#don't get me wrong- I'm happy right now- you'd be hard pressed to find me on a day I'm not

[captain-crowfish]

They say to never trust how you feel about your life after 9PM but it's always before 9PM somewhere. Anyway I think I might be a therian

[appocalipse]

hello ♥ i'd like to request faded photograph + antique lock and key set with steve. maybe after what happened in s4 with steve and nancy and all that r decides to leave hawkins because she's sure he still loves nancy and she wants to move on? and if you want it could have a happy ending with one of those super cute love confessions ♥♥♥

ahhhh this is so steve! ♥ (also this is my version where eddie and max are alive and fine and hawkins is safe again)

visit amy's flea market ♥

"I need to tell you something."

Steve is not sure he likes the tone of your voice. It's somber, serious. His gut clenches, and for a brief moment, he scares himself with the thought that something might be wrong with you, something he might not be able to help with. 

And it's raining outside, for God's sake. It's never good news on a rainy day like this, is it?

"Everything... everything is fine?"

"Yeah. Yes, everything is...fine." 

You smile, but Steve notices it doesn't quite reach your eyes.

You look at him as if the words are stuck in your throat, as if they're heavy and you desperately want to get rid of them. 

Finally, you clear your throat. 

"I'm leaving."

Steve feels as if the wind has been knocked out of him. "What?"

"I'm leaving. Hawkins, I mean. Tomorrow."

You shrug, as if you're not sure what else to do with your arms, and then you turn around and Steve can't even attempt to read your expressions anymore. 

He knows you've been thinking about college and your future, but he thought... well, he thought you'd stay. You'd told him months ago that you were actually planning to stay. And now...

Steve clears his throat, trying to keep his voice steady. And because he's sure this can't be happening, he double-checks, "For...for good?"

"Yeah. For good."

The silence between you feels like a living thing, thick and suffocating. Steve can feel the weight of it pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. He wants to say something, anything, but nothing comes out. He's not sure if he's in shock or if he's just too stunned to form words.

"Why?" The question finally escapes him. "Why are you leaving?"

You turn back to him, and for a moment, Steve thinks he sees a glimmer of something in your eyes. Is it... sadness? Regret?

"I...I'm not sure, I guess," you say. "Just...why not?"

The words sound pathetic even to your own ears, but you can't help it. It's not like you don't love this place, this town, your friends... Steve. You do. You love it all.

Too much.

And it's different now. Hawkins is safe. The kids are safe. You're out of excuses to stay and get your heart broken a little further. It feels like it's time to move on, to leave behind the shadow of the Upside Down, to stop waiting for something to happen.

But Steve looks at you like you're making the biggest mistake of your life, and then he says the last words you'd expect him to say right now. "You want to leave and you don't even know why?"

It's not anger in his voice, but it's close. It's desperation and fear and a kind of raw pain that you'd expect to see in the eyes of someone who's just been told they have a terminal illness or something.

"I just..." you stammer, feeling the weight of his gaze pressing down on you. "I have to."

Steve shakes his head, looking as if he's trying to will you to stay. "You don't have to."

"Yes I do! In a way that you don't understand."

"Then explain it to me!"

You're angry now, and a little hurt. All of your other friends supported your decision; Eddie, the kids. Nancy. And out of all of them, Steve is your best friend. Shouldn't he understand most of all?

"It's not that easy! You don't understand what it's like here! I can't...I can't just stay!"

Steve takes a step back, clearly hurt. "What do you mean I don't understand?"

"I mean..." You trail off, feeling helpless. 

What are you supposed to do? Tell him how you are such a coward you cannot stand to see him and Nancy find their way back to each other? 

"...doesn't matter," you murmur. "Doesn't matter. You'll be fine, okay? You have... everyone."

The words taste bitter in your mouth, and you can tell they're not sitting well with Steve. He looks at you like you've just slapped him, and you feel a pang of guilt. But what else can you do? You can't tell him the truth. You can't tell him that you're leaving because you're terrified of never getting over your stupid feelings for him, of watching him and Nancy falling in love with each other all over again.

You can't tell him that every time you think about it, you feel like you're drowning.

"Look," you say, forcing a smile, "it's not like I'm never coming back or anything. I'll...I'll visit. And...and I'll...call."

Steve doesn't return your smile. He just looks at you for a long moment, his eyes searching yours, as if he's trying to find something. Something that you've been keeping hidden. And then he shakes his head, and a small, sad smile finally tugs at the corner of his lips.

"You know what?" he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe...maybe I should come with you."

You look at him, stunned. You hadn't even considered the possibility. Steve...leaving Hawkins? With you? It's a strange, surreal thought, and...no. Absolutely not. 

That would totally ruin your plan. 

"What?"

"Yeah," Steve says, surprising you again. "I mean...why not? It's not like I've got anything keeping me here. And maybe...maybe it'd be good for me to get away. You know? See something new, do something different."

He looks at you, hope in his eyes. And for a moment, you almost consider it. Almost. Because it's so much easier saying yes to Steve than saying no. You could be together, away from all the memories and the reminders of everything you've been through...but you'd still be just friends. 

He'd be with you everyday, and that's the last thing you need. 

You can't stand the thought of watching him find someone else, fall in love, and live happily ever after. Of course, you want him to have all of those things; you just don't want to watch.

Steve seems to sense your hesitation, his hope fading. 

"You don't want me in your life," it's not a question. 

You panic.

"No! I mean...I do, I..." You can feel the words tumbling out of you before you even realize what you're saying. "You just..."

"Is that why you want me to stay here? Just so you don't have to deal with me anymore?"

"No!" You shake your head violently. "Of course not! That's not it at all!"

But the words feel hollow, even to you. Because in some twisted, secret part of your mind, that's exactly how you feel. You want him to stay here, where it's safe, where he can't get close to you, where he can't hurt you. You know it's selfish, but you can't help it.

Steve's expression softens, and he takes a step closer. "Be honest with me."

You make an effort not to move.

"I'm sorry," you manage to say, your voice barely audible. "I don't want you to come with me, but it's not because...I just...I don't think it's a good idea. It'd be better for you to stay here, where you belong. You deserve...you deserve to be happy. Your life is here, your job...she is here."

"She?"

"Nance."

Steve's face twists into a bitter grimace. "What does Nancy have to do with anything?"

"I just mean...well, c'mon, she was your first love, and you still love her, it's clear, a-and now she's single again-"

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second here," Steve says, his voice suddenly raised. "Nancy? You think I'm still in love with Nancy? You're kidding, right?"

You blink, surprised by the vehemence in his tone. But Steve has always been…protective of his feelings, refusing to really understand them. You had seen how he and Nance looked at each other when no one was around, how he would light up whenever she was near...even when you were in the Upside Down, fighting for your lives, Steve's eyes would sometimes drift towards Nancy, his expression softening. 

It's obvious to you.

"Forget it," you say. "It's none of my business, I just...I want you to be happy."

"I am happy," Steve says, his voice low. "I'm happy with you here."

It feels like the air has been sucked out of the room. You want to say something, to apologize or explain or reassure...but you can't find the words, and with the way Steve is looking at you now, you're not even sure what it is you want to say anymore.

"Steve," you murmur in a small, quiet voice, your heart feeling like it's tearing in two.

He takes another step closer, and you feel your heart start to race. He cups your face in his hands, his touch gentle but firm, and leans in until his breath is warm against your lips. "Don't go anywhere," he asks.

Right this moment, you're not entirely sure you'd be able to if you tried.

Your feelings are confused enough. Being this close doesn't help. 

"Steve," his name rolling off your tongue is somewhere between a plea and a warning as you look up into his eyes, chest heaving. You tell yourself you want to pull away, that you simply can't find the strength.

"You really think that?" he whispers. "You really think I'm still in love with her?"

His hands are still cupping your face, his thumbs brushing against your cheeks as his lips part, and he slowly leans in, closer, until his nose is almost touching yours. 

You fist your hands in the fabric of his shirt, trying to will yourself not to give in to this, to not feel this way, to not want this. "Please don't," you manage to choke out. "Don't do this."

His lips brush against yours, soft and hesitant. "Don't do what?" he whispers against your mouth. "Don't love you?"

"Steve." Desperation. Feels like the world is spinning out of control.

He pulls back, eyes searching yours. "What do you want me to do?"

Your throat feels tight. "Don't do this," you manage to whisper. "Don't choose me because you think I'm a consolation prize."

He frowns, confusion flitting across his features. "What are you talking about?"

You swallow hard, feeling the tears burning at the back of your eyes. "I don't want you to do this just because you don't want me to leave, or because you're lonely, or-"

Steve cuts you off with a gentle shake of his head. "I know that's not true, and you know that's not true," he says, his voice soft. "But if it's what you need to hear..." 

He kisses you properly this time.

It's the kind of kiss that makes your toes curl, your heart skip a beat, and your stomach flip-flop. It's the kind of kiss that leaves you breathless, and a little dizzy, and more than a little bit in love.  It's the kind of kiss that tells you, without a single word being spoken, that you are wanted, and cherished, and loved.

"Do you feel like a consolation prize when I do this?" he whispers against your lips. And he kisses you again, slowly, his weight pressing you against the wall. You feel the warmth of his body against yours, the hardness of his muscles beneath your fingertips. "Or when I do this?"

He trails his lips down your neck, leaving a trail of tiny kisses behind. You sigh, arching into him, and he chuckles softly. 

"Steve..."

"Or this?"

He pulls back slightly, cupping your face with his hands, looking into your eyes as he trails his thumbs across your cheekbones. The softness of his touch catches you off guard. His gaze is intense, searching, and you feel like maybe he can see something there that no one else ever could. 

"Do you really feel like a consolation prize?" Steve gently brushes his nose against yours. He smiles. "Because if you do..." He leans in, lips parting just enough for his breath to tease across your skin. "...I'll prove you wrong."

"Actually," you smile, feeling the warmth spread from your chest up to your cheeks. You wrap your arms around his neck. "I think I might need some more... convincing."

Steve grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, then." He leans in, pressing his lips against yours in a soft, gentle kiss. "I guess that's what I'll have to do."

[sluggmuffin]

𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 - send a prompt from either this list or this one & a character and i will write you a blurb!

Can I get number 2 from the 2nd prompt list with Earth 42! Miles?? Plss

ALSO HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK

Hugs From Behind ~ Earth 42! Miles Morales

Summary: Miles is low key a dick but it's okay bc it was an accident

Warnings: angst, crying, u make up in the end

A/N: oops. umm I didn't mean to make this angsty it just came out. anyways if u wanted fluff I will gladly write another one I love my boy

~~

"Get out" Y/n commanded, keeping their back to their window Miles had come in.

"Ma, cmon you can't be serious." He pleaded, swinging himself over their window so he's fully in their room.

"Get. Out" Y/n repeated through gritted teeth, organizing their desk further.  Truthfully, they didn't want him to leave. They just wanted an apology. And Miles knew that. And as hard as it is for him to admit he's wrong, he knew he had to do it.

"I'm sorry. Really I am."

"You said that last week. And the week before that. I want you to mean it."

He inched closer to Y/n, and even though they didn't want to give in, the minute he wrapped his arms around their waist they knew how this would end. Miles lay his chin on their shoulder, and pressed small kisses to their jawline.

"Miles"

"Yes ma?"

"I want a proper apology."

"Y/n," He starts, before pressing another kiss to your neck. "I'm very sorry I didn't respond to any of your texts-"

"for 7 hours" They mumbled.

"for 7 hours, yes. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand I'd be busy, and I'm sorry I didn't text you goodnight." He urged, swaying back and forth while keeping his arms around you.

"Miles, you know I always go to bed at 11:30, and if you can't respond to my messages past 4pm, then the least I expect is a 'sorry I'm busy right now baby, I'll text you later, goodnight' when I'm getting ready for bed. I've told you before that I don't want to have to wait, worrying about you, and I've told you before if I don't care if I have to go to bed without a text from you. I know my worth and if you won't give me 2 minutes of your life, then I don't need you." Their voice cracks, on the verge of tears they don't dare turn around to keep them from falling.

"Then why'd you wait" He asks.

"What?"

"You said it yourself. You would go to sleep without a text from me because you don't need me and you know your worth. Then why are you up at-" He leans over your shoulder to turn on your phone that's on the desk, a picture you have of the two of you at the pool as your background lighting up the room."-3am waiting for me?"

"I am not waiting for you," they scoff at the accusation. "I'm cleaning my desk."

"At 3am?" He cocks an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"Even though you hate staying up past 12?"

"Okay you know what Miles, yes I was waiting for you. I haven't heard from you for hours so I stayed up for the slim chance you'd text me back, or come apologize, because I really cannot go to bed without knowing your safe." They finally admit, a drop falling from their eye onto the floor.

"Ma, please don't cry," He cranes his neck that's still rested on your shoulder, pressing more kisses against their skin. "I'm really sorry, and if you can find it in your heart to forgive me" He pokes their chest, making the ends of their mouth curve upward. "Then I'd make it up to you as best I can, and I promise, with all my heart, that I will no longer leave you without sleep waiting for my texts."

He unwraps his arms from around Y/ns waist, turning them so their facing him. He gets a good look of their face, eyes puffy from crying, and tear streaks making marks on their face. He kisses the tears away before planting one last kiss on their lips.

"Anyways if you really did want me to leave... I can go. But if not let's get you to bed yeah?"

"Yeah." They agree, a smile tugging at their lips.

And with that, Miles never left them without a goodnight text again, but instead he left them with a healed heart, kisses, and hugs from behind.

~~

[ddejavvu]

Hi!

If you ever have time would you mind writing something angsty but super fluffy with someone fainting and Remus going into protective mode?

I’m very invested in reading your stories right now. Even when the idea of some isn’t my thing I just like your writing style.

Have a lovely day!

you are so sweet! i'm happy to hear that, and I'm sorry this took me a hot minute to write and post. i hope you still enjoy!

--

Remus had seen all the warning signs, and he's just glad you'd fainted in his room of all places. You'd been trailing off on your thoughts, your eyes had been blinking slower than normal, and you'd done that swaying-on-your-feet thing that only happened when your brain was feeling especially fuzzy. So when you fall, he's expecting it, and he catches you.

Even if he'd stuck your landing perfectly, slung his arms around your middle to keep you upright and taken you to his bed, he's still upset that he had to do it, and he's worried for when you'll wake up.

Of course, he doesn't lament taking care of you. No, what he's upset about is that anyone has to in the first place; he doesn't like that you have to live with the worry of fainting at any moment.

He's lost in thought, stroking your cheeks soothingly when Sirius and James burst in, already too loud for Remus's liking. He wants to return the same jovial greeting they give him, but it's hard when he has to rush to cover your ears. He knows you'll most likely not wake from their horseplay, but it feels wrong to subject you to all of that noise.

"Woah, sleeping beauty," Sirius cracks, peering at the way you don't even flinch when they're particularly loud, "What's their deal, exams?"

"They've fainted," Remus informs him, voice much quieter than his friends', "I'm sitting with them until they wake up."

"Oh, shit," James hums, brows furrowed in concern, "They okay?"

"Yeah, s'fine," Remus rubs a tired hand over his face, exasperated that there's nothing he can do but wait, "Just happens sometimes."

"Do they need- like, water, or something?" Sirius stands stiffer than he normally does, on edge at your unconsciousness. Remus smiles gratefully at the man, nodding towards the bathroom.

"Yeah Pads, that's a good idea. Can you get some?"

"On it," Sirius mumbles, socked feet padding to the bathroom in search of a glass.

James perches on the bed beside your feet, careful not to jolt you where you're laying in Remus's lap. He presses two tentative fingers to your wrist, finding a pulse there that loosens the knot of worry in his chest.

"They're fine," Remus promises, keeping his voice to a low murmur, "They just need a minute."

"Water," Sirius chimes, setting the glass on the nightstand. He sees your lashes flutter slightly, watches as your fingers twitch, "Uh, Prongs, let's leave them alone."

"Right," James clamors off of the bed, watching apprehensively as you blink your eyes open, blearily looking at Remus's pudged chin as he stares down at you.

The two leave without another word, and you sit up groggily, with the help of Remus's hand on your back.

"Hi, dove." He smiles kindly, "You feeling okay?"

"Mhm," You rub at your left eye with a knuckle that's far too aggressive for Remus's liking. He pulls it away, and smooths the discomfort away with his gentle thumb instead.

"Here's some water, courtesy of Sirius," He hands over the glass, "Why don't we rest for a bit?"

"Okay," You hum, drinking nearly half of the glass and settling back into Remus's warm embrace, "Rem?"

"Hm?"

"Did you catch me? Before I hit the ground?"

"I did," He grins into your hairline, arms tightening around your waist, "I'd never let you fall, dove."

[jayke0]

You Know I Love It When You Beg

Pairing: Steven x fem reader

Summary: kinktober day 2, Public Play

Rating: 18+

Warnings/content: public play, vibrating toys (cock massager and insertable vibrator), Dom!Reader, Sub!Steven, teasing, cum in pants, cumming easily, who ever cums first gets fucked, mention of pegging, light mocking, name calling (just mild British insults), lmk if there's anything else i should add :).

Word count: 1,071

Credit: @automnepoet for proofreading ily.

...........................................................................

"Love, can we try something?"

Steven's voice echoes from the hallway as he approaches the kitchen where you're sat, phone in one hand and tea in the other.

"Mmmm depends... if it's anything like those cardboard tasting crisps, then absolutely not." You chuckle, but as you see Steven's nervous face your laughter is cut short, "Sure darling, what's up?" You put your mug down.

Steven chews the inside of his cheek (a habit you'd tried to get him out of months ago but to no avail) as he places the boxes on the table, sheepishly occupying the seat opposite you. 

You examine one of them before holding it up next to your face. "Vibrators? Why are you so nervous about this? Not like we haven't used them before—" 

"I wanna go out with them on, maybe to like, a posh restaurant or something," he quickly interjects. "I think it'll be... fun, if that's the right way to describe it. I'm sure I'll regret calling it that later." He chuckles a little uneasily.

"Oh."

The idea fills you with excitement, and that's evident by the grin that creeps across your face. "You sure you can handle that, sweetheart?" You batter your eyelashes at him and reach out to take his hands "You know how fast you cum." 

Steven huffs in response. "All the more reason to do it! You're just as easy to work up, dear." He raises a brow at you before leaning closer "What's wrong, you scared?" The evil grin now plastered on his face instead.

"No! No... of course not— take that goofy look off your face—" you shove his head gently which results in a giggle from the man. "So you'll do it then?" He asks eagerly, and it's hard to say no to his stupid happy face.

You'd both agreed not to turn them on until you've actually reached the restaurant, otherwise it'd kind of ruin the whole fun of it… given how easy you both get worked up, despite how you argue that you don't.

Fortunately, you get seated in a somewhat closed off booth, and you notice how steven seems a little relieved at that.

"Steven."

"Yes, dear?"

"You look very handsome this evening." You compliment, and he's about to thank you for your kind words, but he's cut off by his hand slapping over his mouth.

"You bugger..." He manages to groan as he feels the vibrations already buzzing through his slacks.

You give him a smug look. "Oi, that's not a very nice way to talk me after i compliment you! Maybe I should turn it u—"

"No!" Steven's hand flies over your phone to protect his dignity. "Not yet... please." He breathes, giving those big puppy dog eyes that you always fall for. 

"Oh baby, you know I love it when you beg."

That warrants a quiet whimper from Steven, and honestly you're surprised how he's already getting worked up over this; he must've been fantasizing about it for a long time. 

Steven is patient though, always is, and that's one of the things you both love and absolutely hate about him, because he can edge you for hours sometimes, bring you to that cliff just to rip you away from it for the 6th time. He waits till you've relaxed before striking, waiting till you ask the waiter to take your orders to pounce on you.

A shiver runs up your back as you feel the buzzing perfectly stimulate your clit, the sudden feeling making you bite down on your lip hard. You briefly give Steven a death stare before continuing your order… only to feel him turn it up further. The vibrator is pressed against that sweet spot inside you, and you find it difficult to not rock back on it with the waiter breathing down your damn neck. You hide your moan with a cough and thankfully get through the order, and once the waiter is out of sight you turn Steven's all the way up.

His sly smirk is quickly wiped from his face as his hips buck forward instinctively and he hides his face in his hand.

"You prick," you mumble to him, now slightly rocking against the buzzing like you wanted to a couple of moments ago, "you handsome prick." 

Steven looks at you, and you can see how fast his chest is rising and falling now, but the look he's giving you is one of complete submission; was it really that easy?

"Oh c'mon, you're not gonna cum yet are you, sweetheart?" You mock lightly while your hand rubs his shoulder. You lean in towards his neck and take in the smell of his cologne (your favourite one) before nipping the skin. "Don't cum Steven, I wanna get fucked tonight."

That, of course, only makes his situation worse, his face now beet red. "God, I can't help it, shit it feels so good." He moans softly and reaches for your phone to turn it down.

You let him, since you don't want it to be over too early… and you at least want your starter.

You're still rolling your hips towards the pleasure vibrating through your underwear when the waiter brings over your desserts, the starter and main having gone surprisingly easy despite both of you now huffing and arousal seeping through your underwear. 

"Thank—yOU—" another moan hidden by a cough when Steven tries to embarrass you again.

You look at him darkly before running your hand over his thigh, resorting to the one thing that you know works on him; fuck cares if it's cheating.

"Please baby, I want you to cum for me..." you whisper in his ear with your best desperate tone, "Just want you to make a mess in your underwear, can you do that for me, sweetheart?" 

And boom, that's all he needed as he shrinks in on himself and hunches over, his body shaking a little while his hips wildly buck against thin air. He can't moan, but there's pants reminiscent of whimpers that leave his lips, until eventually he calms down.

"Good boy." You praise and pepper kisses over his neck and cheek, hand running up and down his back comfortingly.

"I want you bent over the bed when we get home, yeah?"

All Steven can do is nod enthusiastically, his cock already growing hard again at the thought of you fucking him just the way he loves.

...........................................................................

Prompts by: @/flightlessangelwings

Tagging people: @cowboymarcs @sad1st1c-wh0re @poopoobuttsy @boredzillenial @mllover260 @simpforbritgents @saevenswelt @partssoldseparately @keira-kaz2y5 @theincredibleinkspitter @l-lune @red-hydra

[woongisi]

Brand New God // Choi Jongho

sub!Choi Jongho x dom!fem!reader // SMUT

WC// 3.2k

Synopsis// Jongho was the perfect son in the eyes of the church. It was your mission to change that. Opportunity comes once he consumes you with a particularly sinful confession.

Warnings// blasphemy, corruption, angst for a bit, oral (male receiving), no protection (pls use it even for oral), improper use of confessional booths, dacryphilia if you squint

Author's Note// This has been a long time in the making. Hope my other religious trauma mfs enjoy it as much as I do. Title is an iDKHOW reference. ☺︎♡

---------

Jongho wasn't the preacher's son, but he may as well have been. Never late to mass, always helping the elders, scolding the children, the whole lot of it. Sung in the choir. Formerly an altar boy. The envy of every parent's eye.

He was always excited to see you even if he had to preface his greeting by asking why you missed mass yet again. Despite his general duties and all he was never much of an extrovert. You always felt the air of awkwardness that hung around him when he approached you. If anything gave away that he was happy to see you… it was his glossy eyes and trembling smile that he tried so hard to suppress.

Being the son every parent wanted had its perks but many downfalls in the end. Most of the other people your age had largely abandoned the strictness of their faiths. Many still kept their beliefs but no longer felt such pressure to be perfect. In turn, they tended to find Jongho annoying.

You, however? Something about him was cute. Just how nervous he was to speak to you. The deep blush that he tried to hide whenever he told you that you looked pretty. You told yourself you only really went to church out of obligation, but now you'd begun to think you were there for him more than anything. You knew he was perfect. You knew almost for a fact that he'd never touched anyone else or even himself. You'd love to ruin him but at the same time you'd accepted you'd never get to.

Right?

Something about today was different. Jongho's face was red the second he saw you, red before he'd so much as stood up to greet you.

“Miss! You look pretty as always.” He piped up and almost immediately turned to skitter away. Only stopping once you grabbed the sleeve of his shirt.

“Thank you, Jongho. Always the gentleman. You look quite handsome today yourself.” You smiled and ruffled his hair a bit. “You seem nervous. Are you alright? Are you sick?”

“N-no I’m ok!” Jongho avoided your gaze like his life depended on it. “Lying is a sin, Jongho, lying is a sin.” He whispered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Ok, look! Can… Can I ask you something?”

“Anything you want, sweetheart.”

Jongho swore he'd just passed on. There was no way. No girl his age had ever called him that before… only the little old ladies.

“You- What- Ok, ok come on just follow me, alright?”

Jongho led you back to the confession booths. They were somewhat secluded, given the nature of their use. Standing with your back pressed against the wall, Jongho couldn't even hold eye contact as he stood sheepishly in front of you.

“I- Last night-” Jongho huffed and hid his face. “Stop looking at me like that!”

“Like what?” You smirked. “I'm not here to judge. It's just kinda cute seeing you so nervous.”

“Cute…? Anyway! Gosh! Last night I…” One glance at the low hem of your shirt had shut him down. “Never mind. It's ok! I don't wanna talk about it anymore.”

“Get in the goddamn booth.”

“W-What? First, don't use the Lord’s name in vain. Second… what?”

“Just pretend I'm the priest, k? You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Jongho?”

“This feels wrong, but… fine.”

Jongho sat in the booth and closed the curtains with trembling hands. He'd sat in this exact spot so many times and confessed to so many little sins. Little white lies, things that weren't even necessarily sins that he simply felt guilt for. This time he couldn't shake the anxiety.

Situated on the other half, you slid the small wooden door to the side to reveal the rectangular screen that kept you both apart.

“Right. Now tell me what's got you so bothered?”

Shame devoured Jongho from head to toe. He couldn't even believe he was sitting here letting you play priest. Why the hell was he doing this? Couldn't he just tell the actual priest when it was time for confession?

“Well, last night I had a dream.”

His voice has gotten low. You could tell he was trying hard not to stutter and could almost picture his eyebrows furrowed as he picked at his nails.

“I had a dream about a girl.”

“Mhm? What's odd about that?”

“She…” Jongho sighed. “She was touching me.”

“Like a hug?” You caught on to the fact it wasn't anything innocent in an instant but took any chance you could to hear Jongho confess. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience after all.

“N-No. She was on her knees, she was dragging her nails along my thighs.”

“Ah, those thick thighs of yours? I see.”

Jongho chose to ignore that charged comment.

“She leaned down and put her mouth on my- uh- privates. And… why am I telling you this?!”

“Just relax. Let it out.”

“Ok…” The memories from the night before raced through the boy's brain. He felt like he might faint. “She bobbed her head up and down. Told me I looked handsome. Looked up at me with those shining eyes… didn't stop until I… you know.”

Jongho had slumped against the backboard of the booth, evident by the creaking. His hands nervously fidgeted with the hem of his striped wool sweater.

“She was just so beautiful, y/n… she looked like a dream.” A moment’s silence. “I mean I guess she was a dream. I just feel so filthy. I've never had a dream about that. I've never thought about someone like that. I've never even-”

You cut his rambling off. “Kissed someone? Touched yourself?”

“Both of those…” he murmured. “The worst thing about the dream is that we weren't married.”

“Jongho?”

“Yeah?”

“Was this girl me?”

“Yeah…” Jongho’s head hit the wall with a light thud.

The next thing he heard was shuffling, the cracks of old wood, and the curtain being shoved to the side.

“W-wait! I'm sorry… just… don't go.” He shot to sit straight up. “Forget what I said. Please, you're my only real friend.”

You swore you heard his voice crack at the end.

“The others our age aren't kind to me. I pretend it doesn't bother me and remember the Lord has a plan for me, but… you can only take so long of being surrounded by old people and little kids before you start to wonder what's wrong with you.”

He was undoubtedly crying now.

“You're probably already gone. Great job, Jongho, you ruined the only thing you had. Loser.”

Your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach. Unbelievable. He was what the kids wanted to grow up to be like, yet he had such a low opinion of himself?

He about jumped out of his skin once you pulled his curtain away just enough to look in at him. Though it hurt to see him like this, he did look gorgeous. His full cheeks were a rosy pink, his lashes clumped together by the big wet tears that rolled down his face. You hated how it turned you on. Just a bit.

“Y-you didn't leave?”

“Oh, Jongho…” You pouted and extended your hand out to him. “No, I wouldn't leave without a word. I wouldn't leave, period.”

When he took your hand into his you could tell his body was shaking. Though he moved to stand up, it didn't last long before he was dropped on his knees, hand still on yours. You found yourself following shortly behind.

Jongho was properly sobbing in every regard, chest heaving, his mouth babbling nonsense to beg you for forgiveness. You shook away his hand and knelt to one knee. Placing a hand upon his shoulder was the only act it took for his arms to reach around your waist and pull himself against you, his face buried in your neck, his hands gripping the fabric of your shirt like you were going to disappear.

“Jongho…”, You rubbed circles on his back. “Come on. Look at me.”

Jongho obliged with hesitation, still avoiding looking into your eyes. You, of course, followed his eyes.

“I'm no prude. You can't get rid of me that easily. I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart. I didn't know you felt so alone, but, honestly… words aren't enough right now.”

You leaned in and placed a kiss on Jongho’s cheek. It was salty, but his skin was smooth against your lips. He flinched in shock but once you pulled away, he found himself wanting more.

His voice was barely above a whisper. “Wait. Can you do that again? Please… this time on my-”

You didn't let him finish his sentence before swooping back in and taking his lips into your own. He gasped so sweetly into your mouth, he tasted like honey and hints of sweetened coffee. Undoubtedly his breakfast.

“Follow my lead, okay?” Jongho was quick to agree.

Based on watching him suck on his bottom lip when he was nervous, you'd figured they'd be soft. They were pillowy, warm, and tasted like vanilla chapstick. His large hand had a death grip on your wrist and you could tell he was riddled with anxiety.

“Jongho, fuck. You taste so good.” You sighed deeply back into the kiss. Jongho's returned advances were shy but undoubtedly needy. The kiss was broken only long enough for you to take his ear lobe gently in your mouth, exercising care not to catch on his studded earring.

Jongho flinched and whined before melting into your touch once more. His mind felt hazy, sluggish, but oh so happy. He’d never dreamed of feeling this way. He didn’t expect to feel any kind of sexual gratification until he was married… whenever that may have been. The guilt he felt for letting you go at his neck in the middle of his lifelong church was immense, but part of him found it unbelievably hot.

“Mmh, please,” Jongho’s hand rested on the back of your head. “Don’t stop.”

“You can touch me, honey.” You smirked and shimmied your jacket off your shoulders. “Wherever you want. I’m yours to explore.”

Jongho was nothing short of eager, with his hands starting to roam the shape of your body. Every stripe you licked down his neck and every sloppy kiss brought forth unholy noises from his throat. His warmly tinted skin blossomed in shades of purple and blue with your manipulation. You’d just have to give him some of your concealer.

“Jongho?”

“Yes, dear? His head slumped forward with a pant.

“Your dream. Wanna make that a reality?”

“What? Isn’t that a-”

“Sin? Mhm. If you don’t sin a bit then Jesus died for nothing.” You giggled. “Besides, it can’t get much worse than what we’re doing already.”

Jongho thought for only a moment before whining and nodding eagerly.

You removed yourself from Jongho and leapt to your feet. “Ok, well we shouldn’t do that right here on the floor. Come on, get back in the booth.”

Jongho leaned back against the wooden wall with his hands bracing himself on the railing.

“Gonna unbutton those pants, alright?” As usual, Jongho was outfitted in slim-fitting black dress pants and a white button-up, complete with a black tie. He truly did look stunning even if you’d never be able to get him to accept it.

Jongho inhaled deeply, watching your every move as you dropped to your knees and fumbled with the clasp of his belt. Undoing it, you waited a moment to fully pull his pants down.

“You’re hard, Jongie~.” You cooed and rubbed the back of his thigh. “Have you ever been hard before?”

“Not outside the ones you get through puberty… or when you're scared for a presentation… well, not until that dream.” One hand brushed your hair out of your face.

“Oh? Sweet boy. I’ll be gentle, I promise.”

Soon enough, Jongho had shrugged his neatly ironed slacks to the floor. Your intuition told you he’d be big… But fuck. He really was. His boxers weren’t tight-fitting in any regard, but the tent formed in them was considerable.

“Oh hell, Jongho! Seriously?! This is what you’ve been keeping from the world all this time.” You groaned and fidgeted with the rim of one of the legs of his boxers. You glanced up long enough to catch his deep brown eyes staring down intently. You’d be lying if you said it didn’t make you a bit antsy to be under his gaze like this.

“I got you, ok?” Jongho hummed nervously at your words.

Your hand moved across the form of his dick just enough to give him an idea of what to expect from this. The way he jolted was enough to let you know he enjoyed it. You rubbed your hand over him with a flat palm and relished in the girth you could already tell he possessed underneath the fabric.

“You’re so fucking big, damn, did you even realize that?” Jongho shook his head feverishly.

“N-no… am I really?” Jongho felt his heart skip a beat, his hand hovering over you.

You could feel his presence over you and grabbed his hand, moved it to your hair, and gave it a reassuring pat. His fingers scratched at your scalp as if on instinct, soothing himself to the feeling. Every movement of your palm sent electric shocks up his spine.

Deciding it was due time for more, you inquired as to whether you could remove his boxers… met with an overwhelming agreeance. His cock sprung from under the confines of his underwear, causing him to wince at the newly cold air. His length was nothing to laugh at, you’d be a fool not to note the considerable circumference and upward curve as well. He was unshaven as you expected with curly black-brown hair over the expanse of his balls and above the base of his dick. He had a rather prominent happy trail which, fittingly, made you incredibly happy. He was circumcised with the skin around the head a shade lighter than the rest. The tip glistened with pre-cum in the dim light. Jongho squirmed under your watch.

“I-is something wrong? Do you not want to anymore…?”

“I… I’m kind of in shock honestly. Your dick is almost as pretty as you… almost.”

Jongho whined and gripped your hair lightly in response. Your free hand caressed the expanse of his firm thighs, the other encasing the head of his dick.

“A-ah, careful!” Jongho resisted the need to buck his hips against your touch. “I-I’m sensitive. Really.”

You hummed in acknowledgment, gathered a considerable amount of drool in the space of your cheeks, and let it run down onto him. The warm sensation melted the boy’s mind. You gave him a few languid strokes to spread the makeshift lube along the length of his shaft. Using three fingers, you rubbed a deliberate line up the prominent vein situated on the underside of his cock. Jongho’s labored breathing filled the confined space with need.

“Such a pretty thing, you are.” You purred and left a quick peck just below Jongho’s navel. “Such a needy boy.” Your movements matched up with your strokes and fondles.

“Feels good, doesn’t it? Don’t worry about replying, babe. Just listen to me.”

Jongho stroked your cheek with trembling hands. “You’re so beautiful.” His words almost carried a pout and made your heart melt. They felt sincere. Like you could trust them. He meant it outside the heat of the moment.

You met Jongho’s gaze tenderly. “So, you meant it all those times, didn’t you? All the times you greeted me before mass?”

Jongho’s voice was velvety smooth in his response. “Of course I did. Even besides lying being a sin… I’ve always thought so from the first time I saw you. Always…”

“Oh, Jongho… Jongho by the time I’m done with you, you’re only going to want to worship to me.”

Feeling you’d worked him up enough by now, you took his cock into your mouth, giving him time to adjust to the new feeling. You hollowed your cheeks and sunk your head further down around him, embracing the struggle once his length hit the back of your throat. Your gag panicked Jongho, urging him to nervously make sure you’re okay. You lent him a reassuring rub to his thigh, taking his cock back into your mouth with a hum.

Jongho’s grip on your hair tightened in congruence with his loudening moans. He felt as if he might die. He felt he might’ve already died because could heaven be any better than his current situation? He wasn’t so sure anymore.

“Feels so good, y/n, so good.” Jongho’s voice broke toward the end of his statement. You took into consideration how he wasn't used to this, planning every ministration carefully to ensure he enjoyed each moment that he lasted.

Introducing a hand to the mix, you wrapped your hand firmly around the base of his cock. This gave you a bit of stability in leverage so that you could swirl your tongue all over. Around the tip, tease the slit of his head, gently over the thin band of skin below it. You pulled back from his cock with a pop to catch your breath.

“Doing ok, Jongho?” You sighed and rested your cheek against his thigh for a moment.

His head was thrown back to rest against the wood of the booth, forehead damp with sweat. He granted you a thumbs up which you found incredibly in character.

“Cum whenever you're ready, alright? Just let me know.” You lowered yourself down a bit further in order to take one of his balls into your mouth. With one hand twisting and tugging at his cock, you knew he wouldn't take much longer to bust. It seemed you were right, whimpers filling the space around the two of you.

“Close-” Jongho groaned and desperately reached for your hand that was grasping at his toned thighs. You accept his advance, intertwining your fingers with his and squeezing reassuringly. His nails digging into the skin of your hand and his breath fully catching in his throat was the last sign you needed.

Swiftly, your mouth sank back around Jongho just in time for his climax. White hot cum coated the inside of your mouth, plenty of it, that had undoubtedly been waiting since his dream. You wondered briefly how uncomfortable it was for his balls to have been so full. Once Jongho came back down to reality enough, the gravity of what you'd done set in on him.

“You… you swallowed it?!” He gasped, shocked that was even a possibility.

“Mm,” You popped off of his length and shook your head. Opening your mouth wide so he could see his load pooling on your tongue, you made a show of swallowing every last drop. “Now I did.”

After a moment of silence Jongho cocked his head to the side. “Does it, uh, taste good?”

“Only because it's yours.”

Helping Jongho clean up with tissues you kept in your purse, you let him buckle his belt and help you to your feet.

“Don't you want anything in return?”

“Only for you to be mine and only mine.”

“O-Oh, I can do that. But what about your…?”

“Let's wait ‘til mass actually ends. They're gonna wonder where we've been. Come on, Jjongie.”

Anticipation shivered up his spine, taking your hand into his own to lead you to the doorway that opened to the main hall of the church.

Jongho took the initiative to kiss you tenderly. “I'll make up some excuse on the spot.”

“Deal.”

[purpleberiii]

"You belong to me"

☆Prompt: Part 2 of the previous Shalom fic

☆Warnings: Reader vs Rahu, manipulative Shalom, reader hurting Anne, Shalom making reader jealous.

☆A/n: let's just pretend that Reader (chief) has never met Rahu (I'm talking about the rainburst event). A small Fic to keep this blog alive 😭

While Shalom stayed in a grand hotel and assisted you with your tasks, things have been going downhill between you and Anne, mostly because of your old feelings being stirred up back again. Anne knew from the very beginning that you still liked Shalom but she wanted to hear it from you.

Things ended between the two of you and it hurt Anne to know that she couldn't be the one to win your heart. Guilt had driven a hole in your mind when you broke up with her and Shalom felt victorious and smug. All of your attention will finally be on her but that wasn't the case, you wanted to find Anne and apologise but Shalom stopped you. She pulled you into an empty storage room and pushed you up against the wall, her hands cupping your face as her nails dragged themselves down your face.

"You love me still right?" She asked-more like whispered. Stuck in a trance with her eyes, you nodded hopelessly as she chuckled. "Then don't ever go to that Nurse. If you feel stuck, lost or drained, come to me. I'll always keep you safe and protected and... Happy. You belong to me Y/n, don't forget that."

If nothing couldn't have taken your breath away, Shalom definitely could. She left you all flustered in the storage room and it built hopes of the two of you starting a possible relationship.

But all those hopes were crushed when Shalom requested her bodyguard accompany her for the remaining of the days. The relationship between the two seemed like more than a bodyguard and client but you knew it wasn't your place to ask. Shalom could sense the irritation, hurt, jealously and betrayal all from you and it filled her with a sense of pride knowing you'd die for her love.

"Rahu, bodyguard of Miss Shalom. Pleased to meet you Chief of MBCC," Rahu extended a hand to you. Shalom's gaze was on you, the way you stared Rahu down, as if you were calculating her last breath.

"Pleasure to meet you too Rahu. I hope you find your visit a much eventful one." You shook her hand, your grip tightening as she winched in pain and in that exact moment, Rahu knew that you were the one Shalom kept talking and dreaming about. She knew she was in for a ride as the way Shalom kept talking about you, it was like you were her oxygen and she needed you.

"Rahu dear, you'll be staying in the hotel I'm in, in my room as well," she kept staring at you while she spoke. You didn't see, you were conversing with Nightingale. If Rahu had a tail, it'd be wagging right about now.

"Yes miss Shalom. Also, is she the one you were always..talking about?"

"Hmm, yes she is. Oh?~ is my Rahu jealous?~" she teased Rahu who looked away.

"Me? I-I'm not jealous, just surprise that you haven't made your move as yet."

"Why make my move when I have you?" Shalom pulled Rahu in by her collar and hovered her lips over hers. You turned around and at the same time, Shalom pressed a small kiss to Rahu's lips. "There, for being such a good puppy for me." Rahu smiled before Shalom dismissed her and turned to face you. She kept breaking you and that's what she wanted, for you to break under her.

"Y-you're together with Rahu?"

"No. I can never date someone like that. Besides, I've got my eyes set on someone," she smiled warmly, a smile that held a thousand words behind that.

"Shalom stop playing with me. You said I belong to you, but it seems like I'm not the only one."

"You're right you aren't. Rahu has kept me company for many years, is it wrong to reward her for her loyalty? Besides, if you still love me, there's a chance you might get me, if you try hard enough," with that, she left.

A million thoughts ran through your mind and then you remembered that Shalom was always like that and if you wanted her, you'd have to play by her rules and that meant competing with Rahu.

[bingbongsupremacy]

Wish You'd Make Me Cry

Pairing: Ellie Williams x reader

Warnings: Alcoholic Ellie, Arguing

Summary: From sweethearts to barely talking.

Idea from the song : Wish You'd Make Me Cry by UPSAHL

lmk if you guys want a Pt. 2? I have an idea of what to do but idk if I should make one.

Pt. 1 Pt. 2 Pt.3

*Not Proof Read* TLOU Masterlist

*****

I don't know where it went wrong. Things used to be fine. It used to be us against the world. We could handle anything that was thrown at us. All we needed was each other.

For a long time, all we had was each other.

How things change.

Somewhere along the way things changed. We stopped talking. Stopped hanging out. Stopped being around each other.

We used to think we'd be together forever. A power couple. Ellie and I against the infected. Now we barely kiss. We're luck enough to pass each other when shifts change.

My keys jingle against each other as I open the door to the house. The only light comes from the lit fire cracking softly in the living room. I kick off my shoes by the door, shutting the door behind me.

Ellie's body is lazily propped up on our shared couch. She nurses a bottle of liquor she found in her right hand, her left one tucked behind her head. She always manages to find a bottle of fucking alcohol. She glances up as I walk in, barely moving. She sends a nod of acknowledgement my way before taking another swig from her drink.

I sit down on the chair across from her, my gaze on the fire ahead. Like hundreds of nights before, we sit in silence, staring at the burning flame. Every once in a while the slosh of her drink interrupts the rhythmic crackling of wood.

" How did we get here. " My voice breaks through the thick silence.

I look over at Ellie to see her eyes staring at me. Empty. They look empty. No light. No happiness. No joy. Just empty. Completely different then the eyes of the girl I knew years ago.

" I ask myself all the time, " I continue. " how the fuck did we end up here. "

Ellie doesn't respond. Instead, she takes another drink.

" We used to be all over each other. Now we barely talk. What the hell happened. "

I wait for her to respond. Her eyes return to the fire.

" Ellie. " I press.

" I don't know what the fuck you want me to say. " Ellie mutters. " Shit changes. People change. We got older. "

" I just want you to talk to me. " I let out sigh from frustration. This isn't the first time I've tried talking to her. She refuses to fucking talk, insisting we do it another time. Eventually she ends up retreating to the room.

Ellie lets out a frustrated breath of air. " Fuck, Y/N. We've had this conversation a million times. How many more fucking times do you want to talk about it? "

" I just want to have a conversation where you actually participate. " My heart begins to pound. Not like the pounding I used to get when I first saw Ellie. It's not from excitement, it's from anger.

" I DO participate. " Ellie's voice gets slightly more aggressive. " You just don't fucking listen. " She takes another drink.

My eyes narrow. " Can you talk without fucking drinking for five fucking minutes? "

Ellie's eyes snap to mine. Annoyance clouds her jade eyes. " Oh fuck you. " She stands up and heads towards the direction of the stairs. She's leaving again.

" Ellie. Ellie! " I call after her, beginning to chase after her.

Ellie snaps back around. " What the fuck do you want from me, Y/N?! I don't know what to do here! What the hell do you want! " She yells.

A shiver runs down my spine. This isn't the girl I fell in love with. " I just...I just want you to make me feel something. " I say quietly. " I want to look at you and I want to feel the same way I did five years ago. I want to be able to talk to you without you immediately running away from me. I want us to be able to look at each other for longer than three minutes. Fuck, Ellie, I just want you back. " My voice lightly cracks.

Ellie's hard eyes don't waiver. " I'm not the same person I was five years ago. You need to get that through your fucking head, Y/N. We never should've gotten married. You wanted that. Not me. "

With that, Ellie turns back around. Instead of heading upstairs, she slips on her shoes and coat. She slams the door behind her, leaving me alone in our dark house.

I sit down on our couch, staring down at my hands. The band that once sent warm feelings through my body when I looked at it, suddenly starts to feel like a heavy weight on my hand. The memories attached to the ring seem to haunt me the longer I look at it.

Without a second thought, I make a decision. I don't know where the fuck Ellie went, probably the Tipsy Bison, but when she gets back, I'm not going to be here. I'm not going to be stuck in whatever the fuck this is anymore. I've tried. I've tried so fucking hard.

I grab my shit and make it back to the door. I take one last look around the house before putting out the fire. Pictures of Ellie and I liter the walls. Pictures Ellie drew of me when we were dating lay framed on the mantel.

As the house is submerged into darkness, I can feel a piece of my heart break off.

We just weren't meant to be.

[mayfieldss]

If we ever broke up - JJ Maybank

Warnings: mild angst, language, not edited / spellchecked because my computers are broken, and I'm just posting scraps from my phone.

"You two make me physically ill." It's Pope, voice heavy with disgust as JJ sits with his arms around you. Your figure is blanketed by his too-big-jacket, and the eyes of your friends linger on you both, perhaps for too long. "I don't think what you're doing is allowed, actually."

"What exactly are we doing, Pope?" JJ is warm, his body the comfort you need as he holds you closer. "Scaring you with our presence?"

He squeezes you tighter, his querie ringing in the air between your friends, and for a moment, you can believe that it's all fine. You're happy like this, with him, and he's happy with you.

You'd just pictured it differently, a life with JJ where chasing treasure wasn't all you had. Before all of it you could see yourself with him, dancing in the middle of the night, air cool on your skin. You could picture kissing him, no one around with only the stars to wittness. But that wasn't how you'd turned out, and despite what your friends saw, it wasn't as beautiful as you made it seem.

You'd loved JJ once, and you still did, but perhaps not as much. And there was something in you that knew he felt the same.

But still, you sat there, his arms keeping you pressed to his body, as if you were one person. That's what you used to be. You had once been close enough to say "attached at the hip" wasn't an exaggerated term. Now, you weren't so sure JJ belonged to you at all.

"I think I'm gonna head out." You stand, separating yourself from the safety of JJ's grasp. Whilst playing things safe is comfortable, it's not always the best remedy, and you know this now.

"You okay?" It's JJ, voice gentle before Pope cuts in with soft words of his own.

"Hey, Y/N, I didn't mean anything by it, I think y'all are cute"

But that's not the reason you're leaving, and somehow you think JJ knows. "I just think I better get home." Your gaze flickers to the blonde boy, and he stands in the few seconds it takes you to make eye contact.

"I'll walk you."

And he does. He walks you home, and the two of you stay in silence the whole way, until the driveway of your house lays in wait for you to walk upon it.

"Something's wrong, with us." You don't know why you say it, but it leaves you before you can think it through.

But JJ nods, "Yeah."

"I don't think we can make it right."

There's a silence, and JJ turns away, wincing into the blank space surrounding him.

"Yeah," he mutters the same word again, refusing to look at you. He knows what you have isn't working, that the two of you are unstable and unhappy in the limbo at which you've found yourselves. He just doesn't want to let you go, despite it all.

"JJ," your hand comes up to hold his, squeezing it gently. "We have to stop. This isn't healthy."

"I know, I-" he pauses, tearing his hand from yours and running it through his hair in the rough way that suggests his panic is setting in. "I love you, though, like, I do still love you..."

"But it's different now. Things between us are different now." You finish for him, the words enough to solidify how you both feel. It's tough, heartbreaking, and you can feel pieces of you falling away with every second that passes. But it's been too long, and if you don't rip the bandaid off now, it will hurt even more when you finally try.

"JJ, it's over. This has to be over."

Your words cut him, tearing through his skin right to his beating heart, and yet he stays standing, a solem nod all he can give.

"Yeah, I get it." The way he looks at you is painful, dull yet sharp in a way you can't describe. "I get it, I know we don't work right now, but we used to. We fucking used to. We can find that again."

"Jay," you want to stop him, you want to find the words to fix it. You can't.

"We found treasure baby, we can find us."

He's trying far too hard, and he knows there's nothing he can say. It's broken, and he's never been the type of glue that sticks long enough to fix something.

"This isn't a movie, JJ. It's not working, it won't work." There's a sigh that leaves you, a heavy one. "Night." You don't even try for a smile, not even a weak one, as you leave JJ to the darkness and head to your door.

OUTER BANKS TAGLIST: @scenesofobx

[buckyalpine]

hii so im not sure if you’re taking requests but if you are could you maybe to one where readers dog is having to be put down and she’s like rlly rlly upset and bucky comforts her? just like fluff x100 Im going through this right now and idrk what to do :/ thank you if you make it and if not I love all of your other works :)

Warnings: pet loss, angst, fluff

I don't even have a pet myself (I do babysit one) and this made me bawl ffs. I'm ugly crying so hard writing this rn. I'm so sorry this is something you have to go through, I'm sending you all the hugs, every single hug imaginable.

I imagined this with beefy Bucky, where he's still uncomfortable with physical touch which is why his comfort is so significant here.

You walked into the compound with red puffy eyes, you hoped and prayed that you wouldn't run into anyone because you didn't need anyone asked you what was wrong. Your sweet baby looked at you with tired eyes from the crate, it was like they knew. They blinked before putting their head down again, resting on one of their favorite teddies to play with.

You felt another wave of tears seeing them close their eyes, too tried to stay awake till you got to your room. You tried to get there as fast as you could before the cries escaped your lips. Bucky watched you carefully as he sat in the kitchen with his coffee, distress was evident on your face but he didn't want to pry. You ran to your room and locked the door, taking your fur baby in your arm for a final day of loving and hugs.

"I'm sorry baby" You whimpered, holding them close to your chest. They nuzzled into you, their paw on your shoulder, looking up at you and licking away some of the tears. Their eyes looked happy, as if they was ready. They knew it was their time and they needed you to know too.

It's okay mama.

You spent the day doing everything you could with them, giving them all the treats you could, taking them to their favorite spot in the park and giving them all the belly rubs you could. You took as many pictures as you could; you knew it would hurt each time you looked at them but you never wanted to forget this day.

Evening rolled around and you felt inconsolable. They slept by your side while you cuddled them close, you knew they had lived a long life. You'd given them every ounce of love you could but it still didn't feel like enough. If you could have just one more day. One more.

*****

You arrived back to the compound, all their little things in a box. Their collar. A little tag with their birthday date. A little clay mold to remember their paws. You hadn't told anyone because the sympathy would have hurt more but now the silence that filled your room was unbearable.

Bucky walked by your room, hearing your soft cries and the absence of paws pattering on the floor. His heart dropped, connecting the dots, he knew you didn't say anything but there was no way he was going to leave you alone during this time.

"Y/n" He knocked your door softly, while calling for you, only getting a muffled whimper in response. He opened the door, to find you wrapped up in your blankets, your face buried into your pillow to silence your sobs.

"I'm here, its okay" He didn't second guess anything, pulling you into his lap and tucking your body against his large frame. He wrapped his arms securely around you, surrounding you with his warmth, your hear resting under his chin. He made you feel protected, like you had someone to look after you again; less untethered while he held you firmly.

You tried to bite your lip to keep your cries in but the stronger he held you the harder it was to keep everything inside. Your face was in his chest, tears soaking his shirt as you let all your emotions go, melting into Bucky's arms.

"I'm here, I'm here angel, shhh" Bucky's voice was soft, his lips pressing soft kisses onto your head. His hands soothed you, rubbing your skin while your body trembled, his heart breaking because he'd only ever seen you smile.

The night wasn't easy, you'd woken up searching for your baby, only to find their spot empty. Bucky made sure he was there for you the entire time, holding you to his chest,

"Do you want to talk about it?" He whispered when he knew you were unable to fall asleep. You swallowed thickly, your throat feeling hoarse. Had anyone else asked you, you may have said no but Bucky was different. You nodded, recalling all the memories you had from when they were a puppy and all the adventures you had along the way.

"You loved them so much, couldn't have asked for a better mama" Bucky smiled down softly at you, his hand lacing with yours. "You took such good care of them. Even if it was just for a little while, you made them really happy. Showed them so much love. That's all they ever knew, how much you loved them"

You nodded, sniffling while he continued to hold you.

"Now you have all these beautiful memories with them. Those will never go away. They'll always be with you y/n, always" He kissed your forehead while you closed your eyes, your heart feeling a tiny sliver of peace. Even if you didn't have them forever, you had the best few years with them and you wouldn't have traded that time for the world.

"You can cry if you want to, I know the pain won't go away but you don't have to hold it inside. I'm always here to listen if you need"

And true to his word, Bucky made sure he checked in with you regularly. He had no problem hugging you through the night. During nights you found it difficult to be in your room, he quickly carried you over to his. The rest of the team were surprised to see him let anyone else there but he didn't feel an ounce of discomfort.

He knew pain. He thought about all the time all he needed was a hug and how he was met with cold silence instead. He would never let that happen to one of the sweetest people he'd ever met. No. He'd make sure you got the love you deserved. He coaxed you to get out more. Small walks. Trips to the coffee shop. Anything to keep you away from locking yourself in your room.

*****

He held you close, your head resting on his chest, his heart beat lulling you to sleep. You finally felt a sense of acceptance but the warmth of his arms was something you wanted to hold onto.

"Thank you Bucky" You whispered, snuggling further into his hold, it was clear to both of you, you wouldn't be leaving his arms ever any time soon.

"Of course angel" Bucky smiled softly, stroking your hair. He'd hold you forever as long as you felt safe.

[r0-boat]

Heyyy wassupp

(This is my first time using Tumblr after a long period of time so idk if I'm requesting how i should)

I'm not sure if you take SFW requests but if you do, here's my request:

Ingo and Emmet having a partner that is trans (Both FTM or MTF are fine) finally decides to tell them,but they're really shy about telling them?

Thank you! :)

Hi! Congratulations for sending your first request! Yes I do sfw and nsfw

I've always to right about something like this but keep in mind that I am not trans so if I get things wrong please please tell me! Because again I am not trans and I don't want to either spread false information or say something that's potentially hurtful or insensitive.

Trans!Reader x Ingo

Trans!reader x emmet

Shy Reader coming out to Ingo and Emmet as trans.

Emmet

He noticed something was off in your behavior recently; being very perceptive to behavior changes, the slightest difference could send him questioning. He knew you were shy, but you seemed more dismissive than fearful; immediately, he asked if you were okay, and you were scared stiff that your boyfriend was already on to you. He answered,' Yeah... I just wanted to talk to you later.' his heart was pounding, and Emmet was freaking out on the inside. He knew you were lying. The look on your face was everything. It was all he thought about. If something were bothering you, then he would want to know now at this second. So he could either fix the problem or make you feel better, but he knew that if it was important to you, then he should never press and force you to tell him until you're ready, no matter how much he doesn't like when you keep things from him.

His heart was pounding when he saw you again you look like you were ready to cry as you talked very Softly your voice breaking is you struggled to find your words. He waited, wanting to physically comfort you as you find what you were trying to say. When you finally tell him that the gender he's always known you as wasn't what you were born with. You frozen fear when you saw his face; however, his Blank Stare turned into something else when he sighed in relief.

No it wasn't because you were trans in fact he was extremely happy with the fact that you took the courage to come out to him. He reassured that he would always love you no matter who you were....

"then what about that sigh of relief and that look on his face?" You ask because of that split moment it did kind of freak you out.

"Oh when you wanted to talk I thought we were breaking up. I prepared for the worst. I'm verrrrry glad it wasn't that." Emmet said a hand scratching the back of his head feeling nervous about the whole thing that Signature Smile of his becoming softer.

He apologizes for how he acted earlier and if he had scared you. And the two of you got ice cream/lunch to celebrate.

Ingo

At first, he has a million questions. He reassures you that at any time, if you'd like to talk about it, please take your time to tell him. He does not pick up on your change in Behavior. However when you do tell him in his head, he tries to find the problem before you even try to talk to him all day. It's just questions about the times he was slightly annoying and vowed to change it.

When you wanted to talk about anything important it could never be in a public place since Ingo is still struggling with his volume control. And even then Ingo tried to talk a little quiet at you he's not sure if it actually helps or not he just doesn't want to become too much.

He takes all important talks with you with the utmost seriousness. You adore it but at the same time it's a little scary. It's really hard when he looks you directly in the eye. as you begin talking he listens, taking it every word, but he couldn't stay quiet for long occasionally making small comments as you continue with your story of when before you transition to gather your courage.

Then you told him his eyes widening. You were scared at first even though that face of shock was something you expected. But your worries quickly dissipated and your eardrums as well when Ingo shouted excitedly "BRAVO!! CONGRADULATIONS!!" He was sad that he wasn't there too celebrate with you when you transitioned or any Milestone that you went past or support your hardships and at the same time he was extremely happy that you told him this information and trusted him with it and it just all rolled into excitement.

His Outburst almost scared the trans out of you but nonetheless you were extremely happy he took it well giving him a smile despite your ears now ringing. Realizing what are you done he immediately starts apologizing for his outburst. He offers to take you out to a restaurant and pay for dinner anywhere you want.

[unluckyhoneybee]

honey bee, how are you? I know this is super specific but can you write something for mick, about him and his best girl friend are in love with each other but they don't know how to confess and it leads them to date other people and lots of angst but then a happy ending if you'd like? 🥰

Note: i'm so so so sorry for taking three months to answer this

You groaned. What was the point of this? You didn't even like Jason. He was a fucking prick you found on Tinder. But Mick was there with Selene and you had to smile and put on your best act. You weren't an actress, but this was Oscar-worthy.

Jason was a guy with not so much interest in boundaries. You had told him so many times to stop grabbing your ass in public. He ha only rolled his eyes and laughed it off.

Mick wasn't much happier. He couldn't even smile because Selene was with him and texting someone else. Mario. Who the fuck was Mario?

Again, what was the point?

Well, years of hidden feelings and pent up tension had driven the two of you to be a couple of stupid kids. It started when you matched with Jason after a party. One night thing became two nights and then three and then a regular hook up. Mick hated Jason with his whole soul. He was a prick, so full of himself to truly appreciate you. Mick hated him and was so jealous. His only solution? Do the same to you. He found a female version of Jason and dated her. When Mick told you he was dating Selene, yous stomach had turned. She was... Oof. So wrong for him. How would a girl like her be all Mick deserved? She only liked the money and fame. You went that day and asked Jason to be your boyfriend. And there you were both in horrible relationships only to get some stupid revenge.

The party was packed and Jason was possessive. His hand in your grip would surely leave marks. But at least he was gropping you. You eyes would move to Mick from time to time. He wasn't looking at you. Opposite to Jason, his han was carefully placed on Selene's lower back. The touch seemed to sweet and gentle and you craved for it. Mick was wishing it was you.

"We should go somewhere else. This house has 7 bathrooms, you know? Maybe we can find a good basin to bend you over"

You looked up at Jason. Sex was good yeah, but he was so fucking disgusting.

"I'm good. Maybe later"

"Later you will be to tired..." He said and his hand gripped your ass hard. You whined and pressed a hand to his chest.

"Jason"

"Listen. You let me fuck you now in that bathroom and later at home I'll fuck you slow how you like it"

You shook your head and tried to push yourself away. It only made him frown and grab harder.

"Jason please, you are pulling my drees up-"

"Let go of her" You heard behind your back.

Jason chuckled and pressed you to his side. "The prince is here"

You looked at Mick with panic in your eyes.

"Jason, let go of her"

"She is my-"

"She is not, mate" Mick said.

Jason laughed loud. You took the opportunity to move away from him and behind Mick.

"YN, what are you doing?"

"I told you to let go" You said.

"Are you going with him?" Jason said offended. "It's over if you do"

You nodded. "Fine then" Mick felt a big pride on his chest.

You left the party on Mick's arm. But you had barely reached his car when you heard his name. On the stairs, Selene was looking at you.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"With YN" He simply answered and watched her walk closer.

"Are you leaving me here?!"

"Why don't you call Mario?"

"Mar- What are you talking about, Mick? There is no Mario"

Mick snorted a laugh. "I'm not stupid, Selene. We are done"

"Mick, no. Let me explain"

"No, Selene"

The first minutes in the car were quiet. You were both still a bit agitated. But then Mick couldn't keep it on his chest anymore.

"Why the fuck are you dating him?"

You gasped and turned to look at him. "You have no right to ask that"

"I do! Can't you see he is horrible for you?" Mick's knuckles were turning white. "He doesn't respect you, YN"

You eyes filled with tears. You felt so helplessness. You were in love with Mick. You adored him, he was your favorite person in the world. You were the one you wanted, not Jason.

"You have her. Why do you care?"

"Not anymore. I don't want her. I never did"

"Then? Why the fuck were you dating her!?"

"Because of you!" Mick finally snapped. "It has always been you!"

You looked at him dumbfounded, you couldn't even blink.

"What have I done?"

"You went with him. You said it was just. A hookup and then you were always with him"

"He was. Jason was just a hookup."

"He was not. You never have exclusive hook ups"

You brushed your tears. "You have no right to say that. I do whatever I want with my life. And if you had even bothered to ask you would have known he wasn't exclusive. He was just good at it and a good distraction"

"You were basically dating!" Mick was looking for excuses. He was trying to tell himself he could have actually got you if he had dared to ask.

"We were not! He hadn't even stayed at mine! We weren't fucking dating until you started dating her!"

He pulled over abruptly and turned to look at you. "What do you mean?"

"I asked him to be my boyfriend right after you told me you were dating Selene"

Mick couldn't believe what you were saying. "Why did you do that?" He had believed that it had been Jason. It was even worse knowing it had been you the one asking.

"Because it hurt. It hurt so much. You hurt me and I wanted to hurt you just as much. Because I know that you know she is no good for you. And you dated her knowing I would hate her. So I did the same"

You were full sobbing now. Mick scoffed and looked away. He had one hand covering his mouth and his elbow supporting him against the car door. He had hurt you on purpose and you had payed with the same coin.

"I started dating Selene because you were seeing him. Because you hurt me. You were dating the kind of man that you should never date"

"That's so fucking toxic"

"You did the same"

"I wasn't dating Jason! Why would I want to!? He is... I fucking hate him!"

"Why did you then?!"

"Because you don't love me!"

Silence filled the car. Finally, you had said those words. Mick was looking at you with glassy eyes now.

"How can you say that I don't love you, YN?" He now sounded hurt. Truly hurt. "After all"

"If you'd love me you would have stopped me from dating Jason"

"I can't stop you from dating anyone"

"But you could have told me. If you really love me, you could have told me"

"So could have you" He muttered. There was no need to confess. He already know your feelings were the same.

You looked at him with big sad eyes.

"I hate you" You whispered.

"You don't" He said gently cupping your face and drying your tears. "You love me as much as I love you and I wish I had the balls to tell you"

You dobbed again and he undid your belt before pulling you to his side more comfortably. He kissed your forehead. "I'm so sorry, YN".

"I'm so sorry too, Mick"

He let you cry until you felt better, then he carefully dried your tears. You looked into his blue eyes and caressed his cheek.

"I'm so in love with you"

He smiled. "And I'm so in love with you"

"I wish things had been different"

He shrugged. "We can make it different now"

A little smile painted your lips. "Okay"

He leaned and gently kissed your lips. "I love you"

"I love you too, Mick"

[jo-harrington]

Second request for Hymn's of Heaven 🩶

will-o'-the-wisp

I know this is your second request, and it’s fully my intention to get back to the first one…but I just needed to write this one real quick.

Themes/Warnings: Religious/Catholic Themes (duh, but maybe a little heavier than other hymns have been), hurt/comfort, allusion to familial problems, fluff

And if you see a continuity error in a previous hymn...no you don't.

Find other Hymns of Heaven here.

And find the Master List for As Above, So Below here.

July 1984

It was a carefree kind of night.

A perfect kind of night.

Just the two of you.

You needed it, Eddie knew. He’d never been very far from home before but he recognized homesickness when he saw it. And as much as he hoped that Hawkins was becoming your home—that he was becoming your home—he couldn’t deny that you had a whole life that you’d left behind over a year ago.

Sure your parents…but your grandma, more than anything, was your home.

“She’s just a little old lady,” you told him when he asked about her the first time. You beamed, obviously ecstatic to talk about your favorite person. “But she’s always been my best friend.”

Through stories about your grandma, he learned more about you. Felt his heart grow a little more with each little tidbit; to see how you talked about someone you cherished.

“She cooks…all the time, more food than anyone could ever eat. She makes this soup. I swear it’s magical; a remedy for any illness.”

“She used to work at this factory but she’s retired now. If you ever want like…a hundred boxes of Tootsie Rolls, she still has an in and she can get them for you in a blink of an eye.”

“She’s always at church. Always. She dragged me all the time too. Didn’t matter what language the mass was in. English, Spanish, Latin, Italian, Polish…I am a polyglot for masses because of her.”

After the Fourth of July festivities, the homesickness started. You got quiet sometimes, fiddled with your necklace a little more. He noticed immediately and it made him feel...not bad...just helpless.

What could he do to to make you feel better when he didn't even know what was wrong?

Eddie didn't even need to ask, you simply told him one day.

"It's her birthday tomorrow," you muttered. "And coincidentally it's also this...special Feast Day. There's a procession with music and fireworks and this...statue. I can't really explain, you just need to experience it. I'll take you one day, I promise; you'd have the best time.

"Anyway, when I was younger, we would sit on the porch and watch the procession go by, have this table of candles and offerings set up. I always said it was special just for her, and it would make her smile. And then at night, she would watch me run around the yard and try to catch fireflies.

"I tried calling home to tell her Happy Birthday but my dad picked up," you choked up. "He never...but it's like he knew...and I froze...I couldn't even...I just hung up."

He expected tears. This was the closest he'd ever come to seeing you cry before. He anticipated the worst, and engulfed you in a hug, whispering sweet words of comfort.

"It's ok, she'd understand. I know how much you miss her. I'm sure she knows it too."

You squeezed him hard, buried your face in his neck and nodded with every word.

"You did the right thing. Your dad's an asshole. You won. You didn't give him the satisfaction of upsetting you more. I'm proud of you."

And when you pulled away, everything was normal. You pressed a kiss to his lips and his cheeks, and then asked if he wanted to get Dairy Queen.

But there were no tears.

Eddie knew how it felt, to always have to be the strong one. Whether it was because you didn't want someone to see your weaknesses...or because there was too much going on for you to have any. He'd balanced that burden all his life. But he also knew that...you didn't need to be that way around him, didn't need to feel like you needed to hide or keep these walls up.

You had secrets, things you simply kept to yourself--shit, he had them too--but he wanted you to know that you were safe with him. That he'd be there to listen if and when you were ready.

So he did what he knew he did best. He made the person who was most important in his life feel how important they were.

It didn't take much planning. He rummaged around Rick's boathouse for old rags and rubber bands and jars that held an amalgam of screws and bolts and nuts. Bribed Mickey's mom to go to Bradley's during your shift to grab some treats. And promised Wayne that he would replace the six-pack he took from the fridge during their next grocery run.

It was gonna be special. Unforgettable. He needed to make you smile.

All he had to do was wait until your shift was done in the Bradley's parking lot and keep his big mouth shut when you saw him.

He unfortunately couldn't do that.

"You wanna go catch some fireflies?" he whispered in your ear and spoiled the surprise when you greeted him with a hug and a soft what are you doing here?

"What? Eddie!" you laughed.

He talked the whole drive to Weathertop, explained that he had cake and lemon ices and beers in a cooler in the back.

"Gotta celebrate still, even if you can't be there with your grandma," he explained, and you grabbed his hand to place gentle kisses on the back of it as he drove.

You jumped from the van with a whoop as soon as he parked on the grass. It wasn't fully dark out yet but you could still see the intermittent glow of fireflies as they floated around the field of wildflowers. You shed your little uniform vest and ran around the grass for a second.

Eddie watched as you jumped and tried to catch one or two glowing bugs in your hands with the uncharacteristic carefree nature that a child might, and then round back on him as he popped the back doors of the van open to prepare the spread he'd organized.

The sight of you running back to him--the twilight glow behind you, the biggest smile on your face, and something in your eyes that was reserved just for him--made him feel like he was the most important man in the world.

It made his hands shake a little.

"Alright, I've got jars for each of us," he began and handed you one. He tried to cover the shakiness in his voice. "We'll let 'em go at the end of the night."

"Sounds good."

"You know...Wayne always told me if I was gonna try to catch them, that I had to be careful not to catch a will-o'-the-wisp on accident instead. He said they don't appreciate it when you catch them."

You tilted your head a little and pressed your lips together and Eddie's eyes narrowed at you.

"Don't tell me that's the one thing you don't know about?"

He felt giddy to be able to teach you something about a mystical creature for once. Some little bit of folklore that might make you smile.

"They're these...I don't know ghost lights and they float around, and if you try to follow them, they'll end up leading you astray. I thought I caught one once and Wayne mentioned that they're not actually good spirits, they're mischievous. I got so scared and...and you're just letting me talk out of my ass right now aren't you?"

You burst with laughter and shook your head.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," you held your hands up in surrender. "You were just so cute."

"Cute? I'm cute?" He put a hand to his chest in feigned insult. "Here I am trying to prevent my girlfriend's demise and she tells me I'm cute."

Eddie waited until you were caught off guard, scrambling to apologize, before he attacked. Fingers wriggled against your sides, causing you to laugh and gasp, and just when you thought it was over, he blew a raspberry on the exposed junction of your neck and shoulder.

The rest of the night was perfect. You ran around and caught fireflies together--you boasted when you caught more than he did, but he was especially proud because his glowed more--munched on the snacks that he brought, and then to end the night, you laid out on one of the blankets from the back of the van and stargazed.

Eddie pointed out constellations to you--a thing you actually didn't know much about at all--and after a while, the weight of your head on his shoulder became heavy and your breathing evened out.

He was gonna let you doze for a while before he woke you up to head home, but you surprised him when you sat up and looked at him.

"Today was perfect Eddie," you muttered. "Thank you."

"Hey of course," he beamed. "Anything for you."

"You...I..." You paused and bit your lip for a second. An eternity.

When you spoke again, it was something he hadn't realized that he'd been waiting to hear. Something he had been hesitant to tell you...probably since the first time he met you. He knew then how he felt, it was just...never the right time...and he never wanted to scare you or pressure you.

But his heart soared...because he didn't have to wait an eternity to hear it anymore.

"I love you Eddie. So much. More than you'll ever know."

[jplupine]

⛓Feral Possession: Chapter 34⛓

Devour You, Devour Me

Pairing: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez x Wynter Hughes [Nonbinary OC] Word Count: ~5.2k WARNINGS: 18+ MDNI, Exophilia, Demon!Grimmjow, Sub!Switch!Grimmjow, Feral Behavior, Small Dom/Big Sub, Praise, Handjob, Anal Fingering, Pegging, Mating Press, Cum, Strap gets referred to as a cock Note: Terms such as pussy/cock/dick/etc. get used. If that makes you uncomfortable, you may want to skip this fic.

Summary: Grimmjow finds a new kink.

A/N: Happy Halloween! Why not peg your demons to celebrate 🫀

You can also read it on AO3!

Masterlist | Chapter 34:

  It was quiet other than the TV playing and the sound of Dagur softly snoring on the couch beside me. Grimmjow sat on the floor in front of me while watching the TV, and Nel was out for the time being. Having the demon sitting between my legs, I was brushing out his long hair.

  It was so soft that I was tempted to bury my face into it. Refraining from doing so, I set the brush aside and reached toward the crown of his skull to collect three parts of his hair. Flipping the strands to start a braid, I could still sense a quiet tension in the air.

  This tension had been present whenever Grimmjow and I were alone now ever since Nel mentioned how Grimmjow seemed happy. I couldn't help but think Nel must've said more after I retreated to the office and that was the source of the tension.

  Regardless, Grimmjow continued to sleep by my side and allowed me to show affection. So I couldn't figure out where this feeling was coming from.

  I continued to braid his hair in silence, gathering up more hair as I went further back over his skull. I so badly wanted to ask him about it, but I didn't want to step on a trigger I wasn't aware of and set him off.

  "Stop it." Grimmjow broke the silence.

  "Stop what?" I paused to let him answer.

  "I can feel how you're looking at me." His tone was low and steady.

  "I have to look at you to braid your hair."

  "Just fuckin' ask." Grimmjow's voice still didn't change, and I glanced to the side while thinking.

  "Are you....okay?"

  "Fine." His tail thumped against the floor.

  "I find that hard to believe."

  "Too bad."

  "....Please. What's wrong?" My question was answered by silence as my fingers twisted his hair together. His gaze remained on the TV, and he didn't move an inch.

  "You."

  "What did I do?" I kept my voice calm as unease grew.

  "Exist."

  "I don't follow."

  "Being stuck here with you has changed me." Grimmjow's ear twitched when Dagur sighed in his sleep. "And I'm not sure I like it. I'm not sure I dislike it, either. I'm still strong. I can still kill. So I don't know."

  "Is this coming up from your talk with Nel?" I asked, and he tensed.

  "How much did you hear?"

  "I don't have heightened senses. I can't hear you two in here from the office." I saw the tension in his shoulders ease. "So it is from that talk?"

  "Yeah."

  "But you already knew you'd changed."

  "To a degree."

  "....Do you want my help?"

  "No."

  "If you change your mind, just let me know." I kissed the top of his head, and he leaned back to look up at me.

  "Do you think I'm more dangerous now?"

  "I wouldn't know for certain. Why?"

  "That werewolf exorcist said I was more dangerous." He muttered as I tied off his long braid. "But I didn't even kill him. I would've before."

  "Grimmjow, I don't think that's what he was talking about." I saw his brows furrow more. "You're very powerful and highly destructive. You showing restraint even when you were that angry shows that you can learn and adapt." I softly sighed and gently cradled his face. "Having your power more focused can make you an even bigger threat to them."

  "But I'm stuck here."

  "For now. The rules change when I die, and for you, that time may pass rather quickly." Grimmjow had a rather serious expression while looking up at me. Brushing my thumbs over his cheeks, I then kissed his forehead. "I think I'm gonna go upstairs for a bit. I'm tired of TV right now."

  Patting his shoulders, I got him to move so that I could get up from the couch. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away until I was out of sight. Going upstairs, I paused when I reached my bedroom.

  Grimmjow was already face down in the middle of the bed with his head shoved into a pillow. His tail curled from one side to the other lazily.

  "What? Decided you wanted a nap instead?"

  "Mm."

  "Are you pouting?" I crawled onto the bed, and he softly growled.

  "I'm not pouting."

  "Mm." I hummed while swinging my leg over his hips to sit on him. Moving his braid to the side, I then ran my hands up his back. "Do you want to go out for a bit? We can go to the park to give you some space to clear your head."

  "No." His response surprised me since he never turned down the chance to leave the house. "I want to figure this out."

  "All right, then." I began to massage his shoulders that felt so tense beneath my hands.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Touching you."

  "No shit."

  "Then why ask?" I chuckled and added pressure to my hands. Grimmjow softly purred and gradually relaxed.

  "That....feels good." He sighed, making me smile.

  "Shall I continue, my king?"

  "Mmm. Yes." His purring got louder as my hands went a little lower. Massaging his shoulder blades and his back, he even leaned into my touch. His face never once lifted from the pillow it was shoved in.

  The tension from before actually began to fade as he purred and lazily stretched. My hands molded around the muscles of his back and made deep, circular motions in certain areas. My thumbs trailed along his spine as his back arched into my touch like a cat.

  It was quiet other than his rumbling purr. I felt a soft smile on my lips and went down his spine again. His tail twitched when my hands brushed over his lower back. I wouldn't lie, this was making me feel better as well.

  Knowing the offness lately wasn't from something I did wrong helped. And the fact that Grimmjow was still allowing me to touch him was a good sign.

  Leaning over, I kissed his shoulder and his neck. He slightly tilted his head to indicate that he wanted more. Chuckling, I planted a few more kisses on his neck.

  Sitting back up, I went to massage his lower back. His purr mixed with a contented groan as he arched into my touch. I gave an amused scoff and went a little lower.

  Grimmjow's ass propped up with his tail swaying in my face, making me laugh as I tried to get it out of the way. Looking back down, I stared at the base of his tail. I began to wonder if he would also like being touched there like the rest of his back.

  My fingers went through the short, blue fur to massage the muscles around the base of his tail. Grimmjow purred even louder while arching his back to press into my hand just like a cat would. His tail flicked and brushed under my jaw, but my gaze dropped just a little lower to his ass being hugged by his tight pants.

  I wasn't sure he realized how his movement now made his butt rub against me. Curling my fingers around the base of his tail, he jolted but didn't pull away. Stroking his tail, my other hand continued to massage his lower back.

  My jaw clenched with my eyes glued to his ass. I didn't think I'd get worked up over something so small. The way he rocked into my touch gave me a peek of his balls pressing against the fabric of his pants. My hands on his lower back slid down to squeeze his ass.

  Leaning over again, I kissed behind his ear. My fingers traced the crease between his ass and thigh before I spoke.

  "How do you feel?" Instead of answering, Grimmjow grabbed my wrist to pull my hand away from his tail. He took my hand and placed it against his lower stomach before going down further. My fingers had to curve as he made me feel his erection.

  Swallowing, I pressed my hips against his ass. At least I wasn't the only one excited by the change in mood.

  "Do you wanna try something new?" I muttered, and there was a quiet pause.

  "....You're thinking about fucking my ass again, aren't you?"

  "Yes." I rested my forehead against his shoulder. "You're just so pretty and your ass is so soft."

  "What makes you think I'd be interested?"

  "Dunno. But it wouldn't kill me to ask and see." I muttered, and there was another quiet pause. Grimmjow then tilted his hips to press his ass into me further. The pressure made me take in a sharp breath.

  "It better feel good or I'll rip your throat out."

  "I'll do my best." I perked up and started kissing his neck again. Slipping my hands under his shirt, I pushed it higher up his back. "Your back is so pretty, too." I muttered before peppering kisses over his bare shoulder blades.

  Dropping his shirt to the side, I then grabbed the hem of his pants and pulled them down. I kissed along his spine and nipped his cheek as his paws slid out of his pants. I drew back to lean over the side of the bed. Pulling out the box from underneath, I opened it up and grabbed a bottle of lube from the top.

  I felt Grimmjow move on the bed behind me before crawling over to lay on my back.

  "Which one do you want me to use?" I asked while bringing the dildos for the strap into view.

  "You want me to pick?" He made a face while looking over my shoulder.

  "Well, yeah. I'm not the one it's going into. So....pick." I felt his hand slide into my pants before pushing them down. Grimmjow groped my ass while looking at the toys, his expression hard to read. He finally pointed at one after a moment of silence.

  It wasn't the smallest one but also wasn't one of the bigger ones either. Dropping the rest back into the box, I fished out the harness.

  "I'll start with my fingers to see how that feels first, okay?"

  "Whatever."

  "You say whatever, but your dick is still hard." I popped off, and Grimmjow didn't respond as his ears turned back. I smiled and kissed his cheek. "Get comfortable." Grimmjow pulled away from me and laid on his stomach with his face in the pillow again.

  Pulling my shirt over my head, I then tossed it to the side. I grabbed the harness to strap it on, tightening it around my hips and thighs. Popping open the cap of the lube, I could feel my heart pounding with excitement.

  Grimmjow's backside was gorgeous even if he was pretending to be barely interested. Running my hand up the back of his leg, I squeezed his upper thigh just beneath his ass. His tail twitched up, and I kissed his lower back.

  "Raise your hips." Grimmjow huffed in response but shifted to put his ass in the air. The position spread him enough to show his asshole with his balls and hard dick dangling between his thighs.

  Squirting lube onto one of my hands, I then palmed his cock and stroked along the shaft. Grimmjow groaned into the pillow as my fingers circled his glans and rubbed over the corona. I watched his tail sway and gently grabbed it after setting down the lube. His hips bucked as I stroked the base of his tail and his dick.

  Listening to him grunt made my gut stir. His muscles twitched before he reached up to clutch the pillow while purring deep in his chest. My fingers ran over the head, caressing his skin slicked by lube before running over his slit.

  Grimmjow bucked again, starting to slowly fuck into my hand with his tail curling from one side to the other.

  "Feels good?"

  "Yeah." Grimmjow's voice was nearly a growl, and my hand slid to the base of his cock. I could feel his heavy pulse against my palm. My hand then lightly squeezed his balls, getting Grimmjow to groan again.

  Letting go of his tail, I picked the lube back up to get more on my fingers. Grimmjow tensed when he felt my fingers circle his asshole.

  "Try to relax, okay? I promise I'll be gentle."

  "I'm not fuckin' fragile." He growled, and I smiled while kissing his back.

  "I know. I just want to make sure you feel good, kitten." I said before pushing one finger through the tight ring of muscle. Grimmjow grunted with discomfort but didn't tell me to stop. I went slower, gradually sliding my finger deeper. When I reached my knuckle, I began to slowly pump my finger.

  Given other similarities Grimmjow had to human anatomy, I could only guess he might have a prostate as well. If so, where was it?

  I got my answer when Grimmjow jolted and clenched around my finger, his breath catching with his claws flexing. Quirking up a brow, I tried to find the spot again and succeeded when his tail curled as he rocked back into my hand. Curling my finger to add more pressure, Grimmjow moaned into the pillow and arched his back.

  "What the fuck?!" He whispered under his breath with his knuckles turning paler from how hard he clutched the pillow.

  "Looks like you do have a prostate, kitten." I cooed before easing in another finger. I was still slow in sliding my fingers in and out of his ass, stroking over the spot that made him twitch and clench. Leaning over, I kissed his shoulders and beneath his ear. "Just think....if this is how my fingers feel, imagine how good my cock will feel." I whispered, and his ears turned back.

  His muscles flexed and rolled beneath his skin as I curled my fingers into his prostate again. When I leaned back, I saw how he stretched around my fingers and his cock was leaking precum onto the blanket.

  My other hand grabbed his ass and squeezed, massaging the flesh beneath my palm as the demon groaned. Heat pooled between my thighs as I throbbed with arousal. Grimmjow was just so damn sexy with his ass in the air, back arching into the mattress, and his hips rocking back into my hand.

  I wasn't even sure he was aware that he was doing it.

  "Want me to keep going?"

  "Like I give a shit." He hissed with his tail flicking.

  "Grimmjow." My tone was firm. His ears were flat against his skull.

  "....Yes."

  "Gimme a sec." I pulled my fingers free and reached for the dildo waiting to the side. Getting it into the O-ring of the harness, I then smeared lube over the silicone. "All right. If you need me to stop at any time, just tell me."

  Lining up the dildo with his ass, I eased the tip in. Grimmjow grunted, and I inched in deeper. Holding his hips, I watched the silicone toy disappear into his ass. When my hips were flush against his body, he let out a shaky breath.

  My body was practically vibrating with excitement. His tail lifted itself out of the way, brushing against my chest and under my chin.

  "Not too big?"

  "I'm fine." He snapped, and I couldn't help but smile. Slowly pulling out, I held his hips in place to thrust back in. Grimmjow's breath shook as I kept a steady, gentle pace.

  He groaned at the back of his throat with his claws digging into the pillow. Every time I bottomed out, I ground my hips into his ass, getting pressure against my throbbing clit. My grip on his hips tightened as I took in a deep breath.

  "You call that fucking? It's pathetic." Grimmjow snarled, but he didn't even lift his face from the pillow.

  "I wanted to make sure you could handle it first." I chuckled. "I guess I can pick up the pace now." Snapping my hips forward, Grimmjow let out a loud moan that made my skin tingle.

  Oh, I was going to ruin him.

  I thrust a few more times, watching him writhe beneath me as he grunted through clenched teeth. The curve of his spine as his ass rocked back into me had me in a trance. The sounds he tried to muffle and hide made me want to make it impossible for him to keep quiet.

  Grabbing his braid, I pulled his hair hard enough to lift his face out of the pillow as he yowled.

  "Yeah? My cock feel that good, kitten?" I smiled, and he cursed under his breath. "Listen to you. I don't think I've heard you like this before." I held his braid in a firm grip as my fingers dug into his hip.

  My hand on his side traveled up his back, following the curves of his body with his skin feeling so warm beneath my fingers. I leaned over to kiss the side of his neck. He tilted his head to the side, giving me more access as he purred.

  "Good boy." I whispered and kissed some more. Putting his braid over his shoulder, I grabbed his hip and let my other hand travel down his stomach. I felt the trail of blue hair under his belly button as my lips brushed over the back of his neck.

  I peppered kisses while listening to him moan. I could feel my arousal leaking down my thighs as I was grinding against his ass. My jaws parted, scraping my teeth over the back of his neck before biting down.

  Grimmjow reacted so viscerally, crying out with his voice breaking and his ass pressing against me. His claws tore into the pillow.

  "Mmm. Who knew you could act like a bitch in heat?" I muttered into his skin before licking where I'd bitten him.

  "Fuck off!" Grimmjow hissed while reaching down to grab my arm. He shoved my hand closer to his cock since it was only resting on his stomach. However, I didn't touch him where he wanted me to.

  Biting the back of his neck again as I thrust in deep, he cursed with his voice cracking. Grimmjow let go of my arm to stroke his own dick that was being neglected.

  "Put your hands on the pillow, Grimmjow." He tried to fight the command, but the compulsion was stronger, forcing him to let go of his leaking cock as he growled.

  "What the fuck?!"

  "I'm gonna make you cum from just my cock, sweetheart." My voice was low before I pulled out. Flipping the demon onto his back, I was greeted with a wonderful sight.

  His pupils were blown wide, his chest rising and falling with his heavy breaths, and his face flushed red. Grimmjow's ears turned back as I grabbed his thighs to hoist them onto my hips. I poured some more lube onto my dick before thrusting back into his sensitive hole.

  Grimmjow's back arched off the bed as his muscles flexed. I held his hips in both of my hands, watching his expression twist with pleasure. His fangs were on full display with every moan. His cock bounced against his stomach from every thrust I gave.

  He was gorgeous and feeding something primal within me.

  Forcing Grimmjow into a mating press, his flexibility allowed me to do it with ease. My cock went deeper as he looked at me with wide eyes. His moans and the slick sounds of me fucking him drove me wild. His pretty blue eyes in seas of black were locked on me for a few seconds before looking down.

  He watched me fuck him while his own dick bounced and leaked precum on his stomach. Grimmjow whined at the back of his throat, his eyes rolling back before they closed as the headboard thumped against the wall. He was falling apart....and I fucking loved it.

  He grabbed my shoulders roughly, claws digging into my skin with his thighs shivering. I kissed him, devouring the moans he made with my tongue gliding against his. Grimmjow sounded animalistic and needy.

  One of his hands slid up my neck to the back of my head, tangling in my hair while deepening the kiss. When we pulled away for air, saliva still connected our mouths until finally being stretched too thin.

  "You're doing so good." I purred as my nose brushed against his. "Look at how you take my cock, sweet boy. Fucking perfect." Panting as our breaths mixed, I looked down to watch my dick piston in and out of his ass. His balls bounced with his pretty cock straining, having a prominent vein on the underside.

  Shifting my hips, Grimmjow bucked with his paws flexing, his hooked claws shooting out. I maintained that angle, striking his prostate over and over as he moaned and growled. He tried pulling me closer as his legs shook more.

  Grimmjow's voice pitched higher before turning into a roar that shook me to the bone. With his fangs bared and his eyes shut tight, he came. His cock and balls twitched with each spurt of cum shooting out over his chest and stomach.

  Only at the last dribble did I finally slow down. Rutting against him, I bit my bottom lip while focusing on the pressure against my clit. I thrust a few more times to hit my own peak, and my cock buried deep in his ass milked a few more drops of cum from his dick.

  Panting, I looked down at the messy state Grimmjow was in. I was tempted to keep fucking him and make him cum on himself more, but I had a feeling that might be too much for his first time.

  Slowly pulling out, I guided his legs back onto the bed. Kissing Grimmjow's red face, I saw how his eyes were glued to his body. He looked stunned at the cum splattered on his skin.

  "I'll start the shower so it's warm for you." I kissed his temple.

  "No. I'll do it myself." Grimmjow suddenly got up and went to the bathroom. His ears were turned back, and the bathroom door slammed shut.

  Sitting on the bed while looking toward the bathroom, I tried to figure out what his reaction meant. Was he just surprised he could cum untouched? Or had I gone too far?

~

  Dragging myself out of bed, I wiped my face while lumbering down the hallway to the stairs. Grimmjow hadn't been in bed when I woke up, but I could hear things moving around in the kitchen and figured it was him. I went down the stairs and saw him putting together coffee.

  "Morning." Coming up behind him, I kissed his cheek while grabbing his ass. Grimmjow jolted with his eyes going wide as he crushed the coffee creamer in his grip. I paused while looking up at him.

  His eyebrows were deeply furrowed, making him look angry. Except his wide eyes and blushing cheeks said otherwise.

  "You okay?"

  "Fine." He hissed and tossed the destroyed creamer bottle into the sink. His ears were flat against his skull as his tail flicked.

  "Hey-" He turned away from me, and I sighed through my nose. Running my hand through my hair, I rested my other hand on my hip. "Look, if I went overboard yesterday....I'm sorry." Grimmjow froze. "I-"

  "Shut up."

  "What?"

  "Shut up." His tone cut deep.

  "What's wrong?"

  "I said shut up!" Grimmjow growled a warning with his hands balling into fists at his sides.

  "Grimmjow, just talk to me." I reached out toward him, hoping he would just tell me what was going on. Then I realized too late that I had said his name with a command, the compulsion acting faster than I could take it back.

  "I want you to do it again." He blurted out while catching my wrist to stop me from touching him. We both froze, looking at each other without saying another word. His face turned a darker shade of red as my gaze drifted down.

  He had an erection.

  "....Oh." Was all that I could manage to say. Another second of silence passed before I pushed Grimmjow up against the island. His hands grabbed the edge of the counter as he looked down at me. I stood between his legs while holding his hips and looked up at him. "Why not just tell me that?"

  His mouth opened to respond, but no noise came out.

  "Aw, is it your pride? Too ashamed to admit you liked getting fucked in the ass?" My hands slithered around his sides to palm his rear and squeeze. He then quickly covered my mouth with his hand while looking mortified.

  "WHAT?!" Nel shot up from behind the couch while yelling and half of a waffle hanging out of her mouth. I bit the inside of my cheek- I had thought she was still up in her room.

  "Fuck." Grimmjow hissed under his breath. We both knew Nel had heard what I said given her demonic hearing.

  "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I'm just shocked. It's not bad that you two....do that sort of thing. Just unexpected. Don't mind me." She rambled but didn't look away from us. Glancing up at Grimmjow, I saw him staring straight ahead with his jaw clenched.

  "Sorry." I muttered against his palm, and he took in a deep breath through his nose.

  "Remember, Gamuza. What happens in this house, stays in this house." He had a warning tone, and she pretended to zip her lips and throw away the key.

  "....You didn't see it, but I just zipped my lips. It's something humans do to indicate that they won't speak-"

  "And yet you're still talking."

  "C'mon." I pulled Grimmjow's hand off my mouth. "She's trying to be nice."

  "I don't give a shit." He flashed his fangs and grabbed my jaw. "And we need to talk." He pushed off the island, making me take several steps back before picking me up to throw me over his shoulder. Grimmjow carried me up the stairs without saying anything.

  Reaching the room, he threw me onto the bed, and I bounced a few times. Grimmjow shut the door behind him while staring at me. I waited for him to say something first, wondering where this would go.

  Grimmjow glanced off to the side for a second as his tail curled. When he looked back at me, he cocked his head to the side.

  "You're fucked up." He muttered when he finally broke the silence. "I don't know how to....deal with it. I've never...." Grimmjow shifted on his paws, and his cheeks dusted pink. "You fucked me like you were trying to breed me. Your eyes were feral. I....I liked it. Fuck, I really liked it. I can't stop thinking about it."

  "So earlier with the coffee creamer...."

  "Yeah. You touching my ass had me thinking about it again. No one has ever done something like that to me. No one has done a lot of the things you've done to me. I've lived a long life, Wynter." His ears lowered as his lips curled into a grin. "And you're the most exciting thing I've encountered." Grimmjow took a step closer, then another. "You make me feel things I've never felt. Ache in ways I've never ached. I'm figuring out just how much I like it."

  He crawled onto my lap while looking down at me. His hand rested on my shoulder as his tail lazily swayed.

  "I want to devour you." Grimmjow purred, tilting up my chin with his thumb pressing against my lips. "And be devoured by you." Thankfully, I didn't think he was being literal judging by how he looked at me. "I didn't know it could feel so good. Look what you've done to me." He lowered his hand and pushed his pants down far enough for his hard cock to spring free. "You're intoxicating."

  Grimmjow licked my cheek while purring. He rubbed his cheek against me like he did when scent-marking me.

  "Grimmjow?"

  "Hm?" He hummed as my hands went up his thighs.

  "You're not just talking about the sex, are you?"

  "No. But it's definitely included." I scoffed and wrapped my fingers around his dick. His breath faltered as I began to stroke from base to head and back.

  "So tell me....should I keep this hidden from Nel?"

  "She knows. Tell her, don't tell her, I don't care." He grunted as my fist slightly tightened its grip.

  "Is there anyone you do want me to keep it hidden from?"

  "I don't give a shit. I'm yours." His words coming unprompted surprised me but excited me. Freely admitting that he was mine? What kind of epiphany did he have?

  "Grimmjow, that's what I've been hiding from you." I muttered, and he looked at me as his ear twitched. "How much I like it, too." He gave a lopsided grin and scoffed.

  "Why hide that from me?"

  "You saying it first meant I wouldn't get ridiculed or laughed at. You understanding your own feelings also meant you could understand mine better." I said as Grimmjow rested his forehead against mine.

  "Feels like dying."

  "Yeah."

  "Can't get enough of it."

  "Never." He grabbed my face and kissed me.

  "Give it to me." Grimmjow pushed me down onto the mattress. "Give your all to me." His hungry kiss swept me away. He pressed his body so close to mine and started pulling at my clothes.

  "Wait." I panted, but the demon didn't slow down while grinding his hips into me to get friction against his cock. "I need to ask you something."

  "Hm?" Grimmjow hummed while kissing down my neck.

  "Are you going to stop calling me Little Rabbit?"

  "Mm. Even if you can be a feral little shit," Grimmjow sat up and held my jaw to make me look at him. "you'll always be my little rabbit. You certainly had the gusto in trying to breed me like one." We both laughed before kissing.

  "Man, you're really stuck on that, huh?"

  "You folded me in half and made me cum all over myself, Wynter. That would change any man, demon or mortal." He was still humping and rubbing his cock against me with his impatience making him unable to wait a few seconds longer. "And just to be clear, if you try to fuck someone else, I'll kill them."

  "....What?"

  "If I find out you're fucking someone other than me, I will kill them."

  "I-" Cutting myself off to give me a second longer to process, I then flipped us over to have Grimmjow on his back. "Do you honestly believe I would do that? When I say I'm yours, I mean it. Not to mention, I don't think I even have the energy to have sex with another person. You're a greedy king with a lot of stamina." I sighed, and he grabbed the back of my neck to pull me closer.

  "Damn right. Now, shut up, and lemme eat your pussy first."

  "First?"

  "Yeah. I'm gonna eat your pussy, and then you're gonna fill me with your cock."

  "Wanna wear your cock ring when I do?"

  "Oh, fuck, yes." We were both grinning at each other, completely forgetting about the coffee downstairs.

[fitrahgolden]

Should You Need Me: 8 - Wait for me, please hang around

"I'm seeing someone."

Kaveri, Mary, and Edwina went silent mid laugh. Kate looked back at all of them around the dinner table, and she felt her anxiety stricken face relax into a smile she couldn't help whenever she thought of Anthony lately.

"Oh, Didi!" Edwina clapped her hands together. "The way your face just lit up. So cute!"

Kate chuckled. "Thanks, Ed."

"Mary, didn't I tell you? Did I not tell you?!" Kaveri pointed unnecessarily at Mary, who pushed her finger away with an eye roll.

"Yes, Kav. You did."

Kate furrowed her brows. "How could you have possibly known, Amma?"

"Well, I know it was something."

"I can confirm she said there was, quote, 'something.'" Mary deadpanned.

Kaveri waved dismissively. "Ignore her. It's just that… Things had been getting better but, a little while ago, you simply started glowing, Chellam. It's been beautiful to watch. We just didn't know why."

Kate wanted to grimace at the word "glowing," but as she looked at her family, all of whom looked so happy for her, she found the cliche didn't bother her one bit.

"Well…?" Edwina raised her eyebrow.

Right. Well, no dancing around it. "It's, um… It's Anthony Bridgerton."

Kate desperately hoped the expressions she was confronted with were caused simply by surprise, and not disappointment. Or suspicion. The latter thought made Kate wince.

"It's not… Nothing happened before Tom and I, um–And he wasn't the reason." Kate scrambled to find the right words to say. She didn't owe anyone an explanation and she certainly wasn't sorry for being with Anthony, but this was her family and–

Kate was too caught up in her complicated web of thoughts to notice her mother had gotten up and walked around the table to her. Mary had put one hand over Kate's. Edwina was shaking her head and beaming, unspent tears in her eyes.

"Kathani… Don't mind it." Kaveri wrapped her arms around her daughter. "You don't have to explain. We can't pick and choose who presents themselves to us in life or when it happens. We can't pick and choose our feelings, either. If you are worried that we don't know how much you love Tom, or that we won't welcome Anthony with open arms, or, goodness, that we think you did anything wrong, give us more credit, eh?"

Kate laughed a little as a couple of tears fell. "It's just, ugh, the timing is awful, isn't it? And the way we met…"

"Dearest, are you happy?" Mary asked as she patted Kate's hand.

"Yes. I think… Um, it's only been a couple of weeks, but I think this could be… I don't know. He's amazing. And he's wonderful to me. He's quite intense, it's…” Kate shrugged. It was simple, really. “I like it. I like him."

"Doesn't hurt that you'd be hard pressed to find someone as fit as he is, isn't that right, Mary? We've been looking!"

"Kaveri, this is supposed to be a nice moment," Edwina admonished.

"And Kate's boyfriend being an Adonis isn't nice? Are all eight of them such beautiful creatures? What about their mother? Mary couldn't find photos of all of them."

Kate's eyes narrowed as they slid over to Mary. "What does Amma mean, Mum?"

Kaveri clicked her tongue. "Mary may have done some Googling after we met your Mr. Bridgerton."

"Mum!" Kate and Edwina cried in unison.

Mary blushed. "I was simply…curious."

—

Kate was sitting up against the headboard in Anthony's bed. She stared at the now months old message to Tom that had gone unanswered. 

If he never contacts me again, fine. I mean, it's not fine, but I can't do anything about it. I should still reach out today. 

Hi. I hope with all of my heart you are doing well. I know I have no right to, but I miss you. I hope you had a lovely birthday today. You deserve the world, Tom. I love you.

"What's wrong?"

Kate looked up just as she was feeling tears pool in her eyes. Shit. Anthony was standing in the doorway, wearing a look of grave concern.

"Nothing." Kate turned away from him to put her phone on the nightstand and took the opportunity to wipe her eyes while she was facing in the other direction. She felt the mattress dip and turned back to see Anthony sitting on the bed, an arm outstretched, grasping her ankle. He rubbed it with his thumb and looked at Kate sternly.

"We don't lie to each other, Kate. What is it?"

Kate said nothing, just tied her hair up into a messy bun for the night. Buying time was pointless, though. Anthony was staring at her and she knew he wouldn't let this go.

"It's Tom's birthday."

Kate watched Anthony's entire countenance change instantly, like a switch had been flipped. It was the first direct mention of Tom since she and Anthony had decided to be together.

Anthony's grip on Kate's ankle tightened and his jaw clenched.

"OK," he said in a measured tone. "Why are you crying?"

Kate laughed mirthlessly and looked to the ceiling, shaking her head. "I don't know, Anthony. Maybe because my best friend hasn't spoken to me in months, and he probably never will again, and this was his first birthday since we were kids that we didn't spend together. Just a fucking guess."

Kate surprised herself with how easily she snapped. She looked at Anthony and was frustrated by his completely unreadable expression. He let go of her ankle and turned to sit away from her on the bed.

"I'm sorry you're going through this. And I'm sorry I haven't been more sensitive about it." Anthony was talking down at the floor, seemingly struggling to put the right words together.

Kate reached over to run her hand down his back when Anthony suddenly turned back around to look at her. 

"You said your family knows about me? About us?"

What the fuck? "Of course, I told them last week."

"When can I meet them again? Do they not want to?"

Kate's brow furrowed at the unexpected question. "They want to. They told me to bring you around."

Relief flashed across Anthony's face, but it disappeared as fast as it showed up. "Do you want me to see your family again? Properly, as your boyfriend?"

"I do. It's just… early days. I just like our bubble, you know what I mean?" 

Anthony nodded half-heartedly. "How long do you usually wait to bring someone home?"

"I've only had one other boyfriend, Anthony, and he was already home." Kate regretted it immediately. Why the fuck did I say it that way? Anthony's face made it so much worse. He looked so hurt. Kate hadn't seen him this vulnerable yet. He looked away again. Kate scrambled up behind him and put her arms around his waist. He didn't stop her, but he didn't engage either.

"I shouldn't have said it like that."

"How should you have said it, then? I think that made your point rather perfectly."

"I… I–"

"Honestly, Kate, forget it. It's true, and it's not anything I didn't already know."

Kate wasn't sure how to respond. They were silent for a few minutes. She continued to hold him, her cheek to his back.

"Anthony. Tom is a part of my family. At least, I hope he still is."

Kate didn't think it was possible, but Anthony tensed even more. She saw he was gripping the edge of the bed frame.

"That's just the way it is, Anthony. You have to be OK with that. You…" Kate took a breath and whispered, "You said you'd keep it in check. That you wouldn't be jealous."

"No, Kate, I said I'd try. And I am. I'm shit at it at the moment but I'm…trying, baby. I'll try harder. I just need time. OK?"

Kate squeezed him. "OK. Thank you."

Anthony put one of his hands over where Kate's met on his stomach. Both of their bodies relaxed a bit. 

"Is that what it is, then? Everything about me will be compared to him? Do I even stand a chance?"

Kate tsked. "Oh, Anthony, that's not it, no. Come here, please." Kate backed up on the bed and tugged on one of Anthony's arms, encouraging him to turn around. She sat up on her knees and cradled his face in her hands as she looked down at him. She leaned in to kiss him, but Anthony softly shook his head and sighed. 

"I don't want to be a secret, Kate. I want everyone to know you're mine and I'm yours. I'm proud you chose me, baby. Whatever I did that made you decide I was worth a shot, it's the best thing I've ever done."

Anthony pulled Kate's hands away from his face so he could hold them in his own.

"I want to meet your family as your boyfriend, not the man who's making your dress for a wedding to another fucking guy. We need a do over."

Kate nodded and brought her lips to Anthony’s. This time, he didn't stop her.

"OK. I'll talk to my mums and we'll plan something. Soon. I promise."

"Good."

"I'm proud, too, for the record. That you chose me."

—

Anthony approached Kate's classroom quietly. He peered into the room, watching her as she put easels and cups of brushes away, swaying to the neo soul that was playing from her computer speakers. She wore her hair up in a high ponytail. Her flowy dress was a brilliant cobalt blue underneath her well used black apron.

Anthony was content to simply watch Kate in her element, but he gave himself away when she popped a crisp into her mouth and made a face he'd started to associate with Kate being on the precipice of an orgasm. He laughed before he could stop himself. Kate looked over to where he stood in her doorway.

"Anthony? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to deliver these." He pulled the bouquet of orange tulips he'd been holding from behind his back as he walked towards her.

"Oh, these are beautiful."

Anthony marvelled at Kate as she marvelled at the flowers. He took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry."

Kate looked up at him with a slight pout. "For what?"

"Last night. I was being selfish. I don't want to fight."

"Thank you, but… We aren't fighting."

"What?"

"We talked it through, Anthony. We aren't fighting."

"Oh." Anthony rubbed the back of his neck. "Huh."

Kate clicked her tongue as she gently put the flowers down on her desk. She placed her hands on Anthony's shoulders. “Isn't that a good thing? You seem disappointed."

"Oh, I'm not disappointed, per se…"

Kate squinted at him and pursed her lips. "But…?"

"I was just looking forward to the make up sex."

A laugh bubbled out of Kate as she said, "What?"

"Yeah, it was gonna be brilliant."

"If you thought we were still fighting, then what was this morning?"

"Fighting sex. Was that not obvious?"

Kate giggled before stumbling a bit in her search for a response. Her hands moved down to his chest. "Well, you were quite demanding and, um, fervent, but you're always kind of… full-on."

"Right." Anthony nodded, resigned.

"It's one of my favourite things about you, honestly," Kate earnestly reassured him. "And I just figured you were in such a hurry because we both had to get to work–"

"Hurry? Did you not…? I’m certain you–?" Anthony sputtered, offended at the implication.

Kate patted his cheek and laughed as she stepped back to take off her apron. Anthony rushed to get behind her.

"Allow me," he whispered, unnecessarily close to her ear. Undressing Kate had quickly become one of Anthony's favourite things, even when the goal wasn't nudity. He was taking a ridiculously long time to remove the simple garment, letting his hands wander, until Kate stilled them.

"Anthony," she warned. "I work here. With children."

"School day's long over, no? And are you using your teacher voice on me? Because I think it's having the opposite effect than what you're intending." He attempted to pull Kate backwards toward him, but she stepped out of the embrace. 

"Colleagues, Anthony." She gestured towards her open door. "If you want your 'make up sex,' it's not going to happen here. Take me home."

"I thought I was the demanding one?"

"Oh, right." Kate walked up to Anthony, leaning into him until their lips were almost touching. "Maybe I need a reminder, hm? And perhaps a reprimand for forgetting?" She raised an eyebrow at him before grabbing her bag and leading him by the hand out of her classroom.

[manic-nova]

Yours Unconditionally

Summary: You go to the different Genshin Impact Men and ask them to take your virginity.

Word Count: 6.801 words

Characters Featured: Childe, Arataki Itto, Diluc, and Kaedehara Kazuha, Fem Reader.

TW’s: Explored themes of virginity. Slight NSFW, Recommended 16+ Read at your own risk. My page is 16+ Please don't follow me if you are under 16.

Haven't read part one yet? Check out Take Me, I’m Yours right here!

Tartaglia

"I know this is strange... and you can totally say no, but-" "Sure!" the ginger haired boy replied in earnest. You immediately fell to silence. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I think I misheard you." "I said sure," he repeated with a slight chuckle, flashing you that warm smile that always gave you butterflies. It felt like you had played this scene out in your head a thousand times, and no matter what outcome you had imagined, this was beyond your imagination, completely surreal and unexpected. "You're not just saying all of this to mess with me, right? You're for real right now?" "Ya, of course I am," Childe told you as the two of you traversed the harbor. Childe had been a long time friend of yours, one of the only faces you recognized when you first arrived in Liyue all the way from Shneznaya. You had never gotten the chance to get close to him back home, but he always had a little piece of your heart, so when you found him at the harbor, you immediately gravitated toward him. As it turned out, he was just as happy to see an old face as you and you started hanging out. Today, Childe had invited you out to the farmer's market happening in the harbor. He said he wanted to cook something for you and needed your help picking out ingredients, and you figured if you're eating dinner at his place anyway... "Thank you," you beamed, eyes sparkling like you won the lottery. "Of course," he answered casually. "I mean, it's just sex. No biggie." Oh. You felt something inside you shatter, and suddenly all that excitement and accomplishment you felt had died. You should've known it was all too good to be true, you thought. Just sex? You'd been working up the courage to ask him for weeks, not to mention the years you spent pining over him. It was certainly much more to you than "just sex". But you continued onward with him to the port anyway, stalls aligned across the edges of a pier. "So," Childe exclaimed, basking in the midday sunlight. "Where should we stop first? I see... jueyun chilis, always a welcome hint of spice. Or we could grab some lotus heads, a nice refreshing taste, huh?" "Ya, sounds great," you droned. The way Childe smiled, warm and welcoming, now only seemed to leave you with a bittersweet taste in your mouth. This was as genuine as you would ever find Ajax, the only time you could call him by that name without a brutal sense of imposter syndrome cracking down on you, and here he was, responding to you offering your heart and soul to him with "no biggie". "So which is it gonna be?" Childe continued, smile ever bright and shining. "I'm sorry, what?" "Which is it gonna be? Chilis or lotus heads? We don't have all day," he chimed. "Oh, by the way. Are you expecting like candles, a bouquet or anything, or would you rather skip the casualties and get to the good part?" You nearly spit on the water you had been chugging on as a sort of coping mechanism. "Excuse me?" "I mean, it's no big deal either way, I just don't wanna do anything you don't wanna do, you know? So if you want me to buy lanterns and a dozen silk flowers, I will, but I also don't wanna go overboard." You pressed your hands against your temples, a feeling of stress and humiliation washing over you. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, placing his hands on your shoulders which you defensively swatted away from you, eyes stinging with incoming tears. "I- I need a minute," you told him, rushing to the edge of the pier where a single lonely bench sat. The reality of the situation became hard to avoid when Childe started talking about your virginity like it was a chore. You didn't expect it to go like a dream, but this was far from what you wanted. You didn't want this as a friend asking for a solid. You loved him. You loved him so much it hurt sometimes, and as his tall but slender figure sat down next to you, you felt yourself shrivel in his presence, not really sure what to think or feel.

He seemed to hunch over the edge, his hands folded and pressed up against his forehead.

"I... I'm not sure what this is about, but you know you can talk to me about anything." "Ajax," you replied, dodging his gaze like your life depended on it. "Forget what I asked earlier." He seemed to pause in slight hesitation but agreeably nod soon after. "Okay. If that's what you want." "It is," you asserted, silence falling onto both of you. Tension and awkward silence were not the kind of situations Ajax excelled in. It had always made him uncomfortable, too uncomfortable, and you knew that fact about him even before he left the country. It didn't take long for him to interject to disrupt it once again. "You know, maybe it's just my imagination, but I have a slight inkling that... this isn't actually what you want. Am I crazy?" he asked, so painfully genuine in asking. You let out a sigh, releasing the unbearable tension that had built up in your chest. “I didn’t expect you to think of this as such a casual thing,” you said. “Oh,” he replied, seemingly relieved. “Well, like I said, if you want me to-“ “It’s not about what I want.” Childe perplexed, head tilted like an innocent little puppy. “Well… then what is this about?” You began to ferociously shake your head in frustration. “What do you want, Ajax? Tell me that.” “I… I want you to be happy and comfortable-“ “I said it’s not about what I want. What do you want?” You interrupted once again, patience running thin. “Answer me.” “I just said it, didn’t I?” He questioned defensively. “I don’t know what else you want me to say.” “Are you an idiot?” “What? What did I do??” “Ajax,” you projected. “What about me?” His eyes only seemed to grow further into confusion, breaths deepening as he attempted to remain levelheaded. “What about you?” He repeated back to you in defeated tones. That’s when the tears began to fall, no longer able to maintain the storm of frustration and betrayal you felt inside as you sobbed in front of him. “What about me?!” You repeated back sharply. “Childe, do you even want me? Did you want me when you agreed to this.” “What? Of course I do!” He reassured you, defensive but seemingly honest, as if it shouldn't have even needed to be said aloud. “Then why is this not as big of a deal to you as it is to me??” You pleaded with him at the end of your ropes. Something about that question seemed to remove the light from Childe’s eyes, a gloom hazing over them as he ceased to stare at you, and instead at all the stalls that lined the harbor. “You know, I’m not a virgin,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do to change that.” You instinctively rolled your eyes at his obvious comment. “Ya, no shit,” you replied. “Your point?” “My point is… I could sit here and pretend I’m nervous like a little school boy and that the idea of having sex gives me feel all warm and fuzzy, but the reality is that kid is long gone. Part of me even wishes I could, but just wouldn’t be the truth, and if I owe you anything…” “Then why agree to have sex with me if it’s not going to be special to you?” “I never said it wasn’t,” he insisted. “Really?” You questioned him. “You said, and I quote, it’s just sex.” “And I stand by that,” Ajax replied once again. “To me, it is just sex. It doesn’t mean all that much to me anymore, but you know what does?” Childe stared back up at you with hope in his eyes and the tinge of rose on his cheeks. “What?” You asked him reluctantly. He smiled. “You. You mean something to me,” Childe hopelessly declared. You felt your heart flutter but quickly suppressed it, not wanting your feelings to cloud your judgement. “That’s a cute line,” you answered back. “You say that to every girl you hook up with.” “No,” he said. “Only the one I love.” His tone, smooth as butter, nearly sent you flying above the shore line. You were dreaming surely, you thought, but as Childe touched your hand gently, wrapping it around yours in a gentle comfort, you saw the reality of what you were witnessing. Ajax, smiling like a kid with candy, telling you he loved you.

“What I want is irrelevant,” he said. “I want to do this the way you want, whether that’s a horse drawn carriage or a hotel room in Wangshu Inn. I can’t have that special first time, but you…” “Ajax,” you stopped him, grasping back onto his hand joyfully in response. “The only special first time I want is one that happens with you,” you beamed, eyes sparkling from the clearing of tears that had finally finished dropping. Childe chuckled, face alight like you had never seen it before. He removed his hand from yours just after planting a gentle kiss on your skin, eying a nearby stall that was only a couple yards away. “I’ll be right back,” he said before walking toward the salesmen with a smile painted pridefully across his face. “A dozen of your finest silk flowers, please.”

Arataki Itto

The self proclaimed "Oni King" had the usual dumbfounded look on his face after you finally asked the question. His blood red eyes had shot wide open and a dopey smile smeared across his face, the one that really got under your skin. He was looking at you with that same look he gave you after challenging you to his silly games- no, it was more specific than that. You could tell by the gleam in his eyes, by the instant doubt and annoyance that overcame you as you noticed, that to him... he already won.

He took a brief moment to clear his throat, trying to contain the all too obvious excitement that had already overtaken him before turning back to you with smoldering cartoonish eyes. He was so terrible at flirting, you would've laughed your ass off if it hadn't been you that started it. "Well since a.. beautiful lady like yourself is asking so nicely, I-"

"I knew I shouldn't have asked you."'

The overconfident smile immediately dropped from the Oni's face, his shoulders slumping to his sides. "What?! What did I even do wrong?!"

"Everything," you answered bluntly, eyes of steel piercing through his weak heart. "Itto, I'm pretty sure I'm not the first person to tell you this, but you're cockiness really makes my blood boil."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed casually, a fisted hand pounding into his chest to represent his hurt. "Ouch. Well, if I make your blood boil so much, why would you even ask me that in the first place?"

"You know, I'm starting to question that myself as well."

The Oni's eyes seemed to darken further, the sense of disappointment and defeat sinking into him like stones. It wasn't like he was mad or on the verge of tears or anything like that. He just seemed... bummed and pathetic. It didn't take long for that small glimmer to return to those scarlet eyes, though. Arataki Itto, as most of Inazuma knew by now, was not one to accept defeat so willingly if there was the slightest chance of victory.

"Is it my hair?" he asked with a curious head tilt, the corner of his lips crawling up his face in a flirtatious smirk.

You looked at him unamused. "Your... hair? You think I asked you... because of your hair."

"Well, why not? I have fantastic hair, you know" he boasted, taking his stupid comb from his pocket and brushing it back pompously.

You snatched the comb from his hand impatiently and held it before him, snapping it in half with delicate fingers and dropping it to the ground.

Itto let out a sign of unsurprised disappointment. "You owe me a comb... again."

"I wouldn't keep breaking them if you wouldn't keep talking about your stupid hair, you stupid Oni!"

"Okay, fine! Fine... It wasn't my hair," He mumbled. "No one appreciates my hair-"

"Enough about the hair!"

"Ya, ya..." Itto groaned. "Okay, so if it's not my hair, then I bet it's my rippling muscles."

Your face drooped into a dead, not entertained stare that felt like it was beginning to cement on your face.

Itto nodded in acknowledgment, knowing well he wouldn't be needing a verbal answer. "Oh! Oh! I got it!"

"I'm sure you do," you droned skeptically.

"It's definitely gotta be my Oni markings!" He insisted, arms spread wide to show the extent of the red lines that ran up and down his body. "They're pretty badass, right?"

"You're an idiot," you answered him.

"I prefer the term hot mess, thank you very much."

"I'll stick to idiot," you assured him.

"Understood."

Itto's expression seemed to grow and intensify in confusion, trying desperately to read the archive of his mind for the correct answer.

"Is it my claws?"

"No."

"The eyeliner?"

"No."

"Is it because of Ushi?"

"Why would I want to sleep with you because of your pet?"

"Oh, I get it! You're just into the bad boy types, aren't you."

"Not really."

"Am I even getting close here?"

"Not at all."

The Oni flopped down on the grass dramatically, sprawling over the ground in exhaustion. You could practically see the smoke coming out of his ears. Itto was a lot of things. Smart was definitely not one of them, but if you'd learned anything about the crimson oni in your time knowing, it was that he was a lot more than meets the eye.

You let out a slightly annoyed sigh. "Itto, you know this is important to me, right? It's not some game or challenges. This is... all of me."

"Of course I know that," he concurred in a moment of rare calmness for the Oni. "Don't get me wrong, I'm beyond flattered you would trust me like that, but- well, I don't get it."

"You don't get a lot of things, oni. You're gonna have to be more specific," you joked.

He released a stifled breath. "You're telling me that of all the people Inazuma, you choose me. Why?"

"Because of your hair, rippling muscles, and oni markings, clearly-"

"Alright, alright," he interrupted. "I see what you did there, but seriously."

"I wasn't aware I needed to stroke your ego before-"

"This isn't about my ego," Itto quickly shut down the idea.

You turned to him once again, dropping the antics and noticing the dull look in his eyes. He looked unusually bothered by something, which gravely concerned you. "Could you... tell me why you want to know first?" you asked hesitantly.

He shook his head, a bitter smile momentarily growing across his face before fading back. "It's stupid. It's nothing you need to bother yourself with-"

"There's nothing you need to be ashamed of with me," you assured the oni. "You can trust me."

"I do trust you, that's kind of the problem," he told you, a growing frustration and hopelessness arising from him.

Your eyes furrowed in confusion. "I don't follow," you answered him back.

Itto's head seemed to tilt back so far on the grass he seemed to be trying to bury himself in it. "When I was a kid, the only time pretty girls would come near me was on dares from their friends, then they'd run away screaming without letting me say a word. I only got asked out so I could be made fun of later, but when I grew up I got a lot more romantic attention from people, if you wanna call that. Most of the time, though, when they wanted to be intimate, it was so they could brag about being with a hot-blooded oni. I've... trusted a lot of people with all of me, trying to find someone who actually wanted all of me, but there was always an ulterior motive. I care way too much about you. I want to give you this so bad, but I seriously need to know that it's nothing like-"

"Itto..." you murmured under your breath before sitting yourself next to him on the grass. "Oni, I'm so sorry that all happened you. I- I had no idea-"

"It's okay, Y/N. Really!" he reassured you, falling to silence as small prickles of water developed on his lower lids.

You connected your delicate fingers to Itto's face and wiped away the falling droplets. "I should've been honest with you from the start, but sometimes it's hard to get through to such a hardheaded oni."

"Ya, sorry I wouldn't stop talking about my hair," he chuckled, a tired defeat underlying in his tone.

"It's okay," you told him. "Just know I'm not here for your big dumb hair, Itto. I'm here for your big dumb heart. The biggest, dumbest, heartiest heart in all of Inazuma."

Itto let out a bellowing chuckle. "You've been dogging on me all day and that's your best pick up line?! Seriously?!"

"Wha- hey, I'm putting my pride on the line for you here, you stupid oni!" you shot back.

"Oh come on!" Itto scoffed. "My big dumb heart? You really expect me to buy into that one?"

"Excuse me!" you exasperated. "Are you trying to suggest I'm lying?! I resent the accusation."

"And I resent the accusation that my heart is big and dumb," Itto answered back, arms folded and face turned stubbornly away from you.

"Well, my bad, but I'll have you know I love that big dumb heart and everything about the oni that comes with-"

You halted in realization of what you just said, the grassy plain you and the oni laid across growing silent. The only sound that remained was the whistling of wind and rustling of tree branches, but all you could hear was the steady pounding of your heart. You weren't ashamed of Itto, how you fell for the charms most people never stuck around him long enough to see. Still, the sudden confession seemed to surprise you more than him, how the words just slipped out of your mouth effortlessly.

"Everything?" Itto interrupted the silence.

"Y-yes, I believe I said that."

There was a low toned chuckle that escaped the oni and a devious smirk that followed as he eyed you playfully. "So what I'm hearing is... you do like my hair!"

You palmed your forehead in disappointment, head shaking ferociously as you laughed in disbelief. "You know, now that I think about it, Kujou Sara is a very beautiful woman-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," he scolded before returning back to his regular carefree antics.

Diluc

Diluc Ragnvindr... such a cold and serious man on the surface, the foremost business tycoon of the Mondstadt wine industry, arguably the most powerful man in the city, both on the social ladder and in raw physicality. You'd initially written him off as too intimidating to even consider asking, despite the fact you'd known him since childhood. Had you ever had any chance with him back then, you were certain you'd lost it when you left Mondstadt to travel the world. Of course, you also figured your feelings would fade with the distance, and boy were you proven wrong.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Diluc asked casually from behind the Angel's Share bar.

You jumped, breaking your thoughtless staring. "I- uh... glass of dandelion wine?"

He nodded and turned his back to pour you a glass, and you were about ready to start screaming and throwing things in the corner of that bar you were so frustrated with yourself, but you contained the urge, all while continuing to feel stupid simply for sitting there, hoping for a miraculous yes should you even work up the courage to ask. Diluc Ragnvindr was the most eligible bachelor in all of Mondstadt, and you felt pathetic letting yourself become as desperate as the hundreds of other girls pining for him.

It didn't take long for Diluc to turn back around and gently place a slightly overfilled glass of wine in front of you. "Is something bothering you?" he asked as he grabbed a couple glasses and a rag and to clean to keep his hands busy.

"N-no, what makes you think that?"

He gave you a stare of suspicion. "You're sitting at my bar... alone. What do you think?"

The comment immediately had you shriveling up in embarrassment before him. He had a point. Nothing reeked more of desperation than going to a bar alone. You reached for the glass begrudgingly, knowing well that was the only answer Diluc needed as he nodded in understanding.

He proceeded to get called over by other patrons and you felt yourself on the verge of collapse, fingernails digging into the finished wood of Diluc's pristine bar, lurching for your glass and taking a large gulp of the wine before the bartender of the night could turn back around to see you. In retrospect, you may as well have just downed it right in front of him. Diluc was anything but blind after all. When he did turn back to face you, he saw the already half empty glass and took a mental note to keep an extra careful eye on you that night. Diluc did know you after all, all too well at times. Some would call you friends, though claiming you as such was a string of words that seemed to get stuck in his throat for some reason. Regardless he had no intention of letting you stumble out of his bar and into a bad situation, and you knew that as well, that despite Diluc's tough exterior he was a gentleman. You trusted him. You wouldn't have been at his bar for the reasons you were otherwise.

He came back to the empty glasses in front of you, running an old rag across them until they shined with a vitreous luster, trading looks with you when your eyes would meet and you'd nervously pull away from his gaze. "Are you enjoying it? Being back in Mondstadt, I mean," he asked, trying to break the ice as you only exacerbated the awkward tension.

"Yeah, definitely," you confirmed. "Traveling is great and all, but... I have loose ends I've been meaning to tie up here."

Diluc nodded understandingly at the notion. "I understand. Traveling can be such a nuisance when you can't shake that feeling you've forgotten something back home," he concluded. "I assume it must've been something pretty big, though. You seemed quite determined to leave."

You sighed. "I thought if I got far enough from it I'd just forget eventually."

"Well, when you try hard to forget things like that it only forces you to think about-"

"Think about them more," you interrupted him. "I know, Diluc. Believe me. I know that now," you told him, one hand pressed against your forehead and the other wrapped around your wine glass.

"Am I to assume then you're here in hopes that the wine might aid you in forgetting?" Diluc questioned you further.

You were near close to slamming your head into the bar's surface in the pent of frustration and awkwardness this conversation was causing. "I don't think the wine is quite going to help me forget this one," you told him with a tensed jaw.

The air Diluc carried seemed to slightly shift toward curiosity. "Is that so?" he asked, before looking around at the rest of his patrons with suspicious darting eyes before leaning into you ear. "You know, most people come to my bar thinking wine will solve all their problems, but the funny thing is the only problem it solves is making sure I never leave here with empty pockets. People leave the Angel's Share disappointed with themselves all the time, but they always seem to come back. Isn't that strange?" He whispered, a titled half smile prominently spread across his face.

There was a moment as Diluc pulled away from you, your face bright red from the unexpected sheer closeness of him, where you briefly considered if he told you that little tidbit about the Angel's Share just for the sake of small talk or if he was stringing you along. The second option was hardly conceivable to you. It felt far more like the kind of action his brother would take as opposed to him. Still, the sentiment behind his anecdote certainly struck a chord with you, save for the part where he suggested people only came back for the wine. You of all people knew there were other reasons why people came crawling back to the Angel's Share and not just any old bar. How aware Diluc was of such a conundrum was a complete mystery to you, but the message behind the story resonated a little too personality. You had (ironic as it is) liberated yourself from Mondstadt when you reached your adult years. You traveled the world and at times were certain you'd never turn back, yet you were back again, all for one man. Diluc was your dandelion wine.

"People find themselves doubling back for the things they believe will make them whole," he explained further, glass in hand once again. "And somehow it seems the wind has led you all the way back here: home. Humans are stubborn creatures. Once you've got your mind made up that you need something, nothing else is gonna satisfy you. The good news, though, is that unlike wine some urges don't need to be resisted. It's better you just give into those."

You took a final swig of your wine and sighed. "Smart as always, Diluc. Can't say you've changed much at all."

"What can I say? I enjoy consistency."

You rolled your eyes at him, offering him a handful of mora as you scooted out of your seat.

Diluc only pushed your hand away, though, clasping your fingers around the cold metal pieces. "On the house," he said. "And for the record... it's nice to see you again."

You smiled shyly as you shoved the coins back in your pocket. "You too," you agreed before making your leave.

For the moment at least.

You spent a good portion of the starry night taking a stroll through Mondstadt's streets, taking in sights that were the same yet different simultaneously from the childhood hometown you knew. There was a gusty breeze but clear skies. You went by Good Hunter for a hot meal, saw a few familiar faces you watched for a bit like a memory. It was the first time you had stopped to reminisce since arriving back in Mondstadt, but mostly you were looking for something important. You were trying to see if there was anything other than Diluc that brought you back, and the answer you reach was an astounding no. When the night became late, you went back to the Angel's Share toward close and sat yourself at one of the outdoor round tables, fidgeting with your own fingers anxiously as you waited.

You heard the ringing of the door behind you as it swung open, and you sharply turned around to meet the fiery red eyes of Diluc once again. He froze when he saw you, eyes widening in realization, dots quickly connecting.

"Oh," he said as he gently shut the door.

You smiled nervously. "Ya," you replied, eyes quickly darting back to the bag in your hand. "I brought you some sticky honey roast! You must be hungry by now."

He sighed and walked his way over to the chair next to you. It was hard to tell if the sigh was in reluctance or relief. "Thank you," he told you, accepting the food with a smile.

You gave him a moment to open the food and take a few bites, watching nervously for his approval (as if you made it yourself which you most certainly didn't). You were right, though. He was hungry. For a moment he hardly paid attention to you, but he quickly corrected that behavior and delicately wiped the honey away from his face before turning back to you and laughing in his own embarrassed disbelief.

"You know, when you were talking about that thing you couldn't forget, I didn't think... I mean, I considered it briefly, but I-" and he stopped, like he saying it would make it more true than he could actually believe. He pressed a hand into his forehead and ran it down his faced frustratedly. "You said I was smart before you left... I gotta say, I don't feel very smart right now."

You answered his own nervous laughter and repeated it back to him. "You wanna talk about feeling dumb?" you said. "Do you know how many times I thought about what I'd say and do in this position and thought: 'You know who I should ask for advice? Diluc."

His frustrated laughing quickly turned into a genuine one, a smile growing across his face so wide and excessive you couldn't help but find it infectious, and soon you were both laughing at your own stupidity. Diluc was hardly as happy and expressive as you'd seen him tonight, and at that moment you began to wonder where this was coming from. You perhaps? You quickly buried the consideration. The two of you did eventually come back down from your hysterics, and Diluc recuperated himself, clearing his throat and crossing his arms across his chest.

"So... umm- is there something you're wanting to tell me?" he asked.

You sighed and glared at him. "You're seriously gonna make me say it?"

"Oh ya," he scoffed proudly, leaning into you so he could hang on the edge of your every word. "I mean, I'm assuming you've thought about this a lot. I would hate to rob you of your moment."

You briefly rolled your eyes at him, but you knew he wasn't wrong. You'd thought about what you would say dozens of times over, and while you felt far more comfortable in Diluc's presence in the moment than you thought you would, it didn't change that tinge of nervous energy you had about it. You took a deep breath before reconnecting your eyes with his. "Diluc," you began, and he smiled at the way you said it sending butterflies throughout you that you simply had to dismiss in the moment. "As you know, I've gone a lot of places now. I've been to all corners of Tevyat, seen a lot of things, and met a lot of people. But no matter what I do and where I go, I can't shake this feeling I needed to come back to you. Because, well, I've always been kind of crazy about you and traveling the world just didn't change that even though I tried. That thing you said about people going back for the things that make them whole... I looked everywhere for something else- someone else- that would do that for me, and it's only confirmed that you are the only solution. I want you, all of you, and I always have and always will. Nothing else is ever gonna satisfy me, and I should've never left Mondstadt in the first place without telling you that."

Then there was silence, an indescribable look on Diluc's face, and the pounding of your heart as you waited for his response. "So?" you asked.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for you to say that," he told you, face plastered in an unmoving smile. "I wasn't sure you were ever coming back, and now that you are... I don't think I've ever been more relieved about anything. You've come to my bar on my shifts a couple times since arriving, and it's been the highlight of my day every time. All that to say, I guess you could say I'm a little crazy about you too."

Hearing that was like an explosion of emotion, and despite how that whole night had went it still came as an absolute shock to you. You erupted into all shades of red, frozen and practically malfunctioning in front of him. In the here and now, the world was as it should be, better than it had ever been. When Diluc placed his hand on top of yours, you nearly melted into mush.

"Thank you," he told you. "For coming back I mean."

You still couldn't shake the shock, but you told him regardless. "Thank you for letting me," you told him back. "If I had known things ould turn out like this, I wouldn't have made you wait."

He shrugged. "Don't even worry about that," he reassured you. "At the end of the day, it was you who had the guts to come to me first. You've always been more of the go-getter type."

"And yet I went literally as far as I could trying to avoid this," you thought, the words slipping out of your mouth.

"Regardless, I'm glad you changed your mind," he told you, before gripping into your hand firmly and encouragingly. "It's getting cold. We should get going."

"Ya? Where to?" you asked him.

He smiled, his chest rising in a shaky breath. "I was hoping... my place. I don't wanna wait any longer than this, and I don't think you want to either."

You felt an inadmissible fluttering in your heart as you nodded back to Diluc in agreement, eyes wide and glossed over. "Okay," you answered him back, before he fully wrapped his hand around yours and guided you away with him.

Kaedehara Kazuha

Stupid Kazuha. Stupid, overly perceptive, beautiful Kazuha, you thought to yourself. Leave it to him to see right through you as always, so much so that when you go to finally ask him... he beats you to it. Of all your time on the ocean, you had never met someone who had you all figured out all too quickly like Kazuha did. He had a keen eye and excellent observation skills. You were never the most transparent person, but within a couple weeks of his stay aboard the Crux Fleet, he was reading you like a book. So here you were up in the crows nest in the dead of night, telling him about the hopes and dreams you dared not to tell anyone else, and when the conversation shifted to how you've come to resent how you never prioritized intimacy in your life and how lonely you had begun to feel out on the open sea, Kazuha already knew what you wanted, and naturally, he just asked first instead. "I'm sorry, was that too straightforward or me? You look a little red there," he commented in silky tones, concerned but still insistently teasing and mocking you all the same. "Oh, I'm totally fine," you said with a sigh as you rubbed against your cheeks as if to wipe away the red. "Oh really?" he pressed on further, "Are you certain? Because, if you ask me, you look like you might burst into flames any second now," he chuckled. "Haha, very funny!" you commented back, head turning sharply away from his gaze, a slight sense of uncertainty settling in as you tossed back and forth with yourself the genuineness of Kazuha’s offer. “You didn’t say all that just to get a reaction out of me… Right, Kazuha?” He placed a gentle hand onto the small of your back, pulling in close enough to where you couldn’t help but see the shining red of his eyes in your peripherals. “I assure you, I’m quite serious about this… watching you flounce around like a fish out of water is just a bonus.” You playfully swatted his hand away from yours at his comment, turning back to face him with a warm rosy color spread across your face. “You asshole,” you criticized him with lacking seriousness. “You know you love me,” he replied smugly, to which you shook your head in disbelief. “Deny me all you want, but I know all too well that I drive you crazy, and you revel in the chaos.” “Well, you’re certainly not wrong about the part about driving me crazy…” “Oh? Is that a confession I hear?” “If it helps you sleep at night.” The two of you went back and forth like an old married couple, trading insults with flirtatious undertones. It was a pastime you’d become accustomed to, a hobby you and Kazuha shared. Did you truly bask in chaos of it all? Of course. Would you ever admit that to him directly? Now that would ruin the fun. “You know, you never actually told me yes or no,” he asserted. “Kazuha… I think you can figure out the answer on your own.” “Oh, on the contrary. Don’t you know? I, Kaedehara Kazuha, have always been a simple straightforward man who needs to be told everything directly. I simply will not know until you tell me,” he spoke dramatically. The answer in your heart? Of course it was yes. How could it not be? But when Kazuha sat there and watched you with those self assured eyes and lips slightly curved in the most diabolical smirk... god, he made that so hard to admit out loud, and you did not feel like swallowing your pride tonight, so instead you huffed and pursed your lips, crossed your arms and swiftly turned your gaze away from him like a stubborn child. Kazuha, however, was certainly not going to let you off that easily though. He gripped onto the wood of the column that stood high above the rest of the ship and swung his body around, facing you head on with an almost dorky smile. "Miss me?" he says. "You wish," you chirped back, immediately turning back the other way, arms crossed and pushed up against your chest. "Aw, don't be like that," he pouts, taking a step closer to you and sliding a gentle hand onto your shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly across the bare skin.

The sensation sends a shiver throughout your body, but you simply walk around the wooden pole, distancing yourself just out of reach of him. He responds by subtly inching toward you once again, and you can feel his gaze burning into the back of your neck, so you pick up your pace, moving faster around the small perimeter of the crows nest, eyeing him occasionally as he follows closely behind until you both are running around it like school children. "Oh come on, love," he'll pant with a tinge of desperation in his voice as he continues to chase you, "You can't run from this forever!" "I can sure as hell try, you smug bastard!" you retort. It goes from an avoidance of confrontation to another teasing game between the two of you faster than you can truly process it, but you can hear him laughing between catching his breath, and you're still trying to avoid his gaze for not wanting to satisfy him with the giddy smile you have painted across your face. Soon, you're running without thinking, and Kazuha isn't letting up whatsoever, until you close your eyes for two seconds, and he cleverly makes a swift pivot so that you land effortlessly in his arms. The way his hands grip instinctively onto your waist as his crimson eyes illuminate in the starlight sends butterflies fluttering throughout the pit of your stomach. You can tell he's noticed the redness of your face, the way you're practically glowing, because he only seems to match that expression and amplify it within yourself. He takes a single loose strand of your hair and pushes it back behind your ear, lovingly memorizing the look on your face, as he's certain he'll cherish it for years to come. Things grow silent, the good kind of silent that only serves to let a perfect moment stand without time trying to push you into a far inferior one. You're just dying for him to kiss you, but instead he says: "Say you're mine, even if it's just for tonight." And he says it with such honest and adoring eyes... how could you possibly deny him now? "I'm yours," you answer. "Tonight, tomorrow..." "Always."

A/N: Hello guys! I know this part two has been a long time coming, but it is finally finished. This is easily the highest demand part two on my page, and I am so so thankful for all of you who patiently waited. This was hard to write, as I had multiple instances of writers block for months but at long last, we have four more amazing men with four separate narratives. This really did turn into four fleshed out stories, which definitely lends itself to the point of me writing these more than the first part, though I still love it as well. It's always been about character exploration and the exploration of ideas surrounding virginity, and hope those of you who read this can find some joy in this. This is an important series to me, because it takes a piece of fiction I love and uses it to try and navigate what I find to be an important topic to explore because of all its societal implications. Also, feel free to lmk if there are characters you'd like to see in part 3, though it might be a while once again. I'm thankful for all you, and please have a lovely day!