general!kiba opens up to you and you do the same and suddenly you’re both clingy and needy
18+ / fem!reader, royalty AU
series masterlist
imagine you suggest taking a bath together in attempt of growing closer, and he's just so awkward and clumsy when it comes to showing actual tenderness that it's almost absurd.
and he not only acts awkward, but looks like it, too. stuffed inside the wooden tub that's just been filled with hot water, he's almost too big to fit properly into the damn thing; even less when you're in there with him as well. the water splashes over the brim whenever he moves, so he's stuck there with your back resting against his chest, one arm draped over the edge of the tub, the other finding home on your stomach.
the room is illuminated by the soft glow of candles you've personally lit each and every one of before inviting him in. sitting in the tub and thinking about it now, it had been a pretty mundane task; one that had certainly taken you a long while to accomplish, considering that you previously had no desire to play with fire.
but you got there eventually. you've made the room nice and cozy - warm. the stone isn't cold, steam lazily spirals from the surface of the water and up towards the ceiling. the scent of lavender lingers in the air, creating a heavier atmosphere which he, you guess, probably doesn't even care about enough to notice in the first place.
"smells nice in here."
mildly surprised, you turn to look at him over your shoulder. it's as if he's read your mind. "really?"
one of his brows quirks at the odd question you offer as a reply. it's the left one; the one that's been split because of the godawful scar that runs along the left side of his face and which you still have to keep reminding yourself to stop gawking at. you've never asked him how he got it. you don't really plan on asking anytime soon.
"sorry, i-" you mumble, shaking your head in attempt of getting rid of the sudden timidness that washes over you under his domineering stare. "i didn't word that quite right; i just didn't think that you'd... notice."
"i've got a good nose, y'know," he explains as an answer. a second passes before he adds, "works better than most."
you've since learned that a rather large portion of his personality consists of bragging and speaking highly of himself even when there's really no need for it. and that's fine to some degree, but this statement feels different. he says it like it's a fact, unlike the usual boast.
"is that so?" you ask with just the slightest hint of playfulness. even you are surprised that you've allowed yourself the pleasure of a merry little lilt to accommodate your voice.
"yes," he says simply, reclining further against the tub. you try to ignore the way his sigh sends a shiver tumbling down your spine when it brushes over your naked skin. especially when he reaches out to trace and smooth down the goosebumps that have now formed on your stomach; just underneath the fat of your breast.
"mm," turning your head away from him, you mumble a meek, "prove it, then."
that makes him smile, but you can't see it. one corner of his mouth kicks up as he says, "the oil you rub into your skin every morning before you start your day smells like roses. i usually catch it right-" his voice drops a tone lower as his wet fingertips rise to press against your pulse point, "here."
you feel like a lamb caught in the hands of a lion whenever his touch lands anywhere on your body. it makes warmth bubble inside your belly, making you feel like you've just finished eating a rather large bowl of piping hot stew. and sure, you've experienced this exact same sensation from your own hand once or twice before being wed, but lately it's been showing up far more often. especially when he's around.
you're not entirely sure if it's the heat or the realization that makes your words come off wobbly as you mumble, "lucky guess."
and mother above, he laughs at how you behave, now. laughs! quiet and deep, the rumbling in his chest sounds like phantom thunder. "i didn't guess."
"of course you didn't." your teeth sink into your bottom lip as you look around the room. "what about that bar of soap over there? what does it smell like?"
"sage."
he's right, you've picked that exact one. "and the herbs i'm using to scent the room?"
"lavender."
"wow." water splashes, threatening to spill over the edge of the tub again as he readjusts into a more comfortable position. "your answers sound so suspiciously certain that some could call you a fraud or even a liar perhaps instead of a general."
"i can't afford to be uncertain," he says after a moment of brief silence. you can feel him grow stiff behind you whilst his fingers idly stroke the curve of your hip. "it could get me killed."
that makes you turn again. makes you look at him properly this time around.
his eyes are brown. pretty, yes, but plain. however, they are also so dark that they reflect the orange glow of the candles you've spent an eternity lighting earlier. the little flames dance whenever the melting wax disturbs them, and it's like his very irises are set ablaze each time.
surprisingly, his gaze kindles something within you, too.
"try not to die anytime soon, will you...?" eye contact doesn't seem to bother him, because he's persistent at holding it even as you add, "our union isn't even a fortnight old yet, and i've only just taken some form of liking towards you... it'd be a shame if it all went to waste."
he grins at your tease - short and quick - because it means you're finally growing comfortable in his intimidating presence, but doesn't say anything as you pick up the bar of soap and begin to rub the sage-scented suds into his tan skin. just watches.
pleasant silence settles between you as you wash him. it's intimate and sweet, not necessarily romantic but definitely an improvement when compared to your wedding night. you run your hands along the stiff cords in his neck, the broad arch of his shoulders, the rippling muscle on his arms, the chest that protects a wild-beating heart, as well as every scar in-between that serves as a reminder of his bravery and bloodshed.
the water is already half-cold by the time you release the bar and he breaks the quiet to ask, "can i tell you something?"
you're practically clinging onto him on instinct, facing him, while your hands are pressed against his chest and leeching off his body heat. the way his blood runs hot no matter the season will surely prove satisfactory by the time first snow falls and your new home gets unbearably cold. "of course."
"well, how should i put it... the truth is that i-... mm." he swallows, and you fail to hide your fascination whilst watching the way his adam's apple turns prominent and bobs inside his throat. it's amazing how different he is from you. you could study him for ages.
long seconds pass as he struggles to find the right words and you force yourself to pay attention.
"what is it that you want to say?"
he's quiet, brow still furrowed. and then: "...i'm not that keen on roses to be honest."
you blink, slowly. is he really trying to say what you think he is? "pardon?"
"i said i'm not that keen on roses... i- uh, i know you use oil instead of perfume, but... fuck," he mumbles, shaking his head. "m'sorry."
your heart flutters at the crude apology. there are butterflies in your belly. "what on earth are you sorry for?"
"i understand that you're fond of them," he starts warily, "and believe me when i say i don't want to take away even more things that you're fond of, but the scent... it really makes my head hurt."
you stare at him, wide eyed and surprised. you know that he could just take away the bottle and prohibit you from using it again, and perhaps that is what he would have done before you had managed to crawl underneath his skin with your doe eyes, never-ending kindness and graceful mannerism, but something about him asking silently; giving you a choice to do something about it instead of picking it for you, makes your heart begin to beat faster and faster. all until your pulse is practically rattling behind your teeth.
he's actually willing to give you a chance.
"then i won't use the oil anymore," you say after another breath of silence. your voice is definite; like that of a proper ruler instead of a war general's wife. because the decision is yours. only yours.
he nods, his shoulders sagging as if in relief before he wraps his arms around your smaller frame and pulls you closer. both of your bodies are slippery because of the soap, and he doesn't miss the way it makes your skin glisten, the way it makes your tits look absolutely divine even as they press against his chest.
he doesn't say thank you, but he doesn't need to. instead, his voice is a mere murmur against your ear as he cups your cheek with one callused hand and whispers, "i wish to bed you now."
you look up, heat crawling up your neck as fast as ever at the lewd request that he leaves hanging in the small space of air that is between you. but what really makes you burn, what makes your insides clench and your toes curl right there in the water, is when he adds,
"would that be all right?"
constent.
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I have an idea for a sort of silly light novel writing project I'll probably never actually write but is fun to just think about
But like. Cultivator set up, wuxia world w a slight blending of different cultivation genres, a guy wakes up in a forest with amnesia. (Wow classic I know)
So the first few chapters he's hearing about all these big famous people who have gone missing over the years, right? And he (along with probably the reader) is like, "Heh. That could be me,,," (smugly)
But the names keep piling on, and he comes to a realization: important and unimportant cultivators alike go missing and lose their memories or whatever else at an alarming rate. He is not special. (Coughs up blood)
He probably runs into other amnesiacs more than once, and I'd have a running theme of like, he keeps bumping into main character coded characters just left and right. There's so much happening in this world, so many stories being told, he's really not special. But also he is bc hes our main character
But just like silly mostly self contained stories told from this guy just wandering around this absoloute cluster fuck of a world, often running head first into really interesting stories that are clearly like in the middle of a 5 arc novel their own
It'd probably gain a real central narrative along the way like all things inevitably do (the mystery of how he lost his memories and the fall out of what happens when he learns the truth) but for now I have fun just thinking ab his dumb adventures
As for the character himself, hes is like, obnoxiously laid back. SUPER chill, takes everything with a sigh and a smile, very lazy, takes a lot of shortcuts and goes "Ah but that's fine, right?" As everything explodes around him. If he's alive, then all is well in the world 👍
He'd cause so many problems just because and also probably have absolutely shit luck that gets him into even more problems (my favorite genre of character)
I also have like. A slowly but surley growing list of characters he'd run into like uhh [checks notes] evil lesbian mirror demon and the very angry woman she trapped in a mirror and stole the face and life of (the demon hate sex goes crazy).
And also ofc, "person trapped in a cycle of reincarnation with a curse that no matter how hard they try to be good, they will inevitably cause some great destruction or evil or plague of some kind." And just them very very desperately trying to be good even though they know it's futile
Yay!! Fun stuff
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