#Ruby Assignment Help

[kiss-me-muchoo]

𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 || 𝐇𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐖𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

part one: here // part two: kiss away

summary_ amidst studying in Korea and having an ordinary life, you fall in love with a wealthy man, but turns out he had too many secrets, for example, being married.

warnings_ age gap (not specified but reader is in uni), implied sex, cheating, fluff, angst, jeong-won is still tormented but it’s truly happy with reader, reader wants to be a teacher and is implied to be American, NO PROOFREAD YET

notes_ pls listen to angel of satisfaction is such a banger 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋♬⋆. Using the salesman tag bc we need to avoid the flop okay?

♫ ♪ the worst playlist 4 gong yoo

✰ Index (+ fics here)

୨ৎ───୨ৎ───୨ৎ———୨ৎ───୨ৎ

In his arms, you felt safe.

With his kisses, you felt cherished.

The man who urgently smashed his lips with yours in the middle of the dance floor while music blasted from the speakers was the love of your life.

He couldn’t resist the temptation. Couldn’t miss the chance and needed to let you know he always loved you. That everything was true.

“Please, believe me…” he pleaded.

“Fuck you, Jeong-Won”

Frivolously, you leave the taste of poison on his lips. His hand tried to grab yours, but you slipped, leaving him.

Like you had already done before.

But it didn’t make it easier, because tears started falling down the first step out of the club.

And in the middle of the cold night, you slip into your coat and start a quiet walk towards home.

You wished you knew he was mourning a life he had before you.

…

[eight months ago]

Leaving your comfort zone was something you hated. But as soon as you grasped the change, you easily adapted to it.

For a couple of months, surviving all alone in South Korea seemed like it would never cease to feel like a struggle. But you were patient enough to make friends, move out of the dorms of university, and find a home in the wealthy godmother of yours who let you stay at an apartment she had.

Her kindness was so big that she even arranged a full remodeling project that lasted months.

And it was one of those weekends when you finished early your assignments and essays that a plan popped out. Working as a counselor assistant did little to support you financially but the aid from your home government was a good complement. Hence why you couldn’t refuse a night out with your friends; Jade, Ruby, and Seoun-mi.

“Can you pass me the highlighter?” Asks your blonde friend Ruby. It was Seoun-mi who passed her the shiny compact while rolling her eyes. “You already used it, Ruby”

“It’s not enough” You start laughing and Jade joins you.

“Don’t you girls think my dress is a little too much?” You ask pointing at the bright orange dress with scattered sequins hanging from your door. “Do you want to meet guys?”

“God no” you reply to Jade, shaking your head.

“Then wear black tights and some fitted boots” Ruby suggests, which comforts you enough to agree.

“The club we’re going to is not popular with foreigners or students. Boys won’t hit on us” Seoun-mi states, putting on her kneels.

“Good” you affirm. “I’m not in the mood for men”

…

Even with the lights out and neon flashes flying all over the place, your orange dress was making a statement. But in the company of your friends, you weren’t paying attention. A Nelly Furtado song from the 2000s was playing when Ruby complained she wanted some vodka. It was you who offered to ask for it.

And it was then when Han Jeong-Won was coming out of the restroom after smoking a cigarette. He had been deep into shit in that same place months ago, barely conscious and fighting a man. But now, he was at the club, along with the mere purpose of disconnecting from his life for a little while.

The crowd only swayed along to the music, Jeong-Won seated at the bar, but he couldn’t help but notice you were the only person actually dancing, it made him stare longer. Until he caught himself eyeing you up and down.

Definitely foreigner; lousy, careless but refined.

It was such a big coincidence that you walked towards him when the song was over. He heard you laughing at something your friends said in the distance. Fluid English coming out of your mouth.

“Hi! Any vodka or tequila?” You don’t look at the man beside you, his elbow almost touching your ribs. “Just vodka. Bottle or ?….”

“The bottle is fine” you confidently say, the bartender nods and disappears to get your wish.

“Fun Saturday?” The man beside you asked. You turned to eye him, surprised to hear his English was very good. And of course, his attractiveness didn’t pass unnoticed by you.

“I guess so…” you say nodding. “Hey, your English is really good”

“It was a requirement in university” his voice was deep, and even in the middle of the chaos of the club, you could hear him perfectly well. “I wasn’t very good at the beginning”

“Oh, so are you done with your career?” He nodded, drinking from his glass, which seemed to be something like a mojito. “Music engineer”

“You produce? Show me something you’ve done, I love music. There is no day without me playing music…” he chuckles and you realize you were flirting, almost making you freeze. “I do produce actually. But what about you?”

“I’m trying to get into the educational department. I really like to write. So University counselor or professor will be fine…” he nods, hiding his surprise and awe.

“That’s really nice…” his fingers twirl around the straw of his drink, a little smirk in the corner of his lips. “Maybe you can show me your writings one day…”

Your smile grows playful, accepting the fact that he is also flirting with you.

“Isn’t it that I’m a little too young for you?”

“We’re just talking”

“You’re right, my bad…” both of you laugh.

The bartender ruined the moment, he handed you the bottle and you handed back a bill. You offer the mystery man a last glance before turning to leave.

“Hey!” You turn to see him. “I didn’t get your name or anything…”

“If it’s meant to be, we’ll meet again!” you say smiling before disappearing into the crowd of people dancing.

Jeong-won remained there seated, smiling as he finished his drink. And at that moment he realized how much he had smiled in the short span of less than ten minutes.

…

The sound of your stomach growling made your steps hurry up, almost jogging down the street. You arrived at a burger shop, eager to order.

“Just no cheese and no onion please” the girl nods, handing you your receipt and your cup. “Thanks”

As your order awaits, you pick diet cherry vanilla coke from the soda fountain. You hear your number and after grabbing your bag, you are ready to eat outside because the weather is nice. Your receipt falls and when you’re about to pick it up, a big hand does it for you.

It’s him.

“So it was meant to be?….” He asks as soon as he notices it’s you as well. You smile briefly, before feeling your cheeks are heating up. “Apparently…”

He was wearing a sweatshirt and some jacket, jeans, and random sneakers. He was very handsome. With the help of the daylight, you can see he’s older than you. But he’s still gorgeous.

“Where are your friends?” You roll your eyes playfully. “They have classes today”

“And you don’t?” He had also picked up his order and looked tired. “No, I always avoid classes on Fridays or the weekends”

“Ah, smart girl” he sounds so perfect, too nice and calm.

“So, any plans? Or you wanted to eat alone?”

“Well, I planned to eat outside and then take the sub to a mall. I need some new clothes…” Still holding his bag or food, he nodded.

“I’ll propose you something…”

“Uh huh?” He nods again, chuckling.

“You eat with me inside and I take you to the mall” Finally your cheeks heat up completely and he notices.

“Dude, I don’t even know your name” both of you start laughing.

“Han Jeong-Won”

“I’m y/n”

Both of you smile and then you offer your hand for him to shake. Which he considers so occidental, but agrees to do so.

And once again, he noticed how much he was smiling and forgetting about some details of his life.

…

An hour and a half later, you know more about his job, but mostly he asked about you, which made you feel like he wasn’t trying to show off. Or he could be hiding something but he was very chill and kind. After finishing your food, both of you walk outside.

“Oh, you have to be fucking kidding me,” you say chuckling, abruptly stopping at the parking lot.

Jeong-won owned a grey Hennessey Venom F5 and was proudly standing beside the driver’s door.

“This is too much for me” he starts laughing.

“Stop trying to sound humble”

“But I am!” You reply also laughing. “I like some expensive stuff but mostly I find this very ostentatious”

“But it’s pretty, isn’t it?” his smirk makes you roll your eyes and look away, smiling.

“Oh, sure it is…” he walks over and opens the passenger seat for you, gentlemanly inviting you to sit.

“Only pretty girls get to sit here”

“That’s so tacky” Both of you start laughing again. But you finally take a seat and he closes the door.

All the way to the mall he showed you some of the music he produced. Jeong-Won was a serious man, but in the 24 hours you had met him, he was always able to offer you a smile or laugh. His phone continuously rang and you urged him to answer but he said it wasn’t important.

If only you had been able to see the screen…

…

Jeong-won followed you through the candle store, pretending to be attracted to some of the bright bottles with wax and odors but the truth was that he only wanted to listen to you.

“And I don’t like fish. Ahi tuna is fine but it’s mostly raw so…”

“You prefer meat?”

“If it was on me, I would gladly eat purely tofu. But I really like burgers and steaks” you admit giggling.

Your heart continuously beating made you accept you really liked the man beside you. He had made you feel so comfortable and welcome since you met him.

“Oh, I can cook you a steak with vegetables, it’s one of the few dishes I enjoy doing myself” Your cheeks blushed again at his statement. Was he inviting you to meet again?

“But you said you don’t eat at home” you object, deciding on a cardamom candle and going straight to pay.

“I can make exceptions” Once again you meet his smile and it makes you feel delusional. The intrusive thought of anticipating him as the one merging.

“And I will make tofu appetizers” It was on purpose your mocking tone. Just in case Jeong-won never meant to invite you on a date.

“Next Friday. My place. Casual dinner…” he offers, leaning on the counter as you pay your candle. “What do you say?”

“Alright,” his proud smile makes you roll your eyes at him before grabbing your bags and exiting the store.

You think it’s time to tell your friends about him.

…

“NO WAY! The hot dude we saw you talking to at the club?” Jade screams through the video call. You start laughing and nodding.

Everyone one of your friends is shocked.

“We met at the burger shop and then he took me to the mall and there he literally went shopping with me and at the end invited me to have dinner at his place next Friday” Everyone starts yelling and cheering, making it harder for you to believe that you pulled up a hot man like Han Jeong-won.

“Baby, we’re coming tomorrow and we won’t leave until you have an appointment made for your hair and a waxing,” Ruby tells you and it makes you burst laughing.

“Actually that would be nice. And please stay over, you can practically move in with me if you want”

“We can’t move in when you’re one step away from getting a boyfriend, unnie” says Seoun-mi, which makes everyone burst laughing again.

…

The house was ridiculously clean and big. Jeong-won kept his promise and cooked a steak with vegetables. Your tofu was also gone, he let you pick a glass of wine from the floor below and there he kissed you.

“Isn’t it that I’m a little too young for you?” You repeated what you said the night you met him at the club, Jeong-won chuckled, still holding your waist. “You are, but… I feel very comfortable when I’m with you”

You smile, feeling your heart flutter in love. He was so adorable and sweet, only a gentleman to you since you met him.

“I feel the same way about you” In the dark wine cellar of the house, you barely can see the features of Jeong-won, his hair looks even darker than it is and he had to slightly bend over to face you.

Which led to having a dinner full of teasing, leading to you kissing him in his lap upstairs with the TV on in the background.

“We can stop if you want…” he whispers in your mouth. But it’s too fucking late.

You can feel how hard he is, you can feel your panties are growing wet.

“It’s okay, I want you…” He throws his head back when you grind against him. And it’s oddly beautiful how you’d never considered a man so pretty like him.

“Keep moving like that…” he says barely able to talk properly. That makes you feel confident and sexy.

“Fuck, you’re so pretty, darling…” you moan on his lips, knowing it’s over once he takes out his cock and puts aside your panties.

“Jeong-won!” you moan his name, repeating it like a mantra over and over again.

You can’t believe how good things are going. So good that you are blinded enough to miss the red flags.

…

Four months together. He didn’t know how it happened. Six months ago he married Noh In-ji just to please his ex-wife. His cheating was not in the plans. You weren’t meant to appear in his life.

Jeong-won never considered age gaps romantic. His parents had one and it didn’t go well, let alone the other problems he had to witness as a kid. In fact, he thought you were pretty but he was only being friendly when you ended up by his side that night at the club.

But he started to feel very comfortable as you talked to him. He didn’t feel the need to oppress his feelings as usual. He allowed himself to smile, laugh, and be talkative.

Jeong-won felt alive.

Whenever you were around he was able to forget about his ex-wife, the baby, his pain, and dealing with his difficult new wife.

Just when he was so close to falling for In-ji.

Your voice singing caught him in his inner thoughts and briefly eyed you taking pictures of the landscape as he drove through the empty highway.

Jeong-won returned his attention to the highly and smiled.

“You should autotune my voice, honey. I know I am no singer” you admit smirking at him before looking away.

“Actually you sound fine…” The small he offers you is sweet and makes you want to lean and kiss him deeply. But he’s driving you to a lake he loved to go to in his free time to fish and just pass the time.

“Bullshit. But I’ll take the compliment” he chuckles, showing you his right dimple from the view of his profile. “Whatever. Tell me about the lake”

“I used to go there a lot since I was a teenager. Whenever things got rough at home, I went there to… forget about it” his uncomfortable tone made you seize your smile. He told you about his parents and his harsh infancy. You couldn’t blame him.

“It’s different now. I go there with my boss, who’s also my friend. And now I’m taking you there… only good times now. I promise”

He also took In-ji to the lake once. Jeong-won desperately pleaded for the right moment to tell you the truth. He had two months left of marriage. His ex-wife still haunted him a little but he was comfortable after pushing her away. There was a lunatic after In-ji but since she didn’t want him to be nosy about it, he found more than comfort in you.

“We’re here!” You squeal excitedly, making him smile at the sight.

Once he parks the car, you get out to appreciate the view. Jeong-won has been there so many times that the only beauty he sees is you.

In sneakers, jeans, sweater, coat, and camera in hand. You look so ordinary, yet so perfect to his eyes. You were the woman he really wanted to call his partner.

That didn’t mean Jeong-won didn’t feel so terrible for lying to you. For also lying to In-ji and getting away with it.

“JEONG-WON! HURRY UP, HONEY!” You yell, noticing he got lost in his head. You wonder what was he thinking. But you soon forget as he gives you one of his cutest smiles.

He starts literally jogging towards you, making you laugh, urging you to run so he can catch you.

The adrenaline flows when he starts running behind you. All you can feel is peace and joy. The man that catches you in his arms is your boyfriend.

“Got you, sweetheart,” he says in your ear, making you blush as he spins you to lean and kiss you.

His lips were soft despite his rough appearance. Jeong-won in general was so sweet, touch deprived and you were the one who broke those barriers.

He’s all you never knew you wanted and someone you weren’t waiting for…

“I love you” you admit confidently. He smirks, tilting his head.

“Me too” he admits to his own surprise.

He knows there’s no way back.

…

Periwinkle was one of your least favorite colors. But you loved how a dress of that color fitted you with grey tights and heels, a grey coat covering you as well as you entered the fancy restaurant. Jeong-won insisted that you two had to celebrate your achievement of passing every midterm of the semester.

“I’ll get the squash blossom soup” you order after your boyfriend and once the waitress leaves, it’s just you and him.

“You always look pretty, but I really think you look lovely tonight, darling…” Your face burns and you shyly smile, hiding your face behind your glass of wine.

“Ah ah, don’t hide from me! I’m being serious” he says chuckling, trying to move the glass away. “It doesn’t match the necklace, but it’s okay”

“I don’t care. I love the necklace and I’ll wear it every single day. Even if it doesn’t match…”

He gifted you a Tiffany gold necklace with a heart pendant. You were embarrassed but enamored by it. He shushed your attempts to politely reject the gift by burying his face between your legs. It left you with no choice but to place the necklace around your neck and admire it in a nearby mirror as you rode him at your apartment.

Luckily Seoun-mi made you an appointment at a public hospital to get your birth control.

When you least expect it, you already finishing your squash blossom soup. Jeong-won is nearly done with his plate and both of you are laughing because he almost spilled the wine.

The solid proof of Jeong-won feeling head over heels for you is evident when all he can focus on is your face.

Although there are no wrinkles in your face yet, some appear around your eyes as you keep laughing. He smiles, ignoring all of his surroundings, miserably ignoring the approaching figure coming to the table.

Everything is perfect until you spot a beige coat, your laughs suddenly stopping as you look up to encounter a woman.

Fear starts creeping up as you notice how Jeong-won also stops smiling, only to lock his eyes with the woman before she turns her head to scan you.

She’s young, maybe a little older than you, like your boyfriend. But she’s very pretty and elegant. But her cold demeanor makes you uncomfortable, the feeling doesn’t abandon you as she looks away from you.

“You didn’t tell me you were having dinner out, sweetheart” she speaks to him in Korean, offering a cold and feigned smile.

You are no fool, quickly thinking the worst. Hoping it’s a mistake.

“In-ji…” he reveals the woman’s name and sounds almost like he’s begging. But you don’t know what.

“I’m sorry, What is happening?” you dare to ask, making both of them turn to look at you.

“I’m Han Jeong-Won’s wife”

Color leaves your face, your stomach awkwardly churns and your hands start to shake, getting on your nerves.

How did Jeong-won hide it so well?

Why? Why? Why? Why?

“Earlier, your phone call accidentally linked to the car I borrowed” the woman reveals, but nobody says anything.

But you know it’s time to go…

Embarrassment floods you, making you a mess of yourself. Your cheeks burn so bad that your face looks red as a beet, you can feel your heart racing and your hands keep shaking as much as you try to calm yourself.

You stand up from the table, hurrying to grab your coat and purse.

“Please, y/n…” you hear Jeong-won calling you, but you don’t even look at him.

“The least you can do is pay for my dinner and beg on your knees for forgiveness to your wife…” you spit out, unable to look at any of them or the nosy people having dinner in the place.

The unwanted attention makes you sick. Only worsening the moment.

The couple stares at you, noticing that even when you were walking away, it was obvious that you started crying and you tried to wipe the tears away.

In-ji almost felt bad for you. Despite looking young and careless, you seemed mature enough. She expected to argue, but she ended up surprised to see you only left and eyed her with evident apologies.

“I deserve an explanation,” she says once you’re finally out of their sight.

“Yeah, you do…” Jeong-won admits, sighing after handing his card to pay the check.

He would pay for your dinner but he would not beg for forgiveness to his wife.

“Why did you do this?” In-ji asks as both leave the restaurant.

She’s certainly jealous but hides it so well. And more than that, she is curious.

“When I’m with her, I don’t feel tormented. I can be myself with no restrains…” he says, looking tired, beat down by the situation, but he briefly smiled at the tons of memories he had made with you.

“Did you ever feel that way with me?” Suddenly In-ji felt nervous, but she had to know.

“I did” After some silence, Jeong-won adds “I was so close to falling for you, but you proved to me we could never trust each other completely”

“That’s not true”

“She picked you well and was right. I will never match with you…”

That breaks her heart. Knowing damn well what he meant.

Her eyes get teary but feels confident to throw the next question.

“Do you love her, Jeong-won?”

“I love her”

She nods, watching him walk away towards his car.

The ex-wife, the wife, and the girlfriend…

Get a fucking grip, man. Get your shit together, Jeong-won thought.

A disastrous marriage, a fake one, and a healthy relationship.

From three totally different relationships, only one had made him feel safe and comfortable.

It was yours and his name that he wanted to see and hear together.

He was the perfect boyfriend but a shit of a person. And of course, you didn’t deserve that.

You deserved his pleas. And so you would get them.

୨ৎ───୨ৎ───୨ৎ———୨ৎ───୨ৎ

Part two or what?

taglist: @stargirl-mayaa @czarinera @dovediva @dreamersparacosm @girlythings111 @love2fangirl @migueloharassoulmate @fangirl4lifetime @wonallofme @otakusimp1

[windyremedy]

NOT JUST A FANGIRL

pairing: bakugou katsuki x reader

scenario: your roommates finding out the hero in your posters, the one you seemingly clearly idolized so much was actually your man.

life in college was pretty tame aside from the occasional meltdowns on assignments, late nights studies for tests, pressuring presentations, and more than strict professors. plus the existential dread in addition to whatever else it may be but really it all came down to just getting it done and coasting through the days just like everybody else.

though in your opinion everything would have been ten times harder without your surfeit amount of dynamight posters on the wall, hanging mini explosion keychains on your bag, and chibi magnets of your boyfriend wearing a rather evil grin stuck on the fridge.

you were glad your roomies didn’t mind your obsession being splattered all over the place but you just couldn’t help it. anytime you came across any kind of merch of his whether it be official or not anywhere online or in physical stores you just had to get your hands on them no matter what. one of your favorites was even a derpy looking grenade one that definitely did not come out right from the factory, yet you kept it because he was so cute. so so cute.

so, yeah to them it only looked like you were a fan, a massive one at that of the great explosion god murder dynamight and well it’s true so you didn’t bother correcting them. though you should’ve added that he was also your boyfriend.

just to y’know save them from the hospitalizating whiplash of seeing the six foot, top five hero, villain fearing, three time champion in a row bachelor of the year and probably even more to be listed, sitting at their sofa that definitely was too small for the hulking hero’s figure.

“who are you?” he gruffly asked barely glancing at the two as his arms layed lax behind the soft cushioned seats, feet kicked back as if he owned the place.

“we live here??” one of them hesitantly answered, both feeling kinda interrogated as if they were the one’s stepping out of line.

before anyone could get another word you graciously popped up from the unlocked door.

“oh you guys are here?” you asked in surprise since they don’t usually end at this time.

but neither had answered you, too busy staring at something or rather someone. a blonde ruby eyed man named—

“kats!” you called out excitedly after seeing him rise up from his seat, still in his hero uniform.

“THAT���S KATS??!!” the stilled girl asked in shock as your other roomie physically left the earth as their ghost spiritually ascends to the heavens.

because damn all this time the “sweet” guy you’ve been yapping about was the infamous dynamight. the pro hero known for having an explosive attitude towards the paparazzi and actually quite literally everyone. they never realized that the guy you were always in a call with at some point in the day without fail was him of all people.

“he’s you’re boyfriend?!!!!” she queries in absolute confusion as you greeted bakugou who returns with his own bear hug.

“yeah!”

“you said he was cute!????”

“mhm!! isn’t he adorable?” you nodded with a smile.

she turned to check what you might be seeing, only to find him already staring at her in agitation like they were interrupting something precious and they should therefore cease to exist. in contrast to your beaming grin of unawareness.

“w-well we actually have to go somewhere.” she mumbled trying to reason a way out.

“what— but you just got here right? c’mon it’s perfect! you two can finally meet him.”

“no! no, it’s— the…uhhh our teacher just sent a message and she’s actually here today so we gotta head back!” she hurried nervously, viciously shaking her head and then spilling a bunch of other half baked excuses before dragging your other friend with her out as well since she was still passed out on the floor, quickly shutting the door with a slam.

“wow, she wasn’t even holding her phone. maybe she has two quirks right?” you joked as he leaned into your neck in agreement, letting out a satisfied hum from getting what he wanted.

however you thought he might’ve felt insulted so you reassured him patting his hair gently as the soft spikes puffed out from his gear.

“they really wanted to meet you though, promise.”

“s’ fine. only wanted you anyway.” he voiced, pushing his face deeper in your neck as you shyly leaned away slightly.

“that’s a bit…”

“don’t act all shy, I’ve been inside of you.”

“okay—“

©windyremedy

[lanadelspray02]

HOLD ME ANYWAY: CHAPTER 20

paige x azzi

Hey guys, I'm sorry it took me a while to get this out. I honestly had a hard week, and I have sort of been spiralling a bit :/ I don't really like talking about my mental health, but I do suffer from depression, and I'm in a funk I can't seem to get out of. So, I guess this is me trying to be brave and say that if you ever need to talk to someone, don't be afraid to reach out <3 i know how hard it can be to ask for help but maybe we can help each other out!

Now, on another happier note, enjoy this chapter. Sorry, it's not the best, but the next chapter will definitely be better! <3

crossposted ao3 here

masterlist here

wc: 9254

--------------------

Tuesday Afternoon

Azzi hadn’t expected the knock at the door.

She’d just finished rinsing lunch plates, sleeves still damp, her brain still cycling through the same quiet swirl of thoughts that had followed her around all morning. Ruby was in the living room, legs splayed on the rug, Sparklehorn tucked under one arm while she coloured with deep, determined scribbles.

Azzi turned off the faucet and wiped her hands on a dish towel. Another knock came, louder this time, followed by a familiar voice.

“It’s us! We come in peace! But with snacks!”

Azzi furrowed her brows and stepped to the door. When she opened it, she found Caroline and Ines standing on the front step like they’d just wandered out of a sitcom. Caroline was holding a bag of chips, Ines had a shoebox stuffed with markers and glue sticks, and both of them were smiling like this was the most normal thing in the world.

“Hi,” Caroline said. “We brought art therapy.”

“And sugar,” Ines added. “One for your heart, one for your bloodstream.”

Azzi blinked. “You guys didn’t have to—”

“Exactly why we did,” Caroline said, brushing past her and into the house like she’d lived there all her life. “We figured you might be having a rough week, so we’re here to play backup.”

Ines followed, giving Azzi’s shoulder a soft squeeze as she passed. “We missed you. And Ruby. And Sparklehorn. Mostly Sparklehorn.”

“I’m… fine,” Azzi said, shutting the door slowly behind them.

“You’re allowed to not be fine,” Caroline called over her shoulder. “But either way, you’re stuck with us now.”

They reached the living room just as Ruby looked up from her spot on the floor.

She gasped like she was seeing celebrities. “Ines! Caroline!”

Ines dropped to her knees and held out her arms. “There’s our girl!”

Ruby sprinted across the rug and launched herself into a hug. “You came to my house!”

“We brought royal supplies,” Caroline said, kneeling down and flipping open the art box. “Paint pens. Glitter glue. Foam stickers shaped like cupcakes.”

Ruby’s eyes went wide. “This is the best day ever.”

Azzi lingered at the edge of the room, watching as Ruby immediately took charge. Within thirty seconds, she had Ines sorting markers by color, Caroline unrolling sheets of butcher paper, and Sparklehorn seated regally atop a folded towel throne.

“This one’s the dragon,” Ruby explained, holding up a picture with swirls of fire. “And this one’s Team Sparklehorn. It’s Mama and Paigey and me. And Sparklehorn’s our captain.”

“Obviously,” Ines said, very seriously.

“I want to draw a castle,” Ruby announced. “But you have to help me.”

“Absolutely,” Caroline said, already grabbing crayons.

As Ruby handed out assignments, she paused mid-command and looked between them thoughtfully. “Hey. What do I call you?”

Caroline blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Like… I call Paige “Paigey”, and Mama is Mama. But what do you want to be?”

Ines smiled gently. “What do you want to call us?”

Ruby thought for a second, tapping her chin with a glitter pen. “Can I call you Aunty Ines?”

Ines lit up. “I would love that.”

“And Aunty Caroline?” Ruby asked shyly, turning to her.

Caroline’s voice softened. “That might be the best title I’ve ever gotten.”

Ruby beamed, clearly pleased with herself, and leaned back into Ines’s side. “Okay. Aunty Ines and Aunty Caroline. You’re on my team now.”

Caroline bumped her shoulder gently. “We’ve always been on your team, squirt.”

“Team Sparklehorn forever,” Ruby declared, raising a marker like a sword.

Azzi sat on the couch, arms crossed over her stomach, trying not to smile too much. But she couldn’t help it. Watching them, Ruby so at ease, Caroline and Ines folding into her world like they’d always belonged—it filled some aching part of her chest that had been too tight for days.

At one point, Ruby crawled over and leaned back against her legs. “Mama, look! Aunty Ines is making Sparklehorn a crown!”

“I see that,” Azzi murmured, gently brushing a hand through her curls. “It looks perfect.”

“And Aunty Caroline is doing her makeup.”

Caroline held up a glitter sticker and stuck it to Sparklehorn’s cheek. “It’s a bold but classy look.”

Ruby giggled and twisted around so she was sitting between Azzi’s knees. “You can colour too, Mama.”

Azzi looked down at her, then at the pile of markers, then at Caroline’s glittered nose, and finally—finally—let out a quiet laugh.

“Alright. What’s my assignment?”

Ruby handed her a sheet of paper. “Draw the heart castle.”

Azzi took the paper and settled back. “Got it.”

And as the living room buzzed with colouring and tiny voices and bits of chaos, something in her chest unknotted. Just a little. Just enough.

She wasn't alone.

--------------------

The front door creaked open just after three.

Paige stepped inside quietly, easing the door shut behind her as she shrugged her backpack off one shoulder. She looked tired in the effortless, end-of-day kind of way — her UConn hoodie rumpled, sweatpants loose at the waist, hair twisted up in a messy knot like she’d barely managed it between class and the drive over.

She was still adjusting to the sudden shift in temperature when she heard it — the thundering of small feet, the sharp patter of excitement racing down the hallway.

“Paigey!”

A blur of rainbow leggings and wild curls launched itself across the living room. Ruby hit full speed as she rounded the corner, Sparklehorn bouncing against her side with each stride.

Paige dropped her bag without hesitation and opened her arms just in time to catch her. Ruby flung herself into the embrace, and Paige lifted her easily, laughing as she spun them both around once, then again, until Ruby squealed. Sparklehorn nearly slipped from her grasp mid-spin, but Ruby clung tighter, breathless and glowing.

“There’s my girl,” Paige said warmly, adjusting her hold and nuzzling her cheek. “Were you painting the whole house again, or just this room?”

“No,” Ruby giggled breathlessly. “We’re saving the rainbow castle. Aunty Ines is helping me make sparkle bombs.”

“Obviously,” Paige murmured with a grin, eyes drifting across the room as she shifted Ruby in her arms.

And then she saw her.

Azzi was sitting on the couch, one leg tucked beneath her, posture relaxed but gaze alert and the moment their eyes met, Paige forgot everything else.

She forgot about the art supplies on the floor, the marker-streaked coffee table, even Ruby still chattering in her arms. Her entire body stilled, drawn magnetically to the warmth blooming in Azzi’s face — the soft, caught smile, the subtle reach of her fingers toward the sleeve of her sweater like she always did when Paige looked at her too long.

Caroline glanced up from where she was laying out construction paper on the rug. She followed Paige’s gaze, then bumped her knee gently into Ines. “There it is,” she murmured under her breath.

Ines smirked. “They don’t even know we’re here anymore.”

Ruby tilted her head, eyes flicking between Paige and the couch. “Paigey, are you frozen?”

Paige blinked and smiled again, pulling herself back to the room. “Nope. Just... absorbing the scene.”

She set Ruby down gently, smoothing her hair and brushing a little glitter off her cheek. “Looks like y’all started without me.”

“Art waits for no one,” Caroline said sweetly, her nose dotted with a smear of silver paint. “We’ve turned your girlfriend's living room into a national monument.”

“We’re making Sparklehorn a wedding dress,” Ines added, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “There’s a lot of tulle involved.”

Ruby darted back to the floor, immediately climbing into Ines’s lap like she belonged there. “She’s marrying Kelvin. He’s a dragon with a secret lab.”

Paige raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like high-stakes.”

Still smiling, she crossed the room toward Azzi without breaking stride. She sat down beside her on the couch and leaned in without preamble, brushing a kiss to her lips — soft, casual, lingering just long enough to draw a quiet hitch of breath from Azzi’s chest.

Azzi blinked up at her, dazed but smiling. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Paige whispered back. Her hand found Azzi’s knee, thumb brushing absent circles over the fabric of her jeans. “You good?”

Azzi nodded. “They just showed up.”

“I love them for that,” Paige murmured, glancing toward the art chaos on the floor.

Azzi let out a small breath. “I kinda do too.”

They sat like that for a moment — close, steady, with the kind of quiet that didn’t need filling. Paige tilted her body slightly so her shoulder touched Azzi’s, letting herself settle into the warmth of her without pulling focus from the rest of the room.

Across the living room, Caroline pretended to cough. “We can leave if you need the couch.”

Ines didn’t look up from her glitter scissors. “Yeah, we’ve got a backyard full of chalk and zero supervision.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, biting back a laugh. “We’re fine right here.”

Paige didn’t even blink. “Public space,” she called over. “Completely neutral territory.”

“Neutral,” Ines repeated, amused. “Sure. Except for the way you were looking at her like she’s the sun.”

Paige shrugged. “She is.”

Azzi’s cheeks flushed a deeper pink, and she ducked her head slightly but she didn’t pull away. If anything, she leaned closer. Paige took that as her win.

They sat like that for another few seconds before Ruby piped up again from the floor.

“Okay! Now we need flower petals for the aisle, and Sparklehorn says the dress has to have diamonds!”

“Coming right up,” Ines said, handing her a sheet of glitter stickers.

As Ruby resumed her royal planning, the room filled with movement and colour again, but Paige and Azzi stayed quietly nestled on the couch, just out of reach but entirely present.

No one said it, but everyone felt it: the ease was back.

--------------------

By the time Ruby declared that Sparklehorn’s wedding crown was complete, there were five different kinds of glitter embedded into the living room carpet. The coffee table was buried in markers, glue sticks, and paper scraps. The couch pillows had been rearranged into a “royal observation tower,” and someone, probably Caroline, had stuck two rhinestones to Sparklehorn’s horn like earrings.

Caroline stood, stretching her arms overhead. “Alright, tiny queen. I think Sparklehorn’s ready for her bachelorette weekend.”

Ruby giggled, adjusting the purple scarf tied around Sparklehorn’s neck. “She says thank you for your service.”

“You’re welcome,” Ines replied, giving a dramatic little bow before gently nudging Ruby’s elbow. “You wanna show us your chalk dragon out back before it gets dark?”

Ruby gasped, suddenly remembering the half-finished mural she’d started earlier that morning. “Yes! I need to finish the wings!”

She turned toward the couch, Sparklehorn tucked under her arm like a purse. “Mama, Paigey, we’ll be outside, ‘kay?”

Azzi nodded, brushing a curl back from her face. “Just stay where we can see you from the window.”

Caroline tossed her hoodie on and reached for the back door. “We’ve got her. Come on, Sparklehorn security detail.”

The three of them stepped out into the backyard, their laughter following them through the screen door. Paige watched until it latched behind them, then turned her gaze back to the room. The moment felt quiet now, a different kind of stillness, not heavy like the silence from earlier in the week, but soft. Safe.

She rose from the couch and offered her hand. “Come on. Let’s clean up the glitter apocalypse.”

Azzi groaned quietly but took it. “You know Sparklehorn’s probably shedding rhinestones into the furniture now.”

“I’m choosing not to think about it.”

They started on the living room together, moving around each other with a kind of ease that didn’t need direction. Paige collected crumpled drawings and scraps of gluey paper from under the table while Azzi uncapped markers and dropped them into a lopsided mason jar. Every so often their hands would brush — brief, quiet touches that lingered longer than they needed to.

Azzi knelt to pick a foam star out of the rug, her fingers brushing glitter off the hem of her jeans. “They’ve been good for her,” she said quietly, eyes focused on the floor. “Caroline and Ines. It’s like… she doesn’t even hesitate around them.”

“She trusts them,” Paige said softly, moving behind her to fluff the displaced couch pillows. “And they clearly adore her.”

Azzi paused. “It’s just… I didn’t expect it to feel so normal. For her to feel this safe with people I’ve barely let into our world.”

Paige glanced over at her, watching the tension in her shoulders shift. “You let the right people in, Az. She’s a great judge of character. Just like her mama.”

Azzi looked up at her then, something flickering in her expression, somewhere between surprise and softness. Paige held her gaze for a moment before turning back toward the mess. She grabbed Sparklehorn’s pink plastic tiara from the armrest and placed it on the windowsill gently, like it was made of glass.

“Hey,” she said, voice low but steady. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Azzi looked up again, standing now with a handful of colouring pages stacked under one arm. “What’s up?”

Paige hesitated, chewing lightly on the inside of her cheek. “This weekend. It’s a long weekend, right? No practice, no classes, no games.”

Azzi nodded slowly. “Yeah…”

“Well,” Paige began, moving a little closer. “I was thinking. What if we got out of here for a few days? Just… took a break. Somewhere quieter.”

Azzi’s brows knit together, uncertain but listening. “Where would we even go?”

Paige didn’t look away. “Maryland. My dad's place. I already texted them, including Drew. They’d love to see me, and I told them I wanted them to meet you. Both of you.”

Azzi froze for a second. “You mean—me and Ruby?”

“Of course,” Paige said, her voice softening even more. “You’re my girls.”

Azzi looked down at the pages in her hands. One was a drawing of a purple castle with Sparklehorn standing on the roof. She set it aside slowly. “Are you sure? I mean… are they ready for that? For all of this?”

Paige took another step closer until she was right in front of her. “They’ve been asking about you for months. And I know it’s not the same as seeing someone online through FaceTime or hearing about them over the phone. But I want you to meet them because you matter. Both of you. You’re not a secret to me. You’re my life.”

Azzi blinked once, twice, the weight of those words landing somewhere deep in her chest. Her voice was quieter now, almost unsure. “You already booked the tickets, didn’t you?”

Paige smiled a little. “I did. I used miles. We’d fly out early Thursday, come back Monday. Just enough time to unplug. No headlines. No cameras. Just real air and space.”

Azzi took a slow breath. “Ruby’s never been on a plane before.”

“We’ll make it easy for her,” Paige said. “She’s been asking to see the sky clouds, remember? It’ll be an adventure. You, me, and Sparklehorn in a security line.”

Azzi laughed under her breath, the tension in her body finally beginning to ease. “You planned this whole thing.”

“I wanted to give you something to look forward to,” Paige said. “And honestly, I wanted an excuse to show you off.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but her smile curved quietly. “That’s gross.”

“You love it.”

“I really do.”

They stood there for a moment, close enough to touch but not quite, hearts thrumming in the space between them. Through the kitchen window, they could see Ruby twirling in a circle with Caroline, chalk dust puffing off her sleeves as Ines drew wings on the driveway.

Paige reached out and took Azzi’s hand again. “So… is that a yes?”

Azzi laced their fingers together and gave her a look that was all affection, all trust, all yes.

“Let’s go meet your family,” she said. “Me and my unicorn.”

Paige leaned in and kissed her again, a little deeper this time — not rushed, not dramatic. Just certain. Like she already knew they were headed exactly where they were supposed to be.

--------------------

By the time Paige and Azzi stepped out into the backyard, the sun was already dipping behind the trees, casting long golden beams across the grass. The air had cooled just enough to raise goosebumps, but the energy outside was warm, buzzing with leftover laughter and the scent of crushed sidewalk chalk.

Ruby knelt near the patio, face flushed and focused, scribbling furiously with a pink chalk nub clutched in her fist. Sparklehorn was perched in a lawn chair behind her, wrapped in a sparkly scarf and wearing a paper crown that had definitely been taped together with glitter glue.

Caroline stood off to the side with her hands on her hips, inspecting the scene like an art critic. Ines was crouched next to Ruby, her cheek smudged with a streak of blue chalk, nodding seriously as Ruby added one final swirl.

“Okay!” Ruby called, tossing the chalk into a bucket with dramatic flair. “Now you can come look! But don’t step on the wings!”

Paige and Azzi exchanged a look, half amusement, half bracing themselves, before carefully stepping onto the path.

Ruby pointed like a tour guide. “This is the rainbow wedding! See? That’s Sparklehorn. She’s the princess. And that’s Kelvin. He’s a flying dragon with science powers. And this is the sky bridge! It’s only for true love people.”

The mural stretched across nearly the whole patio, a wild explosion of color and shapes and sparkles. Sparklehorn was drawn with purple chalk and had three tiaras. Kelvin was blue with extra-long wings and little hearts coming out of his fire. There were stars and castles and a rainbow arching over the whole scene like a giant pastel dome.

Azzi leaned in to inspect one section. “Is this Caroline?”

Ruby nodded. “Yep. She got a cloud bouquet.”

“And what’s Ines doing?”

“She’s spinning me!” Ruby said, giggling. “We’re throwing flower petals and Sparklehorn’s flying down the aisle.”

Ines squinted. “Who’s that up there with the glasses and the big cape?”

“Oh, that’s Nika,” Ruby said seriously. “She’s the wedding lady. She’s gonna do the talking. Like, ‘Do you pick Sparklehorn to be your dragon forever?’”

Caroline tilted her head. “Why Nika?”

Ruby shrugged. “She’s bossy but nice. That’s how wedding ladies are.”

Azzi let out a quiet laugh and bent down to kiss Ruby’s temple. “She’ll love that.”

Paige crouched beside her, brushing chalk dust off Ruby’s sleeve. “What about us? We’re in the drawing too.”

Ruby looked between them, thoughtful. “Well… maybe you and Mama could get married too.”

The words came out so simple, so direct, that both Azzi and Paige froze.

Azzi blinked. “Wait, what?”

Ruby gave a dramatic shrug, as if this was obvious. “You’re already my team. You sleep in the same bed. You kiss. That’s what married people do.”

Paige coughed, clearly caught off guard. “Wow.”

Caroline turned away, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Ines covered her mouth, trying not to snort.

Ruby kept going, oblivious. “I could throw flowers for you too! And Mama could wear a twirly dress. And Paigey could wear pants. And Sparklehorn could bring the rings in a basket. She already practiced.”

Azzi crouched and gently pulled Ruby into her arms, holding her tight. “Baby, that’s really sweet.”

Ruby rested her cheek on Azzi’s shoulder. “I just want you to be together forever.”

Azzi’s eyes fluttered closed for a second, and Paige reached out, brushing her fingers along Azzi’s arm.

“We’re working on it,” Paige said softly.

“You should do it soon,” Ruby whispered. “I wanna wear sparkly shoes.”

They stayed like that for a while, the three of them in a small tangle of knees and chalky clothes, tucked under a fading sky. The mural sprawled around them, full of dragons and crowns and rainbows. Somewhere behind them, Caroline quietly snapped a photo before stepping back again to give them space.

And in the center of it all, Azzi held her daughter close and let herself believe, even just for tonight, that some fairytales could be built with glitter and sidewalk chalk and truth spoken by a nearly three-year-old girl who saw the world exactly as it could be.

—--------------------

Wednesday Afternoon

The hum of game day buzzed through the walls.

Sneakers squeaked across the polished court outside, music thudded faintly through the speakers, and bursts of crowd noise filtered down the tunnel in waves, rising and falling like a heartbeat. Inside the locker room, the energy was more focused. The air was thick with anticipation, the smell of muscle rub and fresh tape. Jerseys were being pulled on, laces tied, headphones adjusted.

Paige sat at her locker, taping her fingers methodically, earbuds in but music paused. She was already in game mode, half-tuned into the world, half zoned in on what was coming.

Across the room, Azzi sat quietly, tying her shoes with careful precision. Her movements were slow, almost hesitant. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and though she hadn’t said much since they’d walked in, Paige had clocked the shift in her energy almost immediately.

They both knew why.

Ruby wasn’t here.

The decision had been made the day before, after a quiet conversation with Coach and UConn PR. After Darshay’s unexpected reappearance, everyone agreed it was better... safer for Ruby to sit this one out. No headlines. No risks. Just one game watched from afar.

Still, it stung.

Azzi’s phone buzzed softly on the bench beside her. She glanced at it, and for the first time that hour, her face shifted into something lighter.

Incoming FaceTime: Katie (mum)

Azzi didn’t hesitate. She grabbed the phone, stepped just out of the way of the main lockers, and hit “accept.”

Ruby’s face filled the screen, upside down and way too close. Her curls were wild, cheeks flushed, Sparklehorn clutched tight in one arm. “Mamaaaa!”

Azzi’s whole face softened. “Hi, baby.”

Paige looked up across the room, smiling despite herself.

“Look!” Ruby yelled. The camera flipped around clumsily to show a blanket fort made out of two chairs and a tablecloth. “I made the game tunnel! Me and Sparklehorn are doing team huddles!”

Azzi laughed, adjusting the phone angle. “Wow. That’s some serious pregame prep.”

Ruby flipped the camera back to her face, tilting her head dramatically. “Are you nervous?”

“A little,” Azzi admitted.

“I’m not,” Ruby said with a serious nod. “I told Sparklehorn we’re gonna win by a gazillion. And I saved your lucky snack. The pink gummy.”

Azzi smiled, her heart aching in the way only Ruby could make it ache. “Thanks, baby. I miss you.”

“I miss you more,” Ruby whispered. “You need your kiss now?”

Azzi nodded. “Yeah. I really do.”

Ruby puckered her lips with full toddler dramatics, holding the kiss for three full seconds before declaring, “Double good luck! That means no airballs!”

Azzi laughed again, quietly this time. “Thank you, Coach Ruby. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mama,” Ruby said, yawning a little. “Tell Paigey she better dunk it.”

Paige called from across the room without looking up, “You got it, kiddo!”

Ruby squealed. “Go Huskies!”

Azzi ended the call gently, pressing the phone to her chest for a second before setting it down.

She stood still for a beat, shoulders rising and falling with a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. Paige walked over, silent until she was close enough to touch. She leaned back against the locker next to Azzi and bumped her shoulder softly.

“You okay?”

Azzi nodded, but her eyes were shiny. “I just… I hate that she’s not here. I know it’s the right call, I do. But this is the first time I’ve played since… all of it. And she’s not in the stands.”

Paige reached over and hooked her pinky with Azzi’s. “She’s in the tunnel, babe. She’s watching from her fort. Probably giving Sparklehorn play-by-plays.”

Azzi let out a shaky laugh. “She told me no airballs.”

“Well,” Paige said, giving her a crooked grin, “you better get it together then. That’s the boss talking.”

Azzi leaned against her a little, letting herself soak in the calm that always seemed to radiate from Paige on game days. Paige shifted closer, bumping her knee. “And hey. You still got your good luck kiss.”

“Yeah,” Azzi said softly. “But I could use another one.”

Paige tilted her head. “From me?”

“Obviously.”

Paige stepped in slowly, gaze flicking down to Azzi’s lips. “How hard do I need to kiss you for a triple-double?”

Azzi laughed through her nose, her smile finally breaking through. “Just kiss me, Bueckers.”

And so she did — quick and sweet, but enough to settle something low in Azzi’s chest. It was nothing flashy, just familiar. Certain. The kind of kiss you gave someone who made you feel like yourself again.

The locker room buzzed around them, but in that moment, everything narrowed down to this: the steady thrum of trust, the hum of energy between them, the echo of Ruby’s voice still warm in their ears.

Azzi pulled back, already feeling lighter, when Paige gave her a look, one of those crooked little smiles she wore when she was about to be annoying on purpose.

“What?” Azzi asked.

Paige tilted her head. “I’m just saying… you got your kiss.”

Azzi blinked. “Yeah?”

Paige leaned in a little, her voice low but playful. “So where’s mine?”

Azzi huffed out a laugh, but her face warmed. “You want me to kiss you for your good luck?”

Paige shrugged, all mock innocence. “Seems fair. I’ve got a stat sheet to fill too, baby.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, but she stepped forward anyway, gripping the collar of Paige’s warmup shirt and pulling her in just enough to press a kiss against her jaw. Soft, lingering, warm.

Paige didn’t even try to hide the grin that bloomed across her face.

“There,” Azzi said, tugging lightly at the hem of Paige’s shirt before stepping back. “Now we’re even.”

“Not even close,” Paige murmured, but her voice was all affection.

--------------------

The buzzer had barely sounded when Coach Geno motioned for Paige and Azzi to hang back near the end of the bench. The team huddled briefly on the court, cheers still ringing through the arena as the other players headed toward the tunnel, sweat-drenched and flying high off the win.

Geno stepped closer, lowering his voice beneath the noise.

“You two, skip media tonight.”

Azzi blinked. “What?”

He gave them both a look, firm but not unkind. “It’s handled. PR’s running point. They know Darshay’s name doesn’t come up. But I don’t want either of you sitting under lights answering questions that don’t matter right now. Go shower. Go pack. I’ll tell the reporters you had family business.”

Paige hesitated. “Are you sure?”

Geno nodded once. “This team’s got your back. I got your back.”

Azzi’s chest tightened as Paige reached out and briefly touched Geno’s arm in quiet thanks. Neither of them said much as they made their way through the tunnel, but the relief between them was obvious.

They left the arena without press interruptions, walking side by side under the purple-orange wash of twilight. Their bodies ached in the good way — muscles sore and buzzing from the game. Paige carried her duffel lazily over one shoulder, while Azzi tugged at the strap of her backpack with one hand, the other brushing the edge of Paige’s hoodie every now and then without even thinking about it.

“So,” Paige said casually, glancing sideways as they turned toward the dorms. “You packed already?”

“For Ruby? Yeah,” Azzi said, the mum-tone kicking in automatically. “Snacks, blanket, tablet, headphones, backup Sparklehorn, crayons, and the emergency glitter pouch. It’s all in her little carry-on.”

Paige smirked. “So she’s more ready than me.”

“She’s been ready since last night,” Azzi added with a fond smile. “She told me she’s gonna wear her unicorn hoodie through security so they know she’s magical.”

“She’s not wrong.”

They climbed the steps to Paige’s dorm in companionable silence. When they got inside, Paige dropped her bag on the floor and turned toward Azzi with that familiar glint in her eye.

“You know,” she said slowly, “we could get started on packing. Or…”

Azzi raised an eyebrow. “Or?”

Paige shrugged, voice lower now. “We could shower first. For, like, practical hygiene reasons.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And also,” Paige added as she stepped closer, resting her hands lightly on Azzi’s hips, “because you’re hot when you win and I’d like to be clean and naked next to you.”

Azzi groaned. “You’re the worst.”

“But so charming.”

Azzi shook her head, smiling despite herself, and nudged Paige toward the bathroom. “Start the water. I’m not showering in a freezing dorm stall.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The water was running within seconds, steam curling into the air and fogging the mirror. The tiny bathroom wasn’t luxurious by any means, but none of that mattered as Azzi peeled off her jersey and stepped in behind Paige. The stall was barely big enough for both of them, but they fit like muscle memory.

Azzi tilted her face into the spray and let the water run down her spine. Her breath softened, easing out of her chest like it had been waiting for hours. Paige stood behind her, fingertips gliding gently along Azzi’s waist as she leaned forward to press a kiss to the slope of her shoulder.

They didn’t say much.

There wasn’t a need.

Paige washed Azzi’s back carefully, running a soapy hand over each shoulder blade, down the ridges of her arms, the curve of her spine. Azzi let herself melt into the touch, eyes closed, breath syncing with Paige’s like they were tethered by the same current.

When Azzi finally turned to face her, the water streaked down both of their cheeks, their hair curling damp around flushed skin. Paige lifted her hand to cup Azzi’s jaw, brushing her thumb across her cheekbone.

“I’m proud of you,” Paige murmured. “For tonight. For everything.”

Azzi looked at her for a long moment, something quiet and open in her expression.

Then she kissed her.

It wasn’t a kiss that demanded anything — just a kiss that said thank you, that said I’m with you, that said I love this with you, and I love you in it.

They stepped out of the shower warm and clean, wrapped in towels and a kind of quiet that felt like safety. Paige pulled on a soft tank top and shorts while Azzi slipped into one of Paige’s oversized t-shirts and dried her curls as best she could with the little towel Paige handed her.

“Okay,” Paige said, moving back into the room, “let’s finish packing so we can get back to your place.”

Azzi nodded. “Yeah. Ruby’s probably already in pajamas waiting for us.”

Paige grinned. “Think she’ll sleep tonight or be too excited?”

Azzi gave her a look. “She packed Sparklehorn’s toothbrush. She’s gonna crash early from the stress.”

They both laughed softly and crouched down together by Paige’s suitcase. She already had most of her things laid out — clothes, shoes, chargers, travel snacks. Azzi helped with the last few pieces, folding a hoodie and zipping up the sides while Paige tucked her AirPods into the front pocket.

When they were done, Azzi leaned forward without a word and wrapped her arms around Paige’s waist, burying her face in her shoulder. Paige didn’t even flinch — just pulled her in tighter, her hand resting against the small of Azzi’s back.

“Thank you for doing this,” Azzi whispered, her voice barely audible. “For making it feel like… like we’re allowed to breathe again.”

Paige didn’t respond right away. She just turned and pressed her lips gently to Azzi’s temple, then down to the corner of her mouth. The kiss was slow, deliberate, tender in the kind of way that didn’t ask for anything back. Just love. Just care.

Azzi leaned into it, then kissed her again, one more, softer, this time with her hand cupping Paige’s jaw.

It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t even spoken.

But it was hers.

And it was enough.

Or, it could have been — until Paige’s fingers slid just slightly along the edge of Azzi’s thigh, her thumb tracing that soft skin above the hem of the borrowed t-shirt. Azzi’s breath hitched. She looked up at Paige, eyes darker now, lips parted slightly.

Paige leaned in again, this time slower, her lips brushing just below Azzi’s ear. “You keep looking at me like that and I’m not gonna make it to morning.”

Azzi smirked, fingers curling around the hem of Paige’s shirt, tugging her closer. “So don’t.”

Paige’s hands slid to her waist, and for a second it was all pressure — warm breath, damp skin, tension tugging at every seam between them. Azzi’s nails dragged lightly across Paige’s back, and Paige let out a low sound that definitely wasn’t PG.

But just as Azzi started to shift into her lap, Paige stopped. Just for a second.

She pressed her forehead to Azzi’s and groaned. “God, I want to. You have no idea.”

Azzi blinked, dazed and breathless. “So what’s stopping you?”

Paige let out a quiet, reluctant laugh. “She’s probably in her unicorn pajamas right now waiting for us to tuck her in. If we’re even ten minutes late, she’ll claim Sparklehorn got worried.”

Azzi exhaled, half a sigh, half a laugh and nodded. “Right. Ruby.”

Paige kissed her again, quick and lingering. “She comes first.”

Azzi softened. “Yeah. She does.”

But as Paige stood and reached for her bag, she threw one last glance over her shoulder, the kind that promised unfinished business.

“Just so you know,” she said, voice low, playful, and entirely serious, “when we get back from Maryland… I’m not letting you get away with teasing me like that again.”

Azzi smiled slowly, grabbing her bag and following her out the door. “Good.”

They left the dorm together, the air cooler now, their fingers brushing again like always. And somewhere across town, a little girl in sparkly pajamas was probably waiting with Sparklehorn tucked under her arm, wondering what kind of adventures the next morning would bring.

--------------------

The ride from campus to Azzi’s place was quiet and easy, the kind of quiet that didn’t need filling. Paige drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting loosely on Azzi’s thigh. The soft hum of the car and the rhythm of the tires against the road settled them into a familiar calm, even as the anticipation of the morning flight hung quietly between them.

By the time they pulled into the driveway, most of the neighbourhood was already dark. The porch light was on, a soft yellow glow against the steps. Through the front window, a flicker of the living room TV lit up the edges of the curtains. Inside, Ruby was already winding down with a blanket over her lap and Sparklehorn tucked tight against her chest, cartoon voices echoing faintly from the speakers.

Azzi unlocked the door quietly, peeking in first. Ruby’s head popped up the second she heard the latch click.

“Mama!” she whisper-yelled, dramatically flinging her blanket off as she ran full-speed to the door.

Azzi crouched to meet her, arms open.

“Hi, baby,” she whispered as Ruby launched into her arms.

Paige stepped inside just behind them, closing the door gently, and grinning at the sight. Ruby twisted in Azzi’s hold to reach toward Paige.

“Paigey! We won the game, right?”

Paige chuckled, already reaching for her. “Crushed it.”

Ruby stretched toward her, and Paige scooped her up in one smooth motion, spinning her gently until Ruby giggled and clung to her neck.

“I missed you,” Ruby said into her shoulder.

“We missed you too,” Paige murmured, holding her close, but her eyes were already fixed on Azzi. Soft. Warm. Stubbornly in love.

Ines and Caroline would’ve had a field day with it if they were here. Paige didn’t care.

Ruby babbled all the way back to the couch about Sparklehorn’s bedtime adventure and how she saved a fake worm from the laundry room. Azzi turned the TV off with a smile and promised to read her a book if she brushed her teeth for two minutes, which Ruby declared was “easy-peasy for a big girl almost three.”

Once she was back in pajamas and freshly scrubbed, they all headed to her room together. Paige settled Ruby into bed while Azzi tucked the unicorn beside her pillow, fluffing the sparkly mane as if Sparklehorn herself needed proper sleeping posture.

Paige sat down on the edge of the bed and smoothed a hand over Ruby’s hair. “You excited for tomorrow, baby?”

Ruby nodded so fast her curls bounced. “Mhm. Gonna go on the big airplane! Gonna fly with the clouds!”

Azzi leaned on the frame of the doorway, watching the two of them.

“And who are we going to see?” Paige asked, eyes twinkling.

“Drew!” Ruby squealed. “And your daddy! And Drew’s gonna teach me how to win at Fort-kite.”

“Fortnite,” Paige corrected gently, grinning.

“Yeah, that one,” Ruby said seriously. “He said I can build a sparkle house.”

Paige laughed and bent to kiss her forehead. “He’s gonna love that.”

Azzi came over and kissed the other side of Ruby’s head. “You’ve got your hoodie, your snacks, and your colouring stuff all packed. Ready for the adventure?”

Ruby nodded again, clutching Sparklehorn tight. “Can I sit by the window?”

“Of course, baby,” Azzi said. “Window seat is all yours.”

After hugs, kisses, and one final reminder from Ruby that Sparklehorn had “never been on a plane before,” the lights were dimmed and the door gently pulled shut.

Back in Azzi’s room, the quiet wrapped around them like a blanket. Her suitcase sat half-open at the foot of the bed, a few clothes already folded neatly inside, enough to show she’d prepped Ruby’s essentials in advance, down to a small pouch labelled snacks for ears with toddler-size gum and biscuits for the plane.

Paige took off her shoes and sat down on the carpet beside the suitcase. “Okay. Boss me around. What’s left?”

Azzi smiled and dropped to the floor behind her, then slid into Paige’s lap without hesitation. “You’re already doing it. Keep going.”

Paige blinked, amused. “You just gonna sit here and cuddle while I pack for you?”

“Yep.”

“And you call Ruby spoiled.”

Azzi hummed and curled her arms around Paige’s waist. “She learned from the best.”

Paige laughed under her breath but kept going, folding soft hoodies and rolled-up leggings, sliding in toiletries, and triple-checking that Azzi had remembered her ID. Every time she shifted forward to reach something, Azzi shifted with her — like they were tethered, like her weight on Paige’s lap made the space feel anchoured somehow.

“This is the best packing method,” Azzi murmured eventually, resting her chin on Paige’s shoulder.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“But you like it.”

Paige didn’t deny it. Instead, she leaned back just enough to kiss the corner of Azzi’s mouth. “You’re all set. Sparklehorn’s passport is in the side pocket.”

Azzi smiled sleepily. “Then we’re ready.”

The bags were zipped. The house was quiet. And Ruby — their fearless, glitter-crazed, magical daughter — was fast asleep down the hall, dreaming of sparkle houses and high-altitude unicorn adventures.

Paige wrapped her arms around Azzi’s waist and gave her a gentle squeeze. “We’ll be okay,” she said softly. “Tomorrow, and after that. You know that, right?”

Azzi nodded without hesitation. “Yeah. I do.”

--------------------

The alarm went off at 5:15 a.m., chirping softly from Paige’s phone on the nightstand. It was still dark outside, the kind of thick, early quiet that made the world feel like it hadn’t quite woken up yet. A chill settled low in the room, the kind that made slipping out from under the covers feel like a betrayal.

Paige didn’t move.

Azzi was already up — technically — sitting propped against the headboard with her hair tucked in a loose braid, scrolling through her checklist one last time. But Paige stayed curled at her side, arm draped across Azzi’s stomach, face tucked somewhere against her ribs like a human blanket with a grudge.

“Baby,” Azzi whispered, brushing the backs of her fingers across Paige’s cheek.

“No,” came the muffled reply.

Azzi laughed softly, shifting so she could run her fingers gently through Paige’s hair. “We have a flight to catch. Ruby’s already up.”

Paige burrowed deeper into her side. “She’s three. She’ll forget.”

“She’s not even three yet, and she already reminded me that Sparklehorn packed first,” Azzi said gently. “C’mon, sleepy. You gotta get up.”

Paige groaned. “You’re warm. I’m staying right here.”

Azzi leaned down and kissed the top of her head, then her temple, then just below her jaw. “I’ll warm you up again later,” she promised, voice soft. “But right now we need to go play airplane with the sparkle queen.”

That earned a reluctant laugh. Paige opened one eye, gaze a little blurry but adoring. “Why are you so good to me?”

Azzi kissed her again. “Because you let me love you.”

Paige didn’t argue after that.

Down the hall, Ruby was wide awake and narrating her outfit to Sparklehorn, something about “big girl socks” and how today she was dressing “airplane brave.” She lit up the moment Paige entered the room with a yawn and a hoodie, launching into her arms and declaring her hoodie was “not sparkly enough but still nice.”

They were out the door by six, Tim waving from the driver’s seat and Katie handing off a small thermos of coffee from the porch with a wink. “Don’t let her fall asleep before the plane takes off,” she warned Azzi, nodding toward Ruby. “Or she’ll be up the whole flight asking why the clouds aren’t pink.”

At the airport, things went mostly smoothly until they reached security.

Ruby clutched her unicorn carry-on like it held the secrets of the universe, lips trembling the moment the agent gestured toward it. “We just need to scan it, sweetheart,” the woman said kindly, reaching out.

But Ruby pulled back instantly, holding the bag to her chest. “No!” Her voice cracked. “Sparklehorn’s in there! And her toothbrush! And her snacks!”

Azzi knelt immediately beside her. “Baby, it’s okay. They’re just going to put it through the little machine so we can make sure it’s safe, okay?”

Ruby’s eyes filled, her body stiff with fear. “But what if they don’t give it back?”

Before Azzi could say anything else, Paige stepped in — calm, gentle, steady.

“Hey, hey,” she said, crouching beside both of them. “Look at me, Roo.”

Ruby sniffled, eyes still shining.

“I’m gonna walk your bag through the scanner myself,” Paige said. “I’ll stand right there and watch the whole time. Sparklehorn’s not going anywhere, okay? I promise.”

The agent nodded and knelt a little herself, smiling warmly. “And guess what? Sparklehorn gets to go on a special ride. We’ll keep her safe the whole time, promise.”

Ruby hesitated. Then, slowly, she held the bag out to Paige.

“Okay,” she whispered. “But only if you hold her hand the whole time.”

“I got her,” Paige said with a small smile. “I got both of you.”

They made it through without another hiccup. Once past security, Ruby climbed into Azzi’s lap at the gate and insisted on feeding her animal crackers one by one until boarding began. She took her window seat proudly, Sparklehorn buckled in next to her, and declared, “We’re flying to sky land now,” before yawning big and curling up with her hoodie pulled over half her face.

Fifteen minutes into the flight, she was fast asleep.

Azzi shifted slightly in her seat, careful not to wake her, and glanced down at her daughter with a mix of affection and fatigue. Her hand rested protectively on Ruby’s little leg. Paige, seated in the aisle seat, passed over one side of her AirPods and offered a quiet smile.

“Wanna listen?” she whispered.

Azzi nodded, accepting the earbud and leaning just slightly into her side. Paige’s playlist filtered in, mostly R&B. Comfort music.

A few songs passed like that — just quiet and shared.

At one point, Paige leaned over and pressed a light kiss to Azzi’s shoulder, her hand settling on Azzi’s thigh beneath the tray table. “You doing okay?” she whispered, lips brushing skin.

Azzi nodded slowly, her eyes still fixed on Ruby. “I am now.”

Paige kissed her again — softer this time. “Good.”

They didn’t talk much after that. They just held onto each other, floating a few thousand feet above the noise, with Ruby asleep beside them and Sparklehorn keeping watch from the window.

--------------------

The plane’s wheels touched down with a gentle thud, followed by a rush of engine hum and a soft, collective exhale from the cabin. Ruby stirred immediately, blinking awake as if her internal clock had been set for landing.

“Are we in the sky still?” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

“No, baby,” Azzi whispered, brushing a hand through her curls. “We just landed.”

“Where’s Drew?” she asked groggily, already craning her neck to look out the window. “Is he down there?”

Paige chuckled. “He’s not on the runway, Roo.”

Azzi smiled, but Paige caught the flicker in her expression — that subtle tightening in her jaw, the way she adjusted her posture as the other passengers began shuffling around them.

Nervous.

Azzi didn’t say anything, but Paige knew her well enough to feel the difference in her silence.

She reached over without thinking, her hand slipping beneath the armrest to rest against Azzi’s thigh, just a quiet, grounding touch. Azzi looked over and blinked at her, almost like she’d just remembered Paige was still there. Paige gave her a small smile — soft, steady — and Azzi nodded once, letting out a breath like it helped.

When it was their turn to stand and collect their bags, Paige kept her hand on Azzi’s lower back. When they stepped into the jet bridge, her fingers found Azzi’s again. And when Ruby started chattering about whether the airport had unicorn statues or not, Paige used the distraction to gently lean into Azzi’s side, guiding her through the flow of passengers without crowding her.

“You good?” Paige asked quietly as they moved toward baggage claim.

Azzi didn’t answer right away. Then, finally, “I’m just… it’s a lot. I want them to like us.”

Paige squeezed her hand. “They already do. You know that, right?”

Azzi nodded, but Paige didn’t let go.

The terminal was buzzing with people — kids dragging backpacks, announcements over the loudspeaker, wheels of suitcases thudding against tile. Ruby skipped ahead a few paces, dragging Sparklehorn behind her by the leg, only to pause dramatically in front of a vending machine shaped like a rocket ship.

“Is that the spaceship we’re taking to Drew’s house?” she gasped.

Azzi actually laughed — a soft, real laugh, and Paige felt it in the way her fingers relaxed.

“No, baby,” Azzi said. “That’s just snacks.”

“Space snacks?”

“Sure,” Paige added. “Let’s call them that.”

They kept walking, and Paige didn’t let go of Azzi’s hand once.

--------------------

They rounded the corner toward baggage claim, the tiled floor catching slants of afternoon light as rows of travellers leaned over silver carousels and checked their phones. Ruby clutched Azzi’s hand with one and Sparklehorn with the other, swinging both back and forth with increasing excitement.

“Do you think Drew will have snacks?” she asked, skipping a little. “He said he had a snack drawer.”

“I’m sure he does,” Azzi said with a smile. “Probably just for you.”

Paige walked beside them, wheeling one carry-on behind her, her other hand resting at the small of Azzi’s back. She didn’t say much, but she didn’t need to, she could feel the way Azzi kept glancing around, the faint but familiar restlessness that came with too much attention and too many people.

They were almost to the carousel when Ruby’s entire body jolted with energy.

“There he is!” she cried, nearly tripping over her unicorn rolling bag. “Drew!”

And then she was off, Sparklehorn dragging behind her by one limp glittery leg.

Azzi made a soft sound, half instinct, half alarm. “Wait, Ru—!”

But Paige caught her gently by the arm. “She’s okay,” she said, steady and close. “Look at her.”

Ruby was already barreling toward Drew, who had just spotted her over a line of luggage carts. His eyes widened with surprise before a grin split across his face, and he dropped the foam cup he was holding just in time to catch her flying hug.

“You’re real!” Ruby declared as her arms wrapped around his waist, almost knocking them both off balance. “You’re really here!”

Drew laughed, half-winded. “So are you! You’re way taller than the iPad said.”

“Sparklehorn came too,” Ruby added seriously, then whispered, “She’s shy.”

Bob, who had stepped in behind them, crouched gently and opened his arms. “Hey there, Ruby girl.”

She turned, eyes sparkling. “Hi Grandpa Bob!” she shouted, like they’d seen each other every day for years.

She wrapped her arms around his neck like she’d been waiting her whole life to do it.

Behind them, Azzi came to a stop and stood just out of the way, unsure of what to do with her hands. Paige leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

“You okay?” she asked.

Azzi nodded, a little stunned. “She’s never like this with people she doesn’t know.”

“She does know them,” Paige murmured. “She just needed to see it in real life.”

Ruby pulled back from Bob, then turned and darted toward Azzi again. “Mama, come say hi!”

Azzi blinked, then stepped forward slowly, hand still caught in Paige’s.

Drew looked up at her — curious, excited, and completely unfiltered in the way ten-year-olds often were. “You’re Azzi,” he said, matter-of-fact.

“I am,” she said, a bit breathless.

He stepped up and gave her a sudden, fast hug — short and simple, like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to, but wanted to anyway.

“You’re cooler than you looked on FaceTime,” he said quickly, then looked at Paige. “She’s so tall in real life.”

“She’s always been tall,” Paige said, grinning.

Azzi laughed under her breath, not quite sure what to say, and then turned as Bob stepped forward, not with a handshake, but with open arms.

“Good to finally meet you, Azzi,” he said, warm and low.

She returned the hug, surprised again by how natural it felt. “It’s good to be here. Really.”

Bob pulled back just slightly and glanced between her and Paige, then down at Ruby, who had now taken Drew’s hand and was rambling about “sky gum” and juice boxes.

He didn’t say much just offered a small, knowing smile. “You’ve got a good crew,” he said quietly to Paige. “The way you look at them…”

Paige ducked her head, just a little. “I know.”

Bob nodded. “You’re softer than you used to be.”

Paige glanced over at Azzi, who was crouching now to zip up Ruby’s unicorn bag while Ruby told Drew a very long, very incorrect story about airplane turbulence. “That’s a good thing, right?”

Bob smiled. “It’s the best thing.”

A chime echoed over the intercom as the luggage carousel began to churn and thud. Paige let go of Azzi just long enough to grab their bags, and when she turned around, Azzi was already adjusting the strap on Ruby’s little backpack like it was second nature.

Paige didn’t say anything. She just walked over, looped her free arm around Azzi’s waist, and kissed her cheek.

“Let’s go home,” she murmured.

Azzi nodded, eyes shining.

“Yeah,” she said. “Let’s.”

As they stepped away from the bustle of baggage claim and into the calm hush of the terminal exit, the air outside was crisp and golden with afternoon light. The car sat just a few paces away from the curb, the trunk already open, Drew jogging ahead to help Bob load the suitcases while Ruby darted between them, still animated from the airport reunion.

Bob closed the trunk with a gentle thud and turned back toward Azzi. She was standing just beside Paige, her posture a touch hesitant again now that the quiet had settled around them. Maybe it was the way her fingers curled near her waistband, or how her gaze flicked between Ruby and the street like she was trying to take in too much all at once.

But Bob didn’t give her the space to linger in it.

He opened his arms, not dramatically, not forcefully, just warmly and said, “I’m really glad you’re here.”

Azzi blinked, startled for a second. But then something in her seemed to ease, and she stepped forward without overthinking it, letting herself be pulled into a brief but solid hug. It was the kind of hug that didn’t ask for anything but offered reassurance anyway.

“Thank you for having us,” she said quietly into his shoulder.

Bob pulled back with a gentle pat to her back and a kind smile. “Anytime.”

Ruby had already claimed the middle seat in the back, arms crossed in determined ownership. “I’m gonna sit here ‘cause Sparklehorn needs both of you to keep her safe,” she declared, climbing in and buckling herself in with practiced drama.

Paige laughed and followed her, sliding in first so Azzi could sit on the other side. Ruby immediately passed Sparklehorn to Azzi like a sacred offering, then snuggled into her lap sideways with a sigh of exaggerated relief. “Now we’re all together.”

Drew climbed into the front passenger seat and immediately adjusted the side mirror like he had any reason to. “I call aux.”

“You don’t even have a phone,” Paige teased from the back.

“I brought my iPad,” he said smugly, already pulling up a playlist labelled VIBES WITH SPARKLEHORN.

Bob raised an eyebrow. “No songs with cursing.”

“I know,” Drew groaned. “You say that every time.”

Paige shifted in her seat, her thigh pressing lightly against Azzi’s, who sat with her head tilted back and one hand still gently holding Ruby’s leg. The kid was rambling now about what Sparklehorn wanted to eat for dinner and whether Drew had “real Fortnite snacks,” but Azzi barely looked away from the window.

“You okay?” Paige murmured near her ear, just low enough not to be overheard.

Azzi nodded slowly, then turned to meet her gaze. “Yeah. I really am.”

Paige smiled and reached over, brushing her knuckles lightly along Azzi’s jaw. “Good. Because this is your family too now, okay?”

Azzi didn’t reply with words. She just leaned in — not all the way, not dramatically, but enough. Enough that her forehead touched Paige’s temple and stayed there for a moment, long enough to settle something deep inside her chest.

In the front seat, Bob started the car. The radio came on low. The windows were down just enough to let in the evening breeze. And as they pulled away from the airport curb, Paige, Azzi, and Ruby sat tucked together in the backseat, bodies pressed close and warm. Ruby hummed softly, Sparklehorn now balanced on her lap, one foot resting lightly against Paige’s knee.

There were still things to face. Conversations to have. A world beyond this drive waiting for them.

But for now, everything felt full. Whole. Safe.

[azzo0]

Something about your academic rival, Touya, pisses you off so much. You hate how he's absent for 3 days a week and still manages to submit all his assignments and get perfect grades on each and every test, making sure to stop by your desk and ask what your score is just so he can wave his perfect 100 in your face.

You hate the girls that huddle around his desk every morning, complimenting his sapphire eyes and ruby hair for the millionth time. Your jaw clenches each time he gives them a laid-back smile and then shifts his gaze to you, ensuring that you are seeing. You don't even care about him and his fan girls in the first place, so you don't get why he looks at you so smugly.

You tell yourself he annoys you to the core, but you don't get why you go to class every day, hoping he'd be there. You work so hard on your tests so you can get back to him for all the proud looks he gives you. He gets on your nerves when he simply gives you an unamused wave when you point out that you scored higher than him on the chemistry test. Why does he rile you up so much and then pretend it's not even a big deal?!

Despite hating him with a burning passion, you can't help but admire him from afar with a facade of loathing him. He's blessed with the smarts and the looks, and if he wanted to, he could easily date the college's prettiest girl. This academic war you two had declared in the first semester is the only way for you to interact with him. After you both get your degrees, you'll never see each other again, and you'll simply be known as his rival from college. You don't know if that scares you or makes you happy.

He, on the other hand, doesn't know how to talk to you. Showing off his grades, picking on your handwriting, and proudly smirking at you after doing better at something compared to you are one of the few ways he's able to make you look at him. He doesn't like the girls who surround his desk with fake, annoyingly high-pitched laughter, but he plays nice with them and glances back at you, hoping to see the jealousy in your eyes.

He secretly wishes you weren't so unbothered by what he does. He wishes you guys would talk about things other than studies and upcoming tests when you're together, like what your favourite movie is and what kind of food you like.

But all he can do for now is keep this academic war going, just so he can keep your eyes on him, and maybe somewhere along the way, he'd find the courage to ask you what your favourite food is.

[dilftaroooo]

Being perverted strikes naturally within Gojo, so when the idea of being a step brother comes to mind during sex he can’t help but act upon the roleplay. You think he’s gross for it, but his questionable passion for it keeps you engaged (oddly enough).

☆word count: 6.3k+

★tags/tw(18+): dark content + stepc*st roleplay + foot f*tish + toe sucking (f!recieving) + dubcon (because reader is unsure at first) + reader is college-aged/gojo is 28 + squirting + age gap + vanilla sex + pubic hairs + scent kink + implied ass eating + hesitancy + reader is afab using she/her pronouns + mentioned latex kink + use of 'satoru-nii' + established relationship + gojo is a lil' mean + and sassy + lots of kissing + nipple play + creampie + getting caught having s*x + exploring kinks + praise kink + pet names + skull fucking + gag reflex + snot + we're talkin' 'big beefy whore with black compression shirt' gojo here + reader is a bit inexperienced + questions of certain kinks.

☆a/n: hey alexa, play 'poundtown by sexyy red' ayyye come suck a bitch's toooes. enjoy y'all, this shit nasty af.

You’re not a kink shamer.

You understand the sexual thrills of getting off to something that turns one on to the point of fulfilled ecstasy–weighted breaths and skin coated with a sheen of sweat from the unorthodox fantasies that provoke the human mind and manipulate the human body, keeping them bound to the shackles of pleasure as their perversion engulfs them whole. It feels beautiful–ethereal, dare you say, and you get that. Who wouldn’t want to feel blissfully satisfied just by mere thought alone? 

Now, exclusive of the deranged fetishes involving children, scat, or whatever fucked up shit out there that's befitting for a lowlife, you would say that you're a pretty open-minded individual. Always tolerating the naughty anecdotes told by your friends’ concerning their past hookups, distinctively remembering the giggles you all shared when reciting one of the stories from a particular friend that had them clad in a latex suit, lips decorated with ruby red, and three-inched heels coming into contact with the cheek of their previous partner as they squirmed in shameless arousal.

‘It was pathetic to see, but I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t get me going…’ And that mutuality between both parties is what makes it even more fun. They both get a kick out of something they enjoyed, so what’s to hate about it?

You’re not a kink shamer–not at all.

You and your boyfriend of a year and four months, Satoru Gojo, always carried the qualities of a couple depicted in unrealistic romance movies: the nuzzle of the nose that tickled your cheek before delving in for a peck, the surprise hugs he’d startle you with as you prepared an early morning breakfast, as well as the intertwined fingers while you both make your way to his favorite bakery (his kisses are even more sugared after scarfing down the kikufuku he’d order no more than a minute ago).

You always felt like the princess to his prince, stumbling over your gown to keep up with his hurried footsteps as you both venture through the gracious evergreen of a mythical forest. You have no time to remove the pastel violet and pink petals slotting themselves in your locks since your hand remains occupied with Satoru’s, moving exquisitely to the melodic song of the nightingales. It was a dream from a childhood storybook.

Moreover, what was revealed in public was, undoubtedly, the same in the comfort of your bedroom, living at your university’s on-campus apartment that you shared with two indifferent roommates. He would frequently stop by after work to spoil you with his affection. Always asking how your day was and whether or not you finished your assignments.

He was a tad bit older than you–twenty-eight and going, but you didn’t mind the age gap, it gives you all the more reason to tease him for his ‘old’ age, to which he responds with a pout and furrowed eyebrows, ‘Oh, how mean! Who would’ve ever thought that my darling angel could be such a devil…?!’ He’d say with faux anguish. He knows you’re only playing around–such the jokester.

Though, he couldn’t say the same for you in bed. Protected by the warmth of your sheets, you relished at how accustomed your body and soul were to his heartfelt transactions, vanilla-flavored sex, so sweet and tasteful on your tongue as he kissed you with want. Tongues twirling a sensual dance as your lips combine in rhythmic harmony. You also loved it when he coos in your ear, reminding you of how you’re so good to him before wrapping his lips around puffy areolas in a way that makes you writhe.

He’s so gentle with you. Handling a fine china cabinet with the utmost care, he makes sure he touches you in ways that wouldn’t break your fragile body. And when your nude skin presses against his as a result of his thrusts to your core, he reminds himself to get you moaning in his ear and get your hands gripping against the muscular curvature of his back.

It feels good. It always feels good. So, why does a part of you feel…bored?

The love is there, you won’t question that. When you come, you feel as though you’re one with the stars. And above all, he praises you. It’s nothing new, but in this context, you like to be his ‘pretty girl’ whenever the tip of his nose pushes against your wet clit. So, why do you feel like something is missing? You don’t know.

You haven’t been in many relationships. The last one you remember was in high school, dating a boy who only loved you out of teenage fever, and you shamefully admit that you reciprocated his confession. You were both young and unknowing of what the aspects of ‘love’ really meant. You never went past the boundary of hand-holding and cheek-kissing, so it remained stagnant until the moment you both broke up.

None of it was mutual, however. You can recall how distraught you were as you bawled in your mother’s arms, asking her what you did wrong while she soothed you with maternal pets to the crown of your head. That being said, it’s safe to say that you really don’t know what’s missing from you and your boyfriend’s intercourse–like, really.

But, thankfully, Satoru makes up for what you lack, telling you not to fret since he knows a lot and letting you know how much he’s been wanting to get to this point of intimacy with you–wanting to whisk his girlfriend away from the comfort zone that you’ve grown so attached to.

Satoru is without exception, enthusiastic to portray more during times of intercourse, yearning to teach you more than just the fluffy, domestic sex you both indulge in. It’s lovely and all, bleh bleh, whatever, Satoru gets it, but, man, what he wouldn’t do to see you on your knees, between his sinewy thighs parted for your form as he hovers above you, your head tilted upwards to take in his thick shaft through wet lips.

He’d make sure his red, throbbing tip hits the back of your throat so he can hear that sickening gag scurry out your mouth paired with the sloppy froth of your saliva slapping against his heavy balls with each quick thrust. He’d be too occupied to find the snot dribbling from your nose revolting because you’d be taking him in so deep.

That’s forever been his little fantasy–that amongst the vast amount of others. And to try each and every one of them with you would be a delight.

After you confessed to Satoru, you couldn’t help but notice how peculiar his ministrations started to get. It was gradual–starting with spanks on your ass to eating said ass. You’ll even bring up the time he used your feet to get off. It caught you off guard, you’d admit.

That day he had you pliable–on your knees with the left apple of your cheek flushed in the pillow beneath you and arms resting idly on your sides as you allowed your enthralled boyfriend to take the lead.

You assumed he was just gonna spit on your already-soaked pussy before massaging your puffy clit in the teasing, clockwise motions he likes to test you with, cock oozing with leakage before languidly gliding upwards to push in-between your cunt lips, but what you didn’t assume he’d do was trace his slimy precum against the soft skin of your toes to then rub his tip across your soles.

You tried to retract your feet away from him (toes wiggling in the process which had them accidentally graze across his balls. You could’ve sworn you heard him hiss) and protest his weird behavior but Satoru was already three steps ahead, firmly gripping both feet and nearly squishing them together if it wasn’t for the thick base of his cock preventing them from touching.

Each thrust he made ached with raw fervor and fuck him from being incapable of suppressing his passion because he couldn’t help but look down and see your cute pussy pucker and asshole twitch. What a sight for sore, cerulean eyes. Just as sore as your ass after he slapped it with an ever-so-firm hand, silently thanking his calluses for the rough impact.

He found it adorable how your shimmering entrance craved for insertion, winking rhythmically at him as though it’s saying, ‘Please fill me up, ‘toru! ‘M so lonely without you…’ (he chuckles to himself at the personification when done in a high-pitched tone).

But your pussy always gets his attention. You have another hole too, ya’ know–one that sits right above it, unused and virginal. Just imagine his excitement as he leans forward, cock still buried at the innermost part of your feet, to take a closer look. He’d smile at your coyness when you felt his hot breath blow on your skin, unsure of his next move.

In this new position, he can trace the faint smell of sweat emerging from you, and God, does that turn him on. More than it already does. So of course he had to steal a taste, trailing a fat strip of saliva against the rim, you squeal at the warm and wet feel of his tongue touching a place it had never been before,

“S-Satoru…what the fuck!” You jolted before moving from your position, migrating to any spot as long as it's far from your lover. You’ll never forget the sleazy look on Satoru’s face as both corners of his rosy lips tilt upwards for a cocky grin–yuck.

It grossed you the fuck out.

Not in a way that antagonizes your boyfriend, you love him too dearly to feel as such, but in a way that questions his morals. Why on earth would someone like Satoru want to be minimized to using the bottom of your soles for pleasure or savor the briny taste of sweat that builds up around the tight ring of your ass? I-I mean, you excrete from there, for God’s sake! That’s gross, especially in a place where the sun doesn’t shine.

You understand that he likes doing it, but why? How could something so perverse and dirty get him hard so quickly? Where’s his shame? His humiliation? His guilt? Were they not present whenever he sneaks a lick at your toes?

Perhaps you are trying to understand–who wouldn’t want to indulge in their lover’s feet, to caress the tough surface of their heels, and lead up their toes, to draw soft lines against them with plush lips as their medium before dipping them inside the wet cavern of their mouth and sucking the small digits before swirling their tongue and–ugh!–no! No, no, no, that’s sick! How can one do such a thing with ease? You can’t possibly imagine that.

But you’re not a kink shamer…right?

Your question remains unanswered, though, as you’re interrupted by Satoru’s moistened kisses trailing down the curve of your neck. You must’ve been in your daze for quite some time considering that the camisole top and loose shorts you lounge in took their positions on your bedroom floor. 

“Come back to me, baby.” You hear your boyfriend murmur and you deliberately oblige by running your digits through the white sea of his mane, wild and free as your fingers feather against his roots. He hums with love before leaving a kiss that's sloppier than the previous one. It starts with your usual routine, with soft and tenderhearted sex.

He pecks at your clavicle and you whimper in return as silvery lashes tickle the most sensitive areas of your skin. The passionate atmosphere continues to flow within the four walls of your room–containing your moans and your kisses and your touches, reverberating them in your heated figures while filling you both with distinct pleasure. It was good so far.

“Have any ideas in mind for tonight, sweetheart?” His voice is muffled as he joyfully sucks at the skin between the valley of your breasts, teeth clasping over the hot flesh to induce a mark darker than what your skin tone provides. You hold onto the fabric of his black shirt, soundlessly wondering why he is still garbed in unbreathable polyester while you remain bare save from your panties.

Lolling your head to the side in thought, you dwell on his question. Should you have something in mind? This isn’t the same as getting asked where to eat for dinner, per se. And owning to your inexperience with sex and fetishes, you’re incapable of bringing anything to the table in this sense.

You open your jaw, mouth filled with saliva due to the raunchy actions performed by your boyfriend onto your supple body, ready to speak your retort as you lick your chapped lips in preparation, but, Satoru knows you better than you know yourself.

“Yeah, I know you don’t,” It’s like he was born to study you. Your eyes travel to his person again, orbs resting upon Satoru’s scalp as you wait for him to finish. “Nothing in that gorgeous head of yours. It’s okay, though. I don’t blame you. I know an amateur like you wouldn’t have anything planned.” 

As might be expected, your brow raises at his comments slightly glazed with a patronizing drip, it’s gotten your attention, all right, as you turn your head to glare down at him. He’s sucking on your nipples this time and you forge a jerk but don’t falter, perked up by this newfound attitude from your loving partner.

“Oh?” You start and it carries the same uppity weight as his tone. “And I suppose you have it all figured out?”

He nods right after gazing up at you with arctic globes saturated with a heavy rush of sincerity and you can already feel the dreamy sigh materializing in your throat but never emerging. Satoru immediately sniffed out the indignance behind your words like a trained bloodhound. He rises from his spot upon your heaving chest to travel his way to the swoll of your chin, apologizing with a quaint kiss. 

“I do,” His smile is affectionate. “You know I always do, sunshine.” You gasp once something hard nudges against your squishy thighs before poking the outermost part of your panties.

“-Always think of something for that little cunt.” It isn’t long before it's cast to the side for clear access to your glimmering slit, doused in slick because your boyfriend had a remarkable way of handling you. He didn’t miss the embarrassed mewl of his name when he used filthy words.

He also didn’t miss the pull of air you took in as his thick finger swept up your bodily remnants, coating the fingertips of his middle and ring finger. You voluntarily buck your feeble hips in desire for him to push through your entrance but you know he wasn’t going to give it to you that easily. “You know, it gets me going when we do stuff like this when others aren’t around–when we do something so forbidden.” 

What–?

“Forbidden…?” Each syllable muddles your tongue as you ponder on its meaning: something that typically isn’t allowed or accepted–you’re not unaware, it’s a simple word, but is that the word he meant to say? “Why would it be forbidden? You’re my boyfriend, are you not?” Unless there’s something you’re unknowing of.

Perhaps he has a wife that he kept hidden in the shadows of his past. What if one wife turned into several wives? Maybe he’s a bloodthirsty murderer, ready to indulge in his next killing after getting you to trust his charming blue eyes and pink-liped smile. You don’t exactly know what the forbidden aspect of it all that he’s keeping from telling you-

You hear him ‘tsk’ and you assume it was meant to be taken seriously but it seems covered in mockery.

“Hah, Boyfriend? Have you no shame?” And he chuckles deep and grimy. “Don’t act like don’t know, dear.” You honestly don’t. “What would our parents think if they saw you, my sweet, little sister, grinding her greedy pussy against her older brother’s fingers?”

Oh.

Oh God.

Gritting your teeth for an evident cringe, you hurriedly toss your head to the side to break eye contact (how did he even manage to hold it for that long despite what he just said?!). There’s no way he’s doing this. Out of all kinks…

“For the love- Satoru. Stop, that’s fucking-” A sharp whine halts your sentence, stressed to the point of exaggeration. You don’t bother looking back up at him, already imagining his brows creasing with complaint at your disgusted remark.

“Ehh, what happened to ‘Satoru-nii’?” You almost would’ve forgotten the fingers sketching light circles on your sensitive button, going in for a pinch before tapping it aimlessly due to its slippery surface.

You clench your thighs together but Satoru’s heaping form prevents you from doing so. He’s a big mass of muscle reminiscent of a bull–broad shoulders along with thickened veins peeking through tough skin in the forms of streams, carrying the pulsing blood flow of adrenaline and transporting through each significant section of the body to energize his raging carnality.

“Are my fingers dwindling your vocabulary already? I just started using this pussy, sugar plum.”

A part of you wanted to believe he was joking–trolling like he usually does on literally every occasion. He knows how acquiescent you were in situations like these. So easily obedient to follow his golden rule when clinging to his hip, taking full advantage of your attributes to get you to do the perverted shit that spoiled his brain to corruption.

Of course, there’d be times when you’d retaliate, shouting out a brief ‘no’ before leaving the conversation unfinished, but it’s okay because he can butter you up to your good side. Use his words and his hands to do the convincing. Satoru has attributes of his own too.

But gazing into his eyes and seeing how aquatic blue dissolves into crimson red, only driven by lust, tells you he’s serious.

You look off to the side once more because staring at your nightstand is more soothing than staring at your deviant boyfriend. Out of all kinks, why this one?

“I don’t,” You close your eyes in an attempt to rid yourself free from his piercing glare. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.” You weren’t about to do this. You weren’t about to play into his wicked fantasies of being a relative of any sort. That doesn’t sound appealing at all.

“Don’t be like that, babe.” He mutters softly as if other people were in the room, prying with open ears to catch whatever dialogue is being transmitted between the two of you. A fingertip taunts at your sloppy entrance, just barely shoving past its tight grip. Sexual anticipation surged through your core at his ministration (his giggles at your hopelessness didn’t help you any). “You won’t know unless you try. Come on, do it for me?”

He’s too cute to refuse when your peripherals pick up his bottom lip raising upwards for a pout and feather-like lashes fluttering over glossy, blue orbs. Practically, begging you to follow through with this look alone–if only he wasn’t so handsome and used his charm against you in every way possible. God damn it-

“You’re sick, you know that?”

“Then you’re my antidote.”

You exhale in defeat since you unfortunately realize there’s no way out of this. Satoru’s too adamant to get you to play along with him, it’s insane. Turning your head to fully face him, which feels like the one-millionth time you’ve done so, you look him in the eye before aiming at the button of his nose, upturned and perky. Mentally getting ready to produce the God-forsaken words you are about to utter.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” You start and the way Satoru’s face lights up like a kid on Christmas irks you. 

You still feel mortification swirl in your skull like second nature. Your cheeks feel hot and it hurts–were you really about to do this?

Satoru was still teasing you to no end. Teasing that doubtlessly wet pussy with expertise. He was killing you by not giving you what you craved, only remaining on the surface as he waited for your verdict. Just one more push, one more shove and you’ll get there.

“And why is that?” He inquires.

Your bottom lip quivers with hesitation before an erotic groan escapes you. He’s so close to putting them inside. “Because you’re-” You pause to wait for a sliver of courage to finish your sentence. You’re not sure if you can-

“...I’m?” He continues.

You both catch on to the shaky breaths you’re letting out, two separate bodies feeling two separate emotions, one agitated and the other electrified.

“You’re my,” You tense but Satoru loosens. “-my b-brother.” He’s the Cheshire cat as of now. You wail once two fingers invade your thirsty hole, entering with a mushy squelch.

“And what is it that we’re doing, huh? What is it that we’re doing that would be so revolting to the public eye, hm? Tell me.” Can he stop pushing you already, for crying out loud?

“You fingering my, my,”

“You got it, keep going.”

“...fingering my p-pussy.”

Satoru cherishes your hesitance and rewards you, his obedient puppy. 

Digits curl upwards in search of that sensitive g-spot resting amongst your gushy insides. If applied enough pleasure, he’d be able to see how your back arches off your cotton sheets. Your mouth opens for a silent scream as the force of his fingers supports the buildup of liquid passion, pounding the area in addition to his palm rubbing your stiff clit the deeper he goes.

“There you go, my sweet girl, my gorgeous, little sister.” He fingers you harder and sucks at your erect nipples–when did they get so hard? As a matter of fact, when did your body feel so hot and needy? As though you’re deprived of something. 

Your boyfriend sucks at your tit before biting the small nub, grazing his teeth along sensitive skin for a chomp, causing your hands to fly to his head and grip the fur of his undercut, all while wincing in pain. He retracts his head with your nipple still in his mouth, giving it a stern tug like an elastic rubber band. You would have cursed him out if it wasn’t for the fingers still beating at your nether regions.

“Ah, S-Satoru!” He bites harder and you remember his request from earlier. “Satoru-nii.”

As if you hear a winner's buzzer, he hums in approval and releases before gorging his lips around the other one, gently guzzling it this time, skillfully whirling his wet appendage around the nub in combination with hungry sucks. He unloosens with an obnoxious, wet pop!

“M’so glad your mom married my dad. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be able to take care of my little sister’s pussy like how I’m doing now. Wouldn’t that be so sad?!” He inquires gleefully. “I’d be so miserable–jerking myself off to meaningless porn when I could be stuffing my big dick deep inside your aching cunt. Hearing you moan out how much you love your older brother for making you squirt your sticky juices all over me. You even got your hairs trimmed in the way you know I love.”

The sound of fabric grinding against fabric fills your ears as he maneuvers his head to reach down to your pelvis, stuffing his nose on top of the shortened pubes, his mouth hangs dangerously over your clitoris.

He takes in a deep breath like he’s smelling the fresh air of healthy trees and freshly cut grass, basking in your heady scent while feeling his cock go rigid in the plush of your mattress. 

Too aroused to feel embarrassed, you buck your hips so you can finally get his mouth on your itching button and he finally compels, switching between sucking in your clitoral hood and tonguing your labia. Satoru moves his fingers faster in hopes of provoking your climax. He knows your proximity by noting the way your thighs tremble and toes spread across your sheets.

You finally get to the stage you’ve been craving since the beginning of this session. Releasing your fluids onto your awaiting boyfriend, the grip at the nape of his neck more powerful than before, you squeal a brief ‘Satoru-nii!’ as he proceeds to lap at your overstimulated pussy. He’s now sparkling with your juices. Satoru sits up on his knees after wrapping his buff arm around the width of your shoulders to hoist you up and get you closer to his thighs, your figure remains seated as you process what he wants you to do–he wants you to suck him off.

So you lean your sweat-stained face over his clothed member and unwrap it like a Christmas present you’d save for last because it's so big. His cock springs up rudely and smacks at his now naked abdomen (when did he take off his shirt?) with a loud clap. His abs are so detailed and his pecks puff out in pride while he looks down on you, like his little servant.

He controls the length of his cock with a stern hand and traces ivory white lipstick over the plump of your mouth, a hazy web of precum connecting to your upper lip.

“Wrap those beautiful lips over my cock, darling angel. You know it makes me happy to see you stuffed full with my dick, no matter the hole.” He cheeses when he hears a quick scoff come out of you.

You listen anyhow, swallowing the tip of your big brother’s rod, hallowing your cheeks like a skeleton to circling your tongue around its rosy circumference. You feel your remaining cum dribble onto your bed when you hear him make a guttural moan from above. Clenching his ass cheeks as fingers place themselves on top of your head like an armrest, laying idly as of now.

“Oh shit, baby, yeah, just like that. Keep sucking me off juuust like that.” He bucks his hips impatiently once you decide to devour him up to the mid-base, continuing the actions of sucking in your cheeks to tighten around his cock. “Fuck!” He mewls before chuckling humorlessly.

He stares down and you look up. Your eyelids roll back til they’re just below your brow ridge to catch sight of azure undertones. You were just about to wonder why he was tittering until pressure made its way to both sides of your head. When his pearly white smirk twinkled under dim lighting, that's when you knew-

“Hmphh,” The noise was pitiful when subdued by the heavy weight of Satoru’s cock.

“Hold still, pretty girl.” He coos before pushing his hips back and applying the same manner to your head as he controlled you effortlessly and then thrusting forward and forcing your head to do the same. His balls slap on impact with your chin when he buries himself deep into the hot cavern of your throat, you have your nostrils planted on the silvery wisps of his pubes, reeking of potent masculinity. He leaves you in that position, powerless as he ignores the smacks to his meaty thighs.

“Hold it,” He warns. His voice is pitched below the Earth’s surface. “Gotta teach you how to please big bro properly.” You fight hard as his tip keeps irritating the thing that hangs at the back of your throat, trying to oppose your body from naturally activating your gag reflex but it ends up being fruitless. Your throat convulses as it bulges with his cock print and you cough out an ugly sound. Your vision blurs once you feel your eyes start to water up. You want him to move back already!

“Good.” It’s like he heard your thoughts because he finally retracts from his perfect spot lodged in your gullet. His swollen tip tickles the surface of your lips as you gasp several breaths of air. Just what was he thinking? You could’ve puked!

“What the hell was- mmph!” Halted by another intrusion of his cock burying itself in the pits of your throat, you muffle out a sound of surprise. You couldn’t believe it.

Satoru starts, “Less talking from you, sunshine. I wanna hear you slobber on my dick. Think you can do that for me?” He quickens up the pace of his thrust, going at the speed of someone walking. You gag disgustingly at each thrust and you can feel snot starting to leisurely slip from your nose (just what he wanted to see).

“That’s a messy girl, my messy sister. Got you, hah, so worked up you even got snot dripping from your nose and your spit running down my balls. Oh, you don’t know how much I longed for this.” He resumes his praises and tips back his head for a howl, feeling himself approaching his end as he hears you glurg, glurg, glurg on his veiny member.

“Oh shit, shiiit…!” Suddenly, you’re abruptly pushed off of him, freeing your esophagus from the restraint. Your back lands on the bed with a thud, your landing protected by your doughy comforter. Satoru stands motionless as he recovers from edging himself to oblivion. Biting his lip, his cock twitches up and down before it gradually remains unmoving.

You don’t even remember it happening, but you’re already restricted underneath Satoru’s panting body, thighs folded backward for a mating press, squeezing your squishy tits together, and feet perched on top of his shoulders. He takes his infamous spot between your legs, his overworked hands, decorated in calluses and scars, cuff around the underside of your knees.

He gifts you a heated kiss on your lips. “‘Toru-nii-” You say while struggling to keep up with his tongue. He breaks away from you and the string of saliva snaps into two.

“I hear you, baby, want me inside you already, I know, hear you loud ‘n’ clear.” His tip finds your entrance and it's sopping wet tenfold. He’s never seen you so needy in his life. He pushes in slowly and smoothly. Relishing your moans as he delves within you inch by inch, his thick cock stretching you out deliciously. You squirm in lascivious desire each time he enters you.

“I know, sugar, I know…” He soothes you upon hearing your sobs go up an octave. His head rests at the empty spot next to your neck and his hair tickles the crevice. “Almost there.”

As soon as he sinks deep in your warm cunt, he pecks your cheek with a softness that resembles duck feathers in a pillow before plummeting into you. A pornographic squelch resounds through your room.

“Hnn, T-Toru-nii is, so deep, ah, in my pussy!” You yelp. He’s so glad you’re still following his gross footsteps. So dazed by his cock hitting every ridge nestled within you.

“Yes, that’s right, little sis. And you’re gonna be a good girl and take it for me, right?”

You give a nod, “Yes, I will. I always will. Just f-for you.”

“Mmm, that’s right. That’s what I like to hear.” 

He inclines his torso backward, finding his attention on the feet placed at each side of his shoulders, more specifically, the one to his left as he grabs your ankle with ease, stroking the bone and putting your pedicured toe between wanting lips, your french tips hitting the roof of his mouth while lapping at your salty skin.

His pelvis hammers into you at a steady rate in combination with the gushes emerging from both sexes, it's so damn loud, you’re quite sure your Resident Assistant will come banging at your door frantically, telling you to lower it down because of the noise complaints that lead to your room.

You giggle, not just at the thought but at how much it tickles to feel Satoru’s tongue swirl around each toe.

“Satoru, that tickles.” You quip and the aforementioned man stares at you with knowing lids, purposely tasting your soles which have you trying to take your foot away, but the position you’re in makes it impossible.  

You feel as though hours go by as your older brother pushes on with fucking you silly and having a makeout session with your foot. His v-line collides with your poor pussy on every steady beat and you can’t help but let your earlier accusations fall from your mind like slippery soap.

The revulsion, the distaste, the discomfort–all of which were confined in a silk-woven case, trapped and compacted hitherto its evolution of approval. Although tentativeness plagues its cycle, the result remains beauteous as a cherry red butterfly protrudes through the rotten surface of the cocoon. The successful escapee finally swarms the sky with a setting sun.

It feels good. You feel good. Your pussy feels good as your step brother pounds it with intent–with purpose. You wiggle like a fearful worm ready to be eaten once the need to release creeps up slowly.

“My little sister always manages to feel so good. This pussy is just gripping me so fucking tightly and-” He stops abruptly and so do your moans as you hear your front door creak open.

The sound of jiggling keys and the chaotic trembling of plastic bags alert both your ears as you hear the door slam shut accompanied by a relieved sigh. You glance at the digital clock on your nightstand–‘10:35 PM’. One of your roommates is back from work. Coming home to rest easy from their enervating shift, she wants nothing more than to take a scalding hot shower, laze in her bed, and listen to nothing but silence as she drifts off to sleep.

But before those temptations come into play, she first wants to check up on you to see if you’re still in your room. Walking up sluggishly to your door, she raises a hand to prepare a few knocks while you and Satoru both stare wide-eyed at the shadow that occupies the crevice beneath your bedroom door–still like Michelangelo's statues.

“Hey, (Name), you in there?” The pause is long as you look up to Satoru and see his gaping mouth transform into a smirk before turning your attention to the door.

“Uh, yeah, I’m here. What’s up?” You ask, slightly hoping that your answer will satisfy her queries on your safety before retreating to her room.

“After work, I took a quick trip to the store for some wings and frozen pizza if you’d like some. Even got honey-barbeque-” You smile at her gentle antics. She remembered your favorite flavor.

“Oh, thanks, I really appreciate th-oh!” You’re stopped once Satoru resumes pounding your sloppy pussy. You cover your mouth in an attempt to conceal your yap but a strong hand grabs both wrists to cuff them above your head.

“Keep talkin', sis. Can’t leave mom pondering, now can we?” He whispered with precaution. That devious little-

“H-Hey? Are you okay?” The squishy slaps of both Satoru’s precum and your wet fluids compose a cacophonic symphony. Shit, if he keeps going, you’ll- 

“Yeah, m-mhm. I-I’m, fuuuck, fine.” Satoru grins maniacally above you his hot breath pasts your cheek and into your ear. The tip of his cock abuses your cervix as he compacts you tightly under giant muscle, arms littered with bulging purple and blue veins as he keeps you steady. His pubes tickle your clit whenever his hips kissed yours. Both breaths were getting heavy.

“Are you sure, you sound…sick.” Her words were laced with worry as she stood there, unmoving. “Do you need for me to come in?”

Satoru finds her naivety hilarious but decides it's time to break the barrier. He does so by raising his hips to an exaggerated extent before hammering back into you, the sound much louder than before as clapping fills the atmosphere. He guarantees your roommate will pick it up. Which she does.

“Wait, are you-” She gasps when she hears your sobbing moans echo in her ears. “Oh my God.” You’re too fucked stupid to give a reply when she blurts out an embarrassed ‘sorry!’ before taking hurried footsteps away from your door.

“Guess we scared her off, huh?” Knowing damn well he was the one who only made the effort to let your roommate know you were being pounded to oblivion. “Think she’s gonna tell everyone about this? Tell everyone how her son and daughter ruin the family name because we were caught fucking each other in your room?” He’s quick to pick up in your roleplay.

“Hnngh, I don’t know, ‘Toru.”

“I’m quite sure she will. What do you say, sweet girl, how about we both give a real reason to soil the family name and let me come in this pussy?” His thrusts start to stutter with each filthy word–cream drips from your cunt and down to the tight rim of your ass. Your eyes roll to the back of your head as you groan quietly.

“Answer me now, sweetheart, or Satoru-nii is gonna-”

“Yes, Satoru, fuck. Please come inside me, please, ‘don’t care about anyone in this family but you! Come inside me, Satoru-nii!”

With that being said, he fulfills your wish by giving you one, big thrust and stilling his cock deep in his little sister’s pussy to pump his hot seed in increments. Whimpering loudly as he does so. His face contorts in the cutest grimace that you wish you could smooch. You heavily breathe in unison until he pulls out of you (fingering his remaining cum back into your fluttering hole).

He kisses your cheek, then your forehead, and lastly your lips before saying, “You did so well for me.”

And it’s after this session that have you thinking–‘perhaps you do get it’.

[joelsrose]

Whispering Pines

hey guysss this is a bit different to what i've written in the past but i hope you enjoy!!! -> warnings: pervy?!joel, age gap, reader and friends are early-mid20's? nonconsented recording? creep behavior lmao

It had been the kind of semester that didn’t just drain you—it hollowed you out. Weeks blurred together in a haze of caffeine-fueled cramming, group assignments that somehow made you question the very concept of teamwork, and those endless nights where burnout settled in your bones like cold rain, seeping through every layer no matter how tightly you wrapped yourself up.

By the time your last lecture finally ended—an anticlimactic slide deck and a half-hearted wave goodbye—the only thing any of you could agree on was that you needed out. Not just a night off. Not a half-hearted brunch with bottomless mimosas. You needed out out. Out of the city. Out of the noise. Out of the flickering, headache-inducing fluorescents of the university library. Out of your own damn minds.

And so, naturally, the search began—phones in hand, curled up across a pile of mismatched throw blankets in your shared apartment, each of you scrolling Airbnb listings like it was a sacred ritual. Tabs opened and closed, locations filtered and unfavorited. Too expensive. Too basic. Too far. Too small. Until finally, like it was waiting for you all along, one listing stopped you dead in your tracks.

It was titled: “Whispering Pines Cabin – Quiet, Secluded, Peaceful.”

The photos were straight out of a fever dream—weathered wooden beams, a wraparound porch framed with fairy lights, the kind of antique furniture that looked like it had stories soaked into the wood. There was a fireplace with a leather armchair beside it, a deep stone bath in the master suite, and a hot tub that overlooked a private clearing surrounded by towering pines. It looked too good to be real.

You clicked to read the description.

“Simple, quiet, private cabin. I live nearby and maintain the property myself—happy to help if you need anything. Wood for the fire included. Please treat the place with care, she’s old but beautiful. – Joel Miller.”

“Guys,” you said, your voice suddenly lifted with something suspiciously close to glee, “how good does this place look?”

There was a pause as the other girls crowded in to look over your shoulder. Dani, ever the skeptic, squinted at the screen and muttered, “In the middle of the woods? I’ve seen enough horror movies to know how that ends.”

Ruby laughed, nudging her. “Relax, you freak. It looks amazing. Kinda romantic, actually.”

“I’m booking it,” you said, already clicking the dates and entering your card info, heart fluttering just a little. Maybe it was the idea of silence. Maybe it was the promise of being far from responsibility.

Maybe it was the name at the bottom of the page.

⋆. 𐙚 ̊.

The drive had been long, the kind that stretches out in golden hours and half-finished playlists, where the car windows stayed rolled down just enough to let the wind whip your hair into a mess and carry in that warm, pine-heavy breeze that smelled like summer freedom and something older.

You’d driven most of the way, hands on the wheel, bare thighs sticking to the seat, the music just loud enough to drown out any thoughts that tried to creep in. Your three best friends—Dani, Ruby, and Salma—made the car feel smaller in the best way, laughter tangled with the occasional off-key singing, the familiar comfort of their voices keeping you grounded even as the GPS took you further and further into nowhere.

The roads had started out suburban, then rural, then something else entirely—long, empty stretches of cracked asphalt lined with trees that grew taller the deeper you went, their branches forming a canopy overhead like a slow descent into something untouched.

The street signs vanished. The last gas station you passed had looked abandoned. Even the sky felt quieter.

“Shit,” Dani muttered from the back seat, leaning forward between the front seats, her brows raised as she squinted at the narrowing road. “This place is creepy as fuck.”

You rolled your eyes but smiled. “Shut up, Dani. You’re just a scaredy-cat.”

“She literally screamed at a moth last week,” Ruby chimed in, laughing as she glanced down at her phone. “Okay, turn left up here—I think we’re close.”

You flicked the indicator on and turned onto a dirt path that crunched under the tires, your breath catching slightly as the trees parted and the cabin came into view like something out of a forgotten dream.

There it was.

Bigger than the photos.

A long gravel driveway winding through wild grass and wildflowers, the trees arching protectively around it. The cabin itself was a soft, weathered wood, the color of old whiskey, with a wide porch that wrapped around the front and one side, strings of fairy lights already glowing against the early dusk, swaying gently in the breeze. A stone chimney climbed up the side like a spine, smoke-free but promising. There were rocking chairs. A swing. A pair of boots left by the front steps.

You all gasped, like you’d stumbled upon something sacred.

“Oh my god,” Salma breathed. “It’s beautiful.”

You pulled in slowly, gravel crunching beneath the tires, the engine humming a final breath before you turned the key and let the silence wrap itself around you like a weighted blanket. It was the kind of quiet that pressed up against your skin—not hollow, not empty, but full of something watching, something just beyond the trees. The forest seemed to lean in as if holding its breath.

The car doors opened one by one, slamming shut in uneven succession behind you, echoing a little too loudly in the still air. Ruby stretched, arms overhead, groaning as she rolled her shoulders. Dani was already snapping a photo of the cabin, her phone tilted at the perfect angle. Salma took a slow step toward the porch, dragging her small pink suitcase behind her, wheels crunching over gravel like bones.

“Okay,” you murmured, pulling your phone from the cupholder, the screen lighting up with that familiar thread of messages—Joel Miller. You’d been texting back and forth the last couple days. Nothing much, just details. Check-in time. Key instructions. He’d said he’d greet you personally when you arrived. That he liked to make sure everything was just right.

You thumbed out a quick message.

We’re here.

Salma glanced around, shielding her eyes from the dipping sun. “Where is he?” she asked, her voice quiet, as if she didn’t want to disturb the hush that had settled over the clearing.

“I’m not sure,” you said, eyes still on your phone, waiting for the little dots to appear. “I’m sure he’ll reply soon.”

You walked toward the porch first, the wooden steps creaking beneath your boots like they hadn’t been stepped on in a while—each groan echoing softly into the stillness, like the house was stirring awake at your presence. You glanced over your shoulder. “Let’s get the bags up here while we wait,” you called, voice light, masking the little flicker of unease beginning to press just beneath your ribs.

The girls followed without protest, laughter carrying up the steps as Ruby dropped her duffel with a dramatic grunt, flopping onto the porch swing like she’d just hiked the Alps. Salma rolled her small suitcase in gentle zigzags, its wheels catching on the uneven wood slats, while Dani hung back, surveying the tree line with narrowed eyes like she was waiting for something to move out there.

The air smelled like sun-warmed timber and something almost sharp—herbal, grounding. Cedar maybe. Or sage. You weren’t sure, but it clung to your clothes, slipped into your lungs, felt... good. Familiar.

You stepped up to the door, fingers curling around the brass knob—dull with age, smooth from use—and paused.

The door was already ajar.

Just slightly. Not enough to call open, but enough that you could see the gleam of dark hardwood floors beyond the frame. A single sliver of shadowed interior, cool and unmoving.

No wind. No creak. Just… open.

Your heart gave a small, startled stutter. Not a full beat missed—just enough to notice.

You instinctively leaned in, pushing the door a fraction further with your fingertips, wood groaning softly like it was trying not to wake something.

“Don’t just go in!” Dani’s voice hissed behind you, sharp and low, and her hand clamped down on your forearm. You turned, startled by the grip, by the sudden fear in her face. She wasn’t joking anymore. Her eyes were wide, jaw tight. It looked wrong on her—like a mask slipping. “What if it’s not safe? What if someone’s in there? Like—already inside?”

You blinked, caught off guard by her shift. “It’s probably fine,” you said, trying to brush it off, though you hadn’t let go of your phone. Your thumb hovered over the screen, just shy of unlocking it. “Joel said he’d leave it open. He’s expecting us.”

Dani didn’t look convinced. “That doesn’t mean someone else didn’t get here first.”

Ruby groaned from her spot on the swing. “Jesus, Dani. It’s not a crime podcast. It’s a rental.”

You laughed—light, a little forced. “Okay, Miss Paranormal Activity. Let’s just leave the door open and start bringing stuff in. If he doesn’t show up in ten minutes, I’ll call.”

⋆. 𐙚 ̊.

The cabin was beautiful in a way that didn’t feel real, like you’d stepped into someone’s memory of a home rather than a structure built with hands.

The walls were paneled in warm, aged wood that glowed honey-gold in the late afternoon light, and everything inside seemed to hum with the soft hush of something sacred—thick rugs underfoot, old books stacked beside velvet armchairs, lace curtains fluttering gently in a breeze that you hadn’t felt pass through the door.

A stone fireplace took up nearly an entire wall in the living room, flanked by shelves full of antique trinkets and black-and-white photographs in weathered frames.

“Dibs!” Ruby shouted suddenly, her suitcase bumping along the floorboards as she disappeared down a hallway in a blur of curls and laughter. “Whoever finds the biggest bed wins!”

Salma rolled her eyes and followed with a soft smile, and Dani hung back by the front door, still looking around with narrowed eyes, like she was waiting for something to jump out from behind the curtains. You walked deeper into the space, drawn by the warm glow spilling from the kitchen, your steps slow as you tilted your head to take in the details.

There was something too perfect about the place. Not staged, but curated. Lived-in, but untouched.

“This place is beautiful,” you said aloud, half to yourself, walking backward toward the kitchen as you continued to admire the ceiling beams and low-hanging glass lanterns, the way everything felt quietly suspended in time.

You turned the corner—

—and screamed.

A sharp, startled noise escaped your throat before you could stop it, your hand flying to your mouth as your body jolted back a step.

There was a man standing in the kitchen.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, older—maybe mid-fifties, maybe older than that, but solid in the way that men rarely were anymore. His hair was thick and silvery, curling slightly at the ends where it met the collar of a faded green flannel shirt rolled up at the sleeves. His jaw was sharp but peppered with scruff, a scar cutting clean through his left eyebrow, and his eyes—dark and lined at the corners—were wide with alarm as he clutched his chest.

“Shit!” he barked, eyes going even wider. “Jesus, darlin’—you just about stopped my damn heart.”

Your hand was still over your mouth, your other pressed to your own chest as you tried to catch your breath.

“I—I’m so sorry,” you gasped, breathless laughter spilling out of you now that your brain was catching up. “I didn’t know you were here—I texted, and we didn’t see you, and the door was open and—god, I’m sorry.”

He exhaled hard, still holding his chest as he gave a lopsided, rueful smile. “Nah, that’s on me. Should’ve been out front to greet y’all. I was just tryin’ to get some food ready for you girls.” He reached back and pulled a phone from his back pocket, squinting at the screen. “Hell, I’m terrible with this thing. My daughter had to help me write the damn Airbnb ad. I still don’t know where half the buttons are.”

You smiled, your nerves settling as the initial shock gave way to something easier, warmer. He didn’t seem dangerous—just big, rugged, and maybe a little awkward. “It’s okay,” you said, stepping further into the kitchen. “It’s nice to finally meet you… Joel, right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, reaching out to shake your hand, his grip warm and firm, his palm calloused in a way that told stories. “How rude of me—not even introducin’ myself proper.”

You took in the details now that you were closer—the thick veins on the back of his hands, the way his shirt clung slightly at the chest, the scent of cedar and something faintly smoky clinging to him like second skin. He was old. Definitely. But handsome, in that worn, masculine way that wasn’t filtered or polished—just real. The kind of man who had built things with his hands. Who had probably loved someone once. Who now lived alone in the woods.

“That’s okay,” you said softly, smiling as you stepped aside to gesture toward the others. “These are my friends—Salma, Dani, and Ruby.”

The girls had all come to the doorway, eyes wide from your earlier scream, but now smiling politely, murmuring their hellos.

“Lovely to meet you girls,” Joel said with a slow nod, the deep timbre of his voice like gravel worn smooth with time, steady and unhurried. His gaze passed over your friends with polite detachment—Salma with her arms crossed loosely, Dani still slightly wary, and Ruby already beaming—but when his eyes settled back on you, they held for a breath longer than necessary. Not overt. Not unkind. Just... lingering. Like he was cataloguing something.

You weren’t sure why that made your stomach flutter.

“Well,” he said, stepping back toward the counter, wiping his large hands on his jeans with the absentminded grace of someone used to doing everything himself, “figured the drive was long, so I got some drinks and snacks laid out for you girls. Nothin’ fancy, but should take the edge off.”

The kitchen table was lined with mismatched plates—slices of warm sourdough bread, local cheeses, a bowl of cherries so red they almost didn’t look real, a few little ramekins of olives and nuts, and beside it all, a chilled glass jug of something pink and citrusy that was already starting to bead with condensation. There was even a tray of chocolate chip cookies, still slightly soft in the center, their scent curling into the air like a lullaby.

“Woah,” Ruby said, her eyes widening as she practically pranced forward, hair bouncing, already reaching for a cookie. “This is awesome,” she added, mid-bite, mouth full but too delighted to care.

Joel watched her with a faint smile, brow arched in mild amusement, arms folded loosely across his chest.

You chuckled, catching his eye, and mouthed a quiet sorry over Ruby’s unfiltered enthusiasm. He gave a soft huff of a laugh and shook his head like to say don’t worry about it, the corners of his eyes crinkling deeper when he smiled.

“Alright,” he said, clapping his hands together with a quick, dry sound that broke the moment’s softness. “You girls want the grand tour?”

“Yes, please,” Salma said brightly, setting her water down and already stepping away from the counter, eager to move.

“Alrighty then,” he said, turning with an easy sort of authority, beckoning you all to follow as he moved toward the hallway, boots thudding softly against the wooden floorboards. “Come on, I’ll show you where everything is.”

You fell in behind him, your friends chatting softly as they trailed after, the golden light of late afternoon spilling through the wide windows and catching on the slope of Joel’s shoulders as he led the way, moving with the kind of ease that only comes from belonging. There was something in the way he moved through the house that felt intimate—his fingertips grazing doorframes, his voice low as he described the walls like they held memory, not just timber and nails.

“This place was my daddy’s,” he said as you passed through the narrow hallway, his voice echoing slightly against the old wooden panels. “He built it piece by piece back in the eighties, way before Airbnb was a thing. Back then it was just a little hunting lodge—no electricity, barely had running water. My brother and I used to sleep right there on that floor,” he added, nodding toward the small guest bedroom with a soft grin. “Freezin’ our asses off half the year, but we thought it was the best damn thing in the world.”

Each room he showed you was carefully preserved—rich in dark wood, accented with soft fabrics and little details that felt too personal to be staged. A chipped mug left beside a window. A denim jacket hanging on the back of a chair like someone had just stepped out. The main bedroom had a four-poster bed draped in white cotton, the sheets tucked tight, the view overlooking the treeline like something from a dream.

When the tour came full circle, you all ended up back in the kitchen, the air now scented with warm bread and citrus, your friends laughing as they settled into the high counter chairs, nibbling at the spread Joel had put out like it was some enchanted forest feast. Ruby had her legs tucked beneath her as she crunched on almonds; Dani was chewing slowly, suspiciously, as if she still hadn’t entirely decided whether Joel was a serial killer or just a very attentive host.

You turned to him as he leaned against the kitchen sink, arms folded, watching the group with a small, unreadable smile.

“So,” you asked lightly, brushing your fingers along the edge of the counter, “any housekeeping we should be aware of, Mr. Miller?”

He chuckled—deep and soft, his eyes creasing at the corners. “Joel, please,” he said, shaking his head. “Mr. Miller makes it sound like I should be wearin’ a tie or somethin’.”

You laughed at that, a bright, effortless sound that bounced off the wooden beams and made Salma glance at you with a small smirk. Joel didn’t say anything, not right away. Just watched you. His gaze lingered—not lascivious, not overt. But heavy. Concentrated. The kind of look that made your skin warm in places you hadn’t realized were exposed. He didn’t blink until you looked away.

He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head, suddenly shifting his weight like the laugh had knocked something loose in him.

“I’m not too strict,” he said finally. “You girls are here for vacation, so I figure you oughta enjoy yourselves. If you’re gonna drink, try not to break anything expensive—though honestly, not much in here’s worth a damn except maybe the stove and the piano in the sitting room.”

He pointed vaguely toward the far end of the cabin where you hadn’t lingered during the tour. “And I’ll be stayin’ just down the path yonder,” he added. “There’s a little shed that’s been converted into a guesthouse—got my own entrance, my own everything. I’ll be outta your hair unless you need me. But if you do, feel free to message me—if I can even figure out how to turn this damn thing on.”

He held up his phone with a sheepish grin, squinting at the screen as if it had betrayed him one too many times.

You smiled, something in your chest softening. “We’ll try not to burn the place down.”

He looked at you again—more gently this time, but no less intently. “You do that,” he said quietly.

You turned back to the counter, missing the way he kept watching you for just a moment longer than necessary, his fingers drumming lightly against his thigh, like he was trying to commit the sound of your laugh to memory.

⋆. 𐙚 ̊.

The wine had been cracked open almost as soon as the sun began to dip below the tree line, and now the four of you were sunk deep into the hot tub, the surface bubbling lazily around your bare shoulders, steam curling up into the cool evening air like the exhale of something ancient and patient.

The sky overhead had darkened to a soft violet, stars just beginning to flicker awake above the pines, and the soft, distant sound of cicadas filled the gaps between your laughter. Your limbs were warm and weightless beneath the water, the tension from the long drive slowly unspooling from your muscles with each passing minute, the wine already buzzing pleasantly in your bloodstream.

“This is so nice,” Dani sighed, her eyes closed as she let her head fall back against the lip of the tub, the string lights strung above casting golden halos in her damp hair. “I feel like I can finally breathe.”

“Oh yeah?” you teased, swirling your glass lazily as you grinned at her. “So you’re over the whole ‘axe murderer hiding in the woods’ thing?”

Her eyes snapped open, “Hey. Don’t joke about that. I swear to God.”

Salma and Ruby cracked up immediately, the sound spilling over the surface of the water like spilled champagne.

“I’m just saying,” Ruby added, leaning forward to top off her drink with a dramatic flourish, “why was he kinda… hot?”

“Oh my god, Ruby,” Salma groaned, nearly choking on her sip. “You’re insane.”

“What?” Ruby said, undeterred, raising her brows as she gestured vaguely toward the woods. “Come on. In that old, gruff kindaway."

You laughed, the sound low and effortless as you shook your head, tucking a wet strand of hair behind your ear.

“Oh, come on,” Ruby pressed, her gaze zeroing in on you now, sly and glittering. “You saw it, right?”

You shrugged, trying to sound casual, though you could already feel the heat rising behind your cheeks. “He’s… nice.”

“Nice?” Dani repeated, one brow arching so high it practically disappeared into her hairline.

“I think he was feeling you,” Salma sing-songed, nudging your shoulder under the water with hers.

You let out a mock gasp and slapped her arm, feigning outrage even as your grin betrayed you. “He’s like—thirty years older than me.”

“Which means plenty of experience,” Ruby said with a wink, raising her glass as if to toast to the depravity of it all.

You rolled your eyes, but something in you fluttered. Something you didn’t have a name for.

Instinctively, your eyes drifted past the edge of the hot tub, out toward the clearing that framed Joel’s guesthouse in the distance.

The lights inside were off now, the small cabin dark and unassuming, tucked between the trees like it had been there forever, like it had roots instead of foundations.

The girls kept talking, the sound of their voices soft and familiar behind you, but your focus had narrowed to something else entirely. There—just near the treeline, not quite hidden but not obvious either—something blinked.

Not a flash. Not a spark. A red light. So faint you could’ve missed it.

You squinted, sitting up a little straighter, the water sloshing gently around you as your breath caught. One blink. Then another. Slow. Steady. Purposeful.

You blinked hard, rubbed your eyes. Maybe it was the wine, or the leftover haze of the drive, or the fact that you hadn’t properly slept in two days, but—

There it was again.

The smallest red dot, pulsing in the darkness like a heartbeat.

You opened your mouth to say something— then stopped.

Because what would you even say? That you thought you saw a light in the woods? That maybe someone—or something—was out there watching?

Instead, you turned back to the girls with a smile a second too delayed, lifting your glass to your lips even though it was empty.

You didn’t tell them.

Not yet.

⋆. 𐙚 ̊.

[starkwlkr]

saw that your request are open. I was wondering if you could write charles getting emotional because ruby just graduated high school

slipping through my fingers | charles leclerc

an: it’s been a while since I’ve written for ruby but we’re back baby!! guys idk how high school in monaco works so please don’t make fun of me if I get stuff wrong I’m doing research ok 😭 i went to school in america lol

The day was finally here. It was the day that Ruby had been waiting for her entire life and the day that Charles dreaded. His baby was graduating and he couldn’t accept the fact that she was growing up.

All morning, Charles had been taking pictures and reminding everyone that ‘Ruby was growing up too fast’. Everyone knew it of course, little Ruby Leclerc had grown up way too fast. It feels like it was just yesterday that she was messing around with Charles’ phone.

“Papa, hurry! I don’t want to be late!” Ruby practically shoved Charles out the door. She was dressed in a new dress that Y/n had bought her along with her cap and gown. While most of her friends were wearing heels or flats, Ruby went with her converse. It took lots of convincing for her parents to say yes, but I’m the end Ruby got to wear her red converse. Ruby then started running out the door in fear that she was going to be late for her own graduation.

“Wait! It’s okay. . .” Charles called out, grabbing his car keys from the counter. As he made it to the front door, he saw a picture of his family from his Monaco win. Back when Ruby was still asking him to tie her shoes and Mathéo still slept with his favorite blue blanket. “We have time.” He spoke to himself.

On the way to the ceremony, Ruby was talking about all the universities her friends were going to attend. Most were going to Harvard or Stanford. Ruby still hadn’t revealed where she would continue her studies and it made Charles nervous. Was she finally leaving Monaco?

“What did you want to be, papa?” Mathéo brought Charles back to reality. “Like when you were my age, what did you want to be?”

“Well, I always planned to be a Formula one driver, but if that didn’t work out then maybe an architect.” Charles replied.

“What about you, maman?”

“I always wanted to be a princess.”

The kids laughed, along with Charles. “But everyone calls papa the prince of Monaco so technically you are a princess!” Mathéo clarified.

“I guess you’re right, baby.”

When the Leclerc family made it to the school, Ruby spotted her uncles, aunts and grandmother. She immediately ran up to them and greeted them with kisses on the cheek and a hug.

“Stop growing!” Pascale placed another kiss on Ruby’s cheek.

“That’s what papa kept saying all morning!” Ruby laughed.

After everyone greeted each other, it was time for Ruby to get to her assigned seat. She quickly said a goodbye to each of her family members. Before she could leave to join her friends, Charles pulled her aside.

“I want to give you this. It’s your special day and you deserve something special.” Charles took out a small box from his pocket. He handed it to Ruby and watched as she opened it.

Ruby couldn’t believe it. She took the necklace out of the box and gasped. “It’s the one I wanted!”

“Let me help you put it on.” Charles offered. He took the box and placed it back in his pocket. Ruby turned around and lifted up her hair so Charles could put the necklace on her.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.” She turned around and gave him a hug. It was a much needed hug for Charles. His little girl was not a little girl anymore and he had to accept it.

“Go before you’re late. We’ll be watching.” Charles said to her before she left. He wiped away a tear and sighed. That’s when Arthur came up from behind him.

“Are you crying?” The younger Leclerc asked.

“I’m allowed to cry!”

“This feels like when you won Monaco.” Arthur chuckled.

“No, this is better than winning Monaco.” Yeah, watching his daughter cross the stage and accept her diploma? Truly better than all his wins combined.

[arc-misadventures]

The Newest Ace

Weiss: Ohhhh~! I can't believe we're doing this!

Yang: Okay? Am I missing something? Cause, Weiss isn't the type to bounce up, and down in excitement.

Weiss, who had been bouncing on her feet in excitement suddenly stopped. She brushed the creases in her skirt as she tried to regain her composure, but the deep red blush across her face wasn't fading anytime soon.

Ruby: For this mission we're being accompanied by a group of, Specialists! One of them happens to be, Weiss's big sister, Winter!

Yang: Oh! Looking forward to spending time with your big sis, eh?

Weiss: I can't help it okay! I rarely get to spend time with her! And, lately whenever I try to spend time with her, she's always busy helping one of the other, Specialists!

Blake: Which, Specialist?

Weiss: I don't know, she didn't say who it was.

Yang: Maybe we'll get to meet them while on this mission; The reports did say we would be accompanied by two, Specialists.

Ruby: I wonder who it is, I hope it's Harriet; I like, Harriet, she's cool!

Blake: I hope it's, Clover myself. It's nice to have a guaranteed good luck charm around you.

Ruby: Clover has been spending most of his time around, Uncle Qrow when on missions. If anyone needs a good luck charm it's, Uncle Qrow.

Yang: Can't argue with that...

Weiss: Well it doesn't matter. I get to go on a mission with my... Winter!

Weiss, shouted out her sisters name as she ran over to, Winter, and hugged her, who reciprocated her hug in kind. They embraced one another for a while until, Weiss pulled away from her sister with a beaming smile.

Weiss: Sister!

Winter: Hello, Weiss. How are you doing?

Weiss: I'm doing well sister. Better now that I get to see you!

Winter: Yes, I am sorry I've been so busy. We recently got a new member on the, Specialist Team; I've been showing him the ropes, and going on missions with him when he's going outside of, Atlas.

Yang: A new member?

Ruby: Is he anyone we know?

Winter: Why yes, it fact it's...?!

: Sorry I'm late, Winter! It took me forever to get these drones from the supply sergeant. He didn't understand that when they said he was, 'responsible for them.' That it meant he was responsible for keeping innovatory, and filling out the proper paper work of who last took them out.

: Poor bugger thought he was financially responsible for them if anything got broken on the field.

A man called out dressed in blues, red, and an all too familiar set of white armour came forward hefting two large suitcases in each of his hands.

Blake: Is that...?

Yang: Since when did...?

Weiss: It can't be...?

Ruby: Jaune?!

The individual carrying the two large suitcases stopped as he heard his name being called, for it was their friend, Jaune Arc.

Jaune: Oh? Hello, Team RWBY.

Ruby: Jaune, is that you?!

Jaune: Yes, I am, Jaune.

Yang: What's with that outfit?!

Jaune: It's my, Specialist uniform.

Blake: You're the, Specialist that's been assigned to us?!

Jaune: It appears so.

Weiss: You're the, Specialist bastard that's stolen my sister away from me?!

Jaune: Uhhh...? Some context please?

RWBY: What the hell, Jaune?!

Jaune: Haa... Okay, let me explain some things to you...

Jaune: Yes, I am a, Specialist. I became one about... a week, and a half ago at, Winter's recommendation. I haven't... stolen your sister, Weiss. She's been mentoring me on my duties as a, Specialist. And, we both have been assigned to this mission as your handlers.

Ruby: Handlers? What's that?

Blake: That means he's the boss.

Winter: We are here to keep you in line. To make sure you didn't do anything... ill-advise.

Yang: Ill-advised?

Jaune: Stupid.

Yang: Oh...

Yang: ...

Yang: Hey?!

Jaune: Alright, alright if you have anymore questions, you can ask them on the bullhead. We have a mission to do.

Ruby: Alright.

Yang: We're going...

Jaune watched as the members of, Team RWBY climb on to the bullhead, each one of them giving him an odd, and almost untrusting look. Jaune shrugged it off, and grabbed the drone cases, and walk up to, Winter, and asked her a simple question.

Jaune: Did you know we were going to be assigned with, Team RWBY for this mission?

Winter: No. Will that be a problem?

Jaune: Not to me it will.

Winter nodded her head, as the two boarded the bullhead, and made their way to the drop zone.

~~~

Midway through the flight, Jaune turned on a screen display for the mission zone, and gave them a debriefing.

Jaune: Alright listen up people: The mission is a seek, and destroy mission. There is a cave system north of the port town of, Foxquinth. This cave is routinely filled with, Grimm, and thus team's of, Hunter's are routinely sent to clear it out. Now, since this cave has been cleared out several times it has been thoroughly mapped out as a result of it. The oldest map we have is from two years ago. As you can see from the map, the tunnel section is a long path, that breaks into two paths. Now, I brought along two drones; the drones will be used to explore each cave section. We'll be checking to see if there are any, Grimm, and if there are, we'll know what kinds of, Grimm we'll be facing. After the drones have explored the cave system, we'll start clearing it out. If there are, Grimm down both separate tunnels, we'll divide into two teams of three, and clear them out. If not, and the Grimm is only in one tunnel, we'll all handle as a six man team. Any questions?

Jaune saw the hands of each member of, Team RWBY raise their hands before he added a caveat to his question.

Jaune: Any questions about the mission?

And, all, but one hand went down.

Jaune: Weiss?

Weiss: If this cave is routinely filled with, Grimm, why didn't they destroy the cave system to stop them from coming back?

Jaune: The cave formation is made out of iron stone; It requires explosives at the best of times to mine through it. And, the amount that's needed to bring down this cave system is considered too costly for what it's worth. Does that answer your question?

Weiss: Yes it does. thank you.

Jaune: Good, any more questions?

Jaune didn't see any hands rise so he gave a tied sigh as he then looked at them, and reluctantly said.

Jaune: Any questions about me becoming a, Specialists?

Everyone's hands shot up.

Jaune: Okay... Ruby?

Ruby: How come you didn't tell us you became a, Specialist?

Jaune: Did I have to?

Ruby: Y-Yeah, we're your friends, you tell your friends things, right...?

Jaune: No, no we're not.

Ruby: What...?

Jaune: Yang?

Yang: First off: Love the new look.

Jaune: Thank you~!

Yang: Secondly, why are you in charge of this mission?

Blake: Yeah, no offense, Jaune, but shouldn't, Winter be in charge, she is your superior officer?

Winter: We're testing him; General Ironwood wants to see how good, Jaune is in a leading position. Both in his abilities to lead others into combat scenarios, and how effective his plans are.

Yang: Oh, that makes sense...

Jaune: Anything else?

Weiss: Winter, is he treating you well? He hasn't done anything untoward you?

Winter: No. no he has not...

Weiss: Okay, but what if he...?!

Jaune: We're landing! Get ready to depart!

Ruby: Alright! Let's do this, Team RWBY!

Winter: You don't want her to ask anymore questions about our relationship?

Jaune: And, what exactly kind of relationship do we have?

Winter: ...

Winter: Yes...?

~~~

Jaune: Hmmm...

Jaune, and Winter knelt down in the snow as they watch the camera feeds on the monitors of their respective drones they were each piloting. All the while, Team RWBY formed a perimeter around them.

Jaune: See anything, Winter?

Winter: No, the cave path that leads to the right is empty. What about the left?

Jaune: I've got a few... not too many... Just a bunch a, Sabyrs, about eight of them, and one, Alpha Sabyr. Not too much to deal with.

Winter: Any chance of there being any, Centipede's?

Jaune: No. The iron stone is too thick for, Centipede's to burrow through. Even, Alpha class, Centipede's can't dig through it. Alright, recall your drone, we'll move as soon as they're back.

Jaune hit the recall on his pad,, and stood up to brush off the snow from his legs.

Jaune: Okay, listen up everyone; We're dealing with at least eight, Sabyr's, and one, Alpha Sabyr. They're all in the same place so we don't have to divided up. As soon as the drones are back we will head inside. Yang, you, and I are on point. Winter, and Weiss will be in the middle, and Ruby, and Blake will take up the rear. Okay?

Ruby: What? Why am I stuck in the back?

Jaune: Yang, and I will take the front because we are frontline fighters. We're the heavy hitters, and we can take a beating. We'll keep the enemy at bay while the rest of you whittle them down.

Jaune: Weiss, and Winter, are in the middle to provide support with their semblances. Be that with ranged attacks, barriers, whatever else their rather versatile semblance can do.

Jaune: While you, Ruby, will be with, Blake, and protect the rear. You job is to make sure nothing comes up, and attacks us from behind. And, if anything does come too close, Blake will engage to keep them off the, Schnee's. While you whittle them down with your sniper rifle, and protect the rear.

Jaune: Understood?

Ruby: But, I want...?!

Jaune: Understood!

Ruby: Y-Yes...!

Jaune: Good. Let's go team!

Yang: Since when was, Jaune so... so...?

Blake: Commanding...?

Yang: Yeah... something like that...

Weiss: He was a team leader... maybe he was always like this, we just never saw it.

Ruby: Yeah... but, he never seemed so angry though...

Weiss: Well, I can think of several reason why he might seem...?!

Jaune: Team RWBY! Form up!

Weiss: Yes!

Yang: Sorry!

Blake: Was he always like this?!

Ruby: How am I supposed to know?

Blake: Well, aren't you his best friend?

Ruby: ...

Ruby: Was I...?

~~~

The fight with the, Sabyr's was done. Barely even five minutes had past, barely anyone's aura's had been touched, and even if they were hit, it was barely even a drop from the bucket. All in all, Jaune thought the mission was a resounding success. However, there was one thing that he did not like.

Ruby: Yeah! We did it! We did...?!

Jaune: Ruby!

Ruby: We... d-did it...?

Jaune: What the hell were you doing?

Ruby: C-Celebrating our victory...?

Jaune: Really? Well, I think you should be celebrating the fact, that you got, Weiss killed.

Ruby: What?! She's just fine, she wasn't hurt at all!

Jaune: Luckily she wasn't. But, your job was to stay behind, and protect her in case she was attacked. And, here you are, with me, and, Yang, at the frontline.

Ruby: I-I was k-killing the, Alpha Sabyr...

Jaune: Really? You came up here to kill the, Sabyr? Did you not think, Yang, or I can handle it all on our own? Or, did you think that, Weiss, and Winter couldn't provide adequate support?

Ruby: N-No you guys could have handled it...

Jaune: Then why did you rush forward, and basically commit what others would call a kill steal? Blake stayed in the rear, she ran out, and covered, Winter when that, Sabyr tried to flank her. But, after she dealt with that, Sabyr she pulled back, and covered the rear, and continued to provide fire support.

Jaune: Of which; Nice job there, Blake. I didn't know you were that good of a shot. Nice job.

Blake: Oh... Thank you, Jaune...

Jaune: But, you, Ruby... What were you thinking?

Ruby: W-Well... All the, Grimm were dead... A-and, I saw an o-opening... so I took it...

Jaune: So you do think that, Yang, or myself couldn't deal with it then?

Ruby: N-no, I didn't say that!

Jaune: Vocally, no. But, your actions prove to the contradictory. We could, and would have handled this, but you had to come in because you thought you could do it better.

Ruby: No, I didn't mean to do that!

Jaune: So then you meant for, Weiss to get killed?

Ruby: What?! Of course not!

Jaune: Then why did you leave your post? If you did this while we were in the middle a fight with the, Sabyr's, and Weiss was mid casting, and a, Sabyr flanked her. What did you think could have happen?

Ruby: W-Weiss is a, Huntress! She can protect herself!

Jaune: Yeah, she is a, Huntress, and yes, she can protect herself. But, your job as a, Huntress is to protect people, and that includes your fellow, Hunter's. Your job was to stay in the back, and protect, Weiss. It doesn't matter if, Weiss can save herself, or the fact there was no more, Grimm around. You job was to stay in the back, and protect your friends. Do you understand that, Ruby.

Ruby: Y-Yes... I-I'll make sure it doesn't happen again...

Jaune: Make sure you do, least you live to regret it.

Ruby wilted under, Jaune's comments; His words were not harsh, nor cruel. But, they radiated the energy of a disappointed father disciplining their wayward child. But, what made it worse is that she knew he was right. She did screw up, and if she didn't listen to him, Weiss, Blake, or Yang. Anyone of them could have gotten hurt, or worse.

Jaune: Alright then... Let's get out of here. Winter, can you make the call for an evac?

Winter: On it.

The team of four, Huntresses followed behind the two, Specialists, and while they thought they should feel good about a job well done. They all agreed that they failed in another way, a way they did not expect that they would fail. Leaving the four, Huntresses in a sour mood all the way back to, Atlas.

~~~

Back at, Atlas Academy, in the dorm room, assigned to the members of, Team RWBY, a conversation was being held about the latest news they had just heard. And, one of them was quite upset about this latest development she would voice her rage, a fact she made evident rather vocally.

Nora: What?! Jaune's a, Specialists?!

Weiss: Yeah, he is...

Nora: Why didn't he tell us?!

Weiss: He didn't tell anyone anything.

Blake: He's been a, Specialist for nearly two weeks?

Yang: A week, and a half.

Blake: A week, and a half, Jaune's had plenty of time to tell us if he wanted to. But, he didn't...

Nora: But, why?!

Ren: ...

Weiss: Penny, you work with the, Specialists, how come you didn't tell us he joined them?

Penny: I do not spend as much time as you may think with the, Specialists. Unless ordered to by, General Ironwood, I do not get assigned with them on missions. Considering I have not spent any time assigned with the, Specialist as of late, I would not have been notified that, Jaune Arc was assigned to the, Specialists.

Ren: Did he say how this happened?

Blake: Jaune said, Winter scouted him ,and offered him a spot on the team.

Ren: When did that happen?

Blake: AS, Yang said: Jaune became a, Specialist a week, and a half ago.

Ren: A week, and a half ago...? Then he joined the, Specialists... the day after, Ruby's birthday, or it could have been done on her birthday...

Yang: Ruby's birthday...?

Penny: He did reject your invitation... so, maybe that's why he didn't show up?

Nora: But, why didn't he tell us anything about this?!

Blake: Did he have to...?

Weiss: What?

Nora: What does that mean?!

Blake: Jaune, doesn't consider us... any of us to be his friends. If he doesn't consider us friends, why would he have to tell us anything?

Nora: That's... no that's not...?!

Blake: And, look at how he scolded, Ruby! He's never done that before. It... it was... shocking...

Oscar: W-What did he do?

Yang: Jaune had a simple battle plan for this mission: Me, and Jaune would be in the front, being the tanks. Weiss, and her sister were in the middle providing support. And, Blake along with, Ruby take up the rear. Simple plan, and it worked flawlessly. But, Ruby then, broke formation...

Ren: She broke formation?

Blake: Ruby was meant to stay in the back to snipe any of the, Grimm, or to help, Weiss if one of them flanked her. When only the, Alpha Sabyr was left, Ruby saw an opening, and killed it. Jaune was angry that she broke formation, and left, Weiss exposed.

Ruby: He wasn't angry...

Ruby's voice came out as a quiet whisper. Everyone turned to look at, Ruby, she had tucked her knees to her chest, and rest her face on them as she curled herself up in blankets as she tried to make herself as small as possible to hide away from the world.

Nora: W-What was that, Ruby...?

Ruby: Jaune wasn't angry at me... He was disappointed in me... His voice didn't show any rage, his voice was calm, smooth, and controlled... But, it radiated disappointment... Disappointment in me... He expected better of me... and, I failed him...

Ruby pulled the blanket over her face, but one could all tell based on how her body shook that she was crying, Yang walked over, and sat on the bed with her, pulling her sisters body against her as she gently rubbed her through the blanket.

Weiss: Has, Jaune... has, Jaune ever acted this way to you two?

Ren: No, no he hasn't. He's never been angry, or anything close to it with us... Annoyed at, Nora's antics yes, but who hasn't?

Nora: Hey?!

Oscar: So, Jaune's changed...

Yang: Yeah, he has... but, how has he changed...?

Blake: He grew up...

Weiss: 'He grew up?' What do you mean by that, Blake?

Blake: We keep treating, Jaune as if he's still that dork... 'Vomit boy,' from, Beacon. That dork died with, Pyrrha. He's been growing up all on his own since then. He's become a new person since then, and because we were never watching him... We never notice him changing...

Weiss: And, while, Jaune was growing up... and, we stayed the same...

Nora: ...

Nora: W-What can we do then...? There's gotta be something right?

Blake: We give up, Nora... Jaune's already given up on us... we just have to accept it...

Nora: N-N-No.... No we can't... w-w-w-we can't give up on, Jaune... No! We can't give up on, Jaune! We.. we can't.. w-we can't...

Nora fell to her knees as tears fell down her face like a water fall, Ren got up, and knelt down with her, pulling her into a hug.

It seems like now they would finally understand the harsh truth of the world.

Jaune had given up on them. Now, it was time to accept that. No matter how much it will hurt, they had to accept it.

[creampie-capital]

↳✦ᴛᴡᴏ ᴘɪɴᴋ ʟɪɴᴇꜱ✦

↳「ᴅᴏᴍᴇꜱᴛɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ」║ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳ᴋᴀɢᴀᴍɪ ᴛᴀɪɢᴀ

✦ "𝐎𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐝!" 

Staring at the test in your hands, the two pink lines seemed to be playing a trick on you. It was a miracle that you couldn't believe happened.

Your heart swelled with a variety of emotions while your vision grew blurry. A hand unconsciously rose to your mouth to hold in a sob of disbelief. 

The idea of your family growing was not something the two of you brought up often, and if so, it was always mentioned for in the distant future.

But this was here, this was now, and it was all too surreal.

Glancing at the clock, you realize that you need to clean up all the rubbish and prepare dinner for when your towering 6'3 (190 cm) husband comes home from work.

The two-toned-haired man had recently been over-exhausted from his job at the fire station, and maybe the news of an additional family member would brighten his day. 

Cleaning up your mess, you hid the positive pregnancy test in your sock and underwear drawer. It would be so much more impactful if it were to be a cute little surprise.

You took your time preparing dinner on the stove and setting the table for supper. A vibrant grin couldn't help but grow on your lips when you thought about setting another spot at the table for your child.

However, the sound of the front door opening and closing suddenly permitted the nerves to ignite in anxiousness. 

Kagami desired to be a father like how he desired to win every game he played back in high school. There was envy in his fiery ruby-red optics when he looked at other families, but the question was, would he want one so soon?

Large and muscular arms retracted you from your thoughts as they wrapped around your midsection. Kagami placed a longing kiss on your left cheek, and you could smell the sweat emanating from his dirty skin. 

Grinning at the physical touch, you leaned back against his chest as you continued to stir the contents inside of the pot.

"Welcome home, love." You greeted. "How was work?"

Your husband released a weary sigh and locked onto you securely. His head fit into the crook of your neck, his spiky hair brushing against your neck.

"That bad, huh? You should really take a break from work." 

You could feel him nodding his head with his spiky hair tickling against your skin. "I'm so exhausted..." He murmured into your shoulder. 

It took some skill to suppress another grin when your mind bounced back to the thought of your positive pregnancy test; depending on how he would feel, it could either brighten or lower his mood.

Patting his muscular tan arms, you turned off the stove and turned around in his arms to face him. He glanced down at you, and immediately, your lips were upon each other. 

Always so sweet and savory his kisses were, and as much as you wanted to continue, you did not want for the food to grow cold.

"Well, wash up, then come sit down at the table. Don't stress yourself too much. Things will get better." 

He nodded his head before leaving a soft kiss on the side of your neck and leaving for the shower. Once he entered the bathroom and the screeching of the shower's raging water pressure could be heard, you skipped into your shared bedroom.

The test was hidden in a small rectangular box meant for watches, and you swiftly hid it in your apron. Returning back to the kitchen, you placed the meals on your pristine porcelain white plates and sat in your unassigned assigned seats.

Silence filled your lovely home as he finished his shower, and after a few minutes, the muscular and toned man stepped out in a simple pair of sleeping joggers without his shirt on. 

Water droplets were falling off his hair and dripping down his muscular tan shoulders. His torso was slightly steaming from the hot water. You gazed at him dreamily. 'That's why I'm pregnant.' 

Naughty, naughty, you needed to calm yourself as you chuckled to yourself. Kagami shifted his gaze to meet yours with a perplexed expression.

A lopsided grin formed on your lips while you shook your head. "It's nothing, Love. Come sit down so we can eat together." You mused.

He didn't waste any time sitting next to you at the table and devouring the dinner with his incredibly outlandish appetite that grew worse after high school. 

The thought of having a mini him had your heart swelling and blood rushing through your system as if you were on a rollercoaster.

It was beginning to become more nerve-racking the longer the seconds passed by.

Your husband glanced up at your face and then down at your barely touched dinner. His thick, split eyebrows creased in puzzlement before he swallowed the large bite in his mouth. 

"(Y/n), is something wrong?" He queried oh so innocently.

You smiled at the sound of your name off his tongue and gripped the box tighter. "No, nothing, my love. Don't worry about it." 

He placed his fork down and twisted his full body to face yours. "You got that eyebrow crease again when you're overthinking." 

Kagami knew you so well just as much as you knew him; it made it hard to keep secrets on both ends.

Rolling your (e/c) optic, you reached down into your apron to take out the green box and handed it hesitantly to the tall male. "Here, it's a little present." 

He himself rolled his eyes and took it from your fingers. "You didn't have to. It's not even my birthday." He jeered with a faint grin.

Your extremities clasped together as you observed him intently remove the lid, only for the white pregnancy test to be the first thing he witnessed. 

He stared down with his fiery ruby red optics whilst his mouth hung open. Kagami sat dazed for what felt like hours but was really a minute. Abruptly, dread began to fill your body as you gazed at his non-moving body. 

"T-Taiga." Your voice stuttered out as you sent a hand to touch his shoulder. Unexpectedly, Kagami gripped your wrist and pulled you into his arms. 

His fingers held onto your waist tightly while he pushed his face into your neck. You could feel a stream of liquid suddenly fall down your neck and know it came from Kagami. 

"I don't believe it. I'm really gonna be a dad?!" The man's voice was laced with excitement.

His words were slightly muffled in your shoulders, and you nodded your head. Then, you reached for his hair to scratch his scalp and massage it. 

"I'm pregnant, Taiga. We're going to have a baby together." He squeezed your body tighter and began kissing all the way up from your collarbone to your jaw. 

He pulled back, only for you to see the large grin on his face. "(Y/n), you keep making me happier and happier." 

The two-toned-haired male lightly grasped your left wrist and brought your hand down from his head. He tenderly kissed your ring finger, which held the beautiful gold ring that made you his wife and only his. 

"I love you so much, Taiga." 

"I love you so much too, (Y/n)." 

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳ᴋᴜʀᴏᴋᴏ ᴛᴇᴛꜱᴜʏᴀ

✦ "𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬?"

Tetsuya Nigō merely cocked his head to the side before barking at your feet. Your nose scrunched in disapproval as you dropped yourself on the couch with the Alaskan Malamute jumping up to rest by your side.

All the tension was building up in your muscles from the doctor's visit earlier, and it only grew with the ticking of the clock on the wall. 

It shouldn't have been a surprise to find out you were pregnant with your husband's child; it was partially your fault for enticing him so much that one night. 

However, you weren't sure if it was exactly great news. The two of you were still relatively young, married only for a few years that you could count on one hand.

The issue wasn't that you were afraid to tell him. After all, he was a kindergarten teacher. He adored children and worked with them every day. 

You both shared a conversation about kids, and he revealed that he would love to have one or two...in the future when you two were much older.

A sigh reverberated from your lips as you reached over for a quilt and covered your legs with it, Tetsuya Nigō crawling under so he could rest with his head in your lap.

Even with your myriads of thoughts running at the speed of sound in your head, you knew better than to take it out on a harmless animal.

Your scowl morphed into a minuscule smile as you began scratching his head while your other hand reached for the remote to turn on one of your favorite guilty pleasure shows. 

It wasn't long before the front door opened, and the sound of his keys jiggling echoed through the foyer. 

The front door was opened, and you didn't even turn around to face your blue-haired husband. "Welcome home."

"Hey," Kuroko murmured as he shuffled off his shoes and neared your frame. He turned his head to face the screen to see that vulgar show that was particularly loud. It had sound effects and songs that just seemed to screech in his head.

He expressed his displeasure frequently whenever it was on, and you knew it was the last thing he wanted to hear after finishing work. But you need that show right now to maintain low-stress levels.

"I know it's not right for me to tell you to change the show, but," He released a hefty sigh as he collapsed next to you on the couch. His hands found the remote and turned down the volume to barely above five. "At least don't have it blasting."

"I'm pregnant." You revealed point blankly while snatching the remote and raising the volume again. 

His eyes enlarged, his gaze fixed on the side of your impassive face, which remained focused on the TV screen. Silence sat on his tongue as the information worked through his brain. When he had finally processed such vital news, he lightly placed his hand over yours, which was holding the remote. 

Your gaze shifted slightly to glance at him while he muted the sound. If you had not been used to his apathetic expressions, you would have missed the shimmer in his bright, periwinkle eyes. "You're pregnant?" He asked as he kept his voice from wavering.

In response, you shrugged your shoulders and whacked his hand off yours to raise the volume again. Your body pressed into the corner of the couch as if you were attempting to shield yourself from the impending statement. 

Tetsuya Nigō could probably sense the moody tension and playfully licked at your fingers. 

"(Y/n)." Your name was called out sternly.

That serious and humorless tone of voice nearly had shivers run up your spine. Guess it was finally time to get to the meat of the bone. Pausing the show and clasping your hands together on the back of your dog, you shifted your gaze to face your husband. 

"Tetsuya."

"Why are you acting like this?" He queried while raising his arms to cross over his chest. "You're acting like what you told me is nothing. That is not nothing." There was a slight crease in his eyebrows.

A frown etched deeply on your face as you respired heavily. "I'm not. I know how serious it is. It's just that I know you don't want a baby right now, with work and all. Before, you've said that you wanted to wait until we were older."

The firmness in his eyes softened, and so did his brows. He laughed almost breathlessly while covering it slightly with his hand. "You can be so silly sometimes." Your frown stretched into a scowl. "Yes, I did want to wait until later in the future, but I also said that when I had just started my career. I have a steady job now and money saved. I can take care of you and-" He placed one of his hands on your barely showing stomach. "I can take care of this little one."

Every fiber of your being had relaxed, the tension fading while you placed a hand over his. "But we are still so young." You murmured. 

He nodded his head before leaning in and placing a soft smooch on your lips. "That is true, yes. But I want nothing more than to spend my time with you and raising our child." Kuroko informed, his hand on your belly warming the skin beneath.

Yes, that is 'our' child. A baby is growing in your tummy, a clear sign of your bond. You giggled slightly to yourself for having such pessimistic thoughts about this sweet man. 

"What?" Your husband asked, his lips slightly quirked. 

Grinning, you shook your head while reaching over to wrap your arms around the back of his neck. "Nothing, just happy."

"I'm happy, too."

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳ᴀᴏᴍɪɴᴇ ᴅᴀɪᴋɪ

✦ "𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬!?" 

A groan echoed in the bathroom as you tossed the test down on the counter. Your hands pressed into the marble as you leaned your weight on it. 

You wanted to swear or at least cry a little, but it was in the middle of the night. Aomine couldn't know this yet, so you still have to work your own head around this information in silence. It took you all day just to work up the courage to do it because you couldn't relax enough to go to sleep. 

With your husband's ability to nearly sleep through anything, you let yourself swear under your breath. This was reality; several tests all displayed 'positive.' All seven different brands stared right back at you with that +.

Stepping back, you ran a hand through your hair and glanced at yourself in the mirror. You looked like a nervous wreck right now, and you were feeling like one, too. Your legs could barely hold you up, and you let yourself drop to the ground. 

Slouching against the door, you bit your lip and stared at the tiled floor. Were you excited to have your husband's baby? Well, of course, you've dreamed of having a big family with him since high school. 

The issue and the reason why you were feeling queasy had to do with your husband's profession. 

As a diligent and actively engaged Police Lieutenant, he was constantly rushing in and putting himself in danger every day. It did not help with his stubborn and reckless personality, which often resulted in him doing things before thinking.

It was his passion, and he was passionately dedicated to his job. He desired to help those in need and make your city safer. So if it meant getting a few cuts and gashed here and there, he was fine with it.

To accomplish his goals, he would put himself in danger, which was the bane of your existence and what kept you up at night.

Yes, you wanted this baby, but the dread was holding back any form of excitement. What if he is killed, leaving you and your child alone? You can barely even stand the idea of your child having to grow up without ever being able to meet their father.

There was a groan from outside the door before it was abruptly opened. The sudden movement spurred you to fall back and knock your head on the carpeted floor.

As soon as your eyes met his navy blue gaze that had his brows quirked inquisitively, you bounced back up to your feet. 

Aomine released a tired sigh as he scratched at his bare stomach. "I gotta take a piss." 

"Yeah." You squeaked before clearing your throat. "Yeah, of course. Gimmie a second." Discreetly, you tried to close the door while pushing the test into a drawer. 

However, his keen eyes must have caught a glance as he pushed the door open effortlessly and stepped inside. "(Y/n)." He stated in the manner in which you knew you might not be able to lie your way out of this. "No wonder you were hacking up a storm the past month." 

Your stomach stirred as if you were going to retch at that moment, yet you pushed it down with a strenuous swallow. 

"It's not what you think." You mumble, eyes stationed on the ground from the inability to meet his gaze. 

The navy-headed male scoffed as he pushed you aside to open the drawer. He stared at the multiple tests for a few seconds before leaning against the door frame and folding his arms. "When were you going to tell me?"

With eyes stationed on your feet, you mumbled out a response shamefully. "I just took them, so I wasn't sure yet. I definitely hadn't planned for you to find out tonight." 

He must have been glaring at you with how you felt his piercing gaze. Abruptly, the tan-skinned man grasped your left wrist and yanked you to his chest. Your gaze shot up at his handsome face, which was showcasing evident anxiety and vexation.

"Why didn't you want to tell me? It's not something to hide unless it's not mine." He conveyed as if it hurt him to say those words. 

It did not take long at all for you to feel guilty. "Can you not accuse me of having an affair and listen to me." You stated that your husband responded a few seconds later by releasing your wrist. Respiring another breath, your hands found their pace anxiously at your belly. "It's just that I have a lot to fear. You put yourself in danger all the time, just rushing in. I can't bear it if you die and leave me and this kid all alone. I know you love your job, but-" 

He ceased your rambling by leaning down to place his lips on yours and kiss you nearly zealously. His arms moved to grip the back of your thighs as he lifted you effortlessly and rested your bottom on the counter. 

You didn't want to give in, but how could you give up such an intimate kiss? You responded in the same manner, kissing him deeply, expressing yourself heartily. There will be no other man that you could love like this. If you were to lose him, it would be like having half of yourself ripped out. 

A single tear had fallen from your eye, which your husband immediately noticed. He pulled back with a heavy inhale and swiped the tear away with the back of his hand. 

His gaze was much softer, and he must have thought deeply about your fear. What if he were to be gone? Then he could never touch you, either. Aomine pressed himself between your legs as he enveloped his strong arms around your torso and pulled you in for a firm embrace.  

"I know it scares you, baby." He expressed softly and placed a kiss on your temple. "It scares me too sometimes. But I would never leave you alone to fend for yourself. Hell would have to freeze over first before I ever give up and die."

"I know." You sniffled.

The navy-eyed male released an arm, placing an open palm underneath your sleep shirt and resting it on your belly. "All I want to do is protect you, make sure nothing could ever happen to you. I'll do the same for this baby, but for damn sure, I'll be here to experience it. I can't go die before my wife and child."

Of course, you just had to cry. You couldn't hold back the streams of tears as they cascaded down your face. Leaning forward, you wrapped your arms around his back and pressed your face into his chest. "I love you." 

"I love you too, ya' big crybaby." You could practically hear a grin in his voice. He hugged you back just as tenderly before pulling back and holding your shoulders. His navy blue eyes looked as if he were examining something on your chest inquisitively. 

"I can't wait for your boobs to grow! They're gonna get humongous!" 

Aaand, there he goes, ruining a sweet moment. "Daiki!"

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳ᴀᴋᴀꜱʜɪ ꜱᴇɪᴊᴜʀᴏ

✦ "𝐈'𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲." 

You've read the same sentence over and over at this point, the same thing as you're unable to get any farther than that in your book. Attempting to keep your mind preoccupied with the thriller fantasy remained futile as your mind continued to replay your doctor's visit over and over again.

For a few weeks, you've been feeling ill and sickly, with your stomach churning every time you ate. Even your breast felt plumper, and your joints ached, so at that point, you knew it warranted a doctor's visit. 

Assuming it was the flu, you were proved a fool when the doctor declared your illness as pregnancy. 

Overjoyed, you couldn't have smiled any larger after hearing the news. Yet that smile had swiftly fallen when you thought deeper about it. Yes, you were going to have your lovely husband's child, but you were also going to birth an heir for his company. 

You knew exactly how difficult it was to grow up in a wealthy household with an overbearing, demanding father. Akashi experienced an even worse version of that, and it made sense that it was exactly how your husband was going to act. 

It's all he knew, and like father-like child, they would have the same mindset. Strive for the best and win no matter who you have to crush. 

It was a not-the-healthiest environment, and you couldn't bear to give your child such a stressful workload and a domineering father. There was only so much you could do to give your child an actual childhood without straining your relationship with your husband. 

By raising the child maturely, he'd be taking away his child's youth just as his own father had. 

At the time, the doctor had noticed your sudden uneasiness and handed over a business card: "If there is something wrong and you are unable to have this baby, then you can call this number and schedule a meeting. They'll do it safely and ethically. However, it is your choice to choose whatever will be best for you and your baby."

Her words have stayed in your head, droning over again and again as you weighed your options. You loved your husband deeply, with all your heart, considering how you married him almost right after high school. Continuing your lineage wasn't a topic brought up, as you both enjoyed the bliss of married life.

You two are still young, and you weren't sure if you were ready to disrupt that life because of the chaos of raising a child with different views. Soon, you were going to have to make a decision; you couldn't just lie in bed all day.

A) You could give birth normally and fight nearly all the time on the way to raising your child.

B) Let the information of pregnancy remain a secret and get an abortion. 

C) Pack your things and leave without informing him to raise the child in secret yourself.

All of them seemed like such extreme options, with neither being able to produce the greatest result. Either way, you're going to have to choose one.

The sound of your bedroom door opening snapped you out of your myriad of thoughts and brought you back to the present. Darting your eyes back down to your book, you attempted to seem preoccupied. 

"I see that you are better." Your husband's voice fills the room as he steps closer to the bed. He rested the back of his hand against your forehead and felt the heat of it. "Still warm, however."

Glancing up, you gave him a slight nod and cleared your throat. "Welcome home, love. I didn't expect you to be home so early. I was even going to take a bath."

He hummed in response and leaned down to kiss your temple. "Don't let me stop you," he murmured with a slight quirk on his lip. "There wasn't much to discuss at the meeting, so instead of wasting everyone's time, I sent everyone home early."

You could only produce a weak smile before returning your attention to your book. "In a little bit, then." 

Akashi nodded as he stepped back to stride over to the walk-in closet and removed the blazer from his black suit. "So, how was your doctor's appointment?" Clothes shuffle, and the bin clicks as he changes. "I assume that it was nothing serious as you're not freaking out or acting as if your dying."

His teasing remark almost makes you laugh, but the situation is dire. "It was the flu, so my doctor prescribed some medicine and bed rest." You'll lie for now and take the time to figure out the game plan.

He hummed to himself before walking out and fixing the buttons on his sleepwear. "I see, so there is nothing else?" He queried with his duo-colored gaze, staring at your face.

You shook your head no while keeping your attention focused on the book, even though you've been looking through your peripheral. 

Nodding his head of bright crimson hair, he stepped back into the closet, and you released a breath you didn't know you were holding.

The stress was getting to you already, and it seemed that you would take up that bath now. Pushing yourself up to your feet, you dragged yourself to the personal bathroom and turned on the faucet. 

Gushing hot water pooled in the porcelain white basin before it became oblique as you sprayed bubbles and bath salts into it. 

Discarding your clothes right there, you stepped in carefully before relaxing against the cushioned backrest. It seems Akashi was already lying down as he left you to enjoy your bath in peace. 

And so you did, turning on the jets and letting the pulsating water massage your tense muscles. It wasn't until your fingers were pruned and the water-cooled that you got out and wrapped yourself in a towel. 

In the main room, your husband was lying down while reading a newspaper. "Did you have a nice bath?" He asked without looking your way. 

"Yes." You murmured while entering the walk-in closet and searching for loose sleepwear.

"You know," Akashi began, and your heart skipped a beat of dread. "I've acted unaware to spare some from appearing incompetent, but I do not like being played a fool."

Almost immediately, your mouth grows dry, and you struggle to swallow. "Where are you going with that?"

He doesn't respond immediately; you can only hear the sound of his newspaper shuffling. Waiting a few more seconds and only receiving silence, you stepped out and peered nervously around the corner. 

Of course, the man himself sat crossed arm on his side of the bed as he met your gaze. "I don't like liars, (Y/n)." 

"But I didn't!" You refute before sighing and sitting at the edge of the bed on your side. "I just hadn't had the time to think it through."

"Huh?" The bright-eyed man questioned. "What is there to think through? You're pregnant with my heir, and we have everything we need to provide for that child."

Biting your bottom lip, you contemplate whether or not you should now begin arguing about how you'd both differ on raising this baby.  "Of course, the materialistic aspect is there, but Sei... you don't have much fatherly instinct. You treat everything like it's a business transaction." 

Akashi's duo-colored eyes looked up in the right corner as he placed a curled finger against his chin. "Do I treat our relationship like that?" He asked almost playfully, yet there was an underlying vexation to it. 

"Well, you used to. It wasn't until we had that break you came back to me, actually showing your vulnerability and willingness to not put up a wall with me." You picked your words carefully, not desiring to insult him or make him feel embarrassed. 

"That's right, before." His clothes shuffled as he stood up to venture around the bed and take a seat by your side. "It's a shame you think so low of me and decide to lie. I'm your husband, the only person you're supposed to be truthful with." 

You feel shameful and are unable to meet his gaze even as he's right by your side. "I-I don't. We are both aware of how our parents raised us, and you have taken after your father in more ways than one. I just know you'll raise them with independence and maturity that would snatch away the ignorance of childhood." 

Silence, you can barely even hear the sound of your own breathing. What was he thinking? Was he taking you seriously, or would he just think it was the hormonal ramblings of a pregnant woman? 

"(Y/n)." He calls tenderly and reaches over to place a hand over yours that was in your lap. "I understand where you are coming from, but I wish you had had this conversation with me earlier instead of thinking so low of your own husband."

"I'm sorry."

Akashi sighed and leaned over to wrap an arm around your shoulder so he could hug your side. "You were not completely baseless; however, with you by my side, you'd be the voice of reason to step in if I were to fall into my father's ways." 

This time, you were finally able to raise your head and meet his gaze. "But that is how relationships become strained, with the constant arguing." You state almost with a quivering lip. 

"I'd like to think that our relationship is stronger than that." He mused with his other hand, which was still covering your hand, to tap at your wedding ring. "We will figure things out, my love. But we have to communicate, not keep things to ourselves. And I know you always try to fix things yourself, but marriage means sharing that burden." 

A slight grin plays on your lip as you look at him. "I always knew you were very mature for your age, but I hadn't known you were this judicious. I'm sorry for lying and almost doing something drastic." 

"And I'm sorry for making it seem that you couldn't trust me. We still have a lot to learn about our marriage." 

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳ᴍᴜʀᴀꜱᴀᴋɪʙᴀʀᴀ ᴀᴛꜱᴜꜱʜɪ

✦ "𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐭." 

The growing weight and plumpness of your breasts were something you had assumed resulted from the considerable amount of sweets you eat together. You also had been eating confectionaries that had been too rich before.

But it made sense that the food cravings you've been having were all sweets, the favorite of your dear sweet husband. The food bill is going to get out of control with now the added hankerings of a child.

Though, as great as the news was, you did have some reservations about the situation. You had not been born the healthiest, with a forever ailment cursing your lungs. Your doctor was quick, as she provided a prescription and set up appointments with specialists to be on top of that. 

It might be a difficult pregnancy, but the aspect of growing a whole new life in your belly was a difficult and strenuous task to begin with. However, having a family, a child, with the man you loved would give you such purpose.

However, the amount you need to clean from wrappers and rubbish might just drown you all. It isn't very pleasant cleaning all the time, but you cannot help but giggle and imagine the future with your husband and your baby. 

It would be nice to have a little mini version of your husband running...no lazying around when your husband was at work for long hours or playing basketball with his high school buddies.

When you came home from your appointment, you were still on a blissful high from the information. It felt almost like a fairy tale, and nothing could break that joy currently. 

Murasakibara should be leaving work soon, and you still haven't prepared dinner, so an idea came to mind. What better way to tell such important information than with his all-time obsession, confections? 

Even though your husband was more skilled than you in baking, you've watched him enough to do some basic things. A small cake with four thinner cakes should do it. You'll ice them differently, with the left side being baby blue and the right a bright pink. 

You'll use a frosting bag, put a thin point on it, and write the words, 'Would daddy like a girl or a boy?' It was cute, maybe a bit cringe-worthy, but that's what made it noteworthy. It's a memory that you'll never forget.

Placing it on the stand in the dining room, you returned to the kitchen to begin dinner. Another hour and the lavender-headed male will be coming home, so there is just enough time to make dinner. 

It's so exciting and surreal to be pregnant, to hold a whole life right inside of you. You wonder if they'll look like your husband or have his lazy genes. The ability to imagine and envision a future of what is to come is so remarkable that you can't wait to share that joy with your husband.

"(N/n)-chin." Murasakibara's voice calls out as the front door closes. 

Barely holding down a smile, you wipe your hands and approach him. "Hi, honey." He leans down just as you step up on your tippy toes to kiss him. He smells like candy and flour. "How was work, Atsushi?"

"Busy." He replied in his usual tone as he stood back to his full height to remove his coat. "What's for dessert?" 

Your teeth bite into your bottom lip as you hold in a giggle. He's so silly and cute. "Well, I did make you something special, but how about you eat dinner first?" He clicks his tongue but silently walks with you to the kitchen to get his plate. "I'm not really hungry, but I'll sit with you while you eat after I finish washing dishes." 

"Okay." He murmurs while grabbing his plate. You watch his hunching figure trek toward the dining room and internally squeal. 

With jittery hands, you turn on the sink to begin washing dishes, yet it does not take long for you to hear him call out your name from the other room. "(N/n)-chin." 

"Yes, honey?"

His heaving footsteps echoed as he approached before you saw him crouch by your side in your peripheral. Murasakibara's large hands reached for your hips as he slightly pushed your body at an angle so your stomach was facing him. 

"It doesn't..." His fingers trailed toward your tummy as he lifted your shirt and dragged his calloused skin against the soft flesh. "It doesn't look like our baby is in there." 

How does he always manage to say the sweetest things? Smiling, you turned off the water and bent down to look at his crouching figure. "That is because I've only been pregnant for a few months, honey. Our baby is only about the size of a plum."

"Tiny." He whispered with his violet eyes twinkling. The large man leaned forward and pressed his lips against the soft flesh of your belly. "So tiny. How am I not going to hurt such a tiny thing?" 

Ugh, there is only so much cuteness you can take, and you're close to overloading. "Well, when they come in nine months, they're going to be much larger. And with it being your baby, it might be one heavy baby." You teased while reaching down to caress the side of his face.

Your husband hummed, vibrating your belly as he appeared to think to himself. "I wonder what kind of candy they'll like?" 

"Ah, ah." You stressed the vowels and patted his face a little harshly. "They won't be able to digest candy for months, maybe even several years." 

"Annoying." He grunted before blowing a raspberry on your tummy. Your abdomen flexed as you giggled and pushed him from the tickling. "I want to feed them sooner. I want to feed them now." 

Wagging a finger, you spoke to him sweetly. "Nine months. Now, get up, and you can feed me some cake for now."

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳ᴋɪꜱᴇ ʀʏᴏᴜᴛᴀ

✦ "𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐄𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐚!?" 

"Ryouta, don't be ridiculous." You chastised your overbearing and protective husband in the check-up room. "How would I even get infected with that?" 

"Then it's gotta be COVID-19-" You placed a hand over his mouth as you rubbed your temples. 

It's not as bad as he's been making it out to be. You've just been extremely lethargic and unable to sleep well. It felt like you were having the systems of PMS, which made you think that it was what just came with being a woman. 

So you refused to go to the doctors at first, yet Kise, being Kise, rambled about the what-ifs, even suggesting cancer. At that point, you had to go in and put his mind at ease.

The doctor had already done some blood work and taken some samples, so the two of you were just waiting. "(Y/n)-cchi, what if it's something deadly because you took so long to get a check-up? That's why it's taking so long for us to get your results back!" 

"My god(s)!" You snapped and pinched his cheek harshly. "Stop assuming the worst, you hypochondriac! It's probably the flu or something!" 

"Actually!" Both of your heads whipped towards the door as your doctor stepped in with a teasing grin. "I'm here to deliver some good news." Handing over a piece of paper, you snatched it quickly and read over the words.

"Pregnant?" You read it quietly before gasping audibly. "Pregnant?!"

Kise gripped your shoulders and shook you in your stop with this enormous, overpowering grin on his lips. "Pregnant! We're going to have a little us running around!" He squealed. 

Your doctor nodded as he sat by his computer and began typing away. "It's always lovely to see the joy of new parents. I'll prescribe some prenatal and sleeping medicine for insomnia. I'm also going to put in a referral for the OB/GYN. You'll start to see them for your pregnancy checkups." 

Still stunned by the new information, you struggled to hold in your own joy as you clasped your hands tightly around your husband and squeezed. How nice it will be to have a miniature version of your partner while he is gone long hours flying. 

"Alright, that's done. The two of you are free to go and celebrate if you have no more questions," the doctor conveyed. With that, Kise did not need to be told twice, as he was rushing the two of you out of there. 

He's practically dragging you outside and toward his car. "Baby! Babies! Hehe, we're going to have the cutest baby!" He giggles with that massive grin. 

It's infectious, and you struggle to hold down your own smile. "We are going to have the cutest baby ever." 

Agreeing with your remark, he opened the passenger side door and ushered to you. However, once you sit down, he's already leaning over to buckle you up himself. "Ryouta, I can do it myself. I'm not disabled." 

"I know~." He stretches his words before kissing you on the lips and then on your nose. "I just feel like I need to step up and be the most amazing husband and soon-to-be father. And I get the excuse to dote on you in the meantime." 

You feel the strain in your cheeks as you smile again, with warmth blossoming on your face. "Oh geez, you can be so cute sometimes." 

"No, you." He refuted while crouching, his hands reaching to grasp your hand. Kissing the wedding ring on your finger, he meets your gaze with strong, unwavering eyes. "Not only do I get to have you as my wife, but now the mother of my child. This is so cool!"

Even though Kise can be overdramatic, loud, and overbearing, he is bright, bubbly, and a big ball of optimism. He was easy to love...and easy to get annoyed with, too, but it was even more challenging to be mad at him. Either way, you loved him with all your heart. Now, your family of two will be three in nine months. 

To think you'd be a mother already, phew, was still a little shocking, but it was still extremely prideful. You get to have this lovingly amazing man's baby.

You must have had an affectionate expression on your face, considering your husband couldn't help but lean up and kiss your lips tenderly. He tasted like coffee cake. "All buckled up, mommy~." Kise sang before making his way to his side of the car." 

Rolling your eyes, you leaned back and crossed your ankles. "Don't be cringe." 

"It's in my nature." He rebutted while turning on the car and pulling out of his parking spot. "Ouu! I can't wait until I tell everyone at basketball. Especially my co-pilots. They're gonna be so jealous!" 

"Oh, I'm sure." You mused and reached over to hold his free hand. "You'll be a great father, Ryouta." 

He peeked over at you, his face blushing softly as he grinned again and returned his vision to the road. "I love you so damn much." 

"I love you too, you silly man." 

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳ᴍɪᴅᴏʀɪᴍᴀ ꜱʜɪɴᴛᴀʀᴏᴜ

✦ "𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞."  

It's taking forever to get your results back from the doctor. You honestly should have gone home instead of agreeing to wait. You don't have all the time in the world to just sit around and bide your time just to be told what kind of sickness you have. 

It would have been so much easier if your husband, who was an accomplished doctor, could give you a check-up himself. However, his fear of germs and your coughing quite literally had him push you away and set up an appointment for you on his computer. 

And, of course, on the day of, he was called in, so you had to go alone, which made you even more annoyed. Now you're just here, lying on the examination table with your fingers tapping on your own arm. It just so happened that even your phone had died, so now you have nothing but your own rambling thoughts to fill the time. 

However, you will admit that it is nice to have a break from the Oha Asa radio station blaring from Midorima's office at home.

You loved that man and all his quirks, but sometimes, they did get bothersome if you were already on your last nerve. 

Abprutly, there was a knock at the door that spurred you to fling up and fix your sitting position. Your doctor came in with a smile, though you couldn't hide your surprise when she was followed in by your husband. 

"Shintarou?" You called and rubbed at your arms anxiously. "Is everything okay?" 

The basil-headed man attempted to speak, yet he tripped over his words, which compelled the blush on his face to grow in hue. 

Your doctor sighed and pushed him aside as she met your gaze. "Great news! You're pregnant, Midorima-san!" 

With your mouth falling agape, you thrust your head forward as your heart skipped a beat. "You have to be joking with me. What's really wrong?"

The two doctors gave each other a side-eyed look before glancing back at you. "We are serious, (Y/n)." Your husband stated. "Your bloodwork proves that you are p-pregnant." He tripped over his words with the ruddiness on his cheeks darkening. 

"Oh." You muttered, slouching in your seat with your gaze dropping to the ground. "Oh." Once your brain started working, you pointed an accusing finger at the emerald-eyed man. "This is all your fault, ya' damn green bean!" 

"(Y/n), please, not here." Midorima pleaded with his hands raised. 

You could only 'hmph' to yourself while crossing your arms beneath your bust. "Now I have to be disabled for nine months. I won't be able to bend over or even tie my own shoes. And I'm going to get so fat." 

The doctor laughed while she wrote something on a piece of paper. "It gets easier with time. I'll leave you two alone for now, but I'll give you this paper with your prescription and appointment date." She handed it over and congratulated you both once more before leaving the room. 

Midorima cleared his throat as you stared at him with a brow raised. Your finger was tapping impassionately as your legs swung. "I-I'll call Takao to take you home." He murmured without meeting your gaze. 

You hummed in response, glaring right at his head. He appeared to have more he wanted to say yet struggled to relay them. Instead of wasting both of your time, he turned around and grasped the handle yet stalled like a statue.

Slowly, he turned back to face you and bit into his bottom lip. "I...I am delighted that we get to grow our family." Your glare fell in an instant at his words. "There's no one I'd rather be married to or have be the mother to my child." 

At that moment, your annoyance had dispersed with the realization that you would really be growing your soulmate's baby within you. A child shared between your love will be here in nine months and will be loved wholeheartedly by their father. 

Midorima has a lot of love to give, and you can be sure that your child will only know what a loving household is like. 

"Sweet talker." You jib and release your crossed arms to help push yourself off the examination table. "I know you'll be a great father." Your hands found his waist as you leaned up on your toes to kiss him on the lips. "We can talk more about this later. 

Even his nose looked bright pink as he shifted his gaze away bashfully. "Please do not tease me at work." 

"Don't test me."

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

✦ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ᴀꜰʀᴀɪᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇQᴜᴇꜱᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴ ꜱᴄᴇɴᴀʀɪᴏ, ɪ'ᴍ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴛᴏ ᴏʙʟɪɢᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇQᴜᴇꜱᴛ ʙᴄ ɪ ᴡʀᴏᴛᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴜʟꜰɪʟʟ ᴍʏ ʙʀᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ ᴋɪɴᴋ, ʀᴇᴇᴇᴇᴇᴇᴇ ✦ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴠᴏᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ ꜱᴏ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀɴ ʀ���ᴀᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ᴅᴀʏ! ✦8,042 ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

↳𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐍𝐁 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.

꧁𓊈𒆜 ━━━━━━━━━ 𒆜𓊉꧂

𝐌𝐚𝐦𝐚 signing out

See ya later, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐬!

[reashot]

The Last Of The Silver-Eyed Wolf.

Wolf Ruby: *happily playing with her chew toys*

(Boy, I sure do love being a wolf faunus. 🐺)

Wolf Summer: Ruby, we need to talk.

Ruby: *woof* I mean yes, mommy. What is it about? *Panting* 🐶

Summer: Oh Ruby, There is no other way to tell you this, but I have been told that we are the last of the silver-eyed faunus.

Ruby: Oh, I guess that is a bad thing then?

Summer: It is Ruby. And right now the government is setting up a mating program to help maintain our population. And guess what Ruby, they already prepared one for you.

Ruby: *wolf gasp*

NO!!!

My Body, My Choice! And I choose to refuse to procreate!

I do not consent to this. You can't just ask me to give birth like a common tramp, I am a proud wolf faunus. I will only give birth when I decide I want to.

And right now I don't want a damn mutt to take care of. In fact, I'll probably abort the little bastard anyway if I somehow get pregnant. So no mom I don't want no government assigned mate.

Summer: Wow Ruby, a simple no would be enough. I mean he is standing right there you know.

Ruby: !!! 😧

Jaune: Hi. My name is Jaune. Nice to meet you.

Ruby:

Jaune: What?

Ruby: I mean breed to meet... I mean nice to breed you.... I mean nice to meet... So I can breed... I mean, what I wanted to say is that it is nice to meet you. (Please don't be weirded out)

Jaune: Right... So I heard you didn't want to mate with me? And I completely agree with you. If you want I can ask someone else to be your mating partner.

Ruby: *woofy gasp*

No!

Jaune: No? But I thought you don't want to.

Ruby: I changed my mind.

My species needs to be saved from the brink of extinction. And I want no one other than you to be my baby daddy.

In fact we can do it right now.

*pounce Jaune*

Summer: Well I guess I better leave you two alone with making grandchildren.

Jaune: Oh dear....

Ruby: *slurp*

My what big di*k you have Jaune... 😋

[james24272427]

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[bloodchapell]

raven — senku i.

brief summary: just goth!reader x senku

what to expect: goth reader, all lowercase, i have no idea what i am talking about chemistry wise but have actual sources, modern au

your sword's note: i keep seeing in tiktok someone ship kohaku and hyoga so this goes for them lmaoao, also i love kirisame so much that i will write for her in this same au, more on my mistresslist

beside you, senku was mixing chemicals that weren't even provided by the class, he just brought his own. you noticed that his free strands of hair kept falling on his face and he almost dissolved them twice already.

"here." you took a bat hairpin from your hair and secured the strands so they didn't fly free. he thanked you and keeps his eyes fixed on the glass on his hands.

since he was assigned to be your lab partner, he keeps looking at your makeup and appearance in general in awe, but he hasn't said anything. at least he didn't have to be partners with taiju, but he is not sure how much of an upgrade that is, at least he could chitchat with his friend before.

"did you balance the equation already?" you ask and he shakes his head. you slide your notebook to his side and he sees a clean bunch of notes in your script that looks out of a victorian newspaper and at the end the correct answer. he looks baffled.

"are you secretly a nerd or something?" he asks and you shake your head, your v shaped bangs only moving slightly.

"no, i am openly one." you say leaning close to him just to spooke him. he laughs.

"then see yourself to this." he writes down something in your notebook and you look at it for a moment.

"this is a polar covalent bond." you tell him and he nods. he explains that it is the formula for the bunch of chemicals he is mixing. "so sulfur dioxide."

soon he is talking about chemistry and you agree to what you know and pay attention to what you don't. he asks you if you like chemistry and you nod, telling him that you might major in chemistry later on.

"are you trying to outdo the teacher somehow?" you whisper but he didn't answer, at least not verbally. the erlenmeyer flask on his hand erupting in some unknown substance that immediately expelled a smell, the smell of a match that was just struck. by that point in his career, the teacher has given up when senku outdo's him in his own class.

"you should join the science club." he mentions casually and you deny.

"i would, but i have other activities." you say taking the lab coat off once the class is over, organizing your hair and your necklace with a ruby that you always seem to wear, he keeps it on.

"what activities can be more exciting than science?"

"banging some drums." you say. senku notices that when you talk you move your hands a lot. he likes it. "i am in a band."

for some reason unknown to both of you, he keeps trying to bribe you into joining the science club, and finally suggests to attend one of your presentations in exchange for you checking out if you like the club. you laughed, being well aware of his eccentric personality even when you knew him from a short time.

"whatever, but hey, you won't like it." you shrug warning him in advance but he is determined.

during lunch, senku learns from taiju that you are friends with him and yuzuriha. taiju narrates how he and yuzuriha had seen you being "bullied" by some girls and they were going to step in to help you until they noticed you slipping a few mints from your bag on the soda you had just bought and bathing the girls with the explosion. taiju says that you remind him of senku somehow.

after school, you pass by the lab, keeping your promise.

“i actually hate our school uniform so much, the coat helps.” you mention when senku passes a lab coat to you.

“tie your hair, you don’t want it dissolving.” senku points to the bat hairpin that is still securing his strands and you smile at him. you tie your hair loosely. he is doing some unknown experiment like always and you pay attention to him with a lot of interest. “so what kind of music does your band play?”

“deathrock, occasionally hardcore.” you say giving him a beaker full of a mysterious liquid when he points at it. you didn't expect him to know what it is, and he doesn't. "what deadly experiment are you making now?"

"crystal candy." he takes out a little skewer from one of the glass dishes.

"woah, senku white." you clap and he shakes his head laughing.

"crystal candy, not crystal meth." he gives you one of the candies and you eat it. "ravens like shiny things, so i figured i might do this."

"raven is a compliment, you know?"

"10 billion percent i do."

you can't help but laugh. after hanging out a little more in the lab, you tell him you have to leave for practice and he says he might as well walk with you. during the walk, inevitably you ask him about his hair and he doesn't have any answers for you.

"i like putting my hair up." you say playing with your hair while walking outside of school. senku laughs and helps you putting it up but it doesn't stay up for long so you resort to organizing it back down. once you are at the door of the studio, you take out a sticky note, write on it and place it in his chest. "text me, don't be boring."

he does, and you reply once you are out of practice. you text each other all night, and the next day at school you spend lunch together. the conversation oscillates around chemistry, but he eventually asks about you.

"bela lugosi's dead by bauhaus is said to be the first gothic song ever." you mention after a quick rundown of goth history.

"who is bela lugosi?"

"no way... oh my god no wayyyyy." a clear reference to south park's michael that he doesn't get either. so after school you drag him with you. your house is odd looking, that is the first thing he notices, you tell him that is a brutalist construction of your mother's design as an architect and construction by your dad as an engineer. upon entering, you guide him to the basement where your room is. beside the clear decorations that account for a beyond-the-grave vibe, his eyes focus on the drum set on a corner. "we are watching 1931's dracula."

you turn off the lights and sit on the floor, playing the movie on the projector. senku sits beside you and watches the movie, paying attention to your annotations on the film. after watching the movie, you continue explaining the relevance of bela lugosi.

"so how did you become goth?" he asks and you can't help but laugh, you look through some papers on a drawer and take out a picture, a man and a woman pose with a familiar spooky face.

"my parents." you tap on the paper. "authentic trad goths."

"hereditary, i see." his remark makes you laugh. as he gives you the photograph back, he scans the books in the shelf, a lot of poe, shelly, lovecraft, those accompanied by books on chemistry and science fiction, and besides the books there are little jars with wet specimens and some bones. "what about those odd things there?"

"oh i made those." walking over to the shelf you pick a random one and hand it to him. "put the specimen on the jar, put some formaldehyde for about a week and then change it for isopropyl alcohol and it has been laying there since."

"is this like a casual hobby?" he asked taking a look at the jar.

"casual but safe." you pointed to the respirator mask on the floor. he nodded in approval.

he stayed around the rest of the day and you talked about anything and everything, going over what field of chemistry you prefer and his questions about the goth subculture. when it gets dark and the little window of the basement doesn't let in more light, you light up red candles and keep talking until someone barges in your room.

"i made some carrot cake, will you have some?" your father asks and you both turn around to look at him. senku immediately compared him in his mind to the picture you showed him earlier, but now the man looked like a regular adult. "well well, look what the bat brought."

"dad you are ruining my life!" you groan in annoyance and he leaves, only to come back with two slices of carrot cake.

"so what is your name? what are your intentions?" your dad sat in the floor besides the two of you and smiled through his questions. you hide your face in your arms but senku replies with his name, before he can say you are simply friends, your dad chimes in again. "ishigami like byakuya ishigami?"

"yes, that's my old man."

"what a surprise! mom and i went to school with him, you hear that my little egregore? we actually despised him because he was so cheerful but i secretly wanted to be his friend."

despite your embarrassment, you can't help but smile when you hear senku laughing, agreeing that it sounds like his dad. they talk some more agreeing that whenever byakuya is back from space, they can meet to catch up.

senku left your house once the clock hit 9, but once he is home you two keep texting. he doesn't want to admit it but he feels fascinated about you, not only out of fellowship for the shared love for chemistry but also out of his curiosity for your personality and appearance.

the next day goes like usual, you meet during chemistry class and like always senku outdoes the teacher. you pass by the lab during lunch and scare him after checking that he isn't holding some dangerous substance on a beaker.

"guess what?" you ask and he shrugs without any idea, so you pass him a paper with your approved application for the science club.

"this is excellent news, a competent addition to this madhouse." he smiles pleased and quickly you both get to tinkering with the equipment. "i am working on this gasoline I made out of plastic."

"did you desulfurize it?" you ask and he shakes his head, his heart skipping a beat at the chemical question. "for the sweetening we need wash the naphtha with amine, it needs to be low-boiling, then make it react with caustic. the first thing removes the hydrogen sulphide and the second helps with converting mercaptans to disulfide."

"exactly that." senku nods reaching for the beaker full of gasoline and the other one full of amine. "the hydrotreating part will be more challenging but we can take care of that later on."

you two get to work, he passed you a lab coat and after putting it on you tie your hair. he put the naphtha to boil at a low temperature and then had you wash it with the amine. the rest of the club members watch. it is a slow and delicate process, but you are done before the bell rings and you celebrate happily before returning to class.

after a few weeks of you going to the lab during lunch and after school, you leave when the classes are over. senku immediately notices, and despite the mockery of the fellow members of the club at his fussiness over your absence and his denial of even caring or even knowing who you are at that —exaggerated king—, he still sneaks out to the hallway and texts you.

raven: i am rehearsing silly, we have a show on saturday. 4:09pm

he sighed and walked back in the lab. he had forgotten about it even when you kept talking about the show your band was about to have. he made a reminder in his phone, and went back to work. during that week you didn't stay after school in the lab and he started to notice the lack of your presence, missing even the scares you would make sure to give him when walking in.

"are you nervous?" senku asked, saturday morning, sitting in the floor of your room while you did your makeup in the vanity.

"not that much, i am all the way in the back, privileges of being the drummer." you shrugged while drawing your eyeliner. out of all the outfits he had seen you wear, and your own goth rendition of the school uniform, that one was the ultimate, and made you look like a villain from a video game; he couldn't take his eyes away. senku kept evaluating your appearance, from your makeup that you were still doing, to your hair now puffed and teased, to your tall black boots.

"ruri and kirisame are here." your mom announced before letting the girls in. while one looked just as villainous as you, the other one was a blonde angel dressed all in white.

"these are my bandmates, ruri is the keyboardist and vocalist and kirisame is the guitarist. our bassist will be there on his own." you introduced them.

senku greeted both girls, while ruri waved happily, kirisame simply nodded and ignored the rest. once you are done with your makeup, your mom brings some food you all eat. you go over the songs and things about the band and senku simply listens, not knowing the terms you are using but inferring what they are about. and finally after some time, your parents call you to go to the car. senku noticed that both of your parents had switched to look more like the photo of them young so he asked to take a picture to show to his dad.

the venue was half empty when you arrived, only the other members of the bands and some people. you set the drum set, ruri tested the mic and kirisame adjusted her amp. senku watched how your parents took out a professional camera and snapped a few photos.

"so why are you here?" a voice distracted him, he turned around to see a guy his age sitting besides him. "you don't look like you belong here either."

"just a deal. you?" senku asked.

"my girlfriend is the vocalist. my name is chrome." proudly he said.

while everything was being set up, chrome told senku all the details. you knew ruri from music lessons and you two formed the band, she introduced the bassist, hyoga, who is her sister kohaku's boyfriend, and kirisame came from craigslist. eventually they ended up talking about minerals, but the show started. when chrome told senku to go to the front so they could see better, was when he realized how full the place was. the other band played first, so you stood besides senku, chrome and your bandmates, who aside from hyoga —who already got there—, were dancing to the music; you joined them in due time, swaying your arms in the air at the rhythm of the music.

"we are better than them." you whispered to senku between songs and he laughed immediately.

once their set was over, your band started. curiously, senku recognized the first song to be a cover of in darkness you will feel alright by horror vacui —despite his regular nonchalance, he noted down both genres you told him and checked some bands out, just so he wasn't completely clueless—, so recognizing the song made him feel good. the next songs were originals, and despite that the public enjoyed them just as much, dancing in the same odd way. senku's gaze, though, remained fixed on you, on the way you played the drums and how your head moved to the beat you were playing, the focused expression and the precise movements at hitting the drums.

"so?" you asked holding the rundown drumsticks in your hands once your set was over.

"that was really good, i am impressed." senku praised in an understatement. you smiled and he smiled back.

the next band played and at some point you grabbed senku's hands and made him dance, he frowned but didn't push you away, secretly enjoying it and realizing that ruri was doing the same with chrome who tried his best to dance but couldn't quite do it.

...

byakuya came back from space, and then came back from the u.s. senku refused to pick him up from the airport and you called him heartless. it was during the weekend so you were over at senku's house helping him in his latest project. he initially had also invited taiju and yuzuriha but since the confession by the tree they would have a date every sunday so they couldn't come.

"is anyone homeee!?" a voice broke in between the noises of senku's rant on his rocket, after a few seconds, the door opened and both of you looked up to see the man. you stood up to greet him, senku avoided his hug but he seemed really happy. "hello, and... you are?"

senku introduced you, not failing to pull up the photo he took of your parents and mentioning who they were.

"is like being back at school!" the man exclaimed. "what a time."

senku and byakuya caught up for a good while. after a some hours and eating lunch, at byakuya's odd enthusiasm and your confirmation that your parents were home, you all went to your house.

"if it is not the class clown!" your dad exclaimed once the door opened, byakuya seeming equally excited. they started talking immediately, your mom joining. senku and you stood listening to the stories of your parents and their school time for a little but got bored and left downstairs.

lately you had tried to teach senku how to play the drums but he was too bad at it so you both gave up, so instead you sat on the floor and started listening to music while talking about your childhoods, senku starting with his fascination for science and you with yours for the obscure and odd.

"i am skipping school on wednesday to go to a concert, let's go together." you suggested and senku agreed. on monday and tuesday you both worked in the lab, finishing hydrotreating the gasoline so it could be fuel to the rocket, and on wednesday, instead of going to school, senku walked to your house in the morning. he rang the bell but no one opened, so he rang again and after some time you opened the door, still in your pajamas, your hair messy but not in the usual way.

"i thought we were going to the concert."

"yes but later." you laughed and let him in. clearly you were still sleeping so you organized your room a little and cooked some breakfast, after eating you walked back to your room and he followed, sitting on the bed since the weather was getting colder as fall started, he sat besides you and you put a movie. at some point you were going to pause the movie to explain something to him, but when looking for the controller your hand brushed his. immediately your eyes met and then turned to look away. "well the chemistry is around..."

your joke broke the awkwardness and he laughed immediately. you explained your point and played the movie, not speaking about it, knowing there was no white foundation covering your blush.

the morning was slow, but eventually you started getting ready.

"can i put makeup on you?" suddenly you asked, halfway through your own makeup.

"no, i am perfect like this." his response made you laugh, but you asked again and he gave in, so you stood up from the vanity with a black eyeliner, walking over to your bed where he was sitting looking at his phone, you grabbed his face and tilted it upwards, ready to put some eyeliner under his eyes but you kept looking at his intense crimson gaze, and instead leaned in for a kiss, it was quick and you backed up fast.

"sorry..." you apologized turning around but he grabbed your wrist.

"i thought the lipstick was the last step." senku mentioned, having seen you do your makeup in an order that left the lips for the end. he turned you around. "what? my eyes reminded you of some shiny stone like this one?" he grabbed your necklace, but you stayed silent and wide-eyed, so he stood up and methodically pulled you in for another quick kiss.

"well i somehow expected it." you smile sheepishly still holding the eyeliner.

"ravens are very smart birds." senku shrugged and sat back as if nothing happened, and you sigh shaking your head happy and clean his black-stained lips with a wipe and apply some eyeliner under his eyes, like nothing happened too.

[giuseppe-yuki]

gladiator

gladiator!ollie bearman x goddess of victory!reader

w.c.: 1.7k

warnings: slightly graphic descriptions of gore, angst

summary: yet another young gladiator prays to you in your temple

a/n: very unedited + there might be glaring historical inaccuracies :(

picture credits from pinterest :)

he’s young, not unlike all the ones before him. with tousled brown locks that ruffle as he darts along the marble floor, eyes that glow the colour of syrupy ambrosia in the dim flickering of the torches, and perfect muscled body, he reminds you of venus’ adonis in a way. your gleaming statue, wings outstretched, robes flowing, and holding your iconic laurel wreath, gazes upon him knowingly as he hesitantantly approaches your altar at the base of sculpture. your priests barely spare him a glance- they are too busy preparing a new sacrifice that lays neatly on your stone altar- a once-magnificent bull. its mouth is open in a silent scream and its eyes are glossy as the priests collect its crimson blood in a decorated jar and shave off selective portions of its raw flesh to burn as offerings. he watches as the head priest raises his glistening knife, sticky with blood, and brings it down into the bull’s rough hide with a rough thwack, and he thinks he is going to be sick.

still, he falls into a kneel in front of your statue, like a lowly subject in front of an emperor, and like the ones before him, prays for victory.

you sit near the emperor’s viewing box, in a seat only the highest generals could afford. your appearance flickers to those around you- sometimes appearing as a beautiful maiden or a wizened old man. the crowds don’t notice your wavering form, instead focusing all their attention to the sandy center of the amphitheater, where the boy cowers with a silver sword and flat-planed shield, awaiting his opponent. above you, the emperor lounges lazily on a plush couch and inhales grapes from the vine. when he gives a signal- a mere flick of his hand- the gates of the amphitheater rumble open to reveal a snorting bear, prompting the audience to roar in approval. it was obvious- they were here to see blood, and that was what the emperor would give them. 

within the first minutes, the beast had already batted away the boy’s flimsy shield and raked his sharp claws against the length of the boy’s leg. rivulets of red, like rubies against his pale skin, flow down from the wound, satiating a fraction of the crowd’s hunger. you can see how he grips his sword tight enough that his knuckles turn white and the fear in his eyes as he tries to limp away from the bear. you can also see the hesitance in his swings that open up deep cuts that flow vermillion along the animal’s hide like the wound on his leg. you help the best that you can. a miscalculated stumble of the bear, a slight push away from the path of the beast’s paw, a guide of the sword towards a critical artery. but, when he finally plunges his bloodied sword into the throat of the exhausted animal, like a knife through butter, it is all his doing. it reminds you of the first fight of another young champion of the past, sebastian, and the roar of the lion that he had fought with a spear. when the animal lies, dying, in its own pool of blood, does the boy finally collapse onto the sandy ground, exhausted in his own sense. before he passes out from blood loss, he raises his head, and it’s like he looks directly at you. 

you come to him in the form of a young medici, a bag of bandages, ointments, and herbs in one hand. ollie, is what he says his name is, and he gives you a small smile even as he lay pale and bleeding on the rough cot in the newly assigned private sleeping quarters for victors. he’s prettier up close, even when his brown eyes blink at you hazily and his cheeks are colorless from the lack of blood. 

he first opens his mouth to break the silence when you are spreading your magical nector salve on his wounds.

“i’m glad they sent someone as beautiful as you to come patch me up,” he says in a lilting tone, eyes trained on your profile.

you can easily strike him down like you always do with unwanted advances from mortals, but instead, you laugh, a twinkling sound that ollie swears is the prettiest thing he’s ever heard. 

“you flatter me,” you reply, a rare smile gracing your face.

although you are not aesculapius, the god of medicine, your hands make quick work in firmly wrapping the soft bandage expertly around the openings on his leg. after all, it would be pretty pathetic if a champion with the blessing of the goddess of victory herself didn’t last a full day after his win.

when you are done, you wave your hand subtly over the top of his wounds, willing the greater parts of his pain away. he visibly relaxes, like a weight had lifted from his shoulders. 

his eyes track you silently as you throw your materials back into your brown medici bag. it triggers the memory of a certain eerily quiet champion you had blessed before- kimi- whose bright blue eyes you can remember skittering across your figure when you had bandaged his wounds. 

when you are done packing up your bag, you tread lightly to the door. before you can pull it open, ollie calls out to you. 

“wait,” he says, voice pleading.

you hesitate, but turn back to him, your tunic swishing. 

ollie looks at you with wide eyes, as if he didn’t believe that he had spoken out loud. 

“can you- can you stay for a bit?” he asks apprehensively. 

there are a million things to tend to, like overseeing minor battles, ensuring triumph in campaigns, and granting the prayers of the mortals that knelt in your temples, but you can’t help but concede to his request. 

you neglect your duties for far too long in the damp room with ollie. it was laughable in a way, to see the great goddess of victory pliant under the wiles of a young mortal.

he talks about his parents, about his younger brother, and his little sister, and about how he dragged away one fateful evening from his family to become a gladiator, unlike the multitude of other bloodthirsty gladiators from rich families that wanted fame and fortune. but, when he comes to the topic of his actions in the arena, he suddenly goes still. 

“i didn’t want to kill it, you know,” he whispers quietly, as if he didn’t want to admit it. 

his bottom lip quivers, and it is now that you are reminded how young he really is. it is a reminder of another victor that you had championed, charles, and his unwillingness to kill, even as a successful gladiator. like charles, big fat tears slip from the corners of his eyes when he thinks back to the poor creature, most likely chained and beaten, being made a spectacle, and dying by the hands of another for entertainment. however, you knew they always toughened up after awhile- they always did. so, you brush a comforting hand through his curls, kiss him gently on the forehead, and it’s only when he falls into a deep sleep do you finally leave the room.

you see him again several days later, this time in the great roman amphitheater again. again, he stands with his flat-planed shield and silver sword in the dusty middle of the arena. a look of fierce intensity flashes across his helmeted features, unlike the last time he was in this position, making him look significantly more willing to slay whatever beast steps in his path. 

however, when the emperor waves his hands, commanding the gates to rumble open, and the crowd thunders in excitement, what steps out is a familiar man with thick black hair that seems to sway perfectly in the breeze, a hint of stubble, and pouty pink lips that you knew all too well. carlos, you remember his name was.  you remember too, the way he had knelt down in your temple all those years before like ollie had. he had made an offering of three silver coins- all that money he had- and begged for you to protect him in the arena. true to your word, you gave him your divine protection until he became the emperor’s champion gladiator, personally favored by the elite and the crowd. 

carlos makes the first move, taking advantage of ollie’s barely healed leg. his weapon of choice, an engraved dagger, hacks a deep line of red as it carves from the tip of ollie’s right shoulder to his hip. at the sight of the excess bright liquid cascading down the younger boy’s body, the crowd erupts in a frenzy. when ollie collapses, unmoving, on the ground, they seem to chant carlos’ name- our champion, our champion, they scream. it seems like ollie is just another easy opponent, another nobody that would ultimately make their way onto the carlos’ lengthy list of the vanquished. carlos turns away from ollie to face the crowd, a smile on his lips and arms open, embracing the crowd. he has not lost once for a year, so what makes it seem like he would lose now?

that’s what makes it all-too-surprising when ollie pushes himself up with god-given strength and hacks down on carlos’ neck as hard as he can, with his sword. it lands with a wet thwack the way the priest’s knife did in the bull back in your temple before.

when ollie is paraded through the town, a victor’s laurel wreath atop his pretty head, the crowds that once shouted carlos’ name now screams ollie’s, crowning him as victor. neverending bottles of wine, cornucopias overfilling with food, and precious jewelery are thrust into his arms from every direction. you know it feels good to be loved by the people. it’s a pity, because you know ultimately, your divine interventions would draw the attention of the three parcae who controlled peoples’ fate. the fate of a gladiator was to die; they always did. it was proven with all the past gladiators you championed-  the brave sebastian, quiet kimi, kind-hearted charles, and now, the resilient carlos. it was all a matter of time before they would take ollie. even worse, the crowd would probably move on just as quickly like they did with carlos. so, for now, you watch as he smiles his dimpled smile and let him bask in the glory of being victorious. 

[shanastoryteller]

Meg is the first choice, of course, but she’s not suited to this type of long term mission and they all know it. The problem is, almost none of them are. The nature of the beast, she supposes.

That’s why it ends up being her, in the end. Well, it’s almost Ruby, but there’s one thing she has that Ruby doesn’t.

How she ended up here in the first place.

She thought Clyde loved her. She thought he’d take her away, from her father and her terrible life, and so when he died too young, before he could fulfill any of his promises, she’d sold her soul to bring him back.

But he hadn’t kept a single promise. She’d died in her father’s house.

“You remember being in love, don’t you?” he asks, cruel in his callousness, which is different than his other types of cruelty. It’s all he has, shining out in a thousand different ways. “You’ll be better at faking it.”

All she does is fake it.

“Yes,” she says.

This mission gets her topside. It’s worth it for that alone.

~

She slips into a pretty blonde named Rebecca first but by the end of the day, the girl’s screaming has given her a headache, and she slips right back out. She’ll probably just think she had a bad trip.

He’d offered to arrange something for her, but she wanted to pick herself, and she’s not interested in having someone crying and moaning in the back of her mind. But it’s not like there are a lot of options.

She could kill one, of course. But she’s never – she hasn’t been topside, before. Everything she’s killed before had already been dead. So she hovers for the next week, looking for some sort of opportunity, for something she can use that’s not going to scream at her.

The day before she’s going to have to either pick someone or risk being sent back, there’s a car accident.

The girl’s heart is still and her body’s warm, blood pooling down her head, but that’s nothing she can’t fix. She settles into the body, jumpstarting the heart and can feel the skin on her head knitting back together. It’s also blessedly, thankfully silent, with her the only one inside this body. The driver who hit her is dead and people are crowding in, a crying girl pulling her free. “Anne! Anne, are you okay, oh my god, I can’t believe that happened-”

She wrinkles her nose before smoothing out her expression.

The name will have to go. She’ll say she’s reinventing herself after tragedy, or something, but she’s not going to walk around responding to Anne. That’s not her name.

Anne’s a sophomore, which isn’t ideal, but she’s beautiful and doesn’t have that many friends and barely talks to her family, so she’s actually perfect.

She’s also blonde.

She’d been blonde before too.

~

All the demons who had run these sort of missions before give her advice, tell her things that will help her. Some of their assignments had lasted months, but no one’s tried to do it for as long as she’s supposed to.

He likes smart girls.

Be confident. Be flirty. He’s shyer than he looks.

He never had a mother. He likes it when girls take care of him.

He likes to take care of girls too. He wants to feel useful.

She’d had dreams, before, of all the ways she’d could escape her father. It wasn’t common for girls to get more than a basic education, but she’d been smart. She could read and do complicated sums and enjoyed the quiet evenings when she balanced her father’s books. She’d thought she might like an advanced education, thought it could get her out of her life, but hadn’t known how to manage it.

Clyde had seemed easier. More attainable. More realistic.

She’d sold her soul for nothing in the end. She hadn’t even got the full ten years of her bargain.

She doesn’t know how much of their advice she can take.

She can be smart, but considering the school they’re at, all the girls will be smart. She hadn’t been confident or flirty, which is maybe why she’d latched onto the first boy who smiled at her. She never had a mother herself and doesn’t know to act like one.

She’s never been taken care of and doesn’t know how to do that either.

There’s no way for her to do this. She’s going to be replaced and sent back below and he’ll be angry at her and she hates hates hates when he’s angry at her, what he does to her.

“Are you okay?”

She looks up, something cold on her tongue, but falters.

He’s standing there, warm hazel eyes and long dark hair, hunching to try and make himself smaller, and a smile on his face that does nothing to hide his concern.

“Do you ever feel like,” she starts, her dead stolen heart beating too quickly, “everything is falling apart around you and you have no idea what you’re doing and like maybe your whole life is one huge mistake?”

Well, fuck. She’s definitely being replaced now.

Except Azazel’s favorite throws back his head and laughs, smile stretching into a grin. “Every day of my life, more or less.”

“How do you deal with it?” she asks, scrubbing a hand over her face.

He shrugs. “Well, my brother would say women and liquor.” He seems to realize how that sounds a moment later and he pales, “Um, not that I’m – I’m not saying, I wasn’t trying to. He’s just sort of a cad, and – I wasn’t trying to, with you, uh.”

She feels herself softening in spite of herself. “So you’re not one to apply that method yourself?”

“No,” he says firmly, eyes wide. “God, I’m just – I’m sorry. I – I’m Sam.”

“Hi Sam,” she returns, with a smile she doesn’t have to fake. “I’m Jess.”

~

She’s not supposed to fall in love with him.

She’s to worm his way to his side. She’s to keep him from running back to his family, to keep him from rebuilding the bridges he’s burned. She’s to keep him distracted and focused on her until his powers activate and then she’s to guide him into using them, to be supportive and loving and to push him straight into Azazel’s arms.

Sam loves his family so much.

He talks of his brother all the time. His father less, the emotions there more tangled, but love no less fierce.

She nudges him away from it, talks to him about how it’s normal for families to grow apart, to say that they’ll understand when he graduates, that he’ll show them they type of man that he is.

By the time he graduates, his powers will start manifesting, and he’ll avoid his family without her prodding. He knows what they’ll think of him, then, and Jess tells herself that she’s helping him. That this is for Sam’s own good.

If he’s with her, then he’s safe. His father won’t kill him while he’s safe at school. He can’t kill Sam for powers that he’ll never know about.

It’s easy to dig into the anger for his father, to use his last words to Sam as a way to hold him at her side. His brother is more difficult. Jess doesn’t do much with that, in the end, tells herself that it would be too complicated, too suspicious, and as long Dean is sticking with their father it amounts to same thing anyway.

The truth is more complicated.

His father will kill Sam if he has to.

She doesn’t think that his brother will. She thinks that maybe he’d choose to protect Sam, over their father’s wishes, over everything he’d been taught, no matter the consequences.

She fears that she and Dean have a lot in common.

She invites Sam over for holidays, makes summer plans with him, holds as much of his attention as she can manage.

She studies and makes friends and laughs and spends so much time with him, but not all of it. It has to be believable after all, has to be constant, in a way that it didn’t have to be with all the other demons sent to take care of him.

Jess lives a life that had been denied to her and tries to do what she was sent to do and does the one thing she was definitely not supposed to do, which is fall in love with Sam Winchester.

~

His brother shows up in their apartment and she knows that she’s going to lose him.

Sam tries to act angry, but she knows him too well. He’s moving around his brother like a flower following the sun and she asks him not to go, tries to find the words to keep him here, but they all get caught in her throat. If she begged, if she threw a fit, if she demanded it of him, he would stay. He’d tell his brother he’s sorry but he’d stay with her and not help him and burn their relationship for good. He loves her enough to do that for her. She knows it.

She loves him enough not to make him.

He kisses her and she knows it’ll be the last time. He doesn’t.

“What did that take, five minutes?” Azazel is right there, breath on the back of her neck, and his anger fury rage pressing down on her even closer. “Over three years at his side and you lost him in five minutes. What a waste.”

“I kept him for over three years,” she says, tries to keep her voice steady, but knows she fails.

She had him for over three years.

“Not good enough,” he whispers, lips on the shell of her ear. “Guess I’ll have to send Meg in after all.”

Pain erupts hot across her stomach and her screams mix with his laughter.

~

Love always burns her in the end.

[honeykaes]

inside/out

wriothesley x convict!reader II 2.6k

warning: smut, 18+ content, minors do not interact, afab!reader with no set pronouns, convict!reader,  fingering, squirting, marking, biting, piercings, rough sex, hate sex, office sex, semi-public sex, unprotected sex, creampie, you and wriothesley are exes, angst, degradation, domestic disputes, set in fontaine before the traveler comes, fontaine plot points references, discussions of legal systems and injustice, mention of drugs, discussion of murder, open ending for interpretation, unedited

synopsis: you swore that you would leave the fortress of meropide when your sentence was done. And when you do, your relationship with wriothesley sours as your two break up. Five years later, you're shocked to end up right back in the iron prison where he’s there waiting for you.

The world seemed so distant to you. The whispering throughout sounded as if it were an untuned violin as they lapped up the drama they so desperately craved in their lives. The Oratrice Mécanique D'analyse Cardinale clicked in the irritating orchestra about to come up with its verdict. 

The lawyer next to you fumbled with his papers with a look of shame and defeat in his eyes. Out of everyone in this room, you felt for him. He would surely bounce back with the next chum in your position.

The loud smacking of a cane caused the whispering to dissipate as you finally lifted your head up to witness the Iudeux of Fontaine.His eyes seemed heavy with sorrow. This wasn’t the first time you had witnessed this expression directed at you. Your eyes flickered to your God, Furina yawning as she whispered something to herself in her boredom.

 You can’t help feeling irked at her expression; at all of their expressions.

Why were these people allowed to judge you? 

The only answer you could find was justice was only for the privileged lucky, and you clearly had run out of it.

The contraption glowed, as Neuvillette collected your sentence.

“Under Article D of the Fontainian Code of Law, you are found guilty of fraud. Under Article J of Fontainian Law, you are found guilty of tax evasion…” he rambled on as you bit your lip.

It seemed that the rumors were right, after all. Most people who come out of the Fortress of Meropide find themselves right back in.

”And finally you are guilty of 1st degree murder of your former business partner, Henry Maugham. As a result, you will be serving a life sentence at the Fortress of Meropide,” Neuvillette announced.

You couldn’t help chuckling, covering your mouth from the cruel smile on your face. The whispering sparked once more, heavy eyes judging every movement you made. You finally lifted your hand away, smiling at the judge, but your eyes remained cold on Neuvillette’s somber ones

”Glad to see you never change, Monsieur."

The Melusine officers escorted you down to the Meropide, with only a small sack of clothes you were allowed to bring. From the photos, to the pat downs, it all seemed nostalgic to you. How many familiar faces would you see? You assumed quite a few.

This underwater prison you desperately wanted to escape from in the past, would be your sole future.

Finally finished with orientation, you threw your sack on your assigned bed sitting down, looking down on the steel ground.  With the bed squeaking, your roommates whisper, feeling the heavy air as they make their escape and let you have some space.  

Just as you sigh, thankful to have the room briefly to yourself to process, credit coupons hovered in your view as you looked up to see a tiny girl. Her long ear twitched in anticipation, ruby eyes gleaming at you, but at the same time, held pity in them.

”It’s nice to see you again. I really thought I wouldn’t have the opportunity once you left five years ago,” she chimed, brushing a bit of her baby blue hair.You looked at the tickets trying to give it back to her silently but she puffed her cheeks and shook her head.

”No! Think about it like this; this is for all the birthdays I missed,” she reasoned. You sighed, moving to massage the headache threatening to form.

-”...Sigwienne…why are you here? I’m sorry but-”

”Don’t apologize!” she interrupted, ears slightly drooping. “I, of all people, knew how much you wanted to get out. I-I’m here because the Duke wanted to see you.”

”No.”

”Please! I thought you wouldn’t be mad at him anymore,” she pleaded as eyes blew wide, pleading.Your gaze grew more bitter: 

“So he sent you to soften the blow or some shit,” you grunted. Sigwienne furrowed her eyebrows in disappointment before you clicked your tongue catching your mistake.

”Sorry…language. I know…” you muttered. Your eyes looked up to see a guard at the door, glaring down at you. It seems she was the nice “cop” and if you kept refusing her, he would get involved. You turn back to Sigwienne’s pleading gaze.

”Fine. Lead the way…” you grumbled getting up from your place. Sigwienne smiled, clasping her tiny hand with yours. 

”Off we go then!”

The only solace Sigwienne gave was a timid smile, waving as the door to the Duke’s office closed, leaving you with a man you haven’t seen in five years.

Your former boyfriend. Honestly, the man you naively thought you’d have happily ever after with.

He took a sip of tea before sighing, throwing papers on his desk as he leaned into his chair that creaked from the shifting weight. His hair was the same, black with odd streaks of gray hair he always had. He had a few new piercings on his ears though. 

”In all these years, I didn’t think I’d see your face again,” he murmured.Your jaw tense and eyes narrowed. His voice seemed as irritating as he’s ever been.

“You think I wanted you to see your sorry ass again, Wriothelsey?” you barked back. -He clicked his tongue, rolling his icy eyes.

 “I can see you’re not over our breakup..” he grumbled, drumming his fingers on the desk. You crossed your eyes, looking down with him with all the defiance you could muster up.

”If that’s what you want to call you being a selfish prick, sure,” you replied back.Wriothesley's nostrils flared but he didn’t spout any insults back.

”I thought you said you wanted to change for the better,” he asked, grabbing a file and holding it up. Of course he knew everything. He knew the second you were preparing to dive down to the Meropide.

”I did and I was. As if I wanted to come down here again. You know that out of everyone! But, I forgot something, people are cruel. And now, I’m stuck here for the rest of my life,” you raised your hands out, proclaiming loudly.

”...Just like you wanted.”

”I did not want that and you know it!” he shouted. It seemed his temper had started to reflect out. Tension was thick in the air as you laughed.

”Oh, right. My mistake. No you wanted to stay in this shithole and be the king of it, how could I forget? Your heart only had room for one person—the Meropide— not me!”

He rose from his seat, face beginning to go red in anger.

”Don’t! I’m not playing this game with you! You know how much I loved you. I loved you so much but you knew there’s nothing out there for me.”

Nails dug in your palms hearing his response as your emotions were beginning to get to you. 

 “Well you would have made something with ME out there!” you yelled, tears beginning to weld in your eyes. You turned away, wiping your tears and shuttered. You felt embarrassed being right in the same position as you were when the two of you first broke up and crying in front of him again after years.

”...I wanted us to build a new life together. Our sentences finished at the same time. You could have left with me, but you didn’t,” you whispered, angrily wiping your face. Silence fell the both of you besides your occasional sniffle and his heavy footsteps walking closer to you.

-”...And I wanted us to build a new life together here. But I wasn’t going to stop you from getting out of the Meropide.”

A frustrated grunt ripped from you as you couldn’t hold your irritation anymore. You marched to him, glaring at his form towering over you. 

To your surprise, he leaned down and kissed you. And shocking you both, you kissed him back with just as much fervor. 

”Selfish. Blockheaded. Smug dick--” you stammered out  among the heated kisses, claiming your lips with every second. Nibbling on your bottom lip, his tongue darted in your parted mouth as you threw your arms around his shoulder. His kiss was of the familiar taste of Earl Grey you remembered he was so fond of.

“Moody, Frustrating, Manipulative asshole,” he grunted back. Article after article of clothing, fell on the floor as you fell onto his couch with a plop. Your hands ran across his firm stomach and chest.You gasped feeling his large palm cup against your sex.

”Still wearing the same underwear I smuggled in for our anniversary. I see you’re still a cheapskate or are you just sentimental?” he grunted  in your ear. His finger firmly brushed across your clit, pleasure soon beginning to reverberate throughout  your lower form. You groan, hitting his toned thigh.

”Shut the fuck up!”

Wriothesley slid your panties down until they caught on your ankle as his fingers glided along the bare cunt. He rubbed your clit with his calloused thumb.

”I see you still have rough ass hands,” you chimed. Wriothesley rolled his eyes, before chuckling.

”Yet you can’t get enough of them as always” he shot back. Fingers slowly sank inside of you as you threw your head back. His digits curled and stretched you out, tenderly pumping at a decent pace as you squirmed under his touch.

His hips bucked slightly against your thigh where you could feel how hard his cock was, desperately pressed against his gray slacks.He hitched your legs over his broad shoulders as he nibbled your inner thighs—leaving a wake of discolored marks and soft bite marks.

”Fuck! Fuck!”you whined out, hands shooting out to pull his soft hair. Your legs caved in closer to his cheeks as he pumped his faster.

He leaned in, letting his tongue brush against your clit as it was the last thing to push you over. Back arched, fluid spraying from you as he continually lapped at your overstimulated cunt as the liquid made a mess of his face and the couch. 

As your body fell, breath heavy from your high, his fingers pulled out of you—walls unconsciously tightening, wishing they would stay. Satisfied with your fucked out expression, he smirked wiping his hand with his chin from your fluids. You narrow your eyes at him, watching him swirl his tongue around cleaning his fingers that were coated in your essence.

”Your face, it’s pissing me off,” you grunted. Wriothesley briefly laughed. Your heart fluttered momentarily. You hated how much you missed it.

“Said the person who squirted on my face. Been a long time hasn’t it, hm?” he teased. You glared before his eyes softened to something genuine.

”..Yeah, me too.”

He sat on his couch, shifting his pants down as his cock slapped on his lower stomach

He stroked his length as it pulsated in his grip. Every once and a while, a wavering moan left his lips. It seemed he had a new piercing too.

A Prince Albert piercing, glinting from the light and precum budding at his flushed tip.You shifted your hips, contemplating if you should go to the next step of someone that was your ex, but seeing him shutter, muffling his mouth and hearing your name was the push you needed.

”Fuck I missed you inside of me,” you groaned, kissing him. You hovered over his cock lining yourself up before sinking down. His hands found their way to the globe of your ass, grabbing the mounds tightly before you managed to reach his hilt.

”Like old times…” he whispered  out, hazy lust gazing over his eyes.

”Just like it…” you moaned.

His pace was relentless as you called out his name. His jaw was clenched, watching your slick dripped down your thighs and his cock as he continued to slam you down on it. Your whole body jumped, as his hips moved up to meet him pulling you down his cock.

”I missed you so fucking much. Your smile. Your voice…fuck your scent. I couldn’t sleep properly for months when you left.” he groaned. 

”I-I couldn’t either…fuck! There! Right there!!” you yelled out. HIs cock continued to press against your soft walls, hitting the spot that caused your voice to reach higher and higher, stomach churning as you almost hit your release.

“ ‘Thesley,” you cried out, nails harpooning into his back as you brought him closer to you. Your body shuttered, walls quivering and tightening. He clenched his jaw, having a harder time bouncing you on his cock.

”...I still fucking love you!” Wriothesley grunted, sinking his teeth into your neck. With one final rough thrust— his hips faltered—as thick ropes of cup jet out and inside of you. He slowly thrusted, moving to try to nurse down his high.

You shifted your neck, leaning his chin up before you kissed him once more. 

For a second, just for a second, it was like you never left him. That you two were still together.That you were in your early twenties, dumb and in love.

Wriothesley broke the kiss first as your fantasy was briefly shattered. His eyes were soft but clearly searching for something within yours. 

“...You still never told me why you are back here,” he replied. You groaned, and rolled your eyes pushing his face away as he grunted. You rose from him, his cum and your slick drooling from your hole before you went to grab your panties and put them back on.

Wriothesley merely sighed, lifting his boxers and pants back on. 

”...I was framed,” you admitted, putting your bra on. Just as Wriothesley was about to put his shirt on, he looked up in shock.

”What”

”Out there, I owned a small cute cafe. You know the one I always talked about based on a beloved classic, Les Aventures d’Alice au Pays des Merveilles,” you chuckled to yourself, recalling reading it to Sigwienne with Wriothesley at times. 

“ I didn’t have funds. Who would fund an ex-convict, y’know. But I met Henry, the aristocrat who promised my dreams. I thought things were going well until I discovered he had used the business as a front to sell absinthe.” You looked down, finally buttoning your shirt on and looking at Wriothesley’s somber face.

“He tried to kill me, I killed him first.”

Wriothelsey briefly closed his eyes processing the information before buttoning his own shirt.

“..But you know this country more than anyone else. He had power after death, and I was pinned with the crime by his frustrated associates,” you whispered, adjusting your color to hide the marks you knew Wriothesley left.

“I can help. We can catch them and get you back--” 

“There’s no point.” you sighed, but smiled. You chuckled humorlessly, walking to the door to his office. You clenched the handle, your back turned to hide your expression. 

Your real expression.

”I guess I wasn’t meant to be out there after all."

[sometimeslwish]

'Bout It

I wrote this how it came (which was messy and jumpy) cause this particular brand of snowcrow x reader has been on my head for a while and I needed to get it out. 7293 words in three days is fucking crazy y'all, I might've been possessed.

Honorable mention to this post from @hyperfixationhobo it inspired one of the scenes. Say thank you to @blessdunrest, she's the one that found the link for me.

Word count: 3401 words

Tags: Zayne x non-mc reader x Sylus, gn!reader, there's no mc here, pronouns used to address the reader are they/them, college au, barely any angst in here, no beta reader we die like Grandma Josephine, flirty Sylus, pet names, alcohol mention, cursing, a brief scene where reader is drunk (nothing happens), sleeping in the same bed, reader has a shitty ex (sorry guys), name calling (slut), brief moment of violence (ex got sucker punched)

Part 1

Say you're in college– I know, I know, it's horrible. You're struggling, drowning in papers and projects and assignments.

It's been the most stressful fucking week of your life– not really, you've had a lot of stressful weeks, and there's more to come, but you know you'll get through this one just like you got through the others; with sheer will and determination– so, it's no wonder that you bump (more like slam) into them while on your way to class.

"Shit– I'm so sorry!" You say, instantly bending down to help with his things.

"It's alright," you barely hear him as you scramble to grab the discarded papers and carefully put them together.

"You'll have to go through the trouble of organizing these again, I'm sorry." You apologize again when both of you stand up, handing back his things.

The way you still your movements when you finally look at him is borderline cartoonic; breath held back, jaw fallen open. You're stunned in place, completely leaving behind your embarrassment and your hurry to get to a class you're late to.

Hazel eyes stare back at you from behind glass lenses, and noticing the squared rim makes you pay attention to the rest of his face. The man is gorgeous, beautiful, handsome, pretty, all of them at once and more. It takes the breath from your lungs.

"Holy shit, you're fucking beautiful." The words leave your mouth before you can even process the thought, and you feel your face light up in flames. You hear someone snicker beside him and you turn your head to find another handsome man watching. His features are just as sticking, red eyes and white hair; both of them look like statues that came to life.

"Two handsome best friends? Is today my lucky day?" You look at the time and mutter out another curse before looking at both of them. "I gotta dip, I'm late to class," you start walking away, "Sorry for that again, see you around pretty boy." You wave goodbye looking back one last time before running away. You smile when you catch a glimpse of his reddening ears, feeling a bit giddy as you make your way to class. You're not even sure you'll get to see them again; they could be visiting, for all that you know, but this was nice.

. . . . .

You meet him again at the library.

The way you perk up is instant, smiling and raising a hand to wave at him before going back to your studies. Ruby eyes isn't with him this time, you note, but you make no move to start a conversation over that.

. . . . .

You catch glimpses of them here and there, and when you finally point them out to a friend, you learn that where one goes, the other follows.

"You slammed into Zayne?!!" Tanya whisper-shouts, bringing you closer as if you were in the most dire of situations.

"How do you know his name?" You whisper-shout back.

"Dude, they're, like, the fucking best students here."

"And? You know I don't pay enough attention to those things, I got too much shit in my head."

Tanya huffs, "Their names are Zayne and Sylus," she pulls you along, linking your arms together, "no one knows what Sylus majors in, but Zayne's majoring in cardiology.”

"Ah, ‘pretty doctor’ then." She side eyes you.

"I should've known when you said 'ruby eyes' there's no one else here with that eye color." She mutters before carrying along.

. . . . .

"Fucking hell, what are you made of? Bricks?!"

You ask as you rub your forehead, looking up to find– what was his name again? It started with a T, or was it an S? You know it ended in 'lus' because it reminded you of the words 'luz' and 'lux' both which mean 'light' in their respective languages– Ruby eyes, you've slammed into ruby eyes this time. This impact is a lot more disorienting than last time, though, so much that he had reached out to stabilize you before you fell to the ground.

"Are you alright?" The pretty doctor asks– fuckity fucking fuck, you had forgotten how his voice sounded, all nice and deep, even while tinged with worry– and you nod several times.

"Running late again?" You hear ruby eyes’ voice for the first time– okay, what the fuck? They're not just two handsome best friends, but also two handsome, deep voiced best friends?– the amusement is clear in the rumble of it.

You sigh wistfully, "Yeah." you whisper out a "Thanks" when he lets you go and take a step back, "and sorry. We have to stop meeting like this, I'll probably get a concussion or something. Anyways, see ya guys." You run away again, waving goodbye without looking back.

Sylus is the only one to wave goodbye, but he's not the only one to stare at your retreating form.

They share a look after you're completely out of sight. A very charged look.

. . . . .

You end up sharing one of your classes with him, and it's just your luck that the only empty seat is right next to yours.

"Didn't expect to see you so soon, ruby eyes." You smile as he approaches.

"Little track star, what a surprise; you're not running late to class." He sits beside you with a flourish, a smirk pulling at his lips.

"Haha, very funny, brick man." you poke at his arm, a faux frown on your face, "I'll have you know, it's only that one. Try having a class on the other side of campus in the middle of the day and not run late when you're making your way back.”

He chuckles in amusement and you don't get to talk any longer because the professor walks in and class starts. You feel him stare at you through it. You tried shrugging it off as your imagination at the beginning, but then you turned and caught him. All he did was smirk at you before you tilted your head towards the professor, signaling him to pay attention instead of staring at you.

He listened a little bit, but his eyes kept finding their way to you as the minutes passed. Until he decided that he didn't care any longer and stared unashamedly. The professor did the usual "I know you're not paying attention, so I'm going to ask you a question to make you pay attention" tactic on Sylus, only him to answer it perfectly without even looking away from you.

. . . . .

"Pretty doctor!" You whisper-shout while waving at him and then wave faster when you see Sylus behind him, "and Lux! Hey guys!"

"How long do you plan on calling me that?" Wayne questions as he takes the seat in front of you.

"Forever, duh. Or until you stop blushing, at the very least." You grin as you point out his red ears.

. . . . .

You already knew Zayne and Sylus had a peculiar friendship.

A "bad boy" and the most disciplined college genius together. But you understood why they worked so well the more you spent time with them.

It was balanced, in a way, Sylus called for chaos where Zayne wanted order and vice versa. They allowed each other freedom while remembering not to get too lost in the comfort.

Their banter was unmatched, it never failed to have you clutching at your stomach with tears in your eyes from how hard you were laughing. The sass, the sarcasm, the wit, it was beautiful.

Their humor? Gods, it was horrible, in a good way, of course. Dry jokes, dad jokes and dark humor all around.

"I hate that, I hate that it made me laugh." But not really.

Not when Zayne would smile in that soft, barely noticeable way that made you want to scream.

Not when Sylus's sharp features would soften when he smiled.

. . . . .

“How do you do it?”

“Hmm?” You turn towards Tanya, lifting your head from your notebook.

You're having a study date in your shared dorm room, just the two of you and some soft music without lyrics in it. Or at least, lyrics you could understand, you swore you heard some arabic at some point of the playlist.

“Study?” You look at her notes– flash cards with beautiful calligraphy in different colors and fonts. You don't know how she does it, but you know that it's helped you study along with her, so you don't even say meep about it.

“No, hang out with them.”

“I don't get what you mean.”

“Like, they're geniuses and… intimidating.”

You huff out a laugh, “They're still human, you know? They have good and bad days just like us, they eat and need rest like any other person. Besides, you're a genius too, and we're hanging out, aren't we?”

She scrunches her nose, but says nothing else. You feel like there's something that was left unanswered.

. . . . .

“Really guys? Right in front of my salad?” You grab a spoonful of your ice cream before shoving it into your mouth.

They're flirting in front of you, full on flirting, and no one can convince you otherwise.

Zayne and Sylus are sitting side by side. Zayne with his perfect posture and Sylus with an arm over the backrest, encroaching on Zayne's personal space with a smug smile while Zayne looks amused and exasperated at the same time. Any closer and they could make out right then and there. Not that you'd complain, you're all for them becoming a thing; they'd make a great couple.

They already act like they've been married for 25 years anyways.

Sylus chuckles and leans closer toward you, “Oh there's no need to be jealous, sweetie, there's plenty of me to go around.”

You blink. Once, twice, thrice, a fourth and fifth time. That's the most forward he's ever been with you, it has left you stunned. You gasp with more drama than necessary before swatting at his arm.

“Oh my god, Sylus, you greedy whore.” He chuckles and you look to Zayne to see his reaction. He's already staring at you with an unreadable look in his eyes.

. . . . .

"Oh hey! Look, they're here!" Tanya's voice sounds a little muddled.

You're drunk, drunker than you've ever been, and you're not really paying attention to what she's saying, more focused on hugging her and rubbing your cheek to her shoulder like a clingy cat.

"Hi, sorry, they wouldn't stop asking about you guys, so I just–"

"It's alright, we can take it from here."

You gasp when you hear his voice, "Zayne-bug!" You let go of Tanya to hug him and later pull Sylus into the hug when you notice him too.

“Sylly.” you sing-song while clinging to both of them. Sylus chuckles and Zayne does his best to continue the conversation with Tanya while trying to get you to cling to Sylus instead.

He's close to succeeding when you pull him to kiss his cheek, followed by Sylus’s. You grin up at them, just pure affection and adoration in your eyes. If the kiss wasn't shocking enough, your next words are:

“I love you guys so much.”

They're a bit slurred, but it's enough for them to exchange a look over your head. You keep rambling– about them, their beauty, how great they are, how much you love them– but it gets more mumbled and jumbled as you get more and more into it.

Tanya tries not to laugh, pressing her lips into a line. You're probably going to regret it horribly the next day, but it'll be alright.

. . . . .

You wake up between them.

It's a little awkward. Zayne's bed isn't big enough for the three of you, so all of you are lying on your sides.

Sylus's arm is heavy over your waist and his chest is warm against your back. Zayne is in front of you, a hand held between yours with fingers linked.

You look over to find Zayne already awake and staring at you. His smile is soft, as soft as his “Good morning.” whisper.

You groan and hide your face amidst the mess of fingers created by your hands, curling more into yourself.

“Why is it so bright?”

He huffs out a soft laugh, and shifts to get up and out of bed. You grip his hand tighter when he moves to pull it away.

“You'll have to let go of my hand if you want me to make it less bright.”

“Don't want to. Stay.” You mumble. And so he does.

He stays until Sylus wakes up and you can no longer ignore it.

. . . . .

You catch sight of a familiar face and your blood runs cold.

“Shit, shit, shit, fuck,” you grab a hold of Sylus and instantly use him to shield yourself, holding him in place as you avoid been seen by your ex.

Zayne sighs, giving you a chiding look– you can practically hear his tired “language”– that brings out the brat in you. You stick out your tongue towards him before peeking over Sylus's shoulder.

“Sweetheart?” He's still not allowed to move, you're still gripping his arm, so he can't continue eating. Now, he could switch hands, but your constant glances over his shoulder are concerning.

“My ex is here.” You whisper-shout and that gets Zayne to stop eating.

“Oh? Should I assume they weren't the best by the way you're using me to hide?”

You wince, “Not really? He wasn't that bad, maybe a little… high maintenance.” Sylus raises an eyebrow at your choice of words and you sigh. You let go of his arm to take a bite of your food.

“Fine, he was annoying; wanted my attention on him at all times but barely gave me any. It was always ‘me, me, me’, he even had the fucking audacity to throw fits when I decided to entertain myself when he ignored me or spend time with my friends when he cancelled our plans.” You don't even know how you put up with the treatment at the time. It was exhausting how he kept demanding your life revolved around his while he did whatever the fuck he wanted without a care for you.

You didn't consider it a big deal at the time, life gets busy when you go from being in highschool to being in college, you understood that perfectly. But, in truth, you didn't know the difference between “busy at this college away from yours” and “ignoring you because I'm not bored yet.”

“He broke up with me because, and I quote: ‘I’ve found someone better, someone who can give me the attention that I want’,” you huff and angrily eat your food as you look for something to take out the frustration on, “and then had the nerve to come crawling back, begging me to take him back a few months after.”

“I had to change my phone number, cut contact with who I thought were my friends and delete my social media because he kept bringing everyone else that would listen into it.”

They share a glance while you sigh and chuck the empty container into the trash, “It’s been a few years, and he still keeps looking for me. I’ve given up on a few apps and limited myself to the more… niche ones– if you could call them that– because he just won't fucking stop.” They follow as you start walking away from where you saw your ex, but the retreat doesn't give you peace because you hear your ex's voice call out your name.

“Oh, fuck no,” you link your arms with them and continue walking, pretending you can't hear the voice calling out that godforsaken nickname you now hate. You don't get to make it very far because he catches up and gets in the way.

“Hey, it's been a while.” He smiles, and god does it grate your gears to see him act so comfortably with you. You want to wipe that fucking smile off.

“It should've been ‘never again.’” You scowl and let go of their arms, “What do you want?”

Zayne and Sylus stare with poorly held back curiosity, it's the first time they've heard you sound like this. You're usually so warm, kind and soft, but this? This side of you is cold, sharp and mean. Like the man in front of you is the lowest of scums that could ever exist and giving them your attention and time is a privilege– nay, a luxury they don't deserve. It’s kind of hot to see you like that.

“Please, baby–” hearing that pet name come from his mouth makes your left eye twitch– “I just want to talk.” He looks at your companions and adds “In private, please, just a few seconds.”

You pretend to think it over for a second, “No, either say it with them here or go fuck yourself.”

“Please, you're making a scene.” He looks around and you scoff as you cross your arms, a sarcastic laugh leaving you.

“I wouldn't be making it if you hadn't approached me, now both of us gotta be uncomfortable over your denial to fucking let me go.”

“If you just listened to me–” He starts and the tone of voice raises your hackles even more.

“What do I have to listen to, huh?” You take a step forward, “To your incessant, pathetic begging?–” you clear your throat and make a face as you imitate his voice in the most mocking manner you can muster– “‘Please take me back, I love you, I need you, I can't live without you. Please, give me a chance, I changed, I promise I’m better now, just let me show you.’ You ain't changed shit!”

“Yes, I have!”

“No, you haven't!” You jab his chest, “We wouldn't be having this fucking conversation in the first place if you did! If you did change, you would’ve let me go ages ago. But no, you're here, ruining my fucking date!”

Now that is a lie, and you can already hear the twin “date?” from Sylus and Zayne, they're probably even looking at you funny right now.

Your ex scoffs, and it fires you up even further “As if, they're way out of your league, there's no way you could pull either of them. Ohh, maybe you fucked both of them, that's the only way you could've pulled it off; you've always been such a slut anyways.”

You don't get to punch him; Zayne beats you to it. Calm, amicable, “let's solve the issue with dialogue” Zayne, sucker punches your ex.

You stare in shock.

What the fuck?

Did you just hallucinate that?

No, you couldn't have; your ex is currently on the ground, unmoving.

“Ah, whoops, I didn't mean to do that.”

Whoops?!

Didn't mean to do it?!!

“What?!”

“I didn't mean to knock him out,” He clarifies, already kneeling to check on him, personal feelings and opinions about the jackass be damned as he switches to med-student-on-his-way-to-be-a-doctor mode, “although, I suppose that is better than having to continue listening to his voice.” Zayne says with a bit of a grimace.

He's conflicted, not over punching someone, but over the fact that he unintentionally knocked him out and got rid of two birds with one stone.

Sylus starts chuckling behind you, poorly held back laughter that he can't keep at bay, try as he might. You can't help but giggle along the moment you make eye contact with him, and your giggles become his downfall because he belly laughs. It's not long before you start cackling like a witch as the hysterics take over you.

Zayne stares for a while, completely unimpressed, fighting back his own smile. But then you can't hold yourself up, and you end up bringing Sylus down with you when you try to cling to him for help, and he starts laughing too.

You'll never forget the sight of his shoulders shaking as he laughed quietly, nor his face when he couldn't restrain his smile anymore.

Security arrives right as all of you are calming down. They take statements, check up on your ex– who fucking tries to twist the story to his favour only for it to fall flat when other people side with you– and then escort him out before leaving you to enjoy the rest of the day.

None of you mention it, but you all silently agree that it was the best date-not-date ever.

Part 2.