#Best Press Release Sites

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Redefining PR Success Global Press Releases Distribution

In the fast-paced world of public relations, staying ahead of the game requires a strategic approach to Press release distribution sites. The key to success lies in choosing the right channels and platforms that can amplify your message and reach a global audience. In this article, we will explore the top press release distribution sites, their features, and why they are essential for a successful PR campaign.

Finding the Best PR Distribution Sites

To achieve your Press Release Website goals, you need to partner with the best press release distribution sites available. Here are some of the top options in the industry:

Press Release Distribution Website

A well-designed and user-friendly press release distribution website can make all the difference in your PR campaign. These platforms offer a wide reach and the ability to target specific industries, ensuring your message reaches the right audience.

Best Press Release Distribution Sites

When it comes to selecting the best press release distribution sites, you should consider factors such as distribution networks, reach, and pricing. Look for platforms that offer a wide distribution network and the ability to target niche markets.

PR Distribution Sites

PR distribution sites play a crucial role in disseminating your press releases. These platforms have extensive networks and can help you reach a broader audience, making them a vital part of your PR strategy.

Best Press Release Sites

The best press release sites are known for their effectiveness in getting your message across. They offer a combination of wide distribution and targeting capabilities, ensuring your press releases land in front of the right eyes.

The Power of Global Press Release Distribution

The world has become more interconnected than ever before. With the rise of digital media and global communication, it's imperative to consider a Global Newswire Distribution for your PR efforts. Here's why:

Global Press Release Distribution Service

A global press release distribution service offers you the opportunity to reach audiences around the world. This means that your message can be seen by individuals, businesses, and media outlets in different countries, helping you achieve a global presence.

Global Press Release Distribution

Global press release distribution means that your news reaches far and wide. Whether you want to make an impact on a global scale or target specific international markets, a global distribution service can help you tailor your approach.

Global Press Releases Distribution

Global press releases distribution is about creating a ripple effect. When your message spreads to different corners of the world, it generates a buzz that can lead to further coverage, inquiries, and business opportunities.

Global Newswire Distribution

Partnering with global newswire distribution services is a game-changer. They have an extensive network of media outlets, making sure your news is delivered to the right hands.

Global News Wire Distribution

Global News Wire Distribution is the lifeline of international PR campaigns. It connects you with journalists, bloggers, and influencers globally, ensuring your story reaches a diverse and vast audience.

Crafting an Effective Press Release

Before you distribute your press release, it's crucial to create a compelling piece of content. Here are some key elements to consider:

Attention-Grabbing Headline: Your headline should be concise and attention-grabbing, containing the main message of your press release.

Clear and Informative Content: The body of your press release should provide all the essential information in a clear and concise manner. Include who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Quotes and Testimonials: Incorporating quotes from key figures or testimonials can add credibility to your press release.

Visual Content: Consider adding images, videos, or infographics to make your release more engaging and shareable.

Contact Information: Always provide contact information for media inquiries and additional details.

Utilizing Press Release Distribution Services

Now that you have a well-crafted Global Press Releases Distribution, it's time to choose the right distribution services to get your message out to the world.

Targeted Distribution: Some press release distribution services offer the option to target specific industries or regions. This can be valuable if you want to tailor your message to a particular audience.

Wide Network: Look for services with an extensive network of media outlets, including online news sites, print media, and even social media platforms. A broad reach ensures that your message reaches a diverse audience.

SEO Optimization: Effective press release distribution services understand the importance of SEO. They optimize your release for search engines, increasing its online visibility.

Analytics and Reporting: It's essential to track the performance of your press release. Services that provide analytics and reporting can help you assess the impact and reach of your message.

Measuring Success

To truly redefine PR success, it's crucial to measure the impact of your press release distribution efforts. Consider these metrics:

Media Coverage: Evaluate the number of media outlets that picked up your story. The more, the better.

Online Visibility: Monitor the online visibility of your press release by tracking its ranking in search engine results.

Audience Engagement: Measure audience engagement through shares, comments, and social media interactions.

Inquiries and Conversions: Keep track of inquiries, business opportunities, and conversions generated as a result of your press release.

The Evolving Landscape of PR

In today's digital age, public relations has evolved dramatically. The traditional approach of sending Global Press Release Distribution to a handful of local newspapers no longer suffices. The world is now interconnected through the internet, and the potential for global reach is unprecedented. To stay competitive, PR professionals must adapt to this changing landscape.

Leveraging the Power of Digital Media

Digital media has become a powerhouse in the world of PR. Leveraging this platform can provide unparalleled global exposure for your press releases. Here's how:

Social Media Amplification: Sharing your press release on various social media platforms can generate significant exposure. Encourage followers to share your content to increase its reach.

Online News Portals: Many online news portals have vast readership, making them ideal platforms to publish your press release. Consider partnerships with these portals for wider dissemination.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Incorporating SEO strategies within your press release can boost its online visibility. Utilize relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and tags to optimize your content for search engines.

Building Relationships with Journalists

In PR, building relationships with journalists is invaluable. The more familiar journalists are with your brand, the more likely they are to cover your stories. Here's how you can foster these relationships:

Media Pitches: Send personalized pitches to journalists who cover topics related to your press release. Show them how your story is relevant to their audience.

Follow-Up: After sending your press release, follow up with journalists to answer any questions and provide additional information.

Exclusive Opportunities: Offering journalists exclusive access or interviews can incentivize them to cover your story.

Expanding International Reach

If your goal is to achieve global recognition, you must think beyond your local market. Here are some strategies for expanding your international reach:

Multilingual Press Releases: Consider translating your press release into multiple languages to target different regions and demographics.

Local Expertise: Collaborate with Global Press Release Distribution Service professionals who have expertise in specific international markets. They can guide you on cultural nuances and preferences.

Global News Wire Services: Partnering with global news wire services ensures that your press release reaches an international network of journalists and media outlets.

Continuous Evaluation and Adaptation

In the ever-evolving field of PR, it's essential to continuously evaluate your strategies and adapt to changing trends. Keep an eye on emerging technologies, new media platforms, and shifts in audience behavior. Be open to experimenting with innovative approaches to stay ahead of the competition.

Embrace the Global Stage

In conclusion, redefining PR success through global press release distribution is about embracing the global stage. It's about using the power of the internet, digital media, and strategic relationships with journalists to amplify your message worldwide.

Remember that your message is unique and has the potential to resonate with a diverse global audience. With the right approach, you can set the stage for PR success that transcends geographical boundaries and makes a lasting impact. In this dynamic landscape, adaptability, and innovation are your greatest assets.

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White Label Press Release Distribution Platform and PR Submission

Public Relations (PR) is an integral part of any Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy, and it is believed that high-quality ethical SEO is as important as strong digital PR results. Both earn social proof that boosts influential links, traffic, conversions, goodwill, brand cash, and more. The value of press releases in SEO lies in the creation and dissemination of newsworthy information.

Press releases should be treated like any other type of content creation if high-value content is written for people and is optimized for SEO techniques like strategic keyword placement.  Press releases drive organic traffic to your website and help your brand reach the right people. Writing and distributing press releases is an effective digital marketing strategy for communicating your brand's message and identity online.

What is White Label Press Release Distribution?

White-label press release distribution means that press releases are displayed organically mentioning the 3rd party distributor. PR distribution is the process of distributing press or media releases to the right audience. Press release distributors connect companies with media and journalists by distributing press releases through networks and newswires. The advantages of the best press release sites include –

·         Cost-effective

·         Immediate exposure to established audiences

·         Increased traffic to your website

·         Establish a working relationship with a PR firm

·         Brings credibility to your brand

·         Increased sales potential

·         Key SEO Benefits

In general, press release sites are redistribution platforms that allow businesses and individuals to publish news. This type of press distribution service distributes this news to search engines, news blogs, and many other places, trying to spread more about the new startup than a simple announcement. Know more about the best Press Release Sites!

KISS PR is one of the premium standard Press Release Submission Sites in USA that is best designed for SEO professionals and PR agencies. Being an experienced white label SEO platform with a decade of expertise in getting more than 100 websites ranking first on Google, the marketers can avail of the service of cent-percent White Label Press Release Platform.

Being one of the best Press Release Submission Sites in USA, KISS PR is a Dallas-based advanced digital disruption company founded by Qamar Zaman in Grand Cayman of the Cayman Islands in 2003.  The CEO of KISS PR and its team of storytellers have collaborated to create a new kind of platform brand story www.BrandStories.Buzz, partnering with several top news, PR, and social story distribution to expand and grow the small brands. Today, it has told over 28,000 stories and continues to help make small business dreams come true. The company is led by a team of highly-experienced SEO experts who have more than 20 years of experience around the world.

Features

·         100% White Label Newsroom

·         White Label SEO Reports

·         Bloomberg & over 1000 news sites

·         Customize newsroom color with the branding

·         Embed YouTube & Google Map in press release

·         Press releases will be submitted to the noted media like Yahoo News, AP News, Globe News, etc.

·         Adding image to the news or press release

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What You Should Know About Web Marketing!

The internet has squashed out your taking part in area in between large enterprises and smaller businesses. On the web, your small business fails to want a fancy building or countless staff in becoming effective. The key is knowing the best way to promote your company on the web such as the major, effective firms. The following is some advice on how to make the company effective on the internet. Use the services of a third party website, to send out standard emails to the clients. These emails can be firmly educational, or include promotions and vouchers, but in any event, they will likely link your members back to your web page regularly. Keep the web site clean and useful so that they also have a new challenge to view. Do it yourself web sites are a sensible way to commence and acquire your ft . from the front door. But if you have more than a storefront area someplace that you simply want to promote and present guidelines to, you might want to gradually pay out an expert to produce a unique web site just for your organization. Finished and easy-to-use websites will foster far more organization than those who take advantage of the identical design as 1000 others available. Invest some time becoming an expert on your business. Write a blog, pay a visit to other related blogs and forums and leave remarks, answer questions on assists websites and look for community forums that you could become a member of and participate in. Any time you can place your own name, your company's label and your skills on the market, it is going to enhance your track record online as an skilled in your discipline. Improve online news wire services of reaches you obtain in your internet site website link by submitting it on different social media marketing web sites. Flickr is a good useful resource with this, specifically just because a tweet with the hyperlink can be re-tweeted by people around the world. online press release services obtain on a hyperlink, the greater up it will vacation over a final results page. Ensure that you respond to any concern a consumer has regarding your internet site. Website visitors typically arrive at your web site to learn more and when you aren't resolving their inquiries, they will certainly abandon. Allow online press release service to have info that satisfies their questions to boost the probability of them purchasing by you. If you're trying to develop your Back-links, don't forget about to also create website traffic and make backlinks to the internet pages with these Backlinks. That can immediately increase the grade of your Back-links, supplying you with however an additional way to develop prospective visitors to your blog(s), and inspire search engine listings to offer all your linked webpages greater search positions. Put in place your website to ensure that buyers that do not wish to have multi media displays or let flash to work scripts, continue to have access to purposeful articles. While most men and women will have broadband internet assistance currently, some do not or are exploring on smart phones. They may actually take pleasure in a basic, but efficient webpage, particularly if they do not need all of the bells and whistles. Stay away from adhering to a person else's course verbatim if at all possible, especially if you're inside the identical kind of marketplace. Web marketing follows exactly the same basic formulas for success, however, you could not grow to be so equally that clients are not able to inform you and your rivalry separate. You must separate your self through the package. The natural details, that your web site is made up, is actually a valuable website marketing resource. Constantly protect it from damage by backing it on the web. Several services can be found that will deal with this for you instantly and reasonably. Make sure you check the terms of such solutions to find out they satisfy all of your demands. Your online ads should produce inspiration for consumers to buy your product or service. Think about your target audience exactly what are their needs, wants, and constraints? Your sales message need to specifically acknowledge these features, then countertop with a variety of explanations why your products or services is most beneficial-fitted to street address these needs and wants. One notably effective internet marketing strategy for merchants is the development of an exclusive online-only membership or team account which includes special discounts, free items, or function invitations to clients who sign-up. These groups are generally free, but some deluxe retailers offer you different paid for account degrees that supply significantly exclusive benefits. Compose a thing that is quite controversial to have men and women speaking about you. While Press Release Power may seem detrimental, it is going to in fact assist you to gain numerous website visitors which may be interested in learning you. You do not have to be too off-the-wall surface, just say something which is the opposite of everything that is believed to be truth in your sector. Unless you really feel you will get enough enterprise to your website by promoting in your news letter, then it can be a great idea to become involved in another person having a good e-zine, and pay them to advertise your website. The greater number of trustworthy these are very likely your odds are of gaining quality website traffic. Fantastic content articles are essential to an effective Online marketing approach. It is vital that you simply look at the content usually to ensure that you will be offering information that may be relevant to your potential customers. Furthermore, have the articles reviewed by others. A whole new pair of eyeballs and a new point of view might be very helpful. Last but not least, operate a program that assessments your articles for spelling and grammar problems, to ensure that it can be totally best. In online press release distribution sites to establishing different delivery alternatives on your site, try your best to put together a free delivery option of some sort or other. If it is not really achievable with all of clients as a result of expenses, consider letting it buyers who get a certain quantity to replace with the costs. Showcase your best characteristics. In case you have received any specific recognitions for great customer service or finest new idea, put them on your own web site. Your prospects is not going to consider this as bragging, instead, they may most likely read it as a reliable approach to choose your business across the numerous others accessible. Which means you see, they are vital tactics you should comply with if you want to turn into a profitable internet marketer on the net. You do not want a huge staff members of staff. You need to simply realize how to perform like the major players. Continue to keep understanding, do not forget to test new tips, and eventually, your internet company will flourish.

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What You Should Know About Website Marketing!

The world wide web has flattened out of the actively playing industry among large businesses and smaller businesses. On the web, your business will not need to have a extravagant developing or numerous staff to be successful. The secret is understanding the way to promote your business on the web just like the major, effective firms. Here is some tips on the way to help make your enterprise productive on the net. Use a third party website, to send out normal e-mails for your customers. These emails could be stringently informative, or have marketing promotions and discount coupons, but either way, they may hyperlink your members back again to your site regularly. Maintain your website new and helpful so they always have something totally new to discover. Do-it-yourself sites are the best way to begin and acquire your foot inside the door. But when you have over a storefront spot a place that you just would like to publicize and offer instructions to, you might like to gradually spend an experienced to produce a exclusive internet site only for your organization. Shiny and easy-to-use sites will foster much more enterprise compared to those who utilize the very same design as 1000 other folks on the market. Spend time becoming an influence on the business. Publish a blog, pay a visit to various other blogs and forums and leave remarks, respond to questions on helps internet sites and look for discussion boards that you can sign up for and be involved in. Any time you can put your own name, your company's title as well as your knowledge on the market, it would increase your status on the net being an expert in your industry. Increase the amount of strikes you obtain on the website hyperlink by submitting it on diverse social media marketing sites. Twitter is an excellent useful resource just for this, specifically since a tweet along with your link could be re-tweeted by individuals around the world. The greater number of reaches you get on a link, the higher up it is going to traveling with a effects web page. Make sure that you solution any question a customer has about your website. Site visitors normally reach your site to find out more and when you aren't responding to their questions, they are going to abandon. Let them have information that meets their inquiries to boost the chance of them acquiring by you. If you're attempting to build up your Backlinks, don't forget to also develop visitors and create backlinks towards the pages with those Backlinks. That will automatically improve the grade of your Back links, providing you with but an alternate way to broaden possible visitors to your website(s), and inspire search engines like google to provide all your linked web pages greater rankings. Put in place your website so that clients that do not want media reports or let display to operate scripts, continue to get access to significant information. Some men and women do have broadband service nowadays, some tend not to or are exploring on smart phones. They may actually value an easy, but effective page, especially when they do not need every one of the bells and whistles. Avoid subsequent a person else's course verbatim if it is possible, particularly if you're within the same sort of industry. Website marketing practices exactly the same fundamental formulas for fulfillment, however you are not able to come to be so likewise that customers are unable to inform you or your rivalry aside. You have to independent yourself in the load. The natural info, in which your website is composed, is really a important internet marketing resource. Generally guard it from damage by backing it up on-line. A lot of solutions can be purchased that will manage this for you automatically and at low costs. Make sure you look into the relation to such professional services to see they meet up with your entire requires. Your web marketing materials should produce motivation for shoppers to buy your merchandise. Think about your potential audience exactly what are their needs, desires, and constraints? The sales information should particularly understand these characteristics, then counter-top with several main reasons why your products or services is better-suited to deal with these wants and needs. One particular particularly effective website marketing approach for retailers is the creation of a special on the web-only club or class registration that includes special discounts, totally free items, or celebration invitations to customers who sign up. These groups tend to be totally free, but some high end stores provide different paid for registration amounts that supply progressively exclusive advantages. Compose something that is pretty controversial to obtain people referring to you. While that may seem detrimental, it would really allow you to obtain several site visitors that may be interested in you. You do not have to get too away from-the-wall, just say an issue that is the opposite of precisely what is believed to be fact with your market. Unless you feel you will get sufficient company to your site by marketing with your news letter, then it may be a great idea to become involved in somebody else who has a great e-newsletter, and pay these to advertise your website. The more trustworthy these are the more inclined your chances are of achieving quality traffic. online news wire services is important to a successful Internet marketing approach. It is essential which you assess the content material usually to ensure that you might be offering information that may be related to your customers. Additionally, get the articles examined by other individuals. A brand new list of eye plus a new viewpoint can be invaluable. Last but not least, manage a plan that checks your posts for spelling and sentence structure faults, to be sure that it really is absolutely excellent. In relation to establishing different shipping alternatives on your site, consider the best to set up a no cost shipping option of some sort. If it will not be doable with customers as a consequence of bills, try out allowing it to customers who purchase a certain amount to replace with the expenses. Press Release Power . When you have obtained any specific recognitions for excellent customer care or greatest new thought, place them on the website. Your potential customers will not likely think of this as bragging, somewhat, they are going to probably translate it as being a trustworthy approach to select your organization over the many others available. So that you see, they are important techniques that you should follow if you want to turn into a productive marketer on the net. You do not require a huge employees of staff. Press Release Power need to simply realize how to perform much like the major gamers. Keep learning, will not forget to use new tips, and eventually, your web company will blossom.

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PR submission is free Sites are internet distribution channels that let companies and people freely share press releases and news stories with a large audience. These websites act as a central center for news dissemination, assisting businesses in becoming more visible online and reaching a wider target audience.

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Savvy Advice For An Efficient Online marketing Plan

What makes a internet business prosperous? Generally there are many components to help achieving a successful business enterprise, plus the procedures depend upon the needs of your respective business. If you are just simply starting out, get as much advice as a person can coming from seasoned internet online marketers by reading regarding some of their thoughts. You can begin by means of reading this content here. In the event you run several business enterprise websites do not forget about the value of cross-promotion to your internet marketing attempts. It is likely that your several websites reveal some common principles, hence visitors to one site will be interested in another. Help to make the idea mainly because easy as can end up being for potential shoppers to leap from site to be able to site to study your current full-range of offerings. Online marketing could be a very quick way to make cash. People will be ready to get higher and promote lower. If you opt for products around bulk then you may be capable of sell the solutions at a lower cost which usually yields some sort of better world wide web profit for a person. To get new ideas for your website, it's a new very good plan to verify out the competition. Check out the sites of other companies to discover what they are doing and stating. Some sort of keyword search for phrases related to your enterprise can help spark new concepts concerning things you never have thought of before. Decipher what vernacular is needed concerning your brand by hunting whatsoever conversations about your current brand on-line. You could make a word cloud and even use the virtually all prominent thoughts in your on the web marketing campaigns to more effectively reach out and about to audiences. It will be possible to help speak to them more clearly if you happen to be using terms they find out, use and accept as sensible. A new great suggestion for internet marketing should be to stay up on typically the latest web advancements. Often the world wide web changes quite generally, and by constantly being informed of the brand-new changes, you'll have a better understanding of exactly how your blogs and web pages work, and you'll include a calf up in your competition. Keep your content short and to help the point. A standard sentence in your essay will be in typically the selection of 13-16 words. In the event that you are including a whole lot of unneeded information in a post, you can shed your readers focus. Keep it apparent in addition to precise, in order for you to make an idea on your viewers. When you are starting point, focus your hard work on just a small number of products so as to be able to not really overwhelm yourself or maybe your clients. Get your ft wet with all the products an individual are most informed about so you can learn what types of posts together with special offers work the most effective regarding you and your things. Try to get a good video or perhaps music interview with a good representative of the product a person are selling. Question these people on how and why these people came up using some sort of particular item. Help to make sure the majority regarding the content can be top quality details and include only a good smidgen of details relating to how to acquire that. Link approximately browse engine map sites. It is really an important step to increasing visibility regionally. Most internet search engine list their map effects as the first to be able to be seen, no matter where the fact that business lies issues search list rankings. Persons can easily also leave reviews of all of these, so make sure to give out constructive experiences! When doing any kind of form of internet marketing and advertising, don't forget to include a call to activity, wherever within your content of which you want people for you to take an action. Newbie marketers generally neglect that and that's section of exactly why they don't succeed. Your whole marketing strategy should certainly not be calls to actions, because then citizens sense like you're treating these individuals similar to walking wallets. Nonetheless they have also not much excellent to you if you target on creating content devoid of any calls to motion. Use any call in order to action, smartly. Even even though you may well be building a business enterprise that is absolutely online-based, do not ignore the traditional ways of marketing. Things like conventions in the industry provide a new fantastic venue for marketing your online business and to meet other individuals inside your field. news wires can certainly get a lot associated with leads by participating inside trade exhibitions. If a person want to be successful at Internet marketing, create sure your customers may contact you easily. The website really should have some sort of Contact Us page. That wants to include a current email address and a phone number. You might also want to add a snail mail address. In normal, persons would much quite contact you directly rather than fill out some sort of call form. If your advertising and marketing site includes sound, possibly be sure to provide practical controls for people who else are near work or just try some fine lower amount. Noise can be great for catching someone's interest, but when it gets annoying these people may just browse far from your page and you will get rid of the buyer. When marketing a merchandise on the net, change up the terminology of your ad replicate periodically to see what draws in more guests. Saying "two days" as an alternative of "48 hours" may drastically affect the buyer base you draw inside for your product, as one example. Around improvement, changing the text helps boost your search powerplant search rankings, as it is observed as new content. Through important suggestion regarding Internet marketing is to attempt to promote your site having mainly because a lot of media choices as possible. This is important to maximize your presence and get as far appropriate visitors your site as possible. Among numerous other ways, you may desire to direct traffic in order to your site through graphics, billboards, email, or maybe television set advertisement. Offering your web site site visitors the ability to subscribe to a RSS atom feed will ensure you possess whole lot more success with net marketing. A good RSS atom feed provides a listing of your most recent content directly to anyone who also subscribes to the nourish. Users sees the snappy articles which you have posted and even want to learn more, so that they will click typically the link and head out right to your site. World wide web marketing is not challenging to comprehend, for this time to learn. A person need to be able to take risks by attempting new ideas. If you are not reaping great results from one procedure, then try another. Net marketing can be dynamic, in addition to you need to be committed to learning all often the time. If get this perspective, you will see good results in your company.

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You Can't Locate Much Better Responses Regarding Acid Reflux Than Those Here

Do you obtain breast discomfort? Does it appear to worsen when you rest? Is it after a meal that the discomfort generally starts? Does your mouth have a bitter preference? Or perhaps your throat is hoarse a lot of the time? Affirmative responses to these questions aim to heartburn. Keep reading for fantastic ideas on exactly how to obtain rid of it. If you keep a healthy and balanced weight, you are less most likely to experience acid reflux. This problem takes place when fat bears down on the belly. Losing weight and also obtaining trim can help maintain your belly acid in your belly, where it belongs. Those that are obese have a higher opportunity of obtaining heartburn than others. This is due to swallow pressure. The excess weight of an obese person adds a lot more pressure to the belly, relaxing the muscular tissues of the lower sphincter of the esophagus, producing indigestion. Fat in the body can additionally interrupt normal food digestion. A little weight-loss can go a long means in stopping acid reflux. There are some foods which individuals that experience indigestion need to prevent. These include high-fat foods, alcohol, beverages with caffeine, anything with mint in it, chocolate, citrus, anything with tomato in it, foods with flavors in them, peppers, garlic, soft drinks and also onions. You might find your acid reflux flares with lots of various other foods also, so make a list. Do not consume alcohol if you are attempting to treat symptoms of acid reflux. news release of alcohol in fact work to unwind the muscles in your esophagus, which intensifies reflux. Consider what you are eating, how you are consuming and also if you have actually obtained excessive stress and anxiety in your life as possible reasons for frequent heartburn and change them prior to grabbing your next beverage. Limitation the amount of liquids you consumption while consuming. Fluids add quantity to the food you are eating, which will cause overfilling your stomach and also allowing tummy acids to rise into your esophagus leading to acid reflux. By limiting newswire press release of liquids you ingest, you can aid avoid indigestion. If you have actually been experiencing signs of indigestion, try to reduce down on the amount of alcohol you consume alcohol. Having some drinks often tends to unwind the muscles in the stomach. When this happens, individuals start to experience getting worse of these signs. If you have to have a beverage, see to it to restrict on your own to a couple of beverages. Eat little dishes much more often than large ones. If your eating pattern is to consume a couple of large meals throughout the day, after that you are complicating your reflux problem a lot. This is because there is added stress on your sphincter, which makes it open. Tummy acids thus get involved in the esophagus, and also heartburn results. Consume smaller, much more constant meals instead. Shedding excess extra pounds is always an excellent suggestion. Those additional pounds you are carrying about might be the primary reason you are dealing with acid reflux. Being overweight can place your tummy under a lot of pressure. Eventually, this will certainly hurt your esophagus and cause you great discomfort. You require to live a real healthy way of life, both in diet and also workout, to lose the weight genuine. Include lots of high fiber foods into your diet regimen. business press releases take in the fats which will limit the impacts of heartburn. Great selections of high fiber foods need to consist of all-natural grains such as wheat bread, brownish rice and also starchy veggies like potatoes and also beans. Include some high fiber selections right into each dish for finest outcomes. Did you know that acid reflux, when unattended, can bring about ulcers? You can have openings of both the stomach as well as esophageal lining, resulting in intense discomfort. When your heartburn seems to have actually kicked up a notch, talk with your medical professional to obtain the right examines done to dismiss this issue. Consume smaller sized parts throughout the day instead of larger dishes. A big dish takes much longer for your body to digest it as well as generally places extra stress on your stomach, causing not only inflammation, but damage, also. Rather of eating 3 big meals, break them up right into five or 6 smaller ones. Consider reducing weight if indigestion is an issue for you. Any type of excess weight your system has to handle can raise the regularity as well as intensity of symptoms. Speak with your physician regarding a wise diet plan and also exercise program that will get you in much better form and also lessen the pain you experience due to indigestion concerns. Raising your vitamin D direct exposure can be a wonderful means to help in reducing your heartburn. Vitamin D can be naturally located outside in the sunlight's rays. Getting sufficient of it is essential to ensure that your body is creating sufficient antimicrobial peptides that can assist eliminate infections in the esophagus. Avoid usual trigger foods if you intend to minimize or eliminate the risk of heartburn. Warm spicy food, deep fried foods, chocolate, coffee, tea as well as many other foods can trigger an episode of acid reflux. Maintain a food log to determine the specific foods that trigger troubles for you. If you are a cigarette smoker, quit currently. Smoking cigarettes decreases the whole digestion process as well as can also decrease your production of saliva. Both can bring about heartburn problems. The chemicals in cigarettes can also harm the gastrointestinal system. By quiting cigarette smoking, numerous individuals see an instant improvement in their reflux. If you experience heartburn, you might take advantage of making use of an antacid. There are lots of antacids that are available right over-the-counter. If you need stronger relief you can always talk to your doctor concerning utilizing a prescription medicine. The last thing that you intend to do is suffer by leaving it unattended. No, it is not a cardiovascular disease. You do not have the influenza, and your food is not really causing you to feel ill. You should have an excellent concept of what to do versus heartburn after reviewing this article. Make the initiative as well as the adjustments, as well as you will quickly really feel terrific.

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➵ pairing: zayne x female!reader

➵ word count: 3.2k

➵ genre: nsfw

➵ warnings: minors dni. this post is pure smut, no plot here. dominant/submissive, slight somnophilia, slight degradation, sexual control, slight temperature play, toys.

➵ summary: pretty self explanatory, the nsfw alphabet on your favourite boy.

➵ xavier's ver. | rafayel's ver.

➵ masterlist  (requests are open)

The following content is protected under copyright laws. do not copy, modify, repost on other sites or claim as your own.

© 2024 horrorhot-line

notes: so, i know this is late but i've been sick, so i was bed bound- like i've been asked here is zayne's alphabet, i tried my best to keep true to his character. credit to my fiance for letting me bombard him with questions so i could make this short series accurate.

this was requested here, by a lovely anon <333

credit to @multi-fandom-imagine for the template

➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵       ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵

➵ a for aftercare (what is he like after sex?) zayne will cuddle you. you know this man finds it hard to show his emotions; he tries for you- but after he's done with you, hands held above your head, his other arm wrapping around your back to hold your chest to his as he snaps his hips into yours, making sure you feel every inch. then, when you're all used, looking pretty and satisfied, he'll clean you up and wrap his arms around you, burying his face in the crook of your neck, focusing on the soft vibrations of your body as you talk and stroke his hair.

➵ b for body part (his favourite body part of his and also his partner's) he loves your hips, loves tracing his fingers on them just to watch you squirm because you're sensitive there. loves holding them as he fucks you, digging his nails into them as he tries to stop himself from cumming, just so he can feel your pussy twitch around him a little longer. loves the feel of them in his hands, knowing you can't escape his grip as he speeds up, enjoying how you get louder the closer you are to cumming. he likes his back; more specifically, he likes how broad they are because you tend to scratch when he's buried inside you, stretching you out as you hold onto him, your nails leaving marks all over him- he'll look at them in the mirror, in awe of how deep and red they are, a reminder of how well he fucks you. "call my name like a good girl, won't you?"

➵ c for cum (anything to do with cum, basically) he loves your cum, loves the way you get so wet for him, the way it drips down your pussy and onto his thighs, covering them as he holds you in his lap, squeezing your ass to guide you up and down his cock. he loves the mess you make, admiring how pretty you look after you've gotten your release, before zayne's forcing his dick into you again, watching how you struggle in his grasp. "ah, ah, ah. you're not going anywhere until i'm done with you."

➵ d for dirty secret (self-explanatory, a dirty secret of his) despite being someone who likes to keep clean, he adores making you squirt. he won't relent, thumb pressed firmly to your clit even though you're trying to pry his hand away, setting a brutal force, pounding your wet cunt until you twitch around him, and then he pulls out, watching you squirt over the bedsheets. he doesn't give you a chance to catch your breath, shoving his dick straight back in and fucking you, watching you squirt in splurts as you sob. "there you go- that wasn't so bad, was it? do it once more for me, won't you?"

➵ e for experience (how experienced is he? does he know what he's doing?) he's not that experienced, but he knows his way around your body, having spent extensive time studying you. so you're surprised when he tells you he hasn't slept with anyone but you. you don't believe him, to which he'll respond by giving you a demonstration, and suddenly, you don't feel all that curious as he towers over you, arm at the side of your head, stopping you from getting up as he loosens his tie with his free hand. "why don't i show you how much it helps to study your partner's reaction- what do you say?"

➵ f for favourite position (this goes without saying. will probably include a visual) prone bone or you on his lap, take your pick. zayne loves the way he can hold you down with just his hips, kissing your shoulder as he fucks into you from behind slowly, speeding up gradually until the headboard slams against the wall and you reach your hand out, grabbing the sheets as you try to get out from under him. he'll reach for that same hand, seizing it in his before forcing it behind your back as he raises himself off you, dick still buried inside you as he sits up on his knees, forcing you to stay in place before he's back to fucking you again. "and where do you think you're going? you wanted this- remember?"

➵ g for goofy (is he more serious in the moment, or is he humorous, etc) he's serious; brow slightly furrowed as he fucks into you, watching his dick enter you before his gaze trails to yours. he loves watching you come undone, focusing solely on making you feel good and then some as his thumb finds your clit, no time for him to fool around as he makes you cum on his dick.

➵ h for hair (how well groomed is he, does the carpet match the drapes) he's well groomed, he has a stubble, one that peeks over his boxers and has you staring. zayne doesn't like letting it grow out, he feels you deserve the best, and he takes care of himself as such, making sure he's looking presentable enough as he takes you.

➵ i for intimacy (how is he during the moment, romantic aspect…) he's very romantic when he has the time. outside of his busy work schedule, he'll make sure to make you something nice to eat, lighting candles and giving you flowers when he gets home, before he kisses you, his lips and tongue getting more desperate as he holds you closer, and you swear if he doesn't hold you up, you'll buckle. he'll lead you to the bedroom, slowly taking your clothes off and showering you with wet kisses across your body before his hands find their way to your cunt. "i love every part of you- you're all mine, don't forget it."

➵ j for jacking off (masturbation headcanon) he won't jack off for a while, but if the hospital's busy and he's leaving his office later than usual, horny and stressed, and you're sleeping- he'll take care of it himself, not wanting to bother you. though, there is that one time you wake up to get yourself water, not realising zayne's back until you find him fisting his dick on the couch, trying to keep quiet. you end up helping him out, and after he's balls deep inside you, fucking you until you're a drooling mess, eyes rolling back at the way he won't stop even as you cum multiple times, you suggest he wakes you up when he needs you, and he stops jacking off altogether, preferring to empty his balls inside you instead of on a tissue. "you're so tight, so good- i'm going to fill you up, make you take all my cum."

➵ k for kink (one or more of their kinks) he has a huge size kink. loves watching the bulge in your stomach forming because of his dick, pressing down on it and forcing you to look at how deep he goes. he has a slight degradation kink, likes making you aware of how much of a slut you are for his dick by making you beg for it only to turn you down and make you wait instead. he's a huge dominant, prefers forcing you into submission rather than you giving in to him right off the bat. depending on the position, he'll choke you too, the other hand going for your tit as he squeezes both, releasing his hold when your vision begins to fuzz. also, he loves being in control, adores it when he finally breaks you, slapping his dick against your pussy, teasing your clit until you're begging him to fuck you, only for him to force your thighs together so he can slot his cock in between and tease you some more. he'll force your body against his, moving his dick against your pussy, letting his tip catch on the hood of your clit so he can feel you twitch against him. "no, i don't think so. you'll wait like the good girl you are for when i finally take you."

➵ l for location (favourite places to do the do) strictly your place or his, he doesn't like doing it anywhere else. he prefers privacy, and it's mostly because he wants to make sure no one sees how desperate and pretty you look begging for more, yet struggling to take what he gives you. he thinks you sound like pure sin, look it too, and he's certain if any other man saw you like this, they would want you for themselves, so he'll only have sex with you when the two of you are alone in either place, except for when he's stressed and horny because of work- never a good combination, and you end up dropping by at the office when the other staff have either gone home for the day, or are focused on different departments, in which case, he'll bend you right over his desk, shoving your panties to the side so he can finally fill you up, forcing you to take his dick until he cums. "you came here on purpose, didn't you? if you wanted me this badly, you should have just called me home."

➵ m for motivation (what turns him on, gets him going) he likes the power he has over you, and that by extension, means he has a sadistic side. he can be cruel, teasing you and acting oblivious, not showing that he acknowledges how horny you are until you're begging for him. that's what turns him on, the idea that you are weak to him, the way you stutter when he looks into your eyes, silent and holding your gaze until you relent and look away, something he lets you do unless he's balls deep inside you, fucking you hard and rough, snapping his hips and forcing his dick into your pussy before he's lifting your hips slightly so he can get even deeper. "that look suits you, you know. you're the prettiest when you're taking my cock, you know that?"

➵ n for nicknames (what are his favourite pet names for you? what does he call you when you're both alone?) he's not a huge fan of pda, likes to keep his private life with you quiet and under wraps, so he doesn't have pet names for you outside, preferring to call you by your name. when it's just the two of you though, and he's balls deep inside you, towering over your body as he watches you struggle to take his dick, he'll call you his good girl. the tone he uses is different though, when you've been a brat, teasing him when you know he's on the clock just so he can be rough with you when he gets off work. "you're always such a good girl for me, so what changed today? i suppose you had fun trying to make me lose my composure at the hospital. was it worth it?"

➵ o for oral (preference in giving or receiving, skills, etc) he prefers giving. this man adores the way you grab his hair, trying to get him to stop after he squeezes another orgasm out of you, your body spent and your energy depleted as you beg him to slow down, only for him to tighten his grip around your thighs, forcing your hips down to stop you from squirming, before he licks your clit again, forcing a sob out of you as he uses two fingers to stretch your cunt. "if you want me to let go of you- how about you try not to cum this time, hm?"

➵ p for pace (is he fast or rough? slow or sensual?) he's fast and rough, pace unrelenting as he grabs your leg and raises over it his shoulder, using it as leverage as he shoves his dick inside you, forcing you take every inch, tip kissing your cervix as your stomach bulges. as if the sheer size of this man isn't enough, he tries his best to make you feel him in your gut, as if he's trying to mold your pussy into the shape of his dick. his thumb finds your clit, just so that he can feel your cunt twitch and spasm around him, readying himself to cum inside you, yet again. "want me too slow down? that's too bad- you're gonna have to take it."

➵ q for quickie (his opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc) he's not a huge fan of quickies, he likes taking his time with you, forcing you past your breaking point until all you can do is tell him how it's too much. but, when he has overtime and late shifts, back to back, and only has a few hours at home before he has to return to his job, he'll trap you against a wall, or a cabinet, or a wardrobe, rip your clothes off you, bending you over before he's balls deep inside you, fingers in your mouth or around your throat as he fucks you from behind, forcing you to look his way before he kisses you. "i don't have much time. be a good girl and behave for me, won't you?"

➵ r for risk (is he game to experiment, does he take risks, etc) he doesn't really like risks, prefers staying inside his comfort zone. that is until you get a fixation that you have to explore, and he finds himself giving into you. the first time you asked him to use his evol on you, thinking the cold tempreature would spice up your sex life 10 times over, he refused. until you begged, and begged and he found himself relenting, trying it out as he traced his icy fingers across your lower stomach, his other hand busy being two digits deep inside your pussy, and he won't deny the way his cock twitches at your reactions, you underneath him, jumping at every little touch, and he decides that he loves the way you’re so weak against his abilities. "you wanted me to use my powers, did you not? then be a good girl, and tell me how good you feel."

➵ s for stamina (how many rounds can he go for, how long does he last) he has a lot of stamina, and when he has the time he will show you just how pent up he's been because of his busy job, forcing you to take his dick late into the night, letting you know that you'll have to sleep in, because there is no way he is letting you rest until he's emptied every last bit of cum inside you. he lasts a long time too, and he'll never admit it, but he will edge himself, slowing down ever so slightly so he doesn't cum too quick, just so he can enjoy the look of pure pleasure on your face and the way your pussy tightens around him, "you're doing so well. cum one more time for me like a good girl, won't you?"

➵ t for toy (does he own toys? does he use them? partner or himself?) he doesn't own any toys- that is until he brings one back from a buisness trip as a souvenier. he ends up surprising you with it the night he returns, pulling orgasm after orgasm from you, watching every little reaction you have as he reaches between your bodies to press the vibrator to your clit, using the momentary distraction to shove the last few inches of his dick into you, the corner of his mouth twitching as you throw your head back, clearly struggling to take him. "don't look away. keep your eyes on me… good girl."

➵ u for unfair (how much does he like to tease) he teases you- sure, but that’s not the reason why he’s incredibly unfair. he's borderline cruel with how demanding he is, forcing your body into different positions, forcing you back onto your knees when you collapse from how spent your body is, holding you against him as he fucks his way into your gut, his pace only getting faster as he uses your pussy, never once stopping even as you ask him to slow down, "no- i know you can take it, so you will."

➵ v for volume (how loud is he? what sounds does he make?) he’s not loud, but, he makes up for it. he's never quiet, pure sin falling from his lips, always letting you know how good you feel, or how well behaved you are, as he's snapping his hips up into your pussy, praising you for taking his dick, knowing full well that you're barely coherent because of how big he is. "that's it, tell me how good you feel. you look so pretty like this, struggling to take all of me."

➵ w for wildcard (random headcanon for him) he prefers privacy over all else, and it's for multiple reasons, but the most important is the fact that he's protective of you. more specifically, he's protective over who gets to see this side of you, the one of you drooling underneath him, struggling to take his dick, eyes rolling back at how deep he is, hands reaching out to push against his abs, trying to stop him from slipping the last few inches in, loud in how you moan when he grabs those same hands, trapping them in his hold as he fucks you harder than before, balls deep inside you. "you're mine, and that means that no one will ever see this side of you. do you understand? no- nodding isn't good enough, i want you to tell me you understand… good girl."

➵ x for x-ray (what's going on in those pants of his) he's big, i meant it. not big enough that he rips you apart, but big enough that you feel the stretch of your pussy. he can never get it all the way in on the first try, he has to hold your hips in place as he fucks the last few inches of his dick inside you, lifting your lower body to his so he has complete control as he starts to move. "such a good girl for me. i'm sorry if it hurts, but i'm not going to hold back."

➵ y for yearning (how high is his sex drive) zayne longs for you, and his sex drive is very high. you just have that effect on him, but he likes to keep that to himself. he waits for you to initate most of the time when the two of you are alone, holding his face in your hands as he kisses you the second you let him know you're horny, dragging you onto his lap so you can feel just how much he wants you. by then it’s too late, because now he has you wrapped around his finger and he can do whatever he wants with you, knowing you’ll give in to him. "you have no idea what you do to me."

➵ z for zzz (how quickly does he fall asleep afterwards) he does get tired after sex, but he'll cuddle you first, stroking your hair or tracing his fingers along your back as he waits for you to fall fast asleep after he's fucked you, stolen all your energy and filling you up with his cum. he likes watching you, making sure you're resting well after he's used you, before he's closing his eyes and joining you.

➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵       ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵

The following content is protected under copyright laws. do not copy, modify, repost on other sites or claim as your own.

© 2024 horrorhot-line

[enemarkroth]

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[tacticaldiary]

can you do a ghost x head doctor!reader? kind of that scenario where ghost is like, “i don’t want a regular plain nurse; i want reader 🙄” and reader is like, the head doctor of the medical wing or whatever, and doesn’t usually deal with regular military injuries, but puts up with ghost’s shit anyways? 😋

Superficial Wounds, Deep Devotion

Pairing: Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Reader

Genre: Fluff; Hurt/Comfort

"Need me to kiss it better?" She quips with a roll of her eyes.

"I'll take anything you prescribe." Comes the smooth answer. It draws out a snort of laughter from her as she turns around with the gauze.

"All you need is to stop scaring away the field medics." She steps in between his legs, wiping down the cut on his shoulder with disinfectant.

Masterlist

"Ghost?" Her head snaps up from the clipboard. "What's wrong with him?" She frowns, pushing down the bubbling panic in her chest.

"He's asking for you to treat him in room Q42."

"Is he bleeding?" The urgency itches just below her skin but her cool professionalism doesn't crack. She doesn't deal with superficial injuries, only the most complex cases. She's seen it all. Mangled faces, guts hanging out, disfigured bodies.

So the fact that they were asking for her-...

Wait.

"Is command asking me to see him?" She says slowly.

The soldier shakes his head. "No ma'am. It was a request from the Lieutenant himself."

She releases a slow exhale, relief tingling. "I'll see to it." She dismisses him with a wave, starting down the hall.

Simon had this...habit of seeking her out. It was a perk of his rank, she supposes, but she'd been the only one to treat him ever since they'd encountered each other way back when she was an on-site combat nurse.

It's impossible to forget seeing him for the first time. That skull mask of his was splattered blood red, a bullet wound in his shoulder as he sat on one of the dusty cots in the emergency tents they'd set up in the middle of the desert.

They'd just clicked.

She ended up treating him again after that, and that's when he started personally requesting her.

It hadn't taken long for the spark between them to explode into something intense and loving. He was the anchor to her stressful life, unshakable and a steady presence. She was his person, one of the only people he trusted with his injuries and his heart, the warmth that let him focus on being better.

Swinging open the door without knocking, the man in question sits there in all his glory in front of her.

Admittedly, the first she stares at is his chest. He's shirtless, a cut that she can tell is superficial and non-fatal from all the way by the door.

"You can come inside." His voice is amused and knowing, the bastard.

"Inviting me into my own house?" She swallows, but listens. The door is kicked shut behind her. The moment it's closed he tugs off his mask, the weary lines of his face much more prominent under the harsh fluorescent lighting of the room. "How was your op?" Stopping by the cot he's sitting on to press a quick kiss to his sweaty head, she breezes past him to the medical trolley nearby.

"Fine. Did what we had to." They both know he won't volunteer any more information. Just as she doesn't confide in him with every horrific injury she deals with, he doesn't expose her to the horrific things he has to do. A mutual withholding of information for the peace of mind of both parties.

"Thought you weren't due to come home until tomorrow. I was gonna meet you on the tarmac and everything."

"Surprise." He deadpans, making her snicker.

"You know, for the big bad Ghost you are, you sure need to cause such a fuss about a little cut." Gathering what she needs, she casts him a glance over her shoulder.

"Thought it was your job to make sure I was in the best state possible for deployment?"

She loves this back-and-forth they have. He does too, if the relaxed way he leans back on his arms is anything to go by. It had taken years and years to get to the place they are right now. Years of work, of communication and trust.

"It's my job to take care of the worst, highest profile cases."

"I'd say this is pretty urgent." This playful side of him came out when they were alone.

"Need me to kiss it better?" She quips with a roll of her eyes.

"I'll take anything you prescribe." Comes the smooth answer. It draws out a snort of laughter from her as she turns around with her spoils.

"Can I prescribe you to stop scaring away the field medics?" She steps in between his legs, wiping down the cut on his shoulder with disinfectant. He doesn't wince or cringe or even flinch at the burn, eyes fixed on her face as she works.

"I'm a Lieutenant, I can do what I want."

She pauses, raising an eyebrow. "Are you really pulling rank on me right now?"

He hums, sliding up to hold her hips, tugging her closer. "Don't seem to mind it when we're alone, love." A smirk tugs at his mouth when a flush creeps up the back of her neck. God, he loves that look on her.

"What's gotten into you?" Shaking her head but unable to push down a smile, she works on securing the gauze, taping it down. "Getting clingy, are we now?"

He...well he can't deny it. He doesn't want to tell her the reason for it either, even if she's subtly fishing for answers.

He'd been an inch away from getting shredded by flying shrapnel from a car bomb today.

If Gaz, quick-witted, sharp, Gaz hadn't yelled and yanked him to cover behind a brick wall he would've been embedded with scraps of metal and rusty nails.

Dead, as his namesake.

Ghost wasn't afraid of death. Ghost got up every day ready to not see the sunrise again. Ghost was a cold blooded machine ready to do whatever his orders were.

But Simon wanted to live.

Simon wanted to come home to her. Simon wanted the last thing he saw to be her smile. Simon selfishly wanted her more than any victory his rifle could earn him.

Ghost had been unfazed, Simon had realised the inevitability of the avoided consequence.

Lips press against his bare shoulder. Right, left, and then gently on the gauze. It brings him back to the present, his grip on her tightens for a moment. Her gaze is soft, knowing. Because of course it is. She's the only one who's been able to get into his head like this, been able to crack the code to thoughts he himself doesn't have the key for.

"Any of other glaringly dangerous injuries I need to take a look at?" His eyes follow the smooth line of her neck as she tilts her head towards him. He exhales, shifts, and pulls her closer without warning, banding a strong arm around her.

"Dunno. Think you might have to conduct a comprehensive examination."

She laughs against his lips and goes down with him when he shifts farther up the cot.

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(1/09/2023)

[kittenintheden]

You Can Read Me Anything Part 2

*ELMO ON FIRE GIF* so that took longer than anticipated but you know. HERE YOU GO. (thank you for all the wonderful comments on Part 1)!

***

Druidic Tav grew up in a nomadic clan that recorded their history through spoken word and song rather than written text. As such, she's illiterate, and one charming-ish vampire offers to help her with reading lessons and a whole lot more. Out of the goodness of his heart, of course.

Then one night, she unwittingly brings him smut for their lesson.

Rating: E Word Count: 5100 words Content: illiterate Tav, Astarion being a shit, but also being cute, innocent Tav, suggestive dialogue, blood drinking, biting kink, first time oral, cunnilingus, fellatio, PIV sex, Astarion playing himself

AO3 Link

Astarion cradles her head, palm gently pressed to her cheek as she leans into it. She sighs and it tickles his ear, sending a dissipating wave of gooseflesh down the length of his back.

“Are you done yet?” Tav asks, voice breathy.

He hums and detaches from her neck, admiring the clean pair of fang marks he left there. His tongue swipes his bottom lip so he doesn’t waste a single drop of her blood. He releases her and takes a step back.

“You…” he says with a lazy smile as he reaches out with a finger to boop her nose. “... are so delicious.”

“Ha, ha,” she says with an affectionate eyeroll. She spreads her hand over the bite mark and calls on her connection to nature, using it to knit the flesh back together and restore her blood supply. “Glad to help.”

“I’ll bet you are,” he drawls at her with a wink. “Thank you for the appetizer. I’d best go find myself a full meal now.”

As he starts to saunter off deeper into the woods, Tav clicks her fingers and lightly bonks herself on the head. “Oh, almost forgot.” After him, she calls the Elvish phrase Shadowheart taught her.

For the first time since she met him at the site of the nautilus crash, she watches Astarion trip over his own feet.

He catches himself quickly, spine unusually straight as he puts his hands on his waist and takes a few more steps like he’d meant to do that the whole time. When he turns around to look at her, her smile fades when she notices his wide-eyed expression. The tips of his ears have gone very pink.

“Wha-” His voice cracks and he clears his throat and tries again, tone painfully casual. “What did you say?”

Tav grimaces. “Shit, did I get the middle part wrong? It was tricky when Shadowheart had me practice.”

Astarion leans forward a bit and gives a shaky laugh. “Ah. Right. I must’ve misunderstood. What were you trying to say?”

“She told me it meant, ‘I’m pleased to have provided you a good meal,’” Tav says, reaching up to pull some of her hair over her shoulder and fiddle with it.

“I see,” he says as he comes closer, his eyes searching her face. “Could you say it again? So I can correct your enunciation.”

“Oh, okay.” Tav gives a soft cough into her hand and repeats the phrase.

Astarion is close enough now that she sees his pupils dilate the tiniest bit. The flush at the tips of his ears spreads down the edges. Do they always do that after he feeds? They must.

He reaches delicate fingers up to cup her chin and draw her jaw down, parting her lips. His eyes are trained on her mouth and that makes her feel all too warm.

“Loosen your tongue,” he says softly. “Once more.”

She tries one more time and watches his eyelids flutter, inches from her own.

“There we go,” he whispers.

His gaze shifts to her neck again and he leans down toward it. She nearly stops him, but then she feels the draw of his tongue over the spot where he bit. He punctuates it with a soft, barely-perceptible press of his lips. A kiss, she might think, if she were a silly little girl. Which she certainly is not.

Then he’s standing straight again, releasing her face and putting space between them.

“Missed a smudge. Can’t let it go to waste.” His eyes rove over her face. “It’s so very precious.”

Then he walks off and she’s left standing there, cheeks hot and chest uncomfortably tight. Tav continues to run her fingers nervously through her hair as she turns and walks back toward their camp.

Astarion counts out fifty paces before he ducks behind a tree and leans his back heavily against it, letting out a shivery breath. He puts his cool fingers to his ears and tries to rub the heat out of them.

“Stop it,” he whispers to himself. “Stop it, stop it.”

---

Near the crumbling wreckage of a stone alter, Shadowheart kneels in prayer seeking guidance and direction from her Lady. The darkness, the loss, the silence… they are vast and answerless. She opens her eyes and takes a deep breath in and out. Clenches her right hand, glancing at the ever-present wound there.

If only she could remember… anything useful. No matter. For now, it’s whatever path will take her back to Baldur’s Gate.

She gathers her components and packs them away, standing to walk back down the path toward camp. There’s a trio of crumbling walls that clearly used to be some sort of holy building and she walks along one, trailing her fingers over the soft moss overgrowth.

Then she turns round the corner of the broken temple to find a bristling, broody vampire leaned up against the wall with his arms folded, glaring at her with a tic in his jaw. He raises an accusatory finger.

"You," he says, the word hard on his tongue. "Are an arsehole."

She gives him a smug smile and arches her brow. "You're a bigger arsehole."

He refolds his arm and narrows his eyes at her. “Really think you’re clever, don’t you.”

The cleric shrugs and cuts off to the side to walk back to the path. “The goal was to make you lose your cool. Seems like it worked.”

Silently and suddenly he’s walking at her side, lip curling in disdain. “Congratulations to you, you managed to annoy me. Don’t do it again.”

“Oh, he’s testy tonight,” she says, putting a hand to her cheek in a mockery of shock. “Maybe you’d feel less the fool if you hadn’t been teaching her to talk dirty.”

“We can’t all be ice queens, dear,” he sneers. “Some of us are queens with needs.”

Shadowheart rolls her eyes and her entire head along with it. “You should be thanking me, then. I gave you your opening.”

Astarion stops and she keeps on walking.

“To what?” he says.

“To have your ‘needs’ met,” she calls over her shoulder. “I’m not the one who was teaching her to invite me betwixt her thighs. Have a frustrating night.”

Astarion makes an affronted noise after her, pouts a moment, and then calls back, “Your bangs are wretched, by the way.”

She throws a rude gesture up at him and continues onward.

---

He plots and flirts for three days straight before he decides to make his move. Tav’s guard is down, her shy little moments are increasing in frequency, and he can literally hear her heartbeat quicken when he’s near. If that’s not all signs pointing to yes, he doesn’t know what is.

All he has to do is, you know. Make the move. Which he’ll do. Soon.

Because she still makes the most sense. The others all adore her, listen to her. She’s the perfect choice of protector should his vampirism prove a problem to anyone. She’ll say yes. Of course she’ll say yes.

… of course she’ll say yes. No one denies him. It doesn’t happen.

… it rarely happens. Not as if he’d care if it did, this time.

Astarion rocks his weight onto his back leg, flicking his gaze up to see Tav kneeling near the campfire and giving the dog a generous belly rub. Before she stops, he goes back to his extremely casual reading. Standing posed outside his tent. Holding a book with the title facing out. Very normal.

After what feels like an hour, his ears pick up approaching footsteps and he skims the page he’s on, waiting.

“Is that a new one?” Tav asks timidly.

He closes the book and looks up to meet her. His close-lipped smile feels almost natural. Almost.

“There you are,” he says, dropping his register a fraction. “I was just thinking about you.”

Not a lie, actually.

She tucks her hair behind one ear. “Oh? Do I owe you something?”

He laughs and sets his book aside. “Only a bit of your time. I do enjoy it so very much.”

Tav quirks her mouth up on one side. “Yeah? You’re pretty okay, too.”

“Better than okay, I should hope.” He closely examines his thumbnail. “I’m… growing to enjoy the whole package, honestly.”

She doesn’t immediately respond and he chances a look up at her.

“Deer in the magicked light” is what one might call the expression on her face. She blinks rapidly and gives her head a small shake before she looks to the side, color rising prettily in her cheeks.

“Is that so?” she says, giving a tight laugh.

His smile starts to go a little toothy and he dials it back. “I’ve been thinking an awful lot about our last reading lessons,” he lilts at her, peering up through his lashes. “And our language lessons. I’ve been pondering over what other sorts of lessons I could offer.”

Tav’s cheeks go pink to red.

He leans in to speak softly, making her lean in closer to be able to hear him. “I like you,” he says. “And I think you like me, too. So?”

“So, what?” she blurts, immediately grimacing at her own outburst.

A giggle bubbles up out of him before he can stop it and he puts a hand up in front of his mouth to hide his smile. When he regains control, he lowers his hand. “So, I thought you might like to indulge in certain curiosities with me.”

I want to go down on you.

Astarion blinks the thought away as soon as it appears in his head, briefly letting his smile slip before he snatches it back.

Tav is blushing furiously, but she leans in closer to him nonetheless to whisper, “Like what, exactly?”

Elvish, rising like the language of his dreams: I want to drink of your fountain.

He gives his head a light shake, playing it off with a mirthful huff as he says lowly, “Like sex, sweet thing. Whatever kind you might be… interested in.”

Tav nods rapidly and hums, slowly leaning back and standing at her full height again, not quite meeting his eye. “I was pretty sure that’s what you meant, but you know. Better safe than sorry? Is that a thing people say?”

Astarion reaches out to gently guide her chin toward him until she’s looking at him. “Think about it. If you’re amicable, you’ll find me later at the clearing where you last offered me a bite after the others are asleep.” He chucks her under the chin. “I’ll be waiting.”

She nods once more, expression unchanged. “Yeah. Yep. Okay. I’m going to… see you later. Maybe.” Then she turns on her heel and walks away.

“See you later,” he says. “Lover.”

When she disappears into the dark, he blows out a breath, subtly shaking his hands out. That was a yes.

Right?

“Of course it was,” he snipes at his own brain.

---

Hours later, Astarion paces the moonlit clearing, fiddling with the cuffed sleeve of his shirt. The others must be asleep by now. He pulls at the sleeve. It feels too tight.

Should he take the shirt off? He should just take the shirt off.

He does.

Astarion glances around the clearing once more, noting the blanket he spread on the ground nearby. Not a bed, but you know. He’s okay with that, actually.

He clenches and unclenches his fists, rolling his hands at the wrists. Cracking his neck. Rolling out his shoulders. He takes a deep breath and forces himself to be still. Controlled. Practiced. This is an act he’s performed thousands of times. This is no different.

It’s not.

She’s going to come out of those bushes any moment and-

The bushes he’s looking at actually rustle and he jumps, whispering “oh, shit” before he can stop himself. He manages to put a smile back on his face just as the leaves part and a small doe takes two hops into the clearing and freezes when it spots him.

Astarion doesn’t move. He doesn’t even breathe. The doe relaxes very slightly, flicking an ear.

It’s one of the little black-tailed deer native to the area. He’s made a meal of more than one of them in recent days. Her coat is smooth and healthy, her eyes brown and clear.

The doe blinks at him and takes a step closer.

He gives a relieved chuckle and says, “There you are, Tav.”

“Oh, you heard me? Damn,” says a voice from behind him.

“Ah-” he yells. He tries to cut off the sound, but it’s too late. The doe spooks and bounds off into the underbrush once again.

“Apologies,” he says, regaining his composure and rolling his eyes to the stars above. “She was such a pretty little thing that I assumed it was you.” He starts to turn. “But I’m glad you made it. I was starting to worry you’d gotten lost and…” He finally sets eyes on her and loses his smile immediately. “... and you’re already naked.”

Tav stands before him without a stitch on, her long hair hanging over her rounded breasts and everything from the waist down on full display. He spots her clothing and staff in a neat stack nearby. Her whole body is flushed.

Astarion swallows. He’s seen untold numbers of people in states of full undress. This is routine. She caught him off-guard, is all.

“I… was I not supposed to be?” Tav says, hands going up to run nervously through her draping hair. “Sorry, I thought… you said sex? And then I saw that you had your shirt off, so…”

He holds up a hand and ticks up his brows. “No, no, it’s fine. It’s fine! I like it.” He finds the mask, the posture, like muscle memory. Slips back into the person in control. “You’re just full of surprises, beautiful.”

Tav rewards him with a bashful smile, continuing to comb her hands through her hair.

Astarion huffs a laugh. He can’t help himself. He approaches her with slow, intentional steps. “I had a whole catalog of poetic nothings to whisper in your ear, but looks like I needn’t bother, which is fine by me.” He stops in front of her, smiling his charmer’s smile. “So long as you still want to be tasted.”

He’s starting to notice it’s a good sign when the apples of her cheeks turn red. She nods. “I’d like to try the tongue thing, yes, please.”

“Good,” he purrs, reaching for her hips.

He pulls her in for a sweet, well-executed stage kiss. Most people needed about that much before they got to what they were really with him for. He pulls back and gives her a tight-lipped smile.

Tav looks into his eyes, her lips parted. She’s not moving, and oh gods, he’s going to have to lead completely, isn’t he? Ah well. Such is life.

But then she tucks her chin, her gaze going heated. The pupils of her eyes flicker, changing shape ever so slightly, and Astarion hardly has time to drop his pretender’s smile and ask before she surges forward and kisses him back, throwing her arms around his neck.

Astarion gives a surprised “mmmn!” as he stumbles slightly under her vigor, but he corrects quickly, wrapping his arms around her ribcage and lifting her against his body. Her tongue runs along his mouth and she’s nipping, nipping, and-

There’s a sharp sting on his bottom lip and he releases her right as she pulls back from him, hands to her mouth and eyes wide as saucers. He reaches up to touch his lip and when he looks at his fingers, they show a smeared drop of blood. He blinks down at it, astounded.

He feels a snap deep inside him as the monster in him, the hunter, stirs at the sight and scent of blood.

“I’m so sorry,” Tav says, dropping her hands. “It’s a druid thing, we can get a little wild, I’m really sorry, I won’t do it again.”

Astarion licks at the cut on his lip and stares at her face, his breath heavy and his shoulders ever so slightly hunched. He can see the smallest bit of his blood at the corner of her mouth.

“Do it again,” he says with a voice like gravel as he scoops her bodily up and goes to his knees so he can set her on the ground.

He lays his body on top of hers and she gasps as his mouth covers hers, exploring and hungry. It doesn’t take long for her to return it in kind, arms wrapped around his shoulders and tangled in his hair. He can’t even bring himself to care when she’s making it look like.

Murkily, his brain reminds him why he’s actually here.

Astarion forces himself away from her mouth and she whines at him, a sound far more animalistic than humanoid, but he doesn’t stop trailing his lips down her body until he gets to her hips. He rolls himself up onto his knees and runs his palms up the tops of her legs from knee to thigh, coaxing them open so he can position himself between.

He looks at her face to find her gaze far less “startled doe” and far more “she-wolf in heat.” Her tongue darts out, licking her lip before she says, “People really like to do this?” Then, “You like to do this?”

Astarion positively grins, his pointed teeth showing through.

"Yes. Though it’s a pity this is your first experience," he says through his feral smile. "Because no one will ever best what I'm about to do to you."

“O-okay,” she stammers, clutching her fists close to her sides.

He purrs deep in his throat and puts his mouth to the inside of her knee, the tip of his tongue tracing a sensual line down her thigh, toward her center. He holds her eye the entire time and delights when her leg twitches.

When he nears the crease of her hip, he gives her a sharp nip and she growls at him, bucking her hips. He runs his tongue up along the crease until he reaches her hipbone, to which he gives a firm suck. As she attempts to roll her hips toward him, he spreads a palm over her hips and applies pressure to hold her down.

“Shall we check to see how you’ve kept your garden?” he says, looking at her from under his brows as he speaks.

In response, Tav giggles and slaps a hand over her mouth. Then nods.

She drops her hand to the ground and shakes her head, murmuring, “It can’t be that different, I’m sure it’s just like…” She shudders in a breath. “... just like…”

Astarion parts his lips and huffs out his breath against the slick skin at her core, already shining with want and anticipation. The sensation is a warming one.

Tav continues muttering to herself. “Books are full of all kinds of nonsense, I’m sure it’s-”

He flicks his tongue right over her clit.

“Ah,” she yelps, trying to buck her hips again. He doesn’t let her.

But he does flick again.

“Wha-” she says, thighs jerking on either side of Astarion’s head. “Why is-”

Astarion presses the flat of his tongue firmly at her entrance and draws it slowly all the way to the hood, teasing with the tip before he curls his tongue in slightly and dips back down to better open her inner labia.

“Holy hells,” Tav groans out, her chest arching up and the hands clawing the ground at either side of her growing actual claws.

He gives her another lap before pulling back to smolder at her. “And here I’ve only just started,” he says, voice silky.

“Holy hells,” Tav shouts to the sky this time.

Astarion huffs a laugh against her and goes back down, playing her with highly practiced skill. Full, long licks paired alongside firm draws over the swelling pearl at her center. She continues to buck ever now and again, but mostly she’s gone near boneless above him, head lolling lazily to either side and fingers weakly gripping the grass on either side of her.

When her breathing begins to stutter and he feels the flutter of her getting close, he finally moves his hand from her belly back down until he can get the angle right. He places the tips of his two middle fingers at her entrance so he doesn’t surprise her and glances up to see her eyes flutter open. She stares down at him from between the mounds of her breasts, pupils blown wide.

She licks her bottom lip.

She nods.

Astarion slides his fingers inside her and begins to pump in time with the movements of his mouth. Tav goes wild, both literally and figuratively. The pupils of the eyes watching him go slitted like a cat’s, gradually dilating back as her teeth go sharp and a random patterning of fur shivers down the length of her body before turning back to skin.

He takes that as a good sign and curls his fingers inside of her until he finds what he’s looking for.

Tav bark-mewl-roar-calls into the air above the clearing, her hips grinding into his mouth and hand now that she can move them again.

“Why does that…” she gasps. “Feel… so… good?” The last word comes out a growl.

He’d answer, but his mouth is preoccupied and he dare not let it leave its task.

With his free hand, he pushes her thigh up and guides it higher until she can wrap her leg round his shoulders and he can go deeper. He feels the swell of her under his tongue, going harder beneath his touch, and he begins to trace circles around it as he continues to pump his fingers into her.

Tav’s entire body rolls, trying to get closer, to get more, to get-

She howls as the tension finally snaps. Literally howls, from the very bottom of her chest.

Astarion slows but doesn’t stop, continuing to fuck her through it as he feels her release in the palm of his hand. He’s gentle, taking a touch of pity on her as he gives her a few more soft licks before he leaves her, drawing his fingers from her at the same time. They’re a mess, as is his face. He sits back on his knees and looks her over with lidded eyes, a self-satisfied half-grin on his face. Then he reaches into his pocket to produce a soft cloth to clean up.

He’s not much of a planner, but he plans enough for things like this.

Tav lolls on the ground, her body fully returned back to humanoid form. All except her pupils, which continue to occasionally flicker across the animal kingdom.

“Oh, that was good,” Astarion says, brows raised and grin on his face as he wipes his hand down. “Even for me, that was good. You’re welcome.”

She throws one arm out to her side, then the other, and slowly pushes herself up onto her elbows, trying to focus on him. “Why doesn’t… everybody do that? Oh my gods.” She flops back onto the ground.

Oh, she’s very good for his pride. He gives a pleased wiggle.

“You tell me,” he says. “Or call upon your old lovers and ask.”

Tav weakly waves her hand through the air. “They were bad. I’ve realized. Just now. They were bad at sex.”

“Poor thing,” Astarion croons. “All better now.”

“Yeah.” She rolls onto her side and sits up. Shakes out her head. And starts to crawl toward him.

He instinctively leans back as she comes closer, breasts swaying as she moves. “What are you doing?” he says.

She blinks at him. “I’m going to do it back.”

He blinks at her. “What?”

Tav draws her knees closer and matches his kneeling posture. “I’m going to put my mouth on you back.” She waits a beat. “If you want me to.”

“Uh,” Astarion breathes before he shakes himself and gets his wits back about him. “I would like that very much,” he says. He tries to purr it, but slightly lower in pitch is the best he can do.

It’s been years since he’s been with anyone who even bothered to ask. Probably decades.

Tav beams at him, a bright smile that’s so sunshiny it nearly betrays what they’ve just done. She rolls up onto her knees and pulls him by the wrists to do the same so she can reach the laces that hold his trousers on. His arousal pulses near her hands.

Astarion blinks. He’s… more into this than he usually is.

He blinks again.

He’s very into it, actually.

His fingers go to join hers and together they make quick work of his pants and underthings. Gently, she guides him back to kneeling again as she curls forward. Without thinking too much about it, he reaches out so he can hold her hair up out of her face. She’s at eye level with his cock, inspecting it with the eye of someone all too familiar with all the things nature has to offer and completely unashamed for it.

Astarion swallows back the wanting sound that tries to claw its way out of him.

“Have you done this before?” he asks softly.

Tav peers up at him from her position below and bends her legs at the knees, kicking her feet slowly through the air. She shakes her head “no” and something frozen inside him melts. Best ignore that. That’s a future-him problem.

“You are adorable,” he breathes. He finds he means it in the affectionate way rather than the condescending one, which is alarming. That’s another future-him problem.

Astarion clears his throat. “Same general practice applies here, really,” he says lightly.

Tav licks her lips and reaches out to touch him. Her fingers on him give him a little jolt to the solar plexus and he curls toward her on instinct before he catches himself.

“Tell me if there’s something I could do better,” she says, simply.

Then she licks along the underside of his cock and puffs her breath out across it, much in the same way he did to her.

He curls in toward her again and tightens the hand in her hair.

She puts her mouth over the head of him and he’s enveloped in warmth and oh, yes, he remembers this. This feels good. This feels very good.

Tav doesn’t get down very far before she backs up again. When she pulls off, he reaches a hand down to cup her jaw and draw it down, parting her lips.

“Loosen your tongue,” he whispers. “Once more.”

She does. She descends on him again, relaxing her jaw and loosening her tongue, taking him down deeper and deeper with each pass. Astarion means to watch and guide her, he does, but instead his head lolls back, eyes falling closed, and he smiles. A real smile.

It feels so bloody good. It feels good and he doesn’t have to… he can just be…

Tav hums a little with him mostly inside her mouth and he gasps from it, blinking back to the surface.

Oh, that’s too good.

He lets her go a few seconds more before he tightens the fingers in her hair once more to still her and gently guide her back. His chest heaves as her mouth leaves him, a string of saliva connecting them, and Astarion shudders forward.

“What’s wrong?” Tav asks, her eyes wide and concerned.

She can’t look at him like that. That’s not fair.

He lifts her beneath her arms and pulls her up toward him, her face to his, and kisses her again. She happily responds, catching his lower lip between hers and nipping once more.

Astarion groans.

Hands on her face, he breaks their kiss and tries to collect his scattered thoughts. It’s all hazed over with want. There was a reason for this, they were supposed to… he was supposed to…

“Why don’t we…” He loses the thought and swallows. Tries again. “Let’s find our mutual…”

Words, words, words, where are his words?

Astarion hisses through his teeth. “Oh, just… sex. Let’s have sex.”

“Oh,” Tav breathes, lips swollen and cheeks ruddy. “Okay.”

Whatever he had planned, which was not much, goes completely sideways as she simply climbs up onto his lap, reaches between them, and holds him steady so she can sink down onto him.

He’s so wholly unprepared for the suddenness and initiative of it that his eyes nearly roll back in his head before his mind catches up and he grips her hip with his hand, guiding her as he rolls up to meet her, his hips rhythmic, until their hips meet and he bottoms out.

Tav throws her arms around his shoulders and immediately begins to rock against him, her eyes closed and her joyous grin on her face. Astarion is doing his absolute best not to completely lose himself in her heat, her closeness, her scent.

Her pulse, oh, gods.

Astarion rocks himself up into her with steady rolls of his hips, tilting in to press his open lips to her neck with a moan.

“You can,” she gasps as she rides him. “You can bite, if you want.”

He’s not sure if the words he makes are language, but he does know he’s biting her and her blood washes over his tongue and he drinks lazily, sipping as he fucks into her at the same time. His mind is so unbelievably, blissfully bare of anything except how good, how hot, how much, how full, how winding winding winding-

Astarion pulls off her neck with a gasp almost on the edge of his orgasm. Automatically, he reaches between them and uses all the wiles of a skilled lockpick to send her spiraling over her ledge a second time before he furrows his brow, slams his eyes shut, and yells out as he climaxes, his spend spilling where he’s still buried deep.

“Oh, fuck,” he blurts before he can stop himself, nearly collapsing onto his side with Tav along for the ride. He slips out of her on the way down and immediately feels the mess they’ve just made.

Another future-him problem.

Tav casts a very half-hearted create water spell that at least rinses them off. She drapes herself over his chest, dopey smile plastered on her face. “You win,” she says. “I see what all the fuss is about now.”

“I bet you do,” he says breathily.

He’s grateful she’s not looking at his face as he struggles to hide the worry pulling at his expression. It’s future-him time, and future-him is having a moment.

He just had the best sex he can remember having in… that he can remember. With someone who will still be alive in the morning. And he likes her.

Oh, hells.

He likes her.

[callingmelili]

A deal (part 2)

https://www.tumblr.com/callingmelili/740888816139796481/a-deal-part-2?source=share Part 1 here!!

Right where I am.

Right where I am.

I can't believe he has the gall to tell me that, I don't think before bracing myself on the floor and forcing my shaking thighs to cooperate in lifting me off the damn dildo. However hard my cunt is gripping it, it's slick with my juices and I've almost managed to find my balance on my knees when Mark shows up on the doorway. He tilts his head to the side as he strides towards me. "Did I happen to stutter, Mia?"

"Fuck you." I spit out, moving to get a foot underneath myself. He's faster, thoguh, so much so that I don't realize what he plans to du until his hands have pushed me down by the shoulders, driving the dildo base-deep into my cunt again. A ragged moan escapes my throat as it bottoms out and mark laughs. "You could at least pretend you're not enjoying this. See how easy you are with just a little help?"

I struggle against his hold, but between my exhausted legs and his physical superiority, I simply can't overcome the strength with which he's got me impaled by the dildo. "Let me go! What the fuck, Mark? This wasn't part of our agreement!" I look up at him, the distance between our eyes seeming even larger than it even is. Mark is a tall man, much taller than me when I'm standing up and a veritable giant right now, as I kneel in front of him. "Hey! Are you even listening, let me go!"

His mouth stretches into a smile. "Oh, sorry." The strength with which he's pushing me down diminishes, and I take the opportunity to surge forward before wondering why he didn't take his hands off my shoulders completely.

"I- Ah!" In a second I find myself right back where I started, speared open and writhing on the floor. Mark pushed me back down, and in the same movement he came closer, when I glare up at him I find my nose knocking into his hard, clothed cock. "Mark!" I wish it sounded less like I'm begging him for something and more like I'm annoyed but it's the best I can do at the moment.

Mark only stares down at me for a second before he bursts into laughter, hands tight around my shoulders. "Oh, you should see your face right now. You would make a good thumbnail in a porn site Mia." He grins and releases one of my shoulders to pull his phone out. "Now, smile."

I definitely don't smile, but he grabs my hair and forces my head back before snapping the picture anyways. My eyes prickle with humiliated tears as the gesture forces my center of gravity to shift and I grind down into the dildo that is spreading me open. "You're not getting away with this, you asshole."

"Yeah, yeah. You know, you can't prove you sent me that last picture. And even all the others… have you considered the fact that I could report you for prostituting yourself? Tsk, you've been so bad? I'm sure no one is going to look kindly upon this, so why don't you fill your mouth with something before it gets you into even more trouble." He glances pointedly at his own pants and my mouth falls open in realization. "Hurry up, do you want to be reported for soliciting?"

"Oh-" This time a tear does slide out of the corner of my eye. "You were-- You were planning this."

He rolls his eyes at me. "Of course I was. You've never been very smart, I guess I should have expected that you wouldn't catch on." He unbuckles his belt and glances pointedly at his thick, long cock, the imprint of which I can see pressed to the fabric. "Get with the program, will you? This is embarrassing."

"I hate you, I'm not a whore," I say, but my hands seem to have already resigned themselves to what is going to happen and undo his fly before taking out his cock. Realistically I don't have another choice. Well, I do, but it means losing my career and my future. "Do you think I don't have pride? Or dignity?"

"I have a whole camera roll that says you don't." He grips himself and slaps my cheek with his length, leaving a sticky trail to my mouth. "Don't make me mad Mia. I have a lot of patience but this is getting ridiculous. Use that dignity and pride to suck me off properly."

This is happening. I can't help but thinking incredulously as I open my mouth. This is happening, and Mark has his phone ready to document every second I spend sucking him off. This is happening and I can't stop it, this is happening and I'm so wet.

"Oh, that's a good whore. You've got a well trained mouth, don't you?" He pushes in, holding me tight by the hair. I'd initially thought of drawing it out but Mark is relentless, pushing me down on his cock until it's hitting the back of my throat. It takes all my willpower to not gag around it and let it slide in further. "C'mon baby, relax." He pulls back a little and thrusts back in. I'm dimly aware of the phone pointed at my face. "Shake those hips, alright? It's going to feel good."

Again, he thrusts in, again and again and I refuse to move until he slaps my cheek, cock still stuffing my mouth. "I said fuck yourself on that dildo, Mia. Now." He returns to fucking my face, hard enough to make my eyes water as I start clumsily grinding back on the dildo, whining around his cock at the sensation of being filled on both ends. "You look good like that." He grins, the hand that remained on my shoulder finally moving over to my head. He grips my pigtails like handlebars. "I'm going to tell you how this is going to work, you're going to nod and suck and keep fucking yourself or there will be consequences, understood?"

Wetness runs down my cheeks as I nod, somehow it's only then that I manage to nail the movement that has the dildo in my cunt hitting just the right places. My head is fuzzy, all I can hear is the wet sounds of my holes being filled again and again and Mark's voice. "That's a good whore. I expect this after every class, got it? You'll come wearing no panties and with one of your holes stuffed, when everyone's gone you're going to sit under my desk and keep your mouth around my cock unless I tell you otherwise." My eyes widen, he has office hours after class. Not that many people come by but there's no doubt I'll be sucking his cock at the same time my peers ask for academic advice. "I like to think you know your place, so from now on you will be sending me a picture of you naked in the bathrooms at college before every class. Make sure to write on your tits the time and where you're going."

His thrusts grow erratic, as do mine. I've already come once and my oversensitive cunt is clinging to the dildo."Nhhhhh" Saying no is about as useful as saying yes.

"That's right baby." he strokes my cheek. "I have a lot of ideas but we're starting gradually. You brought this on yourself by cheating after all. If you're good this will be fun but I can also make it difficult. You wouldn't want to have to dye your hair blond or get those huge tits pierced, would you?"

I'm so close, I whine around him as my hips stutter on the dildo. "Or maybe yes?" He laughs. "How about getting your lips filled? Or huge whore eyelashes? You should have just told me you were into that. We'll work it out." He groans. "Fuck I'm close. Ha. Be a good cunt and come with me, won't you Mia? It might not be as easy for you to get any sort of orgasms in the future."

It's degrading, it's terrifying. One misstep and I'll lose my career and everything I've worked for anyways on top of people considering me a pervert. He is turning me into a thing for his own amusement and I'm about to orgasm from it.

I feel Mark pulsing in my mouth at the same time that my cunt clenches around the dildo, and I feel a rush of wetness between my legs that soaks the floor while I shake int he throes of the best orgasm I've ever had.

After it passes I am mindless, still speared into the dildo as Mark tucks his cock away and wraps something around my neck. Something rich and thick that smells like him. "Fucked the words out of your head, didn't I?" He leans down to grab my tongue from where it's hanging out from my mouth. i don't remember sticking it out. His fingers pinch the soft flesh and force me to turn my head to the side, towards my mirror and then I see.

I see a whore with her owner, sitting in a puddle of her own juices, a dildo deep inside her cunt and her hips still thrusting back onto it with pathetic, little aborted movements. Mark has his belt wrapped around my throat like a leash, he's fully dressed where I'm only wearing socks and he's holding my tongue outside of my mouth, making my facial expression a sort of slutty surprise that only grows more degrading when paired with my bare breasts and pigtails.

Mark turns to press a harsh kiss to my temple and releases my tongue before lifting his phone and aiming it at the mirror. "Smile if you like our new deal, Mia."

This time I do smile as the shutter clicks.

[sunny-day-jack-official]

URGENT! Stop KOSA!

Hey all, this is BáiYù and Sauce here with something that isn't necessarily SnaccPop related, but it's important nonetheless. For those of you who follow US politics, The Kids Online Safety Act passed the Senate yesterday and is moving forward.

This is bad news for everyone on the internet, even outside of the USA.

What is KOSA?

While it's officially known as "The Kids Online Safety Act," KOSA is an internet censorship masquerading as another "protect the children" bill, much in the same way SESTA/FOSTA claimed that it would stop illegal sex trafficking but instead hurt sex workers and their safety. KOSA was originally introduced by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass. and Bill Cassidy, R-La. as a way to update the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Act, raising the age of consent for data collection to 16 among other things. You can read the original press release of KOSA here, while you can read the full updated text of the bill on the official USA Congress website.

You can read the following articles about KOSA here:

EFF: The Kids Online Safety Act is Still A Huge Danger to Our Rights Online

CyberScoop: Children’s online safety bills clear Senate hurdle despite strong civil liberties pushback

TeenVogue: The Kids Online Safety Act Would Harm LGBTQ+ Youth, Restrict Access to Information and Community

The quick TL;DR:

KOSA authorizes an individual state attorneys general to decide what might harm minors

Websites will likely preemptively remove and ban content to avoid upsetting state attorneys generals (this will likely be topics such as abortion, queerness, feminism, sexual content, and others)

In order for a platform to know which users are minors, they'll require a more invasive age and personal data verification method

Parents will be granted more surveillance tools to see what their children are doing on the web

KOSA is supported by Christofascists and those seeking to harm the LGBTQ+ community

If a website holding personally identifying information and government documents is hacked, that's a major cybersecurity breach waiting to happen

What Does This Mean?

You don't have to look far to see or hear about the violence being done to the neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ communities worldwide, who are oftentimes one and the same. Social media sites censoring discussion of these topics would stand to do even further harm to folks who lack access to local resources to understand themselves and the hardships they face; in addition, the fact that websites would likely store personally identifying information and government documents means the death of any notion of privacy.

Sex workers and those living in certain countries already are at risk of losing their ways of life, living in a reality where their online activities are closely surveilled; if KOSA officially becomes law, this will become a reality for many more people and endanger those at the fringes of society even worse than it already is.

Why This Matters Outside of The USA

I previously mentioned SESTA/FOSTA, which passed and became US law in 2018. This bill enabled many of the anti-adult content attitudes that many popular websites are taking these days as well as the tightening of restrictions laid down by payment processors. Companies and sites hosted in the USA have to follow US laws even if they're accessible worldwide, meaning that folks overseas suffer as well.

What Can You Do?

If you're a US citizen, contact your Senators and tell them that you oppose KOSA. This can be as an email, letter, or phone call that you make to your state Senator.

For resources on how to do so, view the following links:

https://www.badinternetbills.com/#kosa

https://www.stopkosa.com/

https://linktr.ee/stopkosa

If you live outside of the US or cannot vote, the best thing you can do is sign the petition at the Stop KOSA website, alert your US friends about what's happening, and raise some noise.

Above all else, don’t panic. By staying informed by what’s going on, you can prepare for the legal battles ahead.

[jazzthatonewriterchick]

The Greatest Gift of All (JJK Men x Black!Fem!Reader 18+ One Shot)

"How’s this for a Christmas gift, hm?"

Pairing: JJK Men x Black!Fem!Reader

Synopsis: In which your friends take it upon themselves to help you release your inner slut by taking you to a glory hole for the first time to get you some dick for Christmas. Many of them.

Warnings: Smutty Smut; 18+ (MINORS GTFO); Dubcon/R*pe (to be safe); Reader is Fem; Reader is Black-coded; Reader Has Breasts/ Pussy/Brown Nipples/Thick Thighs/Curves; Gloryhole; Deepthroating; Face-Fucking; Hair-Pulling; SLOPPY Blowjobs & Cunnilingus; Fingering; Anal Play/Anal; Ripping Clothes; Some Dacryphilia; Unprotected PIV Sex; Creampies; Bukkake; Consensual Gangbang; Petnames; Degradation; Praise; Aftercare

Petnames According to Characters:

Gojo: Cutie

Geto: Baby Doll

Nanami: Darling

Sukuna: Princess

Choso: Mama

Mahito: Kitty

Toji: Little Girl

Shiu: Pretty Girl

Ino: Sugar

Todo: Gorgeous

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters mentioned in this fic. However, as this is my writing, I do not give permission for my work to be reposted on any other sites that are not from my own accounts. Thank you!

*IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Regarding the "dubcon/r*pe" warning, while the reader does consent to a gangbang, there are parts in this one shot where she does not VERBALLY consent to different, sexual things done to her, BUT does enjoy them.

Writer’s Note: MERRY (early) CHRISTMAS, YA FILTHY SLUTS!! I'm wine drunk & going to bed. Brace yourselves. This one is very long & VERY nasty. Enjoy & stay sexy! Love you! -Jazz

*********

You stand in front of the strange building with its glowing, neon sign pointing down the stairwell beneath the building, staring at them like they’re the gates leading straight to Hell.

“You’ve got to be fuckin’ joking,” you whisper to yourself. 

You turn to your friends who excitedly stare at you under the glowing street lamps, their excited breaths leaving their mouths in puffs of air in the cold December night. “This was your gift to me for Christmas?!” you squeak. “A glory hole?! You brought me to a fuckin’ glory hole of all places?!” 

“Surprise!” Shoko shouts while Mai excitedly giggles. Beside her, Maki just looks ready to get inside somewhere and get warm, hugging herself in her waistcoat. “We said we were taking you to one of the greatest places on Earth,” Shoko continues, puffing on her cigarette in her red coat and nylon stockings. 

You would’ve thought judging from her outfit, along with the rest of the girls’, that you were going to a nightclub after dinner, which was what the girls originally told you they were taking you to before mentioning taking you to “the greatest place on Earth”. They left you complete in the dark during the car ride here, and now you understand why. “Shoko, one of the greatest places on Earth is Disney World or a spa. Nothing a damn glory hole. Like…I can’t even believe this.” 

You press your hands to your temples, rubbing them as if that will help this unbelievable situation process quicker. Mai giggles in between Shoko and her sister in her faux fur coat, her glossy lips curled into a smile. “Believe it, baby,” she chuckles. “We brought you here as a way to show you that we appreciate you. It’s the best Christmas gift we could come up with for you.” 

You gape at her. “You seriously couldn’t have came up with something else to get me? Like a bag or even a vacation? This is what you decided on?” You motion to the building, exasperated. “I would’ve even had taken a club hop and dinner, which I thought y’all were taking me to!” 

That was the whole reason why you dressed up in your best sexy clothes for tonight: a mini dress that hugs your curves and ass, and makes your skin pop with its bright color (you wanted to catch eyes tonight); nylon stockings that stick to your shapely legs and thick thighs; a push-up bra to show off your breasts to every eligible, sexy guy on the street; rhinestone heels that you can still walk and dance in. You did your hair, letting your braids/twists/coils/curls down to bounce around your face that Mai perfected for you with eyeshadow, blush, and Fenty Gloss to make your plump lips look even more appetizing. 

Now you’re getting the feeling that Mai only did your makeup just so it can be ruined in here. 

“And we still will!” Shoko protests. “Honey, no way am I giving up on that hibachi dinner. And if you’re still in the mood and got all your energy after this, we can go clubbing. The night is still young, girl!” 

“Plus, the clubs don’t open till about 8,” Maki chimes in, hugging herself tight in her black coat. She’s still wearing her glasses despite her eyes coated in dark eyeshadow and sharp eyeliner. “We’ve got an hour till then.” You stare at her, wanting to throw a tantrum. “You’re not supposed to chime into this, Maki,” you groan. “You’re supposed to be the sensible one!” 

“She’s the one who had the idea,” Mai giggles. “My sister can be such a slut sometimes.” She bumps her hip with Maki’s, making the long-haired girl blush behind her spectacles. “Stop,” she whines. “And logically speaking, the best cure for winter blues and burnout is sex. It’s scientifically proven.” 

You squint at her, not believing a word she says. “Is it though?” you argue. Maki just shrugs, not denying or arguing back. “I mean, how did you even find this place?” 

“It’s been here for a hot minute,” Shoko explains. “Plenty of young, tender folks like us venture in and out of here for a quickie. I’ve been going here for the longest ‘cause it makes for a great spot for a no-strings-attached, hot, anonymous sex.” She gives you a wink that makes your stomach churn. “And it’s a reverse glory hole too, meaning you can get your nut as well as give someone else theirs.” 

You stare at your friends and then at the blinking neon sign pointing down the staircase like it descends into Hell. You can hardly imagine yourself walking in there in your mini dress and heels, looking all pretty, only to be wrecked by the strangers wandering in and out of the dark that you don’t even know. Let alone their faces! You step away from your friends then, putting your hands out to stop them from coming near you. 

“No,” you firmly say. “No way am I going in there. I’d rather go to the club and fuck somebody in the bathroom than do this.” 

As soon as you say it, you know that it is the wrong thing to say. Shoko raises a questionable eyebrow at you. “So what’s the difference between fuckin’ a guy in a nightclub bathroom and fuckin’ a guy at a glory hole? Either way, you don’t know the dude!” 

You flush embarrassingly, knowing that she’s right. “And each guy that comes in is tested and has background checks, so no weird shit,” Mai adds. “Don’t worry; we’ll show you everything once we get in.” She goes to take your hand, but your hand goes slack, your fingers refusing to interlock with hers. Your stomach is churning like you’re about to vomit and you feel like you can’t breathe despite the frigid air surrounding you. “I'm sorry, girls, but I can’t. I’m gonna take an Uber back and–“ 

“The hell you are!” Shoko scoffs, glaring at you. “We paid $25 each to get you your own private room for an hour and you’re not about to waste this gift.” Maki huffs exhaustingly, visibly shivering in her coat. “Can we please just get out of the cold? I’m freezing my tits off at this point.” 

You look back up at the glory hole sign, biting your lip. “I-I don’t know…” The truth is you do want to go in. You want to throw caution to the wind and experience what the girls are saying will get you out of your rut that has been bugging you since November came and hasn’t left since despite Christmas finally being here and all of that hard work (and money spent) being done. You’ve been working extra hard to rack up for Christmas gifts and save money, which means working extra hours at work and budgeting….even if that meant calling off plans with your friends and staying in. 

It has made you extremely stressed and they say that sex is the best stress reliever. And you’ve wanted sex for the longest time. You want nothing more than to feel hands on your body; lips on yours; a thick, throbbing cock filling you up; someone taking care of you the way you can’t. The most you can do is use your fingers and sex toys that you keep close to you in your nightstand, and though it feels good, each orgasm has been feeling more unsatisfying than the last. 

You need something more. Something intense. Explosive. You need your hair pulled and your ass spanked. You need your mouth filled as you’re told what a naughty slut and a good girl you are. But the idea of doing this with someone you barely know, let alone multiple men, makes you nervous. 

Mai must sense your apprehension because you squeezes your hand tight. “Hey,” she says soothingly. “We know you’re apprehensive and we know you were looking to a normal gift and some food, but we only did this because we know how burnt out you’ve been lately. Every time we see you, you’ve got dark circles under your eyes and you’ve mentioned how you’ve been sleeping less and less.” 

“And you cancel plans with us nowadays just to work,” Shoko adds. 

“And you’ve mentioned before how you’re not dating,” Maki adds. “So that only adds more stress to you.” Maki eagerly nods. “It’s not good for the body or for her!” She nods down at your thighs and you flush harder, hugging your coat flaps together to hide yourself from review. 

You know that they’re right. Dammit, all of them are! You’ve been noticing how haggard you’ve been looking and no kind of creams or vitamins are making it better. Not to mention how irritable you find yourself getting over minor shit, like a stain on your shirt or someone stepping in front of you in a line. While irritating, you find yourself wanting to flash out more and more. It doesn’t feel good, especially now that you know your friends have noticed it too. 

Maki squeezes your shoulder comfortingly. “You’ve been working so hard, Y/N, and you deserve a reward for that. What better way to be rewarded than to get fucked by a bunch of sexy guys all at once?” She winks at you, giving you an encouraging smile. “Just trust us. We’d never steer you wrong. You’re going to love this!” 

You, once again, gnaw on your bottom lip harshly. “Well…” You look at the sign and the steps again, wondering just what will await you once you venture down those steps. You don’t know what it is, maybe the comfort and encouragement sparkling in your friends’ eyes or the undeniable ache between your thighs, but you find yourself giving in to temptation and accepting their “gift” to you. “Okay,” you sigh. “Let’s go.” 

Shoko and Mai let out a loud cheer while Maki sighs in relief, happy to finally be escaping the December cold. Maki hooks your arm through hers while Shoko practically drags to toward the staircase with its iron railing and concrete steps. You carefully step down each in your heels, your heart thundering in your chest the closer to get to the door to the secret club. Once you finally make it down the steps, Shoko knocks on the door thrice, causing a guard to emerge from inside. He eyes each of you curiously yet intimidatingly, towering over each of you. 

“Hi, there!” Mai greets, giving him a finger waggle with her manicured nails. “We’re here for the party. Champagne floats.” At this, the guard gives a wordless nod and asks for your IDs to which you show him. Once he sees every single one, he steps away from the door and lets you inside. “Have fun,” he grumbles, humor in his tone despite his rough voice. 

“Oh, we will,” Shoko chuckles. “Especially her.” She wraps an arm around you as she guides you inside the building which starts off as a dark hallway only lit by Christmas lights strewn along the walls as decoration, making your journey much more intense…and also exciting. With each click of your heel and your friends’ excited, hushed whispers, you can feel each emotion tighten into a ball inside of you, threatening to explode. When you finally reach the end of the hall, soft music with an R&B twang hits your ear as you come to the front desk where a young woman in a leather dress, piercings, and very nice breasts pushed up purposely high on her chest greets you four. “Welcome to the Underground,” she greets you in a sultry yet kind voice. “First time here?” 

“Not for us,” Shoko explains, “but for her, yes. Go easy on this one.” She nudges you, earning a glare and a giggle from your friends. “That’s alright,” the desk clerk giggles. “I’ll show you around and how everything works around here. Just let me look up your name and what room you’ll have tonight.” 

After looking up your name and finding your location, that being in the “master room” (whatever the fuck that means), she walks you and your friends down the endless hallway of doors. You believe you hear moans and lewd, wet sounds that remind you of unholy activities, but maybe that’s just your paranoia talking. The clerk brings you to a gorgeous foyer space with carpeted floors, arm chairs and a blazing fireplace. The atmosphere gives you a cozy yet sensual feeling. 

“This is what we call the Master Hall,” the clerk explains. “It’s for renters with the most money, which means the rooms come with more complementary items, such as a shower, furniture, and drinks for hydration.” She walks over to one of the many doors surrounding the hall, using a key to unlock it. 

“We’re just the peasants tonight,” Shoko whispers, earning giggles from the Zenin sisters. 

The door is opened, revealing a beautiful and tasteful booth-like room (big enough to hold three people) that smells of lavender and vanilla. It comes with a shaggy carpet that sits between two armchairs, a loveseat, and a small table littered with mini water bottles, packages snacks, and a small tablet with its cord connected to a wall…a wall littered with holes. It is the same thing on the wall behind you. 

Holes for cocks. Holes to fit your legs through for your own pleasure (including a bench for comfort). Holes to present your ass for the customer behind the wall. 

You flush at the sight of them, swallowing harshly. It’s so hard not to stare at them, picturing yourself sticking your ass or pussy in one of them. Though lewd and dirty, it is also arousing. You can feel a warm tingle between your inner thighs at the sheer thought of a hot guy coming through, deciding your pussy is pretty enough, and fucking you until you’re a mess.

From here, the clerk shows everything you will need to know about your time here, including what each hole is used for and how to position yourself for comfort. She also gives you a rundown of the number one rule: “Consent is key, so if someone asks you to do something you’re not comfortable with and they refuse to respect your decision or feelings, you contact us immediately on the tablet and they’ll be escorted out.” You nod your head eagerly, putting that away for later. She smiles then, excitedly. “And that’s it! I hope you enjoy yourself, sweetie. Just give me a call if you need anything.” She gives you a wink before walking out of the room in her heels, leaving the door open just a smidge. 

You look at the girls for comfort or encouragement, but they’re already heading out to give you your privacy. “We’ll be right next door if you need us, babe,” Mai says as she inches towards the door. You feel your stomach flip with fear at the idea of being left alone in such a strange place. “Wait,” you gasp. “Y’all are leaving me?” 

Maki almost looks apologetic but even she doesn’t stop to stay. “Of course!” Shoko cackles. “After all, you’ll need the privacy. Have fun, girl.”

She gives you a wink before she shoos Maki and Mai out the door and closes it behind her, leaving you alone in the clean yet terrifying room with its damned holes. You feel yourself wanting to run out of the room and down the street to call a Lyft to take you home, but how would your friends react to that? They did use their own money for this. To bail now would make you feel guilty… 

And also like you’d miss out on something. Something satisfying. Something that may fulfill you if you give it a try. Plus, the idea of the men who come in being checked previously before you “spend time with them” makes you feel even better about the whole situation. To calm yourself as you wait, take advantage of the offered drinks and snacks. As sit down in one of the armchairs and proceed to sip on a beer and chomp down on a bag of chips to push away the nagging anxiety, you hear a ding come from outside your room. 

And then a knock along the wall facing you. Your heart nearly falls into your ass and you roughly swallow a chip. ‘One already?’ you think. You haven't even been here for twenty minutes…or have you? You haven’t been looking at the time. 

“Hello over there?” a silky voice calls through the wall, startling you. “Anyone in there?” You find your voice failing you, even as the stranger knocks on the wall. 

“Cut it out, Satoru,” another silkier yet deeper voice criticizes his partner. “Obviously, someone is there. She must be shy.” 

“It’s okay, stranger,” Satoru, which is apparently his name, teasingly says. “We won’t bite…unless you want us to. Come over and introduce yourself. I know there’s a wall here, but still, we’d like to meet you.” You can hear the smile in his voice and the deep chuckle of his friend. Their voices are extremely attractive; the type that belong to two very attractive men. But are you to take on two men at the same time your first time here? 

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, you slither off of the chair and crawl towards the two holes in the wall that the two strangers stand at. “Uh…h-hi,” you stutter. “It’s nice to meet you both.” You hear them both lightly laugh at the sound of your voice, making your stomach flip like a schoolgirl with a crush. “Nice to meet you too, cutie,” Satoru chuckles. “First time here, I’m guessing?” 

“Does it show?” you sheepishly ask. You each chuckle, the tension ebbed somewhat. “This was a Christmas gift from my friends.” At this, both of them full on laugh. “To a glory hole?” Satoru guffaws. “Guess you really must’ve been needing it then, don’t you think, Suguru?” 

His friend, Suguru, hums in agreement. “No shame in that,” he adds. “Sometimes, we all need a stress reliever. We come here just for that. I’m sure you need the same thing if you agreed to be here, right?” His tone has taken on a seductive purr that works on you shockingly well, making you shiver and shudder in delight. 

“So you got a name?” Satoru asks randomly. The question is so simple but it startled you all the same. “Satoru,” Suguru growls in warning. “You know names are a forbidden topic here. Don't get us kicked out.” 

“It’s okay,” you say abruptly, shocking yourself. “Y/N. My name is Y/N.” 

Satoru hums, pleased with your obedience and name. “Cute name,” he comments. “But if you’re not comfortable with us usin’ your name, we can always use pet names. You okay with that?” You swear, you nearly gush in your undies at the mention of pet names. You’re a certified sucker for them. “Uh-huh,” you reply, nervously wriggling your fingers. 

Satoru chuckles at your answer, whether out of humor or endearment, you have no idea. “Well, now that we’re all acquainted, do you mind if we fuck your throat for a little while, cutie?” he purrs. Before you can even utter an answer, two cocks are suddenly sliding their way through the two holes facing you. Your eyes widen at them and how big they are. While Satoru is on the thicker side and veinier with a clean cut of white pubic hairs, Suguru is much longer and curves upward, his pubics bare and completely shaven. “Go ahead, baby doll,” he coos. “Pick whoever you want. There’s no rush.” 

“And if you pick this loser, just don’t leave me out,” Satoru adds, pouting. “You’ve got a free hand, don't ya, cutie?”

You stare at them for a moment longer, mouth agape and trembling. Can you really do this? Are you about to do this? You don't even know these men and you’re about to give them both blowjobs! You can hardly believe it. But at the same time, you’re relishing it. You feel a thrill shoot through you like being at the top of a rollercoaster before it hits that drop. 

You first spit in your hand and rub both together to coat them in your saliva before you wrap them both around both cocks, stroking them up and down, testing out how they feel in your palms. They feel heavy like they could whack you in the face and possibly leave a mark. Soft moans and encouraging grunts leave their lips at the feeling of your soft, little hands stroking them. You become hypnotized by the shiny coat of your spit on their cocks and how your skin tone contrasts with their lighter skin–Satoru is paler while Suguru is a bit tanner. 

Finding yourself salivating, you go for the real thrill seeker and lean in towards Suguru’s cock first as he is the longest one and may possibly hit the back of your throat. You wrap your lips around his head and begin to lightly suck him there before going deeper, pushing half of his shaft into your mouth while your hand strokes the other. His loud moan as soon as your wet mouth and tongue wrap around his cock is orgasmic, making that tingle between your inner thighs grow. 

“Dammit,” Satoru growls, jealous that his friend gets your mouth before he does. “You lucky bastard.” Suguru begins to thrust his cock slowly into your mouth, sliding it along your tongue. “That’s it, baby doll,” he huffs. “Take me. You’re doing so well so far.” He takes a moment to slide out and slap his cock against your wet tongue before sliding back in, filling your mouth until he lightly hits the back of your throat. 

Your throat flexes around him for a moment and you gag, not used to having such a large appendage in your mouth. And so deep! All you can taste and smell is him, his scent a mixture of cologne and lavender soap that seems to make you wetter. The sounds of his enjoyment only make you hornier and you find yourself swallowing his dick whole, ignoring the way your eyes sting with tears. "Fuck, your mouth feels heavenly, baby doll,” he groans. “I wish I could see the pretty face I’m fucking into.” 

Satoru peers through the hole where he sees your glossy, plump lips wrapped around his friend’s dick, saliva dripping from your chin. “Just look at those lips!” He growls, almost animalistic. He begins to fuck your hand faster, picturing that it’s your mouth. Or, even better, your tight pussy. “So fuckin’ pretty wrapped around that big cock…we’ve gotta switch, Suguru, or else, I’m killing you.” 

Suguru chuckles. “No need to get hostile, sir. Have at her, but don't get greedy.” He pulls out with a soft groan, slipping his cock out of your mouth. You take a moment to catch your breath before switching to Satoru who isn’t that gentle. As soon as he’s inside of your mouth, he is thrusting his entire cock into your throat, stroking the walls of your throat and filling your mouth up with nothing but him. You let out a squeal of protest as he goes too deep, making your gag reflex kick in, but as your throat flexes around him, he shudders with delight and pleasure. “Ohhh, shiiiit!” Satoru hisses. “You were right, man: her mouth is heavenly. God, her little throat is such a good cock sleeve.” He continues to thrust into your mouth, making you take all of it. “C’mon, cutie, take that big dick. Swallow it all like I know you can.” 

You know you have a choice to move away, to pop off of his cock and take a breath…but you don’t. You stay on your knees with a pillow underneath you that you snatch off of one of the chairs without tearing your lips away from Satoru’s cock. You suck and gag on him like your life depends on it while stroking Suguru’s cock in time with your sucking until you’re working both cocks like it’s your profession. 

As you do, another stranger comes out to the wall on your left where your other free hand lies. “I suppose I was too late for your mouth,” the stranger sighs. “But perhaps you have another hand free, darling?” His voice, calm, deep and coated in honey, makes you shiver. 

“Nanami?!” Satoru guffaws, still fucking your mouth. “Oh, shit, you come here too?!” Nanami doesn’t sound too happy about seeing someone here that he knows. “I don’t know you,” he growls. “And you won’t mention this to anyone or else I’ll find you later and kill you myself.” 

“I guess everyone needs a Christmas stress reliever,” Suguru chuckles, his voice breathless and strained from constantly fucking your hand like it’s his toy. “You’ll find it with this one. I promise you. She’s a first timer, but she’s so good at what she’s doing.”

Satoru hums in agreement, slipping out to give Suguru another chance at fucking your sloppy throat. “That she is,” he agrees. “You wanna takin three big cocks at the same time, cutie? You don’t have to think about anything except makin’ these cocks cum.” 

You find yourself wanting just that: to be nothing but an object for these three men. To be a hole for them to fuck because it pleases you too. You don’t want to think about anything––not Christmas or work or money––but making them bust their loads all over you. So you reach a hand out and grasp Nanami’s cock which is just as veiny and thick as Satoru’s and protrudes from a nest of clean, cut, golden hairs. His shuddery moan makes your stomach flip in excitement, especially when he joins the chorus of moans, grunts, and pleasurable sighs from the duo. 

For a while, it’s just the three of them…until it isn’t. Two more men show up, behind the wall facing your back. One of them knocks on the wall, startling you enough to retract your mouth from Suguru’s cock. “Boring,” the stranger grumbles, his voice raspy yet smooth, sending chills up and down your skin. “Don’t tell me you three losers have just been pumping your dicks in her holes and haven’t touched her yet. Amateurs.” 

“It’s truly a shame, brother,” the other stranger, his voice softer yet deeper, agrees. “And she’s a pretty little thing from the looks of this photo. I bet that ass and pussy are even prettier. You wanna show us what those losers are missin’ out on, mama? Skunka and I can take care of you.” His voice and the idea of being touched by them tempts you more than you can explain. 

“Reaaal good,” Sukuna growls. “You haven’t seen a big dick yet, princess. Choso and I both two. Now get that pussy over here before I lose my patience.” 

“That’s no way to talk to this girl!” Satoru criticizes though he has switched places with Suguru again and is now thrusting into your throat until his balls swing against your chin. “This is…fuck, cutie…her first time!” 

“Are you sayin’ we don’t have big dicks too?” Suguru asks, sounding irritated with and offended by the statement. 

“Ooooh,” Sukuna coos, full-on ignoring Suguru, the sound sending a shiver up your spine. “Even better. Don’t worry; I’ll prep her first. That’s why the lube is here.” Choso chuckles mischievously behind the wall, giving you a sense that they plan to do exactly what they are telling you…and won’t be gentle about it either. 

Before you even realize what you’re doing, you are lifting your ass in the air and pressing it into the hole behind you that is big enough to fit your ass cheeks and your pussy into it at the same time. The brothers groan at the sight of your plump ass and wet pussy on display for them, leading Skunk to squirt some lube onto his fingers while Choso lightly glides his fingers over your slit. You can’t help the soft moans that escape you as you continue to blow Satoru and Suguru while stroking Nanami. 

“Fuck, what a pretty voice,” Sukuna groans. “I know you’re prettier in person. Just as pretty as this slutty fuckin’ pussy.” He replaces Choso’s fingers and gives your pussy a light slap before gently running his cold, slick fingers over and around your slit. You retract your lips from Satoru's cock, hissing at the sensation. “Shh, mama,” Choso coos, stroking your backside comfortingly. “We won’t hurt you. Sukuna’s just gonna add some fingers, okay?” 

You do your best to relax, but nothing can prepare you for Sukuna’s thick fingers sliding inside you. “Fuck!” you moan around Satoru’s cock. The older, pink-haired brother begins to slowly fuck you with his fingers, rubbing your clit in time with his thrusts. As he does, lewd sounds of his fingers stroking the inside of your sobbing, wet pussy fill the air along with the famished moans and groans of the men surrounding you (so far). 

“Shit,” Satoru hisses. “I can hear how wet you are, cutie. That’s gonna make me fucking cum!” You can tell by how big his cock has gotten inside of your throat and how rough his thrusts have become, fucking your mouth like it’s his own fleshlight. Suguru hums in agreement, also fucking your hand as he swells inside of your palm. “Me too,” he pants. “Lemme fuck her mouth too, Satoru. Don’t be fuckin’ selfish.” 

Satoru listens, sliding out of your mouth to give Suguru a chance to fuck it. Your throat has become raw, a slight burning sensation now present from it being constantly fucked and stretched. 

“When you two are finish with her, pass her over to me,” Nanami demands, his tone strained and needy. “I can’t be satisfied with just her hand…though you’re doing a great job, darling. Such a good slut for me.” He grunts as he continues to fuck your hand, wet with your saliva and his dripping pre. 

Meanwhile, you continue to be finger fucked, stretching out your pussy and helping you accommodate to the digits inside of you. “Good girl,” Sukuna approvingly says. “Takin’ a stranger’s thick fingers so nicely. Mmmm, I’m gonna have fun stretchin’ this hole out the way it needs to be.” He curls his fingers up, drawing a loud whimper out of you that excites your customers. Choso is feening for you, buckling his pants to pull out his hard cock and pumping it in time with his brother’s finger fucking. “C’mon, bro, let me feel her too,” he groans. 

Sukuna angrily huffs, not sounding happy with being interrupted. “Then you’d be fuckin’ up my hard work,” he growls. “But you can taste her. Come here and put that tongue in her cunt.” The littlest, dark-haired brother does just that. Your soul practically leaves your body when he begins to suck on your clit while Sukuna continues to finger you, both brothers playing with your pussy. 

The immense pleasure you feel makes your body tingle and your mouth form an O-shape as you tear your lips away from Suguru’s dick. “Oh, my God!” you sob at the top of your lungs, causing Satoru and Suguru to quickly reach their end. They love hearing how pathetic and needy you sound as your pussy is eaten and fucked at the same time. How they wish they could see you…touch you… They each begin to fuck their fists to chase their orgasms, pumping their dicks in time with your sweet moans and whimpers. 

“Fuck, you’re so fuckin’ hot, cutie,” Satoru moans. “I'm gonna fuckin’ cum on that pretty face of yours.” 

“Me too, shit,” Suguru groans. “Take it all, baby doll. Don’t disappoint us, okay?”

Before you can answer, the duo each let out loud, muffled moans from behind the wall as they finally explode, cumming all over your face and cleavage, staining a bit of your dress with their nut. You gasp in surprise at the warmth that splashes across your skin as they cum on your face, ruining your makeup and coating your lips in their cum. Their loud, boisterous moans of pleasure quickly morph into soft sighs and groans as they come down from their orgasmic highs, chuckling slightly as they are sedated for the time being. 

“Oooh, I can hear that someone got a facial,” a deep, rumbling, unfamiliar voice chuckles. “Am I too late for the party?” At this rate, you don’t know which wall he’s at.

“Just for her mouth,” Nanami growls. “I’m using it right now. Isn’t that right, darling?” You don’t know what possesses you, but after wiping most of the cum off of your lips and dabbing at your face with the towel provided, you turn your attention to Nanami and latch your lips onto him his cock. He begins thrusting immediately, not giving you any chance to breath or prepare yourself. 

Because of his rough thrusting, you accidentally graze his cock with your teeth, earning a sharp inhale. Nanami takes his cock out of your mouth to smack you in the face with it, tapping it onto your cheek. "No teeth, darling,” he huffs. “I was under the impression that you were good at this. Don’t disappoint me.” 

“You’d better be careful not to do that unless you want a spanking,” Sukuna chuckles, still fingering you. Choso hums against your clit, the vibrations traveling up to your waist and causing your hips to shimmy uncontrollably in the hole, desperate to push your ass into the sensations. “Oh, an ass wiggle?” Sukuna chuckles darkly. Guess you want one right now.” 

Smack! The sharp sound and sensation of a hand coming down hard onto one of your asscheeks makes you wince and let out a gargled moan as Nanami continues to fuck your throat. “Oooh, an I join in on that?” Toji asks, obviously lust quivering in his voice. “Seeing that ass jiggle was just too good. I wanna punish this little slut too.” 

“Make that for two,” another unfamiliar, deep yet equally as sexy voice chimes in. Toji laughs in delight. “Damn, that was fast. You finish up with the other little slut you had wrapped around your dick five minutes ago, Shiu?” The stranger–Shiu–scoffs through a chuckle. “More like I didn’t finish at all. Not after seein’ all these horny fucks over here, but now that I got a look at this pretty girl’s photo, I can see why.” 

“Be my guest,” Sukuna chortles, delighted with the idea of you being punished by multiple men. “Just don’t have too much fun. Choso and I still gotta make this little slut cum, don’t we, Choso?” The younger brother groans in agreement against your clit as he eagerly sucks and slurps at it. “Actually, bro, take a breather,” Sukuna rumbles. “I wanna taste this whore for myself now.” 

So the brothers switch, Sukuna now latching his eager, wet, torturous mouth onto your clit while Choso fingers you, fucking your cunt with slow, upward strokes that glide against your G-spot. The sensations you’re feeling are only heightened by Toji and Shiu spanking your ass repeatedly, the stinging sensations bringing you closer and closer to the edge. Finally, you feel your first orgasm of the night drawing near and you release Nanami’s cock from your mouth to moan out your warning. “Gonna cum!” you whimper. “I’m gonna cum!” 

Sukuna growls into your cunt, eager for your cream all over his mouth. “Go ahead, cutie,” Satoru whines, no doubt fucking his hand behind the wall. “Cum on that tongue. God, I wish that were me!” Nanami’s deep moans of need are what lead you to latch your mouth onto his cock again, causing him to thrust desperately into your throat. “Make her cum, brother,” Choso begs. “Make this cute little slut cream all over herself.” 

And Sukuna does. With a few quick, skillful flicks of his sinful tongue, you release with a loud moan only muffled by Nanami’s cock. Choso and Sukuna groan at your taste, both now slashing their tongues greedily across your pussy to lap at your juices. “I’m close too,” Nanami grunts, thrusting into your mouth faster, harder. “Gonna cum…gonna cum…fuck!”

He finally cums with a deep groan that makes your stomach flip and your pussy clench excitedly at the sound. His nut coats your tongue and the walls of your mouth, enveloping it in his taste. “Swallow it,” he orders. “Swallow all of my cum.” Though you could simply spit it out and pretend you swallowed it due to the wall, you find yourself obeying him and swallow his cum before exhaling. “Good girl,” he grumbles. 

Sukuna moves away from your pussy, as does Choso, and Toji and Shiu cease their assault on your now stinging, tingling ass. “She's all nice n’ wet now,” Sukuna approvingly says. “Perfect for a nice, big cock…with a rubber.” You suddenly feel something much bigger and thicker slide against your sensitive pussy lips and you flinch at the sensations. “Relax, princess,” he cackles. “I’ll go in slow.” And he does, but he still stretches you out once he does. He grabs your lips as he sheathes himself inside you, slowly filling you up. 

You gasp and your eyes widen at the sensation, a choked moan leaving your lips. “Fuck, you’re tight!” Sukuna grunts, his nails digging into your hips as his big cock sinks deeper and deeper inside of you, thrusting out before thrusting back in with another inch of him. You know without the orgasm or lube, this would be even more uncomfortable, so you’re grateful for their work. 

“Mmm, she sounds tight,” Toji groans. Suddenly, a thicker cock with an angry vein throbbing along the shaft and a red tip dripping in pre-cum slides through a hole beside you on your left. “You’ve got two hands, don’t ya, little girl? Stroke Daddy’s cock too. I paid good money for you.” Another cock slides through its own hole on your right, slightly thicker and girthier than Toji’s. “Me too,” Choso practically begs. “Stroke me too, mama. I need you.” 

“Don't forget me, pretty girl,” Shiu chuckles, sliding his dick through his hole to find your mouth. You don’t know what comes over you, but the need to make them feel as good as Sukuna–who moans and grunts through trembling breaths as his hands grip your hips and ass–overcomes you. You spit into your hands before wrapping them around the two cocks on either side of your head and then wrapping your mouth around the one in your face. You are fucked from both ends, so many cocks thrusting into your hands and your holes, turning your body into a living, breathing, moving flesh light. 

“Oooh, sounds like someone’s gettin’ fucked,” another customer chuckles from behind one the walls. You can’t tell where anyone is anymore. “Too bad I wasn’t the first one in line for that pussy. There’s always next time though, sugar~” 

“You’re just assuming you’ll get her next time, Ino,” a raspy, graveled voice retorts, saying the stranger’s name like it’s a curse word. “Once it’s open, that little kitty is going to be mine…right, kitty? You’ll need some more milk anyway.” Ino hums at the challenge, a smirk in his voice. “We'll see about the, Mahito,” he cackles. You feel as if your brain is about to explode, more because of the fact that there are more cocks to fuck, suck and make cum than because of the ones already fucking you. 

Speaking of fucking, Sukuna is the king of it. The friction is sweeter than sweet now, making you grind your hips back into him to meet his rough, ruthless thrusts. His callused hands massage the flesh of your ass and his nails dig into your hips, making you winch slightly, but you love the pain at the same time. You can tell with every thrust that he is getting closer by how fast his hips go, snapping against your ass and making your tits and ass jiggle. “C’mon, Sukuna, get it over with,” Choso whines, impatient.

“Shut up,” his older brother growls. “Don’t…fuck…rush me. She’s so…fuckin’ fuck, princess…tight!” 

He goes faster and faster like he’s trying to shove his entire cock into your stomach, pushing and pushing until you can hardly take anymore. You can feel your second orgasm of the night approaching and you moan around Shiu’s cock as spit drips from your lips. “I’m gonna cum!” Sukuna growls. “Take it all, you little slut! Deep in my pussy.” 

And you do. You have no choice. When Sukuna bursts inside of you with a loud, primal growl and a string of curse words that would make a nun blush, your mouth forms an O as you feel a warm, wet gush of cum shoot inside you before dripping out of your pussy and down your thighs when he slowly pulls out of you, emitting a weak moan from you. The men on the side where your pussy and ass protrude from the hole in the wall groan at the sight of Skunk’s creampie dripping out of you. “Look at that, Shiu,” Toji comments. “A nice, pretty pussy all for the taking…soon.” 

Shiu agrees, gliding a finger over your twitching, overly-sensitive pussy, dragging cum all over your lips. “A nice, used, pretty pussy at that,” he hums. “It only makes sense for such a pretty girl. You want us to fuck you next?” You shudder and shake from the aftermath of Skunk’s rough fuck session, but also from the idea of getting filled and fucked yet again. You can’t speak, your throat too dry and puffs of air leaving your lips in heavy pants.

“I don’t fuckin’ think so,” Mahito says, though sounding chipper. “Turn around, little kitty. I’m gonna fill you up with my milk next and give you what your filthy hole is craving.” 

“And who the fuck are you to take my toy away from me?” Toji asks, irritated. “You got a death wish, bitch?” 

“Like we weren’t here first,” Satoru argues, just as heated. “If anybody deserves to fuck her next, it’s me and Suguru…and maybe Nanami if he can handle his pussy.” Nanami growls in anger from the insult while Suguru laughs. 

“Um…sorry, am I interrupting something?” a deep voice––much deeper than Toji’s––tentatively asks. “I’m here for…” He pauses and gasps at the sight of you. “Fuck, that’s the prettiest pussy I’ve ever seen!” he excitedly says. You feel his cock, big, thick, and would absolutely ruin you, slowly slide against your slit, making your breath hitch. “You’re so wet down here, gorgeous,” he sighs through a shuddering breath. “And so tiny, too. I can tell I’m so much bigger than you. Don’t worry though; I’ll take good care of you.” 

“And who the fuck are you?” Mahito angrily growls.

“Aoi Todo,” the big, buff, deep-voiced stranger simply responds. “I’m about to fuck this gorgeous pussy here. Who are you?”

“Whoa, whoa, hey!” Ino says, becoming the peacemaker between the horny men outside your booth. “There’s plenty of her to go around. We can all share!” 

“Yeah,” Shiu agrees. “C’mon, pretty girl, give us that mouth. I’m sure the others can be satisfied with just your hands for now.” 

Once again overtaken by your sluttiness and need, you wrap your lips around Shiu’s cock while Todo and Ino slides themselves into your hands, thrusting into your palms as they moan about how good you are. As you do, Mahito slides into your pussy as he promised, taking your hips and gripping them so hard that you’re sure they’ll leave bruises. He fucks deep into your pussy, filling your walls with nothing but him and thrusting so hard inside of you that his heavy balls slap against your clit, giving your body sparks of pleasure. 

You switch between Shiu and Toji, becoming a wet hole for their relentless thrusting into your throat, causing you to gag and slobber so much that your spit drips over your tits and hits the floor. “Such a big girl takin’ two cocks at the same time,” Toji praises you. “At this rate, you’ll be a certified size queen in no time. Take me deeper, little girl.” You do as he says, taking Toji deeper down your throat and bobbing your head while Shiu slaps his dick against the side of your face, wanting more of you. 

Mahito’s huffs and pants of breath get louder as he gets closer to his own orgasm, pistoning himself inside you again and again. He begins to babble dirty talk, rasped whines leaving his lips as he lets you know just how good your pussy is. “Slutty little bitch, makin’ me lose it like this…makin’ me fuck you so hard and fast…I’m gonna give you lots of milk now, okay, kitty? Gonna fill you up now…fuck, fuck, fuck!” 

He, too, explodes inside of you, filling your pussy with cum. His feral grunts and whines trigger your own orgasm and he shudder around his cock as you cream all over it, squeezing him so much that his body begins to tremble from the sensations. “Oh, my God,” Todo groans, totally losing it at the sight of your pussy dripping with yet another cream pie. “Oooh, nice one,” Ino chuckles. “Though I have noticed that one of her holes hasn’t been filled yet.” 

It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that he means your asshole. “Because of this stupid fuckin’ wall,” Satoru growls. “I’d love to fuck that tight little hole, feel that ass bounce against me…” Sukuna grunts in agreement. “If we lost this wall, she wouldn’t be able to walk for days. I’d fuck that pussy so good that she’d be sore. She couldn’t even walk out of here.” 

You can physically feel the arousal radiating off of the men through the holed walls, dozens of cocks oozing pre-cum and balls heavy for you. You smile at each of them, a seductive smile stretching onto your lips as someone––someone sluttier and careless––steps into your skin. “Do whatever you want to me, boys,” you purr. “I’m all yours tonight.” 

And then you do something very stupid: you allow them to drop that wall. You unlock the door for them and allow them to enter the booth, two at a time, in shifts, to fuck you silly. And you can’t believe how sexy they all are. 

First are Satoru and Nanami, both equally as tall and as sexy with lean muscle, but while Nanami is rocking a blonde undercut and a sharp suit (strange for a trip to a glory hole), Satoru has on a tight black tee and jeans with snow-white hair and blue eyes you know are panty droppers. As soon as the door shuts on you, he gives you a dazzling smile while Nanami’s eyes roam over your semi-naked form. “Hey there, cutie,” he chirps. “Thanks for letting us officially meet you. Now bend the fuck over.” 

Before you know it, minutes later, you are bent over the loveseat by Satoru while his tongue lashes at your pussy and clit, his words muffled and mashed by his face in your cunt. “You taste so good, cutie!” he whines into your cunt, but it comes out as, “You tashte sho good, cwutie”. Either way, it makes you grind your hips back into his face and sob into the pillow. Then it’s Nanami’s turn, who does the same thing, only he uses his funny-looking tie to restrict your wrists behind your back, making it so you can’t use your hands to push him away or pull him deeper into you. 

After your explosive orgasm into Nanami’s mouth, he places his hand on the small of your back, keeping you in position as he pistons his cock snuggly inside of your pussy while Satoru thrusts into your mouth from the other end. Both men trap you between them, using your holes for their own pleasure. “Nothing teamwork, right, Kenie?” Satoru chuckles breathlessly, his eyes glinting. “At this rate, we can fill this little cutie up at the same time, ya think?” 

“Shut up, Satoru,” Nanami growls, one hand gripping your hair back while the other massages your ass. “You’re making me lose focus. Come on, darling, keep clamping down on me. You have one more cock that still needs a turn.” He continues to fuck you, emitting muffled moans and sloppy, wet sounds from your gushing pussy tightening around his cock with every stroke. 

Soon, they switch and now it’s Satoru’s turn to finally fuck your insides. He fills you just as Nanami did, smacking your ass and groping your titties, his fingers tweaking your nipples. He leans down as Nanami pounds away into your throat, not even caring about your ruined makeup. The others watch on from behind the walls, desperate for a turn to fuck you in person. 

“Such a cute little pussy tightening around that dick,” Satoru coos. “You love bein’ watched, don’t you? Love all this attention like a little attention whore…a good little cum slut. That’s what you are now, cutie. Now take my cum.” Five more thrusts and he explodes with a loud moan that bounces off of the walls as he fills you with his cum. You soon cum with him, your body shuddering and soaring high above the clouds.

“Take my cum too, darling,” Nanami grunts. “Take it all inside you…fuck!” He cums too, filling your mouth to the brim so you have no choice but to swallow again.

Next are Suguru and Sukuna. Like Satoru and Nanami, they are tall and sinewy with hard, lean muscle, but while Suguru has long black hair you want to run your fingers through and a dragon tattoo inked on his muscular back, Sukuna has spiked pink hair, tattoos, and piercings that make you wetter. They each walk with a swagger into the booth, oozing with confidence and sex appeal. It doesn’t take them long to have you on your back and their cocks to be inside you again. 

Suguru sits up on his knees, slowly rolling his hips into your mouth, your head turned to the side to accommodate him. “Gently, Sukuna,” he grunts. “Don't wanna break the girl.” Sukuna is practically mounting you, your legs hiked up over his shoulders as he deep dicks you. “Please,” he scoffs. “This slutty girl can take anything we give her, right, princess?” His hand snatches out to grab your throat, squeezing it, and emitting broken gasps from your mouth.

Suguru leans down to press a kiss to your sweaty brow and whisper into your ear while Sukuna nails your G-spot again and again, turning it into mush. “You’re gonna let us fuck you good, right?” he purrs. “You’re gonna trust we can take care of this body and use you until you can’t even move because that’s what you want from us.” His thick fingers find your clit and begins rubbing it between your thighs. “You want us to fuck these tight holes until you’re cumming over and over again.” 

Sukuna cums inside you for the second time, giving you yet another creampie that oozes down your thighs, before Suguru leans back and pats his lap for you. “Hop on top, baby doll,” he coos. You slowly do so, your body weak, and he holds you close, his arms wrapped tightly around your waist. “Just relax for us, okay?” he whispers. And as you sink down onto his cock, you feel Sukuna’s fingers, slick with spit and lube, gently probe your asshole. “Fuck!” you sob. 

You grip Suguru’s shoulders as Sukuna slowly and gently stretches out your asshole, his eyes widen like a kid in a candy store at the way your brown little hole stretches around his fingers. “Good girl, takin’ these fingers in that tight hole,” he chuckles. “Even tighter than that pussy. Such a good fuckin’ slut…a nice toy for us to play with.” 

Your hips begin to stutter and you stop fucking Suguru to whine and yelp at the sensations, feeling too much at the same time. Though it doesn’t exactly hurt, you feel too full and it is uncomfortable. "Can’t take it!” you desperately scream. “I can’t…I can’t!” Suguru pauses to shush you, pressing a wet kiss to your lips.“Shh, baby doll,” he whispers. “He’s gonna use your mouth instead while I fuck this pussy till I fill you up. You can handle that, right?” 

Sukuna has now pulled his fingers out of your asshole to kneel beside your face, not even waiting to thrust into it. “Stop askin’ her what she can and can’t handle,” he impatiently growls. “This slut doesn’t get a choice, but I wouldn't wanna break my toy, so I’ll just fuck your throat until I cum deep inside it. How’s that, princess?” 

And he does. And when he does, Suguru wraps his arms around you and firmly holds you, bucking his hips until into you. “Good girl, good girl,” he repeatedly hums as Sukuna fills your throat with every ounce of his cum. Suguru cums right after, exploding inside of you and filling you up with him until you feel full enough to burst. 

Next are Ino and Todo. By this time, you’re an exhausted, cum-filled mess, your dress ripped off and makeup ruined. The only things left on you are your heels and jewelry. Ino waltzes in first, dressed in all black with a beanie drooping over his forehead. He gives you a humored smirk as the sight of you. “Oooh, shit, sugar!” he cackles. “You look so wrecked.” He kneels down to lift your chin up with his thumb. “But you ain’t seen nothin’ yet ‘cause now it’s my turn to have you. And I don’t get to share you either, so I can have you all to myself.” 

He presses a wet tongue kiss to your lips, only to be interrupted by Todo. Your eyes widen at how big and buff he is with a scarred face that does nothing to hide his handsome features. Your eyes immediately fall to the bulge he is sporting in his baggy black pants, knowing you’re done for. “Speak for yourself,” he grumbles, cutting his eyes at Ino. “Usually, I don’t like sharing any pretty thing with just anyone, but I can make an exception this one time.” He smiles down at you, a twinkle in his eyes. “You’ve never seen the likes of me, have you, gorgeous?” 

And then his pants are down and you decide that no, you haven’t. For Ino either. They both are so much bigger without the glory holes in the way. You can barely lift yourself up off the couch to move and the two don’t try to make you. Ino crawls on top of you and gently slaps his cock against your asscheeks. “You don’t have to do anything, sugar,” he coos. “Just lie there just like that. I’m just gonna get on top of you, slide in and…f-fuck, you’re tight!” 

He fucks you prone bone style, completely mounting you as he drives his cock and hips into you, making your ass jiggle and the couch cushions bounce with his every assertive, rough movement. In front of you, you see two heavy balls, thick, muscled thighs, and a thick cock in your line of sight. Your eyes roll up to meet Todo’s who stares down at you with the desperation of a horny, tortured soul.

“Can you pick your head up for me?” he gently asks. He does so for you, lifting your head up with his hand under your chin. “I just need your mouth this time, gorgeous. Don’t worry; you don’t have to do much.” He taps his cock against your plump lips, leaving pre-cum staining them. “Just open up and…f-f-fuck yes!” His grunts and whines fill your ears as his cock slides in and out of your mouth, filling your throat and nostrils with the taste and scent of him. 

Ino continues to drill his cock into you, going deeper and deeper with every thrust. “Fuck, your pussy is sweeter than you, sugar,” he groans, then chuckles. “Just kidding. Every part of you is sweet…fuckin’ delicious…” He peels back the hair in your face to see your expression, your eyes glazed over and lost in total ecstasy. “Take it all for me, sugar,” he moans into your ear. “Take all of this dick deep. I know you need it.” 

He slides out a few times to fuck his cock between your ass cheeks, hotdogging you and dragging his pre-cum and your juices across your ass crack. He whines as he does this, babbling about how good your ass feels and how much he wants to fuck it.

You realize how much more vocal he and Ino are, how “subby” they sound as they groan and whimper about how tight, wet, and good your holes feel. Ino ends up cumming between your asscheeks, clenching them as he shoots his load across your lower back. You gasp weakly as he does, not expecting it, and you just feel sticky afterward. 

Without moving you, the two switch and suddenly, Todo is mounting his big body on top of you, pinning you down with his weight. Though you’re exhausted, the idea of being trapped beneath his muscles excites you and you clench around him as he nails his cock inside of you again and again. “You’re s-so good at this, gorgeous,” he groans. “That pussy is grippin’ me so tightly, shit, shit shit, I’m gonna cum!”

He finally cums too, filling you to the brim with his cum. It oozes out of you freely, dripping down your thighs and around his cock, emitting soft whimpers and moans from the both of you. “Fantastic,” he huffs, kissing your shoulder. “You're at natural at this.” 

Choso and Mahito seem to think the same thing when it’s their turn to wreck your shit. When they come in, their arrival is like a dark cloud floating into the room. You know just by looking at them that they’ll fuck you up. Choso is quite attractive with spiked, black hair tied into ponytails, tape on the bridge of his nose, and a pediment, sleepy look in his eyes rimmed in purple. “Damn, mama,” he laughs in disbelief. “You just had five different cocks and you’re still able to function? I’m impressed.” 

Mahito is just as hot despite his unruly, long silvery hair and disconcerting smile. He also has the prettiest eyes framed by doll-like lashes, piercings, and tats that cover every inch of his muscular body. “Of course, she’s still functioning,” he argues, looking down at you with nothing but dark, molten lust. “She needs as much milk as she can handle, don’t you, kitty?” When you don’t answer, he yanks roughly on your hair, pulling you up. “Don’t you?” he growls. You hiss at the pain of your scalp being pulled. 

“Don’t be so fuckin’ rough, man,” Choso growls, but even he can’t hide the way his cock twitches at the sight of you being yanked around like a rag doll. “Please!” you whine, unsure of what you’re begging for.

Choso leans toward you, his face just inches from yours. “Please what, mama?” he asks. “You want us to fuck you again?” His hand sneaks between your thighs to cup your mound, wet and overused. “It’s okay, we’ll give it to you. Don’t you even worry about it.” 

Without another word, he flips you onto your back and crawls on top of you, blocking your view of the ceiling like a handsome eclipse. “Just rest your pretty ass there and let me fuck you, okay?” Then he’s sliding inside of you, your thighs pinned open by his hands. He gives himself time to get used to your tightness, rolling his hips slowly into yours. With every roll, you weakly moan and gasp, too tired to be another louder. 

You can’t make any more noise because Mahito is turning your head to slide his dick into your mouth, forcing you to take every inch until his pubic hairs and balls are touching your chin and lips. He stands near the edge of the couch as he fucks your face, glaring at Choso fucking your cunt as he does. “Motherfucker takin’ my spot,” he grumbles. “You’re lucky she looks so enticing right now with how she’s taking your cock.” 

Choso smirks as he drives his cock into you a little faster, causing your body to bounce against his cock. One hand shoots out to fondle your breast, rolling your hard nipple with his thumb, as he fucks you stupid, sharp huffs of breath and moans leaving his lips. But no matter how good it feels or how your clit rubs against his pelvis, you can't get any louder.

“So quiet, kitty,” Mahito chuckles. “Must not be fucking you good enough.” He slides his dick out of your throat to smack you in the face with it. “You won’t be able to hide that voice when I’m inside of you. I’ll make sure of it. I like my whores loud.” 

“So do I,” Choso grunts. “C’mon, mama, give me that voice.” He slides his wet cock out of you to smack his hand against your clit, bringing a sharp, pleasurable sting that makes your thighs clench. Smack! Smack! “Give it to me!” he repeats, louder this time. “Let me know how good that dick feels fucking you!” 

“Please!” you yelp. “Please, I can’t take it! It feels too good!” Happy with that, Choso goes back to fucking you until he spills his cum deep inside you, filling you up so much that Mahito is impressed with the amount…but then it’s his turn. And he makes sure that you feel it. He has you sit up on your knees and presses his cock against the entrance of your ass: the one hole that wasn’t purely fucked. You whimper and gasp as his head presses into you, farther and farther, feeling stretched despite Sukuna’s fingering and the wetness surrounding it. 

“Guess nobody stretched this hole out yet,” he tuts. “Well, I’ll change that. I’m just the man to do it.” Before you can protest, he pushes himself farther into your ass. You can’t describe the pain nor the pleasure: it is searing hot and draws the loudest sounds out of you that make Mahito cackle and Choso fuck his semi-hard cock with his hand as he stands before you. 

Mahito relishes your wails and the wiggles of your body as you try to get away. “Don’t run from me now, kitty,” he chuckles. “I’m just doin’ what you wanted.” He grips your hips tighter as he roughly fucks your ass, his slow strokes more torturous that fast ones. You can feel all of him stretching out your asshole as his other hand loops underneath you to rub your clit. You can feel your body failing on you, your knees and wrists becoming weak. “Aww, what’s wrong, kitty?” Mahito condescendingly asks. Can you not take anymore cock? Am I being just a little too rough?” 

You whine in response, unable to form words. His hand then snatches out to grab your throat, squeezing it. “You should’ve thought about that before you opened the door, you little cock slut. Now you get what you came here for.”

You look up at Choso for rescue, but he is too busy pumping his cock in your face, chasing another orgasm. “Keep lookin’ at me,” he demands. “I want this sexy body and pretty face covered…want her to smell like me. Don’t want anyone else touchin’ her, not even my brother.” When he finally splashes his cum all over your face, Mahito empties his balls deep in your ass, filling you like you’ve never been filled before. You gasp as the feeling, your fingers clenching the pillow below you. 

When they finish and leave you in your booth (not without a kiss on your lips from Choso and an ass slap from Mahito), you lay on the couch, spent and exhausted. You think this is the last of your rounds…but you forget about Toji and Shiu. And baby, you haven’t been fucked yet. They make sure you understand the differences between sex with the others and sex with them when the two older men walk into the room. 

You weakly look up at them from the couch though you don’t lift your head. They are equally as hot and muscular, their toned muscles pushing against their dark clothes and cocks swinging nakedly out of their flies, veiny and thicker than snicker bars. Toji has a tiny scar at the corner of his devilish smirk, gray eyes the color of rain clouds, and a black mullet. “Last round, little girl,” he chuckles. “Don't worry; we’ll go real slow for you. Won’t we, Shiu?” 

Shiu has a sharp, trimmed cut, tanned skin, and a thin mustache over his plump lips. “Mmm, absolutely,” he agrees, “but you’re not leavin’ here till you make us cum.” He kneels down so his face is level with yours, his breath smelling of mint. “And we’re not leavin’ till we make you cum,” he whispers.  

Toji kneels down too, stroking a hand over your hair. “Is that understood, slut?” he asks. Weakly, you nod, understanding that you’ve opened Pandora’s box and the only way to close it is to give them exactly what they want. Toji’s smirk grows and he taps his hand lightly against your cheek. “Good.” He stands along with Shiu, their cocks dangling in your face. “Now take these cocks just like we know you can.” 

You don’t know what kind of fire lights inside of you, but at the sight of their dicks dangling in front of you for you and you alone, you suddenly get a burst of energy and eagerness to get your hands on them. Minutes later, you are on your knees between them and eagerly sucking and stroking them dry, spitting, slobbering, and gagging all over them. You stare up into their eyes and alternate between stroking their dicks and trailing your hands down their toned stomachs, relishing their muscles and abs under your fingertips. 

You welcome the tiny grunts and soft moans Shiu gives as he watches you, astonished at the way you take both cocks. “She’s so eager,” he moans, staring down at you in disbelief. “How is it you’ve had all of these dicks slung inside you already and yet, you’re still going?” 

Toji smiles greedily at you, his hand cupping the back of your head as you throat his cock, swallowing it hole as spit dribbles from your lip. “She makes it so easy,” he sighs wistfully. “Makes it so, so easy for me to scoop her up and take her home for my own…my little toy…my little cum slut.” “Keep suckin’, pretty girl. You’re doin’ so well. Don’t stop now. Such a perfect mouth on you~” The praise has you sucking faster, gulping down both of them like the eager cum slut they see you as. 

But they don’t cum down your throat. No, they want to make this count. So you find yourself sitting in Shiu’s lap with his cock snuggly inside of you and his hands gripping your hips as you slowly grind your ass back to rub against your clit. Toji sits beside you on the couch, watching you ride Shiu; more specifically, watching the way your ass moves in his lap. “Decided to give that throat a break. Just focus on makin’ my friend cum, okay?” He winks at you, wrapping a hand around his thick cock. 

You don’t know what to focus on anymore: the way Toji so intensely stares at you as he fucks his hand or the way Shiu fucks back up into you. He grasps your breasts; your stomach; your ass; anything else he can touch.

“That’s it,” he praises you, his voice strained from the pleasure and your tight walls squeezing him. “Fuck, you’re so fuckin’ tight! I could stay here all day.” And you would let him. The way his thick cock strokes your velvety, inner walls and bumps against your clit is just too good for words to describe. Your eyes flutter shut as moans and gasps leave your lips and echo in the booth, unable to be hidden anymore.

You suddenly feel Toji’s hands on you and his lips sucking at your nipples. “You have the prettiest body, little girl,” he chuckles. “Look at these gorgeous nipples…so hard from these old guys’ dicks.” His teeth graze one of your hard, brown nipples, giving you a spark of pain and pleasure.

“T-Toji,” you whine. It’s the only word you can form. As he continues to work your breasts, Shiu snakes a hand around your throat and lays it there as he drives into you deeper and deeper. “Take more of me, pretty girl,” he groans. “I want to be so deep inside you that you have no choice but to take all of my cum.” 

And you don’t. Because when he cums, you feel every inch of his cock swell and then explode inside of you, filling you up. Shiu presses his face into your back as he groans, cumming deep inside of you, and squeezing you like he owns every part of you. As his nut drips out of you and all over the couch, you think that he is all that is left…but you’re forgetting about Toji. When Shiu releases you and gently settles you down on the couch, Toji is more than ready to have his fill of you next. 

He leans down to coo at you, a mocking expression on his face that you miss because of your exhaustion. “Tired?” he asks. Weakly, you nod, emitting a laugh from both men. "Aww, don’t worry, little girl. I’ll do all the work for you. Just stay there and be a good slut for me.” 

And you do. You physically cannot move. Your limbs feel like jelly and dizziness has taken over. Toji doesn’t mind how sticky with sweat and cum you are. He takes you as you are––on your back with your legs draped over his big, broad shoulders.

His cock drives in and out of you, alternating between fast and slow, his balls slapping against your ass and his pelvis rubbing against your clit with every thrust. Shiu watches on the other end of the couch, lighting himself a cigarette. Your weak moans are drowned out by his loud grunts and the slapping of skin against skin as he fucks you into the couch. 

“You like that, little girl?” he grunts, staring down at you with lust-blown eyes. “You like how Daddy fucks this pussy?” His hand, big and veiny, shoots down to grap your throat. He squeezes it as he fucks you, making you gasp. “God, you look so good like that,” he groans. "Keep that pretty mouth open for me, you little slut. I wanna see that tongue when I cum deep inside you.” 

He leans down suddenly, pressing his sweaty forehead against yours. “How’s this for a Christmas gift, hm?” he murmurs to you. “Your friends must’ve known how slutty you are to have pulled this off.” 

You don’t answer. You can’t. All you can do is weakly moan and whimper as Toji drives you closer and closer to your final orgasm of the night, your clit overstimulated and twitching. “Gonna cum,” you whisper, tears of desperation pricking your eyes.

Toji nods encouragingly, driving his cock faster and faster inside of you. “Cum on this dick, little girl,” he demands. “Give it to me. Give all of it to me, now.” And you do. Your orgasm hits you before you realize it, but all you can let out is a silent gasp as you cream all over Toji’s cock. 

He doesn’t stop fucking you, even when your walls squeeze so enticingly around him and your mouth looks so pretty wide open like that that he shoves his fingers inside of it, letting you suck on the digits. His grunts grow louder and more guttural as he gets closer and closer to his orgasm, driving you up against the couch.

“Gonna cum,” he warns. “Gonnacumgonnacumgonna fuckin’ cum!” He yells the last two words before he lets out a deep growl as he sprays his cum deep, deep, deep inside of you, mingling with Shiu’s and all of the other men before him. You gasp at the warm, wet feeling as he orgasms, his large hands gripping your hip and throat as he slowly rolls his hips, chasing his orgasm, before he finally stops. He sighs in satisfaction, drawing his dick out of you and letting his cum drip out of your twitching, used, puffy pussy. 

Finally. Finally, they’re done. You don’t think you can go on much longer. But with the way Toji and Shiu are looking at you, you can tell that they still have more plans for you. “Need…rest,” you pant, your eyes fluttering with exhaustion. But Toji tuts, gently scooping you up into his big arms.“Uh-uh, little girl,” he tuts. “You’re not done quite yet. We still need to cover you, don’t we? Make sure you remember this Christmas Eve forever.” 

You’re too tired to understand what’s happening at first when Toji carries you away from the couch. But when he lowers you down on the floor near the dozens of glory holes where hard cocks dangle from, you understand exactly what’s happening. So you sit with your knees together and your palms in your lap, face tilted up, eyes closed, and panting mouth open, waiting the loads that you will soon be given. Toji and Shiu stand before you, pumping their dicks in your face, their grunts and moans mingling with the others’ behind the walls. 

Finally, with a chorus of moans, whines, groans, and other sex, porn-worthy sounds of climax, every single cock you have taken tonight shoots their loads all over you––your face; your mouth; your tits; your chest; your stomach; even your back and ass. You are completely covered in cum. You are sticky and wet with it, already feeling it dry on your skin and the many different scents staining you like tattoos. 

Finally, your men are satisfied and so are you. “Thanks for such a fun night, cutie,” Satoru giggles from behind the wall. “You were so good for us!” You can barely manage to smile. 

After Toji and Shiu leave (after making sure you’re not dead and proposing you do this again sometime), you kick off your heels, strip off what is left of your dress, and crawl to the shower where you wash off the sweat, cum, and memories of tonight. The hot water rinses the nut, tears, and makeup off of your face, making you feel brand new. As you step out of the shower, you smell of lavender soap and steam. You are silent as you put on the bathrobe left for you, processing everything that has just happened. 

You just visited a glory hole. You just participated in a gang bang. You just fucked multiple men and made them cum. 

When you walk out of the bathroom, there is a sudden knock on the door and you startle. “It’s me!” Shoko calls through the door. All of the men are gone, having left earlier to give you privacy and rest. You walk to the door and open it, revealing Shoko with smudged lipstick and a strap from her dress hanging down her shoulder. She definitely enjoyed herself tonight too.

“Hey, you!” she brightly chirps. “Just came to check on you and tell you we’re about to head out. I think our hour is up.” 

She looks you up and down in your robe and knowingly smirks to herself. “Sooo how’d you enjoy yourself for your first time at a glory hole?” she asks, raising an eyebrow. 

There is only one single thought swimming around in your foggy mind that is still coming down to Earth from cloud nine and above, too busy thinking about what other fine ass men you can meet and delicious things you can experience in this sinful yet glorious place: 

“Can we come again next Christmas?” 

THE END.

[confused-pyramid]

One Step From Grace | s4

pairing: aaron hotchner x childhood bsf!reader

summary: Hotch and his childhood best friend working together at the BAU: a slow burn across the seasons.

word count: 19.2k

warnings: canon!typical violence, mentions of abuse, mentions of death, abortion mention, implied SA, gun violence, specific episodes mentioned in this part are 4x01, 4x02, 4x03, 4x09, 4x11, 4x16, 4x17, 4x18, 4x23, and 4x26

a/n: Some more tension in the slow burn! I included some more specific episode details in this one, because some of the eps and characters are important to future seasons :') P.S. I love hearing all of your thoughts and comments (it's honestly what makes all of this worth it) so lmk what you think:) Title is from Grace by Rag 'n Bone Man

series masterlist

"Garcia, is everyone okay?"

You can hear the sound of sirens blazing down the street a few blocks away from you, but you're too far away to make it there in time.

"Oh, thank god, you're alright," she gasps over the phone, her voice thick with tears. "Rossi and Reid called me just now, and Derek's on the line."

He greets you with a frantic urgency. "Hey, Y/N, I'm heading to the explosion site to see what happened."

"Okay, sounds good, keep calling people," you instruct Garcia, before swerving across the lanes and turning at the next intersection.

She calls Emily, who tells you that she's also going to the NYPD's critical incident command posts. When she tries JJ, the call doesn't go through, and then suddenly the line goes quiet.

"Garcia?" you call into the void. "Penelope, are you there? Derek? Emily?" No one responds, and your heart rate spikes again as you pull over in front of the command center and rush inside.

Rossi and Reid envelope you in big hugs when you find them in the main bullpen, and soon after, Emily and JJ join you inside.

"Do we know what happened?" you ask them as you crowd around the city map where Reid pinpointed all the prior crime scenes. "What street was the explosion on?"

Reid opens his mouth to answer, when Emily's phone rings. "Yeah, Garcia, I'm back. JJ's here too."

She listens for a few seconds, before her eyes widen and she glances over at you. Lifting the phone from her ear, she puts it on speaker and says, "Can you repeat all of that?"

"Derek's chasing after the bomber," Penelope says, her breaths coming out in short spurts. "The bomb... it was in Kate's SUV, or under it. Hotch is out there with her."

Your heart stutters and you press your palms against the back of the chair in front of you, leaning over it to get closer to the phone. "Is he okay?" You squeeze your eyes shut for a moment. "Are they okay?"

"He seems okay, but she looks really hurt. He hasn't moved her."

You release the breath you didn't realize you were holding and stand up straight, turning around to catch your breath. If something had happened to him...something irreversible...you don't know what you would've done. Especially after the last thing you said to him.

It's not your place to have this discussion.

Screw you.

"Where was Kate's SUV parked?" Rossi asks from behind you as you rub your eyes and turn back to face Emily's phone.

"2 blocks East of Federal Plaza."

***

You keep picturing the security camera feed of his SUV blowing up as you rush into St. Barclay's hospital. The moment Morgan called with the update that Hotch was taking Kate there in an ambulance, you all piled into an SUV and drove straight over.

You know Garcia and Morgan said he was fine, but not all injuries are visible. You're the first person inside, and you rush down the hallways until you spot a nurse in the ER. After you flash your badge, she points you to the curtains behind her.

When you push past them, he's standing up, working on the last few buttons of his shirt. His face is covered with tiny abrasions, and there's a piece of gauze stuck to his right ear.

"Aaron," you whisper, not wanting to startle him. He looks up as he grabs his tie out of the bag they put his clothes in. "Let me do that."

You take the tie from him as he sighs and closes his eyes for a long moment. It's silky against your fingers as you loop it around his neck and slide it under his collar.

"How are you feeling?" you ask him, trying to keep your voice soft.

He dips his chin to meet your eye and he squints as he shakes his head. "I'm fine, but Kate's in surgery. It didn't look good."

"I'm sorry," you whisper, forgetting about any prior gripes you had with her. "I'm sure she'll pull through."

He purses his lips and nods, just as the rest of the team pushes past the curtain. You step back quickly without thinking, and you don't miss the flash of confusion in his eyes before he turns to Morgan for the latest update on the bomber.

You swallow thickly as you look at your feet, letting everyone else walk around you. You don't know why you stepped back. Maybe it's the freshness of his divorce. Maybe it's the way Agent Calvert from the Portland office looked over your shoulder after you told him you weren't ready for dating again.

Whatever it was, you know you hated how it felt.

***

"There's a bomb on the ambulance."

Fear spikes through him as he turns around. "The ambulance which I drove in here." This day has already been longer than any of them expected it to be, but each passing minute seems to bring another surprise.

Rossi shoots him a knowing look that he reflects. "The hospital is their target."

He glances at you and you look back at him, your eyes filled with what he can only guess is fear. His mind flashes back to your interaction earlier, but he pushes it out of his brain as he realizes that they are down a man. "Where did Morgan go?"

Emily turns back. "He went to find the ambulance."

"Alone?" you gape at her, reaching for the gun in your holster.

He figures they only have a few minutes before the cell signal returns, so he grabs his own gun and nods. "Let's head down."

The ambulance is gone when they find the bomber in the parking garage, holding a knife to his throat. Before any of you can approach him, he slits his own throat. He can't help the grimace of disgust that crosses his face as the terrorist falls to the ground.

Once the immediate danger to the hospital is alleviated, everyone starts to relax. The rest of the team stays behind to clear the scene as he sprints up to the seemingly empty surgical ward. He finds the operating room that Kate was supposed to be in, but when he pushes through the doors, all he sees is a few janitors mopping the blood off the floor.

"What happened?" he gasps out. "Where's the surgeon."

A man in a blue scrub cap comes forward and pats his shoulder, a resigned look on his face. "We did all that we could. I'm so sorry."

All of the momentum leaves his body as he releases his breath, his shoulders deflating along with it like a circus balloon. The surgeon leaves the room and he looks down at her blood seeping down the floor drain. He watches as it mixes in with the cleaning fluids, and he can't help but wish that her death could've been less painful.

***

You wait outside the hotel the next morning, your go-bag hanging heavily off your shoulder. When the doctors told Hotch he wasn't cleared to fly yet, you told the NY agent assigned to drive him that you could take over.

"What are you still doing here?"

You turn around to see Hotch walking out of the hotel, the bag in his left hand evening out his gait after the explosion gave him a temporary limp.

You smile, pushing your sunglasses down from your head. "I'm your ride."

His eyes twinkle in the bright sunlight. "You really didn't have to. The flight is much quicker."

"It's okay," you shrug, before grinning. "Besides, I would never pass up an opportunity to annoy you for three hours."

That makes him laugh, before he winces slightly. Got it. No jokes.

He doesn't complain as you take the driver's seat, and that's when it hits you how much pain he must be in. For as long as he's had his license, he has preferred to be the one driving, sometimes even when he's in your car.

The first few minutes of the drive are quiet, but eventually you need to fill the silence. "I'm really sorry about Kate."

"Thank you," he sighs, his eyes squinting at the sun as you pull onto the highway. "I've known her for a long time." He exhales sharply. "Knew her."

You remember him telling you about a case he worked, years ago, that took him to Scotland Yard. He had sounded almost excited as he recounted the differences in how the British government handled procedure, but he had kept one thing to himself.

"You never told me about her," you say gently, trying to keep the blame out of your voice. You're not angry, you just don't understand why it would have been a secret.

He turns his head to gaze out the window for a few moments, before he looks back at you. "I wasn't sure about how that case would go when I agreed to take a look, but we ended up working really well together. I had spoken to her a few times before, mostly over the phone, but it was our first time meeting in person. We caught the guy we were looking for in just a few days, so before I left, she invited me to join her team for dinner."

You can guess where this is going, but you let him finish, in case you're wrong.

"When she dropped me off at my hotel that night, she made a... suggestive remark that I would've ignored if the implication hadn't been so clear. I shut it down immediately, but I didn't tell Haley when I got back, and I guess I just felt so guilty about it that I couldn't bring myself to tell you either."

Hotch feeling guilty about something. There's a shocker.

You glance over at him with a small smile. "I get it."

The "Welcome to New Jersey" sign flies past as you cross the bridge, and you both sit in comfortable silence as the sun glints off the water and reflects onto the cars around you. You see him looking out the window, and you wonder if he's thinking about Haley again, but then he turns to you with a curious expression. "The unit chief job here is yours if you want it."

Do you want it? You know you like leadership, and you would be lying if you said you hadn't thought about the possibility of moving up the ladder at some point, but now that you're confronted with the opportunity, it doesn't feel how you thought it would.

The thought of leaving this team, when they've become your second family, tastes bitter on your tongue. You know you could assume that other teams are like this too, but when you actually try to picture it, it doesn't feel possible.

"You can think about it," he says after a minute, "but not for long. They need a replacement ASAP."

You glance over at him and a realization clicks in your brain. "Wait, they needed your recommendation before offering me the position, didn't they?" You crack a smile. "You tryna get rid of me, boss?"

He laughs, before it turns into a small grimace from the pain. "No, of course I don't want you to leave. I just know you're destined for more than this. You could be doing so much good work, leading your own team."

The sun peeks out from behind the buildings in front of you, and you reach up to pull down the sun visor. "Maybe one day. But not today."

His eyes flit over to meet yours and you share a smile before you turn back to the wide expanse of road ahead of you.

***

You've been watching him all day. He was cleared to fly again, but you saw how pained he looked when the jet took off, and again when they exhumed Cortland's grave. The way he's been flinching back at the slightest sound, and cowering in pain after the louder screeches.

You tighten the strap of your kevlar vest and glance over at him again as he whispers something to the local sheriff on the Angel Maker copycat case. You've cornered the unsub in the latest victim's house, and Morgan got her out before she could be killed, but Emily continues to speak to the unsub through her megaphone, coaxing her out and into custody.

"It's over, Chloe," she says calmly as Morgan deposits the woman into the awaiting ambulance. "We have Faye. You have nowhere to go."

After a few moments, the front door creaks open and everyone lifts their weapons. She looks surprised when she sees the dozens of guns pointing at her, but then she lifts her own and Hotch steps in.

"Chloe, drop the gun."

The sheriff, with much less composure, jabs his weapon forward. "Damn it, lady, drop it!"

She takes a step forward and the sheriff fires, taking her down in one shot. Hotch goes down at the same time, doubling over in pain, his hands going up to cover his ears as he lets out a low groan.

As everyone else goes to Chloe, you rush to him, lifting your hands to press them over his in an attempt to help him hide from the external chatter and noises. "Aaron, it's okay, you're gonna be okay."

His body folds into yours as you wrap your arms around his head, clutching him to you, unable to help. "It's okay, it's okay."

It takes a few seconds for him to relax in your arms, and then a few more for him to remove his hands from his ears and stand up straight again.

"I'm okay," he sighs, his brow still furrowed with tension. "Thank you."

"Of course," you whisper, your chest heaving as the stress slowly seeps from your body. "You're not flying home."

He takes a deep breath before slowly dipping his chin into a nod. "It's a much longer drive. You don't have to accompany me this time."

The corner of your lip quirks up. "What makes you think I was offering?"

"Okay," he chuffs, rolling his eyes. You can still see the image of him doubling over in pain splashed across your eyelids, but you manage to push it out of your mind long enough to return his smile.

***

"Stand!"

You look up from the young girl you were interviewing with Emily and Spencer as Cyrus storms into the room with a gun, his second in command hot on his heels.

"What's going on?" Emily asks as she and Nancy Lunde, the state officer you came onto the cult compound with, stand up and approach him.

He squints, scrutinizing each of you. "We just got A very strange phone call from a news reporter. Is there anything you want to tell me, about a raid, maybe?"

You frown, genuine confusion coloring your expression as you shake your head. "We told you, we're child victim interview experts."

He takes another moment to consider your answer before nodding and instructing the man with him to lead you to the tunnels for safety while the raid continues.

You let Spencer, Emily and Nancy go ahead of you as the sounds of gunfire from the back get louder. When you reach the tunnels, they head further in to help the children take cover as Nancy turns back and gives you an earnest look. "I can talk to him."

You're shaking your head before she's done speaking. "No, you can't. It's too dangerous."

You try to grab her arm, but she rushes forward and past the small crowd of children that safely made it out of the school. You run after her as she calls out, "Mr. Cyrus, let me talk to them."

She's too close to the window. You reach forward to grab her arm and pull her back but then another round of gunshots fires off and she drops to the ground in front of you. You start to crouch down, out of the line of sight of the window, when a searing pain shoots through your abdomen. You keel over, falling forward into the wall of the chapel as you gasp out in pain.

It doesn't hurt as bad as it probably should, but the adrenaline coursing through your veins won't last forever. You press your hands against the bullet wound that ripped through the side of your abdomen, and try to calm your breathing as fear washes over you. The team knows you three are in here, they'll figure out how to get you all out.

You know the minimal loss scenario by heart, and the BAU was the one who wrote the CIRG playbook, so it's a small comfort to know that you'll be able to predict their moves. You can only hope that they will be able to predict yours just as well.

Another wave of pain shoots through your side and you grit your teeth as the adrenaline starts to wear off. They better hurry.

***

He knows he's emotionally involved. They all are, but if his people aren't the ones leading this negotiation, he won't be able to forgive himself for any outcome that doesn't end with the three of you coming out in one piece.

He's listening in as Dave speaks with Cyrus, and he can't help but notice how cavalier his tone is after his followers were just shot at. He continues to rant about the final battle he has foreseen, until Dave manages to get him back on track.

"Now, the four child services workers..." he says slowly. Hotch can hear the concern coloring his tone even as he tries to act detached.

Cyrus's voice is crisp over the line. "One of them is dead."

His heart jumps to his throat. Your face flashes in his mind and he closes his eyes as he silently begs whoever is out there for it not to be you. Not you, not Prentiss, not Reid. Please.

"Her name was Nancy Lunde."

His breath comes out like a gasp, and Dave turns to him with an equally relieved expression. He's so thankful that the guilt for wishing harm on anyone takes an extra second to take over.

But Cyrus isn't finished talking. "One of the other child service workers was shot during the same raid. Once again, by your people."

He looks up at Dave, waiting for him to ask who it was, but he doesn't have to. The next word out of Cyrus's mouth is your name, and his stomach twists with nausea and anguish even as he assures Dave that your wound has been cleaned and properly dressed.

He turns to look at the compound, as though he could see you if he squinted hard enough. Hold on, he thinks, hoping you can hear him somehow. You've always had a way of reading his mind. Please hold on.

***

You wake up on a small cot, with a woman bent over you. You hiss as she presses down the edge of the bandage on your abdomen, and you bring your chin to your chest to see the current state of your gunshot wound.

You're surprised to see the blood washed off, a clean bandage and gauze left in its place.

"You got lucky," the woman says when she realizes you're awake. "The bullet went all the way through."

"Thank you," you whisper, before turning your head to look around the room. "Where are the people I came in with?"

"I'll take you to them," she nods, reaching her hand out. You take it and let out an involuntary groan as she helps you into a standing position. You try taking a step, but another spike of pain shoots through you, so the woman latches her arm under your shoulder to help you walk.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually you get back to the main chapel, where Emily and Spencer are sitting with the rest of the followers. They turn when the doors open in front of you, and they immediately jump out of their chairs to take over for the woman helping you.

"How are you feeling?" Spencer asks, his eyebrows pinching as he looks at you.

"I'm okay," you assure him, even as your vision blurs from the pain of having to walk so far. "Can we just sit down, though?"

"Of course," Emily nods, helping you sink into a chair. "I'll get you some water."

Spencer sits down next to you when she rushes off, and you don't miss how he keeps glancing down at your stomach.

"It'll be okay, Spence." He meets your eye and you nod again. "We know the playbook. We just have to follow it."

Emily returns with a water bottle that she opens and hands to you, and you chug half of it before setting it down. Hotch, please hurry, you think, wishing he could hear you.

***

The next morning, you wake up to a knock on the front door of the compound. You peel your eyes open and try to sit up, before remembering what happened the night before. Your skin feels wet as you run your fingers against the edge of the gauze, and you look down to see that you're bleeding through the dressings.

"Emily," you whisper, pushing her shoulder gently to shake her awake. "I need you to get the first aid kit again."

You feel more blood drip down your stomach, and your vision turns hazy for a moment, like a confirmation. She walks across the room to get the kit, and you almost forget about the knock on the door, until Cyrus opens it, revealing a stone-faced Rossi.

They shake hands as Emily removes your dressings before tearing open a new packet of gauze and pressing it into your wound.

"The children," Cyrus tells him, gesturing to the crowd. He then points at the three of you. "And our guests."

Rossi meets your eyes for a split second, and you make sure to keep your expression neutral as he nods and turns back to Cyrus. You're glad it's him who came inside, and not Hotch, because even though you want nothing more than to see him right now, you also don't want him to see you like this.

Rossi tries to get him to release the children, but he ends up leaving with nothing more than a promise to send food and supplies.

***

"Prentiss, Reid, and L/N are okay," Dave says as he jogs back to the tent outside. He turns to Hotch then. "She's been shot in the abdomen. They've tried to dress her wound, but she's losing blood."

Shit. He shuts his eyes as he tries to think about what he can do from out here to speed up the playbook.

"I have a signal!" Morgan beckons them over as he lifts a few sets of headphones for them to wear. With the bug Dave left on the compound, at least they have ears on the inside. It's not all he wants, but it's something, at least.

***

"Which one of you is it?"

Cyrus storms into the basement, where Spencer and Emily are sitting next to you as you lay down on the small cot from earlier. After Emily changed your bandages, Spencer managed to convince him to let you rest away from the followers.

"Which one of you is the FBI agent?"

Spencer jumps in before you can react. "Why do you think one of us is an FBI agent?"

You haven't had the time or capacity to properly profile this man yet, so you don't know if his evasive tactic will work, but you also know he's smart enough to have thought this through.

Cyrus sighs, almost like he's disappointed. "God will forgive me for what I must do." He steps forward and points his gun at Spencer's head. You gasp, trying to keep a look of confusion on your face as you fight the urge to step in.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Spencer says, stumbling over his words. His eyes are wide with fear, and you can't tell how much of it is real and how much is for show.

Cyrus tuts. "One of you does. Who is it?"

You open your mouth to say something, anything, to distract him, but then Emily stands up. "Me. It's me."

The moment of relief you feel when he lifts his gun from Spencer's head is gone as soon as he grabs Emily by the hair and drags her to the door. Your legs burn with the desire to leap off the cot and tackle him to the ground, but you can't move as the door shuts behind them.

***

It's almost night fall by the time Emily joins you again. You and Spencer were moved back up to the chapel after Cyrus took her away, and seeing her now, she looks awful.

Splotchy bruises of purple and blue paint her neck and chest, and there's dried blood on her temple and the corner of her mouth.

"Emily," you gasp, trying to control your expression so that Cyrus and his diehard followers don't think you know her as well as you do. You hate the feeling of letting her take the brunt of his punishment and blame, but it won't help to expose yourselves as agents too.

Spencer leans over you to get a better look at her. "Are you okay?"

She nods, flashing him a small smile. "Yeah, it looks worse than it feels." You can't imagine she's seen her reflection today, but you still appreciate her trying to relieve his stress.

Right then, the front door opens again and a shipment of food containers are carried inside. Men lift the boxes and bring them around the room to feed everyone inside, and when they set a box in front of you three, you notice a familiar scrawl of handwriting on top of the to-go container. 3AM. They're coming in at 3AM.

***

When the followers leave to go to bed, Cyrus takes Emily away again to separate her from you and the others. You fight the exhaustion pulling your eyes shut as you sit on the floor with your back against the wall. Spencer has been talking to Cyrus's second in command, trying to convince him that the Bible can be used to manipulate anything, but Cyrus catches on quickly.

You keep glancing at the door, hoping that Emily will find her way back up before 3AM hits, but as each minute ticks by, the idea becomes more futile.

You saw the diehard followers rigging the compound with explosives earlier in the night, and the detonator is clutched in Cyrus's hand like a lifeline. The irony doesn't escape you.

"Something's wrong," the follower reports, his eyes scanning the darkness outside through the window of the chapel.

Cyrus walks over to check, and you use the moment of distraction to lift the edge of your shirt and check your bandages. You're starting to bleed through the gauze again, but it's not bad enough that you need your dressings changed just yet.

When Cyrus realizes that he's been lied to, Spencer tries to distract him by spouting off verses at a rapid pace, but Cyrus just rams the butt of his rifle into his head, sending him to the ground.

"You cannot convert my brothers," Cyrus says before hitting him again. You crawl over to him, ignoring the screaming pain in your side, and clutch his arm for some semblance of comfort. Cyrus looks down at the both of you, his eyes squinting. "No one had to follow. God could have stopped me."

"He just did."

There's a gunshot, and you whip your head around to see Morgan and a young girl racing out of the tunnel before he crouches beside you. "You two alright?"

You nod, reaching your arm up to let him help you into a standing position. "Where's Emily?"

"We got her out of here," he explains, before turning to the girl. "Sweetheart, come with me."

She looks at each of you, her face twisted with panic, before bending down and picking up the detonator from where Cyrus dropped it. Your eyes widen and you yank Spencer in front of you before pushing him down the tunnel. "Run!"

Derek wraps an arm around your shoulder, holding half of your weight as you both sprint down the tunnel after Spencer. You're almost outside when the explosion goes off, pushing you to your knees with a strong gust of air and smoke.

***

He yells out your name as the blast engulfs the compound. His throat feels ragged as he yells out for Reid and Morgan too, but he can't see anything until three figures stand up from the plume of smoke and stumble down the steps.

He rushes up, meeting you halfway as you collapse from Morgan's arms into his. He grabs onto you as your knees buckle, and he manages to pull you towards him before you hit the ground.

He can't breathe as he clutches you to him, trying to be mindful of your wounds. Your breath comes out in gasps that mix in with his own as he sags with relief that you're here, back in his arms, where he can keep you safe.

He pulls back when he sees the paramedics approaching, and it's only then that he finally gets a good look at you. Your skin is gaunt, and his heart thuds loudly in his ears as he sees you wince in pain.

When they load you into an ambulance, his feet finally start working again and he races after you. "I'm coming with you."

You nod as he climbs through the doors and you reach your hand out over the side of the gurney. Your fingers feel cold when he clasps your hand in his, and he syncs his breaths with the sound of the sirens as your eyes fall closed.

***

The first thought that goes through your head when you wake up is that it's too bright. You squint as your eyes peel open, and in the few moments it takes for them to adjust to the light, a chorus of quiet 'she's awake's filter around the hospital room.

"How are you feeling?" JJ asks, stepping closer to stand at your bedside.

"You gave us a real scare, Mama," Penelope adds with a gentle smile.

You open your mouth to respond, but your throat is so dry, no sound comes out. Emily darts forward to grab the cup of water on the counter, and you glance over to see the yellowing bruises on her cheekbones.

After a few sips, you clear your throat and say, "I'm good. How long was I out?"

"Just a day," Derek responds from the foot of your bed, where he's standing with Spencer and Penelope.

Spencer chimes in. "You got out of surgery a few hours ago, and the doctors said you can go home tomorrow morning."

You nod slowly, stretching out your arms and legs to test the limits of your mobility. When you push yourself up into a sitting position, it doesn't hurt as much as it did on the compound.

"Ah, you're awake," Rossi smiles as he joins you all in the hospital room. It's not exactly huge, so everyone has to stand to make room, but it still doesn't escape your notice that someone is missing.

You return Rossi's smile before glancing over at the door, trying to see if he's just outside. Noticing your gaze, Spencer walks forward and takes your hand, giving it a small squeeze. "He's on the phone with your father. I think he got a flight for tomorrow morning."

You exhale slowly and take another sip of water. "Thank you." He nods and moves to release your hand, but you grip it tighter, holding him back. "Seriously, Spence, thank you." You turn to Emily, who is on the other side and her eyes shine, reflecting the tears in yours. "That whole operation sucked, but I'm really glad you two were in there with me."

She lets out a watery laugh and bends down to press an kiss to your temple. "I'm glad you're okay."

When you start fading again, the team leaves with promises to see you back at work in a month, and you close your eyes to get a break from the harsh fluorescent lighting.

***

"Alright," he says into his phone, nodding. "We'll see you in the morning, Mr. L/N. Yes, she's doing a lot better...okay, good, see you soon."

He ends the call and tucks his phone back into his pocket, before walking over to the vending machine at the end of the hall to grab a few of your favorite snacks. He loads up on chips and pop tarts before heading back up the hallway to your room. When he reaches the door, he realizes that the rest of the team has left, so he steps inside quietly and takes a seat in the small plastic chair next to your bed, before gently setting the snacks on your bedside table.

Your eyes are closed and he figures you must have just fallen asleep, so he crosses his arms over his chest and just sits there, watching you. Your face is covered in little scrapes from the explosion, and you still look a bit ashy, but you somehow still do look beautiful. This isn't the first time he has thought this - it was more of a recurrent notion when you were younger - but he can't deny that you're just objectively a beautiful person. But then again, he's not sure if beauty is ever really objective (eye of the beholder and all that), so he pushes the thought aside and turns back to you.

His thoughts are interrupted when his phone chirps with a text message. Pulling it out of his pocket, he checks the name and sees that Haley has arrived at the hospital. He had called her after you went into surgery, knowing that she would kill him if he didn't keep her constantly updated on your condition.

When he finds her at the end of the hall, she pulls him into a quick side hug that's slightly barred by Jack, who is clutching onto her tightly. He can imagine how scary the hospital looks to a three year old boy.

"Hi, bud," he smiles, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, before looking at Haley again. "She's sleeping, but I'll take you to her room."

"She's alright, Aaron." Haley is looking at him like she's worried he may break down, and it makes him wonder what his expression looks like right now. Ever since you got out of surgery, he has felt a weight lifted off his chest, but if he really thinks about it, he doesn't know if he feels all that much lighter at all.

But he doesn't want to say any of that out loud. Nodding, he cocks his head at the other end of the hall and leads her to your room, where you are blinking your eyes open again.

"Oh, sweetheart," Haley coos, adjusting Jack on her hip and walking over to your bedside. "I hope we didn't wake you up?"

You shake your head with a smile, but he can tell you're lying. You look exhausted, and he can see you periodically glancing at the light on the ceiling to keep your eyes alert.

"Well, hello," you grin at Jack as you carefully push yourself up into a sitting position. "How's my little Jack-o-lantern doing?"

His mouth twitches and he reaches his arms out as he lets out a loud, "Good!" You reach forward slowly, likely testing the limits of your mobility, and take him from Haley, who hands him off with a concerned look on her face.

"Be careful, baby," she tells Jack, before stepping back and crossing her arms. "Aunt Y/N is a little fragile today."

To his credit, Jack just slumps down into your arms, absentmindedly playing with the ends of your hair as you turn to Hotch. "Reid said you called my dad?"

He nods, taking a deep breath. "He'll be here in the morning. I assured him you were just fine, but he wants to stay here for a bit to keep an eye on you."

"That's okay," you shrug, much to his relief. After your last conversation about your father, he wasn't sure where you stood and how far he was allowed to push. "It'll be nice to have some company while I'm off for the next two weeks."

"Two months," he corrects with a stern look.

"One."

"Fine." The only reason he relents so quickly is because he knows how quickly he would be back at work if he was in your position. "But I'm limiting your field work until you're more healed."

You nod after a second. "I'll take it."

Haley huffs out a laugh and looks at him with an expression he remembers from their marriage. Affection with a hint of exasperation.

"Alright, you two," she smiles, reaching for Jack again. His entire fist is tangled in your hair at this point, but you don't seem to mind. "I should get him to bed. It's already past his bedtime."

You nod and hand him back, before letting her envelope you in a warm hug that you settle yourself into. "Love you, Hales. Thanks for coming by."

"Love you too, honey."

***

Haley leaves with Jack, and you slump down in the bed, feeling tired, but no longer sleepy.

"I can head out too," Hotch says quickly, reaching for his coat, "if you want to sleep."

You shake your head, and he drops his arm immediately, as though he was just looking for an excuse to stay. The thought makes you smile and his brow pinches in confusion. What's on your mind?

"I'm just glad I met you." You reach for his hand he takes it, giving it a soft squeeze, before taking a seat in the chair beside you.

"I brought you some snacks from the vending machine," he points out, glancing over at the pile he made on your table. "I got your favorites...at least out of what they had."

You grin, feeling your chest fill with warmth as you take in the assortment. "Sunchips and cinnamon pop tarts. You remembered."

"Of course," he shrugs. "You're the only person I know, other than my three year old son, who still eats pop tarts."

You make a face, swatting your hand at him, but he's just out of reach. "It's not my fault toddlers have great taste."

He chuckles as you tear open one of the packages and break off a piece. The buttery, sweet taste brings you back to your childhood when your mom was still alive. She would wake you up with two brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts before school, the sweet smell enough to drag you out of bed at eight in the morning.

"What are you thinking about?"

You look up with a smile, your gaze wistful as the memory slowly fades away. "My mom, actually. I don't have a ton of memories of her, but sometimes the most random thing will trigger an emotion or a memory that I forgot I had."

He nods, his eyes thoughtful. "Like the taste of pop tarts."

"Exactly." You break off another piece and toss it into your mouth, before setting the package back on the table. "Last week it was the smell of this perfume I found at the back of my dresser. It wasn't even the exact scent she would wear, it just had the same base notes."

Your voice trails off, and he looks at you, giving you a moment before speaking up. "What else do you remember?"

"I remember her funeral," you say without thinking, before realizing that it's not a lie. You know that grief is weird, that people usually remember everything or nothing, but for some reason, the funeral only comes back to you in pieces. Your dad crying silently, Hotch holding your hand, your dress being too small on you. You wore it anyway, because she had picked it out for you at the store a couple of years before. "I remember you holding me up."

His eyes flash with something that resembles amusement and he purses his lips. "I remember feeling the opposite. I knew I was supposed to be there for you, but somehow, it felt like you were the one holding both of us up that day."

You shrug, realizing the details don't mean anything. "All I really needed was for someone to hold onto."

He nods and that's when your mind flashes back to New York last month. "Did you go to Kate's funeral?"

"No," he sighs, raking a hand through his hair. "Her family flew her back to London to have it there, and I couldn't take any time off."

You want to apologize, but before you can open your mouth, he beats you to it. "I'm sorry for how I acted in New York."

You frown, but he just shakes his head. "I don't really know why I was trying so hard to protect her. I guess after the close call with Strauss last year, I was less sympathetic to bureau politics, but I still shouldn't have taken it out on you. I should've been protecting you too."

His words are tinged with self-contempt, and you find yourself wanting to take away his guilt even though you were hurt by how he treated you during that case. But that's how the two of you work. The protective instincts don't go away just because one of you is angry at the other.

You remember prom night all those years ago, when he was so peeved at you for convincing him to ask Haley to the dance, even though they had just started talking. She had freaked out and said no, so he was forced to take another girl who asked him after the fact (of which there were many), while you went with Kyle Martinez, who had been showing interest in you for a while. You knew your feelings for Hotch definitely weren't just platonic anymore, but he was into Haley, and he was also Hotch, so you had pushed it aside and gone to the prom with Kyle.

You had spotted Hotch the moment he walked into the ballroom that the school had turned into a Gatsby-themed prom venue. He commanded everyone's attention, and you certainly weren't immune, but you had your own date, so you ignored your best friend and danced with Kyle.

As the night wore on, he had grown bored and asked you if you wanted to get out of there and go somewhere quiet, but you weren't exactly experienced back then.

"I'm okay," you had whispered, trying to maintain your smile. "I'd rather just stay at the dance."

You can still remember the change in his expression when he saw you glance at Hotch, as though it was just yesterday. "What, are you into him or something? You seriously think he'd fuck you?"

You hadn't been able to help it as tears flooded your eyes, and before you knew it, Hotch was standing in front of you, glaring down your date as he asked if you were okay.

"Everything's fine," Kyle had sneered, trying to get around him. "Butt out of our business, Hotch."

He looked at you again. Do you want me to go?

You shook your head, a tear falling down your cheek, and before you had time to blink, his fist was swinging. There was a horrible thump as his fist collided with Kyle's cheekbone, sending him stumbling backwards from the force of the hit.

You couldn't move as Kyle swung back, trying to shove him down, but he didn't budge. He could take physical aggression better than most guys his age, but that didn't make this okay.

"Hotch, please," you had pleaded as he landed another punch. The sound of your voice must had cut through the fog, because he looked up then, unaware of the bruises on his knuckles. You helped him up, and the two of you watched as his date stormed out of the ballroom.

Presently, you look at him sitting in his chair and crack a small smile. "Do you remember prom night?"

He groans and you laugh lightly, being careful not to tear the stitches in your side.

"You never actually told me what that asshole did to you." His tone is light, but you can hear the genuine question underneath.

"It was so long ago," you shrug after a beat. "I don't even remember."

***

Your dad arrives at the hospital early the next morning right before you're discharged. The papers are quick, and by the time the sun has risen fully, you are being taken to his car in a wheelchair, despite your best efforts to refuse.

"I can walk!"

"I don't care."

"Dad, come on."

He frowns down at you. "I drove up here to be of use to you. Let me be of use."

You huff in frustration as he wheels you beside his car, and you try to get up on your own, but you twist the wrong way. You gasp out in pain as one of your stitches pulls and your dad immediately comes around to assist you.

"I hate your job," he grumbles, taking your arm to help you into the passenger seat. "If I had my way, you'd be working out of an office cubicle."

"I know, Dad," you soothe, turning your head back to smile at him. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too, sweetie."

The drive to your house is quick, and he takes your arm again when you get out to help you inside. Once you're laying down on the couch, you insist that you don't need any more concessions, but he doesn't sit down in your armchair until after he has brought you a glass of water and a blanket.

"Dad, I'm fine, really." He doesn't look convinced, so you paste on your brightest smile, and he finally cracks, smiling back at you. "What do you want to do today?" you ask him.

"Wha- do today?" he sputters. "You need to rest, young lady. I'm not letting you leave this couch until you head up for bed tonight."

You can tell he's serious about this, so you sink back into your pillows with a sigh and grab the tv remote. "What do you want to watch then?"

He leans back in his armchair and brings his palm to his face: his thinking expression. "What's on?"

You click on the television, and the first channel it opens up to is playing a rerun of Breaking Bad. Neither of you seem interested in watching it, so you keep flipping through the channels, but after 20 minutes of mindless surfing, you eventually end up back on Breaking Bad.

"We could just play it in the background," you suggest with a shrug, "while we talk."

"Sure," he agrees, placing his hands on each armrest.

Two hours later, your eyes are glued to the television after having watched three episodes.

"We should probably do something else," Dad suggests at the next ad break. "All of this meth production is rotting my brain."

"Yeah," you agree, taking your time to reach for the remote before clicking the tv off and tossing the remote aside. "We can have lunch in the kitchen..."

"Nice try," he chuckles, before standing up. "Aaron is coming by with takeout soon, and you can eat that right from here."

He had been coming by a lot after your movie night a few months ago, and while hanging out with your best friend isn't an anomaly, it does reinforce the reminder that neither of you have anyone to go home to at the end of the night.

It's another half hour by the time he shows up, Thai takeout in hand, and by then you're starving.

"Thanks for bringing food," you say genuinely after your dad lets him inside the house. "I was worried I would have to live off Dad's cooking for a week."

"Very funny," he says with an eye roll. "But yes, thank you, Aaron."

"Of course," Hotch says simply, before handing your dad a fork and napkin. "I'm also hoping to convince Y/N to take more time off."

"Not fair!" you complain, feeling like you're reverting to your high school self with your dad and best friend sitting across from you. "I'm not starting field work for a couple of months. I just want to come in soon to meet the new press liaison."

"Is JJ leaving?" Dad asks as he takes a bite of green curry with rice.

"Just temporarily," Hotch says, reaching for the pad kee mao container. You nod, chiming in, "She's due in a couple of months, so she's gonna start training someone soon to take over while she's gone."

"Is she still with that cop from...where was it again?"

"New Orleans," you answer with a laugh. "Yeah, she and Will are still together."

You can feel the conversation getting dangerously close to (ex) spouses, so you steer your father away from the topic by having him try all of the food Hotch brought. He ends up staying for a couple of hours as he explains some of the more tame cases you've handled to your dad, who actually seems interested in the finer details of each profile.

Eventually, he heads home, with the explanation that he has Jack that night, and you say good night to your dad before heading up for bed. You cover the stitches with plastic the way the doctors instructed you to before taking a fast shower and getting into your bed.

You can hear the sound of your father's quiet snores from the guest room down the hall, and for a moment, you let yourself imagine that you're back in your childhood home, sleeping in your pink and purple bedroom after spending the day with your best friend.

***

It takes a lot of convincing, but at the end of the month, your dad drops you off at work before making his drive back home. Emily had called you before the team's plane took off, and you timed it right so that you'd get to the office just as they arrived.

The elevator doors open on your floor, and you hear a loud conversation happening between Morgan and Prentiss just before they spot you from the bullpen.

"Y/N!" Emily grins, rushing forward to give you a hug. "How's the healing process been?"

"I feel a lot better," you tell her with a smile as you pull back and drop your bag next to your desk.

"You look a lot better," she nods, before Derek grabs you and pulls you in for a surprisingly gentle bear hug.

"You look great," he says, grinning at you. "Are you cleared to come back to work?"

"Not field work," you sigh, pushing your hair back behind your ear. "I'm just here to turn in some paperwork and then I'm stuck to my desk for a few more weeks."

Derek takes the files from your hand and tosses them on your desk before throwing an arm around your shoulder. "You should come out and get burgers with Prentiss and me."

"Tempting," you say, "but I just came by to meet-"

"Hey guys," JJ calls out from the hallway. "I want to introduce you to someone."

She walks up to you all with another woman by her side. "This is Agent Jordan Todd. She'll be taking over for me while I'm on maternity leave."

You grin, clasping your hands together in front of you as she smiles sheepishly at all of you. "Agent Jareau's told me so much about you all."

She turns to Emily first. "You must be Agent Prentiss."

"Yes," she smiles, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Spencer walks up at that moment and Agent Todd nods at him. "Hello, Dr. Reid."

He waves back, and she then looks at you. You reach out first to shake her hand and she smiles. "Agent L/N, I presume?" When you nod, she takes your hand. "I heard about the cult incident."

"Yeah," you let out a laugh. "Incident is definitely a word for it."

Derek drops his arm from your shoulder and Jordan turns to him with a cheeky grin that piques your interest. "And Agent Morgan. Nice to see you again."

He nods, not giving anything away. "Nice to see you, too. So, this must be the good news."

"This would be my brownie."

Emily frowns, pointing between the two of then. "Uh, you two have met?"

Derek doesn't turn away from her. "Briefly."

JJ shoots him a look before steering Jordan away to meet the rest of the team, and you and Emily turn to Derek with matching expressions. "What was that about?"

"I met her at a coffee shop this morning," he explains, rubbing a hand over his face. "She knew my name then, and I guess this is how."

"JJ's about to pop," Emily says, glancing at you with a small smirk. "Looks like it's about to get interesting at the BAU."

***

Your first case back in the field takes you to Atlanta, where Vanessa Holden was murdered after going home with a man she met on a night out clubbing. Jordan briefs you all on the details back in the office before you get on the plane.

You're still not used to JJ being gone, and you heard all about Jordan's drive from Hotch when he came by your house with dinner periodically over your bureau-mandated leave, but you don't want to make any judgments before getting to know her yourself.

You sit across from Hotch on the plane, and you don't miss the way his eyes follow each of your movements from the second you sit down. Your bandages are still on, but you've regained almost all of your mobility.

As the jet takes off, you lean forward slightly to adjust the back of your blazer, and his gaze shoots to you, his brow furrowing with concern.

You flash your eyes at him, cutting the tension with a small smirk. I'm fine, I promise.

He squints slightly, scrutinizing your expression for a moment, before letting out an inscrutable sigh and turning back to the case file.

When you land in Atlanta, you start off at the police department with Hotch, Morgan, and Todd, and her continued insistence on being the first to meet with the local officials and debrief them surprises you, given JJ's more subtle nature when working with those who call your team in.

The local police let you know that the Holden family has stopped cooperating with their investigation, but the four of you head over to their home to try and speak with her mother and sister one last time. Jordan gets you in the house by sharing a story about her older sister who passed away, and you find yourself feeling awful about your misjudgment of her, until you notice the look of Hotch's face.

"Did you know that about Jordan?" you ask, trying to understand why he looks so miffed.

"No," he says simply, his brow pinched together, "and neither did she. According to her file, she's an only child."

You flash your eyes at Derek.

The conversation gets you a basic profile of the unsub, based on the cocky way he held himself with Vanessa and the way he was dressed when approaching her at the club, but when the moment you exit her home, Hotch corners Jordan on the driveway.

"The information about Vanessa Holden being the responsible sister," he fumes. "Where did you get that?"

She has the gall not to look ashamed, and you can't decide if you respect her resolve or detest her lack of responsibility. "Some of it was online, and some of it was an educated guess based on birth order."

"A guess."

You practically wince and Derek stares at her, as though trying to hypnotically get her to backtrack.

She looks down then, and he delivers the kicker. "And in the process you lied."

You step forward to insert yourself in the conversation (for what purpose, you don't yet know), but Jordan just stands up straighter, ready to defend herself. "That mother was shut down. I needed to salvage some rapport."

Hotch doesn't back down, and as his brow locks into place, you step back again. "I don't know how you did things in counter-terrorism, but we don't make it a habit to lie to get the job done."

"I got you in the door, didn't I?" she spits out one last time. It's both, you realize. Respect and distaste.

"Not only do you represent the FBI, you represent this team."

He shakes his head, and you cock your head at Derek, gesturing for him to head back to the car. You hear the tail end of their conversation as you yank open the passenger side door.

"From now on, everything goes through me."

Jordan gets saved by the literal bell as his phone rings, and when he steps away to answer it, she comes back to the SUV and gets in the back. "So, how bad did I just screw up?"

Derek heaves out a sigh, looking at her with his characteristic stoicism mixed with compassion. "On a normal scale of one to ten, I'd say a six."

He glances at you and you press your lips together. "But on Hotch's scale...an 11."

She rubs a hand over her face and you turn back to face the front, watching as Hotch paces back and forth, his phone pressed to his ear. He doesn't look up until he's back in the SUV.

***

The profile becomes clear when a new victim emerges: an unsub with a possible scar or birthmark above his left eye, who went to a class for pickup artists. After doing some researching with Garcia, Emily returns with a flyer for a man named Viper that makes your stomach twist.

You, Morgan, and Hotch join her at one of his classes later that day, and it takes everything in you not to sneer in disgust as he describes his approach to meeting women.

"This is the jungle, my friends," Viper finishes off, lifting his hands in the air theatrically, "and your prey wants to be caught."

You and Hotch share a look, and he raises his eyebrows as you cringe. What, not a fan?

You shove his shoulder with yours, but it's not hard enough to actually make him budge. Hilarious.

"Will you listen to that language?" Emily whispers from next to you. "He's training serial killers."

"Great," Derek sighs. "We're dealing with a rampant narcissist and misogynist who's turned himself into a snake oil salesman."

Hotch nods. "That's one more thing he has in common with our unsub."

The class ends soon after, and you get the distinct pleasure of meeting Viper in the flesh. When he approaches the four of you, he makes a clear effort to keep eye contact with only the men, likely trying to use his self-prescribed techniques to make you and Emily feel vulnerable. Instead, it just makes you want to laugh in his face.

"So you think this- what did you call him- unsub, took my class?"

He raises his eyebrows at Emily then, in what you can only hope is meant to be a seductive nature, and she practically snorts. Using his clear attraction to her to the team's advantage, she steps forward and takes control of the conversation. By the time she's finished, she has managed to secure his location for later tonight, and get him just flustered enough that a chance meeting later would have him ready to divulge anything she wants to hear.

'Please tell me we are not giving up on that guy." Emily heaves out a breath as you all walk back outside after speaking with Viper. She was just talking to him, but she looks like she's ready to take another shower.

Hotch flashes his eyes with uncharacteristic mirth. "We're just getting started."

***

His eyes keep darting back to the door of the locker room. Prentiss is going undercover at Club Aqua to get more information about the unsub from Viper, and when she suggested that you and Agent Todd join her, he couldn't think of a good enough reason to quash her idea.

He knows he's been hard on Todd. He figured it out on his own, even with your furtive glances from the passenger side of the SUV after leaving the Holden household.

He wishes he could say it all came from a place of protecting bureau leadership, but he knows that isn't completely true. It's been almost two weeks since he last saw Jack, and every time he drops him back at Haley's, that feeling settles back in his gut, like clockwork. The feeling that tells him he's just like his father.

The locker room door flies open and he averts his eyes, trying to maintain some level of subtlety, but it's only Prentiss and Todd. Where are you?

His unspoken question is answered when Prentiss announces that you told them to get started without you. He's still worried that you're not ready for this kind of assignment so early in your return to field work, so, before he can regret it, he stalks forward and pushes open the door.

The regret immediately comes when he sees your bare back, underneath your unzipped dress, on the far end of the locker room.

"Oh, sorry," he blinks, turning his head back. "I didn't realize-"

He moves to shut the door again, but you look over your shoulder and raise your hand, beckoning him inside. "Wait, I could actually use your help."

He steps through the door and crosses over to you, where you turn your back to him after a small glance. "Zip me up?"

The bottom of the zipper is at the small of your back, and he tries to avoid touching you as he pulls it up to the base of your shoulder blades. He isn't able to avoid it completely, and he tries to ignore the heat of your skin as he drops the zipper and nods. "All set."

You turn around and he forgets to step back in time, leaving you only a few inches from him as you glance up with a confused smile. "You okay?"

He nods again, stepping back and clearing his throat. Why is his skin burning? "I should be asking you that. Are you sure you're up for this?"

"I'm getting the bandages taken off later this week," you tell him, partly misunderstanding his concern. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

That's definitely a lie, but he allows it for now. "That's not all I'm talking about. You haven't been in the field in months. I just worry that I'm tossing you into the deep end on your first day back."

"I'm fine," you insist, reaching out to put your hand on his forearm. "I would have refused the assignment if I didn't think I could handle it."

He's not sure if he believes that either, but in this case, the assignment itself seems odious enough that he can let it slide. "Okay. Are you ready to head out there?"

"Yeah, just one second."

He waits as you pull a thin necklace from your bag and clasp it around your neck. When it's attached, you spin around with a goofy smile. "How do I look?"

"Amazing," he says without thinking. "I mean- you look great, of course."

You just smile at him, before patting his shoulder and walking out the door to meet the Prentiss and Todd at the club. Your hair brushes past him as you leave, and the scent of your perfume lingers in the air behind you, a flowery aroma that persists even when the door swings shut.

***

Emily waves at you when you approach her and Jordan in a crowded part of the club. "Y/N, I'm sure you remember Viper. God's gift to women."

You smile at him sweetly, before glancing at her. "Sure hope he came with a receipt."

"Another friend," Viper says, letting out a weak laugh.

Emily uses this moment of distraction to pounce. "You promised if I met you on your turf, you'd show me something special. So...let's see it."

He starts spouting off some nonsense about chemical signals, and you're about to take Jordan's arm and pull her aside to give Emily some room, when Viper turns to you with a mock-sincere expression. "Does the boss man you're out here, with me?"

You turn back with a frown. "Excuse me?"

For a moment, you forget to mask your emotions and he practically grins as his bravado grows. "What I do for a living is pretty similar to what you all do. I read people...and from what I could tell during your little ambush of my class earlier, there's something going on between you and the supervisor."

You let out a laugh that feels surprisingly forced as it leaves your throat. "I really can't believe there are people out there who pay you for assessments like that, because you're dead wrong."

He shrugs, looking back at Emily, and you roll your eyes at him before turning away under the guise of giving them some space. When you're out of his line of sight, you let out a breath that was caught in your chest. You know you and Hotch are closer than most friendships are at your age, and you're not unaccustomed to people reading more into it than there is, so you're not sure why Viper's words feel like a fist around your gut.

"Hey, you okay?" You turn back to see Jordan approaching you with a glass of water. "He's really trying everything to get under our skin."

You accept the glass gratefully, and swallow a few gulps, before nodding. "Thank you. I think I just needed some air. I forgot how stuffy these clubs get."

"I hear that." She laughs and you feel your chest loosen with relief that she didn't believe Viper's insinuation. "I can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm almost excited to get back into my work clothes."

You let out a breathy chuckle, before sending her back to keep an eye on Emily as she works on breaking Viper. Later that night, when you get back to the station to meet up with the rest of the team, you excuse yourself early to head to the hotel, and you allow yourself to pretend, just this once, that you weren't avoiding him, and you really were just tired.

***

You're sitting in your car in front of the hospital at seven in the morning, because you didn't want to take any work off just to get your bandages removed. You know this is likely the exact sort of thing the bureau mandates time off for, but a small part of you didn't want anyone knowing you were coming here. Or maybe you just didn't want him to know.

You haven't been trying to avoid him. You may be a little embarrassed by how far under your skin Viper got with his one little comment, but you can't help it. The notion stirred something you don't recognize inside of you and you don't want to take the time to think through it.

You take a deep breath and get out of your car, before walking into the hospital and checking in for your appointment. When you called to secure a time slot, the nurse mentioned that, barring any complications, the appointment shouldn't take more than half an hour.

You're a few minutes early, so you sit in the waiting area, flipping through a fashion magazine from the table next to you. After a minute, you're so engrossed in a page about returning trends that you don't realize he is sitting next to you until he taps the side of your foot with his own.

"Oh shit," you blurt out when you see him, more out of surprise than the shame of being caught. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"Garcia saw it in your calendar and told me." You turn to look at him with mock-exasperation, but you're caught off guard by the genuine hurt in his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me the appointment was today? I could've driven you."

You open your mouth to come up with an excuse, but all that comes out is, "I don't know." He doesn't look convinced, but the doctor calls your name then and you stand up, pressing your lips together. "Will you come with me?"

He stands up immediately, without another word, and you both follow the doctor into a back room, where she proceeds to remove your bandages and check where you are in the healing process. The wound is closed, and is almost entirely scarred over, but she recommends that you continue to take it easy - a point which you see Hotch take mental note of immediately - and limit excessive physical activity.

"The wound is healing very nicely," the doctor says as you walk back to the front. "Give me a call if anything changes, but as long as you keep applying the salve, there shouldn't be a permanent scar."

You thank her before she heads back to meet with another patient, and Hotch holds the front door open for you as you walk out into the parking lot.

"Thank you for coming," you tell him earnestly, "even though I didn't ask you to. I should've told you."

He exhales through his nose, bumping your shoulder. "Yeah, you should have."

He loops his arm through yours as you step off the curb and you lean your head on his shoulder for a second before unlocking your car. You were stupid to let Viper's words get to you. He's your best friend.

He's your best friend, and you love him.

***

One of the first happy memories at the office in a long time comes in the form of JJ coming in with baby Henry. It feels like a welcome relief to see her face back in the bullpen, and for a few peaceful moments, everything feels like it's back to normal.

You know firsthand how much this job takes from people, and Jordan's absence in the office now doesn't go unnoticed, even with a sweet baby boy here to take your mind off of it.

Is this my fault?

Rossi had tried to talk her down after discovering that the unsub had killed his entire family in their home, seemingly after her press release, but sometimes the words aren't enough.

I'm not sure I can do this job.

There had been so much anguish in her voice as she admitted to Rossi that she wasn't cut out for this line of work, but no part of you judged her for it. A bigger piece of you almost envied her ability to recognize that she was in over her head - that she couldn't keep going like this.

Looking at JJ now though, you feel a sense of hope again, like maybe this job doesn't take everything from you.

"I thought you could use a surprise," she smiles, cradling Henry in her arms under a swath of blankets.

"He's beautiful," you whisper, stepping in closer to get a better look at his little scrunched-up face.

Penelope comes back into the room with a freshly warmed up bottle of milk, and JJ starts to feed him as everyone leans closer in wonder. "I wanted us to have at least one good memory to hold onto in this room."

Before you can react, Derek is pushing past you and Spencer. "Excuse me, kid. Um, JJ, can I..."

He points to the bundle in her arms and she looks at him with a soft grin. "Of course."

She carefully transfers Henry into his arms as all of the women worriedly chime in with reminders and comments on his form.

"You gotta hold his head up."

"Careful, you're smothering him!"

"I got it," Derek chuffs, before rocking Henry in his arms. "Look at that, what's he doing? He's smiling at Derek Morgan."

Penelope and Emily share a look. "Gas."

He shoots them a pointed glare, before grabbing the bottle from Garcia's hand and feeding Henry himself. "Hey, little man."

You can't help the smile that crosses your face as you step back to give them some room. Your shoulder bumps into Hotch as you step around JJ, and you look back at him, noticing the little curve of his lips. "You're smiling."

He glances over at you with an eye roll. "Gas."

***

"What's up, Hotch?"

You roll over and turn your bedside lamp on as you press your cellphone to your ear. The alarm clock beside you says it's just past five in the morning.

"We have a case."

You frown, pushing yourself up. "Wouldn't JJ usually call us to come in?"

"This one's different." His voice sounds slightly muffled and his tone is colored by a familiar tinge of irritation. "Dallas AG called me last night to come down here, and it looks like they may have a serial."

"You went alone?" you ask, trying to blink the grogginess from your eyes as you get out of bed. You are distinctly aware of how many questions you're asking, but your brain is still fuzzy from being woken up.

"Yeah," he says simply, before you hear someone call his name from the other end of the line. "I convinced them to bring the team in as well. Anyway, I have to go, but I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, see you-" The line cuts and you sigh, tossing the phone down.

So much for a full night of rest.

***

Spencer briefs all of you on female serial killers on the flight over, and once you land, Hotch is waiting at the hotel. You drop your things off in your room and meet with him, Rossi, and Morgan to head over to the location of the latest crime scene, when another man is murdered.

"Victim was Joseph Fielding," Rossi explains when you enter the office building. "He was CFO here."

"Poisoned?" you clarify.

"And staged," Morgan adds, glancing over the body. This time, the victim was left out in the open, naked and tied up. There's no way the company can keep the media away from this one.

"Which one of you is Aaron Hotchner?"

You turn around to see a man in a fancy suit stalking towards the four of you. You step back to let Hotch get around you, and he approaches the man with a frown. "I'm Hotchner."

"Larry Bartlett," he introduces himself. "I represent Mr. Fielding and Webster Industries."

Hotch angles himself to stand between the man and the body. "This is a closed crime scene, Mr. Bartlett."

"I spoke to Ellen Daniels," he explains, his eyes glinting with over-confidence. "She said you're a very reasonable man."

You resist the urge to snort as Hotch moves to get the attention of the police officers nearby. "Escort him out, please."

"No, wait! The press is outside, and they can smell blood. Any way we can handle this discreetly?"

This time it's you who frowns. "We're not about to lie for you."

"Don't have to lie," he says, gesturing with his hands as though that will help his case. "Just don't comment."

Hotch looks at him for a moment, before excusing himself and pulling the rest of you aside. "Is there any reason to go public yet?"

Rossi shrugs. "Validating her is exactly what she wants. If we hold back, she's more likely to make a mistake."

You almost smile. "He doesn't need to know that."

Hotch meets your eye for a beat before spinning around and putting his lawyer face back on. "We need everything you have on Fielding. Bank accounts, tax records, emails...everything."

***

When Penelope uncovers that the victims have all been withholding child support from their ex-wives, Hotch meets with the city's high-profile corporate lawyers to present the profile. You're not sure how helpful this will be, given that their primary motive is to protect their clients' companies, but it proves useful when one of the lawyers reveals that the unsub may have a penthouse to her name.

The apartment is massive. You walk around the living area, trying to find anything the unsub may have left out, but she has clearly been covering her tracks.

When you don't find anything by the bedroom, you head over to the walk-in closet where Derek and Emily are poking around her jewelry box.

"Hey, Prentiss," Derek suddenly says, lifting up a leather bodysuit and holding it in front of her. "Got a whip?"

Rolling your eyes, you smack the top of his head with the evidence baggy in your hands and walk back out to find Hotch. He's poring over her antique book collection when suddenly the apartment phone starts to ring.

You all argue for a few moments over who should take the call, and Derek quickly alerts Garcia to trap-and-trace it, before it soon goes to voicemail.

"Hi, it's me," the woman's voice says brightly in the voicemail message. "You know what to do." There's a beep, and then her voice comes back, more present this time. "Aaron."

Your eyes snap over to him, but he's still looking at the phone.

"I know you're up there," she continues. "Aaron Hotchner."

He reaches forward and carefully lifts the phone with his gloved hand. He walks over to the window as he presses it to his ear. "I'm at a disadvantage. You seem to know my name, but I don't know yours."

You bend down and press the speaker button on the main console as he moves across the room.

"I thought I could trust you, Aaron." Her voice is tight over the line, the tiny speakers still enough to amplify the emotion in her voice. She sounds so...disappointed.

"Who says you can't?" he responds slowly, clearly testing the range of her emotion.

"I want to," she says quietly. "I even looked you up online. I watched the presentation you gave on school shootings...and for a moment, I actually thought there were still good people in the world."

You remember that presentation. There had been a shooting at an elementary school in Virginia, and the moment the news hit, he had been on the phone, discussing procedures to ensure it wouldn't happen again. You went with him that day that he gave the speech, and you could tell he had been thinking of Jack the entire time he was up there.

Hotch closes his eyes for a beat. "But I've disappointed you, haven't I? Just like all the other men in your life who've walked out on their families."

The line is silent, before: "Did you walk out on your family?"

Hotch looks down for a moment and you fight the urge to walk over and pull him into a hug. "No. My wife left me."

You can feel the team's eyes on you as you keep your expression neutral, your eyes focused on him.

"Do you have kids?"

Your mind flashes to Jack, and your chest feels warm as he nods, before muttering a quick "yes".

The woman speaks up again, her voice stronger yet more emotional. "How often do you see him?"

"I try to see him every week."

She scoffs. "Do you see him every week?" Her question is like a jab, trying to push him into doing or saying something that will prove he's just like the other men in her life.

"No," he admits, glancing back at you. You nod, trying to let him know that you're right here. "I don't get there as often as I want."

"I believe you." Her voice softens and you watch as Hotch's expression turns back to his thinking face. He has an idea.

He lets her talk for a minute, listening in to Garcia's updates on the trap-and-trace, until he chimes in again. "But I'm just frustrating you, aren't I?"

You can hear the confusion in her tone. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you wanna show the world all these bad men, and my investigation's just getting in your way."

"No, Aaron," she sighs heavily. "You just want me to disappear, just like they do."

He shakes his head, turning to look out the window. "Truthfully, I'm only interested in finding you. You don't know who to trust. Am I right?"

There are tears in her voice as she quietly whispers an acknowledgement.

"Come to me and turn yourself in." He walks back to the living area. "I will make sure that you get the help you need. I won't let you disappear."

His voice is a comfort, and for a brief moment, you think that he could probably convince you to turn yourself in if you had to.

There's a beat of silence, before a small rustling sound. "If we met under different circumstances...I could believe that."

The rustling continues, before her tone changes completely, going from soft and meek to strong and icy. "I won't let you cover this up."

There's a gunshot right before the call cuts out.

***

You follow Hotch and Derek into the hotel room, checking behind you as you aim your gun out in front of you. Once Garcia found Megan Kane's address and client list, everything else fell into place.

The room is empty, except for a gun and a bottle of champagne placed theatrically on the center table.

"Hotch," Derek whispers, pointing out at the balcony, where a figure is laying down on one of the lounge chairs.

His brow furrows and he lifts his hand. "Wait here."

"You sure?" you ask, stepping forward to get a better look.

He nods. "It's over. She knows it."

Derek steps out to call 911, and you watch as Hotch approaches her slowly, tucking his gun into his holster before sitting on the chair beside her.

"Nothing will change," you hear her whisper, her voice overflowing with despair. "They'll just go back to doing whatever they want and they'll keep getting away with it."

He shakes his head. "Not if I have anything to do with it."

The response is almost corny, but his voice is so earnest that you find yourself believing him anyway.

He reaches forward and takes her hand, holding it tightly as her head lolls to the side to look at him. "How could your wife have ever left someone like you?"

He doesn't say anything, but you can feel the sadness permeating off of both of them as he comforts her in her final moments. Haley is one of your good friends, and you know she would've made their marriage work if it was something she could control. This job just isn't that.

Megan lets out a soft sob and you avert your eyes, feeling like you're intruding on a private moment. "You're the first man I ever met who didn't let me down. Will you stay with me?"

He doesn't hesitate. "Yes."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

He holds her hand for a long time, and he doesn't stand up until you're certain she's been dead for minutes. The walk back to you is slow, and you can see the extra weight on his shoulders as he trudges across the hotel room.

You open your arms and he all but falls into them, letting you pull him into a tight hug that you can tell is holding him together right now.

"You did good," you whisper as his face presses into your shoulder. "You kept your promise. It's the last thing she wanted, and you gave it to her."

You feel him nod, and a moment later, he stands up, letting his arms drop like deadweights. His hair is slightly disheveled, so you reach up and push the front strands back from his forehead, before resting your hand on his cheek for a quick second. "Let's go home?"

He nods again. "Let's go home."

***

It's snowing. You don't realize it until you step out of the car and onto the sidewalk in front of the Georgetown brownstone where the priest was taken in.

Emily and Derek caught him in the middle of an attempted exorcism, and you didn't arrive with the rest of the team until they were already bringing him out in cuffs. She looks shaken as she leads her friend out of the house and to the ambulance waiting on the street.

Once the paramedics take him from her hands, her body all but deflates, and she exhales deeply, as though releasing the pent-up tension from the day.

"Em," you whisper, approaching her slowly. "Can I drive you home?"

She doesn't look at you at first. Whites flecks of snow dance across your vision and stick to her coat and hair as she stares at the ground. After a moment, she shakes her head. "I'm gonna walk for a while."

Her feet don't move, and you're reminded of a conversation you had years ago, when she comforted you and offered you a quiet place to just be. Gently looping your arm through hers, you ask, "Do you want some company?"

She nods almost immediately, and you let her lead the way as you walk away from the red and blue flashing lights. You can't imagine how tough this case must have been for her, especially because the people she loved were so deeply involved.

The walk is silent, and you look down, watching the patterns the soles of your boots make in the snow. You only stop moving when Emily does, her sudden stillness tugging you back as she stands in front of a small church that she must have seen from down the street.

She lets go of your arm as she turns her face up to the sky, hugging herself in an effort to stay warm or shield herself. Maybe a mix of both.

"You don't have to say anything," you say softly as you turn to face the church as well, your shoulder pressing lightly against hers, "but if you want to, I'm always here to listen."

Emily glances up at the church, her eyes shining in the cold, and presses her lips together as she takes in a shaky breath. "My friend...who died...Matthew. He knew the Bible inside and out, and one day he started to question everything."

You think you know where this is going, but you don't want to interrupt her when she's letting out emotions she has clearly kept inside for years.

"We moved around a lot when I was younger, because of my mom's postings, and when you're 15, it's really hard to get accepted."

She's silent for a few moments and you take the opportunity to fill in the gaps for her, so she doesn't have to say it out loud. "You got pregnant?"

She nods, taking a deep breath. "Matthew wasn't the father. It-it was...something else. But I didn't know what to do. He told me to talk to our priest, but he just said that if I had an abortion, I wasn't welcome in his congregation."

Your throat tightens with tears and you blink them back, swallowing thickly. "What did you do?"

"Matthew found a doctor." Her arms tighten around her abdomen, and she lets out a small shiver. "He took me there, and he stayed with me. Then, when we got back, he held my hand and walked me into the church." Her voice cracks as she continues. "Father Gamino actually stopped his sermon, but Matthew told me to hold my head up and we walked to the front pew."

Her arms fall then, and you look up to see the wetness on her cheeks, pink from the cold. "Matthew saved my life. He made me feel like I was worthy of...love, and friendship, but then his anger and questioning started." She finally looks at you, and her eyes are wide with grief and anguish. "He saved me, and it's my fault that his life unraveled."

You're shaking your head before she's even finished speaking. "Em, honey, it's not your fault. He was your friend. He loved you, and everything he did for you was his choice. Anything he discovered after that was already within him."

Another tear falls down her cheek and you reach forward to pull her into a hug that she accepts gratefully. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

Her hands clutch the back of your coat as she cries silently into your shoulder, and you don't let go until she finally stops shaking.

***

Hotch is ending a phone call when you step into his office. He sets it down and nods when you step inside, but you can see the lines of tension just in the way he's standing.

"Is everything alright?" you ask, walking inside and standing in front of his desk. "What was that call about?"

He doesn't look up. "Shaunessy died last night."

"Oh, Aaron, I'm so sorry." You squeeze his forearm over the desk, but he still won't look at you. "He was your first boss here at the BAU, right?"

He nods, before clearing his throat and straightening his back. "He was sick. This isn't a surprise, but there's something else we may need to talk about-"

He's interrupted by JJ coming into his office, a case file in hand. "Sorry, but you wanted to know immediately about any unusual Boston homicides?"

You see his jaw twitch as he takes the file from her and flips it open, scanning the first page quickly. JJ glances over at you, a confused expression on her face, but you can only shrug.

He looks up after a minute. "We're going to Boston."

JJ sputters. "Wha-what, but we haven't been invited?"

"We will be." He grabs his coat and sidesteps the two of you, before booking it out of his office. You're hot on his heels as he grabs his briefcase and alerts the team that they need to be ready to leave within the hour.

"What was that about?" Morgan asks, turning to you.

You shrug again. "I have no idea." You turn to the glass doors swinging shut behind him, and rush outside before you can second guess your actions.

"Aaron!" you call out, forcing him to hold the elevator for you. "Tell me what's going on."

He sighs as you step inside, and he sets the briefcase on the floor. "It's the Boston Reaper. He's back."

"The Reaper?" The name sends a shudder through your body. "That was your first case as a profiler, wasn't it?"

He nods, and you wait for him to continue. "He offered Shaunessy a deal that if he shut down the investigation, then he would stop killing."

His words take a moment to register, but then your face falls. "He took the deal. And now that he's dead..."

"The Reaper has started killing again."

***

The next crime scene comes in the form of an older couple, who were killed in their car on the side of the street. When you arrive, you discover that the unsub left behind the previous victim's watch, as well as a note.

You sidle up next to Hotch, bumping your shoulder against his to alert him to your presence. "Looks like he went through her purse. Any idea what he was looking for?"

He's so focused on the letter in his hands that he doesn't respond, so you lean in and read it from beside his shoulder. "The question mark is new."

"It's for us," he says suddenly, dropping his hand and looking at you. "He's saying it's not fate. He's saying we had 10 years to save them and that these latest ones are on us."

You frown, trying to scrutinize the lines of tension on his face. "You got all that from one question mark?"

"I may know him better than I've let on."

Your brow furrows and you grab his wrist, bringing his attention back to you. "What does that mean? Aaron?"

"It means that there is a profile on The Reaper."

"You said you were called off before you could make one-"

"We were," he cuts you off, shaking his head. "I had just started the profile, and then he stopped killing, so officially we were done, but..."

You purse your lips. "But this case stuck with you."

He nods. "I kept coming back to it over the years, and I worked on it alone."

You can imagine young Hotch, in his first years at the bureau, poring over the case file late into the night, because he couldn't put it away when the unsub was still out there. You realize, all of a sudden, that it reminds you of Gideon.

Looking up at him, you release his wrist, letting your fingers drag on his pulse for a moment before letting go. "We need to hear your profile."

***

After he gives the profile alone, you all head back to the hotel to get some rest before the long days ahead of you. In your heart of hearts, you know that no one will really be sleeping tonight, least of all Hotch, so you go up to his room with him to keep working on the case.

"Can you imagine living with the fear that the man who killed your fiancee, and nearly killed you, is still out there?" Your question is mostly rhetorical, but Hotch still lets out a soft grunt from the bed where he's poring over crime scene photos from the last few victims.

"It explains why Foyet went so underground," he says with a frown. "The multiple residences under different names, always taking the bus...I just wish he had taken us up on moving him to a safe house."

"I think that's actually the one part I do understand," you muse, looking up from the file on your lap. "Part of the reason why I came back from my dad's house so soon after Jeff died was because I needed everything to return to normal. I needed my life back."

He glances up at you then with a slight raise of his eyebrow and you shake your head before looking back down. It's okay. Not now.

He looks like he wants to say something, but then the hotel room phone goes off, piercing the air with a high ringing sound. He gets off the bed and picks it up, answering with a stern, "Hotchner."

He's silent at first, but you only look up when you hear him say, "You've misjudged me. I'm the guy who hunts guys like you...I'll see you soon." He slams the phone down on the receiver, and even though you know exactly what that was, you still need him to say it.

"Hotch, what was that?"

He rubs a hand over his face, pacing back and forth across the small space in front of you.

"Was that him?"

He doesn't respond, instead mumbling something under his breath that you can't make out. You stand up and cross the room, before grabbing his forearms so he's forced to look at you. "Aaron! What did he say?"

His eyes are frantic as he finally meets your eye. "He offered me the same deal...and I didn't take it."

***

"Six bodies, not including the driver. He put 'em down with the gun and finished them off with his knife."

The scene inside the bus is horrifying. Blood is dripping from each of the seats, and the words "No Deal", along with a series of numbers, are painted in blood on the windows.

Rossi comes up beside you as you watch Hotch survey the scene, an eerie stillness to his composure. "What's going on with him?"

You glance at him, before turning back to Hotch. "The Reaper called him at his room tonight, offering the deal...and he hung up on him."

Rossi nods, before patting your arm and stepping around you. He nods at Hotch, grabbing his attention away from the scene he hasn't been able to look away from for minutes. "Y/N told me what happened earlier. So, what, you think this is your fault?"

"It is." His voice is shakier than you'd expect based on the resolution in his choice of words.

"Okay," Rossi shrugs, reaching for the gun in his holster. "Here, use mine." Your brow furrows and you step forward, making sure you're nearby in case this gets out of hand. You love Dave, but he can be a bit heavy-handed sometimes.

"You convinced me," he continues, shoving his hand forward. Hotch shakes his head, but he doesn't let up. "No, no, you hung up on him. You practically killed them yourself. Go ahead, get it over with. Don't worry about us. We'll get this guy without you."

Hotch closes his eyes for a moment, and when he opens them, they're shining with tears. You realize, with a shock, that you haven't seen him cry in decades. Not since the day after his father's funeral when Sean shut himself in his room for hours, because he truly believed that his brother didn't care about their family.

When he looks at Rossi again, a few tears have fallen down his cheeks. "I had ten years to do something about it."

"Look," he says simply, lowering his gun, "if you want to end up like Shaunessy, like Gideon, blaming yourself for everything, then you go ahead. But that voice in your head, it's not your conscience. It's your ego."

Hotch deflates, and you reach forward to wrap your fingers around his wrist, maintaining a steady connection. He looks at you, and you dip your chin into a tiny nod. It's not always your fault.

He looks back at Dave with a heavy sigh, but he doesn't pull his hand from your grasp. "You can put that away now."

Rossi raises his eyebrows as he tucks the gun away. "You sure?"

Hotch shakes his head, unable to hide his smile, and you let out a little chuckle. "It's a little dramatic, don't you think?"

"My wife always said I had a flair for the dramatic."

You and Hotch speak up at the same time. "Which one?"

Rossi shrugs. "All of them."

You laugh, before squeezing Aaron's wrist once more and letting go.

***

George Foyet is the Reaper.

You can't believe it even as the words circle around your brain. The team was able to catch him before he killed Colson, the journalist who wrote a book about him, but the victory still doesn't feel sweet.

I'm gonna be more famous than you even realize.

His last words before Derek cuffed him and handed him off to the police. They won't leave your head even as you step off the elevator into the office. Emily and JJ are chatting about some new restaurant in town as they step out ahead of you, and you walk to your desk in a trance, unable to figure out why you aren't able to let out the breath you've been holding since you left for Boston.

Your question is answered when JJ runs back from her office a few minutes later, her phone clutched in her hand and a panicked expression on her face. "Foyet escaped."

***

It takes a while for Derek to get over the Foyet news. He took his badge and credentials when he knocked him out, and even with the replacement he was given, you know the knowledge that Foyet is out there is still irking at him.

Hotch isn't much better. He's been throwing himself into work extra hard, and you're worried he's going to burn out or simply combust if he keeps at it.

This is exactly what Foyet wants, you want to scream. He's trying to get in your heads and mess with your life, without even being here.

But you don't say it.

***

He's been so immersed in work that he doesn't really get to talk to you until a case in Oregon, where an unsub has been killing people by hitting them with his car.

You're grabbing a cup of coffee at the local police station, pouring in an uncharacteristic packet of sugar, when he approaches you, perching on the edge of the counter. "Sugar?"

"I know," you sigh, tossing the empty packet into the trash can next to you. "I just wanted something a little sweeter today."

"Can't argue with that," he says softly, making you smile. It drops almost as fast as it appeared, and he scoots closer as he hands you a wooden stirrer. "How are you holding up?"

This case can't be easy for you, especially knowing how your mom died. You don't talk about it often, but when you do, he can tell it's because you need to let it out. He's the same way with his father, only the feelings he is hiding from are different.

"I'm fine," you say quickly, like it's an automatic response. You both know it's a lie, and you close your eyes for a beat, dropping the stirrer into your cup. "I should be fine, but...I don't know." He follows your gaze over to the open case file across the table, and notices how your eyes hang on the crime scene photos. The car wreckage. The tread marks on the road. "I don't know why this case is affecting me so much. I didn't even see the crash when my mom died."

He reaches forward and closes the file. "Grief works in interesting ways." If there's anything he has the authority to speak on, it's grief. But then again, so do you. He doesn't know if he would've gotten through the aftermath of his father's death without you. Thinking about it now, he doesn't think he's told anyone else the whole truth about his family. "Anything can be a trigger."

"What was your trigger?" you ask suddenly, turning to look at him. "After your dad died?" Your eyes are full of curiosity, and for a moment, he wonders again if you really can read his mind.

He takes a deep breath before answering. "For a while, almost everything was. The smell of his beer, the material of his favorite coat...it all made me so angry."

"I remember," you whisper, setting your coffee down, "but soon after, that changed." You look at him with a small smile. "You met Haley."

His jaw twitches and he realizes that he wasn't even thinking about her. The first person that came to mind when he thought about his healing process was you. Haley was everything to him, but she wasn't built for the life he grew up with. She wouldn't have been able to understand the rage flowing through his body when he thought of his father's death. The anger and hurt he felt, that somehow always transformed to guilt when he went back home for the night.

"Yeah," he says after a moment, accepting your judgment, even if it is a lie. He doesn't want to talk about this anymore, so he diverts back to the original subject. "Your mother was different. She loved you exactly how you deserved to be loved. Even if it hurts sometimes, it's just a reminder that you had something great."

That makes you smile, and he feels warmth fill his chest. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

He nods, patting your knee. "It's been known to happen."

***

You're in the passenger seat next to Derek when you see it. You watch him swerve his SUV into the unsub's truck in real time, but you still don't believe what you're seeing until the cars come to a stop, smoke billowing out of the front.

Derek screeches to a stop and there's glass everywhere as you throw yourself out of the SUV and race towards the collision site.

Aaron is stumbling out of his car when you reach him. There's a gash on his forehead, dripping blood down his face, and another on his arm. He tries to reach for his gun, but you grab his arms, holding him against the SUV.

"Sorry," he mutters through gritted teeth as you reach up to swipe the blood off his forehead before it falls into his eye. Your hand stays on his face as you survey the rest of him for any other wounds that may need your attention.

Once you're certain that he'll be okay, you turn back to him with a glare. "You scared the shit out of me." Your thumb is unconsciously rubbing circles on his jaw as he looks down at you. You are well aware that danger comes with the job description, but he also knows you would kill him if he ever put himself in serious danger, especially when it wasn't necessary. "Don't ever do that again."

He takes a deep breath as you pick a piece of glass out of his hair. When you return to meet his gaze, he reaches out to grab the strap of your vest. "I'm sorry."

You tug each other forward into a hug at seemingly the same time. You don't get the chance to be careful with his wounds as you collide into his chest, but you forget about everything else the moment his arms close around you. He's okay. He's alive.

"You don't get to die on me," you whisper into his collarbone as you tighten your grip around him. "Promise me."

You know it's not fair. You know it's not something he can control, especially with the kinds of people you chase on a daily basis, but it doesn't matter, because he knows you. He knows when you need the facts, and when you need reassurance, so instead of uttering a funny quip or a painful truth, he just says, "I promise."

***

Are you sure it's okay that I'm coming?

You type back a response as soon as you see the message on your phone. Of course. Dave invited you and Jack, and I would love to see you too.

A few minutes later, you get a simple Ok, so you set your phone down on the table and stand up to join the rest of your friends. With summer around the corner, Dave wanted to host a garden party, and after the last few months, you definitely don't mind the respite.

"Come get some more food," he tells you the moment you approach them by the edge of his huge yard. He's standing with Derek, Spencer, and Penelope by a long table adorned with steaming dishes of bread, pasta, and salad.

"I'll explode if I eat any more," you say with a laugh as Spencer stuffs another piece of bread into his mouth. For a small as he looks, he can be a bottomless pit when it comes to good food. "Have you guys seen Hotch?"

"He isn't here yet," Penelope notes as Derek wraps an arm around her. "I'll keep an eye out though."

"Do you think he'll bring Haley and Jack?" Spencer asks as JJ approaches with Henry in her arms.

"I told her to come," you say, tickling the baby's chin with the tip of your finger. "It'll be nice to see everyone together."

As though conjured by their questions, the door to the backyard opens and Jack steps out with Haley and Hotch right behind him.

"You're here!" You walk across the lawn and give her a quick hug, before bending down and lifting Jack into the air. "What's up, Jack-o-lantern? You're so big now."

"Yeah," he giggles, wrapping his arms around your neck. You press a loud kiss to the side of his head and he bursts into a fit of giggles as you tickle his belly with your free hand.

"I'm so glad you made it," Dave says from behind you as he comes over and gives Haley a hug. "We love having you here."

She raises her eyebrow at Hotch, but there's no intention behind it. Divorce seems to have treated them well, reminding them of all of the good that was there before everything else got in the way. "Thank you for inviting us."

"Seriously, thank you," Hotch agrees, before reaching out to take Jack from your arms.

"Any time," Dave says sincerely, before nodding at him. "Come help me grab some more wine from the cellar."

They disappear into the house, and you pull Haley down with you into two of the chairs by the edge of the sprawling yard. "Hotch and Jack are sweet together."

She nods, looking wistfully at the door. "He loves any time he gets with his dad."

"It can't be easy," you say slowly, hoping you aren't breaching a boundary unknown to you. "I've seen firsthand how busy the job has been getting recently. I haven't been home before midnight in over a week."

She's silent for a moment, and you worry that you crossed the line, but then she just smiles. "He's trying so hard...and that's all I can really ask for, isn't it?"

You suppose she's right. Not everyone is lucky enough to find a person who fights as hard as Aaron does to get home to his family at the end of the day.

"You're good for him, you know." You look at her as she crosses one leg over the other. "You always have been."

"You are too."

"I know," she says, before shaking her head. Her expression is warm as she smiles at you. "It's not the same, though. Even when you weren't around, you were in everything he did."

You don't know exactly where she's going with this, and you're acutely aware of the choruses of laughter floating over to you from across the lawn as she reaches out to squeeze your arm. "He loves you."

Your face transforms into what you imagine is a look of confusion. "I love him, too. He's my best friend."

Haley looks at you for a moment, before shaking her head with a nearly inscrutable sigh. "Anyway, thanks for convincing me to come. I'm gonna get some food."

~

Eventually, the sun sets, and the string lights in Dave's backyard turn on, along with the soft sounds of Ella Fitzgerald and Sam Cooke. He helps Derek and Will push the tables and chairs aside to make room for a dance floor, and soon, Haley is in his arms as they swing along to the lilting tunes filtering out over the yard.

It feels natural, dancing with her like this, but at the same time, he knows it's different now. He holds her firmly as she tilts in his arms, loose from the wine that Dave made sure was pouring all night, and she lets him swing her around the lawn, no care in the world.

Soon, the song changes, and she looks at him with a dreamy smile. "You love this song."

It's a soft tune by Sam Cooke, one he can't remember the name of right now, but he smiles at her as he nods. "I'm glad you're here. You and Jack."

"I missed you all," she says, before cracking a smile. "Mostly just Y/N though."

That makes him laugh, and before he knows it, Dave is walking over, with you on his hand, asking to trade partners for the song. "I haven't gotten to talk to Haley all night."

It's not the best excuse, but Haley doesn't seem to mind at all. "Of course, I'd love to dance."

Dave whisks her away, and Hotch holds a hand out for you, pulling you into another steady swing.

"I love this song," you whisper as the two of you fall into a rhythm. "I Wish You Love."

Right, that's what it's called. His hand settles on your waist as you grip his shoulder, and he can tell you've had a bit of wine too, but only because of the red tint of your cheeks.

"This is nice," you say after a few beats of silence. "We don't get to do this often."

He nods, turning you to make room for Derek and Emily, who are swinging heartily across the yard. "It's nice to see the kids together." He glances over your shoulder to peer at JJ, who has Henry and Jack in each of her arms. She has jumped head first into motherhood, and it suits her.

The song changes to something a little slower, so he steers you to the edge of the dance floor, taking control as your feet glide after him. Maybe you've had a bit more wine than he first assumed.

The thought makes him chuckle and you look at him with a quizzical expression. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head, and clasps your hand tighter to hold you to him. He glances over your shoulder again and finds an excuse for his laughter almost immediately. "Garcia is trying to teach Reid how to dance."

You tug his arm immediately, spinning the two of you around so you can see the situation he described, and your face breaks out into a wide grin when you spot them a few paces over. "The poor kid has no coordination."

As you watch them dance, he watches you. The way the string lights glance over your exposed shoulders. The sparkle of your eyes under the waning moonlight. He realizes, not for the first time, how beautiful you are.

He could give himself the usual excuse, that it's just the time of the night, or the single glass of red he drank a few hours ago, but tonight, he lets himself just be there.

You're his best friend, and he loves you. He's here, dancing around the grass with some of his closest companions, and you're with him. For once, he can just be.

***

You can't the pile of shoes out of your head. Derek and Emily were able to find the girl before Lucas Turner killed her, but even after arresting him and getting her back to her mother, the case is still sticking with you.

89 pairs of shoes.

You shake the thought from your head as you get into Hotch's car in the field office parking lot. He insisted on driving you home after seeing the look on your face in the plane, and for once, you didn't argue with him.

"I can't stop thinking about them," you whisper as he pulls out of the lot. "So many lives that are forever changed because of two men."

You saw how Derek reacted when he found the box of muddy shoes. You saw JJ's face after she had to shoot Hightower for murdering the man who experimented on his sister.

"I'm thinking of giving everyone a few days off," he says, glancing over at you. "We all need some time to get away from this job. I'll put the request in tomorrow morning."

You nod, unable to voice your opinion. You feel depleted, without having even witnessed the horrors you know occurred up on that farm.

It takes a second, but eventually you regain the ability to speak. "Do you think it's worth it?" Your voice feels like sandpaper, but the question hurts more than anything else. "This life, I mean."

He mulls it over, and you notice his grip tighten on the steering wheel in front of him. "I think it has to be." Your brow furrows, and you don't know whether you want to scream or cry at how terrible that answer feels right now, but he isn't finished. "We have put too much of ourselves into this job to allow us to forget about all of the good that has come out of it too. If we choose to forget the good, then none of it means anything."

You look at him in wonder, realizing he has voiced exactly what you needed to hear. You're constantly awestruck by how he always seems to know exactly what to say to bring back your sense of purpose.

"You're good at this whole leadership thing," you say softly, cracking a smile when he looks at you. "You help me grow."

He pushes you just hard enough to help you transform into something so much bigger and better than you hoped you could be. His chin dips and he turns back to the road as your neighborhood comes into view. "You help me grow too."

You lean your cheek on your palm as you snuggle further into the seat. "I called Josh Cramer, over at organized crime."

His eyebrows raise with surprise and he glances over at you. "Jeff's old boss? How did that go?"

During your last interaction at the BAU office all those years ago, you weren't ready to see him yet. He still reminded you of the hate and anger and guilt you felt over Jeff's death.

The last few months have been kinder to you, though. It doesn't hurt as much when you think about him.

"It went well," you sigh, looking out the window at the houses passing by. "Even though it'll never really be the same, it felt more like old times, if that makes any sense."

"It does," he says simply, providing you an acknowledgement before letting you fill in the spaces yourself.

You take a deep breath, feeling the air fill your lungs, before letting it out again. "He told me a story from before Jeff went undercover. It was just a dumb story about some night his team went out for burgers after wrapping up a case." Your breaths get shallower, but the tears you are expecting don't come. "Apparently, he made the team go to three different burger spots, because he wanted to bring me back curly fries, and none of the places were selling the kind I like."

You clear your throat to dispel the tightness, and when you look back at him, the car has come to a stop in front of your house.

"That sounds like him," Hotch says, smiling at you as you chuckle to yourself.

You nod, closing your eyes for a beat. "I guess I just wanted to say that, yeah, our lives are sometimes changed inalterably, but...it's not always bad. I met him, I loved him...and then I lost him, but I still wouldn't take back any of it."

His eyes crinkle and he looks out the windshield for a brief second. "Me neither."

It's already late, and you don't want to take up any more of his night, so you bid him goodbye and shut your door after making him promise to actually get some rest.

Your front door shuts behind you, and you hear the sound of his car driving off as you exhale heavily. Your house feels big with you here alone, but for once, you revel in the solitude. Finally, a few days of peace and quiet.

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If you opt for products around bulk then you may be capable of sell the solutions at a lower cost which usually yields some sort of better world wide web profit for a person. To get new ideas for your website, it's a new very good plan to verify out the competition. Check out the sites of other companies to discover what they are doing and stating. Some sort of keyword search for phrases related to your enterprise can help spark new concepts concerning things you never have thought of before. Decipher what vernacular is needed concerning your brand by hunting whatsoever conversations about your current brand on-line. You could make a word cloud and even use the virtually all prominent thoughts in your on the web marketing campaigns to more effectively reach out and about to audiences. It will be possible to help speak to them more clearly if you happen to be using terms they find out, use and accept as sensible. A new great suggestion for internet marketing should be to stay up on typically the latest web advancements. Often the world wide web changes quite generally, and by constantly being informed of the brand-new changes, you'll have a better understanding of exactly how your blogs and web pages work, and you'll include a calf up in your competition. Keep your content short and to help the point. A standard sentence in your essay will be in typically the selection of 13-16 words. In the event that you are including a whole lot of unneeded information in a post, you can shed your readers focus. Keep it apparent in addition to precise, in order for you to make an idea on your viewers. When you are starting point, focus your hard work on just a small number of products so as to be able to not really overwhelm yourself or maybe your clients. Get your ft wet with all the products an individual are most informed about so you can learn what types of posts together with special offers work the most effective regarding you and your things. Try to get a good video or perhaps music interview with a good representative of the product a person are selling. Question these people on how and why these people came up using some sort of particular item. Help to make sure the majority regarding the content can be top quality details and include only a good smidgen of details relating to how to acquire that. Link approximately browse engine map sites. It is really an important step to increasing visibility regionally. Most internet search engine list their map effects as the first to be able to be seen, no matter where the fact that business lies issues search list rankings. Persons can easily also leave reviews of all of these, so make sure to give out constructive experiences! When doing any kind of form of internet marketing and advertising, don't forget to include a call to activity, wherever within your content of which you want people for you to take an action. Newbie marketers generally neglect that and that's section of exactly why they don't succeed. Your whole marketing strategy should certainly not be calls to actions, because then citizens sense like you're treating these individuals similar to walking wallets. Nonetheless they have also not much excellent to you if you target on creating content devoid of any calls to motion. Use any call in order to action, smartly. Even even though you may well be building a business enterprise that is absolutely online-based, do not ignore the traditional ways of marketing. Things like conventions in the industry provide a new fantastic venue for marketing your online business and to meet other individuals inside your field. news wires can certainly get a lot associated with leads by participating inside trade exhibitions. If a person want to be successful at Internet marketing, create sure your customers may contact you easily. The website really should have some sort of Contact Us page. That wants to include a current email address and a phone number. You might also want to add a snail mail address. In normal, persons would much quite contact you directly rather than fill out some sort of call form. If your advertising and marketing site includes sound, possibly be sure to provide practical controls for people who else are near work or just try some fine lower amount. Noise can be great for catching someone's interest, but when it gets annoying these people may just browse far from your page and you will get rid of the buyer. When marketing a merchandise on the net, change up the terminology of your ad replicate periodically to see what draws in more guests. Saying "two days" as an alternative of "48 hours" may drastically affect the buyer base you draw inside for your product, as one example. Around improvement, changing the text helps boost your search powerplant search rankings, as it is observed as new content. Through important suggestion regarding Internet marketing is to attempt to promote your site having mainly because a lot of media choices as possible. This is important to maximize your presence and get as far appropriate visitors your site as possible. Among numerous other ways, you may desire to direct traffic in order to your site through graphics, billboards, email, or maybe television set advertisement. Offering your web site site visitors the ability to subscribe to a RSS atom feed will ensure you possess whole lot more success with net marketing. A good RSS atom feed provides a listing of your most recent content directly to anyone who also subscribes to the nourish. Users sees the snappy articles which you have posted and even want to learn more, so that they will click typically the link and head out right to your site. World wide web marketing is not challenging to comprehend, for this time to learn. A person need to be able to take risks by attempting new ideas. If you are not reaping great results from one procedure, then try another. Net marketing can be dynamic, in addition to you need to be committed to learning all often the time. If get this perspective, you will see good results in your company.