#i made it while half-awake and unable to sleep because my tummy hurt :(

[sentient-forest]

#cecilsweep and Welcome to Night Vale trending #1 in 2023

[cartierbin]

14 with lix 😭

thank you for requesting baby

『 14. “stop being so gentle damn it”

pairing — felix x reader

genre — smut + rough roommate sex with felix

word count — 1.324k 』

smut under the cut !

“why do you care so much felix!! huh? why do you care we’re not even together!!”. he clenched his jaw from across the room, it was almost 2am and you knew it was late but you hated the way felix was acting. you know everyone in the dorm halls probably hated you two by now. “you know why I care. And stop saying that bullshit every single time you get caught up in your mess”.

“I can say what I what I want to say”.

“no, you say bullshit that you think excuses you. you think I don’t know that we aren’t dating? Huh?! Do you think I want to be reminded of that every single time you go back to your stupid ass ex and I confront you about it?!”. you fold over the blankets on your bed, slipping under it. “whatever felix. I’m going to sleep I’m sick and tired of arguing with you about this shit. I go back to my ex because I can. I’m single. And until you make me anything other than that you shouldn’t have your nose in my business”. you turned your back to him, throwing the blanket over your shoulder. felix stared at you in disbelief, making a pft noise before he sat on his own bed, facing the opposite direction. he runs his hands over the expanse of his thighs, hanging his head low. the realization settled low in his gut. he knew you weren’t his and the fact that you kept sticking it on him hurt him.

“so? that’s what it’s going to be? you told me you weren’t ready for a relationship. yet you grant me relationship benefits. how are you going to lead me so far just to tell me that you want someone else? and expect it not to fuck with my mind?”. you listen, more than glad that you were facing the opposite direction so he couldn’t see the guilt scrawled on your face. he took your silence as a reply, meaning that you didn’t care how he felt and that you were done talking about the situation. he grips his own blankets and throw them over his shoulder as well, leaning his forehead on his fingertips before drifting off to sleep. you waited a while, unable to sleep due to how guilty you felt. you knew you hurt him. you were sorry and didn’t know how to say it. rather, you knew just what to do. it was another hour before you sighed deeply, pushing the covers away from yourself prior to getting out of bed. you stood over his, kind of admiring how cute he looked when he slept. so cute that it made you feel even worse for how you treated him. you drew his covers back positioning your body on top of his and attaching your lips to his neck, giving him tongue filled kisses all over his skin.

he was soaking them up for a little while until he was awake enough to feel the softness of your lips. his hands slid down the span of your back, creeping to the back of your thighs and pulling upwards making you straddle him. he groaned too, half because it felt good and half because he wanted to know what you were doing. he opens his eyes but you didn’t give him a chance to think about your vulnerability. you needily rut your hips against his groin, gaining a few small deep voiced groans from his throat. you sucked another hickey into his neck, apologizing countless times in between your wet sloppy efforts. he took a deep breath squeezing your ass into the palm of his hand, wondering if he should give in. your lips felt good and he knew that fucking you would be even better. you could tell that his head was lost in his decisions and instead you mushed his lips into a kiss allowing your tongue to roam his mouth knowing he was fond of tongue kisses. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any of that just fuck me please”, he takes a hand a wraps it around your throat departing your lips from his own. his eyes looked cold when they bore into yours. fear flooded your chest. “you think you can just talk to me any type of way and then bribe your way out with sex?”. his voice was low and deliberate, throwing you into a nervous spiral.

“felix you know I just- I just say things I don’t mean. we both always say things that we don’t mean. that’s what we always do when we argue”. you stammer helplessly feeling pathetic. his expression remained unmoved. cold and conniving. even when he laughed. it wasn’t his normal laugh, beautifully contagious. but it was a laugh of irony. “I need you to make a decision because I’m sick of this shit”. he spoke narrowing his eyes, you could still hear the lumps of sleepiness in his voice. he cocks his head to the side. “do you want to keep running back to your toxic ass ex? or do you want to get fucked into this headboard of mine?”. your throat immediately ran dry and you wondered where your spit had gone. on one hand, your ex was someone whom you’ve known since you were younger. but on the other, felix meant everything to you and the way his dick kept twitching up against you through his sweats made your pussy throb. “you going to choose or what? because I’m tired and I have a class in the morning”. he spoke again still waiting for your response. “I want to get fucked felix”. he shook his head in doubt. “you’re only saying that because you’re on top of me right now”. “no. no please, I’m not. please. I want to get fucked by you and only you felix”. he stares at you a bit longer just before unleashing his tongue down your throat entrapping you in a slimy kiss and pulling away. he figured he’d make this quick considering you weren’t going to last long anyway. “get on all fours”.

you got into position and waited for felix who nonchalantly discarded his shirt and tugs down his briefs, draping his body over yours so he could clutch the top of the headboard. he settles his dick into you with a curse word leaking from his lips and with a purr of relief coming from yours. you shut your eyes for a bit feeling satisfied with the way his thick length filled you from behind. he pushes your head into the pillows and arched your ass up higher for himself and for better angles. he rolled his hips into you at a measured pace before gradually speeding up, watching your ass make his dick disappear with each thrust. you breathe heavy and hard into the pillows, feeling lost and euphoric all at once. felix bit his lips and pounded into you deeper steadily increasing, cinching his hand into the dip of your waist. the buildup caused the headboard to beat the wall, and the slapping sounds of your skin was so loud you knew the people who roomed next door had to hear it. but you didn’t care. “god I hate you sometimes but the way your pussy clenches around me—fuck”. he groans, fucking you a bit harder. he rocked his hips into you with a power that almost made you headbutt the headboard. you curved your head to soften the blow. “fuck felix. stop talking like that”. he took his other hand off the headboard and instead gripped your waist with two hands, pressing it against the bed and fucks you that way. “stop being so gentle, damn it. If we’re going to fuck like this we’re going to talk the right way”. he licks his lips each time your ass moves in a wavelike motion, starting from the bottom and making the top curve up against your lower back. you cry into the sheets in pleasure, gripping them and drooling against them. “nngh god yes right there— please”. you begged, needing it more than you thought you would. felix molded the palms of his hands into your lower back holding you in place so you couldn’t move.

he flipped pieces of his hair away from his face as the noises in the room only grew louder. he admired the sounds your pussy made each time he entered you, a thick river of gush waiting to coat his dick every time he invited himself in. “how in the fuck do you get this wet all the time? holy shit”. you were trying to reply but your eyes rolled to the back of your head and instead you were babbling nonsense that you hoped he’d understand. your head was being pushed against the headboard which was showing no mercy on the wall, denting it in all types of ways. “because you fuck me so good f-felix”. you murmur feeling your body tremble and your tummy cave in a bit. felix felt you contracting and he smirks. “aw? is your little pussy about to cum already? how long does it take your ex to do this?”. a throaty groan bubbled from your throat. you could only talk in shakey syllables with the way he was fucking you. “h-he doesn’t felix—fuck I’m going to cum fuck”. he leans off of you and smacks your ass with his hand. “cmon. let me see you fuck yourself”. You desperately pushed back against him trying to do more than you could handle but the way he stretched you and hit your weak spots the closer you became. he smacked your ass repeatedly almost as if he was spanking you, making it all worth while and making your cum drip down your thighs in the process. when you were finished you collapsed on the bed, gasping for air and a peace of mind.

“don’t you ever go back to his ass again”.

[hwari-ssi]

Floraison | 4

genre: fantasy/soulmate au

warnings: it kinda gets angsty, smut (in the future)

word count: 3.6k

pairings: ot7 x reader

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

A/N: omg omg aaaaa sorry for taking so long!! honestly, it wasn’t easy writing this one because of my insomnia. i just wrote whatever came to mind, so i hope you’ll understand (you can roast me) D: oh, and there’s a surprise at the end!! lol i hope y’all won’t hate it

Jeongguk really did end up sleeping beside you after all. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving you alone. He held your small frame against his lean body, your quiet breaths subtly tickling his neck like a feather.

He'd been awake for some time now, but didn't want to go outside yet. Not when you were fluffy and warm, all curled up tightly next to him. He glanced at your sleeping face, lips parted slightly and breathing softly.

It made a lot of sense why the three of them already felt so attached to you. How your senses calmed within seconds when Namjoon touched the crown of your head earlier. You were their mate. Once a soul finds their other half, it was impossible not to be away from them.

That's what he felt for the others, and now, you. He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the bedroom door creaking slowly, a disheveled Taehyung peering in, still very much half asleep.

"Is our princess here?" The older asked, rubbing at his eyes which were red from fatigue. Jeongguk motioned for him to join in, wanting to stay until they had to leave the room for breakfast. The former ambled over to the bed, not hesitating to reach over and wrap his arms around you. Your scent hit him like a ton of bricks. Celestial and flowery—such a pleasant aroma.

The sudden movements brought you out of sleep, and you opened your eyes to see another stranger. Shaggy brown hair, strong eyebrows, sharp jaw, and what an adorable boxy smile he has.

"Hello, darling." His husky voice made you shiver, and the action wasn't missed by the two. Your cheeks flushed with pink, reddening even more when Taehyung brought his face closer. He held eye contact, but you couldn't do it so you turned to the other side, where Jeongguk happily opened his arms for you, caging you in when you scooted forward.

"Gguk?" His heart does a little flip at the nickname you gave him and smiles at the sight of the blush adorning your cheeks, realizing albeit too late at how you were practically attached to his hip. Had anyone else been that close, you would have felt your space was being invaded, but in this case, the faint smell of his cologne and his close proximity increased your pulse rate. Your arms were still around the boy, clinging to him like a koala, and you awkwardly clear your throat.

"Hey, no fair," Taehyung pressed his face into your hair and smiled when he heard you giggling. The three of you settled into a comfortable silence, Tae's breathing was fanning over neck, while the other's fingers danced on the small of your back, massaging the skin every now and then.

Their actions combined turned you putty in their grasp. You nuzzled your face into Jeongguk's neck, almost purring while you gave him the attention he'd been wanting to get from you all morning.

The men had smiles plastered on their faces as you continued to lavish his neck with affection. You may not know exactly what you were doing, but they did, and it made their hearts soar in happiness. You were claiming them, as your soulmates, and you were unaware of that. The feeling it gave brought you peace. At that moment, you understood each other perfectly. This is what you've always longed for. Tranquility. The stirrings of revolutionary ardour. A sort of freedom, if you will.

A gentle knock from the doorway brought the three of you from your daze."Breakfast is ready," Jin smiles at you lovingly. Taehyung almost wanted to protest, but he wouldn't want to keep you from eating. and so he forced himself up, pulled you with him and laughed at Jeongguk who was trying to fix his unkempt state.

The elder came over and took your hand, leading you out the room and down the stairs, into the dining hall. Everyone was already gathered around the table that was filled with scrumptious-looking food.

That's when the others took notice of your presence. You were indeed beautiful, just like how Jeongguk described you. Your gray eyes were what stood out to them the most. A tell-tale sign that you are one of the stars from above. Deep as the ocean, deep enough to fall in and drown, the windows to your soul were. With a simple glance, she could calm a torrid sea of heart ache. Longingly they looked at her, with the warmth of a hearth during Winter's Eve, deep in the forest wherein lovers would share the fire. Perfectly wonderful and endlessly enticing them, every blink a kiss to their soul. They almost melted at the sight.

"Jimin and Hoseok went a little overboard this time," Jin says with a chuckle. He led you to an empty chair that was next to Yoongi. He sent you a smirk, picking at your messy ponytail. "Fucking cute." You smiled shyly as he laughed softly at your reaction. Jimin took the seat alongside you and started placing food on your plate. You thanked him, and he gave you a pat on the head in response.

"These taste amazing," you said, as you happily munched on your baked cinnamon donuts. The cooking duo didn't know they were holding their breaths until they heard your affirmation.  They tried not to be obvious with their staring, but both of them wanted to see how you would react to their cuisine, making a mental note to make these again for you whenever.

You took a slug of your drink, all the while glancing at the sea of new people. To your right was Yoongi, features akin to origami. Sharp edges and angles. Cute button nose, and lips carved like a doll's. For an adorable face, he has such an intimidating glare. You turned to Jimin next, whose jawline was pronounced, lips full and pillowy, and has straight eyebrows. He regarded you with warmness, like a mother would tend to their child. and Lastly, Hoseok—the boy was sunshine personified. The brightness in his eyes reminded you of home. A heart-shaped mouth with a beauty mark placed just between the cupid's bow and vermillion border. He also has dimples like Namjoon's.

"So, darling, how did you meet the youngest of our bunch?" Taehyung asks, rousing you from your reverie. You were now aware that all of them were staring at you curiously, and it made you want to bury yourself inside a hole. You tried not to let the memories resurface, but his face flashed in your mind, making you drop your utensils. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Thank you for the hospitality, it was well received, but I should go."

"Sweet one—"

"No!" Your sudden outburst surprised them. "I should leave.. I don't want to cause you any trouble.." the stare shared between everyone went unnoticed by you. Jin carefully made his way towards your chair and knelt so he was eye-level with you. Your head was pointing on the floor, eyes downcast, and he took that as a sign you were feeling dejected. He tilted your chin up, only to see tears gathering in your eyes, making Tae feel bad.

"It's okay, little one. We won't hurt you. You can be honest with us." He spoke, sincerity filling your ears. You tried to tell if he was lying, but the way he was looking at you told you otherwise. Yoongi's hand smoothed your hair down, the motion quickly lulling you into a sense of security. You gathered your courage and responded in a meek voice, "I had a previous master, and it took me so long to realize he was treating me badly.."

The word master made bile rise in each of the men's throats. They can only imagine what horrors you went through. Stars, like you, are a kind of rare breed that is gifted by the star goddess. You harness multiple powers, one of which being pyrokinesis, the ability to command and emit fire at will. However, your inability to get a handle on your newfound gifts inevitably results in tragedy. When you turned a certain age, you emitted a burst of fire so immense that it destroyed a city block, killing your entire family and everyone else in the vicinity, having no other choice but to leave your home planet, Stellaris. That's when you turned to Asteria, asking the goddess for a new life and change of scenery. She was hesitant to send you somewhere far away, so she settled for earth, where your soulmates were. Except, you ended up in the wrong hands.

A hybrid smuggler, perhaps? breeds like you cost more than an arm and a leg. Maybe the power you possessed is what drew him in. He manipulated you, used you to fight against dangerous paranormal phenomena. You knew you had to get away—you weren't even supposed to meet him. The bastard took you against your will, threatening to send you back if you didn't listen. You lost the battle because of your naivety.

"Does anyone want dessert?" Jeongguk spoke up, trying to keep everyone's mood from lowering as they learned about your life history. "We won't give you back to him, Y/N," The elder states, eyes boring into yours with determination. You wanted to speak, but the words got caught in your throat. "You needn't worry, lovely. We will do no such thing." Jimin reached for your hand and held it to his chest. Still unable to find your voice, you settled with a small nod, making the boys smile from ear to ear.

"Here," Yoongi nudges your shoulder in a gentle manner as he positioned his fork close to your mouth. It had a piece of steak and nicely cut asparagus on it. "You need protein in order to stay strong, our pretty kitten." he says, almost stuttering as the pet name escapes his tongue without realizing it, it's glossed over though. 

You blushed, eyes turning into half-moons as your lips curved upward. "Thank you, yoonie." He'd get so soft after hearing you call him with a sweet endearment. Yoongi's gummy smile was showing, and you couldn't help the butterflies flittering inside your tummy after seeing him smile adorably. The man was usually pretty good at hiding his feelings but, somehow, he was horrible at doing that right now because you were currently in his radar.

"Alright. Since we're finished with dinner, why don't we clear the table?" Jin declared, while everyone lifted themselves from their seats. Taehyung piled most of the dirty dishes, placing them in the sink. You helped collect the cups and followed suit, watching Hoseok as he turned the faucet on with a sponge in hand. "Can I help?" You tugged on his sweater, your shy demeanor made him want to coo at you.

"Of course, little one. You can dry the dishes and Jeonggukie will put them away," The younger's ears perked at the mention of his name, reaching for a towel that was hanging on one of the kitchen cabinets and handed it you, caressing your cheek with his free hand in the process. The others observed the scene, tenderness painting their expressions. It seemed more evident that you fit in perfectly with every passing moment. You belonged here, with them.

"I'll be in my office. Got some digging to do," The elder mouthed at Yoongi, almost having trouble catching the words because he was deep in thought. Chances are, that son-of-a-bastard owner must be looking for you, but there was no way in hell they were going to give you back to him. Not if you didn't want to go willingly. The idea saddened him, because seeing how the younger ones had already taken such a liking to you, it made him feel protective.

"Would you like to watch a movie with us, Y/N-ie?" Jimin came up behind you and rested his chin on your shoulder as you dried the last bowl. Jeongguk takes the plate from your hands and presses a kiss to your temple.

"A movie? I've only ever seen one film though.." Hoseok beckons you over to him and holds out his hand. You let him guide you through the hallways, leading you back up the stairs and into a bathroom. Your eyes widened as you noticed it was huge and prettily decorated, you dare say it might even be bigger than your master's headquarters. He disappears for a hot minute to get something before stepping in, holding a pair of new sleepwear for you to use. You took the soft material from him, and smiled in thanks.

You eye at his arms, one pulling a rectangular, sheer-white cloth made of linen out of a cabinet, the other, a crystal bottle. he leans over the bathtub, turning the tap on and let water fill the tub before pouring the liquid. The sweet smell invaded your senses, automatically putting you in a good mood.

"You're all set. I put the clothes on the counter. We'll be waiting—" He turned his back to you, wanting to leave you to yourself but you cut him off when a whine left your lips. Immediately, he was by your side again, asking you what he possibly did wrong.

"Can't you stay, hobi? I don't want to be left alone.." You felt safe with him. His heart swells with pride. Although the idea of being with you in the same room, having nothing to cover your body made his heart race and face flush. He mentally slapped himself for thinking such vulgar thoughts. Now is not the time, you idiot, the voice in his head kept him in check, and he was grateful.

"I can help you wash your hair," He offered, high-fiving himself for not stuttering. "I'll wait outside. Just call for me, princess. okay?" You hummed in reply. You rid yourself of your dress, letting the fabric pool around your feet and stepped into the bathtub, submerging your body in the water and letting the warmth seep through your aching muscles, releasing all the tension.

You scrubbed at every part, making sure to remove the hidden grime found on your skin. Soon enough, your entire body was clean. Your natural glow was back. You reminded yourself to thank him later for making the water all sudsy because bubbles are always fun to play with."Hobi, I'm ready!" You folded your knees up to your chest just in time as Hoseok walks inside, not forgetting to shut the door behind him.

He sat at the edge of the tub, ready to lather your hair with shampoo when he sees the lines scattered across your back. The atmosphere turned gray. He stopped on his tracks. His gaze darkened. Of course he had to mask it—he didn't want to make you feel sad again, so he takes a deep breath, and decides to inform the others about this matter later. Your well-being was his first priority at present.

Silence fills the room as he massages the product on your beautiful locks. You didn't forget to thank him, mumbling as you relaxed at his touch. He looked at your small form sorrowfully, kept himself from asking for fear of you possibly running away. He only hopes that the time you'll open up to them will come in the twinkling of an eye.

"Everything's going to be fine now, sweetheart. We won't bring you back,"  you carefully maneuvered your body to his front, the water swishing around the tub at your movement. Your collarbones were showing, complexion looking a bit smooth, reminding him of rose-tinged ivory. You're looking better now, the pink in your cheeks much more visible compared to earlier.

"I can stay?" You bit your lower lip, shoulders shrinking. You wanted to stay here forever, but there was a strong likelihood they would change their minds. Because who would want someone broken? Someone like you?

"We all want you to stay, Y/N. Even if it means forever." Hoseok promises, running his forefinger along your jawline, tilting your head up so you were gazing into his dark orbs, slowly pulling you in like a vortex. "There's seven of us, baby doll. No matter what happens, We'll keep you safe." Why were these people so willing to help? It made you want to breakdown and cry, but you willed yourself not to."Okay, hobi." He smiled, kissing your forehead sweetly.

He pulled himself from the bathtub, the smile never leaving his face as he moved out of the room. You smiled in return as he shut the door, stretching your body in the water once more and stood, reaching for the towel, wrapping it around yourself. After getting dressed in the clothes your hobi got for you, you folded the dress and bundled it up in your arms before leaving the bathroom.

"I'll put those in the wash," Jin says as he ran into you, taking the clothes and continued his walk down the hall. You watch him disappear into another room further ahead and made your way to the living room. Upon entering, you found most of them gathered on the couch or seated on the floor, blankets covering their lower bodies.

You were glued to your spot, not quite sure where to sit. A few seconds later, The elder reappears and quietly takes your hand in his, leading you to an empty space beside Jeongguk and sat on the couch, ushering you to sit on the floor right in front of him, solving your little dilemma. You leaned back against his legs and he starts running his hands through your hair, smoothing out any tangled strands. To say you were content would be an understatement; you felt so at home. so peaceful. so cared for.

"Everyone ready?" Taehyung asks, a chorus of agreements resonating throughout the room. The boys settled into comfortable positions, while Jin's hands stayed on your locks, his nails subtly scratching your scalp. An hour later, the credits were finally rolling. Jin looked over to see both you and Jeongguk peacefully snoring, head resting on his shoulder as your quiet breaths lulled him into a deep slumber.

"We should move them, Jin. They'll wake with sore necks if we leave them be," Namjoon says, rising from his seat, gesturing at the others to clean up before lifting you from the ground. He makes his way into their shared bedroom, where four of the elders in the group sleep. He situates you on Yoongi's bed, placing an extra pillow under your head so you won't be uncomfortable whilst in dreamland.

"Sleep well, princess. You are safe here, with us." He caresses your cheek affectionately. "If he does find you, we won't let him take you."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ

"He what?" Yoongi slams his fists on the table, anger flashing over his features. He couldn't understand. He did not want to understand either. How heartless would a human have to be to actually inflict injuries upon such precious beings like you? Just across from him was where Namjoon and Jin were seated, the former tonguing at his cheek as he tried to control his raging emotions. He was fuming. On the other hand, Jin and the rest remained dead silent. The atmosphere thickens with visible tension, each of the men taken aback by the information as Hoseok relayed it.

"Shouldn't we report this to the peacemakers?" Jeongguk turns to his elders, eyes pleading for justice. But the younger knew they possibly couldn't let this matter fall into their hands. The uproar it would cause would surely put different worlds to engage in a war. Everyone knew not to mess with Asteria's children. Because to hurt them, would mean facing one's immediate death.

"We can't, young one." Jin reaches for the younger's hand, looking a little crestfallen. "Besides, I heard the bastard got beaten to a pulp by his own shields because they simply couldn't let him step over them anymore," The elder says bitterly.

"Serves that fucker right," Yoongi scoffs, smirking triumphantly. The man must be trying to escape from the consequences of his actions, he thinks to himself, leaning back against his chair, one leg crossing over the other. At least you can live a peaceful life now, without having to worry about anything or anyone else but yourself. That's what mattered to them the most.  

The soft padding of your feet down the stairs alerted the men that you have risen, your soft sobs reaching their ears as you were getting nearer. Namjoon didn't hesitate to meet you halfway, scooping you up into his arms and hugged you for the longest time. “Did you have a bad dream, sweetheart?” He wipes your tears away with his thumb, all the while placing lots of kisses on your forehead, nose, and temples.

He walks back to the dining room, refusing to place you back down on the floor, your face buried into his neck because you were too shy to face the others. Tears continue to fall from your eyes. You’re scared, the nightmares made you terrified. “Hey, it’s okay, baby girl,” Yoongi saunters over to your side and holds your face, brushing the tears on your cheeks and gives you another set of kisses on your eyelids, the rest joining in to surround you with worried looks. “It’s okay. We’re right here, princess. You’re alright. You have us. You're okay."

You cried on Namjoon's chest, sobs turning into sniffles after a period of time. You eventually fell back asleep, with them giving you all of their soft reassurances, and Namjoon's hand stroking your hair gently. You looked so vulnerable and so lovely that it made him want to shun you from the world. Oh, what a dangerous world earth was.

But the thing is, you didn’t know you were lucky to have seven, powerful gods disguised as humans, as your soulmates.

[ellanainthetardis]

How are they doing with their little shrimp do you think? :p

[FF] or [ao3]

34. Four Hours

“See ? It’s called rain.” Haymitch’s voice drifted to her, lulling her out of her slumber. His tone was so soft, so gentle… Effie smiled before she even opened her eyes. “It’s water. You like water? Yeah?” he chuckled. “Rain comes and go, you know? Look, it stopped already. You know how we call that? April showers. Surprise rain. A bit like you, sweetheart…”

Effie listened to that little speech, puzzled. She wasn’t sure who he was talking to or why she was hurting so much. For a moment, her mind was blank and she flashed back to the hospital and ghostlike pain of whips and fists and… She opened her eyes, her breath catching in her throat, only to relax when she recognized the familiar landmarks of their bedroom. The lights were still on and it helped her ground herself, there was no darkness to cloud her judgment.

She automatically put a hand on her stomach and…

She was empty.

Her baby was…

“Hey, look… Mama’s awake…” Haymitch murmured in that odd tender voice. He was standing next to the window.

She looked at him and she couldn’t help the relief when she spotted the baby safely cradled in his arms. She forgot any lingering fear. She had room for only one thing in her head and it was the precious child he was holding.    

“Are we going with Mama and Papa?” she asked, outstretching her arms.

“We’re going with whatever you want.” he shrugged. “But no Mother or Father bullshit.”

“Language.” she hissed, wriggling her fingers because he was taking too long complying with her request. “Give me my baby.” He was very careful when he crossed the distance from the window to the bed, cautious of the child in his arms, and he was even more so when he placed the baby on her chest. She immediately breathed her in, amazed by the little noises she was making. “Hello, sweetie… Hello…” She grinned so hard it hurt. “I am your Mama. Yes, I am…” It was difficult to convince herself to stop staring at her daughter to look up at Haymitch. “How long was I asleep? Did she need anything? Did I miss something?”

“Not long.” he dismissed, clearly amused by her behavior. “She didn’t even fuss once. And no. She slept for a while, that’s it.”

She was fussing now, waving her arms, crying out a little… Effie instinctively lowered her nightgown and awkwardly got her into the right position. Once she was feeding, the baby seemed happier. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable feeling but it wasn’t awful either. She was hurting too much overall to be sensitive to that.

Haymitch was making a face and she rolled her eyes.

“You should get used to it.” she warned.

He wrinkled his nose and settled more comfortably next to them, toeing off his shoes and slipping his legs under the covers. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned against his chest, watching their daughter and fighting an urge to cry for no real good reason. Or maybe they were too many good reasons.

“I am so tired…” she whispered.

“I bet.” he snorted. “You should sleep some more when she’s done… It’s not even six yet… I don’t think the kids will invade us until dawn.”

“Did you introduce them?” she asked, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder.

“Briefly.” he said. “Hard to, she doesn’t have a name yet.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “We have to settle that, sweetheart… I need to go to the Justice Building to declare her birth… She needs a name.”

He was right, of course, and not just because of legal matters.

“I cannot believe we never talked about girl names.” she sighed. “We should have planned for all possibilities.” She shot him a wary glance suddenly. “Are you disappointed she’s not a boy?”

“You’re kidding?” he scoffed. “She’s perfect.”

“She is.” she answered smugly. She was a bit jealous that Haymitch had gotten to spend more time with her than she had. “It needs to start with an A though. Everything that isn’t embroidered with Aidan is marked with an A.A. I hate to see that work go to waste. We will have to buy her more clothes but the handkerchiefs and bibs can be salvaged. It is a good thing we went for neutral colors with the nursery, I guess.”

He hummed in agreement, his fingers distractedly drumming on her arm. He must have been tired too, she figured, he had been up longer than she had. And the whole baby thing was a bit overwhelming.

Their daughter seemed done feeding so she quickly covered herself and then frowned. “Aren’t we supposed to make her burp?”

“Just don’t make her throw up.” he advised. It was obvious to her he was fighting to keep his eyes open and so she struggled to do the right thing with the baby by herself. Eventually laying her down carefully on her lap when she was satisfied she wouldn’t die out of negligence. “The midwife said we should put her in her crib.”

“No.” she immediately refused. “It is far too soon. She stays with me.”

“Could roll the crib in here.” he mumbled. “That’s why we got one with wheels in the first place. We can all get some sleep…”

“No.” she growled. “I will stay awake with her. You sleep.”

“What if you fall asleep and we crush her?” he asked, rubbing the cartoonish frog on the baby’s tummy.

He had a point.

“Perhaps we should never sleep again.” she suggested, only half-joking. “Perhaps we should spend the rest of our lives watching this little masterpiece.”

She gently wrapped her hands around the small feet that were dancing in the air.

“Sounds like a plan.” he chuckled. He softly retraced the baby’s features with his finger. “She’s so tiny, sweetheart…”

“She’s ours.” she whispered, almost in awe. “We made her.”

He laughed a little. “We make really beautiful kids.”

“We do.” she laughed with him, turning her head to peck his lips. He deepened the kiss a little but not too much and not too long. Not that their daughter cared, she had fallen asleep, apparently content to be on her mother’s lap. “I love her so much I feel I will burst at the seams…”

“Same.” he confessed. “It’s a bit scary.”

“Yes.” she confirmed. “But in a good way.”

“Yeah.” He rested his head against hers and, for a while, they did nothing more than study their baby, still shocked and unable to believe she was theirs. “Maybe we should just call her shrimp.”

“I won’t even answer that.” she scowled.

“You’re no fun.” he complained but she thought he was joking. “I really want to see your mother’s face when I tell her we’re calling her Shrimpy.”

“Leave my mother out of it or she will suggest an awful name like Agrippa.” She brushed her fingers through the thin hair covering her baby’s head. She couldn’t stop herself from touching her, making sure she was real. “She is far too pretty to be called Agrippa.”

“You really want an A.” he mocked.

“I really want an A.” she answered, absolutely serious.

They remained silent for a moment.

“April.” Haymitch said eventually.

“April.” she repeated, testing it out. “She almost missed it. A few more hours and she would have been born in May.”

“The storm brought her.” he shrugged. “I mean… April showers and stuff, you know? So… April.”

April went hand in hand with spring and… It was what she was in a way. A new spring in their lives.

“April.” she whispered. “I like it.”

“Yeah?” He sounded surprised, probably having expected her to reject everything for a few hours yet. Well… Sometimes the first one was the right one.

“It suits her.” she says. “April Abernathy. It is a good name.”

“You think we…” he hesitated. “Can we have Iris as a middle name?”

“Oh, darling, of course.” she whispered, reaching behind her to place her hand on his cheek. She let it trail to his neck and coiled it around his nape. “April Iris Abernathy. The prettiest baby in the world.”

“Well, she’s got the prettiest mother, so…” he teased. He didn’t want to talk about the Iris thing, she figured. He didn’t want to cloud this moment with memories of his mother because it would make it sad. And it wasn’t supposed to be sad.

“Flatterer.” she chuckled.

“Always got me places with you.” he retorted, pressing a kiss against her inner wrist. “I’ll go get the crib, yeah? We should really grab a few hours of sleep… Larcher’s gonna be back soon… And the kids too…”

“I think it is a safe thing to bet my family will pay us a visit in the next few weeks.” she warned but when he extricated himself from under her, she pouted. “I wish we could keep her to ourselves. They will all want to hold her and play with her and…”

She’s mine, she didn’t quite say.

He heard it anyway.

“We’ll make it clear visits should be short.” he promised. “But they’re her family, we can’t keep them away. Jo and Annie are gonna show up too eventually.”

“I know.” she sighed before flashing him her best kicked puppy look. “Are you sure we need to put her in her crib? Look how adorable she is…”

“Sweetheart, we can’t keep her in bed with us.” he insisted. “It ain’t safe.”

She supposed he wasn’t just concerned about them accidentally crushing her. He didn’t want risking having a night terror with their daughter in close range. And what went for him, went for her.

“Fine.” she relented. She watched him go and then looked back at the sleeping baby. “You have the best papa in the world, April, you need to know that.” She whispered the words, hoping the girl would hear them even in her dreams. “He thinks he won’t do a good job but he is such a natural at this… I won’t compare but I will try to be a good mother to you, the best I can be. I promise. I love you.”

She kissed her little feet and her little hands.

That was how Haymitch found her when he came back, pushing the crib in front of him.

“Okay, so… Don’t start screaming.” he warned. “But… someone really wants to see you.” He clucked his tongue and Snowball darted from behind him, sneaking between his legs to make a beeline for the bed. He jumped on it with obvious excitement but immediately calmed down when he spotted the baby. It was as if he knew he needed to be careful around her. “Found him lying there in the corridor, looking all miserable.” Haymitch shrugged as the puppy crawled closer to Effie.

She wasn’t exactly in favor of letting the dog so close to a newborn baby but it was hard to be firm when Snowball looked so happy to see her. And April.

He was so gentle when he sniffed the little romper clad foot…

And he didn’t do anything more than snuggle close to Effie’s side, resting his head on her hip to better nudge the little foot. It was obvious he wanted to cuddle the girl but knew he needed to be delicate.

“Do you like your new friend, my pretty baby?” she grinned, scratching Snowball’s head.

“He heard you scream earlier.” Haymitch explained, carefully – and a bit awkwardly – scooping April up from her lap. “The kids had trouble keeping him calm.”

“Were you worried about me?” she hummed, sliding down the bed and wrapping her arms around him. Snowball looked happy about the attention. He bumped her head with his. She humored him a few minutes longer and then turned to look at what Haymitch was doing.

He didn’t seem to know what he was doing.

He was standing there next to the crib – where he had placed the cat ragdoll, she couldn’t help but notice – a woolen blanket in his hand. He looked up at her, completely lost. “It’s not that cold… Do I cover her? She can’t be cold but she can’t be too warm either, yeah? That’s not good. How do we know?”

It was a conundrum.

Effie didn’t know. And she was certain she should have known.

In the end, Haymitch checked one of their books because they couldn’t decide. And it was a good thing because at the first mention of covers and pillows maybe resulting in sudden infant death syndrome in the first few weeks, they both blanched. The blanket was tossed aside and they both stayed there, shocked still at what they had almost done.

April was fine though.

Yet Haymitch still stood there for several more minutes, hovering over the crib with uncertainty. Effie really wanted to tell him it would be alright but she didn’t know. She grabbed the edge of the crib and pulled it as close to her side of the bed as it would go.

“I think she is alright.” she whispered eventually.

April looked alright, clearly unperturbed by her parents’ fretting. She was asleep, her chest rising regularly…

It took a few more minutes before Haymitch climbed in bed with her, chasing Snowball to the foot of the bed, never quite taking his eyes off the crib. He didn’t make any attempt at switching off the lights and she didn’t ask him to. She didn’t even tell him off for not getting out of his clothes and into some proper sleepwear.

“I am scared to close my eyes.” she admitted. “I am scared she won’t be here anymore when I wake up.”

The wooden bars were barely wide enough for her to slip half her hand through. Her fingers reached nothing more than April’s tiny hand.

“I get it.” he offered. “Fuck, I feel the same but… We won’t last long if we don’t get some sleep.”

“You really need to watch your language.” she rebuked. “I won’t have my daughter swearing like a sailor.”

“Lost cause.” he mocked.

They kept on watching the baby sleep… Effie wasn’t sure when she drifted off again but she was so exhausted it was hard to resist closing her eyes after a while.

She had never expected to wake up to growling though. Growling and baby noises.  

She sat up, groaning in pain at how sore she was, her eyes immediately searching the room. April was wriggling, Snowball was standing protectively in front of the crib, fur all ruffled, crouched low as if ready to attack, snarling…

“Good dog. You know me. Be a good dog and…” Doctor Larcher was trying to appease the puppy, both hands lifted in front of him.

“What is going on?” Effie frowned. “Snowball, down.” Snowball growled a moment longer, then looked at Effie who lifted her eyebrows in warning. “Down.” she repeated. The puppy gave a small whine and then hopped back on the bed to curl up at her feet, staring very hard at the doctor. Once sure there would be no incident, she turned to Larcher. “Doctor?”

“Katniss and Peeta let me in.” the man explained. “I am sorry for intruding but I have other patients to see and…”

“Oh, naturally. They did well.” she dismissed, glancing at her side to find Haymitch deep asleep on his back, a hand on his stomach and the other tossed behind his head, snoring loud. “My apologies, we did not intent to sleep so late.”

“No apologies needed. You are right to rest.” Larcher countered. “You did give birth a few hours ago.” He took off his glasses and cleaned them with his sleeve absentmindedly. “Which is why I would have been happier for the dog to remain downstairs for a few more days…”

Snowball let out a short warning growl.

“Bad puppy.” Effie immediately chided. “What is up with you today?”

He had never minded the doctor before…  

“My fault, I believe.” Larcher chuckled. “The baby was fussing and since I need to examine her… I reached inside the crib. The dog took offense.” She couldn’t quite blame Snowball for that. She wanted to lift April up but she couldn’t help a wince when she tried to sit up properly and the doctor immediately stepped in. “Let me. You really have to take it easy for a day or two, Effie. I’m serious about this. Your body needs to rest.”

April had a really sweet temper. She fretted but she suffered Larcher’s examination for several minutes before she started crying. Effie immediately snatched the baby back, protectively cradling her against her chest. Haymitch woke up with a start, his right hand feeling around for his knife in a never lost reflex.

He looked completely confused at finding the doctor there, at the dog growling again – having perceived Effie’s reaction as a response to a threat – and at the small human being she was holding close. It took him a moment to remember.

“Everything’s alright?” he mumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“You daughter needs to be changed.” the doctor said, sounding nonplussed by her awful behavior. “And Effie is feeling very territorial. So is your dog.”

He blinked and then shrugged. “All good then.” A big smile stretched his lips and he placed a hand at April’s back. “Hello, you. Why are you crying so loud? Got your mama’s lungs, no doubt about that…”

“I am sorry.” Effie winced. “April started crying and…” She shook her head. “It was very rude, Doctor Larcher, I apologize.”

“No worries.” the doctor dismissed with a small smile. “I see this little lady has a name now? Haymitch, perhaps you could take care of April while I check on Effie?”

“Sure.” Haymitch smirked, obviously happy to spend some time with her. “You want some breakfast?”

She suddenly realized she was starving. “It appears the children are downstairs. Maybe you could send them up?”

It didn’t take long for Larcher to examine her but she was frantic by the time he was ready to leave the room and she begged him to send Haymitch back with the baby. She wasn’t quite ready for her bedroom to be invaded by two young people – one of whom was carrying a tray – and an excited dog. Haymitch came in last, April protectively cradled in his arms. And, honestly, that was all she cared about.

She forced herself to smile at Peeta and answered Katniss’ question about how she was feeling, anxious to get her baby close by again. Her heartbeat only came back to normal once Haymitch sat next to her on the bed.

“Can I hold her?” Peeta asked with a bright grin.

“No.” Effie snapped before Haymitch could do something foolish like hand her over. She immediately snatch the baby from his arms and held her close, barely noticing the grey and blue romper he had dressed her in. April’s eyes were wide open, staring at her, and she felt herself breathe more easily.

Everybody in the room froze. The boy looked hurt. The children exchanged a glance and Haymitch cleared his throat.

“Sorry, kids, we’re still kinda coming to terms with… Everything. You know.” he lied smoothly. “Effie needs her rest…”

“We’ll be back later.” Katniss said, grabbing Peeta’s arm and pulling him toward the door. It sounded more like a warning than a statement.

“Sure.” Haymitch nodded.

“We can walk the dog if you want…” the boy offered, hesitant. His blue eyes darted from Effie to the baby and then to the puppy who was still hovering near the bed.

“I’ve got to go to the Justice Building anyway…” Haymitch dismissed. “I’ll take him.”

“Actually, I want to keep Snowball with me while you are gone.” she cut in. “If you could walk him, dear…”

She wouldn’t make the mistake of being left alone vulnerable again. Not when April needed to be protected.

“Of course. No problem, Effie.” Peeta beamed.

The dog seemed as reluctant to leave April as she was. It took some coaxing before the children managed to get him to follow them.

Once she was alone with Haymitch, silence stretched. April was fussing and she automatically brought her to her breast in case she was hungry. She grabbed a toast from the tray with her free hand and nibbled on it quickly, so hungry she thought she could have eaten twice what they had brought.

“Is this gonna be a problem?” he asked slowly, after a couple of minutes.

He brushed his fingers against the top of April’s head and she had to suppress the urge to protectively curl up around her daughter.

A part of her, a part she knew to be irrational, wanted to oppose things like ‘what if Peeta has an episode while he’s holding her?’  or ‘what if Doctor Larcher hurts her? He is not family and we cannot trust people who are not family.’. She knew better. Those were excuses. Because that part of her also wanted to remind him that his hands sometimes shook and that he couldn’t control it and what if…

The rational part, though… The rational part knew she was as likely to have a flashback or a panic attack as Haymitch was to drop their daughter because his hands were shaking. She knew that April was reasonably safe with the two of them, with the children and with Larcher.

Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from clutching the baby to her chest.

She supposed it answered his question.