#i had so much fun writing this

[stillmonsterz]

all i gotta do

for this anon!

pairing: jake x reader

genre: fluff (?), humor (???), smut

summary: it's your first day at work and you're nervous. however, your trainer is going to show you why you were nervous for the wrong reasons. one week with jake sim will either make you quit the job or never leave.

contains: unprotected sex, exhibitionism, swearing, incest mention, PTSD mention, i try to be "funny" and make "jokes"

word count: 4.4k (unproofread)

---

DAY ONE

You stepped inside of your new workplace apprehensively; you hadn’t felt so nervous since your first day of university. Wiping your palms on your pants, you made eye contact with the receptionist and smiled wanly. 

“Hello,” you said, resting your fingertips on the counter. “I’m the new hire. I was wondering where I could find…Jake Sim? He’s supposed to be my…” The term that had been used in the introductory email the company had sent to you eluded you.

“Your buddy,” the receptionist said flatly. “Your Park Corp buddy.”

“Yes. That.”

“Jake Sim is on the fifth floor. I take it you’ll be working in data analysis as well?”

You nodded. “Yes, exactly.”

The receptionist smiled at you, but it belied a certain cold humor. “Good luck.”

“Yeah, you too.” As you walked away, you realized your blunder and squeezed your eyes shut. 

–

The fifth floor of the office building had all of the markings of a corporation attempting to reel in more younger workers. There was a vending machine as soon as you walked in, the cubicles were arranged as part of an open concept floor plan, and the walls were plastered with positive, empty aphorisms. You scanned the area, wondering which of the people hunched over their computers was Jake.

Footsteps echoed behind you, and when you turned around you saw a slight, enthusiastic-looking young man with a shock of shaggy brown hair approaching you. In his hands he held two coffee cups. 

“Hey, newbie,” he said with some affection. “Got you a coffee.”

You took the cup, surprised by his vivacity. “Thank you…”

“Jake,” he finished, holding his hand out. “Jake Sim.”

You shook his hand as firmly as you could and introduced yourself.

“I know,” he said cheerfully. “Don’t worry, I like to do a little stalking before we meet a new hire. Although…” his face grew serious. “You really shouldn’t post such…provocative pictures on your Insta. Someone could get ideas.”

Your face blanched and your fingers gripped the coffee cup. “What?”

Jake’s face broke out into a smile. “Just fuckin’ with you. Sorry, I like to razz all the new hires. Makes me feel big.”

His grin was so wide, you felt compelled to smile too. He nudged you and jerked his thumb in the direction of the cubicles. “Let me show you around, PCB.”

You blinked, then it dawned on you. “Park Corp buddy…?”

“So observant,” Jake said, amused. “Come on.”

You followed him around as he explained where everything was: the copy room, the coffee machine, the water dispenser, the popcorn machine, your cubicle (situated in the middle of the room, to your chagrin), his cubicle (tucked neatly in the corner).

Then he taught you how to use the software. Thanks to your university courses, it wasn’t difficult to learn. Jake’s playful personality also gave way to a maturity that you hadn’t expected. He carefully walked you through the program step by step.

“I’ll leave you these tasks to work on,” he said, pulling up a document he had pre-made. “If you get stuck, just come get me, okay? I’m right in the corner.”

You thanked him for his assistance and started working on the tasks he had given you. It wasn’t challenging, so much as it was tedious. Still, you persevered. 

At least, until you heard him approach you again.

“Hey,” Jake said, sitting beside you. His eyes darted around the room. “You were supposed to come get me.”

“You told me to do that if I needed you,” you replied, somewhat confused.

“Yeah,” Jake said slowly, “in case you feel the overwhelming urge to make Jakey’s day and let him help you with something so he can avoid doing his boring ass work. You don’t even understand the basics of being a PCB, do you?”

“You’re using me,” you said, waving an accusatory finger at him. 

“Can you blame me?” he retorted. “Sometimes I can…I can feel my soul leaking from my pores.”

You giggled, and he squinted at you in mock annoyance. “There’s no way you’re laughing at me,” he said, trying to fight a smile. “I’m dying, turning into a corpse, and you’re laughing.”

You shrugged. “At least you’ll die at the prime of your life.”

Jake’s lips curled into a mischievous smile. “Oh, you think I’m in my prime, huh?”

“That’s not what I me-,”

“You’re hitting on me,” Jake said, leaning in. He blinked at you like a puppy. 

You leaned away, your cheeks feeling warm. “I’m not.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you were,” he said softly.

You were about to say something else, something intelligent and witty, but one of your new coworkers approached the two of you. 

“Couldn’t wait a day before sexually harassing the newbie, could you?” He was tall, pale, and had a shit-eating grin that could rival Jake’s. Unlike Jake, who was dressed in a blue button-down and slacks, this person wore a suit with a silky black tie.

Jake leaned away from you, balking at the accusation. “I am not sexually harassing her,” Jake said, clutching his heart. “I wasn’t even normal harassing her.”

“He wasn’t,” you chimed in. 

“Don’t cover up for this louse,” Sunghoon said, shaking his head at Jake. “Look at you, corrupting one of our brightest already with your salacious comments. Weren’t you supposed to be writing up a report on the-,”

“You hear this jerkoff?” Jake said, interrupting. “He puts on a little suit and starts using words like ‘louse’ and ‘salacious’, like we’re not in data analysis.”

“I am a data architect,” Sunghoon said, playfully slamming his hand on your desk. “And I will be treated like one, damn it.”

“Quit it,” Jake said, putting his arms around you and hugging you close to him. “You’re scaring my PCB.” 

“Your PCB is going to get PTSD if you keep touching her,” Sunghoon replied drolly, crossing his arms.

Jake grinned. “My PCB is going to get PTSD if I do PDA with her?” 

Sunghoon said, “Good one,” and they laughed and high-fived. You stared at them incredulously, noting that Jake’s arm was still wrapped around your shoulder. 

“Sorry,” you said slowly, “but I’d like to do my work…”

Jake withdrew his arm and tsked under his breath, standing up. “Great going, Sunghoon,” he hissed. “Now she hates you.”

“She hates you, idiot,” Sunghoon retorted as they walked away.

You slumped down in your chair, already feeling exhausted. You worked straight through your lunch break, and as you commuted home you wondered how the rest of your training week would go.

–

DAY TWO 

The next day, you felt a little more equipped to navigate your new job. In your purse, you brought some items with which to decorate your desk.

You came into work early, noting that very few people show up at this time. Perfect. With careful precision, you arranged your new trinkets on your desk; a magnetic calendar for your cubicle wall, a little plush doll, a notebook, a nice mousepad, and a little jar of chocolates. 

As you’re turning your computer on, you heard three male voices approaching your desk. Two of which you recognize. 

“There she is,” you heard Jake say quietly, “isn’t she cute?”

You looked up and waved. There was Jake, wearing a button-up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Sunghoon, wearing another crisp suit. And a third person wearing an oversized collared shirt with dark blue jeans, looking you up and down. 

“You’re here early,” Jake said cheerfully. “Excited for work?”

“I just wanted to decorate my desk,” you explained, proudly displaying your newly decorated workplace.

The three men politely admired your table. Then Sunghoon nudged the third man in the ribs. He cleared his throat. 

“I’m Heeseung,” he said, awkwardly raising his hand. “Heeseung Lee.”

“Nice to meet you,” you replied, holding your hand out.

You shook hands with him, and Sunghoon snorted. “I didn’t get a handshake from you.”

“You also didn’t introduce yourself to me…”

Sunghoon looked away, the tips of his ears going red. “Right. I suppose that was my folly. Apologies.”

Jake leaned down and whispered, “Isn’t he such a pretentious dick?” in your ear. You suppressed another giggle as you stuck your hand out.

Sunghoon shook it firmly. “Park Sunghoon,” he said with a smile. “Data architect.”

“You told her that already,” Jake said. 

“And I told you to shut up several times, not that you ever listened,” Sunghoon retorted.

You glanced at Heeseung, and he just shrugged at you. “They can’t stop,” he said, glancing between the two of them. “It’s hard-coded into their DNA to be idiots in front of cute girls.”

Jake squinted at Heeseung. “Oh, you think she’s cute? Are you into her or something?”

Heeseung raised his hands in self-defense, backing up. “No, no, not at all.”

You sighed. “Could…could I go ahead and start my work?”

Jake shook his head and stalked away from your table. “She fucking hates you, you know that?” he said, lightly pushing Heeseung. 

Later that day, as you’re packing up to head home, you hear footsteps that were already becoming familiar.

“Hey,” Jake said quietly, “the guys and I were wondering if you wanted to eat with us at lunch tomorrow?”

You blinked up at him. “No kidding?”

“Yeah. We want you to feel welcome here,” he said, resting his hand on your shoulder. 

A smile spread across your face, and you nodded. “Sure. Sounds like it'll be a lot of fun.” Like seeing monkeys in the zoo.

Jake grinned, patting your shoulder. “Awesome! Awesome, awesome.” He paused then, placing his hand in his pocket. “One other thing,” he said slowly. 

“What’s that?” you tilted your head at him.

“Well, you know, you don’t have to dress so formally,” he said, gesturing at your outfit. “Unless you’re trying to be Sunghoon or something. You can dress business casual.”

You looked down at yourself; your outfit was pretty formal and rigid. “All right,” you said, “I’ll be nice and casual tomorrow.”

“Sounds great,” Jake said, biting his lip slightly. 

– 

DAY THREE

Work already felt much more comfortable. Besides the three coworkers you had already met, the rest of the employees ranged from amicable to ambivalent, so you never felt tense. Occasionally, Jake would come over to your desk and look at how you were coming along. Or, as you figured, he was just coming to ogle you. Not that you minded the extra attention. 

When you walked in this morning, dressed in your more casual outfit, his eyes had lingered on you for so long you thought it could be classed as a workplace violation.

“Very nice,” Jake had said approvingly. “Very…casual.”

“I try,” you had said drily, heading to your desk. 

“I’m serious,” he had said, walking with you. “You have, pardon me, a great figure.” 

“That’s not very PC,” Sunghoon had said as he passed by your desk. 

“So, what you’re saying,” Jake had started, and you were already rolling your eyes, “I’m not acting PC with my PCB?”

You had groaned. “Jake…”

“Great going, Sunghoon,” Jake had grumbled, his hands stuffed in his pockets. “You’re the worst, I swear…”

Now you were sitting with them in the break room, where they were locked in what you could only assume was a longstanding debate. 

“I’m saying that it wouldn’t be gay if it was on an island,” Jake protested, “so it wouldn’t even matter, Sunghoon.”

“Okay, but they’d eventually get rescued, so they’d have to live with that,” Sunghoon retorted, gesturing with his sandwich. 

“Yeah, but they don’t know that they’re getting rescued.”

You glanced at Heeseung, who was eating a microwavable meal. “What are they talking about?”

Heeseung leaned into you, whispering as so not to catch their attention. “It’s this stupid hypothetical they came up with,” Heeseung explained. “If there was an island, and a pair of adult siblings were on one end, and a pair of two straight men were on the other end, which pair would hook up first?”

You blinked. “Well, the siblings, right?”

A haunting silence overtook the break room. Heeseung, Jake, and Sunghoon all stared at you, and you got the impression that you had disrupted something sacred, something hallowed.

Sunghoon laughed and pointed at you. “See? See? Your little work wife doesn’t even agree with you. Those siblings would be smashing, right?”

“Well, I g-,”

“All over each other,” Sunghoon continued, making vulgar gestures with his hands. “It’d be like…five hours. Sweaty from the sun. They’d be rolling around, sand in their ass, it’d be carnal. Primal.”

Jake stared at you incredulously. “You really don’t think the straight guys would fuck?”

You shrugged helplessly. “Well, they’re straight, so I mean…”

Jake groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. “Okay. Look. If you were on an island with a sexy ass woman, and she had short nails and everything, and she was fully ready to finger your pussy, you wouldn’t let her smash? Because you were ‘straight’?”

“I mean…no.”

“Nah,” Jake said, waving a baby carrot in your face. “You’re either deluded or you aren’t thinking hard enough. You’d get desperate. You’d be munching so much carpet you’d look like…like…”

“Like a carpet factory,” Heeseung said sarcastically. 

“You’re so fucking unfunny,” Jake replied. “No, you’d look like…”

“Like she’s an interior designer?” Sunghoon offered. 

“Close enough,” Jake said, sighing. “Real dark day when Sunghoon is funnier than you. Do better, Heeseung.”

“Yeah, Heeseung,” you said, “do better.”

Heeseung scoffed. “I thought you were my friend.”

You shrugged. “I wanted to join in.”

Jake clapped you on your back and laughed. “Look at you. Blending in already!”

– 

After lunch you excused yourself and went to the bathroom. When you emerged, Jake was leaning against the wall, playing with his fingers. 

“Hey,” he said, straightening up. “Had a random hypothetical for you.”

“Sure,” you said, crossing your arms. 

“So,” Jake began, his eyes darting around your face, “if you were stuck on a deserted island…”

You groaned. 

“Wait! Wait, wait, wait.” Jake put one hand on your shoulder. “If you were stuck on a deserted island, which of us would you want with you? Me, Sunghoon, or Heeseung?”

You frowned. “Well, you, obviously.”

Jake smiled at you widely, running his fingers through his hair. “Ha, for real?”

“Well, yeah. I know you the best.”

His smile faltered. “Is that really the only reason?”

You frowned, unsure of what to say. “I me-,”

Jake clapped you on the back and snorted. “I was just messing with you,” he said before striding back to his corner cubicle.

–

DAY FOUR 

You consulted your list of tasks. Your last, and most important task, was to type up a data analysis report based off of the information you had been gathering for the past week. Jake said that he would look over it for you later.

After spending the better part of your morning working on the report, you leaned back and stretched. Your eyes were starting to hurt from staring at a screen for so long, and you rubbed them.

Jake was next to you before you could react. “Hey,” he said, “how’s the report going?”

“It’s going,” you said, pinching the bridge of your nose.

“Let me see,” Jake said, leaning over you and scrolling through your document. Your breath hitched; he was so close, you could smell his cologne. If you glanced to your right, you would be able to see his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. 

Jake silently pored over the document, his chest pressed against your back. His hand rested on your shoulder, and you couldn’t tell if he was rubbing it as a subconscious habit or not.

“Looking good so far,” he whispered, and when his hand slid down your arm, you knew it was intentional.

“Anything I need to fix?” you asked, attempting to maintain a semblance of professionalism.

“Hm…” Jake leaned in to you evermore, until he was flush against you. “Nothing I can see. You’re a good worker, aren’t you?”

“I try,” you said quietly. 

“A good little worker bee,” Jake said softly, his lips almost brushing your ear. “Just what I like.”

You dared to turn your head slightly to catch Jake’s gaze, and he smiled at you, that easy-going, smile that hid a wealth of sobriety and determination. He patted your shoulder again and leaned upwards. The loss of his scent and touch bothered you, but you didn’t say a word. 

“I’ll leave you to it now,” Jake said, stretching his wrists out. “Come early tomorrow, okay?”

“Huh? Why?” 

“So I can look over your report one last time before you submit it,” Jake said plainly. “What were you thinking, you naughty little bee?”

“I wasn’t thinking of anything like th-,”

Jake laughed. “I was kidding. You’re so cute when you’re all flustered, though.”

When Jake left, you realized that you had been squeezing your plush doll. You released it and sighed. Then, you continued working on the report. 

–

DAY FIVE 

You strode into the office early. Jake had emailed you through the company’s email, requesting that you arrive on the fifth floor at 7:30 am. Work started at 9:00, so he would have ample time to go over the report with you.

When you entered the floor, you first noted that there were a few workers already there, hunched over their desks. Just a few overachievers…or underachievers, you guessed. 

Jake was waving you over to his cubicle, his hair flopping in his face as he enthusiastically beckoned you. You walked towards him. 

“Come on,” he said, smiling at you playfully despite the early time. “Come sit.”

You went to pull over another chair, but Jake grabbed your wrist. “No, no,” he said with a shake of his hair. “Just sit next to me.” He scooted over in his chair, leaving you with a sliver of space. 

You were already growing accustomed to Jake’s “jokes”, so you sat next to him. Your left leg hung over the side of the chair, the other smushed against Jake’s. 

He smiled at you, then opened your report on his computer. You had sent it to him that night, your heart fluttering even though it was just an email. Just five days at this office was making you as pathetic as Jake and his friends. 

As he scrolled through the document, he kept glancing at you. Eventually, Jake said, “You can’t be comfortable sitting on the chair like that.”

“You’re right,” you said with a sigh. “I’m not.”

“Why not just…sit on my lap?” Jake asked nonchalantly, his lower lip jutting out in a slight pout.

You sighed. “I see the game you’re playing here, Sim.”

“Will you play, my little worker bee?”

A shift of your ass from the small slice of chair to Jake’s lap was your answer to him, and when you leaned against him he smiled. Jake’s hands reached down to encircle your hips. 

“You really are such a good bee,” he said, massaging your hips. 

“I can be even better if you let me,” you replied, your gaze flickering to his plush lips. 

Jake leaned his head against the mesh backing of his swivel chair. Your back was pressed against his chest, and your hands reached behind you to stroke his face. “I’d like to test that theory,” Jake said softly.

You leaned in and kissed him, reveling in the taste of his lips. He followed suit, kissing you enthusiastically. Jake’s hands remained on our hips, but they soon slid to your thighs, squeezing and groping at the soft flesh. Jake swiped his tongue along your bottom lip a few times, and you widened your mouth. His tongue probed past your lips, licking your own tongue.

“So good,” he whispered, briefly breaking the kiss. “You’d never let fuckass Sunghoon do this, right?”

“Jake…”

“Sorry, baby,” Jake said apologetically. “I get territorial. I’m like a wolf.”

“Jake, come on.”

“Awoo,” he said playfully before kissing you again. Your tongues pressed together, swirling around each other. As the kiss deepened, you bit his lower lip before licking the mark. Jake groaned into your mouth.

“Little bee,” he said, pulling away once again. He rested his forehead against yours. “If you’re going to do stuff like that, you’re gonna have to commit to it.”

“I want to commit to it,” you said, leaving wet kisses along his neck. 

Jake groaned and grabbed one of your legs. He brought it over his lap and dragged your hips closer to his crotch. “Now, you’re going to have to be quiet. Can you do that for me?”

“I can be quiet,” you said, resting your hands on his shoulders. 

“Promise? This isn’t a big office,” he said, his voice low and hoarse. “It’d be a shame if someone heard us and you got in trouble. You wouldn’t want that, right?”

“No,” you whispered. As you stared at him, Jake started to unbuckle his belt. When he noticed your gaze, he frowned. 

“Come on, bee,” he said, gesturing at your skirt. “Can’t do everything for you, can I?”

You zipped your skirt down in the back and shifted so you could wriggle yourself out of it. Jake gave you an exasperated glance, so you shimmied your panties down to your thighs.

“And?” he asked impatiently.

“And…what?”

Jake sighed. “Take your tits out, come on.”

The phrase was so vulgar it shocked you, but somehow it was sexy when uttered from Jake’s mouth. The contrast between his disgusting mind and his boyish good looks thrilled you, so you did as he asked. You un-buttoned your shirt down and tugged your bra straps down, revealing your chest. 

Immediately, Jake groped your tits, sighing in pleasure. “Feeling up a pretty girl’s tits early in the morning,” he said, almost reverently. “This is amazing.”

The sensation cause you to moan, and Jake immediately sent you a harsh look. He squeezed one of your breasts, and you suppressed a gasp. “I told you to be quiet, little bee,” he whispered. “You said you could do it.”

“I can,” you murmured. 

“Then show me you can,” Jake replied, still fondling your breasts. He pinched your nipples, squeezed your tits, pushed them together then apart. After a while, he took one of your hands and placed it on his crotch. 

First, you rubbed his hard-on through his slacks, and he bit his lip to avoid moaning. Then you unzipped his pants and pulled out his cock. You were surprised by its girth, as well as the fact that he was already leaking precum. Spitting into your hand, you gathered up some of that precum and used it to stroke his shaft. Jake shuddered and gritted his teeth together. 

“Nice and slow,” he said, his breathing already labored. “Slowly, baby.”

You heeded his order and stroked his cock while he played with your breasts. He hadn’t tired of them; on the contrary, he was transfixed by them. Jake leaned forward and bit one of your breasts hard, sucking at the spot immediately after. “Look at this and think of me,” he whispered before leaving another hickey on your other breast. 

Jake suddenly seemed to remember that he didn’t have much time with you. He took his mouth off of your breast and swatted your hands from his cock. Then he covered your lips with his hand and slowly, painstakingly, guided his cockhead into your dripping, wet pussy. 

You were glad you were being muffled by his hand, because you would not have been able to contain your shivering moans. He shallowly fucked into you, allowing you to get used to his length. When he felt that you were ready, he lifted his hips upwards and slid inside of you completely, letting out a heavy breath.

“Now bounce on it,” Jake whispered into your ear. One hand freely groped your breast, the other was clamped onto your hip. You guessed that he trusted you not to moan now. 

You had never ridden dick before, but you had a general idea of how to do it. You lifted yourself up and down, your pussy enveloping his shaft. The feeling was incredible, and you bit his hand as you worked yourself on his cock. As you did, the swivel chair squeaked due to the movement.

Jake shunted his hips upwards, matching your movements. His hand moved down to your waist, gripping it tightly. “Faster,” he hissed. “Faster, baby.”

Now that you had gotten used to him, you bounced on him faster. Your ass slapped against his strong, muscular thighs, and you knew that there was no way you were being conspicuous. Your pussy made smacking noises as you rode him, and the swivel chair squeaked like it was going to break.

Still, Jake urged you on. “Come on, come on, fucking put that slutty pussy to work,” he said, taking your tits into his mouth. Both of his hands were gripping your hips, pushing him onto his length. “Keep going. Don’t you dare…stop.”

You were reaching your limit, exhaustion seeping into your limbs. Jake lightly pinched your side, and you gasped. “I told you to keep going, baby.”

So you kept going. You swore you could feel him in your womb, that was how far he was pushing you. “Pussy’s gonna be shaped like this dick,” Jake hissed, leaving sloppy kisses all over your chest. “My masterpiece.”

Warmth filled you, all the way to your core, and you knew you were about to burst. “Cover my mouth,” you whispered and Jake immediately placed his hand over your mouth, rutting into you even faster.

“Gonna cum,” Jake grunted, his thrusts growing slower and sloppier. “Gonna fill this sweet pussy up.” With a growl that didn’t dare leave his throat, he fucked his cum into you, his hand still gripping your hip. Slowly, painstakingly, he pulled out of you, and you could see his cum dripping out of you.

He kissed your forehead and uncovered your mouth. “That was so good,” you whispered.

“It’ll be better next time,” Jake said slyly. 

“Oh, yeah?” You started to put your clothes back on, tugging your bra down and buttoning your shirt again. “What makes you so sure?”

Jake leaned into your ear again. “Next time, I’ll get to hear you scream my name.”

You pulled away from him, your eyes widening. 

Jake smiled at you. “Just kidding.”

[predestinatos]

cinnamon taste ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙ — CL16

pairing: charles leclerc x female!reader

summary: your best friend showing up at your apartment isn't the only surprise you had that day

tags: best friends to lovers, giddy and shy charles, sooo much fluff, christmas vibes, improvised and creative mistletoe confession

words: 2.6k

note: someone requested something along these lines and i had sooo much fun writing it!! my heart is full and warm... rlly hope u guys like it too and happy holidays for those who celebrate

The scent of cinnamon and apple filled your lungs as you entered your apartment door. You congratulated yourself on the good choice of incense, apparently, but also punished yourself for seemingly leaving the music on while you were out. Jazz-y Christmas songs were playing softly, your living room feeling like a daydream of warmth and coziness.

But that dream was soon shattered upon the realization that you had brought your phone with you – there was no way it was still connected to Bluetooth. Someone was in your house.

Before you had time to panic as you removed your gloves and jacket, a figure appears before you and spins you in the air, embracing you tightly. At first, you screamed, terrified. But then the figure placed you on the floor, continuously repeating “it’s me it’s me I’m sorry” while giggling.

You immediately recognized the voice – your best friend was wrapped in an apron, glasses on and remnants of flour on his messy brown locks. Immediately, your heart went from racing to galloping, fear replaced by happiness. However, before you could show the good part, you punched him slightly in the chest, the hit clearly not producing any sort of damage. “You are such an idiot, Charles! You almost killed me” you said, although a smile was creeping in your lips and eyes as he pulled you for a hug.

Despite how long you’ve known each other, the hugs always felt the same: earnest, meaningful, his heart beating next to your ear, hands wrapped around you like a warm caress. It felt like this when you were 10 and played together, when you were 15 and snuck out together, and now this. You weren’t expecting to see him, especially not this close to Christmas day.

“I thought I’d do something with the spare key you gave me when I crashed here for a few weeks,” he said, as if reading your thoughts, already jumping between wondering how he got in and when he did it. His eyes, filled with affection, seemed simultaneously nervous, registering your face as if in analyzing it carefully.

Before you had time to ask, he pulled your arm and guided you to the kitchen – your own kitchen – warmly telling you “I have a surprise.” You followed him and as you entered the small marble kitchen, the scent hit you even harder. It smelt of comfort, of a cozy campfire feeling, of sweet bakeries opened and filled with decorations, all inside your house. The kitchen itself was slightly messy, hinting at its use, and Charles stood in it proudly, grabbing some mittens to remove the delicious smelling content from the oven.

They were cookies, made in all possible shapes and sizes – some unidentifiable, as he clearly did them by hand. The image of them filled your heart, your best friend placing them on the counter as he checked if they were ready to be eaten, almost like a postcard waiting to be stilled in time. “For how long are you staying?” you asked, afraid of the answer.

That fear proved itself right as you saw his expression change suddenly, the smile leaving his eyes and remaining only on his lips, an attempt at feigning comfort where there could possibly be none. “The day after tomorrow” he said, after a small cough, acting as if it was nothing, trying to lessen the pain of not knowing when you’d see him again.

Just for that moment, you decided to shrug it off as well, to ignore the elephant in the room that were the less than 48 hours you had to enjoy each other’s company, the knowledge that the old times of friendship won’t come back. “Better eat all of those until then!” you said, in your best effort to showcase as little sadness as possible.

You opened one of your cabinets and removed two mugs from it, one of them farther away than expected. On your tiptoes, you reached for the red mug with a big C on it, with “clumsy” written underneath in small letters. It was reserved especially for Charles, a small part of him that remained untouched from the moment he left and would only be touched again when he came back – which wasn’t often. Upon seeing it, his smile lit up once again, dimples showing on his slightly flushed cheeks, his upper arm reaching to fix the glasses he was wearing as his hands were busy sprinkling cinnamon all over the biscuits.

Placing the just made hot chocolate on the small glass coffee table in your living room, you waited for Charles, who showed up holding a plate decorated with all of his creations, which he placed next to your mugs.

You wrapped around blankets as you sat on the floor, mimicking simpler times, nostalgia running through your veins as the liquid you drank ran through your throats. Charles’ eyes scanned your living room again, “did you decorate this all by yourself?” he asked, as he analyzed the matching patterns in your white Christmas tree and how well they fit with the honey tones of the decorations scattered carefully around the room.

“Depends,” you replied, smiling, “Do you like it?” He looked at you then, the same nervousness returning to his cheeks, red from something that couldn’t be the cold, given the warmth inside your apartment. For the first time since you knew him, his eyes studied your face in a way that made you look away timidly. “Yes it’s amazing” he replied, answering the question as a way to break the sudden tension, but creating an opposite effect.

“A friend helped me” you confessed to him, shrugging. “I don’t think you know him, he-” you were about to begin, but Charles’ eyes shot to you and then quickly to the content inside his mug, fidgeting as he did so. “He and his girlfriend, love decorations and had some extra stuff from their last year so they added a lot to this” you explained, emphasizing the word ‘girlfriend’ as if it needed to be, as if you owed your best friend an explanation or seal of approval that you weren’t aware of until now. You knew it was necessary, however, when you saw his shoulders relax at your words, chest rising and falling softly underneath his sweater.

You rested your head against his shoulders reassuringly, letting him know that he wouldn’t miss any detail of your life, that you’d always make sure to update him on everything. You weren’t sure that’s what he wanted but you hoped he would understand the sentiment behind it, and you were sure he did when he laid a soft kiss on the top of your head.

His body smelled of cinnamon itself, sweet and lovely, and you couldn’t help but pull him closer by the arm, feeling his warmth which you hadn’t for so long. “I missed you, Charlie” you said, smiling to yourself. “Me too, silly” he replied whilst slowly pushing you away and getting up. “Which reminds me, I have something for you.���

You looked up at your best friend, feeling the cold spot from where he previously was, as he ran hurriedly to one of your spare rooms – which could be called his room since that was all the use it had. “Why don’t you just give it to me and I’ll open on Christmas? I don’t want to jinx it!” you yelled from your sitting place, biting one of the tree-shaped biscuits he had prepared, amazed at its taste and softness.

he came back holding a small box in his hands, carefully wrapped and decorated with a red ribbon at the top. Pride was written all over his smile and gaze as he sat down in front of you, handing you the present as he grabbed one of his own biscuits. “Because,” he said, in between bites “this is very important and urgent” he continued, giggling excitedly. You could tell from his tone that his voice was overly excited, almost acting, but you didn’t want to push him, not when he stared at you anxiously, eyes big and expectant like a puppy. His giggles were quickly replaced by sudden seriousness as soon as your hands started unwrapping the present carefully, not even wanting to ruin the package.

You were faced with a box, beautiful and cushioned, its surface gorgeously reminding you of wine nights with the company of the man who seemed not to be able to sit still in front of you. “Open it” he said, swallowing hard and nervously, leaning closer and closer with your every movement. You complied, your own curiosity threatening to jump out of your mouth, hands shaking as Charles’ own breath seemed almost irregular.

Inside it, you saw a delicate crystal, green, red and clear, in the shape of a plant. Not a plant – mistletoe. It glistened beautifully and its fragility fascinated you. It was beautiful, and you remained speechless as you examined it. “Charlie it’s-” you started, though you had no words to describe what you were feeling. Of course, the gift was absolutely mesmerizing, a small token that was impossible to not notice. Yet, you didn’t exactly know what it meant.

Charles gave you no time to think about it before he moved awkwardly, getting closer to you, closer than usual even for you two. “Listen, I… Do you want to hang it somewhere?” he said, the question so sudden, like a window that opened quickly and let all the cold wind inside the room. You looked into his eyes and found yourself still unable to speak, resorting to a simple nod as you got up, the box still resting in your hands, and he followed your movements.

You decided to hang it carefully in one of the tallest branches of your Christmas tree, where the lights hit beautifully and made it the centerpiece, stealing all the attention from the star at the top. “It’s beautiful” you finally managed to say, along with an earnest thank you, and you were about to turn back to the warm blanket when his fingertips stopped you by softly resting on your wrist.

“Wait,” he started, barely moving. All movement you could witness came from his nostrils as he exhaled deeply, his gaze completely focused on you. “I need to tell you something” he continued, looking up at the gift he had just given you. Following his gaze, you realized what he meant. “Oh. Oh this was for someone else- it’s fine Charlie mistakes happen-” you began, rising to your tiptoes in order to remove the ornament, almost laughing at your own silliness.

Once again that night, Charles stopped you, laughing warmly. “God, you’re so silly sometimes,” he told you, and despite the cold toned color of his eyes, they expressed such warmth it took your breath away. “No, this gift is for you. That’s what I mean,” he said, stumbling across his every word, “I gave you this because you’re the one I want to experience this with. The whole mistletoe kissing thing. Maybe this is silly…” his hand flew to his neck awkwardly, reminding you of when he was younger and in high school, trying to impress some girl he had a crush on.

You weren’t exactly sure what he meant, nor what it could mean for your friendship in general. But you were sure you wanted to experience that moment with him as well, feel him closer to you than you ever did, your every muscle begging you to act. “Do it then” you dared him, your own nervousness coming out. You thought about how silly it was, your nervousness, given how old you two were, how much you had witnessed together, the moment so out of the ordinary yet seemingly so predictable, as if it was destined to happen.

At that, Charles’ eyes widened, but his whole body went into action. His hand went to your cheek as the other pulled you by your waist, eyes falling on your lips as if everything moved in slow motion. You placed your own hands on his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat as his lips fell on yours, so soft and familiar despite how unknown it all was. The sudden smell of chestnuts and ginger intensified as the room seemed to transform, how despite the warmth you almost felt snow falling on both of your bodies. Charles couldn’t get enough of you, his hand going from your cheek to the back of your neck, begging you for more, for the moment to last for as long as possible.

Like a magnet, your own hands caressed and pulled his hair incessantly, reassuring him that you weren’t going anywhere, as his heartbeat stabilized in calmness and comfort in how well your lips fit on his. His closeness was intoxicating, and you felt dizzy from how good you were feeling with his sheer presence, how right everything seemed to feel, how effortlessly he got you in your best mood.

Pulling away, you saw a smile which you had rarely seen in Charles’ face. It happened at his most happiest moments – when he won races, when he beat you at rock paper scissors when you were kids, when he got the best scores in spelling bees – it reached every muscle in his body and yours, so contagious was his cheerfulness.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he said, giddy and red from shyness, looking so innocent all of a sudden, despite his grip still on your waist. “I’ve been so confused, especially since the last time I stayed over. No one can make me feel like you do, and this is so hard to explain, and I don’t know how it got to this point but I have been thinking about it every day, about how good I feel when I am with you, how I just get so incredibly happy and-” you quieted his rambling by giving him a shy peck on his lips, giggling at how he stood motionless after it, eyes widened and eyebrows raised.

“I love you too” you told him, meaning every word, anxiously looking forward for the rest of your life.

[grimesgirll]

“good fucking girl.”

is definitely not something rick should be saying to his best friend’s girlfriend - especially not with his cock halfway down her throat.

the moment shane had stepped out for a run with glenn and michonne, you and rick were all over each other. you couldn’t handle sneaking into rick’s bed down the hall anymore. you were bound to end up in his lap on the sectional, pawing at him like a bitch in heat.

it’s not that shane didn’t fuck you; he took every chance he got. you’re just enamored with rick. ever since your boyfriend had “shared” you with his fellow officer, rick had been on your mind.

the way his brown constable’s jacket fit against his muscles when they flexed. the glint of his chocolate curls. how good he is with judith.

rick gets you goin’ in a way shane hasn’t for quite some time. he was right when he got you down on your knees back at the rest stop. you did look at rick like you wanted to drain him and then have him bend you over and fuck you silly - and that’s what ended up happening.

ever since that day, shane got off on toying with you and having you sit on rick’s cock in addition to his own. he uttered excuses about the stresses of their new duties as constable but you just slid down your denim skort and squealed the occasion away.

you’re quiet now, nice and muffled on rick’s dick as you swallow around him. the motion has him twitching in your mouth. wanting to finish off inside of you for the night, the thick length in your mouth is withdrawing and suddenly you’re in that familiar face down position again.

“so wet, baby,” rick remarks in awe as his length brushes your slippery entrance.

you’re squeezing your thighs together - trapping him between the pillowy soft surfaces. “rick,” you cry. “c’mon, already.”

“what’d we say?”

you swallow, a tear from how needy you are sliding down your cheek. “please, sir.”

you could care less if shane walked in right now. as long as rick keeps driving his hips into yours and breathing your name like a prayer, you’ll be content. content to get fucked silly by the man before he takes you in his arms and spends the night with a hand on your waist and his nose buried in your hair.

that’s after though.

now, you’re being nearly fucked up the couch.

rick’s just enjoying the way your sweet little cunt grips him like it needs him. the little thing sucks him in even better than your mouth.

and you’re a whole other story. sweat sticking to your glistening forehead, you’re babbling incoherent thoughts, strung out on the cock molding you to his shape.

your slick is pooling around rick like he’s in the fucking atlantic. so close to losing it all over him already, you’re making an absolute mess of the couch that you’ll have to resolve before shane gets home. don’t want him suffering from any fear of missing out.

the man is swept from your mind when rick absolutely crams his cock inside of your clinging cunt. the kiss to your cervix is enough for you to start seeing spots around the older man making you take his cock so well.

every time you park your pussy on rick’s thick dick and come, you ground down, grasp his hand, do anything to get as close as possible. feeling him to skin to skin is second only to feeling him fill you up. the filthy praises coming from his lips come close as well.

“fuck, baby, so nice and tight. you want me to come inside you, huh? have shane come home to this pussy all messy?”

you’re shaking your head like you have any idea what you’re asking for. “yes, rick! i want you to make a mess of my pussy.”

“then come all over this cock, honey.”

“mhmm, rick, i-,”

“that’s it.”

“i love how deep you are, rick-,” you’re bumbling like an idiot and muttering a string of “i love you”s as the dam bursts and you come undone on rick’s cock.

the pulsing warmth beneath you is accompanied by a husky, “i love you too,” and a chorus of your name into your shoulder as rick used his horsecock to fuck you two through your climaxes.

the friction on your clit heightens the heat surrounding you and flooding into you from rick. you’re almost overwhelmed by the bruising kisses rick purples onto your neck as he gathers you on top of him.

“you did so good, honey,” he’s praising you and you’re just nodding, humming, “thank you”s and “i know”s until he’s bear hugging you again. the way he nuzzles into your neck from behind and exhales into your hair is enough for you to forget trudging up to bed and drift off into rick’s touch right there.

you’re already asleep in his arms but he takes the time to stroke your hair and kiss up and down your temples. god, he loves getting this time with you to himself - even if you’re asleep.

with you pressed against him and your heartbeat thrumming, the world is still and rick realizes something - he’s never letting you go.

[scholastic-dragon]

Hiii can i get a headcanon on how fast the bayverse turtle boys gain a crush on someone? Thank youu!

Oooo this is fun, I put the turtles in order from fast to slow!

Raphael

I know it's sounds surprising but I feel like raph is really easy when it comes to crushes

He just likes people

Like he's so fascinated by them, that when someone new comes around, he kinda gets attached

With crushes it's more physical stuff he's attracted too: your hair whether it be long or short. The color or your eyes. Any and all accessories you wear daily. Your height, are you super short or tall when compared to him?

Now, raph crushing is easy, but falling in love, that's when his walls go up

After about a month or so, when the friendship doesn't go anywhere or the person just doesn't have a fun personality, the crush kinda simmers away

But, if you prove to him that you value him as a friend, that's when you're in for it

If you stand up for him or his brothers in front of people that'll get you some extra Raphie points

If you can take his angry jabs and throw them right back at him, even more points

Then the physical stuff doesn't matter, he spends every moment learning everything he can about you

When this stage happens, he thinks it's just a strong crush, but no, it's the early stages of love <3

Donnie

(Look at his cute little smile in the picture!!!)

This might also be a shock, but Donnie is also very quick to get a crush

Well not quick, he's very picky when it comes to any possible romantic partner

He's a 'friends to lovers' kinda guy, ya know

But if you come down to the lair often, and always make a point to visit and check in with him, he'll start to get happy by your visits

If you bring him food or coffee (just the way he likes it) something clicks in his brain

Like the way you're taking care of him suddenly makes him realize how sweet and caring you are

How warm and bright your eyes are. How enviting your smile is. Have you always had those dimples on your cheeks?

Like Raph, if you show him how much he means to you and how much you value your friendship, it'll make his heart skip a beat

He'll be reserved with his feelings for quite a bit, scoping out your movements to see if they're just friendly or if it's something more

In the meantime, he's happy to just sit with you and learn all about you

Mikey

At a shocking third place we find Mikey

Now, you may think Mikey gets crushes easy, but no, no no no, those are not crushes and feelings, that's admiration

He admires humans, all humans, all traits, literally everything

In the first movie he had a bit of a "crush" on April, that was simply because she was new, she was a girl, and actually took the time to get to know him and his family

But that crush quickly went away before the second movie

Mikey admires people, but there are certain ones that catch his attention.

Your hobbies and your job are the most interesting things about you to Mikey, he thinks they say a lot about a person

If you share hobbies he'll try to do them with you, but if not he's happy to listen anyway or watch silently

And then if you show interest in his hobbies.....!!!!!!!

Very few people actually bother to get to know the real Mikey, the Mikey behind all the funny faces and jokes, but if you put in that effort, he's practically head over heels for you in that very moment

You have to show him that you care about who is his not what he is

Once you do that you're in

Leo

Hardest to impress and hardest to keep, Mr. Fearless himself

He's not very trusting of people, he can be a bit of a negative Nelly when it comes to new people

He constantly thinks everyone is out to get his family and is going to turn them in the second they get a chance

So if you manage to actually get past all those walls, now starts the friendship stage

It takes Leo a while to form romantic feelings so it's a slow burn

But when you show him how much you care for his family (maybe getting Splinter tea, or playing games with Mikey, or working out with Raph and helping Donnie clean up his lab) he'll start to let his walls down

He's a bit of a dumbass and won't try to make a move because he is scared shitless that he'll make you uncomfortable

But when your attention suddenly goes from his brothers to him, he's thrown through a loop

He already knows everything about you, and now he sees just how amazing you are

Show him how much he and his family means to you and you'll have him eating out of the palm of your hand

tags: @turtle-babe83 @thelaundrybitch @post-apocalyptic-daydream @happymoonangel @mysticboombox @sharpwindow @dilucsflame33 @strawberrycakeblog @sketch-and-write-lover

[residentrookie]

(8/31) prompt: takeout — 1,213 words (implied nsfw) (regulus conveniently forgets to tell james about his birthday) @jegulus-microfic

Regulus wouldn’t say he has a favorite time of day per say, but if he were held at gunpoint and forced to pick he supposes he’d choose somewhere in the range of 5:30 and 6:00 pm. If you asked him why, he’d tell you it’s because he likes watching the sun go down and not because that’s when James Potter stops by his apartment after his daily trip to the gym. 

And it’s definitely not because he always arrives dressed in his tight, slutty tank tops, skin still glistening with a light layer of sweat, salty and earthy and so distinctively James smelling. 

(In truth, it makes Regulus feel fucking insane, but he tries to hide that bit.) 

Today, when he rips open his door at 5:47 he’s met with that exact sight: James, smiling but slightly out of breath, a duffle bag slung over one toned shoulder that’s of course sinfully on display. Seriously, his fucking arms…

“Hi.” 

Regulus smiles back helplessly, the smallest uptick of one side of his mouth. He opens the door wider, tilting his head to invite James inside. They’ve been seeing each other for about a month now (and these evening visits have only been a thing for the past week), but James seems to have a routine already set in place. He toes his shoes off by the front door (Regulus never asked him to, but he must have noticed that Regulus always removes his own and followed suit). The duffle bag comes off his shoulder about five steps inside, set neatly against the wall and out of the way, before he turns to Regulus and gives him “the look.” It definitely belongs in the category of “begging” (Regulus is getting better at identifying that one) but as for what he’s begging for? 

Regulus rolls his eyes but huffs a laugh. “Seriously? Again?” 

If the sex wasn't so good, he'd be forced to believe that James' only reason for coming here was to raid his kitchen.

James’ face grows somehow more pitiful. “I forgot to pack a snack after the gym and I’m starving, Regulus, honestly, or I wouldn’t ask—” 

He would, he’s shameless. Regulus doesn’t mind. 

“Fine. But I’m not cooking you anything tonight. It’s Friday. I don’t cook on Fridays.” 

“Okay, fair.” 

Regulus waves a hand behind him as he saunters to the living room. “Anything in the fridge is up for grabs.” 

“Fuck yes,” James says with the enthusiasm of a growing teenage boy (he’s 25). “You know, I would take this opportunity to shower you with compliments but uh,” he pauses, knowing Regulus’ curiosity will force him to glance back over his shoulder, “I’ll save that for later, yeah?” 

James’ cheeky grin only grows as he watches Regulus’ face get hot. With that, he’s ducking his head down into the fridge and Regulus is left to wonder exactly how fast James clocked his praise kink. He supposes he’s not exactly subtle about it. 

“Hey what’s in this brown box, Reg?” James asks a few moments later, his voice muffled as he rumages through the fridge. “Leftovers? Or takeout?” 

Regulus blinks, remembering. “Oh, uh, neither— that one— actually, that’s—” 

James reappears, his face a mask of confusion as he stairs down into the open takeout box. “Cake?” 

Regulus’ face is burning again, but for a completely different reason. “Um. Yeah.” 

“You don’t eat cake.” 

It's true. Regulus told him that once on a date when James insisted on ordering dessert for them. He’d just forgotten to mention his only exception. 

“Well. I do when it’s my birthday.” 

The takeout container drops from James’ hands, forgotten. He stares at Regulus with utter horror, eyes wide and jaw hanging. 

“Y-your— birthday— When? When the fuck did you have a birthday and not tell me about it?” 

Regulus winces a bit at James’ tone, his brother’s earlier words coming back to him. 

James is a birthday guy, okay? Any chance he gets to celebrate the people he loves is like… like a fucking holiday for him. So just let him have it. 

Okay but I am not a “birthday guy," Sirius, Regulus had pointed out stubbornly. His brother of all people, the only other person with first person insight into their upbringing, should know this by now. Shouldn’t I have a say on who does and doesn’t know about my birthday? It’s not a big deal.  

Sirius had sighed, one of those really put upon exhales that made Regulus roll his eyes at the drama of it all. Whatever, Reg. Tell your boyfriend or don’t, I don’t give a fuck. Just know if you don’t, you’ll regret it. 

Not my boyfriend, Regulus had mumbled, resisting the temptation to add the word “yet.” 

“You were out of town,” Regulus points out to James weakly.

He bats the excuse away. “So this past weekend, then. I was with your fucking brother, he couldn’t have mentioned it?” 

“I asked him not to.” 

“Of course you did. Oh my god, I wouldn’t have gone out of town if I knew, I would have planned something— a nice dinner, like steak or something, or no, you like that Italian place in town— and then we could have had a picnic on the beach because it was a full moon and I could have made chocolate covered strawberries because I know you like those, or actually I could have made you a fucking cake since you seem to eat them exclusively on your birthday.” He pauses his rant, looking increasingly agitated and distressed before turning to Regulus, incredulous. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have— I would have—” 

“James,” Regulus says, stepping back into the kitchen, walking all the way up to him. “James. Hey.” It takes a second for the tension in James’ shoulder to drop completely, but when it does, Regulus continues. “My birthday isn’t— it’s not exactly my favorite day of the year. In fact, I try to treat it exactly like every other day, like there’s nothing special going on at all.” 

“But that’s so sad,” James whispers. 

Regulus shrugs. “Not to me. My parents made my birthdays hell. They were family events. It was about everyone in the world except for the person actually turning another year older and I had to wear fucking ties and I hated them and everyone there. And they never let me eat the cake. It was “for guests.” 

James sighs. “Everyday, I think I can’t hate them more…” 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Regulus admits. “I should have. I know you enjoy… celebrating.” He bumps James’ shoulder lightly with his fist. When he goes to move his hand, James captures it, holding it to his chest. 

“I want to celebrate you however you want to be celebrated, baby.” James’ voice is soft and warm. Regulus closes his eyes and leans into it. 

“However I want, hm?” he murmurs, his forehead resting against James’ chin. “You mean that?” 

He feels James pull away before looking up, brown eyes engulfing him in a sea of sinful intentions. 

“You know I do.” 

“Thought you were hungry,” Regulus says breathlessly, already pulling them away, backing up in the direction of his room. 

“Believe me,” James tells him shamelessly, “I am.”

[astyrial]

hey! just came from ur other blog, could i request a christmassy fic with dad!spencer and just u 2 spending time with ur kids on christmas morning opening presents and all that christmassy goodness? thanks 🙏😁

mr. and mrs. claus spencer reid x fem!reader (fluff) synopsis: christmas morning with the kids word count: 1.3k warnings: use of mom/beautiful/mrs.claus for reader, maybe too adorable?? masterlist | requests are open

    snow flutters down the side of the house, a mixture of packed snow from the roof and flurries. some of it hits the window, barely visible under the dark veil of the early morning hours. you take in a deep breath before turning to your husband. his eyes are still closed, his right arm laying across your torso, hair sitting wildly on his head. 

  "honey.. hon, it's like six and the kids are going to start waking up soon," the words release from your lips like a whisper, quiet, calm. 

  however, his eyelids barely move, his hand simply tightening around a part of your shirt. you let out a sigh as your shoulders drop a little. "spence, don't you want a lovely christmas moment with me before the kids wake up? you know they wake up early on christmas," you attempt to wake him up again. 

  once again, he barely moves, and instead continues breathing steadily. finally, you thought of what you could do to wake him up from his beauty rest. you reach down and pull the blanket off of you, your body moving to get up from the bed. instantly, spencer is grumbling something as his other hand reaches out to grab your hand. 

  "are you awake now?" you turn back to look at him, kind of regretting your plan as the cool night air sends chills up your legs. 

  spencer's eyes flutter open and he lightly nods, letting out a deep sigh. "yes.. yes i'm awake now babe," he finally opens his eyes all of the way and looks you up and down.

  "are you really?" your hand squeezes his, a light twinkle in your eyes.

  his hand squeezes yours back before slithering away from you, his body moving so that he can sit up. spencer than looks up at and nods, a sleepy smile strewn across his face, "i definitely am lovely."

  you bite your lip, the nickname sending a slight tingle across your brain. it's sweet, one that he started calling you on the second date. it came out of nowhere, the two of you barely knowing each other. maybe it was the drinks or some kind of miracle, but it stuck. now he finds a time to say it every day.

  "great- because i don't think i could handle the minds by myself-"

  "mom!! dad!! it's time for the presents!" a young screaming girl comes busting down the door, an even younger boy following quickly behind. 

  the young girl, lizzy, is pulling the younger boy, matty, by the arm until they reach the bed. spencer looks up at you once more before slipping out of the sheets and picking up lizzy. he holds her tight and immediately wakes up more, "it's christmas time! we need to see what santa got you kiddos!"

  you nod and pick up matty by the armpits and follow the two of them down the stairs. the railings are lined with festive garland intertwined with red ribbons. down the stairs is their living room, the living room that you and spencer had built, decorated. a tree sits in front of the window and has an array of homemade ornaments adorning it.

  lizzy is already squealing with joy as she sees a large gift wrapped in yellow, her favorite color. a handwritten note on the front of it. matty, still fairly young, can't entirely recognize what it is, but still waves his arms in excitement with the rest of you. 

  spencer raises her up, like she's flying, and he asks her a question, "who's the most excited girl for christmas?"

  "i am! i am daddy!" lizzy brings her hands down, grabbing towards him, letting her hands rest on his cheeks as he starts to bring her down. she does it all the time after seeing you caressing his cheeks after he comes him from work.

  he lets her down and she's off like a race car driver, her five-year old hands ripping the wrapping paper off like it's nothing. you're quick to let matty down as well, letting him run over so that he can follow suit, spencer leading him to his gift. his is a light green, spencer's handwriting describing how excited santa is to give them his gifts.

  once the two are pulling off the wrapping paper, spencer takes a few steps back to you, wrapping his arm around your waist. it's little moments like these that make you appreciate it the most. spencer's love, your kids having the time of their lives, a spark of hope and happiness. 

  "mom! do you see this? it's a house, with a unicorn on it!! just like from my little pony, how did he know i wanted it?" lizzy opened the little door, her fingers running through some fake flowers at the edge of the window. 

  "yeah honey, it looks amazing! santa truly has a gift to picking the right gift. what would you say to him if you could?"

  lizzy enters the small house and looks outside the window, her finger tapping her chin, "i'd tell him that he's the greatest! besides you guys of course..."

  spencer can't help but laugh a little, his hand tightening around your shirt, rolling his eyes. matty brings his hands up to his cheeks as soon as he realizes what his gift is. it's a small soccer goal, ball included. typically he catches you watching soccer games from your time as a player, and he loves sitting down and indulging with you.

  he would sometimes find your old soccer ball in the basement while you're doing laundry and would kick it around. leaving you to find the perfect gift for santa to give to your favorite (totally not just only) son. while the two look closely at their respective gifts, you turn to look at the only gift you would ever need.

  "hear that... mr. claus? you're the greatest," you whisper, grabbing the collars of his matching christmas pajamas. 

  spencer leans forward, his lips brushing against your ear, "well mrs. claus, a man is only as good as a third of what his partner ultimately is."

  his head than leans back and he gives you a soft smile, his free hand finding its way to your cheek. it's soft, despite the field work he does, as his thumb runs right under your eye. you bring your hand up to his hip and let your finger wrap around his shirt. a smile lightens on your face as you feel your heartbeat quicken like a lovesick kid.

  "you flatter me, you know that?"

  "oh i'll keep doing it then, you lovely, beautiful, might i add a little strong, caring, amazing, extraordinarily-"

  you cut him off with a kiss, an all encompassing kiss. one that wants to both shut him up, but also show to him just how much you love him. love his voice, the look in his eyes, the way his fingers run across your cheeks, the way he is raising the two best kids that you love and care for. 

  "ewww can't we just keep opening gifts?!" lizzy's voice whines into your ears, forcing the two of you to pull apart with a laugh. 

  you quickly nod your head, pointing at the gifts sitting under the tree, "yeah, you know how it works babe. youngest to oldest, start sorting them out!"

  spencer leans over and kisses your cheek as you direct lizzy around, your voice than directing matty to get into his usual spot, him giving you a short 'okay'. the spot leaves a sense of warmth right above your cheekbone. you look back at him and attempt to hold back a smile. 

  "i love you."

  "i love you too, mrs. claus."

  "okay you can stop calling me that now, it's making me feel old."

[caffeinetheif]

Bit of an odd request to make. Could I request the seven brothers with an s/o that likes plushies?

Of course! As a fellow plush enthusiast, I don’t find this request odd at all ❤️ I decided to write a short blurb with headcanons for each brother. Hope you enjoy!

P.S. I had the hardest time writing for Satan and Levi. I apologise in advance for Satan and Levi lovers lol. And Shoutout to my bestie for helping me come up with ideas <3 love u babe

The Demon Brothers with an S/O that Has Plushies

GN! MC/Reader

Lucifer:

He’d probably be the most critical of the brothers

He would most likely give you a long winded lecture on spending habits

Though, after seeing how happy they make you, he might be more open to it.

“MC, what is the reason for all of... these?” Lucifer asks, holding up one of your many plushies. You should have seen this coming. He is the eldest brother after all, it’s like it’s his job to scrutinize everything. 

You roll your eyes before answering, “They remind me of home, in a way. Do really need a reason to have them?”

Lucifer pauses and thinks for a moment before gently returning the plushy to its original spot. “I suppose they don’t need a reason, as long as you’re happy.”

Mammon

He can’t help but think of the price tags on your more collectable or hard to find plushies, but don’t worry about him selling them.

In all honesty, I think he’d enjoy having an excuse to shower you in gifts

For special occasions, he’d try to find some of the hard to find plushies in the Devildom as a surprise for you

“Oi, MC! I gotcha somethin’.” 

You barely look up from your DDD before a shopping bag lands on your lap. You look up at Mammon with a confused look. It’s normal for him to get you things out of the blue, but they’re normally much smaller than the one currently on your legs.

You reach into the bag and pull out the contents. A soft, purple plush sheep sits in your hands. You can’t help the large grin that settles on your face as you examine the adorable sheep. 

Leviathan

He would have a problem with your plushies, but not for the reason you think. He loves their cuteness, but hates that they take your attention away from him.

Almost sees them as competition, but he won’t tell you that

However, he’s the most understanding about your collection. Afterall, look at how much Ruri-chan merch he has.

“MC, pay attention to me!”

“Levi, you were in the middle of a game. I wasn’t going to interupt you because I wanted to cuddle.”

“But I’m not gaming anymore,” Leviathan pouts.

You laugh at his attempt at a begging face and give in, ditching your plush cuddle buddy in favor of opening your arms for your purple haired lover. He grumbles about how you must love your plushies more than him as he plops himself in your arms. 

Satan

Satan would be the most nonchalant about your plushy collection. He finds it nice to talk to you about collecting items, even if your collections are vastly different.

He would probably use them as pillows when laying in your bed or to prop up his books

If you have any cat plushies, please show him them.

Satan has noticed that you have a specific species of animal that you favor when you buy plushies. He has gotten into the habit of buying that plush animal when he finds one you don’t have and secretly adding it to your collection. 

Anytime you begin to notice a new one, Satan tells you a white lie such as, “You bought it when we went grocery shopping a few weeks ago. Do you not remember?” He hopes you don’t catch on to his accidental gaslighting anytime soon.

Asmodeus

He would definitely see your plushies as a photoshoot opportunity

Has a secret photoalbum on his DDD of just you napping and cuddling with your plushies.

At least once a week he will ask you to take pictures of him with your plushies for his devilgram.

As cute as Asmo thinks you are when you cuddle with your plushies, he sometimes wishes that you were cuddling him instead. That’s how he found himself in his current predicament. 

He’s trying so hard to not wake you up as he gently moves your arms from around the plushy you’re currently napping with. With slow movements and a little tug to the plush, he removes it from your grasp with a triumphant grin. Ever so slowly, he lowers himself down and replaces the pushy with himself and rests his head on your chest with a happy sigh. Shortly after he gets comfortable, he drifts off to sleep with his own arms draped around your waist. 

Beelzebub

If you have food themed plushies you better hide them because we all know how Beel gets with anything food related

Like Satan, I feel like he wouldn’t really mind your plushies.

He would win prizes from any and all the strength games at the carnivals for you

It was getting late, so you and Beel decided to call it a night and head home from the carnival. With Beel’s large hand in one of your own and a large plush prize in your other arm, you considered this date one to remember.

Beel had noticed you eyeing one of the zombie lizard plushies at one of the game booths and made it his mission to win you one. Luckily, it was a strength based game, similar to ones you had seen in the human realm. 

It had taken several of the small prizes to be traded in to get the large one, but the look of joy when Beel handed you the zombie lizard made it worth it.

Belphegor

He would be the most likely to enjoy your plushies or be a plushy stealer

oftentimes, you’ll find him cuddled up with your plushies

I think he’d find a lot of comfort in your scent that clings to the plushy

It had been a rough day in class for you, the stress of exams weighing down on your shoulders. You would love nothing more than to collapse onto your bed and take a well deserved nap.

When you reach your bedroom and open your door, you expect to be greeted with your neatly made bed ready to welcome you into its warm covers. However, the sight you’re greeted with instead is Belphegor snoozing away with his face tucked right into your favorite plushy. You quietly take a photo before crawling in bed beside him and passing out.

Thank you for reading! Likes and reblogs are greatly appreciated <3 

[sstar-ggirl]

The Lights shine brighter when you’re there.

Pairing: Alex Turner x AFAB!reader (but u can read as wtv u want)

Word count:1081 (this ain’t a blurb ts a fic atp😭💀)

Summary: filming for TBHC, 2018 era, super cute fluff shit

Mars rambles abt things: AIGHT SO I NEED THIS MAN TERRIBLY BAD. ESPECIALLY TBHC ALEX😭. Anyways I wrote a cute little fluff fic for the first time in forever bc I had time(FINALLY) anyways I’ll try to write as much as I can.

The set was abuzz with anticipation as Alex Turner prepared to film the music video for his latest album. Surrounded by a team of producers and filming crew, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement for this particular project. The album was a supposed to be “a playful tune, super smooth but makes you feel expensive”he said when you asked about it. It carried a personal touch that resonated deeply with him – and he had the perfect person to share the screen with, his girlfriend, you. His most prized possession, something he wants to show off forever.

As the cameras started rolling, the set was transformed into a mesmerizing, eye catching jazz bar. The director, recognizing the unique connection between Alex and you, aimed to capture not just the essence of the song but also the genuine emotion shared between you two. The first scene unfolded in a dimly lit but well decorated jazz bar, the air heavy with the lingering notes of the melody.

Alex, dressed in his signature 70s style, met you in the center of the set, dressed in a tight black dress with a long slit in the side, black heels with gold accessories. There was an unspoken understanding between you two, a silent agreement to let the music guide the movements. As the haunting notes filled the room, you two moved with a fluidity that spoke of a deep, unspoken connection. It was more than just a regular dance; it was a dance of the heart.

The director, observing from behind the monitors, couldn't help but marvel at the chemistry on display. The raw emotion conveyed through his and your expressions painted a vivid picture of love and longing. The first scene wrapped, leaving everyone on set with a sense of anticipation for what was to come.

During a break, Alex and you found a quiet corner to steal a moment away from the commotion. You two shared a deep hug and kiss, acknowledging the magic that was created by you two. As you two broke from the kiss, Alex couldn't help but express his gratitude for having you by his side.

"(Y/N), you brought something special to this video, in fact this whole album – something only you could inspire. It's like the songs, the lyrics, the melodies come to life when you're here, or at home or sitting in the studio waiting for me to wrap up. You are truly the muse for my art." he confessed, his eyes reflecting sincerity.

You grinned and blushed, "Well, I happen to think your music brings out the best in me too, Alex. This is a great masterpiece in every sense."

As the day progressed, the scenes became more diverse, each one telling a different chapter of the song's story. From a rooftop overlooking the casino to a dimly lit jazz bar to the pool setting, the couple seamlessly transitioned from one setting to another, their connection intensifying with each passing frame.

The highlight of the video was a sequence where Alex and you found yourselves dancing under a canopy of fairy lights. The soft glow accentuated the tenderness in your movements, creating a visual poetry that mirrored the song's emotional depth. The crew watched in awe as the couple moved through the enchanting scene, your silhouettes etched against the twinkling lights.

As the day drew to a close, the final scene approached. The director wanted to capture an intimate moment between Alex and you that would serve as the emotional climax of the video. The setting was a quiet, candlelit room – a metaphorical space where their love could unfold without any distractions. A safe haven that hides all troubles and shows your true self to eachother.

The room was adorned with vintage furniture and flickering candles, casting a warm glow on as you two stood face to face. The soft strains of the song echoed in the background, creating a cocoon of intimacy around you. The director, satisfied with the day's work, whispered instructions to the cinematographer, signaling the start of the final scene.

With a subtle nod, the cameras began to roll, capturing the delicate nuances of the couple's expressions. Alex gently reached for your hand, his touch conveying a silent reassurance. His eyes locked, and in that moment, the world outside the set ceased to exist. It was just the two of them, immersed in the emotions the song evoked.

As the lyrics unfolded, Alex sang with a soul-stirring resonance, his voice intertwining with yours in a beautiful harmony. The vulnerability in your eyes told a story of love, heartbreak, and the unspoken promise of togetherness. The director, realizing the magic happening before him, chose to let the scene unfold organically, without interrupting the flow.

The room seemed to disappear, replaced by a realm where only your emotions mattered. Alex's thumb traced gentle circles on your hand, a silent gesture of comfort. Your closeness spoke volumes, transcending the scripted nature of the scene. It was a genuine moment, an unfiltered expression of the love they shared.

As the last notes of the song lingered in the air, the director called for a cut. The crew erupted into applause, acknowledging the authenticity and beauty captured in that final scene. Alex momentarily pulled out of that intimate bubble, shared a knowing smile, proud of the art you two had created together. You couldn’t stop staring at him falling deep in love within each second.

With the filming wrapped, the couple found themselves outside the studio, bathed in the soft glow of the evening. The air was crisp, and the city lights twinkled in the distance. They walked hand in hand, reflecting on the day's journey.

"I can't believe we did it," you exclaimed, your eyes sparkling with a mix of joy and exhaustion. Alex grinned, "It was magical, wasn't it? Having you by my side made it even more special. You’re really a present full of surprises aren’t you"

Later on, after leaving set, you two continued to stroll through the quiet streets, savoring the post-production bliss. The city seemed to have slowed down just for them, allowing them to relish the shared triumph. The music video, a testament to their love and collaboration, was destined to become a visual masterpiece.

Days later, as the video premiered to the world, fans and critics alike were captivated by the palpable chemistry between Alex Turner and you, (Y/N) (L/N). The comments flooded in, praising not only the song but also the genuine connection that elevated the video to a realm beyond ordinary music visuals.

In interviews, Alex and you shared snippets of their experience, emphasizing the organic nature of the collaboration. The music video, now a symbol of their artistic minds, resonated with audiences on a profound level, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who watched it.

As the applause echoed and the views skyrocketed, Alex couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment. His journey- no Your journey together, from the studio to the screen, had not only produced a beautiful piece of art but had also strengthened the bond between eachother. The music video became a cherished chapter in your love story, a visual representation of the magic that happens when two hearts beat in perfect harmony.

[shady-tavern]

Deals and Revelry

Warnings ahead of both attempted and implied murder, along with one, early-on instance of non-consensual drug use. Please take care of yourselves.

***

In a city as big as this it was easy to get lost, easy to slip between the cracks. Easy to go unnoticed even if one walked like a severely drunk sailor fresh back on the shore.

You stumbled against the alley wall, woozy and half numb and your vision was just the faintest bit off, the world around you roiling as though the ground itself had become the sea, rising and falling in slow, cresting waves. 

Your breath was fogging in front of your face and you knew it was too cold to be out and about without a cloak, but you hadn't really gotten to grab one. Or shoes. You couldn't really feel your feet anymore.

But you were getting close. Already you could see the lights and colorful banners and decorations on the other side of the alley. You could hear it too, the sound of the Revelry, the biggest entertainment street of this city. A cesspool of backroom deals and unfettered delight.

Music and laughter mixed with the breathy moans of a couple that stumbled into the alley, the women pushing each other against the brick wall, one hoisting the other into her arms. You saw the glint of metal on one of them, the armor of the city guard and the cloak that fell down to her knees, cloth a dark forest green.

Neither paid you any mind when you shuffled down the alley, using the wall as your anchor. At this point it was the only thing properly keeping you up and walking in a straight line. You must look drunk, even if you were anything but.

You barely felt the cold with the numbness and as you stumbled out of the alley, it felt like you were hit by a wall of light and sound and movement. Lanterns were strung all across the street, reaching from house to house and the glass painted or stained, casting a multitude of colors across everything. 

People danced in big groups or on tables, more getting pulled into alleys by one or more people, big grins on their faces. Dancers and musicians performed on the stage by the crossroads that led to the Revelry, while other stages were dotted down the street, showing off other performers. 

Sword jugglers, puppeteers, actors and jesters all put on the show of the night, accompanied by music. Fortune tellers weaved through the crowd, peddlers with carts stood on corners and servers with strong arms brought round after round of drinks and food from taverns. Others lured the drunk or amorously interested towards many of the inns, slipping clever hands into unguarded coat pockets.

You had to take a moment to get used to everything and orientate yourself, to look beyond the street wide revelry towards the main house. Bigger than all the others, a four story building, freshly painted pale green walls surrounded by black wood. 

Through the lit windows you saw more partying, more dancing and someone swinging through the air gracefully.

That was your destination.

You pushed off of the corner you had stumbled against and walked onward, forcing one unsteady step in front of the other. People barely noticed when you staggered past them, some even clapping you on the back and pointing towards inns before they continued on their way.

You passed tables laden with food and drink, tables where people played games, cards and dice and something that needed a knife and quick reflexes. The air smelled heavily of ale and perfume and sweat. 

Coats and skirts billowed, hands clapping and boots meeting cobblestone like muted drums when you passed by a group of dancers.

It felt like it took forever to make your way to the main house, the Revelry that this street, this gathering was named after. A big sign was mounted over the large entrance door, made of dark green wood and gold letters that looked freshly polished, shining in the light.

You shouldered inside, heat and smells greeting you, followed by loud cheers. So loud and from so many throats they seemed to make the air itself rumble.

Past the shifting bodies you got glimpses of a stage that went up to the second floor, of people swinging through the air, colorful figures catching others. 

The crowd cheered loudly once again, tankards getting raised or slammed onto tables in time with the jig the musicians played. Coin clattered and servers maneuvered past patrons like they were made of water, never slowing down, perfect smiles pasted on their faces.

It took you a long minute to spot him, the owner of this place, the founder of the Revelry, Quin. There were many whispers about this man who owned the night and even had the city guard unable to stop his dealings.

Face painted white with black tracks down his cheeks like tears, his lips were stained a bloody red and his grin was just a little too sharp. His canines just a tad too long. For all that he leaned back in his seat, languid and relaxed, he gave off an air of effortless power and dangerous grace.

He was dressed in expensive finery, diamond studded jewelry and silken, embroidered clothes that only the highest ranking noble houses would have been able to afford. Everything was modeled to resemble a court jester, a clear and unashamed mockery of those in power.

There were rumors about him, things you had heard here and there, whispers shared by friends and overheard from chatting guards who wishing to unsettle the new recruit. People said he had stopped being a mortal man before ever coming to this city, that he commanded the shadows and drank blood like wine. 

That he had made a pact with something that should have been left damn well alone. Something older and more dangerous than anything else.

As you tried to make your way towards him, stumbling into strangers who shoved you onward with either laughs or glares, you saw that he was speaking with a nervous looking man.

The man was tall and broad, shoulders tense and posture wary as he gripped his tankard, speaking to Quin about something. You couldn't hear what was being said, but Quin threw his head back and laughed and the burly man visibly grit his teeth, leaning back slightly as though worried.

Quin grinned at him, sharp teeth and dangerous eyes and waved a hand in a lazy gesture. A whip-thin woman melted out of the shadows, dressed in all black and with a blank, white mask covering her face. 

She came to stand at Quin's side and offered him a rolled up piece of parchment. Quin took it and held it out towards the burly man, still grinning.

The man took it after a long second of hesitation and the woman held out a quill next. There was no ink, but the man seemed to be able to sign anyway and you got a glimpse of bloody ink flowing from the dry quill. 

His face was grim when he handed the scroll back and the woman stepped forward when Quin accepted it, waiting and arms loose at her sides. 

The man got up and she followed him and they disappeared into the crowd. When Quin got to his feet, you made yourself move faster. He couldn't slip away. Not when you were so damn close.

You tripped over someone's foot, the person giving you an annoyed shove, but it propelled you forward the last bit. Undignified, yes, but Quin caught you before you could fall to your face.

"Now there, usually I have to put in some work to make people swoon like this," he said with a mocking undertone, pulling you upright with seemingly no effort at all. Before he could let go, you gripped his arms, making him raise his brows.

"Here for a deal," you managed to slur out and for just a moment it looked like he was going to send you away anyway, before he paused and leaned in.

"You are not drunk," he said, a warm finger curling under your chin to tip it up, making your gaze meet his dark eyes. "Tell me, did you intend to ingest a drug?"

Your grip on his arms tightened and a smile curled across his face that managed to be far more dangerous than the one the burly man had gotten. The sort of smile that made it easy to imagine blood being spilled and a last breath being exhaled.

"Now, I don't like that in my establishment at all," he downright purred, moving in a step, head bending down towards you a bit. He was propping you up with his body more than anything else with how close he was and you were glad he hadn't shaken you off. "Why don't you point me to the one who did that, sweetheart?"

You shook your head. It was getting harder to think and you could feel his warmth through the numbness that gripped your limbs. You had no idea how much longer you could fight this off, especially now that you had finally found him and you didn't have to force yourself to keep moving.

You were just so relieved you thoughtlessly leaned into his hold. The only reason you caught the brief flash of surprise in his eyes was because you were so close to him.

"I need a deal," you managed to say, unable to raise your voice much, but with him right there, breath lightly brushing your nose and cheek, he heard you well enough. "Please."

"Why don't you tell me what happened first, hm?" he asked, curled finger still under your chin. His brows furrowed slightly. "You are quite cold, were you outside until recently?" His dangerous grin returned. "I can find out who did this, even if it was down the street, don't you worry."

"My fiancé," you said and the smile fell away as his brows rose. "His mother is going to kill my parents and then me. They will do it after the wedding tomorrow. Please."

"Hm." He seemed curious at least. "Why not go to the city guard? I know I'm never the first resort, only the desperate and degenerate come here." He leaned a little closer still, your noses almost touching, revealing a hint of his sharp teeth as he smiled. "You do know what kind of deals I offer, don't you, sweetheart?"

"They're too rich," you made yourself say. Your tongue felt heavier than before and it was getting harder to keep your eyes open. "They have deals with the captain of the guard."

Quin suddenly sounded delighted. "Is that so? How delightful, I knew Albert was going to slip up one day. Thank you for that one, darling. But why not grab your parents and go away instead of coming here?"

"They arranged the wedding." And you hadn't even minded at first. The wealthy merchant's son had been pleasant enough after all, polite and maybe a bit reserved but not unfriendly.

Neither of you would have married for love, but during the conversations you had shared with the young, admittedly pretty man, it had become clear the two of you could have come to a good agreement. 

Not all marriages were unions of hearts after all and there were plenty of ways to make it work. Plenty of ways to treat this like any old business agreement that both sides could benefit from. You had even thought the two of you could become good friends in given time.

Until you had overheard his mother's plans by accident tonight and had gotten discovered when you had tried to sneak away from her study. Your fiancé had done nothing when your future mother in law had gotten her personal guard to grab you before you could flee. 

Your future mother in law had put some clear liquid into a cup of water while the guard had wrestled you towards her, muttering that you had to keep quiet until the wedding. That your parents wouldn't care about the state you were in so long as you signed the wedding contract. 

She wasn't even wrong. Your parents would never again get the sort of deal the merchant had made with them. Your parents' business would join together with hers and it would make everyone all the richer. But if everyone died after the wedding, then your future mother in law would get to own your family business through her son.

Your parents wanted wealth too much themselves and unless you had managed to prove that your fiancé mistreated you, which he never did, they wouldn't stop the wedding for anything. Neither would they believe you if you showed up with wild sounding accusations such as planned murder out of nowhere.

Your future mother in law had proceeded to shove the concoction down your throat once she had it in the cup – or part of it at least.

It had been nothing but pure luck that you had managed to take hold of the guard's dagger at their hip and draw it. It had been a mad scramble where you had lashed out in a blind panic, the guard falling back with a howl and hands pressed over their bleeding face.

You had stabbed your future mother in law right in the thigh and had run, managing to toss a vase at your fiancé's head. Then you had kept running straight here. The only place you could think of to get help. The only place you trusted would help you, even if you'd have to give up something in the process. 

You just wanted to live.

"I see." Quin tipped your chin up again, your head having slumped down a bit. You met his gaze and there was a red, fiery glow lurking in his dark eyes as though embers had come to life. "Want to me to get rid of your parents too?"

"No." They hadn't been...great, recently, but you wanted to deal with them yourself. "I don't want to die."

"I suppose you wouldn't," Quin murmured, almost too quietly for you to hear him. "Alright then, let's get you situated."

He moved his arm to hold you around the shoulders and bending down to pick you up under your knees. His words registered and you sagged with relief at once, pressing your head against his shoulder.

You felt him pause for just a moment and you felt the shift of muscle along his neck as he looked down at you.

"Aren't you a strange one," you heard him murmur. He was quiet for a second, then chuckled, low and dark. "Just alone to spite you I will do exactly that."

It didn't sound like he was speaking to you and he turned around, walking away from the press of bodies. Even half passed out you noticed it when the air shifted and five people stepped straight out of the shadows. 

They were all masked, blank or painted, their clothes either black or colorful. You moved your head enough to peer past Quin's shoulder and you saw the glint on metal on them, blades and daggers, armor hidden under cloaks and silk shawls. 

They looked nothing like the guards or mercenaries, but each and every one of them felt threatening enough that you half expected to cut yourself on their presences alone.

But most dangerous of them all was Quin. He felt like walking death as he held you, something so dangerous it would have stolen your breath away under any other circumstance. Instead, it made you relax further, one hand rising to lightly grip his sinfully soft silk doublet.

Quin hummed softly and this time, the words were directed at you as he said, "You are very strange indeed."

"Boss?" you heard one of the masked ones ask and when Quinn made a low noise, they stepped past to open a door at the back of the large tavern room. "What's your order?"

"I think we're going to have fun tonight," Quin said, voice light, but if words were capable of dripping blood, his would have, staining his tongue and sliding down his chin, thick and copper-sweet.

Quin carried you down a hallway and another door was opened within a few moments. The sound of the revelry was muffled and almost far away now as he stepped into a room and a couple of steps later you were gently set down on a couch that was softer than your own bed.

"You're not even wearing shoes," Quin mused and paused when you found yourself holding onto his sleeve when he stepped back. "Easy now, sweetheart, we'll take care of that little mess, won't we?"

"Thank you," you managed to slur out and he hummed again, waiting with unexpected patience for you to let go. When you did, he spread something warm and heavy over you. A blanket. "Sleep now. Believe it or not, but you will be safe here."

"I know." And you did believe him. Somehow, despite everything you had been taught and all the rumors you had heard, Quin felt safe. Safe enough that the fear that had driven you to his Revelry finally released it's bruising grip on you altogether.

Warm knuckles brushed your cheek. "You actually do believe it," Quin murmured. "That's a first, I have to admit."

"Deal?" you made yourself ask, because everyone knew that Quin always made deals. He never did anything for free. 

Quin was silent for a long moment. Long enough that you thought he wouldn't answer, until he said, "You already gave me something no one else has. Not in a very long time at least. Let that be my payment. Rest, sweetheart. Your worries will be dead when you wake."

You heard rustling as he shifted and turned around to walk away. 

"My friends," Quin said, voice strong and confident and there was a deep rumble to his words, something just a little too unnatural. No human throat should be able to make that sound.

The last words you heard before you faded into unconsciousness were said with a grin that dripped with malevolent violent, "Tonight we hunt."

*.*.*

You woke up with your head pounding and your mouth tasting the way old, wet socks smelled. Your body ached all over and when you tried to shift, you ended up groaning and burrowing more into the pillow. A pillow that smelled nothing like yours.

"Good morning," an amused voice said and you blearily forced your eyes open and looked up.

There he was, Quin, the founder of the Revelry. Your memories of last were a little foggy, but mostly you recalled his warmth and how safe you had felt. You still felt safe and warm now, bundled beneath a thick, soft blanket.

"Still not afraid, I see," he mused and leaned back a bit. He wore different clothes to last night, something a bit more muted, but the face paint was still there. "I have to thank you, we had quite a bit of fun tracing back your steps and getting to hunt." 

His head tipped and his smile widened into that dangerous grin, showing his teeth. His lips were painted a blood red so vivid you wouldn't have been surprised if he had used actual, fresh blood. "Want a trophy?"

"No, thank you." You winced at how croaky your voice sounded and you forced yourself to sit up, limbs aching. You blinked when an elegant hand offered you a cup of water.

You took it and for just a split second you remembered the way your future mother in law had forced spiked water down your throat, then you shook off the memory. Quin of all people had no need to drug your drink, especially when he had had you drugged and at his mercy just hours prior.

"What do I owe you?" you asked after emptying the cup.

Quin raised a brow and sat down on the other end of the couch, thigh nearly brushing your toes. He leaned back, throwing one arm over the backrest of the couch as he regarded you with dark, curious eyes. "You're not going to ask if we took care of the problem?"

"You always do," you answered. "At least, that's what I heard."

"A business man such as myself takes great pride in a good reputation," Quin mused. "You are correct, they are very much dead. I would not recommend visiting that house anytime soon if it can be avoided."

"Thank you." The relief was still as potent as last night, thought not quite as soul-deep, for the fear wasn't there anymore. "What do I owe you?"

Quin waved you off with a dismissive flap of his hand. "You already paid, don't you worry your pretty little head." Before you could do so much as open your mouth to protest, he got to his feet again. "And now I will be dreadfully rude by tossing you out on your ear. I need my office back, sweetheart."

Blinking, you realized that you were, indeed, in an office. Lavishly decorated, with a rug as black as coal and, very, very faintly visible stains along the hardwood that you were willing to identify as dried blood.

"Of course, I'm sorry for being a bother," you said hurriedly, freeing your legs from the blanket, but the moment you tried to get up, your feet bumped into shoes. Looking down in surprise, you saw simple shoes in your size, a little scuffed but otherwise well maintained.

"I'll pay you for these," you offered and Quin rolled his eyes as you put them on.

"Just bring them back later. Now, please go." He ushered you up and pushed you out the door with a polite smile, gesturing down the hallway to the door that led into the tavern.

Instead of closing the door, however, he leaned against the doorframe and a bare moment later the door to the tavern swung open and the captain of the guard marched inside.

Before you knew it, you had shied back to Quin's side, as Albert glowered at you so viciously it wouldn't have surprised you if his glare had seared your skin like acid.

"No need to be impolite, Captain," Quin said with a smile sharp enough to peel away layers of skin. Albert flinched, just a little and the way he averted his gaze to his feet was all the more noticeable for it. "We're just going to have a friendly chat."

Quin pressed one warm palm against the small of your back. "Go on," he murmured, leaning closer to you, his warm breath brushing the shell of your ear. "He won't do anything." He raised his voice without moving back, gaze pinning Albert in place the way a scientist would pin down a helpless butterfly. "Won't he?"

Albert said nothing, but he stopped walking and moved over to the side, freeing up as much of the hallway as he could. Quin gave you a small push and you walked on, shuffling past the captain of the guard, feeling like a scurrying mouse.

You glanced back just once when you reached the door. Quin regarded Albert with feigned, gentle politeness as he walked past him into his office, the door closing behind the two of them.

Barely anyone was in the tavern at this hour when you stepped into the large room. Some hungover people sat at the bar, stirring oatmeal or nibbling on dry bread, looking either a bit green or half asleep. 

The place was cleaner than it would have been elsewhere after a night of wild partying. No smashed glass was anywhere, not even spilled, sticky residue from drinks. Everything from the bartop to the tables and the floor looked freshly wiped down.

The air was still cool, but not as cold as last night when you left the tavern, the sky overcast. 

The street outside the Revelry looked cleaned up as well, tables moved to the side, chairs stacked on top, to make for easy passing. A carriage rattled through and you heard someone puke in an alley as you passed by with quick steps.

It felt almost unreal as you made your way home. Your childhood home, not the big townhouse you had stayed in in preparation for your wedding. Your parents were at the kitchen table, greeting you with smiles when you entered.

"Looking forward to your big day?" your father asked as he buttered his breadroll. "Your dress is waiting upstairs for you."

They didn't know yet. You took a deep breath and it filled your lungs in a way it hadn't for weeks. You felt free, you realized. Free of your fiancé and a future you hadn't wanted, even if you would have accepted it with dignity and plans to make things work to the best of your abilities. 

You took another deep breath, marveling at how much lighter you felt. "There won't be a wedding," you said and the words almost made you smile. When your parents looked up, surprised and worried, you added, "They got killed last night."

It was as though your parents saw you properly for the first time. Your nightclothes which were inappropriate to leave the house in, the shoes they had never seen you wear before and your somewhat bedraggled and worn appearance.

"What happened?" your father asked at the same time as your mother said, "What did you do?"

And now you did smile, just a little. It wasn't a happy expression and you probably looked more like you were baring your teeth. "I made sure I lived."

*.*.*

The Revelry was filled with overlapping conversations and the occasional laugh as the afternoon crowd ate their lunch, spread out around the tables. 

Already preparations for tonight's party were in full swing, decorations being pinned in place and some performers were warming up, others checking the trapeze and ribbons to ensure nothing could go wrong.

Quin was at the bar, speaking with the barkeep who listened with an attentive frown. She gave an understanding nod and Quin tapped the bar with his palm, smiling in languid satisfaction.

He then noticed your approach, smiling easily at you as he turned to face you, leaning back against the bar, elbows braced on the bartop. He looked just as confident and in control as a king might on his throne.

"Sweetheart, what brings me the pleasure of your presence?" he asked as you approached. Today his outfit was as blood red as his lips, accented with black and his jewelry glinted gold, the rubies looking like drops of blood that hung from his ears and decorated his neck and hands.

"I'm going to return your shoes," you said and he waved you off when you presented them.

"I don't remember where I got them," he said with a shrug. "Leave them by the door if you like. Someone will pick them up at some point."

"Oh." You were about to step away again, Quin's attention already moving on, the conversation over in his mind, when you paused. You knew he said you had paid already, even if you had no idea how or when or with what, but it didn't feel like enough. "Let me take you out to dinner."

His dark gaze snapped back to you and from the corner of your eye you noticed the barkeeper openly gawk at you.

"Are you asking me out?" he sounded bemused and the faintest bit baffled. Realizing how your offer had sounded, you floundered for a moment, then shrugged awkwardly, waving around the shoes as you gestured.

"Just...I want to say thank you properly." When he was about to speak, you quickly added, "I know, you said I paid already, but I still want to do this. You did more than you had to that night."

The barkeep downright stared at you now, looking gobsmacked that you had interrupted her boss, her gaze bouncing between you two. Quin tipped his head, earrings glinting in the light that fell through the window. Then he smiled and shrugged.

"Alright, why not." He pushed off the bar, gesturing for you to go ahead. "Besides, what fool turns down a free meal? Lead the way, my dear."

You left the shoes beside the entrance beneath the coat rack, like he had suggested. A carriage was waiting outside, the one you had taken to this place and the driver was visibly uncomfortable when Quin smiled at him as he helped you inside with a slightly exaggerated bow.

"Fancy," Quin said with a toothy grin as he sat down across from you and you knocked against the roof, the carriage lurching into motion. "I can't say I've been asked out like this before."

"You did mention having trouble to make people fall for you," you found yourself saying and he blinked, then threw his head back as he laughed.

"Oh, I think I like you," he said, eyes looking even darker than before, his smile sharper. "This might be a fun outing after all. Say, where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise," you answered and he leaned forward a bit, resting his elbows on his knees as though the carriage wasn't jostling the two of you around slightly.

"Can I guess?" he asked and at your shrug, he began to list places, starting with some waterholes you had heard the worst kind of stories about and ending with places so fancy and expensive only nobility would have been able to afford them.

You had to laugh at his latest suggestion and the carriage slowed to a stop a moment later. "Alright, we're here."

You got out first and offered your hand with the same exaggerated bow as he had and he grinned down, accepting it with over-the-top aplomb. Then he looked up, face brightening. "Oh my, you have chosen unexpectedly well."

You smiled and led the way inside. It wasn't easy to get a table in this place on short notice, but you had been lucky. A patron had cancelled their reservation just moments before you had shown up.

The server showed you to a table that had a good view of the stage and while he was polite, you noticed that he seemed unable to meet Quin's eyes. 

All the patrons around you seemed uncomfortable, turning tense and quiet as the two of you sat down. You noticed some whispering and two people subtly getting up and hurrying away. If Quin noticed as well, he made no mention of it.

Just after ordering food and drink, the first musician showed up and the strangers around you stopped mattering. There was no need to pay attention to anything else when people sang and played their instruments so wonderfully. Quin seemed more than happy to watch the performances as well.

"I think I have to see if I can poach some of them," he mused quietly during an interlude. He was half done with his meal and you were certain it should have grown cold by now, but it was still steaming slightly.

He turned back to you, looking thoughtful. "Are you trying to butter me up for something? Are you in need of a deal now that your future prospect has been...scattered." He said the last word with the sort of smile that felt like it should drip blood down his chin.

"No." You knew just how damn lucky you were that he hadn't demanded a proper deal from you. That whatever you had given him that night, it somehow had been payment enough. You would not tangle with that again if you could help it. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"Hm." He watched you a moment longer, then cut into his steak again. "I believe you."

The performances resumed shortly after and it was quite a pleasant meal. When at last it was over and Quin and you got up, the other patrons hung back, giving the two of you quite a berth. 

Quin was in high spirits, talking easily about what he had liked and enjoyed, gesturing and there was a small spring in his step.

"I have to say, that has been the best meal I had in quite a while," he said, offering his arm as you approached the stairs. You took it readily and he was still as warm as you remembered.

"I'm glad," you said. "I quite enjoyed myself as well." It had been unexpectedly easy to spend time with Quin. He clearly didn't care about impressing others or bothered to worry about what anyone thought of him and it was rather refreshing.

"Well, if you find yourself in need for a dinner companion again, you know where to find me," he said as he stopped in front of the carriage that had returned in time to pick you up. He helped you inside but didn't follow when you waited for him. "There are some artists I have to speak with. See you around, love."

He stepped back and you knocked on the carriage roof without looking away from him. You found your gaze lingering on him until the carriage rounded the corner. He had stayed where he was as he watched you leave, people still giving him plenty of space, their gazes averted.

*.*.*

Somehow, as the days and weeks passed, you found yourself returning to the Revelry again and again. You didn't always see Quin and sometimes he was too busy to do more than greet you, but that was alright. 

His staff had grown unexpectedly fond of you, greeting you with smiles and offering free drinks on the house. Aside from the artists, you got to know Quin's hunters, as most people called them, rather well. 

The hunters were the ones that wore masks and never showed their faces. The ones that everyone seemed uncomfortable around, though they seemed to find them slightly less unsettling than Quin.

Quin, whenever he had time for you, was excellent company. He made you feel warm and welcome and it was so easy to relax and be yourself in his presence. He made you laugh and let you lean against him, made your dreary days brighter and was well read and well educated.

You had both found yourself debating philosophical questions for hours with him and you had danced in the warm rain as summer began, laughing as he hopped through puddles with you, his make-up never once running.

He had made it far, far too easy to fall in love with him. 

With his sharp blood-smiles and his dark eyes and delighted grins at all the joys the world had to offer. With his danger and confident grace and the good treatment of his employees. With the way he leaned in, breath warm against the shell of your ear, as he pointed things out to you or shared secrets.

"How come the boss doesn't bother you?" the barkeeper asked you one afternoon as you waited for Quin to finish a deal and join you for another outing. "It even took me a while to be comfortable around him and he's been nothing but friendly to me from the start."

You knew what she meant, you had observed the effect Quin had on people for some time now. Quin was dangerous and you weren't fool or delusional enough to not know that. To not know that you could easily have that danger turned on you should you threaten him and his.

But it was hard to forget the way he had caught you instead of letting you fall, that he had immediately offered to take care of a perceived offense that few others would have even bothered to acknowledge. That he had covered you with a blanket and gotten you shoes and hadn't asked you to sign any of the scrolls he handed to virtually everyone else that approached him for deals.

So you just shrugged and the barkeep left it at that.

"Love, how good to see you, thank you for waiting," Quin's voice drew your attention and he approached you, easily throwing an arm over your shoulders and tucking you against his side. "Where to today? The usual place?"

You had visited the academy inn you had taken him to a couple of times since, but you shook your head. "I found a new place. Come on or we'll be late."

"Oh, we can't have that, can we?" he sounded delighted, steering you towards the door and lifting his free hand in a lazy goodbye wave to his employees. "Until later, you scoundrels, don't do anything I wouldn't do," he called out, getting laughter and some hoots in return.

Hanging out with Quin had, faster than you had expected, turned into one of your favorite things. He had an ease about him that was part of anything he did and his presence had the added benefit that no one ever bothered you if you went out with him.

It was easy to tell Quin everything and he was a great confidante. Never once had he shared your secrets with anyone else and he never judged you for anything either. He spoke less about himself, but every little thing he revealed you found yourself hoarding like a jealous dragon who managed to scrape together a few coins.

Today, to your surprise, he ended up sharing more than before. Maybe it was the play you had brought him to, one that turned him quieter and more thoughtful than anything else before.

"I know you know I'm not human, not anymore," he said quietly as he watched the lead act fall to his knees in front of a demon, hands raised in supplication. "But you never ask about it."

"In all honesty, I don't care about what you are," you answered just as quietly. "I like you the way you are."

For the first time since you got to know him, he seemed to have no idea what to say. He reached out, offering his hand and you took it readily enough. To your delighted surprise, he laced your fingers together. 

Then he brought your hand up to his lips and you found yourself unable to look away from him. From his dark eyes that began to glow ever so faintly like embers.

He brushed his lips over your knuckles. "I sold my soul to something far older than this world," he murmured, as though pressing his confession into your skin. "I never regretted it, I lead a life I very, very much enjoy after all." 

He pressed a kiss against your knuckles, lips leaving behind red smears like blood, his gaze heavy. "But ever since I got to know you, I find myself glad for my younger self's foolish recklessness. I don't think I could have ever met you otherwise."

"We would have met," you found yourself answering, quiet but sure, certain in a way you felt in the marrow of your bones. "I would have found you."

You would have crossed paths with this man and you would have seen in him what you saw now. Someone who had shaken off the shackles of society, someone who was close to you in spirit. Someone who understood you in a way so few did. Someone who had grown so very, very dear to you.

"And I would have killed for you," Quin said, brushing one more confession against your knuckles before he let your combined hands sink down to the arm of his chair. "I hope you know that I would promise you what I promised this ancient thing years ago if I could."

You hadn't dared to hope, not when you had worried, just a little, that Quin didn't quite feel for you what you felt for him. But now your heart leaped high and soared and a happy grin appeared on your face. "I know now."

He smiled back at you and while you knew his smiles would never be soft and adoring the way you had seen other men smile at their lovers, you didn't want them to be. You liked his danger and his sharp teeth and the way he at times seemed two steps away from going unhinged.

Quin said nothing else for the rest of the performance, but neither did either of you let go of the other's hand. He held it all the way to the carriage, where he offered another of his playfully exaggerated bows while he held open the door.

You set a foot inside, only to lean over and brush a kiss against his cheek. "I had fun tonight."

"I think that's my line," he teased, looking up at you for once. "I'll take you out next time, how does that sound?"

"I look forward to it," you said and he let go of your hand, silver earrings reflecting the light as they swung softly when he closed the door.

He once again waited on the sidewalk as the carriage carried you away and you waved at him, watching him laugh and sketch another bow. The moment he was out of view, his words seeped back into your mind.

You mulled them over for days and slowly, bit by bit, you managed to tease more information out of Quin when you saw him. He never told you what sort of deal he made or with what being, but that was alright. You had access to a library after all and there was an old occultist that frequently visited the Revelry.

It was easy enough to intercept him one night and pull him aside while Quin was busy making deals. You got the man drunk enough to loosen his tongue and since he knew you and Quin were close, he seemed to have come to the assumption that you knew more than most.

You didn't, Quin had kept you firmly away from the sort of things he dealt with, but that assumption worked well in your favor.

Quin and you went on more outings together and despite his usual unafraid and near greedy claiming of the things he wanted, he hadn't done much more than share chaste kisses with you.

He was very content to take things at your pace and you found that incredibly charming, but you were ready to go further. So the next time you visited him, you leaned in and kissed him, deepening the kiss as he leaned against the bar, patrons and employees alike hooting and hollering as he returned the kiss eagerly.

"I think it's time we take this a little further," you whispered against his lips, knowing yours were stained blood red right now.

He was grinning, eyes glowing faintly when you separated. "Oh, love," he murmured in that low voice that seemed to rumble in the air itself. "You can have me as much as you like."

He kissed you breathless and took you dancing until you felt like your heart had soaked up enough joy and love to grow wings and take flight, the two of you never separating for long. 

The next night you kissed him deeply once more and he led you through a night of delight, leaving you gasping and breathless and grinning as wildly as he did.

"Why didn't you ask for a normal deal when you met me?" you asked him that night when you were half asleep in bed with him, his hand tracing shapes across your back. "What was it that I gave you?"

He was quiet for long enough that you were almost fully asleep when he answered, quiet like it was an important secret, "You gave me trust in a way no one had in far, far too long."

You fell asleep with a smile while he pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

You loved him more than ever and when your parents brought up the topic of marriage again a couple of days later, you firmly told them you had chosen your own partner this time. You were done with catering to their desires and wishes. Never again would you let them control your future like they once had.

Especially when, instead, you could spend it with Quin and the Revelry.

It took you another couple of weeks, summer fading to cold autumn, until you at last had everything ready.

A day later, on his birthday, you tumbled Quin into bed while laughter drifted up from the tavern a floor below. Laughter was caught between your lips as you kissed and he made you sing in the best of ways, curling around you afterwards, sated and delighted.

You were reasonably certain that Quin needed next to no sleep, considering that a hunter had once mentioned that he only went to his rooms to read or when you were with him. He did sleep around you, or at least something like it. He always was a little too still when he did it, his breathing just a bit too deep to be normal, his heartbeat that unsettling extra second too slow.

You waited until he grew still and deep and slow and then you snuck out of bed, slow and careful. He didn't wake, not when you pulled pouches from your pockets. Not when you drew in chalk on his floor, not when you set up candles and lit them and not when you approached him with the dagger, metal etched with symbols that made no sense to you, but you knew were correct.

He didn't even wake when you carefully pricked the tip of one finger, letting a single drip of blood fall onto the blade. That one drop swiftly filled all the carved in grooves and lines and now came the thing that had taken the longest to obtain.

It had taken you days to find people even willing to hear you out, never mind go on the sort of dangerous trip you needed to send them on. 

But a group of slightly wild-eyed, hungry adventurers had taken you upon the offer and they had, after weeks, delivered. Bruised, blooded and broken but victorious, grins wilder than ever and their hunger sated. For now.

The heart looked unexpectedly small, barely bigger than half your palm, but it beat still and it was as black as tar. The last tether the ancient horror had to this world.

You placed it in the middle of the circle, Quin still deeply asleep on the bed. His mind was most likely at another place, maybe he was even with this ancient thing, listening to its demands for souls and years and emotions and whatever else he fed it. It was powerful, no doubt, but you also knew Quin was the only reason it got to eat at all.

He was the only one who had a contract with it, the first and only one in centuries who had stumbled across a half sunken tomb and had figured out enough of the symbols to cobble together a ritual. Even his hunters were only an extension of his deal with the old horror he had found.

He hadn't quite understood what he had done, what he had summoned and bound himself to, but he had whole-heartedly accepted it all the same. Unafraid as he was in everything.

There was no undoing what had been done to him, the occultist had been firm about that when you had asked. Quin had given up his humanity and reversing that would be his end. His soul and body and mind had changed too much already. Furthermore, he liked himself like this. 

He didn't want to change, even if he wished he could be free of the contract.

His body bowed like a man possessed when you pierced the heart and a noiseless shriek echoed through the room. It wasn't sound but instead pressure, making the very air itself vibrate, floorboards groaned and walls cracked, windows rattled and shattered and for a second you thought you yourself would break too.

Your bones seemed to try to shrink smaller, your mind feeling like it got squeezed from all sides as fury slammed into you, your ears popping painfully. Fury and fear.

It was that last emotion, that gave you the strength to grip the dagger with both hands and twist it, rending the small, black heart in two.

It was like an outward explosion, as though something as big as a continent exhaled it's least breath forcefully, desperate as it lost its grip on life. The walls and floor cracked to the point where you half expected them to cave and crumble and all at once the candles were extinguished.

In the light from the full moon outside you watched the black heart turn to dust and then it got blown away by a faint breeze until nothing was left.

"What?" Quin's gasping inhale drew your attention and you realized you were shaking and sweating and feeling unnaturally cold.

He sat up in bed, eyes glowing like an entire fireplace full of embers. "Love," he said and his voice rumbled through the air, heavy with new power. "What did you do?"

"Happy birthday," you answered, slightly breathless. "Do you like my present?"

He scrambled out of bed, suddenly frantic and graceless in a way he never, ever was. His knees hit the ground and his hands cupped your face, glowing eyes roving over your face like he had never seen it before. Had never seen you like this before.

"You killed an old god for me," he whispered, his voice on the verge something reverent and awed as he gave off an air of power so much deeper and larger that his previous presence would have looked pitiful in comparison.

"You wanted to be free, right?" you asked quietly and when you smiled at him, you knew you still had his blood-red lipstick on your lips from kissing him previously. You knew it was dark enough with only moonlight in the room that it must've looked like real blood.

He laughed and it was half relief and half astonishment and then he was kissing you, fiercer and deeper than ever before. It felt like he was trying to pour the power you had gifted him into you, filling your veins the way you had filled his.

"I devote myself to you," he said breathlessly between kisses, each one as fierce and consuming and gifting as the last. "My soul, in light and darkness, shall be yours until my dying day."

You could only kiss back just as fiercely, gripping his hips and pulling him closer as he climbed into your lap, leaning over you and kissing you and kissing you until you felt drunk on it and his power.

"Move in with me," he whispered against your lips. "You're already a part of this place. The Revelry loves you. I love you."

"Let's adopt a cat," you whispered back and he laughed, sounding half delirious and delighted enough that it wouldn't have surprised you to hear him shout from the rooftops in a moment.

"A beautiful idea," he said, eyes glowing and blood-red grin just as dangerous as ever, his teeth looking even sharper than before. "I love you."

You couldn't help but grin back. "Neat."

He laughed, wild and free, wrapping his arms tightly around you and swaying back and forth a bit, his weight heavy and grounding and warm in your lap until the last of the unnatural chill was chased from your bones. 

Then he held and kissed you until he got his newly gained power under control and someone knocked on the door.

It were his hunters and for the first time they had taken off their masks, glowing eyes staring at the two of you with barely contained hope and wonder.

"We're free," Quin said, still in your lap and his grin was delightfully wild and on the edge of unhinged. "You are free to stay or go and never again will you be trapped in a contract."

It didn't surprise you when they stayed, fists pressed over hearts and fealty offered but not demanded. Given, not owned. 

"Marevlous," Quin said when they left again, pressing kisses against your face, leaving smears of blood red behind. "Precious, crafty, devious, mine."

You gripped his hips. "And you're mine."

"Until the end of time," he promised, hands still cradling your face and he pressed your foreheads together. His voice grew quieter, intense, a promise he would have never given that old god, no matter its demands, "For this life and all that follow, until this world crumbles to dust and all the stars have died."

A promise better than any wedding vow you could have asked for. "In each one I will find you," you answered his promise, feeling him press even closer, heat and weight and danger and power. "My soul will always recognize yours."

"Thank you," he whispered, thumbs brushing over your cheeks. "Thank you, for this gift and for trusting me when you met me. For never shying from me when others didn't even dare to look me in the eye. For giving me everything I ever wanted. For loving me."

You smiled and hugged him back tightly. He already knew that he had given you everything you could have asked for the night he killed for you. All without asking for anything. Without ever taking anything from you.

He had set you free from more than a lethal marriage contract. And now that he had shucked his shackles to an old god, now that he was free and still very much not human, you felt like everything was complete.

You couldn't wait to get that cat and to wake up to love and blood-red smiles for the rest of your life.

[blarefordaglare]

day 8 - Snoots the bear

Based off of my friend @kikker-oma’s Snoots the Bear artwork! Go check her out :D

——

The air was cool and crisp as Wild walked through the forest. Don’t get him wrong, joining the chain was one of the best things that happened to him (even if it was worst case scenario.) but sometimes, it was nice to be Link again. 

He literally is titled “Hero of the Wild”. It’s fitting he feels best when nothing stands between you and the earth around you. The rustling of bushes, the chirps of birds, or the tall branches that surround you. 

All of a sudden a loud rustle came from behind him. The blonde whipped his head back to find a large lump of fur. 

“Sweet Hylia,” Wild slowly tensed as he walked closer to the bear, “You’re absolutely stunning.” The champion reached out to touch a lump of his fur. The bear in return nuzzled into Wild, his head perfectly fitting between his chest and arms.  

“You have a big nose… so I’m gonna name you Snoots.” Wild smiled, “I can’t wait to show you to the others!” The blonde wrapped his arms around the bear. His soft fur providing a pillow like cushion before he began to climb up. 

It took a while to not slip off, but eventually, it was pretty similar to riding a horse. Except the horse was a huge ball of fluff, and wasn’t even a horse. 

The boy rode the bear until sunset came around, and his energy depleted. Exploring was not an easy task, especially since he hadn’t got the chance to in so long. The bear’s soft fur provided a comforting surface as Wild dozed off.

However, the next day proved to be not as comforting as the last. The hero slowly blinked awake to the sun as it filtered through the mountains. That wasn’t the reason he woke up though, he felt a faint tapping on his shoulder. 

“Wild, wake up.” Time’s whispering was softer than the gentle wind, but still enough to wake up the sleeping champion, “We need you to guide us to Hateno. Remember?” Right, the whole save-the-world thing. How could I forget? Wild most certainly did not want to deal with Time right now. He just met the bear, and he’s soft and adorable and-

“Champ, we need you awake.” Time nudged again. Wild wasn’t the guy to have patience. He wasn’t the guy to give patience. Now I know how Sky feels.

“Lay off old man, I’m busy.” Wild grumbled as he nestled into Snoots. In return, the bear gave an approving huff. In the Champion’s defence, he is the hero of the Wild, of course out of all people you’d expect to befriend a bear, it would be him.

Warriors stepped over to Time, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The hero tried to protest but the captain cut him off, “Just let him, we have time.” 

Time groaned and slowly reached out to pet the bear, “You’re lucky he likes you.” The man grumbled, “And you’re lucky I’m a good father figure.” 

Snoots just gave a grunt in response and went back to letting the champion snuggle with him. Wild simply gave him a big hug and continued to pet his fur. 

“But you are not letting him to camp. Four will freak, he’s already afraid of cats.” 

“Come on!”

[winterlogysblog]

4KOTA HIGHSCHOOL AU

Liones University

Founder - Bartra Liones President - Meliodas Vice President - Gilthunder Prefect of Disipline - Dreyfus School Doctor - Hendrickson Middle School Principal - Guila Highschool Principal - Howzer Drama Teacher - Gowther PE and Science Teacher - Derieri PE Teacher - Griamore

Known Groups (Past):

The Seven Deadly Sins - Delinquent Gang led by Meliodas (yes, the president of the school) Members: Meliodas - Former Leader of The Ten Commandments; President of Liones University Ban - Owner of Fox's Sin (Bar & Resto) Escanor - Veteran Soldier Harlequin - Alias: King; Fashion and Costume Designer; Owner of Chastiefol (Fashion Clothing Brand) Diane - Former Ballerina; Model for Chastiefol Gowther - Drama Teacher of Liones University; Producer and Owner of Nadja Theater Merlin - Former Vice President of Camelot Academy

The Ten Commandments - Delinquent Gang led by Zeldris Members: Zeldris - Owner of Underworld Corp. Mael - Former Member of The Four Archangels Derieri - PE and Science Teacher of Liones Academy Monspeet - In the US Gloxinia - In France Drole - Also in France Melascula - Professor at Camelot University Galland - Professor at Camelot University Grayroad - <No information found> Fraudrin - <No information found>

The Four Archangels - Student Council Group Members: Ludociel - President Mael - Former Vice President turned member of the Ten Commandments Sariel - Secretary Tarmiel - Comittee Chairman

Known Groups (Present):

The Four Knights of the Apocalypse - just a gaggle of individuals Members: Lancelot - Captain of the Basketball Team; Models for Chastiefol in his free time (either he gets paid or he gets free stuff); Straight A Student (he doesn't even try); Subject of expertise - Math Percival - The most innocent bean known around Campus; Subject of Expertise - Foreign Language (doesn't know why he's good at it) Gawain - Former Camelot University Student; Captain of the Women's Volleyball team; Straight A Student; Self proclaimed chick magnet; Subject of Expertise - Science Tristan - Student Council President; Straight A Student (you're doing great sweetie); Subject of Expertise - Science and History

Percival Platoon - 4kota sub-group led by Percival Members: Anne - President of Fencing Club; Straight A Student; Subject of Expertise - English Donny - Varsity Basketball Player; Subject of Expertise - PE Nasiens - Hendrickson's assistant; Models for Chastiefol in his free time (automatic free stuff); has an obvious crush on Percy; Straight A Student; Subject of Expertise - Science and Geography

Tristan Platoon - 4kota sub-group led by Tristan Members: Isolde - Cheer Captain; has an obvious crush on Tristan; Subject of Expertise - Art and Design Chion - Campus A-hole; Does not care about anybody except for Tristan (Isolde and Jade too but mainly Tristan); Subject of Expertise - Science and History Jade - The tolerable one; has an obvious crush on Isolde; Subject of Expertise - Geography

Lancelot Platoon - 4kota sub-group led by Lancelot Members: Sixtus - Foreign Exchange Student (currently in France staying with Uncle Glox and Drole); Subject of Expertise - History (really good at memorizing specific dates) Tioreh - Member of the Gymnastics Club; Subject of Expertise - Arts and Design

[garf-lover96]

Astarion Ancunín x Julian Devorak crackship hcs

ah i see your endless comparisons between them, so i know this is not a post for too niche of an audience..... i just had this thought about them actually being together and my brain started working too fast so i just had to write it all down

disclaimers: for simplicity reasons, let's assume they meet on some ambiguous middle ground between their worlds; these are headcanons for spawn!Astarion (after killing Cazador) and upright!Julian (minus the mc i suppose) because i wanted to make them healthy and fluffy

———

a little exposition:

• they meet in a tavern (obviously!). Julian falls first and buys Astarion a drink, Astarion falls harder later on

• it takes Julian quite a bit of courting to get Astarion to agree to go on a date with him, but when he agrees, he's rewarded with the most romantic (and brilliantly planned) night of his life

• Astarion really appreciates Julian's patience and understanding when he finally opens up about his past. they exchange some stories of the hard moments in their lives

• somewhere in the middle of those comes up the fact that Astarion is a vampire which gets a "well, obviously...?" reaction from Julian. Astarion is a little embarrassed about that

• eventually, they agree to be in a relationship! they warm up to each other at a incredibly fast rate and start living together after more than a few exciting adventures together (but it doesn't mean they plan to stop going on them any time soon)

living together/relationship dynamics sillies:

• getting right into it, Julian obviously enjoys getting bitten and is more than happy to let Astarion feed on him. he asks Astarion to do it whether he's hungry or not. are you sure you don't need a snack?? absolutely sure????

• Astarion learns how to make a few simple meals for Julian. he notices when Julian forgets to eat for a longer while and wants to make sure he doesn't collapse out of starvation. he says that he's doing it only so his blood tastes better, but Julian knows he's just worried about him..

• Julian's sleep schedule is messed up as is so he definitely doesn't mind having to become nocturnal for his partner. hell, he can even stay awake for the whole 24 hours! maybe even 48 hours, occasionally. which always results in a crash and he ends up sleeping through at least 12 hours straight to make up for it

• when that happens—and Astarion has nothing better to do—he tends to just orbit around him the whole time he's asleep. he usually picks out a book and lays down close to Julian's chest so he can listen to his heartbeat while enjoying some literature

• Astarion was a little sceptical of Malak when they started living together but it turned out they actually get along quite nicely. Astarion praises him every time he steals something..

• Julian is very interested in the logistics of being a vampire, and now that he finally has the chance, he wants to know all there is to know about the topic. the lack of heartbeat, the heightened senses.. the teeth.. he gets a little giddy thinking about them. or seeing them of course

• they both get haunted by nightmares but since half of the time at least one of them is awake while the other is sleeping (or in that damn reverie when it comes to Astarion) because of their confusing sleeping patterns, they make sure to calm each other down from them. they breathe together, cuddle and mutter words of reassurance to each other

• their morbid interests go quite well together. of course, while Astarion's specific interest lies in stabbing people sometimes and Julian's lies in anatomy and the more theoretical stuff in general, Astarion actually enjoys it when Julian goes on one of his medical rants and explains in exhausting detail. for instance: why someone bleeds out faster when they get stabbed in the neck rather when they get stabbed in the stomach

• Julian is always acting as Astarion's mirror. he's there for every request and makes sure to compliment Astarion plenty whenever he gets the chance. he lives to serve and reassure. Astarion is immensely grateful for that

• they're both consent kings, they always make sure to discuss anything requiring it. they check up on each other even after agreeing to it anyway

• they absolutely love using pet names. they can barely go without using "darling", "dear" and "my love" every other sentence

• Julian teaches Astarion how to dance. it takes a little convincing, but when Astarion realizes that Julian is actually a pretty great teacher, he relaxes and lets himself be guided. now they make sure to make time for it at least once a week

• Astarion loves hearing Julian's silly stories from his travels and always asks sarcastic follow up questions. think the "oh, and were there dragons there?" kind

• even though there's a big height difference between them (5'9 and 6'4), they pick each other up all the time. Julian started it by picking Astarion up when he least expected it. but since Astarion is no longer limited by the tadpole, is eating well and Julian is skinny anyway, he's more than capable to get his revenge on him as often as possible

———

broke: Astarion and Julian are pretty similar to each other!

woke: they're actually in love and married and they kiss each other on the lips mwah mwah mwah

[athousandbyeol]

you fall from sky heights (and into my arms). [qian x yuan fanfic]

"are you tired of me?" qian questions, crossing his arms, demanding an answer. yuan softens even more. his heart melts entirely to the floor, and he might need to wipe it clean again, but— "i can never get tired of you, ge," yuan confesses. it's always the truth.

or yuan and qian living the domestic husbands' lifestyle while being obnoxiously silly and annoying with each other (featuring lots of kisses and hugs and everything nice).

[betweenbreaths]

booze (zoro x reader)

Summary: The winner gets booze — the finest booze of them all.

The rules? The first one to touch the other loses.

Neither you nor Zoro intend to lose.

Rating: Explicit (smut - you have been warned)

A/N: I spent waaaay too long writing this but this was the most fun I had writing something in a while. Hope you enjoy! :)

AO3 link in the replies to this post.

***

It was no secret to anyone on this crew that you and Zoro both loved your booze. At parties, you were the best drinkers, and also the heaviest sleepers after that. On the rare occasion that the Strawhats had time to rest and play around in a town or island, both you and Zoro would be each other’s drinking buddies, no questions needed. 

And so, it came as no surprise that the both of you were equally hung up over a particularly expensive bottle of alcohol in a bar where you had both been drinking. There was only one bottle left, so getting one each was out of the question. Sharing the drink was, for some reason, not on the cards either. Probably because you were both extremely drunk — that often brought out the competitive streak in both of you.

Because you couldn’t decide on how to split it, you had agreed on a momentary truce: purchase the bottle, take it back to the ship and hand it over to Sanji who would lock it up safely in the kitchen, get some sleep and then decide what to do with it in the morning.

It was afternoon by the time you both woke up, both hungover and grumpy. The dull headache did not help to ease your foul mood in the least. 

“So, what’s the plan?” Zoro asked with a yawn, as you both eyed the precious bottle of alcohol placed atop the kitchen counter. It had cost you a good ten million Berries, and the news of the purchase had Nami smacking both of you on the head at least ten times for “wasting” that much money. 

You both knew it wasn’t a waste; this was one of the rarest drinks in all of the land, known as the “Dragon’s Tears”, a drink which was usually served exclusively to the Celestial Dragons. It could only be smuggled out in low quantities, and was sold on the black market for ridiculous prices. The fact that you had gotten it for 10 million Berries was already a huge steal.

“Dunno. Any ideas?” 

Sanji, being close enough to overhear, paused from his dishwashing to turn his head your way.

“How about sharing it?”

“No,” you and Zoro had both answered in unison, which had Sanji rolling his eyes. 

“Guess we don’t have a choice; we’ll have to settle this through a duel.”

“No way,” you had objected hotly, glaring at Zoro who was now wearing a sly smirk on his face. “We both know you’re stronger at combat.” 

“Oh yeah?” he grinned. “If you’re going to admit defeat already I’ll just take the bottle for myself now.”

“Please, if we made this a test of intelligence the bottle would be mine. We need to pick something fair.” 

“Did— Did you just call me stupid?” 

You ignored him, deep in thought and wondering how you should go about this. 

And then it came to you: an idea so brilliant, that a devious, cunning smile was playing on your lips before you realised it.

“What’s with that look on your face?” 

You said nothing, already calculating your next move.

Oh, Zoro was most definitely going to lose. 

***

It was an especially hot, windless day, and you were on the deck with Chopper, Luffy and Usopp who had their tongues out while sweating profusely. You were all under the same tree, seeking shade from the ruthless rays of the sun. 

“Chopper, do you need some ice?” you asked, eyeing the little reindeer who looked like he might pass out at any minute. 

“That’s okay… I just… need to lie down for a bit…” 

“Maybe I’ll ask Sanji for something to cool us all down.” 

Speak of the devil. Sanji burst out the door at that exact moment, calling your name in the usual high-pitched, exaggerated tone that he reserved exclusively for women. He came skipping over to you, holding a tray of popsicles in one hand and extending a light pink one to you. 

“For you, my lady.”

You accepted it with an appreciative smile, which had Sanji doing a number of cute, happy twirls for you. The rest were quick to complain and demand for popsicles too, and in response the blond had glared at the lot of them, before hurling the popsicles at their mouths as if they were spears. 

Ignoring the sound of choking in the background, you licked at the cool surface of the popsicle, enjoying the taste of sweet strawberries on your tongue. It was a much-needed respite for your parched, dry throat. 

From the corner of your eye you noticed Zoro walking over, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he sought the shade under the tree on the opposite end of the deck. He was cool as always, ignoring the racket that was going on next to you other than to shoot an annoyed glance Sanji’s way. He then sat down on the grass, before lying down on his back, his arms crossed behind him as a makeshift pillow. 

After a moment he seemed to notice that you were staring, and you met his gaze evenly with a sly smirk. 

Keeping your eyes locked on his, you stuck your tongue out, licking the underside of the popsicle, before putting the tip in your mouth. 

Even from this distance, you could see his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

It had been two days since the game started. The prize? The finest booze in all the land.

As for the rules? First one to touch the other would be the loser. Relieving yourselves privately or with other people was strictly prohibited too, and you’d have to rely on each other’s word for it.

You knew it was going to be difficult; you and Zoro had been going at it like rabbits almost every day, ever since you both decided to finally act on the mutual physical attraction you had for each other. Everything started when you both got extremely drunk one night in a bar and woke up the next morning to find your naked bodies snug against each other in the crow’s nest. After that, neither of you needed alcohol as a catalyst, and there was no stopping either of you from getting your hands on each other once you were away from the prying eyes of your crew members.

Nothing, until now, that was.

Zoro had been amused when you shared your idea with him, and it had been easy enough to provoke him into it with a simple “I guess you just can’t keep your hands off of me even for a day?” 

As expected, the man had snapped and immediately agreed to your terms, seeming confident that it would be an easy win for him. 

But the cocky swordsman had another thing coming if he thought you would give him an easy time. After all, you were determined to win; the stakes were high, and more importantly, you were determined not to lose to him. 

You got up, dusting the stray blades of grass off your shorts, before heading over to the tree where Zoro was laying under. 

He peeked his good eye open, peering at you warily as you approached him, obviously knowing from that smirk of yours that you were up to no good.

You plopped down next to him, taking another lick of your popsicle.

“If you want one, you better get it from Sanji soon, or everything’s gonna melt.”

“No need,” he replied with his usual stoic expression, “It’s not that hot here.”

Oh? Well then, it looked like it would be up to you to raise the temperature for him.

“Is it? I’m melting over here.” Clutching the popsicle between your lips, you made a show of lifting the hem of your crop top, before pulling it over your head and tossing the damp garment at Zoro’s face.

He caught it easily just before it could actually hit him in the face, and you listened to his disapproving grunt, followed by an almost inaudible sharp inhale of air.

You shot a knowing grin at him, which was met with a glower. You had donned a lacy bra on purpose for today, and while you were certainly giving Sanji and the others a good show, you knew this was getting under Zoro’s skin. The light pink material was almost nude under the glare of the hot sun, and you knew how much Zoro loved seeing you in delicate lingerie that was only too easy for him to tear off.

Ignoring the sound of Sanji launching himself into the air with a fountain of blood spurting through his nose and Chopper’s panicked screams behind you, you relished in Zoro’s undivided attention on your exposed skin. You could see in his good eye roaming over your body that his thoughts were trailing into dangerous territory.

Popsicles. It was the oldest trick in the book, but it worked. Every. Single. Time.

With confidence surging through you and your pulse racing from the thrill, you raised the melting popsicle once more, not flinching as a few drops of the melted liquid fell from the other end and landed onto your chest. 

Zoro didn’t seem to be breathing as he watched the pink drops of liquid slip down your chest and disappear into the valley of your breasts.

A sucking noise drew his attention back to your face, where you had half of the popsicle in your mouth now, the tip of it poking your hollowed cheek as you sucked. The sweet flavour swirled on your tongue, and you swallowed, before releasing the popsicle from your lips with a light smack and a soft moan.

Through half-lidded eyes, your gaze fell back on the swordsman who still had his good eye trained intently on you. He hadn’t looked away once, never one to back down from a challenge.

“It’s sweet,” you told him with a hum, before offering your half-eaten popsicle to him, allowing the tip to stop just shy of his tightly pursed lips.

“Try it.”

He obliged, much to your surprise, and caught a huge chunk of it between his teeth. The popsicle broke with a light crack, and the chunk that had landed in his mouth was crushed into pieces seconds later.

“It’s not that sweet,” he remarked, his lips turning up in a cocky smirk that mirrored yours.  

“I still prefer the taste of you.”

That line went straight to your loins and he knew it. The mental image of his head between your thighs, eating you out like the finest dessert he had ever tasted, filled your mind and you felt your body begin to heat up. 

Of course Zoro wasn’t about to let you walk all over him. No, it just wasn’t his style. It was one of the things that drove you crazy about him. 

Not ready to back down, you tipped your chin up in defiance and spread your legs just a little, hands trailing up your inner thigh at a deliberately slow pace.

“You’re more than welcome to dig in, you know.” You proceeded to lean in, allowing your lips to hover just above his ear. 

“And while you’re at it, you can take a look at what I’m wearing underneath.”

That seemed to really get him. His jaw was clenched, and you could see the fire in his darkened irises as you pulled away with a sweet, innocent smile.

“I will, after I win this thing.”

You laughed then, which only seemed to grate on his nerves.

“Make it quick, then. I’m throwing this set away after tonight.” The sound of grass rustling filled the silence between you as you stood up to leave.

“What? Why?” he asked.

You turned back, shooting him a wicked grin that made him instantly regret opening his big fat mouth.

“Because it’s gotten so… wet.”

You didn’t need to look to know that Zoro was probably cursing in his head right then. While you would have loved to watch him stew, you decided it was best to make your exit after winning this round. 

***

Karma hit you like a bitch two days later, when Zoro made it abundantly clear that you had chosen to mess with the wrong guy. 

You were doing your training as usual in the crow’s nest, not seeing the need to avoid the place just because of the ongoing bet you had with Zoro. And so you were hardly surprised when he entered halfway through your workout. 

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. You greeted each other like usual, and he went about his own thing while you did yours.  

Except, today Zoro had decided he would do his training topless. 

It wasn’t exactly unusual for the man; he often trained without a shirt on to avoid getting it completely soaked with his sweat.

But today, you knew the move was a deliberate one; a clever move in this game of chess. How did you know? Because each time he caught you sneaking a sideways glance at him, he would flash you a brazen smirk that said, “Like what you see?”

You had never been one for being discreet, habitually checking him out whenever you trained together in the crow’s nest. You couldn’t help it; Zoro was ripped in all the right places, the lines and curves of the hard muscle under his tanned skin extremely attractive in your eyes. You would find yourself lost in the way his muscles rippled and clenched as he moved, your mind wandering to all the things he could do to you with that monstrous strength of his. It would be filled with various mental images: his ass clenching while he rammed into you, his arms clenching as he held you tightly in place so he could have his way with you, your fingernail marks dotting the broad expanse of his back… 

It was no wonder then, that Zoro training topless usually ended in many, many rounds of mindblowing sex in the crow’s nest. By now, you were sure you two had christened pretty much every corner in this room. 

That was probably what he was after when he came up here. He had made it clear that he knew exactly how to push your buttons, as you did his.

With each swing of a weight easily twice his size, he would let out a grunt not dissimilar to the sounds he made while fucking you senseless. It was taking all you could to focus on your training, but even that was challenging when he was right there next to you, literal and metaphorical heat radiating off his body and drawing your attention to him like a moth to a flame. 

“Shouldn’t you be focusing on your training?” he asked in a mocking tone, breaking your train of thought and sending heat rushing to your cheeks. You dropped your gaze to the weights in your hands, resuming your bicep curls. 

“I would if you’d give me a bit more space here. You’re getting too close.” It was a bald-faced lie and didn’t sound convincing even to you. Zoro was always careful and made sure to keep a safe distance from everyone whenever he swung his sword or weights or anything else that could be dangerous. 

Nevertheless, Zoro shrugged and took a big step back.

“This good?” 

“Yeah.”

You resumed your workout, but your inability to concentrate had you losing count of your reps multiple times. It wasn’t all that surprising; the bet had been going on for a few days now, and you were pent up enough as it was. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come to the crow’s nest after all. You should have known Zoro would pull something like this; there was no way he wouldn’t get back at you after your last attack. 

But, you’d be damned if you backed down now or let him know he had the upper hand. 

Leaving the room now was out of the question — that was a coward’s move. So you decided to drop the weights in your hand, heading over to the rack to reach for much, much heavier ones that you had yet to try instead. It would be much less easy for your mind to wander if you had to focus everything into trying to lift these instead.

A genius plan, you had thought to yourself, until you tried lifting them off the rack and nearly lost your balance, body lurching forward and being dragged down by the weights that were clearly too much for you. 

You had expected to go tumbling into the rack and make a mess of the equipment and of yourself, while Zoro watched with mocking laughter. 

But the situation you found yourself in next was far, far worse than that.

What did happen was: you remained standing where you were, the heavy weights in your hands — not because you were magically able to summon the strength to hold them in that split second, but because someone else was now holding it for you. 

You felt an imposing presence mere inches behind you, the heat from his body telling you exactly how close your bodies were in that moment. Zoro, however, had been careful enough to make sure he wasn’t touching you, not even his hands that were holding the edges of the weights that were still in your grip. 

“Oi.” His gruff voice sounded right above the shell of your ear, his hot breath sending delightful shivers running down your spine. “That could have been dangerous.”

It took a moment for you to come up with a coherent response. 

“For you, or for me?” you asked, fighting the urge to lean backwards into his rock solid chest and rub your ass against his crotch—

Yeah, this was definitely dangerous for you.

“You’re asking that when you nearly got a concussion over a bunch of light weights? Or maybe that was a little trap you’d planned too.” His chuckle was low and dangerous, and his next words came out in a deep drawl that tickled your ear and made you go weak at the knees.

“If you wanted me to touch you, all you needed to do was ask.” 

It was too much. Zoro was playing all his cards right and pushing all the right buttons. You were barely holding on to the shred of rationality that was left in your head, your lust and urges starting to take control. All you needed to do was turn around, and you’d be kissing the shit out of him, melting against his body and letting go of everything that you had been holding back for what seemed like an eternity now. 

It would be too easy to give in. 

But, the more sensible, prideful part of you knew better: you couldn’t let him win. Knowing the man, he would never let you live it down, and would taunt you for the rest of your days with this victory. That, and you’d have spent ten million berries for nothing. 

“You’ll just have to make me want to ask,” was your retort, filled with all the fake confidence that you could muster. 

There was a beat of silence. Then you felt a tug on the weights in your hands. You promptly released them, allowing Zoro to step away and return the weights to where they belonged on the rack. 

Your back suddenly felt cold and empty, now that he was gone. Never mind that, you’d better get out of this room before you made any more blunders. 

Just before you could leave though, Zoro spoke again.

“You were practically begging through your eyes,” he said, and you could hear that infuriating smirk playing on his lips. 

“Next time, you’ll be begging with your mouth.”

That was the moment you knew: winner or not, this was going to end so poorly for you. 

***

A week and a half on, you were nearing the end of your rope. Zoro didn’t show any signs that he would be giving up anytime soon, and neither were you. You had expected as much, both being just about as stubborn as the other. 

Still, you desperately needed some relief and escape from the filthy thoughts haunting you day and night. Zoro’s taunts were starting to get to you and now you found your mind constantly wandering towards him and to all the things he could do to you, if you’d just give in and give up on this game. If this score wasn’t settled soon, you may well be the one to throw in the towel first, ego be damned. You couldn’t even fall asleep now, your mind too active to allow you to rest. 

After hours of tossing and turning in bed, you found yourself having to choose between two options. 

The first: sneak into the men’s quarters and get down to business with Zoro. 

The second: take a cold shower.

Thankfully, the rational part in you won over and decided on the latter.

But when you arrived at the bath, it looked like someone else had decided on the exact same thing. 

You heard footsteps just as you arrived at the door, and spun around only to find yourself standing face to face with the very cause of your insomnia. 

Zoro looked just as surprised as you, and the both of you opened your mouths at the same time.

“What are you doing–”

“Why are you awa—”

Your voices cut off, and an awkward silence creeped in as you studied each other, as if scrutinising an opponent in battle. 

Well, from the looks of it at least, Zoro didn’t seem like he had planned this. Not to mention, it was 4am in the morning; he was the last person who would hatch some kind of scheme while half-asleep. 

“It’s 4am,” you said, breaking the silence. “I thought you were all asleep.”

“I could say the same about you,” he replied evenly, folding his arms across his chest. That big, broad, muscular chest—

“I wanted to relax in the bath. Thought I’d be able to take my time while everyone was asleep.”

He cocked a brow at that, unconvinced. “You do this often?”

“Sometimes,” you lied, before quickly turning the tables on him. “What about you? What are you doing here?”

“Same reason as you.” 

“What, you take baths at 4am in the morning?”

“…Sometimes.”

Riiiiiiight. This was going nowhere. It was obvious enough that he was here for probably the same reason as you but you were far too tired to try to pull anything funny; all you wanted was to take a cold shower and try to get some sleep. 

“Okay well, I was here first, so you can come back after I’m done.” You opened the door to the bath barely wide enough for you to fit in, and you were about to enter when you felt him sidle up next to you, pushing the door open wider so the both of you could fit through the doorway.

You turned around, about to protest until you saw the cunning smile on his face.

Your heart dropped. No. No no no no. That look could only mean one thing. 

“The bath is big enough for the both of us,” he said breezily, before gesturing for you to enter. 

“Ladies first.”

Damn his stupid ego and competitiveness. Fine, if he really wanted to play with fire, who were you to deny him? 

A few minutes later, you were submerged in a hot bath, instead of the quick cold shower you had come here for. Both of you were seated at opposite ends of the bath, and the steam in the room made it hard to see your naked bodies beneath the surface of the hot bathwater. 

How long was he planning to stay here for, anyway? You didn’t really know where you could go from here, seeing as Zoro hadn’t appeared to be affected one bit by your little strip show earlier. He didn’t even bat an eyelid as you deliberately shook your hips while slipping off your panties, or look annoyed like he usually would when you kicked them his way. All he did in response was remove his shorts, giving you a nice view of what you had missed out on for the past week, before heading straight for the bath.

No thanks to that entirely un-sexy show of his, your mind was starting to fog up with various mental images again, and it didn’t help that he was right in front of you, a feast ready for you to dig into. 

This man would be the death of you, without a doubt.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked then, jerking you out of your thoughts. It was as if he knew where your head was at just seconds ago. 

“How annoying it is that you’re here,” you snapped right back at him. It was true; you had wanted the bath all to yourself and being both pent up and sleepy made for one very grumpy and impatient you. If Zoro’s plan was to get a rise out of you, boy was he going to get one if he intended on egging you on even further.

But, it seemed even Zoro could tell when he should stop. Instead of another teasing, mocking response you’d expected, his question sounded more genuine.

“Why? Because of the bet?” 

A pause. You mulled over your response for a second, before letting out a small sigh.

“Yeah,” you admitted reluctantly. “I didn’t think you’d last this long.”

You heard him chuckle, that deep, bass voice echoing gently off the walls. “Hey, this was your idea. Don’t go blaming me now.”

It was a fair point, but you didn’t like being wrong. You ignored that remark, turning away and lowering yourself just enough so your mouth was submerged under the warm water.

You heard the water slosh then, the ripples of water tickling your body. Looking up, you realised Zoro was making his way towards you, and he stopped right in front of you, peering at your face and studying it. 

“You’re upset.” It wasn’t a question.

“No, I’m not,” you stubbornly denied. “I’m just grumpy because I’m sleepy.” 

“Sure you are.” He was probably thinking about what a brat you were – not that you would deny it. 

There was a moment of silence, before he spoke again.

“How about a truce?” 

Your eyes darted towards the man, widening in surprise. 

“What?” 

“The bet’s not worth making you this upset,” he explained. “Let’s call it off and think of another way to decide who gets the booze.”

“In that case, how about you just give me all the booze?”

Zoro’s eye turned hard as he glowered at you in disapproval. You couldn’t suppress the impish grin forming on your lips. 

“Nice try, but no,” he replied flatly. 

Yeah, you didn’t think it’d be that easy either. It was worth the shot though.

“So, what? We call a truce, and then?”

“Then we think of something else. Weren’t you listening?”

“I was,” you replied, rolling your eyes and focusing on creating tiny ripples in the water with your index finger. 

“I was just wondering if this was, maybe, your way of saying that you’re tired of the games and you want to just fuck me now.” 

There was a pause, then a gruff, “And if it is?” 

Caught off guard by his unexpected honesty, you found your head jerking in the man’s direction where you found him staring at you almost expectantly. One look was all you needed to know that he meant it, that if you agreed to the truce right then and there he would drop everything and take you without a second’s hesitation. 

“And what if I say no? If you’re this close to giving up I might as well get the booze while I’m at it.” 

“I’m not the one pouting because of this bet,” he responded with an eye roll. “If it comes down to it, I can wait this out better than you can.” There was no trace of a bluff in that voice. Zoro absolutely could, because once he set his mind on something, he would stick to it and no mountain could move him. 

You, on the other hand, weren’t nearly as resolved as he was, and he knew that too. 

“If we do a truce,” you said, choosing your words very carefully, “what’s the alternative? There’s no way we’re having a duel.”  

Zoro pondered over it for a minute or two, before a devilish grin formed on his face — one that made him look like a downright villain. 

“How about this? First one to cum loses.” 

Your eyes must have lit up then, making no effort to hide the fact that you had finally taken his bait. Still, you pretended to mull over it for a moment, letting him stew as he waited for your answer. 

It didn’t take long, as you were unable to resist the urge to look at him, your eyes tracing over the curves of his face, the lines of his hard muscle, and everything else that lay hidden beneath the steamy hot water. 

You were grinning before you even realised it, and you tipped your head down in a subtle nod, eyes never leaving his. 

“You’re on.” 

The sound of water splashing filled your ears, and then you felt arms encircle your waist, lifting you up as if you weighed nothing more than a feather. 

Your lips parted in a sharp gasp, and a split second later his lips came crashing down on yours, kissing you fiercely and passionately, just like you had wanted for so long now. 

It was like taking a breath of fresh air after being held underwater for an eternity.

Zoro wasted no time, getting straight down to business. Your back was against the wall, the coolness of the surface a drastic change from the steamy water your body had been submerged in only seconds ago. With just one hand holding you up against the wall, his other hand was free to grab your hair and pull your head back in a sharp tug. The soft whimper that escaped you was silenced by his tongue that plunged into your mouth, sliding against yours in a teasing, sensual dance. It was a kiss that made it clear that he was in control, but you weren’t about to back down without a fight. Your fingers were in his wet hair, pulling him closer to you. When he pulled away for want of air, you were quick to catch his bottom lip between your teeth, nipping lightly before sweeping the tip of your tongue against it. 

“I missed this,” you murmured between your heavy pants, and he took a moment to rest his forehead against yours, slowing down just for a moment. 

“Yeah,” he breathed out, his breaths hot against your cheeks. “Me too.” 

“I was starting to think you didn’t want me anymore,” you admitted, wrapping your arms around his neck and resting your cheek against his shoulder. It felt nice even like this, him holding you close in his arms and allowing you to hear his racing heartbeat. Your chest was swelling from the warmth, and it was hard to keep yourself from smiling a silly smile, one that you hid from his sight. 

“Why? Because I wasn’t giving in to your little tricks?” You felt his hand squeeze your thigh, while the other went to your hip, his thumb gently tracing circles against your skin. 

“Mhmm.” 

“I was having a hard time too, you know,” he said, his head moving slightly as he caught the shell of your ear between his teeth. Your body trembled when the tip of his tongue traced the outside of your ear, and he chuckled, pleased with your reaction. “You were driving me nuts.” 

“Really?” You perked up, raising your head to look at him. Zoro’s face was red, and had a frown etched into his skin now; it was his way of acting tough whenever you caught him in a vulnerable moment. 

“Why do you think I had to come here for a cold shower?” he shot back gruffly, before grinding his hips into you without warning.

Your head fell back as a moan escaped you, the sweet friction between his stiff member and your own throbbing centre making you crave for more. Zoro took the chance to lean into your neck, and you felt his lips on your skin. 

You let out a small whimper when he sucked hard, bruising the skin between his tongue and teeth. He was quick to soothe it over with a few tender licks over the sore spot, before nipping and sucking again. Zoro liked to mark you like this, and you had given up on chiding him for giving you these love bites in places where your crewmates could see. He wouldn’t listen, and you suspected he simply enjoyed the thought of people knowing that you were his, and his alone. 

By the time he was done, you didn’t need to look to know that the mark was going to be there for days. Not that you really cared at the moment; you had other more pressing things to worry about—namely, his cock pressing up against your ass. 

“I couldn’t sleep,” he continued, pressing kisses up the column of your neck and along your jaw. “All I could think about was fucking you and taking you rough, the way you like it.” 

You had almost forgotten how good Zoro was at talking dirty, and hearing it now when all you could think of was him pounding into you had you sinking your teeth into your bottom lip. You couldn’t move though, as much as you wanted to grind your hips against his again. The man had you firmly in place against the wall and you were helpless, completely at his mercy. 

“What else did you think about?” you found yourself asking, the words leaving you before you registered it. 

You heard him chuckle, and then he suddenly lifted you high enough to rest your thighs on his shoulders, his head settling nicely between your legs. You let out a shriek at the sudden movement, but Zoro didn’t let you fall — of course he wouldn’t. He had you securely in his grip, one that you wouldn’t be able to escape from. 

With a wicked grin, he met your wide eyes and his mouth drew closer to your wet cunt.

“I imagined getting a taste of you, while you scream my name and beg me to let you cum.” 

His answer took your breath away, and you nearly came apart when you felt his hot tongue dip into your slick folds.

“Z-Zoro!”

His name was like a prayer on your lips as you cried out over and over. Zoro was relentless as he lapped at you, tongue sucking and swirling around your sensitive clit. Sparks of electricity were flying on your skin, your mind emptying and leaving nothing but hunger for more of him, for the release that you had been missing for so long. It had your toes curling, legs tensing but Zoro’s arms were stronger, keeping your thighs locked in place and your legs spread wide enough that he had full access to your dripping cunt. 

You were close to coming already, him having riled you up and provoked you sufficiently that release was all you could think about. With nothing else to hold on to, your fingers found purchase in his hair and pulled him closer to you, a wordless plea for him to give you more. 

Zoro was never one to disappoint. You felt his fingers plunge into you then, and you nearly saw stars behind your eyes as he fucked you with his fingers, the sound of your wet juices echoing off the walls.

“You’re so wet for me,” he remarked, his deep voice vibrating against your swollen clit and making you moan. “Ready to cum yet?” 

No… The bet… You had just agreed to it and you were already going to lose in such a one-sided manner.

But you were rapidly slipping away, losing to the building tension in your abdomen and the climax that was waiting for you. You needed it. You needed him desperately, and in that moment, with your mind clouded over with desire, you seriously considered giving up the bet. Was it really worth it, when you had all this? 

You didn’t get the chance to decide. Zoro’s tongue and fingers abruptly stopped the magic that they were working on your body, and before you could let out a whine in protest, he was setting you down gentle on the edge of the bath, and spreading your legs again to rest your ankles on his shoulders while he positioned himself between your legs. 

He hissed as he slid his throbbing member against your slit, and you couldn’t resist reaching down to touch him. Zoro’s husky groan was music to your ears as your fingers slipped down his slick, wet shaft, the swollen tip of his cock pressing into the centre of your palm. It was impressive how hard he’d become in such a short span of time, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel a surge of pride well up in you, knowing that you had this much of an effect on him. 

Your hands began working on him this time, returning the favour, and you studied his expressions avidly, licking your lips at the sight. His abdominal muscles were clenching as you used both hands to wrap around his thick shaft and pump it at a steady pace. Before long his hips were moving as well, following the rhythm of your hands as his heavy breaths grew harsher. 

“Fuck,” he cussed, when your grip tightened around him as you began pumping faster. “That’s good.” 

“Are you going to cum soon, or do I have to use my mouth? You teased, to which he smirked. 

“No need. I can think of somewhere else I’d like to put it in.” 

Placing his hand over yours, you released, he grunted as he positioned his tip at your entrance. The seconds stretched into eternity as you held your breath, waiting for him to move. 

He didn’t, instead choosing to slide his member at an agonisingly slow pace against your slit. His tip prodded your entrance a few times, only to move away, leaving you wanting and increasingly frustrated. 

“Zoro,” you whined, hands gripping his forearms. He was doing this on purpose, that much was obvious when his gaze, hot and heavy, fell on you and the corners of his lips twitched upwards in amusement. 

“Is that how you ask someone for a favour?” 

Damn it. You knew instantly what he was referring to: the promise he’d made back in the crow’s nest, after your spectacular failure at keeping a cool, composed exterior around the man. 

You would be glaring at him if he hadn’t spun you around right then, so his cock was sliding along the crack of your ass while he pressed your palms against the wall. 

Your bravado crumbled easily when you felt his chest press into your back, while his hands slipped past your waist to give your breasts a nice, hard squeeze. A roll of your pert nipples between his fingers had you sighing in pleasure, and your hips grinding back against his stiff member. It wasn’t enough to make him move, to get him to enter you. He was waiting for you to say the magic words. 

“Zoro, please,” you whined, neck turning back as far as you could to catch a glimpse of his face. 

Not good enough. He still didn’t move. 

“Come on, I want you to fuck me, please?” 

Still not good enough. You cried out when he pinched down hard on your nipples.

“Say it like you mean it,” he murmured in a raspy voice by your ear. “Tell me what you really want.” 

He really was the worst. 

With flaming cheeks, you ducked your head down and whispered in a voice that was barely audible: 

“I want you to make me cum.”

That seemed to do the trick. In the next instant his hands fell to your waist as he entered you, burying himself to the hilt with a single forward thrust of his hips. Your eyes squeezed shut, a scream of his name tearing from your lips while he groaned into your neck. 

“Fuck, you feel so good.” 

No more words were exchanged then, the bathroom only filled with the sound of your breaths, moans and the sound of sex as he rammed into you again and again. Every time you felt like your knees would give way, Zoro would keep a tight grip on your waist, holding you firmly in position. He was rough, strong, his stamina limitless as he pounded into you at a steady, rapid pace. 

You had been with Zoro long enough that you could tell he was getting close to his release. You just needed to hold on for a bit longer, although it was getting increasingly difficult to ignore the buzzing of the orgasm that was just within reach. It didn’t help at all that Zoro was already familiar with your body, knowing exactly how to angle himself and how deep to thrust into you to get you to your climax as quickly as possible. 

And when his hand slipped down from your breast to rub at your swollen, sensitive clit, you knew it wouldn’t be long before you came undone. 

You began moving your hips too, meeting his thrusts with your own and clenching down on him, which made him choke back a groan, the sound muffled when he sank his teeth into your shoulder. 

You weren’t about to make this that easy for him, after all. 

“Ready to lose yet?” you asked.

“That should be my line,” he replied with a low chuckle. 

His fingers began to pick up the speed, rubbing vigorously at your clit as his thrusts became faster, quicker, more impatient. You tried your best to hold on but you were practically teetering off the edge of a cliff, about to fall off at any moment now. 

Somewhere along the way, you stopped fighting it, losing yourself to the pleasure that he was giving you, and before long you felt the familiar sensation of your building orgasm, pooling low in your abdomen, ready to burst. 

“Come for me,” were the final words you heard in your ear, before you finally couldn’t hold back any longer. His hips snapped forward with a forceful thrust, filling you deeper than before, and then you lost it. You wailed his name, walls clenching hard around him as your climax hit you hard enough that your vision nearly went white. At almost the same time you felt him still, his warm seed filling you in two long spurts. 

Zoro’s thrusts began to slow down but he continued to move, riding out the wave of your combined orgasm and you let him, following his pace and gradually coming down from your high. 

Eventually, he stopped, and the moment he loosened his grip on your body, you nearly tumbled forward, legs having lost its strength to hold your weight.

Thankfully he caught you quickly enough to stop your fall, and pulled you back with him into the inviting warmth of the steaming warm water. He was still inside you, seeming content with the position as he kept his arms circled around your waist to keep you in his lap as he sat down, submerging yourselves in the bath. 

You leaned back with a satisfied sigh, body limp against his chest as he pressed lazy kisses into the junction where your neck met your shoulders. The exhaustion was finally starting to get to you, your eyelids growing heavy for want of sleep. What time was it, anyway? 

But more importantly…

“I think that was a tie,” you concluded, and you felt Zoro’s chest rumble with a laugh. 

“Yeah,” he agreed, before thrusting up into you again without warning. Still sensitive from your orgasm just moments ago, you let out a sharp gasp from the overstimulation. 

“Hey! What was that for—”

“How about another round to determine the winner?” 

“But I’m tired,” you protested, slapping lightly at his forearms that were still wrapped tightly around your torso. “Can’t we do this tomorrow? After we get some sleep?”

“Go ahead and sleep. I’m sure I can still make you cum.” 

“Zoro!” 

“What?” 

Your protests promptly died in your throat when you felt him push deeper into you again, this time spreading your legs apart and running his hands up and down your inner thigh. As much as you hated to admit it, Zoro was getting your engine revved up and ready to go again. 

“Come on, just one more round. Or, are you too chicken to keep playing?” 

Lies. It was never “just one more round” with him. Knowing him, he didn’t intend on letting you get a wink of sleep at all. 

Despite that, Zoro had a way of convincing you to go along with his whims, and you found that you sucked at saying “no” to him.

Turning around just enough that you could see his stupidly smug face, your defiant answer to his challenge was a sweet kiss to his lips, and a run of your tongue against his. He kissed you back, swallowing your soft moans as his hand inched upwards towards your centre once more. 

***

When morning came, you found yourself lying on your side, your back snug against Zoro’s chest and his arms wrapped around your waist. You were lying in a makeshift bed in the crow’s nest which basically consisted of a messy pile of his clean clothes. 

The previous night’s activities were slowly coming back to you, evident in the ache in your lower half and the love bites all over your chest. No doubt, you’d find many more on your shoulders and neck once you found a mirror; this man tended to go overboard and last night had been pretty extreme. 

Zoro must have overexerted himself too, for he was snoring behind you, deep in sleep. You couldn’t help but smile, enjoying this moment of peace and quiet with him; it had been a while since you got to cuddle with him. While Zoro wasn’t exactly averse to the idea, usually it took a lot of convincing for him to agree. 

And it usually took just as much convincing — if not more — for him to let you go. 

You felt him stir the moment you tried to pry his arms off you, and they promptly tightened at the same time that you felt his lips kiss the spot just underneath your ear.

“Quit moving, I’m trying to sleep here.”

You groaned, but it didn’t sound at all begrudging. How could it? He was so cute when he got like this. Still, you were getting restless in this position and you wanted to stretch after the number he did on you in the bath. 

Again, you tried to peel his arms off your waist, but they wouldn’t budge. You knocked your fist lightly against his arm in response. 

“Zoro. Zoro. Hey.” 

“Go back to sleep,” he mumbled grumpily, pulling you even closer to him and tightening his grip on you.

“I need to stretch, I’m sore everywhere.”

“Do it later.” 

“Ugh.” You tried once again, fruitlessly, to loosen his hold on you. There was just no winning with this stubborn man. 

Eventually, you gave up with a huff, and settled back into silence when you were reminded of something. 

“Right. The bet. Who won?” you asked, tapping on his forearm to get his attention.

“I did,” he replied without any hesitation at all. The jerk.

“I’m serious, who won? I feel like we were tied at every round.”

“Let’s just say I won.” 

“Nice try, but no.”

“Whatever. Let’s just split it equally. This bet’s becoming a pain in the ass.” 

“It’s a pain in mine, not yours,” you corrected him, and he had the gall to laugh at that. 

“So? Split it?” 

“Fine,” you agreed. “We’ll split it. Now let go of me; I’m hungry for some breakfast.”

“No.”

He could really be such a brat sometimes. “Zoro…” 

Ignoring the undisguised irritation in your tone, he pressed a kiss to the back of your neck, before resting his chin on your shoulder. “Then, how about we make another bet?” he asked, and you shivered at the ticklish sensation of his breath ghosting across your bare skin. 

“What bet?”

“First one to leave this bed loses.” 

“Oh?” you cocked a brow at the suggestion. “And what’s in it for the winner?”

You felt him smile against your skin, and he pressed a soft kiss into your shoulder before leaning in to whisper something in your ear. 

“Booze.” 

You couldn’t hold it in, not with this man. You burst into giggles then, rolling to your side to wrap your legs around his waist, your arms around his neck and to pull yourself flush against his hard body.

His challenging gaze was met with a look of defiance of your own, chin tipping up as your lips spread into a smirk that mirrored his.

“Game on.” 

[fumblebee]

Found these at a thrift shop and immediately thought of Crowley and Aziriphale. (The headcanons haven't stopped coming since:)

Crowley would definitely get these for Aziriphale as like a joke gift and then zira would proceed to cherish it intensely and use it exclusively.

Crowley will refuse to admit how happy this makes him. Nor will he acknowledge how whenever Crowley actually sees him using it, he suddenly has his in his hand aswell.

They have a nice chat over black coffee and hot chocolate.

Other shop keepers on the street speculate these were an anniversary gift of some sort, and that's why they were so fond of them.

And that wasn't exactly wrong, one could say that. Crowley definitely hadn't gifted them to Aziriphale on any particular date or anything. Or mabey he had.

Who's to say?

The romantic wiles of a demon are very unpredictable.

[freckledhylian]

Why I think Riku’s heart is Sora’s light and called Sora, twice even;

So, I was writing a rant about something else and by doing so, I needed some clip from KH. I then saw this.

This is what Sora see when he reach out for Riku’s hand, when the island is falling, before getting the keyblade.

Feels familiar enough? This is what Sora saw in KH3, after seeing Riku’s death for the second time and calling his name, begging for him to answer;

Now, let’s put them side to side because it’s even better, especially for people who love denying anything that relate Sora and Riku.

Yup, literally almost the same, only difference is how bright the light is. Isn’t that odd that the only difference is the light being brighter and somewhat warmer? After all it’s not as if Riku got a character development, and in KH his heart was swallowed by darkness, right??

You got it; Riku’s not manipulated by darkness anymore and thus, his heart, light, is way brighter and warmer.Even more interesting in this point of view, and what I mean when Riku’s heart called Sora;

In KH, the light only appears in a flash. As if it was one last effort, a call made out of desperation. And what was passed to Sora during that desperate call?

Something that should’ve been Riku’s, but his heart knew he wouldn’t be able to have it in the state he was in. Something that Riku kept close to his heart ever since he met Terra, since he understood that it would help him become stronger to protect what matters.

And to who did that precious thing of his got passed in that desperate call? The person who matter the most.

In KH3 the light is already there when Sora still has his eyes closed, as if it was keeping an eye on him. And when Sora wakes up, the first thing he does when seeing the light, is calling for Riku. And not with question in his voice, as if he was unsure; he knows and is calling for Riku. Nomura literally gave us a parallel in addition of showing Riku’s sacrifice a second time, literally just before this scene.

The light seemed faint at first, as if it was somewhat unconscious or asleep.

And I’d like to insist on those terms because it’s only when Sora talked to it more than once, as if the person he was talking to wasn’t in a state to understand it well the first time, that the light became brighter; as if recognizing who was talking to him.

And by becoming brighter and showing him the way, is what I meant by Riku’s heart calling Sora. And where did Sora arrive? Where Riku’s heart was.

And the second time Sora is seen in that tunnel of light, Kairi is there, waiting for him. They both continue to follow the light who is now fully bright, as if now fully conscious. That’s where a lot of people get confused but in my opinion, Kairi wouldn’t be able to be there to guide Sora, and at the same time doing it as a light like she did in KH, that wouldn’t make sense.

And when they finally arrive, everyone is here meeting them, but, the only person fully opposing them, like the light they were following, is Riku.

I’ll end this rant by saying that ever since KH, Riku has been through a lot, learned a lot, and changed a lot. He now listen and follow his heart, something he wasn’t able to before.

His heart (and literally him) is the light we see in all this. Sora’s light. He went from unconsciously giving a desperate call to Sora, to being the light that would guide him. That’s how much Riku has evolved, he became what he promised to be; strong enough to protect his precious person.

Edit: spelling mistake and better wording