#but hmm might spend the whole day alone and drawing tomorrow again

[starpros-sunshine]

I despise summer but the aesthetic is very fun

[iam93percentstardust]

If you’re still taking prompt, could you please write something with Steve loving Tony’s big doe expressive eyes, plus him giving tony lots of slow deep kisses and maybe a comforting talk bc Tony’s anxious about something? 🥺

Sure thing! Hope you like it!

(Thank you to @therollingstonys for helping me brainstorm and, as always, this fic can be found on my ao3)

~

Tony is already in bed by the time Steve comes up. Their room is dark, even the windows shaded to block out most of the light coming in from the city, and it takes Steve a moment to realize that the dark mass huddled under the blankets is, in fact, his wayward husband. He sighs softly and runs his hand through his hair, thinking of the dinner he’d prepared for the two of them that had sat out for an hour before he’d finally decided Tony wasn’t going to join him. He doesn’t know why he’d expected otherwise. He knows how Tony gets the night before something big and Tony’s been withdrawing from him for the last couple of days; he should have seen this coming.

“So this is where you’ve been all day,” he says quietly. Tony shifts but doesn’t move out from under the blankets. “JARVIS, lights to 15%.”

JARVIS obligingly turns the lights up, raising them just enough that Steve doesn’t have to strain his eyes in the dark. Tony doesn’t protest the change, which is a good sign. It means that he’s stressed and anxious but he’s not actively trying to hide away.

Steve crosses the room, shedding clothes as he goes so that he’s down to only his boxers by the time he reaches the bed. He climbs up and stretches out over Tony’s body, hovering above him on his hands and knees. From his vantage point, he can see the tiny tuft of hair that’s sticking out from the blankets but that’s it.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “You wanna talk about it?”

Tony makes a dissenting noise and the blankets shift, like he’s shaking his head.

“Can I at least see you?”

Another dissenting noise.

“Come on,” he cajoles. “Can’t I see those beautiful brown eyes?”

“No,” comes the grumbled reply.

He bites back a smile. Wouldn’t do to look amused when Tony’s clearly so distressed. “Are you sure? I haven’t gotten to see them all day,” he asks instead, voice low and teasing, devoid of anything that Tony might take as disapproval. If Steve is right about what’s going through Tony’s head right now—and he’s pretty sure he is—he needs to be very careful about what he says.

It takes a moment but Tony eventually shifts enough that his entire head is poking out from under the blankets. He looks exhausted, worn out from stress and worry, and there are deep shadows under those brown eyes he loves so much, but he’s still the most beautiful thing Steve has ever seen.

“There they are.” He smiles fondly at his husband and leans down to kiss him. It’s meant to be a quick, reassuring thing, but as so often happens, he gets caught up in the feel of Tony’s lips against his, how he tastes, how perfect he looks in that single moment before his eyes flutter closed, and Steve finds himself drawing the kiss out into something slow and lingering.

When he eventually pulls away, Tony’s eyes are dazed and slightly out of focus. Steve can’t resist leaning back down again and brushing a kiss over Tony’s right eyebrow. Tony’s eyes slip closed again as he sighs and Steve kisses each trembling eyelid before pulling back.

“What’s got you so worked up, hmm, sweetheart?” Steve asks.

Tony wiggles out from under the sheets just a little more, enough so that his whole head and the tops of his shoulders are uncovered. “I—” he begins and then bites his lip.

Steve thinks he knows what this is all about and he thinks Tony might be feeling too seen already to admit what’s going on in that big brain of his. He rolls off of Tony, onto his side, and slides under the covers, tucking himself up against his husband’s side, who rolls over to face him. Steve shifts them so that Tony’s leg is thrown over his hip, his head tucked under Steve’s chin, into his chest. He can’t see Tony’s face like this—he’s already missing the sight—but he thinks Tony feels like he needs to hide so he can be open as he should be.

“Better?” he asks.

Tony nods, his beard scratching on Steve’s naked chest.

“So is this about tomorrow then?”

Tony nods again, voice muffled when he says, “I’m going to be a horrible father.”

“You’re not,” Steve says, even though he knows it’s a platitude that barely even makes a dent in Tony’s lack of self-worth. He just can’t stop himself. He hates hearing Tony put himself down like this.

“I am,” Tony says matter-of-factly. “I’m going to be just like Howard and I’m going to ruin this child.”

Steve bites back a sigh—Tony would take it the wrong way right now—and instead presses a kiss to Tony’s hair. “You’re not going to ruin them.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

Because for one thing, I’ll be right here to help you raise them, which puts me ahead of Maria for one, he thinks. But he knows better than to voice that opinion out loud. He doesn’t know why Tony is so insistent on idolizing his mother, who was so frequently absentee, except that she was slightly more loving than Howard had been. And to Tony, so very attention-starved as a child, even slightly was better than nothing.

“Because you’re already thinking about them,” he says. “You’re already worried about how you’re going to take care of them, planning contingencies for every little thing that could possibly go wrong. Parents like Howard don’t do that.”

Tony is quiet for long enough that Steve lifts his chin up and kisses him again, trying to soothe away Tony’s anxieties with every sweep of his tongue. Tony’s arms slide around his waist, clinging to him as he kisses back. Time slides by as they kiss, minutes, hours, who knows? All that matters is the feeling of Tony’s body against his, the taste of his tongue in his mouth.

“This could go so badly wrong,” Tony whispers when he finally pulls away.

Steve tells himself it’s pointless to mourn the loss of Tony’s kiss and points out, “Sweetheart, that would be true even if we were the best parents in the world and had successfully raised five other kids.”

“But—”

“No buts,” Steve interrupts firmly. “You’re not alone. I’m here right by your side. Pepper and Rhodey are here with you. Nat, Bucky and Clint—oh wait, maybe we shouldn’t count Clint.”

To his relief, Tony laughs, tucking his head back under Steve’s chin as he shakes. Steve smiles and brushes another kiss over Tony’s hair, holding him as close as he can. He wishes they could be like this forever, but at the same time, he’s so excited for what tomorrow will bring.

“I just don’t want to mess this up,” Tony admits once he’s stopped laughing.

“That’s what parenting is,” Steve says softly. He’s just as terrified of getting it wrong as Tony is, but he knows that there’s no one way to get it right. “We’ll make mistakes, but we’ll do it together and hey, I think between the two of us, we’ll manage to raise a pretty decent kid. If they’re even a tiny bit like you, I know we’ll have done a great job.”

“Or like you.”

“Oh no, definitely not. I pick way too many fights.”

“But for all the right reasons.”

“That’s not what Bucky says.”

“That’s because you keep dragging Bucky into your fights.”

“That sounds like a him problem.”

“It wouldn’t be if you would just pick your battles.”

“I have picked them,” Steve argues. “I’ve picked all of them.”

Tony laughs again and raises his head to peck Steve on the lips. “Okay you’re right. I hope mini-Stark doesn’t turn out anything like you.”

“I hope they’re just like you,” Steve says, smiling down at him. He’s so lucky. Not everyone gets to spend their life with the person they love more than anything, but Steve not only gets to have Tony but their child as well. “Beautiful and generous and too smart for their own good.” He can see the argument forming on Tony’s face so he quickly adds, “Did Pepper ever decide what she wanted for her present for being our surrogate?”

Tony groans. “Jimmy Choo’s entire spring line.”

Steve winces. “Sounds expensive.”

“Good thing you married a billionaire then, isn’t it?”

He shakes his head. “Good thing I married you.”

Tony’s smile is soft and sweet. “Everything changes tomorrow, doesn’t it?”

“For the better,” Steve promises.

This time, Tony just nods and says, “Yeah,” instead of arguing. Then his smile turns a little coy. “Last night we’ll have to ourselves for a very long time. We should make the most of it.”

Steve grins and takes the hint, leaning in to kiss him again.

~

He comes home from his run a week later to find Tony asleep on the couch, a newborn Morgan Stark-Rogers also asleep on his chest. Tony’s hand rests on her back, keeping her safe against him. Steve smiles at the sight, a wave of affection for the two most important people in his life washing over him. He pulls out his phone and snaps a picture of the two of them together, setting it as his new lockscreen. Tony will have another anxiety attack eventually and when that happens, he’ll pull this picture out and show it to him.

Tony thinks he won’t be a good parent.

Steve looks at him and knows he already is.

They’re going to be just fine.

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

When We Were Young Part One

Part Two | Masterlist Pairing: Sherlock Holmes x Reader

Rating: T

Notes: Enola Holmes got me, guys, what can I say. I mean seriously, look at that curl. I’m considering writing more, still kinda sussing it out. Not sure yet.

Warnings: Uuuuuh none

Summary: You were an only child, a girl (which had disappointed your parents), and while you loved to learn, you hated your governess. You were curious, a little wild, and lonely. 

As a child, Ferndell Hall was a second home to you. You lived down the road from the Holmes’ and tended to hide away there whenever you got into a fight with your mother (which was often). You were an only child, a girl (which had disappointed your parents), and while you loved to learn, you hated your governess. You were curious, a little wild, and lonely. Not that you were any less lonely with the Holmes boys. Mycroft was always making up games with ridiculous rules and amendments to try and keep you from playing them. Sherlock usually stayed out of yours and Mycroft’s arguments - you could hold your own against him anyway. When Mycroft couldn’t be bothered with you anymore, you’d trail behind Sherlock, trying to hold his hand to keep up with him, asking him a thousand questions about what he was reading, or what he was doing. He’d indulge you some of the time, but others he’d ignore you in favor of a book, or a drawing. It was those moments that you ran to Eudoria and Enola. “Never mind them,” Eudoria would tell you, when you were pouting over Mycroft making over some additional stupid rule, or Sherlock not even bothering to look at you from behind his book. “Why don’t they like me?” You asked one day, watching Mycroft and Sherlock fence with one another in the front yard. Eudoria looked down at you. “Why does it matter to you how they feel?” “Everyone wants to be liked,” You rationalized. Eudoria hummed thoughtfully, smoothing a hand over your hair. “Focus more on the company you would like to keep, dove. Not on the company that will not keep you.” -- When their father passed away, it was clear that both Mycroft and Sherlock would be sent to boarding schools. Your parents allowed a brief lapse in your studies so that you could spend more time with them before they left Ferndell. Mycroft was sent away first, and Sherlock would be sent soon after. On the day he was set to leave, you and Sherlock waited in the front hall, watching as his things were packed into a carriage. “Will you write?” Sherlock asked quietly. You turned to him, surprised. “...If you like,” You said after a moment. He didn’t meet your eye, just nodded. --

“Mother is missing.” Coming from Enola, that was a shock. You had watched her grow, she wasn’t the type to tease about something like this, especially where Eudoria was involved. “What’s happened?” You asked. As the years had gone by, you had continued to visit Ferndell, spent time with Eudoria, Enola, and Mrs. Lane. You’d fallen out of contact with Sherlock. You’d written letters, gotten one or two back, and grown frustrated. You’d stopped writing, remembering what Eudoria had told you: “Focus more on the company you would like to keep.” You looked in on Enola and Mrs. Lane every day that week, only insinuating yourself in Enola’s space where she wanted you - you knew that her mother was her chief companion and didn’t want to crowd her. You couldn’t help the lingering concern you had for Eudoria. “You’re good to come and check on ‘er,” Mrs. Lane sighed as the two of you shared a sherry, “It’ll be better when Sherlock comes home.” “The boys have been sent for?” You asked, eyeing your drink. “ ‘Course. Enola’ll be collecting them tomorrow.” Tomorrow. You were suddenly not in the mood for your sherry anymore. -- “They’ve already gone through the parlor-- Mycroft didn’t like our tennis rackets,” Enola said as you followed her down the hall to the kitchen, “And-- they were going through Mother’s room. Mycroft said Mother’s been sending him lists of expenses for all sorts of things-- a footman and a governess.” “Goodness,” You mumbled, frowning, “Well, I’m sure your mother has a reason. She has a reason for everything.” Enola slid onto one of the stools in the kitchen, folding her arms on the table and propping her chin up on her hand. She perked her head up the second someone else stepped into the kitchen. “Mrs. Lane, if we could have some wine. We’ll be in the library.” You glanced in the direction of the voice; that glance alone was enough to know it was him. Enola had proudly kept every single clipping of every single case he’d ever solved; the sketches in the paper didn’t nearly do him justice. You glanced away quickly enough again as you felt his head turn toward you; as Mrs. Lane said, “Of course, Mr. Holmes.” “...Aren’t you going to say hello to Sherlock?” Enola asked. You raised a brow before glancing in his direction again. “Hello to Sherlock,” You said simply. The smile that lit up Enola’s face was worth it, especially after the week she’d had. It was almost gratifying, his staring, and you were moderately certain he had absolutely no idea who you were. “I have business to attend to at home, but if you need anything, you know where to reach me,” You addressed both Enola and Mrs. Lane before turning back to Sherlock. “Don’t strain yourself,” You said coolly as you brushed past him. -- “Impatient.” You lifted your head from the letter you’d been focusing on to see Sherlock leaning in the doorway of your study. “...Excuse me?” You asked. “Your handwriting,” He said, stepping further into your study, “When I was at school, I was made to study calligraphy, and I used to study your letters. The ink was often smudged, because you write quickly, which means you’re impatient. The size of your lettering is large implying that you’re outspoken, comfortable in your own skin, and the spacing is narrow, which means you can’t stand being alone.” He stopped in front of your desk, looking down at you. You set your pen aside, tipping your chin up. “Do you have a reason for being here, Mr. Holmes?” You asked. Sherlock lowered himself into one of the seats across from you, reaching into his pocket and pulling his pipe out. Your arched a brow. “I wanted to ask you about--” “You’re not smoking in here.” Sherlock stilled, looking at you. “Excuse me?” “Which part of that was unclear?” You asked. Sherlock stared at you for a moment before tucking his pipe away. "I remember you,” He said. “Charming, well done.” “I wanted to talk to you about my mother.” “Go on, then.” "My mother hasn’t said anything to you about a trip, a change?” “None. You know Eudoria keeps her cards close to her chest.” “And you haven’t noticed any suspicious characters around the house?” “You suspect she’s gone off with someone?” You quirked a brow, “She’d never. No one is more important to your mother than Enola.” “You have a theory?” Sherlock asked. “You’re the detective here, Mr. Holmes, not me. If you’ll excuse me, I’m rather busy.” Sherlock gave a nod as he stood. You leaned back over your letter, picking up your pen. You froze when you heard him murmur, “It’s good to see you again, dove.” You looked up to see him lingering by your door, an odd, almost soft smile on his face. He gave you a quick nod before he left, door shutting behind him. -- “Whole house is up in arms,” Mrs. Lane was scrubbing the kitchen table down for what had to be the fifth time. “Mrs. Lane, please,” You soothed, gently steering her to sit, “Let me make us some tea, hmm?” Enola was gone. No warning, no note, just a caricature of Mycroft on a pillow (you’d seen it and let out an incredibly unladylike snort). “You going to London-- And the boys as well, it’ll just be me rattling around the house,” Mrs. Lane sighed as you set a fresh cuppa down in front of her. She reached up, patting your cheek in thanks. -- “Did I hear Mrs. Lane say you’ll be going into town?” You turned at the sound of Sherlock’s voice and found him a few paces behind you. The path between Ferndell Hall and your home was a scenic one, quiet and well-trod. You stopped to allow him to catch up, folding your arms over your chest, “Might I ask why you were eavesdropping?” “Is it really eavesdropping if it occurs in ones own home?” He asked. “If one was not intended to be privy to the conversation, yes.” Sherlock considered this for a moment before he stepped around you, continuing toward your home. You frowned after him before you followed, lengthening your strides to catch up. “What takes you there?” He asked. “I’ve business to attend to.” “You used that same phrase the other day,” Sherlock reminded you. “And it is as true now as it was then,” You said. “What sort of ‘business’ is it?” “I have to look in on my aunt, for one, and meet with a couple of my father’s investors. He’s been ill, so he’s unable to make the trip himself.” “And he trusts you to do it for him?” You looked up to find Sherlock’s brow furrowed and you rolled your eyes. “Try not to look so shocked. You’re not the only person in the world capable of getting things done.” “You used to chase after Mycroft and I, you wanted your hand held at all times,” Sherlock reminded you. You scoffed, stopping and turning to face him. “I was a child,” You snapped. He stopped as well, tucking his hands into his pockets, and you went on, “And I was lonely-- And it’s not as if you or Mycroft did anything to assuage that.” You saw a flash of hurt in Sherlock’s eyes, the brief clench of his jaw before his face returned to that calm, observant set. You shook your head, averting your eyes. You hardly lost your temper anymore, had learned to school your emotions to get ahead when needed. Why on earth was he bringing this out in you? “If you’ll excuse me,” You said stiffly, stepping around him. “When do you leave for London?” He asked. You stopped again, turning a little to look at him; he wouldn’t meet your eye, his gaze set on the ground. “Tomorrow,” You said. “The 9:15?” He asked. “Yes,” You nodded. “Perhaps I’ll see you at the station.” “...Perhaps.”

[nightshade-minho]

-Blue Book- (3)

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: Chan being an ass.

Over the next two days, Chan found himself spending nearly all of his time with you. You had warmed up to him a lot, but was still a little cautious. He had to build up trust...somehow.

Spending time with you was excruciatingly boring. All you seemed to do was draw, and sitting next to you while you did was getting tiring.

However, whenever he would come close to giving up, something would happen to put him right back on track- whether it was Miyoung smiling at him from across the hallway, tucking her hair behind her ear like she always did...or Minho, shamelessly asking her out for a fucking date. Right in front of his salad.

No, literally.

He watched in horror as Minho chuckled, speaking to her on the phone in that raspy voice of his that was the fakest shit Chan had ever heard.

"Yeah, okay, babe. Bye~" Minho cooed, cutting the call and putting his phone down, resuming his meal as he dug into his chicken nonchalantly.

"Babe?" Changbin asked, smirking from the opposite end of the table.

"Hmm, yeah. Got a problem with that?" Minho asked, seemingly replying to Changbin but staring right at Chan as he said it.

"No." Chan lied, voice a little shaky.

"Oh, but don't embarrass him like this, Minho. He's only been wanting to ask her out for like, two years...yet you did it in five minutes." Hyunjin said, laughing.

Chan's grip on his fork tightened. He prided himself in being a patient person, more or less...yet these two definitely had the potential to turn him into a cold-blooded murderer.

"Where are you taking her?" Jisung asked, mouth full.

"To the carnival, tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to win her one of those giant plushies. I've always been good at those games."

"How romantic~" Jisung smiled. "You know we'll be there too though, right?"

"Uh huh." Minho grinned at Chan. "Don't worry! I won't leave my best friends for a girl. We'll be right there with you, the whole time."

"Sounds great. Don't know if Chan will like that idea, though..."

Minho tilted his head, tutting.

"Channiee~ you know I'll back off if you get the book, right?"

That was it. Chan stood up, spoon and fork clattering onto his plate as he left the table, fuming. His stomach growled with hunger as he pushed open the café door, walking out onto the street with his bag slung over his shoulder.

He'd just have his dinner at home.

***

"Wow. You really pissed him off." Jeongin noted.

Minho rolled his eyes, stabbing his chicken with the fork. "I swear, he has such bland taste in girls. Miyoung is the most brainless creature I've ever met."

"Why would you put up with that, then? And why do you seem so intent on irritating him lately?" Felix asked, frowning.

"I'm not really putting up with anything. She's hot, and she has a smoking body. Brains don't matter when you look like that."

"You know Chan likes Miyoung for more than her appearance. Although I can't, for the life of me, imagine what that might be..."

"Whatever."

"You didn't answer my question."

Minho sighed, raising an eyebrow at Felix.

"I just don't like the way he's been lording over us all lately. He acts like he's our 'leader' or something. I feel like I can barely breathe around him- at least this gets him out of the way."

"See? It's a battle of the alphas, after all." Jisung guffawed, high-fiving Hyunjin.

"So this is all just some power struggle?" Felix asked, disbelief lacing his tone. "Why the fuck did you drag an innocent girl into it, then? She has nothing to do with any of it-"

"Eh, she just gets on my nerves. Two birds with one stone." He shrugged.

Felix shook his head. "You're an asshole."

He smirked. "I know."

***

Chan knew exactly where to find you.

True to form, you were on the same park bench as always, legs crossed as you listened to music with your eyes closed.

"Hey..."

You opened one eye slightly as you realized who it was. Taking the earbuds out, you smiled.

"Oh hey...I didn't expect to see you again until tomorrow morning."

"Yeah well, I kinda knew you would be here."

You patted the spot next to you, and Chan hesitantly sat down.

"Where's your book? You're not drawing?"

"It's too dark for that." You pointed out, a lopsided smile gracing your face.

"Why are you here then?"

"My mom and her date went to this fancy restaurant." You explained. "And I didn't want to be all alone at home, so I just came out here."

"Ah. This place is just as pretty at night..."

"Mmhmm."

Chan sighed as he watched you play with your hair. It was kind of cute, how you tried to mask your nervousness by occupying your hands with meaningless actions.

"So what will you be having for dinner, then?"

"Probably ramen out of a packet. I hope we still have some left..."

Chan pressed his lips together. "Would you...um, would you like to come join me for dinner? At my house?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Oh..." You blushed, looking down. "I mean, yeah, sure-"

"Great!" You looked up, the smile on Chan's face so kind that you almost teared up.

God, Y/n, get yourself together...

You had no idea why he was being so nice to you at first, and had been wary initially...but the last few days had changed that. He seemed to enjoy spending time with you, and that was somewhat of a novelty- a person showing interest in you, that is.

Chan grinned at you, grabbing your wrist as he pulled you up. "Let's go!~"

***

"This is my room."

You gasped. "Wow, it's so big!"

"Yeah." He chuckled. "It used to be a gym, I think...but my parents let me change it up."

"That's so cool." You went over to the posterboard, smiling as your eyes ran over all the polaroids and memorabilia Chan had collected over the years.

"My room isn't as personalized as yours...but this makes me want to give it a makeover." You smiled, going over to the window and marvelling at the size of it.

"Wow...you must get a lot of sunlight in the mornings..." You said in awe, pressing your nose up against the glass as you looked down.

"I do." He said, mind blank as he watched you fangirl over his room. You were so overly enthusiastic about everything...he wished he could be the same.

You turned around, that wide smile ever-present on your face. As you opened your mouth to say something else, you were interrupted by the sound of your stomach growling.

"Ah, I almost forgot. I brought you here to feed you." He winked, opening his door as he stepped back out.

"Come on, we can visit my bedroom some other time~" Your cheeks heated up at his words as he went back downstairs.

"Wait for me!" You followed him quickly as he made his way to the dinner table.

"Where are your parents?" You asked as you sat at the table.

"They're on a business trip, princess, and my siblings are at their friends'. So...we have the house all to ourselves." He winked again, and you quickly looked back down at your empty plate.

You thanked the maid as she served the food. It was pasta, and your stomach growled again as soon as you laid eyes on it.

"Wow, you're hungry, huh? Sounds like there's a baby bear living in your stomach~" He teased. You giggled, shaking your head as you took a bite.

"Oh wow, it's delicious."

"It better be, my parents don't pay her for nothing." He said, starting to eat.

There was silence for a while as the two of you filled your empty stomachs...but somehow, it wasn't awkward. Chan looked up at you from time to time, chuckling at how fast you ate.

"Slow down, babygirl."

Your eyes widened as you looked up at him. That pet name, fuck.

Chan raised an eyebrow, picking up on how affected you were by it.

"Hmm, you like that name?"

You shook your head vehemently, going back to your meal- but your cheeks never stopped burning.

He hadn't expected to see you so flustered, when he'd literally just called you a name.

Wrapped around his finger, indeed.

***

"It feels weird hanging out without Chan." Jeongin sighed, adjusting the pillow under his chin as he lay on the mattress in Felix's basement, watching as Changbin and Jisung faced off in Call of Duty.

"Yeah? I feel like it's better. I don't feel like I have to walk on eggshells." Hyunjin shrugged, prompting Minho to smile widely.

"See? He gets it."

"I don't know, Chan being here sure keeps these guys in line." Seungmin flicked his thumb towards Changbin and Jisung (the two of them mock-wrestling as the latter suspected that the former had cheated), not looking up from his book.

Changbin looked up from the headlock Jisung had him in.

"Oh shut up. Guys, I don't really understand why we pick on some random girl in school when we have our very own nerd right here." He sneered.

"There's a difference between being a nerd and having brains...something which you clearly don't know much about. I'll cut you some slack." Seungmin smirked.

"For fuck's sake, stop fighting." Jisung said as he poked Changbin's side, squeezing harder.

"Oh, the irony." Jeongin groaned, rubbing his forehead as he watched the two roll around on the floor.

Felix sighed as he buried his head in his hands, too tired to follow the conversation anymore.

What had happened to them?

***

"You should come over again."

"Yeah...I will. Some other time. My mom's expecting me, unfortunately." You said apologetically.

"At least let me walk you home?"

You paused, smiling slowly. "Alright."

The two of you walked side by side, the cool night breeze ruffling your hair.

"What are your hobbies?" You asked after some minutes of silence, curiously.

"Well. I like swimming, and also football." He paused, wondering if he should tell you more or not.

"I...I also like making music."

"Woah. That's amazing. Next time, you should show me some of your songs."

"Uh, yeah, sure. Some of them are kinda private, though..."

"That's okay. You only need to show me what you're comfortable with letting me hear." You said.

Chan smiled softly, nodding. For a second, it crossed his mind how you were willing to respect his privacy...and yet here he was, trying to violate yours by attempting to steal something that was clearly precious to you.

Miyoung. Think of Miyoung, He reminded himself.

You suddenly stopped, turning to him with a grin.

"We're here. Thanks for walking me home!"

"No problem..."

"See you later~" You waved as you walked backwards, turning around to open the gate.

"Wait-"

"Hm?" You twisted your neck to look at him questioningly.

"Uh...I was wondering, would you want to come with me to the carnival tomorrow? It'll be fun-"

"Yes! Sure!" You said, a little too eagerly.

"Great. It's a date."

"D-date?"

"Yeah." He smirked. "See you then, babygirl."

With that, he walked away, the image of your flustered face in his mind.

Miyoung would be his in no time.

[leo-gold-hotchner]

All I want for Christmas is You

Tbh, I don’t celebrate Christmas, so I don’t really know what people do. I’m just lazy to celebrate anything really... I guess I’m not the type to mingle with others

I wish everyone be safe and healthy, and COVID to finish soon!

Aaron Hotchner X Male Reader

AU: I kissed a boy

Words: 1200-ish

You flopped down on the couch with your face. Man, it was a tough shift in the middle of Christmas day. Your boss was apologetic when she called you in, but it meant double pay. You then looked up at your phone and smiled at the background of your phone. The photo was you, Aaron and Jack all beaming at the same time. Jack was really happy when you told him you gonna make the photo as your background. You nearly jumped as your phone rang and Aaron’s photo sprang up. Sometimes you think Aaron knows when you are thinking about him. 

“’allo,” you answered playfully. 

“Merry Christmas, F/N. You feel okay?” 

“Better than being on the ambulance on Christmas,” you shook your head as you thought about people heading to the hospital. “Merry X-mas, Aaron. What are you and Jack’s plan today?” 

“I’ve got a plan, but need your help.” 

“Yeah? What’s the great BAU agent need help for?” 

“Come over my place?” You could just sense eagerness and pleading in his usual strong and authoritative voice. And damn, the gap between an agent and a man made you shiver. Aaron giving you a puppy look, even the thought made you happy. 

“Okay, I’ll be there soon.” 

Thank goodness you bought presents before holiday season. It would’ve been a disaster with no shop being opened. With presents in your arms, you couldn’t rub your hands together for heat. It was damn cold, and you were waiting for green light to cross the road. You would’ve brought your car if the weather was okay, but with snowing when you didn’t chain your tyres, you didn’t want to drive one bit. 

You sighed in relief as you entered Aaron’s apartment entrance. You tucked one of the presents under your arm to press the number. As soon as you heard a beep, with a hyped voice the main entrance clicked. Aaron must’ve told Jack you were coming. 

                                                      -Hotch-

Aaron raised his eyebrow when he saw all the wrapped boxes in your arms. Jack was jumping around as soon as he saw all the presents you brought. 

“Not much.” You shrugged nonchalantly as possible. 

“Not much,” Aaron repeated slowly. 

 “C’mon, it’s Christmas,” you rolled your eyes. It’s not like you have someone to spend your money on. Other than your friends from your work, Aaron and Jack could be the only one you could say family. “Now where do you put all your presents?” You asked Jack who led the way to the small living room with a little Christmas tree blinking in colourful light. 

 “So many of ‘em! What did you buy?” Jack asked eagerly with his puppy look, wanting to know what have you brought. You laughed and heard Aaron laughing from the kitchen. 

“There are yours and your Dad’s and you’ll open them tomorrow, yes?” 

“Yes!” Jack happily chirped. “Dad and I bought your presents too! You gonna open it tomorrow too!” He pointed a green and red wrapped box under the tree.

“Of course! Unlike someone I can wait till tomorrow.” 

“I can too!” Jack huffed and you ruffled his hair. “Are you gonna stay?” 

“I was planning to...,” you locked your eyes with Aaron’s. 

“I don’t have to work today and tomorrow.” Aaron smiled. “You?” 

“Nope. I already finished my shift today and nothing tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.” 

 “Hooray!” Jack threw his hands in the air excitingly. “I got a puzzle from Uncle Spencer, can you help me with it?” 

“Sure, bring it kiddo.” You watched Jack running off to his room and you held your finger towards Aaron who sent you a worried look. “I’m fine, I had a bit of sleep. Not tired at all.” The tall man opened his mouth but closed it, shaking his head. “Now I’m here, what’re you serving me?” You asked mischievously as you walked to the kitchen. “You’re the host, you must’ve thought about eating something.” 

“You know I suck at cooking.” He gave you a sly smile. 

“And I suck at cooking too, mind you.” You emphasised ‘suck’, challenging your boyfriend. 

“Hmm,” Aaron grinned and gave you a kiss. You pouted as he removed himself from you, but he shrugged lightly. “Jack’s coming.” 

In a second Jack’s running footstep echoed and appeared with a box. 

“I can’t believe Reid bought him a 1000-piece puzzle.” Aaron groaned as he brushed his hair. With a hung mouth you stared at him. “It’s true, I was going to say that but you already agreed Jack to help him. We might be doing that whole night.” 

“We have to finish this and show it to Uncle Reid!” Then Jack started to open the box on the floor. “Let’s do it on the floor! The table is too small!” 

“RIP my back.” Both you and Aaron sighed simultaneously. 

                                                     -Hotch-

Oh my fucking back’s hurt, you stretched your back like a cat. You then stood up to stretch your legs too. 

“You know you can just give up,” Aaron said without looking up. His hands were keep moving to find a rightful place for a puzzle piece. The puzzle was barely its half done. You glanced at the sleeping Jack on the sofa. 

“I could say the same to you.” 

“You worked today,” Aaron finally glanced up at you, “I didn’t. I can finish it alone. You go have some sleep.” 

“It’s Christmas, Aaron.” You said shortly if that could explain everything.

“I know, and we’re doing a jigsaw puzzle.” Aaron snorted. 

You slid down to the floor once again, your back on the sofa. “I’m here to be with you, not sleep alone.” You huffed indignantly. 

“I was thinking about watching a movie together, never intended doing this whole evening. Maybe even some wine after Jack goes to sleep, then just spend time together a bit.” Aaron sat back, his hands on the floor and looking up at the ceiling. That might’ve been his plan in the first place, but well, it’s gone now.

“We’re nearly done, we can finish hurry and go to bed.” You chuckled as soon as imagining Jack seeing a finished puzzle. “Jack’s gonna love it when we actually finish this before he wakes up.” 

“He’ll,” Aaron concurred, “but what about our backs?” He twisted his waist making a sound of cracking. The man pouted at you. He probably wanted to give up, but his stubbornness won’t allow that. 

“I love your pouting,” you blurted out, laughing and drawing out rolling eyes from your boyfriend. “Anyway, let’s just finish this as I said.” 

“Give me a kiss then I’ll try to finish this tonight.” Aaron stuck out his lips. 

“Who said this is the notorious BAU Unit Chief? Infamous among criminals?” You laughed as you crawled a bit. You gave a little pack on his lips and withdrew yourself from him. Then his hands grabbed your face and gave you a proper deep kiss. 

“Now that’s the kiss.” Aaron licked his lips like a predator. 

“We have a kid here, Dad,” you said drily, but your face hot with heat. 

“Don’t worry I’ll take Jack his room and finish the puzzle.” Aaron gave you a confident smile. “You just wait.”

[adenei]

Hermione doing everything to seduce Ron but fails miserably. A hilarious Valentine's day fic. XD.

Hi anon! At first you had me stumped, but the idea started to unfold, and I enjoyed writing this one in the end. Please enjoy their first Valentine’s Day together

Warning: Implied Smut, but no actual Smut. 

**************************

Valentine’s Surprises

She’d read the books. She’d gotten special permission from the Headmistress. Hermione was fully prepared to give Ron the best Valentine’s Day surprise. This was the first Valentine’s Day that they were actually together and could celebrate properly, and she’d have to make it extra special because she probably wouldn’t get to see him for his birthday since it fell during the week this year.

It’d been six weeks since they’d seen each other over Christmas hols, and this whole long distance thing was getting old pretty quick for Hermione. She looked in the mirror and observed herself. Demelza had helped with her makeup, and she’d managed to tame her hair down a bit using Sleakeazy’s. It had a nice waviness to it, and was pulled back into a side plait.  She smiled as she stared down at her overnight bag. Massage oil, sexy red lingerie and a silk robe, the fuzzy throw blanket that was wrapped in decorative paper, rose petals and bath bombs...and a change of clothes for class tomorrow.  

If Hermione had planned everything out properly, Ron would be in for the surprise of his life. She knew he and Harry always went to the Burrow for Sunday dinner, normally arriving at four and getting back around seven. It was 4:30 now, and Hermione was heading to Professor McGonagall’s office, where she was planning to floo to Grimmauld Place. She had two and a half hours to bake biscuits, and set things up before setting herself up in his bed for him to come home and find her. 

Upon arriving at the Headmistress’ office, she was reminded that she needed to return at 8:30 the following morning, and Hermione profusely thanked her again for allowing her to leave. She stepped into the fireplace and in a few short moments found herself in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. The boys had really done a fantastic job updating the home, making it brighter and more welcoming. 

Hermione set her bag down and began summoning the ingredients she needed to bake his favorite biscuits. Molly had shared the recipe. She only bothered with checking the ingredients because ‘if you could read, you could cook,’ right? Hermione quickly set to work preparing all the ingredients per the directions until she hit step seven. 

Wait...how was she even supposed to do that? She understood mixing the dry and the wet ingredients together normally, but there was a spell written, and having never read any magical cookbooks, Hermione was at a loss for what to do. She began panicking, looking around the kitchen for some sort of ‘how to’ book to help her through this. Of course the boys didn’t have one! She was opening and closing every cupboard she could find as she became more and more frantic. Then, she opened one particular cupboard, and a memory flashed before her eyes. 

Would it work? She had no idea, but she had to try. She was desperate for this night to go perfectly. “Kreacher?” she asked softly. At first nothing happened, but then a loud POP echoed through the kitchen and Kreacher stood before her. 

“Hello, Miss. What is you doing in Masters Potter and Weasley’s home?”

“Oh, thank goodness it worked!” Hermione said with a rush of relief. “I’m here to surprise Ron tonight, Kreacher. It was my intention to bake his favorite biscuits, but I’m afraid I- I don’t know how to get past step seven. Could you help me?”

Hermione was crestfallen. She wanted to do this all herself. She didn’t want to have to ask for help, but she couldn’t leave a half attempted recipe out for Ron to see when he got back.

“Yes, Miss. Where is the recipe?” Hermione pointed to the counter.

“Thank you, Kreacher! Do you mind if I watch?” Hermione tried to hide the disappointment in herself.

Kreacher gave a grumbled sigh and a curt nod as he set to work. Hermione should have known that the elf would use nonverbal magic on the recipe, so it was partially a waste of time to watch him work. He made quick work of the rest of the steps, and magically placed perfectly round balls on the baking sheet. “Miss forgot to turn on the oven.” He took care of it. “Would you like me to take care of the rest?”

“No, no, thank you Kreacher, I can take it from here. Thank you again!” Hermione said as Kreacher fell into a low bow and then disapparated out of sight. Hermione figured she had about fifteen minutes before the oven was heated to temperature, so she grabbed her bag and set to work upstairs. Somehow it was already after six. 

Hermione opened her bag and pulled out the bag of rose petals when she got to Ron’s room. She scattered them on the floor and over his bed,placing the package on the end of the bed and the massage oil on his nightstand. Satisfied with her work, she went back downstairs to find the oven was ready and she placed the cookies in the oven. Mrs. Weasley’s note said they needed to be baked for exactly ten minutes. Hmm, I wonder why so exact? Hermione thought. 

She set a timer for herself as she went back upstairs to draw the bath water and change into the lingerie and robe, keeping an eye on the timer. She’d gotten the top on, but was struggling with the bottoms when she got the minute warning. Giving up on them for now, she threw the silk robe around her and turned the water off, casting a quick warming charm over it as she hurried downstairs.

Hermione opened the oven door just as the timer went off and pulled them out. They looked perfect on top, but the bottoms were tinged a bit dark. It’s okay, at least you didn’t burn them! She turned the oven off and transferred the cookies to a cooling rack. Hermione magically washed the cookie sheet and double checked the recipe once more. Ugh, not another charm! She realized Mrs. Weasley had one more charm to set the cookies with at the end. I’m sure it’ll be fine without it, she thought because she did not want to call Kreacher back again. 

Hermione left the cookies to cool, and hurried back upstairs to figure out the mess of straps that were the bottom half of her outfit. It took a good ten minutes to get everything situated properly, and she checked herself in the bathroom mirror. She smiled softly and hoped she’d drive him mad with desire upon discovering her like this. Hermione didn’t often care what she looked like, and she wasn’t exactly one for seduction, but she wanted to do this for Ron. 

She checked to make sure the warming charm was still intact on the tub, and dropped one of the bath bombs in. Then, Hermione hurried into Ron’s adjoining bedroom, shut the door, and hung up the robe. She carefully climbed under his covers. Now, we wait.

************************

Harry and Ron finally flooed home from the Burrow just before 7:30. Ron knew they were later than normal, but it wasn’t like he had anything better to do on Valentine’s Day. He cursed again because he should be able to spend it with Hermione, but she was at bloody Hogwarts. Harry had invited Neville and Seamus over around 8:00 since they all might as well be alone together on this particular holiday. 

“Uh, Ron,” he heard Harry say. “You didn’t bake biscuits before we left, did you?” Ron looked over and saw, were those his favorite biscuits? He didn’t even realize the sweet scent until Harry had said something.

“Er, no, mate..that’s odd,” Ron said. Harry made to pick one up, but having been poisoned before, Ron stopped him. “Harry, no! Better check with Kreacher first. We don’t have any bezoars lying around.”

Harry called Kreacher who appeared with a POP. “Kreacher, did you bake these while we were gone?”

“I helped, but it wasn’t me,” Kreacher croaked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ron asked him.

“Surprise...doesn’t know how to bake with magic,” Kreacher muttered as he shook his head.

“Kreacher, is someone else here?” Harry asked as Ron did the homenum revelio spell. Kreacher nodded as the spell did in fact reveal a third person.

Ron looked back down at the cookies, which were his favorite. He looked at Harry, who said, “You don’t think…” 

“If it is, you’re on your own with Nev and Seamus,” Ron said as he sprinted up the stairs. His bedroom door was shut, and he definitely hadn’t left it that way earlier. He opened the door to see Hermione, scantily dressed and laying in his bed. His heart damn near stopped. “Bloody hell…” was all he could manage.

“It’s about time!” Hermione couldn’t help herself. She’d been waiting over a half hour and was starting to get nervous that he wasn’t coming home.

Ron shut the door and cast a quick lock and silencing charm on the door. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he said as he met her on the bed and wasted no time in pulling her in for a passionate kiss.

“Wanted to surprise you,” she said.

“Reckon it worked. You’re bloody gorgeous, you know that?” Ron couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was stunning. He’d never seen her in lingerie before, only dreamed of it. He was basking in the glory of having her here, when he saw the look of disappointment on her face. It was subtle, but it was there. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s- it’s nothing,” she said as she looked away.

“Tell me, ‘Mione. Please?” Ron reached out and touched her chin, directing her face back to meet his.

“It’s just, everything I planned has gone wrong! I couldn’t even bake your favorite cookies! I needed Kreacher’s help and I still missed that there was a spell at the very end, so they’re probably ruined. I planned for you to be home around 7, so the bath water is probably cold, and I couldn’t go anywhere to check because I didn’t want anyone seeing me in this. I probably should have just told you McGonagall let me off for the night. Then you would have known and we could have had more time.”

Ron chuckled. “Hermione, we have the whole night ahead of us, and I'm so glad you’re here. And it’s a good thing you didn’t leave the room in this because I want you in this all to myself, though I’m about two seconds from ripping it off you,” Ron gave her a dark, wanting look then. Six weeks was way too long.

He always knew how to instantly make her feel better. “I was hoping you’d say that,” she said, giving her best seductive smile. Ron was on her in an instant, hands exploring her body and relishing in the feel of her against him. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said against his lips.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, love,” Ron returned, becoming lost in the sexiness of his girlfriend.

[ghostxofxartemis]

It’s a few days late, but here’s day 6: Pet Day for MerWeek2021 hosted by @cactuarkitty.

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Mass Effect Trilogy Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard Characters: Male Shepard (Mass Effect), Kaidan Alenko, Kaidan Alenko’s Mother, Dog Additional Tags: Fluff, Pet Day, MERweek2021 Series: Part 6 of MERweek 2021 Summary:

Describe or draw a special moment with your beloved pet/s. Could be special time spent together or shared time with friends/family. Let’s have fun with our furry (or not so furry) friends :)

Shoutout to @mallaidhsomo for betaing! Thanks hon!

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

Kaidan straddles Axel, and slowly starts kneading the knots from the younger man’s back.

“Hmmm, morning to you too.” Axel mumbles, sleep still invading his mind.

“How’d you sleep?” Kaidan asks him as he deep massages Axel’s shoulders.

“Rock solid. You know, I could get used to this.”

“Well, don’t get too used to it ‘cause I’m shipping out this morning for a month.” Kaidan’s hands trail down Axel’s back until they reach his rear and he kneads both cheeks. He smirks when the younger man closes his eyes, a content smile creeps up his face and Axel moves his hips from under him.

“I know you’re leaving, and I really don’t want you to…but… hmm…this feels good.”

Kaidan leans forward and brings his lips down just a breath’s hair away from Axel’s ear. “I’m just getting started.”

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

Axel fills up his coffee mug and leans on the counter to take a sip as he waits for his breakfast currently in the microwave. Kaidan comes down the stairs, skipping a step each time, duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He’s going to be gone for next month and it’s something Axel dreads, being home alone, while still on the mend, and while not being able to do very much makes the time go by painfully slow. He grabs the coffee thermos on the counter, all ready to go, for his husband.

“I’m running late.” Kaidan plants a kiss on his husband’s cheek before accepting the offered thermos.

“I wonder why?” Axel gives him a coy smile. He gets a scowl in return. Kaidan starts to pull away but Axel manages to grab a handful of material from his uniform. “Hey. You’re not leaving without giving a proper kiss, are you?”

Kaidan leans in and Axel’s lips curve upwards at one side of his mouth. He makes a content sound when Kaidan’s luscious lips meet his. Kaidan presses his tongue against the other man’s lips and Axel let’s it slide between his. They part after a brief moment, breathless, foreheads pressed together. Kaidan tilts his head backwards slightly so his lips can reach Axel’s forehead and kisses it before pulling away slightly.

“I sent my mother your PT schedule.”

“K-” Axel starts to protest.

“You have to go to them.” Kaidan doesn’t look at him and his lips twitch slightly at the corners.

“Kaidan…” Axel groans.

“And I knew you were going to protest so I made sure my mother’s going to drive you to each appointment.”

Axel’s protest is a deep throaty growl.

Kaidan only smirks as he looks at him, giving him a coy look. “I love you. Be good while I’m gone.” He pecks his husband on the cheek one last time before heading out the door.

It’s going to be a lonely four weeks.

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

Plate in hand, Axel heads out on the deck to enjoy his breakfast and coffee. Just when he’s about to sit down, he hears a whimper, one of pain. He’s pretty certain it didn’t come from him. Despite feeling like a rusty piece of junk metal, he wasn’t one to complain about his injuries. He puts his coffee down on the table, and listens carefully when he hears it again. It’s coming from under the deck.

He holds his plate in one hand and the railing with the other as he takes one step at a time. When he reaches the bottom level, he takes a knee carefully and then the other, then goes down on all fours to look under the deck where he finds the owner of the whimpering noise.

“Hey buddy. You lost?”

The dog growls at him, and he chuckles.

“Not the friendly type are we? Or are we having a bad day?”

Shifting himself into a sitting position, he rips a piece of the blueberry pancake and tosses it under the deck.

“Or maybe we’re just hungry?”

Without having any experience with dogs before, he really can’t tell what could possibly be the issue with the dog at the moment. One thing he does know; it might take a while to coax it from under the deck. I’ve got time buddy, lots of time.

Axel looks away, taking a few slow bites of  his pancakes, and looks out to the ocean that’s calm in the horizon on this fine morning. When he looks back under the deck, the small piece of pancake is gone.

“It’s good uh? My husband made ‘em. Doesn’t want me on my feet too much while I’m recovering. We’re probably the same as you and I. Hurting?” He picks up a strip of bacon, biting off a big piece and tossing the rest under the deck. He watches as the dog takes tentative steps forward, sniffing the bacon and picking it up before hiding again.

“You’re gonna be like that.” Axel says as he bites into another one of his bacon strips and licks his fingers. 

The dog looks up at Axel with pleading eyes after it finishes eating the strip of bacon and Axel chuckles. He tosses another strip of bacon and another piece of his pancake before he finishes off his plate.

“I’d stick around a little more but err…Ma’s gonna be here soon to take me to PT. But er…” he grunts as he gets up to his feet, his hip protesting against the movement. “How ‘bout I get you a bowl of water. It’s going to get warm today.”

He makes his way back up the stairs and back to the kitchen when he hears the front door opening.  He pokes his head out of the kitchen and lifts a finger to warn his mother-in-law he’ll just be another a minute. Opening the cupboard doors to all the dishes, he grabs a bowl and heads to the sink to fill it up with water.

“I’m running a little behind, are you almost ready?”

“There’s a dog under the deck.”

“What?”

“Yeah, there’s a dog under the deck.”

“How did it get there?” Helena asks as she takes the bowl of water from Axel’s hands.

“I’ve no idea, but it must have been in the middle of the night because it wasn’t there yesterday, or I would have heard it. It was whimpering pretty bad. It’s not ready to come out though.”

Helena makes her way to the deck while Axel leans his back against the counter. “Sometimes it takes them a little bit to warm up to people, especially if they’ve been mistreated or dropped off somewhere.”

“Why would anyone do that?” Axel’s brows narrow in confusion. He’s never had pets other than his hamster and his fish, but he could never see himself hurting them. His hamster was able to be brought back home, but he made Kaidan promise to take care of his fish in his…no… now Kaidan’s captain quarters on the SR2. As much as he wanted to bring them back home, they just didn’t have the space to have an aquarium that size, despite having even more space in their home.

“Your guess is as good as mine.”  She purses her lips and shrugs her shoulders as if to say I don’t know and makes her way down the stairs.

It doesn’t take her long to drop off the bowl and make her way back up the stairs. “I’ll get some dog food at the store and some peanut butter while at your appointment.” She tells him as they make their way to the front door.

Axel opens the passenger door of the skycar. “Peanut butter?”

Helena chuckles as she gets in the car and starts the engine as she closes her door. Axel climbs in the passenger seat, closing the door shut. “I keep forgetting you’re new to the whole animal thing. Yes, peanut butter. Dogs love it for some reason.”

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

Week 2.

Axel grabs a bottle of water, a spoon, a fork, the container of peanuts, and his reheated dinner outside with him. Somehow managing to juggle all items in his hands and under his armpit as he holds onto the railing going down the stairs, grumbling to himself how he can’t wait for his legs to have the stability they used to have. Soon, hopefully.

Sitting down on the grass, he puts the water bottle down and his dinner. He notices the food he put in the bowl this morning had hardly been touched. He untwists the lid to the peanut butter and scoops it up with the spoon. So far, the dog has stayed out of arm’s reach, but Axel has managed to get it to eat from the spoon in his hands the last couple of days. It’s progress. He stretches his arm out and waits for the dog to approach. The dog approaches tentatively and slowly licks the peanut butter from the spoon. “Atta boy. I don’t know if you’re a boy, but I’m going to call you that for right now. Just easier. Hope you don’t mind.”  The dog looks up at him and licks his snout. “It’s good, uh? I’m just going to put this down on the ground so I can eat as well.” Slowly, he lays the spoon on the grass.

He takes the lid off his container containing his dinner, and takes a bite.

He cracks open the lid to the water bottle and takes a good swig out of it before grabbing the dog’s bowl. He tosses the old water and pours the fresh water into and places it by the dog.

“I’ll be back tomorrow little guy.”

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

Week 3.

A victory for Axel today when he feels the bump of a cold wet nose against his hand. He doesn’t move though. He lets the dog come to him on its own terms. He’s done such extensive research in the past few weeks that he’s happy his patience is starting to pay off. It’s been a fascinating way to spend the weeks outdoors and still manage to keep his promise to his husband while avoiding any hard physical activities that he is yet to get cleared for.

He spends his day outside, only going in to get some food occasionally and to use the washroom a couple times. He makes sure to bring the peanut butter in the evening when he knows it’s his last time coming out for the day. He makes sure the dog has food and water for the night.

The process is gradual for the rest of the week. But on Friday, the dog nudges Axel’s arm with his snout and sits beside him. Tucked under his arm. Axel pets the tuft of fur on the dog’s chest, a smile forming at the corners of his lips.

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

Week 4.

Axel is sitting on the bottom step of the staircase. He puts a dog treat on the grass right in front of it. He shimmies up one step.

So far, he’s managed to get the dog to trust him enough to allow him to pet it. But the evenings are getting colder and he wants to get the dog inside. There’s no way he was going to let it get stranded outside in September. He hates how the weather changes so drastically from day to night.

He places another treat on the second last bottom of the stairs and shimmies up another. He keeps doing this until he reaches the very top of the stairs.

The sound of the patio door opening makes him jump slightly.

“Axel? What are you doing? And why is there a bag of dog food on the counter?” 

He’s been so focused on the dog this last month he forgot his husband was scheduled to be home today. Shit. He wanted to make dinner to surprise Kaidan. He curses at himself for being so distracted, but answers the question.

“I found a dog under our deck. It’s really apprehensive so I’ve been just slowly coaxing it out. Trying to get him inside.”

“A dog? How long has it been there?” Kaidan sits next to Axel. He puts a hand on the younger man’s thigh and pecks his cheek.

“Found him the day you left.”

Kaidan rests his head on Axel’s shoulder. “Been doing this since I left?”

He kisses the crown of Kaidan’s head, “Yeah.”

“You sure it’s a him?”

“I saw his ballsack.”

Kaidan chuckles.

The dog pokes his head around the railing, taking the treat before retreating back behind the stairs. Slowly, it comes back for more and slowly climbs the stairs. When it reaches half way, Kaidan and Axel retreat inside the house, but keep the door open.

About an hour later the dog finally comes inside, running towards Axel, tongue lolling It’s rewarded with head scratches and a kiss on the forehead. His black floppy ears, his bright blue eyes, the white dots on his black nose, and splotches of caramel in his white fur just made him too adorable to resist not petting him.

“Kai. Can we keep him?” Axel looks up at Kaidan, puppy eyes and all.

Kaidan contemplates a moment and Axel is sure is about to refurse, “Sure. I mean you’re alone a lot, he could be excellent company for those long periods I’m gone. Did you name him?”

“Naw. I don’t know what’s a good name for a dog.”

Kaidan smirks, “Mako.”

“I feel like this is a jab at me.”

“You’ll never know.”

“It’s a jab isn’t it? Kaidan…”

Kaidan guffaws on his way out of the kitchen.

[stardew-goblin]

uhh still doing the prompts c: ? 15, Sebastian ?

#15 “Did you kiss?”

Sebastian x Farmer

Your first year in the valley went by in what felt like the blink of an eye. There were so many kind and wonderful people to befriend, but you had a special bond with two of the younger men in town, Sam and Sebastian. The three of you just clicked.

Sure, you got along with Abigail too but the way you connected with the boys was different. They were your best friends and you loved spending time with them more than anything.

It was summer, therefore Sebastian didn’t like to leave the house all that often but Sam was more than happy to run around town with you and keep you company while you foraged. He knew it could get lonely here and he didn’t want that for you. He’d even help you plant new crops if you bribed him with one of Gus’s super cheese pizzas.

Today was one of those days. You had a whole crop of melon to plant and you were already planning on calling in a pizza for dinner, so why not get the best of both worlds? It was always fun to have Sam on the farm. He worked (sort of) hard and he made you laugh which made the time pass by quickly.

After all the melon seeds were planted and watered the two of you walked to the saloon, laughing as always. As the Stardrop enters your view, Sam turns and gently shoves you to the side and then starts sprinting to the building.

“Last one there has to buy a round of colas too!” He shouts behind him.

You pick up the pace but he’s so tall and your legs can’t beat his stride. Your eyes are on his back when he trips over his untied shoelace and falls. You breeze past him and open the door to the saloon, you’re out of breath from running and now also from laughing so hard.

“What was that about a round if cola?” You say as you hold the door for him to enter.

“Yeah, yeah.” He grumbles.

After your meal you decide to stop by for a visit with Sebastian. It had been weeks since you’d last seen him. You knew he felt like people didn’t take his job seriously, so when he told you he had a big project he was working on you wanted to give him space to do his thing without distractions.

You order a coffee to go and Sam offers to walk you up the mountain since it’s getting dark. You walk at a steady pace, the conversation easy as ever. Sam was so easy to talk to. He slings his arm over you casually as you walk, the warm summer air making you feel cozy and lethargic. Maybe I can convince Seb to at least stick his toes into the lake with me, you think to yourself. It was nice out and he could probably use a break from his dim basement.

You and Sam finally break through the thicket of pines that line Robin and Demetrius’s cabin. He pulls you in for a quick hug and gently punches your shoulder.

“Thanks for the pizza, Farmer.” He says with a light chuckle. “Tell Sebby I said hi and to not skip band practice again on tomorrow or I’m coming up here and putting a toad in his bed.”

“Gotcha.” You reply with a smile. “Bye Samson, don’t trip on your way home!”

He blushes as he turns to walk back down into the town. You stifle a giggle as you turn to make your way the cabin. You’re almost to the door when a waft of cigarette smoke floats to your nose. You immediately turn towards the lake where you know you’ll find Sebastian, probably sitting with his back against a pine tree, eyes on the water lost in thought.

He was closer than you expected, not quite to the lake, and you wonder how you didn’t see him sooner. You plop down next to him and shove the coffee in his direction.

“Hey, I thought you could use a pick me up while you work.” You say. “Plus... I missed you.”

“It seemed like you and Sam were doing fine without me.”

“C’mon, don’t be like that, Seb.” You furrow your brow. “We both really miss you.”

“Hmm.”

You roll your eyes. Sometimes Sebastian could give Elliott a run for his money when it came to who was more dramatic.

“Well, Sam said you better come to band practice tomorrow. Clearly he misses you.”

“I’m sure if you were there he wouldn’t even notice I was gone.”

“Do you want me to go?” you ask. “I came by because I missed you but if you don’t want me here then I can just go home.” Your heart clenches.You really did miss him and his behavior hurt your feelings more than you would like to admit.

He sighs and stamps his cigarette out on the dirt next to him.

“No. Look... I’m sorry, okay? I guess...” He bites the inside of his lip and focuses his stare to his legs that are folded beneath him. “I guess that maybe I got a little jealous.” He huffs out a sigh and his cheeks flush scarlet.

“Jealous? Look, Sebastian, I’m not trying to take your place or anything. We just thought you wanted to be alone to work! I-”

He cuts you off before you can finish your sentence.

“I’m not jealous of your friendship. I saw how the two of you were before he left just now. I’m sure you two are very happy but I just... I don’t like it. I’ll get over it, I guess.” He won’t look at you.

You let out a loud and obnoxious laugh and immediately clap your hand over your mouth when you see the hurt and anger on his face.

“I’m so sorry!” You practically shout. “Me and Sam... Not a thing. No. Nope. Just... no.”

“Really?” He still won’t look at you, his cheeks an even more violent shade of red now.

“I mean, sure, maybe we both thought about it at one point... But no. It’s not for us. We aren’t like that.”

He sips his coffee.

“Did you kiss?’ He finally asks.

Now it’s your turn to blush. Your solitary kiss with Sam wasn’t something you ever planned on talking about. It felt wrong, like kissing your brother. You both agreed to never speak of it (or think of it) again.

You draw in a long and shaky breath before you answer.

“Once.” You see his face fall and you feel your stomach tighten. “We agreed to never do it again though. It made us both realize things.”

“Yea, like what?” His voice softer now.

“Well, Sam totally has a thing for Penny.” You say. “And, well... I think I might like someone else.”

He finally turns his gaze to you. His deep brown eyes sending shivers down your spine.

“Who?”

You fidget with your hands and shift awkwardly in the grass. Your palms start to sweat as you respond.

“Sebastian...” You take a deep breath through your nose and close your eyes.

Before you can say anything else, you feel his lips delicately press against yours and your insides ignite.He pulls away sooner than you would have liked and rests his hand on the back of his neck and gulps the fresh night air.

“I just want you to be sure. I don’t want to get my hopes up and then have you realize things later.” He whispers.

You rest your head on his shoulders, inhaling his scent of cigarettes, coffee, and pine. You look up at the stars and try to quiet your reeling mind.

“I did realize something.” You say quietly. You lift your head to look into his eyes once more. “Sebastian, I think I’m in love with you.”

His face brightens and he says he loves you too. You rest your head back in his shoulder and close your eyes. You smile, contented. The two of you listen to the cacophony of crickets and frogs as you sit, both totally in your own worlds, yet so together.

Finally together.

[americasass81]

Make Her Mine

Tony Stark x Reader

Warnings: Future Dark!fic, Dark!Tony, nothing too serious so far apart from some verbal threats. Word count: 2000 approx. A/N: So this is my first time writing and posting here and I’m debating turning this into a dark!Tony fic.  Not sure if that will happen but here goes.  Also re-editing this chapter from original female character to reader.

Run-Through

Who knew a booking screw up at your favorite restaurant was about to bring your world crashing down around you when you draw the unwanted attention of a certain billionaire playboy.

Chapter One

Sitting at the bar, waiting to be seated, you couldn't believe a two month wait had been screwed up by something as simple as transferring details from one book into another.  But here you were, all dressed up, while the ditzy youngster who called herself a hostess assured you that you would be given top priority when a table became available.

Tucking into your second glass of rosé, you couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching you and that, coupled with your growing irritation, helped you decide that if you weren't seated by the time your wine was finished, you would cut your losses and call it a night.  After all, working as an accountant for Stark Industries kept you busy enough and you didn't need to waste any more of your precious free time on someone else's mistakes.

Halfway through your drink, with still no sign of a table opening up, you were brought out of your thoughts by the sudden appearance at your side of one Happy Hogan.  "Hey love, the Bossman couldn't help but notice you're sitting here all alone and would be thrilled to have the pleasure of your company.  Shall we?" he asked, reaching out his hand for you to take.

Looking around the restaurant, your gaze quickly landed on the secluded area and was greeted by the wandering eyes and devilish smirk of Tony Stark.  Tipping his glass slightly and waving two fingers in a come hither gesture, you rolled your eyes, shook your head and turned back to Happy.  "Tell himself I said thanks for the offer, but no.  I've had a long day and the one saving grace has been royally fucked up, so if you don't mind, I think I'll just call it a night."

"Love, are you sure you don't want to reconsider.  Tony Stark is not a man accustomed to being told no.  It usually doesn't end well."

"Thank you for the insight, but I am fully aware of most things concerning Mr. Stark.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have work in the morning and a boss who expects nothing but perfection from his employees."  With that, you shoved your unfinished wine away, picked up your bag and stepping around Happy, walked out of the building.

Hailing a cab, heading home and throwing yourself into bed, you couldn't know that back at the restaurant, your boss was pissed that you had declined his company or that he was now determined to make you see what a mistake that was.

*************

The next morning, you headed off to work without even thinking about what had happened the previous night.  Sitting down at your desk, you buried your head in your work until lunch called and you decided to head down to the cafe on the ground floor.

Working in Stark Industries, employees were always bragging about the various run-ins they had with Avengers dropping by to see Tony, but it was never something you really gave much thought to.  For you, while you loved your job, it was a well paying means to allow you to enjoy what free time it provided.  To you, the Avengers were nothing more than other hard working individuals who didn't need people fawning over them for doing a job they chose to do.

That said however when Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts stepped into the elevator, a little voice told you to make yourself as inconspicuous as possible.  Inching away from Tony Stark's loyal lackies, you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding, when two floors later, they exited the lift without ever noticing your presence.

Finally reaching the cafe, you ordered your usual mint flavored hot chocolate with whipped cream and decided to head back to your desk where you hoped to disappear until it was time to head home.  While the rest of the day passed relatively quickly, you couldn't help your mind wandering over your conversation with Happy the previous night.

From time to time you wondered how there could possibly be any repercussions from turning Tony down seeing as he knew nothing about you, but the more your mind mulled over things, the more on edge you became.  By the time you were ready to leave, your nerves had you jumping at every little sound and you were actually looking forward to going home and locking yourself away until facing the same situation tomorrow.

*************

After a restless night where every sound had you opening your eyes to see if something was amiss, you gave up sleeping around four, changed into your running gear and headed off for a quick jog before work.  Though you usually preferred boxing over running, you figured the fresh air might be useful in keeping you awake for the long day you now had ahead of you.  Then after heading home, you cursed Tony Stark as you brewed a cup of coffee, which you usually only drank when you needed to remain functioning.

Heading off to work, feeling slightly better, your day took one hell of a nosedive the minute you arrived at your desk to be told you had to deliver the quarterly financial reports to the meeting upstairs in ten minutes.  Knowing that ten minutes was enough time if no one stopped the lift along the way, your biggest concern was the fact that Tony Stark, and possibly Happy Hogan, would be present at said meeting.  As you watched the numbers pass by, you tried to reason that as nobody special, you had nothing to worry about and by the time you reached the main floor you had convinced yourself everything was grand.  Little did you know, grand is a relative term.

Placing your hand on the meeting room door, you slowly entered and was greeted by three sets of eyes staring at you.  Tony, Pepper and Happy were the only ones there and the fact that a whole group of people were just now walking towards the room told you that you had made good time.  Ignoring the knowing glances exchanged by Tony and Happy, you walked towards the table before speaking.  "These are the quarterly financial reports requested for this meeting Mr. Stark.  If there's nothing else, I need to get back to work."

"Wait miss, what's your name?" Tony asked, as he stepped around Pepper to stride towards you.

Thinking about lying but knowing what a waste it would be, you looked anywhere but at him before answering.  "Y/F/N."  Then, before he could ask anything else, the door opened and you took the opportunity to slip out and put some distance between you.  Taking the stairs, you kept going until you reached the lobby and headed straight for the street to draw in some much needed air.  Once your breathing returned to normal, you steeled your shoulders and headed back to your desk where you discovered Happy sitting in your chair.

"Well Miss Y/L/N, it seems you're a hard person to track down when one doesn't look right under their nose.  Mr. Stark has asked me to escort you to his office."

"I haven't done anything wrong so you can kindly tell Mr. Stark thanks, but no thanks.  I have no interest in spending time with him.  I simply want to do my job to the best of my ability and live my life in peace."

"And how much peace do you think you'll have if Tony decides your attitude is disrespectful?  Now you can let me escort you to his office, or we can wait here for police officers to escort you from this building for stealing money from Stark Industries." he whispered, having risen from the chair and closed the distance between you.

Certain the color had drained from your face, your shoulders slumped as you turned around and walked back the way you came with Happy falling into step beside you.

The ride up in the elevator was so much worse that the previous trip and you couldn't help but wonder what exactly Tony had in mind for you.  If Happy was willing to pass on life shattering threats, it didn't bode well in your humble opinion.  Leading you out of the lift on the uppermost floor, Happy opened the door to Tony's private office and once you were inside, had F.R.I.D.A.Y. lock the place down.  If you weren't panicked before, you were now all but ready to pass out at the sheer dread coursing through your veins.

An hour later, having been left to stew and think through every conceivable worst case scenario, the door of the office unlocked and Tony walked through.   Locking the door again, you watched as he discarded his jacket and tie before sitting behind his desk and facing you.

Looking you up and down like that night at the restaurant, you kept your eyes trained on the floor except to glance up once or twice to catch him staring at you.  "So Miss Y/L/N, I've learned quite a bit about you in the last two hours.  How is it that in the past three years you've worked here, I've never laid eyes on you before two nights ago?"

"You're a busy man and this is a big company.  I doubt you've laid eyes on every single employee that works here.  Besides, I tend to keep my head down, do my work and not bother anyone." you answered, still not meeting his gaze.

"Admirable qualities to be sure." he smirked, rising from his chair and coming round the desk to take up residence in the seat across from you.  "I wonder what other qualities you possess?"

"Mr. Stark?"

"Tony, please.  Perhaps you can start by explaining what happened at the restaurant and why you declined my company.  Hmm?"

"Look Mr. Stark . . . Tony." you added quickly, when he cleared his throat, "I don't mean to be rude, but as I explained to Mr. Hogan, I have no interest in anything to do with you except the job you pay me for.  A job, I might add I'm damn good at and would like to get back to."

"You know, Y/N, for someone who doesn't mean to be rude, you're not doing a very good job.  Perhaps a lesson in manners is what's in order."

Any retort you were about to utter was quickly stifled however, when F.R.I.D.A.Y. informed Tony that Captain Rogers was on his way up for their meeting.

"Damn. F.R.I.D.A.Y. please ask Steve to wait outside a moment."  Rising to his feet while helping you up, you could see the gears turning in his head but they quickly stopped as he looked at you once more.  "I think for now, it's best if you return to your desk.  When you're finished, wait there and Happy will drive you to my place where we can continue this conversation."

"Mr. Stark, I don't know what impressions I gave you, but this is highly unwanted and inappropriate behavior.  If it continues, I will have no choice but to report you to Human Resources."

"Well damn, Darling, I don't think I've ever been threatened with Human Resources in my own company.  No wait, that's a lie.  Pepper once threatened me with them, but considering it's my name on the building, it's kinda redundant.  Don't you think?  Now, be a good girl and do as you're told.  Steve's not a man who likes to be kept waiting."

Kissing your cheek and leading you from the office, you headed for the nearest toilets, locked the doors and emptied the contents of your stomach into the nearest bowl.  Returning to your desk, you found yourself unable to concentrate on anything but the thought of what would happen when Happy came to collect you.

Deciding you didn't want to wait to find out, you told your boss you weren't feeling well, headed to your favorite hotel and paid cash for a room for two nights.  Hopefully, if Tony couldn't find you, whatever game he was playing would fizzle out and things could go back to normal.  If not, then you would give yourself a week to figure out how to escape the notice of a man who could severely screw up your life.

[dolantwinsfavss]

Meant To Be {g.d}

Always (Part 2) // Masterlist

“Gray?” You mumbled after waking up to realize that Grayson’s side of the bed hadn’t been slept on.

Rubbing your tired eyes, you noticed a faint light coming from the living room and got out of bed, wrapped yourself in a blanket and headed to the living room to see a very tired Grayson on his laptop while Ethan slept beside him.

“Hey why are you still up?” You whispered before yawning.

“Hmm?” Grayson slowly blinked before saying, “Oh um we’re editing a video... What are you doing up?”

“I woke up and realized you weren’t in bed yet.” You sighed sitting next to him, “I thought you were going to go to bed early tonight.”

“Y-Yeah. I was but then things weren’t working out the way we wanted them to and I guess I just lost track of time?” Grayson said never taking his eyes off the screen.

You could see how tired he was. He was trying so hard to stay awake, eyelids drooping every few minutes and rubbing his face with his hands. You hated seeing him like this, sacrificing his own health for work... once again.

You reached over and softly scratched the nape of his neck which he instinctively leaned into. “You promised you would stop pulling all nighters for videos remember?”

“I know I know. It’s just we promised our fans the video would be up tomorrow and I don’t want to let them down.” Grayson said softly, finally looking into your eyes. You could see that he truly wanted to keep his promise. He absolutely hated it when he broke any promise and that’s just the way he was. Someone who was always true to his word. Always wanting others to be happy.

“Grayson. Your fans will understand if the video isn’t out tomorrow. They know how hard you guys work on them and how far you’ve come to put videos out for yourself, not their views.” You explained softly, hoping you would be able to change his mind.

“I just... I know. I know what we said about not having a deadline or rushing to put out a video, but sometimes I still feel guilty for being selfish.” Grayson admitted with sorrow in his voice.

In that moment you could feel your heart breaking into a million pieces. The man who always wears his heart on his sleeve, despite being fucked over so many times, feels selfish for putting his happiness above others.

You placed your hand on his cheek and brushed his soft skin with your thumb while saying, “Grayson Bailey Dolan. You are the least selfish person I know. Don’t say that putting your own health and happiness above others is being selfish because you’re not. You’re finally taking care of yourself after all these years. And your fans will love and support you endlessly as will I, but how can they do that when you’re not taking care of yourself? You have to put yourself first, no matter what or who, including me. It breaks my heart to see you're pushing yourself to the point of burning out. So please don’t ever say that you’re selfish.”

Grayson knew you were right. You were always right. Somehow you always knew what to say at the right time. And that’s what he loved most about you.

Grayson rested his head on yours and closed his eyes. “I love you.” He softly mumbled, not knowing what the right words were to say in that moment.

“I love you too.” You smiled before pulling him into a soft kiss.

You pulled away and put the laptop to sleep, “Now go get ready for bed while I try to get Ethan to go his bed so he doesn’t complain about his back hurting tomorrow.” He chuckled and placed a kiss on you forehead before walking towards his room.

Somehow you managed to get Ethan into bed, but before you were able to close his door, you heard, “Y/N?”

“Yeah E?”

“Thank you for taking care of Grayson.” Ethan said with a smile on his face before falling back asleep. He didn’t know it at the time, but his words made you smile.

“Goodnight E.”

“Goodnight Y/N.” He said before you closed his door to head back to Grayson’s room.

When you got to the room, Grayson was already asleep. As you laid next to him, you couldn’t help but to stare. How can someone look so perfect and be so perfect?

“Like what you see?” Grayson mumbled into his pillow, opening one eye to look at you, “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

You chuckled, “I would, but I think I just want to enjoy this moment with you.”

He reached over and pulled you into his chest, wrapping your legs with his. “Your feet are so cold.” Grayson said, making the both of you laugh.

“I know. They’re always cold but that’s why I have you to warm them up for me.” You said, leaning your forehead against his chest.

For the remainder of the night, the two of you laid in each other’s arms, mindlessly drawing shapes on each other until Grayson whispered, “Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you ever think about our future together?” He asked, feeling his heart race when you didn’t answer him right away.

Truth was, you have. For a while now actually. You’ve pictured the way he would propose, the day of your wedding, even starting a family with him. Grayson has been the only person everything has felt right with. You never knew what love felt like until you met him.

“Yeah all of the time.” You spoke softly before placing a kiss on his chest. “Have you?”

“Yeah. For our wedding, we’ll be surrounded by all of the people we love and I know from the moment you walk down that aisle, I’m going to start crying because of how happy I am to finally spend forever with you. And for our honeymoon, we’ll go wherever you like. Just the two of us. It’ll be unforgettable, a time to start the beginning of our lives together. Then when we’re ready, we’ll start a family. Have a house right next to Ethan just like him and I have always dreamed. Maybe we’ll have kids at the same time as Ethan so then they can all grow up together. And maybe we’ll have twins just like how Ethan and I are. We’ll travel the world and be so happy. Then we’ll grow old and smelly together  because we’re meant to be.”

You knew this wasn’t going to be anytime soon, probably years from now, but the fact that he’s thought about all of this or the thought of him mentioning spending the rest of his life with you to his mom, Ethan, and Cameron, made your heart melt.

“I love that. It’s everything I’ve always dreamed of.” You softly said

He pulled you closer, if that was even possible, and placed a kiss on your forehead. “I love you, my angel. I can’t wait to spend forever with you.”

“I love you too.” You said as the two of you fell asleep in each others arms.

This is where you were meant to be. Right here with the love of your life. The two of you were meant to be.

But wasn’t always like this. 

You were happy... a long time ago.

You were the couple everyone wished they could be. Everyone was sure would get married and live the perfect lives destined for each other. But it broke your heart knowing the future you once envisioned with the boy you loved was slipping away day by day. 

One day you were so in love with each other, planning your wedding, how many kids you would have... And the next... it was like you were strangers again.

But tonight was different. It seemed like every little fight was leading to the biggest fight you’ve ever had and it scared you knowing what might come next.

“Would you stop walking away from me when I’m trying to talk to you?!” Grayson shouted as he followed you into the house.

“Fine. You want to talk? Let’s talk. Let’s talk about how you were kissing another girl tonight.“ You said slamming the keys on the counter before turning around to face an angry Grayson.

“I pushed her away! You saw me do it!”

“Yeah that was after I caught you shoving your tongue down her throat!” You said shaking your head, “God knows if I wasn’t there, you’d be doing a lot more than just making out.”

“You’re one to talk...” Grayson scoffed while crossing his arms.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” You shouted angrily at him, not ready to believe the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

“It means I shouldn’t be the one who should be accused of cheating when you’re the one who’s been flirting with every guy you see!”

Is he actually being serious? Did he really think that you would cheat on him? I am so fucking in love with him that it hurts. But it hurts even more to think that he thinks I would...

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?! Do you really think that I would cheat on you?!” You shouted, tears threatening to spill from your eyes. 

He didn’t say a word, but that’s all what you needed for an answer. He really believed you would...

“You know what? I’m done. Do whatever you want, but I’m not going to stand here and be accused of something I would never do.” You managed to say as your voice broke before leaving Grayson standing in the living room.

You were angry, hurt, and betrayed. Never have you felt so much pain in your life, especially with Grayson. Your whole entire relationship was filled with nothing but love and happiness. It was hard to believe that in this moment you would feel so empty.

Your vision became blurry as tears spilled from your eyes. You couldn’t stay there anymore. You just couldn’t... so you began to pack your bags until you were interrupted by the one your heart still yearned for.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Grayson said with a quiet voice as he stood in the doorway, praying his mind was just playing tricks with him.

“I don’t know anymore. I don’t know.” You said continuing to throw your things into your bags, not daring to look at Grayson because you knew if you stopped, you would break down right then and there.

“St-stop we can fix this. Just stop... please.” Grayson said walking towards you as he continued to watch you.

“Grayson. Just leave me alone!” 

“Y/N we can talk about this! Just please stop!” He begged, but you wouldn’t listen. 

“No Grayson! I’m so tired of fighting for something that doesn’t exist!”

“What are you talking about?” He asked, not moving from his spot.

“You! Me! Us! Don’t you get it? We barely talk to each and when we are we’re at each other’s throats!” You said as more tears fell.

“If you would just talk to me, we can work this out.” Grayson said, feeling himself begin to choke up.

“But we can’t Grayson! Every time we try to, it always leads back to us fighting over and over ag-” By now the tears were streaming endlessly and Grayson knew that if he didn’t do something now, he would lose you forever. 

Grayson quickly grabbed your wrists and pulled you into his chest. You didn’t even try to fight him. It was no use. Even after all the screaming and crying, you still couldn’t help but to feel safe in his arms like you belonged there.

“P-Please. We can f-fix this. Please don’t... Please don’t go... I can’t lose you.” He sobbed into your neck as he held tightly in his arms.

You couldn’t bring yourself to say the words that needed to be said so you stayed silent as the both of you stood there with tears falling from your eyes. Neither of you wanted to ruin what could be the last moment of your relationship.

Somehow you both ended up laying in bed in each other’s arms, but still no words were exchanged as the both of you were terrified of what the other might say until you asked quietly, “Are you happy?”

He paused for a moment, debating if he should say the words that would keep this relationship alive or the words his heart felt was right. Earlier in the beginning of your relationship if you had asked him that, in a heartbeat he would say yes because that was true. But now... he wasn’t so sure, “I don’t know... Are you?”

I really wish I was. I wish I could lie and tell you that I am but I’m not.

Just like Grayson, you contemplated on what should be said next. But you knew what your heart wanted. “I want to be...”

As the night grew on, the both of you fell asleep from how tired you were. But you woke up earlier than expected, leaving you to find yourself wrapped up in Grayson’s arms for one last time. You carefully untangled yourself from him and finished packing your things, careful not to wake Grayson up.

By the time you were finished, he still was sound asleep, except this time soft snores came from his slightly a-gaped mouth. You couldn’t help but to feel your heart melt at how peaceful he looked. Something inside you still wished there was something you could do to save your relationship, if there was anything left that is. But you had promised yourself you needed to do what’s best for you so you placed a soft kiss to his temple and whispered, “I love you.”

No matter how much it hurt you to leave him. It hurt more knowing you weren’t right for each other.

Grayson woke up to the sound of the door closing after you had left. He fluttered his eyes open as they adjusted to the sunlight shining into the room. “Good morning angel.” He said expecting you to be by his side, but was shocked to see your side of the bed empty.

He quickly got out of bed and ran out to the rest of the house as memories of last night flooded his mind, “Y/N? No... No!” He was praying you didn’t do what you had thought of before, but when he couldn’t find you, he had lost all hope.

As Grayson reentered his room, he found a note with his name on it. With shaky hands, he picked the letter, terrified of what you wrote. But he knew that if he didn’t do it now, he would never be able to.

With defeat Grayson sat on his bed, heart racing a mile a minute, he began to read:

Grayson Bailey Dolan.

My love. My heart. My everything.

I love you. I will always love you.

Never in a million years I thought I’d be writing this letter to you nor would we ever be in this position... But I guess time has changed over the last few years, hasn’t it?

I will never forget the day I met you. Sometimes I wonder what happened if I took a different route or went at a different time, then I would have never met you. But I’m so glad I didn’t because I met you and from that moment on, I have felt nothing but love and happiness I’ve only dreamt about.

You’ve given me the love I never thought I was capable of because you learned how to love my flaws, especially my never-ending questions when I worry too much. Most importantly, you learned how to love me when I pushed you away and built walls to keep everyone out. I never thought someone was going to be able to breakdown those walls, but you did. You made me into a better version of myself, pushing me to chase my dreams and being there every step of the way. You never left my side.

Gosh and that night when you brought up our future, I swore I fell more in love than ever because you saw a future with me. You planned out everything to the point where we grow old and smelly together. That future was so perfect and I was so ready to love you forever and ever. And if you asked me to marry you that night, I would have. Just like any other day. I would in a heartbeat.

But somehow along the way I guess we fell out of love. Day by day that future we planned together was slipping away. Nights together weren’t the same. Grayson... I tried. I tried to stay a little longer, but my heart couldn’t take it anymore. We weren’t happy. I wasn’t happy.

Please know that this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It physically hurts me to write this as you’re sound asleep two doors down. I never wanted to hurt you. 

They say that if you love someone, let them go. And if they come back to you, they’re yours to keep. God I am hoping this is the case, Grayson. I hope that one day we’ll run into each other, years from now and be able to finally have our future together. I can’t wait for that day because I will still be in love with you and hopefully you’ll still feel the same. But for now, I guess this is... see you soon. 

I love you.

-Y/N

When Grayson finally managed to finish the letter, his heart broke into a million pieces. He never wanted to hurt you. He loves you more than anything in the world. He would do anything to turn back time and give you the love you deserve.

He put down the letter and picked up the engagement ring he gave you a few months ago, made to fit you perfectly and read the words engraved into the ring:

Meant To Be. -G

[shawnpetermuffins]

Finding Courage

A/n: Originally I was gonna post this as a 12k fic, but then I decided I wanted to change it a bit, so here’s part two of  We Were Us (This is predominantly a Connor chapter. We’ll get to Shawn as the series goes on.)

Summary: things aren’t going the way you planned, and Connor is here to help.

Warnings: I think maybe angst

Word count: 2.8k

***

“You okay?” Connor asks after I’ve cried on his shoulder the majority of the movie. Neither of us were paying attention, me for very obvious reasons, and Connor because he was trying like hell to console me; whispering sweet nothings in my ear, telling me that everything was going to be okay. I wanted to believe him, I really did. I wanted to stop hurting, even if it’s only been just over an hour since Shawn and I broke up.

“I will be,” I say, repeating what he’s already told me so many times.

He sighs and draws a cross over the nape of my neck, three times. It’s all he knew how to do to calm me even just a little bit. When I was younger and would have anxiety in public, I would always draw a cross on my palm until I felt like I could breathe again. I found that focusing on what my fingers were doing rather than the loud noise surrounding me tended to help. Connor knew that, and was always ready to help me when I needed it. And clearly I needed it now. “What can I get you? Anything?”

I shake my head, “I think I need to go lay down.”

“Okay,” he nods. “The bed is made up for you. And I’m just down the hall if you need me. You need to crawl in bed with me, you do it.”

I smile half heartedly and press a kiss to his cheek. “I don’t deserve to have you, Connor.”

“Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true. You’ve been there for me through everything. I wouldn’t make it through this without you.”

“I don’t believe that,” he wipes at my tear stained face, a little mascara coming off on his thumbs. “You’re the strongest girl I know. You don’t need me, but I’m here. I’m here for you through anything. I promise.”

“Have I told you that you’re my best friend?”

“Only every day.”

I nod, “Good. I just want to make sure you know.”

“I do. Now, go get some sleep, honey.”

“But I should help you put this up.”

“It can wait until tomorrow. Go.”

“So bossy,” I mumble, slipping from under the blanket that covered us.

“Only when I need to be.”

I don’t sleep well… or at all really. I toss and turn most of the night, replaying the night in my head. He felt bad that he had to go on tour again. He knew how much of a strain it put on us last time and he wanted to make this easier. But I couldn’t let him. My heart couldn’t take another eight months of tour, another eight months without him. I couldn’t just up and leave like he wanted me to, like I wanted to. I had things that I needed to attend to here and we both knew that. He couldn’t put his life on hold just like I couldn’t for him. But he wanted to make it work with us. He was trying. So why did I fight it so hard. Why did I insist on breaking it off? Shawn thought that things were okay. He thought things were well enough that he wrote a whole ass album about me.

Oh god, the album.

I jump out of bed and dig in my purse for the flash drive. I didn’t bring my computer, but Connor had his in his room. I tiptoe in and see he’s sleeping peacefully on his stomach, one arm under his head. I watch his bare back rise and fall for a minute, tracking his breathing because his face is mostly in the pillow, and I’m worried he might suffocate. (He doesn’t know that every time we’ve spent the night together, I’ve spent most of my night making sure he’s breathing, but that’s not for him to know. I just want to make sure he’s okay.) I’d hate to wake him, but I have to do this and I have to do it now or it’s going to drive me crazy.

“Connor,” I whisper from the doorway, but he doesn’t stir. I sigh and walk in a little more. “Connor,” I say a little louder. Still nothing. “Jesus. Connor,” I kneel beside his bed and poke his side. “Con, wake up.”

“Mmm…” he grumbles.

“Brash.”

“Hmm?”

“Wake up, I need you.”

His eyes open when he finally registers that it’s me. “Y/n. What’s wrong, honey?”

“I need to use your computer.”

He sits up, rubbing his eyes. “On the desk,” he points, his voice still heavy with sleep.

I move to get it and set it in his lap. He opens it with a yawn types in his password as I sit down next to him.

“So why’d you need my computer?” He asks, handing me the laptop.

I hold up the flash drive. “Shawn gave me the album.”

“He did what?”

“This is every song on the album. I haven’t listened to it. He was gonna show me after dinner but well… And I don’t think I can listen to this alone.”

Even in his sleepy state, I can see the sympathy in his eyes and a large part of me hates it. Hates that anyone is seeing me like this. But it’s him and I know I shouldn’t be embarrassed in front of him. “Okay, put it in.”

I nod and insert the flash drive with shaky hands. I wait for the window to pop up, and there, in front of me are fourteen audio files. I suddenly feel like I can’t breathe as I press play before I have the chance to talk myself out of it. The opening notes fill the room and I close my eyes, trying like hell not to let myself break from just the soft strum of his guitar. It’s already so roughly Shawn and I think I might lose it before his voice even –

And there is it. That voice I fell in love with so many years ago. The voice of the man that I was convinced I would spend my life with.

“Y/n, breathe.” He places his hand over mine and turns it over, once again drawing a cross on my skin. “I’m here.”

We make it through three songs – well, if you call me sobbing on Connor’s bare shoulder, “making it through.” It’s when the lyrics start on the fourth that I get a sick feeling in my stomach. I make it only twenty-three seconds in before I’m rushing to the bathroom, my best friend hot on my tail.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, sitting back against the bathtub after emptying the contents of my stomach.

“Don’t apologize. It’s okay. Maybe, we should take this one day at a time, yeah? We can listen to the rest of the album later.”

I shake my head, “It’s not the album. This has been happening for a few days. It might just be some type stomach bug or something.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I have medicine in the cabinet.”

“No, Connor, you’re already doing too much for me.”

“It doesn’t matter what I’m doing for you. When are you going to understand that? I’m going to do whatever I need to do for you. That’s what I’m here for.” He moves from beside me and goes to the cabinet under the sink. “What are your symptoms?”

“Just nauseous. Little tired, but I haven’t really been sleeping much.”

He digs through the container of the meds and I can’t help but laugh a little. “You run some drug cartel I don’t know about?”

He hums, “Hey, traveling a lot fucks with your immune system. I have to be prepared. I have something for everything.”

“You sound just like my mom.”

“Yeah, well. She’s taught me a lot.”

“She asked about you the other day. She wants you to come over for dinner sometime soon.”

He smiles, “I’ll call her tomorrow to set something up.” He pulls a bottle out, reading over the description on the side. “This should work for you.” He pops the cap and pours two capsules into his hand.

---

“Well… It wasn’t a stomach bug.”

“What is it? Are you dying?” Connor opens the fridge, “Beer?”

“No thanks.”

He hums, twisting the lid off his bottle and handing me a water. “This must be serious. You’re not drinking.” He brings the glass up to his lips.

“Yeah, well. You can’t drink when you’re pregnant.”

He coughs, spitting his beer into the sink. “I’m sorry. You’re what?”

“No, you heard right. I’m pregnant.”

“But I thought you said-”

“Hey, sex was the only thing we were still good at.”

He shudders, “Too much information.”

I shrug, “Sorry.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. Pretend it’s not happening?”

“Y/n?”

“What? I can’t tell him, Connor!”

“Why not?”

“Hello! He’s Shawn fucking Mendes. I can’t just spring a baby on him. Not with this new album coming out. Not with his tour next year. He can’t just put it all on hold. And the media will have a field day. ‘Shawn Mendes and ex-girlfriend: pregnant? Twins? Is it his?’ He doesn’t need to go through that. I don’t need to go through that.”

“Y/n, he’s the father. He deserves to know. You can’t just keep it from him because of his career.”

“Why not? We’re not gonna be seeing each other anymore.”

“Um, hi. I still work for him!”

“Oh. Oh. Oh, god,” I run my hands over my face. “I completely forgot you were going on tour with him again. Fuck!”

He sighs and comes to my side, “Y/n.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Connor.” I sniffle.

“Come here,” he takes my hands from my face and wraps my arms around his torso. I let out a shuddery breath. “Hey, listen to me. It’s okay. We are going to get through this. You can tell him when you’re ready. And until then, I’m here. I’m here always. You know that.”

I sigh, “I’m scared.”

“You don’t have to be. I’ll help you. I’ll help you through everything. I mean it, you and I are in this together.”

“But it’s not your problem.”

“You are my problem,” he winces, “And yes, I know how bad that sounds. But… okay. Look at me,” he pulls away just far enough to see my face. “You don’t have to tell him yet. But you do have to tell him eventually. And when you tell him, I’ll be there right by your side. I’m not leaving you. Not now. Not ever. That baby,” he looks down at my stomach and then back to my eyes, “It’s gonna have you and me. I’m gonna be that really cool uncle the kid runs to when he’s in trouble.”

“You think I’m having a boy?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood because it’s already starting to get too emotional and I can’t handle it.

He takes that as his signal and smiles, pulling away from me. “I mean, I hope it is. That would be a fun time. I can teach him all the things I know. You know, how to be a lady killer, travel around the world and get thousands of girls screaming his name every night.”

“And if it’s a girl? What is Uncle Connor going to teach her?”

“That she’s not allowed to date until she’s at least thirty-five.”

It’s my turn to laugh. “Is that so?”

“Yeah, but either way, I’m teaching them about photography and video and surfing. That kid is going to be so loved, y/n. And they have me just like you do.”

I take in a deep breath. “Thank you,” I whisper.

---

“Connor, can you rub my back?” I ask, shifting on the couch, trying to find a better angle.

“Yeah, where?”

“Like right above the small of my back,” I reach my arm around myself to point and soon his warm hands meet my skin and I already feel relieved. “Oh, god. Thank you.”

“So, your doctor’s appointment is next week, right?”

I nod, “Yeah, Tuesday at three.”

“You want me to come with?”

“No.”

“Why not? I feel like I should be there when you find out what we’re having.”

I don’t correct him on the ‘we’ even though we both know this baby isn’t his. Which makes me think of the baby’s father and how I’m about to find out what we’re having and he still doesn’t even know that we’re having one. “Because you have to work. It’s the same time as your meeting with Shawn and the crew.”

He sighs, “You know I can tell him I’m out, if it makes you feel better about it.”

“No, Connor. We’ve talked about this. You’re not quitting because of me. You go and you do your job. It’s what you’re good at, and I am so proud of you.”

“Did he text you for the release?”

“Yeah,” I say quietly, remembering how I cried for an hour before I was able to text him back with a single ‘congratulations.’

“And?”

“And I listened to the rest of it... I hate that I love it.”

“You know it’s okay to miss him. Especially right now.”

“I know.” I pull away from him, playing with the hem of my shirt.

“You still haven’t told him.”

“I know,” I say again, deflating. “I will.”

“When?”

“I was thinking maybe in ten years?”

“Y/n,” he says with a stern look.

“Connor, please.”

“And what am I going to tell him when you call me telling me you’re in labor in six months.”

“We can handle it then.”

He shakes his head, “You know that’s not gonna work. You’ve got to tell him. And soon. It’s not just him it’ll effect. Karen, Manny, Aaliyah. They deserve to know too.”

I close my eyes. I hadn’t even thought about how it would affect them. “You’re right. Can we just? Wait another week? Know what I’m having first. And then I’ll tell him.”

“It’s already been four months… I guess a week won’t hurt.”

“Speaking of four months. I’ve been looking for a place, and I think I found one. It’s not too far from here and I mean, the rent is kinda a lot, but I think it’ll work.”

“Why are you looking for a place?”

I furrow my brows at him. “What do you mean? I have to move out at some point, Con. You know that?”

“Well, I mean, I guess. But you don’t have to move out right now. I like coming home to you. It’s nice. Familiar. Reminds me of the nights I’d spend at your house when we were kids. You know when your mom would make us those really rich chocolate chip cookies and we’d sneak them to your room before bed. But now it’s like that every night. Especially now that your cravings are starting.”

I smile softly, “Well I like coming home to you, too. But come on. You didn’t sign up for a baby. Plus, I’m not even paying rent. I’m sleeping in your guest room because I broke up with my boyfriend. This isn’t exactly the ideal living situation for you, bub.”

“Sure, but I don’t mind. I like having you here. And don’t think I haven’t noticed the random hundred and fifty dollars showing up in my wallet every time you get paid. Which by the way, I’m not spending.”

“Connor, I have to pay you back somehow.”

“No, you don’t. And I won’t tell you again. So anyway, the money isn’t being spent, but it is being put to good use. I started a college fund for the baby.”

“You what?”

“Yeah. Or I guess it could be used as bail money if it ever comes to that. But I don’t know. I just wanted to do something for them.”

“But why?”

“Because they’re part of you. Which means they’re part of me too.”

I can’t say anything. I don’t think anything will be good enough.

“So,” he says a while later. “We should start thinking about names.”

“Right now?”

“Yeah, I’ll start. If it’s a boy I think we should name him Connor.”

I chuckle, “No.”

“Come on, it’s a good name.”

“It’s your name.”

“Exactly.”

“No. Next.”

“Okay fine. What do you think then?”

“Brandon.”

“No. Too basic. How about Tanner?”

“No. Patrick?”

He shakes his head.

“Okay, well then let’s think girl names. Because, yes, that is a possibility.”

He sighs, “Girl names. Okay. You have anything in mind?”

“Rachel?”

“Eh, I’m not feeling it.”

“Okay, then how about Kendall?”

“How about Mae?”

Mae. “I like it.” Mae Mendes. Mendes. “Hey, Connor?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think it’s okay if I give the baby Shawn’s last name?”

I don’t look at him when he answers, but I know him well enough to know he’s biting the inside of his cheek. “I think he’d like that very much.”

***

Permanent tag: @soyalimoncada-blog @tinycertain @magcon7280 @daisyangei @devilmendes @babybrash @fallinallincurls @sunrisebrashx @sinceweremutual @myyohmyuohmyy @perfectly-mendess @enchantingbrowneyedgirl @baroness-alison @lostinmendess @linanilssonfurberg @luvluvxx @mariamuses @shawnieeboyy

Shawn tag: @ilumxna

*bold wouldn’t let me tag

** this is my new tag list!! If you were on my previous one and wish to still be tagged let me know! If you wish to be added or removed also let me know!!

[aenwoedbeannaa]

Oxenfurt Wonders | Geralt x Reader

Summary: The former stablehand and Geralt, along with their horses Immi and Roach, visit Oxenfurt. This is technically Part 2 of Talking to Horses, but can be read as a stand-alone one shot.

Word Count: 1,902

Warnings: None.

A/N: After last night’s super dark story, I figured it was time for some of the fluffiest fluff. Hope you enjoy!

If you enjoy my work and want to check out more of it, you can check out my masterlist, and if you’d like to be added to any of my taglists, comment or message me and I would be happy to add you 😊. Also, I do have a ko-fi page now, and I would really appreciate if anyone is able to give a little; it would really help me out with this whole career change dream & the whole not working and not getting paid amid this disaster thing. But of course, the best way y’all support me is just by reading and sharing my work. I appreciate it more than I can say.

                                                      ***

“Immi!” You scold your speckled mare, who took it upon herself to nudge you—hard—in the shoulder, expecting a treat. Of course, even as you scold her, your hand is reaching into your pack, pulling out a brilliantly red apple you purchased from one of the stalls in Novigrad, the first city you’d visited upon leaving your small village. The mare happily plucks the apple from your fingers and devours the whole thing in three bites, core and all.

“You’ve really got to stop encouraging her,” Geralt drawls as he leisurely brushes his own dark brown mare, Roach.

You narrow your eyes at him, “Oh, please,” you respond in a drawl of your own, “You treat that horse like a princess.”

Geralt gives you one of his sideways grins, muttering a soft hmm of acknowledgment that he’s been beaten. You smile smugly as you reach up to scratch Immi’s velvet-soft head.

It is difficult to wrap your mind around the fact that you’ve been traveling with him for nearly a month, helping with various monster contracts as you go. Though, as he told you several times, it is rare that a real monster is actually the culprit for the things you are sent to investigate.

First, there had been the old haunted house—which he had correctly guessed was not, in fact, haunted. Instead, there was a harmless squatter residing in the sizable mansion’s many unused rooms. Next, there’d been a supposed beast stalking merchant carts out near a crossroads which, naturally, was not a beast at all. You hung back as Geralt had instructed and watched him take out an entire camp of bandits who had been making easy pickings of the merchant carts that passed through.

The only real monster you’d encountered this whole time was actually a whole group of monsters. Several necrophages had made the site of an old battlefield their new home—two whole nests of Nekkers had been drawn to the death-stench of the field. It was then that you’d showed off your considerable skills at climbing trees, waiting up in the branches while Geralt cut down the necrophages one after the other, until you were able to slink down and throw the special Witchers’ bomb into the next, watching it erupt in flame.

Every adventure was more exciting than the last, it seemed to you. But the adventure you were on now was the most exciting of them all so far—a trip to Oxenfurt. You’d never seen the city, and Geralt promised you that you would love it. He’d said it with such warmth in his eyes, your heart had stopped for a minute.

“How far now?” You asked impatiently, as you pulled a small brown bag full of food you’d picked up at the last market. You took a bite out of a biscuit—dry and flavorless, but apparently full of all of the nutrients you needed. Geralt had slipped a couple extra into your bag after you’d decided to spend more money on apples and carrots for Immi.

“Wouldn’t want you starving,” he’d said.

Geralt tipped his head back slightly, laughing that deep and rumbling laugh that still made your knees go all wobbly, “How far?” He repeated your words  exactly the way you’d said them, earning a small hmph of disapproval from you.

“Oh, relax,” the Witcher says, tucking the brush he’d been using back into the saddlebags and crossing over to you in a few quick steps.

He passes Immi first, who aggressively nuzzles her snout into his neck. He smiles softly, patting the mare on the side of her neck, before taking the one more step that has him standing right beside you. Suddenly, you are all too aware of the hard travel biscuit you’re still eating, swallowing quickly for not wanting to wolf the thing down right in his ear.

Your breath catches in your throat as he places his fingers gently underneath your chin, tipping your lowered head up towards his own, gazing into your eyes with that liquid-gold stare that leaves you speechless.

“Such an impatient girl.” The way he says it, though, bares no hint of annoyance or anger. Instead, there’s some sort of warmth there—maybe even adoration.

Or, I could be making it all up, you chide yourself.

But his eyes hold yours for another moment; one of those frozen in time moments, where the rest of the world seems to slow down and slip away, leaving only the two of you—his fingers under your chin, his eyes fixed on yours. The nearly imperceptible shift of his eyes toward your mouth and then back to your eyes again, as if he’s done something wrong.

Your eyes flick to his lips, wishing one million times over that you could just stand up on your toes and kiss them. They look full and soft, and the smell of him is so intoxicating that you just want to drink it in, to taste it.

But then he removes his fingers, as if he’s burned them, and you take in involuntary step back. The moment fades away and the rest of the world comes back into focus again. The horses, the road, the quick lunch, and the sun just starting it’s descent from its noon high. Traveling, right. You are supposed to be traveling.

“We’ll be there by tomorrow morning, if we make it far enough before nightfall.

***

That night, you lie awake, listening to Geralt’s steady breathing only a few feet away from you. Your heart hammers in your chest as you think about those few moments today where you thought that he might do it, might kiss you. And then, as per usual, your mind careens off-course as you wonder why he didn’t—spinning with all of the reasons you must not be good enough for him.

***

“This is…” you trail off, eyes drinking in all of the city around you, “It’s beautiful.”

You’ve only just entered through the city gates, and already it is so different from any place you’ve ever been. Of course, Novigrad was a bigger city, and the two of you had already been there, but that city had some sort of feeling that just was not quite right. All of the poor in the streets; the way people were after anyone who might be a witch—or rather, might be something or someone other than them. But Oxenfurt… Oxenfurt is very different. Full of color and the tantalizing smell of food, full of students rushing about with large books under their shoulders or satchels full of medical supplies. This place seemed like the type of place where anything might be possible.

You can’t help but repeat, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

You are too busy staring at the hustle and bustle of the city around you to look at Geralt, who is too busy staring at the girl holding loosely to the reins of her beloved horse to be looking at the city around him, “Yes, so beautiful.”

***

Once Immi and Roach are comfortably set up in the stable of the inn that Geralt had told you about, you head off into the city. And, as you walk from the market to the university, you can’t help but notice Geralt slowly moving closer and closer to you, until you are so close that you keep bumping into each other. Each time, you swear it feels like he draws out the contact just a little more, and your heart flutters.

He laughs when your eyes go wide at the sight of a merchant spinning candy floss. You feel a warm hand on your shoulder and tip your head up and back towards the white haired Witcher, scrunching your face in mock irritation. “What? I’ve never seen it before!”

There were no merchants spinning sugar into clouds, even on the big market days in your old little village. You have to try it.

But, as you step forward, Geralt steps forward faster, ordering two sticks of the fluffy, colored candy floss and drops two coins on the merchant’s counter. He hands one to you and keeps one for himself, pulling off some of the candy and popping it into his mouth.

Now, it’s your turn to laugh at the sight of a Witcher in full gear and carrying two swords on his back eating spun sugar. But you don’t really have time to make fun of him, because you are also probably a strange sight—a grown woman, mystified by things that the people here have seen all of their lives. And, you are too curious to try it.

You pluck off a rather large piece and put it in your mouth, smiling as it melts on your tongue. It tastes even better than you’d imagined. The two of you walk away from the stall and towards a small park overlooking the campus.

Before you can make it to the empty bench you are headed for, however, a student, nose buried in a book, runs smack into Geralt’s side and making him lose his balance. Instinctively, you reach out a hand to steady him, gripping his elbow. He doesn’t fall, but he does drop the remainder of his cotton candy on the ground.

“Damn,” he mutters with a small chuckle as you sit down on the bench.

You laugh, chewing on your lower lip as you look from the last of your own candy floss to Geralt’s lips, and then back again. Quickly, before you can change your mind, you rip the last piece from the stick and toss it away into a nearby bin, holding up the remaining little puff of candy to Geralt, “Here. I’m full, anyway.”

Now it is Geralt who chews on his lower lip for a moment, staring at your hand, then your face, then your hand again. You expected him to pluck it from your fingers with his own, but instead, he slowly tilts his head towards you, bringing his lips to the last bite. Your heart speeds up impossibly as his eyes flick to your own, a spark flickering through them as he closes his lips gently around your thumb—your eyes quite literally flutter shut as he flicks his tongue over the pad of your thumb.

How damn often have you thought of his tongue? Too many times.

When your eyes flicker back open again, his face is mere inches from yours, a devilish grin on those full lips. When he catches you looking, he moves in closer, so that all you have to do is tilt your chip up and…

He presses his lips to yours, and you feel like a dam has erupted in your chest. You’d thought about this moment for so long, imagined what kissing him would feel like, taste like. It feels even better than you imagined it would, and tastes like sugar and woodsmoke and cedar. Your senses all pool into one as you let your mouth fall open.

His hand cups the side of your face as his tongue explores your mouth, drawing a soft, satisfied sigh from you. You can feel him smile into the kiss as your hand comes to rest on his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin even through his many layers of clothing—that warmth, and the steady heartbeat that feels even better than seeing the whole world.              

Taglitst: @fairytale07 @geeksareunique @jesseswartzwelder @haru-ririchiyo @unnamedmaincharacter @lazilyscentedwerewolf  @valkyriepuff     @comicbeginning @angelias134 @morgannope @royallylazy @alyxkbrl @curlyhairedandconfused  @nikolanna @divineslipcast​ @p3nny4urth0ught5​ @seninjakitey​ @boogeywoogeywoogeywoogeywoogey​ @superconfusedandreadytorumble​ @keithseabrook27​ @p3nny4urth0ught5​ @sinnamon-bunn​  @sallyp-53​ @superconfusedandreadytorumble​            

[apex-academy]

Chapter 5: Caring Is a Hazard to Your Health (#32)

I didn’t realize how much of a blessing our sports day was until now. I’m usually perfectly fine with spending time alone, but that’s with billiards tables available, or at least the knowledge that I could go talk to someone if I wanted to. 

And I wasn’t especially worried I’d find a dead body if I tried.

“...”

I toss my book onto my bed and stare at my lunchbox—dinner box?—one more time. I’m not even hungry yet, but I'm tempted to eat just to have something to do.

This feels like the last place I should be sitting around doing nothing. Even if I should be trying to relax...

Maybe I should have looked for bath bombs or something, I don’t know. There are still only so many times I can clean off in one day without drying out my skin enough to hurt. Know that from experience.

“............”

Let’s not think about that.

Okay. Things to do. Uh... Wouldn’t mind some cooking practice or something, but even that’s a no-go.

Maybe I will go ahead and eat. Ugh.

I actually open the box and stare inside. Nothing exciting, just my attempt at hand rolls. Had a lot of seaweed and stuff out this morning, so it seemed appropriate. Even if this might feel a little too samey after the onigiri for breakfast.

“Well, this one’s not color-coded.”

Not that my breakfast one was, either. Just everyone else’s. Apparently my assigned color is normal nori color. Oh, well. As long as I end up with mine instead of... what was the weirdest one? SPAM in Kaichi’s?

That’s just wrong.

I wash my hands and choke down my dinner before dropping onto my desk chair again. I could work on my mastermind notes... Not that I have anything to work with. This motive doesn’t tell me much besides “outlandish,” which I pretty much had already. I’m tired of trying to decode Itsurou’s notes, too. Wonder if Aidan would have any luck. His whole thing is communication.

Not really like this, but. Whatever. I only have so many options. One, actually, if I haven’t for-sure crossed anyone else off the mastermind list.

“Though maybe Kaichi...”

Mm. Either way, if I’m asking for help, it’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

I stare at the ceiling a while before resuming my light reading. I got some kind of country western, just for something different. Don’t hate it, at least.

I still end up turning in pretty early. Wake up a couple times from nightmares I can’t remember. Eventually get up for the morning.

I wait in my doorway as people assemble. I swear I hear that tearing sound at some point again, but I’m still not seeing what it is. Somebody playing with packing tape in their room or something?

Might end up resorting to that myself at this rate.

“Oh... Is Kaichi still not up...?”

“Kanagi, either.”

“Not precisely unusual for them...”

“Welllll, Kaichi’s door is closer, so we can all go knocking there first, right?”

“Ooh, it’ll be like ding-dong ditch!”

“Except there’s kinda no doorbell and we’re not running away.”

“Why would you call such a thing ‘ding-dong ditch’ when neither of those is happening?”

“Let’s just get knocking, shall we?”

In the weirdest welcome party I’ve ever been part of, we assault Kaichi’s door, then Kanagi’s. It takes a little persistence, but we manage to wake both of them up.

“Cool, lesseet.”

...Mostly wake both of them up.

But we manage not to get into more trouble from here all the way to the cafeteria. Yuki, Mahavir, and I go ahead to the kitchen, with Yuki dragging Tsunyasha in with us this time. More of that color-coded onigiri, apparently. Better than letting the dyed seaweed go bad or something, I guess.

Either way, less work for me, so I won’t complain, even if another pickled plum breakfast only contributes to the monotony.

I’m sure that will be offset plenty since we’re all assembled for the morning. Never a dull moment with this crowd.

At least there aren’t any more death threats before Aidan calls the meeting to as much order as it’s going to get.

“All right, everyone! We don’t have to put up with our current system for much longer now! We’ve been doing well enough so far, so please continue to follow our safety guidelines! Possibly more strongly than you have been already.”

I would ask what that’s supposed to mean, but it feels like a callout. You didn’t exactly kick me out yourself, sir.

“...”

“I take it you intend to impose more upon us now?”

“Not at all!!”

“I’m certainly not cutting more slack, but I do have another group event.”

“Already...?”

“Do you intend to pick up where we left off on sports day?”

“Not so soon.”

“Like, of course not.”

“It’s every bit as exciting, though!”

“Are we gonna blow stuff up?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Yes, no explosives, please.”

“I’m actually planning to hold a game demonstration!”

“It’s a Western board game I don’t think most of you have heard of.”

“The rule set is notoriously complicated, thus why I’m framing it as a demonstration rather than a game proper. Though we can certainly play it afterward if you like!”

“Like, I’m not good at complicated stuff, so.”

“If you aren’t interested in the demonstration, you can always attend and play something else in the same room.”

“You mortals truly love these pitiable simulations, hmm?”

“ ‘Love’ might be phrasing it a little strongly.”

“I am not sure I would be interested in the demonstration, but I can tag along...”

“I have no idea what we’re doing, but it sounds fun!”

“ ‘m not much for board games, honestly?”

“I mean, fun way t’ piss people off ‘f you pick th’ right ones, but. Kinda not sounding like Monopoly there, brah.”

Yeah, board games must be pretty tough with his condition.

Though something tells me he’s weaponized them all along.

“Understandable. And yes, it’s nothing so well-known.”

“If so few people are interested, we don’t need to do it.”

“Oh, I can come...”

“If there aren’t enough people to make a group event, we can still play in the hallway as long as it’s four of us, right?”

“That’s correct. Does that seem like a better solution to you all? Anyone uninterested would just spend the time in his or her room instead.”

“I’d totally rather do sports again, though?”

“Some of us may need more time to recover.”

“Yyyyyeah, rest ‘sn’t a super bad idea, seems like.”

“Bogus.”

“Yeah, ‘t be like that sometimes, though.”

“I would be perfectly happy to continue sports day tomorrow—Misters Attenborough and Riseiin certainly have a point.”

“So! If we’d rather split the party, which three of you are most interested in the game demonstration?”

Literally no one jumps at the chance.

“Well, beats sitting in my room all day.”

“That it does. Anyone else?”

“Pass.”

“I’ll play...”

“Or watch...? Well, whatever we’re doing...”

“Room for one more.”

“I’m not particularly interested, I’m afraid.”

“Yeah, like, I’m super not.”

“Yo, if not enough people sign up, then can we do sports today?”

“I’m pretty sure there’s even less interest in sports than in the board game right now.”

“Certainly. There’s no joy in fighting against such little competition.”

“I’m afraid any further sports outings really ought to wait for now, yes.”

With a frustrated grunt, Kanagi slams her hands down the table. She immediately flinches back and swears, shaking out a hand.

“You good?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you hurt your hand...? Let me see...”

Before Yuki can even start for Kanagi’s table, the latter pulls her hand back to her collar.

“Nah, I just, like, sprained it a little yesterday, I think?”

“You sprained your wrist, but you want to immediately go back to doing what hurt your wrist.”

“C’mon, dude, you’re a sports, you understand.”

“I... No? No, I don’t.”

“I can help you wrap it if you like?”

“Nah, I can handle it. I got bandages ‘n’ stuff in my room.”

Mahavir just grunts. And so the group parents have been sated.

“If Miss Yuukei’s injury is taken care of, can we finalize planning for the game? Miss Tsuynasha, Mister Tokino? Would either of you be interested?”

“Oh, very well. There’s no need to beg... yet.”

What, is she going to show up and then have us grovel before she actually pays attention?

“Surely I ought to keep an eye on you sinners, given the opportunity.”

“...”

“Okay! I can just draw and stuff.”

“All right, then!! We’ll plan for this evening. Miss Kurokame, Miss Kogamino, and Miss Tsunyasha, I’ll come door-knocking when everything is set up.”

“We’ll stay in the hall, so if anyone else would like to watch from his or her room, feel free to keep your door open.”

“Shoots.”

“I’ll look forward to it, hummmmm...”

“Yeah.”

No one has any other suggestions for today, so the rest of the morning is just finishing breakfast despite distractions—

“Have you considered chewing?”

“Sounds bogus.”

—and then more food preparations. Then it’s a wrap. Time to go back to my room alone for several hours, I guess.

Whoopee.

[BACK] [NEXT]

[7deadlycinderellas]

Cabin Fever

(in which I write a quarantine fic that I actually manage to set in the canon universe)

AO3 link

 Day 1

The journey was only supposed to last three weeks.

There were business deals that needed their word in Dragonstone. Far too many of them for Gendry’s liking, but the deadline on them coincided with a wedding for one of Davos’s sons, so the trip could at least kill two birds with one stone.

And so, him and Arya had packed, checked with the twins (who, at ten years old, were actually ecstatic that they trusted them to be left home alone, ignoring of course that the whole staff had been tasked with keeping them busy and safe, and that the actual business of Storm’s End was being handled by the Castellan), booked passage on a merchant’s ship, and set off for Dragonstone.

The voyage there had been smooth, as had the work once they got there. Both of them were ecstatic to see Davos and Marya again, and the deals went smoothly, and it seemed like no time at all before they were on the ship back.

As befitting a lord and lady, their cabin was nicer than pretty much any of the others onboard. There was a bed wider than a bunk, a nightstand big enough for a basin and candle, a desk with two chairs, and even a window that could be opened.

Arya was lounged out on the bed, and Gendry at the desk the morning the knock came on the door.

Arya glanced up when Gendry got up to answer. They were set to reach Weeping Town later today, but they’ve made great time, maybe they’ve got there already.

“Milord,” she hears from the door. She’s even more confused to see the sailor standing as far back as he could.

“Is there a problem?”

“We’ve reached port early... but it appears several of the men below deck have come down with purple-spotted fever-”

Arya sees Gendry wince. She doesn’t have to ask- neither of them had had purple spotted fever as a child, but he’d told her the story of the year it had spread like wildfire through the orphanage, leaving scars upon the afflicted and rendering about half of them blind or deaf.

“What’s there to be done?” he asks the sailor.

“Standard procedure is to quarantine the ship for two weeks,” Arya feels her breath leave her chest, “No one comes in or out until we find out if anyone else is sick.”

After a moment, Gendry nods.

“Food will be brought in the morning. Please wait until the person who brings it has left to retrieve it. Rain buckets for bathing will also be brought- please empty them as well as your chamber pots out the window. I will come again when the ship has been cleared.”

Gendry closes the door behind him, and glances over his shoulder to where his wife is laying on the bed. She groans.

“Two more weeks…”

Gendry sighs.

“I do have a bunch of proposals I need to write out. And I need to send a letter to the woman running the orphanage we started up in Weeping Town.”

Arya nods.

“I have a ton of letters to keep up with too. I guess we should be able to spend these two weeks working.”

She nods again, and reaches into her bag and pulls out a stack of papers she’d brought with them.

After he finishes the first paragraph of the letter he plans to send back to Storm’s End, Gendry feels Arya’s eyes watching him.

“What?”

“Aren’t you hot? You can take off your jerkin in here, it’s just us.”

As it was spring now, the Stormlands could get quite hot, even through the frequent rains. He supposes she’s right, so he unties and shrugs off his leather jerkin, leaving him in just his linen undershirt.

Sometime later, when he’s finishing up the letter and looking it over, he hears a noise and tilts his head.

Arya has the top tie of her breeches unlaced, he can just see a tiny flash of peachy skin, covered in soft hair, and her fingers disappearing underneath the fabric.

He raises an eyebrow.

Arya sits up a bit on one elbow, but her fingers do not still.

“It occurs to me,” she starts, “That there is no castle staff here. We’re not supposed to be anywhere in five minutes. We have no responsibilities that must be completed today. Our daughters are not going to unexpectedly barge in. We have, in fact, been ordered not to leave our bedroom for two whole weeks.”

Gendry breathes in, then out, and places his quill on the desk. He stands with deliberation.

Slowly, he says, “Take off your pants.”

That first day, she rides him no less than a half dozen times. When his cock demands rest, she rides his fingers instead. And once their muscles have begun to slacken, he lays lazily on one side and licks her cunt raw.

Gasping, and dripping in sweat, he barely manages to roll over and kiss Arya on the head.

“Now that we’ve exhausted ourselves,” he starts, “ I really should work on those proposals tomorrow.”

He wakes up the next morning with his cock in her mouth

 Day 2:

Arya’s bent over one of the rain buckets they’d been brought that morning.

“Are you seriously doing laundry?”

Arya smirks at him.

“If I don’t, these sheets will smell worse than we ever could, and I’m not looking the gift horse of this nice, big, latching window in the mouth.”

She wrings it out best she can, and throws it over the open window, using the edge to hold it in place.  Might as well take advantage of the brief lack of rain.

“And you laughed at me for packing soap.”

 Day 3

“What proposal are you working on now anyway?”

Gendry raises his gaze from the paper to the bed where Arya’s finishing the soup that had been brought for supper.

“I’m sending out notice to several tradesmen in the area, to see if they’re willing to take in apprentices from the orphanage. They wouldn’t be required to house or feed them, since they would go back there at night, so I’m hoping that I can convince them not to charge for the training.”

Arya is thoughtful.

“We would have to vet them pretty harshly, and make sure the women at the orphanage know how to question the children when they return. Don’t want anyone just using them for free labor, or worse.”

They both nod, thinking of the horrific story they’d been told of the ship builder who’d taken Daron in as an apprentice after his parents died.

Gendry nods.

“I know. But it makes me so mad to see these big masses of children with no futures.”

Arya agrees.

“Sansa’s been trying some things up north, seeing if there are any farm families willing to take in orphans. She fears much the same as we do. There are too many orphans, but there are too many things that need doing to.”

It does seem, that there are an endless number of things that need doing when your livelihood is looking after an entire land's people.

 Day 4

“Arya are you...using that paper just to draw cocks?”

Arya makes a face.

“No- I was making a list of all the places back in Storm’s End where we’d fucked, but I think I actually ran out.”

He reaches over the desk and grabs her paper.

“Library, stables, cave, godswood…”

He keeps going. And going. Lot of fun memories in this list.

“I actually think you got them all.”

Her cocks are actually pretty good too, all thick and veiny with huge balls.

“Can you draw me some tits too?”

Arya huffs when she takes the paper back.

When she’s working on it, his mind is piqued, wondering what she’s coming up with.

But when she slides it back across the table with a smirk, he is pleased. She’s no artist, but the crude drawing of herself (he assumes, and he won’t imagine anyone else), nude, tits heaving and knees spread wide with her fingers buried inside herself is perfectly adequate.

“Hmm,” he says, unlacing himself, and taking his cock in hand. He doesn’t usually get roused so quickly, but something about this quarantine is making him feel young and carefree.  “Might need some alone time with this.”

“Oh come,” Arya groans, trying to reach over and grab it.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” he says, jumping up and out of her reach. He’s already pretty damn hard, and the picture is actually strangely arousing. His cock is at full mast now, and he tugs on it with fierce determination, moaning obnoxiously.

Eventually, she manages to yank the paper away, but it’s too late, Gendry’s stretched himself out on the bed, tugging rapidly at his cock, letting every nasty fantasy run through his head in her rough stick figures, and well before she can celebrate, he comes across his belly.

She gets her revenge later that night, retrieving the sculpted cock she’d obtained in a port in Essos during her years at sea. It was made of some sort of glass, solid and heavy, and shaped by a hand that obviously knew what it was going to end up being used for. Extremely easy to keep clean she’d said too. She’d shown it to him plenty before, often even letting him use it on her himself, though she insisted that it paled compared to the real thing.

“Why’d you even bring that?” he asks over his supper as she peels off her breeches, kneels over the cock and buries it deep in herself, bouncing up and down on it and moaning, deliberately meeting his eye.

“I thought you might be busy when we were in Dragonstone and I would get lonely.”

And he somehow manages to finish his supper in due time, despite the sounds of her pleasure and the squelch of it sliding in and out of herself echoing through the cabin.

 Day 5

“Seven hells, what day is it?”

“I have no idea,”

 Day 6

“How do you think Lyra and Lysa are coping without us?”

Arya sighs and sets down her letter.

“It probably sounds strange, but I don’t think they’ll even miss us at all. They’ve both gotten so independent lately.”

Neither of them have to say that they’d both missed the twins every single day since they’d been gone.

After a long silence, Gendry admits.

“Lyra told me before we left she wants to be a knight.”

Arya chuckles. She’s so pleased that her daughter is growing up where it might even be a possibility.

“In two years, if she hasn’t changed her mind, we can write to Brienne, see if her or Podrick could use a squire.”

They know it’s only a slim possibility that their child will still be on the same dream in two years time.

Gendry sighs.

“I suppose that would give us the answer for which one to name as heir.”

Arya frowns.

“It would, but it doesn’t mean Lysa would be ready for it. I don’t know why she’s so convinced that we would automatically pick Lyra. She hasn’t had a tantrum in years, and Maester Elric says they’re both good students.”

Gendry shrugs, and scoots back over to the bed so he can kiss her head.

“I don’t know. You’re still convinced you’re not beautiful, even though no one’s called you horseface in years.”

That makes her smile.

 Day 7

Gendry comes all over his hand almost as soon as he gets his breeches undone.

Arya wrinkles her nose.

“Seriously?”

“Hey I told you not to tease me so much.”

She had too, been teasing him all morning. Pouring water over her linen shirt and leaving it half buttoned up. Idly mentioning that she hadn’t bothered putting on smallclothes. Leaning over the desk so her tits were right in his face.

She sighs. Then gets a glint in her eye.

“How many times do you think you can get me off before you can go again.”

The glint is now mirrored in Gendry’s eye.

“Is that a challenge?”

She comes underneath his fingers, one.

Then under his tongue, two.

His tongue on her nub, stuffed with three fingers, three.

Three fingers, he curls and presses them up while sucking her nub. Four

She’s twisted onto her stomach now, and he gets four fingers in. Five

She’s stuffed full and grinding back against his hand, panting and swearing. He’s using both hands now, one in her cunt, one on her nub. Six, then seven.

She’s sweating and bleary eyed now, so Gendry pushes her back onto her back, and soothes her swollen, quivering flesh with his tongue. Eight, slowly, gently.

He only idly notices when his cock actually is hard again. This whole challenge thing is too much fun.

“Eight,” he announces, proudly.

Breathing heavily, Arya looks over her knees to his erection, big and purple and bouncing proudly.

“Well, come here and get on it.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“You want to keep going? Don’t you want to take a rest.”

Arya huffs, sits up and pushes him on his back, straddling him.

“Never.”

She can’t walk right for the rest of the day, but even as she reclines with a cloth soaked in cold rainwater on her groin, insists that it was completely worth it.

 Day 8

Arya is stymied.

“I don’t know how to respond to this letter Sansa sent me.”

Gendry looks up,

“What’s her trouble?”

“She’s thinking of getting married again and wants to know how she can find a husband who’s actually only interested in men.”

Gendry’s rendered speechless.

“She...wants a husband who doesn’t want her?”

Arya smiles grimly.

“That’s about it. She was hurt so badly by Ramsey, she doesn’t know if she’ll ever want to be with a man physically again. But the other northerners are pressuring her to marry and because there must always be a Stark in Winterfell…”

Gendry frowns in thought.

“I would say ask Daron and Tim for advice, but I don’t know if either of them can read.”

Arya sighs again, and picks up her quill.

 Day 9

“Is it raining again?”

“Did it ever stop?”

 Day 10

“Bella’s doing well, she says.”

Gendry raises his gaze. A year or two ago, with King Bran’s assistance, Gendry had been reaching out to and meeting his few remaining half siblings. Mya and Bella had both come to Storm’s End for a time, though both had chosen to move on now, they had both learned to read and write enough to keep in touch.

“Did she say how she’s liking Mistwood?”

Arya nods.

“Says it’s much nicer than where she was in the Riverlands, and the woman who’s training her is teaching her a ton. She especially likes that no one there knows what she used to do for a living.”

That had been the day Arya felt most like a proper lady. The day she had managed to subtly ask if Bella really in fact liked her line of work, or if she’d rather be spending her life doing something else. Her words still rung in her head.

‘It’s easy work to like when you’re young and want the acknowledgement that you’re pretty, but it really grinds on once you start to get older.’

And the old midwife in Mistwood had been happy enough to have a student.

Gendry grunts.

“Good, so she can stay there being all judgemental.”

“You’re still mad that she said we sounded boring?”

“All because we said we’d never invite a third person into our bed!”

“You’re too sensitive...beside, she wouldn’t understand that we’d still have to go about our lives and look that third person in the eye and talk to them afterwards, that would be weird…”

 Night 10/Day 11

Gendry wakes after dozing off by his wife whispering in his ear. Opening his eyes, he sees that she’s lit the candle on the bedside, and is standing beside him in her shift.

She moves to the desk, and pulls out the chair, before kneeling upon it. She leans forward onto the desk and lifts her shift over her hips, baring her arse and cunt to him. She looks back over her shoulder.

“Quick,” she whispers, “Before my husband gets back.”

Gendry stands, and slips into character as he sheds his sleep pants.

He runs his fingers over her cunt, which is dripping wet already (what on earth had she been up to before he woke?). He bends forward and mutters in her ear,

“What would your husband think if he saw you down here wiggling your arse for a bastard like me?”

He takes himself in hand and plunges into her roughly from behind.

Arya leans forward and presses her cheek against the wood of her desk as her breathing becomes rougher.

“He can’t make me feel like you do.”

Gendry grips her hips tightly and keeps thrusting faster and harder, making her moan.

“Bad little girl,” he says, “Leaving your lord husband to come and fuck a lowborn bastard. Someone should punish you for that.”

He can’t see Arya’s face, but he can practically see her eyes begin to twinkle.

“I have been bad. Maybe you should give me a spanking.”

He runs his hand along her smooth skin, considering, before raising it.

His hand lands across her bum with a ‘crack’.

“I’m not sure that quite got the message across.”

He slaps her bum twice more, each time earning a grunt and a rush of wetness around his cock.

He leans forward to whisper to her again.

“Let go then, come for me like he could never make you.”

He spanks her once, twice, three more times. Then he puts his hands on both her shoulders and pushes her to the desk so he can get better leverage. He fucks her like she’s a bit of metal on his anvil- hard and deep, but with skill and finesse. Arya’s moans rise almost to a scream and he feels her fluttering around his cock, not only once but twice, and he’s just about to-

She reaches back and grabs one wrist.

“I can’t have a bastard,” she cries out, still in character, “Come here, I’ll suck you off.”

She slides off the desk to the floor and kneels at his feet, looking up at him through her lashes in a way Arya never once has, before taking him in her hot little mouth. She sucks him with her sweet lips, moaning as she tastes herself on his cock. Gendry’s hands find the back of her head, winding his fingers in her hair, and thrusting against her face, moaning loudly, letting her know just how close he is.

When he comes with a yell, she swallows him down, his seed spilling out over her lips, which she licks. She stands, and kisses him, letting him taste the both of them together.

Later that night, back in bed, Gendry mutters.

“We’re going to have to come up with some better scenarios, I’m starting to feel bad for these made up men you’re cheating on.”

Arya snorts.

“Well we don’t have enough room in here to play wildlings.”

“I still don’t know why you had me run me ragged for that.”

Arya props herself up on one elbow to glare at him.

“If you think a wildling would just let you pick her up and have your way with her, you’ve got another thing coming.”

She’s pensive for a moment.

“We should come with something new though.”

“We could be knight and squire again.”

“That was a good one...I want to be the knight this time though.”

“Alright.”

“Also, keep thinking. We don’t have rope, so we can’t do pirate captives.”

“You fell asleep last time we did that.”

She raises an eyebrow.

“It’s not my fault that you make me so comfortable when you tie me up. Besides, who said I was going to be the captive?”

She’s having him on. Seeing him tied up still sort of makes her want to cry, all these years later, instead of making her hot. She suspects admitting that was actually what made Bella call them boring. She segues back into her point.

“I want to be able to spank you next time.”

Gendry laughs.

“You can just ask, I’ll let you do it, we don’t have to come up with a story.”

Arya opens one eye, looking at him. She remembers once having confided in him that it wasn’t even the whole “idea of being punished” that got her off, it was just that she thought being slapped on the bum felt good.

“You don’t mind?”

“Arya, I trust you. I let you put my balls in your mouth, You can slap my arse all you want.”

Which is how Gendry ends up on his hands and knees the next morning, his breeches pulled halfway down his thighs and Arya’s hand leaving red marks on his arse, again and again.

“Would you like another?”

Gendry nods, before Arya’s hand lands again.

His cock is hard and leaking, begging for a single touch.

Arya was right though, he thought, it did feel pretty good.

 Day 12

The sun shines on day 12, and Gendry wakes up with a tickle.

“Shh,” Arya tells him, “Don’t move.”

Gendry blinks, realizing he’s on his stomach and she’s running something along his arse cheeks.

“Is that that ink you got from that Essosian trader last year?”

Arya nods in assent. The man had espoused the plant based ink as being much cheaper and easier to obtain, but when she attempted to write on paper with it, it became clumpy and thick very quickly.

Then she remembered seeing men in Braavos with dark marks, words and pictures, drawn onto their skin, and it hit her what the ink was likely mostly used for.

“What are you drawing?”

She snickers, having drawn two smiling faces on each side of his arse. The sheet had slipped down past it overnight, and with the sun shining through, it made far too perfect a canvas to resist.

“Nothing really.”

Several more minutes pass with her idly doodling when he asks.

“Does it dry fast?”

“Pretty much as soon as it’s spread.”

Another moment.

“Can I try?”

She blows on his skin and rubs at it to make sure it’s all set, before handing him the bottle and rolling onto her side of the bed.

“I want to do your front though, so you can see.”

On her back, she watches as Gendry’s deft hand with the brush turns her nipples into the centers of sunbursts, and trees, vines and flowers emerge from the nest between her legs.

“You’re pretty good at this you know.”

Gendry smiles bashfully.

“Well, you have to be able to draw if you want to get someone’s design exactly as they want it, it was a skill I sort of had to develop and then never really thought about.”

She’s quiet for a long time.

“Ever think of doing it properly, on paper or a canvas?”

He snorts.

“I don’t know. There’s so much else I have to do, and I doubt the other lords who still look at me like I’m pretending would be at all impressed by some nice pictures I drew.”

Arya frowns.

“It would hardly be the most eccentric hobby I’ve heard of a highborn having...and besides, if it makes you happy, it’s worth it.”

Gendry chuckles as he recaps the bottle of ink. He scoots up, takes Arya’s face in his hands and kisses her warmly.

“Maybe you’re right,” he murmurs against her lips, “But I still think you’re my favorite canvas.”

She murmurs softly back her agreement.

“Hey, this stuff washes off in water right?”

“Yes”

“...so if we get too sweaty, we’ll just smear it all on the sheets.”

“Hmm,” Arya mutters when he kisses her jaw, “I need to wash them again anyway.”

 Day 13

Arya’s studying him from her spot on the pillow. It’s raining outside again, and the cool air filters through the cracked window into the cabin.

“Something on your mind?”

Arya flops onto her back and stares at the pattern of beams on the ceiling, for the millionth time these past two weeks.

“I want another baby,” she blurts out.

Gendry rolls on his side to look at her.

“I thought we decided to leave that up to the gods?”

Arya laughs.

“It seems we are, I ran out of the ingredients for moon tea three days ago,”

Something in Gendry’s mind clicks and he nods in recognition.

He leans in and kisses her chin.

“I’d happily raise a whole village of babes with you, but what makes you think this now?”

Arya frowns, almost to a pout.

“I just keep thinking of the twins back home, completely fine without us. They're our daughters, we love them, but they’re past the point where they depend completely on us. And I guess...I miss when they were tiny and needed me.”

“They’ll always need us,” Gendry assures her, hands on her shoulders. “But maybe this timing is a blessing. We’ve had more time together these past two weeks than I think we managed in the last six moons.”

Arya murmurs in agreement.

Gendry grins, mischievously.

“And we’ve got a whole ‘nother day left”.

His expression drags a smile back onto Arya’s face, and she reaches to pull her shift over her head.

Later, he presses his lips to the back of her neck, wrapping his arms around her middle and snuggling up against her back.

“I’m not tired, if you’re not.”

Arya laughs, shifting her leg and letting him slide into her again.

“If I had known talking about babes would get you going this much, I’d have thrown away my moon tea weeks ago.”

 Day 14

“Everything’s all packed up?”

“Yup.”

They sit together on the edge of the bed.

“Any time now.”

It feels like forever before the sailor comes and knocks to tell them the ship has been cleared and they are not free to leave.

It feels like forever, but it’s barely past breakfast.

They’re off board as fast as their feet can carry them. Arya steps off to find one of the sailors about sending their bags ahead to Storm’s End.

Gendry stops to thank the captain while Arya fidgets in the background.

The captain eyes her.

“She your wife? I’m surprised you two are even in the same room after these two weeks, the men below deck have been at each other’s throats since day one. “

Gendry smiles.

“No, I think we got on fine.”

They step out on solid land, and Arya takes his arm as they walk towards where they can borrow a pair of horses to return.

“I love you to death,” she whispers against his arm, “But I cannot wait to talk to people who aren’t you.”

He smiles, and throws an arm around her.

“Soon we’ll be home, our daughters will run to us,” he muses.

"We'll have fresh food for supper, be able to use the privy without anyone watching, have someone else to do our laundry," Arya sing-songs in response.

“Our castellan will share with us everything that has no doubt caught on fire since we left. There will be a pile of ravens as thick as my hand to dig through, people will come to us with problems every hour of every day, we’ll be expected to actually get dressed properly every morning…”

He feels her still.

“Do you think the captain will let us back onboard?”

[fairyqueennerd]

Nalu Week Day-7- Smile

“Natsu for the umpteenth time Loke is just my colleague.”

“Yeah still he can grab your waist?”

“He didn’t grab my waist he was just protecting me from then upcoming vehicle.”

“It didn’t seem like so.”

“Oh come on you were there.”

“Yes I was therefore I am saying, stay away from him.”

“He is my partner, Natsu be reasonable.”

“I am being reasonable.”

“That’s it I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

Saying so Lucy slammed the door, that just meant one thing that Natsu was now supposed to sleep on the sofa.

Natsu sighed heavily, why does he get so jealous? But since Lucy knows she should keep him in mind also. In a fit of anger, he just went straight to sleep but realised in a jiffy that he can’t cuz he was already used to cuddling with Lucy. For a moment he thought about asking for her forgiveness but then realised that it was not the first time and Lucy was very angry so he refrained himself from doing so.

The next morning; he woke up to find that Lucy had already went to work and there was a note for him.

“Going to work, don’t worry won’t cheat on you.”

Which showed him straight away that she was still upset but still she had made breakfast for him as well as put the clothes for his office. Seeing this he just wanted to rush to her and apologise with her in his arms but he realised he was already getting late and need to rush.

X------------X------------X

“Is this the article you came up with?” Minerva pointed to the sheets in front of her with twitching eyes.

“You told me to come up with fresh ideas.”

“Yes I told you so, but the column of ‘delicious dictionary’ is already going on in our magazine and you come up with a story where they are cooking strawberry cake? You this its new?”

“Yeah But..”

“I don’t need your reasons just come up with something that I would approve.”

Minerva returned her sheets and showed her to the door.

Lucy sighed returning to her desk.

“Aww Lu she didn’t approve?”

“Lev I might cry now, this is going for the entire week.”

“Yeah and the deadline is day after tomorrow.”

“What its already here, what should I do now?”

Lucy banged her head on the table she was really on the verge of crying now.

“You would come up with a great idea now cheer up.” Levy consoled her and patted her back.

“Hey Love! Why so upset.” Loke appeared that very time reminding her of yesterday and making it more of a gloomy atmosphere.

“My heart can’t take it baby just smile for me.”

“Sorry Loke she is not in the mood.” Levy answered instead.

“Darling I know that just trying to cheer her up.” Loke said stroking Levy’s cheek while she squatted away his hands.

“Loke she won’t approve, what are we going to write now?”

Lucy wrote stories of multiple genre and Loke did the art for her stories, suddenly Lucy realised that it must be more pressure on him as she was yet to come up with an idea and write it get it approved after which he could make the art and give it in time for publishing, yet here he was trying to cheer her up.

“Ah Loke I am so sorry.” Lucy said with teary eyes.

“Aww baby don’t worry I’ll manage, just focus. I know you can do it.” Loke said and smiled.

In a flash Lucy remembered countless times when Natsu had told her the same thing and his accompanied grin that made her fall for him so many times already, before they finally got married.

Lucy smiled softly at that memory and then picked up her phone to see a picture of them together smiling brightly at the camera, and it lifted her mood a lot and inspired her to write.

“Smiling beach?”

“Yeah the main idea is that, many couples go to beaches to enjoy holidays or to spend some quality time together but sometimes they have bitter moments too and this couple heals them with a smile.”

“Hmm, you wanna say bitter sweet moments on a vacation?”

“Yes, after all everything don’t go as we plan.”

“Makes sense, okay carry on with it. I need the final article by tomorrow evening.”

“Yes mam.”

Lucy returned to her desk with a smile.

“That’s more like it, now tell me what you want me to do?” Loke asked with a knowing smile.

“I want you to draw something like….”

“Arrrrgg there is so much files, when am I going to finish it all?” Natsu asked to nobody in particular and sighed looking at the pile right in front of him.

“Why are you being like this dumbass usually you are more efficient.” Gray implied purposely to ignite his fighting spirit, but alas it fell into deaf ears.

“Natsu-san dad said he need these files analysed by the evening.” Sting came and dumped three mores files in front of him and patted his shoulders sympathetically.

Sting’s dad was the manager of the company, but still for him Natsu was his role model since high school.

“Natsu-san why you are so stressed do these three for now, you can do the rest tomorrow.”

He said with concerned eyes. Natsu looked up at him with blank expression.

“No No I am doing it now.”

“Leave him alone sting he must be missing his wife.” Gray mocked.

“You…”

Before Natsu could fight it out with him for his accurate guess Juvia entered.

“Gray-sama, Juvia cooked this for you.” Saying so she handed him his tiffin and blushed slightly.

“Thank you Juvia.” Gray smiled brightly and side hugged her, kissing the top of her head, Juvia’s entire face turned red.

Now Natsu was missing Lucy a lot more, though this has been a routine since Gray and Juvia married still she would blush and it appears as they are newly-wed.

Natsu giggled at his own thought and pulled out his phone and looked at the picture and suddenly he felt energised, he had to do this fast he can’t have overtime, he was missing Lucy so very much, her smile, her warmth, her entire presence.

“I am getting fired up.”

With that he started working and finished all the priority work dot on time and rushed home. He has to make it up with her.

Lucy was home a bit early, She was in full spirit, the whole day had messed up her head but now she was feeling very clear because she has Natsu and she knows it, he loves her a lot so whatever misunderstanding is formed between them she would clear it all, she would love him by all her heart and would not get angry on trivial stuff she had firmly decided.

She arranged the rooms a bit as Natsu was the one to leave the home last and she could tell he left in a hurry, and started preparing his favourite dish- chilly chicken.

Natsu didn’t know how he should act or basically how Lucy might be feeling right now. From the argument last night, they didn’t get any time to talk with her, because of the work stress he couldn’t call her and didn’t know what can he message so he decided it would be best to clear things out face to face.

But now that he was at front of their home and knew Lucy was home already, he didn’t know how he should face her.

Gray told him to take a bouquet along which he was already planning along with a book and note which he hoped that she would like.

Finally, he knocked timidly but was pleasantly surprised when the door opened and Lucy hugged him tightly.

“Honey you are home.”

Natsu was so happy, he was anxious over nothing, he pulled her inside closed the door and kissed her deeply.

This was what he was missing the whole day. Lucy.

“This is for you.” Natsu presented her with the bouquet on one knee.

“Thank you” Lucy accepted bowing a little, acting like a perfect lady.

She placed it on the table and they sat down on the sofa holding on to each other.

“Natsu I am really sorry.” Lucy said and looked at him with guilty sad eyes which broke his heart a bit, he never wants her to be sad.

“Hey I am sorry, I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”

“But I shouldn’t…”

“Shush! Did you really think I would doubt you, come on I know my wife is so beautiful that anyone can fall for her.” Natsu said looking away.

“Aww Natsu I love you.” Lucy kissed him again.

They discussed all that happened in their workplace that day and laughed at how silly they have been, throughout the day.

Soon Lucy received a draft from Loke, he had made exactly what she had in her mind but yet to be coloured but she was certain it would come out fine.

It was a picture of a girl and a boy looking at the camera while holding a smiling play card over their mouth.

“Isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Lucy simply answered showing the picture on her phone screen, this was something they came up with on their last vacation when they had an argument about whose smile reaches their eyes more without a definite conclusion.

Remembering the beautiful vacation, they smiled at each other and realised it was this smile that can make their day, with the same thought they said together-

“Let’s go on a vacation.”

[fancifulwritings]

The Song Remains The Same

Chapter Fifteen

     The question as a mere formality. They both knew that. Calypso couldn't say no to him. Not like she wanted to, anyways. Where would she go? Upstairs to his room, in his house, alone? Or just stand and watch him? Neither option seemed even somewhat polite.

     Saying no hadn't really crossed her mind. She wanted to spend as much time with him as she could. Alone time seemed like it would be few and far in between.

     The cleaning they did was relatively surface level. Robert wasn't going to try and tackle the mess himself. All six of them had made the mess. All six of them would have to clean it in the morning. Everyone would be doing their fair share; he'd make sure of it.

     The two of them did clean a few plates. Granted, they were the ones that already looked clean, but it would help. Food was removed from their pots and plates and put into the fridge. Whatever hadn't been eaten yet could be their lunch tomorrow. Robert didn't have enough food to supply a whole new meal.

     This went on for a few minutes, until Robert wiped his hands on a towel. "Looks good enough for me, for now at least. How about you darlin'?" He asked with a smirk. Calypso felt a small shiver go up her spine.

     "I'm hardly one to order you around your own house," she said.

     "That's what I was hoping for." As he spoke, he picked her up and placed her back onto the counter. Without hesitation, her arms and legs wrapped around his neck and waist.

     It felt like she was in a dream. This whole situation was already so easy for her. Calypso couldn't believe it. A domestic life with Robert Plant hadn't ever occurred to her as possible, it shouldn't be. Now it was all she could think about. It was sickening how it consumed her. Nothing seemed to be holding her back; and that was what seemed to be the most terrifying.

     "Hmm, such a pretty little vixen," he said. She laughed as he did before she silenced him with a kiss. A direct move, something that was rare from her. She often lacked the courage. But now she hadn't felt like waiting for him. Everyone else had fully disappeared from her mind.

     Robert wasted no time in taking control. She might have started things, but Robert rarely left the ball in anyone else's court. It seemed impossible to him.

     His hand went to the back of her head so he could move her where he wanted her. Calypso put up no fight to this. Why would she? With the new body, Calypso could only imagine the wicked things he had in store for her. She was excited. Never was she more thankful for their first couple days together.

     Before all this, he had been hard to handle. Calypso felt like she had always been a bit behind. Now she was sure to be left in the distance. The ease between the two would help. It would mean that she at least wouldn't be left in the dust.

     The wild ride she had unknowingly signed up for was accelerating. Robert tugged on her hair, meaning she couldn't focus on that. Effectively, he had tugged her back into the real world. It was hard to believe that this was her real world now. Calypso just sighed into the kiss and moved with him. Undeniably, he demanded more as he pressed closer to her. She was more than happy to relent.

     For some time, they stayed like that, only lips and hands moving between them. For them, time had simply ceased to be. What rush did they have?

     It wasn't until Robert's hands were snaked into Calypso's pants that they were drawn out of the daze. She pulled back. It wasn't an objection to the action itself. God, it felt like a natural procession.

All she wanted to feel was him between her legs, inside her. She was already wet, that much she could tell. A few more seconds and she would be begging for him.

"They're still here!" She hissed gently. One of their guests, in their far off room, had coughed. It was a gentle reminder that they weren't alone. They couldn't just fuck in the kitchen like animals.

"Are you saying you'd like to stop?" He cocked his eyebrow up as his finger traced her up and down through her panties. A soft moan escaped Calypso's lips. She couldn't help herself, as she managed to hold back so much more.

"Not here!" She barely managed to stammer out, face flushed red. The things this man could do to her… She'd be lucky to survive tonight, forget the week.

"Such a shame," he chuckled. His finger was unrelenting. "I would have taken you right here, right now," he said. "Mostly because I can," he whispered into her ear. She could only blush more and swat at his chest.

It seemed as if he already had his next move planned. He wasted no time in acting on it, in such a calculated way. Calypso almost felt like it was a play in his head. She would hardly object to him playing director a bit.

Robert picked her up, quickly, and hooked his arms under her ass to keep her pressed close to him, and walked straight up to his room.

"Showing off today?" She asked in between his endless stream of kisses.

"Only for you, just for you," he said with a wink. He placed her down gently on the bed, right in the center. Then, with a turn on his heels, he went to put a record on. Calypso barely noticed what he was doing. She only noticed he was gone as she spread her legs.

Whatever he threw on hardly mattered. Robert had mumbled what it was. Both of them hard more pressing matters at hand. He, especially, had his mind focused on so many other things.

It was a slow walk back to the bed. It felt almost like a show as he stripped off his clothing. Nothing could have ever made her wetter. Calypso couldn't help but gasp once he was fully naked.

The view in front of her was one of a God. She felt truly blessed to be able to see him like this. Calypso hadn't realized her good luck this morning.

The morning had been rushed, unlike now. They had been preoccupied with other thoughts. It had all been one been distraction. They had needed to work quickly. Now was a different beast. It felt like the world had stopped. There was no need to rush, tomorrow wasn't coming that quickly.

Any anxiety they might had felt, that she might had held, seemed to have simply melted away. Not to say that all the anxiety was gone forever. This feeling of ease was a talent of Robert's, she was realizing. No matter how bad anything had gotten, he had seemed as if he could just push it aside. Leave it behind, if just for a moment.

"You look more surprised now than you did this morning," he said with a chuckle. He crawled up the bed, and up her body. He hovered just above her.

"You would be too," she mumbled. Who wouldn't be surprised by all this? As she leaned up to kiss him, he began to pull her pants down.

"Babe, I swear, I'm never letting you leave this bed again if I get the choice," he whispered in her ear. She gasped and rolled her hips up against him. "My little Greek goddess," he said as he pulled off her shirt.

"Calypso was a muse," she mumbled. That, at first, seemed to only draw a grin from Robert.

He leaned into her, his lips barely an inch away from hers. "A muse, perhaps even more fitting," he said before kissing her. His fingers gently pushed up on her chin, forcing her to stay where he wanted.

His kisses quickly moved from her lips to her neck, eventually all the way down her body. Robert didn't stop until he spread her thighs apart.

"Now, would my muse mind? I believe I need a bit of inspiration," he said. He ran his finger down her slit as he looked up at her with a smirk.

Words were lost to Calypso. The sight between her legs, the feelings erupting from between her legs, were too much. Her brain and mouth were at a complete disconnect, and Robert knew this. Robert could see this. All she could manage was running her hands though his hair and smiling. Hopefully, he would take this as his yes.

Not that he would. She doubted things were ever easy right off the bat with him. It certainly seemed that way. He placed more kisses on the insides of her thighs. Clearly, he was teasing her. She knew this and just groaned. She squirmed in an attempt to get what she wanted.

He wouldn't give, though. "My dearest Muse, I am afraid I have to hear your beautiful voice to find my inspiration," he said. Robert looked up at her, both their eyes wild with lust.

"Who am I to refuse my Golden God?" She said after a few seconds. She wasn't sure where it came from, but she was grateful for it.

Robert, in return, only smirked. All at once, he was where she needed him most, licking and sucking expertly at her folds. Calypso's head rolled back against the pillow and her fingers grasped at his hair. Their teasing all throughout the evening had finally caught up to her.

She forced her hips up further into his face and wrapped her legs around his shoulders. It was the only way she could think to trap him there. Leaving her now might just kill her, she figured.

Just as she got to the edge, where she so desperately wanted to be, he pulled back. Calypso's hips canted up in an attempt to follow him, to follow her own pleasure. She just whined and looked down at him.

"What my dear?" He asked with a bit of a tut. Calypso didn't like this already. Now he had the stamina to keep up with her. More importantly, he had the stamina to keep up with his thoughts. That could be dangerous. She was at his mercy. Mercy of which she was sure no longer existed for her.

"Robert!" She whined as she arched her hips up a bit more.

"I can't read your mind, Calypso, babe," he said with a wink. "What is it that you want? You've just gotta ask." A wicked grin was painted across his face.

Her response, yet again, was to roll her hips. Maybe, she thought, just this time he would get the message? Or at least listen to it. Nothing could have prepared her for this. She needed him. He knew that, and yet she wasn't getting it. It was torturous.

"I want you," she finally mumbled. It was obvious that she wasn't getting anywhere without talking. The rules were to be made by him. She just had to play along.

"Is that so?" He said with a grin. Robert tossed his head his hair to the side as he moved to rest on his forearm. "What exactly do you want from me?"

Internally, Calypso could only groan. Once again, she arched her hips up to him. No fair, she had played by his rules. Now he had to give her what she wanted. At least, that's what she thought. Robert grinned as he slipped a finger inside her.

Calypso hadn't been entirely prepared for him to move so fast. She gasped and began to grind against his finger.

Robert chuckled as he began to pump his finger in and out of her. Her hips stalled, unable to keep up with the pace he was setting already. He slipped in a second finger, and then a third not long after.

Calypso, completely and truly, was lost for words. Thoughts were gone from her brain. Her head was rolled back as she let out moan after moan. All she thought about was cuming. It was all she wanted. She was so close; she could practically taste it.

Just as the ledge was about to slip out from under her, Robert stopped. She whined again, frustration building in her body. What the fuck was he up to now?

Robert kissed his way, slowly, back up her body. "As much as I'd love to watch you squirm and beg all night," he pressed a kiss to her lips, "I'm dying for you, babe."

This time, she didn't think Robert was asking for words. If he was, he'd be shit out of luck. Calypso spread her legs for him. Robert wasn't looking for words. Wasn't looking for anything more past that. He moved and she wrapped her legs around his waist, trapping him this time.

Robert guided himself in. There wasn't a single intention of stopping anywhere in his body. He bottomed out after a couple seconds, clearly teasing both himself and her one last time. She grasped and reached to pull his face closer to her.

For the first few thrusts, and the matching kisses, it was gentle and slow. Neither of them wanted that. They both knew what they needed. He began to pound into her, hard and fast, Calypso unable to do anything but moan in his ear. Their guests were now long forgotten to her.

It was just a few minutes more before they both finished. Robert fell over his own edge just seconds before Calypso. If she could talk, she would have called him greedy.

For some time, they just laid like that, Robert on top of Calypso, still inside her. None of this really made sense to her. Her brain was having a hard time processing and accepting the events of the last few hours. She was hardly complaining.

Once he came to, Robert began to press gentle kisses all over her face before rolling off, and out, of her. Calypso just giggled. "Suppose you get the real 70s experience now, magic included," he said.

Calypso could only roll her eyes and laugh. Her hand came up to play gently with his hair. "I certainly didn't expect all this when you offered," she said.

"Neither did I," he said with a chuckle. It was a little bittersweet, she supposed. "I should be used to this sort of thing by now," he said. She could only bring herself to laugh a little. What exactly had they gotten up to back in the day? Calypso hardly doubted anything could make a logical jump to this nonsense.

"I can't ever imagine getting used to this kind of life," she said. It had broken a few moments of silence. The words themselves surprised her. They seemed to just erupt from her body, as if they broke off from some part of her subconscious.

"You should, if you plan to stay," Robert said after a moment. His voice was soft. Perhaps he was just as shocked about the words as she was. It was hard to say. She felt so unsure of what he meant.

Before Calypso could say anything, Robert beat her to it. "We don't have to talk about it now, or ever, if you don't want to have anything explicit," he mumbled.

"I know this isn't what you expected. No one could have warned you, or even thought of this," he said. "I had to press for a week, after all," he chuckled.

She opened her mouth to speak, to fight him on that point. But he silenced her by placing his finger to her lips. "Not tonight, tonight is to settle and get adjusted. Float for a bit, if you will," he placed a kiss to her lips. "Stay, don't give me a time. Never give me a limit. Just stay, for as long as you'd like, a permanent guest, if you will."

Tears watered a little in her eyes. It'd been so long since she had heard someone to ask her to stay. She couldn't refuse his request. Not that she ever would, this was her miracle.

Here Robert was, offering her essentially eternity. There was no way to refuse that! This was the stuff of her wildest dreams. Calypso couldn't turn him down, never would turn him down. The last thing she wanted to do was tie him down. What if he bored of her? What if life changed for them?

"Just say yes," he mumbled once again. He could see the uncertainty in Calypso's eyes. It was clear she was stuck between her own thoughts. Robert wished to bring her out from that.

"Yes," she mumbled as she looked up at him. Robert pulled her close, not saying another word after that. There was none left to exchange. Anything else they could say on the subject would work against his rules. They weren't too worry about anything tonight. Calypso wouldn't bring anything up until he did.

As they laid there, in each other's embrace, Calypso felt sleep begin to creep up on her. Her body was tired. The day had been long, both emotionally and physically. She closed her eyes, ready to slip into a peaceful night.

Just as she was almost to the point of no return, she felt Robert shift against her. He was rock hard already. It wasn't hard to notice, as he began to gently rock himself against her body.

"Already?" She teased before wiping any sleep from her eyes. He just laughed and covered her body with his.

"Always."