rainhidesmytears

[rainhidesmytears]

Snowstorm

*Looks around* Well hello lmao what a better way to return than posting a THICK ass fic huh

8K words - Warnings for getting trapped, small spaces, and everything that comes with it + general trauma + injury - Gender-neutral reader

Enjoy! <3

-

You often put others' needs before your own. 

Not that you noticed you did it. It took some pointing out from your close friends to get you to realize just how you swept your desires under the rug.

After god knows how much pushing, you agreed to go on a trip by yourself. "No work worries, no guys, no girls, just you and your alone time!" Your friend had said. 

You sat in your living room with your laptop, browsing through destinations and flight tickets. Everyone seemed eager to see you go on the trip. At least, you hoped it was that. While you loved your friends, you worried that if you were not helpful somehow, they would drop you cold. 

Were they happy for you or happy to see you go? You didn't know, but the trip could help that too. You wanted to be more independent, sure, and in tune with yourself. 

Your eyes stop on an ad, and immediately you click it. 

Skiing in the Rocky Mountains.

You smile. The cool crisp air may do you some good.

You book the ticket and the hotel for your stay, and as the week goes by, you pack your bags. You had gone on other trips throughout your life, of course, but this one felt a little different. Maybe because it'd be your first alone adventure in a long time, but whatever it was, you felt good about it.

The day before the trip, you say goodbye to your friends and head back to your house. Only 7 hours of sleep and a couple more of flight separated you from snow and, hopefully, a lot of fun.

The trip is easy enough. You get to your room at the hotel and unpack just enough to start exploring as soon as you could. 

Groups of people gathered at the tourist stops choosing what they would be doing and booking activities for the day. Just as you reach the board, the ski equipment is fully booked for the day already. 

You frown as a lady beside you nods. "Yup, all gone! I'm pissed as fuck too! You either bring your own or get here at the butt of the morning to rent equipment." She sighs. "I'm going on a hike. Make sure to leave your name in the equipment call, though. If somebody gives up, they should give you preference, it seems." She shrugs.

You nod, perking up and signing your name with the clerk's list, looking back at the girl again, "what hike did you choose?" 

"Me? One of the easy ones, that one-," she points at the boards again. The list still had some spots left, "It's the longest of the easy ones, though. Thinking about joining?" 

You nod, "Yeah, it's only my first day here. It sounds good enough for a first day," you say, picking up the pen and putting down your info on the list. The group would depart in 30 minutes, enough time to prepare for it. 

"Nice! I'll see you at the meeting point later then!" She smiles and walks off. You smile at the clerk and head back to your room to pack your bag for the hike. 

You pack your backpack with energy bars, the biggest water bottle you could find, the emergency first aid kit one of your friends gifted you, a hiking map you bought in the reception, a small emergency light, an emergency bivy, and an emergency blanket, just in case. 

On your way down, you buy two sandwiches from a machine, along with a soup-filled thermos, stuffing them in your backpack before heading to the meeting spot. 

You look around, searching for the lady you talked to earlier, wondering if she would make it in time. 

She arrives 2 minutes before your departure, panting a bit but smiling at you, waving as she walks over. "Hey there, ready to freeze up there?" 

"Definitely not." You two laugh as your guide speaks up, stating the hike rules and emergency tips. "And lastly, do not go anywhere alone. The hike is easy, but don't underestimate it! Safety is in numbers, always. Now, with all of that said, let's get hiking!" 

The way up is slow. People chat quietly while they walk, taking pictures and generally marveling about the views, you included. 

The wind is ice cold and makes your lungs feel a bit prickly when you breathe. Your cheeks are cold, a reminder that you were really there, enjoying a hike on a trip you made on your own. It makes you smile. 

You're halfway up when your newfound friend approaches you again.

"So, you came by yourself?" The girl asks. You nod, "yeah, I thought I would do something different…what about you?" 

"I travel alone all the time. First time here, though!" She smiles, "After I started going places alone, I just couldn't stop. It's way easier." She says. The guide announces your first stop to rest is just up ahead. 

As most of the group sits down to eat and drink, you and your friend sit on a fallen log at the edge of the trail. You pull out one of your bars while she takes a few swigs of her water bottle. 

You're laughing at her jokes when a crack calls your attention toward the trees.  You turn around to look, staring intently at the trees. Your friend’s gaze switches from you to the trees multiple times, “Bestie? You good?” 

“Did you hear anything?” You ask her, still searching. The chatter from the rest of the group dies down as you strain to hear anything from the trees again. “It’s probably a squirrel or something.” She shrugs.

“I think that was too heavy to be a squirrel.” You say, hearing it again as you get up from the log, picking up your backpack. She does the same, “Okay….maybe it’s a huge squirrel or a deer?” She says, starting to sound worried as well.

The cracking sounds get louder and more violent before a strong gust of wind hits both of you. A big thundering sound follows it. You realize what’s happening all too late.

“Avalanche! Run!” 

You both scream and make for it. The snow comes crashing down through the trees as you and your friend sprint through the trail, trying to catch up with the rest of the group. You look at the snow for a fraction of a second and slip. 

You fall to the ground. You can barely hear any screaming over the falling snow’s booming noise. You scream and try getting up again, putting your hands up to shield yourself from the snow. 

Another sound hits your ears before a blur launches itself toward you. The sound is blood-curdling, bone-chilling, roaring as loud as the snow coming for you. You feel the impact of said thing against your body, throwing you both off the edge. You hold onto it, whatever it was. Screaming and closing your eyes as you both flew over the edge. 

He had seen it coming, of course. While his brothers and sisters went for the hottest countries on whatever planet they landed in. He loved the snow. He had over two centuries of experience with it. 

He saw it coming. 

You are as light as he thought you would be. He holds you and your backpack against his chest as you fall off the snowy ledge. The cord of his wrist gauntlet catches against the stone. He snaps it off as you both get launched into the cave underneath the ledge.  

He lands hard on his feet, setting you down unceremoniously on the ground before rushing back to the cave entrance. The snow rages violently over as it falls from the edge, washing over anything in its way. He had been using this cave for a few days now. He knew this could happen. Would happen.

Still, he needed to close the entrance. 

The snow piles and pushes inside the cave. He aims his blaster toward the entrance’s ceiling and shoots, jumping over to your side as the stones crash down, stopping the snow from burying you both alive as he shields your body from the falling rocks. 

It’s too much. You cry and scream while keeping your face on the floor, hands shielding your head as the booming noises of cracking trees, snow, and falling rocks make your heart pound in every which way inside your ribcage. You get dragged closer by the man who saved you, and you hug the thigh he was crouching on the ground with, sobbing into it as you wait for the nightmare to be over. 

It feels like hours. It probably is hours long until the wreckage comes to a stop. You still hear the avalanche layers settling on top of the cave and its would-be entrance. The cave is pitch black. You can’t see a palm in front of your face. All you hear is your ragged breathing and the man’s -somehow- calm one. His is heavier, although slower than yours. he was big, you were sure he was from the blur you saw standing there before the rocks fell. His breathing had a dragging sound to it, a soft ‘ch ch ch’ that made your hairs stand on end. Oh God, what if he was asthmatic? 

“I- I think we’re okay now-” You say. He doesn’t reply. “Sir, are you hurt? Oh God-” You panic, patting around the floor for your bag, scooting away from him until you find it. “I’ve got a light in here. God, I hope it’s not broken!” You take a deep breath and try to remember where you placed it, counting the small bags on the front before reaching the fourth one. You pull its zip and reach for the light. The thick, now wet, gloves you wear make the metal almost slip from your grasp. 

“Please turn on, please turn on,” You pray as you push the button, successfully illuminating the wall in front of you. “Yes! Okay, now we can-” You turn around, looking for the man,

Finding something else entirely. 

It’s bigger than any man you’ve ever known in your life. Its skin is of a blueish hue with black mottling. It has protrusions that remind you of a hedgehog’s quills up its forearms, chest, and the sides of its face. It wore a mask along with dense-looking armor that looked battle-worn. Its chest heaved the same slow and steady breathing, making the quills drag against the black netting it wore. 

Your pupils dilate in dread as you perceive it whole. Your body freezes. Your breath hitches.

And you faint. 

The light falls from your hand as your body hits the floor. Your backpack acts as a hard pillow as the world darkens and comes to a stop. 

He watches as you turn into stone and pass out on your equipment, and only then does he move toward you. He grabs the small light you produced from your pack and turns it off with the click of a button, careful not to break it. He did not need light, not as long as he had his mask (even if he didn’t, if he was honest), and not as long as you were unconscious. 

‘Might as well save its power.’ He thinks. 

He takes a quick check over your form. Bruising was sure to occur. Your ankle was sprained, also expected. All in all, everything is fine. He’s glad about that. 

Now, for air.

He stands up and walks to the entrance again. While it wasn’t safe to leave the cave while the layers were still loose, and with the temperatures dropping outside, your chances of survival were low, even if his weren’t. But being wholly shut in wouldn’t do either, especially with your panicked breath. Screaming requires air. Lots of it. 

He stretches his palm over the cold stone, feeling around. A few well-placed holes would do well enough. Stepping back, his aim shines over the stone once more. 

Adjusting the width of each blast, he lasers perfect circles scattered on the wall. The snow outside melts, and fresh, cold air drifts in through the holes before more snow covers them once more. He reaches for his back pocket, retrieving several silver rings, and places them into the holes in the stone. Adjusting the desired length of each ring before pressing a button, he watches the holograms expand on his gauntlet until they surpass the snow outside. He checks each tube, satisfied when air flows steadily through all of them.

He turns back to you and walks over.

He couldn’t say what made him save you. He had been hunting in the mountains. He did see you and your group going up. But why did he risk himself to save you? He didn’t know. He found himself clutching the tree he was perched on when the snow went down, even though he would have been safe. He leaped before you fell to your knees in the snow. 

Crouching down, he takes a second to look at your face.

You groan, and he sits down, moving back to give you some space. You look around, seeing the thin light streaks coming from the wall. You look a bit to the side and squint, spotting the one figure you hoped was a dream. 

A scream rips from your throat as you panic once more, almost crushing your light in the process. You back up into the nearest wall and point your light at him, turning it on again. “What are you?! What-!”

It’s a strange creature, half man and half… something else. You had no idea what.

He lifts his hands up, and you grasp your light firmly as if it were a gun. “Don’t move-! Stay there! Who are you? What do you want?!” You ask. Demand. 

You hear audio shuffling before a distorted, “Easy…- Easy…” reaches your ears. You recognize the voice. Your instructor, the line spoken to the whole group while going through a particularly slippery part of the trail that morning. “What-...What are you? You’re not a man-, who are you?” You ask desperately. 

He shakes his head, and you want to cry harder, though he didn’t answer your second question. “Am I dead?” You sob. He shakes his head again and slowly points to the door. 

“-..-Thick S̴̨̛̛̞͉̗̜̦̘̤̤̱͉͖͒̍̑̆̑͌͆̃̕n̴̡̳̖͕̹̞͎̝̞͂̿̀̾̏̈̈́́͝ơ̸̝̣̓̔̾͊̈́̇̇̋̎̓͜͝w-.”

You sniffle, not peeling your eyes from him. “Are you going to hurt me? Please don’t-” He doesn’t reply, slowly lowering his hands again. You start to get nervous again before he points to the corner of the cave. Hesitantly, you cast the light to it, seeing the glint of the metal-like cord he had used to save you both. Your eyes widen as you try to remember the quick flashes of the occurred. You fell. The snow was coming. Something caught you, held you, and you fell over the edge. The light moves back to his form. “It was you-, so you saved me, okay-, but why?”

Again, no reply. 

The tears form cold, stiff streaks on your cheeks as you try to wipe them with the back of your gloves. You look around the cave. It wasn’t that big. You doubted you could stand up fully inside it, let alone someone as big as your…new friend. He had taken care of the air supply, but you weren’t properly trained for this. You feared you wouldn’t last until the morning. Not like this.

“You-, you made the holes in the walls, right? Can’t you get us out?” You ask him. He shakes his head. “Safer-...Here.” 

“How is it safer here? We’re buried to our necks in-...Snow.” He nods. 

“Snow is a good insulator, right?” He nods again. “Right…So you’ll get us out in the morning?” He doesn’t reply. “I’ll take that as a hopeful yes.” You say, setting your light down in the middle of the cave, pointing at the ceiling, illuminating the space the best it could. 

You open your backpack and set to planning your night here. You see your phone and gasp, trying to get it. No signal. 

You sigh as you look at the rest of your pack. You had your blanket, emergency bivy, and food and water were also fine. Nothing got broken during your rescue, thankfully. 

You take a look at your companion to find him also going through his own pack, though his equipment looked far different than yours. They almost seemed like…weapons. 

Oh, God.

“Do you come here often?” You ask. His head snaps at you. You freeze. 

He shakes his head, and you sigh in relief. “You don’t…hunt people, right?” 

He keeps staring. You wish you hadn’t asked. “Innocent people? You hunt innocent people?” Perhaps it was the trauma, the ice, the pain, or the sheer chaos of the situation you found yourself in. But judging an alien creature wasn’t as impossible as you thought it’d be. “Hunters- -Like me.” His mask croaks.

Your eyebrows shoot up. “You hunt…other hunters? Human ones or, like, -really- like you? People like you?” 

“-Like me.” He repeats. 

“Your own species? Like a cop?”

A few seconds pass before you hear your own voice. “Like a cop.” Your eyes widen more. “So you’re a space cop, got it…Then what are you doing here on Earth? And in the -snow- of all places?”

A strange sound comes from him. A scoff. 

“Vaca̶̤͔͚͌̃͝ͅtion timee̷̛͖̬͙̞̞̯͙͉͓̓́̈́̀̚e̴̛̞͎͆̀͂̉̎̂͘̕͠͝e-” A young girl’s voice followed by laughter. 

You find yourself laughing nervously at the audio. A soft laugh that makes him tilt his head slightly. “Me too.” You say, “Ironically enough.”

You set out your equipment in silence before you unwrap your first sandwich. You look at your watch. 3 PM. Nice time to have a heavier snack, then you could eat the bars until the night and then eat your soup. And you’d still have your second sandwich! 

Your…second sandwich. 

“Hey.” You look at him again. He looks up from organizing his gear. “Do you have any food in that pack of yours? I have an extra one here.” You lift the wrapped sandwich to show him. 

He seems to consider before giving you a dismissive hand gesture, going back to his fiddling.

“I have plenty here,” You say. “I don’t think…someone as big as you shouldn’t go too long without eating something.” He looks at you again. His mask moves slightly. You weren’t sure if he was really looking at your hand or not.

“It’s just a turkey sandwich, are you vegetarian?” You ask, worried, for some reason. He makes a strange sound. Clicking and huffing came from his mask. Was he laughing? 

“Look, to me, you’re a carnivore -at least- but I can’t be too sure, right? You’re the first…alien I know.”

He shakes his head. “Not-, Vegetarian.” 

You nod, digging around your backpack for the other sandwich before tossing it to him. The speed with which he catches it is impressive enough. You blink, and his hand moves from the ground to beside his mask, catching the sandwich. 

He eyes it as you eat your own. For a second, you wonder if he’s allergic to anything in it. You’re about to ask when he moves again, sitting with his back turned to you. 

You frown in confusion as he sets the sandwich down on his thigh before starting to take the mask off. 

Each pop it makes has your eyes widening impossibly more. With everything that happened, you forgot the mask wasn't his -face-.

He sets the mask down, its impassive expression staring at you from the floor while he picks up the sandwich again, unwrapping it. 

You wondered what he looked like without it. It felt too rude to ask. Maybe he wanted to remain anonymous from you. 

Maybe the light hurt his eyes. Maybe he didn’t want to scare you.

Maybe he was just -shy-. 

The clicking sound- now much louder and clear, calls your attention back to reality. You watch as he apparently throws the whole sandwich into his mouth, if he really had one, and swallows it whole. 

If he chewed it, you didn’t hear it. But you do hear the biggest ‘gulp’ of your life coming from him. 

You jump a little bit when he picks up the mask again, snapping the tubes back on and turning around again.

You finish eating your own food and put the trash in your bag. "I need something I can…call you- you know, other than alien? That feels rude.” 

He shakes his head, and you lick your cold lips in thought. “How does Storm sound? I don’t think ‘Avalanche’ is any good.” You shrug, taking a swig from your water bottle. “I don’t think I should mention this to anyone, right?” 

He nods. You purse your lips again, “Look- I know the less contact between us the better, and I definitely shouldn't be asking these questions- but if I don't talk I think I'll go insane." 

Storm crosses his arms, seemingly in thought before he says a simple, firm, "Yes."

"...Are there more alien species? Do you know them? Seen any?"

"Yes. -Yes….Yes." 

"Wow." You whisper to yourself. "You're the most amazing and intense thing that ever happened to me…besides the avalanche, of course."

He relaxes, shifting a bit to sit against the stone wall. You do the same, resting against your pack. "Our government must know of you- are we friends? Our people?" 

He shakes his head. You sag. "Oh…that sucks" Storm tilts his head, and a series of cut audios gather your attention again. "Government- sucks." 

You laugh. His shoulders shake slightly. Maybe he was laughing as well? 

"This wasn't what I had in mind when I came here, but I'm glad you're here. Thank you for saving me," you say. He stares at you before nodding slowly.

You smile and look at his pack on the floor, "Hey, do you have water? I have some if you want." He shakes his head and pulls out a metal bottle from one of the pouches on his back. A canteen? 

“Do you want to lay out our things? We could see what we have and how we’re going to split it until tomorrow. I know the first rule is overpacking is good but…I don’t reeeally have that much,” you let out a nervous laugh.

He takes a second and stands on his knees. He is almost as tall as you'd be standing like that. He gathers his pack and throws it closer to you while he moves over.

You stare at him for a couple of seconds before the mask slowly turns to you. “Oh-, right, sorry- you’re just- okay never mind- So, I got my light, of course-, I got some energy bars, water, a map, a bivy, a blanket, a knife, a little emergency kit, and soup! Well-, more food if you can’t translate that.” You hold up the thermos like it was a prized trophy, "what do you got?"

He starts laying his own things out.

A dagger, cuffs of some kind, knives, a -whip-, the canteen he had shown you earlier, mini orbs that suspiciously looked like smoke bombs from movies, plus other things- probably weapons too, you had no idea the use of. And last, but not least, he offers you a jar. 

You put yours down and hold his. The lid is not nearly as simple as yours, it has a mechanism on top of it. You frown in confusion before he snorts and presses two buttons on top of it. 

The lid fizzes, and you gasp, looking up at him. He nods, and you slowly take it off, placing it on top of your blanket. The smell hits your nose, and you look at him again. "Jerky? Oh my God-, can I?" He nods. 

You carefully take a strip of meat from the jar. "What kind of meat is this? This isn't…human, right?" You gulp. He shakes his head and lifts his wrist. His gauntlet shows a hologram of a deer. 

"Ohhhh, wow, you're really a hunter, aren't you?" You marvel, putting the strip back in the jar before closing it again. Storm taps the same buttons, and it seals tight again. 

You place the jar on the floor along with everything else. The contrast between your equipment and his is stark. You laugh a bit. "Well, aren't we made for each other?" He snorts as you check your watch.

You look up and find his mask very close to you, also looking at your watch. "It's not as fancy as yours," you laugh, holding your wrist up for him to see. 

Being this close, you feel your face heat up. You look down at his torso when he gently grabs your wrist, inspecting it closer. "You- are you not um- cold? You're not exactly ah…layered up." 

He did wear some fur around his shoulders and waist, but other than that, only the netting and some armor. He does the clicking sound again- chuckling? 

The hand on your wrist firms it while the other pops your glove open, pulling it up and off your hand. You jerk a bit when he pulls the naked hand to his chest. "Oh- what-...Oh." 

Hot. He is hot. Literally. 

You can't tell if the netting is heated or if he's just a furnace. But he's incredibly warm. Your fingers twitch as you concentrate on the feel of his skin. It wasn't like yours, that was for sure. It was almost rubbery, and hot but texturized as well. It was…well, alien. The prickly quills he had also were interesting to stare at. 

What a Tarzan moment.

You take your hand back, putting your glove on again, "I'm jealous of that temperature. Even with all these layers, I'm still cold," you frown, "your planet must be scorching hot," you say. 

He takes a while but nods. 

He didn't exactly like sharing information, you learned. It was fair, he saved you- and he was an alien. Things were complicated. "I think you look great here though, in the snow," The glove feels cold compared to what you just experienced. 

He scoffs, crossing his arms as you think about the events of today over and over again before looking at him once more. "Do you have any family?" The question hits you like a train and blurts out of your mouth before you could filter it. "I mean- if you can tell me." 

He nods, and your eyebrows go up in surprise. Not that you thought he wouldn't have one. He had a belly button, so he couldn't have just…spawned from somewhere. You smile at the mental image of him just popping into existence.

You look back at your equipment, especially at the food. "Look, I know we're on 'not too much involvement' thing, but you don't have to turn away every time to eat. I won't tell anyone- though I'm sure the government must have blurry pictures of others like you in their archives somewhere already."

He's closer to you than before, having not moved away since your little touching moment. His presence is as grounding as it is exciting. It makes you alert and awake, even though you're so tired. 

Storm's mask turns to you slightly, considering. 

"Scary." 

You frown. "Scary? Your face is scary? But your mask is so…familiar? Is it too different from it?" 

He nods again. 

"Oh- well, I won't be afraid of you, you saved my life, and now we're here chatting and having an icy picnic covered in snow. I'd say this makes us best friends." You smile. He huffed.

What he does instead is lift his wrist gauntlet again. Another hologram pops up. 

"Ohhhhh my-" You look back up at his mask. Its cold expression almost mocks you. "Okay, you weren't lying when you said it was different- why do you guys make it like that? You know what- that's none of my business, sorry." You look back at the hologram. 

While you didn't know if it was really him- the hologram was all red-, the way their faces were just…made sense. The tusks, the teeth, the mandibles. You marvel at the quills on the eyebrows, just like they were on the rest of him. 

Something must have been wrong with you, but you didn't think he was ugly.

"I get the scary part. I'd freak out if I saw you in the dark, no offense." He chuckles deeply, the most you've seen him laugh so far. You smile again. "Thanks for showing me, now I won't pass out on you again if you take it off." He shuts it off. You almost made a sad noise at it.

Suddenly, all the excitement takes a toll on you. With your last burning curiosity sated, your eyes begin to get heavier. "Okay, I think the adrenaline is starting to wear off." You say. "I think I'm going to sleep a bit." 

He gets up, checking the air supply tubes in the stone. You worm your way into your bivy, leaving the blanket for him if he needs it. He probably wouldn't, but the thought eased you. "Wake me up if anything changes okay?" You say. He doesn't react. You take a painkiller and lay down again.

"...and please don't leave me here alone." You say, with a little more emotion than you anticipated. 

He turns his head and nods before going back to his inspection. 

You close your eyes for a second.

Just a second. 

You jolt awake when a hand closes around your shoulder. You blink several times, breathing in deeply as you focus on the mask before you again. "Hey- anything changed?" 

Storm shakes his head, pointing at your watch instead as you sit up. You check the time. 7:15 PM. Your ice cave definitely feels colder now.

You get up, taking your soup thermos out of the bag. Its lid made for a little bowl. You prayed it was still warm. 

You sigh in relief as you pour the soup on the lid. It was lukewarm, but the warmth spreading through your torso was priceless. You're on your second sip when you hear the same fizzy noise as before. Your eyes darted to your side where Storm was taking his mask off. 

You gulp as the second tube is snapped off. He's facing forward as he's sitting beside you. But still, you would see it.

You tip the cup back as you swallow your third sip, hoping the thick plastic would disguise your blatant staring. 

Storm's fingers slip under the metal, snapping it briefly before lifting it from his face. Your breath quickens quietly as your eyes follow the metal until it's placed on the floor. You stare at it before slowly looking back up. 

Storm is looking at you. 

Your eyes dilate as you take in every aspect of his face. The mandibles, the tusks, the sharp teeth peeking from behind tightly closed tusks. The blue hue from his body painted his face, fading into a cool white tone in the middle of his face. The edges of his head are shaped like a crown. A black crown that closed into the middle of his head, where the blues and whites were. 

And then the eyes. His eyes.

Unlike the rest of him, Storm’s eyes were yellow. Deep, electric yellow. The primal instinct in your brain told you this was wrong. His face was wrong. Well, he wasn’t human. You were coded to think anything with different features walking on two legs was weird. 

Your brain told you to run, scream or get help, to do something -against- him while the rest of you knew well that he was an ally. It was hard to go against every fiber of your being and stay still. 

‘He’s still your friend.’ You think. ‘He just looks a little different.’ 

Storm’s expression changes, and while you can’t grasp what the tusk movements must mean yet, you surely know what a skeptical eyebrow raise looks like. “I’m not freaking out, I swear.” You manage to say. You have no idea if he still understands you without the mask. 

He seems to, as his top tusks twitch and his eyebrows relax. He looks away and grips his own jerky jar. You’re suddenly reminded of your soup. You pour more soup onto the lid, gulping it down while trying your best not to openly stare at him.

It’s evident he’s also trying to ignore you while he eats. His tusks part and he inserts the chunks of jerky in. You can’t see any molars in your ogling. Maybe he was made for tearing out chunks of food and swallowing them like a crocodile? 

You gulp down more of your soup until it’s down to half of it. You shake the thermos a bit, doing your best to stir the soup before leaning it toward him. “Would you like some?” To your surprise, he’s also offering you his jar. You smile, nodding, “Let’s swap.” 

You trade bottles, picking out a piece of jerky while he brings the thermos closer to his mouth. He didn’t have an apparent nose, but maybe he just smelled things differently. He must have deemed it good enough for his mandible part, and he tips his head back, drinking the soup. You half expected it to spill over and make a mess, but having done this for however long he had lived, he knew what he was doing. 

You, on the other side, had no idea what you’d do without your lips.

After eating your fill and re-packing, you huddle close to him. Storm messed with his wrist gauntlet as you lost yourself in your thoughts once more. For once in your life, the silence was comfortable. Sure, you couldn’t exactly communicate, but that didn’t feel like a problem. 

You could communicate with your friends and family, but it still made you anxious at times. Next time you check your watch, it's about 9 PM. “I think we should sleep,” you say, getting his attention once more. “I’ve slept a bit and…fainted, but you haven’t slept yet.” 

Seeing him without the mask was as otherworldly as it was interesting. Seeing his expressions as he listened to you, then changing while he thought before finally setting as he nodded. 

You smile and crawl back to your bivy while he checks the air supply once more. You had no idea how you would get out of the cave tomorrow, but you trusted Storm and his high-tech equipment. And his muscles. The muscles were a big plus, too.

By the time he turns around, you’re inside your bivy, but you point to the blanket folded neatly on top of your backpack. “I know you’re well warm, but the blanket is over there if you need it.” He looks at it briefly before nodding at you. He hands you your emergency light and lays down on the opposite side of the cave, about two arm's lengths away from you. 

“Good night, partner.” You say before shutting the light off, getting a grunt in return. 

The cave was pitch black as you expected. You shuffle a bit in your bivy before settling down completely on your side. You wondered how people outside were doing. Did the avalanche make the news? Did your friends know? Was anyone else hurt during it? You were thankful to be alive, thankful for Storm, but you felt bad for everyone else. 

Tears prickled in the corners of your vision as you try so hard to fall asleep. It’s cold, you’re trapped in a cave with an alien. Not that Storm was a negative point. You’d be dead without him. But things were far from okay right now. 

You hear shuffling and wonder if Storm also has trouble sleeping. He’d been calm so far, never raising his voice or panicking. ‘Maybe he’s used to these situations.’ You think, given the scars he bears on his body. You didn’t want to think of what could hurt someone like Storm. 

Your chest feels tight. It’s hard to push the anxiety down. You almost want to talk to him again, but what would you say? What -could- you say? You were the one to suggest sleeping in the first place. Your heart beats faster, and you’re awfully aware of your surroundings, even in the dark. 

The walls are cold and wet. The air is a little stale. You can smell yourself as you can also smell Storm behind you. You can smell the thick rubbery scent of your gloves as they grip the bivy’s lining with all they got. Like you had gripped Storm earlier that day when he rescued you.

You swallow dryly, trying to breathe in and out to avoid negative thoughts. Things would be okay. You were alive, fairly warm, and you had a big alien as your personal bodyguard through a disaster. You hear more shuffling. The sound of the emergency blanket being unfolded hits your ears. You wait a couple of seconds, eyes darting around in the dark before you open your mouth to ask him if he was okay. 

You’re in the middle of breathing your first word when you feel the blanket getting laid on top of your bivy. Storm smooths out the blanket on top of you before laying down again, closer to you this time. You’re at loss for words. Your mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. 

You feel his breath against the top of your beanie, so his chest must be somewhere in front of you now. You bite your lip, feeling the knot in your chest loosen the tiniest bit. You were not alone. Things were going to be okay.  You focus on his breathing pattern, so even and calm. Constant. The sound his tusks occasionally make is soothing over the deathly silence of the cave. You don’t remember closing your eyes, nor do you remember falling asleep. 

The way your bladder burns wakes you up. Storm’s breathing is heavier now, asleep. It pains you to move, like getting your pet out of your lap after it finally got comfortable. 

As soon as you move, his breathing stops. Then resumes in that light, calculated rhythm. Awake. 

“Sorry, sorry,” you whisper, worming out of your bivy, patting around for your light. You go to the far corner of the cave and do your business, covering it with loose dirt with your boot, thanking the universe Storm didn’t move an inch from where he was. 

Taking your pants off in the unbelievable cold of a 3 AM shut-in ice cave was no easy business. Curse bodily functions to the end and back. You do your best to push the burning shame down and head to your backpack, sanitizing your hands. 

You steal a glance to your side while you think, catching Storm looking directly at you. Your spine shivers a bit, a mix from the cold and his gaze. You take another sip of water and crawl back into your bivy, mindful of your ankle.

It makes your face heat up more to see how close he’s been to you for all these hours and how he doesn’t care enough to move away, even now that you disrupted him awake. 

You lick your lips and clutch your light, looking at him again before shutting it off. Your face is still hot from all of it, but you listen intently to his breathing and clicking. You hoped he wouldn’t move away from you just yet, at least until you fell asleep. 

You feel the warmth coming from his chest, moving your head forward so you could be closer to it, trying to chase away the rest of the cold from your suit again. That pee break cost you some precious degrees. 

You’re still sulking internally when he finally moves. Your eyes widen in the dark as he spreads the blanket over you again. You smile and close your eyes, only to open them again as widely as before when you feel his arm drape over you.

He grunts, and suddenly you’re being dragged forward by that same arm. Your forehead hits something, and you instantly know it's his chest. You swallow hard. It’s as hot as it was earlier, rumbling with each breath. 

“Warm.” He croaks. You shiver at how deep his real voice is. You nod fervently against his chest. The arm stays around you. 

It takes you several minutes of internal struggle to calm down again. Your face is hotter, both from your embarrassment and his body temperature. Your ears turn back on when you hear a faint noise.

You squint, leaning in closer, and the sound gets louder. 

His heartbeat. 

Your body relaxes, almost melting against him.

His arm tightens the tiniest bit around you. You press your cheek against his chest, feeling his mandibles graze against the top of your beanie. 

The rest of the night goes by too fast for your liking. 

He wakes you up at 7 AM sharp. You almost want to cry when you realize the arm is no longer holding you, that his heartbeat is not against your ear still. 

He packs his equipment, and so do you, leaving only the map out. “We were here yesterday.” You say, pointing at the map. “The hotel is here, and I think the equipment stall is here?” You felt like you were explaining your destination to a taxi driver. 

You look up at him. He’s masked and ready to leave. So are you.

“How are we going to do this? Or, well, how you’re going to do this?” You ask. Storm makes a punching motion toward the stone. You almost can’t believe your very eyes. “Oh.” 

Storm retracts the tubes and puts them away in one of his bags. This was it. 

You stand at the side as Storm readies himself. He pushes some buttons on his gauntlet. You brace yourself as it makes a firing-up noise. 

Storm steadies himself and times the punch with the gauntlet’s blast. 

You close your eyes at the noise, protecting your head with your hands before you’re snatched from the ground once more. 

You open them again when blinding light covers your eyelids. Everything is white as your eyes adjust. When colors flood your vision, you realize that not only you’re out of the cave but you’re in the air. Everything moves too fast. 

Storm holds you up as he lands harshly in the snow piled below between trees. You shake the snow off your face as he works you both out of the thick snow bank. He squats again, and you hold tightly onto his neck before he jumps once more.

You struggle not to scream this time as well.

Storm lands firmly onto the snowy forest floor. He places you down gently as he surveys the area before relaxing once more. You look around, looking at the mountainside, following the trail of broken rocks until you see the cave's would-be entrance, quickly getting topped with more falling snow. “We were there?” You ask, out of breath. Storm nods. You turn to him. “Good legs.” You compliment. He huffs behind the mask. 

You feel buzzing coming from your backpack, frowning in confusion before you remember your phone. Placing the pack on the floor, you quickly check it, watching as the multiple messages and missed calls finally load into your screen. You smile, choking on your breath before looking at Storm again. 

You avoid your hurting ankle as you surge forward and wrap your arms around him again. He barely moves, not stepping back or stopping you. His hands hesitate at his sides before coming up and resting them on your shoulders, pressing you against him once before letting go. 

You look up at him, seeing him at full height in daylight felt unreal. “Thank you so much. I owe you everything. You saved me. You had no obligation to, but you did. Thank you so much.” You bury your face into his chest again, feeling it rumble. You smile before he tenses up, and you both hear the helicopter sound from far away. 

You let him go, looking up at the sky before looking back at him. Your heart tore into pieces. “You can go now.” The tears sting your eyes. “I’ll be fine from here.” He looks back at you.

“I’ll never forget you.” You sob, “Thank you again, for everything.” 

The helicopter gets closer. You watch as he disappears in front of your very eyes. The blue skin and armor blend with the snow and trees behind him before the reflective figure jumps up one tree to another, and another, until you lose track of it in the distance. 

Cold tears slide down your face as you hobble your way to a clearing, throwing your arms up when the helicopter comes into view. 

The rest of the day goes by too slowly for your liking.

You’re taken back to the hotel, where a makeshift hospital has been set up. You’re asked questions, to which you reply either ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I was buried in the snow all night’. You text your friends and relatives back while your ankle is tended to. You see the hiking girl from yesterday when you’re getting cleared from IV hydration hours later. 

She screams in surprise, coming to hug you. ‘How did you make it?! Oh my God, we thought you were dead! I’m so happy to see you!” She cries, and so do you. After talking for a while, she shakes her head. “I’m cutting the damn trip -short-. I’m going the fuck home, and so should you. The flights are crazy, but there’s a company giving preference to the victims and their families.” She informs you. 

One hour later, she hugs you one last time before leaving. 

You do as she says, cutting the trip short as well, needing to process and recover from everything that happened. You’re promised heaven on earth by the hotel and the flight companies for future trips. Your friends scoff at the very thought of it. “Why the hell would you go back there? That’s insane of them to offer you packages like that.” One of them says.

You nod along the next few weeks until things slowly blend into normality again. You don’t tell anyone about what happened that night, and people don’t bother you about it. You look at your bag in your wardrobe every time you open it, thinking back to him, wondering if he also thought about you.  

Six months of this go by. Followed by another six months. 

One day, you open your wardrobe and pull your bag out again, dusting it for your trip. People worry about your decision of going back there. Some worry it might reopen wounds rather than closing them for good like you told them it would. Some others just thought you were crazy.

Crazy or not, you packed your bag and left. The flight took off and landed. You found yourself at the hotel, looking at the same clerk in the eyes again while she checked you in again, welcoming you back to the hotel. 

You look at the hiking lists, finding them slightly different, but still running. You check in for solo hiking.  You pack your bag accordingly this time, filled with all the necessities a survivor could need before you take off. 

The forest is peaceful, and the track is fresh beneath your boots. You’re enjoying soup fondly at the end of the track when you hear that noise. The rumbly, clicking noise that you heard in your dreams for the past year. Always followed by the steady sound of a strong heartbeat. 

You turn around, smiling when blue hues and armor flood your vision once more. ----------- If you read it till here, you're a champ lmao

Thanks for reading <3 muah muah

more work like this here

[rainhidesmytears]

Whumptober Day 5 - Tommy Shelby

Tommy Shelby x gn!reader

Prompt: "You don't need to earn this."

Trigger Warnings: Insecure Tommy

Summary: When your surprises and gentle treatment catch Tommy by surprise, he questions what he'd done to deserve it.

The door to Tommy's office was strong and sturdy, and you could just barely make out your husbands hushed voice on the other side, speaking to someone over the phone.

Tommy had been in a gloomy mood all week, something about Ada wanting to push a new policy that no one else in the family agreed with, and him getting stuck in the middle, as always.

You glanced back in the direction of the dining room, where the dinner you'd made, in the hopes of lifting his spirits, sat ready and waiting, before cautiously knocking, and opening the door a crack.

Tommy looked up and caught your gaze a smile ghosting over his lips. He held up a hand, for you to give him a moment as he finished speaking into the receiver, "Yes, I'll speak to him about it tomorrow. - Yes of course. Goodbye."

As soon as the receiver was back in it's cradle, you were pushing into the room properly, "Hello, Tommy love."

"Hello darling," He stubbed out the cigarette that had been tucked between his lips, leaning back in his chair, "You're back early."

"Or, you've been working so long you've lost track of time?" You teased, moving to perch on one of the chairs in front of his desk.

Tommy sighed tiredly, running a hand over his face, "Maybe I have."

You stood, moving around his desk and behind his chair to wrap your arms around him, resting your chin on his head, "Business alright? Did that Arthur-Ada stuff smooth over?"

"I'm working on it. They can be quite difficult." He tipped his head back to look at you.

You hummed, before straightening up, "I made dinner."

"I've still got work to do, darling."

You turned to him sharply, "Thomas Shelby I did not spend my whole morning begging Polly for this recipe you like for you to skip dinner. Come on."

Slowly, Tommy stood up, a fond smile tugging at his lips as you took his hand, leading him out of the room.

"And I got you a little surprise, for dessert." You grinned, turning to look at him.

He raised an eyebrow critically, "A surprise?"

"I stopped off at that little bakery- you remember the one we used to go to on West Hill, with the tarts you like-" You cut yourself off with a huff, "Well, there goes the surprise, I suppose."

Tommy stopped in his tracks, a frown suddenly on his face as he dropped your hand. Oh no. This is the very opposite of what you had wanted.

"What's wrong, Tommy love?"

He looked at you with clear confusion behind his eyes, "You made me a special dinner. You went out of the way to get me a tart- have I missed something? Read the calender wrong?"

"What?" Your eyebrows furrowed.

"It's neither of our birthdays, and it's certainly not our anniversary, so what's going on?"

You looked around in disbelief, "I need an excuse to treat my husband? I don't have a reason."

"Then why are you doing this?" There's an odd hardness to Tommy's voice. Something between suspicion and sadness you couldn't hope to understand.

"Because I love you Tom, this is what I do when I love people," You reached forward to grasp his arms, "There doesn't have to be a special reason."

This is the truly the first time you've ever seen Tommy perplexed. Your husband, careful and calculating, brought down by the idea that you might love without cause or reason.

"But- I haven't done anything..."

"Oh, Tommy love," You wrapped your arms around him again, and this time he melted into your touch, "You don't need to earn this. You will never have to earn my love."

[rainhidesmytears]

Revenge - Tommy Shelby

Summary: Reader takes personal offense over Sabini’s attack on Tommy

Warnings: arranged marriage, graphic depictions of violence, reader leaves a message written in blood, smut, creampie, light degrading, oral smut (f receiving), overstim, p in v, let me know if I missed any

Notes: I made this text post about protective reader and decided to write it lmfao. I want Tommy with a feral woman. Thank you to @slut4thebroken for proof reading, encouragement, and suggestions💖

MDNI, 18+ only

You weren’t quite sure how it had happened.

Scratch that.

You knew exactly how it had happened.

Your father and Tommy had worked out a deal when Sabini had first started trying to intimidate your father. A bride in exchange for protection and both of them walked away with extra allies when the inevitable war against Sabini broke out. You’d protested the marriage at first, screaming that you were more than just a political pawn for your father to sell when he needed help, but it went through anyway.

You had to admit, it wasn’t the worst thing that could’ve happened. Sure, Tommy was distant and seemed obsessed with work, but you knew you could’ve ended up in a much worse situation. He treated you with respect, never let you open a door on your own if he was around, always had a protective hand rested in the small of your back, and… the sex was great.

Perhaps the thing you appreciated the most, was that he didn’t expect you to become the housewife you had feared you would be reduced to. You were your father’s only child, meaning when he died, you would become leader of his gang. You were a gangster the same way Tommy was and he seemed to realize that and respect it. You helped out with the daily runnings of the Peaky Blinders and helped with the daily runnings of your father’s gang at the same time. They both recognized your potential and weren’t afraid to use it.

It wasn’t until you were sitting in a family meeting about a year after your marriage that you realized you had grown to feel more than just okay with the marriage.

Tommy was a closed off individual and through the entire year you had been married, you felt like you were just starting to finally get to know the real him. You never pried because he never pried in your life. If you had general questions, neither of you were afraid to ask them, but anything more was left up for the person to tell. You had more questions than answers still, specifically about the matching scars on his cheeks, but you didn’t dare ask. He hadn’t asked about the scar that ran from your right shoulder blade down to your spine, so you didn’t ask about his scars.

It was a common occurrence for Esme, Ada, and Polly to sit with you at one of the desks in the betting shop, whispering things to you during family meetings to fill in any gaps and answer any questions you may have had.

“Alfie has informed me that the Sicilians are being provided aid by Sabini, in the form of cars and housing,” Tommy started, causing Arthur to let out a loud groan of frustration.

Before you could get dragged into hearing any more of it, you turned your head to Esme who was sitting next to you.

“Sabini’s a prick, I know that, but what has he done to us?” You asked quietly, your eyes still flickering back-and-forth between Tommy and the rest of his family as they spoke about what to do next.

Esme began explaining exactly what Sabini had done. How he and five other men came after Tommy in the dark of night, how he’d ripped out a tooth, sliced his cheeks, and beat him to an inch of his life.

The rage that settled inside of you was your first hint that you had grown to genuinely care for Tommy as more than just a friend and (amazing) fuck buddy. Your jaw remained clenched and set for the rest of the meeting, but as soon as the meeting was called to end, you wiped the look from your face and forced a calm expression to take over.

You stood up and walked over to Tommy, forcing a small smile to your lips,

“I’m not really feeling all that well. You go with your brothers for a drink, I’m just going to head back home, okay?” You said, meeting his eyes so he wouldn’t have a reason to not believe you.

Tommy’s eyebrows furrowed together as he tried to look for any sign you were lying. You had been fine that morning and fine two hours prior when you sat down for the meeting, but he had no reason to believe you were lying so he simply nodded, placed a hand on the small of your back to pull you closer to him, and kissed your forehead.

“I won’t be out long. Ask Frances for anything you need, okay, love?”

You nodded and the forced smile turned to a genuine one,

“I will, promise,” you told him before stepping away from him and waving goodbye to the rest of the family.

Yes. You had truly gotten lucky when it came to who you had been forced to marry.

The entire ride back to the Arrow House, you were silent and going over your plan in your head. You knew you’d have to earn Tommy’s trust back after this, but you didn’t particularly care. You were a force of nature on your best day. You were lethal when you were angry.

Once you arrived back, you immediately headed upstairs to yours and Tommy’s shared room. The marriage may have started off with the two of you in separate rooms, “I’m called the devil, but that doesn’t mean I’m some sort of monster. You can sleep in your own room until you’re comfortable sharing a bed,” but it didn’t take more than a couple weeks for you to eventually join him in bed.

Damn those blue eyes, full lips, and that jawline.

You grabbed a small bag and threw the first set of clothes you laid hands on into it, then, much more carefully, a dress. You grabbed everything else you needed and headed to Tommy’s office next.

I’ll be back soon. I’m sorry for lying, but I’ll be back.

You signed the note and left it in the center of his desk where you knew he would see it, held down by his ashtray.

As quickly as you had entered the house, you left it, getting right back into the car with the driver Tommy had employed for you. You told him the name of a hotel in London that you knew was just outside of anyone’s territory.

The drive seemed to pass by too quickly and soon you were saying goodbye to the driver and sending him home for the night. It was barely 7 in the evening when you got up to your room.

“If there is a God, please let me get through this. I’ll make it up to you… somehow,” you said quietly.

The beading on the dress swayed loudly around your body as you pulled the dress on. The pins in your hair seemed to be extra noticeable against your scalp. The straps on your shoes pressed into your skin more than usual. The blade held against your thigh and hidden by your dress seemed to refuse to warm up. Your left hand felt entirely too light with your ring missing.

You knew it was only your mind playing tricks on you. You’d worn this outfit before and it had always turned heads, which is exactly what you wanted.

You needed Sabini to notice you.

You greeted the cab driver politely as you stepped in and ignored the way his eyes seemed to follow you a bit too closely.

The doors of the club were held open for you and you made your way to the bar and took a seat, knowing you were just playing a waiting game now.

You could feel eyes on you. The wife of Thomas Shelby in Sabini’s club, hours away from Birmingham, far out of Peaky Blinders territory or her father’s territory. You stuck out like a sore thumb, even if you would have blended in during any other scenario.

It felt like an eternity passed before you finally saw the man that made your blood boil, but one glance at the clock above the bar told you it hadn’t even been an hour.

“You seem lost. I thought we had made it clear that your kind weren’t welcomed here,” Sabini said once he was in front of you.

A charming smile graced your lips and you looked up at him,

“My kind?” You questioned, playing innocent.

“Yes. Your kind. You’re the wife of Thomas Shelby and I don’t appreciate him ignoring the last warning I gave him and sending you-“

“I wasn’t sent here,” you stopped him, lifting your left hand and pushing a piece of hair that hadn’t fallen back behind your ear, “and I’m not really a Shelby or a Blinder, am I?”

His eyes were drawn to your hand and noticed the lack of a ring you wore and he quirked an eyebrow at you.

“Is that so? I was under the impression the two of you were lovebirds.”

You pulled your bottom lip between your lips and looked away, trying to come off as shy. When you looked back up to him, you hoped the look on his face meant he was intrigued and believing you.

“Perhaps we could talk about it somewhere else… somewhere private?” You asked him, batting your eyelashes as you did so.

Gods help you. The smirk he gave you made your stomach twist and you wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face, but patience was something you’d adopted a lot of.

“Allow me to show you to my office then,” he said, offering you a hand which you forced yourself to take.

He guided you through the club and towards the back. Some amount of luck seemed to be on your side as his office was behind the stage and provided some cover for any noise you might make. Even more so as you noticed a window just large enough for you to be able to crawl out of.

Once the door was shut behind you, he sat down behind his desk and motioned for you to take a seat in one of the chairs on the opposite side.

“Trouble in paradise, I take it,” Sabini said as he poured you both a drink.

“It was never paradise to begin with,” you replied, thanking him for the drink and taking a sip.

You had grown used to Tommy’s Irish whiskey and the bourbon he gave you wasn’t nearly as smooth going down.

“Was it not? From what I’ve heard, you two have quite the fairytale. Gang leader’s daughter married off to another gang leader, uniting two empires.”

“That’s not the way I see it,” you lied.

“And how do you see it?”

“A desperate father sold off his daughter to a desperate gang leader in an attempt for the both of them to gain more power and disregarded the woman’s wishes,” you replied simply, shrugging your shoulders.

“And so you’ve come to London for what?” Sabini questioned, wanting to hear you say it.

“Because I think we can help each other, Mr. Sabini,” you said, downing the rest of the bourbon and standing up.

His eyes followed your movements, his eyes trailing up your body before resting on your legs again.

“And how do you think we could help each other?” He asked.

You moved to stand in front of him, placing one leg over the side of his and straddled him, placing your arms around his neck.

“They trust me, Mr. Sabini. They don’t suspect me of anything,” you started. The shiver of disgust that rolled up your spine due to his hands trailing up the back of your thighs was one he apparently took as excitement as he gripped slightly at the backs of them, “I can tell you everything and, in return, I get out of my marriage once they’re all gone.”

“They don’t even realize the ticking time bomb they’ve got in their fingertips, do they?” He asked and a chuckle left your lips as a genuine smirk took over.

“They don’t…” you said, trailing your hands down his chest and then up your thigh, trying to make the move appear seductive. Your fingers wrapped around the hilt of your knife, “and neither do you, apparently.”

His eyes widened and he realized the trap he had walked into at the same time as you pressed the blade of the knife to his neck.

“I’d say that if you ever threaten my husband or our family again, you’ll regret it, but you won’t be,” you told him, unable to resist pausing for a touch of dramatic effect before adding on, “Never fuck with a Shelby.”

In the next second, you were quickly slicing the knife across his neck and flinching back as his blood coated you.

You knew your next move was morbid, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. It had been morbid for him and five other men to attack your husband when he was alone. It was morbid for him to rip out his tooth. It had been morbid for him to slice his cheeks. It was just as morbid for you to quickly and quietly clear off his desk, dip your fingers into his blood, and leave a bloodied message across his desk.

Revenge is a scorned Shelby

As soon as the message was written, you grabbed one of the coats from the coat rack and slipped it on, then crawled out of the window. The coat was long enough to cover all of the bloodied mess that was now your dress.

Sabini is dead.

That seemed to be the only thing you could think of as you were driven back to the Arrow House. It wasn’t the first time you had killed a man and you knew it wouldn’t be last.

But you hadn’t told anyone about this time. You hadn’t told anyone your plan, where you were going, or why you were doing it. You had also just started a war.

You weren’t surprised to see almost every light in the house still on when you arrived, and you made sure to slip the cab driver a little extra for the long drive.

You hadn’t risked staying in London longer than you needed to. You had gone into your hotel room, grabbed your bag, and promptly left, only taking the time to slip your wedding ring back on when you were in the cab.

When you stepped into the house, Tommy was in the hallway. All he saw as you stepped in the door was you, in another man’s coat, your wedding ring still on your finger, but your hair and makeup done much differently than it had been you had left.

You stayed silent as you stared at him with nervousness written on your face.

He put out his cigarette and quirked an eyebrow at you, a silent prompt for you to explain yourself.

Your silent explanation was to undo the tie on the coat and let it fall to the floor, revealing your blood stained dress.

“I need a fucking drink for this one,” Tommy grumbled, motioning for you to follow him. He guided you to his office and poured both of you a drink, handed you your glass, then sat down in his office chair. “What the fuck did you do?”

“Do you want the short version or the long version?” You asked, a smirk on your face as he looked up at where you still stood across the room.

Despite himself, he couldn’t help but chuckle and shrug his shoulders,

“Humor me. Short version first,” he told you.

“About a year ago I got married, and tonight I started a war.”

Tommy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk and running a hand over his face, “Long version.”

“About a year ago, I got married. Over the past year my husband has been nothing but a respectful gentleman, making it nearly impossible for me not to fall for him when you combine it with his fucking blue eyes that could bring the devil to his knees,” you started, feeling the hint of a blush creep into your cheeks, which you knew he noticed by the way his eyes flicked to your cheeks and then back to your eyes, “then today we had a meeting with his family where he mentioned Sabini. When I asked, his sister-in-law told me about what Sabini had done to him. About how my husband had been beaten to an inch of his life and brutalized, leaving him permanently scarred, and I knew I had to make the bastard pay.

“So, I lied to my husband and said I didn’t feel well. I went home, packed a bag, left him a note saying I’d be back, and went to London. I rented a hotel room where I changed into a fancy dress and did my hair and makeup, then I wrapped a knife to my thigh and slid my wedding ring into my bag and went to The Eden Club. News of a Shelby woman spread quickly and Sabini showed up to question me within an hour. I lied to Sabini, told him that I didn’t want to be a Shelby and that I had never wanted to be one. He took me back to his office and I sat on his lap and made him think I was about to cheat on my husband when I slit his throat and made sure he knew it was because of what he’d done to my husband. I left a message on his desk, went back to the hotel, grabbed my bag, and then headed back to our house.”

Silence filled the room for a long moment as Tommy stared at you. His eyes were unreadable as he watched you.

“What did the message say?” He suddenly asked.

“Revenge is a scorned Shelby.”

“Nothing about the Peaky Blinders?” He asked curiously, tilting his head slightly.

“No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It wasn’t Peaky business,” you answered confidently, watching him just as closely as he watched you as he stood from his chair and came to stand in front of you.

“Was it not?” He questioned, taking the untouched glass of whiskey from your hand and setting it on the desk before turning back to stare you down.

“No. It was Shelby business, but not Peaky business.”

“Explain.”

“He didn’t just harm a Peaky Blinder. He harmed a Shelby, my Shelby.” Your gaze was unwavering as you held eye contact with him. You wanted him to know you meant your words. He was yours, and the protective touches on your back when you were in public and the way he intimidated and glared at any man who tried approaching you was all the proof you needed to know that you were his.

“So I’m your Shelby?” He asked as he took a step towards you and continued to do so until you pressed against the office door.

“Yes.”

“And that means you’re mine?” He questioned, his hands now pressed against the wall on either side of your head.

You could feel that you were walking into some sort of trap, but you didn’t have a way out of it right now. All you could do was be honest.

“Yes.”

“Then you should know something about what it means to be mine.”

“What’s that?” You asked, your breathing getting shorter as he lowered his face so it was level with yours.

In a second his hands were on your waist and he had you picked up against the wall with legs instinctively wrapping around his hips.

“My Shelby is to never come home wearing another man’s coat again,” he said, pressing his lips to yours in a rough kiss.

You don’t know what reaction you had expected from him, but being pinned to his office door and him kissing you hadn’t been one you had thought of. Your shock wore off after half a second and you returned the kiss as your arms wrapped around his neck to keep him close.

“You’re not mad?” You asked against his lips.

“At you starting a war?” He questioned, leaning down and beginning to trail kisses hastily down your neck.

“Yes,” you replied, leaning your head back to give him more access.

“Livid,” he said with no hint of joking in his voice.

“This is quite the punishment,” you replied sarcastically. A moan fell from your lips as he nipped at your pulse point.

“Oh, I’m livid,” he said, looking up at you, “but also extremely turned on at the thought of my wife slicing a man’s throat over me and coming home still covered in his blood.”

You weren’t given a chance to respond before he was kissing you again. Your hands came down to his tie, pulling it loose before starting to work at the buttons of his waistcoat.

He didn’t bother setting you down, only turned the two of you around and walked you over to the couch in the office. He laid you down on it and then pulled the waistcoat off before leaning back down between your legs and kissing you again once. His lips started trailing down your neck again while your hands went to undo the buttons of his shirt.

“Someone’s impatient tonight,” he teased as nipped at your skin again.

“You’re the one who pinned me to the door after I revealed I killed a man for you,” you replied in the same teasing tone as him. You undid the last button of his shirt and pushed the fabric off his shoulders, his undershirt following a second later.

He reached his hand to the side of your dress and unzipped it, pulling the fabric down your body while his hands grabbed hold of your underwear, stockings, and garters in the same move and pulled them off, leaving you completely naked underneath him.

He stared and looked over your body a moment longer before running his hands up your thighs and giving a gentle tap to your thigh,

“Up,” he said, causing your eyebrows to furrow in confusion.

You did as told though and sat up, leaving him enough room to lay on his back and pull you up to straddle him,

“Was killing a man not enough work?” You teased, not actually minding if he was going to have you ride him. At least it meant you wouldn’t be subjected to him teasing you when all you really wanted was for him to fuck you.

“That’s cute,” he said sarcastically, gripping your thighs and attempting to pull you further up his torso, “that’s not where you’re sitting tonight.”

The man was no stranger at using his mouth to make you see stars, but you’d never ridden his face before. You looked at him, the question obvious on your face.

“Seriously?” You asked even though you knew by his face that he was.

“Seriously. You were enough of a leader to go after Sabini, you’re enough of a leader to sit on my face. Up,” he repeated again while his grip on your thighs tried pulling you forward.

You did as you were told this time, shuffling forward until you were straddling his face. You weren’t given a choice of when to sit as his hands came to your hips and pulled you down, forcing your full weight onto his waiting mouth.

If there was one thing you were grateful for, it was Thomas’ ability to use his tongue and lips in more than just outsmarting his enemies.

His tongue trailed through your lips, his hands keeping your hips in place, while his tongue slowly explored you at first.

It had only taken a couple weeks for you to crack and make the first move on Tommy, joining him in bed one night when you’d decided you could trust him, and you’d been insatiable and addicted to him ever since, though he never complained. He’d spent the first couple times figuring out every move that made you tick and every name that made your cheeks flush and used them to his advantage at every turn.

His tongue was a gift with the way he knew exactly how to use it. He dragged it up and down between your folds, drinking in every bit of your arousal before focusing on your clit, alternating between quick flicks and long drags.

Tommy’s hands on your hips began guiding them, silently instructing you to take control. You didn’t hesitate in going along with what he wanted you to do and began rocking your hips. One of your hands trailed to his hair while your other went to lay on top of one his that gripped your hip. You hadn’t realized the volume of your moans until you felt the vibration of his moan against your clit.

Your hips jerked at the added stimulation and he hummed against you purposefully, his eyes never leaving you as your hips sped up, chasing your own high. Within moments you could feel it approaching and your grip on his hair and hand tightened, moans of his name falling from your mouth like a prayer.

“Please, fuck,” you cried, whimpers falling from your lips, “Tommy, Tommy…”

Your high crashed over you a moment later and you felt Tommy’s movements begin to slow down as you rode out your high, your chest rising and falling rapidly as you caught your breath.

You went to move off of him, but his grip on your hips tightened at the same time that his tongue started speeding up again.

Your moans of pleasure turned to whimpers of over stimulation and you squirmed against him, but he didn’t let up. Your hips jerked as you tried moving away from him, but all it did was add to the stimulation.

You could practically feel him smirking underneath you as he continued on, watching as your eyes clenched shut and you relented yourself to letting him torture you so beautifully.

If it wasn’t for the way your body was on edge from not being given any type of break after your first orgasm, you might have felt slightly ashamed at the way he was able to bring you to your second orgasm so quickly.

And then your third.

Tears were freely falling from your face when he finally slowed his movements to a stop and helped you to lay down on your back.

He trailed soft and slow kisses along your thighs and stomach to help bring you back down to earth. When his lips reconnected with yours, you returned the kiss, letting your eyes fall shut at the surprisingly tender moment.

“Next time you want to start a war, at least let me know your plans,” he said, causing you to open your eyes and be met with a smirk dancing across his lips, “and don’t doubt my punishments.”

You could’ve smacked the smirk off his face if it wasn’t for the fact he had turned your entire body into mush.

“Think you can be a good girl and handle one more?” He asked.

Your cheeks flushed at the praise and his hands moved to his belt and pants, pulling them off after you nodded your confirmation.

Once the rest of his clothes had been removed, he gently lifted your legs and positioned himself between them. He was gentle as he pushed inside you, but the smirk on his face from the way your voice cracked when you moaned was obvious.

The stretch was familiar at this point, but it didn’t mean you didn’t need the moment he gave you to adjust. When you nodded your head, he started moving.

Tommy knew your body like he knew his own after your time together. His hips immediately changed position as he started thrusting, making sure to hit the spot inside you that added to the ways your legs shook underneath him.

He leaned down and placed his elbows on either side of your head, capturing your lips in a kiss right as a moan parted through them. One of his hands came back to cradle the back of your head and his fingers tangled into your hair to keep you close to him.

His other hand went to one of your legs and pulled it up so it rested in the crook of his elbow, causing him to hit even deeper inside you.

The action caused you to let out a high pitched moan and you wrapped your arms around him. Your next moan broke the passionate kiss the two of you had shared while your nails raked down his back.

“Who do you belong to?” He asked, beginning to speed up the movements of his hips.

“Y-you,” you moaned out, your back arching underneath him.

“Say my name. Who do you belong to?” He repeated.

“Thomas Shelby,” you answered and dropped your head back.

“Good girl. You’re my fucking wife,” he moaned out. He sat up, using one hand to keep your leg up in the same position while his other hand went to your already over sensitive clit, “all mine. No other man gets to touch you, look at you, or even fucking think of you. It’s my cock that you’re whimpering over right now, and it’s the only cock you’ll ever be whimpering over again.”

“I’m yours, Tommy,” you repeated, your voice breaking as moan after moan fell from your lips.

“Then cum for me. Be a good Shelby wife and make a fucking mess on my cock just like how you made a mess of this war tonight,” he commanded.

You didn’t need any more encouragement from him as your fourth orgasm hit you, causing your back to arch again and your nails to run down his arms.

His moves start to become more sloppy and his pace sped up as he began to chase his own high, the feeling of your cunt squeezing around his cock only driving him closer to the edge.

“Want to feel you Tommy, please,” you moaned underneath him, “please, cum inside me.”

“Fuck,” he swore out. His hips pushing against yours as his high hit him and his arms came down to either side of your head again while he shoved his face into your neck, completely claiming you as his own while his cum filled you.

His hips slowed as he rode out both of your highs and your arms came to wrap around him, placing a gentle kiss on the side of his head you could reach.

Once the two of your breathing had slowed down to a normal pace, he moved to push himself up and your legs around his waist tightened along with your arms.

“Don’t. Not yet,” you said in a quiet voice.

“I’m going to crush you, love.” He placed soft kisses along your shoulders between his words as he tried warning you.

“I’m a grown woman. I’ll tell you if it’s too much,” you replied and began running your nails softly along the shaved part of his head, knowing the motion worked on him every time.

“Stubborn,” he falsely chided, but relented and relaxed back into your hold.

“Little late to the party if you’ve just worked that out.” Your reply causing both of you to chuckle. “Remind me to start more wars if it means you fuck me like that every time.”

His hand came down and gently slapped your thigh in response while a burst of quiet giggles left your lips.

“Stubborn and a brat,” he teased, sitting up again and carefully sliding out of you.

“Too bad you’re stuck with me,” you responded with a smirk.

“I don’t think of it that way,” he said as he stood up and wrapped his arms under your waist and legs before pulling you up into his arms.

“How do you think of it?” You asked him as he carried you across the hall and into your shared room.

“I think I’m lucky enough to be married to a woman who killed for me over a years-old attack even though we’d never even said that we loved each other.” He set you down in the middle of the bed before crawling in next to you and pulling you into his chest.

A bright blush rose to your face as he pointed out that you had never even said you loved each other, even though you had admitted to him earlier that you had fallen for him. You didn’t know how to reply immediately and you turned in his arms to look up at him, his arms staying locked around your waist.

He didn’t seem to expect you to reply though, because he leaned in to you, pressing his lips against yours. The kiss was tender and sweet, as if he was trying to communicate what your actions had meant to him without having the words to say it.

“I fell for you, too,” he finally admitted, “I don’t know when it happened, but I know that I realized it tonight. The panic I felt to see your note and to see you come home covered in blood. The anger I felt over seeing you another man’s jacket. The way I felt when you revealed what you had done and why…” He trailed off, looking down at you and seeming to try and memorize every part of your face, “You’re mine.”

“I’m yours and you’re mine,” you replied, leaning up to kiss him.

“I’m yours and you’re mine.”

[rainhidesmytears]

Early bird-- Jareth x reader

Dawn broke upon the labyrinth, stretching it's wide arms over the horizon and poking it's fingers through the cracks in the curtains. Jareth grinned in delight. It was morning now! Now, finally, you could be awake! 

Shifting in bed, he sat up, whispering, “Darling, you must get up.” 

You stayed asleep, contentedly snoozing. A soft sigh fell from your lips as you shifted, burrowing further into the blanket. He frowned. He poked your cheek. Still asleep.

“Dearest!” He whispered again, “Arise! It's morning! Now you must wake up!” 

You kept sleeping, and you looked peaceful there. Like a faerie resting upon a flower after a long spring day. Though, you were far prettier than any faerie. 

“Wake up!” 

You gasped, before groaning and glaring at him through slotted eyes. 

“What time is it?” You grumbled.

“Morning!” He chirped, like a princess in a fairytale, “And I've been waiting all night, watching you sleep, because you have left me terribly lonely.” 

Curse him and his strange early mornings! He was the Goblin King! He should sleep in! Why, when you first met him, he looked like the type to sleep in! But no! He didn't! Somehow, despite always going to bed late, he always managed to be up before the rays of dawn, but that made sense, he barely needed any sleep at all as one of the fair folk. 

But STILL!

Could he not let you rest in? You were human after all! And while you stayed up with him, you needed sleep! 

“Dearest,” he murmured, “you cannot stay in bed all day.” 

“I am going to beat you with your stick!” You snapped, turning away from him, before glaring at the window, where that dreaded, horrible light came in, “One day, I’m going to yank it from your pretty hands and smack you with it!” He gasps, a hand landing on his chest, “Me?” “Yes, you!” 

With that, you closed your eyes. 

“Always waking me up at the crack of dawn!”

“Well! Forgive me for wanting to see you!” 

“Forgive me for wanting to sleep in! You need to sleep in! You stay up too late and wake up too early!” 

“Stop scolding me like a child!” “Stop waking me up at the crack of dawn! Oh Jareth!” you cried pathetically, now laying on your back, a hand on your head, “Don’t you know I’m human? Look at me!” 

You thrust your arm towards him now, pointing at it. 

“I’m all squishy and fragile! I’ll break easily if you don’t take care of me!” He deadpanned, “If I recall correctly, dear one, you said you weren’t delicate at all.” 

“And you believed me?!”

With that, he burst into raucous laughter, which caused the corners of your mouth to turn despite yourself. 

“Oh my darling love!” he exclaimed,before cradling your cheeks,  “How could I have believed you? You are right! You are delicate, fragile, like glass!” “You’re just saying that so you’ll have an excuse to hoard me within the castle.” “Me? Hoard you?” 

“Yes, you!” you sat up, pinching his cheek, “But I'll just have to keep figuring out your little traps.”

He scowled at that, but you kept smirking, now settling upon his lap, figuring that this was the least you deserved, since he did this every morning. It was a ritual, this banter, and you adored it. Resting your head against his chest, you yawned, rubbing your eyes. 

“I’m very clever, you know.” you added. He sighed dramatically, his shoulders slacking in profound exhaustion, “Oh, I know darling, you remind me every day.”

“Just like I know that you love me because I’m clever, and that little sigh was because you’re my dramatic little thing, aren’t you?”

He cradled your face again, one thumb stroking your cheek. 

“Of course, dearest,” then he gave you that longing look, as if he didn’t already have you sitting upon his lap and cooing over him, “I love you for so many things, my clever little beastie.” 

His hand wandered to your hair, gently petting it, and you yawned, settling against him and closing your eyes, knowing that you’d do this all again tomorrow. Not that you minded. 

Though, perhaps, it would be a good idea to get a stick.

[rainhidesmytears]

*casually tosses this into the pile with all the other pale-haired assholes i’ve written*

for all the things my hands have held (jareth the goblin king x gender neutral!reader, labyrinth)

“Five hours.”

His fingertips curl idly around the crystal sphere cupped in his palm, his body a languid sprawl atop the lip of the labyrinth.

“Damn,” you mutter, curling dirty palms around your knees as you attempt to catch your breath. Five hours, huh? Better than the four hours it had taken Jareth to find you last time, or the two before that, but still. 

You feel the weight of the Goblin King’s fierce gaze baring down upon your bent head. “You’re filthy.”

You scowl, dusting off your clothes with a few swipes of impatient hands. “I fell,” you return sourly. The distant sound of wingbeats had startled you into a run and a twisting root in your path had sent you sprawling straight onto the dusty floor of the labyrinth. “We agreed on no magic.”

“You reneged on our agreement,” Jareth returns coolly, his sharp eyes darting down to your hand. “And so I followed suit. Hoggle’s penchant for baubles remains, I see. How fortunate for you.”

You tuck your hand behind your back, though the futility of the gesture has been made more than apparent. “No magic was what we agreed on,” you persist, feeling the missing weight of the ring you’d given Hoggle prickling along your nerves. “Not that I couldn’t ask for help.”

Jareth scoffs, the crystal sphere disappearing from his palm in a blink. With a move far more graceful than any you could reasonably perform, he leaps from the lip of the labyrinth and lands before you in a whirl of obsidian robes. They settle about his form like a pair of great wings, and despite yourself, your heart gives a resounding thump at the sight. 

The Goblin King holds out a gloved hand. “Let me see.” 

You think about refusing, but ultimately slip your hand into his. You’re caked in dust and dirt from your mad dash through the labyrinth - and your subsequent tumble - but Jareth seems to care little about the filth upon your skin marring his own. He merely studies your fingers and the empty space where a ring had once sat, an indistinguishable expression upon his handsome face.

“You’ll be needing a new ring, I take it,” he murmurs, thumbing at the strip of bare skin. Even through the barrier of his gloves, the warmth of his skin sinks into yours, and you struggle against the urge to press closer. His nose wrinkles. “And to bathe,” he mutters, ignoring the sour look the quip earns him. “Come along then.”

Before you can protest, his robes have whipped about you and spirited you away. When next you’re aware, you find yourself standing within the castle, the gently steaming basin that houses the Goblin King’s private bath filling the room with steam. 

It takes you a moment to right yourself, Jareth’s preferred method of travel never failing to leave your mind spinning. By the time your stomach has ceased its tumbling, Jareth has divested himself of his robes and gloves, his slender fingers working at the ruffled sleeves of his tunic and exposing lean forearms to the humid air.

His expectations are clear, and with a thudding pulse, you turn away from his gaze and set about wriggling free of your dirt-laden clothes.

It isn’t the first time the Goblin King has seen you in a state of undress, nor is it the first time you’ve been within these chambers together, and yet your face burns as you ease within the warmth of the steaming bath, the heat an immediate balm to the aches and pains you’d sustained from your long trek through the labyrinth. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot a pair of goblins making off with your dirty clothing. “Don’t - !” you start, only to be stalled by a wave of Jareth’s hand.

“They’ll be returned once they’ve been rid of the muck you soiled them with,” he tells you, a slim brow arched as your expression softens into relief. “Though I cannot fathom why you continue to persist in wearing nothing else.”

“I like my clothes,” you return, your lips twitching as Jareth’s brows furrow in annoyance. He had tried time and time again to ply you with the ruffled and bejeweled trappings of his own vast closet, but you preferred the simplicity and comfort of the clothing you had arrived in, clothing that Jareth continued to scoff at but would dutifully return to you after they’d been cleaned or mended. 

Such generosity was to be hoarded like gold from your arrogant and selfish King, particularly when they arrived without fanfare. There was little you could do if Jareth chose to take those last trappings of home and spirit them away as swiftly as he’d spirited you, and yet a part of you knew he never would.

The thought warms you. You duck beneath the surface of the water to scrub the dirt and grit from your face, and when you resurface it’s to the sight of Jareth warming a sweet-smelling oil between his bare palms, keen eyes catching yours and urging you to his side.

His palms are warm and smooth against your arm when you present it to him, the oil sinking into your skin and filling the air with the scent of lavender and sweet herbs. You find yourself watching his face as he attends to you, the way his eyes follow the ascension of his palms along your wrist and forearm, the way his lips part as he breathes.

The ritual is a familiar one. Many of your excursions into the labyrinth had ended just like this, with the Goblin King ridding you of the day’s grime, fingers sure and strong against your arms, your shoulders, your scalp. 

The game you played was a simple one: to escape his reach, if only to prove that you could, and to reap the reward he had promised you in return - a single wish. 

“Whatever you desire,” he had vowed to you, his voice a silken drawl each time you stood before the entrance to the labyrinth. 

He always found you. Whether it be by magic or by might, trickery or luck, you found yourself in the arms of the Goblin King no matter how cleverly you played his game, and yet the disappointment of failure never seemed to strike you here, not with Jareth’s fingers dragging scented oils along your skin. 

“Tell me.” You blink at the sound of his voice, tilting your head back to peer into his winsome face. The wall of stone at your back is cool despite the heat of the water, but its chill is not what sends a shiver down your spine. No, that honor belongs to your host, for even perched upon the lip of the steaming basin, his hands and arms bare, Jareth exudes all of the charm and power of a fierce King. “What will you wish for?”

You chew on the inside of your cheek, the words lingering on the tip of your tongue. Secrets were to be guarded fiercely within the labyrinth, lest they be used against you, but you doubted that Jareth had asked for such a paltry purpose as that. No, you can guess the direction of his thoughts well enough, having spent enough time in the man’s presence to know how his mind worked, the depths of his desires and the fierceness of his rage, should they be on the cusp of slipping from his grasp.  

He wonders if you’ll wish for your freedom. You can see it in the stillness of his gaze, the firm line of his lips, the furrow of his brow. You can feel it in the drag of his fingers, warm and damp against the hollow of your throat.

You press into his touch, and you tell him, “A kiss.” 

Jareth’s brows twitch, his sharp gaze gaining a new edge as he peers down into your face, searching, perhaps, for a lie, and finding none.

“And if your wish were granted?” His voice has grown low, little more than a rasp, and his touch trails along your throat, feeling your pulse in the pads of his fingers. “Here, now?”

You suck in a breath, holding it in the cage of your chest before it releases, thick. “I would ask for another,” you confess, and the slow curl of Jareth’s lips sends heat spilling into your belly. 

The scent of herbs and lavender makes your head spin, but it’s Jareth’s hands curling around your cheeks that makes your pulse run. He turns you to face him, fingertips wrapping around your jaw, and you catch the brilliant gleam of satisfaction in his eyes before he dips his head to yours. 

You expect his kiss to be fierce, harsh, all sharp edges and hunger, but the Goblin King takes your mouth with a softness that makes you tremble, his lips moving gently against yours, tilting, parting, tasting of skin and heat and magic.

Lost beneath his touch, your wet fingers curl within his ruffled collar, eager and clumsy. You can do little else from the warmth of the bath, its waters lapping gently against the walls of the basin. Jareth laughs at your desperation, a soft, low rumble against your lips, and flicks his tongue against your own, tasting you, his hands dragging along your sides and wrapping, firm and possessive, around your hips. 

“And if I grant you another?” he murmurs against your lips, gaze sharp and bright and vicious. “What then? What more shall you ask of me, I wonder?”

“Another,” you moan, the barest graze of his mouth against yours flooding your veins with want. Your fingers delve within the loosened folds of his collar, seeking warmth, seeking skin. “And another, and another - “

Jareth kisses you silent, kisses you deep. You feel greedy, gluttonous, eager to consume and be consumed in turn, but any shame you might feel is tempered by your surety that Jareth would have you no other way - bare, hungry. 

His.

[rainhidesmytears]

The garden-- Jareth x reader

“Darling!” Jareth called, waving towards you, “Come and join me!” 

You looked away from your dirt covered hands and towards him, raising an eyebrow at the fact that he not only sat underneath an overly large umbrella, but that said umbrella was currently parked underneath a tree. He adjusted his large sunglasses, and you felt bad for the poor goblin fanning him with a large leaf as if he was some ancient pharaoh. The chair Jareth lounged upon added to the image, a luxurious throne carved out of golden swirls that towered above his head, only to peek into a carved owl. 

You never said your husband was humble. 

“You know I'm gardening,” you called back, feeling the sun stain your shoulders and the breeze stroke your face, “I don't see why you insisted on coming out here!”

He crossed his arms, and you knew he rolled his eyes by the way he moved his head. Of course, he faked a pout a few feet away from you. 

“Do you not wish to see me dearest?” he asked. 

“Of course I do! But I wish–”

“Be careful what you wish for!”

“I wish you could come and garden with me. But I know you don't like dirt!” now, you pouted, “So, I’ll do it myself.” 

With this, he crossed one leg over the other, now tapping his fingers against the arms of the chair as he watched you, lips pulled into a frown. You were covered in dirt! Your hair, which of course had been beautifully done this morning, woven with flowers, was now affray– a sigh escaped his lips. He rested his chin on his hand, now, lips pulling up at the corners. 

The way the sun shone on you made his heart quiver. The way your eyebrows knitted in concentration, and another sigh left his lips. His gaze traveled to the goblin fanning him. He wished to see the sight of you here, alone, without that idiot who was so eager to please. Jareth frowned at the creature. 

“Go get lemonade. Two glasses. Filled with ice.” 

“But who will–” 

Jareth leaned over his chair, “Did I stutter?” 

The goblin dashed off just as you wiped the sweat off your brow, letting out a breath. You turned towards him, and your cheeks flushed. His gaze made your heart buzz and despite being peeved at being all alone, you couldn’t help but feel your tummy flip. Oh, how could you be such a love sick puppy around him? Every time you two were around each other, it was as if you were children playing a game only you understood. Perhaps, in some way or another, all relationships were a game, or just the ones with his kind, anyway. 

“Precious!” he crooned, “Are your cheeks getting flushed?” 

“No!” 

He smirked, tutting, “Oh but I know you too well, don’t I darling? How dare you try and hide how flustered you are around me! Tell me, won’t you sweetness, what I did to make you so bashful?” He then stopped, before frowning, “The flowers better not be trying to flirt!” 

You sent him a look, giggling, “No!”

“Then, what is it?”

You side eyed him, before going back to work, causing him to scoff.

“You cannot ignore me!”

You ignored him. It was a part of the game, afterall. 

“Darling!”

You stabbed the dirt and dug it up.  You'd been working on the soil here for months now, gently nudging Jareth to let it rain more within the labyrinth, while also making piles of compost. Much to your surprise, there were talking worms who loved the stuff, and happily help you revitalize the soil within the garden. 

“Dearest!”

You hummed softly, a smile spreading across your features. The soil was a dark, earthy brown, and you couldn't help but admire your work. Done with the digging, you grabbed a plant and plopped it into the earth. Flowers really did brighten up the place, though you felt bad for having the goblins steal these. 

“My love!” Jareth called.

You started to dig another hole. 

“Don't ignore me!” He exclaimed, sounding like an annoyed kitten, before rising from his seat, stomping towards you.

His cape billowed behind him like a black shadow, and the sun caused his hair to shimmer like spun sunlight. You couldn’t help but watch the way his shirt exposed his chest, and ignored the urge to slide your hands underneath the silky fabric. Jareth sighed, hands on his hips as he glowered at you. 

“Did you call me, my love?” You asked, voice tilting. 

Towering over you, he scowled, before leaning over and poking your forehead. You laughed. 

“You ignored me!” He cried, “how dare you ignore me?”

“I heard you,” you shrugged,” but I just didn't respond!”

He stomped his foot.

“Don't be upset, lovey,” you cooed, “I’d make it up with a kiss, but we both know you despise dirt. You'd hate to get your clothes dirty.”

He scoffed, and much to your surprise, he grabbed the collar of your shirt, bringing you into a passionate kiss. It made your stomach roll, it took your breath away, and for a moment– you were falling. 

Then, he pulled away with a smirk.

He was so cruel! Doing that to you! Yet, you smiled anyway, and your cheeks heated, and giggles left you. Chuckling, he tutted as you tried to hide behind your hands.

“Oh no, you won't cover your face, darling, especially from me.”

He grabbed your wrists, pulling your hands away, before capturing his lips within yours. It was like meeting the universe. Or perhaps, meeting home. His lips were warm, soft, inviting, and you heard a soft intangible thud as he landed upon his knees. 

Now, you pulled away, “You've gotten dirty.”

He frowned, “I don't give a damn. Kiss me again.”

Despite your messy hands, you grabbed his collar, kissing him again, again, again. It was so fun, this game, or whatever this was. Was love supposed to be fun? In response to your forwardness, soft noises escaped him, and you couldn't help the smirk coating your lips. Of course, you had to pull away. Teasing was a part of the fun, after all.

“Oh dear,” you murmured, “there’s dirt on your shirt!” He narrowed his eyes, “Yes, my beloved. And there’s dirt on yours! Now, I must demand you abandon this task, don’t you see how it has exhausted you so?” “What’s in it for me?” He groaned, rolling his eyes,  “If you let the goblins plant this garden for you, my dear, I will kiss you.”

“Is that it?”

“Oh my darling, my world, my moon and stars! What else could you want?”

“I will let the gardener plant the rest of these blossoms, but you will plant one before I do. Deal?”

He gasped, hands traveling to his face, “My love!”

“Just one.”

“Oh, how you torture me!” 

“Then I'll do the rest.” You replied, turning away from him, only for him to pull you into his lap.

“Fine!”

“Then, my darling, do we have a deal?” 

“Yes, my beloved, we have a deal. How you test me.” 

You felt your lips curling upwards as a gasp left you. 

“Really?!”

“Yes.” he mumbled, arms crossed.

You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed his glittered cheek, before grabbing a plant and shoving it into his hands. He sighed dramatically.

“We have a deal.”

“I do.”

With that, you dug a hole in the dirt with your spade, before he plopped the plant into it. You covered it for him, before smiling at him again.

“We have a deal, darling.” he said.

You chuckled, playing along, “I know, dearest.” 

“You really ought to reward me for the strenuous work.” 

Jareth stood, dusting off his pants with a frown, before offering you a gloved hand. Once you took it, he smirked as the both of you walked out of the garden together, knowing he’d won. Though, he never quite knew he could share a victory until he met you, and he knew that despite his best instincts, he’d kneel in the dirt just to relish you once more. 

[rainhidesmytears]

Hi,

love your writings,keep it up!❤️

Could you please write a one-shot, where the reader is Will‘s best friend and Hannibal is in love with her?He met her when the reader dropped Will off for his therapy. Will is scared that Hannibal will hurt the reader, after Hannibal decides to court her.But she assures him,she will be safe and ends up with Hannibal.(nsfw?)

Hannibal X Reader: The best friend

Warnings: smut, fluff, jealousy (very little), nipple sucking, penetration (p in v), fingering, kissing, cursing, pet names, Hannibal being a tease, no use of y/n, not proofread

Word count: 3,1K

Wills mentioned you about a hundred times during therapy. You are and have been his rock for years now so it’s only natural he talks about you a lot. It was safe to say Hannibal had developed a curiosity about you. Will talked about you in such an angelic light the doctor couldn’t help but cultivate a desire to meet you. Lucky for him Wills car had started having some mechanical problems so you ended up needing to drop him off one day.

Hannibal opened the door, expecting to only see Will in the waiting room but instead his eyes fell on your back. You were gazing at a painting on the wall, your head tilted to the side as you observed it. Hannibal stared at you for a small moment before his eyes fell on Will. 

“Hello Will.”

You spun around at the sound of Hannibal's voice. You don’t know why you’d expected Hannibal to be an old man. Will had never described him in such a manner but for some reason in your mind therapists were old men with white hair and wise eyes. Hannibal was nothing like that. When he opened the door you’d thought maybe he was the son of Will's therapist but when your best friend turned to face you, gesturing to the young man before you, and introducing you it's safe to say you were shocked. It took you a small moment to regain your attention, your eyes moving over the features of the handsome man before you. Will called out your name causing you to snap out of it.

“Sorry. You’re not what I expected.”

“Oh? I hope I've exceeded your expectations.”

“You could say that.”

Will picked up on your teasing tone, one you would often use when flirting with someone but he decided to ignore it for the time being. He watched you stick out your hand to Hannibal giving it a firm shake. Hannibal's hand tingled at the feeling of your skin on his. For some reason he couldn’t take his eyes off you, it was like you had some sort of magnet hold over him. It took a cough from Will to break his daze. But it was already too late you’d picked up on the way he looked at you. You couldn’t help but smile at the attention he gave you.

“I better leave you to it. I’ll wait in the car, call me when you’re ready Will.”

You moved over to him tugging him into a hug. He let you embrace him, his hands moving to hold onto your frame. Hannibal watched the interaction, his heart clenching when he saw you place both palms on wills cheeks before tellings him

“It will be okay. He’ll help you. Won’t you Hannibal?”

“Of course.”

You placed a small kiss to Will's cheek, before releasing him and turning to leave. Before you got a few steps in though Hannibal's voice boomed across the room. 

“You could stay inside. It’s rather cold out there and I'm sure sitting in your car would be rather uncomfortable.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”

“I insist, make yourself comfortable. This could take a little while.”

You gave him a smile and Hannibal swore his heart almost popped out of his chest at the sight.  He turned around usering Will into the room before moving to close the door. The entire session Hannibal's mind was preoccupied with the thought of you. He tried his best to focus on Will as he spoke but he couldn’t help but turn to face the door that separated you from him. Despite the distance he could smell your perfume. The scent seemed to seep through the cracks just to tease him. He wondered what you were doing. His waiting room was never equipped with magazines or books because his clients usually never waited for a long time. He wondered if you were bored out there. Perhaps he should have offered you one of the books from his large bookshelf to keep you company. He doubted they’d be entertaining to you though, most of them were filled with medical lingo. 

You were almost falling asleep when the door opened. Your eyes snapped open at the sound, body moving to straighten itself in your seat. Will made his way over to you, extending his hand out. You took it, allowing him to lift you up. 

“How was the session?”

“It was good. Not that different from what it usually is like.”

You placed your hand on Will's chest, trying to feel his heartbeat.

“Do you feel lighter now?”

Will let out a small nod causing you to smile. You turned to face Hannibal. He looked up at you forcing his gaze to move from where your hand clung to Will's body. 

“You really are a miracle worker Hannibal. You should have seen him on the ride over here. He was practically shaking.” 

“She’s exaggerating.”

“I am not! You always think you’re fine until you aren’t. And don’t you dare deny it, I've known you for years. I know how you work.”

Hannibal couldn’t quite tell if the two of you argued like an old married couple of like siblings. He hoped it was the latter. Hannibal reached into his pocket pulling out his card.

“Here.”

“What's this for?”

“It’s my number. Will has it but if he gets bad and decides to be stubborn about it you can always call me.”

“Thank you. I’ll make sure to call if I need to.”

“Come on, let's go home. I’ll drive you look like you’ll fall asleep on the wheel.”

With that you walked out of the room, hands reaching into your pocket to store Hannibal's number.

One night you were feeling a bit bored and decided to give Hannibal a call. You wanted to go out to eat but were feeling like having some company. You knew Will was busy with a case so you couldn’t count on him to go with you. You felt kind of bad for using Hannibal's number for a social call, he had given it to you for “emergencies”. Still, a part of you wondered if there had been another reason. To your delight Hannibal picked up quickly.

“Hey Hannibal.”

“Hello, is everything alright with Will?”

“Oh yeah! He’s fine. I actually called because i…you know what, maybe this was a bad idea. Sorry for bothering you.”

And then you hung up. 

Not a second later your phone rang again, Hannibal's number popped up on the screen.

“I think we lost connection.”

“Actually I hung up. Sorry.”

“Oh. Are you alright?”

“Yeah I'm fine. Just lonely and wanting some company.”

Hannibal's heart raced at your confession. He tried to understand why he’d called him instead of Will. 

“That's perfectly normal. Humans often crave connection. Is Will not around?”

“He’s busy with the FBI. It’s why I decided to actually call. I was thinking of going to a restaurant that just opened up and was wondering if you wanted to come.”

Silence filled the other line. You shook your head cursing yourself from assuming Hannibal wanted farther contact with you.

“Listen, it's fine if you don’t want to. I know you gave me your number for-”

“I’ll pick you up at eighth. How does that sound?”

“Oh yeah that's perfect. See you at eight.”

Just like he promised Hannibal was at your door at eight sharp. He rang the doorbell and patiently waited for you to open the door. He’d researched about the restaurant and noticed it was somewhat fancy so he opted for using a button down instead of one of his usual suits. When you opened the door Hannibal's jaw felt like it had fallen to the floor. You had cleaned up rather beautifully. He extended his arm to your and you couldn't help but smile at the gesture. Once you got to the car Hannibal moved to open your door for you.

“Well, aren't you quite the gentleman?”

“A lady like yourself deserves to be treated as such.”

“Well thank you kindly.”

The restaurant was very cozy. You were surrounded by couples out on dates but surprisingly you didn’t feel out of place. In fact you and Hannibal seemed to fit right in. Your meals came quickly and your conversation came with ease. You talked about everything you could remember and by the time desert arrived you felt like you’d known Hannibal for years. Hannibal watched you eye his desert in curiosity, he’d picked what most people would consider the strangest option on the menu.

“Would you like to try some?”

“Sure.”

You expected him to hand you his spoon or push his dish you way but instead Hannibal filled the spoon and rose it to your lips. You leaned over a bit allowing the spoon to come in contact with your mouth. Hannibal watched your lips wrap around the silverware, his blood racing down to his groin as he watched you close your eyes in pleasure. A small moan made its way from your lips as the exquisite taste.

“My gosh that's amazing.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“You really know your stuff when it comes to food.”

“It’s a bit of a hobby. You have something right there.”

“Here?”

“A bit more to the left. Here let me get it.”

Hannibal's hand moved from across the table, his palm cupping your cheek as his thumb moved over your lips to swipe away the residue of food. You watched him eye your lips for a moment before moving back into his chair. He raised his thumb to his lips, suckling it clean. Your thighs clenched at the sight. There was no way you could deny your attraction for Hannibal. 

Once you two finished your meal you paid and got up to go home. Hannibal drove you to your house. He stopped the car expecting you to simply get out and call it a night. Instead you turned to look at him from your seat. You gave him a smile.

“I had a lot of fun tonight. Thanks for joining me.”

“I’m glad to have been invited. I enjoyed spending time with you.”

You inched yourself closer to him, moving your face closer to his. Hannibal seemed to take the hint of his own body moving towards you. He met you halfway, his lips softly coming into contact with your own. It was a quick kiss, almost a way of saying goodnight, but it was also filled with promise. You pulled away, moving to open the door. Hannibal watched you exit his car leaning back down so that you could see his face.

“I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“I’d like that.”

With one final smile you shut the door and made your way towards your house. Hannibal waited for you to get inside before speeding down the road.

As the months went on you and Hannibal started hanging out more and more. You’d go to museums and operas. Hannibal would show up at your house with a bag of groceries out of the blew to make you dinner. With time you realized you wanted something more official with Hannibal which meant you needed to talk with will. It's safe to say he did not take it very well.

“No way.”

“Will you can’t tell me what to do.”

“You can't date my therapist. Actually scratch that you can't date Hannibal Lecter.”

“Why not?”

“Because he's dangerous!”

Your body flinched at the sound of Will's raised voice. He noticed the look of fright in your eyes making his eyes soften.

“Sorry. I shouldn;t have yelled.”

“It’s okay. I can tell this really bothers you.”

“It’s not that i don’t want you to be happy. It’s just that Hannibal isn't all he seems to be. People who get too close to him get hurt.”

“Did you?”

“Well yes.”

“And was he the one who hurt you?”

“Not exactly no.”

“Then why do you think he’d hurt me?”

“He’s odd.”

“So are you. And you’ve never hurt me. Ever.”

You were right. Will wasn’t exactly the most common person but he loved you and would never do anything that would harm you. Will knew how Hannibal could be but he also knew what the doctor was capable of. If he really liked you he would stop at nothing to protect you. Will could also tell that Hannibal made you happy. The past mouths you’d never stopped smiling. He couldn’t bear to take that away from you. It would be selfish of him. He turned to face you taking a deep breath.

“Does he make you happy?”

“Yes. More than I thought was possible.”

“Alright. But if he ever hurts you i’ll fucking kill him.”

You grinned at Will, running over to wrap him in a bone crushing hug.

Hannibal moved over to the door as the bell rang for the third time. He was starting to wonder what kind of emergency had happened for someone to be ringing his doorbell in such desperation. His eyes fell on your fame, lips moving to call out your name but before he could make a sound you’d crashed your lips against his. He stumbled backwards grabbing onto the wall as you continued to attack his lips. He placed his hand on your hips holding you against him. He breaks the kiss, noticing the large grin on your face.

“As much as I loved that, what made you so happy?”

“Will is okay with us being together?”

“Really?”

“Yeah! I almost didn’t believe it.”

Hannibal kisses you again and you can feel his smile against your skin. His hands move lower to grope at your ass. You squeal against his touch but he only laughs at the action.

“You know what that means right?”

“No. What does it mean?”

He drops his face to your neck, his lips inching closer to your ear. 

“You are mine.”

With one swoop Hannibal magganes to lift you off the ground. He holds your body close to his as he makes his way to the bedroom. He throws you on the bed causing the mattress to bounce beneath you. Before you can react he rips your clothes off with a hunger in his eyes you've never seen before. You can’t help but lie still, libs buzzing at what is about to come next. Hannibal removes his own clothes before crawling over your body. His hands draw small circles against the inside of your thigh causing you to whine.

“Please Hannibal…”

“What do you want?”

“Touch me please just touch me.”

“Touch you where? Here?”

He places his hand on your stomach, bows raised in questioning. You shake your head no.

“What about here?”

His hand moves to your breast and as much as you enjoy the feeling it's not where you want him most. 

“Hannibal.”

You grit out his name in warning but he knows you’re all bit and no bark. He’s got you under her and you’ll only get what you want if you explicitly tell him what it is. 

“Can’t touch you if you don;t tell me where.”

Impatience fills you. You grab onto his hand tugging it off your chest before roughly guiding it to your pussy. 

“Here. I want you to finger me.”

“Why didn;t you just say that?”

You scowl at his testing but it doesn't last long because soon his fingers begin to play with your folds. Your hips buck up at the contact, silently begging him to move faster. The moment his fingers delve into your pussy you can’t help but moan out his name.

“I love the way you sound with my name on your lips.”

You moan out his name again causing him to let out a pleased groan. Hannibal's head moves to your chest, his lips wrapping around your nipple. Your hands curl into his hair as he gives your breast a suck.

“Ah shit… that's it baby.”

You can see the muscles of Hannibal's arm flex as he continues to plunge his fingers into you. You enjoy the feeling of his hands on you but you’d waited for a long time to feel him inside you and you couldn't wait any longer. You pull him off your breast causing him to release it with a satisfying pop. 

“I want you to fuck me.”

“Aren’t i?”

“I mean. I want you to put your dick in Hannibal.”

Sometimes being literal with what you wanted was the only way to get it. Hannibal seemed to enjoy teasing you until you told him, in rather graphic detail, what you wished him to do to you. 

“Open your legs for me.”

You did as he asked, allowing him to slot his frame into yours. You eyes his dick bob up as he moved. It wasn’t the first time you;d seen him naked but you only now registered his size. Hannibal placed a finger on your chin lifting your face so that you would look at him.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle. I promise.”

“Okay.”

“Just breathe, dear.”

Slowly Hannibal inched himself inside you. He watched your brows furrow as he continued to push in, causing him to place a kiss on your temple. A groan asked his lips as he bottomed out. He could feel your breath on his neck as he stilled for a moment allowing you to become used to the feeling of him. 

“Please move.”

“You sure?”

“Yes pleas just fucking move.”

He rocked into you slowly, his chest swelling with pride at the sounds he managed to pull out of you. It was a tender sort of thing. Your bodies molded into each other as if they had been made from the same clay. Hannibal rested his forehead against yours as he continued to fuck into you. Your hands moved to his neck tugging at the small hairs there. 

“I love you.”

Your breathless confession caused Hannibal's eyes to snap open. He gazed into your eyes in a dazed state for a moment. Once he realized you had in fact spoken those words to him a large smile made his way to his face. He placed a kiss on your lips.

“I love you too.”

Your mouth opened in a quiet moan as your orgasm washed over you. Hannibal's hands moved beneath your body tugging you closer to him as he came into you. He rolled over pulling you on top of him. He didn;t bother to remove his body from yours. You felt his dick soften inside you, a sigh leaving your lips. You closed your eyes, allowing Hannibal's heartbeat lull you into sleep.

[rainhidesmytears]

Hannibal X Reader: An ethical issue

Summary: you wanna fuck your therapist thats it thats the plot

Warnings: smut, sex, penetration (p in v), fingering, pet names, making out, light choking, light bitting, hickeys, patient x therapist, unprotected sex, pet name (dear), not proof read (got lazy)

Word count: 2,9K

“It's unethical, you know?”

You raise your head to look at Hannibal, eyes making contact with his. He can see the questions swimming inside your head. You’d been deep in thought when he’d spoken and he had managed to break your train of thought . You placed your cup on the table, wiping your hands on your legs before focusing on Hannibal once more.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“It's unethical.”

“What is?”

“Wanting to fuck your therapist.”

Your eyes widen at Hannibal's words. His eyes bore into you, observing the way your face flushed the more he maintained eye contact. You should probably refute him but it's no use. Dr Lecter has seen into the deepest parts of your mind. He knows who you are. And now he knows your secret. The truth is the sessions had really been helping. It wasn't until recently that you’d found an ulterior motive for coming to every session. 

You had a crush on your therapist. 

You focus your gaze on the wall in front of you, trying your hardest to avoid looking directly at him. Your mind races to try and find something to say but you come up empty. From the corner of your eye you see Hannibal stand. He stays standing for a moment, looking at your frame. You close your eyes as you hear his shoes begin to move against the floor. A nervous sigh leaves your mouth as you feel his body move closer to your position. He stops a couple steps before you, causing you to bite the inside of your cheek. You wish the floor would open up and swallow you whole. Maybe you should just apologize to him. Tell him he was right and that you would figure out a way to get over him but that would be a lie. And if there was one thing you could never do to Hannibal was lie. He knew you too well. He'd be able to call you out immediately. 

Hannibal watched you squirm slightly, observing your nails scrap against your skin as you rubbed your arms nervously. You still hadn't looked at him. He had already begun to miss the eye contact. Hannibal called out your name.

“Look at me.”

“I can’t.”

“Of course you can, my dear. I want to see your eyes.”

His voice sent shivers down your arms. He was always soft spoken with you but the deepness of his voice as he spoke seemed to have shifted. Slowly, you turn your head to look at him. You have to raise your head a bit to see him properly due to the position you were in. Hannibal stared down at you tenderly. He looked at the doe eyed look that had made its way into your features. A smile spread across his face, a silent way of trying to calm you. Unfortunately it did quite the opposite. His smile seemed to stroke the fire that was already burning in between your legs. You shifted in your seat, trying to conceal your desire for him. Hannibal noticed the way you shift under his gaze. It made him feel powerful. He enjoyed it but he also couldn't help but reach out for you. 

“I can help you. If you ask me to.”

You watched Hannibal sink to his knees, allowing him to be face to face with you. You stare into his eyes, head tilting to the side as you do. He reached out for you, one hand moving to caress your thigh as the other made its way to your face. He’s trying his best to hold on, not wanting to go too fast and scare you off.

From the moment he’d first seen you you’d intrigued him. Despite everything you’d been through you were kind and trusting. Maybe even a little too trusting. It made Hannibal feel protective over you. He saw himself as your knight in shining armour and despite you not knowing it he would do anything you asked of him. 

“Hannibal…”

Your lips part as his name slips through them. It sounds almost like a moan which causes blood to go rushing down to Hannibal's groin.

“Yes dear?”

“I…I hum-”

“It’s okay. Tell me what you want.”

“You. I want you.”

A satisfied sound left Dr Lecter's lips at your confession. You shut your eyes expecting him to finally close the distance between you two but he doesn’t. Instead he rises from the floor and begins to walk away from you. You give him a puzzled look. Had he just been toying with you? Was this some sort of experiment? If it was you were sure you’d failed. But if that was the case why had he given you a hum of approval? 

“Come back to the real world dear. Don’t get stuck inside your own head.”

You forced your brain to focus on what was really happening instead of dwelling on negative thoughts. You’d been exercising your focus ever since your first session with Hannibal and you’d gotten pretty good with coming back to reality. Hannibal could tell by the way you looked at him that you'd managed to silence your mind. He gave you a proud smile.

“That's the fastest you’ve ever focused. Well done dear.”

“Thank you.”

“Come sit with me.” 

You rose from your chair, making your way to the blue loveseat Hannibal was sitting in.  You left a small amount of space between you too. The appropriate amount of space you thought there should be between a patient and their doctor. Hannibal couldn’t help but shake his head.

“Always so formal.”

“You’re one to talk. I don’t think I've ever seen you without a suit on.”

“Do you think about that a lot? Me without a suit I mean.”

“More often than I should if I'm being honest.”

It was strange. Despite everything that had happened moments ago this whole conversation still felt extremely professional. You felt like you were in one of your regular sessions. The only difference was the change of topics and the sitting layout. 

“You can come closer. I won't bite.”

Hannibal paused for a moment, turning his head so that he was looking directly in your eyes.

“Unless you want me to.”

He’d expected you to be shocked, perhaps even to get up from your spot due to his bluntness but to his surprise you didn’t. Actually you did quite the opposite. You began to laugh. He’d never heard the sound of your laugh before but he enjoyed it thoroughly. He’d have to make you laugh more often. 

Once your laughter died down you went back to looking at Hannibal. He watched your eyes shift over his face before you lifted your hand. Your fingers grazed against his cheek as you traced his skin. He never broke eye contact, eyes glued to yours even as you caressed his face. 

“I don’t think you have any idea how handsome you are.”

Your statement caught him off guard.  Your soft touches and loving gaze combined with your tender words had managed to make his head spin. For the first time in a while Hannibal felt his stomach bloom with what he could only describe as butterflies. He’d started off this conversation with the intention of touching on a sore subject, your infatuation with him, and had ended up discovering something about himself. It was unethical for you to want him but what was even worse is that he wanted you too. 

He’d moved so quickly that you hadn’t had time to react. Before you knew it Hannibal's lips were crashing into yours. Your body fell down onto the loveset at the force of Hanibal’s kiss, causing you to find yourself trapped beneath him. Your legs widened on instinct, allowing him to slot his large frame between them. Hannibal’s kiss was rough but caring. He nipped at your lower lip as his hands guided you to wrap your arms around his neck. You did as he asked, fingers digging into his shoulders as he pushed his tongue into your mouth. His mouth may have muffled your moans but it couldn't stop you from bucking up into him. You felt the outline of his dick against your thighs causing you to whine.

Hannibal loved the way you felt against him. He loved how your fingers clung to his hair as he kissed you. He loved the feel of your breasts pressed against his chest. But most of all he loved how desperate you were for him. You decided to wear a dress today. You didn’t  even really known why but you were glad you had. 

And so was Hannibal. 

One of his hands traveled down to your clothed cunt his fingers moving to the edge of your dress. He broke the kiss for a moment, leaning his head down so that he could see what he was doing. You watched him push your dress up allowing him to see your underwear. Hannibal’s head snapped up to look at your face. He gave you a small grin.

“Lovely color.”

“Shut u-hum!”

Hannibal’s fingers moved over your lips spreading them open before beginning to insert a digit inside. Your mouth fell open at the feeling, a broken moan slipping from your lips as it did. Hannibal watched your face fill with ecstasy as he continued to finger you. He’d orignally planned on bending you over his desk and fucking you from behind. But now that he’d seen the angelic look that came over your face as he pleasured you he knew he wanted to watch you cum on his dick. He’d fuck you on your back like a gentleman. 

Well, perhaps not like a gentleman. 

He’s barely done anything and you're already babbling nonsense beneath him. 

“Hannibal i-i fuck- there please there.”

“That feel good?”

“Yes please i wanna… i wanna-”

“Tell me what you want dear.”

“I wanna cum. Please make me cum.”

The way you beg for him makes him think the men you’d been with before hadn't really cared about your pleasure. The thought angers him but it also motivates him to show you how good you can feel. He enters a third digit and you can’t help but latch onto him as you cry out.  You pull his body closer to yours and he lets you. He feels your hardened nipples rub against his clothed chest making him want nothing more but to rip off his shirt. Later though, right now he needs to focus. His hand moves expertly against your pussy thumb moving to caress your clip as his fingers continue to penetrate you. You sigh out his name making him lift his head from where he was looking so that he could stare into your eyes. 

“Hanni… I'm gonna cum.”

“Go on then, cum for me.”

It was as if a verbal command was all that you needed to let loose. The second the words had left Hannibal's lips he felt your cum begin to coat his fingers. He watched your lips part, eyes rolling to the back of your head as you spasmed against him.

What a sight you were.

Hannibal removed his fingers from inside you placing a kiss to your temple before he rose to his feet. Your head lolled to the side, trying to follow him despite your blissed out state. Through blurry vision you saw Hannibal remove his suit jacket placing it carefully on his desk chair. He began unbuttoning his shirt slowly. As he did so he watched you come back to earth. Once you’d gained feeling in your body again you turned over, lifting yourself up so that you could watch Hannibal undress. He felt your eyes on him turning to face you. You gave him a smile which he returned.

“How are you feeling dear?”

“Wonderfull.”

“I’m glad. Tired?”

“Not really. Why?”

Hannibal tugged down his pants in one quick movement allowing his dick to spring free. You watched his member bob for a moment before turning your attention back to his face. 

“Because i’m going to fuck you. Take your dress off for me.”

You tugged at the edge of your dress pulling it off your body with ease. Once you’d gotten it off you threw it to the side before moving to unclasp your bra. Hannibal watched you throw your bra in the pile along with the rest of your clothes. 

“Stand for me dear.”

You did as he asked, hands moving to fidget with each other as he made his way back to you. Hannibal placed his hands on your cheek, cradling your face in them. His eyes trailed over your naked body before he gazed into your eyes once more.

“You are magnificent.”

Your lips latched onto Hannibals in desperation, legs moving backwards  towards the love seat. You crashed down onto a small couch once more tugging Hannibal down with you. You thought maybe he’d scold you for your desperation but by the look in his eyes and the feeling of his hard on against your thigh you could tell he needed this just as much as you did. You spit in your hand moving to stroke Hannibal's dick. He groaned against you, allowing you to caress him for a moment. He rested his face against your neck breathing in your scent as you stroked his member. His teeth grazed against your collarbone making you bite your lip. He sucked at your shoulder enjoying the small gasp that left your lips. Hannibal maneuvered his hand so that he could wrap it around your wrist stopping you from moving. 

“That's enough dear. I want to be inside now. Do you want me inside?”

“Yes Dr Lecter.”

Hannibal grined down at you as you gave him a cheeky smile. Without any warning he plunged into you making your body move backwards at the force. He fucked you with incredible speed, hips moving in a pace you didn’t think was possible. You dug your nails into his back as he continued to ram into you.  His hand moved to your throat, fingers wrapping around it with a gentle squeeze. Once he saw you didn’t flinch away from him he tightened his grip around you, not enough to stop your breathing but enough to give you a bit of a thrill. It was embarrassing how fast you reached your orgasm. Before you even realized you had begun spilling your juices around Hannibal's dick. You’d been so high on your own plesure you only noticed when Hannibal let ou a small “fuck” against your ear. Your body sagged into the loveseat as Hannibal continued to pistol into you. For someone whose job consisted of sitting for most of the time he had a lot of stamina. You drifted off into your head only realizing Hannibal had finished when you felt his body fall into yours. He wrapped his arms around you pulling you as close into his as physically possible. You moved to stroke his hair instinctively, the need to touch him consuming you.

“You did so well for me dear. Rest now.”

Hannibal placed a kiss on your chest. You felt him pull out of you making you feel empty. But you didn’t feel that way for long because before you knew it you had drifted off into sleep. 

You woke up on the loveset. Your lips part as you stretch, a yawn escaping your mouth. You could feel something soft surrounding you causing you to open your eyes. A blanket that hadn’t been there when you had fallen asleep was carefully wrapped around your naked frame. You pushed yourself onto your elbow, rubbing your eyes as you gazed around the room. 

“Sleep well?”

Your head snapped at the sound of his voice. Hannibal was standing on the other side of the room with his back turned to you. He was still completely naked. When you didn’t respond to his question Hannibal turned on his heels to face you. Instinctively your eyes trailed over his naked body, your mind going to last night's events. You moved to look at the clock on the wall. It read 9 o’clock.

“Don’t you have any appointments today?”

“I canceled.”

“Why would you do that?”

“So that we could have breakfast together.”

Hannibal moved away from the table he’d been working on giving you a clear view of the breakfast he’d laid out. You rose from the loveseat moving towards him. Hannibal watched you make your way to him, admiring the beauty of your body as you moved. He could see the hickeys he’d left on your neck last night. The sight pleased him greatly.

You looked over the contents of the table. Everything looked delicious. You shifted your gaze to Hannibal, a smile spreading over your face. You wrapped your arms around his waist giving him a hug. Hannibal's arms wound around your body, his hands moving to hold your head. 

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. Now sit. Your food is getting cold.”

The two of you sat down and began to eat. The room was quiet as you ate. It was a sort of quiet you’d become accustomed too. The quiet that came when your mind decided it needed to jump into action.

“What are you thinking over there?”

“What are we gonna do? About us, I mean. We clearly crossed a line yesterday.”

“Do you regret it?”

“No, of course not. Do you?”

“No. I do not.”

“Someone could find out. It could ruin your job.”

“I won’t tell if you don’t. It’ll be our little secret. Patient confidentiality and all that.”

“Our secret huh?”

“Is that alright with you?”

“Yeah. It is.”

“Wonderful. Now drink your coffee and finish your eggs.”

[rainhidesmytears]

Hey,

Do you still take Hannibal requests? If you do, could you please write a story, where Hannibal get‘s very jealous after a night out in the opera. The reader had finally met Franklyn, who is very interested in her ( because she‘s friends with Hannibal and part of the cheese folk).Hannibal is visibly angry when they are back in their opera seats… Could you also please end it with smut ( if you are comfortable with that).Thanks for considering!<3

A/n: Hey Hon thanks for the request i hope you like it!

Hannibal Lector x Reader: Jealousy, Jealousy

Warnings:smut, biting, kissing, penetration (p in v), fingering, possessive behaviour, public sex, unwanted flirting (from Franklin), fluff, happy ending, no use of y/n, female reader

Word count:2,9K

Hannibal is pissed. No scratch that. He’s seething. But you can’t see it. No one can. He’s just that good at hiding it. Even so, everyone has a breaking point. 

This was Hannibals.

Franklin had met you at the last opera you and Hannibal had gone to and from that moment it seemed he had grown some sort of infatuation with you. Hannibal always loathed his sessions with Franklin, his ever growing desire to be Hannibal’s friends making the doctor rather uncomfortable, but he never imagined it could get worse. Boy was he mistaken. It seemed like Franklin couldn’t utter a single sentence without mentioning your name. Hannibal watched him dance around the subject for days until he finally got to the point.

“You think you could give me her number?”

“I'm sorry?”

“Her number. I wanted to ask if she’d be free for some wine tasting but I don't know how to reach her. And then I thought you must have her number since you two seem close.”

“I don’t think she’d be interested.”

“Oh well maybe you could give me it anyway and i could ask-”

“I will not be giving you her number and that is final.”

An eerie silence took over the room. Hannibal watched Franklin open and close his mouth silently before settling back into his chair. It seemed clear to Hannibal that his patient had finally gotten the message.

 Once again he was wrong.

You were nursing a glass of wine that Hannibal had picked out for you as your eyes studied the opera house. Hannibal was next to you, his body mare inches from yours but not close enough to allow contact. You watched people come up to Hannibal in greeting before quickly going away.

“As always you’re quite the topic.”

“I don’t know what you mean dear.”

“Don’t be modest Hannibal. It's clear these people admire you. They may even wish to be you.”

You caught sight of a girl making flirtatious eyes to Hannibal and couldn’t help but smirk.

“Or maybe be with you. Either way they consider you appealing.”

Hannibal watched you as you spoke, his eyes never leaving your frame. It was intriguing how observant you could be and how unseeing you were at the same time. It didn’t matter how many women tried to impress him, his eyes always found themselves glued to you. You always had his full attention.

Always.

It was beginning to become a problem.

Hannibal had been so focused on looking at you that he hadn’t noticed someone new had approached. It was only when Hannibal heard the familiar voice that he realized you two had company. The doctor watched Franklin greet you with a kiss on your hand. The sight itself made Hannibal clench his hands into fists. He tried to remind himself he was in the middle of a very crowded place. A place filled with people who knew him. Seeing him throw a punch at a patient would ruin his career. Still he’d never felt an urge to knock someone out so much in his life.

You were always a kind person. Very well mannered and aware of your words. So it shouldn’t surprise Hannibal when you kept conversing with Franklin, occasionally even laughing at his terrible jokes. Hannibal zeroed in his attention on your lips. He observed the way they wrapped around the rim of the glass as you took a sip of your drink. The drink he’d picked for you because he knew you pallet better than anyone.

It had occurred to Hannibal a few months back that he was growing interested in you in a not so friendly way. But it was only when Franklin asked for your number that he realized how deeply he was falling for you. He wanted you for himself. And he would make that happen.

You were starting to get annoyed. Franklin was a nice guy but it was clear he didn’t know how to take no for an answer. You could see the way he was subtly, at least in his eyes, trying to flirt with you. It’s safe to say you weren’t interested. Not that he seemed to be getting that message. A noise rang out into the room telling you all the intermission was coming to an end.

“Well look at that, time just flies when you’re having fun huh?”

You gave Franklin a weak smile .

“We should be going, Franklin. Our seats are at the top so we have to climb a lot of stairs.”

“Oh okay.”

“Maybe we'll see you at the next opera?”

God you hopped not.

“Actually I was wondering if I could get your number.”

You froze, a concerned smile plastered to your face. Gosh he really didn’t let up did he? In a moment of pure panic at the thought of having to deal with Franklin calling at all hours of the night you grabbed onto Hannibal's arm. The doctor's focus moved to where your delicate hands were wrapped around his forearm. You looked up at him with pleading eyes before turning back to Franklin.

“Actually I’m already spoken for.”

“Oh wow I didn’t….realize.”

“Yes well we are very much together so…. Yeah.”

And uncomfortable silence covered the three of you. You tried to think of something to say. Anything to get you away from here. Before you had time to come up with something Hannibal spoke.

“Come on dear. If we don’t hurry we might miss something.”

You let out a relieved breath as Hannibal moved his hand to wrap around your waist, guiding you away from Franklin. You kept your eyes forward as the two of you walked. It was only when you were out of Franklin's view that you started laughing. You braced yourself on your thighs as you laughed.

“Oh gosh. That was just dreadful. He was so-“

“Annoying.”

“Incredibly annoying! Honestly Hannibal I don't know how you can deal with being in a room with him for an hour.”

“Didn’t seem like you were having such a hard time.”

You lifted your head to look at the doctor with a curious expression. He was looking down at you with a look you rarely ever saw, at least not directed towards you. Hannibal Lecter was annoyed. And at you no less. You crossed your arms over your chest.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You seemed to be enjoying talking to him. Laughing at his jokes. Making small talk.”

“It's called manners, Hannibal. As far as I know you value them quite a lot.”

Hannibal stalked over to you causing you to take a step back. Your back hit the wall, making you gasp. Hannibal hovered over you, his eyes boring into your soul.

“Hannibal what are you-“

“Did you enjoy his attention? Did you like the way he was looking at you? He was staring so hard I was surprised his eyes didn’t pop out of their sockets.”

“What the hell’s gotten into you?”

“Into me? Weren’t you the one who was just clinging onto my body like I was your savior?”

You’d never seen Hannibal like this. For the first time since you knew him he looked like an animal. His usually neat hair was slightly flopping over his face and the expert calm facade he always had seemed to have slipped. He looked like a predator and you were his prey. You lifted your hand so that you could touch his arm. He looked at your hand on his frame. It was as if your touch was burning him. He needed to feel you but he was afraid of what that would mean. You whispered his name causing him to face you. You looked up at him with wide eyes, your lips slightly parted as you breathed.

He hadn’t even realized he was boxing you into the wall with his body until he felt the heat that radiated from you. He couldn’t think straight with you so near him but he couldn’t bear to be far from you either. It was then that he realized just how much he craved you. He felt like a lion who’d been starved for days and had finally been given a piece of steak. 

He was going to devour you.

Without a second thought Hannibal shoved his lips against yours. Your body reacted immediately, hand moving to wrap around his neck as he deepened the kiss. Hannibal moved his hand to your leg, hitching it up. You gasped into his mouth as his fingers skimmed over your skin. He enjoyed the sounds you made as he pushed your underwear to the side. His fingers moved over your pussy and he couldn’t help but groan as he felt how wet you were. Your nails dug into his blazer as he inserted one of his digits into you. Your back rubbed against the wall as he continued to bully his fingers into your cunt. A moan slipped through your lips before you managed to cover your mouth, the realization that anyone could just walk by and see you finally becoming clear.

“Hannibal we-“

“Shhh I’m trying to enjoy the opera.”

You could hear the opera singer belting out a note from afar. The sound was dulled by the heavy doors but you could still make it out. Hannibal hummed the song as he continued to finger you. You were trying to keep as quiet as possible but he wasn’t making it easy on you. He knew exactly what to do to have you screaming out for him.

“Hannibal please, I'm so close.”

“Oh yeah? Think you deserve it?”

“Yes please. Please make me cum.”

“Even after flirting with Franklin in front of me?”

This little shit.

“Hannibal please…. I’m sorry.”

“Who do you belong to hum?”

“You.”

“Speak up dear, I can't hear you.”

“You Hannibal! I belong to you!”

“That's right. Go on then. Cum on my fingers.”

You hid your face in the crook of Hannibal's neck as a silent moan ripped through your body. He felt your teeth graze his collar bone through his shirt as your mouth opened in pleasure making him smirk. Your juices continued to coat his fingers as he attempted to help you through your high. Your body shook against him, your limbs spasming as you tried to regain control of your brain. You knew Hannibal's knowledge of the human body made him good at many things but you never stopped to contemplate the effect his expertise would have on a more sexual context.  

Once you’d come back down to earth you pushed your body off of Hannibals allowing you to look into his eyes. You continued to breathe heavily as you looked at him trying to figure out what would happen next. You hadn't expected him to lean down and kiss your lips but you welcomed the action. You warped your arms around his neck tugging him even closer to you. Hannibal's hands made their way to your hips squeezing lightly at your flesh. You bite into his bottom lip as his mouth moved away from yours. You couldn’t help the giggle that made its way out of your lips.

Hannibal grinned down at you, his thumb caressing your hip bone as he continued to observe you. Your hair was covering your face and your lips were swollen from kissing him. Hannibal didn’t look much better, his pupils were dilated and his heart was hammering in chest. You noticed the wild look in his eyes and in a sudden burst of confidence you decided to move your leg up against Hannibal's body. His eyes darted to your leg before moving back to your face. You bite into your lip, your fingers moving to tug at the small hairs on the back of Hannibal's head. You watched his brows furrow a bit at the action. “You gonna fuck me Doctor lector?”

“What makes you say that?”

“The look on your face.”

“And what look would that be?”

“The look of a man who is about to turn into an animal.”

Hannibal's expression faltered slightly at your comment. He wondered from a moment if you’d understand him if he told you what he was capable of. He wondered if your eyes would widen in fear or if they would simply spike up in curiosity. You placed your palm on his cheek causing him to focus on you once more.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m starved.”

Hannibal gave you a wolfish grin as his hand made its way to your ass. You gasped as he pushed your body up, legs instinctively wrapping around his hips. You steady yourself on his shoulders waiting to see what he would do. Hannibal tugged your dress up your legs allowing him to view your underwear. He moved his hand to his pants tugging at the zipper. You watched him in anticipation, eyes widening as he pulled his dick from its confines. You whined as he pushed your underwear to the side, positioning himself near your entrance. A gasp left your lips as he pushed into you. Your nails dug into his blazer. Hannibal braced one hand on the wall as he began to pistol into you.

Your moans filled his ears as he continued to brutally fuck into you. The sound of you combined with the sounds of the opera far away were like music to his ears. He wondered why he’d never thought of doing this before. You’d been to his home many times it wouldn’t have been hard to get you into his bed but he supposed this was nice too. He felt a rush move through his body at the thought of someone walking in on the two of you. He wished it would be Franklin, the need to show his patient that you belonged to him becoming overwhelming. His head moved to your neck, tongue moving against the soft skin before he sunk his teeth into you. Your walls clenched around him at the action causing him to let out a grunt.

“Hannibal-ah ugh ah shit- don’t stop.”

He was never going to stop. He’d feast on your body for as long as he could, in every way he knew how. He would never be satiated with the feeling of you. There was no going back now Hannibal would have to make you entirely his. 

He continues to nibble at your skin, desperately trying to mark you as much as he can. He wants to scare off any other suitors but he also enjoys the thought of you walking around covered in marks he’s given you. Mine, he thinks, this one is all mine. You're clenching around his dick like a vice which tells him you’re getting closer to your release. He wants you to beg for it, wants you to ask him to cum. It seems you can read his mind because without him even opening his mouth you’re already whining for him, telling him how good he feels and how much you want to cum on his dick. So he lets you but not before filling you to the brim with his seed. He wants you so full off him that his cum starts to seep out. He wants you to smell like him so everyone else knows who you belong to. 

You’re having a hard time getting your heart to calm down. Hannibals still holding onto your body, trying his best to keep you upright as his own legs threaten to buckle. Neither one of you speaks, opting to just share the space in silence for a moment. You hear muffled applause, the sound telling you that the opera has ended. You pull your dress down covering your body once again. Once you think you're decent your hands move to Hannibal now soft dick, stuffing it back in his pants for him. He doesn't move away from you as you straighten his tie or when you fix his hair for him. He lets you build his facade back up without any complaint. As you finish making sure he too is decent you place your hands on his chest.

“Can’t ruin your reputation, can we now Doctor Lecter?”

He smiles at you, his own hands moving to fix your messy hair. Then he moves to place a gentle kiss on your lips. It's a tender action which causes your heart to skip a beat. As the two of you share a loving kiss the doors of the opera open. People pile into the hall you and Hannibal are in, not one of them aware of what was happening a couple of minutes prior. You allow Hannibal to guide you into the crowd, his hand comfortably warping around your waist. You let your body curl into him.

“Let’s go home my dear. I’m dying for another meal.”

Something about the way he talks makes you think he isn’t talking about food.

[rainhidesmytears]

[Hanfu · 漢服]The past and present of "eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival"

As the Mid-Autumn Festival/Zhong Qiu Jie 中秋节 is coming, let us learn how “mooncakes/月饼” became an iconic traditional food of the Mid-Autumn Festival

🌕🥮Mooncake/月饼🥮🏮

A mooncake (simplified Chinese: 月饼; traditional Chinese: 月餅) is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節).The festival is primarily about the harvest while a legend connects it to moon watching, and mooncakes are regarded as a delicacy. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is widely regarded as one of the four most important Chinese festivals.

Mooncakes were originally used as offerings to worship the moon god.

Worshiping the moon is a very old custom in China. It is actually a worship activity for the "moon god" by the ancients. Eating mooncakes and appreciating the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival are indispensable customs for celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in all parts of China. Mooncakes symbolize reunion. People regard them as festive food, use them to worship the moon, and give them to relatives and friends.

Cultural relics believed to be the predecessor of mooncakes were unearthed:

<China Tang Dynasty Baoxiang flower-patterned mooncakes/宝相花月饼>⬇️

Mooncakes, traditionally offered as a tribute to the Moon Goddess, have a long and rich history. The term "mooncake" was first recorded in the Southern Song Dynasty in Wu Zimu’s <梦梁录/Meng Liang Lu>.

Over time, mooncakes merged with various regional culinary traditions, giving rise to different styles such as Cantonese, Shanxi, Beijing, Suzhou, Chaozhou, and Yunnan mooncakes, all of which are beloved by people across China：

Mooncakes truly became associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival during the Ming Dynasty. In the writings of Liu Ruoyu 刘若愚, a eunuch during the reigns of the Wanli and Chongzhen emperors, he mentioned in his prison work Zhuozhong Zhi 《酌中志》(Vol. 20, "Brief Record of Culinary Preferences"): “八月宫中赏秋海棠、玉簪花。自初一日起，即有卖月饼者。加以西瓜、藕，互相馈送。西苑鹿藕。至十五日，家家供月饼瓜果，候月上焚香后，即大肆饮啖，多竟夜始散席者。如有剩月饼，仍整收于干燥风凉之处，至岁暮合家分用之，曰‘团圆饼’也”

Translation：

"In August, the palace hvaing event yo appreciates autumn crabapple blossoms. From the first day of the month, mooncakes are sold,it accompanied by watermelons and lotus roots, and are exchanged as gifts.By the fifteenth day, every household offers mooncakes and fruits in worship, waiting for the moon to rise before burning incense and feasting lavishly, with some gatherings lasting all night. If there are leftover mooncakes, they are stored in a dry and cool place until the end of the year, when the whole family shares them, calling them 'reunion cakes.'

In the Qing Dynasty, there were books that detailed the methods of making mooncakes. For example, Zeng Yi, a female writer and female doctor in the late Qing Dynasty, recorded the "Method of Making Crisp Mooncakes" in her book "Zhongkuilu": "Use white ash flour, half of which is steamed in a steamer, and no water vapor is seen; the other half is raw, and kneaded with lard and cold water. Then, mix the steamed flour with lard. Use a ball of raw oil flour, and wrap a small ball of cooked oil flour inside; use a rolling pin to roll it into a cup-sized shape, fold it into a square; roll it into a ball again, and fold it into a square again; then wrap the filling. Use a cake stamp to stamp it, and put it on the stove to cook. For the oil-flavored filling, use cooked flour, sugar, walnuts, etc., and add a little sesame oil, so that it will not fall apart." The method is very similar to today's Suzhou-style mooncakes.

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🧚🏻‍Production & Model/Makeup：@曾嚼子

🔗Xiaohongshu:https://www.xiaohongshu.com/discovery/item/66e66ef70000000026033df2

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[rainhidesmytears]

Miraak × Companion! Reader

Fuck the Dragon Priest. Literally.

♤~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♤

{I couldn't resist having a legitimate spicy snippet of our favorite Priest. I tried to proofread it, but hey, were here for affection, not perfection! (May be out of character, but we're not here to ride his personality. Just him.) Sorry if it's bad, let me dream my big girl dreams!}

♡~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♡

In the early days of their long standing relationship, Miraak had been very well aware of his lover and how timid she had been in his presence when faced with intimacy. Be it due to his own intimidating nature or her own inexperience, the Priest held a Godly amount of patience. When he brings her in for a kiss, and she is pulling him closer and closer; he eagerly obliges. Allowing her all of his affections- only to be confused when she pulls away just before his hands roam, embarrassed and red in the face as she makes some silly excuse to escape his arms and the situation that he's only making worse.

Naturally, it is a fresh relationship. He's allowing her all of his patience, letting her get a feel for being around him in a more intimate fashion. He loves the extra kisses where she pulls him in for more, the breathless moans against his lips when his tongue presses against her own- he is eager to give her more when she wants it, as much as she so pleases. Only for the kisses to end all too soon with her suddenly flustered and startled by her own behavior. He finds it adorable, at first believing she is shy because he is her first. He lets all this unintentional teasing slide, as he is very clearly aware it is not meant to frustrate him. His woman is simply eager for him yet unsure how to proceed farther, and easily flustered.

He loves getting her breathless and flustered before she hides away in her room from him. But those hours didn't last. Especially not when she'd tried to actually AVOID him due to her own embarrasment in grabbing hold of him. Oh, no Dearheart. That won't do. He corners her before she can run off, already grabbing hold of her jaw to make her look at him- only to see her eyes dilated and her face burning.

"Where are you heading off to at this hour, Beloved?" His eyes bore into hers, swirling with the arcane powers he had so long ago gained control of. If anything, it makes the crimson hue across her features darken. Much to his delight.

"I-I have to wash my armor- There's still sand in it." He knows she's lying, but with how she's looking at him - though still trying her best not to - he's certain of the delicious reasoning behind her gaze. "You needn't be ashamed of your desires, My Love. I will give you anything you wish, you only have to ask." He's teasing her now, able to feel her pulse race under his fingertips. Even dropping his hand to her throat and carefully pressing down just to hear a whimper leave her lips. "You sound so beautiful under my hands. Would you like me to take you, Beloved?"

He watches her swallow, a very prominent habit she seemed to have before she could conjur up an answer. "But you're busy." It's so quiet from her lips that he can hardly resist kissing her. Pulling her closer by the hand secured around her throat as he tastes her to his hearts content- leaving her breathless and gasping for air when he'd finally pulled back. "I will always have time for you, My Love. I could never be too busy for you. Especially when you need me so~" His free hand is against her, feeling over the curve of her breast before catching her hardened nipple between his fingers and pulling- Oh, the moan he gets from her has his cock ready and waiting, eager to fill his lovely little companion as much as she wishes.

"Y-Yes? Um -" Her embarrassment stops her from grabbing at him, red in the face and incredibly flustered over not entirely knowing what to do with herself because he is very much the first man who has ever shown interest that her conscience wit has recognized. She has no idea what she's begging for or what she wants, but she wants him. As much of him and his attentions as he can comfortably provide, and she has no idea just how much he wants to give her.

"I-I wouldn't be any fun- I don't know what to do, I'm sorry." Her consciousness is trying to reason with her, knowing their age difference and her very clear lack of experience. But where she sees a lack of attraction for someone so unknowing, he finds the most endearing woman in front of him. She brings him gifts of powerful tomes and artifacts from ancient ruins, reads with him, and defends his home of her own free will because they're friends. Not because he's a God, not because she worships him, because they are friends.

Now, their relationship has slowly begun to change. It's more intimate. Soft kisses and embraces that swell his heart when he catches her grinning at him from across the room, even more so when she throws grapes at him just to grab his attention from something frustrating to chase her instead- he loves this woman, and he wants even more so to give his love to her in this way as well. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, My Love. I can show you everything. Whenever you're ready for my attention, I will gladly give it to you. Would you like that?" His words are soft, and his lips are warm against hers when he kisses her again, unable to resist with the way she looks at him.

"Please? I want you. I- Oh- that was rude." His laughter has her face only turning darker, pulling her closer by her throat only to drop his hands and then lift her up by her thighs, laughing brighter as his woman squeals from his actions- oh he loves this. The joy she brings to his very soul is indescribable. The chance at meeting someone who desires him and his mind and not the power or riches he could most certainly provide. Such a feat is damn near unattainable, and he covets this newfound love of his greedily. As he should.

Their first time lasts near ages. Slow in the beginningas he allows all of his patience for this woman he knows has no experience in such acts. He's easing her into being comfortable in her own skin and getting her used to seeing him naked. It was such a struggle holding back his laughter when she had covered her face when he'd began undressing, not even halfway bare as his outer robes were laying across the nightstand, watching his easily flustered woman in amusement. "Are you not enjoying the view, Beloved?"

He's teasing her, and the groan from her lips sounds far sweeter than he had thought it would. "You are a chisled work of art, and I have never seen you even remotely undressed, save for you mask and gloves." She's grumbling at him, complimenting him and making it very clear she is absolutely enjoying the sight of him as she pouts at his laughter- only for her eyes to widen at the sight of a very naked Priest.

"Oh my Stars-"

"Basking in the glory of a God, Pet?"

He teases her, flustering her and turning her face red before he's letting her touch and get a feel for him. For them. She has free reign across his skin, and he melts into her careful touches when it's clear she's admiring him. Scars, old burns from a spell gone wrong- she's leaving kisses across where she can reach, and he is doing the same. It's so soft and patient in comparison to the past lovers he's had, mainly because those lovers had at least some semblance of sexual knowledge, where she didn't. This is a very new and very delicate experience for her, and he intends to make it a good one.

He yearns for the chance at showing her how very wonderful such intimacy can be with the right partner. His touches and kisses are slow and mapped out, taking every opportunity to trace his tongue over all the places he's been yearning for - making her squirm beneath him. He knows how aroused she is and he knows he's making it worse, but he's making certain that she is ready for him long before she's allowed to have his cock. Miraak is very well aware of just how big of a man he is and how small his woman is by stature. Stars when he gets his hands on her she is so responsive. He loves how she arches into his touch, mewling and quietly begging for more- he can't resist kissing her, letting her pull him in for more and more and more because it's so addicting- especially when she uses her tongue against him.

It's such a lovely little surprise that he'd let her fuck his throat with the appendage if only she knew how. "May I touch you, Dearheart? Please?" His lips are against her. Kissing her. Biting and sucking marks into her skin that has her moaning beneath him, her breasts decorated in softer bites and her shoulders bruised just a bit more- and she teases him as he basks in his own joy of tasting her. "You're already touching me, Miraak~ Isn't it a little late to be asking?" She's joking, running her fingers through his hair only for him to bite down on her inner thigh as punishment for her response - dragging a very excited whine of his name out of her.

"I want to hear from you that I am allowed to touch you more intimately, Beloved. Either I have your words that you want this, or I will not touch you." He's already reaching up to cradle her face, pulling her for soft kisses on her lips as he explains. "You're not in trouble, Dearheart. I want to make sure you're comfortable with me, and what we're doing before I go farther. There is no shame in wanting to stop. The moment you request that I stop, I will. May you believe that I will not harm in any way that is not enjoyable."

He gives her time to absorb his words, understanding that she needs a moment or two in order to think of what she means to say before she's already leaning in to kiss him again, and he lets her. "I like it when you touch me. It sets my skin on fire and I want you to touch me more, i-if that's alright with you. Please?" She's flustered, eager for more of him and finding the words to consent like he wants. Not just because he wants it, but because she wants more of him too.

"I'd love nothing more than to get my mouth on you, Beloved. Let me know if it's too much, and we can stop. It's alright to be nervous." He's encouraging her, taking the majority of his actions slow enough for her to get a feel for what it is they are doing together so she isn't startled, and by the Gods she is soaking wet and he wants so badly to taste her; and when finally given permission that's exactly what he does. His companion doesn't have a chance to be embarrassed about her cunt or how aroused she is before his lips have already made contact with the sensitive flesh. The God has his arms around her thighs, spreading them so he can be between them, hiking her legs over his shoulders before she can comprehend what he's doing before he's already tasting her. His tongue is flat against her, making her gasp and shiver as he licks up the juices that have dripped down her thighs and her cunt, already pressing his face into her as much as he can to taste this beautiful woman in his bed- devouring her to his hearts content.

She has no leverage to keep herself up, having dropped to the bed only to arch up at the feeling of his tongue sinking into her, and the bastard is using magic to mimick her own elongated apendage so he can reach as deeply as he wants. She's already cuming on his tongue before she knows what that feeling is and it's so heavenly that her moans are breathless and broken, overwhelmed in such a good way that she doesn't want him to stop and he doesn't. He lets her pull at his hair, moaning against her at how good it feels, and this poor woman only wants more, and he intends to give it. But he wants her soaking wet before he'll even consider using his fingers. He gets her to cum twice more before pulling his tongue out of her. Though he does it slowly. Making her watch, and he has half a mind to fuck it back into her when he can feel her clenching at the sight. She's so pretty like this. Thighs trembling, her blush coating her throat and all the way down to her breasts, only accentuating all of his marks across her delicate skin. Oh, the sight is to die for.

"Do you want more, Pet?"

"Y-Yes, Sir! Please - Yes!"

He's already grasped her chin in his hand, not liking how that word sounds on her lips when she speaks to him. It is far too formal for his liking. He loves how she disregards his title, and views him as someone she cherishes- though now would be such a lovely time for her to beg him with such regard. "You may refer to me as your Master. It should give you some semblance of respect for your God~" At first it turns her pink because he's referring to himself as hers, and then it has her grinning at him in a way that has hold of his heart.

"You just want to hear me beg, don't you?" She's teasing him. That much he knows- but for some reason it just sounds so delicious on her lips. Especially when she pulls him closer to kiss him. Tasting herself on his tongue and licking his lips and chin clean of her own arousal that had gotten everywhere due to his own excitement in finally having the chance to bury his head between her legs. The growing confidence she portrays makes his cock twitch in excitement.

"Please, Master, I want more. I want to feel you, to touch and kiss you-" She only adds to her own begging when she pulls him in for needy kisses, able to hear him groan against her lips at how eager she is for him and his touch- oh she makes him want more than he thought was already possible. "I'll be good, I promise~" Her playful words cause him to pinch her cheek softly, making her whine and pout at him through her lashes.

"You're lying to me."

"But you love it when I lie to you~" She kisses him again, and he gives in, loving this playful woman and how eager she is for him and his touches. He wants her drooling. Unable to think enough to tease him- but it sounds so good that he can't bring himself to even imagine a gag. Though his hand is already against her as she kisses him, playing with her clit and pinching at that little bundle of nerves to get her attention- only to trace his fingers over the opening of where he'd just had such a lovely meal. Her cunt has a vice grip on a single digit of his and he can't help but love how it feels, sinking his finger into her and pulling it back out just to repeat as much as he likes, getting a rise out of her from the feeling.

"Oh- Stars~" Those breathless moans from this new sensation have him in a choke hold, loving the view of her squirming, trying to get a little bit more friction from him, only to be held down by her hips.

"Be still, Pet. We need to losen this beautiful cunt of yours if you're going to have any chance of taking my cock tonight." The way she clenches down on that finger at his words makes him grin, teasing her as he thumbs the bundle of nerves just a bit more before attempting to add a second finger. She only tightens around him as he's pressed two fingers inside of her, able to feel her tense and shudder beneath him. As powerful as he may be, he is equally understanding and patient with her. Pressing gentle kisses to her face and her temple, keeping his hand still to allow her time to adjust to this very new feeling. His hands are rough and calloused from years of mastering the arcane arts, and the moment he's moved them inside of her he feels a very distinct sort of popping, and she's already jolted beneath him. At first, he worries. Naturally, as this is definitely her first time, and he isn't sure if the motion of breaking past her hymen has startled her.

She has tears in the corners of her eyes from the initial sting of pain, having jolted due to surprise from the feeling of being stretched open, but the moment he slowly starts curling his fingers upwards, she had already cum again on his fingers, holding his arm in place so he wouldn't pull away too soon- as he was worried he'd hurt her and wanted to check in.

"Oh- no, please! Don't stop!" Her begging pauses his attempt at removing his hand, testing the waters by moving his fingers again, only for her to moan and drop her head back onto the pillows.

"How do you feel, Pet? Answer me, or I remove my fingers." Her whine at his words have him stretching her again, admiring the eager roll of her hips for more before being held down again.

"It feels good!" She chokes back a moan when his fingers move again, a little show of blood trickling down his hand and onto the sheets demanding he make sure she isn't lying to please him.

"Describe it to me. Tell me what it feels like." If she likes pain, he's more than happy to keep going, but if not, he'll stop completely.

"It burns, and the sting is sharp, but Stars, please - Give me more~ Please, Master~" He'd concluded that she was truly enjoying herself, and he was certainly enjoying it too, moving his fingers deeper and curling them upwards had her seeing stars before she'd cum again, mewling against his lips when he'd give in and kiss her again, letting her wrap her arms around him to pull him down for more as he massaged her tight walls.

When he'd gotten three fingers stuffed into her, it was increasingly harder for her to stay still, and it set his pride on fire. He loved holding her down and flexing those digits in her tight cunt, basking in her moans and whines and attempts to move her hips for more.

"You take me so well, Pet. Absolutely breathtaking." He praises her, trailing bites across her breasts and down her stomach only to trail back up to her lips before finally deeming her ready enough to possibly take his cock hours long after they'd started together. +

Naturally, he uses a generous amount of lube on his cock and the shock on her face at how big he actually was had him grinning, especially when he gets to watch her clench around nothing at just the sight of him. "Is that even going to fit inside of me? How the fuck did you hide that under your robes?" He's kissing her again, amused by her words as it only further stroked his ego.

"I'll help you, Beloved. You can take me. Remember, we can always stop if its too much, I won't be upset." His gentle reminders are met with soft and appreciative kisses before he has her pick what position she would prefer for their first time together.

"Do you want to be in my lap as I take you? Or would you like to start where we are and see where the night takes us?" Rubbing the tip of his cock against her wasn't helping her think, especially not so far into a all of his teasing and experienced fingering. Though the Priest found an other worldly delight in watching her try and focus enough to decide. Though when he'd press in, only to pull back out had her whining at him, pouting up at his grin- only for her to startle the God when she'd pounced on him, straddling his lap and moving her soaked cunt against his cock. His nails digging into her ass as she teased him, only met by low moans of his name before she'd finally had a chance to answer.

"Please don't tease me. It's not fair." She whined at him, only to receive hotter kisses that bruised her lips and left her breathless as she leaned forward for more when he'd pulled back to speak.

"Shall I take you in my lap, Pet? Sink as deeply into your needy little cunt as I can?" Met with eager agreement and begging had finally earned her a prize when he'd helped to hold her up, sitting back against the headboard so he'd have leverage as she began lowering herself onto his cock. The both of their heads had dropped at such a feeling. His against the wall behind him and hers against his shoulder. Her cunt is squeezing the life out of his poor cock as he stretches this woman so much more than his fingers had the chance to do so. The feeling of being so full with such a delightful sting has her gasping. The twinge of pain bordering so far into pleasure that it became intoxicating, urging her to drop herself a little too fast for his liking.

The words of scolding die in his throat as her orgasm rips through her when he's nestled into her to the hilt that neither of them can move in that moment. Her thighs tremble as an orgasm overwhelms her senses at being so very full of him in such a quick movement and he is doing his damnedest not to pour his seed into her so soon. But, oh, how he wants to. The tears in her eyes from the stinge of the stretch have him only partially worried, as her thighs are still shaking and her cunt is spazzaming around him. He would understand if she were overwhelmed in that moment. All of these new feelings coming one after the other paired with how very deeply he is sated within her and how very full she feels with him there. He kisses away her tears, praising her and telling her how beautiful she is like this, how well she's taking him and it's not helping his control when each praise goes straight to her cunt and it's squeezing him again after she had only just been able to catch her breath- oh he learns so very soon how much she truly likes it when he praises her, and he loves it.

The praise is endless now, paired with him deeming her ready enough to move on his cock- and it is pure ecstasy when she finally has his permission to move. Riding his cock with reckless abandon has him twitching inside of her, unable to keep his hands to himself as he only pulls her closer and closer, letting her fuck herself on his cock to see how she likes it before he even thinks of taking over and the view is absolutely magnificent. Her horns on display for him to grab and her wings he can caress all he likes? Oh she cums so many times on his cock that she's got his poor heart in a vice grip at this rate.

No sign of exhausting or pause has him eager to take control, only truly railing into her when she finally wins him over with her begging and pleading, wanting more of him and he eagerly provides all that she asks. The night is long, and the large bed leaves them endless opportunities as he fucks himself into his beloved companion. Stuffing her completely full and dragging all but the tip of his cock from her twitching hole, only to slowly push back in until he meets the little nudge of her cervix, drawing mewls and whines from the beautifully ravished woman beneath him.

"Tell me where you want me to spend, Beloved. Shall I fill you to the brim with my seed, or shall I paint your glistening cunt white? You must tell me, for my control is slipping." His words are slow against her ear, a groan pulled from his throat as he restrains himself enough to ask, basking in her soaking warmth as she quickly locks her ankles behind him. The both of them crying out when she pulls him forward and the action causes a rather rough nudging against the deepest parts of her.

"Fuck! In-Inside- Inside me- Please~" Her hands are in his hair. Tangled in the strands as his thrusts become rougher, fucking his aching cock into her greedily as her legs prevent him from pulling far enough out to tease her much more. Her begging is rewarded with kisses, hot and bruising as his movements become ragged and sloppy. Dragging their bodies as close as physically possible as he buries the head of his cock completely against her cervix when he cums. The force of his thrust and the orgasm he eagerly pours into her wanting cunt has her screaming his name when she arches into him, his face in her breasts as her warmth swallows him in- milking him for his worth.

♡~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♡

<pleaseee let me know if anyone likes this I'm dyinggg>

[rainhidesmytears]

Aemond Targaryen - Shadow

Summary - In the bustling streets of King's Landing, a day of market escapades and a sweet surprise reveal the depth of Aemond's devotion to his wife. Their story defies the whispers and gossip of the realm, proving that true affection flourishes even in the heart of the coldest dragon.

Pairing - Aemond Targaryen x reader

Warnings - None

Word count - 2267

Masterlist for Aemond • House of the Dragon General Masterlist.

"Aemond, must you always look so miserable?" I teased as we strolled through the bustling markets and lively stalls of King's Landing, my arm looped through his.

He sighed, pulling me closer to his side. "I simply do not understand why we must do this ourselves. If you require anything, you know I can have it brought to you."

"But I enjoy going out myself," I insisted, stopping in front of an elderly woman's stall laden with vibrant dress fabrics and delicate laces.

Aemond frowned, his gaze dropping to my small, but growing bump. "I wish you wouldn't indulge in such whims, especially in your condition," he murmured, resting his hand protectively over our unborn child.

"If you do not start acting like you love me, I swear it, I will start weeping this instant," I threatened with a playful glint in my eye, as I sifted through a roll of golden fabric.

He arched an eyebrow, his tone softening. "I don't need to act like I love you if I already do," he countered, his voice gentle yet firm.

I handed the fabric to the vendor, her gnarled hands accepting it with a nod, and I couldn't help but smile at his words, a warmth spreading through me like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky.

"Well then," I replied, my tone brightening, "I suppose we're in perfect agreement."

"I suppose it's the chaos of the market that unsettles me," Aemond admitted, "I'd rather be certain of your safety." 

I pouted, feeling a pang of guilt at his concern. Leaning in, I pressed a quick, reassuring kiss to his cheek, hoping to lighten his worry.

The vendor soon returned, carefully folding the fabric and handing it back to me. "How much?" I asked, reaching into the small coin pouch at my side.

"For you, Princess, it is free," she said with a sweet, almost maternal smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

I shook my head, a soft laugh escaping my lips. "Nonsense," I replied, pulling out five golden coins and placing them in her hand.

The woman's eyes widened, her expression a mixture of shock and overwhelming gratitude."Oh, thank you, Princess," she said, her voice thick with emotions. "May the gods bless you and the babe."

Aemond and I began walking again, the vibrant energy of the market humming around us. He  took the fabric from my hands and passed it to Ser Arryk, who followed us with a vigilant but unobtrusive presence.

"Princess, you've paid far too much for this," Ser Arryk pointed out, his tone respectful but puzzled.

I shrugged lightly, glancing up at Aemond as he interlaced his fingers with mine. "If we can afford it, why not?" I replied, feeling a sense of contentment in the small act of kindness.

Aemond squeezed my hand gently, his gaze softening further as he looked down at me. "And now, where to?" he asked, his voice carrying a rare note of playfulness.

I paused for a moment, considering the options laid out before us in the lively market. "Perhaps the baker's," I suggested a playful glint in my eye.

Aemond chuckled, his grip on my hand tightening affectionately. "Lead the way, my love. Wherever you wish to go, I shall follow," he promised, his voice laced with warmth.

We made our way through the bustling streets to the baker's stall, the air heavy with the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread and sweet pastries. 

The display was a feast for the senses, with golden loaves, delicate pastries, and intricately decorated cakes all vying for attention. I couldn't resist the temptation and began picking out various treats, my eyes gleaming with delight as I selected a mix of sweet and savoury goods.

As the baker carefully wrapped my selections, I stepped to the side, my attention caught by a small cluster of cats lounging lazily in the warm sun by the side of the stall. 

Without a second thought, I dropped to the ground, the soft fabric of my dress pooling around me as I reached out to pet them. The cats responded instantly, purring contentedly as they nuzzled into my touch. 

I laughed softly, completely lost in the simple joy of the moment as I caressed their soft fur, marvelling at how they responded to my affection.

"Princess, your dress!" my handmaiden gasped, her voice filled with concern as she rushed to my side, her eyes wide with worry. "You'll ruin it!"

I looked up at her with a lighthearted smile, still stroking the contented cats. "It's alright," I reassured her gently, "I have others."

My handmaiden hesitated, clearly torn between her duty to maintain my dignity and her understanding of my spontaneous nature. Finally, she sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips as she watched me continue to pet the cats.

Aemond stood a few paces away, his tall figure casting a shadow over us, but his expression was anything but dark. He watched me with a gaze so full of love and adoration that it seemed to soften his sharp features, a rare vulnerability shining in his eye. 

His usual stern demeanour was nowhere to be seen, instead, he looked utterly captivated, as if seeing me in this unguarded moment deepened his affection for me even further.

Finally, I tore myself away from the cats, rising from the ground with Aemond's hand extended to help me up. I dusted off my dress, smiling up at him as I did so. 

"Do you like cats?" Aemond asked, his voice curious, yet tinged with a softness that was rarely heard.

I looked at him incredulously, surprised that he didn't already know. "I love them," I confessed, a wistful smile playing on my lips. 

"When I was younger, I begged my mother to let me keep one, but she never allowed it. She was afraid they would distract me from my duties, that I'd spend more time with them than attending to my responsibilities."

Aemond's expression softened further, a thoughtful look crossing his face as we began our walk back to the Red Keep. 

"Mhm, I see," he replied, his tone nonchalant, but I could sense the wheels turning in his mind as the familiar walls of the Keep came into view.

As we reached the entrance, I turned to him, smiling softly. "I'm going to change, my love. I'll see you later," I said, leaning up to place a gentle kiss on his lips before stepping away with a little wave.

He watched me go, his gaze lingering as my handmaiden and I started chatting animatedly about the gown that would be made from the gold fabric we had just purchased. 

We made our way through the corridors, our laughter echoing faintly as we envisioned the intricate designs and fine details that would soon bring the fabric to life.

─── ✦⋅♡⋅✦ ───

Later that evening, I sat in our chambers, the room dimly lit by the warm glow of candles. My handmaiden was gently braiding my hair, her fingers deftly working as we prepared for bed. The tranquillity of the moment was soothing, the quiet hum of the Keep's night settling around us.

The door to our chambers opened softly, and I heard it close just as quietly. "Aemond?" I called out, not needing to turn around to know it was him.

"Yes, darling," he replied, his voice filled with a tender affection that made my heart flutter. 

My handmaiden finished the braid, tying it off with a delicate ribbon before giving me a small nod and excusing herself for the night.

Aemond strolled up behind me, his presence warm and comforting. He leaned down to place a quick, affectionate kiss in my hair, the familiar scent of him enveloping me as I turned to meet his gaze. 

His eye was alight with amusement, a rare smile playing on his lips.

"I have something for you," he said, his hands hidden behind his back, the hint of a playful grin on his face.

My curiosity piqued, I raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" I asked, but before he could answer, I heard a faint, delicate whimper. My eyes widened in surprise as he slowly revealed what he had been hiding.

In his hands was a small, grey, fluffy kitten, its big eyes blinking up at me innocently. 

"She's yours to keep," Aemond said, his voice softening even more as he watched my reaction.

I gasped in delight, immediately reaching out to take the little bundle of fluff from him. The kitten was light as a feather in my hands, her soft fur brushing against my fingers as I brought her up to my face, inhaling the sweet, milky scent that only a kitten possesses.

"She's adorable," I murmured, my heart swelling with affection as I gently rested the tiny creature on my bump. The kitten settled in comfortably, her small, contented purrs vibrating against me as I stroked her with tender fingers.

Aemond watched me with an expression of pure love, his eye reflecting the warmth and joy of the moment. 

"I knew you would love her," he said quietly, his voice filled with satisfaction as he saw how happy the kitten made me.

I looked up at him, my eyes shining with gratitude and love. "Thank you, Aemond. She's perfect," I whispered, leaning in to kiss him softly.

The kitten's purring grew louder as she nestled against me, already content in her new home. 

Aemond sat beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders as we both watched the kitten explore her new surroundings, her tiny paws padding across the bed.

"What will you name her?" he asked, his voice gentle as he turned his gaze from the kitten to me. I paused, a faint smile playing on my lips as I considered his question.

After a moment of thought, I turned to him, the smile widening as I made my decision.

"Vhagar," I declared, watching as Aemond's face fell. He glanced from the kitten back to me, his expression caught between disbelief and amusement.

"What? Both our pets can share the same name," I teased, nudging him playfully with my elbow.

Aemond shook his head, his lips twitching as he struggled to maintain a serious expression. 

"Vhagar is not a pet, she is a dragon, a fearsome one at that," he countered, his tone laced with a mixture of pride and incredulity. "And that little creature right there is nowhere near as terrifying as her," he added, pointing at the kitten.

As if on cue, the kitten leapt up, her tiny claws latching onto his finger with surprising determination. Aemond blinked, momentarily taken aback, and I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"Hey, don't talk about her like that," I said, gently prying the kitten from his finger and placing her back on my bump, where she settled down with a contented meow. 

I stroked her soft fur, feeling her tiny heartbeat against me, a protective instinct rising within me.

Aemond raised an eyebrow, a smile finally breaking through his composed facade. 

"What about Shadow?" he suggested, his voice softening as he watched me cradle the kitten.

I considered the name for a moment, glancing down at the little ball of fluff that was now dozing peacefully on my lap. 

"Shadow," I repeated, testing the name on my tongue. It felt right, a fitting name for a creature who was small and quiet, yet already held a special place in my heart.

"I like it," I decided, looking back up at Aemond with a smile. "Shadow it is."

Aemond's eye softened, the corners of his mouth lifting in a tender smile as he leaned in to kiss my forehead. "Shadow it is," he echoed, his voice a low murmur, filled with affection.

Aemond's kisses trailed down my neck, each one sending a shiver of warmth through me as he gently pushed my body back onto the bed. His intentions were clear, the familiar hunger in his touch unmistakable. But just as his lips grazed my collarbone, I placed a hand on his chest, gently pushing him back.

"Not in front of Shadow," I whispered, nodding toward the tiny kitten, her soft purring barely audible.

Aemond paused, his lips hovering just inches from my skin, his expression shifting from passionate to utterly bewildered. He pulled back slightly, his eye widening in disbelief as he looked from me to the kitten and back again. 

The look on his face was a perfect mix of surprise and incredulity as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

I bit my lip, trying to suppress a giggle at his reaction. The absurdity of the situation was almost too much to bear, but I couldn't help but find it endearing. 

Aemond let out a dramatic huff, clearly resigned to the whims of our tiny observer. He gently lifted the kitten placing her carefully on the floor beside us.

He then turned his attention back to me, he reached out, his hands deftly guiding me as he manoeuvred our positions. With a swift, yet gentle motion, he pulled me on top of him, arranging us comfortably as he settled back onto the bed.

"There," he said with a note of triumph in his voice, his eye glinting with a mix of amusement and affection. "Now Shadow isn't watching."

After a thoughtful pause, I nodded in agreement, a smile spreading across my face. "You're right," I replied, my tone light and teasing.

With that, I leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Aemond's lips. The kiss was tender and filled with affection, a sweet affirmation of our connection. 

As our lips met, I felt the warmth of his love enveloping me, his arms encircling me as if to hold me in that perfect moment forever.

A/n -Welcome back Margaery Tyrell x

[rainhidesmytears]

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Naked - Volturi Guards - Headcannon - (imaginingmanyfandoms)

Our forever - Alec Volturi - Oneshot - (kimi240302)

Little things - Cullen Family - Oneshot - (the-twilight-diaries)

Period - Cullen Family - Headcannon - (creelmalfoylaufeyson69)

Flirt - Cullen Family - Headcannon - (charliedawn)

Nails - Cullen men - headcannons - (long-lost-cullen)

Coven mate - Cullen Family - Oneshot - (Congratzams)

Tomorrow - Cullen Family - Oneshot - (loveswrites)

Chaotic - Cullen Family - Headcannon - (carlisles-girl)

Okay and? - Cullen Family - Headcannon - (carlisles-girl)

Sick - Cullen Family - Oneshot - (loveswrites)

Too much - Carlisle cullen - Oneshot - (zmxchs)

Ludicrous - Carlisle Cullen - Oneshot - (velvetcloxds)

Sir - Carlisle Cullen - oneshot - (little-diable)

Shy - Carlisle Cullen - headcannon - (witchthewriter)

Clumsy - Carlisle Cullen - Oneshot - (homeofthelonelywriter)

Art history - Carlisle Cullen - Oneshot - (highwayorgantrade)

Perfection - Carlisle Cullen - Oneshot (specialagentlokitty)

I've got you - Carlisle Cullen - Oneshot - (marvelouswriter)

Hush now - Carlisle Cullen - oneshot - (little-diable)

Nsfw alphabet - Carlisle Cullen - (heyyyitsgrey)

Lies washed away by the pouring rain - Carslisle Cullen/Jasper Hale - oneshot - (little-diable)

Yandere cullen brothers - headcannon - (angelsworks)

Birthday! - alice cullen - Oneshot - (another-fantasy-world)

Sub - Alice Cullen - headcannon - (fairydxll)

Dating jasper - Headcannon - (kaylawritesfics)

Regrets - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (undercoveravenger)

Crush - Jasper Hale - Headcannon - (slytherbun)

Honesty hours - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (highwayorgantrade)

Exchange Student - Jasper Hale - headcannon - (nymphastoriasblog)

Texas - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (little-diable)

Texas 2.0 - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (little-diable)

Drops of water - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (little-diable)

Consequences - Jasper Hale - oneshot - (little-diable)

Primal instinct - Jasper Hale - oneshot - (little-diable)

Break my baby - Jasper Hale - oneshot - (little-diable)

Another one - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (little-diable)

Trust and lust - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (joelsgeetar)

Figure it out - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (k1nd4g4y)

Darlin, i adore you. - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (joelsgeetar)

Cold. - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (joelsgeetar)

Tell me all the ways to stay away - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (joelsgeetar)

Insomnia - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (junkdrawerfics)

Simple moments - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (junkdrawerfics)

Crushing - Jasper Hale - Headcannon - (wintervalewriter)

Accident - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (joelsgeetar)

Headcannon - Jasper Hale - (buckybarnesb-tch)

Awkward - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (the-twilight-diaries)

Stand up challenge - Jasper Hale - Oneshot - (mychemicalimagines)

Polar opposites - Jasper Hale - Headcannon (americancowgirl19)

Innocent - Jasper Hale/Edward Cullen - oneshot - (ameliora-j)

Sharing a mate - Jasper Hale/Emmett - (little-diable)

NSFW alphabet - Jasper Hale - (ineedmorefanfics)

Dream - Edward cullen - Oneshot - (sage-exe)

Chaotic imprint - Wolf Pack - Headcannon - (fatiguing-thoughts)

Being paul lahote's imprint - headcannon - (nymphastoriasblog)

Just leave it to bella - Paul Lahote - Oneshot- (bangtanmix73)

Wolf form - Jacob Black - Headcannon - (qdbs-writes)

Wet clothes - Jacob Black - Oneshot - (t-h-i-n-g)

Secret - Jacob Black - Oneshot - (maladaptive---daydreamer)

Notes! All of these are not mine, the users of the author is in the "()".

Navigation.

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Day 18: Role-reversal ft. Mercer

Relationship: F/M Species: Unspecified Warnings: NSFW, Oral sex, Vaginal sex

Summary: She can see how worn out he is, always crippled over his desk, brow set in a permanent scowl. Just for once she’d like to see him let off some steam.

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TES Summer Fest Day Four: Thief/Enamoured

summary: Disgruntled by Brynjolf's talented new recruit, Mercer tries to learn why you chose to join his Guild. gn reader/Mercer, no gendered pronouns or y/n used. warnings: haters to lovers, threats of violence as a form of flirting. sexually suggestive but not explicit. @tes-summer-fest TES Summerfest Masterlist

"You'd be dead if that guard had a brain."

Mercer basks in the glare you shoot his way, so easily slipping into this familiar role he's built for himself. He's lying, of course - he'd barely picked up on a whisper of your boot against the stone floors and your ability to blend with the shadows was unlike anything he's seen in decades. Unfortunately, it's far more fun to pick on you.

"And you'd be dead if I had my blades." Gods, he adores the venom in your voice. Mercer picks up on the instinctive way your hand drops to your hip in search of a weapon and a shiver runs down his spine. The practice dummies you're slinking around are as likely to notice you as an actual guard but praise is too dangerous.

Rationally, he knows that he should be terrified. Brynjolf had somehow convinced you to drop the Brotherhood in favor of joining the Thieves Guild - it shows in the comfortable crouch you drop into and the perceptive way your eyes never seem to settle, but also in your ruthlessness. Mercer knows he should fear the way that your first reaction is one of violence but for some godforsaken reason it only eggs him on.

"If you can't follow the rules you'll be out on your ass." Mercer growls, ignoring the way his cheeks heat when you saunter closer. He detests how naturally it all comes to you - he's seen dozens of recruits stumble through the training room but for you it's so natural. If only you'd drop the inclination for violence you'd be the perfect recruit.

"I haven't killed anyone." The false, saccharine innocence of your words fans the flames in his chest. Mercer glares down at you, hating the way his heart flips at the way your lashes bat up at him. You have to know what you're doing to him - it's painfully obvious that you're under his skin.

"Drop the bullshit." Fuck, he'd only wanted to bother you but each word feeds the unbearable heat growing in his gut. You're too close, only an arms length away. Mercer wonders which he'd do if he reached out - would he harm you or drag you closer? Which urge would prove stronger?

"You're the one who can't get over my past." You scoff with an accusatory finger jabbing into his chest. Mercer can hardly think, rage and arousal twisting until there's not a drop of self control left.

"Oh, forgive me." Gods, he loves the anger simmering in your eyes at his taunt. "You move like an assassin, make threats like an assassin, and trained for months to become one - but it's my mistake to assume you're a killer."

"I dropped all that to join your shitty guild." Mercer adores the barely leashed rage in your voice. Another jab of your finger into his chest sends him reeling, too worked up to watch his mouth.

"And what did Bryn offer you for that?" Low and conspiratorial, he attempts to voice a question that's plagued him for ages. "I know you couldn't have come cheap and we don't have piles of gold kickin' around - was it something a bit more intimate?"

He's too twisted in his own jealousy to properly acknowledge the shock on your face. It's the one mystery he's been unable to shake, driving him mad on nights when sleep evades him - had Brynjolf caught your interest? Mercer's never given much thought to the private lives of his thieves but fuck, you've lodged yourself firmly in his mind.

"What if it was?" Oh, how he loves that nasty smirk on your pretty lips. Your hand flattens against his chest when you lean in dangerously close to glare straight up at him. Mercer nearly chokes as arousal steals all rational thought.

"Would that matter to you?" Fuck, he'd said too much. You've realized just how much control you have despite all his barking. "Poor Guild Master, would that make you jealous?"

"Fuck no." He lies through gritted teeth but it's no use.

"Don't worry, Mercer." Gods, you talking down to him should piss him off. It shouldn't make him weak in the knees. "It was my decision to become a thief. Maybe I didn't have the stomach to be a killer."

One condescending pat is left on his shocked face before you're turning away, tiptoeing back toward the practice dummies as if nothing's happened. Mercer glares after you, tongue suddenly far too thick to summon any of his usual cutting remarks. You've beat him at his own game.

Turning on his heel, Mercer supposes he has to accept defeat. He'd admired the grace in your movements before the urge to bother you became too strong to ignore. Perhaps it's better to keep his distance if he can't bite his tongue in your presence.

"I like being a thief better." He pauses, stunned into silence at the blatant honesty in your voice. No false innocence, no snark. With backs turned to one another Mercer marvels at the possibility of you speaking plainly.

"Pay's shit compared to the Brotherhood but there's less clean up. And..." you trail off and Mercer's gnawing at his lip, both desperate and terrified that your next words will break his heart. "The people aren't half bad here."

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I Confess I'm A Mess

summary: After an especially nasty argument, you decide to sleep somewhere other than beside him. gn reader, no pronouns or y/n used. feat: Farkas, Brynjolf, Vilkas, Mercer, Cicero, Erik the Slayer, Miraak warnings: language masterlist

Farkas curls up on the couch beside you, kissing away the furrow in your brow. He mumbles apologies into you skin when he clutches you to his chest. Despite the lingering anger you can't help but cuddle closer into the inviting warmth of his skin. "Sorry for bein' an ass." He murmurs, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. "Can't sleep without you."

Brynjolf paces around the house, anxiety building until he can't take another moment. He stalks over to the Cistern, hating the sight of you curled up on that old cot. Even in sleep you look annoyed - face scrunched up and pillow clutched to your chest. Trying not to wake the others he clambers into an empty bed, each breath coming a bit easier once you're close.

Vilkas grumbles, scooping you to his chest. He refuses to let you sleep in some shitty recruit bunk - he knows how badly they hurt your back. You grind your teeth, knowing full well that as soon as you speak the argument will start again. "We can keep fighting in the morning." He promises, voice stiff when he places you carefully back into bed. "I promise."

Mercer refuses to chase after you. He tells himself that he is content staring out the window and recounting the argument, taking note of all your errors. His inability to sleep only feeds the mounting annoyance. Stomping out to the main hall, he grumbles angrily at the sight of you curled into a cushy chair. Mercer throws a blanket over you before settling onto the couch, endlessly agitated that he cannot sleep without the sound of you snoring.

Cicero absolutely panics. He's catastrophizing - thinking over every word you'd said to him convinced he's fucked everything up. He's pushed you too far this time. You're going to leave him. Clambering into your bed, chilly fingers grab yours and Cicero presses nervous kisses to your wrist. He's relieved when you don't shake him off, a sleepy kiss pressed to his head. "Don't leave poor Cicero." He pleads into your skin, basking in your scent. "Perfect, lovely Listener. Your Keeper will do better."

Erik gives you space but is unwilling to go too far. He's unfamiliar with the Rift and you'd run into a fair amount of bears on your trek, leaving you in a flimsy tent is wrong regardless of his anger. His bedroll is placed a few steps away - still agitated over the argument but remaining close in case you need him. He stares up at the stars, stomach churning as he slips into an uneasy slumber. He wakes with relief as you slide into his bedroll, all anger forgotten when your head rests on his chest.

Miraak leaves the bedchambers to you, finding solace in his library. He allows the hours to pass while the confusing mess of feelings in his chest continues to fester. Surely you will come to him. You will seek him out and demand an apology as you always do. When night slips into morning, Miraak finds himself glaring at the door. Raising his hand to knock before entering his own chambers feels silly but simply entering could rekindle the argument. He's shocked when you wrench open the door. Your eyes are wide when you notice him, clearly still upset. Miraak wants to make some snarky comment but you look too cute wrapped up in his robes.

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Pretty Please?

summary: Asking them to let you tie a bow around their bicep💕 gn reader, no gendered pronouns or y/n used. feat: Farkas, Vilkas, Brynjolf, Miraak, Mercer warnings: some swearing, unserious threats (Mercer) masterlist

"Oh hell yeah." Farkas isn't ashamed to admit that he flexes just a little when you wrap the cute ribbon around his bicep. He loves the excited gleam in your eye and the shameless way your hands linger on his muscles even when the task is complete. "Now what?" He laughs, enjoying the satisfied smile on your face. "You keep it there." "For how long?" "Until it falls off, I guess." You shrug, allowing his arms to wrap around you. Farkas can't help himself from drawing closer to you, there's something magnetic about being in your presence. Any silly little joke is worth seeing you smile. "What if it breaks?" "How would it break?" Oh, you've played right into his game. Farkas flexes his triceps, feeling the flimsy ribbon strain and snap around his muscles. He adores the pout you force to cover up the clear amusement when you pluck the pink fabric from his arm. "You just wanted to show off." "C'mon, tie another one. I promise to leave it all day." Of course he's true to his word. Farkas double checks your knot on the second bow, strangely invested in this one staying as long as possible. He's thrilled to talk to the new recruits about his lovely partner who'd placed it there, fingers brushing the soft fabric sentimentally each time he thinks of you.

Vilkas grumbles something under his breath, eyes never straying from his book. Behind the locks of dark hair you spot his expression, noting the lack of real annoyance. Fighting back a grin you play along with his obligatory protests. "It's just a cute little bow." "What purpose does it serve?" "I can ask someone else." You sigh theatrically, turning on your heel. Right on queue Vilkas huffs, a strong hand closing around your wrist and tugging you closer. "Just put it on." He growls just as you'd expected. He thinks he's so scary, but Vilkas sits eerily still and allows you to tie a pretty pink ribbon around his bicep. Despite his protests it remains there all day. One sharp glare shuts down the giggling from a group of whelps resting in the main hall, though the older Companions are harder to quiet. Farkas nearly combusts when Vilkas breezes past him without saying a word, his gleeful expression matched only by yours. After a few boring meetings you scurry down to the marketplace in search of your partner, thrilled at the sight of him pawing through bits of armor while merchants and civilians stare pointedly at your ribbon. It had started as a funny suggestion but seeing him now makes your heart melt. Fully aware that you're killing his tough persona, you skip closer until Vilkas' large hand instinctively reaches for you. He continues haggling with the merchant, seemingly unaware of the pink ribbon flapping in the gentle afternoon breeze. "You doin' this for all the lads?" Brynjolf smirks, holding his arm out to you. "Why?" You hum, so carefully tying a perfect bow over his muscled arm. He isn't sure why you've chosen to add a pink ribbon to his armor but for you he'd do anything. "Would that make you jealous?" "Oh, desperately." He deadpans, enveloping you in his arms. Brynjolf relaxes when you brush through his hair, grateful for the distraction from the endless stacks of paperwork towering on his desk. "Just you, Bryn." You assure him, adjusting the bow until it's perfect. "Thank the gods for that - but did ya have to choose such a bright color, love?" "Some of the recruits have been eyeing you a bit too much for my liking." You admit, sinking deeper into his touch. "Had to stake my claim." "I live and breathe for you, love." From a man who's spent decades lying and stealing, those are the truest words he's ever spoken. Brynjolf loves the excited way you fuss at his bow, ensuring it will stay in place. "What if I get called on a job? This frilly pink'll surely get me caught." "Good thing you're the best there is." "Aye, love. Got that right."

"Absolutely not." Miraak lies, resolve already cracking. He can never say to no to you for long. "Why not?" "Why should I allow this?" "I think you'll look cute." He groans at your words, fully aware that he can not resist that sweet tone of your voice. Dropping whatever tome he'd been reading for far too long he allows you to crawl into his lap. It's painfully difficult to not just give in to you. Miraak knows that his intimidating persona is all but shattered in your presence but that does not stop him from grasping at its last remaining shreds when he can. "I have slain thousands. I could end you with a word. I am not cute." "Fine." You huff, still clutching the frilly piece of ribbon. "You're pretty, is that better?" "It is not." He grumbles, putting up no fight when your fingers dance up his arm. "Would this please you?" "Greatly." His heart swells at that smile, the one you've only shown him. To the rest of Tamriel you are a being of myth, the Last Dragonborn, the only one who holds the world's fate in the palm of your hands. You could save or condemn continents with a word. Yet here you sit, face cupped in Miraak's gloved hands and pouting over a cute pink ribbon. He sighs, unable to maintain the act any longer. "As you wish, my Dragon."

"Try it and I'll gut you." Mercer grunts, content to ignore your request - until he sees the disappointment shimmering in your eyes. That excited smile fades and your hands fall to your sides and oh, the guilt kicks his ass. He turns behind the desk, disgusted by how badly be wants to please you. Wordlessly, he raises his left arm. He glares down at the list of recently recovered oddities without absorbing any information when you happily bounce closer, touch featherlight as you tie the scrap of fabric around his arm. "You markin' me for some sort of hit?" He snarks, attempting to distance himself from the sheer pleasure of you leaning so close to him. "There's easier ways to kill you, honey." Your voice is light, unaffected by his refusal. "I'm goin' away on a job for a while, I just figured you'd think of me when you saw this." Mercer grunts noncommittally once more, swallowing the words threatening to escape - you think he requires a silly bow to think of you? Every moment you're away from the Cistern he's worrying over your safety, counting the hours the job should take until his chest is tight. He doesn't mention it again, though after your departure he catches a few other thieves snickering behind their hands. He strides through the Flagon without looking at them, summoning the most cutting voice he can before speaking. "Say another word and you won't live to see sunrise."