#my shoulder blade has already been bothering me for awhile but yesterday was just TOO MUCH

[seagullcharmer]

well, y'all remember how i keep not playing violin for months bc i have too much chronic pain? guess who forgets that EVERY time and now can't move their left arm

[angelamazing]

In The End III

Genre : Angst, Fluff

Warnings : Gore, Violence, Mentions of Blood and Cursing lots of them (:<

Summary :

It was ironic really how the world changed because of a deadly virus, the once beautiful landscape filled with families and joyous people now filled with the undead, a flesh eating monsters that we're once known as human now became the most feared creature, all it would do was smell you and when they did, will find you and eat you alive, it wasn't what people are mostly scared of they would rather be eaten alive than get bitten and become one of those disgusting creatures.

Jooheon woke up at the crack of dawn just like he said yesterday .

He was going to talk to you alone, and maybe, just maybe you would change your mind.

He sneaked off not even bothering to tell Hyunwoo where he was going, and it was too much of a hassle and he couldn't be bothered with it.

It had been awhile since he traveled alone. The last time he did was four months ago, just like what you thought that traveling alone was much safer until he had a close call with death.

But luckily, Hyunwoo and his group had saved his ass, and as much as Jooheon hated it, he owed his life to the large statured man.

Getting into town was alot quicker when he was by himself than him with his group .

A group of people managed to attract some walkers but manged to avoid many so he had to kill a few.

Just like always the town was silent, way to silent for Jooheon’s liking and it kinda freaked him out.

He pulled the hood of his jacket over his head to cover the cold breeze brushing past him.

It didn't take long for him to find himself out of your window.

Just like yesterday, he gathered some rocks to throw, he aimed the rock to the window and just as he was about to let go, he was grabbed from behind.

A hand found it’s way to his hair with a harsh grip, pulling his head back a cold object was placed on his neck it was something sharp, he tried to fight back but the leg of his attacker was in between his. If he stumbled now, his life would be over.

Slowly, the attackers gripped loosened and the blade was removed from his neck as the attacker pushed him forward.

Keeping his balance, he immediately turned around sighing in relief upon seeing it was you “Fucking shit”

You smirked at him “Sorry, sweet cheeks, didn't realize it was you with a hood”

He watched you as you twirled the blade in your hand before you slid it back on your jacket sleeve.

“Stop calling me sweet cheeks” He glared at you “I came here to talk to you”

“Why?”

“Because”

“Because what?”

“Listen here woman, can we talk or not?”

“Can't see why not” you shrugged.

You climbed back up on the drain pipe motioning for him to do the same.

He followed you up before taking a seat on the floor, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“You do know why i’m here so let's cut to the chase and go straight to the point”

You nodded at him indicating that you're willing to listen.

“As of right now, our group is very weak and only a handful of people can or willing to fight, most of them are cowering when it comes to fighting those things and we only have Minhyuk to research on those things ”

You tilted your head to the side.

“Research?”

He nods.

“ Yeah, like finding out if they have any other weaknesses or patterns on their behavior”

“I already have that”

Jooheon's eyes widened slightly.

“Are you willing to share the information you have?”

You shrugged your shoulders “I don't see why not”

Jooheon stood on his feet waiting for you to follow.

“I'll make a deal with you, you, come with me and share the information you have, you can leave right after with no questions asked and that's if you choose not to stay with us”

You got up to your feet, holding out your hand, as he shakes it.

“Deal”

****

“Why Did you save Jungwon?” Jooheon asked as your gaze settled on him.

“He just reminds me of someone I know” you mumbled as you picked up your pace walking ahead of him.

It was clear that you don't really want to talk about it, so Jooheon just watched you letting the conversation drift off.

Moments later, Jooheon decided to take a break he wasn't in a rush to get back to the camp he already know he would get his ass handed to him once he got there.

“You didn't tell them you were leaving, are you?”

He shook his head as she let out a hum.

“What was that thing about trust you guys said yesterday?”

Jooheon scoffed rolling his eyes.

“It’s not I don't trust them, I just couldn't be bothered by Hyunwoo and the others with their shits”

An amused laugh escaped your lips.

“Have you been with them since from the start?”

He shook his head .

“No, I was actually traveling alone at first. About two months in, I almost lost a chunk of flesh by those human eating bastards, but luckily Hyunwoo and his group was there to save me so I really owe them my life”

“Ah I see, so, you joined to pay the debt you owe”

Jooheon nodded before asking the question that he has been really curious about.

“So, how the hell did you managed to survive for six months being alone?”

“it’s not been easy actually” you shrugged “But, I got used to it, and started to pay attention to my instincts, from there on I learned how to survive”

“So why is it that you don't trust people?”

You turned towards him, your eyes meeting his before looking away.

“it’s not that I don't trust, it’s just that I don't want to be attached and end up losing them”

You stood up patting yourself down.

“shouldn’t we be going?”

Jooheon stood up sighing “I guess”.

****

You and Jooheon made it back to his camp, luckily unscathed, the rest of the trip was quiet between the two of you, not that you actually minded, it was actually nice since it made it easier for you to listen if there are any undead nearby.

Upon your arrival, you noticed that the group seemed to be panicking and disorganized, Jooheon walked with you, following closely behind, the group seemed to have calmed as they laid their eyes on him.

“Jooheon, where did you go? You didn't tell me you were leaving” the tall man which you knew as Hyunwoo scolded Jooheon as if he was a child.

Jooheon sighed before responding “I went by myself, because it's easier to talk to someone, one on one rather than a group with guns”

You stepped forward as Hyunwoo eyed you curiously before looking back at Jooheon.

“She agreed to share information with us about the walkers, and had an agreement that after this, if she decided not to stay, we should let her go with no other questions asked”

***

The group huddled in a small circle surrounding a small fire as you sat beside Jooheon.

“So what do you want to know?”

“Just anything you know” Hyunwoo spoke.

So you went from the beginning explaining each and everything you know not missing an ounce of information since you knew they would be helpful.

“and oh, one more thing, they're also blind-”

“then how the fuck did they know the difference between undead and human?” Jooheon asked.

“I was getting to that Jooheon” you said giving him a side glare “They have a heightened sense of smell, they can smell the difference between rotting flesh and human flesh”

“How do you know this?” Hyunwoo spoke.

“Well, when I was walking around the city, that was crawling with lots of undead, I watched them and looked like as if they were sniffing one another when they came into contact, so I decided to test this theory by killing one undead and basically rolled on its guts” you could already see Jooheon cringed from the corner of your eye “As you can see, I was able to walk out of the city filthy but alive”

“That’s fucking disgusting” Jooheon mumbled as you nodded your head in agreement.

“That’s all I have”

Hyunwoo nods.

“thank you for sharing these information with us” Hyunwoo said before turning to face Minhyuk whose busy scribbling furiously on his notebook.

“have you gotten any information about the vaccine?”

You narrowed your eyes towards Minhyuk.

“Ah that, No I haven't it's really hard to work on that without any equipment” Minhyuk sighed.

“A Vaccine?” you asked

Minhyuk turned to you nodding eagerly, before explaining “yeah we are actually working on a vaccine that could possibly save humans from turning into one of those filthy bastards, but we lack of some equipment so it's kind of hard to work on that now.”

You sat back for a moment and thought, if the vaccine they were saying could possibly save humans from going extinct, why not just help them with it, right?.

“Actually, I know someone who exactly have the equipments you need, it’s not actually from from here if any of your vehicles are working, if you want I can take you there”

“Oh, so miss ‘i ride solo’ Is willing to help us” Jooheon snickered having a smug smile plastered on his face.

You smiled back at him sarcastically before slapping him on the back of his head.

“fuck” he hissed

You smirked watching him rub his head before Facing Hyunwoo.

“So, Hyunwoo. What's the plan?”

[ayyyez]

give us nsfw tobirama arranged marriage!! I beg🥺🥺

a/n: haha I got a few requests for this so I’m happy to oblige. I’m going to shift this one up in the to-do list because it’s technically a continuation of a request I’ve done. I’m going to continue where I left off then gradually leak into the nsfw details. ENJOY! I’m sorry it takes awhile to get to the nsfw i just wanted to continue to build it up and got WAY carried away. Mostly gender neutral until the nsfw part as the original request did specify daughter of a lord.

PART TWO of this request [X] NSFW content below. SMUT Below!

-Your new goal had been to get closer to Tobirama but you knew you would have to be bold enough to move ahead without crossing the line. You took it slow, as to ease the two of you in. When you said good morning you would make sure to face him and smile. Normally you would just continue what you were doing but now you found yourself wanting to make an effort.

-The first time you did this he almost stopped in his tracks. He noticed you seemed unusually happy for the morning rather than merely content. While eating he watched you closely and wondered what could have possibly happened to put you in this mood. His gaze would wander from his food to you without him even realising. The moment he did realise he shook all thought from his mind and concentrated on more important matters.

-Gaging his reaction you decided to continue this throughout the morning before eventually you pushed a bit further. ‘Did you sleep well?’ You would ask among other little inquiries. He still gave his usual curt responses but he seemed less distracted. Usually when he was eating breakfast with you his mind would be elsewhere, you assumed on what he would have to do during the day but now you felt his gaze on you a little more. Sometimes you chanced a smile. He wouldn’t return it but he wouldn’t turn away either. In his mind you seemed to radiate warmth. It intrigued him. 

-Then came the time for your more diplomatic duties. Your father wished you to sit on the newly appointed democratic council whose purpose was to oversee the future of the village. Tobirama was the one who informed you fo this one evening when he came home. ‘It’s more a formality than anything, you won’t have to do anything entirely purposeful.’ His intent was to ease you into such an important role, he wasn’t sure why he was even thinking that way but he assumed he was just becoming accustomed to caring about you feel in terms of how it would affect his and your image…of course. No other reasons. 

-You however saw his words to mean that you had no purpose. That made you angry and a little hurt. ‘I think being appointed such as task is quite purposeful and I value the village enough to take it seriously.’ With a hint of a scowl on your face you removed the dinner dishes from the table and washed them furiously. You would show him purposeful. 

-Meanwhile Tobirama was almost startled at your reaction but he didn’t say anything. He was simply grateful you would take it seriously since that is what he had wanted. But as the night crept on and he bathed he couldn’t help but think he had unintentionally had offended you. Not that he would apologise, he just found it peculiar. More so that it almost bothered him. With a sigh he attempted to rub a knot out in his back, he had been so tense lately, perhaps that was why he was concerned about minor things. 

-When he went to bed he found you had already fallen asleep without saying goodnight to him. He wasn’t hurt by this, that would be ridiculous but Tobirama was comfortable with routine and it threw him a little. Still, he paid it no more thought and hopped into bed himself, hoping to sleep off the tension. However he found himself waking an hour earlier than intended. With a sigh he wasted no time and got up. 

-You didn’t wake when he did so he left you in bed. He made his own breakfast and figured it would be a waste not to make a portion for you. Tobirama felt a need to hurry, he was stressed and wanted to resolve matters he was dealing with concerning the village quickly. 

-When you awoke you found Tobirama wasn’t in bed and when you went into the kitchen it seemed he had already left. You huffed remembering the belittling moment between the two of you yesterday. Then you saw a portion of food waiting for you on the bench. Suddenly the irritation dissipated and the need in you, the one that wanted to understand and know Tobirama, returned. You hated how one simple gesture did this but you also didn’t want to waste you time being angry at someone who probably didn’t even think twice about what he had said. Fine, you’d give him this one. 

-The two of you fell back into the familiar routine. Except Tobirama was getting up earlier and earlier. He was waking, making breakfast and leaving all before you woke. The only time you saw him was during the evenings so you decided to make more food and more small talk. As usual he thanked you for the food and answered you inquiries. You also noticed the way he would some times twinge and roll his shoulders.

- ‘Something has you concerned.’ You said watching him one night. He looked at you almost startled. Almost. The only hint was in the way his eyes watched you closely. ‘What do you mean?’ He asked nonchalantly. ‘The past few days somethings gotten you worried. More than usual.’ You took a bite of your fish before adding. ‘It concerns the village, no?’ Tobirama sighed. ‘It’s Madara, he poses a dangerous threat.’ He continued eating. ‘That makes sense.’ You had heard tell of the falling out between he and Hashirama but it was all speculation of villagers who loved to gossip. ‘He left the village.’ You stated, rather than questioned. ‘Yes.’ You pressed your lips together. ‘What do you need?’ 

-At the question Tobirama considered the conversation the two of you were having. He wasn’t even sure why he told you such sensitive information. Perhaps it was because he had been carrying it around inside him for days and his brother wouldn’t head any advice he could offer. Was he seriously unloading all of this unto you? He sighed again. ‘For everything to continue as it is, for awhile.’ He watched you nod then reply, ‘Alright.’ He felt a little more at ease following this conversation even with the silence between the two of you. It was comfortable. 

-That night Tobirama woke up tense and restless. It was much earlier than he usually did, too early to go to the Hokage office so instead he went into the living room and started looking through scrolls and books. You had noticed him stir but when you finally woke fully you realised Tobirama wasn’t in bed anymore. Then you also heard a sigh and rustling from another room. 

-When you went to observe the living room you found Tobirama on the floor surrounded by scrolls and books. He was also reaching his hand over his shoulder and rubbing his shoulder blade. You calmed a little, now knowing he was still home. You debated making your presence known but then logic struck you when you remembered he was a sensory shinobi. 

- ‘What are you doing?’ You asked approaching him. He didn’t look up at you, merely kept reading the scroll in front of him before muttering, ‘Just village business.’ You held in a sigh and knelt down beside him. You glanced over the scroll which seemed to be scribbles about some sort of ninjutsu. Tobirama reached over his shoulder again. 

-Without thinking you reached you hands to the spot he was focusing on and removed his hand. The moment you did he turned to face you. ‘What are you doing?’ You pressed your hand against the spot feeling the tension. ‘You’ve been tense for days, you need this knot rubbed out.’ He shuddered a little at the pressure. ‘I’m fine, go rest.’ He insisted, straightening up and turning away from you. ‘You’re not and I’m wide awake now.’ You repositioned yourself behind him. ‘Stop protesting and just let me do this.’ He muttered out a ‘fine.’ Before looking back down at his scroll.

-You got to work pushing you fingers against the fabric of his shirt to try and find the knot and roll it out. Starting slow then building more pressure you focused so intently on releasing the tension from his shoulder that you almost didn’t notice Tobirama had stopped looking at the scroll. His body began to meld a little into your touch and suddenly you felt very privileged to see this man in such a way. Soft grunts left his lips as you worked the knot and you had to force yourself not to smile. You just knew he’d know and then you’d have to stop. Tobirama was not a man who liked to appear vulnerable. 

-Then you found you didn’t want this moment to end and you formed an idea. You stopped moving your fingers but let your hands rest on his back. ‘Put the scroll away.’ You said breaking the silence. ‘What?’ He asked as though he had just awoken from a slumber. ‘Put the scroll on the table and lie down in my lap.’ He gave you a cautious frown over his shoulder. You met his gaze. ‘Just do what I say. You’re exhausted and need to relax if you’re going to have any hope dealing with the issues on your mind.’ There was a pause before you added, ‘You don’t want to be caught off guard by an enemy because you haven’t gotten any rest.’ That was the push he needed. 

-With a grunt Tobirama complied and steadily lowered his head into your lap. He could have argued that he was used to it but he didn’t. You had no idea why he trusted you like this but you couldn’t help feel inflated by it. He looked up at you with a stern expression as though sensing your smile. ‘Close your eyes.’ You ordered. With heavy sigh he complied, his arms crossing almost defiant to the entire idea. There you reach your hands down to his face, letting your fingers find his temples. Tobirama didn’t flinch at your touch and you found his skin was cool against your warm finger tips. 

-As you began to message the sides of his face, focusing on the temples you felt Tobirama relax beneath you. Tobirama didn’t want to admit that he found this all soothing because then that would mean admitting that he enjoyed this. It was all very vulnerable and touchy for him. So he didn’t say anything but he also allowed himself to completely let go. 

-As time went on you felt him relax completely and you decided this was one of those special times you could be bold and push the boundaries. You let your fingertips just glide softly down his face, moving them up and down as soothing as you could. Beneath you, you felt him relax even more as though he was drifting into a sleep. You kept this up, maintaining a gentle touch, eventually game enough to take your path down his neck and across his chest. Only because you could practically feel him drift to sleep. And then sleep came for you to as you rested one elbow on the table beside you and allowed you head to rest in it while to other took refuge on Tobirama’s chest.

-Tobirama woke in the morning a little later than he usually would, feeling more rested than he had in days. As his eyes opened and he took in his surroundings he was suddenly aware of where he was and who he was with. He looked up at you sleeping above him, your face tucked against your arm on the table while the other hand was resting inside his shirt. He stared at you for a few moments and it dawned on him that he didn’t mind this. And because he didn’t mind this, every fibre in his body pushed him to move away and stop it from happening. Carefully he removed your arm, which had felt warm and soothing, from his body then he sat up. 

-Tobirama went to stand and leave you but it felt almost cruel. Even for him. How impractical. So with a groan and sigh he fought against his better judgement and carried you to bed where he quickly left you and your home without breakfast. When he came home in the evening he found you waiting with dinner like you always were and the two of you didn’t speak of it again. 

-But just because the two of you didn’t say anything neither of you could deny that something changed between you two. The bold part of you decided to implement absentminded touches into your day. When you placed a plate in front of him you placed another hand on his back. When he passed you a glass you would take it after first sliding your fingers over his. When you slept you inched a little closer to him each night. All things that could be considered innocent. 

-Tobirama noticed all of this. Touching was something he was always aware of. What he wondered whether it was intentional or unconscious. He wondered which would be better. He wondered why he was even bothering to think of it. Still, he didn’t say anything. But he was more conscious of you than he had ever been to the point he began expecting the contact and where if he didn’t get it then he would seek it out. When he walked by you he would brush his arm against you. In bed he would turn to face you, just to see if you’d moved closer (of course). One night when he turned over he found your hand a mere inch from his face. He could practically feel your warmth and wondered if he’d ever known his bed to be so warm. He was, he’d dare say, content. 

-Then the council came around and it was time for you to join him with the Hokage. He was quite pleased with how you conducted yourself in the meetings, finding he kept an especially close eye on you when he could. On one occasion Hashirama forced him to take a break after the meeting in order to accompany you back into the village where you asked if he’d like to accompany you on errands. He complied curious to see how the village was developing…but also more selfishly, to see how you fit in it. 

-He silently followed you to a few stands and watched you engage with the shopkeepers. You seemed so vibrant and full of life, talking to each like life long friends. ‘Is this what you do every day?’ Tobirama inquired between the 2nd and 3rd stop. ‘Mostly, each days different depending.’ Tobirama nodded, observing you as you began to rattle off each thing you do and why. There was this whole other side to you he had only seen one time, when he’d seen you interact with a friend. Through the trip he found himself more drawn to you. 

- ‘We should stop somewhere and eat.’ He suggested. Your face lit up at that when you suggested a new place that had opened not long after a certain clan joined. They did something special with fish. At least that’s what he thought you’d said since you seemed excited you spoke so quickly. It was pleasant. Then he saw you back home and returned to Hashirama and his ridiculous inquiries about you. He brushed them off and insisted on getting back to work.

-Then the nights became different. Tobirama began having questioning dreams about you. It began mild, simply him seeking out your affection but then they developed beyond that and became for carnal. One night he woke up midst one of these heated dreams, hard and sweaty. How bothersome. But then he turned to where you were sleeping and he wondered for the first time what it would be like…filling those marital duties. He decided a cold bath would stifle all thoughts concerning that. Still, his mind seemed to drift to those thoughts.

-At the next meeting something changed within Tobirama again. There was a particular issue regarding the hospital and to his surprise you got in a rather heated debate with another member. Even more to his surprise your argument was sound, logical and to his delight: right. Which he made clear when he backed you up, both of your eyes locked the entire time. Something heated sparked between you two and for the first time in his life Tobirama felt something he could only describe as romantic affection. When the rest of the members voted in favour of you the meeting was over. And then you were walking over to him, everyone else talking to him became whiten noise. The way you told him you would see him at home then whispered a ‘thank you.’ in his ear sent him on edge. 

-Then he got the news he had to go away that night as matter of urgency to convince some of the remaining straggler clans to join the village in order to not only up their numbers for protection but get to them before they joined another nation. For some reason the prospect of this disheartened him a little but he couldn’t quite figure out why. Oh right. The moment. But what did that moment between you even mean? He at least had to say goodbye to you and figure it out. Kami, he felt ridiculous. His head should be on the mission. 

-Tobirama quickly returned home to find you standing in the kitchen, looking out the window. You turned at the sound of your name. When your eyes met his you realised he was looking at you with pride and something more carnal. The air between you two was warm and heavy-almost needy. You took a step forward when he said, ‘I leave on a mission tonight.’ There was almost regret in his voice. ‘I’ll help you pack.’ You offered, eyes glued to his. Then the two of you quickly walked to your bedroom, arms brushing against each other the entire length of the hall. Something unsaid sparked between you two, something that said soon.

-When you got there Tobirama retrieved his pack while you pulled and sorted his clothes. He put his pack on the bed and you began piling his clothes neatly inside. ‘How long?’ You asked without looking at him. ‘Few days. Week at most.’ He replied, gaze fixed on you. Both of you could feel that something building. 

-Then you closed the pack up and finally turned to face him. Adrenaline and yearning erupted and before you could stop yourself you wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him hard. It was firm and needy and he didn’t break away or stop you but rather he returned the kiss without hesitation, his hands coming to rest on your sides. Then as if only just realising what was happening you pulled away and retrieved his pack. ‘Hurry back.’ You said handing it to him. ‘I will.’ He replied, adorning his usual stoic expression now with slightly flushed cheeks. ‘Stay safe.’ You whispered.

-The time Tobirama was away was the most distracted he had been in his life. He got heated just thinking about coming home to you. There were restless nights, hot dreams and such a powerful urge flowing through him. He hadn’t felt such a strong emotional pull before and he did everything he could to successfully complete the mission and return. In the end it took him 4 days. Each day his mind drifting to you and what he would like to do with you. It was bothersome, distracting but also something he wanted very badly. 

-You were asleep in bed in the middle of the night when Tobirama came home. As quietly as he could he bathed the filth of the mission away and entered your shared bedroom. He sat on his side of the bed and sighed, finally home. You stirred when had come in and when you realised he was there you sat up and crawled over to the bed where he sat and wrapped you arms around him without thinking. 

-Tobirama was exhausted and welcomed your touch, leaning back against you. ‘Welcome home.’ You whispered against his ear. ‘Was the mission successful.’ Tobirama relaxed against you. ‘Yes, it went smoothly.’ You pulled your arms away and pushed yourself off the bed to stand in front of him, between his legs, your hands coming to his cheeks and lifting his gaze to yours. 

-There you observed his face making sure there were no injuries. He watched you closely feeling the warmth of your fingers stroke his cheeks. Tobirama wants to reach out to you but the man he was stopped him. He just can’t allow himself that amount of vulnerability yet. The walls are still there. But for the first time he was willing to let some down for you. 

-Then you took a step back and begin removing your outer layers of clothing, a scene similar to the one of the wedding night. But your clothes no longer seemed like shackles that bound you to him. No, now they seemed like offerings, a physical reminder to him that in that this was your choice now. And he’d be a fool to reject it when he wanted this now. Kami, how he wanted this.

-You then, keeping your eyes locked on his, removed your undergarments leaving you completely naked. For a moment you stood there and allowed him to look at you, his eyes observing slowly, inch by inch, no discernible expression on his face except the heat in his eyes. Then once they reached your eyes again you walked toward him, arm extended to take his hand in yours. Once his hand reached yours, you pulled it to your body, guiding his fingertips to your warm skin and letting them explore your body. You saw a new found curiosity in his eyes as he took control. A shiver overcame you as his finger traced your nipple. 

-A overwhelming need surged through Tobirama. And suddenly he is grabbing you and pulling you onto his lap and kissing you. Just as quickly you were kissing him back with fervour, your arms sliding down his chest attempting to remove his clothes. Need. That’s what filled you too now. And you were tugging at his clothes until he shed them all. 

-The urge to look, to take him in completely was there but the lust overcame everything and you just had to have him. It was rough and muddled at first. He indulged you on top of him, kissing and grinding but very quickly he flipped you over and ran his hands firmly over you body, fingertips digging into the flesh of your curves, searching your body in it’s entirety. 

-The entire time Tobirama’s gaze was trained on your face, watching each reaction he elicited from you body. And then his fingers sought out that sensitive mound. Tobirama new the logistics of sex but he never had the time to think about the emotions it could bring to the surface. Nor the reactions or the sounds you made as he began rubbing, circling, teasing that sweat spot. But right now he wasn’t a patient man and he also needed you. 

-He grabbed your waist, perhaps a little harder than necessary and dragged you into a position above him. He wanted to see you work for him. He wasn’t sure why. Before he got you aligned though you surprised him, like you always did and took his half hard member in his hand and slowly ran your hand along it. There was a moment of you timidness before a fire started inside you allowing for a new found confidence. You took his erecting cock in your hand, it was hot and receptive, and began pumping it to life. 

-The guttural moan that left Tobirama’s lips was reason enough alone for this new physical development in your relationship. But oh did it have you wanting more. And it seemed he was thinking the same because he grabbed you wrist and moved it away before taking hold of your waist again bringing you over his cock. A single glance in your direction, a final question of permission and you nodded. Then he took his erection in one hand and guided you down with other until the tip entered you. 

-Both of you tensed, gazes caught up in the moment but neither of you stopped. With his guidance, you sank down slowly feeling him fill you inch my inch. When he was completely inside you you looked up for find his jaw clenching, the only tell tale sign of him trying to keep control. You were thankful because you too needed a minute to adjust. A small part of you gloated at the fact you had been the one to break Tobirama’s boundaries and although the man still harboured a million secrets from you, now you shared one he never would with anyone else. Tobirama was nothing if not loyal. 

-His grip on your waist tightened as he moved to lift you up. A concession to begin. You followed his push and began to move your body up, lifting up from his cock until the tip only to quickly push back down with force. This caught him off guard and he let a grunt slip. A smile crossed your lips but then his grip on your waist became even firmer and then he was controlling you, pulling you up and down as he thrusted up to meet you.

-It was good, intense and maddening all at once. He just had to be in control but suddenly you didn’t care because he was hitting you so deep and hard it felt incredible. You slumped forward a little as he continued, feeling the sweat coat your body and heat overtake you. It was exerting. You chanced a glance up at Tobirama and saw the intensity of his expression. You had never seen him look like that ever. 

-Leaning down with force you couldn’t help but kiss him. It was feverish, messy and passionate. All the things you had been feeling seemed to come out in this kiss and he reciprocated with equal measure, his hands gliding from your waist to your backside with one firm grope. And then he was flipping you over and pounding into you with greater force, erratic motions and a carnal want.  You couldn’t help but wrap you arms around his neck and pull him closer, another feverish kiss shared between you. 

-Then there was something building inside you, something you couldn’t control but was building. ‘Tobirama.’ You couldn’t help but whine. He grunted in response. And suddenly you didn’t care about how needy you sounded. The coil inside you was about to snap. Tobirama. It became a mantra off your lips. And he continued grunting his lips pressed by your ear. Oh Kami. You were cumming with a whine and you arms clawing at Tobirama’s back. And then he was cumming, inside you, his body shuddering violently against yours. 

-The aftermath was full of panting and limbs tangled together on top of your shared bed. There was silence while your heart rates returned to normal. Then a ‘Wow.’ Left you lips and Tobirama let out a noise that resembled a chuckle. ‘We should get cleaned up and get some rest.’ He said. How logical.

-The next time the two of you have sex it’s more slower and exploratory. The need for unguided passion is still there but more emotions flow through. Tobirama, though not the most affectionate man, presses the occasion kiss to your neck and ear while he thrusts into you. You found a liking for sensually stroking his body with a firmness that conveyed you affection and care for him. 

-When it comes to foreplay, if he’s feeling particularly cunning then he will drag it out in and attempt to make you beg. He’s surprisingly patient with time. But you can always try to get him back. He’ll never beg but he’ll concede by saying something like, ‘Enough games, let me have you.’ That’s as much as you’re going to get. He’s most vocal when you’re sucking his cock tbh. But he doesn’t say much is more grunts and pants but they’re far less controlled than his usual ones. Doesn’t like going to bed messy so you’ll always have to clean up after. Isn’t much of a cuddler but during the night when he’s asleep he’ll wrap himself around you if you aren’t hugging him. His body just naturally seeks out warmth okay. 

[courtofsapphiresandshadows]

Chapter Fourteen- Nesta

Nesta expected Sasha’s training to be difficult, however she didn’t think it would involve all of this running.

They had been running for 15 minutes, both Nesta and Estelle keeping pace behind Sasha. Every morning for the past week, the trio had risen early in the morning to go for a 20 minute run. “It’s for conditioning”, Sasha had told them, a small smirk on her lips. “You’ll thank me later”.

How it would help her, Nesta was yet to find out. The only thing she has gotten out of this was sore muscles and a raging appetite.

Sasha thankfully slowed down to a walk, glancing over her shoulders to check up on the two. “I’m going to end the run early- I have something else planned for today.”

Nesta and Estelle exchanged a look. “Are we carrying rocks again?” Estelle wondering out loud between gasps of air. While the younger Illyrian was definitely stronger than Nesta, she lacked the endurance that Nesta, as a high fae, had. “I really hope not.”

She could merely nod her head in agreement. The workout they did yesterday had left Nesta with scrapes on her hands and knees, not to mention arms that felt like gelatin. “I don’t think she would repeat the same workout twice in one week”, Nesta told her, “but knowing Sasha, I wouldn’t put it past her.”

Someone chuckled- Sasha had been listening in to their conversation. “Glad to see that you enjoyed yesterday- I’ll make sure to use it again.”

Hiding a groan, Nesta followed Sasha to a clearing in the forest. Rows of weapons were laid neatly on a cloth, a target erected on a tree. “I know it’s nothing like the ring that Rhysand has, but at least it’s in the shade”, Sasha commented, before popping open her canteen and drinking deeply.

“I think it’s perfect.” Nesta, not that she dared admit it, loved to train, especially when it was just Estelle and Sasha to watch her. She still hadn’t told Cassian where she disappeared to every morning- not that he had the time to care. Once again, he was too busy with Ironcrest to bug her. It was a relief for her to not have to deal with Cassian, but a small part of her worried for him. Wondered if he was able to get enough sleep at night.

“Nesta?” Estelle called out to her. She must’ve gotten too lost in her thoughts to realize that they had been waiting on her. “Are you okay?”

“Just tired”, she assured, shooting them a small smile. “What are we doing today, Sasha?”

The redhead grinned. “I think it’s time to introduce you two to some blades.” She flipped a knife in her hand, the metal glinting brightly in the sun. “When it comes to arming yourself, you should choose something that works with your strengths- if you’re strong, use something that you can pack a punch with.” Grunting slightly, she hefted a large battle axe, and handed it to Estelle, who nearly dropped it.

“If you’re quick and nimble, and not scared of getting too close to combat, a dagger might work well for you. However, if you favor being farther away-” the knife that was in her hand zipped in the air, before hitting the target behind them, “then a bow or throwing knives might suit your fancy.”

Estelle dragged the axe back to the other weapons, grunting slightly before dropping it. “And do you have any ideas on what weapon we should pick?”

Sasha stroked her red braid, thinking to herself. “I have ideas”, she admitted, “but you should be comfortable with a variety of weapons, not just one.”

Nesta eyed the axe on the ground. “Do we have to use that?”

Surprisingly, she let out a sigh of relief. “Oh thank the Mother- I have no idea how to use battle axes.”

“Then why did you bring it out?” Nesta asked incredulously. That axe looked heavy- why would Sasha drag it all the way out here if she didn’t plan on using it?

Sasha shrugged her shoulders. “I had one, and I didn’t know if you all wanted to use it.” She then waved her hand over the axe, muttering something as the axe faded away. “No need to have it here, in that case.”

Estelle picked up a sword, examining the blade. “Will we learn how to use swords?” She asked, although she was holding the weapon rather uncomfortably. “I mean, many Illyrian warriors use them.” That was true- almost all of the warriors Nesta had seen were using swords and nothing else. Azriel was one of the few Illyrians who was seen with some sort of dagger.

“We’ll learn how to use swords later, after you all master some other sort of weapon- it’s to make sure you don’t rely to heavily on your sword, even though they’re useful”, she informed them, before picking up two more knives, handing them over to Nesta and Estelle. “Shall we get started?”

Throwing knives were harder than they looked. Despite Sasha’s assurance that it had taken her awhile to master them, it wasn’t encouraging when Nesta’s knives soared over or landed just before the target. ‘I definitely prefer the workout from yesterday’, she thought to herself gloomily as she picked up her knives embedded in the dirt. ‘At least I wouldn’t embarrass myself so much.’

Estelle was having the same luck. “This is no easy task”, she commented under her breath, before whipping the knife at the target once more. However, the small throwing knife veered left, and went straight into the forest beyond. Letting out a deep sigh, she began her march of humiliation to retrieve the knife, leaving Nesta and Sasha by themselves.

“How long did it really take you to master throwing knives?” Nesta asked her as the redhead embedded another knife into the center of the target.

Sasha paused for a minute, before throwing another knife. “A week or so. I had practiced for hours a day, and often put what I learned into practice.” She then shot a grin at her. “Would you believe me if I told you that I used Aegan as a target once?”

Nesta snorted. “No way. And I’m guessing that she gave you that scar on your face?”

“Oh no, that was from somewhere else, however she did give me this one”, she said, lifting up her shirt to reveal a scar that raced across her abdomen. “When we first met, I threw a knife at her, either out of sheer boredom or out of curiosity, I don’t remember, but if I knew that one, I would miss completely, and two, she was fast to react, I would’ve kept my knife to myself.”

Nesta stared at the scar for a little longer, before looking up at Sasha once more. “I assume you two hated each other at first?”

Sasha laughed. “Oh, very much so. For a month, we both tried killing each other, before finally getting along. I think her mother was partially to thank for that.” She rolled her shirt back down. “Anyway, how did you get into Velaris in the first place? If you don’t mind me asking.”

The murky waters of the cauldron raced through her mind, chills racing up her body. “As you probably know, I was made High Fae a few years ago. My sister was already turned, so she invited me to live with her. That is, until she kicked me out and made me live in the Illyrian Mountains.”

Sasha cocked her head, looking at her quizzically. It might’ve been Nesta’s imagination, but she swore that she felt something hot skim over her body, before retreating quickly. Sasha’s eyes were wide. “You were gifted by the Cauldron?”

“How did you know that?”

Before she could answer, Estelle came trudging back, her legs muddy. “Sorry, I got stuck in the mud while looking for this knife.” She held up the pristine blade. “Who knew something so shiny could be so hard to find?”

Sasha rolled her eyes, smiling, as she plucked the blade out of Estelle’s hand. “How about we practice that throw one more time?” Her dark eyes met Nesta’s once, before glancing away. “Practice makes perfect, after all.”

The day ended with Nesta hitting the outer rim of the target, and Estelle deciding that throwing knives were not for her. After packing up, the three of them hiked back through the forest, Sasha and Estelle taking the lead with Nesta not far behind.

A strong autumn wind cooled her body, a quiet, blissful sigh escaping her nose. Nesta had come to enjoy taking walks in the woods. The chirping birds, the rustle of leaves- it was enough to focus her mind elsewhere, to almost ignore the things that were eating her away. Almost.

“Have you heard from Aegan recently?” Nesta heard Estelle ask innocently, as they reached the treeline. “Is she doing any better?”

“She’s the same as always, although I do think that she’s started to eat more”, Sasha reported, a small smile on her lips. “Yes, I do think that she’s beginning to get better.” She glanced over at Nesta, her smile instantly disappearing as she shook her head. No, Aegan was not getting better. Why lie to Estelle, she didn’t understand. Many of Sasha’s motives were confusing as is.

Estelle smiled brightly. “Oh good! I’m just worried that she’s all by herself up in those mountains” she commented, walking on ahead. The poor girl was too naive to see the truth, that it would probably take years for her to get over what happened to her.

A dark figure zoomed overhead, before disappearing. “What was that?” Nesta asked, squinting her eyes to try to see what it was.

Sasha followed her gaze, her dark eyes narrowing slightly. “Azriel.”

~Aegan’s POV~

A strong wind tore through Aegan’s thin sweater as she sat on top of a high ridge, overlooking the war camp she had been spying on. No one had dared to venture outside- it was hard enough living in any Illyrian war camp. But during harsh blizzards such as these… Aegan sighed, watching her breath condense in front of her. It didn’t surprise her that Ironcrest had canceled any training for the day. Instead, each warrior would find themselves welcomed to a roaring fire and a warm bed.

Not that Aegan could say the same. She hadn’t bothered to light any sort of fireplace throughout the week, even as the cabin’s temperature dropped to a point where the frost had crept up the walls. Regardless, she felt nothing, save for the strange power that was burning her alive. It was enough to keep out winter’s harsh breath, as well as her shadows. It was coming to a point where Aegan had started to miss their constant nagging- it would’ve been nice to have some sort of company.

She shut her eyes briefly, snowflakes brushing against her face. It was peaceful where she was. Aegan knew that it wouldn’t last, at least not until Azriel returned from Velaris. She had gotten a letter from him, courtesy of Sasha. He wouldn’t return until the blizzards had passed- knowing Illyria’s harsh winter, that could be weeks away.

Something tickled her check. Aegan?

She cracked open an eye. One of her shadows hovered right in front of her face, completely unaffected by the harsh wind. “There you are”, she muttered to it, watching it weave its way through her fingers. “Where are the others?”

Here, it whispered to her, as more shadows began to twist their way around her. We watch your back. We help you spy.

“I haven’t seen you at all this week, my monosyllabic friends. I was growing worried.”

Some of the shadows paused, before floating closer to her. We learn. We help with new thing.

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

The roar of her new power was the only answer she got. Her shadows instantly disappeared, and she felt it slowly shrink down in response. The burning lingered, but it wasn’t as strong as it was before.

Releasing a frustrated sob, Aegan flopped into the snow, rubbing a gloved hand over her face. “What is going on with me?”

.

.

.

Aegan was finishing up her notes for the day when she heard the door unlock.

She set her pen down, quietly unsheathing one of her swords. Hybern troops have been drifting closer and closer to the house, and while they haven’t checked the house yet, Aegan knew that it was only a matter of time.

A shadow danced across her desk, before disappearing behind Azriel. He stood in the doorway, still cladded in his Illyrian leathers.

“May I help you?” She asked, sheathing her sword with a sigh.

The shadowsinger glanced at all of the notes on her desk. “I see you’ve been busy.”

“No shit”, she commented lowly, gathering all of the papers in her arms. “Ever since you left, there has been quite a bit of activity at Ironcrest- influx of new soldiers, build up of arms- and by the looks of things, it’s only going to increase.”

Azriel sat on the corner of her bed, leaning forward slightly. “Tell me more about these new soldiers.”

Flipping through the pages in her arms, Aegan found the one she was looking for. Holding it close to her face, she read aloud; “day ten: camp seems normal today except for the soldiers that seemingly appeared overnight. I do not recognize any of them. Will do a fly by over other camps to see if their numbers had changed once Azriel gets back.” She paused slightly, glancing over at Azriel. His face revealed nothing. She continued to read.

“Day eleven: more troops sighted near the edge of camp. None are Illyrian. Best guess that they are Hybern soldiers. Confirms Sasha’s observation.”

Azriel gently took the page away from her, and skimmed it over again. “I pray this information is false”, he muttered, before handing it back over to her. “Tomorrow, I’ll head out to the other camps, to see if I can spot anything out of the ordinary. You’ll stay here.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What?”

The Spymaster leaned back, staring her down. “You’ve been working hard for the last week- you deserve a break, Aegan. Besides, you look ill”, he pointed out.

Anger riled up in her, but a quick glance at the small mirror on the wall made her agree with him. Dark eyebags sagged her tired eyes, a thin layer of sweat forming on her skin. Yes, she looked ill, but it wasn’t sickness that was causing her to look like this.

Still, she let out a sigh- the only sign that she’d given in to his wishes. Azriel stood back up, and took the rest of papers from her arms, touching her gently on the shoulder. “Go get some rest, Aegan.”

“Well, this is new”, she grumbled, shrugging off his touch but standing up to go to bed nevertheless. As soon as she reached the foot of her bed, her knees buckled violently. The last thing she heard was Azriel shouting her name, as she crumpled to the floor.

.

.

.

“How long has she been like this?”

“She’s been wasting away ever since she stepped foot in these mountains, shadowsinger. Didn’t think you were that blind.”

Aegan cracked open her eyes, squinting at the sudden influx of light. Her head pounding, she glanced around her room. Somehow, she had tucked herself in bed. And discarded her Illyrian armor?

Someone knocked gently on the doorframe. Azriel and Sasha stood in the doorway, both of them looking intently at her.

“Do you two usually stare at people while they sleep?” She joked groggily, trying to push herself up into a sitting position. Sasha immediately rushed over, and gently laid her back down.

“Easy there, Aegan”, she whispered. “Azriel going to get you something to drink and eat, and I’m going to check you over, okay?”

She blinked, slightly dazed, before croaking out a “yes”. The two watched the spymaster disappear from the doorway, his footsteps abnormally silent against the old floorboards.

Sasha immediately placed her hands on each sides of Aegan’s face. “What the hell were you doing this week?” The redhead growled, her soft disposition replaced with its usual fiery one- Sasha was never a gentle motherly figure afterall.

“I took notes, drank, took some more notes…” Aegan drawled, her eyes barely focusing on her friend’s face. “Maybe I’m just really hungover.”

Sasha let out a growl of frustration. “You’re hungover, starving, sleep deprived- should I go on? Aegan, you need to take care of yourself!”

“I couldn’t”, she responded, her voice too quiet for her own liking. “I tried eating, sleeping, but I just couldn’t.” Aegan rubbed her eyes tiredly. “Everytime I tried eating, I nearly threw up. Everytime I tried going to bed, I couldn’t fall asleep. Believe me, I did try, but-” She let out a loose sob. “What’s wrong with me, Sasha? I’m- I’m so scared-”

Her friend scooped her up gently in her arms as another sob racked through her body. Thankfully, they were quiet- she would rather die than for Azriel to see her crying. The power inside of her burned intensely, threatening to burst out of her skin.

Sasha placed a cool hand on her forehead, a faint glow on her skin. “Relax”, she whispered, as faint tendrils of her magic raced over Aegan’s body. “Now, tell me what’s bothering you.”

She took a deep breath, forcing the thing back. “It’s this power that started developing recently- I’m not sure where it came from, but it’s been burning me alive ever since.”

“I see”, Sasha muttered, her eyes shut in concentration. “I think I might be able to help.”

The thing screamed at her to deny her aid, but she couldn’t stop the feeling of hope. “Please”, was all she could say, gripping onto her hand tightly. “Make it go away.”

Something sharp and hot slid into her skin, Aegan gritting her teeth to keep herself from yelping in pain. It wrapped around the thing, and with a sharp tug, ripped it away. Before she could thank Sasha, fatigue and hunger slammed into her. Sasha held her hand, as her world faded to darkness once more.

WAIT! Before you click away, I was brought aware of a petition regarding the Hulu adaptation of the Throne of Glass Books. Many of y’all probably have read it (if you haven’t, they’re really good books!), but we haven’t heard any news about production whatsoever. So, a petition had been created to promote the continued production of this series! Click here if you want to sign! 

Love you all, and happy Pride!

@callie-bear15

@thisgryffindorlllyrian

@nestaarcheronwillkillme

@dreamworld-1997

@rairrai

@deezrmuhsheeple​

@my-fan-side

@homicidalbaker

[plotmaster]

Aria: Stammi Vicino, Non Te Ne Andare (3/9)

Summary: The lonely man has a name, and it’s Yuuri. 

The manor is lovely, the food that Yuuri makes is delicious, and Victor slowly pries into Yuuri’s confidence. Unfortunately, the evening does not end with him in Yuuri’s bed, but rather him running from a giant leopard. Great way to make an impression, Nikiforov.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Read on AO3  | Part 4

Con una spada vorrei tagliare / With a sword I wish I could cut Quelle gole che cantano d'amore / Those throats singing about love

Victor wakes up to the clash of metal echoing throughout the building.

It’s repetitive, and there is no yelling that he would associate with an emergency, so he takes his time getting ready. The sun is dim, cold light pouring through the windows of the Lavender Room. The room itself is warm, with the fireplace crackling with steady embers and rune-scripted cloth channeling heat from the fireplace all around.

He picks his outfit carefully, wanting to make a good impression on his host. Yesterday, when they had first met, it is to Victor’s regret that he’d been a mess, having tripped over too many tree branches to be considered presentable. No wonder Yuuri had run from him yesterday! A hot bath after dinner had done wonders, but by then, the lord had disappeared for the rest of the evening, even though Victor had staked out the downstairs lounge to catch him in conversation.

Victor pauses as he goes through his shirts. Dinner had been... interesting. Regrettably, Victor had slept after settling in and hadn’t had time before the meal to ask Yuuri questions, and had been too busy licking katsudon pirozhki off his fingers to properly pester the man. It had been delicious, nothing that Victor had ever eaten before.

“Katsudon pirozhki, you call this?” he had asked.

“The recipe was a gift.” And that had been that.

He decides to wear a white button-up and a grey waistcoat, one of his nicer outfits from a past he tries not to think about. A quick look outside the window to check the weather, and Victor threw on a longer jacket to stave off the cold.

Makkachin raises his head from where he is curled around the fireplace as Victor changes, and by the time he’s about the leave the round, the poodle is at his feet, tail wagging and ready for the day.

It takes awhile to find the enigmatic lord, relying only on the sounds of metal ringing. Victor finds him in a room next to the lounge, behind a heavy door. He’d hesitates before entering, and knocks twice. “Good morning!” he injects as much cheer in his voice as possible.

The sounds stop. “You may come in.”

Victor pushes aside the door and is completely unprepared for the sight in front of him. He feels incredibly overdressed all of a sudden, as Yuuri is wearing plain trousers and nothing else. Under Victor’s stare, he picks a towel up from a metal rack and wipes his face and shoulders of sweat. All Victor can really comprehend, though, is the fact that Yuuri has. Just. A fine body. A very fine body.

“You’re staring,” Yuuri says, amusement in his voice. Victor tears his gaze from Yuuri, and fixates on the object in his right hand instead. A rapier?

In his heart, Victor can’t feel the slightest bit sorry for ogling, even though he knows that it was probably rude at him. But he wants Yuuri to not be offended by him, so he does it anyway. “Beauty should be admired,” Victor quips. Wait, that’s not an apology.

Yuuri laughs, a short one-note sound. “Hah! You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?” he shoots back. Suddenly, his expression closes off into something formal. “Good morning to you, Victor. I pray that you slept well?”

Victor decides right then that he hates this expression. “I did. The room is quite fine, and much better than most that I have slept in.”

Yuuri looks as if he wants to say something, but doesn’t.

Well if he’s going to be like that... Victor steps further into the room, taking notice of the metal racks on the sides, the bare wood floor, the variety of blades lined up on the wall, and the single bar next to a mirror. An interesting room, he thinks. Almost like an armory, but too simple for it. “I think I would have slept better if you were next to me, though.” Victor places his arm on the bar, and observes Yuuri’s reaction through the mirror.

The mask of formality shatters as Yuuri’s cheeks take on the slightest bit of pink, and his posture loosens. “You are quite forward, aren’t you?” his voice sounds almost shy.

“Better forward than backwards, I say.” Victor winks at him.

Yuuri laughs again, and the sound is so very gratifying to hear. “You must have slept well, to be able to flirt so shamelessly in the morning. Would you like to join me for breakfast?”

Victor agrees, obviously, and doesn’t even bother to hide his staring as Yuuri puts his rapier aside and shucks on a shirt. He and Makkachin follow the man out of the room, and Yuuri mentions something about having already set out food for his own dogs and Makkachin is led out to join them.

Breakfast is a delicious affair, ridiculously fluffy griddle cakes and a sweet syrup with fruit cooked to a compote. Victor can’t help but moan in bliss, and if it makes his host blush a little, well, he may or may not be putting on the seduction. It’s hard not to, because for all the nobility and grace that Yuuri carries himself with, there’s an edge of desperation there when he interacts with Victor. It’s small, and not something that Yuuri seems to be aware of, but it makes Victor want to run his hands over him, to touch and find out whether Yuuri’s skin is as smooth as it looks, cradle the immortal in his arms and hold him close enough that their hearts might beat in tandem.

Immortality is such a lonely thing, after all.

“So,” Victor sets his fork down and leans his chin on his hands. “That was delicious, thank you.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Yuuri sets down his fork as well, and leans his head on his hands in mimicry of Victor. “So?”

“What do you think of love?” Victor asks.

”Platonic love should be appreciated more,” Yuuri says, without missing a beat. “I have seen friendships among travellers that come and go, and all these young people talk about finding their one true love, and I see the ache in their friendships that is left when they say those words.” He pauses, drops his gaze for a moment. “The love between family, too, is something that is precious.”

That is... an unexpected answer. “Storge and philia and agape, then. Those are what you value,” Victor muses, casting his eyes to the books that line the dining room. Yuuri has an awful lot of books. “Do you read Grecian classics?”

“I’ve read them,” Yuuri’s drags his hand across the back of his neck. A nervous gesture? “I know that philia is what they called brotherly love-”

“Philia is the love in friendships, the platonic love that we say in these modern days, though most associate platonic as simply anything not romantic.” Victor cuts him off, tapping a finger to his cheek. “Storge is the love between parents and child. A deep-seated affection that comes naturally when you care about someone that you have raised or has raised you.” He sees Yuuri clench his hands just the slightest. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted you like that.”

“It’s fine,” Yuuri reassures him, but his attention is elsewhere now, eyes flitting towards the stairs that lead to the west wing, and the curtains covering something that hangs above the stairs. “I don’t remember these in that classics I read.”

Victor shrugs. “They come up more in philosophy than in myths. Do you read philosophy?”

Yuuri smiles wryly, something sardonic coming up on his face. “While I do like to indulge in reading to fill my endless time, I find fiction to pass it better.” There is a chiding there, but Victor pays it no mind.

“What about eros? Sexual love. Surely a man of your good looks must have experienced eros of a kind.” He makes sure to cast his gaze downwards, looking at Yuuri through his eyelashes, and puts his finger to his lips. Yuuri’s eyes follow the movement, but he merely smiles. It’s almost a smirk, but not quite, as if Yuuri is tamping down his reactions.

“Not often. I’ve had offers before, too many to count, but I am not one to be ‘consumed by lust’, as a poet would say. Storge is kinder, more constant and more... fulfilling, I find.” Victor pouts, and earns a laugh from Yuuri. “You’d have to embody eros itself before having a hope to seduce me, Victor. I have lived a very long time, after all.”

Victor has a feeling that it would take more than eros to seduce Yuuri. Well, seduction is only one way to obtain the answers he’s looking for; there are plenty of other avenues. “You miss your family?” Yuuri raises an eyebrow. “You focus on that the most.”

He barely hears it, but Yuuri inhales sharply, and breaks eye contact. “I have lived a long time,” he demurs. “Why do you ask of love, Victor? I thought you were interested in my immortality.”

Oh. He stands up with a flourish. “Really? I’m much more interested in you, Yuuri. People are shaped by their experiences, after all, and your experiences are vastly different from others.” Yuuri blinks, and Victor sees his mask fall, posture straightening in something akin to excitement. “Please, tell me about yourself.”

Yuuri hesitates. There’s an internal struggle there, eyes flashing with anxiousness and his teeth kneading his lip. “Excuse me.” He takes their empty dishes away back to the kitchen as he thinks. Eventually though, he returns and offers a hand to Victor. “Walk with me?” he asks.

The sun is bright, winter birds are warbling as they step outside the manor, a layer of frost on the ground, Yuuri’s arm hooked around Victor’s. It feels natural. “Where should I begin?”

Victor closes his eyes, and focuses on the sensation of Yuuri’s arm in his. “My previous question.. What do you think about love? In the romantic sense, though.”

The answer comes in the form of words half-said, half-sung. “If I had a sword, I would cut throats  of those that sing of love.” Yuuri’s lips are curled in a terribly genuine deprecating smile.

It’s startling. Victor takes too long to formulate his reply, it seems, because Yuuri detaches himself from Victor’s side. “Is that not what you were expecting?”

“Yes.” Honesty is the best thing to treat Yuuri with. “I didn’t think your thoughts would be so... vehement.” A memory of this morning surfaces, and Victor hides his thoughts behind a bright smile. “So that’s why you practice swordplay?” he asks in jest.

Yuuri smiles back, that one small smile that nags at Victor’s heart. “Of course not,” he throws back, “It doesn’t hurt to keep my skills sharp, though. Not all travellers are like you.”

Victor flips his bangs with his hair. “I do admit that I am quite good-looking.”

“You are a silly man,” Yuuri laughs, but the implications of his words hang in the air, clearly understood by both of them. Compared to travellers that would do harm to Yuuri, Victor figures he must not be that troublesome, considering his intentions run more along the lines of rampant curiousity. “Why all these questions of love, Victor?”

Somehow, Victor manages to reach out and hook their arms again, contentment surfacing when Yuuri doesn’t pull away. “Isn’t that how most curses are broken?” he asks. “True love’s first kiss, as the legends go?”

This earns him a chuckle. “You ask because you think love would break my immortality?” there’s something like disbelief in Yuuri’s voice.

Victor just shrugs. “It was worth a shot to ask.”

They walk in silence, breath misting in the air. “So tell me about yourself, Victor,” Yuuri breaks the silence himself. “You said you’re a traveller. Where have you gone?”

“I’ve been to every country on this continent,” Victor begins, “Also to places like the Nocturne Treesea, the Safir Plains...” The rest of the day is spent idling like that, Victor trailing after Yuuri, or walking beside him, arms linked, narrating his travels.

Instinctively, he knows that today, Yuuri won’t tolerate any more prying. But the immortal’s touches are soft, like he can’t quite believe Victor is there, so Victor stays near. And if he returns the touches in kind, draping an arm over Yuuri’s shoulders or letting their hands brush as Victor points out places on the map in Yuuri’s study, neither say anything.

Hours later, after lunch and tea and dinner and the sunset, Victor’s words finally die in his throat. He observes, instead, drinking in the sight of how the candlelight softens Yuuri’s features with warm orange. At some point, Yuuri’s hair had fallen from being slicked-back and his bangs shadowed his eyes. His responses are just a touch slower, and he’s leaning into Victor a bit as they sit together in his study, poring over maps so Victor can describe his travels in the Safir Plains with some geographical context.

Yuuri is a comforting weight next to him; the aftertaste of the honey scones they had for desert still hang on Victor’s tongue. It makes Victor himself feel warm, as if he hasn’t been frozen for years travelling through the world. So he aches, just a little, when he nudges Yuuri with the suggestion that perhaps, it is time for them to retire.

“Thank you for telling me your stories,” Yuuri bids him where the stairs split to go to the east and west wings.

In his eyes, Victor sees a different reason for gratitude instead. Thank you for making me feel less lonely.

“I enjoyed today,” Victor murmurs, the quietness of the manor and the dim lighting of the lanterns making him feel as if he should match the softness in the air. “Goodnight, Yuuri.”

He watches Yuuri step up into the West Wing, sleep making his shoulders heavy, and a yawn slipping from his lips. He wonders how someone that has lived so long can still be so... fragile.

It’s startling, Victor thinks as he ascends to the East Wing. Yuuri is full of surprises. To be fair, they’ve only each other for little more than a day, but Victor has often grown bored of people’s company within minutes of meeting. But his time today was... comfortable.

It’s with these thoughts and these musings that he enters the corridor leading to his room, and sees a lurking shadow in the darkness.

Victor’s thoughts are ripped violently from Yuuri to dodging the massive beast that lunges past him, at an angle that it could have torn into his side. He holds up his lantern to shed light on the situation, and is met with two violently shimmering green eyes set in in a feline body covered with white and black fur.

The snow leopard (he didn’t think that snow leopards could have green eyes, much less why on earth is one doing here?!) opens its mouth in a threatening display. Victor holds up his hands and doesn’t break eye contact with it as he slowly backs away, and calculates his chances of escape.

It tenses, and Victor braces himself, lashing out with the only thing in hand- the lantern. It impacts the beast’s head, and it yowled angrily as he turns and runs. He hears the leopard slam into the wood where he had just been standing, “Yuuri!” he yells, running from the beast. Is it one of the manor animals? No, it would have been mentioned- “Yuuri!” he screams the name again as he bursts into the main staircase, not bothering to see how close the beast was to possibly ripping into his back.

Victor has lived long, and traveled wide, and he has very little experience in the wild animal handling department, but he knows enough that the leopard had been furious with him, full of killing intent. And since he had just smashed its face with an iron lantern, it would undoubtedly be angrier. “Yuuri!” he shouts for a third time, running to the door of the West Wing and raising his hand to knock-

Only to nearly fall down as the door opens, Yuuri catching him as he pitches forward. “What’s wrong?” the lord demands, alert. “Victor, what’s wrong?”

He opens his mouth to press Yuuri that there’s a giant cat trying to kill him, but he pauses, and turns around to where the beast should have been chasing after him. “I...”

“What’s wrong?” Yuuri repeats patiently. He follows Victor’s gaze, and his lips press to a tight line. “What were you running from.”

“A leopard,” Victor says. Aware that he’s mostly leaning on Yuuri because of the near fall, he makes an effort to stand up straight, and looks at his host beseechingly. “I- I don’t understand. I was walking to my room and there was a leopard there and it jumped at me like it was going to kill me!”

“Really.” Yuuri’s voice is carefully neutral.

Victor clenches the sleeve of Yuuri’s shirt. “Please, believe me. I thought it was going to kill me! I hit it with the lantern and ran!”

“And where is this murderous leopard now?”

“I don’t know!”

Silence.

Yuuri sighs, and turns to go back inside. “Go to sleep, Victor.”

“Yuuri-”

“I believe you,” Yuuri says. “So please, go back to sleep.” He reaches to Victor’s hand that is grasping his sleeve, and takes it hand is his, gently. “If you want, I will escort you back.”

Victor says nothing, but Yuuri looks at him and tugs him back to the East Wing. There is no sign of a leopard anywhere in the hall, not a single mark on the carpet. Yuuri sees him to his room, stands at the doorway as Victor changes and lights the fireplace.

“Goodnight, Yuuri,” Victor says once he’s wearing nothing but his underclothes. He feels awkward, at freaking out over seemingly nothing. Was it a hallucination? No, the impact of the lantern against its face - he definitely didn’t imagine that. “I apologize for-”

“Goodnight, Victor.” He’s cut off before he can finish. Wood creaks as Yuuri walks away. Victor almost doesn’t hear his last words. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing.”

“Yuri Plisetsky.” Yuri pulls his blankets up a little tighter. “Yuri, I know you’re awake.”

The lantern light gets brighter, and Yuri closes his eyes, but to no avail. Papa sighs, and it hurts because he sounds disappointed. Yuri feels the mattress shift as Papa sits on the bed, and there’s a clank as he puts the lantern on the table. “Yurochka...”

Yuri remains still.

Another sigh, and Yuri can’t help but wince a little. “Yuri, can you please explain why Victor started screaming my name because he thought a leopard was going to kill him?”

Yuri closes his eyes.

“... Yurochka, if you don’t want to talk to me, at least let me see your face,” Papa says. “I bought the healing kit.”

Wordlessly, Yuri sat up, staring at his hands as they clenched the blankets, not wanting to look at Papa in the eye. Papa gently takes his chin and turns his face. Yuri bites back a hiss of pain as a thumb brushes across the bruise marring the right side of his face. He hadn’t looked at the damage, just ran as fast as possible back to bed after he’d been hit. Thankfully, any injuries sustained as a leopard tended to not affect him that much.

Papa doesn’t say anything as he unpacks the medical kit, and Yuri shifts so that it’s easier for Papa to apply the healing paste, but the man pauses with his fingertips an inch or so from Yuri’s cheek. “I should let you wear that bruise for a few days,” Papa mutters. “What were you thinking, Yurochka?” But Papa just shakes his head and rubs it into Yuri’s cheek anyways.

They’re both stiff. Yuri unable to look at Papa and Papa practically boiling with disapproval. The last time he’d been this upset with Yuri was when Yuri had jumped from the roof in his leopard form for fun. He’d been unharmed because cat reflexes, but Papa had still been upset. It’s all that man’s fault, Yuuri thinks bitterly.

“Yurochka,” Papa says, “Look at me.” It’s in that voice, the one that Papa only brings out when he’s really upset, and Yuri obeys, puffing his cheeks. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not the one you should be saying that to,” Papa snaps, and Yuri hates the guest so much right now. “Victor has done nothing to deserve you terrifying him like that-”

“Oh, so you’re calling him by name, Papa?” Yuri retorts. “He’s just another stupid traveller wanting to know about your immortality, like some dumb ass-”

“Language!”

“- that thinks immortality is great and that you’re having the best life!”

“He is not like that! Yuri!” Papa steps away from him and his hands are clenched into fists. The light from the lantern and the moonlight throws him into sharp relief, like a frozen cold statue that chills Yuri’s heart. “Yuri, Victor is a guest. He’s done nothing wrong, he’s abided by my rules of hospitality — what makes him different from the rest? Why did you have to attack him?”

“I- I just meant to scare him, Papa!’

Silence again.

Papa closes his eyes and runs his hand through his hair, a tired motion. “Yuri, I don’t know what you heard in town that made you hate Victor so much-”

There it was again. Victor. A name instead of a “guest”. Papa only calls those that stay longer than three days by name, but this man somehow got Papa to break that unspoken rule in twenty-four hours. Yuri wants to scream and rage and turn into a leopard and chase the guest — intruder — away, because he’s the most dangerous kind of guest, the kind that Papa will miss and leave an empty space that Yuri won’t be able to make Papa forget.

“-but he is a guest, and if he decides to stay longer than three days, when I introduce you to him, you will apologize for scaring him like that.”

Papa’s words hurt more than that damned traveller smashing Yuri’s face with an iron lantern. “Yes, Papa.”

Papa sighs, and puts things back in the medical kit and picks up his lantern. “Goodnight, Yurochka.”

“Goodnight, Papa,” Yuri says numbly.

When Papa leaves, Yuri puts his head into his pillow and screams in frustration. That man was supposed to run out of the house like the rest did, not run to Papa! Run into his room so Yuri could corner him and terrify him into leaving! But no, Victor had to run to Papa, and Victor was the one that Papa defended. It’s not fair.

Yuri feels like poison is bubbling in his veins, the pain in his heart overpowering the wound on his face. He understands why Papa takes travellers in, why Papa lets them stay with no questions. But it doesn’t mean Yuri has to like it at all.

This morning, Papa had been sparring with him, teaching him how to fight with live steel. And then the guest had to show up, and occupied Papa for the literal rest of the goddamn day. Yuri hits the mattress to vent his frustrations a little, imagining that it’s the guest’s stupid face. Papa had cooked for him like usual, but they didn’t get to eat together, because Victor was so special that Papa wanted to spend the whole day with him, and Victor apparently has zero interest exploring the estate without Papa.

He snarls into his pillow. And it’s because that damn traveller that Papa got upset with him. It’s all his fault.

Yuri flops around and stares at the ceiling, too angry to sleep anymore. I don’t want to apologize to him, he thinks sullenly, it’s all his fault, why do I have to apologize?

A thought occurs to him. Yuri will be introduced to the guest if he decides to stay for more than three days, and Papa will make him apologize then.

So all he has to do is make sure that the guest doesn’t stay.

He jumps out of his bed and rummages in his wardrobe for where he’d thrown his cloak when he had bolted back in and ripped it off in a hurry. Thankfully, Papa hadn’t thought about taking it away. Yuri clutches it to his chest as he goes back to bed, thinking furiously how to make the guest go away. For good.

In a room in the West Wing, filled with books and papers across half a dozen desks, Yuuri curls up on his own bed, blankets weighing down in mimicry of the comfort of a person.

“Really? I’m much more interested in you, Yuuri. People are shaped by their experiences, after all, and your experiences are vastly different from others. Please, tell me about yourself.”

Those words...

They ring in his head, along with the stories that Victor had told him, the way that he’d worn a fond smile on his face. The dramatic effects, voice switching to falsetto for the tale of one memorable courtesan Victor had encountered.

He’s not like that, Yuuri had said earlier, to his son. Not like those that would seek immortality, seek to use me. He has known Victor for but a day, but the man is... something about him makes Yuuri want to be intimate with him, indulge in hugs and the warmth of another person in a way that he would not ask of his son. Granted, Victor is very attractive, but he’s also... kind. Genuine in that he wants to know Yuuri, not the immortal lord.

Few ever ask, ever wonder about the man that stands under the label of “immortal”, but Victor has disarmed him easily. Too easily, with his casual touches, as if Yuuri is a normal person, with the way that he doesn’t appraise Yuuri like someone to milk information about immortality out of. He wants information about Yuuri the person, and-

Oh, he thinks, clutching his chest, maybe this is why Yurochka is scared of him.