#Front Window Regulator

[partscityaustralia]

Front Window Regulator For Hyundai ILOAD / IMAX Tq

[imabiscuitinthousandworlds]

the fucking air quality thingie: uh oh! light's red again! Open The Windows!! me, sitting right next to the window: ughhhh do we have to?? the teacher, technically legally required to and actually still somewhat convinced that this is necessary: yes. me: but it's cold! it'll be much worse for our immune system to sit in the cold all the time because this room never gets warm ever! can't we at least just open the windows after each lesson? teacher: sorry, but the we have to me, pulling on my scarf and hat, staring at the table with a dramatic but very real desperation: it's. it's literally snowing onto my notes......

[justblades]

⋆｡˚ ♰・priest! sunday x afab! reader

┈─ ・(ex)plicit, mdni. contains 2.2 spoilers, blasphemous themes, impregnation, clit stimulation, oral sex, controlling sunday, not proofread.

Even a mere mortal can sense the regret lingering in the atmosphere of the vicinity, a small space dedicated for confessions and atonement of sins committed by those who believe in the Harmony. Numerous pews stand in rows before a single one, each being occupied by two people at best, to which you draw closer to the confession box— one more person to go and it is time to purify your tainted soul.

It was just muffled murmurs of two people from the latter reverberating inside the hall's six walls, along with the sound of the ceiling fans whirring. Your mind starts to drift onto something else: although you have no idea what others hold with regards to their sins, you still could not help but think that yours is shameful.

You can see the person beside you exit the birch box with teary eyes and stuffed nose as she holds a handkerchief to her face. "Next please." a resolute voice echoes, signalling for you to step forward into the confessional. With a wobbly stature, you stand up and tread forward, proceeding to close the oak door behind you.

The golden lights from the hall seep through the confession booth's partition, gleaming upon your stature - creating a silhouette as to where only the advocate from the other side can peer through the woodworks. You attempt to clear your voice before speaking, a dry throat halting the words you intend to verbalize within.

"I humbly ask for your blessings and the forgiveness of Xipe . . ." You mutter as your eyes dart to nothing that catches your interest except for the parquetry etched on the wooden floorboards. Your head held down low, staring at its intricate designing.

"Please feel free to proceed. I have sought their presence within us." The priest answers. "I have committed a grave sin of succumbing to passing emotions. Primarily, I struggled with regulating the purity of one's mind and it was late that I realized I indulged in an extreme activity to quench the thirst for sexual pleasure." 

A reassuring hum resounds. "As a devout follower of the Harmony, I believe my actions do not align with the path I stride. Therefore, I ask for forgiveness and assistance on how I will repent for the sins I have committed." After forming the confession where in sentences you never thought have ever been uttered, it feels as though a heavy weight was lifted off your chest and the shackles on your feet disintegrated.

Glancing at the frosted, colored glass window in front of you, you noticed how the warm yellow lights in the background flicker repetitively in an instant, as well as the birch surroundings creaking. "By committing a grave sin, you've engaged in an activity with a partner you are not married with." The priest reiterates as if the faulty lights are a common occurrence.

You hum in response. "And by committing an even graver sin, you took part in an activity with an objective aside from procreation. Please correct me if I'm wrong."

"Yes, esteemed advocate. Everything you said was indeed correct." Your heart starts racing, "Do you promise yourself you'll turn your back on this lascivious history to start anew?" He queries.

"Yes, Mister Sunday."

"Even if you were to encounter challenges to test your faith for the Harmony?"

Hesitation ruptures through your composure. Your resolution suddenly cracks, as if it was merely a façade with a longing for forgiveness to move on.

"Be honest." Like the advocate could read your mind as of the moment, you believe in the capabilities of Harmony, so there was no use in feigning cleanliness when you know it in yourself, you still struggle. "I wish to seek assistance from those with wisdom."

You receive another firm hum in response, "Very well. Please see me in the reconciliation room a short time after." Your mind spirals into confusion and bewilderment, the emotions painting your features like you were an open book to the audience.

Trekking off the confessional booth, you did not dare to spare a glance back at the priest and only made your way to the distinct, separate room - the reconciliation. It was small, enclosed, and only an oak table, two pairs of engraved chairs, a single ligneous partition and a kneeler reside within the space. Your vision anchors to the sculpted wooden cross sign hung on the beige walls, illuminated by a faint golden lamp on the table.

Patiently awaiting the presence of the priest, you stood still with a heavy heart, seeming like the relief you felt previously was only a glimpse of what you could've been if you didn't commit such grave sin. If only.

The door swings open, followed by the entrance of the figure you were anticipating. Faded sky blue hues of hair tumble upon the male's shoulders, along with the golden earrings he was donning. Feathered ears diluting into white ripple from his footsteps, and his distinct, golden halo stays afloat behind his head.

Being vis-à-vis with the highly esteemed figure of the Penacony like this tugs your heartstrings in unease. It felt bizarre, as you could recall from others' experiences that when you encounter priests or advocates of the Harmony, your heart rests. As for Sunday, it was the polar opposite. Chills run kilometers up and down your spine, your throat starts to become dry.

You trail your vision downwards, setting your sight upon his graceful features. His eyes were a radiant yellow tinged with an ocean blue, framed by his particularly long lower lashes. He purses his lips tightly, curving upwards, flashing a small smile. "Please take a seat." He motions for the chair in front of your figures, your eyes noticing the cross cut out gloves he's wearing.

Sitting down with guard held up high, Sunday follows suit as he opens the drawer from the oak table, retrieving something of a color white and frilly in texture, as you make of what you could from your peripheral vision. "This will certainly be of help to put your faith to test. If you would kindly turn around."

Your hands rest on your lap and as you hear the last phrase that came out of his mouth, you subconsciously gripped a handful of the fabric you're wearing in alertness. Not until your vision was impaired as Sunday blindfolds you with the latter material, it was soft and delicate to the touch - you could not see anything but faint shadows against the lighting. Everything was ivory white in stark contrast, and you could barely peer through the lace folds to see the priest.

"I will now be tuning your mind with the Harmony to which you will face repercussions if statements untrue to yourself are said." He pauses. Unsure where this will lead to, you had no choice but to nod in continuation. "Under the light of the Harmony, all wickedness is revealed. I implore them to shed their light."

What used to be a blurry white in your vision now fringes into colored edges, the prominent colors being purple, white, red, orange, and yellow.

"This will serve as a gentle reminder that I am assisting you to a path where grave sins  are not succumbed to, and only ▅▅▅ exists alongside philosophy to instill moral duties to a functioning member of a society."

His words cut through the thick atmosphere, thawing the glacial tension growing with each passing second.

He lowers his stature to face you, gloved fingers trailing from the hem of the laced blindfold down to your cheeks, cupping your face lightly with a careful grip. "Does this send a shiver down to your spine?" Sunday inquires and you shake your head in disagreement. It seems like he has a whole plan on how this will play out, and you were merely a pawn in his chessboard to see what you would react under these circumstances he will put you in.

The touch ghosts a caress on your lower parts, specifically, the frame of your chest. His thumb twirls on the middle part with an unraveled goal of making your buds perk up underneath the confinements of your clothing - making you grit your teeth as a poor attempt to stifle the sound threatening to escape.

A question arises amidst the confusing situation, a question that will surely be received in a poor taste as it will question his authority and legitimacy. You wanted to ask, is this really necessary?

However, the aura he exudes now was far different from what he displays when he's in front of the audience of the masses. He seems more strict now, judging from the tone lacing his voice from his query earlier. "Does this feel good?" He proceeds to unbutton your top, letting the fabric come undone and fall down to your lap. A singular  gloved hand of his snakes its way to your back, and with a single fidget, your bra was unclasped.

The priest takes his precious time in all these. He carefully observes the clothing that you wear, as he had come to adore the fact that you were wearing pearly white brassiere, one that was similar to the blindfold's texture and design, it was frilly in the edges and soft to the touch.

A light chuckle slips out, "Well? What's your answer?" Desire and temptation brews within your stomach, even spiking higher as he caresses your mounds with both of his hands. His touches feel light and blissful at the same time, like your body was basking in the warmth and enjoyment the priest had to offer. You struggle to keep your body still, knees trembling even though you were only sitting.

"N-No, Mr. Sunday."

A sharp throbbing ache courses through your head, granting him a wince of both surprise and pain. "It appears that you haven't put your mind and whole heart to this yet." He says as he walks away from your stature, leaving you dumbfounded. As silence encompasses the vicinity, you hear the male seat himself on the chair across from you. "Come to me." He simply orders.

"Just take steps forward and trust me."

With blind faith, you solemnly obey - approaching his figure with an extremely bleary vision. As your feet meet with an obstacle, seemingly the chair's legs, you stop in your tracks. "Now straddle my lap." Following suit, you feel a bulging sensation under your remaining clothing. Your breath becomes even more jagged than before, especially now that your clothed folds come in contact with his throbbing dick. It was clear cut enough that it was his erection continuously growing.

A brief moment passes and Sunday continues to envelop your hard buds within his lips, teeth grinding on your nipples in an attempt to inflict pain and pleasure all at the same time. "M— Mr. Sunday . . !" You yelp but he does not halt. He proceeds to twirl his warm, slick tongue all over your glazed areolas, your boob dancing in rhythm with his mouth in somewhat harmonic tunes played by your stifled mewls.

His other free hand pulls you tighter to his chest as he adjusts his position, bucking his hips upwards to create some sort of friction. The tip of his covered cock brushes against your already wet slit, granting him another lewd sound - this time, a soft moan. "I— I— I can't—" your hands clutch on the man's broad shoulders, feeling his long, muted blue and white locks tangle along your fingers. "You can. Yes you can. Only a little bit more you would be rewarded by proving your loyalty to the ▅▅▅."

Your sense of hearing downgrades as your mind drifts into pure bliss, lower limbs becoming numb as more pleasure courses through your veins. As if it's still not enough, Sunday simply lowers your remaining clothes to your feet, revealing your folds sopping wet with arousal already.

With haste and care in Sunday's every movement, he lays your back on the table in between the chairs, forcibly revealing everything down there to him — for him to revel in. The gelid wind traces shivers upon your sweat dewed skin, especially your folds now glimmering with muddy white liquids.

He raises your legs and stands up, resting your lower limbs upon his shoulders. The position is embarrassing enough as it is, but having the priest tower over you is another experience that feels even more intense than what unfolded previously. Not to mention that the throbbing pang in your head brought by your dishonesty upon the Harmony worsens minute by minute.

The male buries his face in your inner thighs first, flicking his tongue over your soft skin while his eyes are darted on your face, in high alert to which action of his you will react the most to. "Need I remind you to be honest this time around? Or is the headache that you're feeling not sufficient for you to stay true to your words?" He asks with a demanding tone, the margins of his lips drawing closer and closer to your slit.

"I have learned my lesson, Mr. Sunda—"

Gloved fingers begin to stimulate your clit, moving in motions you cannot fathom with your current state - your lower body jerking up in response to the stimulation. A sly smile creeps up on Sunday's face, his navy blue pupils fixating on each of your actions and expressions.

All you could think of was the fact that he didn't even let you finish, he went straight to pleasure you more, the sensation becoming more overwhelming as he starts to glide the tip of his tongue on your folds. "Do you feel good?" Although his voice was muffled from the proximity from his face and your pussy, you could comprehend and immediately answer, "Yes! I-I feel good . . !"

You rack your head back once Sunday buries his face further into your inner thighs, wallowing himself in your slit as he sucked on your sweet spot, sticking his tongue into your velvet walls while still toying with your clitoris. You bite back your moans, you cannot afford to lose the remaining dignity you had in you left - if there was any.

"Don't do that."

His voice sounds stern as ever, you were left with no choice yet again but to let mewls and moans come undone at this point in time. You were noisy, along with the sucking sounds accompanied by your hums of pleasure, continually bouncing off of the reconciliation room's four walls. "Very good. As for the last part, you must continue to be truthful, to stand by the ▅▅▅, and to ▅▅▅ to what I ought to be ▅▅▅ for you. Do you understand?"

Much to your relief, your vision was once again back to normal as he unties the lacey blindfold on your eyes. This time, you could see Sunday's disheveled hair, as well as the golden earrings dangling at every movement he makes. He swiftly unzips his slacks, therefore revealing his cock he had been concealing for so long before. It stands in its full glory, hues of purple and indigo veins threatening to pop - it was evident he's at his limit.

"Use your mouth. Make me feel good." He commands and peers at you with a somber expression. You muster enough strength on your body to stand up and kneel in front of him, positioning your head in a perfect angle to receive him. Slowly parting your lips open, he shoves his dick inside you, granting you a hoarse moan of satisfaction slipping past his lips.

You bob your head up and down and as if it felt natural to wrap your digits around the remaining length of his cock, you pump him in accordance to your pace, taking him inside with no hesitation, with only one goal in mind: to make him feel good. You could feel the crown of his dick kiss your throat every time you go deeper, making your eyes water as you try to keep yourself from gagging for the priest's satisfaction.

"That's enough, stand up." Your momentum was cut off as he hooks his arms on yours, making you stand from your previously kneeling position. It seems he has indulged enough in your submission and now it is time for him to try something new, something far more amusing in his perspective.

With both of your statures still standing up, he flips you around, making your back face him. He can examine every nook and cranny of your body in this way, and with a hum of approval, he bends you over slightly, wrapping his arms around your waist and reach for your tits. Your breath deepens, more beads of sweat proceed to trickle down your naked body. "M-Mr. Sunday, are we really going to do it?" you ask as he wraps his hand around himself, brushing his tip on your entrance.

He stops in his movements. "Do you have a problem with that?" A domineering tone laces that sole sentence, one that a person cannot delve deeper furthermore.

With one more stroke, he finally pushes himself inside your velvet walls, molding themselves around the shape of Sunday's dick - wallowing in the pleasure and warmth he emanates inside you. "So . . . warm . . ." He whispers, his breath ghosting a caress on the shell of your ear.

Sunday builds up his pace from a painfully slow one to picking it up, thrusting into you with additional force, pistoning your pussy as he's balls deep. Sounds of skin slapping add onto the lewd tune you two have been playing for the past hour, a whole sixty minutes of pleasure pooling your stomach and arousals seeping out of your holes.

Your legs start to quiver once more, exhaustion gnawing at your bones. But amidst this, Sunday kept you still with his force, hitting your sweet spots with the tip of his cock. If you could beg for mercy as of the moment, you certainly would take the chance. But to who, exactly? To whoever aeon is witnessing this lascivious act unfold in front of them, committed in such a religious place?

Or perhaps to Sunday, who you've knelt to before, received him inside your body in more ways than one. Perhaps. Perhaps it is he who shall show you mercy in the heat of the moment.

"M-Mr. Sunday, please forgive me!"

Interest sparks inside his mind, revelling in the way of being viewed as someone highly, someone sought out, someone in a legitimate authority. "You shall be forgiven." He states as he bites down on the blade of your shoulder, teeth leaving a bite mark and an aching sensation alongside it. You could do nothing but wince in pain, but waves of pleasure start to crush upon your conscious self.

Surely this is too much pleasure to handle for someone asking for forgiveness as they committed a grave sin for partaking in debauchery . . . but to be done this way by a priest is a little too exhilarating.

He picks up the pace, earning himself more moans of pleasure escape your lips, "I'll ▅▅▅ ▅▅▅ inside you." Sunday says as a fair warning, but a sentence you could only form at the present time was a lighthearted "Do as you please, Mr. Sunday."

With one single thrust, strings of satisfaction sprawl inside your womb. It feels warm yet again, but now, comforting in stark contrast to the nervousness welling up in your heart earlier.

"Well done. As you've shown resolution that you're on a path to atone for the sins you've committed in the past, you shall be forgiven."

[megalony]

The Proper Experience- Part 2

This is the second part to my new Eddie Diaz imagine that I am hoping to make into a little series. I hope you will all like it, please let me know what you think.

Taglist: @justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @luula @missdreamofendless @bradleybeachbabe @woderfulkawaii @amberpanda99 @daggersquadphantom @marvel-and-chicago-fan @angryknightstatesmantrash @minjix @lyjen @kmc1989 @itsmytimetoodream @noonenuts @hiireadstuff @ashie-babie @classyunknownlover @jayyeahthatsme @sp1ritssz @dumb-fawkin-bitch @oliverstarksbae @gimatida @heart-35 @supernaturalstilinski @stefansalvatoresgf @kyky9103 @wutheringhearts2275 @gay4hotmilfs @itshamleth @chaoticnosleepinfluencer @gs29 @wh0reforsmutstuff @mel-vaz @natashamea18 @chrisevansdaughter @alexandra8484 @deena-beena-weena @targaryenluvs @shelbygeek @kpoplover-19 @marvelmenarebeautiful @gillybear17

@zoeybennett @mrspeacem1nusone @zephyrmonkey @estella-novella @eleventhdoctorsangel @kniselle @senjoritanana

@shauna-carsley @dottierose @cfdhouse51 @darkfemme1 @rainechase45 @ml572 @jessie-lynn28 @lolalolsstuff @jupiter1700

@ashdoctor @an-aliens-ghost @lunaroserites @houseoftwistedspirits @itshamleth @callsignwidow @winterreader-nowwriter @reneinii

Eddie Diaz Masterlist

Part 1

Summary: After having a cryptic pregnancy before, (Y/n) is worried it will happen again. She wants to have control over her body and experience a pregnancy in the proper fashion.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A trickle of sweat rolled down the bridge of Eddie's nose and had his eyes crinkling. He dragged the back of his hand over his nose and around his eyes while he reached his foot behind him and kicked the front door shut.

Both arms leaned forward to slump over the pram and his lips curved into a toothy grin when he looked down at the toddler staring up at him.

He let his head hang forward, feeling his hair crimp into curls that dropped sweat down his forehead. And he could feel the sweat soaking down his back and gluing his vest to his skin.

"You're a good little motivator, Carino." He huffed while he arched his back out and shuffled from foot to foot in the hallway.

With the sun shining and a heatwave rolling in, Eddie thought it would be a good idea to bring Bella along on a jog with him. The nine month old seemed ecstatic when Eddie started to jog, he wondered if she found it funny to feel the pram jostling along the pavement and watching her dad huffing and running along with her.

He didn't dare slow down when Bella was grinning around her teething ring and so clearly in her element.

"Okay, come on." Dragging his fingers through his hair, Eddie took a few deep breaths to regulate his system before he reached into the pram and scooped Bella up. He let he snuggle into his chest, letting out a little squeal as her legs kicked into his chest.

He was hoping she would go for a nap soon, that jog- which turned into a run towards the end- should have tired her out.

He kissed the top of her head, wriggled out of his trainers and padded into the living room. A smile lit up his face when he noticed Chris sat in the living room with a book on his lap and a movie on the tv in the background, allowing him to multitask.

"What we watching?"

"Iron Man, you watching?" Chris leaned his head back against the cushion so he could grin up at Eddie who kissed his temple and ruffled his curls in the process.

"Sure, just let me grab a shower."

He headed over to the rocker beneath the bay window and gently laid Bella down, hoping she would quickly soothe to sleep for an hour or two. He knew the pair of them would be fine in here for five minutes while he got a shower and got changed. And if not, Chris would just come and find Eddie for whatever he needed.

It felt like he was ripping off a second skin when Eddie dragged his vest over his head and tossed it in the hamper in the hall.

He could feel the skin on his palms starting to grate and peel from rubbing against the pram handle combined with how much he started to sweat during the jog. He started to flex both hands while he headed into the bedroom and scoured through the chest of drawers for some clean clothes.

Just as his fingers curled around a shirt and some dark blue, loose shorts, a smile wormed onto Eddie's face when he felt a pair of arms curve around his waist. A familiar face pressed into his bare back between his shoulder blades and he could feel wet kisses pressing along each column in his spine.

"Hi baby," He murmured softly, tilting his head back as he leaned into (Y/n)'s touch. He could feel her chest pressing up into his back and her arms lovingly pinning into his torso which made him grin.

A shiver tore through his chest and his stomach sucked in when he felt something tapping against his torso. When he looked down, Eddie's brows furrowed and his lips curved into a confused smile. He hadn't realised (Y/n) had something in her hands until she tapped it against his chest.

"What's this?"

"A present. Open it." Each word (Y/n) spoke vibrated through Eddie's back and wove around his heart that started to pick up the pace again and send his blood fizzling like champagne.

He let go of the shirt and shorts, leaving them on top of the chest of drawers in favour of the small box tapping against the centre of his chest.

His nimble fingers took the box from (Y/n)'s hands which pressed flat into his chest while she glued higher to his back. Propping her chin on his shoulder so she could look over and see him open the present and witness his reaction.

It was a simple yet elegant rectangle box, coloured dark silver with little bumps along the box like the cardboard was made out of sandpaper. And on top of the lid there was a small golden bow matching what they usually stuck on top of their presents at Christmas.

Curiosity filled every one of Eddie's senses and he took a moment to twist his head to the right, looking at (Y/n) with anticipation in his eyes. He pressed his lips to her temple before pecking the tip of her nose and looking back down to the box. He could see he wasn't going to get any hints from his wife. He had no idea why he was being given a present, today wasn't any special day and Eddie hadn't done anything to warrant a gift. But he was grateful nonetheless.

He took his time removing the lid which he put down on top of his clothes beside them and his lips quirked up when he looked down and realised there was golden tissue paper in the box. Curtesy of Chris and his craft box, Eddie presumed, by how crinkled and torn the paper was.

His fingers scrunched through the paper, trying to find what was hidden inside. Tickets for something, maybe? An accessory of some kind? A handmade gift from Chris? A keychain?

All the possibilities swirling through Eddie's mind evaporated like steam when his eyes set on the thin blue and white stick in the box.

A pregnancy test. A positive one.

"You think it's right?" His head tilted to the side and their eyes locked.

Eddie could see the nerves pooling in (Y/n)'s eyes along with a little flicker of light that looked like a star twitching in the corner of her pupils. He wasn't sure why he was asking. Maybe it was because (Y/n) didn't seem to believe the tests when they were negative, and so he wasn't sure if she would believe a positive result either. Or maybe it was because this was a result they had never gotten before.

(Y/n) didn't take any tests with Bella, she believed the false signs she got from her body and Bella had been a complete shock. Having some awareness this time, if the test was true, would be the experience they wanted in the first place.

Wordlessly, (Y/n) nodded her head and tucked her chin into Eddie's neck causing him to shiver and grin wider at the same time.

He spun around in her arms in a flash and wormed his arms around her waist. His hands feathered up and down her sides until his fingers finally settled and splayed out on her waist, digging firmly into her waist.

When (Y/n) wrapped her arms around his neck with her chest pressing up into his bare chest, Eddie tucked his face into her neck. His lips attached to her skin, teeth grazing over the weak spot that sent her knees reeling. She could feel his hair tickling her shoulder and she was sure when they tried to pull apart, she would be stuck to Eddie's frame with how hot and sweaty he was. But she didn't care. She just wanted to stay wrapped up in his arms like this for as long as she could.

"I told you, this time it will be different."

Different. This time was going to be different.

(Y/n) could certainly believe that, but for completely different reasons than she was sure Eddie intended.

The odd off days and sickness bugs that had probably been misread and were actually morning sickness when she had Bella felt like nothing compared to what (Y/n) was feeling now.

Some foods may have tasted strange almost two years ago when she would have been pregnant. And she thought she'd had a few different stomach bugs over the months and days where she couldn't find the energy to move or find the will to eat much. They were most likely down to Bella, but they weren't like this, and it wasn't just because (Y/n) knew she was pregnant this time and was more self-aware.

This was any food looking unappealing to (Y/n). This was any scent of food sending her stomach churning and making her throat tighten with the urge to be sick. This was (Y/n) starting to become dehydrated because having something to drink weighed down on her stomach and felt too heavy which she soon threw up after a while.

This was so much worse.

Her fingers dragged through her hair, toussling the strands and pushing them away from her forehead that was slick with cold sweat. She could feel the heat crawling all over her skin but she could feel the cold air from the back door hitting her like a storm sending shivers down her spine.

Her attention was drawn back to Bella who let out a little squeal and batted her hand down on (Y/n)'s wrist as if demanding full attention.

With her lips pressed together tight enough to cause discomfort, (Y/n) moved the plastic spoon back towards Bella. The smell of banana had never bothered (Y/n) so much in her life. But now, with the squashed banana looking very unappealing in the plastic bowl and smelling as strong as Eddie's cologne, (Y/n) felt sick.

Her free hand pressed to her mouth, willing herself not to feel ill and to concentrate on the smell of her perfume that she could smell on her wrist.

It wasn't working.

Her nose crinkled and her throat tensed up when she watched Bella eat the squashed fruit.

She danced her eyes around the kitchen to try and find something else to focus on, something else to look at to distract herself. Her sights locked on Eddie when he suddenly walked into the kitchen, looking like a beacon to draw in all her attention.

He had a grin spread across his features, his teeth sinking down into his lower lip and his fingers dragged through his curls and ruffled them in a rugged motion that made (Y/n) want to grin.

"Hi amor," He leaned down to kiss the top of (Y/n)'s head and he brushed his finger against Bella's cheek while his free hand smoothed up and down (Y/n)'s back.

But when (Y/n) glanced back at her little girl and saw Bella spitting the food out with her tongue poking between her lips, (Y/n)'s stomach churned. Her shoulder hitched up and she couldn't help but gag. Her hand thrust up to the left, bashing the plastic bowl into Eddie's chest until he took the hint and took the bowl from her.

"Baby-" Eddie took a step backwards, watching with panic flooding his wide chocolate eyes when (Y/n) bolted from the table. He watched her slump against the sink and his lips crinkled in distaste when he heard her throw up.

With pursed lips, Eddie set the bowl down on the table and kissed Bella's temple. She would be fine for a few moments kicking and wriggling in the highchair so Eddie could go and check on (Y/n).

His hands reached out for (Y/n)'s hips when he stood behind her. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to the back of her neck when she finally stopped. Her arms folded over the sink and she dropped her chin onto her arm, staying hunched over the sink just to be safe. But she could feel Eddie sighing into her skin when he looked over her shoulder.

She had thrown up the apple she tried to eat for lunch. That meant she hadn't managed to keep anything down today.

"Feel better?"

Eddie curled his left arm around (Y/n)'s waist when she finally stood up and he gently tugged her back with him until he was leaning against the kitchen island. With (Y/n) stood between his legs and her head tilted back on his shoulder.

"No," Throwing up made her feel worse, but she couldn't help it and she couldn't stop herself from being sick.

The look of food made her gag, the smells made her stomach churn and if she forced herself to eat it only came back up an hour later.

"Oh baby," He smothered her burning temple with his lips and started gliding his hand up and down her stomach.

"I can't… I can't feed her, the look of the food, it's worse than the smell." The mushed baby food and scrambled fruit looked exactly like what (Y/n) threw up. Feeding Bella wasn't working so well at the moment, all she could do was give her a bottle because at least milk didn't look unappealing or have a horrid smell.

"I'll feed her, it's alright. I'm more worried about you not keeping anything down, can you try and have a drink for me?"

She nodded. Her throat was dry and burning from the acid she had thrown up and a drink might ward off the migraine thundering behind her eyes. (Y/n) would try anything to make her headache go away and to perk herself back up.

She closed her eyes and let Eddie nudge her forwards to the other counter so he could flick the kettle on. But she shook her head.

"No coffee, the smell," Her hand waved in front of her nose to make her point. The smell of coffee made her feel sick.

Eddie got the hint. His lips smothered her temple as he turned the kettle off, if she couldn't handle the smell then Eddie wouldn't have a coffee either. He didn't want to make her any worse and he knew if she kissed him and tasted coffee on his lips it might make her sick again. He didn't want that happening.

"What about milk? Think you could keep that down?"

Milk would be good for her if she could manage that. It classed as a solid and it would at least settle her stomach and stop[ her from feeling hungry, if she did even feel hungry. He knew (Y/n) wasn't keen on drinking plain water and juice wouldn't be good because it was acidic which wouldn't go well if she threw it back up.

When she nodded, Eddie smiled softly against her temple and unravelled his arms from her frame so he could go to the fridge. He poured her a glass and poured himself a drink of juice.

(Y/n) stayed leaning against the counter while Eddie took her place at the table. She loved the way his lips melted into such a cheesy grin when he looked at their little girl. The look made his eyes crease at the corners and his nose crinkled as he leaned close and nudged his nose against hers, causing her to squeal.

He murmured a soft "Hi Carino," and picked up the bowl from the table so he could continue feeding her.

Every few seconds, his eyes darted to the right to look across at (Y/n). She had her hips pressed into the counter and one hand gripping the counter edge to steady herself. But she was drinking. She was taking small sips and Eddie could see by the way her expression slacked and how she stopped fidgeting that she wasn't forcing the drink down.

He had seen her the other day force herself to drink some water and her lips would scrunch up and her throat would tighten. And she would fidget and squirm and itch like she was drinking poison.

Seeing her actually enjoy and relax with a drink was comforting because right now he knew she was hardly keeping anything down whether it was food or water or both.

"That's my girl," He kissed Bella's temple when she ate the last of the banana and he placed her beaker of juice on the tray in front of her so she could help herself.

He downed his drink in one go and put the pots in the sink before he glanced across at (Y/n). She looked like she was in a world of her own. Her glass was half empty on the counter behind her and she was looking ahead towards the empty living room.

He kissed her cheek as he passed her, causing a smile to flit across (Y/n)'s face before he moved to the sink to wash up. He hummed along to the radio that was interrupted every few seconds by Bella making a ruckus, bashing her beaker down on the tray or gurgling happily.

But Eddie jerked to the right, water splashing up to his elbows and splattering near his face when (Y/n)'s hand clamped down on his shoulder and she pushed him to the side.

Eddie pursed his lips and swallowed down a sigh when (Y/n) threw up. He reeled his hands up out of the sink and shook them at his sides to rid the water from his skin. He felt (Y/n)'s hip bash into his and she shuddered as she coughed and spluttered so much that tears started to stream down her face.

"Fuck." Eddie swiped a towel to dry his hands hastily before he reached out and pulled (Y/n)'s hair back behind her head. "Okay, let's sit you down."

"No, I- I'm gonna-" (Y/n) broke off into a coughing fit, barely able to take a deep breath when all she could do was gag and wretch. "No, no I think you've thrown everything up now, mi amor. You need to sit down, you're burning up."

Eddie swooped his arms around (Y/n)'s waist, gently coiling her back into his chest so he could move her away from the sink. She was reduced to shaking and sweating but he knew she had nothing else left to throw up. She might feel the need to be sick, but she couldn't.

He slowly walked her over to the table, wincing and sinking his teeth into his tongue sharply when (Y/n) all but fell down onto the chair.

With his hands on her thighs, he knelt down in between her legs and started to run his fingers up and down her skin to give her something to focus on but he could see it wasn't working very well. (Y/n) had one hand smothered against her mouth to try and stop herself from gagging and her other hand flopped onto Eddie's shoulder, causing him to shake along with her.

"Amor, deep breaths-"

"Sick-"

"I promise you that you're not gonna be sick, okay? Deep breaths, and it will go off soon. I can't give you any meds yet in case you throw them up again." He pecked her thigh and stared up at her with those deep puppy dog eyes that always made her melt.

She wasn't going to be sick. All she did was cough into her hand, there was nothing left to throw up and panicking was only going to make her feel worse. Eddie needed her to calm down and regulate her system again because he couldn't give her any medicine if she was going to throw it back up immediately like this.

Her head dropped forward and her hand let go of his shoulder to circle her finger around her head and the motion caused Eddie to frown.

"You feel dizzy?" When she nodded, he pushed up on his heels and looped his arms around her waist, gently easing her off the chair and into his chest instead. He tugged her down from the chair so she was sat on the floor between his thighs and he let her head flop onto his shoulder.

He could see she wasn't even opening her eyes anymore. (Y/n) felt too dizzy to try and open her eyes when the room was spinning and her sense of balance was distorted.

She loosely draped her arms around Eddie's neck and let her weight fall onto his chest while his hand slowly and rhythmically traced up and down her spine.

"What am I gonna do with you, hm?"

***

With her eyes closed, (Y/n) arched her back out and leaned down until her arms were slanted on the counter. Her temple pressed down into her forearms and she tried to take deep breaths, warding off the headache, the storm and the exhaustion which were all trying to overwhelm her today.

She heard the kettle click as it boiled up and the steam licked and nipped at her skin, but she couldn't find the will to finish making herself a drink.

She wanted to go home.

She wanted to feel better.

There was a storm raging behind her eyes and it was making her body feel sluggish and broken and drained.

This day needed to pass by quickly. She needed the end of her shift to roll around so she could go home and try to get some rest. She couldn't wait for time to speed by so she could pick Bella up from daycare and flop out in bed and try to take a nap with her.

Not eating and barely intaking any fluids was finally starting to take a toll on her. (Y/n) knew carrying on like this was going to drain her reserves and dwindle away her energy. If she didn't eat or drink, she wouldn't be able to function, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't help how badly morning sickness was affecting her.

It was turning her brains to mush, she wasn't sure why she had even put the kettle on in the first place. Coffee didn't taste the same and the smell wasn't appealing in the least, and she didn't think tea would settle well. The best drinks at the moment were diluted juice or cold water, or milk if she could bear to keep it down.

A hand on her lower back sent a shiver jolting down her spine and she gasped, lifting her head up off her arms to look to her right. It was only Maddie. (Y/n) managed to force a smile onto her lips but she knew her big sister could see right through it, the way she jutted her hip to the side and rolled her lips together told (Y/n) as much.

"Are you alright?"

"Hm, just tired." She forced all her energy into her hands and pushed up from the counter, straightening herself back out while she clicked her spine into place.

It felt like she was drowning, she couldn't hold her head up and her brain was fogging over and turning to mush. After a few deep breaths, (Y/n) felt herself relaxing a little more and she tried to wake herself up.

Her hand trembled as she trailed over to the fridge and took one of the bottles of water.

She glanced across at her sister who fiddled around getting herself a cup from the cupboard and making herself a strong cup of regular coffee. Maddie was an avid coffee-lover and she had her own section in the cupboard here at work full of various coffee flavours. Her favourite was caramel, but she was partial to gingerbread coffee, something (Y/n) hated the smell of and now she had morning sickness, that particular flavour was enough to get her throwing up.

"You don't look too well to me." Maddie raised her brow while her hands cradled her cup of coffee that had (Y/n)'s nose crinkling in distaste.

"Hm, two more hours." She glanced her eyes up at the clock before she forced herself to walk towards the door, knowing her big sister was following behind her. There was no use arguing because she knew she didn't look well and she knew Maddie would never believe her if she tried to say otherwise.

But her shift would be over soon and she could go home and relax. Eddie was working until late on tonight and Buck was going to pick Chris up from school and take him out for tea, as they always did on a weekly basis. It meant (Y/n) could relax this afternoon.

All she had to do was force herself to manage feeding Bella without throwing up and try to get something down herself before they both slept the night away.

"Are you coming down with something?" Reaching around, Maddie held onto (Y/n)'s elbow, forcing her younger sister to turn and look up at her. She scrutinised (Y/n) from top to bottom and tried to feel her forehead until she leaned back.

"I think so, but I'm okay. Don't fuss, okay?" She managed to calmest smile she could and headed over to her desk.

The way she flopped down in her chair was less than graceful and (Y/n) knew it, but she couldn't force herself to care.

The cold water felt nice trickling down her throat and for once, it didn't make her stomach churn or bubble or feel like she was swallowing acid. She forced herself to take little sips, no matter how thirsty she suddenly felt and she ignored the desire to down the bottle in one. That wouldn't do her any favours. Although early in the morning when she threw up and Eddie handed her a glass of water, she downed it all- against his advice- and managed to keep it down.

She hooked her earpiece in, got the microphone settled near her cheek and tucked herself further into the desk.

She agreed with Eddie that it was a good job her work was mainly situated here at a desk. (Y/n) wouldn't have coped being on her feet all day rushing around if she were in the same job as Eddie and her brother. Not when she wasn't eating or drinking. Sitting here and concentrating on phone calls and typing all day was better suited when she wasn't well and was this run down.

The only problem was when the computer screen started to ignite her headaches, but that was a small cross to bear these days.

"911, what's your emergency?"

The words rolled off (Y/n)'s tongue and she didn't have to think or look down at her keyboard to start typing. Her body was going on autopilot while the rest of her seemed to zone out and her mind started to spin.

Three calls down the line, (Y/n) started to feel worse for wear. She finished the rest of her water and tossed the bottle in the bin beneath her desk but now she felt unwell. She knew if she moved around too much, she would hear the water sloshing around in her stomach and she would be liable to throw it all up again.

She rested her head on her left hand and closed her eyes for a few moments, pressing the two keys that would divert the call to another responder in the room. She couldn't focus or concentrate right now. She might have to slip off for another five minutes in the break room to gather her senses.

Her right hand began to tap against the counter and she sighed through gritted teeth when she realised she was shaking. She could feel the room starting to spin around her, tilting from left to right as if she were sailing on a ship in the middle of the ocean.

Her throat felt like it was on fire but she couldn't decide whether it was from wanting another drink or feeling the habitual urge to be sick. Her head was spinning. Her mouth and lips were chapped and dry again as if she hadn't just finished a bottle of water.

She tried to glance her eyes up to the main screen in front of her when she noticed the left square light up again. There was another caller on the line. But she couldn't answer. (Y/n) couldn't answer when she could barely concentrate on breathing; she wasn't going to be much use to someone wanting help when she couldn't fathom how to string a sentence together.

Her weight pushed onto her arms and she pushed her chair away from her desk. She was going to have to go to the break room or sit in the kitchen for a little while.

"Are you okay?" Lauren, who was sat at the desk next to her, reached out to place a hand on (Y/n)'s arm. And (Y/n) realised she must have stayed doubled over with her head down and hands on the desk for a little too long and caught some attention.

But she couldn't lift her head, and she couldn't fathom how to respond or voice a word.

"(Y/n), honey what's wrong?" The sound of her sister's voice caused (Y/n) to finally open her eyes. She turned her head to the right and looked down at Maddie who was crouched in front of her with one hand on the desk and one hand on (Y/n)'s knee. Lauren had called her over, clearly.

"I- I just…" She couldn't find the words. Her head was too fuzzy to speak, her body was too tired to move. It felt like she was a computer which was malfunctioning.

"Okay, let's go get a drink in the break room." Maddie moved her hand to (Y/n)'s back and held her other hand out to help her up from her chair. She needed to try and calm down and have a drink to see if some sugar and fluids would perk her up. If not, Maddie had a feeling she would be calling someone to come and take her sister home.

As soon as (Y/n) was on her feet, her stomach churned, all the blood drained down to her toes and static began to bubble and fizz in her ears.

Her head tilted down and her body followed her head, crashing forward as her feet fumbled and bent awkwardly, unable to keep her stood up. Her weight fell into Maddie who gasped and tried to wrap her arms around her little sister, but the pair of them went down on their knees.

Maddie leaned back on her heels and braced herself when (Y/n)'s head flopped onto her shoulder. She resembled a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"Oh God- Josh!" Panic flooded Maddie's voice but she tried to remain calm as she looked around the room for their shift lead.

She waved her hand over at Josh who was stood to one side, Ipad in hand and ear piece and microphone clipped around his ear. He turned in her direction, eyes going wide when he looked at the pair of them and scurried over.

Maddie gently brushed a few tendrils of hair back behind (Y/n)'s ear so she could check her pulse.

"(Y/n)… sweetie, are you with me?" She gently pulled (Y/n)'s eyelid back but she grimaced at seeing her eyes rolling around, unable to keep focus or find something to lock onto.

But her hands were moving on her lap, her fingers twitched and her arms shifted just a little. She was still conscious, somewhat. Maddie would guess that she had blacked out rather than fainted, and that was more ideal as they might be able to get through to her and bring her back round quicker.

"(Y/n), can you hear me?" Josh rested the back of his hand against (Y/n)'s temple as he crouched down in front of them before he looked at Maddie. "Has she been ill? She's burning up."

"Not that I can think of."

Maddie almost jumped when she suddenly felt (Y/n)'s hand curling around her knee and giving a soft, weak squeeze. Her head tilted forward until her chin flopped down against her chest and she groaned quietly, trying to twitch and gain some control back. It felt like her body had briefly shut down and she was rebooting herself.

"Can we move you into the break room?" Josh narrowed his eyes, guessing that the small movement of her head was approval. "Let her come back round and if you need a medic or an ambulance I'll make the call." He didn't want to jump the gun and send an ambulance down here if (Y/n) was just feeling under the weather and had blacked out.

But if she didn't become conscious again or if she passed out or got any worse Josh would find one of their trained medics in the building and he would call for an ambulance.

"Let's get you up," Maddie's voice was soothing and it made (Y/n) feel like she was a little kid again being looked after her big sister when her parents didn't want to bother with her.

She let Maddie loop an arm around the back of her neck while Josh held her other arm and they slowly eased her up between them. She felt a bit more alert when she was on her feet and she managed to open her eyes a bit and make out shapes and colours that were starting to form a picture rather than a watercolour picture.

Her feet shuffled awkwardly beneath her and her knees trembled back and forth as she tried to walk ahead. The sofa in the break room had never felt so inviting and (Y/n)'s mind almost switched off again once she was sat down. But she didn't let herself lean back into the sofa, she didn't want the risk of passing out, she had to stay awake and become alert again.

Her elbows propped up on her knees and her head fell into her hands as she started to count each breath like Eddie had taught her to do.

She heard Josh murmur "I'll be back in five minutes," which meant he would come back and see if they needed to call for help or not. (Y/n) didn't want to do that. She didn't want to go to hospital, she didn't have the time to do that when it would mess everything up.

She didn't want the fuss, not when she had to get Bella from daycare and she had to be home later for Buck to drop Chris off after they had been out this afternoon. Plus, what would she tell Eddie? The hospital might call him if they took her in and then he would be panicking on shift, unsure whether to leave work and come to her or not. (Y/n) couldn't become a burden like that.

Her nails started to scratch into her hairline and she could feel the strands becoming knotted around her fingers. But when she managed to lift her head a little, she realised Maddie was crouching down beside her with one hand on her thigh.

"You're clearly not well, is something going on? Do I need to take you to see a doctor?"

(Y/n) let her eyes close and she nudged her face into her hand, hiding away as she found her voice.

"No doctor, it- it's just morning sickness, I've got it bad."

"Morning… you're pregnant?"

She was sure she heard a spark of hope in her sister's voice and it made her sway her head to look over at Maddie. Sure enough, there was a tender, enticing smile curving at her lips and tears were already welling up in her eyes. She pushed up from her knees so she could sit down on the sofa next to her and she looped an arm around the back of (Y/n)'s shoulders to reel her little sister into her side.

"A bit more notice this time, huh?" (Y/n) joked dryly, but her half smile faded down into a grimace when her throat started to close up and she could feel her stomach pulling in.

At least when she'd had Bella- admittedly she hadn't had any idea about it- she'd had very little in the way of sickness. A few days here and there of feeling under the weather or throwing up, but nothing on this scale. (Y/n) had said she wanted to go through the experience of a pregnancy this time, but extreme morning sickness isn't what she meant.

"Oh (Y/n) I'm so-" Whatever Maddie was about to say fizzled into silence when she watched (Y/n) twist to the left and chuck up a mouthful of water.

She could see the pain written across her sister's face and the way she coughed and clawed for breath showed she wasn't doing very well. But when Maddie leaned around her and looked down, her shoulders sagged and her lips curled to one side.

The only thing (Y/n) threw up was the water she'd drank earlier and a lot of stomach acid.

She hadn't eaten anything.

The way she was gagging showed she felt like she needed to continue, but there was nothing but acid left to throw up. How long had she been like this? When was the last time she actually managed to eat something?

(Y/n)'s arms felt so heavy, like they were made of stone. Lifting them caused her muscles to strain and had her body reduced to shaking. She let her arms flop on her lap but when she twisted to look at her sister, her dreary eyes widened.

"N-no ambulance, please."

"I'm not calling an ambulance, I'm calling Buck."

"Why?"

"Because you need to be taken care of, and if Eddie's at work, Buck can stay with you and help with the kids. And he might be able to take you home, you can't drive in this state."

Maddie knew both her siblings weren't keen on going in an ambulance and they never liked to make a fuss when they were hurt or sick. But she could see (Y/n) wasn't in the best shape right now. And if she was going to insist she didn't go to a doctor, she at least needed someone to stay with her.

She knew it was Buck's day off today and he might be able to come and pick (Y/n) up and give her a lift home. He would gladly stay with her and keep an eye on her and help out with Chris and Bella until Eddie came home. (Y/n) couldn't be left on her own in this state, that was for sure.

(Y/n) found herself nodding. She knew she would have to go home now, her shift would need to be cut short and she was okay with that, she was desperate to head home. But she was going to argue once Buck arrived- if he could come here that was.

She wasn't having his and Chris's afternoon ruined because she felt under the weather. (Y/n) would gratefully accept a lift home from Buck, but she would make sure he still took Chris out and they had a good time. She would be fine once she was home.

"Are you excited?" Maddie reached across to lay her hand on (Y/n)'s thigh once Buck messaged and said he was already in the jeep on his way to dispatch.

She watched (Y/n) manage a small smile while she leaned to the left and laid her head on the armrest on the sofa.

"I wanna do it properly this time, w-we have a scan next week."

There was still a part of (Y/n) that was frightened. A part of her mind telling her that once they got to the scan next week, they would be told she was five or six months down the line. It was silly, of course it was, she had been taking hundreds of tests since having Bella and she should be around twelve weeks by now.

But after believing she'd been having periods when she had Bella and her body hadn't changed and she'd felt no kicks or movements, anything might be possible. It was still ingrained in (Y/n)'s brain that she was going to miss out on another pregnancy.

She wouldn't get to see Eddie's face light up at the scan or see her body change and see how Eddie reacted to her stomach changing shape. She wouldn't notice or realise and feel the kicks, she wouldn't get to tell people or get prepared.

Her brain was constantly telling her that she was going to be cheated out of the experience like this was a normality for her, or some form of punishment for something.

"Hey, what happened with Bella was rare, this time it will work out properly for you, I promise. And I bet Eddie's thrilled."

(Y/n) looped both arms around her waist as she did her best to chip in on a conversation with her sister, but she couldn't get her brain to work properly. Her throat was dry, hoarse and felt like the desert, her stomach was twisting and cramping and even though the shaking had died down, she was still sweating and overheating. She needed to go to bed.

She could feel Maddie's hand gliding up and down her back but she managed to open her eyes when the door opened and Buck walked in.

A nervous smile lit up his face and he sighed, rubbing his palms across his jeans before he crouched down in front of his sisters.

"I heard you needed looking after?"

(Y/n)'s lips quirked up to one side and she groaned, moving her hands down to the sofa to push herself up. She rolled her eyes when Buck reached out and pressed the back of his hand against her forehead while he pursed his lips. She wasn't burning up anymore, but she was sweating and she did not look well.

"I just need a ride home, please."

"No, you cannot leave her like this-"

"Okay, you aren't at liberty to make decisions right now and you know I'm not gonna leave her like this. Now can one of you tell me what's happened? Do I need to be worried?"

Buck ran a hand down over his jaw as he looked between them both. He wouldn't leave (Y/n) home alone with Bella if she was this unwell, he would never do that because he would only go home and panic about his sister. And Maddie should know him well enough to know he wasn't going to do that.

But he did need to know what had happened so he knew whether he had to contemplate adding a hospital trip into their schedule this afternoon. And he had to know how bad or serious this was in case he had to call Eddie.

None of them wanted to face the wrath of Eddie if they had to ring him at work and tell him (Y/n) wasn't well or that she had collapsed.

"No, you don't need to be worried, unless you don't want another niece or nephew." (Y/n) waited a few moments for the penny to drop and she moved her hand to cradle her queasy stomach when Buck rose a brow.

A giant grin spread across his lips, flashing his teeth as he danced his hand along his jaw and around the back of his neck.

"Are you kidding, this is great."

He leaned up on his heels to loop an arm around (Y/n), carefully reeling her into a careful hug. He didn't want to hold on too tightly and make her queasy or dizzy. He kissed the side of her head while he noticed a smile light up Maddie's face.

"Least we can be more prepared this time. Now, why don't we get you home?"

[almostempty]

Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms 

Part 2

Pairing: Javier Peñal x f!reader

Summary: Looking for an escape from a horrible day, you take a sexy stranger home from the bar. 

Warnings: smut, pwp, dom reader/sub jav undertones, switch reader/ switch javi undertones, oral sex, piv sex, AU unprotected sex has no risks bc it's fictional, pwp but some feelings involved, pet names, dick & pussy pronouns,

Notes: still practicing, would love feedback, constructive criticism, or delusional inspiration <3

thanks to @miss-oranje-disco-dancer for your thoughts on part 1, i hope this part lives up to the first, and to @gothcsz for encouragement, and the kind anon who asked for part 2

WC: 5.3K

AO3: here

Part 1: here

Masterlist: Here

It hurts gasping to catch your breath. Lungs filled with water. Eyes shut so tight a dull headache starts behind them. Every second feels like an hour. In your empty room, alone in your bed. Drowning. Sweat cooling and drying on your skin as the airconditioner hums. A sticky, wet pool of come between your legs. Damp, sweaty sheets. Great, add them to the laundry pile and everything else from your life you’d like to toss out the window. And over what? A man you said ten words to before your smile and fingers digging into his bicep begged him to fuck you? 

When you open your eyes, you can still see his staring back at you deep, warm brown. A new mirage to haunt your mundane existence. You can still hear his baritone voice scratching your ears. You blink and blink, but it doesn’t fade. Javier is standing before you. No shirt on, jeans unbuttoned. Sweat on his golden chest still casting an ethereal shine. He’s holding a fresh glass of water. Your dehydrated body salivates. He’s not a mirage in a desert, though. His shirt is still on your floor with yours. 

You scowl at him, drawing a confused look from him. 

“Something wrong, cariño?” he asks pointedly. 

“No.” 

He sets the water down but doesn’t move closer. He gives you a look. Like he knows your ‘no’ was bullshit. How would he know? He doesn’t know you. Irritation creeps in, replacing the suffocating emptiness. He places a hand softly on your thigh. Gentle so you don’t bolt and run into the street to get hit by an unsuspecting driver in the dark, unable to see you until their headlights flood your eyes and reflect. 

“Thought you’d left,” you answer quietly but honestly. You don’t know him. Why do you care if he thinks you look pathetic? 

“That fast? Without a shirt?” 

You shrug. 

“You want me gone?” He asks, revealing nothing about his own desires. Stoic and frozen to avoid bias. 

“No,” you shake your head, grab the water, swallowing and swallowing. It's so cold it hurts. You hope it never runs out. He can’t see who you really are if you’re hiding behind a glass. Despite your wishes, the glass runs dry. Javi takes it from you and sets it down. 

You look at the man in front of you with sober eyes. He’s incredibly handsome. Without being fueled by blind rage, alcohol, or a contagious horny fever, you aren’t quite as confident. In fact, you suddenly feel overcome with vulnerability. A cord of insecurity wraps around your throat, constricting. You reach for another cigarette to escape the sensation, but Javi intercepts. He takes your hand in his, pulling you towards him until he gets you out of bed and standing before him. He pulls you towards his broad frame and holds you tightly. Pressed against him, chest to chest, you listen to his deep, slow breathing. Skin to skin, he co-regulates you like a baby, fragile in his arms. 

You fight against it. Feeling pathetic. Unable to bare your fangs. Unable to slash with your claws and push him away. He holds you too tight. A heavy lump in your throat renders you unable to speak. Too raw. You’re lost at sea. Circling a whirlpool of dark thoughts. You wait for his rejection. An excuse. A line. A wink and a slap on the ass. A reason to stop fighting and drown. You shouldn’t care if he leaves or ruminate on what he says. He was a distraction. A hot, talented, unforgettable distraction. Another cigarette to burn down to your fingertips and discard in the pile of ash. 

As if, once again, he could hear your hurricane of thoughts bellowing and howling for your attention, Javi shushes you. 

“Quiet.” He runs his fingers up and down your spine. A little light shimmers behind your ribcage. His touch is soothing, and his voice is grounding as he hums into your ear about how soft your skin is. You inhale, your face pressed against his body. He’s spicy, earthy, and smoky. You bite and lick at the flesh you can reach. A barely there noise rumbles in his throat, only for you, only for the ear flush against him, flesh and blood. 

“Shhhh,” he murmurs, “enough.” The light in your chest flickers again. It’s dim, but still, it could guide someone through the dark forest of viscera in your chest cavity to your heart. You shudder. Letting someone follow that beacon through the labyrinth to your jagged, glowing soul? No. What if they see the ugly shape, naked and scarred and bruised? What if they know what you need? What if they give it to you altruistically. 

A stony scowl sets in place. Corners of your mouth weighed down and brows drawn tight. You break out of his hold. Rough and harsh against the warmth between your bodies. 

“How do you know?” You demand an answer. 

“Know what?” 

“Why are you shushing me?” 

“Too loud up here,” he taps the pad of his finger to your temple. A fissure streaking down your stone barricade.

“How do you know?” 

“You have tells.” 

“You don’t know me like that,” you jab a finger at his chest. Hostile and baiting. 

“I’m observant,” he says like it’s a reasonable explanation, unperturbed by your bristling. You stare at him expectantly, waiting for more. Might as well cross your arms and tap your foot. Observant? What the fuck does that mean? 

His hands flex at his sides, his mouth twitches, and then he rolls his shoulders, staying loose and relaxed. Like some thought just rolled through his whole body. “I’m not a good guy,” he says like it’s a fact. Not a threat or self-deprecating. Neutral. 

“But, I know what I’m good at,” he continues, “you clench your jaw, start breathing shallowly, and your eyes–” 

“Got it. I’m a walking billboard,” you cut him off sharply. 

“No.”

You stare back at his face. Unreadable. You wonder what his tells are. 

“I’m observant,” he repeats. You raise an eyebrow at him. “And,” he pauses, “I may have some special training and experience.” 

“In …observing?” 

“Something like that.” 

“What are you Javi? A PI? Secret agent man? FBI?”

“DEA.” 

“DEA?” 

“Formerly.” 

“Formerly? Did you get fired? Caught on the take? Testing the product?” 

He snorts at you. You cracked a smile out of him. It softens you. A playful ease reemerging.  

“Retired.” 

He’s a man of few words, it seems. His walls have a strong foundation. You scrutinize his face and body swiftly and blatantly. 

“You either have some freakish age-defying genetics, or the DEA retirement age is earlier than I thought,” you muse, earning a little huff of air that sounds like a stifled laugh from him. 

“Chose an early retirement; resigned.” Something else is on the edge of his tongue. It doesn’t formulate. 

“Did you like it?” You ask with sincerity. He blinks. Unprepared for that question. Shit, was that the wrong thing to ask? You notice the lines in his face. He runs his thumb across his bottom lip in thought. You wonder if that’s one of his tells. It’s kind of a slutty one, you think to yourself, suppressing a smile as you focus on his mouth. His lips. Soft and plush. The way they fit against yours– 

“I don’t think so,” he decides, “maybe early on.” 

You smile up at him, “s’good that you’re out of it then,” you say with an assertive nod. 

He nods back with a deep exhale. Release. Like he’s letting go of something, but his eyes seem unfocused now. Another tell? Maybe you need special training to know. He seems far away in his head. Withdrawing. No, you want him to stay present with you. You liked how it felt when he appeared connected. Here. With you. You liked his confidence. The chemistry egged you on like you both were in on a secret. You think you might know how to bring him back. Plus, he needs it, you decide. You aren’t done with him, and he hasn’t disappeared completely. You readjust internally. More. You’re still smiling, but with an edge he hasn’t caught yet. 

“Hey, Javi?” You purr. 

“Hmm?” Still faraway. 

You pick up one of his hands in both of yours and kiss each finger. Watching his face. Looking for the light behind his eyes. The tactile sensation draws it out like a stagelight, he’s fixed on your mouth. The size of your hands around his. The hunger in your eyes when you look through your lashes at him. 

“What else are you good at?” You drop your voice. Your demons chitter and flap around the room. Maybe they’re chasing his. You drag his fingers down your body. Slowly. Both your heads droop, chin to chest, watching the private show. Just for you, except it’s for him. Between your breasts, down your soft belly. Lower and lower. Breathing your shared hot air. All you can hear is the fan in the airconditioner and your pulse. Time weighted down by the tension. You pause. His hand is heavy, dead weight in yours, letting you have him. You reverse, tracing back up, the same path, until you’re about to kiss his fingers again, but instead you wrap your lips around one and suck. 

“Fuck,” his eyes widen briefly, and his jaw hangs slack. You pull off his finger wetly. Alluring. You don’t have to act. The expression forming on his face brings out your devious seductress. Smiling, wide. You bite your lip, toning it down. Batting your lashes at him. You’re like an image from a dream he’s been having since he was a teenager. He hopes he doesn’t wake up from it. 

“Javi?”

“Yes.” 

“What else are you good at?” you repeat. Tolerant of his lapse in responding. For now. 

The switch flicks. He regains autonomous control of his limbs. Hands curl around your form, until one rests along the back of your neck, fingers slid into the hair at the base of your skull. The other wedges between your legs. Hot against the sticky mess you’d been forcing yourself to ignore since he first got out of your bed. He’s here, back. 

“Good at making a mess of this pretty little pussy.” 

“Mmm,” you agree. His voice unlocks something ravenous. 

“Good at making you come wrapped around these fingers,” he slips and swirls them through the mess between your legs. Obscene. 

“Mmm.”

“Good at filling you with this cock until you forget how to say anything ‘cept for ‘please, Javi’,” he declares as his other hand wraps yours around his growing length. 

“Yes.” 

“Good at giving you something to feel,” he continues on. He is no longer a man of few words; he’s not a laconic lover. A filthy little devil dances on his tongue. He’s a willing vessel. Tugging at your hair and slipping through your folds. 

You giggle airily, and he pauses his running list of sex skills, waiting for an explanation. What could possibly be funny to you right now. 

“Giving me something to feel,” you slip between another giggle. “Right now,” you pull at his wrist, “I feel like we could use a shower before we keep going. We’re messy.” 

He laughs with you, and you adore how his eyes crinkle when he smiles wide. 

You wash each other in the shower with care. Roles reversed from the cab of his truck, you sternly demand he behaves in the shower, citing an unreliable hot water tank. It’s hard to resist fooling around covered in soap, but he holds up his hands in surrender. He promises to behave. But his cock refuses. It pokes and prods at your soft belly and lower back. Teasing. Begging to be scolded for disobeying. Protesting in opposition to Javier’s earnest affection. He’s gentle washing your back. Vulnerable letting you wash his. It’s rejuvenating. He cleared your mind earlier, and gave you something to feel, with care and attention. You commit yourself to returning the favor. You’ll give him a break from whatever led him to brooding on a barstool. 

You have a feeling he doesn’t give up control very often. He’s such an attentive listener, though. He’ll do great, you decide. 

He knows something has changed. Wretched observant thing he is. 

You are busy thinking, but you don’t have the same look on your face as you did at the bar or when he came back to your bedroom after getting more water. Your mind is racing, but with vigor. It radiates through the hot steam. A sparkle in your eye. Fluid movement. As if it were all premeditated, you dry off and direct him. 

He’s bewitched by the riddle of you. Bold and quick witted, but raw and honest. It’s easy to notice when you’re lost in your head, but he can’t predict you. Time speeds up and slows down in your presence. Like he was knocked out cold, face to pavement. Then thrown in the backseat of a speeding car, but it’s on a cross country trip. When he makes eye contact with you in the rearview mirror from the backseat it’s unnerving. Is he your hostage? Were you the getaway driver? 

You catch him drifting away. Naked and wet in your too bright bathroom, exposed like he’s on an operating table under the bright fluorescent lights. You watch as he towels off on autopilot. 

He realizes he wants to stay longer, not because he knows the broken look from your face earlier, but because something else already stitches you together. You’re peculiar. Direct. Expressive. His speed. Some unspoken understanding, resolute and vibrant. Cutting through the void of the unknown. Real. He can read when you disappaer, but he can’t predict you. 

Javi shakes his head to himself, lost in this train of thought. You’ve known her for a few hours. A couple drinks, sex, and a shower, he reminds himself. He also knows how you taste and how you feel wrapped around his cock, whining please, and that thought fans the flames. 

Enough. You decide. He needs this. 

He smells fresh and sweet from your body wash as you lead him back to your bedroom. He pulls your back into his damp chest, running his hands along your body and nearly purring in your ear. Good.

You whip around and take a step back, surprising him. He hesitates. You’re analyzing. Calculating. Your eyes drag over his body. His big brown eyes and kiss-swollen lips register that you pulled away from him. His hands flex like a predator, ready to grab and pull you back to him, but restrained. His cock reaches out towards you unabashedly, shouting for your attention. 

You can’t help but feel the smile you feel pulling at the corners of your mouth. 

“Javi?”

“Yes?”

“Are you good at following orders?”

“Nope.” 

You laugh, surprised by his quick honesty. 

“Kind of oxymoronic,” you ponder. 

“How?” 

“Well, now I don’t know if you should earn my favor for answering honestly or if I should prepare a punishment if you’re going to misbehave.”

Something flickers across his face. He swallows it. 

“Let me try again.” You move closer and cup his cheek in your palm like he did to you when you first sat on your bed for him. You look into his eyes and speak softly, “You gave me what I needed earlier. Made me feel so good I forgot everything else.” He waits for you to continue, but you feel his chest puff with pride. “I’d like to give you what you need now, Javi.” He swallows again. You wondered if he’d have a quip for that, but he looks so serious. Focused. 

“But first, I need to know if you’ll be good for me, Javi. Can you do that? Can you be good for me?” 

You feel him melt slightly, into your palm, nearly imperceptible the weight shifting into your hold. 

More. The wildfire within you is lit. Blazing. 

“Yes,” he nearly whispers. A flush of heat crawls up his chest. 

“Can you follow my orders?” 

“Yes, mi reina,” he said, consenting. That’s new. 

“Mmm,” you purr at him. 

“Does your pretty cock know that?” 

He blinks with a thin veil of confusion at you. Uncertain. 

“Yes,” he confirms. 

“Look at me,” you order. 

You sink to your knees in front of him. You ego does flips in your stomach. He looms over you, but you hold the reins. You pepper little kitten licks up the underside of his shaft, holding his eye contact and pausing. You rest your soft cheek against his thigh. He’s tense. Waiting to know the rules. 

“Does he look greedy to you?” You study the precome weeping from the head of his cock inches from your face. 

“No, mi reina.” 

“No?”

You avoid his crying erection and impishly toy with his balls. Lazily, you kiss and lick and suckle at them for your own enjoyment. And when you stop, you feel the weight of his gaze, and his unanswered questions, the payback. 

“So good for me watching and not touching,” you praise. “But, baby, look. He’s drooling like a rabid dog.”

You swipe up a trail of the glistening fluid with precision, doing nothing to relieve him. He swallows tightly, his body buzzing with tension like a livewire. He finds it easy to dole out pleasure, direct his energy towards someone else, drown in unraveling a woman’s desires. But your knowing look at him is unnerving. Rattling his bravado. You move with precision, intensely. 

“Tell me, Javi,” you peer up at his face, “do you have a greedy cock?” 

You’re going to ruin him. 

“Yes,” he relents through an exhale. You’ve found it. Kept locked in a cage. Leashed in the dark. How did you find it? Did he lead you there? 

You tilt your head at him. 

“Yes, mi reina,” he adds. 

“Say it for me, baby,” you push. 

He takes a shallow breath. You grin at him like a Cheshire Cat. 

“I have a greedy cock, mi reina, a greedy disobedient cock.” Unlocked, you pocket the key. You’ve unleashed something within him. His feels a swirl of sick pleasure twisting in his core. 

“Yes,” you exclaim with a bright look that gives him a rush. He wants to keep making you look like that. 

“You can touch.” You reward him. Too easy. 

He reaches for you, and you swat at his hand. 

“No, baby, you can touch your greedy cock, not me.” 

A whiny little groan comes out of him, prickling with need. 

“Slowly,” you add, watching as he obeys. His hand pumps slowly. You can’t resist. Holding out your tongue, you move close enough that his rosy head taps against your wet tongue just long enough to get a taste. You hum. Pleased with his obedience and the taste of him. 

“Fuck,” he whispers, closing his eyes tightly. 

“Your eyes stay on me, though,” you remind him gently, with leniency for his current state of executive functioning. 

“Would you like to know a secret?” You tease as you stand up and lean into his ear. 

“Yes,” he pants. Breathy and gravelly. Delight coats your expression, you 

“I like your big greedy cock,” you lilt. 

A soft whine is pulled from his throat. You frown dramatically at him. Causing him to pause his tense strokes and his brow to furrow. You love the intoxicating feeling of having him at your mercy. 

“But you already knew that,” you admonish, shaking your head at him. 

“Already knew that,” he repeats. You’re not sure he could tell you what he just agreed to know. 

“Not a very good secret then, I guess,” you think aloud. You’re light and lucid, bouncing around him as he’s anchored in the quicksand of your spell. 

“But do you know,” circling behind him, you press your soft tits into his back, and you continue to rasp towards his ear, “how wet my pussy is now? Just from the idea of taking your cock down my throat? She’s about to drip down my legs.” 

“Fuck,” he pants again and stops moving. You feel like the sun. You urge him to turn towards you as you crawl onto your bed and lay in the center. His eyes flick all over you, wanting to see everything. 

He’s fighting to figure out where to lock his eyes. It feels euphoric to see how openly aroused he is by you. 

“Did you know that?” You repeat. 

“No.” 

“S’what I thought,” you reposition yourself, “you wanna see for yourself?” 

“Yes,” he answers rapidly. Eager. 

You show him. Parting your legs to display the evidence. So wet and tender for him. 

You’re locked in a timeloop. When you see his eyes flood with lust, and his body tenses, your desire swells in your core, flooding your glossy folds. When he sees your glistening sex fluttering and pulsing, it nearly brings him to his knees. A horny sisyphian wet dream. Turning each other on. But, crucially, you know how to break free. 

“You wanna taste?” You ask. 

“Yes, please.” Good manners. 

He starts to move towards you, and you press him back. 

“No, baby, lay right here, and I’ll give you a taste.” 

He’s obedient. Settling next to you. For a moment, he has the urge to drag you by the hips to sit on his face. To take you for himself, no games. But then he hears your sweet voice praising him and feels overcome with a dizzying sense of validation. 

“So perfect, baby, look at you,” you continue showering him with adoration. You’re mesmerizing with your sweet scent, wet lips, and your glassy eyes. Too good for him. He doesn’t deserve your attention like this. 

You see the crease between his brows as he starts to overthink. Enough. You bite sharply at his nipple, and he yelps and gapes at you. You straddle his waist and give him a stern look. 

“Stay here with me, Javi,” you order, ”don’t disappear in there.” You tap a finger lightly against his temple. He nods. 

You hover over him and slip his swollen head through your folds, easily coating his length. He shudders and groans. So openly vocal and responsive to you. That’s good. I like to hear you, baby. You use him as you please, like a toy circling your clit. But it’s everything about him that saturates you in pleasure. 

“Feel so fucking good,” you praise before pulling back and shifting down between his legs. 

You lick and suck your arousal off of him. Loud and messy. You climb towards his face. “Open,” you place your hand under his jaw, “taste,” you murmur before feeding your tongue into his mouth. Kissing hungrily he lets out desperate, deep groans. Relaxing into your movements he simply accepts what you give and lets you feel his uninhibited reactions. 

He finds you vexing and tantalizing. Letting him touch and taste, but not directly. He’d have half a mind to argue with you—despite having tormented you just the same—but how you light up and laugh when you best him fills him with a more profound desire. He likes how you look when you’re in charge. He likes that he just has to keep up. He likes being all consumed by the present moment, so caught up in you he can’t think about anything else. 

You break away, seemingly satisfied with his participation thus far. You’re ethereal and glowing above him. 

You slide down and return to your retribution. Teasing by lightly drawing your fingers around his leaking cock as it lies against his lower abdomen. You revel in delight over his muscles tensing and flexing, and he huffs impatiently as you increase the intensity of your vengeance. You trace the same outline with your tongue; you use his moves from earlier, breathing warm and cool air over his length and watching it twitch. 

You stare up at him as you run the flat of your tongue from his balls up to his tip. He looks wrecked, staring back at you, and you feel powerful, holding his attention.  

He catches the flash of a smirk before you slip your mouth around his tip and nearly overwhelm him with the warm slip of your tongue and the pressure of your mouth wrapped around him. 

“Fuck,” he rasps. 

You don’t let up, swiftly taking him further down. You focus on breathing and working him into the back of your throat, then back to just the tip. Your saliva drips and coats him as your hands work in time with your bobbing head. It’s messy, and the noises are pornographic as you pour your enthusiasm onto him. He’s cursing and groaning while you continue on, and you can’t take the sight of him anymore. You pull off him and crawl up the bed on your hands and knees. You sit up and pick up one of his hands. 

“Javi, I have a problem,”

“Shit, what?” 

“When your cock is in my mouth, my pussy gets jealous. She’s too empty,” before he can respond, you drag his hand through your obscenely wet folds. 

“Fuck,” he chokes out. It must be his favorite word. 

“Mhmm,” you agree. 

“Use me,” he says in a hoarse voice. 

“I intend to,” you reply. 

And you do. You ride him with an unrestrained vigor. You start bouncing up and down, tossing your head back to give him a little show. You drive him into a frenzy as you freely describe how good he makes you feel. And when he looks wholly fucked out, you taunt him for looking so pleased when his body is yours to use. 

When he breaks, you feel his hands caress your body greedily. He squeezes at your hips, and he gapes with stars in his eyes at your tits perfectly filling his hands. He gropes at your ass and digs his fingers into your plush skin, pulling you down harder onto him with each bounce.

You consider how you might torture him further for touching without asking, but decide you just need to see him come undone. A single thought crosses your mind like a brilliant marquee on an empty boulevard.

He remains happy to obey as you instruct him to swap positions. 

“You’re going to keep fucking me hard and deep while I come on your cock,” you order as you trail your hand down to your clit to your liking. 

“Yes,” he agrees. “Come. Come on my cock.” He chants raggedly as you do. Your orgasm ripples across your body until the oversensitivity hits, and you press your hand into Javi’s chest. He pauses, hovering over you. You breathe as you come down and observe the exertion written across his features. 

“Again,” you state, and he slides back into you. “I need it now, Javi,” you continue. “I need you to come. Fill me up. Just like you promised.” 

You can’t get there with him again fast enough, but don’t need to. You just want to feel him deep inside you, releasing everything he’s got. And he’s more than willing to follow orders. He thrusts into you deeply until his hips jerk, and you can feel him pulsing inside of you as he comes. 

“Please, take it.” You make out in between words that he smothers in your skin.  

When he collapses on top of you, and your fingers rake through his hair, it’s as if he turns to liquid, and your soul absorbs him up. 

You hum contentedly at him and push until he rolls off. 

You order him to stay in bed before you’re off to clean up, bring him a towel, and of course, refill water glasses for both of you. As you walk into the kitchen, you see the flashing light on your answering machine. You didn’t notice it when you got home earlier, but it reminds you of the reality of the night. You know it’s a scathing message from your ex for walking away hours ago. 

You feel a thread of annoyance, but it doesn’t escalate as you return to your bedroom. 

Javi is where you left him and watches you with a funny look in his eyes as you carry on about your tasks until you return to his side. He likes seeing you move about your space, naked and unhurried. How insistint you are about taking care of him, it feels natural. 

“What?” you grill him for staring. 

“Nothing, nothing,” he assuages, raising his hands in defense. 

You like how he looks in your bed with his dewy skin and mussed hair. 

“Seems like you can be good at following orders,” you note.  

“Depends on who’s doing the ordering, I guess” he shrugs, and you roll your eyes. 

You offer him a cigarette and notice the time on the clock on your nightstand. 

“It’s late,” you state, and he nods, taking a long drag. 

“Stay,” you suggest, hoping it doesn’t sound needy. 

“That an order, mi reina?” 

You didn’t expect to hear that endearment outside of sex. It makes you float. 

“Yes.” 

“Good.”

He’s there. In the morning when you wake up. Taking up too much space in your bed, sprawled on his stomach. Trapping you under a heavy arm. Snoring hot air into your shoulder. His body is a furnace, the sheet balled up towards your feet, leaving his bare skin exposed to the morning light. His smooth back and the curve of his ass are candid and honest next to you. You figured he would’ve disappeared before you woke up. Like a cryptid. You thought you’d be searching for any trace that he was real. Fortunately, you are surrounded by evidence. He is real, and unguarded. And somehow weighing your whole body down with just one arm. You squirm trying to check the time and he stirs. You still. 

“Morning,” he grumbles. Of course his morning voice is sexier than you could’ve imagined. 

“Morning.” 

He peels his arm from your skin, releasing you. Free to stretch you reveal the ache in your shoulders from sleeping in that position with a groan. The room smells like sweat and sex, with faint notes of your shampoo and his aftershave lingering on your pillows. You instantly miss his touch, despite the fact that you were overheating from his warmth. You wait for a clue. What happens next? He was supposed to be temporary. A high you chased. Just a distraction, help you avoid reality and your emotions. But you like having him spread out on your mattress in the morning. You’d like to hear more of his voice. 

He flips onto his back and scoops you under his arm. Oh. Head on his chest. You hear the strong beat of his heart in his chest. You might as well try. 

“You want–” “Can I–” 

You both laugh, your head bumping into his chest. You urge him to go first. Reveal his hand. 

“Can I take you to breakfast?” he asks, “maybe after another shower,” he adds considering whatever fluids are still pasted to his skin. 

You couldn’t have resisted the smile spreading on your face if you’d been warned ahead of time. You know he feels it pressed against his skin. 

“I was going to offer to make coffee, but that does sound better.” 

“Good.”

“Plus, I could use a ride back to my car. It’s still outside the bar.” 

“A ride, hm?” His voice melts over the top of your head. You’re not listening to the words. Floating in a cloud. Just the baritone of his voice keeping you in the air. “C’mere, I’ve got a ride for you, cariño,” he growls into your hair before pulling you all the way on top of him. You shake with airy laughter, sitting up. Your laugh lights up his eyes. He looks at you like he wants more. 

It’s enough. 

[loveindefinitely]

— ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ THREE OF HEARTS | könig x ghost x reader

✩ PART ONE / ACE OF SPADES

// read on ao3. fic playlist. series masterlist.

<- previous part | next part ->

You can still taste the smoke on your lips.

The flavour of tobacco against your tongue, the spiralling smoke brushing your cheek. A hand in your hair, another between your thighs. One strong chest pressed against your own, the other laid onto the sheets between your legs.

A name spoken against your ear, another whisper muffled by your thighs.

Torture, in its rawest of forms – malicious and cruel and perfect. An agonising taunt of what could be, if not for regulations, rules; decorum and practicality. Right and wrong.

It had been two years since you’d seen the men that starred in your darkest of fantasies. Or, more precisely, six-hundred and thirty-eight days since you’d tasted them, breathed in the strong scent of their cologne.

But you weren’t counting.

You wouldn’t dare.

…Still.

Six-hundred and thirty-eight days, you’d spent, longing and hoping and dreaming of another moment. A possibility to be embraced, once more, by them. Even just a minute of their time, to speak, to ask if they felt the same instant connection you had.

Six-hundred and thirty-eight days of waiting for this very moment.

“Sergeant, I’m sure you’re at least aware of Colonel König and Lieutenant Ghost,” your Commander speaks, elbows resting on his desk, hands folded underneath his chin as he studies you.

Your mouth is barren of moisture, all of it draining straight to where your clasped hands grow clammy in your lap. Without a word, you nod. Your Commander doesn’t comment, but his eyes narrow, and he releases a short exhale.

The room feels so small, now, his office like your own personal prison cell. Walls a fading beige, the seat beneath you a cracking leather – the stench of old paperwork. It’s a challenge not to cough from the dust.

“And I know that you’re well aware of your upcoming mission. Tomorrow, correct?” He asks, flipping through the stapled stack of paper before him, tongue peaking out to lick over his thumb as he skims over the fineprint. 

You nod once more, eyes nervously darting around the enclosed space. No windows? Seriously?

“You’re a smart woman,” he observes, with a small shrug of his shoulders, eyeing you curiously. “I think you know what I’m implying.”

The contracted mission, which had once been an infiltration, targeted approach, has turned into a long-term undercover one overnight. In fact, you hadn’t been informed of the drastic change until ten minutes ago.

Neither had you been informed of the two soldiers you’d be working with.

You didn’t know if you’d ever regretted something this deeply.

Ever.

“I don’t even know the details, let alone my cover,” you begin, fidgeting with the hem of your civvies tank, “Isn’t this CIA shit, anyways? Why are we –”

“You know damn well why we need you three on this, and not just any agent,” Your Commander raises an unimpressed brow, and you slump further into your chair. He’s right, of course, but it doesn’t mean that it makes you feel any better.

The layers within this mission were nearly impossible to decipher.

A foreign terrorist – one growing a steady following within political groups and extremists – was pulling the strings of one of the most exclusive and profitable trafficking rings in the world. And he was doing it right underneath the public’s noses.

What the cover was hadn’t been known – until this morning.

“Read it yourself,” your Commander breathes exasperatedly, and with that tone, you know it’s not going to be pretty.

Tossing the paper over to your side of the desk, it skids to a soft stop right at the edge.

Flitting your gaze to the front page, your stomach sinks.

There, in printed, full colour – is them. They look unbelievably imposing, with their uniforms, and their masked faces.

You knew what was hidden beneath that black fabric.

The images aren’t the only thing to catch your abrupt attention, however, your focus instantly snatching on the cover stories. The… 

Oh. Fuck.

“Commander –”

He instantly raises a palm, and you bite your tongue, hesitantly reading the text from start to end. It doesn’t make the situation any better; somehow, it makes it worse – tenfold.

You speak before you can stop yourself.

“BDSM?” 

If all the blood has drained from your face, you’d be lucky to die on the spot. Because, truly, you can’t think of a better option. A bullet to the head, maybe? Arsenic in the water sat next to the contract?

Yeah. Anything is better than whatever the fuck you’re supposed to be doing tomorrow.

And for the indefinite future.

“I know that it’s impractical,” he tries to amend, obviously seeing the pure distraught written all over your features, “But it’s our safest bet. There’s thousands – millions of lives on the line here. And I’m sure you’re not alone in your… hesitation, either.”

Chewing at your inner cheek, you nervously skim over the rest of the information, before skidding it back over to your Commander, running a hand down your face.

“I have to pretend,” you inhale, deep, “To be in a kinky throuple.” 

With the men who you’d done ‘kinky throuple’ shit with, went unsaid.

The man across from you winces. But he doesn’t deny it.

“That’s…” He seems to search for words, but comes out empty. He clears his throat. “Yeah. That’s… That’s pretty much. The cover story.”

He sounds highly uncomfortable with the topic at hand, but with sweat beading at the nape of your neck, and your mind reeling, you can’t find it in yourself to have any empathy. At least he didn’t have to infiltrate a fucking sex club.

Flashes of bare skin, scarred jaws, calloused hands –

“When’s the briefing?” 

The words fall from your lips in a breath, your subconscious need for information being set to default while the rest of your brain tries to play catch-up.

Looking down at the bulky, gluttonously gold watch adorning his wrist, your Commander grimaces, before looking back up to you with an apologetic frown. “It’s in five minutes. This morning’s been a rush, sorry, kid.”

Rising from your seat on unsteady legs, you accept your own copy of the papers with shaky hands. If your Commander notices the trembling, he doesn’t comment on it.

They feel heavier than any weight, the words in your hands – the words bearing down on your soul.

Attempting to make sense of it all is a fruitless effort, and trying to reason with it is just as impossible. How could you? When this undercover mission was likely going to be the most difficult one of your life? Was this the universe’s form of a taunt, a punishment?

Your Commander opens the door for you, the soft draft of the hallway allowing you to breathe. 

The stifled, stale air of his office gives way, and your shoulders loosen slightly from the tight posture they were in. Maybe everything will be fine. You won’t be in a fake relationship with the men who you had a relationship with, however short-lived, to stop a world-class terrorist.

…Totally.

Following your Commander tightly behind him, your mind a hurricane of emotions and anxiety, you chew at the inside of your cheek as you rack your thoughts for any sense of direction.

You, inevitably, come up empty.

Boots hitting the linoleum floor swiftly, the sound echoing around the empty space, you release short, calming breaths. Realistically speaking, this wasn’t going to be the cause of your death – you were a professional. You were one of the most skilled coveted ops agents for-hire, and what was this but just another aspect of your job?

Maybe this was exactly what you’d been hoping for – a real, substantial opportunity.

Maybe they’ve both forgotten you.

Your breath hitches at that thought.

It takes root in your mind instantly. What’s making you believe that they care, in the slightest, for you? What makes you think that one night of lustful desires could hold a flame to a proper relationship?

What if you were just that – one night? Nothing more of importance, or worth, to them?

“C’mon, kid,” Your Commander claps a comforting hand onto your shoulder, near dragging you into the briefing room. 

You’re just grateful that he takes your hesitation as an uneasiness about the cover story, and not the men you’ll have to execute it with. …Although, the cover story isn’t exactly a breeze, either, König and Ghost aside.

The air-conditioned meeting room feels like ice against your heated skin, the door closing behind both you and your Commander as he goes to take a seat at the head of the table, beside a woman of whom you haven’t seen before. Her dirty blonde hair is pulled back into a short ponytail, a classic button-up adorning her torso as she flips through the files in front of her. 

When she looks up, she greets your Commander with a short nod, before giving one to you, too.

Other than her, the room is empty – and checking the decade-old clock on the wall, it seems like there’s only a minute until the official starting time.

Choosing the safest bet, a chair to the left of the elongated, wooden table, you sit in the middle. It feels like the best choice – not too close to the Commanders or any Chiefs.

You aren’t new to the concept of briefings; in fact, you’d likely been involved in more than any of the Sergeants you knew. 

Being an expert in the field of undercover and intelligence-based operations means that you attended more meetings than, say, an explosives expert. You have to know the smallest details; discuss them and pick them apart, add your own two cents.

Intelligence is something you pride yourself on – you break most stereotypes about the military, all in one go, and you aren’t ashamed of that. Book smart, progressive; a woman. 

It never fails to make you smile internally, the second-glances from the withering old men that held authority within your ranks. While you deal with the drawbacks every second you work, there are some benefits, you suppose.

The cushioned meeting chair is comfortable where you’re seated, hands folded dutifully in your lap as you await everyone else’s arrival.

Their arrival.

Door creaking open, your heart skips a beat in your chest as you instantly dart your gaze up.

You most definitely do not deflate when you see one of your Lieutenants walk in, instead of a specific one from the Task Force. …Or a six-foot-ten Colonel.

The logistics of this mission must’ve been insane to sort out. While KorTac and SpecGru are formally enemies, and actively enemies, too, there are under-the-table deals and trades made between the two behind closed doors.

This must be a prime example of such a decision.

König and Ghost – from those few hours you’d spent with them – had been amicable. That was putting it lightly; they definitely shared a few secretive, heated looks, even a kiss and a few strokes, too.

Maybe the whole forbidden thing was even more intense, for them? Being so explicitly enemies?

You weren’t exactly sure – still aren’t.

None of it makes any sense, which is a debilitating feeling, for someone who needs to know everything at all times. As best as you can, anyways.

Taking the spot directly in front of you, your Lieutenant gives you a kind smile. You easily reciprocate, even with your anxiety heightened, your thighs squeezing together underneath the shadows of the table.

The overhead lights are a harsh, grating white, and you feel a pounding headache incoming.

Your Commander and the woman seem to be engaging in a quick, near-silent conversation at the head of the table. They swap some papers around, narrow their gazes, raise brows. They’re… hostile, but not unbearably so – amicable enough not to cause a fight.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The world doesn’t stop, time doesn’t freeze, but it’s a close thing with the way your heart stutters in your chest, your breath cutting off with your last inhale.

At the door, fist still raised, deep blue eyes and a sniper hood meet your startled gaze. The man’s eyes soften immediately when they catch onto yours, the greasepaint smeared around them doing nothing to hide the instant spark that lights within them.

He is, you distantly think, as breathtaking as you remembered him to be.

The top of his head is hidden behind the door frame, his height palpable even within the excessively tall roof of the building. His posture allows him to curl into himself, even with his fist still raised.

“We late?”

And –

Oh.

Oh.

König’s unbelievably large frame had taken the spotlight – but that wasn’t to say that the other man was any dimmer in your eyes.

Ghost. True to his name, his voice is a rough drawl, muscle-corded arms folded over his chest as his eyes dart around the room, before landing on…

You.

He doesn’t flinch; his expression doesn’t change in the slightest, actually, not even a hint of recognition in his dusky brown eyes. Just cold indifference, this side of disgruntled.

As if you’ve been frozen in time, you struggle to think, let alone breathe – like your life has been suddenly set to manual. With a quick jerk of a movement, you let your eyes zone out onto the mahogany in front of you.

“Colonel, Lieutenant – just in time,” the woman speaks succinctly, folding one leg over the other as she finally looks away from your Commander to gesture the two in.

Oh, what you wouldn’t give for a moment to process. To figure out the battlefield that is your head, and decide on your next actions – your feelings, too, the emotions of it all.

“Good to see you two haven’t killed each other yet!” Your Commander laughs, jovial, and you want to bang your head onto the table.

“...We are professionals.”

That Austrian accent – the thick, headiness of it, the lilt, the gentle tone – it’s one as familiar as your own. One that’s played in your mind, a constant, the memory of it spoken against your heated skin both a blessing and a curse.

Six-hundred and thirty-eight days, it had been.

“At killing.”

You can hear the side-eye, the bored tone, the guttural raspiness reminiscent of his hometown. The sarcasm, too, a core part of the very man’s existence.

Six-hundred and thirty-eight days.

Your Commander is the only person in the room who laughs, clasping his hands together before waving the two over to join at the table. Looking up, for a split second, you nearly deflate when his eyes catch onto yours. The glint in them says everything you need to know.

“Colonel, Lieutenant – let me introduce you to Sergeant Star,” your Commander gestures towards you, and really, would melting into the floor be so bad?

Ghost raises a single brow, and your Lieutenant runs with it.

“Funny story, that,” he starts, and you barely restrain yourself from burying your head in your hands, “First mission. She somehow figures out who was sending the false intel for a case, and dismantled the whole bloody plan, made a new one. She was spot on, too.”

His smile turns shiteating as he leans further back into his chair, folding his hands over his chest. 

“When we got back onto base, Commander over there gave her a gold star for her troubles. Pretty good tradeoff, aye?”

“Leo,” you mutter under your breath, delivering your superior a vicious glare. 

Your Lieutenant – Leo – was more of an annoying older brother than anything else. Since that mission, he’d taken you under his wing; protected you like his own, too. He was a dickhead, but a solid one that you wouldn’t trade for the world.

Even when he pulls shit like this.

“That’s…” König folds into himself further, if that’s at all possible, as he looks to Leo. “Impressive. Very good.”

Ghost doesn’t say a word, instead, moving to sit in the chair next to your Lieutenant, and opposite you. König quickly follows his lead, sitting to your left with rough movements. A man of his size – to be graceful with anything was something of a miracle.

He’d been graceful when his hand had wrapped around your neck –

“Now that everyone’s here,” the woman cuts in, moving to stand and turn on the TV sat between her and your Commander, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

The show is multiple images of the targets, some of the women that have been kidnapped, reports, and other important information. You catalogue it all, playing close attention to the names and circumstances of both the victims and the targets.

It’s going smoothly, until –

“The rules,” the woman whose name you’ve learnt is Laswell speaks, flicking to the next slide. Your stomach drops for a reason other than the two men sat at the table when you read its contents.

Rule One: Explicit consent must be given between pre-established partners, or any new partners if a scene is wished to be done.

Rule Two: Masks must be worn at all times, with safe alternatives if oral play is wish to be done.

Rule Three: A person’s inclination [Dominant, Verse, Submissive] must be displayed on a corresponding armband, which will be supplied at entry.

Rule Four: Access to the basement level may not be granted to anyone, unless a verification and acceptance process has been executed. No exclusions apply.

Rule Five: Submissives with a Dominant(s) must stay within eyesight at all times, unless a collar has been placed onto the Submissive marking ownership.

It feels as though someone’s scrambled the contents of your brain in an attempt to destroy your very essence – and your stomach feels as hollow as your heart as Laswell reads off the words on screen. She doesn’t falter once, unlike you, knuckles whitening against the tight fists forming in your lap.

König, nor Ghost, react outwardly. No hint of hesitance or uneasiness, just taking their professionalism in stride.

You feel like a fool.

“Ghost will be acting as the Dominant, König the Verse, and Star the Submissive,” Laswell states, matter-of-fact, as if your world didn’t start crumbling around you the moment you’d been called into your Commander’s office.

If you were at all in a state to laugh, you’d probably giggle at how suitable the roles are. They all aligned to That Night, and a distant part of you wonders if the three of you were just obvious with your tastes.

“We’ve rented an apartment four blocks away. When you start to inquire about the basement,” she flicks to the next slide once more, “They will follow you. Expect to have a shadow everywhere you go – and one that you don’t know is there, obvious or not.”

“You guys aren’t good people, as of tomorrow,” Your Commander chimes in, leaning forward on the table, looking between both König and Ghost. “You are interested in their side business, and Star,” he looks to you, “Is none the wiser. This only works if you follow through with that – and offer up her services as collateral.”

“You want us to pretend,” König shakes his head, looking dismayed, “To give the Sergeant to the ring?”

Silence.

And, then, “Yes.”

You were made aware, earlier, of course, that your role was going to be slightly different to that of the other two men. But you hadn’t actually expected something so… fucked.

“If this goes sideways –” Ghost speaks up, voice deep and raspy as his eyes narrow, ever so slightly, visible even with his mask, “ –We’re risking ‘er life.”

“I know what I signed up for,” you respond, finding your voice, however weak. “This is no different to a warzone. Just with less explosions, and more…” You struggle to find the words, “Mind games. Tactics are changing from bullets to rumours.”

He doesn’t try to debate it, just merely shrugs indifferently and slides his smooth gaze back over to the two at the front.

As if he hadn’t felt you cum around his cock; heard you moan his name while he left bites over your neck.

Bastard.

The meeting goes on much the same, with more information on the plan as a whole. It makes sense, to you, and you know that you’ll be able to get it done.

König and Ghost, however, that haunting spectre that was them, feel like a road block.

Ghost, from what you had gathered, was either ignoring your existence for some selfish reason, or had completely forgotten about That Night.

You simultaneously find it hard to believe that your time together was that forgettable, and that it was truly something special. It has, after all, been six-hundred and thirty-eight days. Maybe he was used to such intimacy, although you find it hard to believe, it is a possibility.

Then, there’s König – his eyes, the way he almost reeled back at the sight of you, told you enough.

He remembered. Clear as day.

But whether or not he cares at all, or wants to discuss your past at all, is a whole other story. Maybe he just wants to brush it under the rug, forget it ever happened, and move on.

As much as one could move on when pretending to be in a relationship, that is.

“You will head to your apartment by eighteen-hundred, tomorrow night, and get yourselves situated. The club opens at nineteen-hundred, so an hour or so after that is reasonable,” Laswell says, finishing off on the debrief.

Her eyes find all of you.

“There’s a lot riding on this. This isn’t like any mission any of you have executed before – but we have faith that you will execute this with precision and care.”

The words sit in your soul like a reminder; a way of steering you the right direction.

A few words are exchanged after that, some questions, some answers. Leo will be serving as your operator, in charge of communications and resources for the mission. At the back of your mind, you’re grateful for the distant support of your Lieutenant.

It’s when everything’s wrapped up, and you’re falling back as everyone files out of the room, that a presence behind you has you freezing up.

Ghost.

“If you’re not up for the mission, just say so instead of draggin’ us down,” he mutters, just loud enough for you to hear the grain of his low, impatient voice. “This is important, Sergeant, and if your head is elsewhere –”

“You don’t remember?” Your voice comes out tight, impatient, upset. 

His shoulder checks yours as he passes.

“What’s there to remember?”

taglist. @thegreyjoyed @hayleybarnesx

[qqueenofhades]

-Runs back into the room from having been wrapped up in the Sub Shitshow- context PLEASE on what’s up with Putin!?

Lol okay buckle up:

Yevgeny Prighozin is (well, as of now) one of Putin's closest allies. He is Putin's former chef and now the CEO of Wagner Group, the Russian private army of mercenaries who have spent a decade plundering Africa and destroying Syria in the employ of various terrible local dictators. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Wagner has become one of the Russian army's mainstays, mostly because they're the only ones who seem able to actually do anything. Of course, it did still take them nine months to take Bakhmut, Ukraine's *checks notes* 53rd largest city with very little strategic value, but given what a shitshow the regular Russian army has been, that's good. Or something.

The Russian army is mostly good at destroying dams and bombing civilians, which are obviously terrible for many reasons, but not that useful in the military scheme of things.

However, Wagner are also -- I hasten to stress -- thoroughly terrible people. Aside from all the shit in Africa and Syria, they've done likewise in Ukraine and will continue to do so. Legally speaking, they technically "don't exist," which has allowed them to get around a lot of the usual rules and regulations that are supposed to "bind" (ha) the Russian army. They are obviously in Ukraine directly at Putin's behest and doing Putin's bidding, but it turns out that giving an ambitious and amoral psychopathic warlord his own private army of criminals, rapists, killers, and whoever else they can dredge out of Russia's prisons to throw at the front line and die en masse may not be a good idea?

Shocking, I know.

Anyway, Prigozhin has spent months ripping into the Russian Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, for what a whole shitshow clusterfuck this whole stupid war patently is. (Not, however, that this has stopped him from continuing to eagerly carry it out, since he's just as much or indeed even more of a zealot as the rest of Putin's government.) This has included blaming Shoigu for equipment losses, underprovisioning of Wagner troops, general strategic numbnuttery, etc. Prigozhin has not, however -- again, until now -- attacked Putin directly, or backed off from getting his losers killed in Bakhmut and/or wherever else. One suspects that Putin has been perfectly happy to let Prigozhin scapegoat Shoigu for the war's failures, since this means Shoigu can always just conveniently fall out a window or something if it gets too necessary to make a public show of displeasure, and not Putin.

HOWEVER, things took a turn VERY FAST today, within about 12 hours. Prigozhin has, as noted, spent months tearing the Russian military leadership a new asshole -- not because he's a good guy (he's a fucking war criminal on like, 10 different levels), but because it is plainly obvious what a shitshow this is and even a war criminal has his limits as to how much totally pointless murderous bullshit he wants to go through, I guess. (That includes telling the truth about why the war started -- i.e. to steal Ukrainian stuff/land for the oligarchs, and not any of Putin's other stupid excuses.)

Today (June 23) Prigozhin accused the Russian Ministry of Defense of orchestrating a rocket attack on Wagner's camp in eastern Ukraine (near the Russian border) and causing massive casualties;

We don't have proof of this yet, or indeed much else of what Prigozhin is talking about, BUT he finally decided to put his Coup Hat On and get serious about "punishing" Russian military leadership, i.e. presumably Shoigu, declaring that "there are 25,000 of us [Wagner soldiers] and we're coming into Russia to sort out this chaos"

So -- again, according to Prigozhin, who is not the world's most reliable source on anything -- he turned his army of yoinks around, left Ukraine, and marched into the southwestern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, where the Russian military command in charge of the assault on Ukraine is headquartered;

For a while, there was nothing but Prigozhin's various unhinged rants on Telegram to prove any of this, but it's now early tomorrow morning in Russia and there are indeed a lot of videos of what DOES IN FACT LOOK like Wagner mercenaries rolling into Rostov and storming Ministry of Defense buildings;

Firm information on what is going on is almost nonexistent, even for Russia, but Putin is clearly taking this seriously; Moscow is shut down, there are armored vehicles on the streets, Google is down in Russia, and Russian newscasters are interrupting their broadcasts to insist Don't Look, Everything Is Fine Here, Totally Fine, Do You Hear Swan Lake? I Don't Hear Swan Lake!

Nobody can find Putin either, allegedly, but don't worry! He has been "briefed on the situation and everything is under control!"

The Russian FSB (successor to the KGB) has meanwhile issued a warrant for Prigozhin's arrest, said they'll charge/prosecute him for treason and armed rebellion against the state, and ordered him to stand down/his own men to arrest him

This, uh, does not appear to be working

ANYWAY, Putin's basically fucked no matter how this ends. Wagner literally just led an armed mutiny, he can't feel good about sending his ex-bestie Prigozhin back to Ukraine with any confidence that his orders will continue to be obeyed, it's Russian-on-Russian open war in the streets of Rostov and God knows where else, he's totally lost control of the narrative, the war, the domestic political situation, Wagner, probably good chunks of the Russian military command/elite establishment, etc., and we all know what happens to dictators in Russia who can no longer dictate

(And yet the Russian army is still finding time to lob some missiles at civilian buildings in Kyiv tonight, because they suck).

This is obviously a huge lucky break for Ukraine as well, since if the Russians are busy fighting each other, they can continue to push for a big breakthrough on their counteroffensive.

So yeah. Pride Month really wheeling out the big guns here, after Putin was the top option picked for Lady Karma to do her thing on in my poll a few weeks ago.

Stay tuned.

[glassartpeasants]

How to Love

Eustass Kid/Trafalgar Law x F!Reader

Warnings: angst, fluff, semi-slow burn?, beginnings to chapters are hard </3

A/N: yeah here we are. just wanted to set a light on what the base plan is. Also, this takes place RIGHT after the prologue ends. hopefully, it's good for a first chapter.

music playlist

~~~

Your heart beats harshly against your ribs as the events of only moments ago replay in your mind like a broken record. The images of the two most significant people in your world, your boyfriend and your best friend, betraying you, makes your head spin. It almost feels unreal, like a nightmare instead of reality.

But it wasn’t a dream. It was a harsh reality, a stark contrast to the life you thought you were living.

Instead of waking up next to your boyfriend, you find yourself in a disorienting place: your ex-best friend's ex-boyfriend's car. Random items you managed to grab scattered across the passenger side and on your lap. The smell of Eustass’s cologne, a scent that used to bring comfort, now only added to your heartbreak, still plaguing your nose.

“Thank you, Law. You really didn’t have to.” Despite being almost inaudible, Law still heard you like you were screaming. The tremble in your voice notifies him of his own inability to speak without breaking down.

“It’s fine. Thank you for telling me about (.....)-ya’s infidelity.” The fact you even told him in the first place shocked him. You had known (.....) for years, and she was your best friend, while you only had a class project with him. Given that it was a whole semester-long, you were willing to throw away a friendship just like that. 

“You're a good guy, Law. You don’t deserve to be cheated on. Whether we’re friends or strangers. I would have told you regardless. No one deserves such heartbreak.” Law can see tears slipping down your cheeks out of the corner of his eyes. The fact that you're trying to stay strong after being the one to discover the affair is admirable in a sense. It could also be that you didn’t want him to see you cry. The latter sounds more plausible.

“I'm glad I didn’t delete your number. It would have been awkward if I had tried to catch you at work.” A small, sad chuckle left your lips. The tension in the car was too much, and you needed something to keep your mind distracted so you didn’t start wailing in front of Law.

“That would have been a scene I’m grateful we avoided. I like to keep my private life and work life separate.” 

“I’m the same in a sense. I don’t tell my co-workers much except to recommend shows or movies. I know you're more of a book guy, but have you seen any shows or movies recently?”

“(.....)-ya made me watch a movie the other day. It was a horror movie.”

“Oh. Was it good?”

“No, it was terrible.” You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at Law's cold tone.

“Bad effects, or was it a storyline issue?”

“I could’ve made a better movie with a budget of two dollars.” Even though tears still fall from your eyes against your wishes, Law manages to make you laugh to ease the pain.

“Well, have you read any good books recently?”

“Haven’t had the time.” Law’s admission made your eyes furrow together. You know the medical field could be rough, but there wasn't enough time for him to read?

"The bookworm hasn't read recently? Are you sure you're the real Law?" A small smile tugs at the corner of Law’s lips as he listens to you talk, but even he can only hide the effects of heartbreak for so long.

Whether Law knew it or not, you could see tiny droplets of water gather in his eyes. Seeing him trying to hold it together made it just a bit harder to prevent yourself from breaking down. You grip the seat of his car and try to regulate your breathing. Clenching your teeth together,  you lay your head on the window and look outside. The sudden tap of water hitting the glass makes you jump. You look around and watch as more water droplets start hitting the car. 

“It’s raining. I thought it was supposed to be sunny all day?”

“I thought so, too.” The thick, tense silence rose once again, making it hard to breathe. If there had been enough room, you would have curled yourself up in a ball and cried. But you could do that when you get to...

“Where are we going?”

“My apartment. Just for now.”

“Ah, okay. Do you have any alcohol at your place?”

“Maybe some (.....)-ya left. Why?”

“So we can drink away our sadness.”

“I’m not much of a drinker.” A second silence covers the car.

“So I can drink away our sadness.”

“We’ll see when we get there.”

~~~

Your feet feel heavy as you walk into Law’s apartment. It’s been a while since you’ve been inside it. After the project was finished, you stopped coming over. Law’s busy schedule and your own just didn’t mix. Sometimes, you’d text him to check up on him and ask him how he was doing. He’d take hours or a day to respond, but you never held it against him. He always answered before it had been 48 hours, so it was okay with you.

Looking around his apartment, you see things that hadn’t been there before: some plants, many pictures on the wall, a TV, and some knickknacks you recognize that belong to (.....). The atmosphere was more welcoming than when you first visited Law’s apartment. If an apartment could feel like a hospital waiting room, then that’d be Law’s place before (.....) put her touch on it.

Placing your things near the couch, you take a deep breath as you rub your sternum to try and soothe the pain in your chest. All the pictures of Law and (.....) smiling happily nailed to the walls made your throat go dry. The images of your own apartment clouded your vision as you remembered your own photos with Eustass. Pictures of times when you did matching Halloween costumes, went to concerts together, relaxed at a beach together, or the two of you would just stay home. Every picture held a memory. 

A once cherished memory is now tainted by the image of betrayal. No amount of effort can make that image disappear. Even your happiest memories become blurry when you hear (.....) calling out Eustass's name. It ignites a fiery rage inside you, and seeing (.....)'s face everywhere makes you clench your teeth. You feel like tearing apart every picture of Law and (.....) just to remove her face from your sight. Every bone in your body screams at you to lose control. To destroy everything that reminds you of Eustass and (.....) until it is nothing but microscopic pieces.

But you weren’t home. The home you once had was now lost to time. For now, your ‘home’ depends on whether Law will allow you to stay the night for tonight.

“You can stay the night on the couch for tonight if you want. I have blankets in the closet over there.” You let out an internal breath of relief from Law, answering your question without being asked.

“Thank you, Law. Can I make you dinner or something? Just so I can repay your kindness?” You watch Law lean against the kitchen counter before crossing his arms. His eyes staring out into space.

“I haven’t gone shopping yet this week, so I don’t have much.”

“I’m sure I can craft up something.”

“If you want, then go ahead.” The sound of a ringtone brings a silence to the both of you. You check your phone and see the screen’s black.

“I think it’s yours.” Pulling out his phone from his pocket, you watch Law look at the screen. A frown crosses his face immediately, letting you know the caller. Letting out a heavy sigh, you watch him answer the phone.

“What do you want (.....)-ya?” While you couldn’t understand what she was saying, the tone of her voice was frantic. You could hear sobs coming from the other line. Hearing them pissed you off to hell and back. Didn’t (.....) have a shred of decency? How dare she plead and beg after she committed such an act?

You had to sit on the couch to calm yourself down just so you wouldn’t start screaming at (.....) through the phone. As soon as your body relaxed on the couch, a wave of soreness came over you. It feels as if you’ve been working out for hours on end and only now stopped. Even your eyelids felt heavy as you feel tears starting to form and blur your vision. Trying to breathe normally falls short as you begin to hyperventilate. Your lungs burn as you can feel your throat constricting. It feels like you're swallowing your heart just to keep yourself quiet.

“I meant what I said (.....)-ya. I’m breaking up with you, and that’s final. You can come get your things tomorrow afternoon.” Hearing Law’s voice helped soothe a part of your aching soul. Hearing something other than your own ragged breathing helped calm down the streams of tears that were flowing down your face.

“I’m done talking with you (.....)-ya. Goodbye.” The sound of Law’s calls ending made you rub your face, trying to hide the tears that plagued you seconds ago.

“Your more civil than I would have been. I probably wouldn’t have even picked up her call.” Your voice cracked as you tried to let out a small laugh.

“She was asking me for a ride. Apparently, her and Eustass got in a fight, and he threw her out in the rain.” Scoffing in disbelief, you turn your head to look at Law, hoping he wouldn’t notice your puffy eyes.

“She asked you for a ride after cheating on you? Serves her right, getting thrown in the rain. Hope she gets a cold.” You can see Law’s body tremble and how he bites his lip. His eyes get glassy as he looks at the ceiling.

“Fucking a man.” Even from across the room, you can hear Law whispering to himself. You hated seeing him like this. Watching someone you care about hurt only adds to the pain you feel.

“Hey…do you wanna watch something to get our minds off them?”

“I should go back to work. They probably need me.” You let out a hum, hearing his words. A slight feeling of rejection crosses your mind, but you're quick to shake it off. The last thing you wanted was to make him uncomfortable. And if he was the type to work away his feelings, who were you to stop him?

“Well, drive safe. It sounds like the rain is hitting harder.” The sound of rain beating against the windows of Law’s apartment was finally acknowledged. Its beat almost matched Law’s own heartbeat as he thought about the phone call only minutes ago.

Hearing (.....)’s voice felt like nails on a chalkboard as she tried to explain what happened. The voice that once calmed his aching heart was now the reason it hurt. It was astonishing how fast his whole world flipped upside down. Earlier today, he couldn’t wait to come home and see (.....) and have her talk to him about her day. But now, instead of (.....) smiling at him, you were sitting on his couch with puffy eyes.

The way he could hear the tremble in your voice and how the light shined against the path of tears left on your face made his own wave of emotions try to surface. Even if he could tell you were trying hard to hold them back, he could see tears collect against your eyelashes. The sight had tears accumulating in his own eyes, making him look up at the ceiling to try and stop them. He didn’t need to show how bad (.....)’s betrayal has affected him. At least not in front of you.

Sure, you guys were going through the same thing together, but it wouldn’t help him or you if he let his own emotions out. It’d just be easier to shove them down, ignore them, and work until the pain left. He’s done it before, so he can do it again. 

“Um, Law?” Looking back down, he sees you standing in front of him. You refuse to meet his eyes as you fiddle with the bottom of your shirt.

“Yeah?”

“Can I hug you?” Law felt his heart skip a beat hearing your request. A part of him told himself no that he’d break down the moment you wrapped your arms around him. Yet, the voice of someone he used to know told him something different.

“Okay.” As soon as the words left his lips, he felt your body smushed up against his. Your arms held him in a tight embrace as the sound of your hushed sniffles made Law finally cave. Wrapping his own arms around you, a sense of comfort filled him. The feeling of being cared for once again was nice yet terrifying. As soon as the feeling would come, it’d leave just as fast.

But for now, he’ll indulge in your hold.

~~~

The blanket that wrapped around you did little to replicate Law’s hug. Sure, you were warm, but it wasn’t the same. It reminded you of how alone you were. You had no family in this city, and your only friends were (.....) and Law, but you wouldn’t count him as an option due to the current predicament. It felt like you were running in circles with every idea that popped into your head. Always leading to a dead end and making you start all over again.

You couldn’t go back home. It’d take you around three to four hours to drive there! Plus, you didn’t leave on a good note with your parents when you left for college. And if their last words to you were anything to go by, they didn’t want you back. You shake your head at the thought of your parents.

“No. No need to drag myself down even more thinking about them.” Slithering your hand out of your blanket cocoon, you grab your phone that was on your right. The black screen stared at you as it showed your reflection. Eyes red from tears earlier and a cut lip from biting on it so hard earlier.

A ding echoes across the empty apartment as the phone's black screen soon turns on. The quick flash makes your eyes burn before squinting to try and get used to the brightness. Once adjusted, you see a message from Law hiding in your notification bar.

-“I need a favor from you.”

-“Sure, what ya need?”

-“(.....)-ya is supposed to be getting her things this morning. I want you to make sure she takes everything and leaves her key in the dish by the door.”

A frown skims across your face as the thought of seeing (.....)’s face makes your stomach churn. It’s only been a day, and you're already forced to see her face? At the same time, Law did allow you to stay the night last night. So, despite your distaste for seeing (.....), you agreed.

-“Will do. Can count on me :)”

-“Thanks.”

-“How’s working going so far?”

-“Fine.”

-“That's good”

The urge to ask him what his plans were with you after you did him this favor ate at your conscience as soon as you sent that last text. Law was really the only one whose place you felt safe enough to sleep at. And he’s the only person you have in the entire city. You didn’t have a license since a lot of things were always within walking distance, so you never had a reason to. 

But now, you were on the complete other side of the city. What used to be a five-minute walk to your job now would take at least thirty minutes. You had no idea where anything was on this side of the city. Sure, you and Law would go grab an energy drink from the gas station when the two of you worked the night away on that old project, but that was two years ago. Who knows? Maybe that gas station doesn’t even exist anymore!

“Do you go here a lot?”

“To buy an energy drink and coffee every now and then.” The sound of small pebbles crunching under your and Law’s shoes goes unnoticed as you walk next to him.

“Okay, so every day then?” A laugh escapes your lips as Law rolls his eyes, yet a small smile plays against his lips.

“This gas station is the only place that sells my favorite one.”

“Which is?”

“Can’t tell you. What if you take it?” A smirk appears on his lips as he puts his hands in his pockets. Scoffing, you place your hand on your chest in fake offense.

“I can’t believe you’d think so lowly of me. Stealing your beloved drink? Only a monster could be so heartless!” Hearing Law let out a chuckle from your words made a heavy feeling of confidence run through your veins. He was always relatively quiet when in class, so it was nice to see him show emotion other than ‘bored.’

“How much farther? I’m dying to know the favorite drink of the future best doctor in the world.” A faint pink tints Law’s skin as he tries to look away from you, hoping you don’t see what your comment did to him.

“You really think so?” Despite trying to copy your playful tone, you can hear his self-doubt and hopefulness that your words were true.

“I know so! No one works harder than you! If anyone says otherwise, tell me and I’ll kick their ass.” Law could feel his palms grow sweaty, and his heart beat a little faster. 

Sure, he’s gotten praise from his teacher, but hearing it come from someone he had just met and barely knew felt a little more sincere? Why, he didn’t know, but he won’t complain.

“Will do.”

KNOCK KNOCK

The sound of light knowing pulls you from your memories. Looking up at the clock, you see it’s nearly three pm. You sigh as you shed the multiple layers of blankets you were snuggled in. The rage and anger from yesterday are still strong in your system, making you clench your fists. You walk towards the door when you hear your fingers popping from the sheer force. Unlocking it, you take a deep breath before fully opening it.

In front of you stood a very unkempt (.....). Her hair was in a messy ponytail, accompanied by red eyes and a red face. Makeup from the night before was still applied to her skin as mascara streaked down her face. Your eyes even caught the barely covered hickeys and bite marks that shined through her concealer.

“(Y-Y/N)?...Why are you…Where’s Law?” Her pitiful voice made you squeeze the doorknob tighter to try and calm yourself.

“He’s at work. Not that it’s any of your business, but he was kind enough to let me spend the night.” Your eyes narrowed at her as you couldn’t help but glare daggers at the marks on her neck. Noticing your stare, (.....) moved her shoulder to cover her neck.

“I see…” You move to let her in and shut the door behind her. She lets out a shaky breath before beginning to take down the multiple pictures hanging along the wall. The sound of sniffles hits your ears as you watch her grab the frames with shaky hands. Listening to her hold back tears made you struggle to hold your own.

How could she have done this? Years of friendship only to throw it away for some dick? Did you mean so little to her? You’ve been with her for everything! Breakups, grandparents passing, getting in trouble together, anything and everything you’ve done for her! If she needed a kidney transplant, you would’ve volunteered right away!

Now, seeing how a friendship can easily be thrown away like trash after years made bitterness fill your heart. If your best friend and boyfriend could betray you without so much of a second thought, what does that say about the strangers all around you?

What does that say about you? Did you do something to deserve this? Was (.....) mad at you and thought fucking your lover would get back at you? There had to be a reason. To be an explanation for the horror you saw yesterday. Maybe after a drink or two after (.....) leaves will calm you down.

~~~

“You got everything?”

“Yeah.” Just as she was about to walk out the door, you remembered that she still hadn't given you the key.

“I need the apartment key.” Putting your hand out, you move your eyes to your hand and back at her.

“I-I don’t have it.” Furrowing your brows, you sigh.

“Don’t bullshit me. I’ve known you for years, and I know when you lie. Now give me the goddamn keys (.....).” You watch (.....) bite her lip before digging into her jacket pocket. The light shined off the key as she gently put it in your hands.

“Can you say goodbye to Bepo for me?” Confusion hit you like a train at her request.

“What the hell are-you know what? Fine. I’ll say bye.”

“Thanks.” Closing the door, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. After locking the door behind her, you placed her old key in the dish Law has near the door for his keys. (.....) request puzzled you as you tried to think of what she was talking about.

“What the hell is a Bepo?”

Just then, a light pitter-patter echos in the apartment. Your heart stops as the sound gets closer. There shouldn’t be anyone else in the apartment but you. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you try to move quietly towards the kitchen to grab something to defend yourself.

“Meow!” You stop in your tracks upon hearing that noise. Embarrassment floods your body as you move even closer to the noise. Upon turning the corner, you see a white cat walking in your direction. A big white cat.

“Can’t believe I got spooked by a damn cat. Didn’t even know Law had a cat…a fatass one nonetheless.” Bending down, you move your hand to let the cat smell you. A smile appears on your face when it rubs against you.

“Hmm? What’s this?” Moving the fluff from his neck, you see a collar with a tag. Squinting your eyes, you finally see the name engraved on the tag.

“Ohhh…your Bepo! Well, aren’t you a cutie-pie?” With (.....) 's request finally making sense, you fight to actually fulfill it. With a sigh, you pick up Bepo and hold him gently. 

“Let’s send your dad a selfie. I think he’ll appreciate it.” You go to the couch, pick up your phone, and find the right angle for the picture. When you find the right spot, you smile as Bepo rubs his head against your face.

“Say cheese!”

~~~

It’d been a long day at the hospital. It felt like nothing went right. Sure, he put in his all, but he had to tell people how they were diagnosed with a terminal illness or dealing with dumb co-workers. The only good thing today did for him was keep (.....) out of his head. But now that work was over, the nagging thoughts could finally bother him once more.

Sighing as he unlocked his apartment door, he was immediately hit with the smell of something cooking. Whatever it was, it smelled good, and he was happy that he didn’t have to make anything tonight. When he went to put his keys in the dish designated for them, he saw (.....)’s key lying in the middle. A wave of relief washed over him as he finished taking off his shoes and coat.

“Oh, Law, are you home?” Your voice rings in his ears as he walks further into his apartment. He spots you setting up the table while humming to yourself.

“Yeah, I’m back. Did you make something?”

“Well, you’ve been at work for sixteen hours, so obviously, you should be hungry! Not to mention that you deserved a home-cooked meal after working so hard.” Moving closer to the dinner table, he sees a plate of grilled fish along with a can of what looks to be sparkling water. The smell of his favorite food drew him closer, and he felt a sense of calm filled him. It’d be the second night in a row you made him dinner.

“Where did you get the fish? I don’t remember having any?”

“Oh, after (.....) took her stuff and left, I used GPS to find a store nearby, and there was an organic type of food store only two blocks away! So I went shopping and got things! Except for beverages, so I stopped by the gas station we used to go to and got sparkling water 'cause you don’t drink and no way you’d drink an energy boost at eight pm.” You continued talking, but it was lost on Law’s ears as he stared at the set-up table. The fact you put yourself to go grocery shopping and making him dinner made his sour mood from only moments ago lighten.

“Thank you.” As he moves to wash his hands in the sink, he sees his beloved cat following you and purring.

“I see you’ve met Bepo.” Upon speaking, the cat changed his attention to Law. Bepo begins to meow as he prances towards Law’s feet before rubbing against them. Leaning down, Law gives him a few pets before washing his hands.

“I didn’t even know you had a cat. Did you just get him?”

“No. I’ve had him for almost a year and a half. Why?” He watches you lift your eyebrows and look at Bepo before looking back at Law.

“What?”

“Law. Do you see how big that cat is?” Despite just washing his hands, Law picks up Bepo and holds him in his arms.

“What about it? He’s growing.”

“That cat is obese. He needs a diet.”

“Bepo is perfect the way he is.” You couldn’t help but giggle as you watched him hold Bepo protectively and away from you.

“You can be delusional all you want, but come eat before the food gets cold.” Turning your back, you begin to dish up after washing your hands. You can hear Law rewashing his own before sitting on the opposite side of the table.

As awkward as it may be, the presence of one another brings a slight calm to your new chaotic world.

~~~

TAGLIST: @yuki190 @stachelrose @loraleiii @axcel-lucci @st4rfevrr @rexspersonalhell @nanapurinpurin @elen-alambil @starlightkitten19 @bby-deerling @queenofthekill @chaes-tea @emmaiscool22 @shuujin @augustanna @likeliterallywtf @iraaiitz @cherrybomb5000 @lavenderkaye106 @jabean @wrennyx @jamaicaa-blakee @ashortdork @kat2tired @nerdgeekandeverysweet-blog @getsue @kaptain-rebekah @reigenmagnet @rebeccawinters @keenzinemugstudent @mydearlybeloathed @firefistussy @throne-inmyside @littleleelee @thepurpleempath @yuji4lierrr @whodissbitj @slut-for-buck i hope i got everyone and if i didn't im sorry. I tried writing everyone's names

[ameliaenya404]

Breathe.

The beat of your heart was all you could hear. Fingers tapping against the kitchen counter as you tried to regulate your breathing. Nausea settling in the pit of your stomach and making a home there. You could hear the birds singing outside the open kitchen window. Could smell the scent of the flowers in the backyard. You couldn't see much as your eyes were squeezed shut but you felt the cool marble of the counter beneath the tips of your fingers as you mentally counted.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

'That's a box, now do it again dove'

Keigo's voice echoed through your mind, instructions from the countless times he'd coached you through your anxiety. He wasn't here but you had his voice with you always.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Aga- your eyes snapped open when you heard the front door open. Not even able to turn before strong warm arms wrapped around your waist and a kiss was pressed to your temple. Oh. Right. The feather. Your hand raised to gently touch the necklace you had on with one of his crimson feathers attached. He could probably sense your stress and increased heart rate through it.

"Don't stop yet baby bird, keep going." He cooed softly, his warm breath against your neck. So you did. You closed your eyes again, taking deep breaths until the nausea dissipated. His palms ran up and down your waist soothingly while he patiently waited for you to gather your bearings.

"Welcome home Kei,"

Dedicated to all my beautiful mutuals. Hugs and kisses. <3

[ericshoney]

Too Noisy ~ Sturniolo triplets

Warnings: noise sensory, overstimulated, noise senstive!reader, implied autistic/adhd!reader, overwhelmed, sensory processing disorder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was supposed to be a fun day with three of your best friends. Nick, Matt and Chris wanted to spend some time with you as the four of you haven't had much time together recently. They also knew how you were struggling to regulate and how overwhelmed with work you had been.

They told you to be ready by ten, so you could spend all day together doing different stuff and you had even planned to sleep over at their place that night.

So here you were, standing outside your house waiting for the three boys to arrive. A few minutes went by and you saw the familiar car pull up.

“Hey kid!” Chris shouted from his opened window.

You waved, the shouting not bothering you too much as he wasn’t right next to you. You climbed in the back of the car next to Nick, the eldest giving you a high five.

“Where we going?” You asked as Matt started driving again.

“We thought breakfast first and then see what we feel.” Nick answered.

You nodded as Chris turned up the music. You flinched slightly at the sudden rise of noise.

“Chris turn it down a bit.” Nick said, noticing your sudden flinch.

“Sorry!” He apologised quickly, turning it down a bit.

You smiled as it got to a better level for you. The guys knew about your sensory needs and didn’t judge and did their best to help and support you.

When you arrived at Denny’s, which was the place you all agreed to eat at, you noticed a few cars but it didn’t seem busy so that made you happy.

You all headed inside and found a table at the back, you choosing to sit next to Matt. You started to look at the menu wondering what to eat, but it wasn’t hard as you always went with the same thing.

After you had all ordered, you listened to the guys joke and Chris shout about the food as Nick told him to be quiet. You smiled until you saw a family walk in with a baby. It wasn’t that you hated babies, just the noise.

You thought maybe they wouldn’t be sitting near you, but they did, right behind you. You heard the baby whine and whimper slightly and you hoped it wouldn’t get worse.

But it did.

As the four of you ate, all you could hear was the baby screaming. It made you cringe and flinch every time. The guys noticed your reaction and Chris even got up to ask if there was any for them to take the baby out, the family was very apologetic but it didn’t help.

“Hey sweetheart, come on.” Matt said, gently taking your hand and pulling you outside.

Nick and Chris paid for everything as Matt too you to the car, holding you gently as he sat in the back with you.

“Too loud.” You mumbled.

“I know, kid. It’s okay it’s quiet now.” He replied gently.

Matt rubbed your back, whispering to you as Nick and Chris came back, both being quiet in case it made you more upset.

“How about we go to Target and get loads of sweets and drinks and have a movie day?” Nick suggested.

You nodded as he got in next to you, Matt getting in the front with Chris. You curled up as it was quiet in the car.

“Sorry.” You whispered.

“No kid don’t be sorry it’s not your fault.” Chris said.

“Yeah, you can’t help it and we’re here to help you okay.” Matt replied.

“We don’t wanna deal with a screaming baby either.” Nick added making you laugh.

You smiled and knew the rest of the day would be good.

[partscityaustralia]

New Front Window Regulator For Nissan X-TRAIL T30 2001-2007

NISSAN X-TRAIL T30 FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR LEFT HAND SIDE 2001-2007, Features :✓ Brand New✓ Genuine Window Regulator Nissan X-TRAIL T30✓ Quality Guarantee✓ First Shipping✓ Warranty✓ Original Aftermarket Parts ; Fits The Following Cars : NISSAN X-TRAIL T30

[cry4mina]

Take Me Back to Eden - Part 6 - Vore

(Mina x fem!reader) (Nayeon x Fem!reader)

Take Me Back to Eden - Choke Hold - Part 1

Take Me Back to Eden - Granite - Part 2

Take Me Back to Eden - Aqua Regia - Part 3

Take Me Back to Eden - Ascensionism - Part 4

Take Me Back to Eden - The Apparition - Part 5

Take Me Back to Eden - The Apparition - Part 5.5

Word Count: 11.4k

Fluff/Smut/Angst

Summary: Reader and Mina seem to be getting closer with each other and Nayeon doesn't seem to like that too much.

TW: Cute fluffy shit, Sex, abusive themes, violence, weapons. (Kinda want this one to be a little bit of a surprise, so if you would like a list of detailed trigger warnings, please DM me! <3)

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has requested more of this story, it really makes me so happy to know you all enjoy it! I also hit 300 followers! OMG THANK YOU ALL<3 Thank you for following and keeping up with my silly little stories and yapping with me! I appreciate every single one of you!<3 Thanks to the moots for keeping me sane will I wrote this cuz I was having a TIME. Anyways, love you mean it<3 Feedback always welcome and I hope you have a great day! ~*virtual forehead kiss*~

_

Sirens ring out as they approach your building, flashing lights almost blinding as they whip into the parking lot. Mina has you wrapped in a blanket, holding you closely and using her body as a shield from the outside world. Attempting to keep you calm as the officers walk to the door, checking the situation out and getting a feel for what was happening. 

Mina takes your face lightly into her hands, one placed on each cheek trying to get your attention, seeing the lack of presence in your eyes, she takes control of the situation. Unsure of what Nayeon was capable of. You were honestly scared of her and whatever was coming next. 

“Hey…” softly stated, bringing you back to her soft brown eyes as she let out a small smile. 

“I’m going to go and let them know what happened here, okay?” Tilting her head as she looks into you, trying to gauge how present you were for her. The state of shock is blatantly on your face as you look over to the broken window and see the police officers pointing something out on the ground to each other. 

“Hey…hey, look at me.” Delicately bringing your attention back to her, hands still present on your face as she continues. “I will be right back, okay?” 

Hands reaching up to grab Mina’s forearms rigidly before she takes her first step towards the door, fear rings through your heart knowing that Nayeon knew exactly where you lived. 

“I know…don’t worry, we will figure this out, okay?” calmly reassuring you before she speaks with the officers about what took place. They’re definitely going to want to talk to you before they leave but you find yourself slightly rocking back and forth on the couch, attempting to self regulate as all of this chaos is happening around you. 

Time stood still as you thought about how Nayeon would have known where you and Mina were. She knows where Mina lives, of course, but how did she know where your new apartment was? Could she have followed you? 

The realization hit you like a ton of bricks when your brain connected the dots; you never shut your location for her off. Getting up with a sense of urgency to grab your phone, you immediately sit back down. Quickly scrolling through the contacts to find Nayeon and turning the location off. Noticing that hers was still on and that she was pulling into the apartment complex you used to share. 

“That fucking bitch” said loudly enough for Mina to hear, side eyeing you while continuing to speak to the officer. The uniform, noticing that you were in distress on the couch, points over to you saying something to Mina as she nods her head and starts to walk over to you. 

Squatting down in front of you, maneuvering herself so she could meet your gaze as she rests one hand on your knee, lightly grips your hand with the other. Slowly focusing your eyes as she comes into view, a petite grin forms on her face again. 

“Hey honey, they want to ask you some questions now…are you up for that?” searching for hints of discomfort as she inquires on what you’re comfortable with, lightly running her hand up to your thigh. 

“I-…” peering up at her as she continues to rub your thigh, causing you to turn a special shade of red, you settle for just nodding your head yes instead of stumbling over your words. 

A gummy smile returned to you, sitting next to you before nodding her head to the officer across the room. He walks over to you, looks you up and down before asking the normal questions you would expect. 

“Did you see who did this?” Husked in a southern accent, pen and notepad in his hands as he looks over the rim of his glasses down at you. 

“No, I didn’t” shakiness present in your voice. 

Mina notices this and skims her hand on your upper back, body facing you with her legs crossed. Studying your body language as you continue speaking to the officer, giving you a sense of safety.  

“This ex-girlfriend of yours, has she had anger issues in the past?” Voice scratching against your memory as you plummet into dread trying to remember any tense moments you might’ve had with Nayeon before she betrayed you in the foulest of ways.

“Sir, we spent 3 years together and she was cheating on me the entire time, I just found out about it a month ago so to be fully transparent, I don’t know who she is…and I sure as hell don’t know what she’s capable of.” Leg bouncing as your voice emits dismay and fragility, arms enclosing your own body in an act of protection and defense. 

“Does she know where you live?” Concern coating his voice throwing hot coals into your ears as you try to keep from grieving in front of this stranger in your new home, and Mina. 

“Yes.” Faintly leaves your mouth as you look down at your lap,scratching the sides of your fingers, avoiding eye contact with anyone around you as you start to shut down. 

“Did you tell her where you live?” now obviously frustrated by the answer given.

Mina's eyes snapped up to him as she stood defensively in front of you, “don’t take that tone with her, she obviously wouldn’t tell her where she lived.” 

“She had my location on her phone. We did that years ago…I forgot until this. It’s off now.” Emotions absent from your voice as your eyes start to unfocus under the stress and implications of intentionality from the officer. 

“Do you have her address? We'd like to speak to her.” Officer now taking things a little more seriously. Mina, realizing you aren’t present, takes over the conversation and gives him the address of your old apartment. 

The sound of her saying your old address rings in your ears. The happiness that used to live there, no longer present. Thinking about what happened in that place makes your stomach churn, boiling through the lining as it rips from her mouth. Eyes brimming with the falsity of the emotions you felt so deeply in those walls. They are now stained in the blood from the knife Nayeon slid across your throat. 

Mina is too sacred to know the location of that cold hell you lived in, unknowingly sitting in the iced flames as life burned down around you, freezing your warmth and removing it from your body. A soul crushing, earth shattering ache exists where the frost bite gnawed the hole through your chest. 

 The officer walks out of your apartment and informs the other two cops of the details he just received. They shake their heads and nod as the officer you just spoke to points and waves with his hands, seemingly creating a plan when he gets in his car with his partner and speeding off, leaving one of them there to speak with you of what the evidence found. 

“There are footprints under the window to the living room, unfortunately they’re not clear enough to take an impression. There doesn't seem to be any handprints or fingerprints on anything, so we will update you with any new information we find. We are going to have an officer in their squad car outside for the night, should anything suspicious happen, we will handle it.” 

“Thank you.” Mina politely says while the officer walks away, still handling things for you while you’re in emotional paralysis and completely checked out. 

This was a brand new feeling for you, something very strange seeped into your pores, distorting your sense of reality. Appendages made of stone as you stilled, descending into the void of your psyche. 

Hazy thoughts coated in fear rise into your mind’s eye. A tornado of grief, guilt, and fear rotate around in absolute madness causing the earth to quake within your skin. Arm hair raising at the action of your home being violated by an unwelcome energy, another betrayal from someone once so close to you, now simply a stranger in your heart. 

Mina watched as your eyes unfocused, the way your shoulders rose, arms crossing your chest as your body withdrew inward. She promptly started attempting to remove the stressors one by one.

“Do you have any boxes? And some tape? Packing tape or duct tape preferred” walking to the kitchen, avoiding the glass, to sift through the recycling. You cling to her every movement as she pulls out a flat piece of cardboard, cuts it to size, and lays it over the window to cover the shattered hole.

“Y/n?…do you have any tape?” patiently waiting for you to hear her, knowing how overwhelming this situation must be, especially after what happened at the restaurant. She was learning how to show up for you, but somehow she already knew the best ways to do so.

“Oh! Uhm, sorry…” running to the junk drawer, almost robotic in your movements and absentmindedly forgetting about the glass on the floor. You step right into it without even noticing. So dissociated that it doesn’t even phase you, continuing what you set out to do and trialing a small bloody pattern along the way.

Pull the drawer open. 

Grab the tape. 

Hand tape to Mina.

Wait for further instruction.

Listing the steps as your brain gave you orders, autopiloting its way through the tasks given, completely separating logic and emotion. 

A troubled look on her face as she quickly fastened the cardboard. Disbelief washes over her for a split second. Standing in front of you who just stepped on a very visible pile of broken glass with no wince, sense of pain, or idea of what you just did. 

“Do you have a first aid kit?” a dash of panic present in her tone, eye searching for clues to where it could be. 

Another instruction. 

First aid kit.

Cabinet under the sink. 

Almost like setting coordinates, your muscular system takes the data and converts the math into movements. Taking a step towards the sink when a cold hand grabs your upper arm tightly. 

Malfunction. 

Short circuit. 

Cannot complete assigned task.

“Wait, wait, wait” firm grip keeps you still, hardware unable to comprehend the sudden stop.

“You stay here, I’ll go get it. Where is it?” sternly stated as she steps in front of you, now waiting for your directions.

Pointing to the cabinet under the sink, she rushes to grab the plastic container full of supplies out, setting them on the island in the kitchen.

“Up here,” patting the counter. Hoisting yourself up to sit, she pulls your sock off gently and assesses the injury you inadvertently caused yourself. 

“This doesn’t look too bad,” grabbing the tweezers and pulling the glass out of the sole onto a piece of gauze, double checking to make sure she got it all. Mina disinfects the wound while you giggle at the coldness and texture of the alcohol soaked towelette. 

“Are you ticklish?” mischievous look in her eyes after learning the new information not knowing that this level of care was bringing you back to a state of cognisense. 

“I might be.” A smile returned as she refocuses herself on placing the gauze on your foot and wrapping it gently and meticulously.

“There…should be good, but stay put for a moment” ordered back to you as she finds your broom in the pantry and sweeps up the sharp slabs of glass. The sound of the glass scraping against the tile echoes through the kitchen, the clatter of the dust pan on the floor wakes you up a little more from your numbing haze. 

Mina throws the shatter reminisce of the window away and quickly reaches for the cleaner under the sink and a paper towel, carefully wiping the blood off the floor, making sure she doesn’t miss a single splotch before bringing her attention back to you.

“Thank you, Dr. Myoui…for the house visit, are all your patients lucky enough to receive this kind of care from you?” Bashfully smirking in her direction, acknowledging that this was more than a bandage and some cleaning.

“Dr. Myoui is my father, Y/n.” Playfully biting back, fighting a grin before leering at the floor to make sure the hazard was taken care of, then being sure to put everything back where it belonged as she tidied up the kitchen.

She looks up at you with honeyed eyes, fixing her waist between your knees, placing her hands around your waist. Your bodies pressed together, resting your heads on each other's shoulders, relaxing into her and just enjoying the calmness after the storm.

“Hey, Mina…” almost silent in volume, hesitating to make your request.

“Would you…stay with me tonight?” muttered into her hair, your back unclenching in her touch. 

Mina pulls away, reaching up, lifting your chin with her pointer finger to encourage eye contact again. She’s made of literal magic when she does this. Your stomach cages every butterfly you’ve ever witnessed at her touch. 

Mina’s finger is still under your chin as she kisses you gently. Admiring your features before giving you the answer that you already knew you had.  

“Of course I’ll stay with you” 

—

The bedroom is dark and cold, rain lightly tapping on the window adding to the relaxing state you find yourself in. Absorbing the safety Mina seems to bring with her everywhere she goes. 

Even in one of your old oversized shirts that was so long on her- it was mid thigh, and barefaced, she’s effervescent and elegant as ever.

Laying in bed next to her was a surreal feeling. It felt so natural for her to hold you, both arms wrapped around you, running her fingers down your arm as you rested your head on her chest.

“Y/n?…are you awake?” Lightly spoken into the shadows of the room. 

“Yeah…I’m so comfortable but I can’t seem to keep my eyes closed for longer than a minute” mumbled back. 

“Can I ask you what that dream you had was about?” curiously flows as her hand runs up your back. 

“It was a nightmare. I couldn’t talk or scream or anything. My teeth fell out. Nayeon’s face melted off and she threw me off a cliff into the ocean by my neck…you were there too but you were…glowing? I don’t really know what it means” vulnerability dripping off your jowls as you continue on.

“It was definitely overwhelming…especially with the police and stuff after.” Twisting her shirt in between your fingers, listening to her even heartbeat pace quicken against your ear while you fidget with the cloth..

“I did like what happened in between the dream and the window though…that was nice, but a little unexpected.” Chuckling to yourself.

“Can I be honest?” Mina says hesitantly with a smile, the contradiction of her actions and words confusing, her heartbeat raising again. It’s almost pounding out of her chest as she tells you the whole truth. 

“I…have actually had a crush on you since I met you. I always thought you were so kind and loving, and I mean look at you, you’re stunning. I feel lucky to even have spent any amount of time with you.” 

Astonished at what Mina has just said, you lift your head up to look her in the eyes.

“Really?” 

“I mean yeah…you’re great.” meaningfully spoken with a hint of nervousness, her heart pounding against her skin as she confesses the yearning she’s experienced surrounding you. 

“I feel like this is all happening so fast but…I don’t want it to stop…I don’t think I’ve ever felt this safe before.” you comfortably say without any fear or doubt. 

“It doesn’t have to, as long as you’re comfortable…I know there’s a lot happening right now so if you’d rather take it slow, we can do that. I’m patient…and I don’t want to rush into anything that you aren’t ready for.” a small sense of panic rushes over Mina, you can taste it in her words. 

“Or if you don’t want to…be anything but friends, we can do that too. I just…really like being around you and the time we spent together today, even with all the craz-'' cutting her off with a passionate kiss, running your fingers up her sculpted abs, other hand firmly placed on her neck, leaning into the moment. Your body finds comfort in her touch. 

One passionate kiss, turns into two and slowly dances into where you left off on the couch earlier in the night. Shirts flying across the room, this time with no bras to unclasp, tongues dancing effortlessly and in sync like Mina was always the one this was supposed to happen with. 

Both of you in only underwear, heavily making out. Hands create maps on each other's bodies, exploring the new territory. Mina breaks the kiss, trailing her lips down your neck to your breasts. 

“You can leave marks,” you huff between stimuli as she lightly digs her teeth into your chest. A small whine leaves your lips triggering her to look up at you, eyes half lidded with a lazy smirk.

“Not this time, baby.” between the small feathery bites as she takes one of your nipples in her mouth, softly pinch the other one, eliciting more airy gasps. Your hips start to grind against nothing under Mina’s touch, completely losing yourself in it.   

Her right hand chases the rocking of your hips, playing with the elastic band hugging your skin. Hooking a long delicate finger into it and stretching it up, mouth still swirling on your chest in tandem. 

“Can I…?” playfully snapping the band against your skin, sighing into the sting it brought with it. 

“Please” sheerly leaves your lips. She wastes no time, swiftly removing the blockade of fabric from your body, taking in the sight of you lifting your hips for her desperately to feel some form of contact.  

“Are you really this excited for me?” whispered into your skin, side eyeing the glistening of your upper thighs and the damp spot already forming on the sheets underneath you. You are too ready and willing to even reply. 

“Look at how wet you are…did she make you wet like this too or is this all for me?” swiping her fingers upwards from your entrance to your clit. Her eyes are blown out with lust, basking in the sounds you’re making and how you’re twitching at the minimal touch she gave you.

A string of your slick connects the two of you as she pulls her hand away, giving her fingers one lick and humming at the taste of you before taking her place between your legs, caressing up your thighs with her lips, placing open mouthed kisses that leave you attempting to rut into her. 

Feeling her hot breath against you makes you drip. Scooting closer to her, hips first, aching for her in a way that was unfamiliar. The sense of neediness you had for her was unmatched. 

No one has ever made you want it more than Myoui Mina. 

Wrapping her arms behind your thighs, holding you in place, and sweetly kisses from your hip bones down to your core. 

Slowly sweeping her tongue from your entrance to your clit in the same pattern her finger did. Eyes darkening as she starts to tease with different rhythms and patterns, not allowing you to build your arousal too quickly underneath her. 

“Tell me, baby, how badly do you want this?” cooed into you. She starts to form a regular beat of dragging her tongue across your clit. 

“I need you so b-bad, -ungh, right there- ” unaware of what you were even saying. A devious smirk creeps over your naked body, Mina’s lips not leaving your clit as she builds on the pleasure you were feeling, teasing your entrance with the tip of her finger. 

Carefully sliding a finger into you and curling up, continuing the pattern that causes you to twitch underneath her touch, moaning into the shadows of the room loudly for her to hear. You’re sure the neighbors would know her name by the end of this.

Her dainty frame covering your legs, looking effortlessly elegant in the mess created. She slowly picks up the speed of her fingers and tongue. Complete ecstasy rising within you while your mind focuses on the pure pleasure Mina is giving to you. 

“Mina…I’m gonna -right there right there, fuck-“ ripping from your chest as she sweetly pulls the orgasm from your body. Letting you ride it out in her hands, watching as you buck your hips down on her fingers while making sure not to waste a single drop of you. 

“Wow, so desperate for me…couldn’t keep still, huh?” Teasingly with a devilish smirk as she reaches up to lay her lips on yours. Your own taste floods your mouth, tongues re-familiarizing themselves. The way she melts into you is unmatched. 

Mina breaks the kiss and brings her hand to place it around your neck, squeezing softly just to see your reaction. Moaning for her and halfway chasing her lips again, she chuckles and sighs. 

“Don’t worry, we will have time to explore that together too…you’ve had a hard day, honey, maybe it’s time to get some rest?” laying next to you and draping her arms around you so she can hold you close. Tracing patterns on your back and weaving your legs between hers, drifting in and out of sleep. Mina draws little hearts on your back as if they’re little notes of encouragement to drift off.

—

Stirring in your sleep, the sound of a phone vibrating on the nightstand wakes you. Flipping over to readjust, trying to fall back asleep when you hear Mina breath in sharply and stretch. 

A slap on the nightstand, she grabs her phone, half grumbling as she stands and saunters out of the room to answer it. 

“Hello?” Sleepily spoken, you smile at how cute she is. 

“What?!” The shock laced word spills into the empty living room while you fade in and out of sleep, trying to fight your eyes so you can hear the rest of the conversation or maybe get a hint as to what was going on, but you failed miserably, slipping off into the dreamscape once more. 

—

“Y/n…wake up, my love” whispered to you from mere inches away. Your eyes flutter open, looking next to you seeing the morning sun casting its beautiful rays onto Mina’s face. She brings her finger up your cheekbone and moves a piece of your hair out of your face, tucking it behind your ear.

Radiant as ever laying next to you, sheets covering up to her hips, exposing the rest of her body, your breath hitching at the sight. She studies your face diligently, taking in every inch of detail of you. 

Grumpiness is apparent in your face, frowning at how far away she is from you. You scoot into her chest, closing your eyes again, and nuzzling into her. The skin on skin contact causes a flurry of giggles to erupt out of that same chest you found comfort in. 

“You’re too cute like this,” softly running her fingers through your hair. You slowly wake in her arms smiling at the pure hearted person. She peppers your face with kisses to wake you up a little faster even though it just makes you want to stay in bed with her all day. 

“I heard your phone ring earlier and part of the conversation you had…is everything okay?” concerned tone in your sleep drenched voice.You open your eyes to see her affectionate gaze outlining your naked body. 

Unable to help yourself, the world fades around her. Laying in your bed, holding you, the safe and calm you feel is unmatched to anything you’ve ever experienced. Even with all the stressors that were gnawing at you, none of it mattered when you were here. With her. With Mina. 

“Well….it was the police.” calmness in her voice not matching the anger brewing in her eyes as she continues to take in your curvature. 

“They arrested someone in correlation to what happened last night…and I wasn’t ready for who…” conflict in her eyes, something was bothering her and you wanted to make sure you were fully present for what she was about to say. 

Sitting up in anticipation of the news, her eye contact is absent. She toys with the sheet anxiously, your hand reaching out to still hers. She peers up at you through her bangs, trying her best to focus on your face and not your chest. 

“They arrested Jihyo.” gulping in worry of how you’d take the news. 

“…Jihyo?! There’s no way…” confusion blinds you for a moment, unwilling to accept this as true.

“She confessed, apparently.” rolling her eyes, knowing she’d never do that willingly. Jihyo was wrapped around Nayeon’s finger, ready to do whatever she needed, no matter the cost.  

“Did they even questi-” interrupted by the sound of your own phone vibrating. Both glancing down at the sound before you pick up off the bed to see it’s an unknown number. 

Flipping the phone around to show Mina, both of you confused. You answer it on speaker phone. 

“…hello?” 

“Hey baby, mind if I stop by?” 

Immediately tense at the voice crackling through the speaker. Mina is visibly irritated at Nayeon’s word choice, glaring at the phone while crossing her arms. 

“Uhm…Don’t call me that and I’d actually prefer for you to leave me the fuck alone.” 

“Oh come on babe, don’t be like that. It’s not like you weren’t violently fucking my face two days ago.” Nayeon coyly says in the tone she always used to try and seduce you.

“If you show up here, I’ll call the police again.” anger threads your voice. Nayeon almost moans over it.

“Babeeee, you know I love it when you’re mad. Maybe you should come take it out on m-”  hanging up and tossing your phone back on the bed, repulsed at what just happened.

You turn bright red and avoid Mina’s eyes, not wanting to see her reaction to what was just spoken in front of her. 

“I think I’m going to go take a shower…” softly said, embarrassed at the information Nayeon just threw into the mix.  

“You do know that I already know that happened, right?” Mina asserts in an attempt to reassure you.

“Don’t you remember back at the cafe? Nayeon dropped that information in front of Jihyo…the poor girl. Also, the scratch marks on your back aren’t exactly healed. I, of course, didn’t know about the “violent” face fucking” giggling and bringing her hand over her mouth. She’s really teasing you about this right now. 

“We also were pretty drunk…” Blushing and fighting a smile back, poking fun at you. 

“…I’m thinking maybe I could make some new scratch marks once those heal.” winking at you before grabbing your hand. 

“ Anyways, you’re gonna shower? Is it cool if I join or are you not a shared shower kind of person?” 

A huge grin plastered across your face. Mina sees how you’re absolutely beaming, returning the same volume of light back to you. Swinging her arms around your waist and kissing you passionately before making your way to the bathroom together. 

–

Laying in each other's arms on the couch again, a movie playing in the background, cozy clothes on- the perfect homebody day. Both of you are exhausted and happy to be relaxing with each other. 

Mina laying her head in your lap, quietly napping while you play with her hair, tangling it between your fingers as you doze off to the sounds of her deep steady breaths and the comfort movie you put on to drown out the silence.

Her phone suddenly clatters against the table it rested on, waking you both immediately. Mina sighs, stretches, and slides her finger across the screen to answer without moving her head from your legs, poking the speaker button before a soft and sleepy “hello?” escapes her lips.

“Mina! Are you okay? You were supposed to be at the house already! The banquet starts in a few hours!” Momo roars through the phone, concerned as to why the always punctual Mina was suddenly late. 

“...is that today?” looking at you with her brows furrowed in confusion, sleep still present in her eyes.

“Uh, yeah! Hello?? You helped plan it!” stunned that Mina had forgotten something so important. 

“Shit!” exclaimed in a small panic before she got up immediately and headed to the kitchen, leaving the phone with Momo still connected on the table. 

Watching Mina closely, studying her movements, not as fluid and graceful as usual. Mina was pacing trying to organize herself in an almost chaotic way, fumbling to get the things she needed together. 

It’s cute to see her like this. 

“Momoring!” shouted at the phone to your best friend, knowing it would startle her. The sounds of a scream and her phone falling ring out followed by your hearty belly laughing. 

“...Y/n?! I thought you and Mina were supposed to hang out yesterd-...wait…Y/n…did you and Mi-”

“Momo, shut up!” rolls off your tongue, silencing her instantly.  

“What is she late to?” 

“The banquet auction we set up for Jeongyeon’s birthday…you were invited you know…if you wanted to come…with someone you might be with currently…you total-” hanging up the phone on her and laugh to yourself. 

The private charity banquet was put together by the entirety of Twice for Jeongyeon’s birthday. Hosting it for a local animal shelter, they were going to auction off Twice memorabilia and the money would then be donated to help the shelter build a new facility they desperately needed. 

The perfect gift for someone who has it all. 

It would be nice to get dressed up and go support a good cause for a good friend with a pretty girl. Plus the girls worked hard to make this happen…just because 2 out of 9 were in your shit list, doesn’t mean the rest should be shown up for. 

“Hey, Mina!” volume of your voice a smidge louder than normal. 

“Yeah?” poking her head around the wall to look at you while you spoke to her. 

“I wasn’t going to go to that banquet because I thought it might be a little awkward after everything that happened, but how do you feel about…us going together?” a slight pang of awkward hovers over you, realizing that you were actually asking Mina on a date. 

Stepping around the wall and coming closer to you, Mina places her hands lightly on your hips, eyes softening into yours. You fight the urge to look away from her when she pulls you closer to her. 

“Are you…asking me on a date?” tilting her head to her right and blinking a few times, a gummy smile warms your stomach.

Nodding your head yes, she’s still silently beaming at you. 

“Yes, I’m asking you on a date.” nervously fleeing from your throat. You bite the inside of your cheek and look down to the floor.

Mina rests her body against yours, the closeness forcing you to tilt your head up. The feeling of her on you is so mesmerizing, like a ray of warm sunshine after the chilled rain storm. 

The walls you built around yourself after Nayeon shake and crumble underneath the feather light touch and coziness she presented to you. A feeling so pure and ethereal encompassed you so tightly that it was almost horrifying how close you let her get so quickly. 

“I would love to have you as my date tonight.” noses brushing against each other, her arms resting on your shoulders before lazily falling around your neck. 

Lips meeting gently, a few rapid pecks leaves your mind completely swirling in what reality was to you now. Devastation no longer bleeds through the cracks left by your past. A tenderness blankets the once dark shadows in a brightness that envelopes your entire being. 

“Meet me at Momo’s when you’re done getting ready?” spoken faintly into your mouth before giving one last kiss that was more passionate than the few before. Both of you having trouble pulling away from each other, tension so taut that even a piano wire wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure. 

“I’ll see you soon.” 

—

Settling on black slacks that taper down the legs, a black button down, and a black blazer to wear to the banquet. You were invited before by Jeongyeon herself, you accepted the invitation assuming you’d be going with Nayeon. That was obviously no longer the case. 

Momo had tried to convince you to go anyway, despite Nayeon and Jihyo being there and you were very undecided about going. Not wanting to interact with someone you found to be so cruel, you pushed off making the decision until Momo put the idea in your head that you could, in fact, go with someone else. 

Standing in front of the mirror, making sure you looked acceptable for the black tie event, you can’t help but dive into your thoughts about how much had actually changed within the last month. 

You hadn’t really thought about what life would look like without Nayeon but maybe it wasn’t so bad. The past month had been a whirlwind of many emotions and even through the weight of them, it felt good to see the little parts of you that she had consumed and tried to destroy. 

Even in the anxious mindset of being around her again, you were going to show up to this event and have a good time.There would be barriers between the two of you and it was a larger event, so it’s not like you had to be near her. This thought brings you peace.

Walking through the kitchen, throwing your dress shoes on, and grabbing your keys before swinging the door open to see a dolled up Nayeon standing in front of you. It’s almost like she knew exactly what you were going to wear, showing up in a very similar outfit, unintentionally matching with the person you wish to never see again.

Blood runs warm immediately, you roll your eyes before stepping outside and shutting the door behind you. Eye meeting before you brush past her, aiming to get away from her. You start walking to your car when you hear an agitated huff at you. 

“Can you just talk to me, please?” perturbation refracts off the early evening sky as it emanates from her mouth at the chill of the air. 

“No. Go Away.” matching the temperature of the brisk weather surrounding the confrontation. 

Nayeon’s heels clicking on the concrete behind you, trying to match your pace to try and get your attention.

“Y/n, please just listen to what I have to say!” voice cracking as she cries out to you. 

Whipping around to face her promptly, causing her to almost crash into you. The closeness makes you cringe in disgust. You can feel her breath on her skin. Struggling to take a very large step back, Nayeon’s hands trying to hold onto your waist trying to keep you near. You’re at your breaking point. 

“Nayeon, I am so fucking tired of this! I want you to leave me alone! I don’t want to be with you, I don’t want to talk to you, and I sure as hell do not want you showing up at my apartment!” pointing your key directly at her face in a sign of disrespect, tearing into the pitiful stranger that stood before you.

“ Nothing is there anymore, do you understand?!” irreversible truths spat in the direction of someone who was just a memory in your mind. 

Giving your words a second to sink seer into her, Nayeon’s eyes well up. Finally understanding that this was the fatal blow. The end.

You soften at the sight of her tears, knowing that it was probably hard to hear even if it was her actions that caused this division between the two of you. 

“After this moment, I never want you to show up unannounced or try to convi-”

“I called you earlier, it wasn’t unannounced!” sneered back at you in a tone you weren’t familiar with. Venomous in nature and sour in flavor. 

“And I told you not to come! So why the fuck are you here?!” matching that same irritation she threw at you.

She’s in your face now, screaming at you. 

“Because I knew you were lying! AND know who was here…” sharply slices the air, creating an even deeper wound. 

“Who even are you?...Where I am and who I am with are not your concern anymore. I’m finally feeling some sense of self for the first time in a long time and you can’t even let me have  aunty fucking peace!” clamoring through the sounds of the busy street near the lot where your car was located. 

“Just leave me alone, Nayeon…I really just want you to let me live my life without you.” bittersweetly spoken in a sense of calm.

A failed attempt to keep your voice steady haunts you while getting in your car, starting it and driving off to Momo’s house. Leaving Nayeon in the parking lot of your apartment, absolutely speechless and seething. 

__

Pulling into the driveway, you just sit for a second. Needing a minute to gather yourself after that confrontation. 

All of the emotions of the last month flood back to you immediately and tears are running down your face without care, stinging in the grief that exhausted you to the point of mental break. Nayeon really wouldn’t leave you alone, she knew where you lived, she knew who you were with, and she threw it all back in your face because she didn’t get what she wanted.  

Another layer of betrayal peels off the once rose colored love you had for this person. Seeing her for who she actually was really shook you to your core. Nausea builds in your stomach, an all too familiar feeling as the reminisce of the ache returns full force. 

Unable to help yourself, you sob into your shaky hands. All that time, wasted and all the heartbreak suffered just to end up right back at Momo and Dahyun’s house crying, again. 

The front door is faintly tugged open and rapidly closed, a shadow on the porch shivering with a cellphone in hand. Your eyes are too hazy and tear filled to even register who it was. Simply hoping they didn’t look in the driveway and find you trying to regulate your breathing in the safety of your car. 

Buzzing in your pocket momentarily pulls you out of the fog, reaching for it immediately and glancing down at the lit up screen. A single penguin emoji graced your screen, you answered without even thinking about your state of being.

“Hello?” sniffling into the microphone and blinking rapidly to clear your tears from your field of vision, letting them fall down your cheeks and landing in your lap.

“Y/n?? What’s wrong? Where are you?” panicked immediately. 

You can see the shadow by the door growing restless as it paces, head tilted down, arms crossed.

“I’m in Momo’s driveway, I just need a second.” a deep breath through your lips and a shaky exhale makes the shadow by the door stop in their tracks. 

“I want to give you the space you need but I do hate that you’re upset. Is there anything I can do for you while you are calming down?” very composed in the face of your stress, your heart flutters at the thought of Mina hugging you through this. 

Turning the keys to shut the car off, pulling the handle and swinging the door open, stepping out smoothly. The shadow turns around, you hang up the phone and hastily walk over to it. 

Mina sees the look on your face and takes a single step forward, trying not to rush you and overwhelm you, knowing you just asked for space. The closer you get, the more you see the delicate sadness framed in her eyes. 

Taking large strides to reach her sooner, she lifts her arms up in anticipation of you falling into them and you did just that. Resting your head on her shoulder, fighting more tears now that you feel safe, you hold her around the waist and as close to you as possible. 

Mina just holds you, tracing small soft patterns on the back of your neck, letting you just relax into her. Nuzzling your nose into her neck and inhaling puts your body at ease. Slowly your muscles start to unclench, a sigh of relief leaves you slowly. 

Pulling away from her just enough to kiss her, smiling into the lock of your lips. She happily kisses you back before resting her forehead on yours. Wiping the tears from your cheeks with a feather light swipe of her thumb that morphs into her cupping your face. 

“What happened, love?” concerned at the state you showed up in, looking into your swollen reddened eyes, searching for the answer to her question. 

“Uhm…well, Nayeon showed up to my apartment and wanted to talk to me.” 

“And what did she say?” trying to fight the fire that filled her eyes, even if it wasn’t present on her face. 

“We honestly argued…She said she knew you were there…and that she wanted me to listen to her…I told her to leave me alone. Then I drove here…She’s never spoken to me like that before.” another sharp sniffle cuts the silence as she processes the information just given to her. 

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry you were put in that position.” rubbing small circles on your back. 

“I hate that she knows where I live. I wish I would’ve turned my location off. I don’t like that she can just…show up like that.” voice quivering with a hint of rage before Mina proposes an idea. 

“Stay with me tonight then.” 

“I don’t want to impo-”

“Y/n…” leaning into you once more to connect your lips, passionately tugging on your blazer while your hands roam up to the back of her neck. 

Quickly turning into something more than a kiss, her tongue swipes the bottom of your lip and  moves in sync with yours for a moment. Mina starts to pull your tucked in shirt out of your slacks, sliding her finger along your stomach to tease you a little when the front door flies open.

“Hey, Mina did you talk wi- OH?” Momo shouts out when she sees the steamy scene happening in front of her. Both you and Mina turn beat red and separate, ears hot in embarrassment about being caught and knowing that Momo is going to make fun of you for it later. 

“Sorry to interrupt! Should I go back inside or?” playfully teasing the two of you when Dahyun emerges from the house.

“Are you guys ready? Our car should be here any second…is everything okay?” asked through the awkwardness of the situation, taking note of your untucked shirt and how close you and Mina are to each other, beat red complexion gracing both of you. 

“Yes, we are.” Mina reached for your hand to let them know that the two of you were more than what was previously thought. Dahyun and Momo smile at the sight of what’s blooming right in front of them. 

“Alright let’s go eat some good ass food and get a new building for that shelter.” Momo raises her hands to cheer as she walks down the driveway towards the SUV that just pulled up. 

Dahyun takes a step forward, looking back at you and Mina. 

“You know…This,” pointing between the two of you. 

“This is cute.” grinning briefly before walking down the driveway. 

“Do you want another minute?” Mina asks, squeezing your hand gently.

“No, I’m feeling much calmer now…and yes.” 

“Yes?” quizzically repeated back to you. 

“Yes, I’ll stay with you tonight.” leaning in to place one last kiss on her perfect lips.

“LET’S GO!” Momo yells from the end of the driveway causing you both to giggle into each other before you walk hand in hand towards the car, now way more excited for what the evening held. 

—

Tremendously elegant crystal chandeliers hang from the hand painted ceiling of the venue, a calm murmur of the crowd buzzing in your ears as you step into the mix, still hand in hand with Mina.

 Jeongyeon is greeting people as they walk in and thanking them for coming before they walk through the gallery of what was to be auctioned off. Patiently waiting to get signed in, you finally have the opportunity to admire your date. 

Makeup naturally laid onto her face, her hair is down and wavy to the middle of her back. Fixating on her lips for a moment, the shape of them now burnt into your brain as it clouds with flashes of that which took place at Momo and Dahyun’s house. 

Your eyes slowly make their way down her body to find black satin fabric cascading down her, stopping mid thigh. Eyes tracing back up to her sleeves that cover the middle of her arms with her perfect shoulders bare. The concave of her collarbones almost sends you into a spiral when her head pivots and catches you red handed, gawking over her. 

A small step taken towards her, threading your fingers together loosely before taking a purposefully big step forward in line, turning around and facing her as she follows. Fingers rotating to a more comfortable position but never leaving each other's grip.

Mina leans into you, arm placed around your waist and chin resting on your shoulder. A big sigh is expelled from her when you place your cheek on the side of her head.

“I didn’t get the chance to tell you how stunning you look tonight.” whispered to her through the low bustling surrounding you as it slowly fades out. She removes her head from your shoulder, keeping a close distance, bringing a hand up to hold your face before laying a small kiss on your lips, smiling immediately at you.

“It’ll be hard for me to keep my hands off of you in this little suit you’re wearing, you look too good. Maybe later I can show you what I mean.” sultry and suggestive in tone.

Mina skims her lips along the underside of your jaw, kissing right below the ear when someone approaches you both, breaking the moment before it could go any farther.

“Uhm…Hi, guys?” Tzuyu is visibly confused at what she’s seeing, looking at the intimate way you are interacting with each other. She visibly shakes the curiosity out of her head as the three of you step forward again, place being next in line. 

“Have you guys seen Jihyo? I haven’t seen her or Nayeon tonight. I’m a little worried because she hasn’t texted me back since the day before yesterday. 

Oh, shit…Tzuyu doesn’t know…Mina looks up at you to find you flushed pale, brows furrowed and eyes unable to keep still. 

“We haven’t seen her yet but if we do, we will definitely let her know you’re looking for her.” gummy smile followed. Not exactly a lie, but not the whole truth. 

“Tzu! Mina! Y/n!...Y/n?! I didn’t think you were coming!” exclaimed with her arms up.

Letting go of Mina and throwing your arms around Jeongyeon for a big bear hug. She notices your anxiety immediately but doesn’t draw attention to it. 

“Well, I couldn’t miss your birthday! Or this amazing event! Seriously, this is so amazing. I’m so proud of the hard work you all put in.” sweetly said with an elbow to Jeongyeon’s rib. 

“Thanks, god why are you so sappy today?” poking back at you, playful as always, confusion in her eyes about your attempt to hide the discomfort you were feeling. 

“That means everyone is here except Jihyo. Have you seen her?” Directing her attention to Mina and Tzu for a moment before worry spreads across Jeongyeon’s face when she sees Tzuyu shake her head no.  

“I tried to call her earlier but I think her phone is off…I hope she’s alright. This is very unlike her.” Jeongyeon pulls her phone out to look for a sign that Jihyo is okay and you feel completely guilty.

You can’t bring yourself to tell her what you know, not willing to ruin the happiness of tonight with the uncomfortable knowledge that Jihyo is probably still in jail, or at least in severe trouble with the company. 

A moment of silence lingers as you all sign in for the auction before stepping into the gallery of what was being auctioned off. 

You walk the halls and follow the glass cases set up for viewing. Various outfits from music videos, solo stages, and performances including TV appearances, autographed pictures and other various items scattered throughout. 

Having a hard time focusing on these moments in Twice’s history, hating the idea that you knew uncomfortable information that was being sought after. The pit of your stomach deepens, waving in anxiety even though you know who should be where Jihyo was. Where ever she was. 

Walking through the big double doors of the grandiose ballroom, many vendors and members of the staff line the floor with tables, animals that are up for adoption, donations booths, and an information center where you can find out how to help other local shelters with their needs.

Heartwarming that they’d go through so much effort to help the community they lived in, it truly was an honor to be a part of this, even with the guilt. It was a sight to see. 

Finding your seats at the table you were assigned to, 10 seats around a table that was lavishly set with perfectly shining silverware, white plates contrasting the black napkins adorning them. Your seat is between Momo and Mina, thankfully.

Jeongyeon takes her place on the stage as everyone else falls slowly into their seats. Nayeon walks up to the table with minimal eye contact and waves to everyone. Mina is gripping your leg under the table, knowing how uncomfortable you must feel with her sitting right across from you, especially after the confrontation that took place earlier in the day.  

Everyone is silent as Jeongyeon makes her opening speech, thanking everyone for coming to support a good cause and briefly reliving memories about volunteering at the shelter. Mentioning how kind the staff was and how much care was put into loving these animals that didn’t have homes yet. The light dim as she steps to the side for a video to play. 

The presentation about the shelter starts by following the early years of the shelter being open, and some of the pets they had saved. Stories about the staff and the volunteers who made the hard days bearable. By the time it was finished, everyone was sniffling and giving a standing ovation. 

“Please enjoy the dinner the chefs have prepared for you! The auction will start at 7pm so please have a great time until then!” Jeongyeon exclaims and then claps with the crowd before finding her seat at the table with the awkward silence.  

__

Poking at your food, you have a hard time eating even though it is delicious. Anxiety keeps you from devouring the meal in front of you as the girls talk around you. Mina leans over to you and checks in every now and then, just to make sure you’re okay. 

The second time she leans over to you, she is interrupted by a loud, harsh voice.

“I get that we aren’t together but can you stop doing whatever this is, in front of me? Kind of rude, don't you think?” sneered to you and Mina across the table. 

“Nayeon, not now.” Momo tries to hush her but she persists.

“You think she can do for you what I did? You think she can be who you need her to be for you?! WE are supposed to be here together, not you and Mina! Mina, of all people!” aggressively throwing her hands as she berates Mina in front of everyone. 

The entire table looks at her in disbelief, unable to understand why she is reacting this way and more importantly why she was doing it in public. Tzuyu looks at you and Mina, and then back at Nayeon who is visibly enraged at the sight of you together. 

Jeongyeon just stares at her in silence, Dahyun can’t seem to find a comfortable seat in her chair, Chaeyoung and Sana are trying to talk among themselves to avoid the conversation but Sana is staring daggers at Nayeon.

“I bet she doesn’t fuck like I do or do you need another reminder of how I fuck you?” Nayeon is now standing, palms down on the table, and leaning forward suggestively. Everyone around the table looks at her with absolute disgust. 

“I can’t believe you wouldn’t want to work on thi-”

“ENOUGH!” abruptly leaves your chest. Loud enough to silence the tables around you, jaw clenching in fury. Everyone turns their attention towards you, surprised at the tone you took.

Mina is continuing to eat but places her hand in yours, resting it on your thigh in an act of comfort. She’s politely chewing her food when she looks directly at you, giving you a look that could only be described as “If you don’t, I will.” They need to know. 

“Nayeon, why don’t you tell everyone where Jihyo is?” spat at her venomously through a tense demeanor. 

“Y/n…I- I don’t know what you mean. H- How should I know? ” stammering now that she has lost control of the conversation. 

“Oh, sure you do!... Weren’t you with her last night?” aggressively questioning her, dropping little bombs of knowledge on everyone around you. 

“Wait, I thought you were here setting up last night…you said you couldn’t come over because of that…” Tzuyu with a saddened tone speaks up through the words being ping ponged across the table.. 

Mina is just smiling next to you, watching as everyone is realizing that they had been lied to. 

“Y/n, shut the fuck up!” growled at you. 

Momo, Dahyun, and Mina start chuckling at the sliver of panic Nayeon was showing, while everyone else just gawks at her for speaking to you the way she was. 

“You haven’t told them yet? Actually, here’s a better question…Why does everyone think we split up?” almost taunting her, dangling the question in front of everyone, hoping they would take the bait. 

“You never did tell us exactly why you broke up…” Chaeyoung is now fully present for the conversation. Sana looks cross, probably from the way Nayeon spoke about Mina. Her arms covering her chest, waiting for Nayeon to explain herself. 

Silence fills the void once more, everyone is staring at Nayeon, waiting for her explanation of what was going on. Panicked in her movements, unable to make eye contact with anyone, she curls into herself. A defense mechanism that you were all too familiar with. 

Standing up from your seat, placing your napkin on the table, tucking your chair back underneath and resting your arms on the back of your chair before dropping the truth on all of the members who didn’t know. 

“Since you aren’t interested in telling the truth…”

“Y/n, please…we can talk about this later” through clenched teeth, Nayeon tries to get you to stop your sentence in it’s tracks.

“I don’t want to speak to you at all. There is no later.” a bite back against her attempt in control. 

“Jihyo isn’t here because of you, you should tell them! After all, don’t you want to claim her since you’ve been sleeping with her behind my back this entire time?” 

An audible gasp from everyone who was unaware of the situation, shock covering their faces as Nayeon’s ears heat up and beam red. 

“Nayeon, are you fucking serious?” Sana being the first to speak up, completely surprised that her elder would do such a thing. 

Your chest tightens as you watch the consequences of her actions come out to smite her down. Feeling overwhelmed that you had to hold her accountable to her closest friends and ruin the perception they had of her. 

“Sorry you had to find out this way. “

Swiftly walking away from the situation and fighting your way through the waves of people, shoulder clashing as you make haste away from the strain you put on their relationship. 

Having a hard time breathing, the panic creeping in. Ducking off to a side room that wasn’t in use, closing the door behind you and taking a set of massive breaths. Trying to regulate yourself from the excessive cortisol in your body, guilt and dread combine to create the feeling of someone sitting on your ribcage. 

In attempts to bring yourself back down to a reasonable level, you take in your surroundings. 

The room is average size with bookshelves built into the walls, filled to the brim with colorful leather laced in gold and silver accents. A dark wood desk sits facing the door, paired with a big leather office chair behind it. Two large glass doors on the far wall that part in the middle to a balcony that oversees a beautiful garden. 

Deep breath in, exhale. 

Deep breath in, exhale. 

Repeating yourself over and over again when you hear a soft knock on the door and a silvery voice speaking your name through your own huffing. You’d recognize that tone anywhere. 

Leaning over to the side, hand missing the knob once before landing on it, twisting it to let Mina in. She immediately hugs you before you hear the latch click shut. She pulls back to look into your eyes, gripping your upper arms with an empathetic look as she studies your current state. 

Realizing that you are having a hard time keeping yourself calm, she goes back to holding you. Her head on your shoulder and hand tracing up your spine to the base of your neck, twirling your hair to give you something else to focus on besides Nayeon’s outburst. 

“It’s okay…It’s alright. You’ve done nothing wrong, okay? You are safe here.” cooed to you from your own arms as Mina tries to get you to come back to her from your panic attack. It’s working better than anything else ever did. 

Breath slowly going back to normal, you lean into her touch, calming down in Mina’s arms was easy. She made hard things seem so trivial and unimportant. You put your entire face into her neck, she giggles in your ear. The ethereal woman fitting perfectly into you.

“Better?” not willing to let go until the answer was given. 

Another deep breath and a nod of your head, she releases you from the hug and starts fixing your blazer and hair, tucking a strand behind your ear before smirking at you. She kisses you quickly. 

“I’m proud of you, Y/n. I know that was probably very hard for you to sa-“ 

The door flies open, knob hitting the wall with a loud crash causing the both of you to jump and swing your heads towards the sound.

Nayeon steps in calmly, using her bag to push the door closed behind her as it bounces back at her, slamming shut. A dent in the wall from where the knob smacked it harshly, chipped paint on the floor at the sheer force used to open it. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Can you just leave me alone, Nayeon!? Isn’t this enough for you?!” breaking apart from Mina for a second, scooting in front of her. This wasn’t her argument to have and you weren’t going to let her put herself in the middle anymore than she already had.

“I think it’s funny” Nayeon starts as she paces, “that you two end up here. Together. Was this always your plan, Mina? To steal my girlfriend from me?” lowly spoken towards both of you, malice very present in her demeanor, stepping deeper into the office space.  

Your eyes follow her every move, not familiar with this flavor she was expressing. You’ve seen her act many ways but this tone and body language were unfamiliar, setting off alarms in your head that you needed to get you and Mina as far away from her as possible. 

“Nayeon, you don’t have a sa-”

“Shut the fuck up, Y/n!” snarled loud enough to feel the vibrations of her voice in your chest. 

“Don’t speak to her like that!” Mina shouts, stepping out from behind you to confront Nayeon with you, not allowing you to do this on your own. 

“You can’t just manipulate your way out of this, Nayeon.” slithers through Mina’s lips and wraps around Nayeon’s throat. 

Nayeon is just smiling calmly. It’s eerie the way she’s silent, almost threatening. She reaches into her bag without taking her eyes off Mina, swiftly pulling something small out of it and pointing it right between your eyes.

Your blood immediately runs cold. Chest tightening, heartbeat felt in every inch of your skin as you stare down the barrel of a 9mm handgun held by someone who seemed very ready to pull the trigger. 

Hands fly above your head instinctively, gulping loudly in the face of the muzzle. Sweat beads up on your forehead, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation. 

“Nayeon! What the fuck are you doing?!” Mina screamed while taking a step towards her. Nayeon pulls the hammer down, the sound of the bullet loading into the chamber makes every muscle in your back stiffen, cracking your vertebrae under the tension. 

“One more step and I’ll shoot, I’m sure you wouldn’t want that. Would you, Mina?” an evil cackle erupts her throat as she continues slowly pacing around the two of you. 

You watch her circle like a shark, following her movements as she keeps the gun pointed at your head. Stomach churning, just trying to keep from making sudden movements. 

Nayeon sees the terror in your face and winces. Observing her face to look for signs she was actually going to pull the trigger when you see it. Her eyes soften for a moment, hands lightly starting to shake as she breaks.

“Why wouldn’t you come back to me?!” tears are falling down her cheeks now, sniffling through her sentence; the distraught predator circling her fearful prey. 

“Why would you choose her?!” Shouted while carelessly pointing the gun at Mina, finger on the trigger with her face contorting into a version of her you did not know. 

Mina flinches through Nayeon’s display, jumping every time the firearm is pointed at her. Her hands are visibly shaking as Mina takes a small step back, holding her breath and shutting her eyes.

“Nayeon…maybe you should put the gun down and we can talk about this. There’s no need for something so extreme.” calmly making small movements towards her. She aggressively points the gun back at you. 

Her eyes drowning her face in tears, sucking air sharply between her teeth and holding her breath. Rage, despair, and insanity creep out onto her face, slowly dripping in unison her tears. 

“If I can’t have you…no one can.” Rapidly swinging the gun and pointing it right at Mina. . 

You immediately dive towards Nayeon, the gun goes off before you hit the ground. The window across from you shatters, small shards of glass scatter across the floor underneath you. 

A crunch inside her torso causes her to shriek out in agony. You try to wrestle the gun out of her hand, she tugs down roughly on the back of your neck with her free hand, bringing your faces closer together. Manically laughing at you and smiling.

Kubrick stare prominently on her brow as something blunt hits the back of your head, vision blurring her into two. You collapse on top of her and use as much of your weight as you can to keep her pinned to the floor and away from Mina. This falters quickly with your eyes crossing, dizzying you to the point of being unable to focus. 

The sting on your scalp is almost unbearable. Liquid warmth oozes out of the wound, pooling quickly and saturating your hair before cascading down and dripping onto Nayeon’s face and the floor around it.   

Nayeon pushes you off of her onto your back. The floor temperature cools you, still unable to stand when Nayeon stands up, wincing at every movement, and places one of her heels on your chest, pinning you down as you gasp for air. 

Your own blood is seeping through your shirt as the puddle underneath you grows. You’re suddenly tired, so sleepy. Fighting your eyes to stay open through this. 

“Don’t worry, baby! I’ll get you all fixed up once I take care of this little problem.” grimly ridiculing her intentions. 

“Nayeon, you can’t do this!” Choked out through sobs. Mina looks down at you bleeding on the floor, trying to keep a sense of poise in the face of pure terror. 

Nayeon opens her mouth to reply to Mina, you slam your fist into the back of her knee on the leg holding her above you before she can get her words out. She yelps out as her back slams against the floor, wind knocking out of her and the gun sliding out of your sight. 

Nayeon screams in agony and rage as she crawls over to you, smearing the blood leaking out from underneath you as she reaches you. Your life force coating her hands, 

She straddles your hips, you struggle underneath her too weak to push her off. She cocks her fist back and swings full force at your face, connecting to your jaw. Blood mists out of your mouth as your head is forced to the side. The droplets are audibly hitting the ground as the audible gasp is ripped from you. 

Nayeon throws another punch, wrath seeping from her pores as she swings again and again, slamming her hand down on your chest in an act of pure outrage. 

She gets up from your lap, knuckles bruised, crazy eyes, and in search of the weapon that was out of sight.  

Unable to focus your eyes, lids fluttering, choking on the blood in your mouth. You try to roll over and stand. A swift kick to the gut knocks the wind out of you. The cry stolen from you. The air depleting from your lungs is overshadowed by a combination of crying and laughing.

A gunshot rings out, ringing in your ears blocks out all other sounds. Eyes still trying to gain some form of stability as Nayeon falls to her knees in front of you, clutching her abdomen. Mouth wide open and tears falling, seemingly screaming out in pain when you feel warmth touching your face. 

Head lifting to be placed in Mina’s lap, one hand putting pressure on the wound on the back of your head. Her lips are moving as she looks down at you, seemingly mouthing your name as she tries to get you to focus on her. Eyes fighting to stay fixated on her as you fade in and out of consciousness.   

Tears streaming down her cheeks, the sounds muffled as your hearing slowly starts to regenerate, still ringing when you hear your name frantically called over the high pitched ring and muted screams.

“Y/n! Y/n! Look at me, it’s going to be okay! We are going to get you ou-”

A loud bang echoes against every fiber of your being, reducing your hearing back to nothing. You strain your eyes as hard as you can to focus on Mina, who is completely frozen. Looking over in a daze to see Nayeon, hand over her wound, slouched in the corner with the smoking gun in her hand pointed at Myoui Mina. 

The vibration in your throat tears your vocal chords as you scream out, unable to hear the sheer terror emitting from you as you see the red leaking out of her chest. Mina goes pale, tears spilling rapidly as her breathing picks up. 

You try to reach out with the last stitch of energy you have but fail, fading into total and complete darkness.

[oharababe]

★ 彡 GIRL DAD. ✧ MIGUEL O'HARA { I }

✮ main summary. . miguel o'hara doesn't usually pick his kid up from school. but when he decides to do so as a surprise, he finds himself meeting the pretty teacher (you) that his daughter has been talking about.

✮ chapter 01 summary. . miguel is stuck in traffic on the way to pick his daughter up from school. he doesn’t usually do this and knows that he is running late. when he searches for his daughter at school, there’s where miguel meets you in class when he got a little lost.

✮ tags. . modern au, single dad miguel + afab teacher reader, found family, slight angst, eventual romance + smut. divider creds: cafekitsune.

✮ wc. . 3,147

Miguel remembers why he avoids driving around the city in the late afternoon. He stares out the front window with a frown and a bored look. One hand grips the steering wheel, while the other props up his arm next to the door, supporting his face. It’s typical Nueva York traffic: cars honking, drivers speeding and flouting traffic regulations, and pedestrians oblivious to their surroundings.

Miguel sighs in frustration. He can’t believe his friend Jess goes through this every weekday afternoon just to pick up the kids. It's taking all his patience not to hit his palm on the wheel and tell the drivers in front of him to move. But Miguel endures the traffic, despite his irritation. Minutes pass like hours, with the cars inching forward. When he checks the time, it’s ten minutes to four in the afternoon. The only thing keeping him sane is reminding himself of the purpose of this entire trip.

Gabriella’s school should be a few buildings away from the traffic.

A smile crosses his face at the thought of her. His daughter. The only person he cares about in the entire universe. His bundle of light and joy. As much as he loves his daughter, Miguel rarely picks Gabriella up from school after three in the afternoon. His job as a geneticist isn't as flexible as it seems. It’s a nine-to-six job, five days a week. Despite the long hours, Miguel makes every effort to spend time with Gabriella either before he goes to work, after work, or on the weekends.

But today, he’s breaking the routine. He’s picking up his little girl from school. And Gabriella doesn’t know he’s coming.

The traffic finally eases. The cars in front of him start to move. Miguel seizes the opportunity to drive forward. He maneuvers steadily through the busy road until he reaches an urban area that’s familiar to him. Miguel continues driving through the streets of Queens until he sees Gabriella’s school and comes to a stop.

Miguel gets out of the car and locks it behind him. When he looks at his watch, it’s already four-thirty, and he's definitely late. He glances at his reflection in the car window. Dressed in casual blue denim jeans, a white shirt under a black leather jacket, and black sunglasses that hide his eyes, he looks like a typical father picking his kid up from school, not like a man who just got off work.

Miguel hasn’t visited Gabriella’s school in a while. The last time he was here was for a parent-teacher conference. As he enters the school building, he’s unfamiliar with the layout. The quiet, peaceful setting is devoid of students or teachers. He didn't expect the main area to be so vast and isn't sure where to go to find his daughter. He decides to wander around, hoping to find his way.

The hallways grow eerily quiet as Miguel walks, feeling he's farther away from where he should be. School buildings have always been like mazes. He doesn't recognize anything familiar. Unsure of his direction, Miguel considers calling his daughter for directions. But he decides against it, wanting to surprise Gabriella when she finishes soccer practice.

Maybe a teacher in one of these classrooms can point him in the right direction. Surely, not all the teachers have gone home for the day.

Miguel looks down the hallway and decides to try the door at the farthest corner on the right. He’s not sure why he chose that door, but he has a feeling someone might be in there who could help him. Or at least, he hopes there will be.

Miguel knocks twice before turning the doorknob. When he opens the door, he pokes his head into the room, seeing that it’s an empty classroom. A frown appears on his face, disappointed. Looks like he'll need to find someone else.

He’s about to close the door and leave when he hears a voice. “Hi, can I help you with anything?”

Miguel still doesn’t see anyone. But when he steps further into the classroom, he spots a woman behind a desk he didn’t notice before. The person turns around, and Miguel finally sees her—sees you.

You seem preoccupied, and he must have interrupted you. The locker behind you is wide open, filled with stacks of papers and boxes. He guesses you were in the middle of organizing when he disturbed you.

“Hi,” he says.

“Hello,” you respond, a hint of a smile on your face as you place the box on the desk. Miguel removes his sunglasses out of courtesy, taking a better look at you. You’re wearing a polo shirt and white jeans, casual attire for a staff member. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I…” Miguel’s voice trails off. Judging by your youthful appearance and demeanor, he guesses you are in your twenties, making him a few years older than you. You must be a teacher here. Miguel clears his throat lightly. “Sorry, I think I got myself lost. I’m looking for the sports field. I’m here to pick up my daughter. She has soccer practice today.”

“Oh, right.” You smile apologetically. “Well, you’re a bit far from where you need to be. The field is on the other side of the building.”

That makes sense. No wonder he hasn’t made any progress. He’s gone the wrong way. School buildings are always a maze. “Thank you for your help.” Miguel nods in acknowledgment. “I hope you have a good rest of the afternoon, señorita.”

Miguel is about to leave when you stop him. “I can show you where to go if you’d like,” you offer. “So you won’t get lost again.”

He looks at you, contemplating the offer. You don’t know him, and he doesn’t know you, yet you’re willing to help. He watches you close the cupboard door, lock it, and turn to him. You’re still smiling kindly, waiting for his response. “I’d appreciate it if you could help me out.”

“Sure thing,” you say, grabbing your keys from the desk. They jingle as you grip them. You walk around the desk to approach him. Miguel immediately notices the height difference between you and him—you’re about chest-high to him. “Shall we get going?”

Miguel opens the door wider and gestures for you to lead the way. You step out, and he follows, closing the door behind him. Walking beside you down the hallway, Miguel observes your stride—elegant, confident, and relaxed. He wonders if you might be one of Gabriella’s teachers. There's something about you that piques his interest, an inexplicable feeling of appreciation for every second of your presence.

“So, what’s your daughter’s name?” you ask, breaking the silence. “Maybe I recognize her from one of the classes I teach.”

It takes a moment for Miguel to process your question. “Her name is Gabriella O’Hara,” he says. “She’s in seventh grade. Brown hair, wears a purple backpack, about this tall?” He estimates her height with his hand.

Your eyes light up at the mention of Gabriella’s name. “Oh, Gabi O’Hara! She’s one of my students.” Miguel looks at you, intrigued. “I’m her homeroom teacher this year. She talks about you a lot in class.”

He smiles politely. “Ah, she has?”

“Gabriella often stays behind to help me tidy up when she doesn’t have soccer practice, usually while waiting for Jessica to pick her up,” you explain.

Miguel wants to ask more about his daughter, but you continue speaking. Your confidence and politeness, coupled with a hint of wisdom, make him feel comfortable around you. He’s only just met you, but he feels a sense of ease. Surely, Gabriella must have mentioned you before. Miguel tries to recall anything his daughter might have said about you.

After a moment of silence, you speak again, hesitantly. “I’m sorry if this sounds ignorant or assumptive, but… is Jess Gabriella’s mother?”

“Ah, no. Jessica is a good friend of mine,” Miguel replies. “I often work late and can’t pick Gabi up from school. But today is different.” He explains briefly, feeling reluctant to delve into the complexities of his relationship with Gabriella’s mother. “It’s a surprise. Gabi doesn’t know I’m here today.”

You turn to him with a genuine smile. “I think she’ll be thrilled to see you after practice.” Your smile is sweet and kind, and Miguel thinks it suits you. “Gabi told me a few days ago that you have yet to see the new kicks she’s been practicing. From what I’ve seen, she’s a star player on the girls’ team.”

“Well, I look forward to seeing it,” Miguel nods.

You and Miguel continue walking, and when he spots a large door ahead, he hopes it leads to where he can find Gabriella. “The girls’ soccer team is just beyond this door.”

You open the door, revealing the outdoor environment. Fresh air greets him, along with a wide view of the track and soccer field. Students and teachers are scattered around, engaged in various after-school activities. Miguel scans the field, searching for any sign of Gabriella among the groups of girls. His eyes stop on a familiar brown-haired girl in a purple shirt and white shorts. She moves swiftly, kicking the ball until it sails into the goalpost. The girls around her cheer, and a smile spreads across his face.

“Oh, look, there’s Gabi,” you say. “Gabi!”

Gabriella looks around and spots you and Miguel. A wide smile breaks across her face. “Papa!”

“Mija!” Miguel calls back, waving to her. Gabriella rushes over, her excitement evident.

Gabriella calls your name when she sees you, the happiness on her face unwavering. You wave back at the young girl with a cheerful smile and laugh as Gabriella yells across the field, asking if you saw the game. "I sure did!" you respond, still laughing.

Miguel can't help but smile at the scene. He watches as Gabriella joins the rest of the girls for a team huddle with their coach. Her soccer practice should be done in a few minutes. "Do you want to sit on the bench while we wait?" he asks.

"I don't mind," you nod. The two of you approach the benches and take a seat. Miguel sits next to you, his gaze fixed on Gabriella as he admires her from afar. "She's a great kid, isn't she?" he says.

"Definitely," you reply.

Miguel gazes at his little girl and then turns his attention to you, curious about your work life. "So, how long have you been teaching?" he inquires.

"I've been doing this for two and a half years," you explain. "I started as a substitute teacher during the summer when I moved to the States."

Miguel nods, learning something new about you. Your mannerisms and subtle accent suddenly make more sense to him. Your voice is calming, and even though he's known you for less than an hour, he feels at ease. "So, what do you teach?" he asks.

"I mainly teach Biology and Chemistry, though sometimes I also help out with English and reading enrichment," you say. "English isn't my first language, but it's rewarding to help kids build confidence in theirs."

Miguel nods again. He understands the challenge of speaking more than one language. "It's not an easy language to completely master, but you speak it well. Gabriella and I often switch between Mexican Spanish and English, which sometimes turns into Spanglish."

You laugh quietly, and your shoulders shake. "It's often easier to express certain things in your native language, isn't it? Although when I do, I can sound a bit... 'expressive.' Or 'explosive,' as my family puts it."

Miguel chortles. "I always encourage Gabriella to speak more Spanish at home. It's important not to lose your cultural identity."

"I agree," you say. "It's easy to lose yourself in a crowd, but your roots never leave you."

"What made you move to the States, if you don't mind me asking?" Miguel asks, curiosity piqued.

A smile spreads across your face. "I was looking for a sense of adventure and decided to take a leap and move here on my own."

"That takes courage," Miguel says, glancing at you. Your smile remains, and he wonders what prompted your move but holds back from prying too deeply. "How old were you when you moved here?"

"I was nineteen," you reply. "I stayed in Canada for two years, then moved to the States when I was twenty-one. I've been here for three years now."

Miguel notes the age difference between you two. You're only seven years younger than he is, and you moved to a new country at such a young age. His interest in your story grows; what besides adventure led you to such a big move?

You and Miguel sit together in comfortable silence. The sky is bright and blue, the sun warming the field. Miguel's red eyes, hidden behind dark sunglasses, are fixed on you. He feels unusually relaxed in your presence, a rare feeling for someone he's just met.

Sensing his gaze, you turn to look at him and smile. He's grateful for his sunglasses, as they hide the potential blush creeping up his cheeks.

You turn your attention elsewhere as Gabriella runs towards you both. You're the first to rise, and Miguel follows, smiling at his little girl. "Papa! I can't believe you're here!" she exclaims.

"I wanted to surprise you, mija," Miguel says, lifting Gabriella into the air and kissing her forehead. She wraps her arms around his neck. "You did great today at practice. I'm so proud of you."

"Gracias, Papa." Gabriella kisses his cheek in return. She beams at you, clearly thrilled to see you. "What did you think of my moves, Miss?"

"They were impressive, Gabs," you say, affection evident in your voice. "You're getting better and better. You'll be a star on sports day soon."

"I think it's time for us to head home," Miguel says, noting the approaching sunset. He prefers to be home before dark.

"Can we stop at Wendy's for dinner?" Gabriella asks hopefully.

Miguel considers this. He’s forgotten to prepare dinner and sees this as a perfect excuse for a treat. "We can do that, sweet girl."

He turns to you, "Thank you for your help earlier."

"It was no problem, Mr. O'Hara," you say. "I hope we meet again. It was nice getting to know you."

Miguel nods, ignoring the slight pang in his chest. He makes sure Gabriella has everything before they leave. As they walk away, Gabriella waves enthusiastically at you. "Bye-bye, Miss! See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, Gabi! Enjoy your dinner!" you call back, waving. "See you again sometime, Miguel!"

Miguel waves back and watches as you turn to speak with another teacher before he finally turns away. Gabriella decides to walk on her own, and Miguel puts her down, holding her hand as they head toward the school building. With each step, Miguel finds his thoughts returning to you, wishing he could see you one last time before they go.

He glances back to find you still chatting with the other teacher. You laugh at something, your face lighting up. He watches as you say goodbye and turn away. When you notice him looking, you give him the sweetest smile he's ever seen, even from a distance.

He thinks your smile makes you even more beautiful, especially when directed at him.

"Papa, let's go to Wendy's now!" Gabriella urges.

Miguel looks down at her with a gentle smile. "Alright, princesa. Let's go."

When he looks back, you’re no longer in sight. He leaves the school grounds with his daughter, your smile lingering in his mind.

***** 

As planned, Miguel and Gabriella have dinner at Wendy's. At the moment, Gabriella is indulging herself with a child's Wendy's meal. Seeing his little girl happy brings Miguel immense joy—a natural feeling for a father with his daughter. Despite his busy schedule, he seizes every opportunity to spend time with her. Gabriella is his top priority in life, and he wouldn’t trade these moments with her for anything.

“So, your teacher is nice,” Miguel speaks up. Ever since he met you, you’ve lingered in his thoughts. Your sweetness, kind personality, and the way you interacted with Gabriella earned his trust. Personally, the way you behaved around him was refreshing. There were no ulterior motives or signs that you were trying to establish a relationship with him. As a single father, Miguel's status has gained quite a reputation at Gabriella's school. He appreciates that you were simply a kind soul, great with kids like his daughter. “The one who helped show me where you were at school.”

“Miss [Last Name]?” Gabriella asks, taking two scoops of ice cream and shoving them into her mouth. Miguel learns something new about you—your last name. He thinks about how your first name fits with your surname; it has a nice ring to it. “Oh yeah, she is, isn’t she? And pretty too,” she adds.

Miguel pretends not to notice her last comment, even though he agrees. “How come you never talked about her when I asked you about your day at school?” he asks.

He’s about to take a bite of his food when he notices Gabriella looking at him with one eyebrow raised, giving him a curious look. “What is it, mija?”

“Papa, I have told you about her before. Numerous times,” Gabriella says, placing her arms at her sides, indicating her skepticism. “I told you about how she brought Mr. Oscar to a show-and-tell two weeks ago, and that she likes to bake and brings treats to school for the class to share every month. And my teacher is from England…”

Miguel presses his lips together. He vaguely remembers hearing that story. Gabriella shares so many things with him daily that it’s hard to keep track. But Miguel feels he would have remembered you if Gabriella had mentioned you before. Who could forget someone like you?

Gabriella giggles. “Papa, are you getting old and forgetting stuff now?”

Miguel gives a sheepish smile. He doesn’t consider himself old, but if it keeps his little girl from being suspicious about his interest in you, he’ll accept the indignity. “It seems so, princesa. I apologize for that.”

“It’s okay, Papa. I forget things too sometimes,” Gabriella says, shifting the conversation quickly as children often do. “I really do like Miss [Last Name]. She’s the best teacher ever.”

“Make sure you tell her that tomorrow when you see her, Briella,” Miguel smiles. “I’m sure she would love to hear that you appreciate her.”

“I will!”

Meeting you was unexpected, and if he hadn’t picked Gabriella up from school as planned, he wouldn't have met you earlier. A tiny part of him hopes he will see you again someday, perhaps by chance in the future.

feel free to also support me at ko-fi!

[georgiapeach30513]

Your Mark On Me, Part 5

Summary: Bucky and Shy Violet

Pairings: Bucky Barnes X Shy!Reader

Rating: explicit

Warnings:  explicit language, explicit sexual content, depictions of anxiety/panic attack, depictions of social anxiety, mentions of child abuse, mentions of death of a parent, arson, unprotected sex, PIV sex, creampie, 18+ ONLY

Word Count: 5.9K

Previous

Series Masterlist

*Bucky Barnes edits by Nix Akimbo

*Dividers by @firefly-graphics

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

You inhale deeply. Exhaling as you take another step forward. This was a bad idea. It hadn’t been long enough.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Blinking away the tears as much as you can, you look at the aisle in front of you. Grocery shopping shouldn’t be so difficult. And it shouldn’t hurt so much. You drank coffee. You needed things to make the perfect coffee, and it made you think of your father all over again.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

You’re not a particularly claustrophobic person, but the aisles are closing in on you. It is becoming difficult to breathe. Just reach out and grab the milk. It was right there, and you needed it. You were told getting out would help you. It wasn’t.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

There are eyes all on you. They are judging you. Whispering about you. They hadn’t seen you out since before your father passed. They were talking about his death. You hear someone even whisper something about a mercy kill.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Your lip trembles as you reach into the cooler. Grabbing onto the milk. You did it. Now to put it into the cart. Inhale. Exhale. One movement at a time. This would have to be all you got for for today, you are already exhausted thinking about checking out. A cart crashes into another, and you flinch, dropping the milk loudly onto the floor. Exploding the carton everywhere.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Dropping onto the floor, you hug your knees to your chest, counting to six way too many times. You messed up again. You failed again. You were being laughed at again. You were hated again. You were a joke again.

“Hey,” his voice is soft as he places your hand over his mouth. “Feel my breath,” you look up at him confused as he deliberately breathes onto your fingers. His silver eyes look at you with the utmost tenderness.

“There ya go. Just like that,” your breathing starts to regulate, and you feel your ass soaked in spilled milk. “Uh uh, keep feeling my breath,” his voice is soothing. Caring. You hadn’t heard a voice like that in years, if ever.

Your body slowly stops rocking as your breathing finally gets back normal, “There she is. Do you need help standing?” You give him a nod, and he pulls you up right along with him. “You want me to get you some more milk?”

“No,” you answer suddenly. He doesn’t question you. Just nods gently. “I’ll just make a grocery order, and pick it up later.

“Okay,” he doesn’t say anything. He just watches you walk towards the exit. You didn’t even thank him. You just walked away. You couldn’t turn back now. So you tell him thank you in your mind, and hope that with enough conviction, he will be able to feel it.

Bucky’s mouth turns up into a smirk as he follows you. Not close enough that you will notice him though. He had to make sure you were okay. Had to know that you would make it home safely. He’d even provide you with milk if that’s what you needed. But something tells him that approaching you would be too much.

He’d find out where you lived, and then find out more about you. It wasn’t weird, it was his duty to make sure you survived making it home. A panic attack could be dangerous. And he wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing that you weren’t okay.

Close enough to watch you, but far enough away that you couldn’t see him. That is his goal.

Bucky leans his body up against his motorcycle. His eyes are focusing in through your window. He worried about you. You had left in such a hurry, and your driving had much to be desired. Dusty old truck. No way it was yours.

You pace around in your living room before sitting on the couch. Bringing your knees up to your chest, you start rocking back and forth. Whatever had caused your panic earlier still was causing havoc on your mind. He knows there’s nothing he could do without making you even more uneasy, but he can’t leave you unattended.

What if something were to happen, and you needed him? It’s a risk he wasn’t willing to take. So instead, he watches you out of the corner of his eyes, while he searches around for your story. So much was put out on the internet for people to find with very little research.

A few clicks and he discovers your veteran father had just passed away recently. Survived only by his daughter. You. Judging by the state of the house, you were the sole caregiver. A few more clicks, and he sees you are quite the prolific writer. You had taken a sabbatical, to care for your father, and you wrote under the pen name Violet Anne Bailey.

It wasn’t your real name, but there is something about Violet that suited you. A shy Violet whose power was in her words. He goes ahead and buys all your books, just to understand your mind a bit more. You are celebrated. Loved. And no one knew or cared that you had a tornado of emotions being worked out in your head.

It’s a shame to see someone who is able to weave and create worlds have her own world in shambles. He needs to know about your father. What was your relationship like? Was he a good man to you? Bucky would kill him again if he wasn’t.

His eyes scan over his phone, determining he was definitely going to have to kill him again. How many domestic violence charges were made and dropped against this man? How many CPS visits were made to this very house. No wonder you were inside of your head, you were still living in your own personal hell.

There were no convictions. Bastard. No one in your life ever put you first. Once upon a time you even had an apartment on your own, but it was short lived. Your dumb ass father had you crawling back here to care for him. He hates him. You had spent his dying days caring for him, but no one cared for you.

Bucky would. Bucky would stay right here just to make sure you were okay. Bucky would do whatever he could to ensure you made it out of here. And could finally relax. Could quit living in turmoil. You deserved better. You deserved freedom.

You slam your computer shut, and rub the back of your neck. Three words. Three insignificant measly words. This place ruined your creativity. You lost your apartment. And nothing was available to rent, and now you sit on a stinky couch with cigarette burns all over the cheap fake leather.

This house smelled musty. Holes in the wall, light fixtures broken, the useless house phone was pulled out of the wall, leaving creepy wires hanging out of the sheet rock. Who even knew where it was. His bedroom was locked on the outside. It was your first act of defiance. Removing the latch from your own bedroom, and placing it on his. Even his stupid padlock was placed there. It stayed locked. His mean self would probably haunt you in your sleep if it wasn’t.

Sleep you hadn’t been getting. You catch your face in the broken mirror, and turn away. Haggard. You had never looked so rough. He was dead, and still you knew no peace. His final abuse of his power was to make sure you never forgot him. In death he still controlled your thoughts. You still tapped on doors three times before opening them. You still could only leave the sink faucet running for ten seconds at a time.

And the worst part is no matter how neurotic he made you, it didn’t matter how many times he shouted at you, or threw things beside you, you didn’t hate him. You made excuses for him. He didn’t throw things at you. He always missed. His words of anger were more directed to your mother who left him. And you. She couldn’t handle his PTSD. Or apparently you.

You wanted more than this crappy house. It received the brunt of the abuse. He never even bothered to fix the damages. How it didn’t burn down with him passed out on the couch, you’ll never understand. His liver. Of course it was his fucking liver. You got to see an alcoholic choose his death of withering away from his addiction.

You didn’t ask for this. And neither did he. War is not kind to anyone. Especially survivors or their families.

You slap your own hand out of your mouth, and stare down at the gnarled skin. Just how long had you been chewing on your finger? The cuticles were dry and ripped to shreds. You needed a manicure, but the thought of another human touching you, while everyone else giggled about their lives makes you sick to your stomach.

He was always going to control your life. You hated him, and pitied him, and still you are the one that suffers. This house wasn’t even worth selling. Perhaps the land would be. But this place was trash. It was begging to be burnt to the ground.

You wondered how many times your father’s cigarette fell on this couch that the walls of the house smiled in glee. Fire would cleanse this place. Fire would cleanse you.

Placing your hands on your knees, you push yourself up to a standing position, and look down the hallway. His bedroom door still had the padlock on it. The key was on a chain around your neck. You didn’t even trust your father’s ghost. He’d be pissed if he knew you locked his spirit up where he slept. You did care.

Taking a deep breath, your shaky hands lift up to place the key in the lock. Twisting it slowly before you push it open. Nothing had changed. And you didn’t try to work on improving anything here. You wanted a cleanse. Your wobbly legs carry you to his bedside table, and you pull out the matches. Your body locks in place as your father’s ghost screams inside your mind.

He is pissed. He knows what you’re doing, and you just didn’t care.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Taking a deep breath, you strike a match, and lay in gently on the bed. Lighting a few more, and repeating the process. His liquor. Cheap Canadian Mist whiskey was still hidden in the closet. Grabbing it out, you pour the remains onto the bed, watching a burst of flames that darken the ceiling. It is beautiful.

Some people describe fire as biting and evil. These tickled the air. Rejoicing right along with you as it eats up vile memories that your father left behind. You go back into the closet, and pull out the other bottles of whiskey. Pouring them onto the floor, and creating trails to other parts of the house.

You needed it all gone. Every bit of it. You didn’t want any more ties to this damn house. Finishing up in the living room you pick up your laptop, and hold it tight to your chest. The crackles from the fire feel almost cozy. Leaving you with a beautiful memory before you say goodbye.

You watch it as your fiery friend starts to travel to where you are. Greeting you with a big smile as it engulfs your surroundings. You whisper a silent thank you as sleep starts to cloud your vision. It will be a divine ending for this house. One it didn’t deserve.

Bucky bursts through the door, and you’re too enraptured by the cleansing of your childhood, you don’t take notice. “What the fuck!” He grunts, stomping over towards you. Grabbing onto you as he pulls you out of the house.

The further he takes you the more you start to focus again, “No! I wanna watch it,” you sob, trying to wipe the tears away from your face. You need to see this. It would heal you. “I gotta see, please!”

The figure behind you never removes his hold, but he stands still, allowing you to watch the house be swallowed up by hell. Just like it deserved. A sad smile creeps up onto your face when you finally hear the sirens. It was too far gone. They couldn’t save it.

An old high school boyfriend turned firefighter gives you a nod before rushing with his colleagues. There is nothing left but the bones of the house, and even those were slowly turning to ash. He was never going to be able to haunt you again. You gave him away to his demons. Right along with his favorite thing. Canadian Mist.

“You got somewhere to go?” Your ex says your name, but you’re too busy watching everything start to crumble. “You her boyfriend?”

“Not exactly,” Bucky extends a hand out to the man, “Bucky.”

“Jake. She uh…she started this didn’t she?” Bucky shrugs his shoulders. He assumed you started it. It happened so fast. He barely even finished pissing when he heard the blazing death trap. “I’m the one that investigates this. She talked about it being her dream for a while. I don’t want charges brought against her. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I understand, and if you need some monetary compensation for making sure she doesn't get charged, I can make that happen.”

Jake shakes his head. He looks down at you, but you are in a complete zone? Shock? None of the words seemed to fit. He supposes it's all the above. “She needed this. She’s cleansing. It’ll be wiring or something. That house has had its fair shares of small fires that the old man put out with an extinguisher anyways. No one will question it. I’m also pretending to be taking her, well your, statement. Just trust me. Can you tell me where you're taking her?”

“Are you her boyfriend?” Bucky’s eyes narrow at the younger man, but he shakes his head no.

“I’m just a friend. She’s a good one. Didn’t deserve these past few months. It’s…it’s changed her even more. Uhh…you’ll make sure she’s safe tonight? That she’ll be okay?”

“I’m the one that got her out of that house. She was standing in shock in the living room.”

“She’ll need her medication. Last I talked to her the psychiatrist prescribed some things. She told me therapy was helping. But she needed this. Just give me the address, and I’ll come by in the morning,” Bucky nods to the boy, and Jake jogs to his truck. It was a lost cause for the house, but they had to put the flames out. This would have been a decent place to live, but it seemed like a bad omen to build here.

“Violet?”

“That’s not my real name,” you respond, finally turning to look at who is holding you. “Y-y-your the guy that…from the grocery store.”

“I was coming to bring you milk. You never got it,” that was a bit of a lie, and you knew it. There wasn’t a car. Only a bike. And there was definitely no milk. “Do you have somewhere you can stay?”

Shit. This wasn’t thought through. You had nowhere, and nothing. Just the clothes on your back, and the laptop in your arms. A different kind of tears wells up in your eyes as you look between the house and Bucky.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

“Hey, hey, I gotta place. There’s two bedrooms, and a couch. I’ve got some clothes that don’t smell like smoke, a warm shower, and even Wi-Fi.”

“Do you have milk?” Bucky chuckles a bit, and nods his head. “You don’t want to kill me?”

“If I wanted you dead, I’d have left you in that house.”

“I don’t like people.”

“Good. Neither do I. It’s a small little house outside of town. No neighbors,” what other choice did you have? If Jake didn’t have a girlfriend, he might have been an option. Even though you would have felt obligated to sex. You didn’t want sex. You wanted to sleep.

“Do you have anything besides cheap whiskey to drink? I haven’t been sleeping a lot lately.”

“I have melatonin,” you scrunch up your nose, annoyed at his words. “I also have something that might be of comfort. Come on. Let’s get you somewhere out of the cold, and get a shower. I’ll make you some soup.”

“I like pizza rolls better.”

“I don’t have those, but I have pepperoni, cheese, marinara, and I can make it happen,” who was this man? When things are too good to be true they often are. “I’m Bucky.”

The longer you’re on the back of his motorcycle the more you worry about yourself. Why are you here? Why are you with him? What if he wants to murder you? What could possibly be worse?

He smelled nice. He had kind eyes despite the piercings and tattoos he had. He never touches you more than necessary. His hand never drops to your thigh to make you uncomfortable, but who was he? Was he bad news? Was he your worst mistake? And you just left with him. This wasn’t good.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

“We’re almost there,” his head turns to the side, hoping that you hear him. You did. It’s tunnel hearing. It’s the only thing you heard. His voice is nice.

His bike pulls into a garage, and you take in your surroundings. Maybe he meant good, but maybe he was pure evil. Would he have saved you just to murder you? Maybe. It’s what they did to prisoners.

“Come on,” he holds his hand up for you, and you take it nervously. I’ll grab some clothes, and show you to the bathroom. Take as much time as you need. I think Jake wants you to send him your address. It’s 42 Cherry Tree Lane,” nodding your head, you sit your computer down on the nearest surface, and pull your phone out of your pocket. Thankfully it had been there.

“I’ve got a charger you can use.”

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Fluff takes you out of your mind space, and you look down to see the most beautiful fluffy cat staring up into your soul with beautiful blue eyes. It weaves its body in and out of your legs, and you look up at your savior with glossy eyes.

“I’m impressed,” he squats down to hold out his hand, but the kitty doesn’t move towards him. “Alpine, are you ignoring me? She’s normally a hater of new people. Baby, come see me,” his voice is still so soft, but she doesn’t attempt to leave your legs.

“She's a good companion. Alpine, baby girl, you watch our guest, I’m going to get her some clothes. You want to show her the bathroom, she smells like smoke,” Alpine purrs again, and sets off at a trot. Stopping to look back at you when you don’t follow.

“She’s showing you where to go, and it looks like my bathroom.”

“Oh, I don’t have to…”

“Alpine is the boss here. If she wants you in the big bathroom, that’s where you should go,” you chase after the kitty with Bucky right behind you. She jumps up on the counter, and sits up proudly looking at the bathtub.

“Here,” Bucky hands you a few clothes, and you mouth thank you, but no sound comes out. “You can take my bed,” he shrugs his head back into the bedroom, and then points to under the counter. “Just keep the bathroom door open. This is her bathroom, too.”

“Bucky?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you know how to make grilled cheese?”

Bucky stands at the edge of the woods watching you walk around the house. Nothing on but your silk robe. He could see your nipples pushing against the fine fabric. Alpine was meowing up at you while you pace. She always worried about you when you got like this. He wondered how many nights you had been like this. You missed him. This was like your waiting game. Every night pacing the living room floor. Picking up your baby kitty to kiss over her fur.

And every night Bucky saw you on the cameras, he missed you even more. He shouldn’t make you wait, but there is something sweet in your routine. Your mouth moves as you count to six. Biting at your lip and looking out into the woods. You wouldn’t see him, until he was ready for you to.

He steps out of the shadows, and your face immediately lights up. Smiling so big as you pull the phone up to your ear, “Bucky, what are you doing?”

“Watching you,” he answers softly. Taking only one step closer to you.

“How long have you been watching me?”

“A while,” taking another step, he laughs when you puff out a bit of air in annoyances.

“Yeah, well, you could go ahead and come home. Seeing how you’ve left me here for weeks by myself,” there you had to go and put your fingers on the window. You are adorable, and he just wants to hold you. Rubbing up and down on the glass, like you are touching him.

“Yeah?” He whispers, taking one single step forward. “And just how do you think you’re going to get me in the house?” You hang up the phone, and pull apart your robe. Nothing else was on. There is only one person you feel comfortable with, and it was Bucky. You smooth your hands down the curves of your body, starting to laugh when Bucky sprints towards you.

Slinging open the door, you jump into his arms the second he crosses the threshold. Smiling up at him in your so sweet way, “Hey, James,” you giggle, kissing the tip of his nose. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, my Shy Violet,” he bites at his lip just once, but his eyes never stray from your angelic face. He makes no comment about your cunt pressing up against his stomach, or your tits just below his eye sight. “What have you been doing without me?”

“I finished my book,” god, you were the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on. “Want me to read you the last chapter?”

“Of course, Shy,” leaning towards you, he gives you the softest chaste kiss. Ghosting his lips down to your chin where he kisses up your jaw. Ending right behind your ear, “you want me to make us some hot chocolate?”

“Oh,” you give him a little pout, trying to wiggle out of his arms. “James, put me down.”

“I can multitask. I don’t have to put you down,” his nose nuzzles into your neck, and all the anxiety of him being gone melts completely away. You learned a long time ago to not worry about what goes on with the business, to just be happy he was with you. “Shy, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Tell me what she’s like,” Bucky gives you a bit of an eye roll as he sits you on the counter. You start to close your robe, but he shakes his head no.

“No, you…you keep that how it was. I need something pretty to help decompress.”

“Do you like her?”

“She’s a troublemaker, and also oddly perfect for Steve,” Bucky isn’t the most forthcoming with information. You had to prod him a bit. “You know how Steve is.”

“Just from what you tell me. He’s intense, he’s a brute, he’s passionate, and he’s quick to anger. He sounds like a terrible person for me to be around. Does he actually like her though?” Bucky waits until he pours out the milk before looking back at you, nodding his head. “How do you know?”

“He hasn’t killed her,” your mouth drops open in surprise. Surely Bucky was joking. “She has this bratty side that fulfills this need to control that Steve has. She’s a virgin, and it’s made him blind. So blind he didn’t realize what a target she’s become. People are beginning to realize Steve has a weakness. It’s wrapped up in this cute little packaging.”

“Would…you’ll die trying to save her life, won’t you?” He walks over to you, placing his hands on either side of your body. Pulling his arms in closer until he’s squeezing you. His head lays down on your chest, and you wrap your arms around him tightly. “Who’s going to protect me then?”

“You don’t need protection anymore. You’re more of a fighter than you realize,” that’s not what you wanted to hear. “Shy, baby, what is it?”

“I don’t want to fight anymore. I fought my whole life, and when I’m with you I get to relax, and breathe, and I don’t have to count. You’re my safe space,” moving his hands on both your cheeks, he presses his lips against yours, and holds you. “I don’t like her.”

“You’re not going to meet her.”

“Can’t Steve just…he can ask anyone to guard her. Why not Scott or someone else? James, I need you. She doesn’t need you. I…do,” his cool blue eyes stare so deeply into yours. Such a bittersweet homecoming this was turning into. “You don’t want to burn the milk, Jamey.”

Exhaling slowly, he turns to tend to the milk, but holds a hand behind him for you to touch. You hated a woman you never even met. And hated that even more. “Is she nice to you?”

“She invited me in for coffee, and got her ass spanked.”

“What does her pussy look like?”

“You sound jealous,” you weren’t jealous. You just didn’t get Steve’s kink of needing to show his women off. “Shy, you know the only puss I want to look at is Alpine. And the only pussy I want to taste is you.”

“Don’t call our daughter a puss,” you scrunch up your nose, ready to call Alpine, just so you could hug her. “She’s beautiful. And perfect.”

“Just like her mama,” he smiles, turning back with two mugs of hot cocoa. “Here, my sweet little Shy girl. You want to read your chapter for me?” You shake your head no, pushing aside his shirt. “Are you jealous that you can’t see my titties, too?”

“Yep. You have nice titties, so let me see them,” setting his mug down just to remove his shirt, and you pull him right up to your chest. “I love you, bubba.”

“I love you, baby. Have you thought more about what we talked about?”

“Remind me,” you giggle, giving him quick little kisses to his chest, but he pulls you up to look at him. Holding you by the chin.

Bucky sighs, running his thumb over your lips. His voice is so soft, “I don’t want just Alpine to be our daughter.”

“We can get another cat.”

“I meant a baby. I want a baby with you.”

“Do you promise not to die?” With his crooked smile, he nods his head one time, “I’m ovulating, Jamey.”

With one twinkle of an eye to let the words set in, he scoops you up in his arms, carrying the two of you to the bedroom. His eyes still never stray. Ever the gentleman. Always. Laying you down on the bed, he spreads your legs wide, staring down at your glistening folds. Spitting down, his fingers gently massage your bundle of nerves.

“You didn’t need my spit.”

‘You have this ability to always turn me on. Mmm,” you sigh as your body starts to heat up. Relaxing at his ministrations. His free hand starts undoing his pants before he shakes himself out of them. Stopping his touch on you only to crawl on the bed, and uses your legs to pull him where he needs you.

“Remember what the doctor said,” you remind him, and he yanks you tighter against him. His cock laying flat against your body, and the salacious moan for what little he was doing rings into the bedroom. “We gotta let — let your cum sit me in.”

“I’ll fucking plug you up if I have to. I just want to see your cute little bump with our baby inside of you.”

“Shh, I’m supposed to be getting fucked, not having dreams of you holding a baby,” his hand adds pressure to his cock, and he slides it through your velvety lips. Getting right at your entrance when he smirks at you. He only thrusted hard one time, and that was entering inside of you. Bucky was someone who made love.

You brace yourself, nodding slightly, and he rails into you. The only thing stopping him are your bodies colliding. You were never going to get used to his size, and yet, your body always craved him. Always needed him.

He lets your back settle on the bed, and he drops his weight on you. Holding himself up by his forearms, “Hey, pretty Shy. Are you gonna let me know when you’re good?”

“Mhmm,” you breathe him in. Inhaling his masculine scent. Your fingers drift up and down his back. Going lower each time until your dainty little fingers grip the voluptuous spheres of his ass. “I’m…” another word gets stuck in your throat as Bucky draws his hips back.

His cock slides out of you before it slowly pushes back in. His forehead presses against yours, and it’s just the two of you. Only you and him in a bubble of love and safety. You aren’t sure how Bucky was able to take every brick off your wall, and allow himself into your heart, but he did.

He was always surprising you. A man that everyone feared was the biggest teddy bear when it came to you, and your daughter, Alpine. He hadn’t ever raised his voice towards you. Your arguments were minimal. You two had created a good life. You had gone to his small little house, and never left him. Even made a big step in buying a house together out in the middle of nowhere.

Bucky’s lips pucker out randomly for a kiss. It’s like even though he’s closer to you than he can possibly get, he still can’t get enough. They’re just pecks, but they’re desperate and needy. Giving a roll over on the bed, he stares up at you as you readjust your body.

Getting settled, you bounce over him. Admiring your boyfriend’s dashingly handsome face, and a sinful body. Bucky was carved by the gods in the sky, and the underworld. A fallen angel completely. Intricate lines, and blacked out blank spaces covered him from the waist up. He would even let you color them in with markers during your writer’s block

He was all you had ever wanted, and even more than you could have imagined. Even your most perfect fictional boyfriend did not compare to the man that was whimpering below you. You loved it when got like this. Hearing him turned on by your movements, so much that he got vulnerable and made sweet sounds makes you melt.

No man should be like this, and yet there he is. You feared Steve was asking too much of him, and all you wanted was for him to start coming home every night like he used to. It wasn’t being selfish. It was protecting Bucky when he couldn't’ protect himself.

He grabs tightly to your hips, holding you still before he launches himself up inside of you at lightning speed. Eyes rolling into the back of your head as heat drains into your belly. That fuzzy feeling that only Bucky could create tickles every inch of your body. Right as you start to scream his name, that familiar high speeds through your veins, followed by his warmth painting your walls.

Thick ropes of cum shoot into your womb, and he flips you back on your back. The backs of his knuckles brush against your skin as he smiles down at you. “Shy, will you marry me?”

“Will you always come home to me?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Bucky brushes your baby hairs off your face. Looking down at his fiance. You’ll notice the ring when you wake up. He hates himself for asking you that way, but it felt right in the moment. Alpine snuggles up against you, your own little heating pad. She once loved only Bucky, and now she just tolerated him.

He glances back down at your printed out manuscript. Reading the final paragraph for the finished book. He didn’t deserve you. He wasn’t a good enough man to come home to someone as perfect, and as smart as you, but he did. Every book you wrote amazed him at how you created worlds from nothing.

It was your way of escaping as a child. Fabricating fictional worlds, so you didn’t have to be present in your real life. The best part of your books is he could tell what part was influenced by him. The way you saw Bucky is something no one ever has before. You saw him as an innocent angel, and Bucky was more of a devil, and had no wings.

You stir in your sleep, looking up at Bucky, “How long have you been up?” You ask without opening your eyes.

“A while. Go back to sleep. It’s still dark,” you blink yourself partially awake as you stare at him. They didn’t make perfect men. They just made Bucky.

“What do you got?”

“Baby, this is perfect,” reaching out to hold his hand, you gasp looking at your own. The most pretty little diamond. It was just what you wanted. It wasn’t gaudy or flashy. It was just perfect. “You were so sleepy I was able to slip it on.”

“You had an actual ring? How were you going to propose? Surely it wasn’t while your sperm was trying to find my egg, was it?”

“No, sweetheart,” he chuckles, sliding his fingers over the pretty diamond. “I was going to cook us dinner, and we were going to walk to the river, and while you were busy trying to sit on the swing, I was just going to drop to my knees.”

“I like the way you did it better.”

“Oh, yeah, why’s that, you sex fiend?”

“Because we were together. Hopefully creating a life. Even if our daughter was fussing on the other side of the door. It was very us, bubba.”

“I’m going to talk to Steve about getting Dove her own bodyguard. You’re right. I think Natasha would be a good fit for her.”

“Thank you,” you whisper, and he pulls you in close to his body. He gets a short death stare from Alpine, but she falls back asleep soon after. “We can’t lose you.”

“We?”

“Yeah, eventually, me, you, and Alpine will have our little human.”

“Well, mama Shy, close your eyes, and get some rest. Grow our little egg. You’ve got me all weekend,” that sounds heavenly. You hate to waste it on sleep, but you were tired, and your baby was so warm and cozy. Bucky was, too.

Next

Masterlist

Taglist: @tis-thedamn-season @marveloustaylortot @pono-pura-vida @sstan-hoe @missusbarnes-rogers @peaches1958 @seitmai @smile1318 @andydrysdalerogers @cjand10 @midnightramyeoncravings @kmc1989 @theinheriteddutchess @annaallicce @feyfantome @jesevans @tittittoee @bananapiedreams @onclouds999 @darkserenity24 @abbatoirablaze @ashychangeling @identity2212 @mrsevans90 @weirdothatwritess @floralwsloki @thestralwriting @ambearsstuff @softherveauxs @kandis-mom @hoodiesandicedcoffee 

[pinkexpertnerdghost]

A Rose for You!

Lyney x Gn!Reader

Pt.2 to Watch and Be Amazed!

{ Ok! Ya'll asked for it. I kinda wanted to write more in the first part but it was already kinda lengthy. As in the last part there wasn't much one on one Lyney and Reader moments. But don't fret dear [Name]! You'll be in the lovely company of this little magical menace for a tour around the Nation! }

! Some Spoilers for the Fontaine Archon Quest Act 1 and some nudges to Lyney and Lynettes Backstory/Personal Stories !

General: sfw, fluff, Grin Malkin Cat, small Freminet and Lynette cameo, Lyney being the charming little flirt he is, flustered Lyney, french, a wee bit of angst here and there towards the end,

It was a new day, and you felt refreshed. Truly, Fontaine is one of the most snazziest places you’ve ever been in. Alongside the technological advancements, there was much attention to the intricacies of decorum and an artistic romanticism in the most mundane activities. Although, the air was a bit smellier than the countryside and the stars couldn’t sparkle as brightly.

You had woken up from your slumber, the sun beaming through the thin curtains by the window. Next to your bedside was a small nightstand with a beautiful lamp and the prop card laying face down. 

You rolled a bit around in your bed until you laid on your back facing the ceiling.

Your mind wandered to the events that unfolded last evening. The colorful memory replayed in your mind like moving photographs. 

The doves, cats in hats, paper butterflies and a pair of soft lilac eyes. 

You sighed.

From the walk to your hotel yesterday, you had viciously tried to recount the events that happened. At what point did Lyney slip this note in your sleeve? And why didn’t you notice sooner?

You had trouble sleeping that night. 

Lyney couldn’t have been serious could he? It was just a part of the show, of course he would shower you with pretty words and a suave demeanor . It's part of his charming routine, nothing more. 

Then again…

Why did he whisper at you so much? Now you thought about it, you were up there for at least one two..TECHNICALLY FOUR ACTS?! Also, he stopped you after the show to talk. AND NOW HE HANDED YOU A CARD ASKING YOU OUT?! No WaIT- Not ‘Out Out’ like a date or anything, an outing as friends? Can you even call him that?! What acquaintance just requests a day to hang out together? HE ISN'T BREAKING SOME PERFORMER AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE REGULATIONS IS HE?!-

Overthinking can lead to a very unsettled mindset preventing you from getting proper rest. 

So here you were, laying like a beached seal on your bed. You didn’t bother to get up right away. Too lazy and your head was fizzed out of thoughts.

You shifted your head around, the bedding beneath you shuffled along. On the nightstand was the prop card you had found in your sleeve last night. 

You eyed the shiny piece of paper. The little red grinning cat silhouette on the backside felt like it was taunting you. Calling you pathetic as it stared at you from atop his side table throne.

Stretching your arms above your head, you finally sat up. 

You reached and picked up the card, holding it with your index and thumb. Once again you carefully read the words that were written on the front in cursive. 

 “ I hope you had a magical evening, [Name]. Meet me by the bench near the potted flowers by the station at noon tomorrow. If you show up, best prepare for I still have tricks up my sleeve that will leave you dazzled! ”

You stared at it and noticed it was written on what was a blank playing card. 

Staring at how the curved letters formulated each word you wondered. 

Meet him at the benches by the Aquabus station by noon. Did you really trust this man? Even though he is technically a celebrity, you just met him not even a day ago. 

You swung your feet off the bed, card still in hand. Stepping down onto the small bedside rug, you idled around near the window. It looked to be early morning, you’d guess around eight o’ clock. 

“ I don’t have much plans today. Other than wandering the streets and walking into what I think will be interesting.” You said, your voice a bit groggy. 

You twirled the card in your hand.

You thought carefully of what you’d do next.

“ I think he might it want back.”

Yeah, that’s it.

“I’m sorry, sir?” You yelped. You had to crane your neck a bit to be able to make eye contact? You didn’t think it had eyes, but nevertheless you made the best effort to stare into its face.

Or what looked to be a face.

 You had seen some of them walking about freely in the main city. When you were making your way towards a staircase you bumped into one. 

The robotic garde halted and nodded.

‘ Ah, so they can communicate.’

It went back to walking down the street, undeterred. Turning around after that odd exchange you went back to the matter afoot.

You were lost. Lyney never specified which station he’d be waiting in. You were almost half convinced he was going to be at the Marcotte Line; the one closest to the Opera Epiclese. Although, the more you thought about it the less likely he would be there. 

He did mention that he might be available to take you to see around Fontaine. So he must have meant the main station hub located in the main city.

Even if he wasn’t there, you’d have that station checked off the list of possibilities.

You hurried up the stairs, the small journey reminding you of the Nation of Freedom surprisingly. Although both were vastly different, they did share a similar style of building upward rather than outward. 

Reaching the top, you made your way to the station. You kept your eyes open as you scoped out your surroundings hoping to find a tall tophat. 

It shouldn’t be hard right? Someone as extravagant as him would surely stand out.

You stood corrected. It looks like many people here in Fontaine take up the fashion trend that was tall extravagant head wear. You had gone over almost every suspect bench near flora, most of them were occupied by either locals, adventurers or both. 

He didn’t seem to be near the reception or the inner waiting area. 

“ It's almost noon” you turn to look out a window, the sun is high in the sky now. 

“ If I were a famous magician with an outgoing personality, where would I be?” You muttered as you had your eyes peeled, wondering in the same space.

Your eyes followed the cheers of children. Near a bench a group of kids surrounded someone. 

“ Wow!”

“Where did it go?”

“Could you do it again mister?”

“ Alright! Since you asked nicely. Watch carefully now!~” You heard a jovial smooth voice. 

Looking above the kid group you spot him, seated comfortably playing with his card deck. 

‘ Of course! You’d be where a willing audience was present!’ 

You waltzed over subtly. He was entertaining a group of little kids with some card tricks, you’d let him finish his mini performance before you made yourself known.

“ Is this your card little Mademoiselle?”  Lyney knelt down and held up a four of hearts card. The little girl with blonde hair jumped up excitedly.

“ Yeah! That’s my card!” 

Lyney laughed, a warm expression graced his features. His eyes met yours for a split second. Not knowing what to do, you sent a little wave. Well at least he knows you're here. 

His gaze flitted back to the group of kids. He got back up with the card in hand. “ Before I go, I’ll leave you all with a grand finale!”

The children gasped in unison and quieted down instantly. 

He brought the card close to his face. He flicked it two times before crumpling it into his hand. 

He shook his hand and reeled it as if he was going to throw a shot ball. He brought his hand up in a presenting way and when his palm opened there was a pop sound. It rained rainbow confetti and small cut out paper stars.

The children ooo’d and awe’d, and two were reaching their little arms up to catch the popper’s confetti. 

“ Ta-da! This has been a special performance, brought to you by Magician Extraordinaire Lyney!” The magician lifted his cape from behind him and took a bow. The children clapped and cheered. 

Two adults came walking up to the mini crowd. 

“ Thank you for entertaining them, Mister Lyney. Getting our little Anais to sit still is a magic trick on its own.” An older woman laughed, as she picked up a small girl who wore a Boater styled hat. 

“ Alright Hugo, let's go. Our boat will leave in a few minutes. Say thank you to Monsieur Lyney.” A man with a distinguished mustache taped a young boy in overalls. The little boy with his hands behind his back, thanked the magician before he went off with his father. 

Lyney waved the kids off as he walked off towards you. 

“ Hey there you. I hope managed to get a full night's rest.” He said, there was this sort of bounce in his voice. You may have only known him for a little while now, but you couldn’t help but pick up some recurring little quirks about him.

He wasn’t much different casually like he was on stage. This guy really does live and breathe in the spotlight huh?

“ Sort of. I had a bit of trouble sleeping.” 

‘No way you were going to tell him you were thinking about him. That would make the rest of the day awkward.’

“ I did end up getting some shut eye though, eventually.” You mustered up a reassuring smile. 

“ Trouble sleeping?” Lyney tilted his head as his index finger came up to chin. His eyes slightly narrowed as a mischief inducing grin made its way onto his face. “ You weren’t laying awake thinking about me were you?~” 

You couldn’t help but widen your eyes and sputter out. Is telepathy in his book of magic tricks too?!

“What? No, of course not!” You forced a cough to cover your small blunder. “It’s just, I need to get accustomed to the climate, that's all. It's like that the first few days in a new location.”

Lyney laughed, his smirk melting into a more genuine expression.

“I’m kidding! That might have been a bit much, sorry about that! Hehe.” He said apologetically.  

You crossed your arms as you held a small jaded stare at the cheeky magician. You were doubting if he really meant that. You blew out a held breath.

Reaching into your pocket you fetched the prop card

“ I found this in my sleeve when I left the Opera House. I believe this belongs to you.” You extended his card to him. His eyes suddenly lit up and he swiped the card away from you.

“So this is where it went! Honestly, sometimes my card deck has a mind of its own.” He mused as he twirled the card in his hand. 

His eyes traveled back to you. “Well since it got you here today, why not take a walk around town! I did say if we had free time we were going to show you around. Call it an encore if you will.” 

You looked around you, noticing something amiss after he said that.

“ Is Miss Lynette not going to join today?”

Lyney shrugged as he slid the card back into his deck. “ Lynette had something urgent to take care of, So she can't join us today unfortunately. So it will probably just be little old me and you today.” 

He was idly playing around with the deck before he made it disappear. “ Oh, you don’t need to be so formal! Just Lyney is fine.” 

You hummed.

“Alright. So any places to recommend visiting?”

At this the magician sported a confident smile and walked ahead of you. “ I have a full day planned out, a surprise around every corner. I want your stay in Fontaine to be an unforgettable glimmering memory.” 

He turned on his heel to face you and extended a hand to you.

“ Now if you’d allow me to be your escort, mon cher?” 

You could do nothing but stare. You couldn’t come up with any words to say except stepping forward and taking his hand. 

With a content smile, Lyney gently pulled you along. His gloved hand felt smooth where his fingers grazed your palm yet there was a distinctive tougher texture where the white detailing was sewn on. The people wandering the streets around you felt like the fizzling suds of a wave.

You felt your face becoming a bit warmer. 

He really does have a flair for the theatrical doesn’t he? 

Lyney had taken you everywhere, one exciting place following the next. But before anything, he invented you for a meal. It was noon and the complimentary breakfast from early morning wasn’t going to keep you going for the entire day. So you both stopped by a humble cafe. The food was absolutely delicious! The smell of toasty bread invaded your senses and the savory taste of garlic on your tongue made you smile with each bite . 

You were perfectly content with the garlic bread but you curiously asked Lyney for any recommended dish for the main course.

His answer was; “ If you want my word, then I’d say try this dish right here!” He pointed to a warm soup bowl as he leaned himself over to you.

After lunch, Lyney brought you to see many sights and places. From the tall waterfalls that made up the borders of Fontaine, you could stare at it for hours. He had to subtly pull you away from the viewing point as you kept your eyes glued to the running water. 

You took the Aquabus every so often to get around. You were looking out into the distance. The water seemed to stretch on for infinity, islands broke through the surface making the land seem like one big jigsaw puzzle.

While the ride dragged out, Lyney made quick conversation to pass the time.

“So, what brought you to Fontaine, hm? If my memory serves me right, you mentioned that you don’t get out much.” Lyney sat next to you with his legs crossed. 

“ Yeah. I see travelers but I'm never the one traveling. My job is not something exciting like an adventurer or extravagant like an artist.”

You shift in your seat. You folded your arms onto your lap.

“ I’m just a shopkeep. So, you can already say that I live a perfectly mundane life” You chuckled a bit dryly. 

Lyney was uncharacteristically quiet. He was paying his undivided attention to your words. You continued. 

“With every passing day, I gradually realized that my life had possibly reached a stalemate. Every day felt like a repeat of yesterday. It was the same route, same building, same aisles, and same feelings.” You said. You couldn’t exactly remember when you began to feel like this. It was a thought that had crossed your mind one day. And ever since, it had stayed in the crevices like gunk you couldn’t wipe off.

 “ So, I decided that I’m just going to throw myself out there into the world!” You spoke. You couldn’t really say exactly what your ideas were, but you described what you felt. 

Comfort. Trapped. Empty. Jealous. Fear. Doubt. Excitement. 

“ It may be reckless of me, but If I was never going to do it, I knew I would end up feeling regret for not having done anything about it. And even so, my boss was kind enough to grant me time off.” 

You snickered. “ I’m probably just assuming, but I feel like they might have let me have this because they probably noticed something. Not to brag, but I was their best employee. Swooping in to save the day when my colleagues were out.” 

You stretched your arms a bit, not having realized how still your body was the entire time. Once you were done it felt nice; it was as if your entire being took a fresh breath of relief.

“ So now I’m here. In Fontaine on an Aquabus with you.” You look up to see Lyney again. His eyes were soft and he had this understanding expression on his face. 

Really, any expression he wore felt as if it were through a pair of rosy lenses. Perhaps it was the natural charm artists like him had. Maybe. 

Besides,he could get away with just about anything because of his attractive face.

You shook your head away to look out into the Fontaine waters around and below. 

“ Well, good on you [Name]! I hope your ventures have been nothing but amazing and brought you happiness! ” He finally spoke. He inhaled deeply before he sighed out. His gaze faced the bow of the aquabus.

 “ Do you agree that birds create wonderful music for the ear to hear? Not to mention the splendor of colorful feathers and their ability to fly.” 

“Due to their natural charm, they are sometimes kept as ‘decorations’, provided food and shelter so long as they continue to amuse the people.” He said, his tone shifted ever so slightly. It was barely noticeable, but there was a very micro edge to his word. 

He crossed his arms, the brim of his hat covered the sun creating a little inkling of shadow cast over half his face blocking out the sunlight that might’ve stung his eyes. 

“ But being kept in captivity for too long, it will yearn for the open skies. It’s only a matter of time before the initial luxury turns into a finite cage.” Lyney hummed. His words brought you an unexplainable comfort yet somehow it felt very out of character for him. You subtly shift your gaze to his face. His expression didn’t seem to be exaggerated. His features were calm like a still lake, unmoving. His eyes, although trained forward, seemed to be not fully there. A misty reflection had settled over his lilac irises. 

The intermission lasted for a few beats of seconds. His mouth effortlessly shifts up into a cat-like grin. He turns his head back to you and straightens his posture, his signature tophat tips back slightly. His eyes conveyed excitement as the lilac once again seemed as vivid during his performance.

 He was no longer a still freshwater lake, but instead a lively and winding river. 

“Which is why you’ll get the best tour of Fontaine by yours truly! Mark my words when I said I’d leave you dazzled today, for I Lyney will see to it that you have nothing but laughs and smiles upon your lovely face, mon cher.~” He declared proudly.

You felt dazed. A warm bubbly feeling began to infest your chest. It was very much like when he placed a kiss to the back of your hand.

You smiled happily at his declaration. “Thank you for listening to me. And also..”

You couldn’t help the hot sensation over the apples of your cheeks or your muted heart rate from your ears. Yet you persisted, not breaking away your gaze from him.

“Thank you for being with me today.”

Lyney’s confident facade had faltered ever so slightly for that moment. But he recuperated and mirrored your expression. 

“It’s no problem at all, [Name].”

This was nice. He was nice. Despite knowing him for a little while, it felt as if you’d known him for much longer. 

However, you barely knew anything about him other than he had a twin sister who was coincidentally his assistant and that he was a popular performer in Fontaine. 

It irked you a bit, but you wouldn’t voice this opinion out loud.  It is as people said, once you learn the inner mechanism to a magic trick, the magic itself is lost and you're left to face the raw and sometimes cruel trick. 

You wouldn’t question why he went quiet. You wouldn’t question if he himself felt similar. You wouldn’t question why his demeanor sometimes felt too whimsical to be true. You didn’t want to ruin the mood. And you didn’t want to linger on the thought any longer. 

You both went to many shops, Lyney had insisted you try out anything that caught your fancy. And if you liked it, to get it! Of course you were on a travel budget, but you did end up purchasing two items. 

Your favorite stop however was the Hat Boutique. Lyney had a rather interesting insight on what headwear would ‘shape a face better’. 

“Hm, you could probably store triple the amount of props in this one.” He studied a scarlet red top hat that looked suspiciously similar to the one he owns. He then looked over to another hat sitting on a display. “But that one brings out my petite and charming face more.” 

He turned to face you. “ Help me out here [Name], should I go with this one or that one?”

You looked between the two options, narrowing your eyes and looked closely at the detailings. You looked at Lyney’s face and imagined how he’d look with either on. 

“If you want my opinion, why not go with this one.” You walked over to a particular Hat you saw as you were pursuing. It was a Fedora like hat in a rich dark violet color; it looked more like an inky black purple. It had a gray sash wrapped around it that shined slightly silver when the sun hit. 

“ It looks nice, and the material feels smooth to the touch. The color brings out your eyes too.” You said as you held up the hat for him to look. 

“Oh my, aren't you the charmer?” He smirked playfully.

You avert your eyes to the aisles of material and color, “ It’s just an astute observation is all.” 

He took the hat off your hands and studied it. “ Color me impressed! You have quite the eye for fashion mon cherie.” He sent you a proud smile and his eyes glowed with pride. 

You shook your head. “ I work full time at a small shop remember, so picking up on the interest of buyers is a skill I’ve gained. I wouldn’t say I’m a fashion expert.” You felt the corner of your lips twitch up into a little smile. 

“Are you going to tell me what you mean by that?” 

“What do I mean by what?” He repeated your question blinking owlishly 

You pouted. You got the feeling he was doing it on purpose.

“The nickname? You refer to me by that sometimes. What does it mean?” 

Lyney thought for two seconds before his mouth formed an o shape in realization. He gave you an innocent close eyed smile. “ That’s a secret~! But, I have faith you’ll figure out what it means on your own.” 

You gasped and brought a hand to your heart. “ How do I know you're not calling me a mean name? What a cruel scheme to pull one over me like that!” You whisper yelled in an over the top voice of hurt. 

 His shoulders tensed. Lyney suddenly became the slightest bit flustered. He shook his head, “I-I would never! Honest! I can assure you it doesn’t mean anything like that.” 

 

You let out a quiet snicker. You found it adorable really. He suddenly became embarrassed despite the brimming confidence he usually carries himself in.

After purchasing the hat, he decided to keep his signature cat still on but suggested making a stop by his house to leave the newly purchased hat. 

“ It won’t be long I promise! It’s just that, I wouldn’t want it to get weathered by bringing it around with us today. You did end up choosing it and I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to it.” He reasoned.

It was a small but cute home. It was built in a typical style that the main city carried; geometric edges, a very advanced looking outdoor light, and a beautiful door with a stained window. 

“Wait here okay! I promise I’ll be in and out before you can tell I left.” He quickly spoke as he jogged over to the front door. You couldn’t help but laugh a little as he sped off. 

So you stood outside. You looked around, and spotted a potted plant. 

CLANK TICK CLANK

The sharp sounds of metal and objects clashing made you sharply look at the direction it came from. You suddenly felt a bit confused.

The door swung open and you were expecting to see the charming magician. Instead it was a boy running out the door. He spotted you and suddenly skidded to a sudden stop.

“...” 

He had a giant metal helmet next to him. He had ash blonde hair that almost covered the left side of his face. His apparel reminded you of a sailor.

He just stared at you and stepped back a bit. His form seemed slightly shrunken and he held his helmet thing closer to him. Not wanting wrong assumptions to be made you sent the boy the most casual smile you could.

“ Oh, don’t mind me! I’m just waiting on a friend, said he had to drop off something. He should be back any minute.”

The boy didn’t say anything, and just nodded. And he stood there. Unmoving.

 Some glances at you and back to the floor.

 He taps around his helmet. 

Well this was awkward. Should you make small talk?

“Er, cool helmet. What is it for, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

The boy nervously glanced at you from the corner of his eye. His eyes were a very vibrant blue color. He didn’t answer for a while. You purse your lips feeling bad. Maybe the silence was better. 

“ving…” You barely heard it. You look over back to the boy.

“Diving..a diving helmet.” He spoke quietly. He didn’t make eye contact as his eyes were glued to the floor. 

“Diving? As in underwater?” You spoke with some bubbling curiosity. Before the boy could react, the door opened again.

“ I am here! Haha, sorry. That may have taken a bit longer than I thought. I hope you didn’t get too bored while I was away.” Lyney announced himself. He no longer had the hat box with him and he scratched the nape of his neck.

He noticed the other blonde boy. 

“Hm? Ah, Freminet! Where are you off to today?” 

Oh, he knows him? You thought, glancing between the two. 

“I was on my way to the beach.” The young man known as Freminet spoke. His voice sounded soft yet slightly raspy, perhaps he wasn’t used to talking much you figured.

Lyney approached you and eagerly motioned for you to join in the conversation.

“ [Name], allow me to introduce you to my little brother, Freminet. Freminet, this is my new friend [Name]. They were the ones to share the spotlight with me and Lynette during last evening’s show.” Lyney proudly chirped.

Freminet looked a lot less tense. “Oh, yeah. I remember. You rambled on about that show, saying how well they-”

Lyney coughed loudly. You look over at the magician with a raised eyebrow. 

There on his pale face was the smallest smidgen of a rosy color. Freminet immediately hushed. But he had a small nervous smile on his face.

“ I’m sorry If I seemed quiet just now.” Fremeniet now said addressing you. “ I recognized you from your appearance, but I didn’t know what to talk about. Or If you would find me odd for knowing about you.” 

You shook your head, understanding the full picture now made you feel a bit more reassured. “ Don’t worry about it, really. But, it’s nice to meet you, Freminet.”

You turned to face Lyney who looked a lot more relaxed. “ So you have two siblings? What a nice family you three are! There probably isn’t a shortage of banter or boredom then.” 

Lyney chuckled. “ Well, I’m usually the one who does most of the talking. I’m the eldest so it's my duty.” 

“Sometimes you take it a bit too far and become a blabber mouth.” A familiar voice suddenly joined the conversation. Looking about you were met with another familiar face.

“Hey Lynette.” You sent the twin a little friendly wave. She turned to you. Smiling a little and returning it, albeit more lazy. 

“Really? You see me as a blabber mouth? But Lynette, I mustn't let the audience’s cheers and support fall on deaf ears. Especially that our friend [Name] here has been on a grand tour with me as their guide.” Lyney ground proudly as he placed both his hands on his hips.

“Whatever you say. But, you’ve been taking them on a tour? How come you didn’t invite me to tag along?” Lynette deadpanned. 

Huh? You tilted your head in confusion and furrowed your brow. Didn’t Lyney mention earlier that his sister was busy. Lyney must have felt the obvious sudden awkward tension placed upon him as his shoulder tensed and he chuckled nervously.

“A-ah, b-but dear sister, you see since you were busy in the early time of today I didn’t wish to trouble you, so I took it upon myself to show them around. Hehe, please don’t be mad at me.” Lyney stuttered out all while looking at Lynette as he brought his hat closer to his chest.

 Lynette sighed and shook her head before she turned to you with a laid back expression. 

“ I hope he hasn’t caused you too much trouble, [Name]. He can go a little too far sometimes but that’s just Lyney being Lyney.” 

“Hey! I’m right here you know.” Lyney whined sadly. Lynette didn’t bother to look at him and Freminet had turned his head to the side. His shoulder’s bounced and looked like he was suppressing a giggle.

“ It’s really okay. More than okay really. Lyney has been nothing but kind and patient with me. He is a good listener and always manages to make me smile and laugh!” You said happily. 

Lynette’s deep violet eyes got slightly bigger with confusion and curiosity. Lyney stood beside you and took a quick glance at your direction. It was quiet for a moment. You suddenly became a bit nervous, was there something wrong you said?

Lyney laughed heartily as he threw an arm over your shoulders. “You see! Take it from them, that I never let my audience down!” You quickly glanced in his direction, not minding the close contact. You could see some red culminating around the tips of his ear and beneath his eyes.

“Well that's good to know.” Lynette crossed her arms. 

“ We must get going, the daylight is short so we mustn't waste it idlying.” Lyney said. Before you two left Lyney sent his siblings goodbye. “Take care Lynette, remember to be on alert alright? And Freminet, remember to get back home before curfew! I was about to dive into the waters last time you had forgotten about time.” 

“ Okay.”

“Of course.”

Lynette and Freminet replied in unison. 

“ Looks like we’re on the move again. I hope to be able to spend time with you Lynette.” You said. You wanted to get to know this family better. Lynette was blunt and to the point but you could tell she cared about the people closest to her. 

Lynette nodded and her lips curled up into a small but sincere smile. You turned to Freminet.

 “ It was nice to meet you, Freminet. If we ever meet again, would you mind explaining diving to me? It sounds interesting.” 

Freminet tensed slightly but managed to nod in agreement. 

“ Bye Bye! Take care!”

After you two had left, Lynette turned to Fremeinet with a pensive look.

“ Freminet, do you think our older brother is perhaps getting attached to them?”

“ I don’t know. But, he really seems to like their company. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him being this flustered in the presence of someone else.”

Lynette hummed. “ I hope he knows what he’s attempting to get himself into. Out of all of us, he knows what kind of situation we’re in.”

Freminet was quiet as he fidgeted with the nails and guards on his helmet. 

“ Do you think that [Name] would like Per?”

Lynette glanced at Freminet with an unreadable expression. She stood still and thought of last evening's performance. 

“Did... Did you go into idle mode?”

“Yes.”

“Huh?”

“ I think [Name] would find Per cute.” 

The rest of the day was spontaneous. From a walk by the sea shore, trying out pastries and free samples, Lyney explaining Fontaine history and technology. 

It was now close to night time and you were both currently walking through the garden close to the Opera House. The road towards the Opera House was beautiful, ever since you first came here a day prior. You had almost ran late to the Magic show seeing as to how pretty it was. The carved marble statues, the beds of wildflowers beyond the decorative iron railing, and not to mention the fountains. Water was almost everywhere you’d look, it was a given as this was the nation of Hydro. 

“Well, today was certainly a fun day.” You spoke softly. You looked up into the sky. It was the final rays of daylight and the sky was a beautiful swatch of evening gradience. All of the orange, blues and reds bled right into each other.

The water beyond mirrored the sky. The land was akin to a watercolor tray, a smokey mixture of cool and warm colors. 

“Thankyou, again for taking time out of your day to guide me through the nation’s cities. You didn’t need to know?” You walked alongside Lyney who was too admiring the sky. 

“Nonsense. I took you on this little journey because I wanted to. It was one of my prop cards that called to you, yes?” He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye.

“Yes but-”

“And you answered. You could have very well ignored it, even kept the card as a souvenir. But you didn’t. And that choice led you to today.” He spoke calmly.

You said nothing. Lyney was a stubborn man, no matter how many times you could protest against his kindness he would fire back with a reasonable explanation. 

“ The card, how did you manage to put it into my sleeve?” 

Lyney grinned like a bobcat. “ Uh uh my dear, a magician never reveals his trade secrets.” He mused teasingly.

“ Of course.” You sighed, giving up. 

“Have you always had a talent in magic? In performing?” 

Lyney finally turned his head to glance at you. Skipping ahead of you, he manages to turn his whole body towards you.

“ If you must know, It is a rags to riches tale!” He exclaimed as he bellowed out his arms dramatically in front of him.

“ As a young lad, me and Lynette were street performers. Everyday little crowds of people would congregate around us on the side of the street. Card tricks, Flower tricks, and even the feathered friends would aid in our little shows.” He exclaimed as he walked backwards.

“We would give it our all and Mora would rain down upon us.” He spoke with a triumphant smile on his face. He slowed down his pace and you managed to catch up. He was now walking next to you like before.

“ You could guess the rest. We eventually became so well renowned, we were able to afford high end venues and quality equipment for our shows. And soon we went from paupers to famed actors.” 

You had listened carefully. Despite his colorful disposition, the underlying tone of his small backstory felt off.

“ I’m sorry you had to go through such tribulation. It must have been tough on the two of you early on.” You frowned. Although he framed the tale as a dramatic novel, the implication that he and lynette had been living in the streets tugged at your heart.

He did say when he was a lad, so this probably must have happened while they were both children. Where were their parents? The rest of their family? You decided to stave off these questions as they could be delicate. 

Lyney had gone quiet for a moment. He smiled warmly at you. “ It’s alright. There is no need to feel sad for us. That is long in the past now. And besides…” He grinned widely. “ I think a smile would suit your lovely face more!” 

He took off his hat and dug around it and pulled out a curious plant. It was a glowing blue color and its shape resembled a pearl. It shined a mixture of a translucent lilac and ocean blue. 

He outstretched it out to you. You went ahead and tapped the leaves that looked like sea shells. The flower suddenly released some bubbles. The translucent orbs floated around you. You couldn’t help but pop a few, some giggles escaping you as you whirled around. 

Lyney chuckled. “ I did promise you that I would keep that smile on your lips followed by the melody of your laughter.” 

“ I-” You brought a hand up to your face. Your heart suddenly began to beat as if you had just ran a distance. 

Why did his words have to feel so..so..like this? Why did it feel as if what he said was true? Would that explain why your heart feels like it would sprout wings and fly away any moment?

You were positive your face was burning up. You coughed into your hand.

“You did, didn't you? Thank you for the reminder.” You had managed to sputter out. You heard the soft chuckling of the magician. The flower was no wear to be seen, he must’ve vanished it away when you weren’t paying attention. 

“I’m glad we’re on the same page, [Name].” He had a lopsided grin. Lyney was a cheeky man, a person with a silver tongue. He was a conman. And yet…

He managed to make you feel like you had a tornado of butterflies in your stomach all the time. 

You were left speechless, as you both continued to walk down a few more minutes. You both made it to the Opera. In front of the opera was a bigger fountain, and a few pairs of people were collected around it. 

You went up to the fountain, interested to see it up close. In the water collected at the bottom, you could make out a few glittering coins of Mora beneath the water. You heard a few steps up behind you and guess Lyney must’ve followed you. 

“ People wish at this fountain, right? What for?” You looked around at the elegant structure. The reflected moonlight in the water gleamed against the little gold accents around its edges. 

“ Fontainians come to this fountain to wish about anything, really. Better fortune, health, and happiness. But mostly, people come to this specific fountain for love or hopes for a healthy baby.” Lyney answered, his hands behind his back. 

‘Hmm, the pairs of people make sense now.’ You thought as you glanced around the area. Satisfied you walk around the front of the Opera house. The fountains shooting water high into the air makes you wanna take a closer look. Leaning into the thin railing your eyes stayed glued to the water. 

You could feel a ghost coolness of the falling mist from the tall fountain. 

Although it was a fun outing today, you had ran around almost everywhere in the nation. Lyney in toe with you, making you ignore the aches you felt for doing so much in such a short time. Now in this still moment, all your tiredness was catching up to you.

Lyney must have noticed, as his lilac eyes flitted between your face and the fountain ahead. 

“ Hey, want to see something cool?” 

You turned your head over to the cheeky magician with a brow raised.

With your attention now on him, he took off his hat. You leaned more on your arm against the railing with a warm smile. Half expecting him to pull out something out of his hat again, he did something else. He shook it in front of him, emptying it out of nothing. Nothing left the hat. 

Lyney hummed aloud. “Hmm, I was sure I had it stored in here.”

You couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Maybe you dropped it somewhere?”

“No no. I was sure It was in here.” He pouted as he now looked in, under and above his tophat. It was rather cute.

He eventually gave up and placed it back on his head. “ You might be right, maybe it slipped out while we were on the aqua-”

Just as he was about to finish, something dangled in front of his face. It moved from side to side, as if it was dusting off his face. Upon a closer look, It looked like a cat tail.

The look on Lyney’s face was endearing, his lilac eyes had dilated in surprise and followed the tail. 

“Ah, there it is!” The hat suddenly lifted up his head, floating just above.

To your surprise, you see a smaller tophat along two little black ears pop out. Two little black bean paws followed, grabbing along the inner rim of Lyney’s hat. 

Pop

“!!!”

You finally saw its face. It was a black cat with mismatched eyes of a droplet and star. It had a permanent toothy grin on its face. It wiggled in the hat and turned itself to look down at you. 

“?!!”

You could make out the red bow behind its back. You weren’t sure what to do so you waved at the cat. It moved its small pudgy body around the hat and twitched its tiny ears.

“!!!”

Lyney let out a giggle at the interaction. “ Aww, I think he likes you.” He managed to grab his floating hat by the rim and brought it down in front of him. The cat in the hat seemed bothered and was now looking up at you. Its tiny hat was slightly tipped back.

“Can I pet it?” You asked almost too excitedly. 

“Since you asked, of course! He is a bit mischievous but a glutton for attention.” He mused, side eyeing down on the cat. 

You gingerly brough your hand down onto the cat. Its surface was surprisingly smooth yet soft, and the cat wiggled towards your touch. It’s two little ears ducked back as it seemed to love the attention it was given. It’s face never changed, however. 

“ Does it have a name?” You asked as you kept petting it. Lyney nodded and smiled.

“ It’s a Grin-Malkin cat! I’m sure you're quite familiar with it, as it’s not only a prop for Lynette and I’s show, but our cute mascot.” He said.

“Prop?” You asked slightly confused. So it wasn’t alive? Then how did it move so life-like? 

“ The Grin-Malkin cat is a puppet, but its movements are based off of a real cat.” He said. 

You smiled, but kept petting the cute kitty. Even if it was just a puppet, the cat seemed to have a familiar personality. Its little paws stuck out, and one came up to ‘attack’ your finger. You quietly giggled at its playfulness.

“ So, cats are a part of your show’s soul huh?” You asked. 

“ If it wasn’t that obvious, yes.” He said with a charming smile.

“ ‘Based on a real cat’, so who was the lucky cat this little bean was based on?” You asked curiously. 

“ When Lynette and I were street performers, we managed to run into a lot of stray cats. Lynette was shy, so most of them got along with her.” He said as he looked down to Grin-Malkin.

“But, there was one troublesome cat. He kept on running off with my hat. Apparently, it made for a better cat bed than anything. He would be curled up inside when I found it.” 

“ Eventually, I thought of replacing my old friend with a new hat. A hat that wouldn’t disappear when I didn’t tell it so. But, me and the cat came to a mutual agreement. I would bring him along to the show as a replica puppet!” He said with a proud smile. It slightly faltered however as he continued.

“During one particular performance, there was a little mishap that happened. I had forgotten a card in my deck and the trick required that one card that I misplaced.”

You winced at the second hand embarrassment. “Talk about bad luck. What did you do?” You asked. The kitty that you were petting now turned around to look up at Lyney. It looked interesting in his story. So now, it was you and the cat’s eyes on Lyney.

“Well, as I was coming up with an improvised outcome, out came this little guy.” He motioned down to the cat.

“!!!” It bounced slightly in the hat as the attention now was on it. 

“ He had the card that I had misplaced and was able to save the show. And ultimately, make it better. The crowd and even I wasn’t expecting such an outcome.” He shook his head. 

“Aww, so he became the star of the show.” You laughed. 

“!!!” The cat whirled around to face you again and puffed out its chest in pride. 

Lyney laughed alongside you. “ That’s one way to put it.” 

Once you calmed down you noticed that you didn’t feel as tired anymore. 

“ It looks like today is coming to a close.” Lyney said as he looked around. There were now very few people outside, and the sky had turned darker than earlier. The magician tapped the tiny tophat on the cat.

“Before today the curtains come to a close, let me send you off with a grand finale.” He whispered. 

The Grin-Malkin cat wiggled its tail and his paw came up to the brim of its own hat. The cat tipped its tophat to you before Lyney grabbed his own and placed it back atop it’s hat. 

“With your permission, could you close your eyes for me.” He said as he leaned in close to you, his hands behind his back. 

“Okay?” You smiled nervously.

You shut your eyes and saw darkness. You could still hear the rushing of water and a faint sound of chirping crickets. 

“Okay, no peeking until I tell you too.” You heard the magician. 

You waited for what would happen. You felt someone get closer to you. The ghostly presence of someone close to your face. You refrained from moving, yet your heart began to pick up its pace.

You felt something warm touch your cheek, and something soft tickle your ear. At the same time you felt stiffer material tap against you above your head. 

It came as quickly as it went, as you felt a small breeze and you could no longer feel the close presence. 

“Okay, open your eyes now.” You heard Lyney say. 

You opened and saw the magician in front of you with a warm smile. 

“Do you feel anything different? Perhaps something is missing!” He said in a cheery tone.

Your hand reached up to where you felt something earlier. 

“Huh?” 

There was something behind your ear. Carefully, your fingers outstretched and touched something soft. It was a delicate circlet of petals connected to a smooth stem. Looking up from the corner of your eye, you spotted a blur of prisma like colors. 

A blurb of pink and pastel yellow. 

“ A rose? How?” You quietly questioned.

“Mhm!” Lyney nodded enthusiastically. “ That is a rainbow rose. A beautiful flower that grows wild only within Fontaine.”

“Ah, thank you! It’s really pretty and soft.” You delicately felt a petal. Beneath the bloom, there were smaller outstretched petals that pressed against your temple. 

“ Have you found it yet? The thing I stole from you.” Lyney asked, tilting his head to the side.

You glanced back at him confused. You didn’t feel anything missing from you, as you checked your packets and around your person. 

Lyney’s eyes followed your attempts to look for the missing something, slightly amused. 

“Given up yet?”

You really couldn’t find anything off. 

“ Is this a trick question, because I don’t feel like anything was taken.” You asked.

Lyney raised a closed hand next to his face. He smirked mischievously. 

“How strange, because I have something of yours in the palm of my hand.” He teased me. “I’ll give you one more chance, could you guess what it is?”

You nodded. You guessed it was either a prop card or maybe some mora.

“ I give up, what is it?” 

Lyney opened his palm and there was…

Nothing.

“Ta-da! The thing I stole from you was your attention.” He exclaimed with glee. He walked over to me and extended his hand over to me. 

“Here you go, you can have it back now!”

 …

This little- 

You may have had the tiniest urge to smack his shoulder. Shaking off that urge, you huffed and played along. Once you reached his hand to get your ‘attention’ back, his finger’s gently encased your hand.

He bowed down dramatically and kissed the back of your palm. 

 Very discreetly, he cracked one eye open and glanced up at you. You had frozen in place and with a flustered face you could only stare. 

He had the gall to smirk and send you a wink. 

There was an odd sense of Dejavu, the memory of when you were approached by him after the magic show that evening. 

“And it seems that…I have stolen your heart as well ma chérie.” Lyney whispered. 

He gently let your hand fall back to your side as he stood back up. He had an innocent smile on his face. 

You just stared at him completely dazed.

It was quiet for a very. Long. Second.

Lyney’s pale face slowly became redder and redder although he did not move.

The awkwardness was beginning to thicken and soon Lyney couldn’t take it anymore.

“Ahem…Ahaha hah haa... D-Did you get it? Because I had you focused on me the entire time so I stole your attention right under your nose. And now I just did a chivalrous act to make you feel flustered! I didn’t go too far again did I?” He muttered as he brought a hand to his mouth and averted his eyes. 

His rambling snapped you out of your dazed phase and you suddenly became very aware as to how hot your face was. Lyney being in some sort of distress in front of you made you sputter out.

“Nononono, It’s fine! I was surprised, very surprised actually…er that was a nice trick there, very smart. So don’t worry about it.” You went ahead and leaned forward from the railing to look back at the fountain. Lyney might have gotten the message because he did the same.

After a few minutes of cooling down, you turned your head to look at Lyney and see if he was alright. His lilac eyes spotted you out of the corner, and he ducked under the brim of his hat. 

“I think it’s getting late, I’ll take the Aquabus back to the main city.” You said, there was a small tight feeling in your chest. You were sad as to how fast the day went, how fast you had to say goodbye. 

“Let me walk you back to the station then. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly to let you walk back on your own this late.” Lyney offered, his voice sincere.

And so you did. The walk back was slightly quieter. Again, he became uncharacteristically quiet.

Was it because of what happened earlier? Did he feel like he did something wrong?

“You know I had fun today, right?” You began. 

“It was very kind of you to take me on a tour around the city. I got to learn about the nation, eat good food, spoil myself with samples and sweets, and saw many hats I didn’t even know existed.” you slightly laughed. You heard him laughing quietly too. 

“ I met your siblings, met your prop cat and I got to meet you in last evening's show.”

You might’ve never gone out today if you hadn’t met Lyney.

You might’ve never got to know his family if you hadn’t met Lyney.

You might’ve never gotten to meet Lyney like this if you weren’t picked to participate in the final act.

The more you thought about it, the more you became grateful that for some miracle of coincidence you were picked from the audience. 

“I’m really happy that I met you. You made my time here in Fontaine feel magical. I’ll keep this day close to my heart, if that’s okay with you.” You smiled happily, the giddy feeling making you feel all sorts of floaty.

Lyney said nothing, only humming in approval.

Once you had gotten to the station, there was already a bus sitting there. The tour guide, or Melusine as you later found out, was sitting and leaning against the bus. Once it heard the sound of footsteps it sat up quickly, it’s tall ears snapping up.

“Ah! Oh, all aboard the bus! No wait, that’s not it..uh- everyone boarding please be careful with your arms, feet and legs inside the boat!” It spoke, half asleep.

You turn to Lyney. “ Are you going to go back to the main city?”

He shook his head.

“ No, I think I’m going to go back to the Opera house. I hate to be the naggy brother, but I just want to make sure Lynette didn’t forget any of the props backstage.” 

“ Oh alright. I guess this is goodbye then.” 

You had the urge to hug him. You weren’t sure how busy the Magician might be tomorrow, but somewhere in the back of your mind you believed you wouldn’t see him again for a while. The thought once again made your chest feel tight. 

“ I believe so.” Lyney said quietly. 

Well, no point in delaying your leave. 

“Wha- HEY!” You heard Lyney yelp, and quickly you turn back to see what happened. His hat was off its what and seemed to zoom over to you. 

The Grin-Malkin cat drove the Top hat like some dune buggy as now right side up was swirled with pyro elemental energy.

The grinning cat raced in the sky towards you, there wasn’t enough time to get out of the way so you braced for impact. But it never came.

The hat had swerved around you, drifting mid air as the cat kept facing you. 

Suddenly the thing nudged itself into your face, the Grin-Malkin cat rubbing its pudgy dark body against you. You could almost hear purrs. 

“ Hello, nice to see you again.” You giggled as its ears tickled your chin. Wrapping an arm around it you used the other to scratch above its head. 

“!!!” 

Lyney got closer and smiled nervously. “ I think he likes you too much. It never usually takes off on it’s own.” 

He bent slightly down to be on the hat’s level and he put both his hands on his hip.

“Hey now! Come on, back up here alright?” he tried to sound like a scolding parent.

“!!!” The cat shook its tail in his face.

“I’m serious. C’mon, back on Lyney’s head” He pointed to his hat-less head of hair. 

“!!!” The cat dug itself deeper into your embrace. 

Lyney frowned. “ I know you like [Name], but they really have to go. It could be dangerous for them to be out in the streets this late. The sooner you let them go, the sooner they’ll go back safely.” He reasoned with a reassuring tone of voice.

The cat retracted itself from your hold and glanced down at Lyney. Having made up its mind the cat’s paws extended to you.

You tapped them both. “ Lyney’s right. I have to go. I’ll miss you too.” You leaned down and pressed a small peck on the robotic cat’s forehead. 

It wiggled and a paw came up to its hat and brought it down in an attempt to hide its face. Although its features couldn’t exactly express, it looked to be shy. 

Lyney had noticed and brought a hand up to his mouth to cover his snickers. 

The cat then ducked into the hat, disappearing from view. You looked inside the hat and it was empty. 

Grabbing it from in front of you, you flipped it right side up.

“Here, let me help.” You raised it above Lyney’s head. Slowly you set it down and secure it in its place. All the while doing it, Lyney had his soft lilac eyes on your face. 

Fixing the hat a bit, you dusted off any dirt that may have gotten on it. “There we go! Now you look as sharp as you usually do.” You grinned.

You didn’t notice but when you smiled, especially at such close proximity, Lyney couldn’t stop the flush of color rising in his face. 

You kept staring at his hat and his face as well to see if anything was out of place. 

Without realizing your hands hover just above his arms. You weren’t sure if this was right. Maybe ... .Everything was going a step too far. Just as you were gonna reel back, Lyney raised his hands to hover right beneath your arms.

Without saying much but a nod, you hugged.

His cape felt soft, and his arms held you with care and protectiveness. You smiled as your face dug into his shoulder. You felt the hard material of the brim bump your temple. 

He smelled like flowers and ash. An odd combination yet somewhat comforting.

For what felt like a full day, you two finally separated. He had a warm and sincere smile on his face. 

Most of his smiles are bright grins that could light up a room. 

But somehow after a while the spark is lost, and the smiles feel all the same. But this one, the one you saw before your eyes. No, this was different.

The kind of smile that was not rehearsed nor under scrutiny of the captive audience’s eye. 

This one felt raw, special, authentic. 

It made him look beautiful. 

Realizing you were staring, you stepped back.

“ I….really think I need to go, or the Melusine will go back to sleep.” You turned on your heel and headed towards the boarding area. Before you left you took a big breath in. the cold air of the night and mist sending a current of energy through you.

As you were about to step on the bus, you heard him walk behind you.

“When will you be leaving?”

“What?”

“When will you be leaving? You said you were here on holiday, so when will you go back?” He asked. 

You stopped and thought. When will I go back? 

Go back.

Do I want to go back?

Can I go back after having a taste of what the world is outside of what I once knew?

“I leave in two days. Two days, yes.” You managed to say out almost in a flat voice.

“Why do you want to know?” You asked, you hadn;t turn your back to face him.

I want to see you again.

“ No reason in particular. I just thought you would be around to watch me and my sister perform in three days at the courts theater.” He said, there was a cheapness to his voice.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go. I'm sorry.” 

“Yeah, Sounds like it.” Lyney dejectedly said. 

You step onto the bus and Melusine shoots up on it’s tiny feet. 

“ Leaving Marcotte Station!” They yelled. You sat down on one of the benches. You didn;t have the heart to look at Lyney as the bus started to move along the river.

You did however outstretched your hand behind your ear. The rose was still there. 

“ Ah, a rainbow rose? Oh oh! Did you have someone propose to you?” the Mesuline asked. 

“Wh-What?! What do you mean by ‘propose?!’ ” You shrieked. The Melusine set comfy on top it’s little pedestal.

“Oopsie, I’m sorry you probably don’t know the rumored implications of that rose do you?” They asked, tilting their head as their ears flopped to the side.

You shook your head.

“Well, since you're my only passenger for tonight, I suppose it’s okay for me to add on to the guidelines. And I’m tired right now.” It yawned.

“ When someone gifts you a Rainbow Rose, much like the one on you, it usually symbolizes passion and romantic encounters. It’s very common for couples here to gift each other a single rainbow rose or a bouquet of a dozen roses as a way to express their devotion to one another.” The Melusine mused. 

“Oh.”

“ But it’s also used to express platonic love for a dear friend or family. Flower gifting is a language that revolves around love no matter which kind.” It said happily. 

It hummed a little tune, and the boat sailed along.

“ But for it to be placed behind the ear, someone may be interested in you. Romantically I mean, haha.”

Oh dear…you might realize what the nickname he gave you means now.

“Ah- AHCHOO!” You covered your face as you sneezed.

“ Bless you!” the Melusine said.

You sniffled. Maybe it was the cold. 

Lyney had stood there watching the Aquabus get farther and farther away. He had his hat to his chest. 

He quickly placed his hat back on his head and walked back to the garden path.

There was no one around. He was alone.

Had his siblings made it back home yet? Probably.

The steps of his boots bore a fast and rhythmic pattern as he stepped.

His lips were in a flat line. His mind was preoccupied on many things. 

His sister, his brother, the rest of his siblings, “Father” and you.

You. He shook his head. 

He had a blast today. Although he had known Fontaine all his life, he practically lived on the stone walkways for a good part of his life, he never saw it like he did today. It felt new to him, a wondrous view!

Like that of an innocent curious child. Something that he never thought he would experience ever in his life.

He snapped away the thought. 

He made it past the fountain in front of the Opera House. Getting past the gates and the lonely lobby he made it into the audience area.

He had met you here. 

From when he was looking for a willing participant, he spotted you amongst the sea of eager people. 

He spotted you. You weren’t a local, perhaps a tourist. You intrigued him.

Foreigner’s often brought in the best source of intel. A web of secrets and truths hidden beneath the veil of illusions. The normal people and Magicians were similar in that aspect, despite the other living in ignorance. 

He never would have expected you to complete the trick well. Oftentimes, stage fright took a hold of the non troupe assistance, some on the spot improv would be on set in case the trick went off the rails. 

That is why Lyney wouldn’t often pick from the audience. It was a rare occasion. 

He would seek you out. Get you into a sense of comfortability, his silver tongue had a way of making people profess their hearts out to him. 

The world was a stage to him, and thus he must always perform his best. At least, that is what “Father” told him. 

You didn’t have much useful information. He was hoping for something more scandalous or perhaps a secret you were ashamed of. Instead, you were just some person seeking out the world that you never had stepped foot in despite being born into it. 

And yet.

Lyney sat down on one of the cushy seats of the audience area. He crossed on foot atop the other.

Why had he stayed with you today?

Perhaps he was afraid of seeing you upset if he left suddenly to shop for props he needed.

Maybe, he didn’t want to go back on his promise he made to you backstage. 

Maybe, he didn’t want to see your angry face if you found out the initial reason he asked you out. 

Lyney looked around, his eyes wandered to the stage. No one was performing. It was empty. The spotlight wasn’t shining down. It was devoid and completely useless to its intended purpose at the moment. 

Lyney had purposefully left out key information when you had asked about his background in magic.

You didn’t need to know of the desperate times where he pushed through with a smile while the tummies of he and his sister gurgled for food.

You didn’t need to know the cruelty of Nobility and their disgusting greed and wicked selfishness. 

You didn’t need to know about the House and the Fatui.

And you didn’t need to know about “Father”. 

Lyney exhaled. 

All of that would probably make you look down on him with disgust and fear. He much preferred to see a beautiful smile on you.

He didn’t need to see you again. You were useless to “Father”, to the grand scheme of he and his sibling’s mission. You would be a distraction, and distractions lead to silly avoidable mistakes.

Yes, that’s what “Father” would say to him.

And yet.

Lyney scrunched his face. He didn’t like feeling like this. He thought he was over this. After all, he had a home and a supportive family now. He shouldn't feel like this, he had his sister, little brother and the other younger ones to look after. 

And yet he wanted to see you again.

You made him feel like he had freedom. It wasn’t like the one he was granted when he and Lynette were free from being street rats. And strangely enough, it wasn’t like the freedom “Father” granted him when she took him away from the cruel mansion. 

He felt bliss with you. He felt like how the audience looked in the countless times he performed on stage.

Was that how it felt like to live normally? To live in bliss and ignore the world’s harsh reality, even for a few moments.

He used to stutter a lot as a young boy. Whenever his juvenile performances went wrong or a slip of the tongue in pronouncing large words. 

Yet he seemed to awfully flustered around you a lot of the time. 

He even gave you a Rainbow Rose of all things. 

It’s what felt the most appropriate he thought.

“ Oh no..” 

The realization hit him like a Mitachurl’s Axe.

“ Father is definitely going to kill me if she ever finds out about this. Lynette might as well.” He cried. 

“ACHOO!” 

“Ugh, I should’ve gotten out of the port sooner. I might come down with a cold.” He sniffled.

‘Maybe someone’s thinking of me.’ He thought. 

Before you went into your room, you had asked the reception for a vase you could borrow. They immediately noticed the flower on you and gave you a sneaky glance. Ignoring them, you went and filled the vase with water.

Before going to bed you placed the rose in the vase, on your nightstand so when the morning came it would get sun.

The last thing you saw when you fell into slumber was the rose. The memory of that charming magician is still vivid in your mind.

Perhaps, you could delay your trip back home.

After all, 

He did steal your heart and had yet to give it back.  

A/N: CWNCWNCONCON I WAS KICKING MY FEET AND CRYING WHEN I WORTE SOME PARTS CBKEBCIB The Fonatine siblings have a choke hold on me fr. Fontaine water giving that same energy that 3 am cold crispy tap water- I'm now tempted to make a Lynette x F!Reader fluff were they have a nice little tea party and make paper flower arrangements like cottage core girlfriends Tags: @b0rninh3ll @yukiaei @xiaossocksniffer @nayumeas @scarletrosesposts @sol3chu @rionah @jar-03

[marlynnofmany]

Squishy Cybernetics

“Hello!” I said. “Where would you like this?” I waved an arm at the large pallet of boxes, bags, and miscellaneous other packaging. It was on one of our biggest hoversleds, and accompanied by some of the biggest crewmates.

The Waterwill at the loading gate burbled thoughtfully, sounding like a water jug given sentience. She extended what passed for an arm of her own and pointed indoors. “You’d better bring it all the way in. Over here.” She glided inward, moving in that mysterious way I’d never figured out. Someone shaped like a column of jello had no business scooting forward that quickly, no matter how much their lower end rippled against the floor.

But I didn’t have time for galaxy-gazing; I had to help steer the hoversled. Regulations said we needed someone on all four sides for a load this big, just in case of antigrav mishaps. Didn’t want it slamming into something breakable at this client’s facility — or slamming into anything at all, really, but this place was some sort of high-tech manufacturing plant, and I didn’t want to think about what kind of damage a crash could do.

No mishaps today, though. The Frillian twins paced along on either side, all muscles and tight clothes (they’d left the flowy silks behind today; a solid choice). I couldn’t see Zhee in the back, but I heard the quiet click of his bug feet. My own feet were silent in proper Earth shoes as I tugged the steering handle and followed the Waterwill.

I thought we’d just take the thing to the far side of the big loading dock, unload it in an out-of-the-way spot to be unpacked later. But the Waterwill kept going. We passed hovercars and wheeled carts, storage cabinets and bins, along with a baffling arrangement of pipes along one wall. Windows showed glimpses of the busy manufacturing facility. I had no idea what they were making. Maybe I’d get a better look on the way back out.

Oh hey, a human, I thought in surprise as I passed a bigger window. With a Strongarm on his back? What in the world are they making together? I was already moving past, and could only speculate about intricate manufacturing projects that needed hands and tentacles at the same time.

I was still wondering why the Strongarm hadn’t just pulled up a chair next to the human when the Waterwill signalled me to stop. “Stopping,” I announced for Zhee’s benefit. We all came to a halt, and nobody crashed into anything. Hallelujah.

“Here, please,” the Waterwill said. She stretched her arm out into a long tendril to pick up a scrap of something blue that had fallen on the floor, and pointed at an empty space near several foam-topped tables. “I’m needed out front. Heeme, can you oversee?”

“Sure thing,” said a voice from nowhere, then a Strongarm climbed out from under one of the tables. “Found the last of the broken bits, by the way.” Two of his tentacles were curled around pieces of the same blue stuff the Waterwill had picked up. The blue stood out against the dark red of his skin, but not as much as the four mismatched tentacles on other side did. They were a transparent blue-green much like the Waterwill’s own tendrils. I tried not to stare, and failed.

“Thank you,” the Waterwill said. “I’ll be back in a bit.” She set her broken piece of whatever on the nearest table, then scooted through a door that was apparently soundproofed, because a cacophony of whirs and whooshes filled the air until it closed.

“Right,” I said. “Over here, then.” I steered the hoversled into position, then we all worked together to guide the detachable gravity platform onto the ground. That part always made me nervous, since it looked like the giant pallet that could crush me was floating through the air with just a touch of technological magic to make it go. I understand other models of industrial-sized hoversleds have more mechanical-looking gravity platforms, or regular forklift arms. Ours was the glowy magic kind, and it deposited the giant stack of objects with all the precision of the best fairytale enchantment.

“Perfect,” said the Strongarm. “We’ll unpack it from here. Thanks.”

“Our pleasure,” I said.

Zhee, finally able to see over the hoversled, got a good look at who I was talking to. “Oh, I’m sure you’re fast at unpacking,” he said, pointing with his pincher arm. “Does that model form into blades?”

“Sure does!” the Strongarm said, holding up a see-through tentacle that instantly flattened into a shape like a steak knife. “Good for packaging, stubborn latches, and all manner of other things.”

“And stabbing!” Blop put in, to be immediately shushed by his sister.

“No stabbing on the job,” she told him.

The Strongarm laughed. “Yeah, just respectable tool use. They don’t give these out to anyone who’s going to do violence with them.”

I asked, “Is that Waterwill tech? I haven’t seen one before.”

“Yup.” He turned the knife back into a tentacle, then into a variety of other shapes. “One of the perks of working here, for sure. They’re cagey about sharing tech. This is the best prosthesis I’ve ever encountered.”

I thought of the hard metal-and-plastic replacement limbs that were standard on Earth. They would be wildly out of place on this guy’s squishy octopus body. And no amount of interchangeable attachments would be able to beat this kind of easy shapeshifting. I said, “That looks really useful.”

“It is!”

The loud door opened to admit a wall of sound, along with the human-and-Strongarm pair. Which I realized with a start was actually just a human wearing more transparent tentacles on his back.

“Here’s the new set,” he said to the Strongarm, placing a clear box on the table that was full of a stack of more flat blue things. They appeared to be cut into very specific shapes. I might have been curious about what they were for if not for the much more interesting thing to be curious about.

“Hello,” I said. “Does everyone who works here get extra limbs?”

The tan human grinned. “If they want ‘em! And they pass the screening, of course. But you’ve got to leave them here each day if they’re the bonus kind, as opposed to replacements.”

The Strongarm wiggled his tentacles in a taunting manner. “I can open packages and slice food so easily at home.”

The human made a face and wiggled the tentacles on his back. “Yeah yeah, we’re all jealous. Someday I’ll convince the bosses that there’s an actual market for these, and I’ll be the first in line to buy my own.”

“They think there isn’t?” I asked in shock. “Those look so useful! I can’t list the number of times I’ve wished for more hands. Using teeth and feet only goes so far.”

Zhee made a disparaging hiss. “You have that many fingers, and still want more? Greedy.”

“I’m just saying that re-weaving a cargo net would go much faster if I could hold all of the fibers at once,” I told him, then turned to the Frillians. “Back me up. Two arms just isn’t enough sometimes, right?”

Blip and Blop looked at each other and shrugged. “I guess?” Blip said. “But that’s just when it’s time to get another person to help.”

Zhee clicked a pincher. “Exactly so. Or approach the problem differently.”

The human told me, “I’ve had this conversation more than once. Apparently not all species grow up imagining what it’s like to have bird wings or monkey tails or whatnot.”

“Surely other people want to fly,” I said. The expressions around me were dishearteningly blank. “Surely!”

“I wouldn’t bet on it,” the human said. “See why I couldn’t convince the bosses?”

“But even on a practicality standpoint!” I exclaimed. “They have you using them here; why wouldn’t they think you’d want to use them at home?”

He shrugged, moving the tentacles in a graceful wave as he did. “Alien brains. I’ve given up trying to fully understand.”

The Strongarm spoke up. “If there are actually a large number of humans who would buy these, then it couldn’t hurt to put together a request from outside sources. The bosses don’t listen to random employees who are probably biased, but they might take an interest in actual buyers.”

I shook my head slowly. “Our courier ship isn’t going to be that kind of buyer, especially not at the scale they’d probably need.”

“What about big human ships?” Blip asked. “We could suggest it to the next one we meet.”

“Or human colonies,” Blop said. “Or large groups at space stations.”

Zhee said, “I heard Captain Sunlight talking about a delivery to Basal Station soon. There are plenty of humans there. You could suggest it to them, if you think this is really that widespread an interest.”

“It couldn’t hurt,” I said, thinking. There was indeed a significant human population on that space station, which might even include the crew I’d met from the droid jousting ship Hold My Beer. They were definitely the type to appreciate some extra arms. Both for working on finicky electronics and general slapfight shenanigans.

“Here, we should have something with the contact information,” said the Strongarm. “Jon, is there a notepad over there?”

“Yeah, got it.” The human leaned over a table and used his tentacles to lift a stack of books so he could pull out the small notepad at the bottom. That may have been showing off. “Here you go!” He handed it to me with his regular hand.

“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll see if I can find the right ears to whisper into.”

“Best of luck!” he said. “My partner has asked me no less than half a dozen times if I could sneak my set home to play around with, but I’m not gonna risk the job.”

I laughed, hoping I wasn’t blushing. “Oh man, I wasn’t even going to mention the bedroom applications.”

Of course Zhee had to ask, tilting his head with faceted eyes shining. “The what?”

“Remember how most humans find tentacles a little creepy?” I asked him, pocketing the notepad.

“I recall. It makes this insistence all the stranger.”

“Well, some humans aren’t creeped out at all. Kind of the opposite. They like them a lot. In a, uh, private fashion.”

Jon the human spelled it out for him. “Mating rituals.”

Zhee’s antennae did a complicated dance, then settled in something that looked like disgust. “I was about to ask why, but I’ve decided I don’t want to know.”

“Yeah, best not to,” I agreed. “Anyway! Very useful extra arms. Good for a wide variety of activities. Other humans will likely be interested.”

“Very likely,” Jon agreed.

I activated the hovercart with a nod, and we said our goodbyes. The employees wished me luck. They returned to work while we headed back toward our ship.

Zhee grumbled disparaging things about my species the whole way, but that was nothing new.

~~~

The ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book. More to come! And I am currently drafting a sequel!

PS: the story with the good ship Hold My Beer is here, if you're wondering about that. It's fun.