#But it is still 6 chapters in a row of nothing but

[sweetflanfiction]

Asymetrical Symphony - Part 22

Universe: Arcane (LOL)

Pairing: Viktor x reader

Summary: You had been on the rooftop with Jayce and the Herald and somehow you were sent to a place where things can be different with your help

Disclaimers and Warnings: If you want me to tag you on the chapters let me know! Also leave a comment with your thoughts :D Not finished, not proofread. English isn't my 1st language. All I know about LOL is from google and all I know about Arcane is taken from the show, so inacuracies will be plenty. I have a sort of idea on how to I'm gonna go with magic and runes, so bear with me. The reader will be written as GN (going by they/them) to get everyone involved, but if you see any discrepancies let me know

A.N: A big thank you for all of the peeps who read this and not only comment but leave little hearts on the chapters as they read! I love seeing y'alls progression. I see you and I appreciate you!

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19 • Part 20 • Part 21

• ··········· • ············ •

The high sun on the veranda shone on you like a natural heating lamp as you scribbled intently on your notebook. The house was mostly silent, with only Voltaire in the kitchen with his pots and pans, since your mother and Willah had taken a romantic getaway to Demancia. 

After your quick but stressful hospital stay, Esther had been a wreck, to the point she would pace in the living room every time you went out until she saw you again. It took a very convincing and assertive dialogue between her and Willah for her to even think about going anywhere. However, after a few days of sulking, Willah managed to get her on an airship, and off they went.

You were trying to remember the runes that other Viktor had sketched on the blackboard, but between what happened in that dimension and then the jump, your memory was a bit faulty when it came to that.

The small and brand-new yellow notebook, a gift from Viktor, was taking the brunt of your frustration, pages after pages with lines and sketches that did nothing but vex you further. 

Adding to that, the council had just come out with a brand new... suggestion... for the lab's work environment. They could decline and let it drop on deaf ears, but that was exactly what they wanted.

According to the council, any outsider to the lab had to get approval from the council, and all work had to be stopped for their appointment. If the outsider was someone of a minor or major house, it had to be accompanied by an enforcer or a councillor itself other than Jayce.

You felt a little guilty when you had found out since it had been sort of your fault that the new rule was applied, and no matter what the two scientists told you otherwise, it still felt that way. The emotion quickly dissipated as soon as you saw Sky happily making her way toward you, berating the enforcer that was stopping you from going up. That had been the last time you went in uninvited.

The knock on the penthouse door startled you from the scribbled pages as Voltaire shouted that he would get it. 

You kept your face towards the door, not expecting anyone at that time. Viktor would probably visit you in the evening to exchange rune notes, and Jayce sometimes came with him unless he had a 'meeting' with Mel.

“It’s probably Mr. Korith with the groceries.” He told you, walking to the door and cleaning his hands with a towel.

You nodded and smiled at the chef, happy with the explanation, and turned your attention back to the notes. 

The last page of the book had a little table drawn by hand with rows and columns. The first column was for the facets you remembered; next to it was another column for a checkmark, tallying the ones you think corresponded, and another for what each rune did.

Air - ✓ - creates gusts of air/moves things/when sustained, creates wind/when solidified, creates whirlwinds

Earth -

Fire - ✓ - heals by transferring someone's rune to the rune speaker’s body (theory: the speaker’s body heals better/faster because of magic). 

Earth -

Sun -

Moon - ✓? - creates small marbles of light/when sustained, they can go forever until dispelled/when solidified, creates lightning.

Chaos - ✓? - ??

Order - ✓? - puts things back to their original form (mends broken objects) / never tried sustaining/solidified creates a simple missing piece if any is needed

Time -

Space -

Creation - ✓? - hand rune

Corruption - 

Missing: unlock rune (softer chaos?)?Corruption of an original state? Creation because of finding new runes?)

Elevator call/banner falling

“It seems Mr. Korith dragged a stray in with him.” Voltaire’s amused voice boomed through the quiet house, making you turn around to look at the chef and the 'stray.'. 

Viktor stood there with a small smile on his face. He looked tired, but seemingly in a good mood. He was also not in his uniform, which by itself was already a curious thing, but when you added the time of the day, it made it a downright mystery.

“Hello!” He waved and started walking towards you, his desired target already in his sights. The blue armchair next to where you sat.

“Will you stay for lunch, my friend?” Voltaire asked, already making his way to the kitchen.

That made Viktor pause and look at the other man and then back at you. You gave him a one-shoulder shrug. He was always welcome to stay and eat.

“I could eat, yes, if it’s not too much trouble.” He threw a wide smile at Voltaire, who nodded happily.

“The more, the merrier. I’ll make a quick dessert too. The one you like!”

“Oh…oh no…there’s no need.” Viktor quickly refuted, shaking his head.

“Nonsense.” His voice was already accompanied by the sounds of pots and pans.

“What’s the dessert?” You asked when the scientist restarted his trek towards his little piece of cushiony heaven.

It was still funny to you that, after years of knowing someone who looked exactly like him, in this timeline, there were still so many things to learn. 

Other Viktor's favorite dessert? Coffee with three packets of sugar and a drop of sweet milk. 

Is this Viktor’s favorite dessert? No idea. Probably something with so much sugar it would make his blood turn to caramel.

“Lemon Tart.” He said as he gently plopped down on the chair with a happy sigh, straightening his leg and melting into the seat, his crutch leaning on the back of the chair. “I like how he burns the white cream things on top.”

“Have you ever been to his restaurant?” You looked at him, smiling at how peaceful he looked with the sunbathing his angular face. He looked at you sideways and made a disapproving face.

“Have you seen my salary?”

You knew other Viktor made some money but didn’t like spending it on frivolous things, so you were almost sure this Viktor had enough money to have at least one meal at Voltaire’s restaurant. 

Hells, you were more than sure your mother had invited him at some point. But still, Viktor didn't think an expensive meal was worth the money, probably going to spend that value on something for the lab.

“Remind me to take you there sometime.” You threw out looking back at Piltover’s skyline and then at him from the corners of your eyes.

“And then I am the one accused of being sneaky.” He squinted his eyes at you in fake annoyance, and you shrugged.

After a moment of silence, you turned back to look at him, half expecting him to be already napping, which you found immensely adorable.

It had become a completely normal occurrence for you to come back from rehearsals and have him, Jayce, Willah, and your mother just relaxing in the living room. They would talk about politics, science, or even the latest gossip, something that Viktor enjoyed as long as it wasn’t about him or Jayce or even the lab. Every other rumor he found strangely entertaining.

And whenever the conversation became too boring, it was just as normal to find him lightly snoring, his head either leaning on his hand or against the back of the chair. You found it adorable.

But at the moment, even though he did have his eyes closed, you noted his breathing was regular and his fingers tapped on the arms of the chair. He was just enjoying the warmth of the sun. You tried to commit this weirdly familiar situation to memory.

Viktor was wearing a burgundy knitted polo vest with a light blue button-up shirt under. His gray slacks were bunched up where the leg brace fastened. The brace itself was different from what you’ve seen him wear in the lab. It only strapped around his thigh and in the middle of his lower leg; instead of going from hip to foot, the metal brackets and mechanism only aided his knee joint. 

“You're staring again.” he warned jokingly, his golden eyes heavy-lidded but looking at you.

“I sure am.” You answered bluntly, nodding proudly, and he chuckled.

“You have become bold.” He closed his eyes again, but his eyebrows raised. “Do tell me then, why am I under scrutiny this time?”

“I am trying to figure out the whole thing with the civilian clothes…”

“Oh…” he adjusted himself in the chair, his demeanor changing from peaceful to tense in seconds. When he looked back at you, he had the most annoyed look on his face. “I was promptly kicked out of my lab by Councilor Shoola and her surprise inspection.”

“What?!? Why? I thought those had been scheduled now!” You turned on your seat, the sides of the chair acting as a sill where you placed your elbows.

“Apparently not.” He rolled his eyes, mimicking your pose. “Only outsiders need to make appointments. The councilors can just walk in and demand an inspection, or a debriefing, or... whatever they call it, no matter what we are doing or if it’s opportune or even if it is safe. So, when they announced only one of us was needed for whatever they wanted to do there, I was promptly but subtly kicked out. And in protest, I went home and changed. I won’t go back to the Academy today. Councilor Shoola can volunteer to fasten the bolts and do the math on my work. I wish her all the luck with that.”

You blinked a few times trying to process what he just spit out. His ramble was almost comical, his accent becoming stronger as he talked on, his hands starting to accompany his rant with exaggerated movements. But it angered you that they had, promptly and subtly, dismissed the co-creator of hextech, one of the most brilliant minds in this part of town.  It wasn't exactly new that they didn't enjoy his place of birth, but they were never this... blunt about it.

“Anyway, Sky gave me your note, so… here I am.”  He took a couple of calming breaths and leaned back into the chair, a scowl on his face.

“Right!” You grabbed the notebook. “I'm about to make your day...sort of...I may have found something about the...”

Viktor straightened quickly, grimacing as his leg jerked with his movements. You opened the notebook, showed him the table with the list, and pointed to the first column.

“Do you know what these are?”

“Yes!..." He said excitedly but then frowned. "Wait... no... maybe? Some of these are theorized to be the basis of the arcane. How do you know them?”

"I read about them…” ‘in a blackboard while the other version of you explained it to me…’ you wanted to add but kept your mouth shut.

“Oh?” 

“There’s a book on it…” You hoped there was a book on it.

“Yes, we have it in the lab.” He nodded.

“There you go…that's where I read it.” You cleared your throat, nodding along with him. “Anyway…you didn’t use them in hextech?” 

“Eh... Well... some.” Viktor observed you for a second trying to read something unknown in your face but gave up after a while. “Some looked too unstable to work in an already volatile environment. But your runes look nothing like the ones in the book.”

“Do you remember which ones you used?”

Viktor nodded and grabbed a stump of an orange pencil from the breast pocket of his shirt. You snickered and shook your head. Why he had the tiniest stump of a colored pencil in his breast pocket was beyond you, but he had it, and he was proud of it.

“What made you think of these?” He questioned still working on the rune.

“Alena. She…told me a story, and it’s…” He stopped what he was doing and looked up, encouraging you to go on. “It’s a stretch, but her grandma told her a story about an old man that never got older, who would go around Zaun writing ‘symbols' on walls and call kouzel…kouzelnivi?”

Viktor’s eyes had gone back to the drawing until you said that word, and then his neck snapped up to focus on you.

“Kouzelnictví? Magic?” He corrected you, and something about Viktor speaking his native tongue was sending waves of heat to your cheeks.

“Yes. The one her grandma asked about was fire…healing fire." You continued, trying to focus on the conversation.

“Oheň” 

“Yes. He told her that it was the symbol of healing. Her family believed in it so much that Alena has the rune tattooed on her wrist. Because fire heals and keeps you warm.”

He had stopped scribbling and was now looking at you intently. For a moment you were scared he was going to laugh in your face from the leaps you were taking. But he only tilted his head and nodded favorably.

“You don’t think it’s a far-fetched idea? Not to dismiss the story as just a tale? It may be just a bedtime story—

“Hextech was created on far-fetched ideas, fairy tales, and confiscated material.” He smiled brightly at you. “Your story has more proof than that. And even if there was no proof, it should be a path to be explored.”

Viktor ripped the page he was drawing on from the notebook and gave it to you. You took it but kept looking at him. There was something about his optimism, his belief in your idea, that threw you off. The way he was looking at you with a lazy but excited smile, his whiskey eyes shining with life. You found yourself consciously stopping your arm from moving to stroke his handsome face.

“You’re staring.” He said, a hint of red on his cheeks.

“You’re handsome.” You blurted it out before your brain caught it.

For a second you thought about apologizing. You didn’t know if he enjoyed compliments or if he even wanted them. But with the way he was smiling, you mentally squared up your shoulders and gave him a smug grin.

“Well, you are. So…” you both chuckled, and he mumbled something close to thank you. “Anyway, I need to go to Zaun.”

“What?” The smile on his face faltered. “Why?”

“Alena and the story.” His face told you he didn’t get the connection. “I need to go and find the rest of the runes.”

“Did she tell you where they were?” 

“No. But someone must have seen or heard more stories.”

“It was her grandma, yes?" You nodded, and Viktor closed his eyes. “So, let’s say her grandma lived until 70… mmm… 80 years, and that Alena is probably our age… so that’s a story with—

“90-plus years. I know. But there have to be people who’ve heard it as well.”

“There are…”

A glint in his eyes made you look at him intently, and a small gasp came out when his eyebrows came up and he bit his lips.

“You know about it, don’t you? You’ve heard the stories…” He nodded sheepishly, looking down at his hands. “That’s why you didn’t dismiss it at first.”

“It is just a children’s story.” He sighed. “There was never talk of symbols in my version, just some old man that would visit Zaun in a blue robe and wander the streets like a ghost. My mother used it so I wouldn’t come home after dark. ‘Modrý muž tě dostane.’...The blue man is going to get you…”

“How do you know it was the same guy?”

“The old man who never got old.” He gave a small smile and a shrug. “He was some kind of wanderer, eating children after it got dark.” 

An idea burst into your head quickly, and you grabbed the notebook from his hand, receiving a questioning sound from him.

You drew the fire rune and showed it to him. It dawned on you he had probably never seen the fire rune, and if the fire rune was present in Zaun as the apothecary symbol, he might have seen it.

“This is the fire rune. Do you know it?” He shook his head, and you deflated.

"Wait..." He grabbed back the notebook. "Maybe..."

He turned the book towards the bright windows, singling out the page where you wrote the rune, and looked it through the back of the sheet. The rune was mirrored on the back of the page as the light hit it.

“My mother used to get an ointment from this little store down from where we lived. The lady from there knew about my condition and added some medicated sweets to the order. This was the brand on the bag.” He closed the journal and looked at you, his eyes still hazy from the memory.

“That’s the fire rune. It’s just mirrored. That’s Alena’s grandma's rune.” You told him softly. “Fire heals. Air moves. Moon lights the darkness.”

“It helps us with a location as well. If I heard it when I was little and if Alena’s family is the same as the apothecary, then the wanderer must have passed somewhere near there.” He was nodding to himself and smiling. “It is a good starting point. When do we go?”

You chuckled at his enthusiasm and then shook your head when what he said sunk in.

“We? No. You are not going anywhere.” You shifted in the chair and went to grab the book from his hand, but he moved it out of reach. “Viktor…”

“What is your plan?” He asked seriously, keeping the book out of your reach.

“Go to Zaun, where the apothecary is, ask around, talk to people, and figure out what kind of stories they have. Once I’ve gathered enough info, I’ll explore further.” You explained feeling a bit more confident as he nodded along, perceiving it as an approval of your plan.

“The apothecary is at the Entresol level, so you might be lucky, and that is where the runes are.” He looked at the ceiling and squinted his eyes, and you knew by the arrogance written on his face he was about to throw your plan out the window. “Best case scenario, the gangs will smell a Piltie, kidnap the Piltie, and ask your mother for the highest amount of gold they can think of. Worst-case scenario, the gangs smell the Piltie, kidnap Piltie, and sell them for the highest amount of gold they can think of.”

You were divided about this. It would be a good thing if he came; he knew the place much better than you, since you’d been there only a couple of times in another dimension. His utility and company would be greatly appreciated. 

However…one wrong move, one wrong look at one wrong person, and he’d be dead. You'd both be dead. And you can’t let him die. It wasn't just about him becoming the Herald. If he died, you don’t think you could handle it. You could not... you will not... lose him again.

"You'd need to justify to the council why you were bridge hopping." You argued without much conviction.

“The good thing about being invisible to the council... is not being seen by the council,” he countered. 

“They’ll notice.” You softened your tone, already knowing this was a losing battle. 

“Let them. I am not doing anything wrong. What will they do? Arrest me for visiting my home?” He snorted in defiance and looked at you. “I would not feel good having you wander into Zaun alone. I understand you are very capable of taking care of yourself, but…I also want to help.”

He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, looking back at you again. Something weary behind his handsome eyes.

“This rune.” He shook the notebook. “When you spoke it... it took over you, and then it harmed you—”

You were about to interrupt him to argue it didn't do it on purpose. It was just easier for magic to heal you than to heal Sky.

“I know the theory.” He put a hand up, stopping you from arguing. “But, at the end of the day, you were the one bleeding on the floor. The one in the hospital bed. If any other rune does this, you need someone there to help you.”

Arguing with Viktor was always a gamble. You could win the argument without warning, carving a response so fierce he would not be able to reply, or it would be easily won when the gears on his brain spurred on. But yet again, you were raised by a lawyer. 

“I can’t protect us both. If anything happens to me, I can distract them enough to run…” you blurted quickly, the hurtful part unsaid. He frowned.

“My leg is not a hindrance. It never was. It never will be.” He frowned for a bit. “There are other ways to escape that don’t require running.”

“It’s not about your leg; it's about you.” You let out an exasperated sigh. “Viktor, if something happens to you down there, I won’t leave you behind.”

“Good! Great! Because I will do the same!”

“No!” You groaned and thumped your head on the chair’s armrest. “I forgot how exasperating you are.”

“Well, you are also very stubborn.” He tilted his eyebrows. “Especially because you know I’m right.”

You looked at him deadpan, and for a moment his expression matched yours. After a few seconds, you rolled your eyes and got up from the chair with a swift movement.

“I’m telling Voltaire not to burn the meringue.” You announced over your shoulder.

“You wouldn’t.” He gasped when he figured out what you were threatening.

From behind you, there was the clear sound of him shuffling to get up from the chair and grab his crutch. The rhythmic sound of him quickly approaching made you giggle.

• ··········· • ············ •

@marshy-moo @victormydarling @blueesmiski @th3stup1dcat @22carolina08 @httpstes @that-one-shitty-blog @disa-pointment @sseleniaa @kitewa @moons-lighttrail @aysluxe @fae-doodle @local-mr-frog @bakusquadobsessed @cherry-cola-100 @optimistic-but-very-realistic @seeksrsnn @thecordelialetters @notsaelty @lansy-4 @ayupfrogg @sammypotato @wnbrw @lucycarlisleswife @noxturnalmoth @ren-ren23 @furblrwurblr @kapitankarate @mynicknameisgasoline @octo-octopie @birbwithhat @kneelarmhstrung @dedicated2viktor @elvishstudies @iamfandomnerd

[shiroselia]

Arc 3, I love you, you have some of the most important chapters in all of Unto Daylight of which if I removed them literally the entire story ahead would fall apart.

But Man my guy you are a SLOG to edit and get through

[eddiesxangel]

Take Me to the Lakes 6/6

cw: angst, hurt/ comfort, smut, dirty talk, daddy dom eddie, oral (f &m), p in v, anal play, use of y/n, MDNI 18+

wc: 8.4k

AN: it's been a long time coming, but the last chapter is here! I've been writing this fic for a year since I posted it as an OCx Eddie. But it deserved to be a reader insert, so I revamped it for you guys. Thank you all for taking the time to read the first Eddie series I ever started. ily all. I hope you enjoyed it <3

As the last days of camp dwindled, for the first time, you found yourself overwhelmed by an intense longing to be back in Hawkins. Each day passed in a blur, leaving you feeling numb and disconnected. Despite the efforts to maintain a composed façade for the children, you were merely going through the motions. 

You couldn't shake off the weight of the final exchange with Eddie, and the girls' attempts to help were in vain. Regret consumed you as you grappled with the realization that your actions had caused Eddie unnecessary pain. The thought of losing Eddie forced you to confront the need for change in your life, as you could not bear the prospect of living without him any longer.

The drive home seemed quicker than in previous years. The four hours it took to get home felt like nothing as your mind raced about how to make up for your mistake. You got over your pride quickly as you yearned for Eddie's company. You had everything you ever dreamed of, and you ruined it. 

The time spent falling for one another all went to waste as you tore his heart right out of his chest when you told him this was just a summer fling. Not only did you break his heart, but you also broke your own. How could you have done this to him? How could you have let your pride take over what your heart was screaming at you to take?

 Eddie was the only good thing to happen to you, the right person for you. He was kind, caring, unapologetically himself, funny, generous, looked out for others, and was light and love. You had to win him back. He was everything to you; he was the end game. So you devised a plan to get him back.

~

You’ve been home for two weeks and still have not heard from Eddie. You called him as soon as you got home, but he would let it go to the answering machine each time you called. You must have looked pathetic, begging him to talk to you. Every day, you would call once without letting up. Your sorrowful words flooded the machine so much that Eddie’s uncle Wayne was about to block your number, but Eddie stopped him. 

“What’s going on with you and this girl needs to be addressed, or I’m getting a restraining order,” Wayne huffed. 

He didn’t mean it, but your calls in the middle of the day woke him up since he was on the night shift. For the fifteenth day in a row, you called, the anticipation building up with every ring until you finally heard someone on the other line answer.

“Hello?” The voice was weathered and rough, nothing like your Eddie. 

Have you been calling the wrong number this whole time? You got his number off Ash; she wouldn’t have had it wrong?

“H-hi,” you stuttered, not expecting any time to pick up the call, “is Eddie there?” 

“No, darlin’, he’s at work. Doesn’t wanna talk to you, though. I know you keep calling, but he's busy, and I'm trying to sleep, so please stop calling.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, sir! Won’t happen again.” Your heart sinks at the reality of his words. 

“Thanks”

“Sir, before you go, can you relay a message to him?”

“Sure.” 

You can tell he's annoyed. 

“Can you tell him that I’m so sorry and that I love him?” your voice cracked at the words. 

“Sure thing,” Wayne’s voice softened. He had no idea what transpired this summer between you and Eddie, but he didn’t know love was involved until now. 

“Thank you… it’s y/n, by the way.” You tried to keep your sniffles to a minimum. 

“Goodbye “y/n” 

~

When Eddie got home that night, Wayne was already making his version of nighttime breakfast. 

“Boy, sit down,” Wayne instructed as Eddie entered their shard trailer.

“Can’t I shower first?” Eddie looks at his greased-up coveralls and hands. 

“Nope, you’re going to sit and listen.”

“Feel like I’m twelve again,” he mumbled under his breath.

“Now, I don’t know what happened between you and that girl who keeps calling, but you need to work it out, son.”

Eddie doesn't respond, but Wayne can see the wheels in his head turning. 

“She called again.” Wayne sighed heavily. “I spoke to her.”

“You what?” That caught Eddie’s attention.

“She asked me to tell you that she is sorry and that she loves you.”

“I-“

“No, listen here,” he pointed the black spatula at his nephew.

"Never in my lifetime did I think you would be able to find a girl in this town who would finally see what I’ve seen your whole life? I’m not going to let you throw that away for some stupid argument.”

“It wasn’t stupid, old man; she’s embarrassed by me.” 

“Didn’t sound like that to me; she was crying. She’s been calling every day for a fortnight. I think it’s time to hear her out. Clearly, she ain’t giving up without a fight. You don’t get that kind of love nowadays.” He turned to flip his fried egg.

“She’s too good for me; the princess of Hawkins can never be with the freak.” He rolls his eyes. 

“Show her you are growing! You’ve got a real job, boy, a good steady one. None of that selling drugs bullshit, keep in line with the law, don’t fuck this up.” 

“She hurt me, old man.” 

“I don’t disagree that she did, but she had a reason for her doubts…” Wayne trails off, knowing well that his nephew has been slacking when it comes to growing up. Three repeats of his senior year, selling drugs, getting caught for petty crimes, and people thinking he worships Satan. 

“Clearly, you care for this girl; I can tell you’re moping around. 

“I’m not moping.” 

“Don’t talk back.”

“Sorry.”

"Fix it, Ed. Now you can go shower. You stink”

~

Three weeks into the fall semester, you finally gave up on trying to call Eddie. The day you spoke to Wayne was the last day you called, but it didn’t stop you from repeating his phone number in your head for some source of comfort. 

Ash had seen him here and there and told you how he was doing even though he had asked her not to say anything; her loyalty lay with you. 

She told you he had played her the messages, so he had received them, but he was choosing to ignore you even though, in her words, “he looks like shit.” 

You try to keep a brave face before your parents and classmates, but you’re starting to break. Ashley saw it the second she laid eyes on you. 

She consoled you as you broke down in her arms. You apologized over and over again because you knew that she was also friends with Eddie and had already heard his side of the story. 

~

“I can’t stand seeing you like this,” Ashely sighed as she walked into the dusk-lit trailer with Eddie.

“Well, you can thank your best friend for that.” His tone was sharp. 

You had already called Ashley that night to tell her what had happened, and the second she hung up the phone, she raced over to the Munson’s.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean it; she is under a lot of pressure.”

“She did mean it. She meant it and didn’t even have the decency to tell me straight up. Then she had the nerve to tell me she loves me.” Eddie scoffs. 

“She does love you, Ed. She’s loved you since she accidentally burst into the Vecna campaign.”

“No way.”

“Yes, way. She has always had a thing for you; she was too scared to do anything. A) because she didn’t think you were into her and B) the pressure her parents put her under to be the perfect student, child, dancer, or valedictorian should be borderline child abuse..."

"Her parents would disown her, they would stop paying for her college, and they would probably kick her out if they learned their perfect angel was with you. So yea, what she did was awful and shitty, but it isn’t because she wanted to. It was because she had to.” 

“She never told me much about her home life…” Eddie turned back to face Ash, leaning back against his amp. 

“Because she is too proud. She feels this need always to be perfect, to always be on. Have you noticed how she ensures everyone around her is cared for before herself? Have you taken the time to sit and really watch her? She is the one person I know who is actually so kind-hearted and has no altered motives behind her actions.”

“She still ripped my heart out and stomped on it.”

“And she regrets it all, Eddie. I’ve never seen her like this. Please just take some time and think hard. She is sorry, and she loves you truly. I don’t know why. I don’t see the appeal, but she’s head over heels. Trust me. I’ve heard enough about the two of you to last me six lifetimes…” 

“She’s told you about…that?” Eddie’s eyes go wide.

“And then some. She’s my best friend. What did you expect?” 

“I dunno? You’re not into men, so I thought she wouldn’t share those details?” He chuckles awkwardly. 

“No, Daddy.” 

“Get out.” 

A cackle fills the room as Ash tries to escape before Eddie physically pushes her out himself. 

“Ok, ok, I’m leaving. Just think about things, okay?

“Yeah, whatever.” Eddie shrugged and closed the screen door behind her. 

~

“He’s never going to forgive me.” You lay back on your bed. You and Eddie have been broken up for a month and a half. 

“I think he will come around; he is stubborn.” Ashley joins you. 

“This town is so small. How have I not bumped into him yet?”

“Probably because he got a new job, he’s always there. We haven’t had time to come up with a date for the next campaign. 

“Do you know what the new job is? Wayne mentioned he was at work when I spoke to him but didn’t say what it was?"

“Beats me,” Ash struggled, letting her head hand off the edge of your bed as she inhaled the smoke from the joint. 

Your parents were away for the weekend, and you had the house to yourselves. 

“You got any snacks?” 

“No, you know my mother doesn’t allow any of the good stuff in the house, and I haven’t had the time to go to the store since school started.” 

“Let’s go get some.” 

“Ok,” You hadn’t taken a hit yet, so you were okay to drive. 

Things were going according to plan. They had exactly what you both wanted at the store and now you’re both on your way back to your place when suddenly, your car stalled at the fork in the road.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" you cried.

"It's okay; there's a payphone up the road. I'll call my dad; his buddy is a mechanic. He can ask for a tow," she reassured you.

"Uh, okay, here," you said as you passed her some change to make the call.

A few minutes later, you saw a baby blue, beat-up-looking truck headed your way.

"Oh, thank God."

The relief was short-lived as you watched the driver jump down from the cab.

Ash flinched when you grabbed her hand and squeezed it so tight that her fingers started turning purple. 

“Owe, what the-“ 

“Hey Ash” 

“Eddie?” She chuckled as a sick and twisted grin grew on her face.

“You called about a tow?” 

“Yeah, her car stalled.” She gestured over to you, and you looked like you’d seen a ghost.

Eddie chose to ignore you were there, and you felt like you would throw up. 

“Ok, well, I'll hook it up to the rig; you can get in.” Eddie only spoke directly to Ash, choosing not to look at you. 

You stood there frozen, unable to speak as Ashley pulled you along with her to the tow truck. 

“Well, this is awkward.” She chuckled uncomfortably as you got in after her. 

“He’s a mechanic?” You whisper. 

“Looks like it.”

“What am I going to do?!” You’re panicking. Out of all the scenarios in which you envisioned bumping into Eddie, this was not one of them. 

“Breathe,” Ash instructs. “He is freaking out just as much as you are right now. Trust me.”

“O-oh, okay.” That didn’t settle your nerves in the slightest. 

You jerked when the driver's door swung open, and Eddie got in without as much as clearing his throat. 

“As much as I would love to catch up, I need to get home. Ed, is there any chance you can drop me off?” 

“But your stuff is at my place.” You give her a look. 

“I’ll get it tomorrow; we are almost there anyway.” 

You’re going to be best friendless in about ten minutes if she really thinks she can ditch you now, in your most desperate time of need. 

“Whatever,” Eddie mumbles and makes a left. 

“Thanks, Ed! Bye, babe!” She blows you an obnoxious kiss and turns to her house.

The cab is eerily silent, and not even the radio is on, which is very unlike Eddie. 

“She is so dead,” Eddie mumbles under his breath. 

“You’re telling me.” You agree. 

It’s the first thing you’ve said to him in a month. 

Eddie doesn’t respond, instead he keeps his eyes locked on the road while you try and make yourself smaller, as if that would make you a less of an inconvenience for him.

You were jerked out of your internal screaming when the car jerked into park. 

“We’re here.” He mumbles and gets out. 

Still uncomfortable, you take a second to gather yourself before opening your door. 

You jerk once again as the door is pulled out from under your grasp. 

You stare blankly as Eddie steps aside to let you out of the car. 

“T-thanks.” You don’t know what to do. 

He didn’t talk to you or even look at you, but he’s opening doors for you?

You follow him inside, and he opens the door for you again and tells you to wait until he’s finished. 

You anxiously wait for about forty-five minutes before Eddie returns to the waiting area. He looks devastatingly sexy like this. His coveralls are wrapped around his waist, showing off his black tank top, which clings to his sweaty body. Grease marks cover his alabaster skin. 

“When’s the last time you got this checked out?” His voice is stern. 

“I dunno? A year and a half? Maybe more?” you shrug innocently.

“No wonder it’s so fucked up.”

“Can-can you fix it?”

“You think I can’t fix it? I’m not a moron. I can do my job, y/n” 

Hearing him call you by your name was like a knife to the heart. 

“What, n-no?”

“How could you be so irresponsible!” 

“I don’t know Eddie!” You scream back. 

“What if this happened on your way home from Murdock? You’d be stuck in the middle of nowhere!”

“Well, good thing it didn’t!” 

“God, you’re infuriating” 

“Why do you even care!” 

“Woah woah woah… ok kids take it easy.” A much older mechanic came to step between the both of you. 

“Sorry, Mac,” Eddie steps back.

“Is this guy bothering you, sweetheart?” The older man, now known as Mac, asks. 

“I’m fine,” you say, shaking your head with a sniffle. 

“Ed, get back to work.” He ordered. 

“Your car might take a while, Miss. Do you want us to drive you back and pick you up when it’s ready?” 

“No, thanks, I’ll wait here.” You didn’t want to leave without your car. 

“It’s up to you. If you change your mind, let us know. Ed can drive you back.”

Sitting here for hours in silence was better than being trapped back in a car with Eddie for 15 mins.

“Thanks.” 

~

As the sun began its descent, casting a warm glow over the horizon, you could feel your impatience growing. The tension in the air was palpable as if it could be sliced with a knife. Your mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts as you grappled with how to approach him.

The mechanics left one by one until only Eddie and you remained. Unable to contain your restlessness any longer, you stuck your head into the garage area. The overpowering scent of motor oil and dirt floods your nostrils, hitting you like a wall. You struggled not to gag, but Eddie’s notice of your disgust did not escape.

“Sorry, this place isn’t clean enough for you, Princess.”

His inflection on your usual pet name was so harsh that you physically jerked back.

“I was just wondering how long it will be?” 

“Almost done.” 

“O-ok. Thanks” 

“I’m not doing you a favour. It’s my job.”

“You never told me you like working on cars.” You don’t know why you’re trying to keep the conversation going. Maybe you missed the sound of his voice, or maybe you’re a glutton for punishment? Maybe you missed him so bad you thought your heart would leap out of your chest if you didn’t touch him. 

“Like is a strong word. I’m good at it.” He shrugs. 

“You’re good at a lot of things,” the compliment slips out. 

“Whatever.” He sniffs and gets down on the creeper to take a look underneath. 

You choose to stay and watch him work; no one else is around to tell you otherwise. 

When Eddie reappears, he is surprised to see you sitting on the stool watching him work. 

“What are you still doing here?”

“Eddie, can you please talk to me?” You feel the lump in your throat start to suffocate you.

“I’m working.” Eddie lets out another sigh of frustration. 

“Ok, fine; you don’t have to talk, but will you please just listen?”

Eddie chooses to ignore you and rolls back under the car. You don’t care you’re going to talk anyway. 

“I got scared, baby.” 

The term of endearment tugged on Eddie’s heartstrings as much as he didn’t want them to. 

“I’m so scared. I’ve never felt like this before about anybody, and the thought of it being stripped away from me was too much. I don’t talk about my parents because they put me on this pedestal. I knew they wouldn’t accept you no matter how unbelievably wonderful and beautiful you are. So I panicked…” you take a deep breath to compose yourself. 

Eddie rolls out from under the hood and sits up on the creeper. 

“I’m an embarrassment then? I can’t possibly be good enough, so you strung me along all summer like a pathetic, lovesick idiot for thinking you could actually be with someone like me, so you could what?…”

“I didn’t string you along! I didn’t know this would happen between us, but I know I love you, Eddie!” You didn’t think you had any more tears left to cry, but you were wrong. Your eyes started to well. 

“I don’t believe you.”

“Please, baby, believe me, I don’t care what anyone else will think anymore! I’ll get disowned. I don’t care. I need you to understand, even if you don’t love me back.” You slip off the stool onto your knees so you’re face to face with the man you love. 

“You don’t think I love you?! You really believe that?” 

You shake your head no, ashamed to look at him.

“I hurt you; I understand that you don’t want me.” 

“You really think I could spend the whole summer with you and not fall in love?” He shook his head in disbelief. 

“What are you saying?” You want to reach out and touch him, but hold yourself back. 

“Of course I love you! I’m changing for you! I’m staying out of trouble; I got this job to get on my own two feet! To prove to you that I can be that guy!”

Not caring anymore, you launch yourself at him, connecting your lips and arms around his neck. 

Eddie couldn’t help himself. His body acting on instinct, he fell back into routine and kissed you back immediately. 

Not thinking about his dirty hands, he grabbed you by the waist, pulling you in closer until your bodies pressed up against one another. 

The moment your bodies touched, you felt like you were on fire. Everything felt so right like you were whole once again. 

Regretfully, Eddie pulled away first. 

“I’m so sorry,” you plead once more. 

“It will take some time, but I want you more than I want to be mad at you.” He cups your face and smears some grease on your cheek as he tries to wipe away the tear stain. 

“Really?”

“I love you, I never got to say it. I would tell you our last night before things blew up in our faces.” 

“I love you, Eddie.” 

A small smile creeps from his lips. 

“Oh shit, you’re so dirty.” 

“You know I like it dirty,” you can't help but smirk.

“No, no, your shirt and your,” he motions to your cheek. 

“It’s okay.” You shrug, and an awkward silence settles between you. 

“Um, so,” Eddie clears his throat.”

“Kiss me?”

“Your wish is my command, Princess.”

Your car was fixed by 9:00 p.m., and you offered Eddie a night, but he felt it was too soon to jump back into things. It stung a little, but you understood that not all was forgiven just yet. So you parted ways at the garage but saw a light at the end of the tunnel. 

~

Things between you and Eddie have been better—not great, but better. He calls you on his days off, but you haven’t fully been forgiven by him just yet. 

You haven’t spent any one-on-one time since he fixed your car two weeks ago because he’s been that slammed with essays, and you have to get ready for midterms. 

“I was down at the mechanic yesterday, and you won’t believe who is working there.” Your dad huffs. 

“Who?” Your mom replies. 

You can’t help but overhear as you study at the kitchen table. 

“The Munson boy.” 

Uh-oh. 

“Really?”

“Wouldn’t want him fixing my cars, probably mess it up even more.”

“He fixed my car two weeks ago.” You interjected. 

“What?” Your mom snapped her head to you.

Ok, guess this conversation is happening now.

“He isn’t like what people say.” 

“How exactly would you know this?” Your father squints at you suspiciously. 

“Because I worked with him all summer at camp, and I learned a lot about him.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” You nod point blank.

“He didn’t touch you, did he?” your dad asks, and your mother scolds him for such a question. 

“I’m an adult,” you bite back.

“What are you saying y/n?” Your mom asks.

“Eddie is good, and kind, and gentle. He isn’t a devil-worshiping deviant that everyone thinks.”

“Sounds like you’re very fond of this Munson kid.” Your dad was not amused. 

“I am. I’m in love with him.” You swallow your fear. 

“Excuse me?” 

“I’m in love with Eddie. I have been for a long time, and this summer, we were together.” You breathe.

“I will not allow this!” Your father booms.

“Calm down, let’s hear her out.” Your mom was much more level-headed about this than you anticipated. 

“What?” Your father and you both look to your mom. 

“Have we not raised her to make her own choices?” 

No way your mom was on your side?

“I will not have my child tainted by that scoundrel!”

“We’ve been together all summer! Have I changed at all?! Have I not done everything by your book? I was valedictorian! I was homecoming queen! Prom queen! A cheerleader! I was on the debate team! I was on the student council! I’m in college for business! I have been the perfect child for you, and you don’t have the decency to hear me out!” 

Your father and mother were shocked. You had never spoken back to them before. 

“This is bullshit.” You walk away from your studies, grab your purse and walk out. 

You drive, you drive until you reach the trailer park on the other side of town. 

You didn’t even know what one was Eddie’s, but you were hoping that you would see his van. 

You drive down the gravel road, and you hear nothing but your heart pounding and the crunch of the rocks beneath your tires. 

You almost reach the end of the park when you take out a breath of relief when you see the van on the right side of the lot. 

You pull up and park behind it before you breathe heavily. 

Would he even want to see you? You weren’t sure but needed to see him, no matter how selfish you were. 

You tentatively give the screen door a few knocks and wait anxiously. 

A few moments pass before you hear footsteps, and a figure appears from behind the small window of the door. 

You freeze when you see the older gentleman standing on the other side of the frame. 

Shit. You woke up his uncle…. Again. 

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Munson,” you apologized before you went to go back to your car. 

Stupid, why don’t you ever think before you act? You knew his uncles would be sleeping. 

“Hold on now, are you that girl my boy has been hung up on.” 

“Uh- yea, I guess so.” You stop in your tracks. 

“The one who keeps waking me up?” He chuckles, and you physically cringe. 

“Look about that. I am so sorry, I completely forgot, didn’t realize the time-“

“It’s ok, hun. Do you want to come in? Ed isn’t home, but he should be shortly.”

“Really?”

“Please.” He waves you in, and you walk back up the porch steps and inside Eddie’s home. 

“Haven’t had a guest in a while; sorry about the mess” 

You look around, and you can’t spot the mess he’s talking about.

“Don’t worry about me.” You stand in the room awkwardly, not knowing where to go.

“Have a seat, darling,” he offers a kitchen table chair. 

“Want anything to drink? I’m making myself a coffee.” 

“Coffee is nice” 

“How do you take it?”

“Two sugars, one cream please”

“Coming right up.”

You fiddle with the hem of your sweater, not knowing what to do with your hands. Usually, you’re good at talking to people, strangers or not, but in this case, you can’t find the right words.

“I really am so-“

“If I hear you apologize one more time, I’ll ask you to wait outside.” He chuckles again. 

“Oh- sor-,” you catch yourself and just stop talking altogether. 

“So, I see why Ed is head over heels for you” 

You blush as he sets a Garfield mug in front of you.

“You think he’s really head over heels?” you air quote. 

“You have no idea. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone. Was starting to get worried.” He laughed again. He was happy Eddie was finally happy. 

“I still think he’s mad at me for what happened.” You take a sip of the sweet liquid. 

“He will get over it. He tried to hide it, but I’ve known him from the time he popped out of his mama. He is in love.”

You can’t help but feel the rush of heat travel to your cheeks again. 

“I hope so.” You sigh just as the hinges to the front door squeak. 

You both look over, and Eddie’s large frame fills the hole as he enters the living room. He’s changed out of his coveralls, but his hands and face are covered in grease.

“Princess?” He questions before a smile breaks his face. 

He hasn’t seen you since the garage. 

“Hi,” you stand up to hang him. 

“What are you doing here?” he asks surprised.

“I told my parents.” You pull back.

“You what!” You didn’t think his chocolate eyes could get any bigger. 

“I don’t want you to be a secret.” You cup his curious face in your hands.

“R-really?”

“No, baby. I love you. I want to be with you.”

“I want to be with you, too.”

“So, do you forgive me?”

“After I talked some clear sense into the boy, he’s forgiven you.” Wayne nods his head.” You forgot for a moment that you weren’t alone. 

“Shouldn’t you be hitting the road, old man?” 

“Trying to get rid of the old guy so you can have quality time together… I see how it is.” He nods solemnly. 

Your face heats up with embarrassment at the innuendo. You bury your face into Eddie’s chest to hide, and Eddie waves off his uncle to leave for his shift, and his uncle laughs menacingly as he shuts the door behind him. 

“So…” you fill the silence now that you’re finally alone for the first time in months. 

“I’m going to shower,” he jerks his thumb over his shoulder and heads to the bathroom. You know, dirt and all,” he motions down his body.

“Ya-of course! I’ll uh, I’ll wait here.” You stand in the middle of the room, trying to take up as little space as possible. 

“Relax, Princess, I’ll be right back.” he kisses your cheek before turning for the bathroom 

As Eddie showered, you couldn’t help but snoop. You saw a door at the end of the hall, and you could only assume it was Eddie’s room based on what you saw through the crack. You slowly pushed the door open and realized your assumption was correct. 

It looked exactly like you thought, and there were no surprises there. 

You investigated further to find a lion costume, and you giggled to yourself. 

“What’s so funny?” You jumped when you felt Eddie’s damp fingers graze up your arms.

“Oh my god! You scared me.” You clutch your chest. 

“Couldn’t help myself, seized the opportunity.”  He flipped you so your chests met.

His chest was bare and damp; only a towel was wrapped around his waist as he caged you in with his strong arms. 

You suddenly realized how badly you wanted him. You craved him every second you were apart, and now you’re so close you could lean in and lick his tattooed chest. 

“Like what you see, princess?” He grips your chin in his thumb and forefinger to tilt your head up to look him in the eyes. 

“Yes,” you sigh unabashedly. 

“Good. Daddy’s missed you, baby.” He whispered before leaning in to kiss you. His hands roam your body, he missed your soft skin, your breasts, your ass. 

You fight back a moan as your pussy clenches at his words. Your body is on fire; you want to do everything to please him, to make him feel good, wanted, and needed. 

Eddie’s hands made their final destination as his kiss deepened. His thick fingers slip into the pockets of your jeans and squeeze, making you roll your hips into his. 

“Need you,” you moan as you pull him in closer by the towel, making it slip.

“Oops,” you giggle innocently like that’s not exactly what you wanted. 

“Naughty girl,” Eddie chuckles darkly before he bends down and lifts you up. You wrap your legs around his waist as he walks you over to the unmade bed. 

You kiss his neck before he places you down on the mattress. A small growl leaves his lips when you lick his sweet spot. 

You can feel his hard cock pressing into your lower stomach, only making your pussy weep for him. 

Weeks without his touch have been punishment enough for your trepidations. Eddie’s hands found the button of your jeans and popped it open without struggle. The sound of your zipper was so loud as you waited for his hands to touch you. You saved time by taking off your top garments, but you needed to feel him on your skin.

“You’re so ready for me already, aren’t you, Princess?” His hands cupped your pussy over your sodden panties. Eddie watches your face as his fingers played with your clit. The look on your face was what he loved most. Your eyes glazed over, your mouth agape, and he hasn’t even started. The way you submit to him made him feral. 

“Yes, daddy.” Your pussy was throbbing for him.

“That’s what I like to hear.” He stretches out like a cat as his head dips lower as his hands reach up your body to cup your breasts. 

His hands mould themselves to your tits, and his tongue licks a hot wet strip up your soaked slick, basking in your taste. 

He’s craved it ever since that day he left. He wants to devour you, to consume you until he is high off of you.

You grind your hips into his face; you can’t help it. 

“Greedy girl,” he spoke into your pussy, making you quiver beneath him. 

“Ohhh,” your back arched. Your hand gripped his long locks as you tugged them tightly. Eddie knew your body so well; it was like he was designed for you. All of your senses were ablaze, and his name fell from your lips. 

“Not allowed to cum until I say so,” he growls. He knew you were close as his fingers slipped up into your cunt. 

“W-what?” You stutter.

“You’ve been a bad girl” 

“Daddy, please,” you begged, but Eddie didn’t like how whiney you’d become. 

Before you cry at the loss of Eddie’s mouth in your cunt a sharp slap strikes your pussy. 

Your body jerks, but you like it.

“You will listen to me.” You met his gaze, and you understood he wasn’t playing around. 

“Sorry, Daddy.” You whispered. 

“What’s that? I didn’t hear you?”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” you say with more confidence. 

“Good girl, now give me what I want.” 

He sits up, and you follow suit. You knew he wanted your mouth; it’s the least you could do for what you put him through. 

You wanted him. Needed him, yearned for him. 

The way Eddie has you revelling for him was exactly what he wanted. To see you like this, on your knees, begging to take him in your mouth. 

“You want it so bad, don’t you, baby?” He asks as he’s laying on his back, you're between his knees. 

“Yes,” you don’t dare touch him yet, but you want to. 

“You’re going to beg for it, baby”

Now he was just being mean

“But-“

“Are you talking back to me?”

“No, Daddy.” 

“Beg.”

“Please let me touch you.” You gave him your best puppy dog eyes, even though he had you beat in that department every time. “I want you in my mouth so badly, baby; I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. I crave you.  I want it so bad, please. I want to make you feel so good, baby. I can make you feel so good if you let me.”

“Good girl. Now suck.”

Your mouth watered at the way he spoke to you. You loved how Eddie’s could get so commanding when you fucked. 

You had his cock in your mouth within the second he stopped speaking. 

You licked a long strip up the underside of his shaft that lay flat against his stomach. His cock was so hard for you it only make it all that more pleasurable, knowing he was also yearning as much as you were, if not more, even if his words didn’t show it. 

“Take it’s that’s my good girl,” he praised. 

His hands gripped your hair as he guided your mouth at his desired pace. Your saliva pooled in your mouth, creating a sensation so good that Eddie can’t help but fuck your mouth. 

You loved it, and you wanted him to use you to remind him that only you can get him this way. 

The feeling of his head almost hitting the back of your throat was exhilarating.

 Eddie knows your limits and wouldn’t push your boundaries; he can’t do that to his princess. 

Just before he’s about to cum, he pulls you off to let you breathe; his chest heaves as he waits for you to collect yourself. 

“Come here.” He beckoned you to lay parallel with him. 

Eddie takes you in a kiss that makes your world stop. A kiss that lets you know he truly does love you. The way he was so firm but so gentle, his soft lips moulded with your own. Your taste on his tongue and his taste on yours melded together as one. You roll on top of him; you want your bodies to be connected. 

“Can you fuck me now? Please?” You grind your wet pussy overtop his hard cock, threatening to slip it inside. 

“Is that what my princess wants?”

“Yes, so bad”

“I love it when you beg for it,” Eddie says, flipping you over. You let out a squeal at the unexpected movement. 

“Gonna fuck you until you beg for me to stop” he slowly guides his hard cock into your tight wet pussy. 

Your fingers grip his shoulders as he slips into you. You pull him down so his weight is fully on top of you; you need to feel close to him again. 

Eddie’s lips attach themselves to your neck, biting and sucking until the mark of possession is dark and purple. 

The consequences of having a large hickey when you get home are the last thing on your mind. The way he is making you feel trumps all.

His hips begin to pump his cock in and out of you. Finally, the sensation you’ve been yearning for is finally reality.

“Fuck yes!” You cry as his hips slap into your own, and his hand travels to your swollen clit.

“You like it when I touch you there, don’t you? Dirty girl can’t get enough of Daddy’s cock can she” 

“No, Daddy!” You cry. 

Eddie pulls up so he can watch his slick covered cock disappear inside of you with each thrust. His eyes are deranged with lust as he can’t look away. His hands gripped so tightly on your hips, moving your body to match his strokes as if you were just a fleshlight. 

“Pl-please,” you stutter as his cock hits your g spot without warning. 

“Please, what? Tell Daddy what you want” 

“I want to cum” 

The price Eddie felt that he already had you quivering under him, and it’s only been a few minutes since his cock had entered you.

“Babygirl, what’s to come already?” He mocks. 

“Yes, please,” you seethe through your teeth. 

“Not yet.” 

“I can’t hold it.” Your eyes well up; it felt so good; the pressure built up in your lower stomach was wound so tightly you were about to explode. No way you could hold off. 

Your pussy clamped on Eddie like a vice. He almost couldn’t pull out by how tight of a grip you held. 

“Oh-oh,” he stuttered. You caught him off guard. 

“You wanna be in charge, princess?” He cupped your face.

“No, I just want to cum” you continue to beg as his thrusts didn’t still. 

“Cum for me” his hand continued to curl your bundle of nerves, and you fell apart. Your feral moans filled the room as your body was washed over in a wave of euphoria. You came so hard you think you blacked out for a moment. 

“That’s it; there’s my girl; you fuckin came so good” Eddie still pumped himself into you. He didn’t want it to be over just yet. He was having so much fun playing with you. You were like his little doll. 

“Come on, baby, ride me.” He helps lift you up even though your whole body feels like jello.

“Gonna bounce on Daddy’s cock like a good little bunny,” he praises, and your pussy floods itself once more. 

When you sink down on his cock you see starts. The new angle was so much more filling than when he had you on your back.

“Oh my god,” your eyes roll back, and your jaw hands slack. Eddie seizes the opportunity to push his fingers into your mouth to suck on. 

“Such a good girl. You like all your holes filled, huh? How about this one? We are missing one.” His free hand wraps around your ass and toys with your other hole. 

“Yes,” you frantically nodded your head.

“Mmm, you’re such a slut for me, aren’t you? My little bunny. Just love to hop on this cock, huh?” He takes the fingers that were shoved in your mouth and slowly stretches you out. “That’s it, that’s my girl. Taking all of me so well. You like being so full, don’t you?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Your legs burned, but you didn’t dare stop until he came. The sound of your wet skin slapping and moans filled the empty bedroom. The only two people that exist right now are you and Eddie. Eddie’s pleasure was at the top of mind, but you were getting close to that breaking point. Your second orgasm was getting closer and closer with each pump. 

“You’re so tight, pretty baby; you gonna come again, f’me?”

You nod your head frantically as the words get caught in your throat.

“Awe, my pretty bunny can even speak, huh? You’re just sooo cock drunk for daddy’s cock, aren’t you, baby?” 

Eddie’s words only aided your impending orgasm to crash through your whole body. You collapsed down into Eddie’s body as yours quivered in excitement over his. The way your pussy clamped down on Eddie’s cock had him cuming right along with you. Eddie’s head tingled as his hot load shot up into you. He couldn’t help but jerk his hips up on instinct to make sure you took all of him. 

With a sigh of relief, Eddie hugged you closer to his body, not letting you pull off his softening cock just yet. 

You let your weight fall on Eddie as you come down from your orgasm. Eddies tattooed arms wrapped around you and pulled you in your head to his chest. You could hear his heart pounding in his chest, and your heart fell in sync with his soothing beat. 

“You okay, Princess?”

“Mmmhhhmmmmmm,” you hum as you nuzzle your head deeper into the crook of his neck. 

You could cry at how happy you were at this moment. Finally, you have everything you want wrapped in your arms. 

“Good.” he kisses the top of your head, and you both fight the urge not to fall asleep like this. 

After Eddie begrudgingly got up because he insisted you both had to clean up you both fell asleep and didn’t wake up until late in the evening. 

~

Eddie ordered you both pizza, and you fell right back into your old ways. You can’t seem to wipe the permanent smile from your face. 

Simple ‘I love you’s’ slip past each of your lips. It was disgusting to anyone who would be looking from the outside in, but you and Eddie were in your own bubble that nobody could break until you both jumped when there was a pounding on the front door.

Eddie shit up from your arms and ran to see who it is. 

“What the?” He jerks the door open, and Ash makes her way inside. 

“Dude, your parents are freaking out.” 

“What?” You sit up. 

“They called me, yelling about how you’ve lost your mind, that the Munson boy has you brainwashed and stormed out of the house.”

If you could roll your eyes any more, they would fall out of your skull. 

“I know.” She agreed. 

Eddie stood behind her nervously, biting his nails. Would you rethink everything? He couldn’t come between you and your parents. 

“They will come around; they just need to meet him; they’ll see how good he is,” you plead. 

“I don’t know, Princess.” The thought of him meeting your parents terrified him. 

You get up off the couch and walk to Eddie. You cup his face to look him in the eye, and he melts in your touch. 

“We will figure this out”

“You guys are gross.” Ash can’t help but smile. She’s so happy for both of you. 

“Thanks, babe,” you smile at her. 

“Okay, well, I know you’re okay. I’ll let your parentals know that you’re safe, and you’ll come home when they’re ready to talk to you and have calmed down.

“Thank you.”

After Ash left, you tried to get Eddie to calm down and relax. Eventually, he could do it when you slipped off the couch and sank between his legs. 

The second your tongue touched his sensitive head, he was sufficiently relaxed. And once your mouth was dripping with his cum he thinks he couldn’t be more in love with you. The thought of meeting your parents wasn’t as scary. He will do everything and anything to keep you. 

“I’ll do it.” 

“What?” You wipe the corner of your mouth. 

“I’ll meet your partners.”

“Are you sure?” 

“If I get head like that? I’ll do anything you ask of me”

You giggle softly, and he takes you in his arms. You agree that tomorrow when you go home tomorrow. 

~

With bated breath, Eddie and you walk into your childhood home, hand in hand. 

“Hello?” 

“Sweetheart! We were so worried.” Your mom rushed down the foyer hallway. 

“Mom, I’m fine.” 

Your mother spots the large and abrasive bruise on your neck. She stiffens up immediately when she also sees Eddie standing beside you. 

“I see.” 

“Mom, please.” 

“Okay. Let’s talk.”

“Where is Dad?” 

“I’m his chair.” She rolls her eyes. 

The three of you walk to the living room, where your dad is reading the paper, unbothered. 

“Dad,” you greet him.

“Nice of you to return your little tantrum faster.

“My tantrum?” You couldn’t believe how childish he had acted yesterday.

You feel Eddie’s hand tightening in yours, and you squeeze it back.

“Can we please talk?”

He tips the corner of his pepper to finally look up and realizes Eddie is in his house. 

“What is he doing here?” 

“If you won’t treat my boyfriend respectfully, we are leaving.” 

“Sweetheart, wait, we can talk about this.”  Your mom was trying to keep the peace. 

“Good.” You lead Eddie to sit on the couch, but he doesn’t follow. 

He walks over to your dad and reaches out his hand. 

“Sir, I’m Eddie.” You watch as Eddie’s hand is held out firm. 

Your dad stared back at him for a moment until you warned him.

Surprisingly, your dad took his hand and shook it, and you sighed a breath of relief.

“Hello, Edward.” You tried not to roll your eyes, but your eyes betrayed you. 

“Y/N,” your mom warns. 

“Sorry.” 

Eddie also reaches out to your mother. He hands her the bouquet of flowers he had for her.

“Thank you, Eddie.” She smiles and sets them on the coffee table as they both sit. Your parents are on one side, you and Eddie are on the other. 

“So,” your dad speaks. 

With a deep breath, you start to speak. 

“Over the summer, Eddie and I got really close, and we are together as a couple.” 

“And now what? You’re going to live happily ever after?” 

“Sir, with all due respect, your daughter can make her own choices. She has been the golden child her whole life. She respects and loves you both so much that he actually broke up with me in fear of what you both would say or do…

“ I don’t know if you noticed, but she is the best person everyone who has had the pleasure of knowing her has ever met. You and your wife have raised a wonderful person, and I am so lucky and grateful she chose me.”

“I’m doing everything in my power to make sure I live up to her standards. She is the most important person in my life, and I will treat her as she deserves. If that isn’t enough for you both, so be it, but she doesn’t need me to support her. She knows how to handle herself, and that’s all due to you guys.” 

You held back tears as you listened to Eddie speak so highly of you. It was so nice to be validated. 

“Is that right?” Your dad spoke. 

“Yes, Sir.” Eddie nods and takes your hand in his.

“That’s very honourable of you, Edward.” 

Were pigs flying? Did your dad just say something nice?

“Thank you, Sir.” 

“Those are very kind things of you to say, Eddie. I’m sorry we jumped to conclusions about your intentions. 

“I understand I have a reputation; I wasn’t dealt the best hand, but I love your daughter, and she loves me. I haven’t done anything to disrespect her, and I never plan to.” 

Your parents stay silent and give one another a look. You held your breath until one of them spoke. 

“We are going to have some rules for when you come over-“ you dad starts but your mom cuts him off.

“Eddie, would you like to stay for dinner?” Your mom offered.

“Yes, I would love to, ma’am.” Eddie smiled, and so did you. 

You mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to your mom, and she gave you an assuring smile. 

“What?” 

“They are adults. Clearly, they have been safe over the summer; I'm sure they will keep it that way.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Eddie cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. 

Your eyes went wide, and cheeks flared up with embarrassment.

Your dad sat back with a grumble and flicked his newspaper, flustered as ever. 

“I’ll go start dinner. You kids can go; I’ll let you know when Im finished. 

“We did it!” You jumped into Eddie’s arms, and he spun you around once you entered your bedroom. 

You celebrated with a kiss, and you slipped down his body, and your feet made contact with the floor. 

“Can’t wait to show off my girl.” He cupped your face in both hands, “need to let all of Hawkins you’re mine.” 

“I’m all yours, Eddie Munson.” 

“Mmm, I like the sound of that.” 

~End~ 

tags: @winchester-angel @josephquinnsfreckles @lemme-slytherin-that-dick @emma-munson @littlexdeaths

@siriuslysmoking @peachysink @nailbatanddungeon @leelei1980 @daisy-munson

@taintedcigs @take-everything-you-can @strangerstilinski @bl0ssomanddie

@seb-buckybarnes @chickenandsheep-blog @lokis-army-77 @ali-r3n @erinekc @usergeta @snowflowersstars246

@micheledawn1975 @princesatracionera @bells-28 @kellsck @ezzynf

@oneforthemunny @brxkenartt @ktiutsa @sofiaadela @guineveresghost @nabiiturner @eddiesguitarskills @comeonatmebruh @sky-full-0f-fl0wers

[okaylikeschaewon]

Chapter 6: Antifragile

“Sweetie, that hurts.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” Chaewon apologized, letting go of your hand.

“I’ve never seen you this nervous before,” you chuckled softly, placing your hand on her trembling knee. “At least try to enjoy it.”

“I do enjoy it, I- it’s starting!” she screamed before grasping your hand once more, even harder than before.

This time you simply ignored the pain and let it happen, smiling at her excitement. Unfortunately for your ears, her scream wasn’t alone, it was accompanied by four others. This was as new of an experience for you as it was for the other members; You couldn’t help but feel just as excited as the five girls in the room as that first line of the music video played.

I am antifragile.

“Ah Zuha!”

“Eunchae!”

“Kkura wow!”

Hectic was an understatement. Even though there was a lot of energy in the room, it was nothing compared to the level of excitement that could be felt by hundreds of fans waiting for Le Sserafim to take the stage just a short distance away. It was a brilliant idea to release the group's first comeback together with an entire concert; it was surely one way to come out with a bang..

“You girls are acting like it’s your first time seeing the video,” you laughed.

“Hey! Shush,” Yunjin responded, shooting you a playful glare.

“Hey, shush!” Kazuha repeated before the two girls began giggling like crazy, repeating the line over and over.

“Ahh what is wrong with these two,” Sakura whined, unable to contain her smile, with Eunchae sitting in her lap.

“Look,” Chaewon muttered, her eyes never leaving the screen, face full of focus. It almost looked like she was reviewing the video- or perhaps she was hyping herself up for the impending performance.

“Pretty,” you said before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, patting her thigh with your hand. Her grip loosened on your hand for a bit, just until her powerful ‘whoa’ line which had the girls erupt in screams once more. Chaewon took the opportunity to stand up, pulling you along with her.

“Where are we going?” you whispered, following her to the back of the room where a couple of rows of clothing gave you some privacy from the others who were still screaming their lungs out.

“I want to show you something,” she answered, hopping up onto the dresser.

Chaewon slipped a hand up under her skirt and pulled down her safety shorts to her knees before leaning back, spreading her legs as far as the shorts would allow. You lowered yourself just enough to see up her skirt as she stuck her hand up the bottom again. She pulled her white underwear to the side, revealing a sparkle between her legs.

“Is that-”

“Yes.”

“Why?” you gasped, quickly checking over your shoulder to make sure your privacy was still intact before slipping your hand up her skirt as well.

“I’m going to perform with it,” she whispered into your ear as your fingers made contact with her wet skin.

“Won’t that be a bit uncomfortable?” you asked while rubbing your fingers beside her folds, up and down her soft skin.

“It’s going to be my constant reminder,” she moaned as you began to rub your thumb around her clit. “My reminder of what you’re going to do to me.”

“I’m going to do to you?” you replied, lightly tugging on the glass piece inside her. “What might that be?”

“You’ll find out soon,” she answered before pushing your hand away and hopping off the dresser.

“Don’t go,” you protested, trying to slide your hand up her skirt again. “You still have time.”

“Chaewon-ah! We’re about to go out, where are you?!” Sakura shouted from the other side of the room.

“Coming!” she shouted back while smirking at you. “So much for still have time,” she added quietly before leaning forward and kissing you.

“Have fun out there, I’ll be watching,” you cheered, giving her butt a little pat as she rushed over, back to the rest of the girls who were a screaming mess as the video came to an end.

It all happened so quickly. The room was filled with screams and excitement just a moment ago, but now they had vanished, leaving you with nothing but the ringing in your ears as a reminder. You got comfortable on the couch, eyes glued to the screen as the group’s introduction began playing.

There was no denying this group was loaded with charm. Each member had their moment on the screen; Yunjin with her chic expressions, Kazuha with her unrealistic beauty, Sakura had that slightly awkward but so loveable smile, and Eunchae in typical Eunchae fashion was adorable. Then the camera zoomed in on Chaewon, the one who was able to pull it all off: cool demeanor, beautiful makeup, her slow and seductive blink, all topped with her adorably tied up hairstyle.

What really captivated you, more than you already were, was the seduction. The way Chaewon looked into the camera, she nonverbally forced you to look at her. Dripping of confidence, you would have never guessed that the same girl had been sitting next to you trembling from nerves just a minute ago. Then it began, the instrumental to No Celestial starting up, the members all getting into it as if this was their calling in life.

In a way it was. All of the training and hard work was unraveling before your eyes. In a vacuum, it would be impossible to know that these were rookies performing their first comeback; They jumped up with the assurance and certainty of seasoned professionals. You could see that they were enjoying themselves despite a little bit of shakiness here and there and a few minor choreo errors that were completely overshadowed by their enthusiasm - it was obvious to anyone watching that they were genuinely having a good time up there.

The amount of pride you felt as you watched Chaewon address the crowd was overwhelming. She, and the rest of the members, just looked so happy. You were glad that all of their hard work was rewarded with an opportunity to be face to face with fans; fans who were cheering their lungs out. They deserved it, the hardships they faced. Just as you were really feeling the emotions, Good Parts began to play. Before you knew it, the girls reunited with you in the room.

“Why do you look so sad?” Chaewon asked while jumping onto your lap, blocking your view of the screen and the video.

Without speaking, you pulled her into a hug. At first she didn’t move, but eventually she returned the hug twofold. Her body was still slightly warm after the performance, and it brought you great comfort having her in your arms.

“I’m not sad,” you mumbled into her shoulder, giving her butt a little squeeze, knowing what she had between her legs right now. “Excited would be a better word.”

“You two are so adorable,” Eunchae teased, taking a seat next to you.

“Eunchae behave,” Sakura said sternly, taking a seat next to her.

“Wow, Kkura is so cool when she’s bossy,” Yunjin cooed, sipping on some water and fanning herself while Eunchae laughed.

“Zuha, is everything alright?” Sakura asked, ignoring the other two.

“This won’t open for some reason,” she mumbled, fiddling with a little packet.

“Do you need help?” Sakura laughed.

“I got this,” Kazuha mumbled, her face fully focused on the snack.

“Come on,” Chaewon instructed, standing up and pulling you away. “We’ll be right back.”

“Where are-” Eunchae began before Sakura covered up her mouth.

“Don’t be too long, we have to change and head back out,” Sakura said while playfully. It almost seemed like she knew something.

You paused briefly next to Kazuha as you followed Chaewon out of the room. She was holding the packet when you took it from her and ripped it open before returning it to her. She was shocked at first, but she soon gave you a loving smile. You returned her grin and thought how sweet she was as you caught up to Chaewon.

“That was kind of you,” Chaewon commented now that the two of you were alone in the hallway.

“Am I not allowed to be?”

“I’ve told you so many times,” Chaewon huffed. “Zuha is fair game, I expect you to treat her well. Just stop making it so obvious that you want her.”

She was playing playful about it, but part of you suspected there might have been a tinge of jealousy. Or perhaps you were overthinking it.

“Yeah, but I don’t want Zuha right now,” you announced before aggressively pinning Chaewon against the wall. “I want you.”

“Do you?” she moaned as you began peppering her neck with kisses.

Your hand slid up her thigh, up her skirt, and then yanked her safety shorts and underwear down at once, letting the garments fall to the ground. With her neck in your mouth, you grabbed the base of the plug and slowly pulled it out of her pussy.

“Ah,” she moaned softly, reaching behind your back and grabbing your head.

Her pussy was dripping - you could feel little droplets fall onto your wrist as you began rubbing the plug around her intimate parts. You slid it up and down her pussy, forcing her to moan quietly, knowing that at any second someone could walk out of the room and catch you in the act.

An idea popped into your mind as you rubbed the little glass plug around her pussy. With your other hand, you gently squeezed her ass as you moved your mouth deeper into her neck. You slowly slipped the plug towards her ass, spreading her cheeks just enough to give you access.

“What are you-” she began to whisper before suddenly letting out a deafening squeal.

“Chaewon-ah?!” Sakura shouted from behind the door.

“Are you okay?!” Yunjin shouted as well.

“Yeah!” she shouted back. “I slipped, but I’m fine!”

“Slipped,” you whispered while stifling your laughter.

She hit you on the chest, playfully, before pulling up her underwear and fixing her skirt while glaring at you.

“Need to find somewhere more private,” she whispered, taking your hand in hers and squeezing it painfully hard.

As you followed her towards the door, you couldn’t take your eyes off her ass. The first few steps clearly showed some levels of discomfort, but soon she began walking normally. If you didn’t know better, you could have never guessed she had a plug in her ass right now - but you did know better.

“I can’t believe you did that,” she scolded you while walking.

“I’d say sorry, but I noticed you didn’t take it out yet,” you teased back.

“Shut up.”

You obeyed her command, trying your best to play along with her ‘anger’. She was clearly trying to act upset, but you just found it adorable the way she was trying to hide her smile.

“This works,” Chaewon said while peering into one of the empty dressing rooms. “Lock the door behind you.”

“What if I just leave it open?” you asked while locking it. “Add to the excitement?”

“I don’t care, just hurry up and get in here,” Chaewon growled, slamming her lips against yours.

As you two kissed, you moved deeper into the room. While the sloppy and messy kiss took over your mind, Chaewon backpedaled deeper into the room until a dresser eventually came into contact with her lower back.

“Someone’s in a rush,” you joked while yanking her skirt alongside her underwear down to the ground.

“Someone shoved a plug up my ass,” she hissed, stepping out of the clothes before kissing your mouth again. “Now can that someone hurry up and fuck me? I have to go back on stage soon.”

“Then someone needs to hurry up and turn around,” you snapped, giving her ass a hard spank before spinning her by her hips so that she was staring into the mirror of the makeup station.

Your firm cock immediately sprung up in attention as you dropped your own pants and locked eyes. Your hand slipped up her body and wrapped around her neck as you held onto your base with your other hand, fumbling with your cock between her legs until you found her hole.

With her lustful gaze in the mirror, and your cock poised to enter her pussy, you thrust your hips. As your length squeezed into her tight little pussy, your hand around her neck gently pressed down. Her mouth shot open, her eyes squinted, and she paused for a second as your hips slammed into her ass.

“So fucking wet,” you groaned, sliding your hand from her neck onto her shoulder. You brought your other hand up the side of her body, placing it on her other shoulder before pressing down and bending her over deeper. However, you made sure not to push too far - you wanted to see her face in the mirror as you started fucking her.

The initial shock had already worn off, and Chaewon began to pant each time your hips slammed into her cute little ass. Slapping noises filled the room alongside her breaths and your occasional grunt as you exerted as much power as you could. At this point, she was moving her hips back onto your cock as hard as you were thrusting into her.

“Fuck…” she moaned out freely. “Fuck me.”

Her ass was jiggling like crazy as you let go of her shoulders, running your hands down her body until they were on her hips. Now you could clearly see the ripples being made each time your thighs slammed into her. Her tight pussy was making it difficult to pace yourself. All you wanted was to keep fucking her senseless. She knew you were watching her all night, just like all of those other fans out there, but only you knew what she really wanted.

Peeking out from between her ass cheeks each time your cock rammed into her was the sparkle of the plug. You stopped thrusting for just a second and rubbed your thumb against the base of the plug, gently pushing it deeper into her ass.

“Take it out,” she whispered.

“Does it hurt?” you asked, grabbing the plug, worried that it was too much for her.

“No,” she answered, looking back over her shoulder. “Take it out and fuck my ass.”

“You mean it?” you confirmed after getting over the initial shock of her request.

She didn't need to say anything; the look she gave you was plenty for an explanation. She wasn't messing around - nothing facetious about it. This was going to happen, yet you still couldn't believe it. You quickly removed your cock and sank down behind her. You shoved your face between her legs, ripping the plug out of her asshole while licking at her pussy.

“Ah!” she screamed out sharply before quickly transitioning into moans as your mouth pressed against her asshole, soothing the pain. She began to moan softly as your tongue toyed with her tighter hole, teasing it, prodding away.

“You alright?” you asked, standing up behind her, your hands continuously massaging her ass.

“Mhmm,” she whimpered, staring down. 

“Tell me what you want.”

“Fuck me,” she moaned quietly.

“Be more specific,” you commanded, giving her left cheek a rough spank before reaching forward and pulling her hair back with a touch of roughness, forcing her to look up.

“Fuck my ass,” Chaewon cried out, grabbing onto the dresser for support, looking up in the mirror directly into your eyes. “Please.”

Luckily your cock, twitching in excitement, was coated in her wetness already. You spat on your hand before rubbing against her asshole, adding more of your saliva to the bit that was already there from when your tongue was exploring. Carefully, you pressed your tip against her entrance until it entered her hole. You took hold of her hips, bracing yourself for what was to come.

Chaewon’s pussy was tight - beautifully tight - but her asshole was a whole different story. You slowly pushed forward, fighting against her body, taking utmost care to go slowly. Each inch forward was a fight against pressure. It felt so wrong yet so right at the same time. Her tight asshole squeezed every ounce of your energy out of your cock.

“Chae,” you gasped, your fingers digging deeper into her hips, your cock halfway into her asshole.

The two of you made eye contact in the mirror and she knew, she knew what you wanted. Her eyes shut tight, face scrunched up in a grimace, her teeth clenched, and she began to push her ass backwards onto your cock.

A slurry of grunts and moans escaped her lips as she pushed back with all her strength. She got most of the way, her asshole getting tighter and tighter by the inch. When she got to what seemed like her limit, you took control again. With a firm grip on her waist, you pushed your hips forward, jamming your cock all the way into her ass.

“Fuck!” she cried in a mix of discomfort and pleasure.

“Your body is so fucking perfect,” you gasped, bending forward and pressing your chest against her back. You brought your hands up her body, wrapping them around her stomach. “You good?”

“Yeah,” she groaned, her asshole convulsing all around your cock. “Give me a second,” she added in her tiny voice.

With her tight asshole squeezing every bit of your shaft, you took the opportunity to slide one hand down from her stomach and between her legs. You began to rub her, gently, working your hardest to make this feel as good for her as it felt for you.

Her pussy was still soaked, instantly coating your fingers. You inserted a single finger into her pussy, which at this point barely felt tight relative to where your cock was at the moment. Back and forth your finger went, easing her body into pleasure and euphoria.

“Fuck me,” she begged quietly. “Fuck me, please.”

Your hips slowly began to pump away at her asshole, carefully with no sudden movements. She felt so fucking good right now. You kept fingering her, almost in an attempt to distract her from any discomfort.

It did feel like her discomfort was starting to vanish, that or your cock was getting used to the tightness of her body. Either way, all you knew was the way she was squeezing your shaft felt divine. You began to pick up the pace, moving your hips in a bit of a rhythm now.

While your cock found a comfortable tempo, alongside your finger, you took the chance to turn her head sideways and kiss her. It was sloppy, definitely lacking form, but you needed as much of her body as you could touch. You repeatedly kissed her mouth, or rather tried to as her body kept shaking each time you slammed into her backside.

The lust for Chaewon took over. The next few minutes were a blur. All you knew was Chaewon’s asshole felt like heaven. Even though you never wanted to stop, you could feel your cock getting ready for the climax. Surely you wouldn’t be able to last much longer, not with how perfect Chaewon’s tight asshole felt.

“I’m getting close!” she cried out, breaking her lips away from yours, her voice three octaves higher than normal. “Don’t fucking stop.”

Her body collapsed down to the dresser and you followed suit, pressing down against her back again with your chest. One arm snaked around her toned midriff. You could feel the flex of her abs each time your cock slammed into her asshole.

She began to squeal, loudly and rapidly. Words could not explain how turned on you were at the sound of her voice. It was too much for you, and you felt yourself mere seconds away from unloading into her asshole. You quickly tried to logic out of the situation; Keep fucking her ass even though you were about to cum? Slow down to try and delay it? Pull out and cover her beautiful ass?

The options flashed in your mind, but you quickly realized it was futile. Your cock began exploding inside her, filling her up with your cum. The added lubricant from your cock made it easier to fuck her tight little asshole as your orgasm took over your entire existence. There was a lot.

Your orgasm kept going, giving you the drive to keep plowing Chaewon’s little asshole. Luckily for you, her high-pitched squeals were a clear indicator of her own impending orgasm. Just as your cock began to burn up from the sensitivity of your post-orgasm state, you felt her pussy clamp down on your fingers.

A single, drawn out “fuck” escaped her lips as her whole body began to shake beneath you. With the arm you had wrapped around her stomach, you squeezed her body gently - subtly reminding her that you were here for her. You ignored the struggle of using your spent cock and you kept pumping away gently at her asshole as she trembled in your grasp: the goal was just to make her feel good.

It took some time for her body’s convulsions to finally subside. At this point, your cock was painfully sensitive, and the tight squeeze of Chaewon’s asshole offered little reprieve from the sensory overload. You stood up straight, taking a good look at Chaewon’s body bent over the dresser.

Slowly, you began to pull back, your cock sliding out of her little asshole. The same body that made it so difficult to enter was now making it difficult to leave, squeezing tightly as you pulled your hips back. It was all worth it, just to hear that satisfying moan Chaewon released as your cock finally freed itself from her embrace.

Immediately afterwards, a glob of your thick white cum spilled out of her asshole. Some of it adhered to her body, leaving a white mess on her pussy, while most of it fell directly onto the floor. You crouched down behind her, reaching up to spread her asscheeks lightly, admiring your mess sliding down the insides of her thighs.

“How’s it feel?” you asked, fully focused on the mess between her legs.

“A lot rougher than the plug,” she giggled, pushing herself up off the dresser, standing up straight. “But fine, better than I expected.”

“Good,” you said, standing up behind her, hugging her from behind. “We should probably get you cleaned up, you still have to go back on stage don’t you?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I wish we could just cuddle instead.”

“I do too,” you confessed, looking around the room to find some tissues or wipes. “But there are fans waiting, you wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

“I know,” she agreed, accepting some tissues from you. “They deserve a good show, we honestly owe it to them.”

“Imagine if they saw what we just did,” you chuckled. “That would be a good show.”

“Inappropriate,” Chaewon reprimanded you in an exaggeratedly playful tone.

“By the way, what gave you the idea for the plug?”

“It was Kkura’s idea,” Chaewon confessed. “I… asked her for some advice.”

“Advice?” you cocked an eyebrow. “You claim nothing happened last night, yet-”

“Nothing happened last night,” she said firmly. “I never said anything about this morning.”

“The truth comes out,” you announced dramatically, wrapping your arms around her waist. “So why don’t you tell me what you and Sakura got up to this morning.”

“That’s a secret for you to find out another day,” she teased before turning around. “Who knows, maybe one day we’ll show you.”

—

“I’m exhausted,” Chaewon sighed before falling face first onto the bed.

“Awh sweetie, I’m proud of you,” you admired her, placing your hands on her back and massaging her sore body gently. “I’m sure you’ve seen, but the initial response has been phenomenal.”

“I don’t care.”

“Yeah you do.”

She sat up and smiled warmly, despite the fatigue being so evident in her eyes.

“You’re right, I do care,” she said, leaning forward and kissing you briefly. “But I’m still exhausted.”

“With how much you guys record beforehand, you’d think things would get easier after the comeback.”

“I wish,” she laughed, standing up and removing her clothes. “It was really just the hours we spent in makeup today that got to me, I nearly fell asleep like three times.”

“If it makes you feel better, I think you look amazing even without all that makeup.”

“That’s sweet and all but unfortunately it doesn’t work like that,” she muttered while reaching into her closet to find some more comfortable clothes. “Thanks for waiting, by the way. I’m sorry I ended up being late.”

“It’s fine, I know you’re busy with the comeback stuff,” you reassured her.

“Yeah,” she sighed softly.

“We’re still good for dinner, right?”

Her pouty face as she returned to the bed was all the answer you needed.

“You’re too tired, aren’t you?” you asked with a light laugh.

“I’m sorry, we just had such a long day,” she sighed, joining you on the bed and leaning into your ear. “I’m also still super sore from yesterday.”

“Don’t sweat it,” you responded, giving her butt a gentle rub. “We can just hang out.”

“I have another idea, if you’re open to it,” Chaewon suggested, slipping the shirt on. “How about you take Kazuha instead?”

“Take Kazuha?” you repeated. “You sure?”

“Yeah, why not? You two get along so well,” she continued. “Plus, I think she could really use it.”

“Wow aren’t you such a good leader,” you teased playfully. “Always looking out for your members.”

“What do you say, can you help this leader out?” she asked, climbing on top of your body. “I’ll make it worth your while if you do.”

“Going on a date with Kazuha and getting a reward? Sounds like a good deal.”

“It is a good deal,” she whispered, kissing you again. “Spend the night with her again if she wants, she worked so hard today.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“And what about the surprise?” you asked, kissing her while your hands filled themselves with Chaewon’s toned ass. “When do I get that?”

She slid off your body and lay down in her bed, pulling the sheets up.

“Tomorrow, you can make me all sore again,” she moaned with a wink.

---

A/N:

Honestly this got a tiny bit delayed, but yay here it is. I just gotta say, the support recently for my work has been overwhelming. So many kind messages! Forgive any typos, I tried to proofread if thoroughly but I have a weird gut feeling that I missed some.

Now for the story. For those of you who saw "that post", I just wanna say making this a very Chaewon-heavy chapter was not me being petty, this was just always the plan. Obviously I've teased it, but I'll just say there's no more bait when it comes to Kazuha's chapter (I've already written most of it, and yes it is next).

Please feel free to reach out and leave feedback! I try to read every message/comment/whatever. Thanks again everyone who reads and has been beyond kind to me! <3

[atleastpleasetelephone]

Little Darling

Chapter 6 - Kept the curtains closed all day

It's 1997, and Elvis is still alive and well. He quit music in 1972 after a successful world tour, and now he runs Presley Studios - teaching people karate across America. His daughter and grandchildren are regular visitors at Graceland, and when he’s in Memphis he likes to do a little teaching. His life is quieter now, though. Most of the Mafia have gone - going to live their own lives - and after his divorce from his second wife, Elvis is sworn off women for good. Will a Welsh girl with a wicked sense of humour be the one to make him break his promise to himself not to fall in love again?

Need to catch up? Go here.

Pairing: Old Man!Elvis x OC - Tegan, a Welsh girl he meets at karate class.

Word Count: 4.4K

TWs: Angst, personal neglect, erectile dysfunction, talk of aging, self-esteem issues, dirty talk, handjob, possessive kink.

Elvis watches Tegan go and then turns and walks slowly up the stairs and back to his bedroom, where he remains. It had been his answer to a lot of problems in the past, but in the past there were plenty of people to check on him. Now he just sits and feels horribly lonely in his big empty house. Mary brings him food in bed and the maids clean, but he just stays there, not bothering to wash or answer the phone when it rings. The phone is mostly Tegan. Though once it’s Jerry, and somehow Mary knows (probably because it’s an unusual time, not just after the work day ends like Tegan has been trying) so she picks up and talks to him a little. She lies though, saying Elvis is busy with karate and not at home, as he’d told her to do if she happened to speak to anyone. 

When calling gets her nowhere, Tegan tries walking up to the gates to persuade someone to let her in. Elvis sees her on the CCTV and then just closes his eyes. This whole thing had been a mistake. He’s convinced that she’ll realise she’s better off without him and give up soon. Tegan doesn’t want to give up. She knows Maria thinks she’s lost her mind, and part of her genuinely wonders whether she has. But giving up just seems like such a waste of what they had. She starts off sure that she’ll hear from him again, that he’ll realise he overreacted and come running back apologising. But when days pass with nothing, when he won’t pick up the phone or answer the door, and when neither he nor Lisa are at karate for two weeks in a row, she starts to doubt herself. 

“You have to try and move on, T. He obviously has.”

Maria is being no help at all, as far as Tegan is concerned. She knows her friend is trying to do what she thinks is best, but none of it makes her feel better. 

“I can’t move on, Mar. And I don’t know why you think he has either.”

Maria starts trying to call him a womaniser again and Tegan just sighs and interrupts. “There are no other women, Mar. There are barely any other people. It’s silent and lonely in that house a lot of the time. I hate to think of him up there on his own.”

“Oh. I guess I assumed he’d have fans around all the time.”

Tegan shakes her head. “Sometimes there are one or two at the gates but that’s it.”

Maria has to concede that maybe she doesn’t know as much about Elvis as she’d first thought. Then she has an idea. 

“Don’t they have old newspapers at the library?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, if we go to the library, maybe we can find something from around the time he and his wife divorced? That might give you an idea of why he’s acting this way.”

Tegan feels a bit like her friend has gone amateur detective on her, but she doesn’t have anything else to do so they head to the library. Maybe it will help, but if not at least it gets her out of the house.

***

Sonny can get into Graceland without Elvis’ help, but he knows better than to even climb the stairs without permission, never mind bang on the bedroom door. He shouts a few times and gets no response, so he goes to talk to Mary, who confirms his worst fears. Elvis has been up there for more than two weeks, talking to no-one apart from her, and she could barely get a sentence out of him. Sonny decides desperate times call for getting Lisa involved. He tells Mary his plan - which involves her answering the phone again - and tries one last shout up the stairs. 

“EP! It’s Sonny! Just checking you’re okay, man.”

Elvis closes his eyes and groans to himself. “Fine, Sonny,” he shouts in response. “Don’t worry about me.”

***

There are plenty of newspapers from the time of Elvis’ divorce in the library, but they have a vast and contradicting list of reasons for it happening. Tegan rubs her forehead in frustration. If only journalists could be relied on to tell the truth, rather than this complicated web of nonsense. She sees how pretty Stella is though, and how much obviously younger than Elvis, too. And she notices that in a lot of the photos his ex is accompanied by a very handsome younger man, who is sometimes identified as a friend, and sometimes as a lover. She can’t help thinking that this guy is the reason for the divorce. If that’s true, maybe Elvis thinks the same thing will happen again with her. She frowns. She’s not Stella though, and she thought that she’d told Elvis that. And if this is what he'd been thinking the whole time, what he'd been worrying about, she wishes that he'd told her.

“You think this guy is the problem?” Maria asks, after they’ve looked through a few more newspapers. 

Tegan sighs. “I think all of this,” she gestures to the papers, the photos, the speculation, the cruel words, “is the problem. But that guy probably didn’t help.”

Maria nods. She was shocked at a lot of what had been written about Elvis in the press, unkind things about his looks and his age, things she’d just taken for granted as being normal when she’d read them ten or so years ago. Maybe he isn’t the womaniser she thought he was, or not anymore anyway. 

“I feel bad for him, T. Some of the stuff in here is awful,” she pauses, looking up into her friend’s face. “No wonder he doesn’t want to be seen out with you and have this all happen again.”

Tegan nods, sadly. “They printed some nasty things about him. About both of us, actually. When we went to the zoo.”

Maria reaches out and rubs her friend’s arm, reassuringly. “I’d say just ignore it, but… it’s not easy, is it?” She picks up one of the papers and then drops it back onto the table. “When it’s so unpleasant.”

Tegan rubs her eyes a little and then stands up. “Time to go, I think.” 

She doesn’t tell Maria, but the things she’d read in the paper have really affected her. And Elvis pushing her away makes her think that part of him believes them too. 

***

“Elvis!! Lisa-Marie on the phone!!” Mary bellows up the stairs to Elvis at the top of her lungs. 

Elvis sighs and looks mistrustfully at the phone. He supposes he had better answer it. Lisa’s on tour again and he has to wonder why she’s calling and also why Mary picked up, considering he'd specifically told her not to. 

“Yisa?”

There’s a click on the line as Mary puts the other phone down. 

“Daddy.”

“How are ya doin’ sweetheart?”

“I’m doing fine, thanks. I’m worried about how you’re doing. A little birdie told me you’ve been locked in your room for weeks.”

Elvis snorts. “Door’s not locked.”

“You know what I mean. Don’t be funny with me, Elvis.”

“Don’t you call me that!” 

“Well don’t you try and avoid the subject. You’re sitting in your bed, moping around right now, aren’t you?”

He huffs loudly. “I’m doin’ what I want in my own house.”

“Where’s Tegan?”

“How should I know?”

Lisa had been hoping to get him a bit mad, thinking that might motivate him to get out of bed, but it doesn’t seem to be working. 

“I thought you two were getting on well?”

“Hm. Ya didn’t see the paper before ya left?”

“No…”

“We went to the zoo. Paps everywhere. Fuckin’ don’t know why I thought it’d be any different from before.”

“You have to ignore the papers, you know that.”

“‘Snot jus’ me though, Yis. They were nasty about her. Real nasty. Can’t let her go through that kinda thing.”

“Doesn’t she have the right to decide about it for herself?”

He frowns. He hadn’t really thought about it like that. Had just wondered why she’d want to put herself through that for a guy who can’t even get it up. 

“I guess.”

“Don’t you think maybe you should go and talk to her about it?”

“Hm.”

“Elvis? Daddy?”

He sighs deeply. “Don’t think she’d want ta see me, Lis.”

“You won’t know unless you try.”

“I guess.”

“Please, daddy. For me. And for you and her. It’s not fair to either of you to just leave it like this without talking to her.”

He pouts a little. “How d’ya know I didn’t talk ta her?”

Lisa laughs. “Because I know you. I bet you just told her she was better off without you and shoved her out of the door, didn’t you?”

“Hm. Guilty.”

“I’m going to say goodbye now, and then you’re going to put the phone down and shower and then you’re going to Tegan’s apartment and you’re going to talk to her.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Lisa snorts. “Well someone has to tell you. Bye, Daddy. I’ll call you again tomorrow for an update.”

“Bye Yisa. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Elvis replaces the receiver on the phone and sighs at it. He thinks someone must’ve told her to call, and his money is on Sonny. But she is probably right, he has been wallowing and he hasn’t treated Tegan well. He’s not sure how much longer he was really planning on just sitting there, and his daughter calling is the little push he needs. He gets up and slowly makes his way to the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror and scratching his bearded chin. Not shaving for weeks has made him look concerningly like Santa Claus, so he sets to work trying to rectify that, then has a long shower. Hot water and soap make him feel almost himself again, and he pulls on a tracksuit and comfy shoes. He’d like to wear something a little dressier but there’s nothing like sitting in a bed eating Mary’s home cooking to expand your waistline, and he knows nothing like that will be comfortable. 

Mary is surprised but delighted to see him and makes him some very rubbery scrambled eggs on toast, which he eats slowly in the kitchen, passing the time talking to her a little. His mind wanders back to Tegan telling him the next time he wants to break it off with her he should warn her in advance. He doesn’t want to break it off with her, unless that’s what she wants, but he thinks he should call. 

***

Tegan jumps when the phone rings. She’d almost given up on him calling but something about the timing convinces her that it’s him. She answers in her usual way with her name and phone number. 

“Tegan bach.”

Her stomach lurches when she hears his voice speaking her mother tongue. That lovely southern drawl buzzing in her ears. 

“Elvis,” she whispers back. 

“Honey, ah-I… can I…” he pauses for a moment, trying to collect himself after hearing her say his name. “I need ta see ya.”

“Okay,” she whispers again. She wants to tell him that it’s not fair of him to demand to see her now, after he demanded that she leave. She wants to tell him to go to hell. But she can’t. She desperately wants to see him too. 

“Can I…uh… can I come round? I’ll be about half an hour.”

“Okay,” she says again, in almost her normal voice. 

“I’ll see ya, then?”

“Yeah. Bye.”

Tegan sits and stares at the phone for a while. She considers making an effort to look nice and then decides he’ll just have to cope with her in her sweatpants. 

***

Elvis goes back upstairs to rummage around in one of his drawers, remembering that he’d got that necklace back from the jewellers a while ago now and hadn’t given it to her. It had seemed too much, for some reason, when he’d thought about it in the cold light of day. He couldn’t put gold and diamonds round her neck and claim to own her at the same time as only agreeing to see her once a week and worrying about being unable to ever put his dick in her. But now it doesn’t seem enough, so he gets flowers on his way, and gin too. He pulls up into her driveway and gets out, armfuls of gifts in tow. This is how young Elvis always used to solve his problems - with money. Old Elvis doesn’t usually try to solve his problems anymore, but on the odd occasion he does old habits die hard so here he is. He rings the doorbell. 

Tegan opens it and looks at him, flowers and gin and even some kind of cute cuddly dog he’d picked up on his way too. She wants to be annoyed but she can’t help cracking a smile at how ridiculous he looks with all the stuff. And how he thinks this is the way to fix things. 

“Fuck me,” she mutters, shaking her head. “Come inside, then.”

Elvis is a little taken aback at her language but he does as she says, and then stands there sort of awkwardly holding everything in her living room. 

“I uh… I wanted ta apologise… so I got ya some things…”

She shakes her head again, rolling her eyes and taking the roses and the other bits and bobs and putting them down on the side. 

“Thanks.”

She turns back and it’s just him standing there now, without any of the things, looking almost pitiful. The urge to put her arms around him is huge, but she resists. 

“Honey… we need ta talk.”

She just nods, walking over to the sofa and sitting down. He follows, sitting right next to her and reaching for her hand. She moves it back, awkwardly.

“I don’t know if I want you holding my hand if you’re going to break up with me.”

He swallows hard, trying to look at her even though it’s difficult. She sounds so upset. But his heart soars a little at the implication that they’re still together. 

“N-no, I-I-I’m not gonna d-do that.”

“Okay.” She offers him her hand and he wraps it in his. 

“I’m sorry. I shouldna done what I did. I…” he takes a deep breath and then lets it out again. “Stella - my ex - she was a lot younger than me y’know, an’ she uh… she was cheatin’ on me for a long time with a younger guy… more like her age y’know. She uh… she said I couldn’t give her what she needed anymore, I couldn’t satisfy her…” he clears his throat and looks down. Tegan gives his hand an encouraging squeeze and he looks back up at her. “We divorced but the whole thing was in the papers… she fought me for half of everythin’... she didn’t get it but…” he sighs. “I guess I didn’t want history repeatin’.”

Tegan moves a little closer to him on the sofa and puts her other hand on his cheek. “I wish you’d told me this sooner.”

“Hmmm. I don’t like ta talk about it.”

“But I can’t know what’s going on in your head if you don’t say. I’m not psychic.”

He smiles a little. “Ya sure? Sometimes I think ya know what I’m thinkin’.”

She smiles a little back. “Well you’re a man. It’s usually sex or fighting.”

He pretends to look offended. “I can’t believe ya’d think that about me.”

“I told you I wasn’t psychic.”

He snorts. “Okay. Alright. I’m sorry I didn’t talk to ya, yer right, it’s not fair.”

She looks at him, steadily for a while. 

“What?” He asks, nervously.

“I want to be mad with you.”

“Well, um, honey, I don't want ya to be mad with me. I mean… ya  have every right, but…”

“I want to be mad with you,” she reiterates. “But I can't. So… you want to get naked and cuddle?”

He’s not expecting the question and is a little taken aback. “Uh… I… I guess so?”

She stands up, pulling him by the hand to her bedroom. Having never seen it before, he stands there looking around, interested. It’s lilac, like the feature wall in his living room, and there’s a lot of art on the walls. Then he looks over and sees her stripping and stops paying any attention to the room. He can’t help noticing she’s still wearing the necklace, and he remembers the one in his pocket. 

“Hey, I got ya somethin’ else.”

She’s pulled her top off and is just wearing her bra and sweats. “Really?”

Putting his hand in his pocket, he pulls the long thin black box out. “Here. I promised ya.”

She opens it and her hand immediately goes to her mouth. It is beautiful. Noticeably more beautiful than her cheap version. 

“Elvis. It’s gorgeous.”

“Lemme put it on fer ya.”

He unclasps the old one and carefully places it in her hand, before putting the new one around her neck. 

“There.”

She walks over to the mirror to look and it’s even more beautiful on. 

“Oh I love it, ‘raur.”

He smiles at the pet name and it somehow encourages him to join her in taking his clothes off, and it’s not long before they’re naked together in her bed, her arms and legs wrapped around him. He closes his eyes, savouring the feeling of her skin against his.  

“This is nice,” he hums softly.

She presses a kiss to his chest. “Yeah it is.”

“Sure ya wanna be with an old man like me?” He mumbles, afraid of the answer but feeling like he should ask, somehow.

“I’m sure.”

“But what if I can’t… satisfy ya… like ya want?”

Tegan shifts a little against him so she can look up into his face. “You’re pretty good with your mouth,” she teases. 

He grumbles, caught between being embarrassed and proud. “Alright, but my dick don’t work properly. Don’tcha care about that?”

“When was the last time you really tried, though?” She asks. “I mean, with someone else apart from me? I guess you still jerk off?”

He squirms at the questions and the words coming out of her mouth. “Ah, baby… ya can’t ask me things like that.”

She smiles and kisses his cheek. “Elvis, it’s the 90s. Women can talk about sex.”

He rolls his eyes to the ceiling and feels his face colour. “Haven’t tried fer a long time.”

Rubbing his chest with her palm soothingly, she wonders about talking about something he might find less embarrassing. 

“How’d you and Stella meet?” She knows the answer to this, from the things she read in the papers, and she thinks it will let her steer the conversation in a better direction.

His eyes flick back down to her face, surprised by the change of topic. “I met her on my world tour in ‘72.”

“I saw you on that tour, you know. In London.”

“Oh really? Did ya enjoy the show?”

Tegan giggles at him asking her that question, 25 years later. “Yeah I did. You were very sexy onstage.”

“Ya musta been young.”

“Fourteen.”

His eyes widen. “Oh, so ya got yer thing fer older men then.”

“Seems that way.”

“That was a fun tour. Shame ya weren’t a few years older an’ I’d have had some fun with ya then.”

She giggles again. “Oh yeah?”

“Mmmm. That tour was wild. Did a lotta things I shouldn’t’ve.”

There’s a little smile playing around his lips now as he thinks back to all the pretty girls in all the hotel rooms back then. When he could get away with doing almost anything he wanted. 

“Why don’t you tell me about some of them?” She suggests, her hand running across his chest and then down over his belly, stopping just above his dick. 

His breath catches in his throat. “Ah… I dunno about that…” he begins, but his body is betraying him in the opposite way to usual. He can feel his dick twitch thinking about those nights and he thinks Tegan must’ve felt it too, the way she’s kissing and touching his skin. 

“Please?”

“Well I uh… there were these two girls, one night. Kissin’ each other and… well I kinda like two girls together but usually that’s all they do, jus’ a little kissing… uhhhh….” he trails off as he feels Tegan’s hand wrap around his length and start pumping him slowly. 

“They did more than kissing?”

“Yeah. More ‘an kissin’. Fuck.” He stops, the image of the blonde-haired girl with her face buried in the pussy of the brunette coming flooding back to him. “God, that little girl… she was good at it, the noises her friend was making…” He looks down at Tegan through hooded eyes. “Mmm baby, that feels good.”

“It does?”

“Mmm. Don’t stop.”

She keeps moving her hand on him, steadily, feeling him fully erect now. Pressing a few more kisses to his chest, she looks back up at his face.

“Did you just watch?”

Elvis shakes his head, the feeling of his dick, hard, in her hand, giving him confidence. 

“Nah. Fucked ‘em both.”

It’s Tegan’s turn to be wide-eyed, seeing him suddenly switch from mumbling shy boy to lothario. He puts his hand on the back of her head and pulls her to him, kissing her thoroughly. She speeds her hand up a little. 

“Ya like girls, honey?”

She nods, watching his face as she pumps him faster. “Yeah I do.”

“Mmm. That’s a nice thought.” He half-closes his eyes, feeling his orgasm building inside him. 

She bites her lip. “Maybe we could find one? A girl I mean.”

“Oh honey…” he’s starting to lose control now, his head tipping back as his hips jut forward into her hand. “Jus’ a little more pressure,” his hand goes around hers and he squeezes. She kisses his neck. 

“Would you like that?”

“Ah fuck. Yes I would. You ever… go down on a girl?” He’s starting to pant a little now, knowing he’s close.

“No,” she replies, truthfully, her hand squeezing him more tightly as she speeds up again. “But you could teach me.”

The words and her hand are what he needs to put him over the edge, and he cries out as his release spurts out all over him and her hand and the bedding. “Shit. Ohmygod.”

She slowly pumps him a few more times and then wipes her hand on the sheet, figuring that the bedding needs changing anyway. Nuzzling into his neck she listens to his breathing as it gradually comes back to normal. 

“Think I’ve made a mess a yer bed, honey.” 

She laughs. “It’s okay. You can help me change the sheets later.”

“Ya might have ta teach me how ta do that…” he teases, winking at her. 

She gives him a little shove in the side. “You liked that. Don’t pretend you didn’t.”

He rolls onto his side, his hand on the back of her head again. “Mmm baby, I loved it. Now let me return the favour.”

He pushes her onto her back and his hand trails down her body, fingertips almost tickling her skin. He starts to kiss her neck as his hand moves to cup one of her breasts, thumb rubbing her pierced nipple. She squeezes her eyes shut and he can feel her tensing up. Another few touches and she’s moving away from him a little. 

“I um… I should’ve showered really before you came… you did ring and everything, maybe I’ll just shower now…” she starts to sit up in the bed and he looks at her, confused. 

“Ya smell fine ta me honey, come back here.”

She runs a hand over her hair. “I… I look a mess.”

He sits up next to her and puts his head to one side. “Now I look a mess, honey. I cut myself shaving, see?” He points to a nick on his jaw. “And my hair is really not takin’ well to bein’ washed after so long.” He ruffles it with his hand and it sticks up a little with static charge. “I been sitting in bed for weeks so my belly’s even worse ‘an usual.” Pinching his flesh between his thumb and forefinger to demonstrate. “An’... let’s be honest, I am covered in my own jizz.” He holds both hands up. “Now that’s my own fault, all of it, though ya did help with the last bit I suppose.” He looks at her for another long moment, then kisses her on the cheek. “You…you do not look a mess at all honey.”

Tegan can’t help being amused at the long and self-effacing description of Elvis’ appearance, but she still feels like she should’ve made more effort. His other exes had been so pretty. 

“I’m not your usual type, am I?”

His eyebrows knit together, trying to work out where she’s going with this. She’s right, she doesn’t look like Cilla, or Stella. But he’s been with all kinds of women. 

“Don’t know if I have one, baby.”

Tegan remembers Sonny’s description and repeats it to Elvis now. “Petite, brunette, heavy eye make-up, speaks when she’s spoken to, demure.”

“Who told ya that?”

“Sonny.”

“Sonny’s an idiot. C’mere.” He grabs her and pulls her onto his lap. “You askin’ me if I find ya attractive?”

She nods silently. 

“Are ya crazy?” He asks, pushing his nose into her cheek and then kissing it. “Yer the only girl in fuck knows how long has made me cum and yer askin’ if I find ya attractive?”

“Well, I mean the paper was right, I’m not pretty like those Hollywood starlets you used to be with.”

Elvis shakes his head and clicks his tongue. “Yer beautiful,” he tells her, kissing her cheek again. “An’ this body is unbelievable,” his hand possessively on her thigh. “And it’s all mine.”

She can feel herself blushing and a tingling between her legs. “Are you sure?”

He growls in her ear. “I made ya mine, Queenie. You’re all I want.”

***

Part 7

Taglist:

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed:

@vintagepresley @arg-xoxo @from-memphis-with-love @msamarican @blursedblegh @returntopresley @eapep @everythingelvispresley @i-r-i-n-a-a @sissylittlefeather @arrolyn1114 @jhoneybees @cattcb @polksaladava @lookingforrainbows @jkdaddy01 @ccab @epthedream69 @lustnhim @elvisslut @pomtherine @that-hotdog @ladelinee @angschrof @fairybloodsucker @deltafalax @makethemorning @elviswhore69 @ilovequeen978 @wildhorseinkansas @pocketfulofpresley @dkayfixates @iloveelvisss

[hellfirenacht]

Wing Man: End Credit Scene

Fic Summary: Steve ‘the Hair’ Harrington is your best friend, and is constantly striking out. Sick of this, you two make a deal; you’ll wing man for each other. Hooking Steve up with dates is easy, but he finds himself struggling to find you a date. At least, until Dustin starts talking about his new cool friend Eddie.

Chapter Summary: Post Credit Scene

Words: 786

(Master List 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Epilogue Post Credit)

A young boy with short and unruly curls stares at the vending machines. He has very limited pocket money, having spent the morning poking through every payphone and looking under every couch cushion for the last quarter to allow him to buy a bag of chips and a TAB. 

He punches in the code for the soda, double and triple checking to make sure he’s going to get his desired treat. With success, the soda falls with a satisfying THUNK and he carefully tucks it into his coat pocket. 

Now he moves to the snack machine and punches in the number for the chips, again double checking that it is correct. The machine makes a noise, and the swirly metal that holds the chips shakes for a moment and then... nothing. 

No satisfying fall of the chips, just a mechanical hum and then silence. 

The boy frowns and reached out to push the coin return button. 

Nothing happens. 

He pushes it again, a few more times in a row, and is still met with a stillness. 

He gives the machine a shake and a smack before letting out a defeated sigh. He leans against the machine, and tries to remind himself that at least he got his soda, which is more than he could normally say. The thought that he could ask a teacher or the principal for a refund crosses his mind, but that’s quickly shut down by common sense. No one would give a shit about letting the poor freak get his quarter back. 

“Is it broken again?” Someone asks him, and he looks up to see a girl about his age. She’s holding a library book and a few sheets of loose paper. 

The boy nods. “Yeah, it ate my quarter.” He says. 

The girl moves next to him, and he’s unsure how to feel about someone so close to him. Ever since middle school started, most people avoided him like the plague but this girl seems more concerned about the vending machine. 

She digs into her pocket and pulls out her own shiny set of quarters and drops one. Both kids reach down to pick the coins up but end up bumping their heads together and laughing awkwardly. The boy picks up the quarter while the girl rubs her forehead. 

The girl takes the quarter and looks at the machine. “Which one screwed you?”

“B3.” The boy replies. 

She looks at the vending machine and pokes at the 3 button a few times before handing over her library book to him. He looks down at the cover, it’s a book on how to do origami which seems pretty random to him. The girl pulls out a folded piece of paper (is that supposed to be a fish or a frog?) and starts rubbing the folded seam between the buttons. 

“3 sticks.” she said. “That’s what someone told me at least.” 

She pushes B3 again. Nothing happens. 

“They might have also been full of shit.” she shrugs and the boy laughs at the bluntness. “Is there a different one you want?” 

He looks at the options and settles on a candy bar at the bottom. “That one.”

She pushes the buttons, and this time, it falls successfully. The boy pulls it out and quickly unwraps it. 

“Here.” he says and snaps it in half, handing it over to the girl who takes it, along with her book. 

“Are you sure?” she asks, and he nods. 

The bell rings, signaling that they have about 30 seconds to get to home room before either of them would be in trouble. The girl hands over the piece of paper she had tried to use to help him. (Maybe it’s a car? No, cars don’t have legs but neither do fish... this has to be a fish, right?)

“Trade you.” She says with a smile and quickly runs off towards her class. The boy awkwardly waves before turning and hurrying towards his own homeroom. 

The alleged frog would eventually get covered in chocolate and tossed with other garbage at the end of the week. The half of the girls candy bar would be eaten in three bites and forgotten about. Ultimately, this interaction that only lasted three minutes at most shouldn’t mean anything. 

Most meetings are rarely memorable or dramatic. Sometimes, you meet someone once and never see them again. Sometimes, you’re lucky enough to meet someone for the first time over and over. 

Eddie Munson never thought of himself as lucky. You never thought of yourself as much of anything. 

It’s a good thing that it never mattered, as the two of you met over and over until there were no more firsts and only continuations.

I've never finished a fic that was more than 3 chapters. Say something nice to me, please 💜

Dividers by: @strangergraphics

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[friendly-neighborhood-boricua]

[6] You Get A Visitor in the ER

Summary: You're working overtime when you get a visit from an unexpected someone who makes your shift just a bit less excruciating.

Notes: Marauders modern elementary school AU, kindergarten teacher!James Potter x nurse!single mom!reader.

A/N (26/7/2024): this is edited but still kinda short so I may come back to it at some point and add some things ... second to last chapter yay!

Previous Part: James Takes Liam to School Next Part: Kindergarten Graduation Series Masterlist here

About two weeks ago, you woke up in the middle of the night to a hard thump from Liam’s room

You were in his doorway in a flash, of course, because what if he’s dying

And tbh you were kinda close

Turns out he fell out of his bed and the lower right side of his abdomen was hurting really bad

You figured out pretty quick that he probably had appendicitis, which is definitely not ideal

So one rather tense ambulance ride and night in the ER and OR later, you wheeled Liam out of the hospital in a wheelchair so he wouldn't mess up his stitches too much after literally getting an organ removed

You texted James to let him know what happened and that Liam would be staying hope from school for a week to recover

(James had managed to give you his number under the guise of offering to drive Liam to and from school in the future and although you haven't had to ask or even use his number at all, he still has you as one of his pinned contacts)

(Sirius and Remus make fun of him for it)

(Your contact photo is actually a photo of Liam where he's smiling really big while mixing cookie dough for your birthday, which was about three months ago)

As always, James was totally sympathetic and understanding and even dropped by your apartment after school with work for Laim so he wouldn't fall too far behind

You took the week off from work to watch Liam, of course

But you're paying for it now bc your CNO super sucks and isn't understanding at all when it comes to your kid

So now he has you working a fucking double to make up for your missed days

Two 12-hour shifts in a row, 6AM to 6AM

Not fucking fun, dude

(Your CNO is the absolute worst—this is the one that James is pretty sure violates labor laws pretty consistently)

He actually wanted you to do three doubles over the next two weeks but Poppy (not the CNO, but she’s been a nurse at this hospital for time immemorial) told him off, so you only have to do the one today

And at the very least, it’s in the ER

Which isn’t terrible

Definitely not as bad as med-surg

I mean yeah, it can be stressful but it’s nowhere near as bad as medical dramas make it out to be, and it’s pretty rewarding most of the time

It’s a Friday, so Tonks watched Liam in the morning and took him to school, where Ms. Hope picked him up and held onto him for a couple hours until it was time for Ron's sleepover, which she then dropped him off at

So he’s safe and taken care of

And it’s been a pretty quiet night tbh

There was a big car crash during rush hour in the morning but beyond that, nothing super crazy or out of the ordinary

So now you’re on triage duty with Poppy (which just means you and her are hanging out and talking while waiting for something—anything—to happen)

Lily, one of the administrative aides that checks people into the ER, finally pokes her head into the ER at half past ten at night, and it’s rather urgent

Apparently someone’s cut their had pretty badly

You lose a rapid-fire game of rock paper scissors against Poppy, so it’s you that goes to evaluate the patient

But when you enter the ER fast track, you’re really quite surprised

"James?"

To be fair, James is also quite surprised to see you, it's just that he's more smiley and pleased than distressed

He’s hovering near one of the beds and has what seems to be a kitchen towel wrapped around his palm, which you now see has been bleeding quite profusely

You’re at his side embarrassingly quickly and asking him standard questions as he stares at you with a rather glassy look on his face

What happened? Cut my hand while cooking. Can you feel your hand? Um, yeah, it … it hurts pretty bad. Can you tell if it’s still bleeding? I can’t really, no. Do you feel lightheaded at all? Mm, yeah, just … just a bit. Did someone drive you here? Yeah, um, Sirius did … they told him to wait in the lobby.

James is in shock, that much is clear

You ease him to take a seat on the bed and quickly grab a couple forms, which you fill out as you continue asking him questions

Poor boy gets really concerned when you make for the door to the ER proper but ofc you reassure him you’ll be back in a second

You ask Poppy to get Dr. Longbottom before quickly returning to James

And James—Sweet Summer Child James—he's just asking you what you’re doing here so late, if Liam is at Ms. Hope’s, just random questions that aren’t super related to one another

He’s super out of it but you entertain his thoughts and answer whatever questions come to his mind as you ensure that his kitchen towel is applying a decent enough amount of pressure

Alice shows up pretty quickly with a suture tray and asks you to clean James’ cut as she gets ready, which you readily do

You also let her know that James isn’t exactly all there, to which she smiles amusedly and says she can see that lmao

James is kinda confused at first when Alice tries to take away the towel around his hand, but you gently explain what's happening and he understands pretty quick

He looks down at his hand when you finally uncover the cut (it’s long but clean—easy to stitch right up) and poor boy gets a little too light headed at the sight of all the blood that’s covering his hands and the kitchen towel and your latex-gloved hands

James just about falls over onto your shoulder lmaooooo

He doesn’t quite pass out, just like a severe wave of lightheadedness

You quickly encourage him off of your shoulder and you and Alice manage to lay him down on the hospital bed just so he won’t fall off of it and hurt himself if he does decide to pass out

The cut is easy to clean despite how bloody it is, and you round the bed to James’ opposite side as Alice prepares to administer the anesthetic and sew James’ hand up

This entire time, James has just been following your around with his eyes

He’s never gotten to see you work before and it’s really quite interesting to him

And he loves that you’re taking care of him (Such Gentle! Yay!)

Alice asks you to keep James talking and distracted while she sews him up and you happily obliged

It’s kinda hard to keep James talking though because he just keeps asking you questions

By the time Alice is finished with James’ hand, you’ve told him about Liam’s recovery, your shift so far, and how shitty your CNO is for making you work a double

James is much more lucid by the time his stitches are finished which is great because he was sort of starting to worry you

But he’s pretty much all there now :)

He’s also disclosed to you that he cut his hand while trying to take the pit out of an avocado, which you find absolutely hilarious even though you couldn’t really laugh at your own patient

Alice leaves you to wrap James’ hand in protective gauze and give him post-op care instructions

And James is honestly thrilled that your shift has been a quiet one

Because he’s sure that if anyone beyond you two were in the fast track, they would have seen clear as day how he looked at you while you wrapped some soft gauze firmly around his palm

He’s lucky though because you’re tired after working for about sixteen hours with eight still to go, so you don’t really notice the look in his eyes

You give him the normal spiel—wash around the area of the stitches with soap and water not hydrogen peroxide, put vaseline over it, wrap in a non-stick bandage, the works

By the time you’re done, James is just kinda staring at you

You tack on at the end that he can always text you or drop by your apartment to make sure he’s taking care of them correctly

Sirius leaps up from his chair in the lobby when he sees James finally come out of the ER

He was lowkey super worried bc he knows James is the slightest bit squeamish around blood

But now he’s also like super confused bc James is looking at his newly bandaged hand like it had the best compliment ever written on the palm

It’s only on the car ride home that Sirius finally weasels it out of James

Apparently Liam’s mom was working in the ER and she was the one who bandaged up his hand for him after he got stitched up

And apparently, when James was complaining lightly that his palm still hurt right as he was about to leave, she brushed a light kiss against his palm and whispered something to him about how kisses make everything better

Sirius practically has to pick his jaw up off the floor as he and James walked into the latter’s apartment, where Remus had apparently finished their rather bloody attempt at guacamole

And then of course he made James explain what happened to Remus, who just laughs and shakes his head

James’ only regret is that he was too stunned to do anything except wave goodbye as you left

Next Part: Kindergarten Graduation

[beautifulplaceofyouth]

JJK FF | ROYAL GUARD

CHAPTER THIRTEEN | SERIES 

Ch. 1

Ch. 2

Ch. 3

Ch. 4

Ch. 5

Ch. 6

Ch. 7

Ch. 8

Ch. 9

Ch. 10

Ch. 11

Ch. 12

Ch. 13

When you keep bumping into your personal royal guard by accident not knowing he is your guardian angel

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook!fallen angel!royal guard! × fem!reader!virgin!princess 

Word count: 2.2k

Rating: 18+

Genre + warnings: Fluff, angst, paranormal romance, historical fanfiction, Kook being cold and mysterious, and just being his sexy self. Possessive over his princess. Y/n parents disapproves of their marriage but they still going with it so a little ceremony is prepared. Happily married, they make love under the stars and maybe there's pregnancy going on 👀. The story isn’t real, just my imagination running wild so just enjoy reading!

a/n: I was on hiatus for a long time because of some private stuff but here it is. This is a little short because we are making to an end for the series so I hope you still enjoyed it!

Your father was hesitant to walk you down the aisle to the one creature powerful enough to destroy everything in his path so you understood his concerns as he held your arm in a deadly grip, feeling his discomfort for allowing his only daughter to marry a dangerous being.

As you saw your mother standing at the first row of pews, your heart clenched painfully when you saw her expression.

A mixture of sadness or even disappointment and fear crossed her face before she turned away with an expression that told you that there was no way you would ever see her again if you keep going with this marriage.

Your father's fingers dug into your arm even harder when he felt it as well but nothing else mattered when your eyes locked with your soon to be husband.

His gaze held a promise of full life of pleasure and happiness. His love for you was like an endless and eternal obsession which would never fade.

The ceremony went on smoothly, the priest saying words about the power of heavens above to bless your union and wish your happiness until death. The vows were exchanged, rings were placed on your fingers and it was time for the groom to kiss his bride.

Jungkook didn’t even wasted a second to lean in and press his lips against yours. His tongue danced against yours in a way that sent shivers through your body. It was slow yet passionate as if he had all the time in the world to make each moment count.

Pulling away, the throne room was silent after the kiss you shared and your king’s eyes were only focused on you.

“Now you’re really mine …” he murmured, pressing another kiss but this time on your forehead, “...for eternity.”

The only thing which bothered you was how your parents looked at you now, like they’d seen a monster rather than their daughter who has fallen head over heels in love with this man who could do such things with her mind.

They were disappointed because they thought that the king is just using you but you knew better. He loved you like you were the moon, brighter and brighter each day until finally, you shine more beautifully and brightly than anyone can ever hope to achieve. You knew that he loves you like you are someone special and someone he doesn’t want anyone to take from him but still, you couldn't shake off how your parents looked as you walked out of the throne room to start your new life together.

The same night after your wedding, you were sitting in the beautiful garden under the moonlight. Your dress sparkled in the moonlight while the grass was illuminated by its glow. The garden wasn’t particularly big but it was beautiful nonetheless. It overlooked the lake and the mountains surrounding it with the forest beyond.

In a soft cushioned swing you were sitting in your husband’s lap, his strong arms around your waist and his wings wrapped around the two of you protectively.

Nuzzling your neck, his deep voice rumbled softly in your ear,” How are you feeling, my love? Are you still sad?”

“A little, but not for much longer. I have you to make me feel better and you’ll always remind me of everything we’ve been through.” You replied softly, resting your cheek against the soft fabric of his cloak.

“It will be hard at first knowing my parents are against our relationship but I hope they will forgive me and accept you as my husband. I hope you’re not upset about them,” looking up at him beneath your lashes, you caress his cheek, his eyes glowing in the dark when he met your gaze.

“It’s cute that you think I’m upset over what they think of me. What matters now that your officially mine and even your parents will never stop me for having you,” before you can worry about his possessive tendencies, his lips brushed yours softly before continuing, “I can’t wait to make love to you every single night, darling.”

You flushed and leaned back against his chest with an embarrassed chuckle. “You just can’t say that, Jungkook. It’s not very gentlemanly for the king to speak in such a manner,” giggling shyly as he pressed light kisses along your collarbone.

Feeling his smirk, his hold tightens around you while his wing cocooned you both protectively and he murmurs,“It sound like you’re challenging your king to try something inappropriate to you.”

Before you could reply, he rips your dress open and you feel his warm fingers on your bare back. You hear a low amused chuckle behind you,” No bra?

Embarrassed and breathless from his bold moves and remarks, your skin feels hotter when Jungkook pulls the dress down over your shoulders till you’re bared to the cool air. Now you were naked from your neck to your hips, the poor wedding dress pooled around your waist while his large hands explore your back.

“Jungkook, someone might see us…” you whisper in a warning but still let him trace his touch along your waist until it reaches your breasts.

Taking them in his hands, he thumbs the small pink buds gently, smiling as you groan at the sensation, his thumb brushing across the nipple teasingly.

Reaching your waist again, he rips the dress completely off of you when it falls from your legs to the grass beneath you and the swing you were both sitting.

Gasping from the sudden cold, his wings shield you from the wind, the feathers tickling you gently when he spreads your legs to touch your clit with his fingers.

“Oh God,” you moan in delight, the wet friction creating goosebumps all over your skin. His fingers were gentle and slow at first until he starts stroking faster, adding heat to your already burning flesh.

”Ah...” you cry out when his teeth sink into your shoulder, biting down to leave a mark.

Your hips buck into his hand without your consent and you' sure that he could taste your arousal when his tongue licks your tender flesh.”Jungkook -ah….”

He pauses in between kissing you and nibbling lightly on your neck. You feel like you’re floating with him and you know it was probably the adrenaline that coursed through your system.

“Do you want to please me, mate?”

“Mate?” you question with wide eyes when you glance towards him.

Smiling with a glint in his eyes and his lips still covered with your scent, he replies, “My mate, of course. Don’t you know?”

Staring deeply into his black orbs, you nod slowly,” Like a soulmate,” you breathe out shakily with a blush forming on your cheeks.

Jungkook laughs, his lips curving into a sexy smile when he realizes your excitement.

Before he continues with what he was doing before, he kisses along your shoulder and neck, giving your mark his full attention when you feel it glow in the dark.

“Why does it light up like that when you touch it?” you ask quietly.

His fingers pause when you mentioned your mark for a moment as he looks at you with a strange expression but his tone remained gentle,” The magic that connects the two of us forms a sort of bond that only mates can share when touching a mark or marking each other like this. This mark proves that you’re mine and everyone who will see it, will know it too.”

Your heart beats rapidly when his long finger traces your inner thigh. It takes all of your willpower to stay as still as possible instead of moving closer to him to feel his heated touch.

"If you get hurt," he whispers huskily while nipping on one of your shoulders and then the other. "This mark will show it.”

Your breath hitches when he starts sucking your shoulder with his hot mouth.

"Jungkook…." you whimper as your back arches.

"Shh, my love... don't move. Stay still."

His hands roam your sides, fingers playing with your breasts until you're panting with desire.

“Do you want my cock, Y/n? Do you want to feel it inside you?" His words sent chills down your spine and made your body tingle with need, the butterflies fluttering around you making you giggle nervously.

Breathing out heavily, you tilt your head to the side, your gaze fixed on the stars above,”I want to do anything and everything, my king.”

Feeling him unzipping his trousers, you gasp sharply when you feel his thick length pressing against your ass.

You can’t even scream when he inserts himself in you with one rough thrust, sinking inside you so deep that you see another kind of stars above you.

That night all you did was chant your husband’s name on repeat.

Two Weeks Later

It was raining in the morning when you woke up in the big bed next to your husband.

He was still asleep, his handsome features relaxed without any trace of stress but you knew that it would change if he knows the truth about you.

It was five days before when you got the news and now keeping it from him like a secret made your stomach twist uneasily, your mind wondering how he’s going to react.

With a sigh, you slowly sat up and rubbed your tired eyes with the palms of your hands. Looking down at your naked body, you smiled sadly when you felt your body ache and wanted nothing more than to take a nice bath right now.

Bringing your hand to your stomach, you rubbed your belly gently and smiled softly but sudden feeling of sickness caused you to jump from the bed to run to the bathroom.

Throwing yourself at the toilet seat, you dropped on your knees and dry heaved for what seemed like hours with your stomach hurting like hell. Your eyes sting with tears as you tried to keep yourself together and when you’re finally done throwing up and you’re left alone in the bathroom, you collapsed onto the floor next to the toilet.

Letting your head fall back against the wall with a sob, you heard footsteps approaching and quickly wiped away the last few streaks of tears on your cheeks, forcing yourself to stand up and meet Jungkook's concerned gaze with red rimmed eyes. You couldn't bring yourself to look him in the eye.

“Baby? Are you okay?” He crouched in front of you, frown deepening as he noticed the tear tracks streaking down your face.

Sniffing as your nose ran and he held out a damp rag which you gratefully accepted, you wiped your face carefully with the cloth. When you were certain that you were presentable enough for him, you glanced back at him through hooded eyes and offered a weak smile.

“I’m okay. Just feeling sick,” you lie with a shaky voice, looking down ashamedly when he raised an eyebrow at you.

“You’re the worst liar in history, sweetheart,” his eyes darken when he steps closer to you.

Pulling you into his chest, his wings springs out of his back, protecting you while tucking you into his embrace.

“I feel my seed inside of you. You can’t avoid me forever. You know that I can feel our bond and everything what is going on with you,” he whispered huskily, nuzzling the crown of your head affectionately.

You feel like your heart stopped at that moment,” And what is going on?”

“You’re pregnant, darling. You can’t keep that as a secret from me anymore. I would know because we are bonded after all.”

You bite your lip to stop the crying,” You’re not mad?”

“Mad? Why would I be mad? You are carrying our child!” he exclaims happily, wrapping his arms tighter around you.

You can hardly contain your joy now that Jungkook knew the truth,” Do you really want this?”

Chuckling in disbelief, he kissed your mouth without any care that you just vomited all your previous night’s dinner so with a sharp intake of breath, you feel his hand wrap around your delicate throat.

“Do I want this? You silly girl, of course, I want you and our child. I didn’t breed you just to reject you,” smirking at his words, your mouth falls open.

What he said sounded so wrong coming out of his mouth.

Did he mean…

No way.

“And knowing that you smell even better with my baby’s scent inside of you, it makes me want you more,” growling low in his throat as his free hand slips behind your head to grip both of yours tightly,”So tell me, sweetheart; why would I not want our baby?”

Tears started rolling down your face when he lifted one of your hands up to place a kiss on your knuckles while staring deeply into your eyes.

“You really mean it,” you whisper with wonderment filling your body as he nods and kisses your knuckles again.

“I really mean it. Now come here,” he murmurs with a soft grin before pulling you on top of him and burying his face into your hair.

“I should take a bath…I stink,” you grumble against his bare skin.

“Not to me.”

God, this man will be the death of you.

Be continued…

p.s. All images and gifs are not mine, some of the edits are mine edited but not every picture. All the credit goes to their rightful owners

DO NOT REPOST THIS WORK AS YOUR OWN BECAUSE THIS IS THE ORIGINAL OWNER’S STORY

If you like, please reblog or like the post so I can post the next chapters :)

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🅒 All rights reserved

[dabislittlemouse]

tainted angel 🪽 (pt.7)

PART 6// PART 8 // THE COMPLETE MASTERLIST

ෆ DABI X HAWKS’ LITTLE SISTER

ෆ cw in this chapter ‼️: NSFW, breaking in, noncon, cunnilingus, fingering, edging MDNI +18, this is her POV.

The night was restless.

After a long exhausting day, my body and mind still wouldn’t find rest and relax the whole time. I decided to keep watch at least until 2am, before falling asleep eventually. Staying up the whole night was not a choice. Though from time to time I’d wake up on different hours at night, my heart pumping fast and my body sweating, my eyes searching through the darkness, ready to find someone lurking around or in the balcony. I’d get up and look outside just in case. Though nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The backyard was empty, not a single soul walking by on the dimly lit streets, nothing suspicious.

Dabi was nowhere to be seen.

Now it’s been three nights in a row that I keep watch, I didn’t get proper rest while I anxiously wait and prepare myself for anything to happen. My mind keeps replaying the words he wrote on that note over and over again, and the flowers. He told me he’d see me soon. But he hasn’t appeared anywhere. My windows and doors remain locked, but I don’t feel safe at all. I can’t even find a way to contact him and tell him to fuck off, he always called me through an unknown number, with no way to trace him further.

Maybe he never stalked me in the first place? Maybe he just wanted to mess with me, play mind games and keep me awake at night for no reason. As a revenge for cutting him off probably. What a fucking jerk…

As long as the doors and windows are properly locked, I should be in fact safe. That’s what I tell myself. I decide to give up for good, I can’t keep watch the whole week. Even if someone tried to break in, it would make a noise, loud enough to wake us up. Still, maybe I should take one of my brother’s feathers just in case, he is fast enough to come over and catch the culprit once his feathers sense danger nearby.

It’s now the fourth night. I am not able to keep watch anymore as I fall into a deep sleep, completely unaware of what could be going on around me.

Strange dreams occur as the hours of the night pass by. I keep seeing fragments of his face, his irresistibly handsome face and those piercing blue eyes that captivated me entirely. I see him, I see Dabi in my dreams, I can feel his scarred hands touching my body just like they did that night at the park. His fingers tracing my skin, giving me goosebumps all over as he proceeds to go further. His hands are pretty and veiny, I have the urge to suck on his fingers. I can’t talk, all I can do is moan out for him to go further. His hands play with my now drenched panties, his fingers pressing softly against my clit. I can’t move, I can’t talk. Everything in this dream felt too real, the warmth of his hands on my body and inner thighs, spreading my legs apart as he plays with my clothed cunt. This dream..is making me more needy for him.

This is not a dream.

My eyes struggle to open, a strange feeling is enveloping my body while I try to get back to reality after that heated dream. I try to move, but I can’t. My breathing is erratic and I’m sweating. The room is completely dark while I try to look at my surroundings.

My hands..

They are tied up against the bedframe. The chains pressed against my wrists while I struggle to get free. Not many seconds pass by until I feel a heavy weight on top of me.

Between my legs.

“About time you woke up, sleeping beauty~”

The familiar raspy voice sends a shiver down my spine. My eyes are now wide open, panic flowing in my blood as I look down: I see him in the darkness, right between my legs, his face inches away from my clothed cunt, grinning at me while his eyes shine bright under the moonlight.

I let out a scream, but he is quick to bring a hand and shut my mouth up.

“Ah, ah.. no screamin’ now” Dabi smirks as he looks at the terrified expression on my face, his hand firm on my mouth. “Told ya’ I’d come back, really missed you sweetheart”

My heart is pumping out of my ribcage and tears form in my eyes. How did he get inside? Will he hurt me?

“You make such pretty sounds when I touch you like this..can’t wait to get more of this sweet cunt of yours.. been dying for a taste” he whispers, bringing up a finger to rub on my clit through my panties. I realise he’s been doing this as I was asleep. I feel myself arching at his touch, my face flushed from embarrassment while I shake my head in denial.

He chuckles. “C’mon.. can’t lie to me now, not when you’re so fuckin’ wet down there.. shit”

He begins doing circular motions and that feeling envelops me again, a strange sense of pleasure that almost has my eyes rolling back.

“Let’s get these off now.. hold still for a minute” he orders as he grabs the hem of my panties. Without wasting a second, his fingers lit up in blue flames. So close my sensitive area I’m hyperventilating and shaking in fear, but his firm grip keeps me in place. I see the way flames burn my panties slowly, before he completely tears them off my body.

“I said hold still,” he says sternly. “Don’t want to burn this pussy before tasting it- ah, won’t you look at that~”

I squeeze my eyes shut while his gaze falls on my bare cunt, his face is so dangerously close. It feels so uncomfortable having him like this on my intimate area, I want to scream and cry so loud.

“Awwh, someone’s shy” Dabi teases. “Don’t be, baby. Fuck, I’m almost salivating.. this is way better than I imagined”

His warm finger slowly drag up and down my wet folds, I am already squirming under his touch. I look back at him, his eyes filled with lust are focused on the mess between my legs and then back at my face. He slowly teases me, knowing too well that my body likes this, seeing at the way I react.

I don’t want this, it’s beyond fucked up, he is a creep, he broke into my house and touching me without my consent, he might even hurt me- but why do I need more of this?

“You’re thinkin’ too much” he suddenly slaps my pussy and I let out a muffed scream. “You thought you could get rid of me that easily, angel? So focused on your studies, let me teach you something new to focus on”

He dips a finger inside my tight hole, slowly going deeper and then bringing it out, before inserting it again. In and out, he keeps doing this for a while as he gets pleasure from the way I’m squirming underneath him. His palm presses against my clit, moving it slowly and the friction has my hips stuttering. He adds another finger, scissoring and reaching deep inside of me.

“Yeah? You like this?” he whispers, the movements getting faster and then slower on purpose. “Imagine what your beloved brother would say if he knew how needy this pussy is for me”

My face heats up in anger and shame as I furiously try to pull on the chains that are holding my hands tied, but no avail.

“You’re so sexy when you’re angry angel, need to do this more often..” he chuckles while my eyes are burning with rage. “Angry that you’re needy for me huh?”

I shake my head, trying to hold my whimpers back as he fingers me faster, hitting on a certain spot that has my eyes widening.

“There.. that your sweet weak spot?” Dabi laughs while he continues the movement of his fingers, now focused on that spot deep inside of me. The squelching sounds of my dripping pussy fill the room as his fingers piston inside of me, the knot forming in my stomach ready to burst anytime. I’m so high in this feeling, I must not give in, no matter how good it feels. No matter the way my pussy flutters and tightens around his digits as they split me open.

Dabi looks at me through half lidded eyes, biting his lip at the sight of me reaching my high. But suddenly he removes the fingers out of me, the high now crashing down and that feeling completely leaving my body. My throat almost goes sore from me screaming in frustration, but his hand keeps all the sounds muffed. It’s almost painful how he edges me like this, leaving my body all needy for more, while he laughs like a maniac in front of me. He grabs the torn off panties, stuffing them in my mouth instead.

“Haaa.. you cryin’ now? Princess wanted to cum on my fingers huh? Too bad” he mocks while tears roll down my cheeks from the humiliation. He licks his digits clean, moaning at the flavor of my cunt and his eyes flare in excitement and hunger.

“Your flavor.. so divine, I need a taste” he whispers, settling himself right between my spread legs. His hot breath directly hits my cunt. I look down on him, the sight makes me weak I hate to admit it.

He looks so good between my legs.

Dabi places one hand on my thigh, while the other is on my hips, squeezing me as he dives in. His warm tongue licking my clit teasingly, and then down my slit, has my hips bucking up.

“Greedy..” he smirks, before giving my cunt an open mouthed kiss. He begins sucking and licking my clit, moaning in pleasure as if he had been starving for days.

“Ngh- fuuuck.. sho goood.. sweet” he murmurs between the sloppy mess he’s making between my legs, his voice and grunts sending vibrations on my clit. His hand comes down, giving me a harsh slap on my thigh as his wet muscle dives inside of me, reaching as deep as it can. His other hand starts heating up, fingers digging on my hip and I squirm in fear.

Though at this point I don’t know if I’m squirming from the fear or the sinful pleasure he is giving me. Maybe both.

Before I could even realise, my hips are humping right against his face, my shaky legs wrapping around his head and by now I can’t hold back the soft moans escaping my throat.

“There you go..good girl, give in to me..” Dabi praises. “Wrap those legs tightly around me c’mon..”

As if I’m under his spell, I squeeze his head tightly between my legs, keeping him locked and pressed harder against my pussy. A guttural growl erupts from his throat, evoking a moan on my side. Thick, gleaming saliva mixed with my own juices drip down my asshole and staining the sheets underneath in process. Dabi grunts and moans more on purpose, driving me over the edge as his tongue is lapping all the mess, making loud slurping noises to make me feel even more embarrassed.

“Let me hear those sounds better..” he grins, removing the clothing off my mouth. With no way to cover my mouth anymore, I feel shame burning my cheeks as my moans escape free, loud and clear while he devours me. But while doing so, he keeps changing the rhythm on purpose to make me struggle to reach my high.

“D-Dah- Dabi..” I whimper, looking down on him with teary eyes.

“Moan my name louder princess” he chuckles, giving me another heated slap on my thigh and making me yelp.

“Dabi!!” I whine desperately. “P-Please!”

“Please what?” he responds. “You wanna cum, ah?”

“Y-Yes.. please” I cry, not caring anymore at this point as my body is aching for that sweet release. I will forever hate myself for this later, constantly living in shame and regret.

“Since you’re begging so nicely.”

With that he begins eating me out vigorously, my moans become louder and high pitched as I keep him glued between my legs, wrapping them tightly around his head. He also adds a finger or two, driving me crazier as he combines it with the tongue as well.

“Cum for me.. baby” he moans. “Nghh cum on my face- fuck, you’re.. so pretty.. my good girl”

His words are enough for me to snap, orgasm crashing through me as my eyes roll at the back of my skull. My moans come out choked while he makes me see the stars. Dabi lets out a pleased sigh as he takes in all my flavor, not letting a single drop of me go to waste while I come undone on his tongue.

By now my body is almost lifeless as I’m laying on my bed, not moving a single finger, my brain mush from that earth-shattering orgasm. Dabi stands up from between my legs and comes closer to me. I’m too tired and worn out to even say something back as he grabs my chin, giving me a slow heated kiss. His tongue intertwines with mine, and yet again I feel those butterflies swarming in my stomach as I kiss him back and moan in his mouth.

“Taste yourself,” he breathes out, pulling away from me and biting my lower lip. “Been dyin’ for those lips too..”

I look back at him pleadingly, what he has done me tonight I fear will change me forever.

“This is not right..” I whisper. “I- I shouldn’t be doing this..Dabi..”

He shuts me up with another kiss before backing off completely.

“Patience princess.. soon enough I’ll tell you all about it, for now this is our little secret m’kay?” he replies, stroking my cheek with his thumb. I nod dumbly, still high probably from the orgasm, but I know for sure that I crave him terribly.

“For now, be a good girl and just play with that pretty cunt of yours while you think of me.. and make sure to leave the balcony door open as well..” he chuckles. “It’s a pain in the ass to break in constantly”

Dabi proceeds to remove the chains and rub my wrists gently. His touch just feels so good for some reason. He playfully tugs at my wings and I slap his hand away.

Nevermind.

My hands are free now. Why am I not doing anything? Screaming for help? Kicking him out? Just why?

I might doze off pretty soon. My eyes are already heavy, my body slowly relaxing. I feel him kissing my forehead before leaving, and then I see nothing but darkness while I fall back into a deep sleep.

🏷️ tags: @mostlyheinous @scariusaquarius @dabihawksluva @dabislittlebeaniebaby @touyalove @awalkingshame @syrenkitsune

[celestie0]

so your insecure about your smut I hear ? if it makes you feel better I still mentally jerk it in memory of the following:

kickoff chapter 6 particularly when reader’s collapsed over the sink and gojos still on his knees behind her just WATCHING and then when their eye fucking eachother in the mirror and readers hand is reached behind to grab the back of his head THATS SO SEXY

the tension in chapter 8 i know there was only a proposition of smut but when it was stripped away I think that’s when I fell in love with the series because the slow burn is just everything - disclaimer I don’t jork it to that I just like the scene

The duration of kickoff chapter 11 couch scene 👌. My stomach does the thing every time, dry humping is elite, and the high school in love-ness between them 😭I’m throwing up

THE IHM SNEAK PEAKS

I refuse to believe you think those are bad as well like tf???? And not just the lazy morning sex that had me bust a load but the death row meal comment??????? Making out while doing calculus in his head so not to get a boner???? And for someone who’s not a fan of dirty talk like babe come on, the way you capture all the different sexy aspects of that sexy man like the vulgarity had me HOT and then his dumbass down bad-ness just UGh the need to put a baby in him right now

anyway that deserved its own paragraph but then obviously there’s works with smut as the actual premise

L&L specifically the bj scene I think you awakened my praise kink with that one - btw will we ever get a part 2 because I’m pretty sure that plan fell through but just letting you know I’m all up for seconds, no pressure if it’s not a part of ur agenda though

Round the clock.

actually hold up let me elaborate on these above two points in my full opinion because I really want you to understand this, the tropes/pairings/dynamics which your brain births are so fucking hot that the smut scene is instantly made good even if it’s not your most proud part of the writing process, this links to the common knowledge which ihm reader preached in the recent chapter- men will get hard to anything - but unfortunately it’s not so easy as a woman, personally that’s why I tend to resort to reading cause there’s nothing more psychologically immersing and of course the point of fanfiction is we’re already in love with our husband gojo so just add a little sexy lore ie. older, boxer, babysitter and babe I’m already halfway there cause of the quality of your ideas and writing, smut is only part of the experience and it’s not necessarily the most important

Last but not least that one domestic drabble you wrote I know it’s kind of a pwp moment but the position wifey reader and toji did it in omg and when he called her a slut and when he had her cockdrunk and babbling and begging for a baby 😫✋

honorable mention because like I said smut isn’t everything: the scene where ihm Gojo is shirtless fixing the kitchen sink and drinking oj from a mug and then when he picked up reader while she’s in a measly silk gown … yeah I jork it to that😔

in conclusion ur smut makes me horny🙂 so I think your sufficiently successful in achieving its primary purpose, please don’t be so hard on yourself and I hope you can learn to find more self satisfaction in these parts of your work where you lack confidence and see it in a better light

<333

ok hi anon im back! lol

first of all thank u sm. some people might think a fanfic author would desire a good dicking down from their favorite fictional character and a blunt shortly thereafter. but no. THIS is all a fanfic author truly wants.

HAHAH no but in serious you’re so sweet to point outtt these little details i could sob :”) i was cheesing so hard in the morning when i read it haha!!

i always forget the kickoff ch6 party bathroom scene happened xd sometimes i get thrown into a state of shock when i remember i wrote it. and that’s the thing!! i was so excited n giddy to write it bc it was back when i didnt think too hard about my writing haha. somewhere along the line i just became so self conscious ab smut :( but anywho yes the couch scene in kickoff ch11 had me screaming while i was writing it i was so excited to eventually post it so i’m so happy you enjoyed ittt aaa :”)

STOP bc i have SO much smut planned for ihm 😭😭 ranging from borderline crack smut to passionate lovemaking loool i can’t wait to get to those parts of the series but ouf yea them insecurities be haaaaard. i think i just don’t see a lot of representation of the kind of smut i like to write in the fandom very much so it gets me second guessing 🥲 like idk i like dirty talk but it has to be kinda on the nose?? like the whole part where ihm gojo says the thing ab doing calculus in his head so he doesnt get a hard-on 😂😂 like idk it’s so cute n hot to me in my head but it’s kinda niche to my preferences haha

sorry i’m rambling but like ugh same w the morning sex scene i wanna get to that part sooo bad but i just hope i don’t second guess that scene once i get to it 😩😩 bc oh my the way my coochie was clenching the whole time while writing it LOL i sob

aw yeahh i was supposed to do a pt2 for l&l but hmm i kinda got bored of the concept. it was my first major oneshot smut n like aaa i like it but :0 i think it does stand good alone as just one part

thanks my dear :”) i agree i think…well, i have a hard time giving myself credit for anything usually haha, but i do think that the character dynamics i created outside of i guess the smutty stuff rlly helps? i guess its kinda like a buffer when i get into writing smut bc im like oh yknow even if this isnt the hottest thing my readers have read i hope that they enjoy it bc they like my versions of gojo xd so you’re so sweet for validating me on that HAHAHA

also stooooop i love that scene in ihm. the one where he picks her up effortlessly while she’s on all fours in her grandma nightgown on the floor 🤣🤣 idk if this is so hyperspecifically arousing but like the thought of sporty muscular gojo having just come back from a run n he’s manhandling vintage silk nightgown-wearing reader while she’s has barely awoken from sleep is so cute n silly n hot to me. sorry it sounds like im jerking myself off here but i just love ihm gojo sm honestly i would like to fuck him until his balls look like raisins :/

anywhooo you’re too sweet. like seriously. and i saw your follow up ask, an hour?? imma sob. i’m saving the link for this ask to look back on whenever i feel bad ab my smut writing abilities!! or just writing in general. i fear u may have saved me anon LOL i haven’t felt this excited to write smut in a while! i appreciate you :)) much love!

[butterflydm]

restructuring the wheel of time into ten books

So a little while ago, there was a poll about people's favored choice for how many books should have been in WoT -- I voted for 'ten' and this is, I guess, my argument for a ten book series.

Books 1-5, I don’t really have any notes on when it comes to structure. Every book is complete in and of itself. While books 2 & 3 do have something of a repetitive structure, I think that works better in a book series than in a tv series.

The only suggestions that I would have structurally would be minor things like “tweak Rand’s power levels in the early books to keep him more in line with what he does later” (aka what the show is doing, lol) and maybe not having Ishamael present during the Battle of Falme and having that purely against the Seanchan, so that we don’t have super similar climaxes for Rand two books in a row (Rand could get his wound in Tear instead). And those are the sorts of things that I think it might be likely that Jordan would have done if he’d known exactly how long the series would end up being -- ex. he clearly backed down on Rand’s power jump when he realized that the series would be going for longer than he’d originally planned.

One minor plot change that I would do is put Perrin feeling Rand tug at him as the epilogue of TFOH or thereabouts. Just a little hint of Perrin in there, showing that he'll have a bigger role in the next book.

Book 6, though... I have some thoughts there.

Lord of Chaos/A Crown of Swords: this is the first book where the beginning really takes some time getting off the ground -- there are several Salidar chapters that could have been combined. This is really the first place in the books where characters hang around doing nothing (we're told more than once in Elayne & Nynaeve's PoV that they're barely being taught anything and that being there feels pointless), waiting for it to be time to actually Do Some Plot (the big Healing of severing) and it's just the beginning of a bad trend.

The other structural change that I would suggest is not doing the weird feint with Mat's character where he starts off doing a "Rand's general" storyline and then creakily transitions over to Salidar instead. Since Mat isn't actually going to Illian, he doesn't need to be marching south. He could just still be in Cairhien/Caemlyn and have Rand take him to Salidar from there. As it is, we end up spending several chapters on a storyline that gets abruptly terminated part of the way through the book so that Mat can do a completely different storyline instead and that really pads out the pages unnecessarily (this was a really bad trend that happened with Mat's character in particular more than once in the books; his storylines would just stop in their tracks and get shifted to something else entirely and never go back to his original storyline; ex. we literally never find out why/what the murdered caravan of Tuatha'an had to do with anything, because Mat never bothers to tell Rand their message because he spends the entire rest of the book series doing completely unrelated things and only ever sees Rand again for a brief conversation that is dominated by everyone catering to his slaver wife -- we never get payoff for the vast majority of Mat's storylines, even the minor threads). It really does feel like Jordan started writing the book, then went "oh shit, Mat needs to meet & marry the DotNM" and just abruptly changed Mat's story to yeet him to Ebou Dar without actually rewriting the earlier bits in the book.

Outside of that, the main change I would suggest being made in these books is improving Min’s characterization and Min and Rand’s relationship by NOT having Min change herself for Rand. Let Rand fall in love with Min as she is, not the dolled-up version of Min that she invents for Rand’s benefit (there are other characterization tweaks I would recommend as well, but Min is kinda the biggest issue imo).

The main ‘story arc’ for Rand that's set up in LoC is ‘defeating Sammael’ and it should take place over the course of a single book, not two separate books. Parts of ACoS would be saved for the next book but the Illian climax should happen in the same book that the story starts. I would title this book “A Crown of Swords” so that the focus is on Rand’s story, not the Forsakens' (and part of the oddness here is definitely due to Jordan changing his mind about doing the Taim-Demandred combo, so he sets up something that ends up going nowhere).

Inciting incidents:

Egwene is summoned to Salidar leading to Rand sending Mat there as well

Min arrives in Caemlyn, leading to The Box Incident

Turning point:

After the Box incident, Perrin and Rand stage a fight so that Perrin can go find Masema

Egwene sends Elayne, Nynaeve, Mat & co to Ebou Dar to look for the Bowl of the Winds and they actually take advantage of Mat being ta’veren right away instead of waiting around for a month (all the delays in Mat's various storylines had a knock-on effect in delaying everyone else's storylines, imo -- the Slog happens because everyone is waiting on Mat, whether they know it or not)

Climax:

Rand defeats Sammael

The attack of the Seanchan on Ebou Dar begins

A Crown of Swords/The Path of Daggers/Winter’s Heart: The Path of Daggers only needs some of trimming imo. Once that trimming is done, I think Elayne’s section of the prologue of WH could slid into it fairly neatly as a bit of an ‘upbeat’ epilogue, which would be a contrast to the darkness of Rand’s ending in the previous book and his defeat here when he tries to repel the Seanchan from Ebou Dar.

Also have Mat interact with Tuon throughout this book, essentially like he did in WH (Mat's interactions with Tuon in WH make sense with his previous characterization; it's in CoT & KoD when Jordan had him completely reverse on his moral outlook on slavery so that he would be willing to make out with a slaver - genuinely, how Mat goes from sympathizing with slaves in WH to sympathizing with slavers in CoT remains one of the most baffling writing choices that I've ever run across; especially with how limp and one-sided it made everything about Mat & Tuon feel in those books for me, because Jordan drained all the potential interesting conflict out of the pairing so that he could focus on Mat navel-gazing about his self-inflicted prophecy woes, making him just Min 2.0. *sigh*). This book I would choose to be named “The Path of Daggers” out of the available options.

Inciting incidents:

Elayne & Nynaeve use the Bowl of the Winds as Ebou Dar is invaded by the Seanchan and Mat gets left behind during the escape

Perrin & co find Masema, etc.

Egwene uses the rule of law to take control of the Salidar Aes Sedai

Turning point:

Mat first meets Tuon -- maybe give Mat & Tylin’s first meeting to Mat & Tuon instead, where he accidentally greets her using the Old Tongue, thus sparking her interest (cut out Mat & Tylin’s ‘relationship’ entirely, it was zero percent needed and is needed even less if Tuon arrives in the first wave of the attack, as I'm suggesting here)

Rand learns about the invasion by the Seanchan and goes campaigning

Egwene & the Aes Sedai jump to Tar Valon and begin their siege (since they no longer need to kill time to let Mat's plotline happen)

Climax:

Rand fails to defeat the Seanchan & gets attacked in the Sun Palace but kills the attackers here instead of us needing the Far Madding detour (which just felt like a less emotionally-impactful version of The Box to me and Jordan giving in to his desire to write a travelogue)

Faile learns Masema is dealing with the Seanchan and kills him, cutting off that entire path of slog by not getting kidnapped (we really only need one kidnapped wife imo)

Mat escapes Ebou Dar, kidnapping Tuon along the way (there's our allotted Kidnapped Wife)

Egwene is captured by the White Tower Aes Sedai when the rebels block off the harbors to Tar Valon

Winter’s Heart/Crossroads of Twilight/Knife of Dreams: All three of these books would have greatly benefited from being massively cut down to a single volume. This one also has a touch of TGS in it, mostly because Egwene had a lot more story left after KoD than pretty much any other character except maybe Mat.

Specific items to change or cut:

Cut out Far Madding entirely (Rand killed the attackers in Cairhien). Since Tuon arrived with the initial Seanchan invasion fleet in Ebou Dar, Nynaeve can be honest with Rand about Mat being left behind but Rand can see (in his color swirl vision) that Mat is no longer in Ebou Dar and has already escaped, filling that plot hole (the list of contrivances to keep Rand from knowing what happened to Mat frustrated and annoyed me so much when I was reading books WH-KoD).

Have the love confessions and Rand sleeping with Elayne, but don’t do the bonding yet. Have Rand leave Min behind in Caemlyn when he takes Nynaeve off to do the cleansing, so she can (emotionally) bond with Elayne & Aviendha. Since Min was just at ground zero for a terrible attack that was focused on Rand (which should, to Rand, prove his fears about being a danger to the people he loves to be correct!), it really is so bizarre that he keeps backpacking her around to dangerous place (Far Madding) after dangerous place (the Cleansing) after dangerous place (parlay with the Seanchan) and mostly shows that Jordan a) just had no more plot beats for Min until she played pregnancy test for Tuon in the epilogue and b) primarily saw Min as Rand’s Hero Reward rather than a character in her own right. But the whole affair mostly just undermined Rand’s character journey for me (he's so isolated! ...except for his live-in girlfriend).

Don’t do the Shaido plotline at all (have the Shaido scatter back to the Waste post-Dumai’s Wells); instead this should be where Perrin starts his wolf boot camp, so that he actually has a more appropriate amount of time for training before the Last Battle (and his emotional storyline would be a conflict with Faile over her killing Masema). I guess you can do the Whitecloaks storyline here.

Have Mat be the one to make a treaty with the Seanchan, and have Semirhage order the ‘airfleet’ against the White Tower instead of Tuon doing it. Instead of Mat accidentally giving himself away for nothing, have the Mat-Tuon marriage as part of the deal to seal the treaty, since Mat has figured out that she believes that he needs to be her husband, per prophecy, so he uses that to actually get concessions out of her. Because we aren’t trying to convince the readers that Mat is the sort of person who is capable of falling in love with a slaver in the space of a single month, we don’t need to spend two whole books wandering the Altaran countryside doing random shit and instead can get to the politics of it all. Let Mat actually continue to be smart and empathetic in this section of the storyline, rather than lopping off those parts of him and turning him into a zombie bootlicker yes-man. You can still layer in elements of Mat seeing potential in Tuon to be more than just a slaver, just don't have him toss his entire brain & morals away in order to kiss her ass.

Out of the available titles here, I think “Knife of Dreams” is the best one.

Inciting incidents:

Egwene undermines Elaida from within the Tower

Perrin starts Wolf Boot Camp

Rand & Nynaeve cleanse saidin

Turning Point:

Rand faces off against Semirhage and captures her

Egwene finds out from Verin about the extent of the Black Ajah in the White Tower

Aviendha leaves to go to Rhuidean to become a WO

Mat finds out that sul'dam (and thus Tuon) can channel and actually uses it as a negotiation tactic against her, please let this man use his brain during literally any of his conversations with Tuon, I am begging you. The way he reacts in the books to finding out that Tuon is a sul'dam and then that Tuon can channel is SO FUCKING BIZARRE. He just Does Not Care about slavery at all in CoT & KoD and is all Me Me Me about all of the Tuon revelations. In the previous books, Mat claims to be selfish even while constantly doing heroic/selfless things, but in CoT & KoD, he really does just come across as a genuine selfish bastard, someone who only thinks about himself and who doesn't give a shit about anyone else.

Climax:

Tuon and Mat agree on the terms of their marriage alliance and Say The Words

Elayne defeats her fellow claimants to the throne; maybe Min helps root out that Darkfriend captain in her guards, which would lend weight to her being able to do the same later for Tuon and also make it so that Min is at least as helpful to Team Light as she was to the Seanchan

The Seanchan (sent by Semirhage before she went to face Rand) attack the White Tower.

The Gathering Storm/Towers of Midnight: ToM has never made any sense as a title, so I would call this combined book “The Gathering Storm”. This section is more about putting things in a somewhat different order than they happened in the books, with a few tweaks.

Inciting Incidents:

Egwene defeats the Seanchan at the White Tower

Semirhage is freed by Elza and captures Rand, and (stealing @markantonys's excellent suggestion) Nynaeve is the one targeted when Semirhage forces Rand to her will, making Rand push Nynaeve away 'for her protection'

Rand and Egwene have a tense encounter that makes her doubt his sanity.

Turning point:

After taking the test to become full Aes Sedai, Nynaeve gets Lan's bond from Myrelle and then, since Myrelle was literally right outside the Black Tower at the time, Nynaeve and Logain deal with the Black Tower

Egwene deals with the assassins in the Tower (Gawyn subplot)

Perrin deals with the dreamspike and kills Slayer | Egwene deals with Mesaana

Aviendha returns from Rhuidean and reunites with Elayne & Min

Climax:

Rand attacks his father, leading to the moment on Dragonmount

post-epiphany, Rand actually goes to check in on his friends and loved ones, thus making his epiphany have an impact on the storyline -- he Travels to where Mat is and is the one who helps Mat get from Point A (Altara) to Point B (Caemlyn) and letting them actually have a real reunion, delivering Aludra to Elayne, where she is ready to make weapons. In Caemlyn, he talks to Elayne, Aviendha, & Min, leading into the bonding moment.

Mat saves Moiraine from the Tower of Ghenjei.

(epilogue) Tuon arrives back in Ebou Dar and takes control of the Seanchan forces, letting everyone know that there is now a treaty with the Westlands. Her going back with a treaty already tentatively in place would actually make the triumphant tone that the books try to take her with her return make a lot more sense than... readers apparently supposed to be happy??? that one slaver is taking over from another slaver, even though Tuon is just as willing to do awful shit to our protagonists as Suroth was, so it feels like a distinction without a difference to me. Technically, is Tuon marginally better than Suroth? Eh, maybe, but not by much.

A Memory of Light: Most of my changes here either follow from earlier ones (we already have a treaty with the Seanchan, so Mat can just go to Merrilor to start General’ing right away), but apart from that:

Let the Emond’s Field Five (plus Elayne) have a group reunion! (easier to do in this version where Mat's storyline isn't all about sucking up to Tuon, I admit)

Let Perrin and Mat be at Rand’s funeral! (genuinely so bizarre that Sanderson didn't do a one-sentence fix of this tbh; that would have been the easiest thing in the world to fix. One sentence is all you would have needed.)

Let Moiraine be the person who realizes that Rand is still alive, not Cadsuane.

The battle itself could have been cut down somewhat in order to leave more room for character interactions (we probably don't need three separate sword duels for Demandred; kinda excessive). This is a goodbye to people some of us spent over a decade loving; we should be given proper goodbyes to them.

I also feel like there's no need to have everyone and their brother know that Rand is in a relationship with three women? And it felt pointless to have people know that Rand is the father of Elayne's kids too. Have Rand tell his dad (and then have Tam actually act like he has that knowledge during his scenes with Elayne; it is genuinely bizarre how formal Tam and Elayne's interactions were in AMoL; she knows that he's Rand's dad! That's the grandfather of her kids!) but there's no need for a continent-wide memo about Rand's love life. I know this was likely all because of the epilogue where the whole world knows about ~the three~ grieving widows but this is all about a theoretical world of only ten books total, so some tweaking of the epilogue is happening regardless.

Inciting incidents:

Moiraine arrives (with Mat) to help heal the rift between Egwene and Rand

Darkfriends attack Caemlyn through the Ways

Climax:

Rand vs The Dark One

Everyone else vs the Shadow’s forces

So, that would leave us with ten books total (plus the New Spring prequel):

The Eye of the World: the journey begins

The Great Hunt: more important plot elements are introduced, like the Seanchan; Rand begins to learn leadership

The Dragon Reborn: Rand accepts being the Dragon Reborn & takes on a full-time leadership role; Mat now has his luck & Perrin has met Faile

The Shadow Rising: Perrin takes on a leadership role when he leads the defense of the Two Rivers

The Fires of Heaven: Mat takes on a leadership role during the Battle of Cairhien, creating the Band of the Red Hand

A Crown of Swords: Egwene takes on a leadership role by becoming Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai

The Path of Daggers: Elayne takes on a leadership role by putting in her claim to become Queen of Andor

Knife of Dreams: Rand & Nynaeve reverse the Dark One’s counterstroke and then Rand tries and fails to make an alliance with the Seanchan (fake!Tuon); Perrin goes to wolf boot camp; Mat makes a treaty with the Seanchan via marriage alliance to the DotNM; Elayne gets all ten Houses she needs to secure the throne; Egwene has all-but won over the White Tower as well.

The Gathering Storm: we all prepare for the Last Battle; Rand has his epiphany, in whatever form it takes; Mat saves Moiraine; Perrin defeats Slayer; Egwene and Elayne prepare their respective areas for TLB.

A Memory of Light: the journey ends (for this age)

I feel like this gives us a more consistent build-up to the ending, with each piece building upon the ones before, and not taking an excessive amount of time with subplots in the endgame. Each character also has a more consistent progression as well.

Rand

tEotW: worries about being a male channeler

TGH: told he is the Dragon Reborn but assumes the White Tower wants to use him as a false Dragon

TDR: goes on a journey to prove whether or not he’s TDR and proves that he is; taking control of Tear

TSR: becomes the Car’a’carn

TFoH: takes control of Cairhien

ACoS: takes control of Illian

TPoD: has his first major failure when he is unable to repel the Seanchan from Ebou Dar

KoD: succeeds in cleansing saidin but fails to make peace with the Seanchan

TGS: has rock-bottom moment and then his epiphany; he learns he doesn’t have to do it All On His Own

AMoL: re-seals TDO

Egwene

tEotW: sets off an adventure

TGH: experiences great trauma at the hands of the Seanchan

TDR: Black Ajah Hunter

TSR: Goes to the Aiel Waste to begin her training

TFoH: One of her mentors (Moiraine) dies

ACoS: is called to take on a leadership position

TPoD: takes control of the rebel Aes Sedai

KoD: besieges Tar Valon and is captured

TGS: become Amrylin of a united White Tower

AMoL: leads in the Last Battle and becomes an inspirational figure

Perrin

tEotW: discovers that he’s a wolfbrother

TGH: is first placed in a leadership position when Rand disappears

TDR: meets Faile

TSR: defends the Two Rivers (Slayer introduced)

TFoH: feels the tug of ta’veren and leaves the Two Rivers again

ACoS: saves Rand

TPoD: finds Masema; Faile kills Masema

KoD: Wolf Boot Camp

TGS: deals with Slayer in the Wolf Dream

AMoL: leads the wolves at the Last Battle (instead of it being Elyas)

Nynaeve

tEotW: sets out to protect the four kiddos

TGH: adopts Elayne as a fifth kiddo

TDR: Black Ajah Hunter

TSR: Tanchico & the SAD bracelets; Egeanin

TFoH: defeating Rahvin & capturing Moghedien

ACoS: Salidar & Ebou Dar

TPoD: using the Bowl of the Winds

KoD: cleansing saidin

TGS: the Black Tower plotline

AMoL: with Rand at the climax of TLB; being the Ultimate Protector

Mat

tEotW: finds the dagger

TGH: blows the Horn of Valere

TDR: discovers his luck

TSR: Rhuidean & prophecy

TFoH: the Battle of Cairhien & the Band of the Red Hand

ACoS: Salidar & Seanchan invasion in Ebou Dar

TPoD: meets & kidnaps the Daughter of the Nine Moons

KoD: forms a marriage alliance with the Daughter of the Nine Moons

TGS: saving Moiraine

AMoL: General of the forces of Light at the Last Battle

Elayne

tEotW: meets Rand, heads off to Tar Valon

TGH: gets a found family in Egwene, Nynaeve, & Min

TDR: Black Ajah Hunter (meets Aviendha)

TSR: Tanchico & the SAD bracelets; Egeanin

TFoH: bonding Birgitte; Circus storyline

ACoS: Salidar & Ebou Dar

TPoD: using the Bowl of the Winds & heading to Andor

KoD: becoming Queen (plot climax)

TGS: bonds Rand (emotional climax)

AMoL: powerful leader during the Last Battle

[nikethestatue]

A Match Baked In Heaven

Sorry for the long break y'all. Life and all. Here is an update.

Chapter XV

Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be

The beginning of the end started innocuously and unremarkably. There was nothing to suggest that things would be changing. And they shouldn’t have been changing either, because everything was…happiness. 

Azriel had disappeared soon after Christmas dinner was over and the last of the trifle was eaten, and Elain couldn’t find him. However, since she couldn’t find Piglet either, she hoped that her boys were together. 

She had a fun night, singing carols, teasing Nesta along with Cassian, and risking her wrath, because Cassian was hilarious and Nesta was all pissy since Elain and Cassian teamed up for the first round of games. Then, while drinking after-dinner cocktails, everyone played more games, and Feyre and their father won. Rhys and Elain came in second, but Rhys lamented that Azriel wasn’t around because he’d beat everyone. 

“He is wildly competitive,” Rhys whispered to Elain. “Not surprising considering he is a professional athlete, but that man will win any game.”

It was then that Elain realised how much she missed Azriel next to her. After their silly row earlier in the day, things weren’t the same and Elain hated it! She hated that their first Christmas together wasn’t perfect. The fact that she even had him with her here, in Rosehall, with her family, having Christmas with all of them like he was part of the family, part of her, was exhilarating enough! She never thought that it would happen; that she’d be at her ancestral home, with the man she loved, with her sisters, her father, her dog, but here they were. Therefore, while the festivities were still going strong, Elain slipped away from the reception and went to find Azriel and Piglet. Just before she rounded the corner though, she heard Cassian’s voice calling her,

“Hey, petal. Wait up.”

Cassian looked a little buzzed, his jacket off, his white tuxedo shirt unbuttoned at the collar, the bow tie untied and hanging over his neck, his hair flowing just past his shoulders. No wonder Nesta, the icy, prickly Nesta, was all aflutter over him. The man was almost pornographically handsome, in the most primal of ways. This was the man who was going to bend you over, fuck you within an inch of your life, and you’d turn around and thank him. The raw, beasial beauty of him was truly breathtaking.

Elain stopped her thoughts spiralling out of control, because it was probably inappropriate to think of her sister’s new love interest in this manner. But Elain was…horny. Since last night, she was horny (well, she’s been horny and a little desperate for a while now) and the phantom feel of Azriel’s wicked hand inside of her still lingered and offered a pleasant memory by keeping her sore and wet.

Nevertheless, Elain thought that if Azriel wasn’t her soulmate, she’d absolutely give Cassian a lot of attention. Because this man was devastating. 

He came closer, propping his arm against the wall. Elain looked up at him, all 6”6 of him and he snickered, “Well, we destroyed them at Pictionary, didn’t we?”

“We annihilated!” Elain agreed savagely, nodding.

Cassian laughed at her, but then his face changed to a more serious expression, and he asked,

“Az treating you good, petal?”

Elain frowned at the strange question and said,

“He is!”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. Why?”

Cassian avoided answering directly, instead, saying,

“He can get a little intense, you know,”

Elain laughed at that.

“You think?” she shook her head. 

“Are you okay with that?”

“That he is incredibly intense, barks ‘you are mine!’ and has me saved as ‘Mrs. Night’ on his phone?” she raised her brow at Cassian.

He pressed his tongue into his cheek and after a long pause, nodded at last. 

“Yes, that’s what I mean.”

She shrugged, 

“He is also generous, loving, unbelievably inappropriate but also strangely gallant. I have to take the good with the bad and the questionable,” she said decisively.

“He is new to all of this,” Cassian reminded her cautiously.

“What?”

Cassian paused again, until he finally uttered, 

“Love.”

Elain swallowed loudly, unable to respond. 

She and Azriel had never gone as far as the ‘L” word. They’ve exchanged words of tenderness, and Azriel never stopped coming up with new and extravagant endearments for her. But he never said that he was in love with her, and neither did she tell him the same.

“You know his history,” Cassian continued, “he never felt like this about a woman. Never been with a woman long enough to feel much of anything.”

“Cass, I think it’s premature to discuss all of this,” Elain muttered, her tone panicked.

Cassian ran his tongue over his lower lip and said, “Just be gentle with him, Elain. Be kind to his heart. He is not himself because of you.”

“What do you mean?” she demanded, worrying her lip with her teeth.

“Nothing really. Just that he is navigating a wholly new territory. He isn’t as confident as he appears to be.”

“Azriel…he is very special to me,” Elain murmured.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what you shouldn’t tell him,” Cassian warned quickly.

Her brow furrowed, “what, exactly?”

“Special. Don’t use words like that with him. You either confess your love for him and tell him that you are his. Or nothing, He doesn’t do things halfway. It’s all or nothing with him.”

Elain sighed, thinking. What Cassian was saying made sense, though she wasn’t sure how to approach that conversation yet.

“Thanks Cassian. But we are just fine. Brilliant even.”

He grunted something unintelligible and then said, “well, good night then. Happy Christmas, Elain. I didn’t think that that’s where we’d be for Christmas, but I can’t say that I mind it.”

She smiled and nodded, “yeah, I don’t mind it as well. Happy Christmas.”

Elain turned and she was almost out of sight, when Cassian called after her again.

“Oi!”

She glanced over her shoulder at him, watching him rub his chin, looking pensive.

“You been to his flat?” he questioned. 

Another odd inquiry.

She nodded, “yes. We went to his yesterday. Why?”

“You liked it?”

“The views were amazing!!” she said enthusiastically. “But Canary Wharf…you know,” she shrugged indifferently.

“Boring, eh?”

Elain grinned, “it is!”

“Did you see a cage anywhere?” he suddenly asked.

“A cage?” Elain looked utterly confused. “What cage?”

“So no cage?”

“Oh, for Piglet? Yes. Az got him three beds and a ton of toys, but also a huge cage! Can you imagine?” she giggled.

Cassian stilled at her words.

“Yeah,” he murmured thoughtfully. “He was talking about it.”

“Pigled isn’t into cages,” Elain huffed. “He’d bite him if he was put in a cage!’

“That’s what I told him too,” Cassian smiled at her. “Well, good night then.”

“Night Cass!”

-

Elain opened the door to the bedroom quietly and tiptoed inside. It was dim in the room, only one lamp illuminating the spacious, luxurious space. She heard Piglet and his little snores first. Then she found Azriel lying on the bed, dressed in joggers and a t-shirt, his arm thrown over his eyes. He was barefoot and looked comfortable in his sleep, his breathing deep and even. Piglet was sleeping on his side next to his dad, oblivious to everything, not even sensing Elain’s arrival. Or if he did, he didn’t react. Great guard dog he was! But she supposed he was trusting Azriel to protect her from serial killers lurking in the garden. He was apparently ‘off duty’.

She watched them for a moment, until suddenly Azriel opened his arms, but not his eyes. Wordlessly, Elain approached the bed and climbed on top of him, straddling his hips and burying her face in his chest. His arms banded around her and he pressed her closer to him. She didn’t care that she was wearing her dress and that her voluminous skirt took up half of the bed. She didn’t even care about wearing shoes. 

He stroked her bare back lightly, his harsh, uneven skin and strong fingers sending shivers of pleasure down her body. 

“I thought I lost you,” Elain whispered, her voice sounding desperate.

He sighed and drew his hand along her spine.

“No. Not just yet.”

“Yet?” she gasped and looked up at him.

His face was sombre, but then he smiled at her and caressed her head, and then her face.

“Are we fighting?” she asked, knowing how stupid she sounded, but she didn’t even care. She knew that she kind of freaked out at him in the morning and it was so silly–all because of ‘Mrs. Night’ on his phone. 

“Do you want to fight?” he asked seriously, watching her closely.

She shook her head. 

“No. No I don’t.”

“Alright then. We’ll leave the fighting until after Christmas.”

“But you left,” she whispered. “So you are angry with me?”

He smiled at her gently and lied, “nah, I just have a headache. Pink was also all partied out, so I took him out–sorry, there is a pile of his turds somewhere in the garden–and then we came back here.”

Elain rubbed her cheek against his neck, breathing in his crisp, sharp scent, as she clutched his biceps, feeling her fingers tremble. The stress of thinking that he’d left her, that he got into his car and drove away suddenly hit her so hard, she shivered and felt cold sweat cover her body at once. 

“What's wrong?” he asked, feeling her tension and her unease. He tipped her chin up and looked down at her with a frown.

“Nothing,” she said. “All is good,” she stroked his arm. “All is good now.”

She sat up, still straddling him and then cupped his face in her palm. 

“Everything is good, Az. Because you are with me.”

He gave her an assessing glance, like he didn’t believe her, and then asked, “is that enough?”

“Yes. For me it is.”

She reached into her bag, which was left by the bed, and took out a small box, wrapped in a blue ribbon.

“I wanted to give you your Christmas gift.”

She blushed at the words and ducked her head shyly, handing the box to him. Azriel sat up, cocking his brow and looked at it with interest, and maybe even surprise. When she attempted to slide off him, he wrapped his arm around her hips, keeping her in place and said, “open it”.

Elain pulled on the ribbon and then opened the box. 

He looked inside and then declared with a grin, “yes, yes I will!”

“Wha…”

“It’s a ring! You are asking me to marry you?” he said definitively. “So I am saying ‘yes’,”

“My god!” she swatted at him. “That’s not what it is! You are a madman!”

“Maybe I am, or maybe I am not, but I am now an engaged madman,” he told her. “Put a ring on it, baby,” and he wiggled his finger at her.

Exasperated, Elain sighed dramatically and announced, 

“It’s for the headaches you get…that everybody gives you. It’s supposed to stimulate brain activity and specific pressure points and relieve your headaches,”

He stared at her and then laughed out loud, startling Piglet, who looked over his shoulder with a sleepy, bewildered gaze wondering what was happening.

“Sorry little lad,” Azriel patted the pug’s side. “Go back to sleep.”

“This is amazing, beautiful!” he exclaimed then. “And invaluable. Between my teammates and Cass and Rhys, this is the perfect gift!”

Elain smiled happily and added, “it’s not the only thing it does. If you press here,” she showed him, “you’ll get background noise to sleep, or drown out any other noises. I imagine that travelling with your team could get loud at times.”

“Yes, indeed,” he agreed, looking at the ring and pressing invisible buttons. 

“It measures all your vitals,” Elain added. “And tells you to sleep if you aren’t sleeping enough,”

“Where did you get this?”

“I had it custom made. Just for you.”

Azriel put the ring on his thumb and twisted his tattooed hand in front of his eyes, admiring the new bring. It was an elegant piece–black, with a silver insert.

“Do you like it?” she asked shyly, rubbing her finger over his thumb.

Azriel cupped her cheek in his hand and pulled her closer to him.

His breath fanned over her bare shoulder, when he placed a gentle kiss on it.

“You are magical, Elain Archeron. A little faery,” he whispered. “I am one lucky fucker.”

Elain snorted and scoffed, “your language is the worst!”

“Sorry, pretty girl, you’ll have to live with it for the rest of your life,” he shrugged innocently. 

“Oh is that so? The rest of my life?” 

He drew his thumb over his lower lip, his expression sobering and becoming more serious.

Elain thought that he’d go on some tangent about marriage and her being his, but instead, he said, “I wasn’t sure if I should give you your present…”

He rustled under his pillow and then pulled out a box. It was much too large for a ring, and Elain, who was waiting with bated breath, wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed. But whatever it was, she was excited to see it. 

“Stay where you are,” Azriel ordered firmly, insisting that she remain seated atop of his hips. “You may take the dress off, if you so desire,” he suggested casually.

“I’ll decide once I see what you got me,” she told him firmly and he smiled. 

“Well, happy Christmas then,” he murmured and opened the box for her. Elain’s breath skittered over his hands when she beheld a stunning diamond and sapphire necklace displayed against the cream satin of the box. It was a Vacheron Constantin no less–the finest of the finest. Not a trifling thing either–a ‘garden’ necklace of clusters of large diamonds and even larger sapphires, shaped into a chain of flowers. A gift that a husband would give his wife for the holidays (if he were a millionaire footballer that is). 

“Azriel,” she sucked in her breath, entranced by the exquisite beauty of the necklace.

He was about to unleash on her for saying ‘I couldn’t possibly’, but she beat him to it and suddenly–to his utter delight–pulled up her long curled hair and presented him with her long delicate neck. “Put it on me?”

Azriel’s head went quiet. There was something profound about this moment, with Elain allowing him to put this visible ‘collar’ around her neck–accepting him, permitting him to do that to her. For her. He moved closer: her breasts, still contained within her structured dress, pressed into his chest, and he loved the feel of them, while he wrapped his arms around her and fastened the lock of the necklace in the back of her neck.

“Beautiful,” he breathed, watching the diamonds gleam and sparkle in the low light.

“Is it too much?” she wondered, as her fingers slid over the stones.

“No. Just enough,” he decided, admiring her. “A little bouquet of diamonds and sapphires for my pretty flower girl.”

Elain's necklace

Fucking beat a crown that Rhys put on Feyre. Damn peacock. 

“May I remove this unnecessarily big dress for you?” Azriel offered smoothly, and without waiting for an answer, he found the zipper in the back of her gown.

“Az, we can’t do it!” she hissed in alarm.

“Do what, exactly?” he teased, while he slowly slid the zipper down.

Scrambling and bumbling, she muttered, “you know! that…You know what!”

“That and what, huh,” he chuckled. “It’s not like I’ve been anticipating getting laid tonight, sweetness. I mean, I’ve pretty much lost all hope by now, but,”

“Excuse me!” she exclaimed. “We’ve been dating for 3 weeks!”

“I feel like it’s been much longer, since October.” He corrected her, while opening the dress up in the back and letting it fall away from her body.

“October? October?!?!” she cried. “No way! We only met in October.”

“Well, and I’ve been dating you since I’ve met you,” he reminded her calmly. “Not sure what you’ve been doing.”

“Well, I,”

“Yeah, so it’s pretty reasonable for me to expect to have sex with my girlfriend after three months,”  he glared at her.

“I can’t!” she argued weakly. “Not with my dad in the same house…and Piglet right here,”

“Oh, bring dad into this, why don’t you! And Pinky is a dog, who cares?!”

“A dog? He isn’t a dog. He is my son!” she argued fiercely. “I gave birth to him, you know!”

“Uh-uh, did you now? I beg to differ,”

“Why is that?”

“Because I don’t remember making him, and the only son you’d be birthing would be mine,” he stated definitively. “So there is that.”

“I don’t think that’s how it is,”

“I do. But we’ll have fun making ours,” Azriel promised and gently squeezed her nipple between his fingers.

While she was pontificating about being her pug’s birth mother, Azriel managed to bare her to him and now he whistled softly to himself. 

A fine pair of full, pear-shaped breasts had tumbled from her gown and they were incredible. Azriel has had his share of peeks and glances, but even last night, when he was fingering her, she was still wearing a bra. Now, the titties were out, and before Elain could make up some excuse, he was dipping his face to them and before she could even gasp, he latched onto her nipple with his lips, pulling hard, and sucking half of her breast into his mouth. His hand wrapped around her neck–not choking her, but keeping her keen and at attention–while he circled his tongue around the nipple, as he held her on top of him firmly. Elain inhaled sharply, watching him, while he crouched in his uncomfortable position, and watched her. 

Elain was warm and soft, and her sublime tit was like melted butter on his tongue–silky and soft and rich. She felt so good in his arms, shivering every time he gave her little swollen bud another suck, his thumb stroking her lovely neck, his fingers brushing against the cold of her new necklace. He also liked the way the ring looked on his thumb. Black and sexy.

He pulled away from her breast and then licked her other nipple, nipping on it with his teeth, before biting roughly. She yipped, but he only drew his thumb over her mouth, quieting her down.

“I am not gonna fuck you tonight,” he whispered, sucking on the other nipple as well, making it nice and puffy, “only under one condition,”

“What?” she breathed sharply, her eyes wide, her skin hot in his hands.

“You are sleeping nice and naked. Next to me. Don’t care about Pink here, don’t care about dad, or anyone else. You’re sleeping naked and I am jamming my dick into her bare arse.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, Ellie. Although of course you may wear the necklace.”

“Ohhh, you are so magnanimous!” she scoffed, though her fingers tangled in his hair and she very clearly enjoyed what he was doing to her. He kissed each lovely globe with small, tender kisses, then he licked around the nipples, soft and slow, savouring every bit of her skin. Elain panted and rubbed against him, the thin material of his joggers getting pleasantly damp against her pussy. 

“I am that,” he nodded in agreement and then fell back on the pillows. “Go clean up and I expect you next to me, nice and naked and wet, sharpish. Got it?”

Elain rolled her eyes, but climbed off of him and walked to the bathroom, dragging her dress around her hips, while he was chuckling an evil laugh.

While Elain was in the bathroom, Piglet woke up for a few minutes and then demanded that Azriel spoon him. Azriel moved away a bit, and Piglet moved closer, then Azriel moved again, and Piglet sidled up to him. Once Azriel got the message, he tugged the pug closer to him, but the moment he removed his hand, Piglet put his paw on his hand, indicating that he better be snuggled right this minute. So Azriel had no choice but to cuddle the dog next to his body, and Piglet put both of his paws over Azriel’s forearm, keeping him in place. Piglet was going to take full advantage of this situation–he wasn’t allowed to sleep in the same bed with his Elain and while he could nap in her bed–which he often did–sleeping overnight wasn’t permitted. Here, today, he knew he was going to sleep with her and Az, and he was going to require full-on snuggles while he was at it. As soon as he had Azriel in his possession, Piglet fell back asleep.

“Close your eyes!” Azriel heard.

He laughed.

“Absolutely not!”

“Fine, I am not coming out then.”

“You gonna sleep in the tub, Ellie-girl?”

“If I have to!”

He snorted and then said, “fine. My eyes are closed.”

“Truly?”

“Absolutely. Come on, come out.”

Elain tiptoed into the bedroom and gasped, because Azriel was snuggling with the sleeping Piglet, and had his eyes WIDE open.

“I hate you,” she moaned.

But Azriel’s big hazel eyes lit up at the sight of her and she gushed, “you are so fucking gorgeous, Ellie. I can’t believe my stupid luck.”

Elain blushed at his words and wrung her fingers nervously and she silently walked across the carpet. She had kept her word–she was completely nude except for her new gorgeous necklace. 

“You’ll have to be the biggest spoon, baby,” Azriel told her. “I’ve been made to spoon the fur son. He was cross with me when I attempted to move,”

Elain chuckled, secretly enjoying how his eye devoured her. She never considered her body to be anything remotely perfect, but the way Azriel was looking at her made her think that maybe she’d been too hard on herself. Maybe seeing her through his eyes was all she ever needed, because he saw the beauty in her that she never allowed herself to acknowledge. 

She got in bed next to him–his massive body warm and firm, exuding his innate strength, but also calmness, all the while brimming with power. It felt good. Like she was in the safest place in the world. 

“Did you like Christmas?” she asked quietly, kissing his shoulder.

“It’s a good Christmas,” he stated simply. “You and me and the dog. Well, and family, I guess.”

She laughed at that. He was very nonchalant about the ‘family’ bit.

…Surprisingly, even though there was a naked Elain in bed with him, Azriel fell asleep quickly and without any usual struggles. Perhaps, her gift was already working? Or perhaps he was in the place where he always meant to be.

When Azriel opened his eyes, bleary sunlight was already streaming through the windows. From where he lay, he could see the muted pink sunrise, pale light tentatively touching the ground in the vast park of the estate. 

He could get used to it, he thought. The life of a country gentleman: caring for his manor, a bunch of dogs and horses on the grounds, a glass of whiskey at night by the fireplace, his Elain tending to her gardens, being the lady of the house, running charities and organising their social calendar. Yes, he wouldn’t mind that at all. Wouldn’t mind railing her on the daily either. 

Elain’s gorgeous naked body was outlined by the morning light, the lovely curve of her bottom so sumptuous, Azriel had to bite his lip to keep himself from groaning out loud. She stood by the window, her foot tapping softly behind her, her long hair cascading down her back. Azriel was pleased to see that her nipples were still nicely plump and swollen from all the attention that he’d paid them overnight. 

Gently setting Piglet aside Azriel rose swiftly and sat up on the bed, rubbing his face sleepily. He inspected his leg–it looked normal now and therefore, he knew that his little holiday was coming to an end. After the new year, he was going back onto the field. His last checkup was going to be on December 28th. If he was cleared to return to playing, his first game was going to be the first week of January. And it’s not that he didn't want to return to the game–he’d missed it: his team and his boys and the thrill of the game–but he also knew that his time with Elain and Pinky would suffer once he got back on the road. And that made him sad. 

He looked at Elain again, silently observing the sensual heaviness of her breast, the pretty curve of her belly, the softness of her shoulder. With sudden, acute clarity, he also saw her standing in the same spot, but this time, with her stomach round and heavy with his baby. 

Fuuuuuck. He was feeling broody. 

He rubbed his face again, trying to shake off the image. But somehow, it was seared into his brain now. Elain glorious nakedness didn’t help him clear his mind of dreams of impregnating her and watching her get round with his son. 

At last, he stood up and walked soundlessly towards her, startling her when he brashly cupped her warm bare pussy in his hand.

“Az!” she gasped. 

He kissed her neck softly and murmured, “that’s my name, baby. Good morning, my Ellie.”

She melted against him almost immediately, her sweet arse moulding into his cock just like he wanted it. Pink didn’t budge the whole night, and as much as Azriel tried, he couldn’t spoon Elain, because the dog was in the way. Even when Azriel released him a couple of times and tried to turn on his other side, Piglet growled and then crawled over him and planted himself between their bodies. There was no escaping him.

“Our first Christmas morning together,” Azriel whispered, and buried his face in her neck, gently stroking her soft pussy, while he cupped her breast in his palm and teased her nipple lazily.

“Oh…” she breathed blissfully, “this feels so good…”

“I am here to make you feel good, Ellie. That’s going to be my full time job. Fuck football!” 

She laughed and patted his hand, “not yet. I want to have a brawny footballer as a boyfriend for a little while. Before you get all old and become a coach,”

“Old?!” he exclaimed, outraged. “I am going to be 30!”

“Yeah. Old.”

“No respect for your elders,” he shook his head.

“Oh, look, look,” Elain pointed outside, and then bounced on her toes with excitement. 

Azriel looked out, seeing that the garden was covered in fresh snow, just in time for Christmas. Out in the cold, Nesta Archeron was running laps. She was thin, ramrod straight, her hair tied in a severe ponytail. 

“She runs every morning,” Elain sighed, shaking her head. “She never misses a day. Can you imagine?”

Azriel didn’t want to remind her that he also ran every day, and exercised for a few hours too, so he simply said, “she is very dedicated.”

Elain huffed, muttering, “well, I’d rather have a cup of coffee and a croissant.”

Azriel did not doubt that one bit. But he only kissed her shoulder and her neck and caressed her silken breast in his palm. He liked his soft and plush Elain, where he could touch and squeeze her lush body to his heart’s delight, and feel her supple flesh and not a pile of bones. 

“Ohmygod,” Elain gasped. Azriel looked to see what got her so excited and then smirked with amusement. 

There was his brother, in a pair of joggers and a sleeveless hoodie, his long hair tied into a topknot, running behind Nesta. 

Cassian pounded the ground steadily and when Nesta heard him, she turned around and was clearly surprised to see him. He greeted her indifferently, like this was what he did every day. And he did–Azriel knew that Cassian ran too. But he was quite sure that Cassian wasn’t so dedicated that he’d normally run on Christmas morning. No. This was a ruse. Cassian wanted to run with Nesta.

Elain watched the two with rapt attention and then turned swiftly in Azriel’s arms and asked, “do you think he fancies her?”

“Yeah he fancies her,” Azriel confirmed simply and kissed the tip of her nose.

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure. Can’t you see?”

“You know, she never dates!” Elain exclaimed in frustration. “Never ever. And…well, I like Cassian,”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “I think he would be good for her. He is warm and funny and good.”

Azriel agreed. And Cassian would be the right person for Nesta too. He could handle her. He liked a challenge, but he was also emotionally intelligent enough to know what a woman like Nesta needed. 

“Alright,” Azriel decided, hauling Elain up in his arms, “let’s go back to bed and make out.”

-

Piglet was overheated.

Which is why he was presently lying on the cool stone tiles of the palace and was being fanned by Feyre and his Elain. They sat next to him with magazines in their hands and were frantically trying to cool him off. 

“You couldn’t have been more careful?” Feyre hissed at her husband accusingly. “And you?!” she snarled at Nesta. 

“Okay, Feyre darling, in my defence,” Rhys said pacifically, “I am not well familiar with a pug’s internal cooling system in a snowball fight,”

Elain couldn’t help but snort a laugh.

Azriel was observing all of this with a disdainful look on his face, as he shook his head.

“This damn pug is more of a diva than Mariah Carey!” he crossed his arms on his broad chest, watching the two girls on their knees, fanning–literally–over the panting dog. “Just in the last 48 hours, he ran into a wall and knocked himself out, then he attempted to poison himself with some flowers, and now he is overheated from a snowball fight. Whatever will the next 48 hours bring…” he pondered.

Dad was being mean of course, but Piglet didn’t even care. Because whatever. He had so much fun during the snowball fight that he’d do it all over again. Hey, yolo and all!

-

So this is what happened:

When Piglet woke up in the morning, it was because dad and his Elain were doing something that looked a lot like wrestling on the bed. They pushed at him, and he woke up, only for the big man–Cass–to burst through the doors the next moment and scream ‘snowball fight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’

Then all hell broke loose, because dad yelled at Cassian, who already left the room, for seeing Elain naked, and Piglet didn’t know what all the fuss was about, because he saw his Elain naked all the time and it was no big deal. He escorted her to the loo and to the bathroom pretty much all the time, just to make sure that she was okay and didn’t need his help, or that she didn’t just disappear somewhere. 

Everyone had gathered downstairs soon after. There wasn’t even breakfast! Piglet only got some water and a banana, which he had to eat in a hurry, so he trotted to the gathering holding it in his mouth. 

“Couples can’t be together!” Cassian declared loudly. 

“Why not?” Feyre demanded instantly.

“No. That’s not how it works. You can’t be with Rhys. And I can’t be with Nes,” he continued.

“We aren’t a couple,” Nesta reminded him coolly.

“But I want to be with Azriel,” Elain whined, clutching Azriel’s hand.

“Yeah,” Azriel nodded, “I wouldn’t mind being with Ellie too,”

“Like I said,” Cassian rolled over all the objections, “no couples.”

“So what do you propose we do?” Rhys demanded, tapping his fingers on his bicep impatiently.

Piglet watched the humans negotiate for a good ten minutes, while he chewed his banana and rolled his eyes. They were slow and indecisive and kind of annoying too.

“What about Piglet?” Elain exclaimed at last.

Piglet looked at all of them, challenging them with a wordless yeah, what about Piglet, indeed?

“He doesn’t have thumbs,” Rhys reminded her. “He can’t make snowballs.”

At that, Piglet huffed. 

Cassian rubbed his chin and said, “whoever gets him will have a distraction, for sure. He might come in handy actually,”

At least somebody was talking sense. 

Piglet got onto his hind leg and suggested that maybe Cassian take him on his team. But, naturally, as luck would have it, Piglet ended up on the worst team ever–with Nesta and Rhysand. They picked the short straw which egregiously meant him. 

The final breakdown was Cassian and Elain, Feyre and Azriel, and Nesta and Rhys and Piglet.

And so it began. 

Rhys had the audacity to ask Nesta “does he understand commands?”

“Yeah, when he wants to,” Nesta scoffed. “Usually when there is food involved, he is all ears. If not, then they are for decoration only.”

Piglet was upset that he wasn’t on the team with Cassian, who was hidden behind a tree with Elain, designing an honest to god tactical warfare plan. But it didn’t matter because Piglet was gonna show Rhys that he could be an important addition to the team. And he didn’t do everything for food. Like for example right now. He didn’t even have breakfast, but here he was, rushing across the field, distracting everyone, while Rhys sprung on Azriel and pummelled him with snowballs. 

Piglet crawled between bushes and then destroyed stockpiles of snowballs that Elain had made, incurring Cassian’s wrath as the big man bellowed ‘you wily little bastard!’ 

Elain wailed ‘I can’t believe you did that!’ but Piglet only rolled in the snow, completely obliterating her work, before running away.

As far as he was concerned, all was fair in love and war.

Azriel chased Nesta with snowballs, wiping her out, and while Rhys valiantly attempted to defend her, Feyre rushed across the field and kicked all of his snowballs, flattening them ruthlessly, and then ran back, followed by Rhys’s mournful scream ‘you are my wife!!!’

She shrugged and saluted him, while Cassian sprung on her and dumped heaps of snow on her head. She screamed hysterically, as the snow fell into her coat, and unsuccessfully fought back the attack.

Meanwhile, Azriel sprinted towards Elain, and basically tackled her, landing on top of her in a heap of snow. He managed to half-bury her in the pile, before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. Azriel melted at once, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her back, which allowed Cassian to sneak up on him and toss a bunch of snowballs at Azriel’s head.

“Sorry, petal!” he bellowed, since some of the snowballs landed on Elain as well, but she gave him a thumbs up and laughed wildly.

“I can’t believe you did that!” Azriel fake-gasped, wiping his face.

“You are defeated!” she announced. 

“Never! With Piglet’s help, Nesta and Rhys certainly had the upper hand. Piglet kept pretending to fall, or be struck by snowballs, he howled and rolled around, he also repeatedly rushed various people and successfully took them down, because they lost footing as they didn’t want to step on him. 

As much as Cassian tried to insist that the couples stay apart and not couple, by the end of the fight, Rhys found his way to Feyre, Azriel to Elain, and even Cassian draped his arm over Nesta’s shoulders (and she didn’t shrug him off). 

That’s when Piglet collapsed for real, panting within his red Arsenal jacket.

Feyre saw him in the snow and hurried to pick him up, crying loudly, ‘Piggy don’t die!! He is going to die!’

Elain was much calmer about this and told her distraught sister, ‘He won’t die. He is just hot. But we’ll need to fan him.’

“Oh and by the way, Feyre and I won,” Azriel shrugged innocently.

“I beg to differ!” Cassian argued at once.

“Yeah, according to who?” Nesta snarled at Azriel, her hands on her hips.

“Okay, let’s reassess what has taken place,” Azriel offered calmly and all of them headed back to the manor, arguing loudly about who’d actually won. 

Piglet felt like he’d won. 

-

Piglet was very pleased with his massive haul of Christmas presents. 

He received not one, not two, not three, but FOUR sticks!! Four. Excellent sticks. 

As expected, dad gave the best presents: in addition to one of the sticks, dad also got him a pack of used padded Amazon envelopes, two pairs of socks, a whole bunch of toys, a Chelsea ball and a small plush tree decorated with shiny balls, which were also soft. All for him to destroy. 

The rest of the gifts consisted of bags of treats, chewys, more balls, and piles of outfits. 

Christmas lunch was incredible and he ate ham and roast beef and then came to the conclusion that Christmas was his favourite.

Now, after closely supervising the loading of all the gifts into the car, including all four sticks, Piglet lay in his seat, having been hugged and kissed by everyone about a hundred times. He was heading home and he was hoping that everything would go just as well as it’s been going. 

-

January 6th was a surprisingly sunny day. Warm for this time of year, the apricity of sunshine dispersing the gloominess of the winter chill. The feeling in the air was almost…innocent. Full of expectation and new tidings. A new year indeed.

That didn’t stop Piglet from being put in air jail, and he was being carried by Azriel. On their morning walk today, Piglet tripped Elain by wrapping the lead around her ankles, then, once in the park, he barked and scared a baby, and then ran with some big dogs, chasing them loudly, until they turned around and began chasing them, and he dodged them, but fell off a retaining wall. After that, Azriel picked him up and now carried the pug like a baby. 

Now they were seated at The Ivy Canary Wharf and having brunch. Piglet agreed to be quiet and discreet and in return, Azriel fed him ham under the table and strawberries from the fruit salad. 

“I’ve been thinking,” Elain said slowly, sipping her Rhubarb Bellini. 

“About?” Azriel sliced into his eggs and looked at her.

“Him,” she nodded towards the dog under the table. “His leg. When we went to that vet here,”

“Yeah, I remember,” Azriel nodded.

When Piglet fake-poisoned himself on Elain’s birthday, the vet that they took him to worked in a fancy private practice. It cost Azriel 1,300 quid to get Pinky to take a laxative, but the vet told them about a new experimental treatment for dogs with missing legs. It was a robotic leg, which would sense his movements and respond accordingly, effectively working just as well as a real leg.

“So what about it?” Azriel pressed.

She didn’t answer right away, and the pause felt somehow important, pivotal. He wondered if Elain was going to ask him for input and they’d make a decision together.

Truly, it should’ve been a family decision.

He and Pinky were tight. They were besties. 

“It would be good for his joints,” Azriel told her. “Right now, his hips and shoulders are stressed because of the extra pressure that he places on them. Since you’ve been pumping him full of longevity shots, he might be living for 20 years for all we know, and you don’t want him to struggle with his joints.”

Azriel spoke from experience. He’s been running for 20 years. 

Elain pouted and muttered, “I am not pumping him full of longevity shots…”

He chuckled. 

“It’s expensive,” he added quietly. 

“I can pay,” she said quickly. “It would be worth it.”

He shrugged and offered an ambivalent nod. 

At that moment, Elain’s phone pinged with an incoming message.

It wasn’t her regular phone, but her work one, and while they typically didn’t use their phones at the table, she smiled at him apologetically and he nodded. 

Who had a matchmaking emergency on a Saturday morning?

Azriel didn’t really give a shit. His mood soured and he was playing with his eggs listlessly, internally annoyed. What did he need to do to fucking make her understand that they were a pair? A couple? What did he need to do to make her yield? It was exhausting and he was irritated and angry and dark thoughts swirled in his mind. What would it take for her to consider him her man? Her partner? Did he need to force sex on her? Steal her away? Lock her in the cage?

“...I’ll see what I can do, Gwyn,” Elain said into the phone.

Azriel had been so absorbed in his unhappy thoughts that he didn’t even notice Elain speaking to this Gwyn.

“No…I understand. I think it will be a bit of a challenge on such short notice, but I will definitely try,” Elain promised, grimacing. 

Piglet looked up at Azriel from under the table, tilting his big round head back and forth, assessing Azriel’s mood and feeling that it had changed. Azriel stroked the floppy black ears and smiled at the dog. Pinky was the only one who understood him. Pinky was the one other being obsessed with Elain besides Azriel, but Elain was also devoted to the dog, and wasn’t devoted to Azriel quite as much.

She put the phone down, her brows knitted. 

“What’s going on?” he queried, taking a sip of his coffee.

Elain waved her hand and replied, “oh nothing. Just a client, in a bit of a bind,”

“What kind of bind can you be in as a matchmaker’s client? That you need to ring on a Saturday morning?”  Azriel was actually genuinely curious because it sounded so ridiculous.

Elain leaned back in her chair and explained, “she is a client and I’ve been having the hardest time matching her with anyone,”

“Why? She ugly? A psycho?”

“My god. Not everyone is an ugly psycho, you know!” she seethed.

“I feel like most people who use a matchmaker probably are,” he noted callously, still annoyed about the robotic leg situation. 

 “Are you an ugly psycho?” she snapped.

He shrugged and looked at his mangled hands, considering for a bit, before saying, “not ugly. But definitely a psycho.”

“Anyway,” Elain grunted.

“Tell me. I want to understand this matchmaking emergency! Indulge me,” he beckoned, smirking.

Elain scoffed at him and his attitude, but nevertheless, began explaining,

“She is a lovely person, really. Very smart,”

“Sorry baby, but this is not a selling point,” he huffed an amused laugh. “You come at a bloke with a ‘I’d like to match you with a very smart woman’ and he immediately starts wondering just how smart she is and would he measure up?”

“So what you are telling me is that you are intimidated by smart women?” she crossed her arms on her chest and glowered at him. “Only airheads for you?”

He drank his coffee lazily, enjoying her anger and then said, “Nah, baby. I ain’t intimidated by nothing. Bring on all the smarts. See, you ain’t an airhead and I am dating you. So I think that I am all good. What about this lass though? What does she do?”

“She is pursuing her PhD in Classics and Philosophy at Cambridge,”

“Jesus,” he breathed. “No wonder you can’t set her up. She sounds like a bundle of laughs.”

“You are so judgy!” she gasped.

“You have no idea,” he confirmed, smiling widely. “And yet it doesn’t stop me from being with you–the Queen of Pearls and Cardigans.”

Elain rolled her eyes and muttered, “I hardly ever wear cardigans! And my pearls are heirlooms, are worth a ton of money and will be passed on to my daughters,” she told him in a firm and decisive tone.

Azriel shrugged and said, “That's fine by me, as long as I get to make these daughters with you, you may give them all the pearls.”

“No comment.”

“So no one wants to hook up with the Cambridge scholar then?”

Elain sighed deeply and gulped on her drink, “she is very picky! And not even so much about the men…but how they’d fit into her life. She isn’t moving from the university and she is very determined to finish her degree–which I absolutely understand. But that makes everything very challenging, because there aren’t many men who want to give up their own lives and careers to be with a woman. Because she’d definitely end up in academia for the rest of her life with a degree like that. So, it would have to be someone who is so completely independent that he wouldn’t care. Or another Cambridge scholar.”

“You are running short on those?”

“I know you are joking,” she was shaking her head in defeat, “but it’s very difficult. She’d need a man like you: someone whose career isn’t stationary and who wouldn’t depend on her.”

“Running short of available footballers too?” he teased. “But what does she need from you right now?” he insisted, making a show of the bustling Ivy on a Saturday morning. 

“She has an event that she needs to attend. She is a keynote speaker. It’s a formal gala,”

“Let me guess, she needs a man by her side? To show she isn’t a lonesome singleton?” he laughed.

“Basically. Yes,” Elain confirmed.

“So I guessed correctly.”

“And how the heck am I supposed to find that?” 

She sighed dramatically and added, “I am almost ready to give up on her and tell her that I am unable to find her a match…It would be my first,”

“I’ll go,” Azriel said suddenly.

She started and looked at him wide eyed, “What do you mean?”

He shrugged and repeated, “I’ll go. I’ll go to the gala with your boring scholar. I’ll wear the tux and I’ll escort her around and shit…”

“But,” Elain began, sounding uncertain. Azriel was pretty blase about his proposal.

“What? What’s the big deal? Besides, don’t I owe you one last fake date or whatever?”

“They weren’t fake dates!” she protested.

“Nuala was okay,” he allowed. Then shuddered demonstratively and murmured, “Mor, not so much.”

Elain thought about his offer. She wasn’t crazy about it–he was her boyfriend, after all. Or was he still a client? Or both? Gah! This was so frustrating. Even thinking about Azriel escorting another woman, even one as romantically clueless as Gwyn, made Elain uncomfortable and genuinely jealous. It was crazy, of course. Azriel was totally devoted to her, and absolutely paid no attention to any other women. Even right now, in the restaurant, some very pretty women walked by and while other men gave them a once over, Azriel only had eyes for Elain and for Piglet, who was now sleeping on his shoe. 

“Jealous, beautiful?” he snickered.

“No! I am not!” she argued defensively.

“Think about it. I am your failed case, so is she. Your two failures, fake-dating for one evening. Face it, it’s kind of poetic.”

“You're not my failure,” Elain glared at him, but her tone was soft and loving. 

“No?”

“You are…you are actually my,” she swallowed hard. 

He was watching her closely, waiting.

“My win,” she concluded. “My reward.”

-

Gwyneth Berdara.

27 years old. PhD candidate in Classics and Philosophy at Cambridge University. Part-time lecturer at Cambridge, otherwise previously unemployed. Moved to London from Inverness, Scotland to attend university. 

Attended a Catholic preparatory school. Initially intended to become a nun.

No previous relationships.

Hobbies: yoga, meditation, pilates, travelling, reading

Azriel read the profile while sitting in Elain’s office. He exhaled a long breath, internally cringing. A nun? A fucking nun?

Supposedly Elain wasn’t a virgin–he was yet to check on that–but this one…yeah, this one definitely was. Not that he cared, but it made him wonder how he was getting set up, even for one evening, with such odd specimens.  

Frankly, this girl needed someone like Elain. Because otherwise, how was she ever going to find a boyfriend? What would be the opening line? ‘Hello, my name is Gwyn and I wanted to be married to Jesus!”

Anyways, he wasn’t here to judge. He was just getting instructions. 

Elain was plenty jumpy as it is, so he wasn’t going to aggravate the situation. 

As it turned out, Gwyn was a keynote speaker, she was also receiving some scholarly award (Azriel didn’t care, so he didn’t ask for any details). The gala was being held at the Museum of Natural History, the dinner was cooked by some of Britain's best chefs and it promised to be quite the event. There would be dancing, a silent auction and all the proceeds were going to go to some animal sanctuary. Azriel hoped that it was going to go to some pug sanctuary.

Elain had informed him that there weren’t many pug sanctuaries out there, which, Azriel, felt was an omission.

Azriel kept most of his comments to a minimum. He knew that it was ridiculous, but somehow, this whole proposal now sounded a bit like cheating. And he regretted having come up with the idea. It was stupid, and he shouldn't have done it, but now, it was too late to back out.

“Okay, you will pick her up at 4:30 pm on Saturday. She needs to be onsite earlier than the rest of the attendees,” Elain was explaining, “because she has to prepare. Cocktails are at 6 pm, and then dinner is at 7 pm.”

He nodded.

“You know you are my girl, right?” he asked suddenly, and when Elain glanced from her tablet at him, his expression was almost…desperate. Pleading. 

She smiled softly at him and nodded,

“I know.”

“I probably shouldn’t be doing this,” he muttered.

“It’s okay. I am not jealous,” she assured him. “I trust you.”

-

But maybe Elain shouldn’t have? Trusted him, that is.

-

The next time she spoke with Gwyn Berdara was on Sunday morning following the gala.

‘How did it go?” she inquired, once Gwyn picked up the phone.

“Elain, it was wonderful!” Gwyn chirped excitedly. “I had a brilliant time! Thank you for setting me up with Azriel. He was–is–incredible!”

Umm

Setting her up?

Did she not understand that this was a one-evening only sort of a deal? Elain thought that she’d been clear about this arrangement. One gala. One evening. That’s all.

“I mean, I am not a footie fan,” Gwyn continued saying, “but even I’ve heard of Azriel Night! And honestly when you told me that it would be him, I was unsure. But he was…’ she seemed to be lost for words. “Well, he is lovely, isn’t he? Great manners. Excellent dancer!”

Yes, Elain didn’t argue, he was all of those things, but didn’t Gwyn understand that it was an act? Azriel was rough around the edges, with a potty mouth, a dry, taunting, sarcastic sense of humour, full of abrasive comments and inappropriate innuendo. That’s how Azriel was. He wasn’t some dark gallant knight. Yes, his manners were fine, and he could hold his own in any company, and he knew how to dress smartly and hold a conversation, but Elain knew the ‘real’ Azriel. And she loved the real Azriel. 

“Gwyn, I…” she began saying, but Gwyn interrupted her.

“Thank you, Elain. I didn’t think it was going to happen, and that you’d be able to find someone for me, but you truly are a miracle worker!”

“Gwyn, are you sure that Mr. Night is…interested?” Elain didn’t know how to ask her politely. She didn’t add ‘in you’. 

“Well, yes! I know we initially thought that he’d just be there for the gala, but I want to see where it will go. I don’t know yet, it’s so new, but,”

“I don’t think he is available!” Elain blurted out, feeling confused and anxious. 

“Oh, I know. Not now,” Gwyn laughed. “He is playing today! I am going to watch the game–for the first time,”

She didn’t even like football! 

Piglet trotted into the room, wearing his Arsenal shirt. He was ready for the game too.

“Well, thanks again,” Gwyn said, “I’ll keep you posted on how things go.”

As soon as she hung up, Elain frantically texted ‘ring me!’ and then she added more ‘!!!!!!!’

She knew that Azriel was prepping for the game right now and wouldn’t be available right away, but he’d ring right before, so she could wish him a good game. And she always sent him a photo of Piglet in his kit.

Only this time, Azriel did not call back.

[khywren]

Adrift : Chapter 6 - Into the Ocean

pairing: Astarion/f!Tav | Astarion/f!OC rating: 18+ MDNI word count: 6.2k tags/warnings: friends to lovers, angst with a happy ending, smut chapter tags/warnings: mentions of trauma, manipulation, dissociation ────────── chapter summary: Astarion shushes her with nothing more than a finger over her lips. She leans into his touch without realizing it, and her eyes flutter closed. “You'll just have to trust me on that one,” Astarion insists. “You're not the monster you seem to think you are, love.” And for once, in the stillness of this moment, there is only, mercifully, him. No voices, no lingering doubts. No fear. AO3 ┊ masterlist | series masterlist

They've made camp in the abandoned village that lies between the Grove and the goblin camp, taking advantage of the beds they find and the buildings that are still standing.

Bed or not, Ysera's spent another night tossing and turning, caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness that's left her yawning and rubbing at her eyes as she, Astarion, and Shadowheart comb through upturned furniture and half-destroyed homes for anything of value they can use in a fight. The last time they came through they were too busy dealing with the half-dozen goblins and their ogre entourage to do much more than pocket a few bottles of wine and scraps of food before they made their way into the swamp to kill the hag.

Wyll, Gale, Karlach, and Lae’zel are somewhere on the other side of the village; better to split up and cover more ground, they had all agreed. 

As they pick over the remains of someone's kitchen, Astarion spots a hatch buried under an old cabinet. They're all too weak to lift it, so in lieu of Karlach's strong muscles and heavy axe, Ysera conjures a bolt of fire to disintegrate it. Sweeping the cinders away with her boot, she lifts the hatch and the three of them descend into the darkness below.

They can all see well enough, but Ysera speaks the incantation for Dancing Lights and illuminates the tiny cellar with a faint glow of pale blue light. There isn't much left besides a few rows of mostly empty shelves and barrels full of spoiled carrots, but they pocket whatever isn't already destroyed or rotten.

Shadowheart is the first to climb the ladder back up to the ground floor, complaining about the dust that's irritating her nose and causing her to sneeze profusely. Ysera's right behind her, but as her lights circle overhead, she catches sight of something that piques her interest.

Tucked away on top of an old desk is a small chest, sealed with a lock that glimmers in the magicked light. Upon closer inspection, the lock is worn but not completely rusted through, and the promise of potential treasure has her reaching into her pockets to fish out the thieves tools she tucked away before.

She could (and probably should) ask Astarion to do it for her. He's so much better at these sorts of things, but doing so would mean actually having to talk to him. She's been not so subtly avoiding him for the past three days, ever since the night he propositioned her. She's too embarrassed to pretend she's not interested. Ysera's never been good at deception, and that's without considering she'd be trying to lie to a man who can quite literally hear the way her heart would flutter and her pulse would quicken.

And so, she slips the picks into the lock and begins to test the pins, brows knit in concentration as she fumbles through the movements.

She feels Astarion behind her before he speaks, her body tensing at the sudden proximity of him.

“Oh, what's this?” he drawls in that infuriatingly mischievous tone of his. “Trying to keep all the goodies for yourself, are we? How scandalous.”

She's thankful her back is to him so Astarion can't see the frustration on her face.

“Not exactly,” Ysera sighs, still struggling with the lock. “I don't even know what's in here. If only I could get this damn thing open, then I could –”

Her heart leaps into her mouth when Astarion invades her space, chest pressed against the curve of her spine as his arms slip over her shoulders and his hands glide over her wrists.

“You're trying too hard to brute force it, darling,” he murmurs against her ear, fingers caressing the backs of her knuckles as he takes her hands in his. They're so much larger than hers, completely capturing them as he guides her movements with subtle flicks of his wrists.

Ysera feels the first pin lock into place with his assistance before Astarion moves onto the second. Her pulse drums loudly in her ears, mouth dry as she swallows thickly. The scent of him is rich and earthy, filling her nostrils with every deep breath she takes in a futile attempt to keep her composure. If Astarion notices – and he must notice the effect he has on her – he pays it no mind.

Another pin clicks into place. Only two more remain.

“See?” Astarion instructs, conducting her movements with precision. “You must be delicate. Gentle.”

She's hardly paying attention, but she nods anyway. She's trembling when she mutters a hasty, “O-okay,” squeezing her eyes shut. The last two pins slide into place before she realizes it, and the lock pops open with an audible click. But Astarion is no longer interested what's inside the chest. Instead, he sets his hands on the desk on either side of her, using the extra leverage to press the full length of his body against her. His breath is cool as it fans out across her neck, making her shiver with more than just anticipation.

"I can't help but notice that you've been keeping me waiting, darling,” Astarion says matter-of-factly. “Playing coy will only get you so far.”

Ysera opens her mouth to say something, then thinks better of it. She can't think straight when he's this close, flush against her and forcing her hand. Her voice comes out less firm than she intends when she says, “Well, Astarion, has it ever crossed your mind that maybe I just don't –”

“No,” he interjects, and Ysera doesn't need to see his face because she can hear the overconfidence dripping in his tone.

Insufferable bastard.

“You can lie to yourself,” he says coolly, “but not to me. I know what you want.” His hands settle over hers again, thumbs tracing idle patterns over her skin. “What you need. And I can give it all to you. You only have to ask.”

Ysera twists around to face him so her back is against the desk, narrowing her eyes. It's an immensely stupid idea, because the moment she meets his gaze, all sharp edges and practiced seduction, the brunt of her anger is smothered like a dying fire.

“And how is it, exactly, that you know what I need?”

Ysera doesn't know how she manages to maintain eye contact with him, issuing a bold challenge as she lifts her chin and sets her jaw. Astarion merely laughs at her little display, clearly more amused than intimidated.

She's stubborn. Astarion will enjoy humbling her.

“Why, your body's already given you away,” he says, eyes tracing a slow, purposeful path across her face and down her throat. “I could feel it when I was getting lost in your neck. Your little… shakes of excitement.”

He watches Ysera swallow thickly, her hands gripping the desk just a little too tightly for it to be casual.

“You think I enjoyed it?”

“Oh, no, darling. I know.”

The pink in Ysera's cheeks spreads down her neck, telling Astarion all he needs to know. He exposes his fangs in a wide grin, leaning forward just enough so that his mouth is hovering mere inches above her own.

If she lets him kiss her now, the game is over. They both know it. Ysera's eyes flutter closed and she breathes deep, resigned to letting Astarion make the decision for her. But just as his lips brush against her own, the sound of Shadowheart clearing her throat makes them both snap their attention towards her instead.

“I hate to interrupt,” she says sternly. “Actually, no, I don't, but is this really the time for such a thing? The others will be looking for us if we don't get back, and I am not telling everyone that the two of you are shacking up in some dusty cellar.”

She wrinkles her nose and grimaces at them both, clearly unimpressed. Ysera gets the feeling that she's scolding them like misbehaving children, which only makes this all the more humiliating.

“Then don't,” Astarion scoffs, unfazed. “Tell them we were waylaid by goblins and you fled in terror. We'll look so much more heroic when we miraculously reappear.”

Ysera is absolutely mortified when Shadowheart groans and rolls her eyes. “Do whatever you will. Just leave me out of it.” She ascends the ladder without further comment, making a statement by dropping the hatch closed behind her. 

The cellar is silent for a moment as Ysera and Astarion separate.

“I think she's jealous, don't you?” Astarion says, laughing in delight when Ysera reprimands him with a glare. He's all fangs and smug satisfaction, matching her energy with a sly wink before he strides past Ysera towards the ladder that leads back upstairs.

“Have it your way, darling,” Astarion says dismissively, taking the rungs in his hands as he begins to climb. “There are worse places I could have had you.”

Ysera blinks at him in disbelief, embarrassment, anger, and desire warring for supremacy within her mind. She watches him leave, remembering the unlocked chest at the last second as she retrieves her lockpicks and tucks them securely in her bag.

When she flips up the lid to take a look inside, she groans loudly before slamming it shut once more.

The chest is completely empty.

——————————————

There's a small lake not too far from where they decide to make camp for the evening, close enough that they'll reach the goblin camp early the next day, but not so close that they may end up attracting any unwanted attention before sunrise. After a day of hiking through the summer heat, Ysera's more than ready for a bath.

The lake is concealed behind a small grove of trees, giving her the first real moments of privacy she's had since their little adventure began. The water is cold as it laps against her shoulders, washing away the dirt and grime gathered on her skin. She's waded out just far enough to submerge herself, but not quite far enough to lose her footing. Even though the water here is calm, it doesn't change the fact that she still can't swim, and she's already avoided drowning once before.

The bar of soap she bought from the hag back at the Grove is surprisingly nice, lathering against her skin and smelling of lavender. Ysera scrubs her body clean and does what she can with her hair, relatively satisfied by the time she tosses it back into her pack on the shore. She returns to the water, simply content to relax as long as she can before whatever comes tomorrow. 

Ysera pinches the bridge of her nose and dunks her head back beneath the water. She tries opening her eyes but can't see much beyond the faint moonlight that illuminates the lake, and even then it disperses just below the surface. When she pops back up, the sight of Astarion watching her from the shore makes her sputter and frantically cover herself.

“There you are,” he says, as calmly as ever.

“Astarion!” Her voice cracks around the syllables of his name, betraying her embarrassment. “What are you doing out here?”

“You were taking an awfully long time, darling,” he points out, hands crossed nonchalantly over his chest. “Given recent events, I thought it best to make sure we didn't need to involve Withers. Can you believe he wants so much gold for a simple resurrection? What a creature like that even wants with coin is beyond me…”

“I'm fine,” Ysera assures him, offering him an apologetic smile. “Thanks for worrying about me.”

“You've got it all wrong,” Astarion corrects her with a wave of his hand. “It's my coin purse I'm concerned for, not you.”

“Uh-huh,” she says dismissively, rolling her eyes even though she's still smiling at him. “Well, I won't be long, so rest easy knowing your gold is safe.”

“Actually, I think I'd rather join you,” Astarion says, untucking the hem of his shirt from his trousers. When her flicks his gaze to her face, his mischievous smile is unmistakable. “If you don't mind, of course.”

“What?” Ysera sputters, flustered. “Here? Now?”

“Yes, of course,” Astarion replies, as if he hasn't just suggested something scandalous, lifting his shirt over his head and tossing it into the grass. “Unless there are any other conveniently located lakes around here suitable for bathing?”

She watches his hands settle over his laces as he waits for her to agree to his proposition. When Ysera nods and beckons him to join her, Astarion makes quick work of them, shimmying out of his pants as Ysera turns her back to give him some privacy. The last thing she wants is to be caught gawking at him.

With his clothing discarded, Astarion wades out into the lake, clenching his teeth as the icy water bites into his already frigid body. “Don't worry,” he tells her, catching her attention when she glances back at him over her shoulder. Hand over his heart, he says, “I'm not here for anything untoward, I assure you. Just a bath. You've made it more than clear you aren't interested in anything beyond my company.”

Ysera knows he's calling her bluff, daring her to admit to herself that she doesn't want him. There's something conflicting her – this much Astarion knows – although he can't begin to imagine what that might be. If only Shadowheart hadn't intervened before…

“I'm not entirely sure that's true,” Ysera says suddenly, much to Astarion's surprise. He turns towards her and cocks an inquisitive brow, prompting her to continue.

“Listen,” she says with a resigned sigh. Her expression is grim when she looks across the water at him. “I want to. I do. You're very… let's say, persuasive.”

She's finally admitted it, but the somber tone she's taken doesn't exactly suggest she's enthusiastic about the idea.

“It's just… it's been a long time since anyone's touched me. Like that, I mean. I don't want to hurt you.”

Astarion barks out a laugh, amusement dancing across his face even as Ysera frowns at him.

“You've nothing to worry about, darling. Your kind may be a bit, shall we say–” he pauses, searching for the correct word “– feral , but it's nothing I can't handle. Your teeth certainly aren't as sharp as mine, but I'll try anything once.”

“That's not what I meant, you ass,” Ysera grumbles, mortified by Astarion's insinuation. But the seriousness of the situation quickly sobers her, and she glances down at her upturned palms as she lifts them out of the water. She flexes her fingers and takes a deep, bracing breath.

“It's my magic. It's not always something I can command,” she explains. “It gets worse when I'm angry. Or when I…" Her cheeks go pink and warm. "Well, you get the idea. It hasn't been much of a problem yet, but it's only a matter of time until it happens.”

She refuses to look at him, unwilling to let him see the shame in her eyes. But when Astarion scoffs dramatically, she can practically hear the way his eyes roll. She forces her gaze up to meet his own.

Hands on his hips, Astarion says, “You mean to tell me that we have not one, but two ticking time bombs in our camp? How wonderful. And which goddess can I thank for your particular affliction?”

“I swear to the gods, Astarion,” Ysera deadpans. “I will electrocute you.”

Astarion shakes his head and arches his brows incredulously.

“And yourself along with me? No, darling – I don't think you will.”

Purple lightning arcs between her fingertips, illuminating the curve of her lips as she smiles a little too sweetly at him.

“Wouldn't I?”

“What are you – be careful!” he hisses, taking several large steps backwards, enough that he loses his balance and topples face first into the water. He resurfaces violently, embarrassed and grumbling under his breath like a wet cat. “Irresponsible, impossible woman. What have I done to deserve such an injustice?”

“Last I checked, you were the one courting me. You've no one to blame but yourself, darling ,” she says with a playful sneer, mimicking his preferred term of endearment.

Astarion stares at her, a deep frown marring his otherwise handsome features. He furrows his brow and scoffs, arms crossed over his bare chest as rivulets of water trickle down his neck and face. He's damn near pouting, and she revels in it.

“Irrelevant,” he mutters, turning his nose up like a petulant child. “It's hardly my fault you're being so… difficult about this.”

“I’m sorry for causing you such a terrible inconvenience by caring about your safety,” Ysera says solemnly behind an affectionate laugh. “That was very inconsiderate of me, and I promise it won't happen again.” 

The fact that he makes her laugh complicates matters even further. She isn't entirely immune to his attempts to seduce her, but it's the moments where she gets a glimpse of the man behind it all when she feels a genuine connection with him. A connection that's far more difficult to ignore than his pretty face and sultry voice.

A comfortable silence settles over them, and Astarion regards her thoughtfully for a few moments. He strides forward towards her without warning, stopping only a few paces away, close enough for Ysera to reach out and touch him if she wanted.

And she does want to. But her arms hang uselessly at her sides instead.

“You won't hurt me,” Astarion says. He says it like he's so sure, as if he hasn't seen and heard more than enough by now to know there's something inherently, irrevocably wrong with her. He says it not as though he's certain that he can protect himself, but as if that necessity won't even arise at all.

Is he arrogant, or just ignorant? He's seen her nightmares. He knows what lurks within her.

“How can you be so certain? You're not the first one who's –”

Astarion shushes her with nothing more than a finger over her lips. She leans into his touch without realizing it, and her eyes flutter closed. 

She's tired. Tired of running, tired of denying herself even the simplest of pleasures. Fear is a powerful motivator, but the only place left to run is straight into Astarion's arms. When the logical part of her brain screams at her to stop being so selfish, that it's never been about what she wants , she finally finds the strength to cast the thought away, choosing instead the low, enticing timbre of Astarion's voice as it washes over her like a soothing balm.

“You'll just have to trust me on that one,” Astarion insists. “You're not the monster you seem to think you are, love.”

And for once, in the stillness of this moment, there is only, mercifully, him. No voices, no lingering doubts. No fear.

Astarion's fingertips slide delicately beneath her chin, tipping her face up to meet her eyes, wet with tears she doesn't remember shedding. Gods, she never wanted him to see her this way. She averts her eyes, but he holds her firmly between his thumb and forefinger, compelling her not to hide from him.

“Ysera, look at me.”

There it is again, the use of her name, spoken so gently as though it might break. Reluctantly, she obeys, taking her time to drink in the sight of him as her eyes climb over the toned muscles of his chest, the solid line of his shoulders, the pinpricks on his neck that are a twin to her own where he has marked her.

At last, she gathers the courage to meet his gaze, staring up at him through the hazy sheen of tears upon her lashes.

Gooseflesh blooms over her neck and forearms, and when his expression softens, her heart almost seems to seize in her chest. It's almost as if he sees her – the real her – and not the frightened little girl she's been since the very moment she crawled from the smoldering remains of her childhood home. It should make her uncomfortable to be this exposed, but instead… she feels safe, in a way she hasn't in so long.

Drowning in the depths of his ruby irises, Ysera almost forgets to breathe. Time seems to slow as Astarion curls his fingers upwards, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. His breath fans out across her lips, beckoning her closer.

“You’re not a monster,” Astarion repeats. “Believe me, I would know.” 

The emotion in his words are enough to shatter her last line of defense, and Ysera finally gives in, letting Astarion capture her lips in a devastatingly gentle kiss. Her eyes flutter closed and she finally lets go, surrendering herself to him completely.

——————————————

The moment Astarion kisses Ysera, he feels… nothing.

Her lips are soft, and she yields so beautifully to his touch, pliant and malleable as he slides his hands down the soft curves of her hips and hooks them under her thighs. He coaxes her into his waiting arms, satisfied by the way she jumps up to wrap her legs around his waist. Ysera's lips part willingly for him when Astarion runs his tongue against the seam of her mouth, letting him taste her with as much enthusiasm as he can muster.

She must enjoy it because she throws her arms over his shoulders and kisses him back, hungry and breathless as he carries her out of the water and towards the shore. There's a patch of soft clover just beyond the trees that line the lake, and Astarion lays Ysera there amongst the leaves, sun-kissed skin damp and gleaming in the moonlight.

She smiles kindly at him, golden eyes blazing with desire. He lets her card her fingers through his damp curls as he swings a leg over her hips, bracketing her body beneath him. Her touch is exploratory and almost shy, featherlight as she maps the broad planes of his shoulders and chest. When he's let her indulge for long enough, he sets himself back upon her, drinking in the soft little moans that tumble past her open mouth.

It's a strange feeling, to choose to do something his body has no desire for. And yet the decision was his and his alone, one made freely for what must be the first time in more years than he cares to count. It feels good to choose, he tells himself. This feels good.

So as his mind begins to drift and his body settles into familiar routines, the revulsion surging within him suddenly feels substantially less significant.

One more. What is the burden of one more soul against the weight of thousands? Against his freedom?

He may not know the particular rhythm of her body, but he will learn it quickly enough. Desire is a language he knows well, so fluent that it may as well be his native tongue. A quick dance of fingers across her stomach has Ysera arching her back and inhaling sharply; she exhales with a trembling whimper in response to the trail of open-mouthed kisses he leaves across her throat and between her collar bones.

“Beautiful,” he murmurs against her skin, voice rumbling against the junction of her neck. “You are positively breathtaking, darling.”

“So’re you,” she says back, giddy with laughter. “I've never…” she bites her lip, “never seen anyone as handsome as you.” Her words are half slurred through the haze of her desire, but she manages.

Astarion fixes Ysera with a practiced smile, letting her catch a glimpse of his fangs. He knows she's more than fond of them by now, another asset he can use to his advantage. She responds as eagerly as he had intended, wetting her lips with a swipe of her tongue as her eyes swirl like molten honey.

“Do you know what the best part is?” he asks her. Ysera shakes her head softly. Her heart thunders wildly in her chest, breaths becoming shallow as Astarion’s hands glide tantalizingly over her bare skin. He pinches the taut bud of one of her nipples between his fingers and Ysera cries out in pleasure, writhing beneath him.

“The best part is that no one else will ever know. None of them will have the pleasure of seeing you like this. Will they, darling?”

Ysera throws her head back and bunches her hands in the clover as Astarion rolls her nipple between his fingertips, kneading at her other breast with his free hand. “N-no,” she croaks, teeth bared as she arches into his touch, completely at his mercy. “Only you.

“Very good,” he purrs, replacing his fingers with his mouth as he leans down to taste her. Her skin tastes of soap and linen, the scent of her filling his nose. With one nipple between his teeth and the other between his thumb and forefinger, Astarion lavishes her with unrivaled ecstasy, grinning against her as she moans and shudders beneath him.

“Oh… A-Astarion…!”

He recognizes the fear in her voice now, can feel the raw power coursing through her body like a raging torrent. Swept up in its current, Ysera's knuckles are bone white as she balls her fists and uproots the clover in her hands, struggling to keep her magic at bay. Her palms grow hot with flickering flames, turning the soft stems to ash.

Astarion rises and catches Ysera's wrists in his hands, pinning them gently together above her head. When her fire dissipates, his fingers thread tenderly through her own, and she seeks comfort by squeezing his hand. Tears prick the corners of her eyes.

“I'm sorry,” she says, apologetic and unwilling to look him in the eyes. “I'm sorry, I could have –”

Astarion shushes her with a firm shake of his head.

“None of that, darling,” he says, splaying his other palm over her stomach. Just enough contact to remind her what it feels like, but not enough to push her back towards the edge so soon. He waits patiently for her to look at him again, giving her hand a firm squeeze when she finally searches for his face.

“Focus on me,” Astarion commands. “On my voice.” He dips low to press a kiss against her lips. “On my mouth.” He takes the swell of her breast in his palm, cupping her gently.  “On my hands. Can you do that for me, Ysera?”

Ysera nods in assent, blinking away the last of her tears. Her heartbeat slows its wild pace, and a moment of quiet passes between them. She watches Astarion carefully, cheeks growing hot beneath the intensity of his gaze.

She looks as though she has something more to say, but Astarion swiftly breaks her train of thought by sliding his knee between her legs and coaxing them open. Ysera shudders as Astarion bares her slick core to the open air, keeping her hands obediently above her head as he settles himself between her thighs.

“I’d like to taste you, darling,” he proposes, dragging a single icy finger down the inside of her thigh. “May I?”

“Wouldn't it be better if you bit my neck?” Ysera asks innocently. “Or at least my wrist. Surely that would be more satisfying.”

The finger on her thigh halts abruptly. Astarion assesses her, dumbfounded when he realizes she's serious. He clears his throat and gathers his composure.

“I assure you it would be quite satisfying, darling. But I had something… else in mind tonight.” Astarion spreads Ysera's legs wide, the evidence of her arousal more than apparent. His eyes flick from the space at the apex of her thighs to meet her own, a sultry smirk affixed on his lips.

“As much as I enjoy your blood, I've been thinking about how sweet the rest of you must be.”

The sound of Ysera's heart is music to Astarion's ears as she finally understands.

“Oh,” she says shyly, her face still such a fetching shade of scarlet. “Nobody's ever done that to me before.”

Astarion's brows lift in surprise. “Never? Oh, darling,” he drawls, voice tapering into a growl. “I am going to ruin you. ”

Ysera doesn't breathe as Astarion descends between her thighs, propping himself on his elbow as the other hand grips her tightly. Her whole body trembles as his breath ghosts over her slick core, a whimper caught behind her teeth before he's even touched her.

Astarion laughs softly, gazing up at her as she watches him intently. “You're practically soaking for me, aren't you? Let me show you what you've been missing.”

The moment Astarion sweeps his tongue through her slick folds and across Ysera's aching clit, she releases the breath she's been holding in a high-pitched moan, toes curling as she draws one leg up and writhes against him.

“Oh,” she says again, voice stretched thin. “Oh, Astarion, that's good. Don't stop. Gods, don't you dare stop.”

He's barely even touched her and already she's praising him. He knows he's good, but he barely even has to try now before she's been reduced to a babbling, incoherent mess, murmuring his name like a desperate prayer as her hips undulate with every pass of his tongue against her.

When her hands reach for him again, Astarion starts suddenly and pulls away, just beyond her grasp. Ysera's golden eyes flicker with confusion as she stares at him between her legs, the expression on his face clearly troubling her.

“Astarion?” she asks, so sweetly that it makes his stomach turn. “Did I do something wrong?”

The roiling tide of thoughts within his mind subsides, and Astarion clears his head with a shake of his alabaster curls.

“No, darling,” he lies, convincingly enough that she seems to believe him. “I was merely caught up in the moment. Were you enjoying yourself?”

“Uh-huh,” Ysera admits quietly, settling her arms back at her sides. “I want you to keep going… if that's all right with you.”

The softness in her eyes stirs something within him and Astarion immediately looks away, busying himself between her legs again.

They never ask what he wants. They're not supposed to ask what he wants . 

The sound of Ysera's cries make it easier for him to let go, to imagine that she's no different than the rest of his lovers, taking advantage of the skills he's honed across two centuries of practice. Astarion works her with his tongue, circling her clit, pressing flat against her entrance, teasing her ever closer towards the precipice. He considers sliding his fingers inside her slick heat to prepare her for his cock, but after what happened earlier he decides against risking the overstimulation.

His thoughts are elsewhere when Ysera's thighs begin to shake; she's close, the desperate little noises she's making only confirming what Astarion already knows. She comes with a shout, tail thrashing through the clover as a ragged cry tears her throat raw. Her chest heaves with each breath she takes, her entire body trembling as Astarion continues to lick and suckle on her tender bundle of nerves.

“Gods,” she groans, legs straightening as she stretches out. “That was incredible.”

Astarion sits up on his calves, wiping her slick from his lips with the back of his hand.

“A pity that I was your first,” Astarion says smugly. “I've set your standards unreasonably high.”

Ysera huffs and rolls her eyes. “Normally I'd say you were overestimating yourself as usual, but you know what?” she says, head lolling back against the soft earth beneath her exhausted body. “I think you're right.”

She lifts her head when she hears Astarion shifting slightly, palms braced on her knees as he wraps a hand around his cock and gives himself a few quick jerks. It's the first time she's actually gotten a decent look at it, and the sight of the pink tip emerging from the top of his fist with each pump of his hand nearly makes her mouth water.

“Let me fuck you,” Astarion says, the head of his cock catching on the entrance of her dripping cunt as he lines himself up. “Let me remove any lingering doubts you still have about my capability in bed.”

He might not be her first lover, but he will be the best she's ever had. Of that, he is more than certain. After tonight, she'll be wrapped around his finger.

“If I said I didn't have any, would you do it anyway?” she asks, flashing him a coy smile. Astarion slides his hands beneath her knees and lifts Ysera's legs, beginning to slowly sheath himself inside her. 

“Gladly, darling.”

Ysera gasps at the size of him as his cock slowly works her open, pain and pleasure intertwining with every delicious inch he pushes in. Her head falls back and she spreads her legs wide to accommodate him, hips rolling as she adjusts to the intrusion.

The cool sensation of his cock nestled within the inferno of her slick walls is unlike anything she's ever experienced before, threatening to unravel her completely by the time Astarion is fully seated inside of her.

“Fuck,” she breathes, a pleased little laugh bubbling in her throat. “You can move now. Don't make me beg.”

“Careful,” Astarion growls, teasing her with a few quick, shallow thrusts. “You're giving me such wonderful ideas.”

“Even you aren't that cruel,” Ysera quips back, breathless.

“You're right,” Astarion agrees, “I'm not.” Hands braced on the crook of Ysera's knees, he pulls himself almost completely out before slamming back inside of her, pleased by the way she immediately hisses and lets out a low, wanton moan. He fucks into her again, hard and deep, searching for the spot that will make her see stars.

Astarion knows he's found it when Ysera's back bows high and she claws at the ground beside her, desperate for something to hold onto. He angles his hips and hits the spot again and again, punching a string of oaths and whimpers from her parted lips. It doesn't take long before she's ready to come for him again, helpless to do anything but let pleasure overtake her.

“You like it like this, don't you?” Astarion grunts, pistoning into her with rough, brutal thrusts. “Who would have known that our sweet little sorcerer has such dirty little fantasies?”

“Shut up and fuck me,” Ysera groans between gasping breaths, hiding her face behind her hand to conceal her embarrassment. Astarion is more than willing to oblige her, fingers digging little crescent moons into her skin as he drives himself deep inside her.

“Ahh… Astarion, ‘m gonna…” she mumbles before long, and Astarion can feel the way her whole body tenses, a taut string ready to snap.

“Good,” he huffs, releasing one of Ysera's legs to trace lazy circles over her clit. “Come for me, darling, show me how good it feels.”

No sooner has Astarion made his demands than does Ysera come hard on his cock, the walls of her cunt fluttering and pulsing as he fucks her through her orgasm. The way she spasms and whines beneath him brings him swiftly to his own climax, and he empties himself inside her with a groan, sweat clinging to his brow as his hips stutter with the last of his erratic thrusts.

With Ysera utterly spent, Astarion withdraws from her and runs a hand through his hair, sweeping his disheveled curls out of his eyes. He watches her stretch out again with a satisfied sigh, eyes closed and a lazy smile on her face.

“Heh,” she laughs, tail swishing happily through the clover. “Wow. Consider me ruined.”

“I did warn you,” Astarion reminds her, starting to get to his feet. Ysera cracks an eye open and whines in protest, hand waving in the air as she grabs at him.

“Aw, come on. Stay,” she says, rolling over on her side. “What's the rush?” Astarion eyes her cautiously, but her request seems sincere enough, and he settles back down in the grass a few paces away, cross-legged and contemplative. 

“All right,” he says, a little more distantly than intended. “If that's what you want.”

“That's what lovers do, isn't it?” she asks, propping herself up to get a better look at him.

“I suppose they do,” Astarion agrees. “Is that what we are, darling?”

“We don't have to be. Not unless you want to.” The soberness of her voice surprises him, and Astarion feels his gaze softening as he meets her striking golden eyes. There's something disarming about the way she looks at him, her earlier concerns resurfacing.

Concerns not about her own feelings, he realizes, but his . No one has looked at him like that before. Astarion buries the cacophony of thoughts that come unbidden to his mind, uprooting his uncertainty at the source before it poisons him completely. 

No , he reminds himself. He has no time to be soft. He can use this to his advantage. No more, no less. This is the only way he can guarantee his safety. A moment's weakness could spoil everything.

So when he lets his own smile spread across his face, Astarion is nothing but confident when he says to Ysera, “I suppose that's what we are, then.”

[mcrdvcks]

Sweet Dreams - Chapter 6

Chapter Summary: Some of the students and teachers go on a trip to Paris.

Word Count: 6.9k+

Pairing: Logan (X-Men) x Original Female Character (platonic relationship)

Notes: um... please don't be mad :((

i promise everything will work out

Series Masterlist - Chapter 5 → Chapter 7

AO3 Link For Chapter

February

A few months had passed since Christmas, and now it was the beginning of February. The weather had started to warm up a bit, and the rain became more of a constant.

Professor Xavier had decided to let the students who didn’t go home for the holidays on a trip, while the ones that did go home had a weeklong break. They were split into two small groups, some going to Paris, and others going to Germany.

They all had packed their bags for a week, including Alexandria, Kitty, Jean, Scott, Kurt, Jubilee, Rogue. The teachers accompanying them were Charles, Logan, Storm, and Hank.

Kitty’s voice broke the silence. “Have you ever been to Paris, Alexandria?”

She looked over at Kitty, thinking over what she should say. Because she has been to Paris, not for sightseeing, but was sent on a mission by HYDRA to kill a group of people. She wasn’t given any more information other than their names and pictures; she had no idea why HYDRA wanted them dead.

But she did it, because that’s what she was, a loyal soldier.

“Yeah, I’ve been to Paris,” Alexandria replied finally, her voice low and clipped. “But it wasn’t exactly a tourist visit.”

Kitty raised an eyebrow, sensing the lack of enthusiasm in Alexandria’s tone. “Oh? What did you do there?”

Alexandria’s eyes flickered with a brief, unreadable emotion. “Just some work. Nothing you’d want to hear about.”

Jean, sitting next to Kitty, noticed the shift in mood and decided to steer the conversation in a lighter direction. “Well, I’ve heard Paris is amazing. The Eiffel Tower, the food, the art. I’m looking forward to seeing it all.”

“Yeah, the food should be good,” Scott chimed in. “And I hear the shopping is fantastic. Maybe we’ll have some time to check out the boutiques.”

Rogue, who had been quietly listening, added with a smile, “I’m hoping to get a few souvenirs. Maybe some of those fancy French pastries.”

Alexandria nodded slightly, but her mind was elsewhere. She could feel the weight of her past pressing down on her, but she made an effort to push it aside. It was easier to focus on the present, even if it meant staying quiet.

They put their bags on a table where Logan and Ororo were loading them into the belly of the plane before climbing up the stairs into the hull.

Ororo looked over at Logan, who had just put another bag into the belly before picking up another one and repeating. She leaned against the table, glancing at his hands. “You must really like those gloves.” She commented with a grin. It didn’t go unnoticed by her that he was wearing the gloves Alexandria got him for Christmas, or the fact he seemed to wear them quite often.

Logan turned around and looked at Ororo before grabbing another bag and tossing it into the plane’s cargo hold. “What about them?” he asked, nodding toward the gloves Alexandria had given him. His tone was as gruff as ever, but there was a slight softness to his voice, a hint of appreciation.

Ororo smirked, crossing her arms. “I just noticed you’ve been wearing them a lot. They must be pretty comfortable.”

Logan grunted in agreement. “They’re good. Better than some of the stuff I’ve used before.”

The plane was set up in four four-group seating arrangements. There were 4 rows both ways, making 16 seats in total.

The kids sat down in their seats, Kitty and Jubilee in one row, and Scott and Jean in the row in front of them.

Kurt and Rogue sat in the two seats across from Alexandria who was currently looking out of the window.

Hank helped Charles onto the plane before getting in the pilot seat himself, and Ororo sat next to him. Logan quietly sat down next to Alexandria, who was still looking out of the window with an interest.

Logan settled into the seat next to Alexandria, letting out a soft sigh as he adjusted his position. The private jet was already starting to hum with the sound of engines firing up. He glanced over at Alexandria, who was still focused intently on the view outside the window, her expression unreadable.

“You gonna stare out that window the whole flight?” Logan asked gruffly, trying to break the silence. There was no edge to his tone, just a hint of curiosity.

Alexandria shifted her gaze momentarily, meeting his eyes with a brief look before returning to the scene outside. “It’s not often I get to see the world from this high up. It’s different.”

Logan gave a grunt of acknowledgment. “Yeah, it’s something. Especially if you’re used to staying grounded.”

She raised an eyebrow slightly, though her eyes remained on the window. “You’ve been up here a lot?”

“More than I’d like to admit,” Logan said with a smirk. “This is about as close to flying as I get, and I prefer solid ground. But for trips like this, it’s necessary.”

Alexandria nodded, absorbing his words. “I see.”

Their conversation was interrupted as the plane started to take off, the gentle rumble growing louder. Logan watched Alexandria’s reaction out of the corner of his eye. Despite her generally aloof demeanor, there was a faint spark of interest in her gaze as the plane climbed higher.

As she watched as the plane went high above the ground, the mansion becoming smaller and smaller, she hid a yawn under her hand.

It was hard to imagine that just 6 months ago, she was only allowed to sleep every two weeks, and now she had become used to 8 hours of sleep every night.

Jubilee, who sat across from her, was already playing a card game with Kurt, and Logan was reading a newspaper, which by the way Scott talked, should be extinct.

She rested her head on her fist, still looking at the window as her eyes became heavier. The steady hum of the plane and the rhythmic motion of the flight had a soothing effect, making her eyelids droop. What made it even easier was no one else was sleeping on this flight, meaning she didn’t even need her mind blocker to block out their dreams.

Logan, glancing over occasionally from his seat, noticed her struggling to stay awake. He could tell that despite her attempt to appear indifferent, she was tired. It was unusual to see her so relaxed, even if just a little.

After around 15 minutes, Jubilee and Kurt had finished two Uno games and were currently playing their third. Logan had flipped the page of the newspaper when a head slowly fell onto his right shoulder.

Logan felt the weight on his shoulder before he actually registered it. His initial reaction was to shift away, but he paused when he realized it was Alexandria’s head resting lightly on him. Her breathing was even, and she was clearly asleep.

He glanced around, seeing that none of the other kids were paying attention. Kurt and Jubilee were deep into their game, Scott and Jean were chatting quietly, and Hank was busy with the plane’s controls. Ororo, who was also monitoring the flight, occasionally glanced back with a thoughtful expression but said nothing.

Logan grunted softly, not entirely sure how to handle the situation. He shifted slightly to make her more comfortable, mindful not to jostle her too much. Alexandria stirred a bit but didn't wake up, her head adjusting to find a more comfortable position against his shoulder.

Logan let out a quiet sigh, his gaze softening as he watched her sleep. He’d seen her struggle with her own internal battles, her past with HYDRA casting long shadows. But there was something different about her now, a tentative trust he hadn’t seen before.

He heard a soft chuckle from the front of the plane and looked up to see Ororo watching him with a raised eyebrow. “Well, isn’t that a sight?” she said, her tone light but with a hint of amusement.

Logan gave her a sidelong look. “Yeah, well, she fell asleep on me. I didn’t ask for it.”

Ororo’s grin widened. “I’m sure she appreciates it more than you think.”

Logan grunted noncommittally, adjusting his posture to better support Alexandria’s head. The plane’s hum was steady, and the gentle motion seemed to be lulling her into a deeper sleep. Logan glanced at the other students, noting that most were preoccupied. He decided to let her rest for now.

As the plane continued its ascent, Logan turned his attention back to his newspaper, though he found it difficult to concentrate with Alexandria’s steady breathing against him. He couldn’t deny a small, grudging sense of satisfaction. It wasn’t often that he felt this kind of responsibility or connection, but Alexandria had a way of making him question his own boundaries.

A few minutes passed before he noticed a faint rustling from Alexandria. She shifted slightly but remained asleep, her face now resting more comfortably against his shoulder.

Jubilee, having finally won their Uno game, looked over at Logan and Alexandria with curiosity. “Logan,” Kurt whispered from across the aisle, glancing at Alexandria’s sleeping form with a small, amused smile. “Looks like you’re now a pillow.”

Logan shot him a look that was somewhere between a glare and a smirk. “Keep your voice down, elf. You’ll wake her.”

Kurt’s grin widened slightly, but he nodded and turned back to his game with Jubilee, keeping his voice low as they continued their banter over the cards.

As the conversation shifted back to the game, Logan remained focused on Alexandria, his thoughts drifting.

---

The first thing she noticed was that the plane had quickly grown quieter. Alexandria blinked her eyes and lifted her head, realizing multiple things.

Alexandria's eyes widened in realization as she registered her surroundings. The plane was empty, save for the faint trace of Kurt's tail disappearing down the stairs. Her initial reaction was a mix of embarrassment and confusion, compounded by the fact that she’d fallen asleep on Logan’s shoulder. That was definitely not something she intended to do, especially in front of someone as stoic and gruff as him.

She sat up quickly, glancing around to make sure no one else had witnessed the unintentional display of vulnerability. Logan was still there, flipping through the last few pages of his newspaper. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t said a word, just let her sleep. The quiet in the plane felt almost suffocating as Alexandria considered what to say, if anything.

“Everyone’s already off,” Logan remarked without looking up, his tone casual but with an edge that suggested he was fully aware of her discomfort.

Alexandria cleared her throat, forcing herself to adopt her usual aloof demeanor. “Didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she muttered, avoiding direct eye contact. She was rarely caught off-guard, and she didn’t like the feeling of being exposed, even in something as small as this.

Logan shrugged, folding the newspaper and tossing it onto the empty seat beside him. “Could’ve fooled me,” he replied, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Guess even you need some rest now and then.”

Alexandria rolled her eyes, though a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “I suppose,” she said, her voice tinged with a hint of her usual aloofness. “I just didn’t expect to fall asleep like that.”

Logan shrugged, his expression softening a little. “It happens. Especially when you’re running on early mornings and packed schedules. But if you’re going to nap on me, at least you could warn me first.”

Alexandria’s gaze flickered to him, and she found herself momentarily caught off-guard by the faint trace of warmth in his eyes. It was rare to see Logan in such a relaxed state, and it made her feel oddly self-conscious.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice softer than usual. “I guess it’s… nice of you to let me sleep.”

Logan grunted, giving her a sideways glance. “Don’t get used to it. I’m not usually this accommodating. But you needed it.”

As she stood up, Alexandria glanced out of the window, seeing that the plane had landed and the cityscape of Paris was visible through the small opening.

Alexandria took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness. She’d spent most of the flight asleep, and now she had to adjust to the reality of being in Paris again, though this time it was for a very different reason than before.

As the plane’s door opened and the cool air from outside drifted in, the rest of the group began to gather their things and prepare to disembark. Jean and Scott were already up, stretching and chatting excitedly about their plans. Kitty and Jubilee were deep in discussion about the shopping they hoped to do.

“Ready to explore, Alexandria?” Kitty called out, her enthusiasm evident as she grabbed her bag.

Alexandria forced a smile. “Yeah, ready as I’ll ever be.”

Logan gave her a sideways glance as he collected his own gear. “Stick close. Paris might be a nice place, but it’s still a big city.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Alexandria replied, trying to match his tone but with a touch of her own dry humor.

As they disembarked, Ororo and Hank were at the front, making sure everyone had their passports and documents in order. The excitement was palpable among the students, though Alexandria found herself falling back into her usual state of quiet observation.

They stepped into the bustling Parisian airport, the noise and activity of travelers creating a lively backdrop. Logan remained close to Alexandria, his presence a steadying force as they navigated through the crowd.

“Everyone’s excited, huh?” Logan said, keeping his voice low as they walked. “Don’t let it overwhelm you.”

Alexandria glanced at him, noting the subtle concern in his tone. “I think I can handle a bit of excitement.”

Logan grunted, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “Good. Just making sure.”

Outside, a pair of sleek black cars awaited them, and they quickly piled into the vehicles. The drive through Paris was filled with landmarks passing by in a blur: the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the bustling streets filled with people starting their day.

As they approached their accommodations, a charming boutique hotel in the heart of the city, Alexandria couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia mixed with a sense of trepidation. The hotel was elegant, with its classic Parisian architecture and warm, inviting atmosphere.

They checked in and were soon settled into their rooms. Alexandria found herself sharing a room with Kitty and Jean, which suited her well enough.

“Ready to hit the streets?” Kitty asked, pulling Alexandria from her thoughts as she joined them in the room.

“Yeah,” Alexandria replied. “Just give me a minute to get my bearings.”

As they prepared to head out, Logan and the rest of the teachers were already gathered in the lobby, ready to brief the students on their plans for the day.

“Alright, listen up,” Logan called out, his voice carrying authority. “We’re going to split into smaller groups to explore different parts of the city. You’ve got a map and a list of recommended spots. Just make sure to check in with us periodically.”

As they set off in their respective directions, Alexandria found herself with Kitty, Jean, and Scott, who were eager to take in the sights. Despite her initial reservations, she found that the lively atmosphere of Paris was starting to chip away at her reserve.

The day passed in a whirlwind of sights, sounds, and experiences. They visited charming cafes, browsed through quirky boutiques, and marveled at the beauty of the city. Alexandria found herself slowly relaxing, allowing the charm of Paris to work its magic. The memories of her past missions felt distant, overshadowed by the simple joy of exploring a new place.

As they regrouped for lunch, Alexandria sat with Kitty and Jean at a small outdoor café, enjoying a moment of respite. The Eiffel Tower loomed in the background, a stunning reminder of the city’s grandeur.

“Not bad, huh?” Kitty said, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Yeah,” Alexandria agreed, allowing herself a genuine smile. “It’s not what I expected.”

Jean grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I knew you’d like it. Paris has a way of growing on you.”

Alexandria took another sip of her coffee, the rich flavor providing a small comfort amidst her swirling thoughts. “Yeah, it’s definitely not what I expected,” she said, her voice a touch warmer than usual. “I guess it’s easier to appreciate when you’re not here on a mission.”

Kitty raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been pretty quiet about what those missions were like. Maybe you should tell us more about what you did.”

Alexandria shook her head slightly, a small frown tugging at her lips. “Not really interested in talking about the past right now. Let’s just enjoy the present.”

Jean nodded, sensing the shift in Alexandria’s mood. “Fair enough. There’s plenty to see and do. We’ve got the whole afternoon ahead of us.”

Scott, who had been listening to the conversation, leaned forward. “Any particular places you guys want to check out? I’m up for anything.”

Kitty tapped her map thoughtfully. “How about we head over to Montmartre? I’ve heard the view from there is amazing.”

Alexandria glanced up at the mention of Montmartre, her curiosity piqued. “Montmartre? I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know much about it.”

“It's a neighborhood known for its artistic history,” Jean explained. “The view from the top of the hill is supposed to be one of the best in Paris. Plus, there’s a lot of interesting street art and little cafes.”

“Sounds good to me,” Alexandria said, surprising herself with how much she was looking forward to it.

Kitty stood up, signaling to the others. “Alright then, Montmartre it is. Let’s finish up here and head out.”

As they left the café, the city’s energy seemed to lift Alexandria’s spirits. She walked alongside Kitty, Jean, and Scott, feeling the vibrant pulse of Paris in a way she hadn’t anticipated. The streets were alive with people, the architecture a blend of old and new, and the whole experience felt almost surreal.

When they arrived in Montmartre, the area was bustling with activity. Artists lined the streets, displaying their work for passersby. The narrow streets and charming buildings added to the neighborhood’s unique atmosphere.

Kitty immediately started taking pictures of the street art, her excitement palpable. “This place is amazing! Look at all these colors.”

Jean and Scott wandered off to explore the shops, while Alexandria found herself drawn to a small park with a view of the city. She took a seat on a bench, appreciating the quiet moment amidst the lively surroundings.

A few minutes later, Jean and Scott joined her, their faces flushed from the walk but full of enthusiasm. “We found a really cool bookstore nearby,” Jean said. “You should come check it out.”

Alexandria raised an eyebrow. “A bookstore? Sounds… different.”

“It’s not just any bookstore,” Scott said with a grin. “It’s got a lot of rare and antique books. I thought you might like it.”

Apparently, they knew exactly what to say to get her up from the bench. “Alright,” Alexandria agreed, standing up. “Lead the way.”

They made their way to the bookshop, where Kitty, Kurt, and Jubilee already were. Alexandria made her way to a group of books in the international section.

There was a small shelf of Russian books and a spine of one of them caught her eye. ‘The Science Behind the Atomic Bomb. The spine looked exactly like a book her dad had. She picked it up and flipped through it, seeing diagrams and lots of rambling.

One quote stood out, it was one her dad always told her brother, “Everything that the human mind can understand and believe is achievable.”

Alexandria heard a clicking noise from somewhere around her as she looked up from the book. The sound was faint, almost like a camera shutter, but there was no one nearby who seemed to be taking pictures. She glanced around, her instincts immediately on high alert.

With a sense of unease creeping over her, she carefully returned the book to the shelf and made her way back to the group. Kitty, Jean, Scott, Jubilee, and Kurt were all engrossed in various sections of the bookstore, but Alexandria’s mind was still occupied by the strange clicking sound.

"Everything okay?" Jean asked, noticing the slight tension in Alexandria’s posture as she approached.

"Yeah," Alexandria replied, though her voice lacked its usual confidence. "Just thought I heard something."

Scott glanced around the bookstore, his eyes scanning the aisles. "You sure it wasn’t just someone taking a picture or something?"

"It might have been," Alexandria said, though she wasn’t convinced. Her instincts told her otherwise, but she didn’t want to alarm the others. "Let’s just keep moving."

Kitty, who had been admiring a display of rare books, looked up. "You want to check out something else? We’ve got a few more stops we could make before heading back."

As Alexandria forced herself to remain casual, she nodded to the group. “Yeah, sure,” she said, her tone betraying a hint of tension despite her efforts to sound relaxed. The uneasy feeling from the clicking noise lingered, but she tried to focus on the present and enjoy the rest of the day. She followed Kitty, Jean, Scott, and the others as they continued exploring Montmartre.

The neighborhood was vibrant with street performers, colorful murals, and the delightful scent of freshly baked pastries wafting from nearby cafes. Alexandria tried to immerse herself in the energy of the place, though her mind kept drifting back to the strange noise she’d heard in the bookstore.

Kitty was enthusiastically pointing out various street artists and their work. “Look at that one!” she said, pointing to a mural of a fantastical creature with bright, swirling colors. “It’s amazing how creative people can be.”

Jean, Scott, and Jubilee were busy taking photos and chatting about the different sights. Alexandria, however, found herself trailing behind slightly, her eyes scanning the crowd and the surroundings with a hint of wariness.

“Hey, Alexandria,” Scott called, noticing her distracted demeanor. “You okay? You seem a bit off.”

Alexandria forced a smile and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… not used to being so surrounded by people.”

Scott gave her a sympathetic look. “I get it. It can be overwhelming. If you need a break, just let us know.”

“Thanks,” Alexandria said, appreciating his offer even though she wasn’t quite ready to admit her discomfort.

They continued walking through Montmartre, the group making stops at various shops and cafes. Alexandria’s unease slowly began to fade as she let herself be swept up in the charm of the neighborhood. She found a small café that sold a variety of pastries and decided to grab a couple to try.

As she was examining the display case, Kitty and the rest joined her. “These look incredible,” Kitty said, eyeing the pastries with a look of excitement. “What do you want to try?”

The group choose the pastries they wanted as Alexandria went up to order, “Je prends une religieuse, une profiterole, un pain au chocolat, un kouign amann, une croustade pêches et baies, un mille-feuille et un sablés breton.”

The cashier nodded and went to get their items after Alexandria paid for it. She went back to the group who stood by a table. “I didn’t know you knew how to speak French!” Jubilee exclaimed.

Alexandria shrugged, “I speak 10 languages.”

Jubilee's eyes widened as she processed Alexandria's casual admission. "Ten languages? That's insane!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of awe and disbelief. "How do you even keep track of that many?"

Alexandria shrugged again, nonchalant. "You just do," she replied, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Kitty handed out the pastries Alexandria had ordered, her curiosity piqued. "Okay, but now I have to ask, what other languages do you know?"

Alexandria took a bite of her mille-feuille before responding. "Russian, obviously. English, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, Italian, and Polish."

Scott let out a low whistle. "Impressive. Did HYDRA train you in all those?"

Alexandria nodded, her expression not giving away much. "They had their reasons."

The group fell silent for a moment, absorbing what Alexandria had shared. It was a stark reminder of her past, and while they were all aware of her history, hearing her talk about it so matter-of-factly brought a certain weight to the conversation.

Jubilee, always one to lighten the mood, spoke up again. "Well, now we know who to go to when we need a translator. Seriously, that’s like having a superpower on its own."

Alexandria smirked, a rare hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Yeah, I guess it has its uses."

The group continued to enjoy their pastries, the tension from earlier slowly dissipating as they chatted about lighter topics. Alexandria found herself more at ease, the camaraderie of the group providing a comforting backdrop to their day in Paris.

As they finished up and prepared to move on to their next stop, Alexandria couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of being watched. The clicking noise from the bookstore gnawed at her, a subtle but persistent reminder that her past might not be as distant as she wanted it to be.

They eventually made their way out of Montmartre, deciding to explore the more tourist-heavy areas before heading back to the café near the Eiffel Tower. The group meandered through the streets, stopping occasionally to take photos or check out a particularly interesting shop.

At one point, they passed a small street vendor selling an assortment of trinkets and souvenirs. Jubilee immediately gravitated towards the colorful display, her eyes lighting up as she examined a set of intricately designed keychains. "These are so cute!" she exclaimed, holding up one shaped like the Eiffel Tower.

Kitty joined her, picking up a small snow globe with the Paris skyline inside. "These would make great gifts," she mused, turning it over in her hands. "I think I’ll get a few for some of the others back home."

Scott and Jean hung back slightly, talking quietly between themselves, while Alexandria stayed a bit further behind, her attention wandering. She glanced around, taking in the bustling activity of the city, but her mind was still preoccupied with the strange sense of unease she couldn’t quite shake.

---

The group made it back to the hotel and made sure to check in with Logan, Hank, Charles, and Ororo. Jean gave Charles a knick knack, Jubilee gave Ororo a hat, and Scott gave Hank a book. They all chatted eagerly with them as Alexandria stood at the back, quiet and keeping a watch around. She thought no one noticed her watching until Logan came by her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Logan's hand on Alexandria’s shoulder was a firm but subtle gesture, grounding her in the moment. His touch was neither overly gentle nor demanding, a reflection of his understanding of her and their shared rough edges.

"You good, kid?" Logan asked, his voice laced with a hint of concern. He didn’t pry, just offered a moment of connection.

Alexandria shrugged slightly, her usual response when she wasn’t sure how to put her thoughts into words. “Yeah. Just… keeping an eye out.”

Logan gave her a knowing nod, understanding without the need for her to elaborate. “Old habits,” he commented, not as a question but as a statement of fact.

“Yeah,” she admitted, her eyes scanning the lobby once more before meeting his. “Can’t shake it.”

Logan’s gaze softened slightly, though his expression remained typically stoic. “It’ll take time. You’ve got good instincts—just don’t let ‘em ruin a good moment.”

She almost smirked at that, appreciating his attempt to ease her tension without making her feel like she was being coddled. “I’m working on it.”

The two stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching as the others continued their animated conversations with the teachers. Alexandria was still on alert, but Logan’s presence at her side made it easier for her to relax, even if only a little.

Alexandria lifted the small backpack she had and pulled out a white paper bag. “I got you something. It’s a sablés Breton. It’s a salted butter cookie, and it’s not supposed to be too sweet.”

Logan’s brow furrowed slightly as Alexandria handed him the paper bag. He took it, his fingers brushing against hers briefly. He raised an eyebrow, a mix of curiosity and amusement flickering in his eyes.

“A sablés Breton, huh?” he said, looking at the bag with a touch of skepticism. “What’s the catch?”

Alexandria smirked, trying to mask her own unease with a hint of confidence. “No catch. Just something I thought you might like. I’ve been told it’s a good cookie, not too sweet. Figured it might be worth a try.”

Logan gave her a half-smile, a rare expression that softened his typically gruff demeanor. “Well, I’m not one to turn down a cookie. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.”

He pulled out one of the cookies and took a bite, his expression thoughtful as he chewed. Alexandria watched him closely, her eyes betraying her nerves. After a moment, Logan nodded approvingly.

“Not bad,” he said, his tone begrudgingly appreciative. “Definitely better than some of the crap I’ve had over the years.”

Alexandria’s lips curled into a small, relieved smile. “Good to know. It was the least I could do.”

Logan’s eyes softened just a touch more. “I appreciate it. And… if you ever need to talk or anything, you know where to find me. Doesn’t have to be about cookies.”

Alexandria nodded, her gaze meeting his with a mixture of gratitude and surprise. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The two stood in a companionable silence for a moment, watching as the others chatted and laughed nearby. The atmosphere around them was relaxed, a stark contrast to the tension Alexandria had been feeling earlier. Logan’s presence, though gruff, provided a steady anchor amidst her swirling thoughts.

---

The week went by smoothly, with everyone getting back on the plane with more stuff than they came with. Some of the things were for themselves, and some were to give to the others when they got back to the mansion.

Alexandria was currently putting a few new clothes she got in her closet. Today was Sunday, but Kitty and Jean needed to go out to the mall to get a few essentials, like body wash and shampoo, so Alexandria and even Scott were going to come along.

She grabbed a purse she bought in Paris, which was $5,000, thanks to Tony Stark’s credit card, and headed out to the garage in a comfortable outfit. It was a cropped grey t-shirt with short sleeves, loose-fitting cargo pants and black high-top Converse.

As she headed into the garage by staircase, Kitty came out by the elevator nearby, and Scott and Jean were already in the car.

Kitty spotted Alexandria and waved enthusiastically. “Hey! Ready for some mall action?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Alexandria replied with a small, genuine smile.

In the garage, Scott and Jean were already in the car. Scott was behind the wheel, his expression relaxed as he fiddled with the radio. Jean sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through her phone.

“Hey, Alexandria!” Scott greeted, looking up as she approached. “All set?”

“Yep,” Alexandria said, sliding into the back seat next to Kitty. “Ready to hit the mall.”

Jean glanced over her shoulder, giving Alexandria a friendly smile. “We’re just waiting for you two.”

As Scott started the car and pulled out of the garage, the conversation shifted to their plans for the day. Jean mentioned a few stores they needed to visit, and Kitty chimed in with her shopping list. Alexandria listened, her gaze drifting out the window as they made their way towards the mall.

The drive was uneventful, and soon they arrived at the bustling shopping center. The mall was busy, with people streaming in and out of stores, the sounds of chatter and footsteps filling the air. Alexandria followed Kitty, Jean, and Scott as they made their way through the crowds.

“So, what’s first on the agenda?” Kitty asked, clutching a shopping bag as she looked at the group.

Jean consulted her list. “We need to get body wash, then head to Sephora for shampoo. After that, we can wander a bit and see what catches our eye.”

Scott nodded in agreement. “Sounds like a plan. Lead the way.”

They made their way to the first store, a large department store with a variety of personal care products. Alexandria trailed behind, her eyes scanning the aisles as they walked. She picked out a few items, but her mind was still partially focused on the strange clicking noise she had heard in Paris. The feeling of being watched had faded, but she couldn’t completely shake off the sense of unease.

Kitty and Jean were busy discussing the merits of different brands of body wash, while Scott looked over the selection of shampoos. Alexandria grabbed a few bottles of strawberry scented body wash and the same scent in lotion. Her and Scott followed Kitty and Jean around until they were done and they checked out.

It wasn’t until they were leaving the store that she caught a glimpse of a man standing near the entrance, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he quickly looked away. He was dressed casually, blending in with the crowd, but there was something about him that set off alarm bells in Alexandria’s mind.

She didn’t react outwardly, but her senses were now on high alert. As they made their way to the next store, she kept a close eye on their surroundings, subtly scanning the crowd for any signs of trouble.

Kitty, Jean, and Scott were blissfully unaware of her heightened vigilance, chatting about their plans for the rest of the day. Alexandria, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.

As they entered another store, Alexandria made a point of positioning herself near the entrance, giving herself a clear view of anyone coming or going. She spotted the man again, this time lingering outside, pretending to be interested in a display of sunglasses.

Her instincts screamed at her to do something, but she knew she couldn’t act rashly. Instead, she stayed close to the group, keeping her eyes on the man without making it obvious that she was aware of him.

Instinctively, her hand reached behind her back, when she realized she wasn’t on a mission, and therefore did not have a gun. It was also illegal to shoot in a busy mall.

She kept her eyes on the man until Jean and Kitty were done and they headed out. Alexandria noticed that Scott unspokenly took Jean’s bags from her hands.

Once they were in the car, Kitty mentioned that she was hungry. Scott, who was driving once again, turned to face her at a stop sign. “Have you tried a burger yet, Alexandria?”

Scott’s question caught Alexandria off guard. She leaned forward, genuinely curious. “No. What’s that?”

Scott looked surprised, but then a grin spread across his face. “You’ve never had a burger? It’s a classic American dish. Basically, a beef patty in a bun, usually with some kind of toppings. Lettuce, tomato, cheese… that sort of thing.”

Alexandria nodded slowly, trying to piece together the description. “Sounds… simple enough.”

Jean chimed in from the passenger seat, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “You definitely need to try one. They’re a staple, and there are so many variations. You can get them with different toppings or even veggie options if you’re not into meat.”

Kitty, who had been scrolling through her phone, glanced up. “I know a great place nearby. They have this burger that’s super popular. I think it would be perfect for you to try.”

Scott nodded in agreement, his expression clearly amused. “Alright, it’s settled then. We’ll grab burgers. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

Alexandria settled back into her seat, her curiosity piqued. “Alright. I’m open to trying new things.”

They made their way to the burger joint that Kitty recommended. It was around 10 minutes away, and the GPS on Jean’s phone took them down a side street with barely any cars.

Kitty was currently showing pictures of burgers to Alexandria when Scott let out a whispered curse. Jean leaned over, “what is it?”

Scott’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he pressed down on the brake pedal again and again. The car, however, continued to speed up, the side street ahead narrowing ominously.

“The brake isn’t working,” Scott muttered, his voice tense with barely contained panic.

Jean leaned over, eyes wide with concern as she tried to help. “What do you mean, the brake isn’t working? Can you try shifting it into neutral?”

“I’m trying,” Scott replied through gritted teeth, his hand fumbling with the gear shift. But nothing changed—the car continued its dangerous momentum down the street.

Kitty’s phone slipped from her hand as she leaned forward, her face pale. “We need to get out of here. We should jump.”

Alexandria, calm despite the situation, reached for the door handle, yanking at it. “The doors are locked,” she said, her voice edged with frustration.

“Break the windows,” Jean suggested quickly, her telekinetic powers already flickering to life as she aimed to shatter the glass.

But before Jean could focus enough to unleash her powers, the car swerved uncontrollably, the tires screeching against the asphalt. Scott tried to maneuver the wheel, but it was too late. A flash of metal appeared in their peripheral vision as a car careened toward them from the opposite direction.

The impact was brutal, slamming into the side of their vehicle with a force that knocked the breath out of everyone. The sound of crunching metal, shattering glass, and the dull thuds of bodies slamming against their seats filled the air. Darkness enveloped them as consciousness slipped away.

---

Alexandria was the first to come to, her mind foggy as she blinked against the harsh light that filtered through the cracked windshield. A sharp pain radiated from her left shoulder, but she pushed it aside, instincts kicking in. The car was eerily silent, the only sound a faint ringing in her ears.

She looked around quickly. Scott was slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious. Jean’s head rested against the passenger window, blood trickling from a cut on her forehead. Kitty was next to Alexandria, her breathing shallow but steady.

Before she could make a move to check on the others, the car door beside her was yanked open, and rough hands grabbed her by the arm. She reacted instantly, her training from HYDRA surging to the forefront. But the grip was too strong, and her disorientation was enough to keep her from putting up a fight.

“Don’t struggle,” a cold voice hissed in her ear, the thick accent unmistakably Russian.

Alexandria’s heart pounded in her chest as she was dragged out of the car, her feet stumbling on the uneven ground. She was shoved forward, her vision still blurred as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. The street was empty save for the two cars, both wrecked from the collision. The man who had grabbed her was dressed in black tactical gear, his face obscured by a balaclava.

She went to elbow him but he caught her elbow before handcuffing her hands behind her back.

Before she could act, the man behind her spoke again, his voice cold and detached. “You don’t want to do anything stupid, little girl. Just get in the van.”

As they moved away from the wreckage, she caught sight of a van parked a little further down the street. The back doors were open, revealing more men inside, similarly dressed. This wasn’t just a random attack—this was a coordinated effort. They had been targeted.

Her eyes darted around, looking for an opening, for anything that could give her the upper hand. But the man’s grip on her arms tightened, cutting off her circulation and her thoughts of escape. She was pushed toward the van, the metallic scent of blood mixing with the acrid smell of gasoline from the wrecked vehicles.

Inside the van, she could see that it was lined with reinforced metal, designed to keep anyone inside from getting out. A chill ran down her spine. This was a prison on wheels.

As she was forced closer to the van, Alexandria’s mind raced, trying to calculate her options. The element of surprise was gone, and she was outnumbered. But she wasn’t defenseless. Her powers, though not as honed as she’d like, were still there.

It was better to not fight and further risk Jean, Kitty, and Scott, and instead be taken. But she didn’t leave without putting a message inside Jean’s head, which wasn’t easy. Jean certainly was a strong telepath, but all Alexandria did before being shoved into the van, was put a symbol of HYDRA in her dream.

The doors to the van closed as a needle was inserted into her neck, and a black bag over her head.

i'm gonna try and upload the next few chapters asap in the next 3-5 days, just so there isn't much wait. but no promises!

[t-h-i-n-g]

“You make it kinda hard not to stare.”

————

(jacob black x reader)

-chapter three- series-masterlist

summary: some people’s chip choices are just plain weird.

word count: 2.4k

warnings: awkward reunion (please trust the process guys they won’t always be so god damn awkward I swear) also ignore how shitty my writing is in this one. I’ve been in a car for 6+ hours and that’s when I’ve been writing this my mind is a little scrambled.

————

“I never knew there could be so many off brand knock offs of Doritos,” you mumbled. “I mean come on ‘Not your chez,’ ‘cheesy chips,’ ‘papa cheddar,’ when does it end?”

“When the world does,” Edward sighed, taking a step next to you. His hands were in his pockets, figure slightly slouched. Bella approached next, taking in the colorful variety of almost borderline copyrighted snacks.

“Come to the next aisle. You’d be surprised by how many types of potato chips there are.” Humming you grasped a red bag into your hands and examined it. Bella brushed herself against Edwards sleeve, leaning back into him gently to which he did not protest.

“‘Flavor so good it will knock your socks off,’ Julia Simmons says. Well wow, guess I’ll have to blame Julia if these are ass,” you stated, tossing the chips into your basket. “What else is required for a Cullen movie night?” You asked looking back at Edward. His hand was placed at the base of Bellas back as he steered her to check out another entirely atrocious name for a Cheeto.

“Uhm,” the boy seemed to draw a blank. Brows furrowing, he looked at Bella like she was the expert on this subject. She rose her own at him, a slightly amused smile playing on her lips. Nose scrunching you watched the interaction not being able to shake the feeling that you were being left out of some sort of inside joke. Scanning the row, quickly Edward reached randomly for an interesting looking package and handed it to you, “…These,” he answered with a rather unconfident tone.

Your eyebrows rose and you looked at him unsure.

“The Cullens like to have… ‘Cola Chicken Crisps’ at their movie nights?”

Bella’s hand flew up to hide her snort. Clearing his throat Edward nodded.

“My sister has a weird craving for them every now and then,” he insisted.

“Sure…” you trailed off, hesitantly placing the bag into the basket.

Turning around swiftly, you turned to the next aisle. Not fussing too much on the hushed whispers that were sounding behind you as you went.

Bella had picked you up a half hour or so after her text. Thank god you didn’t wash your hair or it would’ve been a frizzy mess by now. Edward was a guest you were not expecting when watching his car pull up into your driveway. Bella waved to you with her signature tight lipped smile as you peered through your kitchen window. Not expecting to be leaving your residence, you rushed to pull on a pair of shoes.

Once you grabbed your bag and sat down onto the overly comfortable leather seats, the plans for the day were announced.

Edward stated some of his siblings were having a movie night which Bella was invited to and being the oh so considerate person she is, she asked if you could tag along. It was then after she asked she texted you.

There wasn’t much of a protest from you. Being familiar with the Cullen siblings was a definite help. A handful of times Bella and Edward had forced you to be acquainted by the pale lot. There was nothing that caused you to say no when the offer was presented.

Well none but the fact Rosalie high key tried using some sort of intimidation tactic on you more than once, which definitely worked. But the longer you knew the girl and the more you learned about her the fear slowly faded. Maybe it was still slightly present but that’s just details.

Edrard had greeted you with a quiet greeting as you entered the vehicle. You hesitated to answer however as there was a faint knowingness and doubt in his eyes.

Bella must have told him something.

Not dwelling on it too much you replied, buckling your seatbelt. Edward had pulled into the road, turning soon after into a local grocery store to pick up snacks. Though even if it was his idea he was not doing a lot of shopping himself. Looking lost he walked down aisles, always trailing behind Bella as she searched for things that interested her.

This isn’t the first time Edward had some something strange. Edward, you have learned, himself is just plain weird as it is. He’s a weirdo. Many of his actions are always thought through but at the same time unnatural if that makes any sense at all. But everything he does on his own makes no sense at all. The way he acted was a mystery on its own.

Forks as a whole was a weird town. Many people acquainted with the place seemed nervy and had their little quirks.

However you weren’t really one to judge as you too had your quirks. Just none of them were bad to the point where they had to do with eating chips that had chicken in their name.

Shaking your head from the thought forcefully, you busied yourself with any other slightly half decent option available.

-

Jacob had mixed feelings about going into town.

On one hand there were instances where he could spend time with some friends at movie theaters and watch Quil nearly shit his pants at the Scream movie on Halloween. Or he can go to the arcade and see Paul almost get kicked out for getting too physical with the pinball machine.

Those were fun, sure.

But what isn't fun, is shopping. Specifically shopping alone. Even waiting for his dad to pick out what kind of noodles he wants even though he gets the same one every single time would be better than wallowing aimlessly through the aisles all on his lonesome.

Okay maybe he does have some sort of sense of direction as the list Billy gave him is his compass.

He wanted today to be a chill day. To just sit and lounge on the couch and the only movement he would be obligated to do was his own thumb, picking through the different channels with the remote.

But no.

Today is grocery day. Just like every second Saturday of every month.

The typical things were on Billy’s list. Milk, eggs, those wierd chips that smell like fish, and other necessities that will get the Black household through the next full moon.

Sighing to himself softly, Jacob picked up some strawberries and placed it in the cart. A handful of different produce already found it’s home in the metal enclosure. Taking out a pen and the slip of paper, Jacob clicked the ball point, pursing his lips while looking over the chicken scratch to see wich item looked the most like ‘strawberries.’

It was a shame Billy couldn’t make it today. The man stated he was sore and didn’t want the hassle of getting in and out of the truck to rest on his bones on top of the already apparent ache.

Jacob, being the loyal son he is, sacrificed his sanity to fulfill his fathers wish without a second thought.

However the feeling of lonesomeness never left his body. Jacob felt uncomfortable walking past the automatic doors when he first arrived. His heart rate picking up for unknown reasons as he set foot into the partially muggy atmosphere. It was almost as if something was itching him from the inside out.

Pushing the feeling deep down he focused on the the task at hand. Getting those disgusting weird ass chips his padre wanted.

-

This wasn’t cool at all.

It was times like this you knew being a third in any Bella’s and Edwards plans would be an automatic fail for anyone. The two had magically disappeared the moment you stepped out of their sight.

Panic settled into your bones at the thought that they abandoned you.

A finger sat between your teeth as you leaned back against a rack of lays orginals. Phone in hand you opened Bella’s contact.

Hey, where’d you guys go?

Biting across your nail anxiously you awaited for her response.

Just as when you went to hit the call button a notification sounded.

We went to the back to find something for supper. Meet you at the checkout?

Sure.

Pulling a 180 you followed the line of path to the cashier. When you went to text Bella again asking what her plan was for what to eat, you were cut off. Stepping back cautiously your phone nearly fell from your hand. The cart being the instigator at fault paused and it’s owner peered around the corner.

Just your luck.

It felt like your eyes widened comically. An apology hung up in your throat as Jacobs expression mirrored your own.

-

Just his luck.

He wanted a day to think. Just to process all of the recent events by himself. Why did he have to care so much about dumb groceries. He should have asked if he could wait till tomorrow. Should’ve faked a sickeness of some kind.

Well actually…

Maybe it wasn’t so bad since he finally had a good proper chance to look at you. You were really…

Pretty.

The frame of your face was held at just the right angle, your eyes fit it so well. The beauty marks dotted on your skin were cute. The shade of your skin was an oh so perfect tone. Your eye lashes kissed your cheeks every time you blinked, shielding the color the color that surrounded your irises.

The ache that he felt dulled into a quiet and content thrum as the words he wished to say were lost.

He should probably say something. And stop looking looking like a gaping goldfish. But he didn’t need to say anything at all as you broke first.

-

“…H-hi?” You greeted, hesitantly. Clearing your throat, you tried to get rid of the lump that automatically formed when he came into sight.

Jacob looked almost scared at first. Shock evident in his features, his jaw clenched. Slowly the fear melted into something softer.

This was the last place you expected to see him. For the fact it was so soon as well was another thing.

A rather awkward atmosphere filled between you both. Jacob had yet to stop staring. It seemed he was taking his time to look at you. His eyes darted across your face.

If he could have a staring problem then you could too.

He was still as handsome as yesterday. However with closer inspection the bags under his eyes were more prominent.

“Are you okay?” You offered trying to break the tension wich was almost suffocating.

“W-what?” He asked. Like he didn’t hear you.

“Are you alright?” You tried again. Taking a second to answer, he nodded slowly almost as if he was trying to convince himself.

“Yeah… yeah I’m good.”

Biting your lip you looked around hoping something would pop out to tell you what else you should say.

“I’m really sorry,” Jacob suddenly blurted out. “For yesterday, yknow.”

“Oh no it’s fine. You didn’t do anything wrong,” you stated, with a dismissive wave of your hand.

“No, I should’ve stayed to… talk to you about it.”

There it is.

The unspoken moment you wanted to bury in a confused bundle to let it reminisce inside you for the rest of your days.

“Well I don’t even know what ‘it’ is, so it’s all alright.”

Another split second of panic washed over the boy before he concealed himself once more.

“Yeah… right.”

-

Screw the not wanting more time to think what the hell he was gonna do. How is he supposed to tell you you’re stuck with him for the rest of his life?

Never had Jacob ever felt at such a loss of words.

Never has he ever felt this much awkward tension with someone and he’s been stripped down to his underwear in front of Bella’s dad before.

This felt like next level shit.

He wished there was more time to explain. More time for him to understand his own feeling and ask you were you stand with yours.

But that’s another thing. He doesn’t even know you and yet he still feels like he’d step in front of a semi if you’d ask.

He wished he had the option to take things slow.

To start from the beginning properly and to not force anything.

Time, he just needs time to slow down.

He needs more time to think.

He needs more time to process.

He needs more time.

“Uh, yeah so-“ he stopped himself short. He could sense them before he could see them. All the jumbled thoughts in his head freezing in a single moment.

-

Jacob cut himself off, whipping his head around automatically just as Bella and Edward came into your view. Jacobs shoulders tensed.

The line “Well, you don’t like my lover Jacob and you don’t like me talking about him either so that’s why,” flashed over your mind from the previous night.

Bella was the first to speak.

“Jake, hey.”

The boy didn’t respond.

Though you couldn’t see his face you knew that there must have been a not so happy expression covering it.

Edward's hands still remained in his pockets as he rocked back on the balls of his feet.

“Out shopping?” He asked, tilting his head in the direction of Jacobs cart, an offer to plant some sort of civility.

“No, not at all,” Jacob joked but the way he presented the phrase made it sound not very humorous. Edwards jaw clenched ever so slightly.

And you thought your and Jacobs tension was bad.

“We were coming to get Y/n to check out. If you’re ready too Jake, you wanna come?” Bella offered. She obviously has been a peace keeper of these exchanges a handful of times before you noted. Both boys’ attention drew to her. For a moment it seemed she was having separate conversions with each of them.

“I just got to grab some chips then I’m good,” Jacob stated in a quieter less intense voice.

Your brows furrowed as he turned back to you as if the encounter you two just had never even happened. Carefully he stepped beside you and with the tips of his fingers, nudging you to the side with a quiet, ‘ ‘scuse me,’ falling from his lips. Fireworks danced on your skin from where he had touched while you watched as Jacobs face scrunched slightly at the contact. His shoulders relaxed then tensed again as he quickly grabbed a bag from behind you.

Tossing the snack into the cart he huffed out a breath and took hold of the bar.

His eyes met yours briefly before nudging his head in the direction behind him. Signaling for you to step ahead of him before he followed after you. Edward and Bella lead the way toward the register.

You nervously ran a hand across your arm, unsure about the way Jacobs mood and actions could swing from one pole to another so quickly.

The quiet squeak of the broken wheel on the cart preoccupied your senses in the meantime of your pondering.

————

Likes and reblogs are appreciated :))

[psycheetamore]

Cleansing of the soul - part 1

Summary: our lord Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen has managed to entice his Fremen pet, but this has not gone unnoticed by his brother, who - after having lost Arrakis to Feyd - wants revenge. How better to get revenge, than to snag the favourite pet of his baby brother, esp. if Feyd is not watching.

Tags: MDNI, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen Is His Own Warning, threat of smut, predator/prey, anticipation of (sexual) violence, fighting, Rabban trying to steal from Feyd, disfunctional family - the author regrets nothing

Part 5 of my 6 of my contribution to the predator/prey thrope for Kinktober of @lady-phasma - nr 1-4 are chapters of 1 story (1-3 Feyd/OC hunt related, nr 4 is the reward for our lord), and nr 5-6 is me sharing my favourite chapter that I have written to date with the hunt between Glossu Rabban/OC. The 6 bits will be posted through daily posts.

Word count: 3.7k

Based on chapter 11 of Choosing to Follow Destiny - this is my favourite chapter my darlings

She was so engulfed in this mission that she did not hear the door to the library softly opening and closing. It was only once the steps were just a few rows away that she noticed someone had come in.

She quickly pushed the book back in the cupboard and took another book in her hands. She knew Feyd-Rautha would be collecting her soon for their daily ‘fight and fuck’ session, and she did not want him to see what she had learned. The information she had was still too premature.

She was just on time to clean her traces.

Looking up, she saw a bold man. Not her bold man though. It was Rabban. The last time she had seen him, had been in Arrakis. It surprised her to see him here. She had heard whispers of him being on this planet, and she had always wanted to feel prepared to encounter him – a moment she knew was inevitable to come. However, it still took her by surprise. She had expected to see him at an event, or a meeting, or perhaps during a diner or in the hallways. But not in a place of knowledge, filled with books. He looked different from what she recalled, having seen him from the distance while he went on his rampage. He looked less mighty, older, perhaps a bit more human. As if recent past events had already left their scars on him.

She knew who he was. Probably he did not recognise her, did not know who she was or why she was here. Surely it would just be a coincidence seeing him here. Most likely, he was just seeking certain information from the library. Still, desperately wanting to get out of this situation, she went to walk past him, holding the book in front of her.

He did not say anything to her, as she reduced the distance between them step by step. She could not see whether he was looking at her, but it did not appear he had moved; either towards her or to let her pass.

As she was gearing up to leave this part of the library and circumvent him, her heart started pounding in her throat. As long as she would maintain her cool, she would surely be able to get out of there. By now, considering how he just stood still and did not communicate with her, she did not believe he would be assaulting her, although she needed to be prepared for it to happen. She should prevent acting too cool, as this could induce his anger. But also avoid acting too submissive, as this could trigger his hunting instinct. She needed to walk away with the certainty his soldiers and guards surrounded themselves with, allowing them to not draw any attention upon themselves. Neutral, she considered. Yes, a neutral approach would allow her to get out here surely.

Surely.

As she got within his reach to pass him, her heart started to beat heavier. It would be just a few steps before she would be beyond him.

Just a few steps. She kept on repeating this to herself.

Yet, he suddenly grabbed her arms and pushed her against a bookcase. She finally looked up in his eyes and saw pure rage. She had miscalculated what he would do. He knew. He somehow knew.

Rabban growled: “I am here to see the new pet Feyd brought from Arrakis. I heard you would be here.”

Before she could help herself, she said: “pet?”

He laughed: “you don't know, girl? You are only here to sooth the depraved urges of my brother.”

He thought of her as nothing more than a toy. This was not about her. This was about his brother. He did not know who she was, what she used to be, only what she was here on this planet.

She looked at him with wide open eyes, as he continued: “once he is done with you and found another toy, he will sell you to one of the pleasure houses. That is where you belong you, you Fremen rat. And what happens there is even too perverse for him.”

She gasped. Being referred to as a pet was one thing. It did not come at a surprise the Harkonnen brothers would use derogatory terms to refer to categorise others. Probably they would not address each other which much more respect. However, that the na-Baron would treat his accompanies like that, so atrocious: that was unacceptable. She could deal with a lot, but had expected him to have more honour than that.

Rabban must has seen her contempt and surprise reflected on her face as he started laughing. He bellowed as he explained: “that is what he always does. His pets are made to feel special, but don't think you are anything special little bird.” As that was not insult enough, he turned the metaphorical blade pressed in her flesh: “people here in Giedi Prime like the leftovers of their lords. They will stand in line for you, as they did with your predecessors. So don't worry. As long as you survive that, you still have value for your whore house, and will be kept alive.”

He took a second to bath in the fear her face showed: “although… some people pay extra to be the last person a whore sees while being fucked to death.”

“Fuck. You.” She responded and she tried to walk away. The first words she had uttered since coming to the library this morning. Her voice was still cold, so it came out her in a broken manner, suggesting that she felt powerless.

In no shape or form was Rabban intimidated by her or what she said. If anything, it fuelled his resolve. He liked going up against less powerful opponents, victims. Rabban wouldn't let her go: “I am happy that you offer. That is the reason I came to find you. You see, Feyd has taken something from me. And now I want to take something from him” as he moved closer to her.

While slowly glancing over her body he said: “I saw you on the training grounds. Multiple times. I saw what he did to you, how you squealed at his touch. He has broken you in well. You are his favourite entertainment.” He chuckled: “his favourite of the day. But, once another person plays with his toy, he loses all interest. And I now want to take away his favourite toy.”

His face and hold seemed to soften as he added: “don’t worry for him. He will find another slave to play with.” Glancing over her body he said: “I see why he is attracted to you. You know what, I will cut you a deal. As long as you pleasure me, obey me, submit to me, I may consider holding on to you for a while. Doesn’t that sound appealing? You will learn to love my touches.”

He was trying to intimidate her, and not doing a bad job at it. He was considerably larger than his brother; taller and heavier. With no-one here and a difficult escape she needed to fend for herself.

One of his arms moved up to grab her shoulder and push her down, as he grunted: “I am curious what makes you his favourite pet of the day. Get on your knees.”

Her heart started to race. Whatever chance there was left to make a peaceful getaway: it had evaporated. She would have given a lot to get out of this situation without a struggle in this place, but she also knew that this moment was inevitable. She would run into him, whether it was now or in the future, as nobody seemed to be taking care of him. He would find his way back to this planet, one way or another, for however long or short. He would always be seeing his brother as the root of all his misery, not to forget about how he felt about the Fremen leader that had delivered an important blow to get him ousted. Wit was not one of the traits mentioned by people when describing him, but even he would find out who she was at a certain moment. She needed to be prepared to face her destiny. She would be the one resolving the problems Harkonnen leadership had caused.

As his other arm moved to open his trousers in order to humiliate her in the sanctity of this womb of knowledge, she used the moment to swiftly move her arm alongside the inner part of his arm that was resting on her shoulder, in order to push it out of the way. She took the book she was still holding in both hands, shoved it into the bottom of his chin and wacked the side of his face with it. Closed quarter battle was something she was trained for in the rock formations of Arrakis, allowing her to throw a painful punch without much room. He took a step back, giving her just enough room to grab her daggers from under her jacket and get in a fighting position.

He looked at her: “so it is true.” His eyes had widened a bit as he touched his face. He did not bother to put his trousers back in order. He was clearly taken aback, and processing what had just happened.

“What… is true? Beast” she spat at him. She still did not know what to expect. Although she had always experienced him as very predictable in his strategies, the difficulty with people like him is that their actions can be very hard to predict. They don’t always think and act rational. This by themselves makes them more challenging adversaries.

“That you are a Fremen fighter. He really has outdone himself now. So, what do you do? Does he need to fight you before he can fuck you? Is that how he gets you to serve him? I can do that. Come here!” he growled with force. Through his bombastic chest he managed to create a deep impressive sound. Probably another trait carried by his genes.

She stared at him in distain: “is that all you got?” She was truly flabbergasted. She had anticipated he would have found it out by now, connected the dots. But still, it did not click. He disappointed her, even still. It triggered her anger: “I shouldn’t be surprised. You are a failure who is too scared for the battle ground. Running around, shouting and no action.” She gasped quickly and continued, as every second that she spat at him would hopefully bring him more out of balance, allowing her room to manoeuvre: “the only thing you do is slaughtering the people you should protect. I should have accepted the offer you cried from the city walls of Arrakeen and take you out of your misery a long time ago. That would have been better for everyone involved.”

Rabban was thinking, his voice increasing and his eyes nearly popping from his head as he spilled his thoughts: “no. It cannot be. You are the Fremen leader rat that attacked me? You are in my own home? He brought that piece of vermin into my own home? I heard the rumours and could not believe he actually did that.” He grabbed his head as he continued to shout: “captured by him, is what was said.” His head started to move violently around: “no, no, no. No, that is not true. You are part of the plot! You are the whore who helped him take Arrakis from me! You have planned this, together with him. And now he is fucking you to taunt me!”

“Just my luck that I find his little bitch here, all by herself, unprotected. I will fuck you to death at this very spot and dump your body in his bed” he screamed as his rage started coming up. He launched himself at her.

The moment she knew would come, now or in the future: it had come. She was smaller yet quicker and managed to dodge him just on time. He was like the buffalo, she had read about in ancient scriptures: once it finds its anger, it will place its head down and advance, not being able to be stopped by anything but lethal force. As she could not provide lethal force, not yet, the only thing she could do was dart away. The bookcase stopped his attack and also prevented him from falling, as she sliced the flesh of his arm. She had drawn blood, causing him to get madder and madder.

Her arms were quite short, so she needed to be careful. She was looking for a way to get past him. Escape would not be possible, as this isle only had one exit. An exit he was blocking with his humongous body. The bookshelves reached to the ceiling, so she could not escape through there to find a better location to fight him. She needed to get him enraged even more, so that he would let his guard down and she could attack him.

She decided to hit him where it hurt most. “All you Harkonnen warlords are pests. But you, you are a parody of your name. Of your brother. You are not half the man he is, and you know that. Everybody knows that.”

She saw his pale head getting red of anger. Veins in his neck starting to become increasingly visible. What she threw at him was causing him pain. She decided to throw more oil onto the fire: “and yes, he fucks me after we fight. And we fight after we fuck. We fuck while we fight. We fight while we fuck, if you care to know. I could speak for hours about the pleasure he brings me. I would never let you though. You do not compare to him. I cannot imagine any woman to ever be willing to be near you, unless forced under punishment of death. That must be horrible, having your younger brother being pursued by all these women while you just chase them away.”

“Silence bitch. I will silence you by choking you on my cock!” he screamed. His eyes were shooting in all directions towards her. As if to find a weak point he could attack. She knew he could not find anything, nothing he could not have already seen in any case. Nothing new.

She continued to taunt him, now using a melodious tone, almost like she was singing: “you were defeated by a woman. By me. I pushed you on your knees and exiled you from Arrakis. A failure is what you are. And it did not even take me that much effort, because you were too stupid to get your shit together. All the money, power and resources in the universe, and the only thing you could kill were babies. Here, do you want one of my daggers? Because that may even the odds for you a bit.” As if she was cuddling an angry toddler having a tantrum.

This was too much for him. He stopped thinking and started to throw punches at her, driving her to the wall behind her. A few landed. He had power, which started to take a toll on her. It was difficult for her to stab him, as he easily blocked her. But every time he did that, she managed to make a cut, however small or big.

He needed to get her drop the weapons, so he tried getting a hold of her hands. With a bit of effort and struggle he managed to get hold of one. She was taken by surprise. She did not expect him to take such a risk, and especially not to succeed. He now believed he would have the upper hand and get her to submit to him.

And this would have changed the balance a bit, if he would know what he was doing, and she would not be trained. But that was not the case, as her reflex was to twist her hand and slashed his wrist with the weapon she held in that hand in the process. He would have known about this, if he would have truly observed her fights with his brother. Quickly withdrawing her hand and slashing his chest before retreating and reaching in to cut again. It was all not much as she couldn't get too nearby him. It was not enough to kill him. But, it was enough to drain him.

Perhaps he knew his time was running out, perhaps he stopped thinking entirely and acted on instinct alone, as he bombarded himself in her reach to grab her throat. He was not trained to fight like this, while she would not be going down easily. Again, he was successful in his attempt, now getting hold of her neck. This allowed him to try to push her to the floor to get her to relinquish the weapons. Getting out of this position would prove more difficult.

But she could not relinquish her weapons, as it was a major element in allowing her to balance the odds between them. It would never be an option. Losing was never an option, not against him. She had too much to revenge to not win, and too much to lose if he would win. She felt quick flowing lava filling her veins allowing her to tap into new energy. Everything he had threatened her with, was recalled. Taunting her to be sold off inferior to cattle. This triggered her memories to the most important reason she fled the orphanage when she was young. She remembered how her friends, her family, her people: all slaughtered by his hands, by his incompetence. The suffering he had caused. The pain. The fear she had lived in to encounter him here on this planet.

She would not be having this. She would win. She needed to win. She would be victorious. He was too pathetic to allow her to lose against him.

She let herself fall to the ground, causing disbalance in him. He either needed to let her go or fall with her. With the motion in place, he needed to decide instantly. He did the former, causing him to release her as expected, exposing his legs without any protection.

He did not see coming what she was planning to do. Ever step he took showed how ill prepared he was. It was an insult to this house he belonged to. It was an insult to his brother, however much she may detest him at times.

She made a deep cut in one of his legs, pushed herself away and leaped up while looking at him. She needed to catch her breath, but also knew he would be using any opportunity of inaction on her side to come for her. So, she decided she needed continued to cut, to stab, plenishing her stamina with quick superficial breaths.

A last push to resolve this discussion. Her heart was beating so hard. Sweat was dripping down her back. Ever single fibre in her body was tense. Her senses were at their peak. She had never been in such a physically draining situation. Her hands tied to her weapons. The weapons tied to her body. They were one. Her hands had become blades.

Her barrage was enough to get him to take steps back. Where she was tapping into new energy, energy started to drain from him. He was losing the one thing that would give him the upper hand: his strength.

He stumbled.

This was her moment. The moment she had been waiting for. The moment that could turn the tables for ever. He had made the grave mistake of allowing her room. Room she would not use to escape, but to end all if this. She used it to leap behind him and climb his back.

He did not know what was happening. It was all too foreign to him. She had done something similar before with his brother, while he had abducted her, who knew that he needed to get up and crash his back into a wall. That was the best way to get her to relinquish her position. But he did not know what to do. He was not trained for this, he could not think clearly, he was a giant ready to fall.

While she was mounted to his back, holding on to him with her legs and by grabbing his coat, she started to stab him. The knifes held by her hands slithered into the fairly soft tissue that formed his fat covered muscle. In and out did her blade go, with every stroke racking up more blood to escape his body. It would have become more difficult to hold her daggers, if they had not been so excellently designed by the order of his brother.

He knew he needed to start to protect his head and his neck, as he would otherwise lose more important parts of his body, so he threw the only thing he had to sacrifice into the battle: his arms and his hands. It did help to protect his vital parts, but it came at a cost. Soon, his hands, arms and shoulders were covered in cuts.

Meanwhile, she felt her arms getting tired, but the knives were so well polished that the main thing that drained her was lifting her arms and not so much the pushing or slashing motion. Apart from that: she was on a rampage with nearly unlimited energy.

Everything became red before her eyes, in her head. She had lost herself. She too stopped thinking and followed what she was dictated to do by her gut.

He needed to die here and now.

She stabbed and stabbed and stabbed. She sliced, she cut, she chopped.

This would now end.

She was controlled by basic brutal instinct.

This could go on for ages. She lost track of time. It felt like it went on for ages.

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Other parts listed on my pinned post