#Genuine Intention to Visit

[lexlawuk]

UK Business Visit Visa: New Permitted Work Related Activities

On December 7, 2023, the UK Government introduced a statement of changes to immigration rules, ushering in a new era of flexibility for visitors engaging in work-related activities. Effective from January 31, 2024, these changes aim to enhance short-term mobility, particularly for those involved in business activities. In this article, we delve into the key amendments and shed light on how these…

[crearuru]

Long distance gf to long distance wife.... Iconic

[oceanxveiined]

 Genshin Verse Side Muses:

*Mentions of abuse, dysfunctional families, manipulation, torture, violence, experimentation, ableism, transphobia, and death, not necessarily all present/to various extents depending on each bio, ahead.

1) Chang Da’Lun (500+/appears 23): Half-Adeptus, born some time before the Cataclysm. He can shift into a smaller birdlike form at will, though it does take a bit out of him to switch back. It doesn’t stop him from shifting into it on his own or a friend's whim though.

          His father was a Yaksha named Wuye, alias Caligo, who had inevitably become consumed by his karmic debt and became more akin to a malevolent demon. Though admittedly, the adeptus had already possessed quite the cruel streak, even long before he’d fallen. Being driven mad by the karmic debt meant his slaughters turned to fellow adepti and humans alike, which had also grown to be far more frequent and brutal. Each consumed opponent led his power to grow as he’d absorb their vitality and any abilities they possessed.

          By contrast Da’lun’s mother, Anhe, had been fully human, having been with a group of treasure hunters who’d taken her from her family in ransom when they’d strayed too close to the maddened Yaksha’s territory. When they had realized and tried to sneak away, she risked her life to draw Wuye out and betrayed them all in a desperate bid for freedom and power. She offered them all to be slaughtered and devoured by the corrupted Yaksha, as well as to offered to lure more to satisfy his bloodlust for incentive to make him spare her own life. She even offered to be his mate as well, to let herself be used by him as he saw fit, sparing no expense to give anything and everything she could to ensure she survived this encounter. He conceded out of convenience, taking her as promised and continuing his slaughters about Wuwang Hill with her aid.

          Anhe delighted in having his favor, even with how terrified of him she’d been at first, growing more and more sadistic herself with every massacred he’d rend, every death scream that filled her ears while she remained unscathed. The thrill of power and having a mate so powerful to keep it was too alluring and far too intoxicating, she would never dream of ever parting from him.

         Only for her to end up alone and powerless anyway when the former Yaksha was killed shortly after the birth of Da’Lun.

         Much of his childhood had been Anhe relentlessly tormenting him, using him as a scapegoat for how her life had fallen apart and due to having been affected by his father’s karmic debt as well ( both in her continued presence alongside him up until that point and in stubbornly lingering at his lair where the miasma was all concentrated rather than returning home with him gone ). Da’Lun took the abuse without protest, wholeheartedly believing her and his own guilt. He spent his whole life striving to ‘make up’ for his existence, in bringing her gifts and attempting to make her life easier every way he could. To protect and provide for her as his father had intended.

         It all came to a crashing stop when his mother at last succumbed to the cursed energy infesting their home. Or so he tells himself and anyone who ponders of her fate, not wanting to admit he himself had killed and devoured her. It had been when she’d tried to end his life first and the resulting corruption of them both had his adeptal nature spiraling out of control during the struggle. His Electro Vision had been what had ultimately murdered her, bestowed upon him during his struggle as she denounced and cursed him, which he hadn’t realized until the morning after.

         Plagued with guilt and fear, and knowing he must have taken on her share of the karmic debt's influence, his father's ability considered, he traveled Teyvat to distance himself from his former home for a few years. For 500 years, he witnessed beauty and horrors alike throughout it all, before he decided to settle some time in Sumeru. His main aim had been to learn all he could on humans and their histories ( learning from each Darshan over the course of the centuries he’d spent there, changing his appearance every time he’d reapply ), as well as to pass the time in a way that would not aggravate lingering traces of his father’s influence. It was while he learnt from the Amurta Darshan when he met Danae. With time to spare, and admittedly intrigued by the utter madness of her ideas and her equally frenzied determination to see such impossible fantasies made reality, he signed a contract to assist her in any endeavors she may undertake for them, as she would his own, per its terms. They would maintain it dedicatedly before briefly parting ways when her illicit studies were discovered.

         He himself remained at the Akademiya mere weeks before deciding his life had dulled too much without her odd ideas and eccentric ( not to mention at times exceedingly cruel ) methods, setting off to travel again in search of her. Traveling through his homeland, he would come to meet Ozzy, whom he would follow to Mondstadt, after he’d found him interesting company, especially when the man would encourage him to not feel so wary of the karmic debt’s influence. There, he would become a founding member of his gang when it resulted that the man’s interest had been likewise piqued and thus given him the invitation to stay.

          Ozzy was able to locate and drag Danae into his business thanks to Da’Lun’s scheming and using the terms of their contract to rope her in.

         What could he say? He would be a fool to let one of his favorite toys go. Just as he would the chance to see what would come out of putting so many volatile little components together.

           Surely the end result would be most spectacular indeed.

Oswald “Ozzy” Beauregard / Ásvaldr Bjornsson (appears early 20s): One of the remaining survivors of Khaenri’ah, though he keeps that card very close to his chest, having fled the nation after the surviving the Cataclysm. Only Da’Lun is actually aware of said fact, due to their shared longevity and closer bond compared to many of the others. If asked of his origin, he will always give the half-truth that he is of the Sumeru region. He currently gets a kick out of pretending to work for himself at his little tavern named Fleur de Nuit, from where his gang operates under the guise of a legitimate business.

         Stricken with immortality, Ozzy tends to push the limits of what said immortality will do for him, especially since his perception of pain and danger has been skewed severely by his curse. For the longest time, he had wandered about the desert and Sumeru’s forests, picking fight after fight using the very Abyssal energies he’d been corrupted with. Even with no formal combat training outside teachings he learnt as apprentice mage ( these very learnings being the reason he was was to maintain his appearance as it was, without succumbing to the curse of wilderness ), his increasingly frenzied manner tended to allow him to prove a match for the hilichurls, Eremites, and Treasure Hoarders he encountered, leaving brutalized corpses and wreckages in his wake, and plenty a scar to mar his own body. Some of which healed worse off than others due to his inability and gradual lack of real want to properly care for himself. Eventually, he would be found and formally taken in by the Fatui when he had too grievously injured to fight them off.

Not that he would have wanted to even if he could, considering how much they piqued his interest.

        He had been with them long before Danae had joined, having willingly surrendered himself to be experimented on by Dottore out of boredom and curiosity to see what the man could get out of it. As well as a vain hope to possibly stave off his Erosion and keep his mind with the Abyssal energies eating away at it when his own treatments would prove increasingly inefficient. Needless to say, Ozzy’s sanity had still taken quite the toll throughout the centuries he’s been alive, and the outright torture he faced through the time he’d been with them had truly not helped in the least. Especially not while being injected with god remains had steadily twisted up his mind, more and more. The Abyssal energy he’d already been afflicted with had ironically been what helped keep himself through it though, allowing him to fully assimilate the god’s lingering energy into himself and steady his condition.

         When Danae had decided to desert the Fatui, she broke Ozzy out from containment and left him an experimental Delusion to have him serve as a diversion so she could escape, figuring he would have some exploitable grudge that would prompt him to seek vengeance. And he served his purpose well, slaughtering Fatuus after Fatuus he encountered with the three tail-like, bladed chains he could manifest from it. He did so with great delight and utmost zeal, damn near like an animal in frenzy. But in truth, he really cared not for getting even. He rather merely wanted enrichment, as he called it.

         While Danae had figured the Delusion would simply kill him in the end, his own longevity and the god remains he’d assimilated allowed him to use the Delusion so freely without truly debilitating consequences, though still at certain cost to his body after particularly prolonged usage. It severely aggravates the place with the god remains had been injected, low at his right side where the Abyssal energy was at its highest concentration. Due to it also being the place of his most severe wound and one of the ones that truly never healed properly, it leaves him feeling as though something had been gouged right out every time he’d stop its use. Still, in the moment of that first use, all he could think of was the thrill of the fighting and being able to run about, free at last. To this day, that very thrill is what keeps him using it, even knowing the painful consequences.

         The euphoric high he felt back then lead him to completely destroy the location all together, both in his own kills and in tampering the delicate machinery that would consume the rest of the location along with it in the ensuing explosions. He himself made his getaway before the destruction caught him up along with everything else, after finding and bringing along a fellow victim ( not that he consciously saw himself as such ) of the Fatui experiments.

         After hearing tales of Monstadt, her homeland, the idea of a nation whose Archon had no real say in its ruling appealed to him greatly, Thus, he would hijack and man a Fatui ship to gain leave off Inazuma, heading to the Southern side of Liyue, and making their journey back to Mond that way.

         Ozzy’s aim in making the gang had solely been to collect interesting people to surround himself with, nothing more nothing less. Something to help stave off ennui and keep his mind sharp; a little pet project he could maintain or ruin at his leisure when the time came. It only became a formal organization incidentally, but he finds it a decent pastime to run it and especially the business he and Da’Lun came up with as a front. Especially when he genuinely ended up attached to a certain select few, though he maintains it is only out of how entertaining the lot of them are, themselves and with him.

          Due to past experiences, particularly what he witnessed during the Cataclysm, he has a mild to severely violent visceral reaction to fire based abilities; which is only worsened by his love of deliberately avoiding triggering his own phobia and habit of gambling with extreme stakes, typically involving fire in some way.

         What sort of gambling man would he be if he let something like that stop him, after all?

Elisabeth “Eliza” Merrimack (18) - A Mondsadt-born girl whose family lineage traces back to the Imunlaukr clan, after the clan had broken up due to a schism. Originally Visionless, she would gain a Dendro Vision ( chronologically set late in the events of the Sumeru Archon Quest ) and take up Catalyst-based combat.

         The eldest daughter of her main family at the time, she had a horse riding accident in her youth that left her paraplegic, exhibiting little to no movement in her legs even after treatment at the church. The fact that it had taken them some time to get her there, seeing as she had been lost for days, was probably behind it. Regardless, her family despaired at the incident, frantically trying everything they could to heal her, even as the church insisted nothing could be done. Even as she herself tried to reason it was alright; that she didn't need to be, having accepted their verdict when her family could not. And they never truly did.

         When she was fifteen, the Merrimacks ultimately accepted an offer from the Fatui to aid them ( though in hindsight, Eliza couldn’t but wonder if it had been seen as an excuse to have them take her off their hands ), and carted her off far from home. Betrayed at her family giving her away so easily, especially after she realized they would not check up on her or visit, Eliza at last fell into despair after seeing what awaited her at the hands of the Fatui. Her parents had been lied to, after all–Eliza had not been taken in to receive care, instead becoming subjected to experiments with god remains like every other subject they got their hands on.

          And no one would be aware of that to come save her. Assuming they would even care to try if they did.

         Things began to change years later after meeting Danae, who was assigned to oversee her. To be precise, Danae had at first been in charge of her post-op treatments, ensuring the effects of the experiments didn’t disrupt her vitals and in keeping her alive overall. They began to know more of each other and interact after the then Fatuus had been promoted and would have her as an exclusive subject, due to her ideas and personal project.

          Even with how callous Danae could be, she and Eliza eventually came to get along well due to Eliza coming to understand Danae’s wordless gestures and tough-love care after the former had begun to get attached to Eliza. Said care usually being in the form of snuck treats and material comforts. It wasn’t until later on in their friendship that Eliza learned it had been because she reminded Danae of her younger brother, that she had specifically requested to oversee her treatments because she wanted to help her like she'd intended to help him. Learning why and how she intended to do that did embitter Eliza rather than endear her though.

That said, they truly became each other’s first real friend and confidante after Eliza had been–even if gruffly–encouraged by Danae to start speaking up for herself and the first thing Eliza did was tell her off for thinking she ought to ‘fix’ her and any other person, for that matter. It had been a gut reaction based on Eliza’s own resentment of how her family regarded her as well as the god remains in her acting up due to her agitation.

         Still, even while the burst of temper had startled Eliza, it had been enough for Danae to not only respect the girl, but also to begin to doubt her own goals. Most notably, it was enough to prompt the Fatuus to pick up her old ideas anew rather than continuing the original experiment plan she’d had altogether, choosing to help make amends in fashioning Eliza a special wheelchair to take her out for enrichment. Not that Danae would ever admit that’s what it had been for, even in present day, but Eliza understood and was grateful for it all the same.

            The day Danae broke out, she had actively tried to reach Eliza to bring her along, but was unable to in the chaos she’d wrought and severely underestimated. Thinking her dead, she prioritized her own survival and left without a second thought.

           Eliza hadn’t realized she’d been abandoned once again, rather had been merely confused by the happening and chaos around her. She patiently awaited Danae to come, trusting the Fatuus to soon fill her in and protect her if need be. Instead, it was the newly freed Ozzy who had found Eliza and offered to bring her along after having slaughtered her guards and in hearing her request to see the stars outside before he ‘put her out of her misery’ had moved him.

          And especially because she then tried to cut his throat the instant he got close enough to try and carry her.

          After convincing her he did want to bring her along, not kill her, she at last conceded and let him take her away from the wreckage of the lab. Eliza's tales of her home nation had been the reason Ozzy had chosen to settle there, and she was more than happy to return with him, though flares ups of the god remains in her did pose some problems both were unsure of how to handle. Not that he trusted anyone in Teyvat to be able to take care of her as they should, especially considering how she’d ended up in the Fatui’s hands in the first place.

         Still, she is grateful he took it upon himself to allow her to stay by his side as his ward, even while she couldn’t offer him much in return in terms of fighting skill, money, or knowledge besides that of her home. When he founded his gang, she did find purpose in aiding with the logistics aspect of running the front for his gang, using the learnings of her youth. Without her, it would have fallen apart from the start, Ozzy would always say, leaving her giddy with excitement and her heart full. After finding and enacting a solution to quell the unstable god remains in her ( taken place post-Sumeru archon quest, story-wise ), she would start taking a more active role in the gang as aid to their resident healer. In addition, her wheelchair would be adapted for combat, to suit her needs and her Vision’s abilities.

          She is well aware that elemental concentrations worsen the god remains' extreme and dangerous flare ups, but she still constantly insists upon staying with everyone else in the gang and utilizing a soothing device relying on Elemental energy anyways. She’d rather spend it in comfort and with her friends, even the lot of them encourage her to when she frets what could come out of it ( even Ozzy telling her the risk of that danger is exactly why they are so comfortable was a twisted solace that wound up giving her more confidence to accept her wants to be with them ). Once the traces of god remains in her would be sealed off enough, she is able to head out with them with her wheelchair from that point on, as well as set at ease her fears of hurting them. She still feels chronic flares up of pain due to her affliction, but with less risk of it going out of control and killing her dear friends, she can bear it a lot easier.

          After all she’d been through, this was nothing. Nothing, in the face of being able to smile and delight in her life to the fullest once more.

Durene (19): Hailing from Natlan, Durene is a demigodess, born from the union of a mortal man, Jevaun, and a nature godess Jaladri, whom he had ensnared with a talisman along with several of his friends and fellow warriors when her tempests had threatened their home village. She had fallen for him when he had been watching over her, and had been the kindest of her captors, eventually conceding to be his wife after enough time in his company, as well as certain courtship of his had won her over.

          Even while bound to human form, Jaladri had been content in their union at first, up until her husband began to get exceedingly paranoid and possessive of her following being imbued with several of her blessings that granted him great strength and renown in his tribe. She began to grow miserable, cursing Jevaun and unable to do much to fight him as he was, as her powers had become considerably weaker compared to his over the years, especially after Durene’s birth. And it didn’t help that it was especially so because the man kept her away from the sea, an important source of vitality for her. Still the goddess did not fault her daughter upon her birth, teaching Durene the ways to be a soothsayer and healer so she could properly go through the initiation process and her actual training in the village once she was of the apt age. At the same time, Jevaun had taught Durene the art of war and trained with her every chance he got, hoping his daughter could bring him renown and glory with her exploits in the yearly games.

          Durene took to both her learnings quite well, eager at the thought of being able to contribute to village and her family this way. She particularly excelled in serving as an herbalist and healer, though she did work hard to improve her skills when it came to divination to impress her mother. It always did seem to put Jaladri in a far better mood whenever she did, as well as when she would listen to her mother’s tales of gods and places she’d been, of her life prior to being confined to mortal form. Of their Archon, and her great deeds. More than anything, she loved singing for her mother, songs she learned from her and the others in the village, seeing how her voice seemed to bring the goddess some semblance of solace, when she felt her weakest.

         At twelve years old, Durene had bonded with a Koholasaurus she'd named Aje, who helped her gather materials from the seas and magma caves, often keeping Jaladri company whenever Durene would gather from the land, or while she worked to make her treatments or to preserve her supplies. Around that time, she also learned the full story of her mother’s plight. Horrified and moved, she would elect to repay her mother all she’s taught her in concocting a clever plan to gleam out from her drunken father the location of each piece of the talisman needed to complete the needed ritual and free the goddess. With this knowledge, Durene was able to find and bring them to her mother with Aje's aid. The goddess would aid her in completing the necessary steps once it had all come together. As her bonds would break and her strength returned, Jaladri lamented being unable to take her child with her. Promising to return with a means to ascend her as soon as she could, the goddess would transform into a pillar hundreds of crabs that would scatter into the sea and leave Durene standing alone at the outcropping. Bittersweet and all-too brief as their parting was, she felt content in knowing her mother would be happy at last.

          The good mood would not last long, as Jevaun flew into a deadly rage in realizing what had happened when he awoke to the sounds of a howling sea storm after she returned home.

          His rage did not frighten her, even as he demanded answers. Did the she not care about their village? Of what the goddess would do to them, now that she was free? Of why she’d been confined to mortality in the first place?

Durene truly cared not, insisting Jaladri had borne and suffered enough under his suffocating hold. If they were all to be destroyed in her vengeful wrath, it was for the slight they’d done against her, and thus truly fair.

          Her answers would brand her a traitor in the eyes of her father and, to his claims, their people. To ensure the goddess wouldn’t completely destroy them, he killed Aje and locked Durene away, making made sure Jaladri could never find her and that no one else would in turn ever think to help free her, as no one else would be aware of where she'd 'disappeared' to. As far as anyone knew, she and her Saurian companion had been killed while gathering materials.

          She couldn’t say how much time had passed since he’d left her there. Days, then weeks, then months went by languishing in her prison, in the presence of no one else but her father, whenever he would stop by to bring her food. If her refusal to concede to his pleas to betray her mother and attempts to break out didn’t enrage him enough to leave her to her own devices the next few, that was. It wasn’t until she’d exhausted every desperate, rage and grief-stricken attempt at escaping that Durene formulated a proper plan to escape.

          The next time Jevaun came to see her, he found his daughter seemingly unresponsive. The man freed her from her bonds and frantically attempted to wake her, only to find his daughter conscious after all, taking advantage of his closeness to grab hold of him. The man was only able to catch a brief glimpse of her newly bequeathed Anemo Vision mere moments before she would sap the breath from his lungs. Her face, twisted in every trace of hatred and resentment she felt towards him, was the last thing he’d ever see as he would succumb. Durene would hold no remorse for her actions, even as the village people would come to find her and try to seize her in retaliation.

          Escaping their clutches and leaving them to the mercy of her mother’s wrath, Durene would take to travel about Teyvat as a wandering soothsayer, making a pretty coin on divination and healing. Truly, that whole time she had been seeking a way she may ascend to join her mother, sparing no expense wherever she may go. She'd even forged a binding vow for herself, giving up her tongue, and thus ability to speak in exchange for power. Through her journey, she fostered a particular resentment born in her in Sumeru and the way the Akademiya had gone about managing knowledge at the time ( such as the reason they had rejected entry for her, thinking her to be of the desert folk ). Which lead to her resolving to ensure that place would be the first she may pay a visit to once she reached her goal, to tear it asunder for the offense, seeing as its god would surely not be able to match her when the time came.

          It was in being found by Ozzy in Liyue and being requested to come with him, Eliza, and Da'Lun along the way that she came to have company once more. The final founding member of his gang, she would happily settle in Mond with them. But by no means does this mean she had given up on her goal. With Da'Lun and his influence, as well as the addition of Danae later on, Durene would find use in the team’s members to further seek the information she required for her own ultimate goal. Who knew, perhaps she would just need to be a little more patient, just a little bit longer.

           Well, fine by her. That, she had plenty practice in.

Jaeda Purmizra (18): The daughter of an affluent family in Sumeru and the most recent addition to Ozzy’s gang. She joined them after running away from home and continuously hitching rides on caravans then later merchant ships that guided her to Dorman Port in Mondstadt. From there, she hid among a lucrative-looking delivery, which lead her to Ozzy’s tavern, where she would be promptly caught for having stolen foods from the convoy and attempted to make off with other items to try and sell in the main city. Danae had nearly left her bound and at the complete mercy of Treasure Hoarders as punishment, had Eliza not intervened and personally pleaded her case to Ozzy. He accepted to take Jade in as well, only because he knew it would anger Danae in the process, and because he was intrigued by her Vision in particular,

          Born male and then named Jahar, Jade had been the family’s sole heir and was raised into the role accordingly ( read: impossibly strict ) by her mother. It was thanks to a young servant girl who tended to her every need that she even began to experiment with and realized her actual gender identity. All because the girl had wanted to play dress up and needed a friend to help her, not realizing all the decorum she was breaking in daring to ask the heir, of all people, such a thing.

          It had been quite the relief in realizing it, though, even when she hadn’t been actively searching for it. But to her, it meant everything from then on. And it meant despair, as she continued to masquerade as her mother’s precious only son and heir. She didn’t want to upset her mother, after all, especially since the woman banked so much of her bid for power as head of the family upon her. So she kept that her little secret, playing with the girl and growing up happily alongside her over the years.

         Up until she and the girl had been caught playing.

         The girl had been punished severely for her ‘crime’ and Jade was forced to bear witness to the bloody ordeal for humoring her. Only after the girl was left near death did Jade face her own punishment, the horrid humiliation her mother enforced upon her before an audience of the woman’s closest friends and advisers.

          The anger she felt in seeing the life dwindling in her friend’s eyes and the cruelty she faced ignited a single-minded determination to make every last person in the room pay for her beloved friend's pain, enough to for her to black out, coming to only when her mother had screamed.

Snapping back to consciousness, Jade felt bloodcurdling horror and cathartic relief in realizing she’d burnt her mother’s lovely face beyond recognition, every other cruel person who’d participated in her torment left as naught but charred corpses in her wake. In spotting the gleaming, blood-red gem clutched tightly in her hand.

          She didn’t stay long, stealing her friend away and running away from home with an intent to bring her along. They could make a life together away from them now, she was sure of it. She had a Pyro Vision after all, she was no longer powerless to protect them!

            With the severity of the girl’s wounds though, her friend had little time left. With her last breath, the girl made her promise to live life for the both of them and to be happy. To stay safe, and never let anyone dictate how she may live her life ever again.

          That day, Jahar died along with the servant girl. In his place and bearing the name of that girl to carry on her memory, Jaeda would set off to find that happiness she’d promised.

Mako du Raie (16): A Visionless young heir to a prolific merchant family in Fontaine, and the member who had joined the Snake-Eyes gang before Danae and Tua had. His father, Benshi, had been a doushin from Inazuma and met Mako’s mother, Marie, while she learnt the trade from her father, prior to the Sakoku Decree being fully enacted. Mako is their illegitimate child, though he was claimed to be his mother’s younger brother to save face for the family. As such, he was raised primarily under the strict watch of his grandmother and even stole the title of heir to the family from Marie, due to the story they’d given him.

         He took to his studies like a fish to water, being quite bright and precocious for his age. And in his eagerness to pursue his grandmother’s approval, he went far above and beyond the efforts his mother had ever put into her own. The family agreed he was definitely a far more suitable heir than she as a result, though he avoided his mother’s jealous wrath by asking she be involved in everything he did. Like this, the woman’s temperament was appeased, her going as far as to even take credit behind his talent and boast of him to all who would meet them.

          In all honesty, he would have been content enough handing her the reins of the family, had a business venture to Mondstadt not changed his mind entirely. His mother’s boasting lead to drawing Ozzy’s attention, the man having been seeking a nice, convenient little liaison for his gang’s front. With the boy being as young as he was, not only would he be easy to exploit, but his talent and influence would absolutely prove worth the effort to draw him in, just as he'd hope.

          As such, Da'Lun would be the one to meet and gain his trust. To persuade him to join Ozzy’s gang as their merchant contact. And, to ensure Mako’s position and control over his family’s affairs, Da'Lun would even go as far as to encourage Mako to eliminate each and every family member that could possibly stand in his way of managing it all himself.

           Mako couldn’t help but give in, even with how complacent he’d been before. Even being fully aware of the horrific task he would have to taken on to ensure his control over the family's business and finances. All it took was being given the affection and doting he always wanted, rather than lauded praises for his potential and saccharine-sweet yet ultimately empty words he knew better than to believe. It took one friend, who cared and spoiled him so, to make him turn his previous wishes of simplicity and contentment from before and pursue a more ruthless ambition without a qualm. Even as he gazed into his mother’s dulling eyes, frozen in horror and anguish, he would only feel a strong sense of satisfaction as he stepped over her without a qualm. As he would make his way over to Da'Lun, who would fondly ruffle his hair with genuine praises aplenty before carrying him back to Ozzy’s little haunt.

           He knew full well he was to be used by Ozzy’s group, having realized it early on in Da'Lun’s attempts to worm his way into his heart. But once he’d met with the others in the gang and Ozzy himself, there was no longer a single trace of lingering doubt in his heart that his brutal choice had been in his best interest. Looking at the lot of them gathered to see him, all varying shades of proud of what he’d accomplished, no matter how horrific, he determined the excitement and validation that came with what they did was a lot better than living his life within conventional rules.

            Where else could he feel like he was at the top of the world like this?

Tusitala / Tua (20): Originally hailing from a coastal village in Natlan then migrating to and eventually settling in Liyue due to his father’s relentless pursuit of riches and lack of interest in the wars that ravaged their nation, Tua had been a Treasure Hoarder well before his coming of age. He is rather proud of the fact, too, often boasting of his own successes compared to other factions, especially after he’s fought his way through a group of them in a show of his own Natlanian battle prowess. 

At first it had been at his father’s urging that he joined and stayed with the Treasure Hoarders they’d met up with on their way to Liyue Harbor. It was only to serve as something to make for a side hustle while his father took care of other business dealings at first ( taking care of logistics for that gang while Tua himself got to take on the more dangerous aspects, as he also managed an artifact appraisal business with things Tua and the gang would bring in ), then it became Tua’s sole obsession as his own greed grew, right along his addiction for every victory and bounty he secured them.

         Tua was quite content with this life, thinking himself the luckiest man in the world to have this chance. Even if he did have to surrender near all of his share of their spoils to his father, to quell the man's avarice ( and to ensure the man didn't try and take it all from him, by force or outright theft ). But with what he was allowed to keep or what he managed to squirrel away to pass off as such later, Tua would take to decorating himself handsomely to show off his successes. As such, he’s got several piercings ( many of which he did himself ) along his body, as well as bits of gold embedded in his skin, particularly about his shoulders. He also has a few tattoos to commemorate his victories and his comrades, which glow whenever he uses his Vision.

          Speaking of, his Geo Vision came to him during a show of his conviction to protect his Treasure Hoarder ‘family’ by all means and any costs. In this case, it had been in protecting them from a squadron of Milileth by the skin of his own teeth then later its aid, having chosen to cover them on his own to ensure they could make off with a particularly rich score. Because of it, he became quite popular among them, with the lot thinking he would lead them to the greatest successes and eventually take over rival gangs and become their overall leader.

          The thought strongly appealed to him, enough that he resolved to make it a reality. As leader, he would have a greater right to a bigger share of the spoils, and he could be independent enough to break away from his father, too. And of course, being able to protect his closest comrades and look after them with greater responsibility and authority. That was his greatest desire above all else, one he would swear before them during the celebration of his blessing by the Lord of Geo.

          Though he did eventually fail to keep his promise to them when a conflict with Fatui, and severely underestimating them, left his group all slaughtered or near death, himself included. With his last lingering traces of full consciousness, he lamented not being strong enough to protect them all, and expected to meet his shameful end along with them.

          However his survival had been ensured when Danae had stumbled across the massacre. Though initially focused on eliminating the injured and resting Fatui and with her own hatred of Treasure Hoarders having her near ready to ditch them all as it was, it was due to her having determined his potential usefulness upon noting his Vision that prompted her to nurse him back to health.

          Deliberately leaving all the others to their fates, as she didn’t need them.

          When Tua would ask later after awakening, she would swear they were all goners by the time she had found him. That Tua had supposedly been the only one strong enough to survive because of his Vision.

          Grief would take hold, but he wouldn’t linger on that feeling too much. Not enough for it to consume him, anyways. Not when his savior made him an offer to come with her, a suggestion to carry on in his comrades’ names and honor their memories in continuing to plunder and seek the treasures they'd so craved. Feeling both indebted to her and a thrumming need to protect someone once more now that he was without a family ( he dared not return to his father nor join up with a new Hoarder faction after such a harrowing defeat ), he would choose to follow Danae to Mondstadt.

          Along the way and upon reaching their destination, they would take up mercenary work and end up wrapped up in the group they currently associate with now, after participating in an attempt on the young head of the Snake-Eyes gang alongside others like them. Said hit actually having placed by the young head, Ozzy, himself, using it as a ploy for recruitment to test if Danae had been worth Da'Lun's recommendation to his group. Tua likewise making it out alive alongside her and having demonstrated his immense strength and capabilities had been the icing on the cake. He was more than happy to accept the offer to join after that, no need for incentives or anything.

          Well, okay, maybe the pay grade and further chances to seek riches while with them was a pretty good incentive. That, and being able to take part in a whole new gang he could protect and grow stronger with helped convince him, too. There was something reassuring about being able to protect them them of all people, those who didn’t need to depend wholly on him and could defend themselves should his strength fail them. But would still rely on his skills to add to their own, and truly ensure they would all be okay. And he will make sure they would be. He refused to lose any one of 'his own' ever again, swearing the very same oath he gave his late comrades before.

          He will protect his newfound family, with all he has. Whatever it takes.

Mason Ennosigaeus (17): Sidon’s actual biological child. He was stolen away from his family by Morjena when she had found out of his existence, snatching him during the chaos she'd set off after tricking Eremites into looting the caravan the man's wife had traveled with on her way to the main city. It was a move meant to ensure Danae had no competition to being the man’s heir, especially after the woman and her attendants had been killed in the ensuing struggle. Danae was supposed to kill Mason upon being left with him, as Morjena had thought she’d thoroughly beaten the heart out of her. When it turned out that she hadn’t and even wound up with an attachment to the boy, Mason became an opportunity for Morjena to ensure Danae stuck around, regardless of the abuse she faced, regardless of how much harder she became to control the older she got.

           Mason himself was frequently abused by Morjena while Danae was gone and quickly came to rely on the latter for everything. Not that it necessarily meant he was entirely helpless. His weak constitution left him frail as it was, sure, but in truth, Danae never failed to endlessly dote on him every chance she was home to see him, even going as far as to sacrifice her own meals for his sake. She would even forgo sleep to guard him against Morjena as best she could, and when she did, she would deliberately sleep in a way that if the woman pulled anything, she would be the one to take the brunt of her mother’s abrupt assaults. Every little thing he could ever want or need and THEN some was his at his command, and without hesitation. He need only ask. She couldn't offer him comforts like reassurances and gentleness, but this, this she could do for him. And he was wholly all for it, appreciating the one good thing he had amid the horrid life he was stuck in.

             Inevitably, her boundless devotion and their environment twisted him up as badly as it had her, albeit in a different way. The one who truly wound up heartless and cruel, through and through, just as Morjena was, had been him.

          He may come off as shy and unassuming but in truth, he is twice as vicious and self-serving as Danae, behind the gentle demeanor. He is the one person who can ask of her to do anything at his whim, no matter what it is, no matter how hurt she would end up in the process. And he's used that, time and again to sic her on whoever it was he so chose, be it strangers for his own amusement or even people he's realized she started to get a little too close to, in selfish need to ensure she wouldn't start giving away her loyalties. To test that she truly did mean her loyalties to him, and act accordingly if she hesitated or doubted. In his eyes, he still needed her to survive, after all. Especially after an encounter with hilichurls had nearly taken his life, and had cost him his legs just above his knees, even after being rushed to Birmastan.

          At the same time, he is also the person others could use to strongarm Danae into damn near anything if they hold him captive, as any threats to him lead her to be all to eager to comply for his safety ( though woe betide those who lose him as a bargaining chip at any point during ). He is the One and Only Thing she has left to lose, but the feeling is not mutual. It hasn’t been from the moment she’d left him at the Akademiya on his own.

          Even having been left in the lap of luxury when she'd been forced to flee, being torn from her side and the endless doting, from his greatest asset, left him stewing in a resentful rage. His bitterness and broken heart earned him a Cryo Vision amid the enraged outburst within his room, gleaming enticingly within the wreckage of her final gift to him. That Vision, however, he deemed the greatest gift of all, and one he thoroughly believes was the Tsaritsa’s personal wish to him and show of support.

         As such, as of earning his Vision, he swiftly abandoned the idea of staying at the Akademiya. Instead, he sought to join the Fatui, using his power as incentive to be kept of use to them alongside the Cicin Mages. Though he was sure to mask what he did, telling Danae he got to travel for his studies so she never suspects. So her constant stream of money and gifts from afar never end, having them brought to him by agents he roped into his whims that happened to be stationed in Sumeru.

          In learning she had also once joined the Fatui only to abruptly disappear, he knew before any of the lot that she was still alive, and elected to keep this fact to himself, to ensure none of his comrades could seek out and find her. However his intentions are far from protective out of any genuine concern. He has full intentions to personally hunt her down and make her face the full consequences for abandoning him. And the Fatui, too, of course. But if possible, he would like to be the one to bring her end himself. To look her right in the eyes as he would use his Vision to make of her a pristine statue for himself to keep.

         Maybe then she’ll actually keep her promise to never leave his side.

[florwons]

NOT ON MY WATCH ⋮ P.SH

SYNOPSIS Sunghoon caught you getting ready for your supposed date, and it was clear he was trying to convince you to reconsider. He tried to dismiss his actions as simply "looking out" for you, but deep down, he couldn't shake the thought that lingered in his mind: why him, not me?

𝓟AIRING brother's-best-friend!sunghoon x fem!reader 𝓖ENRE fluff, friends to lovers (?) 𝓦ARNINGS jealousy, slight bickering / argument-ish? 𝓦ORD COUNT 2K+ ( 2054 words ) 𝓕EI’S 𝓝OTES first sunghoon fic (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) hoon has been taking over and that picture on pinterest fueled this idea in mind … think of this as a thank you for 100+ followers ♡ i truly am grateful and i hope to continue to make much more works for you all !! enjoy & ily >ᴗ<

You heard a gentle knock on your door, followed by a familiar voice asking, “Can I come in?” It was Park Sunghoon, your brother’s best friend. His frequent visits to your house had become routine, and you were used to seeing him almost every day. It felt like he practically lived there, but given his close friendship with your brother, it wasn't surprising.

“No.”

“Come on, please?”

“What’s your excuse for bothering me this time?” you replied, still focused on the mirror in front of you, showing no intention of letting him in.

“Your brother is busy playing games with Jake right now, and they’re being way too loud,” Sunghoon sighed, clearly exasperated. “Mind if I come in to escape them for a bit?”

“I don’t think my brother would appreciate you suddenly disappearing. He might think something’s up,” you replied, still focused on your appearance.

“He’s too busy trying to beat Jake to even notice I’m gone,” Sunghoon said with a faint smile. “Besides, I’d much rather talk to you than listen to them shout at the screen.”

“I’m flattered,” you laughed softly. “Alright, you can come in. Don’t be annoying.”

Sunghoon opened the door, his eyes settling on you as you sat at your desk, touching up your makeup. He raised his eyebrows slightly, leaning against the doorframe, clearly wanting to enter. “What are you getting ready for?” he asked, curiosity evident in his voice. “You look rather pretty.”

“Why, thank you. You’re being nice today,” you replied with a teasing smile. “I’m getting ready for a date.”

“Funny,” he said with a soft chuckle as he walked over to your bed, sitting on the edge while watching you apply your blush. “What are you really getting ready for? A girls' day out?”

You rolled your eyes and turned to face him. “No, seriously. It’s an actual date,” you insisted, trying to convey sincerity.

“You’re joking,” he said, laughing a little more, but when he saw your serious expression, the laughter faded. “Seriously?”

“Why would I joke about my love life?”

“You seem like the type who would.”

“Oh, don’t start. Remember, I’m the one who let you into my room,” you said, turning back to your mirror.

Sunghoon's smile wavered, a flicker of jealousy crossing his features as his eyes narrowed with mock suspicion. Hearing you say that, he couldn’t help but feel slightly…bothered.

“An actual date, huh? With who?”

“Why should it matter to you?” you asked, genuinely confused. “It’s not like you’re my brother.”

Sunghoon hesitated, searching for a reason to dismiss your plans. “Does your brother know about this… supposed date?”

“First of all, it’s an actual date, so I don’t know why you’re doubting me,” you replied, crossing your arms defensively. “And secondly, why does he have to know?”

“Oh, so he doesn’t?” Sunghoon crossed his arms, frustration evident in his expression. “I would think you’d be smart enough to talk to your brother about this. Someone should know about this date of yours.”

“Well, now you know,” you replied with a teasing smile. “That should be enough, right?”

“Is that so?” he said firmly. “Then no.”

“What?” You blinked, caught off guard by his sudden declaration.

“You’re not going,” Sunghoon insisted, his voice carrying a hint of jealousy that was impossible to ignore. “Not on my watch.”

You’d always known Sunghoon as your brother's annoying friend, the one who constantly found ways to bicker with you. But instead of the usual smirk he wore, his expression was serious—totally out of the ordinary.

Why was he suddenly acting like this?

“Okay, you’re confusing me,” you said, eyebrows furrowing as you tried to decipher his words. “Why wouldn’t I go?”

Sunghoon crossed his arms tighter, trying to maintain his composure. “Because you told me about your date, right? So I’m saying you shouldn’t go—just offering my opinion,” he said, attempting to mask his jealousy with a casual tone.

You frowned, feeling your frustration build. “Why should I listen to you?”

“So you just want me to stay silent? What if your brother asks me about you, wondering where you’re at, and I lie, and—who knows if you won’t get hurt?”

“Why would I get hurt?” you replied, exasperation creeping into your voice. “You don’t even know my date.”

“Then tell me about him,” Sunghoon pressed, his curiosity tinged with something deeper.

“Why should I tell you?” you asked, your frustration growing. “This isn’t your business.”

“It’s either you tell me about him, or I tell your brother,” Sunghoon replied, his voice firm and unwavering. “You know how protective he can get.”

You sighed, realizing he wasn’t going to let this go. “Fine. A friend of mine set me up with someone. He’s supposed to be nice, and I thought it’d be fun to meet him,” you said, trying to sound casual despite feeling a bit cornered. “I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal out of this.”

“So, you don’t know him?” he asked, his tone filled with skepticism.

“I’ll get to know him then.”

“No, that sounds so...unsafe!” Sunghoon said, his voice tinged with genuine concern. He was struggling to form his thoughts properly, not wanting to say the wrong things but clearly wanting to show his disapproval. “What if he’s not who he says he is? You can’t just meet up with some random guy.”

“Sunghoon, it’s not like I’m going to be reckless,” you replied, feeling a bit defensive. “If my friend knows him, then I should be fine, right?”

“Still, just because your friend knows him doesn’t mean he’s a good person.”

“You judge a lot for someone who hasn’t even heard about this man before,” you countered, crossing your arms.

“And you’re putting a lot of trust in a man you’re planning on seeing today,” Sunghoon shot back, his expression unwavering.

The room fell into a tense silence, his words hanging heavily in the air. You could see he was genuinely concerned, but his protective stance was starting to grate on your nerves.

“Whatever, Sunghoon, you can’t change my mind. I have to give this thing a try.”

“And do you even have a ride?” His question caught you off guard, making you pause. You didn’t have a ride.

You hesitated for a moment, trying to think of a quick response. “I was just going to take the bus,” you admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Sunghoon sighed, clearly not satisfied with your plan. “I’ll drive you,” he offered. Then, with a smirk, he added, “But, you’re going on a date with me.”

Your eyes widened in surprise, and you felt your cheeks flush with confusion. “What? Wait, what do you mean?” you stammered, caught completely off guard by his sudden declaration.

“I think I made it pretty clear that I didn’t like the thought of your date, did I not?” Sunghoon said, getting up from the bed and walking over to your desk. He leaned against it, pressing his palms on the surface, standing right next to where you were seated. “I wouldn’t want you to waste a cute outfit.”

“Okay, this is all of a sudden—this is crazy, Sunghoon!” you exclaimed, trying to wrap your head around the situation.

“Come on, you tell me that all the time. Why don’t you tell me something new?” he replied with a playful smirk. He was back to his usual self, but there was a flirty undertone you weren’t sure whether you hated or actually enjoyed.

“No really, do you know how insane you sound right now? Why would I go on a date with you?” you asked, still trying to process his sudden proposal.

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“We can’t.”

“Why is that?”

“You’re my brother’s best friend—and my friend is going to kill me if I back out now,” you explained, trying to sound resolute.

“I don’t think it would be a problem to cancel now,” Sunghoon said, dismissing your concerns with a casual shrug. “And your brother? He doesn’t have to know.”

“Sunghoon!”

Sunghoon let out a small scoff, unable to hide his disbelief. He couldn’t understand why you were so set on meeting this guy. Did the thought of going out with him really bother you so much that you'd choose a stranger over him? The idea was unsettling to him.

“You’re already planning on breaking the rules that your brother established, so why are you hesitant now?”

“It’s not the same.”

“So, you’d rather go out with someone you don’t even know, instead of someone you’ve spent time with and know well? Why him, not me?” he asked, his frustration clear in his voice.

He muttered a curse under his breath, the words slipping out before he could stop them. Running a hand through his hair, he looked away from you, letting out a quick sigh as he struggled to collect his thoughts.

“Forget what I said.”

“You could’ve just blackmailed me by saying that you were going to tell my brother about this, but you chose to basically ask me out?” you pointed out, narrowing your eyes.

“It’s not like I meant it,” he mumbled, clearly flustered. “I’m just looking out for you because, you know, I’m your brother’s best friend. I was trying to get your mind off of this dating nonsense thing—as your brother would’ve liked.”

You raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Sunghoon, you’re blushing.”

“I’m not blushing!��� he insisted, but the pink hue on his cheeks betrayed him. He tried to maintain his composure, but the blush only deepened under your scrutiny.

“Right, and I’m supposed to believe that?” you said, crossing your arms with a knowing smile.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Okay, fine. Maybe I’m a little jealous. But can you blame me? I’ve seen you around all the time, and you’re amazing. And I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while now, but I didn’t know how. So, hearing you talk about going on a date suddenly was definitely not a good feeling.”

“I didn’t think you saw me that way,” you admitted softly, feeling your defenses start to crumble.

“Well, I do,” Sunghoon replied, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “I’m just trying to understand why you’d choose a stranger over someone who’s been here all along.”

“I’ll admit, I didn’t think you were actually suggesting we go out,” you said, feeling a mix of surprise and curiosity. “Let alone, suddenly calling it a date…”

“It could be considered a friendly one then. Would that make you feel more at ease with agreeing? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable with my abruptness,” Sunghoon replied, his tone softening as he tried to reassure you.

“Oh? Yeah…that could work too…”

“You sound like you want it to be considered an actual date,” Sunghoon teased, a playful glint returning to his eyes as he leaned a little closer. “Is this you saying ‘yes’?”

“There you go, being your teasing self again. I thought we were having a moment,” you replied, rolling your eyes but unable to suppress a smile. “I can’t help but think you meant it that way for suddenly bringing it up.”

He laughed. “Well, we can have an even better moment, only if you accept.”

“Ask me properly then.”

“So demanding,” he teased, shaking his head with a grin.

“It’s either that, or I actually take a bus and meet up with him,” you said, trying to keep a straight face.

“Don’t joke like that,” Sunghoon said, meeting your gaze with a serious look, though a small smile soon cracked through. “Okay then, Y/N, will you go out with me tonight?”

You pretended to consider it for a moment, enjoying the playful back-and-forth. “Well, since you asked so nicely… I guess I can rearrange my plans,” you replied with a smile, feeling a flutter of excitement in your chest. You might feel a twinge of guilt for backing out of your original plans, but you know your friend won’t hold it against you. After all, you're still going on a date—just not with the person she set you up with. Instead, it's with your brother's best friend, which adds an unexpected twist to the evening.

“But if my brother even suspects a single thing, you’re so dead.”

“Don’t worry, even if we have to sneak out, I can make it work.” Sunghoon said confidently, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I promise this will be worth way more than whatever you planned on doing today.”

────── 𝓔NHYPEN 𝓟ERM 𝓣AGLIST IS 𝓞PEN! 𝓐SK OR 𝓒OMMENT TO JOIN!

[simpjaes]

DESPERATE | P.SH

REQUESTED BY ANON: can’t stop thinking about loser!hoon who is obsessed with his best friends situationship and whenever you’re around he’s stealing glances or listening to you and heeseung getting it on through the wall and beating it until you come over early one day and plan to wait for heeseung to come home when you hear him moaning your name

or the one where sunghoon just wants a sliver of that pussy pleeeeease

PAIRING: loser!sunghoon x afab reader (ft.heeseung)

WORDCOUNT: 1.9k

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ It's not that Sunghoon has feelings for you or anything, he just kind of has feelings for the whole...thing you do with Heeseung.

No strings attached wasn't a concept he really understood before he witnessed it not once, but probably upwards of fifty times by now. He'd be forced to see and hear things he was not interested in, forced to note how it truly was a situationship with no strings attached.

Who'd have thought it was possible? 

It wasn’t until maybe the tenth or fifteenth time you’d come over that Sunghoon willingly paid attention. Realizing the world of sexuality doesn’t always have to end in dating. At first, he wondered if he could ever fuck a woman that often and not feel at least a little bit for her. 

And he thinks of you when he goes over the thoughts in his head. How could Heeseung not try to lock you down? After being his roommate for several years, Sunghoon has seen women come and go, most never visiting more than once unless one manages to tame and keep his roommate for like a month and a half before suddenly a new girl comes over.

You’re the only woman who comes this often and doesn’t hold the title of a “girlfriend.” In fact, it looks like neither you nor Heeseung give much of a shit about dating or tying down the other if it doesn’t involve rope burns or messy orgasms. 

He’s intrigued, genuinely. With the way you never sleep over, with the way you knock on the door clearly without a bra and probably without panties too just to wait for Heeseung to use you. With the way neither of you care that Sunghoon sees or hears because Heeseung is too damn busy trying to get in you that he can barely make it in his own goddamn room for it. 

Really, Sunghoon felt awkward about seeing it at first but now? Oh, now he actually feels a bit annoyed when he hears a door close and those pretty moans you always have become muffled and distant. It’s not like he’s getting any, so the more real the sex is in front of him the better it feels when he ultimately gets off in a different room for you. 

Time and time again he’s considered asking Heeseung if maybe he could get a piece of that. Time and time again he’s looked in the mirror after hyping himself to ask, only to realize that he’s a total fucking loser with a cock harder than rock over the idea of tasting someone’s sloppy seconds. 

Heeseung is…a type. The type to fuck and run, the type to fuck well and walk away casually like he knows some girls may chase and still never catch up to get another taste of him. Sunghoon, on the other hand, is his own type. 

The type to fuck and fuck and fuck and fuck and fuck, until a ring is involved, until there’s expensive dates and presents, until breakfast in bed becomes a normal occurrence instead of a luxury. Until a woman somehow manages to find sweater vests and buttoned shirts all the way up to the collar somehow more attractive than the combo of ripped tight jeans, platform sneakers, and loose fitted ratty old t-shirts that Heeseung wears. 

Heeseung isn’t boring. Sunghoon is. 

So, why would he ever think he could land the same type of girl Heeseung could? Especially when Sunghoon forces feelings without intention, like? You clearly aren’t looking for anything serious. So for now? He keeps to himself, wondering how, why, where, and when he could possibly partake in such a fun activity. 

Fucking a girl and not giving a fuck about any feelings that could be involved? Can Sunghoon manage that? Would Heeseung even be willing to know his own fuck buddy is over playing with his roommate rather than him? 

Fuck if he knows. He’ll probably never find out either. 

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

It’s bad. Like, bad bad. 

Sunghoon can’t even get a nut if he’s not thinking of you these days. You’ve been around for close to half a year now and it’s almost normal. Like, he even offers you water if the two of you happen to pass each other in the hallway. Sometimes you’ll even steal some bites of their dinner before you inevitably fuck Heeseing in the hallway on the way to his bedroom. 

It’s nice, but it’s not. 

Anyway, here he is. Alone. 

Another early evening session with his hand so that he can make it through the night without the thoughts of bursting out of his bedroom and joining in on the fun with or without permission. 

It’s weird, actually, for a Friday night. Usually Heeseung would be home by now. 

Usually Heeseung would be three fingers deep in you, blocking off the entirety of the apartment until Sunghoon pinpoints which areas are safe for him to occupy during the session. Usually, you wouldn’t be needing to use the spare fucking key Heeseung apparently made for you without his knowledge?!

There he is, sprawled out and thrusting up into his fist, thoughts of you, in the heat of the moment right before reaching his high when he’s typically whispering or crying out your name in desperation. Honestly? He’s a bit out of it when he notices a shift in the air and a figure at his open door. 

In all fairness, he just so happened to not get up to close his door today. He was too into it, so to say. 

For a few moments he thought maybe he really lost his mind, thrusting up harshly and tightening his fist at the image of you. Has he really gone insane to the point of fucking hallucinating the girl he wants to fuck so badly? Really? Is the that much of a fucking loser? 

Well, yes and no. 

It’s not until he’s moaning out for you again that he realizes you’re actually there, staring at him with a wicked grin and batting your eyelashes. His ears ring at the realization but his hips only chase harder, he couldn’t stop if he wanted to. 

“Awh, Hoonie–” You smile, nick-naming him with ease since you’ve grown to know him well enough. Not that it matters, considering you just heard him moan your name repeatedly. “All you had to do was ask.” 

Still, he doesn’t stop and his mind actually struggles to comprehend your words. After all, you’re speaking so casually to him, like you can’t physically see him lose his fucking mind. 

And you do see it. You watch the way his body shudders and jerks just knowing you’re here. You even see him make the attempt to stop, only for his eyebrows to furrow and his hips to fight against the stalling of his hand. 

He’s feeling too good, and you’re not feeling good enough. 

“Is Hee not home yet?” You smile, still leaning against his door frame, fingers toying with the hem of the large shirt you wore today. 

Sunghoon can’t answer, but he tries, frantically shaking his head through another guttural moan and slap of his fist hitting his pelvic bone. 

“So, then, who's gonna take care of me right now?” You offer, blinking at him and watching the way he finally gains some sort of control. 

Sunghoon goes still, his hand tired and limp as he drops it to his side and you watch his weeping cock fall flat, bubbling pre-cum out against his stomach. 

“W-What?” Sunghoon asks, out of breath with a deep tone. 

“I’ve mentioned it to him, you know?” You smile, tilting your head down to watch as you continue to play with the fabric of the t-shirt. “Asked him if you’d be interested in fucking me too–” You explain, knowing how often he’s watched and definitely listened. Because let’s be real, it would be more difficult to avoid it rather than just accepting that it’s happening. “He said you probably would be.” 

Sunghoon feels embarrassment somewhere inside of him, which is fucking insane considering only now he feels bashful. Not all all because his cock is out and he’s nearly on the brink of tears, but solely because Heeseung must know he’s desperate enough to try and fuck the same girl.

“So…” You drop your shirt, taking a step in the room. “I guess he was right?” 

Sunghoon stays frozen, no thoughts behind those empty eyes. You could move him around like a puppet right now if you wanted to, and he’d probably thank you for it. 

You’re…interested in fucking him? 

Jackpot.

When Sunghoon’s hand moves back up, grabbing his cock and forcing a wince and a pitched groan from his throat, his eyes don’t leave yours until they’re forced to. He can’t help it when they roll back, he needs to cum at this point, whether you’re being serious or not. 

His body is ignited far more than it’s ever been and the need for a release is almost painful. 

As he falls back into the spiral of sexual frustration, it isn’t long before he hears you. Closer this time, with a weight on his bed dipping. Still, he can’t open his eyes because fuck, he’s so close. 

It’s bubbling up in his gut, his muscles are tensing, your voice only heightens the feeling until– oh.

A gentle grasp replaces his frantic and rough one, your sweet, amused chuckle ringing in his ears. Sunghoon still half wonders if he’s just lost his mind to the pleasure, but he knows that grip on him is very real, and very unfamiliar. 

It’s exactly what he needs as the new pace holds his orgasm from hitting, prolonging the pleasure to near overstimulation despite having not cum yet. Sure, the whine he lets out is probably embarrassing, but he can tell you don’t mind, with the way you suddenly dip down and lick his tip.

Goddamn the shiver that runs through him. 

Is this what Heeseung gets to have all the time? All he has to do is text or call and you come over to take him this deep down your throat? 

Fuck, Heeseung will be lucky if he ever sees you again. No way in hell can Sunghoon do this. Fuck without feeling, already he thinks he’s in love with you just from the way you swallow around him like that. The way you let his hands grip your hair, the way you let him push your head down all while pressing his hips up. The way you…..like to be used?????

Oh, he’s maybe obsessed with you.

And you prolong his orgasm for as long as you can, enjoying yourself in the way he’s far more needy than the usual fuck you have in this apartment. Eventually, you lend the perfect lick before burying his cock deep down your throat, all the way until your nose is being tickled by his happy trail. There, you encourage his cum out through hums and pleasant little sounds. 

Sunghoon moans out pathetically. You feel his small, tight thrusts through each pulse, trying to bury himself impossibly deeper despite the way you choke. You knew he was gone from the moment you saw him but now? Oh, now. It’s the fact that he hasn’t noticed Heeseung casually waiting by his still-open bedroom door. You know he’s patiently waiting for his turn with you, and he’ll get it when the time comes. For now, you’re going to give Sunghoon whatever he wants.

[moshpitpuppyx]

what happened to thursday world you used to love thursday world

i do love thursday world i love thursday world sosososo much but thursday world hurts my feelings badly and i am so fragile

[ginnsbaker]

My Sundown

Summary: You’ve been a Hydra agent for as long as you can remember, when Wanda Maximoff and her brother, Pietro, volunteers for Hydra's human experiments.

Word count: 10K+ | Tags: Wanda Maximoff x GN!Reader | Warnings: Only mentions of smut. Hurt/comfort. Reader is a little older than Wanda. Some angst. | A/N: I missed writing for Wanda, and have always wanted to write canon-ish oneshots for the MCU character. Main Masterlist

-

When they first bring her in, she looks like she's been through hell—eyes hollow, skin pale, a storm simmering just beneath the surface. Her hands tremble, not from fear, but from the sheer, unbridled power flowing through her veins. The room seems to shrink under the weight of it, as if even the walls are aware of what she’s capable of. The other recruits are scared and jittery, but she’s different. Her brother too—both rough around the edges, like two sides of the same scarred coin.

“Where did they round up these rats now?” you mutter to Lev, who’s standing dutifully beside you—the only person you've let close enough to be called a friend in all your years with Hydra.

“Sokovian volunteers,” he corrects you, eyes fixed straight ahead, mirroring your own unblinking focus on the twins. Maybe he feels the strange energy coming off them too, or maybe it’s just the routine numbness that sets in after years of blindly following orders.

You nod slightly, though the term volunteer feels like a cruel joke. No one truly volunteers for this. 

“Agent.” 

Dr. List’s voice yanks you out of your thoughts, dreary and impersonal. He calls everyone that way, as if you're just another tool, interchangeable and anonymous. It’s an intentional tactic—strip away the names, and you strip any sense of humanity.  Without a name, you’re not a person; you’re just a weapon at their disposal.

But you know he means you.

You step forward. “Sir,” you reply, maintaining a ramrod straight posture, your eyes fixed on a spot just beside his perpetually scowling face. It seems all villains share that same dour expression, but if this woman—this girl—makes it through the experiments and officially joins the ranks, she might just break the mold, looking more like an angel than a monster. You quickly shake off the thought, stifling a grimace at the odd turn your thoughts have taken.

When you risk a quick glance at her, you catch a ghost of a smirk playing on her lips, as if she knows exactly what you were just thinking.

“You’re to oversee Wanda Maximoff’s progress,” Dr. List continues without sparing you a second glance. “Ensure she complies. If she doesn’t…” He lets the threat hang, but you don't need him to spell it out. You know what Hydra does to those who don't meet expectations.

“And the boy?” you ask, genuinely curious about the other twin.

Dr. List gives you a sharp look, like he suspects something. Questions are frowned upon here, but ever since you laid eyes on Wanda, a persistent tingling has crept up the back of your neck.

To put it bluntly, she unnerves you, and you'd much prefer to deal with her brother.

“Strucker decided to…take a more hands-on approach with him,” Dr. List says.

“Understood, sir,” you reply crisply, reaffirming your commitment to your orders. You steal another glance at Wanda, only to feel a rush of heat when you realize she’s been watching you the entire time.

-

Wanda looks even more formidable once she’s showered and changed into fresh clothes. You can’t decide if it’s because the sinister gleam in her eyes remains untouched or because the grime and hardships of life on the streets have been washed away, revealing a haunting beauty beneath the dirt. Clean, she’s striking—but that beauty only makes her more dangerous. You’ve tried to delay any direct interaction with her, but this morning, Dr. List visited to follow up on the initial assessment, leaving you no more time to postpone. After a week of stalling, you’re out of excuses, and there’s a lot of ground to cover.

As she steps out of the small bathroom, her damp hair clings to her shoulders, softening her otherwise sharp features. The moment she becomes aware of your presence, her gaze locks onto you, and she begins to comb the wet tendrils back with her slender fingers. Your hand tightens around your keycard involuntarily as you take a deep breath, reminding yourself that Wanda is just like any other volunteer who entered the organization and never left its walls to see the light of day. Besides, you’re armed, and Wanda is not. It’s ridiculous to be this on edge around someone who's at a disadvantage.

“You,” Wanda murmurs, her accent rolling off her tongue like a slow, winding river.

“Shall we begin?” you ask, keeping your tone even and detached. You can’t afford to let her see how much she frighte—affects you.

Wanda ignores your request. Instead, she tilts her head slightly, studying you with a keenness that makes your skin prickle. You meet her stare, determined not to show any cracks, even though your heart's hammering away.

Finally, she nods—a small, almost imperceptible movement. 

You clear your throat and motion towards the small cot given to them as beds. “Please, have a seat,” you say.

This time, Wanda complies without a word. 

You glance around the room, searching for a seat, and silently berate yourself for not arranging one beforehand. It’s a small oversight, but it makes you feel foolish. With no other option, you settle against the farthest wall, opposite her, and lean against it, though it doesn’t make you feel any more grounded than you did a second ago.

In your hand is a file detailing everything Hydra knows about her, which isn’t much. You open it with a practiced ease, flipping through the pages, but you’re aptly aware of her eyes on you, watching your every move.

“Wanda Maximoff,” you start. “The procedures you're about to undergo are highly experimental. Hydra won't be held responsible for any injuries, no matter if they're permanent or temporary.”

Including death. But you are prohibited from disclosing this to avoid causing panic or stress among the subjects.

Wanda says nothing, her expression unreadable, but you can sense she’s lingering on a thought. Not sure what it is, you go on, falling back on the lines you've memorized these last few months.

“These procedures will enhance your natural abilities, giving you powers beyond what you may or may not currently possess. However, there are risks involved. Do you understand the nature of these risks?”

Wanda nods again. It’s the same answer you’ve received from countless other volunteers, most of whom had no idea what they were truly signing up for. But there’s something different about her, something in the way she holds herself that tells you she knows exactly what she’s getting into—and she’s not afraid.

“There will be a series of physical and psychological evaluations. We will push you to your breaking point and beyond. It is crucial that you cooperate fully. Resistance will only make the process more difficult, both for you and for us.”

You scan her face for any sign of fear or hesitation, but she's a blank slate. It’s as if she’s made peace with whatever fate awaits her here. That bothers you more than you’d care to admit.

“We will also be conducting interviews throughout the process,” you continue. “These will assess your mental state, your thoughts, your fears. Everything you say will be documented, and nothing will be private.”

Wanda's eyes narrow a touch, the first sign of any emotion since she sat down. It’s subtle, but you notice it. Maybe the thought of her mind being picked apart like a lab specimen is getting to her more than the threat of physical harm. Or it could be something else entirely.

“We’ll begin the physical tests tomorrow,” you say, closing the file and hugging it to your chest. “For now, you should rest and eat as much as you like. Your room is monitored constantly. If you need anything, just ask, though your movement around the facility will be restricted.”

The mask of indifference slips back into place. Wanda leans back on the bed, propping herself up on her elbows in a display of casual ease. 

“Do you have any questions?” you ask, mostly because you have to, not because you really want to know. You figure she won't ask anything—most are too scared or too defeated to speak up. 

But Wanda Maximoff isn't most people.

“Why do you do this?”

You can’t help it—a faint smile begins to creep across your face at her question. Most volunteers, when they ask anything at all, are fixated on their own impending ordeal, too scared of what's coming. 

But Wanda isn't asking about herself; she's asking about you. It feels like forever since anyone showed that kind of interest.

Pausing at the doorway, you turn your head just enough for her to see the profile of your face. 

“I do what I'm told,” you say, dodging the deeper question she posed—the real why behind your actions. The truth is, you stopped asking why a long time ago. Reasons tend to blur into excuses when moral lines are crossed in an organization you once trusted.

You're already tapping your keycard against the scanner when Wanda speaks again.

“Will doing what you're told bring them back?”

Her question spins you around so fast it's almost like whiplash. How did Wanda know about that? Was it just a wild guess meant to throw you off? Whatever it was, it worked.

You open your mouth to reply, but the words stick in your throat. You don’t even remember the last time you even thought about them. You've never shared this with anyone—not even Lev. Only a handful of Hydra figures were ever privy to your past.

Wanda couldn't possibly know. Unless—

“Good night, Y/N,” Wanda says, her tone dismissive as she curls into a fetal position, turning her back to you.

If your theory holds, Wanda might be the key Hydra has been searching for—the one who can unlock the powers of the scepter that have eluded so many others. Her apparent ability to read minds could be the very breakthrough Dr. List has been waiting for. 

Finding yourself hesitating to report this discovery surprises you. It’s almost ironic how your conscience decides to kick in now, just when Hydra's goal seems tantalizingly close with the acquisition of the twins. You know what Hydra would do if they realized just how special she is, and the thought of them twisting her into something monstrous is something you can’t even begin to imagine.

-

In the days that follow, you keep quiet about your suspicions regarding Wanda’s innate abilities. You tell yourself that Dr. List will probably uncover them through his experiments soon enough. It’s definitely not because you're worried about what they might do if they decide to fast-track her program.

Yes, you’re just staying out of it, certainly not because you want to protect her.

At least, that's what you keep telling yourself.

-

Your next face-to-face with Wanda comes a week later.

Though you have merely been observing her through a two-way mirror, you've been plagued by sleepless nights since your last meeting, and not even the strongest sedatives at your disposal have helped. Thoughts of her well-being nag at you, despite Hydra's strict rules limiting interaction between volunteers and handlers to prevent any emotional attachments. Such attachments have formed before, and Hydra has always dealt with them ruthlessly.

When you enter her room, she's in the same position as before—curled up on her cot, making herself appear small and almost childlike. She looks up as the door closes behind you, her eyes meeting yours with a quiet recognition. 

As you step closer, the hollowness of her cheeks, the dark circles under her eyes, and her pale complexion are unmistakable. The word weathered hardly does justice to the toll her first week has taken. You know exactly what she’s been through. The tests here aren’t just tests—they’re torture, meant to break people down, body and mind. Even with her powers and confidence, Wanda shows the same signs of strain. She's slight, frail, and clearly, she's had as rough a time as anyone else here.

This time, you come prepared with a metal chair and a freshly prepared tea set next to it, and take a seat across from her.

“How are you holding up?” you ask, although the answer seems painfully obvious.

Wanda shrugs, barely moving, as if the effort to appear okay is too much for her. But then she surprises you.

“How long until Hydra enhances my powers?”

You weren’t expecting that. After everything she’s been through, she’s asking for more? You thought she’d be wary, maybe even broken by now. But the question says otherwise. She’s been through hell, and she’s still pushing forward, demanding more. Is she courting death?

“You seem in a hurry,” you say, hiding your worry behind a soft chuckle. 

Her eyes narrow. “I didn’t come here to wait around. If they want to use me, they need to make me stronger.”

Use me.

How disconcerting. She’s asking for more—more pain, more trials. As if everything she’s endured isn’t enough, as if she needs it to become something greater. It’s reckless and foolish, to say the least.

“We’re moving as fast as we can—”

“Move faster.”

“Wanda,” you say quietly. “What you’re asking for... it could break you.”

“I’m already broken,” she declares, cold and matter-of-fact. “If I weren’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

It’s only when you notice the disgust in her eyes that you realize you’ve been looking at her with pity. Wanda is about to snap back, likely to tell you she doesn’t need your sympathy, when her expression shifts abruptly to one of curiosity.

She tilts her head, studying you—or maybe, with the mirth in her eye, it’s more like she’s mocking you. 

“You look at me like that again, and I’ll ask you a question,” Wanda says, her voice low, almost a whisper.

You stiffen, uncertain of what's coming next, but before you can say anything, she continues.

“Do you want to fuck me?”

The question startles a laugh out of you, abrupt and a bit too loud—almost like you're trying to convince both yourself and Wanda how absurd she’s being. But as the laughter dies down, you feel your face heat up, your cheeks flushing a telltale red that you can't hide.

“No,” you say, your gaze dropping to the floor as you shake your head. You clasp your hands behind your back, one finger nervously picking at a cuticle. “This isn’t what this is about.”

Wanda smirks slightly, her lips twitching, amused by your discomfort. “Isn't it?” 

For a split second, you start to doubt everything. Did you really want to sleep with her? It's been ages since you've even considered intimacy with anyone—maybe too long. Life here doesn't leave space for that kind of thinking, and even if it did, the situation wouldn't allow it. Your heart's been shattered so often you're sure there's nothing left to give—especially not to someone you've only known for a week.

Wait—love?

This is, at best, lust—nothing more.

“No,” you repeat with more conviction.

Wanda’s smirk fades into a slow, knowing smile. “Fine. Just know the offer stands if you ever change your mind.”

A proposition. It’s not the first time you’ve received one, but this offer sticks with you longer than you’d like. Wanda’s already spent too much time in your thoughts, and you’re desperate to shake her off and get back to the task at hand. But she makes it maddeningly hard to do so.

Without looking at her, you clear your throat and begin the routine interview. You refuse to focus on the fact that she’s just openly considered a physical encounter with you—and you’re definitely not considering it in return. 

“Have you noticed any unusual side effects since the last session? Headaches, nausea, dizziness?” you ask, skipping the pleasantries.

“No,” she says dryly. “No headaches. No nausea. No dizziness.”

You jot down her answers, ignoring her evident disinterest in the proceedings.

“Any changes in your sleep pattern?” you continue.

“No.”

“Any unusual pain or discomfort?” you ask, forcing yourself to meet her gaze, but her focus is on the rings on her fingers. The prisoners—volunteers, you correct yourself—aren't supposed to keep any personal items. It baffles you how she managed to hold on to those cheap pieces of metal and silver.

It takes Wanda a moment to respond. “Just the usual soreness.”

You suspect it's more than just soreness. She’s probably downplaying the pain, so you make a note beside her answer.

“Alright, we’ll keep an eye on that. Any changes in your mood? Irritability, anxiety, anything like that?”

Wanda shrugs. “Depends on the company, I suppose.”

You resist the urge to roll your eyes. “Noted. We’ll stick with the same regimen for now. Any concerns or questions about the next phase?”

“What happened to them?” Wanda asks, steering the interview off course.

Annoyance flares up as she probes again, prying into your business. “Don’t you already know?” you snap, your patience wearing thin.

But Wanda doesn’t even blink. She isn’t scared, and that just irks you even more. She should be, if she knew what you’ve done to others who’ve pushed your buttons. You’ve never hesitated to throw your weight around with those who make your job harder.

“Sometimes what really happened and how we remember it are two entirely different stories,” she says, taking a deep breath before she continues. “Our mind protects us from the truth. It obscures what’s real, and what’s not becomes all we remember.”

You're stone-still, your mind drifting back to the past Wanda keeps prodding at. You don't even have a picture of your family anymore. Their voices are gone from your memory, and you're barely holding onto their faces. It used to tear you apart, thinking about them, but now there's just emptiness. You realize Wanda can’t rattle you—she has no leverage because there’s nothing left inside you to disrupt.

You’ve got nothing.

“Y/N?” Wanda presses, her features tightening with concern. 

You consider throwing her blunt words right back at her, but you hold off. Instead, you set the clipboard down on the counter with a soft clack. Turning to the medical cart, you grab a tray of needles and tools, then bring it over to her bed. Wanda's eyes widen slightly, and she scoots back as you sit down on the edge of the mattress. It’s satisfying to finally see her react with something other than that usual smug, unshakable attitude. You pick up a syringe, fill it with a bright yellow liquid from an unmarked bottle, and swipe a cotton ball soaked in alcohol over the top.

“What’s that?” Wanda asks evenly, though you can detect traces of doubt in it that suggest she’s trying to put up a brave front. 

“Supplements.”

Wanda raises a skeptical brow. 

You lift the syringe slightly, letting it catch the light so she can see exactly what you’re holding.

“May I?” you gesture toward her arm.

Wanda eyes you warily, then gives a quick nod.

With her consent, you scoot closer until your knees almost touch. You gently roll up the sleeve of her scrubs, exposing her arm. This close, you can see the goosebumps on her skin and feel the slight tremors running through her. You hadn't noticed before, but she's shivering—not from the cold, but probably from a fever.

Instinctively, you press your palm against her forehead. Wanda flinches but doesn’t pull away. Slowly, she settles into your touch and lets out a small sigh.

“You're hot,” you blurt out, and then quickly realize the unintended double entendre. Fortunately, Wanda lets it pass without comment. You retract your hand and hold the syringe up to her arm, poised but something stops you.

“What are you waiting for?” Wanda prompts impatiently.

You're thinking of straying from the usual protocol, knowing the yellow meds might worsen Wanda's condition, especially with her fever spiking. Deciding against it, you put the syringe down and grab another bottle off the cart, this one filled with a clear liquid.

“Change of plans,” you murmur, prepping the new syringe. You nod at her for her arm, and she shifts closer, making it easier for you. When you depress the plunger, it's quick—so quick that Wanda barely feels the needle's prick.

You pull out the needle and press a small bandage onto the spot. “All done,” you announce.

Wanda massages her arm, feeling no real pain at the injection site. “T-Thanks,” she murmurs softly.

You acknowledge her gratitude with a nod and start collecting your notebook and tools. As you rise to leave, Wanda's hand shoots out, her fingers wrapping around your wrist urgently. You turn, meeting her striking, green eyes.

“I’m sorry about your family,” she murmurs quietly. Her words solidify your suspicion: she came to Hydra with powers already in tow. Mind reading or memory extraction would be invaluable to Hydra, and now, with even more power at your fingertips, you find yourself hesitating to use it.

If Dr. List catches wind of your hesitations, the reprisals will be brutal.

You glance down pointedly at where she's holding your hand, but Wanda doesn’t let go.

“It was a long time ago,” you whisper.

“Time doesn't really heal that kind of loss,” she says, still holding onto you.

“No, but you learn to live with it,” you reply, feeling the truth of your own words.

Wanda's hold slackens but remains. You feel awkward standing there, yet something holds you back from pulling away. You hadn't realized until now how starved you were for such a simple, human connection.

“I lost my parents the same way,” she shares.

“I'm sorry,” you say, and you really mean it. You can't read Wanda like she seems to read you, but in this brief moment, with the walls down, you decide to ask, “Is that why you came to us? To avenge your parents?”

Wanda's grip loosens completely, and she lets go of your wrist. You rub the spot where her fingers were, still feeling the warmth she left behind.

“‘Avenge’,” she spits out. She draws her knees to her chest and hugs them close. “I hate that word. Pietro and I, we're here to stop them. I wish… I wish they’d just leave Sokovia alone. They won’t leave because we can’t fight back.”

Your own past with Hydra comes to mind as she speaks. Back then, you joined because you were out of options. No country to fight for, no people to call yours. It strikes you how different Wanda's motivations are—rooted in something far more personal and noble. She deserves more than what Hydra can offer. 

Wanda looks at you, waiting for an answer. When you don't say anything, she pushes, “Do you think we made the right decision coming here?”

You're all too aware of Hydra’s real agenda. They're not about peace. They're here to extend their control, to bend the world around their so-called divine mission. 

“Sometimes, you don't know if it’s the right choice until it's too late to change it,” you say, knowing it’s not much of an answer. It's just the bitter truth you've come to know. It's all you can offer Wanda.

“Can you do me a favor, Y/N? Will you look after Pietro?”

The same way you’ve been looking out for me, Wanda thinks to herself, relieved that there’s only one telepath in the room.

“No promises,” you say.

Wanda gives a slight nod and starts to withdraw again. She settles back down on the cot, turning away from you, the conversation clearly over.

-

Lev sneaks into your room just before midnight, the door giving a soft creak as it swings open. Though friends, you typically keep to your own spaces. You blink sleepily at him, fighting to sit up and shake off the grogginess.

“Dr. List decided to skip ahead,” Lev says in a rush, closing the door with a gentle click. “He’s moved forward with exposing the twins to the scepter.”

“When?” You're wide awake now, sitting bolt upright in bed.

Lev’s eyes dart to the small window in your room before returning to you, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows hard. “An hour ago.”

That can’t be good. It’s far sooner than anyone had anticipated. Dr. List’s decision to advance the timeline without further testing could have unpredictable consequences. You swing your legs off the bed, your brain ticking through the possible scenarios.

“What’s the status now? How did Wan—the twins react?” you ask, grabbing your jacket and shoes and throwing them on without taking your eyes off Lev.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. They rushed them to the Observation Chamber right after the exposure. Everything’s been kept under wraps.”

You pace a few steps, mulling over your next move. Exposure to the scepter has been lethal for everyone. Even with Wanda's unique abilities, there’s no guarantee she’ll pull through when others haven't.

“We need more information. Can you get access to the observation logs?”

Lev nods, though his expression shows his apprehension. “I’ll try. But security has been tighter since the exposure.”

You catch the anxious twist of his mouth at the idea of sneaking around, and choose to spare him the risk. His relief is palpable when you tell him, “I'll handle it myself.”

He sighs in relief. “Be careful…”

Only a select few can get into the Observation Chamber, and your badge isn’t on that list. You're going to need something stronger than just caution.

-

You slip your underwear back on, feeling Laura’s eyes tracing the contours of your body. 

After Lev left, you headed straight for her. Laura Brown, the Hydra director's daughter, hadn't seen you in almost a year, but the nature of your previous encounters left little doubt she'd be open to reconnecting.

Laura reclines on the bed, a sheet loosely draped around her, smirking as she watches you.  “I knew you'd come back eventually,” she purrs, a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.

You straighten up, deliberately avoiding her eyes as you button your shirt. “I need a favor, Laura.” 

She leans back against the headboard, the sheet falling to her waist and revealing her bare chest. “This sounds serious.”

“I need to get into the Observation Chamber. Tonight,” you say. You despise asking her—or anyone, really—for favors, but you need to see Wanda. It's imperative.

Laura's eyebrows go up, her smile growing. “Direct and desperate. What's in it for me?”

“What do you want?” you ask, even though you already know the answer.

She thinks it over, then answers, “Keep me company tonight, no strings attached. Just like the old days.”

“Done.”

Laura claps her hands, clearly pleased, and tosses you the badge from the bedside table. 

You pick it up, feeling a bit degraded, like you're picking up coins someone's thrown your way. “I'll be right back,” you promise.

-

The guards give you weird looks as you show up at the Observation Chamber. They had clear orders: only Dr. List or Baron Strucker can go in. But dropping the director’s daughter’s name does the trick. You flash her badge and they let you pass, no more questions asked.

The hallway is pitch-black. This place had been sleeping until now, woken up by the fact that Pietro and Wanda Maximoff hadn’t died like the others who met the scepter. Clearly labeled doors mark the new, grim function of the space.

You think about heading straight to Wanda's room, but you remember her earlier request and decide to check on Pietro first.

The soft beeping of monitors greets you as soon as you step inside his room. He's in rough shape, alive but barely hanging on. You quickly check the chart posted next to the door—it shows low blood pressure and a high dosage of Epinephrine administered, with a note that his chances of survival stand at only 57% as of 11:30 PM.

He looks much thinner and more worn than the last time you saw him, his condition evidently worse. His eyes are bloodshot, his skin pale and stretched tight over his bones. As you move closer, you notice his body trembling, a sheen of sweat covering him despite the room's chill.

Quickly, you pull the extra covers from beneath his bed and wrap them around him, trying to stabilize his shivering. Then, you snag a water bottle from a nearby stand, helping him take slow, measured sips. 

Pietro looks at you, his eyes filled with confusion and pain, struggling to form the words. “Who are you?”

“Just someone who made your sister a promise,” you say, scooping up some water in your palm and gently drizzling it over his head. Pietro sighs in relief. “Get some rest now, and try not to die.”

His eyes flutter shut in seconds, his breath smoothing out as sleep claims him. You linger just a moment to make sure he's really out, then hurry off towards Wanda's room. Your heart pounds in your chest, fear pulsing through you. Pietro was in rough shape; how bad might Wanda be? You cling to a shred of hope that she's holding up better.

The air stays heavy as you enter Wanda’s quarters. You tread lightly, making sure not to disturb her sleep, and check the medical chart by her bed. Unlike Pietro’s dire prognosis, Wanda's stats are steady, but still troubling. Her breaths are regular, without the distressing shivers that torment her brother.

What strikes you is how normal, how peacefully she's sleeping, despite her recent exposure to Loki’s scepter. 

Relieved to see her condition isn’t more severe, you end up at the foot of her bed. There isn’t much to do after confirming she’s stable, and you know you should head back to Laura. But leaving Wanda’s side proves difficult once you're there. Almost immediately, your mind floods with ideas on how to get her out of Hydra’s clutches. If they fully realized her potential, it wouldn't just be dangerous for her—it'd be catastrophic for anyone in their path. Internally, you start plotting escape routes and thinking about who might be willing to help.

It’s strange to think how you went from one of Hydra’s most devoted agents to scheming against them.

Lost in your plans, you're jolted back to the present when you feel a gentle nudge against your thigh. Wanda's foot is pressing against you. She's awake. You look up to find her eyes open, wary and searching.

“Y/N,” she murmurs, her voice raspy from lack of use. “What—what happened?”

You subtly shift on the bed, making sure her toes aren't touching you anymore. You're not sure when you became so acutely aware of Wanda’s proximity, or of the points where your bodies meet.

“What do you remember before all this?” you ask.

She rubs her forehead, straining to recall. “There was a room... a stone emerging from the scepter. Bright lights… then nothing.”

You nod, already knowing half of what Wanda just told you. This is the first time anyone has lived to tell about their experience with the scepter, and you were hoping for more insights into how it unleashes its power. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t thought about trying it yourself, wondering if you could resist its effects. Being Hydra, curiosity about power was a constant temptation.

“You weren't supposed to be exposed to the scepter yet,” you admit quietly. “Dr. List sped things up, maybe because he suspected—”

“Pietro,” she cuts in, her thoughts finally catching up. “Was he exposed to it too?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes widen, clouded with worry. “Is he okay?”

“He’s alive,” you say. “I just saw him before coming here. He's stable, but it’s precarious.”

Wanda’s face crumples as soon as the words leave your lips. Before you can react, she throws her arms around you, her face buried in your shoulder. You freeze for a moment, uncertain how to respond. It’s been so long since you’ve held someone like this, since you’ve allowed yourself to care enough to even consider it. But then you feel it—tears, warm and wet against your neck. She’s crying.

After a moment, you hesitantly wrap your arms around her, holding her as she trembles against you. You can feel her fear, her desperation. It cuts through your defenses, the ones you’ve built so carefully over the years.

You tighten your hold on her, offering what little comfort you can, but inside, you’re battling your own fear. You can’t afford to care about her this much—not here, not now. But as you hold her, feeling every shake of her body, you know it’s already too late.

Wanda's sobs slowly subside, and you pull back slightly, intent on offering some kind of reassurance despite how foreign it feels to you. You reach up, brushing away her tears with your thumb, trying to find the right words, but they don’t come. Instead, as your hand lingers on her cheek, she pins you with a quiet stare. Before you realize what’s happening, Wanda leans in and presses her lips softly against yours.

The kiss is brief, just a fraction of a second, but it leaves you utterly breathless. She pulls back almost immediately, watching you, waiting to see how you’ll react. For a heartbeat, you're stunned, but then something ignites inside you, something you’ve been holding back without even recognizing it. 

Acting on pure impulse, you reach up, grasp the back of her neck, and pull her in for another kiss. In an instant, you take control effortlessly, letting the animalistic and Hydra part of you come to the forefront. Your thumb presses roughly against her chin, coaxing her mouth open, and you slide your tongue in, staking your claim. Wanda responds with a gasp, her hands clutching at your shoulders, but you’re too far gone to think about anything except the taste of her, the way her body molds against yours.

You tilt her head back, deepening the kiss further, your other hand sliding down to grip her waist, pulling her closer still. The feel of her, the heat of her skin under your fingers, it’s intoxicating, and you can’t get enough. You've never allowed yourself to want someone this much. Just as you think you can't hold back any longer, Wanda's hand captures yours and guides it under her shirt. You're startled to find out she's wearing nothing underneath when your knuckles brush against her hardened nipple. That unexpected discovery is what compels you to pull back.

Wanda's lips leave yours with a wet sound, and she begins kissing down your jaw to your neck.

“Wanda, wait—”

“It’s okay, Y/N,” she says. Her breath is hot against your skin, and you feel her tongue trace a line up to your pulse point, leaving a fiery trail that makes you shiver. “You can claim your reward, you can have me.”

Her words snap you out of the haze, that single word—reward—ringing in your ears like a warning bell. You quickly place your hands on her shoulders, pushing her back gently but firmly.

Wanda blinks, confusion and hurt flashing in her eyes as she looks up at you. “What’s wrong?” She knows she’s attractive and has already glimpsed your desire for her during your visits, reading it in your thoughts. It’s why she finds your rejection so absurd—frustrating, even, given her openness.

“I'm not here for that,” you say, your voice coming out rougher than you intended.

“Then why are you here?”

You feel a blush creeping up your cheeks, unaccustomed to openly discussing your feelings. “I came to see how you're doing after... after the scepter.”

“I'm fine,” she answers flatly.

You nod, still feeling the residual heat of her closeness. “Do you feel any different?” you ask, partly out of concern but mostly to shift the conversation elsewhere.

“I'm just tired,” Wanda says, closing her eyes and running a hand through her tousled dark hair. “Can we do this tomorrow?” She sounds a bit let down, assuming you're here just for a routine check—looking for any new powers or changes—as if she had hoped for something more personal.

“I'm sorry,” you quickly say. “I’m not here on any official orders. In fact, I shouldn't even be here.”

This revelation softens her look, her eyes narrowing slightly with renewed interest.

Taking a deep breath, you continue, “I'm working on getting you and Pietro out of here. It's not set yet, but—”

“Out of here?” Wanda cuts in, her eyebrows knitting together in puzzlement. “Why would I want to leave?” 

“You got what you came for, right? The power of the scepter? Now you can leave. Hydra isn’t what you think,” you explain, trying to make her see the danger.

“Look who's acting all self-righteous all of a sudden. You've been here for years, and I've seen you do things,” she retorts sharply.

“Stop looking into my mind,” you snap, irritated by her knack for sifting through your thoughts without permission and using your past against you. Just because she can doesn’t mean she should.

“You’re saying I’m wrong?” she sneers.

You shake your head. “Look, I’m just trying to help—”

“If you really want to help, just do your job.”

Her words hit you harder than any physical blow could. You knew better than to let someone get this close, to allow your emotions to cloud your judgment. But there’s no one to blame here but yourself. Wanda didn't even have to do much to earn your solicitude; it was your own doing, your own need to make things right that led you here. 

Hydra’s training kicks in like second nature, and you shut down the emotions before they can show, your face hardening into a mask.

“Alright, Wanda. I'll do just that.”

-

It’s easier the second time you’re with Laura that night.

After Wanda's dismissal, you find Laura’s body to be the comfort you need. You lose yourself in her, the way she responds to every touch, every move you make. Pushing everything else from your mind, you focus solely on her, making her come again and again until she’s too bone-tired to do anything but black out beside you.

After it's over, you slip out of her bed, leaving her to sleep off the night’s weariness, and return to your room. You don't think about Wanda. Not even once.

In the following days, Wanda's recovery is swift—too swift for your level of clearance. Dr. List decides she’s beyond your oversight and assigns her to a higher clearance team. You’re left dealing with new recruits, volunteers who are eager yet naïve, none of whom survive the brutal exposure to the scepter. Each failure hardens you a little more, cements the necessity of detachment. 

But even with countless deaths on their hands, Hydra doesn't back down. If anything, they’re more driven now, hungry for more power, spurred on by the success of the twins. Pietro develops superhuman speed, a skill Hydra quickly puts to use by dispatching him to enemy territories for intel. Wanda’s abilities become more varied, showing signs of what could be categorized as psionic powers. She demonstrates capabilities that suggest telekinesis, manipulating objects without touching them, and telepathy—which she employs at her whim. 

Sometimes you wonder if she ever peeks into your mind anymore. But then, with the kind of power she wields, why would she even bother with what you're thinking? You're not special. Not even your badge, which doesn't get you into sections of the base without currying favor with Laura Brown first.

The Sokovian base is sprawling, and encounters with either of the Maximoff twins are rare but unavoidable. Pietro remembers your visit that night. Now and then, he nods at you politely. Wanda, on the other hand, acts as if you don’t exist. If you pass her in the hallways, she looks through you as if you're invisible. So, you make it a point to stay out of her way, blending into the dull walls and shadows as much as you can.

This detachment suits you in a way. It allows you to focus on your duties, on surviving one day at a time in an environment where the stakes are always high and the consequences often lethal.

It leaves you with nothing to lose, because there's no one left to lose.

-

Weeks pass quietly until rumors start floating around that Wanda's been seeing someone inside the complex. It’s hard to call it dating, really, since concepts like love and trust struggle to take root in a place as bleak as this. It’s probably just two people keeping each other company through the colder nights. Still, you can’t shake off how much this bothers you. 

But it's not surprising. The twins' popularity has only grown, especially since, months later, no one else has matched their extraordinary feat of surviving an Infinity Stone—a term you picked up only after Hydra discovered what was really behind Loki's scepter.

Sometimes, you find yourself observing Wanda from afar, trying to figure out if there’s any substance to the rumors. Who makes her laugh? Who does she choose to sit with at meals? The more you notice your own scrutiny, the more you recognize a feeling of jealousy stirring within you, an emotion that’s prevalent among your peers but not in this regard. You're bewildered and annoyed by your own reaction—why should who Wanda spends time with matter to you? Whatever she does, whoever she fucks—it's none of your business.

You hate this feeling, but you combat it by heading to Laura’s room every night, as if she’s the cure you need to keep yourself in check.

-

“They’ll betray us someday,” Lev murmurs as you both amble through the dense woods, taking a rare break from the base for a smoke. He breathes out slowly, watching the smoke curl upwards. You don’t have to ask to know he’s talking about the twins.

“No sooner than Hydra will throw us under the bus when the Avengers show up,” you reply, stepping around a fallen branch. “We’re all expendable. You know that, right?”

Lev takes a deep drag, his gaze fixed on the trail ahead. “Yeah, I know,” he says at last, releasing a plume of smoke. There’s something in his eyes, a look that tells you he’s not saying all he could about the twins.

You eye him suspiciously. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

Lev glances at you, the corner of his mouth twitching as if he's deciding how much to share. After a moment, he nods.

“Okay, I wasn't planning on telling you this yet, but I've been handed a special assignment—the Maximoff Contingency Plan,” he reveals.

You scoff at him. “You’re the contingency plan?” 

“No, not just me,” Lev chuckles darkly as he tosses his cigarette to the ground and stomps it out. “I'm involved, but it's more than that. We're working on a weapon, one that borrows from the tech of the Infinity Stone.”

The seriousness of what he's saying sinks in. Leveraging the power of an Infinity Stone means they're not messing around.

“And what's this weapon supposed to do?” you ask, not sure if you want to hear the answer.

Lev’s expression darkens. “You know what weapons are supposed to do,” he says tersely, turning to head back. “Let’s go.”

Hydra does not tolerate treachery. Even the mildest punishment is a swift death—a quick end, but an end all the same.

-

It’s only a matter of time before the Avengers find the Sokovian Base. Tensions had been mounting and Hydra's movements had become increasingly aggressive, drawing unwanted attention. When it all goes down, you’re in your room, scrambling to suit up and arm yourself with pistols—not to confront the Avengers, who are essentially gods, but to fight for your way out.

As the base descends into turmoil, you hear that Wanda and Pietro are attempting to escape. Hydra has a ruthless protocol for such situations: eliminate the entire unit to prevent any leaks. It's cleaner to destroy and rebuild than to let loose ends compromise the organization. Knowing about the contingency plan to eliminate the twins, you grab your radio and contact Lev, asking where he is.

“You’re just in time. I need backup. I've got Wanda Maximoff in my sights, waiting for the right moment to take her down,” he radios back.

“On it, I’m with you,” you reply, feeling the sweat bead on your forehead as you move toward his location. When you get there, you find Lev, poised and ready, his eyes fixed on the target through the scope of his rifle. You scan the surroundings, looking for hazards until you spot Wanda among the debris. Iron Man's missiles have turned the area into a deadly maze of flying rocks. From her fingertips, streams of red magic swirl, skillfully steering the massive boulders away from crushing both Hydra agents and civilians.

Wanda isn’t trying to escape—she’s helping fend them off. Seeing her save these lives, something inside you breaks. Lev has his rifle aimed at her, ready to pull the trigger while she's busy playing the hero. The possible outcomes flash through your mind: Wanda dead or imprisoned by the Avengers. The thought is unbearable. You've spent months pretending you didn't care, but now, faced with the reality of losing her, you realize all you want is for her to live, to be free—something you've long given up for yourself.

You're about to dissuade Lev, to argue her worth, her potential, anything to stall, when an explosion nearby startles Wanda. She turns, momentarily distracted, and Lev's finger tightens on the trigger, ready to end it all.

But you're faster.

He collapses with a shocked gasp, the life leaving his eyes as he hits the ground. The noise of his body falling draws Wanda’s attention. She turns just in time to see what you've done—for her. Her eyes, wide and questioning, boring into yours.

Why did you save me? They seem to ask you, those green orbs that have hunted you ever since you looked into them. There's no time for lengthy explanations—not that you have a solid one anyway. But with each passing second, the chance of escaping undetected by these so-called superheroes dwindles.

“You need to leave, now!” you yell at her, but she doesn't budge. Instead, she looks at you, really looks at you, for the first time with something other than disdain. It’s the same look she gave you the night the scepter awakened her powers. It’s a look that tells you that maybe she’s been pretending too, these past few months.

You’re about to sprint toward her, to drag her to safety if you have to, when a blur of motion sweeps her away. Pietro appears out of nowhere, whisking them both out of the base before the Avengers close in. 

For a second, you're left standing there, surrounded by the wreckage and the friend you just betrayed and killed. There's no time to grieve, no time to second-guess leaving his body behind—it's pure instinct that forces you to move quickly. You head towards an exit known only to the most important figures of the organization, a piece of information you picked up from Laura. She wouldn’t have given it away if you weren’t frequently sleeping together, those personal liaisons caused by trying to forget Wanda.  

It’s strange, in a way, how you both just ended up saving each other.

-

Several weeks after the Avengers demolish the Sokovian base, Wanda finds you at a small cabin you own on the outskirts of Novi Grad. The modest structure sits on a 2-acre plot near the woods—a spot you picked up when your stint in Sokovia stretched past thirteen months. You never really planned on settling here; you thought you’d be moved to another location and sell this land at a profit eventually. But life, it seems, had other plans.

You’re chopping wood beside the cabin when you feel her presence. Dropping the axe, you straighten up and spot her at the edge of the clearing. Your eyes quickly sweep her surroundings for any sign of Pietro, but it appears she has come alone.

“Why did you do it?” she asks once she's close enough. You take a few moments to take her in, hardly believing she's actually here, and touched by the thought that she sought you out. You've missed her presence, even though the last few months have only found you both inhabiting the same compound, breathing the same air but never speaking. 

Sometimes, lying in bed at night, you wonder why you can’t shake Wanda from your thoughts. You’ve even entertained the idea that she might have hexed you, that her magic has somehow ensnared your mind and… maybe your heart. It seems like the only logical explanation, because since the day you met, Wanda has never really left your mind.

“I did what I thought was right,” you finally answer, tucking your hands inside your pockets, not knowing what else to do with them.

“He was your friend,” Wanda points out softly. 

Your lips curl into a strained smile; of course, she’d know. She knows things about you that you'd never voice out loud. Wanda’s ability to read minds makes hiding anything impossible. Does she understand how deeply you care for her? She must. Wanda has always seen right through you, so why does she need to ask?

“Did you ever think about me after that night?” she asks out of nowhere. The night the Infinity Stone changed everything, when you were closer to her than you’d ever been before.

You're taken aback by her directness. This, too, she probably knows the answer to because you've thought of little else. 

“Everyday,” you say.

That night, you invite her to your home, the first person ever to share the space you once believed would always be just yours. Your living room is snug, with a three-seater couch and a medium-sized TV mounted on the wall. There’s also a fireplace that lights up the space with an amber glow as you hand Wanda a cup of hot chocolate.

You and Wanda find yourselves chatting about lighter topics. She shares her favorite shows from childhood, and you're surprised to learn she’s a big fan of American sitcoms. You enjoyed them too when you were younger, but not to the extent that you'd watch entire seasons over and over like Wanda did. Your preference leaned more toward books, gobbling up Agatha Christie novels when you were younger.

While you're in the middle of sharing a particularly funny memory from one of those old sitcom episodes, Wanda suddenly leans in and kisses you. Though your first instinct is to dive back into the kiss, you pull back instead. The last time you were this close, things escalated quickly before they crashed and burned.

“Are you sure?” you ask, searching her eyes for an answer. Learning from past mistakes, you want to make sure it's what she really wants.

She nods, her eyes steady and invitingly dark. “I’m sure.”

You close the distance between you, kissing her to your heart’s content. Before long, clothes are discarded, and you move from the couch to the bed, leisurely exploring each other, discovering how to bring one another to new heights of pleasure. 

As you lie next to her afterward, breathless and tangled in the sheets, you realize there’s no way to pretend anymore—you care too much to go back.

-

The quiet doesn’t last long. 

Tony Stark’s experiment goes awry, giving rise to Ultron—a global threat with ambitions that soon become clear. It seeks to bring about what he perceives as peace, by any means necessary. And just when you thought you and Wanda might have found some peace, she tells you she’s joining Ultron.

“It’s too dangerous,” you tell her. The twins and a robot against the entire Avengers team? The numbers alone put the odds against them. “We can stay here, help the people around us, and actually make a real difference.”

She shakes her head, her jaw set. “You don’t get it,” she argues. “You never will. You’re not…”

Special. Go ahead, Wanda, say it. Say what you really think of me.

“...you don’t have powers. You don’t know what it’s like to be able to change things and then just stand by, powerless.”

You were bracing for it, but it hurts all the same.

“So what am I then, Wanda? Just a bystander? Someone not worth listening to because I don't have powers?”

“I’m saying I have to do this,” Wanda mutters solemnly. “I’m the only one who can do this.”

You can see in her eyes that she’s already made up her mind. You’re still racking up your brain for something that might make a difference but she speaks again.

“I’m doing this for Sokovia,” she says quietly. “For everyone who's suffered because of Stark.”

You say nothing. Her fierce loyalty is one of the things you adore about her.

Wanda steps closer, her hand reaching out to touch your face, her thumb tracing the line of your jaw. “I’ll come back,” she promises. “When this is over, I’ll come back to you.”

You nod, resigned to the reality that you must let her go. “I’ll be here,” you say, your voice thick with regret that you can’t do more to protect her, to make sure she’s safe. “Waiting for you, right here.”

-

Pietro Maximoff dies riddled with bullet wounds—over a dozen of them. You learn the details of his death through a tabloid, days after witnessing Novi Grad being torn from the ground. 

A week later, Wanda comes back to you, just as she promised, but she’s not the same. The light in her eyes is gone, replaced by a ghostly void. It’s a look you know all too well, the same one you’ve seen staring back at you in the mirror for years.

A loss of purpose.

In the days that follow, you try to restore some normalcy, but nothing feels right. You cook meals she barely touches, sit beside her during long stretches of silence, and listen when she occasionally finds the strength to talk. It's tough, seeing her struggle, but you stay by her side, hoping things will begin to heal.

But they don’t.

Every day, you see it—the guilt, the pain, the loss. She tries to find reasons to keep going, but nothing seems to hold. And as much as you want to be the one to help her, to pull her out of this darkness, you know you're not enough. Not this time.

Wanda is adrift, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t anchor her to this life you’re trying to build. She’s lost her brother, her home, and whatever sense of justice she thought she could achieve by joining Ultron. And you—you’ve been running from your past for so long, and you’re simply tired of it.

You start thinking about what’s best for her, about what she needs to move on and find a new purpose. Deep down, you recognize that maybe the best way for her to truly heal is if you step aside.

-

Like Wanda, you don’t trust Stark. So, with the skills you’ve honed during your time with Hydra, you manage to find a way to contact Steve Rogers instead.

The conversation happens one afternoon, over a phone call. You tell him everything—your past with Hydra, the things you’ve done, and why you’re ready to turn yourself in. He listens without interrupting, letting you confess everything. You mention that Wanda's with you, and make it clear this isn't about trying to reclaim some lost sense of patriotism. You're doing it for her.

“You did the right thing by coming to me,” Steve says when you finish. “Wanda has so much potential. She deserves a chance to become who she’s meant to be.”

“I know,” you reply, your voice dropping to a whisper. You’ve known it all along, perhaps better than anyone. It’s why you’re doing this, even though it feels like tearing yourself apart.

Over the course of the conversation, you and Steve work out an agreement. You’ll serve a reduced sentence in exchange for all the intel you have on the remaining Hydra heads still out there. You’ll act as an informant, helping to bring them to an end, once and for all. And maybe, after you’ve paid your dues, there’ll be a chance for you to live something close to a normal life. When the call ends, you're washed over with a feeling of real freedom, despite knowing it might cost you Wanda all over again.

Later that night, you find Wanda in the kitchen, stirring a pot and humming a tune you don't recognize, looking more alive than she has in weeks. Seeing her like this is bittersweet; she’s here, but soon, you might not be.

She notices you and gives a small, relieved smile. “You’re back,” she says.

“Yeah, I had a craving for this specific brand of red wine…” You say, tossing out a casual lie since you did swing by the grocery store, and errands are a regular part of your routine.

“Red wine?” Wanda perks up. “Perfect, I’m just about done with dinner. It should pair nicely.”

The kitchen smells foreign but amazing, and you can't help but compliment her. “It smells incredible in here,” you say as you start setting the table. 

Wanda smiles softly as she turns down the stove and grabs a bowl to serve. You set out two wine glasses and place them on the table.

You pour a generous amount of red wine into each glass and watch as Wanda carries the meal over. 

“Thanks for dinner,” you say with genuine appreciation.

“Try it and tell me what you think,” she urges, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she watches you with anticipation.

You take a bite, the flavors unique and perfectly blended. Looking up, you see her watching you, eager for your reaction.

“Well?” she asks impatiently.

You laugh, then wipe the corners of your mouth with your thumb. “Don't you already know?” you tease, hinting at her telepathic abilities.

Wanda pretends to be offended, crossing her arms. “I haven’t read your mind in a long time.”

You can’t help but be a little skeptical of her claim. “Since when?”

Wanda blinks, her gaze veering away as she hesitates, clearly not eager to revisit the memory. 

You give her a gentle nudge, mimicking her earlier prodding “Well?”

Wanda turns to face you, her bottom lip pushed out slightly in a pout. “Since I saw you were sleeping with the director’s daughter.”

Saw? Did she see everything I did with Laura? The thought that Wanda witnessed it all like a scene playing out in front of her makes your stomach twist. You blush, mortified. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” you mumble, looking away.

Wanda shakes her head, trying to dispel her lingering jealousy. “I shouldn't have been peering into your head that much to begin with,” she says softly.

Your ears catch on a particular phrase. “‘That much’?” 

It’s Wanda’s turn to blush, her cheeks flushing deeper as she quickly downs the rest of her wine and then holds out her glass for a refill. Deciding to show some mercy, you pour her another glass without prying further. The conversation stalls into an awkward silence until you finally decide to break it by giving your verdict on the dinner.

“By the way, this is delicious,” you say, adding another serving to your plate.

Wanda's face lights up, her smile stretching so wide that she looks almost like a giddy child. But then, she is young. You can’t help but imagine how she'll fit in with them. Steve, in particular, seems like he’d be good for her. Even though you don't know him well, that one phone call was enough to get a sense of his character and leadership. He seems like the kind of guy who'd really look out for Wanda, in ways you can't.

“Are you doing anything tomorrow?” Wanda suddenly asks.

Your smile falls a little, but you manage to keep it there. You wish she could read your mind now, that she could understand the choices you’ve made today better than you could ever explain them. You’re not abandoning her—you’re setting her free from this life. You've done too many unspeakable things to ever truly deserve a quiet life with her. Eventually, your past will catch up to you, and the opportunity for Wanda to do something good might slip away if she’s still tied to you. You wish she could see how much you care for her, how much she’s changed you. Because of her, you’ve felt the desire to be good again, to be human again. To open yourself not just to grief, but also to love.

You wish—

“Maybe we can visit that lake you mentioned? I've spent my whole life in Sokovia but never really left Novi Grad,” Wanda suggests.

“Rain check?” you say, trying your best to sound like tomorrow isn’t goodbye. Steve wanted to move quickly, and you’ll be expecting him and a small squad tomorrow, no later than noon. “I’m thinking I might just stay in, catch up on some reading.”

Wanda cocks her head, a puzzled look on her face. You’ve been the one pushing her to get out of the cabin more, so your answer isn’t what she’s expecting. But she likes the idea. She just wants to spend time with you. The hole Pietro left in her heart is only bearable when she’s with you.

“Okay,” she mumbles, starting to clear the dishes. You place a hand over hers, silently telling her you’ll take care of it later. Leaning in, you plant a soft kiss on her lips.

“You want to go to bed early?” you whisper quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

She looks up at you, a playful gasp escaping her lips. 

“Just to sleep,” you add quickly. I just want to hold you all night, one last time.

“I might not be sleepy right off the bat, maybe if you tire me out—”

“Naughty,” you chuckle softly, giving her nose a gentle tap.

“You love it.”

“I—” Love you. You want to say it, but you don’t want to make it harder for you both when the time comes.

Without another word, you grab her hand, holding on to this moment, to her, for as long as you can.

[a-lexia11]

Healing vacation and World Cup (Meeting in Barcelona part 4)

Alexia Putellas x reader

Words count: Around 11k

Part 1,Part 2,Part 3 , part 5

Note: So I know that I said part 4 will be the last but I changed my mind, there will be another part.

The night of the “breakup” with Alexia was one of the worst experiences of my life. I couldn't sleep a wink; my mind was consumed with thoughts of her—her radiant smile, her infectious laugh, and the scent of her perfume lingering in my memory.

In my desperation, I scrolled through my phone, endlessly watching the pictures and videos we had taken over the past weeks. It felt truly pathetic; we weren't even officially dating, yet here I was, heartbroken.

The worst part was going to bed without receiving one of her goodnight texts. I had grown so accustomed to her sweet messages that the silence felt unbearable.

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I got my heart broken in Barcelona. It's supposed to be the city of love and romance, not a place for shattered hearts.

——

The next day was Sunday, and despite having a mountain of work to prepare for the final week of school, I couldn't muster the energy to leave my bed—except for the occasional trip to the freezer for more ice cream.

I lay there, feeling utterly defeated, listening to a playlist of sad songs. The ice cream, which was supposed to be a comfort, tasted salty because my tears kept falling into the tub. This only made me cry even more, creating a vicious cycle of sadness and melted, salty ice cream.

At one point, my mom called me, asking how I was, and I completely broke down. I told her everything that had happened, every detail of my heartbreak and the overwhelming sadness I was feeling.

She and my dad tried their best to comfort me. My mom's soothing words and my dad's attempt to lighten the mood with his comment about there being plenty of other fish in the sea.

While I understood his intention, it was hard to accept because I had already chosen my fish, and now, we couldn't be together anymore.

Their efforts, though subtle, did provide a small measure of comfort, but the pain was still very raw.

After we hung up, I found myself drifting back into a state of inactivity. I couldn't muster the energy to do anything but cry. The tears flowed until I was utterly exhausted, and eventually, I fell into a deep sleep, drained from the emotional turmoil of the day.

——

I woke up startled by knocks on my door. Groggily, I got out of bed and shuffled towards the front door, wondering who could be visiting so early. As I opened the door, there stood Alba, looking uncomfortable and biting her lips.

“Hola” she said quietly, her voice almost trembling.

“Hola” I responded, trying to sound more awake and opening the door wider to silently invite her in.

She stepped inside, and I closed the door behind her. We walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. Alba seemed hesitant, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for the right words.

“¿Cómo estás?” (How are you?) she asked, giving me a small, tentative smile.

I raised my eyebrows at her, feeling my exhaustion wash over me again.

Girl, I looked like a mess—my face was all red, my eyes were so puffy I could barely open them, and my hair looked like a bird's nest.

“La más feliz que he sido en mi vida“ (The happiest I've ever been) I replied sarcastically, unable to hide my frustration.

Alba just nodded and looked down at her hands, playing with her rings.

I realized that my behavior was unkind, but the events of yesterday are still very fresh in my mind, and I can't forget how she ignored me the entire afternoon and suddenly snapped at me.

It felt like a complete disregard for my presence and feelings, which is something that really gets under my skin.

While it might appear childish to react in such a manner, I genuinely don't care because the feeling of being ignored is incredibly painful and frustrating.

It made me feel insignificant and unimportant, which is one of the worst emotions to experience. I understand that everyone has their moments, but being treated like that was really hurtful and left a lasting impact on me.

After about a minute of silence, Alba decided to speak. “Um… Lo siento mucho por lo de ayer. Estaba tan emocionada de ver a Marina de nuevo que me olvidé por completo de ti” (Um… I’m really sorry about yesterday. I was just so excited to see Marina again that I completely forgot about you) she said, still looking down, her voice tinged with regret and her shoulders slumped.

Great, Alba, that does not make it any better. “Forgetting” about me just because your friend is also here… it made it worse. The sting of being overlooked, especially by someone I considered a close friend, cut deep.

I could feel the tension between us growing, the silence becoming heavier with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. Alba’s apology, though sincere, did little to mend the hurt.

The memory of being sidelined, of feeling invisible in the presence of someone she deemed more important, was still fresh and raw. Right now, she makes everything worse.

I’m feeling really let down and upset with the Putellas sisters. They are the last people I want to see or talk to at the moment. The incident is still very fresh, and I need some time to come to terms with it.

If I continue discussing this with her right now, I might say something I’ll later regret.

It’s such a stark contrast to just a few weeks ago. I used to look forward to seeing Alexia and hanging out with Alba.

We would go out with our friends, enjoy dinners, and have movie nights where I’d cuddle with Alexia.

Those moments felt so warm and comforting. Now, the thought of seeing them fills me with dread and frustration. It’s heartbreaking how quickly things have changed.

I rose from my chair, feeling the tension in the air. “No quiero hablar contigo en este momento” (I really don’t want to talk with you right now) I said, my voice strained with a mix of frustration and exhaustion. “Creo que es mejor que te vayas” (I think it’s best if you leave)

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked towards the front door, my footsteps echoing in the quiet room.

The distance between us grew with each step, and I felt a heavy weight lift slightly from my shoulders as I reached for the doorknob.

Alba rose from her seat and slowly made her way towards the front door. As I opened it for her, she paused right in front of me, her eyes meeting mine with a glint of unshed tears.

“I’m so, so sorry” she whispered in English, her voice barely audible yet laden with emotion. With that, she stepped out of my apartment, leaving a lingering sense of sorrow in the air.

I closed the door behind her and let out a deep sigh, resting my forehead against the cool wood.

The silence of the apartment seemed to echo the turmoil in my heart. Friendships and love are so difficult, I thought, feeling the sting of her departure.

The complexities of human connections often left me feeling both enriched and exhausted, and this moment was no different.

Settling back onto my sofa, I reached under the coffee table to grab my labtop. With a few quick clicks, I booked a flight back to New York, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation.

I really need to be with my family and friends. Spending my summer vacation in New York wasn't part of the plan—I was supposed to go to Bali with my friends but given the circumstances, that's no longer an option.

The thought of being surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of home brought a sense of comfort. I missed my parents and friends deeply, so NYC, here I come.

Just one more week of school, and I can finally escape Barcelona. The city had been beautiful and full of life, but right now, I needed the warmth and support of my loved ones more than anything.

——

Returning to work turned out to be easier than I had anticipated. Seeing all the children again brought a sense of joy and made me feel a little better, lifting my spirits.

I couldn't avoid Alba at all since we were working in the same class, but it was clear that something had definitely changed between us.

I wasn't talking to her, avoided making eye contact, and only spoke to her when it was absolutely necessary.

I maintained a professional demeanor throughout the entire week, focusing solely on my tasks and responsibilities.

It was challenging, but I knew it was the right thing to do for my own peace of mind.

I could see that she desperately wanted to talk to me; she always looked at me with eyes that seemed to say I had kicked her puppy or something equally heartbreaking.

I'm not going to lie, it hurt me more than I want to admit. Seeing her like that tugged at my heartstrings, making it difficult to stay firm in my decision.

But right now, the best thing for us, for me, is to focus on myself and my well-being. If that means I have to ignore Alba, then that's what I'm going to do.

It's not easy, but sometimes you have to make tough choices to protect your own mental and emotional health.

“Entonces, chicas, ¿algún plan para el verano?” (So, girls, any plans for the summer?) Valeria asked as Alba and I were in her office, having a little recap of everything that had happened at work.

Today is Friday, the last day of school, and finally summer vacation.

“Um…Sí, voy a Bali con mi hermana y amigos” (Um… yeah I’m going to Bali with my sister and friends) Alba said kinda quietly like she was ashamed of saying it.

Even though I’ve never told her directly, I think it’s safe to say that we silently agreed that I’m not part of this trip anymore.

“Eso es genial, Alba. Bali es hermoso, te vas a divertir mucho” (That’s great, Alba.Bali is beautiful you’re going to have so much fun) Valeria responded more exited that Alba. “¿Y tú, Y/N?” (What about you,Y/N) she asked turning her head,looking at me.

“Voy a regresar a Nueva York, voy a pasar un tiempo con mi familia” (I’m going back to New York, I’m going to spend some time with my family) I told her with a gentle smile.

Valeria smiled excitedly at me, nodded and said “¡Espero que se diviertan! Se lo merecen. Ambos fueron increíbles, y los niños no pueden esperar para verlos de nuevo en septiembre” (I hope you guys have some fun! You deserve it. You both were incredible, and the kids can't wait to see you both again in September) Valeria told us, smiling gently at us.

We thanked her.

After 30 more minutes of talking, Valeria finally let us go with a hug and a “see you in September” Alba and I made our way out of the school.

The sun was shining brightly, and the air was filled with the sounds of children laughing and playing, celebrating the start of their summer freedom.

In the parking lot, I turned to her and managed an awkward smile. “Diviértete en Bali” (Have fun in Bali) I said, my voice betraying a hint of the sadness I felt.

I was just about to turn around and walk to my car when I felt her hand gently stop me.

I turned around and looked at her, confusion etched across my face. She let go of my hand and took a deep breath, her eyes darting nervously.

“Um… quería contarte algo” (Um… I wanted to tell you something) she began, her voice trembling slightly.

“Te lo estoy diciendo para que no te enteres por las redes sociales ni nada... pero... um... Marina viene con nosotros a BalI” (I’m telling you so you don’t find out through social media or anything… but… um… Marina is coming with us to Bali) She paused between some words, her stress clearly evident as she gauged my reaction.

Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her shirt, and I could see the worry in her eyes, reflecting the weight of the news she had just delivered.

I really don’t know what to say right now. It feels like they’ve replaced me with her. Y/N isn’t coming to Bali anymore, so let’s decide to invite Marina instead... just like that.

It’s incredibly frustrating and makes me feel really sad. Marina played a significant role in the fallout between Alexia and me, and now they’re still choosing to go on vacation with her.

Alba noticed my silence and quickly added, “Bianca es quien la invitó. Estábamos cenando juntos, hablando del viaje a Bali, y Bianca se sintió mal, así que la invitó” (Bianca is the one who invited her. We were having dinner together, discussing the Bali trip, and Bianca felt bad, so she invited her) she said, looking me directly in the eyes, as if to prove her sincerity.

Honestly, I don't have the energy to argue, so I just nodded and said, “Bueno, diviértete” (Okay, well, have fun) in a monotonous voice.

She bit her lip and replied, “Disfruta tu tiempo con tu familia” (Enjoy your time with your family.) I nodded again and turned towards my car.

I'm so over this. I really need to disconnect for a few weeks and stay away from them. It's the only way I can fully move on and heal from this.

——

On Sunday, I decided to go shopping since I’m leaving on Monday and wanted to get something special for my parents from Barcelona.

While I was browsing through necklaces for my mom, I suddenly heard someone calling my name from behind. I turned around and, to my surprise, it was Marcus.

I hadn't seen him since Bianca’s birthday, and seeing him there in the middle of the store brought back a flood of memories.

“Hey Marcus! How's it going?” I greeted him with a friendly hug, happy to see his familiar face.

“I'm good, and you?” he replied, his smile genuine and welcoming. “I'm good too, thanks” I answered, matching his friendly vibe.

“What are you up to here? Checking out the necklaces?” he asked, glancing at the jewelry selection.

“Yeah,I’m getting a gift for my mom. I’m heading back to New York tomorrow, so I wanted to grab something special for my parents” I explained, appreciating his interest.

“That's cool! I'm also heading back to New York soon. We should hang out” he suggested casually.

“For sure! That'd be awesome” I replied warmly, looking forward to catching up with a good friend.

Following our conversation and exploration together, Marcus's kindness and relaxed demeanor truly enhanced the entire experience.

We found a beautiful necklace for my mom, shared some laughs, and swapped phone numbers to plan a future meet-up in New York. Finally, we bid each other farewell.

I still needed to find something for my dad, and knowing his love for football and the Barça team, I decided to visit a Barça store.

The store was vibrant with the team's colors, and the energy was palpable, filled with fans and tourists alike.

While browsing through the aisle filled with various jerseys, I was meticulously going through each one, trying to find the perfect fit for my dad.

Suddenly, I looked up and there she was. Alexia.

In a promotional poster, wearing a Barça shirt, her blonde hair gleamed in the picture, and she had her arms crossed, looking intently into the camera.

Her presence, even in a photograph, was commanding and powerful.

Ugh, what did I expect? Not seeing her in a Barça store? When she's one of the best Barça players? It was almost inevitable.

I can't help but stare at her. The sight of her brought back a flood of memories, and I realized just how much I missed her.

Her intense gaze, even from a poster, seemed to reach out and touch a part of me that had been dormant for too long.

After a few minutes of just staring at that poster of Alexia, I finally pulled myself together and continued looking for a jersey. The store was bustling with fans, and the atmosphere was electric, filled with excitement and chatter about the latest matches and players.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I found the perfect jersey for my dad. It was a classic design with his favorite player's number on it. Feeling a sense of accomplishment, I headed to the cashier, paid for the jersey, and stepped out of the store and in the busy street of Barcelona.

——

Later that day, I found myself packing my suitcase. I put a lot in it since I’ll probably be spending the whole summer there and will come back only in September.

The thought of being away for so long made me feel a mix of excitement and nostalgia.

While rummaging through my stuff, I stumbled upon a little box with the butterfly necklace that Alexia had given me.

Memories of the day she gave it to me flooded back, and I felt a bittersweet pang in my chest. Despite the mixed emotions, I decided to take it with me.

There was something comforting about having it close, a tangible reminder of the good moments we shared, not just the bad.

Carefully, I placed the box in my suitcase, knowing that it would bring a sense of connection and warmth during my summer away.

——

The next day, I found myself at the bustling airport, ready to embark on my journey back to New York.

The excitement of returning home mixed with a tinge of sadness about leaving behind the vibrant streets of Barcelona, even if temporary.

As much as I love the city's rich culture, beautiful architecture, and warm, sunny days, I missed my hometown deeply.

The familiar skyline, the hustle and bustle of the streets,were calling me back. With a mix of emotions, I boarded the plane, looking forward to reuniting with everything and everyone I had missed so much.

——

Landing in New York, I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I finally escaped the confines of the long flight. The anticipation of seeing my family again made every step feel lighter as I navigated through the crowded airport.

I made my way to the baggage claim area, weaving through the throngs of travelers, each with their own stories and destinations.

After what felt like an eternity, my suitcase finally appeared on the carousel. With a sense of accomplishment, I retrieved it and checked my phone.

A message from my mom popped up, informing me that she and my dad were waiting for me near the airport entrance.

As I descended the escalator, my eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on my parents. My mom was holding a sign that read “Bienvenido a Nueva York,” written in bold, colorful letters, while my dad stood beside her with a bouquet of vibrant flowers.

Their dramatic gesture brought a smile to my face, reminding me just how much I love them.

The moment they spotted me, my mom called out my name, her voice filled with excitement.

She waved frantically, her enthusiasm infectious. I couldn’t help but laugh at their eagerness, feeling a warm sense of belonging as I made my way toward them.

Stepping off the escalator, I hurried towards my parents and enveloped them in a tight hug.

I had missed them so much; their familiar scents and warm embrace brought a sense of comfort that only family could provide.

As tears welled up in my mom's eyes, I could feel the depth of her emotions, her love for me shining through every tear.

On the other hand, my dad's beaming smile could have lit up the entire airport; his joy at seeing me again was palpable, filling the air with a contagious happiness that lifted my spirits.

After our emotional reunion, my parents extended an invitation to dine at a nearby restaurant. Amidst the cozy ambiance and delicious food, I poured my heart out, recounting every detail of my Barcelona adventures.

From Valeria's kindness to the lively banter with the school kids, the bond with my new friends, and the captivating tales of Alba and Alexia, I painted a vivid picture of my life in Spain.

My parents, ever the attentive listeners, hung onto my every word. When I revisited the story of Alexia and me, my dad's protective instincts flared up, his playful threat of converting to a Madridista eliciting laughter from all of us.

Meanwhile, my mom, with her gentle wisdom, offered comforting advice and reassurance, grounding me in her maternal warmth and understanding.

——

After spending a few hours at home, I finally decided it was time to unpack my suitcase, so I enlisted my mom to help me out.

We began carefully pulling out the clothes, one by one, chatting about the trip as we went. Suddenly, my mom's eyes caught something small and delicate—a little box tucked away in a corner of the suitcase.

She gently picked it up and opened it, revealing the butterfly that Alexia had given me.

“What’s this?” she asked, opening the box and seeing the butterfly. “Wow, that’s really pretty! Where did you get it?” she continued, inspecting the necklace.

“Oh, it was a gift from Alexia,” I trailed off. My mom looked at me sadly and gave me a sympathetic smile.

“Ooh, is that your initial imprinted on the wings?” she noticed, placing a hand on her heart, touched by it.

“Yeah, it is,” I answered, feeling a little sad as I looked down at my clothes and began folding them as a distraction.

“That girl seemed to really like you, dare I say maybe even in love with you,” she said, and that made me look up at her so fast I almost got whiplash.

“In love?! Don’t be ridiculous, Mom. She is not in love with me; we’ve only known each other for barely three months,” I told her, looking at her weirdly.

“And? The heart wants what it wants, right? Time doesn’t matter; it’s the connection that you have that does. Plus, I’m pretty sure that you’re in love with her,” she said, smirking at me.

That’s ridiculous. I’m not in love with Alexia, just because I think about her every day and every second, and that I love to admire pictures of her, and that I would do anything for her, and that—oh my God, I think I’m in love with her.

I looked at my mom with wide eyes. “I’m in love with Alexia… oh my God,” I told my mom. She just looked at me, nodding her head and smiling gently.

“I know you are,” she said, placing her hand on my shoulder before turning back to folding my clothes.

Now that I think about it, it all makes sense, but it's adding layers of complexity to my feelings. How am I supposed to fully move on from her when my heart feels so entangled?

And then there's the question of whether Alexia is really in love with me. A part of me desperately hopes for a definitive answer, either yes or no, because ambiguity just makes everything more complicated.

If she is, it brings a whole new set of challenges; if she isn't, it might make it easier to let go, but it still hurts.

——

I spent my first two week in NYC just soaking up the city and relaxing with my friends and family. It felt so good to reconnect with Madison and Carter; I had missed them more than I realized.

We laughed, reminisced, and created new memories together. To make the most of this precious time, I decided to disconnect from my phone completely. I deleted all my social media apps and any other distractions, focusing solely on being present with my loved ones.

One of the highlights was inviting Marcus to hang out with us. He had mentioned he was also in New York, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to include him in our group.

Surprisingly, he fit right in, as if he had always been a part of our tight-knit circle. We explored the city, shared stories, and bonded over our shared experiences, making the week even more special.

He’s basically become part of our group now. We’re always hanging out together, even when we’re just doing nothing. I’ve gotten to know him better, and I’m not disappointed.

He really belongs with us. It’s been great to see how well he fits in with everyone. We’ve had some amazing times, whether it’s surfing in the Hamptons, grabbing a bite to eat, or just chilling at someone’s place.

He’s added a new dynamic to our group, and I can’t imagine it without him now.

This two weeks were truly amazing until I decided to go back on social media and saw Bianca’s new Instagram post.

She had posted an insta dump with pictures from Bali. There was one picture in particular that caught my eye: all of them sitting at a restaurant, smiling. Alexia and Marina were sitting next to each other, with Alexia’s arm around Marina’s shoulder.

I just stared at the both of them; they really do look like a couple. Alexia had confessed to me that at one point she felt something for Marina, and now that they are on vacation together, maybe they’ve rekindled that flame.

I made the mistake of going through the comments. Alexia’s fans were all over it, recognizing Marina as her ex and freaking out, shipping them, saying they look cute together. It was like a punch to the gut.

Huffing, I locked my phone and threw it across my bed. I fucking hate them! Well, not Alexia, but in that moment, I did hate her.

Seeing them together like that brought back so many memories and emotions. I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and hurt. It's like everything we had talked about, all the feelings she had shared with me, were just thrown out the window.

I felt betrayed and confused, the comments only made it worse.

I needed to get away from it all, to clear my head and figure out what I was really feeling.

I decided to take a long walk, hoping the fresh air and solitude would help me sort through my emotions. But no matter how far I walked, the image of Alexia and Marina together kept replaying in my mind.

How can my mom even think that Alexia is in love with me when she's so openly affectionate with someone else? It's confusing and hurtful, and I don't know what to believe anymore.

Feeling jealous and angry, I decided to make an Instagram dump too. I posted several pictures of food, Madison, Carter, and most importantly, Marcus.

Alexia was jealous of Marcus; she told me herself, so I thought, why not post about him?

I included a particular picture of all of us in swimsuits after we went surfing in the Hamptons.

The picture was a selfie taken by Madison. In the background, you could see Carter sitting by himself, eating. Marcus and I were in the foreground, sitting on a surfboard.

I had my arms wrapped around his stomach, and his arms were comfortably resting around my shoulders.

The sun was setting, casting a beautiful glow over the scene, and you could see the waves gently crashing behind us. The picture perfectly captured the joy and relaxation of that moment.

And I captioned it : “ Mis favoritos momentos con Mis favoritas personas” (My favorite moments with my favorite persons)

——

As I was laying on my bed at night, I received an instagram notification.

alexiaputellas liked your post.

I really hope you liked my post, Alexia. I mean, I truly hope it brought you immense joy and satisfaction…

And then I received a message from Alexia. I quickly sat up, my mind racing as I debated whether or not to read it.

The curiosity was killing me, and I couldn't shake the feeling that it might be something important. After a moment of hesitation, I decided, “Oh, screw it, I should just read it.”

La Reina👸 : Hola,Y/N how are you? I hope I’m not bothering you.I just wanted to know how you are, I saw some of you pictures that you posted,I’m really happy that you’re enjoying yourself.You deserved it.

Ugh,suddenly you want to know how I am right after I posted those pictures...

I knew it, posting that picture with Marcus definitely got to her. I mean, it was bound to happen, right?

But should I respond? I can't deny I missed talking to her. She saw that I read the message, and if I don't reply, it’ll seem rude... Plus, it's not like I want to start any drama.

So frustrating. I'll just reply casually and normally, keeping things light and friendly.

To La Reina 👸: Hey Alexia, I'm good, thanks! How about you? How was Bali?

Is it too short? Should I add more? No, it's perfect. And I send her the message, hoping for the best.

After a few minutes, her call suddenly came through. I sat up even more, almost falling out of my bed, my mind racing with questions.

Why is she calling now? Isn't texting enough? Oh no, what do I do? She knows I'm awake; I just replied to her message.

Shit! I’m panicking, I’m panicking.

Okay, calm down. Deep breaths, in and out, in and out.

With a deep breath, I finally picked up the phone.

“Hello” I greeted Alexia, trying to sound as calm and casual as possible, even though I was on the edge of a panic attack.

“Hello, Y/N,” Alexia responded softly. Hearing her voice and that familiar accent made my heart skip a beat. “How are you?” she continued.

“I’m good. And you?” I asked her genuinely, eager to hear more.

“I’m good too, thank you,” she said gently, her voice as soothing as ever.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, I decided to break the ice. “Did you have fun in Bali? Are you back in Barcelona?”

“Yes, I had a lot of fun, and yes, I am back in Barcelona,” she answered casually.

I furrowed my eyebrows. She’s back in Barcelona, and it’s like 4 a.m. there right now. Why is she awake?

“Why aren’t you sleeping? It’s late in Barcelona right now,” I told her, my concern evident in my voice.

“I couldn’t sleep. I—” she stopped in her tracks. The silence stretched for a few seconds, and then she continued, “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

I closed my eyes, feeling a mix of emotions. God, why do you say those kinds of things? And at night, I’m so much more vulnerable at this time.

“Y/N? Are you still here?” she asked, worry lacing her voice, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Um... yes... sorry, I’m still here,” I answered, totally dumbfounded, trying to process her words and the emotions they stirred within me.

I sighed deeply, "Alexia, you can’t say things like that," I said with a hint of sadness in my voice.

"But it’s the truth," she responded sincerely, her words cutting through the silence.

I sighed again, feeling the weight of her words. "How is Alba?" I quickly changed the subject, desperately trying to steer the conversation away from our feelings.

"She is very good. She misses you, you know…" she trailed off, her voice softening.

"I miss her too," I responded truthfully, feeling a pang of longing.

I can't lie, I miss Alba a lot—her presence, her humor, her teasing. Maybe I should try and reach out to her at some point. I can't stay angry at her forever.

The thought of reconnecting with Alba brought a small smile to my face, despite the emotional turmoil I was feeling.

After that, Alexia and I talked for a while, but only about our vacations—how they went, what we did, the places we visited, and the people we met. I completely avoided talking about Marina.

The pain of that situation still lingered, and I wasn’t ready to confront it just yet.

Alexia also mentioned that in less than a week, she will be flying to New Zealand for the World Cup.

She was very excited about it and maybe also a little nervous. I mean, it’s the World Cup after all. She talked about how she’s been training hard and how much it means to her to represent her team on such a big stage.

She’s looking forward to the experience but also feels the pressure to perform well.

She also shared with me the various issues the team is currently facing with their coach.She mentioned that the disagreements are affecting their training sessions and overall team morale.

She seemed really upset about it.

“Will you come to see one of my matches?” she asked suddenly, catching me off guard.

“I don’t know, Alexia,” I replied hesitantly, unsure of how to navigate the situation.

“Lo cubriré todo: los billetes de avión, los hoteles, todo” (I’ll cover everything—plane tickets, hotels, everything) she quickly added, her desperation to convince me evident in her voice.

“Alexia, that’s not the issue,” I informed her, trying to convey the complexity of my hesitation.

“Entonces, ¿cuál es el problema?” (Then what is the problem?) she asked, her frustration starting to show.

“You know what the problem is,” I retorted knowingly, hinting at the unresolved issues between us.

“Sí, pero por favor, creo que es hora de que tengamos una conversación cara a cara, no por teléfono. No podemos seguir así. Te quiero en mi vida; significas mucho para mí” (Yes, but please, I think it’s time for us to have a conversation face to face, not over the phone. We can’t stay like this. I want you in my life; you mean so much to me) she said emotionally, her voice softening as she tried to reach me on a deeper level.

She was right; I can’t avoid this situation forever. I need to work things out with Alba and her. I work with Alba, and we need to make things comfortable with each other once we get back to work.

The tension can’t affect my professional life.

And Alexia is now also a part of my life. I need to work things out with her too. It’s the only solution to live in peace and move forward without this cloud hanging over us.

“Okay, I’ll come to see one of your matches,” I told her, finally giving in. I think I can squeeze New Zealand into my schedule, though it will be tight.

I’ll ask Marcus, Carter, and Madison if they want to come along. It might be good to have some company and support during this trip.

“Good!” she said excitedly. “I can pay for everything,” she started saying, but I cut her off.

“It’s okay, Alexia, you don’t have to pay for anything. I can cover it, really,” I informed her.

After a few minutes of back-and-forth arguing about whether she would or wouldn’t pay for my trip, she finally gave in.

“Now, I’ll need to go buy a Spain jersey” I told her jokingly, trying to keep the conversation light.

“You know I can give you one; you don’t have to buy it” she replied matter-of-factly, her tone amusing.

“Who said I wanted your jersey?” I retorted with a playful grin, letting out a little laugh at the end to show I was just teasing.

“Oh, so you don’t want to carry my name on your back?” she responded, her voice filled with mock indignation.

“No, thank you. I want a Bonmati jersey” I informed her.

“That’s a very good choice,” she said sweetly and honestly, her smile warm and genuine.

“I'm just teasing, I only want to wear your jersey, no one else's” I said softly, my tone becoming more tender as I gazed into her eyes.

Ugh, I'm starting to get emotional now... stop it, Y/N.

“Can you FaceTime me, please? I really want to see you” she asked hesitantly.

“Of course, you can FaceTime me” I replied after a brief pause.

I received the FaceTime call and accepted it right away.

She appeared on my screen, looking so relaxed. I could see she was lying on her bed with Nala in her arms.

“Hola” she greeted me with a gentle smile.

“Hola” I responded. “Can I see Nala, please?” I asked, and she chuckled softly. She moved her camera to show Nala, who was peacefully asleep.

“Oh, she's adorable” I whispered to Nala. I really missed that little dog.

Alexia brought the camera back to herself. “You got a tan; it looks great on you” I complimented her.

“Gracias” (thank you) she said “Sabes, me habría divertido más si hubieras estado aquí con nosotros” (You know, I would have had more fun if you were here with us) she added, sounding a bit sad.

I sighed deeply, feeling a bit lost on how to respond.

“Maybe one day, we'll be able to go there together again” I suggested, smiling warmly at her.

“I would love that” she replied, her smile mirroring mine.

“Um... I saw your pictures on Instagram. You and Marcus are friends now?” she asked hesitantly, trying to choose her words carefully to avoid sounding rude.

There it was. The unmistakable hint of jealousy I had been expecting.

“Yes, we ran into each other again in Barcelona. I told him I was heading back to NY, and he mentioned he was going too. So, yeah, we've been hanging out” I explained, trying to keep my tone casual.

I couldn't resist asking, “I saw Bianca's Instagram. You and Marina seem to be getting closer too” I pointed out gently, not wanting to sound accusatory.

“Sí, somos amigas” (Yes, we're friends) she said simply, and I nodded, though doubt lingered in my mind.

It's hard to fully believe her right now. Noticing my hesitation, she looked at me through the screen and said firmly, “I promise you, nothing happened with her. She's just my friend”

I nodded again, her earnestness making me think she might be telling the truth. I decided to trust her.

Alexia then yawned, clearly exhausted from our long conversation. We had been talking for at least an hour.

“Alexia, go to sleep. It's late, or rather early, for you” I gently urged her.

“Quiero seguir hablando contigo, no hemos hablado en tanto tiempo, te he extrañado más que a nada” (I want to keep talking with you, we haven’t talk in so long, I missed you more than anything) she whispered softly, her voice full of longing.

Oh, Alexia, I miss you so much too, more than anyone or anything but I decided to ignore the comment

“Let's talk tomorrow, okay? ” I told her, trying to convince her to go to sleep.

“Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night, cariño” she said casually, her voice soft and drowsy.

I don't think she realized the pet name she used because she was half asleep. It caught me off guard but made me smile.

“Goodnight, Alexia” I said simply. She smiled gently at me through the phone, and then there was a soft click as she hung up.

Having this conversation with her was really good. I feel so much lighter now. All the anger that had been weighing me down just disappeared. It feels so good to talk, even though we didn't address the problem directly.

Just hearing her voice and knowing she's there for me made everything better.

——

Over the next few days, I reached out to Carter, Madison, and Marcus to see if they were interested in going to New Zealand for the World Cup. They all responded with enthusiasm.

We then went online to purchase Spain jerseys. I chose Alexia's jersey, while Marcus and Madison went for Aitana's jersey. Carter, like me, opted for Alexia's jersey.

I sent a message to Alexia, informing her that we would be traveling to New Zealand to watch her play. She was thrilled and thanked us for the support.

We all agreed to invite Alba to join us. I feel it's time to finally forgive her. The three weeks apart have allowed my anger to dissipate, and I've realized how much I miss her.

This trip seems like the perfect opportunity to mend our relationship and enjoy an unforgettable experience together.

So that’s why I’m calling her right now.

“Hola” she answered the phone, sounding really confused.

“Hola, Alba,” I replied warmly. “Cómo estás?” (How are you?) I continued sweetly.

“Hola, Y/N. Estoy bien, ¿y tú?” (I’m fine, and you?) she asked back, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

“Estoy genial, gracias” (I’m great, thank you) I answered, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. “Te estoy llamando porque quería preguntarte algo” (I’m just calling because I wanted to ask you something) I continued, feeling a bit nervous.

“Dime” (Tell me) she said, her tone encouraging.

“Quería saber si te gustaría, ya sabes, venir a Nueva Zelanda conmigo y mis amigos” (I wanted to know if you would like to, you know, come to New Zealand with me and my friends) I asked, my voice wavering slightly. “Tuve una conversación con Alexia hace poco, y vamos a ver algunos de sus partidos y también pasar un tiempo allí de vacaciones” (I had a conversation with Alexia not long ago, and we’re going to see some of her matches and spend some time there for vacation as well) I continued, rambling nervously.

There was a moment of silence that felt like an eternity before she finally answered, “¡Sí, me encantaría ir con ustedes!” (Yes, I would love to come with you guys) she said, and I could hear the genuine smile in her voice.

“¡Eso es fantástico! ¡No puedo esperar! Um, ya sabes, también nos dará la oportunidad de hablar sobre, ya sabes, lo que pasó” (That’s fantastic! I can’t wait for it! Um, you know, it will also give us the opportunity to talk about, you know, what happened) I added, my nerves showing through.

“Sí, me gustaría hablar de todo eso contigo también” (Yes, I’d like to discuss all that with you too) she said, sounding relieved and perhaps a bit emotional.

“De acuerdo, te enviaré toda la información.” (Okay, well, I will text you all the info) I informed her, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

“Sin problema, estoy feliz de que hayas llamado“ (No problem, Y/N. I’m really happy you called) she said, her voice filled with emotion, and I returned her words before we said our goodbyes.

——

We’ve been in New Zealand for about two days now.

After an incredibly long flight, we have finally landed in New Zealand two days ago.Alba is supposed to join us today, and I’m sure her arrival will make the trip even more exciting.

I did not have the chance to see Alexia in those two days,since she does not have much days off.

The Spanish team has played three matches so far and has won two of them, which is amazing. The excitement of the matches is palpable, and I can’t wait to see more of them in action.

Besides the matches, I’m looking forward to exploring this beautiful country with you all and creating unforgettable memories.

“Where is she? We've been waiting for like 20 minutes! Send her a message” Carter complained for what seemed like the hundredth time. We are currently at the airport about to pick up Alba.

“Oh, look, there she is!” Madison pointed out Alba and greeted her excitedly, waving and calling her name with enthusiasm.

Alba turned her head and upon seeing us, her face lit up with a big smile. She quickened her pace and approached us swiftly.

When she finally arrived, she greeted us all with tight hugs and kisses on the cheeks, her joy palpable.

When she reached me, she put her hand on the back of my head and hugged me so tightly I could barely breathe, but I hugged her back just as tightly, feeling her warmth and affection.

“I've missed you so much” she said in English with a voice that was almost breaking into tears. I hugged her even tighter if that was possible and echoed her words, feeling the emotion of the reunion.

We parted with a kiss on each cheek and, with a mix of laughter and chatter, headed towards our rental car.

After returning to the hotel, Alba and I engaged in a deep and emotional conversation that lasted at least an hour , with a few tears shed here and there.

She confessed how terrible she felt about the hurtful comment she had made and how she had ignored me when Marina was around.

Her voice was filled with genuine remorse, and I could see the regret in her eyes.

Alba promised that she would never behave that way again and, in a light-hearted moment, even said I could slap her if she ever did. She went on to tell me how much she missed me and how everyone in Bali missed me too.

She mentioned that the trip would have been so much better if I had been there, and hearing that truly touched my heart. It made me realize how much I mean to them and how much they value my presence.

I forgave her wholeheartedly, understanding that time has allowed me to heal and that it’s now time to move forward. I feel that this experience has the potential to make our friendship stronger than ever.

Perhaps we needed this argument to reinforce our bond and understand each other better. With a tight hug and a playful slap on my ass, we left the hotel, ready to explore the vibrant city of Aucklan.

——

After a long day of sightseeing, we finally got back to the hotel to freshen up and prepare ourselves for the match tonight. Spain is playing against Switzerland, and the excitement was palpable. I headed to the bathroom for a quick shower, eager to get ready for the evening.

As I was getting dressed, my eyes fell upon that familiar small box with the butterfly necklace inside. I hesitated, debating whether or not to wear it. After a few minutes of contemplation, I decided to put it on, feeling a sense of comfort and connection as I clasped it around my neck.

While rummaging through my suitcase for my jersey, Alba emerged from the bathroom, her hair still damp and a playful smirk on her face. Her eyes immediately went to the necklace I was wearing.

“Lo sabía, se vería realmente hermoso en ti” (I knew it would look really beautiful on you) she said, her smile gentle. “Yo la ayudé a elegirlo, ¿sabes?” (I helped her choose it, you know.)

“¿De verdad?” (Really?) I asked, genuinely surprised.

“Sí, pero fue idea de ella añadir las iniciales. ¿Verdad que fue lindo?” (Yeah, but it was her idea to add the initials. That was cute, right?) she added smugly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

I couldn't help but smile back at her. I had missed her teasing more than I would like to admit. It felt good to have this moment, a reminder of our deep bond and the shared memories that made our friendship so special.

I playfully rolled my eyes at her and was about to put on my jersey when Alba stopped me.

“Espera, no te lo pongas todavía, tengo algo más” (Wait, don’t put it on yet, I have something else) she said, rummaging through her suitcase with a determined look on her face.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, curious about what she could possibly have. She finally pulled out another jersey of Alexia’s and handed it to me.

“Alba, es la misma camiseta que compré” (Alba, it’s the same jersey that I bought) I told her, puzzled, as I was about to give it back.

“Dale la vuelta” (Turn it around) she said, rolling her eyes with a knowing smile.

I turned the jersey around, and there, on the number 11, it was written with a sharpie, “Una camiseta especial para alguien especial” (A special jersey for my special someone.) I immediately recognized Alexia’s handwriting, and my heart skipped a beat.

My cheeks blushed at that, feeling a warm rush of emotions.

“Alexia me dijo que te la diera” (Alexia told me to give it to you) Alba said, smiling gently at me before returning to the bathroom to continue getting ready.

I put the jersey on, and it smelled exactly like Alexia, bringing a sense of comfort and closeness. She is so sweet.

Take that, Marina—I bet Alexia didn’t give you her jersey with a cute message like this.

——

We arrived at the stadium, and the energy was palpable with a crowd already gathered. We found our seats near the field, eagerly anticipating the events to unfold.

The atmosphere shifted as the Spanish team players emerged from the tunnels, greeted by enthusiastic cheers. Alexia, with her slightly faded pink hair, immediately caught my eye. She looked impeccable in her suit, AirPods in, exuding confidence and focus.

As Alexia and her teammates inspected the field, their concentration was evident. They took in every detail, preparing themselves mentally for the match ahead.

Then, Alexia turned her head, and our eyes met. A wide smile spread across her face as she waved at me. I waved back, feeling a rush of excitement. Noticing she had her phone, I gestured for her to check it.

“Thank you so much for the jersey, I love it” I messaged her. I looked up to see her reaction. She read the message, then looked up and blew me a kiss with a wink, making my heart flutter.

Alexia then spotted Alba, Marcus, Carter, and Madison. Their faces lit up with big smiles and enthusiastic greetings. Alba blew her a kiss, which Alexia caught and placed on her heart, a gesture of the deep bond and affection among friends.

After a while the players all went back to the tunnels.

——

The whistle blew, signaling the end of the match. Spain had an easy victory, dominating Switzerland with a 5-1 scoreline.

The stadium erupted with cheers, singing, and dancing as fans celebrated Spain's qualification for the quarter-finals. Alexia and her teammates were visibly elated, their faces beaming with joy and pride.

After soaking in the jubilant atmosphere for a while, we decided to leave the stadium. It was quite late, and our stomachs were rumbling, so we headed to a nearby restaurant to grab a bite to eat.

The streets were alive with fans celebrating Spain's victory, adding to the festive mood.

While we were at the restaurant, I received a message from Alexia. She told me that she would have some time off the next morning and asked if I wanted to join her for breakfast. Without hesitation, I accepted her invitation, eager to spend some quality time with her.

Later that night, as I lay in bed, I continued texting Alexia. She seemed very angry and frustrated because there were ongoing issues with the coaching staff. I did my best to comfort her, offering words of support and encouragement, but it was tough as she was clearly very upset.

I hoped that our breakfast together in the morning would lift her spirits and bring some much-needed positivity.

——

I stood in front of the hotel, my heart racing as I waited for Alexia. She had texted me moments ago, saying she’d be here in just a few minutes, but each second felt like an eternity. The anticipation was almost overwhelming—I hadn’t seen her in what felt like forever, and the thought of being near her again made my chest tighten with longing.

And then, suddenly, I saw her. She was across the street, her figure unmistakable even from a distance. Alexia was dressed in a Spain training kit, the familiar colors bringing a rush of memories flooding back.

Her pink hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, some strands gently framing her face. In her hand, she held a bouquet of flowers,more specifically roses,my favorite.

The sight of her took my breath away, and for a moment, I could do nothing but stand there, captivated.

She hadn’t noticed me yet, and I felt a sudden, urgent need to be closer to her, to close the distance that had separated us for too long.

Without thinking, I stepped off the curb, my eyes locked on her. But I was so mesmerized by the sight of her that I didn’t see the car coming.

The blare of a horn jolted me back to reality, and I snapped my head to the right, just in time to see the car screech to a halt.

My heart pounded in my chest, but I quickly raised my hand in a gesture of apology to the driver, mouthing a hurried “sorry” before practically sprinting across the street.

As I drew nearer, Alexia’s eyes finally met mine. She must have seen everything—my near miss with the car, the way I had been so lost in thoughts of her that I hadn’t even looked before crossing.

But instead of the concern I expected, her face lit up with the brightest smile, one that made my heart swell with so much emotion I thought it might burst.

She opened her arms wide, and I didn’t hesitate for a second. I rushed into her embrace, wrapping my arms around her with all the pent-up longing I had been carrying for so long.

Being in her arms again was like coming home. The familiar scent of her skin, the warmth of her body pressed against mine, the way her strong arms enveloped me—it was everything I had missed, everything I had dreamed of in the quiet moments when the distance between us had felt unbearable.

I buried my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply, trying to memorize every detail of this moment.

Alexia’s hug was firm and reassuring, and when she lifted me off the ground, spinning me around, a laugh bubbled up from deep inside me, full of pure, unfiltered joy. I could feel her laughter too, rumbling softly against my chest as she held me.

“¿No te dije que miraras a ambos lados antes de cruzar la calle?” (Didn’t I tell you to look both ways before crossing the street?) she whispered into my ear, her voice teasing but full of affection.

Her breath was warm against my skin, and the sound of her voice sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t help but laugh again, the tension and anxiety that had been building up inside me all day finally melting away.

“I missed you so much,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, but I knew she heard me. I could feel her smile widen against my cheek, and she squeezed me even tighter, as if she never wanted to let me go.

After what felt like both an eternity and an instant, we finally pulled back, though neither of us seemed eager to break the contact entirely. She gently lowered me back to the ground, her hands lingering on my arms, as if grounding me, keeping me close. Then, with that same tender smile, she held out the flowers she had been carrying all along.

“For you,” she said softly, her eyes full of warmth and something else—something that made my heart skip a beat.

“Thank you, Alexia,” I replied, my voice thick with emotion as I took the flowers from her. I brought it to my nose, inhaling the sweet fragrance, but all I could really smell was her.

I looked up at her, unable to keep the smile from my face, and I knew in that moment that no matter how far apart we had been, we were here now, together.

"Let's go eat; I'm hungry," she said with a smile, extending her hand toward me. I reached out and took it, her touch warm and familiar, and together we started walking.

The time I spent with Alexia felt almost surreal, as if no time had passed since we were last together. It was like slipping back into a comfortable rhythm, where everything between us just flowed naturally.

We talked about everything and nothing, our conversation as easy and effortless as it had always been. Laughter filled the air, and for a while, it felt as though the weight of the past few months had lifted.

We just catched up on those few weeks that we spend apart.

But eventually, the conversation turned to the topic we had both been quietly avoiding—my decision to end things between us. We spoke a little bit more in details about it, all the things that I could not said that night that I “broke up” with her I told them now.

I could see the sadness in her eyes as we talked, a hint of melancholy that tugged at my heart.

Yet, despite the pain, she listened carefully, nodding in understanding. She didn’t try to argue; instead, she respected my decision, something that only deepened my admiration for her.

The maturity and grace with which she handled the situation reminded me of why I had fallen for her in the first place.

At one point, her gaze dropped to the necklace I was wearing—the one she had given me. Her eyes softened as she noticed it, and I saw a flicker of surprise mixed with something like relief. I realized then that I had never properly thanked her for the gift.

So, in that quiet moment, I finally expressed my gratitude, telling her how much it meant to me and how I had kept it close, even after everything.

She smiled, a genuine and heartfelt smile that made my chest tighten with emotion.

After about an hour,Alexia walked me back to my hotel, our hands brushing against each other occasionally as we walked side by side. When we reached the entrance, she turned to me, her expression gentle and full of warmth.

Leaning in, she placed a soft kiss on my cheek, the gesture simple yet filled with affection.

“I'll text you later,” she promised, her voice soft, almost a whisper. I nodded, smiling at her, knowing that even though things were different now, there was still something strong and unspoken between us.

As I watched her walk away, I felt a mixture of emotions—gratitude, sadness, and a lingering sense of connection. It was a bittersweet reminder that while things may have changed, some bonds are too strong to ever truly break.

——

I’ve been in New Zealand for just over a week now, and it’s been such a refreshing experience. The country is absolutely stunning, with its breathtaking landscapes and peaceful atmosphere.

I’ve spent most of my time simply enjoying the beauty of the surroundings and taking some much-needed time to relax and recharge.

Marcus, Madison, and Carter all left the day after the intense quarterfinal match between Spain and the Netherlands. It was an exhilarating game, with Spain emerging victorious once again, solidifying their place as one of the top teams in the tournament.

After they departed, it was just Alba and me for a few days, which gave us some time to bond and explore the area together.

Later, Eli and Alexia’s uncle and some friends joined us minus Marina,she had to word thanks God. That added a new dynamic to the group and made things more lively.

Spain then faced Sweden in the semifinals, and it was another thrilling match. Spain pulled off another impressive win, which meant they secured their spot in the final. The excitement among everyone was undeniable. The atmosphere was electric, with celebrations all around.

Alexia, in particular, was over the moon with joy, as were her teammates. You could really feel the pride and happiness radiating from them—it was such a special moment for all of them.

When it comes to Alexia, I haven’t been able to spend as much time with her as I would have liked. Her training schedule has been intense, so she’s been focused and busy preparing for the matches.

However, I did manage to carve out some quality time with her and her family, which I really cherished.

Even when we weren’t physically together, we stayed in close contact through phone calls, FaceTime, and constant messaging. It was nice to keep that connection strong, even with everything going on.

——

Today is the big day—the World Cup final. England versus Spain. The anticipation is overwhelming, and I can’t help but feel incredibly nervous yet excited for the outcome. I’m really hoping Spain takes home the win.

They’ve worked so hard and gone through so much to get here, and they truly deserve to lift that trophy after everything they’ve endured.

The atmosphere in the stadium was absolutely electric, with the tension and excitement hanging thick in the air. Both English and Spanish fans filled the stands, their voices blending into a roaring sea of cheers and chants for their respective teams.

The energy was contagious, and you could feel the passion radiating from every corner of the stadium.

Alba, Eli, Alexia’s uncle, and all of Alexia’s friends were completely caught up in the moment, cheering at the top of their lungs. The excitement was overwhelming, and we were all proudly sporting Alexia’s jersey, a united front of support for her. We were on the edge of our seats, anxiously waiting for that breakthrough moment.

Finally, after nearly 30 minutes of nail-biting tension, Spain scored. The stadium erupted into pure chaos. Everyone around us was euphoric, jumping up and down with pure joy, screaming and hugging each other.

It was a moment of collective celebration, with emotions running high and the feeling of victory inching closer.

As the clock ticked into the 90th minute, the anticipation grew even stronger. Then, finally, Alexia stepped onto the field. The crowd’s response was immediate—cheers and applause filled the air as she joined the game.

Her presence alone seemed to elevate the energy in the stadium even more.

With 15 more minutes added, the tension was almost unbearable. Then, at last, the final whistle blew. A wave of emotion washed over the field, and every player seemed to collapse—some from sheer happiness, others from the weight of disappointment.

From where I stood, I could see Alexia lying on the pitch, surrounded by her teammates who were leaping onto her in celebration. It was a moment of pure joy, a culmination of everything they had worked for, and it was incredible to witness it all unfold.

Eli pulled all of us into a heartfelt group hug as we celebrated the incredible victory. Our cheers were filled with uncontainable joy, and the tears streaming down our faces were a testament to our deep happiness.

It was an emotional and beautiful moment, seeing Spain triumphantly win the World Cup. The sense of accomplishment and elation was palpable, and the scene was truly unforgettable—one we will always cherish as a perfect culmination of their hard-fought journey.

Once we finally managed to steady our emotions, the scene on the field was nothing short of magical. The players were awarded their well-deserved medals, and the moment Spain lifted the World Cup trophy was met with a surge of cheers and applause.

The stadium buzzed with an electrifying atmosphere as fans celebrated the culmination of a remarkable journey.

The players took their time to engage with the crowd, posing for photos and signing autographs. Their joy was evident, and they seemed genuinely thrilled to share this victory with their supporters. It was a beautiful display of gratitude and connection between the team and the fans.

As the crowd began to thin out, a few of us made our way onto the field to find Alexia. The security staff, allowed us access. When Alexia spotted her family, she didn’t just walk; she sprinted towards them with such speed and emotion that it was as if she was propelled by sheer joy.

She embraced her mother and sister tightly, tears streaming down her face, her happiness radiating in every direction.

Her interactions with her friends were equally heartfelt. She greeted each one with the same infectious enthusiasm and warmth, her smile never fading.

I stood a little to the side, giving her the space she needed to enjoy these precious moments with her family and friends, while I chatted with the families of other players who were also basking in the afterglow of the victory.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Alexia scanning the crowd, her gaze searching for someone. She turned to her mother, who pointed in my direction.

When Alexia’s eyes finally locked onto mine, a look of recognition and excitement crossed her face. She made a beeline towards me, her expression filled with joy and relief.

As we met halfway, she enveloped me in a tight, heartfelt hug, lifting me off the ground with an energy that matched the day’s celebrations.

I whispered, “You did it,” into her ear, and as she buried her face in my neck, I felt a tender kiss graze my skin—a fleeting, sweet gesture that spoke volumes.

After a few moments of this intimate embrace, we slowly pulled away, but Alexia kept me close, wrapping her arm around my shoulders.

She led me back to where her friends and family were gathered, her presence and warmth a constant source of comfort and joy amidst the ongoing celebrations.

After a while of mingling, celebrating with friends and family, and capturing memories with photos, it was just Alexia and me left on the small stage situated in the center of the field.

The revelry had started to wind down, and the festive atmosphere was beginning to settle into a more intimate moment.

We sat close together on the stage, surrounded by a sea of confetti that glittered in the fading light. I found myself idly playing with the colorful pieces scattered around us, a tangible reminder of the day’s excitement.

“I still can’t believe you’re a world champion now,” I said, my voice full of excitement. I gently touched the medal draped around her neck, admiring it’s shine and significance.

Alexia looked at me with a mix of disbelief and joy. “I can’t believe it either,” she responded, then, with a smile, she carefully removed her medal and placed it around my neck.

The gesture was both symbolic and heartfelt, and I couldn’t help but grin as I felt the weight of her achievement resting on me.

She moved even closer, wrapping her arms around my shoulders in a tender embrace. I leaned into her, feeling a deep sense of contentment as she planted a soft, affectionate kiss on my cheek.

The warmth of her touch and the intimacy of the moment made it feel even more special.

In a hushed tone, she whispered, “Estoy lista” (I’m ready.)Her words were gentle but filled with a depth of emotion that caught me off guard. I looked at her, confusion and curiosity mingling in my expression.

“I’m ready to start a relationship…with you,” she continued, her voice steady but heartfelt. “I want us to be together officially.”

[impishjesters]

Pomni, Kinger, Caine & Jax's reaction to their s/o abstracting

warning(s): angst, hurt no comfort, self-blame, "death" of the reader, implied "death"/abstraction of another character (spoiler: Kinger), hopeful outcome note(s): There's nothing incredibly heavy or detailed, just tread carefully if "death" is something you are sensitive to, please. The "hopeful outcome" implies that Caine will at some point in time be able to fix those who've abstracted. A/N: I was feeling particularly cruel and wanted to write some angst, this came to mind and I'll be honest. I made myself a little sad.

Pomni

She never saw it coming, of course, you were acting different lately but she didn’t think it would… lead to you abstracting…

It took forever for things to get some semblance of normalcy, and you being with her was a major part of it.

Sure the relationship in a place like this was a bit, weird, but you cared about her, and she cared about you.

You kept her sane and grounded, so when you were found abstracted? It felt like she failed you.

Ragatha tries to assure her that you aren’t completely gone. Like Kaufmo you’re being kept in the cellar. Caine claims the abstracted are being kept there until he can find a way to “fix” them. (Whether he’s genuine or not though, none of them know.)

It’s all empty promises though, she still feels like she failed you.

Kinger

Not again…

Kinger silently promised himself not again, he was fine being friendly with everyone else that fell into the circus, but he had no intentions of being more than that.

But then you happened, and while he was still in shambles from the time and the insanity spent here, you were there beside him. Like a knight in shining armor.

He hadn’t been around when you abstracted, in fact, he didn’t know you abstracted until there was yelling, and boom an abstraction was causing chaos.

Kinger didn’t know who it was until it was sent off to the cellar, actually, he didn’t know who it was until he realized everyone was present except you.

There’s a high probability that losing someone again, losing you, is what ends up being his own downfall. The other’s (not including Jax) try their all to get him to calm down but it’s not enough, it’s too late…

Caine

Of all the humans to be pulled in he never once got attached.

This was never supposed to happen, he’s incapable of love.

Caine does his best to keep the humans from abstracting, and as many eyes as he has over the place, there are always ones that slip through his grasp.

Of course, he’s not around when you abstract, it takes a bunch of hooting and hollering from everyone before he shows up and oh hey an abstraction.

At an immediate glance, he knows it’s you, abstractions never remotely look like the person they were before but he knows it’s you. You don’t recognize him as you lash out, of course you don’t, you can’t.

He’s unsure about tossing you with the others in the cellar, there’s nowhere else he can truthfully keep you without causing problems. So into the cellar, you go.

Caine visits you though, not for long but he does check in on you. Not that anything changes, but out of all the abstractions down there, he knows exactly which one is you.

You’ll be the first human he fixes as soon as he’s able to.

Jax

His s/o abstracted? Nice joke, though it’s in poor taste. You’re completely fine, he just saw you earlier.

Jax doesn’t believe it until he sees it, and seeing it absolutely ruins him. He’s seen countless others get abstracted and thrown into the cellar, but why, why does it have to be you?

Why couldn’t it have been literally anyone else? He didn’t give a shit about anyone else, the one person he cared for, and you…

Similarly to Pomni, he feels it’s his fault like he could’ve, no should’ve done more. Was he so wrapped up in everything else that he didn’t notice the signs? Why didn’t you talk to him? You didn’t, didn’t do that on purpose, did you?

For the first time ever, the others are genuinely worried about Jax, they all saw/know how much you meant to him. The two of you even spoke fondly about what the two of you would do if you got out of the circus.

For a while Jax becomes even more irrational and unhinged, they try not to hold it against him too badly, even when he oversteps. He’s grieving and none of them know just how long that’ll go on.

Jax isn’t quite the same afterward, but he makes sure that nobody else tries to worm their way into his heart.

If it’s possible, he’ll make sure Caine fixes you the second he’s able to. Even if Caine can fix only one person, it’s going to be you.

[ridher]

rafe finally asking out the shy pogue he's been crushing on

weeks of plotting — rafe cameron regularly showing up to the island country club for the sole purpose of seeing you, a soft-spoken pogue who works as a waitress at said place.

his intentions were anything but friendly, even if that's genuinely what you believed at first. despite this, he never made it clear and kept you in an awkward grey area that left you wondering just what his goal was.

and of course, you wouldn't dare speak up about your feelings, so rafe's visits remained strictly casual.

he hadn't been planning on changing your relationship any time soon, not even when he came into the club today in the late afternoon.

there you were, like always, shuffling about in the little uniform he found just so adorable, hair held back in a messy updo that always came out effortlessly perfect with pieces falling out and framing your face — enhanced by a layer of natural makeup.

the only difference was a small frown shaping your pouted lips, a sight he'd only seen a handful of times when an entitled resident of figure eight treated her as something below them.

he spends the remaining hours of your shift accompanying you after taking it upon himself to fix your face — a challenge.

though every time you come back from fixing up a table for a new group to occupy, you return with the same dejected expression. it almost pains him and he's lost in his thoughts, silently taking sips of the drink before him on the bar.

you let out a deep sigh signaling the end of your work day, to which he quickly responds after sitting up in the barstool.

"let me walk you out." he offers, leaving his glass for whoever is clocking in next.

replying with just a nod, you head back to grab your work bag — not having the energy to try and brush him off how you would with anyone else in this mood.

rafe is waiting in the decorated hallway outside the employee break room with his back leaning against the wall, hands stuffed in the pockets of his shorts, and curtain bangs parted due to how many times he'd run a hand through it.

when you come out and see him, it takes all your energy to flash him just a small smile. the gesture has him sighing and stepping forward to place a strong hand on the small of your back, guiding you through the building so he can say what he wants about your mood in confidence.

he stops you shortly after the entrance of the parking lot where the two of you usually part ways, moving to stand in front of you as his thumb caresses your back through the thin polo of your uniform.

"wha's goin' on, huh?" he lowers himself to be on your level and make his presence less intimidating — something he learned works with you.

"bad day.. i dunno, i'm sorry." you let out in a soft breath, gazing up at him with big eyes and brows pinched with tension.

he shakes his head and reassuringly mimics your expression, not mocking. the hand not splayed across your waist moves to brush some flyaways from your flushed face that had him distracted.

"it's alright, baby. let me make it better, yeah? will you let me help you?" when he makes his voice all low and smooth like that, it's hard to refuse.

you let out a shaky breath that releases the lines from your forehead before nodding silently once again with a small 'okay', knowing he'll continue with the little bit of confirmation.

"okay? listen, a'ight? you go home and get all cleaned up, take one of your little naps or somethin', eat. i'll come by later and pick you up — m'taking you out, okay?"

you're taking it all in with clueless doe eyes, nodding along until the last little bit. he sees the way your cheeks flush and you struggle to respond, reading the look too easily.

"yeah, yeah — like that. 'kay? we have a deal?" the large hand rafe has on your hip flexes when he tenses while awaiting your reaction.

"okay, rafe." you're nodding with an honest smile now and the sweet tone of your voice says more than you could explain.

he's grinning all smugly, proving no matter how soft he tries to come off, he is still the popular teen boy from the other side of town. none of that mattered in this moment when your crush just made the first step in pursuing you.

"okay. text me an' i'll see you tonight." rafe sends you off with a pat on your back, walking past you much too casually for having just asked you out. what were you getting yourself into?

as per request — @sublimepenguinpeach-blog & @lalaloopsie

[dollyyun]

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟔.𝟐

SYNOPSIS: Your heart and mind remain in an agonising dissonance, and this time, you choose rationality over what your heart desires most, even if it is slowly killing you. But you have underestimated their determination in luring you back to them, which leads to you rebelling against your initial resolution as you fail to resist your darkest temptation. So when the tension finally snaps, you find yourself back to square one, and this time, you fear that there is no way out to elude their intoxicating, dark allure once more.

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), college au, semi-adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WORD COUNT: 20k

WARNINGS: profanities, explicit themes, angst, mention of violence, mention of death, alcohol consumption, mention of violence, manipulation, corruption, toxicity, smuts.

PLAYLIST: Touch It - Ariana Grande, everytime - Ariana Grande, Glad You Came - The Wanted, Come My Way - PLVTINUM, Breakin' Dishes - Rihanna, S&M - Rihanna, 2 On (feat.ScHoolboy Q), Lights Down Low - Maejor (feat. Waka Flocka Flame), Wet the Bed - Chris Brown, Candy - Doja Cat.

PREV (PART 6.1) | NEXT (PART 6.3) ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

-smut warnings under cut-

smut warnings: unprotected sex (no!), name calling, spitting kink, biting kink, degradation, manhandling, bondage (handcuffs), blowjobs, throat-fucking, fingering, nipple play, pussy slapping & eating, anal, double penetration, edging, crying, squirting, creampies, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, threesomes, fivesomes kinda towards the end(?), MxM in action(mild).

The ray of moonlight filtering through your window casts a gentle radiance in the solitude of your room, enveloping you in a dim illumination as you are stagnantly seated on the edge of the bed, already having been promptly dressed up in a simple off-shoulder beige sweater complementing your dark chequered skirt.

Much to your disgruntlement, your best friends vehemently insist on bringing you out with them to have some drinks, and you recognise their intention of wanting to cheer you up upon noticing your disheartened spirit.

You hear the animated bustle of your best friends leaking through your ajar door, but you remain unmoving from your position with an air of pensiveness emanating from you as you grapple with emotions that have been in an unabating turbulence within you ever since you left the palace.

It has been two days since you last saw any of the guys, two days since you established your firm resolution to avoid the guys like the plague, including ignoring their persistent calls and texts, and thankfully they have never made any visits to your dorm. Even if they had, your best friends probably wouldn’t have allowed them to see even a glimpse of your face.

You know that you acted of your accord by fleeing them for the sake of your sanity, but at the same time, you hate it. You hate it that your heart aches tremendously from being apart from them for two long agonising days.

It is genuinely frustrating because instead of the distance giving you space to cogitate, it seems to be driving you to the brink of your sanity, especially when your mind and heart stand in juxtaposition, where one is rationalising you with a litany of reasons why you should depart from their lives permanently as soon as possible while the other unwaveringly yearns for them with a palpable vehemence for as long as it remains beating.

Adding to your predicament, questions have been gnawing on the walls of your mind and keeping you awake at night, rendering you restless rather than weary despite the scant amount of sleep. Questions that mainly centred around Jinae and her death.

Having gained knowledge about her death is not enough. You have a strong desire to unravel the explicit truth about her history with the guys, but the guys didn’t provide you the answers you sought the last time you saw them, and you have yet to ask your best friends considering you have been holed up in your room for most of the time to wallow in your thoughts and emotions.

Heaving a sigh, you decide to cease your rumination, but when your gaze lands on your phone next to you, an idea pops into your mind before you quickly grab your phone. Maybe the idea is preposterous after having been informed by Jake that it was highly possible that whoever the anonymous texter was was responsible for the incident, but desperation is gnawing at you.

With slightly trembling fingers, you begin to type away on your phone, your lips tucking between your teeth and your eyebrows furrowing.

Y/N: If you’re still there, I want answers about what happened three years ago.

After pressing send, you wait, and it’s not even a few minutes before you receive a reply.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: I presume that it’s about Jinae. Since I’m feeling nice, I’ll indulge you, but before I proceed, are you sure you’re prepared? Because what I’m about to tell you depicts her death, as in how she died. Y/N: Considering what I’ve recently been through, yes, I’m prepared. UNKNOWN NUMBER: Since you obviously knew that your four beloved knights were responsible for her death, you should know that before they killed her, they took pictures and videos of her for the times she fucked around with them. Y/N: Was it consented? UNKNOWN NUMBER: No, and that’s not even the worst part. They uploaded those sex tapes to our official Devil’s Knights social media accounts across Instagram and Twitter. Jinae became a laughing stock on campus. Almost everyone, especially our own knights, dehumanised her at every chance they got.

A part of you refuses to believe him, but you can’t ignore the unpleasant churn in your tummy.

Y/N: My best friends told me that there were speculations going around on campus back then about Jinae doing something to piss off the four leaders greatly. UNKNOWN NUMBER: That’s correct. Y/N: So what did she do? UNKNOWN NUMBER: She did nothing, that’s the thing. All she ever wanted was to be loved, but her wanting that love ended up in their palace, where she was found dead in the bathroom. Her throat was slit open. Vulgar words were incised deep on the flesh on her thighs and arms. It was a bloody fucking mess.

“Oh my god.” You cover your gasping mouth with your trembling hand while your eyes glisten with tears, feeling utterly revolted at this discovery with horror plastering on your face. The four leaders did that to her? 

Before you can dwell and get pulled by the whirlpool of torrential emotions, you pour your focus on another matter that has piqued your curiosity just earlier.

Y/N: The way you spoke of her, it seemed like you knew her closely. UNKNOWN NUMBER: As a matter of fact, I did. Y/N: Who was she to you? UNKNOWN NUMBER: She was….someone who I cherished deeply.

Your curiosity has reached its peak, wondering what their relationship was, but the axis of your attention tilts when another matter arises, or rather, something that perhaps he unintentionally let slip.

Y/N: Earlier, you mentioned that they uploaded those sex tapes on your official Devil’s Knights social media accounts, and you said ‘our’. So does this mean that you’re a devil’s knight?

This time, however, he doesn’t reply straight away, which confirms your suspicion. Just as you are about to send him another message, you hear your name being called from outside your room.

“Y/N, are you ready?” Yunjin pushes open the door, and as expected from the fashionista of the group, she is dressed impeccably.

You offer her a tight smile in return as you rise from the bed and shove your phone into your sling purse. “Question: Do I really have to go?”

“Of course, you do.” Wonyoung waltzes into your room, her eyes scanning your overall fit in appreciation before she interlocks her arm with yours. “Besides, it isn’t healthy to be holed up in your room all day. You need some fresh air.”

“And some drinks.” Karina emerges from behind Yunjin. Her alluring eyes narrow at you just when you open your mouth to retort. “Be thankful that you get to even drink, whereas I, on the other hand, can’t since I'll be the one driving you a lot."

“I didn’t even say anything.” You murmur, making a face at Karina, before Wonyoung proceeds to drag you with her, trailing behind the other two.

All the while you’ve resorted to silence, your mind keeps drifting off to the messages earlier.

Out of all the bars, they chose to bring you to the very same bar where you had a rather interesting and salacious encounter with Sunghoon, and you swear it only feels like yesterday he was an insufferable asshole cornering you and trapping you in the gents washroom.

Warmth weaves across your cheeks as you reminisce about him leaving his mark on you while you grind your core against his unabashedly before shaking your head at the recollection and taking aggressive sips of your cocktail, earning yourself odd stares from your best friends as they put a pause to their conversation.

“Anyway, as I was saying,” Karina resumes, shifting your attention to her after spacing out in your own bubble. A grin smears across her scarlet lips. “Us seniors are invited to an exclusive yacht party hosted by the Devil's Knights tomorrow.”

“A yacht party? Sign me up.” Yunjin beams with a smile, raising her glass of margarita near her lips. “God, I’ve always wanted to go to a yacht party.”

“That sounds fun, but…” Wonyoung trails her gaze over to you, a glinting concern in her eyes as she examines the expression on your face. “Y/N, if you don’t want to go─”

“Are you kidding? No way am I going to miss out on a yacht party.” You are surprised at the conviction in your tone, and it is as though you have gained a newfound vitality, probably because of the cocktail.

The three ladies exchange a wary look of knowingness between each other before Yunjin decides to speak up, her voice carrying an air of cautiousness. “But it’s hosted by the Devil's Knights, which means the chances of you bumping into any of them are high.”

“So?” You shrug your shoulders, your mask of indifference obscures the incessant jittery and flutters in you. You place your now-empty glass on the marbled countertop. “I plan on avoiding them anyway. Besides, I’m not about to let them ruin my party spirit.”

Wonyoung heaves a sigh, conceding as she recognises the unyielding determination in your sharp eyes. “As long as you don’t force yourself into this.”

“Don’t worry. I genuinely want to attend and party with my girls.” You reassure her with a soft smile that seems to dispel her doubts. The smile on your lips falters as you feel abruptly compelled to open up another conversation. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you girls about this. Is it true that before Jinae died, the four leaders uploaded unconsented pictures and videos of her?”

The three ladies slowly nod their heads, casting shadows over their sombre features. Karina raises her eyebrow inquisitively at you. “How did you know? Did they tell you?”

“Sort of.” You lie through your teeth, looking down at your hands briefly. “I’m sorry for bringing it up. It’s just─” A staggered sigh leaves your lips. “Everything is just so complicated. I want to find out more and get them to tell me the truth of their side of the story, but at the same time I don’t want to be around them any longer.”

“It’s fine, Y/N.” Yunjin insists, but you still feel bad for dampening the lighthearted mood in the air around you.

You rise from your seat and cast them a tight smile. “You girls continue where you left off. I’m just going to take a breather outside.”

“Do you need me to come?” Wonyoung offers, almost getting ready to stand, but you stop her with a head shake, declining her offer.

“I need some time alone. Plus, you did tell me that getting fresh air is good for me.” You attempt to jest, adorning a lopsided smile, which seems to convince her, and so you begin to navigate your way around the bar.

As expected on a Friday night, the establishment is thronged with other customers, and unbeknownst to you, a certain someone, who has been watching you since the moment you huddled with your best friends at the back corner, follows you from behind.

The nightly breeze greets you as soon as you step out of the establishment. Ambling on the concrete pavement, you rub your cold hands together, your eyes staring into oblivion as your mind is finally free of muddling thoughts, or perhaps for a short-lasting moment, because not too long later, a familiar voice shatters the much-needed tranquilly.

“You should really be careful walking around alone at night.” His mellow voice prompts you to halt your steps while your heart nearly lurches in your chest.

When you turn around, you gasp softly, startled by the close proximity between you and him as you catch a strong whiff of his familiar cologne that has long since embedded itself in your mind.

He easily ensnares you just by his penetrating dark eyes, locking you in place, while you go slightly breathless at the gorgeous sight of him, bare of his signature cap that allows his magenta-red strands to fall over his brows and the black leather coat complementing his overall fit.

“Heeseung.” You breathe out, forgetting for a moment that you are supposed to keep your distance from him. You immediately compose yourself, narrowing your eyes at him in suspicion. “What are you doing here? And how did you know where I was?”

“The tracker Jake installed on your phone.” Heeseung answers calmly, ignoring the scoff of disbelief falling from your lips. “I’ve been following you and watching you from afar inside the bar.”

“So now you’re stalking me.” Sarcasm laces your tone. “Seriously, Heeseung. That’s creepy. Did you not hear the part where I said that we’re over the other day?”

Heeseung takes you by swift surprise as he closes the gap, causing you to back away from him while he is relentless with his dark eyes drilling into yours. “We’re not over, and we’re never over.” His low, husky voice sends shivers down your spine.

A whimper threatens to leave your lips, feeling greatly intimidated by his imposing figure as he unrelentingly backs you up until you hit the wall behind you. With his outstretched arm, he plants his palm next to your head, ensuring that there is no escape for you while the wall next to you completely hinders you from mapping other possible ways to evade him.

“Heeseung.” You utter his name shakily, and just like that, your resolve melts under the intensity of his handsome gaze while his strong cologne and the dark ambience he exudes overwhelm you. “Hee, please─”

“You told Sunghoon that you needed space, and we granted that. Two long fucking days.” Heeseung nearly growls out, his jaw clenching and his hot breath fanning just above your lips. “If this is your way of punishing us, then congrats, sweetheart, because you’ve successfully made me the most desperate man alive.”

The tension sizzling through the air around you is so close to snapping that you can feel it in your veins, especially when your eyes flicker down to his pink lips. Heeseung sees this — the look in your eyes yearns for him to kiss you — but he refrains from caving into the temptation, even when your glossed lips look kissable.

“Don’t torture us with your distance anymore, beloved.” His voice drops to a low husk, matching the way his dark allure is serenading you. “The guys missed you. I missed you.”

Your chin wobbles with sadness as you release a shaky sigh, your eyes glistening beautifully with tears under the moonlight cascading down on the secluded, desolate street. “I’m scared, Hee.” The raw vulnerability shines through in the soft manner in which you speak, admitting it to him with sincerity. You look away from his eyes, the tremor in your voice is palpable. “I’m scared of you.”

It is as though a searing stab of a knife plunges into his beating heart at your admission, causing his heart to ache tremendously while his flinty demeanour starts to mollify.

“What?” He whispers, horrified, before finding his voice again, and this time there is a discernible crack of emotion. “No, no, no, sweetheart─” He seems frantic, cradling your face with his callous palms while his eyes hold such desperation as you weakly attempt to push him away. “I’ve never wanted you to be afraid of me for the wrong reasons. Please don’t be afraid of me, beloved.”

“How am I supposed to do that when I don’t trust you?” You whimper, falling weaker against your resistance as you gradually melt into his touch.

“I would never hurt you. Never in a million years.” He states emphatically, his dark eyes displaying promises as he leans his forehead against yours. “Your life is precious to me, beloved. How could I live on if you were no longer there with me?”

“You could still live on because I’m not that special.” You counter, and your voice shakes with a bundle of emotions that threatens to implode. “You can easily have other girls─”

“But they’re not you.” Heeseung punctuates each word with vehemence, his lips now ghosting yours while you shiver at the contact of his cold metal lip ring grazing across your bottom lip, tempting you to close the gap. “I’ve given you my heart since I first saw you years ago, sweetheart. You own me, my body, my heart, and my fucking soul.” 

His confession is all it takes for you to cave into your temptation, and before you know it, you close the gap and press your lips into his. An electrifying sensation ignites in the fervent exchange of your kisses as he presses you up against the wall while his hand deftly grabs your thigh to raise it and hold it against his hip.

Your hands go winding in his hair, your fingers tugging and pulling at the strands as you are consumed by the fiery passion of his kisses, eliciting a breathy moan from him before the sound of low rumbles emits from his chest as he asserts dominance, deepening the kiss to the point where you can feel an indent caused by his lip ring. 

Heeseung thrusts his tongue into your mouth, exploring every inch that he has missed and swallowing every moan emerging from your throat as you feel his prominent bulge pressing directly against the heat of your throbbing cunt.

“Hee.” You pant like a dog as soon as he pulls away, only to map his kisses down your skin while you arch your neck for him to gain better access. Your lidded eyes are threatening to close every now and then, while breathy moans leave your lips as he kisses and licks your sensitive spot.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much, you have no idea.” He rasps against your sheeny skin due to his saliva. He trails his kisses upward and reclaims your lips in a searing kiss that has you grinding your cunt against his bulge. “I know, pretty.” He continues to murmur in between kisses, and his heart swells at the pretty mewls you release. “I know you’ve missed me too.”

The fear of anyone stumbling upon you two making out in the open has completely dissipated from your mind. You know that you have fallen deep when you decide to indulge the forbidden desire in the depths of your heart for this man once again. Maybe there really is no escape from this — from him, from them.

After what feels like eternity, Heeseung pulls away from the mind-blowing kiss, much to your disappointment. The swollenness of his pink lips matches yours as you gaze at him with dazed eyes, breathing so raggedly from the intense passion of your kisses that you didn’t think you would need air at all. Just his lips.

Heeseung sighs, bringing his hand to cradle your face. His touch is a familiar reverence that aches yearningly in your heart, as does his gaze. “There’s another reason why I followed and watched you.” His tongue glides across his moist lips. “I didn’t want the same thing to happen to you when you were kidnapped that night. It’s the reason why I needed to make sure you’re always on our radar.”

You look away from him, feeling the loss of his defeated touch on your face at the apparent detachment in the way you are being. You are caught up in a vindictive whirlwind of emotions once more, but without a doubt, you can’t deny that his words impact you.

You release a sigh, still not looking at him, as you prepare yourself to head back into the bar to find your best friends. “I should go.” You utter dryly before brushing past him.

“Wait.” Heeseung stops you as his hand latches on your wrist, prompting you to look over his shoulder. “Go on a ride with me.”

Hesitation flickers in your gaze. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” You murmur.

“Please, sweetheart? Just this one night.” Heeseung’s desperation in wanting to keep you close to him shines through in the way he has been pleading in one night, which is fucking ridiculous to him as he has never plead to any girl, but you are undeniably his biggest weakness.

Receiving your silence, Heeseung gently pulls you closer and raises your hand to place a tender kiss on your palm while your heart swells at his familiar gesture of affection. “I'll bring you back to your dorm after that. Just for tonight, trust me, please?”

“Okay.” You acquiesce softly, ignoring your rationality in pushing him away, but just one night won’t hurt you enough to cave into your yearning.

Not long later, you find yourself seated behind him on his thunderous, sleek motorbike, riding against the cold, vindictive wind with your arms wrapped around his waist as he picks up the velocity. Just like that, all your problems are ensnared in the wind as you bask in the familiarity of your closeness with him.

Three hours of the road journey to the marina granted you sufficient sleep in the car after having been sleep deprived for the past few days, but even in your slumber, the memory of Heeseung’s touch, lips, and warmth that cascaded over you last night arose in your mind. No words were exchanged even when he kept his promise and dropped you off at your dormitory, only his lingering stare on your elusive demeanour when you finally drifted away from him.

Refusing to dwell on last night any longer, you shift your attention, and this time, any worries or distress dissipate as your eyes take in the magnificent sight of four mega-luxurious yachts docked at the marina with the azure ocean glistering under the sun rays cascading down from the celestial firmament.

It is all simply breathtaking, rendering you awestruck as you remain cemented in your spot, drawing amused attention from your inner circle group of people that have wholeheartedly welcome you back upon seeing your sparkling eyes and your agape mouth as you are still staring at the panoramic view.

“Y/N! Come on!” Winter’s calling pulls you out of the trance, and when you finally look at them and heed your surroundings, you spot other seniors of your batch splitting in random groups as they board the awaiting yachts, although not all of the seniors are present.

“So how do we know which yacht we’re supposed to board?” You inquire as soon as you manage to catch up with your girls, huddling in groups as you make your way to the docks.

“Good question.” Karina muses, her eyes darting to the knights stationed by the docks, as they seem to be guiding and assisting the guests. “Let me ask one of them.”

“Maybe it’s up to us which yacht we want to board.” Chaewon voices out, earning a few hums of agreement from the rest of the girls.

You scratch your non-itchy scalp as the contortion on your face twists with uncertainty. “Just to be safe, let’s just ask the knights─” A shadow looms over yours from behind, prompting the girls to look at the tall male.

“Actually, Chaewon’s right. You can choose the yachts of your liking, but better be quick because we’ll be departing from the marina soon.”

For some reason, his voice greatly startles you, causing your heart to lurch in your chest before you turn around to look at him. Beomgyu looks as charming as ever with the dazzling smile on his fine countenance. His onyx hair looks shorter than the last time you ever saw him.

“Awesome!” Your girls begin to erupt into excitement as they promptly discuss amongst each other whether to be separated or not since not all of them want to board the yacht, which differs from the other’s choice.

Upon noticing your eyes fixated on his face and your oddly resounding silence, Beomgyu shifts his attention to you, and it takes everything in you to refrain from flinching despite the warmth of his dark brown eyes gleaming with kindness, which is completely perplexing because why does your stomach churn unpleasantly being in his vicinity when he did nothing but show kindness to you?

“It’s been a while, Y/N.” Beomgyu strikes up a friendly conversation with you while your intuition is telling you to move out of his vicinity, especially in the way his eyes rake all over your body as you are adorned in a short sundress. “You look nice.”

“Thank you. You don’t look bad yourself.” You reciprocate, adorning an awkward smile on your glossed lips as you begin to discreetly shift uncomfortably under his gaze. Hearing the drifting commotion of your girls, you clear your throat, looking away from him. “I’m just going to follow them─”

“Y/N, wait.” Beomgyu stops you, his touch on your skin as he grabs your wrist sends you a jolting sensation that intensifies the churn in your tummy. When you look at him with curious eyes, you notice something shifts in his demeanour — a fleeting of passing darkness that sends alarming signals to your brain.

Just when Beomgyu decides to speak, Soobin emerges from behind him and drapes his arm around Beomgyu’s shoulder lazily. “We’ve been waiting for your ass to board. What’s the hold-up?” Soobin doesn’t seem to notice you yet, or maybe he simply disregards your existence, but nevertheless, you are thankful for his intervention.

“Just catching up with the lovely Y/N Kang.” Beomgyu tells him, his eyes never straying from your delicate features. His statement finally draws Soobin’s attention to you just as you are about to head over to your girls.

“Y/N! Good to see you alive and well.” Soobin acknowledges you, a smirk smearing across his lips, while something in the way he is eyeing you unnerves you. Above all, you can’t help but discern a double meaning in his words. “Do enjoy the party. Just be careful of the sharks if you ever fall into the ocean.”

You frown at his snarky remark that oozes wicked sarcasm. “Thanks for the advice?”

Beomgyu seems dissatisfied with the way he smacks his best friend in the back of his head before shooting you an apologetic smile and dragging Soobin with him, heading over to the second yacht.

Ignoring the fact that you feel disturbingly weirded out by them, you proceed to head over to the girls, having been informed by Wonyoung that they’ll be splitting up into two groups, and not moments later, you finally boarded the fourth yacht, squeezing your way through the throng of people and eventually losing sight of your girls.

The instant the yacht makes its first departure from the dock, you lose momentum in your balance due to the yacht in motion, and the abrupt shove from someone behind you sends you tumbling forward.

You snap your eyes close as you brace yourself for the impact, but nothing comes. Instead, a pair of strong arms wrap around your unbalanced figure, holding you steady while you are staggered into shock as the familiar cologne infiltrates your senses. You had been hoping that you wouldn’t bump into any one of them sooner.

“Lovely.” His concerned voice prompts you to recover as you slowly lock eyes with him, and from your peripheral vision, it seems that the others in your vicinity pay no mind to you while you remain unmoving from his embrace. His warm brown eyes soften as he scans you. “Sweetheart, are you alright?”

Although you have heard the familiar endearment from Heeseung countless times, to hear from him sends a jarring sensation through you while incessant butterflies are in their wake. Your eyes betray you when they rake over his appearance, while warmth weaves across your rosy cheeks.

The button-down printed blouse draping his physique allows a sneaking peek of his toned chest, and the snake tattoo is inked on his right collarbone, while a chain necklace is hooked around his neck. His dark hair is tied back into a man-bun with a few long strands hanging by the sides of his face frame, and this new look of his arouses something so familiar in you. God, does he look so deliciously handsome.

“I-I’m fine.” You stammer, flustered by the mixed emotions pouring down on you, and the arousing lust in your core just by the mere sight of him feels so profound that you wish to whisk him away from here and for him to fuck you good.

“Are you sure?” He asks, a frown adorning his pink plump lips, that you so badly want to kiss. He scans his surroundings while still holding you close. “It’s getting crowded here. We can head down to the basement or the second floor if you want.”

Just before you can give him your answer, the recollection of how uncharacteristically rough he was back at the church, as does the other night where he displayed his callousness towards you, impels you to evade his embrace, and the hurt flashing in your eyes just briefly captures his keen attention before you look away from him.

“I’m fine going without you. Besides, I’ll be searching for my friends as well.” You mutter dryly, preparing to flee from him, but he prevents you from doing so when his hand latches on your wrist before pulling you with him. “Jaeyun!”

Jake ignores your disbelieving call as he continues to haul you towards the flight of stairs that leads to the second floor, and in the midst of it, you manage to catch sight of Wonyoung, Yunjin, and Karina in their socialite element, mingling around with the other guests amiably before you avert your gaze as Jake guides you to the second floor, and just when you think he is done, he pulls you with him towards another flight of stairs.

A whine escapes you before you can control yourself, panting slightly from having to climb up the stairs. “Jaeyun!” It seems that he notices your exhaustion, because the next thing you know, he carries you in a bridal style with ease while you let out a surprised yelp.

“Where are we even going?” You ask, completely bewildered by his moves. Jake takes a side glance at your scowling face fleetingly before refocusing on climbing these stairs, his arms encircling your body protectively. 

“To the top.” His answer doesn’t satisfy you, but nevertheless, you succumb to defeat, relaxing your taut body in his warm embrace that feels uncannily like home to you while your fingers fiddle with the sling of your purse.

As soon as you reach the top, you hear distinctive commotions around you, prompting you to catch sight of the other three yachts that are in the same motion as the yacht you are on. Jake carefully sets you down to your feet, whereas you become distracted by the breathtaking panorama of the ocean and the cerulean skies that remind you of those beautiful masterpieces of painted canvas. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Jake speaks up, his enamoured eyes never leaving your awestruck face, and no doubt his remark is directed at you, because fuck, you are glowing as the sun rays bathe you while the wind in your hair moves in a wavy motion, adding a more cinematic beauty to you.

But when you finally divert your attention to him, he frowns at the familiar hurt glinting in your eyes, which he saw earlier. Whatever he did wrong, he intends to fix it.

“So that’s about it, right?” You quip, looking away from him. “Thanks for bringing me up here when I never asked, but I’ll get going now.”

Having already predicted your moves, Jake deftly blocks your way with his figure, completely undeterred by your glaring eyes at him. “Tell me what I did wrong. Let me fix it.” The resolution is accentuated in his warm brown eyes, which you have grown to love whenever he stares at you, either fondly or intensely with lust.

“I don’t want to do this with you, Jaeyun.” You say, and you can feel yourself going weaker the longer his eyes bore into you with an intense longing. “I’m here to have fun with my best friends, and I won’t allow any of you to ruin that.”

Jake blocks your way again, eliciting an irritated sigh from you, but he cuts you off, throwing you off guard by the stark desperation in his demeanour. “And I’m here to fix what I broke. I can’t delay this any longer, so please, sweetheart.” He lowers the pitch of his voice as he steps closer to you. “Tell me, what can I do for you to return to me?”

You clench your fist, refraining yourself from being persuaded by the emotions swimming in his eyes, looking at you as if you’re his whole world. “You can start off by giving me space.” You immediately brush past him, but Jake is not having any of that, grabbing your wrist and tugging you back at him.

“I’ve given you enough fucking space, and you have no idea how close I was to going insane over your absence.” Jake’s eyes burn into yours, deflating you completely. His grasp on you feels firmer, but not enough to hurt you. “Please, sweetheart, you’re killing me with your detachment.”

You look away from him, not wanting him to see the tears glistening in your eyes that derive from the ache in your bleeding heart at the palpable desperation in the tremor of his voice. “I hate it.” You whisper, laying your vulnerability bare in his eyes.

“Tell me.” He says firmly, pulling you close with your clenched fist now in contact with his toned chest. Upon your persisting avoidance, he seizes your chin, gently turning your head to face him while the intensity of his gaze softens at your glistening eyes. 

“Hit me, bruise me, I don’t care. Be mad at me at a shorter distance where I can see you. Just don’t shut me out and leave me again. I─” His voice shakes while the fear of abandonment that instilled in him morphs into pain in his eyes. He interlaces your fingers with his before kissing the back of your hand. “I can’t imagine my future without you in it, love.”

The mental restraint you forced upon yourself finally implodes, springing more tears to your eyes as his words leave an impact so profound on you. “I hate that I can’t predict you. You’re sweet and gentle for one moment, but the next, you’re the opposite. I don’t know which version of you is true, Jae.” Your voice shakes as you confess. “The day at the church, you fucked me like you were really punishing me, and you even called me your well-trained slut like you meant it.”

You cut him off just when he opens his mouth, needing him to hear what you have been keeping inside ever since while a fallen tear escapes the corner of your eye. “You’ve never called me such names whenever we had sex, and my Jaeyun would never call me his slut like he meant it.” You force a whimper down in your throat. “My sweet Jaeyun. Right now, I don’t know which Jaeyun you are.”

“I’m right here, love. I’ve never left.” Jake reassures you frantically, his palms cradling your face as you shake your head, refusing to believe him. He closes the gap between your faces until his nose grazes against yours affectionately, while his breath fans above your upper lip as he pleads softly. “Please, sweetheart, I’m still your sweet Jaeyun.”

“Prove it.” You demand in a whisper, feeling lightheaded by the close proximity. You can see it in his eyes as your words ignite something ablaze in him. You allow your lips to brush lightly against his as you whisper, “If you’re still my sweet Jaeyun, you gotta prove─”

Jake silences you with his lips pressing into yours hard while his arm cages around your waist, pulling your body closer to his, and the other cradling the back of your head with a familiar reverence. You melt like butter in the familiarity of his warm embrace at the exchange of your fervent kisses.

Your arms slither their way to his shoulder before draping them lazily, and without breaking the lip lock, he manoeuvres you to the velvety couch in a swift motion with your back pressed down on the cushion as he hovers over you.

“Please don’t hate me.” He murmurs against your parted lips, nearly whimpering out, which has your heart clenching. “I can’t bear the thought of you hating me, love. Don’t hate me anymore, please.” He reclaims your lips in a searing kiss, poking his tongue into you before you wholeheartedly welcome him, allowing him to claim every inch of you.

“Jaeyun.” You gasp for air as soon as he pulls away and maps his kisses down to your neck while you instinctively arch your back, rolling your eyes to the back and panting heavily as his lips on your skin feel scorching. “We should stop. Someone might come up and see us.” You manage to utter out before nearly moaning out at the sensation of his teeth sinking into the sensitive spot on your neck.

Despite his strong libido to take you right here and now, Jake concedes, as he doesn’t wish to displease you, and so he detaches his lips from your skin only to slot them over yours, giving you a lingering kiss that reflects the depths of his feelings for you.

Knowing that you need to gasp for air again, Jake pulls away from you just enough for his lips to ghost yours, his eyes fluttering open to gaze deeply into your nearly blown-out pupils as you breathe heavily.

“I promise I won’t do what you hate anymore.” He murmurs, hovering his lips over to press a deep kiss on your cheek before he decides to lean his weight on your body while being careful enough not to suffocate you. “I’ll be gentle and sweet.”

Your heart flutters at the sensation of his thumb stroking your cheek with affection. “You can be rough with me, but just don’t call me names like that again.” You say softly, melting on the inside with the utter adoration in his warm brown eyes that are boring into yours.

Jake raises his eyebrow inquisitively. “So the others are allowed to call you names except me?”

“They’re…different, just as you are.” You lean further into his touch, adorning a smile so sweet that it tempts him to kiss the dimple on your cheek. You pat his cheek gently. “Because you’re my sweet Jaeyun.”

Jake unfurls a soft yet wolfish grin that accentuates his charming countenance, having grown addicted to and loving the way you call him yours. He grabs your hand to place a kiss on your palm, his adoring eyes never leaving yours. “I am your sweet Jaeyun. Yours forever.”

It feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders after the unanticipated event that transpired earlier with Jake, and that grants you the freedom to enjoy the rest of the party without another pending problem adding weight to your strained, distressing mind.

A breathy chuckle leaves your lips as you recall the endearing pout on Jake’s lips when you decided to cease your prolonged make-out session to find your best friends and the fact that anyone could have stumbled upon you at any moment of time unannounced. Nevertheless, you parted ways with him, especially since the other knights were looking for him.

The boisterous commotion from the riotous guests shatters your reverie, prompting you to trail your gaze to the impressive inflatable water slides, which the professional crew members at each yacht have diligently set up not too long ago, and catch sight of your fellow senior guests in their swimming attires as they engage themselves in the luxurious entertainment that the devil’s knights have offered.

Heck, you are even flabbergasted when you have been informed by Jake earlier that just below each yacht’s basement is stored with a few jet skis, which you didn’t really believe until you finally see them for yourself as you now spot recognisable knights riding the jet skis along the ocean with zeal.

Presently, all four yachts are berthed adjacently with the main deck facing each other, which enables the guests’ liberties to pursue whatever they want, be it to dive into the ocean and swim with the others or even head over to each dock and socialise with the other guests. Considering this is your first time ever attending a yacht party, it has completely exceeded your expectations.

“Y/N! Let’s go!” Winter, whose exuberance you have dearly missed, calls out for you over the booming speaker that is playing a felicitous song to enliven the vibrancy teeming in the atmosphere. 

You look over to her, spotting some of the other girls along with her, all of whom are adorned in distinct bikinis, prompting you to look down at yours. Much to your surprise, you were willing to display yourself in a cute pink floral bikini set just when Karina and Yunjin dragged you into one of the guest rooms here with the intention of persuading you to join the watersports fun. You refuse to hold yourself back from anything today, even when there are lingering doubts in your head. You deserve to have fun after the shit you've been through.

Chugging down on your fruit punch, you toss the red plastic cup in the trash and meander your way to your friends by the stairs before they proceed to head to the second floor with you trailing behind them. You have no idea what they want to do, but you decide to go with the flow.

“Don’t forget to wear your life jackets for those who can’t swim.” As expected from the mother of the group, Wonyoung reminds the group as she busily fastens the life jacket around her petite form. Looking over to you, her eyebrows furrow. “Y/N, you don’t need one?”

You shake your head, giving her a reassuring smile. “I’m good. I can swim.” Or at least you hope, but it isn’t entirely a lie. Your father used to bring you out for swimming, and he was the one who taught you. Just the thought of your father causes your heart to ache.

It isn’t long later, after queuing for the slide, that you, Winter, and Wonyoung decide to go together. Your heart races in anticipation before you finally glide down with the adrenaline rushing through you, while your ear nearly goes deaf by the splitting, high-pitched screams from Winter and Wonyoung as the three of you are being thrust into the air.

You hold your breath just in time when you plunge into the water, and the impact causes you to submerge a little deeper before you put your rusty skills to use as you swim back up to the surface. As you manage to stay afloat, cheers from your fellow guests reach your ears, probably due to you and your friends’ performances.

As you have every intention to swim towards the main deck, you hear a raucous motor engine approaching from behind you, to which you dismiss since it’s normal for other jet skiers to go about here, but when the vehicle stops directly next to you, you slowly turn around only for your heart to pound harder at the sight of Sunghoon looking down at you with inexplicable emotions in his dark eyes.

Silence befalls you as you stare at him with unwavering eye contact while your insides are tumult by the palpable tension in the air. You take this moment to take in his mouth-watering appearance, donning a white sleeveless tank top that displays his ripped muscles for your eyes to feast upon.

“Need a ride, princess?” Sunghoon asks as he snaps you out of the trance. His hand is extended towards you while you take note of his oddly neutral tone, which renders you sceptical, considering that you left him while he was asleep the last time.

Nevertheless, you accept his offer as you latch your hand on his, only for him to clutch your hand securely and assist in hauling you from the water with ease, his biceps muscles flexing, before you finally settle seated behind him.

“Hold on tight to me.” Sunghoon says over his shoulder, to which you barely register his words in your head when he abruptly picks up the velocity of the jet ski, eliciting a squeal from you and prompting you to latch your arms around his body.

“Park Sunghoon!” You scream over the raucous motor engine, looking over his shoulder to see where he is heading as you are getting further away from the yachts. “Where are you bringing me?!”

“To feed you to the sharks, of course.” Sunghoon tells you bluntly, and you gasp in disbelief at his seemingly serious remark before he breaks into a breathy chuckle, melting the prior icy demeanour. “I’m kidding, princess. I’m just driving you around. Besides, you haven’t seen my drifting skills yet.”

“What─Sunghoon!” A scream tears from your throat as he throws you off guard, quite literally, that nearly has you falling off the jet ski when he does an abrupt drift, prompting you to tighten your arms around his body.

“I told you to hold onto me tight!” He raises his voice for you to hear him better against the vindictive wind, and when he revs forward, you yelp out, your face colliding into his back.

“Slow down!” You exclaim in a squeak, and yet the adrenaline rush coursing through your veins only seems to intensify at the velocity of his jet ski as you hear the other jet skiers in the background around you.

“There’s no slowing down, princess.” Sunghoon briefly looks over his shoulder for you to catch a glimpse of the suggestive smirk on his lips.

Any resistance or fear in you dissipates as you eventually find yourself enjoying this more than you should, now with a gleeful smile glowing in your countenance that is accompanied by the infectious laughter emitting from you, which affects Sunghoon as he laughs along with you.

Maybe it won’t hurt for you to revel in this euphoric moment with him, even when you know that there is still a palpable strain between you and him.

Time flies fast as the effervescent element encompassing the entirety of the festivity has completely ensnared you, and before you know it, the sun is making its descent, creating a soft, warm radiance that bathes the landscape in a golden glow and gradually painting the empyrean a gorgeous shade of purple.

Despite the dawning twilight across the horizon, the party doesn’t seem to stop any time soon, while the prevalent ambience across the four yachts is pulsating with vigorous exuberance that emanates from the partygoers, including you.

You feel inclined to admit that this has got to be the best party you have ever attended. You have long since revelled in the luxurious entertainment offered by the knights.

After the wild ride on a jet ski with Sunghoon earlier, he dropped you off at the yacht you were originally from only for you to play the water slide with your friends and dive into the ocean one or two many times, and you even participated in the banana boat activity alongside other seniors, whom you surprisingly managed to get along with. Maybe it was because you were enjoying yourself too much until your stomach began to grumble, but the platters of food they served were so delectable that you even generously got yourself another plate or two.

But then, the familiar faces of specific individuals pop into your head, nearly subduing your effervescent essence, prompting your eyes to sweep with purpose across the throng of people in the spacious vicinity you are in, searching for them.

Obviously, you have been with Jake and Sunghoon rather intimately, but they were beyond your reach as they socialised with the others, seeming to provide you with space. You saw Heeseung earlier when Sunghoon drove past the first yacht, only getting a glimpse of his face, whereas Jay has yet to appear in your line of sight.

Biting down your lip, you shake your head lightly at the thought of them before resuming where you left off, regaining your faltered vitality. Presently, you and your friends are mingling and dancing on the dance floor with the music blasting from the speakers.

Your faces are glowing with jubilation, and giggles and chatter are teeming in the overflowing vibrancy as you dance silly with your friends and other partygoers. The dampness of your hair has been desiccated by the heat of the air while you are still adorned in your bikini, just like most of the other ladies here.

You have long since felt comfortable in your own skin, which is starkly displayed. Plus, you even received compliments from your friends and the other ladies about your look, which elevated your self-confidence, while you simply dismissed the lewd whistles and lecherous gazes from most of the knights. You were not about to allow anyone to ruin your day.

“Anyone needs help to throw away their cups?” Rei directs her offers to you and your girls, putting a pause on your frolic. When you look at Rei, you notice the grimace on her face. “I gotta head to the washroom. I feel a little nauseated.” She informs you.

“Count me in. I think I’m gonna throw up.” Chaewon covers her mouth with her palm before brushing past you speedily, not waiting for the other girls as they stack their cups on top of each other with Rei’s assistance before Kazuha and Winter follow after Chaewon.

“Y/N?” Yunjin stares at you just as you wipe your mouth with the back of your hand, while the other is holding the red cup languidly. “Your drink?”

You shake your head before casting her a boozy grin, to which they recognise that you are inebriated. “I’m fine. Just gotta─” A hiccup leaves your lips, and you nearly tumble forward if it weren’t for Wonyoung’s arms steadying you. “Gotta dance! And drink─” You slowly push Wonyoung away before bringing the cup to your lips and tossing your head back as you down the vodka in one go.

“You’re drunk.” Karina points out, but even she is just as inebriated as you, evident in the way she giggles as she pinches your cheeks languidly.

“I wanna pinch her cheeks too!” Wonyoung joins, swatting Karina’s hands away from you while the latter attempts to counterattack. “Go away! You’re drunk too!”

“The three of you are drunk.” Yunjin, the one who has the highest alcohol tolerance in the group, steps forward and latches her hands on both Wonyoung and Karina to pull them away from you. “Let’s get you two sober. Y/N─”

“I’m totally fine! I swear!” You bat your eyelashes at Yunjin as she narrows her eyes at you with scepticism. You attempt to convince her by dancing lightly to the music. “See? I still have some dance left in me!”

“Just don’t throw yourself off into the ocean and drown yourself.” Yunjin tells you sternly before dragging Wonyoung and Karina away from the animated dance floor, leaving you alone to revel in the intoxicating abysmal.

The empty cup eventually slips off your grasp as you succumb to the euphoria, the addictive rhythm pulsating through your body as it influences the alluring sway of yours that has long since captivated four pairs of eyes burning into your figure in the background away from the dance floor.

Unbeknownst to you, one of them meanders his way to the siren calling that exudes from your bewitching ambience, completely enamoured by you as you revel in the intoxicating abysmal with your head tilted up and an irresistible smile on your face cast by the resplendent LED across the dance floor.

Just when you are about to flaunt your moves, you feel a pair of hands holding your hips from behind, causing your heart to lurch in your chest at the uncanny familiarity of his callous palms, but you refuse to lose momentum, dancing along to the supposedly stranger behind you.

You feel his hot breath fanning the shell of your earlobe, tickling you, while his tattooed hand slithers forward to caress your abdomen sensually. “Nice moves, baby.” His husky voice is laden with desire as you leisurely lean back to grind your body against him, eliciting a low grunt from him with each intentional bump where your ass meets his bulge. “Fuck, if you keep doing that, I’ll have to drag you away and finish what you started.”

You slowly falter, but only to look over your shoulder to meet his eyes that darken with danger and lust, both coalescing into a raw, predacious hunger as you don’t relent from grinding back against his erection. His eyes greedily soak in the image of your erotic beauty under this luminescence.

In return, you beguile him with a simper smile. “You might want to control your erection, Mister Park. You wouldn't want these people to know that you’re shamelessly getting a hard-on from the renowned Catholic girl, would you now?” You ask in a sultry whisper, your tantalising touch on his skin as you caress his chiselled cheekbone ignites something so primal in him.

Maybe it’s the alcohol in your system that influences your every action, but you feel oddly pleased by the obvious lack of restraint in the low rumble from him while the tenacity in his hold on your body hinders you from your next move of eluding him, which now brings discontent to you.

You huff in annoyance after your second failed attempt to escape his grasp. “Jay─”

“Don’t delude yourself, sweet angel. You? The Catholic girl?” Jay chuckles darkly while your eyes widen in panic when his fingers tantalisingly caress down your sternum and all the way until he cups your clothed mount, eliciting a startled gasp from you. “The only Catholic thing about you is worshipping my cock with your every hole, like the good girl you are for me.”

Feeling self-conscious of your surroundings, you take a quick glance just to notice these partygoers are either completely drunk or simply minding their business to pay attention to you. Still, the risk of a pair of eyes seeing you and Jay right now is high, causing your mind to erupt into panic and chaos as you struggle languidly against him.

“Jay, they might see us─” A soft gasp leaves your lips when Jay squeezes your mount. His fingers explicitly apply pressure to your throbbing clit, eliciting a breathy moan from you before you can even stop yourself.

Jay scoffs lowly beside your ear, intentionally pressing his fingers to your clit again, this time in a subtle massaging motion, igniting the unbearable heat in your core. “It looks like I’m not the only one getting turned on, and you call yourself the Catholic girl?”

With the alcohol in its course through your system, which melds with an avid libido, it is inevitable for the stimulation of your arousal to become tenfold as it intensifies in your core by his mere ministration. “Jay.” You breathe out his name in between straining moans as you lean your head back on his shoulder, gasping. “Jay─We can’t─please─”

“Look at you, my sweet angel, or rather, my sweet little devil. You’re already falling apart just with my fingers.” Jay purrs in your ear, nipping the shell of your earlobe sensually before he roughly seizes your chin to control you as he directs your attention to the front view. “It looks like someone else wants to get their hands on you too.”

In an instant, your eyes lock with a pair of familiar ones from afar, but the sheer intensity forms an impalpable connection between you and him. A gasp hitches in your throat as you see the way he rakes all over your body, feeling as though he is shredding the fabric pieces that cover your womanhood just by his dark, invasive eyes.

“What do you think, baby? Should I tell Heeseung to come over and let him touch you like I do now as you come undone here?” Jay’s voice continues to drip with mockery while his fingers don’t relent from the ministrations on your clit. Jay catches Heeseung’s eyes fleetingly, and it’s enough for the latter to understand his unspoken invitation, drawing a smirk on Jay’s lips. “Yeah, I should.”

It is rather baffling to you, unable to discern whether or not the adrenaline rush in your veins has been incited by the unbridled lust in you or just plain trepidation that impels you to break free from Jay’s unyielding hold.

You don’t know what boosts your confidence in evading him, but you fail to heed in the direction you intended, because the next thing you know, your forehead collides into a solid chest, prompting you to look up at him with your eyes widened. 

“Heeseung.” You stammer, instinctively backing away from him. His figure is imposing as he relentlessly advances forward, while the predatorial glinting in his eyes, which is illuminated by the lighting around you, sends shivers down your spine. “Seungie, wait─”

“Oh, I’ve waited long enough.” Heeseung’s mellow voice is a deception you recognise that aligns with the soft smirk unfurling on his lips, which is adorned with the familiar silver ring. “If you thought last night was enough for me, then you’re mistaken. I’m never going to get enough of you, beloved.”

Your mind is in a tumult when Jay reigns dominance over you, his chest pressing against your back while his hands seize control over yours. You shudder as his hot breath tickles your skin when he dips his head down next to your ear. “How dare you leave me high and dry just like that, baby?”

Your head throbs with the booming music and the close proximity of being nearly sandwiched between two hot men who are the only ones who can intoxicate you in unfathomable ways, be it with their scent, their touch, their lips, or just everything about them.

“Come on, sweetheart. Dance with us. Show us your moves like you did earlier, pretty girl.” Heeseung places his hands on your hips, coercing them to sway under his scorching touch, and soon enough, you begin to retain the momentum that has long since felt natural in the flow of your body.

On the other hand, Jay distracts you with his lips kissing your shoulder and his hand guiding yours to raise them, which your fingers instinctively rake through his raven locks. “Jay.” You sigh pleasurably as he trails wet kisses across your shoulder until he reaches your neck, but you remain gazing at Heeseung’s dark eyes with hooded lids.

“Fuck, you sound so perfect saying my name like that.” Jay rasps against your skin before resuming his assault on the side of your neck while multitasking in the way he moves to the rhythm in sync with your body. 

Leaning back as you go lax between them, the way your back is arched entices Heeseung to lean down and press a kiss on your sternum before lowering himself to dip his tongue in the hollow of your cleavage to lick a long stripe of your skin and over to the supple of your nearly exposed breast.

“Hee, Jay.” Your moan goes straight to their cocks beneath the slacks. Your other hand makes its ascent to Heeseung’s hair, tugging at it softly. Before you fall deeper into this intoxication, you become self-conscious as you suddenly remember that you are still out in the open. “The others will see us like this.” 

“They wouldn’t.” Jay murmurs, nipping at your shoulder, which has you gasping at the prickling pain from his teeth.

You whimper. “But─”

“They wouldn’t dare to, even if they wanted.” Heeseung nearly growls out, the vibration from his lips to your skin, as does his lust-laden voice, sends pleasurable shivers through your body.

Miraculously, the partygoers in your vicinity are still oblivious to your licentious engagement with them, too caught up in the frenetic dancing while others are brazenly making out with their hands all over each other.

“Relax, baby.” Jay soothes you, his fingers stroking your inner thigh are dangerously close to your mount. “Let us take care of you. Let us make you feel good.”

Heeseung seizes your chin to tilt your head up before he leans down to assault the side of your neck with his kisses, while Jay dominates the other side with his. The sensation of their lips and teeth grazing on your skin has you rolling your eyes to the back while their hands are running all over your body, euphoria pulsating through your body in an indescribable pleasure. 

Truly, you wish this euphoric moment to last for an eternity, but a disruption from one of the knights interrupts your lascivious engagement, much to your disappointment.

Heeseung presses one last wet kiss on the hollow of your throat before pulling away just slightly and looking over his shoulder while his arm never leaves your waist. “What?” Heeseung’s low growl as he directs his attention to the knight goes straight to your throbbing yet neglected cunt. “Can’t you see that I’m fucking busy with my woman?”

The knight, whom you don’t seem to remember his name due to your hazy mind from what happened moments before this, is nearly deflated by Heeseung’s overpowering austerity before he regains composure. “A brawl broke out at the third-second yacht. It’s getting bloody nasty.”

“Tell Sunghoon or Jake to handle it, and if my knights are competent enough, surely they can handle the situation without needing any of our assistance.” Heeseung’s voice is laced with a vehemence of frustration, and instinctively, your fingers resume massaging his scalp and tugging the strands softly, which seems to be working as his taut shoulders go relaxed.

The knight releases a sigh. “We couldn’t find Sunghoon anywhere, and Jake is currently helping out the others to stop the brawl, but he needs some extra hands.”

Heeseung clicks his tongue in annoyance, slowly releasing his arm from you, whereas you frown at the loss of his touch and body heat as he steps away from you. His full attention is on the knight instead. “Lead the fucking way, then.”

You watch as Heeseung walks away until his figure is obscured by the throng of people ahead of you. Jay’s touch on your hips draws your attention to him as he kisses your shoulder affectionately. “I’m here, baby. I’ll entertain you instead.”

It is as if something has flipped the button in your head, or maybe a part of you desires to play hard to get, especially when you are supposed to be mad at him, though your anger has been subdued by the prior addictive kisses from his lips on your skin, because your next move throws him off guard as you break free from his grasp once more.

You turn around to face him, your facade is a deceptive front, while beneath it is someone who is shaken up by the glinting danger in his dark eyes. “Angel, what do you think you’re doing?” Jay asks lowly, taking a step closer, but you take a huge step back.

“I’m still mad at you.” You tell him, folding your arms together and positioning them underneath your hanging breasts. “You didn’t think I had forgotten that you were also involved in taking those unconsented pictures of me, did you?” 

Jay seems frustrated with the distance you established. “Baby─”

You cut him off with a scoff, your eyes turn icy cold, or at least you try to deceive him with your outward appearance that doesn’t match the emotions dancing in you. “Forget it. I hope you’re happy and satisfied when you jerk off to them.”

Before Jay can reach out to grab you, you elude him by bolting your way in the other direction, pushing past the sweaty bodies in motion. Truth be told, you are not as mad at him as the other night, not anymore, but it is rather amusing to see him taken aback by your turnover attitude.

As soon as you nearly reach the stairs, which lead to the basement where deluxe rooms are situated, you look over your shoulder briefly just in time to spot Jay brushing past a couple before his eyes meet yours, obviously chasing after you.

You quickly descend the stairs, and all the while, you can’t help it with the wickedness in you that revels in the chase as a soft smirk adorns your lips. Adrenaline rushes through you upon hearing his thunderous footsteps from behind, spurring you to pick up the pace as you bite down your lip, enjoying this more than you should.

Just as you turn to the right corner, your forehead collides into a solid chest, eliciting a wince from you at the impact. When you look up, your eyes widen at the sight of a frowning Sunghoon as he stares down at you with fleeting confusion.

“Princess? What are you─” Sunghoon’s words trail off into oblivion when he looks past you, noticing his best friend with intense frustration written across his features as he storms towards you.

“Don’t let her escape and bring her into my room.” Jay instructs his best friend with a cold snarl, eliciting a tiny squeak from you just as he is nearing you before you bolt past Sunghoon.

Of course, you should know better than to underestimate Sunghoon and his agility, because in a blink of an eye, you feel a harsh tug at your wrist before he pulls you back roughly to him only for him to manoeuvre you, now finding yourself being carried over his shoulder.

“Sunghoon! Put me down!” You exclaim, kicking and swinging your legs in defiance, which only earns you a smack on your ass as it stings from the impact of his palm while a whiplash of deja vu hits you in the face, but driven by unabating adrenaline, you feel a strong inclination to push them to the limits of their patience. 

“Stop squirming or you’ll fall, damn it!” Sunghoon grits his teeth, firmly stabilising his arm that cages around your still-wiggling legs.

Frankly, Sunghoon has absolutely no idea what situation led you to be seemingly eluding Jay after you bumped into him, but when he spotted a familiar shadow over Jay’s dour countenance, Sunghoon had an inkling that you did something to infuriate Jay, never mind the fact that he saw the dark arousal in Jay’s eyes and the latter’s prominent bulge against the outline of his slacks.

“I won’t unless you stop carrying me like I'm some doll!” You bite back, and your aggressive retaliation takes them by surprise before it adds more fuel to their indignation that incites them to discipline you.

Just like his best friend trailing behind him, Sunghoon lacks the virtue of patience, and so he delivers another smack on your ass while the sound resonates throughout the desolate corridor. “Stop acting like a fucking brat, princess.”

“Fuck you.” The profanity shooting like bullets from your unbridled mouth hits them in the face, whereas you feel proud of yourself as the corners of your lips curve in a smug smile.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Sunghoon asks in an unrestrained growl as his arms tighten around you while his inner demons that have been laying dormant in him are roused awake, borderline ravenous.

Of course, you refuse to yield despite your sensibility that is strenuously abstaining you from revelling in great delight at pushing their buttons, and so you raise your head to meet Jay’s stormy eyes instead, mustering a cunning smile on your lips.

“Fuck you.”

Oh, Y/N Kang, you’re done for.

Sunghoon comes to an abrupt stop that causes you to hit your face into his buttocks. Using your core strength, you slowly lift yourself with your head turned to the side, just enough to see Sunghoon pushing the door open violently before he marches inside.

You only manage to take a glimpse of the deluxe suite before you are caught off guard for a split second when Sunghoon tosses you on the bed, eliciting a grunt from you at the impact as you land face-planted on the white fleecy bedding.

Despite the trepidation that should have impelled you to flee them, which mingles with your adrenaline rushing through your veins unremittingly, the newfound depravity influences you to continue your provocation as you release giggles.

You feel callous hands manoeuvring your inert body, now finding yourself facing the ceiling with your back on the mattress. Merriment bubbles in your chest that prompt the uncontrollable giggles from you while you more than admit that you feel delirious.

“Look at me.” Sunghoon grabs your jaw with a hint of roughness as he forces you to look at him, his steely eyes penetrating into yours, but in the vehemence of your defiance, you whine, moving your head to escape the danger of his callous touch.

“I said, fucking looking at me.” Sunghoon commands with a cold snarl, and this time, he manages to earn your obedience when you relent, your eyes returning to his ablaze. “Are you drunk?”

No matter how fuckable you look right now ─ with your hair spread out in tendrils across the bed, your twinkling eyes that stare right back at him with nearly blown-lust pupils, your plump glossy lips going parted, and the unmistakable bumps of your perky nipples under the fabric of your bikini ─ he doesn’t want to take you when you’re under the heavy influence of alcohol, even when his erected cock against the slacks is starting to hurt.

“No, I’m not, but maybe you are!” You giggle once more, unable to control yourself from patting his cheeks as you look at him with doe-eyes that go straight into his raging cock while your lips jut into a pout. “Is Park Sunghoon feeling angry because I said fuck you? Gosh, you’re pathetic! Both of you are!”

Despite the unceasing indignation in them, they can’t help but feel entertained by your temperament, seeing the new side of you that they had no idea of.

Leaving you to your indefinite tantrum momentarily, Sunghoon leans away from you to look at Jay, his firm eyes holding concern. “How much did she drink?”

“How the hell should I know?” Jay scoffs before returning his eyes to you and finding you loafing on the bed as you lazily turn your body around. A smirk touches his lips as he recalls your body grinding against his. “She’s tipsy, but conscious enough to know that she was purposely fucking around with me.”

“The hot one is right!” You blabber out, humming a tune with your upraised legs swinging back and forth as you face the window.

“Hot one?” Sunghoon raises his voice slightly in disbelief. “What about me?”

You look over your shoulder lazily, casting a glance at him with your eyes raking down his body. “You’re hot too, but both of you don’t deserve to fuck me.”

“Oh, yeah?” Sunghoon’s voice sounds deeper with a husk while his eyes darken with primal lust, moving closer to the bed while you remain in your reverie, blissfully unaware of the predatory danger creeping up on you. “Princess, you’re in no position to tell us what we don’t deserve when you’ve been nothing but a fucking brat.”

Sunghoon grabs you by your ankles as he puts a stop to your blissful swinging before he pulls you roughly towards him, forcing your legs to spread apart under his ravenous gaze as he looks down. You can barely comprehend anything when he delivers a harsh, stinging slap to your round, supple butt, eliciting a pained gasp from you.

“Where are the handcuffs?” You hear Sunghoon asking Jay, and instead of fear, the idea of cuffing your hands only intensifies your arousal, while at the same time, your cunt clenches in anticipation as you hear the sound of shuffling behind.

Still, you feign refusal, finding it rather thrilling, which only makes them want you more than they already do. “No! Stop! What are you doing?!” You exclaim, writhing and struggling helplessly with your arms being interlocked by Sunghoon from behind as he assists Jay while the latter slaps down the cuffs onto your wrists, shackling them.

Taking over Sunghoon’s position, Jay forces your legs to be lewdly apart, standing in between, before grabbing you by the cuffs and raising your upper body with ease. Your heart remains pounding hard against your chest, feeling his hot breath fanning on your temple.

“Don’t act like you don’t want this, as if you didn’t deliberately taunt me earlier.” Jay’s voice is dangerously low, igniting the excitement that flares behind your irises. “You really are a little devil under the disguise of a sweet angel, aren’t you? If you just wanted to get fucked, then you should’ve said so instead of acting like a brat.”

As soon as Jay releases you, you fall back down on the mattress, completely restrained as you struggle to move about, but a gasp leaves your lips when your bottom bikini is being pulled down. The cold temperature from the air conditioner hits your bare cunt, sending shivers through your body.

“Cold!” You whine before burying your face into the bedding as your neck feels strained, but there is not any ounce of mercy when Jay delivers a wet smack to your cunt as the pink folds are already smeared with your slick arousal before he slides his two fingers into you, starting off deliberately slow as he thrusts into you.

“Oh, fuck!” You moan out as soon as he changes the pace, scissoring you harder and faster with abandon while you arch your back with your stomach pressing deeper into the mattress and your legs spreading for more. The squelching sound from your cunt that reaches your ear is entirely obscene. Having fallen into the delirious haze of lust, you pant lightly in between moans as you attempt to fuck yourself back on his brutal fingers while your clit feels neglected, eliciting a needy whimper from you. “Jay, please─”

A loud smack of his palm on your butt resonates throughout the suite while the action causes your walls to clench around him, drawing a smirk from him as he eyes you down with primal hunger. “Gotta get you prepped for Sunghoon, baby, but look at you─ already so fucking wet and trying to fuck yourself back on me like a bunny in heat.”

“P-Please! Oh! Oh, please!” Tears prickle in your eyes at the frustration as your clit is in dire need of attention before a wanton moan rips from your throat at the sensation of his fingers now plunging deep and curling upwards, each thrust hitting your g-spot deliciously. “Fuck, Jay!”

“Yeahh, that’s your fucking spot, isn’t it?” Jay licks his lips as his eyes never leave the jiggling motion of your supple butt, enticing him to smack on them once more, painting them the shade of faint redness. “You’re not gonna cum, baby. Not until you get cock in you.”

“No! Please, no!” You sob out, not wanting your impending orgasm to be ripped off from you, as he doesn’t let up the vigorous thrusts of his fingers into your sopping cunt.

With your head slowly turned to the side, your glistening eyes meet Sunghoon’s dark ones before they trail down to his monstrous erection with the raging red tip pointed towards you, seeing as he is leisurely jerking off. “Hoonie…” A whimper leaves your lips, fearing and needing him.

Sunghoon merely casts you a smirk, his fang-like teeth peeking from his lips. “Just as he said. Don’t you dare cum before I fuck you.” He warns, examining the contortion of your angelic face as he knows you are close.

Helpless moans spill from your lips, with your wrists moving as they struggle against the cuffs. Your walls keep clenching around his vigorous fingers as he drives you closer and closer. “Fuck, Jay! Please! I’m so close─” Just when you are about to plead, Jay does the infuriating move as he abruptly withdraws from you, his slick fingers coating with your arousal while you cry out, feeling empty. “You’re so cruel.”

You flinch when Jay smacks your reddened ass once more before squeezing the flesh, his nails leaving temporary indents as they sink into your skin. “Oh, baby, you haven’t even seen cruel.”

You feel his hands manoeuvre you again to shift your position, turning you around to face the ceiling, with the exception of your cuffed hands being pressed into the mattress by the weight of your body and your head nearly hanging by the edge of the bed.

“Where the hell were you, anyway?” You hear Jay inquire to Sunghoon, cutting through the stifling atmosphere while you continue to writhe helplessly, turning side-to-side as you desperately seek to alleviate the aching pain on your clit to finish off what Jay didn’t.

“I was looking for my phone, and I remember that I left it unlocked.” Sunghoon replies, but amidst your incessant arousal, you manage to discern the harrowing in his tone, which is caused by his missing phone, for some reason. “Fuck, I swear I had it placed on the vanity table in my suite.”

“We’ll deal with your missing phone later.” Jay tells him sternly with a sense of assurance while you are oblivious to their calculated coordination as you remain reeling from the loss of your stolen orgasm before Jay appears in your line of sight, albeit you are seeing him from the inverted point of view.

You gasp softly as you marvel at the sight of his erection that looks similar to Sunghoon, your mouth foaming in anticipation. Upon seeing the thirst in your eyes, Jay smirks down at you as he finally towers over you. “Right now, our angel is hungry for cock. Aren’t you, baby?”

Oh, you are more than hungry; you are practically ravenous. You need them to fill your holes in the most filthy, intoxicating way unimaginable. “Fuck me, please.” Any decorum in you is thrown into the whirlwind of emotions that heighten your libido, which pleases them as you are truly and unequivocally corrupted.

A breathy moan leaves your lips as soon as you feel the weight of Sunghoon’s cock slapping down on your folds before he grabs his shaft to aim at your clit and taps on it repeatedly, as the deliberate action only enhances your sensitivity.

“Gonna put that filthy mouth of yours to use, my sweet little devil. Baptise your mouth with my cock.” Jay snarls at you as he brings his cock closer to your face, only for him to tantalisingly smack the head on your cheek lightly.

“Please! Use me!” Your hips continue to buck up while your mouth is parted open with pleas, leaving them at the agonising foreplay of both men. “I’ll do anything! Just please fuck me─”

At once, you are swiftly silenced by the simultaneous intrusion from their cocks, one shoving his girth into your mouth while the other rams his into your quivering cunt, lodging deep in you.

“Use you, hmm? As expected from a cockslut like you.” Sunghoon chuckles darkly, his eyes holding familiar devilry as he watches how docile you are, taking the whole of Jay’s girth as he thrusts into your mouth. 

Jay throws his head to the back as he holds you by the sides of your neck for leverage, but set in tandem with the way Sunghoon thrusts into you, moaning deeply at the sensation of your sopping cavern and the way your tongue skillfully manipulates around the head of his cock as it intensifies the sensitivity.

The erotic display of seeing his best friend in pure gratification as he fucks into your mouth ignites something so carnal in Sunghoon that stems from his inner ravenous demons, propelling him to lodge deeper with each brutal thrust he delivers with his hips bruising yours unforgivingly, causing your whole body to shake while your bikini is dangerously teetering into exposing the entirety of your breasts.

Despite having been used by them for uncountable amounts of times than you can recall, your walls feel miraculously tight as they clamp around Sunghoon’s thick girth, vacuuming him deliciously and eliciting a guttural moan from him.

“Fucked you too many times, and yet you’re still so tight.” Sunghoon groans, his fingers digging into the plush of your thighs as he manipulates them into an angle that grants the head to meet the spongy spot in you, eliciting a gurgling noise from the back of your throat while the sensation of Jay’s unrelenting thrusts causes you to gag around him with drools dribbling from the corners of your lips.

Jay clenches his jaw, feeling the vibration from your throat to his cock as you moan before he looks at Sunghoon. “I don’t know what you did, but keep fucking her like that.” Jay demands, earning him an approving smirk from Sunghoon before the latter fucks his cock into you harder in the previous angle yet with a searing precision, and this time, a muffled scream has been shoved down into your throat.

Jay diverts his attention to your beautiful body, which is sinfully pliant with your cuffed hands behind your back and your legs spread out and accentuated in the perfect arch of your back. He withdraws slightly from your mouth before immediately plunging into you deeply, and this time, becoming enthralled upon seeing the prominent bulge of his cock on your throat while you nearly see your life flashing in your eyes as Jay lodges deep into your throat, restricting the airways to your lungs.

“Oh, fuck. You’re going to make me cum, princess.” Sunghoon announces, gritting his teeth as your cunt pulsates around him, hurling him to the edge. Just like that, his orgasm comes in tidal waves with his hips snapping against yours, going completely still, allowing your cunt to milk every drop of his cum. “That’s it. Milk my cock just like that, princess. Brats like you need to be filled to the brim with our cum.”

Your whine manages to escape your stuffed mouth, which Sunghoon immediately understands, as evident in the way you keep moving your hips sensually as you attempt to fuck yourself onto his cock, wanting to attain your own orgasm.

“I’m close, baby girl.” Jay says huskily in between bated breaths while he watches his best friend spit a glob of saliva as it drops directly on your clit before the latter uses his fingers to spread his saliva around your clit, and he sees the effect of the ministration on your quivering abdomen.

“Don’t worry, princess. We’re far from over.” Sunghoon chuckles darkly as he hears your muffled whine and moans again at the mind-blowing sensation of his fingers rubbing your clit that work in tandem with his recommencing thrusts. “Gonna make you squirt good, my slutty princess.”

“Hoon, look.” Jay groans, gesturing to Sunghoon towards the prominent bulge in your throat each time he delivers shallow thrusts. “Fuck. Her mouth and throat work like fucking magic. Taking me good like the perfect slutty angel she is for us.”

Without letting up the fervent ministration on your bundles of nerves that are set ablaze, Sunghoon leans down as he hovers over your docile figure to place a deep, sensual kiss directly on your throat, his tongue licking a long stripe across your bulging throat, to which Jay swears he can feel Sunghoon’s tongue pressing deep in contact with his cock.

“I’m going to cum.” Jay releases a low guttural moan before he goes still as he lodges his cock deep into your throat, spilling the warm spurt into you as you are forced to swallow. “Yeah, baby. Swallow all of it.”

You try your utmost to breathe through your nose and not go insane over the overwhelming pleasure of Sunghoon’s cock fucking into you and his fingers working their magic on your clit while he continues to assault your neck with his wet, sensual kiss and licks, his fangs occasionally grazing across your skin that shudders you.

When Jay slowly withdraws his cock from you, you release a loud gasp as you immediately attempt to regulate your erratic breathing, licking your lips that are smeared with the excess of his cum. The feeling of Sunghoon’s cock hitting your cervix elicits a loud moan from you, your eyes rolling to the back as he relentlessly hits that fucking spot.

“Hoonie! Fuck!” You cry out, deepening the arch of your back as he rubs your clit fast and hard, which causes your cunt to clench around him. You nearly choke out when he curls his fingers around your neck, applying enough pressure to remind you that he will always reign control over your body.

“Oh my god!” You roll your eyes to the back, struggling to breathe as he tightens his fingers around your neck while you feel your impending orgasm teetering, and you’re so close, but this time, you feel something so familiar yet it is overpowering, blinding your senses as white-hot pleasure sizzles through you.

Sunghoon smirks, licking his lips while his eyes remain trained on your sinful yet beautiful face, mesmerised at the pure ecstasy contorting. “Come on, princess. Fucking give it to me.” He commands harshly, pressing his moving thumb deeply onto your clit and setting the nerves aflame. “Make a mess on my cock. Squirt for me.”

And you do, your mouth open in a silent scream and your eyes rolling to your skull with your back arched as white fluid gushes out from your cunt while he doesn’t let up his slow, deliberate thrusts, his eyes darkening as he revels in the way you continue to bathe him with your sweet essence. Your body is convulsing uncontrollably while your abdomen quivers at the blissful onslaught raining down on you.

Even as you come down from your high, the atmosphere in the room remains thickening with sweat, lust, and dominance emanating from both males that sends you a wave of submission, more than ready for them to take you again.

You whimper at the loss of Sunghoon’s cock unsheathing from you, causing your cunt to pulsate at the emptiness, with your mixed cum slowly leaking down. “Hoonie.”

Just as you are about to plead with him to free you from the handcuffs, he leans down and claims your lips in a ravenous kiss, his fingers curling around your neck and his tongue forcing its way into your mouth, tasting the residue of Jay’s cum on your tongue before he engages with you in a wanton kiss, tongues dancing in an intimate tango with your saliva smearing the outlines of your lips.

“Please. It hurts.” You pant against his lips, your cuffed wrists starting to feel the discomfort from having to be pressed down by your weight into the mattress. Sunghoon merely ignores your plea, focusing on your addictive lips and caging the bottom lip between his teeth, only to tug it harshly before reinserting his tongue into your mouth.

“Don’t think that I’ve forgotten how you left me that night, princess. Left us.” Sunghoon growls against your lips, sending shivers down your back in the way his penetrating eyes into yours darken with a melding of lust and danger.

Needing a short break, Jay inhales the familiar flavoured vapour from the e-cigarette in his grasp, watching as the grey smoke wafts in the air towards you while Sunghoon continues to speak harshly into your panting mouth, “Four fucking days without you, and you thought it was a good idea to leave us like that? Ignoring our calls and texts─ fuck─ You just love to push our buttons, don’t you?”

“H-Hoonie.” You gasp with your hooded eyes rolling to the back of your skull at the pernicious pressure he applies to your neck.

Seeing your lips parting open, Sunghoon spits into your mouth while the taste of his saliva sliding on your tongue elicits a strangled moan from you, prompting him to loosen his grip. “Swallow.” You do as he says, your throat bobbing as you swallow down his thick saliva with a moan.

“Please uncuff me.” You finally manage to utter after losing your voice for a moment, pleading in a whimper as you subtly squirm underneath Sunghoon. “It hurts.”

Sunghoon leans away from you, his eyes trailing to his best friend with a smirk etching his countenance. “What do you think? Should we uncuff her?”

Jay shifts his gaze as he saunters towards you, his cock nearly springing into action in the way your doe-glistening eyes are staring at him while you remain bondaged, still lewdly spread out on the bed like dessert.

“I don’t know. Should we?” Jay sighs leisurely as he brushes your hair away from your sticky face, his fingers trailing down to cup your jaw roughly, forcing you to look into his steely eyes. “Are you going to leave us again?”

You immediately shake your head, your thighs squirming and pressing together in an attempt to repress your incessant stirring arousal. Jay tightens his lock on your jaw. “Are you going to act like a brat again?”

“No! I promise I’ll be good!” Your obedience seems to please them, and before you know it, Jay turns your body sideways to assist Sunghoon in uncuffing your now-reddened wrists, finally releasing you.

You wince, rubbing your sore wrists before Jay seizes them as he hovers over you, your wrists now being shackled by his firm grasp and placed above your head. You open your mouth to protest, but his lips capture yours in a deep, searing kiss, similar to how Sunghoon kisses you, yet there is a fervent longing in the way Jay’s lips move against yours with a sense of urgency.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much, baby.” He rasps against your lips, lowering his body weight on yours to grind his bare cock on you while you whine into the kiss, reciprocating as you rut up your cunt back on him with the head of his cock hitting your nub. “Don’t torture us like that again. Don’t leave, or I’ll─” 

Jay pauses, his voice sounding strained at the sensation of your drenched folds stimulating his cock, before he recovers with a growl as he kisses you searingly, his sharp teeth now sinking into the plumpness of your bottom lip, which elicits a pained gasp from you as he manages to wound your lip and draw out blood.

“Jay.” You moan out in both pain and pleasure as he sucks your throbbing lip, tasting you before he thrusts his tongue into your mouth, allowing you to taste your metallic blood that only seems to turn you on further.

“Just don’t leave again, or I’ll go insane for real.” Jay says, pulling away from your swollen lips and releasing his grip on your wrists. In a blink of an eye, Jay’s arms engulf your body to raise you, having you settled on his lap for him to untie your bikini that covers your two perky mounts expertly before tossing aside.

You gasp softly as Jay earnestly exerts his territorial mark on your skin, prompting you to arch your neck to give him better access with his arm encasing your waist while the other grips your hair. “Even if you leave again, I’ll find you, and I’ll chase you till the end.” He murmurs against your skin, and you can discern the dark promises in his tone alone before he resumes, hurling you into a new bliss.

The way Jay is bruising your neck with his teeth and licking the fresh hickey on your skin sends a pleasurable sensation through your body, prompting you to roll your hips as your cunt slides back and forth on his cock with your head tilted up, eyes fluttering closed, and your fingers tugging his hair with your arms embracing him.

Unbeknownst to you, Sunghoon is eyeing Jay with vile jealousy, which he can’t help but feel, seeing how the raw intimacy is enveloping both of you with an air of reverence. Being spurred by the maddening jealousy, Sunghoon storms over to the bed, your back facing him, whereas Jay has long sensed his imminent presence that is oozing with a melding of jealousy and predatory.

Without pulling his lips away from your shoulder, Jay looks up at Sunghoon with a devious smirk. “It looks like someone is jealous, baby girl.” Jay drawls out, now leaning away from you for Sunghoon to seize control over you as he grips your hair and pulls it to the back, eliciting a gasp from you with your neck straining.

“Have you forgotten about me, princess?” Sunghoon asks lowly with a sneer, finding great delight in the way your glistening eyes are staring into his eyes with palpable fear and lust as you hesitantly shake your head, but he merely scoffs. “Oh, yeah, you did. How dare you, princess? After I’ve satisfied you with my cock, Where’s your gratitude, hm?”

“T-Thank you.” You stammer, feeling lightheaded at the stimulation on your nub from Jay’s fingers as the male multitasks in giving equal attention to your hardened nipples, licking and kissing them wetly. 

You whimper just as Sunghoon tightens his grip on your hair, causing your scalp to burn. You look at him tearfully as he smirks down at you, the cruelty gleaming delightfully in his eyes. “For?”

“For fucking me good.” You ramble out, unable to handle the sensitivity of having your clit and nipple assaulted by Jay any longer.

“Because you’re just a hungry cockslut who needs to be stuffed full, isn’t that right, princess?” Sunghoon tuts in disapproval upon hearing no response from you, with the exception of your light pants and breathy moans. He pulls your head to the back again, and this time, you meet his dark eyes upside down. “I asked, isn’t that right?”

“Yes.” You nod your head frantically, your chest heaving with pleasure as Jay busily maps his kisses across the expanse of your chest, biting and bruising your skin just the same. “Please fuck me again.”

Sunghoon decides to show you some clemency as he finally releases you before looking at Jay. “Princess wants to get fucked again.” He tuts.

Jay releases your nipple with a wet ‘pop’, his dark eyes soaking in the image of your sultry countenance as you unrelentingly grind against him. “Oh, I heard that, alright. Our sweet little devil is just hungry for cock.”

“Please, Jay.” Naturally, you assume that Jay will be the one to take you first since Sunghoon fucked you earlier, but the words coming out of his mouth shake you.

“Can you handle both of us, baby?” Jay smirks, his lips remaining ghosting over your parted lips as you softly whine in protest and shake your head out of fear before moaning as he continues to rub patterns on your sensitive clit with skillful precision. “Yeah? You want us? You want our cocks to fill you up good, baby?”

“Of course, she can handle us.” Sunghoon chuckles, his fingers tracing patterns on your back. “Lay down with her. I’m going to fuck her ass good.”

“What?” You blurt out, your eyes widening in panic, but you barely manage to make a movement when Jay embraces you to pull you down with him, having you settled on top of him with your tits pressing into his chest. “Wait! It won’t fit─”

“I will make it fit.” Sunghoon cuts you off with a growl. His austerity is punctuated by the impact of his palm smacking down on your ass before you feel his fingers dragging across your drenched folds to collect the slickness of your cum to serve as a lubricant as he smears it on his cock. “You’re going to take my cock either way, princess. Your unused hole needs to be ruined just the same as your sweet cunt.”

Sunghoon provides his assistance to Jay as he lifts your hips for the latter to aim his cock into your awaiting cunt before forcefully sinking you down on him. A broken moan leaves your lips as you feel the sheer girth of Jay’s cock stretching you painfully, but the pain immediately morphs into pleasure as Jay begins to deliver slow yet shallow thrusts into you while his arms slither around your body.

Upon seeing the pleasure on your face, Jay catches Sunghoon’s eyes and gives the latter an affirmative nod. Just as you are about to get sinfully immersive once more, your eyes snap open with a fearful gasp emitted from you when you feel Sunghoon spreading your ass cheek and dragging the head of his cock along the crack.

Feeling your pounding heart against his chest, Jay caresses your lower back in an attempt to soothe you without letting up his thrusts. “Relax, baby girl. It’s only going to hurt more if you continue to tense up.” He says so sternly, but there is a tinge of softness that makes your heart swell.

Just as you attempt to loosen yourself, Sunghoon immediately slides his cock into your gaping hole, tearing a broken gasp from you at the blistering sensation as he unrelentingly buries himself deeper. The pain is unlike any other, emitting tears from your eyes that trickle down your cheeks, but amidst the pain as Sunghoon continues to bully his way into you, the pleasure from your cunt that is being stuffed full by Jay’s cock manages to distract you.

“M-More.” You whisper brokenly, moaning, when Sunghoon begins to thrust into you as your hole has accommodated his girth. “Please, fuck me more.” You sob out. It is as though you are drunk; your head is caught up in a lascivious haze as the pain has completely morphed into an intense pleasure.

“Greedy fucking slut. Just one cock is never going to be enough for you.” Sunghoon grunts, his hips snapping against yours from the back harshly with each thrust as he works in tandem with Jay. The stimulation from both cocks filling your holes makes you lightheaded. “We’re going to stuff you like this every time you act up like a fucking brat.”

Jay groans as he throws his head to the back, feeling the way your cunt clench around him as soon as Sunghoon says that. A smirk tugs at his lips. “Our little devil loves getting fucked by two cocks at once, doesn’t she?”

“Then you better get used to this, princess.” Sunghoon grunts, biting down your shoulder as he rams his cock into your hole with fervour, feeling his impending orgasm teetering by the edge. “Shit─ You feel so fucking good─ I’m close.” He lets out a low guttural moan, using your body for his own pleasure as he ploughs from behind, which has you sinking deeper into Jay’s cock.

Sunghoon grabs you by the hair, forming it into a makeshift ponytail, before raising your upper body just slightly for Jay to shove two fingers into your panting mouth, pushing further until your moans are mingled with choked sobs, tears trickling down your cheeks at the painful pleasure.

“Keep squeezing me like that, baby.” Jay pants, his nails digging into the flesh of your hip as he feels the climax while he admires how intoxicated you are caught up in the throes of your pleasure and how deep you have fallen in this abysmal.

With one last earth-shattering thrust into your abused holes, their arrival is punctuated in the way they bury their cocks to the hilt as they go completely stilled, filling you to the brim with their cum at the same time your cunt spasms around Jay as you cum profusely.

Basking in the afterglow of your frenzied encounter, a heavy silence envelopes the suite, with only the sound of ragged breathings emitting from the three of you as you lay on each other, bodies sticking with sweat, yet you feel an odd sense of comfort as you find familiar solace with them.

As your eyes flutter close, you feel Sunghoon pressing his lips on your shoulder before he eventually pulls out his cock from your gaping hole, eliciting a whimper from you while you continue to lay on top of Jay.

“Come on, princess.” Sunghoon murmurs, assisting Jay in lifting you from him, while you moan weakly at the sensation of Jay’s cock being dragged along your pulsating walls as he finally withdraws from you. “Don’t lose yourself to sleep now.”

A familiar sense of arousal reigns when Sunghoon leans down to kiss your perky nipples before slotting his lips over yours to kiss you deeply. “The night is far from over for you.” Sunghoon smirks against your lips before the loss of his warmth elicits a whine from you, but the weight pulling down your eyelids tempts you to fall into the realm of sleep as the exertion of the aftermath dawns on you.

You don’t bother to question the sound of shuffles and the door swinging open, only wanting to succumb to the darkness, but just as you nearly allow the darkness to engulf you wholly, a spark of fire ignites in your core as soon as warm, plump lips press into yours, kissing you with a sense of urgency with his hands roaming around your body.

“Did you have fun with them, lovely?” His voice as he rasps against your lips causes your eyes to flutter open, meeting Jake’s warm brown eyes that are darkening with primal lust as he gazes deeply into your eyes.

“Jaeyun.” You utter his name softly as you caress his cheek, only for him to grab your hand to plant a kiss on your palm while his sultry eyes never leave yours. When your eyes trail to his hand, you frown at the sight of his bruised knuckles that are smeared with dried scarlet. “What happened?”

Instead of Jake answering you, another familiar voice compels you to look to the side, only to see Heeseung towering over the bed next to Jake, his dark eyes drinking in your beautiful glory being displayed on the bed and ready to be ruined once more.

“He’s fine, beloved. Nothing too serious happened. I helped him out to stop a brawl.” Heeseung sees you opening your mouth, earning you a tut from him. “No more talking about anything other than us pleasuring you, sweetheart.”

“What?” You breathe out, shaking your head in refusal as Jake lowers himself before pulling you by the legs until he is levelled with your wholly drenched and cum-smeared pussy. You don’t have the opportunity to further protest when Jake attaches his lips to your clit, tearing out a moan from you as he licks and sucks the nub expertly.

“Don’t worry, my beloved. We’re going to make you feel so good. Even better than they did.” Heeseung whispers as he settles next to you, his lips unfurling a soft smirk upon seeing the blissful contortion on your face as Jake works his magic on your cunt, with his tongue now slithering into your cunt.

“Jaeyun! Oh my god!” You throw your head to the back as you feel his tongue delve deeper with purpose, your fingers haphazardly finding their way to tug at Jake’s hair to rock your hips against his face. A pleasurable jolting sensation runs through you as Heeseung pinches your nipple and leans down to capture your lips in a searing kiss.

Panting against Heeseung’s mouth, he greedily swallows every sound emitting from you, his tongue exploring every inch and dancing with yours obscenely wet while his fingers continue to tweak and pinch your sensitive nipples. Below you, Jake is practically munching on your wholly drenched pussy from the residue of his saliva, moaning against your folds at the taste of your cum that mixed with his best friends.

Your thighs are already threatening to close from the sensitivity as Jake ravages you with his nose rubbing your clit, reigniting the bundle of nerves, before he forces your legs to be lewdly spread apart by the firmness of his hands while you run your fingers through Heeseung’s tousled locks as he devours your swollen lips.

“Fuck, I can’t wait any longer.” Heeseung murmurs before pulling away from your chasing lips to look at Jake. “Jake, stop. I’m going to fuck her first.”

Your eyes twinkle with curious amazement, watching Jake heed obedience to Heeseung’s command as he detaches his lips from yours. His lustrous nose and lips are smeared with your slick arousal while his dark, ravenous eyes meet yours, bringing a smirk to his pink lips before he grabs you by the arm and pulls you away from the bed.

Standing on your feet, you can feel your knees nearly buckle underneath you before Jake stabilises you, his arms embracing your waist while his lips search for yours and he greedily kisses you with a palpable hunger, momentarily distracting you as you melt against him.

“Jake.” You hear Heeseung’s voice from behind, and instantly, Jake slowly backs you up without breaking the lip lock, his hands falling to your hips to guide you before pulling away from the kiss. Just as you whine, you feel hands on your waist from behind you, pulling you down on him. “Come here, pretty girl. You’re going to ride my cock.”

“W-Wait─” A strangled gasp leaves your lips as soon as you sink on to his cock with saturating ease, while a familiar fear strikes you as you recall the last time he fucked you when you thought his long shaft would destroy you from the inside.

Heeseung groans lowly, feeling the warmth of your inviting walls hugging his cock tightly as though they had missed him. “How am I supposed to fuck you when your cunt is sucking me like this, pretty?” He grits his teeth, his hands on your hips, guiding you firmly to ride him before you finally pick up the momentum.

Each movement sends shockwaves through your body, making you feel your cock so deep that you swear you can feel your tummy bulging. “That’s it, pretty baby. Oh, you’re riding me so fucking good.” Heeseung’s voice is husky with primal desire as he rasps against your sheeny skin before sensually kissing your shoulder.

The hypnotising obscenity of you riding and bouncing on his best friend’s cock with your faces contorting in the same ecstasy compels Jake to gravitate towards you, kneeling down with his dark eyes fixated on his best friend’s cock disappearing into your sopping cunt.

Without a word, Jake latches his lips on your engorging clit, sending a jolting pleasure through your body as he licks the bundle of nerves uninhibitedly, accompanied by the occasional suction with his plush lips wrapping around the nub.

“Oh! Jaeyun!” You moan out, your hand trying to grip Jake’s hair, but Heeseung grabs a hold of your arms and locks them behind you while he doesn’t relent from bucking his hips up as he delivers shallow thrusts into you.

Getting drunk on your pussy and your essence that slowly leaks down on Heeseung’s girth, Jake decides to push his limits, his tongue searching and moving deeper to your cunt until he touches the solid girth of his best friend’s cock.

“Fucking hell, Jake.” Heeseung groans at the delicious sensation of Jake’s tongue dragging along your folds until he hits the base of his cock. “Look at you both, being such sluts.” His voice is laden with lust as he looks over your shoulder briefly. 

Both you and Jake moan in response, the degradation goes straight into the unbearable heat pooling in your core. It isn’t long before your cunt clenches uncontrollably around Heeseung as a telltale sign of your impending climax, eliciting a moan from him.

“Gonna cum, pretty?” Heeseung whispers into your ear, his fingers tangling in your hair to seize control over you as he grabs it into a makeshift ponytail to turn your head to the side. Receiving only the continuous yet broken moans from you, he tightens his grip on your hair, his nose grazing on your cheek as he growls lowly. “I asked you a question.”

You quickly nod your head, not wanting to displease him. “Yes! I’m gonna cum! Please!” You plead in a sob, getting utterly delirious by Jake’s tongue going relentless on your clit as well as Heeseung's vigorous thrusts that feel shallow than the previous, driving you further to the brink of your sanity with their sheer intensity.

Heeseung turns your head to the perfect angle to capture your parted lips with his, kissing you wetly. “Cum.” He growls his command against your lips, sending goosebumps to your skin.

With one last deliberate and precise flick on your clit from Jake’s tongue, your orgasm comes crashing down violently, one with a familiar intensity that gushes out in fluids from your cunt while your thighs quiver.

“Fuck!” You scream out, arching your back against Heeseung as the latter continues to fuck into you, even as you are squirting uncontrollably while Jake bathes in your essence that wets the lower region of his now-sheeny face, revelling in the fluid mess from you with a smirk on his lips.

Delivering one last thrust into your overstimulated cunt, Heeseung releases his grip from your hair to manoeuvre you on the bed as you find yourself lying down sideways, with his cock remaining buried in your pulsating cunt as he is closely behind you.

“Seungie.” You whine, wiggling your ass in an attempt to escape from his cock, but Heeseung slithers his arm around the swell of your tummy, locking you in. “Pull out, please. I can’t…”

“Oh, yes, you can.” Heeseung shushes you, ascending his fingers to stimulate you again as he tweaks and rolls your nipple between his fingers, knowing that you are sensitive to having your nipples played. He presses a kiss on your shoulder, his dark eyes glinting wickedly as he glances up to see Jake hovering over the bed. “You’re going to take us both this time.”

“No. I can’t.” You shake your head, your eyes glistening with fear at the possibility of them tearing you apart with their girths, as you look at Jake settling in front of you in the same position as you. Panic blooms in your chest as Heeseung’s hand moves underneath your upper thigh to lift it up for Jake to gain easy access, causing you to squirm while the action only makes your cunt clench around Heeseung’s.

The head of Jake’s cock comes into contact with your clit, eliciting a soft gasp from you as he rubs it for good measure before aiming it at your stuffed cunt. You open your mouth to protest again, but instead, a pained gasp escapes you while tears prickle your eyes at the searing stretch of your cunt as Jake slowly enters you.

“So fucking tight.” Jake grits his teeth, looking down at the girth of his cock slowly disappearing into you before the sound of your whimper draws his attention, and his eyes soften at the sight of you in tears. He cradles your cheek before kissing you deeply. “I need you to trust me and relax, sweetheart. You’ll only get hurt if you continue to tense up. I promise you’ll feel good soon.”

Your heart swells at his affection in the way he speaks to you with a promise of assurance, while your blazing nerves begin to dwindle at the fluttery sensation of Heeseung’s kisses on your shoulder with his arm around your waist.

With a shaky nod from you, Jake takes this as a signal to continue entering you, feeling your cunt pulsating around their cocks while pants leave your lips, now feeling stuffed full with their cocks claiming you as they split you open.

It isn’t long before the searing pain begins to subside as they thrust into you, setting a pace that works well with their tandem. Your lips are part open, moaning in silence at the delirious sensation of their cocks as they deliver shallow thrust with one pull and another push before switching, moving in perfect synchrony.

“Shit, dude, I can feel you in her.” Jake groans, directing his remark at Heeseung, as the sensation of their cocks dragging against each other sends another pleasure through their bodies.

“Seungie, Jaeyun.” You mewl, causing their hearts to swell at how adorable you sound, before they groan as you clench around them. “Please kiss me.”

Hoisting your leg over his hip, Jake cups your cheek and slams his lips on yours, kissing you deeply and prodding his tongue into your parted lips while Heeseung sinks his teeth into your shoulder and descends his fingers to stimulate your clit, setting the nerves aflame once more as they don’t relent from fucking into you.

You moan into the kiss, gasping when Jake nips at your bottom lip only to suck it before being pulled away by Heeseung as he seizes your chin to capture your lips in a greedy kiss, your tongue occasionally licking and playing his lip ring. Jake occupies himself as he leans down to capture your perky nipple with his hungry lips.

The air is laden with a heady mix of your sweat, sex, and moans as the three of you are enraptured by the ecstasy of your sweet cunt enveloping them and clenching with each deliberate yet vigorous thrust from their cocks, obliterating your coherency.

Needing air, you pull away from Heeseung’s unforgiving kisses, gasping as you feel the impending need for release that sends shivers of ecstasy through your body. “Seungie, Jaeyun...”

“We know.” Jake places a chaste kiss on your lips while Heeseung intensifies the unbearable knot in your tummy by rubbing your clit skilfully, driving you into oblivion as their thrusts become more fervent with a raw carnal desire for you.

As soon as Heeseung pinches your bundle of blazing nerves, your eyes roll to the back with a silent moan, leaving your parted lips as you tumble over the edge of ecstasy, your climax flooding you with an intensity that has you gushing out the familiar fluids again, wetting them and the bed that is now drenched.

With one last earth-shattering thrust, they go completely still, burying deep into you as they fill you with their warm cum to the brim as they let out low guttural moans. They don’t pull out, even as you squirt for another time before the fervid heat wanes.

“Pretty baby, you wet the bed.” Heeseung coos, his fingers caressing your tummy, which swells with their cocks still buried in you. He places a kiss on your neck, still helping you to calm down from the delirious high. “I knew you’d take us so well.”

Silently basking in the comfort of their arms, a licentious thought pops into your head just as the sex haze begins to fade. You look at them with a sultry gaze that goes straight into their twitching cock. “I want you two to kiss.”

As expected, their reaction is entirely in disbelief before Jake speaks, “Sweetheart, why would you want─”

“Please.” You whine, slowly moving your hips purposefully to rile them up as they clench their jaws, feeling your pulsating cunt around them. “I want to see you kiss each other. Just this once.”

“If our girl wants to see us kiss, who are we to deny?” A smirk touches Heeseung’s lips, drawing a disbelieving glare from Jake.

“Dude, I’m not going to kiss you. I’m not fucking gay─”

Heseung catches Jake off guard when he seizes the latter’s chin to pull him forward before slamming his lips on his. You watch with prurient amazement as they slowly get immersed in the kiss just above you, allowing you the explicit view of their lips moving against each other ravenously.

Maybe you are wicked on the inside, because seeing them in a heated lip lock turns you on more than it should as you bite down your lips. You make a tentative move with your hips, but the sensation of your cunt clenching around them prompts them to break the kiss as they breathe harshly.

“Damn, you really like to see us kiss, don’t you?” Jake nearly growls out, his dark eyes soaking in the image of your sultry countenance as you continue to move your hips deliberately to taunt them, feeling their cocks twitching inside you.

“Pretty girl is nasty too.” Heeseung chuckles, bringing his fingers to pinch your nipple as you moan out, but a whimper leaves your lips as they slowly unsheathe their cocks from your now-gaping hole that leaks with the union of your cum.

With the unbridled lust coursing through your veins, you catch them off guard when you pin Jake on the mattress and waste no time grinding your cunt on his limp cock uninhibitedly.

“Again?” Jake groans, his hands falling to your hips lazily while you continue to lather your cum all over his cock. “Lovely, I need to take a break.”

“Our sweetheart is just hungry for cock, isn’t she?” Heeseung drawls, moving closer to you with his fingers now caressing and applying pressure to your clit, eliciting a breathy moan from you. “Jake, I’ll keep her occupied. You call Jay and Hoon and ask them if they want to join.”

The thought of Jay and Sunghoon joining in as well delights you, and you desperately need all of them to pleasure you throughout the whole night, even if it meant that they would be obliterating your cunt.

As soon as you whine, the sound of footsteps draws all of your attention to the two aforementioned figures as they stride into the suite with prominent bulges against their slacks, to which you lick your lips and your eyes haze with carnal lust.

“Don’t have to ask.” Jay’s voice that reverberates throughout the suite is huskily thick, laden with primal lust, while his eyes drink in the obscenity of your bare, exquisite display, watching you rubbing your clit unabashedly.

“Jay.” You whine, unrelentingly grinding your drenched folds on Jake’s erection while the latter groans deeply below you. “I need you so bad.”

“Come here.” Jay practically pounces on you, manoeuvring you across the bed until your back is pressed against the mattress before capturing your lips hungrily in a searing kiss. “Baby wants to fuck some more, yeah?” He rasps against your lips, drawing a whine from you as soon as he pulls away to get rid of his shorts.

“Please.” Your fingers descend to your lower region to rub your clit like a hungry cockslut, while the sight of you pleasuring yourself as you arch into your own touch hypnotises them, their eyes filled with carnal lust. You taunt them further, spreading your legs a little wider while moans spill from your lips as you increase the pace on your clit. “Please, oh, please! Fuck me─”

Jay silences you with his unforgiving lips once more, aiming his erection at your gaping holes before sliding into you with ease. “You’ll get fucked, alright.” He growls into the kiss, withdrawing his cock from you with only the head remaining inside before slamming into you with full force. “We're going to fuck you so much till the sun rises, baby girl.”

As moans spill from your lips, you turn your head lazily to the side only to spot Heeseung smoking a cigarette while Jake is drinking a glass of Bourbon as they watch you with the same predatory gaze from the couch.

But your view is immediately shielded by Sunghoon’s towering figure, prompting you to change the angle of your point of view. A smirk smears across his lips as he brings his cock to tap against your cheek. “Open your mouth wide, princess.”

Least to say that they really did keep you up and satisfied — four cocks claiming your cunt in one night.

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[lexlawuk]

Navigating the 2024 UK Visit Visa Rules: A Comprehensive Guide

The ever-evolving immigration landscape of the United Kingdom is set for significant changes with the proposed 2024 UK visit visa rules. Scheduled to take effect from January 31, 2024, these amendments bring about crucial shifts in facilitating business, research activities, and adapting to contemporary work trends. In this guide, we will delve into the key changes and explore what they mean for…

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Go in Shadows

Pairing: modern!Aemond Targaryen x f!reader Warnings: Alcohol use, drunken behaviour, referenced drug use, angst, eventual smut. Word count: ~8.5k

Summary: Summers spent with her best friend, Helaena, are the highlight of her year. However, a week-long stay at her place does not go as she expects it to when surrounded by one Targaryen brother that she pines for unrequitedly, and another that can't seem to stand her.

Author's note: For @lauraneedstochill. Thank you to @aegonx for giving this a once over for me before I kicked it out of the door. No tag list. Please follow @fics-by-ewanmitchellcrumbs and turn on post notifications.

The grass tickles delicately at the backs of her bare thighs, causing her to squirm and change position, pulling the hem of her floral summer dress lower as she crosses her legs. It’s a hot and sunny Friday afternoon in July, and she’s making the most of her four day working week by spending her day off in the park with her best friend, Helaena.

Summer has always been her favourite time of year, from the six week long holidays of secondary school to the three month university breaks, and now the stolen afternoons and all too brief weekends of the working week. Helaena has been at her side for all of them. Summer is their time, a season in which their friendship has always thrived, fortified beneath a sun that never sets.

Helaena pauses, keeping the daisy chain she’s making in her hands still as she leans forward ever so slightly, watching intently at the wasp that buzzes around the open bottle neck of Koppaberg Cider that rests beside her, the heat of the day causing droplets of moisture to sweat from the glass.

“That’s going to drown in your cider, if you aren’t careful,” she warns her.

“Mmm,” Helaena muses dreamily, her eyes never leaving the wasp. “It wants the sugar.”

She watches for a few more moments, before it flies away, and then her attention turns back to her daisy chain, her numb nail piercing through the stem of the flower, before threading another through.

“Did your annual leave get approved for next week?” Helaena asks, blue eyes lifting from the floral chain in her hands to look at her hopefully.

“Yeah, I’m all set,” she says excitedly, before taking a swig of her own cider, relishing the way the sweet, berry flavour fizzes against her tongue. “So, what’s the plan?”

It’s not a question she really even needs to ask. It’s the same every year; Alicent takes a week-long trip to Oldtown to visit her father, Otto, and ever since Helaena was considered old enough to no longer accompany her, she stays behind, and the kids are left with a free house. She stays for the entire week, the house large enough that it feels like a holiday without needing to leave King’s Landing. They enjoy seven unsupervised days of swimming in the pool, raiding the fridge, and the inevitable rowdy and out of control parties that Helaena’s older brother, Aegon, insists upon throwing.

And therein lies the real reason she’s asking; to check which of the brothers will be in attendance. She has fancied Aegon for as long as she can remember, though he has never given her a second look beyond viewing her as his younger sister’s best friend. She exists in his shadow, laughing at all of his jokes, living for every thousand watt smile he casts her way, overlooking his often drunken, reckless behaviour, and pretending she doesn’t feel a burning sense of envy at the seemingly never ending rotation of girls he goes out with. His shadow seems to be where she is destined to remain forever, desperate to experience the warmth of his attention turned to her even once. The unrequited feelings weigh heavy upon her heart, tormenting her with soaring hope and devastating reality in equal measure.

As if able to read her mind, Helaena sighs. “Aegon’s going to be there…and Aemond too.”

She groans at this. Helaena’s younger brother, another bane of her existence, though for a completely different reason to Aegon. Aemond genuinely seems to loathe her, actively going out of his way to avoid her, refusing to even look at her if they’re in the same room. His responses are curt, bordering upon rudeness when she has tried previously to engage him in conversation, and so she has given up, taking to ignoring him just as he does to her, though it does not come as naturally to her as it does him. She feels her skin prickle in his presence, fidgeting uncomfortably at the shift in energy in the room whenever he enters. Back in secondary school, she had made an attempt to forge a bond with him, by approaching him with the history essay she was due to hand in, and asking for him to take a look at it in case there were any improvements he thought she could make.

Aemond had scoffed as he’d looked it over, sliding the papers back across the table towards her with a harsh flick of his wrist. “Derivative,” he’d commented dismissively. “The point you’re trying to make is too diffuse for you to adequately summarise it. If you were to improve it, you’d simply have to rewrite it.”

She had walked away holding back tears, bitterly regretting her decision to attempt to extend an olive branch. When the essay had been given back to her she had been awarded an A grade, which made Aemond’s comments even more baffling to her.

“Great,” she says with a roll of her eyes, “assuming he’ll have Alys to keep him busy?”

Helaena gives a solemn shake of her head. “They aren’t together anymore, so please try to be nice to him.”

She looks at Helaena incredulously. “Be nice to him?! Hel, Aemond hates me!”

“He doesn’t,” she replies with a gentle certainty.

“You don’t know that,” she huffs, swigging from her cider bottle once more.

“I do, actually,” Helaena utters, before turning her attention back to her daisy chain.

She feels that Helaena infuriates her almost as much as her brothers do sometimes. Bloody Targaryens.

A week later, her out of office is on and her bags are packed.

Helaena takes her bags, depositing them into an entryway closet to deal with later, the moment she steps through the door of the house, ushering her into the kitchen.

“Want to chop some stuff for me?” She asks. “I’m going to make a jug of Pimm’s for us all to drink by the pool.”

“Us all?” She asks, moving towards the chopping board on the kitchen side, where an assortment of strawberries, mint and cucumber has been set out, ready to be cut up.

“Yeah,” Helaena says, opening a cupboard and rummaging inside of it. “Me, you…Aemond, and Aegon…Aegon’s friend…”

Helaena’s voice tapers off as she pulls a glass jug from a shelf, her gaze turning towards the kitchen doorway.

She looks up from where she has been quartering a strawberry, her grip around the knife handle tightening subconsciously as she takes in the sight of Aegon standing there. But it’s not Aegon that is the issue, it’s the pretty brunette that’s standing next to him.

“Just wondering what’s taking so bloody long with the Pimm’s?” He asks, glancing between her and Helaena. “Are you fermenting the gin from scratch?”

“Hel was waiting for me to arrive,” she offers as a meek explanation, feeling her skin grow warm as he looks at her. “Hi, by the way.”

He fires off a mock salute at her, the casual gesture making her insides wither with disappointment. She was a fool to have expected anything more.

“I’m Cassandra,” the girl standing next to him pipes up with a cheerful smile, “nice to meet you.”

Aegon startles, as if suddenly realising she’s there, turning to look at Cassandra quickly before facing back towards her and Helaena.

“Oh yeah, Cass is gonna be staying for the week. Her brother’s brewery is supplying us with the kegs for Saturday.”

Cassandra nods enthusiastically, her eyes bright. “Royce owns Storm’s End brewery, he’s gonna sort us out with the beer for the party.”

“Lovely,” she says with a tight smile, lowering her eyes back to the chopping board and slicing into a cucumber with more aggression than is necessary. 

“Why don’t you go and get comfy by the pool, Cass,” Aegon says, ushering her away with a smack on the bottom. “I’ll make sure these two hurry the fuck up with the drinks.”

Helaena’s eyes narrow once Cassandra is out of earshot, looking at Aegon as she empties a full bottle of Pimm’s into the glass jug. “You’re sleeping with one of the Baratheon sisters to get free beer? That’s low even for you.”

Aegon shrugs with a smirk. “I’m not above schmoozing for booze, Hel.”

“You’re a pig,” she retorts softly, moving to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of lemonade. “What about what happened with Floris and Aemond?”

Aegon snorts derisively, leaning against the doorframe. “They only kissed.”

“And then she stalked him afterwards…”

“The week of a thousand texts!”

“Fifty seven to be precise. You remember, right?” She asks, turning to her friend for back up.

“Yeah, didn’t Aemond ghost her because she used the incorrect version of ‘your’ in a message?”

Helaena nods. “Yes, that was mean, and she didn’t deserve that. But sending someone so many texts when they clearly aren’t going to reply is a bit…” She wrinkles her nose. “...overbearing.”

“And she left him a five minute long voicemail,” Aegon titters.

“Yeah, you’re a pig,” Helaena insists, sloshing lemonade into the Pimm’s.

“Oh well. Hurry up!” Aegon demands with a clap of his hands, before walking away.

She hands Helaena the chopping board, now laden with chopped up garnishes and watches as she scrapes it into the jug, before stirring it.

Looking up, Helaena takes in the pained expression of her friend, her face softening. “Trust me, as Aegon’s sister, he’s not worth it.”

“I’m fine,” she quips unconvincingly, moving away to fetch glasses from another cupboard. “He’s just messing around.”

“I just think if you’re looking for someone who genuinely cares about you, then you’re looking in the wrong place.”

“What does that mean?” She asks, taking down five glass tumblers from the shelf.

“Just…don’t close yourself off to other possibilities.”

Helaena takes the jug and heads outside to the pool, before she has a chance to respond.

Always so cryptic. It’s infuriating.

To her horror, as she heads out into the garden, glasses gripped between her fingers, Helaena has set herself up on the sun lounger on the furthest end, leaving the only one free between her and Aemond.

She sets the glasses down on the patio table, next to the Pimm’s jug and takes a moment to steel herself, before heading over. Wordlessly, she lays down on the sun lounger, trying to suppress the unease that ripples beneath her skin at the imposing figure of Aemond next to her. His sun lounger has its back propped up, and he sits bolt upright, long silver hair pulled up into a bun and a pair of black Ray Bans perched upon the bridge of his aquiline nose as he reads a philosophy book.

Pretentious twat.

“Aemond, pour us all some Pimm’s,” Helaena says lazily, leaning back on her lounger and propping an arm above her head.

His brow furrows momentarily before he responds. “Why do I have to do it?”

“Because you haven’t done anything to help out with our gathering yet.”

“It’s your gathering,” he retorts, “I just happen to live here. I’m not an active participant.”

She sighs, not wanting to listen to any more of their bickering. “It’s fine, I’ll do it.��

“No, I will,” Aemond snaps, standing abruptly and setting his book down, before storming over to the table.

“Christ, what a prick,” she mutters to herself as she watches him go.

An hour later, she has changed into her bikini, and is laying on her front on her sun lounger, the remnants of her glass of Pimm’s turning warm in the sunshine beside it, as she loses herself in a historical fiction novel.

She can feel the heat prickling at her skin, and knows she ought to have put suncream on before coming back outside, she’ll burn if she continues to lay there. Sighing, she places her book on the patio next to her glass and sits up, reaching for the bottle which lays discarded beneath where Helaena is currently laying, dozing beneath her makeshift blanket of a beach towel.

She applies the lotion generously to her face, arms, legs and the exposed parts of her torso, stopping when she realises she is unable to reach her back. Looking over at Helaena, she can see she is still fast asleep, lulled into unconsciousness by warmth and alcohol.

Aegon and Cassandra sit by the edge of the pool with their feet submerged, talking and laughing as they drink what’s left of the Pimm’s directly from the jug, passing it back and forth. She would honestly rather die than go over there and risk the embarrassment of asking either one of them to help her.

Grunting with the strain of stretching her arms as far behind her as they’ll go, she attempts to spread sun cream on the rapidly reddening flesh of her shoulder blades.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Aemond sighs exasperatedly, slamming his book closed. “Give it here!”

“What?” She freezes, embarrassment enveloping her like a shroud.

“Insulting as it is that you would rather attempt to wrench your arms free of their sockets than ask me for help, I can’t help but find your pathetic little display highly distracting. Give me the sun scream, I’ll do it for you.”

She is stunned into silence by the offer, her stomach erupting into nervous flutters at the idea of someone who hates her so much actually offering to help her, and with something so intimate too. She passes him the bottle, praying he doesn’t notice the way her hand trembles, doing her best to avoid the piercing gaze of his singular seeing eye.

“Turn around then,” he commands, after a few moments of silence.

“Oh…right, of course….yeah!” 

A fresh wave of humiliation washes over her, and she finds herself grateful for the opportunity to face away from him as she repositions, glad that she doesn’t have to see the hands of her best friend’s petulant younger brother moving over her body.

Her breath hitches when his fingers make first contact with her skin, though she does her best to suppress the accompanying squeak of surprise that had wanted to accompany it. His touch is gentler than she had anticipated, soft and careful as he works to spread the cream evenly across her back and shoulders. She feels herself relax, nervous tension evaporating as she focuses on the press of his fingertips against her flesh.

“How is life at the library treating you?” He asks casually, as he applies more cream to his fingers, spreading it across the lower part of her back.

“How do you know I work at the library?” She asks, surprised by his knowledge of her job.

“Your best friend is my older sister,” he says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, though what he says next is expressed with hesitant shyness. “...and I walk past it sometimes…see you in there…”

“Ah,” is all she’s able to reply, shocked but also annoyed with herself. This is the most Aemond has ever spoken to her, and she’s so rattled by it she can’t reciprocate the effort within the conversation he’s trying to strike up.

When she hears the cap on the sun cream bottle click closed, she finally seizes the opportunity to speak. “I was sorry to hear about you and Alys,” she says softly, “you guys were cute together.”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” he tells her cooly, tossing the bottle onto the towel next to her before standing up and walking back inside.

She watches him go over her shoulder, silently cursing herself for her thoughtlessness in bringing up such a sensitive topic.

Aemond avoids her for the rest of the day, and much of the next, until the following evening when Aegon and Helaena decide that a barbecue is a good idea.

The sky is a muted blue, the final vestige of daytime clinging to it, delaying the inevitable setting of the sun, as the air hangs thick with humidity, exacerbated from the smoke that billows upwards from the barbecue.

“Is there room for my veggie sausages?” Helaena asks, peering over Aegon’s shoulder as he stands at the sizzling grill, a bottle of beer in one hand and tongs in the other, turning pieces of chicken.

“Yeah, in the bin,” he replies smugly, before swigging from his beer bottle.

She can’t help but giggle quietly at the remark as she stirs dressing into the bowl of salad that rests upon the patio table.

Helaena tuts, holding out the packet towards her older brother. “Don’t be selfish!”

“Ugh, fine,” Aegon scoffs with a roll of his eyes, setting his bottle down and snatching the packet from her.

She watches as he moves the meat on the grill to one side, before unceremoniously dumping out the sausages into the empty space. She huffs a laugh, shaking her head at his immaturity. 

Placing the salad bowl in the centre of the table, she’s about to reach for a packet of bread rolls to open, when Cassandra breezes out into the garden, laden with plates and cutlery.

“Why do you have six of everything?” Helaena asks suspiciously, fiddling with the corkscrew in the top of a bottle of wine. “There are only five of us.”

Cassandra gives a dismissive shrug. “Must have been miscounted,” she says, before joining Aegon at the barbecue, fussing at him for overcooking everything.

By the time they all sit around the table, a stony faced Aemond now having joined them, she is impressed by the spread that they have managed to pull together. Chicken, burgers and kebabs sit piled on a platter, though slightly burned. Salad, cold pasta, bread and dips accompany it all, and Helaena has ensured everyone has a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

The sky has begun to darken, a purple aura surrounding the burned orange glow that hangs low on the horizon, a pretty contrast to the fairy lights that are strung along the fence and overhead of where they sit.

She is trading the salad bowl for the plate of rolls with Helaena when Cassandra glances at her phone, so she barely notices when she excuses herself from the table with a flippant “be right back!”

A few moments later, she almost chokes on her wine, setting her glass down heavily upon the table and pressing her palm to her chest as she swallows forcefully. 

Cassandra has reappeared in the garden, this time with her sister, Floris, at her side.

“Oh god,” Helaena mutters under her breath, setting down her knife and fork.

Considering the way Aegon’s eyes visibly widen, it’s clear he doesn’t know that Cassandra had planned this.

Aemond sits with his back facing the patio door, so is the last to turn to look.

“Room for one more?” Floris asks with a bright smile.

Aemond whips back around in his seat, fury reflected in his right eye as he glares at Aegon, his voice dripping with venom. “Absolutely not.”

Aegon holds up his hands defensively, shoulders pulling up towards his ears. “I didn’t know!”

Ignoring the obvious tension in the air, Cassandra returns to her place next to Aegon, while Floris plops down into the empty seat between her and Aemond. She is sure she sees him physically recoil from her.

“Cassandra told me all about you and Alys,” Floris coos softly, placing her hand over the top of Aemond’s, “I thought perhaps you’d need a friend.”

“You’re not my friend,” Aemond glowers, snatching his hand back.

“Yeah, he doesn’t have any,” Aegon laughs, draping his arm around the back of Cassandra’s chair.

“Stop it,” Helaena hisses at him.

“You know, I think you’re being kind of rude,” Floris says to Aemond, “I’m just trying to be nice.”

“You know what I think is rude?” He spits back. “Not being able to take a fucking hint, turning up to someone’s house uninvited. That is rude.”

“I invited her,” Cassandra cuts in, though she shrinks back the moment that Aemond directs his angry gaze towards her.

“And who the fuck are you?! A vapid little nobody that my brother has decided is his flavour of the week.”

“Are you going to let him speak to me like that?!” Cassandra demands, looking expectantly at Aegon.

Aegon cringes outwardly, pulling his arm back from Cassandra’s chair. “This doesn’t really involve me, to be honest,” he tells her awkwardly.

“God, you’re pathetic!” She seethes, standing abruptly, causing the legs of her chair to scrape loudly against the patio. “Come on, Floris, we’re leaving.”

Floris stands, scowling down at Aemond as she does so. “You know, for someone who has—” she gestures towards his face, pointing specifically at his prosthetic eye, “you’d think you’d be more grateful for the attention.”

She flounces off alongside her sister, leaving the four of them in stunned silence. Helaena looks as though she wants to burst into tears, Aegon stares blankly across the table, fingers spinning his wine glass around by its stem, while Aemond quietly seethes with rage.

“Well, that was awkward,” Aegon finally says, reaching for more chicken.

The slamming of Aemond’s fist upon the table causes them all to startle, the force of it rattling the plates and glasses. They all look at him, wide eyed, as he stands up silently and walks back into the house.

She feels awful for the way Floris had spoken to him, and is desperate to make up for her earlier blunder, after fumbling their conversation so horribly. She can’t stand the thought of him being alone and upset, when both of his siblings are clearly in no position to offer comfort.

“I’ll go after him,” she says softly, rising from her seat and walking back into the house.

She finds Aemond in the foyer, about to head upstairs. 

“Wait,” she calls out, “I just wanted to see if you’re okay?”

“Never better,” he says sullenly, though he pauses and turns to face her.

“What Floris said was really uncalled for. Please don’t listen to her,” she tells him sympathetically, her eyes pleading as she looks up at him.

“I said I’m fine,” he insists, refusing to look her in the eye.

“You don’t have to pretend, it’s okay not to–”

“What are you, a fucking therapist?!” He rages, causing her to shrink back.

“No, I was just trying to make you feel better,” she whispers meekly.

“Well, don’t,” he snaps back, “I don’t need your faux sympathy or your positivity buzzword bullshit.”

Her brow furrows as she feels annoyance prickle at her. None of this is her fault, she’s just trying to offer support, yet despite that he is lashing out at her anyway. Her mouth opens, the words leaving it before she has the chance to consider them. “You are such a miserable fucking twat, no wonder Alys finished with you!”

She regrets what she said the moment she sees the fury blaze within his right eye. Instinctively, she steps away, her back hitting the wall as he advances towards her. And then his lips are crushing against hers, causing her to squeak in surprise as he kisses her hungrily, his large hand cupping her jaw. She grips the front of his shirt, his fists balling into the material, unsure of if she wants to pull him closer or push him away. But she finds herself responding, her mouth moving against his, lips parting to allow his tongue entrance, letting it lick against hers.

Nervousness and excitement swirl like a maelstrom in her belly. She could never have anticipated this. What the hell are they doing? Aemond hates her, doesn’t he?

When they finally part for air, their breathing is ragged. Aemond stares down at her, lips parted and pupil dilated. “Do you want to come upstairs?” He asks lowly.

The question makes her heart feel as though it has stopped beating. It’s one thing to kiss Helaena’s younger brother, but another entirely to entertain the idea of sleeping with him.

She falters, trying her best to speak coherently. “I…um…I don’t know if that’s a good idea…”

Aemond pulls back, his face hardening back to blank stoicism in an instant. She immediately feels the loss of him, the space that his warmth had previously occupied suddenly feeling chilly.

“Of course,” he mutters darkly, “I would hate to cut into the time you spend following my brother around like a pathetic dog.”

The statement makes her feel as though she has had a bucket of ice water thrown over her, hurt and humiliation spreading hotly throughout her body, as tears sting at the rims of her eyes. He disappears up the stairs before she can say anything in response, leaving her alone in the foyer to compose herself, wondering what on earth just happened.

She scrubs her hands over her face, drawing in a few steadying breaths, before turning to head back outside. Helaena is already in the kitchen, wrapping plates of food in cling film. She looks up when she sees her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Need any help?” She asks.

“No, I’m all good. There’ll be leftovers in the fridge, if you want any.”

She utters a quiet thanks, before stepping outside, her eyes immediately drawn to Aegon who sits at the edge of the pool, paddling his feet, illuminated by only the pool lamps and soft fairy lights that are strung up around the garden. The sky hangs velvety black above them, stars twinkling in the distance.

Kicking off her flip flops, she sits beside him, dunking her own feet into the coolness of the water.

“Cassandra seemed pretty angry with you,” she says gently.

“Yeah,” Aegon replies, keeping his eyes fixed on the beer bottle he has clasped in both hands. “She’ll be back though.”

“You seem certain of that.”

“Well, I am irresistible,” he says, looking up at her with a grin. “And she’s left all her stuff here…”

She chuckles softly, facing forward again, a thousand things rushing through her mind that she wants to say to Aegon. Tonight couldn’t possibly get any messier, so why not speak her mind?

“Aegon…” she begins, unable to look at him, knowing the moment she does, all of her thoughts will unravel. “I think you know how I feel about you, why have we never…why won’t you…”

She sighs in frustration, unable to finish her train of thought, unsure of what it is she even wants to say. She dares to cast him a sideways glance and sees him anxiously chewing his lip, his thumbs picking at the label on the neck of the bottle.

“It’s not like I haven’t thought about it,” he finally admits, “you’re gorgeous. But you and I are never going to happen.”

She braces herself for the impact of the inevitable pain in her chest, but it never comes. Instead, she feels lighter. The final piece of closure she needs, permission to move on from the “what if” that has haunted her teenage years and entire adult life so far. Yet she cannot help her curiosity at his response.

“Why not?” She asks, turning to look at him.

He lifts his head, meeting her eye. “I said I wouldn’t, I made a promise.”

“To who?” She asks, brow furrowing in confusion.

“Aegon! You need to help me load the dishwasher,” Helaena calls out from behind them.

Aegon sighs, moving to stand, muttering “Christ, her last slave must have died of exhaustion” to himself as he walks away, leaving wet footprints on the patio behind him.

She is frustrated that Helaena interrupted them before Aegon could answer her, her curiosity piqued almost unbearably. As Aegon approaches Helaena, she hears her chastising him in a hushed tone, Aegon’s own defensive retort is also much quieter than his usual manner of speaking. She wonders what they’re arguing about, but quickly dismisses it. There has been enough conflict for one day.

Her thoughts drift back to Aemond and the kiss they had shared. She can still feel his lips lingering against hers if she focuses hard enough upon it. It had felt nice, she had kissed the man who hated her and actually enjoyed it. Then straight afterwards he had reminded her why she usually works so hard to avoid him. It was a fluke, not worth making a big deal of. She certainly wouldn’t be telling Helaena about it.

The following afternoon, her and Helaena laze around on beach towels that are laid upon the perfectly manicured lawn of the back garden, enjoying the warmth of the midday sun upon their skin.

As Aegon had predicted, Cassandra had shown back up at the house that morning, and their enthusiastic reconciliation had been what had prompted her and Helaena’s decision to relocate to the garden. Aemond hasn’t bothered to come back downstairs since insulting her the previous evening.

Helaena lays on her front, legs bent at the knee and ankles crossed. She plucks a foil packet from beneath her towel and tears it open, pulling out a blue and green gummy worm. She dangles it towards her, the hint of a smile upon her lips.

“Want to go halves?” She asks.

“On a sweet?!”

“An edible!”

“Oh Christ…no!”

“Suit yourself,” Helaena says with an easy shrug, stretching the worm between her teeth as she bites off the end.

“Think I need to keep a clear head, especially after last night.”

“Mmm,” Helaena concurs, chewing and swallowing her mouthful of gummy. “I saw you talking to Aegon. Please tell me you aren’t still pining after him?”

“No, actually,” she says honestly, “I think last night was the closure I finally needed.”

“Good,” Helaena says, eyeing her carefully. “So what’s really bothering you?”

She sighs, knowing there’s no point denying it. Helaena is too intuitive for that.

“I…um…Aemond and I…we kissed…”

Nervously, she looks over at her friend, awaiting her angry reaction. However, instead of the scowl she’d expected, Helaena is smiling.

“And…?” She asks excitedly.

Why is she not more surprised by this? Shouldn’t she be annoyed?

“And nothing. I insulted him, he kissed me out of anger, then he insulted me when I wouldn’t sleep with him. He’s been sulking in his room ever since.”

“Go and make him apologise,” Helaena urges her.

“Why should I? He owes me an apology, he should come to me.”

“That’s not Aemond’s style. You’re both as stubborn as each other. Just go up to his room!”

“Why are you so eager for me to make up with him?”

“Because…” Helaena trails off, and for a moment she thinks she’s lost her train of thought, until she holds up the rest of the gummy worm with a smile. “Because I want to finish this and you’re harshing my buzz!”

Charming.

She has a point though, she supposes. She has made amends with one brother this week, it wouldn’t hurt to repair things with the other too.

“Fine, fine, I’m going,” she says with a sigh, standing up and brushing herself off.

As she ascends the stairs towards the upper level of the house, it’s quiet, save for the soft sounds of music and Cassandra’s giggles coming through Aegon’s closed bedroom door. She pauses as she reaches Aemond’s room, her heart hammering in her chest, and nausea swirling in her gut as she stands outside, desperately trying to steel herself to knock.

What would she say? Would he even want to speak to her?

She takes a deep breath, attempting to push through the anxiety and knocks softly. She hears shuffling from the other side, before the door pulls slowly open. Aemond’s long silver hair is loose, and he’s dressed in a plain black t-shirt and black jogging bottoms. He looks effortlessly flawless, despite how casually he’s dressed.

Has he always looked this good? How had she never noticed before?

He bows his head slightly when he sees it’s her, a flicker of sadness briefly visible in his eye before he casts his gaze downward.

“Can I come in?” She asks softly.

He nods, stepping back to allow her in, closing the door behind her.

She’s never been in Aemond’s room before. It’s flooded by natural light from the large bay windows, and everything is immaculately neat and tidy, from the orderly shelves of books, to how taut his bedsheets are pulled against the mattress. Everything has its place.

“I owe you an apology,” she begins, turning to face him.

His eyebrows raise, eye widening in surprise. “Me?”

She nods. “I should never have pried into your personal life, what happened between you and Alys is your business and I had no right to ask about it or pass comment on it. I’d really like it if we could just forget what happened yesterday and start again.”

“What if I don’t want to forget about it?” He asks, stepping closer.

Her heart sinks, disappointment making her shoulders sag. “You don’t?”

He shakes his head, looming over her, his breath ghosting against her skin as he speaks. “There’s a particular moment that I’m very keen to remember.”

Her skin grows warm, her breath hitching as he reaches up, his fingertips ghosting against the side of her neck. “Or are you still chasing after my brother like a pathetic little bitch?”

This time his words don’t offend, instead they send a shiver up her spine, her mouth going dry as his eye bores into hers.

“N–no,” she stammers, her pulse racing as his hand rests against her neck, his stare dark and intense. “I don’t like him like that anymore. I think I’d known that for a while, but him telling me it was never going to happen helped me to realise that.”

“Mmmm,” Aemond hums softly, leaning in, “I’m glad that Aegon is a man of his word.”

His lips ghost against hers, but she freezes as his words echo in her mind alongside his brother’s.

I’m glad that Aegon is a man of his word.

I said I wouldn’t, I made a promise.

She pulls back sharply, brow furrowed as she stares at Aemond suspiciously. “Was it you that Aegon made a promise to, to never try anything with me?”

Aemond nods, reaching for her again, sighing as she steps away. “It was years ago. I made him promise me he’d leave you alone, because well…I like you, and he’s not good enough for you.”

Her mouth falls open in disbelief, her voice a tight sounding whisper as she struggles to keep her emotions in check. “You had no right to do that…”

“I was protecting you,” he says softly, “he wouldn’t have been good to you.”

“And you would have?!” She responds, voice wavering around the rapidly forming lump in her throat. “You’ve spent years ignoring me, only interacting to be hateful. How the fuck is that protecting me?!”

“You don’t understand—”

“No, you don’t understand!” She cries, her chest tightening as hot tears roll down her cheeks. “If you liked me you should’ve said something, what you’ve done instead is manipulative and cruel.”

She pushes past Aemond, slamming his bedroom door behind him, before heading to Helaena’s room where she’s been staying since she arrived. Curling up on her side of the bed, her shoulders shake as she sobs quietly into the pillow, a hot swirl of anger, sadness and betrayal coursing through her body.

How dare he? How fucking dare he? What might’ve been if she’d just been given a chance with Aegon? What might’ve been if Aemond had voiced his feelings for her sooner? He had robbed her of the opportunity to find out any of it.

When the door eventually creaks open, she is unsure of how many hours she has been laying there. She has cried herself out, a hollow feeling having settled in her chest, numbness replacing the hurt and anger she’d felt previously.

“Hey,” Helaena says softly, the mattress dipping slightly as she sits upon the edge of it. “Brought you a sandwich, cheese and Marmite.”

“What time is it?” She asks groggily, pulling herself into a sitting position, as she gratefully accepts the plate from her.

“Just gone six. Figured there’s no point in us all doing dinner together tonight…”

“Sorry,” she whispers sadly, “I’ve fucked this whole week up.”

“You haven’t,” Helaena says earnestly, “none of this is your fault. Aemond has just chosen the worst possible way to tell you he has feelings for you.”

“You know?!” She asks, the warmth of embarrassment heating the apples of her cheeks.

“Please don’t be upset. Aemond’s always had a thing for you, I’ve always known. For what it’s worth, I think you guys would be great together.”

“Great together?! No offense, Hel, but your brother’s a tool.”

“He can be, yeah. But you’re more alike than you think. You just need to see beneath the tough guy exterior.”

She shakes her head. “Until this week he’s either ignored me or been awful to me.”

“Aemond isn’t the best at expressing how he feels, but he’s trying. I’ve gotten tired of watching him pine for you for so long, and make himself miserable never doing anything about it. I told him that if he didn’t say anything this week then I’d tell you myself.”

Her eyes widen, the confession taking her breath away. “Hel…”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be meddling, and I know Aemond shouldn’t have interfered with Aegon. But honestly, you can do so much better.”

“And you think Aemond is better?”

“He could be, if you gave him the chance.”

“All we do is argue.”

“Because you’re so alike! You just need to listen to each other.”

She chews her lip, mulling over Helaena’s words. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to hear him out. But not tonight. Tonight my only interests are this sandwich and whatever crap we can find on Netflix.”

“Sounds good to me,” Helaena replies happily.

They spend the rest of the evening curled up in Helaena’s bed, watching a nature documentary that they eventually fall asleep in front of.

It’s early when she awakens. She can’t see the time, but can tell from the pastel hue of the lightened sky visible through the window, where she and Helaena had fallen asleep without closing the curtains, that sunrise wasn’t long ago.

Eager to stretch her limbs, having been cooped up in the same room for more than twelve hours, she disentangles herself from her still sleeping friend, and pads downstairs. 

The aroma of brewing coffee lures her towards the kitchen, but she stops in her tracks when she spots Aemond, his back to her as he stands in front of the coffee maker. For a moment she considers just going back upstairs, until he turns and sees her.

Wordlessly, they stare at each other, time feeling as though it stretches on for an eternity, before finally he speaks.

“Coffee?”

“Um…sure.”

He nods, turning to grab the espresso cup from the drip tray before sliding it across the kitchen island to her. “Take this one.”

She utters a quiet thanks, perching on a bar stool as she wraps her hands around the warmth of the small ceramic vessel. The only sounds in the kitchen are that of Aemond preparing another coffee for himself. She’s grateful they both have something other than each other to focus on, as truthfully she doesn’t know what to say.

“Valar morghulis was how they said it in Valyria of old. All men must die. And the Doom came and proved it true,” he recites as he turns back to her, placing his own coffee upon the counter.

“What?” Her brows pull together in confusion as she looks up at him from her cup.

“You wrote that in the history essay that you shared with me back when we were at school. That particular line has always stuck with me. I thought it was inspired.”

Her heart feels as though it skips a beat, realising he has remembered such a small detail, but it is contradictory to the reality of his reaction to it. “You said it was derivative.”

“That was unkind. I regret it,” he tells her sincerely. “Truthfully, it was brilliant. I’ve never read anything like it.”

“Why were you so rude about it then?”

“An attempt to push you away, I suppose.”

“Why?”

He sighs, taking a long sip of his coffee, looking pensive as he casts his eye away from her, choosing his words carefully. “You’re too good for Aegon, he has spent his entire life failing upwards, being given things he hasn’t earned, taking what I work hard for. I couldn’t let him take you too. But you’re also too good for me. I already thought you were perfect, and was trying so hard to keep you at arm’s length. I think I fell harder for you after reading your essay, and that scared me. You deserve better than me, but I can’t seem to let you go. I lost interest in Floris because she wasn’t as intelligent as you are, and Alys ended things with me because she could tell how hung up on you I am.”

She groans exasperatedly. “Am I seriously the last person to know that you have feelings for me?”

“I’m sorry. I’ve spent a long time hiding it, but now my cards are fully on the table. I’m being as honest as I can be. I didn’t intend for you to ever find out. I wanted to get over you. I didn’t think that you’d be interested.”

“Did it never occur to you to ask?”

“I’m asking now.”

“I…I’ve never thought about you that way, to be honest, not until you kissed me…”

“...and then?”

“I think I could…”

“So is that a yes?”

“You’ve not actually asked me anything…”

He rolls his eye. “I’m pouring my heart out here. Meet me halfway.”

She huffs a soft laugh. “I think we should take things slowly. Let me get to know the Aemond that’s not a massive arsehole. Can you handle that?”

“I can handle that.”

The air feels lighter somehow as they both sip their coffee, a peacefulness having settled over the two of them, rooted in mutual hope and excitement.

Over the next couple of days, her and Aemond spend more time together. He makes more of a conscious effort to include himself when she and Helaena hang out in communal spaces. They stay up all night talking, and when they’re alone together he intertwines his fingers with hers, asking her to read to him as he rests his head in her lap. They never go further than a few soft kisses, but she finds herself falling asleep cuddled up to him each night, instead of in Helaena’s bed.

It’s disconcerting to peer behind the iron facade of Aemond Targaryen, this softer, kinder, gentle hearted side is one she’s never seen before. Yet the more she gets to know it, the more she grows to like it. It’s something deeper, more intimate than anything she had ever felt for Aegon, and she realises this is because it surpasses mere infatuation, and her feelings are reciprocated.

It’s Saturday evening, and Aegon’s party is close to becoming out of control. The heavy bass of the music reverberates throughout the house, and Royce has provided more kegs than everyone in attendance combined could ever be able to drink in a single night. Every downstairs room, as well as the garden, bustles with people – most of whom she doesn’t know.

Despite this, she is having fun. Her, Helaena and Aemond have kept within their own little bubble, talking and laughing as they pass wine between them, slugging it directly from the bottle. The more she and Aemond drink, the closer they shift towards one another on the sofa, until eventually one of her legs ends up slung over the top of his.

Her mind feels fuzzy from the effects of the alcohol, spreading a warmth throughout her body. She feels happy, she can’t remember the last time she felt this content.

As the evening presses on, Aegon stumbles over to them, a few of his friends trailing after him. She can tell from his glassy eyed expression that he’s drunk. He sways slightly on his feet as he stands in front of them all, taking in the sight of her and Aemond sitting close together.

“There they are!” He slurs. “The happy couple!”

“Has your little brother got himself a girlfriend, Aegon?” His friend pipes up from behind him.

“My cast off, actually,” he says, gesturing towards her with his glass, slopping beer onto the living room floor as he does so.

“Watch yourself,” Aemond says darkly. She feels him tense beneath her, rapidly growing angry.

“Shouldn’t you be thanking me, Aemond?” He asks, cocking his head. “I let you have her! So, come on, the least you can do is let us know what she’s like in the sack!”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Aemond hisses through gritted teeth.

“Stop it, both of you,” Helaena says pleadingly.

She grasps Aemond’s hand, a vain attempt to calm him, as Aegon laughs hysterically with his friends.

“You’ve not fucked her yet, have you?! Will she not put out? Still holding out hope for me?!”

She squeaks in surprise as Aemond stands abruptly, towering over Aegon as he squares up to him. “I said, shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth.”

“Why?” Aegon asks with a careless shrug. “Truth hurt, does it? Because let’s face it, she couldn’t be with me, so she settled for you. Second best.”

With an angry snarl, Aemond shoves Aegon, sending him toppling backwards into his friends, stunning the room into silence as he storms from it.

Her blood runs cold, her heart drumming wildly against her ribcage as she exchanges a horrified glance with Helaena, before hurrying after Aemond, who is already retreating up the stairs two at a time.

He is pacing his room, his breathing ragged as she follows him in, shutting the door and muffling the sound of the party below them.

“Ignore your twat of a brother,” she says soothingly, “he’s drunk, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

Aemond shakes his head, and the look of hurt she sees reflected in his eye as he looks at her makes her heart squeeze painfully. “He’s right. You’re only with me because you couldn’t have Aegon.”

“He’s wrong.” She steps towards him, taking his hands in hers, “I couldn’t be happier with the way things have turned out. What I feel for you…it’s real. You’ve made me happier in two days than Aegon ever has in ten years.”

“Do you really mean that?” He whispers.

He looks so vulnerable, so sad as he looks down at her that it makes her want to cry.

“Every word,” she utters, leaning up on tiptoes to kiss him softly, her fingers caressing his cheek. “You’re so good, Aemond, so good to me.”

He rests his forehead against hers, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulls her close, his eye fluttering closed. “I want to believe that.”

“I’ll make you,” she whispers, tugging him by the front of his shirt as she steps back towards the bed.

They topple onto the bedspread, laying on their sides, facing each other. Her grip on his shirt tightens as she kisses him again, deeper this time, her tongue lapping delicately against his, taking her time with it, allowing him to feel every movement of her lips against his.

When she pulls away, she trails her lips over the sharpness of his jaw and down the column of his throat, her fingers working deftly to open his buttons as she does so, caressing every inch of his bare torso as it’s revealed to her.

“You’re so beautiful,” she whispers against his neck, feeling him shiver against her, his rapidly growing hardness pressing against her thigh through his jeans.

“Fuck,” he murmurs, as her hands move to his belt buckle, pulling it open.

“I want you,” she whispers, “more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.”

He groans, fingers digging into the flesh of her hip, screwing his eye shut as she moves her hand beneath the waistband of his underwear.

Her core throbs with arousal as she strokes the velvety soft flesh of his hardened cock, eagerly wrapping her fingers around it, pumping softly, earning a sharp hiss of pleasure from him.

She pushes his underwear down far enough to free his erection, before hooking a leg over his hip and tugging the thong beneath her dress to one side.

“Feel what you do to me,” she says huskily, dragging the head of him through the stickiness that has gathered between her thighs.

Aemond inhales sharply, hips jerking at the sensation, and she smiles at the effect she’s having on him, his breaths coming fast and shallow.

“I want you inside me,” she coos, “will you let me?”

He swallows thickly, pupil dilated with desire as he nods enthusiastically. “Fuck…yes…”

She positions him at her entrance, angling her hips to encourage him to press forward. All of the air feels as though it is forced from her lungs as he pushes into her, the stretch of her body around him is exquisite torture.

“Mmmm…so big,” she murmurs, stroking his hair, feeling him smile in response against the skin of her shoulder. She can tell from the way he’s tensing that he’s holding his breath, every part of him sinking inside of her as intense for him as it is for her.

Once he is fully sheathed inside, she winds her arms around his neck. His grip on her hip is iron clad as he uses his other hand to pull down the straps of her dress and her bra, pressing his face into her breasts as they slowly begin to rock their hips together.

Their pace is unhurried, less about the act itself and more about providing closeness and comfort to each other, and she knows that Aemond is in desperate need of both right now.

His thrusts are shallow as she rolls her hips in time with his, her fingers stroking softly through the silken strands of his hair as he nuzzles into her chest, sighing softly against her flesh with every praise and word of affirmation that she utters softly to him.

She doesn’t care if he brings her to release, she wants tonight to be about Aemond, to make him feel special. When he eventually comes undone, spilling himself inside of her as he pulsates and trembles, her heart flutters as he stares at her, eye filled with nothing but adoration.

Summer has always been her favourite time of year, and thanks to Aemond she’s certain it always will be.

[kaiser1ns]

𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘅 𝗳𝗲𝗺!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

╹synopsis :: it doesn't take much to say or show you love someone even with the simplest of actions.

╹contents :: can be read as fem/gn reader; characters from blue lock, jjk and honkai star rail, FLUFF, ooc maybe?

╹notes :: as i was walking to go home at like 10pm i thought of this, hope you enjoy! added hsr specially for @okkalo ♡

ITOSHI SAE immediately takes you out to visit the sea when he gets some days off. The sounds of the waves, the relaxing atmosphere and you in his arms calm him down causing him to flashback to his childhood memories of when he was just a small and carefree child wanting nothing more but to play football with his little brother and personal cheerleader.

Not only he is known as the strongest but GOJO SATORU is also known for having a very strong sweet tooth. So what does he do to reduce the sugar? He shares it with you because there is nothing better than sharing his favourite thing with his lover, so let's say he gets a double dose of chocolate and candy from just seeing you and that's enough.

AVENTURINE is not afraid to take the risk and his constant smile makes it difficult for people to guess his true intentions. Not with you though, he lets his guard down, your voice soothing him to help him relax and as he gets lost in your touch. He is not Aventurine of the IPC or the Ten Stonehearts, he is just Kakavasha the little boy who once dreamed of love and now he won the biggest treasure in his life — you.

ITOSHI RIN knows how much you don't like scary movies, and that's why when you come over for the weekends you watch movies or series of your choice, be it Barbie or The Lion King. He will swallow his ego and stop watching the weekly uploads of his favourite scary games just so you can't fall asleep on purpose because of the horror films.

GETO SUGURU can't stop talking about how beautiful, amazing, and kind you are. Mimiko and Nanako are tired because they are the only ones who get to hear all his murmuring when you are away even for only 5 minutes. But they know how much he loves you and how you breathe life into him, and he wishes that someday they will become like you — strong and good-hearted.

ARGENTI thanks and prays to Idrila every moment of his life for obtaining the biggest blessing to ever exist and that is meeting you. The Knight of Beauty makes sure to give you one red rose every day to express his profound love and admiration, it's a small gesture that symbolizes his devotion to the relationship. He should protect his lover and like flowers, the tender petals are directed to you, with the thorns to the cosmic and its danger protecting you

It may seem that he is spoiled, but in fact, NAGI SEISHIRO is not, well not that much. Sometimes he takes charge of the household chores, giving you, a well-deserved break. He washed the dishes, cooked you a meal (instant noodles), and even tried to fold the laundry. And you, pleasantly surprised, sank into the couch, embracing the rare luxury of relaxation as familiar songs from your shared playlist were playing on the TV. Even if it doesn't happen often you are forever grateful for your lazy boyfriend to do something like that.

ITADORI YUJI shows genuine interest and actively listens to you talking about your current obsession be it a series, celebrity, book, food, or anything. He loves your voice, seeing your beautiful smile, and how your eyes seem to sparkle as you talk, he is so lovestruck that he sometimes just stares at you with the most soft and genuine look. Just don't be surprised when you find some merchandise on your desk with a little love note, okay?

Engaging in meaningful conversations and connecting on a deeper level with DR. RATIO seems like every other normal day for him. He approaches every interaction with a thirst for knowledge. And you take him by surprise every time and he doesn't know what to do, the great genius suddenly stops functioning. The way you hold his hand, kiss his cheek, make him stutter — he goes crazy and questions himself about how there is no logical explanation for this, but there is, it is called love.

SHIDOU RYUSEI doesn't like to share his material possessions with anyone, he worked so hard to get the last volumes of Chainsaw Man as they are now put on the shelf in his bedroom. And imagine his reaction when he sees you reading volume 10 which has Makina on the cover, cuddled nicely with his blanket on the bed. How dare you read it without him? And so he jumps onto the mattress, squishing you because that's your punishment for not telling him. You apologized to him of course but for him to fully forgive you, next time you will be on anicon cosplaying Makima and Denji.

FUSHIGURO MEGUMI remembers the small details about you and your preferences. If you don't like a certain ingredient in the food, he will order the dish without it. You like to sleep on this side of the bed, no problem he will sleep on the other side as you both cuddle and drift to Dreamland. He will immediately notice the change in your mood and even if he is not so good with words, he will always be there for you offering his warm embrace.

As a Galaxy Ranger BOOTHILL tends to travel around the cosmos a lot and sadly he can't spend time with you. But when he's with you, one of the things you do is his hair and to put cute stickers on his metal hands or guns. The scary cyborg cowboy is now a pretty princess with pigtails, heart stickers and with a very happy lover. He watches you having fun with his makeover — and will do everything possible to spend more time with you.

©2024 kaiser1ns do not copy, repost or modify my work.

[dovesdreaming]

Ink and needles

You and Eddie become close when you keep coming back to him for your piercings. One day you ask for a piercing that leaves Eddie flustered though and romance follows.

I want to write a steamier version one day!

Warnings: anatomy (not gendered), piercing tools

-

The bell above the door chimed as you stepped into the dimly lit tattoo parlor. The walls were adorned with flash sheets and framed photos of satisfied clients showing off their ink. The air was thick with the smell of antiseptic and the faint hum of a tattoo machine coming from the back room. You glanced around, taking it all in, until your eyes landed on the front desk where a man was leaning casually against the counter. He was flipping through a magazine, his wild curls spilling over his shoulders, and his black band tee showcasing worn graphics. Rings adorned his fingers, and his arms were covered in intricate tattoos that snaked up beneath his sleeves. Eddie Munson. You’d heard of him before, people in town talked about the guy who made the darkest, most intricate designs come to life. He had a reputation for being a bit of a wildcard, but everyone who came to him always left with a story.

You cleared your throat, nerves buzzing in your stomach as you approached the desk. He glanced up, his deep brown eyes locking onto yours. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a crooked grin. “Hey there” he greeted, his voice low and rough. "What can I do for you today?". You hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Hi, um, I was thinking about getting a piercing”. His grin widened, and he set the magazine down. "You've come to the right place. What are you thinking? Something simple, or are you looking to get a little wild?". You laughed softly, feeling the tension in your shoulders ease just a bit. There was something disarming about him, the way he looked at you like you were the most interesting person in the room. "Maybe somewhere in between”. He nodded, motioning for you to follow him to a side room with a high leather chair and a table lined with neatly arranged piercing tools. You sat down, your nerves creeping back as you explained what you wanted.

Eddie listened intently, his gaze focused on you the entire time. He asked a few questions, making sure you were comfortable and confident in your choice. His easygoing demeanor helped you relax, and before long, the piercing was done with minimal pain and a surprising amount of laughter. “There you go” he said, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "You handled that like a champ”. You smiled, genuinely pleased with the result. "Thanks. I was more nervous than I thought I’d be, but you made it easy”. Eddie chuckled, running a hand through his curls. "Well, you’re a natural. Maybe you should come back, keep me company in this lonely old shop." You laughed, not entirely sure if he was joking or serious, but something about the way he said it made you want to take him up on the offer.

And you did. You found yourself coming back to the shop more often than you’d ever planned, sometimes for a new piercing, sometimes just to say hi. Each visit brought you and Eddie closer, your conversations becoming longer, more personal. You’d talk about everything from music to movies to the strange quirks of living in Hawkins. There was an easy chemistry between you two, something that neither of you acknowledged outright, but it was there, simmering just below the surface. Eddie’s teasing became more playful, his smiles lingering a bit longer, and you found yourself looking forward to every visit just to see him.

Then came the day you walked in with a request that neither of you were quite prepared for. Eddie was at the counter, sorting through paperwork when you strolled in. He looked up, his grin spreading across his face as soon as he saw you. "Well, if it isn’t my favorite client. What’s the plan for today? New piercing? Or are we finally gonna get you started on that tattoo?". You took a deep breath, feeling the familiar flutter in your stomach that always came when you were around him. "Actually, I was thinking about getting a piercing. But… it’s a little different this time." Eddie’s curiosity was piqued. He motioned for you to follow him into the piercing room, where he prepped his tools as usual. "Alright, hit me with it. What are we doing today?". You hesitated, your cheeks heating up as you fidgeted with the hem of your shirt. "I was thinking… nipple piercings."

Eddie froze for a split second, his hands pausing over the equipment. He cleared his throat, glancing up at you with a look that was both surprised and something else you couldn’t quite place. “You sure about that?" he asked, his voice a little rougher than usual. You nodded, trying to keep your voice steady. "Yeah, I’ve thought about it for a while now." He nodded slowly, his usual confidence faltering as he tried to process the request. "Alright. We can do that. Uh, just… make yourself comfortable, and we’ll get started." You could feel the shift in the air as you took off your top, leaving you in just your bra. Eddie was suddenly more careful with his movements, more focused on the task at hand, but you didn’t miss the way his eyes flickered over your skin, lingering a bit longer than necessary.

He guided you through the process, explaining everything as he went, his voice steady but lacking its usual playfulness. When it came time for the piercing, his fingers brushed against your skin, and you noticed how his touch was gentler than ever before. It wasn’t long before the piercings were done, but the atmosphere in the room had changed entirely. Eddie seemed a little more flustered, his usual bravado replaced by something softer, almost hesitant.

“All done” he said, his voice quieter as he stepped back, avoiding your gaze.

You smiled, feeling a strange mix of emotions swirling inside you. "Thanks, Eddie. They look… really good”. He finally looked at you, his eyes softer than you’d ever seen them. "Yeah, well, you make it easy”. You both stood there for a moment, the weight of what had just happened hanging in the air. There was something unspoken between you, something that had been building for weeks, maybe even months. Before you could second-guess yourself, you closed the distance between you and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. His skin was warm under your lips, and you felt him tense for just a second before relaxing.

“Eddie” you began, your voice trembling slightly as you pulled back, meeting his gaze. "I… I really like spending time with you”.

He blinked, clearly taken aback by your sudden admission, but then a slow smile spread across his face, more genuine and tender than you’d ever seen. "Yeah? Well, I really like having you around”. His hand reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, his touch lingering just a moment too long. "You know… you don’t have to come in just for piercings, right? You can, uh, come in anytime. For anything”. Your heart raced at his words, the meaning behind them clear as day. "I’d like that" you whispered, your eyes locking onto his. Eddie’s smile widened, his usual confidence returning as he leaned in, his forehead resting against yours. "Good. Because I’ve been wanting to ask you out for a while now. Just didn’t want to scare you off."

You laughed softly, the tension in the room melting away. "I think I can handle it”. “Yeah?" He grinned, his thumb brushing gently across your cheek. "Well, in that case, how about we start with dinner tonight?". You nodded, your shyness momentarily forgotten in the warmth of the moment. "I’d love that”. Eddie’s smile was contagious as he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, his breath warm against your skin. "Me too. Now, let’s get you cleaned up, and we’ll make those dinner plans official."

And as you sat there, the cool antiseptic stinging slightly against your fresh piercings, you couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something much bigger than either of you had expected.

[tame-the-lion-writes]

fae(?) bunny shifter reader x konig

I love it when konig calls reader haschen (and forgive me for not using accents on letters--I don't know how to add them on my computer). Hence why I love the idea of reader being a literal bunny (and yes--this is inspired by that one manwha I forgot the name of, but disregard that!)

There's really no sane explanation as to how Konig ended up with you in his bed. And I don't mean in a sexual way though it is hard to keep his eyes off you considering the fact that you're stark naked. As far as he knows, Konig hadn't drunk that night. Definitely didn't take any drugs. All he did was scoop up that rabbit that's been begging for food on his back porch, after he'd made friends through edible offerings. (Otherwise, the tiny rascal would be digging up his garden again.) Let it--her?--snuggle close into his side on a particularly cold night, when the first snow began to fall.

Then he blinks, and the girl is gone--replaced once again by that fluffy little thing.

Konig panics for a half second, wrenches the blankets from his bed. As if a whole human being could hide under already-flattened sheets. Once he realizes you're not there, though, he once again takes the bunny in his ginormous hands and continues to stare. Because what the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck.

Over the next few days, he doesn't dare keep the rabbit in a cage, or kick it out again. He just observes it intently like one would waiting for water to boil. But nothing ever happens when he's ready for it--the girl appears only when his back is turned, when he's exhausted. When he's blinking away sleep in the morning light. There in a flash, and gone again. He genuinely thinks he's going crazy, especially when food starts piling up in random places. The closet. Between the couch cushions. Food too big and too much for a mere bunny to move. But surely that's impossible. He's never taken to folklore or spells or--

Then he installs a camera.

"She is magic!" he once yelled, shoving the bunny in a visiting soldier's face. Meanwhile the rabbit's nose just twitches, innocent and seemingly oblivious. All he gets is a weird stare.

"Sir, I think you need to see a doctor--"

"Magic!!!"

_

Bonus Thoughts:

You're not even a stray. Not even wild. You have a cottage a little further into the woods, but your human neighbor's been awfully generous despite having caught you stealing a few times. Whatever. Free food is great. Free anything is great. Not to mention the TV and microwave, and other gadgets you've never seen before. Hence not realizing what the hell a camera does, and why he's now extra manic after he installed one in his room.

Speaking of benefits, you also no longer have to get your steps in. He carries you around in his pocket wherever he goes. So now you get to see the world, too--the farmer's market, the gas station, etc. And when you seem particularly interested in something, he buys it right away. Now you've got a little corner of trinkets from your mini-travels, all for you.

Oh, and lots of chin scratches. Pat pats. Naps in his lap because you fit there so perfectly.

Will he ever see you--live--in your human form for more than .5 seconds? Maybe. Maybe it happens in the middle of the night, when he wakes up to a weight on his chest, and your hair sprawled across his shirt. Maybe it happens, and you just give him a slow, sleepy blink, and nuzzle into the crook of his neck. Maybe he's yours now, and he hasn't realized it.

His bunny. Your man.