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#And have you thought about maybe the knitting - like the bearing arms - were done out of duty and love???
valiantarcher · 2 years
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I’m not sure what irritates me the most about this book:
“socks can be easily modified for a perfect fit”
“creating a sock is a magical experience”
insinuating that women during WWI were largely constrained in war work to knitting and that they knit because they “were forbidden to bear” arms.
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skynapple · 6 months
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Budding Romance | Ch. 10
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Love and Deepspace | Jeremiah x MC / slow-burn / friends-to-lovers
warnings: none
Multi-chapter | A03 link
Beginning | <- Prev | Next ->
"Deflection" Quiet schemes and pranks
Xavier and his huntress partner walked mostly in comfortable silence until they began to near the flower shop, then he turned to her, a sparkle of mischief in his eye.
“I have an idea. Do you want to help me prank him?"
She smiled excitedly. “Yes."
Without another word, he wrapped his arms around her waist. Immediately as she braced, he teleported them to land squarely in front of Jeremiah who had just stepped outside his greenhouse behind the building. The curly haired brunet jumped back with a yelp and proceeded to raise his voice.
“XAVIER! I told you to use the damn door!"
Xavier put on an innocent expression, as if it was the first time he’d ever been spoken to in that tone. ”Oh. I'm sorry."
Blonde eyebrows knit together as he set the girl down, it was the type of face anyone would have trouble yelling at, like a little kid who's deeply hurt by your tone. Jeremiah made no indication of being affected by it, clearly used to the antics.
"I swear to God-" He stopped short, having finally noticed her and froze. Clearing his throat to recover, he glanced at his friend then back to her, eyebrows still bearing together in annoyance.
"You? You let him drag you around like that?”
She suddenly felt like she made exactly the right decision and tried to throw on a sweet smile. “I thought you might have missed me.”
Both boys stared at her for a moment, greatly puzzled, then at each other, and Jeremiah bore a wide grin. 
“You don’t say! It’s like we're connected! I was just thinking-" Immediately cutting him off was a wet spritz from a nearby spray bottle of water. All he could do was flinch back and attempt to swat at it.
”Ah! I mean-” He stammered, still trying to grab it, “I was just about to close up.”
"Sorry!" She says, hoping they wouldn’t start bickering and that he wouldn’t be too mad. "I was just going to buy something real quick, actually. I was wondering if you had any air plants?”
He finally grabbed the spray bottle and set it outside on the little table behind the shop, adjacent a few other larger tools on hooks. “Oh, actually, I just sold out of those today. Sorry! Let’s see what else I have?”
He moved to guide her with his hand but quickly drew his hand back as the blonde was suddenly shoving between them. Jeremiah put his arms up and let the man hold the door for her instead, but not without a teasing glance. 
Jeremiah was cautious with Xavier around, knowing he could tease, but only so much. The man had a short limit of what he would tolerate, and Xavier was a jealous, jealous man.
In spite of this, he tried to remind himself that she was his friend to, and he had every right to be around her, and close to her.
While he showed her a few options that would suit her desk, he found himself wondering what she had done throughout the week. Small talk was kept light, but it felt too light. He was struggling to find a tone of familiarity, especially with seering blue eyes burning holes in him. 
"You keeping your plants alive lately?" He asked.
"She's not." Xavier answered for her.
She didn’t seem to mind, laughing a little. “Not true! I’m doing much better, thanks to Jer’s help. I’m starting to have more faith in myself. That’s why I want one for my desk too! I want to show people what I’m capable of.”
“See, Xavier? If you had half this determination with your cooking skills, you'd be a bigger hit with the ladies. Or, maybe you just need a private tutor.”
Maybe it was a little too suggestive. The blonde put himself between the pretending to examining the forget-me-nots that were recently put on display. ”No… I'm practicing plenty on my own. And I'm watching cooking channels too as of late.”
She snorted, moving around him, a little closer to Jeremiah to examine the shelf he was working on.
"You say that,” she continued in response to him, "but I always smell stuff burning from upstairs.”
"Well..." he scratched his head, "Practice makes perfect?”
Jeremiah snorted. "He needs help. Maybe you outta-" A sharp hit to the arm by the back of Xavier’s fist quieted him. In confusion Jeremiah squinted, rubbing the sore spot, unsure why the sudden denial.
Maybe he's trying to... surprise her? was all he could think.
In his mind, all he was doing was trying to help bring them closer. He couldn't imagine why it wouldn't be a good opportunity, or what was going on in Xavier’s head. 
Or... maybe he's struggling too? Because she's different?
He glanced over and saw her closely examining the star shaped merch that Xavier had insisted upon carrying in the store.
Maybe he doesn’t see what I’ve been seeing
As if sensing his eyes on her, she met his gaze, eyes darting away, smiling brightly as if embarrassed. He didn't think much of it.
A small leafy pot caught her attention and she held it up to Xavier, asking “What do you think of this one?” To Jeremiah, even such a small gesture as wanting his opinion made sense. For as long as he had known them, they'd only had eyes for each other. That was all it ever was.
“Well,” Xavier was contemplating, “It’s a little much for your desk, don’t you think? It’ll end up spilling over to mine.”
A sigh. “You’re right. But maybe somewhere in my house then.”
Once she’d decided made up her mind, Jeremiah rang her up and sent them on their way, mildly suggesting to Xavier to walk her home. This time, the man agreed.
As he cleaned up and locked everything away, he couldn’t help but smile to himself about the whole interaction. There was definitely something warmer about her. It was endearing. There was a small wish in his heart that she’d come alone. He suppressed it, trying to be proud of himself for actually getting Xavier to take action. After all, different universe or not, they belonged together, didn’t they?
--
That night, she ate her dinner and headed out into the night, eager to arrive at her local grocery before closing time. There at the front of the store stood a sorry shelf of wilting florals of various sorts, all marked down so low that even a child could afford them.
She picked up one that allegedly was once supposed to be pretty azaleas and headed to the self checkout where by now the attendants all knew her name.
A gruff older woman laughed, viewing the wilted plant in the process of being purchase. ”You some kind of florist, hon? You’ve made a habit of clearing out the dead ones."
She laughed. "Not yet! I'm learning though!"
With that, she left happily into the night.
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This is an incredibly amount of Magius angst. Happy New Years to the most cringe fail enemies to lovers warrior ever.
At the end of the final confrontation of the Thirteen Lords of Chaos saga, the Hero and Drakath return to Lore with independent plans to defeat the Queen of Monsters. Magius has different desires in their head.
Hero!OC/Drakath, Enemies, Descriptions of Violence.
Maybe it’s hatred, maybe it’s desperation, maybe it’s love.
“Get back up.”
Drakath craned his neck to look at them from where he lay on the darkened ground, confusion cutting through his rage for a moment. Thin wisps steamed off of him from where the Queen of Monster’s magic restored him for the last time, fading quickly with the rest of her influence. She had escaped then, and left the two alone to fight it out in the Realm of Chaos. Reason demanded that the hero of Lore return to save their home, but all Magius could think of was this golden opportunity. 
The blood still stained their lips from where their lip was split open by a wayward strike, Magius relished in it, the reminder of the near miss keeping their heart pumping and mind sharp. Exhaustion tugged at them and their sword hand had gone numb sometime ago after one too many bone rattling clashes, their legs ached, their grip on their swords slackened. It had been many hours of clawing for victory and hedonist that they were; they enjoyed this too. “We aren’t done”
“So it's like that then,” Drakath spat, attempting to heave himself off the ground only to fall back after his arms trembled. Wounds knit back together or not, the fighting took its toll on him as well. “You’re so desperate for a victory you’d kill me just to pretend you’ve won?”
Was that it? The drive to continue the fight burned fiercely in Magius’ chest beyond all reason. Anger at the Queen for winning was somewhere in there, but the thought was ephemeral at the moment. All thinking was beyond them really, and the introspection dropped abruptly as Drakath finally managed to stand.
“It’s not about winning.” They said simply, “I haven’t beaten you. I think that's what matters to me.” Maybe it was the chaos that drove them. The last remnants of that mania searing their muscle under their skin and causing them to well and truly lose it. It’s okay then, because Drakath did that to them and so it was revenge. Tilting their head to the side they flashed the skin of their neck to him. They didn’t want to talk right now, Magius wanted to keep fighting.
“Time doesn’t work naturally here, you understand that, right? Every moment here could be months, years for Lore. You’re giving up the entirety of Lore to the Queen for nothing.” Disbelief tinged everything Drakath said, as if he couldn’t fathom that Magius would want to keep going, that he was getting another chance to put them into the ground. They understood what he was saying perfectly, and they ignored it. Even as he tested their resolve to stay, Magius could see he was making subtle movements to shift into a combat stance, and the allure was too much to bear. 
“If this battle takes forever, then everything will have been worth it.” Magius felt the words roll off of their tongue from a distance. Somewhere behind themself as they casually dropped all pretense of heroism. They watched from this out of body position as they took off their facemask, taking one slow gasp for air before launching themselves forward. Joy and fury matched in their heart with equal measure as everything came back together in preparation for the battle ahead. Hyperaware, Magius saw Drakath blink in surprise as they moved in for the attack, an ancient ache burning in their chest as he responded in kind.
Magius was happy.
Their cheeks hurt from smiling, even as their limbs ached and they lost track of time. The blade in their hands sang as they swung it with reckless abandon. Everything they desired was held in this moment. Their hate bloomed into hope, into contentment. The realm of chaos raged around them as they danced. Their partner driving them onto the defense as their battleground crumbled under the force of their battle. 
They were made for combat first and foremost. It was an unspoken truth that lived within them. Before they knew how to talk or comfort, they knew the feel of a blade in their hand. Magius knew that they weren’t going to make it to the end, they weren’t built for saving the world, for protecting the weak or any of the things that drove their friends. They were made for violence, and this was where they belonged. Clashing their sword with Drakath’s, they parried the blow and struck, once, twice, three times as thank you for the indulgence. I love you I love you I love you. Shoving him back across the barren earth that remained on their little plane of existence, Magius whooped as they flung themselves back into the bloodbath.
It was right. It was like his body was made for their blade. If the entire world was just this, just the two of them fighting for nothing at the end of the world, they would be happy. Drakath grabbed their sword hand and forced them to drop the blade, squeezing until it made a sickening crunch before flinging them onto the ground. Desperately rolling away before he could continue, they brought themselves back up to a standing position. Magius embraced this pain as much as they embraced inflicting it. In this moment it was an ecstasy beyond understanding. Finally, they were getting what they wanted.
They thought they were exhausted when they started this final confrontation, but after many hours, months, years, they were reaching depths beyond possibility. Sometime ago their right hand had gone numb to all feeling and Magius knew implicitly that some of their inner workings had gone lopsided, their insistence on fighting through the wounds Drakath inflicted damaging them further. And yet every time Magius felt that they were on the verge of collapse, some hidden wellspring surged within them. Some hidden quality of the realm of chaos allowing for them to battle forever.
Drakath was in similar shape. Without the constant assistance of the Queen of Monsters healing his wounds, Magius had finally left their mark. Panting hard, he paused his assault to lean on his blade, even the eye on his chest closing for a moment as the disengagement allowed for a moment of peace. Magius took the moment to check their wrist, wincing at how it ached when they attempted to flex their fingers. It wasn’t the first time they had been disarmed here, but it seemed like they weren’t going to be using their sword at all anymore. They would have to continue with just their fists. Before they could lunge forward again with their hands clenched, Drakath raised his arm to slow them and sighed, clearly exasperated.
“What are you doing?” He asked, and Magius felt a deep fear. “What are we doing? What is going to be achieved by doing this?” The longer they stood there the longer Magius’ body had to realize that it couldn’t keep going, they were going to lose their moment!
“I’m going to kill you.” Magius said, temper flaring up, the anger would help them keep on their feet.
“No. You’re not. Neither of us have come close to finishing this fight. If you wanted me dead you would be trying harder” Drakath’s frustration was evident. Magius blinked, straightening up in surprise. He wasn’t making any sense, so they shook their head in a futile attempt to think clearly through the muddy waters of their tired brain. They were fighting for pleasure, and nothing would please them more than victory… Right? They liked the idea of winning so badly, but would they really have been satisfied with killing him? “So what is this pointless fight for? Some sick death wish? Why not just let me-” he paused for an uncomfortable moment and then awkwardly gestured to them. Magius swayed for a moment before picking up on the implication.
“I don’t want to die!” Magius stopped themselves. Didn’t they? If they had dragged out the fight for so long without winning, weren’t they asking for it? They could see it, they guessed, them being okay with dying here if they had genuinely been bested. But that would end Magius' and Drakath’s moment together, and that hurt in a funny way. No, it wasn’t about the outcome at all. They bounced on their feet impatiently as they tried to think harder about what they were doing. “That’s not what this is about. It’s about you.”
Magius took a small amount of satisfaction from the way Drakath’s face twisted. It was his fault; it was always his fault. Something about him, something he did to them, had driven Magius beyond all reason and now they finally got to reap the rewards of his efforts. Sudden inspiration pierced through their foggy battle lusted brain, and casting out their arms as if to present their all to him, they continued, “You and I were made for this, and I need to reach this completion. To fight you, learn you, the end of the fight is unnecessary to me.” A heat rose to their cheeks, that was deeply personal to admit. It was a weight off their shoulders to finally cast off the disguise of heroism they threw over their obsession, but one that was quickly replaced by the crushing guilt. They had lied to themself, their friends and their allies, and if they somehow returned to those friends, Magius would continue to lie about their desire for the rest of their days. Instead, they choose to only confide in the man who made everyone's lives hell.
Drakath seemed to oscillate between being disturbed and being… excited? Magius waited with bated breath. Surely he would continue the fight, right? Drakath had to have felt this as well, because why else would he have spent his attention on them? Making Magius feel this way? He smiled slowly. To anyone else it would’ve seemed sickening, but to Magius it just heightened their excitement.
“You really should’ve stopped at some point.” His words were slow and cutting. “When you’re dying alone and empty here, keep thinking of me, alright?”
And then he was gone. Having used the time they were talking to recover enough to use his wings to take off towards the gate. 
Falling forward onto their hands and knees, Magius threw up, blood coming up with whatever was left in their stomach. Literally spilling their guts out to go along with their stupid confession. Idiot! Dumbass! Of course he wouldn’t feel the same. They hated each other! That wellspring they had used to continue fighting completely evaporated within them, their arms giving out beneath them. Magius narrowly avoided falling into their sick by rolling onto their side, their vision threatening to give out as their body struggled not to shut down.
They had given up their pride, their chance at redemption, their oaths, their body, everything for a scrap of attention. A pitiful laugh crawled out of their throat along with a little more blood. They really were pathetic weren’t they?
It wasn’t a testament to their will that they began to crawl towards the gate with their one working arm. Just a realization that their last remnants could be good for something. Magius may have been scattered to the wind, but they were still a weapon. They could keep going if Lore needed to use them.
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monebula-art · 2 years
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Hey so uh… I got bored and a spark of inspiration slapped me so here’s a ShadowPeachxOc ficlet??
A Little Faith
Angst/Hurt-Comfort/tw: Blood mention
Méihuā - Plum Blossom
Táozi - Peaches
Xiǎobái - Little White
Tàiyáng - Sunshine
*******************
“Yin!” His voice rang out across the dusty field, that at last the great Serpent demon had been defeated.
They’d suffered a lot of injury, even the successor had been backed into a corner. If it hadn’t been for Bai Yin’s help…. Using the power of illusion and sealing to lure The great Snake into a trap… Macaque wouldn’t have been able to land the final blow.
But that didn’t mean they’d succeed. As soon as the fight was over, his first thought was on his friend…. His oldest, aside from Sun Wukong— and the only one in all this time who really hadn’t turned her back on him. Despite having every right and reason to. He’d never thanked her for that…. He prayed to whatever god was listening that he’d still get the chance.
The wounded monkey climbed his way up to where he’d seen her fall— and Wukong had reached her first. He stumbled over to them, chest heaving with effort and exhaustion he wouldn’t let overcome him yet, he had to check— he had to make sure she wasn't—
“Bai Yin—!”
“Stop!” Wukong’s command went through him like a shaft of lightning and he froze within six feet from them.
The golden Monkey King crouched on his knees, looking broken, and furious. He held the weakened fox spirit gently up in his arms. Her white fur was stained with blood. It made Macaque’s stomach turn.
“Don’t come any closer— haven’t you done enough?!”
Those words bit him, they burned, and he flinched.
Wukong’s eyes shimmered with yet unshed and angered tears as he glared at his once dear friend. The fact that he’d thought… they were almost on their way again and then THIS happened… it was more than the old warrior could take.
“I trusted you— YIN trusted you! Yknow I really— I really started to think things could be good with us again… Maybe I really have gotten old… I should have known better! You never change Liu’er Mihou!” Sun Wukong barked, bearing his fangs in a snarl.
Macaque stepped forward despite the biting words and bristling tails both males displayed each other. His eyes darted desperately between Wukong and Yin. He shook his head and reached a hand out for them both.
“That’s not what this was! I made a mistake— I tried to fix things! I didn’t want either of you involved. I know how it looks but you have to believe me— this time I—!”
“This time?! Why should I?! Every time before now you’ve only played for yourself. ‘Always in it for you’ right? Why should now be any different, Macaque?” Demanded the great Sage, his tail lashing furiously as it curled around Yin to bring her closer. He closed his eyes and buried his nose gently at the top of her head. Her breathing was shallow… she was alive, but not well. He needed to get her to Sandy and Tang… they’d be able to help.
“Just do what you do best— turn tail and leave us. You’ve done enough.”
Macaque stood there in silence, his fist curled to a ball and trembling, why was now different…? Because he cared? Because he was actually trying to correct the mistake he’d made? Because he was worried about Yin….? Or because he wanted to make it up to her? Her and Wukong…. He’d felt hurt and betrayed by his best friend once— but the decision to continue that betrayal and pay it back for centuries afterward…. Drawing Yin and MK and all the kids into their centuries long feud….That had been all him.
“I’m not running.” He spoke at last. And the tone of his voice pulled Wukong from his anger and grief long enough to question it.
“What..?”
Macaque hung his head, his shoulders tense and his brows knitted stressfully. But the golden gaze he turned up to meet his brother’s of so many centuries was determined— it held honesty. For the first time in ages, the golden gaze of Sun Wukong saw no deceit in his counter’s eyes.
The glamor hiding the six eared Macaque’s true face wavered for a fraction of a second and he took a step forward.
“I know I messed up…. I wanted to try and break my connection to the Serpent Demon on my own, and I was trying… trying to get back to you. I thought…. If I could just prove to the two of you that things were different now…. Then we could try starting over?” He hesitates. Hands balling to fists, clenching and unclenching as he sought the right words, the tip of his tail lashing in frustration and he looked at Bai Yin with an expression of heartbreak Wukong hadn’t seen on his Macaque’s face in a very long time….
“I never wanted to get the two of you caught up in this. I was trying to protect you. I wanted to prove that I’m not the same coward anymore… I won’t run away anymore, Wukong, please.” He reached forward and crouched to one knee only a foot or two away from them, his glamor trembling as his voice did. Seeing them up close… his most precious people, Yin cradled delicately in Wukong’s arms as she struggled to breathe and it hurt because he knew it was his fault. She had sacrificed herself to give him the opportunity for victory.
“I don’t deserve you— I know I don’t… All these years you never gave upon me and I never understood why. And it pissed me off…. I wanted to hate the both of you so bad… because I thought that was the answer. i thought that was the only place I could put all this hurting I felt…— but it’s not.” He lowered his head away from Wukong’s sight, ashamed of himself and continued. The air awash with the scent of sacred fox’s blood….
His shoulders trembled.
“I spent so long hating you both and then things were finally…. Finally good again. I just wanted to keep you safe this time. I wanted to keep you with me. I didn’t… It wasn’t meant to… You weren’t supposed to come to help me! You weren’t supposed to get hurt!” The macaque’s voice cracked and so too did the last of his resolve keeping him together. The glamor shielding the scar and milky blinded eye faded with his loss of composure as tears spilled over and dropped onto the ground. All six of his ears no longer concealed by the spell.
“I don’t want to run away anymore Táozi— I don’t want to turn my back on what’s important anymore. I don’t wanna lose you. Or Yin… I feel like I finally got you back. I don’t wanna lose you guys again…!” He lifted his head pleading and his tear filled eyes met the anguished gaze of his once king and dearest friend— who despite himself had a tear sliding down his own face.
How did they get here?
Was it really doomed?
“L-“
“Liu’er…” The soft croak came from the form nestled in the Monkey King’s arms, and while her condition wasn’t great, Yin had enough strength to speak. She had enough to shed tears for her beloved friends.
“Bai Yin—!” Gasped Wukong, adjusting his hold on her a bit so she wouldn’t move too much. Macaque too, perked up, tears streaking his face even now as he heard his fox’s soft voice.
“Méihuā?” His ears perked up as he called her nickname softly, scooting closer as she said his name, and Wukong didn’t stop him this time.
The fox blinked slowly, her tears clouding her already blurry vision but she could make out the two Monkeys enough to know they were both crouched over her. She shifted some. Wincing in pain, Wukong moved to steady her.
“Xiǎobái try not to move— you’re still really hurt.” He cautioned, brushing a hand over her head to pet back her ears.
She offered him a small smile, then turned her gaze to Macaque who remained hesitant, just out of reach, and she had just enough strength to close the distance and reach for him in return.
Her hand stretched weakly towards him and a new leak of tears sprung from his eyes at the acceptance… the offer of her care. And he took her hand. Coming closer, clutching that frail hand in his paw and bringing the other to brush aside her hair and rest at her cheek.
“Méihuā…” His plum blossom, “I am so sorry… I promise I’m going to make it up to you. We’ll all go back to the city… You, Wukong, me, the kids… all of us. It’s gonna be fine again. I’ll fix it this time— I swear, I—.” She squeezed his hand and smiled warmly, leaning her head into his hand.
“What nonsense have you two been arguing about while I was napping, hm? It was so loud I couldn’t rest…” She asked gently as if scolding two young children.
“I heard it all… I know… you’re upset Tàiyáng… but getting angry at Liu’er is not the answer. It was my idea to come after him…”
“Bai Yin that wasn’t your—.” Wukong began to argue to her defense but she put her hand up to stop him, calm and serious.
“I knew, and I hid the real reason for coming here from you. Because I was afraid you might not want to help Liu’er if you knew the truth. And I worried if we approached him honestly with the offer of aid… that he might turn us away. I was scared… and got us all involved in a much more dangerous situation.” She admitted at last— that her own scheming had brought this battle to a headway. She closed her eyes out of shame to look at her dear ones, tears slipping free from her eyes to roll down soft furred face.
“I am… so sorry my loves.”
Both Monkeys exchanged looks, as realization dawned on them both the full extent of her involvement in the misunderstanding. And they’d both jumped to their same old habits because of it. Macaque tore his gaze away from Wukong’s in embarrassment and frustration, and Wukong cast his down in shame. They really were a mess.
But it was Macaque who spoke first to move their situation along, they could figure out where to place blame, and sort their differences later, and he said as much as he reached around to help Wukong hold her up, lifting her gently from the Monkey King’s arms to settle into his own.
“We can worry about all that later, don’t beat yourself up for it any more than you already have, Kitten.” He offered that signature smirk of his, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He couldn’t help but tease her just a little.
“What’re you—“ Began the gold pelted monkey, worried for Yin’s safety despite knowing Macaque was the last person on earth who’d hurt her with intent.
“I can travel much faster back to the city through my shadows. Get her the help she needs. MK and the kids still need their Sìfǔ… I’ll go ahead, and you catch up to us later.” What he said made sense, with a soft whimper, Bai Yin settled back into Macaque’s arms as he stood up with her carefully and Wukong nodded, albeit with hesitation as he released his own hold on her.
Macaque turned his face down to brush his nose against the top of Yin’s head, the scent of blood was overwhelming but at least the bleeding had stopped for now. She still smelled like herself, like trees and fruit and fur. Her whimper of pain made his heart ache.
“Just take it easy, Yin. Rest.” He hushed her, and she gave him one last blearily look before her eyes slid closed and she fell back into unconsciousness. His grip tightened, just slightly— thick black tail flicked up to wrap around her and keep her securely against him.
“Right…I’ll take care of things here.” Wukong agreed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Acknowledging Macaque’s plan with a nod as the dark furred simian turned away from him and recomposed himself, a shimmer of magic settled back over him as he recast his glamour.
“Liu’er.” Called Wukong softly, before they could depart, his tail twitching nervously, eyes darting around.
Macaque turned to look over his shoulder, eyes narrowed, a bit defensive and suspicious. Force of habit really, was Wukong going to insult him again? Not that he didn’t typically earn it but…. Well— he wasn’t really in the mood for their usual banter.
“What is it?”
Silence followed his question, though it was controlled, he didn’t sound happy, and Wukong hesitated, but finally, his face twisted in a momentary mix of confliction giving way to acceptance as he worked through whatever mental pep-talk he’d given himself and approached. Reaching out— despite Macaque’s flinch and gently rested his hand at his back against his shoulder.
“Travel safe. I’ll join you later and… we can talk.” He suggested carefully before withdrawing his hand to hang at his side. He offered a nervous and tender smile. And surprisingly, Macaque returned it with a small one of his own.
“See ya soon, Peach.” He said with a wink and a smirk.
“Look after her!” Added the Monkey King, as shadows bubbled at the black furred monkey’s feet he shot the other a confident grin.
“Cmon this is me we’re talking about!” With a softer note to his voice, he held Bai Yin closer and cast one more glance back at Wukong… his king, his companion… Gods he really had missed him. “I’ve got this.” It wasn’t a request for trust… it would be a long time before they could all fully trust each other again. But maybe…they could go on a little faith. He had a job to do— he was sure he could do it, and he wanted to assure Wukong too.
If there was one thing the two rival simians could agree on, it was that their rowdy family of students and friends, including their beloved little fox, were worth more than their pride or problems with each other. When it came to them, they’d look past whatever issues they were having. And that, at least nowadays, was something they could both finally put a little faith into again.
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dnangelic · 5 months
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What was supposed to be a leisurely stroll with her big bro suddenly becomes something completely different when Fyuga's keen eyes spot a particular set of men nearby, black suits and earpieces, bearing a burly, yet fashionable appearance. Daisuke might feel the telltale tug of Fyuga suddenly stopping right in her tracks even though they'd been holding hands, and now she's moved to retreat behind him. He could feel her shuddering against his leg.
" Wanna go home. " Her words are so quiet, like a mouse afraid of alerting a predator. " Bad men. Bad. Don't wanna be here.. "
One of the suited men turns to glance at the crimson-haired boy and the little girl quietly hiding behind him. Doesn't he look very, very vaguely familiar...?
@paraleech
his hand stretches outwards in a protective ward , and maybe that's the first sign of opposition ; the drawn and cast line between fyuga and himself , standing still in front of the small group of strange men before them . daisuke has never entirely understood why people in these sorts of positions were almost always roaming around in suits and uniform --- it was the same for azumano's officers and just about every other immediate image of organization . when you wanted to catch someone or something that knew how to run and hide , shouldn't you have tried to play the same game , and done everything you could to make yourself less conspicuous as you laid out various traps ? or was intimidation the intention , and he had already exposed himself and fyuga both by seeming ready for a confrontation rather than maintaining his usual clueless stare ?
though his leer has turned sharp with a rare , stern emotion , the niwa says nothing as he turns and quickly picks up fyuga into his arms . if it was only a squint of uncertainty and suspicion , then they could still get away from this without any trouble --- or unlike that time from so long ago , without any dramatic , heart-pounding chase . one of daisuke's hands pat and rub fyuga on the back in a way that's far more gentle and comforting compared to the tight clutch and grasp on her body .
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' --- shh . '
whoever those men really were , fyuga was right . they needed to get out of here , and away from them . so he turns a corner . ducks into an alleyway , turns again and dives deeper into the city's underground and abandoned underbelly , picking up his pace as he weaves between azumano's tightly-knit brick buildings --- out of the light , into the dark . this province was like his very own garden , and if men like those were hoping to find things they considered pests or weeds to pluck out from it , then they wouldn't have any luck .
' everything's okay , fyuga . we're going home . '
moreover , wasn't this incident a concern that he should have brought up with his family ? a small spark of indignant anger lights itself in his emotions . fyuga wasn't dangerous --- no , that wasn't true . he had already seen and experienced the sort of bizarre , completely inhuman things that she could do . things that had , at times , and utterly truthfully , even scared him , to a point beyond any selfless worry . but his father's words echo in the back of his mind , and they mingle with his own thoughts too .
just like the various cursed objects they brought into the mansion and sealed away into their countless basement floors , fyuga might have been dangerous , but she still had nowhere else to go . the first time that they had met , she had even admit as much in tears . no family , and no home . that was why now , in tandem with knowing the way that anyone in pursuit of her would have readily accused and attempted to cage him as an equal monster and villain , he wouldn't give her up so readily .
after all this time , hadn't fyuga been good ? hadn't she been learning ? even if the girl clinging to him wasn't entirely an ordinary human being , wasn't her terror , her kindness , and the fact that she had both accepted and been accepted as family infinitely more than enough reason to keep her from being stolen away ?
a hand shifts to the back of her head ; supports her neck at the reminder of the way she had clung to and sought to rely on him . he hopes she's stopped shaking ; meanwhile , the phantom thief's touch remained the same as usual --- as firm and delicate as it was stubborn and insolent as he carried her further back towards the mansion . ' nobody's ever going to get you , fyuga . ' his steps echo through the empty waterways , and his echo , its pitch thrown against the stones , seems lower --- until it nearly sounded like his second self's .
' i promise . i'll never , ever let them . '
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scarisd3ad · 2 years
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𝗦𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 | 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝘅 𝗳𝗲𝗺!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿
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God I hated parties but somehow Steve always managed to drag me along to all of the high school parties with him and his girlfriend nancy. “I hate this nance” i muttered as she sipped from a red solo cup full of who knows what.
“It’s fun y/n you’ve gotta loosen up” she smiled softly towards me. She was already drunk I could tell she had already drank like five full cups. “Ima go find Steve” she slurred as she stood up wobbling her way through the crowd.
I sighed as I lolled my head back against the gray couch. “I just want to go home” i grumbled, I couldn’t go home because Steve drove us god dammit.
My arms were crossed across my chest as I waited for Nancy to come back with Steve. they’d follow the normal routine they always did at parties nancy or Steve would get shit faced drunk, end up making out on a strangers couch, beg me to drive them to Steve’s place, then I’d have to wait til their done having sex to go home.
It happened every time without fail. God I had the hugest crush on Steve, that’s why I let him drag me around to all these parties in hope he’d maybe somehow fall in love with me.
It was a stupid plan but I was only seventeen and stupid. When nancy didn’t come back after ten minutes I got confused. She was normally back by now. But atleast I wouldn’t have to go through the pain of having to sit next to them making out.
right? After twenty minutes I figured they forgot about me. I sighed as I sank into the couch, I’d wait here til the party died down then walk home or hope I knew someone here so they could drive me home. I was getting quite bored maybe I could go get something to drink, I thought as I stood up from my rather comfortable spot on the couch.
I started towards the kitchen where I knew I would at least find a bottle of water or if I was unlucky a bottle of beer. When I walked into the kitchen I saw a now drunk Steve gulping down a can of beer. “God dammit Steve” i muttered as I walked towards him and the group of guys surrounding him.
“Steve”
I tapped his shoulder softly, hw turned around towards me and his face instantly softened. “Y/n!” He smiled as he grabbed my hand “where’s nance?” I asked my eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
They were always together they were a power couple or so we thought. “She’s pissed at me. She called Jonathan and left” he sighed his happy grin now replaced with a frown. “Oh” I said quietly “let’s get you home you’re drunk and it’s getting late” i said grabbing onto his wrist.
“No! Y/n I’m having fun” he protested as he tried to pull his arm away from me. I rolled my eyes “come on we can watch movies at my place” I said. He protested a bit more before finally agreeing with me and following me out to his car. “Let me see the keys” I sighed he dug around in his pocket before pulling out at pair of car keys with a small teddy bear keychain on it.
“Get in the passenger seat I’ll drive” I said pushing him away from the drivers side door. He stumbled his way towards the passenger seat protesting the whole way. As we sat at a red light I could feel Steve’s brown eyes staring at me. I turned my head towards him as tilted my head to the side in confusion “what’s wrong?” I asked.
He shook his head “you’re just so pretty” he said softly with a smile on his face. I rolled my eye “you’re drunk Steve” he shook his head again “I’m telling the truth y/n you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met” he pressed a kiss to my cheek. I quickly snapped my head towards him.
“Don’t do that” I scolded “why?” He pouted “nance, Steve you’ve got a girlfriend” I said softly. He shook his head again, “not anymore” he mumbled. God I wished he was sober i wish he meant all of this he was saying.
“I love you y/n” he said before pressing a kiss to my lips. I quickly pushed him away “Steve, stop you’re drunk you don’t know what you’re saying” I said tears brimming my eyes. “No don’t cry” he said softly craddling my cheeks in his hands. “I didn’t mean to make you sad” he pressed a kiss to my cheek “I love you” he mumbled. He pressed a kiss to my lips again.
this time I said Fuck it and kissed him back. His hands cradled my cheeks so gently, his thumb rubbing up and down my cheek softly. This wasn’t right, he was drunk I pushed him away yet again. His eyebrows knitted together his lips now contorted into a pout. “Do you not like me y/n?” He asked nonchalantly “I do stevie I really do….” I said my voice giving out mid sentence.
“Why won’t you kiss me then?” He asked I sighed because it’s wrong youre drunk Steve” he grabbed my hands “but drunk words are sober thoughts” he said softly “I know Steve” I replied “how bout in the morning if you remember this then I’ll kiss you” he nodded “I love you y/n” he mumbled. God I wish he was sober.
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p33paw · 3 years
Text
broken contract
zhongli x f!reader
summary | breaking a promise to zhongli, and paying the price with spread legs (pwp, thigh riding, cockwarming, overstimulation, praise kink, sir kink, degrading kink)
warnings | nsfw
word count | ~10k
links | ao3
I would never get drunk in the middle of the day.
But— Beidou is only in town for the day, a short stop sandwiched between two several month long expeditions spent sailing the sea, too far away for contact. We settled to meet at the Third-Round Knockout. Her, me, a table of food, and all morning to talk before she visits the other people she cares about. We each got a single drink to toast with, then one became two, two became three, and... well...
I might be drunk in the middle of the day.
"Zhongli is going to kill me—" I groan, planting my head into my arms, leaning into the table.
I was supposed to meet with him today as well, as soon as Beidou's left. I can feel the heat on my flushed face where it connects with my skin. I'm drunk. He hates when I drink, enough that he told me to never drink before I see him.
Beidou grunts, and I hear the creak of her chair as she leans back in it.
"What's with you and that old man?" She asks, followed by the thud of her empty glass hitting the table. She calls for another round, and I groan again, tilting my head up to look at her.
"Wha'd'you mean?" I ask, pouting my lower lip out.
Beidou squints at me, then lifts her hands to gesture.
"Are you—" She holds her tongue with her teeth, a look of concentration knitting her brow. She forms her index finger and thumb on one hand into a circle, then pushes her other pointer finger out, jamming it into the circle she created. "—y'know."
As she continues to thrust her finger into the space created by her hand, the waiter approaches, dropping two new drinks in front of us. Beidou doesn't notice, but she's shot a dirty look.
I squint at her, knowing exactly what she's asking, but refusing to answer truthfully.
"No?" I sit all the way up, batting my eyelashes to antagonize her. "What are you talking about?" As I finish speaking, I lift my new drink, sipping it to keep my buzz if this is the conversation we're having.
Beidou blinks back, a delirious and gullible look in her eyes.
"Are you gonna go have sex with him?" She asks, point blank.
I choke on my drink, not expecting to hear the question. I have to take a moment to steady myself, eyes flicking up to Beidou as she crosses her arms and stares me down.
"I— I—" I blink, stumbling over my words, trying to collect my thoughts. I settle for a jab back, looking at Beidou with as much courage as I can muster. "Are you gonna go have sex with Ningguang?" I ask.
Beidou's brows tick in, a no less severe expression on her face. "Of course." She says, just as brash. "Now answer my question."
I falter, pursing my lips. Damn, I thought that would buy me more time.
"I'm—" I start, trying to look up and meet her eyes. I end up shying away from her severe stare, hiding in my drink. "Yes." I admit, no way around it. "We are... involved."
"Involved?" Asks Beidou, leaning in, "Like more than just having sex?"
I suck my lower lip in, hesitant to talk about it. This is something that happened recently, more than a month after Beidou last left Liyue Harbor. My hands instinctively come together, my fingers resting on a bracelet that was a gift from Zhongli. He called it the contract of what we have between us, the guarantee of the promises we've made each other, and the reminder than I belong to him. There's no official title, but...
"A lot more than just sex." I say.
Beidou 'oohs', leaning in even closer.
Before she can get another word out, the door to the tavern swings open with a slam. Beidou and I both crane our necks to look. Standing in the entryway, tall, elegant and beautiful, is lady Ningguang. Her eyes are locked to Beidou though, and intimidating enough that I find myself faltering.
She walks in, tailed by two guards.
"You're in trouble now—" I whisper back, trying to make myself look at small as possible.
Beidou shoots me a glare of her own, before pulling her face into a wide smile, staring at Ningguang as she approaches.
"Hey—y my beautiful flower, has anyone told you how lovely and gentle and beautiful and intelligent and—" Beidou starts, interrupted by Ningguang.
"I've been waiting for hours." Ningguang says, voice severe, barely flicking her eyes over to me. She gives me a curt nod of acknowledgment and I blink back in surprise.
Beidou squints at her. "I— told you I'd finish lunch at twelve." She says as looks over to me. "My friends are just as important to me—"
Ningguang immediately reaches to her side, pulling a pocket watch from a chain where it's fastened. She flips it open, pushing it forward, directly toward Beidou. Beidou leans in, lifting her brows as she reads the time, surprise clear in her expression.
"Now what does that say?" Ningguang asks, staring Beidou down.
Beidou swallows, eyes flicking up to stare at the other woman. "Two-oh-six." She says, lifting her drink, finishing it in a single swig, dropping the empty glass to the table, then slowly starting to stand.
Shit. I promised Zhongli I'd be done by noon, myself.
Beidou turns to me once standing, reaching a hand over to clasp my shoulder. "I'm glad to have seen you," She starts, "If my next adventure finds me dead—" She nervously glances toward Ningguang, "Know that you were my greatest friend." At that, she reaches into her pocket, pulling out and slamming down a satchel of mora that is certainly— more than enough to pay our tab. She turns, walking away from the table.
Ningguang smiles, small, watching Beidou approach her, before turning her gaze to me. "I'm sorry for interrupting—" She says, lifting her hands together, looking apologetic. "I'm sure you understand?"
I nod, giving her a reassuring smile of my own. "I had plenty of time with her." I say back, waving her off.
I lift to my feet to stand and leave as well, met with a head rush that makes me waver. I have to shoot my hands out to the table to steady myself, coming into the realization that I drank much more than I should have.
A hand darts forward, landing on my arm, holding me steady.
"Are you alright?" I hear Ningguang ask, much closer than before.
I nod, slowly blinking, trying to focus my eyes, batting her away.
"I'm fine— just a bit—" As I try to step away, I stumble, barely catching myself on another table. "—drunk." I sigh out, then look up to Beidou to glare. "I hate you." I bite out. I always try to drink as much as her, and, inevitably, end up far drunker.
Beidou gives me a toothy grin, shrugging. "Learn to hold your liquor." She says.
Still next to me, Ningguang turns to glare at Beidou, until the smile slips from her face. She looks to the side, sheepish.
"You're in no condition to get home alone." Ningguang says, lifting her hand and snapping her fingers together.
One of the two guards steps forward, at attention, walking up next to us.
"Assure that she arrives home safely." She says, voice stern, before turning back to meet my eyes again. "If you tell him where you live he'll get you home. Let me know if there are any problems." She says, then steps away before I can protest, back to Beidou's side.
Together, the two turn, walking for the exit. Beidou looks back, giving me another wave as she's ushered away, until the door swings shut behind them, and I'm alone with the guard.
"Where do you live, ma'am?" He asks.
I look up at him, feeling sheepish. I'm drunk, that doesn't mean a need a guard to walk me home.
"You can— leave me." I start. "I'm more than capable of getting home, I'm not sure why Lady Ningguang even—" I take the first step forward, lose my footing, and fall over face first, collapsing to the ground.
I groan, collecting myself and sitting up, blowing a stressed breath. Maybe it's good Beidou's only home a few days a year, she'd drink me into an early death otherwise.
The guard's hands land on me this time, helping me to stand. I let him, but once I'm up, the hands don't come off. Instead, I'm lifted up into his arms, until he's carrying me.
"Just tell me where to go." The guard starts, looking embarrassed for me. "Ma'am."
I huff a sigh with half a mind to struggle to get out of his hold— but— realize it isn't worth it. I would probably just fall on my ass if I attempted to walk anywhere, this is likely for the best.
Now, I have to consider my options. Fake sick and abandon my plans with Zhongli because I'm in no state to meet him, or—
Zhongli's address spills from my mouth, something selfish and needy rearing in my chest. I want to see him, I don't care how much trouble I'll be in once he sees my current state.
The guard nods, walking forward with me in his arms. It's foreign to exit a bar belligerently drunk and see it's still the middle of the day. The outside is busy with working people despite the clouds in the sky and the threat of rain looming above them.
I hide my face in my own shoulder, embarrassed as the guard strides forward, down the streets, deeper into the city, carrying me to where Zhongli lives. The closer we approach, the more nervous I get, mind racing at how he might react to the mistake I've made.
I really shouldn't be drunk.
My stomach twists as I spot Zhongli's home, and consider my current position. I'm already going to be in enough trouble as it is— I don't need him to see me in another man's arms. I lift my hand, tapping the shoulder of the guard, signaling to be let down. The guard listens, lowering me to my feet. I have to take a second to balance myself, but finally find my bearings, walking forward to close what feels like an immeasurable distance between me and Zhongli.
I approach his threshold, but before I can knock, the door opens. Zhongli stands in the entryway, his eyes flicking between me and the guard at my back, his expression set.
"Didn't we agree you'd arrive by noon?" He asks, finally staring at just me.
I nod, then stumble toward him. He receives me in his arms, holding me tight as I bury myself in his chest. His arms feel massive as they wrap me, cradling me like I'm something fragile. I drag in an inhale, breathing in the scent of clear spring and mountain air that seems ever present on him.
"Are you alright?" He asks, softer.
I tilt my head back to look at him, and see his face is knit with concern. I nod, staring up at him through my lashes.
"I'm— f-fine." I slur out, then watch as Zhongli's brow ticks in.
There's a drop in my stomach as it happens, knowing he's become aware of what's made me late. He looks away from me, up to the guard.
"Thank you." He says, voice firm, before guiding me into his house.
"I'm sorry—" I try to start, keeping pressed to his side, my fingers curled in the fabric of his shirt.
Zhongli closes the door, soft, careful, before turning to look at me again.
"You're drunk, aren't you?" He asks, disappointment clear in his voice.
I nod, moving my hands against his abdomen. I keep touching, grabbing, pawing at him.
"I'm sorry—" I repeat, lifting my hand to his chest. "Can I make it up to you? I—"
Zhongli catches me at the wrist, holding my hands still. He sighs, then walks away without another word. I stay in place, fidgeting with the bracelet on my wrist, restlessness and guilt twisting my stomach, as I wait, I hear water start to run.
He reappears, walking straight for me. He lands his hands on me in silence, lifting me into his arms. I curl my fingers into his shoulder, holding tight as he carries me to the bathroom. I look around, noting that the bath is running, filling with water.
I'm carefully lowered to my feet, then Zhongli steps back, creating distance, crossing his arms across his chest. He looks right at me.
"Do you need help undressing?" He asks.
I shake my head no, stumbling over my own feet as I grab the hem of my dress, lifting it up and off. It falls to the floor with a thump. Standing in my undergarments, I can feel Zhongli's eyes on me, burning me in the way they flick across my body, studying me. I embarrass, shoving my panties down and off as quickly as I can, shedding my bra even faster, then standing nude with my arms wrapped around my core.
"It's ready for you." Zhongli says next, the sound of water flowing cut short.
I look up to meet his eyes, finding them locked to my body, searching the expanse of it. I carefully step forward, until I'm directly in front of him.
"I'm sorry—" I repeat, feeling small, watching as his steady gaze locks back to my face.
"It's okay." He says. "We can talk about it later."
I nod, tight, still in my own head. I almost want him to be mad, to express the upset I see clear on his face so that the guilt in my stomach settles. Instead, his words and actions are measured with restraint.
I look away from him toward the bath. It's drawn high, shimmering with soap. I lift my leg, stepping in, until I'm standing in the water. Then, I lower myself in, sinking into the warm feeling that envelops my body.
I glance back over to Zhongli, watching as he walks to the door, sheds his jacket, and hangs it. From there, he turns, walking back toward the bath, removing his gloves, unpinning his cufflinks, slipping them both into his pocket. He carefully rolls his sleeves up his forearms, one at a time.
My heart jumps to my throat as he reveals his arms, thick with muscle and defined veins like his hands, a light ghosting of hair that covers the entire limb. He kneels next to the tub, lifting a bottle of soap. He pours the soap into his hands, then pushes those hands forward, landing them on my body.
"I'm sorry." I repeat, voice as small as I can make it, searching the hard line of his unwavering expression.
His eyes flick up to meet mine, piercing in the way they look at me. He slides his soaped hand against my skin, over my chest, up to my neck. He rests there, caressing with his thumb, keeping his eyes on me.
"You reek of alcohol." He says, voice low and gentle. "Didn't you promise to never drink before seeing me?"
I duck my head, heart jumping to my throat. I nod, tight. "Yes." I breathe out, blinking down to watch my hands curl around each other underneath the water. "I'm sorry." I repeat.
Zhongli says no more, but continues to move his hands. He drags them along me with purpose, washing every square inch of my body in silence, before he's up, grabbing a toothbrush from his counter. He kneels back down, holding the brush, staring at me.
"Can you open your mouth for me?" He coaxes.
I swallow around my tongue, but do, just parting my lips.
Zhongli's free hand comes up, cupping my face. His thumb forces between my lips, pressing to my bottom row of teeth. He opens my mouth, pulling his thumb back, only to dig his fingers into my cheeks, holding my face in place. He moves forward with the toothbrush, pushing it into my mouth, watching it go in, all while I search his face.
He starts to move, brushing the caps of my teeth, moving the brush in and out of my mouth, dragging it against my lips. I find my eyes fluttering shut, embarrassment overwhelming me.
All of this is because I couldn't control myself, and now, I have to be cared for. He finishes brushing my teeth, allows me to rinse, then pulls the plug from the bath. He stands up, finds a towel, dries his hands on it, and brings it to me.
"Will you be okay on your own for a moment?" He asks, waiting until I nod in confirmation to stand up and walk away.
Once he's gone, I lift my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around them. I wait in the bath while the water drains, consumed with upset. I just want him to kiss me the way he always does, hold me tight, and make me feel like nothing else in the world matters. Instead, I'm helpless as he picks up the pieces of me.
There's a small tremble in my core as I stand up. It's a sinking feeling that acknowledges my fault, a repeated reminder that I'm the one who fucked up and crossed the boundaries we set.
I reach for the towel that Zhongli used, dry off with it, then walk out of the bathroom. I go straight for his bedroom, finding pajamas already laid out for me on the bed. It's a top and bottom set, silken, too large, I lift the buttoned top, slipping it over my head without unbuttoning anything. The hem falls past the middle of my thigh, wearing more like a dress than anything else. I don't bother with the pants.
I poke my fingers from the oversized sleeves, curling them into the fabric at the collar of the shirt, lifting it to my face. I breathe in, finding it rich with the scent that lingers on Zhongli. I nearly buckle, eyes fluttering shut as I breathe it in, grounding myself in it.
When I open my eyes again, reality comes crashing back.
I walk out of the bedroom, eyes peeled for Zhongli. I find him in his kitchen, dropping a mixture of leaves into a pot of still water that sits on a low flame. His sleeves are still rolled up to his elbow, the muscles of his forearms flexing as he uses them.
I make a noise, watching him, wishing his hands were on me. He glances back.
"You should lay down until the tea is done." He says, quiet.
Though I know it's for the best, I refuse to listen. I shake my head no, walking toward him with uncertainty.
"I don't—" I start, taking a ragged breath. "Are you angry? I don't want you to be upset with me— please, I—" I falter as Zhongli pauses his movement. "Please." I repeat, begging, breathier than last time.
Pin prick tears collect at the corners of my eyes, desperation for reassurance fueling my courage.
Finally, Zhongli turns and approaches me, his expression strained. He lands one hand on my waist, sliding it up my side. His other cups my chin, gentler than I expect, running his thumb along my bottom lip to my cheek.
"Go lay down." He repeats, his face relaxing into something kinder, more familiar. "You'll feel better if you lay down."
I whine, wrapping my arms around him tighter, hesitant to let go now that I've got some of the attention I desperately wanted.
"Do you hate me now?" I ask, voice small.
Zhongli's brows lift, his hand traveling higher to thumb the tear from my eye. He moves in closer, holding eye contact with me.
"Of course not." He says, quiet, holding my face steady to lean in and press a chaste kiss to my lips. "I am upset." He says, his breath warm against my lips, tightening his hand on my waist to pull me closer. "But we can wait to address it when you're sober." He presses another kiss.
Though the words are severe, it's a relief. I press into his lips with all of my might, digging my fingers into his shoulders, steadying myself. He can still love me the same, despite my mistakes.
Zhongli pulls back from the kiss with a soft noise, quickly turning to attend to the pot. I finally relax, moving with him, keeping myself pressed against his broad back, my arms looping his waist.
"You're too kind to me." I mumble, muffled by his shirt.
Maybe it's the drive of the alcohol, or the way his hands felt when he ran them along my body as he washed me, or maybe even just his kindness, but I find myself craving intimacy. I carefully drag my hands down his abdomen, grazing my fingers against the fabric of his shirt, until I reach his belt. There, I move carefully, working my fingers to lift the clasp, my other hand dragging down across his lap as I hold my breath.
Zhongli goes still beneath my palms. I move slower, glacially, pressing against his belt. I don't make it far before his hand covers my own, stilling my movement.
"No." He says, voice low and soft. "Not while you're drunk."
I whine, pressing against his back. "But I want to—" I pout.
Zhongli turns to face me, an unfamiliar stern look on his face. "No." He repeats, just as he lands his hands on me and lifts me into his arms.
I'm helplessly carried to his bedroom, then, unceremoniously dumped onto his bed.
"Rest until the tea is done." Zhongli says, an order, before leaning in and pressing a parting kiss to my forehead. "I'll be back when it's ready." He says, then pulls back.
I puff my cheeks out, pouting, but refrain from protest. Zhongli turns, walking back out of the room, leaving me alone. I decide to settle, admitting that he's right, I should lay down. I wrap myself in a comforter, burying my face in his pillows, and let my eyes shut. I find myself relaxing, mind filled with memories of us in this bed together, and how safe I feel here, until I slip into sleep.
***
I open my eyes, disoriented, watching Zhongli's back retreat from the room. I blink slowly, sitting up, lifting my hands to rub my eyes. I must've fallen asleep, and, I glance out a window, noting the setting sun in the sky, it must've been for hours.
I take in my surroundings, noticing that to my side is a cup of tea on a plate, billowing a soft cloud of steam. I steady myself before reaching for it, then lift it to drink. It tastes floral, minty, bright against my desensitized tongue.
I blink again, trying to focus my eyes as I recollect the events of the day. I notice a slight ache in my head, and remember the fact that I was drunk.
Embarrassment heats my face, the automatic memory of Zhongli's disappointment in me springing to the forefront. I hide in the cup of tea, willing myself to forget.
It's a useless effort.
Though, as memories come back in, I come to a conclusion: I owe Zhongli my thanks, and maybe another apology.
I tilt the cup of tea back, finishing it despite its temperature, then set the empty cup down on it's plate. I lift from bed, stumbling out to the living area, searching for what I want. I find him lounging, a book open in his hands. He hardly glances up at me, brows raised.
"How do you feel?" He asks.
I ignore the question, striding right for him. I plant a hand on his shoulder, swing my leg over his lap, then crawl on top of him, forcing my way into his hold. His arms come back together behind my back, keeping his book steady.
"Better." I finally mumble, once I'm in his lap.
"Yeah?" He asks.
"I'm better." I mumble, pressing my face into his neck, taking care to breathe in a way he can feel. "Thanks to you."
Close like this, I find the same feeling from earlier, a desire for his hands on me, running along my body, the desire to be wanted. I tilt in closer, arching my spine to press our bodies flush. I land a hand on his chest, and slowly drag it down his abdomen.
"Is that so?" Zhongli asks back, voice low, breathy.
I nod into his neck. "You took care of me..." I continue, dragging my hand lower with my goal in mind, resting my fingertips against his belt. "Now I want to take care of you—" My hand ghosts lower, until I'm resting my palm flat against where his cock sits.
I only make it that far before Zhongli's hand covers mine, stopping my movement, pulling it back. I tilt my head back, looking at him with a confused pout. This is the second time he's stopped me. His face is calm, neutral other than the slight uptick in the corner of his lips, his lowered eyes flicking down my face in a controlled way.
"You can't have everything you want." He says, voice low enough my stomach tightens.
He drops my hand from his hold, lifting his own hand to brush my hair from my face. He grazes his fingers against my cheek, holding his eyes on me until I falter, tucking my chin down, embarrassment burning my skin.
He immediately catches my chin, tilting my face back up.
"What am I supposed to do with you?" He says, then sighs, pressing his thumb to my lower lip. "You disobeyed our contract, broke my trust and—" His eyes flick across my face, calculating. "—you need to be punished for it."
I swallow, retracting my hands to myself, curling them in the loose fabric of the shirt I'm wearing, unable to look at up at him. This isn't what I expected, but—
"I'm sorry." I mumble, tilting my hips to press against his lap, keeping my legs spread. "You can—"
"No." Zhongli says as his other hand drops to my hip, his fingers digging into the soft flesh to hold me in place. "What kind of discipline is that?" He asks. "Giving you exactly what you want—" He leans in toward me, until his lips hover next to mine. "Exactly what you're desperate for—" His hand slides up my side, to the bottom of my ribs. "—aren't you?"
I whine, nodding, breaking my thin restraint to roll my hips, pressing our bodies together as close as I can without him being inside of me.
"Please—" I breathe out, not above begging.
Zhongli's hands both drop to my hips, stilling my movement. He handles me with his firm grip, until I'm forced off of his lap. He moves my hips into place, sitting me down on his thigh. He holds me there, his expression relaxed as he stares me down.
"Why don't you show me? Show me how desperate you are." He says.
His leg lifts, pressing against everything bare between my legs, giving a moment of pressure. I nearly buckle, relief and arousal curling in my stomach as I finally feel him stimulate me. Then, he stops. I buck my hips, grinding myself against his thigh, chasing to find the same pressure again.
"That's it—" He coaxes out. "Just like that."
I warm under the praise, looking up at him through my lashes, continuing to move my hips, fucking myself against his clothed thigh. All I have the mind to do is roll my hips, my breaths coming out heavier, cut only by soft moans, the pressure between my legs from my movement enough to stimulate my clit.
"Such a pretty sight—" Zhongli continues, watching me. "—getting yourself off on my thigh." At that, his thigh lifts again, the pressure enough to pull another whine from my throat
His lips twitch to smile as he hears it, his thumbs hooking into the hem of my shirt. He pulls it up, just barely, not far enough to expose more than my thighs. He lifts his leg again, pressing until I gasp, clenching around his thigh with my own.
He relaxes his leg as I whimper, leaning in toward him. My hips buck, grinding at a more rapid pace, arousal burning low in my abdomen. I whine, lifting one hand to his bicep, curling my fingers around it, holding on to steady myself.
Zhongli tilts his chin back, watching me through half-lidded eyes.
"I bet you can cum just from my thigh, can't you?" He asks.
I nod, swallowing around my tongue, struggling to keep my eyes open as I roll against his thigh in a rhythm, fighting to stimulate my clit, everything between my legs dripping wet as it slides together.
"Pathetic little girl." Zhongli sighs out. "Undisciplined, so easy to make finish." He lifts a hand, sliding it up my thigh, until he's holding my waist with the shirt hitched up around his wrist.
He exposes me with the motion, his eyes turning down to watch me grind myself against his thigh with short desperate movements.
"I bet you feel good, don't you?" He asks, briefly flicking his eyes back up to my face. "Do you want something?"
I whimper, nodding, the movement of my hips losing rhythm, unevenly jerking against his thigh.
"Use your words." He says back.
"Please— please— let me cum— let me— let me cum—" I breathe out, eyes fluttering shut as I chase the pleasure.
"Not yet. Keep going." Zhongli says back. "I want to hear you keep begging... those little noises you let out when you're desperate."
I blink my eyes back open, searching his face as I nod. Though his expression remains calm, there's a flush collecting on his cheeks. And, when I look down, I see his cock is standing to attention, the fabric of his pants tight around the length. I whimper out another moan, twisting my hand in the fabric of his shirt on his bicep, changing the pace of my hips to move faster, the pleasure drawing me in.
Zhongli lets out a noise, holding my hip tighter to slow my movement. He leans in, pressing a kiss to my neck, the warmth of his mouth catching my heart in my throat as his lips continue, brushing along my jaw, until he reaches my ear.
"I can tell what you want." He says, voice low. "You always spread your legs for me, beg me to fuck you, like you deserve it." He moves in closer, nipping my earlobe. "Slow down." He demands.
I'm quick to listen, changing the movement of my hips to slow, intentional rolls, careful to stimulate everything between my legs with each movement. He lifts his leg between mine, pressuring until I whimper, arching my back to move with him.
"Such a pretty noise." Zhongli sighs out, relaxing his leg and leaning back again to watch me. "You can be such a good girl when you listen to me."
My eyes flutter shut, heat warming my chest as I bloom from the praise. I move my hips with intent, pleasure at the forefront of my mind.
"Please—" I beg again. "Let me cum, please sir—" The honorific slips off my tongue, followed by a breathless moan.
Zhongli responds with a pleased noise, his hands tensing on my hips.
"Go ahead." He finally assents. "Ruin yourself with nothing but my thigh. Let me see it."
Permission is all it takes, my entire body rocking as I roll against his thigh the final few times, crashing into an orgasm that grips my muscles tight enough I tremble.
I lift from his knee with a broken moan, tilting forward, arching my back as I succumb to my climax.
As I still tremble, coming down from the high, my breathes panted, Zhongli releases my hip, moving to press his hand between my legs. His other hand hooks into the fabric of my shirt, pulling it above my navel, displaying my body to him. His fingers slide against my pussy, eased by the collecting slick. They feel blunt, spreading me open, then—
I gasp as his fingers press to my clit. My still cum sensitive pussy flutters, gripping on air. My body is torn between pressing into it, or jerking away in over-sensitivity. My thighs twitch, abdomen held tight enough to hurt.
"Look at you." Zhongli sighs out, his eyes locked between my legs. "Such a mess just from riding my thigh— spread open like that's all you're good for." He moves his fingers, gently pressing his index and middle to circle my clit, playing with me despite the way I twitch in oversensitivity.
"You're beautiful like this." He breathes. "I can't imagine how beautiful you'll look when I'm inside of you." He says, then finally retracts his hands, landing them both on his belt as he carefully works to unbuckle and open it.
His fingers move quick, intentional, knowledgeable in the way he undoes the clasp. He doesn't go further than that, instead lifting his hand to catch my wrist, pulling it toward his lap. I whine, taking control back as my hand is guided, fumbling to push into his undergarments, wrapping my hand around his cock. He lifts his hips, helping me adjust further, until his cock is free, flushed red with blood, painfully hard, resting against his stomach, exposed.
My stomach tightens just looking at Zhongli's cock. I'm up before I realize I am, sinking to the ground on my knees, directly between his legs. He watches me with a relaxed smile, his eyes half lidded. I wrap my hand around the base of his cock, steadying it as he lifts a hand to cup my cheek, helping me guide in. I push my tongue out, making contact with the head of his cock first. I lap at the slit, the taste of his skin salty on my tongue.
Zhongli's stomach twitches, his cock pulsing in my hand as I finally stimulate him back. I lower my eyes, staring only at his cock, then lean all the way in, taking him into my mouth with a soft moan.
I hear a breathy noise from above me, quiet, and force myself to take his cock deeper, feeling it throb against my tongue.
"Perfect— such a perfect girl—" Zhongli praises, running his fingers through my hair, petting me before he grips again, holding tight. "You know just how to make me feel good— so pretty with my cock down your throat—" He moans again as my mouth tightens. I fight to relax my throat, desperate to take him deeper.
I rock my hips against nothing, like I'm still sat on Zhongli's thigh, moans high in my throat vibrating around his cock. I can feel the arousal between my legs, cascading down my thighs, creating even more of a mess as I move my mouth on his cock, sloppy, focused only on making him feel good as I move my head.
I'm doing well if the constant low moans from Zhongli mean anything.
"Just like that—" He continues to praise. "So good—"
I flutter my eyes shut, forcing myself to take him into my throat again, curling my tongue along the shaft of his cock to follow a vein. His cock throbs against my tongue, his abdomen twitching above me. It lasts for only a moment before a hand lands in my hair, holding tight, pulling me off.
I look at Zhongli with a pout, noticing he looks fucked out of his mind, slowly blinking back at me. I move forward, pushing my tongue out, leaning in open mouthed, desperate for the taste of cum down my throat.
I look up at Zhongli through my lashes, begging with my eyes.
He huffs, blinking down at me. "Not yet." He says. "You don't deserve it yet."
Before I can protest, he releases me, moving his hands back to relax on his thighs.
"Up." He demands.
I nod, swallowing around my nerves, lifting back to my feet on unsteady legs. Zhongli's eyes flick down to my thighs, the slick coating them, glinting in the lowlight. His hands move toward me again, landing on my hips, tugging me closer between his legs. Once he's satisfied with my position, he lifts his hands to unbutton the shirt I'm wearing.
He does each button slowly, intentionally, revealing a new line of skin down my chest, down my stomach, following it with his eyes, until he opens the shirt, putting my body fully on display. I fight to not shy away as he drags his eyes along me, his jaw tensing in restraint.
He doesn't hold for long.
Zhongli's arms wrap my waist, pulling me even closer as he leans in, landing his lips on my stomach. His breath is hot as he drags his mouth across my abdomen, pressing a kiss when he sees fit.
I lift my arms, curling them around his shoulders to cradle his head, one of my knees lifting to rest on his thigh. He keeps one arm wrapped around my waist, tight, holding me in place. He drops the other, pushing his hand back between my legs. This time, he has a goal in mind, his rough fingers sliding against the soft skin of my pussy just to wet them, before pushing them further back, until the pads of his fingers just rest at my entrance.
I pull in a sharp breath, my legs tensing in anticipation for him to finally be inside of me, even if it's just his fingers. His mouth moves again, up my ribs, to my chest, his breath hot against my breast, his tongue pushing out to lap at my nipple just as— ah.
I gasp, my body tensing as Zhongli's fingers finally push in, two sinking into me, stretching me out as he curls them up, petting my insides. He distracts me by rolling my nipple with his teeth, a pleased noise low in his throat as I react, arching toward his stimulation, melting into his control.
His fingers are slow, careful to not hurt me as he pumps them in and out of me. I flutter my pussy, gripping down, desperate to feel him deeper. I lift my hands, carding them into his hair to hold tight, still cradling his head as he moves his mouth of my breast up to my collar, scraping with his teeth.
I feel the pressure of another finger resting at my entrance and tense my thighs, already stretched tight. His lips move higher, pressing a kiss to the base of my neck as the only warning I get before the third finger pushes in, pulling a whimper from low in my throat.
Zhongli keeps his stimulation gentle, darting his tongue out to drag it up the tendon of my neck, sinking his fingers back into me, stretching me with the taper of his fingers' girth. I tug his hair tight, tight enough to pull him from my neck, forcing him to tilt his head back and look at me. His expression is dark, unsated, desire apparent. I take panted breaths, staring back down at him as I milk his fingers.
"Please—" I breathe out. "Please, sir."
It's all it takes, the corner of Zhongli's lips twitching to smile as he pulls his fingers out of me, dragging a wave of slick with them. I tilt my head down to watch as he leads that hand to his lap, wrapping it around his cock, pumping and wetting the length.
His hand on my waist drops down my hip, guiding me to turn my back to him. He holds tight, lifting and handling me until I'm spread on his lap, my knees planted to either side of his, his mouth pressed to my shoulder. He wraps my waist from behind, holding me in place to his chest.
His other hand stays on his cock, guiding to press the head of it to my pussy. He slides against me, dragging the tip through everything sensitive, before lining up with my entrance. He holds his cock steady, kissing along the length of my shoulder, to my neck, waiting with his lips pressed to my ear.
"Go ahead." He breathes out. "Take it."
I swallow, nodding, looking down my abdomen, staring at his cock where it connects with me. I lift my hands, curling them around the arm he's wrapped my waist with, digging in with my nails to hold tight as I shift my hips, sinking down on his cock. I feel his stomach tighten against my back, a jagged breath escaping his lips as I finally envelop him, lowering onto his cock until I'm resting in his lap, our bodies fully connected.
I only pause for a moment, small moans slipping from my mouth as I adjust to finally being stretched on his cock. I can't help but move, lifting my knees to bounce in his lap, fucking myself.
Zhongli's sucks in a breath once I move, sharp, tightening the hand he has on my waist to hold me in place.
"Not yet." He says, voice low, restrained. "You don't deserve it yet. Sit." He demands.
I whine, fluttering my pussy along the length of his cock, just barely shifting my hips to keep stimulated.
"Please—" I beg again, desperate to move.
"No." He says back, firm in his resolve. "I want to see how desperate you can get—" His free hand drops between my legs, sliding against my pussy to explore where I'm stretched on his cock.
"Keep begging." He sighs out, dragging his fingers to my clit, evenly pressuring.
"Please, I— ah—" I draw in a sharp breath as his mouth continues to move against my shoulder, tightening down on the skin, sucking to bruise.
I whine as he loosens his mouth, dragging his tongue along the mark to soothe it, then moves higher, sucking another.
"I—I—" I swallow around my noises, hips fighting to move as Zhongli keeps me held in place. "I want you to feel good— please—" I manage to gasp out. "Let me— let me make you feel good—"
Zhongli makes a noise, low, that rumbles his chest where it's pressed to my back. He moves his arm from my waist up, dragging his fingers into my soft skin that gives under his touch, up to my neck. He circles my neck with his hand, his palm flat to my throat. His chin hooks over my shoulder, tilting down so he can watch the muscles of my abdomen tense, his fingers still playing between my legs. The hand on my throat tightens, holding me still, until there's a fuzz in my brain, intoxicating in the way he's controlling me.
"I do feel good." He breathes out. "—watching you like this— trembling little thing—" He squeezes the sides of my throat tight, speeding his fingers to a stutter against my clit.
I whimper, entire body pulling tight enough to shake, being forced toward another orgasm quicker than I can handle.
"You can't even control yourself— all those noises— you're so reactive." He tapers off, voice low.
He slows his fingers to more intentional strokes, dragging my orgasm out of me. I shout, eyes rolling back as the feeling overtakes. I dig into his arms with my nails, shaking through it as I cum in waves. It pulses through my abdomen, making me tighten on his cock. He goes until it's too much, continuing to pet my clit even as my hips jerk, whines constant in my throat, body arching away from the stimulation in oversensitivity.
"Please— sir—" I beg again, whining as tears collect in my eyes.
"You should see yourself—" He continues speaking, unfazed despite the way his fingers finally move from my clit, dragging up to rest his palm flat to my twitching abdomen.
I swallow, fighting to open my eyes, head rolling back, thoughts fuzzy.
"I want—" I start, mumbling. "I want to make you feel good— please fuck me—" I beg.
Zhongli huffs a laugh against my back. "So," he starts, soft, "You want—" His hips adjust, his arm steadying me as he finally snaps his hips up, fucking into me once.
It pulls a guttural moan from my throat, my mentality lost as I melt in his hands.
"—this?" He asks, rocking his hips against my ass before pulling back and snapping them again.
I whimper, managing to nod despite the way my head rolls back.
"Yeah— yes—" I mewl out, completely pliant in his hands.
Zhongli hums in consideration, tightening his grip on my hips to hold me still, then finally fucks himself into me, rolling his hips in a rhythm. The room fills with the sound of our skin connecting, my wanton moans a constant that he meets with heavy breaths of his own, unwavering as he fucks himself up into my lax body.
His endurance might be the death of me, his thrusts never stopping as I bounce in his lap from the force he's using to fuck into me, nearly just along for the ride, holding on tight.
I try to last, but don't make it long before the threat of an orgasm builds again, low in my abdomen.
"I'm—" I whimper out, thighs tensing where they bracket him, before crashing into another orgasm.
It rips through my body, hard enough to hurt, every muscle feeling exhausted, weak. Zhongli's hips never slow. Instead, he fucks into me harder, even as I feel myself cry out, face wet from tears and saliva, digging my nails into his arm deep enough to draw blood.
"Please— please— Zhongli—" I whine, tapping his arm, begging for a moment of mercy.
"Pathetic." Zhongli sighs out from behind me, though, he slows his hips to a stop, holding my stomach as I fight to catch my breath.
I try to relax, fluttering around the length of his cock buried inside of me. I realize, sitting down, his lap is soaked. I must have—
"What a messy thing." Zhongli observes first, rocking his hips against me.
"I'm sorry." I whimper out, flexing my numb fingers, trying to get a handle on myself. "I keep— I— it hurts— it's— I'm sorry."
"We can stop." He says, voice finally soft. "If that's what you want."
I'm quick to shake my head, refusing to finish until he's cum, until I've pleased him. I lift my own hips, fighting the ache in my thighs to ride, rolling back into his lap.
Zhongli hums, pleased, pressing his lips to my shoulder. "Good girl." He breathes out. "That's why you're mine."
I nod, moans high, whined, fighting my own body to ride his cock. I move in rough, jerky motions, lifting as far out of his lap as I can manage, sure to drag the full length of his cock out until the head catches my entrance, then sink back down.
I'm encouraged by the noises that start to slip from Zhongli, low, exhaled moans that come in tandem with each bounce. I steady myself, arching my back to ride with as much fervor as I can muster, colliding with his lap as I bounce.
Zhongli's hands begin to tense, his moans more frequent, his stomach tight against my back. It's almost a relief when his hips snap up, colliding into my movement, his cock jerking to flood warmth low in my belly as he exhales a shuddered moan against my shoulder, throbbing inside of me.
Shaking, I lift to my knees, only for Zhongli to pull me right back into place.
"I'm not done with you." He says, voice steady. "You're staying right here. I'll use you again when I feel like it."
I whimper, nodding. I can feel myself throbbing, milking his cock that remains buried inside of me, the mess between us growing.
Zhongli settles back, one arm still looping my waist, the other reaching to his side, lifting the book he was reading earlier.
It's humiliating, crumbling back to lean into his chest, eyes barely staying open, watching as he occupies himself by reading, all while his softening cock is buried inside of me, twitching every time I clench. Though, the break is needed, pain from oversensitivity fading.
He doesn't let me rest much, occasionally pausing only to fuck up into me, his cock growing increasingly hard as the time ticks on, until he's fully erect, rocking against me again. Though, he doesn't seem to react to it, instead continuing to read even as he tilts his hips hard enough noises slip from my throat.
Zhongli holds, unmoving, unwavering, keeping me split open on his cock until I'm throbbing, arousal low in my abdomen demanding I be fucked again. I squirm in his lap, clenching down, desperate for him to react, hold my hips, take what's his.
Instead, he reads his book like he doesn't feel it, feel me pulsing around his cock buried inside of me, cum and slick dripping from my thighs, my stomach warm where he's filled me.
Every movement becomes torture, every breath forcing his cock to move inside of me, teasing in the way it drags along everything sensitive. He continues to let his hips twitch, fucking his cock up into me with no real intent other than to make me whimper.
I only make it so long before I break, tilting my own hips, carefully lifting my knees to bounce in his lap in short, careful motions.
Zhongli notices.
"Did I give you permission?" He asks, voice low, freezing me in place.
I whine, shaking my head.
"N-no—" I mumble out.
Zhongli sighs, lifting his hands, slowly, carefully marking his page and setting the book down. His arm wraps my legs under my knees, lifting and holding them to my chest. His other wraps my waist, holding me in place, then, he stands, still inside of me, carrying me to his bedroom.
He releases me onto his bed on my stomach, keeping his cock locked inside. He presses a hand to the center of my upper back, holding me in place, then finally shifts his hips, pulling his cock out. I whine, clenching on air, feeling the cum-slick mixture pulse from my abused pussy, drooling out, across my clit and out onto the sheets.
Zhongli lets out a low noise at the sight, pressing his hand firmly against my back, before finally stepping away.
I whine once out of contact with him, shifting to flip to my back, look at him carefully slipping out of his clothes. He peels them off, layer by layer, until he's nude, then finally comes back to pay me attention. I lift my knees, keeping my thighs held together, watching as he watches me.
"You need to learn to obey me—" He sighs as he approaches, landing his hands on my thighs, pulling them apart. "You can't get out of trouble just by spreading your legs open and being my whore, no matter how much favor it wins you."
He digs into the soft flesh with his fingers, glancing down between my legs as he slots his cock against my pussy, sliding against it. His fingers hook into the shirt I still have on, roughly jerking the fabric to tear it off my body, until we're both nude.
Zhongli's hips roll, dragging his cock along everything sensitive while he stares at me, a mess in his sheets, twisting my hands and panting, begging for more.
"No one wants a disobedient girl—" He sighs out, shifting his hands up to my hips and holding on tight. He tugs, dragging me down the sheets until my ass hangs over the edge of his bed. He stands between my thighs, leaning in toward me, holding my spread legs upright.
"I'm— sorry—" I choke out again. "I'm sorry, sir."
Zhongli inhales, slow, restrained, staring down at my face. He shifts his hips back, until just the tip of his cock is pressed to me. He moves his hand until he can wrap the base, guiding it lower between my legs until the head rests just at my entrance.
"Beg." He says, low.
I whimper, nodding, a repeated 'please' spilling from my mouth like breath. I rock my hips, feeling the head of his cock catch as it slides against my pussy, desperation taking over the way I lift my hips, until I'm begging with my body, too.
Zhongli slips into a pleased smile, watching me break beneath him, until his hands tighten on my body again, holding me in place.
"You're such a good girl when you listen." He praises, then finally shifts in, pushing his cock inside of me.
I gasp as I feel him enter, eyes rolling back, scrambling to wrap his hips with my legs. My hands lift to my chest, curling there.
I brace as Zhongli drags his cock out, just in time for him to snap his hips forward, fucking into me hard enough I drag up the sheets. There's no mercy in his pace, the snap of his hips rough, colliding into me as he grips my thighs, trying to hold me in place.
I moan with each thrust, pulsing in tandem with the drag of his cock inside of me. I know I look like a mess, but I'm not present enough to care, instead focused on panting through my breaths as he fucks himself into me, the sound of our skin connecting filling the room.
The drag of his cock is perfect, stimulating everything inside of me, keeping me stretched open. I keep moaning, desperate, held tilted back, barely present enough to watch Zhongli fuck himself into me through my lashes.
I have to tilt my chin back, guttural moans carving my throat, entire body pulling tight as Zhongli fucks me like it's nothing. An ache starts in my core, forcing me to grip harder on his cock. It's a familiar tension in my muscles, dragging me closer to an orgasm, his cock pounding against every sensitive spot.
"I'm— I can't—" I sigh out, turning my face into my shoulder through my whimpered moans.
"Already?" Zhongli asks, never slowing the roll of his hips. "Pathetic mewling thing—" He moans himself, guiding his hand to wrap my throat, loosely holding it, digging his other hand into my thigh.
I whimper through my moan, too embarrassed to look at him, the roll of an orgasm building low in my stomach, close enough to hurt.
"I'm—" I manage to whimper out, before cascading into an orgasm, pussy fluttering around the length of Zhongli's cock.
"So quick." He chastises, seemingly unaffected.
I can feel my body trembling with the effort, it takes to be fucked, constant mewled moans spilling from my throat. I feel messy, used, my hands curling against my chest as he continues to fuck into me. The drag of his cock overstimulates, my cum sensitive pussy making me desperate enough that my thighs fight to close, preserve what's between them.
Zhongli refuses it, dropping both hands to hold my thighs tight, keeping me spread.
"No." He chastises, breathless. "You'll take it until I'm done."
I mewl out, desperate, darting both of my hands down to hold his forearms, digging in with my nails, jerking my hips as his movement never stops.
"Please—" I beg, not even sure what I'm asking for at this point, shaking with the effort, head rolling back on my shoulders. "I'm sorry, sir— please— please— it hurts— I'm sorry—"
I look up to Zhongli, pleading with my eyes. It takes a moment, but his expression finally softens, his thrusts slowing until he's resting with his hips flush to my ass, I continue to tremble, clenching around his paused cock. I jump as his hand connects to my chest, his rough skin tenderly dragging down my ribs and abdomen.
He goes to my own hands, prying them from his arms, lifting them until they're above my head. He slots his hand against mine, threading our fingers together, squeezing tight. The motion grounds me, preparing me for when hips rock, gently stimulating me with his cock again.
"You can do it." Zhongli sighs out, rocking himself into me, carefully moving his hips. "Just keep taking my cock like my good girl." He squeezes my hand with his as he talks, tilting his hips back to drag the full length of his cock out of me before fucking it back in.
"You're perfect—" He praises, even as my eyes roll back, "Such a— such a good girl."
I warm under the praise, blinking up at Zhongli as I come back to my body, stretched open on his cock.
"I'm—" I mumble out, disoriented.
He holds me tighter, leaning in to catch my lips. He exhales against them before we meet, kissing me with an even pressure. I arch into it, heart thumping as I warm from the affection.
Zhongli pulls back, hovering his lips next to mine as he speaks.
"You can do it—" He breathes out. "That's my girl."
I tilt my head back, eyes fluttering shut as I relax against the mattress. The drag of his cock in and out of me continues, gentler than before. He rolls his hips against me, breathy moans of his own escaping, a relaxed look on his face.
Zhongli squeezes my hand tight, a grounding motion, before his hips speed, chasing. I lift my shaking legs, wrapping his hips and holding on for the ride, my lax body dragging up the sheets, until, finally, his thrusts lose rhythm again, stuttered movement matching the moaned noises from low in his throat. I watch his face, until his expression breaks, the surrender of ecstasy taking over. There's a catch in his breath, noises low in his throat all warning whats to come.
I flutter around his pulsing cock as it finally jerks, flooding my stomach, his hand holding mine tight enough to hurt.
He watches my face as he cums, looking relaxed, before coming down, meeting my lips with his hips resting flush to my ass. I'm kissed hard enough my head tilts back into the sheets, trembling body otherwise pliant in his hands. He handles me up the bed, to the center, carefully to stay inside of me. I sigh as he relaxes, pressing me into the mattress with his weight, coming down from the high as our bodies continue to rock together, no real chase for pleasure in the movement, just a desire for closeness.
"I'm proud—" Zhongli starts, pressing another kiss to my lips. "—so proud to call you mine."
I muster just enough energy to smile, lifting my hands to thread them into his hair and hold him against my lips a moment longer, before I fully collapse, exhausted.
Looking up at Zhongli, wrapped in his arms, I watch his face soften. The severity of his expression eases, tension melting from him, until he finally seems relaxed.
"I'm sorry." I mumble again, quiet. "I'm sorry for breaking the contract."
Zhongli smiles, soft, bringing a hand up to cup my face, running his thumb along my cheek.
"I forgive you." He says. "It was a mistake."
His hand lifts from my face, grabbing one of my hands at the wrist. He places it above my head, curling his fingers around the bracelet he gave me to signal our bond.
"If you choose to do it again... I won't hesitate to remind you that you belong to me." He says, pressing a kiss to the corner of my lips.
I nod, eyes barely open, body sinking into the exhaustion that envelops it, finally feeling settled with the spoken forgiveness.
I would never get drunk in the middle of the day.
—but, if it means getting punished like this...
I might repeat the mistake.
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metalbuckaroo · 3 years
Text
🍒Be Good🍒
💋 SUMMARY// At 3am, every Sunday, Bucky locks his bedroom door to watch his favorite camgirl. What's to happen when he finds out he's much closer to her than leaving generous tips on her videos?
🍒 WARNINGS// Smut, cursing, oral (m receiving), bucky being nervous and cocky all at once, a smidgen of subby bucky, big dick bucky, i think that's it.
💋 AU// Roommate!Bucky x Camgirl!Reader
🍒 NOTE// OK, finally it's done 😅
💋Ronly Friends Masterlist💋
🍒Main Masterlist🍒
Moodboard by// @commonintrest
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"Why are we here, exactly?" Bucky asked as the two of you walked into the shop that was filled with different sets of lingerie, sex toys and other things meant for sexual pleasure.
"If you're still serious about doing the video, we gotta get stuff to hide who you are." You shrugged, wandering towards a rack that held masks. "Well, I'm not very sure how many people have metal arms. It'll be kinda obvious."
"Nothing a jacket and some gloves won't fix."
You had expected Bucky to change his mind the next day, but so far he hadn't. He wouldn't say it outloud, but the thought excited him.
Even though you had told him there wasn't any actual sex involved, he just thought about the way your lips were going to feel around him and the glossy red lipstick you had worn in the videos would smudge against his skin and off of your lips.
"How about this one?" He pulled his gaze away from your lips to look at the black mask you held in your hand. "Would I be able to breathe in that thing?" He chuckled, taking it from you. "Well, yeah. There's holes."
Bucky lifted the mask to his face, holding it in place as he looked at you. The rubbery plastic covering from his nose down, leaving his denim blues visible.
Your lips curled up in a smile, raising your eyebrows. "You have really beautiful eyes." Bucky laughed lightly at the compliment, tossing the mask into the basket you were holding. "Thanks, cherry."
🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒
Bucky's head was swarming with thoughts as he sat on your bed that had been covered with a large throw blanket, the backdrop blocking the off white color of the walls and your headboard.
You stood in front of him, one of his t-shirts covering the lingerie set you wore as you set up a tripod. "Okay, stand up." You said with a soft smile, clipping the garter belt to the stockings and looking to him.
Dropping to your knees one at a time once he stood, Bucky sucked in a sharp breath when your fingers worked at the button of his jeans. "I thought you said that pictures were first?" He said, exhaling slowly. "They are, but pants aren't required."
He nodded, his cock already stirring in his jeans at the sight of you on your knees in front of him- tugging the tight fabric down his legs so he could kick them off. "Just one last thing-"
Goosebumps raised on his skin when your lips pressed to his hip bone just above the band of his briefs. A bright red lipstick print gracing the skin when you pulled away and stood with a proud smile.
Sitting back down on the bed, Bucky cleared his throat. "Now what?"
Your foot pushed his apart, trying to keep your eyes away from the bulge in his underwear as he leaned back on his forearms. "Just relax." You shrugged, adjusting the leather jacket to show more of his bare stomach and making sure the metal of his left shoulder wasn't visible, before handing him the mask to put on.
He heard a few shutter clicks after you went back behind the camera, watching as you pressed a few buttons then took the few steps back to him.
"Get 'em?" Bucky said, swallowing thickly when you moved to straddle his lap. "Hands here." You moved his gloved hands to hold your backside, his fingers pushing the hem of the shirt up a little. "You sure?"
Bucky hated that he was showing how nervous he was to be in such close quarters, he'd wanted this since the day you moved in.
"Bucky, if you're not sure about doing this we can stop." You said, leaning away a little to look at him. "It's not that-" he shook his head, words slightly muffled by the rubbery plastic covering the lower half of his face. "I wanna do this."
He cleared his throat and gathered all of the confidence he had as he shifted under you slightly. Your hands resting on his shoulders as his gave a soft squeeze to the supple flesh of your ass, biting back a groan when you brushed the erection straining against his briefs.
A few more shutter clicks and you stood, Bucky finally taking a deep breath to calm the pounding in his chest.
"This seems a little unfair." He said, watching you lean to get your mask from the dresser. "How's that?" You mused, cocking an eyebrow at him
Bucky leaned forward to toy with the hem of the shirt you were wearing. "Take it off." His husky tone sent a shiver down your spine. Thought you tried to hide it by gripping the bottom of the shirt, lifting it up and over your head before dropping it to the floor.
You could feel his slate blue eyes piercing through you, his breathing uneven as his gaze raked over the way the two piece, lacy and white lingerie fit your body as you stood behind the camera again.
"Ready?" Bucky swallowed thickly and nodded, not looking from you as you sunk down to your knees again. Reciting the rules you told him yesterday in his head.
'No kissing, it's too intimate, and be good.'
He lifted his hips enough for you to pull his briefs down his thighs, your breath catching in your throat when his erection sprung out. Long and thick, the tip red and swollen, like it was aching to be touched.
More confidence washed through Bucky at your expression, lips parted as you pumped your hand along his shaft a few times. Eyes flicking up to meet his as your tongue poked out to catch a bead of precum leaking down from the slit, eliciting a low groan from him.
Moaning softly at the salty taste tainting your tastebuds, your lips wrapped around the bulbous head. Glossy red lipstick smudging to the skin just like Bucky had pictured it would.
It didn't take much for Bucky to fall into the rhythm and completely forget about the camera pointed at the two of you. Wanton moans and pants leaving his lips, muffled by the mask but still very audible.
His hand holding the back of your head as you swallowed him down to his base, drool leaking around your lips and down your chin as you squeezed the thick muscles on his thigh- moaning around him
Bucky was already so close from the feeling of your throat constricting around him, he wasn't sure how he fit but he didn't care, it felt amazing.
His body relaxed when you pulled away to take a few gasps of air as you fisted over him. "C'mon, cherry..." he panted, stroking the back of your head, knowing he couldn't tug the hair due to it being a wig.
He was trying to listen to your rule about being good, resisting the urge to fuck up into the warmth of your mouth or rut his hips onto your hand.
But, the manicured hand he had thought so much about was finally wrapped around his cock and he didn't know how much control he had left.
"Remember, you gotta be a good boy." You teased when you leaned up to talk in his ear, smirking when his cock twitched in your hand.
"Fuck-" Bucky said in a low, drawn out moan when you took him in your mouth again, moving your hand to gently roll his balls in your palm as you looked up at him through your eyelashes.
His eyebrows knitted together, hair fallen forward and partially shielded his face as his hooded eyes watched your every move.
You felt his balls and muscles in his thigh start to tight in your hands, his hand slipping down to hold the back of your neck when your cheeks hollowed to take more of him.
"Oh- fucking shit-" he hissed before a string of Russian curses poured out of his mouth, his release shooting down your throat.
The wicked smirk that plastered across your face when you pulled off of him made Bucky shudder, the grip on the back of your neck loosening. Watching you with a dazed look as you stood.
Bucky stood from the bed once he got his bearings again, pulling the mask off and cupping over himself as if you hadn't just swallowed his spend. "What about you?"
Lifting your head to look at him as you started to put the stuff away, you shrugged. "That wasn't part of the agreement."
He felt bad that he wasn't going to return the favor, noticing how your slick had soaked through the fabric of your lingerie. "But, you-"
You pecked a kiss to his cheek and patted his red tinted chest. "Just take the win, Buck."
As much as you wanted to, you were ready to cross that line yet. Maybe another day, but for now- the sated look on Bucky's face was enough for you.
Bucky cleared his throat and nodded, leaving your room and making his way to the bathroom for a shower.
He glanced down at the red lipstick smears when he shut the bathroom door, letting out a heavy sigh as he pulled the velcro straps of the leather gloves and tugged them off.
🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒
After both of you had showers and changed, Bucky stood in the kitchen with you as you cooked dinner. Trying not to think too hard about what happened less than an hour ago.
"Y'know, I didn't know you can speak Russian." You grinned, leaning back against the counter across from him. "Now you do." He said, lifting the beer bottle to his lips.
He knew what you were about to say from the teasing smirk that tugged you lips. "You liked being called a good boy, didn't you, James?" You cooed, stepping closer. "Shut the hell up." He muttered, looking to the floor.
Your arms went around his neck loosely, smiling up at him as your fingers messed with some of his long hair. "Awe, you did." You giggled, Bucky rolling his eyes at you. "You're gonna burn the food."
Bucky looked over his shoulder when the front door opened, Sam walking in. "Oh, fuck me." He groaned, turning so Sam couldn't see the strain in his briefs you caused from such a small amount of touch. "What are you two up to?"
"Dinner- stop barging in." Bucky snapped, eyes following his friend as he walked towards the fridge. "Yeah, not gonna happen. Steve is still whining about Peggy." Sam said the name in a mocking tone, holding a beer out towards Bucky. "I'm in my underwear and I'm not your personal bottle opener."
Raising his eyebrows, Sam nodded his head towards the bottle in his hand. Bucky taking it to pop the lid off with his silvery hand.
"Didn't they end it like- a month ago?" You asked, not looking from the pan on the stove. "Mhm, I don't think it will ever stop."
"Give him time, heartbreak isn't easy." You shrugged, a chuckle coming from both Sam and Bucky. "Someone break your heart? Please, cherry, they'd be stupid." Bucky mused, making your heart flutter in your chest.
"That's sweet, but everyone gets their heartbroken at some point." You pointed the spatula at him and he out his hands up in defense. "Ok, ok. Don't spank me." He laughed, the playful look in his eyes making you smile.
"Don't tempt me, I will."
🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒 🍒
Taglist: @likeahorribledream @cxddlyash @iwannabekilledtwice @bookstan0618 @glxwingrxse @yliumy @pineprincess @makbarnes @cupcakehinch @doasyoudesireandlive @magicwithinnightmares @preferredrealty @andy-is-gay @stucky-my-ship @marvel-3407 @maladaptivexxdaydreaming @i-l-y-3000 @avoxzy @impala1967666 @mollygetssherlockcoffee @supernaturalbaesduh @bucky-hues @suchababie @an-adult-midget @pinkoctober99 @ju5tyna20 @hallecarey1 @jxlystan @elizabeth228 @secret21121 @strwbrrybucky @busybeingtrash @harrysthiccthighss @everything-burns-down @ynsdiarys @commonintrest @eireduchess
@hesvoid34 @mrsbarnesinmyimagination @rachellovesloki @mal-edictions @teenagedreams-bucky
972 notes · View notes
imaginedreamwrite · 2 years
Note
Omg! Have you seen those weighted stuffed animals at target? Well they’ve become a trend, since the weight helps even adults feel grounded and helps with anxiety. That is so smart to put in the world building of HL. Maybe you can put scents inside, and have the weight and scent so when your partner isn’t there you still have it.
Maybe in HL, when they have just announced their relationship but she is still wary of ari, he gets her one as a courting gift with his scent pads. And maybe when he picks her up for a date at her dorm, he peeks in when she opens the door and sees his gift. Que all smug and proud alpha! 💞
“Another courting gift?” You questioned Ari about the gift, about the teddy bear that was weighted and carried his scent.
“You’ll like it,” Ari whispered in his office, originally calling you down to discuss something important but sidelining the typical for the opportunity to give you a gift, “it’ll help you relax.”
He could tell you were still unsure, he knew you were a little anxious around him. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust Ari or that you thought he would hurt you, it was your apprehension of diving head first into a relationship that would last.
It was a relationship that would end in mating.
“Honey?” Ari called through the door, knocking twice.
“Just a minute!” You called in reply, shuffling toward the door with your bag on your shoulder and a pair of scuffed sneakers on your feet. “I’m almost done!”
Ari had anticipated the moment when you would give him your full trust and while you had said you were ready to really give it your all, this was the first date you had actually managed to go on since then.
“Sorry,” you exhaled in a puff of air, “I was finishing sending off an email.”
Ari looked past you into your dorm as the door opened, his eyes glancing over the weighted and scented teddy bear he had given you early on in your relationship. He didn’t know what he loved more about it sitting on your bed, the fact that it was tucked by your pillow or the fact that you had a little knit beanie on its head with his team emblem on top.
“Where’re we going?” You stepped out, closer to him and reached for his hand.
“I like your bear.” Ari smiled proudly, smug that you loved it as much as you clearly did.
“Isn’t he cute!” You squealed, taking the chance to hug Ari with both arms around his waist. “Thank you, alpha. I love it!”
“God,” Ari angled himself toward you and rest his chin on your head, “you’re so adorable.”
He inhaled your scent, thriving on it until he heard your stomach rumble. “Come on, omega. Let’s get you something to eat.”
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sweetbunnykook · 4 years
Text
Devotion (M)
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Word Count: 5,885 // angst (toxic relationship, friends to lovers, yandere behavior, possessiveness, jealousy, mention of physical harm, mention of neglect), smut (rough sex/slight dub-con, fingering, omorashi, asphyxiation, forced creampie), no fluff
Childhood friend!Taehyung X Childhood friend!Reader
Summary: You and Taehyung were inseparable once. When you come back to your hometown after three years, fate pulls you back to him. And this time, Taehyung won’t ever keep his eyes off of you. 
Music: X
Winter darkness came early this season. It’s only a few minutes past five and the sky had darkened and streetlights casted a deep orange hue over semi-empty cobblestone paths. The streets are almost silent except for the faint piano music wafting out into the cool air from restaurants and cafes lining the streets. You keep your fists deep in your coat pockets but the numbness persists. You never thought your hometown would look the same after running away at age twenty with nothing but clothes and a roll of cash – his cash – in your bag. Now, at twenty-three, you wondered if you made the right choice, if the yearning that slept deep in your marrows was the reason why you’re glued to the ground in front of the café you had your first kiss in.
You never thought you’d see Taehyung again – assuming he left not long after you did – but here he is, sitting near the bar with his long fingers grazing over the rim of his whiskey glass. He chuckles at something the bartender says, takes a drag from his cigarette, but his eyes are sad and his smile fleeting. His hair grew longer – past the tip of his ears – and he looks overall larger than life. He’s wearing the coat you bought him for his birthday and you’re wearing the knitted plaid scarf you stole from his closet before leaving. It doesn’t smell like him anymore. It doesn’t smell like his warm cigarettes and aftershave and it takes all your might to not walk in and put your arms around from behind like you used to do when he comes back from work.
Your heart wants him. It craves him. It has spent many nights in your chest begging you to call him and apologize to your tormentor who kisses you while keeping a noose wrapped around your throat. Your Taehyung, your lover, your captor who gave you everything including his own fears.
He doesn’t know why he is the way he is and you can’t find it in yourself to ask. You just know he was easily scared of losing you. The day you found your intimidating and loving boyfriend in your classmate’s house, hovering over the poor boy with his blood-stained knuckles in the air, was the day you knew your love for him isn’t enough to keep himself from hurting himself or others.
Just a moment longer. One moment. You want to stay in the cold for just a moment longer and admire how beautiful he looks without you even if the bags under his eyes are deep and his downturned lips are set in a permanent frown.
Just one moment. Just until he swings the shot of whiskey down his throat and asks for another.
You exhale into the scarf wrapped around your lips.
“Taehyung…” you whisper his name into the cashmere wool.
As if he’d heard you, Taehyung briefly glances up at the bartender and you hold your breath, thinking he would turn his head towards the window. He doesn’t and instead stares straight ahead, the cigarette hanging loosely between his lithe fingers falling into an empty dinner plate. Your heart leaps in your throat when he doesn’t move, the finger over the glass paused, his lips falling just slightly. It’s not until you look over at where he is staring that you stumble back a step, meeting his eyes through the angled mirror that gives him a direct view of your figure through the window. His gaze pins you to the floor; you’ve seen it many times in your dreams but in real life it feels like needles down your throat.
When he moves from his seat you tighten your hand around your handbag and run, your lungs burning in the cold as you stumble through the blanket of snow in your heavy boots. You don’t turn to look, not when you can hear the faint bell of the café door opening and your name hollered in that deep, baritone voice that makes your insides clench. He sounds just as guttural as the day he was covered in blood, shaking his head and whimpering your name when you kneel next to your wounded classmate, annotated papers strewn across the broken furniture.
You turn into an alleyway, looking around to see if there is a place you can hide or crawl under.
You’re stupid.
So fucking stupid.
The footsteps grow louder in the darkness the faster you run into the alleyways. The smell of smoke and dirt making you hold your breath as you turn another corner only to face a brick wall and a line of abandoned bicycles. Screaming for help is no use in this part of town.
Your toes curl in your boots as the footsteps grow louder and louder before stopping just a few feet from where you’re standing. Taehyung can see you tremble softly under the small lightbulb from the back of a dormant restaurant building and he is in disbelief.
You, who had torn his heart out of his chest, had the nerve to run away at the first sight of him.
Again.
“Turn around.” He breathes into the air. His voice is shaking, from anger or from desperation, you can’t tell. “Right now.”
You can’t move. You can’t breathe. You certainly can’t run past him. Taehyung has always been stronger and faster, even when you had pulled him away from bullies when you were both children. Even when he had let you ravish him, let him drown in ecstasy underneath as you rolled your heat into his pistoning hips, you can feel his strength. You can feel his capacity to easily turn pleasure into pain.
“Turn the fuck around!”
You wince at his voice, your tear-streaked face disappearing further into the scarf.
When you fail to obey, Taehyung walks forward and grips the top of your arm, his large hand easily wrapping around your limb. He brings you to him, wrapping his arms around your shoulder and neck this time as his whiskey breath hits your face. He breathes in the scent of your perfume when he presses his forehead to the top of your head.
You changed so many things about yourself when you left him. The color of your hair. The shade of lipstick you wore. The dresses you adorned. The thick rimmed glasses you exchanged for contacts. The one thing you didn’t have the heart to change was the perfume he loved to smell in your hair. The faint smell of roses and musk that kept his sanity intact when your eyes lingered too long on another man or when you scream and shout at his reasons for locking you in the bedroom after working so hard to earn your first job.
“Do you have any idea how much I missed you?” He whispers, tightening his hold around your body as if you were an illusion that could disappear any moment. “I looked for you everywhere. Everywhere, baby, everywhere…everywhere…”
You remember. The cries your neighbors in Denmark had to endure when Taehyung’s brother informed you that he crawled on his hands and knees in front of your injured classmate’s porch, hoping that if you saw how apologetic he is you might come back. The police had to drag him away on the third night.
“I’m sorry…” you breathe into the scarf, your shaking fingers coming up to grip his caging arms.
Maybe you wanted this to happen. You stayed another second longer, just another second longer, in front of that café window hoping that he would turn his head. You held your hand over the candle when you know it’d hurt you in the end.
“Don’t run away from me again, baby. Don’t you fucking dare or else I’ll go crazy,” he sobs into your hair. His hold is tighter and your heart is bleeding just like it had when you left. “You’re the only one...”
He pulls back and tugs the scarf down to see your face. You, his moon, his love. Your wet cheeks are still full and soft, your eyes as dark as the night sky, and your lips still swollen and wounded from your habit of digging your teeth into your skin when you’re nervous. You sniffle slightly in the cold and in such close proximity you can’t bear to look at him in the eyes until he takes your face in his big, cold hands and angles you to meet his lips.
You taste the cigarettes and the whiskey. Beyond his tongue, you taste his yearning and pain. You taste the nights he spent lying in bed with the dresses you left behind. You taste his appetite to hurt something – someone – when he comes back to a barren living room from work. You taste his seething, heartbreaking anger that enslaved you as the lover who needed to look at him and him only.
Despite the harshness of his tongue, above all cries, you taste home.
The apartment would have looked nearly identical as before had he expected your arrival. Stepping in, you’re hit with the smell of alcohol and leftover pizza on the kitchen counter before you witness the broken television and shards of glass from empty picture frames and bottles. There’s new workout equipment in the corner where an old, broken player used to be. Whatever cleaning he had done in the past three years was minimal. The only object that looked cleaner – polished even – than before was the snow globe with two angels in the center. You had gifted the little globe during fifth grade, gathering coins from underneath couches and stealing a few dollars from your father’s wallet.
Taehyung reaches from behind and underneath your armpits to undo the buttons of your coat and pull it down your shoulders. You turn your head away from the living room and let him without complaint, knowing from his trembling fingers that he’s holding back his unease.
He doesn’t have to say anything. Just from the sight of the place you once called home, the broken shards told you everything you needed to know.
Taehyung’s fingers pauses on the scarf around your neck. Moving your back to lean against the wall, you peek at his face through your lashes and look back down again when his piercing eyes meet yours once more.
“If you still loved me, why didn’t you come back earlier? Why leave in the first place?”
He tugs the material free from your neck and wraps the scarf around his hands before hooking it onto the coat rack next to the entrance. The light switch lays just underneath the rack but he shows no desire to reveal the extent of his anger just yet.
“I was scared.”
“Of me?”
You nod. “Of you and of myself. Of us. Together.”
Taehyung doesn’t comment, merely watching your wet lashes glimmer in the darkness as it catches the hue from the streetlights outside the window.
“D-Did you…see anyone else a-after I left?” You ask him in that soft, airy voice that you used to soften his heart when he’d get upset. Old habits die hard.
He squints just slightly before tracing the back of his teeth with the tip of his tongue, his arms coming to cage you further against the wall.
He contemplates lying.
He wanted to hurt you as much as you’ve hurt him. He wanted to watch your brows come together and fat globs of tears roll down your cheeks as he tells you he would bring women who looked like you in this space and made love to them. He wanted the satisfaction in feeling your fists pound his chest when he tells you he came inside them with a satisfied groan against their ear. He wanted to tell you he’d fall asleep with them in his arms and he’d lick every inch of their skin like he had done to you. It would be all a lie, but he wanted to. He really wanted to fucking tear your heart apart even if it’d feel like he’s tearing his own.
No matter how much he desired it, he couldn’t do that to you. Even when he knows without you telling him that you made love to other men in whatever place you ran off to, he couldn’t do that to you. Because he’s always known he loved you far more than you loved him.
“No, I didn’t.” He says and you release a breath you didn’t know you were holding. “I’ve only ever been yours.”
Taehyung takes your hand and puts it on his chest. His wristwatch ticks against your skin like a beating heart.
“Take off my coat.” He commands.
You undo the knot around his waist with a small tug and let the black coat fall open. Taehyung hisses underneath his breath when he feels your hands flatten over his pecs and up his shoulders, peeling the heavy coat off of him until he draws his arms down and let the fabric fall onto the ground. He’s broader than you remembered him and so, so much larger in presence like he’s engulfing your entire being whole. He’s wearing a plain white button down with a pressed pair of black dress pants and a matching belt just like the time you left him on such an ordinary day.
His skin is warm underneath the shirt and you can faintly trace his strong arms and shoulders before wrapping your arms around his waist and placing your cheek on his chest. You close your eyes and breathe – in and out – gradual and rhythmic and soft. He can hear you whispering his name underneath your breath over and over again like a prayer, like he’s your religion and you found your way back to him to repent for your sins.
You don’t get the chance to tell him you want to stay with him forever when he suddenly takes your wrist from his waist in a vice grip and pulls you into the apartment, not looking back when you stumble and fall on your knees. He half-drags you into the open bedroom and throws you onto the bed before looming over your curled figure as you rub your sore shoulder. The bed smells like you and it takes a moment for you to see your dresses laying across the pillows and blankets until you’re forced to tear your gaze away as Taehyung wraps his hands around your ankles and pull you towards him.
“Tae!” You squeal when he leaves hot, wet kisses down your cheeks, jaw and throat and nips at your skin with his front teeth. Your skin prickles with sweat and your shoulder still aches from his relentless pulling.
The room is stuffy and you struggle to catch your breath with the windows shut and sheer curtains drawn. It’s stuffy most of all with the memories it held of Taehyung bringing you a heating pad during your periods, tending to your hands when you burned yourself making dinner, watching movies with a secondhand projector on the opposite wall, and stealing each other’s popcorn because you always finish your share before the movie starts. The little things that leave such heaviness in your lungs.
Taehyung’s hands are shaky but firm as he reaches underneath your knitted dress and tugs your panties down your hips along with your stockings. Because you’re still wearing your boots, Taehyung doesn’t wait until he buries his face into the crotch of your panties pulled down to your ankles and licks your essence off the fabric onto his tongue, sucking the satin clean before finally unlacing your boots blind with sharp, uneven tugs and peeling them off your ankles. The shoes fall to his feet with a thump and your panties, along with your pantyhose, falls onto the leather not long after.
He doesn’t recognize this attire and it makes him grip the softness of your thighs harder when he imagines yourself or any other man buying you these dresses. It has always been his pleasure to see you dressed in his money. He’d made a promise to be your provider when your parents threw you out of the house as a teen and out of their lives with nothing but a backpack on your shoulders.
As soon as he brings back your luggage from the worn-down hotel you’ve been staying, he’s throwing every dress he doesn’t recognize into the raging fireplace.
Taehyung pops the top button of his shirt and reaches behind him to drag the cotton over his shoulder and head. His skin glows like molten gold and the silver chain hanging from his neck, curving just slightly over his collarbones, sways with his calculated movements. At the end of the chain is the ring from a cracker jack box you’d engraved with a pocketknife.
So many fragments of your relationship with him surrounds you yet you gathered the courage to leave all those years ago. Three long years it took for you to realize you preferred to be in his arms than be free anywhere else. In his shackles you feel safe. In his shackles you feel loved. Your freedom had its own shackles too – putting on pretenses in front of strangers, trying to meet the expectations of men who could never love you like Taehyung does, molding yourself to fit into who you could be rather than who you really are. Taehyung’s shackles feel like jewelry, like luxury, like comfort.
“Did you think about me?” He runs his warm palms up and down your calves, kneeling between your legs as you squirm on the edge of the mattress.
“Every single day. I missed you…I w-wanted to call but…” I was scared you were going to hurt me like you hurt the people around me.
He doesn’t comment and for a moment you wonder if the years of anger he had built inside him will rush forward like water bursting from a dam. It was strange how you are the same, vulnerable person after all these years despite changing nearly every part of your identity.  
When he looks up your heart leaps to your throat. If it were physically possible, Taehyung’s eyes would turn into steel with how hard, how piercing, his gaze is as if he intends to burn holes into your skull. Despite the glare that steals air from your lungs, he’s still beautiful with his uneven eyelids, thick straight eyebrows, chiseled cheekbones, and a prominent cupid’s bow.
“You’re not leaving me again. You hear me? You’re not taking one single step out of this room until I say so. I,” he grits his teeth, tightening his grip around your calves enough to bruise. “don’t fucking trust you anymore. You destroyed us.” His voice is harsh, labored, full of agony. “You destroyed every fucking thing we built together just because I allowed myself to love you.”
“I know, Tae, I know,” you bring a hand over your lips and stifle a sob. Taehyung’s hard gaze falters slightly upon seeing your sadness otherwise his face remains promptly emotionless. “I’m sorry. I’m s-sorry I left, I d-didn’t know what to do. I just…I’m sorry, Taehyung-ah.”
He takes his hands off of you and places them on the edge of the mattress next to your knees, gripping the plushness with all his might.
“You’re not leaving me.” He repeats as if he needed to convince himself more than he needs to convince you.
You shake your head. “I won’t. I swear.”
“If you do this again…something bad will happen. You know that, right? I won’t let you walk away. I can’t let you do this to me anymore, baby. I…haven’t I suffered enough?” He asks and it makes you wrap your arms around his neck and pull his lips towards you. He devours you like he needed you to breathe. It was obvious he was suffocated in this little apartment just as much as you suffocated in the little den back in Denmark, struggling to make it to the next month.
“I love you so much,” you whimper against his lips, tasting yourself on his tongue. “I’m here, Tae. I’m home.”
Your boyfriend groans as he pushes you back onto the mattress and hovers over your body with his knees on both sides of your hips. You bring your legs back, curling them towards your body before hooking it around his toned waist. The warmth that solely belonged to him, you didn’t know how you survived without it. His tongue roams your entire mouth from the back of your tongue to your teeth. You wince just slightly when his fingers trace your slit underneath your red dress, gathering the wetness over your swollen clit in slow circles then moving down to your throbbing core.
“Is this all for me, baby?” He whispers into your mouth as you snake your fingers into his deep chocolate brown tresses and brush his long hair back.
“All for you. I belong to you, Tae, I always have.”
He tsks, watching your hooded eyes suddenly widen and your mouth fall open into an ‘O’ when he impales his index and middle finger into your soaking pussy to the hilt. You had forgotten how long his fingers are until he’s deep inside, until he pushes so hard against your walls that you can feel him from beneath your skin. Your cervix probes his fingertips back and it makes you squirm and wince as he curls his fingers inside and lightly digs digits into your walls. You’ll take the pain with grace.
Your trembling hands reach down to wrap around his wristwatch, slightly wet with your juices trailing down the length of his palm.
“Please, Tae,” you plead, squeezing his wrist. “I want you.”
His fingers move slowly against your walls, leaving you panting and soaking your dress with sweat. He makes no move to be merciless and instead pushes his fingers incredibly deep until your opening burns. He keeps his fingers inside while he undoes his belt, the clinking of the silver buckle raising goosebumps on your skin. All those times he bent you over the kitchen table and lash you across the ass with the belt for blushing when you enjoyed the attention of another comes rushing back, your insides gripping the contours of his fingers as he moves his fingers up and down. Lewd squelches from between your legs make you turn your head away in embarrassment but Taehyung won’t take your disrespect. Not anymore.  
You’re left unfilled when he slips his wet fingers out and places them in his mouth to suck, eyes rolling back and his smooth naked chest heaving at your scent. He’s brought back to reality when you work to remove his belt, your palm kneading his throbbing hardness as you unzip and peel his pants open as far as they can go to reveal his boxer briefs. His cock bulges through the dark fabric and you can lightly feel the trail of dark pubic hair above the base. In the silence of the room you relish in his labored breaths and the rustle of clothing. It’s a sound you longed to hear when you’d spend numerous night with your fingers in your panties in your lonely, cramped apartment, fingertips rubbing circles around your clit until you leak all over the vibrating dildo shoved inside.
Taehyung pulls the belt free from his hips and makes you sit up to wrap the belt around your neck like a scarf before lacing the leather back into the buckle and then tightening the loop. He places two fingers underneath where the belt meets your neck to make sure you’re safe. Even with anger radiating off every pore, he cares about you, loves you, wants to please you.
“Okay?”
You nod, palming him and wrapping your fingers around his thick, pulsing length leaking pre-ejaculate through the fabric. He admires the need in your tear-filled eyes and twists the length of his belt around his fingers before pulling you up, earning a whimper as your hands immediately move to your makeshift collar.
The fact that other men had seen you in this position kills him.
Taehyung pulls the thin straps down your arms and peel your dress down to your ankles. You’re not wearing a brassiere and he suppresses a smile. You’d often lounge wearing his shirts in the living room, your perky little nipples peeking through the cotton, all ready for his greedy mouth to latch onto.
When you kick the dress away from your ankles and bring your knees up to your chest, wrapping your arms around yourself, Taehyung takes the chance to kick off his shoes. He’s too impatient to remove his slightly tight slacks and black socks, choosing to give all his attention to you instead.
“You’re really here,” he breathes, eyes glazed over in remembrance of you over the years.
It started with kisses in cafes while studying together; at the time, he hardly knew how to kiss and knew less about the feeling deep in his belly. Kisses turned into roaming hands, his fingers disappearing under your panties and yours under his jeans. You lost your virginity to him – and his to you – in the backseat of his car after graduating in which half the time was him struggling to put on a condom while your laughs made him giggle along. He had always been yours, and you his.
You couldn’t accept that Taehyung is no longer the boy you used to know. While he accepted your changes and made peace with your mercurial ways, you couldn’t do the same for him.
“I want to show you how much I missed you,” you bring his hands to your face and rub your cheeks into his palms like a kitten.
Taehyung melts, his tired smile plastered on his face as he pushes the dresses on the mattress away and lays next to you. You know what this meant. He wants to watch you come undone, watch you mold into his body as your spine arches and he can tighten the belt around your neck as you spill onto the sheets. You reach down and slide your hands under his pants, gasping slightly when your hands wrap around the girth of his cock. His hips jolt when you run your thumb over his weeping tip and smear precum down his thickness. Taehyung turns you away from him, his perspired chest sticking to your back, and brings your hips towards his lap until he can slip his cock between your folds.
Heat blossoms on your cheeks when he pants lightly in your ear, breath hitching as he slips the tip of his cock into your entrance before ramming his entire length without warning.
“Ah!” You grip his iron arms secured around your waist. He pushes his cock further until he’s fully nestled in your warmth.
“Ung, baby,” he hisses, sliding his left arm underneath your head to reach the end of his leather belt. He wraps the leather around his fingers twice and brings the belt back to him as he pushes your spine away from him in an arch.
He begins moving, his hand around your waist slipping down to your clit as he rubs coaxing circles while pulling the collar back to compress your jugular. In the dark, cold bedroom Taehyung makes you feel every inch of himself inside your starved pussy. Your vision is filled with spots and every nerve in your body curls and bows to his carnal hunger.
“Please…please, Tae, please…” You beg as he pounds without giving you the luxury to adjust to his thickness, tight balls clenching further as he grinds his hips into your little hole.
You cum immediately, legs twitching as you sob his name and curse under a single breath, the wetness from your folds coating the base of Taehyung’s twitching, loaded cock. When you gurgle and cough, he loosens his grip on the belt and listens to you heave, watching your arms pull you up and away from him as you get on your hands and knees to take bigger breaths. You palm your lower abdomen with the heel of your hand, the ache making your head turn towards the pitch-black bathroom connected to the bedroom. Not only did his penetration burned your entire lower body, but you can also feel the pressure inside screaming at you to run to the bathroom.
You underestimated how cruel Taehyung can be. With teeth gritted, he suppresses the need to cum, and bring your hips back towards him to slip his cock back into your battered pussy. You’re tighter after cumming and it takes every ounce of his energy to not spill his load inside then and there.
“T-Taehyung I need to go to the b-bathroom,” you pant as you sweat from the pressure building even more in your lower region.
He doesn’t reply, only spreading your legs further with his knees and grip your waist before impaling you onto his cock over and over again until you slump back down to the mattress.
“It aches,” you breathe as Taehyung throws his head back and closes his eyes, plunging with the ferocity of a man possessed. He finds the end of his belt curled on your back and pulls, yanking your neck back and curving your entire body to take his length. He hardly prepped you enough and he did so with purpose, with the intent to make you release in more ways than one. “T-Tae, I can’t…Taehyung!”
His hips move quicker and the sound of skin slapping skin echoes along with his deep, guttural groans.
“Give it all to me, baby,” he snaps, falling forward to pin your body beneath his as he pistons his hips like a demented animal. You can breathe now but your vision is still hazy and your breathing labored. You can’t move your arms with Taehyung’s hands wrapped around your wrists in a vice grip above your head. “Do it for me.”
When your legs convulse underneath and a scream rips from your throat, Taehyung leans his damp forehead on your shoulder and spills his seed inside. You swear you can feel every lash of his load against your walls. Your ears ring just as you reach your high once more, neck arching back, nose in his hair as you spill your wetness over the sheets along with warm urine that stung as it leaks down to the dresses below. This was his intent all along – to claim you and to humiliate you into accepting that he will take your body as he wishes.
Still, the embarrassment makes you bury your face into your arms and sob.
“You did so well for me, baby,” Taehyung exhales against your jaw and takes your earlobe in his mouth, suckling gently before running his wet tongue over the shell of your ear. You squirm in his grasp, feeling as if your bones had turned into jelly.
Taehyung reaches down and runs his fingers gently over your pussy, rubbing the wetness over your pubic curls before leaning back on his heels to look down at the soiled dresses beneath your thighs. The warmth of your urine no longer lingers and instead you’re left shivering with the collar still tight around your neck.
He takes a clean dress from behind and wipes your fluids from his semi-hard cock and thighs before wiping between your inner thighs and folds. You’re quiet, toes curled as he works his way down to your knees where your urine trailed. He rolls you to the side, gently, and gathers the wet dresses in his arms before stepping away from the bed and dumping the mound of fabric into a half-empty laundry basket.
He then takes a towel from the shelf and disappears into the bathroom. You can hear the faint sound of water running as you reach up to undo the belt from around your neck and let the leather fall onto the floor with a clatter. Taehyung would prefer to remove it himself, but he doesn’t complain when he comes back with a warm, damp towel and wipes your cheeks and neck before roughly wiping down your body.
The smell of sweat is heavy in the air but it feels rather comforting to know you can be disgusting with him and still wake up loved in the morning.
You keep your eyes trained on the ceiling until Taehyung pulls you up to the pillows once the top half of the bed is clean, molding his body to yours as he buries his face in your hair. He inhales slowly, arms locking around your body and keeping you caged inside his embrace. Only when you lean into his chest does he bring a blanket over your body and his and tuck you in.
“Are you hurt?”
You shake your head, eyelids heavy.
The room is even quieter than before. It feels serene under the blanket since nothing strange has ever happened when you’re safe in his arms.
“I missed you,” you murmur, your fingers twirling his necklace on his chest. “So…so much.”
Taehyung’s voice is hoarse when he speaks. “I never left. I’ve always been here.”
You blink, training your eyes on the broken chess pieces scattered on the floor, and close your eyes. No more lonely nights. No more haunting dreams.
‘What’s that?’ Taehyung pouts when you stand in front of him with a small box behind. Every time he attempts to look around your figure, you turn to hide it behind your puffy white skirt. He was really starting to get pissed off and the playground is growing louder with more lousy children interrupting his time on the slides with you. The fifth grade class is the largest in the school after all and there’s only so many slides to go around.
‘You have to guess!’ You insist, keeping the box behind you still.
Taehyung’s frown deepens and then he tucks his bottom lip under his teeth, turning away in a haughty manner with his nose turned to the sky.
‘Whatever it is, I don’t care.’ He says, stepping closer to the slides, but regrets it immediately when your eyes fill with tears and your hands fall to the side. You know he hates being teased, but he knows you love to keep him waiting.
He looks down at your hand to see a box with a picture of a snow globe plastered on the cardboard.
His mouth opens and close like a fish as he contemplates apologizing but he ends up walking up to you and putting his sticky hands on your face instead, tilting your face up to him. You don’t say anything before dropping the present on his shoes and dashing away, maneuvering through the monkey bars and sandboxes with your skirt floating around your knees.
Taehyung kneels and takes the box in his hand, shaking the package until the globe falls into his palm. There it is, the two angels and the glitter particles swirling around them, the very object that he admired in the book fair yesterday. He turns the globe around in his hands, careful, until he reaches the writing written sloppily with a sharpie pen on the glass.
‘I like you’ 
2K notes · View notes
yuuhta · 3 years
Text
THE JJK BOYS' (STUDENTS) REACTION WHEN YOU TELL THEM THAT YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON YOUR TEACHER GOJOU SATORU
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(feat. itadori yuuji, okkotsu yuuta, fushiguro megumi, and inumaki toge)
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ITADORI YUUJI
"yuuji, i actually have a crush on gojou sensei. he's so pretty, and he's strong too."
there's a pause.... he'll just look at u for a few seconds, trying to process what u just said
and then
HE WOULD GASP
"WHAT?!"
he's very shocked bcs you said that out of nowhere
AND he totally had no clue about it, he didn't even consider that possibility tbh
"well, i guess it shouldn't be a surprise because gojou sensei is very powerful and has really cool blue eyes..." he mumbled, staring at the floor with his eyebrows knitted together, which usually means he's racking his brains.
after a few seconds, he then looks up at you with an enthusiastic smile on his face
"what do you think about nanamin, then? he's awesome, too!"
you can only laugh
....... you were nervous for a second bcs u thought u made him sad
but the thing is, obviously, yuuji just genuinely agrees with u that gojou is cool
ah precious boi 😭😭
"i'm just joking though!" you told him
he then messed your hair up in response
and then you both laugh abt the fact that he actually believed you
"but really, why did you choose to say gojou sensei and not nanamin?"
"no particular reason. i was just joking!" you playfully said as you jabbed his abs. "not gojou sensei. not nanamin. only itadori yuuji."
yuuji then pulled you in for a real tight bear hug
AAAAA pls he liked what u said so much so he was literally shaking you as he embraced u hard <3
OKKOTSU YUUTA
"gojou sensei is so cool. he's so handsome and takes care of me very well, i think i have a crush on him."
OK YUUTA WOULD FEEL HIS HEART SKIP
but definitely not in a good way
because WHAT?!!
he had the feeling that you're joking but the thought that you'll replace him with your teacher definitely crossed his mind
AND you notice his tiny panic!!
you really want to wrap your arms around him now but you wait for what he has to say AHHHHH omg poor yuuTAAAAA
"i agree. gojou sensei really is cool. it's reasonable that you have a crush on him." he sincerely says with a smile on his face.
"...but i don't really want to share you with him." he mumbled, getting all shy and embarrassed.
you just stood there with your mouth agape.
now u're all flustered and suddenly u can feel butterflies in ur stomach..... BCS WHAT DID HE JUST SAY
"i'm just joking!" you said as you reached out to hold his hand. "but honestly, i think you're cooler, yuuta."
OF COURSE YOU THINK YUUTA IS COOLER!!!!
"yuuta, you're so strong too." you smiled, rubbing his palm with your thumb. "you're very cute, and you take care of me really really well."
yuuta would blush HARD!!! very flustered with what you said.
also, he never really thought about getting compared to someone like gojou satoru!!!!!
you pulled him in for a tight hug, nuzzling your face into his chest. yuuta hugs you back, his nose on your hair, inhaling your scent.
ok best feeling mffgghgfhh
FUSHIGURO MEGUMI
"megumi, i think gojou sensei is so strong, hot and handsome. i guess you can say i kind of have a crush on him."
so unlike yuuji, megumi is not really surprised
he is very observant when it comes to the ppl he treasures...
especially when it comes to you
the way your stare would linger on the teacher every time he's done talking to you all, OR when gojou isn't even speaking but you'd still look at him... megumi definitely sees that!!
but still he will look at you weirdly once you proclaimed it out loud...
"i already had the feeling that you do..." he judgingly grumbles, a sour expression painted on his face
but don't worry he's not seriously judging u!!!
he's just making that face to jokingly express that he's disappointed in your taste
"i can't believe you like me AND gojou sensei." he adds, "your preference in men... is of a wide range, then."
you laughed, "i'm just kidding! but the hot and handsome part is definitely true, not gonna lie."
his bottom left eyelid twitches, you laugh again. "but i only like one guy and his name is fushiguro megumi, the one with the sea urchin hair?"
he will then squint at you with his face flushed as he ruffles your hair <3
"sea urchin hair?" he said, pinching your cheek
INUMAKI TOGE
"toge, gojou sensei is so handsome, sexy and strong. i think i have a crush on him."
ok he can feel that you're joking !!!!
but still, he can only blink twice in response, dumbfounded with what you said
"???????????" he typed on his phone, his eyebrows slightly knitting together to form a small frown
the corners of your lips accidentally curl up, finding his reaction very amusing
"did i hear you right?" he asks, despite knowing that he definitely heard you correctly.
he just wanted to check if he was maybe imagining things...
"i'm kidding, i'm kidding!" you nudge him slightly with your elbow
you couldn't help but giggle and tell the truth, bcs his expression was just so cutely flabbergasted
"y/n, some jokes are half meant." he chuckles, messing your hair up.
now he was smiling and joking around too.
you laughed and grabbed his phone from him. "well it's true that gojou sensei is handsome, sexy and strong but you're my one and only crush <3"
you returned his phone, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, his face heating up as he read what you had typed
😭😭😭😭 toge got so flustered bcs why r u so smooth like that hhhhh
toge will then intertwine his fingers with yours, pulling you close to him as you both head to a restaurant to get something to eat <3
555 notes · View notes
gryffindors-weasley · 4 years
Text
To Love Someone
Colin Bridgerton x Fem!Reader
Summary: Love doesn’t always work out how you’d like it to, and sometimes it does.
Word Count: 4.7k
Warnings: angst, jealousy, heartache, fluff, kissing, requited love
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Shock. That was the very first thing you felt upon hearing what was supposed to be delightful news. What was supposed to be a celebration of the next chapter of someone’s life. But that feeling quickly subsided, for you hadn’t expected your very best friend to hold the same feelings for you as he did him. You never did, though a small part of you had hoped this was some fabricated nightmare that you would eventually wake up from. But much to your dismay, it was not.
Now, you were in attendance of yet another dinner at the Bridgerton home. There had been an extravagant event held in celebration of the engagement one week prior of course, but everything after that, even just a simple dinner seemed to be just as celebratory all the same.
Benedict and Eloise, as a matter of fact even Anthony, knew of your long-standing feelings for their brother. Feelings that now seemed absolutely ridiculous as you sat before the happy couple, feelings that made your heart crack pitifully within your chest. They knew, and they were rather surprised to hear the announcement as well because they were sure you were the perfect match. They were certain with the way they always caught him staring when you weren’t looking.
“This cake is rather delightful, is it not, Y/n/n?” Eloise murmurs to you once she catches your painfully longing gaze lingering on her brother.
You break away from him with furrowed brows after she kicks you under the table, clearing your throat in a poor attempt to suppress the lump forming within it. You look at her for a moment, scrambling to remember the words you only half-heard her say. “Yes, I suppose it is.”
You pick at said cake with your fancy fork clutched in your shaky hand, hearing her soft sigh in defeat beside you. She knew her attempts at distraction were futile, valiant yes, but futile. It was hard to watch you sit there and sulk; she did not quite know what it felt like to be heartbroken, but she couldn’t imagine it to be easy. So, she knew she must at least try and call in reinforcements, her brother.
“Y/n,” Benedict starts on your other side, nudging you with his elbow to further gain your attention. “The garden seems to be in full bloom, you don’t suppose you’d like to go for a walk with Eloise and I after dinner, would you?”
You laugh softly at their more than obvious efforts, but you nod in agreement nonetheless. “Yes, Benedict, that would be lovely.”
When things moved from the dining room to the drawing room, Violet Bridgerton had talked the three of you into staying in their company for just a bit more before you could run off. Maybe not talked into, more like told the three of you in a hushed matronly scolding. You had no choice but to oblige to her wishes.
You sat between the two on the couch, breathing out a sigh as you wring your hands in a half hearted attempt to do something. Not even talk of Lady Whistledown could capture your attention for more than a mere moment or two. Not even Benedict’s teasing jokes to draw a portrait of you and the frown seemingly permanently on your face could get you to smile for more than just a few seconds at a time. For just about everyone seemed to be enamored with Miss Andrews.
It wasn’t hard to be you will admit, she was beautiful with many talents; she has even traveled quite a bit with her family. You knew that was of interest to him. You couldn’t blame her for being so captivating, but you couldn’t bear it either. Not with the way she linked her arm around Colin’s, or the way her parents spoke so highly of her that it made your head spin.
It was when you found yourself looking at Colin that it became far too much. You couldn’t bring yourself to look away just yet, no matter how much you wanted to, no matter how much you needed to. It was when he looked at you that had done it. The conversation and laughter seemed to fade in swirls of commotion around you, the shared gaze fleeting and agonizingly slowed all the same. For it was the first time all night that he had directly looked at you and you couldn’t take it. You could not stay.
Politely, you excused yourself, making your way to the door in a rush that left Benedict and Eloise to frown at each other. The room felt all too crowded no matter the fact that it wasn’t, the uninterrupted chatter and music still continuing in your absence.
The tears became harder to ignore with your newfound time to yourself, your chest heaving in your overwhelmed state. You had made it nearly to the end of the lavish hall before you were stopped.
“Y/n?”
You take a deep breath as you closed your eyes briefly, willing the tears to dissipate before turning around with a soft smile, your best friend closer than you had thought. “Yes?”
“Are you alright? I know Hyacinth is still rather new to the piano, but it can’t be that bad, can it?” He jests, laughing softly.
You bring yourself to laugh quietly despite your pressing desire to be anything but jovial in that moment. “I am quite alright, Colin.”
His brows furrow at your obvious distress, he could tell from the very moment you arrived at his family home in the early half of the evening. He was far too oblivious to see the cause of your behavior, but not so much to not notice you’d been acting differently. He knew you were lying to him.
“What is the matter, Y/n?” He asks again as he sees you rapidly begin to grow more upset, and he reaches out for your hand.
You pull away from his grasp, averting your teary gaze elsewhere. Anywhere but him would be perfectly suitable. “Nothing is the matter, Colin.”
You were certain your words couldn’t possibly be believable, not with the way your chest had begun to rise and fall at a much more noticeable pace, and not with the way your cheeks had flushed and obvious crimson. One must be a fool to not see the clear turmoil and upset painted all over you, weaving around your every word. Each passing second had only worsened such a feeling, and the more you allowed yourself to look at him, the more trouble you had found yourself falling into. You simply could not bear it anymore.
The crease between his brows only deepens upon your dismissive behavior, his hand falling back to his side as he takes a deep breath. “Well it would appear that something is bothering you. I know you far better than to believe that, Y/n.”
You laugh humorlessly, looking down at your feet as you all but crumble in front of him. Your chest tightened and your heart felt as though it could burst. He knew it may not have been appropriate of him to do so, but he reached out to grab your hands once more and you did not fight it, for this would likely be the last time. The look on his face was a silent plea for you to tell him of your troubles, ones he hadn’t known were caused by himself. His grip was gentle and warm as he waited for you, and the feeling fluttering in your stomach was unable to be ignored.
“I know it is not proper of me to say this,” You start, and his brows remain knit together. No matter how heavily your heart had been pounding, your words spilled out before you could stop them. “But I love you. I am in love with you, and you are in love with someone else. You are to marry. That, Colin Bridgerton, is what is the matter.”
He swallows thickly, his gaze on you far too intense to hold as you clear your throat and bring yourself to pull from his grasp, fervently willing the lump within it to disappear. His mouth opens, then closes almost immediately as he tries desperately to figure out his wording though his attempts prove to be futile.
“I—I do not know what to say.”
The hurt had crashed down on you in waves, immense and unrelenting as you stood before him. The tears pressing just behind your eyes rapidly became too hard to ignore. Yet despite the anguish pulling harshly at your heart, you take a deep breath and compose yourself once more.
“There is no need to say anything at all. I just—I am sorry. I needed to tell you,” you state, straightening your posture as you lift your eyes to meet his once more. Your lip began to quiver the more you held his gaze, and with a soft and faltering smile, you offered a simple nod. “I should be leaving now.”
You turn on your heel and walk away from him, desperate for a change of scenery and desperate for a breath of fresh air. Though impossible, it felt like the lavishly decorated walls were closing in on you in that very moment.
“Y/n, wait!”
It had crossed your mind that maybe you should stop, maybe you should turn around and listen. Maybe he’d have something to say that could be just what you are hoping to hear. But you couldn’t find it in you to look at him for another moment, so you part from him and continue down the nearly vacant corridor. It was only when he was distant enough that you let your tears fall, quickly wiped away by the satin glove on your hand.
Dealing with the aftermath of your lovestruck confession was not an easy feat, in fact, you felt as though you never wanted to show your face to the ton again. You were perfectly content staying in the confines of your bedroom for the rest of your life. Fortunately for you, your blunder hadn’t made it into Lady Whistledown’s story of the day, but what had been the talk of the ton was the ever spectacular planning of the wedding of Mr. Colin Bridgerton and Miss Hazel Andrews. There had been an excerpt on the very event every day for an entire week, possibly more but eventually you’d stopped looking to save yourself the heartache already striking down on you.
You had stopped visiting the Bridgerton family home because you had known you would run into him, and the very thought had made your stomach churn and twist in knots as you remember that very night but a handful of weeks ago. You feel as though you might never forget that, much to your dismay. For heartbreak does not leave someone completely, there will always be fragments of its torment left behind in everything you choose to do.
Eloise has come to see you frequently, always with a box of the very sweets she insists she does not share with anyone. She always has a message to pass on from her siblings, even Colin, especially Colin, but she always finds herself feeling unsure of if she should bring him up. So instead, she tells you her latest findings on the unmasking of Lady Whistledown; she could never run out of things to tell you of that. She tells you of how Benedict might just drive her crazy if he asks about you but one more time. She tells you of the ball you are invited to.
In the current moment, you had been seated at your vanity, sifting through all the letters Colin had written to you over the last three weeks. They had since tapered down when he hadn’t been getting responses in return, and you had been too afraid to read any more than just a few. Too afraid to see in writing that your love is unrequited, too afraid to read the possibility that he hadn’t wanted to see you anymore. You were perfectly content with the undesirable hurt you had now, you did not want to add to it.
A knock on your door had startled you from your thoughts.
“Mr. Bridgerton is here to see you,” your mother announces, a soft smile on her lips as you look at her reflection in your mirror.
Your heart nearly flipped in your chest as you sat there, turning to face her directly. Your mind had been racing with a flurry of thoughts; you missed him, but insecurity wore away at you and told you his visit would not be of anything good. Could not be. He had visited several times and the outcome was always the same, so surely he does not believe your excuses, surely he is fed up. “Tell him I am not here, mother.”
She nods at the expected answer, closing the door behind her quietly and leaving you be as you rushed to your window. In a matter of a few moments you saw him, and it felt as though your heart had stilled. You watched as he drug his hand down his face, watched as he turned to look up at your family home and you took a step back from your window, even though he would not be able to see you. You watched as he turned away, got in his carriage, and disappeared down the street.
You turn on your heel and release a shaky breath, your gaze falling to the gown dangling neatly from its hanger.
You fought to conceal your frown and your obvious discontent to be at such an event. However, your mother had made you attend and Eloise just might go crazy if you leave her to fend for herself one for one more ball. And as if on cue, her arm links with yours after you’ve taken all but three steps into the boisterous ballroom.
“Hello stranger, how nice of you to join me on this wonderfully dreadful evening,” she greets in faux annoyance, and you playfully roll your eyes at her.
“Hello, Eloise,” you sigh, leaning your head against hers for just a moment. “It is rather dreadful, isn’t it? I’m certain I’d much rather—”
“Stay in your room?”
You raise your brow at her and she does the same, a knowing smirk gracing her lips and you shake your head with a soft smile. “As a matter of fact, yes. If you keep it up Eloise, I just might leave.”
“That is absolutely not happening.”
“I have to concur!” Benedict chimes in, appearing at your other side with a smile on his lips. You huff out another sigh as you look up at him, something akin to annoyance in your gaze.
“I do not believe there is anything you have to do.”
He pretends to ponder your words for a brief moment before offering you his arm much to his sister’s dismay. “I believe I have to offer you this dance.”
You squint up at him skeptically, your lips pursed as he returned your stare with a grin, head tilted as his arm remains offered to you. You bite the inside of your cheek and huff out a sigh through your nose, a groan sounding from dear Eloise as you reluctantly allow yourself to be escorted to the dancefloor.
“I am not thrilled about this, I hope you know that,” you state, falling into rhythm with the cheerful music regardless.
“I very well do. Much like I am not thrilled that this is the first time I am in your presence in nearly a month,” he jests, and you frown at him and his counter.
It hadn’t taken you long to realize just what kind of dance you had been talked into, and the laughter coming from the one to blame was more that indication that he was very much aware of that fact from the start.
“Benedict, don’t you dare spin me off to your brother,” you warn firmly, looking up at him with a threatening glare.
“Do you really think so little of me, Y/n/n?” He asks in a scoff, feigning hurt as he nearly pouts at you and your very logical assumptions.
“Sometimes you make me wonder,” you say, softening your stare as you exhale a sigh.
“I will not do such a thing, but I cannot guarantee he would be as gracious as I am,” he says with a grin, passing you off to the arms of the eldest Bridgerton brother before you could get another word in edgewise.
You breathe out an exasperated huff as you fall into your rhythm, pursing your lips.
“Please, do not act too excited to see me, Miss Y/l/n,” Anthony jests, offering you a lopsided smirk to counter your lingering frown. “What ever is the matter, my dear friend?”
You roll your eyes at the playful insincerity held in his words, for he knew exactly what was the matter long before you had even confessed your feelings for his brother. In fact, he may have been the first to realize them.
“Do not call me that, Anthony. You know perfectly well what is the matter.” Despite the bite in your tone, you couldn’t suppress the smile that had tugged at the very corner of your mouth as you stepped around the dancefloor.
“You do know that my brother is not engaged, do you not?” He asks, raising his brow at you curiously. You furrow your own, eyes narrowing up at him in disbelief.
“Anthony, now is not the time for your humor,” you scold, looking away from him. As much as you would like his words to be true, you cannot imagine that they would be.
“It is nothing of the sort,” he defends, “You don’t believe me? Perhaps you should ask him yourself.”
You found yourself tightening your hold on his hand in a pitiful attempt to stay put, but before you can get another word in you are passed into the very arms you had been trying so desperately to avoid, his hand slipping in yours in a fit too perfect to ignore. Your breath caught in your throat upon looking in his eyes, upon being so close and you quickly found yourself averting your gaze. You were quite sure your cheeks were a deep scarlet with the way they’d burned. This had reminded you of the exact reason you hadn’t wanted to attend this very ball in the first place, it was a nightmare and you were now living it.
“How lovely it is to see you,” Colin greets and you’re unsure of his sincerity with the edge behind his words, falling into the pace of the jovial dance with a practiced ease. “I was beginning to think you just might go the entire evening without speaking to me.”
“It is merely a coincidence, Mr. Bridgerton.”
“You do not have to be so formal, Y/n,” he sighs, and you continue to move about the dance floor as you keep quiet. “And am I to assume that it is also merely a coincidence that you are not home each time I have paid you a visit?”
“Do you not have a fiancée to dance with? She is rather popular in Lady Whistledown’s stories, as are you,” you inquire, desperate to take the focus off of you and his question.
You try to keep your racing heart steady, and you hope your shaky hands aren’t too terribly noticeable. Your attempt to keep him from asking any further questions about the matter seemed to have worked in your favorite just this once.
“Then you should have seen that Miss Andrews and I are no longer to be wed.”
It feels as though your heart stills in your chest as you swallow thickly, meeting his gaze once more. A crimson blush stains your cheeks as you look at him, not a trace of a lie expressed on his features. Your heart had beat impossibly faster, and the realization of just how close you had been became increasingly apparent. Not to mention, it felt as though the very walls of the ballroom just might collapse on you if you spend a moment longer in there.
Anthony had not been lying to you, that much was obvious. The thoughts began to swim in your head in a whirlpool now. What the reasons could have been for his numerous visits to your home. What the words written in each of those unopened letters could have said. It engulfed you and rushed over you all at once.
You clear your throat, releasing his hand from your grip and stepping away from him. “I shall need a moment.”
You left him to stand there as you weave your way through the jovial crowd, your obvious distress drawing more than a few stares as you lift the skirt of your dress to keep yourself from tripping as you rush out of the room. 
It was a rather chilly evening to be wandering about the gardens by yourself, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care about such trivial things. It was much preferred to the stuffy ballroom that was not nearly big enough to house you and the Bridgerton boy you had fought so hard to avoid. The commotion of the jovial event was rapidly fading the farther you immersed yourself amongst the finely manicured shrubbery and blossoming trees. Though it’s outstanding beauty could not fully be appreciated with such a sour mood, it would have to wait for another time.
Your chest heaved and your eyes watered, the sight of him after having kept your distance for weeks on end proving to affect you just as greatly as it always had and always will be. How ever were you to move on and find another suitor when you were still hung up on him?
You suppose you should be happy at the news, but right now that was not the case.
Perhaps you would simply never marry, it seemed like a viable option in this point in time. To put your heart out on the line for another just did not seem of interest to you nor will it ever. To love someone hadn’t felt as rewarding as Mrs. Bridgerton had once told you and Daphne, it felt as though it had been just the opposite.
A breeze swept over you, promptly causing you to wrap your arms around yourself as you paced about the lush grass in hopes to ease your mind a bit. As refreshing as the night air had initially been, you were beginning to feel no better than you had when you were confined within that room.
Any and all attempts to ease your mind became futile when a voice had cut you short.
“Y/n?”
You startled at his presence, refusing to turn around if only for a moment more as you let your eyes fall closed with a sigh. “I believe I asked for a moment alone.”
It’s quiet briefly before he speaks up once more. “It is not safe for a lady to be out at this hour by herself. I don’t think my mother would be very happy with me should something happen to you on my account.”
“I am perfectly fine on my own,” you state, walking farther from him into the heart of the large garden.
“That may be true, but I am not leaving.”
You exhale a frustrated sigh, spinning on your heel to face him with a narrowed gaze. “Just why have you followed me out here? I do not wish for your pity, Colin.”
His brows furrowed as he takes a step closer, looking down at you with a look you cannot place. “My actions are not out of pity, Y/n,” he starts, his tongue swiping over his lips as he thinks over his next words. 
The tears pressing behind your eyes threaten to spill as you stand there before him. 
“Then what are they of?” You ask, lowering your voice before you draw any attention to yourselves should anyone be wandering. “What are they of?”
He inhales a deep breath at your upset tone before huffing it out through his nose, looking away only briefly before his gaze returns to you. His mouth opens and closes once, and again as the words nearly remain caught in his throat. For feeling so strongly, it was difficult to voice them. “I came out here because I miss you.”
You open your mouth to speak but he silences you with a gesture of his hand.
“You have hidden yourself from me for the last three weeks. I have written you letters, I have come to see you, and I have been unsuccessful with every attempt I have made. I believe it is fair to say that I do.”
You stand there, frustrated and overwhelmed with his words.
“It is not easy being in the presence of someone who both makes your heart flutter and ache all the same,” you state defensively, a tear spilling over your flushed cheek. “I sincerely apologize for not returning your letters and distancing myself from you, but I believe it was in my best interest.”
“I believe it was not.”
You frown as your brows furrow, frustration building within your chest as it heaved under your distress. “Why is that?”
He stares at you, tears lining his eyes as the crease between his brows deepens. “You are my best friend, you are—”
“Why have you called off your engagement, Colin?” You ask, your heart pounding in your chest.
He looked down at you, a myriad of emotions flickering over his face as he fought to find the words to say under your expectant stare. Words that played so easily in his mind yet so painfully difficult to speak.
“I realized I did not love her.”
You scoff, willing the bout of hope in your chest to go away.
“That cannot be so. I’ve seen the way you look at her, I’ve heard the way you talk about her. I simply—”
“I didn’t marry her because it is you that I love,” he declares, standing a bit straighter. He finds himself speechless for a moment now that your full attention is on him, now that the quiet of the night is obvious. But as he looks at you, he knows. “I am in love with you, with all that I am. I’m afraid it took your absence for me to realize it, but it has. It was always you, it will always be you.”
You stand there, seemingly frozen in your spot as you look at him in disbelief. “But I—you love me? You…”
Before you could find the words you hadn’t even been sure of yet, his lips had pressed to yours in a soft kiss. One of hesitancy to solidify his words, yet feather-light in fear of ruining the remains of your friendship. One that only intensified once you had gotten over the utter shock you’d been hit with, your hand reaching up to settle on his cheek. His arms envelope you in an embrace, so tight it had only proved his earlier words of missing you. Even in your absence you had entranced him all the same.
In that very moment, it felt as though sparks had danced across every inch of your skin, a feeling you had only ever thought of but never imagined to be true, to be quite so blissful. But what did remain to be true was the very fact that you had been kissing the love of your life in the secret confines of a garden.
Your fingers had begun to tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck briefly, smoothing over his cheeks and down to rest on his chest when you part.
“Marry me,” he breathed against your lips, his forehead against yours. Not a drop of hesitancy could be found in the proposal, nor was there any humor.
You found it hard to catch your breath in that moment as you pull away only slightly, allowing yourself to look in his eyes. They sparkled with sincerity, with the promise that he loved you entirely. His kiss swollen lips quirked up in a smile, his gaze hopeful. It was then that you smiled, bright and beaming as you kissed him once more, murmured your acceptance a thousand times over.
To love someone was a risk in and of itself, but to love someone could be just as beautiful.
Tags: @dreaming-about-fanfictions @heloisedaphnebrightmore @elennox03
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mimi-cee-hq · 3 years
Text
Laundry Days - Aran x f!reader
Summary: Three times you picked up his underwear and one time you missed doing it.
Genres, other tags: fluff, slice of life, humour, meet cute, domestic fluff, not suggestive lol, married under 25, neighbours to married lovers ;)
Words: 1.6k
Warnings: manga spoiler
This is for @neoheros & @coophi's 2021 Summer Haikyuu!! Writing contest. (Okay I'm pretty shy at first so it feels a little scary to tag you two but here's my piece.) I was going for the married under 25 prompt but ended up doing neighbours to lovers too. :D
Don't mind me spreading the underrated characters agenda as well. lol.
*****
A few articles of clothing spilled out of the dryer and onto your feet. Oops. Your neighbour must have forgotten them. You should've checked first.
Your own damp clothes sat inside the washing machine next to it, waiting for their turn to enter the dryer. It wasn't possible now.
You sighed, retrieving the phone from your pocket and scrolling until you saw the name of the neighbour who lived a floor below you.
Ojiro Aran.
You were sure this was the right person after a second look at your texting history. Who'd bring the garbage to the curb, where the lawnmower was kept, and keeping the duplex's stairway clear were some of the conversations you had with him.
You had yet to meet the guy, but he seemed amicable enough.
After shooting him a text, you thought to give him a call instead. Perhaps he'd think a phone call was strange. However, your clothes were damp and you shouldn't leave them for long. Was he even home?
You sighed. Crouched down, you returned the clothes on the floor back into the machine. A scarf, several socks, and a knit hat made their way back inside. But what was this?
Underwear. Men's underwear.
You scrunched your nose as you lifted it from the cold, tile floor. Was that a hole in it?
Click.
"Sorry I just saw your text!" a tall, dark-skinned man blurted out as soon as the door was unlocked.
"Oh! It's alright! I only texted you a few minutes ago!" you quickly explained, waving your hands in front of you.
You shouldn't have done that. The underwear was hanging from your hand.
"Ummm…" Aran scratched his cheek, eyes retreating from you.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" you spat out, tossing the incriminating object to him. "It just fell out of the dryer when I opened it so I went to pick it up!"
Once in his hands, he recognized it as the one with the seam coming undone. "I… umm… should probably have thrown this one out."
"Umm… yeah… you probably should." Those words slipped off your tongue before you could catch them.
"I- I guess I'll go now," Aran said hastily.
He shut the door.
You let out a breath. That was awkward. Heat continued to linger in your body and you weren't sure who was more embarrassed by the encounter.
Wait. His clothes were still in the dryer. Did you dare ask him back?
The door slowly creaked open and Aran peeked his head into the room.
"I forgot something, didn't I?" Aran sheepishly asked.
"Yeah." The corners of your mouth lifted into a smile. "Yeah, you did."
"I'm Aran by the way."
"Y/n."
You never thought this would be how you'd meet your future husband.
*****
The office chair in your apartment was a comfortable spot for folding clothes. The webcam caught your face as you chatted with Aran whose image filled the monitor.
You smiled. Your husband was winding down after a long day with the team and decided to check up on you.
"I'm alright," you told Aran. "I miss you though."
"I literally just saw you yesterday!" he said. "I miss you too."
After that fateful yet awkward encounter with him in that laundry room two years ago, you had run into each other more frequently at the front doors of your duplex. Your classes ended at similar times four out of your five school days. You were surprised he even started a conversation with you. You wouldn't have been able to bear the embarrassment. Fast forward to a confession, a kiss and a rock-embedded ring, and you got a small, snowy wedding during winter break.
It was back to the books for you now, and you dreaded it. Chores seemed much better, easier. Plus doing them for your newly-wedded husband? You got giddy about that.
You quirked your brow, lifting a familiar piece of clothing from the basket.
"Hey, I thought you threw this one out," you mentioned to Aran, dangling his underwear in front of the camera.
"I did! That's, uh, probably a different one."
"Just how old are these?"
"Hey! Wait a moment! Are you folding clothes?"
You avoided the eyes on the screen. "Maybe."
"You have your paper due in a few days! I told you I was going to do it after flying back home."
"I know…"
Aran's eyes narrowed at you, a trademark expression of his. "You're procrastinating again, aren't you?" His tone implied disapproval.
"But I'm still being productive!"
"Y/n…"
"Okay, okay. I'll stop." Your foot pushed the basket away, sliding it across the floor. Maybe you could fold them after you hung up.
Aran must have read your mind. "Show me what the laundry bin looks like."
You groaned. He saw right through you. Complying, you removed the clipped webcam off the monitor and directed it at the pile of unfolded clothes.
"It better be like that when I get home."
"Alright," you said with a pout.
"Love you."
"Love you too."
Must he stop you from doing chores? They were a simple reminder you were married to him, as if the gold on your finger wasn't enough to show you.
You were his wife.
A smile snuck into your lips whenever that thought crossed your mind. The honeymoon phase was a peculiar, strange, lovely stage.
Yet it was fleeting.
*****
You groaned as you stood in the middle of the bathroom. Aran's white track pants hung off the counter, the red t-shirt he got for free from first year college laid on top, and of course his underwear, which likely went through hundreds of washes, remained on the floor.
Great.
You rubbed your temples, your headache getting worse by the minute. It was Saturday morning, and Aran, who was nowhere to be seen, had left his mess behind.
I'll clean it up later, he would tell you. You knew his mother had spoiled him, always picking up after him. You understood why he was like this, but why couldn't he just start doing it now?
"Do you have this problem?" you asked your friend through your wireless headset.
"What problem?" she asked.
"Does your husband always leave laundry around on the floor?" You pinched the bridge of your nose. "Aran never picks up after himself."
She laughed. You weren't sure if it was because you were a young, amateur wife or if she understood all too well.
Knowing her, probably a bit of both.
"Okay two things."
You listened.
"One, don't say always or never. That's lying."
"I'm not lying," you snapped back at her. You began to regret asking her.
"Are you sure he never picks it up and always leaves it on the floor?"
You left no comment.
"Exactly."
"Okay fine, but that still doesn't solve the problem. If only he just did it, it would solve everything–"
"Number two," she interrupted.
You groaned at her and she gave an amused snort in return.
"If you weren't picking up his underwear, it means he's dead."
You were aghast.
"You know I'm right."
Still aghast.
"What? No husband, no mess."
"I can't believe I asked you for advice."
"But it's true."
"Ugh," was all you could utter. She had several years more of marriage experience than you, yet you didn't want to acknowledge it.
You hung up the phone after you finished deciding today's outing with her, but you hadn't addressed the issue in front of you. Your head throbbed again.
Sighing, you picked up the underwear.
A few minutes later, the front door opened and you dipped your head into the hallway. Aran shuffled grocery bags through the door and into the kitchen. He yawned, placing the milk, eggs, and other items into the fridge.
A familiar coffee brand peeked out of a bag on the floor. Right. You didn't have your coffee yet because there wasn't any left.
You wrapped your arms around Aran and relaxed against his broad back.
"I can't put the food away like this," he said with a chuckle.
"You left your clothes in the bathroom again."
"Oh shoot!" He dropped a bag and started towards the bathroom but you tightened your grip on him.
"I put them away already," you told him. His body relaxed and he caressed your arm around his waist.
The honeymoon phase was a fleeting phase, novel tasks turned mundane, but your love for him grew deeper still.
*****
Aran was away again, this time at Tokyo in preparation for the Olympics. He eagerly called you during breaks, wishing to see his favourite person – although your hands were full as well.
"I miss you," he told you, his smile displayed on the screen.
"And I miss picking up your underwear," you told him with a smirk.
Like clockwork, he narrowed his eyes at you with a comeback. "Why don't you say you miss me like a normal person?"
"Because I'm your wife. I'm special," you told him as he rolled his eyes. "I wish I could be there though."
"You wouldn't be able to spend that much time with me anyway," he said. "Besides, one of us needs to stay home."
"I know." You smiled.
"I gotta go," he said as Atsumu yelled in the background. Aran blew a kiss at you.
You snorted. How cheesy. You returned the kiss anyway.
Hearing a mischievous squeal behind you, you told him, "I gotta go too."
"Love you."
"Love you too."
After you hung up, you turned around and sighed. A soggy wet diaper sagged on the floor and the little guy jumping in the crib giggled at you as if he did the funniest thing in the world.
You rolled your eyes and smiled before picking up the diaper.
"Alright kid. Let's put a diaper back on you and wash your sheets."
*****
I hope you liked it. This is a little different from what I usually write but I hope you still enjoyed it!
I blame Aran's current concern for giving me this idea along with the person who suggested I write Aran fluff. (As well as the seasoned wife I know who told her husband, "If I wasn't picking up your underwear, it means you're dead." lolll.)
I hope you stick around my blog to check out my other works! My current work in progress is a fake dating Suna series. I can't believe we're on chapter 10!
If anyone is interested, I have a Google form for my taglist.
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johnsamericano · 3 years
Text
𝔖𝔲𝔤𝔞𝔯 ℜ𝔲𝔰𝔥 𝔧.𝔧.𝔥 •2•
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Hi hi! I'm back with another chapter. This one might not be as good(?, it's a really fluffy chapter so bear with me.
warnings: sugar daddy jae, he's a big baby, tooth rotting, kinda long.
sugar rush m.list.
taglist: @thoreeo @trustmahluv @sunny-nyu @nanascupid @silent-potato
“Sir, there’s a girl asking to see you.”
“Hey, I’m not a girl!” He chuckled as his finger pressed the button to communicate with his secretary.
“Hey, I’m not a girl!” He chuckled as his finger pressed the button to communicate with his secretary.
“Hey, I’m not a girl!” He chuckled as his finger pressed the button to communicate with his secretary.
“Let her in.”
Only a few seconds later, your head was peeking through his door.
“I brought you coffee.” You extended your hand out, showing him the carton containing two iced drinks. “Are you busy?”
“Not at all, come in.” You sat on the elegant, individual sofa in front of him, his desk serving as a separation. “Are you here to spy on me? Don't you trust me with your father's case?” He pouted, typing something in his keyboard while your palms started sweating.
How could you not trust the man with the highest case winning index in the whole country?
Briefly, after your encounter with the other lawyer, you'd googled him as well as his company. Because of his incredibly high fees, he didn't have many clients, but those few who had enough money to cost him were almost assured to be on the winning side. So then, why hadn't an excellent lawyer like him popped up when you'd first looked for popular firms? Simple, he wasn't popular.
Just like a hidden gem, only a few had the pleasure to know Yoonoh, and you felt beyond grateful for paying that stupid membership weeks ago.
“No, no!” You were quick to defend yourself, frantically shaking your hands to support your previous statement. “Just wanted to be of help.”
Truth to be told, after receiving your first weekly allowance, an unsettling feeling had been squeezing your heart ever since. Call it guilt or whatever, but it didn't set right to be receiving si much help from him when you hadn't had the chance to do anything in return. The least you could do was trying to be polite.
“You shouldn't be spending your money on me. I'm the one supposed to spoil you, remember?” He grabbed the plastic container by the lid, sipping the bitter liquid with an amused smile. “But thank you.”
“I paid my rent yesterday.” You blurted out, trying to avoid the uncomfortable silence threatening to settle between the two of you. “And I still have money left to save for my father's hospital bills, maybe even buy a present for my aunt.”
He admired how noble you were, making sure those around you had enough before even thinking to do something for yourself.
“I have a party this Friday, would you like to attend with me?” Your presence wasn't required as it wasn't a big event, but by the look in your eyes, he knew you were itching to do something in return for his kindness.
“Yes, of course!” Your orbs sparkled with excitement, finally feeling yourself useful.
“If you don't mind waiting, we can go buy something for you to wear right after I finish with this.” For what seemed like the tenth time in less than ten minutes, small beads of sweat rolled down the back of your neck. Thank God he wasn't able to see them. “Oh, come on, don't give me that look!”
“You’ve already done so much for me. I can buy the clothes myself, don't worry.” With a deep sigh, Yoonoh rose from his chair, taking long strides to surround the desk separating you. “W-what are you doing?” Now kneeling on the floor beneath you, his face was dangerously close to yours, coffee breath crashing against your nose.
“Using mind control to convince you to let me take you out.” He stared at you for a couple more seconds before saying: “Is it working?”
“I think your mind control is broken.” You whisper, unable to hold back the small giggles bubbling at the back of your throat.
“How about now?” He batted his eyelashes, trying to act cute despite his bold features. You shook your head.
Just as you thought it was over, his hand went up to cup your jaw, his thumb drawing uneven figures on the ticklish skin.
“How about now?” He repeated. You stammered, unsure of what to say. “Sorry, that was inappropriate.” Aware of your awkwardness and the rising heat in your cheeks, he stood up, walking back to his chair. “But I do want to get you something, would you let me?”
With your mind busy and your guard low, you nodded, unaware of the silly smile on his face.
“I have a few novels on my shelf in case you want something to kill time.”
“Thank you.” You moved to the huge bookshelf facing his desk, grateful your face wasn't visible anymore.
The books were ordered by genre and size, starting from the biggest law-related textbooks to pocket-sized novels, ending with the smallest one he had. The little prince.
Your eyes widened in disbelief. Yoonoh didn't seem to be the type to read that kind of heartbreaking yet beautiful book. Nonetheless, as many said, you can't judge a book by its cover.
An hour or two later, you were halfway into the first book of flowers in the attic, immersed in the small world the author had created. Yoonoh had finished his work a few minutes before, but distracting you when you were reading so vividly, seemed like a crime. He enjoyed the way your eyebrows would knit together every time something shocking happened, clearly too immersed in the novel to notice his intense gaze.
“Y/n...” He whispered once he noticed you were starting a new chapter. You blinked twice, hands clutching the book tightly as you noticed he had finished his work. “You can take it home, don't worry.”
“Sure?” He flashed his pretty dimples as his eyes turned into half-moons.
“You can come back for the rest of the saga when you finish this one. Take as many books as you please, I’ve already read them all.”
“Thank you.” Another act of kindness you had no way of returning. His favors just seemed to be piling up before you could even return any. “Would you like to have dinner with me today? I'm a great cook, or so did my father said.” You blurted out quickly, twisting your hands nervously as you waited for an answer.
“I’d love to. But I might have to attend some work calls if you don't mind.”
“I don't, maybe I'll even have time to bake a cake while you're at it.” God, how bad he wanted to take a picture of that adorably nervous smile.
“Great, so it's settled. Dinner at your place after we go shopping.” He had already put his blazer on, offering his arm to guide you out. With shaky fingers and sweaty armpits, you grabbed it, walking by his side with his secretary’s gazed glued on you. So much for a girl, huh?
Once seated in his car, with the book resting on your lap, you allowed yourself to relax. Yoonoh wasn't a bad person, on the contrary, he was very kind, so there was no use in keeping your guard up when he was around.
“Ready to roll?” You cringed at his use of slang, making him drop his head back to laugh. “What? Isn't it a thing you cool young adults say?”
“Maybe twenty years ago, Yoonoh.” It was the very first time you used his name so informally, and, oh how good it felt to hear you saying it?
“Fine, I won't use it anymore.” He poked your arm like a little child, and for a moment, you wondered if he was actually more than a decade older.
Several bad jokes, two dresses, and a quick stop at the grocery store later, you arrived at your apartment. Yoonoh held everything while you entered the passcode, struggling not to drop a can of vegetables that was starting to bend the edge of the paper bag.
“Ready, hand me something.” You both entered with your hands packed with different things. You went to your room to leave the new dresses while Yoonoh set the paper bags down on the kitchen counter.
“So...” He clapped loudly. “What are we cooking?”
“I bought the ingredients for lasagna. Is that okay with you?” He nodded, lips pressed and dimples in display. “Alright, let's do this.”
It would've been of great help if Yoonoh had told you he didn't know how to cook. But of course, part of the fault was yours for not noticing when he tried to add ketchup to the recipe.
“I burnt it.” He looked at the semi-carbonized pasta with disgust, feeling ashamed of having ruined your dish. “Let’s just throw it away and order something.” He was about to touch the hot container until your grip on his wrist halted his movements.
“We just pulled it out of the oven.” You shook your head in disbelief at the man standing in front of you.
“Sorry.”
Despite Yoonoh’s endless complaining, you ate the lasagna. The flavor wasn't that bad when you scratched off the burnt parts, especially when accompanied by a cold glass of wine.
“It’s not that bad.” You repeated over and over again. A phone call interrupted him from self-pitying any further. “Go on, take it.” You continued eating while he spoke in the living room.
It wasn't until a couple of minutes later that you realized he was whisper yelling at whoever was on the other line. It was your first time seeing him angry, and you didn't like it one bit. The way his face turned completely stoic, his eyes cold as his hand rested on his hip. Sweet, caring, Yoonoh was gone.
“I told you I needed it for today.” He said through gritted teeth. “You better get it before I arrive back at the office, or you can find yourself another job.” Even after he hung up, Yoonoh stood in the middle of the shared area, clutching his phone so tightly, it seemed like it would break any minute.
You wanted to ask if everything was alright, if he needed any help, but most importantly, if the things he needed were related to your father's case, but all the words stuck to your throat like insects in a spider web.
“I need to go.” He simply said, not even bothering to fake a smile. “Thank you for dinner, I'll see you on Friday.” With his free hand, he grabbed the coat hanging from his chair and left, slamming the door on his way out.
Was that the real Yoonoh?
A shiver ran down your spine. What had you gotten into? From what you'd seen, it was only about time he would show his true self to you as well.
All the trust you'd built up during the day, had crumbled down in a matter of seconds. The worst part? You didn't even feel entitled to be scared, not after all he'd done for you.
‘Just keep your distance.’ You repeated like a mantra as you got ready for bed, leaving the book you'd borrowed right where he'd left it, afraid it would burn your fingertips even with the slightest touch.
(...)
The week wasn't nearly as long as you'd wanted it to be, and soon enough, you were struggling to zip the dress you'd bought days ago. Your makeup was done, and Yoonoh had texted you he was on his way, yet, you'd been fighting with the zipper for at least ten minutes. Your fingers were cramping, and the clock was ticking.
Just when you'd finally started to drag the small piece of metal, the doorbell startled you, causing you to let go of it.
“Fuck!” Have you ever felt so desperate that tears start pricking your eyes? Well, that was the exact case happening at the moment.
You opened the door with the salty water collecting at the corner of your eyes, surprising Yoonoh, who was wearing his best dimply smile.
“What’s wrong?” He had a bouquet poorly hidden behind his back, probably to apologize for the night he abruptly left and almost knocked down your door.
“I-I can't zip up my dress.” Your voice came out shaky, giving away the emotions burning your gut. Thankfully, Yoonoh didn't seem to notice, and if he did, he didn't mention it.
“I’ll help you.” He, not-so-discretely, put down the bouquet, gently turning you around to your discomfort. His cold hands touched your back as he dragged the zip up, noticing how tense you were but deciding not to comment on it. “Oh! You haven't moved the book from where I left it.”
“I haven't had time to read.” He hummed, crouching to reach for the bouquet and hand it to you. “Thank you.”
“It’s my way of apologizing for the fit I threw a couple of days ago.” A fit? That was one way to call it.
“It’s okay.” You lied as you pushed the corners of your lips to form a credible smile. “Let’s get going.”
The flowers were left on the kitchen counter before you left. The ride in the elevator was awfully quiet, and Yoonoh had no idea what had happened. You were so chatty the last time he saw you, so of course, he was taken aback by the sudden change.
“It’s not going to take long, so we can head out for some drinks later if you'd like...” You nodded, for you knew speaking would only expose your discomfort. “Is everything alright?”
“Yeah! Just nervous about the party, that's all.”
You stood by Yoonoh’s side for the rest of the evening, smiling and nodding at his acquaintances’ comments. At one point in the evening, a man, not much older than you, approached you both with a wide smile.
“Dude, I hadn't seen you in ages. Stop sending your workers and come see me yourself.” They hugged. Why were they hugging?
“Y/n, this is my brother, Sungchan.” The man with puppy-like eyes embraced you tightly, almost as if welcoming you to his family. “Sungchan, this is y/n, my girlfriend.” He said it so naturally, it’d take a detective to figure out the truth about your relationship.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. I'm sorry for your father. But don't worry, we'll take those bastards down.”
“I’m not following...” You blinked repeatedly, eyes going back and forth between Yoonoh and his brother.
“Sungchan is a doctor. I asked him to look at your father's case for further evidence. My assistant was supposed to pick up the report the day we had dinner, but she forgot to drop by. Now we’re a day behind schedule.” The dark cloud surrounding him seemed to be slowly dissipating as you heard his explanation. “This is an important case, and I want to be as meticulous as possible.”
Thank you didn't seem the right thing to say at the moment, at least not with Sungchan standing there, so you simply grabbed his hand, squeezing it to let him know how grateful you were.
To your surprise, he didn't even flinch as he locked your hands together, causing a small giggle from Sungchan.
“Okay, love birds, I'll get going.” He waved you goodbye, making his way to another table where his friend waited for him.
“Can we talk?” You whispered in his ear, afraid one of the numerous attendants would hear you.
“Sure.” Without letting go of your hand, he drove you to a small, private garden just outside the ballroom. “Are you gonna tell me what's wrong now?” His thumb caressed your knuckles with gentle strokes.
“I’m so sorry.”
“What for?”
“I pushed you away at the minimum trouble when you were only helping me.” He hummed as if he already knew about it. “And it will probably happen again, so please, be patient with me. I'm going through-” Your face collided against his chest as his arms draped over your shoulders, squeezing you tightly.
“Call me reckless, but I've wanted to do this for a while.” Your hands hung at the sides of your torso, unsure what to do next. “You can push me away, I'll understand...”
Instead, your palm found its place in his back, rubbing up and down the designer jacket. Your hair started turning messy from the night breeze, some strands striking Yoonoh’s chin as his embrace only grew tighter.
“Let’s get out of here.” He mumbled, crawling the back of your head with his hand. “Sungchan can deal with my father's friends.”
“Are you sure?” His hum vibrated through his chest, making you giggle at the odd feeling.
Once seated in his car, his hand found yours like a magnet, the warmth emanating from it comfortably enveloping your skin.
The calmness of the atmosphere was interrupted by a call from his brother, who seemed to be anxiously explaining something through the phone.
“Just tell him I had a work emergency.” With that said, he hung up, placing his hand back again on top of yours. “Sorry, he said it was urgent.”
“It’s okay.” An unsettling feeling pinched your stomach, but you decided to dismiss it, immersed in the chilly weather of the dark streets.
You arrived at the river, where Yoonoh asked you to wait for him while he bought a couple of beers. It was a sight to see, both of you clad in fancy clothes, barefoot and chugging down can after can.
“I think I like being with you.” You declared, mind fuzzy from the alcohol intake.
“I think I like it too.” The tips of his ears were rosy, revealing he was as intoxicated as you, maybe even more.
“Would you like to visit my father with me tomorrow?” The words flew out of your mouth before you could even realize. Afraid you'd killed the mood, you tried to excuse yourself, only to be interrupted by his lips grazing your ear, placing a timid kiss on your lobe.
“I’d love to.” It was the sweetest peck, no ulterior motives behind it, just pure affection.
“Are we going too fast?” In your drunken state, what you had felt like a real relationship, not a simple agreement. And this sure felt like a first date.
“We’re moving at our own pace, I believe.” He dropped his head on your shoulder, pressing against it to relieve the dizziness clouding his mind. “Are you okay with that? Maybe you don't want to be with an old creep like me, and I'd totally get it. Just don't let me get my hopes up if that's the case.”
“You might be old, but definitely not a creep.” Your fingers combed through his abundant hair as your mind wandered into the future, grateful for the fact that he wouldn't become bald soon. “Or are you?”
“I don't think so.” Anyone who walked by would've seen a couple of goofs, too intoxicated to talk without slurring the words, but you were living in your own, comfy bubble. “I should get you home before it gets too late. Come on, I'll call a driver.” He tried getting on his feet to no avail, stumbling back a little before falling back on his ass.
“My apartment is nearby. You can stay for the night.” You grabbed both pairs of shoes as his arm surrounded your shoulder for assistance. “If you keep supporting your whole weight on me, we're both gonna fall.” People on the street shot you a couple of funny looks, which was understandable since it wasn't usual to see two drunk idiots walking barefoot in the middle of the night.
“How long till-” Hiccup. “-we get there?” His stare seemed to worsen with every step. “God, I think I might throw up.”
“Stop acting like a teenager, we're almost there.”
As soon as you arrived at the small apartment, you sat him down on the little step where you changed your shoes. You left both pairs on the rack, proceeding to put on slippers to enter the house.
“Don’t leave me here!” He whined, stomping his feet like a little kid.
“Just wait for a second!” His attitude was starting to get on your nerves to the point where you couldn't feel the effects of the beer anymore.
You grabbed a rag from the kitchen cabinet and dampened it under the sink. Yoonoh was half asleep when you walked back to him.
“My head hurts.” He mumbled as you sat in front of him, placing his left foot on your lap. “What are you doing?”
“I don't have any slippers that will fit you, and I don't want your dirty feet making my house dirty.” With utmost delicacy, you wiped away the dirt from his toes, noticing the small scratches caused by the gravel he walked on.
He touched your hair while you finished with his other foot, tangling the strands with fascination.
“Done, get up.”
He followed your indications as you guided him to your room, where you laid him down on his side in case he threw up.
“Are we visiting your father tomorrow?” He asked while snuggling under the covers.
“Sure.” You cleared his forehead from the strands falling in it, grazing the soft skin of his forehead. “Sweet dreams, gigantic baby.”
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moon3thereal · 3 years
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Hiii one request! Nat meets R in a bar or something while she is trying to be far away from the problems of being an avenger,the read head tries to have a date with her and R accepts, then in the midel of the date R takes the initiative and start to be a little/much sassy 😏 and convinces Nat to leave the place to be in somewhere more private. But when they are alone R start to fight with Nat trying to knock her out but Nat pin her down and asks why she is doing that, R admitt that she is a widow and was sent to cach her and bring her back to the red room. The end can be as you wish.
Thanks!!
Title: Eyes on the prize
genre: fluff, angst-ish
warnings: guns, violence, alcohol, knives, mention of memory removal
the bottom: (dont ask why, but leah forced me to credit her at the bottom and technically i did!) credits to @midgardianweasley for practically co-writing and building the foundation for this fic, i could NOT have done this without her, thank you so much, and please go check out her fics everyone!
a/n: one of the longest fics i've written, i hope you guys enjoy! ends with fluff dw
2.7 K words
Natasha brushed a hand over her face in fatigue, she’d been to more than 3 countries within the time span of a week for missions and had done so much paperwork she thought she might pull out her hair if she laid eyes on another mission report. The cadets that S.H.I.E.L.D recruited, in her eyes, were no more than children who didn’t even know how to hold a gun properly, not to mention shoot.
What the Russian needed right now was tequila, a shit load of tequila. Fortunately, there was a bar that the redhead frequented whenever she needs to put some distance between her and the problems of the avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D
Picking up her leather jacket that was tossed carelessly on her couch and the keys to her Chevrolet, Natasha set off to a bar about 3 blocks down the Avengers compound, in fifteen minutes, she was met with a glowing neon sign, she was regular at the dim bar and was almost always seen there on a Friday night with her red hair in a braid and several locks framing her face in effortless elegance
Usually, people didn’t approach her and if they did, she never paid much attention to them. However, today when she sat down, there was a y/h/c haired woman already locating the seat next to her with a beer in her hand. You were idly swirling the beer in its bottle and staring off into space when the redhead settled down in her usual seat.
She ordered 10 tequila shots and you raised a brow at her “you sure you can handle that?” she turned to you with a smirk “I can handle twice as much as that but I have work tomorrow” you hummed in acknowledgement “I haven’t seen you around here before, you’re new?” Natasha asked downing a shot without so much as a grimace “I’m looking for a job, bartender” you said propping your foot up on the counter “well you sure don’t look like one” she remarks and you frowned “is there a specific look for a bartender?” and she downed a second shot and gestured to a woman taking orders from drunk customers “sure there is, there, like her”
You scoffed “hm maybe I’d be an exception to the standard” the corner of the redhead’s lips quirked up “good, it’d be nice to see some change around here” you stretched your arms out in front of you “it would be, if they hired me, but they didn’t, which is why I’m sitting around moping about the fact they rejected such a pretty face” Natasha downed another shot nodding in agreement. You looked at her, genuinely impressed at her alcohol tolerance. “Your mom never taught you that it’s rude to stare?” your face fell for a second at the mention of your mother, she was dead, like all the mothers of the widows who attempted to pry their daughters out of the red room’s grip. But you restored your poker face before she could catch your look of discomposure.
“If staring at you was considered rude, then the whole world would be douchebags” you quipped. Natasha only laughed and shook her head at your obvious flirting “you come here often then?” you asked after watching her down another shot “obviously not enough if I can’t remember a pretty face like yours.” The redhead said lightly. she was studying you though, she noticed how you were sitting, back straight, shoulders back, she wasn’t unfamiliar to that posture at all, in the red room, all widows were trained to be on the defense, on alert at all times, always anticipating anything and everything, nothing could go amiss that way. And she’d also noticed the way you had barely taken a sip of your drink, resorting to swishing the liquid idly in its bottle.
Against everything logical and her own unmistakable and uncannily accurate instinct, Natasha stopped her brain from analyzing and evaluating these signs and allowed them to be overlooked as a side effect of her falling into a trance simply by observing you, how your eyebrows arched perfectly, the curve of your lips, the perfect ridge of your nose and the captivating color of your eyes and how all of your facial parts are completely flawless to her, she could’ve sworn she’d seen you somewhere before. Natasha had met many interesting people in her line of work but she’d never yet met one as intriguing as you were, the quintessential mysterious girl in the bar.
If you had told her two days ago, that she would ask a stranger in a bar over to her apartment to drink with her, she’d have called you crazy. However, it didn’t seem so crazy to her now, it was unlike Natasha, but she asked you to come over to have a drink, an unofficial, casual date. You raised an eyebrow “now, now, was that an attempt to get me drunk?” you clicked your tongue in faux disapproval “simply seizing the opportunity to get to know you better” she said with a shrug. You hid a smile behind your beer bottle, taking the first sip of the night. You had tried to convince yourself that it was simply your success at scoring a date with the Russian therefore giving you a chance to lure her somewhere private to eliminate her, but something in you told you it was more than that, the way she smiled, how her lips curved and her perfectly sculpted eyebrow lifted, it was all so familiar yet you simply couldn’t retrieve the memory.
But one thought was clear, raging even, at the back of your mind. You didn’t want to hurt her, whoever she was, you didn’t want to lay a hand on her, couldn’t bear to see her in pain, you’d defy Dreykov, defy the red room, defy Russia and all of their stupid organizations if it meant you could figure out this mystery of a woman, discovering her secrets one by one, layer by layer. Not to report back to the red room but just to see Natasha as she was. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way, it never worked that way, if you’d done it, Dreykov would’ve been notified and you’d be dead before the sun rises the next day. Your eyebrows knitted together momentarily at the thought that the woman before you would be dead at your hands before dawn before you arranged your features to hide the moment of doubt.
“Natalia Alianovna Romanova. Natasha Romanoff. She’s a problem, a threat, a danger to the future of our widows, I need her terminated, and there’s no one better than you, y/n, for the job. Don’t let me down” Dreykov’s voice flashed in your mind, his orders were clear, kill her or there will be consequences.
Natasha’s voice brought you back to the conversation “what do you do? Before you decided to look for a job at this dingy bar I mean” she asked, the shot glasses were all empty now where there had been at least 5 more before, you must’ve been too entranced by your thoughts, or how strands of her hair had escaped her braid and curly wisps of ginger hair were framing her face perfectly. You both had decided to get out of the bar, more patrons had walked in making it stuffy and crampy, you were walking out the door with Natasha, presumably to her apartment “a primary teacher, English.” You said without hesitation, you always spent hours reciting the information of your cover, sometimes you felt as if you were really the person you were pretending to be with how fluently you could deliver the lines you’d practiced in front of a mirror until they were flawless.
She laughed; a clear, melodious laugh that made your cheeks heat up “you? An English teacher? Wow.” She said “what are you gonna say I don’t look like one?” you glared at her with indignation on your face “no, you don’t, you don’t at all” she said, her expression turning into a serious one, for a second your heart dropped, thinking your cover had been blown and you’d have to resort to shooting her in the middle of the street, which wasn’t exactly ideal “you look like a zookeeper” she said biting her lip to hold back her laugh at the look on your face. you raised your eyebrows in amusement “that wasn’t funny” you said “oh but it was” the redhead laughed showing her impossibly white teeth and her cheeks were pink from walking in the cold night air, you couldn’t help but stare at her lips, her perfectly kissable- snap out of it y/l/n, you thought to yourself, that isn’t what you’re here to do.
“But seriously, I’m actually happy about how tonight is going, better than drinking alone” she voiced out, you looked to her with a smirk evident on your face, you’d just reached her apartment and she was unlocking the door letting you in behind her. “Going soft for me Romanoff?” she scoffed before her face fell into an expression of momentary confusion, in a split second you both had your guns pointed at each other “who are you? How do you know my name?” the carefree Natasha was gone now, and in her place stood the infamous black widow.
Deciding that hiding your identity from her was pointless now, you attempted to attack, kicking the gun from her hand and vaulting to get your legs around her neck to choke her. Unfortunately for you, that was textbook red room and a trick Natasha had used countless times on enemies of various sizes. Blocking you, the Russian pinned you, one hand on the small of your back and the other at the back of your neck, holding you down “I knew I should’ve spent the night alone.” Refusing to be defeated so easily, you swept her feet out from under her, but once you got up, she’d punched you in your side causing you to double over in pain. She moved to her gun but you weren’t the star student of the red room for no reason, in the blink of an eye, you had a knife to her throat.
The both of you had stood there for a few seconds, breathing heavily before you felt a familiar feeling of cool metal, the barrel of a gun, through your thin shirt. “You didn’t think I just had one, did you?” she said pressing it into your side in warning. Gritting your teeth in frustration, you released her with a shove and dropped your knife with your hands raised.
“If it was anyone else, in any other situation, I would’ve shot you and be done with it, but you’re intriguing, there’s a story behind this. I trust you won’t pull anything?” she asked watching you stare down the barrel of her Glock. You nodded once, albeit grudgingly. To your utter surprise, she placed the gun down and gestured to a chair on the opposite side of the table and sat down herself. You’d utterly demolished the rest of her kitchen with your fight. Sitting in the chair rigidly, Natasha raised an eyebrow at your silence, you noted how if you made a run for it, she had the ability to shoot you before you even stood up with the proximity of her hand and her gun. Her gun, you had the exact half to the one on the floor across the room, your gun. You furrowed your eyebrows, you had one half of the twin guns, the other half was hers. But that didn’t make sense, unless there was a reason why she’d seemed familiar to you?
Natasha seemed to think the same, her eyes flickering from the gun just inches away from her fingertips to the one across the room, hers had your initials engraved at the bottom, and yours hers. But you’ve never understood why there was two letters engraved on to your favored gun “N.R. Natasha Romanoff” you said, more to yourself than to her. She spoke two letters, your name.
“What is this, who are you?” you said struggling to even out your breathing. “y/n y/l/n” she said. “no it cant be” she said disbelief streaked over her face. “The red room is gone, I killed Dreykov” she said shaking her head and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes “I hate to break it to you, but Dreykov is very much alive” you said “I’m a widow, I was sent here to kill you, you’re a threat to them” you said staring her directly in the eyes. “Whatever you did, unsuccessful” you said. “do you even remember me?” she said a crease in her forehead and looked up at you “you seem familiar. But no, not really” all hostility had gone out from both your voices, you were both just doing your jobs
She started humming a song, the music sounded eerily familiar, the same feeling you’d felt previously looking at her painted lips flooded you. Familiar, but the memory was just out of reach. “with the lights out, it’s less dangerous, here we are now” she started singing softly “entertainers” you breathed out disbelievingly. It suddenly came rushing back to you
When you’d snuck a radio from your trainers’ office
When you’d sneak out of the cuffs on the beds at night to share hidden kisses with each other
How you’d trained side by side
How a redheaded girl had been by your side when you threw up on your first kill
Natalia. Natasha. You had loved her in secret, between the shadow and the soul. You had loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.
Shock was written clearly over your features. You hadn’t seen her since she’d gotten out, ten years ago. Now that you remembered, you couldn’t believe you didn’t recognize her. The same fiery red hair, same eyebrows, same emerald green eyes, same smile. Same Natalia.
Guilt rushed in like an overwhelming wave, Natasha couldn’t believe that you were still alive, she’d attempted to search for you, almost went crazy when you went completely off grid after the Budapest mission. She’d meant to defect, and then go back for you. She had it all planned out, but you seemed to vanish off the face of the earth “I’m sorry, y/n. I’m so sorry, I tried, I really did. You were just gone, I thought you were dead” You stared back at her in shock “its okay, we were separated, I was sent to Italy, remember? It wasn’t your fault.” You said still in a daze
After moments of confusion over how you didn’t remember someone that important to you, an expression of realization found its way onto your face. Memory removal, of course. The red room had the technology, attachment to anyone, anyone at all was nothing but a weakness. Love is for children, that was what the red room had burned into the widows’ minds.
Hatred shone in your eyes when you realized that Dreykov had practically had his scientists cut the part of you that had loved Natasha out of your brain. “you’re an avenger. Means Dreykov won’t hurt you” you contemplated “or your comrades” you supported your chin on your heel of your palm. Natasha nodded slowly in confusion. “They can’t afford to” she said “so if I was your comrade, they would lose any and all ability to do me harm” she nodded again “I suppose so, yes” when you both locked eyes again, you both knew what the other was thinking. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Natasha asked with a smirk “to burn the red room to the ground? Yes.” You said with a matching smirk
If love was for children, you were both toddlers. After everything the red room and the world had done to keep you apart, you had somehow found your way back to each other again. And you weren’t planning on letting her out of your sight any time soon.
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behindyourbarrette · 3 years
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Star Light, Star Bright
summary: The team goes camping on a long weekend. Turns out, it’s really easy to tell someone how you feel when you’re under a starry night sky. 
pairing: spencer reid/reader
category: fluff, start to finish
warnings/includes: mention of food, a mild burn
work count: 4.1k
a/n: this is my fav thing i’ve written in a HOT SECOND. enjoy! pls reblog if you feel inclined, it helps me out a ton!
check it out on ao3
---
You’ve never found chicken pox to be more of a miracle.
In truth, you are a little saddened that Jack’s Boy Scout troop all got sick and their camping trip had to be postponed. This does not change the fact that you’re elated at the opportunity to nab Hotch’s campsite reservation. The team jumped at the chance for a vacation, the promised long weekend only truly promised in places without cell service.
You pick Spencer up early, the first of many people you’ve offered to drive out to the mountains. After tossing a very heavy-sounding duffel bag into your trunk, he clambers into the passenger seat. He strikes you as a little nervous—he won’t quite look at you as you wind your way out of D.C and towards the countryside.
“I’ve never been camping before, actually.” He says it quietly, mid-conversation about Boy Scouts and the safety of camping with children. There’s a 5-mile radius around Quantico where work is the only thing you can really think about. As you turn onto the highway, hands flexing against the wheel, you’re glad to be free of the office.
“Really? Never?”
It makes sense, the longer his sentence sits on your tongue. Vegas isn’t the most hospitable environment to camp in. You make a mental note to thank your parents for raising you on the East Coast, where the forests are frequent and the soil is actually fertile.
“Yeah. I’m not sure, I’m, uh, really suited for it.” You look at him now, the slight sadness in his eyes, and there are a thousand things you’d like to say. Instead, you reach across the center console, squeezing his hand in yours. Before he can say anything, you’ve returned your hand to the wheel, eyes fixed on the horizon. 
---
You’ve lived in Virginia for a few years, but somehow you’ve never found it this breathtaking. You have no idea how you got roped into driving, given that Derek and Emily usually take the wheel, but you’re far from complaining. As you wind through the forest, the canopy of leaves casting a filter of sunshine over the ground, you’re left speechless. The trees part in favor of the dirt road, and you find yourself absorbed in the surplus of green and foliage as you drive.
“There’s over 15,000 acres of this. It’s the largest protected land preserve in the tri-state area.”
You turn your head to watch Spencer murmur, still absorbed in a book. For the first time, you notice that he’s wearing a polo shirt and a beanie that Penelope knit him for Christmas. The whole sight is so...un-Spencer like that you’re torn between finding it endearing and concerning. You gulp down everything you want to tell him, swallowing all of the unidentifiable feelings in your throat.
“I’m excited. I love camping. My dad used to take me here all the time.” He perks up at this, and closes his book. You nod, pursing your lips into a smile. You steal a quick glance at the backseat, where Penelope and Derek have fallen asleep.
“Can you keep a secret?”
You have Spencer’s attention now. He nods so vehemently you laugh, tearing your eyes away from his in favor of focusing on the road.
“I wanted to be a park ranger when I was younger.” You’re only a little embarrassed of this; the jump from environmentalist to federal agent is just laughable enough to warm your cheeks. Spencer’s eyes widen.
“Really? How did you—I mean, when did you decide to be a—actually, I take it back. Hugging trees is beneficial for your health, after all.” He smirks, and you reach out to punch him on the arm. He rubs the spot absently, a grin forming on his face as your blush deepens. You try to portray yourself to the team as someone who’s a little tougher than the little girl who cried when she found out that people litter in National Parks. With Spencer, it’s different. Still, you can’t bank on what he will or won’t tell Derek.
“If you tell anyone, I will kick your ass. Forget it.” You get the sense that you are not going to live this down. To your advantage, it’s Spencer who blushes this time, his cheeks warming a delicate pink.
“I can’t forget it, actually. I have an eidetic—ow!”
---
The campsite is glorious.
Or, as Penelope would put it, rustic. It’s the perfect happy medium between the forest and the lake nearby, with a trail leading to the beach just a few feet from the site. The trees filter out just enough sun so that it’s pleasantly warm out. There’s ample space for a few tents, and a bear locker. You’re seated at a picnic bench with the girls, unloading the food and cooking supplies as the boys attempt to put together tents. From what you can see and hear, it sounds like Derek is muscling his way through it, much to Spencer and Hotch’s chagrin.
“You’re glowing. What’s got you in such a good mood?” Emily nudges you in the side, a sly smile on her face as she screws the propane line into the campstove. You flush, and shrug your shoulders.
“I love camping. I’m just excited to be here with you guys.”
Penelope reaches across the table to hug you. She’s dressed perfectly for the occasion: you don’t think you’ve ever seen bedazzled hiking boots before, but there’s a first time for everything.
“You know, I’m surprised Spence came. He normally skips out on these kinds of things.” JJ looks back at you from the bear locker, where she’s stacking cans of soup and Hotch’s cooler. Her gaze lingers on you for a moment, but you look towards Spencer before she can say anything else. He’s managing to put up his tent surprisingly well; he’s only struggling with the final few posts as he stumbles around the uneven ground. You turn back to JJ, shrugging.
“I mean, I think he can appreciate the outdoors. He’s probably read Walden.”
Emily laughs, and you feel as though the conversation has finally let up. JJ has a point, but as soon as you had asked Spencer if he was coming, he had agreed. He doesn’t look particularly out of place, either. Over the course of the past hour, he’s somehow inherited a pair of sunglasses and a red flannel. You look away, pursing your lips.
“Okay, I think we’re done.” Derek calls, waving his arm to catch your attention. There are now five small tents, only a little crinkled and trampled over. Emily nods in approval, nudging one of them with the tip of her boot. It only shakes a little.
“Good job, guys. They look...structurally sound.” Hands on your hips, you bend to inspect the guys’ handiwork. Spencer winces as you tug on a tent’s zipper, and it whines in protest. You shrug, smiling as you straighten.
“We should check out the lake.” Derek gestures to the blue expanse of water in the distance, and Penelope squeals. You hear the sound of metal clinking together, and turn.
It’s Hotch, holding what you assume to be a fishing pole. While this should be very surprising, you can’t come up with anything funny to say. Emily makes a joke about the catch of the day, and Hotch doesn’t laugh.
“Are there canoes involved? I didn’t bring a suit.” JJ asks, arms crossed over her chest. You nod, pointing to the rental shack on the eastern side of the lake.
“You guys ready to get some sun?”
---
“You look cute in hiking boots, princess.” You should not find this as funny as you do. Maybe it’s the fact that Derek definitely had Penelope apply some sort of oil to his biceps while they were in a tent; there’s no way that he just naturally glistens like that. You squint up at him, shrugging your shoulders. While your outfit is a little unorthodox—you remembered to bring a bikini, but forgot water shoes—it’ll work just fine. Spencer enters your peripheral vision, wrinkling his nose in Derek’s direction. You resist the urge to smile at this.
“Spence.”
You get his attention, catching up to him in just a few steps. The beach is pretty, lacking in sand but perfectly cool and sunny. He’s wearing too-big sunglasses and, surprisingly, Bermuda shorts. You trudge along the rocky path, handing him a bottle of sunscreen.
“Come on, I need your help. Sunscreen me.”
He seems shocked, fiddling with the bottle. You turn your back to him, raising your arms as you walk backwards, waiting to hit him before you stop.
“Is sunscreen a verb?” His voice is a little hoarse, and you smirk.
“Would you prefer lotion? Massage?” You tease, and you can practically feel him tense up.
“N-no, I wouldn’t. Hold your hair up.”
You oblige, and it takes everything in you not to sigh as he rubs the cool sunscreen into your back. He has really, really big hands and nimble fingers. Biting your lip, you conjure a mental image of them. You feel a little silly for imagining his hands when he’s right there, but you don’t want him to stop touching you. He coats your skin, movements deft and purposeful. You turn, reaching for the bottle.
“Take off your glasses. Your turn.” You like being a little bossy; he flushes as you reach up to spread the lotion across his cheeks, dabbing gently. He exhales slowly, relaxing into your touch.
“Let’s go. You’re my canoe buddy.”
His mouth falls open in surprise, and an evil part of your brain wonders how it would feel to kiss it. The thought is gone before you can act on it, though, and you wave him towards the shore. He stands still, lingering by the campsite.
“I was going to read on the beach, actually—”
“Nope. Come on! I need a partner.”
—-
The lake is cool, and you make yourself busy by being a very unhelpful canoeing partner. Spencer is rowing surprisingly well, scooping water from below and propelling the boat forward. You, on the other hand, are focused on stretching out in the boat. The sun is deliciously warm on your skin, and the occasional splash of water is heaven to the touch.
“You know, there are two sets of oars. We’d get the most momentum if you rowed, too.”
“Okay, fine, I’ll row. I’m not any good at it, though. That’s why I needed a partner.” You pat him on the shoulder affectionately, reaching for the other oar. The motion tips the canoe forward a little, and panic flashes across Spencer’s face.
“Don’t do that again. I do not want to end up in this lake. Do you know how many bacteria are in most man made lakes? You don’t want to know.”
You are many things, but you are not a quitter. Testing the waters, you lean forward again as you row, a little out of sync with Spencer’s strokes.
“Please don’t capsize,”
Hotch calls out from the shore, and Spencer shoots you a look as if to say listen. You shrug, continuing to row and occasionally shifting your weight. The look on his face is worth it.
“You know how to swim, right?”
You ask, voice low and as inconspicuous as you can manage. This backfires—Spencer turns around to shake his head, unbalancing the boat. He lets go of his oar, tightening the strap on his life vest. You cling to the sides, laughing as you try to steady the canoe.
“Not funny. You know, boating related accidents are incredibly common.”
His voice drifts off as Derek and Emily’s boat passes by. Their sportsmanship is admirable; they’re working as a perfect unit, quickly propelling their canoe forward with quick rowing and a lot of effort.
Spencer is scolding you half-heartedly when you get caught in their wake. You couldn’t have steadied the boat if you tried; and before you can react the canoe is upside down and you’re cast into the cool blue.
“I’m going to contract a brain-eating amoeba.”
Spencer coughs, bobbing to the surface. You emerge a few moments later, laughing, and reach for him.
“Worth it. You have plenty of brains to be eaten, genius.”
You watch him try to contain his smile the entire way to the shore.
---
You’re drying off as the sun sets, splashes of pink and purple coating the sky. It’s incredible; over the lake you can see the entire expanse of fields and forest, laid out like a painting.
“You guys brought food, right?”
Emily calls out from the picnic bench. She’s toweling off, sunglasses in her hair as she jokes with Morgan. You nod, turning back to Spencer.
He’s thoroughly drenched. You feel a little guilty for tipping the boat over; he’s spent a decent amount of time wringing out his clothes, and as night falls a chill builds in the air. After pulling a jacket on, you toss him a towel.
“That was fun.”
Your eyes widen a little, genuine surprise lodging itself in your throat. He takes in the look on your face, smiling lightly.
“Better than reading on the beach?” You offer, but this is too good to be true.
“Marginally.”
You frown, suppressing a smirk as you catch the scent of propane drifting through the air. You both head in the direction of the camp stove, where Hotch is fiddling with the gas tank.
“That looks...unsafe.” Spencer mutters, brow furrowed.
Hotch shoots him a look, and you both back off in favor of finding Morgan and Garcia, who are attempting to start a bonfire.
You don’t expect this to happen.
Spencer is arguably your best friend. He’s been there for you through thick and thin. For better or for worse, you’ve had each other. This trip was supposed to be unifying, and a small part of you had even hoped that maybe, just maybe, it’d give you the bravery to say what you’ve been thinking for a while.
“I cannot believe you intentionally burn your marshmallows.”
Spencer is looking at you like you’ve committed a crime; you are very familiar with this expression, but being on the receiving end of it is new. Thankfully, you’re ready to defend your stance to near-death. A somewhat maniacal grin on your face, you stab another marshmallow onto a skewer and shove it directly into the fire.
“I’m with Pretty Boy on this one. That’s just cruel. It doesn’t even heat it all the way through.” You scowl in Derek’s direction, turning back to your now on-fire marshmallow. You pull it out of the flame, watching it sear as the group murmurs in distaste. It only took three hours to start a fire, and by that time Emily had managed to heat a can of soup on the campstove. Spirits were relatively high, all things considered.
You watch in wonder as the marshmallow curves, melting just how you like it. Before you can stop it, it falls straight down onto your leg.
“Shit. That’s like, on fire.”
You say, your voice rising in pitch and volume as it becomes increasingly clear that not only is the marshmallow very, very hot but it is not coming off. The group springs into unsure action, voices loud and panicked as you push away from both your chair and the fire. The physics of melting sugar be damned, Derek manages to scrape it off with his skewer, and you’re left with a very attractive hole in your pants and a patch of tender skin.
“How do you love camping?” JJ asks, eyes wide as she watches you brush yourself off. Stabbing another marshmallow onto your skewer, you shrug.
“It’s all part of the fun.”
This time, you don’t set your marshmallow on fire. You mimic Spencer, who is carefully rotating his marshmallow. There has to be a system for what he’s doing; he’s laser-focused on the fire, his entire face lit up by the flickering red and orange light. You lean in, and before long you fall into a rhythm of roasting a marshmallow to golden-brown perfection, then pressing it into a graham cracker. Emily is incredible at assembling s’mores, and by time the fire is just a few crackling embers everyone has a little chocolate smeared over their faces.
“I’m really glad we did this.” JJ’s voice is just above a whisper. She’s leaning against Emily, the two of them sharing a blanket as the fire slowly fades. Hotch nods sagely, a rare smile on his face.
“It’s nice. A break. Some fresh air. Trees.” You gesture to the forest around you, unable to contain a sheepish grin. When you look to your right, Spencer’s smiling too. Penelope squeezes your hand. As you watch the last log burn into ash, you wonder how you got so lucky.
---
Later, everyone is too tired to stargaze.
This fact wounds you deeply. Stargazing is your favorite part of camping; there is absolutely nothing that parallels the experience of driving away from the city and looking up into the constellations. To your dismay, everyone is in their tents by the time it’s dark enough to see the winks of light overhead.
You begrudgingly get ready for bed; stepping around the campsite, it’s clear to see that everyone has mostly turned in for the night. Derek and Penelope’s tent is dark. Emily, Hotch, and JJ are all snoring at varying volumes. Spencer’s light is on; you can see his shadow, leaning over to peer at a book. You brush your teeth, swatting bugs away as you stumble towards your tent.
You manage to spend thirty minutes in your tent before you lose your patience. This entire camping trip has been a dream; no work, no cell service, and the people you care about. You’ll be damned if you let it pass you by without checking absolutely everything off your list. You step, a little wobbly, towards the front of your tent. You tug the zipper open, trying to stay as quiet as possible.
On shaking legs, you tug your hiking boots on, the evening cold nipping at your ankles. Despite your attempts to lessen the noise, you watch Spencer’s shadow waver.
“Spence!” You stage-whisper, praying to every deity you can think of that he’s awake and the rest of the team isn’t. To your immediate relief, you watch him tug the zipper of his tent down and emerge, swatting at a few lingering mosquitoes. He looks a little cold; his cheeks are pink and he’s rubbing at his arms. The sight of him in a hoodie and flannel pajama pants is more endearing than you’d expect, and you exhale to clear your head.
“What’s going on?”
He rubs the sleep out of his eyes, and you point to the sky. He takes a cursory glance up, and you watch his jaw fall slack as he takes in the starry skies.
“Come on. We can see better from over there.”
You wave him towards the beach. You know exactly where you’re headed; while you’ve never camped in this specific spot, you know how to reach your favorite place to stargaze. Spencer looks at you with something between curiosity and admiration as you lead the way with a flashlight. The forest is still awake and responsive at this hour, crickets chirping and leaves rustling as you step through the greenery.
You find it quickly; the boardwalk is unmistakable. It’s a field, like the ones you’ve been surrounded by all day. Spencer identifies the leaves as rhubarb plants as you step onto the wooden pathway. While any field would work, this one is ideal; the sky opens up as far as the eye can see, the trees parting to admire the world above.
“Here.” You turn off your flashlight, allowing your eyes to adjust to the low, blue moonlight. Spencer follows you as you crouch, laying with your back to the boardwalk. This is what you came for.
“Oh my God.” Your face splits into a grin once you hear Spencer’s voice, low and gravelly against your ear. The sky above is endless; all you can see is the expanse of the stratosphere, stars bright and darkness vast over your heads. You tear up a little; you always do. It feels like the universe is leaning down to meet you in the middle, pressing its face to yours.
“Tell me what you see. I know that you know what we’re looking at.”
You scoot a little closer, trying to absorb a little of his warmth. Eyes still fixed on the sky, Spencer begins.
“There’s so little light pollution. I...I’ve never seen this many stars at once.” His eyes narrow a little, and you watch as he absorbs the world above him.
“That’s Orion.” He points to a collection of stars to your left, a few brighter than the others.
“Those three in a row, that’s his belt. You might be able to see his bow, too, to the right.
The brightest one is six hundred and forty light years away. Betelgeuse.” His voice has dropped to a whisper, and you follow his every word. You can see the warrior above you, the stars winking at you as Spencer describes them.
You fall quiet after a few minutes, and the only sound is that of your slow, synced breaths. You feel as though Spencer has peeled the sky open and revealed it to you; with him, you can see another world entirely.
“We’re looking into the past right now.”
You turn to look at him, a laugh ready to bubble past your lips. You look back up at the sky, where he’s pointed to the Big Dipper.
“That’s Dubhe. We’re seeing light from before we were born.”
You nod, a tear sliding down your cheek and cooling before it reaches your nose. There is so much you would like to tell him before you are both light, visible in this moment from somewhere far away.
As you stare up into the starscape, you gasp. There’s a shooting star, dragging across the Pleiades and heading towards the western skies.
“Make a wish,” You breathe. Before you lose your nerve, you reach out to Spencer, lacing your fingers together. Turning your head, you watch as he grins up at the sky. His features are softer when drenched in moonlight; the slope of his nose, the arch of his cheekbones, the line of his jaw all bathed in a dreamy quality.
After the shooting star winks out, trailing across the dark and blinking into nothing, the silence feels heavier.
“What did you wish for?”
You’re sure that he can hear your heartbeat. The steady thrum of your heart against your ribcage is a drum, urging you forward. You watch his brow knit in consideration, before his gaze finally meets yours. His eyes are more hazel than you’ve ever noticed, each fleck of gold striking you as a star.
“If I tell you, it won’t come true.”
His voice is soft, laced with something solemn beneath the surface. You nod, stealing a glance at the sky before you swallow your fear.
"I wished for you." You say quietly.
You don’t know who moves first, only that there’s a brief shuffle before you’re holding each other. He reaches to cradle your face in his hands, pressing a kiss to your forehead, then your nose, before finally reaching your lips. Your hands ghost over his jaw, trailing down his neck as he laces his fingers into your hair. You can’t quite breathe, nor think, only repeat a simple refrain over and over, a prayer passing over your lips and into the dark.
Spencer.
---
The sun rises lazily, pink and orange brushstrokes against a blue sky. You’re awake early—to put it lightly, Spencer’s tent is cramped—and it feels good to breathe in the morning air. The team is still asleep, a few yards away as you stretch and take in the cool dawn.
You think maybe, this is all a dream. You’re not sure how else this would exist, so perfectly and wholly true. The universe is a benevolent thing, after all. There is no other explanation for Spencer Reid, the man the world got right.
“You have pancake batter in your hair,” You say, a little mournfully but still laughing. Still layered in jackets and hats, you feel as though you’re being warmed from the inside out. Spencer’s eyes widen, and he reaches up with a batter-covered hand to feel his hair. You laugh again, a little too loudly this time, and he shushes you between chuckles.
The campstove is quiet, the gas running blue as Spencer flips a pancake over. You neglected to tell him that folding the pancake mix in slowly would prevent...explosions. If you had warned him, you wouldn’t have the chance to kiss the flour off of his face, smiling against his cheeks. With a mittened hand, you brush the powder off of his eyelashes.
“Chocolate chips, right?”
You smile, nodding. He remembers how you like your pancakes. Turning away from him, you rifle through a storage bin for something you packed.
“Are you looking for syrup? It’s over here.” He calls, his voice soft against the hushed sounds of morning. The birds have begun to chirp, calling to each other in alternating duets. You shake your head, and present him with a contraption.
His eyes light up, and he looks at you with something a little wild and entirely resembling devotion. You reveal with your other hand a bag of coffee grounds from the coffee shop near your house, grinning up at him.
“I can’t believe you brought me a French press.”
You grin, turning your face as your cheeks burn. Maybe you had hoped this would happen, in slightly different words. After you both tuck into your pancakes, leaning over a plate on the same side of a picnic bench, you watch the sunrise. A bundle of puffy jackets and intertwined hands, you press your back into Spencer’s embrace.
As you watch the moon recede into the horizon, you hope that your past is standing hand and hand, gazing at you fondly.
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