#-following along in greek
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“Why are we surprised that Ibrahim has such an intense power complex? His birth name literally means god”
- My mother, fluent in greek
#his name is theo which is derived from theos which means god#google says it’s actually ‘god’s gift’ but a) irrelevant and b) it’s also fits bc it’s clear the dude thinks he’s god’s gift to humanity#this is why I can’t rewatch mc by myself#without mom who’d be there to spontaneously translate dialogues between ibrahim and his fam into Greek??#like seriously ibrahim would just be talking to his dad or bro in russian (cause we watch the russian dub) and she’d just start-#-following along in greek#I am unfortunately only fluent in russian and english so I can’t pull the same shit off#I’m putting way too much thought into a shitpost#nia go to bed challenge#magnificent century#muhteşem yüzyıl#ibrahim pasha
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carmina is my wife but shes not My wife she's cass' wife. cass is my oc and shes not me but im her. you understand.
#it makes such an almighty sound#cass is like ..... okay so imagine ur parents are professors several times over. imagine they want You to follow in their footsteps.#ur childhood and teenage years are so regimented and regulated and hinge entirely on ur performance in school#yeah sure u can study what u like but u have to be The Best at it and some subjects are always going to be more favoured than others#so u do what ur told and u do what they want and u get the grades and u dont rlly have many friends or go out that much but its fine.#its fine! u like studying and u like learning and reading so its fine.#and then u go to uni and u have space but its more of the same bc u dont rlly know anything else. u mostly just keep to urself an#do ur work and get the grades bc u have come too far to start failing Now.#and then u dont know what else to do and hr parents still want u to Be Better so u go to grad school#and somewhere along the way u started reading abt greek myth and hellenism and dionysus and the maenads.#and u think about how Free it must be. to go out jnto the woods and not have to think or talk or argue or write or anything other than Feel#and u cant stop thinking about it. u cant focus on ur research anymore bc all u can do is look out of the window and think about it.#and then im not sure what happens. but she ends up in the entitys realm tearing ppl apart with her teeth and her bare hands LOLLLLLLL
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Apparently 90% of my pain and suffering the last few days hasn't been the giant incision across my neck but the drain tube I got sent home with??? But that fucker is gone now!! :D Hurt like HELL to get it removed, but immediately my range of motion improved and I could look left again?? Crazy. Fuck surgerical drains. Negative 12 out of 10. Actively loathe them.
#I can also eat normal foods again!!#Jumping straight to Little Ceasars pizza and crazy bread felt a bit too startling after 8 days of no fat foods#So I went with McDonald's chicken nuggets and followed it up a few hours later with frozen waffles LOLOLOL#Tomorrow though I'm getting that Little Ceasars!#Along Panera muffin and chocolate milk for breakfast XD#Sorry not sorry I've been living off of oatmeal and jello and macaroni noodles dressed up with Greek yogurt instead of a cheese sauce#FOR 8 FUCKING DAYS while a tube stabbed me in the neck everytime I moved#So I have been making a mental list of all the food I was going to eat once I was medically cleared#Cinnamon rolls are getting ordered Thursday#I'm going to live like a king the rest of this week! \0/#And hopefully sleep like a pampered noble too because these 45 min cat naps I've been living off of are just not enough#That drain tube really fucked with me. Damn
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the hot dad next door (m) | park sunghoon.
﹙ 🎬 ﹚ ぃ ────𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂?
preview. the ever quintessential first time dad moves in next door with his five year old and finds it impossible not to fall for you, the pretty girl who gives his daughter cookies and him; the doll eyes. obsessed with your entire being, unable to keep his hands off you, park sunghoon questions if he's just crazy or he's crazy over you.
or where, he notices the way you look at his hands a little too long for it to be innocent.
meet the cast. single dad!park sunghoon with his pretty neighbour fem!reader.
genre. DILFF AUU !!, SMUT MDNI, fluff, neighbours to lovers, sunghoon is quite literally yes insanely crazed over you and for the sake of god can't keep his dick soft, domestic a little bit i guess, i want to make her my wife trope EEEKKK, slight age gap (hoon in late twenties and reader in early twenties) more to be added.
word count. est around 20k or more
warnings. inaccuracies about parenting cause i aint a parent, i got no idea. more will be mentioned in the actual post.
releasing. very soon!! .. progress update tag
park sunghoon was hot, he was a walking greek god. was single and wore these fitted suits that had you weak in the knees. if that wasn't hot enough, park sunghoon also had the cutest baby girl you had ever come across and it just made him hotter than he could ever have been.
"hey, um .. is ji—" sunghoon stands at the threshold of your open apartment door, one hand holding his creased blazer and the other rubbing at the back of his neck. embarrassed and shy at having to show up at yours looking like a mess after work because his daughter ran off while he was busy on a call and taking out her school bag from the backseat. and because everytime his daughter ran off, it was to the pretty girl next door who gives away sweet cookies all the time.
"is jia here? yeah she's in the kitchen," you answer, smiling soft and knowingly at the worried guy who barely looked like a dad. he worked in a corporate editorial, out before eight in the morning just as you prepared ingredients for your bakery. taking his daughter along to school, her excited voice resonating through the halls talking about how they were going to play with clay in class. around seven in the evening you'd hear her again, this time alone as she would skip over to your door because dada was too slow.
on weekends it'd be impossible to ignore the ruckus they made playing around, sometimes inviting you over for lunch because sunghoon apparently made too much and jia wanted to share her dada's delicious food. on some occasional weekends when he'd be called in to work for a few hours, jia would promise him to stay home and behave only to call you through the landline the moment he'd step out the door. and you would text sunghoon to come over to yours after work, his daughter munching on the new flavored cupcakes you made, unbothered about her dad and his scoldings.
"come on in, i made some almond lime tart, you could give me some feedbacks along with jia. you know she always says it's good and i can never know if it's actually good," sunghoon can't help but chuckle at that, slipping off his shoes by the front and walking inside. his eyes following your figure with a fond look as you tend to his daughter delicately, and might he admit— even more so than him.
you're sweet, you know how to handle kids; cue that one time jia was crying her eyes out after school and he had no idea what to do to comfort her, knocking at your door frantically and having his mind blown at how quickly you figured things out and calmed her down.
you're sweet, you know how to handle kids, you treat them both so well, always ready to help him out with jia, giving them sweet treats every other day and most of all— you're fucking pretty. way too pretty for him to handle.
FIRST TAGLIST (open.) @s00buwu @lilyuwon @pockyyasii @nctislifue @shawnyle @enhastolemyheart @belowbun @aaa-sia @niniissus @tobiosbbyghorl @imjakes-wifeofc1 @youresolivlie @eun-cherry @kimsunoops @aiden2001 @brownsugarbaybee @pockettwinzz @bangtancultsposts @diorikis @heelvsted @crimnalseung @iselltulips @yzzyhee @woniebae @river-demon-slayer @lovingvoidgoatee @antonsgirlfriend @kpopslover @bugcattie @slut4hee @yunjinswifee @woniefull @nanaheex @soobs-things @dammit-jjk @starlvcieszsq @mnxnii @skylaly @mintdsunoo @uyuchoco @anittamaxwynnn @rikiwaify-blog @kill4jl @ggparkjh @sstephenzz @judeduartewannabe @jungwoneez @aye2611-blog @hybeboyenthusisast @minjaexvz
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THE GRUDGE (or: the 7 things luke castellan hated about you)
read part two GET HIM BACK! (or: the 7 reasons you want revenge on luke castellan)
pairing: luke castellan x child of nemesis!reader (gender not specified)
word count: 8.5k
summary: luke hated your guts. he really did. he just hoped that no one could tell how, even after all this, you're still everything to him.
warnings/disclaimer: luke's POV. spoilers for the lightning thief and season 1 of pjo. some heated make-out sessions but no actual smut - MDNI / 18+. mentions of blood + death + alcohol. luke is 19 during tlt but i wrote this with him + reader being 21 by the end of this (this is important for the next part lol). anyways, luke + reader share clothes and lots of intense emotions they maybe possibly don't process in the best way. lots of ANGST - it's a greek tragedy fr!
author's note: welcome to my new hyperfixation! this fic is LONG but i hope she's worth it ♡
♪: the grudge by olivia rodrigo
(i. you have a sharp tongue)
fourteen year old luke was overwhelmed when he first stepped into the hermes cabin. it was loud and overcrowded and no one really seemed to care that they had a new cabinmate. the head counselor showed luke to an empty bed at the back, told him to get settled in, and left without another word. luke dropped his backpack before collapsing on the mattress. it was so thin that he could feel the springs dig into his back.
"you'll get used to it."
luke sat up to see you climbing through the window.
you had a band-aid stuck on your chin, chipped nail polish the color of blackberries, and leather combat boots that looked way too heavy to be wearing in the heat of summer.
“the shitty mattress?”
“i meant the whole chaos of cabin 11, and the way things work around here in general. if you can get used to the shitty mattress, all power to you.”
your tone was friendly enough, playful even. you smiled at him so comfortably it made luke nauseous.
“good to know.” he tried to smile back at you, but his heart wasn’t in it. “i’m luke, by the way.”
“yeah, i know. i’m —”
“y/n!”
you seemed entirely unfazed as the blond who called your name stormed over to you. you rolled your eyes, something only luke could notice, before turning to her.
“someone stole my candy.”
“i’m very sorry to hear that, maddy. gotta be careful around here.” your voice dripped like poisoned honey, deceptively innocent and sweet.
maddy was not having it. she huffed at you. “it was you, wasn’t it?”
“that depends. did you cheat at poker last night? again?”
some of the chatter throughout the cabin paused, heads turning to listen in.
“what? n-no!”
“then you have your answer, maddy.” you exaggerated a sigh, as though you had already won the fight and were annoyed that she came back for more. “now, if you’ll excuse me, i have a new camper to show around.”
chiron had already given them a tour, but luke didn’t protest when you grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the window with you. your hand was warm in his as you dragged him along to the corner of the cabin where a poorly made ladder waited for you.
“come on.” you started climbing, and only stopped to look down when you realized luke wasn’t following you. “best view of camp. trust me.”
a shiver passed through luke. trust didn’t come easy to him. he also didn’t particularly want to return to a stuffy cabin where all he would do was count reasons he did not want to be there.
so, luke followed you. he sat down next to you on the roof and looked out at the sun shining on his new home, but he couldn't help but be slightly bitter. the gods had gotten all of you into this life of endless danger and battles and monsters, and this was all they had to offer in return: a summer camp.
it just didn't seem fair.
there was something else he noticed then. what was it that chiron had said? camp half-blood was supposed to be a safe haven for all demigods.
“i don’t get it. there are only twelve cabins, but aren’t there, like, a million other gods?”
you straightened your posture then, and turned to luke with a newfound interest.
“camp half-blood only has cabins representing the twelve olympians. apparently, they’re the only ones important enough to have children worth recognizing, and they can’t even do that half the time,” you explained, impertinence laced throughout your words. it seemed like something you could never quite get off your chest.
every demigod knew that the gods didn’t appreciate sarcasm. they didn’t particularly like being called out on their bullshit, either.
you didn’t seem to care; you even rolled your eyes up at the sky, as if challenging zeus himself.
“anyways, that’s why the hermes cabin is so crowded. it takes in campers who are unclaimed or whose parent doesn’t have a cabin at camp. like me.”
“so, who’s your godly parent?”
you fiddled with the leather cord on your neck. it held a few clay beads like the other campers, but there was one silver charm he noticed only you wore — scales, by the looks of it. you clutched onto it.
luke realized that, despite your own advice, maybe you resented having to get used to the way things worked around here, and having to hide your resentment. maybe that was worse than having to sleep on an uncomfortable bed for the rest of your life.
"nemesis. goddess of revenge."
"that's....hardcore."
you scoffed and moved on to twisting the silver ring on your index finger. "a lot of people take it that way, and i think it scares them a bit.”
“so that’s why you’re extra nice to new campers, huh?”
“no, i was just in a good mood today.” you smirked.
“guess i was just lucky, then.”
luke couldn’t help but smile at your laugh — sharp, biting. you nudged your boot against his sneaker, which shifted you closer to him, shoulders practically touching.
“what people don’t understand is that it's more about balance, you know? you do good things, and good things happen to you. at least, they should. you do bad things and….” you pulled out an outrageously big bag of candy, dropped it between you and luke, and winked at him. “you face the consequences.”
“that makes sense.” luke leaned over to grab a handful of gummy bears. “like karma.”
“yeah. exactly.”
you bit the head off a red bear, both of you chewing in silence before you added:
“by the way, i’m sorry about your friend.” you swallowed and caught luke’s gaze.
chiron warned him that word would travel fast around camp about what happened to thalia, and luke had prepared himself for anything — anything but your reaction. there was no pity in your eyes; instead, there was a hint of rage, as though thalia had been your friend, too.
“she deserved more.”
luke’s eyes caught the glint of a knife strapped to your belt. he took another handful of the candy you stole, and he thought about the fire and fearlessness behind your words, and, despite everything, it felt right to be with you then and there.
“yeah,” he finally whispered back. “she did.”
we all do.
neither of you said those words, but the suggestion was there, and it felt like a promise.
(ii. you hold on to every stupid, little detail)
“slow down, tiger.”
your voice echoed throughout the arena, and if luke had been fighting a real opponent, it might have gotten him killed. instead, he just stopped mid-swing, sparing another straw dummy from losing its arm.
“left hand,” you noted as you walked past him towards a bench. “you, my friend, are in need of a break.”
luke loosened the grip on his sword. the only time luke fought with his non-dominant hand was when he had overworked the other. he must have switched an hour ago, but judging by how heavy his arm felt, it could have very well been two.
his curls were stuck to his forehead with sweat, his shirt soaked through. he could feel a dull pain behind his eyes, and luke was worried that if he stopped to catch his breath, he would pass out. or, even worse, have to face the reality of the shitty news he’d gotten early that day.
“come sit with me,” you urged. “you’re exhausted, tiger.”
luke bristled at your nickname for him.
sure, luke loved that there was something only you called him, a secret kept between you in plain sight, but it was also a reminder that it was harder to hide behind the hero act when you were around.
everyone else at camp figured the nickname was a playful attempt at calling him strong and charismatic. the truth was that luke once told you that his favorite cereal as a kid was frosted flakes and that he would dream of playing sports as well as tony the tiger. for better or for worse, like most things, you wouldn’t let it go.
case in point: if it was anybody other than you trying to get him to take a break, luke could have just brushed them off with a charming smile and continued swordfighting until his arms fell off, but in the two years since meeting you, luke had never met anyone as stubborn and convincing. like him, it seemed you were willing to fight and shed blood to get your way. luke was never really in the mood to make you bleed, even when feeling like he could burn the entire world down, so he usually gave in to your demands.
as soon as he sat down next to you, you handed him an orange flavored energy drink — his favorite. anything other than water was hard to come by at camp without the enchanted goblets in the dining pavilion, or the right connection in the hermes cabin. he ran out of his stash the other day, but you must have noticed and gotten one of the stoll brothers to smuggle more in.
“thanks,” luke said, ignoring the jolt of electricity that passed through him when your fingers brushed together briefly.
the two of you looked out at the sword arena, and all the straw dummies that luke had destroyed. you wait for him to take three big gulps of his drink before speaking again.
“i guess chiron and your dad decided you weren’t ready for a quest.”
luke exhaled sharply. “how did you —”
“the only time you’d skip out on capture the flag is if something really shitty happened.” you looked down at luke’s clenched fists, and that seemed to be all the confirmation you needed. “you promised annabeth you'd be there, and it's not like you to let her down."
fuck. he had completely forgotten that tonight was annabeth's first time as team captain. this entire week, she had been prepping a winning strategy. it wasn’t like annabeth needed him to win, but luke was her big brother, and he should have been there. you were right — he had let her down.
the realization made luke’s day go from bad to worse.
"i told her you were helping a new camper with an emergency. she didn't believe it, but she adjusted her strategy and we still won.”
“well, thank the gods everything worked in the end,” luke grumbled.
“don’t thank the gods,” you quipped. “thank annabeth chase for her brilliant mind, and me for covering for your sorry ass.”
when luke didn’t indulge in your usual playful banter, you moved closer to him and brushed some curls away from his eyes. your skin warmed his forehead, and the small gesture made him feel better than he had all day.
“look, i’m not going to give you some bullshit inspirational speech about how the gods don’t get to define what a hero is, or how you don’t need a quest to prove that you’re worthy of being one. we’ve each been through that before, and i have a feeling this won’t be our last time, either.”
“then why are you here?” the question came out harsher than luke had intended it to.
“because she’s trying her best to hide it, but annabeth is really hurt that you didn’t show up for the game. i figured the least you could do is suck it up, come to the campfire, and make her those signature luke castellan s’mores. you could probably use one, too, since you haven’t eaten anything since breakfast.”
you were right, again. luke was exhausted, he was furious, but most of all, he was starving.
later that night, luke sat next to annabeth and vowed to make her as many s’mores as she wanted. you’d gone to sit with the hephaestus kids, trying to convince beckendorf and nyssa to join your cabin’s post-campfire party at the beach, even though they had to work in the forges early the next morning.
when chiron made his weekly speech, congratulating the winners of capture the flag and thanking the gods for keeping everyone safe, you and luke caught each other’s gaze from across the fire. you rolled your eyes and luke bit back a smile as you turned back to beckendorf. he noticed your knees were practically touching. did you sit that close to everyone?
luke was looking at you for so long that the marshmallow he was roasting fell into the fire, despite annabeth’s warnings. she handed him another one.
"you should tell her how you feel," annabeth said. "stop being a coward."
whether it was the smell of burnt sugar, the heat of the fire, or annabeth’s comment, luke started to feel dizzy. he did his best to shake it off, asking annabeth for a play-by-play of her strategy earlier that night, but he couldn’t quite get rid of the thought of you.
(iii. you don't care if your clothes are stained with blood)
“i just….i can’t fucking believe you, luke.”
“i don’t get why you’re so upset — you’ve never cared about quests before.”
luke was hoping to break the news to you after capture the flag. unfortunately for him, word travels fast around camp.
annabeth had the two of you scouting the east side for the flag, while she and some other athena kids took the west. you hadn’t found anything so far, which meant that you’d spent the better part of an hour bickering over luke’s choice of companions for his quest. a choice that included charles beckendorf and chris rodriguez, and purposefully did not include you, much to your fury.
before you could continue arguing, luke heard the sound of footsteps approaching. he looked over to you, and you already had your shield and sword at the ready.
a few red defenders emerged from the trees. one charged at luke, but you stepped in so he could deal with the other two. one of his opponents went down fairly easily, but the other put up much more of a fight. metal clashed behind him as you kept fighting as well. you might not have been as skilled a swordfighter as luke, but he knew that you could hold your own, at least until he was finished with the person in front of him.
luke parried his opponent’s strike, causing them to take a step closer. he was preparing to disarm them, just as he heard you yelp and stumble to the ground. it only took a millisecond of his attention, but it gave his opponent the opportunity to elbow him in the face. luke felt a crack upon impact, and pain radiated from his nose; he powered through.
he had to finish this fight, and he had to do it fast. you needed him.
his ears were ringing as he finally knocked over his opponent, kicking away their sword and keeping his foot on their chest. luke turned around to see you having turned the tides, the blade of your sword dangerously close to your opponent’s neck.
you locked eyes with luke, and you both understood — it was time to go. the two of you ran through the forest, as far away as you could before having to stop and catch your breath.
luke removed his helmet to get some air, and dropped his weapons. you did the same. you looked at him, brows furrowed.
“your nose.”
luke licked his lips, tasting blood. the triumph of winning that last fight overshadowed the ache of his potentially broken nose. in fact, he liked the image of a ruthless warrior emerging from the glory and gore of battle, that even though he did not bleed ichor like a god, he still had power.
you, on the other hand, didn’t look impressed. instead, you stepped forward and offered the sleeve of your shirt to wipe away the blood.
“you don’t have to —”
“i know you think you’re a badass walking around all broken and bloody, but you shouldn’t deny your admirers your pretty face,” you teased.
it was no secret that luke had numerous admirers around camp, a fact you loved to tease him about. he was sure that you relished in how flustered that made him. all you had to call him was pretty boy, and luke could be reduced to a blushing mess.
it was pathetic how much power you had over him.
“besides, i wouldn’t have gotten out of that last fight if you hadn’t taught me that disarming technique earlier. i owe you. it’s what we do. we take care of each other, right?”
he couldn’t argue with that.
a few moments of silence passed as you cleaned his face. something shifted as you worked, the flirtatious grin fading away. when you pulled away, your sleeve was stained a dark crimson.
“just tell me honestly,” you finally murmured. “why don't you want me to join your quest?”
luke was genuinely taken aback by the softness of your voice, now devoid of its usual fire. you wouldn’t meet luke’s eyes, but being that close to you, he noticed they were slightly glazed over.
he had expected you to be angry at his decision. he expected you to yell and argue and try to change his mind. luke hadn’t expected you to be so hurt. so broken.
he hadn’t planned on it, but luke decided to tell you the truth then.
“look, karma, if you come with me, my heart wouldn’t fully be in the quest. i’d be so caught up in….well, you.”
a pause.
“is that a bad thing?”
“not usually, no.”
you smirked a little at that, and luke’s heart skipped a beat. it also made his decision even clearer.
“but i need to be focused for this. i need….” he let out a deep sigh. “i need to prove myself. this is my first real chance, and i can’t fuck it up.”
you met his gaze and smiled brightly at him, your signature spark of confidence returning.
“you won’t.”
you reached a hand up to play with his necklace. luke hadn’t noticed how close you’d gotten until your fingers started tracing over those four clay beads. it made his entire body burst into flames.
“i’ve been wanting to do something for a while. and, aphrodite save me, it might be really stupid, but —”
luke took a lucky guess as to where you were going, and crashed his lips against yours. aphrodite knows that he'd been wanting to do that for a while, too.
he often got drunk on the adrenaline of battle, the glory of winning, but nothing was quite like the rush of kissing you for the first time.
it was messy and urgent, both of you aware that, at any moment, you could be interrupted. your noses were bumping together, teeth clacking against each other. the metallic tang of blood lingered on luke’s tongue, but neither of you seemed to care. you even bit his lip slightly, as if you wanted more. armor sat heavy and cold between your chests, preventing you from getting closer. luke had never loathed the protective gear more.
he made up for it by lodging one hand underneath your jaw, and snaking the other beneath the celestial bronze, beneath the cotton of your shirt, admiring how your pulse quickened under his thumb when he grazed the soft skin of your stomach. you tangled your hands into his hair, nails scraping against his scalp. he groaned and felt you smirk against his lips.
luke had kissed a few people before, sure, but never like this: like a knife to the gut, and if you pulled away, luke would surely bleed out and die.
it wouldn’t be a hero’s death, in the traditional sense, but at least he’d die happy.
how many heroes could claim that?
when luke ran out of air, feeling like his lungs were burning, he had to pull away.
you glanced down at luke’s kiss-bitten lips, then back to his eyes. luke flushed under the intensity of your gaze.
“just promise me something, tiger,” you whispered, voice hoarse.
“anything.”
“come back alive.”
luke leaned forward and placed another kiss on your lips, this one much gentler than before.
“i promise.”
(iv. you love like a scar that won't fade)
the nightmares were getting worse.
luke woke up in a cold sweat, taking gulps of air in an attempt to steady his breathing.
“luke.”
your whisper did little to quell the pit of dread growing in his stomach, but it did enough to bring him back down to reality.
he was at camp half-blood (fuck the gods of olympus), in the hermes cabin (fuck you, dad), in a bed next to yours (fuck, if he could tell you what — who — was going through his head, he would).
“i’m…i’m fine,” he murmured back, voice catching slightly on the lie.
like clockwork, you shifted from your bed to his, slipping under the covers. it didn’t matter that it was a hot summer night, and the minute your legs touched his, he could feel himself starting to overheat.
your thumb brushed over the thick edge of his scar, up his cheekbone to the corner of his eye. it had been a year, living with this reminder. a reminder that he had failed, just as much as his father and the olympians had failed him.
luke tried to pretend that he didn’t come back from his quest as a shell of who he once was. after all, it was meant to be his shining moment as a demigod, meant to gain him all the glory and father’s praise he once wished for.
what a fucking joke.
every morning, luke would crawl into a different skin. he welcomed new campers and taught sword-fighting. he laughed with chris and his other siblings and strategized with annabeth for capture the flag. he would be the easy-going, charming, skillful senior counselor who respected the gods and honored them in everything he did.
again: a fucking joke.
nights were different, though, with you so close to him, you who could always see right through him.
every night, luke was a fourteen-year old boy again, with so much rage and resentment he didn't know what to do with it.
of course, you were always you - a bleeding heart underneath layers of armor. you didn't care about fate, or the gods, or the titans. you cared about justice, you cared about what was right and fair.
most of all, you cared about luke.
“you were screaming,” you told him, voice barely cutting through the soft snores and sleeptalkings of your other cabinmates.
“sorry,” he managed. looking at you in the dull moonlight, luke noticed the deep shadows under your eyes.
“it’s fine. you just….you scared me, tiger.”
your hand still rested on his cheek, and for a second, luke hoped you would kiss him, but you didn’t. instead, you told him to try and get some sleep, and sank further into his bed before closing your eyes.
for the hundredth night in a row, luke hoped you couldn’t hear his heart hammering in his chest as you fell asleep next to him.
since coming back from his quest, luke didn’t have it in him to suggest being anything other than friends, and you didn’t push it. there had been a few....moments between you, sure, but nothing more.
luke thought you might have changed your mind, because who would want to be with a bitter, worthless, wannabe hero? then again, that voice haunting his dreams…. luke could change that.
but, at what cost?
(v. you protect people as ruthlessly as a starving dog)
luke could hear you talking to percy jackson outside. though he couldn’t quite determine what was being said, as much as he tried.
you entered the bathroom and instantly caught luke’s eyes in the mirror. you were wearing your faded pyjama shorts with cartoon crows, and a flannel shirt that luke had a sneaking suspicion might have been his. you smiled at him before setting up at the counter, one sink between you.
“what was that about?” luke asked after spitting out a mouthful of minty toothpaste.
“oh, nothing.” you were searching through your toiletry bag for something, and seemed to come up short. “hey, do you have any extra dental floss?”
luke threw some over to you. as you effortlessly caught it, he noticed your knuckles, bruised and bloodied.
“what happened?”
you finished flossing and briefly examined your hands before pulling out your toothbrush.
“it’s not a big deal,” you assured. “some ares kids were picking on percy, and then they started pushing him around, like, really pushing him around, so….”
“....you decided to send them to the infirmary.”
you squeezed some toothpaste on your brush before continuing. “i don’t need you to lecture me about how i shouldn’t be fighting with other campers because i’ve been here longer and i should be a good role model. you know what a good role model does? not let kids beat up other kids and think the worst punishment they’ll get is no dessert for a week.”
luke watched carefully as you jammed the toothbrush in your mouth and brushed with such force, he was worried your teeth might dislodge. he knew that you would shed blood for someone you loved, and that you didn’t particularly care if you had to break rules in doing so, because you believed that what was written was not necessarily what was right.
in fact, luke loved that about you.
no, it wasn’t the fighting that luke cared about — it was who you were fighting for.
percy was a good kid, he really was. luke just didn’t want you getting attached.
“i wasn’t going to lecture you. i’m guessing chiron already did?”
you nodded and spat out what looked like a combination of toothpaste and blood. you rinsed your mouth until the water lost its pinkish hue. once you were done, luke continued his train of thought.
“i just didn’t realize you cared so much about him.”
“about percy?”
luke could tell that he didn’t have your full attention. you were packing your stuff back up, accidentally tossing luke’s dental floss into your bag, but he had more pressing matters to deal with.
“yeah. the kid’s only been at camp for three days, and you’re already acting like his guard dog.”
you finally turned to luke and glared at him.
“maybe. but percy’s sweet and he doesn’t seem like the type to put up with bullshit. he’s been through a lot, and annabeth seems to like him, too. as far as i’m concerned, percy’s one of us, and i’m not going to let anyone push him around.”
luke raised an eyebrow at you. “he’s sweet?”
“yeah. like, just now, he gave me some blue raspberry jelly beans as a thank you. said his mom used to work at a candy store. he also wanted me to apologize to you for him. he feels bad about beating you in sword-fighting earlier.”
you scoffed, like you resented luke for having to apologize to him on percy’s behalf. you definitely did not appreciate that guard dog comment. luke clenched his jaw, seething over what you had just said.
satisfied with his reaction, you gave luke that nauseating smile of yours, tilted your head towards the exit. a truce, because you never liked to fight with luke for too long, and a order, because you knew luke would always follow.
the two of you began walking back to your cabin in the warm mid-june air.
“i wouldn’t say he beat me,” luke huffed. “it was beginner’s luck.”
“sure, tiger. it was beginner’s luck that disarmed the best swordsman we’ve had in the last 300 years.”
you nudged luke’s shoulder with yours, but he recoiled from your touch.
“are you trying to make me feel worse?” luke tried his best to avoid snapping at you, keeping his tone measured.
“i’m just saying that maybe the kid has natural talent and that doesn’t make you any less talented. there’s no need to get jealous.”
luke resisted the urge to growl at your suggestion.
to be clear, he was not jealous. it’s just that luke had spent years of blood, sweat, and tears getting to where he was then, and percy jackson had just gotten to camp.
and, to be even more clear, luke was not jealous of how you were already defending percy with your whole body and your whole heart, the way you did for him.
by then, you reached the front of the hermes cabin. luke could already hear the commotion of what he would need to deal with as soon as he walked in. the burden of being head counselor, one he approached with an elastic smile that could snap at any moment.
you tugged on luke’s sleeve before he could open the door.
“hey. are we okay?”
luke looked down at your fingers grasping the fabric of a sweatshirt he was just realizing was yours. your nails were painted a dark red, now chipped after a week of wear. you had begged luke to paint his nails then, and once again, he gave in. he even started to like the purple you had chosen just for him, so deep it was almost black. the same color you were wearing the first time you and luke met.
he smiled at the memory — a real smile, no plastic — and then smiled back up at you.
“we’re fine, karma.” and he moved to enter the cabin. luke could hear the threat of an argument bubbling up, what sounded like a petty one over a prank gone wrong.
“wait.” you tugged at his (your) sweatshirt once more. “there’s something i wanted to talk to you about, about tomorrow night—”
“annabeth called a meeting during free time.”
“yeah, i know, it’s just —”
“she’ll run through strategy for capture the flag then.”
“one of the aphrodite senior campers asked me to the campfire,” you blurted it out, and luke decided to ignore the sound of a fight breaking out from behind the wooden door.
what in the name of hades were you talking about?
“they asked you out? like…like a….” luke didn’t even want to speak the word, scared it would make it real.
“a date,” you said casually, as if that one word didn’t rip luke’s heart in a million pieces. “i said yes.” an admission that took all those pieces and set them on fire.
sure, in the seven years since you and luke met, you’d each talked about boys, about girls, about dating and kissing them and going further. but there was something about this one that felt different. something about the way you told him.
“but, listen, i wanted to let you know it’s not —”
“good for you,” was all luke said through gritted teeth before someone started calling his name again, louder and more urgently, and he had to duck inside.
(vi. you taste like burning cherries and righteous anger)
your team had won capture the flag, of course. the biggest news of the evening, though: percy jackson was the son of the sea god.
he was a forbidden child, the hero of the great prophecy.
everything was falling into place.
all luke should be thinking about is kronos’ plan, and his role in it, and how a world without the gods of olympus was that much more in reach.
unfortunately, for the time being, he was so consumed by you.
you, from across the campfire, sporting cutoff denim shorts and fresh wounds from the game earlier. you, who had wrapped your knuckles in gauze, concealing their bruising, fixed the chips in your nail polish and stacked rings on your fingers. (for the record: luke had gifted you the one on your left thumb.) you, with dark lips that whispered too closely and laughed too loudly with a child of aphrodite— jordan li.
you hadn’t so much as looked at luke since congratulating each other on another win. when chiron announced his weekly gratitude to the gods at the start of that night’s campfire, you didn’t punctuate your resentment with your usual eye-roll or biting remark. you were too busy giggling at something jordan said.
luke wanted to be the one to whisper jokes in your ear. he wanted to be the one you left lipstick stains on later, along his jaw and down his neck. he wanted to be the one who kissed the blade mark on your shoulder and the bruises on your knuckles.
and yet, hours passed and it seemed that the thought of luke had never so much as crossed your mind. he found himself at an after hours party with a few senior campers on the beach. a lethal recipe: a poorly crafted bonfire, some contraband drinks and you in jordan li’s lap, playing with their hair and pretending luke castellan did not exist.
meanwhile, luke had katie gardner’s full attention. she was talking to him about the strawberry season, potentially leaning a bit too close into luke’s personal space, definitely flirting with him.
luke could have done a lot worse than the head counselor of the demeter cabin, who always smelled like fresh lavender, whose eyes were the bright green of spring grass and whose lips tasted like golden honey.
the problem was that luke only wanted you, and his eyes kept sliding over to where you were kissing jordan’s cheek, and he accidentally called the girl he was kissing by your name, which did not make her happy.
katie threw her drink in his face, told him to wake the fuck up, and walked away.
a chorus of gasps and chuckles erupted as luke stood there, diet coke and vodka seeping into his shirt. the commotion seemed to capture your attention, because you suddenly appeared next to luke, an empty bottle of cherry soda in your hand.
“rough night, tiger?” your voice, that nickname, made luke sick, his face twisting into a frown. you don’t seem to notice or care. instead, you switched your bottle with luke’s and took a sip.
“looks like you were having a pretty good time,” luke practically sneered. “where’s your date?”
“they went to bed.” you swallowed a mouthful of beer, grimacing at its bitterness. “gods, this is terrible. you and i should go on the drink run next time — we have better taste.”
“so, are you and jordan like a thing now?”
you gave luke a smile he didn’t quite understand, but made his stomach churn in ways only you could. “would that be a problem?”
“of course not.” he answered way too quickly for that to be true.
“let’s get out of here,” you suggested. “i think katie is about this close to strangling you with a tree branch.”
luke glanced over your shoulder to where green eyes glared back at him.
nowhere could luke find it in him to care. he wasn’t even sorry. he just shrugged, took the bottle back from you, took his first sip all night. luke almost gagged (because of course you were right, and the stoll brothers had better fake ids than they had taste) but he suppressed it.
“no. i’m good.”
biggest lie he ever said. like there wasn’t anger caught in his throat and jealousy swelling between his ribs.
“go find jordan,” he taunted. “kiss them, show them a good time! isn’t that the reason why you got all pretty?”
you narrowed your eyes at him carefully. your nostrils were slightly flared, and luke took a bit of pride in being able to rile you up.
“look, we haven’t really talked lately, and i think we should.”
“go find jordan,” he mocked once more. “almost all the aphrodite kids are here, and i’m sure you can be quiet enough to sneak into their cabin and if you want a quick fu—”
“luke.” you clipped his name, obviously getting to the limit of your patience with him. “if you want to stay here all night and be an asshole, you’re welcome to. you should know, though, that your happy-go-lucky hero mask is starting to crack and i don’t know if you could deal with the fallout from it shattering completely.”
you leaned in close and whispered that last part, very aware of the chattering that stopped and the eyes that watched the pair of you anxiously. luke was usually good at hiding that part of himself who wanted to burn the world down.
in ways you didn’t realize, you were right: he couldn’t risk revealing it, not now.
not yet.
“do whatever you want, castellan,” you spat out his last name, the combination of letters foreign in your mouth.“i’m leaving.”
luke should be proud of himself. he waited a whole two seconds before following you like a stray dog.
luke didn’t know if he’d ever felt you that enraged by him, and it horrified him. it also made him hungry for more.
“i’m not sure that jordan would want the two of us alone together at night,” he shouted after you, words echoing into the starless sky.
“gods, enough about jordan!” luke practically ran into you with how fast you turned around to confront him. “i was helping them with that stupid aphrodite tradition!”
“you….” luke faltered, all the snark leaving his body. “what?”
luke remembered silena beauregard once explaining the rite of passage to him: to prove themselves, a child of aphrodite had to make someone fall in love with them, and then break their heart.
“why…why would you agree to do that?”
you had reached the dining area by then, and you sat on one of the steps leading to the pavilion. luke stayed a few feet away, looking at you cautiously.
“jordan and i are already friends, and they figured a fake relationship would be the way to avoid anyone from actually getting hurt in the process.”
“you seemed so…so into it, though,” luke stammered, the memory of you in jordan’s lap, laughter bubbling from your lips, still fresh.
“it’s called acting, dumbass.” the camp didn’t rely on electricity, but there were enough torches around that luke could see you roll your eyes. “anyways, i was trying to give you a heads-up last night, but you wouldn’t listen.” you took a deep breath. “and, honestly, i didn’t push it because….i figured i should test a hypothesis.”
a hypothesis? you’d known annabeth for too long.
“what hypothesis?”
you hesitated.
“it doesn’t matter. fuck, this was stupid,” you muttered, and without another word, stormed through the dining pavilion, a short cut to the hermes cabin. your footsteps fell heavy against the marble, and luke’s not far behind.
“what hypothesis?” he asked again.
nothing but rushed footsteps.
“what hypothesis?” luke finally yelled.
third time was the charm, because you stopped in your tracks and faced luke once again. a fire burned in the bronze brazier, where campers were forced to offer up portions of your food to the gods at every meal. its roaring seemed to captivate you, and the flames danced across your face, illuminating all your curves and edges.
“i’m angry at the gods,” you stated.
this caught luke off guard. from the day the two of you met, luke knew you shared that feeling. you’d gotten quieter with your rage as you’d gotten older. luke supposed he got better at hiding it himself, as well.
“i’m angry at the gods for letting bad shit happen even if they can stop it, and for building this world in the fucked up way they did. i’m angry at your dad for the way he’s treated you, but — you, luke castellan.” you finally met luke’s eyes with a gaze so sharp, luke almost felt himself bleed. “i’m also angry at you, and not just for your bullshit tonight.”
your admission felt like a punch to the stomach, and luke was left with no air to breathe.
did you know?
“you haven’t been the same since your quest,” you continued, words slow and deliberate, the way you spoke when you were worried your voice would shake. “and i’ve come to terms with that in the past few years, but you….you’ve never tried to ice me out before. you’ve been acting distant since december, and it’s been driving me insane. do you realize how much i miss my best …..” you swallowed the word friend. “how much i miss you?”
luke hesitated, because what could he say? i know i’ve been distant, but i’ve been busy trying to start a war between the gods. sorry babe!
would you hate him, if you knew?
you had to have known that, despite the distance, luke missed you. for tartarus sake, in the last two days, he’d driven himself mad at you calling a fourteen year old boy sweet, and he was about to combust at the image of you dating someone else, with little care as to the collateral damage.
"you can't just avoid me, makeout with katie fucking gardner, and then….” you trailed off, hiding your face in your hands. whether it was to hide embarrassment or tears, luke wasn’t sure.
a smirk spread across luke’s face at the revelation that he hadn’t been the only one jealous at the bonfire that night. it lit luke up with the confidence he needed to not completely fall to his knees in front of you, beg for your forgiveness for everything he’s done.
“why do you care if i make out with katie fucking gardner?”
as he waited for a response, luke walked towards you until your back hit one of the marble columns.
“why do you care if i’m with jordan fucking li?” you clenched your jaw and looked right through luke. a clear indication that you wanted him to break down first; it wouldn’t be you who yielded this fight.
“because i want to be the one you’re with.” at that point, luke was so close to you that he swore he could hear your heartbeat. he reached out and played with the hem of your shorts. “why do you care if i make out with katie gardner?”
“because.” you drew in a sharp breath when luke’s fingers brushed underneath the denim, across the warm skin of your thigh. you closed your eyes. “don’t make me say it, tiger.”
the desperation in your voice made luke want to do unholy things with you, to you. luke knew you didn’t think of him as a saint, and you never expected him to be one. the reality was that you weren’t much better, either. what was essentially an altar to the gods burned bright next to you, but it seemed neither of you had ever cared less about it than in that moment.
luke would watch olympus fall. he would dethrone the gods and watch their glass castle shatter and find glory in a new world. in the grand scheme of things, he was willing to lose this battle.
in fact, he would have rather betrayed the titan lord himself than waste another second not kissing your lips.
so, he kissed you, and you kissed him back with such force, such hunger, it was ungodly.
no, you certainly weren’t a saint — but you were divine, in the most brutal, intoxicating way. in the way you shuddered when luke lodged a leg between your thighs; in the way you threaded your fingers through the belt loops of his jeans to bring him closer; in the way the metal of your rings burned through the skin of his hip, right to the bone, which made him shudder, and you smile triumphantly against his jaw.
the more he tasted your smirk flavored by cherry soda and the ashes of nearby flames, the more he felt your feral teeth against his neck and your wicked nails digging into his shoulders, the more you tugged on his curls, the more luke thought: maybe.
maybe you would give into your seething resentment, live up to those eye-rolls and snarky comments that got you in trouble with chiron, on the edge of hot water with the gods. maybe you would join the titan army. maybe, just maybe, this time, you would follow luke.
and yet — maybe wasn’t enough if it meant he could lose this. luke wouldn’t risk it, not until he kissed every battle scar and bruise on your body, and you did the same to his.
“wait.”
it was the last thing luke wanted to do, but he complied. he took the opportunity to appreciate the chaos he created: your shirt in disarray, your lipstick a mess, your chest heaving and desperate to catch a breath.
“i promised jordan that we’d keep up our charade for a week, two at the most. do you think we could keep this…” you tightened your fist around the fabric of his shirt. “a secret until then?”
luke responded by pressing his lips to yours once more, because there were definitely worse secrets to keep.
(vii. you wouldn’t hesitate to make him bleed)
luke had just left percy jackson to die.
he should be leaving camp, now, but he needed to see you one last time.
the universe works in mysterious ways, because you were out on a run through the forest, and you crossed paths before he even had time to wonder where you were.
“hey, tiger.” you smiled as if this was a regular afternoon. the two of you would teach your afternoon activities, sneak away during dinner so luke could kiss you in that spot that made you gasp. “wanna join me? i was just wrapping up, but i could be convinced to go longer.”
for a second, he was tempted to. very tempted.
“i don’t have much time.”
you seemed to notice luke’s sullen mood and you dropped your playful demeanor.
luke explained: the messages from kronos in his dreams, him stealing the lightning bolt and helm of darkness to start a war between the gods and framing percy. the plan to destroy olympus that luke had pledged his life to.
percy was surprised at what luke had done, and luke could imagine that the rest of camp would be, too. luke was the golden boy of camp half-blood, everyone’s big brother.
you, on the other hand, didn’t express any sense of shock.
“luke.” you said his name like you weren’t quite sure it was poison. “i’m going to give you five seconds to tell me that you’re joking.”
five seconds of silence passed. you took a few steps back from luke.
“i….i should have told you sooner.”
“yeah,” you scoffed. “you should have. but, you didn’t. did it feel good, having the titan king whispering sweet nothings in your ear? all the lies about how this war is the only way to get the glory you so desperately want? it’s fucking delusional.”
“it’s not delusional—”
“yes, it is!” you glared at him. “you’re on the wrong side of a war you made the mistake of starting.”
luke straightened his posture, thinking about how hypocritical you were being.
“isn’t this what you’re all about? revenge, karma. your mom will probably join us, too. don’t you want to see the gods finally get what they deserve?”
“not like this. i can’t believe how desperate you are, to believe that kronos is going to make everything right. it’s pathetic,” you spat. “i’m not saying the gods don’t deserve to be taken down a notch. their fucking obsession with power and glory….it’s sick and twisted, but i don’t think your titan king is any better. i don’t think you are any better.”
“it’s time that the gods fall. this is the only way, even if it isn’t perfect,” luke countered. his voice was firmer now as he absorbed your anger. your mother was the goddess of revenge, but you clearly didn't understand the sacrifices, pain, and blood that was required to make the world a better place.
luke just needed to convince you.
“we’ve talked about this for years,” he continued. “nothing is balanced! there’s no justice here, for anyone. we can build a better world where we don’t have to burn our scraps and throw ourselves at monsters to get attention. we can fight together like we always have. y/n, i love—”
“don’t,” you snapped. “don’t you fucking dare. you should have died on your quest.” your voice laced with venom. one hand gripping the knife you always kept on your belt. “that dragon should have fucking sliced through you and saved us all the trouble.”
something pricked in the back of his throat, down to his stomach.
“you don’t mean that.”
“i do,” you promised. “at least you would have died with all of us thinking you’re a hero instead of the traitor you really are.”
you grabbed your knife, took a fighting stance.
“i’m not going to fight you,” was all luke could say. he noticed your hand tremble, and you tightened the grip on your knife to prevent emotion from slipping through your invisible armor.
in that moment, you have could slice through luke, and it would hurt less than everything you just said, less than the murderous look you were giving him, like he was just another monster you wouldn’t think twice about sending to tartarus.
luke didn’t even have a chance to unsheathe his sword before you charged at him, but he quickly had you pinned to the ground, the tip of your own knife pointed at you. he hesitated. the blade pressed harder against your cheek than he intended, enough to break the skin and let a few droplets of dark crimson escape.
“please come with me,” he pleaded. you didn’t answer, but you did seem surprised by the softness of his voice.
a few moments passed, the celestial bronze still between you. luke waited for you to see his way, to yield to his proposal.
you didn’t. instead, you took advantage of the situation. you wrapped your leg around his and flipped your position. in the process, you regained possession of your knife. without the hesitation that held luke back, you sliced through his cheek, deep. luke bit his lip to suppress a groan, tasting blood. your gaze set his whole body on fire as he waited for your next move. that was when you glanced down at his camp necklace, and the new clay bead added to commemorate this summer.
a turquoise trident.
“percy told me he was on his way to see you,” you realized. “what did you do?”
luke didn’t answer. he knew then that a choice ran through your head.
and it stung, just a little, watching you sprint away through the trees in a last ditch effort to save percy’s life.
there was a small, pathetic part of luke that wanted you to choose him, even if it meant you would have plunged the knife into his chest.
#this is my baby fr#really feeling the tragic hero vibe down to my core#will prob do a part 2 from reader's POV!#ofc inspired by get him back! bc nemesis!reader....#percy jackson#pjo fanfic#pjo series#luke castellan#luke castellan x you#luke castellan x reader#pjo x reader#luke castellan angst#luke castellan imagine#percy jackson and the olympians#luke castellan smut#saf writes#Spotify
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DEEP IN THE VINES
➭ LAIOS TOUDEN X F!READER SMUT ONESHOT
➭ Summary: You and Laios get separated from the group and encounter a strange monster.
➭ CW: DUBCON! Tentacles, sex pollen, penetration, dirty talk, nipple play.
➭ WC: 4k
➭ A/N: Hello first Dungeon Meshi fic! Good to be here. Also I used the Greek word "plokami" which means "tentacle" for the monster. Idk. I made everything else about it up. ➭ Please like & reblog if you enjoyed!
"What a pain."
You groan, looking ahead of you as you view the endless sea of thick, long vines that hang down from what appears to be a very tall ceiling. The vines stretch all the way from the top, and don't stop stretching until they reach the floor, dragging on the dungeon floor like snakes, making it very hard to navigate your way through this maze that you and Laios fell into, thus separating yourselves from the rest of the group.
Laios has to agree with you as he lets out an exasperated sigh. He shakes his head as he figures Chilchuck is laughing with glee as Laios' curiosity for monsters finally lands him in a heap of trouble.
Laios draws his sword and grips the handle, and begins to cut through the thick vines, creating a pathway for you to follow him through.
"At least these vines aren't the man-eating ones," he grumbles as he cuts through a thick layer of vines.
You nod and you look around at the vines around you, taking in the different shapes and sizes of the vines, noting how some are thin and some are thick, and also noting how the colors are only brown and green, and then you look down at the array daggers strapped to your thighs. There's no way in hell you'd be able to cut through them with these daggers, so you just decide to let Laios do all of the work.
"Yeah... thank goodness," you say under your breath, replying absent-mindedly as you look around the vines again, your anxiety only grows as you see nothing but jungles of vines for miles. "Hey, Laios? How do we even know we're going in the right direction? I mean, we fell through a hole in the dungeon floor. We don't even know where we are."
Laios suddenly stops cutting and comes to a freeze, which makes you halt from behind him. He sighs again and rubs the back of his head, his fingers going through his blonde hair.
"Well..." He chuckles nervously. "I don't know if we're going in the right direction. I figured if I just started cutting then maybe we'd see some sort of clearing along the way that could at least give us some indication as to where we are, but... these vines are so dense..." His words fall off as if he already sounds defeated even though you can't possibly be more than twenty feet in.
You feel your heart clench at how defeated Laios already sounds. Usually—between him and Marcille—he's the optimistic one in the group, so to see him feel already so defeated makes you feel horrible. You reach up and with a small thunk, you put your hand on his shoulder and give him a sympathetic look.
"Hey. We'll make it out of here. I know Marcille is already panicking, finding some kind of magic spell that can track us down," you say with a chuckle, and that earns you a smile from Laios. "Don't worry. Let's just try to find some sort of clearing and we can rest, okay? I'll even..." You sigh, shaking your head. "...I'll even cook us up some of these vines for us, okay?" You tap one of the vines beside you.
With your words of encouragement, Laios' face seems to brighten up. He chuckles and looks down before slicing ahead with his sword again.
"You're right. Thanks. Let's go find us a clearing."
With another swing of Laios' sword, you continue the journey of trying to get out of this (literal) hellhole. The journey is long, and Laios has to switch arms regularly and also switches with you to chop the vines down because of how tired his arms had become, but, eventually, the thick sea of vines finally gets thinner and thinner, until finally, with one final swipe of the sword, you've reached a clearing.
It's a pond, a rather large one, that expands about forty yards. Surrounding the pond is nothing but lush, forest green with tall grass and trees with long, hanging leaves and limbs that droop down in a curling pattern. Mushrooms and flowers dot the forest floor, and sparkles of light seem to shimmer throughout the air. It's almost as if this space was right out of a storybook.
"Wow..." You step out from behind Laios, pushing away the vines from beside you and step into the grass, which is a huge contrast from that to the cobble from the dungeon floor.
"This is so strange," Laios notes, which breaks you out of your awestruck spell and turns you to face him. He's still standing at the boundary of the vines and the grassy area.
"Why would this area be here in the middle of the dungeon? I mean, it's not like we're on the upper levels of the dungeon anymore where you'd see grass," he mutters, and he slowly turns his head around to look at the pond ahead of you.
His logical way of thinking has you huff and you roll your eyes, as if dungeons were logical in the first place. They were ruled by magic and monsters—so why is this area any different?
"Oh come on, Laios. Relax." You look at him with an exasperated expression, your eyes droopy from how tired you feel from walking and cutting down vines. You rub your sore shoulder. "It's a dungeon, remember? Dungeons are weird. Maybe this is the dungeon seeing our poor, tired feet, so it decided to give us a break."
Your mind is already made up as you find yourself a big rock under a tree and sit yourself down in it, and you start opening up your bag to grab yourself a treat—that Senshi had made—to munch on.
You hear armor clinking and a sigh coming up from behind you as Laios takes a spot next to you to sit on the grass.
"I suppose you're right... still, though, let's be on our guard. Something about this doesn't feel right to me."
You raise an eyebrow at this as you take a bite of your honey-covered mandrake. You chew for a moment before speaking, and you turn to look at the blonde who's also taking out his treat from Senshi.
"Usually you're so excited about new monsters to find in these types of areas, Laios. Where's all of that excitement?"
He takes a bite from the food, and for a moment his face lights up but it soon fades away as he answers your question. "Oh, trust me, I'm excited about the monsters here, but, I'm just being cautious. I mean, as beautiful as this place is, it's surrounded by an endless sea of thick vines. Isn't it a bit eerie to you that this place just sticks out like a sore thumb?"
Well, when he puts it like that, you seem to have suddenly lost your appetite. You frown and put the mandrake back into your bag, closing the flap on it before you look up at the armored blonde. Maybe he's right. Maybe you should be more cautious, considering the things you and your group have ran into in the dungeon. For crying out loud, you fell into a gaping hole that led to this, so maybe Laios is right.
You huff and put your chin on your hand. "Maybe you're right... still, though." You look around the lush green surrounded by the wall of vines. "So far there aren't any threats so I think we should relax."
There's a brief moment of silence between the two of you, and you know that means the gears in Laios' head must be turning as he continues to chew on the mandrake. He stares off into the distance as he thinks, which you've picked up on as you've traveled with him, so you poke his side between the clunk and mesh of his armor.
"Hey. What is it?"
Laios is quiet as he continues to chew. His stare remains on the pond in front of you, and his eyes narrow. You raise an eyebrow, and slowly, you turn your gaze to where he staring and realization dawns on you when you see he's staring at the ripples in the water.
You feel your heart thump in your chest as you watch the water ripple. At first, you think it's harmless due to the ripples being small, but with each passing moment, they begin to grow, steadily.
"I've been thinking about what kind of monsters we might see here," Laios says suddenly, making you whip your head back to him. "And I've realized that only plokami tend to hang around environments like these..."
"Plokami?" Your voice quivers.
"Yeah... big monsters with tentacles that live partially in lakes but come out of the water to either hunt or mate. They have long talon-like claws that stick out of their tentacles to stab, and then squeeze and eventually sedate their prey with this toxin that emits from them," his words sound more excited as he continues, and he sits up straight as he keeps his focus on the rippling water, but your fear only increases as he goes into lengthy detail, "but when they mate, they use their suction cups and retract their claws to grab ahold of their mate, and they release that same toxin to sedate their mate so they have an easier time to coerce that mate into, well, mating with them! Isn't that neat?"
Laios' eyes are shimmering with excitement as he continues to stare out into the water, but all you feel is bouts of fear bubbling up inside you as he talks.
"Also!" Laios continues, not giving you a chance to respond. "When they come out of the water, they like to hang out in tall trees with big vines so it looks like they're camouflaging right in with their tentacles! Then, when the time is right, they snatch their prey up into the trees, and claw, squeeze, and sedate right there! Oh, also with mating, sometimes they don't care who their mate is! Sometimes they just pick up whatever they can to get out of heat if another one of their species isn't around."
Tall trees with big vines. That's all you could focus on as Laios rambled on about this plokami that you might see because this environment was certainly the type for it. Maybe the monster-obsessed blonde was right for being cautious, although, he doesn't look like he's being cautious now as his glowing face and shimmering eyes glimmer with so much excitement. Instead, it looks like he's going to hop up and go mate with this plokami himself.
"Yeah, their tentacles get all slick and lubricated whenever they're in heat, and—"
You gasp, interrupting Laios as you watch in horror as a big glob of something lands on Laios' shoulder. You quickly stand up and point at the oozing, clear liquid that has landed on his armor. You feel yourself trembling as your worst fear has possibly come true.
Gods. You're going to be eaten alive.
"L-Laios... y-your s-shoulder..." Plop. Another glob right onto his head. "...Y-Your h-head..."
Slowly, Laios puts down his mandrake and back into his backpack and stands up. The two of you slowly back away from the tree, and Laios wipes the glob off of his face so he has a clearer picture of where your eyesight has landed.
You stand there, stunned as your eyes remain on the tree before you, your body trembles as you look up at the large monster hanging in the tree with its long, tendrils of tentacles hanging like vines, its green skin blends into its surroundings perfectly. If it didn't have the large, squid-like head, you wouldn't have been able to point it out—you're sure of it.
You watch, frozen in a standstill as the monster heaves, its breath blows the leaves in the tree, shaking them as they fall to the ground, and the tree itself is coated in a clear liquid that seeps from the tentacles of the monster.
"I-Is... t-that..." You stutter out, but Laios finishes it for you.
"Yep... the plokami, and..." He pauses. "... it's in heat."
Laios almost sounds excited when he says that last part, which rips you out of your fear-ridden state. You whip your head towards him and you see his eyes, glimmering with curiosity once more like he always does when he sees a monster.
"Laios you freak!"
"I've always wanted to know... heh. Can you blame me?" He asks, but, with the way he's asking, it's more like he's just making a proud statement that he knows he's going to finally get what he's dreamed of for years.
He's going to fuck a monster.
He takes a step forward, almost as if he's offering himself to it, and he opens his arms, welcoming the plokami.
"Laios you're insane! What if it eats you after it—" Your worries are nothing but moot to him as he takes another large step forward the tree.
"Plokami!" He shouts to the tree where the monster lays, and another glob of that lubricant falls onto Laios' shoulder.
There's a big whoosh that sweeps through the air before you can realize what's happening. A gust of wind almost knocks you over which stirs you out of your fearful state, making it dawn on you that Laios has been swept up into the monster's grasp.
You groan, hating that your monster-obsessed friend is too curious for his own good, so, despite him wanting to fuck a monster, you quickly grab a dagger from its sheath. You grip it tightly and you throw it at the monster as it hits, and sinks down into one of its tentacles.
Unfortunately for you, however, this seems to make the monster more mad as it lets out a low, rumbling sound, and, before you know it, you're immediately hit with a large tentacle that almost knocks the breath out of you as it grabs you by your ribs and sweeps you up into the air, squeezing you tightly as its wet, sticky suction cups glide over your skin, making wet popping sounds.
"Laiooooos!" You curse your friend's name as you let out a groan, completely grossed out of your mind as the monster's wet slick drips all over you. You whip your head toward him and narrow your eyes as you see him completely relaxed as the monster rubs its tentacles all over Laios' body, slowly shrugging off his armor, making it hit the ground with a metallic thunk.
"Why did you have to fuck the monster?!"
"Because I'm curious!" He retorts, which, was the response you unfortunately expected from him.
"Well, I wasn't! I was perfectly fine, on the ground, and not slimy!" You shout back, and you wince when you feel a slimy tentacle glide around your throat. You swallow thickly.
Laios huffs and he rolls his eyes. "One, you were the one who angered it so it picked you up, and two, it's not slime! It's arousal fluid!"
You groan and you try to move your limbs around in an attempt to free yourself, but the hold of the plokami's tentacles is too strong, and to only make matters worse, they tighten around you as you struggle.
"Stop struggling! You'll only make matters worse. It'll squeeze you to death if you struggle. Just..." Laios sighs, "Let it happen."
You stare at him with your mouth agape as you watch him, clearly enjoying this as he relaxes in the monster's arms.
"You're crazy, Laios! I—" You struggle again, but this time the monster squeezes you again, tighter than last time, so you have no other choice than to relax. However, something is off when it squeezes you again. You smell something—something sweet. You sniff it, and you turn to Laios again, who's a blushing mess under the touch of the tentacles.
"Laios, do you smell that?" You ask, and you sniff it again.
He nods, and, as you watch him, a tentacle slips under Laios' shirt and slips it off, exposing his chest. Your face heats up at the sight, and he hangs his head back with a groan as one of the tentacles moves to rub his cock, which, you could see was hard through his tan pants.
"Y-Yeah... it's the sedative I was telling you about..." He mumbles, clearly already drunk under the spell of the sweet sedative. "This is why I was sayin' to just let it happen..."
Not like I have a choice, you think to yourself as you remember Laios saying that the beast used the sedative to coerce its mates.
The sedative lingers in your nose, the scent sickeningly sweet as it slowly starts to make you dizzy, almost as if you're drunk. You let your head fall back, and the tentacles slowly relax around you as they feel you start to relax as the sedative works its magic on you.
Your head feels so light, and you feel so weightless under the effects of the sedative. You sigh, accepting more and more of the tentacles as they glide around your body, and a few more join in to help slide off your clothes. You watch as the thick, slimy tentacles drag themselves up and down your body, leaving trails of wet, lubricant. It slowly slides itself up under your shirt and it pushes up against the fabric so it slowly slides it off, leaving your breasts exposed.
Normally you'd want to cover up with your arms in a situation like this, but, your head feels so light, and dizzy that you'd just rather relax in this. You hum contently, and a lazy smile forms on your face as you feel the tentacle glide down your pants, brushing over your pussy through the fabric which makes it throb with a silent need.
"Mmm... this is good, Laios..." You say softly, drunk on the sedative.
"I know... told you," he sighs in a heavy breath, and you tilt your head back to look at him.
He's laying with his legs spread open as the monster holds them open, and his pants have been taken off, leaving his cock pressed against his stomach.
You swallow thickly as you realize you've never seen Laois like this, all laid out and naked before you. You'd honestly never thought you would, but now... you let out a shaky breath.
"Laios..." You watch as the plokami moves one of its long tentacles up and down his body, rubbing over his nipples and tracing over his thighs with another tentacle, slowing inching toward his cock.
Laois shifts his drunken gaze to you and his eyes widen when he sees your top off, and the tentacle rubbing you between your thighs. His cock twitches at the sight.
"Gods, you look so good like that," he says with a sigh, and you feel your body heat up from the praise.
"Y-Yeah? Was about to say the same thing to you..." you reply in a soft voice, and Laios blushes again.
"Y'so sweet... always have been," he mutters through a drunken daze, and he groans as the tentacle finally wraps around his cock, slowly pumping it, coating it in nothing but the tentacle's slick.
You feel yourself throb with need as you watch the monster jerk off Laios, finding the image hot as you watch the blonde tilt his head back, his eyes fluttering to a close and his jaw drops open. He looks so good like that, you think to yourself and you let out a whine, wanting nothing more than to go over there yourself and sit yourself down on his cock, but the plokami has you in a tight grasp.
"L-Laios... I want you..."
You don't know where the admission came from, but, its the truth.
Laios' eyes open slowly when you admit that, and he groans as the monster seems to pick up the pace on his cock. You whine, wishing it was you once again so you buck your hips up, grinding against the monster pathetically as you feel the ridges of the tentacles grind against your cunt over your pants.
You look away from Laios at the moment to focus on the pleasure that the tentacle is giving you, and finally it slips inside your pants to take them off.
The wet fabric slips down your legs and off with a few swipes of a tentacle before returning to glide up and down your cunt, making sure to glide perfectly over your clit.
You let out a whine, and at that, Laios curses under his breath.
"Fuck, I want you too..." He replies to you, and he bucks his hips up into the tentacle, chasing after what he wants with heavy breaths.
You tilt your head back to get a good look at him, and, as you see his chest heaving, his skin red from the heat, and his throbbing, hard cock pulsing under the weight of the tentacle—it's almost enough to make you cum yourself.
You grind yourself against the tentacle, the wet, big, ridges from the suction cups make you moan as it glides against your sensitive clit, and, to add to the pleasure, a tentacle slowly makes its way toward your breasts, where it snakes its way around your nipples, slowly stimulating them which sends a shock of pleasure down to your pussy.
"Nnngh!" You look up at Laios as you grind against the tentacle with begging eyes as you wish it was him who was making you feel this good, and not some monster.
You're about to say something else to Laios when suddenly you feel a tentacle thrust into your poor, sopping-wet pussy, earning Laios a loud moan as it begins to thrust in and out of you.
Your head falls back, and you let out loud moans as you feel the tentacle move in and out at a harsh pace, and the thickness of it stretches you out so deliciously. You feel nothing but bliss as your head feels full of stars, and gliding into what feels like another plane of existence as you get fucked out on this tentacle.
Fire rises along your skin as you're enveloped into that feels like heaven as the beast pushes in and out of you, releasing moans out of you that you never thought you'd felt before. All of this pleasure slowly builds up, and you feel that fire kindle in your stomach as your breaths start to pick up.
You moan Laios' name. "Fuck... Laios... need to cum..."
"Yeah?" Laios groans and he thrusts up into the hold of the tentacle, feeling like he's on his last strand, too. "Me too... need to cum... wanna cum together?" He says under a rough grunt as his fingernails dig into the palms of his hands.
You nod eagerly, barely able to respond yourself as your head feels so light and dizzy from needing to cum.
"Y-Yeah..."
"A-Ah... cum. Cum for me." He lets out a low groan as he finally cums, his white seed spurts all over the tentacle around him and onto his stomach as he lets out a loud moan.
Just as he cums, you whine, squeezing around the tentacle as you finish, making your legs shake as you feel that fire roar inside your body, and, soon after, you feel a rush of warm liquid flush into you.
You look down, hardly unable to pick up your head as you see a huge load of milky white cum flow from the tentacle and into you, and you feel your cheeks heat up at the sight. You swallow thickly as you watch it all drip out of you.
There's nothing but a moment of heavy breathing exchanged from the two of you as you slowly regain your consciousness as the sedative has worn off now.
The plokami slowly sets you and Laios down onto the grass before it sinks back away into the tree, and down into the water in the pond.
Laios groans and sits up, rubbing his head as he looks over at you, who's panting and still laying against the grass, all fucked out.
He sees the cum from the tentacle monster, and slowly, he reaches over, before he can do anything, you quickly grab his wrist.
"Don't you dare, Laios."
"What?! I just wanna know what it tastes like."
#🌑 my fics#dungeon meshi smut#delicious in dungeon smut#dungeon meshi x reader#delicious in dungeon x reader#laios touden x reader#laios touden smut#laios touden x you#laios smut#laios x reader#laios x you
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each man's mad desire
General Marcus Acacius x F!Reader
Rating: Explicit
Summary: Marcus Acacius is a conqueror. You invite him to conquer you.
Word Count: 3.8k
Tags: marcus fucks a nymph, predator/prey, knifeplay, blood, thigh riding, rough sex, sorta consensual-non-consent? Reader very explicitly wants him and invites him to hunt her down. Marcus has an unfashionably huge dick.
A/N: I swore I wasn't going to write for another character from an unreleased film, yet here we are. I loved studying Classics, so there are easter eggs within for those familiar with mythology. "Nymph" is more Greek than Roman, but it's also the better-known version of the word. Barcinus is a completely made-up cognomen for him (from the Latin name for Barcelona). Ichor is a Greek concept, but too delicious not to borrow here. Big dicks really were considered unattractive - it was a sign of barbarism to have a big penis. Title from Book IX of The Aeneid. Painting is 'The Charmer' by John William Waterhouse. (ao3)
The battle is won, the men are settled, and General Marcus Acacius is restless. He wears the efforts of the day in the blood and grime and sand coating his skin, the ache in his muscles. The city is retaken. The barbarians have been slaughtered or captured. He knows he should rest.
And yet, he wanders.
The camp is close by the beach. As he walks, the sound of the army behind him fades away, drowned out by the sound of the sea. The inviting aroma of the campfires and roasting meat is replaced by the smell of salt. There are sentries out here, somewhere in the night. He pays them no mind; he wishes to be alone. Grass turns to sand underfoot and still Acacius walks on. At the edge of the sea, he pauses briefly.
Across the Great Sea, to the east, stands Rome. It’s veiled by darkness and distance, but he turns to look for it anyway. He misses it the way a loyal son misses a beloved father. Word of a great victory will travel before him, the whispers moving faster than any army can.
When he returns home, he hopes he will be warmly welcomed. Those seeking to ride his skirts into Imperial favour will doubtless fall over themselves to praise him, at least. They will preen and flatter, and he will nod humbly and thank them.
“The Gods were with me.” It is always his answer, when asked of his victories. It is a clean answer. Men praise him for his piety; they do not imagine the lives he has sacrificed, the atrocities he has committed, the horrors of sacking a city. The Gods were with him; he does not have to speak of loosing his men like feral dogs upon innocents, of slaughtering barbarian sons so they cannot grow up to seek their vengeance on Rome.
Acacius turns and walks down the beach, leaving the camp behind him. The silvery light of the stars and moon light his path along the coast. He simply enjoys being away from all others, the crash of the waves and his own footsteps the only noise he can hear. The ground to his right begins to rise, soft grass yielding to rock. He has no sense of how long he has walked for when the beach before him suddenly ends. The shoreline curves sharply inward, creating a rocky inlet.
He has no desire to turn back now. Perhaps the path reemerges on the other side. He follows the curve of the stone inward. Ahead, he can see the path sloping down towards the waterline, leading towards the dark mouth of a cave. The tide is coming in; the water at the entrance to the grotto must be at least knee-deep.
Acacius is turning to leave when he notices her.
The inlet in the rock forms a pool at the entrance to the cave. Even in the silvery moonlight, the water looks beautiful and clear. It should not surprise him that a maiden might come to bathe there, away from prying eyes.
For it is a maiden that stops him in his tracks, fixes his boots to the stone. Her back is turned to him; she is perched atop a rock, her bare feet dangling in the saltwater of the pool. Now that he is aware of her, he thinks he hears her singing over the sounds of the waves, a melody he does not recognise.
An honourable man would depart. Acacius can only see her back, but she must be noble. Her dress is so white it is almost blinding, even in the starlight. Her feet are bare, but he spies a pair of finely-wrought sandals on the rocks beside her. Certainly a noble lady then.
His mind is made up to leave.
And at that very moment, she turns.
***
You had not expected to be discovered. Perhaps you might have toyed with him if you had. You could have disguised yourself as a maiden in need of assistance, a princess cast ashore by a shipwreck. There are endless amusements to be found among the mortals.
Yet he has stumbled upon your grotto quite by accident, and from your first glimpse, he intrigues you.
Marcus Acacius Barcinus.
Something whispers his name to you; you know it as soon as you see him, just as you know he has dark hair threaded with grey. You allow a smile to play on your lips.
To his credit, this man does not move. Confronted with something so nakedly celestial, other men have lost their minds. What is it for a man to look upon the face of the divine? They do not always survive it. This one seems strong. He may yet survive you.
“Hail, noble General,” you start, turning in your seat on the rock so you may face him more directly. He is a handsome one. His lovely dark eyes drink you in from head to toe.
“You know me?” He manages after a moment. Not mad then, not yet anyway. You laugh, and he seems startled by the sound.
“I do.” Sliding off the rock you step into the water, your stola clinging to your skin. “General Marcus Acacius Barcinus, son of Gaius Acacius. Your piety is known.” He is always attentive with his sacrifices. You can smell the burning flesh and spilled wine dedicated to the heavens from here, in honour of his latest victory.
You take a few steps towards him. He’s still atop the rocky crest, almost looking down on you. You near the base of the slope, your skirts drying the moment they leave the water, and halt again. The mouth of the grotto is to your back; you can hear the lap of the waves echoing against the rocky walls.
“And which noble goddess do I have the honour of addressing?” He asks. You have many names, too many to sift through. A mortal wrote you into a poem once; you give him the name the poet gave you.
“I had not thought ever to look upon a nymph before.” There is something in the way he says it; a tone of disbelief colouring his voice. It’s as though he expects to wake up in his tent at any moment. In the dark violet light of twilight, the blood on his skin looks brown and rusty. You can almost taste the iron on the air.
“Are you content merely to look?” You ask him, a sly smile on your lips. You already know he is not. This man is a conqueror, and he is looking at you with all the intensity and desire of a man set upon conquest. He does not speak for a long moment. Perhaps he is afraid of offending you, of saying the wrong thing and finding himself transformed into a pig or sea foam.
You walk a little closer to him, emerging from the water. Closer now, the smell of him drowning out the salt of the sea. He reeks of man, of blood and sweat and such pure vitality you nearly stagger. He’s so breathtakingly alive. If all mortal men are thus, you understand why your sisters seek them out and take them to bed, even bear their children.
“I admire a man who knows how to take what he desires. A conqueror in all things,” you continue, feeling the warmth of his gaze as he watches the sway of your hips. Once you are an arm’s length away from him, you reach out. You cannot help it. He’s such a marvellous specimen of manhood, the kind that ought to be honoured with a kingdom or a divine son or his form traced in the stars.
He does not stop you when you rest your palm against the leather of his cuirass. It’s warm to the touch, whether from the heat of his body or a day of the sun beating down upon it. The black leather has a gilded woman’s face across the front; Minerva perhaps. It gives you pause. If he values Minerva and her strategies above Mars and his frenzy, he may not enjoy your games.
Nevertheless, you will not let the tastes of mortal men unnerve you. He watches you as you undo the knot at one shoulder, and wordlessly reaches to help you. Together, the two of you free him from his heavy armour. As he sets it down gently against the rock, you nearly choke on him. You can hear the thrum of his heart, smell the salt of his sweat, the iron in his blood.
You have never starved. Yet this conqueror of men is like being blessed with a feast and realising for the first time that you have been dying of hunger all your life. Freed from his heavy leathers, you step so closely to him that your glimmering white dress brushes against his filthy red tunic. You reach out to cup his jaw, enjoying the way his skin feels to your touch.
He swallows thickly, his lovely eyes searching your face.
“I want you.” He says it simply, though you know it must have taken courage. Men have died for such insults before. You let a smile curl around your lips.
“Mars himself had my maidenhead. I do not submit easily to the advances of men.” Standing on tiptoe, you lean in until your lips nearly touch the shell of his ear. “If you want me, you will have to take me.”
It’s all the prompting you give him before you turn and run.
You run down the beach, back the way he came. You have more powerful kin who could outrun him with ease, if they chose. Minerva could be a continent away in moments, if she chose. You do not have their same powers; you might be fleeter of foot than a mortal woman, but you cannot transform yourself into a swan and fly back to the heavens.
Behind you, you hear Acacius’ feet pounding against the sand. The noise blurs with the roar of his heartbeat, thumping harder as he chases you. You run faster, pulling your skirts up with one hand so they cannot tangle around your legs. It has been far too long since you felt this exhilarated. Off in the distance, you can see the lights of his camp, the torches and bonfires burning brightly in the twilight.
You lose yourself to the chase, paying the distance no mind as you race down the beach. Sand flies up beneath your bare feet, gritty under your toes as you run. Something in you wants to turn around, to see if the handsome general is still close behind you. You can hear him well enough to know he is behind you, but not well enough to gauge the distance.
You don’t look. You only run.
Even though you had invited the hunt, desperately hoping to be caught, the hand that catches your waist surprises you. He seizes you by the waist and tackles you into the sand, pinning you beneath his muscular bulk. The feeling of being trapped sends a perverse thrill racing through you, something warm stirring in your belly.
Though he has caught you, you do not give in so easily.
You thrash underneath him, trying to throw him off you. Acacius is unyielding. His large hands grip your arms; his knees squeeze at your sides. You get one arm free and bring it up. You’re not sure what you intend to do; you don’t want to break him. Scratch him, perhaps? You never get the chance to find out.
Before you see him move, he seizes your arm and pins your wrist beneath his foot. One hand flies to your throat; the other draws a dagger from its sheath and holds the point against the swell of your breast.
For a long moment, you cannot breathe. The large hand at your throat squeezes just enough to threaten a loss of air. The foot on your wrist makes the delicate bones there grind together on just the right side of pleasure-pain. And oh, the blade at your heart. The tip pierces your skin and you don’t know whether to scream or cry or vomit from the shock.
You have never been so still in your life.
When has anything mortal ever pierced your skin? When has anything mortal managed to cut through the skin of your kith and kin? You have vague memories; bandaging Mars’ side after the great spearman Diomedes struck him outside Ilium. You watch in horror and awe as a bead of ichor seeps from the pinprick wound. Mars has made you bleed before, but you never thought a mortal might draw your glittering, golden blood.
You look up at him, your conqueror. He is panting hard, but his face shows no exhaustion; only determination. His eyes are nearly black with desire, and his lovely black and grey curls are damp with sweat. Gods, you want him. You want him to hunt you down as he would a deer, to throw you down and take you like some common mortal whore.
Watching you closely, Acacius eases his grip on your throat. A man used to gauging the weakness of his enemies has seen right through you in turn. He knows you do not need air to breathe. He knows he has done something astounding in the knife at your breast. He holds it steady as he reaches beneath the skirts of his tunic, pulling at the strings of his underthings. He pulls it free with a grunt and discards it beside you in the sand.
Free from its confinement, his manhood pushes against the skirt of his tunic. Something low in your belly twists in anticipation, slick coating the insides of your thighs. Your blood feels as though it’s boiling beneath your skin as Acacius grips the fine cloth of your stola in one filthy hand.
“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes upon,” he tells you, in all sincerity. You tremble underneath him as he pushes your skirts up around your waist, another bead of ichor welling up around the tip of the blade.
You gasp as the metal shifts, and his eyes flick to your face. Almost lovingly, his hand wraps around your throat again.
“Do you yield?” When no reply is immediately forthcoming, he presses his advantage. The hand at your throat and foot at your wrist push harder; more glittering blood beads at your breast. The surface tension finally breaks, sending the blood dripping down towards your neck.
“I yield.” In an instant, he relaxes his hold. The foot on your wrist disappears, as does the blade. The hand on your throat remains, tipping your head up so he can kiss you. He kisses like his master, Mars; hard and demanding. You return the kiss with bruising intensity, nipping at his lower lip. It seems only fair that you make him bleed a little, in turn.
His beard prickles against your skin, and you answer it by sliding your hand into his curls and pulling roughly. Acacius groans against your mouth, crushing himself closer to you and forcing your legs apart with his knee. His muscular thigh presses against your bare cunt, the pressure sending liquid fire dancing through your body. You rut up against his thigh eagerly, your slick smearing against his skin.
Acacius notices your movements, breaking off the kiss to stare at you. The raw lust in his eyes makes you keep going, rocking your hips desperately against him. His thigh flexes between your legs, and you groan loudly. Without taking his eyes off you, his hand drifts to cup your breast, tantalisingly close to the tiny wound on your unblemished skin.
“Are you going to stab me again, slayer of men?” You ask him, tauntingly. You wouldn’t mind if he did.
“No, dear mistress. I’ll watch you debase yourself on my thigh.” Oh, you want to keep him. Your sisters have kept mortals before; you remember well the fuss around sweet Hylas, cunning Ulysses. Your conqueror finds your nipple through the fine material of your dress, the flesh stiffening beneath his fingers as he toys with you.
Your hips roll easier, faster as you sink deeper into your pleasure. Every glide becomes slicker as you soak his skin. It’s been some time since you’ve so blatantly sought your own pleasure, and you welcome it back eagerly. That familiar tension is coiling tightly in your belly and sends you spiralling higher with every movement.
Acacius watches you with fascination. His own pleasure is forgotten for the moment, though you suppose he is enjoying this. Something divine rubbing against him like a cat in heat; no man alive would believe him if he told them. Your breath comes in short, sharp gasps and you clutch at Acacius’ wrist to ground yourself. He’s so solid and warm to your touch; his vitality is unlike any aphrodisiac you have ever known.
It’s not long before you come with a cry, your nails digging into Acacius’ skin as you shudder against him. The fire in your belly burns through you, the heat of it radiating out to your fingertips. It leaves you boneless beneath your conqueror. He seizes the advantage, pulling your legs wider apart to slot his other leg between them.
You struggle. Why not? It amuses you to make him manhandle you into place. He pulls your legs wider with one hand. With the thumb of the hand at your breast, he presses just below the cut. The burst of pain makes you hiss. Cowed, you let him pull your legs apart, his eyes feasting on your cunt. You must look a mess, swollen and soaked.
Acacius lets go of your leg and pulls up the hem of his tunic. He’s big, unfashionably so for his countrymen. Beads of fluid leak from the reddened tip, and he swipes them away with his thumb. He settles himself between your thighs, and you gasp when he notches the blunt head of his cock against your entrance. Without warning or reprieve, he forces his cock inside you.
You throw your head back against the sand, stars exploding against your closed eyelids as you dance along the knife edge of pleasure and pain. A deep groan rumbles out of Acacius’ throat as he presses deeper, working against your tight muscles to seat himself within you. He’s unrelenting, his length thick and twitching as it fills you.
There’s no other word for it; you wail up at the star-strewn sky, pleasure flooding through you. Your body feels too small to contain the fire being stoked inside you, deep in your core. You pull at Acacius, nails clawing, dragging him down to kiss you. His lips meet yours in a messy crash, all tongues and teeth as he finally seats himself fully within you.
He barely allows you a moment to adjust. He retreats almost fully, his cock nearly leaving you completely, before sliding back in with one fluid stroke of his hips. You’re shaken by how willingly your body accepts him, colouring any pain with so much pleasure you barely notice the discomfort. His hand finds your throat again, squeezing just enough to make you feel lightheaded.
Acacius’ incursions become sharper, harder, as he finds his rhythm. Your hands slide under the hem of his tunic to clutch at his back, your nails leaving behind tiny red crescents in his skin. Every breath you take is shared by him, your mouths so close together you can taste the wine lingering on his tongue. The two of you move together, your moans melting into one another as you fuck like animals in the sand.
It doesn’t take him long to send you over the edge again. Bliss wipes all words from your mind; you can only lie there and let your release crash over you. The ichor in your veins feels like it’s singing. Acacius looks down on you in awe, and it only drives you higher. You want to keep him. The Heroic Age is too far past; the world is lacking for heroes. Perhaps you and Acacius can make a few; handsome, strong boys, half-god children who reflect their father’s divine favour.
“Would you give me sons, Acacius?” You ask, breathless at his onslaught. Your foreheads are pressed together still; you cannot see the look on his face. He groans sharply, his hands clutch tighter at you. Is that a yes? What greater blessing to a pious man than a son born to a goddess.
He certainly shows no signs of stopping. He fucks you with the same vigour he fights with. You feel like you’re floating, high above your own body, lost completely to pleasure. Jupiter himself could command you to stop, and you’d be unable to obey. You grow restless beneath him. His hand has slackened around your throat, so you lean down to lick a line across his neck. The taste of salt and iron explodes across your tongue, so delicious that you have to force yourself not to sink your teeth in.
Acacius grunts above you, forcing you back down against the sand. His hips are stuttering; a sign that he’s close to his own release. You want to cry, want to prolong this as much as possible, but you know he has limits. Your sisters have pushed mortal men too far before; you will not make the same mistake, not with so delicious a playmate.
Instead you spur him on. Your nails dig harder into his back, making him groan sharply. His short, desperate thrusts make your eyes roll back into your skull as he touches something deep and private within you, unknown to anyone else.
“I- I must-” He starts, words failing him as he chases his release. You pepper his face with kisses, nip at his kiss-swollen lips.
“You must,” you agree. “I want you to fill me up.” You’re both breathless, barely any air between your bodies to breathe. One of your hands slides into his curls, pulling at them. You guide his head down until your lips are at his ear again.
“I could give you a son,” you whisper. “But only if you finish inside me. Claim me; mark me as yours. Conquer me.”
He tips over the edge with a loud groan, his hips stuttering as he comes. You can feel his cock twitch inside you as he does, filling you with his seed. Perhaps something might catch; he seems virile enough. You cradle his head against the crook of your neck as he catches his breath, his body heavy as he relaxes on top of you.
“Noble Acacius,” you murmur fondly, stroking his curls. “Marcus. What do you make of your new conquest?” He is quiet for a long moment. The crash of the waves fills the silence, the tide drawing closer. Soon, the two of you will have to move.
“I shall never know another victory like it.”
Taglist:
Tagging some people who might be interested: @iamasaddie (per their request for Acacius filth) @avengersfan25 @misscharlielulu @apenny4thots @its-nebuleuse
#general marcus acacius#marcus acacius#marcus acacius x reader#marcus acacius fanfiction#gladiator 2
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Filled and Stretched
Pairing: Minotaur x human F!reader
Summary: You Minotaur boyfriend gets jealous when you don’t give him enough attention. He makes sure to fuck you nice and deep, remind you how important it is not to ignore him.
Warnings: minors don't interact, 18+!!!!, monster smut, explicit Minotaur smut, huge 🍆, lots of cum. Don’t like, don’t read.
You and your Minotaur boyfriend had been together for two years. You loved him. He was so big and powerful, yet deep down so tender and caring— he could also be seductive and fuck you within an inch of your life. You loved that even more.
One evening, you were in the study, reading one of the ancient books your boyfriend had fished out of the maze. This one was on Greek Mythology, the stories and sketches captivating. Before long, hours had passed with you pouring over the old pages. You tensed a little when you sensed a shift in the atmosphere around you.
Looking up from your book, you found your Minotaur resting against the doorframe. His was as tall and wide as the door, with the body of a muscular man and the head of a powerful bull. Shiny dark brown fur covered his body and large, curved horns protruded from his head. His eyes were pitch black and hungry with need.
“I almost regret getting you those books. You’ve been spending a lot of time on your own,” he said, his voice rumbling deliciously.
“Someone craves attention,” you teased, gazing at him appreciatively. He stepped closer until he was towering above you, his body honed with muscles.
“I desire your touch and affection. Enough of this stupid reading.” His massive hands wrapped around you and brought you flush against him. “I’ll fuck you until you can’t walk, little mate.”
“I accept the challenge.”
“Oh, it wasn’t a challenge,” he growled, desire burning in his eyes.
Your clothes were dragged and tossed carelessly on the floor. He lifted your small frame and got you on your knees on a chair. Big hands opened the cheeks of your ass, exposing your slick pussy to him. He kneeled behind you and closed his mouth over your fat pussy lips, suckling loudly.
Clutching the back of the chair, you moaned and wiggled your bum against his face. You wanted to get closer, you wanted him inside you. He growled, pleased as he tongued your cunt shamelessly, thrusting a thick finger in your depths. You accepted it easily, your walls stretching around it. Another one followed and you squealed as it pushed inside you.
"Please, ah, hah," your words faded as he devoured your cunt, licking your clit round and round. Your vision went white, pussy clenching violently around his thick fingers. He kept licking your oversensitive clit and you bucked, letting out long drawn out moans.
Thick hairy thighs settled on either side of your legs. He was so tall that he had curved his whole body behind you, half crouching.
You licked your lips when you felt the warmth of his leaking cock rubbing along your pussy. His shaft was thick and long, jutting angrily toward his stomach and leaking cum. Heavy balls hung low, ready to release their load inside you. You leaned back into your boyfriend’s chest and let his musky scent surround you.
His snout buried in your neck as he fingered your cunt and replaced them with his cockhead. He parted your pussy lips and moved his hips, the wide head of his dick entering you inch by delectable inch. You clutched his hands for stability, your breath hitching when he bottomed out. Your eyes closed, fires igniting within you.
You felt him throb inside you, your belly bulging with the shape of his monstrous dick.
“Pretty,” the Minotaur rumbled, rubbing your belly. He turned even harder inside you and you hissed as the head of his cock kissed your cervix.
“You’re impossible.”
“I haven’t even began to fuck you crazy.”
You didn’t manage to reply because he started thrusting, fucking you with primal ferocity, his thrusts deep and powerful. You were so slick that his cock came out frothing with your juices. He buried himself over and over while his heavy balls hit the back of your thighs.
He fucked you to the edge of ecstasy and you came hard around him, sweet climax rolling through you. Your contractions made him pump faster, and with a defeating roar, he spurted inside you, his cock pulsing so strongly that you came again with violent aftershocks. Load after load of hot cum was released inside you, it filled your belly and trickled down your shaking legs.
Inhuman hands cupped your tits, thumbs rubbing your nipples and around the areolas. You collapsed on his chest and he growled, lifting you gently by cupping under your knees. Gasping, you wrapped your arms around him as he walked with you strapped on his dick. You landed face down on the bed but he turned you onto your side, spooning you with his large hairy body from behind.
“Now, onto round two, little mate,” he drawled and began to fuck you again.
Hours passed with him owning your pussy. Your voice turned hoarse from all the moaning and crying out. And when your Minotaur was finally sated, the sheets reeked of your sex and his cum. Too fucked to do anything about it now, you curled up in the curve of his big strong body and let sleep take you.
You’d make sure to challenge him again.
#minotaur x human#minotaur x reader#minotaur smut#Minotaur monster#monster fucker#monster lover#monster x female#monster x reader#monster x you#monster x human#monster smut#monster x female reader#monster boyfriend#monster imagine#monster romance#terat0philliac#monster fuqqer#monster fudger#Minotaur x you#monster x y/n#moster boyfriend
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this valentine’s day i would like to profess my undying, ardent love for the callistephus chinensis (china aster)! the flower that contributed to me giving myself my name!!
not only are they a part of the (superior in my opinion) family of asteraceae, but also the genus’ (callistephus) etymology is derived from the greek words “kalli-” meaning “beautiful” and “stephos” meaning crown. they have beautiful chrysanthemum-esque blooms and come in all sorts of colours (my favourites being purple and white).
straying away from taxonomy a bit, asters in general are one of the birth flowers for september (my birth month!). they symbolise hope, faith and wisdom. and according to greek mythology, astraea (“star maiden”: goddess of purity, justice and innocence) cried because there weren't enough stars in the sky and when her tears hit the earth, they caused asters to bloom! continuing to follow the greek myth, she was the last goddess to live amongst the humans after the golden age, symbolising the decline of hope for humanity along with the decline of the ages. she left and became the constellation virgo i believe!
some more fun fun facts, asters have a most frequently observed number of n = 9 haploid chromosomes (2n = 18 for diploid). the numerology of the word “aster” also happens to be nine and guess what! september is the 9th month of the year! is it obvious i really like the number 9? almost as much as i love asters <3
String identified:
t at’ a t g, at t cat c (ca at)! t tat ctt t gg a!!
t a t a at t ( ) a ataca, t a t g’ (cat) tg t g “a-” ag “at” a “t” ag c. t a at cat- a c a t c ( at g a t).
tag aa ta a t, at ga a t t t ( t t!). t , at a . a accg t g tg, ataa (“ta a”: g t, tc a cc) c ca t 't g ta t a ta t t at, t ca at t ! ctg t t g t, a t at g t agt t a at t g ag, g t c at ag t t c t ag. t a ca t ctat g !act, at a a t t = 9 a c (2 = 18 ). t g t “at” a a t a g at! t t 9t t t a! t a t 9? at a c a at <3
Closest match: Caligus rogercresseyi isolate FCH chromosome 9 Common name: Sea louse
#tumblr genetics#genetics#valentines day#asks#requests#sent to me#thisisasteresque#flowers#plants#china aster#parasites#ocean#sea louse
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before yom hashoah ends, i want to remind folks that sephardi, maghrebi, and mizrahi jews were also deeply affected by the holocaust.
this is by no means inclusive of all communities who were affected by the holocaust and its aftermath, i do not have the emotional bandwidth for that, but hopefully this gives you some insight into jewish experiences outside of what's usually talked about.
the jews of morocco, algeria, tunisia, libya, and italy were all subjected to the racial laws of the vichy regime or fascist italy, which prevented them from attending educational institutions, holding public office, and owning businesses and sometimes property. moroccan jews were protected from some of the violence faced by other jews of the mediterranean and north africa because of the moroccan sultan mohammed ben youssef, who was vocally opposed to the anti jewish laws. he reportedly told the vichy government, "there are no jews in morocco. there are only moroccan subjects." he believed he had a god-given responsibility to protect moroccan jews. "moroccan jews are my subjects, and it is my duty to protect them against aggression."
unfortunately, other jewish communities did not receive that kind of protection. algerian jews faced a pogrom by the local arab population in constantine, killing 25 and destroying several jewish homes and businesses. 2000 algerian jews were sent to concentration camps in bedeau and djelfa, where many died from hunger, exhaustion, disease, or beatings. 5000 tunisian jews were forced into labor and detention camps where over 400 of them were killed. in libya, there was a violent pogrom which killed 500 jews out of a community of 4000. 2600 of the survivors were sent to the giado concentration camp, of which 526 died. in tunisia, there was a violent pogrom which killed over 130 jews (including 36 children), injured hundreds, and left 4000 homeless. italian jews faced pogroms, the jewish ghetto in rome was raided and over a thousand jews were detained and sent to concentration camps. a total of 7680 italian jews out of a population of nearly 45,000 were killed.
in greece, thousands of jews were deported to auschwitz. as many as 50% died en route, and only 10,000 out of over 75,000 survived, a nearly 90% death rate. their homes were looted and their property was stolen, and when the few survivors tried to return after the war (a difficult task as the greek foreign ministry attempted to delay or prevent their return to greece), most were unable to regain their property and possessions, forcing most to seek asylum in israel or other countries.
egyptian jews were not directly affected by the axis powers, but extremist organizations like young egypt and the muslim brotherhood sympathized with the nazis and even secured nazi funds to distribute thousands of antisemitic propaganda pamphlets. sporadic pogroms took place throughout the 40's, stoked by political leaders like mahmoud an-nukrashi pasha who said to the british ambassador, "all jews were potential zionists" and dr heykal pasha who said "if the u.n. decides to amputate a part of palestine in order to establish a jewish state, ... jewish blood will necessarily be shed elsewhere in the arab world ... to place in certain and serious danger a million jews." this political extremism prompted the 1948 cairo bombings that killed 70 jews and wounded 200, with many more being killed in the riots following, and eventually led to the expulsion of nearly all egyptian jews, whose money and posessions were all confiscated by the egyptian government.
similar political persecution was directed at iraqi jews, leading to the farhud, a pogrom which killed 180 jews and forced tens of thousands to flee. though there were many who did not support the nazi regime or agree with their views, there were just as many in arab countries who did, in no small part because of active effort by the nazis to gain sympathy from arab populations who already did not get along with their local jewish populations. this led to several other pogroms that took place in the 30's and 40's across lebanon, syria, and british mandate palestine, including a pogrom in jaffa which killed 9 jews and forced 12,000 jews to flee, and another in tiberias which killed 19 jews (including 11 children), most of whom were stabbed to death.
it's understandable that most of what the general public knows about the holocaust is the stories of ashkenazi jews from central and eastern europe, because they comprise the vast majority of the victims. hopefully, this encourages you to do further research into the ways other parts of the diaspora were also affected.
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THE BABYSITTER.
PART II
Felix x reader x Hyunjin. (s,f)
Chapters: Part I
Synopsis: Working as the family's babysitter, you learn a lot from Hyunjin and Felix's happy marriage, including their sex life. (20,2k words)
Author's note: Fair warning! Contain wholesome dad!hyunlix content and saucy threesome. Don't forget to share what you think of this one x
Do you know that Aster means star in Greek but is also the name of a flower? It also happens that stars and flowers are Felix and Hyunjin's favorite things, respectively.
You often think that it's fated there's a word for their combined favorite things and it only makes sense that they made it as a name of their child.
Aster is as beautiful as his name and you couldn't find a toddler smarter and sweeter than him, and even though he wasn't born from his parent's womb, he inherited his parent's features.
Aster has Hyunjin's dark, silky hair and full lips, and Felix's eyes and small button nose, and in all honesty, he also takes after his parent's charms, the sweet smile, and the warm gaze. Other than t, Aster has other exceptional attributes, he is smart, inquisitive, and very well-spoken too.
To put it simply, you get a feeling that Aster will break a lot of hearts in the future.
The afternoon sun casts a warm glow on Aster's milky skin, you're sitting on the grass watching him chasing after a dragonfly with Mandu trailing behind him.
Aster is one happy kid and it makes sense because he's growing up in a family happy, and watching him play secretly heals your inner child.
Exhausted from running, he's waddling his way to you and as he gets closer to you, you catch him in your arms, then sit him on your lap.
"Do you catch the dragonfly?"
"No," he sadly answers, reclining on your chest as he catches his breath from all the running.
As you look up at the sky, you see an airplane looking so small as it flies between the clouds, "Do you see that, Aster?"
He follows to where your finger is pointing and sees it right away, "Airplane!"
"That's right. Airplane!" You proudly say along with a quick kiss on the top of his head.
Aster raises his small hand in the air as if he's trying to catch the airplane in his hand, "Come down here airplane!" He cutely shouts.
"I don't think they can hear you, bubba," you say while brushing his dark locks with your fingers.
"So far away," he mumbles with his head tilted up and his eyes tirelessly following the airplane, "in the sky."
All of a sudden, he gets up from your lap with his hand still raised in the air, "Airplane so far away," he mumbles.
You wrap your hands around him, "Do you love airplanes, Aster."
He stifles a nod then looks over his shoulder at you, "I love airplanes."
"Aster loves airplanes," you repeat and hold him tighter.
He outstretches his arm as far as he can and jumps on his little feet, "Caught it!"
You pretend to be surprised, "You caught the airplane in your hand?"
He fists his hand into a ball and shows it to you, "I caught it."
You hold his little fist with both hands and tell him, "Want to take it home?"
"Take it home. Yes," he answers while scratching his nose.
Aster gets on his toy car and you're pushing it from the back while also holding Mandu's leash, together you're walking back to the house.
"Let's check the mailbox," you say, stopping by the front of the house to check it.
"Want to see," Aster demands, offering his arms at you.
"Okay," you take him by the arms and carry him so he can see inside the mailbox.
"Mails!" He exclaims.
"Would you please take them out for me?"
"Okay," he replies, raking the mails from inside the mailbox and clutching them in his arms.
"You got them all?"
"Yes," he answers, hugging all the mails close to his chest.
The beeping sounds coming from a truck take Aster's attention away and send a couple of mails slipping down his arms. You turn on your feet, looking at the house across the street, and notice that someone is moving in there hence the moving truck.
You pick up the mails and make Aster hold them as you steer the toy car into the house. You take Mandu off his leash and he starts running inside, then helps Aster to take his sandals off after.
"Cookies," Aster suddenly asks.
"You can have cookies later after dinner, okay?" You softly tell him, remembering that one of the house rules is no snacks before dinner.
Aster seems hungry so you go to the kitchen to start making dinner for him. Since there's no one else in the house, Aster keeps following you everywhere and he's playing with his toy on the kitchen floor.
"One, two, three, five," he incorrectly counts.
You lowly chuckle while keep flattening the pizza dough on the kitchen counter, "One, two, three, four, five," you correct him.
"Four, five, six," he counts again, standing up and wriggling his body as he continues, "Seven, eight, ten."
"Seven, eight, nine, ten," you correct him again.
Aster starts jumping and dancing, throwing his plushie in the air, and having a party on his own. You drop whatever you're doing to watch him being a little happy bean he is.
"Old Macdonald had a farm E I E I O," he sings, picking up his plushie and dancing with it.
"And on that farm, he had a horse, E-I-E-I-O," you both sing in unison and Aster continues the rest of the song in cute gibberish.
You put your focus back on plating dinner, putting the fleshly baked pizza onto the plate and some broccoli on the side. For the dessert, you crack open a can of rice pudding and put it in a separate bowl or Aster will mix the food.
"Come on! Time for dinner!" You help Aster get onto his chair.
Before you can eat dinner as well, you refill Mandu's bowl with food and water and the three of you have dinner together with the sky gradually turns dark outside.
Amid dinner, your phone rings, and as expected, it's a video call from Felix. You scoot closer to him and put the phone against the box of tissue to get Aster in the frame, then hit the accept call button.
A second later, Felix's face appears on the screen, "Hello, my beautiful boy!" He greets his son with a wide smile.
Aster is busy chewing his food but he recognizes his dad's deep voice and looks up from his plate of food. A smile blooms on his chubby face, he glances at you and says, "Dada!"
"That's right. That's dada!" You say, encouraging him to talk.
"Did you miss, Dada?" Felix asks with a sad smile.
Aster only giggles with his mouth slobbering wet with drool and food, but after a while, he stifles a nod.
"Are you having dinner, sweet boy?" He sweetly asks.
"Yes," he hastily answers, lifting one side of the plate to show what he's having to his dad and almost sending the food sliding down onto the table.
With almost a year of experience in babysitting, your reflex is well-trained for such situations. You hurriedly put it down before he spills everything.
"What are you having, Aster?" Felix asks again.
You whisper it to him so he can say it to his dad himself, "Homemade pizza."
"Home and pizza," he incorrectly repeats your words.
Felix chuckles at that and calls for, you guess, his husband, Hyunjin to come so he can talk to his other dad. It takes him a while to finally get him on the phone.
"Mmm... yum, yum, yum," Hyunjin says with his baby voice like he usually does whenever he talks to his little one.
"Daddy!" Aster shrieks in excitement. For a long time, Aster has been closer to Felix than Hyunjin but lately, the dynamic has changed, Aster has been clingy to Hyunjin more.
"Hi, baby. Did you eat well?" He asks as Felix puts his arm around him so they're staying close to each other.
Instead of answering, Aster takes a big bite of his pizza and munches on it with exaggeration, making his cheeks round, full of food
"Ooh... Aster is eating so well. Good boy!" Hyunjin praises with a smile and applause.
The video call continues with his parents watching him eat his dinner and ends with a bittersweet bye as Felix just wants to keep it going.
"For now, be good with bubba, okay?"
Aster slumps on his seat and tugs his finger between his bunny teeth, nodding to whatever his parents are saying.
"Don't worry. We're not going to set the house on fire... not yet" you interject with a joke and give Aster's hair a quick ruffle.
"We'll be back soon, baby Aster," Hyunjin tells his son but it seems like he's indirectly saying it to his husband as well.
"Please come back safely!" You say with a smile, lifting Aster's hands and waving them at his parents.
"Bye-bye, sweet baby," Felix says, making small paws with his hand at him, "Dada loves you."
"Love you," Aster says back.
"Aww..." Felix coos, melting at hearing his son saying the affectionate words back to him.
"Daddy loves you too," Hyunjin adds.
"Love you," Aster also says back to his dad rather aggressively.
The video call ends with yet another bittersweet goodbye from Felix and that tells how much they treasure each other. Aster is growing up in a loving, kind family and he'll grow to be the person who spreads that love and kindness to other people.
Before Aster gets drowsy, you hurriedly clean up after dinner and take him upstairs to wash up, putting him in his pajamas.
The doorbell rings and since you're upstairs in Aster's room, you think you misheard it at first so you wait if the doorbell is going to ring again.
Aster glances at you when the doorbell finally rings again, you decide to carry Aster in your arm to get downstairs faster. You can't be too careful these days so you peek through the window to see who is it.
It's someone you haven't seen before, a guy with foxy eyes and a dimpled smile, well, his dimples appear when he smiles and he's smiling at you right now. You hesitantly open the door, keeping it slightly ajar, and pop your head out.
"Yes, can I help you?" You talk while running out of breath.
It seems you get him out of a trance from the way he's standing up straight as he starts talking.
"Hi, I'm Jeongin, I'm new..." he introduces himself, and suddenly his words trail off.
"New...?" You ask in confusion.
"I'm new in the neighborhood," he finally finishes his sentence with a sheepish smile, "I've just moved into the house across the street."
That explains the moving truck earlier and you can see from the door that he's still having some of his stuff outside.
"Ah, yes, welcome to the neighborhood," you say with a polite smile.
He notices Aster as he nuzzles his head into your neck and sucking on his thumb. He waves his fingers at Aster along with his dimpled smile, "Hi, hello!" He softly says.
Aster nuzzles his head further into your neck, he always gets shy when meeting new people and according to Felix, he gets it from Hyunjin.
"What's his name?"
"Aster," you reply.
"You have a really cute son," he compliments.
If only you get a dollar for every person who thinks that Aster is your child, you would be getting a new car by now. You smile at him while rubbing Aster's back.
"Oh, no, I'm just the babysitter," you inform.
"In fact, I don't live here. The real owners are out of town so that means, I'm also house-sitting for them," you stop talking before you start rambling.
"Oh..." he says with a nod and a smile that is bigger than the previous one.
A moment passes in awkward silence and Aster is getting heavier for you to carry him in your arms, but you can't just tell your new neighbor to scram.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" You courteously ask.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was supposed to..." he scratches his head as he's just remembered something. He hands you the small paper bag he's been holding in one hand.
You take it from his hand and immediately mutter your gratitude to him, "Thank you!"
"See you around, I guess?" He says, shoving his hands deep into his jeans pockets.
"See you," you say back, quietly struggling to keep Aster holding Aster in one arm.
The second the door is closed, you let out a big sigh and put the paper bag on the nearest table, hurriedly taking Aster back upstairs to send him to sleep.
You sit on the small sofa in his room and sit him on your lap, gently patting his back as he rests his head on your chest with his eyes drooping. You think he's sleeping but all of a sudden, he sleepily mutters, "Night, bubba."
"Night night, sweet Aster," you say again with a soft kiss on his head.
"Night Dada."
"Night Daddy."
"Night Nana," he mutters for the last one, mentioning his grandma since Felix's mom sometimes comes to help babysit him.
"What about Poppo?" You remind him of his favorite plushie he's hugging close to his chest.
"Night Poppo," he sleepily mumbles along with a kiss on it.
Aster is fast asleep not long after that, you put him in his crib and that doesn't mean your day ends there. You quietly tidy up his room and check on Aster for the last time.
Something about watching him sleep makes you feel at peace, you tenderly rub his round cheek and brush his hair that's getting too long away from his face.
"Night night, sweet Aster," you whisper before leaving his room.
-
The next day, the fun starts all over again.
With yogurt smeared all over his mouth from his lunch, Aster insists on coming with you after breakfast to pick up the blackberries from the bushes in the backyard. You only noticed them earlier when you were hosing the plants.
"Blueberries!" Aster exclaims.
"They're blackberries," you say, holding a bowl to put the picked fruits, "Want to pick them up?"
He seems hesitant but takes a step forward, he yanks at the leaves and is unsure of how to do it. He refrains and takes a step back, "Bubba do it."
You squat down and show him how to do it, taking the blackberry off the bush, then put it into the bowl, "Like that, bub."
The next minute, Aster is excitedly looking through the blackberry bushes to pick the fruits while you're holding the bowl for him.
"Wow! You picked a lot, bub!" You gasp in surprise seeing the blackberries he has gathered in the bowl.
Aster counts them in his cute mumbling voice, "four, five, six, seven, eight..." he joyfully claps as he successfully counts them all.
The two of you wash them together under the running water and you use the chance to also clean Aster's mouth, wiping it clean with a napkin after.
"Want to try it, bub?" You ask as you kneel on the floor, showing him the blackberries you picked and washed in the bowl.
He looks at it for a second then takes one, he doesn't hesitate to shove it into his mouth. He seems to like it as he keeps taking one after another.
"Is it good?"
He scrunches his nose, you guess the last one he takes into his mouth is sour but despite all that, he keeps chewing and says, "Nice."
The sound of Mandu's footsteps startling both of you as he sprints toward the door and starts barking. Curious as to why he gets so excited all of a sudden, you take Aster with you to check if someone is at the door.
Turns out, Mandu sees the family's car pulling up in front of the house and that's why his tail is wagging behind him, knowing that his daddies are coming home soon.
They don't even bother getting their stuff out of the car, they're going into the house and impatient to see their son. Mandu jumps the second Hyunjin pushes the door open, barking and licking at his face as he scoops him into his arms.
"Hi, baby..." Felix coos at his son as he's clinging to your side.
Unlike Mandu, Aster is looking a little confused at his parent's return.
Seeing his son's reaction, Felix kneels on the floor and looks at him, "It's dada," he tells him.
Aster only clings harder at you and then he starts running inside, you can see Felix's smile fade a little after getting an unexpected reaction from his son.
You follow Aster inside to take him back to his dad and find him walking towards Felix with the bowl of blackberries, he's handing it to him as if to show him that he did it.
"You picked blackberries with bubba?" Felix asks him with a smile.
"Yes," he eagerly nods.
Felix tries again, opening his arms at him, and with a quivering voice, he asks, "Can dada have a hug?"
Aster nods again and dashes toward him hard, almost sending Felix to fall to the back. Felix looks like he's about to burst into tears when he finally gets to hold his son.
From your side, Hyunjin gently grabs your elbow and you both exchange a quick hug.
"Welcome home," you mutter to him, "How was the flight?"
"The best sleep I've ever had," Hyunjin playfully answers with his hand lingers on your arm.
"Glad you're finally home!"
"Why? Was he a handful?"
"Other than he's always out partying and came home late, he's alright," You jokingly answer.
After kissing Aster non-stop, Felix turns to the side to see his husband there and makes Aster come to Hyunjin next, "Don't you miss daddy, hun?"
Hyunjin bends down to take him from Felix's arms, he nuzzles his head in his stomach to place tickling kisses there and makes Aster giggle and drool at the same time.
"We were only away for four days but his hair is already this long," Felix says as he stands next to you.
You only notice it now that Aster and Hyunjin have a similar hair length, they also share the same dark, silky hair.
"Aster looks like daddy now," you point out.
"That's right!" Felix exclaims in agreement as he puts his arm around your shoulder.
The day continues with Hyunjin and Felix taking their luggage out of the car, unpacking one of them to take a few things. Aster is sure a spoiled baby with the amount of things they bought for him from their short vacation.
"This is for bubba," Felix says, handing you a bag of things.
You grin as you take it from him, "You bought me something too?"
"Of course!" Felix hastily replies.
"Thank you!" You say with a gratuitous smile and decide to check the content later at home.
Even though his parents are already home, you're staying to continue your job to babysit Aster and also to help around the house, you figure that either Hyunjin or Felix are still tired from their flight home.
Aster is having fun with Hyunjin though as they're playing together in the backyard with Mandu, sporting the same hairstyle by tying their hair in ponytails.
"He looks more like Hyunjin now," Felix says as he shows you the picture he took of them in matching hairstyles.
Aster used to look a lot more like Felix but now, he and Hyunjin indeed look so much alike. The hair, the lips, and the soft features he has give off that distinct charms.
"Oh, yeah, he looks like mini Hyunjin now," you agree with a smile.
Felix lets out a delightful sigh as he continues scrolling through Aster's pictures and shows you the ones he took when he was still a baby.
"He was so small when he came to the world," Felix says along with a picture of newborn Aster curling into a little ball.
"And look at him now, he's so big and full of energy," he adds while looking at his son playing with the garden hose with fondness in his eyes.
Then he turns to look at you and smiles, "He's almost two now."
"Yeah, time flies so fast," you say, suddenly reminiscing the time when you started babysitting Aster and he was only 13 months back then.
"Which reminds me that we should start planning his birthday soon," he says, shifting the conversation before it gets too sentimental.
You immediately stand up straight and put your hand across your chest, "I'm at your service," you jokingly say.
Felix lowly chuckles and looks at his phone again, "We can do that tomorrow but now, we have to order dinner."
-
The short vacation was everything he didn't know he needed but Felix couldn't be happier that he is now at home.
He's looking at his little family, his husband Hyunjin and his son who heartily eat their dinner next to each other and then there's you, the additional member whom he loves as much as his own family.
Felix feels grateful that he surrounded himself with people who cherished him and vice versa, and that allows him to find happiness in a simple thing like this.
"Anyway, guys, I have something to tell you," you suddenly announce in the middle of dinner.
From the way you keep clearing your throat and your hand tightly wrapped around your chopsticks, it seems like it's something serious and Felix can only hope it is good news.
"Yes, bub?" Felix asks, stopping whatever he's doing to hear what you have to say.
"I just got the announcement yesterday but I passed. I'm graduating this summer," you reveal the news with a bright smile on your face.
Felix lets out a sigh of relief knowing that it's good news and not something he's afraid to hear.
"Oh, my God! That's amazing!" He exclaims, not taking another second to think but coming at you to hug you. He knows you need it, especially after knowing how much you've been worrying about it for these past couple of weeks.
"Thank you!" You mutter as you return the hug.
"This occasion calls for champagne," Hyunjin says, getting up from his seat to get it along with the glasses.
"Aster, bubba is graduating!" Felix says to his little one while squeezing his hand in excitement.
Aster is certainly too young to understand, he remains busy with his dinner as he bites into his spaghetti meatball with the tomato sauce slobbering all over his mouth.
Hyunjin meticulously pours wine into the three glasses without spilling a drop and to make his son feel included, he pours apple juice into a plastic cup.
"Congratulations on graduating!" Hyunjin says as he initiates the toast.
The three of you clinging your glasses together in the middle of the table to finally have that delightful sip of bubbly wine.
"Cheers, bubba!" You say as you bring your glass close to Aster and he immediately picks up his glass of apple juice and clinking it with yours.
And the day couldn't have ended more beautifully.
-
The decision to have Aster wasn't an easy one, Hyunjin and Felix talked about it more than a dozen times until they came to the final decision that they did want a child.
The decision is only a part of the process, getting Aster into the world is a whole other thing. There were a lot of doctor appointments and legal consultations, and of course, there was the search for a suitable surrogate mother, it was one of the most draining parts of it all.
Looking back at it, Felix realizes that he's done a lot to bring Aster into the world and it reminds him to cherish every moment he has with him.
"Again, again!" Aster says to Hyunjin who's been flying him like an airplane.
Hyunjin takes a moment to catch his breath before lifting him again in his arms as Aster puts his arms to the front.
"Poppo too," he mutters after one lap.
"You want to take Poppo flying?"
"Uh-huh."
"Babe, can you give me Poppo!" Hyunjin asks for Felix's help as the plushie is perching on the armrest of the sofa.
Felix hurriedly snaps him out of his daze and hands Hyunjin the blue jellyfish-shaped plushie and then watches his husband swing his son around the bedroom.
Aster is having so much fun that he's constantly laughing and drooling at the same time, it makes Felix happy that his cheeks are hurt from smiling non-stop.
Seeing that Hyunjin is getting tired from carrying him around, Felix thinks it's time for his bedtime.
"Aster, come on, get in your jammies!"
Hyunjin carries him to the sofa and sighs as he takes a seat next to him, holding Aster as Felix puts him into his sleepsuit. Then Felix sits him down on his lap as Hyunjin starts reading him a bedtime story.
"Goodnight dada," he mumbles while rubbing his eyes.
"Goodnight, sweet baby," Felix replies with a fond kiss on the top of his head.
"Goodnight Daddy."
Hyunjin places a long kiss on his forehead in response, "Night, angel."
"Goodnight bubba. Goodnight Nana," Aster continues with his night greetings then brings his plushie close to his mouth to kiss it, "Goodnight Poppo."
It takes quite some time until Aster drifts into sleep but Felix continuously rubs his back and showers him with gentle kisses.
"Can you believe he's almost two now?" Felix lowers his voice to talk to Hyunjin.
"Our baby has grown a lot," Hyunjin says, brushing Aster's hair away from his face.
The realization makes him sad and it's coming from the fact that they're growing older with him too. Felix rests his head on Hyunjin's shoulder, trying to imprint this tender moment in the back of his head along with this bittersweet feeling for him to treasure in the future.
"Better put him in his crib," Hyunjin says to him with a gentle ruffle on the back of Felix's head, "Cause you have another baby to tuck to bed."
Felix raises his eyebrow in question and it registers to him when Hyunjin points at himself, confirming that the other baby is him.
"I'm sure you're tired as well," Hyunjin adds.
"Yeah, okay," he answers with a smile.
Hyunjin kisses Felix's forehead and places another kiss on Aster's head before leaving the bedroom.
Realizing that he can't stop time and Aster will only get bigger, Felix remains there for another moment just holding his son in his arms to his heart's content to finally lay him in his crib.
Felix dims the light on the way out and goes to his room, finding Hyunjin already lying on the bed. Instead of getting on his side of the bed, Felix fits himself in Hyunjin's side, forcing him to scoot away. He then puts Hyunjin's arm around him.
"You should be the one tucking me in," Hyunjin says with a sweet kiss on Hyunjin's neck.
Felix lowly chuckles and gets comfortable in Hyunjin's hold, "But I'm your baby too," he says.
"That's fair," Hyunjin responds, drawing him closer and holding him tight.
He then turns his head his way and presses another kiss on his lips, "Goodnight, baby."
Felix gives him a long peck in return, "Goodnight, love."
-
At 5 am, Hyunjin's alarm rings and he hurriedly turns it off before it wakes the person sleeping next to him. Well, Felix usually wakes up around the same time but he looks like he needs some more sleep so he lets him.
However, Felix stirs in his sleep sensing the bed shift as Hyunjin gets up and forces his eyes open.
"What time is it?" He asks with his gruff morning voice.
Hyunjin crawls over to his side of the bed and places a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"I'll cook breakfast. Just go back to sleep," he murmurs.
"Thank you, honey," Felix mumbles with a smile and then closes his eyes to sleep some more.
On the top of the stairs, Mandu's ears perk up hearing Hyunjin's footsteps and he jumps out of his bed the second he comes out of his bedroom.
"Morning, Mandu," Hyunjin greets his beloved pet, squatting down to pick him up and carrying it with him as he goes downstairs.
The coffee machine is set, Mandu's bowl is filled with food and a water tumbler is ready for him to take to the basement. Hyunjin is on a diet plan that requires him to do twenty minutes of workout in the morning and that's what he's going to do there.
Once he finishes his workout, he continues his morning routine by washing up, and preparing breakfast in the kitchen and when the clock shows it's almost seven, he comes upstairs to wake his little one with Mandu trailing behind him as usual.
Aster is already awake when he pushes the door open, rubbing his eyes off his sleep and kicking his feet up in the air inside his crib.
"Hi, angel baby, you're awake already?" He walks up to his son and kisses the top of his head, his hand tangled in his son's soft locks, sniffing at it before giving him another kiss.
"Want to get down?"
Aster doesn't say anything but lifts his arms at Hyunjin, wanting to get carried in his arms. He puts him down and sits on the carpeted floor with him, still sleepy Aster clings to his dad for cuddles. Mandu suddenly jumps onto Hyunjin's lap and joins in on the cuddles.
"What do you want for breakfast, honey?" Hyunjin softly asks as Aster plays with Mandu's white coat of fur.
"Milk," he replies a while later.
"Milk?"
"Milk and toast," he answers again while resting his head on Mandu's back.
"And yogurt and blueberries?"
"Yogurt and blueberries," Aster repeats.
Hyunjin is smiling at how affectionate Aster is toward Mandu, petting his head and holding him close like he would do to his favorite plushie.
Unbeknownst to him, Felix is watching the whole heartwarming scene from the doorway and his heart is about to burst as this is the first thing he sees in the morning.
Felix loves his little family so much.
-
This should be his nap time but Aster is all hyper and you've been chasing him around the house that you can feel sweat forming on your back.
Needing a break, you kneel on the carpeted floor and catch your breath. Aster stops on his track as well, resting half of his body on the sofa and wickedly grinning at you.
"Want to drink your milk?" you persuade by showing him the bottle of milk you're holding in your hand.
"No," he refuses, tugging his fingers between his bunny teeth.
You quietly make your way closer to him, hoping to catch him before he gets to run and makes you chase him around again. Sadly, he's too clever for a toddler and runs before you get to grab him and he's heading to the study room where Hyunjin is working.
Worse is the door is not completely shut and Aster can easily push his way inside, squealing as he runs away from you.
Hyunjin is there, sitting behind the desk and looking like he's in a virtual meeting. You stand by the doorway and gesture for Aster to come back.
"Daddy is working," you whisper at him.
Instead of obeying you, Aster climbs onto Hyunjin's lap and he takes him without looking away from the computer screen.
"Aster, no..." you mutter while shaking your head at him.
But he clings to his dad and hides in his chest, making Hyunjin pause on the meeting to handle his son.
"Why aren't you napping, mmh?" He asks.
As if he tries to win him, Aster presses a kiss on Hyunjin's cheek and almost bites him again, but Hyunjin is quick to dodge away.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him in," you say as you step inside his study room, "I'll take him."
"That's okay," Hyunjin says as he holds Aster close, "Just give me the bottle."
"Okay," you come up to him to give him the bottle and leave the room, making sure you fully close the door.
In the kitchen, Felix is still busy baking his famous brownies, and the sweet smell of it wafting throughout the room as he takes it out of the oven.
"Oh, my Gosh! That smells so good!" You gasp as you walk up to him.
Felix smiles as he puts the brownies on the kitchen counter and lets it cool down. He takes his oven mitts off and pours himself a glass of water.
"Monster Aster is finally off to nap?" He asks, then takes a big gulp of water.
"He ran to the study room and insisted on napping with his daddy," you answer, snacking on the bowl of chocolate chips in front of you.
"Of course!" Felix sighs, he takes another gulp of water and gasp.
"Aster is in his Hyunjin's phase," you joke, tossing a piece of chocolate chip into your mouth.
"There was never a Felix's phase in the first place," Felix grumbles with a pout.
"Well, you can adopt me and I promise I'll always be on your team," you joke while shoving another piece of chocolate chip into your mouth.
"I'll consult it with my lawyer first," he shortly responds with a smile.
After helping Felix slice the brownies into small squares, you go back to the study room to check on Aster and whether Hyunjin has successfully made him nap. You cautiously turn the knob and push the door open, popping your head inside to check.
To your surprise, Hyunjin's done it. Aster is peacefully sleeping in his arms and Hyunjin endearingly brushes his head before placing kisses on the top of his head. He's doing that while also working on something on his computer, he has his headphones on so he doesn't notice you until you come and stand close enough to his desk.
"Let me take him," you mouth your words at him.
Hyunjin takes his headphones off and fixes Aster's head to snuggle it on the crook of his neck, "I'll do it. I'm done working anyway," he says.
As Hyunjin walks across the living room carrying Aster in his arms, you and Felix stop talking to not accidentally wake Aster as Hyunjin is about to put him down for his nap. He comes back downstairs carrying his other child, the furry one who is always on his team.
"I smell brownies," He says, putting Mandu down and jogging his way to the kitchen to check, following the sweet smell of Felix's brownies.
Felix slides the plate of brownies in his direction and continues to write down things he needs to buy while discussing it with you but you're distracted by his beautiful cursive handwriting.
"Oh, this is nice!" Hyunjin gasps in joy and his eyes sparkle at the sight of it. He even rubs his hands together before taking a piece of brownies from the plate.
"Honey, can you take care of Aster for a bit?" Felix asks as he puts his pen down.
"Mmh-hmm," he answers without a beat and takes another piece of brownie.
"The fridge is empty so we're going to do some grocery shopping," Felix explains but Hyunjin is too busy stuffing his mouth with brownies to pay attention.
Looking at Hyunjin certainly reminds you of how much he looks like Aster when he's eating with his cheeks inflated and lips slightly jutting out.
When he realizes that you and Felix are watching him heartily eating brownies, he stops chewing and puts on a foolish grin.
"This is so good, babe!" He says with an exaggerated tone and hastily kisses Felix on the lips.
Felix is so taken aback that he freezes for a second and blankly blinks his eyes at him, and you, as usual, being the third wheel in this marriage.
"This is why I married you," Hyunjin adds with a sweet smile that makes his eyes form two crescents.
"Because of my brownies?" Felix asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Because you're the best husband ever!" Hyunjin remarks with a sweet smile plastered on his face, "But also yeah, because of the brownies."
Felix can't help but smile as his fingers fiddled with the pen, flustered by his husband.
"Stop being so cute!" He says to Hyunjin.
You prop a hand under your chin and also look at Hyunjin, "Yeah, stop being so cute!" You say, just to remind them that you're there.
Hyunjin ignores both of you, continues chewing his food while making funny noises, and even does some dancing while holding a piece of brownie in his hand.
Felix takes his wallet and notes with him, "We're going, babe," he says.
"Wait, you forget something," Hyunjin says, stopping Felix from walking away.
Felix gropes every pocket on his jeans, checking if he is forgetting something, "I don't think—"
Hyunjin grabs him by his elbow and pulls him close, "You're forgetting this," he says, pressing a kiss on his lips.
It's better to exclude yourself from this scene, so you turn on your feet and grab the car keys from the bowl.
"I'll get the car ready," you say.
"Bubba, you're also forgetting something," Hyunjin jokingly says.
"No, thank you," you refuse right away without even looking.
-
While Felix is busy picking fruits for both consumption and baking ingredients with utmost focus, you wander through the herb and spices aisle to take some things off the shopping list.
You're scanning through the list then at the shelves next, taking the ones you need and putting them into the trolley. You stand next to the shelf to check if you missed anything.
"Oregano!" You mutter, turning to the other shelf and scanning it to find between various types of herbs there is.
"Oregano, oregano, oregano," you continuously mutter as your hand trails every jar while carefully reading the labels to find it.
"Here!" A voice says along with a hand that offers you the herb you're looking for.
"Thank you!" You mutter as you take it and look up to see a familiar face, "Oh?"
He smiles when you see him and clutching his shopping basket in front of him, "I hope you still remember me," he says.
"Yeah, sure, you're the uh..." Oh shit, you forgot his name but you know he's the guy who came to the house a couple of days ago, "You're the new neighbor."
"Nice to see you again," He replies with his dimpled smile that only confirms it's him.
"Nice to see you," you say back with a polite smile.
"Are you here by yourself?" He asks.
"No, I'm here with someone but he's... somewhere," you pause to look around to see if Felix has returned and look back at him, "How about you?"
"It's just me," he replies.
Your eyes wander to his shopping basket and take a quick scan at what he bought.
"Making curry for dinner?" You wildly guess based on your observation.
He shyly chuckles and shifts his basket to the other arm, "That's the idea," he says.
"Well, you're going the right way," you playfully respond with a soft chuckle.
His hand flies to his ear and rubs on it, "oh, that's a relief!"
"Oop! There you are!" Felix says with his deep voice startling you.
Why does it feel like you just got caught doing something you shouldn't do when you're just talking to a guy? You turn on your feet and take a step back so he can put the bags of fruits into the trolley.
A moment after that, Felix notices that you've been talking with someone. He looks at him and at you, then looks back at him.
"Hello, hi," Felix says to him, then turns at you, "Who is it, bubba?"
"Oh! This is your new neighbor," you introduce him, forgetting to mention anything about it until now.
"My new neighbor, huh?" Felix says with a smile and quietly gives you the side eyes.
"This is the actual owner of the house and Aster's dad, Felix," you introduce Felix to him.
"Nice to meet you," Felix says, offering his hand to him.
"I'm Jeongin. Nice to meet you," he introduces himself back and takes Felix's hand to shake it.
Oh, yeah, Jeongin! That's his name, oh, why are you so bad at memorizing names? You try not to show how you've been avoiding calling him by his name until this second.
"Nice to meet my new neighbor," Felix says with another side-eye shot at you.
Another moment passes with Felix glancing at you and Jeongin in turns, you need to find something to say to disperse the awkwardness that slowly builds, better if you remove yourself from the scene.
"I guess we'd bett—"
"You know, we're celebrating Aster's birthday next Saturday," Felix suddenly shares, "We would love for you to come!"
The invitation must have come as a surprise to Jeongin but you're not one with the rights to it, Felix is free to invite anyone.
"I'd love to," Jeongin answers with a polite smile.
"Great!" Felix exclaims in joy, "Just a fair warning though, it's a kid's birthday party so there'll be no alcohol."
"That's more than fine," he responds.
Jeongin scratches his ear again and you start to think he does it whenever he gets nervous or flustered. You don't want to make him uncomfortable for long and you have a lot of grocery shopping left to do.
"We'd better let you get back to your shopping," you say, secretly taking Felix's arm to take him out of his way.
"I guess we'll see each other around a lot," Felix says with a foolish grin on his face.
"Eh?" Jeongin responds in confusion.
"Cause we're neighbors," Felix says.
"Ah... yes."
You drag Felix along with the trolley to not make it even more awkward, "See you!"
"See you!" Jeongin says as he waves his hand at you.
The shopping isn't the worst part of it but putting all the bags into the trunk is. Felix bought a lot it's enough to feed a whole village but you're aware that half of it is for his baking needs.
"How come you never mentioned anything about the new neighbor?" Felix asks.
"I simply forgot to tell you," You answer while keeping your eyes on the road.
"How come you forgot a cute face like that?"
"Mr. Lee, you're married," You remind him while shaking your head in disbelief.
"What? Just because I'm married I suddenly can't see cute guys anymore?"
"You know that's not what I mean."
"He's tall, he has nice shoulders and dimples..."
"No comment!" You refuse to respond to his words.
"Oh, come on! Just admit it! He's cute," Felix says, aggressively hitting your shoulder and forcing you to respond.
"Okay, okay, yeah, he's cute," you finally admit with a low sigh.
"I can tell that he fancies you too," Felix adds as he leans back on his seat.
"Mr. Lee, please stick to what you do best," you briefly glance at him as you continue talking, "Baking, not matchmaking."
Felix raises both hands in defeat and says, "I'm just saying."
And of course, getting everything off the trunk means more handwork. You and Felix carry as much as you can in both arms and push your way into the house.
"We're home!" Felix announces the second he steps into the house.
There's music playing in the living room so you guess Aster has woken up from his nap and there he is, jumping on his little feet and singing to his favorite cartoon song.
"Babe, come here!" Hyunjin orders, taking the grocery bags from his arms and putting them on top of the dining table.
"What? Why?" He asks in confusion but relents as Hyunjin drags him to the living room while you keep walking toward the kitchen.
Hyunjin sits Felix down on the sofa and then he grabs the remote to replay the song playing on the TV. Together, he and Aster start dancing and singing to the song, creating a special show for his dear dad and husband, Felix.
Felix is so wrong to think that he has no one on his team when, in fact, both Aster and Hyunjin will always be on his team.
-
Today will be Hyunjin's first day back to work after his vacation and Aster somehow senses that.
He's been spending the whole afternoon playing with his dad until Hyunjin has to go and get dressed for work, he's taking over the late-night news tonight and that's when Aster feels alarmed. You try to keep him distracted by taking him to the back porch to play with his new toys.
As Hyunjin comes to kiss him, Aster gets fussy, he runs after his dad to the front door. He even takes his shoes with him as he gets to his father.
"Go with daddy," he says, holding his shoes at him.
That only makes Hyunjin reluctant to go, he pulls Aster for a hug and holds him for a moment. He kisses his cheek and also the top of his head.
"Daddy has to go to work," he says to him with a gentle caress on his cheek.
Aster doesn't say anything but opens the strap on his shoes then hands it to Hyunjin, asking him to put them on for him.
"Oh, baby," Hyunjin sadly says and lifts him into his arms.
As heartbreaking as it is, Felix comes to take Aster so Hyunjin can go to work. He rubs Aster's back and then slowly, he takes him from Hyunjin's arms.
"Daddy will be back soon, okay, angel?" Hyunjin continuously consoles Aster with kisses and caresses.
Aster holds his hands out at Hyunjin, desperately wanting to get back into Hyunjin's arms but Felix firmly holds him down.
"You'll play together again when daddy gets back, mmh?" Felix calmly tells him as Aster is whining and fighting to get out of his arms.
Hyunjin checks the time on his wristwatch and looks at Felix, "I really have to go," he says.
"It's okay. He'll quiet down soon," Felix assures him not to worry about Aster.
Hyunjin puts on a sad smile and hugs both Aster and Felix, he then presses a kiss on Aster's head and mutters, "Daddy loves you."
He then turns at Felix for a quick peck on the lips, "I'm going, yeah?"
"Be careful, okay?" Felix says with a smile while bouncing Aster in his arms to stop him from crying.
With a heavy heart, Hyunjin picks up his briefcase and waves his bye at Aster before getting out of the door.
You feel helpless as you can't do anything to help calm down crying Aster, he tends to only cling to you when his dads aren't around and he only wants his dad when he's fussy like this.
Felix keeps bouncing him in his arms, rubbing his back and wiping the tears on his cheeks while muttering words in the softest tone.
"Dada is here."
"Dada will play with you, mmh?"
"How about a cookie, mmh? Do you want a cookie?"
Felix knows that Aster can't say no to his cookies and it indeed works to make him stop crying, he rubs his eyes with the back of his hands and then nods.
"With milk," He mumbles.
"Cookie with milk?" Felix asks as he tenderly wipes the tears from his eyes with this thumb.
"Yes, please," he mumbles while doing the sign language.
"Can you smile for dada first?"
Aster nods and then puts on a smile for his dad, he looks cute even though his face is puffy and red from crying. Felix lights up the second he sees a smile bloom on Aster's sweet little face.
"That's Dada's beautiful boy!" Felix exclaims with an affectionate kiss on his cheek.
You prepare the seat for Aster and help to get him in it as Felix is off to get the cookie jar from the cabinet and then the milk from the fridge.
"One for sweet Aster," He says, putting one cookie on your Aster's plate.
"Thank you, dada," Aster cutely mutters as he wastes no time to take a bite at it.
"You're very welcome, my darling," he replies with a smile and a gentle pat on the head.
He turns to you with the cookie jar in hand, "Do you want one too, bubba?"
"You know I can't say no to your cookie," you answer.
Felix places one on your plate and another one for himself, he then fills Aster's cup with milk, before pouring milk into two glasses which you guess is for you and him.
"Choccie sauce!" He chimes, asking for some chocolate sauce in his milk.
"You want some choccie sauce with your milk?" Felix asks, taking it from the top cabinet.
Aster nods while breaking a piece of cookie with his hand.
Felix squeezes the bottle and puts some chocolate sauce in his milk, he lets him stir it with the straw before taking a sip.
"Isn't that nice, Aster?
"Nice," he answers, emphasizing the word that sounds like a hiss.
"Do you want some choccie sauce in your milk too, bub?"
"No, thank you," you kindly refuse.
Felix joins in on the dining table, eating the cookies he made and never failed to make, ever since you tasted his cookies, all the other cookies taste just alright for you.
Once he sits down, Felix takes a rewarding bite after all that hard work on calming Aster and lets out a delightful sigh.
"The adoption paper seems very tempting for a moment," he jokingly says.
"You've done well, dada," you assure him, making him feel acknowledged for his effort.
Aster looks a lot better after having a cookie and it seems like he's already forgotten about Hyunjin leaving for work. He drinks his milk through a straw and lets out a cute gasp after.
"One more, please?" He politely asks.
"You can have one more but you can't have another one until after dinner, okay?" Felix makes a compromise before giving it to him right away.
"Okay, dada," he answers with a nod.
"Here goes another cookie for my sweet tooth," Felix says as he places another cookie on Aster's plate.
"Thank you," he mutters with a grin.
"You're very welcome, bub!" Felix says back, then notices that you're finished with your cookie, "Do you want to have another one too, bub?"
This is why you don't feel like working because oftentimes, you find Felix treating you like his child and you don't mind any of it.
"No, I'm good, thanks," you kindly refuse with a smile.
"You're staying for dinner, right?"
"I don't know if you remember but I told you that I need to leave early today," you meekly say, then check for the time on your phone.
Felix gasps in surprise when he finally remembers it, "Oh, yeah, you're going to visit a family member in the hospital," he says.
"Yep and I'm afraid I have to leave now," you say while replying to a text from your mum.
"You can go, bub. Don't let your mum wait for you," Felix assures you as he puts the cookie jar back into the cabinet.
"Are you sure it's fine?" You hesitantly ask as you gather your things from around the room.
Felix comes up to Aster and holds the back of his seat, "of course, we'll be okay," he assures you with a smile.
You don't know why you think he won't be capable of taking care of his own son but you guess you feel bad for couldn't help him especially with Hyunjin working late tonight.
"Buh-bye, Aster," you say bye to Aster with a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Bye-bye, bubba," he replies as he keeps munching on his cookie.
"Drive safely, bub!" Felix comes up to you for a quick hug before letting you go.
The phone chimes as you get out of the house, your mum is rushing you even though you still have enough time to make it to your house to pick her up and drive to the hospital before the visiting hours end. You compose a quick reply to tell her you're already on the way to calm her down.
As you're about to climb into your car, you see Jeongin waving his hand at you from his house which is right across Felix's. You raise your hand to let him know that you see him and put on a smile even though you're not sure he can see it, and you think he's just wanting to say hi to you, he jogs his way to you.
"Hey," Jeongin greets you with his engaging foxy eyes and dimpled smile.
"Hey," you say back, returning the smile to him.
"You're getting off early," he says, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
"Yeah. My mum and I have to go to this family thing," you vaguely explain.
"I'm not going to keep you long then," Jeongin says, slowly taking a step back.
"No, I mean, I have some time if you want to say something," you blurt out, feeling bad for indirectly turning him down.
"I need ideas for Aster's birthday present," he pauses to shift his weight to one side, "I think no one knows what he likes more than you."
It seems like it'll be taking a lot more time to decide
"Oh? Well, Aster likes—"
"I was hoping that we could go gift hunting together," He says while shyly scratching his ear.
"You want me to help you look for Aster's birthday present?"
"Yes, but not now, of course. You have somewhere to go right now," he hastily answers with an awkward smile.
"Well, I can't right now but I'm not babysitting tomorrow," you have no plans tomorrow, and helping someone out is never a bad idea.
"Tomorrow?" He stammers.
"If that's too soon we can do—"
"No, that's better," he hastily responds.
"The sooner, the better," he says with another shy smile and looks away when your eyes meet in a gaze.
"Okay, then should I give you my number or...?" you ask, hesitating whether you should take out your phone or wait for him to give you his phone.
Jeongin fumbles to get his phone out of the back pocket of his jeans, unlocking it first before handing it to you. You type your numbers in and give the phone back to him, at the same time, your phone pings with a new text which you guess is from your mum.
"I'm sorry but I really have to go right now," you tell him with an apologetic smile.
"Yes, sorry for keeping you for so long," he apologizes back and hurriedly steps away from your car.
"See you tomorrow," you say before getting into the car.
"See you!" Jeongin says with his dimpled smile.
-
The next day, you help Jeongin look for Aster's birthday present as promised. You texted him beforehand, telling him to meet you at the toy store and he came just a few minutes late from the appointed time.
"Have you been waiting long?"
"No, not at all," you shortly reply.
The search for the birthday present doesn't take much time, Jeongin has it wrapped in store and by the time you get out of the store, the daylight still lingers on the sky.
"Do you want to get an early dinner?" Jeongin suddenly asks as he holds the door open for you and lets you out first.
It's the first time you meet a guy who's this forward and instead of discomfort, you find this refreshing, and it makes it easier for you to get along with him.
"I have nowhere to go this time so why not?" You answer with a smile.
Since Jeongin is new in town, you take the duty to recommend any good restaurants to him and settle on one that is located only two blocks away from the toy store.
The two of you taking your time to enjoy dinner, chatting in between bites of food, and getting to know him better. Jeongin newly moved into this town for a job, he lives with his dog and he is one year younger than you which is no surprise.
"How long have you been babysitting Aster?" He curiously asks.
"Almost a year now," you shortly answer.
"Did you happen to find this job or you always wanted to be a babysitter?" He playfully asks, then takes a sip of his soda.
"It's obviously the latter," you joke back.
"I mean, I don't see what's wrong with that," he says while lowly laughing.
"The job initially came for my mum but her social calendar is packed for the rest of the year so I took it," you wipe your fingers onto the napkin, "I needed the money for college and a new car."
"So you're still in uni?"
"I'm actually graduating this summer," you inform with a proud smile.
"Oh, congratulations!" He beams a bright smile at you, genuinely ecstatic with the news.
"Thank you so much!"
"And so, what's the plan after graduation?" He asks, completely all ears about it as he stacks his hands together on the table.
"I haven't told this to anyone but I... I got this job offer," you openly share.
"Oh, I'm the first to know this?" Jeongin asks with an eyebrow raised.
"Yes," you shyly nod.
You can't believe that you easily share it with someone that is not your mom and you don't know why you feel comfortable talking about it with him, maybe because he's someone you've just met that makes it easier.
"Where does this job offer come from?" He asks in utmost curiosity.
"From an architecture firm in the city," you answer.
"But that's..." he seems to change his mind and decides not to finish the sentence.
"That's amazing!" He says, having a drastic change in his cadence.
All of a sudden, someone places their hand on your shoulder and you're ready to swat him away when you look over your shoulder and find Hyunjin there.
"Oh, my God! You scared me!" You gasp in surprise as your hand clutches your chest.
"I know my bubba so well to know that it's you just from the back of your head," Hyunjin says with his hand starts gently massaging your shoulder.
"What are you doing here?"
"Was having a quick dinner with a colleague and saw you on the way out," he answers, then his eyes shift to the guy sitting across from you, "May I know who is this, bubba?"
"Oh, yeah, this is Jeongin, he is your new neighbor actually," you introduce Jeongin to him.
"Nice to meet you!" Hyunjin courteously says as he holds his hand out to Jeongin.
"Nice to meet you!" Jeongin says back as he shakes his hand.
"This is Hyunjin, he is Felix's husband, also Aster's dad," you introduce him back to Jeongin.
You can see in Jeongin's eyes that he's putting two and two together and eventually comes to a conclusion.
"Oh?" He keeps his expression in check and quickly recovered, "Aren't you the uh... the anchorman?"
"Yes, I am," Hyunjin replies with a smile.
"Honored to make your acquaintance," Jeongin says with a blushed smile.
"Well, I'm sorry for interrupting your dinner, just wanted to say hi," Hyunjin says with his hand still firmly resting on your shoulder.
"No, that's okay, we're just chatting," You tell him because it seems like he's getting mixed signals from this.
Hyunjin checks the time on his wristwatch, "And I'm late for movie night."
"Oh, please send my love for Aster," you say.
"Will do," Hyunjin says, he then looks at Jeongin, "Have a great night!"
"You too!" You say, placing your hand on his before he takes it away.
The two of you decided to call it a night not long after Hyunjin left and since your car is in the shop, Jeongin insists on giving you a lift home, you cave in almost immediately because you don't feel like taking a bus home.
"Thank you for the help by the way," Jeongin says as he keeps one hand on the steering wheel and the other rests on the center panel.
"No worries," you say while holding your purse on your lap, "I'm sure Aster will love it."
"I trust you on that," he briefly glances at you to flash you a soft smile, "bubba? Isn't it?"
"What?"
"That's what they called you," He shortly answers.
"Yes, I think it's Aster who started it and everyone in the house decided to call me that ever since," you explain.
"I think that's cute," Jeongin comments, seamlessly making a right turn to where your house is and stopping the car.
You unbuckle your safety belt first and then sling the strap of your bag to your shoulder, you turn your head to the side to be greeted by his foxy eyes, shining even under the dim light of the car.
"Thank you for the ride home," you mutter your gratitude.
"I should be the one thanking you for the help," he says back, turning his body to look at you.
"Well, then, you're very welcome," you reply.
The silence only builds tension in the car and you know you should get out of the car soon if you don't want the tension to keep on rising. You pull the handle to unlock the car door and push it open.
"Goodnight, Jeongin!" You mutter a second before you get out of the car.
"Goodnight!" He says back with a scintillating smile.
-
The best part of Hyunjin's day will always be coming home to his family and seeing their faces light up when they see him.
Tonight, Hyunjin comes home to find Felix and Aster lying on the sofa bed, watching a movie with a big bowl of popcorn on Felix's lap. None of them notice him coming until he stands next to the TV.
"You said you were on the way like an hour ago," Felix says with slightly unamused face.
"I'm sorry," Hyunjin says with his hands raised in defeat.
"It's not our fault that you missed the first 20 minutes of Cars," Felix says.
Hyunjin puts his briefcase down and takes his suit jacket off before joining them on the sofa bed. He shares a kiss with his husband first then a kiss on the head for the little one.
"Oh, no, I missed a lot of it," he says with a pout as he pays attention to the movie playing on the TV.
Aster remains unbothered by Hyunjin's ferocious little kisses on his head and cheek, he's so focused on watching his favorite movie and shoving popcorn into his small mouth.
"Can daddy have some of that, bubba?" Hyunjin softly asks, opening his mouth for him.
Aster picks up a piece and feeds it to Hyunjin but before it gets into his mouth, he brings it toward him and eats it.
"Oh?" Hyunjin exclaims in confusion, "That's not very nice, Aster."
Felix laughs witnessing it and gently pats the little one's head, "Aster, that's not very nice."
As a way to get back to him, Hyunjin wraps his arms around Aster to keep him still as he places ticklish kisses on his stomach, sending him into a series of laughter.
"Daddy, I think we need some refreshments," Felix says.
Hyunjin takes a handful of popcorn and eats it from his hand, "You guys started the movie night without me and now I have to make drinks?"
Felix nonchalantly shrugs, "Well, you were late. This is your punishment."
"Why am I punished?" Hyunjin argues, squinting his eyes at Felix.
Felix shrugs again and puts his hand in Aster's hair, "What do you think about hot chocolate, Aster?"
"Hot choccie," he mumbles instead of answering Felix's question.
"With marshmallows, yeah?"
"Marshmallows," Aster repeats.
Hyunjin sighs and relents, "Okay then, how many marshmallows do you want?"
"Three," Aster eagerly answers.
"Use your fingers," Hyunjin orders.
"Three," he says again but he holds up his five fingers at him.
"Hot choccie with marshmallow, okay but daddy wants a kiss first," Hyunjin demands, pursing his lips at him and asking for a kiss.
Aster slowly leans in and gives him a slobbering peck on the lips. Hyunjin scrunches his nose as he tastes the grease from the popcorn butter from the kiss.
"That's a very salty kiss but okay..." Hyunjin gets up from the sofa bed and loosened the tie around his collar, "Two hot choccies with marshmallows coming right up!"
Aster doesn't make it to the end of the movie, he falls asleep on Hyunjin's lap and he holds him close as he continues watching the movie with the volume turned low.
"I met bubba at the restaurant today," Hyunjin shares with his hand tirelessly brushing Aster's hair.
Felix glances away from the TV to look at him, "Yeah?"
"Mmh," Hyunjin answers, "She was with the new neighbor."
"Ooh..." Felix coos and picks up his mug, "Did they seem like they're on a date?"
"I think so," Hyunjin doubtfully answers.
"I think they'll make a cute couple," Felix remarks after taking a sip of his hot chocolate.
Hyunjin hesitates to share another thing about the encounter but if there's someone he can share everything with, it's Felix.
"And I accidentally eavesdropping on their conversation," he admits.
Felix looks at him in disbelief, "You nosy!" He playfully remarks and touches the tip of his nose with his finger.
"I didn't do it on purpose!" Hyunjin defends himself.
"Okay, I believe you and now you don't have any other options but to tell me what you eavesdrop," Felix says, putting away his mug to put all of his focus on the conversation.
"She was telling him about her plan, saying that she got a job offer in the city," Hyunjin shares.
The glints in Felix's eyes dim almost immediately and his voice drops, "Oh?"
Knowing that he needs comfort, Hyunjin puts his arm around Felix's shoulder and pulls him close to his side, "We can get a new sitter if you want or I could—"
"You know we don't need a new sitter. I hired her because I like her," Felix says with a sour expression.
"I like her too," Hyunjin keeps his tone low and soft, his hand gently massaging Felix's shoulder.
Felix rests his head on Hyunjin's shoulder, "and we'll never find someone like her again," he sadly says.
"I know, baby," Hyunjin says, pressing a sweet kiss on his forehead and turning his head for a chaste kiss on his lips, "But you know we can't keep her here."
Something has just registered into Felix and he gets hit by a wave of sadness. As much as he wants to keep you here, he can't and shouldn't. You have a whole life ahead of you and he can't keep you from living your life to the fullest.
"It's going to be okay, love," Hyunjin murmurs with another kiss on his forehead.
-
It's a habit for Felix to roll into Hyunjin's side and cuddle him when he first comes to his wake. When he's ready to start the day, he plants a close kiss on Hyunjin's neck and gets up from the bed.
It's an exciting day and Felix can't wait to wake his little one. He quietly pushes the door to his bedroom and turns up the brightness of the lights in his room.
"Good morning, birthday boy!" Felix cheerily says as he peers down into his crib.
Aster is half awake from how he keeps tossing around in his crib, disoriented and disheveled.
"Still sleepy, mmh?" Felix softly asks with a tender caress on his cheek.
Aster rubs his eyes as he looks up at his dad with his big, innocent eyes and a simple thing like this is enough to melt his heart.
"You want to take a few more minutes of sleep, mmh?"
Aster may not say anything but he slowly gets up, standing up in his crib, and holds his arms out at Felix, asking him to lift him.
His best mate, Mandu, barks at the sight of Aster coming out of the crib and starts to circle Felix's feet with his tail wagging behind him.
"Calm down, there, Mandu!" Felix orders as he carries Aster in his arms then slowly sits down on the carpeted floor.
Mandu wastes no time but jumps onto Felix's lap, joining Aster and wanting to play with him.
"You're two years old now," Felix says, slightly in disbelief that his son is already two now and no longer a baby.
"Two," he mumbles.
"Are you excited for your birthday party, bub?" Felix asks as he brushes his matted hair.
Aster doesn't fully understand what birthday means and only hums his answer as he pets Mandu and nuzzles their heads together.
"There'll be balloons, presents. There'll be a birthday cake," Felix speaks while rocking him on his lap from side to side.
"Cake?"
"Yes, your birthday cake with sprinkles and candles on it."
"Choccie sauce?"
Felix raises his eyebrow at that, "You want choccie sauce on your birthday cake?"
"Choccie sauce in milk," he says, talking off-topic.
"Oh, you want choccie sauce in your milk for breakfast?" Felix guesses he's talking about what he wants for breakfast.
"Uh-huh," he nods.
"With pancakes?"
"Toast with jam," he says as he looks up at him, wide-eyed.
"Okay, but first, we have to brush your teeth and then wake Daddy up," he says.
Hyunjin is still peacefully sleeping, lying on his stomach with his face planted onto the pillow, only the side of his face is visible. Felix puts Aster down next to him and lets him wake his daddy up his way.
Aster crawls over to him, placing slobbering kisses on Hyunjin's cheek and then using his fingers to play with his plush lips.
"Daddy!" Aster calls with a slap on his shoulder.
Hyunjin peeks through the corner of his eyes and then pretends to sleep again, he puts his hand on his stomach and tickles him. As a way to get back to him, Aster climbs onto Hyunjin's back and bounces on it with his hands tugging at his hair. Getting no reaction from him, Aster licks his cheek.
"Aster, that's not very nice," Hyunjin groans with his voice muffled by the pillow.
In a swift move, Hyunjin turns over on the bed and sends Aster falling to the side, he is having a laughing fit as Hyunjin tickles his stomach.
Hyunjin eventually lets go to let him breathe and pulls him to his side, holding him close as he places an affectionate kiss on his cheek.
"Happy birthday, beautiful boy!" Hyunjin sweetly mutters. He gets cuteness aggression from how oblivious he is about his birthday and presses another kiss on his squishy cheek. Noticing that Felix just watching on the edge of the bed, Hyunjin outstretches his hand at him and says, "Come here, my baby."
Felix softly smiles and joins them on the bed with Aster lying in between him and Hyunjin. Hyunjin puts his hand over Aster to reach for Felix's hand and then laces them together.
"What should we do, baby?" Hyunjin asks him.
"What?" Felix asks in utter confusion.
"Our Aster is a big boy now," Hyunjin says with a faint, sad smile.
"And he'll keep on getting bigger," Felix says with a wistful sigh.
Birthday makes them realize how much time has flown and how time keeps slipping away from their fingers, and that's the thing about birthdays: realizing that everyone around you is getting older too.
-
It feels weird to come dressed so nicely, not that you didn't dress properly before but you wear this nice dress and you got your hair styled, you even put some make-up on.
You ring the bell even though you can just let yourself in like usual but you're a guest and this is how you come as a guest.
Through the window, you can see that Felix is coming to open the door and you hurriedly put on a smile.
"Oh, you're here!" He says with a delighted gasp, looking rather a little surprised to see you outside the door.
Felix doesn't hesitate to pull you into a hug. He pulls away the next moment and then takes a step back.
"And looking so gorgeous!" He takes your hand, lifting it in the air to give you a spin.
You can feel the genuineness in his compliment as his eyes shine in the same warmth as his words and your cheeks are heating, flustered from his words.
"Thank you, Felix," you say with a shy smile.
Another moment passes as he can't stop staring at you and he somehow snaps himself out of it, turning his head toward the house.
"Aster, bubba is here and she looks so pretty!" He announces to everyone inside the house.
You're getting even more embarrassed that he shouts it into the house and not long after, you can hear the sound of Aster's footsteps along with his squeals. He looks at you with eyes wide and gleaming like two clear marbles.
"Doesn't bubba look pretty?" Felix asks.
"Bubba pretty," Aster mumbles with a nod of agreement.
Even though he doesn't really understand what he's saying and only repeating his dad's words to you, his compliment tugs at your heartstrings.
"Thank you, cutie," you coo, squatting down to hug him.
You notice that Aster is already dressed as well and even has his shoes on, "What are you wearing Aster?"
He looks at his dad for help and you catch Felix mouthing the word to him, "Overalls," he mumbles.
"I think you look nice," you say, fixing his hair by combing it with your fingers.
"I'm cute," he says with a nod and a grin that shows his two bunny teeth, making you and Felix burst into laughter.
"You are cute," you compliment again and press a quick kiss on his fluffy, bouncy cheek, "Aster, the cutest."
You scoop him into your arms as you follow Felix walk further inside and see through the glass doors that the backyard is already decorated with colorful balloons, there's a tent and a bouncy castle with the theme of Aster's favorite cartoon characters.
"Oh, Aster, it really is your birthday," you coo as you give him a gentle pat on the head, slightly jealous that he is one lucky kid and not aware of it.
"Bubba is here!" Hyunjin beams from the second floor.
"Hi, Mr. Hwang," you playfully greet him, knowing he doesn't like to be addressed by that.
Hyunjin ignores it this time and descends the stairs with his loyal follower, Mandu, leading the way, "And looking stunning too!"
"You clean up pretty good as well, sir!" You compliment back with a grin.
"Stop flirting!" Felix jokingly says with his hands planted on each side of his waist, "Honey, I need you to take Aster because I need bubba in the kitchen."
"Alright," Hyunjin rushes to you and then takes Aster from you.
The birthday party has come to a peak in the afternoon, you don't even have to watch for Aster, he's having fun with the other kids playing inside the tent. The adults are having a blast as well, eating the food Felix has prepared and thoroughly enjoying it.
"I think I came at the right time," Jeongin says, catching you getting out of the house with a tray of food.
"Oh, hi!" You greet, keeping the tray steady in your hands, "Mini burgers?"
"Maybe later?" he kindly refuses.
Felix rushes to you and grabs you by the elbow, "Come on bub! Help me with the cake!"
He drags you into the house, not giving you a chance to say something to Jeongin before leaving.
As you and Felix bringing the cake out of the house with utmost care and cautiousness. Felix has outdone himself, he puts everything in him to make the best birthday cake for his dear son. You feel a little nervous with the fear of your foot stumbling at something haunting the back of your head.
Thankfully, Hyunjin has already gathered everyone and no child is running around that would cause the worst of your nightmare.
Aster gets excited the second the candles are lit and everyone is singing for him, he can't stay still Hyunjin has to hold him close to his chest.
"Happy birthday dear Aster!" Everyone shouts in unison right before he blows the candles along with his parents. "Yay!" Aster joyfully cheers and claps his hands together from successfully doing it in one try.
Everyone bursts into laughter seeing his reaction to it and you can see how loved and cherished he is by everyone around him. You're beyond happy for him but inside, you feel a little sentimental seeing how much he's grown and you took part in raising him, even if it's just a small part of it.
"Happy birthday, my little man," you wish him with a kiss on each of his cheeks and a tight, warm hug.
The kids take turns to get a piece of the birthday cake and run away once they get it. You secure a piece for Jeongin as an apology for not properly welcoming him to the party earlier.
"I saved you a piece," you playfully say as you hand him the plate.
"Thank you very much!" Jeongin beams a smile at you as he takes it.
"Unfortunately, we only serve apple juice but I'll try to get us something stronger," you offer, leaving him for a minute to get cans of soda from the fridge and rejoin him on the table.
"I appreciate it," he says, popping it open with one hand. "Cheers!" You both exclaim at the same time and then sip it.
The kids are nowhere close to tired from running and playing around the backyard which is the opposite of what the adults are feeling, you can see that their energies are slowly drained out just from watching the kids running and playing around.
"How do these kids have so much energy?" Jeongin asks in bewilderment, "Are you sure it's just apple juice?"
"I think one of those kids spiked it with Red Bull," you joke.
"Which one of them?"
"Mmh... let's see," you say, propping a hand under your chin as you watch the kids jumping into the bouncy castle, "I'm pretty sure it's that blonde kid with the bowl-cut hair."
"No," Jeongin disagrees, he points at the girl playing in the sandbox, "I think it's the girl with the space buns."
You burst into laughter and almost spill your drink holding it in.
"What?" He looks at you in confusion.
"How do you know they're called space buns?"
"Why? It's a piece of general knowledge," he defends himself then sips his drink again.
"Okay, yeah, sure," you nonchalantly say with a sly grin.
"Anyway, with the job offer..." Jeongin says as he puts his can on the table, "Does it mean that you'll quit babysitting Aster?"
The soda gets caught in your throat as you hear his question and you quickly clear your throat to answer him, "Yes."
Jeongin nods and looks at you, "Would you say yes if I asked you on a date? You know, hypothetically," he says with a quivering laugh.
"Oh..." you don't mean to drag your word and give him the impression that you're likely to reject him. It's not rejection when he knows the possibility of it continuing from one date to another is low.
"I would love to but it's just... it's not you, I swear, it's just..." you nervously say while fiddling with the lint on the hem of your dress.
"Bad timing?" Jeongin precisely guesses.
You stifle a nod, "I'm sorry," you mutter.
"Hey, no worries. I'll just meet you here under the thinly veiled that I'm the neighbor across the street," Jeongin playfully says with his dimpled smile, making you feel the slightest bit guilty about rejecting him.
It's a kid's birthday party so it ends before the day gets dark. Other than that, the birthday boy himself is tired from skipping his nap and falls asleep on Hyunjin's lap. Seeing that either Hyunjin or Felix has to send the guests off their way, you offer to take Aster inside and tuck him in for bed.
Aster must be so tired that he doesn't stir a bit as you wipe him clean with a damp towel and put him into his sleeping suit all while he's soundly sleeping.
"Sweet dreams, birthday boy," you softly mutter with a tender caress on his cheek.
You put Poppo next to him before quietly leaving the room, making your way back downstairs with a contented feeling from a day that ended well.
Unbeknownst to you, the day is not over yet.
"There she is!" Hyunjin beams from the base of the stairs.
"What? What's wrong?" You ask in confusion as you carefully walk down the stairs.
It's when you finally arrive downstairs and turn toward the kitchen you see Felix carrying another cake for you.
"I made another cake for you," Felix says with a smile.
The cake size is identical to Aster's birthday cake but it has a different color of icing, it's lilac with sugar pearls around it and there are candles on it too.
"Come here!" Felix says, putting the cake down on the dining table.
"Come on!" Hyunjin appears behind you and steers you by the shoulders to the dining table.
"Is it really for me?" You ask in disbelief.
"Yes, bub," Felix shortly answers as he's lighting the candles, "to celebrate you graduating soon!"
It's endearing that they're planning all this just to celebrate graduating and you're not even officially graduated yet. You feel so appreciated and cherished, more importantly, these people make you feel like you're a member of the family.
"This is so sweet," you coo, feeling so touched by the gesture.
"Shh... blow the candles," Felix says with a hand resting on the small of your back.
You treat it as a it's your own birthday, closing your eyes and making a wish, wishing it from deep within your heart, and as you blow the candles, you manifest it into the universe.
"Congratulations on graduating, bub!" Felix mutters with a smile and pulls you into a warm hug, then places a kiss on your cheek before letting go.
"Congratulations, bubba!" Hyunjin takes his turn to hug you, also placing a sweet kiss on your cheek.
"We actually have a gift for you to go with this but this man right here," Felix points at Hyunjin with a side eye, "forgot to pick it up."
"Oh, no, please, this is more than enough," you say with a grateful smile.
"Let's have a slice!" Felix hands you the knife but you can't bring yourself to cut it. Not only because it's too beautiful to eat, it means a lot more than just a cake.
You look at Felix and wince, "Can I at least take a few pictures first?"
Felix cracks a laugh, "Sure. It's your cake."
"I'll get us drinks," Hyunjin says, excusing himself to leave to get it, "Real drinks!"
The cake is sliced, the champagne is poured and well distributed, and the three of you kick off the after-party with a toast. After a sip of bubbly wine, you take a bite of the cake and gosh, it's just as delicious as it looks.
"Now, this feels like my birthday!" You jokingly say with a grin.
"So... what's the plan?" Felix hesitantly asks as he puts away his plate of cake.
"Pardon?"
"Your plan after graduating?"
You've been meaning to tell them but keep refraining yourself, you're afraid that you'll make them feel like you're betraying them but it has come the time to come clean.
"Not too long ago, I got this job offer from a firm in the city," you share.
"Oh?" Felix's voice drops as if he's hearing something that he doesn't want to hear.
This is why you hate to bear this news and as much as you hate to continue, you have to tell them the rest of it, "I'll move away to the city soon."
"We're so happy to hear that, bub," Hyunjin says with a big, exaggerated smile and pulls Felix close to his side.
"I'm sorry if this sounded so sudden. With Aster's birthday and everything, I just haven't had the chance to tell you until now," you explain, feeling the weight pressing on your chest.
After a while, Felix looks at you and smiles at you, "No need to worry bub. We're happy for you and we fully support you," he assures you but you can hear the sheer sadness lingering in his voice.
"I'm sorry," you say once again with utmost sincerity.
"Stop apologizing!" Felix scolds you and pulls you for another hug, "I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you," you earnestly say as you hug him back.
"I mean, we still have two months before I leave," you add in an effort to cheer him up.
"For now, more champagne, please daddy?" Felix says, ordering Hyunjin to refill everyone's glasses with more wine.
As everyone moved on past the sentimental part of it, the private party continues and you've been secretly mustering up the courage to ask them something.
"Do you guys perhaps have a date night next week?" You shyly ask.
Felix looks at Hyunjin and sighs, "It depends on this guy right here," he says with yet another side eye.
"Why do you ask?" Hyunjin asks, elegantly cutting the cake with a fork.
"I want to join your date night," you bravely answer.
On a few occurrences, they asked if you wanted to join their date night and either they were joking or being serious, you felt bad for rejecting them. However this time, you dare to ask them because this is what you want.
"Well... we can arrange something for that," Felix says as he exchanges glances with Hyunjin.
Hyunjin repeatedly nods and holds his wine glass by its stem, "It'll be fun."
You pick up your wine glass and smile at both of them, then say, "Can't wait."
-
The last time you had a proper date was nearly two years ago and you forgot how intense it could be, you can't decide on which dress to wear or the make-up you put on is too much, or do you apply too much perfume? Every decision you have to make feels like life or death.
You can move past it by reminding yourself that both Hyunjin and Felix have seen you, they know what you look like on both good and bad days, and you're sure they will like you no matter what.
By the time you're ready, you take a look at yourself in the mirror and you're not going to lie, you like what you see and it gives you a boost of confidence.
"That's right. I look good, I have nothing to worry about," you say to the reflection in the mirror that looks back at you.
However, when your mum informs you that Hyunjin is outside to pick you up, the nerves come back and are stronger than before.
"I hope you don't mind we're borrowing her for the night," Hyunjin playfully says to your mum as he helps you get into the car.
"You can take her and not return it, I'll be fine with it," your mum says to him.
Your mum knows Hyunjin and Felix well because the babysitting job initially came to her before it got to you. For tonight, you told her that they're taking you on a dinner out to celebrate your graduation, and no other questions asked after that.
"Bye, Mum!" You say with a wave of hand.
Hyunjin gets into the car afterward and he immediately turns to look at you, "I obviously waited until I got in the car to say this but you look lovely tonight, bub," he sweetly compliments.
"Thank you," you say as you put on your safety belt.
It doesn't take long to get to their house and you feel nervous again, mostly because you came for a different reason. Not for work, but purely for pleasure.
One weekend every month, Aster stays with his grandparents per their requests which explains why he is very fond of them. It seems like they chose this weekend to send Aster to his grandparents.
"Felix has been keeping himself busy in the kitchen," Hyunjin mutters before opening the front door for you.
"Not less than I expected," you say.
It's no surprise that Felix is going over the top for tonight. It was supposed to be a simple dinner but he outdone himself by adding flowers and candles, shiny cutlery, and fancy wine glasses.
"Just in time!" Felix beams as soon as he sees you enter the house.
"Hi," you greet, unbuttoning your coat with one hand, and then Hyunjin helps take it off your shoulders.
"Is that really you, bub?" Felix exclaims, his eyes shine as he lays his eyes on you as if he's seeing something wondrous.
Flustered, you put your hands close to your side and avoid his eyes, "It's just a dress," you sheepishly say.
"Well, dinner is ready so please take a seat!" Felix says while coming around and getting behind the kitchen island.
Hyunjin does more actions than talking, he goes to the dining table and pulls a chair for you, "Please!" He says with an elegant wave of hand.
Not that they never treated you this nicely but still, it feels a little weird to be treated this way as if you're... special. Deep down, you know you like it, you're just not used to it.
Felix takes care of the food and Hyunjin takes care of the drinks, both of them insist you do not do anything except sit and enjoy the dinner.
The dinner is beyond anything you ever had, it's even better than the one you had at the finest restaurant. Maybe it feels that way before they're made by Felix and your palate is used to his cooking.
"Compliments to the chef!" You praise as you finish the last course of the dinner.
"I'm glad you liked it," Felix says with a smile.
"Liked it?" You ask in disbelief, "I loved it!"
As expected, Felix refuses your help to collect the dirty dishes and take them to the kitchen. He makes you wait on the sofa as Hyunjin goes to take a new bottle of wine.
"Now it's time for more wine!" Hyunjin announces when he returns, refilling everyone's glasses with white wine this time.
You often wonder what they do at a date night but it's far simpler than what you imagined, just talking in between sips of wine or bites of food, the only difference is the depth and the quality of the talk. The most interesting thing is getting to know them from a whole new perspective.
"Oh, we almost forgot!" Felix gasps as he's just remembered something.
He then glances at Hyunjin and says, "The gift!"
"Yep. Don't worry. I got it," Hyunjin assures him, sprinting to his suit jacket draped on the headrest of the sofa and taking something from the inner pocket, a small, velvety box.
Felix seems to be more excited than you, perhaps he's been anticipating to see your reaction to it. Hyunjin sits on the other side and pulls the lid open.
"We hope you like it," Felix softly says as he places his hand on your knee.
It's a bracelet and you assume it's white gold from how it glimmers under the light, it's dainty and has a small pendant that hangs like a little lucky charm.
"I love it!" You truthfully say with a suppressed squeal.
"Give me your wrist," Hyunjin gently orders and you obey him without questions, holding out your hand at him. You watch as he puts the bracelet around your wrist and clasps it together.
"There!" He says with a soft smile that makes his eyes form two crescents.
You take a moment to admire how it looks around your waist and how the shiny gold reflects the lights to your eyes, "It's beautiful. Thank you!" You sincerely say to both of them.
"You're very welcome, my love!" Felix says, putting his arm around your shoulder to pull you close.
Using the proximity to your advantage, you lean in and press a kiss on his lips. It catches him off guard that he's stiffened for a second and when it finally registered to him, he returns the kiss.
"Hey, what about me? I'm the one who picked up the gift," Hyunjin says, suddenly feeling left out.
"Thank you, Hyunjin," You say with a chuckle, purposely addressing him by his name to amuse him.
He doesn't wait for you to lean in, he puts his hand on your chin and turns your head his way, and then slowly, he leans in to kiss you.
The moment his lips melt on yours, all of your senses are going out of the window but one thing that your brain demands is more of that kiss and so Felix fulfills that for you, planting kisses on your neck.
A low moan escapes your mouth as you feel the softness of their lips leaving searing kisses on your exposed skin and their hands exploring your clothed body with utmost gentleness.
As you take a moment to breathe, Felix drags his lips to your neck while Hyunjin playfully nibbles on your ear with his teeth faintly tugging at it, it feels ticklish yet inexplicably arouses you.
"You smell really good, babe," Felix murmurs with his lips grazing the sensitive skin on the column of your throat.
Hyunjin captures your lips in a hungry kiss, not giving you a chance to respond to Felix's words. His hand trails the curve of your body and continues its way down south. Your legs reflexively pressed together as his hand inches closer to where the heat is but Felix halts it, catching his hand just before it gets to its destination.
"Let's take it to the bedroom first," Felix says to Hyunjin with his lips red, swollen, and wet.
It could be the wine or simply those kisses are so dizzying that you're staggering as you get on your feet. Fortunately, Hyunjin is quick to hold you and keeps you steady by putting his arm around your waist.
"Want to take a sobriety test first?" He jokingly asks.
"Oh, my God! It was just a bottle of wine," you answer with a sassy eye roll.
They choose the guest bedroom for two reasons, it's closer and it's where you usually sleep when you need to stay over. The lights are low, there are rose petals on the bed and on the other part of the room, Hyunjin lighting some candles to create an even more intimate ambiance in the room.
As you take it in, Felix hugs you from the back and then presses a soft kiss on your neck before resting his head on your shoulder.
"You know that you're our special girl, right?" He lowly speaks but with his deep voice, it feels as if he's speaking right through your soul.
"Our very own special girl," Hyunjin says as he gives you a rose.
You bring the flower close to your nose to inhale its sweet, distinct aroma and smile.
"I know," you answer.
A smile blooms on Hyunjin's angular face as he comes up to you and you think he's about to kiss you until he misses your lips to kiss Felix.
"You may be our special girl but my husband is the most special," Hyunjin says without the slightest bit of doubt.
You don't feel offended at all by that, if anything, you feel special just from being allowed to be a part of their relationship.
"That's fair," you say with a chuckle.
As he kisses Felix more, Hyunjin comes closer to hug his husband with you in between until there is no an inch left between your bodies. Instead of feeling jealous like you used to, you feel warm all over as if the love they have for each other seeps into you.
They can't seem to ignore you for long though, they put their attention on you again. Behind you, Felix swiftly pulls down the zipper of your dress and impatiently parts it open so he can place kisses on it while Hyunjin keeps your lips busy with his deep, hungry kisses.
It's all happening so fast that the next thing you know, the dress is off of your body and pooling around your ankle, and you're standing with just your underwear in between them.
Using his knuckles, Felix whimpers as he drags them down your spine, feeling how soft it feels under his touch, and gets the urge to explore more by unclasping your bra next.
"Ah..." you softly sigh as the bra is snapped open.
Felix pulls the straps down your shoulders and Hyunjin's eyes grow darker as the bra is finally off of you, exposing your soft mounds to him.
Felix's hands are the first to indulge in them, cupping them until the flesh molds into his hands. His fingers occasionally circling on your hardening buds and then he holds them up for Hyunjin to feast on.
"Take them in your mouth, love," Felix orders him.
Without words, Hyunjin obeys him, taking your breasts into his mouth in turns.
"Oh—" you suppress your moan as Felix pushes both of your breasts to the center so Hyunjin can take them both at once.
The sight of his plush lips wrapped around your nipples is arousing as it is but oh, it's seeing his slick, hot tongue twirling your nipples that make your eyes roll to the back, all the while Felix placing hot kisses all over your neck and shoulder.
Felix eventually let go of your breasts, he's gliding his hands down your sides and makes a trail of kisses down your spine, he doesn't stop until he's kneeling on the floor and starts kissing and sucking on the flesh on your ass cheeks.
"Oh, my God..." you heavily sigh, feeling overwhelmed with how many stimulations going on at once.
Hyunjin with his greedy mouth on your breasts and Felix with his ferocious bites on your ass, these two attractive people are feasting on your body and it's just the beginning.
A moment later, Hyunjin follows suit and goes down on you. You look down and watch as they're eating you from the front and back with their hands intertwined on the side of your thighs, it's romantic yet kinky as fuck.
Your underwear is drenched from both your essence and Hyunjin's saliva. Your eyes are fluttering open and shut. Your legs are trembling from the pleasure building up inside you.
Felix notices that you're getting unsteady and quickly puts his hands on your back
"Shall we take it to bed, mmh?" He doesn't wait for your answer but steers you to the bed, letting you sit on the edge of the bed.
Giving you a moment to gather your senses, Hyunjin and Felix are taking each other's clothes off with eyes locked in an intense gaze until there's nothing left but their heavenly bodies on show.
Your brain can't comprehend their beauty and their sculpted Greek God body. You can only watch in awe as their lips meet in a rapturous kiss and if you have to be honest, you can keep watching them making out in front of you for eternity.
After a moment though, you change your mind. You don't want to be a mere watcher, you want to get yourself in there and take part in it. You take the initiative to kneel in between them and take their hardening members in your hands. You begin by slowly stroking them at a steady pace and when you're ready, you take them into your mouth in turns.
At times, you bring their tips together and lick them together, taking as much as you can into your mouth.
"Such a good girl," Hyunjin murmurs with a pat on your head, seeing your mouth full of his cock and at the same time, pumping Felix's cock with your hand.
Felix looks down and puts his hand in your hair, "I told you. She's a fast learner," he says.
They decide that it's your turn next, they make you get back on the bed and lay on your back. With a sly smile on his face, Felix parted your legs open, making you feel more exposed than you already are.
"Just lay back, okay bub?" Felix says with a smile.
With his hand holding your leg by the ankle, he dives into your wetness and skillfully pleases you with his hot mouth. Doesn't want to feel left out, Hyunjin patiently waits for his turn to plant his mouth on you next. You glance down and see their heads hanging between your legs, their mouth glistening wet and their lips flushing red.
The pleasure keeps building up and you lose track of whose turn it is because they are as skillful and offering you the same amount of pleasure. They only stop when they deem you're already on the edge and then give you a moment to recollect your senses to get you ready for next.
Hyunjin and Felix lay on each side of you on the bed, lips locked, hands all over and skin brushes against the skin. They may have tuned it down a little but the tension keeps on rising.
"How are you so soft, mmh?" Hyunjin asks with his mouth only inches away from your ear and his hand gently pinching the squishy flesh on your stomach.
"Can't stop touching you, bub," he murmurs with his hand going down south to touch you on your delicate flesh, gently rubbing on your bundle of nerves until it blossoms under his touch.
Felix turns your head his way so he can kiss you, kisses you so deep that your body eventually molds against him and your back meets Hyunjin's chest.
"Oh, yes, baby," Hyunjin mutters, not sure if he's saying that to you or Felix, or both. One thing for sure is he's enjoying the view.
Hyunjin lays on his side and then lifts your back, drapes your upper leg the back, and over his hips, that way he can rub his cock in your wetness.
"Mmh... so wet," Hyunjin's voice is muffled as he speaks with his mouth pressed on your shoulder.
As he rubs his cock between your wet folds, you can feel every inch of his length, swollen and hot, so ready for you and at the same time, making you feel impatient to have it inside you.
You turn your head and bravely ask for what you want from him, "Want you inside," you say to his face.
Instead of looking surprised, Hyunjin shows a satisfied expression as if he's been waiting for you to say that. He hastily kisses your lips and keeps his face close to yours.
"Want it inside, huh?"
"Uh-huh," you answer with an eager nod.
"You heard the girl, babe," Felix says, leisurely laying on your side with a hand propped under his head.
Hyunjin softly laughs and presses you another haste kiss while his hand aims his cock into your entrance, teasing it for a little bit while lubing his length with your arousal.
"Ready to take me?" He asks with a wicked grin plastered on his face.
But that is just a rhetorical question, he doesn't need your answer to push his cock inside you to fulfill your wish.
"Oh..." you grip his forearm as he pushes more of him into you.
Next to you, Felix's eyes are centered on Hyunjin's cock, and watches it going into you little by little while slowly stroking his cock.
"You're always tight for me, bub," he murmurs.
Hyunjin abruptly stops pushing and places his hand on the dip of your waist. It seems like he's taking this moment for himself to calm himself down and take a breather.
After a while, he asks you, "More, yeah?"
"Yes, please," you say but it comes out more like a whine at how small and needy you sounded.
Hyunjin has no other intention but to give you what you want, putting the rest of his length into you in one quick push, making you jolt against his body and tightly grip his forearm your nails dug into the flesh.
"You feel so good I need a moment just to compose myself," Hyunjin mutters as he rests his hand across your chest.
However, a moment only lasts for a moment and Hyunjin begins thrusting into you from behind, setting a slow pace to give you more time to adjust to being inside each other.
Felix refuses to be a mere spectator, he turns and lays upside down next to you. He uses your thigh as a pillow as he lays on his back and puts his mouth on your clit, unbothered by the fact that Hyunjin's cock is deep inside you.
You also refuse to remain idle when Felix's cock is within kissing distance from yours, you prop your elbows against the mattress and lean in to put it into your mouth, you compensate the rest you can't take with your hand.
The three of you eventually move in sync and soon, the room is filled with all sorts of lewd noises, it's either the skin-slapping sounds of Hyunjin's thrusts, the slurping sounds of Felix licking on your clit or your mouth sloppily sucking on Felix's cock.
"Bub, I won't be able to stop if you keep clenching around me like that," Hyunjin warns through his gritted teeth.
The exceptional dynamic only lasts that long as you abruptly pull Felix's cock out of your mouth but keep your hand wrapped around his length, struggling between gasping for air or moaning out of pleasure.
Hyunjin slows his thrusts but he adds depth and intensity to it, launching his cock deeper into you and continuously hitting you right on the spot thus bringing you closer to your high.
"I'm so close, oh—" your moan gets cut off as Hyunjin thrusts slower but harder. Your hand flies to the back and gets caught in his silky locks.
"Why do you feel so good, oh fuck, I can't—" Hyunjin's voice breaks, also can't hold himself back anymore.
You feel faint the closer you get to your climax and completely lose it as you reach your high, your eyes screwed shut and your body stiffens and softens in the next second.
"Oh!" Hyunjin grunts with his open mouth planted on the nape of your neck, his breath feels hot on your skin. With eyes closed, he manages to find your lips and kisses them.
"I didn't mean to cum inside you, bub," he says against your lips, "I'm sorry."
If he didn't tell you, you wouldn't have noticed that his cock is still planted deep inside you, engorging and pulsating as it releases his seed, which explains the different kind of high you experienced just now.
You take a breath to be able to speak and nod, "That's okay."
"You just feel so good. I can't control myself," He openly admits.
"It's okay," you assure him.
He wraps his arms around you and holds you close, he buries his head in the crook of your neck, enveloping you both in a warm embrace.
When he's ready, he slowly pulls out of you and looks down to see his cum dripping out of you. So is Felix, his eyes widen at the sight of it that he takes a big gulp of air.
"Oh, I cum a lot," Hyunjin says, his hand tenderly rubbing your inner thigh.
"I got it, love," Felix says with an easy smile.
You're clueless as to what he meant by that until Felix leans in and licks Hyunjin's essence off of you, he then plants his mouth on your cunt and sucks deeper as if he tries to take as much Hyunjin's remnants out of you. You're already overstimulated as it is but that doesn't mean you stop receiving pleasure from it.
When he lifts his face, Felix's mouth and chin are glistening wet with mixed fluids, of your and Hyunjin's essence, and also his saliva.
"That's better," Felix says with a satisfied smile.
Hyunjin smiles before pressing a haste kiss on his lips and cleaning his mouth and chin in kitten licks.
"More wine?" Hyunjin offers out of the blue.
After all of that, you think it's the right time to take a break and have some wine to quench your thirst from the cardio and constant moaning.
"Yes, please," you breathlessly respond as you lay on your back, exhausted.
Hyunjin has no problems walking out of the room fully naked to get a bottle of wine. You and Felix wait on the bed, lying next to each other, also naked.
"You know what? We should have asked the cute neighbor to join us," Felix shares all of a sudden.
"What's with this random thought?" You ask in disbelief, hugging a pillow close to your chest.
"I don't know. It just crossed my head," Felix innocently says.
"Don't tell me you've been thinking of another guy as we were doing it?" You say with a look of disbelief.
"Uhm... maybe," He jokingly answers.
You gently slap his chest and you don't expect his chest muscles to be that firm.
"Get it together!" You scold him.
"What did I miss?" Hyunjin returns with a bottle of wine in hand and glasses in the other.
"Bubba is surprisingly into BDSM," Felix jokingly responds.
"No!" You hastily deny and land another slap on his chest.
"See?" Felix rants with a low laugh.
Hyunjin carefully pours wine into each glass, not wanting to spill a drop on the bed and as usual, everyone has a toast to finally take a sip of it.
"Bub, I must say, you improved a lot," Hyunjin compliments.
"What is that supposed to mean?" You say, slightly embarrassed by it.
"That's true. You're more confident and more responsive, also intuitive," Felix comments.
"I get the impression that you guys are evaluating my performance..." your words trail off as you look at them in the eyes, first at Felix then at Hyunjin.
"Because we are," Hyunjin jokes then sips his wine.
"Don't worry, bub. You did so well!" Felix says with a thumbs-up.
Not going to lie, you feel a boost of confidence hearing that you feel like you accomplished something that you didn't know you were trying to achieve in the first place. Maybe it's because you care about them so much that their opinions matter to you, no matter what they are about.
However, there's one more thing you try to accomplish tonight.
First, you finish your second round of wine and put the glass away. The alcohol helps you to loosen up and gives you the courage to ask.
"Can I be on top next?"
The question seems to shock Hyunjin more than it does to Felix, he forces swallow his drink and gasps for air.
"Are you saying you want to do it again? Right away?" Hyunjin asks in disbelief while Felix is slyly smiling at you.
"Why? Are you tired?" You say in a mocking tone.
Felix bursts out laughing and rolls over to lay on his stomach, "Ooh... who is this girl?"
"I don't know but, love..." Hyunjin pauses to turn his head toward Felix, "I think we found our match."
-
It's not easy as you thought but you asked for it.
Fortunately, both Felix and Hyunjin have been nothing but letting you do anything as you please. They don't mind being ordered around by you.
"Ooh... I really like the view," Felix says as you get on top of him.
He's seen you naked a couple of times but it only takes Felix one compliment to make you flustered.
"Come. Bring it in!" He says, holding up his arms at you and asking for a kiss.
You give it to him, lowering yourself until your lips meet in a kiss that somehow feels a lot more intimate than the previous ones you shared.
It's your first time being on top which also makes you the one with more control. You feel nervous because what if you're doing it wrong? What if he doesn't enjoy it? What if, what if, what if...
As if he heard it, Felix tenderly caresses your cheek and brushes your hair away from your face, "Just enjoy yourself and know that I'll be enjoying it no matter what," he comforts you.
"Yes," you say with a smile.
Felix's makes its way down to tease you, making you drenched once more to get you ready for him. He doesn't need to do much for that, you're already aroused from how he kisses you so hard but gentle at the same time.
When it comes to the time, you take a deep breath and lift off of him. You give his cock a few slow pumps before aligning it with your entrance.
"Need help with that?" Hyunjin appears from behind you, he checks whether you're aiming it right then places his hands on each side of your waist.
"Now, slowly lower yourself down," he further instructed.
You nod and follow his instruction, lowering yourself down and feeling the tip of Felix's cock enters you. You sigh as you need to take the rest to continue.
"Yes, bub, keep going," Felix encourages, enjoying both the view and the tightness that wrapped around him.
Hyunjin watches from over your shoulder and at times, mutters sweet nothings into your ear.
"Keep going, bub."
"You feel that? Feel how hard he is inside you?"
"Oh, if only you know how good you feel."
Hyunjin shifts his attention to his husband who's lying underneath you, "She feels fucking good, mmh?"
"Oh... so good!" Felix answers without a beat.
Here's the tricky part, you can't decide whether you should bouncing on his cock or rocking your hips back and forth. Again, this is your first time being on top, everything is new to you and you don't know which Felix prefers.
However, you remember what Felix said and remind yourself that all you need to do is enjoy yourself. You let go of inhibitions and insecurities, stop thinking altogether, and start doing.
You move by instinct whichever you feel would bring you the most pleasure and put your mind into it, relax and breathe, and enjoy yourself.
"You're getting too good at it," Felix says with an overwhelmed sigh. He takes your hands and laces them together, letting them be your support as you roll your hips back and forth at a steady pace.
Hyunjin's hands are all over you, kneading your breasts and touching your soft skin. His lips find solace in the crook of your neck, kissing, muttering sweet nothings, or simply just planting his luscious lips there.
You're doing whatever it is that makes you feel good, you change the pace and alternate between rocking or pulsating your hips. You're so into it that you're not noticing how Felix keeps himself quiet anymore, he lets them spill out of his mouth, filling the room with his deep, raw groans.
"You're close, mmh?" Hyunjin asks, squeezing on your breasts and then gently pinches your nipple.
Not sure if he needs your answer or not, but you know he knows.
"No need to hold yourself back, my darling," Hyunjin whispers in the softest tone that feels like a quick gust of wind.
No one tells you that it's going to be this exhausting but damn, you want to keep going and you won't stop until you reach your high.
Hyunjin comes to your aid, guiding your movement, and firmly grips your waist to regain your rhythm as it begins to turn sloppy.
Deep down, you feel selfish for getting yourself closer to your high instead of your partner but you can't help yourself. Your body wants what it wants.
"I'm close, I'm close," you repeatedly say in a mix of a moan and a cry your brain is too foggy to tell the difference.
"Keep going, bub, keep going!" Hyunjin says, giving up on guiding you as you suddenly pick up the pace and go impossibly fast.
"Oh!" You cry out loud, reaching your high that feels more intense than the previous.
You collapse onto Felix and he immediately holds you close while keeping his hips bucking into you to finish it. He doesn't even say anything but turns into a moaning mess as he cum inside you.
The second your head hits the pillow, you mean to rest your eyes for a moment only to fall asleep, blacked out for the rest of the night.
-
The next morning, you find yourself snuggling close to Hyunjin.
It doesn't hit you yet that you're sleeping over at their place and sharing the bed with the owners, oh wait, you turn your head to the side to find Felix's space is empty. He's always been an early bird and is probably busy making breakfast in the kitchen.
You turn your head back at Hyunjin and you realize this is the first time you see him up close, you can see the faint mole under his eyes and the shade of red his lips are. There's only one conclusion: Hyunjin is inarguably beautiful.
As if he senses your observant eyes, Hyunjin steers in his sleep, and knowing how horrible you look right now, you don't want to be the first thing he sees in the morning so you pull the duvet higher, covering half of your face with it.
He forces his eyes open and smiles when he sees you, "Morning," he says with his voice deeper than usual.
"Morning," you meekly say back.
"Where's Felix?"
"I'm pretty sure he's in the kitchen," you answer.
"As expected," he says with a sleepy smile.
Unconsciously, you find yourself staring at him again as he brushes his soft locks to the back and then puts his arm above his head, showcasing his bulging biceps. Unintentionally or not, you enjoy the morning view.
"Stop staring, creep!" He playfully says with a sly smile.
"I'm just curious," you say, still covering your face with the duvet, "Are you always waking up looking this good?"
The question remains unanswered, Hyunjin refuses to answer until he has his first sip of morning coffee and you feel inexplicably hungry, famished even.
"Don't forget your morning after," Felix reminds you, putting the pill and a glass of water in front of you.
"Thank you," you waste no time to take it.
The breakfast is quiet, maybe because everyone is just as famished as you or maybe the caffeine is not kicking in yet, either way, you're enjoying this kind of silence, it's nice and comfortable, the kind that doesn't conjure any questions.
"What time are we going to pick up Aster?" Felix asks as he spreads butter on his toast.
"I don't know. Eleven?" Hyunjin doubtfully answers while holding his mug of coffee with both hands.
"The weather is nice. We should have lunch out," Felix suggests as he puts the buttered toast on your plate, "Do you have any plans for today, lovely?"
"Me?" You ask for confirmation as your brain hasn't fully functioning yet, "I have to drive my mum to her dentist appointment."
"Oh, I was hoping you could join us today," Felix says with sheer disappointment.
You may have spent the night with them and had a date night with them, but you're not ready to cross certain boundaries yet. After all, they're married and at times, you have to remember your place, because you promised yourself not to ruin this precious thing they have. You love this family so much as your own that you get the urge to protect it, including from yourself.
"Maybe next time," you kindly refuse.
"How about next week?" Felix asks, tilting your head and slyly smiling at you.
"What about next week?" You ask in confusion.
Felix loops his fingers around the handle of his coffee mug, "Want to go on another date night with us?"
Okay but for this one? You have to take a moment to consider it but if you have to be honest, it's just too good of an opportunity to pass.
Hyunjin flashes a smile your way and lifts his coffee mug close to his lips, "Same time, next week?"
Last night was fun, last night was thrilling and exciting, and damn it, you crave the rush of it already. Surely, you want to do it all over again so you smile back at him and say, "Same time, next week."
-
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The Sun and His Star
The Result of This Poll
Pairing: greek god!anakin x female reader
Description: Unable to resist a friendly wager, Anakin finds himself in a world of trouble as he seeks out a Naiad he has fallen deeply in love with.
Warnings: f!reader, swearing, angst, unrequited love, mentions of death, mentions of worship, alcohol, SMUT, fingering, oral sex (f recieving), unprotected p in v sex, creampie, degradation, literal pussy worship, loss of virginity, corruption kink, crying, size kink, soft dom!anakin, praise kink, orgasm denial, MDNI 18+++
Word Count: 8.5k
A/N: I have been SO excited to post this. This is also my first time writing actual smut and i'm pretty nervous about posting this! This is very loosely based of the myth of Apollo and Daphne, except that myth is pretty creepy and Daphne turns into a tree at the end of it so I wanted something a little more happy. Thank you guys for participating in my poll! I really hope you enjoy. As always, my requests and inbox are open!
masterlist.
Thwap!
Almost.
As Anakin's fingers trace the intricate details of his golden bow, his focused eyes never leave the target, anticipating a shot that he thinks to be perfect. Squinting his eyes, he tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out where he had gone wrong. His mind ran through different calculations at a million miles a minute. Perks of being a God, I suppose.
He shook his head in frustration, allowing the bow to slip from his hand and rest beside his belongings as he sought reassurance from the comforting embrace of the ancient fig tree. Although he had the entirety of Olympus to practice, Anakin always chose the hills and forests of Macedonia, knowing the only thing he could possibly run into was a bear. And running into bears was fun for the Sun God, as archery usually is. How is the God of archery missing his shots? Anakin was lost, although he’d never admit it.
His slender fingers traced the grass, memorizing each blade's touch as he became increasingly fascinated with the Greek world. He brushed back his chestnut locks with his free hand, letting his eyes close as he breathed in the mortal air surrounding him. Greece was better than Olympus; it was his missing piece.
Things hadn’t been the same lately. Worshippers had died down at Delphi, and his typical “appear in their dreams nightmare route” wasn’t going so smoothly either. And now he’s struggling to make a shot? Could he even call himself a God, much less his father’s favorite?
Annoyed with his thoughts, Anakin summoned a fig to his hand, biting deeply into it- just for the taste. He chewed slowly, letting the juices run from his lips, down his chin, and onto his golden armor. And that was another amazing thing the Greek world had- fucking figs.
“Why so down, my friend?” Anakin’s eyes shot open out of his trance to meet his favorite rival, Obi-Wan Kenobi, God of Passion. Anakin’s fingers swiftly moved the arrow off the target behind him, not wanting Kenobi to catch his failure.
“How did you find me?” He stood up abruptly, dropping the fig onto the grass he was tracing before. His fists balled at his sides. Typically, they got along pretty okay, but with Anakin’s meandering mind, he was the last God he needed to see.
“Oh, you know, I just followed the foul stench of arrogance and failure into the Greek world. By the way, how would Zeus react if you were practicing down here, hm? Letting your talents go to waste, and possibly seen by mortals, not to mention-”
“Alright, Obi-Wan, I get it. You’ve made your point. What do you want?” Anakin watches as Obi-Wan’s smile grows before him, and a sinking feeling fills his chest.
“You don’t need to hide your failure from me, Anakin.” Obi-Wan lips turn into a smirk, watching as Anakin’s temper began to get the best of him once again.
“Obi-Wan, I’d be careful. I am Anakin, God of the sun, The All-father’s first-born son, and I will kick your ass all the way back to Olympus any fucking day. Try me. If I were you, I’d choose your next words carefully.” Anakin towers over Obi-Wan, his remarks laced with venom as he observes the smile grow on the God before him.
“I heard your worshippers are waning at Delphi. And now you’re missing your shots… Gods, Anakin, are you no longer Zeus’s favorite? What is going on with you?”
With Obi-Wan suggesting Anakin’s worst nightmare, Anakin had him up against the fig tree in seconds, his hands pulling up at his toga as rage coursed through his golden blood. His eyes searched Kenobi’s, watching the amusement dance within them. What was his game? What could he possibly want?
“Watch your fucking mouth, Kenobi. I’ll send your ass right down to Hades, and Zeus will not come to your aid again. There’s a reason I’m more powerful than you. What the fuck do you need love for when you can be God of the Sun? Zeus’s favored son? Huh? There’s a fucking reason I am celebrated more than you are. I don’t see your temples taking over the Greek world. I don’t see you massively worshipped-”
“Oh please, Anakin, they worship Ahsoka as much as they worship you. She’s your twin sister and equally on par with you despite being a goddess.” Anakin pulls a fist back and sends it flying into Kenobi’s jaw, watching as his golden blood pours from his nose and down his chin. Anakin grinned.
“Fucking watch it. That was the last comment you’re going to be making in a long, long time.” As Anakin pulls back his fist, Obi-Wan’s hands go up in defeat, signaling the white flag Anakin is looking for.
“How do you feel about a little wager?” He whispers, a hint of fear present in his voice as he watches Anakin’s golden eyes narrow at his proposition.
“And why the fuck would I do that, Kenobi, when sending you to Hades is just as easy?”
“Because I know you can’t resist a chance to prove yourself to be better than me.”
“Okay,” Anakin loosens his grip on Kenobi, letting him fall against the fig tree as he backs up and crosses his arms, “And what would this wager consist of? And make it quick- before I change my mind and punish you regardless.”
“Best of 3 shots. If you win, you can punish me as you deem necessary. If I win, well, how about we keep your punishment a surprise?” Obi-Wan pushes himself off the tree, summoning his bow and arrow in his hands as Anakin bites his lip skeptically.
“That’s too- No- what’s the catch?”
“If I win, you have to fall in love- no exceptions.”
“That’s it? Deal. This is too fucking easy.” Anakin shakes his head, picking up his golden bow and tracing the olive branch details on the upper limb.
“May Zeus be on your side, Anakin.” Kenobi holds out his hand for Anakin to shake, sealing their wager.
Anakin takes his hand, his grip firm, letting the eyes of his father, high up in Olympus, confirm the bet.
“You first, Obi-Wan.” Anakin chuckles, picking up an arrow and sharpening the end of it while Obi-Wan takes his stance in front of the tree, his shoulders relaxed, and eyes focused on the target in front of him.
Instant bullseye. Lucky shot.
Anakin says nothing, instead taking his place and shooting without hesitation.
Another instant bullseye. This was going to be closer than he thought.
Anakin’s eyes squint as he watches Kenobi make another bullseye. It’s now 2-1. Since when did Kenobi get so good at archery? Anakin shoots another bullseye, but it’s close, too close. He watches as Kenobi’s brows furrow slightly, his frustration growing alongside Anakin’s arrogance. Did he really think the God of archery would lose a challenge as simple as this?
Obi-Wan shoots his final shot.
Instant Bullseye. Fuck.
He turns around, placing his bow on his back and grinning at the angry God before him.
“May Zeus be on your side, old friend.” He repeats that phrase, eager to remind Anakin what was at stake. As he approaches Anakin to shake his hand, he grins as Anakin dodges it and steps up to the mark.
“Save it, Kenobi. I’m too excited to hear what Hades will do with you after this.”
As Anakin grips his bow, his hands are filled with sudden apprehension. He missed the shot just before Kenobi got here, and his last two were practically just luck, and- Actually, what the fuck is he even on about? He’s the God of archery, for fucks sake. Some measly love God wasn’t going to take this easy victory from him. No way. Anakin pulled an arrow from the sling on his back, letting it sit comfortably between his fingers as he lined up his shot. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let his fingers do the work.
And with one swift motion of Obi-Wan’s wrist from behind him, Anakin tripped over a rock.
Miss.
“Wha- I- How? What the fuck did you do?” Anakin turned around, storming over to Kenobi who had his hands innocently raised in the air as he backed away from the angry God once again.
“I did nothing, Anakin. You lost, plain and simple.” Before Anakin had time to react, Obi-Wan’s bow was out again, this time with a red-tipped arrow.
The arrow slipped between Kenobi’s fingers, flying across the grass and into Anakin’s shoulder. He gasped, not in pain, but at the audacity of the God before him.
“Kenobi, this better not be one of your special arrows, or I swear to Zeus-” He grips the arrows, pulling it out of his skin, letting his golden blood drip onto his armor.
“Her name is Y/N. You can find her along the River Lamos. Good luck, old friend.”
And with that, he was gone.
—------------------------------
“Padme! These fucking mortals are pissing in the water again! I mean, how do they even find us out here? This is the furthest north they’ve gone in quite some time.” You let your knees hit the grass, running your fingers through the stream to purify the waters.
Sometimes, you quite hated being a Naiad. It had the perks of a goddess, but not quite the status. And Zeus forbid you ever tried to compare yourselves to a Goddess…
“Y/N, honey, have you ever tried to talk to a mortal? They aren’t the brightest. It’s not their fault Zeus made them that way.” Padme emerges from the waterfall behind you, offering her condolences as she places her hand on your shoulder.
“Maybe we should pray to Ahsoka and have her punish them.”
“Y/N! Don’t be harsh.” Padme’s jaw drops in fake shock, rolling her eyes as she joins you along the riverbed. “Besides, I heard Dionysis is throwing another rager tonight. Let’s focus on that.”
“Yeah, sure,” you mumble, picking up a rock and skipping across the water, avoiding the lilies that littered the surrounding stream.
Padme had always grounded you. You’d probably be lost without her. When you escaped your father as a child, Padme stuck by you in your request for freedom. Your new life, though promising, never quite managed to fill the void that had been there all along. As a Naiad, you felt the weight of responsibility for the ancient world, but the path laid before you was far from what you imagined. Your life was filled with adoration from cult leaders, lavish ceremonies, and the occasional taste of royalty on Mount Olympus - but an emptiness lingered within you. Something that trivial worship and sacrifice wouldn’t fulfill.
“Padme,” you pulled your hand from the water, picking a dandelion next to you and observing it. “Do you ever think about what our life would have been like if we never left Father?” She sighs.
“Y/N, if you’re questioning our decision, let me assure you, we made the right choice. To disobey the calling of such passion… well, I’d rather not debate it. Have honor in what we do, Y/N. We are irreplaceable.” Padme smiles gently at you, the sun bouncing off her chocolate eyes in a particularly irresistible way.
A forced grin stretched across your face, a desperate attempt to conceal your disdain for her reply. Padme had a knack for finding the silver lining - always seeing the good in people and situations, even when things seemed bleak. But it didn’t make the feeling disappear from within you. Every day was the same. The same taking care of the rivers and the forests. The same cults and sacrifices and worships and prayers and celebrations. You tried to convince yourself otherwise, but the truth was undeniable: you felt utterly lonely. You had Padme, but she was your sister, and she was supposed to be there. But as much as it ached you to say… You wanted a lover.
As a devotee of Ahsoka, the Goddess of the Hunt, you pledged your loyalty to her with a sacred vow. To remain pure. Sure, it was silly and not very feminist-positive of Ahsoka, but she was an Olympian. The Olympians were traditional in their ways. And that was something you had to deal with. Or workaround. Ahsoka was stubborn, much like her younger twin brother Anakin, but even though she was a woman, she was treated with the utmost respect and equality. You found yourself constantly drawn to her, admiring her strength and resilience. Every opportunity you had, you would go to her temples, offering your devotion and respect with each visit.
Snap.
Your heads snapped around in unison, your hearts pounding, as you braced for the appearance of an unfortunate mortal who had unknowingly interrupted you. However, standing behind you, bathed in the golden light of the morning sun, was none other than the Sun God himself, Anakin.
“Anakin! Your majesty, to what honor do we have to be graced with your presence?” Padme’s words were honey to your ears, and she quickly pulled you down into a curtesy next to you.
“I came for a Naiad by the name of Y/N.” Your heart dropped. Fuck. “I wish to seek her hand.” Padme turned to you, her eyes wide along with your slacked jaw. What the fuck was happening?
The first thing you noticed was his smile. A self-satisfied smirk stretched across his face, the kind that made his whole body seem to radiate arrogance. Sure, he was attractive; he was an Olympian, after all, but there was something about him you couldn’t stand. There was no mistaking the pretentiousness. You had pictured him with golden hair, but his hair was a surprising chestnut brown, the curls soft and unruly, framing his face like a halo of warm sunlight. The intricate details of his armor were impressive, reminding you of his sister’s. And when your eyes met his, you saw that same hollow emptiness in his gaze, reflecting the void you carried within. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. Hopefully, he wouldn’t ruin it by opening his mouth.
“Go!” Padme whisper-shouted next to you, pushing you forward.
“Your majesty,” You cringed at your words.
“Anakin.” He mused, his smirk growing as his eyes lingered on your form. Your wet dress suddenly felt a lot wetter tighter.
“Anakin,” You faked a smile, purely out of fear of what you’d do next. “As much as I am flattered by your offer, I made a sacred vow to your sister that I plan to uphold. I do apologize. I am honored to be considered by you.” He nodded slowly, his smile widening and his eyes holding something mischievous within them.
“You know, Nymph,”
“Naiad- I mean, Y/N.” You stuttered. Padme’s eyes widen as she stomps your foot to shut you up.
“Y/N,” he winks and leans closer, his breath hot on your cold, wet cheek as his mouth is centimeters from your ear. “Normally, I would take what is mine. But you are lucky to be in favor with my sister, and that I love a good challenge. We will see just how much longer you will remain pure, my muse. You are the most beautiful creature I’ve had the privilege of laying my immortal eyes on, and I plan to have you.”
You freeze. A challenge? Who the hell did he think he was?
But before you had time to say anything else stupid, he was gone.
“Are you fucking CRAZY?” Padme grabs you, shaking your body, “You just rejected THE Anakin. Ahsoka’s brother. That’s, like, probably, the only pass you’d ever get not to remain pure. You should have taken it! And Y/N, you cannot speak to him like that! You’re lucky he didn’t just take you with him as prisoner or send you to Hades-”
“Padme! Come on, you heard him. He likes a challenge. It’s obvious that this is far from over.” You trailed off, your mind uneasy at the thought.
Realistically, you had to weigh the pros and cons.
Pros: He was hot. It would give you a higher status. You could have a family. You could be closer with Ahsoka. It would fill the void within you. He could possibly be a good person, maybe even a good lover. He could be the best sex you’d ever had.
Cons: It was Anakin. He’s arrogant and everything you could dislike in a lover. He could potentially ruin your relationship with Ahsoka and create an eternal enemy that would end your life as you know it. He could ruin your life. He could be the best sex you’d ever had.
Fuckkkkkkkkk.
Week after week, Anakin shows unwavering resolve in his pursuits.
The first week, he’d occasionally drop by, leaving nothing but wine and flowers and his sweet, sweet words.
“I’d do anything to make you mine, Y/N. Just one chance.”
“Please, you’re the love of my immortal life. I want nothing but to spend the rest of eternity with you.”
“I can’t get enough of watching you. You’re so fucking beautiful.”
“Let me be yours, please. I’m so in love with you. It’s killing me.”
Eventually, you began to play along. You loved how his eyes would light up when you gave him hope, but the return of his arrogant smile when you turned him down again made you roll your eyes.
The admission, though loathsome, was undeniable: you were falling for him. You gotta give it to him- consistency was key. But did the cons outweigh the pros? The situation was tricky, and not ideal. If only he were a dumb mortal and not Zeus’s favorite son. And not the brother of a God you’ve spent your entire life worshipping and having a precious oath, too. If only.
The second week saw the gifts become more intense, each one a thrilling surprise. He brought you a beautiful cat, along with some flowers from Olympus to plant near the river. The gesture was sweet, the cat was cute, and the flowers were divine, literally. Although you were tempted, you held your ground, and your answer was a firm, unwavering no.
Anakin's patience was wearing thin by week three, his annoyance growing with each passing day. He thought he had given you everything you could have desired as a river nymph, showering you with gifts that would make any naiad happy. As someone he hoped to share his life with, he offered his heart and devotion. Even though he tried, you were still refusing his advances. He didn’t take you as one for material goods, but who was he to judge? So, he began leaving you jewelry that was unlike anything you'd ever seen, intricate pieces that captured the essence of nature and water in every detail. And, of course, they were all gold. The necklace he had given you was his favorite, a simple gold sun pendant suspended on a chain, worn close to your heart.
“Do you like it, my love?” Anakin held the necklace in your hands, watching your smile grow beneath him.
“Anakin- I- It’s beautiful. I love it. I’ve never owned anything quite like this before.” You smiled up at him, the sunlight reflecting in your eyes in such a way that he’d drown if he looked for too long.
“Would you like me to put it on you?” He whispered, his eyes trailing from your own down to your lips.
“Yes,” You whispered back, allowing him to turn you around and move your hair.
His fingers moved slowly across the back of your neck, their light touch sending shivers down your arms. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of your neck, and much to your own surprise, you let out a soft moan against his touch. His presence behind you was heavy with insolence, and even though you couldn't see him, you could practically feel his smug grin on the back of your head. He laid the necklace against your chest, and you instinctively reached your hand up to touch it, only to be met with his own as he pulled you closer.
“Y/N,” He groaned softly, resting his forehead upon your shoulder, “Please. I’m in agony.” You hummed against him, leaning back onto his chest as the sunlight washed over your wet skin.
“Ani, I can’t. You know this, baby.” You turned around to face him, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. “Thank you for the necklace- I really love it. You’ve been so kind to me.”
He smiled back at you and was gone once again.
During week four, his presence dwindled. He came only a couple of days, mostly just to bring you offerings. This time, he started leaving little love notes instead of his usual visits you had become accustomed to.
My muse,
Every day I do not spend with you is tortuous. You are everything to me. You are the air I breathe, the Sun I worship, the light bringer of my life. I did not know love could be so powerful, so intoxicating, just like you. To me, you are love. You are the physical representation of everything I have ever wanted from this life. I’d give it all up for you. Olympus doesn’t matter if it means I could have you. And if it’s my sister you are worried about, I would have it handled. I would keep you safe and spend the rest of eternity loving you, worshipping you, and making you happy and fulfilled. Please just give me a chance, darling; that is all I ask. I feel ashamed for not coming to see you in person, but I couldn’t bear to look at you. It has only brought me pain and suffering as of late. I know it is not your fault, but you are all I want. I’m not giving up on you yet, but I feel as if maybe some distance would help you. Perhaps I’ve come on too strongly. Too confident. And if it means changing who I am to have you, consider it done.
With love for eternity,
Your Anakin.
As you held the letter in your hands, you barely noticed how your hands shook, and your body trembled. You didn’t see how you instinctively brought the letter to your heart, holding it close as stray tears cascaded down your face. And you certainly didn’t notice Padme’s presence; her soft touch was comforting on your arm as she appeared behind you.
“Honey, you should give him a chance. He’s really trying. I don’t know what that letter says, but for it to evoke that reaction from you, it must be genuine. Unless he plans to kill me or our father, then maybe not so-”
The hug you gave her was warm and tight, a genuine embrace she hadn't felt from you in years. She held you close, the heat from the sun radiating off of the both of you and sending you into more of a frenzy than ever. Even though you couldn't see him, you knew Anakin was watching, and the feeling of his intensity was a constant presence. You felt a strange indifference, a lack of concern that surprised even you. But you just wanted to feel.
By week five, Anakin had stopped appearing altogether, but his presence was still there. Maybe it was when you healed the water, or took care of the plants, or gave an offering to Ahsoka, but it always felt like he was standing right there next to you, offering a helpful hand in your tasks. It seemed that he was beginning to fill that void inside of you. And as much as you desperately wanted that, now that you were so close to having it, the idea terrified you.
“Do you think he’ll come back?” You quietly asked as Padme lit a candle, preparing for another ritual.
“Would you grab the wine and pour the libation, Y/N? I’m afraid we must move on with this for right now.” She smiled gently, attempting to lighten your mood. It didn’t work. The last thing you wanted to do was worship his sister.
As much as you hated it, you did as you were told. You headed further into the cave you and Padme made into the oasis you called home. As you turned the corner into your private quarters, you noticed the wine stacked by your “bed.”
As you and Padme ventured out and stumbled upon your own Oasis, you both set out to personalize it, infusing it with your own unique touch, making it a place you could truly call your own. The cave behind the waterfall was a breathtaking sight - lush green plants carpeted the floor around the river, colorful creatures flitted through the air, and the soft glow of candles danced off the shimmering crystals. The river ran through the cave, a constant source of fresh water, offering a home for you and your sister amidst the silent stone. It was everything you had ever dreamed of. But, as sisters, you both still needed your privacy, so it was made sure that you both had your own private sectors of the cave. Your quarters were filled with treasures you collected from the forest - musical instruments, shiny jewelry, beautiful dresses, furniture in both perfect and broken states, and writing tools. You even brought back random knick-knacks that you saw potential in. One mortal's trash is another Naiad’s treasure.
The sight of the wine on the stool made your stomach churn, as you thought about the God who had given it to you. Would it be weird to worship Ahsoka with the wine her brother declared his love to you over? Probably. You weren’t willing to risk it. Your fingers danced across the cool glass of the bottle, remembering the warmth of his hands as he placed it in yours. Honestly, what was wrong with you? This was wrong. You knew that. You couldn’t possibly love Anakin. And he couldn’t possibly love you. Anakin could have any woman, goddess, nymph, and mortal alike, so why would he choose you out of everyone?
Against all odds, he did. And he kept doing it. His absence had sparked a flicker of doubt within you. And as hard as it was to admit, you missed him.
—----------------------
“Obi-Wan, I cannot do this any longer. She doesn’t love me. Please, take my misery away from me.”
Anakin wasn’t himself. Obi-Wan could see that. Even though it seemed impossible for an immortal being to have bags under his eyes, Anakin somehow managed it. He looked rough. He looked sad. And Obi-Wan genuinely felt for him.
“Tell me more,” Obi-Wan leans back against his chair, stroking his beard as he watched the God fall apart in front of him.
“It seems that nothing has worked. I’ve tried to win her over with lavish gifts, these grand gestures of love. I’ve written her letters, given her space, and told her how I felt- how much I loved her. It-It’s not enough. She doesn’t want me. In all of my years as a God, I have finally found a worthy opponent. And this is a battle I will not win. It is a battle I will never win. I have finally been defeated. Y/N has taken my heart, and I will let her do it a thousand times more for the eternity that we live. My heart belongs to her and her only. She has filled a void within me that I never thought would disappear.” Anakin sits down in the chair beside Obi-Wan, throwing his head into his hands. He lifts his head up to look at the man beside him, and Obi-Wan instantly freezes.
Anakin was crying. The Anakin. Was. Crying. He had never been so deeply affected by anyone before, and the weight of his newfound emotions pressed down on him heavily. Obi-Wan felt a pang of guilt, realizing that his attempt to teach Anakin a lesson had inadvertently caused him immense pain.
But Anakin passed Obi-Wan’s test with flying colors. The deal was that you couldn’t truly fall for Anakin until he finally let go of his pride and broke down the defenses he'd spent years erecting. Only once you have allowed him to be vulnerable and show his authentic self, could you begin to love him back. To see him for what he truly was, yes, he was a god, but he was still a man. A man who had fallen deeply in love with you. A man who was heartbroken, and finally admitted defeat. He had met his match.
“I think you should visit her one last time, Anakin. Maybe say your goodbyes. I’m very sorry I put you through this, old friend.” Obi-Wan flashed him a small smile, earning a nod in response.
“Actually, no need to apologize. You’ve taught me a valuable lesson. For years, I thought that I could never be beaten, and that I was better than anyone, and now I see that even I have challenges I cannot overcome. I have been arrogant. Selfish. And I am truly sorry. Now that I have felt true pain, I cannot imagine the suffering I have caused. I will visit her one last time. She needs to know how she has changed me.”
—-------------------------
The pre-dawn darkness had settled in when Padme left for the meeting on Mount Olympus, the air heavy with anticipation and the rustle of the wind through the trees. What it concerned, you had no idea. But she was always into politics like that, and you respected her for it. She was driven, and despite only being a Naiad, she made sure that her voice was heard and that she spoke for those around her.
You sat along the riverbed, the gentle sound of the water rippling over stones a constant companion, watching as the morning sun rising reflected off of the water and the lilies that lined your stream. The Greek world was so beautiful, and you were so glad that you were able to experience it. You watched the frogs, green and plump, hop from pad to pad, their croaks blending with the splash of the fish swimming in synchronized schools, their scales glinting like silver coins. It was peaceful, and you were thankful for it.
Before you could think about him, you felt him.
“Anakin,” You whispered, feeling his presence behind you. Your eyes began to feel heavy, your heart pounding in your chest.
“I am here to say goodbye, my love.” He mumbled from behind you, not daring to move an inch.
“Would you sit with me?” you mumbled, keeping your gaze on the lilies, scared to show your solemn face. He slowly sat next to you, with more space between you than you would have liked.
‘I’m sor-”
“Anakin, I have fallen for you. You have won me over. But, I must admit, I am apprehensive because my loyalty lies with your sister, and I do not want my life to be ruined. I’ve heard too many stories of nymphs falling for a God and being destroyed in the process. I cannot give up my life up like that, and I will not. So, if you truly love me as you say, I need to to swear to me and your father that you will love me and only me for eternity, that you will never abandon me, and that you will give me the family and life that I deserve.” You finally turn your head to face him, your eyes welled with tears as he gazed upon your face, memorizing your features.
“Y/N, I swear upon every God, Goddess, Nymph, Demi-God, and whatever else out there that I will love you for eternity. That you will always have me. And I will continue to show my love, be there for you, and treat you as you deserve. You are priceless and my life as a God means nothing without you.”
You didn’t give him a response, no, he finally deserved a kiss. The one he had been waiting so patiently for.
You pressed your lips fervently against his, eagerly exploring his mouth with your tongue, while your hands became entwined in his hair. Letting out a gentle moan, he deepened the kiss, reveling in the sensation that he never wanted to end. He tasted like figs, sweet and savory, a flavor you could taste for eternity. His tongue eagerly explored yours, a silent struggle for control as he sought to please you. His hand grazed your cheek, holding you against him as if you were a second away from disappearing.
His touch traveled down your neck, finally arriving at your damp, clothed chest, where he tenderly held your breasts, his thumb moving in circular motions on your nipple. Now, it was your turn to moan.
“Baby,” He broke the kiss, holding your forehead against his as you both attempted to catch your breath. You were apprehensive. You had never done this before, and Anakin was intimidating. “Hey, look at me. It’s just me. Let me take care of you- make you feel good. Does that sound okay?”
You looked up to meet his blue eyes, his blown pupils staring into your soul, overflowing with adoration. You nodded slowly in response, a small smile gracing your lips.
“Can I hear you say it, darling?” He whispered against your lips as he peppered small kisses on your cheek and down your chin, reaching your neck. His kisses seared your skin like the sun, feeling warm and holy.
“Anakin, I need you to make me feel good. Please.” You whimpered under his touch, the warmth in between your legs growing wetter by the second. The desperation gnawed at you, a constant hunger that wouldn't be satisfied. You needed Anakin to take what was his- immediately.
He falls on top of you, his weight a welcome force as you pull him down. His kisses rain down on your neck, hot and needy, while his fingers trace the curves of your body, each touch a possessive claim. He presses himself into you ever so slightly, and you moan at the sensation between your legs.
His hand finds its way down your hips, inching closer and closer towards where you really needed it. With a mischievous grin, he carefully pulls up your wet lace dress before planting another sloppy, wet kiss on your lips. Your hands tighten on his shoulders, your breath hitching in your throat as his fingers slowly dance up your legs. His hand snakes up your thighs, rubbing them and pinching them as he continues to control your kiss, his tongue deliberate and delicate against yours. His hand slips under your top and then under the neckline of your dress, teasingly massaging your breasts and nipples. It was an overwhelming feeling, and his bulge growing between your legs didn’t help at all.
Anakin pauses, and you sense a shift in the air, a prickling sensation that raises goosebumps on your arms. You’d never been this close to anyone before. You’ve never let someone touch you in a spot so sacred, so holy. Letting Anakin feel this part of you, touch every inch of your body, it was a new ritual on its own. One you weren’t familiar with. But as a Naiad, you had a duty to uphold. You needed to worship.
‘Do you trust me?” He whispers against your lips, pulling you out of your moment of ecstasy.
“Yes.”
“I will take such good care of you. I’m going to make you feel so good, my love. It may hurt at first, but I need you to trust me. Do you want me to touch you, angel?” You nodded in response, letting out a giggle and soft smile at his sweet words.
“Of course, Ani. Please.” You practically whimpered, watching as his smile grew into the familiar, arrogant one you had met all those weeks ago.
Anakin's hand slowly moves up to your throbbing clit, his fingers gently exploring your wetness, teasing a response from you. He had you completely under his control. It was a foreign feeling, the way he touched you, and yet all you could do was subconsciously push yourself against his fingers, begging for more. Anakin was eager to memorize you. The things that made you feel good, made you squirm, made you moan, and most importantly- made you cum.
“Such a needy thing, aren’t you? Just needed me to take care of you so bad. Needed me to take away that innocence and purity you held above my head for weeks.”
Before you could respond, his thumb aggressively pressed into your clit, rubbing soft circles that evoked noises from you that you didn’t know were possible. You push yourself into him further, laying your head upon his shoulder as you sit upright, suddenly overwhelmed by the pleasure he is giving you. A new fluttering sensation found itself below your stomach, feeling hotter and hotter by the second. The pressure keeps building, as Anakin picks up the pace, watching you with determined, golden eyes. You clutch his arm tighter, squeezing your eyes shut and letting out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.
“Ani- I-” You barely gasped out, the knot in your stomach tightening as you were getting closer and closer to coming undone. As he worked his thumb against your clit faster, he felt the way you grew wetter underneath his touch, the way your hips bucked against him, and the way your legs shook underneath him. He let it go straight to his ego and dick.
“Yeah, angel? You like that? You gonna cum for me now?” He smirks.
“Anakin, I-” Before you knew it, he pushed two fingers inside of you and curled them up against that sweet spot where you didn’t know you needed it most, sending you over the edge. You feel every inch of his fingers against your walls, feeling so stuffed to the brim you burst. Your body convulses beneath him, and his moans mix with yours, both overwhelmed by the intensity of your orgasm.
“That’s perfect, just like that baby. You’re doing so good, can’t wait until it’s my cock inside you, making you cum and moan like that. Look at how perfect you are. So fucking beautiful.” He mumbles into your ear as he continues to work his fingers faster through your orgasm, practically torturing you with his touch.
You called his name like a prayer, worshiping him as you would any other God. He gave you more than they ever could, and you couldn’t help but moan his name into a new hymn you’d gladly sing over and over again. When you finally come down, he removes his fingers and licks them slowly in front of you, showing how much he truly worships you.
“Fuck, I need to get a taste.” He aggressively pushes your body down against the grass, lifting your dress and pulling your hips against his face.
He licks a long stripe up the side of your thigh, relishing in how loud it’s already making you moan. You feel him smirk against you once again as he places a sloppy, wet kiss against your folds. He licks a stripe down your center, and you instantly get goosebumps as you whimper and whine underneath him. Anakin doesn’t care, no, Anakin wants to make sure you savor every touch, lick, and kiss he has to offer. He flicks his tongue against your clit, slow and deliberately, wanting to feel your reaction against his tongue. Once again, you only grew wetter and he only grew more famished. He finally starts at an increasingly slow pace as he laps against your folds, not giving it to you where you really need it.
To Anakin, licking your clit was the nourishment he didn’t realize he missed. He had never truly been satisfied until his tongue was in between your legs, slowly savoring every fold and taste, never wanting to leave.
“A-Ani, please, I-I need it!” He pauses.
“You don’t know what you need, Angel.” He finally picks up the pace, lapping at your clit at an unrelentless pace, feeling you squirm underneath him. It was overwhelming, and you were bound to cum again any second with the way he was abusing your poor, poor pussy. Finally, the warmth returned, increasing the tension that had been building, and the knot felt like it might unravel any minute. You feel yourself on the edge; just a couple more flicks of his tongue and-
Anakin pulls away, coming over from under you with a wet mouth and nose, a sweet smile spread across his face as he pulls you against his lips.
“You taste so good, yeah? You taste that? Fucking incredible. I could drink you all fucking day.” He mumbles as he continues to hungrily kiss you, his hands holding you down as if you’d escape from him at any second.
As he lifts you upright, his arms effortlessly strip off your dress, leaving you completely exposed. His eyes danced across your skin, tracing every curve and line, drawn to the intoxicating glow your body had in his sunlight. He unconsciously started taking his own clothes off, his eyes never leaving your panting, wet figure beneath him.
As soon as his cock sprung out, you felt your breath catch in your throat. He was fucking huge. His cock was long, thick, and veiny, a beautiful pink color that would fill you up so good. He stroked it in his hands slowly, and your eyes finally made their way back to his, your mouth slightly agape in shock. He smiled at you sweetly, his hand never leaving his cock as he started to stroke a little faster, letting out a small moan as his eyes gazed upon your beautiful naked body on the riverbed.
“Come here beautiful, no need to be afraid. I’ll take such good care of you.” Anakin pulls you closer to him, positioning himself between your legs. He slaps the tip of his cock against your folds a couple of times, and you feel the heat rising to your cheeks. “This part is going to hurt a little bit, okay? I promise I will never ever hurt you, but this will sting. If you need me to stop, tell me. We can take this as slow as you want. Ready, Angel?”
You divert your attention from his cock outlining you to his eyes and his soft, sweet smile. It’s no wonder that you fell in love with him, truly. He was the better of the Gods, but it was so, so easy to fit him in with the rest. Were you worried he was going to taint you and then leave? Absolutely. Did you want to change anything about the moment?
“Yes, I’m ready. I’m nervous, but-“ You take a second to cup his cheek, letting yourself smile underneath him, “I trust you, Anakin.”
With your approval, Anakin slowly pushed his thick tip into your small, virgin pussy. He groaned at the contact, watching as you let out a painful, pleasurable moan from the feeling. He filled you so entirely, so completely, that the emptiness inside you vanished, replaced by a sense of wholeness you never thought possible. He grinned at the way his cock bulged from inside you, knowing that he was going to split you in half and make you scream his name again. He could never get enough of the way his name rolled off your tongue, the way you lingered on each syllable, your back arched in pleasure as you called out for him.
“H-How are we doing down there?” He barely groans out, tracing your cheek with his finger, “Fuck, I can barely contain myself right now.”
“I-I’m okay. It stings, but I want you to keep going- I need you to keep going.” You pull yourself up slightly, putting your hands around his shoulders and pulling him further into you. He was so deep, so intoxicating as he filled you up. You kiss him, burying your tongue down his throat to silence your painful moans. It hurt so bad, but you couldn’t get enough of him. You needed more.
“Fuck, Y/N, that was so fucking hot. Can I fuck you? Please? You feel too good.”
You could barely manage a whispered "yes" before Anakin thrust himself into you with full force, slamming his cock into your cervix. You let out a loud scream, never feeling so full and overwhelmed at the same time. With his free hand, he brought his thumb back down and massaged your clit in small, rhythmic circles, bringing you closer and closer to the edge.
He made sure to keep checking on you as he fucked you relentlessly, watching how your head bobbed and your eyes rolled as you took him so good. You had heard stories about how “God sex” was another level, but you didn’t think it’d be this fucking good.
As he felt you grip around him tighter, he slowed down, suddenly wanting to take his time more than he had before. His eyes softened at the sight of you. Your cheeks flushed and tear-stained, your entire body wet and glistening under his sun, his own saliva dripping down your chin as you let out soft moans from his slow thrusts. You were mesmerizing, you deserved to be worshipped. And that’s exactly what he was going to do.
“I want us to cum at the exact same time, okay? Solidify our bond together. I want us to reach that point together. You let me know exactly when you are going to cum.” He whispered against your lips, pumping his thick cock and holding back a groan.
The slowness of his movement was torturous, his brows furrowing as he watched you below him, each agonizing inch he pushed into you taking what felt like an eternity. You felt exposed, vulnerable, but he had a way of making you feel like the most incredible fucking thing in all of the Greek world. You look down and watch as his thick cock slowly pushes himself into you, memorizing his every vein and freckle. He continues to impale you over and over again, groaning and moaning your name like his own prayer. The squelching of your wetness and the way he moved his hips was making that pressure return from before, except it was seeking a vengeance this time.
Anakin picks up the pace as your cries grow louder, watching your body language and responding the best way he could. He played with your tits as they bounced from the forcefulness of his cock against your cervix. The knot in your stomach returned, the pressure building more and more- eager to explode.
And as you felt your orgasm coming on, your hips bucking up against his, your cries and moans increasing, you finally opened your eyes and looked at the God above you. The sun highlighted his face like it was made for him, his hair and eyes golden under the light. His collarbone and abs shimmered, a mixture of sweat and juices making him glisten above you. He really was a god, a beautiful and misunderstood creature who wanted nothing more than to love and be loved. And in that moment, you’d give it to him.
“A-Anakin, I’m gonna- I-“
“That’s right, baby, I’m close too, push me over the edge, yeah? Make me fill you up so good and full with my Godly cum. You can do this, baby, please-“ He cut himself off with a groan, feeling your walls squeezing tighter against him, your body, golden from his sun, trembling underneath him.
“Ani- I- Fuck- I-I love you!”
As soon as the words left your mouth, the band snapped and your walls were pulsating around him. Your moans were loud, your back arched into him as you heard him curse and groan from atop you, his cock cumming deep inside you, making you his, and making him yours. He memorized the tears as they streamed down your cheek from your orgasm, your eyes squeezed shut as you were filled to the brim with pure ecstasy.
Anakin pulled out, collapsing on the grass next to you as you both attempted to catch your breath.
“Y/N, y-your- that- that was the most fucking incredible experience I have ever had.” He barely breathed out, still coming down from the orgasm you gave him.
As you caught your breath, you rolled onto your side to look at him once again, the beauty of the sun god as he lay by your river.
“You aren’t leaving now, are you?” You whisper, your eyes solemn as you trace your initials on his chest.
“Never, baby. You’re stuck with me for eternity.” Anakin beamed at you, pushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear before he pulled you on top of him into another deep kiss.
“Wait, Ani-“ You pulled away, noticing eyes were etched with concern and you let out a little giggle, “I have something I wanted to give you. Since you’ve given me all of those gifts before and- well- I meant to give it to you earlier but we got so caught up in things.” You blush under his gaze, your nerves catching up to you as you thought about your gift.
“Angel, you didn’t have to do that. But I promise I will cherish whatever you give me for the rest of time. Lemme see.”
You stand up from beside him, watching as he lay naked against your riverbed as if he had always belonged there. Except now he did. Your cheeks flushed as you turned away from him to walk to the laurel tree, feeling his eyes on you.
Your hand reached up to a branch, pulling it from the tree and snapping it off, your heart aching at your actions. As you walked towards Anakin, the laurel branch transformed into a crown under your skilled hands, its leaves shimmering with the soft light of your Naiad magic.
“I wanted to give you a piece of me, because I know that you have other responsibilities and I won’t always get to see you.” You placed the crown upon his head, before taking his hands within yours, “That laurel tree made me pick this spot. It’s always been my favorite. This crown will never die, and the leaves will never fall, it is eternal- just like our love.”
A radiant smile spread across Anakin’s face as happy tears welled up in his eyes. He enveloped you in a tight hug, and you could feel the warmth of his affection. His fingers traced the contours of your back, a lingering touch, as he whispered his thanks, each word laced with a desperation that made your heart ache. It was strange how you got here, but yet you had found that missing piece. You didn’t expect him to be the God of the Sun, Zeus’s favorite, or anything like that. To you, he was just your Anakin. Your sweet, sweet Anakin.
“I thought I’d be searching for eternity throughout the Greek world for a love like this. And yet, you were brought to me.” Anakin pressed his forehead against yours, closing his eyes as the weight of his words came down on the both of you, “Our love is eternal.”
“Our love is eternal.”
#anakin skywalker#anakin skywalker x reader#anakin skywalker x reader fluff#anakin skywalker x reader series#anakin smut#anakin x reader#anakin x you#anakin and padme#kenobi#obi wan#anakin and ahsoka#anakin au#obi wan and anakin#star wars anakin#anakin slow burn#modern anakin#prequels#darth vader#anakin skywalker x you#anakin skywalker imagine#anakin skywalker smut#anakin skywalker fanfiction#smut#ancient greece#greek gods#greek mythology#apollo#star wars rots#star wars prequels#star wars
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SIGMA?
𝐄𝐍𝐇𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐍 and brainrot humor?
OT7 ENHYPEN x fem!reader. . . CONTENT/ WARNING(S) : brain rot + comedy + skinship + petnames . . WORD COUNT : 765 . CHECK BOX !!
yu-note : had no idea how to use these terms correctly, but here it is! Got this idea when I heard someone yell 'SIGMA' on the train...
( reblogs + feedback always appreciated !! )
𝗟𝗘𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗨𝗡𝗚
He walks into your room, shifting your prior attention from the book to him. He stands there for a while as the two of you share a brief moment of eye contact. "Babe, do I have rizz?" It takes a while for you to comprehend the words he just said. "Rizz?" You echo, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, rizz. Do I have rizz?" Heeseung stands by the door and you are even more confused. "What is rizz, Hee? You sound crazy." You chuckle awkwardly, closing the book in your lap. "I bagged you, so I must’ve some rizz." He talks to himself, and you give up.
(rest of the memebers under the cut!)
𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗝𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗚
He wouldn't, but if you used brainrot, he'd think a parasite made its way into your skull. You two were at an amusement park, and as you watched the dolphins jump and do tricks in the water and above, you can't help but to be astonished by the performance. "What did you think?" Jay asks, holding your hand while he guides you towards the exit. "That was so skibidi." You exclaimed, making Jay stop in his tracks. "Pardon me." He looks at you wide eyed as if you kidnapped someone. "Wasn't it great?" "Yes, sweetheart, it was, but what is 'skibidi'?" His eyebrows are knitted together and you laugh aloud at his expression.
𝗦𝗜𝗠 𝗝𝗔𝗘𝗬𝗨𝗡
You leaned against his shoulder as he scrolled through his social media feed, being met with clips aside of both your interests. You two watch a video of a guy singing and he opens the comment section. "Real sigma." A comment that Jake read, said. He burst out laughing with you following his lead. "Sigma as in the greek alphabet?" He manages to say through sharp breaths. "Look at this!" You spot another comment, and you two laugh at it together again. After calming down, you look at him and he repeats a comment causing you to turn into a fit of laughter that caused your stomach to ache.
𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙆 𝙎𝙐𝙉𝙂𝙃𝙊𝙊𝙉
"Erm, what the sigma." You blurt out, seeing the UNO cards that you received. "Sweet Girl, what are you saying?" He doesn't turn his gaze away from his cards, but the confusion is evident in his tone. "I don't know, but can we please reshuffle the cards." You sulk, and Sunghoon chuckles. "No way, I like my cards. Sorry, Honey." You can see how he enjoys this and groan, "what the freak." You stubbornly place your card and Sunghoon makes a comment. "I think you're starting to spend too much time with Jake, sweetie." "He's my brainrot buddie." You sigh. "I can be your brainrot buddy, babe."
𝗞𝗜𝗠 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗢𝗢
"This new generation is doomed." Sunoo complains after seeing kids run around the streets while screaming words no one has heard before. "Unfortunate, isn't it?" He asks, his arms linking with yours. "I think it's quite fun as long as it's just jokes." You explained, hearing no response from Sunoo. "I love you, but we need to agree that this is hillarious, babe." You see the terror in his eyes as you chuckle. "No, but like, it is hillarious. I can imagine running around and screaming Sigma." It's silent, and you see Sunoo giving you the stink eye. "I'm starting to understand what an ick is now." "I was just kidding, sunsun, please!" You plead.
𝗬𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗪𝗢𝗡
"Pretty girl, do you know what people mean by this?" He shows you his screen and you take a quick look before turning to him confused. "Baby, what's this?" Jungwon sinks into your lap and shrugs. "Not sure what skibidi toilet is." You pat his head, and pull up your phone to find out what it is. As you type, you hear Jungwon humming along the song on his feed. When you see the result of 'skibidi toilet' pop up and cover your mouth in shock at how ridiculous it looked before showing Jungwon who suddenly stopped singing. "Ok, what the flip."
𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗔 𝗥𝗜𝗞𝗜
Riki enters the kitchen and takes a seat beside you on the table. "What's up, baby?" You ask, noticing his change in demeanour. "I want to throw away my phone." He shakes his head as he holds it in place like it's gonna fall off after what he experienced. "Huh?" You are confused by this and your boyfriend pulls out his phone again and hands you it. "Take it away from be, please. I can't with these people saying 'very demure' all the time. "Oh? really?" You ask and he nods. "This behaviour is very demure." You say, and he groans. "Not demure, and not skibidi."
TAGLIST : @dollyhoon @itjengirl
#yuvany's work౨ৎ#enhypen#enhypen fluff#enhypen x reader#enhypen drabbles#enhypen imagines#enhypen scenarios#enhypen headcanons#enha#enha x reader#enhypen x you#enha fluff#enha imagines#enha drabbles#lee heeseung#jay park#sim jake#park sunghoon#yang jungwon#nishimura riki#ni ki x reader#heeseung x reader#jay x reader#jake x reader#sunghoon x reader#jungwon x reader#kim sunoo#sunoo x reader#enhypen x female reader#enhypen x y/n
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what turns them on/off
彡drivers lewis hamilton, max verstappen, charles leclerc, sebastian vettel, jenson button
彡genre hcs/scenarios
彡summary what gets their wheels spinning and what makes ‘em dnf ★
彡notes i apologize for the wait my loves i didn’t want any of these to feel rushed </3 thank you for 100 followers ❤️❤️
彡warnings sexual content
————-꧁🪼🦈🐋🐬🦭꧂-————
lewis
pleasuring you lewis loves to satisfy the people he loves. getting them gifts, compliments, paying the bill for any meal, you name it. as long as his special ones are happy, hes happy. so in bed you can expect those same things to apply. he gets pleasure from pleasuring you, he loves it. he enjoys seeing you trembling, blushing and fucked out more than his own pleasure. thats why his favorite thing to do is eat you out. and by life itself, this man can EAT!! its almost like your pussy put a spell on him he gets so lost in the sauce. you physically have to push him off to make him stop and by that time your legs are already shaking. he really touches the ocean floor if you know what i mean!! and the d is fire!! and it will put you to sleep. lewis loves being your personal melatonin.
meaningless sex when lewis was single and needed some pleasure every once in a while, he would just go on raya or hit up one of the six trillion girls who wanted him. he wasn’t satisfied with living that way. lewis is a lover not a player. he’s been through a lot of stuff to make him this way and he learned this the hard way through his late twenties and early thirties. born to be a lover, forced to be a hoe !! fortunately though, he met you and looking back on it, he’s realized how much he hated the shallowness of it all. lewis craves for deep meaningful connections and just having sex with random women didn’t fill that hole in his heart. he had to relearn the true meaning of sex and how magical and special such an experience can be. you helped him rediscover this important aspect of his life and it feels great. being with you has definitely taught him quality over quantity.
max
loss of senses max needs to see you, so darkness is a no no. plus, more unnecessary risk of hurting yourselves. he loves the sound of your voice, weather its your moaning and whining as he works your body in every way you enjoy or its just you rambling about your day while running your soft fingers through his thin silky hair. max needs the stimulation of sight and sound to get himself going. “let me hear you” he’ll whisper into your ear
this may be why he loves his mirrors !! the only solution to this issue is to just fuck u in front of a mirror. most men love to do that for their own pleasure but the only thing max is looking at while fucking you in front of a mirror is the way your face twitches, contorts, and relaxes with every thrust. the way your doe eyes roll back and cross, further showing to him how good he fucks you. he picks you up by your neck forcing you to straighten your back as he whispers sweet praise into your ear. “you look so pretty like this baby” “you want me to keep doing that gorgeous?” “uhuh im fucking you good baby” your legs twitch every time his sweet voice sings into your ear telling you everything you need to hear.
charles
charles loves to see you in lace, latex, and silk. the way the latex hugs your figure so beautifully makes you almost look naked. weather its black, beige, white, or print he loves when you look all sexy just for him. silk is almost like maternal for him. as much as he loves to see your curves he also loves the look of ‘sheets after sex’ the open back with the jewelry and the flowy trim, he loves it. it simply just makes him want to imagine you bloated with your shared creation but still keeping your elegance and beauty along with it. the look of silk makes your skin glow like the sun and you simply look like a greek goddess in his eyes. the beautiful custom embroidery that revolves around your every curve when you wear lace is unmatched. he loves that it shows just enough that he can imagine what hes already seen but also covers enough that others cant. the sexy elegant vibe of lace changes your aura enough to make him want to eat you out through your thin panties. your beautiful skin covered by a thin soft custom embroidery made just for him makes his mind go wild.
waiting charles is very impatient when it comes to his pleasure. weather its the pleasure of winning or reaching tip of his climax so good that he’ll just want to fall asleep after, he’ll work hard to make sure he gets there, for you too. sure, he can do foreplay but only for a certain amount of time until he begins to bore. ‘lets get to the good stuff already’ ((sass)) charles is a gentleman, so he will make sure you finish before him. plus, he has amazing stamina, so don’t feel rushed to reach your climax, he can wait for that. sometimes he’ll slow down just to watch you overstimulate for a little bit longer, just until you start fussing before going rough and slow, just how u like it. “whats wrong mon cœr? don’t you like it slow?” “ahh you want it harder.. yeah, just like that.”
sebastian
cuddling (smirk) the bed creaks as seb adjusts himself to face your back swinging an arm over your waist and the other snaked around your neck. “good morning, der liebling” he greeted in his raspy low morning tone, planting soft kisses on your cheek and shoulder. you turned your head to catch his lips. “good morning sunshine” you teased his nickname. he rolled his eyes, a smirk tugging his lips. he kissed your nose before diving back onto your lips, his hand now squeezing and caressing your waist and hip. you scooted back, carefully grinding your rear on his front. his hand stuck on your hip while his other now holding your neck. you continued grinding your ass back on him. little moans and purrs escaping between kisses.
full attention its important that you fully engage with seb while having relations. if you seem at all uninterested in what you’re doing he simply wont have the means to do anything anymore. its important to always make sure you’re not holding back when it comes to him. he loves when your hands are anywhere they can find groping or caressing his skin as hes burried deep in your core. he needs to feel extra wanted every time. “touch me” he whispers into your ear as he slowly inserts himself. the extra sensory makes him go wild as he resists cumming after just a couple strokes. your nails lightly scratching circles into his scalp as he’s pressing your knees into the cushion below. even when hes fucking you from behind you always reach a hand over to run down his chest and abs and make eye contact as you match his thrust rhythm.
(i might add jenson in the future but im trying to get this out for you guys asap!!)
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dm for tags!! plz request more ideas ❤️
#f1#formula one#f1 x reader#f1 x you#max verstappen#max verstappen x reader#lewis hamilton#max verstappen x gn!reader#lewis hamilton x reader#sebastian vettel#charles leclerc x female oc#charles leclerc x gn!reader#charles leclerc x female reader#charles lecrelc#charles leclerc#lewis hamilton x gn!reader#lewis hamilton x fem!reader#lewis hamilton x you#sir lewis hamilton#lewis hamilton scenarios#sebastian vettel x fem!reader#sebastian vettel x you#sebastian vettel x reader#sebastian vettel scenarios#max verstappen x yn#max verstappen x you#max verstappen scenario#mac verstappen smut#formula one x gn!reader#formula one x y/n
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The Heart of Rome (Marcus Acacius x Ofc!Princess Reader)
All Chapters List
I. Heal the Heart
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, nescio. Sed fieri sentior et excrucior. I love you and I hate you. Why I do this, I have no idea. But I feel it happening and I’m in agony. [Catullus]
Following the conquest of Egypt and its incorporation into the Roman Empire, there was a growing interest in its ancient culture. Over time, many in Egypt began to express a desire for greater autonomy and control over their own affairs. Dissatisfaction with Roman control over Egypt became part of the Egyptian psyche.
This is precisely why, immediately after the death of Emperor Septimius Severus, preparations for revolt began in Egypt. His emperor sons Caracella and Geta were already doing little else but quarreling with each other, drinking and having fun, watch gladiators fighting and feeling proud of themselves. Even when they were informed that their subjects in Egypt had revolted, they continued to do what they were doing. They didn't care about anything but themselves and their daily activities.
The Egyptians were aware of this, of course, they knew they could not be a strong soldier like their emperor father. They were quite sure that the day would come when they, with the help of the Greeks, would put the Roman governors in Egypt to the sword. After all, they had been making preparations since the death of Severus. There were Jews among them too, all of them insistent on establishing the sovereignty of ancient Egypt, but there was one thing they did not consider or pay much attention to.
General Marcus Acacius.
They say, you can feel the ground shake when he walks on it. He makes his opponents feel certain of their own death at the very moment he draws his sword. A daring commander with few who could stand up to him. It is unclear whether this is an exaggeration or not, but it is still rumored that he cut a lion in half in the Colosseum.
A beast in every sense of the word.
More than that, he is a leader who manages his legions very well and spur them on to achieve success during the war, a man who has not yet tasted a failure, well-earned the title of general in every way.
Since it was obvious that no one else could succeed in suppressing the rebellion, he was immediately sent to the region with the intervention of his Empresss Julia Domna, the mother of the two emperors.
Just like she guessed, he had succeeded in putting down the rebellion, of course, no doubt, as soon as his name rang through, the rebels, along with all the inhabitants of Egypt, have knew that they already defeated.
Some were forced to surrender, those who resisted and fled were found and killed by the Roman soldiers, but not all. The general didn't kill the surrendered ones, he took them as captives which was pretty fair for a beast. In contrast to him, the ones who fled were not, they were so desperate that they didn't know what to do and they started attacking everything and everywhere like rabid dogs.
They even attempted to violate the laws of war and mapped out a plan to kill the General and his soldiers, and even all the medics, in the night at their camps. It was a suicide mission, but they were on the verge of success.
'Has anyone seen the General? He's not in his tent!' A burly soldier strode in, holding his sword which was covered in the blood of the rebel he had just killed. He looked through all the tents one by one, moving quickly and with a concerned look on his face.
The clinking of swords echoed in the darkness as the soldiers cut down the last remaining rebels to death with their swords.
Soon, the soldier ran to his General, relieved to see him, but he was wounded in the abdomen moments ago. As he gently pressed his hand to his injury, a small amount of blood emerged, shining like rubies under the moonlight as it dripped from between his strong fingers onto the grass. His attackers were no longer alive, they were all lying on the ground, were literally cut to ribbons. They attacked him in his sleep when he was wearing nothing but his tunic, catching him off guard. He nodded to the soldier, demanding assistance as his white tunic transformed into a crimson hue. He had been wounded many times before, countless times, but this was nothing like before and was undoubtedly the worst injury he had ever sustained. ‘I think, I… got…,’ he groaned, it hurt much even when he speaks, feeling like beneath the wound his blood was boiling. ‘…poisoned.’ These were the last words spilled from his lips before his enormous body slumping to his knees, collapse altogether to the ground.
The woman with waist-length with black hair was dragging you along with her as she walking across the meadow, you were struggled, couldn’t control your feet, as if the ground was sliding under. She had her hands outstretched at her sides, even though her back was turned, it was not difficult to see her smile by the sunlight reflecting the curve of her chin. She abruptly ceased her movement and bent down to gather a few herbs in a meadow. She plucked them, gathered them in her palms, and kissed them. You heard the whispers between her lips and the harmony of the wind rippling through your ears. It was clear that she was blessing these herbs. When she turned to you, you staggered backwards, hypnotized by her face, so beautiful, mesmerizing, her eyes hypnotizing yours, it was impossible to look away, no escape from them.
Perhaps even more surprising than anything else was that her face and eyes were identical to yours. It really was truly astonishing. She handed you the plants like they were rare jewelry. You could see her arms shone in the sun, and her skin looked like fine marble. It was impossible to believe that it could be human skin; it must have been that of a goddess, but why did her face resemble yours?
'Heal the heart, child,' her voice sang through the meadow like a gentle breeze. You couldn't move your lips, but she heard you anyway.
‘Heart?’
A warm wind blew, and the silhouette of the woman came closer, startling you. Her hazel eyes were turning green under the sun. As she slightly opens her lips, you locked your eyes on them and waited eagerly for the answer.
‘The heart of Rome,’ almost whispers, ‘Serve it,’ a little loud now like commanding, ‘Heal it...’ again whispers then gently puts the herbs on your hand.
A strong wind blew, and the silhouette of the woman danced with the wind. The sunny sky burst into a starry night as the wind embraced the silhouette and rose to the sky, to the stars. You felt the ground under your feet, but your eyes were drawn to the enchanting sky.
As the wind finally gave way to the silent night, you looked at the herbs you were holding in your hand. These kind of herbs you were used to seeing almost every day, but what you were not used to seeing was that they were sparkling like diamonds between your fingers. It was as if you could feel their healing power on your skin.
Abruptly, you heard the voice again, echoing across the meadow. Your ears were once more caressed, blessed, but this time, the words were different.
‘Cure him…’
You barely heard your name being called and your body was shaking, slowly opened your eyes, you saw a familiar but worried face.
‘Wake up, please, you need to get up now,’ the concern in the man's voice brought you back to reality, the effect of the dream disappearing like a cloud of dust between the stone walls and dissipating into the air.
‘Uncle?’
You had rarely seen this face of your uncle who had taken you in when you were an orphan, who cared for you, protected you and raised you well more than any other father or mother ever would.
You sat up from the firm mattress you were lying on, ‘I thought we were travelling tomorrow night?’
‘No, no, that's not why I woke you up,’ he put your big dark cloak over your head. ‘You need to hide.’
You were startled to hear shouting and footsteps coming from outside the wooden door of the room. This was not the sort of noise you would normally expect to hear in this Valetudinarium (hospital, clinic) at this late hour.
‘What is going on?’ You rub your eyes with your fingers, trying to figure out the situation.
Your uncle tucked your hair deeper into your cloak.
'The Roman soldiers are gathering all the medici (psychians). I have to go with them.'
'Roman soldiers? I thought they left after they put down the rebellion, and slaughtered thousands. Besides, they already have medici with them why they-?'
He grabbed you by the shoulders, his anxiety evident.
'Some rebels with indigestion murdered all the medici in their tents, and then-'
A soldier's voice was heard from one of the nearby rooms. You both turned your heads in that direction, startled, and then looked at each other again.
'General, they targeted him. They attacked him in his sleep. He got them, but he got poisoned. They want me to save him.'
‘Poisoned? But Uncle, he might already be dead, if you won’t be able to cure him they'll blame you or punish you and-’
‘Don’t think about it now, go and hide, as a woman you are not allowed to be here remember? You have to hide and wait for my return.’
The soldiers' voices were heard very close by.
‘No, I'll come with you, if it's aspis (venomous snake in Nile region) venom we'll use the same techniques as before, like we did with the boy last time, it would take too long to make an antivenom on your own, let me help you.’
‘It's too dangerous for you my dearest, to go among the soldiers, even if you wear these men clothes, we can't hide the beauty of your face, dear.’
You strode over to the cauldron in the fireplace and ran your hands over the soot that had accumulated underneath it.
‘It worked before,’ you said, rubbing a little soot on your cheeks.
‘Only at the market. This time it's more dangerous. I'd never forgive myself if I couldn't protect you there.’
‘Don't worry. I'll be back here as soon as we've finished with the antivenom. I know all the paths and shortcuts very well now.’
Suddenly a soldier burst in, kicking the door angrily, you shuddered.
‘You two! Get out, now! We don't have time!
‘We're making sure to collect all medical supplies, sir,’ he turned to you. ‘Come on, boy, don't dawdle!’
You nodded without looking at soldier, grabbed all medicine bottles.
‘You'd better hurry!’
As soon as the soldier left the room, your uncle moved swiftly to the corner and opened the small wooden chest. He took out a cream-coloured envelope of slightly worn paper, sealed with a wax seal bearing the emblem of Septimius Severus.
'This is…'
'I was going to give this to you tomorrow as I promised last time, but there's no time now. If anything happens to me, you will open it. Everything about your true family is in here.'
You took the envelope from him with shaking hands. The previous emperor himself had sealed it. You wondered what it meant.
Your uncle grabbed your shoulders and shook you, making sure you understood how important this letter was.
‘No one should ever see this. Do you understand me? No one! After you open it, hide it. Do not let anyone see it. But don't lose it, hide it like your life depends on it, you'll understand why.’
You nodded firmly and swallowed hard. You tucked the letter into the bag hanging around your neck and hid it at the very bottom under the medicine bottles, making them rattle in the process.
‘Aya, you’re going to have to choose,’ he looked at you before leaving the room.
‘Choose what uncle?’
‘To run or stay. It’ll make sense when you read the letter,’ he checked the hall and grabbed your wrist. You were so confused but you had to think about this later.
'We have to get out now, soldiers are outside, quick!'
The soldiers had gathered all the medici they could find in the army headquarters, near the tents. There were seven of them yet were unable to find a solution to the General's injury. When it was only you and your uncle who were next, a burly soldier, who was of a higher rank than the others, approached you two. You kept your head down, avoiding eye contact. Everyone was in a rush, with almost all of them mobilized to save the general's life. Your gender didn't matter to them, for now. As you were about to follow your uncle into the tent, the soldier stopped you by raising his hand.
‘Only the medicus.’
‘My aide, sir, let him in. He's as expert as I am.’
As your uncle is their last hope, he let you in, but did not follow you inside, stands guard outside the tent. The General's squire was standing right next to him, he looked at you with tears in his eyes. It was a heartbreaking sight. The sorrow had taken possession of everything inside the tent, and you could feel it right down to your bones.
The General was lying on a mattress in the west corner of the tent. He was unconscious, but you noticed that his lips were moving, like murmuring. You moved forward to look closer to see his face, which you had been so curious about.
His face was exactly as you had imagined, and yet not. He had many scars, as if he had been born with them, his light brown skin embracing them. His moustache and beard were partially grey, his nose and chin perfectly shaped, as if the Prometheus had spent more time shaping this man. His face was stunning, and it made your heart beat fast. You had never felt this way about any other man, well you never had an opportunity to do though.
You were somewhat disappointed to see his eyes closed. You were curious about what they might look like, and you were eager to see what he would look like when he opened them. When you found yourself wanting to touch his face, you were a little surprised. For a moment, you forgot why you were there. Your uncle had already picked up the sword with which General had been wounded and was examining the blood on it. You went over to help him, keeping one eye on the general, lying there with his imposing body and half of the white tunic he wore dyed red.
Your heart constricted with pain, and the dream you had came vividly to mind.
‘Cure him.’
‘We need to check his wound!’ You were startled by your uncle's loud voice, squinting at you, you felt ashamed.
As your uncle beckoned, you approached him, seeing the wound was not deep but the skin around the cut starting to get pale from the venom and the edges curling inwards.
‘He doesn't have much time, let's start making the antivenom now,’ he swallowed, the wound was really getting worse, you had to cure him no matter what.
Maybe, you thought, this is why the Gods showed you this in your dream, they warned you in advance that your life depends on it.
The process of making the antivenom took slightly longer than anticipated, but you persevered admirably. Your uncle cleaned the wound to neutralize it while you were perspiring from the fabric of your clothes. Once the antivenom was finally administered, your uncle applied the antidote carefully to the wound but he was exhausted, fingers are shaking so you helped him even you were feeling so tired too. Your eyelids were almost closed but you managed to complete your duty perfectly.
The soldier from earlier came into the tent to check the process, you bowed your head, and stepped back.
'We've cleaned the wound, once its neutralized, applied the antidote. We just need to wait now,' your uncle informed him, wiping sweat off his forehead. 'We need to give him some time, and make sure he drinks water soon to avoid dehydration.’
As the solider checking the wound you turned your head to look at the squire boy who was sobbing just ago, already fallen asleep. Poor boy, you thought.
The soldier ordered you to leave the tent and wait outside.
You felt your arms and legs go numb with fatigue and collapsed to the ground, sat cross-legged, trying hard to stay awake. Your uncle was same but he still struggled to sleep. In the end, he couldn't control his eyelids.
You woke up to the sound of the soldiers shouting and arguing. You turned your head, couldn't make out what they were disagreeing about, but they were making a lot of noise.
'You better go in and make sure the General drinks some water. He needs to stay hydrated,' your uncle said in firmly, watching the soldiers probably keep an eye on them.
The tent was empty except for the General. The soldier from earlier was outside, reassuring the other soldiers. You approached to check him. His forehead was covered in sweat, his body was fighting with venom. You quickly grabbed a damp cloth and pressed it gently on his forehead. Then you touched his lips with your thin, fragile fingers. You felt something intense growing inside you. As a secret medicus, you have touched the face and other parts of the body of many men and women to cure them. However, touching this man's face and lips was never like touching others.
You took a deep breath to pull yourself together. This was nonsense.
You made his lips crack open and dipped a rag into the fresh water in the copper pot. You pressed it against the general's rather dry, pale lips, squeezing it through his mouth.
After repeatedly doing this, you decided you had enough. Just before you withdrew your hand, the general's strong hand grabbed yours with a firm grip. You were surprised and moaned in pain, opened your hand with pressure, and the rag fell to the ground.
You swallowed hard, your heart racing as you looked at his face. He opened those eyes you had been so curious about and looked at you with a cold, calculating gaze, squeezing your wrist so tightly you felt it would break in a minute. You stifled a scream and moaned in pain, 'Sir, I'm here for help.' You sounded almost as if you were crying, and suddenly he moaned in pain as well, throwing his head back and closing his eyes, the effort drained him. His chest rose and fell rapidly as his breathing quickened.
When he finally released your wrist, you threw yourself backwards for dear life, rubbed your wrist with your other hand and stroked it, praying to the Gods to take the pain away. You could have sworn to Jupiter that if he had squeezed your wrist any harder, you would have heard a cracking sound coming from your bones.
How could he possibly be so strong even when exhausted, so close to death?
As the pain receded, you took a deep breath and forced yourself to calm down. Your thin wrist was painted the red like poppies, as if the shadows of his fingers were engraved on your skin.
You glanced timidly over your shoulder, he was still lying with his eyes closed, but you had just made a terrible mistake, he heard your voice, must have noticed you were a woman, and only the Gods knew what he would do when he came to his senses.
You had to leave immediately, wrapping your wrist in a clean piece of cloth and tucking the sleeve of your dress into it so that the bandage wouldn't be visible. When you came out of the tent, your uncle grabbed your arm and pulled you behind the tent.
‘Uncle, the General seemed to opened his eyes for a moment and heard my voice, he might remember when he awakens,' you said in a whisper, hoping no one have heard you.
‘Gods have mercy upon us,’ he glanced down, murmuring, then grabbed you by shoulders. “Time to go, you need to leave now. Go by following the path through the woods. Soldiers having a disagreement about something, I think they found out-‘
‘You, medicus, come here,’ one of the soldiers shouted at your uncle.
Your uncle gestured to you with his eyes, saying ‘go now’,
'You too!' you gasped as you realised the soldier waving his hand at you.
'Sir, he should stay with the General...' your uncle stepped in front of you to protect you.
'I said come, both of you, now,' he wasn’t asking, it was a firm order.
As you took tentative steps towards the place where the other soldiers were forming a circle beside your uncle, your heart began to beat as if it were going to burst. These were the soldiers who had just fought, and you wondered if they hurt each other, but you could not see anyone hurt or wounded.
On the contrary, they looked at you curiously, only at you.
‘That's nonsense, Dimitrus, this boy can't be a girl,' said one soldier pointing you with a small knife in his hand.
Your uncle was standing next to you, his fear having come true, his face taut with worry.
As the soldier, who you guessed was named Dimitrus, approached you, your uncle took a step in front of him, but the soldier easily overpowered him and pushed him aside. The soldier looked at your body from top to bottom. You bowed your head and clenched your fists. Your heart pounded in your chest as your breathing quickened. He yanked down your hood of your cloak with his big hands, other soldiers came nearby for a better look.
Your hair was tied up at the back of your head, and the soldier's grin widened when he noticed. He drew his dagger from its holster, and when you saw your uncle's worried face behind the soldier's formidable arm, you began to pray to all the Gods.
He grabbed your bun with his hand and cut the hairband with his dagger, your golden-brown wavy hair falling over your shoulders. The soldiers laughed and whistled. Dimitrus looked at them with a cocky smile and turned back to you.
‘Such a long hair for a aide boy, eh?’
'A girl, indeed,' said one soldier, looking at you with disbelief.
‘I told you I could smell a woman a mile away,’ he laughed, his voice booming.
'Please,' you demanded, feeling unable to do anything else. A feeling of despair took control of your whole body.
‘What is going on here?’ The burly soldier approached and noticed your new look, looking at you in astonishment. Dimitrus grabbed you by the hair and pulled you towards him. He then grabbed your chin and turned your face to Octavius.
'Look at her. You don't even know that the medicus brought a girl with him, Octavius?' And you're the general's right-hand man!’
You struggled to move your body, but he was so strong.
‘Hey, I can't see her face clearly!'
You closed your eyes tightly as someone threw wine on your face. Dimitrus wiped your face with his big fingers, rubbing roughly.
'Gods, no ordinary beauty,' looking at you like a hungry wolf, then smells your hair making you feel nauseous.
You tried to look away, but your eyes met your uncle's desperate gaze.
‘That's enough, Dimitrus, let her go, is this what you all thinking while our General lies there like that?’
You rushed to your uncle's side as his hands released your hair.
‘He's already dead, I've never seen anyone get up after being poisoned,’ he says as if he was looking forward to his death.
Octavius drew his sword with a schwing. ‘How dare you! Say that again and I'll cut your tongue off!’ he growled.
Dimitrus' followers drew their swords as well. Octavius looked at each of them with anger and disbelief. He has been betrayed.
‘You filthy rats! I'll kill you one by one!’ He waved his long sword at them.
Dimitrus grabbed your uncle by the collar, 'Start with this one. Who knows what he gave the General instead of medicine?'
‘Yes, he must be punished!’
'Punish him, Octavius!'
They were all yelling at him by raising their swords, you were thinking a way out but there wasn’t any.
‘If you won't, I will,' Dimitrus pointed his swords end at your uncle.
‘No!' you cried but your uncle stopping you with his hand.
Then, as Octavius raised his hand and was about to lunge at him, Dimitrus plunged his sword through your uncle's stomach, the poor man groaning in pain and falling to his knees, and as you ran towards him, he drew back his sword, his blood splashing in your face with the force of the draw. Your body began to shake and you felt paralysed as you watched his lifeless body fall to the ground.
'Dimitrus!' Octavius roared, ‘You've gone too far! What do you think our general will do to you when he awakens?’
You collapsed to your knees in shock, your body rigid and still, your face expressionless yet tears streaming down your cheeks.
'General? You failed to save him, you let that medicus get into his tent, you must share his fate! I will tell the emperors that this is your fault! And I think we should put the general out of his misery-'
Suddenly, an axe emerged from nowhere and plunged into Dimitrus' chest deeply. His body reeled back, shaking, then fell to the ground lying backwards, dying in a pool of blood as everyone looked at him in astonishment and panic. Blood gushed from where his chest had been split open, and when he stopped breathing, laying there as his eyes remained wide open.
They turned their head to see who had thrown the axe and they were shocked once again.
The general could barely stands near his tent, his eyes filled with rage, his gaze blazing with fury. Octavius ran to his side quickly.
'General! Thank Gods you're finally awake!’
'What's going on here, Octavius?' his voice was like a roar.
‘Sir, Dimitrus and others have attempted to mutiny.’
Acacius gave the other soldiers a deathly stare and they immediately kneeled down with their swords upside down.
'No, sir, we did not.’
'Forgive me, sir, it was Dimitrus doing.’
'Sir, please forgive me.’
You closed your uncle's eyelids with your fingers as they all begged for forgiveness. Your back was turned to the General, you didn't care if you live or die, you didn’t care about anything. You felt your whole life was already over.
'If any of you ever dare to do anything like this again,' he walked near Dimitrus’ body and pulled the axe from his chest roughly, you startled by the crunching sound coming from his bones.
'I Marcus Acacius, will make sure that he meets the same fate as this scum!'
He put them all in their place, they all nodded in fear and stood up with his gesture, bowing their heads though couldn't look him in the face.
'Now get ready, we must sail at dawn!'
‘Yes sir!’
All of them sheathing their swords, spreading around in rush.
Acacius staggered a little as they gone at his sight, his wound still hurting but he tried hard not to show them.
Octavius touched his arm, 'Sir, the Gods have spared your life but please rest a little longer.’
'Who is this man?’
You were certain he was talking about your uncle, even though your back was turned to him.
'The medicus who cured you, sir, Dimitrus got mad and killed him because he thought he couldn't save you.'
'As if we haven't lost enough medici tonight. He was wrong obviously. This man managed to cure me. I'm standing thanks to him,' he turned his head to Octavius. 'Make sure this man's body reaches his family. Let the governor know about this. They should fulfil all ritual arrangements.'
Octavius nodded, "Yes sir, I will."
Then both turned their gaze to you. 'What about this one?'
Your body was petrified, you felt the time of execution has come, you’ve never expected the last moments of your life to be like this.
‘I think this was his aide or slave sir, Dimitrus found out she was a woman, that medicus was hiding her, sir,’ he bowed his head in shame, you swallowed.
Acacius' pain returned, he groaned in pain, Octavius grabs his waist gently, "Sir, please rest, you need to get your strength back.’
'Sir!' Acacius' squire came and put his arm under his.
It was time for him to turn his back to you.
‘Since her master has died, take this girl to the other slaves, I don't want any more chaos or mishap,’ he said in a firm voice.
You wiped tears from your eyes with the back of your hand as their footsteps faded away. Two soldiers came and grabbed your arms, lifted you off the ground while the others carrying your uncle’s body. When you turned your head, glancing over your shoulder, saw the General's curly grey hairs and his well-shaped nose before he went into his tent.
Your body was filled with rage.
What you heard was only a heightening of your pain and a deepening of your hurt.
A slave? How could he say that? The one who cured him was now worthy of being a slave?
As the mid-morning sun began to reflect on the walls of Rome through the haze that filled the
harbour, the capital was preparing to experience one of the most active days in its history. Everyone who noticed the navy ships approaching the harbour from afar, citizens, subjects, foreign mission chiefs, tradesmen, civil servants, porters, all filled the entrance of the city. They were waiting to welcome General Marcus Acacius and the glorious Roman soldiers. On the deck of the large ship at the forefront of the fleet, the General sighs deeply as he looks out over his city, thanking Mars for his triumphant and healthy return.
It ten days to get from the port of Alexandria to Rome, a very difficult experience for you, travelling with captives called slaves. Most of them were Greeks and Egyptians, and the fact that the streets of the Roman capital were filled with shouts of joy was of no interest to them. On board the ship they were constantly told that the slave market in the capital was a very prestigious place, that the young girls would be well brought up by certain families, that they should stop crying, that they should pray to Jupiter to make the wealthy families could like them and buy them with high prices.
But you were not like those slaves, you were not a prisoner of war, nor was your family enslaved or poor. Your uncle was a renowned and esteemed medicus. He was a member of an affluent family. He and his wife found you on the banks of the River Nile when you were three years old. That is what they told you. The gods had not blessed them with a child, so they loved you as much as their own. You knew he wasn't your real father or uncle, but you were very happy with your life and didn't ask too many questions until he told you about that letter the night before the night that ruined your life.
As an orphan, you were brought up well by your uncle, learning all about Egyptian medicine, performing countless surgeries at his side, bringing many people back to life -including the general himself- and learning enough to become an expert. But, no one could call you as medicus because you were a woman, yet your talents were too great to be ignored. No matter who you told on this ship, no one would believe you, and even if they did, there was nothing they could do about it.
As you looked out through the small cracks between the planks of the ship, your eyes travelled over the seemingly endless sea. You couldn't stop thinking about the dream you had that night.
‘Cure him.’
Wouldn't it have been better if you haven't cure him? Perhaps your uncle would still be alive. Maybe you wouldn't be sitting on this ship now, resigned to your fate, wondering, worrying what will happen to you. Is this your reward for healing the great Roman general?
That man ruined your life, and you only did yourself a disservice by saving him.
Perhaps the gods were testing you, but what was the lesson?
You looked at the shadow of the General's fingers under the piece of cloth you had wrapped around your wrist. The color was that of violets caressed by moonlight days ago. Now, it is unmistakably that color, doesn’t hurt much anymore.
As the ship rumbled into port, you realized that it was time to accept your fate. In the dark and damp bilge of the ship, you and a girl close to your age called Decima took turns using the same swing as a bed, you liked each other very much and in desperation you became confidants. She was in her early twenties, beautiful yet you were in your late twenties, ahead of her in beauty. Her father was a rebel, probably killed by the General's men, and she was taken as captive. You told her almost everything except the letter that you’re hiding in your bag.
As soon as you stepped into the harbour, the discrimination began, the general and his men moved in the other direction, while the trader man of slaves were standing in front of you ordered you to move somewhere else.
You frowned as you saw his face in the distance over the shoulders of the people in the crowd, he looked very healthy, his body had managed to overcome the venom of the past few days and his wound has healed. You remembered how you had spent hours with your uncle trying to cure him, how you had struggled for hours to make the antidote while your arms and wrists ached with pain.
The General's face lit up with a warm smile as he waved his hand at his citizens, you were surprised to find that all your anger has vanished for a moment.
You turned your head away, looking at him would only cause you pain. He didn't look at you because he hasn't seen your face yet -well not clearly-, furthermore, you’ve never met face to face, to him you’re just a slave nothing more. Octavius however, recognised you from a distance. He was the only one who has witnessed your hard work. He was an honorable men, didn’t like to see you among the slaves, yet he has nothing to do, it was his General's order.
In the evening of that day, after the slaves were taken to the baths and then to the slave market for sale, you and Decima were taken by the slaver man to a separate cell. From outside, one could hear the sounds of a lively market, where slaves were being sold one by one. There was a great deal of interest in these new slaves from Egypt.
Slaver man appeared at the door of your cell in the market with a man over your age looks wealthy. Decima immediately stood up, but you did not. The slaver gestured with his hand, turning Decima around in the center and showing her arms, face and feet, squinting at you meanwhile.
‘Look at these strong and beautiful young girls, sir, I wouldn’t show you any poor slaves, they are both virgins, and they are very beautiful, the great Venus has bestowed her beauty on these girls. They would fetch a lot of money if they went to the market, but I thought I would show them to you first sire.’ He was blandishing much, but the man's eyes were locked on you.
‘Doesn't she have any manners? Why doesn't she stand up?’
‘You're right sir, she must be a bit sick from travelling, she will,’ he gestured to you with his hand, ‘Come on, get up, girl.’
You rolled your eyes and got up, he squeezed your arm hard to warn you first, then did everything what he had done to Decima, opening almost every part of your body for the other man to see. It was incredibly disgusting, you felt like an animal being sold at the cattle market.
‘The other one is younger, but this one is so beautiful, a rare one,’ he said, grabbed you by arm, looking at you hungrily. ‘How much do you want for this one?’
Your eyes meet with Decima in a silent exchange, as it was time to go your separate ways.
‘Eight thousand sesterces, sire.’
He pursed his lips, thinking, his fingers touching your hair mean while you were closing your eyes, praying for a miracle.
‘Ten thousand sesterces!’
A familiar voice of a man echoed through stone walls. You all turned your heads to that direction.
‘General Marcus Acacius offers ten thousand sesterces for this girl!’ Octavius’ imposing body appeared, he came towards them with his armor making a sharp noise with every step. He threw a big coin pouch to the slaver, who caught it with a big smile on his face.
‘Sold, of course,’ he was counting the coins with happy face.
Then Octavius firmly grabbed the other man's arm that was still touching you, lifted it, and pushed it away. He frowned.
‘This girl belongs to General Acacius now, sir, you must not touch her,’ he warned him gently but firmly.
As the general entered the city in his chariot, the people shouted his name. He waved his hand to them, and the streets were filled with a great enthusiasm as everyone gathered to honour the general and his soldiers. The chariot carrying him soon passed under the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus and turned towards the Curia Julia, the Senate building, where the emperors must have been waiting for him. The general's smile faded. He was tired and not looking forward to seeing them, but he would not go to his villa before visiting the emperors.
As General strode purposefully up the marble stairs, Geta and Caracella leapt down from their golden imperial thrones in excitement. As soon as Geta saw him, he opened his arms wide.
‘How can I reward Rome's greatest general?'
'By letting him catch his breath first,' Caracella smiled widely.
Acacius stopped in front of them and nodded, 'Emperors.'
'We have been eagerly awaiting for your arrival, general,' Geta clasped his hands together, looking at him with admiration.
'Speak for yourself, brother. My legs ache from sitting for so long,' Caracella said, then laughed loudly. 'But it was worth it, indeed!'
‘Indeed!’ They both laughed once more, but Caracella looking at his brother a bit strange way.
It was hard to tell if Caracella wanted to embrace Geta or if wanted to take his life right then and there. The relationship between the two of them was quite distorted.
The general rolled his eyes, he was used to these two whiny emperors half of his age bickering at each other all the time, he sighed in frustration at having to put up with them when he could easily take both their lives with a single stroke of his sword. Unfortunately, this unpleasant situation had only just begun.
‘We heard that you were poisoned, how did it feel?’ Geta looked at him with wide eyes and smile.
The news must have reached the emperors before the general had even boarded the ship.
'Painful, your highness,' Acacius stated, a shadow passing over his brown eyes as he remembered the pain again.
'I'm sure it was, it must have been an interesting experience.’ Caracella crossed his arms; smiling just like his brother.
‘Cobra or viper?’
‘Aspis, highness, the viper type.’
‘Oh, I won!’ Geta jumped for joy and gestured to Caracella with his hand, imitating a snake.
Caracella ignored him looking at the General.
‘The rebels must have quite a sense of humour, poisoning a Roman General carrying Medusa on his chest with a snake, quite ironic,’ he touched Medusa on General's armor with his index finger.
Acacius frowned while looking at him, ‘They certainly do, they murdered all our medici mercilessly, fortunately the great Asclepius sent his help, my men brought another medicus from city was able to cure me, it is thanks to him that I can stand here in front of you, highness,’ Acacius remembered the memory when he was unsure whether it was a dream or not but he could not get out of his mind the fingers that touched his lips, the owner of those hazel eyes that came to his aid when his throat was dry from thirst. But it couldn't be medicus he thought, it had to be someone with thin fingers, someone with beautiful eyes he had never seen before. Maybe, since he was too close to death, it was a dream or a goddess has appeared to him, he couldn't be sure.
The first thing he remembers is opening his eyes and grabbing her wrist with his survival instinct. He thought it was a strange looking young man in a hood, maybe another rebel had come to kill him again, but then he heard her voice and thought his goddess had come to heal him. He was in so much pain and seeing hallucinations that he couldn't tell if it was a dream or not. But couldn’t get rid of those thoughts since days.
The emperors didn't seem to care much about the medicis the general was talking about, or how he had recovered, and Acacius seemed bored as they continued to joke with each other.
‘Mother,' Geta ran to her as he noticed the Empress approaching, extends his arm for her.
Julia Domna took his arm as she coming towards Acacius, whispering something into Geta’s ear, without taking her eyes off the General.
‘My lady,’ Acacius nodded to her.
Domna's smile was like Caracella's, you could never guess what she was thinking.
‘General, how good it is to see you return triumphant once more. Rome salutes you, and I embrace you,’ she approached him with open arms and put her hands Acacius’ board shoulders.
Caracella sat back on his throne, a bored look on his face.
‘My Lady, the honour is mine,’ the general said, bowing his head.
‘We shall sacrifice 1000 bulls to honor our triumphant mother!’ Geta clapped his hands excitedly, ‘Let's have a great feast tonight!’
‘Highness, let's give the General some time to rest, he must be tired from the battle,’ Domna removed her hands from the General's shoulders but kept her eyes on him.
Caracella let out a high, shrill laugh that echoed through the white marble columns. Geta sat on his throne and scowled.
‘Marcus, walk with me,’ the Empress turned round, gestured to him.
Acacius sighed, he didn't want to be alone with her, but he had to. Domna walked ahead of him, hands clasped behind her back, he followed her slowly.
‘My sons are glad to see you again, even if they have no idea how fortunate they are to have you serving them.’
'It is my duty to serve Rome.’
She paused and smiled, watching the water in the pool shimmer in the sunlight, the glow reflecting off her bright skin, her expression was difficult to read.
'I think you have a talent for survival.’
She sounded dissatisfied. 'After all, you trained under Maximus, you must have learned a lot from him.’
He looked away, 'I owe where I am today to the remarkable fighting skills he taught me, he was an honourable man, the greatest general Rome has ever seen,' Acacius' eyes were fixed on the great Temple of Venus between the eastern edge of the Forum Romanum and the Colosseum.
Domna looked at him with a feeling between admiration and concern.
‘He, like you, lived to serve Rome, even if he had to kill Commodus,’ she said, and even little children could catch the obvious implication in her voice.
Acacius held his ground, his eyes roaming the curves of the statue of Venus.
‘But unlike him, you are loyal to the emperors, I can be sure of that, can't I?
He turned his head towards her, but did not look at her. His eyes were now on the two spoilt emperors who were talking animatedly to each other between the columns. 'As long as Rome is prosperous for all her subjects, I will be loyal to them, my lady.'
Domna laughed loudly, 'Ah, that's why I want you in the Senate, how long will you refuse?
'I am only a soldier, politics is not my business, nor should it be. Consuls in the Senate -'
‘Those old foxes live in abundance and do nothing, the person who has done Rome the greatest service should be in the Senate.’ Domna glanced over her shoulder at her sons. 'I am concerned that Macrinus has no equal in the Senate and that Caracella dominates him, perhaps if you are in there, you will gain his trust.’
'Your Highness...' He looked at her shaking his head as no.
Domna looked at Acacius, this time with a serious expression on her face, 'For the sake of Rome you must be especially careful with Caracella, as her mother even I find it hard to get my way with him, he is not like Geta, he is a hard-headed child.’
Acacius looked at Caracella whose back was turned, of course he knew this very well, for a moment he thought that he was the real threat to Rome, not the enemy soldiers or the others.
‘Anyway, you should go to your villa and rest, you will have time to think about this alone,’ she said with a forced smile, then turned around to go to her sons.
After praying in the temple of Venus, Acacius walked out, and as he descended the steps of the temple, he felt a stinging pain where his wound had been, the poison had completely gone from his body, but it had left its trace behind.
Octavius was lost in thought as he has leaned against the side of the carriage waiting for him, quickly stood up when he noticed him.
‘Sir.’
‘I see you don't miss your home, as you're still here,' Acacius said as he descended the last step. He got into the carriage and climbed in to sit beside him. Acacius was quite tired so he lay down on the seat, the fact that he felt so comfortable with Octavius was because of their long friendship, he was his most trusted man, more than just a friend, like a brother.
'Are you going to tell me what's troubling you?’ Acacius covered his face with his arm, but he could feel the tension in him.
'Sir, the girl.’
'Oh, I see, a girl? Have you fallen in love with a girl?
'No, that's not it,' Octavius felt embarrassed as he remembers your face. 'That poor girl, It doesn't seem fair that she should be with those slaves, sir, you are an honourable man, but-'
Acacius lifted his arm from his face and looked at him, the cart swaying as it moved along the stony roads.
'The girl that medicus hid? Why do you care so much for her? Is there something I should know?’
'After all, they worked so hard together to cure you, perhaps you should have at least let her go home.’
‘Together? What do you mean?' Acacius sat up, his eyebrows furrowed.
Octavius bowed his head.
'Sir, I made a mistake, it was my fault for letting them into your tent, I don't know how I could have been so careless even after the assassination, forgive me...'
Acacius raised his hand.
'Slow down, we will talk about your mistake later, you are saying that girl entered my tent and cured me? How?’
'I didn't look closely at her face and I didn't know she was a woman maybe because of her outfit but I made a terrible mistake, I should’ve known, forgive me sir.’ He bowed his head once more but it made Acacius more angry.
'You haven't answered my question, Octavius,' his voice was loud.
'Yes sir, she did her best to cure you, sir, the girl and Medicus worked hard to produce antivenom all night.’
Acacius was surprised when he realized that he hadn't dreamed that night. He was glad to learn that the owner of those eyes was a real person. But then he thought that she might be on the slave market by now, about to be sold to someone else.
‘Stop the carriage!’ He yelled.
The coachman immediately did as he was told and pulled hard on the horses' harnesses, the horses howling and stamping their hooves on the ground.
'Sir?' Octavius raised his eyebrows in surprise.
'Go and find the girl, I want to see her at my villa tonight, do you understand? Acacius tossed him a pouch full of coins.
Octavius smiled, ‘Yes, sir.’
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I know we're all focused on Satyr/Faun König but that bull comment... I'm quite partial to minotaur's and whats better than a darling who isn't from the area. Oh yes she's innocent of the crimes against König because she was not raised there.
Some foreign little creature just running blind in a maze trying to see where there might be a way out. It's been days after all and the screaming has gotten quieter and she wonders if she's the last one left alive. He takes his time eating his meals... this can be stretched out for such a long time as she hides herself in a dead end just a short rest... the darling is so tired unaware of the horrifyingly silent steps moving closer to her little haven. It's just her left now.
@kit-williams I've wanted to write for Minotaur!König for ages!
Minotaur!König x Ariadne!Reader Word count: 5 k oneshot Tags/warnings: Sexual tension, threats of violence and rape, implied cannibalism, power imbalance, moral ambiguity. Predator/prey dynamic, Beauty and the Beast elements, Ancient Greek religion & lore. 18+ MDNI A/N: The Minotaur in this story is not an actual hybrid. Reader is Hecate’s initiate. Merry Christmas y'all! <3
EDIT: PART 2 HERE
The screams are the worst part.
They echo through the Labyrinth while you wait and wait and wait.
Even the very stones seem to cry and wail as you place your hope on Theseus who descended to this hell along with you and the human cattle. Seven young men and seven unwed women, meant to satisfy a beast...
And judging by the screams alone, it sounds like the monster is satisfied. It sounds like it's having a ball.
Fourteen lives have been lost, their blood swallowed by the earth as if Hades himself is drinking the crimson of Athenian youth in His feast. The flesh is the beast’s to devour: an underworld demon born of tainted lust.
Half bull, half man, you always thought the stories were only tales told by the fire to scare children. Turns out that the stories, for once, are true. There's something even worse in this maze, something cursed and foul... Hecate herself would shiver if She were here, in the womb of the earth, witnessing what you’re witnessing now.
You don’t actually see the Bull of Crete cut or hack or slash anyone, and you can only imagine what the monster does to the bloody, gutted corpses of the young. The only thing you see are the hollow, dark walls carved out of soil, sand, and clay, the intestine-like route dug deep into the earth. And you don't have to see the massacre: the screams tell you enough. The silence that follows betrays even more.
Your only light is flickering, waning: the candle will hardly last an hour. If the hero from Athens won’t arrive soon, you will have to leave this place.
And oh, how you want to leave… You were a fool to follow him here. Blinded by love and hope, you thought Theseus of Athens would be your way out of Crete, but it’s clear that the only thing the young hero is capable of loving is fame. The only time his eyes turned to yours was when you said you might be able to help him with a small bundle of yarn.
Red as the setting sun or spilling blood, the thin woollen string is your only way out now. It’s ironic how a heap of twine is the only thing that can help you out of this hellhole, but the Fates always did possess a cruel sense of humour. Your silly daydreams might’ve cost your life, and even if you’re sworn to the dark goddess, you would rather die anywhere but here. In the darkness, all alone, with nothing but eyeless worms to keep company to your decaying bones.
The sudden draft from the outside world is warm but threatens to blow out your candle. It’s a sign from Apollo: if you don’t leave now, you’re dead. Theseus has to manage without you because you’re not dying in this underworld prison because of some man’s stupid lust for fame.
There's only deafening silence in the maze as you scurry up, taking support from the wall as your sight darkens for a moment. You rose too soon: you can’t even remember the last time you ate. And it appears that even the sun god has abandoned you because there's a faint echo of steps in the tunnel, and they don’t belong to a man. They’re too thick, unduly heavy, and it’s not a pair of sandals that are thumping against the soil.
So, Theseus is dead...
So much for the legend, the myth, the demigod.
Heart thumping in your chest and in the hollow of your throat, it threatens to drown the sound of approaching footsteps. They’re all dead, the people who descended here with you. The only thing you are right now is prey. You're being hunted; whether the Minotaur knows you're here or not, you know you're being hunted. You can feel it in your gut.
You cover the candle with one hand, hoping that the flickering light doesn’t reach around the bend. The falling thump of the footsteps stops, and you still your breath, hoping that the beast would turn around and search the other way.
You hear it sniffing behind the wall. It's trying to catch your scent in the air, the smell of dread and terror, sweat so thick it must reach his nostrils and make them flare with lust. Your heart is thundering in your chest, and the tunnel is so quiet that that you’re certain the creature will hear that, too. (Your heart always betrays you.)
And your luck is cursed.
The beast shifts.
You can’t see him yet, but you can hear it: the scraping sound underneath his feet as he aligns himself anew, choosing the path that leads straight down to you.
“Hecate save me,” you whisper into the air that seems to grow denser as he approaches, loud thumps of feet now accompanied by metal grating against clay.
“Hear me, flame-bearing guide... Darkness, protect me…”
He’s dragging bronze against the wall, announcing that he’s carrying a weapon with him, the strength of a bull apparently not satisfying enough if he wants to break your bones with metal.
Don’t blow out the candle...
If you blow it out, you’ll die.
It’s a clear message, a knowing voice in your head that says it. It’s not young, it’s not old: just knowing. Alert. Wise beyond ages.
So you still your breath and wait.
Shadows fill the curve of the tunnel just before he emerges: thick like thunder, a darkness so deep that even the name of the twilight goddess escapes your tongue.
And he’s big. Bigger than the bulls you used to dance with, bigger than kings, or heroes, bigger than even Theseus, the man you thought was a myth walking. His head is enormous, bigger than the rest of him, awkward and rough like it’s not quite part of him even though he’s supposed to be half ox.
The gigantic, horned figure stops when it sees you. Vast shoulders tense; the fat, double-edged sword falls to his side when he settles to loom between you and your only way to escape this place. You’re oddly thankful that the horrible screeching stopped, but then you notice that his blade is drenched in blood: actually, his torso, thighs, even the buckskin loincloth – the only garment this monster has chosen to wear – is spattered with red dots.
The bronze tip drips with crimson, and the earth drinks it all. Hades is never satisfied: this beast is never full. Everyone who was sent down here is dead: everyone else has met their doom except you. You wonder if your mother would cry if she heard her only daughter died because she fell in love with a fool.
“I killed your hero,” the walls of hell boom.
His voice is thick like tar, dark and foul like it’s the God of Earth himself speaking.
The flame in your hand quivers from fear, and you slowly remove your palm, the tiny candle illuminating the beast with warm homely yellow, making the prominent muscles of his chest even bigger.
He’s carved like the statues in Athens, only, this giant is far hairier than the painted marble heroes of the city. The hair on his chest is thick and wild; it shoots down his abdomen and disappears underneath the loincloth, spreads over his inner thighs, even covers his shins in dark mats. He looks like a wild man, a beast indeed: sweaty, filthy and thick. But you never knew a beast like him could talk…
“A coward, that one,” he snarls, the voice reverberating oddly like it’s a human man speaking from under a wooden mask or inside a clay jug.
And you believe every word he says.
Theseus was strong and able-bodied, but he had built his strength just to show it off. This man’s body speaks of pure, ripe survival.
A hulking shadow with shoulders that barely fit the tunnels of the Labyrinth, with palms nearly twice the size of yours, he’s the myth walking instead of the hero whose blood now adorns that dull bronze blade. The Minotaur who survived his father’s wrath, his mother’s absence, these bleak surroundings, and all the heroes sent down to get his head… His weapon isn’t even sharp anymore, and still, he managed to cut through the sacrificial humans like butter. And what a horrific death it must’ve been to be hacked to pieces by a dull blade.
Is it evil of you to hope that the death of your “hero” wasn’t a quick one…?
Theseus was a fool and a coward, rotten to the core, but you saw all of that too late. He never cared about the human sacrifices or the king’s wrath; he never cared about digging into Pasiphae’s sorrow. He only cared about getting his face depicted on a pot or having his deeds played out in amphitheatres, his name uttered in song, accompanied by harp and flute.
“I know.”
Your voice gets sucked into the earth: it doesn’t echo from the walls like his. It’s thin, damp, and frail, just like everything else meant to walk under the sun instead of stand buried under the earth.
But the beast before you tilts its head a little. It’s curious.
Why would you say that?
Why don’t you cry from hearing the news...? Why don’t you howl out your hero’s name and beg the gods to heed your grief? Why don’t you run away from a monster?
The candlelight is puny and weak, but it’s bright enough to bring out the eyes of an animal. You draw breath in the dampness of the earth when you finally see it: the bull’s head is devoid of eyes, and yet, the beast still has them. Blue as the summer sky, stern as the death grip of winter just before spring.
There’s nothing but ripped shreds of skin where the eyes should be, and instead of looking at you from the sides, they’re greeting you from the front. The horns are sturdy, but otherwise, the colossal head is a bit skewed... Thick patches of fur sticking out as if it was years and years old, and then – you realize it’s not his head; it’s only an illusion.
There’s a man under there. A full, grown man who’s made himself a terrible helmet out of a bull’s carcass.
“You’re a man,” you say out loud, earning yourself another shift of the colossal head.
“...What?”
The muffled echo confirms it: he’s speaking from inside the bull, moving only slightly to get a better look at you.
“You’re not a monster. You’re just a man.”
His eyes are wild but intelligent; they pierce you from inside the inanimate shield. The large chest heaves, his ribs flare like sails as he draws air through what must be the foul stench of a long-dead animal.
He takes a step, and you shrink, almost dropping your candle and the roll of red yarn.
“You think talking will save you, female?”
He speaks like a man, walks like a man, but his moves are an animal’s. Shoulders slightly hunched like he’s a bull about to attack, you recognize the way his muscles quiver from the times when you used to do bull leaping. You don’t dance with Rhea’s oxen anymore: your tasks at Hecate’s temple are more suitable and less wild for a maiden your age. Back when you were younger and more agile, you used to jump from the back of one bull to the next, clouds of dust swirling around you as you showed your prowess to the priests.
But you can’t charm this ox by dancing. This one can’t be tricked or fooled: he will pierce you with those horns or his brazen sword if you take even a step.
“I can get you out of here,” you wet your lips, noticing that the blue eyes shoot straight to your mouth when you do that. “I know the way out.”
“What makes you think I want out,” he says, so tight and tense that you fear he’s either about to leap at your throat or plunge his sword into your chest.
And you should be concerned about your own safety, not about his sensibilities – if he even has such things – but hearing this beast man’s reply is like drinking bile.
Why would anyone want to stay here?
You don’t know if he eats human flesh; you don’t know if he had to in order to survive. Everyone knows why his father threw him down here, but no one knows he’s not half the things the people above say he is. And if half of it isn’t true, what other lies have been told about the Minotaur?
Even most prisoners see the sun, yet this man has been deprived of that, too. He’s been robbed of mother’s love, of father’s mercy, of friends and foes, of mentors and guides. He’s been robbed of life, of stars, of fires and summer skies, of women’s giggles, of fistfights with fellow men. Of songs and plays, of festivals and games, of bull dances, and maidens that leap…
“Have you ever been up there…? On the surface?”
You turn your voice into soft water on pebbles, a soothing pour of persuasion and goodwill. His pecs contract, strong abs under thin hair and body fat bunch like you’re about to hit him there. You take a step, and now it’s his turn to shun away. It’s only half an inch, but he actually moves away from you.
“I can take you there,” you offer gently. “Have you ever seen the sun…?”
It’s like talking to a starved predator, trying to entice them to follow you with a fresh steak in hand, hoping that the fanged mouth won’t take more than was promised if it decides to accept the offering.
And the beast accepts.
“As a boy,” he grunts, a tad more softly.
Those eyes are fixed on you, reminding you of horses when they’re slightly afraid. The glint of white and blue behind the carcass is fiercely alive, quite unlike the hollow, disinterested stare of the Athenian hero who was only interested in himself.
But this beast is interested. Oh, the Bull Man of Crete is wildly, fiercely curious about you.
“You’ll take me to the sun,” he repeats, an affirmation rather than a question.
“Yes. To the surface. I promise.”
He moves. Like an animal who learned long ago to drive others into the corner so that he wouldn’t get forced there himself, he’s primal, sensual in the way that oracles in a trance are sensual.
Approaching you in silence that’s almost eerie, the hairs at the nape of your neck stand on end by the time he’s only an arm’s length away. Why announce his coming earlier if he can move so quietly?
“You’ll lead me to my father.”
His gaze bores into you, and not even the warm draft from the tunnels can prevent you from shivering. He’s distrustful, and it’s no wonder. It must be odd that some girl with a candle and a bundle of yarn is suddenly waiting for him around the bend, and doesn’t even flee. He’s a behemoth, but he’s not stupid. A stupid man would not have been able to survive, let alone thrive in this place.
And why should he trust you? Who is he supposed to trust in this maze when every person he has seen has either run away from him or tried to kill him? His father will slaughter him if he ever escapes the Labyrinth, so what else is a priestess in his kingdom but a squealing mouse, trying to feed him lies and then guide him to the surface and into a forest of spears?
“No,” you shake your head slowly. “No, I promise I know the way. There will be no soldiers–”
You shut your mouth just before a huge palm closes around your throat.
Gods, but he moves fast when he wants to…
The candle and the yarn drop the instant his hand seizes your neck, strong fingers nearly meeting at the back as he squeezes your windpipe ever so slowly.
And he’s so close now. The carcass reeks of death, but the man underneath stinks of plain human sweat. His musk is a peculiar mix of blood, earth and soil, something both stale and invigorating, the thin sheen of sweat and dirt covering his muscles making him look like a common builder. It’s strange that the bull’s head hasn’t yet decayed in this place, that the man doesn’t reek of bodies and bones that must be scattered around like debris further down the tunnels.
Another thing that’s strange is that he doesn’t seem to want to simply silence you.
He also wants to touch you.
A wide thumb strokes the underside of your jaw as he studies you. It slides down the column of your throat, the blue eyes gleaming with fascination when you swallow against him.
He drinks in the sight of you: the lips that part with fear, the frail collarbones that breathe against the side of his palm. The promising crevice between your breasts, the enticing softness of your teats.
You can hear his breath grow heavy under ox skin and bone, the rugged, vicious helmet he has chosen to wear. What lies under, you can only imagine, wherein he has little left to the imagination when taking in the curve of your breasts, your nipples rising to peaks under the thin white linen only temple virgins use.
Seeing your reaction to his touch makes him growl -- he actually growls like an animal, a deep, low rumble of approval rising up his throat when he sees how different your body is from his. How supple and cushy it is, soft and plump like a peach, covered only barely as if to tease a best like him. You wonder if he ever took pleasure in the maidens sent here by the king… If he ever thrust the sword between his legs into their weak bodies before giving them the mercy of his actual blade. Would he even know what to do with a woman, having lived here for so long?
“Please,” you whisper, bringing his eyes back to yours, the ice in them now liquid sapphire of pure want.
Gods… You need to bring his attention back to your offer of help before he sees it more compelling to just stay here and play with his new, plump little mouse. Virgin or not, you wouldn’t survive a mating with this man.
“I swear on Hecate’s torch that it’s not a trap. You have my word: I’m a priestess soon to be.”
He’s entranced. Hypnotized by your lips. You lick them to confirm your fears true: the man grunts with pleasure, out of instinct, absentmindedly like an animal who reacts to the sight of a fat, meaty bone.
Oh, he might not know what to do with a woman… But he would try his best to find out.
“Priestess…?” He rasps.
“It’s a holy woman,” you explain. “I serve the Goddess of the Crossroads.”
He snorts, either because he’s not impressed or because he’s downright amused by your vocation. The eyes, warmer, more demanding now, are far from the eyes of a bewildered beast.
“Little female of the crossroads... You will take me to the king. And then, I will kill him.”
He puts weight into his words, tries to make you understand.
He wants you to guide him to his father.
To the King who claims his son is half bull, to the husband who claims his wife was adulterous with an ox. To the King who demands tribute as virgins so that he can send them down to hell. The dark goddess screams justice, but you're at a horrible stalemate.
The gods will curse you for this… They will smite you with a bolt of lightning or drown you next time you cross the great sea if they see you’ve helped this half-beast escape. If you guide him to Minos, you’re a participant in kingslaying, and the gods never forget things like that.
“He’s your father and the king of Crete,” you whisper in fear. “The gods will strike you down–”
“Gods?” He spits. “I piss on the gods. I fuck their corpses and leave them to rot.”
You almost choke on the blasphemy levelled at you. The shadows creep closer, the stare behind the black fur is dark and amused, burning with the crooked wrath of a thousand years.
“Perhaps I’ll fuck you too.”
It’s unnerving that you don’t find the threat wholly unappealing.
If anything, your eyes drift down to the hairs of his chest, to the two big muscles that resemble the work of the best sculptors in Athens.
“Are you a virgin, female of the crossroads?”
His eyes search for your response: they want to see your fear and disgust. You swallow again, arduously against his hand, both caressing and testing you.
The beast leans forward, as if weighing if he could somehow insult the gods by pillaging you. The rough hair of his chest meets the white cloth, it brushes against your nipples as he bends down to have a good sniff of you.
“You smell like a virgin,” he growls.
The hand leaves your throat, only to travel down your sternum. He grabs your breast nonchalantly, a little too roughly, the hot palm closing around the teat and squeezing it like it’s a toy. When you don’t react, he squeezes it again, this time hard enough to coax a whimper out of you.
“Sound like a virgin…”
Without warning, the hand dives straight between your legs next, palm forcing its way through your thighs and curving to cup your sex, moulding around it with barbaric thirst.
“Feel like a virgin, too.”
It’s thick, hot, and heavy, how he simply tries you through your dress. Fingers testing your folds, he’s clearly enjoying the subtle wetness he finds down there. You can hear another hitched grunt pushing up his throat, rugged and whiny this time, a broken groan that dissipates because of how dry his throat is.
No man has ever dared to lay his hands on you... Many have wanted, but none have tried. Even drunkards and fools respect women who belong to the dark goddess.
But he doesn’t care about the wrath of Hecate. He doesn’t give a shit about the gods. He simply takes what he wants, what falls into his lap. The fifteenth offering, but he doesn’t seem to be interested in devouring your flesh.
How easily he could simply yank that loincloth aside and drag your dress up. Force his cock into your tight, wet heat without uttering a word. You doubt that he would even take the trouble of laying you down on the ground for taking... Beasts rut when they want to: this man could fuck you against this wall if his loins demanded so, guttural groans being the last thing you hear before the candle goes out.
You don’t know if you have to spread your legs for him before this is over, but you reckon you will do even that if it means you’ll see the sun again. You’ll endure every thick thrust, and gods be cursed, you wouldn’t even be solely disgusted if this half-animal chose to breed you... As shameful as it is, you would somewhat enjoy having him rut you like an animal in heat.
And you’ve gone mad, surely.
You want to touch him too, just to test another theory.
Deciding that it's a good idea to stick your hand into the maw of hell, your fingers lift. They meet his bicep, and the lewd panting stops.
He’s not even breathing… He’s just drowsy and drunk, looking at you with a mixture of soft sleepiness and awe in his stare. Like a dog who has never been petted, even his eyes drift half closed when he forgets to threaten you, now focusing solely on your hand.
And you start to caress him, slowly, so slowly… Tracing the muscle all the way up where it meets the shoulder, you stroke even the thick cord that leads to his neck. The rest of him disappears under the bull, but the man behind it already shivers under your touch. He even bends his head a little in hopes that you would go under the mask and touch him there, and the gesture reminds you of an animal exposing its vulnerable areas, baring its very throat in submission.
Braving a quick peek down, you notice that the buckskin cloth is stretched high and wide. His whole body is tense and immobile: you could cup him through the soft animal skin and he would probably shoot his seed from a single stroke of your palm.
If this is not a virgin, you don’t know what is...
In a way, it would perhaps be wise to shove your hand down and disarm this man. That way, you would be safe for a few more minutes. Instead, you lay your palm over his chest, right over where his heart should be.
“So do you, Bull of Crete...”
His gaze flickers.
The darkness hesitates, widens, nearly swallows the azure pools whole. But he doesn’t look irate or wild... Only shocked.
It’s an impasse. A thicket. His hand on you, your hand on him.
He surrenders first: the underworld budges before the utterly pure. You bless him with grace the instant he withdraws his hand from between your legs – slowly, reluctantly, like leaving a place that belongs to him. Or to which he belongs…
“I promise I’ll help you, Minos Tauros. But I need you to give me something in return.”
You remove your hand too. Softly, slowly, like a horse master who trains and tames wild things. All words seem to have escaped his tongue: he only grunts, unsure of what a beast like him could give you in return for your help.
“You must promise to be kind to me.”
“Kind...?”
“I need you to behave,” you explain. “No bad things on the way up... No fucking.”
Everything else, he seems to accept, but during the last sentence the Minotaur blinks at you, utterly confused.
“But... You smell like you want to fuck.”
Your jaw drops open a tiny bit. Then you remember that a priestess of Hecate doesn’t gawk.
“I don’t–How would you know that…?”
The beast only shrugs. Then he leans forward and takes another sniff as if to prove it’s true that you want his cock inside you.
“You smell good,” he grunts. “Different... Female, not afraid.”
“That doesn’t mean I want to…”
He even raises his hand to inspect the slight wetness there. Fascinated by the thin film on his fingers, he rubs his thumb in it, probably thinking about bringing it under his mask to get a good sniff of your juices too.
You grab his wrist without thinking, mortified to your core by the prospect of him getting high on your slick.
“Look. We need to leave before the candle burns out.”
The obsessive stare threatens to swallow you once more, so you let go of his wrist and steel your resolve. Scooting down to grab your things, you try to ignore the violent erection still pointing straight at you.
Hecate keep you from offering yourself to this man out of your own free will...
And you don’t have a torch, only a candle and a skein of blood-red yarn, but you know the way out, so there’s hope. There’s always hope.
“I need you to promise me,” you turn at the mouth of the tunnel, seeing that he’s still standing there, in the place where he almost took you like his first whore. As if waking up from a thrall, he straightens to his full height, picks up his sword and looks like a half-human, half-bull once more.
“I promise,” comes a booming voice from under the animal skull. “No fucking… I’ll behave.”
You nod. There's a sense of trust in the air. A promise of hope... It's mutual, invigorating -- life-giving, like the sun and blood in your hands.
You don't know if the son of Minos has ever smiled in here, but from the quick glint in his eyes, you suspect that he's smiling right now, the man under that animal mask. Somehow, it reminds you of the stars in the sky.
“Lead the way, maiden.”
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