#Dad Knuckles <3

[shadamyheadcanons]

Headcanon #284: Heart of Gold

((Inspired by a recent post that shared this cool fact about Amy:

Apparently, one of Amy’s special abilities is “searching for gold.” Who knew?

This headcanon is rooted in the Shadow the Hedgehog route known as “The Black Hero’s Rebirth.” It’s very similar to the “Miracle of Love” route in that Shadow is kind of a dick until he meets Amy and immediately becomes purely heroic for the rest of the run, but this one has the “bonus” of Shadow ditching Knuckles in Glyphic Canyon right before he meets up with her.))

Cross-posted on AO3

--

Amy’s breathless laughter died down as the latest episode of their favorite show drew to a close. She turned her smile Shadow’s way.

“Thanks again for hanging out with me, Shadow. I never have anything to do on Saturdays.” After a moment, her eyes bugged out. “Wait, no! I don’t mean you’re a last resort or anything! I really--”

Shadow held up a hand to stop her. “I knew what you meant. I’m glad to be here.” She sighed in relief.

He almost said ‘I feel lucky just to be a part of your life at all,’ but that felt like a bit much. Instead, he asked, “Why? Are all your other friends busy on Saturdays?”

“Yeah, but I can’t exactly blame them. I never used to be free to hang out on Saturdays. I used to go treasure hunting with Knuckles every week!”

Shadow’s ears perked up. “You did?”

Amy bobbed her head, suddenly looking excited. “You bet I did! One sec...”

She opened a drawer on the underside of the coffee table in front of them. She shoved a few papers aside to reveal an object underneath. “Aha!”

With a flourish, she held aloft a faded red scrapbook. She set it down carefully on the table. Messy handwriting spelled out “Amy and Knuckles’ Treasure Hunting Adventures!” The letters got more cramped as they spread across the cover, as if the writer had run out of space and was struggling to fit the whole phrase. Underneath the title, a barely-legible signature read ‘Amy Rose,’ while Knuckles had signed his own name more neatly beside it. Heart and gemstone stickers peppered the cover. The spine of the old book made a quiet crinkling noise as Amy carefully opened it.

“Aaaand...here it is! This is from our first day!” Amy declared, smiling down at the picture glued to the first page. It showed both Amy and Knuckles looking at least a decade younger than they currently did. Knuckles wore the same cowboy hat and brown jacket he always did for such adventures, and apart from having less height and muscle mass, he looked mostly the same.

Amy was a different story. Her bright smile showed she was missing several teeth, and her quills were wild and sticking out, barely contained by the ribbon she’d tied around them. She wore an oversized hat and jacket that matched Knuckles’ own. The garments dwarfed her tiny frame, but they did nothing to hide her excitement, obvious as it was in her stance and her smile.

“And this was at the end of the day! Knuckles was afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle it or that I’d be afraid of getting dirty, but I sure showed him!” Amy’s grin was proud, but it was nowhere near as wide as the one on her face in the second picture. Patches of dirt covered her fur and clothes. Knuckles was resting an affectionate hand on her hat, as if he were patting her on the head to congratulate her on a job well done. He was matching her radiant smile with a proud grin of his own.

Shadow had long suspected that Amy saw Knuckles as an older brother or even a father figure at times, and the look on her face in the picture said it all. Judging by Knuckles’ own fond gaze, it seemed it wasn’t entirely one-sided, either.

“I was exhausted the next day, but it was totally worth it...Shadow?”

Amy’s inquisitive tone snapped him out of it. He opened his mouth to reply.

This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

He paused, then instead said, “Knuckles looks like he’s your dad.”

Amy burst out laughing. “Don’t tell him that! You’ll make him feel old!” She turned the page. “It was originally supposed to be just a day trip, but it was so much fun that we made it a weekly tradition! Sonic and Tails never wanted to wake up early enough for it, so it was just the two of us.”

She turned page after page, showing pictures of the two of them as the years went by. Amy slowly but surely grew into the hat and jacket, and they both cycled through pairs of boots as they grew out of them. Their grins never faded. They started trying out different silly poses for the pictures as time went on: they’d stand back-to-back, flex their muscles “sarcastically,” or Knuckles would give Amy a piggyback ride. Shadow hid a chuckle at that one.

“And this was taken deep underground in Mystic Cave Zone! It was the first time Knuckles brought me spelunking,” she continued. In the picture, she was happily curled into a snug little nook in a cave wall. Knuckles was crouched just outside of it, and they both wore harnesses and helmets. He was carefully holding the camera to get both of them in the shot. The nervous look on Knuckles’ face as he kept an eye on her made Shadow wonder if she’d wanted to go in the past and this was just the first time he’d said yes. It was clear the day had been special to her; the page was covered in extra pickaxe and flashlight stickers.

Amy turned another page, then gasped. “Oo, this is the day where Cream joined us! We went hiking in the Gigan Mountains that day. Check out all these action shots she and Cheese got!”

The images on the next few pages were a step up. With Cream and Cheese’s aerial mobility, they’d captured some great angles. Apparently, though, the excitement had proven to be too much for them. The last image featured Cream sleeping in Amy’s arms while Knuckles held a drowsy Cheese and took the picture. Nevertheless, the action shots were indeed impressive. One showed Knuckles scaling a wall while Amy leapt up behind him, and another featured Amy using her propeller hammer to cross a gap he was gliding over.

Shadow hummed quietly, impressed. “You really kept up, huh?”

She nodded proudly, beaming. “Not just any hedgehog can keep up with an echidna on a treasure hunt, so I made my own way! I can’t climb as fast as Knuckles can, so I learned my super-high double jump. And I can’t glide like he can, so I taught myself how to propeller-hammer!”

Shadow admired her proud smile and ingenuity. That’s just like you. It doesn’t matter which abilities you don’t have, you always find your own way. I wish I were half as adaptable as you.

“Uh, Shadow? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Realizing he’d been gazing dreamily at Amy, Shadow wiped the look off his face. “It seems like this was really good for you,” he pointed out, hoping to shift the focus.

It worked. Excitement immediately bloomed across Amy’s face once more. “You bet! And it wasn’t just the trips themselves. We found some super cool treasure, too!” She flipped to the end of the book and worked backwards, showing picture after picture of valuable gems, gold, and other minerals. Some especially eye-catching rocks--Amy’s favorites, no doubt--were taped to some of the pages. One of the photographs made Shadow stop her. His eyes shot wide open.

“Is that a Chaos Emerald?!”

“Yup!” she confirmed, beaming. Her grin turned fond as she gazed at the picture of her holding the Emerald aloft while Knuckles grinned up at her, posing proudly with his arms crossed. “Knuckles could sense it, of course, but--!” she paused, holding up a finger for dramatic effect. “He didn’t tell me ahead of time! He put together a bunch of hints to send me on a scavenger hunt, and I found it on my own. It was so much fun!”

Shadow couldn’t help but admire her enthusiasm once more, though he hid his reaction this time. “That’s...actually really sweet.”

Amy bobbed her head. “And that’s not all! Every year for my birthday, Knuckles would make me jewelry with the treasure we found! I still have all of it.” Sure enough, various necklaces, bracelets, and other bits of jewelry were affixed to the pages.

Shadow’s eyes widened. “I knew Knuckles made Rouge’s engagement ring, but I didn’t know he could do all this.”

“The Knuckles Clan wore a lot of it. He’s spent a lot of time working backwards to figure out the methods they used to use. That way it won’t all be lost.”

Shadow nodded as he examined the jewelry in front of him. “Looks like it’s paying off.”

“Mhm! And some of it’s functional, too! I always wear this one.” Shadow looked back up to find Amy was reaching underneath her collar. She pulled out a pendant with a carefully-cut, multifaceted gemstone set into it. “Knuckles made it for my thirteenth birthday with some treasure we found on a week-long trip to Angel Island.” The gem glowed with a dull green luster. Shadow could feel a faint power emanating from it. The energy was weak, but it was there.

He narrowed his eyes. “Is that...”

She shook her head. “Not quite. It’s Mock Emerald. It’s weak, but it can almost match the real thing...and that’s not all!” she declared, clearly excited to share her knowledge. “Ever wonder how I can always find Chaos Emeralds in a pinch?” He nodded, and she looked back down at the pendant. “With a dash of Chaos energy, Mock Emerald can be used to track down the real thing.”

“Really?”

She nodded and smirked. “I can always tell when you have a Chaos Emerald on you. Like right now.” Shadow’s eyes widened at having been caught, making Amy giggle. She looked back down at the pendant. “It’s one of my most prized possessions.”

Shadow’s heart practically melted at her fond expression. I’ve never seen her so happy. “It seems like it meant a lot to you.”

Amy nodded. She looked back to the scrapbook and smiled down at it. Her smile turned more distant than before. “These are some of my most cherished memories. I wouldn’t have half the skills I have now if it weren’t for these adventures.”

Shadow frowned. “So why’d you stop? What happened?”

Amy’s smile turned sad. “Rouge happened.”

Shadow’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

Amy glanced back up at him. Upon seeing his expression, she flinched and waved her hands in panic. “Wait, no! I don’t mean it like that! It’s not like she--she didn’t do anything wrong!” Amy went back to the scrapbook and hastily flipped to the next page. The next picture featured Knuckles, Amy, and Rouge. Rouge was decked out in her own, more stylish treasure hunting gear, and she was leaning on Knuckles, making him blush a little and avert his eyes. Amy was standing on Knuckles’ other side and smiling up at the camera, but it wasn’t as brightly as before. “I was fourteen when Knuckles finally made a move and asked her to join us. It was about time!”

Shadow nodded cautiously. He remembered the two years they’d spent dancing around each other.

Amy turned another page. “She started joining us every week after that. It was fun.”

To anyone else, she would have sounded sincere, but Shadow paid Amy far too much attention to be fooled. He looked over at her in concern, but she kept flipping pages, focusing on the task at hand. As the pictures progressed, Rouge got closer to Knuckles, and after a while, she even shifted to stand between him and Amy. Amy’s smile looked more and more fake with each adventure, but Knuckles seemed oblivious to the change. Rouge’s smirk only grew with time. Shadow’s stomach turned.

Amy winced just slightly at the next picture. She quickly hid the expression, but Shadow saw it. “Right! Uh...this was taken at Labyrinth Zone,” she muttered hastily.

Shadow scanned the picture, expecting Amy to be hiding behind a rock or a ruin somewhere for a joke. “I don’t see you. Where are you?”

“See, half of Labyrinth Zone is underwater. Knuckles can hold his breath for a long time, but we can’t. I sat out so he could lend Rouge his air necklace.” She pointed to a small, vaguely bottle-shaped necklace around Rouge’s neck. It was a little hard to see given that she was practically glued to Knuckles by that point.

Shadow did a double-take and squinted at Amy. “Wait, you didn’t get to go? They left you behind?”

Amy froze for a moment, as if surprised that he’d pointed it out. “Well, I...I mean...” She recovered. “I’m a better swimmer than Sonic is, but hedgehogs aren’t great in water! You know that as well as I do! I only would have held them back.” There was just a hint of pain in her smile. She probably thought she was hiding it well. “Knuckles only has one air necklace, and he’d always wanted to go hunting in Labyrinth Zone. And between you and me...” She held up a hand next to her mouth and mock-whispered, “He swiped some lapis lazuli and cassiterite from their stash and gave it to me. Don’t tell Rouge!” She giggled.

“Mhm...” Shadow crossed his arms, not feeling much better at the admission.

“I got to join them next time, though!” Amy blurted out, trying to change the subject. “I discovered an underground cave when I was hanging out at Big’s house in the Mystic Ruins! We brought Rouge and Knuckles with us the next time. It was a blast!” There were enough images from that trip to fill two pages. Most of them featured the four of them racing around in mine carts: Knuckles and Rouge were cowering in one and holding onto each other for dear life, while Big and Amy shared the other. Amy giggled. “Those two were trying so hard to pretend they weren’t scared. I teased them about it the whole way back! I almost lost my camera, though. Big hooked it on his fishing line to take these.”

Her wide smile had returned, but it faded once more as time went on. “I’d already visited Mirage Road once with Blaze, so I skipped out on that one...and I stayed home when they went to Wild Canyon, too. There was a lot of digging for that.” She let out a weak chuckle. “I’m a force to be reckoned with when I pick up a shovel, but burrowing entire tunnels is a bit much for me...” She rubbed her arm and looked away. “And I skipped out on Sanctuary Falls. It was too high up. They were pretty close by then. I didn’t want them to have to keep an eye on me the whole time.”

After a few more pages, Amy was practically absent. There were a few more trips with Knuckles and Rouge alone, but she eventually reached a blank page and stopped. “That’s about it.”

Shadow’s heart clenched. “That’s it? Why’d you stop?” he demanded, wishing he didn’t know the answer.

She lifted her knees to curl up into a ball. “I dunno, just...I felt like a third wheel. They were finally getting closer, so...” She tugged at a thread on the couch, and her nose wrinkled just slightly. “Plus Rouge and I didn’t get along very well back then anyway. It just got less fun, and I knew how important it was to Knuckles. So I backed off.” She perked up and beamed. “And I was right! They got married just a few years later!”

“But what about you?”

She deflated and tilted her head at his blunt interjection. “What about me?”

He choked, indignant. “It meant a lot to you! It was your tradition. You and Knuckles started it. You’re the one with the scrapbook,” he snapped, gesturing to the old, carefully-maintained book in front of them.

“Well...it was our tradition, but...it’s theirs now,” she muttered, ears drooping. “I just wanted him to be happy. It’s important.”

A growl built up in the back of Shadow’s throat, startling her a little. He grit his teeth. “His happiness is not more important than yours, and hers isn’t, either!”

Amy winced. “Shadow...it’s not a big deal. I...”

“Hmph.” Shadow stood up with a purpose and took her hand to pull her to her feet.

“WHOA! What are you--”

“You need to get changed,” he stated simply, taking out his phone. “Go. I have a phone call to make.”

She choked. “Wait--huh? Why?”

He kept scrolling through his contacts. “Because I’m not letting you go treasure hunting in flip-flops.”

She just stared at him in confusion for a moment, but then her eyes bugged out in realization. “Wait, Shadow, no! You don’t have to--”

“Amy.” He placed a firm hand on her shoulder to stop her, then looked up from his phone. “This is happening. I’m making it happen.”

She just held his gaze for a while. Soon enough, though, her eyes started to water, and she couldn’t stop a grin from spreading across her face. She made a happy little squeal and pulled him into a tight hug, almost making him drop his phone. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

She dashed off to get ready. Shadow managed to hold back his smile until she was out of sight. His customary scowl returned when he looked back down at his contacts list and dialed his best friend’s number. She answered a few seconds later, and he wasted no time. “Don’t leave for your trip with Knuckles yet. You’ll have two more people joining you.” She responded with a confused, slightly whiny protest, and he snarled in response.

“I. Wasn’t. Asking.”

--

Shadow, Amy, Knuckles, and Rouge materialized at the entrance to a wide valley surrounded by towering rock walls. Shadow put away his Chaos Emerald and examined the area, noting the conspicuous absence of the moss-covered stone ruins he’d personally helped Black Doom lift into the sky long ago. He cringed. It just HAD to be Glyphic Canyon, didn’t it?

“Just like old times, eh, Shadow?” Knuckles joked, nudging him with his elbow. Shadow just grunted in response.

“Wait, you two have been here before?” Amy asked.

Knuckles crossed his arms and looked around, probably noting the canyon’s differences just as Shadow had. “We ran into each other here years ago during the Black Arms’ attack, but we got separated pretty quickly.”

Shadow cringed. More like I abandoned you immediately so I could help Black Doom launch a devastating attack on the people of this planet. A planet I’ve grown to love...thanks to her. He peeked up at Amy out of the corner of his eye. Thank Chaos I ran into Amy right after that. If it weren’t for her compassion...

Amy cocked her head, probably wondering why Shadow was staring at her again. She grinned and hopped over to link arms with him. “Don’t worry! You’ve got an expert navigator with you this time. You’ll never get lost with me by your side!”

He nodded his head with a grunt, choosing not to correct her assumption. He subtly admired her smile and let her cling onto him as they approached the first rock wall. He purposely avoided Rouge’s knowing smile.

--

The canyon’s path started out mostly linear, so Shadow had no trouble keeping up at first. As time went on, though, the path got steeper, and sheer cliffs stretched up ahead of them. Without any climbing prowess or absurdly high double-jumping, he was struggling. He improvised using his knowledge from ten years ago, jumping off a few leftover crumbling pillars to make his way upward. Remembering the locations of a few strong updrafts, he used the wind to ascend as he had before. He was still panting before long, though. Luckily, Amy picked up on this, and she hung around to make sure he never got turned around or fell behind. She helped him up some of the steeper cliffs and found shortcuts so they could catch up with the other two when they got too far ahead. He counted himself lucky; without her, he definitely would have had to stealthily use Chaos Control to make up the distance, and he knew he’d never hear the end of it if anyone else found out.

Shadow finally hefted himself up one last ledge to join the other three, trying to hide his heavy breathing. Knuckles smirked at him, not looking winded at all. “Having trouble there, Shadow?” he teased, smirking. Shadow crossed his arms and looked away.

“Hmph. I’m perfectly capable of keeping up on a hike. I handled this place before, and I can do it again.”

“Really makes you respect Amy that much more, huh?” Knuckles replied, clearly seeing through him.

“I have always respected Amy.”

Knuckles looked confused at his blunt reply, while Rouge quietly snickered.

“Well, I think he’s doing a great job,” Amy chimed in shyly, giving him a supportive smile. He nodded in gratitude, trying not to show how flattered he was.

“Especially considering this isn’t really his thing,” Rouge added, then smirked at him. “Something about this really must’ve piqued your interest.”

Shadow rolled his eyes and looked away from her again, afraid he’d snap at her if he didn’t. “So what exactly are we looking for here? You said it was some kind of door, right?”

Knuckles nodded. “It’s right up there.”

He turned around and pointed up at a rock ledge ahead of them. A set of well-worn steps led up to a vaguely rectangular ancient black stone with an all-too-familiar spiky red symbol set into it. Two stone pillars rose up on either side of the base of the stairs, both topped with spherical, glowing green jewels that Shadow couldn’t help but recognize. Knuckles stepped over to one of the pillars and pressed his palm against the pedestal at its base. “I couldn’t open it last time I was here. Those gemstones up there glow if you touch them, and it makes the symbol on that door light up, but it just fades after a minute or so. I couldn’t get anything else to happen. The rock is too tough to punch or dig through. I can’t even read these runes to try and get a hint. I’ve never seen them before, like they’re in a completely alien language. I was hoping Rouge might be able to find a way in.”

Rouge looked around and checked out the other pillar. She squinted at the runes as well. “I’ve never seen these, either. I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.”

“Umm...” Everyone looked up toward the door. Amy was standing beside it, examining its surface. “Isn’t this the same symbol that’s on your bike, Shadow?”

“It’s not just on my bike.” Shadow approached the door. “You two. Touch the gemstones up there to activate them,” he commanded. Knuckles and Rouge climbed up to do so. By the time Shadow reached the top of the stairs, the symbol on the door was glowing, just as Knuckles had said. Shadow looked down at his own hand. He took a deep breath and then removed his glove. The red stripe on his arm ran down to the back of his hand, where it curled into that same spiky red pattern. Amy gasped. He hesitated briefly, then pressed his hand against the symbol on the door.

A soft chime emitted from behind the wall. For a moment, nothing further happened. Then, the ground around them started to rumble. Rouge stayed airborne to avoid it, and Knuckles clung onto the pillar. Amy stumbled and latched onto Shadow’s arm with a yelp to stay standing. Shadow removed his hand from the door and stepped back to keep his balance.

In front of them, the door shook and rumbled. It slowly began to sink into the ground. The motion kicked up enough sand that Shadow had to shut his eyes. He felt Amy bury her face in his shoulder to avoid it, and he held onto her reassuringly.

After a few seconds, the rumbling died down, and the ground stopped shaking. Shadow hesitantly blinked his eyes open to find the dust had settled. He peeked down at Amy. “Are you alright?”

She lifted her head and met his gaze. She nodded and turned back to the other two. “Knuckles? Rouge? You okay?”

Rouge landed safely next to them with a nod, and Knuckles jogged up the steps to join them. He took a look down the dark passage in front of them, then grinned at Shadow. “Looks like you came in handy after all, Shadow!” He playfully punched him on the shoulder. Shadow grunted and tried not to flinch at the hit.

On his other side, Amy reached down to hold his ungloved hand. “What is this, anyway?” she asked, lightly tracing the pattern on his hand.

“It’s the symbol of the Black Arms,” he explained, enjoying the pleasant feeling. “Black Doom told me this area was a holy ground for them. Touching those jewels activates the ruins’ power.”

Rouge and Amy made noises of intrigue, but Knuckles held up a hand. “Just a second. If it’s some kind of holy ground, I don’t know if I feel comfortable with this. I don’t want to loot the place.”

Shadow scoffed. “Hold on, let me check with every remaining member of my race just to make sure.” After an awkward pause, he nodded. “It’s unanimous. Let’s go.”

Amy and Rouge laughed nervously at the morbid joke. Knuckles, on the other hand, smiled reassuringly and gave him a heavy pat on the back in understanding. He retrieved two flashlights from his backpack and handed one to Shadow, keeping one for himself. They switched them on and ducked through the door.

Shadow felt Amy link her arm with his. When he peeked down at her, she glanced around at their surroundings, then looked up at him with a concerned expression. She silently mouthed, ‘Are you alright?’

It took him a moment to realize she was referring to the aversion to cramped spaces that he’d developed during his time in stasis. His heart softened. He nodded, touched that she’d remembered. “I doubt it’ll stay this way for long. Black Doom wouldn’t want to have to duck the whole way.”

He was soon proven correct. The passage widened, and the ceiling rose as well. At his own mention of Black Doom, however, Shadow grew nervous. What kind of obscene deities would the Black Arms have worshiped? Maybe this isn’t such a good idea...

“Stay close,” Shadow muttered, nervously pulling her closer by the arm. He didn’t look at her, afraid she’d be spooked, but she happily walked closer beside him.

Rouge and Knuckles were leading the way. Rouge peeked back at them every so often, not even trying to hide her smirks. He rolled his eyes each time, knowing he was just one snarky comment away from snapping.

It wasn’t much longer before the four of them turned a corner that led to a much wider space. Knuckles and Shadow aimed their flashlights all around the room. It was far larger than an average cathedral, though there were no seats; Shadow wondered if Black Doom simply felt his subjects weren’t worth the effort. A mass of gold and treasure was piled high at the base of an altar. Shadow dragged his eyes higher with trepidation, dreading whatever disgusting deity he might find...only to be met with a giant statue of Black Doom instead, arms outstretched over the pulpit.

Shadow stared at it blankly. Of course he was that arrogant. Why am I even surprised?

Rouge seemed unconcerned. She squealed in excitement and dashed over to the treasure. Amy wasn’t far behind.

Knuckles stayed back with Shadow for a moment and scratched his chin while the other two fawned over the treasure. “It’s been a while since Amy came with us. I was starting to wonder if she thought she was too old for it or something. I’m glad she changed her mind,” he said, beaming. “It’s always been good for her.” Shadow nodded. Knuckles examined him closer, perplexed. “I’m surprised to see you here, though. I’ve never thought of you as the type to do this kind of thing.”

Shadow stared back at Knuckles, noting the sincere confusion in his expression. He really has no idea, does he? He shrugged and muttered some excuse about how he’d wanted to try something new, hoping Knuckles would be oblivious about that, too. No need to drag him into this.

--

The four of them eventually stepped back out into the sunlight, each toting plenty of gems and precious metals. Shadow frowned at his own share, unsure of what to do with it. Normally I give stuff like this to Rouge, but today...maybe I’ll just hang onto it instead.

Knuckles dove off the cliff, clearly excited at the prospect of such an easy glide back down. Amy bounded ahead to join him, easily leaping from rock to rock. Rouge sank into a low stance the way she always did before taking to the skies. Before she could take off, though, Shadow grabbed the collar of her jacket, dragging her back to his side. She side-eyed him, indignant and somewhat irritated. He wasn’t fazed.

“I knew you went treasure hunting with Knuckles, but you never told me Amy used to go with you.”

Rouge’s eyes narrowed in suspicion for half a second before she smirked to hide it. “Heard it was a great time, huh? Is that why you set up this little double date?”

Shadow crossed his arms and tapped his foot rapid-fire. He ignored her teasing and glared at her. “Do you know why she stopped going with you?”

Her brief pause would have been unnoticeable to someone who didn’t know her as well as Shadow did. She shrugged. “Could have been a lot of things. Maybe she just got tired of it. Why don’t you ask her?”

“I did.”

Rouge flinched, but her tone instantly turned curious. “What did she say?”

“She said she felt like a third wheel. She felt unwelcome,” Shadow hissed.

“Aww, that’s too bad!” Rouge pouted, clearly feigning sympathy. “But it makes sense for a sweetheart like her. She’d never get in the way of love!”

Shadow stopped. He could see the hint of smugness behind Rouge’s eyes, and it made his blood boil. “You did it on purpose.” His eyes narrowed to slits. His jaw tightened, and he had to keep his fists clenched to hold himself back.

Rouge held a hand to her heart and scoffed lightly, as if she were offended. “I never asked her to leave. She decided that on her own!”

Shadow rounded on her, now seething. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?! These trips meant the world to her!”

Rouge recoiled, then regained her composure by teasing him again. “Aww, defending your girlfriend? How sweet!”

“IS THIS A JOKE TO YOU?!” he snapped. “This was their tradition. She went on these trips every week for years! She learned half her abilities from these adventures. These were her memories. She made a goddamn scrapbook for these trips. She still has it!” Rouge leaned back and held up her hands defensively, but he didn’t stop. “Knuckles is practically an older brother to her, maybe more. He and Cream are the closest things to family she has left, and you purposely got in the way of that.”

For once, Rouge actually hesitated. “It’s not like she...she doesn’t...”

Shadow gestured to a rock outcropping where Amy and Knuckles had landed for a break. Knuckles was petting her on the top of her head with a proud smile. She beamed, tail wagging happily at having earned his approval.

“She does,” Shadow snarled. “You intruded on what was basically a family tradition and edged her out, and for what? So you could go off and make out with Knuckles?!”

“He is my husband!” Rouge shot back at last. “These trips are important to me, too! I love him!”

“More than Amy does?! You are NOT more important than she is! She was there first!”

Rouge balked, then spat back, “I never forced her to leave. That was her choice, not mine!”

“You, Omega, and I hang out all the time, and none of us feel like a third wheel,” Shadow argued. “But Amy didn’t even feel comfortable joining you today until I stepped in. Don’t act like that wasn’t what you wanted.”

Rouge bit her lip, seemingly lost for words.

“Umm...is everything alright?”

Amy’s sweet voice piped up quietly, instantly draining the anger out of Shadow’s muscles. His shoulders dropped. “...Yeah. We’re fine.”

“Good,” she replied, smiling sheepishly. “I told you I wasn’t leaving you behind, and I meant it!” She hopped forward to take his hand this time. He jogged to catch up with her, but not before shooting a heated scowl over his shoulder at Rouge. From the way she recoiled, he could tell she got the message.

This. Isn’t. Over.

--

Once Shadow reappeared in a flash with Amy in front of her house, he expected her to let go of his hand like usual, but she didn't. She was looking away from him.

“Amy?”

When she peeked back up at him, she looked conflicted, torn between happiness, sadness, and gratitude. She suddenly yanked him closer and snuggled into his chest.

“Thank you,” she muttered. Her voice was muffled against his fur. She clung to him, and he hesitantly returned the welcome embrace.

“For what?”

“For everything today.” She tilted her head up to meet his eyes. “For making this trip happen. For helping to make it as fun as it was. And...”

She pressed her lips into a thin line. When he just gazed down at her, she sighed. “I heard you and Rouge talking. Not all of it, but...enough.” He remained silent, so she continued, “I’m not used to people doing that for me.”

“Doing what for you?” Shadow asked.

“Well...standing up for me like that.” She shrugged nonchalantly, but she couldn’t hide the tears welling up in her eyes. “I feel like there’s nothing I can do sometimes. Some people might comfort me when I’m sad, but I’ve never seen someone get so angry over how I’m treated.” She shrank down into herself. “No one really fights for me, and I don’t want to get in anyone’s way.”

Shadow’s stomach lurched at the injustice, and he choked back his indignation. He pulled her closer and hid her face under his chin, not wanting to see her cry. “Amy Rose, you are the kindest, fiercest friend I’ve ever met. Whether it’s a friend, a stranger, or someone who doesn’t deserve one ounce of compassion--” Like me. TWICE. “--you fight harder than anyone else to protect others.” She met his gaze once more, eyes shining. He kept going, afraid he’d lose his nerve if he stopped. “I can’t tell you how much it upsets me that you feel like you don’t deserve happiness as much as anyone else. You should be standing up for yourself just as much as you do for others. Because you deserve it.” He took a deep breath, then brushed a quill out of her face. “If you don’t, I’m going to keep doing it for you. And I’m not nice like you are.”

Amy tried to stay serious, but a huge smile eventually broke through. His favorite laugh escaped her lips, making him relax.

To his surprise, she stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, then pulled away with a grateful smile. “I’m glad you’re not.”

--

From then on, Shadow made a habit of joining Knuckles, Rouge, and Amy every Saturday. He got better each week, though he never quite reached Amy’s level. That didn’t matter to him so long as he got to stay by her side.

With Shadow’s insistence--and a healthy amount of guilt over having split up the “family trips”--Rouge agreed to sit out every so often alongside Shadow so Amy and Knuckles could have one-on-one trips just as they had in their youth.

It wasn’t until a few years later that she and Rouge fully made amends. With Knuckles’ jewelry-making expertise, Rouge’s aesthetic sensibilities, and Shadow’s in-depth knowledge of Amy’s preferences, the three of them worked together to create the engagement ring Shadow gave to her, just as Knuckles had for Rouge. They included some of the materials Shadow had kept from their first trip together.

--

((You have no idea how much time I spent looking up treasure hunting destinations that fit this story.))

[the-brucest-fan]

I NEED THIS KNUCKLES PUPPET 😍😍😍

[rosdevw2]

⚠️Blood warning⚠️

The iblis trigger

me: I don't feel like drawing anything and also I have to study for my exams

The knuckles series

me: YEAHHHH MF!!!!

So anyways the knuckles series sure was a series! I loved seeing my son so much, he was so cute and precious <3

I was always wondering why his fists here on fire in the trailer and then you're telling me he killed memphis tennessee!? and you told me that in a fucking musical!?!?!? Listen– I know it was probably just to reference the games and he's not really the iblis trigger, BUT, what if he was? I mean c'mon, it's knuckles, he does not seem like the type to cry easily, so something REALLY BAD has to happen for him to cry >:) think of the angts material!!! PLEASE I wanna see more iblis trigger knuckles content here 🙏

[itz-pandora]

Guys... Knuckles Chao Parent AU is real...

Tails is a great uncle to Melody! Might doodle their endeavors later. A great learning experience for Melody!

Sonic doesn't get uncle privileges

Melody likes triangle fruit

And some bonus Melody doodles!

[andromeddog]

wow king…

[stevebabey]

i feel like dad!steve takes christmas lights v seriously and likes to have the best house on the street

dear lord anon- ur starting with dad!steve, i’ll maybe die

dad!steve is the most serious for christmas, he pulls out the STOPS he needs the tallest tree, the most elegant of wreathes on the door, gingerbread biscuits all month round — essentially, all the stuff that seemed to make it all the more magical when he was a kid, that steve never really got too much off. his parents only half-assed decorations for the work christmas function held at the harrington house which was only held there like three times in his whole life

so, naturally, steve overindulges for his girls (i am a girl dad!steve TRUTHER) and ofc, it means the christmas lights are borderline excessive. you think after he’s been up and down the ladder four times now, that he’d be done & you’re in the doorway ready to help him shrug off his coat and warm up his red nose but steve just grins, and says, ‘honey, i’ve still got at least another 3 lots of lights to put up.’ and dots a quick kiss to your lips. ‘you think i’m gonna lose out to the milfords across the street? no way’

he’s out there for far too long in your opinion, especially when it starts to snow lightly and the sun starts to fade into a nice dark evening but just when you’re about to go get him in — you’ve put the girls in their adorable coats that you know steve melts over every time he sees them just to coax him backside— he comes back in the door, nearly bowling you all over. ‘oh good! c’mon, it’s the big reveal time’ he says, barely stopping a moment, offering his hands out to both of them. they giggle gleefully, tiny mittens nearly swallowed in his big hands and follow easily bcos they adore their dad. you smile & trail along behind them.

he makes u all stand in the middle of the lawn, facing the house and disappears around the house and for a moment, you’re just shivering out and then— the whole front lights up and steve reappears, looking happy as a clam at the light spectacle he’s put together. both your girls are oohing and aahing, pointing and gasping and steve dashes over, scoops ons of em up and sits her on his shoulders. you take the other, popping her on your hip and steve is gazing up at her, even as her tiny mittens pat all over his face, like ‘whaddaya think? pretty cool, huh? your dad did a pretty good job, yeah? best on the block, i’d say’

and his little girl on his shoulders laughs, tugs his hair a bit and says ‘best on the block!’ and steve guffaws, a big cheery laugh, holding her legs and dancing along until both of your girls are chanting along, ‘best on the block! best on the block!’ and steve is beaming and thinks you look utterly beautiful in the snow and y’know, letting him putting up lights all afternoon might not be a waste if this is the outcome, you think

[brucenorris007]

Who. Taught. Knuckles. Speech????

All y’all going on about Sonic being nonverbal in his early years, KNUCKLES LITERALLY RAISED HIMSELF.

He survived purely on the basis that basically nothing on Angel Island could kill him and his own wits

He was otherwise completely alone with only other nonverbal company for YEARS, probably close to a decade before Sonic and Tails came along

My only working theory is that Eggman used the entirety of his abandoned pursuit of a teaching degree to give the Echidna a grasp of language before Sonic caught up to the crashed Death Egg

This would also explain the unfortunate instances of occasional sexism from Knuckles in some of his earlier iterations; Eggman would tell you nowadays that he was never That Guy, but he absolutely was and still is That Guy

[themoonshoes]

since todays my bday i thought i would share some of my favorite things atm w you guys

food: i got really into cod this year (the fish) so i've been making fish tacos with just pureed jalapeños garlic and cilantro on cod (the fish) and baking that and it is delicioso

drinks: im entering my drip coffee era, unfortunately. when im at work. at home i made brown sugar oat milk lattes and they smack of course. also for a little drinky ive been doing gin and those lemon elderflower sparkling water things from trader joes and theyre pretty good. or a plain negroni

books: shotgunned dune messiah on my flight back from charleston so all ive been thinking about is when i can start reading the next one lmao.

movies: ive watched bullet train a lot recently??? couldnt tell you why. i think the bright colors and soundtrack just activate my brain the way cocomelon does. also i like looking at aaron taylor johnsons cleavage.

clothes: i finally got like a rly nice pair of adidas running leggings and yknow i get why people spend big money on those. also unfortunately i did get the call of duty mexican flag hoodie and it's the most comfortable thing i own im wearing it as we speak.

music: FULLY back into my 1975 era but as for some new stuff: agar agar (specifically the song grass), mallrat, and mangy bones have been on rotation lately. i also anticipate getting back into greta van fleet when the weather here warms up a bit

tv: kitchen nightmares

games: i was getting into pokemon scarlet for a while there but i ran out of time to play it casually. i'll get back around to it eventually. the last two days i had some free time so i just got lost in the red dead online sauce

[allbeendonebefore]

cant do anything but watch tv and play games and i finally beat sonic 1 the other day and parents were like “how many years did that take you” and im like well i never really played sonic 1 as a kid but i guess technically as long as ive been alive hahahaa

then i start playing sonic 2 and im like “wow this is harder than i remember” [doesnt recognize a single level after chemical plant zone]

me: ah... once again it seems that the only games I played seriously as a kid were ones with knuckles in them... i see.......

[spotlightstudios]

Recalling my insanely ridiculous reaction to a small haunted house because it was relevant to smth else I was thinking of.

[annievrse]

dad!sukuna!!!

—ᡣ𐭩 blurb a/n: based on this tiktok that gave me insane baby fever

the birds chirping outside in the dawn light makes your daughter giggle from where she stands in your bedroom doorway.

"baby," you whisper to her, beckoning her over to your side of the bed. "c'mere."

your 3-year-old wobbles around the bed, having gotten out of bed by herself. she stands before you with her hands out and grabs your arms.

"layla," you whisper, glancing over your shoulder at your husband, whose hair pokes out wildly from under the duvet. "tell daddy mommy wants a coffee."

your daughter's wide eyes round, and she tilts her head. "cowe?"

you suppress a giggle. "coffee."

"coppee?"

"yeah, good enough," you mumble, nodding. and then you lift her onto the bed. layla clambers over your body and falls face-first into the space between you and sukuna, her pink hair splayed everywhere.

you slap your mouth with your palm to stop the laughs from escaping. your husband stirs, groaning deeply under the white blankets. she looks over at you with a smile on her face, and you give her a single thumbs up.

"dada," layla says, climbing on top of him. "wake up!"

"hi, babygirl," sukuna slurs, eyes half open.

"i want coppee."

"hm? what?"

"coppee!"

"coffee...?" sukuna takes a moment to process the word and then looks at you over his shoulder, eyes puffy. "really, bro?"

you giggle, hiding your face in the blankets.

"you want coffee..." sukuna says, pointing at your daughter. "you go get it."

"no, mummy wants coppee! you get it!" she giggles, chubby finger aimed at him, too.

“noooo,” he whines, though it’s barely one. he shoves his face back into his pillow. “you.”

“daddy!” your daughter yells. “coppee!!”

sukuna scoffs a laugh and rubs his eye with his knuckle while your daughter dances around the room singing, "coppee, coppee!"

"you're lucky you're cute," sukuna grumbles, swinging his bare legs out of the bed, looking over at you as he does so. "you too."

[the-brucest-fan]

Hold on a second... Could this be...?

👀👀

[aphelionwrotes11]

(MDNI 18+) (unedited)

Trucker!simon x reader (afab)

CW: smut, unprotected PiV penetration, dubcon (slight alcohol consumption, not a lot)

Part 3

Trucker!simon, as puntual as ever, raps his heavy fist against your door at 7pm sharp. You have to take a final look at yourself in the mirror to ensure you still look well groomed.

When you open the door Simon’s huge form takes up nearly the entire doorframe. He’s wearing heavy dark blue jeans, a flannel button up, and a thick leather jacket. He has a bouquet of red and pink roses. You get to enjoy his uncovered smile as you fawn over them.

He lifts them for you to smell, but the only thing you catch of whiff of is his musky cologne, rich and deep. Once you get the roses settled into a vase, Simon walks you to his pickup with a warm hand resting firm on your hip.

When you ask him where he’s taking you, he just glances your way with a smirk,

“You’ll see, lovey.”

You giggle and ask him how much longer it’ll be.

“Wot’s the matter? Just can’t wait much longer for it to be over and be in my bed?”

You gape at him, your face flushing red, and he chuckles. He must notice you squeezing your thighs together, because a moment later he plants his massive hand on your thigh, giving you a gentle squeeze.

By the time you two make it to the restaurant, you’re certain there must be a puddle on his brown leather seats with how much he was squeezing your thigh, teasing his fingers just under the skirt of your dress. Your legs feel like jello as he helps you out of the truck.

The place he’s taken you is a lot prettier than you imagined, cute and atmospheric. You’re a bit shocked that a gruff man like him would know any places like this.

Has a reservation for the two of you, at a table he specifically chose. A private table in the corner, nestled between two large plant covered windows. You gasp at the view, looking out over the well lit street.

When you ask him how he found such a lovely place, he tells you he knows the owner’s husband.

“S’my ol cap’s wife, used to be in the force with em’. Same team. Lovely couple, they’ll like you.”

You listen to him speak, asking him questions about his time in the military. When it’s time to order, you take a final glance at the menu, your brows furrowing. It’s a real nice place, and the prices reflect that.

“You can get whatever you want, lovey.” He says, but you just frown. So he looks up at the waiter and tells him to give you both another minute.

You explain that you’re sorry, everything’s just so expensive, you don’t want to cost him too much. He looks offended and grunts, leaning over to you.

“Money ain’t an issue f’me.”

“I’ll get you anything you want, anything at all, bird.” He says so gently, you’re unsure he’s even talking about food.

By the end of dinner, your belly is full and your cheeks are warm, from him or the glass of wine, you aren’t sure. The two of you talked for hours, and your stomach still hurts from how hard he made you laugh with his ridiculous dad jokes.

You feel giddy as he walks you out to his truck, arm around your shoulder. You nestle yourself into his side, taken in his heat and his smell. The mood shifts once the two of you get into the truck. Suddenly the air is too hot, and you would really love to lose a few layers.

Just like before, he plants his warm palm on the fat of your thigh, massaging his fingers into it. But this time, as his fingers breach the skirt of your dress, they keep inching up until his thumb is pressed up against your clothed sex. You suck in a breath as he applies some pressure to your throbbing clit.

“So wet already, ain’t ya bird?” He whispers, his voice thick.

The only response you can give him is a whine as he shifts his hand till he’s grinding his palm against you. You meet his pace, moving your hips against his hand, grasping his arm as you whimper.

His other hand grips the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are white. He struggles to even keep his eyes on the road, and when he finally glances at you, just to see you looking up at him all needy and flushed, he has to resist pulling over and taking you right here in his truck. Instead he just presses harder on the gas and on your wet pussy.

By the time you’ve made it to his home, you’ve already cum twice. Your gasping and twitching as he jumps from out as soon as he puts the truck into park, speed walking to your side and ripping the door open to smash his lips against yours.

Carries you up the front door, your legs wrapped around his waist. He parts from you only once to unlock his door and take you both inside. He pushes you against the wall, tearing of his jacket as you pull off your own. His hands grab the hem of your dress, you help him pull it over your head. You blush as he pauses for a moment to take in your matching set, red lace bralette and panties.

“This all f’me? So perfect.” He groans. Hand coming up to cup your tit and press a wet kiss to your lace covered chest.

By the time he has you laid out in his bed you’re naked and hot. You claw at his shirt, whining at him to take it off.

He complies without second thought, ripping it off and revealing a muscled, scarred chest. You can’t help how you practically mewl at the sight of him.

He bends down as he’s removing his jeans to press kisses down the expanse of your throat. His mouth finds a nipple, sucking it into his mouth. He licks your chest sloppily, groaning as he sucks hickies on your tits. He stands straight as he pulls off his boxers, revealing a thick cock, the tip an angry red as it leaks precum.

“Look a’ what you do to me love. Never been so hard.” His voice is low and nearly whiny near the end of his sentence.

Spends a real long time stretching you out on his thick fingers. Sucks on your tits and neck the whole time. He’s almost as loud as you, watching you as you squirm beneath him with groans falling from his lips. You cum at least 2 times, but you aren’t sure, your bones feel like jelly and your vision is so blurred from tears you can barely see Simon’s face. If you could see it, you would see how pussy drunk he looks, absolutely love struck.

When he finally lines himself with your entrance, he gently squeezes your hips and presses a few sweet kisses to your mouth.

“You ready bird? Think ya can take some more?” He asks softly.

Yes, yes, please. You tell him. Finally.

Doesn’t waste another moment and finally pushes himself into your slick cunt with a low groan. He presses his face into the crook of your neck, gently thrusting himself into you at first.

“Feel s’good.. so so good.” He mumbles against your skin, halting his movements for a moment.

He lifts himself to his elbows, analyzing your face to ensure you’re comfortable. With your approval he starts moving, fucking you with long and languid thrusts. Pulling his cock all the way out before pushing back in.

After a while of him moving like this, you feel like you’re about to fall apart again. You claw at his back, legs wrapped around his waist as he hits a gooey spot within you that has you clenching on his cock.

“Give it t’me sweetheart, please, I need it.” He says, sounding utterly wrecked.

And once you come on his cock, he loses it. He starts humping himself into you at an ungodly pace, one that has you crying and mewling his name. Every nerve in your body feels like it’s on fire, you can’t even form the words to ask him to slow down, but given the look on his face you aren’t sure if he’d even hear you.

He looks so out of it, practically drunk. His eyes are half lidded and lips parted as he grunts and gasps. His hands hold your hips in a vice grip that you know will leave marks, not like it matters though, he’s already marked all over your chest and throat.

“Been- been waiting to take ya out fer- fu-uck-“ he pauses, his hips snapping against yours, “since I saw ya bird- knew you were mine. All mine.” He growls out.

His eyes nearly roll to the back of his skull as you clench down on his length, he lets out a breathy moan as he slows his movements.

“W-where you want it birdie? Where y’want me to cum?” He gasps out.

Blows his load as soon as you squeak out a quiet “inside.”

He’s growling, gasping and panting, as he pumps his load into you. Keeps thrusting even after he’s cum, pressing his nose into your hair and whining.

Once the two of you have come down, and you finally stop seeing stars, he quickly hops up to get a wet rag and cold glass of water. Cleans the both of you up and urges you to take a few sips, finishes what’s left of the glass once you do.

You practically pass out as soon as he’s got you wrapped up in his warm, burly arms. He stays awake though, petting your hair and gazing at your pretty face. He’s finally got you, and he’s never letting you go.

Note: it was HELL trying to get this done for you guys today :((( my wifi decided to die once I was halfway through with the first part of this fic, which then deleted everything and I had to rewrite EVERYTHINF. That and my poor doggy has been losing his mind over the fireworks going off every ten mins (curse you Fourth of July). It’s fine tho, cuz I think it turned out so cute. Ofc I had to add in the fluffy ending, also please forgive the repetitive word use and unnecessary commas!! I’m planning on coming back and editing this one hardcore, if I end up adding any major things to it I’ll just post the updated version (as well as this one) but this will do for now!! Just wanted to give u guys something to chew on cuz I left you all high and dry with the first part lol

Simon Riley master list

[mactavishsgfandwife]

Dad!Simon Helps Your Daughter When She Falls Over :((

inspired by this ADORABLE instagram reel 💞💞💞

Your 3 year-old lets out a little gasp as she slips over on the ice and after a moment of shock, she starts to cry out. No words, just a stream of tears and wails of pain, frozen on her hands and knees, bare palms against freezing, snowy ground.

"Daddy!" she cries out, by which time her father is already knelt down at her side, "Dada!"

"Hey, baby," his usually gruff voice sounds soft and low as he gently strokes his daughter’s hair away from her tear-stained cheek, trying not to show how much it affects him to see her with big, sad eyes and so clearly in pain.

“Tell Daddy where you’re hurt.”

"M- m- my knees!" your little girl sobs, leaning into her father’s chest as he picks her up and cradles her in his arms, just as he did when she was younger.

Her bottom lip trembles, and she whimpers softly into Simon’s shirt, sniffling and covering him in tears. Her little hands are sore from the fall, and your husband takes both of them in one of his much bigger, stronger, rougher hands, his thumb gently caressing her knuckles.

"Let me see…" he gently rolls her trouser legs up to see her knees, which aren’t bloody but just a little sore and grazed from her fall. Taking care not to hurt her fragile skin, he leans closer and gently kisses her chubby toddler legs better. It looks funny, this big, scary man being so gentle and loving with a little girl in her pink raincoat, but he doesn’t care. Anything for his daughter.

"Need plaster, daddy!"

"You don’t need one, love, you’re not blee-" he looks down only to be met with her big, teary eyes and sad little pout, her tiny heart so sad not to be getting a plaster.

"Alright, y’get a plaster," he chuckles softly, giving her a tender kiss on the forehead, "you’re such a brave girl."

thanks for reading :P

[sparklingchim]

you're losing me 03 | jjk

pairing: jungkook x reader

word count: 5k

genre: angst, married couple, age gap, ceo jk, nepo baby oc, second chance romance

rating: 18+

warnings: oral (f receiving), nipple play, fingering, spit kink 👉🏼👈🏼, oc is horny for her man 😋☝️, dirty talk, implied shower sex!! teasing, her dad is a meanie </3, but jk lowkey too :') ... but he's saur sweet as well 🥺 ugh!!, jk's niece yumi is the cutest ever <3, oc feeling sad/lonely/neglected/not loved enough, u know just the usual :')

summary: probing questions and rising tensions cloud the family dinner.

a/n: she posted !!!! 🫢 are u proud of me !! 🫂

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Something tickles your back.

You roll over on your side, mumbling incoherent words.

“Hey,” Jungkook whispers. “You’re having a bad dream?”

You nod against the pillow. You don’t remember much now that you’re awake, but the dream left you feeling upset.

He pulls your body to his, keeping a safe arm around you.

“You’re okay now?” His knuckles trace softly over your cheek.

Fluttering your eyes open, you turn your head to him. “What time is it?”

“Just past six.” Jungkook pulls up the strap of your lacy nightgown. “Gotta get up for work soon.”

“No.” You hug his chest. “They won’t care if you go in a little later.”

A faint smile curves his mouth. “But I care,” he says. “The company doesn’t work without me.”

You frown and dig your pointer finger to your chest. “Me too.”

Jungkook catches your finger and intertwines his hand with yours. “I’ll be back early today,” he promises.

And while you’d usually be excited about it, you’re a bit frustrated that he’s only promising it because you’re having a family dinner at your place this evening.

“Dad would be upset if you show up late.”

“I know. He’s been watching my every step these days.”

Your dad once trusted Jungkook without question, but now he seems to be keeping a closer eye on him. You remember the day you told your dad about dating Jungkook. His expression had softened, a rare sign of pride. Though you knew it wasn’t because he was happy his daughter found a loving partner. Still, you tried to absorb any positive attention from him, recognizing that his approval was more about how the relationship could benefit him.

Your father has always been more interested in what you create or gain and how it can serve his interests.

“Is he upset with you?” you ask. Brows furrowing as you think about your own question.

“Not yet. But he’s still eager for a partnership between our companies and wants to launch a joint venture.”

You pull a face, groan a little. “Don’t tell me more. I don’t want any knowledge of this, so my father can use me to get what he wants from you.”

“He shouldn’t dare.” A stern look crosses his face. “I won’t let him drag you into it.”

But just because you’re curious and way too nosy, you ask one more question. “What do you have that he does not?”

“I have more connections than he does,” Jungkook says. One corner of his mouth slightly pulling upward. “Your father can be ruthless, but people like working with me. I’m way nicer than he is.”

“You are?” you question with a teasing lilt to your voice. You drag your finger across his chest. “Then be nice and spend some time with me before you go to work.” Your finger travels down his abs, stops at his boxer briefs. An amused smile blooms on his face as he watches you innocently bat your eyelashes at him.

With a playful grin, unable to resist you, he leans in closer. His hands find your waist. As your back sinks into the plush mattress underneath, you feel his weight pressing against you. His lips capture yours in a deep, lingering kiss, and you can feel the heat between you both rising.

He pushes your silky nightgown up your tummy, continuing his kisses on your neck to your chest and then your ribs and your belly button. Little, satisfied moans leave your mouth.

“Spread your legs for me,” he whispers against your skin. With his hands on your thighs, he gets comfortable on his tummy.

“I didn’t even get to tell you about the exciting new offer I got yesterday.”

“Tell me, love,” he says softly, continuing to peck your exposed skin. His breath tickles your thigh.

“Dasom called and told me Calvin Klein wants me as an ambassador,” you explain. The same joy floods your tummy as when your manager told you about the news, but maybe it’s Jungkook’s mouth teasing you on your inner thighs.

“That’s exciting.” His thumb rubs over your ribs in appreciation. “You’ve been wanting to work with them for so long.”

“I know! But you know what’s even more fun?” Your voice drowns in excitement, eyes sparking with enthusiasm as you look down at Jungkook between your legs.

He licks a stripe up your clothed pussy. Your inhale shakily.

“Jungkook.” You tug at his hair to make him look at you. “Are you listening?”

“I am listening.” He keeps looking at you while he tugs your panties to the side. “Go on,” he tells you, sucking on your clit right after.

Your back arches. A surprised moan bubbles from your throat.

“They- they want us two to do a shoot together,” you utter between heavy breaths. “Said it would be great for their new campaign. They love our chemistry."

“Yeah?” Jungkook’s eyes lock onto yours, and you suddenly find it hard to hold his gaze, your fingers fidgeting with the sheets between you.

“They thought about an underwear shoot, but we could do whatever we’re comfortable with.” Your tummy clenches when Jungkook adds two fingers. “They just- Jungkook, fuck.” He curls his fingers and grazes your sweet spot, pleasure jolting throughout your entire body. “They just really want us both for their campaign.”

Your fingers tug at his messy hair, hips moving against his face.

“What do – what do you think?” You bite your lip. Just a little bit more and you’re cumming.

His mouth leaves your clit. You whine at the loss. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, love.”

“You’d be okay with it?”

“Yeah.” He gives your pussy little kisses, trailing upwards to give your tummy a few too.

You impatiently push his head back between your legs. “Please, finish what you started.”

Jungkook hums in satisfaction. “So well behaved. That’s my good girl.” His tongue glides over your clit while his fingers move at a languid pace.

“Remember the perfume ad?” you ask, eyes slowly closing as he continues to torture your swollen nub with his tongue. “They only saw your back in the video and loved it so much. They’ll... they’ll die seeing this campaign.”

His left hand travels up your body, vanishing underneath the soft fabric that just barely covers your chest. “Do you have a date?” he asks, mouth full. He makes you feel dizzy.

“No-uh – oh.” You gasp when he pinches your pebbled nipple. “Not soon, though. Sometime next year, I think.”

“Sounds good.” His fingers are deep inside you. Wet noises fill the room and you want to cum so badly.

“Faster, please.” Your pussy clenches around his fingers, heat spreading over your entire body.

Jungkook looks so hot between your thighs. Eating you out with his skilled mouth, his cheeks flush a dusty pink as he watches your gentle reactions through his still sleep-laden eyes

“Jungkook.” The creases around his eyes soften when he hears you moan his name in a meek, lewd way. He can feel you being so close to coming undone, and he’s eager to see you writhe for him, make a little mess.

“Gonna cum for me, love?” The way he asks is so sweet that you nod eagerly You don’t ever deny him anything, wanting nothing more than to be good for him.

“Uh-huh,” you manage to slip between breathy moans. “Wanna cum for you.”

When the pleasure finally hits its peak and you’re so full with it, your thighs begin to tremble around his face and your head sinks into the pillow. Jungkook’s tongue continues to swipe over your sensitive clit and you whimper, pushing him away.

“Felt so good, didn’t it?” He withdraws his fingers from your clenching walls and runs his thumb over your wet, creamy pussy. He licks them clean and you swallow. He’s so irresistibly attractive it leaves you feeling light-headed.

Rising from his spot between your legs, he holds your face. His fingers dig into your cheeks. “Open your mouth.” When you do, he spits in your mouth and you swallow the mixture of your arousal combined with his spit.

“So good,” he murmurs, patting your head. “I’ll go take a shower.”

You throw your arms around his little waist. “No, stay a little more.”

“I have to leave soon, love.”

His semi is poking your tummy through his briefs and you wriggle around a little just to show him what he’s missing out on.

He buries his head in the crook of your neck, sighing deeply. “Join me in the shower?”

You giggle, tugging at his hair to kiss him on the lips. “Fine.”

As he walks towards the bathroom, you take a moment to sit on the edge of the bed, your nightgown falling back over your body, feeling the lingering warmth of his body. You hear the sound of the shower turning on, and the steam starts to drift out into the bedroom.

Before joining him, you decide to select today’s perfumes for the both of you. You pause in front of the vanity, eyeing your collection with a silly excitement.

Chanel Chance Eau Tendre? Delightful and light, but not today. Marc Jacobs Daisy? Sweet and floral. Maison Francis Kurkdijan Baccarat Rouge 540? A favourite, but it doesn’t feel right for the moment. Gucci Bloom? Tempting with its fresh notes.

Finally, you settle on Dior J’adore – you’re just obsessed with Dior scents.

Moving along the row of Jungkook’s fragrances, your finger dances over each bottle, contemplating.

Creed Aventus? A bit too fruity. Tom Ford Oud Wood? Very exotic. Dior Sauvage? Immediate skip. Bleu de Chanel? Elegant but maybe another day.

You pause at Tom Ford Amber Absolute. That exotic scent – ugh, you’ve never liked it at all. Jungkook used to wear it occasionally until he noticed your distaste and stopped.

At last, your finger lands on Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit de l’Homme. You love the cedarwood and vetiver smell in this one. Perfect.

With a satisfied smile, you set the chosen bottles on the counter.

“Love?” Jungkook calls from the bathroom.

“’m coming!”

~

You’ve successfully avoided your father all evening, managing to stay out of his way whenever possible.

You know he’s itching to discuss the incident from a few weeks ago when you were seen at your gynaecologist. He loves prying into your life and demanding answers, a way of “checking up” on his youngest daughter that feels more intrusive than caring.

So, as he’s deep in conversation with Jungkook’s brother and dad, you seize the opportunity to slip out of the living room. You're in search of Jungkook, who left a few minutes ago, and you could really use his comforting presence.

As you move quietly through the house, you hear voices coming from the dining room. You pause at the doorway and catch Jungkook’s mum ask in a hushed tone, “Is the same happening as with Eunji?”

“No. Everything is fine,” Jungkook reassures her.

“I don’t want to witness something similar again,” she expresses, clearly distressed.

Jungkook’s soothing voice replies, “There is nothing for you to worry. I promise.”

Your tummy knots with unease.

You hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but the mention of Jungkook’s ex-wife only heightens your discomfort.

You’re desperate to know why his mother is mentioned Eunji and what the conversation is about, but you decide to ask Jungkook later, in a subtle manner.

With your eyes fixated to the floor and thoughts muddled, you enter the kitchen. Sunhee, the chef who has been part of your family since you were little, is preparing dinner for you tonight.

“Who was the cause of that sad face, my dear?” Sunhee asks, worry crinkling her forehead while she puts the food on the plates.

“I’m not sad,” you deny, leaning against the counter. “Not yet, at least.”

“Why are you anticipating becoming sad? That’s not a good thing to do,” Sunhee says, shaking her head in disapproval. “Who are you hiding from?”

She knows you so well. Ever since Sunhee became your family’s chef, it’s been your habit to hide in the kitchen when the atmosphere at home became too overwhelming for you. When your father was angry or your parents argued, you’d slip into the kitchen, and Sunhee would lift you onto the counter to watch her cook.

You used to just hide in your room, but you found that life was easier to bear when you didn’t have to carry all the sadness alone. When you were ready to face the world again, Sunhee would slip sweets into your hands. You mum hated treats before dinner and never allowed them, so this became your little secret with Sunhee.

It might seem trivial, but those moments meant the world to you when you were a little girl.

“My dad,” you huff. “He’s been unbearable since...the pictures.”

Sunhee gives you a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry to hear that, dear. I know how tiring his behaviour can be.”

“He’s like someone straight out of the gossip rags.”

Sunhee chuckles softly. “He does have a flair for drama, doesn’t he? But you shouldn’t let it get to you. You’ve always been good at handling him.”

“It’s just exhausting.”

She pats your hand gently. “Don’t let him bring you down. Remember, this kitchen is your sanctuary.” The little anxious ball in your tummy fades with each comforting word Sunhee speaks. “Dinner will be ready shortly. You can sit down in the dining room. I’ll let everyone know.”

“I’ll do that for you,” you offer, and leave the kitchen.

Heading to the living room, you announce, “Dinner’s ready.”

“Have you seen Yumi?” Jungkook’s brother asks, referring to his four-year-old daughter.

“It’s been a while since I’ve last seen her,” you answer and he immediately gets up. She must be up to no good if she’s been unsupervised for longer than ten minutes.

“Yumi! Where are you?” Jungkook’s brother calls in the hallway. “Dinner’s ready!”

Loud, hectic thumps erupt from upstairs.

“When did she get up there?” you ask puzzled.

Jungkook and his mother emerge from the dining room.

“What happened?” he asks.

Before anyone can respond, Yumi’s usual small pitter-patter of footsteps becomes a series of high-pitched clatters. She appears at the top of the stairs, dressed up in your clothes.

“Oh, God,” her dad utters.

“She found ___ closet.” An endeared smile crinkles Jungkook’s eyes.

Yumi proudly walks down the stairs in your Louboutins, a hand on the rail to keep her from tumbling. Jungkook rushes towards her, keeping a safe hand on her shoulder.

“___!” she exclaims, her wide smile puffing her cheeks. She’s wearing your soft pink corset from Dior and your mini skirt from Giambattista Valli’s vintage collection over her own dress.

“Had fun in my wardrobe?” You laugh as she nods vigorously.

“You have soo many clothes!” she says, eyes turning big. “And everything is sparkly!” She turns to her dad. “Daddy, I want a sparkly bag like dis too!” Yumi shoves your Prada clutch up in the air.

Jungkook’s brother emits a strained sigh, although a tiny smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Don’t you have a sparkly bag?”

Yumi frowns. “Not dis sparkly.” She points her hand at the bag for emphasis.

You giggle. Yumi was raised right. The sparklier the better.

“I hope you didn’t leave a mess in there,” he warns her.

“Daddy, the bag!” she yells, ignoring his words to avoid trouble, dangling it in the air.

Her dad ushers her into the dining room.

“Who made the bag? I’ll just buy her the same one,” he whispers in your ear.

“It’s a vintage Prada clutch from the fall/winter 2015 collection,” you answer, a confused pout gracing your face. “It’s no longer available for purchase.”

His eyes widen. He watches his daughter climb onto the chair with Jungkook’s assistance, the crystal embellished clutch sitting on the decked table near drinks and food that could spill onto it.

“Then we better take care of it.” He rushes to the table and places it somewhere safer.

As everyone settles into their seats for dinner, Jungkook’s brother breaks the silence, “Hyein was so upset she would miss out on Sunhee’s food.” His wife is pregnant and felt sick today, so she couldn’t come.

“How far along is she?” your mother asks.

“Just entered the third trimester.”

“I’m getting a baby brother!” Yumi exclaims, eyes wide with anticipation.

Jungkook pats her hair and falls into a quiet conversation with her.

“We’re very excited, but she’s been having a rough time lately.”

“Well, I hope she feels better soon,” your father says, his tone temporarily softening. “Take good care of her.”

As the conversation continues with lighter topics, you feel a momentary relief. But soon enough, you feel your father’s gaze shift back to you, a familiar sense of scrutiny returning.

“I wonder when it’ll be time for my daughters,” he says pointedly.

It’s funny he is using the plural form, given that, as far as you know, he never brings up this topic with your older sister, Jinah.

“I think we’ve talked about this last week,” you answer monotonous, eyes set on the plate before you.

“With you I’m just wondering whether I would receive the news from you personally or wake up to headlines telling me,” he says.

Your father called you as soon as the pictures were released, as hungry for answers as the press. Even accused you of hiring the paparazzi yourself when you told him you had merely gone to a check-up and assured him you weren’t pregnant; Jungkook was just comforting you after a rough day.

You used to pull a lot of silly stunts as a teenager to get your father’s attention. But staging a scene for the paparazzi, crying in your husband’s arms over a pregnancy scare, would be the last thing you’d do to get him to check up on you.

You did have your share of attention-seeking antics, like being spotted leaving the club with the son of your father’s rival company, stealing his jet or throwing lavish parties and inviting a mix of celebrities and socialites when your father was away on a trip.

“Didn’t Jinah talk about wanting babies in an interview? Ask her for grandchildren.”

Tilting his head, your father gives you a disapproving glance. “She’s busy with her law firm, don’t you think?”

The table falls silent, with only the faint sound of your breath as you open your lips to speak. Before you can respond, Jungkook steps in to answer for you.

“___ is quite busy herself – launching her clothing brand soon, starting the filming of her first drama, handling the countless photoshoots she has weekly.” Jungkook subtly places his hand on your bare thigh, the comforting press of his wedding band against your skin.

Your father’s features soften as he shifts his gaze to Jungkook. It still saddens you a bit that he seems to approve of everyone but you – it haunts you in the middle of the night, knowing that all you ever wanted as a child was to feel deserving of one of his approving smiles.

“I know she’s busy. It irks me what she keeps herself busy with.”

Jungkook is about to respond, but his mother steps in. “Your acting debut? Oh, I’m so excited.”

Jungkook’s hand slides to your knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Don’t take it to heart.

You remind yourself that you’ve long since stopped letting these comments get under your skin. Yet, a part of you – the little girl still longing for approval – feels a pang of sadness that won’t quiet fade.

As the conversation shifts, you find yourself staring at your plate, pushing the food around with your fork. The weight of your father’s disapproval feels heavier than ever. The rest of the meal passes in a blur of small talk and clinking utensils. You laugh at the right moments, nod when expected, but your mind drifts elsewhere. Eventually, the plates are cleared, and everyone begins to disperse.

“We should get going. It’s been a long day, and Hyein is alone at home.”

Yumi tugs at her dad’s sleeve, her eyes wide and hopeful. She glances over at you and Jungkook, then looks down shyly.

“What is it, Yumi?” her dad asks, crouching down to her level.

She whispers something in his ear, and he chuckles. “She wants to ask you guys something.”

You smile, kneeling down.

“Can we have a sleepover?” Yumi asks, her voice small and tentative. “Please?”

Jungkook grins and looks at you for confirmation. You nod saying, “Of course, you can. We’d love to have you.”

“Yay!” Yumi exclaims, jumping up and down excitedly. She rushes over to hug both you and Jungkook tightly.

As everyone gathers their things, your father watches you intently. His expression is hard to read, and for a moment, it seems like he might say something. But he quickly looks away, the familiar disapproval etched into his features.

You expected nothing less from him.

~

“Is Uncle Jungkook not playing dress up with us?” Yumi asks as she looks through the dress section of your closet.

“I’ll look for him, yeah?”

Stepping out of your walk-in closet and your bedroom, you walk down the hallway.

“Jungkook?” You hear his voice coming closer, and soon spot him walking briskly in your direction.

“Jungkook,” you call, trying to grab his bicep but he continues walking, and your fingers merely graze his arm. “Yumi wants to play before going to bed.”

Only when he turns around do you see him pressing his phone against his ear. Jungkook puts his pointer finger against his mouth and shushes you before he walks off in the direction of his office.

A startled laugh escapes your mouth.

As soon as your family left, his focus shifted back to his work. His excuse about being on the phone felt like a dagger, leaving you feeling disregarded and lonely – emotions you have been feeling too much lately, it’s starting to become a familiar ache in your chest, a constant reminder of the growing distance between you.

Watching Jungkook retreat to his office, you couldn’t help but wonder when it became so easy for him to prioritise work over your presence.

You turn back towards the bedroom and find Yumi standing by your open jewellery drawer, probably drawn by the bright, sparkly gems.

“Uncle Jungkook has some work to do,” you tell her.

Yumi just nods, staring at all the shimmery things in front of her. When she hears you sigh, she looks up at you, her little heart immediately sensing your change in mood.

“Are you sad?” Yumi asks, dragging her little finger over all your accessories, searching for the ones that shine the most.

“I think so,” you admit.

“Was someone mean to you?” She grabs a diamond necklace.

“A little, yeah.” You cross your arms, holding back the annoyed sigh.

Jungkook didn’t mean to make you feel upset. That would never be his intention. But you’re a sensitive person. And you’re his wife, so he should know better.

“My mommy always says when someone is mean to me to never be mean back to them, because – because that shows you are an ugly person.” She fiddles with your necklace.

“And we don’t want to be an ugly person, right?”

“No-uh.” She shakes her head, her little pigtails bouncing. “I wanna be pretty,” she says and holds the shiny necklace against her neck while looking at herself in the full-length mirror. “Where did you get this one from?”

Yumi’s second favourite game, after dress-up, is asking about the designers of your clothes and jewellery.

“It’s a Harry Winston piece. Uncle Jungkook gifted it to me,” you tell her.

“Really?” Her eyes widen. “He buys you so many sparkly things! Like that!” She points to your wedding ring. “Uncle Jungkook must love you so much. But – but he married you. So he has to.”

You help her put on the necklace. “What, you can’t love someone when you’re not married?”

Yumi shakes her head and giggles. “Noo, of course you can, silly. But you only get married when you know you will love them forever and ever.”

“You think Uncle Jungkook will love me forever?” You just feel slightly foolish for asking a child for reassurance.

She turns to you. A confused pout adorns her little face. It reminds you a bit of yourself.

“You don’t buy someone sparkly things when you don’t love them forever.”

You laugh. “Oh, is that so?” You grab her hand. “Come on, little girl. I got a few unopened gifts from designers I know you will love.”

Yumi squeals excitedly and follows you.

~

Sometime past midnight, Jungkook steps into the bedroom.

You lie in bed with your back to him. You were scrolling mindlessly on your phone – online shopping a little until Jungkook would come to bed, using his card just because. You put Yumi to bed in your guest bedroom hours ago.

“Jaehyun’s gala is in Italy next week,” he says, putting his phone on his bedside table. “You’re coming with me, right?”

You glance over your shoulder and glare at him a little. “No. Don’t wanna go all the way there just for a gala.” You hate flying. And flying to Italy to just stay there for a couple hours does not sound like something you want to do.

“We could have a little vacation for a few days.”

You tilt your head, watching him intently as if he’s setting you a trap. “How many days are we talking?” You sit up.

He ponders, probably going through his schedule in his mind. “Three days. At least.”

You sigh dramatically, though your chest feels giddy. “Fine. I’ll come. But I decide what we’re going to do every day.”

“Sure,” he agrees. “But I already know what you want to do anyway.” A little smirk dances on his lips.

“Oh, do you now?” you challenge, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course,” he replies, eyes shining. “You’ll want to visit the Uffizi Gallery first, lose yourself in all that Renaissance art. Then, there’s the Pinacoteca di Brera because you’re in love with those masterpieces. Shopping at Via Montenapoleone is a given, of course.”

You try to hide your smile but fail miserably.

“You probably want to go to the Amalfi Coast too. You love the view and the town. And then dinner at La Pergola – you've been craving their dishes ever since the last time we went.” He sits down the edge of the bed, watching you with expectant eyes.

You shake your head at him. “You really do know me too well.”

His dimples appear. “Told you.” He looks so pleased with himself. “See? I like you way better like this.” Jungkook gently traces the curve of your smile with the pad of his finger. “And not when you’re glaring at me.”

“Then be nicer to me,” you huff.

His fingers hold your chin and his mouth meets yours. He kisses you so softly and you melt against him.

“I’m not doing it on purpose, love,” he whispers in between kisses. His hand is warm on your waist and he squeezes you slightly.

“Come to bed.” You plant a smooch on his jawline. “I can’t sleep without you.”

While Jungkook takes off his clothes, you lie down again, your mind racing with thoughts of what happened today.

“Why did you and Eunji separate?” you inquire, voice laced with curiosity.

You catch the exact moment Jungkook registers your question; one eyebrow lifts for a heartbeat before his lips pucker into a wistful pout, deep in thought.

He isn’t surprised by your random question. Jungkook is used to you asking things at unexpected moments. You always speak your mind when you’re with him. You’ve asked him this before, but you want to hear his answer again, especially after his mother mentioned her.

“It just didn’t work out anymore,” he says finally. He wears a pensive expression and you’d give everything to know which moments with Eunji are flashing before his eyes.

You wonder if he often reminisces about specific times with her, and your curiosity deepens. He still works with her, sees her quite often, so does he ever think about past times with her? When they were married? And a happy couple?

The thought makes your face twist into a little frown. Jungkook has you. There’s no reason for him to dwell on past relationships when he is married to you.

What kind of thoughts are these? You’ve never had them before.

“We had other plans on how our future would look like,” he tells you as he’s getting under the covers. “What’s wrong?” he asks once he looks over at you and sees your brows pulled together.

“Nothing,” you murmur, smoothing the blanket around you.

“Everything is strictly professional between us.” He’s watching you with attentive eyes. “We care more about our work than the personal stuff.”

You doubt you could say the same if you were in their shoes. But then again, dramatic as you are, you’ve never really gotten over anything in your life.

You still wonder why his mother mentioned his ex, but it doesn’t matter – she doesn’t. Jungkook loves you, and that’s all you care about.

“I know. I trust you.” With a knowing glint in your eyes, you nod once in agreement. “Have never trusted anyone as much, actually.” You turn on your side, resting your hand on his chest. He’s warm, and you feel a gentle calm settle over you.

Soft knocks interrupt you.

“Uncle Jungkook?” Yumi’s meek voice comes through from the other side. She slowly opens the door. “Can I sleep with you, please?”

Jungkook sits up. “Is something wrong?” he asks worriedly.

“Can’t sleep,” she mumbles and crawls up into your bed. Her curious eyes rake over the shiny, lacy nightgown you’re wearing as Jungkook helps her getting tucked in between the two of you. “That’s a beautiful colour,” she says sleepily, feeling the glossy material with the pads of her fingers.

“Thank you.” You smile down at her but she’s intensely staring at your nightgown with fascinated eyes.

“Such a sleepy girl and yet still wants to steal ___ clothes.” Jungkook boops her nose, and she giggles mischievously. “At this point, you just want everything that Aunt ___ wears.”

Yumi turns her head to him. “You have a very pretty girlfri – wife, Uncle Jungkook.”

Jungkook hums in agreement. “I know. She is insanely pretty.”

Your cheeks feel hot. And you feel silly, but so in love.

“Is that why you married her?”

Jungkook chuckles. “It’s one of the reasons, yeah.”

“When I grow up, I want to be as pretty as Aunt ___” Her little eyes sparkle when they shift back to you. She scootches closer to you, cuddling your side.

“Oh,” you coo at her sweetness. “But you’re so pretty already.” You hesitantly brush her hair, taming the crazy bed hair. Jungkook watches you two with fondness softening his features.

“I know,” she yawns and ever so slowly her eyes fall closed.

“How did she fall asleep this quick?” You stare at the way her body falls and rises in rhythmic motions.

“I ask myself that every time when we go to sleep together.”

You sniff a laugh. You tend to fall asleep extremely fast when Jungkook is next to you.

“You’re just very comfortable.” You yearningly stare at his chest and his arm. You won’t be able to fall asleep on him, because miss Yumi is clinging to your side.

“Apparently you are too,” he muses.

You smile softly, looking down at Yumi’s peaceful face. The warmth of her small body pressed against yours fills you with a comforting sense of contentment. It’s a simple, unconditional love that you’ve always yearned for.

The room is quiet, save for the soft sounds of sleep. You close your eyes, feeling the weight of the day and the ache in your heart. As much as you cherish these moments, they also remind you of what’s missing.

But for now, you hold onto Yumi a little tighter, letting her innocent love soothe your restless mind, even as the doubts and fears linger in the corners of your heart.

[enree9h]

NOW SHOWING | psh

PAIRING : bestfriend’sbrother!sunghoon x fem!reader

SYNOPSIS : When your best friend bails on a movie date at the last minute, you find yourself in a cramped movie theatre with her elder brother instead.

WARNINGS : SMUT, pinv, 3 year age gap??, both are in their 20s

wc : 1.9k+

A/N : this turned out longer than I'd imagined it to be, hope its good tho ♡

MDNI

Dimming lights blind your vision, the screen lighting up with advertisements. Your gaze shifts to the figure beside you, to his silhouette against the black of the theatre and you feel heat taint the skin of your cheeks red. 

“The movie’s about to begin”

You feel his breath on your skin, his voice in your ear and you feel yourself go motionless at the sudden closeness. You let a hum out in response, the feeble sound falling over your lips. You glance at his retreating figure, hoping the dark clouds your reaction.

When you feel his knee rub against yours you mentally curse your friend for having booked seats in a cramped theatre like this. What angers you further is how she bailed on you at the last minute, leaving you standing awkwardly at her door all dressed up for the movie she had begged you to accompany her to. The next thing you know she's pushing her brother out of the house and onto you, hoping his presence would somehow make up for her absence. 

Sunghoon watches you squirm in your seat, your knuckles white against the handle of the seat, the movie going unnoticed. His eyes run over the goosebumps on your arms and he is quick to slip out of his jacket. 

“Wha-” 

“You’re shivering”, his tone is nonchalant as he moves to lay it over you. You feel his fingers brush against your skin and feel all the cold being driven out at the contact. He leans over to lay it on you properly and you feel yourself arch into his touch, his scent.

Your mind runs with all the scenarios that have kept you up at night, especially those that involved him. With his eyes rolled back and fingers gripping the skin on your hips as he plunged into you without much thought. You shiver despite the warmth the jacket offers you and lean back into your seat rubbing the inside of your thighs together, the friction leaving you slightly breathless. 

Sunghoon watches you with a glint in his eyes, his gaze begins to cloud with lust. His jacket on your chest rose as you made an effort to even your breathing out, all while Sunghoon’s gaze ran over your clothed body lit by the dim lights of the movie screen.

He's always been good at maintaining a distance, especially with someone who was as close to his sister as you were. however, over the past months, the temptation to close the charged space between the two of you gnawed on his insides each time you walked past him. 

You feel yourself grow frustrated with each passing second, the ache between your legs making your brain go fuzzy. Unable to hold yourself back any longer you hoist yourself up

“I’ll be back. Bathroom break", you mutter your eyes barely meeting Sunghoon’s in the process and attempt to move through the barely available space. 

Sunghoon keeps his eyes on you as you struggle to squeeze yourself past him, your calves brushing against his knees. You feel red stain your cheeks, embarrassment making your heart quicken its pace. You stand blocking Sunghoon’s view of the screen all while his eyes trail down your back, inching lower the longer you stood in front of him, struggling. 

“Could you move any faster?” 

You whip your head sideways at the sound and find a rather tired looking dad with his toddler, waiting to move past you. You mentally curse yourself and every other higher power that carefully constructed this mess. You glance at your seat, hoping to sit back down until the two make their way out but find them standing right in front of it. 

“Uh” you feel sweat rolling down your back, “could you-” you point at the seat and look back to find the guy rolling his eyes at your fumbling state. 

“Let me jus-” You don't get to complete your barely audible sentence when you feel fingers grab your hips, pulling you down in haste. 

“Please” utters Sunghoon, motioning the two to walk through. He pulls you in closer, trying to make as much space as possible. Your thighs rub over his all while his arm rests on it, palm spread over your clothed thigh. You half expect yourself to fade away at that moment, the heat from his thighs seeping into yours. 

“Asshole” his voice is in your ear, whispered and quiet, only for you to hear. A chuckle escapes your lips at his comment but the bulge poking into your ass was what gets a noiseless moan out of you.

“See what you do to me?” 

You try to conceal the gasp that falls out of your lips at that but with your back firmly pressed against Sunghoon’s chest, no sound or movement of yours went unnoticed by him. “Oh God” his words are hardly audible to others, only reaching your ears and you shiver at the scratch in his voice. 

“I know you want this as much as I do, angel” 

You respond by leaning back, your back pressing into him. 

“Say it”, his voice leads you into a daze and you find yourself growing defenseless, wanting to give in to it. 

Your words are whispers uttered in a hurry, your patience running out, your mind going blank,

 “I want it”

And at that Sunghoon is pushing you up, attempting to stand as he grabs your wrist. Within seconds you’re pulled out of the rows of seats and dragged down to the exit, his fingers move from your wrist and slide into the gaps of your fingers in the process. 

He rushes you to the parking lot, the cold hitting you as you step into the night. Running and tripping over nothing as you made your way to his car. 

“Backseat.” 

His gaze grows dark and you see lust swirling in the brown of his eyes. You silently comply, sliding into the backseat within seconds. You keep your eyes on him as he follows you in, shuts the door and hoists you up without much effort until you're straddling him. 

“Do you really want this?” his eyes are sincere yet eager, his fingers that sit on your hips twitch and dig into your skin. You stare back at him, the dull light of the streetlamp illuminating his face and you can't seem to hold back anymore. So you mutter a quick inaudible yes and smash your lips onto his, your fingers circling his nape, gradually moving into the soft black of his hair. 

You don't realize how but minutes later you find yourself sitting half naked on Sunghoon, your palm on his chest, breath coming out as pants as he mirrors your breathing. His clothed bulge sits right beneath your naked and wet core. 

“Hoon please” you whimper, your eyes shut, brows furrowed in frustration. 

The name drives him crazy and he’s attacking your neck with his mouth the very next second, sucking and biting the skin between his lips like there’s no tomorrow. He bucks his hips upwards and you moan at the pressure that builds up inside of you. Your fingers grab his bare shoulders and you move over his bulge shamelessly 

“Just like that baby” he is rolling his eyes all the way to the back, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, voice hoarse with lust. And you speed up the moment his grip on your waist tightens. 

“Need you in me, Hoon” 

He almost jumps out of his seat at that, the words he was so eagerly waiting for, his body reacts to it almost instantly, and he curses at the sight of pre cum staining his jeans. 

“So bad” You don't hold back anymore, your fingers reach for his jeans, unbuttoning them with hurried hands. You're eagerness gets a chuckle out of him “Not funny” you mutter, agitated. 

“How long did you wait for this angel?” 

He slips out of his jeans, his eyes on you the entire time, a smirk graces his lips. You eye his boxers and groan internally, it's so much more than you’d imagined.

“Waited long enough” You look at him with half-laden eyes, your fingers rubbing over his shoulder blades and watch him centre his cock over your hole. You feel time stop the moment you lower yourself onto him, your hole stretching, your walls eager and wet, slipping him right inside. 

“Oh god” Sunghoon almost gives in, the need to flip you and drive into you and your tight hole all night drives him wild but he lets you take the lead this time, knowing there'd be more such nights. You couldn't get enough of him in one night and he wasn't planning on getting enough of you either. 

You move on him with a newfound energy and Sunghoon reaches for your boobs at the sight of them, he had always pictured them to be like this, perfect, just to his liking. He palms your right boob while he up jerks upwards, your moan sweet and loud in his ears the moment the tip of his cock hits a certain spot. 

“You’re doing so good baby” 

His words leave you even more breathless and you move until you feel warmth grow in your abdomen, muscles contracting.

Sunghoon grabs your hips- your body fitting just right in his hands, and takes it upon himself to move the both of you. He thrusts himself into you with such intensity that you are forced to muffle your screams by sinking your teeth into the sweaty skin of his shoulder. 

“Let me hear you, angel” 

And you do, you let him hear every moan that falls out of your lips. You sense the pace of his thrusts quicken and try to keep up with it, your muscles clenching around him, heat pooling between your thighs. 

Sunghoon throws his head back, eyes shut, sweat running down his chest and onto your body. The touch of your skin against his drives him crazy, limbs tangled, windows of his car fogged up. He feels his release nearing, the ungodly grip of his fingers leaves marks on your hips. 

He moves you faster, his hips thrusting upwards until he feels it draw closer and your body grows tense with each passing second. 

“So close baby” 

“Hoon I-” your words end up coming out as gibberish as you sense your mind go static the moment your body lets go. 

Sunghoon growls, a sound coming from the depths of his pleasure as he releases his load into you. You feel it fill you up, your insides coming away hot and wet. Spots cloud your vision as Sunghoon thrusts into you one final time and your thighs lay covered in both of your releases.

You lay against him, your head in the crook of his neck and make an effort to level your breathing as Sunghoon holds you in place, his fingers running down your spine. You feel him turn his head towards you and moments later feel his lips on your temple. “This was the single best night I've ever had” The low rumble of his voice sends vibrations through your body and you smile against his shoulder, nodding in agreement. 

Sunghoon tries to keep his hands to himself but loses them in your warmth, his fingers gently run over your body in an attempt to calm you down.  You find yourself wondering if this was a fever dream, so vivid, so real. And wishing that if it were one, it’d last a little longer because you were not ready to leave the warmth of Sunghoon’s body just yet.