#its not even that late but my brain has gone off the fucking rails today and i have too much energy rn

[silverislander]

completely unfair that i'm the last person in the house awake, consistently

[wasabito]

➽ corruption collab masterlist — hosted by @ultimate-astridwriting and @bummie ♥️

➽ note: definitely gonna come back and edit this a bit more because threesomes are hard as fuck, no pun intended lmao happy v-day everyone!

➽ word count: 3.2k

➽ cw/tags: polyamory + body worship + threesome + praise kink + public sex + choking + handjobs/fingering + vaginal sex + squirting + established relationship

➽ pairing: akaashi x fem!reader x bokuto

💿 1. nasty — ariana grande || 2. come on — jhene aiko

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, it becomes rather apparent that love and romance are in the air. Storefronts are decorated in bubblegum pinks and reds. Flower shops promote their special bouquet arrangements at discounted prices. Even your favorite hole in the wall coffee shop has fallen prey to the spirit of cupid as they announce their new strawberry shortcake dessert and heart-shaped scones.

In lieu of staying home for the third night this week, your boyfriends escort you to dinner at an upscale restaurant in the city. They treat you to a five-course meal and a bottle of wine even pricier than the dinner itself. One would think, after three years of dating, you would no longer be caught unawares by their spontaneity. And yet, here they are, once again pulling the rug from underneath your four-inch heels.

Your gaze flickers from Akaashi's tranquil smile to Bokuto's wide grin.

Adjusting the napkin in your lap, you open your mouth to speak, then pause as the right words fail it come. Brain short-circuiting instead, you let out a confused, "Huh?!"

"We're taking you to Italy!" Bokuto repeats, about ready to hop out of his seat with excitement. He looks to Akaashi, "Three nights in Venice, right 'Kaashi?"

"Yes, we decided on Venice after you told us you'd always wanted to visit. Remember Koutarou's birthday last year?"

"But that was like months ago! Did you two honestly hold onto that drunk little confession this entire time?"

"Of course."

"Yup!!"

It's in moments like these when you are reminded of their history together, first as teammates playing volleyball, and eventually close friends. Not much longer after that, you'd met and fallen for Akaashi, then Bokuto, and thus began the relationship of today. While you find it a little ridiculous, it seems neither of them has any qualms about this trip.

After all, you are their lovely girlfriend. Why wouldn't they want to make your wishes come true?

Bokuto claps his hands, eyes sparkling. "Everything's already planned out, babe, so don't worry your pretty little head, okay?"

You can't argue with that. Reaching over, you take Bokuto's hand in your right and Akaashi's in your left. "Alright, since you two went to all this trouble for me, I guess I'll just sit back and enjoy it."

♥️

Venice is just as beautiful as you imagined.

It looks as if it's floating upon blue-green waters with lots of sunshine, beautiful architecture, and a vibrancy that makes it feel like the city has a life of its own. You are grateful you didn't come by yourself. There is no way you would've enjoyed it without Akaashi and Bokuto at your side.

"We're about a ten-minute walk from Piazza San Marco," Akaashi says as he taps his glasses. His sharp gaze is locked on the map in his hands, likely committing most landmarks and details to memory. "Would you like to check it out?"

"Yeah! Let's do it."

"Off we go, go, go!"

Thus, a majority of your first day in Venice is spent sightseeing.

The three of you take a gondola ride through Canale Grande, then have a peek into the Gallerie Dell'Accademia at Akaashi's insistence, though naturally, you wouldn't have come all the way to Italy and not visited at least one art museum. Afterward, the three of you go to the Le Mercerie shopping district and buy gifts for your friends before finally taking a pit stop for the most delicious gelato in the city.

The sunsets sooner than expected, casting the entire block in deep red hues. Bokuto's mood is greatly influenced by it, and the jetlag certainly doesn't help. He props himself against you, nuzzling you in a way that says he's itching for a kiss.

"Tired, Kou?"

Bokuto hums. "A little... More hungry than anything."

He leans in and pecks your lips with a sated smile. "Maybe I should eat you. I mean, how is it my girl's so damn cute? Not fair, I can't resist."

You snort at Bo's silliness but can't help shivering a little at the tiny implication of his words. He always did like to lay his head on your thighs, leaving a trail of kisses and love bites where he could.

So, the thought of him eating you out made you squeeze your thighs together.

Akaashi approaches with your frozen treats held between his long fingers; having overheard Bokuto earlier, he tucks his wallet back into his pocket.

"We'll get some dinner after we drop off these shopping bags. How does that sound?"

You eagerly take your gelato from him with a smile.

"Sounds like a plan."

Akaashi nods, standing at your other side, close enough to brush elbows though not as close as Bokuto, who was nearly hovering.

The three of you are in one of the narrow, maze-like streetways, basking in the warm, early evening glow. The sweet taste of fruit and cream on your tongue fills you with so much contentment, especially while being with your favorite people. You aren't sure if anything could top the way you currently felt, and the trip has just barely started.

Upon arriving at your temporary place of residence, a quaint little villa on the waterfront just along the shore of Punta Sabbioni Beach, Bokuto immediately kicks off his sandals, dumps the bags, and promptly falls asleep on the couch.

"It's so weird seeing Kou like this." You remark. "On any normal day, he's brimming with almost too much energy, but now he's all tired."

"Well, he did stay up an entire twelve hours on the plane. It was only a matter of time before fatigue caught up to him." Akaashi picks up Bokuto's shoes with practiced ease and places them by the others.

There is a fond smile running along the edges of his mouth as he tucks a throw around the man's larger frame. You help him adjust a spare pillow under Bo's head and then set off to explore the rest of the area.

It seemed like everything about Venice was taken straight out of a romance film, with its cobblestone paths, gothic cathedral architecture, crisp ocean waters, and authentic Italian cuisine. It is no wonder the city's known to draw hapless souls together in romance. Even you fell subject to it, and by each passing moment, you crave to be with your boyfriends.

You are standing at the balcony overlooking the beach, satisfied with your inspection of the villa when Akaashi comes to stand behind you. He holds onto the railings, caging you in his arms, and rests his chin on your shoulder.

"He was right, you know." He murmurs. "You do look good enough to eat."

Blunt as ever. Apparently, something's never change.

Though one might say that Akaashi is as he's always been after high school and college, there is no denying his boost in confidence. After all, he had landed not one but two rather attractive partners.

He kisses your cheek, then your jaw, before latching onto your neck.

The sun's scenic view on the horizon, reflecting upon the beach sands of gold and shimmering orange waves, makes for an excellent backdrop.

You turn to face Akaashi and pull him into a heated kiss. His lips convey a sense of devotion to you, and with each press of them against yours, you can feel just how bad he's yearning for more.

"Kei," you whisper. "Let's go inside."

In a moment, Akaashi whisks you off your feet quite similar to how Bokuto would, though you both don't even make it to the bedroom.

Your other partner had sat up on the sofa, hair flat on one side, scrubbing his eyelids.

"Guys, I'm freaking starving!" Bokuto groans. "Let's get some food or something."

He doesn't even notice how you and Akaashi are breathing heavy or how your clothes are sporting wrinkles that were not previously there. Regardless, Akaashi has food delivered while you went ahead to shower the day's journey away. There are still two days left. You'd get your chance with them at some point.

♥️

Sadly, the entirety of day two is spent indoors. Heavy sheets of rain continue to fall, muddying the shoreline. The three of you huddle on the sofa wrapped in blankets with subtitled movies playing in the background.

Even though you would've much rather been out exploring in the city, just sharing in your boyfriend's warmth would suffice for now. Akaashi hands you a steaming cup of something rich in both color and smell.

"What's this?"

"Just espresso." He takes the empty seat beside you.

You savor the taste while leaning against his shoulder. "Mm, nice."

Bokuto keeps his head on your lap, loving how you thread your fingers into his hair.

It is a tranquil kind of peace that soon lulls you to sleep.

Later, when you finally wake up, it's dark, and you're alone. A blanket had been tucked around your shoulders to shield you from the sudden chill. At some point, the television had been shut off along with every light in the room. You might've been a little scared if not for the voices coming from the second floor. Slowly, you creep up the winding staircase, dragging along the blanket around your shoulders.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Bokuto chuckles. "You're finally up!"

His hair is down, wet from his shower, and he holds a thin towel together around his waist. In his hand is a cellphone, and he doesn't hesitate to shove the screen into your face. "Say hi, Tetsu!"

"Hi Y/N, how's it going?"

You blink slowly, still trying to wake yourself up.

"Kuroo, hey… I'm well. How are you?"

"Great, just about to head out for a late lunch. I hear it's almost ten pm over there."

"Yeah, it's an eight-hour time difference."

You and Kuroo continue to chat while Bokuto towels off his hair and puts on clothes. Afterward, you let Bokuto resume his conversation and join Akaashi on the bed. The man had gone full editor-mode with his glasses propped up in his hair as he read through some work documents.

When you approach, he greets you with a kiss on the cheek. "You look well-rested."

"Is that your way of telling me I have drool on my cheek, Keiji?"

He cracks a tiny smile, eyes taking in your features, then he pokes your cheek with his index finger. "Perhaps."

You scrub the corners of your mouth with your sleeve and drape yourself over Akaashi, work be damned. This was supposed to be a special weekend for relaxing.

"I really wanted to go to the beach today." You pout.

Akaashi interlocks his fingers with yours. "Maybe we still can. It stopped raining a few hours ago."

"Really?!"

You hop off the bed and head for the window. He's right, the rain had long stopped, and the beach lay bare, lit by only the moonlight.

Maybe a short walk to the beach would do you some good.

♥️

The grains of sand feel cold against your feet without the sun to beat down on them, but you don't complain. The air is humid enough on its own that you forgo wearing actual clothes and instead wear a swimsuit along with Bokuto's old Fukurōdani windbreaker.

You walk along the shore, toes digging into the sand, letting the ocean waves lap at your feet to wash them clean again.

At first, it's so eerily quiet without a soul around except you, but even that doesn't last long. You hear Bokuto's voice bellow into the night as he jogs towards you in nothing but swim trunks. Behind him, Akaashi trails slowly after with a blanket in hand.

"We thought you might want some company." He says and spreads the cover on the sand several feet away from the water, content with just watching.

Bokuto grabs your hand and you go running to the water with him, but a second later, you both come sprinting back.

"It's freezing!"

"S-So co-co-cold!"

You collapse on top of him, fingers splayed across his bare chest. However, when you try to sit up, Bokuto has other plans. He keeps you pressed to his chest with both arms around your waist.

"Let me keep you warm, baby!"

You know he meant it in the most innocent way, but you can't help but think other thoughts. Your nerves fray at the image that blooms in your head and spreads like wildfire.

And as Akaashi strokes your back, you know he's probably read your mind.

It's the way your eyes seem to glitter with want that gives it away. Akaashi has always been rather observant, and so your silent cues are something he's always been privy to.

His nimble fingers curve around the nape of your neck, and he tilts his head to capture your lips in a kiss. This one is unlike the one from yesterday. There is no rush, no desire to quicken his haste; instead, he savors the taste of you like it's something to be thoroughly enjoyed.

Underneath you, Bokuto stirs, growing aroused at the sight of his two lovers' kiss. He can't decide whether he wants to join in or sit back and watch. But his large hand comes down to stroke your ass, resulting in a moan you breathe directly into Akaashi's mouth.

"You're not usually so forthcoming, Keiji," you whisper against his lips. "Eager, are we?"

Akaashi pulls away just enough to pepper your face in feathery kisses. "Can you blame me? When I have such a lovely girlfriend here."

As if confirming his words, he slips a hand under your jacket and cups your breast. The pads of his thumb brush along the seams of your bathing suit, caressing your nipple.

"Kou, let's show Y/N just how much we love her, yes?"

Bokuto didn't need to be told twice. He had been in entranced by you and Akaashi, completely taken by the way your lips danced upon one another. But now, he wanted more than anything to touch you, kiss you, hold you.

Bokuto cradles you in his lap, propping your legs open with his knees so Akaashi can kneel in front of you. It didn't take much for him to relieve you of your clothing, namely your swimming bottoms. But the second the air hits your bare cunt, you feel tense.

You aren't sure what it was, but the atmosphere is different. Both Akaashi and Bokuto are so focused on you, it feels like you're under a spotlight.

"You're so pretty, so beautiful," Bokuto says while squeezing your thighs. His warm breath tickles your ear as he presses his nose into your neck. Next, his lips follow suit. "Wanna fuck you, so bad baby. You'd like that, right?"

His words earn him a chuckle from Akaashi, who merely licks two of his fingers, wetting them and sliding into you. Your mouth parts, shaky breaths barely expelled from your lungs. You're hyper-aware of the fact that you're literally being fingered on a beach in the middle of the night, and you can't bring yourself to care. It feels good to be pampered by the two men you love.

For every moan, Akaashi gives you double for your efforts, thrusting his fingers just right, curving them in such a way that has your back arching off Bokuto, who has also taken to fondling your nipples. With every roll of his hips, you feel his cock against your ass, and it pushes you further into Akaashi's fingers.

Your impending orgasm sweeps by so close and yet so far away. All you can do is rock yourself faster.

"Please," you whimper. "W-Wanna come."

Akaashi crooks his fingers, pressing into the perfect spot that sends you hurtling over the edge. Your cunt spasms around his fingers, clenching in intervals you have no control over until his hand is coated with your wet, slick juices that keep coming the more you squirt all over him.

"She's so wet 'Kaashi. Look at our pretty girl."

Akaashi places a chaste kiss on your forehead with a smile.

"She's doing well, so far. Let's see if she can keep going."

Bokuto shimmies his shorts off enough to free his hard cock. He had been uncharacteristically patient until now, but that was soon to change as he lines himself up with your cunt, teasing you with just the tip.

Your whining is unintelligible, but both men understand you more or less.

"Give the pretty girl what she wants," Akaashi says. He strokes his own hard-on at the sight of Bokuto's pushing past your wet folds. "I know she can take more than that."

Bokuto has always been girthy, and it takes you more than a few seconds to adjust to his size, but when you finally do, it feels like heaven.

The position you're in gives Bokuto all the power to thrust into you like a ragdoll. But it's only when you make eye contact with Akaashi that you realize that it's, in fact, the other way around for him in particular. From where he sits, stroking his cock with flushed cheeks and choked moans, you see just how much control you have over him.

"Kiss me." You moan.

Akaashi doesn't let you repeat yourself. He kisses you long and hard even as you grip his throat with one hand and his hair with the other. He kisses you until his lips are red and bruised.

"Good boy. Both of y-you."

Bokuto groans loudly. "Say it again. Keep saying it!"

"Y-You're both so good. I-" your hips stutter against Akaashi's fingers that are rubbing circles into your clit. "Good, so good-"

That's all it takes to take Bokuto over the edge, blowing his load. "Perfect, so fucking perfect."

You can feel another orgasm swelling up inside your belly. You try to tell them but can't, too overcome by the feeling of your body tingling with desire. It's too much, overwhelmingly so; your vision blurs with unshed tears as Bokuto continues to pound into sopping pussy. Pleasure floods every fiber of your being until you're limp and every nerve in your body is set alight.

Bokuto slips out of you easily, a string of his semen following.

You can only look on in a drowsy haze as Bokuto leans over and kisses you and then Akaashi, working him over with a tight fist.

♥️

The following morning, you’re the first to wake, but only because there’s a limb jammed into your back and a heavy weight on your chest. It takes you a moment to realize, but it’s Bokuto’s elbow poking you and Akaashi’s head resting on you.

All three of you are a tangle of limbs in bed, but you aren’t sure how you’d gotten there.

“G’mornin’” Bokuto breathes. His lips caress the column of your neck.

“Morning.”

You shift into a more comfortable position. Though doing so presses Akaashi’s morning wood against your thigh.

“Keiji, you awake yet?”

“Mmm barely.” Akaashi looks up at you through his lashes, then smiles and nuzzles closer into your chest.

Bokuto, content with being your big spoon, reaches over to touch Akaashi, hands cupping his cheek. “It’s Valentine’s Day!”

“That’s true, should we do something special.”

Thinking about the previous night, you feel desire stirring in your gut. “Could we just... do it again?”

Both men look to each other then back at you, sporting matching smiles.

“Why not?”

[sugawarassoulmate]

but i can't see you every night, free

you and suga have been dating for about four months but nobody on the team knows about it yet. the two of you didn’t mean to keep it a secret for so long — it’s just been nice not having anyone ask too many questions or make constant jokes. they’d all know eventually but for now, it’s still fun to sneak around with your boyfriend.

or car sex with sugawara

words: 2.5k

cw: fem!reader, exhibitionism, fingering, vaginal penetration, pet names, degrading (one line), cursing, minors dni.

There was something about long car rides that always put you at ease; you weren’t sure if it was the long stretch of road before you or the slight rumble that came with being in a moving vehicle. Whatever it was, it made you immediately say yes when the boys asked you to accompany them on their trip to a beach resort they found for the summer.

How could you say no to two weeks with your favorite people at a gorgeous resort? Plus, you might be able to sneak some time with Sugawara. 

You and Suga have been dating for about four months but nobody on the team knows about it yet. The two of you didn’t mean to keep it a secret for so long — it’s just been nice not having anyone ask too many questions or make constant jokes. They’d all know eventually but for now, it’s still fun to sneak around with your boyfriend.

And so here you were, sitting in the passenger seat as Suga barreled down the highway. The ride wasn’t super long, only a few hours, but Daichi made sure there were a few stops for gas and snacks. It was peaceful inside the car, the only sounds were the low hum coming from the radio and the light snores coming from Hinata, Nishinoya, and Yamaguchi who had fallen asleep in the backseat hours ago. Suga’s eyes were concentrated on the road while you stared out the window, enjoying the scenery. 

That was until you felt a hand on your thigh. You looked down and saw your boyfriend’s hands rubbing at your thigh, exposed thanks to the shorts you were wearing. Looking up, you notice that his attention never faltered. He just wanted his hands on you and it made you smile. Placing your hand on top of his and squeezing a bit, you brought your attention back to the window.

It was another few minutes of comfortable silence before you felt Suga’s hand moving up your thigh. You didn’t think anything of it first until the pad of his thumb rubbed against your clothed pussy. Your eyes widen, looking over at him and seeing him staring back at you — just for a brief moment. The look he gives makes you press your thighs together, you know what that look means but he can’t actually be thinking that right now.

“Seriously?” you whisper, remembering that you weren’t alone in the car.

He chuckles, taking a second to look at the rearview mirror before his eyes return to the road. “Everyone’s still asleep, princess.”

You look behind you and, sure enough, there are three sleeping boys in the backseat. For good measure, Yamaguchi even had his headphones plugged in, hopefully keeping him from hearing the two of you.

Suga’s hand starts moving again and you probably shouldn’t let him but even while he’s driving, you can hear the anticipation in his breath. The cons of sneaking around are that you don’t always have time to be intimate. For the past few weeks, you two have been relying on the makeout sessions at your house after volleyball practice. Not to mention you almost got caught the last time he fucked you.

It wasn’t your fault that Suga gets so riled up after practice. It was his turn to lock up the gym and he lingered behind under the guise of working on his serves. Once everyone was gone, he pinned you to the locker room door. Being the good (secret) girlfriend that you were, you tried to visit Suga and the boys during practice — sometimes it had its rewards. 

The way Suga was pounding into your cunt kept you two from noticing that Tanaka and Noya had made their way back to the gym after forgetting something. Suga acted quickly and covered your mouth with his hand, quieting your sobs until the coast was clear. You had no idea how they didn’t notice their precious setter was railing one of their friends. 

You’re brought back to reality when you hear the button on your shorts snap open. If you weren’t so terrified of one of the sleeping boys suddenly waking up and seeing what Suga was doing, you’d probably commend him for being able to do all of this while staying focused on driving.

“Please, baby?” he asks. His other hand gripping the steering wheel with want. “Haven’t been able to touch that pretty pussy in so long.” You hadn’t realized one of your hands grabbed his wrist. You want to tell him no; to wait until you could sneak off at the resort. But you had needs too.

Against your better judgment, you let go of his wrist. 

The sadistic grin that grows on Suga’s face catches you by surprise, but your attention is immediately broken when his fingers slip past your panties. You hadn’t realized how wet you got from just a few light touches. 

“Just focus on the road, my love.” you heard him say. Looking away from the backseat, you try your best to pay attention to the road disappearing underneath you. 

And God bless the way Suga knows your body better than you do. He teased you a bit at first, but the rational part of his brain knew that time wasn’t really on your side. With his thumb rubbing circles on your clit, two of his fingers pushed in and you were embarrassed at how quickly you were gushing around him. 

He laughed beside you. “Has my baby missed me too?” All you can do at this point is whine in response. “I promise once we’re alone, I’m going to  ruin  this pretty little cunt okay?”

Your thighs press together at his words and all you can think is Please let me cum, please let me cum, please, please, please…

Suga took notice and brushed up against that one spot he knew would drive you crazy — wanting to get you off as badly as you did. You were right there, trying so hard to cover your moans as to not alert anyone, scratching at the car seat. He can feel your pussy clench down on his fingers, his good girl is so close just a little bit more…

And your cellphone rings, startling the both of you. Worried that the sudden noise would wake the boys, you slap Suga’s hand away. Quickly buttoning up your shorts, you turn over your phone and see Daichi’s picture on the screen.

“H-hey what’s up?”

“Oh, did I wake you from a nap?” he asks, definitely noticing the hitch in your voice. 

“Yeah,” you lie, your pussy throbbing after being denied its release. “What did you need, Daichi?”

“Tell Suga to take the next exit. We’re taking a 20-minute break.”

A laugh escapes you. “We’d be at the resort by now if it weren’t for all these breaks, you know.”

“Hey!” Daichi teases. “I’m just making sure our drivers don’t get tired. See you soon.”

The call ends and you look over at Suga, letting him know about Daichi’s plans. He rolls his eyes but proceeds to take the exit anyway. The frustration on your face must be noticeable cause he places his hand on your thigh again.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take care of you soon.”

You want to respond but Hinata and the others start waking up and suddenly, both of Suga’s hands are on the steering wheel.

 After one last break, you all had finally made it to the resort — and, thankfully, Suga kept his hands to himself the entire time. The extended drive had tired everyone out and it had been pretty late anyway, so it was decided that it would be best to turn in for the night. 

The cabin you all rented for the trip was quaint but it had enough space for all of you — of course, you’d be rooming with Kiyoko and Yachi which would only make it harder for you and Suga to get some time alone. 

Daichi realized that the fridge in the kitchen hadn’t been stocked, meaning there wouldn’t be any food for breakfast.

“I’ll see if there’s a convenience store,” Suga offered, keys already in hand. “We can just get some essentials for now.” His eyes glanced over in your direction and you quickly caught on.

“I can go with him,” You announced, trying your best to sound nonchalant. Nobody seemed to notice and Daichi thanked you two for offering.

And you and Suga were back in the car, off to run your little errand. But something was telling you that there was something else on your sweet boyfriend’s mind as he drove into the night.

 “I don’t think the convenience store would be around here,” you said sarcastically, taking note of the remote area Suga had taken you to. “Are you kidnapping me?”

He had somehow taken the two of you to a heavily wooded area, with trees dense enough that it was impossible for anyone to see where you were. The car was turned off and your boyfriend had gestured for you to sit in his lap. You hopped over the console and greedily climbed on top of him, wrapping your arms around his neck.

Suga’s hands circled your waist, fingers rubbing against your skin. “I don’t think it counts as kidnapping if you’re coming willingly.” He laughs at his own joke, you roll your eyes. To silence him, you close the distance and press your lips against his.

He leans in almost immediately, tongue entering your mouth as his fingers dig into your waist. He pulls away to attach his lips to your neck, biting down causing you to whine.

“Not too hard, Kou,” Remembering the last time Suga left a hickey on you — Hinata noticed it during practice and blasted it for everyone to hear. You didn’t think the “burning yourself with a curling iron” excuse would work a second time. Suga grunts in frustration but relents to your request, removing your top and nipping at your chest.

“Better?” he asks, tongue swiping at your covered nipple.

Playing with the ends of his hair, you pout. “No, actually,” and Suga quirks his eyebrow. “I want more, Kou…” You say, grinding into him. He had been doing such a good job today of keeping his own desires hidden but the way his cock was hardening underneath you said everything you needed to know.

He feigns surprise when he looks up at you. “Does my princess wanna get fucked here?” he asks as if he isn’t unbuttoning your shorts this very moment. “Being away from me has turned you into a needy slut, hm?”

His vulgar words force a choked sob to leave your lips. You can feel his fingers rubbing against your clit and now, without an audience in the car with you, there’s nothing stopping you from moaning as loud as you want. He bites down on your chest again, with enough force that you’re sure he left a mark this time, at least it’s in a place nobody will see.

But as good as it feels, you need more. “Koushi, please,” a beg. “I didn’t get to cum last time...you promised.”

And, being the ever so generous boyfriend that he is, Suga pushes your panties to the side and shoves two fingers inside you. Fuck does he love the sound of your cries in his ear. You were so wet for him, your arousal running down his hand. Oh, how needy you must have been today when he tried to play with you earlier. From the way your walls were sucking him in, he knew you were close and your whines of, “Please, please, please…” just egged him on even further.

Creaming all over his hand, the tension you felt all day finally released. Suga felt you slump on top of him, trying to catch your breath. “Think you could do that again for me, baby?” A sweet kiss is placed on the side of your face. “Want my pretty baby to cum on my cock. Can you do that for me?”

You’re already so sensitive but he’s speaking to you so sweetly and you just want to please him. “You’re gonna have to do all the work,” He laughs above you, grabbing your chin for another long kiss.

Suga takes his time removing your shorts and panties, leaving you completely bare from the waist down. Before you know it, he’s rubbing his cock against your folds; your juices making a mess of him. He lifts you up so you sink down on him, you cry out in sensitivity but he coaxes you through it.

He gives you a moment to adjust before slowly lifting you up only to slam you back down. “God, you’re so pretty,” he groans, kissing down your neck. Suga tugs your bra down, exposing your breasts. “Let me hear you, baby.” Just then he bites down on your nipple, rolling the bud with his tongue.

“Kou– ” Tears form in your eyes from pleasure as you pull on his hair, crying out. It had been far, far too long since he was inside you. “More...I want more.”

And, of course, he obliges, bouncing you on his cock with so much force there was definitely going to be bruises leftover from his fingers on your waist. Your sopping cunt always took him so well, gushing and clenching around him. He was so lucky to have you.

Your whines start getting higher and higher, telling Suga that you’re about to cum. He removes a hand from your waist to reach down and rub at your clit, sending you off the deep end.

“Ahh, can I cum? Please? Please, please, please …” your begging makes Suga fuck you harder. He loved when you begged. You were always such a good girl, asking your sweet boyfriend to make you cum. Not that he would ever deny you, of course, but hearing your cute little voice made him want to ruin you.

“Cum for me, baby,”  Suga commands, his own release fastly approaching. “Want you to cream on my cock.”

You practically scream when you finally cum, your walls gripping his cock as your legs shake. Suga’s mouth hangs open, thrusting into you and chasing his own high. He’s got his own tell when he’s about to cum; pulling you to his chest, wanting you as close as possible. 

“So good, baby, s’good for me fuck.” And, with a groan in your ear, he’s cumming inside you. Your pussy milking him dry.

The two of you each catch your breaths. After a bit, Suga cups your cheeks and leaves dozens of kisses all over your face. Your laughter fills up the silence. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” he repeats in between kisses.

“I love you too, Kou.” And you want to be like this with him forever. Maybe it’s time that you tell everyone about your relationship. You wondered if he felt the same but for now, you cozied up to him, enjoying the closeness.

“You know,” he starts, “They’re probably gonna wonder where we are.” 

You really couldn’t bring yourself to care.

[soyunaagente]

Tempers Flare

Here I am! Back with some more -well who knows what at this point- 

This is for mi princesa @llanzz I hope you like it!! 

My askbox/ DM’s are always open!! 

Lights flashing. Music thumping. Just another Saturday at the Roxanne. You took extra care with your hair, makeup and heart shattering outfit for the night. Absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it was guaranteed Ramon Arellano Felix was going to be there. Call it what you want. Harmless teasing. A flirty no strings attached easy relationship. A couple nights of destressing. Whatever it was it was fun. You hoped tonight would be no different. You finished applying the last layer of lip gloss and headed out the door to the adventure that awaited you across town.

Everyone who's anyone gathers at the Roxanne. It's the hottest club in town.

You were glad that today would be no exception. Last of the makeup applied you were glad that it was Saturday. For tonight the stresses of the week would be washed away in alcohol, music and a little naughty rendezvous to go with it.

The club was just the way you expected it to be. Just like always. You spied some of the whos who in their usual spots. Some of them even had new faces.  Part human. Part silicone. You don't see Ramon straight away, but you don't was to go looking for him either. It's just all part of the teasing. You both want each other. Fuck, sometimes you crave him. But you don't let it show. Neither does he, even though sometimes he accidentally makes it painfully obvious. The bar called your name, on your way there you spy Chapo and Cochi in a booth nearby. Thinking nothing of it you order, down the drink and subtly check for Ramon again. No such luck as he was still no where in sight.

The bartender lands another drink down in front of you which you gladly accept. Just as two strong arms snake their way around your waist. 'Hola princesa.'  Ramon's voice somehow drowned out the music. You giggle and turn around to him. 'Been waiting for this?' he challenges,

You playfully slap him away. 'You wish.'

'I have some.. business to take of. How about I meet you upstairs in thirty minutes/' He leans in a little closer to explain what he has planned in those thirty minutes. Leaving you a little....bothered. Though those thirty minutes took just a tad longer than expected.

-----------

Why Ramon does anything is for a higher power to know and us to find out. Though it's also probably a mystery to the higher power also. Ramon wasn't about to let Cochi and Chapo get away easy. They couldn't just walk into his club and decide to take over. They'd caused enough damage already.

Cochi sitting there, smug look on his face. It drove Ramon mad, He had to get Cochi and Chapo out of the damn club. Pretty soon the two hot heads were face to face.

'Ahi Ramon, should I send up some women from back home. Looks like you all could do with a few.'

At first Ramon didn't respond. It wasn't an insult he cared much about. So of course, Cochi couldn't let it go but Chapo interjected. 'What are you doing here anyway Ramon, shouldn't you be in some brothel on the other side of town?'

'At least I can get it up.'

Cochi pushed Chapo back before an argument ensued. He wanted to be the one to start  it. 'Ramon. That pretty little thing of yours and I got together a couple weeks ago. She's pretty fun. Bit talkative after the fact.' He took another step closer. 'Good thing she let slip that I give it to her just that much better than you do.'

Silence fell over the club. R E D. That is all that Ramon sees in that moment. HE literally shoves a surprised Cochi to the ground. However just before he can knock him out for that comment Benjamin somehow manages to pull his brother off of the dirt bag on the ground. Chapo pulls him off the ground and they both make a hasty exit. Literally as fast as their feet can carry them. Gone into the wind. Just leaving behind one of Cochi's teeth.

Mon's chest heaves in anger, sweat still dripping off his brow. In just the blink of an eye thirty five minutes had elapsed. -------------------

It's all about the timing. You couldn't show up early, or on time, or too late that he thought something was up. it had to be perfect. So forty minutes after the invitation you wound up in the exact spot he told you to be. Dress hitched higher than it was earlier.

He wasn't there. You didn't think much of it. It was all part of the game. Right?

Another ten minutes elapsed and no sign of him. A couple other guys took it upon themselves to attempt to keep you company but you brush them off. They aren't Ramon. It's five minutes later that you begin to feel a little uneasy. Did something to happen to him? Was he involved in that kerfuffle you heard earlier?

You lean up against the rails to look around the club. This time being a little more obvious about it. Just random faces. None familiar.

A sudden presence behind you makes the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Ramon's voice was anything but comforting in that moment. 'Do I mean nothing to you? Is- is this some joke?' His voice wasn't hurt. It was angry.

You whip around ready to start. 'A joke? Do I act like this is funny? I show up here every Saturday despite the fact you make no effort to see me during the week!'

He scoffed. Then just left. Leaving you standing there wondering what happened in the last hour to have him do this complete 180.

You think about leaving. That would just give him what he wants you decide. it's still early. You can still have fun. You take off to the dance floor. Men happily oblige to the dancing, buying you drinks at every turn.

You can feel Ramons eyes on you at every moment from the VIP area. Though every time you glance up he turns away. Still practically shaking with anger.  

At the end of the night it all becomes too much. At about the time you and Mon would be heading back to, um, finish off the night alone you stood in the street racking you brain as to what had happened that night. Just as you are about to give up and go home you spy Ramon, alone, leaving the club.

You march over to him. Determined to get answers as to why he's acting like a child. 'Que paso Ramon eh? What is wrong with you?!'

He doesn't respond. Just continues to walk down the street. It takes a bit of extra energy but you manage to catch up to him. 'Seriously Mon what's the matter?'

He stops. Scoffs and then continues. This time your anger reaches boiling point as you grab him by the arm and pull him to a stop. You end up marching in front of him. 'If you want this to end right now I'll walk down that damn street and you'll never, ever see me again. Is that what you want?'

He sighs. 'You have Cochi to go back to.'

As he's about to continue you put your hand up to his chest to stop him. 'Who?'

He looks at you in a mix of anger and confusion. 'Cochiloco. Surely you remember him as he's apparently much better than I am.'

A look of sheer confusion spreads across your face. 'What the hell are you talking about Ramon?'

Now its his turn to look confused. Both of you just stand there looking at each other in sheer confusion. You speak first. 'I've never heard of Cochiloco Ramon. I-I.' You decided not to finish the sentence.

It's hard to determine the thought process of the man standing before you at that point. His browns went to confusion, to anger, to acceptance and then to realisation. His shoulders drop in defeat.

'Is this about the fight you got into?'

Then came the sheepish look on his face before he hung his head a little lower.

'Guess they don't teach club owners how to apologise.' A little smirk spreads across your face as you lean in a little closer. 'How about you apologise by taking me back home and we'll carry out what we had planned.'

He just caught you by the hand and pulled you down the street with him.

[shreddedparchment]

A Wife for Thor Pt.15

Stressed

01/16/2021

Pairing: King!Thor x Reader          Word Count: 5,747

Warnings: angst, jealousy, anxiety, talks of pregnancy, conception troubles

A/N: I’m sorry this came so late and that it’s taking me time to get these out. I’m writing very slowly right now and I only have my brain to blame. I’m finding it so hard to focus right now and I’m not sure why. I’ve gotten away from my usual habit of writing when I wake up and before I go to sleep. Hopefully, I’ll get back to normal soon. I hope y’all like (hate?) this chapter! Things will start to get tough from here on out. I hope y’all will stick with me through it. xoxo

“Well, I’ve got to get back to my girls. Some of them have taken to sneaking out at night in an attempt to earn their wings. If I catch them, I get to make them do whatever I want and I’m not going to lie, it’s the best part of my day.”

Hilde smiles at you, and you try to give her a returning social exchange with the same energy but your mind and eyes keep drifting back to the astronomer across the room currently chatting with Bruce and Tony animatedly about something scientific that you don’t understand.

“Are you seriously stressing about her?” Hilde asks, exasperated with you already.

“No,” you answer with your feathers obviously ruffled. “I’m not.”

Hilde clearly doesn’t believe you as she skews her lips and tilts her head.

“I’m not!”

You say it too loudly and the trio on the other side of the table turn to look at you.

“Not what?” Tony asks, brow furrowed a little with curiosity.

“She’s not tired,” Hilde covers. “How about a tour from Her Majesty?”

“Uh, yeah, I can give you all a tour of the palace. It’s really big.”

“No,” Tony shakes his head. “No tour for me. As fun as following you around while you brag about how much bigger your house is than mine sounds, I just spent weeks in the trenches and I’m going to try and get some sleep or Pepper will ground me and won’t let me come out and play. So, I think, good night?”

“Right. Of course, yeah. Estrid?” You call out to the two large open doors.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” Estrid hurries into view, giving you a quick curtsy before standing with her hands at her front.

“Can you show Mr. Stark-”

“Really?” he asks, incredulous.

“Sorry, habit,” you laugh nervously. “Can you show Tony to his room, please? And Bruce?”

“Uh, yeah. I’d love some sleep,” he nods, rubbing his chest with one hand in slow circles.

“And Bruce as well,” you nod to Estrid who gives you another curtsy.

They all begin to stand, shoving their chairs back in under the table and taking a last drink.

“And…” with odd trepidation, you look at your husband’s very recent former lover and try not to feel too overwhelmed. “Jane?”

“No, actually I was hoping I could speak with you?”

She takes a step towards you, hands pulled to her front as she fidgets with the tips of her fingers for a second then drops them at her sides.

“Oh, yeah. Sure. Thank you, Estrid. When you’ve escorted the gentlemen to their rooms, come find me so that you can show Jane hers when she’s ready.”

“Very good, Your Majesty,” Estrid nods, another curtsy before she turns to Bruce and Tony who now look nervous too as they give you and then Jane inquisitive looks. “This way, gentlemen.”

As Estrid disappears into the hallway, Tony and Bruce follow slowly leaving you, Hilde, and Jane to stand awkwardly in the smaller of the two dining rooms in the palace.

“Should I stay?” Hilde wonders, inching a little closer to you and reaching out to grab your elbow.

“Hm? No. It’s okay. But if you’re going-?”

“Your Majesty,” Heimdall’s warm voice fills the space strangely washing over you with a soothing calm.

Something about Heimdall always makes you feel at ease and the night suddenly seems very bearable.

“Heimdall will be taking over your care until Thor returns, is that alright?” Hilde checks, sounding genuinely worried.

“Will I do, Your Majesty?” Heimdall asks, his voice a gentle teasing.

“Of course, Heimdall!” your huff of a laugh pulls from him a gentle chuckle and he moves around towards you to draw your hand up to his lips.

It’s a genuine sign of respect and it warms your heart.

“Alright, well, I’m off. I will see you tomorrow, Your Majesty. Jane.” Hilde gives her a nod and quickly slides from the room eager to catch her troops out of bed.

Heimdall makes his way towards Jane and as she turns to him, she smiles wide, “Heimdall, it’s so nice to see you again.”

“Jane Foster,” he says her name in full though it doesn’t sound as if he’s being formal.

In fact, they sound pretty close.

“It has been quite a while.” They hug and your heart gives a strange uncertain clench. “How are you?”

“I’m good, all things considered,” Jane says.

All things considered? What things considered?

“Yes, well…” Heimdall leaves his words hanging there, full of meaning that you don’t understand and suddenly the warmth his greeting had left you with is gone and in its place is a sense of intrusion.

Jane was the Queen they had all been expecting. Suddenly feeling dismal, you turn away from their reunion to fill up your fancy silver cup with wine and take a nice long drink.

Without turning back around to look at her because in the moment you can’t really bear it, you address her and hope that your voice doesn’t give you away.

“What was it that you wanted to speak to me about, Jane?”

Hopefully it has nothing to do with Thor or you might just lose your head a little. While a part of you would very much like to bury the hatchet and put everything that happened with her and Thor in the past behind you, in this moment, the last thing you want to do is talk about how she is or was the love of his life.

That you know, right?

This is all so fucked.

“I was actually just wondering if you had a space that I could set up my equipment? Somewhere with clear access to the sky is preferable, and lots of space? I’ll need to set up my equipment to show Thor--and yourself what I’ve been seeing the last few months.”

You can hear it in her voice that she added you as an afterthought. She came to show Thor. To see him?

You hate this sudden insecurity growing inside of you, this second guessing that didn’t even exist until she walked into your home tonight.

Are you thinking too much? Is this wrong of you? Thor is your husband. He loves you. He says it every day. Several times a day because he knows you need to hear it. He physically shows you, also several times a day if he can. Just today, in the hallway downstairs…

“Your Majesty?” Heimdall prompts, pulling you from your thoughts.

You dismiss his concern without acknowledging it because it’s in his all-seeing eyes. Instead, you focus on Jane.

“I have the perfect space. It’s a bit of a walk. I mean, it’s still on palace grounds, just a bit further up the hill behind us. But it’s an observation tower Loki was having built probably for this exact reason.”

“Perfect,” she smiles, then moves to her chair to pick up a large brown bag you hadn’t noticed she’d brought in here with her. “After you?”

Heimdall follows behind the two of you and Jane follows a step behind as you lead her out of the palace back entrance which is hidden behind a smaller room behind the throne room.

The night is chilly and you wrap your arms around yourself and regret the shorter choice of dress.

Jane also seems to shiver for a moment but her own clothes are more tailored to the weather outside than yours is. Her shiver passes.

“Do you enjoy living here?” she asks.

For a moment you don’t realize she’s talking to you, then when no one else answers, you start and quickly clear your throat.

“Yes, I do. I mean, it’s cold a lot. I’ll be glad when Summer’s here. Spring is also kind of on the chillier side.”

“Yeah,” she smiles, as if she’s been here often.

The silence after her affirmation grows tense and your heart begins to pound as your mind goes into a flurry of what she might have gotten up to here in New Asgard before you’d come into the picture.

Warmth suddenly envelops you and you turn to look at Heimdall as he places his dark cloak over your shoulders.

“Thank you, Heimdall,” you gasp, reaching up to pull the cloak around yourself more tightly.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Heimdall nods, “It’s my honor.”

The terrain suddenly grows more rugged and Heimdall is quick to offer you his arm as you adjust your steps to accommodate the rockier path.

You make a mental note to have this pathway fixed. Smoothed out and maybe even given a railing as it gets steeper.

The only thing you can hear is the sound of three pairs of feet trudging along shifting stone and dirt then a softer step as the hill evens out a bit more and becomes covered in grass.

When you don’t have to look down at where you’re stepping anymore, you look up at the tower that looms ahead.

The base is made of heavy stone, each placed with precision and reinforced with steel supports. Wooden beams line each of the corners, decorated with carved images of what you can only assume are Asgardian moments in history.

When you’d come to see its progress at the beginning of its creation, you’d recognized the images of Thor and Odin in battle just above the beam that lines the doorway.

The rest of the tower is a mix of wood, stone, and iron. The aesthetic is very much like the palace, Asgardian curves and shapes fit into more modern Norse lines.

The three of you stop as you reach it and Heimdall hurries forward to throw the large door open.

As you step through, you see that the inside of the tower has not changed much since the last time you came to inspect it.

The bottom floor is a large empty room with only a fireplace against the back wall, exposed rafters up above before the height is cut short by the ceiling.

“Wow,” Jane does sound impressed, “This is great. Is there a-?”

“Upstairs,” you point towards the staircase to the right that rises up around the side of the room. “There’s another room, smaller, but it has a lot of balcony space.”

“Great! Thanks,” she sighs with relief as if she really didn’t expect you to give her some space to work, then heads towards the staircase.

“Um, there’s no furniture in here yet. I’ll have someone bring you some tables and chairs, is there anything more specific that you need?”

Jane stops at the foot of the stairs then turns to look at you and then the space of the bottom floor.

“Would it be possible to get a bed in here? You’re right, and it is a long way from the palace. I’m gonna be in here probably all the time so…?”

You know that she isn’t asking for the impossible or anything out of the question, but suddenly the idea of making this tower her little space has a whole other life playing out in your head.

A life where you had married Thor and he had been unable to give up Jane. A life of her living here at the palace with you in her own space where Thor can come and be with her in private away from prying eyes while still giving the appearance of being with you, his Queen in name only.

“Your Majesty?” Heimdall prompts you quietly, reaching out to touch your elbow again and pull you from the pain and panic you’re trying to hide.

You force a smile, a small shake of your head, “Yes, of course. Sorry, I’ve had a busy day. I’ll have them bring you everything you need within the hour.”

“Thank you. Once I have everything set up I’ll make sure to show you what I’ve found and then Thor can um, plan for what might come?”

“Of course,” you agree, eager to get the hell out of here and back to your room where you can fall apart in private. “Now, I hope you’ll excuse my bad hosting skills, but I really am super tired and I think I’m going to turn in a little early.”

“Oh, yeah, sure! No problem at all,” Jane smiles, “Thank you for all your help. And dinner! Dinner was so good. Thanks.”

“My pleasure. I’ll let Cook know,” you nod, hoping that your smile isn’t too tense for the moment. “Good night.”

“Night!”

You’re almost grateful for the cold night air as it bites the skin of your cheeks. Anything is better than the stress you just felt in that tower.

You hear the heavy door of the tower close behind you, then Heimdall’s footsteps join your own though your heavy breathing is alone as he walks calmly beside you.

“Are you alright, Y/N?” Heimdall wonders, gentle and honestly concerned.

“I’m fine,” You lie.

“Does having Jane Foster here bother you? There is no need for you to worry. I have seen Thor be with many women-”

“Oh, my God,” and you can’t help but huff a laugh. “Not helping, Heimdall.”

“-and I have never seen him be with anyone the way he is with you. It’s more than just love. It's a partnership. Companionship. It’s friendship. Trust. After their initial reconnection, Thor’s trust in Jane and their courtship dwindled and as you know, by the end, it was completely gone.”

“So, what you’re saying is he’s so sure that I love him that he has no reason to worry?”

Which is true, you do and he has no reason to worry about you not loving him or falling for someone else at this point. You can’t even imagine being with anyone the way you’ve been with Thor.

“He’s not afraid to lose me?” You hate giving into these thoughts.

Honestly though, talking about them to someone will help you sleep tonight. Maybe.

“Yes,” Heimdall agrees. “And no. Even now, this very moment, all he can think of is you.”

You stop walking, stunned by his words because you’ve never asked him to look for you. You’ve heard Thor ask him to see things before, to search, and Heimdall always has. It had never crossed your mind to do the same.

Then again, this is the first time you and Thor have been apart since before you were married.

“What-You can see him?” Heimdall looks down at your feet, focuses what must be his mental eyes, and then slowly nods.

“He’s distressed at leaving you here alone, he’s finding it hard to focus on what Fandral is telling him and Fandral is growing more and more upset.”

You smile, completely absorbed by this information.

“Did he ever ask you to look for her? For Jane?”

Your words are quiet, hesitant, though your heart feels slightly more at ease by Heimdall’s reassurance.

“In the very beginning of their courtship, just after he left Earth and the bifrost was destroyed. Their love was new then. It was short-lived. Then Thor came back to Earth and they were able to be together, for a time.

“But their compatibility has always had its trials. After some time together, Thor was called back to the Universe and Jane had her own work to do. Their responsibilities have always pulled them apart and if I’m honest, Thor is the more hopeless romantic between them.”

You think about all of the small things that Thor has done for you since you came back home. The flowers, the baths, surprise dinners, the small presents hidden under your pillow or in drawers he knows you’ll get into. He’s done a lot more to show you he’s thinking about you during the day than you have and you can understand what Heimdall is saying.

You’re not so much a gift giver in love it seems, and instead give him all of the affection he’d seemed so starved for in the beginning.

“Her being here will not damage your marriage. Trust me.” Heimdall finishes.

You lead the walk again, moving slower but calmer after Heimdall’s reassurance.

“Will you come back up and check that Jane gets everything she needs? We really should have had the tower set up a long time ago.”

“As soon as I am certain you are in your quarters safe, with a guard outside your door, yes. I can ensure that she has everything that she requires.”

For a few minutes you walk in silence, at ease. When you reach the back doors of the palace however and he holds the doors open for you, you turn to Heimdall and after a quick bite to your lip, “Is he still with Fandral?”

Heimdall smiles and nods, “Fandral is yelling at him for not paying attention.”

Both of you laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s so early when you wake. It’s still dark outside and you’re almost sure that sunrise is still a few hours away.

You’re exhausted. Eyes burning as you push yourself up and the night plays itself over.

So suddenly you’re anxious again, nerves making your fingertips tingle and your stomach do an uncomfortable flip as you turn over onto your back to look at Thor’s side of the bed.

It’s undisturbed. Both pillows are still in their made up position.

He said he’d be back very late at night, early morning at the latest. You’d been hoping for the former.

With a groan, you sit up, sliding slowly down to the end of the bed and the bench where Thor sits to put his boots on.

You’re so groggy. The night was restless and you’ve really only gotten about an hour of sleep. Two at the most.

It’s stuffy in the room, the fire still burning and leaving you a little sticky from being huddled underneath a heavy blanket because you’d missed the weight of Thor’s arms all night.

The large glass doors across from you rattle from the wintry breeze outside, beckoning you forward for relief from this heat.

As you step on the floor, your body is rocked with a shiver that pushes you up onto your toes. As fancy as this palace is, you’ll have to ask Thor if it’s possible to get some heated floors installed.

Moving as quickly as you can, you don’t stop until you’re at the doors and then thrust them open and absolutely inhale the frigid late night air.

You scan the distant ocean as it spreads into the horizon, the sky it touches still an inky black with a breathtaking scattering of stars.

You can hear the Valkyrie below in their barracks and training grounds already working hard to get into shape. Hilde must have really caught them sneaking out.

Heimdall should be waiting close by. You really want to see if he has news about Thor’s schedule and if maybe he’s on his way home and just running late.

As you turn to walk back into the room, you freeze as your eyes scan the tower you’d set Jane up in.

From this angle you have a clear view of the balcony. She’s already set up her equipment. You didn’t know that you could see this well into the tower.

It’s all lit up like a beacon in the dark.

It’s an unpleasant reminder that she’s here and you make a mental note to keep the curtains drawn when you know she’s up there. Which you realize that unfortunately, will probably mean all the time.

Sighing, you move towards the door but then freeze again as Thor moves from the balcony doorway towards a large telescope attached to what looks like heavily modified computers.

He’s still in uniform, smiling. Behind him, Jane follows, arms wrapped around herself before she stops too close to Thor for your liking.

She rushes around him and looks through the eyepiece. You can see her talking away, mouth moving at the speed of light as she explains something to him, her hands flying around her as she talks, apparently the cold is forgotten.

She pulls away from the telescope as Thor chuckles then moves back inside out of sight as Thor sidles up to the eyepiece but doesn’t touch it yet.

The telescope moves, clearly Jane adjusting it from inside where she must have set up her computer equipment.

Thor takes a step back then the telescope stops and Jane flutters back out onto the balcony and gestures for Thor to look through.

He does, Jane moves in beside him, saying something that must be a whisper if she’s standing that close. He says something back.

The two of them having a pleasant conversation.

The clench in your chest feels choking.

Thor pulls back from the eyepiece and turns to look at her.

He’s too far away for you to see his expression, too small. But their faces are so close and he doesn’t pull away.

You sink back into your room, terrified to see something that will ruin the perfect bliss you’ve been in these first three months of your marriage.

Not that it isn’t already ruined. You’ve been a mess since Jane showed her face and now with what you just saw, how can you feel anything but lousy?

You don’t do what you want to do. You don’t slink back into bed and hide under the covers to wallow.

Instead you move to your closet and look for a dignified dress. Something that you can wear that will scream Queen of New Asgard but also be relaxed enough for you to work in.

You choose something with a simple cut. Long sleeves, a deep V in the front, with a loose flowing skirt but a tight bodice to match the equally tight sleeves. The color is an iridescent black that shimmers in teal and startling pink.

The color reminds you of the northern lights with a splash of the hazy pink in the orion nebula. It’s beautiful and otherworldly, and it screams Queen of Asgard in casual formal.

With the dress you move back into the room and hang it on the small stand in front of the full length mirror by your vanity before grabbing some new underwear and moving into the bath.

You ignore the large tub you and Thor have spent hours upon hours in and quickly shower instead. You emerge fresh and clean, though not exactly refreshed.

You’re stepping out of the shower when your bedroom doors open and you freeze, staring at them as they swing forward with your hands pressed to the top of your towel holding it shut.

Your heart drops when Estrid smiles prettily at you, turning around to close the doors as she greets you.

“Good morning, Your Majesty, did you sleep well?” She moves straight for your vanity to pull out the brush, pins, and makeup she usually uses on you in the morning.

She’s in here much earlier than normal and she can’t have gotten that much sleep herself. She’s so attuned to you now that you’re worried for her but also grateful.

“Good morning, Estrid,” you reply, refusing to answer her question because she’d only worry. “Did Ms. Foster get all of the things she needed in the tower?”

“Yes, m’am. Heimdall made sure that she had everything she would need for her research before he retired to stand guard at your door.”

You have an endless stream of questions about Thor in your head, things you want to ask Estrid but you bite your tongue as Estrid helps you on with your dress then sits you down at your vanity to dry your hair and work on today’s set of braids.

Time passes as she works. Time that feels like seconds to you as your mind works hard to try and reassure your heart that you have nothing to worry about, and yet, it still aches.

“You’re very quiet this morning, Your Majesty,” she observes.

“Yeah. I don’t really feel like talking unless I have to.”

“Very well, Your Majesty,” she accepts, but then after a few minutes of silence. “Are you not feeling well? Shall I send for the doctor?”

“No, Estrid. I’m not sick. I’m-shit, what’s the date today?”

Reaching around, you look for your phone to check the date.

“‘Tis the fifteenth, Your Majesty,” Estrid informs you.

“Did you forget about me already?” A deep smooth voice slides in from your doorway and you turn in search of the comfort the tone gives you.

“David!”

On your feet and across the room, David greets you with open arms. A small firm hug is what he gives you before kissing the side of your head and then pushing you back to look at you.

His eyes linger on your stomach for a moment before he frowns playfully.

“Nothing yet? I guess we’ll find out today if we’re to expect anything in the next month.”

“No pressure,” you reply sarcastically.

David chuckles, his fancy four piece navy suit a display of his busy nature. As much as he wants to visit, you know that he’s busier now with so many people wanting his services. The prestige of being the Queen of New Asgard’s lawyer has brought him a windfall.

Not that he needs it, but he appreciates the work.

“I did forget we had a testing today. Something happened yesterday.”

Your voice filters into a whisper at the end, though you’re not even aware of it.

David matches your energy, though he doesn’t whisper, he recognizes your stress and concern saturates his entire person.

“What’s happened?”

“I-” You look towards Estrid, and she’s so good that she’s cleaning your vanity, ignoring your conversation as best she can, but still. “Estrid, were you finished with my hair?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” she turns to you and smiles. “Will you be needing anything else? Breakfast in the breakfast room?”

“Are you hungry, David?”

“No, I’m not. Thank you.”

“No breakfast, Estrid. Thank you. When the doctor arrives, can you show him in?”

Estrid curtsies, and without another word, she leaves you and David in the room.

“You look beautiful today, by the way,” David tells you as he moves towards the small table in the corner to sit but waits for you to reach your chair first to pull it out for you.

“Thanks, I chose it very carefully,” you admit. “Does it make me look like a real Queen?”

“You are a real Queen,” David assures you, then cocks his head as he registers your stress again. “What happened last night?”

You sigh heavily, using your nails to pick at the woodgrain of the table, shoulders slouched a little as you deflate.

“Jane showed up with Tony and Bruce,” you reveal, a shaky breath accompanying your desperate information.

“Oh? At Thor’s invitation?” David wonders, which honestly sobers you up a little from your depression.

“No. I don’t think so. I mean, Tony and Bruce were supposed to come to install a security system for the palace and I guess maybe she just tagged along?”

“And you are upset that your husband’s former lover has forced her way into your new home.”

It’s not a question. David has always been very observant and he sucks for it. Jerk.

“Well...yeah. But that’s not why-”

“Something else happened?”

David leans towards you and places his hand over yours, a soft knowing look on your surrogate father’s face.

With a quick little sigh you tell him about your stress over not getting pregnant and the pressures from the ambassadors to do that before more time goes by to secure the ties between the Asgardians to Earth. You tell him about your worries about Jane that have died down a little since you and Thor got married but have never truly gone away. Lastly, you tell him about what you saw this morning and how you’d been expecting Thor to come directly to you when he got back but clearly that’s not happening.

“Maybe I’m being too sensitive? But I mean, it’s been what? An hour and a half since you got here and he still hasn’t come to look for me?”

You reach over and rub your arm, the soft fabric of your dress pleasing but only in the back of your mind where you’re not thinking about Thor and Jane.

“If that is how you feel, then that is how you feel. The important part now is talking to Thor about it. Couples lose out when they feel about something the way that they do and then keep it to themselves. Even Gods are not mind readers.”

David tilts his head, eyes looking across the room for a moment before he looks right back at you.

“At least not to my knowledge.”

You almost smile, but the stress of talking to Thor about this is giving your anxiety a nice boost.

“What if I don’t like what he says?”

“Then you don’t like it. You cannot avoid the confrontation because you might not hear what you want to hear. That is not how a marriage, or any relationship works. In big moments like these, honesty I think is the best policy.”

He’s right of course. You know he is. That doesn’t mean you have to like it.

You close your eyes and try to see Thor’s handsome face smiling sweetly at you, just as he had yesterday before he left. Instead you see him smiling down at Jane next to that stupid telescope, him chuckling at whatever she’s saying as she talks away about her work.

Two knocks to your door pull you from your stupid thoughts and drop your heart into the pit of your stomach, but Estrid peeks in to make sure that you’re okay to see her.

Suddenly, you’re dreading seeing Thor.

“Come in, Estrid.”

She moves in, behind her follows two doctors. One is a woman with a lovely heart shaped face and long full dark brown hair that compliments her olive skin. She’s wearing a sleek gray pantsuit, pink camisole underneath, and a thick black coat draped over her arm.

Her name is Amana Wilson and she has been your gynecologist since David gave you your inheritance and you were able to afford better healthcare.

The second doctor is an older man with a thick black beard streaked through with bits of gray. He glows an almost ethereal way. Clearly Asgardian. Your general caregiver since you moved to New Asgard, Doctor Alric Orvinson smiles eagerly, kindly, a pure excitement radiating off of him.

He’s always so eager to put everything he’s learning into practice.

Doctor Wilson curtsies and Doctor Alric bows before they both greet you in unison.

“Your Majesty,” they say.

David waits until you’re standing before he stands too, but then he moves towards the doors.

“I think I’ll go have some of that breakfast you offered me,” he tells you then makes his way towards the large doors. “Doctors, I know you will give Her Majesty the best care you can offer?”

“Of course,” Doctor Wilson assures him and he leaves you with a quick wink of his eye.

“Thank you, Estrid. Make sure David gets a proper meal? No pop tarts!”

“Party pooper!” David shouts back.

Estrid curtsies, “Right away, Your Majesty.”

She leaves you quickly with a chuckle in her throat at your exchange with David.

As the door closes, you take a step towards your doctors and slowly release a held breath.

“So, what will it be today? Should I go strip or…?”

“No. Not today. Since we did a physical on you last time, we won’t worry about that during this visit,” Doctor Wilson assures you.

“Today, Doctor Wilson will be watching me take some blood and perform a pregnancy test to see if you are expecting our heir!”

Our heir?

New Asgard sees the future prince or princess to come as their own. It’s not just your and Thor’s baby. This baby, if and when there is a baby, is an entire people’s baby.

You feel your anxiety rise again. Clenching your hands, you nod and force a smile as Doctor Alric moves towards you with a large metallic box that he places down and opens.

Inside comes a rush of cold air and what looks like medical equipment used to test blood. You don’t know what it’s called and it’s super high tech. Nothing that you’ve ever seen before.

Your two tests before had been sent to labs and then you’d received the results a few days later, if they’re testing the blood here, does that mean faster results?

“So, how long will I have to wait this time then? To know whether I’m doing my job or not?”

Doctor Alric looks up at you with slight surprise and worry.

There must be something in your voice since he seems to realize what he’s said is putting pressure on you because he stands up straight and fixes his own suit jacket before speaking.

“Your Majesty,” he begins, but Doctor Wilson moves to stand beside you and places her hand on your shoulder.

“Within the hour. This is Stark tech, so it’ll be quick and accurate. Have you been stressing about getting pregnant?” She’s so much softer than Doctor Alric, but not because she’s a woman.

She just knows you better.

“Kinda hard not to with an entire planet waiting for it,” you admit. “Do you think that if-if it’s negative, should Thor and I stop trying so hard? We’re trying daily. No breaks.”

“I think the stress more than the trying will probably make it harder but you’re both healthy. It will happen. If you are tired and you think the stress is too much, then take a break. It won’t do any harm if you lose a couple nights of sleeping with your husband.”

You feel a swell of relief for this human woman who knows just what to say. You give her a sly smirk.

“Have you seen my husband? It’ll hurt.”

She laughs a quick knowing chuckle, “Trust me, you don’t gotta tell me how fine he is, Your Majesty.”

Both of you laugh a few seconds then you take the seat that Doctor Alric sets beside you and while you roll up your sleeve, he and Doctor Wilson fly off into medical jargon that you don’t understand and consequently zone out into thoughts of Thor and why the fuck he still hasn’t come to see you.

[glowinggator]

Friendly Competition

Request:  Now I can’t get the image of Mikey and Leo prancing around the lair to try to impress Y/N and Raph and Donnie just exchanging glances like wth in response to this X,D Wait, are you open to requests? Because then I’d totally request if you could do the idea of Leo and Mikey trying to impress Y/N in outdoing each other…

Characters: Leonardo (Pining)/Reader/Michelangelo (Pining)

Content Warnings: Swearing, really brief reference to The Walking Dead (Season 4). 

Word Count: 1946 

“Carl, Carl! Oh my god, dude,” Mikey squeals, clinging tightly to Raph’s side. Any other day, you might have laughed a little at his reaction - once a little brother, always a little brother - but you’re not in much better standing this time. The boy on TV backs slowly away from the zombies a little overconfidently for your liking, and you can’t suppress the rush of anxiety that courses through you. He’s a TV character, sure, but you’ve watched him grow up! He can’t die now, right? 

And when the third walker appears, grabbing onto the young boy and pulling him down, you could have sworn the whole lair screamed. The room is filled with the “no’s” and various swears of your friends as the kid fights for his life, and you press yourself further into the couch to try and put some distance between you and the TV. You flinch at the sound of gunshots as he pushes the walkers away, barely managing to stay alive, when suddenly the room is pierced with a noise that’s somehow even more jarring and terrifying. 

Battle alarm. Of course. Some yokai...alien… whatever it is... had to terrorize New York City now, of all times? 

"Couldn't this have been an email or something? Really, the nerve of some people. Interrupting The Walking Dead now, of all times," You groan jokingly, pausing the show for the boys as they rise to their feet. 

“If you unpause it while we’re gone, I will take you as a prisoner of war and treat the Geneva Convention as a to-do-list,” Donatello snarks. 

You stick your tongue out at him, but you can’t help but giggle. “Noted, D. Hurry back guys, stay safe!” 

“We will!” Raphael calls, waving to you with a smile before stopping at the exit of the lair, waiting for his brothers to catch up. Donatello walks right past him, balancing his tech bō over the expanse of his shoulders. You smile and wave back at Raph, but soon after, you’re met with the excited cheers of Mikey. He takes a running start at one of the nearby guard rails, grinning as he lines himself up at an angle. He jumps, grabbing the bar and spinning himself around it with ease to face you. In the brief second where your eyes lock, he shoots you a wink and a grin, before spinning himself back around and walking off. I mean, you know he’s a ninja and all, but has he always been that smooth with his parkour? Or like, that smooth in general? 

He waves quickly at you with a smile and walks straight past Raph and into the tunnels of the sewer system. “Later, angel!” He chirps. 

Leo boos before taking a running start of his own. Not to be outdone, he avoids the bar completely, instead choosing to flip over it entirely. He clears the bar with ease, landing on one leg and sweeping the other under him to perform a small rotation towards the ground. As he regains his balance, he pushes himself up with one hand and removes his feet from the ground to do another rotation before planting them once more and performing an angled flip. His movements are quick and fluid, as though such acrobatic feats were innate to his nature. As he lands he grins and shoots you a pair of fingerguns - which you laugh at softly - before backing out of the lair. “Later, sweetheart,” he coos, and turns around to walk out properly. You chuckle again once you hear Mikey’s voice echo from the sewers. 

“Show-off.” 

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

You swish the warm drink around in your mug and take a sip. You practically purr at the heat as it hits your tongue: it’s been far too cold for your liking lately. Or, maybe you’re spending too much time in the sewers. Maybe you should invest in some space heaters, if you’re gonna be down here all the time. You twiddle a pencil between your fingers as you fill out the tattered crossword in a vain attempt to wake your brain up a little. Who was Aphrodite’s son again? Did she even have a son? You suppose you’ll get back to that one. 

Raphael stumbles into the kitchen with a groan, fumbling around for a fresh mug. “Good mornin’, Y/N.” 

“Good morning, Raph,” you reply. 

He finally manages to find a mug, pouring some coffee and creamer and pulling up a chair next to you. He leans his head in his hands, clearly not awake yet. You chuckle. “Sleepy?”

He hums affirmatively and takes a sip of his coffee. You pat his shell gently and return to your crossword. You’ve never felt more like an adult, you think sarcastically. It’s like some scene out of a Lifetime movie. 

Out of nowhere, there comes a loud thump from the common area, followed by the quiet swears of Leo. You damn-near jump out of your seat at the sudden noise, barely managing to keep your drink in your mug. It sloshes around the rim, and you quickly put your hand up to steady it. Raph, meanwhile, stays glued to his seat, seemingly unbothered by the loud noise. “Good morning,” he repeats. You snort. “Good morning, indeed,” you reply. 

After a moment of thought, you set down your cup and rise to your feet. You might as well check out the noise and make sure everything is okay. You pat Raph’s head one last time before walking out into the living room, only to find Mikey and Leo whispering loudly at one another. Their voices are so hushed that it’s difficult to decipher what exactly they’re saying, although you can certainly hear them. But judging by the force behind the indecipherable words - and the overexaggerated hand motions - it clearly isn’t a friendly discussion. You clear your throat and wave gently at them, which catches their attention. 

“Everything okay?” You venture. 

“Yeah-” says Mikey. 

“Yeah- It’s- Everything’s all good,” Leo stumbles, only to be cut off by his brother.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” He elbows Leo harshly, emphasizing some point to his brother that you’re clearly missing. 

“Hunky-dorey.” 

“Peachy-keen”

“Perfect.” 

The two keep stuttering and stammering, occasionally elbowing the other without warning. You raise an eyebrow at the strange behavior, and decide to intervene. “Okay,” you drawl, “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t just hear… whatever that was. For your guys’ sake.” You joke lightly, attempting to lighten the mood a little and divert the attention away from that… trainwreck of an interaction. And the boys seem all-too-happy for the excuse, as Leo quickly jumps in with a quick question. 

“Hey, now that you’re here, could you do us a huge favor? We’re having a little…” he pauses, “brotherly competition, and we need someone unbiased to judge.” 

“Oh, that sounds fun!” You chirp, “What kind of competition is it?” 

“It’s-” 

“It’s a parkour competition!” Mikey interjects. 

The tension between the two turtles is thick, and you certainly don’t want to be the one to address it. Perhaps if you ignore it, it’ll go away on its own? Maybe they both woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or maybe this competition has high stakes? You sigh internally: it’s too early to be thinking this hard. “Sweet! I’m ready to be impressed,” you jest. “Who’s going first?” 

“Me!” 

“I will!” 

They reply in unison, cutting each other off for the umpteenth time today. You chuckle and roll your eyes, which catches their attention. You don’t miss the way their eyes light up… or the way Mikey begins to smirk. He looks almost devious, although you suppose such a mischievous look isn’t an uncommon sight with him. 

“Leo,” he starts, “How about you go first?” 

He takes the bait with a grin, clearly unaware of whatever plan Michelangelo’s formed. “Why certainly!” He rolls his wrist around in an overexaggerated motion, beaming with absolute confidence. “As the eldest brother in the room, I’d be happy to show you how it’s done.” 

And with that, he’s off. His movements are as smooth as silk as he runs towards the nearest crate, grabbing it at an angle to flip himself over once. He lands on his feet with a loud “thump” against the concrete, but he doesn’t waste a moment as he runs towards the nearest wall. He runs up its length the moment he’s in range, this time using his body weight to spin himself during his flip. He’s fluid in his movements, years of practice and training shining through in this brief moment. This time he lands straight up on both feet, although he doesn’t take any reprieve. Instead, he kicks himself up and over, sweeping the leg to enter a combative stance. A final flourish in his display, you assume. And just like that, it’s over. The show only lasted a matter of seconds, but it’s still enough to leave you starry-eyed and in awe. 

“That was fucking badass, Leo!” You clap. 

“Really?” He smiles, “Uh, I mean, yeah! Thanks!” He fumbles with his hands for a moment before finding a spot for them. He rests them behind his head, shifting side to side on his feet. God, that’s so fucking cute. 

You beam: You can’t wait to see what Mikey does! “Think you can top that, Mikey?” 

He returns your excitement wholeheartedly, shining back with something that seems like… so much more than his typical positivity. In most situations, he radiates so much positivity that one could liken it to a lighthouse for the hopeful. But his attitude seems different from that usual beacon of light. He’s excited, positive, and confident, but that’s not what’s throwing you off. Sure, they’re competitive, but what’s the motivator this time? Ah, you suppose you’ll find out soon enough. You’re brought out of your thoughts by his cheers. “Easy!” 

And god, Mikey’s movements are so graceful that he makes Leo’s look inexperienced, like a giraffe crossing a tightrope. He moves like a swan through water, scaling walls effortlessly and flying through the air like it’s his second home. He starts his routine off strong, leaping at the first waist-high object he could lay his eyes on, performing an impromptu 720 rotation and landing on the concrete protrusion hands-first. He leaps off it as quickly as he landed, using his momentum to propel himself onto a nearby set of steel bars. He throws himself from one to the other with ease, spinning and adding his own flair to each and every movement. You can’t seem to take your eyes off of him while he leaps his way to victory. He uses any ledge possible to propel himself higher and higher, and his movements are so light and quick that they hardly make a sound. And before you know it, he’s standing at the topmost bit of the lair. He plops himself down, dangling his legs off of the precipice and swinging them back and forth. From this far away, you can barely see the way his grin stretches across his face, but you know it’s there. He raises one hand to wave at you and Leo, and the way he wiggles his fingers signals that he knows he’s won. And to be fair, he has. You giggle at the way Leo mutters “show-off” under his breath - where have you heard that one before? - before signaling for Mikey that he’s won and to head on down. And god, the descent is just as impressive. He laughs as he kicks and spins his way down, and despite the competition being over, he continues to shine and demonstrate his skills flawlessly. 

“One and one, baby!”

[ikindamissbeingphysical]

5 Times Musa wore Riven’s clothes

Read here or on ao3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29376804

1.

The Alfea Games is a bullshit annual tradition. It's an exam masquerading as a tournament, just a way for the teachers and high rankers of the Kingdom to see who they want to pluck out of the Academy and take for their army, or task force, or some other random position Riven could really not care less about.

Still, he's competitive, and if there's one thing he likes doing, it's beating Sky.

He slashes, a dagger in each fist, at the Burned One projection and it falls to its knees shrieking.

The stands are full of students cheering, and Riven gets a rush at their applause.

"Show off." Sky pants from beside him, as Riven's tally flicks up to 7, and Sky's stays stubbornly at 4.

"Jealous, much?" Riven grins; relieved when the half-time bell chimes because his legs are sore, and the late afternoon sun still burns as it begins to dip out of the sky. He and the other Specialists head over to the shade and he rifles through his rucksack for some water as Sky goes to kiss Bloom, who's leaning over the rail; red tresses swaying in the breeze.

"You were amazing!" Bloom gushes, and Sky beams at her, and Riven mimes throwing up.

Someone laughs.

He turns to see Musa, headphones around her neck, hair in pigtails, and-and-

In his jacket.

She's wearing his jacket. His leather jacket. It's draped over her shoulders. Her bare shoulders, because she's wearing some strapless, form-fitting purple dress, and Riven's coat, she's wearing Riven's-

"You okay, man?" Sky asks, and Riven realises they're all looking at him, and he's still looking at Musa, and her big, brown eyes are lit up a sort of hazel in the red setting sun.

He nods, waving them off, and chugs more of his water, trying to temper his heartbeat.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Musa asks, more quietly, her irises flaring purple. Her eyebrows stitch together worriedly. "You're like- really anxious. It's just a game."

"Stay out of my head." He hisses furiously, petrified that she might be able to see, might be able to tell-

She leans away from him, scowling. "Fine. Whatever."

He's grateful when the bell rings again, but his winning streak is gone. As the flood-lights turn on and the sun disappears, he misses target after target. He keeps getting pinned by fucking rookies and everyone else's tally continues to jump up as his dies on a plateau.

He can see her, in his peripheral, wearing his jacket and she probably doesn't even know it's his. She probably doesn't know how she looks in that leather swamping her frame, the collar resting at her neck, where the skin looks so soft that-

"Fuck, dude," Sky curses, hauling Riven off his ass. "Pull yourself together."

"She's wearing my jacket." He snaps, and Sky looks at him blankly for a moment, before he groans.

"Dude, I know you're like, against sharing, but she was freezing and it was just lying there. I'd have given her mine, but Bloom had already-"

"It's fine, just-" Riven tries to shake it off, "I'm focused."

He can't help a final glance over his shoulder, to see Musa leaning sleepily against the railings, headphones now secured over her ears, resting her chin on her arms. On his jacket sleeves. She's lit by the silver floodlights, and her eyes are half-closed, and he wonders what she's listening to. He wonders-

The Burned One knocks him to the ground, and the buzzer blares.

2.

The next day, traces of her perfume linger on his jacket, swirling around him the way she does, always, in his thoughts.

It's sweet, like honey and vanilla, like home-spun sugar and toffee.

He'd found his jacket right on the bench where he'd left it after the game: the stands empty, the game over. It had been folded neatly and left just beside his things and he'd slid it on and tried not to replay their interaction in his head.

Today's a new day.

As part of Sky's new scheme to become the best boyfriend in the history of boyfriends, they've been sitting with the Winx Suite most lunch times. It's not exactly Riven's idea of a good time. He feels some horrid mix of guilt and irritation whenever he looks at Terra, and Aisha glowers at him like his very proximity will end in her getting a suspension. He spends most of the time arguing with Stella, and trying (failing) not to look at Musa while Sky and Bloom stray the line between PDA and go get a room.

When he gets to the cafeteria and heads for the table, he's surprised, and maybe a little thrilled, to see that it's just Musa at the table.

She stands up as soon as she seems him.

"Good, the others just left. They wanted to have lunch out by the lake. Bloom has apparently ‘found a place’. C'mon, we can catch up."

He has no option but to follow her, and sure enough, half-way across the field is the whole merry-fucking-gang. Riven doesn't know how to feel. Sky could've texted, if his brain was capable of fathoming anything other than Bloom when she was nearby. Were they even going to invite him? Was he going to get to the cafeteria to see an empty table? They probably wouldn't have missed him anyway, he thinks bitterly.

And yet- Musa was there. Waiting.

He looks at her thoughtfully, and her eyes flash purple when she catches him. She winces. "It wasn't like that." She says, "they were caught up in the idea of going there. They weren't purposely trying to leave you behind."

Jesus Christ, can't she just-

"I'm sorry," she barrels on, as they fall into the same steps, almost caught up to the others. "I'm trying to respect your privacy and everything, I'm working on it- my control isn't great at the moment."

"You should work on that." He mutters.

Her shoulders slump dejectedly. "I know."

Well, fuck, he didn't mean to- he swallows hard. "I'm tanking my field training." He says, trying to ignore her look of surprise at this freely-offered information. "Great at everything else, but camouflage? The element of surprise? I'm struggling. It's hard. I also fucking hate it, so there's that."

She huffs out a small laugh. "I bet you just like the thrill of attacking someone face to face. None of that 'sneaking up on you' bullshit."

He grins before he can check himself, and she catches it, and smiles too.

"There you are!" Bloom calls excitedly, "c'mon, we're gonna use Stella's ring."

Riven hates to give Bloom props for anything- and it isn't because he doesn't like her, or anything like that- he's just reluctant to acknowledge anybody's good traits since they all seem so loathe to see any in him- but the lake is nice.

Large and leafy green, surrounded by trees and over-hung by the clear blue sky. There's a sunbeaten deck strutting proudly into the middle, and Aisha strips out of her clothes to reveal a swim suit, and in three great strides, dives in like a dolphin.

The rest of them stare after her in awe.

"Are you always wearing that under your clothes?" Riven asks, toeing off his shoes, watching as Aisha tumble turns and glides through the water like a dolphin. She smiles at him from the water, and he's surprised by the look of it on her face. For the first time, she looks relaxed. Stress-free. Content.

Bloom and Stella change into their swim suits, as he and Sky just strip down to their boxers. Bloom wolf-whistles, and Sky blushes.

Riven puffs his chest out, winking at Stella who scoffs at him. He turns to find Musa. She's shrugged off her coat and shoes, and is rifling through her bag in confusion. She's too pre-occupied to notice his abs. Riven tries not to take offence.

"I can't find my- oh shit." Musa groans, thumping her head. "I left it back in the fire circle."

"Oh! Don't worry, Musa," Terra says brightly, as she sits, fully-dressed, on the mossy bank, with a stack of books beside her. "You can sit this one out with me!"

Musa turns to her with a smile (that to Riven, looks fucking forced) just as Bloom and Sky jump in. They scream, splashing Stella who cannon-balls in after them. Riven watches Musa's face, can see the hidden longing in her eyes.

A part of him wants to tease her, entice her in by saying how much he wouldn't mind if they decided to go skinny-dipping instead, but he knows it ultimately wouldn't work. Instead, he reaches for his discarded black tee, and tosses it to her.

"Should be long enough to preserve your modesty," he says, going for casual and heading for the dock. "Considering you're such a short-arse."

Musa sticks her tongue out at him, but she eagerly turns to get changed and Riven plunges into the lake to resist the urge to watch.

The water is warm and licks at his skin as the sun beats down onto his shoulders. It's deep and he can't quite graze the bottom, and he's suddenly, a little stupidly, grateful for knowing Sky. Grateful that he gets to be here. He floats on his back, staring up at the sky and letting himself just bask in the moment. As the water laps in his ears, he can hear the others laughing, Aisha swimming, Stella screaming, and the sun warms red spots onto his eye lids, marvellous colours in the dark- so he opens them.

Just in time to see Musa standing on the dock.

Suddenly, all his attention is on her. Her long, tan legs on display, his tee, his t-shirt, tickling down past her hips, and she jumps.

Okay. Turns out it's not a leather jacket thing. Anything that's his looks good on her. He could look good on her.

He watches for her when she re-surfaces, as she joins in splashing Stella, and he waits, waits, waits, until- victory.

She swims over to him. A little way away from the group, to where he's treading water alone. The t-shirt clings to her and he wants to touch her and-

"Hey," she says, with wet hair and water droplets on her eyelashes. "Thanks for the tee."

He shrugs. "I'd rather you'd jumped in without anything on."

She hits him, but finally, finally, he gets her eyes on him. They linger, as the water rivets roll down the breadth of his shoulders, his chest, down to- her eyes flicker away, cheeks red.

"Don't be shy," he purrs, "I'm hot. It's not a sin to look. You're hot too. Dancer’s body. Bet you're flexible."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She murmurs, before her eyes flash purple. He tries not to let it irritate him. He hates the violation of his privacy, but he knows she can't control it- but she turns away from him, and he follows her gaze to Terra, sitting balefully alone. "If I do what I'm gonna do," she whispers, and his heart trips up a little, at her whispering to him over the water, pulling him in closer. A secret just for the two of them. "Promise you won't tell anyone."

Riven grins. "I'm great with secrets."

Musa takes a breath, before she stares at Terra, face tense with concentration, eyes shimmering purple.

Riven turns to look at Terra expectantly. "You're mind-controlling her?"

"No." Musa mutters, still focused, "I'm just trying to increase her confidence, trying to-"

Terra looks up suddenly, and Musa hurriedly grabs Riven's arm to move behind him.

"The water does look good!" Terra calls, "is it warm?"

"Oh, it's lovely, Terra!" Musa hollers back, "you should come in!"

"Yes! Join us!" Bloom sings, from her position perched on Sky's shoulders.

Terra wavers. Riven can feel Musa's hand curled around his arm, her body against his back. "I don't have my costume!" She yells.

"You're wearing like five layers," Stella calls, "you can spare one."

Terra chews on her bottom lip, and Riven turns his head to whisper: "can't you boost it anymore?"

"I'm trying." Musa insists quietly, "I can't manufacture it. I can only enhance what's already there."

"Terra," Riven yells, startling her, "if you come in, I'll let you dunk me."

Sky bursts out laughing, and Terra giggles.

"Well, I can't resist that!" She says, getting to her feet. Riven turns away, looking down at Musa who's beaming up at him.

"Wow." She says, pressing her lips together to hide the glee in her tone. "That was very sweet."

"Fuck off." Riven mutters, but his eyes are on the collar of his wet tee as it clings to her skin. "I only did it because that was bloody painful to watch. By the way, is there anything else you can do with your powers that I should watch out for?"

Musa tips her head contemplatively. "Actually, yes." She lifts her hands and cups his face. He startles a little, at her fingertips against his jaw, before he sees her eyes purple and shimmer, and then suddenly, a weird emotion clouds into his head. It's familiar yet foreign, it's-

gratitude?

"It's meant to be gratitude." Musa says, when her eyes are back to normal and she's panting a little, "I'm not great at-"

"I got it." He reassures her, “I felt it."

She smiles, pleased, pushing away from him to swim further to the centre of the lake.

He watches her go, mind reeling. More powerful than he thought, though he's not sure why he's surprised. He can still feel her hands on his face. He wants to swim after her, but Terra and Sky corner him, eager to see him dunked.

3.

It marks a turning point for the group as a whole.

The afternoon at the lake has softened grudges, strengthened bonds, and Terra talks to him more over lunch. Aisha doesn't bore him so much, not now he can see her for more than a stuck-up rule-follower. He and Stella get along as well as they usually do, but their barbs seem less sharp than before. Bloom has always been pretty accepting, and Musa-

Well, she's Musa.

She's making him lose all sense of normalcy, of sanity, because that's the only reason he'd agree to this fucking slumber party.

"No, I think it was better over there." Sky says, changing his mind for the fourth time, as Riven struggles under the weight of the mattress. The entire floor is covered with pillows and cushions and Sky needs to make up his mind before Riven kills him. "No, no, you were right- put it back."

"Jesus," Riven groans, setting it down and spotting the stack of Disney Princess movies. "We're two guys about to sleep with five girls, and you're suggesting we watch Pocahontas?"

"They won the coin toss," Sky shrugs, "besides, I always liked the little hummingbird."

The girls arrive after Laurie, the RI for the floor, has done her final rounds. They shuffle into the room on tiptoes, and Riven closes it behind them, meeting Musa's eyes. Her hair's down and loose around her shoulders, and he's never seen it like that before. In her soft looking, cotton pyjamas, some rainbow sweater, she's more enticing than usual so he busies himself with the popcorn as Sky sets out the rest of the snacks.

"This is a nice set-up, guys," Bloom grins, getting comfy right in the middle. Sky joins her, and soon, the lights are off- bar Stella's glowing little ball- and everyone's shuffling into place.

Bloom and Sky are cosied up to one another, and Aisha and Terra are tucked neatly into one corner. Stella fancies herself above the ground, and lies on Sky's bed, half her attention on her phone.

Musa settles in the other corner, leaning against a mountain of cushions, and Riven debates for about half a second before he joins her.

"Hi," she whispers, sounding pleased, "wanna hear a sad story?"

Their thighs are touching. Her fleece pants are warm against his bare leg, and the cushions are ridiculously comfortable, and she looks so different with her hair down, her face almost obscured from him. "Sure," he whispers back.

She points are her bare feet. "I forgot my socks."

He snorts. "If that's your idea of a sad story-" he breaks off into a hiss when she cruelly presses her toes onto his shin. "Jesus, they're fucking ice." He complains, and she laughs, tossing a kernel of popcorn into the air and catching it perfectly between her teeth.

He reaches over her, feels her entire body stiffen and does his best to ignore it, opening one of his drawers and pulling out a pair of mis-matched socks.

She takes them gleefully, leaning down to pull them on. Her shirt rides up and he catches a glimpse of her lower back, and when she sits up- she catches him. Their eyes dart away from each other, and the first hour of Pocahontas is a stiff, awkward affair. The darkness seems to electrify the space between them and Riven's too afraid to move. Musa seems to be feeling the same way, but then Terra starts singing along with the song, and the the air relaxes a little.

Then, somehow, in Little Mermaid 2, Riven's oddly invested in Melody and her pull to the sea, when Musa sighs, sinking back further into the cushions, resting her body weight on Riven, looking completely content.

"You comfortable?" He teases, and she smiles lazily up at him, wiggling her toes in his socks.

"Very comfortable." She says, and he isn't thinking when he says:

"You're insufferably cute, you know that?"

He regrets it immediately, but it's slipped out, and Musa barely seems to notice his panic. She just yawns, and then she- she- rests her head on his shoulder, and her hair fans down over him, and tickles his arm.

He feels, suddenly, the rather vicious urge to protect her. He's on high-alert, for some reason, for any intruder, because she's here, half-asleep, resting against him. So trusting. So vulnerable, and-

The DVD menu chimes on repeat, and when Riven looks up he realises that everyone else is asleep, and Stella's orb of light has vanished into darkness, and that it's well past midnight.

Slowly, gently, he rests his cheek on Musa's head, feels the way they're tucked in together, and he closes his eyes.

4.

He's not sure how it happened.

How they can go one minute from a group of friends binging Disney movies, to out here, in the woods, watching Bloom's fucking fire wings and surrounded on all sides by Burned Ones. Real ones. Not projections.

The girls are all glowing, eyes burning, and there's splashes of water, tangling ivy, shooting flames, blinding light and Musa: shouting locations as she tracks them.

"Try to project lethargy!" Aisha screams, clutching one arm, as Sky slashes a Burned One along the chest.

Riven jams two sharp jabs into the torso of another, and growls over his shoulder. "She's already fucking tracking them, Aisha! Why don't you just water-board them some more?"

Musa doesn't mediate their bickering, just whirls and points and says "Another three over there, I can sense them. They want Bloom!"

Sky and Terra immediately run over to Bloom, who has fire burning along her shoulders, and it's so arresting a sight that Riven doesn't even notice when the Burned One crumbles into ash beneath him.

He doesn't notice when another hisses just to his left. He can't get his blade out in time, and it has one deformed hand around his throat, claws pricking into his skin when Musa's suddenly shoving him away, taking his place, and he just has time to notice, to scream- when she lunges forward, and stabs the monster in the chest. It howls, and she yells out in unison, her voice shaking with agony, a sound that'll haunt him.

The Burned One crumples, and Musa with it.

"Musa!" Stella cries, racing over, trying to get closer, but Riven blocks her, taking Musa's chin in his hands, tilting her face up. There are tears stained along her cheeks, and her eyes are still rimmed purple.

"I felt it," she gasps, clutching Riven's arms, still shaking, "I felt it die, I felt it-"

"It's okay." Stella insists, voice shaky, rubbing Musa's back. "You did amazing, you did so great."

Musa clenches her eyes shut. "I've gotta- I can feel more of them."

"Take a minute." Riven pleads, trying to catch his breath, feeling blood move sluggishly down his own neck. "Take a minute, you just fucking saved my life, you're allowed a goddamn minute."

His entire being seems to light up at the small, strained smile she gives him. Stella sees the smile too, so she shoots Riven a look that says keep going, moron.

He doesn't need her prompting. "And what a sexy knife move. Where'd you get that blade?"

This earns more of a laugh from her. Relieved and a little hysterical sounding, but a laugh nonetheless. She holds the blade up, and its blue handle glints in the moonlight. "Stole it from you." She says, and he wants to tell her it isn't the only thing she's stolen from him. She has everything he is in the palm of her hand, and she saved his life. She hands the dagger back to him, and he shakes his head.

"Keep it. You look hot with a knife in your hand."

Musa laughs again, still a little choked up, and the two of them help her to her feet. He doesn't want to let go for her, but she sniffles, nodding, so Riven just sticks close by the rest of the night.

They defeat the burned ones with minimal injuries. Aisha's leg is broken, and Terra's bandaged it as best she can, as they limp back to the school. Dowling and Silva meet them half way, overflowing with worry and gratitude, and at their insistence, Riven collapses into a bed in the infirmary as they tend to his neck.

They put Musa in the bed beside him, and he sees claw marks on her ribs, and it's a good thing the Burned Ones are dead, because it's the only thing stopping him from marching right out into that forest to have their heads.

5.

He's on his way back from the drinks table, two glasses in his hands, when he notices that Musa isn't there anymore.

Terra points to the back door. "She needed to step out. Mind fairy thing."

Riven nods, setting down the drinks and heading for the exit.

It's a warm summer night, and the air is humid, and Musa's standing out on the grass, gazing up at the stars.

She must feel his mental presence, because she turns and smiles.

He heads over to her, and she steps easily into the circle of his arms, and he holds her tightly.

Here they are. At the Alfea Ball, dating. Their three month anniversary is coming up soon, and Riven has something in mind. He's excited to see her reaction. But right now, he just basks in having her in his arms. She's a vision, in a lace-sleeved, indigo dress, her hair up the way he likes, and heels that mean she doesn't need to tiptoe to kiss him.

"Sorry," she murmurs, "got a little loud in there."

"I don't mind," he reassures, dropping a kiss onto her head. He feels her shiver, so he shrugs out of his tux jacket and drapes it over her shoulders. As pulls it around her, she looks up at him, soft and smiling, and his throat goes a little dry. "What?"

"Nothing," she shrugs, "you just look very dapper in your tux. I'm feeling it." Her hands slide up onto the plane of his chest, and he grins, nipping at her nose.

"Shall we get out of here, then?"

She hums in agreement, but tangles her fingers into his hair to pull him down for a kiss. As usual, the heat flares down to his stomach, and he pulls her tighter to his body.

"We should get out of here," he insists, kissing at her jaw, "or we'll definitely get suspended."

Musa laughs, and she leads the way back to the dorms.

Once there, he whispers, low and greedy into her ear, to take off everything but his jacket.

"Is this some sort of kink?" She asks delightedly, once his tux suit is the only thing on her gorgeous body, and she's straddling him, thighs spread over his, her fingers dragging through his hair.

"I don't know," he admits, even though he knows it's only a thing for him when she's involved. "I think I just look really good on you."

She bites his neck and scratches his down his back, and it hurts and he loves it, and she looks down at the marks like a satisfied kitten with tiger claws. "I look good on you too." She whispers, and he kisses her again.

And again.

And again.

[kpop---scenarios]

Because of You

A/N: This was a commissioned request by @making-me-blush! This is the first Part of 3! I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: Nothing yet. Flirting. Next chapter will be smut thoo.

Flying was one of your favorite things to do. You loved the feeling of being in the air and going to a new place. The fact that you could be in an almost entirely different world within hours had always amazed you. You’d been fascinated with other cultures since you were little, and you had your mind made up since then that you would be a flight attendant.

Nobody thought you would do it. Nobody thought that you would stick it out. You had a habit of quitting things when they were hard, you would admit it. However, you wouldn’t quit this. This was something you’d wanted for years and no matter how hard it was you were going to succeed.

And you did. And you fucking loved it. You loved meeting new people from all over the world. You loved helping them, putting a smile on their face and easing their worries when things in the sky got rocky.

You also didn’t mind seeing all the fine men that boarded your plane. You were very much single, it’s not like you had never dated – you did. They just never stuck. There was always something that was a deal breaker that came to light a few months of being together and you were tired of it. Looking instead had it’s benefits, you got to appreciate and use your imagination later. Your imagination never left you unsatisfied.

Today you were heading to L.A from Hong Kong – a 14 hour flight a head of you. As the passengers were boarding, you were kneeling down trying to shove as many cans of pop into the cart as you could so you didn’t have to fill it up again, when one rolled out from the compartment, stopping against someone’s shoe. Turning your head, you notice a very attractive man bending over to pick it up, his bicep flexing as he has the can in his grip.

As he stands up, your eyes follow him up to his face where you could have honestly just jumped him in front of everyone. This man had the face of an angel. You didn’t know how anyone could look at him and not die from it. He slowly walks towards you, kneeling in front of you and hands you the can.

“Here you go" he says, his voice sending shivers down your spine.

“T-thank you" you stutter, your eyes still wide and staring at him.

He gives you a small wink before standing up to take his seat. Right in the front in first class. How are you going to make it 14 hours with this god like creature staring at you?

**

A few hours had slowly gone by and you have tried to do your absolute best to keep yourself distracted and focused on work, instead of that beautiful man. Every time you walk by his row, you face your head the other way to avoid eye contact with him. You’re not sure how it happened but he’s affected you and that rarely happens.

You can hear him let out a small chuckle, as if he knows your purposely ignoring him.

“Excuse me, miss?” you hear. It’s him. You let out an internal sigh before turning to face him.

“Yes sir? How may I help you?” you ask with your best professional smile.

“May I have another drink?” he asks, with a small smirk. He knows he’s got you fucked up, he knows.

Clenching your jaw, you give him a small nod and head to the front to get him another drink.

**

The moment the plane touches the asphalt, you can feel your nerves slowly fading away. Never in your years if being a flight attendant have you ever been this shitty and distracted on a flight. You didn’t know who this man was, and you wanted to know, but you knew you couldn’t.

You could tell just by looking at him he was a little more than a few years younger than you. Not that there was anything wrong with being with someone younger, but you’d gone down that road before and it never ended well, for anyone.

This trip exhausted you. You wanted nothing more than to have something to eat and go the fuck to sleep. You were spending a few days in L.A this time and luckily for you, your hotel was connected to the airport. You slowly strolled your way through the airport, thinking of what you wanted to eat when a nice red and white light up sign caught your eye. The Cove flashed in front of your face. You peaked in, noticing it was rather empty, you decided to go for it. You needed something now.

The waitress sat you at a small table for two, taking away any extra cutlery and glasses. You ordered their largest glass of wine before opening the menu. A few minutes later she places your wine in front of you and asks you if you’re ready to order, which you’re not and you tell her.

Your eyes are so focused on the menu, your mind being so indecisive, you didn’t notice someone being seated in front of you, a few tables away. You’d finally decided on a pasta dish, and looked up to find the waitress.

Instead of finding her eyes, your met with a pair of familiar eyes. Ones from the plane. The man smirks as he sees your face change from shocked to confused to subtly licking your lips.

The waitress approaches your table, you tell her what you want but your eyes never leave the face of the man who is looking right back at you.

Bashfully, you lower your eyes, feeling like you stared for too long. Yet you peak up again , unable to look away for very long. Within seconds and his eyes are locked on you. Taking your bottom lip into your mouth, you give it a small bite before releasing it.

The next few minutes are spent with intense eye contact which is broken when your pasta is placed in front of you. You’re not even hungry for food anymore. You’d much rather have his cock in your mouth instead.

You clench your pussy in an attempt to relieve the throbbing that is happening. Trying to push the thought of his hands allover your dark, smooth skin, leaving no area left untouched. You’re trying not to think about the way his mouth would feel sucking on your nipples, moving down your stomach and in-between your thick thighs. You let out a small moan.

You shake your head, shaking out all the thoughts that made you actually, physically moan in the restaurant. You open your eyes and look at the man who is staring at you with one eyebrow arched. Your cheeks flush and burn, you feel a little embarrassed. You don’t know this man. You’ve said maybe two words to him, that’s not enough to be day dreaming about him fucking the life out of you.

You wonder if his cock is large.

No. Stop.

Quickly you pick up your fork, spinning some noodles around it before very slowly putting it in your mouth. Your eyes still on him, and his on you. He licks his lips as you suck the noodles from the fork, clearly teasing him.

For someone who wasn’t hungry for food, you’d finished every last bite and barely realized it. You were so captivated by him that it felt like everything else in the world was passing in fast motion while the two of you were in slow motion.

You break contact with him, standing up to leave and pay for your meal. You can’t be around him, or you might end up doing something you shouldn’t be doing. You don’t feel like going to jail for sucking a cock in public.

Looking over your shoulder, you get one more look before walking out of the restaurant and heading to your room.

**

A few hours later you wake up, its still dark. Looking over at the clock, you groan thinking about how late it still is and how much more sleep you could get, yet your body feels rested.

You know there’s not much you can do at 2am, well not much that you actually would like to do. While thinking, your mind wanders to the man who has invaded your brain. You wonder what he’s doing, if he’s thinking of you, like you are.

You get up, sliding your feet into the slippers you set beside your bed and picking up the robe you tossed over the back of the chair.

Grabbing your key, you head down to the stairwell, hoping that maybe using the stairs will tire you out enough while you head down a few floors to the vending machine.

Your mind wonders as you skip down the stairs, your hand sliding down the railing. Your eyes are open but your mind is elsewhere, until you slam into a hard chest.

Your eyes wide, you begin apologizing profusely.

“It’s fine.” The man chuckles. “please don’t worry about it"

You look up at the face of the man talking, and because the universe seems to hate you, it’s the man from the plane and the restaurant and your panties are wet, again.

“Alright, well sorry again" you day before moving around him to now run down the rest of the stairs.

“Where are you going?” he asks, spinning around to face you.

“For a walk” you say.

“Why don’t you walk me to your room?" he asks with a smile. “Don’t pretend you haven’t thought about me fucking you for the last almost 24 hours” he says, checking his watch. “I heard your moan" he whispers.

You stand there with your mouth hanging open. You’d had one night stands before. Meeting someone in a club and taking them home. But this felt oddly different, more intimate.

But you were here for it.

“Right this way" you say with a smile, moving past him to walk back up the stairs. Once the two of you were in the hallway, you could feel him closely behind you.

Standing in front of your door, his chest is pressed against you, along with his very hard erection.

You shake as you finally unlock the door, opening it wide and walking in.

He closes the door behind him, you walking forward before turning to face him.

“You’ve been fucking teasing me all day" he growls, taking a step closer to you.

“Me? I would never” you smirk, taking a step back from him.

“Oh I think you would" he says taking off his shirt, revealing his very toned stomach.

You let out a small moan at the sight of him.

“You’re a goddess and deserve to be treated as such" he says.

“How can you know what I deserve? You don’t even know my name. You know nothing about me" you say.

“I know your name, y/n" he smiles. “You had a name tag on the plane. I may not know anything about you, yet – but I know how to treat a goddess.” He pauses.

You don’t say anything.

“Let me show you" he growls before walking towards you, crashing his lips onto yours.

[santoteez]

The Dormant Beast - Jongho (2)

Read Part 1 HERE

Part: 2 of ?

Idol: Jongho of ATEEZ

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Friends to Lovers

Word Count: 1,490 (i think)

Warnings: Slight prejudice and bullying (non-racial and it’s not body shame either) MC is Black Female

Crescent shut the door to her two-story home, walking into the kitchen. She grabbed ice from the freezer, applying it directly to her knuckles, sighing in relief.

A couple of Doberman auras ambushed her on her way home, the moment she parted ways with Jongho. Cowards, all of them. They wouldn’t dare attack her when he was around. Hell, they wouldn’t dare attack anyone with such a domesticated animal as their aura. But without an aura, Crescent was at everyone’s mercy. So, she did what she knew best.

She beat the shit out of them.

They eventually ran out of energy, allowing Crescent to slip away. She headed upstairs to her room, slipping into a tank top and shorts. She attempted her homework, but her mind kept going back to The Void. He was getting closer and closer, and her loved ones had pretty strong auras, which put them on his hit list. She pinched the bridge of her nose. She wished she wasn’t so useless.

“Why couldn’t I have been a dog? Even a mouse would be useful in the right situation! Way better than a human.” She said, doodling on her paper.

Suddenly, her door swings open, and her brown eyes are staring straight into big, gold ones.

“IS THAT SELF-LOATHING I HEAR?” She said, whisking Crescent away from her desk, up the stairs, and out to the roof.

“Can you NOT run with me in your arms? You’re too fast for my slow brain.”

“Again with the negativity? Relax little one, your big sister’s got you.” Eclipse said, popping up with a six-pack of beers from the fridge.

“You know Mom and Dad would kill you if they found out you gave me these, right?”

“It’s a good thing I’m faster than them. In and out of the store before they blink.” Eclipse winked.

Crescent shook her head but grabbed a bottle nonetheless. This was Eclipse’s way of lightening the mood: alcohol. Ever since her sister realized her…condition, she did everything in her power to lift her spirits whenever she got into one of her funks.

“What’s on your mind this time?” Eclipse asked, taking a swig from her own bottle.

Crescent leaned against the railing, looking out onto the street. “The Void.”

Eclipse sighed. “I told you not to worry about that.”

The younger girl shook her head. “What if he comes for you, Clips?” She said in a small voice.

“Listen to me. I don’t want you thinking like that, okay? He’d have to catch me first. And plus, there isn’t a person in this world that can take me from your side.” She hugged her little sister. “Besides, if by some weird chance he does get to me, I know you’re in good hands.”

Crescent rolled her eyes. “I’m guessing you don’t mean Mom and Dad.”

“He’s so good for you, Cres. The way he cares for you, looks at you when you aren’t looking! He’s gone above and beyond to help you find your aura! How many 14-year-olds would have spent their allowance on some sketchy potion that wasn’t even for their benefit? All the signs are there, Cres. You just can’t see it.”

“Even if I did see it, it would hurt less to be blind. The top of the food chain doesn’t fall in love with the bottom of the barrel. You know how this goes, Clips.”

“And how many times do I have to tell you he doesn’t care about the damn hierarchy? Think about it, according to the rules, he’s supposed to be head over heels for Desire, ignore you, and be overly violent when putting others in check. But none of that has happened. He gives you his undivided attention and is a docile leader. He’s nothing like the rest of this town, and neither are you. That’s what makes you perfect.”

Crescent shook her head. “He’d be shunned if he was ever with me romantically. I can’t do that to him. He’s already seen as less of a leader for associating with the ‘challenged one.’ Sometimes it’s best to leave things alone. There are better things Jongho could do. Better girls he could be with.”

“And yet, there he is. Walking up to our house. Right now. Look down.” Eclipse said, cracking open another beer.

Crescent tiptoed to peek over the railing. Just as Eclipse said, there was Jongho crossing the street to her house. Just then he looked up, smiling and waving when he caught her eye.

“Are you guys drinking again?” He asked nonchalantly.

“Why? You want one?” Eclipse asked.

“It’s Monday afternoon.”

“Sooo…Is that a yes?”

Jongho shook his head. “Cres! Look what I finally got off the waiting list at the library!” He fished out a DVD from his backpack. It was the last season of Marvin, an old sitcom from auraless times. They had put in the request months ago, never expecting to see the day it was fulfilled.

“No way! There was a thirty-person long wait!” Crescent called out.

“Apparently, the line just suddenly cleared up. Let’s pop this bad boy in!”

“Coming! I’ll make popcorn.” Crescent called out. She started down the stairs. “You comin, Clips?”

“And let this beer go to waste? I’ll pass. Have fun on your date.”

“C’mon, Clips. Just friends.” She left downstairs.

“That’s what you think, lil sis. But you have NO idea.” Eclipse said, taking another swig.

Downstairs, Crescent let Jongho in.

“It’s about time you came back indoors. You look cold.” He said, glancing down at her chest.

Crescent smacked his arm. “You’re just greasy.” She said, earning a laugh from Jongho.

“Choi boy. I see you are invading my house. Again.” A dark skin man with thin-rimmed glasses emerged from the back of the house.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Moon. How are you?”

“How many times do I have to tell you, boy? Just call me Lunar.”

“I’m sorry, Lunar. How’s everything? How’s the book coming along.”

Lunar sighed. “Somedays more than others. But, it’s on its way. What are you two kids getting into today.”

“Marvin!” Crescent said, her response muffled by the popcorn in her mouth.

“I see. Well, if you need me, I’ll be in my dungeon. And no funny business. Like telling my daughter she looks cold. Understood?” Lunar pressed, his eyes showing a glint of hyena green.

“It won’t happen again, Lunar. You have my word.” Jongho said, unfazed.

Lunar nodded, heading back the same way he came. “And tell your sister she’s not fooling anyone stealing my booze and running to replace it.”

“Ignore him. He knows that if he so much as touched a hair on your head, he’ll have to deal with me.” Crescent said as they climbed the stairs.

“Your dad is a hyena. He’ll find a way around your little clause. Besides, it’s not hard to abide by his rules. It’s understandable he wouldn’t like a comment like that.”

Crescent shook her head. “You’re really a big softie, huh?”

Jongho smiled, popping the DVD in. They relaxed on the bed as the intro blared through the speakers.

Minutes turned into hours, and the tv was soon watching the pair napping when a sudden gust of wind engulfed the room. Jongho jumped up immediately, noticing the window was now wide open.

“Crescent, get up. Someone’s in here.”

“What?” Crescent said, looking around. “I can’t see anything.”

But Jongho, with the keen eyesight of a gorilla, knew better. He noticed the fingerprints on the sill, fresh.

“Wait here. I’ll check the hall.”

But that was Jongho’s mistake.

The minute he turned his head, Crescent screamed, a masked individual snatching her up.

“Crescent!” Jongho shouted, grabbing onto her just as she was being pulled out the window.

“Jongho! Pull me back in!”

Straining to hold on, Jongho gritted “I didn’t have time to power up! I’m using my human strength, but it’s not enough!” He shouted, his converse scuffing the windowsill. He was sliding off.

“Jongho, please don’t let go!”

“I’m trying!” He said, but whatever aura this person was, it was strong. Jongho slipped out of the window, falling out to the front lawn, and unfortunately, letting go of Crescent.

“Jongho!”

“Crescent!” Jongho shouted, finally powering up. But it was too late. This was a flying aura, and Jongho couldn’t outrun it. Just stand back as his best friend was whisked away.

The masked person flew for what seemed like hours, until they reached the Enchanted Ocean, miles away from town.

“What are we doing here? Who are you? What are you gonna do to me?” Crescent asked. The person turned to her, immediately letting go as she screamed.

‘This is it, I’m gonna die.’ Crescent thought to herself.

But what Crescent wasn’t expecting was instead of water, her lungs seemed to be filled with newfound oxygen. No matter how many times she breathed in, she exhaled unscathed.

“What the fuck,” She said to herself, “I can breathe underwater?”

dONT HATE ME FOR THE CLIFFHANGER PLEASE I LOVE YALL

But anyways, Stephie here! The story is kicking up, now the fun can begin >:)

[anavoliselenu]

Hiched chapter 21

I don’t have to tally tonight’s numbers to know we’ve been more than successful at winning over new clients and striking new deals with existing clients. And best of all, it’s been easy, casual, and fun. I’m in awe. My wife is one amazing creature.

Later, I throw Howard’s trash away along with mine, and get us each a fresh beer. “Thanks for being here tonight.”

He rises to his feet. “Hey, no problem.” His right hand disappears into his pocket, and a second later he hands me his business card. “Here’s my direct cell. Let’s talk late next week when I’m back from China. I’d love to see what we could do with some fresh talent helping us.”

I nod. “I’d like that.” My pocket is full of business cards and promises for follow-up meetings. I can’t recall the last time business has been so good.

Toward the end of the evening, I’m itching to send everyone off with their parting gifts—goodie bags filled with fine French chocolates and a gift card for a massage on us—and get Selena alone. But there are still at least a dozen people here, along with a couple of corporate bigwigs jumping in a bouncy house.

I chuckle and head over to sit with Selena. She’s abandoned her heels and is perched on a bar stool deep in conversation with Estelle from Parrish Footwear, the woman who, when we were first dating, Selena thought I was flirting with at a business dinner. It’s good to see them getting along like old friends. Laughing and smiling as they talk.

Just before I reach them, Selena rises from her stool, excusing herself to take a phone call. I’m not sure what could be so important that she’d cut a client meeting short, so I watch her from the corner of my eye. Her brow furrows and she paces back and forth as she listens to the caller on the other end.

If this is Bradford fucking Daniels again, so help me God . . .

“Babe?” I place my hand on her wrist.

“I’ll be right there. Thanks.” She hangs up and swallows hard.

“Snowflake?”

“It’s my dad.” Her voice cracks ever so slightly. But that small loss of control tells me everything. If she can’t keep her cool in public, in front of so many guests . . . whatever she just heard must be devastating.

I know that she’d never be able to live with herself if she broke down within earshot of our guests. With my hand on her lower back, I quickly usher her from the banquet room and out the front doors.

Once we’re outside, she inhales a huge breath and tears spill from her eyes.

“What is it?”

“His nurse called. He’s being rushed to the ER. He fell and hit his head.”

Shit. Ever since Fred’s final treatment failed a few weeks ago, his health has been getting progressively worse. So much so that he rarely comes into the office anymore, and he hired a nurse to watch over him at home.

“You need to go,” I say. “Go to the hospital and be with him.”

“Are you sure? What about . . .” Her gaze drifts back to the party, where we can still hear the band playing and the guests’ happy chatter.

I grip her shoulders and lean in to press a kiss to her lips. “I’ve got this. We’re wrapping up anyway.”

She nods and wipes away the tears that keep escaping despite her bravery.

“Do you want me to come with you?” I offer.

She shakes her head. “No. Make sure you see everyone out and follow up on every deal.”

A smile crosses my lips. “Of course I will. I’ll see you at home later?”

“Yes, I think so.”

We share a small, meaningful kiss, and then she’s gone.

Chapter Nine

Selena

Two weeks and what feels like fifty gallons of coffee later, Justin and I have closed all the deals we started at our big beach bash.

It seems like half of New York City is still buzzing about that party. Our company’s financial future is about as secure as it’s going to get—we’ve got a dozen fat new contracts and three times as many promising network contacts to tap into for years to come. Tate & Cane Enterprises is doing amazing. I should be on top of the world . . .

Except this morning, I woke up to a voice mail from the hospital. Dad’s health has taken a sudden turn for the worse.

Two weeks ago, on the evening of the big networking gala, Dad was apparently working late in his study—which he shouldn’t have been doing, damn it, but I’ve never been able to keep him away from his job. He fell down in the hallway somehow, probably on the way to the bathroom. He either stumbled or just plain passed out. His night nurse found him lying unconscious and called 911.

That night, it was all I could do to keep from bursting into terrified, angry tears as I drove at top speed toward the hospital. Every horrible thing that might have happened to Dad flashed through my brain in a gruesome slide show. God only knew how long he was lying there on the carpet. He could have died right then.

Screw the party—I should have been there. I should have checked in on him more often. Hell, I should have found a way to keep his stubborn ass in bed in the first place. If I’d just tried harder, looked after him more closely, been a better daughter . . .

A blaring honk jerks my attention back to the road. I try to concentrate on getting to the hospital again without adding another family casualty to the mix. Those self-blaming thoughts were unproductive two weeks ago, and brooding over them now is no better. But they still gnaw at the back of my mind.

After what feels like hours but is probably only twenty minutes, I reach the hospital. I park in the rear lot, shove a handful of quarters into the meter, and rush inside. I check in with the front desk nurse, but I don’t need her to direct me to Dad’s room in the oncology wing anymore. I know its location by heart now: third floor, turn right twice, last door on the left, number 302. Too impatient to wait for the elevator, I take the stairs two at a time.

As I open the door, I suck in a breath when I catch sight of Dad. Even after visiting him half a dozen times in the past two weeks, it’s still scary to see him in such grave condition. The friendly giant of my childhood, the wise, gentle god who always knew exactly what to do, now lies pale and haggard in a hospital bed with a dizzying array of tubes and wires and beeping machines all around him. His mortality stalks closer and closer, slow but inexorable—it doesn’t need to hurry, because it knows it will catch its prey in the end—and I have no choice but to stare the beast right in its bloodshot, jaundiced eye.

I hate this.

I want to fix every single thing, make all his pain and sickness go away.

But I’m powerless.

When I sit in the single chair at his bedside, Dad stirs and his eyes drift open. He sits up with a slight effort. “Selena . . . how are you, sweetheart?” Maybe it’s just my imagination, but his voice sounds a little hoarse.

A gloomy laugh vomits up my throat. He’s lying here looking so weak, and he’s asking me how I am? “Never mind, that’s not important. Are you okay? What happened? How long do they think you’re going to be here?”

The spot where he split his head and needed stitches is now just a faint line above his eyebrow. It’s healed nicely. But it’s the stuff inside that counts. That’s where the sickness I can’t see or fight lurks.

“Slow down, sweetie, one question at a time. I just had another little dizzy spell. Probably from the chemotherapy more than the cancer itself. And they don’t know yet; they’re still running tests. I swear those vampires have sucked out half my blood. But the doctor said it could be anywhere from a couple more weeks all the way to . . .”

I swallow past the lump in my throat. Dad lets his sentence trail off, but I know what he would have said. All the way to the end.

Dad shifts a little to lay his clammy hand over mine. “Now, tell me how things are going with you.”

Stubborn old man. But if he wants a distraction, I guess I can’t blame him. And it’ll probably ease his mind to hear about our good fortune. I tug my cardigan over my shoulders since the air-conditioning in this place is always set to frigid, and I lean in closer to Dad.

“I’m not quite done running the numbers yet . . .” Before everything went totally off the rails today, my plan was to finalize everything by lunchtime. “But I think we’re pretty much back on track. My projections have been looking better than ever. I’d say things are in the bag.”

The board meeting isn’t for another few days, so their decision still remains to be seen, but barring any random disasters, Tate & Cane will almost certainly be safe from their swinging ax.

Dad interrupts my thoughts with a gravelly chuckle. “That’s not what I meant, sweetheart. I wanted to know how you are.”

Oh. It takes me a moment to process the question. “I’m fine,” I say with a confused shrug. Exhausted from pulling two weeks of crazy overtime and weak from panic over Dad’s health, sure . . . but a good night’s sleep can take care of that. Or the former problem, at least. “Why do you ask?” Surely he has more important things to worry about.

“Because you’re my daughter, and no matter what happens, you’ll always be my baby girl. And because you don’t sound so sure. Are you happy? How are things with Justin?”

Oh fuck. I have no idea. Where do I even begin?

“I guess . . . I don’t know,” I admit.

“Still?” His eyebrow raises.

“What with your health and all the craziness at work lately, I haven’t exactly had much time to focus on my own life,” I say, defending myself. And Dad’s latest episode has driven everything else straight out of my head.

“That’s no reason to put yourself last, sweetheart. Someday I’ll be gone, and success comes and goes on its own schedule, but you’re the only you you’ve got. And love . . . if you nurture it well, love will always be there to keep you strong. So it’s important to take time to put your own house in order.”

His words hit me square in the chest. Helpless to disagree, I nod. “Okay, Dad. I promise I’ll work on it.”

Not to mention the fact that he’s right, of course. I can’t avoid it any longer. This uncertainty about our relationship has been eating me up inside. And no amount of throwing myself into work has helped.

“That’s my smart girl. Now, go ahead and get on with your day. I’ll be all right without you hovering over me.” He winks at me and I smile despite myself.

With another squeeze of his hand, I kiss him on the cheek and shake my head. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll stay for a couple hours, Dad. Work can wait.”

The need to be in his presence, to hear his soft breathing, to smell his musky soap smell is almost a physical ache. I don’t even want to think about the fact that there will come a time when I can no longer have those things.

He nods. “Fine by me, sweetie.”

• • •

Later, on my way back from the hospital to the office building, orange construction signs block the road I normally take. I haul the steering wheel over with a growl to find another route. Today, of all possible days, is when the city finally gets off its ass and fixes potholes? Sweet Jesus, I don’t have time for this crap—

Well, really, I have plenty of time. It’s just the patience I don’t have. One more thing and my hair might catch fire from stress.

Manhattan’s maze of one-way streets forces me to take a wide detour. Waiting at a red light that’s so long I swear it must be broken, I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, looking around the street just to pass the time. I don’t often come to this precise part of town. Although . . .

Huh, that tea shop looks familiar.

A slow smile uncurls on my lips. It’s the place where I bought Justin our Japanese teapot as a housewarming gift. I still remember that night, the first in our new shared penthouse. The teapot was a peace offering. An acknowledgment that we weren’t in harmony yet, but we could get there if we tried—and I was willing to try.

God, and I’d been so nervous that night. Moving into a shiny new penthouse apartment with a man as gorgeous and sexy and bold as Justin. When I remember the careful way he agreed to go slow and nurtured a tender make-out session between us, it seems almost comical.

Warmth floods my chest and I have to laugh out loud. I kept totally missing the picture, so fate had to smack me in the face with it. It’s almost ironic that such a simple coincidence tells me what I should have realized so long ago.

I’m in love with Justin.

Somewhere between our shared childhoods and the first time we slept together, I fell hard for that wonderful, maddening, passionate man, with no hope of ever coming back. And even when I was so angry at Justin I could spit, I was still in love with him. I guess Dad was right about love always being there . . . although that’s probably not the way he meant it.

But my euphoria soon deflates. No matter what I feel, I still don’t know where we stand. No matter how generously I try to see things from his perspective, no matter how many times he says he made a horrible mistake and he’ll never, ever do it again, nothing can erase the fact that he lied to me. He withheld vital information from me in order to control how I feel about him.

I didn’t tell you something awkward because I was afraid to lose you is an understandable human weakness, but it’s still manipulative. And the memory of seeing him in our bathroom with that needle still gives me goosebumps.

So even if I do love him, I have no idea what to do with this information. Or even what I want to do. My heart is still split between hating Justin and missing him, so badly it feels like a piece of me has been torn out.

I let out a huff of frustration. Whenever we’re together, I immediately find myself gravitating toward him as if nothing bad ever happened between us. Our attraction is a force of nature. Opposite magnetic poles that have always been, and will always be, drawn together.

And it’s not just my body—although God knows I can’t keep my hands off him, no matter how hard I try. Our minds and personalities fit into each other’s gaps. Our business strategies weren’t quite enough on their own, but when united, they pulled the company out of the red. And when I was suddenly called away from the party, I automatically trusted Justin to handle everything. Me, the control freak who took forever to learn how to unclench and delegate to her own best friend.

We complete each other. So perfectly, I can’t help but wonder . . .

Maybe there’s a way we can make this work after all.

For the past several weeks, I’ve been doing what I always do in hairy social situations—repressing the hell out of my emotions by immersing myself in work, like an ostrich burying her head in the sand. I had hoped that, with enough time and space, my feelings would naturally settle enough to let me articulate and sort through them.

But that tactic clearly hasn’t worked. Putting my emotions on ice was just a poor excuse for procrastination—it wasn’t a real problem-solving strategy. I just didn’t want to deal with the problem at all. A relationship isn’t the kind of thing that can solve itself with a little percolating. Geez, this marriage thing is hard.

And my other favorite strategies won’t work, either. I can be hyper-logical and organized, I can list pros and cons all day, and it still won’t help me get to the heart of the matter. Everything ultimately boils down to my choice. My messy, scary, no-safety-net choice.

If I love him . . . will I wind up hurt one day?

I hate how vague and painful everything feels. I’m so used to cold, hard numbers, to having something objective to grasp onto, to letting facts and figures and statistics point me toward the right answer, or at least help guide me part of the way. Now, I’m all on my own.

Well, actually, I’m not. I have a partner in all of this. Which is part of the problem, but also part of the solution.

Complete forgiveness is one thing; I still don’t know if I’m ready for that. But right this moment, all I really need is closure. I need some sense of where we’re headed, because I can’t stand living in this awkward limbo any longer. I can’t go about my daily life, trying not to look at or touch the man whose workplace I share all day and whose bed I share all night. Sleeping curled up tight, facing opposite directions, the few feet between us feeling like a frigid mile.

We can’t keep drifting through this uncomfortable space, peering nervously over the edge of the rift between us, waiting for something to either drag us away or tip us into the abyss. We need to take a step under our own power. We need to hash things out and make a well-considered decision that we can stick to.

As for what that decision might be . . .

I don’t want to end our relationship. The only alternative is to continue it, and that will take a leap of faith. Would it really be the end of the world if I gave Justin another chance?

I almost have to smile. Yet another trial period—our relationship seems to have a pattern going here. Although this one might be the most important of all. Can Justin transition from my crush to my frenemy to my happily-ever-after?

No, I’m getting ahead of myself. All I know for sure is that we need to have a long conversation tonight.

I turn my car toward home, intent on doing just that. But part of me still hopes that maybe, just maybe . . . some things really are that simple. Or at least, simpler than they’ve seemed lately.

Chapter Ten

Justin

Selena’s been under an enormous amount of stress lately, even more so than normal. In addition to running a business, and tiptoeing around our fragile, still-healing relationship, she’s been faced with her father’s fading health.

For a long time, we’ve all pretended he could plug on forever. But the truth is, he’s not fine. His prognosis is grim, and it’s possible he won’t leave the hospital this time. I wish more than anything that I could fix this, that I could steal Selena away and shield her from all the pain to come.

Between us, we’ve already lost three parents; this shouldn’t be new territory. But the thing is, you never get used to it. You can never truly prepare your heart for that empty space that will ache without any cure.

I sigh and rise from the couch. Selena will be home soon, and I plan to have dinner waiting for her. If there’s even a small way I can improve her day, of course I’m going to do it.

I sauté tomatoes and garlic with white wine and have a pot of linguine boiling away when I hear the door open.

“Hello?” Selena calls.

“In the kitchen.” I finish slicing a loaf of crusty bread and turn off the burners just as Selena enters the room.

She offers me a sad smile. I know that visiting her dad takes a toll on her. In that moment, I decide she won’t go see him again without me by her side. Even though she’s never admitted it, maybe being alone at the hospital isn’t so good for her. I should be there when she needs someone to lean on, someone to vent to.

Her feet are bare, which means she’s a good seven inches shorter than me, and I pull her in close for a hug. After living together for the past couple of months, I’ve learned that she always immediately deposits those torture devices she calls shoes by the front door, to be carried lovingly to her closet later. She looks great in heels, but I make a mental note to give her a foot massage later.

Selena rests her head against my chest. “I was thinking . . . we should talk.”

I nod. “Yes, but first, carbs.”

She chuckles. “You know me too well.”

Selena grabs plates and napkins and sets the table while I drain the pasta and toss it in the homemade sauce, adding plenty of grated parmesan cheese.

We enjoy dinner with a glass each of chilled white wine on the couch, while the TV plays softly in the background. It feels so domestic and normal.

After we finish up, I watch Selena carry the plates to the kitchen. She’s tossed her hair up into a messy bun atop her head, and though she’s still in her work clothes—a sleek black pencil skirt and cream-colored silk blouse with little buttons at the neckline—she looks casual and relaxed.

As I watch her pour us each another glass of wine, two things hit me simultaneously—I’m in love with her, and I can’t continue like this. I can’t have her in bits and pieces, groveling for her attention, living and working beside her like I’m unaffected, and then fucking her in a frenzy when she deems it okay. I don’t want her scraps; I want her everything.

When she sits back down beside me, I’m prepared to lay it all out on the line. To tell her that we’ve reached the end of the road, and it’s time for her to decide—all or nothing, winner take all. But Selena beats me to the punch.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about us lately,” she says, her voice unsure. She swallows and sets her wineglass down on the coffee table beside mine.

“And what have you been thinking?” I turn toward her on the sofa, encouraging her to continue.

“I can’t do this anymore.” She shakes her head as if she’s clearing an unpleasant thought.

My stomach drops. Like I’m free-falling, plummeting toward disaster with no way to stop it.

“I hate not knowing where we stand, what might happen next.” She twists her hands in her lap, looking uncomfortable.

“And what do you want to happen next?” I almost hold my breath as I wait for her answer.

“I just want . . . things to be better. Like they were before. I . . . I was falling in love with you, Justin,” she stammers.

Love. My heart leaps. Not so long ago, it was a four-letter word that would have sent me running. But here and now, falling from Selena’s perfect lips . . . I’ve never heard a sweeter sound. I want to seize her in my arms, kiss her hard, pleasure her right here on the sofa. Show her just how badly I’ve missed her.

But I tamp down my excitement and force myself to tread carefully. We’re not out of the woods quite yet.

I interlace our fingers and tug her closer. “Then don’t stop.”

Selena’s gaze lifts to mine. “I’m scared.”

“I am too,” I admit. We both understand that whatever happens next, we’re in this together. And it will be with two hearts fully on the line, instead of just our jobs. That seems so much more fragile and real that I imagined it would.

“What does this mean?” she asks.

I pull her even closer, so she’s practically in my lap. Stroking her cheek with my fingertips, I press a soft, chaste kiss to her mouth. “It means that we’re in this together, for real this time, as husband and wife. No do-overs, no matter what. I don’t care what happens to the company . . . all I want is you. I want your days and your nights and everything in between. I can’t bear the thought of not having you. I want to be the man to hold you through all of life’s ups and downs.”

And there will be plenty, make no mistake. We’ve weathered a lot of storms together already, but we’re both mature enough to know we’re probably not through the worst of it yet. But that’s exactly why I want to be her safe and steady place.

A sad smile forms on her lips. “I want that too.”

“And I’m so fucking sorry about not telling you about the heir clause. I swear I never—”

She holds up her hand, waving off my umpteenth apology. “I know, Justin. Please don’t. We don’t need to rehash it. If we do this, if we move forward, I want you to know I promise not to bring up your mistakes and hold them over your head.”

I nod. “Thank you. That’s more than I deserve.” And just one more reason why she’s the perfect woman, though I don’t like that she said the word if. For me, there are no ifs. I’m already too deep in love to hold anything back. She cradles my heart in her hands, and all I can do is wait for her decision.

“But this baby business . . .” She chews on her lower lip, her eyes searching mine. “A baby is something we’ll have to talk about. It’s something that won’t come until later. Much later . . . if at all. I’m still processing that.”

My heart jumps into my throat. The thought of Selena round with my child makes me feel almost dizzy. Knowing that there’s a possibility down the road, that it’s a choice we might make together . . . that’s everything to me.

“That’s fine,” I say, trying to keep cool. “I just want us to be a couple. It’s all I’ve ever wanted—a real shot with you. I know we entered into this marriage under unusual circumstances, but to me, it’s not a fake marriage. It never was.” I lean in and give her another kiss, tender and soft.

“What are you saying?” She pulls back to gaze at me quizzically.

I shrug. “When Sterling expected me to be freaked out about getting hitched, I wasn’t. And when everyone thought I’d get cold feet, I didn’t. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. The one girl who seemed to be immune to my charms, the one person who could keep me on my toes, debating with me for hours. The most beautiful woman who I always desired, yet never got a shot with. You’re mine now, and now that I’ve got you, I won’t mess this up. I promise you.”

“Justin . . .” She makes a soft sound of approval.

“From now on, everything is going to be fifty-fifty. I promise to communicate with you openly and honestly. I promise to include you, no matter how unpleasant the situation. We’re partners in crime. Till the end. Please, you can’t go. I love you.”

She chews on her lip, keeping me in agony. Then she smiles. “I’m not going anywhere. I love you too.”

My lips crash down onto hers. I’m so full of every emotion all at once—love, lust, happiness—I feel like I could burst. I lift her from the couch and carry her to our bedroom.

The room we’ve shared in stony silence for the past three weeks is silent no more, because the moment Selena’s placed in the center of the bed, I pull her skirt and panties down in one quick tug, and a surprised gasp pushes past her lips. Next comes her shirt, followed by her lacy bra.

“Hey there, tiger.” She grins at me with a hunger that makes my cock twitch. “Let’s even things up.”

I strip my shirt off over my head while Selena’s deft fingers go to work on my belt. And then I’m lying beside my wife, her warm skin on mine, her kisses on my throat, and everything is right with the world.

We kiss for a long time. I feel like I can’t get enough of her, enough of her honeysuckle scent, her soft breathy moans. But the need to be closer to her—to be inside her, to possess her—wins out.

“Need to make love to you,” I murmur against her lips. It’s the first time I’ve spoken those words to a woman. Make love. But, I realize, that’s exactly what this is.

“Yes,” she whispers.

Reaching over toward the nightstand, I grab a condom from the drawer. Then, upon further consideration, I go back and grab a second one and toss them on the bed beside us.

Selena chuckles. “Someone’s ambitious tonight.”

Damn straight I am. I’ve waited too long to have her. If I’ve done my job properly, she’ll be sore and tired come morning.

I rip open the package but Selena takes over the task of sheathing me, her hands gentle and much softer than mine would have been. My need to be closer to her overtakes every other instinct, as if this union is more significant than all the other times she’s given herself to me combined.

Our previous intimate encounters were all born out of deceit. Yes, she was willing, but tonight she’s committed. She’s given me her heart, forgiven all my transgressions, and the desire to show her just what that means to me is an unmistakable need. She’s not my girlfriend or fake fiancée or the other half of my arranged marriage. She’s my wife. And I have a feeling that getting her to understand that fact is going to take more work, but in this moment, all I’m interested in is making her feel good.

I pull Selena up so she’s straddling my hips. And then I guide her up, aligning myself with her. When she sinks down, it’s heaven. Heaven. Her head drops back and she releases a slow, low moan.

“Forever.” I groan, gripping her hips tight as I control our pace. Nice and slow, so I can savor every breath, every moan, every squeeze of her inner muscles.

“Justin,” she whispers, placing her hands on my abs as she urges me to pick up the pace. “Faster. More.”

“Give it to me.” I thrust up, claiming her.

“It’s yours.” She presses back down on me, so deep.

My chest fills with love for this amazing woman, and I’m overcome by emotion. Burying myself in her over and over again affirms everything that is right about our union.

“Mine,” I growl out.

“Always.” She sobs, already breathless from pleasure.

Always.

Chapter Eleven

Selena

“In summation, it would be in the best financial interests of the board to retain Tate & Cane Enterprises,” I finish breathlessly, glancing at Justin. “How was that?”

“Great. I think we’ve got this.” He gives me a weary smile. “Like I said after our last two practice runs.”

I chew my lip, which I’ve already bitten raw over the course of the night. “Should we rehearse one more time? I don’t know if my delivery is as convincing as it could be. And maybe I should make those extra slides I was talking about earlier. Our argument could always stand to be stronger—”

Justin reaches out to squeeze my shoulder, both to interrupt me and to reassure me. “Snowflake. Calm down. Our presentation is fine. And it’s one in the morning—I’m exhausted and I’m sure you are too. At this point, getting a good night’s sleep will do more to help our argument than a hundred graphs.”

“Okay, okay.” I sigh in defeat. Just the mention of the word sleep triggers a yawn.

“See? Let me take you to bed.”

My lips quirk and I raise my eyebrow at him slightly. “What’s with that tone? I thought you wanted sleep.”

He smiles back. “Don’t worry; I do. Sex can wait until tomorrow night, after we’ve kicked ass with our presentation and saved the world.”

Another yawn interrupts my chuckle as Justin leads me to bed.

• • •

That night, still laughing in triumph, we pile through our penthouse’s front door like a couple of college kids who just graduated.

“We did it! We saved our whole fucking company!” I whoop aloud, kicking off my heels. Even after all our hard work, I can still barely believe we convinced the board to let Tate & Cane live. Although the unfulfilled heir clause lost us our shares, we still have our jobs as the head of the company. We can still live our legacy, and really that’s all we ever wanted.

“Damn right we did. We were unstoppable in there.” Justin lifts me by the waist and spins me around the entry hall, making me squeal in surprise and delight. “And it was your brilliant party idea that saved our asses, Snowflake.”

“Don’t even try to act so modest. I couldn’t have managed that horrible mountain of work without you.” I playfully slap at his shoulders—the only part of him I can reach in this position. “Now, put me down so you can pour us some drinks.”

“Another great idea. I’ll crack open a nice cold bottle of champagne.” Justin sets me back on my feet, shucks his suit jacket, and tosses it over the back of a chair.

“You already have one chilled?” I ask, following him into the kitchen.

“Last night I figured if we won, we’d want to celebrate, and if we lost, we’d want to drown our sorrows.”

“What a vote of confidence. You should have told me that you were sure we’d win.”

He shrugs, giving me a crooked smile. “Yeah, but we did win, right?”

I take two flutes down from the cupboard while Justin gets the champagne from the fridge and uncorks it. There’s something magical about the sound of a champagne bottle popping—it feels like a mini celebration in and of itself. Justin pours both our flutes full to the brim.

“To success in business, to victories hard won . . . and to unstoppable couples,” he says, raising his glass into the air.

“To all that stuff.” I pick up my flute, clink it against his, and take a long sip, relishing the sweet bubbles bursting over my tongue.

“Now, where’s my congratulatory kiss?”

Rolling my eyes, I lean in and give him a peck on the lips. He lets out a low murmur of appreciation and tries to pull me in closer, but I draw back.

“That was it?” he protests.

“Let me at least get through a single glass of champagne first. I’m not done savoring our triumph yet.”

When we polish off our first glasses, Justin pours us both another round. “What should we toast to this time?”

“Hmm,” I say thoughtfully. “You covered a lot in our first toast. How about . . . to marrying well?”

Justin blinks at me, then nods, a grin slowly spreading over his face. “I like that one.”

I clink glasses with a smile of my own. I guess I surprised him. But he, and all the joy he brings me, surprised me first.

Justin ends his drink by heaving a satisfied sigh. “This is great.”

I nod emphatically. “I know. God, it feels so amazing not to have the board’s decision hanging over our head anymore.”

“Well, that too.” He beams at me. “But I was also talking about spending time at home with you. I can’t think of the last time we just hung out and had fun like this.”

Our separation wasn’t only because we’ve been so busy with work. I also wasn’t sure quite where we stood, and struggled to get my footing under me with this relationship. But all that pain is in the past—we talked over our feelings, we said all the things we needed to say, and now we’re trying to leave the whole ugly episode behind us.