and nuzzled his nose in your hair, taking a deep breath.

“we’re so gonna regret this on monday, though.“ you could feel his warm breath on your neck as he spoke. geto leaned forward to grab his drink, and gojo took the opportunity to slide his hands over your body, shamelessly tracing the curves of your figure.

“god, you look so delicious, baby,” he whispered, his lips brushing against your ear, and you could feel your skin prickling under his touch. geto shifted a little, leaning back against the couch pillows.

“you’re not gonna leave anything for me?” he smirked, his gaze fixed on your bare legs in his lap.

you were just about to respond, maybe throw a witty remark at them, but before you could, geto spoke again—this time with his mouth full of food. bits of rice slipped out of his mouth and landed right on your hand.

“ugh, suguru! disgusting!” you groaned, pulling your hand away from him as you stared at the food that had just fallen onto your skin. “don’t talk when your mouth’s full! gross!”

gojo chuckled at your reaction, his lips still lingering near your ear. “oh, come on, it's not that bad.” he teasingly tried to brush the food away, but only ended up smearing it across your skin.

“oh, is that what we’re grossed out by now?” gojo chuckled, watching with amusement as you tried to wipe the rice off. his hand continued its journey up your body, his fingers slipping under the elastic of your bra.

“I’ve done a lot grosser things to you before, love,” he continued with a wink, and geto snickered.

gojo glanced over at geto, and his signature smirk returned to his face. “y’know, it looks kind of tasty.” he casually brought your hand to his mouth, his tongue licking the food off your skin.

you groaned again, rolling your eyes as gojo smeared the food even more across your skin. “ugh, not in front of my food!” you protested, trying to wiggle away from his touch, but his grip was firm as his fingers teasingly slipped under the elastic of your bra.

gojo’s comment about doing “grosser things” made you shoot him a glare, though you couldn't stop the heat creeping up your neck. “you two are seriously disgusting,” you muttered, though your words lacked any real bite as geto snickered beside you, clearly enjoying your reaction.

before you could pull your hand away, gojo brought it to his mouth, his tongue lazily licking the food off your skin. “mmm, tastes good,” he winked, his lips brushing over your knuckles, the playful grin never leaving his face.

“gross!” you groaned, pulling your hand back quickly. “not while I’m eating!” you swatted at both of them, wrinkling your nose in mock disgust. “you two are nasty, seriously.”

they both laughed, clearly unfazed by your complaints, and you shook your head, unable to keep the small smile from tugging at your lips. as irritating as they could be, you loved how effortlessly playful things were between the three of you.

“aww, don’t play innocent.” gojo chuckled, his hand running up your side until he reached your chest. he gave your breast a firm squeeze through the thin layer of the bra. “you’re a pretty dirty girl yourself, y’know?” he teased. “remember what you did a few nights ago, baby?”

geto shifted a little in his seat, his eyes flicking between you two. “yeah, i remember that too,” he chimed in, a smirk on his face. “quite a messy night it was.”

you blushed at their words, feeling the heat creeping up your neck again. “ugh, you guys…” you tried to protest, but it was difficult to stay annoyed with their playful banter, especially with gojo’s hand still exploring your body.

“can’t i just eat my lunch without you two acting like a bitch in heat?” you huffed, trying to keep a straight face, which only made them let out another round of laughs.

“well, aren’t you getting all feisty now.” gojo’s hand continued to wander over your body, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “that’s a little different than the usual you crying out our names, ain’t it?”

geto chuckled, leaning a little closer. “c’mon, baby, we just want to play a little.” he slid his hand up your leg, his fingers tracing the edge of your underwear. “you know we can’t resist you when you look so damn delicious.”

“especially when you’re wearing just your underwear like that,” gojo murmured, his hand sliding under your bra, his thumb running over your nipple. “mmm, you’re making it really hard for us to behave, you know.”

geto’s hand now grabbed your thigh, giving it a firm squeeze. “yeah, it’s getting kind of difficult to hold back.” he leaned a little closer, his lips brushing your neck. “we can just leave these leftovers here for later.”

as gojo’s hand continued its mischievous journey over your body and geto’s fingers teasingly traced the edge of your underwear, you suddenly felt a wave of nausea wash over you. your stomach twisted uncomfortably, the once-enjoyable meal now making you feel queasy. without warning, the teasing and playful atmosphere shifted as you quickly put your food down.

“wait, hold on...” you muttered, your hand instinctively moving to your stomach. “ugh, i feel like i’m gonna throw up.”

both gojo and geto immediately picked up on the change in your demeanor, their teasing grins transforming into expressions of concern.

“babe, what’s wrong?” gojo’s hand moved to your back, gently rubbing circles across your skin. “are you okay?”

geto’s hand squeezed your thigh, his gaze fixed on your face. “yeah, you look a little pale all of a sudden.” he reached out to press his hand against your forehead. “you feeling sick?”

you barely managed to get a word out before a sharp, intense pain shot through your stomach, making you groan and fall to your knees on the soft carpet, your arms instinctively wrapping around your stomach. the suddenness of the pain left you gasping for breath as you pressed your hands to your abdomen, hoping the pressure would help ease the discomfort.

“fuck…” you hissed through clenched teeth, your head dropping forward as another wave of pain hit. you looked up at gojo and geto, both of their faces now filled with alarm, hovering over you.

“what the fuck did we just eat?” you groaned, your voice strained as you tried to make sense of what was happening. “did one of you poison me or something?”

“hey, hey, easy!” gojo knelt down next to you, his hands supporting you. “are you in pain? where does it hurt?

geto was on your other side, his hand on your back, his eyes scanning your face. “yeah, try to stay calm,” he said, his voice tight with concern. “what’s wrong, sweetheart?”

gojo glanced over at geto. “we all ate the same thing, there’s no way it’s poisoning.” he turned his attention back to you, his expression urgent. “just focus on breathing, babe.”

but their concern did nothing to ease the pain or your growing frustration. you managed to lift your head and glare at geto through the discomfort. “oh yeah? stay calm?” you shot back, your voice dripping with sarcasm, “how about you be in my shoes for a second, and we’ll see how calm the fuck down _you_ are, huh?”

the sharpness in your tone made geto blink, caught off guard by your sass even though he was so used to it. gojo stifled a chuckle despite the situation, clearly trying not to make things worse, but you could feel the tension rising.

“sorry, sorry,” geto muttered, his hand still on your back, though a sheepish smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “i just don’t want you to panic…”

you groaned again, doubling over slightly as the pain surged, but the sarcasm came through even stronger. “well, too late for that, genius.” you couldn’t help it. the pain made your patience nonexistent, and though you knew they were only trying to help, you couldn’t resist snapping at them. “oh, god, i feel like i'm going to throw up.”

both men exchanged glances as you continued to snap at them, and as much as they both disliked seeing you in pain and the situation at hand, they couldn’t help but silently find the way you were acting a little cute.

geto’s hand continued to rub your back, trying to soothe you. “calm down, sweetheart, everything is going to be alright,” he whispered. “deep breaths, okay?”

gojo still knelt in front of you, his eyes scanning your body for any signs of what could be causing this. “are you sure it’s your stomach?” you were curled over, the pain relentless as you tried to catch your breath. as gojo and geto exchanged glances, trying to comfort you, you could feel their silent amusement beneath their concern, which only made your irritation flare even more. geto’s hand on your back was supposed to be soothing, but the words “calm down” coming out of his mouth felt like nails on a chalkboard.

“calm down? calm down?” you muttered sarcastically under your breath, shooting another glare his way. “yeah, sure, let me just ‘calm down’ while my stomach feels like it’s being ripped apart. genius advice.”

gojo, still kneeling in front of you with that worried-but-trying-to-figure-this-out look on his face, glanced at your stomach and asked, “are you sure it’s your stomach?”

you shot him a look so sharp he actually blinked in surprise. “i don’t know, satoru, maybe ask me one more time and see if you can meet my hand when i slap the shit out of you,” you snapped, your voice dripping with sarcasm as you groaned again, curling further until your forehead was practically pressed into the carpet.

both of them were quiet for a moment, taken aback by your sass, but you could feel their soft chuckles vibrating around you, despite the seriousness of the situation. for a brief moment, they were too stunned to say anything. they were used to your sarcasm and sass, but this was a bit more than usual, even for you. gojo was caught completely off guard by your sharp response, while geto tried to suppress a smile at your stubbornness.

despite the worrying situation, they found it amusing how even in pain and suffering, you were still as feisty as ever. they knew you were dealing with a lot, yet you couldn't just show vulnerability—you always had to put on a tough front.

gojo leaned in a little bit, his hand gently rubbing your leg. “babe, i understand you’re in pain right now, but don’t lash out on us.” his voice was gentle, yet stern. “we’re just trying to help.”

geto knelt beside you, his hand still on your back, but the smile was now gone from his lips. “he’s right,” he said, glancing over at gojo. “you need to calm down a little. we can’t figure out what’s wrong if you’re yelling at us.”

“sorry,” you muttered weakly through gritted teeth between groans, the pain nearly unbearable now. “i think i’m gonna throw up… again,” you managed to say, your voice shaky, but your usual attitude still slipped through. “just… get me to the bathroom, please..”

at your words, a wave of worry washed over both men’s faces. without wasting any time, gojo scooped you up effortlessly in his arms, while geto hurried ahead to the bathroom, clearing the way.

“don’t worry,” gojo muttered as he carried you to the bathroom. “we’re right here. you’re going to be okay, baby.”

geto waited by the toilet, his hands ready to hold your hair back. he exchanged a worried glance with gojo before turning back to you. as soon as gojo rushed you into the bathroom and lowered you near the toilet, you barely had time to brace yourself before everything came up. your hands gripped tightly around the edge of the toilet as your body convulsed, throwing up with such intensity it left you breathless. you slumped onto the floor, your body weak from the sudden surge.

both gojo and geto knelt either side of you, their expressions a mix of worry and helplessness as they watched you retching into the toilet. gojo's hand rubbed your back, trying to offer what little comfort he could, while geto held back your hair.

"it's gonna be alright, babe," gojo reassured you, his voice gentle as he tried to keep you calm. "take deep breaths. you're doing great."

geto handed you a glass of water, his gaze never leaving you. “here, rinse your mouth after. it should help.” as you leaned against the toilet, shaking and breathless, they both stayed by your side, their support unwavering. gojo's hand continued to rub your back slowly, while geto gently placed a damp washcloth on your forehead to wipe away the sweat.

“you think this is just food poisoning?” geto asked, his voice low, glancing over at gojo. “she hasn’t eaten anything we haven't, though, right?”

gojo shook his head, a deep frown on his face. “i don't know. it's not like her to get this sick.”

after what felt like an eternity of being slumped over the toilet, the nausea finally began to subside. you stayed still for a moment, taking shallow breaths to make sure the worst had passed. with a shaky hand, you reached for the flush button, your fingers fumbling as you pressed it, the sound of the toilet swirling away the evidence of your sickness.

you sighed heavily, resting your head and back against the cool porcelain for a moment, feeling utterly drained. “well, that was fun,” you muttered sarcastically, voice hoarse from the vomiting.

gojo’s hand was still gently rubbing your back, his touch grounding, and geto carefully wiped your face with the damp washcloth, the coolness of it offering a little relief.

“you think you’re done?” gojo asked softly, his voice calm but still tinged with concern as he looked down at you.

“yeah, i think so,” you sighed, finally managing to sit up a little straighter, though your body still felt weak. “whatever that was, it seems to be over... for now.”

as you slowly sat up, both men let out a collective sigh. gojo's hand moved to your shoulder, supporting you as you tried to steady yourself.

“take a moment,” he said, his voice gentle. “don’t push yourself, babe.”

geto was still knelt next to you, his hand now resting on your thigh. he couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at your sarcasm, even in this situation.

“i think you’ve used up all your sarcasm for the day, sweetheart,” he teased, patting your leg. you chuckled softly at geto’s teasing, shaking your head as you leaned back against the cold bathroom wall, still feeling weak. “yeah, i think i’m tapped out for now,” you muttered with a tired grin, glancing between the two of them.

gojo, always quick to catch on to your needs, shifted closer so you could rest your head on his shoulder. “we can just stay here for a second, babe,” he whispered, his voice soothing as his arm wrapped around you, pulling you gently into him.

geto sat down on your other side, his back pressed against the cold tiles as well, the three of you now slumped on the bathroom floor. his hand remained on your thigh, giving it a comforting squeeze. “we’ll rest as long as you need, no rush,” he said softly, though you could still catch a hint of his playful nature in his voice.

you closed your eyes for a moment, relishing the comfort of their presence. the cold tiles beneath you provided some relief from the lingering nausea, while the warmth of gojo's body against yours made you feel safe and loved.

as you leaned your head against his shoulder, you felt him press a gentle kiss to the top of your head.

geto's touch on your thigh was equally comforting, his fingers gently kneading your skin. he was still silently amused by your outburst earlier, but his primary concern was your well-being. the bathroom was silent for a moment, save for the sound of your breathing and the soft hum of the overhead light. eventually, gojo spoke up, his voice low and soothing.

“do you think you could stand up, babe?” he asked gently, his hand rubbing your arm. “we should probably move you to the couch or something.”

geto nodded in agreement, his fingers still lightly tracing patterns on your thigh. “yeah, you can’t stay on the bathroom floor forever, sweetheart. that’s not very comfortable.” you shivered slightly, feeling the cold sweat clinging to your skin, your body still weak and shaky. you shook your head slowly, not even attempting to move. “i don’t feel like walking,” you muttered, your voice a little hoarse. “i just want to go to bed.”

gojo immediately tightened his arm around you, his concern deepening. “you’re feeling cold, aren’t you?” he said softly, his hand moving to rub your shoulder in an attempt to warm you up.

geto frowned, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face, noticing the way your skin was clammy. “you’re covered in cold sweat, sweetheart,” he observed, his fingers gently wiping some of the moisture from your forehead. “you really shouldn’t stay like this.”

before you could even respond, gojo scooped you up effortlessly into his arms again, clearly having made up his mind. “bed it is,” he said firmly, but there was a softness in his voice. “we’ll get you warm and comfortable. no more bathroom floors today.”

as gojo carried you out of the bathroom and into the living room, geto followed closely behind, a stern expression still on his face.

“you can’t just lie down without drying yourself off first,” he scolded gently, his gaze fixed on your shivering form in gojo’s arms. “we don’t want you to catch a cold on top of everything else.”

he moved ahead of them and headed towards the bedroom, pulling back the covers and fluffing the pillows.

“we need to get her into some dry clothes too,” he muttered to himself. gojo carried you into the bedroom and carefully laid you down on the bed. the sheets were cool and inviting, a stark contrast to the cold bathroom floor.

he sat down beside you, his hand still rubbing your arm as geto rummaged through the dresser for some clean clothes.

“you’re shaking, babe,” gojo said, concern evident in his voice. “we’ll get you warm and comfy, just give us a minute, okay?”

geto came back with a soft t-shirt and some sweatpants, setting them down on the bed. gojo gently helped you sit up, his strong arms supporting you. they worked together, guiding your arms into the sleeves of the t-shirt. the soft fabric felt comforting against your skin, instantly making you feel more relaxed.

once you were dressed in the fresh clothes, gojo helped you lie back down on the bed. geto quickly pulled up the covers, tucking them snugly around you.

“there you go,” gojo said softly, his hand smoothing your hair back from your forehead. “better?” you shifted slightly on the bed, the cool sheets a brief relief, but the aches still lingered. leaning into gojo’s side, you murmured, “my head hurts… and my stomach… still hurts,” your voice soft and tired, the pain clear in every word.

both gojo and geto exchanged worried glances, their faces etched with concern. they knew this wasn’t just a simple case of food poisoning or an upset stomach. you were clearly in a lot of pain, and it was obvious something more serious was happening.

gojo's hand continued to stroke your hair, his fingers gently massaging your scalp. “i know, babe. we’ll get you some ibuprofen for the headache,” he said, his voice low and soothing. geto sat down on the edge of the bed beside you, his hand reaching to touch your forehead as well. “do you think it’s food poisoning?” he asked gojo, his gaze on you.

gojo shook his head, a deep frown still etched on his face. “i don’t think so,” he replied, his eyes never leaving your face. “food poisoning doesn’t usually cause this much pain, and she hasn't eaten anything we haven’t.”

he looked over at geto, his expression tense. “we need to figure out what’s really going on. she’s clearly not feeling well, and we can’t just keep guessing.” geto’s brow furrowed in concern as he listened to gojo. he could see the worry etched on your face, and it made his heart ache. “you’re right,” he said, his voice steady but filled with urgency. “i’ll call shoko and see if she knows anything. maybe she can give us some advice or come check on her.”

he stood up, moving toward his phone with purpose. he quickly dialed shoko’s number, keeping his eyes on you, silently reassuring you with his gaze before he walked out of the room. as geto left the room, phone in hand, gojo continued to fuss over you, his fingers gently combing through your hair and his hand rubbing soothing circles on your back.

“don’t worry,” he muttered softly, his voice a soothing whisper. “we’ll figure this out. shoko’ll be here soon, and she’ll know what to do.” you finally fell into a deep sleep after shoko arrived and provided you with medicine, diagnosing you with food poisoning. thankfully, you were only experiencing slight diarrhea and a fever, but the worst seemed to be over, and you finally had some peace.

in the living room, gojo and geto set to work cleaning up the mess of takeout containers and leftovers scattered about. as they tackled the remnants of your lazy day, gojo noticed something odd—a box of food he didn’t remember ordering or eating.

he raised an eyebrow, picking up the container and inspecting it closely. “hey, sugu,” he called out, his voice curious as he approached his boyfriend, who was busy stacking plates in the sink. “did you eat this?” geto glanced at the container that gojo was holding, his expression one of confusion as he took it in his own hands. he studied it for a moment, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall.

“no, i didn’t even know we had this,” he replied, his voice puzzled. “do you remember ordering it?” gojo shook his head, his eyes fixed on the mysterious food. “i don’t remember ordering it either,” he said, his tone a mix of confusion and curiosity.

he looked to geto for answers, but he was just as bewildered. the fact that neither of them remembered ordering the food was strange and a little alarming.

“where could it have come from, then?” gojo mused aloud, his fingers tapping against the container. geto leaned closer to the container, inspecting the food with a furrowed brow. after a moment, he straightened up and said, “you know, it's possible that she ate this. maybe she thought it was part of the order we placed and just went for it.”

gojo considered the possibility, the theory making some sense. “yeah, that could be true,” he said slowly, his eyes still fixed on the food.

he glanced over at geto, a mix of realization and concern in his expression. “but that means we’ve been sitting around on our asses, clueless, while she’s been the one to actually experience food poisoning.” geto nodded firmly, his expression serious as he looked at gojo. “we’re definitely not ordering from that place again,” he said, determination in his voice. “i won’t take another chance for you or her to end up with food poisoning. it’s not worth it.”

gojo nodded in agreement, his expression mirroring geto's seriousness. “yeah, you're right,” he said, his grip tightening on the container. “no more ordering from that place. i can’t handle seeing her like that again.”

he looked down at the food once more, a mixture of anger and concern playing across his face. “i just can’t believe we didn’t give it a second thought until now.” gojo sighed heavily, his hand running through his hair in frustration. “i just hope she’ll be okay. shoko did say she’ll be fine, right? just need some rest and fluids?”

geto nodded, his expression reassuring as he leaned against the counter. “yeah, shoko said it’s just a mild case of food poisoning, and she’ll be fine with some rest and fluids,” he assured gojo. “we just gotta make sure she hydrates and gets plenty of sleep. but she should be back to normal in no time.”

gojo exhaled deeply, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. “that’s good to hear,” he murmured, his frown lessening slightly. a wave of relief course through him. he ran his hand through his hair again, feeling a bit foolish for not having realized it sooner.

“god, i feel like an idiot,” he muttered, his gaze fixed on the food. he set the container down on the counter and turned to geto, a hint of guilt in his eyes. “i can’t believe we didn’t think to check if she had eaten anything different. we’re some great boyfriends, huh?”

geto chuckled softly, sensing gojo's guilt-ridden thoughts. he reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately. “hey, it’s okay,” he reassured him. “yeah, we messed up this time, but we’ll be more careful in the future. that’s what matters, right?”

he paused for a moment, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. “besides, we may be lousy at checking our food orders, but i think we make pretty damn good boyfriends otherwise.” gojo couldn’t help but crack a small smile at geto’s words. his boyfriend’s optimism was contagious, and it helped to ease some of the self-blame he was feeling.

“yeah, i guess you’re right,” he admitted, his hand reaching out to lightly shove geto’s shoulder. “we’re not perfect, but damn, we’re pretty close.”

he let out a breath, his eyes returning to the container on the countertop. “we really should throw this out, huh? just in case.” geto shot gojo a look, raising an eyebrow with a familiar attitude that gojo instantly recognized—you’d rubbed off on him, no doubt. “yeah, obviously,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, mirroring the sass you’d so often used.

gojo couldn’t help but laugh loudly, the sound filling the kitchen. geto’s sudden sassiness reminded him vividly of you, and he had to admit, it was oddly endearing coming from his usually more stoic boyfriend.

“damn, you’re really picking up her attitude, aren’t you?” he teased, leaning against the countertop with a wide grin. “next thing i know, you’ll be rolling your eyes at me and everything.”

geto chuckled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “oh, i wouldn’t put it past me,” he responded, feigning nonchalance. “if you keep up your smartass comments, i might just start rolling my eyes more often.”

he stepped forward, closing the distance between them, his hands holding the taller man in the waist. “you better watch yourself, satoru. i’m learning from the best here.” gojo’s grin only widened at geto’s playful threat. he could feel the warm heat of geto’s hands on his waist, and the closeness of their bodies sent a shiver up his spine.

“oh, is that a challenge, babe?” he purred, his voice dropping to a low, sultry tone.

he closed the remaining gap between them, his arms wrapping around geto’s neck and drawing him closer. “you better watch out, i can get pretty smart-mouthed myself.” as they stood there, bodies pressed against each other, their breath mingling and the heat between them growing rapidly, gojo’s mind began to wander. geto’s boldness and playfulness brought out a primal desire within him.

a low growl rumbled in his throat, his fingers digging into geto’s shirt as he leaned in, his lips grazing against the soft skin of geto’s neck.

“keep this up, and you’re gonna get more than just rolling eyes, suguru,” he whispered, his voice dripping with innuendo. geto shivered at the sound of gojo’s voice, the rough and lustful tone sending a wave of heat pooling in his stomach. he could feel the desire between them, a dangerous and intense thing.

he pressed himself closer, his body molding against gojo’s with a fervor. his hands moved, moving under the hem of gojo’s shirt, fingers tracing the defined muscles of his abdomen.

“promise?” he breathed out, his own voice thick with need. too busy in their own little bubble, they didn’t notice you walked out of the hallway, still feeling weak but managing to steady yourself, you caught sight of your boyfriends locked in an intense moment. rolling your eyes with a hint of sarcasm, you slowly approached them.

“cute,” you muttered dryly, your voice laced with mock amusement as you took in the sight of them. despite feeling drained, you couldn't resist teasing them even in this situation. a startled gasp escaped gojo’s lips as he heard your voice. he pulled away from geto, his eyes wide with surprise and caught off guard. his cheeks instantly flushed a slight shade of pink.

geto, on the other hand, smirked at the sight of you. his hand move from gojo's back to on the small of your back, pulling you into his embrace.

“hey there, sleeping beauty,” he said, his tone playful as he smiled down at you. gojo chuckled nervously, still recovering from the abruptness of your arrival. “babe, don’t sneak up on us like that,” he grumbled, his arms folding across his chest in a defensive manner.

he gave you a once-over, noticing the exhaustion that still clung to your features. even though you looked tired and weak, you were still as sarcastic as ever. a mix of relief and amusement flickered in his gaze as he took in your unimpressed expression. you let out a soft hum, too tired to respond with your usual sharp sarcasm, and rested your head against geto’s chest. the warmth of his body and the steady beat of his heart were comforting, helping ease the lingering discomfort in your stomach.

“mmm... just needed some water,” you muttered, your voice barely above a whisper as your eyes fluttered shut for a moment. geto responded by wrapping his arms around you, his embrace firm and soothing. his hand rubbed comforting circles on your back, a silent reassurance.

gojo watched as you snuggled against geto, his heart squeezing with a mixture of affection and concern. he moved closer, his hand gently caressing your hair.

“why didn’t you call us?” he asked, his tone a blend of worry and tenderness. “you shouldn’t be up and moving around. you need to rest, babe.” you tilted your head slightly, giving them both a tired but playful smirk. “i did call you,” you murmured, your voice still weak but laced with teasing. “but apparently, you two were too busy to listen.”

gojo sputtered slightly, caught off guard by your quick, sassy retort. he shot a glance at geto, who simply chuckled in amusement.

“yeah, well, we were just... um...” gojo stumbled over his words, his mind blanking as he struggled to come up with a viable excuse.

geto, meanwhile, chuckled again, his arms still wrapped around you. “you’re a feisty little thing, even when you’re sick,” he teased, giving your side a light poke. gojo shot geto a glare that clearly said ‘thanks for the help.’ he knew there was no use in trying to justify their... distracted behavior. you had caught them red-handed.

he redirected his attention back to you, his hand reaching to cup your face.

“fine, you got us,” he admitted, his thumb gently brushing against your cheek. “we should’ve been paying more attention. but seriously, you really shouldn’t be out of bed yet.” you leaned into gojo’s hand, your eyes still half-lidded with exhaustion without lifting your head from geto's chest. “i was just thirsty,” you muttered softly, “and wanted to find something to eat... i feel weak from all the throwing up and... well, the rest.” you grimaced slightly, not needing to explain further.

both geto and gojo’s expressions softened with concern at your words. the sight of you, looking so weak and weary, tugged at their hearts.

geto’s hand continued to gently rub your back, while gojo’s fingers brushed a strand of hair away from your face.

“babe, you shouldn’t be eating solids right now,” gojo said, his voice gentle but firm. “you’ll just make yourself sick again. we can get you some water and snacks, but nothing too heavy, okay?”

you nodded.

"great," gojo murmured, his hand still caressing your hair. he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. gojo gave you a small smile, satisfied that you weren’t going to argue. he glanced over at geto, who was still holding you in his arms.

“alright, let’s get you back to bed,” geto said, his arms shifting to lift you into his arms. “you okay holding her?” gojo asked, looking at the other man. “i’ll go get some water and something for her to nibble on.”

geto nodded, his grip on you firm and gentle. he looked down at you, your head resting against his chest. he couldn’t help but think how small and fragile you looked right now, his heart panging with concern.

“i’ve got her,” geto assured gojo as he began walking towards the bedroom. “just bring the food and water when you’re done. i’ll keep her company ‘til then.” gojo nodded in response, his gaze lingering on you and geto. a mix of worry and affection was evident in his eyes.

“i’ll be there in a minute,” he said, his voice hushed as he watched you being carried away. he knew geto would take care of you, but he still couldn’t shake off the feeling of helplessness.

with a slight shake of his head, he turned and headed towards the kitchen to gather the requested supplies. gojo moved quickly through the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with cool water. he also grabbed a few soft, bland snacks that would be gentle on your stomach.

as he did, his mind wandered back to you. he was used to you being strong and independent, able to handle yourself. seeing you so weak and vulnerable was a rare sight.

gojo couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. he should’ve been more attentive to you and your condition earlier. minwhile, geto carried you into the bedroom, his steps were slow and measured, trying not to jostle you too much. he gently laid you down on the bed, propping up the pillows to make you more comfortable. he sat down on the edge, his eyes never leaving your face.

he reached out, his hand finding yours and giving it a soft squeeze. “you holding up okay, babe?” he asked, his voice low and gentle. you gave a small nod in response, your hand weakly squeezing his back. the fatigue in your eyes and the exhaustion etched across your face were hard to miss.

despite his concern, geto couldn’t help but feel a flicker of warmth at the sight of you. you looked so vulnerable, so dependent on him and gojo. it was a rare glimpse of your softer side, and a side that he appreciated seeing, even if it was under these circumstances.

geto continued to watch you, his eyes carefully scanning your features. he could see the way your body tensed as a wave of nausea struck you, and the way your eyelids fluttered as exhaustion clawed at you.

he reached out, gently running his fingers through your hair in a comforting gesture. he didn’t say much, knowing that you needed rest more than words at the moment. his presence was meant to be a silent comfort, a steady reassurance that he was there for you.

he leaned closer, his fingers tracing the soft line of your cheek. “it’s okay,” he murmured, assuring not only you but himself. “toru’s bringing some water and snacks. you need to stay hydrated, okay?”

he paused, his eyes scanning over you. the protective instincts he had over you were kicking into overdrive. “is there anything else you need? a cool washcloth, a bucket to vomit in, anything?” you shook your head, your tired eyes meeting geto’s. “no,” you mumbled weakly. “just... just the water and food for now.”

you closed your eyes momentarily, the effort of talking and staying awake slowly draining you further. you let out a small sigh, your body sinking deeper into the pillows, seeking the comfort and rest they offered.

geto watched you sink into the pillows, his heart clenching a little at the sight. he hated seeing you like this, so weak and weary.

he continued to stroke your hair, his touch gentle and soothing. he didn’t say much, letting the silence and the steady rhythm of his hand provide some small comfort.

he knew gojo would be back with the water and snacks soon. he just needed to keep you calm and relaxed until then. as he continued to stroke your hair, geto's mind began to wander. he thought about how this had happened, how you had become so ill. they should've been paying more attention to you, they should've noticed the signs earlier.

guilt stirred in his chest, but he tried to push it aside. there was no use dwelling on past mistakes. right now, his focus needed to be on you, taking care of you and making sure you recovered. as if on cue, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway, along with the soft creek of the bedroom door opening.

gojo entered the room, holding a glass of water and snacks and banana. he quickly moved closer to the bed, his eyes taking in your tired appearance.

“hey, my love,” he murmured quietly, taking a seat on the other side of the bed. “i’ve got water and some light snacks for you.” you opened your eyes as gojo approached, a slight shift of your head acknowledging his presence. the simple act seemed to require great effort, your eyes barely able to stay focused.

the sound of his voice, low and gentle, pierced through the haze of fatigue. you managed a small, weak smile as you looked at him, a mix of exhaustion and affection in your gaze. “thanks,” you mumbled, your voice barely above a whisper as you move to sit properly.

gojo placed the glass of water on the bedside table, along with the snacks. he watched as you moved to sit up, your movements slow and labored. concern flickered in his eyes, but he held back from fussing over you too much.

“take it easy,” he murmured, his hand gently guiding you back against the pillows. “you don’t need to sit up. just rest and try to drink some water, okay?” you raised an eyebrow at gojo, a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips despite your exhaustion. “how am i supposed to drink while laying down? it’s just gonna go all over my face,” you teased, your voice weak but sarcastic.

gojo chuckled softly, amused by your feistiness despite your current state. he knew even the slightest bit of sarcasm meant you were slowly starting to feel like yourself again. “fair point,“ he conceded, taking the water from the bedside table. he gently shifted to sit beside you, adjusting the pillows so your head was slightly lifted. “but we can’t have you choking while you’re sipping water now, can we? so let me do it for you.”

geto, who had been watching the exchange between you and gojo, rolled his eyes playfully. he couldn’t help but find your stubborn sassiness endearing, even in your weakened condition. “just give in and let satoru help you, baby,” he chimed in, a hint of amusement in his tone. “it’s better than having a wet pillow.”

you chuckled softly, glancing over at geto with a tired but amused smile. “sorry, but sometimes satoru says things that just make me want to slap him in the face,” you muttered, your voice laced with playful sarcasm.

gojo clutched his chest in mock offense, feigning a wounded expression. “hey! i’m just trying to help you, you know,” he retorted, a fake pout forming on his lips. meanwhile, geto chuckled at your exchange. your sharp tongue and witty remarks never failed to entertain them both. “always got something to say, huh?” he teased.

he leaned back, resting his arms behind his head as he watched you and gojo continue banter. geto was grateful that even in your current state, you still had your feisty personality. it was a good sign that you hadn’t lost your spirit completely. “just drink the damn water and let us take care of you,” geto chimed in, his tone lighthearted yet firm. “you can go back to being a smartass later.”

gojo huffed dramatically, still pretending to be hurt by your earlier comment. he knew you were just being sarcastic, but he couldn’t resist joining in on the banter. “maybe you prefer geto feeding you water, huh?” he joked, his hand holding the glass of water poised to feed you.

you shook your head, a small smile tugging at your lips. “no, i want you to,” you said softly, your voice teasing but sincere as you looked up at gojo. despite the playful banter, there was something reassuring about having him take care of you, even if he was a little over the top sometimes.

gojo couldn't resist smirking at your words, loving the fact that you still wanted him to take care of you, despite the fact he was the one who had initially messed up. “you just can’t resist me, can you?” he teased, his tone filled with his usual arrogance. geto smirked as well, his eyes flickering between you and gojo, enjoying the interaction. he knew how much gojo treasured your dependence on him, even if it was just for something simple like feeding you water.

gojo carefully lifted the glass to your lips, his hand supporting the back of your head as you took small sips. he watched as your throat gently bobbed with each swallow, his eyes full of tenderness. “there you go,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing. “just a few more sips, okay?”

you nodded.

gojo continued to help you drink, making sure you took small sips so as not to overwhelm your still-sensitive stomach. he could see the tiredness etched on your face, but he also saw a flicker of gratitude in your eyes. once you had finished the glass, he set it down on the nightstand. gojo gently lowered your head back onto the pillow, adjusting your position to ensure you were comfortable. geto moved a little closer, his hand resting on your forehead, checking your temperature.

“you feel a bit warmer than before,” he commented, his voice laced with concern. “how’s your stomach? do you think you can manage some snacks?” you nodded weakly, a tired but grateful smile on your face. “yeah, i think the banana would be fine,” you murmured, feeling a little more stable now that the worst of it had passed.

gojo and geto exchanged glances, pleased to see you slowly regaining your strength. gojo grabbed the banana from the bedside table, peeling it open. he broke off a piece and held it up to your lips. “take small bites, okay?” he reminded you gently.

geto watched from the side, his hand now gently rubbing your shoulder. he could tell that you were starting to feel better, but he still wanted to ensure you didn’t push yourself too hard. “just focus on eating slowly,” he said, his voice steady and calming. “we don’t want you getting sick again.”

you chuckled softly, nodding in agreement. “got it, small bites,” you teased, opening your mouth as gojo brought the piece of banana closer. he fed you carefully, a smile tugging at his lips as he watched you take the bite. “there you go, my beautiful spoiled girl,” he murmured, his voice gentle.

geto chuckled at gojo's comment, shaking his head in amusement. he knew gojo loved pampering a little too much, but he couldn't deny it was cute seeing you being taken care of so lovingly. “always with the spoiling,” geto mused, his hand moving to brush a strand of hair off your forehead before back to your shoulder.

gojo just shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. he couldn’t help it; you were his beautiful girl, and he loved doting on you. he broke off another piece of banana and raised it to your lips. “can you blame me for spoiling her when she’s so damn cute like this?” gojo asked, looking over at geto with a cheeky grin.

geto rolled his eyes playfully, knowing he had to step back and let gojo relish in his spoiling tendencies a little. “no, i guess i can’t,” he admitted, a slight smirk on his face. he leaned back, his hand still resting on your shoulder, while he watched gojo continue to feed you the banana.

gojo took his time feeding you, savouring every moment of pampering you. he felt satisfied knowing he was taking care of you, even if it was in a small way. once you’d finished the banana, he set the peels back on the tray, shifting his attention back to you. “how are you feeling now, baby? any nausea or anything?” he asked, his expression a mix of concern and affection.

you leaned back against the pillows, letting out a soft sigh of relief as you felt the lingering tension in your stomach start to ease. “i’m better now,” you murmured, your voice still a little tired but much calmer than before.

“my stomach still feels uncomfortable, but at least it doesn’t hurt anymore.” you paused for a moment, resting your hand on your belly as if testing the waters. “i think the worst of it is over,” you added, your lips curving into a small, relieved smile as you glanced up at gojo.

gojo’s concern softened slightly as he heard your words. it was a relief to know that you were feeling a bit better. he noticed the way you placed your hand on your stomach, as if checking your condition. “that’s good to hear,” he said, his voice gentle. “but remember, no solids for a while more, okay?”

geto spoke up from beside you, his expression a mix of worry and relief. “just stick to the liquids for now,“ he agreed. “let your stomach rest.”

you nodded at both of them, feeling reassured by their concern. “yeah, i know,” you replied, your voice soft. “no solids, i promise.” your hand still rested on your stomach, but the discomfort was manageable now, and their gentle presence made it easier to relax. “thanks for looking out for me,” you added, glancing between gojo and geto with a small smile.

both gojo and geto smiled back, their gazes soft and tender. they knew you weren’t fully recovered yet, but the fact that you could smile and talk without too much discomfort was a good sign. “of course, we always look out for you,“ geto said gently, his hand rubbing your shoulder in a comforting gesture. gojo chimed in as well, his hand coming to rest on your cheek. “we’d do anything to make sure you’re okay,“ he murmured, his eyes filled with affection.

the room fell into a comfortable silence as geto and gojo continued to watch over you, observing your condition and making sure you were as comfortable as possible. gojo’s hand remained on your cheek, his thumb gently caressing your skin while geto’s hand continued its soothing rubbing on your shoulder. they were both quietly observing you, watching for any signs of discomfort or distress, ready to act if necessary.

a soft chuckle escaped your lips as you felt the warmth of their affection surrounding you. "if you two keep this up," you began, your voice teasing but sincere, “i won’t be able to help it... i’ll just fall in love with you all over again.”

you gazed up at them, your heart swelling with emotion as you took in their tender expressions, the way they cared for you so deeply. it was obvious how much they cared for you, how concerned they were about your wellbeing. the love, the tenderness, it was palpable in the air.

both geto and gojo smirked at your words, their gazes filled with love and understanding. they knew you were teasing, but at the same time, the truth in your words was evident. gojo chuckled softly, his hand still on your cheek. “oh, is that so?” he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

geto’s smile mirrored gojo’s, his hand on your shoulder giving a gentle comforting squeeze as he spoke. “f we’re too affectionate, will you fall even harder for us, huh?” the room was filled with their laughter, their voices blending together in a mix of lighthearted humor and genuine affection.

gojo’s fingers traced small circles on your skin, his touch light and soothing. “if you fall any harder for us, we’ll have to tie you up and keep you with us always,” he joked. geto shook his head, grinning at gojo’s words. “or we’ll have to lock you up in our arms and never let you go,” he added, his voice filled with affectionate teasing.

you rolled your eyes playfully, a small smirk tugging at your lips. “look at the two of you, going all yandere on me all of a sudden,” you teased, your tone dripping with sarcasm. “should i be worried?”

though your words were mocking, the affection in your voice was clear. you leaned back into the pillows, raising an eyebrow at both of them. “next thing i know, you’ll be locking me in a tower somewhere, huh?”

you couldn't help but chuckle softly, enjoying the playful banter as much as their care. “honestly, i don’t know whether to be scared or flattered,” you added, your smirk growing wider as you met their amused gazes.

gojo’s smirk only widened at your response. “scared and flattered. it’s the perfect mix,” he quipped, his hand moving to run through your hair, his fingers tangling gently in the strands. geto chuckled at your comment, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “you should be scared, because you're not going anywhere without us,” he joked.

“we’d happily lock you up in a tower if it means having you all to ourselves,” he added, his voice filled with affection and a hint of possessiveness. the atmosphere in the room was light and playful, their bantering was filled with affectionate teases and mock-threats.

gojo’s hand continued to play with your hair, his touch gentle and affectionate. “can you imagine it? you trapped in a tower, surrounded by our love and attention,” he teased, a hint of a smirk on his lips. geto nodded. “we’d take turns feeding you, bathing you, making sure you’re never lonely,” he added, his voice soft but filled with obvious possessiveness.

you nodded with a sarcastic grin, playing along with their possessive teasing. “oh, absolutely,” you said, your voice dripping with mock seriousness. “and in no time, i'll be completely disabled from all that love and attention.” you leaned back further into the pillows, crossing your arms over your chest as you gave them both a knowing look. “sounds like i wouldn’t be able to move an inch without one of you hovering over me. what a life, huh?”

your smirk widened as you added, “i might as well get used to being completely helpless if that’s the plan.” you glanced between gojo and geto, the playful sarcasm in your voice masking the warmth and affection you felt from their over-the-top devotion.

gojo chuckled, enjoying your playful banter. “helpless?” he repeated, his voice filled with mock surprise. “oh, you have no idea how much pleasure we would get from having you completely dependent on us.” geto grinned, eyeing you in a way that showed he was only half-joking. “helpless and completely at our mercy,” he agreed, his voice low, almost sultry.

“sounds like a dream come true for us,” gojo added, his hand moving down to your hip, resting there casually. you felt a shiver run down your spine as their eyes stayed glued to you, watching your every move with a strange intensity. the playful banter took on a different weight, and their unblinking gazes made your heart race.

nervously, you grabbed the nearest pillow and smacked both of them with it. “okay, freaks, stop looking at me like that!” you exclaimed, laughing despite the tension they were building. “seriously, you're making me nervous.”

as they laughed in response, you narrowed your eyes at them, half-joking but with a sliver of suspicion. “i’m starting to think you two are really going to lock me up somewhere,” you added with a smirk, raising an eyebrow. “i mean, you’re taking this whole possessive thing a little too far, don’t you think?” you hit them again lightly with the pillow, trying to shake off the nervous energy their intense stares had stirred up. “next thing i know, i’ll wake up chained to the bed or something.”

gojo smirked, dodging the pillow with a laugh. “hey, don’t give us ideas,” he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

geto chuckled, his gaze flickering over you like a cat eyeing its prey. “chained to the bed, huh? now that's a pretty picture,” he said, his voice sultry and full of mischief. both of them seemed to enjoy playing on your nervous energy, loving the reaction they were getting from you.

gojo leaned in closer, his hand gently taking the pillow from you. “you know, we could make that happen,” he said, his voice low and filled with suggestiveness.

geto moved closer as well, his hand coming to rest on your other hip. “we’d take good care of you, though,” he murmured, his voice a soft contrast to gojo’s more direct approach. “chained up, helpless, completely at our mercy..”

you rolled your eyes at their teasing, feeling your energy wane after all the playful back-and-forth. “yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” you muttered, moving to lay down on the bed.

as you stretched out on the cool sheets, your body sinking into the mattress, you couldn’t help but chuckle tiredly. “you two and your nonsense,” you mumbled, pulling the blanket up to your chin as you felt exhaustion start to settle in.

closing your eyes, you added with a sigh, “i swear, if you keep talking about chaining me up, i’m gonna fall asleep just to escape.” despite your playful words, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of comfort knowing that even with their jokes, they were always there to take care of you.

gojo chuckled, his hand still holding the pillow he took from you. “we’re just teasing, babe,” he reassured you, his voice now softer, more affectionate. geto shifted closer, his hand rubbing your hip comfortingly. “yeah, we wouldn't really chain you up,” he reassured, a small smile on his lips. as you snuggled deeper into the bed, both gojo and geto noticed the visible fatigue in your eyes. the teasing tone in their voices faded, replaced with a gentler, more caring demeanor.

you shifted in bed, trying to find a position that eased the lingering discomfort in your stomach. letting out a frustrated sigh, you adjusted the blanket around you, tossing slightly before finally settling on your side, resting your head on gojo’s arm. “ugh, i hate this,” you muttered, frowning as the ache still tugged at you.

gojo automatically adjusted his position to accommodate your head, his eyes watching you intently. “i know, babe,” he murmured, rubbing your back comfortingly.

geto leaned closer from the other side, his hand still gently resting on your hip. “just try to relax,” he said, his voice as soft as ever. they both could see the frustration and discomfort etched on your face and was doing their best to soothe you, both knowing that there wasn’t much they could do apart from provide comfort and emotional support.

gojo’s hand continued to rub your back, his touch gentle but firm. “do you think you can manage a few more sips of water or some tea?” he asked quietly, wanting to help in any way he could.

geto nodded in agreement. “some hydration might help with the discomfort,” he added, his hand patting your hip gently. they both looked genuinely concerned and wanted to see you feeling better as soon as possible. “i’d really like some tea,” you replied softly, glancing at geto with a small smile. “and can you add honey? it always makes me feel better.”

geto returned your smile, nodding gently. “of course,” he said soothingly. “honey-sweetened tea it is.” gojo chimed in, his hand still rubbing your back in a comforting circle. “we’ll make sure it’s not too hot so you can enjoy it without straining your stomach,” he said, his voice filled with care. both of them knew how much a simple cup of tea could mean to you, especially when you weren’t feeling well.

as you turned to face gojo, a playful smile crossed your lips. you lifted the blanket slightly, creating a cozy little space beside you, silently inviting him to join you. “c’mere baby,” you teased lightly, your eyes sparkling with mischief.

gojo chuckled at your invitation, a playful smirk on his lips. he knew exactly what you were suggesting. “oh, can’t resist me, huh?” he teased back, his voice filled with amusement. he didn’t waste a moment, shifting his position and sliding under the covers next to you. his arm instinctively wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer against his body.

as gojo pulled you closer, you let out a soft hum of satisfaction, feeling the warmth radiate from him. you sighed in relief, your body melting into his embrace as you relaxed against him. the gentle pressure of his arm around your waist was comforting, making you feel safe and cherished.

your fingers found their way to his hair, playfully running through the soft strands. it felt nice to be close to him like this, and you couldn’t help but smile at how easy it was to forget your discomfort in his presence. “you always know how to make me feel better,” you murmured, your voice soft as you let your fingers play with his hair, enjoying the moment of calm amidst the chaos.

gojo smirked at your words, feeling a sense of satisfaction in being able to bring you comfort. he leaned into your touch, savoring the feeling of your fingers running through his hair. he wrapped his arms tighter around you, pulling you even closer against him, your head resting gently against his chest. “just doing my job, babe,” he said, his voice filled with fondness. “can’t have my beautiful girl feeling less than perfect, now can i?”

you smiled and hummed softly once again, the warmth of the moment enveloped you both. your fingers traced along his cheek, and you couldn’t help but admire the way his eyes sparkled with affection as they locked onto yours. laying on your sides, the world outside seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in this intimate bubble.

“i’m sorry for snapping at you earlier,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper, filled with sincerity. “i just… sometimes i don’t know how to handle everything.” you took a breath, searching his eyes for reassurance. “but you know i love you, right?” you asked, your heart racing slightly at the vulnerability of the moment. “no matter how cranky i get, you mean the world to me.”

gojo smiled affectionately, his hand coming up to gently cup your cheek, his thumb tenderly caressing your skin. he knew you had a lot to deal with but was glad you felt comfortable enough to express your emotions. he leaned in close, his eyes never leaving yours. “of course i do,” he murmured, his voice filled with tender conviction. “even when you’re cranky, you’re still the most precious thing to me. nothing could ever change that, not even your worst moods.”

gojo’s smile widened slightly as he continued to caress your cheek, his touch warm and soft. he loved how you still felt the need to reassure him of your love, even though you both knew it in your hearts.

he looked into your eyes, his gaze intense and full of affection. “besides,” he began, his voice dropping to a sultry purr, “i think i kind of like when you get feisty. it’s hot, you know.” your eyebrows shot up in surprise, a teasing smile tugging at the corners of your lips. “oh?” you echoed, amusement dancing in your voice. “you find it hot when i'm about to slap the shit out of you?”

gojo chuckled, his grip on your waist tightening playfully. “maybe,” he smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief. “keeps things exciting, don’t you think?” you rolled your eyes, still smiling. “you’re such a freak, ’toru,” you said with a mock sigh, but there was warmth in your tone, the playful banter between you two feeling comforting and familiar.

gojo gave you a roguish grin, his eyes sparkling with affection. “hey, i can’t help it if you’re so damn hot when you’re all fired up, your feisty side just does something for me,” he chuckled, his hand drifting down to give your hip a light squeeze.

he let out a soft laugh at the mock-exasperation in your voice, loving the lighthearted banter between you. “if loving your fiery side makes me a freak, i’m glad to be one,” he teased, his voice filled with genuine fondness.

gojo’s eyes flickered with mischief as he continued the playful banter. “yeah, maybe that’s why i keep egging you on, ‘cause i just love seeing that feisty side of you come out.” his hand moved back up to your face, his fingertips lightly tracing the line of your jaw. “though i wouldn’t mind you using those hands of yours for something else,” he teased, his voice dropping an octave.

you chuckled, shaking your head slightly at his teasing. “pervert,” you muttered affectionately, but the smile on your face betrayed how much you enjoyed his playful flirting. without another word, you slid your arm under his head, pulling him closer until your lips met his in a soft, lingering kiss. your smile remained against his mouth as you kissed him, the warmth between you two radiating with affection and familiarity. you could feel him relax into you, the teasing replaced with something deeper, more tender.

gojo let out a soft hum, his hand coming up to gently cup the back of your head, pulling you closer to deepen the kiss. his lips moved lazily against yours, tender and affectionate. he could feel himself melt into your touch, his tongue darting out to slide against yours, the taste of you familiar and comforting. his free hand roamed lazily over your body, tracing the curves and dips of your frame, as if trying to memorize every bit of you.

as the kiss continued, his touch grew more intimate, his hand now gently toying with the hem of your shirt, his fingers sliding underneath to graze against your bare skin. he broke the kiss, his lips moving to trail tender kisses down your jawline and to your neck, his breath warm and heavy against your skin. “god, i love you,” he murmured against your skin, his voice filled with quiet awe.

gojo's eyes drifted to your face after he pulls away, studying your expression as he continued to hold you close.

“besides,” he added, his voice dropping to a low, seductive murmur. “i'll take your feisty side, your cranky side, your grumpy side, your sad side… i’ll take all of you, every bit and piece.” he let out a soft, affectionate laugh, his hand rubbing your hip gently. “you’re mine, after all. both the good and the bad. and i wouldn’t have it any other way.”

his eyes stayed fixed on your face, drinking in your expressions as he continued to speak, his voice a low, seductive murmur. “even when you’re being pissy and grumpy, you’re still the most gorgeous thing i’ve ever laid eyes on. and i’ll take all of you, all of your sides.”

he chuckled softly, his hand gently rubbing your hip in affection. “you’re mine, every part of you. and i wouldn't change a thing about you, including your cranky, feisty moments.” he gently pulled you closer to him, his arms wrapping around your body like a protective shield. he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment before he spoke.

you gazed at gojo, a soft smile playing on your lips as his words wrapped around you like a warm blanket. your heart swelled at his sweet, possessive confession, and you opened your mouth to respond, but just as you did, the door creaked open.

geto entered, holding a cup of tea with honey, his eyes flickering between the two of you. “am i interrupting something?” he teased lightly, his lips tugging into a smirk as he placed the tea on the bedside table. you glanced at him, your smile widening. “just in time,” you replied with a playful tone, momentarily resting your head against gojo’s chest before reaching for the tea and sitting up.

gojo chuckled softly, his arm still holding you close. he looked toward the door, his lips curving into a smile as he saw geto enter. he rolled his eyes at geto’s teasing question, knowing exactly what he was insinuating. “yeah, actually you are,” he shot back with a smirk, watching as you sat up and reached for the tea. he continued to watch you with affectionate eyes, his hand idly tracing small circles on your back as you took a sip of the tea. “thanks, babe,” you said to geto, your voice soft and grateful.

geto moved closer to the bed, his eyes flickering between you and gojo as he studied the subtle interactions between the two of you. he perched himself on the edge of the bed, his eyes tracing over your features, lingering on your face. “how’s the tea?” he asked softly, his voice filled with concern. he knew you weren’t feeling your best, and the sight of you struggling with discomfort tugged at his heart strings.

you let out a soft, contented moan as the warmth of the tea spread through your body, soothing your throat and stomach. “mmm, that feels so good,” you murmured, handing the cup back to geto with a grateful smile. “thank you, suguru. i feel a lot warmer now.”

geto's expression softened, a small smile tugging at his lips as he took the cup back from you. he placed it gently on the bedside table before turned his gaze back to you. he knew how much small gestures like bringing you a cup of tea could mean, especially when you were feeling unwell. the look of contentment on your face was confirmation enough that he had done well.

he gently reached out, his hand tenderly brushing hair from your face as he spoke, his voice filled with care. “anything for you, babe. just try to take it easy, yeah?”

you nodded softly, feeling a little more at ease as you shifted your body to lay on your back. the movement was slow and careful, your stomach still a little tender, but the warmth of the tea and the comforting presence of both geto and gojo made it easier.

“i will,” you whispered, looking up at the two of them as you settled back against the pillows. you felt their eyes watching you closely, still protective and filled with concern, but the warmth and care in their gazes made you feel safe.

geto's eyes remained fixed on you, watching your every move with a mixture of concern and tenderness. he could see that your movements were careful, your stomach still causing you some discomfort. he silently scooted closer to you on the bed, his body gently settling next to your own. his hand reached out to gently brush against your arm, his touch feather-light. “just try to relax, sweetheart,” he muttered softly, his voice filled with soothing reassurance.

you shifted a bit, creating just enough space for geto to lay down beside you. “lay with me,” you said softly, gesturing for him to join you. “i want you close.” his presence always made you feel more at ease, and you appreciated how he always seemed to know when you needed comfort.

geto smiled softl, complying with your request without any hesitation. he shifted his body, lowering himself down onto the bed beside you, his body snuggling against your side, molding to your form perfectly. his hand moved to rest gently on your stomach, his touch slow and deliberate, mindful of your discomfort. “i’m right here, babe,” he murmured, his voice gentle and soothing. “not going anywhere.”

“there, that's better,” you murmured, a small smile forming on your lips as you look up the glow in the dark sticker of stars on your ceiling. “now we can relax together.” you could feel the gentle smile on his face, and it made your heart feel a little lighter.

geto snuggled closer to you, his body wrapping around yours like a warm, protective shield. his head rested against your shoulder, his breathing steady and deep, matching yours. his hand continued to gently roamed over your stomach in a soothing pattern, his touch light and rhythmic.

he could feel the smile in your voice, and it made his own heart feel a little warmer. “that’s right,” he whispered, his voice soft and tender. “we’ll relax together, just the three of us.”

“and don’t worry,” he added, his voice a soothing murmur in your ear. “we’re here for you. always.” he pressed a soft kiss to your shoulder, his lips lingering for a moment. “just close your eyes, sweetheart. we’ll take care of you.”

gojo had been watching the scene play out between the two of you from the other side of the bed, his eyes filled with warm affection as he observed the intimate moment.

he could feel the love and comfort radiating from both of you, and it filled his heart with a sense of peace and contentment. he didn’t want to interrupt, but he also yearned to be closer to you. he shifted his position slightly, scooting a little closer, wrapping his arm around you and geto. his head nestled in your shoulder, “go to sleep, baby, we will make sure everything’s gonna be alright.”

as gojo moved closer, geto glanced at him briefly, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips. he could feel the love and protectiveness radiating from gojo's body, and it only served to further reassure him. he let his body relax against you, leaning slightly into gojo's embrace as he shifted to accommodate both of them.

“yeah, sweetheart,” he agreed softly, his voice filled with tender warmth. “we’ve got you. let go and rest. we’ll be right here when you wake up.”

you felt their presence around you, feeling the weight of gojo's arm draped over you like a warm, protective blanket. his voice was soft and reassuring, whispering in your ear and bringing a sense of comfort.

you let out a small, contented sigh, feeling the weight of your earlier distress slowly lifting. the warmth and care from both of them made you feel safe and loved, and your eyes started to feel heavy as weariness began to set in. “alright,” you whispered softly, your voice slurred with exhaustion. “i love you both.” and closed your eyes.

gojo tucked his head into your neck, his face nuzzling against your skin. he breathed in deeply, inhaling your scent and taking comfort in your presence.

he could feel the tension slowly easing from your body, and he relished the idea that his and geto’s presence was having a calming effect on you. upon hearing your mumbled declaration of love, gojo couldn't help but smile. he gave you a gentle squeeze, his voice soft and filled with tenderness. “we love you too, sweetheart. get some rest now.”

[miasmaghoul]

Magmar I need you to tell me everything and all thoughts you have about bugs first time getting high pls pls pls I wanna know

ilu rat <3

lots of thoughts, mostly swaeon character study (and then they fuck around too). no real warnings, just touchy-feely, grossly sweet making out, dry humping and frottage towards the end. they are IN LOVE do NOT separate 😤

"It kinda smells like you."

Aeon sniffs at the thin, tightly rolled cigarette pinched between his fingers. Is it still a cigarette when there's no tobacco? Aeon isn't sure, the thought simply drifting by while Swiss smiles at him. They're in his room, where low evening light filters through the windows while their knees touch. Cross-legged, Swiss leaning forward with his chin propped on both fists and Aeon tipped back on one hand, but still their knees touch. Aeon insists on it - needs little bit of contact always, when it's Swiss.

"More like I smell like it, but whatever floats your boat kiddo."

His smile is a genuine one, all fang but no malice. There's mischief, though. Aeon can see it sparkling in those golden eyes. Swiss' tail idly swishes on the mattress beside him, the barbed end occasionally passing through a rosy band of fading sunlight. The only other light comes from an oversized lava lamp in the corner, its blue-green glow starting to overtake sunset oranges.

"What's it feel like?"

Aeon spins the joint between two fingers, fiddling with it like he would a guitar pick. It's not that he's nervous, more curious. He's seen most of the others high off this stuff, witnessed a variety of effects; he feels like he's in one of Aether's clinic lessons, cataloging information with a hungry mind. Always learning, always wanting to, about his pack, the world around them, anything and everything he wants to know, he strives to learn.

He knows how clingy Dew gets when his eyes have gone red and his spine sits something other than ramrod straight for once. How soft and pliant he becomes in someone's arms, or on his knees between anyone's legs.

He knows how Aether retreats into himself, sitting in his chambers and playing guitar for hours on end. Sometimes with a partner - Dew and Cumulus are the more frequent ones, sometimes both of them joining in and making beautiful music together. Aeon's sat outside Aether's room and listened more than once, singing along softly as herbal smoke occasionally flowed from the crack beneath the door.

He knows how Sunshine and Aurora become ravenous beasts, the snack pantry a victim of their appetites. Sometimes they just eat each other instead, but even then Aurora demands dessert afterwards.

And he knows a lot about Swiss.

"Different for everyone, but you know that." Swiss winks like he can read Aeon's mind. Maybe he can, it would explain a number of things. "But mostly, with this one, you're probably gonna feel relaxed and kinda fuzzy around the edges." His hands have moved, elbows no longer on crossed knees as his palms find Aeon's thighs. They're warm even through his flannels. "Like...y'know that feeling you get when you wake up too early and realize you done have to get up for another three hours and you can go back to sleep?"

"Yes, and also I appreciate how specific that example was."

"Anything for you, baby." Swiss winks again, sleazier this time, and Aeon grins back at him. "But yeah, it's kinda gonna feel like that. I call it my snuggle weed."

Aeon raises an eyebrow, mouth quirked in amusement.

"Snuggle weed? Seriously?" Swiss nods, massaging Aeon's thighs now.

"I also have snack week, slut weed, sleepytime weed and creative mode weed."

Aeon has several questions, but before he can get any out -

"This's the one Dew like the best. Gets him into what I call 'kitten mode', and if I ever find out you've told him that I will remove your balls."

Swiss points at his crotch and extends a claw, and Aeon nods vigorously. The other ghoul smiles again, retracting that claw and patting his thigh.

"Good boy." Aeon's ear twitches. Swiss plucks the joint from between his fingers. "Anyway, I figured this would be the best choice for your first time."

"Not the slut weed?"

"Thought about it," Swiss shrugs," but you're already pretty slutty all on your own so -"

Aeon laughs, pushing himself up to whack Swiss on the chest. Swiss chuffs, grabbing his wrist and guiding Aeon's arm around his neck so he can lean in and knock the horns together.

"That one's Rain's favorite," he says with a sly glimmer in hie eye. Aeon's dick tingles. "But I'll let you find out all about that on your own time."

The sun has sunk low enough now that the cool glow of the lava lamp is the only light in the room. Swiss snaps his fingers, a trick learned from Dew, and the small orange flame that flashes to life casts his features in sharp relief. The cut of his jaw and the slope of his nose, and the way the end of the joint burns cherry red when Swiss lights it and takes a quick hit. The flame goes out, and the smoky blue-green that remains when Swiss exhales makes Aeon feel like he's underwater.

"So whaddaya say, kid?" He extends his smoldering offering, holds it right up to Aeon's lips. "Wanna let me be a bad influence?"

Aeon leans past his hand and kisses him, a quick exchange of herb-tinged spit and a delighted trill from Swiss, and when he pulls back it's with his mouth open.

Swiss feeds him his first hit, hands him a tissue to deal with the ensuing coughing fits, and oh, that's what he meant by 'the eye thing'.

Ten minutes later the roach has been snubbed out, and Aeon can't tell if he's laying down or floating just above Swiss bed. His body feels impossibly heavy, yet weightless. There's something specifically unreal about it, but in a way that brings calm. He's very aware of his breathing, and of the way the muscles in his hands shift as he and Swiss touch each other.

Most of Aeon's brain has been turned off, tactile sensation the only thing he can focus on, but till his inner catalog grows. He's learning, absorbing into every part of himself how this feels, how Swiss feels.

They're on their sides now, face to face as Aeon traces every part of Swiss he can find. Memorizing the texture of his hair and the warmth of his skin. The shapes sitting beneath the surface, muscle and bone and the rush of blood. It's like he can hear it, or maybe that's just Swiss' breathing. They're close enough that every exhale flows like water over Aeon's throat, legs and tails tangled together.

"Told ya," Swiss says as Aeon's fingertips pass over his lips. He gives one of them a kiss. "Snuggle weed."

"Didn' think it'd be so fast."

Aeon giggles, hands working their way down to Swiss' chest. His stubbled throat feels so nice, but his chest hair is even better. He shifts closer still, to feel it against his own skin. When had they taken their shirts off? It doesn't matter, skin to skin is better anyway. Swiss has his head propped up on one arm, the other wrapped tight around Aeon's waist. He can feel the slight swell of Swiss' belly squished up against his own stomach, and Aeon couldn't stop purring if he tried.

"Talk about kitten mode," Swiss rumbles, voice dark chocolate and red wine, and Aeon has to taste it. Has to taste him, one hand sinking into Swiss' tight curls at the same time he shoves his tongue into his mouth, and oh how the colors in his mind explode.

It's impossible to know how long they kiss. How long Aeom licks at Swiss' fangs and Swiss nips at Aeon's lips. How long they spend so close together that their two hearts nearly pound in one chest. Aeon knows he's hard, knows Swiss is too. Every nerve in his body is on high alert, eager for stimulation that Swiss certainly isn't objecting too. Aeon's hips rock slowly but relentlessly against him, and every time the tip of his cock bumps one of Swiss' piercings, even through both of their pants, Aeon whimpers like he's in pain.

It's work to open his eyes, but he's forced to when Swiss breaks their endless kiss. His lips are so slick and swollen, and Aeon wonders if their eyes are the same shade of red.

"Need more, sweetheart?"

Oh his voice. Gravelly, thick, slurred - Aeon never wants to hear anything else. He nods, shoving his face into Swiss' throat out of a sudden urge to suck in a mark where his pulse thrums.

Swiss grunts and hisses when Aeon uses his teeth too, but doesn't even try to pull away. He manages to shove both of their pajama pants down just enough, frees both of their straining lengths, and when Swiss' fingers brush his cock Aeon feel like he could cry. He can't remember ever being so fucking sensitive.

"Fuck, you're wet," Swiss groans, and Aeon nearly cums on the spot.

Not that it takes much most than that. Not when Swiss settles the slender length of his slippery stiffy against his own think shaft. Lets Aeon feel every rung of his Jacob's ladder as he takes them both in one hand.

"Don' worry if it's quick, baby," Swiss breathes, leaning in to kiss along Aeon's jaw. "You're gonna wanna go more than once."

Aeon blows his load in two strokes, with tears in his eyes, and Swiss doesn't even laugh at him for it.

[rememberwren]

I'm sorry, today I crave fluff.

Recently caught myself on a thought that it's nice to talk about sex. Especially if it didn't happen between the partners yet and you are not really ready for it, but still curious about the preferences and desires of your significant one. In many countries talking about sex is still a taboo, and if you don't have much experience, you feel like you can't gather any unless you're panting under someone. And you better already be good at it. But then, suddenly, your words are not a taboo when you're with your partner, and you can learn from them without even getting undressed. And, suddenly, you're on cloud nine.

Can't stop imagining laying squished between Johnny and Simon, asking them about things and feeling safe. It's a bit awkward, a bit silly. Sometimes Johnny grabs a handful of Simon's ass "for a demonstration", even if he gets chided after that. And reader can just lay down and enjoy the talk full of trust.

— ✨

This is so very soft. It makes me think a virgin would do lovely in ghoap’s hands.

I imagine it’s the lazy weekend mornings when there’s no responsibilities and nowhere to be. Three sets of legs tangled up together in the bed, sheets a mess. No one knows who brings up sex first. With other partners, you might have carded it as manipulative—just another attempt at talking you into it—but Johnny and Simon have both been respectful of your desire to wait.

“Are you sure you want to talk about this?” Johnny asks when you keep the conversation moving instead of turning it to a different topic—and you are sure. In your past, beds have always been used for sleeping or for psychological warfare, but their bed feels different.

You feel safe, and safety breeds the confidence to ask questions. You’re not chronically online the way some people are, so maybe they use terms you don’t understand, but they’re happy to explain in ways that don’t trigger your fight or flight response.

You’ve never trusted two people as much as you trust them, and as such, you’ve never been your most authentic, curious self until then.

They probably get turned on thanks to the subject matter, cocks obvious in their boxers, but nobody makes any move to acknowledge it besides the occasional necessary adjustment made by them.

Maybe Johnny is the first to doze back off, but eventually you all three do, tangled up together, sun hidden behind the blackout curtains. You’re not ready to take that step with them today, but soon maybe. You’ve got time.