#Im more descriptive than this I swear

[wearepansies]

Annabeth likes to tug on Percy’s ears, because she thinks it’s cute how they turn red when he gets flustered.

“Wise girl, do you have to do that while I’m baking?” Percy raised his brows. He mixed the dough as best as he could, with Annabeth clinging to him, at least.

He felt her arm tighten around his waist, and her jaw rest on his shoulder as she kept gently tugging on his right ear.

“Yes,” she smirked. Annabeth gave him a kiss on his cheek, and watched his ear flushed pink, but not before tugging on it lightly again.

Percy sighed.

“What? They’re too cute,” Annabeth protested. “You love it.”

“Not while I’m baking.” He rolled his eyes, lips curling into a smile.”Look, do you want cookies, or not?”

She got off of him, now leaning on the counter. The Daughter of Athena lamented at him with those bored, gray eyes. “Can I at least help you? I feel like a beached hippocampi just sitting here.”

He looked away from her, squinting at the cookie recipe in front of him.”As long as you use sugar instead of salt.”

He glanced back at her just in time for Annabeth to give him a “seriously?” look. He laughed as she elbowed him. Annabeth rolled up her sleeves grumpily. “One time,” she grumbled, as she sprinkled flour on the kitchen top.

“One time too many,” he poked at her, nudging her with his hip.

[miraclewoozi]

no i just. i just need a few weeks to recover from this.

Like A Melody | ljh x f!reader

Rating: M (18+) | WC: ~3.9k | Pairing: ljh x f!reader | genre: smut

Jihoon has fucked you in his studio before, but never like this.

Warnings: dom!jihoon, studio sex, biting, hair pulling, grinding, cumming in pants, multiple orgasms, oral f. rec., fingering,, recorded sex (just voices), male masturbation, praise kink, piv sex, creampie

Reader Notes: chubby, has breasts and a vagina, subby

Jihoon needs to take a break. 

He desperately needs to take a break, and he knows this, so why can’t he do it?

He’s been working on music for hours; his fingers are starting to cramp from plucking guitar strings and pressing down piano keys, his throat is sore from trying lyric after lyric, and his hair is a mess from his fingers running through it every other minute. His eyes are exhausted, the blue light lenses in his glasses only doing so much. Even his back hurts, which rarely happens now that he lifts so heavy. 

But he just can’t make himself quit, which is why he breathes a sigh of relief when he hears the knock. It’s soft, just like you, and he calls out a quiet, “Come in,” feeling the smile stretch his lips as soon as your sweet face peeks through the slowly opening door. 

“Are you busy?” You ask apprehensively, your eyes darting between his face and his computer. 

He can’t take a break for himself but he can for you, so he says, “Not at all, baby,” and pulls his glasses off, minimizing his music production software. Pushing away from his desk, he turns his chair to face you and holds his hand out, waiting for you to come closer and take it. He just holds your hand for a minute, staring up at you with tired eyes and letting them blink closed when you lean down and press your lips to his. 

Kissing you is as easy as loving you. It’s one of the few times in his life where he can shut his brain off and just feel, because every movement comes naturally to him. Dancing and singing do too, of course, but he has to count beats and remember words and keep every next move in mind. 

With you, Jihoon can just do what feels right. Like taking hold of your knee with his free hand and pulling until you give in and straddle him in his chair. He loves how plush and perfect you feel against him, all of his sharp edges rounded out by your curves, and he loves even more having your weight on him. 

He can take it, he can take you, and he likes to remind you at every opportunity. 

Sliding lower in the chair, he pulls your hips into his to let you feel his hardening dick, his hand flexing in yours when you grind down. He can feel how hot you are through your little pajama shorts, and if he knows you at all, you’re wet already. He works his fingers free of yours to slide them between your legs, pulling your shorts and panties to the side so he can feel you through his thin athletic pants. 

Your arousal soaks the fabric as soon as he thrusts up into you, making him let out a small laugh against your lips. You pout in response and mutter, “Shut up,” still working your hips against his. 

“Didn’t say anything, baby,” he teases, smirking up at you and squeezing your lush hips with both hands. You sink yours into his hair and pull, and suddenly, nothing is funny. His hips buck against yours as his cock twitches, precum leaking from the head adding to the wet patch on his lap. 

Your hips roll into his and he starts to throb, his dick pulsing in time with his heart. He can’t let you keep going or you’ll make him cum in his pants, or maybe… he could? 

Should he? 

It makes you feel good to make him feel good, and you always have a little pep in your step after he lets you make him cum first. He’s also desperate to get his mouth on you, and you’ll be more inclined to let him take care of you if he’s already taken care of. 

With his mind made up, he pulls you down onto his cock and grinds into you, exhaling a moan against your mouth when you tug on his hair again. You love it this length, you’ve told him, and he’s going to keep it like this for as long as he possibly can. Partially for you, mostly because he fucking adores having you brush it and play with it and braid it. 

He gets to be so close to you, and your fingers in his hair feel heavenly, even (especially) when you get a little rough. 

His scalp stings with the next pull and it sends a shiver down his spine, ending in a sharp buck of his hips. He stretches his thumbs out to pull your pussy apart so he can grind into your clit, hoping to take you over the edge with him. 

He’s getting close already, and you’re so wet, he can feel every inch of your cunt like there’s nothing separating him from you. Soon enough, there will be nothing, and he’ll be able to lick and suck and kiss you as much as he wants. 

You bite his lip and drag your nails over his scalp, and that’s it for him. 

His brain goes offline and his hips stutter against yours, a low groan leaving his open mouth as his dick twitches and jerks, streaks of cum splattering the inside of his pants. Your hips don’t stop moving until he stops them himself, his harsh grip dimpling your flesh. 

“Fuck,” Jihoon sighs, blinking his eyes open to find you beaming at him. 

He can only smile wryly at you in response, shaking his head and letting go of your hips to grab you by the waist. 

“Up you go,” he pushes, hefting you up to sit on his keyboard, discordant notes filling the studio until he leans forward and presses mute. 

“Are you su-”

“I’ve literally dreamed about this,” he tells you, for the first time. 

“You have?” You almost sound like you don’t believe him, and Jihoon simply can’t have that.

“Yes. I’ve dreamed about spreading you out on my desk just like this,” he shoulders his way between your legs. “And kissing up these thighs,” he presses his mouth to your soft skin, digging his teeth in only once, though he wants to leave you covered in bite marks. 

“And feeling them squeeze my head when I finally get you on my tongue,” he leans in and licks from your cunt to your clit, fighting a smile when your thighs snap closed just like he knew they would. 

He wants to talk to you more but he can’t pull himself away from your pussy, can’t make his mouth form words when he’s so busy using it on you. And honestly, his priority is keeping it on you, for as long as he possibly can. 

Between work and sleep, he doesn’t get to taste you nearly as often as he wants to, and now that he actually is between work and sleep, he plans on making the most of it. By shoving his tongue inside you over and over, by wrapping his lips around your clit and sucking until you cry, by groaning and humming into you both so you can feel the vibrations and to voice his obsession with your pussy. 

And Jihoon is obsessed with your pussy, make no mistake. If he didn’t love his job so much, he’d quit and spend all his time worshiping you, taking care of you, loving you. He honestly thinks he’d make a killer house husband, and someday, when he retires, he plans on becoming one. 

He can imagine it now, cleaning and working out and sleeping until you come home, then feeding you and fucking you till the sun sets, reading to you and massaging away any soreness before wrapping you up in his arms and falling to sleep together. He can still make music while you’re gone, but he won’t be jetting off or practicing for hours on end anymore. 

He’s not ready for that now, but for a distant dream, it’s pretty enticing. 

Even more enticing is the paradise between your thighs; the taste of you, the scent of you, the feel of you clouding his mind. He can barely breathe but that doesn’t matter, not when you’re moving with his tongue like this, grinding your hips onto his face as he sucks and sucks and sucks at your swollen little clit. 

He wishes he could record the sounds coming out of your mouth, wishes he could play them back to you, watch you squirm and feel you flush at the sheer debauchery of them. It occurs to him that he could, but he’d have to pull away from you enough to ask and he’s unable to do so at the moment. 

You’re just too hot and wet and perfect for him to stop for even a second, so he’ll save that idea for another time and focus on making you cum for him now. He can tell you’re getting close, by the way your thighs shudder against his ears, by the keen you let out when he sucks hard enough to hollow his cheeks, by the hand you sink into his hair to hold him to you, as if he’d ever want to leave. 

All it takes is a groan and a shake of his head and you’re cumming, your arousal leaking all over his chin and dripping down his throat to soak into the neckline of his t-shirt. He’ll take it off as soon as he gains the will to detach himself from you. 

It doesn’t come to him until his eyes travel up your body and catch on the way your tits heave in your sleep tank. He wants to see them, feel them, taste them, bury his face in them. 

Finally, he stands and rips off his shirt, leaning over you and waiting for you to raise your arms before tugging your top off and throwing it to the side. He takes a second to appreciate your bare breasts, the shape and weight of them intoxicating, and then shoves his face between them, licking over to one nipple and opening his mouth around it with a groan. 

He fucking loves your tits, and he shows you just how much with his lips and his teeth and his tongue, one thigh between yours to hold them open for his searching fingers. They find your clit with practiced ease and start to rub staccato circles, chasing you when your hips buck in sensitivity. 

He covers your other breast with his free hand, squeezing and brushing his thumb over your pebbled nipple as he sucks at its twin. You must have already showered, your skin tasting like your honey and cocoa butter lotion, and he can’t get enough, his head filling with clouds and images of you dripping wet and running your hands all over your body. 

He’s gotten you messy again, but he’s sure you knew what you were doing when you knocked on his studio door. This is almost always how you end up when you come to check on him, his hunger for you insatiable, incurable. 

How could he ever get enough of you when you’re this luscious, this sweet, this perfect? His mouth strays from your breast to your stomach, his lips tracing your rolls and stretch marks and cute little belly button before he sinks back down into his chair. He pushes your legs apart with a firm hand and replaces his fingers with his tongue, gliding it over you and sliding his fingers down to your entrance. 

He fills you with them slowly even as your cunt flutters and squeezes, wanting them deeper already. He’ll give you what you want, he always does, but first he’ll tease you a little bit. Not to be mean, or to punish you for something, but because he fucking loves to hear you beg. 

It always takes you a little push to lose your shyness, to find your voice, and this time, his push comes in the form of three fingers stretching your entrance open, sinking in only to the first knuckle. Your hips roll into his hand and his free one flies up to hold them still, his arm banding over your lap to hold you down so he can fill you at his pace. 

He goes much slower than he knows you would prefer, and he presses his smile into your clit when you finally break down. 

“Jihoon, please, I’ve been so good for you,” you whine, and he feels the heat spread from head to toe as he realizes it’s one of those nights. The kind where you need him to take control, to be rough with you, to reward you when you’ve earned it. 

And you have earned it, so he lets his fingers fill you, pushing them in all the way and murmuring into your clit, “You have been good, baby. I’ll give you what you need, promise.”

You just whimper, your head tilting back on your neck when he scissors his fingers apart and your walls clinging to them as he pulls them out to the tip. “Eyes on me, baby.”

He waits for you to return your gaze to his before pushing his fingers back inside of you and beginning to fuck you with them, his lips pursing around your clit and sucking with every thrust. Your pussy is so fucking hot and wet around his fingers, it makes him moan into you, just the thought of feeling you wrapped around his cock enough to reawaken it. 

It twitches in his damp boxers when a curl of his fingers beckons forth a rush of wetness and a sharp keen, one that echoes in his mind like a looped track.  

“Baby, can I record you?” 

He asks before he can stop himself, but now that it’s out in the air, he won’t take it back. He rests his cheek against your thigh as he waits, his heart pounding and his dick throbbing. 

“Um, sure?” You don’t sound certain, and Jihoon doesn’t want you to regret anything. He can always delete them, but he doesn’t want you to do something you’re not comfortable with. 

“You don’t have to say yes, Y/n. I just think it would be… really fucking hot. Having your voice on file, being able to listen to you whenever I want, using your sounds in songs that will never be heard by anyone but us.”

You squirm under his forearm and clench around his fingers, and he believes you when you say, “Do it, Jihoon. Record me.”

His lips stretch in a broad, genuine smile and he reaches for the computer mouse, opening his recording software and clicking the red button. 

He watches little waves form on the baseline, curls his fingers, grinds them into the rough patch inside of you, and arches an eyebrow. You gasp weakly, seemingly shy now that your noises are being picked up by something other than his ears. 

Jihoon can be patient though, knows that soon enough, he’ll make you forget all about it. 

You’re still being good, holding eye contact and keeping your thighs spread for him, so he rewards you with his mouth around your clit, a heavy suck startling a moan from your parted lips. He fights a smile, his lips pursing and pulling at the swollen bundle of nerves, and starts to hum, knowing you love the vibrations. 

He can’t see the software from here but the wave must spike because you let out a sharp cry, your nails scratching at the edge of his desk until he takes your hands and puts them on his head. Your fingers delve into his hair and you pull his face into your pussy, and he knows he’s got you. 

He didn’t really consider the mic picking up his own noises but he’s sure it is, his grunts and groans audible even with your thighs pressed to his ears. He can’t stop though, can’t hold them in when you taste so fucking good, when your cunt is searing hot and soaking wet under his mouth, when your nails are scratching at his scalp and sending zaps of electricity down his spine. 

They all end in his cock, and he feels it jerk against the waistband of his boxers. He’s tired of them, removes his arm from your hips to shove them and his pants down, groaning loudly when his cock pops out into the open air. It’s sticky with cum and hard enough to hurt, and he can’t resist taking hold of it with his free hand, squeezing hard at the base to ease some of the ache. 

His fingers thrust into you as he strokes his dick, the slick sounds loud in his studio, and you crane your neck, your eyes searching until they find his hand at work. 

“Fuck, Jihoon, I want you inside of me,” you whine breathlessly, trying to pull him off your cunt by the hair. That just makes him moan into you, makes his cock jump in his grasp, makes him fuck his fingers into you harder. 

“Cum for me first,” he demands, determined to get at least two orgasms on this file for mixing purposes. It seems he’s still a producer even when he’s trying to just be a boyfriend. 

You pout but listen well, your cries reaching a fever pitch as your pussy flutters around his fingers, arousal spilling out of you and dripping between the keys of his keyboard. He may have to buy a new one, but that’s a problem for future Jihoon, and a problem he would be lucky to have. 

“Perfect, baby, that was perfect,” he murmurs in a low tone, wanting your voice to be the focal point. 

“Will you fuck me now?” You pant, reaching down to smooth your fingers over the head of his cock, making him shiver and swallow a groan. 

“Yeah, baby, I’ll fuck you now,” he whispers, standing from the chair and pulling away from you to tug you off his desk. Your knees shake when you get your feet under you and he smirks, cupping your cheek and pressing a kiss to your lips before taking you by the hips and turning you around. 

He squeezes your shoulder and starts pushing you down, letting you bend over the rest of the way by yourself. You fold your arms under your head, resting your cheek on them so you can watch as he guides his dick to your cunt and sinks inside. 

You’re stretched out enough to take him easily, your walls forming to his cock and gripping it tightly. You’re such a perfect fucking fit for him, it’s like you were made for one another, like your bodies were designed to match. It blows his mind every single time he has the privilege of being inside of you. 

He’s reluctant to leave you and you’re reluctant to let him, but pulling out means he can thrust back in. He keeps one hand on your shoulder and drops the other to your hip, clutching at it like a lifeline as he starts to fuck you in earnest. 

His hips smack into your plush ass rhythmically, the sound causing sharp spikes on the waveform graph and acting as the perfect percussion to the moans and whimpers escaping you. The mic is right by your mouth and he knows they’re being picked up beautifully, butterflies gathering in his stomach just at the thought of getting to hear them through his headphones. 

“Sound so fuckin’ pretty, baby,” he grunts, angling his hips up to hit your g-spot and smirking when you yelp at the sensation. Your back arches, your stomach pressing into his keyboard and your hips pressing into his, and he just holds you tighter, fucks into you harder. 

Your pussy undulates around him as his hand slides from your shoulder to join the other at your hip, both of them gripping your ass and spreading you apart so he can watch his cock enter you again and again. It’s a sight he’ll never get tired of, a feeling he’ll never get used to, a gift he’ll never truly deserve. 

It’s what will send him over the edge, just as long as he makes you fall first. He already came before you once and he doesn’t plan on doing so again for a long time, but he needs to get you there soon or he won’t have a choice. 

One of his hands slips around your waist to dive between your legs, his fingers finding your sensitive clit and starting to strum it as he fills you over and over. You whimper and tremble against him, your cunt fluttering wildly around his aching cock and your hand flying down to grasp his wrist like you think he’ll pull away. 

He doesn’t intend to, honestly wouldn’t mind being attached to you like this for the rest of his life, knows already that he wants to spend it with you. 

His fingers get rougher on your clit and his hips move on autopilot as his brain empties, his balls aching to do the same. “Please cum, fuck. Baby, please fucking cum.”

Jihoon should have known he’d be the one begging you at the end of the night. 

Thankfully, you like to indulge him, your pussy locking him in place as you cum with a loud cry, followed by gasping sobs of his name when he doesn’t stop fucking you. He’s right there, he’s right fucking-

“Jihoon, cum inside me. Fill me up, I want it,” you whimper, pressing your ass into his hips and squeezing your inner muscles around his throbbing cock, and that’s the end for him. 

He drops down to cover your body with his as he breaks apart, his own moans and whimpers registering on the graph alongside yours and his cum flooding into you in pulses. His hand leaves your clit so he can wrap his arm around your waist in a hug, his cheek pressed to your back and his other hand finding yours. 

He tangles your fingers together and rises up, pulling you with him and sitting heavily in his chair. He’s still hard enough his cock doesn’t slip out, and he leans you to the side so he can cup your cheek and turn your face into his, pressing his lips to yours in an openmouthed kiss. 

“Love you, baby,” he whispers into your mouth, waiting for you to say it back before kissing his way to your neck and biting down gently, just enough to leave an indent of his teeth behind. 

“Will you come to bed with me?” You whisper in a small voice, and he returns his lips to yours, kissing you deeply and responding, “Of course, baby.” 

He reaches a hand out and stops the recording, saving the file to his private hard drive, ideas filling his head already. They can wait until the morning though, you asked him to go to bed with you and go to bed he will. 

Jihoon thinks this might be the most productive break he’s ever had. 

AN: this one's for all the jihoon stans who have been thirsting with me lately 💖

My Masterlist

My Chubby!Reader Masterlist

[windupaidoneus]

should i like. name these comics. should it be smth like zaki adventures or something

[trashytracktales]

ong yes!! lando gotta loveeeee doggy and taking her against a wall!! But imagine her on top for the first time and not knowing how to ride him and him teaching him and telling her what to do! im asking this to santa !!

kill me now!!

Oh, Christmas treat | LN ⁴

💌 INSPIRED by anon ──── Why ask Santa when I'm literally right here... enjoy 💋

⤿ We're yapping about this ask.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

𐙚 summary ──── It's a quiet winter night, and Lando notices that his girlfriend seems a bit distracted. After some playful coaxing, she admits a secret desire to try something new. With his gentle guidance, they explore new paths together, each step bringing them closer.

𐙚 pairing ──── Lando Norris x she/her reader

𐙚 rating ──── explicit

𐙚 category ──── F/M

𐙚 warnings ──── 18+, mature/sexual content, established relationship, fluff & smut, descriptive language, light teasing, themes of vulnerability, unprotected sex, reader's first time on top, bit of swearing.

𐙚 word count ──── 2.5k

𐙚 date ──── Dec. 24, 2024

𐙚 a/n ──── I know this wasn’t a request per se, but I wanted to share this one-shot with you since it was already mostly ready to go. I’ve been dealing with some health issues recently and couldn't get myself to get anything done, so thank you for your patience. The rest of the requests are still on their (admittedly slow) way, but I promise they’re coming 🤞🏻 Wishing a very Merry Christmas Eve to everyone who celebrates, and who knows, I might have another little treat up my sleeve 👀

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

THE DAY HAD been nothing out of the ordinary, but that was exactly what made it special.

Lando had woken up late, groggy but grinning satisfied when he caught her padding around the kitchen in fuzzy socks and an oversized sweater, humming along to Christmas songs. She loves the holiday season, because she likes it when he's home, and Lando doesn't have to be anywhere but their own apartment. That's exactly why she can't get upset when he streams with Max for hours in the night, and ends up sleeping in the next day. The simple fact that he's there is enough.

Maybe she conditioned herself to accept that, but then she sees his sleepy face and thinks she'd accept worse in order to share her mornings with him.

It's Christmas Eve, so they’d decided to bake cookies, mostly because she insisted it was a winter tradition, and Lando, ever the competitive spirit, took it as a challenge to see whose decorations would turn out better. As expected, chaos followed. By the time the cookies were ready, the kitchen looked like it had been through a snowstorm of flour and sugar. Lando had a streak of frosting on his cheek, and she had somehow ended up with sprinkles in her hair. In reality, they spent more time laughing and teasing each other than actually baking, but that was always the way it went with them.

Now, their cookies sit patiently on the counter, forgotten as the two of them relax on the couch in the living room. The Christmas tree lights glow warmly in the corner, and a cheesy holiday movie plays on the TV. They’re snuggled under a thick blanket, her legs curled up and tucked into his side. Lando’s arm drapes around her shoulders, his fingers playing lazily with her hair. It’s peaceful and comforting, but somewhere in the quiet, she feels a sudden pull in her chest.

In all the time they've been together, she never took the lead — not willingly, at least — feeling more than happy to surrender. She's been thinking about it for a long time, but she's never had the courage to do it. She doesn't feel intimidated or inhibited by her boyfriend, but rather by how it could all go wrong for both of them if she, somehow, ends up doing something she’s not supposed to.

Suddenly, her arms tighten around him, her nose nuzzling into his shirt. There’s a weight in her heart, not sadness exactly, but something tender, something raw. It makes her extra clingy, but she doesn’t say anything. She just holds him closer, hoping he won’t notice.

But Lando always notices.

His fingers pause in her hair, and his brows furrow slightly as he glances down at her. “You good, baby?” he asks, his voice soft and curious.

She hums nonchalantly, her face still buried in his chest.

“You sure?” Lando insists, his tone teasing but gentle.

The girl freezes for a moment, debating whether to brush it off, but before she can decide, he tilts her chin up with his fingers, making her look at him.

“Come on, what’s going on in that pretty head of yours, hm?” he asks, his eyes scanning hers.

Her cheeks heat under his gaze, and she sighs. “I don’t know. You just… feel extra nice to hold tonight,” she says quietly.

Lando blinks, then his grin widens, teasing again. “Didn’t know I had levels of cuddliness.”

“Oh, shut up,” she mumbles, hiding her face against his chest again.

His smile softens, and he wraps his arms around her fully, pulling her tighter against him. “Hey, you don’t wanna talk to me?”

She shakes her head and, at that, Lando stops pushing, knowing that whatever it is, she’ll come to him. Eventually. When she’s ready.

A few hours later, their movie marathon ends in a comfortable silence, the glow of the TV instantly muted by the credits rolling on the screen. Lando stretches, groaning softly as he shifts from the couch.

She gathers the blanket, folding it neatly before turning to him with a small smile.

“Bedtime?” she asks, her voice soft, almost reluctant to leave the warmth of the evening behind.

“Bedtime,” he agrees, though he watches her carefully as she heads toward the bedroom.

She moves through her usual routine, brushing her teeth and slipping into one of his hoodies, paired with sleep shorts. As she pulls back the covers and sits on the edge of the bed, he hears it again — the same quiet sigh that makes his chest tighten.

Lando leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, frowning in her direction. “Alright, that’s the second time tonight,” he says, his tone light but edged with curiosity. “Should I worry?”

“What?” she replies quickly, too quickly, as she gets ready to tuck herself under the duvet. “No, baby. It’s nothing.”

“Right,” says Lando, stepping closer, his lips curving into a mischievous grin. “If you won’t tell me, I’ll have to get it out of you another way.”

She narrows her eyes at him. “Lando…”

Before she can finish, he lunges, playfully grabbing her waist and threatening to tickle her sides. She squeals, trying to wiggle away, but his grip on her is firm.

“Last chance, I'm serious,” he warns, his laughter bubbling up as she giggles uncontrollably.

“Okay, fine, stop it!” she pleads, breathless, her face flushed.

Lando stops, pulling back just enough to sit on the edge of the bed. Then, with a gentle tug, he pulls her onto his lap. His arms wrap loosely around her waist, and he tilts his head, watching her with a mix of curiosity and concern.

“Now,” he says, happy that he managed to break her wall, “What’s going on?”

She hesitates, her cheeks turning pink as she avoids his gaze. Instead, her fingers find his curls at the back of his head, twisting them gently as she takes a deep breath. “You know, it’s not even a big deal. I’ve been thinking about something, but I just didn’t know how to bring it up.”

“Mhm,” he nods, leaning in to press a lingering kiss to her lips. It’s deep, slow, almost as if he’s trying to reassure her without words. When he pulls back, their foreheads touch, and he whispers, “You can tell me anything, you know that.”

She knows. Still, that doesn’t make it any easier. The heat rushes in her cheeks as she finally meets his eyes. “Look, I like when you’re on top. I mean, I really like it,” she says, stumbling slightly over her words. “But I was thinking, maybe, I’d like to, you know...”

Her voice trails off, and she looks away again, clearly embarrassed.

Lando blinks, letting her words sink in. His mouth opens slightly, but no sound comes out as a flush creeps up his neck. Then, a grin spreads across his face, equal parts flustered and excited.

“Yeah?” he asks, his voice soft, his hands tightening slightly on her waist. “You want to ride me, baby?”

She nods quickly, still twisting his curls nervously. “But I’ve never done it before, and I’m not sure I’d be good at it. It's just that—”

He exhales a chuckle, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. “Slow down,” he murmurs against her skin, his tone so tender that it makes her stomach flip. “You don’t have to worry about being good at it, baby. If you wat to try it, I can guide you, and we’ll see what works for us as we go.”

Her cheeks flush as she processes his reassurance, the tender way he’s looking at her making her feel bold and seen. And listened to.

She smiles, shifting on his lap, searching for some friction, and the slight brush of her core against his growing hardness has her letting out a soft gasp. Lando notices immediately, but he doesn’t say anything yet. Instead, he lets her take the lead at her own pace, on her own terms.

She shifts again, this time deliberately pressing herself against him, and the soft sound she makes has Lando’s self-control slipping. “I suppose we can try now?” he murmurs, his voice thick with heat.

She doesn’t reply — at least not with words. Instead, she grabs his hoodie, pulling it over her head in one swift motion, leaving her in nothing but her shorts. Lando’s breath catches as he takes her in, his hands immediately coming up to palm her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her hardened nipples. He's seen her naked so many times before, but somehow, every time she gets rid of her clothes she uncovers something new.

“So beautiful,” he mutters, leaning in to press open-mouthed kisses along her collarbone. She tilts her head back, giving him more access, and the heat between them builds until she pushes him gently onto the mattress.

Lando goes willingly, a grin tugging at his lips as she leans over him to kiss him again. His hands move to her hips, holding her firmly as she presses herself against him, grinding slowly. He groans into her mouth, his hands sliding lower to grip her ass, then he spreads her slightly, pushing her down against his growing length, making both of them gasp at the feeling.

Her hands trail down his chest, and she tugs at his shirt. “Off,” she breathes, and he obeys, pulling it over his head and tossing it aside. For a moment, she just looks at him, her hands tracing the defined lines of his chest.

The tension between them builds rapidly, their breaths mingling as they press closer. It doesn’t take long before she’s tugging at the waistband of her shorts, her nerves creeping back in as she pushes them down. Lando sits up slightly, watching her with darkened eyes, and when she glances at him nervously, he reaches out to stroke her thigh gently.

“You’re perfect,” he says softly, his voice full of sincerity.

Her nerves ease at his words, and when he pushes his joggers down, freeing himself, her anticipation drowns out her doubts.

He sits up fully, pulling her closer until she’s straddling him again. “Alright, love,” he murmurs, his hands steadying her hips. “Go slow, yeah? Just sit on me first. Take your time.”

She nods, biting her lip as she lines herself up with him. Slowly, she sinks down, feeling the stretch as he fills her inch by sweet inch. Her breath hitches, and Lando groans, his hands gripping her hips tighter.

“Oh, fuck,” he rasps. “You always feel so good.”

She pauses once he’s fully inside, her hands braced on his chest as she adjusts to the feeling of being so full of him. Sensing her nervousness, Lando rubs soothing circles on her hips, letting her take her time.

When she finally starts to move, lifting herself up slightly before sinking back down, a soft, shaky moan escapes her lips. Lando watches her with a mix of awe and hunger, his hands guiding her gently.

“Just like that, baby,” he encourages her, “Easy. You’re doing so well.”

Slowly but surely, she manages to build a rhythm, her movements tentative at first. But as the pleasure starts invading her senses, she becomes bolder. She opens up more, craving all of him at once. Her hands slide back to grip his thighs for support as she leans back slightly, the new angle sending sparks of pleasure through her body.

The taste of power it's rather interesting in this position, and she can’t afford to be shy anymore. Not when his cock feels so good inside her, and not when she decides how to take him.

“Fuck, Lando,” she breathes, her head tilting back.

She begins to move more rapidly on top of him, her hips following a predetermined path that she wasn't even aware of before. Lando watches her in amazement, feeling every pulse of pleasure every time she comes back for more, her walls hugging his cock so tightly that it leaves him breathless.

He groans, his hands sliding up to her waist to steady her. “That’s it, baby. Keep going. God, you’re going to make me cum so fast like this.”

The sight of her riding him, her body moving with such confidence now, nearly breaks him. Somehow, he resists the urge to thrust up into her, letting her stay in control, but his grip tightens as his restraint begins to fray.

He hears a silent cry, getting ready for every scenario in his mind, while his eyes study her frame by frame.

She whimpers, her movements becoming more erratic as the pleasure overwhelms her. “Lan,” she gasps, her voice shaky. “I can’t go—too much.”

He sits up slightly, pulling her towards him and pressing his forehead to hers. “Of course you can, baby,” he says softly, his voice steady despite the fire coursing through him. “I’m here. Just a little more, yeah? You’re doing so good.”

She feels his cock twitching inside her as she shakes her head weakly, “Lando, please…” her hands desperately clutch his shoulders, and that's when he understands what she needs from him.

Lando's hands land on her waist again, gripping at her firmly, and he starts to guide her harder on his cock while thrusting up into her simultaneously, meeting her halfway. The sudden change in rhythm makes her cry out, her nails digging into his skin.

“Yes,” she moans, her head dropping onto his shoulder as he drives her higher. “It’s so good, fuck. I’m—”

“That’s it,” he growls, his voice tinged with exhaustion. “Let go, baby. I’ve got you.”

So she does, her body trembling as the pleasure crests and crashes over her. He follows seconds later, his movements growing erratic before he stills inside her, holding her tightly against him as they both ride out their highs, breathing each other’s air. They stay tangled together, bodies still pressed close as the intensity of their orgasms fades away.

Lando brushes a strand of her hair away from her damp forehead, his lips curling into a soft smile. “You okay there?” he asks, his voice a gentle rasp.

She nods against him, her body still warm and buzzing. “Mhm, ‘m okay,” she murmurs, tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

He grins, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “You did so well, baby. Made me proud.”

She lets out a breathless laugh, her head dropping back onto his shoulder. “Cheers,” she trails off, playfully groaning. “But that was so much work. My fucking thighs are on fire.”

Lando laughs, the sound deep and rich. “Oh, you poor thing,” he teases, stroking her back soothingly.

She swats at his chest, unable to hold back her grin. “I’m serious! It’s a full-body workout being on top.”

He hums thoughtfully, his fingers lazily tracing patterns on her skin. “So what you’re saying is…” he starts, tilting his head with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “I get to be in charge again next time?”

She pulls back to look at him, her cheeks flushing, but there’s a playful sparkle in her eyes. “You won't hear me complaining,” she quips, biting her lip to suppress her laughter.

PREVIOUS LN⁴ ONE-SHOT

MASTERLIST

Thank you for reading!

None of my works are available for reposting on other platforms. Reblogs, likes, and comments are deeply appreciated ♥︎

© trashy track tales, 2024

[dollracha]

𐙚 just friends ⋆ l.f x reader

pairing: fwb! lee felix x gender neutral! reader genre: angst, smau, smut warnings: friends with benefits ⋆ no happy ending ⋆ swearing ⋆ special guests: bang chan & lee know ⋆ chan is called chris ⋆ vaguely written sex ⋆ riding (mentioned) ⋆ oral sex (male & gn recieving) ⋆ moody / mean felix ⋆ felix has an ex ⋆ felix is an asshole ⋆ short scenes ⋆ self gaslighting wc: 2.3k synopsis: becoming friends with benefits with felix wasn't a bad idea. that's what you convinced yourself when it started. nothing would change. (that was a lie.) request: hii is your request slot still open? if its not feel free to ignore my request. Soo Im thinking about fwb angst yk? Like maybe Seungmin or Felix. I would rly rly appreciate it if u did the request, have a nice day!! author's note: i wouldn’t call this full on smut but i did write some less descriptive sex scenes. the focus is more on the angst. also felix is mean. i said that once but i'm gonna say it again. (ps. there's no redemption arc pt. 2 because i actually enjoy the suffering of this.)

© dollracha do not copy reupload or repost.

you always thought that most friends with benefits situations would be secret; that you’d sneak around behind your friend’s backs, careless yet careful to make sure they never found out. lee felix proved you wrong.

you’re out at the bar with your friends, he’s got his arm around you. after a few drinks, he’s suggesting you come home with him. or you’re at home on a saturday morning and he asks you to come grocery shopping with him, just for the company. whenever you’re out with your friends, it’s more likely than not that felix is at your side.

all of your friends know about your situation with felix. you used to be embarrassed, but that washed away quickly. you don’t feel anything about it, or at least you try not to. 

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

“are you two together or something?” chris asks, his face twisted with confusion. it’s a reasonable question. felix has you pulled into his lap. he’s been fiddling with the pendant on your necklace for a few minutes. the two of you have been receiving looks from your friends, entirely noticed by you while felix remains unaware. 

“no?” he drops your pendant, and looks at chris like he’s an idiot for insinuating it. “nobody has a problem when lee know hyung grabs your ass. but suddenly because i’m holding y/n everyone’s got a problem?”

“what?” minho doesn’t move as he glares at felix. ‘the audacity of this kid…’ 

“no one’s got a problem.” chris intervenes between them before it has the chance to escalate. “it was just a question, mate.” 

felix practically shoves you off his lap to stand. you stumble as you try not to fall. “they’re obviously not my fucking partner.” he spits, and heads straight for the door. it stings. you know your dynamic, it’s nothing romantic. you’re just best friends who can’t keep their hands off each other. that doesn’t stop the hurt.

you look between your friends, and felix, and back again. “i’m gonna go make sure he’s okay.” chris shakes his head, but doesn’t say a word nor stop you.

you catch up to felix just before before the elevator door shuts. “felix,” he doesn’t spare you a glance. “wha—” he interrupts you. “—it’s bullshit. they’re all cozy with each other. no problem. that’s fine. but when it comes to me there’s a bunch of questions and shit?” he turns to you finally, posing the question and finally remembering to hit the button for the first floor.

“it was one question, felix.” you try to calm him down, it probably won’t work. he’s been very sensitive to the topic of relationships as of recent. “i don’t think chris is necessarily wrong for asking, and–”

“so you think he has the right to be in my business?” 

“no. that’s not what i said.”

“then what is it?”

“you were a little rough. chris wasn’t rude. you took an unwarranted shot at minho. they’re our friends.” 

“you’re my friend too and you don’t pull that shit.” anyone else would think he was brushing off your point, but you know he’s getting it. he’s reaching out to pull you close, and then the elevator door opens. he walks out first, and spares a glance behind him. 

“come home with me?” he asks, and you nod. 

“let’s go.”

  ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

he’s not always moody, but the 'what are we?' talk always manages to put him in a mood. most of the time, you two are just friends, who fuck each other on the side. nothing more. 

that’s how it started. felix was a few weeks free from a bad breakup. he was pent up, needed to relieve the stress, anger and sadness bottled up inside of him. and there you were, sitting on his couch like a godsend. it started slow. he pulls you into his arms like he has many times before. friends, cuddling together. until it’s not. his hand rests on your knee, it slowly makes its way up your thighs. you only realize how hot his touch makes you feel when his fingers sneak under the hem of your shorts.

“can i?” he asks, his lips brushing against your ear. 

a part of you (that, maybe, you should have listened to) tells you to say no. but you don’t. you nod your head, and for good measure, you say “yes.”

felix decides to try his luck further, his other hand grips your chin, and forces you to look at him. there’s a hunger in his eyes, like he’s ready to devour you whole given the chance. “can i kiss you?” he practically is, his lips brush against yours as he speaks. 

you knew it wouldn’t mean anything. you always took felix as a romantic. the fact that he was so willing to touch you with no ado made everything clear: this was a one time hookup. were you using him, in his emotionally fragile, pent up state? was he using you? you weren’t sure. 

“yes,” it’s another stupid decision, but it doesn’t feel quite wrong when his lips are against yours. when he kisses you with such need, such urgency. you lose all thoughts of moral, of rationale. all that matters is felix.

a few minutes of eager kissing is all he can stand. he slips his shirt off, and pushes up the hem of yours then hesitates. “can i?” again, you should have said no. you don’t.

“please,”

it’s a blur after that. he takes your shirt off. then it’s your shorts, your underwear. he makes you cum on his mouth. he’s reveling in the way you grip his hair, the way you moan his name like it’s the only one that you know. it makes him feel wanted, needed. like for once, in the past few months, he’s doing something right.

he’s got you itching to return the favor, to feel the weight of him on your tongue, taste him and feel as he hits the back of your throat. felix gets impatient. he grips your hair and fucks into your mouth. his cock hits the back of your throat and you tear up. he’s quick to soothe your tears, “i caused them, ‘s only right.” he says.

as he cums, he holds you in place. he looks up at the ceiling, groaning as you take his load. it’s not your name he moans. it’s his ex’s. it gets caught in his throat like a strangled sob–refusing to come out, yet refusing to stay inside. you both pretend it didn’t happen.

for now, it’s all he wants. you continue with your movie night as if nothing happened. 

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

it’s almost a routine now. you hook up at least twice a week. he’s always the one to invite you over. sometimes it’s a relief. you’re stressed about something going on in your life and he’s a perfect distraction. other times, he’s the one making your life harder. he’s begging you to come over late, and your problem? you can’t say no. you have the freedom to. you know he’d pout for a second, before telling you to sleep well and you’ll hang out later. 

and when you do come over, which it’s unlikely that you won’t succumb to his request, he’s on you immediately. he doesn’t waste time stripping you, taking you to the bed when he’s patient, and the couch when he can’t wait another moment to have you. 

one thing that felix doesn’t do, is mark you. he’ll kiss you with vigor. he’ll suck at your skin, bite at your chest, but it’s all done with just enough gentleness that your skin remains unmarked. you know, you check in the mirror like you’ll wake up one morning and discover his love lasts on your skin. it’s the disconnect between love and lust. if he loved you, maybe he’d claim you as such. he’d mark your skin with red and purple hickeys. he doesn’t love you. you know that.

you don’t love him as anything more than a friend. you should stop dreaming about things reserved for lovers when you’re just friends.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

sometimes, there’s a domestic bliss that settles between the two of you. It really has you thinking that you could be his. you’ll be in his kitchen, his hands are wrapped around your waist as you cook a quick, late dinner. his head rests on your shoulder and he sways you to the music you put on. 

or you’re cuddling in his bed. he’s the big spoon and you’re the little spoon. he has a pillow propped over his arm, his other hand draped over your waist. you’re talking about everything and nothing, all at once. the weather. his childhood. your first pet. the weirdness of sourdough starter. 

you know that the only love between the two of you is the kind friends share. 

screw the kisses that are so sweet they make you think he’s in love with you. screw the way he moans your name now as he cums. the way he looks up at you as you ride him, something so hungry, so insatiable in his big doe eyes. screw way he holds you as you come down from your high, his hands stable and firm on your shaking hips. it keeps you from floating off into a realm, a universe where lee felix could actually love you like the romantic you’ve seen him be for everyone else he’s had in his bed. there’s no way any of it could be love. at least, that’s what you keep telling yourself. if he hadn’t made it abundantly clear to everyone you know that you’re ‘just friends’, you might have mistaken the lust in his eyes for love. every lie becomes true once you repeat it enough. every hope, every desire gets crushed once met with the cruel fist of reality one too many times.

do you punish yourself with the facade that he loves you, or the facade that he doesn’t? either way, you can’t resist him. you can’t say no. he needs you. or is it you that needs him? who gets hurt when nothing was ever supposed to be at stake? if you’re an addict, lee felix is your drug, and you’ve not yet seen the consequences of taking too much.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

six months fly by quickly. six months of being friends with benefits with felix. to the date. it’s a normal day, though you don’t see him. you don’t talk to him. you haven’t talked to him since yesterday afternoon. 

the only warning when glass breaks, is the fall. felix’s absence is the fall. the ‘ping!’ of a text message is the impact on the ground, the shatter into a million pieces.

you should have known better than to think it was going to last. really, what did you expect? felix to confess his love to you, rose petals on the bed and candlelight? every good thing comes to an end. whatever you had with felix was never an exception.

it’s not like you loved him, though. like you had that kind of fantasy. it just felt like a breach of your friendship for him to run back to his ex, and not say a word.

you can’t help the anger that takes over. felix was seeing his ex again? after seven months of being apart. he’s running back into those arms. it disgusts you, so much so that you feel your stomach churn. it makes you want to throw up.

you're crying and you don't even know why. there was nothing going on between you two. everything in the past few months meant nothing. right?

wrong. it was something. you couldn't quite explain it, but it was worth far more than going back to a shitty ex.

usually, when felix causes your tears, he's there to wipe them away. they're because of everything he's doing right. this time, it's all wrong; he's not here to dry them up either.

you know chris wouldn’t lie to you. you also know felix wouldn’t keep that from you.

or would he?

© dollracha do not copy reupload or repost.

[chaussetteblanche]

AHH i lived ur luke one do u think u can do another maybe like an enemies to lovers trope (sorry im a sucker for enemies to lovers)☺️

hi babe !! thanks for requesting ! don't apologise we're all on our knees and begging for enemies to lovers <3

I hate you

pairing : luke castellan x fem!reader summary : you and luke have been mortal enemies for months, will things change because of a quest? word count: 2.3k warnings : swear words, description of a wound

Luke had hated you since your first day at camp. To this day, you had no idea why. But after months of letting snark comments and aggressive capture the flags slide, you’d decided you had had enough. That had been the moment you'd officially become enemies. 

When he'd jeer at you, you'd bite back with even more venom. If you made him drop his sword at capture the flag, he’d come after you with his bare hands. When one hit, the other hit back harder. It was constant war. 

The rest of camp never understood this hatred you both harboured for one another. Singularly, you were both kind, generous and intelligent people. The kind of people you’d expect to get along fine and even become good friends. But no, it was always one thing after the next. 

So imagine your horror when a relatively new camper was chosen for a quest and found nothing better to do than pick you and your mortal enemy to accompany him. It was your worst nightmare come true. You froze when both your names resounded in the agora. 

You choked, coughed and held back from spluttering, refusing to embarrass yourself. You smoothed down your camp shirt and nodded. You did not look at Luke, even though you could feel his heated glower on your skin. He would probably find a way to blame you for this. Chiron looked between you and Luke with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. You could almost hear what he was thinking. Nonetheless, he abided. 

Walking back to your cabin to prepare your things, you could hear the word actively spreading behind you.  "Did you hear that-" "Yeah, he’s chosen Luke and-" "They’ll be lucky if they don’t kill each other." Rolling your eyes, you shut yourself in your cabin and leaned back on the closed door. You dug the heels of your hands into your eyes, groaning. This was going to be nightmare.

And it really was. By hour 12 of the quest, you’d managed to get yourself thrown out of a train, fought off two harpies and had lost Luke.  "Where the hell did he go?" you asked loudly as you and Alan, the young camper, walked in direction of your next task. "He couldn’t have just disappeared!" "I don’t know, maybe he’ll join us later on." Alan shrugged. You frowned.  "Do you know anything about this?" You slowly turned to to him and he took a step back, shaking his head. "No, no, I-" "I’d suggest you think twice before lying to me, Alan," you growled. Alan sighed. "Yes, he told me he wanted to see how badly you did on your own so he could report it to camp." "Right." Of course. Of course he would find a way to make the dangerous quest even harder than it needed to be. You inhaled deeply, trying to remind yourself not to take your anger out on this thirteen year-old child. Your blood boiling, you turned back around and continued to walk. If Luke wanted to stay behind, that was fine with you. Better that than have him be in your way. 

"Oi!" Called a voice about an hour later. Ugh, Luke. You ignored him, keeping a steady pace. He called your name again. You didn’t react until his hand came down on your shoulder.  Before he could say another word, you spun around and pushed him up against the nearest tree, your forearm pressing down on the column of his throat. "Who the fuck do you think you are," you snarled, close to his face, "to leave Alan and I alone? The quest comes before everything! It comes before your hatred for me and your stupid pettiness! So pull yourself together and stop fucking around! » You shoved yourself off him, glaring into his eyes. He looked at you darkly before grabbing your wrist and pulling you close to him. "Yell at me again, princess, and I’ll give you a real reason to scream," he warned in a low voice. You scoffed, ripping your wrist out of his grip.  "Shut up and start walking, Castellan."

The quest went smoothly -as smoothly as it could go considering the tension between Luke and you- after that. You found that the three of you made a pretty good team. Everything was going fine and you had been on your way back to camp when you crossed a griffin. You pushed Alan behind you immediately, taking out your sword at the same time Luke did. "Distract him, I'll go around the side!" Luke ordered, running off. Despite not wanting to follow his orders, you set your jaw and instructed Alan to hide. You twisted your ring, a gift from your mother which turned into a shield when twisted the right way, and waited for the shield to form before banging your sword against it.

"Over here, you stinking pile of feathers! Or should I say fur?" You yelled as you ran backwards, away from Alan. You continued banging your sword against your shield and watched as Luke charged forward from the griffin's unguarded side. The beast shrieked as it was struck and batted Luke away with its large wing. Luke flew to the side with an 'oomph' sound. Despite your despise for him, you felt surprisingly concerned.

You darted forward as the griffin raised one of its clawed feet, ready to strike down Luke, who was slowly getting to his feet. The loud clang of claws meeting the metal of your shield made him look up quickly. You were straining underneath the power of the monster, pushing back against your shield with all of your strength. "Fucking. Move." You managed to speak through clenched teeth. Luke finally snapped out of his daze and bolted to the side. You readied yourself before jumping to the side, out of the griffin's reach -or so you thought. He swapped at you with his other clawed foot and despite you trying to run out of the way, managed to cut a gash in your side. You cried out. You heard Luke and Alan scream your name, but they felt far away.

You spun around, livid, and cut off the beast's hand as it came down towards you once more. Luke took his chance and stabbed the monster in the chest. The three of you watched as the creature turned to dust. You fell to your knees. Luke was next to you in a second, breathing heavily. He laid you down in the grass, muttering to himself. "Show me," he ordered, lifting your shirt up to reveal your stomach. You squirmed both from the strange feeling of having his eyes on your revealed body and from the stinging pain of the cut. "Gods- how bad it is?" you asked. The sound of Alan vomiting was indication enough. Luke bit his bottom lip, brows furrowed. "It's fixable. You just need ambrosia and a healer." "Really?" You hated the way your voice sounded so weak. Luke nodded strongly. "Trust me." And for some reason, you found that you did. He stood up and sheathed his sword before gesturing for Alan to take your bag.

"Can you walk?" he asked, though it sounded like more of a formality than a real question. You lifted yourself up on your elbows and groaned in pain. You shook your head, hating the fact that you had to rely on him of all people for help. "Okay, then." Luke bent forward, going to pick you up. "Wait." He stopped immediately. His eyes snapped up to your face, which had gone frighteningly white. You were staring at the gash across your stomach. It went from the top of ribs to the side of your belly button. And it did not look good. The cut was jagged and blood poured out all over your clothes. Luke watched, helpless, as your fingers reached out to touch the cut. You hissed in pain before looking up into his eyes.

"I'm going to die." Your voice shook dangerously. He hated the way your eyes watered and the way you looked so scared. He'd never seen you look that way before and he wanted to wipe the sight from his memory. You did not have a face that was meant to look frightened. You had a face which was meant for pride and victory. "Look at me." He grabbed your chin and kneeled next to you. "You are not going to die." He pulled a spare T-shirt out of his bag, balled it up and pressed down on your wound with it. "I know, it hurts," he cooed as you whimpered with pain. "Hold it here."

Ignoring your groans of pain, he pulled you into his arms and stood up. Your vision was becoming blurry, but you did all you could to keep pressing down on your wound with his T-shirt. You heard him bark out orders to Alan in the distance. "Luke," you spoke softly as black dots danced in your vision. "No, no, no, don't close your eyes, princess. Keep looking at me." "I don't wanna die," you whispered before passing out. Luke clenched his jaw as he sped up the pace, ordering Alan to keep up with him. "Idiot. You're not gonna die. I won't let you."

You awoke to a soft yellow light surrounding you. Slowly opening your eyes, you looked around to find yourself in the camp infirmary. Luke was on a chair beside your bed. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Hey." "Hi," you croaked, trying to sit up. Wobbly, you managed to sit somewhat straight against the pillows. "How're you feeling?" Luke asked, looking over your face. He was relieved it to find it less white that it had been two days before. "Like shit, really." You let out a hoarse chuckle. He laughed shortly, looking down at his hands. You were surprised to find it was a really nice sound. That had been the first time you'd ever heard him laugh, and it felt really good to be the cause of it. "How long have I been out?" "Two days and a half." You were quiet for a moment as you thought back to the last things you remembered. "I guess I should thank you for saving my life, Castellan."

Luke let out something close to a scoff and leaned back in his chair. "You saved mine first. Thank you." "Well, yeah." You coughed. "I couldn't just let you die like-" "I don't hate you, you know," he interrupted you. You stopped talking. "Not really."

"What do you mean you don't hate me? Of course you do. You can't stand me. You think everything I do is stupid and bound to failure." "No, I- I don't hate you. I'm envious of you. Of what you have." "Of what I have? I have a fucking hole in my stomach right now, Caste-" "Of your mom. Mostly."

Your lips made an 'O' shape as you understood. Suddenly, everything made sense. That was why he'd disliked you from the start. You had the one thing he never would. Your mother was a minor goddess and did not have many children. This permitted her to be frequently in contact with you and therefore play the role of a present mother. Your father always kept in touch with you. You knew that with each of them you would always have someone to turn to. Unlike Luke.

"Mostly?" you asked, tilting your head to the side. "I'm envious of how whenever you walk into a room, it immediately lights up. Of how everyone likes you. Of how you always look good, even if you've just been torn to pieces by a griffin. Of how you always seem to see the good in people, except for me, I guess. Of how you get along with everyone except for me." Luke didn't meet your eye as he spoke. "Maybe if you hadn't been such an ass when we first met, we'd have gotten along fine. And I do see the good in you, I just like to ignore it for my own benefit." Luke's eyes shot up to yours.

"What do you mean 'your own benefit'?" "Well, if I didn't ignore the way you're so kind to the new kids, the way you're so protective of your friends and Annabeth, the way you stand up for what you think is right, the way your eyes look when they catch the light just right and the way your laugh seems to draw everybody in, then maybe... Maybe I wouldn't dislike you at all. Quite the contrary, actually." You could feel your heart hammering inside your chest as you spoke. The way Luke was staring into your soul was not helping either.

"Say something, Luke," you pleaded. His first name felt soft and foreign on your tongue. You had never said it before.

Luke did not answer. Wordlessly, he stood up and was by your side in two steps. He cupped your cheek, leaned down and brushed his lips against yours. Your heart raced and when he pulled away, you found yourself chasing his lips. He looked deeply into your eyes and smiled before kissing you properly. Eruptions exploded in your stomach as you kissed him back. You pulled him closer by the shirt as his warm lips pressed against yours. Finally, you couldn't help but think. All those feelings you'd ignored and pushed to the back of your mind finally broke free and you almost cried from relief.

His free hand found the back of your neck and you shivered as his fingers caressed the skin there. You leaned into his touch and cupped his jaw before slowly sliding a hand into his hair. He let out a soft moan but before you could get too into it, a cough resounded throughout the room.

"I'm glad to see that you and Luke have managed to work through your differences, Y/N." Chiron spoke, amusement dripping from his words, as he trudged into the room. "Now tell me about your quest."

[gothgoblinbabe]

Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You

(chapter 1/2)

(Logan Howlett x fem reader)

A/N: Yeah, the brain rot has reached a maximum and I've completely disregarded the consequences of a digital footprint! there's a couple descriptions of style of clothing/jewelry but you can imagine that as you please, also absolutely based off of "Babe Im Gonna Leave You" by Led Zeppelin bc idk somewhere in my delusions I think Logans a Zeppelin kinda guy and its what I've been listening to. For the sake of the plot, stick with me, you've got an imaginary ex bf and his random name I picked is gonna be Danny and he suuuucks real hard okay? okay and I need you to pretend dear lovely reader that you like led zeppelin if you don't 💔[holding your face ever so gently and smooching ur forehead] and I've seen only xmen origins, x-men, X2, and Deadpool x wolverine so pls pls forgive me if some stuff doesn't canonically fit. This is kind of cringe but I wrote too much of it to get rid of it just bare with me I beg of u and it was so long I had to split it into two parts

Summary: Meeting the infamous Wolverine got you roped into a liiiitle more than what you bargained for

Warnings: swearing, you have telekinesis and telepathy (cause that's cool, c'mon), mild angst, suggestive stuff kinda, mentions of cheating (Logan does not cheat on u I pinkie promise), Logan calls you kid but you're not actually a child lol, you're a good bit younger than him but also so is anyone else who isn't borderline immortal

Word Count: 4K

Pt 2!

[credit for text post dividers here and here]

There had been muttering here and there between the students at the academy that Wolverine was coming back after a few years on his own, confirmed when Marie recognized the motorcycle now parked in the driveway of the mansion.

"Logan!"

He was immediately wrapped into a hug by Marie at the door, dropping his bags to the floor.

"Hey, kid, miss me?"

"Maybe," she smiled sweetly, tucking the white strands of hair behind her ears.

"Long time no see, huh?" Ororo's voice interrupted from behind her, earning a hug from Logan.

"Any one else around?" he questioned, hoisting his bag up over his shoulder again.

"Scott and Jean are around here somewhere, Charles as well. Oh, and there's a couple new faces you haven't met," she responded, smiling at the way Marie's eyes lit up at the chance to mention what she had been meaning to tell Logan.

Marie gasped and said your name, grabbing Logan's arm in excitement, "you have got to meet her. She joined us a couple of months ago, I think you'll really like her. She's kind of been like...our you, when you've been gone."

He quirked an eyebrow at that, looking between the both of them for an explanation as to what that was supposed to mean.

"You'll see," Ororo chuckled lightly, "oh, you will see."

"She's here now, I think, you should go introduce yourself to her!"

Logan had swiftly caught onto Marie's adorable attempt to play cupid and gave her a nod, "maybe when I settle in, okay, kid?"

She nodded in agreement and both her and Ororo watched him walk off further down the corridor.

"How do you think it will go when they meet?" the later of the two asked earnestly once he was out of sight.

"Well," Marie paused for a moment, thinking, "they'll be inseparable or absolutely hate each other."

Ororo nodded in agreement almost immediately, holding in a small laugh.

Much later in the evening, Logan had been beckoned into the study along with Ororo, Marie, Bobby, you, Jean and Scott by Charles.

He had been the last to enter, eyes immediately settling on your unfamiliar frame stood next to Marie with your back against the wall. You had plenty of rings adorning your fingers and necklaces dangling in front of your chest in the same kind of fashion he'd seen in those magazines with the Harley biker girls. You looked a little like one of them too, in well fitting jeans adorned with a belt, a band shirt and some chunky boots, except you were very much real and not on glossy paper.

"Oh! Logan!" Marie exclaimed upon noticing his arrival, beckoning him over with her hand. That turned your attention to him and he felt like the wind may have been knocked out of him when your eyes met his. You were far prettier than any of the girls he'd seen in any magazine.

"This is her," Marie whispered to Logan when he approached and nudged his arm, referring to when she had told him about you earlier.

"This is Logan," Marie said to you, gesturing towards him and leaning a little closer to you to whisper something he wouldn't catch, "and he's single, by the way."

A grin was plastered on her face when she pulled away and you rolled your eyes, "Marie - "

"I know, I know, too soon, but I just thought that was very good information for you to know," she raised her hands and stepped away a little, still intent on watching how the two of you interact for the first time.

Logan extended a hand for you to shake and you did the same. Your hands were small in his and your skin soft to the touch. It was almost hard for him to drop your grip when he did, nervous that he'd hold it even a second too long.

Nervous. Women had rarely ever made him nervous in the hundred - something years he'd been alive, and yet he could feel his heart pounding in his ears when you ran your hands through your hair to push it out of your face.

"Nice to meet you," he finally spoke, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

This may have been a good opportunity to try out your powers a little, concentrate hard enough on the handsome stranger's face to know what exactly was playing out behind his staring gaze, but you resisted the urge to do what you considered a tad bit violating.

"Same here," you responded at last, averting your gaze for just a moment to avoid inadvertently doing exactly what you had just decided you wouldn't.

Marie and Ororo had studied the small interaction between the two of you - of course - waiting for something more to happen, only to be disappointed when the both of you nodded courtly and turned away from each other.

"Well, that's not good. He'd be on her like a dog already - " Ororo started under her breath.

"No, no, I just think..." Marie interrupted, narrowing her eyes between the two of you, "I think they just need to get to know each other."

"Honey..."

"I'm telling you, I just feel like they'd be good together, they just need a chance to get to know each other!"

"Do you really think she's ready to get with another guy?" Ororo nodded her head in your direction, lowering her voice, "after all that stuff Danny pulled?"

Marie grimaced at the mention of one of the professors names, shaking her head in mild disgust, "have you seen him lately? always coming up to her in the halls and stuff, it's sad - for him, I mean."

Before either of them could further debate the topic, Charles gained everyone's attention to discuss a series of tasks he'd assigned to you all. As he spoke, you only tuned in once you heard your name.

"You are the one I'd like to send out to complete that with Daniel."

"Could, uh, can I do it with someone else? or have him do it alone, or something?"

Logan caught the confused look Jean shot your way, tilting her head before she spoke, "You don't want to go with Danny? What happened, I thought the two of you -"

You cut her off with a sharp shake of your head, scowling, "uh-uh. Hell no. He...uh, I'll tell you about it later."

You had realized the sudden vulnerability you'd found yourself experiencing in a room full of eyes on you and cleared your throat, attempting to change the subject.

"I can hang back and keep an eye on the kids, I don't mind."

"They do love you," Ororo chimed in, "and we need someone to stay back to watch them anyway."

"They only like her so much because she allows them to break the rules," Scott remarked, earning a nudge in the arm from Jean.

You sighed, rolling your eyes, "Scott, the thing with the kids in your room was one time and it was an accident - "

"Was it? Because one of them wrote 'asshole' on my bathroom mirror with sharpie."

"They're kids, they do that kind of stuff!"

"was that really one of the kids?"

You tucked your lower lip under your teeth in an attempt to smother a laugh. Logan almost immediately did the same when you darted your eyes around the room in a guilty attempt to avoid eye contact.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me - " Scott started but Charles interrupted, holding up a hand.

"Alright, the both of you - enough. You," he continued, gesturing towards you, "may stay back with the children. Please do not allow them into anyone's personal quarters and I would advise you to hide the permanent markers for the time being, away from the children and perhaps yourself."

You nodded and hung your head low to hide the reappearing smile across your face. Logan stared inadvertently from then on, watching you twist your rings around your fingers and focusing on you intently when you spoke every now and then. When you were all dismissed by Charles and filed out of the room, you and Marie walked ahead of most of the group, almost out of ear shot.

Logan heard Jean's hushed voice behind him as she leaned into Scott, "so...what do you think happened? With Danny?"

"Who the hell is this Danny guy?" he finally asked, turning over his shoulder to interrogate the two of them.

"Well," Jean whispered your name, looking ahead to be sure you hadn't caught their conversation, "it's her boyfriend. Or was, I guess. They had a thing for awhile but they stopped hanging around each other all the sudden and she can't even stand to hear his name - she hasn't told me what it's about yet."

Logan simply hummed in acknowledgment, turning back ahead and finding his gaze caught on the sway of your hips as you walked.

"Oh no," he heard Ororo huff beside him, almost immediately following her gaze to see a guy he didn't recognize slip behind you and put an arm around your waist. Too far out of ear shot to hear the context, he watched you squirm out of the young mans grip and shake your head as you kept walking.

"Is it bad I want to get closer to hear what they're saying?" Ororo muttered, looking to the other three in her proximity.

"It's not our business," Jean reminded her.

"So, that's him?" Logan asked, gesturing to the guy still on your heels like a puppy.

"uh - huh," Ororo answered, frowning as she watched Danny make another pathetic attempt to put his arm around you.

When the two of you stopped at the far end of the hall and you told Marie it was okay to leave you, Logan, Ororo, Scott and Jean all turned the corner to the closest hallway.

"Oh, I know It's bad but I have got to know what lame excuse he's got this time," Ororo shook her head, stopping just around the corner to eavesdrop.

"Ororo - " Jean sighed, placing a gentle hand on her friend's arm, "come on."

"They're in the hallway! it's not like I'm standing outside a door," she reasoned, hushing them after so that the only voices hard were yours and Danny's.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm sorry - "

"Danny, many times do I have to tell you I don't care? Why won't you just leave me be?"

You sounded exasperated, your voice slightly muffled when you rubbed your face with your hands.

"What do you think he did?" Scott chimed in in a hushed town, now fully invested in the dialogue.

Logan was still stood there, though he wasn't too sure why. He could have and should have kept walking - let the three of them do their weird detective work - but instead found himself leaned against the wall with the rest of them.

"I love you, you know that, sweetheart, I - "

"ugh, don't call me that. You gross me the hell out, you know that?"

Both Jean and Ororo made almost the same shocked expression.

"oh, it has to be bad," Jean hissed, frowning at the venom in your tone.

"Tell me you're not still in love with me, you know you can't, we - " Danny's voice began again and yours cut him short with a sense of finality in your tone.

"Danny. I stopped being in love with you the day I walked in on you fucking another other girl."

Jean's hands flew to her mouth to muffle a shocked gasp. Scott stood with his arms crossed, his face in a grimace.

"ooh, that is bad," Ororo whispered just as a door slammed.

Logan furrowed his eyebrows, following everyone else as they continued their path down the hall again. This Danny kid had to be a real idiot.

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Weeks had passed and you shared small talk with Logan every now and then, sometimes making snarky comments here and there - though more often than not together and at Scott's expense. Funnily enough, the ability to piss Scott off so much made Logan like you even more. Maybe Marie was right, you kind of are like him.

You walked alongside him down the corridor one afternoon, intending to fulfill Ororo's request for the both of you to check in on some of the newer students.

"So, do you always do your hair like that?" you raised your eyebrows up at him, eyeing the peaks in his hair.

"Yeah. What, you don't like it?" He grinned, expecting you to make some smart remark about it.

"No, not that," you giggled, "it's like lil' cat ears, it's cute."

He looked down at you quizzically, stopping in his tracks.

"cat ears?"

"mm-hm. You're like a big kitty."

You bit down another giggle, reaching up boldly to touch his hair.

He gently swatted your hand away, still with a small grin on his face.

"Don't call me that."

"Big kitty?"

"Yes."

"Okay, kitty meow - meow."

He narrowed his eyes as you turned to continue walking in an attempt to hide the huge smile plastered on your cheeks that threatened to transform into a rather loud laugh.

"Uh-huh, whatever. You better not let anyone else hear you call me that," he huffed as he caught up to you rather easily.

As you were about to make another retort, your smile dropped at the sight of a familiar and unfriendly face that had come from around a corner.

"Christ," you squeezed your eyes shut in frustration, rubbing your forehead at the sight of your ex-boyfriend.

"Hey," Logan leaned down a little, nudging you gently, "I'm here, you're good. You're fine, don't worry about him. It's just us, alright? Walk past him like you don't even see him."

Though he'd be embarrassed to admit and absolutely deny it if anyone asked, he'd unfortunately (for himself) harbored a crush on you that only took a couple weeks to develop. He hadn't even really gotten the chance to know you yet, though that was precisely why he was glad about moments like these. He wanted to, even if he felt like a school kid with a playground crush.

You had simply nodded at his words, allowing him to place a gentle hand on your upper back to guide you down the hall with him. Even through the layer of a jacket and t-shirt, you could feel the warmth of his hand on you.

Logan remembered that moment in the hall on the first day you'd met, but never pestered you for details about what the hell went on before he got back. He figured when and if you wanted to tell him, that was up to you.

Keeping your eyes straight ahead, it took what felt like years to pass your ex-boyfriend. When you finally did, you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding, until his voice stopped you in your tracks.

"That's my shirt."

You whipped your head around, feeling Logan slip his arm a little further around you as a protective reflex.

"What?" you furrowed your eyebrows, looking down at your attire. The shirt, a tad oversized and well worn, was so familiar that you had completely forgotten it once did belong to him.

"I want it back," he spoke again, crossing his arms.

"Do you really want it back?"

You were beyond fed up with his pestering at this point, already having decided what may make the message clear.

"Yes."

"Okay. Fine."

You pulled away from Logan and slipped off your jacket, turning around to hand it to him. He gave you a confused look, hesitantly taking it out of your hands. In a matter of seconds, you turned back around and tugged the t-shirt up and over your head, tossing it directly at Danny's chest. You turned back and took your jacket from Logan's hands, zipping it far enough to cover your bra. In the few seconds you had stood facing him, he had done his best to keep his eyes away from your body and failed miserably, looking up after to see the asshole a few feet away already glaring at him.

"What, you're just gonna walk around like that? And what are you doing hanging out with him anyway, don't you know he - "

You groaned at the sound of Danny's voice again, gently tugging Logan by the hand in the opposite direction as you began to walk away, "yap, yap, yap - just shut the fuck up."

Logan couldn't help the smirk plastered across his face as you continued to walk, finally turning a corner. Before you could apologize to him for having to awkwardly stand witness to that, Scott's voice echoed from the stairway above you.

"Hey, Charles is looking for you two. He says he has something he needs you to take care of, he didn't say what."

"Thanks for the specifics, Scott," you replied sarcastically, "but we're supposed to check on - "

"I know," he interrupted, "I got Marie and Bobby to cover you. You're welcome, by the way."

You rolled your eyes and looked back to Logan, dreading what exactly it was Charles wanted from you.

That landed you where you were the next morning, heaving your bags into the back of Logan's truck.

"If we have to take the truck like two states over, can I at least drive?"

The plane being needed for another assignment that Jean, Scott and Ororo were assigned left the two of you with Logan's truck. You'd been asked to retrieve a rare mechanical piece needed for the construction of some new device; you'd only been half-listening when Charles started to explain the details, lost in thought after he'd mentioned it would require the two of you to sleep out overnight.

Man, that had made your chest feel tight. It had been almost physically painful trying to swallow down every tell that you really liked him for the past few weeks and now you had no choice than to be each others only company for nearly 2 days.

"Yeah, in your dreams, kid," Logan scoffed playfully and brought you back to reality, dangling the keys in his hand.

You narrowed your eyes at the keyring he began to spin around his finger. In a split second, the jangle of the metal could be heard as you snatched them from his hand with only a focused thought.

You caught them in your raised palm and tilted your head, a terribly smug smile across your cheeks.

"Looks like my dreams came true, huh?" you teased, walking past a still mildly distraught Logan to get into the drivers side.

"If you dent it, I'll kill ya," he warned as he finally slid into the passenger seat, watching your every move as you started the engine and carefully reversed out of the garage.

"Uh-huh, sure," you retorted sarcastically, "I'm terrified of the kitty claws."

"What did I say about calling me that?"

"Calling you what?" you feigned ignorance, fumbling with the knob on the stereo to change the station as your eyes stayed glued to the road.

"And don't mess with everything, kid, you'll end up breaking something. She's on old girl, you gotta - "

"Dude," you interrupted, simultaneously cranking down your window and fishing a pair of sunglasses out of his center console, "I know how to drive, chill out."

"Dude," he mocked, "this truck is probably almost as old as you, you gotta be careful."

You rolled your eyes under the shades of the worn aviators you had slipped onto your nose, simply nodding and continuing to flip through stations.

"Pick one and stick with it, will you?"

"Ooh, is someone mad I got the keys?"

Before he could say something in response, you gasped at sound of the song playing on the station you had just switched to, twisting the knob almost as far as it could go.

Logan recognized the familiar thump of "babe I'm gonna leave you" by Led Zeppelin, furrowing his eyebrows when you began to nod your head and sing along.

"You like Led Zeppelin?" he nearly had to shout over the music, leaning in to you a little further.

"Yeah," you responded, reaching over to turn the music down just enough for you to hear each other and glancing at him momentarily, "How come you're looking at me like that?"

He unfurrowed his eyebrows and shrugged, keeping his gaze on the road ahead as he spoke, " just never pegged you for a Zeppelin kind of girl, I guess."

"No? What's that supposed to mean?"

You were smiling again and it was excruciatingly difficult for him not to stare when you looked so good in the spot he usually sat with his old sunglasses on.

"Didn't think you had good taste in music."

That made you giggle and you shook your head, turning the stereo back up to a booming volume.

He watched you tap your fingers on the steering wheel to the drums as you continued to drive, occasionally moving to push your windswept hair out of your face. The morning sun shining through your open window highlighted your features perfectly and Logan sighed without a thought, unheard over the music. Jesus, he had it bad.

You could feel his stare in your peripheral vision every time he looked to you and it felt far warmer than the sun beating down on you from the opposite direction. You truly rarely ever used your developing skill of telepathy, feeling it was only justified when absolutely necessary to obtain information, but his burning gaze nearly had you veering off the road at times and his prior answer to the question of why he was looking at you that way wasn't too convincing.

With a deep breath, already wondering if it was a mistake, you kept your eyes focused to the road but gradually concentrated on the man beside you. Sometimes people's thoughts would appear as inner dialogue, other times as imagined scenarios, daydreams or visuals. You were confused, then, when you only saw an image of yourself as you were now. If you concentrated too hard, your own thoughts would transfer to Logan's mind and it would be humiliatingly obvious that you had been poking around in his consciousness and so you tried to clear your mind and try again, assuming your own mind was too preoccupied with yourself to concentrate properly.

Still, you could only see the image of yourself driving from the perspective of the passengers seat, one hand on the wheel and the other in your hair as you propped your elbow on the door. This time, though, you could hear the accompanying echo of Logan's voice over the hum of the music you had tuned out.

Is her hair always like that? I like it that way. Pretty.

You swallowed hard, fidgeting with the hair that was between your fingers. It's a compliment - innocent enough, and undeniably kind of sweet. You felt guilty then for probing his thoughts and nearly shook yourself out of it, only to realize the image in Logan's mind was no longer of just your profile. He was thinking about your legs, thighs squished against the seat of the truck.

Fuck

You nearly choked on your own saliva, clearing your throat at the echo of his voice again and immediately withdrawing yourself from his mind.

"You okay?" Logan spoke aloud, putting a gentle hand on your upper arm.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," you lied, trying with every fiber of your being to just keep all focus on the road. You knew you shouldn't have done that. It was just a thought, though, nothing said aloud to change anything between the two of you, and so you pretended the best you could that you hadn't heard or seen a thing.

About eight hours, a handful of dad rock albums and a stop to switch seats later, you finally pulled into the parking lot of the nearest motel you had found didn't have a highlighted "no vacancy" sign.

"If there's fucking bed bugs in here, I will never let you hear the end of it," you warned from the passenger seat.

"I think you'd talk my ear off till the day I die anyway," he scoffed, shifting the truck into park and pulling the keys from the ignition.

"You won't die for another hundred-something years."

"Exactly my point, honey."

You rolled your eyes and slipped out of the truck as he did, pretending the nickname hadn't made your face burn. You both grabbed your belongings and once inside you looked around the small lobby as Logan checked you in, impressed with how surprisingly clean the place seemed to be.

"Hey, is that okay?"

Logan's voice took your attention from the painting on the wall you'd been inspecting and you raised your eyebrows.

"Huh?

"Uh, there's a room left but it's only got one bed."

Your face dropped and you looked between him and the poor kid behind the counter who already looked nervous as all hell.

"You're kidding."

"We can keep driving, but we've already been on the road all day and I don't think there's another place around here for a good few miles."

He was much more calm than you expected him to be and you exhaled, thinking of the literal pain in the ass caused by sitting in the car for so many hours.

"Ugh, fine."

A/N: I had to split this in two because it was so long but If anyone likes this at all I will post da other part cause I like spewing my brain rot on the internet <3

[moonieandi]

snapshots pt. 2 | stanley pines x f!reader 

summary: a quick look through concerning the early months of your life “married” to stanley pines, particularly centered around moments in the car

warnings (TW): swearing, illegal activities (of course), descriptions of panic/panic attack or general anxiety, alcohol consumption

tags: fluff, early relationship described, pining, very slight angst, affection

notes: i mean, i liked writing part one? so … i’m just gonna keep writing? do what brings you joy and all that jazz. alsooooo im currently unemployed and have too much time on my hands. any feedback is appreciated, seeing as this is the first (second) time i’m publishing online !

edit 8/27/24: hello! below i have linked my new masterlist that contains updated parts to this series, thank you and hope you enjoy!

word count: 3.7k

| masterlist | part iii |

When you reside within the same place as another, you begin to notice particular behaviors. Of course, Stanley had resided in an unquantifiable number of places in the last decade, but he had forgotten what it was like to live alongside someone. 

Forgot about the consideration of messes and manners, and forgot about his socks in corners and cans on bedside tables. These were things he never had to consider when he was confined to a single room and a shared bunk with his brother, but she was different. 

The first couple months he found himself stumbling around her at times. Let her lead through doorways, ask her what she would like for dinner, using odds and ends as a coaster here and there. 

But she was much the same in that way. 

She hadn’t ever had to share her space like this, much less with a man. She fumbled with answers concerning dinner, forgot her delicates in the washer routinely, and had a habit of throwing her feet up on Stanley’s chair when he sat across from her at their poor excuse of a dinner table. 

But this was months ago. 

No, they both had noticed these intricacies about the other and had more or less adapted around them. Laundry was done half-heartedly, a quick combination of their socks and delicates. A calendar made its home on the fridge with scribbles of dinner plans, and her feet were shuffled onto his lap every night, adjusted to fit across his hips. 

But she still leads through most doorways. He would never admit to why. 

There were other, smaller things too. These things made him ache somewhere behind his sternum, and he usually shook them off. 

Small things like how she curled at her end of the couch, or how she brought her face to any page she was scribbling on, always squinting. How she tidied the living room every morning like they would be having guests. How she came to the kitchen every morning, hand outstretched for the mug he had deemed hers. 

He decided to forget about these things. At least some of them that is. 

He knew for a fact that she loved it when he drove the most. She enjoyed the movement of the trees out the window, enjoyed stretching her feet up to his dash (despite his initial protest), and she loved the radio in particular. 

Common law says to keep your eyes on the road, and both hands on the wheel. But it was very hard to conduct when she leaned forward towards the radio, singing under her breath. She was so relaxed here beside him on the long bench in the front of his long-loved car. 

The car had been through hell and back, but he was sure it’d never encountered anything as enchanting as her bellowing singing. It would ring through the car, only ever on the way home, and only ever after a bar visit. The buzz would stray his eyes from wheel and headlights to her, head thrown back singing. 

He swerved on the road more than he cared to admit when she was in the car. The reminder of her safety usually woke him up from his fantasies of her with her head thrown back, with her hair spilling around her, and a flush on her cheeks.

But he rarely kept both hands on the wheel, to begin with anyway. His right arm always flung behind, scrunched on the back part of her seat, itching to find the soft back of her neck. 

Clearing his throat, he adjusted himself in his seat, both hands returning to the wheel. A smile never leaving his face, a laugh rising as she scooted closer, incoherent 70’s BABBA lyrics sung into his right ear. 

He’d admit he likes driving her, in particular, around. 

They had made for town for a handful of differing supplies that day. 

Stanley, Stan, had a bright idea to earn some seasonal money by making the front half of the shack into a tourist attraction. After an explanation of his initial encounter with a group of town folk upon his first couple days in the shack, she had nodded along in agreement. 

They needed money, and the need was only growing of course. 

She was the farthest from a financial advisor, but she knew the reserve of money she had come to town with was dwindling, and with them both diving head-first into Ford’s basement business, the idea of money had seemed trivial, at least to her, those first couple months. 

She knew though that money wasn’t a trivial thing for Stan (Stanley). That he hadn’t had a successful last decade, and that her life strayed from his own background astronomically. 

That was one thing that grated her slightly. How flippantly he spoke of Ford to her, but how he had not shared himself as willingly. It didn’t make him a liar to withhold said information, but the state of Stanley’s (Stan’s) car backseat that first month spoke of a man on the run. 

But he had lit up so differently when he dragged her to the front of the shack's cluttered room. Explaining where things would go, a cash register, a display case, and certain merchandise. She’ll admit to perhaps not completely listening to him at the time, but later she would look back and reflect on how he was unsurprisingly a great salesman. 

He had been so happy, dragging her from corner to corner, painting pictures with words, but he had looked too enchanting for her to really hear it. One hand in his pocket, the other gesturing, and a smile upon his handsome figure. He had reached back out, dragging her back to the front door, hand on the small of her back as he ushered her around. 

It was a dump up here, truly. The one place in the house she hadn’t gotten to scouring for clues yet. She was unsure as to why she left the room untouched at the moment, but she thinks it had a lot to do with the panicked memory of meeting Stan (Stanley), and how the glow of the backroom reflected on his face made her wander in through the front door like a madwoman. 

She made for the car very soon after his explanation, eager to get the supplies he would need to renovate the front of the room. He had beaten her of course, opening and closing the passenger door without so much as a prompt, and making his way to the driver's side. 

The drive into town had been great as always. It was one of those mid-spring days. Wet on the windshield and crisp until 10 a.m. The hardware store served its purpose, as they wandered from aisle to aisle, looking for particular wood stains and sandpaper. 

“Here it is Stanl-” He had come up behind her abruptly. Hand coming up to her mouth, stopping her sentence, flicking his eyes up and down the aisle. 

She turned to face him, an apology already on her lips. But he was already looking down at her, a hidden heat behind his eyes. 

“What did I tell ya, hun?” He whispered it in the space between them. “I told ya, I can’t be that here.” 

He couldn’t be him anywhere anymore, at least not in the light of day. She had tried to shake the old him, but somewhere in the far reaches of her mind, she had a hard time calling him Stan. 

Because she knew it meant he was being Ford, not Lee. And it was hard to lie about anything concerning him, concerning Stanley. 

He sighed, his hand leaving her lips and running through his long hair. “We gotta get outta here anyways. Come along, hun.” A practiced smile reached the corners of his mouth, another lie. 

Unfortunately for his psyche, the cashier wanted to talk their ear off also. 

“Oh hiya, Stanford!” And of course, they knew his brother. 

A smile crawled up his face anyway, making nice like he figured his brother may have done all those months ago. 

“Getting supplies? Any new projects?” 

“Uh nah nah, not at the moment. Looking into renovating parts of the shack for some business right now.” 

“Business? Really? Never took you for much of a businessman.” The cashier continued to bag their samplings of wood stains. “But hey, life takes ya in odd directions sometimes!” 

He tisked. “Don’t I know it buddy.” He shook his head a little, grabbing the bag, peering over his shoulder checking for his smaller shadow. She followed in his wake, slightly downtrodden to have cut their store visit short with her stupid mouth. 

“Oh, Stanford!” The cashier called, but he didn’t turn until she reached for his jacket’s dirty red sleeve, tugging to turn him back. Flushed, he meets the cashier's outstretched hand. 

“The receipt! You always want the receipt.” 

He crushed the receipt in his hand. “Right… right ya, thanks.” 

She followed him back to the car, her hand never leaving his sleeve, brushing her warmth against his slightly shaking palm. He doesn’t forget to open her door or to slam the wood stains and sandpaper into the back of the car. 

The ride back was tense, and not of its usual bravado and fanfare.  He had peeled out of the parking lot all too quickly and regretted it the next moment as he looked over and watched her pale in the passenger seat. 

She didn’t reach for the radio, hands folded on her lap. She didn’t look out her window, as the trees blurred differently under Stanley’s hasty speed. 

Under Stan’s hasty speed. 

He didn’t want this. He didn’t want any of this mess. And he definitely didn’t want to upset her. His arm never met the back of her seat, his knuckles tight around the steering wheel. 

He didn’t think of pulling over until he looked at her halfway home. Ram-rod straight, pale as all hell, and eyes blurry with undescribed grief. 

He cursed under his breath, pulling the car off to the side of the road, gravel underfoot. 

She got like this at times, at his temper. He knew at times he could be loud, that he raised his voice at inconveniences and the T.V. Knew that her lip curled in a particular way when on a very off day, his frustration explodes in her face. He was quick to anger at times, and she was quick to cover. 

He made himself so big in the face of things, but she folded into a different shape when he did. And somewhere in the back of his mind, he prayed she knew that he would never turn his anger to her. That he had raised fists before and spilled blood, but he’d never raise them again unless it was for her, if she would allow it. 

But he doesn't want her to get small in the face of his, well, everything. Because he had been angry at so many things in succession in his life he lost count, and he doesn’t want to lose the part of himself that cared for her in his anger, and he doesn't want her to fold into odd shapes and shadows in the face of him anymore. But above all, he didn’t want the reminder of his father to taint whatever the hell this was. It was bad enough he saw glimpses of him in the passing reflections from time to time.

He loved the fight in her eyes when they spat back and forth sometimes, a sarcastic, fake fight brewing between them. That’s how they both always ended up laughing at the dinner table most nights, and how he felt closer to her most days. His anger was never her responsibility, or her doing. She had never truly upset him once, and the way they played with words back and forth over a meal like an old married couple rattled a few rusty cogs in his brain from time to time. That his anger could at least be amusing, because when she smiled he forgot all about it anyway. 

So he parks the car in Spring and turns to her with his guts in his lap for the first time since he spoke to her that Winter night when he thought his prayers had been answered when she plowed through the shack’s door like a tidal wave. 

“I hate this.” He sighed. “And I can’t stand when you fucking look at me like that.” 

Her lip curled. Fuck fuck fuck. 

“I know.” It wobbled out her mouth. “I ruined the day, I’m sorry.” 

He leans back, his hand meeting the back of her seat. A beat, before he turns to her completely, like he does every night across the dinner table with her feet propped across the entirety of his lap. 

“I don’t want you to apologize to me. You should never have to apologize to me. I don’t want you to, ever fucking think you gotta hand that over to me again. Because you’ve never done anything to upset me doll, not ever.” 

She sniffles, a moment of crisp silence. Spring rain beats on the windows in a mist. A smile comes to her lips, and he sags in relief, anger fading.

“Except when I forget the laundry on the line.” She’s cracking jokes now? 

“Except that ya, because I kinda need socks and underwear mmk?” He laughs only slightly, a tiredness seeping into his posture. 

“I didn’t used to be like this.” 

“Like what?” 

“A bad liar.” He admits. He hadn’t disclosed much of his past to her. He wasn’t ashamed of it much when it came to disclosing his long resume to others, but she made him nervous. And he hadn’t been really, truly, honestly nervous in a long time. So he did what he does best, and he lied. 

“I could buy the shirt off your back from ya in under 10 minutes I swear.” He readjusts in his seat again, hand slowly creeping up the back of her seat still. “I’m a great liar, it’s how I made it from state to state, and the reason I’m not allowed back in Pennsylvania.” 

She laughs truly now. She had figured that was what he was used to. Long trips and longer fibs. She didn’t care much about the morality of it, because when she imagined him somehow corrupt in her mind's eye she remembered him bent over her on the couch, and how it felt to listen to the T.V. fade into the background as he carried her up the stairs. The faintness of her sheets, and the brush of his hand on her hairline. 

“But I can’t lie about this, or at least I'm really fucking bad at it.” He interrupts her thought. “I’m the farthest thing from Stanford Pines.”

“Perhaps you are, Lee.” A name she hadn’t used out loud fell between them. “But no one ever asked you to be him.” 

She realized quickly in her desperation to reassure him that she was also being a hypocrite. It was hard to call him Stan, she realized, but only because she was afraid of hurting him. The memory of Stanford still lived between them, and although they tried to shutter his existence in the basement they both weren’t very good at playing pretend yet. 

But they would need to be. It’d need to be the best con he’d ever pulled, that they had ever pulled. He just wasn’t used to having a partner quite yet. But they needed to be honest now if they were gonna pull it off and bring Stanford home. 

“You don’t need to be him. I know you aren’t him Stanley, and I don’t want you to be.” She paused, considering. “If we are going to do all this though, we need to work together. I-I need to get better, I need to call you Stan, and you need to believe me when I tell you I’m staying for the long haul.” 

He sighs again, readjusting to look over at her. 

“I lived a long time trying to be something great like I thought he was, like I know he is. But I haven’t, I hadn’t, seen him in so long. I don’t know who he is anymore.”

“You both have a surprising lot in common, actually.” She shrugs, a smile coming to her lips in memory. “You both smile the same, and you both doodle the same way, and you both tilt your head to the left when I ask a dumbass question.” 

He laughs at this, a memory of passing scribbles and doodles in class back and forth, and the comic books he would spend all night drawing in their shared room’s lamplight. Some things always stick, at least. 

She bridged the gap of some odd ten years, and he could at least be thankful about that. 

“I just want you to know… Stan. That when I do call you Stan, I mean Stanley- not Stanford.” She shrugs again, nervous. “Because you’re not him, you're right, and if you don’t want me to lie about this one small detail, it can be between us.” 

She had somehow come to the heart of his predicament without much digging. He had worn many hats in his time bouncing from state to state, a conman, a businessman, a thief, and a liar. But he didn’t wanna make her one of those things, and he knew by associating with him she would need to be. Just in the blur of it all, he didn't want to be someone else to her. Not even in name. He wanted there to be honesty between them because otherwise, it wouldn't work. What wouldn’t work? 

He finds resolution in her answer. That he will always be Stanley to her, and Stanford to others, at least for the time being. Oddly intimate, closely personal. He wouldn't linger on the thought.

“You’re right as usual, doll.” A smirk comes to his lips. “Team?” He questions, fist uncurling from the back of her seat, brushing between them to meet for a bump. 

She smiles brightly now, meeting him in the middle. “Team.” 

He sinks in the seat, beat from the emotions of the last hour already. “Okay we need to do something fucking fun now.” 

“Like what?” Amused, she reaches between them to turn the radio back on, sick of the silence in the shell of the car. A hum already on her lips. 

He smiles, a scheme on his lips, a memory playing in his head when he looks at her. 

She flushes, a quick shake of her head. “No, no, no Stan, no I am not doing it no.”

He loves how she fights it but he knows how to get his way with her already, even if it has only been a short six months. Flushed in her seat, and begging him. Fuck. 

All he has to do is fucking smile, with that stupid glint in his eyes. “Yes, ya are!” He taunts, a laugh already bellowing. “You’re driving!” 

“I don’t fucking know how and you know it!” She had been embarrassed to admit it to him that one night, that she had made it this long without a driver’s license, but he had all but said please that night, vying for blackmail from her. He had told her about his kiddy comic books, so she had to fess up to something stupid of equal measure he felt. 

“I’ll teach ya!” 

He was already out his door and around the front of the car, opening her own, and reaching across her lap to unbuckle her from her seat when she continued to shake her head. 

She moved only when he began slipping his hand under her thigh and around her back to move her across the long bench to the front of the wheel. He sometimes forgot about where he put his hands on her, when he was giddy like this. She never minded, though. 

She was still shaking her head when he reached back over her to buckle her into her new spot behind the wheel, laughing all the way. Amused by her protest of this simple thing. Only amused, because he knew deep down she was actually okay with it. Another fake fight ongoing between them, some old cogs moving in his head. 

He moved back some, but resided half in the passenger seat and half in the middle, his big hand on her thigh. Fuck. 

He leaned down (Fuck), his other hand pointing at things she should have been paying attention to. This is like the shack all over again. 

He looked back at her, even more amused by her flustered face, and repeated himself like he knew what was going on in her head. Because, well, he kinda did. 

“This is the petal to the right, and the break to the left, doll.” He brings his hand back to the wheel. “This stick on the left is the turn signal, and this stick on the right is the shifter.” 

She began to breath again when he moved away, but he was still chuckling through ever sentence of course. Too handsome for his own good.

“Now all ya gotta do, doll, is shift from park to drive, but put ur foot on the break first.” 

“Uh… this one?” She put her left foot on the left most pedal. 

He squeezed her thigh, goddamnit, leaning back into her to basically physically move her foot. 

“No, no, ya gotta only use your right foot. You can’t use both.” 

“Why not?” 

He shrugs, tilting his head left at her dumbass question. “Because I said so.” He laughs again, hand still very warm and very present. 

“Okay, okay… okay.”

He nods. “Okay okay okay, now just shift the right rod up here.” He grabs her hand, bringing it up and showing her the different gears and how to count through them. Forgetting himself in his amusement, hand still on her fucking thigh. 

He laughs all the way home, and she thinks it’s worth the constant breaking she does in the middle of the road when she gets spooked by the speed of the car. The road is luckily empty, and the radio is drowned out by Stan’s commentary. She doesn’t mind the jabs at her newfound skill, and he takes jabs right back when she slams the break particularly hard and his head gets precariously close to the dash. She doubles over at that one, amused by the sudden shock on his face, but quickly distracted by the hand still on her fucking thigh. He thinks she looks nice like that, behind his wheel. 

They make it back to the shack in one piece, but he’s the one that has to reach over to shift the car back into park. 

He realizes when he looks back over at her, that he had forgotten his anger a while ago, and that his hand had made a new home on the soft of the back of her neck, moving from her thigh when he shifted gears. 

He would let her drive again, if it meant this. 

She’d admit she likes driving him, in particular, around. 

He’d just need to stock up on brake pads. 

[yerimacoustic]

𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 ♡ jeonghan x reader

↳ ❝ 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩'𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙮 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙘𝙚 ❞ ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-

summary : after an arranged marriage you come to realize that your new husband, the crown prince, and his kingdom are not like anything you expected

content warnings : prince!jeonghan x princess!female reader, fantasy au, regency au, arranged marriage trope, strangers/friends(?)/rivals(?) to lovers, reader and jeonghan are in their twenties, swearing, references to seggs but NO SMUT, kissing, fluff, angst, a few descriptions of v0miting/illness, lots of lore, historical inaccuracy for the sake of plot, featuring gahyun, seungkwan, wonwoo, hoshi and woozi. 16.2k wc!

notes : IM BACKKKKK i finally wrote a full story and published it, isn’t that wild 🤧 this takes place in the same universe as my joshua fic, for the first time . i’m thinking of adding more into this storyline cause i love a good fantasy au, especially when seventeen (and perhaps another certain boy group..👀) is involved. not proofread, and don’t mind the historical inaccuracy, i wanted to play around a bit. also quick disclaimer, woozi can be pretty mean in this fic but that’s no reflection of how i feel about him as a real person, this is fiction!! hope you guys enjoyyyy

you’d known for a long time that as the only child of a king and queen, an arranged marriage was more than likely to be a critical part of your future. it was how your mother and father met, how their parents met, how their parents met.. and every one of those marriages turned out great. for the most part.

you only wished you had the chance to meet with your fiance, prince jeonghan, at least a few more months before the wedding. hell, you’d take even a few more weeks.. 

as the wheels of the carriage skated less than gracefully across the large rocks in the path, the aching in your stomach only grew worse. as you stared out the window, a trivial act that usually soothed your anxieties, the trees and bushes rushing past you in a blur seemed to add to your nausea. 

this was not lost on your lady in waiting, gahyun. a look of concern etched across her features as she watched you from across the carriage. “are you sure you’re alright?” she asked for possibly the millionth time. 

“yes, quite sure,” you replied, clearing your throat. “i’ll feel much better once we’re at the palace.” 

although she nodded, something in her demeanor conveyed she wasn’t quite as convinced as she was trying to lead on. “princess, if there’s anything about your engagement that worries or concerns you, you know you can always talk to me. you..do know that, right?”

you flashed her a brief smile of gratitude before staring helplessly out the window once more, barely making out the palace in the distance. “yes, gahyun, of course.” you paused. “i just..i have no idea what he’s like.”

“it’s perfectly understandable to be nervous,” she told you with a small smile. “prince jeonghan has a very good reputation. a friend of mine knows one of his servants and they’ve never had anything negative to say about him.” 

“good to know.” with a half-hearted nod, you looked down at your lap and tried to think about anything besides the fact that your mind was reeling in time with your stomach and there was an odd taste in your mouth.. “gahyun?”

“yes, your majesty?” 

“can we talk about something?”

she chuckled, “the uh..flowers outside are really beautiful, aren’t they?”

“i barely noticed.” it wasn’t completely a lie.. mostly everything was blurred every time you looked out the window. but you weren’t sure if it was nausea induced or if the speed of the carriage was the biggest contributing factor.

“right, of course,” gahyun chuckled awkwardly. “have you thought about what kind of flowers you want at the ceremony?”

“no.. i sort of assumed that his family would be taking care of most of the..trivial arrangements.”

gahyun wasn’t sure what else to say..so she stayed silent, watching you gulp with a sympathetic grin. for the duration of the carriage ride, she hummed a quiet tune to herself which..surprisingly enough, kept you grounded. before either of you knew it, the carriage came to a full stop and the two of you let out a synchronized sigh of relief.

she was the first one to step out, taking a long look at the majestic castle in front of her before looking back towards you. once you caught the smallest glimpse of the royal family lined up along the driveway, you made a conscious effort to straighten out your shoulders and stiffen your neck. 

gahyun grabbed your hand, meeting your gaze and nodding in reassurance. after nodding in return, you took a few timid steps forwards and in less than a breath you were face to face with the king and queen. your future in-laws…oh god..

“good day, princess,” the queen greeted you with a polite, barely visible smile. “how was your journey?”

“bumpy at times but.. well, i’m glad to finally be here, your majesty,” you replied, trying to keep the tremble in your voice to a minimum. 

“we’re happy to have you,” the king stepped in, gesturing towards his left…where his son, jeonghan was standing quietly. oh god… “allow me to introduce our eldest son, prince jeonghan.” 

you curtsied politely, bowing your head in hopes that no one would see your lower lip tremble. you did everything in your power to ignore the rapid beating of your heart…of course he was handsome. of course he had gorgeous dark hair and striking yet soft features..“your highness.”

“it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” the prince didn’t hesitate to step closer and extend his hand towards you. you stared at his palm for a moment, almost unsure what to do. almost as if you’d never greeted anyone in your entire life.. luckily you snapped out of it and shook his hand before he could acknowledge your hesitance.

“the pleasure’s all mine, your majesty..” you gulped, lifting your chin to meet his gaze once more. suddenly, feeling his hand linger against yours and your eyes remain locked..it all felt so..real. “my apologies, would you excuse me for just a moment?”

“oh, uh- yes that’s-”

“thank you.” it felt as if the whole family’s eyes were on you, watching you rush towards an opening near the gates. you stumbled, finally reached one of the taller trees near the edge of the garden and before you could even fully gain your footing, you retched. almost violently, at that. 

maybe it was paranoia, but you swore a collective groan filled the air across the grounds.. had they witnessed the whole thing? 

your worst fears were all but confirmed when gahyun slowly crossed the lawn and laid her hand flat upon your upper back. “princess?” she asked quietly and tentatively.

“...yes?” you managed to choke out. 

“would you like me to fetch you something? perhaps some tea or..a biscuit?” 

you shook your head while trying to maintain at least some composure, wiping your lower lip. “no, that won’t be necessary, thank you. i’m not sure i’d be able to keep it down anyways,” you forced a sheepish chuckle, finally looking your friend in the eye.

gahyun nodded stiffly, her eyes widening just a tiny bit once they briefly flicked towards the spot on your dress. “oh..uh-”

you grimaced. “don’t tell me-”

“i’ll get it out in no time,” she was quick to reassure you and pull out her handkerchief. before you could protest, telling her not to use such a precious item to clean up the mess you’d made, she was already dabbing at the hideous, unwelcomed mark on your light blue dress. of course, it was easier said than done.. “oh, you poor dear..”

“gahyun, please.. tell me it’s not noticeable,” you groaned and began to rub anxiously at your temples.

“it’s not noticeable,” she answered a little too quickly while continuing to dab at the spot.

“god-” you let out a shaky sigh and closed your eyes. “i haven’t even been here for a full five minutes and i’ve already managed to make a fool of myself.”

“i think you’re perfectly justified in your feelings, princess. your whole life is about to change, not to mention the journey was rather choppy.”

“that’s one way to describe it,” you chuckled and took a quick look across the lawn.. as expected, every eye was on you. you stared at the bewildered prince, your betrothed, for just a moment too long- he was probably second guessing his entire life at this point. not that you could blame him.. “i suppose we should make our way back now?”

gahyun extended her hand to rest upon your upper back once more, watching you straighten out your shoulders. “are you sure you don’t want to take another minute to collect yourself?”

“i don’t really see the point,” you gently countered with another sigh. “if i stand here for another minute longer, they might get bored of watching me.”

gahyun laughed before leading you back towards the rest of the group, where several pairs of concerned eyes lingered on your stiffened figure. your gaze shifts towards your fiance, who was biting his lip with what you assumed to be a hint of amusement in his eyes.. you knew better than to reprimand him in front of his parents. especially after the scene you’d just caused, unintentionally or not..

“are you quite alright, princess?” he asked through a stifled chuckle, much to your embarrassment. his father nudged discreetly at his arm, forcing him to stumble backwards for less than a second before he regained his footing. 

“never been better,” you lied, plastering on your loveliest smile. 

after a seemingly never ending tour of the palace, you were seated next to gahyun in the library. the royal family had offered to give you some privacy after your embarrassing display in the garden, much to your relief. while gahyun suggested going to your private quarters to rest, you were the one who opted for the library; reading had always relaxed you.

seeing no purpose in trying to present yourself in a ladylike manner, you were slumped against the sofa with your head tilted against the backrest. “did you see the way he was laughing at me?”

“he wasn’t laughing, your highness,” she countered in a gentle tone. 

“he was definitely laughing,” you argued back, closing your eyes. “i saw the way the king scolded him. maybe he’s used to this sort of behavior from his son.”

she moved a hand to brush through her hair and rub at her aching temple in the process, “well..if he was laughing, at least we know he has a sense of humor?” 

you chuckled at her vain attempt at comforting you, taking another look around the large room. as much as you hated to admit it, their collection of books was far more impressive than yours. shelves and shelves of books sat comfortably against the wall, from the floor to the ceiling. there was a large oval window in the center of the room which overlooked the gardens and provided a perfect ambience for the library.

gahyun watched you look around the room in pure awe with a small smile. “princess, why don’t you find something to read? take your mind off things?”

“i fear i can’t concentrate on anything except how mortified i am,” you sighed. “i’m just happy to be away from them. at least for a while.”

the door behind the sofa clicked open, which you found to be less than serendipitous. you straightened yourself out all the same, rising to your feet and watching jeonghan and an unfamiliar man walk in. 

“oh- my apologies, i didn’t realize you we-” jeonghan started before clearing his throat. “ladies, this is our newest steward, seungkwan. our previous one recently got a promotion. of sorts.”

“promotion?” you raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“he married my sister, actually. they’re currently away on holiday and won’t be back in time for the wedding,” he replied. he chuckled shortly upon realizing he’d given the pair way too much information than necessary. “i’m..sorry. we would have told you that earlier if you weren’t so-”

“out of sorts?” you asked with a chuckle.

“if that’s how you want to describe it..then yes,” after laughing a little too hard for your liking, he exchanged a glance with seungkwan and smiled faintly back at you. “anyways, there were just a few private matters i had to discuss with seungkwan-”

“you want us to leave?” you offered, sharing a quick glance with gahyun.

“wellll-” jeonghan snickered, glancing awkwardly between the three of you.

seungkwan, much to your surprise, was the first person to interrupt. “if i may, your highness- the two of you are to be married. she’s going to have to sit in on a few meetings with you soon enough, anyways.”

jeonghan paused, as if the reality of your shared situation had finally sunk in for him as well. he looked contemplative for a moment or two, not to mention slightly annoyed. before too long, he forced a cheerful smile, “very well.”

“actually, that’s alright,” you interjected with a thin-lipped smile. “i have some freshening up to do before dinner, anyways.”

“but-” jeonghan and seungkwan began to protest in unison. 

“no, please. don’t let me get in your way.” you were quick to reassure them with a wave of your hand, ushering gahyun out of the room with you. after the less than appealing first impression you made earlier that day, the last thing you wanted was to appear to be a nuisance.  

however, something told you this would definitely not be the last of your awkward encounters with jeonghan. 

you watched the silverware and porcelain placed tactfully in front of you twinkle against the candlelight, getting lost in the floral patterns on each saucer and bowl. since gahyun had to eat with the other servants near the lower level of the palace, you were left to sit alone with your new family. if that was even the right word to call them..

“princess,” the king gently called out to you, prompting you to tilt forward to meet his gaze from the other end of the table. “will you have any guests in attendance this weekend?”

you furrowed your eyebrows. “this weekend…?”

right…this weekend. 

“this weekend..” you spoke quietly, watching jeonghan and his mother pause their eating to listen to you intently. “my parents should be here in two days. they wished they could have made the journey along with me, but they had important business to attend to.”

he nodded in understanding, though a small chuckle escaped his lips. “that is perfectly understandable. but i meant.. anyone you know outside of the palace? friends or associates?” 

you paused, contemplating your next choice of words. while you had no desire to appear self-deprecating, it seemed nearly impossible to be perceived any other way as you spoke, “i.. won’t have any friends of my own in attendance besides my handmaiden, gahyun. my mother and father have already made most of the arrangements.”

the three of them exchanged a glance before nodding in understanding. the silence was deafening. 

you flashed the small family a reassuring smile before speaking up again, “i’m looking forward to the ceremony. your family has made quite a name for yourselves; everyone in our kingdom talks about the lavish birthday parties thrown in the palace.”

you regretted those words the moment they left your lips. especially when you caught the smallest hint of amusement in jeonghan’s irises before he bowed his head and continued eating.

“that being said, i know this union is really important and shouldn’t be reduced to the ceremony-” you clarified with a short chuckle, “not that it shouldn’t be celebrated but-”

the queen was first to speak, her tone as gentle as ever, “you don’t have to explain anything. i think we can all understand where you’re coming from.”

you nodded stiffly before bowing your head again, watching the steam rise from your bowl of soup. the tip of your tongue was still aching from the last time you’d dared to even take a lick of the stew, forcing you to stare at the broth in a yearning manner. not that it would do much to soothe your nausea, anyway.

you looked up to see jeonghan sitting directly across from you, exchanging playful but polite banter with his parents. you envied him greatly; he didn’t seem nervous about anything. much to your surprise, he didn’t seem to be second guessing your union, either. he did little to comfort or assure you, however.. not that it was his responsibility, per se. 

but even so..

you took a few measly spoonfuls of your soup before the meal collectively ended. the king and queen spoke amongst themselves as you and jeonghan trailed behind them in awkward silence. besides an awkward glance here and there, the two of you barely acknowledged each other in the hallway.

of course, you had to take a mental note of just how close you were standing to him. if you raised your hand even slightly, you could’ve intertwined it with his own. if only you were so bold.. 

just as your gaze shifted from either of your hands to meet his own, he nodded his head dismissively and grinned, “it was a pleasure to meet you, princess. i hope you get some good rest after your long journey.”

wait.. he’s turning in for the night? just like that? 

“i-” you stuttered, clearly taken aback by his words. before you could even formulate a gentle protest, however, he turned on his heel and crossed towards the large spiral staircase. his parents wished you a quiet goodnight and went in the opposite direction, most likely to discuss a few more political arrangements.

very odd.  

much to your surprise, gahyun and seungkwan were waiting in the hallway near your private chambers once you strolled up the staircase. they smiled once they made eye contact with you and seungkwan bowed politely before excusing himself to bed. 

“how was dinner?” gahyun asked and opened the bedroom door for you before following you inside. she grimaced once she heard the half hearted chuckle escape your lips, a sympathetic smile tugging at her lips. 

“it was..good practice. i’ll leave it at that.” 

once you sat near the vanity, she took the liberty of gently pulling each pin out of your hair and laying them on the table’s smooth surface. “i think you should give yourself a little more credit,” she spoke quietly, as if she could sense the migraine beginning to form while brushing through your hair. “this sort of thing is never easy for anyone. you’re not the exception.”

you sighed and folded your arms across the table, watching your close friend’s reflection brush through your hair. “it seemed easy for my parents,” you countered. “all i’ve heard is about how quickly they got along, how happy they’ve been since they met at the altar..”

“yes, but think about how nervous they must have been,” she replied, tying the ribbon at the end of your braid. “they’ve probably neglected to tell you all of the embarrassing parts because they assume you don’t want to hear about them.”

you chuckled. you knew she brought up an excellent point, as per usual. “true. i guess its only been a few hours since we’ve arrived. he’s got plenty of time to prove me wrong.”

after a few days in the palace, you were still finding it difficult to adjust to your new home. it felt as if the royal family walked on eggshells around you, as if the tiniest thing any of them were to say or do would frighten you. in your honest opinion, it was worse than being spiteful towards you. 

to make matters worse, your parents, the ones who played a major role in the arrangement, had not yet arrived at the palace. as a direct result, gahyun was the one who was tasked with the burden of providing you emotional support. at least..you saw it as a burden. after all, there was little she could say or do to comfort you during such a life changing event.

after yet another long dinner filled with dull pleasantries and trivial wedding discussions, you’d found yourself sitting alone in the gardens. although you appreciated gahyun’s sweet efforts to comfort you, you needed time alone to gather your thoughts. 

you stared at your lap while perched on a bench near one of the darker corners of the garden. it was rather peaceful, actually, listening to the water from the fountain babble gracefully and stare at the darkened flowers as the stars shone against the petals. for a brief moment, all of you worries seemed so trivial. nonexistent, even. that was, until someone else had other plans. 

“princess?” jeonghan called out from behind you.

you sighed as quietly as you were able, briefly closing your eyes before responding. “yes, your highness?”

you heard him take a few steps closer, the crisp blades of grass gently crunching in his wake. “i didn’t see you after dinner. it was like you vanished into thin air,” he chuckled. to be honest, you were surprised he even noticed your departure.

“if only that were the case,” you muttered without a second thought, looking behind your shoulder to see him standing a few good feet away from you. 

jeonghan raised an eyebrow. “you mean to tell me you don’t enjoy banquets with the royal family?” 

your eyes widened in horror as you mistook the prince’s sarcasm for genuine offense. “oh..no, i just meant-”

“relax,” he held up a hand, snickering once again. it was odd; his little laugh would have brought you comfort if it didn’t seem so..deliberate. “i just wanted to make sure that you weren’t feeling nauseous again. i’d hate to think our shared meal had anything to do with it.”

“no, no, the prime rib was delicious,” you assured him with a faint smile. 

“i..wasn’t exactly talking about the quality of the food, but that’s good to hear,” jeonghan laughed again, circling around the bench to face you properly. he kept his distance, standing more than an arm’s length away from you. 

“can i ask you something?” you spoke timidly.

“go ahead.”

“when i first arrived, when i-” you stopped, gently tilting your head to the side. evidently, that was enough for jeonghan to get the hint; you watched him stifle another chuckle and bow his head. “i wanted to know- why did you laugh?” 

jeonghan seemed contemplative for less than two seconds before amusement filled his eyes once again. “it’s just..not something you see everyday, i suppose.”

even if you were taken aback by his words, you managed a small smile. “well, i will say this: i appreciate your candor.”

he shrugged his shoulders and took a quick look around the perimeter of the gardens, as if to ensure your solitude once more. even if the two of you were engaged, it was better to be safe than sorry. “did i insult you?”

“hmm?” you raised an eyebrow.

he chuckled at your ignorance, which he found endearing. “when i laughed. did i insult you?”

you parted your lips, stunned for a moment. one thing was for certain: you weren’t sure if your embarrassment from the..accident in the garden would ever completely go away. you shook your head all the same. “no, your highness.”

one corner of the prince’s lips turned upwards in a smirk. “no?”

“no,” you confirmed, even though it couldn’t have been further from the truth. “to be honest, i would have laughed if the roles were reversed.” 

“i guess i’ll have to take your word for it,” he replied as his smirk broadened, shoving his hands in his pockets. he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his intense gaze meeting yours once again. the man was a complete mystery; he appeared to have so much to say but would rather keep his cards close to his chest.

he seemed to take a mental note of how flustered you were when you’d caught him staring. you forced a friendly smile, “so..are you looking forward to tomorrow?”

jeonghan paused, his smirk growing just a tad wider before he nodded. “it’s been too long since our last lavish party. your words, not mine.”

embarrassment flooded through you once more as his smirk only seemed to add insult to injury, “i only meant-”

“there’s no need to explain yourself,” jeonghan cut you off. “are you looking forward to it, princess?”

you bit your lip, unsure of how to respond. especially since you weren’t sure how long he was planning on staying in the garden with you.. “i think i am,” you nodded, forcing another thin-lipped smile. “it’s pretty funny to think the first party i will be attending here is technically in my celebration.”

“our celebration, you mean,” he corrected you, his tone getting slightly lower as he did so. 

our celebration. 

jeonghan never really talked about the wedding if he could help it, even at the handful of meals you’d shared with him and his parents. the way he carried himself so loosely didn’t strike you as a man who was finally about to settle down- it only further cemented the sad truth that this wedding wasn’t anything more than a transaction. 

but to hear him refer to it as a celebration.. not only that, but a shared celebration, brought a smile to your lips. even if he was just relaying your words. “right,” you finally chuckled, watching his dark eyes shine in the moonlight and wishing he’d take at least one step closer and allow you a closer look.

but before you could pluck up the courage to ask him to sit with you, he drew in a deep breath and removed his hands from his pockets. “if you’ll excuse me, princess, i must turn in for the night.”

you furrowed your eyebrows, quickly rising to your feet. “already?” you paused and watched him mirror your confused expression. “i only meant- must you be so hasty? it’s a lovely night.”

jeonghan’s eyes lingered past your shoulder for a moment, seemingly transfixed on one of the palace’s entrances. or rather, the figure standing in the doorway. once he’d blinked and refocused on your figure, he smiled gently. “that it is. but i’m afraid i’ll have to leave you to enjoy the stars for the both of us. goodnight, your highness.”

he bowed his head so politely it was almost comical before starting towards the castle. you called out to him, raising your voice for the first time, “you can call me by my name.”

your mysterious fiance stopped in his tracks just enough to steal a quick glance at you standing dumbfounded, sending you a one-sided smile before continuing on his way. not for the first time, you wished that you could peer into his mind for even a minute or two. at least you’d have some enlightenment as to his train of thought.

luckily for him, you had chosen not to watch him walk the rest of the way to the palace. one pair of judgemental eyes on him was more than sufficient, and of course that was proven true when he got a clearer look at seungkwan standing in the door frame with folded arms.   

“are you happy now?” he asked the younger man with a weary sigh.

seungkwan was rather quick to shake his head. “majesty, if you don’t mind me saying this, you're going to spend the rest of your life with this woman. you could try to make conversation with her.” 

jeonghan scoffed, “i’m sorry- did you not see me standing in the garden with her just now, making conversation? besides.. i’ll have plenty of time to get to know her after the wedding.” 

“that’s the spirit,” seungkwan sneered and led the prince back inside the palace, carefully shutting the door behind them. 

jeonghan stopped in his tracks for a moment to maintain almost comically intense eye contact with the younger man. “you know, our last steward was a lot less lippy. i suggest you take a page out of joshua’s book.”

“so i’ve been told,” he sighed. as the two of them began to stroll up the spiral staircase, he tilted his head in contemplation. “well, i suppose i should be giving you more credit; it was the longest conversation the two of you have had.”

“thanks for that.” before too long the pair found their way to the secluded library and pulled the door shut. jeonghan let out a weary sigh as he plopped down near his desk, greeted by the all too familiar sight of endless paperwork.. “besides, we both know there are a lot more pressing matters to deal with.”

you peered through the small crack in the doorway, trying to get a good look at the large crowd scattered throughout the ballroom. the sounds of your heavy breathing seemed to drown out all of the conversations taking place in front of you. suddenly, the idea of being the center of attention within a kingdom that threw notoriously large parties was much, much more daunting.

you should have known it was foolish to hope your parents would make an unexpected appearance. even so.. how could they abandon you without so much of a warning? 

the fact that your corset was practically molding to your body and preventing you from hunching your shoulders by even an inch was not aiding any of your anxieties. it felt like you were riding in the carriage with gahyun all over again, nausea and fear taking over you. there wasn’t much you could do except pray that you wouldn’t vomit all over the altar. 

“it could be a lot worse,” you kept repeating to yourself in a low tone. “you could be forced to give a speech..”

“and you could be forced to consummate the marriage in front of the court-” you stumbled to the side as the door clicked open, prompting gahyun to quickly shut it behind her. “i believe they’re ready to begin whenever you are, your highness,” she told you in a gleeful tone, perhaps to ease the tension. 

“oh god-” you grimaced, wringing your gloved hands. “well.. let’s get this over with.”

“it’ll be over before you know it.” a small chuckle escaped her lips as she bent down to carefully gather the long, long train of your wedding dress. then she nodded in your direction, a clear signal to begin your stroll down the aisle. and so you did. 

every eye was on you from the moment you stepped foot into the ballroom and the orchestra began to play a gentle tune. much to your surprise, jeonghan maintained eye contact with you during the entirety of your graceful walk down the aisle and made an effort to intertwine your hands with his own as soon as gahyun took your bouquet. 

to be honest, the ceremony dragged on much longer than you would have hoped. the priest’s voice was rather monotonous, your gaze constantly shifted from jeonghan’s intense stare to your joined hands, then towards the guests.. then quickly back towards the beautiful man in front of you. however, it seemed he never once averted his gaze from you.     

you grew incredibly flustered during the exchange of vows, when jeonghan’s stare only grew all the more intense. there was a comedic edge to it, especially with the smirk tugging at one corner of his pouty lips- it really could have been a lot worse. the man you were betrothed to could have been hideous.

he looked in your eyes, as if silently asking permission before tugging the glove off of your left hand. the touch of his bare hand against yours was enough to send a shiver down your spine as he slipped the ring onto your finger and stopped to admire the diamond encrusted band. you weren’t sure if you imagined him whispering, “it looks beautiful on you..” but his voice echoed in your mind nonetheless. 

and then came the part you were definitely the most nervous about. 

“you may kiss the bride.”

you appreciated jeonghan’s wariness when he cupped your cheek, still holding your white glove in his free hand. you could have sworn you saw his eyelashes flutter just as he leaned in to press his lips against yours in a chaste but lingering kiss. the audience broke out into polite applause once the union between the two large kingdoms was finally sealed. 

when he broke the kiss, you shifted your attention to the glove he had stuffed in his jacket pocket. you thought nothing of it, wondering if he’d kept it simply because you might have found it to be a nuisance. “i’m guessing i’m not getting that back?” you whispered.

“i want everyone to see how lovely it looks on you,” he nodded towards the dazzling ring on your finger before taking his hand in yours and pressing a light kiss against your knuckles. once again, you felt the shiver run down your spine..

not for the first time, you were grateful that the wedding ceremony would end with the banquet. too many knowing smirks and the occasional winks were sent in your direction as you walked to the center of the dance floor with your new husband. with one hand cupping your waist and the other holding on gently to your bare hand, he began to lead you in a gentle waltz.

the two of you were to share your first dance alone before any of the other guests could participate. as a direct result, nearly every eye was on the two of you once more, studying your movements carefully.. jeonghan, who seemed to notice how the observation unnerved you, gently squeezed your hand, “don’t pay them any mind, your highness.”

for a moment, you could only manage a half hearted smile; it was much easier said than done. “you don’t seem to mind being the center of attention,” you noticed.

jeonghan chuckled, his voice filled with affection as he spoke, “it comes with the territory. i’m sure you know what i’m referring to.”

you shook your head just before jeonghan lifted his arm to twirl you around, prompting another chuckle to leave your lips. “on the contrary, my parents usually do all the talking for me while i fade into the background.”

“really?” jeonghan’s surprise was evident, his eyes growing wider. “i’m surprised they weren’t here to recite your vows in your place.”

a pang of hurt briefly filled your heart at the reminder of your parents’ negligence. it was very uncharacteristic on their part. perhaps jeonghan recognized the sadness his words had brought upon you, but you were quick to brush off his apology. “you have nothing to be sorry for. although.. i can’t help but feel disappointed that they didn’t come.”

jeonghan nodded and took a deep breath, his chest going a little stiff at the impact. “i’m sure they’ll be here to give you their best wishes soon.”

“i hope so.”

once the melody came to an end, jeonghan took it upon himself to ensure your shared waltz ended in the most theatrical way possible. with his arms encircled tightly around your figure and his hands resting firmly on your back, he prompted you to bend your knees as he gracefully dipped your body towards the floor. he held you close…so close that his heartbeat was too fast to ignore.

applause rang through the court as he just.. held you there for a moment. you had to laugh at the absurdity before allowing yourself a deeper look into his eyes.. his large, dark eyes. for the moment he seemed to be just as captivated in you as you were in him, and it felt as if the two of you were finally alone.

and then the orchestra began to play another song, prompting the guests to scurry towards the dance floor to join you. this amused jeonghan as he gently pulled you to your feet, his hands still resting gently on your waist. “what do you say, your highness? one more dance?” he chuckled lowly.

you pretended to ponder his question, raising a single eyebrow. “i think i could handle one more dance.”

once again, with jeonghan’s assistance, you nearly forgot where you were as he led you in circles around the dance floor. the two of you glided across the polished floor in perfect synchronization, all the while holding onto each other so tenderly. neither of you spoke; it seemed you shared a desire for intimate silence. 

his smile never left his lips as the dance went on, it only dissolved once his intense gaze softened. there was a sentimental look deep within his eyes, one that you could easily commit to memory. maybe things wouldn’t be so bad.

by the end of your second dance, you were sure your cheeks were hot to the touch. you couldn’t recall a time when someone made you feel so flustered, even when performing such a simple act as kissing the top of your hand. but you watched him cross to the other side of the ballroom with a giddy smile, feeling disbelief.

after all, how had you gotten so lucky?

and to think you were plotting an escape just the night before.

“do you require anything, your highness?” a small voice from behind you called, effectively pulling you out of your smitten gaze.

you turned around, greeting gahyun with a sheepish smile. “no, thank you. i’m feeling much better.”

gahyun smiled, relief flooding through her features. “that’s excellent to hear, your highness. i am so so happy for you.”

once the ball was finally over and every guest began to take their leave, your heart began to race in anticipation. you’d read enough novels to know what would come next. suddenly, as the breath got knocked from your lungs all over again, you remembered just how constricting the fabric of your corset was. gahyun and seungkwan, among the other servants, remained in the ballroom with the two of you to tidy everything. 

the two of you stood in silence for a moment, hand in hand, as you looked over to him expectantly. he seemed to pick up on your silent communication, for he excused himself and thanked the servants for a job well done before leading you into the secluded hallway.

there, he let out a heavy sigh and smiled in your direction. “thank god that’s over, right?”

“right,” you laughed. silence filled the air between the two of you for a moment, prompting you to look down at your ring. it shone brightly in the beautiful, dimmed ambience of the hallway and caused you to wonder once again where he’d managed to find something so beautiful. “it wasn’t as bad as i thought it would be.”

“indeed. nothing like when our grandparents got married,” he chuckled, taking a step further and lacing his fingers with yours once they brushed together during your stroll towards his bedroom. he gave your palm a gentle squeeze as he opened the door and quickly shut it once you were safely inside.

his (well, technically your) room was large and spacious, roughly the size of the library on the middle floor. most of the room was taken up by a gorgeous fireplace next to his desk and bookcase. it was clean, very organized.. other than the desk, where several papers and quills were strewn. it looked like a mad man’s workspace.

you stood near the foot of the bed with an expectant look in your eyes, your hand still laced with jeonghan’s. the ever persistent glint of mischief pooled in his irises as his expression softened and he took in your flustered state. “that’s a lovely veil you’re wearing,” he complimented you in a low tone.

“thank you.” a small, flustered chuckle left your lips before you raised your free hand to lift the crown from your head, allowing the pool of tulle to fall to the floor. his chin fell as he watched the white fabric hit the dark red carpet before meeting your gaze again and smirking faintly. 

even such a small movement seemed calculated as he rose his hand to cup your cheek, effectively prompting you to step closer. he ghosted his lips over yours for a moment before giving in and pulling you in for a proper kiss. it shouldn’t have surprised you that even in a moment like this, the future king found a way to act so crafty.

however, you weren’t at all expecting him to place a quick peck upon your lips before chuckling affectionately and crossing to his desk. you stood near the end of the bed, dumbfounded, before turning to him. “your highness?”

“yes?” he asked before sitting comfortably attempting to sort through the mess on his desk. 

you chuckled at the..absurd scene before you, clasping your hands together. “forgive me if i sound..untoward, but-” you chuckled again, prompting a smile to tug at one corner of your husband’s lips.

“go on-” he said, his voice laced with amusement.

you gestured towards the large four poster bed behind you, hoping the small action would speak for itself. “will you not join me?”

jeonghan followed the movement of your hand, his eyes fixed upon the bed for a moment. he appeared tempted for a moment, judging by the way his lips fell apart.. and then he spoke in a low tone, “in a moment, dearest.”

you froze. “excuse me?”

he chuckled lowly, seeming unaffected by your reaction. “there’s just a few things i have to take care of and then i’ll come to bed.”

you tilted your head in astonishment as he began to sort through the papers again, dipping his quill in the small bottle of ink. was he seriously returning to his paperwork on his wedding night, of all nights? “aren’t we supposed to-” you started, unwilling to voice the word at the tip of your tongue.

“oh yes, there’s plenty of time for that,” he replied without so much as lifting his head up from the parchment. you weren’t exactly sure why, but his negligence (if that was even the right word) infuriated you. 

you bit the inside of your cheek, trying not to raise your voice. “but..it is custom for-”

jeonghan let out a little laugh before finally meeting your gaze again, eyes filling with that annoying affectionate gaze once again. “yes, it is. but surely it can wait a few hours, yes?”

“a few hours?” you asked, your voice a bit louder than you intended.

“is someone getting impatient?” jeonghan teased, even tilting his head to the side.

“no! i just-” you paused, clamping your eyes shut and letting a deep exhale escape through your nose. after all, something told you he had no intention of joining you anytime soon. “actually..i do not wish to disturb you for a moment longer. i’ll go to sleep in my private quarters tonight.”

jeonghan scoffed, “i hardly think that’s necessary.”

“then we’re both in agreement. goodnight, your highness,” you muttered bitterly under your breath before snatching the veil off the floor and stomping towards the door. to your dismay, he made no effort to stop you from slamming the door shut and racing angrily towards your bedroom.

the nerve of that man.

It was no surprise that you barely got any sleep that night, frustration coursing through your veins and keeping you from even trying to relax. you weren’t sure what you were expecting from an arranged marriage, but you hoped that at the very least jeonghan would treat you like his companion and not like some vague acquaintance. from the moment you stepped inside the palace, however, it seemed that he had no intention of getting to know you on a deeper level. 

you weren’t even sure if you could call him your friend.

gahyun and your brand new handmaidens were surprised to see you already awake in your private quarters, but they chose not to question anything. instead they got to work immediately, helping you get dressed. today was the first day you were to join jeonghan in one of his meetings with the royal court and..well, to say you were nervous was definitely an understatement.

you soon found your seat next to jeonghan, barely acknowledging him as you moved stiffly. not that your actions seemed to affect him, of course, he merely continued scribbling away on his piece of parchment. typical. 

once everyone was in their assigned seats, jeonghan finally looked up from the piece of parchment and cleared his throat. his gaze shifted towards a man, jihoon, sitting on one of the lower pews and he sent him an expectant nod. the younger man nodded and rose to his feet, gaining the attention of everyone else in the room. 

“order, order. this court is now in session with the honorable prince jeonghan presiding. if there are no other announcements, we will get started on today’s agenda.” jihoon carried a large scroll as he paced back and forth in front of the pews, carrying an authoritative air with little to no effort.

after a short pause, a man in the center of the third row stood up and beamed, “allow me to say, your majesty: on behalf of the entire royal court, congratulations on your wedding. we look forward to your upcoming coronation.”

jeonghan smiled in gratitude, even going so far as to let out an amused chuckle. “the princess and i thank you, soonyoung.” odd.

jihoon nodded, his chest stiffening as he took a deep breath and quickly released it. he continued, “yes, thank you for that display of kindness on behalf of the rest of the court, soonyoung. are there any other announcements regarding more of our pressing concerns?”

the room fell silent and it felt as if your heartbeat was echoing in your ears. you had no idea parliament meetings could be so.. intense, for lack of a better word. then again, you wondered why you were so surprised.

“very well,” jihoon continued. he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, clearing his throat. “the king writes, ‘i regret not being in attendance on this day but hope i can depend on jeonghan to preside over future meetings in a dependable manner. now as we all know, the eldest princess has unintentionally renounced the throne by marrying a commoner. the queen and i appreciate your patience as we navigate the passing of the crown from father to son while upholding our strong family values, as our beloved subjects expect of us. there is no doubt in my mind that jeonghan will be an exemplary ruler and carry out any and all decrees that i am unable to.’” 

a few mutters and whispers filled the courtroom as the king’s words echoed in your mind.. strong family values. you knew that this marriage was nothing more than a transaction, but the letter served as the last nail in the coffin. whether it was intentional or not. 

jihoon cleared his throat, effectively silencing the court. “if there are any questions, please stand and recite your name in an orderly manner. now is as good a time as any for the princess to get to know her new court.”

oh god. 

a tall bespectacled man rose to his feet, locking eyes with you immediately. “jeon wonwoo, director of commerce. your highness, when can we expect an increase in trade between our kingdoms?”

you paused just as your throat went dry. to your dismay once you looked to your husband for an answer, you were only met with an expectant glance. “i..i don’t know.”

the man furrowed his eyebrows but chose not to question you any further, opting to sit back down. you would have let out a sigh of relief had it not been for soonyoung, who quickly rose to his feet. “kwon soonyoung. what are your family’s opinions on the prospects of magical cooperation?”

your lips fell apart and for a moment you sat in silence. magical cooperation? “i..didn’t know there was such a thing,” you admitted with a bashful chuckle.

once again, mutters and whispers seemed to surround you from every angle and prompt your heart to race. you rubbed the back of your neck, which suddenly felt hot as embarrassment fogged your mind. and of course, jeonghan made no effort to silence the court.

jihoon, as expected, looked annoyed. his eyes were narrowed as he studied the piece of parchment in his hands and he froze in place, as if he’d come to a horrid realization. as if it had dawned on him in real time that you, the useless future queen, had no idea what you were doing. guilt washed over you as your eyes scanned through the room, your efforts in avoiding exasperated stares proving to be fruitless.

“very well. we’ll come back to that later,” jihoon coughed, gathering everyone’s attention. “now, as for the sudden decline in land management…”

you wanted desperately to listen. you knew that it was the responsible thing to do, that it would most likely come back to haunt you if every word in these meetings went ignored..but you couldn’t help it. as jeonghan met your gaze, he maintained a neutral expression- somehow, you found that worse than any sour look he could give you.

you knew you disappointed him. you knew you annoyed him. he must have thought you were the most foolish person he’d ever come across. but for some odd reason, you wished that he would just voice every grievance he had with you outright.

the meeting seemed to end in the blink of an eye, but you knew the day was far from over. once jeonghan dismissed the court and everyone promptly left the room, he rose to his feet with a weary sigh. you parted your lips to speak, unsure of what to say first; an apology, an explanation, or perhaps some words of comfort.. instead, you watched him in silence. 

you watched as he nodded dismissively in your direction and walked out of the room with seungkwan practically attached at his hip, as he always was. and you couldn’t help but wonder if this was to be the rest of your life. 

gahyun made her way into the courtroom once the meeting had adjourned, greeting you with a smile. “how was the meeting, your highness?” 

“terrible, just terrible,” you spoke bluntly, your tone a little harsher than you’d intended. guilt overtook you all over again once gahyun’s smile faded. “have you received any word from my parents?”

“yes, actually. this was delivered just now.” she held out a small envelope with the familiar red seal in the middle.

she watched you gently take it from her hand and unfold the parchment, desperation filling your eyes. you muttered to yourself as you read in silence, 

‘dearest, we sincerely apologize that we were unable to attend your wedding. there were a few complications, namely meetings we couldn’t get out of and disagreements between members of our court. we wish to reassure you that we will be in attendance for your coronation and urge you to keep your chin up, darling, for the rest of your life starts right now. goodbye for now, dearest.’

“...that’s it?” you stared at the parchment, dumbfounded. 

gahyun tilted her head, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “sorry, what?”

“no.. arrival dates, no details, no.. no instructions? am i supposed to figure everything out by myself?” you asked, your frustrations echoing throughout the empty courtroom. “they might as well have just thrown me onto the front lines without any armor!”

“with all due respect, i’m sure th-”

“no! no, i’m not-” you stopped yourself once you met gahyun’s gaze, realizing that you’d broken one of your own rules. “forgive me. i didn’t mean to lash out at you.”

gahyun smiled, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. “it’s alright, i understand all of this is happening so quickly for you.”

you nodded stiffly. in that moment, you would have loved nothing more than to disappear. to be transported to a much simpler place where you weren’t seen as a nuisance or thrown into a life you didn’t ask to be a part of. but the question remained.. were you being dramatic after an understandably difficult first day on the job? 

“come now, i imagine some time in the gardens will do you good.”

you weren’t the only one who had received a letter that day. seungkwan watched jeonghan pace back and forth in the prince’s suite, his eyes glued to the cursive detailing on the parchment before him. he muttered lowly to himself over and over again, a small action that annoyed seungkwan greatly. luckily, he was smart enough not to voice his weariness.

‘joshua has reconnected with a few of his family members on our holiday. while it’s been wonderful to see him happy and comfortable around people who share his talent, i worry for him, brother. i cannot imagine something terrible happening to someone i cherish so deeply. 

‘and it’s not just him i’m worried about. it’s anyone and everyone who possesses magical talents that they are forced to conceal. it’s anyone who’s scared to be themselves, to live their beautiful truths. i’m glad to be forced off of the throne. i want nothing to do with a bloodline that so readily casts practitioners of magic to the side and sweeps their horrible actions under the rug.

‘i know you are soon to take a seat upon the throne, so i plead with you.. something has to change.’ 

something has to change. something has to change.

he knew his sister was right. for too long, the royal family (himself included, at one point in time) had been unjustly cruel towards practitioners of magic. to the extent of jeonghan’s knowledge, his family was notorious for ignoring them, casting them aside. unlike a handful of other kingdoms. 

seungkwan, finally having had enough of jeonghan’s worrisome pacing and ramblings, rose to his feet and stated, “your highness, are you going to tell me what was in that letter or not?”

jeonghan froze in his tracks and ran a hand through his messy hair. “whatever i tell you doesn’t leave this room. understood?” once the young steward nodded, jeonghan let out a heavy sigh and plopped down onto the nearest armchair. “my sister didn’t run off with just any commoner.”

“that’s right, she left with the previous steward,” seungkwan nodded.

“right. let me finish,” jeonghan grimaced. “joshua.. came from a long line of sorcerers. he was forced to keep it a secret when he came to work with us.”

seungkwan’s eyes went as wide as saucers and he slapped a hand over his mouth rather aggressively. “you’re telling me.. you’re telling me a sorcerer has walked these very halls and no one knew about it?”

“multiple sorcerers, actually. the only people that know about joshua’s lineage are myself, my sister…and now you. i intend to keep it that way.” he paused, rubbing anxiously at his temples. “i judged people like him too harshly when he was the first sorcerer i’d ever met. i was needlessly cruel to him when he was trying to help my sister. and i will carry that regret with me every day.”

seungkwan nodded in understanding and let out a weary sigh. “what are you going to do?”

“i have to make things right. somehow.” he spoke without hesitation, sitting upright. “although, i’m weary of telling my father about my plans.”

“but he’ll be renouncing the throne soon, will he not?” seungkwan countered, tilting his head.

“he will,” jeonghan nodded once, staring at the rug below his feet. “god willing.” he knew his father was weary about letting him make too many changes once he would be crowned king. but he also knew it wouldn’t be too long before he no longer had a say in any new laws jeonghan would most likely be upholding..as bleak as that sounds. 

it didn’t take too much critical for seungkwan to guess the cause of jeonghan’s weariness. “you mean-”

“he does have a nasty habit of changing his mind at the last possible second,” the prince finished in a low tone.  

“but there are rules-” seungkwan interrupted, stumbling over his words. it was clear that the young steward was trying his best to provide the young prince with as much hope as he could muster up himself. even if it wasn’t a lot.. “there are regulations that even the king can’t ignore. it clearly states-”

“yes, seungkwan-”

he continued, “that when the eldest sibling is eligible to sit on the throne, the king and queen are to relinquish their control of the throne, and therefore, their leadership of the kingdom-”

jeonghan groaned begrudgingly, “yes, seungkwan! i’m well aware of my kingdom’s customs.”

a knock on the door startled the two men out of their anxiety induced stupor. jeonghan, automatically assuming the worst, practically lept towards the door and allowed only a tiny crack between himself and the frame. the prince let out a sigh of relief upon seeing a timid handmaiden in the hall. “what is it?”

“her highness requests your presence at dinner tonight,” she spoke barely above a whisper.

shit.. jeonghan’s eyes widened and he stood pensively in the doorway for a moment before finally speaking up. “tell her i’ve already gone to bed. it’s been a long day.”

“very well, your majesty.” after a quick curtsy, the handmaiden stumbled down the hallway to carry out his request. the door clicked shut and a heavy sigh from jeonghan soon followed.

“forgot you have a wife again, did you?” seungkwan teased, his voice laced with amusement.

jeonghan knew that he would regret voicing any quick, witty remark that came to mind. instead, he chose to sit comfortably against the pillows adorning the window nook and stare at the endless mazes of gardens below. lost in thought, as per usual..

marriage had been one of his top priorities ever since the throne had been all but snatched from his sister. the burden of finding a great economic and eternal partner fell upon him. as much as he hated to admit it, it felt like he’d finally crossed something off of a never ending checklist. he felt like he could move on to the next great task of his.

of course, that left you at the ridiculously large dining room table alone. even though you were surrounded by a select few handmaidens and footmen, you couldn’t recall a time loneliness had ever felt so intense. were honeymoons also a thing of the past? or, god forbid, conversations with your spouse that lasted longer than five minutes?

as you ate, you reflected on everything you’d wished to bring up to jeonghan that night. how you regretted snapping at him on your less than climactic wedding night, the embarrassment you felt when during the first meeting with parliament.. most importantly, how badly you wished to get to know him. he seemed like a nice enough fellow with a penchant for mischief- maybe some humor could soothe your anxieties.  

but he seemed to constantly switch from seeing you as a humorous spectacle to a nuisance. or perhaps.. an item on his stupid checklist that he checks off every time he so much as glances in your direction.

the plate wasn’t even half empty by the time you’d excused yourself. as much as you hated the thought of good food going to waste, eating felt like a chore at a time like this. 

since the king and queen had prematurely arrived from their excursion they encouraged the two of you to carry on with the coronation as quickly as possible. this command, of course, affected the servants as well. preparations that usually took weeks and weeks of hard labor were now to be condensed into less than a week’s time. and of course, one of those preparations they were to oversee was your apparel.  

your wedding gown was merely a forgettable party dress compared to the gown you were to wear for your coronation. layers and layers of silks, laces, jewels, any spectacular material that was sure to turn heads was to be sewn into the largest, downright flocculent dress. you felt guilty upon realizing that it was a previous monarch’s dress- but it provided a little comfort knowing they began alterations before you’d arrived. 

you stood on the platform near the center of your bedroom, staring at your reflection in the mirror and inattentively watching the seamstresses work at your feet. your arms came to rest stiffly near your waist as not to ruin the trim under your arms and near your hips. pins still adorned most of the fabric clinging to your figure and you feared even the smallest movement would ruin their progress.

suddenly, there was a knock at the door. gahyun set down her scissors in favor of rushing to open it and was immediately startled by the sight of your visitor, “oh- good morning, your highness.”

in less than a second, jeonghan smiled and nodded politely towards each servant in the room before locking eyes with you. he stopped in front of the platform and his smile only grew. “aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, your majesty.”  

you bit your tongue as the temptation to return his seemingly genuine compliment with a sassy remark became unbearable. ‘surprised you noticed.’ ‘then why do you avoid me at every chance you get?’ instead, you forced a polite smile. “what brings you here this morning?”

“i just wanted to see how you were feeling about the upcoming coronation,” he shrugged, watching gahyun get back to trimming the hem of your heavy skirts.

“really?” you thought out loud. you weren’t expecting such a..generous effort on jeonghan’s part, all things considered. still.. he always had a way of surprising you.

he nodded without hesitation, appearing too gleeful to be unsuspicious. “really.”

“alright, i suppose,” you replied while uncomfortably shifting your weight from one foot to the other. “how difficult could it be besides wearing a crown and promising to rule the kingdom with integrity and grace?”

he rubbed the back of his neck and avoided your gaze, as if he knew much more than he was letting on. something about the way his eyes widened once they fell to the floor told you everything you needed to know. “yes, of course. except the small factor that it will be in front of the entire kingdom…”

“as expected,” you sighed.

“and..” he paused, once again meeting your gaze with pursed lips. “you’re expected to address your new subjects..”

“what?!” you shrieked, catching gahyun and everyone else at your feet off guard. to be honest, if they accidentally pricked you with pins and needles you probably wouldn’t have noticed. 

jeonghan furrowed his eyebrows, stifling a chuckle. “what..you mean you didn’t know? i thought your parents would have-” 

“no,” you interrupted in a low tone, feeling your heart drop to your stomach. “they didn’t tell me a thing.” and of course they hadn’t bothered to see you before the most important day of your life, perhaps to warn you what such an occasion might entail. there was no doubt in your mind that this was definitely the worst case scenario. 

although you were the only child in the royal family, you rarely found yourself addressing the kingdom. you had watched your parents address their subjects several times before, wishing to steal even an ounce of their confidence, their charm.. to say you weren’t much of a public speaker was definitely an undersell. 

the mere thought of addressing a large crowd of strangers made your stomach churn. not to mention the knowledge that every single person depended on you and your new husband, who was like a stranger to you, for their wellbeing.. 

“are you alright? you look a little..pale,” jeonghan noted, his voice mixed with amusement and concern. 

you forced yourself to meet his gaze, clearing your throat. putting on your best, most artificial smile, you told him, “yes. yes, i’m doing just fine.”

you clung to the tiny slip of parchment so tightly that it was wrinkled beyond repair. you and gahyun had worked tirelessly to prepare a statement for the coronation, hoping to convey every heartfelt sentiment you were sure they would love to hear from you. but, as much as you’d practiced reciting it out loud, you didn’t feel quite capable of memorizing it. 

it didn’t help that it was terribly, terribly hot that day and you were wearing nearly thirty layers of fabric. you were forced to reminisce about the day of your arrival, the unfortunate incident you had in the garden in front of everyone.. and of course, you were forced to pray that nothing like that would happen again. and pray and pray and pray some more. 

before the ceremony begun, you were surprised to see your parents sitting in the front row. however, as relieved as you were to see them finally make an effort to support you, disappointment quickly came in its place as you realized they hadn’t congratulated you, wished you good luck, or at the very least, said hello to you.

but you could deal with all of those emotions later.

once you and jeonghan reached one of the lower balconies of the palace, which was spacious enough for seating an elite few and granted each and every villager a decent view of the newly weds, the crowd’s cheering and whistling was drowned out by your racing heartbeat, which you felt in your temples. the sun seemed to shine directly on the two of you (and you wondered if it was the king and queen’s intention), the air was thick and humid, and there were many, many, many more people in the courtyard than you were expecting.  

jeonghan took you by the hand and you weren’t sure if it was part of the ceremony or an effort to soothe your visible nerves. once you looked up to him, he was already smiling at you, brightly.. as if he’d discovered one of the world’s greatest treasures and had the honor of keeping it all to himself. his eyes shone with admiration, his smile lighting up his features..no one had ever looked at you that way. especially not him. 

jihoon, dressed in smart black robes with a pair of spectacles resting near the top of his head, stepped in front of the two of you, “i apologize- i know that this is all happening really quickly for the two of you.”

jeonghan was quick to brush off the younger man’s apology, chuckling. “honestly, i think we’re both just happy it's happening sooner rather than later.” he looked towards you, his eyebrows raising once he noticed you looking a little worse for the wear. “right?”

you blinked repeatedly and cleared your throat. “right. yeah. right, of course.”

jihoon, although appearing unconvinced, nodded his head. “very well. then let’s get on with it, shall we?”

once again, you nodded towards the two men in reassurance and watched the younger of the two step forward to address the crowd. his words faded, losing their clarity as you took a look around the balcony. the king and queen were seated merely inches away from you and jeonghan, sending the two of you a prideful smile. mostly jeonghan.. not that you could blame either of them. 

the two of you were definitely a sight to behold, wearing a matching shade of deep blue. white fur lined the sleeves of either of your robes, jewels were encased in the fabric of your bodice and the trim near his upper arms. however, one of you looked significantly sicker than the other.. 

as much as you hated to admit it, jihoon’s statement towards the people was completely lost on you. you were pulled out of your daze once he turned his back on them in favor of facing the two of you, motioning for wonwoo and soonyoung to approach him with the large pillows carrying the ceremonial crowns.

soonyoung, tasked with gifting you the ridiculously large crown, avoided your gaze as he placed it carefully and securely on the top of your head. wonwoo mirrored his actions, doing the same for jeonghan. the crowd erupted into deafening applause, cheering as loudly as they could for their new king and queen as soon as the two of you were sworn in. 

suddenly, jeonghan stepped forward and the courtyard fell eerily silent. he spoke as loudly as he was able as he addressed the crowd with such regal ease, “good day to you all. my queen and i are thrilled that all of you took time out of your busy day to attend an important day for the two of us.”

much to your surprise, he turned around to meet your gaze and held out his hand for you to take. you did so with timidity before he gently pulled you to stand at his side, his fingers still laced delicately with yours. but it wasn’t in a territorial or possessive manner.. it felt more as if he saw you as his partner and wished for his (and your) subjects to do the same.

or maybe, it just occurred to you, it was an act..

he brushed his thumb along your wedding ring, smiling to himself before continuing, “but.. it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge a terrible thing that has troubled our nation for too long.”

it looked as if the entire crowd was holding their breath. seungkwan, standing near the edge of the balcony with gahyun, went wide eyed and you could have sworn you saw him mutter something under his breath. perhaps some pleading, some cursing.. maybe both.

jeonghan took a deep breath, squeezing your hand as if the most incapable person on that makeshift stage could provide him any semblance of reassurance. “there has been a terrible stigma around practitioners of magic, namely sorcerers, witches, warlocks, enchantresses-”

he paused, drawing in a shaky breath. now the crowd was definitely holding their breath… you suddenly felt faint; you weren’t entirely sure if it was due to the gravity of his words or the fact you knew it was your turn to speak next.

“and i wish to put an end to the defamation of each and every one of them,” he finally continued. “i am certain that such hatred is rooted deep within my family history and hope that by the time my reign has ended…no one in this kingdom feels like they have to live in fear.”

once again, following jeonghan’s words, you took a quick look around the balcony. seungkwan looked bewildered, gahyun looked confused, his mother and father looked… neutral? somewhat calculating..

applause scattered throughout the sea of people in waves, startled expressions capturing your attention. jeonghan squeezed your hand again and looked intently into your eyes, as if to silently communicate his best wishes to you. it didn’t do much, unfortunately; you had no idea how you were supposed to follow a display like that…

you stepped forward and cleared your throat, speaking as loudly as you were able (which of course, was not very much), “h-hello.. i’m thrilled to be a part of th-” you paused, allowing yourself a small glance at the wrinkled piece of paper you’d kept hidden in your free hand. however, once you unfolded it, the wind promptly blew it out of your shaking hands.

your stomach was doing somersaults at this point, your lower lip quivering as you stared at the crowd in a confused stupor. you had nothing memorized. speaking from the heart wasn’t an option; you’d never had a way with words in the way your parents did. but silence wasn’t one either. your throat ran dry, your voice coming out scratchy as you stumbled over your words, 

“i’m- i’m absolutely thrilled to be part of this family..and this kingdom..” you paused, your heartbeat practically echoing in your throat at this point. “this kingdom… i’m so.. so thrilled to learn more about.”

suddenly, you made eye contact with your mother. the disappointment in her expression, mixed with the bile rising within your stomach was enough to force you off of the balcony. you booked it towards the french doors and slapped your hand over your mouth, confusing the audience and startling your companions on the balcony greatly.

“for god’s sake, the crown!!” soonyoung shrieked and promptly plucked it off of your head, much to the visible relief of jihoon. 

once safely inside the halls and behind the large doors, you thoughtlessly threw up into the nearest and largest vase, which sported an impressive majesty palm. guilt briefly, very briefly crept over you once you thought about how long it must have taken to attend to such a plant.. and of course, that made you sick all over again. 

you quickly rose to your feet once the door clicked open, backing away from the vase and stumbling in the process. jeonghan emerged from the chaos-stricken balcony, promptly shutting the door behind him. “what on god’s green earth just happened??” 

“jeonghan, i’m sorry..” you spoke, your chest stiffening upon hearing his unfamiliar harsh tone and once again recalling just how restricting your corset was. you were met with an unwelcome sense of deja vu.  

he looked around the small space between the two of you, eyebrows furrowed before his narrowed eyes fell to the majesty palm next to him. “you threw up into that pot, didn’t you?”

“...no-”

jeonghan sighed in exasperation and rubbed at his temples, muttering his annoyance under his breath. “for god’s sake. you are a queen now! you are a leader! you have to get a hold of yourself and show some refinement!”

“don’t you think i know that?” you snapped, your eyes growing wide partially out of shock. you’d expected him to laugh, to ignore you maybe.. but you never expected him to reprimand you for a simple mistake. “don’t you know how i’ve prepared for this day my entire life-”

“your majesty-”

“that i’m expected to be nothing besides a perfect, composed and beautiful wife-”

jeonghan grimaced, avoiding your gaze. “i know fully well-”

you snapped, effectively silencing him, “but i couldn’t be the furthest thing from a perfect, composed and beautiful wife! not that you would notice or even care!” you paused, your throat aching from the effort of your cathartic shrieks. “since i’ve been here, you make no effort to get to know me. you laugh at me one moment, you flirt with me another, you ignore me the very next-”

“yo-”

“i beg of you! i beg of you to just tell me outright that you resent me, that i embarrass you, that-”

“would you let me speak??” jeonghan finally cut you off, frustration causing him to raise his voice but not to an alarming rate. when you fell silent, he did the same, and for a moment undeniable tension muddled the air in the hallway. for a moment it was like he desperately wanted to speak but couldn’t formulate a dignified response.

suddenly, the french doors swung open and startled the two of you. gahyun and seungkwan appeared, the former appearing to be much more level-headed than the latter. the steward immediately stepped towards jeonghan, his cheeks reddening and eyes widened to nearly twice their size. “what the hell was that?? you said you weren’t going to say anything!”

“i lied,” jeonghan stated dryly but with firmness all the same. it was becoming increasingly apparent that his mind was still elsewhere as he argued, “i couldn’t just stand there in these ridiculous clothes and be paraded like some sort of doll. i had to say something!”

seungkwan groaned, the sound echoing throughout the large hallway. “jeonghan- do you not realize what’s at stake here??”

“what’s done is done,” jeonghan snapped, letting out a heavy sigh of annoyance and exhaustion. “whatever happens-”

gahyun, with her eyes glued to the two men in front of her, calmly interjected, “i don’t understand..” her shoulders stiffened once jeonghan and seungkwan turned to face her, awaiting her explanation. “jeonghan has complete control of the throne now and clearly.. he has the best intentions- how.. how-”

“what are you two on about?” you interrupted, voicing gahyun’s thoughts in a more aggressive manner than she’d initially intended.

the two men froze, jeonghan’s narrowed eyes meeting yours. much to your own surprise, they were not filled with disdain or annoyance towards you. actually, it was more along the lines of..hopelessness. dread. exhaustion. and then, when jeonghan spoke in a calm tone it finally dawned on you, “there’s a lot more that goes on behind the scenes than you may realize.” 

he was gone before you could ask him to elaborate.

the next few days that followed were miserable, to say the least. jeonghan threw himself into his work, uninterested and incapable of focusing on anything else. meanwhile, you were still feeling physically and emotionally spent after the coronation and opted to spend most of your time in any corner of the palace he wasn’t. you avoided him like the plague, and he seemed to extend the same discourtesy towards you. 

even during his meetings you were allowed to sit in on, the two of you only really spoke together when necessary. once again, you hated to think that this was the life you’d never really signed up for. 

it was nearing the time for you to join jeonghan in a meeting with the entire court again. considering how awkward the last council was, you weren’t sure if you should strategize an escape or an excuse to remain completely silent. when it rolled around, however, you knew you were utterly doomed to participate in conversations you had little to no idea about.

upon taking your seat on the throne, you instantly began wringing nervously with your hands. the room was unnervingly silent while awaiting jeonghan’s arrival, every individual in the room appearing to go out of their way to avoid eye contact with you. it only made you all the more nervous, wondering just how many conversations concerning your incompetence took place behind closed doors.

jeonghan arrived with seungkwan trailing behind him, the two men appearing exhausted. there were pronounced dark circles under the young king’s eyes, signalling another sleepless night. you thought of how you wished desperately to help him.. but feared that you didn’t have the tools or even the bare knowledge of how to do so. 

all eyes remained solely on jeonghan as he took a seat next to you, nodding towards jihoon in silence without greeting him with so much as a half-hearted smile. the chairman rose to his feet, capturing the attention of everyone in the room so effortlessly that it made you jealous. 

“it’s good to have you all here again,” he stated without much emotion in his tone, causing you to wonder if he truly meant it. “it has been a confusing, daunting time for our new king as he grapples with the responsibility of running this kingdom. but during the time approaching the coronation and even after the ceremony, new issues have come to our attention.

“the first subject the court wishes to bring attention to, your highness, is the statement you made concerning the magical practitioners in the kingdom.” he turned around, facing the king with a somewhat suspenseful look in his eyes and making an effort to avoid looking at you for even a second.

jeonghan couldn’t help but chuckle darkly at the way jihoon’s voice trailed off, as the younger man expected the king to finish his sentence for him. and at that moment it was clear as day that during the shift of power, tensions were higher than ever in the palace. “yes? and what of it?” he asked in partial amusement.   

“what happens now?” soonyoung chimed in, rising to his feet.

“what happens now?” jeonghan repeated incredulously. “how do you mean?”

wonwoo rose to his feet, his voice as monotonous as ever, “should we expect to see more of them permitted to enter the palace?”

it was the first time since you’d met him that he appeared somewhat..flustered. even then, he remained cool and collected without as much of a shift in his tone. “well.. maybe, yes.”

jihoon chimed in, raising an eyebrow. “‘maybe? yes?’” he paused, looking back and forth from the king to his court in an unnerving manner. “your highness, with all due respect all we want is a straight answer.”

“i can’t really give any of you a straight answer when you ask such condescending, idiotic questions,” jeonghan snapped, his tone effortless and even somewhat laid back. “these incredibly gifted people are just that, people, just like you and me. and yet.. we ostracized them, why? because of jealousy? greed? because we, as very fortunate people, are angry because the gods have not blessed us with extraordinary powers?” 

“if i may, your highness,” wonwoo interjected before the king’s words could fully register with everyone in the room. “perhaps we could turn this into something that benefits everybody.”

jeonghan’s eyes narrowed and he almost looked..completely disgusted. “and what do you propose?”

wonwoo’s expression remained blank and he didn’t even raise his voice an octave. it was.. somewhat alarming, the way he was able to keep his cool during such a tempestuous meeting. “perhaps if we came to a financial agreement with them, it could give other kingdoms, like your wife’s for example, more incentive to trade with us. surely they’re in possession of magical elements, potions-”

“absolutely not,” jeonghan shook his head, seeing no purpose to provide any reasoning. hopefully, it wouldn’t take much critical thinking to see why he steadfastly rejected the idea.

the room fell silent, everyone in the room appearing to be silently wrestling with the dilemma of speaking up and saying their piece. when you looked over to jeonghan, his arm was draped over the furthest armrest of his throne, his piercing eyes practically burning a hole through the door on the other side of the room. you knew the feeling…

“if i may,” the three words slipped out of your lips before you even had time to process your thoughts. all eyes fell on you in anticipation, but.. it didn’t feel like they were waiting eagerly for you to speak the way they did for jeonghan. it felt more like they were waiting for you to say or do something embarrassing again. “i think jeon- the king only wishes for them to live in peace. to come out of the shadows without being expected to act a certain way.”

“and what would you know of this matter?” jihoon finally spoke up after practically stewing in silence. his tone startled you, prompting your cheeks to heat up upon realizing just how flustered you’d become.

“i’m sorry..?” you asked in the most polite tone you could muster.

jihoon paused, pacing back and forth in front of both thrones and practically monologuing to the court rather than to you. “you’ve clearly made no effort to learn anything about our kingdom. you know nothing of this family’s history. you walk into the palace blindly and expect to be doted upon and held to the highest regard simply because of who you married.”

“that is quite enough.”

you snapped your head back to see jeonghan, his jaw clenched as he sat in intimidating silence. his anger practically radiated off of him- but why? why had he decided to finally speak up?

“what?” jihoon chuckled in bewilderment. 

“i said that is enough. you have absolutely no right to talk to my wife in such a manner.” my wife.. “she is your superior. she is your queen. you, actually, all of you-” he gestured towards everyone in the room, even sitting on the edge of his seat for effect. “would do well to treat her with the respect she inherently deserves. not just as your queen.. but as a human being. is that perfectly clear or would you have me elaborate any further?”

everyone fell silent including you. he hadn’t gotten quite this defensive over any particular subject during his meetings, as far as you were aware…but here he was, so readily defending your honor for the first time. it felt like someone had knocked all of the air out of your chest and you could only sit there gawking…in the best possible way, of course. 

however, no one else in the room seemed to be rejoicing upon discovering jeonghan’s newfound attentiveness. the two of you were met with mostly neutral expressions, a few sheepish efforts to avoid your collective gaze, and even a few awkward nods. jihoon donned a stunned expression, staying silent as he mentally calculated his next statement.     

“very well,” he finally spoke. “my apologies. can we carry on?”

“please do,” jeonghan replied without hesitation, his back slumped against the throne. throughout the rest of the meeting, you finally found yourself enabled to mirror his effortless confidence knowing that at least one person in that room truly believed in you.

———

you didn’t speak much with jeonghan after the fateful meeting; he was dragged away to another one soon after it ended. for the rest of the day, you kept to yourself, replaying the events in your mind over and over..how quickly your husband jumped to your defense. was it because of what you’d said to him at the coronation? had he finally come to his senses?

you couldn’t help but wonder if there was a twinge of truth to what jihoon said. you still had much to learn about the kingdom, about your new family’s history, and you could no longer blame your parents for being so negligent. especially when it never occurred to you to simply ask..

later that evening, you found your way to the library. nothing sounded better than getting lost in a world that wasn’t your own, all alone, at that. but.. upon pushing the door open and realizing you weren’t alone, you froze. jeonghan, sitting on the large sofa with his back towards you, looked past his shoulder and greeted you with a.. neutral, half-hearted smile. 

strange. you would have expected him to order you to leave. especially after noticing how.. out of sorts he seemed after promptly leaving the courtroom. 

you cleared your throat, an awkward shift in your tone causing your voice to crack, “sorry, i can leave-”

“no.” jeonghan shook his head before shifting in place to create more space for you on the sofa. “you don’t have to do that.”

his statement caught you off guard, leaving you standing frozen in the doorway for a moment or two. he actually..wanted you to sit with him? after everything.. you followed through with his silent request against your better judgement, crossing to the sofa and timidly sitting down. you left plenty of space between either of your figures, barely even glancing at him out of your peripheral vision. 

jeonghan had to chuckle at the absurdity but made no effort of closing the space between the two of you or forcing eye contact. he sat in silence for a moment, reveling in how the tension seemed to have dissipated since the unfortunate argument after the coronation. “i wanted to thank you,” he finally spoke, his words slow and deliberate. “for what you said earlier.”

your eyebrows knitted together; you’d nearly forgotten what you said on his behalf just hours earlier. “i should be thanking you, your highness,” you chuckled faintly just as the bashfulness began to take over. the more you thought of his defensive words, the more your heart began to race.. “besides.. you were right. they should know that not everything is a transaction.”

he nodded in agreement and hummed, a gentle sigh soon following. for just a moment, silence filled the space between the two of you and you were forced to contemplate scooting closer. or even just asking him your burning question.. but he beat you to the punch, speaking in a near whisper, “i think you were right.”

you furrowed your eyebrows, staring at your hands placed delicately upon your lap. “about..?”

a small chuckle left his lips, “i’ve been misleading. you probably felt as if you were married to three different versions of the same person.”

you paused, contemplating his words for a moment. “i couldn’t have said it better myself.”

another chuckle before his tone shifted to one with much more intent, his head tilting against the back of the couch to meet your gaze. “i’m going to be forthright from now on. we’re going to be working together for a while; we could do well to work on communicating.”

you nodded in agreement, mirroring his position and finally meeting his gaze. once you quickly got lost in his dark irises, that familiar warmth spread throughout your heart and your cheeks.. but now was not the time to get lost in your flustered state. or your husband’s eyes for that matter. “i will too.”

jeonghan slowly nodded, something of a smile tugging at just one corner of his lips. “good. good.” he paused, briefly looking down towards his lap. “then i should tell you..things are not going to be easy around here. as you’ve probably already guessed, there’s a lot of terrible things happening and..i’m so so sorry to think that you’ve been thrown into all of this without much preparation or notice.”

“well.. i could have done better to prepare myself,” you countered lowly, jeonghan’s reprimanding words coming to mind once again. “and..show some refinement.”

jeonghan shook his head, visibly dismayed by your words. “no.”

“no?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

he paused, allowing you to watch him formulate his response while his gaze softened. it was the closest thing to vulnerability you’d ever seen from this man and it wasn’t even concerning his own emotions. “you get nervous. i understand. i get nervous too.” he paused, letting out a soft chuckle that contained no malice. “it just.. manifests itself in different ways for the both of us.”

“you get nervous?” you asked, your voice filled with disbelief. “you’re lying.”

“no, i really do,” jeonghan replied defensively. “i tense up. i shut myself down.. i don’t want to talk to anyone.” 

you paused, looking away in favor of staring at your lap again. such a simple statement explained so so much.. you thought out loud, “i..can’t believe that it never really occurred to me until now that..your life is changing too. you weren’t expecting any of this to happen so quickly, especially after your sister-”

your voice trailed off just as you met your husband’s gaze once more. flustered couldn’t even begin to describe how you felt upon discovering his eyes were already on you. he spoke lowly, his delicate voice sending shivers down your spine, “at least we don’t have to go through it completely alone anymore.”

his words brought a smile to your lips, a lingering one that jeonghan clearly found infectious. for the first time since you’d moved into your new, unfamiliar home, things felt..comfortable. almost perfect. but you would be remiss without asking him, “if you don’t mind me asking..why did you get so defensive over me earlier?”

for a brief moment, he appeared taken aback by your words and you wondered briefly if he felt just as flustered. and then he spoke simply to you, as if the answer should have already been obvious, “i care about you.”

“you..care about me?” you asked incredulously while still managing to keep your voice lowered.

“yes,” he replied without any semblance of uncertainty. he looked down, allowing you a glance at his perfectly curled eyelashes resting upon his cheeks, and promptly took your hand in his. since the wedding, you’d forgotten how it felt to have his bare hand against yours, the way it immediately brought butterflies to your stomach. “more than expected.”

you chuckled, making an effort to lace your fingers with his and give his palm a gentle squeeze. “i don’t know if i should take that as a compliment or not.”

he laughed, and it prompted that warm feeling in your cheeks all over again. “you should. you should take it as a compliment.”

“very well,” you laughed and shifted in your place on the sofa, using it as an excuse to scoot just a little bit closer to him. the two of you looked away at the same time, staring at your respective laps in the most comfortable silence that had taken place within the palace. “thank you.”

“i think-” he spoke up, watching you pull your gaze away from the lace on your skirts and focus on his wide, expressive eyes instead. “we should start planning our honeymoon.”

“honeymoon?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. you couldn’t resist an opportunity to tease him. “i was not aware you knew such a thing existed.”

jeonghan briefly stuck out his lower lip in a pout before admitting, “i’ve been really foolish lately. i would like to make it up to you.”

you shook your head in reassurance, “please. don’t feel pressured-”

“i don’t,” he gently cut you off and squeezed your hand. “for the first time in forever.. i don’t feel pressured. and i want.. i want you alone. i want to spend more time with you. please..please let me do this for you.”

you would have chuckled if you weren’t so incredibly flattered by his words. if flattered was even the correct way to describe the sentiment. “very well.”

a prideful smile immediately tugged at his lips, leaving you bewildered at just how expressive this man truly was. “brilliant.” another pause..then he brought his free hand up to rest against your jawline. his touch was gentle but firm, as if he was scared to make the wrong move again and lose his precious time with you. 

but he had nothing to be afraid of. you quickly found yourself leaning in to press your lips against his in a chaste but heartfelt kiss, one that seemed to convey everything the two of you had just spoken of. your lips gently parted against his upon feeling his hand squeeze your own tightly, warmth spreading throughout your heart as a direct result. 

the two of you broke apart, only so jeonghan could move his hand from yours to curl around your figure while the other remained practically glued to your cheek. his lips found yours again and this time, it was one of the furthest things from the innocent kisses you’d shared. he seemed to be pouring his heart out to you as he moved his lips with yours and you listened willingly, devoting every ounce of attention you had to his beautiful pouty lips. 

he held you tight against him without caring just how scandalous such a simple movement could be perceived to be. in turn, you draped an arm around his shoulders and brushed through his short, well kept hair as your lips desperately, desperately chased his. a knock on the door startled the two of you, but you were more lost in the way his nose brushed against yours as he pulled away to compose himself.

“come in!” he called out just after the two of you sat properly on the sofa, making space between your shoulders again. he sent you a devilish smirk just before the door clicked open, his flirtatious expression promptly dissolving into a more neutral one.

it wasn’t long before seungkwan stepped inside, standing firmly in front of the two of you without a single clue what had just taken place… “your highness, the king requests a word.”

jeonghan fell silent, as if he’d been forced to come back to reality too quickly. after sending you an apologetic glance he rose to his feet, “very well. tell him i’ll be there shortly.” once seungkwan left (rather quickly, at that), you took his place beside jeonghan and reached for his hand again. 

“is there anything i can do?” you asked, bringing his hand to rest against your chest. jeonghan smiled upon feeling your heart race just near the spot where his knuckles had found purchase against the fabric of your dress.

he shook his head. “i’ll detail you on everything once i get out of this. i promise.” he brought your hand to his lips, kissing your knuckles and causing you to chuckle when he all but suctioned his lips against them in a dramatic fashion. “just think about where you’d like me to take you on our honeymoon.”

you nodded, thoughtlessly moving your hand to cup his cheek in an effort to reassure him. to silently remind him that no matter what would happen, you would be there for him. that neither of you had to go through this alone for much longer. “your wish is my command,” you whispered. 

“in that case..” he paused, the alarmingly attractive smirk tugging at his lips once more. “will you wait for me in our bedroom? i seem to remember another detail we both have skipped over.”

“absolutely,” you whispered before pressing a gentle kiss against his lips, smiling into the kiss before quickly pulling away. you had no intention of letting yourself get too carried away. “now go. i’ll still be in the palace when you get out, dear husband.”

“i’m counting on it.” 

as you watched him leave, a snicker fell from your lips; he couldn’t stop himself from stealing a longing glance at you while making an effort to step out of the library. he looked past his shoulder once, twice, three times, before finally giggling to himself and shutting the door. a loud, dazed sigh on your part filled in the silence before you exited through the other door, determined to keep your promise.

you made no effort to get rid of your lovestruck, downright idiotic smile as you started up the stairs. warmth spread throughout your entire figure as you came to realize… while the two of you still had a lot of things to figure out, neither of you could deny that things were much, much better than expected.

[aemondapologistfrfr]

Thorough

aemond x preg!sister!wife!reader 

Summary: Aemond is overprotective while you’re pregnant but never ceases to make sure you have everything you need and are well satisfied. 

Warnings: 18+ p in v, oral(f receiving), swearing, bondage(but like not intense? idk!), nipple play, lactation kink, breeding kink, description of birth but not super intense 

Authors Note: i’ll literally secure this man’s line whether it’s 1 or 20 kids idec, im not ready to write a full birth scene yet, this is me testing the waters since im going to write a literal "x preg!reader" series soon

Word Count: 3.6k

⊹˚₊‧꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

“And you’re positive?” Aemonds voice carries through the maesters chambers as I lay back on the bed. 

“With all of my years of study and her symptoms they both are telling me yes, my Prince.” he nods his head. 

My hands hold onto my lower abdomen as my head spins. I’m with child already and we’ve only been wed one turn of the moon. Aemond has been very thorough waiting for this news so I can’t say I’m surprised. A smile splits across my face as his hand joins mine. 

Aemond is quickly pulling me up to my feet and ushering me out of the maesters chambers as he shouts after us to send word to him if we need any help. He has us down the stairs and turning the corner to our chambers hauling me along with him. 

“Aemond slow down.” I giggle as he tugs me into our chambers. 

His lips are on me the instant he turns to me. He starts pulling off my dress and backing me to the bed. I squeak as I fall back onto our bed as he starts to undress before me. He’s crawling over me in no time and I feel his hardened length against my thighs. His hands roam all over my body stopping at my breasts. 

“I cannot wait to see these swell with milk.” he rolls my nipples between his fingers. “Along with your stomach round with our child.” he groans as he captures my nipple with his mouth. 

My breasts have been more sensitive than usual, which was the first sign. Aemond refuses to leave them alone and turns me into a whimpering mess any chance he can get. As he suckles I push my chest up into his face as I hold him to me. 

“Gunna fuck you until you’re full of my seed just to make sure you’re with child.” he mumbles against my chest and I squirm beneath him. 

He kisses back up my neck and lets a hand travel down to my core. He slides his fingers down my slit and chuckles at my wetness. He dips two long fingers into me and I let out a shaky breath. He brings his thumb up to swirl slowly around my bud and I clench around his fingers. I come undone and he’s quickly replacing his fingers with his length. 

“Already squeezing me so good.” he groans as he rolls his hips. “Can’t get enough of my seed can you, my greedy little wife?” he pants as he starts to pound into me.

“Aem, please,” I whine as I cling to him. 

He captures my lips as he continues with his fast pace. I whimper into his mouth as I feel pleasure sneak up and wash through me. His hips slow as they start to pump into me slowly, hitting deep within me. He rests his forehead against mine as our hips meet seeking more pleasure. I feel his warmth start to spread throughout me as I moan holding him close. He continues to grind his hips into me as he keeps pushing his seed into me. 

Our pants mingle as he slowly settles in me. My body is vibrating as he refuses to pull out leaving me completely full of him. He rests above me and we kiss each other desperately. After a couple minutes I feel him start to harden again inside me. I whine as I feel him start to move his hips once more. 

“You can take it.” he grunts as his fingers start to swirl around my bud. 

Between his fingers and his slow pumps I’m clenching around him again. After I come down I can feel that he’s fully hard and I feel him smile against my neck as he starts to rut into me. I’m whimpering beneath him as he continues to circle my sensitive bud. 

“Aemond I can’t-“ my body starts shaking from pleasure and he chuckles lowly. 

“You can.” he purrs as his hips start to move even quicker. 

A moan tears through me as I explode around him and I feel him begin to fill me once more. My eyes squeeze shut as pleasure continues to course through me in waves. He settles in me once more but this time he flips us so I’m resting against his chest. I rest my head listening to his heartbeat as we come down from our highs. Every once in a while he’ll push his hips up into me pulling a soft whimper from my lips. 

“Rest, my beautiful wife.” he hums petting my hair. 

⊹˚₊‧꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

5 months along

Aemond and I have been getting into spats about what I can and cannot do. He’s become so fiercely protective that I can’t even leave our chambers without him on my heels. Today’s fight is about me wanting to ride on dragonback which he hasn’t allowed me to do in almost a fortnight and I’ve had enough. 

“I want to go out riding.” I huff looking up to him with my hands on my hips. 

“And I said I would take you out on Vhagar.” he looks down at me equally as stubborn. 

“I want to go on my dragon.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Vhagar is larger than the seven fucking kingdoms and you want me to climb up her?” I walk closer to him. 

“Do not use that tone with me.” his nostrils flare. 

“I’m going out on my dragon and that’s final.” I roll my eyes and go to walk past him to exit our chambers. 

“You will not.” he grabs my arm. “You will ride Vhagar or me.” his eyes darken as they go to my growing stomach as he spreads one of his hands across it.

“Aemond.” I warn hoping he doesn’t catch my blush creeping up my neck. “Let me ride my dragon and then you can keep me in bed for the rest of the day.” I know my blush is visible by the way he’s smirking at me. 

“I could keep you in bed now if I wanted.” he pulls me to his chest. 

“Please, husband.” I look up to him with pleading eyes. “Please,” I cup his face begging at this point. 

“You know I can never say no to you.” he relents shaking his head. “Gods I would do anything for you.” he dips down to kiss me. 

“Do not try to distract me.” I pull away and tug him to the doors. 

He has a carriage bring us to the pits within minutes. The servants and the guards try to steer clear of him. He’s been particularly hellish this past month once I started showing. If a man stares at me for too long he threatens to take their head. I’ve had to pull him away multiple times from quaking guards who feel his wrath. I was starting to think he already yelled that the dragon keepers to not allow me to ride. 

“If anything feels wrong land immediately and I will carry you back.” he looks to me intensely as we wait for my dragon to come out. 

I roll my eyes at him before a smile breaks across my face and my dragon emerges. She stops in front of me and chuffs softly nudging into my hand instead of my swollen stomach. I pat her happily and she sings a soft song. 

“How I’ve missed you.” I coo as I hug her. “Shall we go for a ride?” I smile as she dips down lower than normal to accommodate me. 

I climb on with ease and settle into my seat. I fasten my belts and clips and look down to Aemond. I see the worry painted across his face as he looks up to me. 

“I have half a mind to tell you to get down.” he calls up to me. 

“I have half a mind to burn you where you stand.” my tone playful. 

“I love you.” he smiles up to me. 

“I’ll see you in the skies.” I hum as my dragon leads us out of the pits. 

Once she’s in the sky I let out a laugh of euphoria. The wind in my hair and the sun on my skin is exactly what I needed. We fly around the city as we wait for Aemond to make his way to Vhagar. I hear her groan from the city limits as she makes her way into the sky. We make our way to Vhagars side and she gives out a deep grumble. 

My dragon and I twirl around Vhagar and I can feel the concern radiating off of Aemond. I care not about the scolding I’ll receive later. For now I enjoy the freedom of the breeze and laugh wildly. After an hour I relent and make my way back to the pits. I have them bring out feed for her and watch her indulge as I wait for Aemond to come collect me. 

“If you must be on dragonback again it will be Vhagar or no one. I can’t believe you would fly around so recklessly while carrying our child.” I sigh figuring this would be his response. 

“So I can’t ride you either, husband?” I look up to him biting my lip hoping I can sway him. 

“I do not jest. I will tie you to the bed if I must.” he holds my arms tightly. 

“What if I want you to tie me to the bed anyways?” my voice low as I look up to him through my lashes. 

He pulls me out of the pits by my arm and I smile trailing after him. The carriage ride back to the Keep is silent and he keeps a firm hand on my thigh at all times. He pushes us through the Keep halls avoiding everyone until he has us sealed in our chambers. He towers over me and grabs my face. 

“Get on the bed.” his voice low as his eye bores into mine. 

I start walking over to the bed as he begins pulling my dress off of me. He leaves me in my slip as I lay back on the bed. He goes over to the posters of the frame to find the silk ribbons we leave tied to them. He grabs one of my hands and he secures it with a knot and moves to my next hand. 

“Is this what you wanted, my naughty wife?” he taunts as he looks over me. I nod my head squeezing my thighs together looking for friction as he strips off his clothes. “Don’t hide from me now.” he rasps sitting on the bed spreading my thighs exposing my dripping core. 

“Aemond,” I whine as his hands ghost up my legs. 

“I shouldn’t let you come but I love the noises you make. So I’ll make you come until I’ve decided you’ve had enough.” he dips his head down and licks up my slit. 

My head falls back into the pillows as he laps at my bud. My body begins to shake as my pleasure already starts to coil. I grind against his face and cry out when his nose brushes against my sensitive bud. His tongue dips into my core and explode around him. 

He licks back up my slit and swirls his tongue quickly around my bud. My legs squeeze around his head as he continues his assault. My hands pull against the silk wishing I could touch him or myself. My hips buck into his face and he chuckles as I come against his face again. 

He snakes up my body and stops above my breasts. He smirks as he dips down and traces over one of my covered nipples with his tongue. My breath catches as I push my chest into his face. When he grazes his teeth against my sensitive peak I give out a soft cry. As he nibbles on one he brings his fingers over to my other to start pinching and pulling as I mewl beneath him.

“Gods are you gunna come from just this alone?” he mumbles against my chest. 

I let out a sob as he pulls my slip up baring me to him. When his hot mouth wraps around my nipple once more I buck my hips up into him. He brings his hand up to grab at my other breast and I let out a tortured whine. My body goes taught as he pinches and pulls and I come undone pulling at the silk. 

“You are absolutely divine.” he chuckles against my chest. 

He trails his tongue between my breasts and licks at my throat. He licks along my lips and finally locks us in a kiss. His hands trail up my arms and interlock our fingers. I arch my body into his trying to get closer. He slowly pushes into me and I whimper into his mouth. He starts a quick pace and watches as my face contorts. 

“I should leave you tied up to this bed for the rest of your pregnancy. Only come up here to feed you and fill you.” I cry out at his words as his hips grind into me. 

He brings his fingers down to my bud and I burst around him. He grunts as his hips slow as my walls flutter around him. He continues to push into me slowly as I pant his name over and over. I feel him twitch inside and when I feel him begin to fill me I come undone with my eyes rolling back. 

“My perfect wife.” he sighs rolling to the side and spreading his hand across my bump. 

“Will you untie me?” I ask still trying to catch my breath. 

“I’m not done with you yet.” he smiles capturing my lips once more. 

⊹˚₊‧꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

8 months along 

I’ve never been more uncomfortable in my entire life. My back hurts and I feel like my breasts are completely full yet seem to expand everyday and it’s becoming too much. All I do lately is take baths and lay in bed. I’m not miserable but I would definitely like this baby out of me sooner rather than later. 

“How is my wife and our child?” Aemond asks the grand maester. 

“You can ask me how I’m doing.” my words have a bite to them as I lay back on the bed as they look down at me. 

“I’m sorry, Princess. I know it’s been a long couple of moons but the babe will come soon.” the grand maester offers me what he thinks is a comforting smile. 

“Mm and how is that looking?” I look up trying not to sound so annoyed. 

“Everything looks good and from how the pregnancy has gone I believe the birthing bed will be kind to you.” the grand maester nods his head and dismisses himself from our chambers. 

“What can I do to make you feel better?” Aemond rests a hand on my stomach. 

“I just feel so tense and I want a hot bath but they won’t let me.” I say tearing up. “My back hurts and my breasts are so tender I can’t even stand having this fabric touch them. I just want some relief.” I hiccup as a tear slips down my cheek. 

“It’s just us, let me remove this.” I nod as he grabs the hem of my sleep dress and lifts it over my head. 

He moves pillows behind my back to help support me better as he helps me relax back into the bed. Tears continue to fall down my face as he helps adjust me and makes me comfortable. 

“What’s wrong?” Aemond whispers as he wipes my tears away. 

“You’re just so gentle and caring with me.” I sniffle. “I love you so much, husband.” my tears fall down faster now. 

“What else can I do to help you?” he smooths my hair looking to me with scrunched brows. 

“Lay with me, please.” I look up to him and he’s immediately getting in bed next to me. 

He holds me close to him and kisses the side of my head. His hands travel to my swollen bump and whisper words of adoration to me. His hands trail up to my tender breasts and I sigh at his soft touch. When his thumb swipes over one of my nipples a strangled whimper leaves my mouth. 

“I’m sorry.” he mumbles as he removes his hand. 

“I just need some of this milk gone.” I whine and his eye snaps to mine. 

“I can try-“ 

“Yes Aemond, anything, please.” I plead reaching for his hand. 

He brings his mouth to one of my nipples and a sigh falls from my lips. As he sucks and laps at my sensitive peak I start to feel the relief I’ve been seeking. I look down to him and see that his eye watching me. I look to him with flushed cheeks as he continues to swirl his tongue around my nipple. I push my chest up into him and he groans against me. 

“Aemond,” my voice strained as I bring my hand to his hair. 

He kisses across my chest and brings my other nipple into his mouth. He offers this one the same attention and affection. I hold him to my chest and give out soft sighs as I smooth his hair. He looks at me with a blown pupil as my breathing becomes more ragged from his tongue. He pulls back from my chest and looks down to me. 

“Thank you,” my voice breathy. 

“Anything else I can offer you?” he kisses me softly laying next to me once more. 

“I want for some relief a little lower.” he chuckles at my words. 

“Mm I wouldn’t want to leave my beautiful wife wanting.” he starts to kiss my neck as his fingers find my sensitive bud with ease. 

“Aemond,” his name falls off my lips like a prayer as he swirls his fingers. 

My legs are already beginning to tremble as I feel wetness pool between them. His fingers slide down my slit and I moan loudly. He brings more wetness back up to my throbbing bud and slowly circles it. My hips buck as much as they can as I feel my pleasure ready to burst. All it takes is his lips attached to my nipple and I’m clenching my thighs around his hand. 

“You’re so perfect. My beautiful wife carrying our child.” he showers me with compliments as my breathing settles and I begin to drift off feeling relief. 

⊹˚₊‧꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

birth 

“Fuck,” my voice breaks as the maester and midwife try to coax me to push again as I’m squeezing Aemonds hand. 

“You’re doing so good.” Aemond wipes my brow with a cool cloth. 

“And you’re doing nothing.” I grit out through my teeth as I feel myself splitting open.

“The babes head!” the midwife exclaims looking up at me. 

“One more big push Princess.” the maester says with a calm voice. 

“What do you think I’ve been fucking doing?” my breathing heavy as I push using all of my strength. 

A half sigh and chuckle leave my lips when I feel the baby slide out. I hear a cry and look down at our child. I turn to Aemond who is still looking at me with reverence at what I just did. They wrap the child in a blanket and bring it to my arms. 

“A healthy baby boy.” the maester says smiling to us. 

They help clean me up and clean up the room before leaving us. I softly caress the babes bright white hair as he stirs in my arms. Aemond holds me closer and wraps his arm around mine that’s holding our child. We sit in silence as a family and Aemond kisses our son’s brow before pulling me into a kiss of our own. 

⊹˚₊‧꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

2 months after birth

I sit in the maesters chambers with Aemond at my side and the babe bouncing on my knee. The maester looks over our son and declares he is still healthy and turns to me to ask how I’m doing. He looks over me curiously as asks how feeding is going and if there’s any tenderness and soreness. I tell him how I’ve been feeling and he looks to us with a smile. 

“I want you both to know that there is no rush,” he chuckles and I tilt my head to him. “but I believe you’re already with child again.” I turn to Aemond with a scowl who smiles proudly. 

“How sure are you?” Aemond asks fussing with our son. 

“As positive as I was the first time.” the maester nods his head and I sigh but smiling nonetheless. 

“At least you both know what to expect this time around.” he smiles as we slowly get up to exit. 

“After this next babe, I will have a break husband.” I look up to him as he holds the doors open for us. 

“Mm of course.” he looks down to me as if he has no plans on not keeping me with child anytime soon. 

⊹˚₊‧꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

masterlist 🔌 

i’ve never been preg or wrote anything like this so if i fucked anything up please reach out and let me know!! 

taglist ✍️ 

@clarityisnofun @callsignwidow @gabriella-aesthetic @llynx7 @violetiss3lfish @ka1afbr @akiko-oo @papichulo120627 @lizzylovebooks280501 @thatgirl101blog @1-fuzzy-squirrels @anaviieiraaa @zanygot7straykidsbonk @hueanhdang

[yslbooten]

˖ ࣪౨ৎ ˚◞ puppy princess

⊹ ˒ pairing : jason todd x fem!reader

⊹ ˒ idea : jason todd cant stand to say yell at his little princess, especially when she starts to cry and sniffle.

⊹ ˒ notes : this is a nsfw fic, so MDNI it contains size kink, unrealistic sex descriptions, oral, pim(pussy in mouth ) oh and anal

Jason Todd who is putty in your soft small hands and can't take his attention off of you, you're just too cute for this cruel dark world. Its as if you were sent down by the heavens to be his light.

Jason Todd who pecks you so many kisses that they’d practically cover your whole face, what can he say when his little pup stares up at him with those sparkly big eyes?

Jason Todd who's overprotective over his puppy princess, shielding you from the true wonders of Gotham so you don't end up like him. Anything that stares at your or comes in contact with you is always scared off because of big ol Jason!

Jason Todd who is 5x bigger than you, the height difference is obvious to the world. You standing next to him makes it look like your a midget at this point. He knows the height difference is huge and definitely doesn't take advantage of that.

Jason Todd who feels bad for yelling at you out of frustration, seeing the small tears pool up at your tear line. The audible sniffles echoed through the room making it clear you were about to cry.

“ look ma im sorry won’t you forgive me? “ he said kneeling infront of you, you were on the edge of the bed so him being between your legs made him look so, submissive. Jason yearning for your touch made him even more vulnerable to you, rubbing your thighs with his hands that he killed people with, oh how you were so innocent compared to Jason you’ve never killed before. Felt pain before not like him, but it felt like you did when he had yelled at you. Staring down at Jason you’d huff and puff crossing your arms together in the soft fluffy night gown he had picked out for you a long time ago when you two went on a shopping spree for your birthday. “ do you forgive me, mama? I’ll make this all up to you if you just say the word “ feeling a finger slide up and down against your clothed cunt made you shiver knowing exactly what Jason wanted to squinted your eyes at him mumbling something, soon opening your legs wide and laying on your back.

Chuckling from the brattiness he would take that as an answer of yes, hooking his fingers onto the lacey panties that matched the nightgown. Some shivers already went down your back once you felt your panties being pulled down, kissing at your inner thighs he was teasing. You couldn't believe him right now, teasing when he begged YOU to forgive him? “ just be patient doll, “ he said fully removing your panties off of you. Your cute cunt was already wet for Jason that's what he loved from you, just with the littlest teasing he could gather all of your lovely liquids up. Spreading your lips open to get a better view of your pussy he had heard the loud gasp from you, the air hitting against your wet cunt. The combination of the wetness and the air made you shiver once again “ look at my pretty pussy all eager for me to eat it huh? “ mumbling between your legs finally starting to eat your pussy out. A wet spongey tongue flattening against your clit the stimulation of him licking your clit already kicked in. Bucking your hips up the pornographic moans weren't stuck in your throat anymore, you were already loud enough so him eating you out did it for you. “ mm I can't get enough I swear I can't “ entering a finger inside your tight hole “ jason~! “ curling his digits up to hit that spot of yours, god could he multi task well, the feeling of his tongue twirling your clit into a circle like motion and his fingers curling had built up your orgasim inside of you, feeling that small little band almost snap.

“ oh! “ eyes widening when you could feel his tongue trying to prob at your unused hole, “ Jason what the hell are you u u- “ throwing your head back, he had finally entered his tongue into your puckered hole your walls being tighter than your pussy. Fingers still working inside of your pussy now starting at a new stimulation, pumping them in and out of your sloppy cunt he had claimed that was his. Grabbing onto his black and greyish locks you’d arch your back “ oh my fucking god.. Yes yes yes! “ you’d chant those exact words when he had continued to work with your two holes “ m gonna come~! “ mouth being gaped your eyes had already produced tears to roll down your delicate cheek, cunt pulsing around Jasons finger. Slowly pulling his tongue out your newly eaten hole he had gasped stopping the motion of his fingers now pulling out to see the creamy fluids on his fingers. Looking at you and entering his fingers in his mouth to get a taste of his princess “You forgive me now? “ chest heaving up and down you nodded exhaustedly “Words pretty girl. “ “ yes..mhmm I forgive youu.. “

[aventurineswife]

hii! im not sure if youve made smth like this already and i missed it but may i request blade and any character(s) of your choosing with a reader being sent to the ER? they can be there or be away when reader is sent there, whichever works best for you :)

i hope that makes sense 😭 my brain is super slow and the er is so cold im gonna turn into a popsicle i swear- hope you have a good day/night and remember to drink some water! 💫🪷

Fractured Fate

Summary: After being gravely injured in battle, you are rushed to the medical bay, where Blade remains by your side. As the doctors work to save you, Blade reveals a side of himself that is rarely seen—concern, and perhaps something deeper. In a rare moment of vulnerability, Blade acknowledges the weight of his own loneliness and the reason he can't let you die.

Tags: Blade x Reader, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Vulnerability, Fractured Souls, Healing, Loyalty, Angst, Redemption, Imperfect Love.

Warnings: Graphic Injury Description, Mild Blood, References To Past Trauma, Angst, Emotional Intensity, Vulnerability.

The battlefield was a blur of flashing lights, the sound of blades clashing, and the rush of adrenaline as you fought side by side with Blade. His movements were fluid, almost too fast to follow as his broken sword carved through enemies with eerie precision. His eyes burned with a focused intensity, but there was something else lurking behind them—an emptiness that seemed to echo his fractured soul.

You could feel it in the air. The tension. The sense that Blade was pushing himself further than he had before, as if trying to reach something just beyond his grasp. You glanced at him briefly as you struck down an opponent, but before you could say anything, you heard the unmistakable sound of a blade cutting through flesh—your own.

The pain was instant. A sharp, searing ache in your side. You stumbled, trying to maintain your balance, but the world around you spun. Blood began to stain your clothes, and you struggled to stay conscious.

Blade’s gaze snapped to you in an instant. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, a rare vulnerability flickering in them. But it was gone as quickly as it came.

“Stay with me,” he ordered in a voice that brooked no argument, his tone low and intense. He grabbed your arm with an iron grip, steadying you as you staggered.

“I’ll be fine,” you managed to murmur, but your vision was growing blurry. You could feel the darkness creeping in from the edges, and it took everything you had to keep your eyes open.

“Do not lie to me,” Blade said, his voice sharp. Without a second thought, he scooped you up in his arms and carried you away from the fight. His body felt colder than usual, and you leaned against him, unable to do much else.

The world shifted, and before long, you were in the medical bay. Blade remained by your side, watching as the medical staff worked quickly to stabilize you. The lights overhead felt too bright, and the beeping of the machines grated on your nerves. You tried to fight the darkness threatening to pull you under, but your body refused to obey.

In the midst of it all, Blade stood silent, his expression unreadable. He didn’t speak, didn’t even blink, as the doctors patched you up. But you could sense the undercurrent of something—concern, maybe even something deeper. It was a crack in the shell he’d so carefully constructed around himself.

Hours passed, and eventually, the noise died down. You awoke in a sterile, white room, the smell of antiseptic hanging in the air. You tried to sit up, but the pain in your side reminded you that moving too quickly wasn’t an option.

“Don’t,” Blade’s voice was soft, almost soothing, but with a sharp edge. He stood at the side of your bed, his arms crossed and his usual stoic demeanor in place. But there was something in the way he watched you—a trace of something more than the cold indifference he typically exuded.

“Blade...” You whispered, your throat dry. He said nothing, merely stepped closer, his red eyes never leaving you.

“Why didn’t you—” you began to ask, but he interrupted, his gaze flickering with an emotion that you couldn’t quite place.

“Because I won’t let you die. Not yet.”

You blinked at him, surprised by the weight of his words. His promise lingered in the air, as fragile and as strong as the blade he carried.

"You could've left me there, but..." you trailed off, unsure of how to finish.

"You're not the only one who is broken," Blade said, his voice quieter now. His gaze softened, just for a moment. "If you die... I will be forced to keep walking this endless path. Alone."

You stared at him, processing his words. For all his detached, cold demeanor, Blade's loyalty to his own twisted purpose had always been unmistakable. Yet, in this rare moment, you saw that perhaps, just maybe, there was something else. Something that made his fractured heart beat, even if it was for a fleeting moment.

You reached out, placing your hand over his. His fingers twitched at the touch but didn't pull away.

"Thank you," you murmured, unsure if you were thanking him for saving you, or for staying with you when he so easily could have left.

Blade didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stood there, his broken sword at his side, a symbol of everything he’d sacrificed.

“I’ve seen enough death,” he said quietly, his voice hardening once more. “I won’t lose you.”

You nodded slowly, unsure of what the future held, but for now, you knew one thing for certain—Blade’s fractured path had found something to hold onto, even if it was only you. And perhaps, for the first time in a long while, Blade had found a reason to keep fighting, a reason to stay.

[aviawrites]

when we were teenagers (challengers)

pairings/relationships: tashi duncan x sister!reader, patrick zweig x fem!reader, art donaldson x fem!reader

summary: Tashi Duncan’s younger sister, Ava Duncan, never gets a chance to be seen past her sister’s shadow. When Ava gets injured and Tashi starts gaining fame, the two become more and more at odds with each other. Tashi juggles Art and Patrick while Ava struggles to keep up. When over a decade passes and a peace isn’t reached, either the Donaldsons or Zweigs, either Tashi or Ava, has to come out on top. (7.2k)

a/n: you know the movie was good when you have to rewatch so you have all the info for the fic🥴 with that being said, the dates and stuff may be a little off but i did my best with what wikipedia had to offer. regardless, im a patrick zweig stan 4L. anyway, as always, ur interaction is greatly appreciated, ily<3

warnings: description of injury, allusions to sex/almost a smut scene, swearing

in this story, yn is: Ava Duncan

March 16, 2006 //📍home, 9:35pm

The goofy grin on the brunette’s face and the blond’s childish giggle replays over and over in your head. Your mother’s muffled snores mix with Art’s laughs as a smile grows on your face, your eyes closed. 

You’ve found yourself in this position too many times, imagining what could’ve been if the cute guys were eyeing you rather than your sister. But you’ve experienced it enough times to not even be hurt by it anymore. No guys approach you at volleyball events, especially not hot ones. So if anything, you find some comfort in lying upside down on the corduroy couch making up scenarios in your head. 

The click of the front door forces your eyes open, sitting upright and perking up like a dog as your sister tip toes through the door.  

“So…” You rest your chin on your fist, “Which one was it?”

“Shh,” Tashi smiles, pointing to your mom’s closed door. “Which one was what?”

“Come on,” You continue as she stands in front of you, “Which one did you…Y’know.”

“Oh my- Neither of them, Ava.”

“What!?”

“Shh!”

You lower your tone, “Seriously? You were alone with them both and didn’t make a move?”

“It wasn’t like that.” She laughs, “They’re like…I dunno, they’re weird.”

You scrunch your face up, “What, are they gay?”

She pauses, cocking her head.

“They’re actually gay?”

“No, no they’re not.” She giggles, “I just didn’t do anything with them. I mean we kissed but that’s it.” 

“Did you kiss the blond?” You interrogate, “I really like the blond…”

“His name is Art and I kissed them both.” She smirks.

You roll your eyes, “Whatever.”

Tashi laughs at you, plopping next to you on the couch and resting her legs across yours.

“They did ask for my number again.”

“What’d you tell them?” You stroke her leg.

“I said whoever wins the match tomorrow gets it.”

“God, I wish.” You sigh, throwing your head back. “I’d kill to see Art just one more time…”

———

May 15th, 2006 //📍home, 6:00pm

You wince as your mom tightens the brace, covering your face in frustration.

“It’s okay, baby.” She kisses your head, “You tell me if you need anything, okay?”

You nod as she presses one more kiss onto your hair before walking out, leaving you alone with your thoughts. 

Almost every athlete you know has been injured before, half of the girls on your team are covered in braces and tape all season. A torn ACL seems more like a right of passage than a serious and life changing injury. But when you heard the pop and felt the ligament rip, it was almost immediate; The realization that you very well may never play again. You’re not sure if yours was worse than others or if you’re just weaker, but the trauma of the blistering pain has turned you away from getting back on the court for the last month. 

You already can tell who’s on the other side of the door from the lack of a knock. You internally sigh, wanting to be left alone, as Tashi sits at the foot of your bed. 

“Hey, I was thinking we could go to the courts today. I could practice with you.” 

“Tashi…”

“I know you haven’t been wanting to go but since you just hit a month I was thinking, you know, maybe you’d want to start working again.”

You shake your head, “Tashi, I don’t think I’m ready.”

“When will you be?” She asks, her voice stern.

You stare at her, “I don’t know, Tashi. Why?”

“I’m just saying Ava, it’s not good to stop for this long. Some people never get back out there and you have to at least try.”

“I am trying.” You raise your voice, “My insides tore apart. Sorry if I’m not eager to put pressure on myself again.”

“There’s no pressure I’m just asking you to get up and at least walk on a court again.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Why the fuck not?” 

“Because I’m fucking scared, Tashi!” You shout, tears falling from your eyes. “I’m fucking scared of it happening again! I am not ready!”

She stares at you, a look that you can only describe as disgust on her face.

“…You don’t even want to drive out there just to see-“

“Get out.” You cover your eyes, a headache creeping up on you.

“Ava, I’m not going to let you waste away in here-“

“Get out of my room or I’m calling mom.” You stare back at her, “Go.” 

She stands, giving you one last look of disapproval before leaving, slighting slamming your door behind her.

———

September 18th, 2006 //📍Stanford Tennis Courts, 5:00pm

“Passing…Down the line…Cross…”

Tashi’s grunts echo throughout the court as you throw shots at her, a pile of green tennis balls forming behind you. It took a few weeks but she got you back on the court, just not the volleyball courts. You’ve watched Tashi’s practices long enough to know the game, so when you reluctantly offered to help her train, she jumped at the opportunity.

You zone out, robotically tossing the balls as Tashi dashes across the court. You silently hope for a specific someone show up. Patrick Zweig had your sister in his phone and occasionally in his bed, but Art Donaldson was a free man. The only Duncan in his phone was Ava, an achievement that you pride yourself on even weeks later. 

Sure, the two of you aren’t a thing, not the way Tashi and Patrick are. But you’re happy to be anything with Art, so the talking stage that you seem to be stuck in doesn’t bother you at all. You can only pray that it’ll blossom into something. Something meaning you being Ava Donaldson in the near future.

As if you summoned him, a very familiar blond boy opens the wire door, locking eyes with you. Your heart skips a beat when he waves at you, your hand immediately dropping the ball and waving back.

Your sister turns around to see Art, a smile growing on her face as she walks over to him. She wraps her arms around him, pulling him in for a hug as you watch. They barely pull away before Tashi begins chatting, her face too close to his for your liking. 

Across the court, they’re too far for you to hear their conversation. But judging from Art’s hand draped over her waist and her arm resting on his shoulder, you see enough to be angry. You can only look down, waiting for the conversation, along with your humiliation, to end. 

After an abundance of giggles, Art turns and walks away, giving you another wave. 

“I’ll see you.” He smiles.

You purse your lips, terribly embarrassed as you nod, “Yeah. Good seeing you, Art.”

The door shuts and with it, your smile drops. Tashi gets back into position like nothing happened, waiting with her racquet. Playing along, you throw her the ball. Only, you don’t call the drill. You throw with a little more force and much more unpredictability as the anger in you rises. 

“Ava…” Tashi calls, frantically chasing the ball. 

It’s only when the ball flies past her head, barely missing her, that she stops.

“Ava, what the fuck!?”

She walks toward you, meeting you at the net.

She shrugs, “What’s up, what’s going on?”

“Are you serious?”

She only looks at you, confused.

“Tashi, come on. You were literally all over him.”

“Wh- Art?” She deciphers, “Oh, Ava my bad I didn’t mean- I really didn’t mean to.”

“Yeah, sure you didn’t.”

“Seriously, I didn’t. He’s my friend I was just saying hey.”

“Saying hey with your arms around each other? That’s bullshit, just say you still like him.” You look down, mumbling. “It’s fine, it’s just annoying that you go after every guy I like knowing they’ll choose you.”

“Hey…” Tashi softens her tone, stepping over the net and nearing you. “Ava.”

“What?” You look at the ground.

“I didn’t mean it like that…” She insists, “I’m just stressed with school and stuff, he’s the only one who gets it.”

“Right.” You roll your eyes, not in the mood for ‘I’m stressed,’ to be the excuse for going after your guy. “It’s not like I go to school too or anything.”

“No, I know you do. It’s just…Stanford’s different, you know?”

“Whatever.”

“Ava,” She lifts your chin to look at her, “I’m sorry, okay?”

The two of you ogle at each other as she waits for an answer. She always does this, almost forces you into accepting her apology which you do not.

“We good?” She asks.

“…Yeah, sure.” You shrug, pulling away from her, “It’s whatever.”

Tashi just looks at you once more, seemingly satisfied as she steps back over the net. She gets back into position as you pick up another ball, a look still on your face.

“Down the line.”

———

December 21st, 2006 //📍Stanford Dining Hall, 12:00pm

“How many?” The employee asks.

“Umm, can I have three?” You lean on the counter, “Or four, actually.”

She reaches under the counter before handing you four mayo packets.

“Thanks.”

You start the walk back toward the table, Patrick having picked the one in the far back. He clearly hasn’t returned from the bathroom as you see Art and Tashi still sitting alone. As you near them, you catch a glimpse of their conversation.

“Don’t you think you deserve it?” Art asks, his eyes so focused on your sister that he doesn’t see you walking up. “I mean, who wouldn’t be in love with you?”

Tashi doesn’t respond, only angrily stands and walks away, nearly knocking you over. She passes you, smoke practically coming out of her ears. You watch her go before sitting where she was, handing Art the packets.

“Thanks.” He smiles, “Patrick still in there?”

“I guess so.” You laugh, insecurity lacing your voice as you simultaneously try to decode the conversation they were having.

“I’m so not surprised.” He takes the bun off of his burger and tears open the white packet with his teeth.

You watch him, hesitant to speak. Though, your words spill out before you can stop them.

“Do you ever wish Patrick let you win the match?” You ask.

Art looks up at you, mid squeeze. He cracks an unsure smile.

“What kind of question is that?” He laughs.

“I don’t know,” You do the same, tragically self conscious. “Maybe you wonder what it’d be like to date my sister or something. I don’t know, it’s stupid.” You look down, fiddling with your fingers.

Art pauses, putting his burger down and placing his hands on yours.

“Hey,” He grabs your attention, “I’m here with you today. 

You smile, “No, I know. It’s just…She’s like better than me in every way so I wouldn’t blame you.” You chuckle.

“What? I don’t think so, I think you’re great.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t get in to Stanford. Nor do I win all of the tennis tournament or-“

“Ava,” Art stops you, shaking your head. “You’re just as good as Tashi.”

Your eyes tread on each other as you try your hardest to believe him. But you do realize that this is the exact same way he looked at Tashi on the courts. 

The two of you are snapped out of it as Patrick returns, taking his seat next to Art.

“Sorry, they had like no toilet paper.”

“Oh good, thanks for letting us all know you took a shit, bud.” 

“Whatever. Ava doesn’t give a shit, right?”

“No,” You laugh, “You’re all good, Pat.”

———

📍Tashi’s dorm, 2:00pm

“So if he’s seeing other girls I won’t even fucking know now.” Tashi vents, stretching for her match.

You scroll on your phone, sitting at her desk. “It sounds like he was just trying to be nice, Tash. He was trying to help you out-“

“No, he’s not nice. Nothing about them is nice, Ava. They’re fucking weirdos, both of them. Art just hides behind this persona that he’s so caring and team Duncan when really he wants the same thing from me as Patrick.”

‘He wants the same thing from me.’

You sigh, tired of hearing the same things and watching her run back to them minutes later.

“Then stop complaining and fucking leave him already.” 

Tashi stops in her lunge, “What?”

“You keep complaining about them.” You grunt, “If you really didn’t want the attention you’d just drop them both.”

“If I didn’t want the attention?”

“Yes.” 

“The fuck does that mean?”

“Exactly what I said.” You say, irritated.

“Ava…” She stands up, looking down at you. You continue scrolling until your phone is snatched from you. “Hey.”

“What the-“

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Give me my phone back.” You stand up, reaching for it.

“No, say what you mean.”

“Really?” You grab for your phone once more but she pulls it away from you like a child, “Fuck - Okay, Tashi, all you talk about is how hard your life is. How hard training is for a tournament that you know you're going to win. How hard it is dating a famous and touring athlete. How hard it is being friends with the nicest guy who only wants to help you. How fucking hard it is to have two guys fighting over you. How hard it is to go to an ivy league. How hard it is to live the fucking dream. How about you actually do something about it instead of rubbing it in our faces that you're above us and can play with two guys at once because you're so fucking amazing?"

The two of you stand nose to nose, a stance Tashi used to always initiate in order to intimidate you.

“How long have you felt this way?” She asks, her breath shaking.

“Ever since you became the Tashi Duncan and I was left in the dust. Now give me my phone.”

“Are you fucking serious, Ava? You think I asked for this?”

“Asked for what? A great life where you succeed in fucking everything? No, Tashi, you didn't have to ask for it. We worked so fucking hard and only you survived it. I succumbed to my fate, I quit my dream, I went to a shitty college, had shitty friends, watched shitty games, and watched the boys I liked fight for my sister. But no; Please, continue bitching about your hard situation." 

You snatch your phone from her hands, walking toward the door. "Good luck at your fucking match."

———

2:45pm

You barely look up as you exit the library, occupied with connecting your earbuds to your phone. It’s only when you see a familiar black head of hair sitting in the common area that you stop. 

“Patrick?”

He looks back, taking his feet off of the Stanford branded coffee table.

“Oh, hey Ava.” He makes space for you to sit beside him on the small loveseat. “How’s it goin’?”

“Good, um…” You put your stuff on the floor and sit next to him, “Why aren’t you at the tournament?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” He smiles that same crooked smile from the night you met him.

You curl your legs up, leaving your arm on the back of the seat. “Did y’all fight too?”

Patrick leans back, looking over at you. “Yeah. Yeah, we did.” He laughs.

“What was yours about?” You pry, smiling.

“Uh,” He rubs his eye, “Just…not letting her control me. I’m my own boss kind of shit.”

“Seriously?”

“…Yeah, why?”

“That’s what our fight was about too!” You burst into giggles, “Well, not her controlling me but her controlling you. And Art, him too.”

“Shit, Art too?”

“Yeah, I mean, especially Art. You’re the only one who stands up to her bullshit.”

“Oh yeah?” He asks, “I don’t know, you seem to put up a good fight.”

“Yeah, but I’m her sister. It’s takes a brave man to break free of Tashi Duncan.”

“Oh god, did I break free?”

“You definitely broke free.” The two of you laugh.

“No but I see what you’re saying, she definitely had me whipped.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Like I remember one time,” He turns toward you, getting comfy, “The first time her and I, um…”

“Oh, Jesus.” You cover your face.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He laughs, “But the first time we did, I remember she said she’d leave me if I told anyone. And I was head over heels, so of course I didn’t want to tell, right?”

“Right.”

“But Art’s my guy, y’know? So instead of being straight up and jeopardizing Tashi’s love, we made this stupid ass signal.” He tells in between laughs, “The way that Art serves - Like, you know how he puts the ball at the neck of his racquet?”

“Yeah, yeah.” You listen intently.

“Well, if I served that way, that meant yes, we did sleep together, And if I served my way, it meant we didn’t.”

“…And?”

“Well, I put that motherfucker right in the middle.”

“Oh my-“

You and Patrick erupt into laughs, covering your mouths as the librarian eyes the two of you. Your stomach starts to ache, not being able to remember the last time you had this kind of belly laugh.

“Well, cheers to breaking free of her.” You put your fist up.

“Oh hell yeah, cheers to that.” He bumps it.

———

3:05pm

The crowd outside thins out as you and Patrick head down the back halls and toward the parking lot. In true honor of breaking free, the two of you decided to not say goodbye. Instead, you’d go home without saying a word to your sister. 

You’re a few doors down from the exit when Patrick stops in his tracks, looking into the nurses office.

“Tashi…” He walks in. 

You enter the doorway, peeking in behind him. Inside, you see Tashi sitting on the table, Art by her side.

“No, out.” Your sister points.

“I’m sorry-“

“Get out!”

“Tashi, listen to me-“

“No, get out!”

“Please-“

“Patrick, get the fuck out!” Art shouts, standing.

Patrick stays for a moment, taken aback as he looks from Tashi to Art. If he has the same vision as you, it’s clear that it’s them against him. It’s no longer Patrick and Tashi, but Art and Tashi. 

He looks back at you before obeying, walking down the hallway. 

Now alone, you come into full view, nearing your sister.

“Tash, what happened-“

“You too.”

You stop, tilting your head. “What?”

“I don’t want you here, leave.”

“Wh- Are you serious?”

“Ava, I think you should just go.” Art says lowly, wary to step in between you too.

You ignore him, “Tashi, I’m your sister.”

You get no answer, she only looks forward. You look at Art as he stands over her like some bodyguard. 

Just as Patrick did, you back away, realizing what this is. You frantically look between the two as you wait for Tashi to change her mind, to see that regardless of what fight you had you’re still sisters. Though, it’s clear that doesn’t mean anything to her, it’s been clear for a while now. 

Now, it’s only Art and Tashi.

———

10:03pm

“Coming in from Stanford; Student and highly lauded tennis player, Tashi Duncan, took a hard hit at her match against Pepperdine this afternoon. Sources say a hard fracture to the knee has Tashi in the care of medical professionals. It is unknown if she’ll ever be able to play again.” 

The blinding fluorescent lights of the cheap fast food place burn your eyes as you and Patrick look up at the TV. 

You bury your head in your hands, groaning.

“Fuck.” 

“She probably thinks she’ll never be able to play again.”

“Please, please don’t say that, Patrick. I’ll feel so guilty.”

“Ava, there’s nothing we could’ve done.”

“We could’ve at least showed up.” You rub a hand over your head.

“Hey,” He forces you to look at him, “None of this is our fault, okay? Injured or not, she still treated us like shit. Art only gets to stay by her side because he’s whipped.”

“I just…” You sigh, “I just wish I had been there.”

The two of you stand up, leaving the restaurant. Outside, a huge Adidas billboard with your sister’s face on it dominates the sky.

The two of you get into Patrick’s car, him cranking it up and turning down the radio.

“Let’s talk about something else.”

“Okay.” He nods, looking at you.

“Like…” You think, “Your tour.”

“Oh, God.”

You laugh, “When are you set to go back?”

“Uh, next week I’m pretty sure. But if I’m being honest, I don’t even want to go. I’ve been getting my ass kicked out there.”

“Patrick, Tashi would lose it if she heard you say that.”

He leans in, resting his arms on the center console as he examines your face. “Let’s not talk about Tashi…” 

“Okay,” You hold the intense eye contact that he began, “What do you want to talk about?”

His nose is almost touching yours as you unconsciously near him, eyes flickering from his eyes to his lips.

“Let’s talk about you.” He grins, rubbing your waist.

“What do you want to know?”

“Tell me what you like.” He says, lowering his lips to your neck and softly pressing.

“I, um,” You tilt, holding the back of his head as he gets sloppier, “I loved volleyball. My team was out of California but we travelled for tournaments. We ranked…fuck…we ranked second in the country-“

Patrick cuts you off, his lips ravaging yours as he runs his hands over you. You can’t stop yourself from leaning into him, crawling over to sit on his lap. Both of your hands get more and more heavy as he pulls your shirt over your head, tossing it in the backseat.

“Fuck,” You say in between kisses, “Fuck, wait.”

“What?” He looks up at you, “What, is something wrong?”

“Is this wrong to do?” You ask, out of breath. “Should we stop? What about Tashi and Art?”

“They yelled at us to leave when we tried to help.” He reminds you, “Why should we stop when they treated us like that?”

You look at him, convincing yourself that you’re considering it when all you want to feel is your mouth on his.

And you do, pushing the thoughts of Tashi and Art far from your mind.

———

February 15th, 2011 // 📍Zweig condo, 9:30am

5 years later

At one point in your life, it would take you multiple seconds to figure out how to say the dollar amount that you and your husband had in your bank account. Now, as the number almost falls short of five figures, you feel ashamed just looking at it. 

You switch tabs on the laptop, the light from the ceiling to floor window behind it hurting your eyes. Scrolling through tournament options, the distances only get further and the prize money higher. Years ago, you and Patrick wouldn’t even consider the amount, as Patrick just wanted to play tennis; And that still holds true, only you’ve been stuck in your ways for so long that he’s forgotten how to play to win. 

Nails scratch the hardwood behind you as your golden doodle, Bear, comes barreling down the hall. Right behind him is your husband, chasing the dog around the living room.

“I’m gonna getcha, I’m gonna getcha!” He says, the dog running desperately from him. 

You chuckle, “Good morning.”

You hear Patrick give Bear a smooch before walking over to you, wrapping his arms around your neck.

“Good morning, baby.” He kisses your neck, looking at the screen. “Found anything good?”

“Not really,” You groan, frustrated. “I don’t know when these matches got so fucking far.”

“It’s okay,” He strokes your head, “I’m sure there’s one we can make it to.”

You continue scrolling, the qualifier maximum getting smaller and smaller.

“What about this one?” He points.

“Atlanta? Patrick, that’s on the other side of the country.”

“I know, I know. But we can make the trip, no? I hear some of our friends may be there.”

You turn your head, furrowing your brows at him. A sly smile plasters over his face, one that makes you realize all too quickly.

“They’re going to be there?” 

He nods.

“God, why would you want to be anywhere near them?” 

“We probably won’t even see them, baby. But if they’re there we’ll have a big crowd.” 

You think on it, the thought of seeing Tashi making your stomach turn in knots.

“…And look at that winner’s reward money.” He says convincingly.

A sigh escapes you before clicking submit, Patrick’s entry automatically being sent.

“Mm,” He kisses your wedding ring finger, “Thank you, baby.”

“Yeah, yeah.” You jokingly roll your eyes, pecking him on the cheek.

——

February 24th, 2011 //📍Atlanta, 7:40pm

Nausea consumes you as Patrick’s smell fills your senses. The aroma of the city is one thing, the aroma of your husband another, but the scent of your sister’s old perfume radiates off of him like a cancer.

You watch as he sets his coat down, coming behind the couch to kiss you. 

“Did you-“ You pull your face away, not able to let him touch you, “Did you see anyone we know?”

Patrick is taken aback, looking at you with a confused smile.

“No…Why?”

His eyes bore into yours as you search for any answer than the one you’re imagining. Though, as he hands you the chinese takeout bag and takes a seat next to you, you find yourself voiding the conclusion entirely; Your mind not willing to believe the man you love would be meeting her. 

He wraps his arms around you, watching the TV. As the smell seems to corrupt every sense you have, a tear sneaks into your cheek, the possibility still piercing your gut. Even so, you wrap your arms back around him.

As of this moment, the comfort of hiding in his arms trumps the possibilities of the truth.

——

June 3rd, 2013 // 📍Zweig Condo, 3:00pm

2 Years Later

‘Hey, I know it’s been a while. But if you’re willing, I’d love to come out and see you and the baby. - A ♡’

The ‘Read’ under your message seems to taunt you the longer you stare. Your phone screen is interrupted by a call, ‘Mom,’ at the top of the screen. You answer.

A small gasp escapes you as you’re immediately met with the smallest human you’ve ever seen. You’d know she was Tashi’s in a sea of babies. You wave your husband over, eyes staying on the baby.

“Oh my goodness.” You whisper, “Hi, baby.”

Her eyes stay closed, her hands in small fists.

“Oh, Ava, she’s so beautiful.” Your mom lowly says down the phone.

“Is…” You wipe away a stray tear, “Is Tashi okay?”

The camera flips from the baby to your mother.

“You know you could always ask her yourself, honey.”

“No, I know. But- Just tell them we said congratulations. She’s precious.”

Your mom lets out a sigh as she looks from you to behind the camera.

“Mom, who is that?” You hear your sister’s voice in the background. 

Your hands turn clammy, your heart beating faster and faster as she begins to turn the phone to Tashi.

“Um, Mom we gotta go, we’re breaking up. I love you-“

“Wait, Ava-“

“Love you, mom.” You spit out, hanging up and turning your phone face down.

You stare out for a minute, shocked at your body’s response to your sister’s voice. Sobs escape your mouth before you can stop them. You shove your face in your hands.

“Oh, baby.” Patrick holds you, rubbing your back.

“It’s been too long.” You cry, “She fucking hates me.”

“You don’t know that.” He reassures you, “She may come around. You did good.”

———

May 1st, 2019 // 📍New Rochelle, 10:00am

6 Years later

Making it to New York from home took up the rest of Patrick’s savings. The house that you downsized to is completely funded by you and your remote sales salary. Patrick continues to fight a losing battle with tennis, barely able to pay for food for himself every week. Straining your marriage was the last consequence of his money struggles. Though, it has the biggest impact on your day to day. Nonetheless, you remain by his side. In all honesty, you’re not completely sure how to continue anywhere else. 

“I’m going to see Art today.” Patrick tells you, downing a handful of trail mix.

“Art?” You ask, holding Bear’s paws on your

thighs, “Why would you do that? It’s been years.”

“I think it’s been long enough, we’re already here.” He shrugs, “I think it might be good for me.”

You focus on Bear, still not seeing a clear reason as to why he’d want to speak to Art after a decade.

“Maybe you should go see Tashi.”

Your eyes snap to him, her name barely being spoken in your house for the last six years.

“…And do what?”

He shrugs, “Might be good for you…”

…

1:00pm

Your stomach seems to twist in a thousand ways as you continuously fix your hair and outfit on the way into the far too fancy hotel. As you pass the lobby, you almost turn around and throw up. But as your sister heads for the elevator, you know this is your one chance to speak to her.

Your shoes thump against the marble floor as you jog after her.

“T- Tashi!” You whisper shout, reaching her just in time.

She turns around. Taking one look at you, she looks to your left and right, utterly confused.

“What are you doing here?” She asks, tone laced with disgust.

It’s been so long. She looks so different, her voice has such a maturity to it. But that dominating energy that she brings everywhere hasn’t changed a bit.

“Well I…” You fumble, all of your practice going out the window. “ I heard you were here, I wanted to say hello.”

“Say hello?” She looks you up and down, turning her full attention to you as she steps forward. “Honestly, I don’t want your fucking hello, Ava. Really, I don’t.”

You shake your head, “Tashi-“

"I can't believe you have the balls to be here. After what you fucking did to me."

"What I-“ You compose yourself, remembering exactly how arguments with your sister always go. “Tashi, what the fuck did I do to you?"

"Are you serious?" She asks, "You're joking, yes?"

"No, I'm really not."

"You left me for 13 years by my fucking self." She raises her voice, "I had a wedding, I had a baby, and where were you? My sister was too stuck on a grudge to ever come back into my life, you're a waste of my fucking time." She begins to walk away.

“Hey.” You follow her, grabbing her arm and spinning her back around.

“Get off.”

"Not one of those events was I invited to, Tash. Not one. If you wanted me back, if you gave a shit, you would've acted like it. But you're not going to sit here and act like I was in the wrong and I should've reached out to you. Hell, I did fucking reach out to you.”

“In the wrong?” She snatches her arm from you. “Ava, are you clinically fucking stupid? You're hung up on a situation from 13 years ago-"

"No, but it's not from 13 years ago, Tashi.” You cut her off, getting in her face. “Because you're doing the same thing right now that you did when you were 18. You're sitting here blaming the world for your life decisions. You're blaming me for being angry that you were and are a narcissist who wants someone else to be the athlete that you never were. Every time I thought of coming back l'd imagine what my sister would say and I couldn't do it. But guess what Tashi, now I see through you. I fucking see it, Patrick sees it, and when Art finally opens his eyes you'll finally see yourself for what you are."

She stares at you, a chuckle escaping her. "Ava, this is pathetic. Genuinely. Because at the end of the day, it's not my fucking fault that you gave up. Now l'm in a position where I don't have to be here. I have a life, a pretty fucking good one, outside of this. Outside of you. This Final, it's practice. It's fucking child's play for us, whereas for the Zweigs...This is it for you. Your last fucking loss.”

“Yeah. Okay Tash.” You roll your eyes, "Keep throwing insults at me to distract from the fact that you're a shitty person."

"I'm a shitty pers- You fucking abandoned your family for 13 fucking years!"

"Because my sister is an insufferable egomaniac who can't accept the fact that her husband doesn't want to do this shit anymore and her tennis life is over!” You shout back, your voices echoing throughout the hotel. “It's fucking over Tashi, give it up. That's why I left you, because you're fucking dreadful! You're dreadful and everyone knows it."

Tashi slowly nods, the hotel staff looking at the two of you.

"...Ava, do you know what your husband does late at night?"

Your eyes widen, your heart skipping a beat as she addresses the unspoken.

"Fuck you." You spit.

"I'm really asking, because from what I experienced...You're a lucky woman."

Now you’re the one with disgust in your eyes, the urge to spit in her face stronger than ever before.

“…Say hi to mom for me, Tashi." You say, your hands balling into fists.

“Happy to.” She utters, walking toward the elevator. “Tell Patrick I’m wishing him good luck.”

…

3:00pm

You only tell your husband bits a pieces of your encounter, not daring to remind him of the man he was in Atlanta.

“I don’t even know why I tried.”

“Both of them are assholes.” He agrees, “At least now we’re sure of it.”

“I guess.” You bite your nails, stroking Bear’s ears. “Patrick you have to beat him in the Final. We can’t let them win.”

“I know, baby.” He nods, on your wavelength. “I know.”

——

May 4th, 2019 // Night Before the Final, 11:25pm

“Pat, it’s really coming down out there.” You look out of the hotel window, tarps flying into the street. “What if they cancel the match?”

“They’d never do that.” He watches the TV, “It should lighten up by morning.” 

You hum, snuggling next to him as the bright screen flashes through an action sequence. Patrick’s phone vibrates, his phone brightness lighting the rest of the room.

“Oh, baby.” He shifts his body, making you sit up. “I gotta go.”

“Now? Why?” You try to look on his phone but he pulls it away, scrolling.

“I have to, um,” He rubs his head, looking stressed. “My racquet, I have to pick it up.”

“The fuck does that mean?”

“They just messaged reminding me that we have to have this certain racquet to compete tomorrow.” He stands up, rushing toward the door.

“What- Patrick,” You follow him, “It’s like a fucking flash flood out there, can you not do this tomorrow?”

“Baby, they close at midnight, I gotta go,” He kisses you, “I love you.”

“Patrick, wait-“

“I love you, I have to go!” He shuts the door behind him.

…

12:30am

You have a strange urge to cry as you scroll through Art Donaldson’s instagram. Photos of him and his seemingly perfect family are plastered all over, an ‘@Tashidonaldson ♡’ at the top of his bio.

Patrick never wanted kids, said they’d cost too much and you couldn’t care for them. He was correct about the former, but care for children, you are willing and able to do. But when you married him, he did a lot of the decision making for you. 

Now, as he’s blown all of your savings, lost his tennis touch, and been out of the damn hotel room for an hour doing god knows what , you wish you could shout at past you to get a grip. 

Though, looking at these picture now, you wish you could do the same to past Art Donaldson too. 

———

May 5th, 2019 // 📍New Rochelle Courts, 1:00pm

Final Day

The crowd’s heads robotically turned side to side as Art and Patrick dog it out in a vicious match. You sit in your assigned seat next to your sister, the endless stream of slander not ceasing, not even today.

“Is he retiring after this?” You ask, your head still going between the men.

Tashi shrugs, her expression hidden behind her sunglasses. “Maybe.”

"...I don't think Patrick will ever retire. I think tennis is all he has."

She hums, "If only he'd start winning his matches."

"He doesn't always play for the wins, Tashi."

"Yeah, he plays for the participation money."

"Maybe he does." You say, "At least he does it by choice."

She looks to you, her attention no longer on her husband’s tie breaker. "Art does it by choice."

“Like hell he does.” You scoff, “He wouldn't be retiring after becoming a Career Grand Slam if he wanted to be doing this.”

“Art is an adult, he does what he wants.” She looks back to the court.

“Art is your slave, he does what you want.”

Tashi continues trying to get to you. As Patrick sets for his next serve, he looks in your direction. Only, he isn’t looking at you, he’s looking at your sister. He returns his gaze to Art, placing his ball in the neck of his racquet.

Both you and Art freeze, staring at your husband. The men seem to be in their own world, but Patrick must’ve forgotten that you know too. The word seems to muffle around you as you stare at your husband’s evil grin at Art.

You stand on shaky legs, grasping your stomach as bile threatens to come up. 

“Hey…” Tashi calls after you, “Ava, what the fuck are you doing?”

You run to the nearest exit, Patrick’s blatant disrespect and repulsiveness making you want to genuinely die where you stand.

It’s only as you stumble to your car that it truly hits you who the man you married really is, and how he really sees you. 

Like everyone else, he thinks you’re a pawn in Tashi’s game. A piece that can be battered and bruised but will never go away, as it’s crucial to the game of Tashi. You want to vomit as you sit in your car, Patrick’s scent sending you into a violent sick.

———

May 14th, 2019 // 📍Zweig home, 12:00pm

9 Days Later

Three knocks at the door echo through your almost empty house. You pause your show, unlatching the chain and opening it. 

Patrick stands in front of you, a hysterical attempt of a sad expression on his face.

“Everything’s here.” You walk him in, pointing to the boxes full of his stuff in the kitchen. “The only things that aren’t are your racquets, trophies, cups, stuff like that. Those are in the closet so they wouldn’t get mixed up.”

“Thanks.” He says, feeling like an alien in this house.

“Yeah.” You give him a thumbs up, returning to the couch next to Bear.

He spends an hour loudly moving his things from the kitchen to his car, the sound almost drowning out your show. Regardless, you stay put, wanting him to be done as fast as he can.

“Ava…” He calls over the reality TV. You ignore him, popping another veggie straw into your mouth. 

Suddenly, his arm comes from behind you, grabbing the remote and muting it.

“Hey.” You turn around.

“I’m talking to you.”

“Okay, well I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Ava, I’m sorry-“

“Pat,” You chuckle, not being able to keep it in. “Don’t even.”

“Baby, listen to me, okay? I fucked up-“

“Patrick, Patrick!” You stand up, “Just stop, okay? Leave me be, finish getting your shit, and I’ll have the papers served to you by the end of the week.”

“Baby, no. Please.”

“Honey, there’s nothing you can say.” You shake your head, having prepared for his begging days ago. “Go beg to your mistress, yeah?”

He continues rambling, stumbling over his words. “Ava, it was such a bad mistake. I told myself it was strategy and- And because me and her have a complicated past I couldn’t see straight-“

“But nothing about us is complicated, right? We are married, we’re supposed to be a team. But you betrayed me, plain and simple.” You lay it out for him, “You’re a cheater and we’re done, now go.”

“It was a mistake-“

“Patrick…” You inhale, “I’m trying not to lose it, you need to get the fuck out.”

“Just hear me out-“

“Get out of the house, Patrick.” 

“We can come back from this, Ava. We can.”

Your jaw hangs agape in genuine disbelief. He seems to notice he fucked up again as he stops speaking. You walk around the couch, getting in his face the same way Tashi used to get in yours.

“Patrick,” You begin, “I gave everything for you. I gave up my life, I gave up my family, I gave up Art, I left it all for you. I abandoned so much to be in your corner because I was in love with you, I really was. Whether you felt the same about me, I’ll never actually know-“

“I loved you, baby. I still love you-“

“But I thought you were the one who understood me, Patrick. But somehow every time I gave you a chance to correct yourself you threw it away to be with Tashi. Over and over. She’s constantly being picked over me, her feelings over mine, her body over mine, her opinion over mine…You’re just another one of her fans. You’re just like Art- Honestly, you’re fucking worse. At least  he pretended to like me all those years ago. Now, as my husband, you just don’t give a shit. Just publicly showing that you slept with my sister.”

“…Why do you keep bringing up Art?” He looks down at you, “Do you- Do you feel something for him still?”

“Oh my fucking-“ You cover your face, composing yourself once again before continuing. “Pat, it’s been a long, long time since this all started. And if I could go back I’d change many things. But at the end of it all, I’m here because I worked for it and I endured it. You and Art can stay stuck under Tashi’s finger, that’s fine. But I know that life is bigger than that. Bigger than this weird threesome love triangle shit that you circle back to every few years. I am a grown woman who is in control of her own life so if you don’t have anymore comments, you need to get out and sign the papers when they’re served to you, Patrick.”

“…Baby, please,” He cries, his lip quivering. “You love me, we love each other. Please just think about it.”

You tilt your head, “Do you want me to be honest?”

Patrick nods, hiccuping on his tears.

“…All of this is really really beneath me.” You quietly tell him.

He lowers his head, his hands covering his eyes.

“When I was 18 I might have been broken over stuff like this but…” You shrug, “Things are very very different from when we were teenagers.” 

[jinkiezzsstuff]

The Dog And The Deer

Alastor x werewolf/dog GNreader

ever since i found out alastor was attacked by dogs i awaited for a fic with a dog reader but alas i never found one, honestly love the idea so i splurged one out but im not sure im the happiest with it. also thank you to anyone who read my lucifer x reader it’s pretty wild like that many ppl liked it made my butthole pucker tbh. i hope y’all enjoy this kiss kiss

warnings: no YN, no alluding to or mentioning of bodytype/hairtype/skin colour or gender, morally grey reader(maybe?), descriptions of blood and animal death (nothing gorey yuck), cannibalism on alastors part, swearing, slowburnish, i think that’s all?

words: 4K

Alastor’s eye twitched watching as the mutt demon trotted around the hotels foyer with Angel. There was no worse stench then that of a dog. One of the few traumatic memories Alastor still holds close is the smell of wet dog along with memories of their jaws and teeth. Although, no one would ever catch him showing how uncomfortable your presence made him, that’d take away the image he’s created and potrayed throughout his nearly hundred years of being dead.

Yet as much as he hated every bit of your demonic form, he couldn’t help the slight tinge of desire to get closer to you, strange as it may be. You’re charasmatic and expressive, you let your ears and tail display the emotions you felt freely without holding back like he did. You got along with everyone at the hotel perfectly and you seemed to have a head on your shoulders; helping Charlie out with problems she couldn’t solve, and quipping back with fast remarks to insults thrown at you. Hell, you even got on Husks good side, a literal cat, a dogs worst enemy and vice versa.

Luckily no patron paid mind to the fact he always took the furthest spot from you at the table, or how his eyes never met yours in conversation, or that he never directly talked to you, more at you before walking off. No, nobody cares about his distance between himself and you, and if they did they knew better than to bring it up to him. Therefore he worried not about confronting you- that was up until this point. Watching with an unamused look, eyes lidded as he followed your figure waving bye to Angel and turning to him. You practically skipped your way over to him with a smile and he fought make the urge to get up and zip away.

You on the other hand, despite knowing his carnage good and well, respected the demon for the formalities he carried, as well as the little mortality he did have. It didn’t go unnoticed by you how much he seemingly hated you, you weren’t dense, but Charlie explained that Alastor was a generally private and mysterious overlord so you chalked it up to being his ‘thing’ paid no mind.

You will admit though, you were hoping that after a month or so of attending the hotel, he’d open up to your presence a little more. He wouldn’t. But! He still fed you when he cooked, woke you when you slept in, and kept you out of harms way as he did the other attendees, as well as escort you out whenever others were busy.

After a gossip session with Angel last night, you two concluded it was time to get to the bottom of the situation. Angel immediately went to the assumption he either wanted to fuck, or kill you, which you hoped he didn’t want to kill you, thankfully you moved along the topic by distracting Angel with other topics. You knew Angel out of anyone would be able to sniff out the fact you had the hots for the radio deer.

But that conversation is what landed you beside the radio demon on the couch, who statically crackled as you did so. “Hello Alastor, you look relaxed today, how’s everything going.” The deers eye twitched, a slight fog of black lingered up and around the couch, his smile strained and you could hear the sound of staticy disembodied voices in and around you.

You weren’t stupid to the fact he didn’t like you for sure now, but you were stupid enough to pretend you didn’t know. So you stayed smiling nervously up at him, but he simply stared forward. And after a few short moments he seemed to perk up ever so slightly snapping up and out of it. “Well my dear, i am doing just fantastic! Today has been one of leisure, i very rarely get to take those!” He exclaimed broadcaster voice in full effect, the smog and stactic zipped away as he composed himself entirely. You relaxed just slightly feeling just a little more welcomed. “That’s good to hear Al, I’m glad you get some time to yourself. You’ve done a lot with your magic for this place. Must be draining.” Alastor hummed daring to take a peak down at you.

You seemed to have all guards down around him, your canines poked out of your mouth slightly, quietly your tail thumped happily beside you, which he admittedly found to be quite adorable and idiotic why aren’t you more alert?. “You’re too kind darling, too kind. But I must go, I have to prepare my dinner.” Standing Alastor dusted himself off and swung his arms behind him, but before he could get anywhere you stood with him, your tail rapidly wagging. “Could i help?” Alastor’s ear twitched at that, his escape plan wasn’t very effective.

“Well, my dear, it’d be a little difficult, i like my meat, fresh.” His voice dropped an octave static taking over his voice, this time though he properly looked down at you, meeting your gaze. It sickened him that the first thing that crossed his mind was how enchanting your eyes are. You were a breed of demon he’d rather not associate with, and any lovey dovey emotion weakened his demonic image, and scrambled his mind with confusing emotions he’d rather not confront.

“Don’t worry Al, Vaggie told me you eat deer, i don’t really see the big deal about that one. Maybe i can try some.. oh do you hunt? I can totally catch it for you, this dog body is built for that!” You said hurriedly standing alongside him hands clasped in front of you almost like you were begging. Never would you say so, but were desperate to spend some time with him, it was stressful walking on eggshells all the time just for him.

Alastor’s eyebrows rose, he was decently pleased with the idea of a hunting partner, shrugging his shoulders he agreed, humming indifferently at you. “Follow me sweetheart, there are no deer out here!” Grinning wildely you skipped behind him, finally getting the attention you so desperately wanted from him. You mostly hid the longing to have the same attention the others got, while he literally pulled the others toward him, he kept metaphorically pushing you away. He never pulled you into song and dance, touched you, talked to you, hell half the time he wouldn’t even look at you as if you were a ghost. You also tried to interrogate everyone on his behaviour without appearing to obsessed, luckily the only one who seemed to notice this frantic questioning was Husk.

Husk was a good guy though, and took it with ease promising to not mention the sudden interest in Alastor and his behaviour. He did warn you to ‘watch your ass’ diggin into business that wasn’t your own. Outside of Husk mentioning that Alastor’s never been a fan of animals, a one off thing you barely paid mind to, the investigation left you empty handed. Nobody at the hotel really understood Alastor’s behaviour. Or Alastor in general, but you held hope they would.

“Here we are my dear,” Alastor exclamiend theatrically swinging his door open and leading you inside to the woody section of his room with his microphone positioned in the middle of your back. The furthest he’s ever gone to touch you, in truth. Focusing your eyes ahead you didn’t look around much, not wanting to be rude and stare at everything, though it was hard. You wanted to see how he liked things in his personal space, when he was all alone.

“Is this like a personal farm or something, are you like a breeder or…” You questioned quirking a brow up at him. Alastor chuckled quietly you could hear an audience echoing his laugh around the two of you. “No no, this!” He exclaimed stretching his arms out toward the greenery. “Is a glimpse straight into the forest, where the freshest of meats frolic.” Alastor looked back at you wicked grin on his face. “Ready to show me what you’re capable of, pup?”

Swinging his microphone around he then stuck it out toward the wilderness. With what he said you felt the need to impress him, so with smile and a nod you took off. After fifteen minutes, you returned. Alastor stood impatiently picking at his claws bored expression gracing his face, although his smile still present. Considering you planned to show off, you came back full demonic form on display and with two deer; one deer, sagged dead between your teeth, the other in your grasp.

Once Alastor decided to look up from his nails, he was petrified, and fought against the urge to flee like the prey he was reborn as. Alastor wouldn’t ever admit his fear directly but it was palpable, you could even smell it on him thanks to the fact you had the heightened ability to smell the stress hormones. To Alastors defence you appeared more dog than sinner at this point, a twisted mutation of what could’ve been a dog or possibly werewolf, he wasn’t sure and honestly neither were you. What he was sure of was that it made him nauseous looking at you and angry that you had that effect on him by simple existing.

Coming back to yourself, and what you’d typically look like, you dropped the deer at his feet, but he only stared at you, particularly your blood covered teeth. “Alastor what’s wrong? Uh, whatever happens in the forest stays in the forest?” You quickly say, panicking at such a display, you didn’t know him that well and visually you couldn’t entirely pick up on what he was thinking but you could pick up the way his blood rushed quicker through his veines, and how he clenched his teeth tighter than ever. “Nothing.” He snapped out fast as ever, but what shocked you most is the radio static in his voice left completely, you actually heard him.

Stepping an inch closer, testing the waters, you slowly reach out to his arm. Your gaze was locked on his eyes to try and find anything that could have given you the slightest hint at whether or not to pull away, but you found none. So crossing your fingers, metaphorically, you closed the small gap between you and him, very gently placing your hand on his arm.

Quietly you spoke. “I’m not sure whats wrong Al, but i know something’s up, and I know how you like to protect your image so don’t worry, i swear on my after life i won’t tell a soul about this.” Much to his dismay, he gave into your words of comfort, his posture falling slightly. Alastor’s smile never fell, but other parts of him did, like his ears and finally his eyes. He looked down to you and you could finally tell something was seriously fucked with how easily he let himself give in. “I was attacked by dogs before i died, is all, my dear. Ahhh, sometimes those pesky human emotions still remain present.“

“Is that why you avoided me?” You questioned putting the pieces together. With more confidence you moved a step closer to him, and he made no moves to stop you. “Yes, I apologize for my rude display, I’m not fond of dogs.” You inwardly scoffed. Dog, you were like, more of a werewolf anyways which was way cooler. “Well Alastor, what better way to overcome discomfort than befriending a dog! Than you’ll never have to worry about any dog sinner getting the upper hand!” Somewhere in that sentence was comedy gold, apparently, considering Alastor erupted into insane laughter which just had you awkwardly standing there watching as he vibrated joyfully.

Once his cackling was finished, he wiped away a non existent tear and bent toward you. With a pinch of your cheek Alastor gently shook your head side to side. “How adorable you are, someone getting the upper hand? On me? Ahah! Now i see why you and Husker get along so well! Silly little house pets, assuming such silly things.” You gently pushed his hand away a little upset by the quick switch in demeanour, not that he’s not been like this before, he was known for this. “Well, whatever, i meant well. Anyyhoo, does that mean we’re cool now?”

Al cocked his head to the side, repeating ‘cool’ to himself as if he didn’t know the word before shaking his head, and confirming that you two were indeed ‘cool now’. “Perhaps we should hunt together more often my dear, after all i’ve never had someone bend over and swear secrecy in return for nothing. You must be dying for a little bit of private time with me.” Gaping at him you watched as he turned his back and started a walking away. Snapping his fingers, the deer disappeared from your feet and reappeared on a table, big enough for two.

“Yeah right, I’d never that’s, uh, barf y’know.” You muttered collecting yourself, still a little ashamed he had seen right through you. “Come, dig in! After all this was your catch my little pet, it’d be so unkind to leave you without. Dogs do enjoy that, correct? Rewards.” Now sat across from him, your mouth fell in a flat line, ears drawn down. “Yeah, sure, just as much as deers like to be eaten huh? Why don’t you hop up on the table deer, doggy wants their reward.” You shot back, possibly a bit flirtatiously as you’d truly prefer him being your treat, your reward.

A record scratch sounded out from him, effectively causing a silence to wash over the two of you. You coughed, and a meek smile graced your face as you eyed the meat in front of you, then back to his eyes. Alastor seemed to be in quiet contemplation as he looked at you, his smile once open, now closed but his eyes relaxed signalling that he wasn’t going to launch himself over the table and maim you for what you said.

You both sat watching each other seeing as he made no movement or noise. The silence made your worried mind wander, while other parts of your mind foolishly wondered if what you said sparked any particular interests in him.

After all, you believed it was pretty hard to miss the double entendre there especially when you purred it out to him like a horn dog succubus. Sitting up straighter in an attempt to conceal your anxieties, you met Alastors calm gaze that never strayed from your form. It was like he could see straight into your mind and your heart kicked up with the worry of ‘could he read fucking minds.’

“So! I’ve seen you and the spider have gotten along swimmingly. Tell me, why does such a shy thing like yourself prance around with such a fellow? One that draws unruly attention wherever he goes?” Alastor finally broke the silence materializing a fork and a knife to dig into his meat. You were relieved the tension finally broke and you could move past the comment, for now. However bringing up the topic of Angel seemed quite calculated on his part.

“Angels amazing, especially when you get to know him Al. Plus, he knows what it’s like to be pushed around by men, he never puts me in the position where i’m the target of some sleazes desire.” You rant turning the dead deer towards you, not bothering to ask for cutlery as you planned to dig in- claws and teeth. “Hm, i suppose that could be true my dear, but i can’t help but be skeptical seeing how utterly opposite the two of you are.” You waved a hand lazily, ripping into the deers leg and nawshing down.

“I don’t even know what you mean by that.” Alastors eyebrows quirked at your rude gesture, that being speaking with your mouth full, but he wasn’t too surprised as he reminded himself you were just a dog. “It’s as clear as a sunny day pup! You are so unsure of yourself! Oh my, I just love watching you shrink into yourself at the sight of any demon outside the hotel. One of my favourite past times is walking around the ring with you as you shake like a chihuahua that lost its mother!” You watched mouth full as he threw his head back and laughed, again, quite theatrically.

The laugh track sounded with him as he did so, his ears perked happily, hand draped over his heart. You couldn’t be mad at what he said when he just looked so, adorably goofy. Obviously you hated being in hell and near other sinners, they were gross the majority of them wanted to harm you in some way, so you weren’t bothered at all that he could tell you were afraid of them, but you were curious as to why he decided to steer the conversation this way.

“Well Alastor, we’re all afraid of something. Oh and by the way- even though you only come to watch me cower- i still enjoy whenever we go out together.” You admit switching between inspecting your meat and looking at Alastor as he ate his. Alastor covered up the shock that he felt by taking a few silent bites. Briefly he reflected on what there was to like, after all he barely spoke to you during the outtings, he always walked fast and slightly ahead of you so you were always racing to catch up, he couldn’t find a single reason you’d enjoy being with him.

“Do you?” He finally inquired his head falling to the side, looking up to him you nodded, swallowing before speaking this time. “Yeah, truthfully it’s entertaining to me too. Watching everyone around us move away from you, whisper n gossip about you, all while you pay no mind with your head up, unbothered. Oh! And your radio too, I am not sure if you notice, but when you hum your radio just hums out with you, it’s nice especially since i’m too afriad to put in a headset. Oh and of course, you make me feel safe.”

Leaning forward slightly, Alastor placed his silverware down and placed his elbows on the table. Behind him his tail subconsciously wagged, pleased to hear that you had felt safe with him. It was an unusual emotion that sparked through his chest and he wasn’t entirely comfortable with it. It made him feel like he was loosing control to another sinner, and that was a big no no.

Alas, Alastors curiousity outweighed his distaste for the emotion soaring through him and instead decided to full speed ahead into it. Perhaps because that felt like he in some way gained control back by choosing to breathe into it rather than run. “I’m pleased to hear that my dear,” Alastor started slowly, dragging out his words buying him time for what to say next. “Had I known before i could’ve arranged something. You do know i have quite the little posse of shadows on my side, correct?”

Alastors eyes were lidded watching you lean back in your seat ever so slightly, shadows beginning to wisp around the floor by your feet. “I didn’t think you’d do that for me Al.” Resting his head on his hand, he ‘tsked’ at you. “And why is that my dear.” The expression on your face read pretty clearly as ‘are you kidding me’ but Alastor wanted to hear you speak. “To me it was pretty obvious, up until this point I had asssumed you hated me!”

The frustrated exclamation really didn’t bother him, instead he kissed his teeth, rolled his eyes and shook his finger like a scolding mother. “Silly pup, you know what they say about assuming, it makes an ass out of you and me.” Rolling your eyes right back you cracked a smile at him. It seemed to you he was trying to banter along with you, which was progress, and made your stomach flip. “Oh shush Alastor, you absolutely loathed my presence up until you could find a use for me.”

Alastor hummed flatly, checking out his claws. “Not true.” Snapping his fingers the deer left untouched disappeared leaving the table barren. Alastor stood and undid his coat walking away leaving you hanging. Shocked by his sudden reaction, you stood the table vanishing behinfd you. “What do you mean Al?” He hung up his jacket, now left only in his vest you standing behind in patiently. Once hung up Alastor turned to you and smiled mischievously down at you. Before you could question him, he grabbed your face under your chin and grasping your cheeks.

“Oh my silly little dog, you think your form was the only thing pushing me away. No,” Gawking up at him as he invaded your space for the first time in your months of being here, he stood inches away from you forcing your head up to look into his eyes. “I admit, i’ve been dealing with more unpleasant emotions than fear. You’re quite divine, you know.”

You felt like you were melting and your heart raced in your chest and the radio demon looked down at you with a softness you’d never seen in his eyes before. His hand released your cheeks and instead he started gently caressing you, loving the way you shivered just at his touch. “You’re hard to put up with, my dear. Allow me to confess you’ve been the the most difficult sinner to rid from my mind. Silly as that may be. I have ridiculous thoughts about what you may think of me, how i look, my golly i even ponder whether you desire my presence when i push you away. I also wonder what other undeserving sinners have your attention, have their paws on you.”

As he spoke he inched closer to your face, his hand cupping your cheek while the other ghosted up your arm, barely making contact with your flesh. You felt weak at the knees as he hovered above you with suck a coy smile, his red eyes looking straight into your own. “Al..” You trailed off almost warningly, but all he did was hum lazily bringing his face even closer to yours.

You could smell his fragrance one you couldn’t fully pinpoint as one thing. Definitely a cologne of sorts, mixed with blood, deer guts, and the faintest scent of pine. “Tell me sweetheart,” Alastor started dragging his hand from your cheek to gently grabbing your neck, making you swallow. “Do you hold the same interest in me as i do you?”

He almost sounded as if he was mocking you when he asked, but you were too lost in a haze from this fucked up foreplay he had going on to notice. Instead you nodded just barely moving your head but you knew he’d see it. “Of course you do, good little pup. I noticed.” Alastor hissed out darkly before pulling you by your neck flush against his body.

You squeaked but it was hushed by Alastors lips connecting with your own. You hands flew up to his chest grabbing on for dear life. In fairness the kiss was pretty soft, but you were so shocked your body reacted a bit harshly. He kept his smile against your lips, you matching his pace unashamed at how quick you kissed him back. His right hand kept on your throat controlling how close you were to him while his other hand danced up to your head to push your lips closer to his.

Pulling away abruptly Alastor shot up straight suddenly holding you at a distance by both shoulders. Your body ragdolled to his command barely catching your footing as you were in a lovey dovey haze. “Perhaps that is enough for today! Don’t want to get carried away now! You deserve proper treatment from a gentlemen!” Broadcaster voice back in play, you winced as he tonned down his volume for quite awhile up until this point.

However your annoyance didn’t last seeing as Alastor actually wanted to go out with you, so instead you smiled up at him. “How kind of you Al, maybe we can have more deer?” Dusting yourself of invisible dirt, Alastors hands retreated behind his back. “Of course my deer sounds like a gas! But for tonight perhaps we should relax. I have to get to a meeting within the next few hours, but i thoroughly enjoyed our time today!”

Smiling at him as he lead you to his door this time his hand pressed gently against the small of your back. “I really enjoyed it too Al, especially the part when you kissed me that was my fave.” You teased watching as he looked away his ears tilting to the sides ever so slightly.

“Yes, well, i did as well. Now then! Carry on i must get appropriate, ta-ta!” He exclaimed pushing you out of his room and shutting the door behind you, and while you giddily ran off hyped to tell Angel about everything, Alastor collapsed against the door smile strained heart pounding in his chest, incredibly uncomfortable with how to deal with these emotions, but please at the same time with experiencing something he’d not felt before.

[iwritefandomimagines]

DRIVING LESSONS — JESS MARIANO

based on a request

masterlist

pairing: jess mariano x reader

description: you should’ve known that asking jess to teach you to drive would be a mistake if you actually wanted to learn to drive.

warnings: swearing. other than that just flirty teasy jess mariano which is my fav thing.

author’s note: thanks for this request eeeek i love it so much im sorry it took so long to get out. i hope you enjoy! it’s pretty short but short n sweet !

———

“Y’know, I should be charging you for this.”

You rolled your eyes, hands firmly on the steering wheel as you turned briefly to shoot Jess a stern glare, “We only just got in the car, Mariano.”

“You’re right, I’d charge by the hour. We’ll see how you go,” he teased, before one-by-one explaining the mechanisms of the car that you needed to know to get started, “Think your pretty little brain can remember all that?”

You scoffed, “My pretty little brain can handle it just fine. Might wanna tone down the condescension, big guy.”

“I have been working out, I’m glad you’ve noticed,” he flexed his arms for a moment and licked his lips as you rolled your eyes, “Big, huh?”

With a shake of your head, you pressed your palms against the steering wheel almost exasperatedly, “Your ego is, yeah.”

Jess just smirked, lowering his arms and folding them across his chest.

He looked out at the empty parking lot surrounding you for a moment and then back across at you, “You’re cute when you’re pissed off with me.”

“Are you going to teach me to drive or just flirt with me, Jess?”

He quirked his eyebrow, “Men can multitask too you know? See, while you juggle learning to drive and glancing over to ogle at me, I can teach you to drive and make you blush.”

Before you could stop yourself you glanced up at the rear view mirror, catching sight of the fact that he wasn’t lying — your face was stained a deep crimson.

“Again, surprised you can fit in the car with the size of your ego,” you mumbled, eyes on the parking lot again as you avoided meeting his.

He laughed, “Or my big arms, huh?”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the most annoying person on the planet?” you huffed, narrowing your eyes at him as amusement continued to spread across his features.

He contorted his face into an expression of mock horror, “Me? Never! Most intelligent, sure. Most handsome, maybe. Annoying? Doesn’t ring a bell.”

You pulled the handbrake and switched off the engine completely now, hands still gripping the wheel as you shifted your body to look at him fully.

Your expression was challenging him.

You were getting absolutely nowhere, and the flustered feeling flitting through your body at every moment of this conversation wouldn’t help even if he was multitasking.

“Shall we just save the lessons for another day? I’ve had a long day anyway,” you frowned, heaving in a deep sigh as he shook his head dramatically.

His brows had raised to give off the look of an unimpressed school teacher, tutting as he crossed his arms, “Giving up so easily? My, my, Y/N, here I thought you were resilient.”

“I put up with you on a regular basis, Mariano, I’d say I’m pretty fuckin’ resilient alright,” you huffed, growing only more irritated by his ever present smirk, “I’m not driving another inch right now.”

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged, leaning to open the car door and get out, which left you scowling.

You were so flustered you’d entirely forgotten that he’d driven you out to the empty parking lot you were currently sat in, and he was getting out to switch sides with you.

“I know you like me, babe, but I can’t sit on your lap to drive you home,” he teased as he rounded the front of the car, opening your door, “You gettin’ out or do you just wanna waste time so you can stay in my company?”

You scoffed, “Like you’re just going to drop me home. Fifty bucks says you drive us to the diner so you can loiter ‘round me all evening.”

“Fifty bucks, hey?”

“Oh get lost, Mariano.”

It was his turn to scoff now, “Like that’s what you want. You wish I’d loiter around you.”

You stepped out of the car with a shake of your head, your arm brushing against his as you slipped past to walk around to the passengers seat.

You tried to ignore the jolt of electricity in your veins at the contact, but you could tell that he’d noticed your briefly widened eyes.

The smirk on his face only grew.

“Home it is,” Jess feigned a sad sigh, “I’ll go piss Luke off and eat my body weight in fries all alone.”

“Who’s desperate for whose company now, huh?”

Jess shrugged, a teasing tight-lipped smile on his face, “Oh, still you. I’m just saving you from having to get all red faced and stuttery when you beg me to come inside when I drop you home.”

“You wish.”

“No, I know. But like I say, I’m a gentleman.”

You nudged his shoulder. “Oh sure. Such a gentleman you can’t even actually tell me you like me — which you so blatantly do — and choose good old fashioned teasing instead.”

He looked offended for a moment, turning to face you and leaning against the steering wheel with a pout, “Am I that transparent? No shit, Sherlock. It’s called flirting and as we’ve established it’s reciprocated.”

“Well at what point are you going to do something about it?”

Jess tutted, “At what point are you going to do something about it?”

You sat silently for a moment, completely still except for both of your eyes flitting between each other’s eyes and lips.

“Fine, I concede,” Jess raised his hands up in surrender, shaking his head, “But only because I think I might pass out if I don’t kiss you right now.”

You smirked, leaning forward for a moment, “Oh, don’t tempt me to reject you with a promise of temporary peace.”

“You wouldn’t dream of it,” he licked his lips, hand reaching up to curl around your chin, “Not when you feel the exact same, huh?”

You drew in a sharp breath, the touch of his hand pricking goosebumps on your skin.

Obviously he was right, and there was no way you could handle going even another second without kissing him.

You leaned into his touch, lips meeting his with the urgency of all of the pent up passion of just how long you’d been waiting to kiss him.

The console between you was a frustrating obstacle, but one you were both more than happy to deal with in this moment.

A few minutes of frantic kisses and sweet nothings later, you finally pulled back and Jess readied himself to start the car almost immediately, biting his lip to hide the smirk returning.

“No offence, Jess, but I think I should get a real teacher if I actually want to learn to drive,” you bit your lip, watching him laugh.

He shrugged, “No, I get it. Hopefully your next teacher isn’t so ruggedly and distractingly handsome so you can focus.”

“Ruggedly handsome?” you scoffed, “And it’s you who was distracted, sir. What was it you said… you might pass out if you didn’t kiss me?”

He huffed in surrender, “Aren’t you just lucky your dream guy is such a romantic poet?”

“Sure,” you snorted, “A pleasure to be your muse.”

He leaned over to kiss the corner of your lips once more, a small gesture that sent your stomach aflutter with butterflies.

It felt almost reassuring — like he was asserting that this wasn’t just him being a horny teenager wanting to make out with you, but that he had actual feelings.

“Back to your castle, princess?” he joked, immediately wondering whether he was pushing his luck even though he was teasknf, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. We’ll go to Luke’s.”

You hummed, shaking your head for a moment as he turned to narrow his eyes at you before pulling out of the lot.

“I’m not making out with your uncle watching, you perv,” you rolled your eyes with a small laugh, “Let’s go to my place.”

His grin widened again, his foot on the ignition and his eyes on the road immediately.

“Your wish is my command.”

———

thanks so much for reading! as always, please let me know what you think <3 i hope you enjoyed — and if you want to read more of my stuff, here’s my masterlist

[urprettylittlething]

In The Shadows

Purge Alternate Universe

Yandere - Gojo Satoru x Reader x Geto Suguru

A/N - Okayyyy I've been working on this for like a week and it's the longest I've ever written for one thing, I had a shoulder injury which is mostly healed up now during the week which hindered my progress a little because I originally really wanted this to get out nearer Halloween time, but oh well TT at least its here now right? Lmao, but I hope you guys enjoy it, I tried my best and lowkey kind of hate it, I wished I could've done more or something, but if you have any ideas around this for a possible part 2 let me knoww, although no promises ;) Consider this a massive thank you story, I now have over 100 followers and the likes and reblogs and comments, you guys, I'm crying, I love you all so much <333333 I love interacting with you guys and your comments on my stories or in my inbox <3333 you all make my day ilysm <3 :( AND IM SORRY I COULDNT HELP IT, they're kind of really mean so its more harsh yandere than the soft you all wanted :( I couldn't help myself its a purge AU TT, but I promise ill make something softer in the future <33 sorry this is so long omfg, but let me know your thoughts pretty please &lt;3 and if you actually read all of this ily

summary - Another purge night is here and you think your safe and sound, but let your guard down and you'll find yourself bound.

warnings - purge, mentions of 'off screen' murder, actual 'off screen' murder, kind of gore but reader doesn't see it, blood, rope, reader gets tied up, gags?, tape over readers mouth, they're actually kind of really mean lol, especially Geto, descriptions of panic, anxiety, overthinking, stalker situation kind of, swearing, crying, brief hair pulling, if there's any more let me know ml <3

genre - Oneshot

wc - 7.2k

~spelling and grammar fixed already~

Edit - the top photo 6/11/23

The tip tapping of fingers on keys echoed around the silent room. The occasional footfalls of people around her walking up and down. Picking up books to further aid their studying would slip past the music playing in her ears when they were loud enough.

Every time she would hear someone being a little too loud for the library they were in she would glance up and shoot a half-hearted glare their way.

They’d never see her but it was the thought that counted. A barely audible sigh escapes her as she brings a hand up to massage her cold fingertips into the throbbing skin at her temple. 

Nervous nibbling was occupying her teeth and lips, chewing away the flesh and creating tender spots her tongue would soon soothe. 

She’d been staring at the same empty document for two hours now. No more than two sentences she was able to come up with before she’d erase them in a fit of frustration.

Abandoned textbooks lay closed behind her laptop, she’d deemed them no use around thirty minutes in, but she couldn't bring herself to get up and search for better ones. 

She was antsy, not able to focus on her assignment due in a week's time. Her brain was all fogged up, too many thoughts going through her mind and yet she's not able to focus on a single one.

The purge was tonight. March 21st. And it was currently 1pm. 

Why did she even bother to come to the library in the first place? Was she hoping to distract herself even just a little bit before she had to hunker herself down in her dorm for twelve hours? 

Maybe. Yes.

Was it working? Absolutely not.

She was too skittish. Overthinking everything that had the potential of happening later and things that have previously happened. 

‘Someone's not going to come and try to kill me just because I forgot to return their pen that one time, right?’ 

The amusing, albeit a little dark, thought did make the corner of her lips twitch just the smallest amount. 

Taking off her headphones after stopping her music, she closes down her laptop and starts to move it into her bag. 

She spares a quick glance around the few tables next to hers as she stands with the library's books in her arms. Her eyes locked with a man sitting roughly two tables down. Slumped back in his seat.

Gojo Satoru. Bright white and fluffy hair paired with a set of dazzling blue eyes. The ones currently peeking over the tops of his round shades that had slid down his nose as he tucked his head down slightly. 

Sitting in front of him and abstracting her view of Gojo only slightly is who she assumed was Geto Suguru. Two peas in a pod and never seen without the other. The long black and silky strands of hair tied up in a half up bun was a giveaway to who he was as well.

Both of them were originally from Tokyo, Japan. Coming over to America over five years ago. Or at least that's what she’s heard from around the place, not knowing them personally. They were the most popular boys in school when she had joined a little over a year ago and they still held the title strong.

She doesn’t think she's ever really interacted with them. At Least not on any kind of personal level. Sure, maybe from a few friends of friends or passing each other in the hallway and being polite to her upperclassmen, but nothing all that memorable. 

Which is why this prolonged eye contact is sending a very noticeable shiver down her spine. The smallest twitch of a smirk on his face and she was breaking eye contact, gulping down the pooled saliva in her mouth as she turned around and hastily made her way in between the towering bookshelves.

Leaving the library after stacking the books she’d previously taken back on the shelves, she hastily makes her way down the long corridors. Keeping her head down, her hands clutched tight on the strap of her bag. She passes very few people in the hallway.

Even after pushing through the doors and trekking her way to the dorms at the end of the path, there were very few people loitering around outside. Some of the people she passed looked like they could be stoned, not that she could really blame them. Some looked a little too relaxed and happy and some were just trying to get to their destination as quickly as possible. Like her.

As the doors came into view, and then the stairs, she slowly began to relax, her fast pace lessening up. Successfully getting to the safest place she could for when the purge would start. 

It was also a massive relief that her two good friends would be staying with her during the twelve hours of horror. Last time she was by herself there had been multiple scares throughout the night. Nothing too big but something she didn’t think she could handle alone again. 

Reaching her door on the third floor she fiddles with her keys for a few seconds before her door clicks open and she pushes her way inside. Closing the door and locking it again for good measure. 

It was 1:43 pm.

A few minutes after she had arrived back at her dorm did she realize she still needed to pick up some food items. Being a broke student meant she had essentially nothing in her cupboards or her fridge. And if she was ‘hosting for the purge’ this year, it meant she had to stock up at least a little bit. 

‘Imagine trying to hide from a killer and your stomach growls, I think I would just die on the spot.’ She thinks, the smallest smile gracing her face. Humour is usually her way to cope in situations like these. It’s either that or panicking and she’d rather try to save that for the main event.

With a heavy sigh and hesitation weighing her limbs down, she slowly puts her shoes and jacket back on. She can make this quick. In and out. Easy peasy. 

With a quick jump while shaking her limbs out to get rid of her last minute hesitation, she quickly opens her door and steps out before shutting it behind her. No going back now. Locking the door behind her, she starts making her way back down the stairs and out the doors, walking in the direction of the food store. 

Her nerves were still playing up though, eyes darting this way and that as if trying to find a reason for her to panic. ‘It’s okay, the purge hasn’t started yet, all those things are still illegal.’ Is what she keeps telling herself while taking a deep breath. But the fact they won’t be in a few hours was still cause for some panic. 

Arriving at the store, she wizzes around, collecting any good looking snack and throwing it in her basket before hastily paying and leaving. The heavy plastic carrier bag hanging from her fingers gave her reason to think she went a bit overboard. 

Her quickened steps and accelerated breathing were all she could hear for a while. Her walk back to her dorm was supposed to be a quiet one, less and less people were loitering around meaning less and less noises to distract her. 

Especially from the new set of footsteps that have appeared behind her.

As soon as her mind clocked the extra set of footsteps there, it went into overdrive. ‘Who is that? Are they following me? No, you're being delusional, they're just trying to get back home. But are they? They just appeared out of nowhere. Are they going to try and kidnap me? Rape me? Stuff me in a van? Drag me down a dark alleyway and murder me?’

Her mind was racing, steps quickening and breathing silenced under the new threat. ‘Oh god, what if they’re stalking me? Waiting until the purge starts to come and slaughter me? They’re going to kill me. They’re going to kill me. What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?’

And then they were gone. 

It barely registered in her mind that the fast paced footsteps from behind her had vanished. A sharp breath escaped her before her head whipped around on a desperate whim. No one. Not a soul on the path behind her. 

Her shoulders sank with relief and a watery laugh broke free from her trembling lips. ‘I’m losing my mind.’ She thought. Even though that feeling in her gut had faded, it never fully disappeared. Her racing heart never slowed and neither did her footsteps. 

Y/n hurried back to her dorm, almost running through the doors and up the stairs to fumble with her keys and quickly burst in. Double checking she locked the door behind her, and then checking every other lock on her third story apartment. Only when she had made sure they were all secure could she finally relax. 

Her body shivering and hands shaking from the after effects of adrenaline. Her breathing is still a little shaky as she pulls a bunch of pillows and blankets into her tiny living room. Pushing her chair and sofa away to make more space as she lays everything out as neat as she could, making the floor a comfy space for her and her two friends to crash for the purge. 

She empties the snacks from out of the plastic bag and piles them in a nice little corner near the TV. A small stack of movies there for when they’re all waiting for the purge to start. Some cards in a pack were also placed there. 

The three of them are wanting to be as quiet as possible while the purge is going on. Everything locked, curtains drawn, lights off, TV with no volume and only subtitles, quiet games to play in case they got bored, etc. 

They weren’t taking any chances. It was doubtful anything would happen, since nothing really ever did in the dorms. No student here would go as far as murdering somebody, everyone mostly stayed inside, not wanting to risk anything. She only knew of a few people that have snuck out before to rob a few stores, or do some petty revenge like smashing someone's car without getting into trouble.

But overall, it was best to remain quiet. They didn’t want to get murdered because the TV was turned up too loudly and attracted some wrong attention. 

It was 5:15 pm.

This is the time her friends arrived. Knocking some made up code on the slab of wood before messaging just for good measure that it was really them outside. 

After unlocking the door and letting her two good friends inside her dorm she swiftly closes and locks it again. Relieved greetings transpire as well as nervous whispers about the purge and some small gossip of who they think would actually go out this year and who are likely to stay inside. 

The three of them start to make their way around her dorm, closing all the curtains and double checking the locks on all the windows and doors. Especially the balcony and front door. 

After they’ve secured the apartment, they turn off all the necessary lights, flicking on a few electrical lanterns and setting them up around the living room, but away from the windows. They’ve left one lantern in the bathroom and one in her bedroom, both turned off, just in case of emergencies.  

The three of them settle in a spread out pile on the blankets she put down in the living room. Some snacks are passed around already and a movie is slotted into the TV, playing as background noise mostly while they talk.

Erica, a sassy but kind of dumb girl, with choppy shoulder length hair that had been bleached and dyed a light green. She's donned in a crop top and sweatpants, comfy.

Don, a friendly giant, very kind in nature but also a little muscly. He has short black hair and a sculpted jawline. He also came in sweatpants and a baggy white T-shirt, also comfy.

Her two very good, and only, friends here. They’re in a few of her classes and all regularly hang out together. 

“So,” Erica begins after her mouthful of powdered donut. “Who do you think is going to actually purge tonight? Like, actually actually. My moneys on them two hotties in my class.” She finishes, wiggling her eyebrows..

Don hums around his half empty soda can. “Yeah, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if they did.”

Y/n pipes up, “Wait who?” sitting up against the sofa behind her, getting comfy like she's about to hear the gossip of a lifetime.

“Oh, Em, G! You haven’t heard of it? You’ve seriously been, like, living under a rock or something.” Erica says jokingly. Picking apart pieces of her donut and eating them. 

Don perks up too. “Really? You haven't?” Y/n shakes her head in denial as Don shrugs. “I get it, it’s mostly stayed in our class, hasn’t spread much further than that.” He says before crawling forward and rummaging around for more snacks.

“So get a load of this right!” Erica sits up too after finishing her donut. Waving her hands excitedly as she tells her latest gossip. “You know them two really hot upperclassmen right?” She draws out her ‘really’ and waits patiently at the end of her sentence for the other girl's confirmation. 

When she nods in slight confusion, Erica continues, “There were some major rumours in class that the two of them were late this one day because they were beating someone up. And I don't mean like a few slaps or hair pulling, I mean punches. You know?”

Y/n nods again, this time with furrowed brows and Erica continues, “At first, I didn’t believe it, obviously. But then, the two of them came into class and I swear there were blood stains on their clothes. Blood stains! Not to mention all the plasters and bandages all over their hands! I just had to believe it then! Wouldn’t you?”

After the end of her long rant she slumps back against the front of the sofa and mumbles incoherently to herself shaking her head while pouting.

Don, who had been listening silently, pipes up, “It was true, I was actually there for once.”

Y/n’s eyebrows raise in disbelief at what she had just heard. Fighting, here? She couldn’t help but to doubt it, if only just a little. Stuff like that has never happened here. Or at least while she had been here. It was just unheard of.

And for an attack so vicious to result in blood being drawn, then there must have been somewhat of a good reason for it. That was the conclusion she came to.

“I mean, there had to have been a good reason for it.” Y/n says, “They’re pretty nice people aren't they? It is Gojo and Geto were talking about here, right? They’re really popular here too.” Her eyes darted between her two friends, looking for more answers on this unexpected juicy gossip.

Erica sighs wistfully, “No, it got shut down pretty quick, which I guess is why so little people have heard about it. God, would I pay to see them fight though. Their muscles must have looked amazing.” 

They stop talking about it after that, Don getting distracted by the snacks and whining about how she didn’t get his favourite. Erica smacking him with a few pillows and complaining how he’s getting in the way of her movie she was barely even watching. 

Their playful banter did little to distract from her inner turmoil. A small shiver went down her spine again. The memory from earlier in the library resurfacing in her mind. Gojo staring her down, the creepy walk back from the shops and now learning the two had at the very least helped in injuring someone.

It could just be because it was purge day, but everything was beginning to creep her out and she was overthinking again. ‘What if he wants to attack me next? What if all of those things were connected and someone really was following me home? What if he wants to kill me? What if both of them want to kill me? Have I ever done anything to offend them? I haven’t, have I?’ She knew these were far fetched and ridiculous, but she couldn’t help but think of them anyway.

Her spiralling thoughts were halted when a stray pillow smacked her in the face. “Oops, haha, sorry.” Erica sheepishly apologized, bringing her hand up to smooth down Y/n’s ruffled hair. Don was laughing in the background.  

Y/n was stunned for a few seconds before replying, “Oh, don’t worry. How about we put something else on? This movie is kind of boring.” crawling across the piles of pillows and blankets to reach the stack of movies.

This caught the other two’s attention, eagerly rushing to the stack as well to try and get first pick. Arguing for a few more minutes before settling on a movie they all loved. Snuggling back into their original positions.

This was how the next few hours went before the announcement appeared.

It was 6:59 pm.

At exactly 7 on the dot, the TV went black before turning blue, the government announcing the commencement of the purge. Big bold letters and ‘Emergency Broadcast System’ and ‘This is not a test’ were displayed on the screen.

They were all quiet as it played out. The mood quickly turned sombre.

“Weapons of class 4 and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted.”

Don gulped.

“Government officials of ranking 10 have been granted immunity from the Purge and shall not be harmed.”

Erica huffed.

“Commencing at the siren, any and all crime, including murder, will be legal for 12 continuous hours.” 

Y/n shivered.

“Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7 am when The Purge concludes.”

She released a shaky breath. The announcement ends with “...A nation reborn.” before stopping. The screen turned black again.

No one moves or says anything. Each of them were frozen in an array of emotions. Fear being the most prominent. 

The silence stretched on for minutes. Eerie in its wake, not even being able to hear other people in their dorm rooms like she normally would.

Eventually, after releasing another shaky breath and rearranging herself with trembling limbs, they all snap back into the present. 

Don coughs and Erica shuffles awkwardly. 

“Cards, anyone?” Y/n meekly speaks up. The other two nod as they sit in a small circle. 

It was 7:36 pm.

This was when the first explosion of some kind was heard by them. Each of them froze in the middle of playing their mostly silent game of cards. The noise was distant, but the impact remained.

A scream from a few doors down echoed in the silent space.

They waited with baited breath for any follow up, but when nothing happened, they slowly relaxed. Each of them assumed it was the explosion that must have scared someone. Sometimes it’s better to think of the positive, rather than what that scream could have been for.

A few minutes later a siren bellows in the distance, a few car alarms wail.

Nothing too bad, but knowing that it could mean someone was being murdered out there didn’t give them any ease.

It was 8:02 pm. 

This is when the banging starts. Y/n thinks it could be a few doors down again. Erica thinks it’s below them and Don thinks it’s above them. 

Wherever it was, it was concerning. 

Erica releases a small nervous chuckle. “Maybe someone is just having a good time?” A fake smile plastered on her face to try and mask her worry. Even she didn’t believe her little theory. Not during a time like this, during The Purge.

It was a few minutes later, after they had quietly resumed their game, that footsteps were heard.

Clacking down the hallway. 

1, 2.

1, 2. 

1, 2. 

1, 2. 

They were walking at a leisurely pace. Taking their time. Strolling down the hallway and getting closer and closer.

All three of them looked towards the door, as if someone were to burst in at any moment.

The footsteps slow before coming to a stop. Right outside her door.

The three of them hold their breath, bodies flinching when a light knock rings out into the open space.

Complete silence.

Another knock.

None of them had even noticed the earlier noises had stopped, too focused on the potential threat now right outside the door. Seemingly wanting someone to open up.

Three pairs of eyes dart between each other. Silent questions trying to push their way out without being heard. A few panicked half shrugs and furrowed brows with downturned lips later, another knock rings out.

This time it was a little louder.

Barely audible whisperings of ‘you go’, ‘no you’, ‘fuck no’, ‘who even is it?’ cut through the silence. No one wanted to ask the question. To even speak a hint of it lest it result in it coming true.

Eventually after a solid minute of panicked, almost silent, squabbling later. A frustrated and frightened Erica pushed herself up. Taking a very obvious deep breath. Eyes closed and silently mumbling to herself before taking a few steps over to the front door.

She tried to be as quiet as she could but each step sounded like it weighed a ton. Every creek and every wobble made to sound the loudest. 

Very quietly bracing her hands upon the door, she leant up on her tiptoes. Peeking into the peephole positioned in the centre of the door.

The two left in the pile of blankets still. Not wanting to even breathe in fear of disturbing whatever was happening in front of them.

A sudden screech of pure panic and fear tore from Erica’s throat. Flailing before landing with a harsh thud on the floor beneath her. Scrambling backwards on her hands and feet, keeping her eyes on the door the entire time.

The two startle and immediately jump up, laboured breathing hindering their lungs from the sudden scare.

“What the fuck? Erica what happened? What was that?” Don frantically whispered. His eyes were also locked on the door. 

Y/n also whispered to her, “Who was that? Erica?” her eyes locked onto her friend, not able to bring herself to look at the door yet.

“It was.. Oh god.. The peep..” Erica wheezed out. The fright took too much out of her with her frantic gasps for air.

A sudden bang echoed into the room. A few more followed before they all realized it was coming from the front door. 

Erica screeched and threw herself back into a standing position, rushing for the kitchen and grabbing any sharp knife her eyes first laid on.

Don stood frozen in fear. Not able to move or barely breathe from the looks of it.

Y/n wasn’t any better herself. Downright terrified. This was her dorm. Her dorm. Which means whoever was outside, was looking for her.

The banging persisted, the person on the other side seemingly determined to get in. This proved correct when the handle started turning whichever way it could. 

She didn’t even realize, terror clouding her senses because when she looked back to her two friends, Don had collapsed into himself, wheezing with little air entering his lungs amidst his panic. Erica was cornered in the kitchen, sobbing, tears flooding her cheeks and ruining her mascara she had in place.

The persistent banging stopped for a second. The faint sound of another pair of footsteps approached from the hallway outside. Muffled talking pursued but it was hard to make anything out, between her pounding heart, Erica’s sobs and the slab of wood in the way, didn’t make for easy hearing.

For Y/n, it seemed there was one second of complete silence. No sobbing, no voices, no distant alarms or explosions, no racing heart, no wheezing lungs. Before chaos sprung onto them.

Suddenly the people outside, because there was another person now, resumed banging on the door. But it didn’t seem like they were ‘just knocking’ anymore. No.

They were trying to break the door down. 

She could see it from the way the door groaned and creaked under the relentless kicking. She couldn't quite tell if they were using their feet, or an object, or whatever. 

All that mattered was that they were trying to get in. And they were going to succeed.

“Move! Hide! We need to hide!” She whisper-yelled. Rushing to Don and tugging on his arm to try and get him to move. He stared at her for a few seconds before his brain caught up, registering what was happening around him. The real danger he was in right now.

“Hide.. Oh god..” He panted, sprinting for the bathroom, the first place his eyes had landed on.

With Don now searching for a place to hide, she ran her way to Erica. Still trying to be as quiet as she could, in the little hopes that they would think she wasn’t here.

“Erica, we need to hide! They’re getting in!” She frantically whispered to her hyperventilating friend. Trying to shake her shoulders, even resorting to lightly slapping her face to try and get her attention. She was desperate.

“Please!” The sound of splintering caught both of their attention. Heads whipping towards the door starting to cave. She wasn’t all that surprised, that slab of wood was a shitty excuse for a door anyway.

Erica suddenly sprung up and dove for the piles of blankets in the living room. Trying to bury herself amongst them, taking the knife with her.

And now that all her friends had been taken care of, she ran for her bedroom. Trying her best not to stumble and fall in the dark hallway. 

As soon as her door came into sight, she gently opened it, gunning for her wardrobe tucked into the corner of the room. Not even looking towards the turned off lantern, she didn’t need them knowing her hiding spot from something so obvious. 

It was already messy anyway, so in her frazzled brain she didn’t bother caring where she tossed piles of clothes and shoes in her room.. They’d hopefully think it was like that in the first place.

After quickly clearing a space big enough for her to curl into, she did just that. Situating herself just right, back pressed against the side of the wardrobe, knees tucked to her chest and pressed against the boxes in front of her. She was sitting on old shirts she hadn’t seen for months.

Hearing the door breaking even further, she grabbed any clothes within her reach and threw them over herself. Shutting the door when she was mostly covered, she could have sworn she could hear laughter coming from the hallway.

A loud crash and splintering tore through the air. She knew it was her front door. And now they were inside. 

Her hands slowly went up to cup around her mouth, trying to muffle her breathing as much as she could. Her body froze. Even when she already began to feel muscle cramps settling in, she dared not move. She forced herself to breathe slowly. Every inhale a struggle along with a reminder that she was still alive at this very moment. Even if she was convinced she wouldn’t be for much longer. 

The thought brought tears to her eyes. The original shock wears from her body and settles into something akin to despair. 

Her throat started clamping up, muscles seizing and throbbing with the need to cry. 

It was the thudding of footsteps that shook her out of it. Snapping her half way back into a nightmarish reality. 

She gulped. Closing her eyes and straining her ears for any information they were willing to receive.

Just as she thought. Two pairs of footsteps. 

With every thud of a shoe or a spike in their muffled talking, her body would tremble. 

It remained like this for a few more minutes. The footsteps or talking occasionally pausing. 

It was during one of these silences, where a different sound was heard. She couldn’t identify the exact sounds, just ones of commotion. They were still all muffled. And then she heard muffled yelling. 

It sounded so dulled, between the walls and layers of wood and clothes, she could barely make out anything, her ears straining for any hint as to what was happening. Being left in the dark like this, literally and figuratively, was terrifying her. 

And then this horrible, awful noise carried its way between the cracks in the wardrobe. Crunching. Cracking. Stomps. 

That muffled yelling from before kept getting cut off. Eventually dwindling down into a barely audible groan. Those thuds never seemed to stop either. Never ending, crunching, cracking, and now wet thuds. 

Her brain was trying its hardest to process, to catch up with the information that it has been provided with. 

More footsteps, only one pair, accompanied with muffled laughter. And a more distinct sound traveling through the air. 

A scream.

Even more laughter, hurried footsteps and pleas of ‘no’, ‘please’, ‘don’ts’. 

It was now, with the wet stomps still in the background, her screeching friend, that eager laugh, that her brain had finally caught up.

She was going to be sick.

They’re hurting them. Killing them.

Her friends.

Her body moved out of its own violation. Shaky hands and feet kicking and pushing their way out of the pile of clothes. Wardrobe door swinging open with a creak.

She collapsed out of it. Slumped on the floor, dry heaving. Her lungs not seeming to take enough air in but yet holding in too much. She couldn’t function. Fear overwhelmed every part of her. As well as grief. 

Her ears were ringing and she was left gasping, drool dripping onto the hard floor beneath her as a result of her attempted vomiting. Eyes wide open, blurry when she tapped back into her mind. 

Tears, clouding her vision and dripping audibly on the floorboards below her. 

In the distance she could hear muffled talking. Two men, she could make out more clearly. Not only that, but squelching, wet, gooey noises seemed to mingle in the air. Gurgling was the next before silence.

A minute passed, maybe two before the footsteps started up again. Those goddamn footsteps. 

1.. 2.

1.. 2.

1.. 2.

But they were slower than before. Steady. Taking their time. 

And getting closer.

Her instincts kick in, blinking profusely to try and clear her eyes from the tears, looking up and darting around before landing on the space under her bed.

She wouldn’t have enough time to fix her spot back in the wardrobe. She couldn’t run past them, not even in her best state which she certainly wasn’t in right now. She had considered her bedroom window as an option, but it was locked, which would take time to open. Not even mentioning the fact she was on the third floor, so jumping out would break at least something important. They would be quick to notice as well, and if they came for her, it was likely they would decide to chase her down.

Under her bed seemed to be her best option at the moment, and she was running out of time. Scrambling as quietly as she could, she slid herself directly under her bed, trying to center herself in the middle of it, tucking herself into a tight ball.

The footsteps stopped right outside her bedroom door, she had enough sense to shut it on her way in, thank god. But that clearly wouldn’t be enough to stop them. 

Almost as if the person was teasing her, they slowly clicked the door open. The distinct creak she had grown accustomed to over the months making itself known. 

Her muscles are tense, tightening in the presence of her predators. 

In the dark space from under her bed and in her room, it was obvious when the light from inside the hallway started spilling in the more the door got pushed open. In the vague depths of her mind it registered that they must’ve either turned the hall lights on, had taken one of her lanterns,  or were carrying one of their own.

Her lungs were burning with the effort to keep her body running with the little air she was allowing them to have, all for the sake of trying to keep quiet.

It was all too silent once again, only for a second or two before the second pair of footsteps came towards her. A lot more hasty compared to the other ones. 

Her breath silently hitched, the new person pushed their way into the room, stepping past their company before a thunk was heard. The sound forced her body to startle, jolting her muscles and kick starting her trembling again. An uncontrollable reaction to the fear she was under, the unrelenting motions causing a deep ache in her ribs.

The sound of rustling was now heard. It seemed they were looking for something. ‘They’re going to kill me. They’re digging around for a weapon to stab me with, to bash my head in, to murder me like they did my friends. I’m dead. I’m dead, I’mdeadI’mdeadI’mdead-’

Her racing thoughts consuming her fear riddled mind failed in picking up the sound of the other pair of footsteps slowly creeping round to the end of her bed. 

The person paused, silently crouching down low before a pair of hands reached under.

The sudden tight grip on her ankles followed up by the sudden pull had her screeching. Pure terror flooding her veins. She had been yanked out from under her bed, lying sprawled on the floor and gazing up at the towering man stationed above her. 

Her lungs burned, seizing up before a sickening scream escaped her. Fuelled by genuine, unrestrained horror. 

They had found her.

One of her lanterns they had brought in illuminated his face in a haunting light. The darkened shadows stretching and contorting behind him to create the most grim image for her mind to paint. Not that it was far off.

A foot standing on either side of her hips, straddling her if it wasn’t for his standing position. Hands nestled comfortably back in his trouser pockets now they had done the job of retrieving her. A comfortable looking long-sleeved shirt adorned his figure. Dark splatters starting from the bottom of his shoes and creeping their way up his legs, tapering off into a few spots that painted one of his cheeks.

An easy smile softly ingrained on his face, followed by gentle looking eyes peering down at her if it wasn’t for the malicious spiral she found herself paralyzed in. Dark locks of hair extended down his back, past where she could see from her position, with the top layers sectioned off and tied back into a bun.

His mouth opened and he spoke. “Well, well. Look what I’ve caught for us Satoru.”

Satoru. The other man must be Satoru Gojo, and this was Suguru. Suguru Geto. The most popular guys she knew, the supposedly kindest. And then staring in the library, the walk back from the shops, the gossip her most likely dead friend had told her.

Her body suddenly felt like it was pumped full of adrenaline. Pushing herself up as fast as she could, using the bed as support all the while stumbling over her numb riddled legs. She took off, running towards the open door she so desperately wanted to pass through. 

A sudden arm snatched her from around her waist and she screeched. Pure instinct driving her at this point as she scratched and kicked and flailed in his, Satoru Gojo’s, hold.

The sound of something dropping before his other arm came round, collecting both her wrists in one hand of his. His grip tightened the more she fought. Her body pressed tight against his, her back to his front. His head situated itself on her shoulder, tucking over and pressing his cheek to hers even while she cried and panted and kicked.

She could feel his grin pressing against the side of her face. “Such a pretty little thing we have here. Can’t let her get away so easily now, can we? Not after all the trouble we’ve gone through.” The last part practically whispered into her ear as she turned her face as far away as possible from him. 

A little laugh boasted out from Geto. “Of course not.” He strolled over to them, bending down to pick up what Gojo had dropped in order to restrain her.

Rope.

Fucking rope.

The moment her eyes zoned in and processed what Geto was unravelling in his hands she tried to fight back even harder. Eyes flooding with tears that spilled down her cheeks. Short mumblings of ‘no’ being repeated over and over while becoming louder until she was yelling. 

“Please don’t do this! Let me go! Please, please.. Stop!” She shrieked while sobbing, convinced they were going to kill her or torture her or something horrible like that.

Gojo walked the two of them to the edge of her bed before forcefully pushing her down, manhandling her onto her front and bending her arms to rest pressing against her back.  

She sobbed into her ruffled sheets as she felt Geto fastening the rope tight around her wrists, the rough material digging into and pinching the sensitive skin. Raw and red marks already forming amidst her struggle. 

Her legs still hung off the bed, trying their best to kick and hopefully injure one or both of them, but she knew it was a losing battle. None of her landing blows made them falter in any way.

When her wrists were successfully restrained Geto kept them pressed to the small of her back while Gojo let go and reached down to grab her ankles. Pulling them up and bending her legs at the knees while they both worked in finishing the task of tying her up.

When they finally stepped back to admire the work they’d successfully done, Y/n deflated. Tears soaking into her bed in which she rested on top of. Her lungs still burned, having never stopped. The hogtied position she had been forced into leaving her nothing to work with in terms of escaping. Not that she could think clearly anyway. The distress she was under proved too much.

“Oh, Shh Sh Sh… There, there, sweet thing. Settle down for us now. We aren’t going to kill you.” Cooed, who she could only guess right now was Gojo.

Geto reached forward from his position of kneeling on the bed, gentle soothing pets stroking her hair. Her sobbing tapering off into hiccupped breathing even while flinching with every touch. “There you go, good girl. See that wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

He pulled away from her, stepping down off the bed and heading towards the previously discarded bag on the floor Y/n hadn’t noticed before..

Y/n slowly turned her head round, no longer pressed into her sheets. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, swollen from all the crying she’d been doing. Little hiccups and groans left her while her lungs tried to recover. She’d given up struggling right now, it had done nothing but cause her pain as the rope dug and squeezed the skin of her wrists and ankles. 

Gojo piped up from behind her, only now feeling the heat from his legs pressing into hers causing her to flinch. “You know, this would’ve gone a whole lot easier if you had just let us in sweetheart.” She could practically hear the smug smile in his voice. “Look at where you are now, tied up all pretty for us. Ripe for the taking.” He pressed closer to her at that, voice practically dripping with need. 

She whined in fear and started squirming at his words. Panic flooding her senses again for just a second before a sharp tug to her hair had her yelping, halting her movements.

“I thought I told you to quit that.” Geto was back to kneeling on the bed in front of her, his hand gripping tight onto her hair, eyes narrowed. 

Her bottom lip trembled, breaths picking up with every second he glared down at her. 

“Don’t be so mean, Sugu.” Gojo said, a teasing lilt in his voice. 

Geto glanced back at him before humming and letting go of his harsh grip, her scalp burning in turn. “I suppose you’re right. She’ll have plenty of time to learn when we take her back home.”

Gojo hummed and she felt him leaning away from her, hearing him crouch down and fiddle with something from the bag as well. 

“Back home?..” She stuttered, voice hoarse and throat dry.

Geto looked back down at her, amusement painting his face. “Yes. Home.”

“Where..” She started, face formed in a twist of concern and confusion. “Please.. I.. Just let me go. I won’t- I won’t tell anyone, I’ll- I’ll leave you alone, I’ll do anything, please..” She gasped out, tears gathered freshly in her eyes again, voice cracking every few seconds. 

An amused eyebrow raised with the hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth was all she got as a response. 

Gojo had come back, reaching round and fastening a strip of duct tape around her mouth in a sudden flurry of movement. Giving her no time to process what he had done until after he had done it. 

She cried out, the sound muffled thanks to the tape, worried eyes darting around in panic as she tried squirming again for the third time. 

Gojo pressed up behind her once again. “You’re not going anywhere, sweet pea! You’re ours now. We’ve had you picked out for a long time now.” The joy in his voice didn’t fail to put her on edge, his words doing their part in helping the tears gathered in her waterline to finally spill down her cheeks. Wetting the tape situated over her lips.

“He’s right.” Geto replied. Bringing one of his hands up to show what he had collected from the bag a few moments ago. The mobile phone in his hands glowed brightly in the dark room, the lamp from before having been moved, the light now dim.

“We’ll bring you back with us soon enough, but we still have a few more hours to kill before that. And why waste them.” Gojo said, the grin in his voice unsettling her, keeping her frozen in fear.

An easy smile pulled at Geto’s cheeks at that, head tilting to the side to gaze down at their pretty prey. 

“Well what are you waiting for then, Satoru?”

A pause. Smile pulling into a predatory grin.

“Have at it.”