zealous-crow

[zealous-crow]

thank you @astressedlittlejaybird for inadvertently enabling me to make this

[zealous-crow]

Hey, don’t cry. Free online database of Japanese folk lore

[zealous-crow]

I look out in front of me and see nothing

Everything is a blur of smokey greys

Why can I not see what's in front of me

This blindfold over my eyes hurts

I reach out to grasp onto something

Anything

To help guide me forward

My steps uncertain on the ground below

No light penetrates this haze

No matter how I long for it

I beg for someone to help me

Please

I wish to see again

[zealous-crow]

TW: Addiction, drugs, body horror (small)

Highly recommend this book. It's just a gripping tale of a young girl getting addicted and we follow her journey trying to make sense of it all.

If you're curious to know more, feel free to send me an ask!

[zealous-crow]

Your vale's pl is fire 🔥

Thank you!! It took me like idk 3 days to make and I'm still not entirely satisfied lol. But I appreciate it!!

[zealous-crow]

God I'm a sucker for characters who are so utterly loyal to someone that they're completely unhinged. Characters who have no moral compass except their overwhelming devotion to whoever they've chosen to listen to. That's the good shit

[zealous-crow]

Here's a playlist I made based on Vale, obvi. I'll release the playlist for Zahar, the break up, and the pairing sometime soon. I'm pretty meticulous with picking music, so it might take some time. In the meantime, enjoy his playlist!!

[zealous-crow]

The Crash

Author’s Note: I do NOT condone driving while under the influence. Please drink at the legal age in your country and drink responsibly.

Vale was volatile after the break up. More so than usual. He became reckless and messy. Something that did not mix well with his job. One of his more frequent clients recommended he take a short break. So be it, as long as it doesn’t interfere with his job. What he was going to do during the break, he had no idea. 

First thing that came to mind was to drink and drink heavily at that. Vale sat on the balcony, bottle of Jacopo Poli Arzente Brandy. A special liquor he and Zahar used to drink on special occasions or celebrations. Not like those are gonna happen anymore. The bottle sat open on the table, no glass in sight as Vale was drinking straight from the bottle. 

His head started buzzing after the first bottle went down completely without a hitch. “There goes about $250.00.” Vale mumbles out. “Who fuckin’ cares.” He gets up from his seat and stumbles into the kitchen, looking for anything else he can drink. Unfortunately, there’s only shitty American liquor, but hey, that’ll get you drunk quick. He picks up a bottle of tequila and pops the lid open. He goes to smell it and almost gags. 

“Strong. Just what I fuckin’ need. Stupid Zahar, leavin’ me all alone. -hic- Who does he think he is!” He chugs it straight from the bottle, instantly regretting it. “Fuck. I need some time to -hic- cool off,” he slurs out. He’s drunk at this point, having been drinking for hours already. 

Vale heads towards the front door, clumsily dropping the keys to his apartment and car, before picking them up and wobbly heading towards the garage. It takes longer than normal, but he makes it and gets in his car. He fumbles getting the key into the ignition and becomes frustrated. “Fuck! C’mon already,” he yells. When he successfully starts the car, he revs it, putting it into drive and speeds out of the garage. 

He’s speeding down a busy city street, ignoring lights and other cars. He doesn’t know where he’s going, he just wants to be anywhere but home. It doesn’t feel like home anymore. Soon enough, he enters emptier streets leaving the city, going over 100 mph. What he fails to realize in his drunken rage and stupor is there is a deer walking across the empty roads. 

“Shit shit shit!” He screams as he tries to avoid the animal. He does, thankfully; however, Vale ends up swerving right into a street pole and crashing immediately. 

—

The next thing Vale sees are bright white lights and hears the beeping of monitors around him. He groggily looks around to notice he’s no longer in his car, but a hospital room. There’s a nurse at the end of his bed reading a chart when she notices he’s awake. 

“Hello, Mr. DeLuca. So glad to see you’re awake! You had a rough crash back there. Good thing your airbags went off like they did or else you might not have escaped with just a broken arm, some minor cuts and bruises.” The nurse is rambling things off, but nothing makes it into Vale’s ears. He can’t help but feel like something is off. Really off. 

“I don’t feel good.” 

“Well of course not! You just survived a car accident,” the nurse cheerfully explains. She goes on again and this time Vale closes his eyes. 

“Mr. DeLuca? I need you to stay awake for me! C’mon, sir. I’ll get you some water.” Before anyone expects it, the machines start sounding off alarms. Vale’s vitals are dropping dramatically. More nurses and a few doctors rush in. While they try to figure out what’s wrong, one of the nurses looks into his chart for an emergency contact. Zahar Bista, 26, emergency contact number 214-***-****.

—

Zahar is at home watching TV when his cell phone rings. He picks up his phone and sees a number he doesn’t recognize, so he ignores it. It’s late at night anyway, why would someone random be calling him? It isn’t until the phone rings a second time immediately afterwards that Zahar gets an uncomfortable feeling. It’s the same number. 

“Hello?”

“Is this Mr. Bista? I’m Amy Drake from Mercy Hospital. We seem to have a Mr. DeLuca here and we need you to come up to the hospital immediately.” 

“Is this some kind of joke? Do you know how late it is? I’m hanging up.” And Zahar pulls the phone away. Before he can click end call, the nurse chimes in more seriously. 

“He’s been in a motor accident. He’s…not responding well. Please. We need you here as his emergency contact.” Zahar’s eyes widened in shock. 

“I’ll be right there.” Zahar grabs his keys and heads straight for Mercy. 

—

Zahar pulls into the hospital parking lot as quickly as he can. He’s out of the car, sprinting towards the hospital entrance and towards the guest services desk. 

“Hello, I’m Zahar Bista. I received a call for Vale DeLuca. Can anyone point me in the right direction?” The nurses page through their system and find the room Vale is occupying. They point him in the right direction and Zahar is off speed walking towards Vale. 

When he arrives at the room, he gasps at the scene in front of him. Vale is hooked up everywhere with tubes, lines, and wires. He’s been bandaged all over, and a cast has been applied to his left arm. The nurses notice him at the doorway and usher him inside, shutting the door behind them. 

“Mr. Bista I presume?” The head nurse asks. 

“Yes ma’am.”

“Good. You’re…going to want to be here to hear this.” The nurse explains the situation Vale ended up in, retelling the story the paramedics got from the crash site. Zahar just stands there dumbstruck. Vale hates driving unless absolutely necessary. What could have caused this? 

“His blood alcohol content was way above the legal limit, so we can assume that he got into the accident due to driving while impaired. I know this isn’t easy for either of you, but please support him the best you can. He’s going to need it these next several weeks. The nurses say a few more things before giving both men some privacy. Vale’s unconscious at the moment and Zahar takes a spot in a chair next to the hospital bed. 

“What the fuck were you thinking DeLuca?” Zahar whispers out, not wanting to cause a scene, but also not to disrupt any nearby patients or staff. “Why would you drink and drive? Especially after what happened to your parents. I can’t imagine you doing this…” Vale’s hand twitches slightly before returning to normal. Zahar eyes his hand and carefully grasps it. 

“Don’t be stupid and get yourself killed, you idiot.” Zahar mumbles out. On his free hand, Zahar looks at his watch for the time. 3:14 am. “Guess I’m sleeping over, huh?” Zahar brings the chair closer to Vale’s bed and leans over into it, but not close enough to disturb the injured male. He stares at Vale’s face, cut and bruised from the airbag deployment and glass from the windshield. “I can’t live without you Vale. Please.”

—

The morning light shines through the pale curtains of the windows, waking Vale up. He groans in pain, trying to shift in the bed, but notices a heavy weight on his left. He looks down to see Zahar hunched over in the chair, holding Vale’s hand, snoring. Vale tries to remove his hands from Zahar’s grip, which only stirs the other male awake. 

“V-vale? You’re awake.” Zahar says sleepily. 

“Yeah…” Vale rasps out, throat hurting. He could drink a gallon of water right now, but I doubt they’d let him. 

“Why would you go and do that!” Zahar bursts out. “Why would you drive drunk? Why would you almost kill yourself?” Zahar is exasperated. He’s tired and angry, confused, and hurt. 

“I don’t remember anything other than seeing a deer and trying to not hit it. Should I have done that instead? Killed two things instead of one?” Vale’s voice is quiet and small, unlike his usual boisterous self. Zahar sighs heavily, too groggy to properly argue with Vale this morning. Neither of them were in the shape to do so. Instead, Zahar stands up.

“Leaving now that you know I’m o-” Vale doesn’t even get a chance to finish his sentence before Zahar has his arms wrapped around the injured male’s neck, careful not to press too hard. 

“Be careful, Luca. Please.” Vale’s eyes widened in response. He carefully lifts his arms and places them around Zahar, as comfortably as he can considering his position and broken arm. 

“M’ sorry, dove…” Vale could feel the grip on him tighten just slightly. They stayed in this position for a while until a knock was heard on his door and a nurse walked in. She greeted both males cheerfully. 

“Good morning Mr. Bista, Mr. DeLuca! Glad to see you awake this fine morning. I have some good news and bad news, some of which I’m sure you’ve already picked up on. First thing, you’ve broken your left arm but it’s a clean break, should heal in no time. You’ve acquired a few lacerations on your chest and legs, including minor irritation burns from the air bags.” She continues on with the prognoses, running through each injury like a well oiled machine. 

“The good news is we don’t need to keep observing you since your injuries are quite minor in comparison to the wreckage. So! You’ll be free to go in a few hours; however, you cannot drive yourself home.” She turns to Zahar for this next part. “Mr. Bista, would it be possible for you to take Mr. DeLuca home?” She looks at Zahar expectantly. Zahar lets out another sigh. 

“Of course. Is there any paperwork I need to sign off on for him?” She nods her head and asks him to follow her to the charge station. Zahar turns around when he reaches the door. “I’ll be right back.” He smiles slightly. Vale just watches him leave the room behind the nurse. He leans back down into the bed, slightly uncomfortable. He’d kill to get all these wires and tubes off of him. However, he listens to Zahar, takes a deep breath, and exhales slowly. 

Vale clasps his hands together almost in prayer. “Sorry mom and dad. I never meant to repeat what happened to you all those years ago. I hope you can forgive your son.” He mumbles to himself. It’s silent in the room aside from the monitors beeping every so often. His body aches and his mind is whirling. God he fucked up, but Zahar showed up. For him. Even through all the shit Vale has put him through. He smiles just slightly. 

When Zahar returns, Vale is back asleep. Like the nurse said earlier, they won’t be discharged for another few hours, so Zahar lets Vale sleep. All he does is take a seat next to the pink haired man and hold his hand. 

[zealous-crow]

Pianos and Cigarettes

Authors Note: Attached is the song I imagine Vale plays. It's very somber and pretty. Please give it a listen!

It was right after Zahar had left the apartment. Said he was going to stay with a friend of his. Vale stood there near the door just…staring at it. “He left. He actually left,” Vale whispered out to himself. It wasn’t that Vale wasn’t serious, he just didn’t think Zahar was serious enough. Maybe he thought too low of Zahar at that moment. 

Vale opened the door, almost hoping Zahar wouldn’t have gone very far. Hoping he actually hadn’t left if he was being honest with himself. But he never was. Never truly allowed his feelings to be thought out as more than just a wave of his hand. Was he going to be okay? Zahar that is. 

“What friend was he staying with?” he thought to himself. Vale didn’t quite know what to do now. He looks around their shared apartment. At the clothes that are strewn about the place. At the papers of sketches and photographs. Magazines and sheet music. Music. Now that was something Vale could do in a moment like this. Probably the only thing that would keep him occupied enough to not cry. He doesn’t cry. Hasn’t in a long long time. 

Vale walked towards the grand piano sitting near the balcony windows and took a seat at the bench. His fingers ghosted over the keys, not sure what to play in a time like this. When he was the one who finally pushed Zahar away from him. Something he was always afraid of. Something he knew he would do at some point. 

He pressed the first key, a short note. Then pressed the next until the room was filled with a melancholic melody. Vale’s body moved with each note and he found himself closing his eyes, not needing to follow any particular sheet music. Just played what his heart felt. 

The stars behind him gleamed down like they weren’t witness to a great tragedy. They blinked and twinkled, watching the pink haired man lament over his own personal sadness. A sadness ran through him like a chill, causing him to hit the wrong key, but quickly overcame the misstep. 

Vale’s body swayed in the moonlight flittering through curtains and glass. It was…sad. He was sad. It was his own doing, something he’ll never forgive himself for. Zahar wasn’t even wrong. They did have plenty of money, enough to live the rest of their lives out. Zahar would hold to his word and shower him in loving gifts, experiences, and time with just the two of them together forever. None of that was possible now. 

Vale didn’t realize when his fingers stopped moving and when the room became all too silent for his liking. He got up and headed for the balcony. Some fresh air will surely clear his mind.

The breeze is cool on his skin. He looks at the set of chairs and table on the balcony, a pack of cigarettes and lighter sitting atop it. Vale goes to sit down, not caring how late it was and pulls a stick from the package, lighting it and inhaling. He holds the smoke in his lungs, letting it get to the point it burns slightly before exhaling. It was going to be a long night. Alone.

[zealous-crow]

So I'm gonna be posting a new fic sometime soon, idk when specifically cause writing be hard, but I wanna share the outfits both the boys are wearing so you have a visual. It's very casual but also both are extra in some aspects. I'm not a fashion person so I could be describing this all wrong lol.

Both outfits were inspired by photos found on Pinterest, so I'll link the posts here :)

Zahar: Outfit here! Shoes here!

Vale: Outfit here!

[zealous-crow]

The First Hookup Pt. 2

Author's Note: AHHHHHHHHH. I was a fucking mess the entire time I wrote the smut scene. I know it's probably awkward in pacing and word choice, but please forgive me. It's like, the first piece of smut I've ever written. ANYWAY! Expect more angst coming soon >:)

Zahar laid beneath Vale, arm crossed over his eyes and panting like he’s just run a marathon. His hair is disheveled, as are his clothes. Vale had taken his time undressing the taller man and now takes his place between Zahar’s legs. He wraps his arms around each thigh and bobs his head ever so slowly. Pink hair falls in front of Vale’s eyes, lightly hiding them from view, something that Zahar chooses to change. He reaches forward and cards his fingers through Vale’s hair, pulling slightly during a particularly deep suck. 

“Fuck, Vale…go faster already.” Zahar pants out. Vale just takes his time, hollowing his cheeks around Zahar and breathing through his nose. Stubborn, both of them. He almost pulls his mouth off, but stops right at the tip before going back down in one languid movement. Vale’s eyes stare up into Zahar’s with each bob, never looking away. Not like he could with the grip Zahar had on Vale’s hair. 

Zahar decided to test the waters, something he usually doesn’t do in bed, but it pays off. He pushes Vale’s head down harshly, bringing it back up and down, fucking into the other man’s mouth. Vale’s eyes go wide, and he gags slightly, but does nothing to oppose what Zahar has done. He just lets the other use him. Every now and then, Vale taps on Zahar’s thigh for air, something he needs, but can only get so much of through his nose. 

“You’re gonna kill me, dove.” Vale lets out on a moment of respite. Zahar just smiles down at him, combing his fingers through pink hair. 

“Maybe you should’ve thought about how you were going too slow.”

“I wanted to enjoy you.” Vale purrs out. 

Zahar’s cheeks go flush with embarrassment. He hasn’t slept with anyone since their break up and forgot how sticky sweet Vale is in bed. 

Vale shifts from his current position below Zahar’s hips, and climbs up to kiss Zahar. Their lips lock in a sweet embrace, tongues not fighting for dominance, but to truly taste one another. Zahar can taste himself on Vale’s tongue, but doesn’t mind. He’s missed kissing this idiot. 

“I wanna fuck you Zahar. Please let me.” Vales whispers out between peppery kisses along Zahar’s neck. He places hickies around like a necklace for all to see. 

“Don’t tease me anymore, then, and I’ll let you.” Vale laughs before responding. 

“I promise, dove. I’ll take good care of you.” Vale’s hands come to cup Zahar’s face and kisses him one more time before moving to grab a bottle of lube off the nightstand. He pours enough onto one hand, discarding the bottle somewhere on the bed before moving his hand down towards Zahar’s entrance. 

“If I hurt you at all, tell me, okay?” Vale warns before carefully before gently prodding open his lover for the night. “Just the night,” Vale reminds himself. He inserts his first finger before pausing to give Zahar a moment to adjust. He truly doesn’t want to hurt him, not like this at least. 

“You can keep moving…” Zahar whines out. Vale huffs with a small smile before inserting a second finger and slowly scissoring open Zahar. He’s purposefully avoiding that one spot where Zahar will see stars with. Instead he lays under Vale’s smaller frame and his mercy. His achingly slow mercy. Vale continues at an agonizing pace, using a third finger only to tease Zahar at what’s to come. 

“Vale if you don’t fuck me this instant, I’m going to kick your stupid ass out like you are.”

“My dear prince, what a foul mouth you have. Maybe you should have been the one blowing me instead if you wanna use your mouth so badly.” Vale is quick to retort. In doing so, he takes his fingers out of the man below him, Zahar instantly regretting having spoken up. He thinks Vale’s going to do just that and torture him more when Zahar feels a pressure at his rear. Without saying a word, Vale pressed his cock into Zahar in one quick motion. 

“F-fuck.” Zahar moans out. The pink haired man pulls out to the tip before pressing in again, this time aiming for that special spot. 

“Still my whore, aren’t you, Bista? Let me hear you, won’t you? Give me something to remember.” Vale pistons in and out of Zahar like an animal in heat, finally giving the taller man what he wanted this entire time, a fast and hard fuck. Not like their normal nights together, no. In one particularly hard thrust, Vale managed to hit that sweet spot. Zahar moans loud, covering his mouth for a moment, embarrassed that his neighbors could possibly hear. Vale stops dead in his tracks. 

“Cover your mouth again and I leave you like you are.” Vale’s quick to use Bista’s own threat against him. And trust, Vale would leave. He’s done it before, hasn’t he? Zahar is quick to move his hand from his mouth, not daring to tempt the beast. Vale’s hands grip Zahar’s waist, nails digging into skin leaving little crescent like shapes in tan skin. 

“Good boy.”

“Please…keep going, ‘m so close.” Zahar almost wants to cry he’s so horny in this moment. It’s been what? Weeks since been fucked by Vale and he’s just as cruel tonight as he was the night he left. Vale picks up his pace, fucking into Zahar with quicker, harsher thrusts. Zahar arches his back off the bed, gripping the sheets in his hands. Tears spring at the corner of his eyes as Vale repeatedly hits his sweet spot, abusing it over and over again. He edges Zahar closer to completion, before pulling out completely. Zahar truly whines at this. 

“I wanna see you ride me before you cum, dove.” Vale is quick to change their positions, finding himself with his back to the bed Zahar previously occupied. Now it’s Zahar’s turn to lead the game. He straddles Vale’s hips, aligning his hole with Vale’s cock. Slowly, he lowers himself onto cock below him and he instantly relishes in the moment of bliss it brings. Zahar moans out wantonly, placing one of his hands on Vale’s abdomen to help push himself up and down, riding Vale like nothing else mattered. He clenches around Vale, causing Vale to hiss, the grip on Zahar’s hips likely to leave prints there. 

“God, dove. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you so fucking much.” Vale is mouthy by this point, not knowing when to shut up, but also unable to. He just wants to praise Zahar for doing so well. For taking care of himself while he’s been gone. For doing everything he said he could without Vale. 

“You’re such a good boy for me, aren’t you? Taking care of yourself on my cock. Riding me like you don’t know what else to do with that slutty body of yours.” He takes one of his hands and reaches for the one on his abdomen, slowly threading his fingers with Zahar’s. Vale begins to thrust up into Zahar, timing it with the other man. 

“Cum for me, dove. I know you want to. You’ve done everything I’ve asked. So good. Fuck you feel so goddamn good on me.”

Zahar doesn’t respond in words, but moans. Angling his hips to find that god forsaken spot and does. He sees those bright white stars behind his eyes and cums with a shout, not caring if the neighbors can hear him anymore. All he wants to do is hear Vale’s filthy mouth. Feel Vale’s filthy mouth on his. So, Zahar leans down to kiss Vale, sloppy from the high he’s feeling after having just cummed onto himself and his ex. 

Vale smiles into the kiss, before pushing Zahar back down onto the bed, pulling out, and shooting ropes of thick cum all over the man. Afterwards, he mimics Zahar, leaning over the man to kiss into his mouth. He licks into Zahar’s mouth and then pulls back slightly, pressing their foreheads together. They share the air between them, each man panting into the open space between them. 

“I’ll get you cleaned up. Your bathroom is down the hall, right?” Vale asks quietly. All Zahar can do is nod, not having the energy to respond elsewise. Vale gets up on wobbly legs, padding through the room and down the hall. A light flickers on in Zahar’s peripheral, but is quick to turn back off. Footsteps come back into the bedroom, and a cool wet towel is felt wiping down Zahar. It’s gentle in nature, soft. Unlike the man who is implementing the movement. 

Zahar didn’t notice he had closed his eyes, and when he opens them, he can see Vale sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down the hall at the front door. 

“...are you going to leave?” Zahar basically whispers out. He’s afraid. Vale turns his head to look adoringly at Zahar with a sad smile on his lips. 

“Do you want me to?” It’s quiet in the room with both men not knowing what the other is thinking. 

“I thought you wanted this to mean nothing. If I stay, clearly it means something.” Vale states simply.

“I know.” Vale doesn’t respond. Just turns back to look at the door again before standing up. Zahar’s heart beats wildly in his chest and he closes his eyes again, not wanting to see the other leave. Again. Instead, he feels the bed dip and a body climb near him, pulling a blanket over both bodies. When he opens his eyes, he sees Vale looking back at him. That same sad smile still on his lips. God, he wishes Vale didn’t look so sad at him.

Vale reaches up to cup Zahar’s face. “There’s water on your side of the bed for you.” He says softly. Always caring for him until the end. Vale nestles in closer to Zahar, wrapping an arm around his waist and resting his head on Zahar’s chest. Being the smaller of the two, Vale always seemed to fit into the right places of Zahar’s body. Bista smiles at this. 

“Can I say it?” Vale whispers. 

“Say what?”

“That I love you. With what my broken heart can afford to.” Zahar sighs at this. He knew this was going to be a mistake. He was supposed to be getting over Vale, not staying in love with someone that actively broke his heart. 

“Luca…”

“I know, dove. I know… Go to sleep. You need it.” Vale’s hand, the one on Zahar’s cheek, moves to intertwine with Zahar’s open hand. He closes his eyes.

—

When Zahar awoke, he felt a cold spot next to himself. He blinked open his eyes, the room in a soft yellow. Vale was gone. 

[zealous-crow]

The First Hookup Pt. 1

Author's Note: I'm attempting to write a smut scene because why not??? But it's NOT EASY. I have a huge appreciation for smut writers that are good at what they do. So you may or may not see a smutty part 2 to this fic lmao

It had been several weeks since their breakup and Zahar had not taken it well. While he still created new designs to stay on top of the seasons’ competition, it wasn’t in the same vein his company was used to. The outfits seemed to become darker, moodier, and hey, no one complained. It was a good look for winter, but many of Bista’s closest companions were worried about the man. 

Zahar currently occupied the space within his newly acquired apartment as far away from Vale’s as possible. While it wasn’t as large, it was just as beautiful. Floor to ceiling length windows lined the exterior wall with a balcony; a perfect view of the city outside. Fabrics and mock designs were strewn about the living room haphazardly. Vale was always the tidy one out of the two. Something Zahar was easily reminded of anytime he worked or looked around his environment. 

A sigh left the man’s lips as he began to pick up after himself. It was roughly around 1:00 am and it was time for Zahar to stop working for the day. Night? 

“At what point does time even matter anymore…” He sighed again. 

Zahar was mostly done cleaning up the scrap fabrics when a knock sounded through the living room causing him to freeze in his spot. Too close to the door for comfort at this time of night. Luckily, Vale’s work left some training on Zahar, who picked up the sewing shears on the end table and approached the door cautiously. As he slowly shuffled towards the front door, a louder, more prominent bang hit the door. 

“Fuck…this was supposed to be a safe portion of the city. All my friends recommended it.”

Zahar peered through the peephole and instantly felt a sense of relief flood through his body. It was Vale on the other side, though his body was mainly obscured from how he hunched over. The maroon haired male unlocked the door and opened it a crack before Vale fell into the entryway. Zahar quickly closed the door after him, locking and double checking his door for personal comfort.

“Vale, what the fuck? Do you know what time it is? What the fuck are you doing here anyway.” Zahar seethed out quietly, not wanting to disturb his neighbours already more than Vale did with his knocking.

The first thing Zahar noticed was Vale’s lack of words and how he stayed crumpled on the floor in front of him. Usually Vale always had something snarky to say to Zahar, but he was oddly quiet. Next thing to be noticed was the long, pained groan Vale finally let out after shifting his position to reveal a wound on his torso, bleeding into the suit he wore. 

“Oh shit! Hold on, lemme find something real quick.” Zahar scrambled from his spot at Vale’s body to the bathroom down the hall where he knew a first aid kit was. Not sure if he’d have the right equipment for this kind of injury, Zahar just hoped it would make do. When he came back, Vale had managed to crawl from the spot on the floor to a seated position on Zahar’s couch. He breathed heavily, clearly in pain, yet trying to hold himself together. There was a bloody circle forming around Vale’s abdomen.

“Can you say something? You’re really freaking me out here Vale.”

“It hurts like a bitch…but I fuckin’ got ‘em.”

Zahar rolled his eyes and gripped the kit a little tighter in his hand. Of course Vale got hurt on the job. Again. And again. This was always the part he hated seeing most. 

“Will you take your jacket and shirt off? I need to see the wound before I can help you, you idiot.” Vale lifted his arms slowly to undo his jacket buttons, then the same with his shirt, and discarded both of them to the floor in a pile. 

“Is it bad, doctor?” Vale coughed out a small laugh. Of course he’d still try to joke at a time like this. In a place like this. Zahar ignored his comment, instead focusing on looking at the wound in front of him. Luckily for Vale, it seemed mostly superficial, but it was lengthy and sure to leave another scar across his body. The first aid kit was opened and a bottle of antiseptic was poured onto a cotton ball. 

“This might hurt,” was all the warning Vale got before the fluid was applied to his cut. Was Zahar a little rougher than necessary? Maybe. Did Vale deserve it? Absolutely. 

“You did that on purpose, dove.” 

“Don’t call me that.”

“Sorry…” was muttered before silence overtook the two men. Zahar dressed the wound and quickly stood up to return the kit to the bathroom. While he was in there, he failed to hear his former lover walk down the hall and approach him from behind. Vale wrapped his arms around Zahar’s hips and rested his head on the back of his neck. 

For the second time this night, Zahar was frozen in his spot. This time, he was slower to react. Vale kissed the back of Zahar’s neck before mumbling out, “I miss you.” Zahar, shaken out of his stupor, was quick to respond. He turns in Vale’s embrace to push him away. 

“No. No! You don’t get to say that to me. Not after the choice YOU made. You’re the one who pushed me away and now you’ve come crawling back? You’re pathetic.” There’s a flame in Zahar’s eyes. Was it rage? Sorrow? A combination of the two? He couldn’t tell, himself. Vale just dropped his head, hiding his eyes from the pink ones of his ex.

“I made a mistake, Zahar. Please.” 

“Mistakes have consequences, Vale. You should know that better than anyone else.” Zahar spits out. The vitriol in his voice hurts Vale more than his current wound ever could. 

“Zahar. Of all the mistakes I’ve made, leavin’ you was my greatest sin. One that weighs the heaviest on my shoulders. Not a night goes by without me dreaming of you.” Vale descends to his knees, reaching out for one of Zahar’s hands. Surprisingly, Zahar lets him take one. Vale threads his fingers into the other’s. 

“How’d you find me? I never told you where I went after…well, after that night.”

“I have my ways. You should know that by now. It’s also not hard considering who you hang around. Most of you designer types stick together.” Zahar sighs. He should have known his living situation wasn’t private. Not from Vale and his ever present gaze. 

“I can’t trust you Vale…I’m sorry. Not after everything that happened. I…I miss you so much, but I just can’t.” Zahar looks down into Vale’s eyes and, just like the first time he was confessed to, looks for hidden motives within those orbs. He finds nothing but disappointment, pain, and something he can’t quite name. 

“At least let me love you one more time.” Vale states rather forwardly. It surprises Zahar. Vale’s available hand goes to rest on Zahar’s waist, not going any further, waiting for permission. 

“But your wound. You’re still hurt and it’s rather late.” Zahar was desperate to avoid giving the other man a direct answer. He wanted to stand strong and not let Vale’s presence overtake him like it usually did. Like it’s been doing since he showed up. 

“Wouldn’t be the first time, dove.” Vale smiles sweetly up at his past love. “I appreciate the concern but it’s not as bad as it appeared. Besides, Dr. Bista fixed me right up.”

God, Zahar is weak. He can feel his head swimming with Vale. Swimming with imaginations of what could happen, what Vale is capable of doing to him. 

“It would mean nothing…”

“That’s fine, my dove. I can handle that.” But could Zahar? Could he handle a night with his ex and recover from that in the morning? Fuck it, might as well see.

“Fine.”

“Thank you, dove.” 

[zealous-crow]

Vale DeLuca Character Sheet

Provided by @ thekekro

Personal

Name: Vale DeLuca

Nickname: Love, Luca, short king (lovingly by Zahar)

Age: 26

Date of Birth: 11/22/XXXX (Sagittarius)

Nationality: Italian

Residence: U.S.A.

Goals: To love Zahar, to make a lot of money and support his loved ones, to become a published author

Religion: Spiritual leaning atheist

Sexuality: Bisexual

Specie(s): Human

Work

Occupation: Assassin

Degree(s): Master of Arts (MA) in English

Educational Background: Completed high school, completed college

Additional Job: Writer

Employment History: Self-employed

Accomplishment(s): Graduated both high school and college magna cum laude

Criminal Records: Arrested at 15 for petty theft; once he started his assassination gig, he’s never been caught :)

Traits

Physique: Lean and athletic

Skin Color/Complexion: White

Hair Color: Pale pink

Eye Color: Silver

Height: 5’9.45” but he rounds up to 5’10” cause he’s insecure but Zahar says he’s 5’8” just to piss him off

Weight: 155 lbs

Health: Has allergies, but overall in good health

Blood Type: O-negative

Body Type: I’m gonna be honest, I don’t know the difference with physique here so idk

Birthmarks/Scars: Scar along the left side of his lip that splits it vertically, then a scar that is vertical across his left eye

Skills & Abilities

Talent(s): Can tie a cherry stem with his tongue 

Skill(s): Flexible, like more than normal; can write in a really pretty cursive; can do simple card tricks, can do knife tricks

Enhancement(s): N/A

Mental

Intelligence Quotient (IQ): 130

Languages: English and Italian

Personality: Greedy, power hungry, cynical to some degree, playboy, selfish, manipulative

Temperament: Easy disposition but easily angered by people he dislikes but it’s the silent-angry type

Learning Type: Visual and tactile

Weaknesses: His love for Zahar, his money, his fear of automotives

Fear(s): automotives to some extent

Trauma: His parents died in an automotive accident when he was 16 and his sister disappeared when he was 14

Likes & Dislikes

Likes: Zahar, money, having power, having people like him, writing, reading, poetry, the arts

Dislikes: “Stupid” people, people who are purposefully weak, being called manipulative

Hobbies: Playing cards, writing (specifically poetry), swimming, scrapbooking

Interpersonal

Family

Father: Antonio DeLuca (Deceased)

Mother: Lucia DeLuca (Deceased)

Sibling(s): Sister - Rosa DeLuca (Missing)

Others

Distant Relatives: N/A

Friend(s): Romero, Alice

Significant Other: Zahar Bista

[zealous-crow]

just discovered your ocs through a reblog. can you tell me more about them? what are their favorite hobbies? whats their pet peeves? what's something they feel strongly about? do they get along with their family?

I also noticed Vale shares your name. is he a kin OC? is he your persona? how did you come up with their names? do you have face claims?

what are their sins? tell me all the things.

Hey hi hello! Thank you for asking about my boys ;~; they have my heart.

I'll start with Vale since he's kind of the easiest to write for. He's basically my persona/mascot if that makes sense. Fun fact: he was originally a My Hero Academia OC that I turned into my mascot once I fell out of the fandom, lol. He's been my baby for several years, but this is the first year I've actually written any content for him! I guess when Zahar entered the picture, I just felt really inspired to finally write eeeeee.

Vale's favorite hobby is probably writing poetry (don't at me, he's like me but more confident). He was an English major in college so writing is kind of his passion besides his work.

Pet peeve wise is probably weak people and what I mean by that is people that don't stand up for or advocate for themselves/others. He's kind of an asshole about it. Like if he sees someone who obviously needs help but won't do the work for it, he thinks very lowly of them and finds them annoying.

Something Vale feels very strongly about is how much he loves Zahar (haha pain), but also making sure he takes care of those he loves aside from just Zahar. Vale came from a pretty impoverished family, not really knowing what money was like, so when it came time to help around, he pulled more than just his weight which let his parents have a more relaxed lifestyle. Unfortunately, they were killed in a motor accident when he was 16, so he takes that grief with him everywhere he goes. That kind of ties into the next question, but yeah he got along with his family. He had a older sister, but she disappeared when she turned 18 and got away from poverty. Like Vale has no idea where she is and that's kind of how she prefers it. (Maybe I'll get into his sister at another time)

Vale's sin his is work. He's kind of what you'd call a gun for hire. He's down to kill anybody for the right price. It's how he makes his money. It started when he was a kid, doing petty theft to bring home money, but then as he got older and found more entries into the darker side of life, he never got out of it. To be entirely honest, he loves his job. He finds pleasure in making others fear him. Making others question their own mortality. (He's an asshole your honor.) No one know who he is aside from what little information he puts out there. The only one who knows what he does is Zahar. Zahar found out pretty quickly because Vale, shockingly, told him flat out early on into their relationship. It's also hard to hide when you've acquired such a large sum of money (how Vale lives his life) and trying to explain it off as just regular work at such a young age. If that makes sense. He also puts his work above anything else, including his relationship with Zahar (if you haven't read that fic yet, pls do!). He's greedy when you boil it down to the bare bones.

I don't have any face claims because they look too specific in my eyes to just find someone's face that matches. This goes for both Zahar and Vale. Voice claims I'm still working on, but just to give you the basics, Zahar has a deeper voice than Vale. Vale has more of a feminine voice? Which really helps sometimes with his work and tricking people into trusting him.

Vale's name was come up with Italian meanings in mind (i'm partially italian) so to break it down, it started with Valentine, which means "strong, vigorous, healthy", then I shortened his name to be a little more unique and it came to Vale (pronounced Vah-ley). His full name is Vale DeLuca. Zahar on the other hand was named by my lovely friend @klywrites so you'd be more inclined to ask her why lol. I just really liked the name? Zahar's full name is Zahar Bista. Bista is Nepali.

Zahar's favorite hobby is drawing/design. He's a fashion major in college so he finds a lot of the artistic aspects really enjoyable even when it's just for fun.

Zahar's pet peeve is Vale's inability to separate himself from his work. He HATES with a passion how obsessed Vale is with his job. It's uncomfortable for Zahar. He's struggled with coming to terms with the work Vale does and the morality of it. Could Zahar do it? Absolutely not. He wouldn't hurt a fly, not to say he wouldn't defend himself if it came down to it. But I digress. He also hates greedy people who don't share their wealth to those who need it. He donates a lot of money Vale makes out of his jobs, sort of like a way to repent for how it's made.

Something he feels strongly about his making his work accessible. He knows "high fashion" isn't typically available to the public or poor, so he makes what he makes to be available to more people. He's size inclusive, ranging from a XS to a 6XL. He's openly queer in his work, so he hopes other queer people feel comfortable wearing his clothes, his pricing is like Walmart priced for the most part, so he's in every store imaginable. Shocker with how that makes him successful. He uses models of every color, size, disability, etc. He's passionate about his work.

Zahar originally got along great with his family until he came out as bisexual. His parents think he's just trying to "fit in" in the fashion world to be more successful and that it's a phase he'll grow out of. They also think it's to spite them. SO. He doesn't speak to his family unless absolutely necessary. He's an only child, so he never knew what it was like to grow up with siblings. He had childhood friends and such, but it's not entirely the same to him.

Zahar's sin his allowing Vale to continue working the way he does and benefitting from his work. Like I mentioned earlier, Zahar struggles with the morality of Vale and his job. You can often find Zahar in his office meditating on it. (Not that anyone is aware of what he's meditating on) Sometimes, if you were to get him drunk enough, he'd say his greatest sin in loving someone like Vale (shhhhh don't tell Vale).

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!! This was so fun to do. I'll do an actual character reference sheet for the boys eventually.

[zealous-crow]

Waking Up

It was early in the morning, the sun starting to shine through the curtains of the shared apartment. The room was cast in a warm glow, bringing in oranges and pinks. In bed lay Vale and Zahar, wrapped in each other’s embrace. Arms wrapped around torsos and legs tangled. However, Vale was the first one to wake up this morning. He sleepily blinked open his pale eyes, trying to get them to focus. When they do, the first thing to enter his vision isn’t a thing at all, but Zahar. 

Vale smiles warmly, slowly moving one of his arms free from the taller male’s grasp and resting the palm of his hand against Zahar’s cheek. It doesn’t wake up the other, which doesn’t surprise Vale. Zahar is a heavy sleeper once he’s comfortable in a space. “Good,” Vale thinks to himself. It means Zahar is comfortable in their apartment, in their room. 

Zahar was the more nervous one out of the pair. Always anxious about others' perception of him, anxious about his work, and anxious about Vale. Vale frowns slightly at this, before shaking his head slightly, not wanting to disturb his partner. He yawns lightly in bed, basking in the early morning glow and warmth it brings to the cold room. Snuggling further under the blankets, but keeping his hand upon Zahar’s cheek, Vale looks over his sleeping lover’s form. 

Light breathing, slight snoring, a peaceful expression on Zahar’s face. All signs of a night well slept. Well, still sleeping. This is one of Vale’s favorite moments. Watching Zahar’s resting form in the mornings before the hustle and bustle of the day starts. When his partner is fully at peace and not worried over every little thing that might go wrong. Vale cherishes these moments like nothing else mattered to him, like he had nothing to worry about himself. 

Not realizing it yet, Zahar had started to wake up. He blinked groggily at Vale before squinting his eyes at the sun that shone in them. His pink irises highlighted in that moment. 

“Good morning, Vale.” Zahar said with a raspy morning voice. 

“Good morning, dove. How did you sleep?” Vale asks in return.

“Great, actually. I feel completely rested. How about yourself? Have you been up long?” Vale shook his head at the last remark. 

“I slept okay. Woke up a couple of times, but I’m good. Better now that you’re up.” Zahar smiles wider. He places a hand atop of Vale’s, the one resting on Zahar’s cheek. 

“You always know what to say, even this early. How do you do it, love?” Zahar chuckles out. Vale just smiles wider himself before shifting in bed. He moves out of Zahar’s arms to lean over and give the man a peck on the lips. It’s faint, but makes the two happy nonetheless. 

[zealous-crow]

Just gonna say this now, anyone who looks at my blog is gonna get whiplash from my writing lolol. I've been writing depressing ass poems and then all of a sudden my OCs have a chokehold on me with sappy little fics.

[zealous-crow]

The Confession

It was one evening after all their classes had ended when Vale sent Zahar a text. 

“Meet me at my apartment,” was all that it said. Not out of the ordinary for Vale. He was a concise person to text. So without question, Zahar went. A brisk walk from the arts building to student apartments took little time and soon Zahar found himself standing in front of Vale’s door. He lightly knocked and then waited. Shuffling could be heard from behind the door and soon Vale opened the door, appearing in sweatpants, band t-shirt, and socks. 

“I have something I wanted to let you know about, but it felt wrong to say over text,” was the first thing out of Vale’s mouth. A slight panic set in for Zahar, wondering if Vale was going to stop being friends with him or did something bad happen to the pale-eyed man. Vale scoots aside to let Zahar into his apartment. It was clean, something that surprised Zahar the first time he had come over. Everything was in a specific spot, though there was some dirty laundry hanging out near the laundry room. Vale guided Zahar to the small couch he owned, before asking if Zahar wanted anything to drink. 

“Water, please. That would be great.”

As Vale got Zahar’s drink, the taller man’s mind was spiralling. Did he do something wrong? Did he offend Vale? Was Vale just growing tired of him already? Zahar failed to notice the hand holding out a cup of water, before Vale spoke to gain his attention. 

“Zahar? Earth to Bista.” 

Zahar snapped out of his concern and smiled, gently taking the cup from Vale. He watched the other male sit down on the floor across from him, the apartment not being very large and the couch really only meant to fit one person. 

“So. I know this is sudden, but I just can’t hold it back any longer than necessary.” Vale’s pale eyes pierced Zahar’s darker ones. It left a shiver run down Zahar’s spine.

“Want to clue me in, friend? You’ve got me kind of concerned over here, haha.” Zahar laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.  

“I want to preface this with don’t overanalyze it, but I like you. A lot.” Vale had a small smile on his face as he spoke. However, the meaning went over Zahar’s head. 

“I like you a lot too, Vale! Isn’t that why we’re friends? Why’d you have me come over just to say that? A text would have sufficed.” Zahar tilted his head in a slight confusion, but smiled back nonetheless. Vale let out a laugh. 

“Zahar, my dear friend. That’s not the kind of “like” I’m talking about. I like you romantically. I don’t know if you’re into guys, but I just felt like it wasn’t fair to hide these feelings from you whether you reciprocate or not.” 

Zahar stared at Vale in a quiet shock. So this was the reason he was called over to the apartment. 

“I, uh, don’t know how to respond.” Zahar said honestly. 

“You don’t have to respond now. I didn’t tell you this to pressure you. I’m an honest guy and thought you deserved to know. Now, if I made you uncomfortable, I apologize for that.” 

Zahar put the cup of water on the small coffee table before leaning back into the couch. 

“Can I think about what you just told me?”

“Of course you can. Regardless of your decision, I hope we continue to still be friends.” 

Zahar looked into Vale’s eyes in search of something hidden. Something that would say this is just a cruel joke, but there was only affection in Vale’s eyes. Affection for Zahar. Zahar stood up from the couch, nearly hitting his shin on the coffee table and walked over to Vale. He extended his hand and Vale took it, standing up alongside his friend. 

Vale spoke first. “Oh, by the way, the essay you looked at last week received an A. Thanks for being my proofreader.” 

Zahar got whiplash. Vale just confessed and is now talking like nothing else happened. Well, it’s probably for the best considering Zahar doesn’t have an answer for Vale yet. 

“Good! And it’s my pleasure. You’re a good writer. I enjoy seeing what you create regardless of the topic.” 

The two men stood there in silence after that. What else was there to say? Sure, Zahar owed Vale an answer, but he didn’t have one at the time. 

“Thanks for being honest, Vale.” Even though Zahar felt awkward, he was still polite. 

“I’ve got a dress I need to work on so I should probably go.” Zahar said. “You’re welcome to join me like always.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m sure you need some time to yourself after this. I’ll check in on you tomorrow.” Vale responded. “Let me at least walk you down?”

Both men quietly exited the apartment and descended the stairs. When they reached the bottom, Vale smiled one more time before waving as Zahar left for campus. 

After Vale had confessed to Zahar, neither of them spoke to one another for a couple of days. Not out of the ordinary since both men had big projects they were currently working on. However, all Zahar could think of was the smile Vale had when he said he liked him. The look in his eyes. The complete adoration in those white hues. 

Zahar felt bad not responding sooner, but he just didn’t know what to do. He’s never had another man confess to him before, let alone someone he considered to be a very close friend. Friend. That weird word kept repeating in his head. Could they still be friends even if this went terribly wrong? Zahar shook his head, and dug into his pocket for his cell phone. He sends a quick message to Vale.

“Care to meet for coffee? Feel like we both could use some right now lol.” It took only a few seconds before he got a reply. 

“I’d love to :)”

Zahar chuckles at the smiley face. “Cute,” he thinks. Cute? When was Vale ever cute? Well, when he wears his hair swept back, and when he scrunches his nose smiling at something Zahar says, and that one time…oh shit. “Is this what it’s like to realize you like someone?” he thinks to himself. Zahar shakes his head, collects his things and heads straight for the cafe near campus the two of them have met at before. 

Vale is already there, waiting at a table, two coffees sitting neatly on the table outside. When Vale notices Zahar, he smiles and waves. God, that smile might kill Zahar. He walks over and apologizes for being late. 

“Sorry! I got a little distracted in the workshop before heading this way.”

“Don’t worry about it. I haven’t been here that long. See? Drink is still hot.” Vale points to the coffee sitting opposite of him. Was that a chai latte? Zahar’s preferred choice for this specific shop. 

“Thanks for ordering? What do I owe you?”

“Nothing. Just take it Bista and if I see anything come through on Venmo, I’m gonna send it right back.” Vale continues to smile at the other, who for some reason, is still standing awkwardly near the table. 

“Take a seat will ya? Or you just gonna stand there looking uncomfortable the entire time?” Zahar flushes red before taking the seat across from Vale. He grabs the chai latte and sips it cautiously, not wanting to burn his mouth. 

“So, Bista. How is your project coming along? Last I heard you were still working on the bodice.”

“Oh! I’ve completed that. I’m working on the sleeves at the moment. Afterwards, I need to attach them, hem the edge, and it should be done for critique.” Zahar smiles at Vale’s memory. Usually people try to fake their conversations with him, but Vale always pays attention. He genuinely seems interested in what Zahar has to say. Sometimes the jargon gets in the way, but that doesn’t stop either men from talking about their passions. 

“Vale.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve decided on my answer.” Zahar gulps nervously. He watches Vale’s fingers tense around his drink. 

“I think I’d like to give dating you a try. Wait. That sounds wrong. Does it? I don’t know. Shit. I’m rambling now. Please say something.” Vale stares at Zahar before breaking into a fit of laughter. 

“Zahar, you sounded fine.” Vale says between breaths. 

“I’m glad you’re willing to try. And if it doesn’t work, then. Well, I’ll still be your friend if you’ll allow?” Zahar comes down from his nerves instantly at Vale’s words. 

“Yeah, I think I’d like that.” Vale reaches a hand across the table and Zahar goes to intertwine his hand in Vales.