#I am now a homeowner | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

megamindsecretlair · 13 days ago

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'Twas the Night

Pairing: Terry Richmond x Black!Fem!/ Plus Size reader

Warnings: 18+, Minors DNI, You are in charge of your own reading experience. Intentional use of AAVE. FLUFF, SMUT. Cursing, teasing, PIV, oral (male and female receiving), fingering (female receiving), minor OC lore (sorry!) Use of pet name. Mentions of the n-word, all consensual. Bad jokes, a different side to Terry. Sorry if I missed some. (Some meta jokes and winks and self-indulgent asf)

Summary: Treating yourself to a winter writing getaway, you are startled when the homeowner forgot to mention the 6’3 handyman that came by to fix things around the house. You find an unlikely friendship with the man, opening up about your romance novel. But when you confess that you need some inspiration, Terry is all too happy to be of service.

Word Count: 19,198k

AO3 Link

A/N: WHEW. Forgive me for being late, I was nervous about this one. It's self-indulgent like a MF. I love this Reader and Terry SOOOO bad. I had a hard time letting this one end. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Toss a coin to your blogger by leaving a comment, gif, or unhinged ask.

Snow crunched under your tire as you pulled up to the quaint cabin at the top of the mountain. You leaned forward in your seat, looking up at the address to make sure it matched. It did. This was the place.

You were glad the outside matched the picture. You couldn’t count how many times you arrived at an Air B&B, just for the lister to pull some fuck shit.

For now, it looked like it lived up the hype. And you made it in time to watch the sun set over North Carolina a little later. You gripped the steering wheel and squealed with delight. This was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

You rolled your truck up to the small, attached garage and got out of the car. You went up the wooden steps to the wide porch that looked ripped from a magazine. There was a hunter green swing set with a pillowed pad on top of the bench. It even had cute throw pillows to match.

Per the owner’s instructions, you were able to easily find the key box disguised as a lantern. You unscrewed the false bottom, retrieved the key and garage door opener, and replaced the bottom.

You headed back to the awaiting truck, looking back at the cabin. You still couldn’t believe that this was all yours for the next two months while you worked on your latest novel. Your family was sad about you missing Christmas and New Year’s with them, but you had all grown out of the traditions. There was no point to be around just to be around.

By the end of this, you were going to have a rough draft to show your agent. That was a guarantee. You pulled your beanie down before getting back in your truck and pulled into the garage.

You entered and turned on lights as you went through the house, familiarizing yourself with the layout and decor. The owner went with a sage green theme, the cabinets in the kitchen painted to match the small fireplace in the living room adjacent to it. There was a throw blanket in the living room with the same color and you had a hunch that the bedroom would be much the same.

The cabin held two distinct buildings with a short hallway to connect it. The bedroom was modest, room enough to not feel claustrophobic but it wasn’t huge either. You checked and true to form, the bedroom held nothing electrical in it.

The king sized bed was almost too big for the room, but it really brought everything together. And yes, there was a sage green throw across the foot of the bed. The artwork on the walls were as non-offensive as possible, full of pictures of trees and animals.

You pulled your phone from your jacket pocket and started recording. “Hey ya’ll, I made it safe and sound. And it’s like the pictures so it’s not a scam! I am loving all these windows but ugh, can these people do anything other than white curtains, white sheets, and pastels? Like damn, I don’t know if I feel safe around all this white!”

You giggled as you went through the house, checking things out but mostly checking for anything weird or creepy. No cameras, no drilled holes, no false paintings. You showed a few things around the house and then flipped the camera towards you.

“I am signing off, my loves. I’ve got my inspection to do. Love you bunches, I hope to be two-hundred and seventy pages heavier after this!” You blew a kiss into the camera and then sent it to your friends and family.

Almost immediately, your mom started in on the issue with you being out in the mountains by yourself. Your sister piped in to remind your mom that you were grown, still in the state, and it was pretty sexist to say a woman needed a man to protect her all the time.

“Exactly,” you agreed out loud. You put up your phone and then really got to business. You took off your purple jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the door. You took off your purple hoodie and hung that up as well.

You put on your headphones and your favorite cleaning playlist, full of hip hop and R&B oldies. Then, you retrieved cleaning supplies from your car and went through the house with a fine-tooth comb.

Some may call you…odd. And that was fair. You knew how annoying you could be about cleanliness, but you just really wanted to avoid getting sick. You turned into an entire baby when you got sick and considering no one was around to give you said princess treatment, it was best to remain healthy.

That and people were just plain fucking nasty.

Luckily, it seemed like this cabin was professionally cleaned. You mostly sanitized every surface you could find, dancing and shaking your booty to the songs as they came on. “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross came on while you were mopping the kitchen.

You danced around the small kitchen in your mop slippers, singing into the mop handle as if it were a microphone. You sang along with Luther at the top of your lungs, badly, and let the song keep you energized.

You headed to the bedroom with a black light to check over the sheets and mattress. There were a few specks of mysterious origins which was to be expected, but the mattress was fresh. The sheets were clean as well, but you weren’t going to hop in someone else’s sheets anyway.

You hauled deep rose bedding into the room from your car and made up the bed how you liked. You brought your own pillows as well, fluffing it on top. Now the space was starting to feel comfortable. Your anxiety lowered inch by smooth inch.

You looked around the bedroom, scanning for anything you might have missed. Your eyes caught on the window, on the mix of oranges and pinks.

“Shit!” You screamed as you tore through the house, towards the kitchen, and made you a quick cup of tea. You doctored it how you liked and then added cold water. You took the mug and your own blanket outside to the back porch.

The owner had built another world in the backyard. The patio was covered with an awning that connected to the house. There were egg chairs and a sofa set up around a stylish oak table. Plants sat in planters around the area and there was a rug underneath the table. Fairy lights were strewn about giving the space a warm glow.

“Oh fuck yessss,” you groaned, sitting down in the comfy egg chair and looked out over the open back yard. The grass was vividly green, swaying slightly with the light breeze. Woods encroached the perimeter, thick with leaves and underbrush. Anything could be out there, adding to the mystery and awe it inspired.

You draped the throw around your shoulders and then sat in silence, watching the sunset. Soft blues were chased out of the sky by pinks, oranges, and the softest purples blending into the pitch black sky.

Stars winked on as if there were tiny caretakers igniting each one. Your mind spun with idea after idea, but these you would let pass. Not everything had to be about writing. Some things just needed to be experienced.

The tea kept you warm as the temperature dropped more and more. When your nose got too cold and you sniffed one too many times, you finally packed it in and went back to cleaning. Your playlist kept you upbeat as you cleaned out the bathroom.

Done with everything, you finally felt comfortable enough to shower. Scrubbing the day away with your favorite soap nearly made you ascend to another plane. You giggled to yourself as your mind spun once more, crafting a whole silly scenario just because.

You sighed. You needed a man. Well, okay, ‘needed’ was a strong word. But you were giving up comedy gold over here. There should be someone around to witness it! Then again, did you really want to explain your quirks to someone?

You shook your head. You were not here for all of that. You were here to get some much needed writing done away from your family and friends. You knew they meant well, but it was almost pathological with the way they relied so heavily on you.

As much you knew that they loved you, you also wondered if they even saw you as a human being with your own interests. They knew you needed to write and yet they came bursting in anyway, calling, texting, bugging to no end. You were tired of explaining that you weren’t rejecting them, you just needed to focus on writing.

Either they truly didn’t get it or they willfully ignored your needs. And you just didn’t have time for that. When your editor, Vanessa, suggested that you made enough money now that a writing retreat was well within your budget, it was like a wake up call.

Of course. The solution was right there. You immediately hopped on Google to determine which place called to you more. You always wanted a winter writing escape and a few keystrokes later, you were on your way with your family scratching their heads.

You dried yourself off in the bathroom and lotioned yourself up. You left the bathroom in a cloud of scented steam. You opted for a pair of panties and an oversized red T-shirt that reached down to your knees. The place had central heating but you didn’t want to turn it up too much. Just enough to warm the wooden flooring.

You spent the next hour making tacos, the heavenly aroma of meat and salsa making your mouth water. You cleaned as you went, not wanting to spend the next morning doing dishes. The cabinet below the sink squeaked and you debated telling Mr. Omar about it. It was something small but if you were going to be there for a while, you’d rather not deal with the inconvenience. Ehh, it was small. No need to bother the man for that.

All done, you brought your plate to the living room and camped out, finding something to watch. You had been hearing so much about that show called Rivals on Hulu so you decided to watch it. When the first episode started, you screeched at the TV. It literally opened with someone joining the Mile High Club.

For the rest of the night, you relaxed and zoned out. It was hard for you to truly relax, to truly turn your brain off and just enjoy something. But practice made perfect, so practice you will.

When you yawned for the fifth time in two minutes, you finally gave up the ghost. You turned everything off and put up the food you made. Then you turned everything off as you headed down the short hallway to the bedroom.

It was pitch black inside. Perfect. You only used your bedroom for sleeping and fucking. It signaled to your body that enough was truly enough. No distractions, no connections, nothing to prevent your body from sinking into sleep. And it worked every time.

You crawled into the comfy bed, soothed by the familiar smell of your bedsheets. Your brain blissfully shut up and you fell into a lovely, dream-filled sleep.

You woke up naturally early in the morning. The white curtains in this room were heavier than what was in the rest of the house, allowing limited lighting to reach the bed. Plus, the sun didn’t shine on this side so the added shade soothed your overworked eyes as soon as you got up.

This…you sighed. This was what you needed. You felt so good having true silence for once. No one around, no one bugging you, no one bringing you into their drama, no one leaning on you, no one calling you. It got to the point where you were beginning to hate the sound of your name. Too many people used it to demand your attention, demand your time, and then curse you in the same breath when you retreated and wanted to recharge your mental batteries.

This would likely have to become a tradition. From now on, you would have to choose an Air B&B to get the first draft over with. At least after that, you had the idea out of your head and you could cobble it together among the noise of your demanding family. The brainstorming stage was the most crucial; you could not afford distractions.

You were itching to write but you knew that you needed to eat something first. You got up from bed, scratching beneath your bonnet as you picked your way down the short hallway to the other side of the house.

A heavy boot clanged on something metal, drawing your attention to the kitchen where a tall man dug through your cabinets. You screamed, hopping in place from foot to foot. The man turned around with a jump revealing…a pretty face.

You ran towards the fireplace and grabbed a poker, brandishing it like a spear. “Who the fuck are you?!” You demanded, pulling your shirt down. Fuck. You should’ve worn pants. Well, no, fuck that, he shouldn’t be in your place!

The man lifted his hands and revealed a screwdriver in his hand. “Wait, hol’ on,” he said. His deep voice was unexpected, sounding like a crack of fire on a cold, wintery night.

You moved the poker around in the air, looking around for any other men that may be lurking. The cabin was small enough, the kitchen not too far from the living room. But, besides the bathroom, you could see everything at a glance. You looked out of the windows anyway, searching for any other cars or trucks outside.

“I’m Mr. Omar’s handyman. He asked me to fix the cabinet,” the man said. His scruffy facial hair framed his symmetrical face and hid his lush lips. His eyes were intense, the color of a storm right as it kissed the ocean, and his eyebrows arched severely. He was unreal. But hot or not, he was still a stranger.

His eyes drew down to your legs and you tugged on your shirt as if you could conjure more material. “You think I’m going to buy that? What are you really doing here? You read his mail?” You asked.

You hadn’t seen any mail laying around the place when you cleaned the day before, but that didn’t mean anything. Maybe he dug through the trash or hacked Mr. Omar’s emails.

The man sighed and shook his head. “You watch too much TV,” he said.

“And you need to answer my questions. Who the hell are you?” You asked.

The man kept his hands up but lowered his elbows. “I’m the handyman,” he said, putting emphasis on the word as if that helped. “Terry.”

You squinted at him as you looked around the living room for your phone. You had plugged it in before you went to sleep, but it was hard to look for it and keep an eye on the man.

He watched you and tilted his head. You scowled. Was he just humoring you? If that motherfucker tried anything, he’d lose one of those perfectly sculpted eyes.

You snatched your phone from the end table besides the couch. You held the poker up as a deterrent but the man - “Terry” - didn’t move. He watched you, hands up, calm as a cucumber. If he was a thief or a rapist, he was the worst one you’d ever seen. Or maybe he was the smartest.

You sized him up as you dialed the homeowner’s phone number. “We’re gonna see about you, nigga,” you said. You brought the phone to your ear as Terry smirked.

“I’d believe that more if your voice wasn’t so squeaky,” he said.

“I do not have a squeaky voice!” You yelled.

Terry smirked again, tilting his head as if you just proved his point. “Can I put my hands down?”

“No,” you said. Mr. Omar didn’t answer on the first ring so you tried again.

“Just like a chipmunk,” Terry said. Terry sighed and then leaned against the nearest sink, making you look at the full length of him. He wore dark wash jeans, heavy tan boots, and a black hoodie. He also wore a cream colored beanie pulled low over his head. It ought to be a damn sin to be so fine.

“Hello?” Mr. Omar’s accented voice came on the line. The subtle African pronunciations made you curious about where he was from but you were too chicken to ask.

“Mr. Omar! There is a man in the rental claiming to be your ‘handyman’,” you said, managing to give Terry air quotes around the poker.

Terry smirked and licked his lips, drawing attention to them. They were so pink and big. The more you paid attention to his features, the more striking he became. He looked like a painting made real. Or like one of those artist renditions of Egyptian royalty.

“Ah yes, Terry-Terry. Good man,” Mr. Omar said.

You sighed and turned your head. “What does he look like then?” You asked.

The poker grew heavier now that Mr. Omar vouched for the man. However, you weren’t ready to lower it just yet.

“Tall and like Mufasa,” Mr. Omar said.

You snapped your eyes to Terry, comparing him to a lion. Nah, he was more like a Scar to be honest. But still, the image wouldn’t leave your mind and your thighs responded, tingling with awareness.

You scowled at Terry who pressed his lips together. “Can I lower them now?” He asked, amusement written all over his face.

“Where’s your ID?” You asked.

Terry sighed. “I’m not handing over my ID to a chipmunk,” he said.

You squeaked with an indignant huff and Terry shrugged his shoulders. “Is that all you need?” Mr. Omar asked.

“Why didn’t you tell me he was coming by?” You asked. You lowered the poker down by your waist, business end sticking out in case this Terry character wanted to try you.

“Forgive me, my memory. I’m an old man,” he said. You rolled your eyes. He was far from an old man, in his early fifties and looked young enough to be a senior at college. The man kept himself fit and in shape, telling you all about his fitness journey during the many conversations you had about the property.

“Right. Thanks, Mr. Omar,” you grumbled and hung up with him. Okay, so the man was legit. But that didn’t explain why he didn’t ring the doorbell.

“I didn’t know anyone was here, I’m sorry. Just let me fix a few things on my list and I’ll be out your hair,” he said.

“Can’t you come back when I’m…” you trailed off and clicked your mouth shut. You were going to tell him to come back when your getaway was over but he didn’t need to know your timeline. He could swing back around and murk your ass.

“When you’re done gathering nuts to hibernate?” He asked.

“Fuck you, I’m not a chipmunk,” you said, smiling despite yourself.

Terry lowered his arms and then made a show of putting the screwdriver down. “Do I get to know your name?” He asked.

You debated giving him even that much, but the manners that were drilled into you refused to let you be rude. You tugged on your shirt and his eyes followed the motion. His focus was…unnerving. You cleared your throat and told him your name. He repeated it one more time and you nodded, a tingle going up your spine at the way he rolled the syllables around with that slight Carolina accent.

“Nice to meet you. Now that we’re good, can you point that somewhere else?” He asked.

You sighed and rolled your eyes. “Like you were even scared of it,” you said. You placed the poker down on the coffee table. The metal clinked against the glass top but your eyes were glued to Terry’s.

Terry chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “You and your mouseketeers are s’posed to be good at fencing,” he said.

“You know what! You get on my damn nerves!” You said and laughed, giving in to his bad jokes.

“Can I do my job?” He asked.

You were still wary about him being in the house while you were practically naked. You glanced away from him, looking at how far the bedroom was. “How many things do you have to do?” You asked.

“Mr. Omar left me a honey-do,” he said.

You sighed. You didn’t like this one bit. You hadn’t planned on having a visitor while you got into the rhythm of things. But you also didn’t want this man to come back. Though…that wouldn’t totally be the worst thing.

You licked your lips and looked between him and the bedroom. You didn’t want to linger on him but fuck, it was like one look wasn’t enough. Every time you looked at him, you noticed something different about him.

“Tell you what. I’ll spread it out. I’ll only do a few things at a time. Deal?” He asked. He held out his hand, beckoning you to come closer. That was how all horror movies started. The devil himself smirked at you and you scowled, understanding exactly how Eve broke. Had you been her, you wouldn’t have stopped at just the apple.

“Deal, I guess,” you said.

Terry lowered his hand and nodded. “Deal. You won’t even know I’m here,” he said.

Riiiiight. “Just…stay out here. I hear a boot coming down the hall and it’s game over,” you said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, making his accent thicker. The mischief in his eyes made you scowl harder. But his eyes dropped lower and lower and you pulled on your shirt.

You made a beeline to your room, slammed the door shut, and sighed heavily. This was unreal. Absolutely unreal.

You grabbed the nearest pair of sweatpants, yanked it on, and then took a few more deep breaths. You listened for any sense of movement, any creak of the floorboards, or sound of breathing. When there wasn’t any, you cracked open the door.

You headed towards the kitchen to find Terry exactly where you left him, bent over the cabinet as he fixed the hinge. At your approach, he stopped and looked sideways at you. His side profile was lethal, jawline sharp enough to cut glass.

Your belly flipped and you held it like it was a traitor. As if it could give you away. You breezed past him and grabbed your laptop off of the kitchen island, clutching it to your chest as you carried it to the living room and curled up in the corner of the couch.

From this angle, Terry couldn’t sneak behind you and you had a full view of him as he worked. You opened your laptop and opened up your notes for your latest novel. You had the major plot ideas down but you needed to flesh in your characters.

As you researched, adding pins on Pinterest for inspiration, you couldn’t forget that Terry was there no matter what else you did.

He moved with grace like he was completely in tune with his body. The delicate way he held and used the tools drew your attention to his long, thick fingers. Every so often, his tongue stuck out of his mouth as he worked, screwing the bolt down or digging for another screw. He was a distraction and a half.

“You need a picture?”

You gasped as you blinked, coming back to reality. Terry looked sideways at you, his eyes low and sleepy-like.

Wow, your thoughts were not holy. You mentally slapped some sense into yourself. This man was a stranger. A very fine, gorgeous stranger, but an hour ago, you thought he was going to kill you. Be so real right now.

“What?” You asked.

“You were staring,” he said.

“Was not,” you said and sat back on the couch.

“Was to,” he said, testing the cabinet by swinging it back and forth. It didn’t squeak so Terry dropped into a squat to investigate the cabinet below the sink. The stretch of the squat revealed a gorgeous ass to match.

That was it. The man wasn’t real. He had to be conjured from God’s own imagination. God was just showing out when he made Terry and it wasn’t fair. All that fine piece of meat…

Speaking of, you added “piece of meat” under your male character’s profile in your notes. “For your nosy information, staring off into the distance is part of my process. If you happen to step into my line of sight, that’s on you,” you said.

“That right?” He asked and you could hear the humor in his deep voice.

“Uh-huh,” you said. You typed a few more notes, taking in tiny details about Terry. The slope of his shoulders. The curve of his brow. His high cheekbones. Your male character came together more quickly in your mind now that you had a model to work off of.

The cabinet squeaked, breaking you of your thoughts. “It’s singing the song of your people, you know,” Terry said.

You sucked your teeth and Terry chuckled. “Me and you are going to fight,” you said.

“I got a ladder if you want to use it,” he said.

You rolled your eyes and pinched your lips together. He was really going to make you scream. “Are you always this annoying?” You asked.

“I can be worse,” he said.

You stared off into an invisible camera. You could hear the laugh track now. You shook your head and decided to ignore his shenanigans. You fell into a comfortable silence somehow, typing away as more and more ideas came to you. It was no longer weird that there was a strange man in the cabin. Despite being so big, he had an uncanny ability to take up as little space as possible.

“What are you working on? You a writer or somethin’?” He asked.

“Yeah, what gave me away?” You asked.

“The laptop,” he said.

You sucked your teeth and hid your smile behind your hands, pretending like you were suffering the sting of a thousand cuts. Terry chuckled. “I know you want to laugh,” he said.

“Do not,” you said and moved your hands, settling on a smile. That was all his fine ass deserved.

“You write anything I may have read?” He asked. The hinge on the cabinet knocked against the wood as Terry pried it off with the screwdriver. His hands really were huge and you briefly wondered what it’d feel like wrapped around your ass.

You pressed your thighs together and adjusted yourself on the couch. This man was proving dangerous afterall. One meeting with him and you were picturing disgusting scenarios to write.

“Umm, no, my books wouldn’t be your speed,” you said.

“I like nature though. I’m sure a chipmunk survival guide would be right up my alley,” he said.

“The door is right there,” you said, chuckling. He truly got on your damn nerves. But you wanted to hear more. His voice was smooth and deep, a weakness for sure. Your voice kink was in hyperdrive, teasing out every way he sounded out words and syllables to be replayed later in your mind.

“C’mon, what do you write?” He asked. He glanced at you briefly before returning to replacing the hinge. He dropped to his knees as he worked, putting him in a position to arch his back.

Mm, mm, mm. You eye-fucked him as he leaned forward, holding the hinge in place while he screwed in the first screw. He leaned back to dig into the tool box by his feet and you looked away, heat flashing over your skin.

You did not know this man. You did not know this man. You did not –

“Not gon’ tell me?” He asked.

“What happened to not knowing you were even there?” You asked. He was worse than your folks at home. If you wanted to be harassed, you would have saved yourself the money.

“You’re the one staring,” he said.

You took a deep breath to keep from cussing. Maybe it was his face. Maybe he was too pretty to yell at. Or maybe he was so pretty it spurned you to want to hit him. Because as much as you wanted to smack him, you wanted to smack his ass even more.

Sweet fuck you needed to get laid. Maybe you’d redownload that dating app your friends made you download after your last book. You deleted it because apparently, guys took offense when all you wanted was sex from them.

“I write books,” you said, chickening out at the last minute. It wasn’t exactly easy to tell people that you wrote explicit shifter romances. Urban fantasy settings let you have the best of both worlds. Modern technology combined with fantasy and magic, blended together, and created something that scratched all of your itches.

“What kind of books?” He asked.

“Paperbacks,” you said.

Terry chuckled and shook his head. “If you don’t say, I’m going to start guessing,” he said.

You groaned and Terry chuckled at your theatrics. You held up your hand. “Please, spare me. If you must know, I write romance novels,” you said.

“Romance novels…like the ones where the guys have a forty inch dick, eight feet tall, and long flowing red hair?” Terry asked.

You howled with mirth as that image was now seared into your brain. “Ew, yuck! Why! Why would you make me picture that?” You asked when you had enough air in your lungs to breathe.

“I’m just shooting the shit. That’s wassup though,” he said.

“Thank you,” you said slowly, full suspicion. Terry chuckled but didn’t say anything further as he continued working on the cabinets.

You went back to your brainstorming, filling in details about your female main character. You searched for her fatal flaw, the lie she told herself in order to survive before the meet cute with the main male character.

You sighed. You ought to give them names. But you were not prepared to deal with the ads on Nameberry or clicking endlessly on name generators. But you couldn’t very well keep calling them ‘female main character’ and ‘male main character’.

You brought up Nameberry first in the hopes that you’d find something quicker using the alphabet lists. A Q name would be cute. Qianna? Ugh, there weren’t many cute Q names.

“I didn’t know writing could be so hard core,” Terry said.

You looked at him over the top of your laptop with a scowl. “Are you almost done? You’re stinking up the place,” you said.

Terry chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll finish out the cabinets and come by tomorrow for the shower and air filters,” he said.

“What’s wrong with the shower?” You asked. The way he said it…he could make even the most innocent words sound naughty. Because now, you were thinking of the shower. And him in the shower. And all those suds dripping down his naked body…

“Water bill is going up. So Mr. Omar wants me to check for a leak,” he said.

You hadn’t noticed anything but you weren’t a professional handyman either. “How’d you come to be here, Terry?” You asked.

Terry slanted his eyes towards you. “Curious about me?” He asked.

You rolled your eyes. “I could go back to ignoring you,” you said.

“I’d believe that if you weren’t staring so much.”

You took a deep breath and Terry waved you off. “I’ll stop. I got into some deep shit a year back. I wanted to take my mind off it by being as busy as possible. Working with my hands relaxes my mind,” he said.

You nodded. You could respect that. “You live around here?”

“Mr. Omar has another spot up the ways. I work on his properties and I get to stay for free,” he responded.

You sighed wistfully. The things you would do to be able to have an arrangement like that. Only without the handyman part, because fuuuuuck that. “Your family doesn’t miss you?” You asked.

Terry took a measured breath and paused briefly inworking. He then screwed in the final screw and tested the cabinet door, no squeak to be found. “Naw. Not really,” he said quietly.

Duly noted. Shutting up. This was why you weren’t that social. You had a particular knack for picking up on shit people didn’t want to discuss. You hid behind your laptop screen, hunting for more names for your main characters.

Gabrielle was always a cute girl name to you. Now for the perfect boy name…Rashad…Theo…Wesley? Wesley and Gabrielle? That sounded kind of cute together. You put it on the list of maybes and continued hunting for different pairs just in case. Though each one you found didn’t spark as much interest as Wesley and Gabrielle.

“I’m done for the day. In case you had a change of heart,” Terry said.

“Nice try. I didn’t get any work done because of you,” you said.

Terry smirked, eyes crinkling in the corners. “Then my job’s really done,” he said.

You groaned playfully and put your laptop down on the coffee table. You had pants on now but you still felt exposed. Like you were still standing there half-naked. Terry’s eyes tracked down your body as if he recalled your bare legs as well.

You weren’t stupid. You knew he had a passing interest. But what man wouldn’t after living up in the mountains of North Carolina? You doubted he was starving for female attention and you had a book to finish, come hell or high water. Pretty distractions like him did you no justice.

You’d just have to pull out ole reliable, Laz Alonso. Thinking of that man already had you hot and bothered and the vibrator you brought with you would have to be more than sufficient to get you through the winter.

You approached Terry cautiously as he packed away his tools. You openly stared at his backside as he closed the tool box and stood up to his full height. He was so damn tall. Guys like him just didn’t exist in real life. It wasn’t fair.

Terry walked to the front door ahead of you. You kept some distance, not wanting to give him a chance to get too close. Your alarms were still on high alert though he did a good job of putting you at ease.

As he crossed the threshold, your stomach rumbled. Loudly. In all the excitement and hubbub, you forgot to grab food. Terry turned to the sound, stopping a few feet from the front door.

“There’s a bar down the mountain if you ever want to get out the house,” he said.

You pinched your lips. “That doesn’t sound too bad. But maybe not today,” you said and leaned against the door jam. The cold air blew into the warm house, instantly raising goosebumps on your arms.

Terry nodded. “You change your mind, let me know,” he said. “And if you notice anything that needs fixing, definitely let me know.”

You smiled. The thoughts he conjured…”Thanks, I truly appreciate it. But how would I let you know?”

Terry chuckled. He nodded towards the kitchen. “I left my number on the fridge. Need anything, just call.”

You glanced back towards the fridge and saw a few sticky notes on it. You turned to him and nodded. “I’m glad you turned out to not be a creep.”

Terry nodded. “I’m glad you take your safety seriously. Most people don’t. Lock up after me,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” you said, deepening your voice.

Terry huffed a laugh and shook his head. “Can’t hide that voice, sorry,” he said.

“Shut up! And get home safely, Terry,” you said.

Terry took the steps down fast and then spun around to walk backwards. “Worried about me, chipmunk?”

You rolled your eyes. “No, I’d rather not explain to Mr. Omar why his handyman couldn’t finish around the house,” you called out to him, raising your voice the further away he walked.

He waved to you, making it to his truck parked a ways in front of the front door. It was a big blue truck with a larger bed than most you’ve seen. It suited him though. And his rugged appearance. He didn’t strike you as the type to drive a luxury SUV and complain about his shoes getting soaked through from the snow.

You went back into the warm house, shut the door, and locked it behind you. You tapped on it once, turning away with a smile. Now…down to real business.

True to his word, Terry came over nearly every day for the next two weeks fixing things around the house. He managed to find a way to annoy the ever loving hell out of you, but he also made you laugh so hard, you nearly snorted tea out of your nose.

You found inspiration with the little things he did or said. Until “Wesley”, your male main character, started to move and sound like Terry in your mind. You would feel bad, except there was no chance in hell Terry would ever read this book. Ever.

The beginning came together smoothly in your mind. Wesley, the too-serious wolf shifter investigator, was married to his work, only going home long enough to eat, shower, and sleep. Gabrielle, the famous tech genius by day, was also a major thief by night. And as a surprise to no one, Wesley didn’t know he was investigating Gabrielle’s latest crime, the theft of a magic orb from a private collection.

Now…where could they bump into each other… a blind date sounded interesting to you but nothing too easy. Nothing too cliche. Hmm…grocery store? She stumbles upon him after shift? Maybe it’s a full moon and he protects her?

You groaned and backspaced. You were thinking too hard on this one. This one wasn’t coming together in your mind. You looked back over your character descriptions; maybe there was something there to spark interest.

Heavy boots stomped down the hallway from the bedroom as Terry had taken a look at the closet door. So many broken hinges. What were people renting this house for? Parties where they pretended to be animals, swinging from the ceiling?

You snorted at your own joke just as Terry entered the living room. You looked at him and stopped laughing but Terry raised an eyebrow. “Don’t stop on my account,” he said.

He chose a dark gray hoodie this time, the same cream colored beanie, and dark jeans. His toolbox was held loosely in his big hands, and your body flushed with heat. Lost in the brainstorming fog, you hadn’t had a chance to play with Laz and your body reminded you of that. Painfully.

“All done in the bedroom?” You asked.

Terry eyed you and you blinked innocently at him. Even as his eyes made your pussy flutter. Down girl, down girl, DOWN girl…

“Done. Unless you found something I need to fix?” He asked.

You squinted at him but for once, his face was unreadable. You couldn’t tell if that was supposed to be a double entendre or not. Maybe you were just a horny mess. You’d have to look at your period tracker to see if you were ovulating. Because at the moment, you were one step away from asking that man to fix your dripping pussy.

“No, no, no, no. All good,” you muttered. If you couldn’t get some, then at least you could write the filthiest things for Wesley and Gabrielle. As soon as you figured out how they meet.

Terry moved into the kitchen, setting his toolbox down. “I’ll check the windows. There’s a storm moving up here in a week or so. You good on firewood?” He asked.

“I can’t just use the heater?” You asked.

“What if the power goes out?” He asked.

“That really happens? Or are you trying to scare me?” You asked. Well damn. You didn’t have the power going out on your list of tragedies that could happen while you were out here. You knew it could happen but it was rare that you experienced it. One of the pitfalls of staying in someone else’s place. You didn’t have all of your emergency kits.

There was one in your rental car but that was inadequate as hell. You sighed. Fuck. You were going to have to venture into town anyway. You glanced at your laptop. You had the major story beats fleshed out, but filling in the rest was giving you a headache behind your eye.

Still, you itched to keep going after it with a hammer. You wanted to keep pushing yourself and see if you couldn’t solve your problem. It was like you just weren’t feeling this one for some reason, despite being overjoyed at the sexy idea.

“Not trying to scare you,” he promised.

You pouted. “I haven’t tried lighting a fire yet. So I don’t know about the firewood,” you said, feeling like you were five years old for not checking something so crucial. But! You would give yourself grace. You didn’t know before but now you’d make it a point to check everything before venturing off to la la land in your head.

Terry nodded. “I’ll check then,” he said.

“Thank you. Really,” you said.

“My pleasure, chipmunk,” he said with a chuckle.

“You get on my damn nerves!” You yelled after him as he left the house with a booming chuckle. You shook your head as you waited for him to return.

Though this was meant to be a retreat for you, to explore on your own without the watchful eye of your family, you kind of liked having Terry around. He managed to pull you from your spiraling about your writing in the nick of time. You were able to return to your novel with a second wave of inspiration.

But this meet cute was kicking your Black ass. Like this should have been the easiest part. But it was often the easiest parts that tripped you up the most.

Terry reentered the house, kicking his shoes on the mat before stepping inside. The door banged shut behind him, a strong wind passing over you before dispersing in the warm house.

“Firewood’s low. After it thaws a bit, I’ll chop more,” he said.

Mmm, Terry…chopping wood…mm, mm, mm. You had to go on a date with Laz tonight. Maybe a little post nut clarity would work in your favor.

“Thanks. Is there anything I can get you from the store? I’ll need to head down the mountain after all,” you said.

“Road may be slippery right now. You’d be better off going tomorrow,” he said. He pulled his toolbox closer and flipped it open.

You placed your laptop on the coffee table in front of you and then stood up, letting your inside throw blanket slip from your shoulders. You stretched, your limbs and back popping in some areas as you twisted one way and then another.

You crossed closer to him, going towards the kitchen for a cup of tea. If you were going to brave the outside world, you’d need a little help. As the kettle warmed up on the counter, you faced Terry and leaned against the edge.

How to put this without sounding batshit crazy? “It’s important for me to go today,” you said. “Preferably before the sun goes down.”

Terry scrunched up his face. “Is there a special vampire version of chipmunks I don’t know about?”

“You get on my nerves!” You said and giggled. Terry smirked with you as you giggled and you slowly quieted down. You cleared your throat. “No, it’s just important. I do take my safety seriously. Maybe more so than most.”

Terry eyed you with those beautiful eyes of his before nodding. “Alright, I’ll take you,” he said.

“Wait, what? No, no, no, that’s not what I meant. I can get down myself,” you said.

“No one said you couldn’t. But the roads really can get slippery if you don’t know where to look. The snow doesn’t stick to the ground like it used to and it can make driving those twisting roads more dangerous.”

You put your hands on your hips and stepped closer, nothing but the narrow corner of the kitchen island between you. “I don’t need a babysitter, Terry,” you said.

Terry held up his hands. “I’m not a babysitter. I’m a handyman,” he said.

You pinched your lips together to keep from smiling. He was truly going to make you put him through the wall.

“I wouldn’t feel right letting you go down the mountain by yourself. Not that you’re not capable. But because the roads really are that dangerous. And I’d rather not have to come dig your ass out of a ditch,” he said.

“Ouch,” you said, picturing just that scenario. The roads seemed like a twisty maze, full of sharp corners and narrow lanes. Driving up when the roads were clear in the morning hadn’t been that much of a hassle but you weren’t too sure about going back down. It was why you tried to bring as much stuff with you as you could, to avoid that exact circumstance.

“Go get dressed,” he said, his voice deep and commanding.

You prickled. “Don’t tell me what to do,” you said. Did he hear the breathiness in your voice? Because holy hell. That voice needed to boss you around more often.

Terry lifted his sleeve to look at his watch. “Daylight’s wasting,” he said.

You scowled. “I’m getting dressed because I decided to and because I concede that I don’t know these roads that well. Not because you told me to,” you said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, eyes dancing with mischief. Ugh. You bet he ran his mama ragged growing up.

The kettle clicked as it was done, the boiling water settling down. You poured a mug full and took it with you to the bedroom and sipped it while you got dressed.

You opted for a simple pair of jeans, boots, and your favorite purple hoodie. You didn’t know how Terry didn’t walk around with a jacket as well. Every bite of air you felt outside chilled you down to the bone.

Leaving your bedroom, Terry eyed you up and down before jerking his head for you to follow. You locked the door behind you and then followed Terry to his truck. Your combined footsteps crunched on the snow underfoot, leaving footprints that quickly disappeared in the gentle snowfall.

You looked up towards the sky, grinning at the overcast sky. Flurries floated down, landing on your cheeks, eyelashes, and lips. You licked away a snowflake that landed on you and looked towards Terry, smiling softly at you.

“You must think I’m silly,” you said.

“Not what I’m thinking,” he said. You stared but he didn’t say anything more. He just smirked and held open the passenger door for you. The truck was bigger up close and you had a hard time holding onto the door and climbing in.

“Here,” Terry said, gently sliding his hands around your waist. You looked over your shoulder at him. He was close enough to see how pretty and long his eyelashes were. It wasn’t fair that he was pretty down to the individual hairs on his lashes.

His big hands felt like heaven on your hips as he helped you lift into his truck. His hands slid from your waist and you missed the heat of it instantly. Terry cleared his throat and then closed the door.

You eyed him as he rounded the front of his truck, climbed in, and started the car. He turned the heater on full blast and before long, you were headed down the mountain. The type of road you were on was paved and everything, but every so often, you’d hit a patch of woods on the side of the road and there were guard rails to prevent you from toppling over.

Terry took the turns slowly, but expertly. Your eyes were drawn to his hands every time the steering wheel slipped through his fingers while he turned. He kept his nails trimmed and clean, causing you to bite your lip, thinking of him fingering you.

No, you stop that, you chastised yourself. He was not a piece of meat. But sweet fuck, the packaging was pretty.

“How’s the writing going?” Terry asked.

“Huh?” You asked. You heard him, you just needed more time to let your brain get off nasty mode. Though, who were you kidding? It stayed nasty.

Terry repeated his question. He took a long turn that caused you to lean against your seatbelt. It dug across your chest and you moved it to a more comfortable spot.

“Good. I think. I can never tell. But I’m still trying to figure out how the characters meet,” you said.

“It’s that important?” He asked.

You nodded, though he didn’t see because he was being a good driver. He kept his eyes faced forward, driving carefully down the road. Every so often, the woods would break and there would be someone’s property, full of horses or cows. You marveled at a large brown cow hanging out just because.

“The meet cute is one of the most important parts of the book. It sets the tone for the relationship,” you said.

“Yeah? How so?” He asked.

“Are you sure you want to hear about all this? You don’t have to be polite,” you said, giving him an easy out.

“I like listening to you,” he said.

Oh. You smiled, looking down at your hands in your lap. You launched into the nitty gritty of romance writing. The less glamorous side of it. It took you a long time to learn when to linger, when to skip ahead, and when to let the characters give into the chemistry. You weren’t always sure you pulled it off, but your sales were steady so you’d take it.

Terry listened the entire time, asking more and more questions to feed his curiosity. He still threw in teases about your voice, the subject matter, and your little smut buddies, your writing group that talked about sex all day long.

He pulled the truck into a plaza with a few different stores spread out. “You’re gonna tell me guys don’t talk about sex all day? Why’s it a problem when women do it?”

Terry pulled into an available parking spot and turned the car off. The chill from outside immediately crept in, forcing the warm air to evaporate. “Sure, but we don’t write it down or send porn to each other,” he said.

“We do not send porn!” You said. Liar, liar. You had sent a porn link to your group chat earlier to discuss the inspo for Wesley.

Terry gave you an incredulous look before getting out of the truck. Your heartbeat sped up as he walked around to your side. His hands would be on you again. You liked it. Perhaps too much, because when he opened the door, you jumped.

“You good?” He asked.

You nodded, not trusting your voice. Terry steadied you by the waist as you climbed out of his massive truck. When he set you on the ground, your hands lingered on his forearms. Realizing you were holding on, you hummed and stepped away with a smile.

You went shopping, picking up essentials for a quick emergency kit. Flashlight with extra batteries, bottled water, granola bars with a long shelf life, back up portable chargers for your phone, extra over the counter meds, first aid kit, whistle, Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer, paper soap, and matches.

Terry’s eyebrows rose with each new item you picked up, working off your memory of your home and work kits. So you liked to be prepared, so what. You were only mildly embarrassed as he walked with you down each aisle, adding in things you hadn’t thought of for snow weather. Extra thick socks, thermals, extra scarf and beanie. Just in case.

“Thank you, Terry, really,” you said as Terry helped put the items in the bed of his truck.

“You can thank me by swinging by the bar with me. I’m pretty hungry. You?” He asked.

You grinned. “Was this your plan all along?” You asked.

“Maybe,” he said and smirked. Ugh. He was too fucking pretty. It made you sick really. Sick with fucking lust. Maybe a drink was just what the doctor ordered.

“Fine. But you could have just asked, you know,” you said.

“I know.” After he helped you in the car, he made the short trip to the bar he told you about.

The parking lot was large but mostly empty. It was nearing the evening and the temperature dropped bit by bit, your breath escaping in clouds. Terry escorted you up the long wooden stairs towards the earthy bar.

Inside, the place was bigger than you expected with two distinct sections. On the right, there were dining tables set up for bigger groups. Some of those tables were filled up and there were TVs stationed around turned to various games.

Terry said hello to the staff as he escorted you to the left, where the main bar was set up. The tables on this side sat higher off the ground and it had bar stools pushed close to the table. There was a door that led out onto a patio for outside dining but no one sat outside at the moment.

Terry pulled out a bar stool for you and helped you climb on. He effortlessly sat, his long legs having no trouble touching the ground. Bastard.

The bartender, introduced as Adam, came around to take your drink orders. “I am a cider girlie. What’s good?” You asked Adam.

Adam stroked his silky salt and pepper beard and looked behind him. “We got a few things. How you feel about blueberry?”

“Blueberry cider?” You asked.

Adam grinned. “If you don’t like it, it’s on the house,” he said. Adam leaned forward on the bar top and you smiled back. Oh, he was adorable.

Terry cleared his throat. “How’s Melissa?” Terry asked, bringing a beer to his lips and sipping.

Adam’s smile didn’t waver. “She left me. I’m all alone in my modest, but spacious house,” Adam said, never taking his eyes from you.

You giggled and waved him off. “Oh stop!” You said.

“With a beautiful woman like you, how can I?” Adam asked.

Terry made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a growl. You side eyed him as he shared a glance with Adam. Adam knocked on the bar top with a grin and then moved away to grab you a blueberry cider. He popped the top for you and waited for you to take a sip.

It was…actually delicious. You nodded. “Okay, not bad, Adam,” you said.

Adam’s permanent grin spread wider. “I aim to please,” he said.

You hid your giggle behind your hand and shook your head. “Did Melissa really leave you?” You asked.

Adam groaned and looked at Terry. “Thanks, T. Yes, she really did. But only to visit her parents. I still needed to work,” Adam said.

“Aw, why’d you get stuck with holiday duty? You piss off the boss?”

“He is the boss,” Terry grumbled.

You smiled at him. These two. “I bet ya’ll get into so much trouble together,” you said.

“Too much. And it was always Terry’s idea,” Adam said.

“Fuck outta here,” Terry said and chuckled. Adam launched into a story about growing up with Terry, running around like the latch key kids they were. Adam had dared Terry to jump off a rock formation near a creek which got both their asses handed to them by Terry’s mama.

You laughed through the story, Adam an amazing storyteller. Terry filled in details grudgingly, pulled from him the more Adam kept going.

Your food arrived in the middle of Adam speaking. You ordered tiger sauce wings and the chicken was huge. It came with fries and you immediately dug in, your hunger taking over something vicious.

Adam finally left you two alone as Adam had to tend to more and more people as the night dragged on.

“Your friend is funny,” you said.

Terry grunted. “But he doesn’t get on your nerves?” He asked.

“Nope. Guess you bring it out of me,” you said.

Terry rolled his eyes but dug into his own steak and potatoes. You both lobbed questions back and forth, learning more about each other now than over the two weeks he fixed minor things around the rental.

You downed cider after cider, getting lost in the way Terry told stories. He had a slower approach than Adam, but he was no less engaging. With that voice of his, he set the scene perfectly as a narrator.

The cider warmed you from the inside out, making your face flush with heat. But it was Terry’s voice that had something else flushing as well. Your pussy fluttered every time he licked the corner of his mouth while he spoke.

It ached every time you spoke and his focus was completely on you. He didn’t blink away, he didn’t look down, he didn’t interrupt. It only highlighted how much you craved that. Your family and friends only had so much patience for you before they were off, dominating the conversation in ways you couldn’t actively participate in. It felt more like they just wanted someone to talk at, not with.

Not the case with Terry. He included you in the conversation, stretching it, and flowed effortlessly from one topic to the next. There was rarely a lull in your conversation and your heads dipped closer and closer together the more you spoke.

The crisp apple and blueberry taste coated your tongue but also loosened your lips. “I see it all so clearly in my head, but then I get too much in my head, and it all comes crashing down. I can’t connect with this one for some reason,” you said.

Terry had asked you more about novel writing, the concept completely foreign to him. He confessed that he didn’t think that much effort went into it. Maybe not for others. But for you, it felt like you agonized over every single word. Were you true to the characters? Did anything make sense? Would it hit for others like it hit for you?

“Why’s it not connecting for you?” Terry sipped his second beer, as sober as a judge. While you felt too relaxed.

You sighed and looked away from him, peeling the label off of the bottle with your nail. “No offense, but men. I usually have a man to play with while writing to keep the inspiration going but sex-only arrangements only work if the guy initiates it. If I tell them I don’t want anything more, that’s when they get in their feelings,” you said with a shiver.

Terry’s grin spread slowly across his lips, revealing a neat row of teeth. Oh, my. He was damn delicious. “So you treat them like a ho and they get mad?”

“Yes!” You tapped his shoulder. Finally, a man who got you. “Like ugh, I know what I want and it’s not these dudes I find. I won’t settle for anything less than what I write about on the daily. So no, I don’t want to date, a girl just wants to get fucked, you know? No talking, no giggling, just work me over like a screen door in a hurricane and then get the fuck out,” you said. You nodded your head to emphasize your point.

You sighed deeply and smiled at Terry, your eyes drooping. You were a little tipsy. Terry lifted an eyebrow and then your words echoed in your mind. Your jaw dropped. Oh god. You were mortified.

“I-I am so sorry. That was so rude,” you said.

Terry lifted his fingers in a small wave. “Naw, you’re good,” he said.

“No, wow. That was inappropriate. I’m sorry. I-I’m sorry. We should go, please,” you said.

Terry turned towards you on the bar stool. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one that asked, chipmunk,” he said.

Your cheeks were still on fire. It was one thing to talk like this with your girlfriends or your sister, or even your writing group. That was normal. But you talked with Terry as if you’d known him forever. It took you one business year to make friends, putting them through the gauntlet to see if they’d actually stick around. More than that to let your freak flag fly.

“If you truly want to go, we will. But I promise, we’re cool. You don’t have to censor yourself around me,” he said.

And somehow, that permission made your shoulders droop from around your ears. You nodded, taking a sip of water. You didn’t have to apologize for being true to yourself. And it was like you crossed some invisible social boundary with Terry. Conversation flowed more smoothly, your heads dipped closer together, and your shoulders brushed against each other.

“So what are you looking for then? If not these dudes you meet,” he said.

You spent the rest of the night diving into past dating history and what you looked for in a partner. Terry shared what he liked as well. Someone that laughed at his world-stopping jokes, someone kind, and someone goofy.

Instantly, you compared yourself to the small list of women he’d been with. The traits he looked for. Did you fit the bill? Were you someone he could shove through the mattress?

It seemed wild to think about that even though you already swore him off. It wasn’t that you weren’t interested. You were too interested. Too aware. Too conscious of him. Of the way he moved, talked, or laughed. You anticipated what would make him smile, what would make him groan, or what would make him roll his eyes.

He was hands down the only man that could make you lose your marbles and you hadn’t even taken him to bed. The thought filled you with so much dread and fear, that you had to push him away to stay sane. You had to keep him firmly on the other side of the brain before your inner romantic started planning your wedding in your mind.

You could easily fall for Terry Richmond. And you weren’t sure if you were strong enough to survive if he couldn’t. Not in the way you wanted. Not in the way you craved. Not in the way you wrote about, book after book, story after story, chasing a phantom man in your mind that loved you in the way you hungered for.

Adam called last call and gave Terry the sober vibe check. Which consisted of Terry holding his middle finger to nose while standing on one leg for a minute. You laughed at the sight, instantly taking a picture because there was no chance in hell you wanted to forget the look on his face.

He flipped you the bird while he settled with Adam and then escorted you outside. The wind was bitter, biting through your jacket and hoodie. Terry stepped closer to you, taking the brunt of it as the wind came from his direction.

You joked on the way to his truck, nudging him every so often as you walked. The liquor loosened you both up, navigating the newfound familiarity together. Whether it was by intention or by accident, the touches were not unwelcome.

At his car, you leaned against the truck. You nudged your chin towards the bar. “It’s a great place. I see why you wanted to show it to me,” you said.

He leaned a hand against the car, blocking most of the wind. But it had the added benefit of bringing him warmth closer. He smelled delicious like the outside air he belonged to. Like pine needles and cinnamon.

“Figured you might. Did it help with your book?” He asked.

You gasped. “Was that the goal?” You asked.

He shrugged. “A little. I figured you were too in your head,” he said.

“You think you know me, Terry Richmond,” you said and tapped his chest. He rocked back on his heels as if it actually hurt him and you rolled your eyes.

“No. But I’m learning to,” he said.

You giggled nervously as you blinked up at him. Light from the signs on the bar barely reached, but it highlighted him from behind. Light cut across his jaw and cheek and made his lashes glow at the tip.

Terry stepped closer, giving you all the room to step away or block him. But that was the last thing your body wanted. You stayed put, sliding your hands against his broad chest. Your fingers curled around the fabric and he sighed.

He brought his face closer to yours and inhaled. You hummed just as his lips pressed against yours. There was nothing hurried about it. Nothing filthy or salacious. But it warmed you from the tip of your toes to the top of your head.

Terry drew back and looked you in the eyes. You didn’t need to say anything. Didn’t need to share anything. You supposed kissing him was inevitable. Fated.

Terry tucked you into his truck and his hands lingered, reluctantly letting you go only because you were seated and there was nothing to help with anymore. You smiled at him and he finally closed the door. It gave you enough time to let loose the breath you held as he walked around.

He drove carefully back up the mountain. Snow had stuck to the road in some areas, so Terry went extra slow to be careful. If it weren’t for his huge lights, you wouldn’t be able to see a got damn thing.

It was pitch black outside, as if the world had disappeared during your ascent. As soon as the headlights passed on to something else, the darkness encroached and gobbled it back up. It was trippy. Yet strangely called to your inner emo.

The ride was mostly silent, soft music playing on the radio too low for you to pick up words. Terry found your rental without a hitch and came around to let you out of his truck. He walked with you to the front door and hovered outside of it while you stepped in.

You put your head on the door, swinging back and forth. In a minute, Terry would have to fix that one too. You giggled at your joke and Terry smirked.

“What’s so funny, chipmunk?” He asked.

You told him and Terry groaned and shook his head. “That was a terrible joke,” he said.

“What! No it wasn’t!” You squeaked with your outrage, sputtering for the right words to defend yourself. You could call your jokes bad, he couldn’t. You didn’t know why just yet, but he couldn’t.

“Was to,” he said and stepped closer. Terry’s eyes drooped as he leaned his shoulder against the door frame. He took up the majority of it, so large and imposing. Yet his energy was nothing but peaceful and quiet, setting you at ease in a way only a thorough cleaning could achieve.

“Was not,” you said, holding your ground. You wanted to invite him in. Wanted to go ahead and explore what he started.

Terry sighed and dug his hands in his hoodie pocket. “Goodnight, chipmunk,” he said.

Oh. You matched his sigh and rolled your eyes. “Good night, Terry,” you said. You’d have to think of a good nickname for him. Like Big Bird…Clifford…whenever it came to you, you were gonna hit him with it.

Terry stepped back and waited while you closed and locked the door. You heard his boots travel down the steps and into his awaiting truck.

You leaned your back against the cold door and sighed once more. If you were a chipmunk, then the only tree you wanted to climb was him.

“Girl,” you said, drawing the word out.

“Girl, what?” Your best friend, Whitley, asked.

“This motherfucker out here chopping wood on Christmas Eve,” you said. Terry stopped by a week later, finally coming around to chop more wood for the fireplace. You had forgotten all about it, feeling better now that you had an upgraded emergency kit.

But then Terry took off his hoodie, revealing a silver blue T-shirt that really brought out the blue in his eyes. He blamed the storm, criticizing you for not paying more attention to the weather channel.

Um, and miss bingeing Alex Cross for the umpteenth time? Yeah, no thanks. You called him an old man while he grinned and went outside, round to the side. There was a tree stump there and a small pile of chopped firewood.

Terry took the larger, whole pieces and went to work. Some he cracked in one go, his powerful muscles bunching and contracting with the effort. The axe was decisive, snapping and echoing in the surrounding woods.

Terry used the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow and you got a front row seat to his abs.

You moaned into the phone and Whitley grunted. “Girl, uh uh. Put me on video or something. You can’t be moaning like that and I don’t get to see too.”

Fair, she was right. You hurried and put her on video, tilting the phone to look at him through the window. Though he faced forward, he rarely looked up while he worked on the firewood as if it stole something from him.

You bit your lip, needing that same focus while he fucked you stupid. You wanted to be fucked so hard that you forgot your ABCs.

“Oh damn,” Whitley said, moaning with you.

Lord, he was fine. This so wasn’t fair. Not even in the slightest. “And you ain’t rode that big dawg yet?” Whitley asked.

“Girl, no. Look at him. He would snap my ass in half and then eat my heart on his way out,” you said.

Terry took a break, lodging the axe in the tree stump. He wiped his forehead with his shirt once more and you and Whitley sighed in appreciation. Wisps of his breath clouded in the air, sunlight shining brightly on Terry.

“I say this with all the love in my heart. You stupid ho, go ride that man!” Whitley yelled into the phone. Since she was on speaker, you ducked in case Terry looked towards you. He didn’t need to see you being a creeper.

When you deemed it safe, you slowly stood back up. Terry stretched his thick biceps, causing his shirt to ride up. His belly peeked from underneath, giving you a glimpse of his belly button. You felt no better than an 18th century man but your core was in full agreement. Your clit throbbed, painfully. His tattoos poked out from beneath his short sleeves and you wondered what the story was behind each one.

“Now what if he looked over here? Now we both looking stupid ‘cause you don’t know how to shut up,” you said.

Whitley giggled and sighed. Terry picked up the axe and continued chopping. He leaned forward, grabbing a whole piece, and then placed it on the stump. He hefted the axe above his head and let it fall with force behind it, splitting it in two.

“Got damn. Maybe I need to visit you up there, friend,” Whitley teased.

“Um, no,” you said.

Whitley giggled. “Then if that’s your man, go get him!”

You grumbled to her, listing off reasons why you absolutely shouldn’t. But night after night, little Laz Alonso wasn’t cutting it. Ever since the bar, ever since the kiss, you hadn’t been able to keep him from your mind.

It was his face that you stroked yourself too. His voice that you moaned to. His eyes that set you off but it was empty. Sure it felt good, but you needed more. You needed the heft of a man on top of you, splitting you open, talking nasty in ya ear.

Spicy audios and a vibrator just didn’t have the same effect. Not when you wanted some body heat. When you wanted the rough scratch of a beard on your skin. Fingers buried to the knuckle.

“What am I gonna do when he get me addicted to that monster in his pants and I can’t have no more? You really want me out here like a crackhead, begging for dick? You wanna come bail me out of jail because I was banging on his door at 3am?” You asked.

Whitley howled with laughter as you kept going, describing all the ways Terry would have you acting out of character. And you wouldn’t feel a lick of shame about it. You’d stand outside buck ass nekkid in the cold, brutal winter if it meant you’d get to hop on it again.

“Stop, my stomach hurt! Stop it!” Whitley yelled in between pulls of air.

You finally giggled with her, eyes still on Terry. The pile of wood next to him grew more and more and you wondered how long he expected this storm to last? Or if he had that little faith in the central heating.

Terry glanced towards the house and you ducked, heart in your throat. “I think he saw me,” you whispered.

Whitley giggled and shook her head. “How you gonna explain that one?” She asked.

“I’ll tell if you if works,” you said. You hung up with her and then grabbed two bottles of water from the pantry.

You threw on your hoodie and jacket, leaving the house. You slid-walked towards the side of the house, the snow giving way and making you earn it. You huffed as you made it around the side.

Terry stopped chopping and watched you struggle. He lodged the axe into the stump and then placed his hands on his narrow hips. The silver blue T-shirt clung to his body with sweat. If he were to wring it out, you’d bet it’d fill a bucket.

When you got closer, Terry lifted an eyebrow. “You know chipmunks s’posed to hibernate in the winter,” he said.

“Oh shut up,” you said, shaking your head. “I saw you struggling so I decided to come give you the break you needed.”

You handed him the bottle of water and then unscrewed your own. “Saw me struggling, huh,” he said, his voice deeper than normal. Or were you imagining it? Fuck. You were losing touch with reality now.

His eyes slanted towards you as he tilted his head back and gulped down the bottle of water. He didn’t stop for a breath. He kept going, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the action. His bicep could probably crush steel. Veins ran down the length of his arm and saliva pooled in your mouth.

“That’s a lot of firewood,” you said, your voice unnaturally rough. You cleared your throat and drank your own water.

You finally figured out how Wesley and Gabrielle meet so the rest of Act 1 flew from your fingers. You made it to the part where they have sex for the first time and Gabrielle would discover that Wesley was an investigator.

You’d had sex on the brain all day. A little obsessively so considering it was Christmas Eve. So Terry being out here, looking like that and chopping wood like that... It was like a cosmic nudge in the pants to ride him ‘till the cows came home. Your resolve weakened the more you spent in his presence. This was why you needed to stop listening to Whitley’s ass.

“Want to make sure you’re prepared,” he said, his accent seeping through his words.

You drank more of your water, shivering as a brutal wind kicked up. “Oh, that’s cold,” you said. Was that the universe telling you to take your ass in the house? Surely, it would be on your side, telling you to keep your eye on the prize and not fuck the incredibly hot handyman.

The wind blew again, the cold light of the sun disappearing all together. You looked upwards. Clouds rolled across the sky as the temperature dropped ten degrees. “Fuck,” you shivered, rubbing your arms.

Terry scowled. “The storm’s early. Go get inside,” he said.

Overhead, trees swayed violently with the gathering wind. “What about the firewood?” You asked.

“I got it,” he said. He waved for you to go ahead of him but you didn’t want to just leave him to do all the work. He moved carefully, heading to the side of the house and grabbed a blue tarp. He jogged to the stump and loaded the tarp with firewood. “Go get inside!”

“It’ll be faster if I help,” you called back over the wind.

You ran towards the stack, helping him load it with the firewood he chopped. He scowled but he couldn’t argue with you once you started. In no time, you had it loaded with as much firewood as he could move.

He pushed you towards the house, pulling on the tarp and dragged it across the snow. Snow flurries kicked up and swirled around you as you ran-slid towards the front door. Terry was hot on your heels, huffing, clouds of breath in front of him.

You held onto the railing as you jogged up the steps, already knowing Terry wouldn’t want you to help with the wood. He gathered up all four corners and lifted with his knees, carrying the tarp up the stairs like it was nothing.

You opened the door, the wind doing most of the work. The door banged against the wall and Terry stomped in after and dropped the firewood. “Close the door,” he said and went back outside.

“Wait!” You called after him. He kept walking so you did as he said, closing the door behind him. You had to push against the wind but you finally managed to close it. You looked outside of the window beside the door.

The snow blew around hard and fast, obscuring visibility minute by minute. You could barely make out Terry’s outline as he ran to his truck and opened the bed. He pulled out a bag and then closed the bed of the truck, locking it behind him. He jogged towards the front door, holding his bare arm up as he did so.

A second later, he opened the door, entered, and then closed it behind him. He shook himself out, flinging snow across the entrance. “I’ll clean that up,” he said. Water clung to his scruffy beard and plastered his shirt to his body. His nipples poked out and you dragged your eyes away.

“You need to get in the shower, now,” you said.

“What?” Terry asked and his eyes went wide.

“The last thing you want to do is get sick. Go warm your body up in the shower. I’ll throw your clothes in the dryer,” you said. Your words sunk in a second later and then you giggled. “I mean, leave your clothes outside the door, obviously.”

Terry smirked, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you,” he said. He nodded towards the fireplace. “You know how to start that? We should conserve power tonight, just in case.”

“I agree. But no, still haven’t learned how to start it. You go get in the shower, the heater will be fine for now,” you said.

Terry looked like he wanted to argue, pinching his lips together. But then he shook his head and took off towards the bathroom. He peeled off his shirt as he went and you bit your lip.

Sweet fuck, that was not what you meant! Got damn. Your eyes widened as you looked at the dip in his back. The expanse of shoulders. The tattoo on the back of his right arm. Sweet fuck, almighty.

Terry looked back at you as he went into the bathroom. He ducked to enter and then shut the door behind him. He caught you staring. He so, so caught you staring. A beat later, he opened the door and tossed out his shirt, jeans, and socks. Not his underwear though. Bastard.

You put the items in the dryer and let it run for a cycle. You closed the closet doors on the other side of the kitchen and then started up a kettle. Your fingers tapped on the countertop waiting for the water to finish.

All the while, the shower was loud through the walls. On the other side of it, Terry was showering. He was naked. He was running soap all over that massive, long body. Your panties grew so damp, you wondered if you had enough time to dry them before he got out of the shower.

You needed all the strength you could muster. Because right now, you couldn’t remember a single fucking reason why you couldn’t hop on Terry’s dick. Really, what was the price of heartbreak? A wild ride in the sack? It just may be worth it for Terry Richmond.

The shower turned off just as the kettle clicked off beside you. You jumped and then closed your eyes. You were an adult. You could keep yourself in check.

You poured some tea for yourself but you weren’t sure what he drank. You didn’t like beer so you didn’t have any in the house. You weren’t expecting any visitors.

Wind blew against the window making you jump once more. You were too hyperaware. Too attune with every little noise or screech.

You retrieved his clothes from the dryer and then knocked on the door. Terry opened it a crack and you made sure to keep your eyes on his face. Nowhere south. “Clothes,” you said.

“Thanks,” he said. He opened the door wider and grabbed his clothes from you. His fingers grazed yours and you gasped. He was so soft and warm. Steam poured out the room, fanning across your face. He smelled like your soap and you bit back a moan.

“Yup,” you squeaked and then left him to it. Tea, tea, all you needed was some tea. Some sleepytime tea to do the trick. But you weren’t sure how you were going to sleep with a storm raging outside.

You hated to admit it but your winter getaway turned out to be anything but idyllic. And you had a teensy, smallish, not even worth mentioning fear of storms. It was the bigness of it. The fact that it made you feel so tiny, so insignificant, so aware of your mortality. That nature was the foremost authority and you lived and breathed by its good graces.

It was an annoying feeling to you as a writer. You created entire worlds at whim. Played with characters like dolls. But you held no such power in real life.

Terry left the bathroom, his footfalls softer now that he wasn’t wearing boots. Freshly dressed in his warm clothes, he looked younger without his beanie. He sported a mini, curled afro atop his head. It gave him a mountain man sort of look, like he would be at home out there in the woods.

“Thanks,” he said.

You nodded. “I wasn’t sure if you were into tea,” you said.

Terry waved you off. “Water is fine,” he said. He moved over towards the living room and opened the tarp on the floor. He knelt on one leg as he worked on stoking a fire to life. The flames gathered traction, flicking orange and yellow light across his features.

You rolled the bag of tea around a spoon to squeeze excess water out. Then you doctored it how you liked, adding in cold water. You grabbed a bottle of water and headed to the living room as Terry finished with the fireplace.

Terry accepted the bottle, drinking down half of it while he turned off the main heater and sat on the other side of the couch.

“Looks like we’re having a sleepover. Did you plan this too?” You asked.

“If I were powerful enough to control the weather, I’d use it for more nefarious purposes,” Terry said.

“Like what?” You asked, your curiosity piqued.

Terry chuckled. “And give up my evil plan? Naw. I ain’t grow up on a chicken farm,” he said.

You laughed and shook your head. “What?” You asked, chuckling more.

Terry laughed with you. “Chicken Run?” He asked.

“Shut up, you ain’t seen that movie,” you said.

Terry scoffed. “Bet,” he said.

“What’s the young rooster’s name?” You asked.

“Rocky, try again,” he said.

You squinted at him as you thought of your next question. Something only a true fan would know. “Who was the first chicken to go through Mrs. Tweedy’s chicken pie machine?” You asked.

Terry sucked in a breath and widened his eyes. “Okay, tough. But it was Ginger,” he said.

You looked at him and raised your eyebrows, trying to cast doubt on his answer. He matched your stare, smirk on his lips, and didn’t fold.

“Okay, fine, you’re right,” you huffed.

Terry laughed and drank the rest of his bottled water. You fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in your thoughts. “I haven’t seen Chicken Run in a while,” Terry said.

“Me neither. We should see if it’s streaming,” you said. You turned on the TV and snuggled under your inside throw blanket. With the heat blowing across your legs, you felt warmer than the heater could ever achieve.

Before long, you were both laughing at the shenanigans of the claymation movie. You both tossed out quotes, going back and forth about things you noticed in the movie.

One movie turned to two, throwing on How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It was among your favorite Christmas movies and a perfect distraction against the raging storm outside. The wind knocked harshly against the window every so often, causing your eyes to dart to it and your heart rate to speed up. You hated being such a baby sometimes.

But, giving yourself grace, storms really could be scary. If it knocked the power out, it could also knock over trees into the house or onto someone’s car. Storms were devastating and of course you’d find them a bit scary.

Terry scooted closer. “You afraid of storms?” He asked. His voice was like butter melting over a freshly baked biscuit. You hummed and decided to be honest.

“There’s so many things that could happen in a storm,” you told him.

He nodded. “I got something to help with that,” he said.

You turned to him and hummed for him to respond. He scooted closer on the couch, close enough for your shoulder to lean on his. You giggled at his solution. “Stop hugging the throw too,” he murmured and you giggled.

“This helps storms, huh?”

Terry nodded. “Hell yeah. Feel better?”

You pinched your lips together but went on and nodded. “It has its merits.”

As you worked on Wesley and Gabrielle’s relationship, you couldn’t help picturing how Terry would be in a relationship. Would he be the perfect boyfriend? Would he be as annoying as he usually was, always poking at you?

“Before we get comfortable, we should grab some drinks. I only have tequila or wine,” you said.

“I’ll take the tequila,” he said, making a face. You laughed and rolled your eyes at him. You got up and went to the kitchen, grabbing your favorite tequila and two shot glasses. You turned off the kitchen light on your way back, bathing the living room in darkness. The flames in the fireplace flickered across the wall, still pumping out delicious heat.

You poured a shot for each of you, clinked the glasses, and then drank. During the movie, you talked and joked, also quoting this movie back and forth. Terry’s laugh was so adorable and infectious. Was there anything on this man that didn’t scramble your brain?

He breathed and you were ready to drop your panties and beg for his dick. You were not above begging. But your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth. You wanted it too badly but you wrestled with your brain. You shouldn’t but you oh so wanted to.

“Can I confess something?” Terry asked.

You turned your head to him. You had managed to curl into his side, soaking in the heat of his body. You felt every rise and fall of his chest. You licked your lips and Terry’s eyes drooped down.

“What is it, Terry?” You asked.

Terry licked his own lips and you couldn’t resist following the movement with your eyes. His lips were so big, so juicy.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about our kiss,” he said. His voice was so soft, so velvety, that your shoulders dropped and you leaned in.

“Me neither,” you said. You shook your head. The kiss invaded all of your senses, leading to distraction even when Terry wasn’t there. All week, you caught yourself veering off to replay the kiss over and over again.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the moment you threatened me with a poker,” he said and smiled.

Your chest rose and fell in waves, processing what he was saying. “Don’t play with me, Terry Richmond,” you said. You just couldn’t stand it if he were.

“When you said what you said at the bar, I wondered what kind of man you’d take to bed. And then I started thinking that I wanted to be the only one in your bed,” he said.

Your mouth dropped open. It’s not that you didn’t know you were gorgeous. It’s not that you didn’t think you could pull someone like Terry. It was the fact that he said it so plainly. So openly. So clearly for your brain to not misinterpret his words. You didn’t have to guess with him. And that was one of the sexiest things ever.

You blinked a few times. “I–”

“And then I started hoping that you’d let me audition,” he said.

“Audition?” You asked. What the hell was he on about?

Terry grinned and then leaned closer, bringing his large hand to cup your face. His thumb stroked across your cheek. Your eyes slowly blinked closed, your skin tingling where he stroked. His warm breath fanned across your face, smelling faintly like tequila.

He rubbed his lips against yours but it wasn’t a full kiss. And that made you want it more. You wanted his lips on yours. You would simply die without it.

“Let me show off my skills. If I do well, you can use me as inspiration for your latest book,” he said.

You giggled, biting the inside of your cheek. “And what do you get out of the arrangement?” You asked.

“You,” he said.

You gasped, staring into his eyes. The low light made his features stand out more. It made his expressions more severe, more striking. You were at a loss for words. This man handed over everything you wanted on a silver platter.

You were so nervous to accept. You had been let down in so many ways by so many men. You had reached a point where you weren’t actively looking for a relationship. You didn’t need some raggedy boy in your phone.

But Terry was a man. A huge, perfect, wonderful man who got on your last fucking nerve. He always had something smart to say or some new quip to lob at you. But he was also thoughtful. Kind. Funny. Sexy as fucking sin.

“Are you sure? What if you don’t pass?” You asked.

“Then I’d like to keep trying until you tell me to leave,” he said. He licked your lips and you sighed, ending on a moan.

“Okay, what will you do for your audition?” You asked. The tequila traveled straight south, making your pussy throb. Your inner thighs tingled even as your breathing increased.

Terry smirked. He finally crashed his lips to yours, kissing you harshly, brutally. Like he had merely been caged before and you finally set him free. You brought your hands up to his neck, pulling him closer.

Your moans combined and danced as you leaned closer, pushed harder, kissed back just as fiercely as he did.

His hands moved underneath your shirt, hands wrapped around your sides, gripping onto your meaty flesh. You moaned, arching your back into him. Terry pulled you closer, made you straddle him.

An impressive bulge rubbed against your core and you moaned, closing your eyes. Fuck, you were overstimulated already and nothing even happened yet. You knew he had a monster in his pants. You just knew it.

You made out with Terry like a horny teenager, clashing teeth and biting at each other’s lips. You grinded in his lap, rubbing yourself against him. He groaned, hands lowering to cup your ass. He took two big scoops and squeezed hard, causing you to squeak.

“O-Oh fuck,” you moaned. The pain hurt so good. He kneaded your ass and you dropped your forehead to his shoulder. You moaned low, breathing harshly through your nose.

“You are so fucking beatiful,” he murmured against your temple.

“Terry, fuck, I’ve wanted you so bad,” you moaned.

“Why didn’t you say?” He asked.

You shook your head. You couldn’t speak. Didn’t want to speak. Your body moved on its own accord, rubbing against his hot erection.

Terry moved one of his hands to grip your chin and force you to look at him. “Why?” He demanded.

“You could break me. And that scares me,” you whispered.

“How do you think I feel?” He asked. “You could rip me apart.”

You crashed your lips to his, scratched at the nape of his neck. He returned his hand to your ass to squeeze, knead, and mold with his large hands. You moaned into his mouth, needing more friction.

Terry grabbed you by the waist and pulled you off of him. He made quick work of your jeans, pulled them down your legs, and off in one quick snap. You squealed with laughter, at the physicality of him, yet he still remained sweet and gentle.

Terry peeled your panties from your body and he groaned. “Fuck, you’re so wet,” he whispered, his voice one of awe. He slipped your panties off as well, biting your thighs as he pulled, and tossed it over his shoulder.

Your pussy throbbed looking at the way he stared at the heart of you. The smell of your arousal permeated the air and you moaned, smelling how turned on you were. He pushed at your thighs until they rested against your stomach.

He blew his breath across your pussy gently. “Oh, shit,” you twitched, hand reaching down to cling to his afro.

Terry groaned and blew once more, lowering his face until he was close enough to lick you from entrance to clit and back again. Your back bucked off of the couch, grinding into his face.

Terry moaned and wrapped his thick lips around your clit. He suckled sloppily, licking you like a dog with its favorite toy. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” you moaned, your stomach caving in and your eyes rolling back.

His tongue was the sweetest torture of pleasure against your pussy. His drool mixed with your essence, causing his sloppy eating to echo in the living room. “Fuck, that pussy good,” he sputtered against your sopping wet pussy.

“Oh fuck!” You screamed, your orgasm tearing through you too fast for you to comprehend. You flopped on the couch as your body shook and twisted with pleasure. Terry kept eating, slurping up the latest wave of essence on his tongue.

His beard grew more wet, sliding against your skin. It tickled and you wiggled, trying to move. Terry locked his arms around your thighs, shoving his face further into your pussy. His nose tickled the top of your mound and you groaned and moaned, loving the attention but unable to stand the tickling.

“Hmmmm,” he moaned, shaking his head. His tongue flicked across your clit without mercy, suckling on the swollen nub.

“Shit! Shit! Wait! Fuck!” You panted. You were out of breath, hardly able to make any sounds as Terry continued to eat you like a starving man to bread. Your stomach caved in once more, your lungs refusing to work any longer.

You pushed at his forehead but he kept going. Your eyes rolled backwards, your thighs clenched around his head as another orgasm tore through you, yanking your soul around like a ping pong ball.

Your pussy clenched and unclenched, wanting attention too. “Fuck me, fuck me,” you begged. You loved that he was a munch, Loved, loved it. But fuck you needed to be filled up. You needed to feel him deep in it.

“Not done yet,” Terry said. He came up for air, his face shiny with your juices. He licked his lips and closed his eyes, savoring it. When he opened it again, he narrowed his eyes. “Show me those pretty chocolate nipples.”

Your belly flipped painfully. Pussy throbbed. You lifted your shirt slowly, giving him a slight tease. Your overheated skin tingled with awareness as the cotton shifted across your body.

You revealed your titties and Terry groaned and rolled his hips into the bed. He winked at you. “Play with them while I eat,” he said. He returned to lapping at your pussy and your thighs squeezed around his face.

You were too sensitive. You jerked with every flick, every suck, and every glide of his lips. Your thighs shook with passion, tingled, and tensed. But you managed to pinch and roll your nipples, squeezing in time with his licks. “Please, please, Terry, fuck! I can’t!”

He pushed two fingers inside to pump in and out of your entrance. He wrapped his lips around your clit and used some kind of devil, voodoo magic to create a sucking vortex that had you seeing an entire galaxy behind your eyelids. Your mind flashed with dense clouds of pinks, violets, fiery oranges, and the softest greens.

You lost all ability to speak as another orgasm was wrung from you. You bowed forward, pushing his head into your clit as you came and came with howls and screams loud enough to wake the dead.

White and black spots danced in your vision as you suffered through aftershocks, ribbons of pleasure causing your nerves to go haywire. “Fuck, fuck,” you twitched.

You didn’t have the words nor the presence of mind to process what the hell just happened. You were spent. Put out. Dangle you on the clothesline to air out because you were out of it.

Terry came up for air with a growl, kissing your inner thighs, then your stomach, then climbed up your body to capture your lips with his own. He smeared your essence all over your face and you locked tongues with him eagerly.

You tasted too good on his tongue. Smelled too good on his lips. “Did I pass? I get the job?” Terry asked in between kissing you stupid.

You nodded and licked your lips, tasting more of yourself. “You got it, you got it,” you panted.

“I don’t have a condom, but–”

“I’m clean and on the pill,” you said. You kept up with that shit religiously, setting an alarm and everything. You were too chicken to try any other methods.

“I swear I’m clean,” he said, going back to kissing your lips. You moaned, and rubbed against his body.

“Fuck me,” you whined.

Terry chuckled. “Keep begging, chipmunk,” he groaned. He managed to continue kissing you while he ditched his jeans and underwear. His jeans dropped to the floor with a loud flop. His shirt went next, his muscles bunching as he lifted it off of him.

He removed your shirt as well, hands coming around to grab your titties. He pushed them together, lowering his mouth to suck on both nipples at the same time. You jerked and whined, grinding on the couch.

“Please, Terry, fuck me. Fuck me, I need it. I need your big dick to split me open,” you begged.

Terry groaned and moved his right hand between you. He rubbed his dick up and down your folds, gathering up all the slick he could to coat his dick. He pushed into your entrance and your pussy started talking.

“Mmm, growl at me,” he moaned. “Fuck.”

He dipped the head of his dick in and out of you, slowly, your pussy doing more than growling as he toyed with your aching hole. You cried every time his tip stretched you. He was easily the biggest you’d ever taken.

Terry put his left hand on your chest and moved his right hand up to your clit. This thumb pressed on your clit and a strangled noise burst from your throat. “I need you inside me,” you whined. “Please, please.” Your eyes watered.

You were going to lose your mind in a minute. You would dissolve into a puddle of goo or start barking like a dog if he teased you any more.

Terry moved his thumb in circles around your clit, causing you to sputter and moan, completely lost to the sensation. “Eyes on me,” he commanded.

Your eyes snapped open to him. To the softest gray and darkest blue of his eyes. His eyebrows curved in a severe arch. The same focus he had while chopping wood, he brought to killing you slowly from the inside out.

His thumb made your pussy relax enough for him to sink in deeper, further, aided by the fresh slick leaking out of you. If it weren’t for the throw blanket, you were sure you’d have to buy Mr. Omar a brand new couch.

“So wet. Fuck, you’re gripping my shit tough,” he moaned. He flicked his thumb harder.

You sniffled, tears running down your cheeks. “Please, I can’t. I can’t no more!” You yelled.

Terry leaned down, pressing his lips to yours. You moaned and played with his thick tongue, licked his juicy lips, and gently bit his bottom lip. He moaned. “I say when you’re done,” he said.

“Oh fuck,” you said as you lost all control over your body. Terry pushed all the way down to the hilt with a guttural groan. Veins popped out of his neck as he used you to hold some of his weight.

His dick throbbed, pulsed in time with his own heartbeat inside you. His dick pushed up against your sweet spot and before long, you were cumming on his dick.

“Yes, yes, cream this dick. Show me you need that shit,” he moaned. He pulled back until he was almost out and then he shoved back in. He increased his strokes the more he did it, your pussy growling on his dick, while he rolled his hips.

Your nails scratched at his chest as he moved his hands to either side of your stomach. The couch dipped with his weight as he pounded your pussy, punished her for whatever perceived slight against him.

“Terry!” You screamed.

“Scream it, baby,” he moaned. He pounded faster, nothing but wet, nasty smacks echoing in the room. Your pussy welcomed him in easily. He glided and fucked you to within an inch of your life.

“Why you fucking me like this?” You panted. Your thighs were weak against his hips. He pounded so fast that the hair on his thighs created a slight burn on yours. The burn only seeped into your skin, driving your pleasure through the roof. The next one was gonna kill you.

“Because you cum so pretty. Give me another,” he demanded. How many was his limit? How many would he pull from you? You were scared to find out.

Tears ran in tiny rivers down your cheeks. The pleasure was too much. Too big. Too wild. Too uncontrollable and fuck, you greedily wanted more. Your head flopped from side to side. You didn’t have another one in you. You couldn’t give him what wasn’t there.

His head dipped to nip at your chin, your neck, and your breast. He suckled your nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his teeth. Like a wilted flower with fresh water, you came back to life.

Electricity buzzed beneath your skin. Terry slipped out and then slapped his dick against your clit. Your pussy juices squelched and droplets bounced off. “Keep taking this dick like a good girl,” Terry moaned.

“Fuck, yes, Terry. Terry, Terry,” you moaned.

“Cream that shit, fuck,” Terry moaned.

He fucked another orgasm from you. Your nails dug in hard enough to draw blood as you screamed with pleasure, your voice drowning out the roaring wind outside. Terry stroked three more times before finally releasing his nut.

He bathed your insides with hot, throbbing splashes of his cum. He jerked above you, head lolling from side to side as he rode out his climax.

You both breathed heavily, bodies slick with sweat from the sex and from the still lit fire. You kissed each other with little pecks, needing air too much to lock lips. “Let me taste,” you said.

“Fuck,” Terry groaned. He slipped out of you carefully. You hissed as his glorious pipe slid out of you completely. His cum gushed out, pushed out by your pussy. You couldn’t stop clenching as you got onto your stomach.

You opened your mouth and looked at Terry. He stood up with one foot on the ground and one knee planted on the couch cushion. You gripped onto his waist and pulled him closer. Without hands, he made his dick jerk to attention, still fully hard. You took him in your mouth and hummed at the mix of your flavors.

You relaxed your jaw and took him in as far as he wanted to go. You controlled your breathing as he gripped your head. He pushed you onto his dick, making you suckle the full length of him. Not all of it fit, so his dick started to poke against your cheek.

“Lick it all up for me,” he said. His voice. His voice. He could command you to walk through burning flames and you would if it meant that he slutted you out like this every day from now on.

You suckled him deep, your eyes never leaving his. You communicated without words that the final chink was in place. You were his. Locked in. Mind to mind. Body to body. Soul to soul. You were his to toy with, play with, his to do whatever he fucking wanted. Because you knew down to your bones that no one else would do it for you. No one else would be able to redefine the meaning of sex for you.

His stare pulled you deeper and deeper into the pool of his eyes. Your eyes drooped as you let yourself get used. He thrust into your mouth, pulling your throat down on his dick. You gagged a bit and he moaned and jerked his hips. He lessened his strokes but kept up the pace.

Saliva and his pre-cum mixed in your mouth and dribbled down your chin. Your gawking was loud and disgusting as you sucked him down.

“You’re fucking perfect. Fucking perfect. Fuck, I’m finna bust,” he groaned, his chest rumbling with a growl.

His entire shaft throbbed as he held your head in place while he spilled down your throat. You swallowed his delicious cum, moaning at his taste. His eyes rolled back and you whined at the image.

You suckled on his tip like candy and he stuttered with a chuckle. “Okay, okay, okay,” he tapped out, gently pushing at your shoulders.

You giggled and then sat back and wiped your mouth. “Fuck. What the fuck was that?” You asked.

Terry grinned. He leaned over, kissed you, and then sat next to you. He pulled you into his side, running his hand up and down your back. Your body felt more than relaxed. Floating on cloud nine in a way that you didn’t know was possible.

“Ever since we met, I’ve been imagining what I’d do to you,” he said.

“I love the way your mind works,” you huffed.

Terry chuckled and kissed your temple. “I’m just happy to be of service,” he said.

You tapped his chest. “I can’t stand you,” you said.

Terry rained kisses down the side of your face until he could nibble on your ear. “That wasn’t what you said earlier.”

“I cannot be held accountable for the shit I say while you’re balls deep,” you said, holding up your hand.

Terry gripped your hand with a chuckle and brought it to his chest. He stared into your eyes and then kissed your hand. Then he moved your hand lower and lower, a grin spreading across his face. Your hand wrapped around his thickening dick.

“Already?!” You asked.

He shrugged. “Everything about you turns me the fuck on,” he said.

Terry made quick work of putting out the fire. Then, he brought you into the shower to ‘clean off’. All he managed to do was haul you against the shower wall and dig into your guts once more, filling you to the brim with his searing hot cum.

You dried each other off on the way to the bedroom before falling asleep as soon as your face hit the pillow. You smiled as you drifted off, the later half of your book filling in from your imagination. With Terry as inspiration, you had enough material to fill three books.

The next morning, you were on fire. Well, not literally, but Terry’s body heat ensured you never needed a heater or a throw blanket again.

Feeling you move, Terry woke up and kissed your neck. He was curled behind you, his large arm dropped across your stomach. He was too cute when he first woke up. Eyes blinking open. Licking his lips. Face fussy and scrunched up.

“Hm, good morning to you too,” you said, wiggling your ass against his morning wood.

Terry chuckled and moved his hand to your waist to still your movements. “Don’t play with me,” he said.

You continued to wiggle your ass. “Well, it is Christmas morning. Don’t I get a present?” You asked.

Terry hummed in your ear. “What kind of present?” He asked.

“You,” you said.

“It’s my pleasure to serve,” he whispered in your ear before lowering himself in the bed, beneath the covers. Your legs fell open as he adjusted himself in between and went to work, licking and suckling and nibbling around your clit and entrance until you were a ball of putty in his hands.

Incoherent nonsense spilled from your lips as he made you glimpse heaven two times before coming up for air. He kissed you, face shiny once more with your essence. You licked it off of him, licked the corners of his mouth, and suckled his bottom lip.

Terry groaned, sliding into you with ease. “Nasty ass,” he moaned.

But fuck, he was still so big. So nasty. He pounded into you, giving you long deep strokes. He lowered himself closer to your body so that your nipples rubbed against his chest.

“You fucking me too good!” You screamed.

Terry moaned and closed his eyes. He placed kisses all over your chest, neck, and lips, keeping pace. He carved a Terry shaped hole in your pussy and in your heart, one that he would only be able to fill.

“Cum on this dick. Let me feel it,” he begged.

Your moans increased. Like his words were just what you needed. You clenched around his dick and he groaned, hips jerking forward, before you finally gave in and gave him what he wanted.

“Shit, fuck,” he moaned as he came with you, dick twitching and pulsing. You would never get sick of that feeling. Never, ever, ever.

“Merry Christmas, chipmunk,” he said, panting for air.

“Merry Christmas, Terry.”

Terry spent the remainder of your stay fucking you into oblivion. Every morning, you woke up with new ideas, new tweaks to make the story better and improve on it. The sex scenes, in your very humble opinion, were the spiciest things you’d ever written. Filthy.

When you shared some snippets with your writing community, they about fell out with gleeful gifs and unhinged keyboard smashing.

Every night, Terry fulfilled his promise of giving you plenty to work with for your books. He twisted you in more ways than one. Folded you like a pretzel. Moved you in positions you’d never heard of. And each session left you so spent, your brain unplugged for the night.

On your last day there, you spent it wrapped up in the bed with Terry only coming up for air long enough to snack. And then he’d call you chipmunk or give you The Look. The one where he dipped his chin and his eyes lured you in.

Then you were kissing, touching, and exploring. Then your hand was wrapped around his dick and his fingers were buried in your pussy to the knuckle. You made it a game on who would cum first. You should’ve known you’d lose that battle. Especially when he commanded that you cum on his fingers with that deep voice and Carolina accent.

He would shove his wet fingers into your mouth so you could taste yourself while he fucked you from behind. Or from the front. Or from the side.

The side was becoming a favorite because you could look at him while still giving him access to your ass. He would smack it and squeeze it. Then you would hold your ass cheeks apart so he could watch his dick disappear inside you.

Then he’d make a show of licking his thumb and swirling it around your clit to set you off like a bottle rocket. Then you’d scream and scream his name and beg and beg for him to fill you to the brim one last time.

Just one last time. You just needed to feel it soaking your walls one last time. Really, the last time. Because you did have to get on the road soon.

You promised to find a way to spend time together. You weren’t that far from the rental and since he had his own cabin, it wouldn’t be so bad to arrange dates and fuck sessions.

You didn’t know what kind of Christmas miracle this was or who upstairs was looking out for you, but Terry Richmond was the best present ever.

Merry Christmas, my loves! Love ya'll so bad!

The Secret Terry Richmond Files

Taglist:

@planetblaque @chaos-4baby @amethyst09 @ciaqui @we-outsiiiide

@browngirldominion @iv0rysoap @thecookiebratz @harmshake @00aijia00

@judymfmoody @multiversefanfics @tvchi @xo-goldengirl @superhoeva

@avoidthings @lovedlover @blackgurlnhermoods @flydotty @sageispunk

@semi-yah @halfreal-and-halffiction @motheroffae @melaninpov @pinkpantheris

@slutsareteacherstoo @blackerthings @dreamsinfocus @brattyfics @mermaidchansons

@monaeesstuff @henneseyhoe @blowmymbackout @charismablu @playgurlxoxo

@misskiki90 @miyuhpapayuh @satoruya @starcrossedxwriter @yamst3rdamctrl

@steampunkprincess147 @sweettea-and-honeybutter @theblacklewinsky @soft-persephone @notapradagurl7

@thegreatlibraryofalex @amyhennessyhouse @hihellogoodbyebruh @becauseimswagman1

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rheeblogs · 11 days ago

Text

★ — HELP WANTED

★ — pairing : canon/contractor!abby anderson x fem!reader

★ — as a new homeowner, paying full price to get a remodel on things was so expensive. luckily abby anderson gave pretty faces major discounts.

★ — warnings : sexual content

🔖 : @thaatdigitaldiary @d3arapril @rosemariiaa @ashortyluvsports

you weren’t much of a handyman—or handywoman, for that matter. when you moved into your new house, you quickly realized that the charm of its old bones came with a laundry list of things that needed fixing: a leaky faucet, creaky doors, shelves that threatened to collapse if you so much as looked at them.

that’s how you met abby anderson.

the first time you saw her, she was unloading a truck across the street, all lean muscles and work boots, her blonde braid sticking out from under a baseball cap. you didn’t think much of it at first, too busy trying to wrestle a box through your own front door. but when you dropped it with a loud thud, she appeared out of nowhere.

“you need a hand?”

her voice was warm, slightly teasing, and when you looked up, you were momentarily struck by her presence. abby was… well, extremely beautiful. sun-kissed skin, broad shoulders, and a crooked smile that could melt steel.

——

after helping you with the box, abby quickly learned about your diy incompetence.

“so,” she said a few days later, leaning against the doorframe as you struggled to fix a curtain rod. “you always this good with tools, or am i just special enough to witness it?”

you turned, rolling your eyes at her smirk. “yeah, yeah, laugh it up. at least i’m trying.”

she chuckled, her gaze dropping to the small pile of mismatched screws and nails at your feet. “tell you what—how about i come by this weekend and help you out? i’m pretty handy, if i do say so myself.”

you hesitated, but the truth was you needed the help. “are you sure? i don’t wanna intrude.”

“darlin’,” she said, stepping closer and giving you a lopsided grin. “it’d be my pleasure.”

——

that sunday, abby showed up in a tank top and work pants, a toolbox slung over one shoulder. she whistled low when you opened the door.

“well, look at you,” she said, her eyes dragging over the black cropped tank you had on, showing off the bold tattoo on your right shoulder. “you dress up for me?”

you blushed, shaking your head. “you wish.”

“maybe i do,” she replied, her voice dropping slightly as she brushed past you, her shoulder grazing yours.

the day passed with abby fixing things at lightning speed while you hovered nearby, asking questions and offering her water or snacks. she made it impossible to concentrate, the way her muscles flexed when she tightened screws or hammered nails.

at one point, she caught you staring.

“enjoyin’ the view, ma’am?” she asked, smirking as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

you stammered, “i—i was just tryna’ make sure you were doin’ it right, that’s all.”

“uh-huh.” she leaned closer, her voice dipping into something more intimate. “if you’ve got any other… inspections in mind, let me know.”

your cheeks burned, but you couldn’t stop the grin that spread across your face.

——

by the time the sun set, abby had fixed more in one day than you thought possible. the two of you were sitting on the floor of your living room, surrounded by tools and scraps, laughing about the crooked shelf you had tried to install before she arrived.

“i can’t believe you thought duct tape would hold that up,” she teased, nudging you with her knee.

“look, desperate times, desperate measures,” you defended, shaking your head. “besides, you’re the expert. that’s why i have you now.”

her smile softened, and for a moment, the teasing faded. “yeah,” she said quietly. “you do.”

the air between you shifted, tension crackling like a live wire. abby’s gaze dropped to your lips, and you felt your breath catch.

“i—“ you started, but the words got stuck in your throat when abby reached out, brushing a strand of hair from your face.

“you’re something else, y’know that?” she murmured, her voice low and husky. “been drivin’ me crazy all day.”

your heart hammered in your chest. “abby…”

“tell me to stop,” she said, her forehead nearly touching yours now. “i will. just say the word.”

instead of answering, you closed the gap, your lips meeting hers in a kiss that was so soft at first but quickly deepened. abby’s hands found your waist, pulling you closer as the tension of the day finally snapped.

when you pulled back, breathless, she smirked. “so… does this mean i’m gettin’ that ‘thank-you’ dinner you promised?”

you laughed, tugging her back in. “dinner can wait.”

——

abby had you sprawled against your bed, the same bed that she fixed hours earlier. your bra was thrown across the room, landing on the vanity she just remodeled.

“fuckin’ beautiful, i fuckin’ knew it,” she says, looking at you like prey, and you can feel yourself salivating at the way her muscles bulge when she manhandles you. “spread those legs, sweetheart, lemme’ see you.”

you spread yourself to abby’s liking, your pants and panties discarded on your rug, leaving you fully bare in front of your next-door-neighbor.

her mouth damn near waters at the sight, your folds glistening in slick, simply because she talks to you nice. abby eats that shit up, making sure the neighborhood knows she does this to you.

“let me in, baby.” she says, as her fingers start pumping in and out of your pussy, the squelching noise driving her batshit crazy. she’s on top of you, kissing your neck and whispering sweet nothings in your ear. “pussy’s talkin’ to me, isn’t she?” she says, inserting another finger inside of you.

“shitttt, abby, don’t talk like that.” you whimper, causing abby’s pace to speed up when she hits that sweet spot inside of you, causing your moans to grow louder and louder.

“shh… gotta be quiet sweetheart, you just got here—you want the neighbors to know my name already?” she whispers against your skin, leaving messy kisses along your tits.

she’s forcing you to grind into her fingers, the show your giving alone making her boxers a soaked mess.

“p—please, abby…” you pant, your head spinning and baby hairs sticking to your forehead.

“i’ll give it to ya’ sweet girl, always so fuckin’ patient, yeah?” abby’s breath starts to hitch as you dig your nails into her back, her chest clad with a black sports bra.

“gonna… abby please, i’m so close—,” you manage to let out, and abby takes this as a signal to let you finish. she holds your body down, pumping at lightning speed, listening to your moans grow and watching your eyes roll to the back of your head.

“c’mon sweetheart, all over my fingers.” your stomach snaps, and sudden flow rushes through your body and right onto abby’s digits. you were shaking, abby’s thick fingers leaving you in a trance, all of her handy work being put to use.

“jesus, abby. you do this to all your new neighbors?” you say, attempting to catch your breath.

“nah, just you honey.”

——

the night stretched on, filled with whispered laughs and stolen kisses, and for once, you were thankful for all the broken things that had brought her to your door.

#abby anderson #abby anderson smut #abby anderson tlou2 #abby anderson x reader #abby tlou #abby the last of us #kennedy’s works ⋆·˚ ༘ *

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dumpywrites · 9 months ago

Text

Cat-astrophe - Min Yoongi / Suga

Summary: Your pet cat keeps going to your neighbor’s apartment and it’s a problem.

Genre/tags: Fluff-ish, strangers to ???, minor mention of anxiety.

Pairing: Yoongi x she/her reader

a/n: cus we're all soft for long haired Yoongi, right? hehe

It had been officially a month since you had moved to a new apartment place. You loved the new place honestly. It was cozy and the neighborhood looked nice. There were many convenience store nearby and the street was always still busy until late at night, making you feel a little bit of secure when coming home late.

While the place was nice it had one tiny downside. It was rather on the far side from your workplace. It took you an hour of bus ride just to get home from the office, so some days could be more tiring than others. And today was one of those tiring days.

It was around nine at night on a Monday. Having to work overtime for the deadline and missed the bus, really dreaded you out. You were both tired and hungry, arriving home only to find that your pet cat was missing. It really just was not your day.

To say you were panicking would be a bit of an understatement. Cookie was barely a four month-old cat and had a very tiny body. All the negative possibilities start filling your head and you were horrified by all of them. Not to mention how it was basically forbidden to bring pets in the apartment complex. It was one of the policies but you couldn't help it since Cookie was a rescue.

When you arrived at your apartment lobby with a cat snack on your hand, there wasn’t that many people there. You walked past a guy by the front desk, who had medium-length black locks and fair skin, with headphones dangling on his neck. You began to call your pet’s name as soon as you were outside the lobby, but suddenly you felt a light tap on your shoulder.

“Are you looking for a small black Bombay cat?” It was the same guy who just walked past you.

“Oh my god, I am! Have you seen him???” You said, your voice was a little bit shaky.

“He’s in my place, I’m on the seventh.”

“Oh, me too!”

“I know.”

“Oh.” You said, surprised at how stoic he sounded saying that, but didn’t further question him on it. “I’m so sorry for bothering you, can I go get him now?”

“Sure, I was just gonna go up as well.”

When you both entered the elevator, you made a mental note to ask his name or at least introduce yourself. He was a neighbor after all. It was pretty silent inside the lift and you just hoped he didn’t hear your stomach rumbling ever so slightly. You took a deep breath, bearing the hunger for a little while.

When the elevator door opened you followed him from behind as he led you to his door. When he stopped at his front door, your eyes were widened in shock.

“You live next to me?!”

“Yeah.” He said casually and unlocked the door. "I've seen you multiple times."

You chose to not further question and followed him but stopped when you had only took two steps in, because technically, the homeowner had not really officially permit you to come in. The guy seemed to notice how you just stood awkwardly and looked back.

“You can sit down for a sec, I’ll go get him.”

“Oh, right… yeah. Thank you.” You said awkwardly and walked to sit on his couch.

A few seconds later the man came back with your cat in his embrace. Cookie was clinging on his tshirt before he tugged him and gave him onto your lap.

“Cookie!” You called, almost teary.

“I think he jumped from your balcony to mine. Make sure to close your balcony door next time.”

“Thank you so much, I owe you… uh…”

“Yoongi.”

“Thank you, Yoongi.” You repeated and introduced yourself in return. “I’m Y/N, and if you ever need anything please let me now.” You said as you stood up, already making your way out.

“Also, thank you for not reporting it…”

“No problem.” Was all the guy said and by this point you figured he was not much of a talker.

You bid your goodbye to your neighbor, which only gained a small nod before he closed the door on you. You walked to your door and let Cookie down as soon as you got inside. Sighing deeply, you began to feel your stomach rumble again, this time it rumbled quite loudly. Your feet were aching from standing on the bus and now your body finally got on how tired you were.

Cookie meowed and immediately went to his cat bed and laid down. You sighed and smiled at the small creature.

“You little rascal… you’re lucky I love you.”

You then went to your kitchen to cook yourself some instant ramen.

The next day you went to work and had to take another overtime. Unfortunately you had to for the rest of the week until your current project was done. It was exhausting but you had to make it and mostly thinking about the bonus pay from it helped quite a bit. You spent the next few days the same, repeating the schedules, and the tiring work.

It was almost ten at night that you arrived home and found out Cookie had gone missing again. For some reason your first instinct was to knock on your next door, in hope the neighbor who once helped you, could lend you a hand again, and hoping maybe Cookie just ran to his place again instead of being gone somewhere where it wasn't safe for him.

You knocked on the door and didn’t get immediate answer. You waited for what felt like five minutes, before the door opened and you were greeted with the sight of your neighbor with wet hair. He had a small white towel around his neck and the hoop earring that you saw him with before was absent. His skin looked glowing, you probably needed to ask about his skin care routine later.

“So sorry to interrupt you, I was wondering if Cookie might have gone to your place again?”

“He’s right there on the couch.” He casually pointed. His expression was straight and had you wondering if he did not mind it, bothered, or simply didn’t care.

You slowly walked to approach your cat and bent down to its level. “Cookie, you need to stop this…” You tapped the cat's nose, as if scolding the poor cat would do anything.

“He jumped to my balcony again, did you forget to close the door?”

“But I made sure to close it this morning…” You looked at your neighbor, who walked closer to inspect the cat.

“I think he knows how to turn door knobs, since he’s quite a jumper. You need to lock the door.”

“I can’t believe this little demon…” You sighed, fingers still stroking the purring cat.

“He’s… alright.”

You were slightly taken aback by the response and looked up to him, but much to your disappointment, his expression still looked the same. You were about to get up and excuse yourself, but you notice a small steel bowl under his dining table, half full with what you assumed to be cat milk (I mean, it would be weird if it was his, duh!).

“You also have a cat?”

His eyes followed yours. “Oh, that. I got it the first time Cookie came here, I figured he must be thirsty since he came in around noon time.”

“That’s… that’s very nice of you.” You looked at him and smiled. Somehow him addressing your cat by his name sounded lovely.

“You can have the rest of the milk if you want, since you’ve figured out how he escaped and all…”

“It’s okay, you can keep it! Just in case he ran into you again…” You chuckled but then stopped after realizing how that just sounded like you did not mind troubling him with your cat continuously. “I mean… I’m sorry, I’ll make sure he’ll never escape again.”

“It’s alright, I’ll keep the milk for now.” He paused for a second, rubbing the back of his neck. “Just in case.”

You looked at your neighbor and couldn’t help but to feel all warm inside. He seemed like a nice person and from the looks of it he also liked your cat.

“Thank you so much, Yoongi. I’ll be taking this little guy here then...” You smiled at him and stood up with Cookie in your arms.

“I got some dim sum…”

You looked at the guy questioningly.

“Do you maybe want some?”

“That’d be too much, it’s okay, you go ahead and eat.” You politely declined. Although you were hungry, you could bring yourself to bother your neighbor any more than what you had done.

“Have you eaten?”

“Y-yeah?” You asked, afraid you heard it wrong.

“Have you eaten?” He repeated. “If not, then I insist you take some.”

“I…” You wanted to lie, but at this point it would come off as rude if you refuse him again. “I actually haven’t. Thank you very much though, I feel so bad that you’re being this nice to me.”

“You can just eat them here.”

“I don’t wanna disturb—“ You were awkwardly cut by the sound of your stomach rumbling.

“You’re not disturbing me.” He cleared his throat and looked away.

That was embarrassing.

And that was how you ended up sitting down on your neighbor’s dining table, eating dim sums.

In silence.

This Yoongi guy really did not like conversation it seemed. He was sitting down on his couch and had turned the TV on. The volume was on but not quite loudly, and Cookie was on his lap, sleeping as he occasionally stroked the cat’s head softly. Funny that somehow you could see some resemblance of Yoongi with your cat.

“So… how long have you lived here?” You bit your bottom lip as you waited for his answer. You kind of regretted asking as soon as the words came out from your mouth, afraid it would be awkward.

“Around ten months or so.” He paused. “No, I think it’s been almost a year cause I spent two months overseas.”

“Really? What were you doing overseas?” You regretted asking again. Looking at how quiet Yoongi was, you didn’t want to ask too much or indulge into too much conversation, afraid it would be too much for him.

But much to your surprise, he answered. “I’m a producer. I was working for this artist and all the work had to be done in America.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing!” You said. At this point you no longer were sitting facing the table, but to him. “Who was the artist?”

“Uh… Halsey.” He replied while looking at the TV screen, seemingly to avoid your stare.

“Oh my god???” You gasped. “That’s incredible! So you’re like crazy talented?!”

“I’m alright…”

“You should show me some of your work someday!” You said enthusiastically. When Yoongi did not reply to it and stayed silent, you cursed yourself internally. “I mean compared to what I do that’s like really amazing.” You chuckled nervously.

“I’m sure you’re great at what you do.” He looked at you, a small smile was on his lips.

You realized it was the first time you saw him smile and it made your heart raced rather faster than usual. It was the first time you saw him with facial expression other than his usual poker face.

“I’m just a normal product designer at a very normal company.” You shrugged.

“Don’t downplay yourself like that. You work very hard.”

“Thanks…” You replied shyly.

After finishing your food, you got up and went to wash the dishes, which immediately got stopped by the homeowner. He politely told you to go back home and rest. Which again, you could not thank him more for.

You took your pet in your arms and said your goodbyes to your neighbor. Right when you arrived back in your place you came to realize something. Yoongi did not eat with you and there was only one portion of the food. While it could just meant he had already eaten beforehand, you felt giddy, thinking about another possibility. Was this a crush you sense forming? Frankly speaking, you could not care less. You were welcoming the possibility with open arms.

—

Friday finally came and you were ready to take it in. The days of working with your company project was going to an end, which meant you no longer need to work overtime after this. The thought of it put you in a very good mood.

This time right after arriving home, you walked to a nearby chicken restaurant and grab some not only for you, but also for your neighbor. You wanted to repay his kindness the past few days. After changing into some comfortable clothes, not to mention the multiple times you had to re-check the outfit in the mirror for some reason, you took your cat in your left hand and the food in the other. You knocked on your neighbor’s door hoping he was home.

And he was. You were greeted with his silence but he opened the door wider as soon as he saw your face without question. One thing that caught your eyes though was how he was dressed up like he was ready for a night out. He wasn’t in his usual sweatpants and baggy t-shirt, but instead in a ripped wide legged jeans and a light blue shirt, unbuttoned, with a plain white tee underneath. He looked handsome. And here you were, in your so-called comfy outfit that you were starting to regret.

“Before you ask, no, Cookie’s right here.” You smiled awkwardly as you raised the small cat in your hand for him to see. “I’m just here to drop by some chicken I got for you… as a thanks for your help these past few days.” You handed the plastic of food to him. “Alright, that’s all…”

He took the food from you hesitantly. “You don’t wanna come in?”

“Aren’t you going out or something?”

“I was… but you are here.” He said, sounding unsure.

“That’s ridiculous, why would I stop you from going out?”

“I was gonna go to your place…”

Your mouth formed a small O shape, unable to form a word. He was going to your place? But what for??? The butterflies in your stomach were having a blast.

“But you’re all dressed up…”

“I was gonna change back.” He sighed, running his hand through his hair, which made you gulped at the sight. “I knew this was a bad idea I shouldn't have listened to Hoseok—”

You stopped his rambling. “What do you mean?”

“I was gonna ask you if you wanted to go eat together at that one Chicken restaurant nearby…”

“Oh.” You widened your eyes.

“Yeah.” He looked at you, biting his cheek in annoyance.

“This is awkward.” You chuckled.

“Whatever, just… just come in first.”

You saw Yoongi putting the plastic of food on his table. You offered help after putting down your cat on his couch and walked to his direction. Both of you plated the food in comfortable silence, it felt oddly domestic and you liked it. At this point you were used to him being not talkative and see it as his charm.

After you took the plates to the living room, Yoongi suddenly came back with cans of beers and soju in his hands.

“We’re drinking?” You said with an amused grin.

“You can drink, right?”

“Sure, but can you?” You playfully eyed him.

“Don’t challenge me.”

You could see how he was trying to hide his smile, and it brought colors to your cheeks.

—

You did not know how you got in this situation. Five episodes in randomly rewatching Avatar The Last Airbender and you both were drunk. You were resting your head on his shoulder as you watch the screen. It seemed like the booze gave you confidence, or made you shameless, or both, but the guy didn’t complain so it could be a sign of a good thing. While you could see Yoongi holding his alcohol better than you, he was not completely sober either.

It was at this very moment where you saw things through a pink tinted lense. Had Yoongi’s hair always looked that soft? Had he always looked this handsome? You began to question things you should not be questioning.

“Why didn’t you change your clothes?” You randomly asked.

“Do I look bad?” He replied, eyes still on the screen, hands stroking the sleeping cat on his lap.

"Of course not, I just feel severely underdressed now..." You chuckled.

He eyed you from top to bottom, which made you nervous, but he shrugged, seemingly to not have any problem with your clothes.

“You look… handsome.”

“You think I look handsome?” He suddenly moved to face you, making you move to look at him as well. The tone of his voice sounded like he was teasing more than asking a question.

You nodded and bit your lips. “And you kinda look like Cookie.” You giggled.

He raised one of his eyebrows, clearly not satisfied with your answer.

“Your eyes…” You began to ramble. “They look just like Cookie’s, and when you look annoyed, or just your plain expression… you look like a cute cat.”

“Really…” Yoongi hummed.

“Yup!” You giggled like an idiot.

You failed to notice how at this point, Yoongi has put Cookie down from his lap to the floor. His face only inches away from you as you kept rambling.

“Your hair look so soft… like a cat’s fur.” You reached your hands closer to his hair, but stopped mid-way, scared he’d get uncomfortable.

Yoongi surprised you again by grabbing both of your wrist and putting your hands on his hair, letting you stroke his head slowly. You saw his expression softened and as you kept playing with his hair, he closed his eyes. You swore you heard him purr.

“Pretty.” You said with a drunk smile.

“Hmm. Pretty.” He mirrored.

“Okay, call me crazy but why do I kinda wanna kiss you right now.” You said, totally losing the battle with your common sense.

Yoongi chuckled. “You’re crazy.” He ran his fingers through his hair, looking to the right. “I like it.”

—

To be frank, you could not recall what happened after. You recalled some bits of karakoe-ing? Singing random PSY songs in your broken Korean using a bottle of whiskey as your mic. That was probably all? You couldn’t think while the throbbing headache was present in the room with you.

So why were you now in a bed that was not yours, wearing a t-shirt that was too big for you and was clearly not yours, also for heaven’s sake, WHY IS YOONGI SLEEPING NEXT TO ME???

You froze. Did you??? There was no way. Sure you found him attractive and all, and you definitely had this huge crush on him, but you couldn’t just sleep with a guy you barely knew. Besides your headache, your body didn’t feel any pain, so that was probably a good sign. What if he was just that gentle? Okay, you need to stop thinking at once before you started a whole fiction about you and Yoongi in your head.

When you turned your back, you felt the other side of the bed shifted as well.

“You’re up?” He asked with a raspy voice.

“Yeah.” You said, still back-facing him. “We didn’t… you know…”

“No, we didn’t.”

“Oh, okay good.”

Yoongi did not answered to that, but instead you felt him scooting closer.

“I’m sorry, this isn’t probably how you’d wanna spend your weekend.” You chuckled.

Your breath hitched when you felt a hand over your waist. “Is this okay?” He suddenly stopped when your body tensed at his touch.

You nodded, heart beating too loudly for you to form any sentence.

“This is nice.” He said, resting his forehead on your back.

When you stayed silent, he took your hand and turned you over to face him. Heat immediately took over your body as soon as your eyes meet. You noticed he was back in his usual home attire, oversized tee and sweatpants. His hair was messy, but it seemed like universe had its favorite cause he still looked good.

“You know, I haven’t had good sleep in… weeks.”

You were surprised by his sudden confession.

“It’s half past eleven now, and it’s not even ten minutes after I woke up…” He tittered. “My anxiety has been getting worse the past month and out of nowhere a black cat suddenly jumped to my balcony, meowing non-stop while I was working.”

You looked at him, letting him finish his talk. This was the most words you had ever heard coming out of Yoongi’s mouth and it made your heart flutter.

“I haven’t been caring. I’ve stopped caring, for a while now. Seeing you care so much for such a small creature… I don’t know, it feels good. It makes me wanna care.”

“Yoongi…” You cooed, caressing his cheek. "It's not true, all you have been since I first met you until this moment, was caring."

"I'm sorry if it feels like it came out of nowhere but I feel at home with you and I don’t know why...” He tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “Yet, at least.”

“I… like this too. A lot actually.” You said shyly.

“I would like to get to know you more if you’d like.” He was being honest and exactly to the point, no flirty bullshit to spice his sentences.

“I’d love that...”

Suddenly you heard a low meow from under the bed and Cookie jumped into the bed, joining you two. Apparently his bedroom door was left opened and none of you noticed how Cookie had entered. You giggled and he smiled as well, the widest smile and the most genuine you had ever seen from him, as he took the cat and cuddled both of you close.

"I think it's about time you give me your number..." You squinted at him playfully. "You know, so we don't repeat the whole chicken restaurant accident again?"

“Okay, but promise me first you won’t apologize again after kissing me.” He chuckled.

“EXCUSE ME WHAT???”

—

“Okay, call me crazy but why do I kinda wanna kiss you right now.” You said, totally losing the battle with your common sense.

Yoongi laughed. “You’re crazy.” He ran his fingers through his hair, looking to the right. “I like it.”

“I can be crazier if you open that whiskey.” You wiggled your eyebrows.

Yoongi just shook his head, smiling at your silliness. He stood up and went to grab his Hibiki anyway, which earned a shout of celebration from you.

Things escalated quickly after opening the bottle. Somehow you were starting a drunk karaoke session which followed by many dance breaks. You ended up crying when a sad song randomly came up in the playlist and when Yoongi asked why, you replied. You replied with your lips on his.

In your head it just made sense. It was his lips’ fault for looking so juicy. Yeah, totally his fault for looking so hot that it was driving you insane.

None of you moved and it only lasted seconds before your mood turned sour again.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t mean…” You pushed him gently. “Oh my god, you’re so gonna hate me!!!”

“Hey, calm down…“

You started to panic, tears now forming in your eyes again. “Please don’t hate me, I just wanted to kiss you…” You cried.

“Okay, I think that’s enough drinking—“

And you puked.

Yes, Yoongi did see your lilac colored bra when he helped you change into his t-shirt. But that’s a secret between him and little Cookie.

Thank you for reading! 💎

part 2 is here!

#yoongi scenarios #yoongi imagine #bts scenarios #bts fic #bts fanfic #bts imagines #min yoongi #bts suga #suga scenarios #suga imagine #yoongi fanfic #yoongi fluff #yoongi x you #yoongi x y/n #yoongi x reader #suga x reader #suga x you #suga x y/n

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newfruits · 2 years ago

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my pain levels are so bad since i fell last week, my knee on one side and my foot on the other. i suspect the foot pain is a fracture. i made a drs appt to get xray reqs for my feet and low back to check for evidence of past or present fractures or breaks, and to pursue testing for ehlers danlos syndrome, which is my current hypothesis on what might be the cause of my mysterious complex musculoskeletal pain condition and is causing rheumatism

#glub glub #it really sucks that i have to walk at least some distance every day even if its so bad i want to crawl instead #i can take the bus to campus but i still have to walk to the bus stop and around campus #going to look at a bracing store for a new brace and buy a cane at walmart tomorrow. im in too much pain to go anywhere today #also im done with school work for the day bc i want to die rn or at least remove my legs #also with the walking its dangerous as fuck theres always freezing rain and the sidewalks arent maintained by the homeowners #and if i fall again i think that would be it for me. i worry i wouldnt even be able to force myself to limp along like i am now

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attapullman · 1 year ago

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If Only the Neighbors Knew | Neighbor!Robert "Bob" Floyd

Summary: A month of stolen kisses culminates in Robert hosting the HOA meeting and getting you on his couch. The ladies of the neighborhood may make him blush, but only you can make your sweet neighbor weak in the knees.

Word Count: 5.2k

Warnings + Notes: Robert "Bob" Floyd x f!reader, 18+ only folks, swearing, unprotected pinv, oral (f!receiving), self-indulgent as per usual, too many italics. Oh, I am blushing and humbled at all the love that Neighbor!Bob has received! It's exactly a month later and now he's back and making us collectively drop our panties again, as well as all the other women in the neighborhood! But don't worry, he's only got eyes for you ;) Happy Holidays, my dears, thanks for reading!

meet Robert From Next Door here

He’s setting up refreshments in the dining room. The perfect viewpoint to where you perch on his slate gray sectional, making small talk with the neighborhood. Knees primly crossed under your skirt, smile wide as you laugh about the neighbor kids’ shenanigans. And all he can think about was when you walked in, the soft flush in your cheeks when you said, “Hi, Robert,” and gave him the lightest peck on the cheek, as if you did it all the time. As if it didn’t make him weak in the knees.

The only perk of hosting the HOA meeting is that you’re in his home. The fact other people are also here? Not ideal. It’s been a month since he had you straddled on his lap, sweetly moaning into his mouth, and frankly he wants to send everyone home so he can try the same thing on his couch.

But he offered to host because it’s the neighborly thing to do. Swung by the market on the way home from base and grabbed crackers and cheese, mixed nuts, and too many bottles of wine because once someone brings up the length of grass everyone turns to drinking.

He’s replenishing the plastic cups and water jug when he catches your eye. The small quirk of your smile, a silently flirty hi, has him flustered. Time to start this godforsaken meeting so he’s closer to getting you alone.

“So, Lieutenant Floyd, what’s new with you?” Mrs. Jacobs has already helped herself to enough wine by the time he joins the neighborhood in his sitting room. She’s flanked by her cronies - minions in matching sweater sets - and all instantly turn their attention on him. While not someone who normally turns heads, the day Robert Floyd bought his little bungalow with the creaky porch he was instantly the talk of the street. A young single Naval officer? The women could barely believe their luck. They were all married, but shameless flirting had never been out of question.

He takes a slow sip of his iced tea, biding time. On the other side of the room, he can feel your amused smile. The rumor mill would churn violently if anyone found out what was going on with you two. So you had been sneaking around the last few weeks. A few stolen afternoons kissing on the couch, errand trips turned into steaming up his truck’s windows. It’s been the best month of his life.

The WSO is spared answering when the president of the homeowner’s association clears her throat to start the meeting, shushing her grumbling husband. The collection of husbands sat at the back with their beers, arms crossed, giggling like schoolgirls at their comrade’s chiding. Normally Robert sat with them, but felt bold and came to sit near you on the sectional, one large decorative pillow acting as a barrier.

As expected, the meeting is trivially boring. While he tries to focus on repair costs and chimney safety, all he can think about is your hand only inches away. If he only shifted a few inches - only a few, it would be subtle - he could run the tips of his fingers along the back of your soft hands, intertwining your fingers and rubbing his thumb soothingly along your wrist. And if he was that close, he might as well dip his face into the crook of your neck, where the scent of your perfume was strongest and most delicious. While he was there, it would be so easy to press a k-

“Anyone have any questions about this?” He’s abruptly distracted from his daydream by several neighbors raising their hand, disgruntled by potential disruptions to their homes.

You catch his eye, eyebrows raised, curious on his thoughts about filter replacement. Or if he's as bored as you are. But he simply gives you a dazed, shy smile, his eyes lingering just a second too long on your lips.

The meeting adjourns - thank god - and neighbors create their cliques to download. It feels safe to start your own conversation (the first the two of you have spoken since you pressed a kiss to his cheek) and you turn to him eagerly. Just as you’re about to compliment his selection of cheese, a manicured hand reaches past you and touches Robert’s bicep.

Mrs. Jacobs and company have returned. “Lieutenant, before I head out I wanted to thank you again for taking care of my lawn last week. Such a big help.”

The tips of his ears blush pink, the tone of his neighbor’s voice a tad too suggestive for a simple chore. Mr. Jacobs was nearing his sixties and spent most of these meetings complaining about an old sports injury. It seemed the least the young WSO could do was offer landscaping help after all that rain last week. His mower was already out and he’d mown the Jacobs’ lawn without a second thought.

It had helped you had been outside planting bulbs. He liked the eye candy in your slightly too tight jeans.

The women continue to praise him and his generous ways. His cheeks on fire as Mrs. Connelly gushed about how great it was to have a big, strong Navy man in the neighborhood. As much as he wants to look at you, the embarrassment flooding his system has his eyes glued to the hardwood.

“You know,” Mrs. Branaugh began, exchanging an excited glance with her friends, “the city hall fundraiser next month is a little short on volunteers for our auction. Any chance any other lieutenants would be available?” Her eyes shamelessly rake down his chest, practically salivating at the idea of fighter pilots parading around in suits.

You feel the licks of jealousy itch at your palms.

He sputters out words, unsure if they’re agreement or excuses. Robert’s suffocating on his embarrassment. Mrs. Connelly and Mrs. Jacobs delight in his blush. The latter gushes, “I’d be happy to pay any of them to mow my lawn this summer.” She turns to her friends and winks. “Shirtless, of course!”

You nearly spit out your drink. The host of the evening looks moments from passing out. Your middle aged neighbors are cackling, lost in their tipsy fantasies. It’s time for everyone to go home.

Thankfully most of the men are ready to leave the gossip fest and return to their abodes. Gathering up their wives and thanking Lt. Floyd for his hospitality, the neighborhood departs the tidy bungalow, calls of, “Come over for dinner sometime!” thrown over their shoulders.

Amongst those leaving is you, slipping on your winter jacket and adjusting a thick scarf for the short walk. Barely recovered from his neighbors’ lascivious comments, he’s sad to see you go. Wishes you would straggle behind and pretend to help clean up, only to ignore the dishes and catch up in the biblical way. He can practically feel your soft skin in his hands. But you give him that sweet smile of yours and follow Mr. Sampson out the door, the promise of another time.

He’s never hosting these meetings again.

After much coaxing from her husband, the last of his neighbors finally leave and he’s alone in his bungalow again. Finally. The cheerful oxford blue walls, the hand-me-down dining chairs, the framed photo of his squadron above the mantle. Being permanently stationed has its perks.

He makes quick work of cleaning, bringing the remnants of his makeshift cheeseboard to the kitchen before wiping down the dining table and straightening the couch cushions. The multitude of empty wine bottles are taken out to the recycling before turning off the porch light, ready to retire for the night. He’s getting a glass of water when a sound pricks his ear.

The faintest knock. So quiet he would miss it had he been anywhere else in the house. Instantly on the defense, tall, broad frame coming to its full height, he’s prepared for the worst as he approaches the back door that leads to his small yard.

Another timid knock.

The biggest, warmest smile takes over his face as he opens the door and sees his visitor. There you stand, cheeks pink with cold and your lip trapped between your teeth. You sneak.

Robert quickly invites you inside, enveloping you with his warm body once you’ve toed off your boots. The hug has tension escaping every muscle, finally back in each other’s arms as it should be. The secrecy, while necessary, is the worst.

“Did you forget something?” His deep voice mumbles into your hair. You push back to look at his face, but his hands are steadfast on your hips, holding you exactly where he wants you. In the month of shared kisses and lighthearted flirting, he’s never had you alone in his house.

Resigned to resting your cheek against his shoulder, you reply, “Didn’t want anyone suspicious if I stayed behind.”

“Ah, so you did the ol’ double back?" You nod. "And you’re sure no one saw you?” His mischievous smile shows he’s all jokes, but in the back of his mind he’s curious if any of his neighbors saw you in the minute gap between your backyards. The same trek he’s been making for weeks after all the lights on the street are out.

You shake your head against his soft crewneck. It’s been three days since you’ve felt his warmth and you’re melting. The faint smell of sage and citrus - and a tinge of jet fuel - flooding your senses and you’re so glad you risked sneaking over.

Watching him host the HOA meeting with his little refreshment table? So hot.

While you both want to sit down over a cup of cocoa and catch up on how silly your neighbors are, something else is on your minds. It’s been lying dormant for weeks now, awaiting the moment to rear its head. And in the dim lighting of Robert’s house, on a quiet winter Friday night, the moment is just right.

The first kiss is intended to be innocent, lightly brushing his lips against yours to remind you of his affection. Enjoying the plush softness of your glossy lips. But when the softest of moans leaves you, desperation hits.

He needs you.

The two of you have been playing it safe - you are neighbors after all - but as mere mortals there are needs to be met. The softness of your skin. The broadness of his shoulders. The tension that has been building and building since he watched you dunk that tea bag and knew it was now or never.

You tear away from his face, as painful as it is, to rasp against his jaw. “Robert, your house is so nice. Can you show me your bedroom?”

Squeals of delight bounce off the hallway walls as he all but drags you to the other side of the house. His fingertips dig into your hips, a little too eager, his glasses slipping down his nose as he steals kisses. As he showers you in affection, you appreciate his home out of the corner of your eye. The small collection of black-and-white snapshots from different naval bases he’s worked on. A pencil holder that looks handmade. Your heart lurches for this man whose heart is too big for this bungalow.

Feet slow at a doorway, his hands steadying you against the frame. As you look up into his sky blue eyes, nerves shoot down both your spines. The delicious thought pops into your head that you’re finally going to see him naked and you feel lightheaded.

He can’t let himself think about your body or he will pass out.

His bedroom fits him. Lamps cast a cheery glow onto the mahogany dresser where he keeps a majority of the US Navy paraphernalia he’s been collecting since he was a child - little figurines and framed airshow stills. A large wingback chair sits cozily in the corner, laden with a flannel he had debated wearing; you’re glad he stuck with the buttery soft crewneck you can’t help running your palms over. And the main event, against the far wall, looking as inviting and luxurious as anything, is Robert’s king size bed. He prides himself on the curved wood headboard he spent a summer working on.

Tentatively, he takes your hand and invites you over the threshold. Your eyes rake over everything to find any red flags (none found - it’s okay he has a lot of plane figurines and not a lot of houseplants - he’s gone half the year, those plants are gonna die) before you let your fingers brush over the blue gray of his heavy plush comforter. Similar to his living room walls.

“You must like blue.”

Cerulean eyes sparkle. His fingers tangle in the cobalt cashmere of your sweater. “I really like blue.”

This time, your lips brush his. The softest sweep before letting yourself lean into him, greedily running your tongue across his thin lips, begging for entrance. His cheeks the softest mauve as he opens his mouth to groan his pleasure. Despite your new surroundings, it feels like home when your tiny pink tongue finds itself nestled against his.

A bolt of heat travels down your spine and your hands fist in his crewneck, torn between enjoying the soft fabric and wanting it off. While your hands are desperate and needy, running up and down his torso in indecision, he’s so soft and gentle with you. Fingers tracing the delicate slope of your jaw, a warm hand on your hip teasing the skin above your skirt. Sweet noises blown directly into your mouth as he savors your taste.

The past month has built this up. That year of tension? Absolutely nothing compared to the burning heat across your skin every time you see him now. You know how he tastes, how he smells, how he whines when you lick the spot behind his ear. The itch consuming your body needs to be scratched, needs to be tamed. You need him.

He seems to be on the same wavelength as you feel his hands lead your hips toward the bed, legs awkwardly backing up until they hit crisp bedding. The man keeps a tidy bed. You’re hopelessly more attracted to him.

Tenderly Robert lowers the two of you to the bed, your back relaxing against the blanket as your hair frames your face. The tips of his fingers trace your cheek as he appreciates how beautiful you are. Embarrassed by the attention, you pout until he brings his lips to yours again, loving the way his entire body encloses around you, keeping you safe.

Your legs have a mind of their own as they wrap around his hips, arms sliding down his torso. His cheeks heating as he catches onto you, his own hips rolling into yours. The low noises escaping your throat as he grinds against your bare thigh, turning him on even more. Your chest pressed against his, the swell of your breasts as your back arches - it’s heaven. If it weren’t for your grounding presence stroking a hand through his hair he would think Phoenix crashed the jet that afternoon.

Finally too impatient to wait any longer, you tug on the hem of Robert’s crewneck, silently begging for it to go. He sits up - awkward to do when his pelvis is glued against yours - and pinches the neck of it, shrugging it off his solid frame. Knocks his glasses askew a bit. When he turns back to you, white hot desire slaps you in the face. This six foot pilot, shirtless, with smoldering blue eyes behind fogged glasses and mussed hair? There are no words.

Who would have thought peppermint tea would lead to all this?

You lose yourself in his kisses again, running your hands along the smooth expanse of skin now available. Your hips desperately rutting against his for more friction, a pool of arousal settles in your underwear with how fucking good he looks covered in your affection. Your lips find his neck and suck, the sounds emitting from him indecent. His hands settle at the hem of your skirt, brushing the skin of your thighs as he worries the fabric, contemplating his next move.

“Please.” It’s quiet, but your plea nearly echos in the room. His eyes meet yours. “Please touch me.”

There’s no going back anymore. Reluctantly pulling away from your body, he lowers himself to his shins, large hands smoothing over your thighs. As he rubs soft circles into your muscles, the hem of your skirt shifts higher. His heart thuds at the sight of your gorgeous, soft thighs, completely on display for him. Tentatively he presses a kiss to your inner knee. When you don’t shy away, he pecks another slightly higher. His nose skims the thin skin and you whimper. It’s music to his ears.

Your skirt is nearly around your waist, delicate panties in view. Robert’s heart violently slams in his chest and his erection throbs, begging to be freed from his jeans. He can’t help but focus on the spot that conceals your center, your arousal wet and dark.

His lips kiss your inner thigh again, just inches from where you desperately want to feel them. “May I?”

You’re frantically nodding, your fingers crashing into his as you work in tandem to get the offending little piece of lace off. As they come down, his kisses trail up, teasing the skin to elicit tiny whimpers. Hot breath skims your pelvis and it’s torture. He delicately places your knees on his broad shoulders, warm skin on warm skin.

Propping yourself up on one elbow, desperate to see his face, his pretty blue eyes smile at you as he finally, finally licks one broad stripe up your folds.

Your brain effectively short circuits.

Like a broken dam, once he’s had a taste there is no going back. Hot, thick swipes over your wetness, desperate to soak up your sweet arousal. Unintentionally his nose crashes into your clit, his messy tongue work bringing him deeper and deeper within you. Above him, you’re singing his praises, mouth open wantonly. “Right there! Right there!”

The hours he’s spent wondering what you taste like, if you’re even sweeter than your kisses, have paid off. He’s addicted. Wrapping his arms around your gorgeous thighs, obscene sounds squelching from his lewd tongue, he brings a thumb to your clit to draw deliciously tight circles. The way your back arches has him panting.

It’s hard to tell whether it’s the tingle in your toes or the fiery knot in your stomach that grows faster. The way his tongue flicks over that ring of muscle has your head spinning. His lips capture a fold and suck, moaning at how sweet you are for him.

“Taste so good, baby. Knew you would, my sweet girl.”

Your head falls back when a finger prods at your opening, slipping through your silky wetness. If his tongue was good, his fingers are a gift. A thick digit that reaches deep, finding that spongey spot that makes your stomach curl. It works its way back and forth, bringing moans to your lips and entrancing him as he watches you take him so easily. He can barely help himself when he slips in a second, salivating over how effortlessly you stretch for him.

“That’s my girl, so good.”

Two fingers deep and a hot mouth on your clit, the world is careening around you. All sense of direction lost, too hot in your sweater, hips desperately following his lips and fingers. Your hand shoves in his hair, holding him there because it feels so good. He thrusts deeper, stretching his fingers within your tight walls. The pressure against your cervix and clit make your head pound. And then suddenly…

“R-Rob-by!” You wail into the bedroom, voice lost amongst the hot air and salacious sounds coming from between your legs. Thighs tightening around his cheeks, knees buckling as you bring your legs to your torso, curling into yourself as your orgasm blindsides you. Your brain dizzy with pleasure and relief as he keeps working his tongue within you, one hand stroking your stomach soothingly as the other disappears over the edge of the bed.

Time disappears as you lazily ride his tongue until the oversensitivity kicks in. As your hips squirm away, he presses one last kiss to your clit before dragging himself up to stand. Despite only having two brain cells left after your orgasm, you’re instantly wet again watching how he grinds his palm against the thick bulge in his jeans.

“That feel good?” Your eyes droop happily as you nod, a little sheepish. “You are so gorgeous, so good for me. I’m a lucky man.”

As you sit up on boneless limbs, he swoops down to press a kiss on your sweet lips. The tangy linger of your taste coats his mouth. By itself it’s sexy, but then you see the wet smudges and fog of his glasses, askew on his nose from where he pressed so hard into your cunt, and a deep groan escapes as you attach yourself to him again.

Reaching down, your fingers are desperately working the button of his jeans - the need to feel every part of him against you so dire - but he’s stilling your hands, kissing along your neck. A little flushed at how close he is to cumming at the thought of your hands on him.

His lips brush your ear. “Want to enjoy your mouth any other time, but I really need to be inside you. Please.”

You’re both openly moaning out your insatiable hunger as you fall back and scoot toward the pillows, sitting up on your knees to unzip your skirt and discard it and your sweater. His hand dips beneath his jeans as he soaks up your skin, the way your bra just barely covers your nipples. He makes no show of pushing down his jeans, pulling them from around his ankles along with his socks. His mind is carnally focused on getting you completely naked as he tugs the front of his boxer briefs down to relieve the pressure on his cock.

The two fingers suddenly make sense. Robert is a big guy - not quite as big as the rest of his squadron, but naturally takes up space with his broad shoulders and large hands - and you feel silly for not connecting the dots. His cock is thick, veiny and red tipped, balls bulging with cum. You gulp down a thick breath knowing he’s about to cram every inch of it into you. This is what you’ve been waiting for.

Since the moment Robert stood on your stoop and introduced himself, the magnet between you has fought harder and harder to bring you together. Pulling by invisible strings, bidding their time, until they finally snapped and you gave into your desires, hands rushing all over while taking time to learn the curve of each other’s bodies. Finding the freckles on his shoulders. Exploring the dip of your back. And as you lay beneath your next door neighbor, breaths heavy and nervous and excited, you allow the magnets to snap together fully as he slowly thrusts his hips until they mesh into yours.

He’s deliciously thick, stretching every part of you as he pants heavily into your neck. Kisses sooth your skin while your nails mark his. In the low light of the room, he gazes at you, so enamored with the way you look taking him. The obscene wet sounds of his hips meeting yours, slow and steady so he can savor the way you squeeze him. Your whimpered noises spurring him on.

You bring a hand to his cheek, using every ounce of will to focus on his sweet face. “This is…this is even better than I imagined.”

He couldn’t agree more. Paired with the dreamily debauched smile on your face, his hips piston faster, arms squeezing tighter as you moan wildly. Bodies vibrating with pleasure, your legs wrap around his thighs for the leverage to meet his thrusts. He grunts as hands tangle in his hair, pulling lightly. The eye contact is intense, unable to look away as you both feel the build up. God, his eyes are the perfect shade of blue.

Your fingers slip to your clit, ready to propel you to the finish, when his thumb knocks you away. His circles are tight and rough as he gazes at you with desire-dark eyes. “It’s okay, let me help you.”

Your kind and overly helpful neighbor. Who lends you his lawn mower and hangs up Christmas lights. Who always compliments your coffee. Who times his thrust with a harsh push to your clit and has you immediately careening off the cliff, seeing bursts of light as your second orgasm of the night envelopes you.

His mouth attaches to yours, tongue lapping up your taste, as you moan through your aftershocks. His cock is still deep, stroking that spongey wall as he works you through and chases his own pleasure. You’re still so tight around him and he’s ready to cum. Making sure his lips don’t leave yours, he draws back and thrusts deeply, watching the way your body surges with his strength. Once, twice, and your eyes roll back as he lets go, filling you with his spend so you have everything he can give.

A streetlamp flicks on through the window. You’re only just catching your breath when Robert slips from the bed. A tap turns, there’s some rustling, and he returns with a soft cloth to help you clean up. Too tired to speak, the two of you just exchange sweet smiles as he once again comes to your aid.

The bed dips and he’s back against your body, cocooned in his dreamy coverlet, clean-shaven face pressing kisses against yours. His cheeks the lightest pink as he lowly whispers, “Hi.”

You can’t help the wide grin that overtakes your features. “Hi.”

No other words are needed to express the satiated happiness bursting through your hearts and every pore. His arms wrap around your bare shoulders tighter. A full year of pining for you, of making any excuse to help out to be in your presence…so worth it for the way his whole body feels whole when you’re around.

Sleepy eyes flutter up at him, trying so hard to stay awake and enjoy this time together. He presses a kiss to your temple, letting his lips linger on the light layer of sweat his deep thrusts caused. If only his squadron could see him now, his sweet little neighbor half-asleep after a night with him.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” he mutters into your hairline as he pulls the blanket around your shoulders. You barely hear him as you begin to dream about a sandy-haired man who brought you the sun, the moon, and the stars.

When the first streams of morning light begin pouring in - because someone was a little too busy doing the deed to close the curtain - two sets of eyes pop open. You’re facing each other, foreheads rested upon the same pillow, eyes half-slits as you adjust to the light. Robert radiates heat, and you curl even closer into him. His lips turn in a satisfied smile as you burrow into his chest.

As the sun rises higher in the sky, the two of you continue chatting in low voices. Legs tangled under the sheets, Robert’s head propped up as he listens to your story about accidentally setting your old kitchen on fire trying to make pancakes. His deep laugh crinkles his eyes, pausing to press the lightest kiss to the corner of your pouting mouth.

You’re just starting to lean into the kisses - hard not to when he looks so kissable - when a grumbly gurgle sounds out from below the covers. Both of your eyes shoot toward your abdomen, a hungry monster in the midst.

“You hungry?” His eyes are so impossibly sweet. You nod slightly, embarrassed at your crass stomach. But he’s already giving you a kind smile and helping you out of the bed, finding a pair of sweatpants and a weathered soft hoodie to keep you warm.

In plaid pajama pants, your neighbor guides you to his kitchen, with the cheery maple cabinets and old-fashioned diner clock, and settles you onto the bench seat in the breakfast nook. “Coffee? Tea…peppermint tea?”

It should actually be illegal how good he looks when he winks at you with that little smirk shirtless.

“Coffee is fine,” you reply, your cheeks hot. He busies himself with coffee and contemplates what he has to constitute for breakfast, and you busy yourself with the day before’s paper. He’s started the sudoku, but abandoned it when his sister called.

Vaguely familiar with the puzzle game, you look at the little scribbled numbers in the boxes to see where he’s left off. Either the mind-blowing sex or lack of caffeine has gotten to you, because you haven’t a clue where to start from.

A steaming mug is placed before you before an arm wraps around your shoulders, looking over your progress. “Yeah, I was stumped too.”

He walks you through his thought process, thick, long fingers tracing over the paper as he points out what should fill out each box. Your eyes stray to him over and over, enjoying how passionate he is about his daily activity. Watching him blush and tilt your head back to the puzzle every time he notices you staring.

You’ve finally gotten a few boxes sorted out when you remember your coffee. Placing a thankful kiss to his cheek, you take a small sip.

“I don’t know how to say this nicely, but this is the worst cup of coffee I’ve ever had in my life.”

Your expression is neutral, trying to keep the disgusted look off your face (unsuccessfully) and he bursts out laughing. Pushing the mug as far as possible from you, missing the delicious imported coffee in your own kitchen, you gladly accept the kiss he presses to your cheek as an apology for the worst thing you have ever consumed.

“How about you are in charge of drinks from now on and I’ll be in charge of food?”

You eye him wearily. “If that’s how you make coffee, I’m scared to see what your cooking skills are like.”

He promises you that his mom requests his lasagna recipe every time he’s back home, and that he’s fairly capable of putting pre-made things in the oven. Good enough for you. Leaning in and molding your mouth to his, the two of you share enough kisses that his bad coffee grows cold.

Turning your attention back to the sudoku puzzle, eager to finish, Robert tightens his grip on your waist. Appreciates the way you look in his clothes after spending the night in his bed. The excited look in your eyes as you solve another box. God, you look so good in his life.

He muses privately that you should just sell your house. He has no plans to ever let you go.

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#robert bob floyd #robert bob floyd fic #bob floyd fic #bob floyd fan fiction #robert bob floyd fan fiction #bob floyd smut #robert bob floyd smut #top gun maverick smut #top gun maverick fan fiction #robert bob floyd x you #bob floyd x you #robert bob floyd x reader #bob floyd x reader #f reader

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luveline · 1 year ago

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hi honey, i love you so so much!!

what about stripper!reader with derek morgan?? he's on a case where strippers are being murdered, and while hotch is driving morgan calls you and tells you not to go into work because of what's going on, and emily is listening in on the conversation from the backseat and they tease him

thank youu!! love you!

ty for requesting lovely!! ilysm ♡

"I know you don't like listening to me, but could you do me a favour? Just this once?"

Emily leans over in her seat so Spencer can see her side eye. "Who's Morgan talking to?"

"Stay home tonight. No, this isn't a jealousy thing, you vixen–"

Spencer shrugs. "No idea. But–"

"But," Emily agrees. They've just left a crime scene with a specific victim, and now Morgan's on the phone asking someone to stay home. That someone would have reason to visit said crime scene's location, and the word vixen suggests female rather than male, which means, "Morgan has a secret stripper girlfriend."

Spencer's entire face takes his frown, eyebrows pinched, mouth quirked into a telling line. "I like the implausible," he murmurs, "but that feels illogical. Where would they have met?"

"Uh," Emily says, widening her eyes at him. "Where do you think, Spence?"

"Morgan doesn't need to go to a strip club."

Emily understands what Spencer's saying. There are lots of reasons that people frequent strip clubs or gentlemen's clubs and none of those reasons apply to Derek. It's possible he could go socially, but it's just so unlike him, it doesn't add up.

"I'm telling you the truth. I can't give you more detail than that, I just need you to stay home tonight." Derek pauses, laughs. "Alright," —his voice takes on a mechanical rendition, clearly having been fed a line he has to repeat aloud— "I, Derek Morgan, am an ignorant, jealous man, who can't cope with the fact that you don't want me, and am making up sad and childish lies to get you to stay home from your job. Is that what you wanted? Yeah, laugh it up."

Emily laughs and grabs the headrest as he hangs up on you, pulling herself forward to taunt him as is required. "Care to explain yourself?"

Derek sighs. "This is why I didn't tell you guys."

"What!" Spencer says, though his smile is more audible than his incredulity.

"So you have something to tell us?" Emily asks.

Derek knows he can't weasel his way out of telling them, and he doesn't really want to. "I don't have a secret stripper girlfriend," he says, rolling his eyes, "she's not my girlfriend. She is an exotic dancer at one of the clubs downtown, and I met her at Home Depot."

Emily isn't perturbed that Derek heard their gossiping. She's shameless. She doesn't even care that Hotch is frowning behind the wheel. "What was an exotic dancer doing at Home Depot?"

"Weirdly, Emily, she has a home. She wanted help finding renter friendly flooring."

"Can we meet her?"

"Never," Derek says with a smile. Emily couldn't know this, but he really likes you. You're sweet, super funny, and yes, you're a stripper. You work hard. Pole dancing is as physically demanding as any manual labour and you're damn good at it. "Ever."

Spencer interjects the ensuing argument with a statistical analysis of strippers who are homeowners (unfairly few), but Morgan doesn't answer, trying to read a new text from you discretely.

Sorry if I embarrassed you at work :( is it really not safe to go ?? Maybe u can come and be my bodyguard. I won't even make u tip me 4:10PM

He sends back, Really not safe. Stay home for me, relax for a few days. Call you tonight even if nothing changes 4:11PM

My hero <3 I trust u, but be careful OK ? and pls if it isn't too much trouble can u bring back some of those weird candies again? thank u thank u <3<3<3 4:14PM

Hotch makes a quiet sound of approval, eyes on the road. "The same girl you were with at Docklands? Rossi said she was cute."

"She is."

"Rossi met her?" Emily asks. "Oh, you're the worst."

#derek morgan #derek morgan x reader #derek morgan x you #derek morgan x y/n #derek morgan x fem!reader #derek morgan imagine #derek morgan fluff #derek morgan fanfic #derek morgan oneshot #derek morgan scenario #derek morgan drabble #derek morgan fic #derek morgan fanfiction #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds #criminal minds fic #criminal minds x reader

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whipped-for-kpop-fics · 2 months ago

Text

Mirror Mirror - L.SM

🎇Who: Lee Seokmin x female reader 🎇What: Strangers to friends to lovers, magic au, fluff, some smut, sprinkle of angst 🎇Wordcount: 15.9k 🎇Warnings: Mentions of death/ghosts but nobody dies, profanity, Seokmin’s thighs (yes they need a warning), biting/hickeys, body worship, oral (f), pervert Wonwoo, technically there’s a rather large age-gap but magic stuff makes it meaningless

Summary: The glass shimmers, a gentle breeze tickles your cheeks. It's working. After all this time it's- "Ow," the human suddenly sprawled on the floor in front of you whines as he rubs his sore knees. It didn't work. You really thought it would work. You look up at the glass in front of you. It's solid again. The breeze is gone, and it didn't work. You’re still stuck, just as you have been for years. Except now, this too-trusting stranger is stuck here with you.

Minors do NOT interact, which means reblogging and/or commenting on this story. I WILL block any account that interacts without an age indicator in their bio.

-2024 Masterlist-

A/N- The single biggest juciest thank you to @wongyuseokie for making the beautiful banner! Look at that beauty, pure talent that, I am awed and endlessly grateful, thank you, darling 💗💗💗

This day was bound to come. You knew it logically; knew that one day your absence would be noticed, and the vultures would swarm to claim that which you had kept safe for so long. You knew it was coming; you just didn’t realise it would be so soon.

You can only stand on the outside watching in, as your home gets emptied of all your precious belongings, years of carefully collected curios and priceless pieces. All tossed into cardboard boxes and carried off out of your line of sight in the hands of people who have never cared for you or your belongings. People who have never taken the chance to understand that it isn’t just blood that runs through your veins, that your mind isn’t twisted with delusions, just open to such wonders that they will never see even with their eyes wide open.

It hurts.

You can’t bear to watch the only signs of the fact that you lived a happy, adventurous life full of whimsy and beauty which most can’t comprehend, get pulled out of the home you had made for yourself. Gutted until no sign of joy is left. It feels too much like they’re tearing your heart and soul from your chest.

So, you leave.

You walk a world that only has glimpses of light left, little pockets of life amongst the dull stillness you’ve grown too accustomed to during the past months of aimless wandering.

You walk, and walk, and walk until that hurt in your chest feels more like an old scar than an open wound, and then you turn around and walk back.

By the time you return, your home no longer looks like your own, nor does it look like an empty shell. There’s a brightness to it even if it’s so dull in your world, life and comfort tucked in amongst the half-built furniture and half-unpacked boxes.

You wonder how long you’ve been gone.

Curious of who now resides in the home you never intended to leave behind, you wander through the mostly dark house until you find a bright room and cross the master bedroom with ease, to lean towards the mirror and peer through the glass.

The bedroom is still, lit by the natural rays coming through the open window revealing that whoever the new homeowner is, they must’ve focused on unpacking this bedroom first.

The large bed has clearly held a slumbering being already, and lazily discarded clothes lay on the fluffy rug beside the bed as if thrown off before a tired person had climbed into bed the night before and have yet to pick the items up.

A glance at the cute, colourful clock on the bedside table tells you that it’s almost 10am.

Without thinking, you glance to the other side of the bed and find that the bedside table isn’t a matching set of two, only a lone table, so you think it’s safe to assume this person is single, and by the lack of other rooms set up that they also live alone. Or their housemates haven’t set up their own mirrors yet, or maybe simply don’t have them.

A sudden gasp and the sound of items clattering to hardwood flooring makes you look further into the room, leaning closer to the glass to get a better view.

You don’t expect to find big eyes already on you. But it does explain the shocked sound and dropping of items; you imagine most people would be a tad surprised to find a woman standing in the reflection of their mirror.

Deciding that there’s no point trying to hide now, you lift a hand and wave at the gawking man. He seems to be growing paler by the second. Surprisingly, he lifts one hand to wave back at you slowly, seeming to be moving on autopilot.

“Hey,” you greet. Maybe you should’ve stayed quiet though, because as soon as the word is out of your mouth, the man’s eyes roll back and he collapses to the floor unconscious amongst the toiletries he had earlier dropped. “Oops.”

Of course, there’s not a lot for you to do, no way for you to shake him awake or interact with him in any way while he’s unconscious, so you just thunk your forehead against the glass with a sigh and wait.

Luckily, the man comes to after only a couple of minutes, relieving your boredom and the worry that was starting to niggle at the back of your mind as you considered that he could’ve hit his head, or maybe had a delicate heart that you had inadvertently caused havoc with by simply existing in this way.

At first, the man seems very confused as he shuffles up, rubbing his head a little signifying that he had banged it, but at least you don’t think it was hard enough to cause any concern. He peers around himself at the floor and his items there, clearly trying to do the mental maths to find out the reason he woke up sprawled amongst his toiletries only a few steps into the bedroom.

You decide to just wait for him to remember on his own and simply watch him slowly gather the toiletries utterly puzzled.

It’s when he’s got his arms full and almost standing upright, knees still bent from his rise that he seems to recall the events leading up to waking up on the floor. He freezes in a squat, eyes slowly turning wide before his head woodenly turns to the large mirror fixed to the wall beside the dresser.

When your eyes meet, you wiggle your fingers in a wave. He screams, drops the toiletries, and runs out of the room leaving you staring at the splatter of conditioner and tiny pieces of broken plastic.

“H-hello?!”

The timid call matched with faint knocking wakes you up from your nap on the dull couch. You stretch and yawn as you get up to shuffle through the dim home and enter the bright bedroom.

The man is standing on the other side of the glass, one hand raised in a fist as he tentatively knocks against it, his eyes flickering around the reflection.

He looks determined, yet there’s still a fear in his eyes that you really can’t blame him for having. Though it does make you roll your eyes when that fear grows exponentially when his eyes find you entering the room.

“I can’t hurt you, no need to look so scared,” you point out while nearing the glass. Understandably, the man scuttles back a little when you get close enough. “I can’t reach through, look,” you reach out, yet your hand hits the glass with a thunk. “See? I can’t touch you; you can’t touch me.”

“Oh.” To your genuine surprise, it seems that is all you need to say and do for the man to lose all fear, as he steps closer to the glass and smiles at you a little. “Sorry, I’ve never met a mirror ghost before, I don’t know the rules.”

“I’m not a ghost.”

“You’re not?” He tilts his head a little, lips pouting slightly as he thinks. “Are you some kind of fae?”

“No, I’m a witch.”

“Wah, really?!” He lights up, lips stretching into a wide grin. This is not how you expected this to go, especially considering that your first two meetings consisted of him passing out and running away screaming. “That’s so cool! I’ve never met a witch before! Can you show me some magic? Can you teach me?!”

“Uh…” You’re so thrown off by his genuine enthusiasm that you can do nothing but stare dumbly at him for a few seconds. “Not from here, no.”

“Oh.” The man frowns, shoulders slumping in disappointment. “That sucks. I’d love to learn magic.”

“I mean, I can make a deal with you, if you really want to learn?” You offer, deciding that this emotionally open man may just be naive enough to trust a stranger in his bedroom mirror.

“What kind of deal?” He looks at you suspiciously and folds his hands over his chest protectively. “I’m not giving you my soul.”

“Your soul?” You can’t help but laugh. The man’s expression does a weird twitchy thing before his arms drop to his sides and he looks at you with round, sparkling eyes. “What would I do with that? I’m no demon and even they don’t claim souls much anymore; there’s an overpopulation issue in hell, you know? Too many assholes these days.”

“Hell’s real?”

“Anything’s real if you look hard enough and believe.”

“Unicorns?”

“Okay, no, that was just a drunken fairy sticking twigs to horses’ heads and covering them in fairy magic to make them sparkle, and fuck with humans.”

“Huh, okay,” he responds in easy acceptance of your words. You can’t help but wonder what kind of absurdities you could tell this man to be fact, and he’d accept it without question. You didn’t know such naive people even exist in adulthood.

“Right so, would you be willing to make a deal with me?”

“Yeah! Sure!” He beams, nodding happily already.

“I haven’t even given any terms yet. You don’t know what I’d ask of you.”

“Oh, right.” His expression turns serious, and his tone follows when he speaks next. “What do I have to do for you to teach me magic?”

“Get me out of this fucking place.”

“Oh, you’re stuck?”

“Do you think I’m in here for fun?” You deadpan.

“I don’t know! I told you I’ve never met a witch before! I don’t know what witches like to do for fun!”

“Right, well no, this is not my idea of a fun time. I am stuck and I need someone in the real world to get me out.”

“How?”

“I assume by doing the reverse of what I did to get stuck in here,” you reply with a shrug. “I can write down the incantation and a list of what you need to get.”

“Okay.” He looks at you with nothing but trust and patience, eyes so pure and innocent and posture open.

As you turn to go to the kitchen to get the memo pad and pen from the fridge, you silently decide that once you’re out of here and back in the real world, you’ll teach him how not to be such an easy target, alongside the magic lessons.

“Okay, everything is all set up!” The man announces as he gets to his feet in front of the mirror, as if you haven’t been watching him carefully set up all the items from the list on the floor in the places you instructed him to.

“Good job,” you praise in a murmur, sort of distractedly as your eyes dart over the symbols drawn on the glass to check for the nth time that they’re exactly the same as the ones you had shown him on one of the many pieces of memo pad paper now littering the floor by your feet.

When your eyes land back on the man, he’s grinning proudly at the short praise you had given him. Clearly, he’s very easy to please. Must be nice.

“Alright, whenever you’re ready.”

“What will happen?” He asks as he steps forward to press one palm to the glass while his other lifts the piece of paper where he had earlier copied down the incantation which you had shown him through the glass.

“The glass will move and then I can step back through.”

“That’s it? No levitating items or fire or-”

“That’s it. I can show you that stuff once I’m back in the real world.”

“You will?” You hum in confirmation with a little nod that makes his smile turn excited. His shoulders wiggle a little with gleeful anticipation. It’s admittedly pretty cute. “Okay, okay, I got this, I can totally bring a witch out of her mirror world and back into the real world, you got this, Seokie.” He murmurs to himself under his breath. It only really occurs to you then that you don’t even know each other's names.

Oh well, plenty of time for that once you’re back in reality.

You watch intently as the man, Seokie as he referred to himself, takes a deep breath with his eyes closed before opening them and immediately starts to read aloud the words written there in a language he doesn’t know, but he doesn’t seem to care that he has no idea what he’s actually saying.

You definitely need to teach the man something about self-preservation once you’re in the real world.

The incantation should work; you’ve revised this same spell so many times since you first got stuck here, a reverse of your own spell that trapped you in this world of your own making. Previous versions of the incantation have never worked, you’ve tried this a few times with various humans through various mirrors, yet nothing.

But this time, it should work, you’ve fine-tuned it. It has to work.

A breath catches in your throat as you notice the glitter of magic under Seokie’s palm.

The glass shimmers.

A gentle breeze tickles your cheeks.

It's working. After all this time it's-

"Ow," the human suddenly sprawled on the floor in front of you whines as he rubs his sore knees.

It didn't work.

You really thought it would work.

You look up at the glass in front of you. It's solid again. The breeze is gone, and it didn't work. You’re still stuck, just as you have been for years. Except now, this too-trusting stranger is stuck here with you.

"I quit!" You exclaim, throwing your hands up in frustration and turning to walk off.

"Wait!" The human screeches as the room gradually darkens with your exit. You don't look back, but you hear him scramble after you. “Why’s it so dark?” He murmurs once he’s close enough that he’s almost pressed to your arm as he wraps his long fingers around your forearm like a lost child.

“There aren’t any mirrors in these rooms,” you answer, motioning to the dark, lifeless rooms you pass. Dull copies of his own house, full of subdued versions of his own belongings. “No light can reach them.”

“Oh. But it’s not entirely dark, at least…” You feel his gaze on you. “Not where you are. Do witches have glow in the dark auras or something?”

“Glow in the dark auras?” You repeat as you stop and look at him incredulously.

“Yeah…I am guessing by your expression that glow in the dark auras are not a thing.”

“Not that I’m aware of,” you reply with a shrug, then turn and continue forward to leave the apartment. “Doesn’t mean it’s entirely non-existent though, just that I’ve never seen or heard a thing about it.”

“Everything exists if you believe,” he paraphrases your earlier words as he toddles along at your side while still holding your arm to stay in whatever the not-a-glow-in-the-dark-aura surrounds you and gives off a soft, naturally warm light like a cosy little bubble to light your way and keep you safe.

“Yeah,” you affirm simply. “But not that witches have glow in the dark auras. It’s just a detail of the original spell, so that I can always see where I’m going and what’s around me clearly, even outside of lit spaces.”

“Ahh, so you can’t make me a human glow stick too?”

“No,” you laugh. “Not in here at least.”

“Don’t you have magic here?”

“Don’t you think I’d have already left by now if I had magic?”

“Not if it’s like a one-way door,” he reasons with a shrug. “Maybe you could walk through but not back.”

“Mm, I see the logic but no, that’s not it. It’s supposed to be a swinging door, I can come and go as I please but evidently, I fucked up somewhere.”

“Ah.”

You’re not sure how long it’s been since Seokmin not Seokie, even if he always smiles brightly when you call him the nickname, tumbled into your mirror world, and got stuck with you; it could be hours, could be days, could be longer. There’s no way to tell the passing of time here unless you happen to be in a lit room with a clock, but even then, that doesn’t always give you an accurate reading if you can’t tell how many days have passed since last you looked.

There was a room with a calendar some time ago, but when you last visited it had all changed and you no longer could sit and watch the little old lady knit scarves for grandchildren that never visited. You refuse to let yourself linger on why she’s no longer there, and now a young couple with a yappy dog that pisses on the rug all the time have painted over the pencils marks on the walls tracking heights of her loved ones who rarely even answered her calls.

For hours, or days, or weeks, or months, you don’t know, you and Seokmin spend most of your time in an abandoned department store where there are fake rooms set up to display assorted items for sale. A lot of the store is smoke damaged, and most areas vandalised on top, but even broken mirrors bring light into your world.

Sometimes, you’ll sprawl over a dusty couch or bed and watch Seokmin gather broken items to throw into bins and sweep up. He’ll fetch items from elsewhere and set up the area of the moment until it’s all pretty and cosy. Only for it to be back to the vandalised state the next time the pair of you return after leaving the lit place.

At first, it had made Seokmin visibly sad every time you two would return somewhere only to find his hard work to be for nought. For the lit space to reset in your absence as if he had never stepped a determined foot there in the first place.

But now, Seokmin has somehow injected his sunny disposition into even that inevitable cruelty and declared that it’s ‘like those games where you have to fix up and decorate rooms, and I have endless chances and possibilities!’ You have no idea what games he means but you admire his ability to spin it into something positive. At least it gives him a better chance at keeping his sanity.

When you’re not camped out at the department store watching Seokmin play interior decorator or making up skits and plays to act out with whatever props are to hand to make you laugh until you cry, the two of you tend to wander around the dull city looking for different lit spaces to hang out and explore.

Before Seokmin fell through the glass into the mirror world and you were alone, you never cared if a space was lit or not, you know there is nothing else living in this world so there’s nothing that can hurt you even in the darkest places where you can’t see past the edge of your glow.

But Seokmin hates unlit places, he’s afraid of the dark and always has been, so now you avoid them and have never stepped foot in the pitch-black spaces since he arrived.

Somehow though, there’s always a new lit space to explore, more games to pull out of cupboards while people aren’t home, and sometimes barely manage to scuttle out of sight when they return.

A few times, Seokmin has asked why you hide from everyone when they could potentially free you from the mirror world. You always say the same thing ‘I don’t want to face the same disappointment again.’ Eventually, Seokmin stops asking and you can’t tell if it’s to protect your heart or his.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” You ask the man at your side, and not for the first, second or third time either. In fact, you’ve lost count of how many times you’ve repeated those words.

“Yeah, it’s been long enough,” he confirms, squeezing your hand slightly, with his long fingers locked between your own as he stares at the front door. The door of a home that was once yours, once his, and now someone else's.

“It’s not like we’re on a time limit here, we don’t ever have to come back if you don’t want to.”

“I need to see who lives in our house now,” he assures and bravely reaches out to open the washed-out door.

It surprises you both that the entrance hall is lit, and you both quickly notice the mirror above the side table against the wall.

“Didn’t expect that, not many houses have hall mirrors,” you admit.

“I meant to put one up, never got the chance,” Seokmin informs with a little grin before the two of you enter the house and shut the door behind you.

There’s no wind, no creepy crawlies, no strangers to follow you inside but you both still always shut entrance doors behind you as if holding on to that little piece of reality.

“Huh, it’s lit everywhere,” the man comments as he peers around the living room doorway, and then the kitchen doorway opposite. “What weirdo puts a mirror in their kitchen?”

“A big one.”

“Big one,” Seokmin giggles, making you let go of him to shove him. “Hey!” He laughs as he stumbles, and then looks at you with an attempt at a stern expression, yet he’s still smiling too much and his eyes sparkle with the same joy he always looks at you with. You can’t say that yours don’t hold that same glimmer for him either.

“What?” You reply innocently while backing up towards the stairs.

All Seokmin does is point a finger at you in warning before you’re turning and running up the stairs while laughing happily, with him right on your shadow making dramatic growling sounds.

He’s getting much better at those noises too; he rarely even chokes in his attempts these days. You’re oddly proud of him for that.

As you run through the house, you vaguely notice that Seokmin’s observation from downstairs seems to be correct up here; every room and hallway is lit with at least one mirror per room. It’s very strange.

You barrel into the en-suite of the master bedroom without thought and try to shut the door on Seokmin to playfully lock him out, but he’s too close and slams it open.

“Huh?” The deep, male voice makes you both freeze, then look over to the mirror expecting to see someone there. But from this angle, the room on the other side of the glass looks entirely empty.

You motion for Seokmin to stay there and quiet before you turn and sneak further into the room to try and figure out where the man on the other side is.

Though the bathroom is entirely empty, so you stop and stare confusedly at the mirror. “I can’t-” you start to tell Seokmin that you can’t see anything, yet suddenly from the doorway in the reflection, the very edge of a person steps into the room so you quickly clamber into the bath and lay flat against the porcelain hoping that the stranger won’t be able to see you in the reflection. It’s a pretty big bath with high edges that you got installed yourself so that you can soak properly. You briefly wonder how long ago that was.

You have no idea what Seokmin is doing; you can’t really risk lifting to pop your head out from the bath just in case the stranger is still in the bathroom and facing the mirror. The last thing you need is to scare the man into falling and cracking his head on the tiles. You may not live in the house anymore, but you really don’t want it to be home to a ghost just in case you do manage to return one day.

Although there is literally only one person it can be, when Seokmin suddenly appears leaning over the bath a few moments later, you shriek in surprise, making him laugh.

“Who’s there?!” Comes from the other side of the glass followed by rapidly approaching footsteps.

A shared, panicked look passes between yourself and Seokmin before you reach up to grab his t-shirt at the same time as he climbs into the bath. You pull him chest to chest and wind an arm around his waist to urge him as close to you as possible while your free hand cups the back of his head to tuck his face into your neck.

You really hope that the sides of the bath are tall enough to block Seokmin from the mirror’s view too. This is a rather…awkward position to be caught in.

“I swear I heard something…” The stranger mutters, voice clear enough despite the distortion of the mirror that you can tell he’s in the bathroom. “Maybe I should stop drinking energy drinks at midnight.”

“He does what?” Seokmin whispers appalled against your skin.

You don’t know if you should laugh, shove him away from your sensitive skin or pull him closer encouragingly. You decide to do none of the above, both because you don’t know how to react and because you really don’t want to get caught like this by the stranger.

“Whatever, guess I’ll just go to bed,” the man mutters before noisily leaving the room in a way entirely opposite to how he had entered.

It feels like he made himself heavy footed and closed the door so audibly on purpose, so when Seokmin starts to move, you hold him tighter to keep him still.

Thankfully, Seokmin listens to your silent demand and fits himself as close to you as possible, where he remains perfectly still except for the rise and fall of his torso as he breathes carefully to not risk his back rising too much.

Each breath blows hotly over your neck and honestly, you want to scream. It’s too much to have the attractive man so close; you’re pretty sure you can feel his flaccid dick pressed between your bodies and it’s taking everything in you to not focus on that.

“Fuck,” the stranger curses under his breath after what feels like hours of being laid there. It must’ve only been a minute or so though, you don’t imagine he would waste so much time on trying to catch what he must assume is a ghost in his bathroom.

This time, the open and consequent close of the door is at a much more believable level and you assume the man has given up and actually gone to bed this time.

Still, you wait, counting out 3 minutes in your head before you loosen your hold on Seokmin.

Slowly, he lifts his head out of the gap beside your neck and tentatively pushes up to cautiously peer over the edge of the bath to the mirror. When he lets out a breath of relief, you know that the coast is clear.

“He’s going to be tricky,” Seokmin comments, keeping his voice quiet as he looks back down at you.

“Did you happen to notice where the mirror is in the bedroom?”

“No.”

“Me neither,” you frown a little. “We can’t risk it, even opening the door could be seen if the mirror is in the right place.”

“So, we stay in the bathroom forever?”

“I imagine he will leave the bathroom door open at some point and hopefully we can figure out where he is or hear him leave the bedroom so we can sneak out then.”

“Isn’t the whole house full of mirrors?”

“Don’t remind me,” you complain, prodding at his waist, making him jerk and let out a truly disturbing sound from the sudden ticklish jab. It probably says a lot about how long you two have been around each other that you don’t even react to the sound anymore, and he doesn’t get embarrassed about it like he used to.

Sometimes, you do genuinely wonder how long you have been stuck together now. How many days you’ve spent side by side sharing space in a way you never have with anyone before. You really don’t think you’ve ever developed such a deep connection with anyone before. You don’t think you will again either.

But mostly, you try not to think about how the world keeps spinning without you, and the fact that the world could end and you might not even notice for decades if you don’t go to the right lit places.

You’ve never let Seokmin in on that thought process though, you don’t think he would be able to handle that potential truth.

“So, bathtub sleepover?” Seokmin grins, as if this doesn’t even bother him.

It’s strange how such a soft man can be so unperturbed by things like this. You do wonder what kind of a life he lived before this to let so much just roll off his back, but you don’t ask about it. You don’t want to remind the sweet man of all he has been forced to leave behind thanks to you.

Seokmin has cried and broken down in front of you before, somewhat regularly at the start when he would remember something; a schedule he’s been forced to miss, or a memory prompted by something you pass or interact with. And every single time as you held him and listened to him sob his broken heart out, yours shattered too.

You think your heart has ached more for him than it ever has your own loss. You think it hurt worse seeing him cry that first time than any of the times an incantation had failed and you realised you’re still stuck here for however much longer.

At first, you hadn’t tried hard, or at all, to entertain Seokmin or play along with his games, but now you’ll go along with anything he wants if it keeps him smiling. You never want to see him so broken again. Watching him cry even once, is one time too many.

Lee Seokmin deserves nothing but good things and you’ll do everything in your power to try and hold yourself to that silent, secret promise to make him happy for the rest of your lives.

“Bathtub sleepover,” you agree with a simple nod.

Together, you shuffle around until you’re laid on your sides against the porcelain and facing one another.

Not for the first time, you’re struck by how beautiful Seokmin is as you lay there looking at one another. It’s a dangerous position to be in. You usually don’t face each other for very long like this because you don’t trust yourself to not act on the way your heart feels so full of love for this man yet beats harder against your ribs as if trying to shove you closer to him with every thud.

Yet when you find yourself inches from Seokmin, it’s not because of your own actions.

Seokmin has moved closer to you until your legs are tangled and his left palm is hovering so close to your cheek that you can practically feel his touch already.

A soft murmur of your name follows, blows over your lips like an unspoken question. Like an answer, you tilt your chin upwards, lessening that little gap between your faces. He lets out a shaky breath of relief before tilting in and kissing you softly.

His hand gently lands on your cheek to allow his fingers to curve against the shape of you and hold you as if you’re the most precious thing he’s ever touched.

It feels like a lot. Like almost too much. Like that rapid thudding of your heart is trying to send the words you’ve been holding in your chest out of your throat and into the air between you. You kiss him harder to stop them from flowing.

In return, Seokmin’s hand holds you tighter, his legs curl to tug you that bit closer as he presses against you and teases your mouth open easily with his to flit his tongue out in search of your own.

The mirror world is perpetually at room temperature, it never gets hot or cold, but right now you think you could burn up if not for the natural cool of the porcelain pressed against your back as he urges closer and traps you there between his heated body and the bath.

“Shit, shit, fuck,” Seokmin curses amongst heavy breaths as he suddenly pulls back with his eyes squeezed tightly closed.

You can only stare at him dumbly, utterly dazed by the way he had kissed you as if trying to devour you entirely in the most incredible of ways.

Slowly, you both gather your breath back.

Seokmin shuffles back, giving you space again as his eyes flutter open to peer at you with uncertainty. “I’m sorry,” he apologises softly.

“What? Why?”

“For…kissing you like that.”

“Did I push you away?”

“I backed you against the side, I-”

“Seok,” you interrupt, and scoot closer to take his face into your hands. He looks at you with round eyes, some of his nerves melting away at your tender touch. “You did nothing I didn’t like, except move away.”

“Oh, really?”

“Mm, I’d tell you if you do anything I don’t like.”

“Promise?”

“Promise,” you nod and seal it with a sweet kiss that makes Seokmin smile at you when you settle back down and put your arm around his waist. “You’ll tell me too, yeah?”

“Mm, yeah,” he agrees. “Lift your head.” You do as he asked, even if you don’t understand why. Though it makes sense when he moves his right arm out from between your bodies to lay across the gap where your head was a moment ago, allowing you to use his bicep as a pillow. “I’ve always wanted to hold you like this.”

“Take this as permission that you can, whenever you want,” you hum as you curl up against him and tangle your legs back together while your eyes shut. “I like cuddling.”

“I like you.” Your eyes blow wide open, and you look at him. “What? You think I kiss any woman I meet in the mirror like that?” He scoffs a teasing laugh.

“Maybe, I don’t know what you got up to before meeting me.”

“You never ask.”

“I don’t want to remind you of what you lost because of me.”

Seokmin’s smile is understanding as he leans down to kiss you softly. “It was my choice. I wanted to help you, and it didn’t work, it’s not your fault. I’ve never blamed you for me being stuck here, Sunshine.”

“I haven’t even tried to figure it out, I gave up trying to find a way out,” you admit in a voice so soft it could almost be considered a whisper.

“You don’t want to go back?” He looks at you confusedly. “I thought you did?”

“It’s been a long time for me, Seokie, I don’t know how long, but things have changed in the real world. I’ve seen technology change so much since I’ve been stuck here. It’s not a world I know anymore. I have nothing left out there.”

“You’ll have me.”

“It could just be a year or so for you, maybe less, you might still have a life to go back to.”

“And I’ll take you with me,” he promises, talking a little firmer when you open your mouth to retort. “I want you by my side when we go back. You’re my Sunshine, you make me happy-”

“If you start singing that song,” you warn, giving him a stern look that makes him giggle.

“I wasn’t going to. I was just stating facts. You do make me happy, and I can’t imagine living without you. When we go back out there, we’ll be together, okay? I’m not going to abandon you for my old life. I want to make a new life with you, okay?”

“Are you sure?”

“More sure than I have ever been about anything. I…I love you and it’s okay if you don’t love me back, I can wait. Or…well I love you and I’ll accept whatever you’re willing to give me.”

“You’re so fucking stupid.”

“Thanks,” he deadpans. “That’s exactly what I want to hear when I declare my love for the first time to the only woman I’ve said those words to and know I won’t to anyone else.”

“Seriously? You’ve never loved anyone before?”

“Not like this. If we were out there, I’m pretty sure I’d have bought an engagement ring ages ago.”

“So fucking stupid,” you reiterate desperately, before kissing him in the same way. Seokmin makes a surprised noise yet quickly melts against you, gripping a fistful of your t-shirt at your back as you press close to one another.

“Giving me mixed messages,” he murmurs dazedly when you pull apart and look at one another. “You can’t call me stupid for loving you then kiss me like…like you…”

“I didn’t call you stupid for loving me, I think that’s very wise, a great decision to love the person who would do everything possible to make you happy because they’re so fucking in love with you-” you’re cut off by Seokmin surging in to kiss you with the same desperation you had kissed him with a minute ago.

“You love me?” He rushes out, during a quick break he creates in the kiss, yet doesn’t give you the chance to answer as he slots his lips back against yours.

With the passion Seokmin kisses you, you understandably assume things are going to develop and clothes fly off. Yet when you slide your hand under his t-shirt and barely get to feel his toned stomach, he turns his head out of the kiss and grabs your hand to still your movements.

“What’s wrong?” You ask confused.

“Not like this,” he replies, fluttering his eyes open as he turns his head back to look at you, now leaned up a little so that you can peer at one another comfortably.

“Then don’t kiss me like that!” You complain and remove your hands from him entirely to cross over your chest. “I thought you want to fuck me and got excited for nothing.”

“I do, I do, like so much. Seriously, Sunshine, I’ve wanted to fuck you for so long,” he assures so seriously that you believe him, and can’t help but giggle at how serious he is while talking about wanting to have sex with you.

“Then why not now?”

“I really don’t want our first time to be in a bathtub, babe,” he chuckles, and shuffles back to create a less heated gap between you, where he settles and tugs you in to cuddle. “Once we get out of this bathroom, we’ll go find a nice bed where I can lay you down and worship you like you deserve.”

“Seok…” you murmur shyly, before tilting your head up to kiss his jaw softly. “You’re too good for me.”

“Nah, I think I’m just right for you, Goldilocks.”

It must be the next day when you wake to the muffled sound of the shower running. Carefully, you wriggle out of Seokmin’s hold and roll over to peer over the top of the bath.

The mirror on the opposite wall is big enough that at this angle, you can catch sight of the shower and a male figure blissfully unaware under the water with his back to the mirror.

Knowing that this is your chance, you turn over and put a hand over Seokmin’s mouth so that he doesn’t make a loud sound as you nudge him awake. His resulting snuffle is muffled so well under your palm that you barely catch it.

He looks blearily offended at being woken up, but when you signal him to be quiet as you remove your hand from his mouth, he understands and nods to show as much.

One of you always keeps watch on the mirror as the two of you manoeuvre out of the tub silently, and then out of the bathroom.

“Oh, thank fuck,” you breathe out as the two of you walk further into the lit master bedroom.

Seokmin makes a noise of agreement, then tugs you in to kiss sweetly. “Good morning, Sunshine.”

“Good morning, sweetheart.” Seokmin’s eyes round out at the pet-name and he gives you such a soft, adoring look that you find yourself kissing him before you’ve even registered it. A self-preservation instinct to prevent yourself from melting into a pile of goo from the loving expression of the man who owns your heart, soul, and ass.

There must be some residual tension in you both, left over from your tryst in the tub however many hours ago it was. Although the kiss started innocently enough, it doesn’t last long and you both get lost in the feeling of the other’s mouth as hands travel with interest over one another.

All thoughts of the man in the shower completely leave your mind. All you can think about is Seokmin and how you want to feel his mouth and hands all over you.

Clearly, Seokmin has the same thoughts in mind, because in no time at all, you’re at the edge of the bed with your top and bra somewhere on the floor behind where the man is kneeling before you and working on removing all of your clothing.

Of course, you’ll be damned if you don’t even the score; as soon as he’s got you naked and tries to lean down between your thighs, you reach out and tug on his t-shirt. Seokmin isn’t shy at all about yanking the material off of his torso and once you can see his beautiful, toned body, you understand why he didn’t hesitate.

“Well, shit,” you murmur, dragging your hungry gaze over his skin.

“Mm, can I taste you now?” Comes his distracted reply, eyes glued between your thighs with nothing but pure desire in his dark eyes.

“Get naked first.”

“Fully naked?” He lifts his head just enough to peer at you mostly through his lashes. “Can I keep my boxers on for now?”

“Why?”

“I want to focus on you but I get distracted when my dick’s out,” he admits sheepishly. “I’ll think it’s time to fuck you but I want to make you cum on my tongue first.”

“Well, I can’t reasonably say no to that,” you muse and hook your fingers under the waistband of his jeans to pull him closer. “C’mere.”

Seokmin doesn’t need to be told twice, he’s more than happy to crowd up against your front to kiss you while your hands work on his button and zipper. He helps you shove the denim down his thighs, which are way thicker than you had realised.

The reveal makes you stare at him dumbly as he sits on his butt to shimmy the material off of his legs in a frankly awkward looking manoeuvre. It says a lot for how attractive the man is, and perhaps how whipped you are for him, that even the ungraceful flapping of his legs to kick off his jeans and toe of his socks, doesn’t dampen your arousal at all.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?” He questions upon getting back on his knees and facing you, only to realise that you’re staring at him with widened eyes and mouth parted in shock.

“You’re fucking beautiful,” you reply almost breathlessly. “How are you real? Did I make you up for company after being stuck in here so long?” You touch his chest and marvel at how solid his heated skin is under your palms. “This is a very vivid hallucination.”

“Baby,” he chuckles shyly while putting his hands over yours to press your hands flat to his skin. “I’m real, you’re real, this is real.”

“Fuck.”

“You okay?”

You lift your gaze from staring at his body to look into his utterly adoring gaze that is already locked on you. “I am never letting you leave me.”

Seokmin’s cheeks bunch as he smiles at you all big and genuinely happy. “I’m never going to want to.”

“Good.” You slide your hands out from under his to flow down his body, trace over his abs and around his waist to pull him as close as possible with your hands firm against his lower back. Seokmin makes a surprised, yet very happy and interested, sound at your actions before his lips are back on yours and filled with a new layer of hunger.

When you’re both breathing heavily and the kiss breaks, he starts a trail of heavy kisses down your neck, stopping to tongue over the swell of your breasts from between them as he pushes them in closer either side of his face so that he only has to turn his head and adjust a little to give both attention.

Though he doesn’t stay there long, the man is on a mission he is determined to succeed in. His path travels lower and you lean back on your palms to give him easier access to worship your stomach with his mouth.

Obviously, it’s been a long time for you, but you’re very certain that nobody has ever taken the time to give your body so much attention like this, not without it being a means to an end. But this, this certainly isn’t a partner building you up ready to fuck.

This is a man who is taking his time to love on every inch of your precious body because he wants to, because he enjoys doing it and showing you how beautiful he finds you without words.

If possible, you think you fall a little more in love with Seokmin with every press of his adoring, attentive lips to your skin. If your breath wasn’t already hitching and chest stuttering with the mix of intense arousal and love for this man, you would tell him those three words you know he’s pressing into your skin.

Perhaps that’s why you feel so full of love for him right now; he’s filling you with so much of his own that yours is overflowing and wanting to spill out to him. Like a never-ending feedback circle. You think that doesn’t sound so bad. A never-ending love with Lee Seokmin sounds pretty wonderful, actually.

The words are about to fly free from your mouth when his lips press against your clit and your eyes fly wide in surprise. You hadn’t even realised you had closed your eyes, or that his head is now between your thighs; you had been too caught up in the sensation of being loved and doted on so thoroughly.

“I love you,” you blurt, making Seokmin freeze in surprise at the sudden declaration. Which immediately makes you laugh because he has his tongue halfway out of his mouth with clearly every intention of swiping it against you. “You’re so cute.”

“What?” He garbles out around his still poked tongue, then abruptly pulls it back into his mouth looking a little embarrassed, though he quickly smiles at you and presses a kiss to your stomach just above your belly button. “I love you too, Sunshine. Now stop distracting me, I have important things to do.”

“Sorry, I’ll keep my love to myself from now on,” you retort playfully, and nudge his shoulder with your thigh.

“Good,” he jokes back. You nudge him again only to gasp loudly and fly one hand out to his head when he latches his mouth to your inner thigh in retaliation. He bites first, not too hard but hard enough that you know there will be a minor mark left behind. And then, he sucks on your flesh until you know without even looking that there will be a massive bruise left behind. It’s just a shame it won’t last.

Things kind of blur together after that. A haze of pleasure caused by a sinfully exquisite mouth licking and sucking your thighs and pussy; greedily slurping up every drop of arousal that drips out of you and smearing it against his chin and cheeks almost on purpose as if he’s trying to fucking bathe in it. But you barely notice that.

At some point, you drop onto your back against the mattress due to the intensity of pleasure running through your body thanks to the man between your thighs, who you are genuinely starting to think must be some kind of sex god based on his incredible physique and skill.

You don’t realise you’re on your back until your eyes flutter open with every intention of tilting your head down to look at Seokmin, you just know he has to look like sin personified right now. But you don’t get the chance.

As soon as your eyes are open, you find the mirror and spot the dark eyes staring intently at you from the other side.

You shriek and sit up, all but shoving Seokmin away in your rush to get your naked body off of the bed and out of the mirror’s view.

“What? What is it?” Seokmin asks, not even offended and instead looking more worried by your reaction. “Is it a spider?” He pales a little.

“I found the mirror,” you whisper, crouched a little to his side with your arms around your body as if the man in the real world can see you at this angle. But he had been reclined on his bed staring up at you enraptured. “Wait, that pervert!” You grab Seokmin’s t-shirt to yank over your head as its closest, then crawl onto the bed to glare up at the huge mirror fixed on the ceiling.

The man is still laid there with nothing but a towel around his waist, though he has one hand over his crotch, over the obvious bulge of his erection and you’re pretty sure it’s not out of any kind of shame.

“You were watching us!” You accuse, pointing up at him.

“If you don’t want me to watch, don’t have sex in my mirror,” he retorts simply, as if it’s so normal in his life to look up when laid in bed and see something in his mirror other than his own reflection. Then again, the man has a mirror above his bed, you’re pretty sure the guy lives a life very different to the one you lived pre-mirror. Mostly, you think he’s a giant fucking sexual deviant.

“We’re not in your mirror, pervert.”

“Looks it to me.” He shrugs and adjusts his position a little to bend one leg up, planting the flat of his foot casually on the mattress. It makes the towel blissfully hide his erection as the material slides down his thigh to bunch. You’re just glad it’s still long enough to hide what’s underneath from view.

You do not want to see this guy’s dick, no matter how generally attractive he is.

“If you’re not in my mirror, where are you?”

“A mirror world,” you answer simply, not seeing any harm in telling him that. He seems genuinely curious and something tells you to humour him at least a little.

“What’re you doing there?”

“Having a great time until you interrupted,” Seokmin grumbles from where he’s still on the floor at the edge of the bed, but now he’s got his arms folded on the mattress and head laid on them so he can look at you and the mirror.

The man looks over to Seokmin in the reflection as if he hadn’t even noticed him until now. Then again, he hadn’t moved his intense gaze from you at all so you’re not surprised. “So, I saw.”

“Hey!” Seokmin darts up onto the bed to stand in front of you and point threateningly up at the mirror. He’s still just in his boxers so the backs of his essentially bare thighs are right in your face and you can’t help but stare. They’re so thick and distracting. “That’s my girlfriend! Keep your eyes to yourself, pervert!”

“Relax, man, not like I can do more than touch, and I wouldn’t do that without her consent anyway.”

“Which she wouldn’t give; she’s in love with me,” Seokmin sounds so proud of that fact that you’re successfully pulled away from ogling his thighs to instead tilt your head back to peer up at the back of him with a smile.

You have no idea how you got so lucky to have the most precious man to have ever exist get himself stuck with you, and then fall in love with you, but you’re certainly glad about it. Not the stuck part, just the love and luck part.

“Sit down,” you giggle, tugging on Seokmin’s hips until he relents and drops down onto the bed in front of you while still glaring warningly up at the mirror. You wrap your arms around his waist and stretch your legs out either side of his. Seokmin gives the man in the mirror a smug look.

“You two look good together,” the man comments easily, mindlessly tracing his fingers over his lower stomach at the edge of his towel.

“Your erection already told us that,” you deadpan.

“That was because of you,” he informs shamelessly. “You’re gorgeous, you know?”

“She is and she’s mine,” Seokmin reiterates, making the man roll his eyes.

“Yeah, I’m not fucking stupid, I got that. I’m just paying a compliment, chill the fuck out, man.”

“Alright, you two, enough,” you scold them both gently, and press a kiss to Seokmin’s temple when he pouts at being told off. The soft kiss does its job and wipes the pout away, a content little smile replacing it on his lips.

“Did you die in my house or something?” The man asks, making you look back up at him. “Isn’t that how it works? You get stuck where you died?”

“We’re not dead,” Seokmin informs.

“What? You’re not ghosts?” The man looks genuinely disappointed, making you huff out a laugh. “Then what the fuck are you?” He’s almost pouting. Definitely sulking as he drops his leg down and crosses his arms over his chest while slouching further down against his pillows.

“Living humans,” Seokmin retorts, then turns his head to side eye you questioningly. You’re not sure when you two developed this silent communication to this degree exactly, but you know what he’s asking you without words and nod simply in permission. Seokmin looks back up at the mirror. “Well, she’s a witch.”

That makes the man perk up a little. “A witch? Really?” You nod in confirmation. “Do you know any ghosts?”

“Do you know any ghosts?” You retort with a scoff. “What makes you think I know any ghosts just because I’m a witch?”

“Just thought that, you know, supernatural beings…”

“What? You think we all know each other? Gather once a month for the monthly supernatural beings meeting?”

“I was just asking,” the man grumbles, once again pouting a little.

For a man who so confidently and shamelessly palmed his erection while watching you in the mirror not even ten minutes ago, he really seems to pout childishly a lot.

“Do you know any ghosts?” Seokmin takes the chance to turn his head to whisper to you.

“Oh, yeah,” you confirm just as quietly, making him giggle as he turns back around and leans happily back against your chest. “You seem very into ghosts,” you comment loudly to the man who peers back at you, lips still protruding a little.

“I’ve wanted to meet one for a long time,” he admits.

“Is that why your house is full of mirrors?” You muse, Seokmin looks very confused even if he remains quiet. “You hope you’ll trap a ghost in one, right?”

“I can’t tell if the fact you know that theory means it’s true or we’ve just been on the same websites,” he mutters.

“What’s a website?” You ask Seokmin in a whisper.

“Internet,” he answers just as quietly, to keep your conversation private. “I’ll show you when we get out. Maybe this guy can help, you can make a deal to introduce him to a ghost, bet he’ll at least try to help.”

“You may just be right there, sweetheart.” You hum thoughtfully as you look at the man above you for a few long seconds. “What if I can potentially help you out?” You offer.

“Help me out? By helping me meet a ghost?” The man asks and sits up abruptly, eyes wide in eagerness when you nod. “What do I need to do in return? I have money and I’ll let you fuck in all my mirrors without even looking and-”

“Alright, calm down ghost boy,” you snicker amusedly at the pure excitement on the man, he looks about two seconds from vibrating out of his skin and offering you his very soul in return for helping him meet a ghost. “Nothing like that, you help us and we’ll help you, no money or goods exchanged. Though you will need to get some supplies.”

“Yeah, sure…wait, you’re not going to like, sacrifice me or something, are you?”

Both you and Seokmin laugh.

“No,” you assure, shaking your head a little. “Nothing like that. It won’t hurt you at all, we just need you to perform a spell for us.”

“Yeah, sure,” he agrees easily. It would remind you of Seokmin’s own easy agreement however long ago, if it wasn’t for the fact this man doesn’t seem anywhere near as innocent and pure as Seokmin. Then again, you don’t think anyone is.

“Can we move to another mirror? this is really starting to hurt my neck,” Seokmin requests, already sitting up straight to roll his head around and stretch his neck.

“Mm, yeah,” you agree, so Seokmin gets off of the bed and starts to gather your clothes tossed over the floor while you look back at the man above you. “Is there a more reasonably placed mirror in this place?”

“There’s a dressing table in the next room,” the man informs while pointing to his right.

“Alright, meet you there. Put some clothes on though,” you suggest, though based on your firm expression, it’s not really a request, before you climb off of the bed.

“Fine.” You hear him mumble in response even if you’re no longer in front of the mirror.

“You look good in my shirt, by the way,” Seokmin murmurs to you when you’re on your feet in front of him where he’s already in his jeans and is fastening them.

“Maybe I should keep it then,” you suggest playfully.

“Is this you saying you want me to walk around topless?” He gasps theatrically and covers his nipples with his fingers, making you snort on a laugh. He breaks at the sound and laughs too while dropping his arms.

“If you were topless all the time, we’d only ever be doing one thing,” you give him a significant look that makes his lips twitch into a little smirk. You’re pretty sure you’ve never seen him smirk, and you’re pretty sure that he could make you do an insane number of things with that single look.

“That doesn’t sound so bad, doesn’t sound bad at all,” he reaches for his waistband, ready to remove the clothes he had just put back on.

“I can hear you two, you know!” The man’s exclamation makes both you and Seokmin jump before sharing a look, then giggling. “Can’t you keep your hands off of each other for five minutes so we can stick to our deal?”

“Sorry, pervert,” Seokmin calls sweetly.

The man sighs heavily. “My name is Wonwoo.”

Although Wonwoo eagerly runs off as soon as he’s copied the list you show him in the dressing table mirror to enthusiastically collect everything on it, it’s a few days before he attempts the incantation purely because it’s a few days before you show it to him.

After the last time that it went wrong, you know the previous version needed some work, and now that you have Seokmin at your side to think about, you really want to take time to mull over the spell and think through every step and syllable to get it right.

And perhaps you did get distracted a few times by Seokmin sprawled over the bed keeping himself occupied with the items Wonwoo leaves in there once Seokmin asks him to decorate the spare room with something other than mirrors, even if Seokmin had called Wonwoo a pervert again.

Though Wonwoo had kept to his word and hasn’t spied on you two again, in fact he doesn’t even enter the spare room unless one of you has appeared to him in another mirror to request his presence. Maybe he’s not as much as a pervert as you both initially thought. Or maybe he just rates meeting a ghost more important than his voyeurism.

When you think you’ve got the incantation right after working over the spell so many times even Seokmin can recite it from memory in his sleep, you find Wonwoo in the lounge. The TV is on in front of him but he’s glued to his laptop and as the mirror is on the wall behind the couch, you can see the screen.

You don’t really know exactly what he’s doing, typing and looking somewhat intense, but you catch the big letters on the screen like a title; GFA.

“What’s that?” You ask curiously. Wonwoo immediately shrieks and flings himself off of the couch with his laptop. He hits his hip on the coffee table and knocks over his can of energy drink, but it is almost empty so even though it tips fully, only a few drops fly out before he manages to right it.

“Don’t sneak up one me!” He accuses, pointing a finger at you while closing his laptop with the other hand and sliding it suspiciously under the table.

“I would accuse you of watching porn but one, that was all writing and two, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t care if I caught you masturbating to sex videos.”

“Masturbating is nothing to be ashamed of and I’m not ashamed of my body or preferences so if you happen to see that, I don’t care.”

“Fair enough,” you shrug and lift the paper in your hand while climbing up onto the couch on your knees to press the sheet against the glass. Wonwoo scrambles over, kneeling on his couch to read the writing.

“I’m still very impressed that you can write backwards,” he comments offhandedly, flicking his gaze to you past the paper then back again.

“I’ve had a lot of time to develop useless talents.”

“It won’t be useless if this works. I’m pretty sure I’d mess up if you wrote normally and I had to try to reflect the words myself.”

“Mm, suppose.” You shrug. “Aren’t you going to copy it down?”

“Ah, right.” He nods in agreement, then wanders off to pick up a notepad from the side unit and a pen before returning. He stands there on the other side of the couch, pad resting on one hand as he routinely glances between it and the mirror to diligently copy the entire spell down. “What language is this?”

“Does it matter?”

“No, just curious.”

“Not one you need to worry yourself about. You won’t encounter it again.”

“It’s a dead language?”

“Not exactly, just not used by humans.”

“Ah, a supernatural language. Does each supernatural species have their own language?”

“What am I? An encyclopaedia?” Wonwoo pauses in his writing to look at you curiously. “What?”

“Just weird you say that.”

“How? Loads of people say that.”

“Most people now have never touched an encyclopaedia unless for a special interest.”

“What? But they’re so useful and full of knowledge!” You gawp. “How do you get all that information?”

“Google.”

“I don’t know anyone with that name.”

Wonwoo cracks a lopsided grin. “You’re really old, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“Wow!” He grins brighter and climbs onto the couch to get closer, even if there’s no way he can actually reach you, still, you back up as much as you can without moving your hand from the mirror. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-six.”

“And how long have you been twenty-six?”

“Since my twenty-sixth birthday,” you deadpan. “Just copy the fucking spell, pervert.”

“Alright, grandma.”

“I swear when I’m out of here, I’m going to choke you,” you warn, though immediately backpedal at the slight glint you notice in his eyes. “No wait, forget that; you’d probably like it.”

“Yeah,” he agrees so shamelessly that it makes you laugh. He grins at you, pleased at making you laugh, then focuses on copying down the rest of the spell.

“Aw, did you make it all romantic for us?” Seokmin coos as the pair of you enter Wonwoo’s bedroom and find that he’s lit a bunch of candles around the room and at the base of the mirror, which he had moved from the entrance hall wall and into here to prop against the wall at the foot of his bed.

Other than the mirror on his ceiling, this mirror is the biggest in the apartment even if it only reaches his chest. Still, it’s much better than trying to climb through anything smaller. You appreciate the effort.

“The guy in the store said I should get them, said they’d be useful to me,” Wonwoo answers where he’s kneeling in front of the mirror and focused on setting up the items around him.

You and Seokmin kneel in front of the mirror, and you smile as Seokmin tells Wonwoo where to put everything based on how you had told him when he performed the spell. You’re surprised he remembers so well; you really hadn’t expected him to even recall the ingredients used for the spell, yet he still seems to remember it all somehow.

“Alright, that’s everything,” Wonwoo announces when he’s done arranging it all and leans back to sit heavier on his feet and plant his hands on his thighs while lifting his gaze to look at you. “I just need to read the spell now, right?”

“Pretty much,” you confirm and shuffle a little in place. “Put one hand on the mirror as you read it so the magic flows into the right object.”

“Okay,” Wonwoo shuffles closer and puts his left hand to the mirror as he picks up the paper with his right.

“Don’t lean on it though,” Seokmin quickly warns. “Trust me.”

Wonwoo gives Seokmin a questioning look yet doesn’t say a word and just nods, lightening his palm against the glass a little before he focuses on the paper. “Ready?”

As soon as you and Seokmin have both agreed, Wonwoo takes a breath then starts to read.

Even though you have no access to magic and magic cannot enter the mirror world, you can feel it growing with every word Wonwoo speaks.

“It’s working,” you whisper awed, gripping Seokmin’s hand tighter in your own. Seokmin doesn’t respond other than lifting your connected hands up to place a kiss right where your fingers are laced together.

As Wonwoo recites the words, the glass shimmers while magic layers over it, before it melts away and the slight breeze of Wonwoo’s fan reaches you both. Seokmin gasps softly and holds your hands closer to his mouth.

By all means, it looks as if the spell is working and perfectly too. Wonwoo’s hand hovers in midair, though you can see a pressure against his skin showing that in the real world, the glass still exists.

There are still a few lines of the spell left so you sit very still in wait, as if any slight movement will ruin Wonwoo’s concentration or the spell, and this will once again fail.

Yet when Wonwoo finishes talking and looks at you, you still don’t move. “Aren’t you coming through?” He asks confusedly and slowly lowers his hand as if dragging it down the glass, but there’s nothing there and his fingers slip through into the mirror world.

“He’s not getting pulled through,” Seokmin whispers with wide eyes that he quickly turns on you. “That-that means we can go through, right?”

“I…I guess so,” you confirm and nod a little. “You first.”

“What? No, together,” he argues, turning to face you better with a frown on his face. “We’ll do it together, Sunshine.”

“It’s better to go one at a time. Wonwoo isn’t a witch, he has limited magic so we can’t say it will be strong enough to pass through together and I’d rather you go through first, Seok.”

“That makes no sense, you’re a witch! You could just magic me through if it closes between us! I’m just human, I can’t do that!”

“You can recast the spell in Wonwoo’s place.”

“I messed it up last time, I can’t-”

“I trust you, now go before it shuts with us both here.” You pull your hand from his and try to push him to the mirror.

“No, baby, you go-” Before Seokmin can argue anymore, you shove him backwards at the same time Wonwoo grabs the back of his t-shirt and yanks Seokmin through the mirror.

The pair tumble to the floor heavily, displacing items and breaking the only black candle in the room. Instantly, the mirror closes back up.

“No!” Seokmin yells, darting forward to run his hands over the glass and frame of the mirror as if he’ll find a secret compartment to open the doorway back up.

“Shit,” Wonwoo curses as he yanks his jumper sleeve over his hand to smack out the little fire on the carpet from the candle. Luckily, it goes out easily and Wonwoo picks the candle up to inspect carefully while Seokmin rushes to set all the other ingredients back up.

“Get another candle,” Seokmin orders, glancing at Wonwoo with eyes shining with the threat of tears.

“I can’t.”

Seokmin immediately whirls on Wonwoo, eyes wide and frantic. “What do you mean you can’t?!” He demands, reaching out to snatch the broken candle from Wonwoo’s hands, which he desperately tries to fix. “We can’t do the spell without this kind of candle!”

“The store is closed, it’s 1am, Seokmin.”

“When does it open?” Seokmin’s head snaps up to look at Wonwoo, not even trying to stop the tears that start to trickle down his cheeks. “We need to go as soon as it opens, Wonwoo! We can’t leave her in there! She’s been stuck there for so long!”

“I know, I know,” Wonwoo soothes, reaching out to hold Seokmin by his shoulders. “We’ll go first thing, okay? We’ll get her out tomorrow, I promise.”

“You mean it?” Seokmin sniffles and Wonwoo nods, offering his pinkie. Shakily, Seokmin removes one hand from the candle to link his pinkie with Wonwoo’s to seal the deal. He wipes his face dry on the back of his arm before he faces you with a watery smile. “We’ll get you out tomorrow, baby, okay?”

“Okay,” you agree softly and offer a soft smile that Seokmin returns.

An hour later, you watch the two men fall asleep on Wonwoo’s bed, exhausted from the magic, and change of atmosphere in Seokmin’s case. Yet even as you lay there staring up at the mirror on the ceiling above you, counting the rise and fall of Seokmin’s chest to try and lull yourself, you don’t sleep at all.

“We should make a habit of this,” you comment where you’re sitting on the counter beside the sink in Wonwoo’s en-suite and facing the mirror where you can see Seokmin enjoying his first shower in potentially years. And you are enjoying the sight of your naked boyfriend’s skin pinkening in the heat of the shower as water trails down his body and glistens in all his delicious dips and curves.

“What?” Seokmin peers over his shoulder at you and squints to protect his eyes from the water. “You want to shower together?”

“That’d be nice, but I just mean watching you shower,” you answer honestly and let your gaze obviously drag up and down his body.

“Baby,” he chuckles, partly shy and partly scolding. “Don’t look at me like that. You know I’ll get hard.”

“And?” You smirk and lean back on your palms behind you at the edge of the counter.

You know that if Seokmin was in the room with you, he’d panic over the position and make you sit upright so you don’t risk toppling backwards. But there’s a mirror separating you and steam fogging up his side of the glass enough that he can’t clearly see you anyway.

“Put on a little show for me, huh, sweetheart?” You suggest with a smirk.

“I don’t think Wonwoo would like me jerking off in his shower.”

“Think of it as getting back at him for watching us.”

Seokmin makes a considering face before abruptly turning to face the mirror, and then drag his hand over his abs down towards his hardening cock.

Just as he gets his hand around it, dark gaze locked on you through the glass, there’s loud knocking at the door making him shriek in surprise and you groan in annoyance.

You can’t clearly make out what Wonwoo says on the other side of the door thanks to the noise of the shower echoing through the mirror, but Seokmin can and responds in an affirmative before he looks at you. “Wonwoo’s back.”

“Yes, I got that, baby,” you tease. “Unless he found a ghost all on his own.”

“Right,” he grins sheepishly. “He’s setting everything up.”

“Okay,” you swing around to jump off of the counter.

Seokmin whines when you start to walk away so you backstep and look at him. “You’re leaving me?” He pouts at you.

“I’ll see you in a minute,” you giggle. “And then a little after that, I’ll be kissing your pretty face.”

“Not if I kiss you first,” he jokes, winking at you and consequently somehow getting water in his eye. “Ow!”

You wait until Seokmin is no longer whining and fussing over his eye before you exit the bathroom and sit in front of the mirror to watch Wonwoo check over everything.

“Wonwoo,” you call softly so he looks up at you. He had heard you sit down, heard the faint rustle of your clothing through the mirror but he had been too focused to greet you, not that you much care. “Will you cast it?”

“What? Me?” His eyebrows furrow in confusion. “I thought Seokmin was going to?”

“That was last night when you had already cast it once. You’ve rested and eaten since then so you have the energy back.”

“Okay, but why not Seokmin? Is he not strong enough or something?”

“He’s plenty strong enough, I just… I’m not sure what condition I will be in once I step through. I’ve had no magic for so long, been stuck in this world for so long that I’m not sure how the real world will affect me anymore.”

“Like…badly?”

“It won’t kill me, but it might hurt. I…I’ve done a lot of questionable spells in my life that have left marks on me, marks that were very painful to gain in the first place so I can’t imagine regaining all of that feeling all at once will be particularly pleasant.”

“Oh, no, I suppose not,” Wonwoo murmurs. “You don’t want him to see you like that.”

“It’s not that, I imagine it’ll be inevitable that he sees it, but I just don’t want him to feel responsible for whatever happens, any pain I may feel once I’m there.”

“Ah, I see.” He nods in understanding. “I can cast it. Is there anything I need to do before then, to prepare for when you’re back? To help?”

“There isn’t time to prepare for any eventualities, just if any fires appear, throw sugar on them.”

“Sugar? On fire?”

“Fire sprites love sugar.”

“Fire sprites, cool, right.” Wonwoo nods absently, absorbing the words, before he turns his head to the bathroom. “The shower shut off.”

“Let’s do this now.”

Wonwoo only nods once in agreement before his left hand is on the glass and he’s reading from the paper in his right.

Seokmin enters the bedroom with his hair dripping onto the small towel around his bare shoulders and a pair of Wonwoo’s shorts hanging low on his hips when Wonwoo is halfway through the spell. You just smile at him when he walks over with wide eyes, shocked that Wonwoo is reading the spell he thought he was supposed to cast. But he doesn’t interrupt, doesn’t want to risk it failing.

As soon as Wonwoo is finished reciting the spell, he reaches through the mirror and you grab his hand. As he pulls, you launch yourself forward while squeezing your eyes closed, just in case.

When your eyes open, you find Wonwoo’s own already open and on you from where he’s laid against the carpet with his right arm around your waist and his left trapped between your bodies with both of yours.

“Hey,” he greets with a lopsided grin.

“Hi,” you reply a little dumbly, then laugh disbelievingly and sit up, uncaring that you’re on his hips. Wonwoo doesn’t seem too bothered by it either and just lets you sit there to take in his bedroom from the real world. “Smells cleaner than I expected for a pervert.”

“Hey!” Wonwoo bats your thigh, though he’s grinning still and not really offended.

“Sunshine,” Seokmin’s soft voice makes you look directly at him. He’s kneeling just outside of the ring of magical ingredients, the black candlestick still burning away and keeping the doorway open.

“One sec,” you speak and clamber off of Wonwoo to blow out the candle and seal your mirror world back up.

You have no idea if you will be able to open the door again now that there’s nothing there; the spell Wonwoo read was designed for living things, not an empty shell, after all. The mirror world could be lost to you now and honestly, you think you’re kind of glad about it.

Though when you turn to face Seokmin with every intention of throwing yourself at your handsome boyfriend, your head starts to spin and your sight goes fuzzy at the edges.

Something must be happening to you outwardly too, because even through the rapidly growing blur, you can clearly make out the panic on Seokmin’s face. You don’t hear him call your name as he darts over to catch you before you hit the floor, but you see his mouth moving to make the syllables.

For a second you fear that the last time he says your name to you will be lost to the buzzing in your ears, but then everything goes black and you’re unable to feel anything anymore.

“Hey,” you know the voice even if it takes you a moment to place it.

“You,” you grumble, turning your head a little.

You hear a gasp and someone yelling in the room, but you can’t make sense of it; your hearing is muffled like you’re underwater.

“So, you’re finally back, huh?” He muses. Even as just a voice projected into your head, you can practically see his amused grin. “About time, I was getting bored.”

You barely make a noise in response and focus on trying to lift your heavy arms in an attempt to rub at your ears and try to displace whatever is blocking your hearing, but you can’t lift your limbs even an inch before having to drop them again.

“I’d take it easy if I were you, kiddo, your magic is unstable so that sweet little witch nurse has put a suppressant on you. Of course, you could easily break it, but then you’d likely lose control and hurt your new boyfriend. I’ll be by to meet him when the time is right, by the way. Gotta play my role right, huh?” He sniggers. “Just relax and let the nurse witch bring you back piece by piece; you’ve been without magic for decades now, you can handle a few more weeks of being weaned back into it. Oh, gotta go, a certain someone’s fluttering for attention. Look after yourself, kiddo, I’ll be around soon enough.”

You feel the presence in your mind leave and your hearing starts to filter back in.

“Sunshine? Are you awake?” Even dulled around the edges, the sound of Seokmin’s gentle, caring voice has your heart thrumming happily in your chest and your lips tilting up slightly in the start of a smile. “Ah, there she is,” he whispers as your eyes flutter open and land on him where he’s leaning over the bed from your right, one hand on the beside table to support him and the other holding your hand on your ribs. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi, sweetheart.”

Seokmin smiles brighter and sniffles as he sits on the bed at your side and wipes his cheeks yet the tears keep rolling down. “I was so scared I had lost you.”

“Told you, I’m never letting you go,” you remind and squeeze his hand in yours.

He laughs softly and leans over to nuzzle into your cheek before just staying there and breathing you in. You can feel his tears of relief rolling down onto your ear, and it’s a little ticklish, but you don’t try to move him and instead bring your free hand up to run through his messy hair.

“Hey,” Wonwoo’s voice makes you remove your focus from Seokmin and look over to where Wonwoo is standing at the foot of the bed with who must be the nurse witch. At the very least, he’s the only other person here and you can feel the magic in him. But he’s certainly not little like the voice in your head had said.

This guy is taller than Wonwoo and although it’s not by much, the pure breadth of the guy makes him look twice the size of Wonwoo, even if the stranger is slouched a little, making himself look smaller as he smiles politely at you.

“This is Mingyu, we met on a chat site,” Wonwoo introduces.

Before you can question what that is, Seokmin speaks up softly, “Internet thing.”

“He’s a nurse so I called him to come make sure you don’t die on us.”

“Nurse, huh?” You question, raising an eyebrow at Mingyu who grins sheepishly at you. When you raise a questioning eyebrow and purposely push against the containment spell he has on your magic in a way that he’ll sense it and understand what exactly you’re asking, he shakes his head a little, telling you that no Wonwoo does not know that he’s a witch.

It's not your place to out anyone so you just hum and nod in thanks. “Appreciate you coming you help out a stranger, Mingyu, thank you.”

“Of course,” Mingyu replies with a genuine smile. “I’m always happy to help where I can. How are you feeling?”

“Heavy.” Seokmin immediately leans off of you, thinking he’s causing it but you pull him back and hold him until he gets comfortable tucked up against your side with his head on your shoulder and face tucked into your neck, one arm and leg slung around you.

“That should pass, you just need a lot of rest and to take things easy for a while.”

“Mm, okay,” you agree easily.

“I need to get going for my shift now but I’ll be back tomorrow, okay? Wonwoo has my number if you need me before then for any reason.” You just nod in understanding so Mingyu turns and leaves with Wonwoo right behind him to walk him out.

“Are you really feeling okay, other than the heavy thing?” Seokmin asks softly a few seconds later.

“Yeah. It’s just my magic returning and my body readjusting to real life.” Something suddenly occurs to you making you inhale sharply and curse, “fuck.”

“What? What is it?” Seokmin leans up onto his elbow to look down at you worriedly.

“Just realised I’m going to have to actually eat, drink and use the toilet again now,” you mutter displeased. Seokmin’s expression turns relieved, understanding that you’re not in pain like he had feared, before he chuckles and settles back down against you. “It’s all so inconvenient.”

“Yeah, I got used to not having to do any of that and Wonwoo keeps reminding me to stay hydrated especially.”

“Bet he loves that,” you joke.

“He says it’s like he’s my dad, except I’m older than him and he’s seen me eating out my girlfriend, so we have a messed-up family.”

“We do,” you agree, making him laugh. “So, I guess that means you know how long since you got stuck with me there?”

“Four years. I should be thirty-one right now, but I’m not.”

“Ah, you can integrate back into your previous life with little issue; the lack of aging for four years isn’t a big deal.”

“Mm, Wonwoo tried getting me to call my family but I’ve been too worried that you wouldn’t wake up. But now you’re awake, I’ll call them and tell them that…I don’t know, I don’t really have a reason for being missing for four years. I don’t want them to think I got kidnapped or something.”

“The alternate is that you willingly left, Seokie.”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” he sighs heavily and turns his face into your neck.

He surely can’t breathe with how closely he’s tucked in but you leave him to it. A handful of seconds later, he turns his head back around and takes a few big breaths to refill his lungs properly.

“Maybe I can just claim amnesia for the past few years. I went for a walk, fell over and hit my head, and woke up in some stranger’s house unable to remember anything. And that stranger turned out to be the love of my life and now four years later, my memories have returned and I want to introduce her to my family ahead of our wedding.”

“I wasn’t aware you’re getting married, Mr Lee.”

“Mm, told you; I would’ve already bought you an engagement ring by now in the real world and you know, if I’ve not been in some magical alternate world for the past four years, that means I would’ve proposed to my girlfriend ages ago and we’d be planning our wedding.”

“Assuming she’d accept the proposal.”

Seokmin darts up to lean over you with a pout. “You would reject me?”

“Guess you’ll have to get a ring and find out, huh?”

“I will,” he promises, looking so earnestly determined and so, so, so precious that you can’t help but giggle adoringly before tugging him down to kiss. “I love you, Sunshine.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Will you meet my parents though?”

“In a few weeks once I’m all better,” you agree easily, making him smile.

“Okay, I’ll hold off making the call until then because I know they’ll want to meet right away. And it’ll give us time to get our stories straight and time to buy a ring…shit…I’m broke.”

“Guess you need to get a job then,” you peer around the room, then start to shuffle. “Help me sit.”

Once you’re upright, you look around the room again to realise that you’re in the spare room, the room you and Seokmin shared in the mirror world.

Wonwoo enters with a tray holding a big bowl of something steaming and a couple bottles of water. “You look as if you’re looking for something,” he comments as he hands the tray to Seokmin, then climbs up to your free side and gets comfortable himself.

“Have you had the floors redone since living here?” You wonder, looking at Wonwoo who shakes his head so you look at Seokmin. “Did you?”

“No, why?” Seokmin asks as he mixes the spoon around the bowl. You quickly glance at the contents and realise it’s some kind of thin soup, then look away to the corner by the door. “Pull up the carpet there and the third board in.”

“What? Why?” Wonwoo looks at you like you’re crazy. “Do your witchy powers know something?”

“No,” you scoff. “My memory knows something.”

“Wait, you’ve been in this house before?” He gawps.

“It was hers before it was mine,” Seokmin informs.

“Wait, are you the woman who went missing here in the 60s?” Wonwoo looks at you and Seokmin chokes on absolutely nothing. You just nod. “Dude, you’re dating someone older than your parents.” Wonwoo grins at Seokmin.

“S-seriously?” Seokmin looks at you with wide eyes.

“I don’t know how old your parents are but I assume so, I was born in 1938,” you admit with a little wince knowing exactly how it sounds, even if you look 26 still, you’re a hell of a lot older. You don’t really want to know what the year is but you don’t have much of a choice.

“Well, you’re the hottest 90-year-old I’ve ever seen,” Wonwoo jokes, before cracking up laughing at the look you give him, half murderous for mentioning your age and half shocked that it’s quite that old.

“My grandma is only 82,” Seokmin’s dumbfounded mutter makes Wonwoo laugh hard enough that he has to get up and leave the room. “No, wait, 86 now I guess.”

“Please stop,” you plead as you look back at Seokmin. “I am this close to having a mental breakdown, I didn’t realise it’s been that long for me.”

“Oh, right, yeah, I suppose it has, huh?” He frowns at you a little. “It’s a whole new world for you, I can understand now why you didn’t care if you returned or not.”

“Yeah,” you tentatively touch your fingers to his where they’re curled around the edge of the tray on his lap to keep it still. “I…I understand if you want to call your parents now and go back to them and…forget the past four years for real.”

“What?” He quickly puts the tray on the side table so that he is free to face you fully and take your face into his hands, making you look up at him instead of staring forlornly at the gap that no longer exists between you. “Sunshine, I’m not going anywhere. I told you that, remember? You said you’re never letting me go and I said I won’t want to go anyway. I mean that.”

“Still? Even knowing that I could’ve babysat your grandma?” You ask, unintentionally pouting at him a little with round eyes of worry.

“I won’t lie, that would be weird, but also kind of funny,” he giggles, then leans forward to kiss you softly. “I love you, Sunshine, and I’m going to marry you and maybe…we can have a family of our own. You can teach them how to do cool spells and I’ll teach them that age doesn’t mean a thing when your wife is as hot as mine is.”

“You’re such a fucking idiot,” you huff, yet break into a smile and pull him in by his t-shirt to kiss.

You’re disturbed a few minutes later by a noise in the corner and look over to find Wonwoo ripping up the carpet, a toolbox at his side.

“The third board?” Wonwoo asks loudly a moment later when he’s got the carpet back far enough.

“If I remember correctly.”

“Never know at your age,” he retorts, then laughs when a decorative pillow hits the back of his head.

You hadn’t thrown it, you’re far too weak for that right now, but you had given it to Seokmin and pointed at Wonwoo so your beautiful, loyal boyfriend had lobbed it over at the technically youngest member of your trio, even if he’s thirty-two.

You tug Seokmin in for a grateful kiss, then let him go. He immediately picks the tray up yet places it back down seconds later when Wonwoo gasps loudly, the floorboard in his hands. “What? What is it?” Seokmin asks, rushing over to peer into the hidden compartment. “Holy shit, is that a spell book?!”

“You notice that and not the box of fucking gold jewellery?” Wonwoo gawps at Seokmin in disbelief, then reaches in to pull the open lidded, almost overflowing box out tentatively.

As soon as Wonwoo’s out of the way and approaching the bed to sit on, and rummage through the jewellery at your side, Seokmin dives back into the hole to grab the book and other items with intrigue.

“These aren’t real pearls…right?” Wonwoo asks once he’s opened the only jewellery box in the container and taken note of the pearl necklace within.

“Of course they are,” you scoff. “Why would I have fake pearls?”

“Because having real pearls is insane! They’re worth so much!”

“Are diamonds still worth something?” You ask, plucking up a bracelet from the box.

“Yeah, a lot.”

“Then I guess we’ll be able to afford to get out of your hair soon enough.”

“As in move out?” Wonwoo pouts at you a little. “But…I’ve gotten used to not being alone and there’s plenty of space for the three of us. Well, more than just plenty; you know how big this house is, there are more bedrooms left unused, you can have a magic workroom or whatever.”

“You really want us to stay?” Wonwoo nods, looking a little shy to admit it.

“Okay,” you agree, and reach over to squeeze his knee a little with a teasing grin. “We’ll stay and you can be uncle Wonwoo and babysit for us one day.”

“You know what? I like kids so I’m okay with that,” he shrugs and focuses back on the jewellery so you plop the bracelet back into the box almost carelessly. You’ll have to remember to remove the protective, anti-damage spells on anything you sell beforehand, selling anything with magic attached is never a good idea.

“Is this your magic wand?” Seokmin gasps, suddenly clambering onto the bed and holding his hand towards you. You look at the item in his hand and laugh before nodding a little. “Wow, that’s so cool!”

“You can have it now; I haven’t needed that for a long time.”

“A long time,” Wonwoo comments, and sniggers when you backhand his leg.

“Wow, really? You’re good enough to not need a wand?”

“Mm, some basic spells are easy for anyone to do wandless, but more advanced stuff requires it until you have a certain handle on it all.”

“I bet you would’ve defeated Voldemort easily.”

“I have no idea who that is,” you remind, and both men light up before sharing a grin.

“Potter marathon?” Seokmin asks.

“Hell yeah. I’ll go buy popcorn,” Wonwoo agrees enthusiastically.

“Popcorn?” You ask, eyes widening with interest. “The sweet kind?”

“Ooh, there’s so much you’ve never tried!” Seokmin gasps excitedly bouncing on the bed at your side while Wonwoo gets up and leaves the room. “So many treats and foods and drinks and movies and shows and-”

“Seokie,” you interrupt, putting your hand over his mouth. “Calm down, there’s no rush. We have the rest of our lives to do everything.”

Seokmin gently pulls your hand down onto his lap and laces your fingers together. “Yeah, we do. A long happy life side by side, right?”

“Forever and always, sweetheart.”

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