#OH did I mention that the last one was made with a custom brush that was just the Catradora kiss scene dialogue compressed?

[ari-kari]

In honor of me finally deciding to relearn to draw - my most tolerable fan works from 2023.

[urfavleo777]

warnings: a mention of death, loneliness, depression. soundtrack: last christmas, santa baby, let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!

this is part 1.

The day before Christmas 10:15 PM

"Oh, thank you so much, Y/n," your boss said warmly. A few strands fell onto her narrow shoulders, caressing the fabric of her burgundy sweater. She was no more than sixty but with her class she would still beat most of the modern supermodels.

You've been working at Josephine's shop since November with the main goal of earning extra money for your college. You needed it to pay for your college tuition. Before, your financial situation was making you suffer. You no longer had any hope. You were even close to dropping out of college. But then Josephine appeared, looking for an employee for her Christmas store. After a very long period of poverty you could finally afford a nutritious meal during the day.

Your previous boss didn't treat you right. He was behind in paying you money, he didn't respect the fact that you had studies outside of work, and there were times when he was verbally violent towards you.

Josephine was always understanding towards you and took an extremely sensible approach to mental health. She assured you many times that if you felt unwell, she would immediately offer you a break from work for a few days. You tried not to take advantage of her kindness, so at ten o'clock in the morning you diligently fulfilled your duties in the Christmas store.

Today was quite… different. It was Friday evening and instead of enjoying your free time in your small apartment, Josephine asked you to take over the duties until midnight.

"I have so much mess to clean up at home, and tomorrow is the day. If you said no, I would probably have let all my grandchildren down. Last year I promised them I will bake cupcakes for the next Christmas. They were so excited and happy about it…"

You giggled at her adorable confession.

"No problem, I swear," you assured her, but the woman didn't seem fully convinced. "Josephine, I don't mind staying here for a bit longer. It helps me to relieve stress a lot."

Josephine pursed her lips. Then she straightened her slightly hunched back and whispered with a soft smile on her face:

"Your soul is so pure. Your parents must be so proud of you."

At the sound of these words, spoken with surprising lightness, you immediately stiffened.

Parents, a thought crossed your mind.

Right. She couldn't know.

You brushed strands of long hair from your cheek, smiling awkwardly. Josephine started looking chaotically for her purse. Once she found it, she hugged you and squeezed your hands. When you felt her warmth in your hands, you froze. No one has ever given you as much love as Josephine did in that moment.

"Thank you so much, Y/n, but I really have to go. I'll make it up to you!" She turned and started towards the exit. When the door opened, frosty night air rushed in. An old guy walked in, passing your boss, but you didn't pay attention to him. Instead, you looked in Josephine's green eyes for the last time. She lowered her voice a bit, continuing. "Merry Christmas, Y/n."

Oh, no one in this world knew how much you hated those words. You swallowed loudly, pushing away the feeling of sadness with all your strength. The sight of the smile on the woman's face made you feel a knot in your stomach.

"Merry Christmas, Josephine," you replied, trying to reciprocate this warm gesture. After a moment, you realized that you had said it to yourself. Josephine was already gone. Now in the room, there was only you and an older customer, probably looking around for gifts for his loved ones.

11:55 PM

"Uh, is anybody there?"

You caught yourself falling asleep, but the stranger's nervous and deep voice woke you up.

You looked up from the till and saw an older man standing in front of you. His white beanie and fluffy Christmas sweater definitely caught your attention. You rubbed your eyes and was about to laugh when you realized how thin he was dressed. Okay, maybe he wasn't that old.

It seemed like he had arrived by car, because no one would wear just a sweater in a snowstorm like that. Before you could respond, the man overtook you.

"Okay, okay. I know you're about to close, but listen to me. This case is extremely serious. I drove all over town and, damn it! All Christmas shops are already closed! Can you help me choose the gifts? If you don't help me, I will be.."

You raised an eyebrow, trying your best not to smile. He got stuck in his little speech, but you had no idea why. Instead of continuing, he lost himself in your gaze, completely ignoring the ticking of the clock behind you. His mouth hung open slightly and his eyes which were already almost black seemed to darken as he focused on you. His body went rigid as he searched your eyes. Your heart was pounding in your chest. He was beautiful. You had never thought of a guy as beautiful, and it was strange. It was strange how he seemed to be looking right into your soul. But you didn't mind. No, you didn't care at all.

Or.. maybe a little bit.

In fact, you were the one who jumped back like someone had burned you when you realized it was almost time to close the shop.

"You must leave this store. Now."

"Huh?" he frowned, distracted. It took a while for it to dawn on him. "No! You can't do this to me."

You took the key out of the locker and were in the process of closing the cash register. Shit. Nobody taught you how to do that. That was always Josephine's responsibility and she was the one who always closed the shop. The man looked at you strangely. You decided to pretend you knew what you were doing.

"Do you even work here?" he mocked.

You felt his eyes on you and you clenched your jaw. You glanced up to tell him to piss off, but then your eyes met and the feeling of anger melted away. His eyes were widened slightly as you looked at him curiously. He felt the nerves radiating off of you. You shot him a tight lipped smile and you felt himself smile back. Fuck.

"Shit," you cussed under your breath. "I have to close the shop now."

You were still struggling to close the cash register.

"I'll help you close it," he muttered, still staring at you but you were too tired to even notice. "I've dealt with this before, too."

"And why should I believe you? Maybe you are some kind of thief? "

11:58. Fuck. The time was passing.

"I am not a thief."

"And why should I believe you?" you repeated the question once again.

"Just google my name," he sighed a little tiredly. You blinked your eyes twice, not knowing what he meant. "Let me buy something for my parents and I'll do whatever you want."

When you heard parents, you forgot what he had just told you. You were definitely traumatized or triggered by the word "parents", which was usually noticeable by the sudden change in your behavior.

Your soft breaths echoed through the whole Christmas shop. You lowered your head, completely embarrassing yourself in front of the potential client. It was the second time today. At least you didn't have to explain yourself to Josephine because you were able to mask it before.

"Please, don't hurt him." Y/n cried. "Please, I can't lose him too."

[…]

"Don't take loans on the black market, or you'll end up just like them."

[…]

"I'm completely alone."

[…]

"Shit, are you okay?"

You looked up, grimace on your face as the tall body of a man came into view. He looked concerned as he crouched down before you. His dark eyes searched for any indication you were in pain and when he saw you weren't he held out his hand for you to take.

"I'm okay," you nodded. "What am I doing on the floor?"

"I saw you fall," he said, as he lifted you up. You brushed the dust and dirt from your jeans. "Does it hurt?"

"No," you shook her head, still stunned. "Not much anyways."

"You hit the ground pretty hard," he frowned. "Maybe you should get yourself checked out."

You let out a forced laugh and he raised a brow. "Honestly, I'm good."

He nodded his head, eyes narrowed slightly before sighing. "Let me take care of you. Need a ride?"

God, just a few seconds ago he was using his all strength to buy something for his parents. Unless..

"Show me your pockets."

"What?" he frowned. He tried to find some clue in your eyes. "You think I stole something?"

God, he was atleast a foot taller than you were and you had to crane your neck to look at him.

"Well, seems like I have no choice," he shrugged.

The two of you fell silent, it wasn't awkward but neither knew what to say. He emptied all his pockets, the only things he had were his phone and his bank card.

You wanted to sink into the ground.

This stranger just offered to help you and you thought he was a thief. You tilted your head back, thinking about your next move.

You sighed, knowing exactly what you should do.

"Take it."

You handed him a matching sweaters that you assumed should be for his parents. He sighed in relief.

He was about to take out his card to pay, but you placed your hand on his, trying to making him understand that he doesn't have to pay.

"Just close the till, please." You smiled, feeling a bit better now. "And make your loved ones happy."

"No," he refused quickly "I have to pay for it. There is nothing for free."

It took a while to convince him not to pay. He finally sighed and accepted the two wrapped gifts from you. After he closed the till, he offered you a ride once again.

"Why don't you introduce yourself first?"

You were just leaving the store. It was cold. That was perhaps the understatement of the century. You couldn't remember the last time you had been so cold: the spiteful wind sliced through you like a sharpened blade, leaving a chill that shook you to your very core, and you tightened the thick scarf around you neck, pulling it up over your mouth. You locked the door and both went away, looking for his car, which wasn't parked that far away.

"It's strange that you don't know me."

"Woah, so you're kind of celebrity?" you laughed loudly. "You've got a big ego, man."

You finally reached his car. You didn't even notice the color because it was too dark and the car itself was covered in snow. But it didn't matter.

"Oh, that's very kind of you. Thank you." You said surprised as he opened the car door for you. He gave you a small smile. You took the front passenger seat. When you heard the sound of the trunk being closed, you realized that he must have been putting the gifts in there. You saw him through the snow-covered window. His hair was messy, and his sweater was slightly damp from the snow. His pink cheeks totally stole your heart. He looked like a little child after playing in the snow for several hours

"I'm Y/n," you spoke up as he appeared next to you. He clicked the heat button, smiling to himself. "Normal people usually say their name after my introduction."

"Who said I was normal?" you rolled your eyes before bursting out laughing again.

"You've got a beautiful name," he said, starting the car. "You can just call me Colby."

His eyes found yours and he smiled brightly. Your tiredness melted away instantly and you grinned back at him.

"Colby," you whispered to yourself.

"Hm?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the road. After a moment you could feel the relaxing warmth.

"Uhm," you cleared your throat. "You've got a beautiful name, too."

The corners of your mouth turned upwards. Eventually you stopped having everything under control. It was inexplicable. Every word this boy said aroused some emotion in you. It was strange because you two had just met.

He wanted to know more about you, every single thing. What you like, what you love. A twisted smile formed on his face. As he continued to steal glances at a female, who remained clueless about his mind.

You glanced out the car window, trying to see anything but darkness. Thanks to the car lights, you could have noticed that the streets were empty, not a person in sight that late, not even the stray dog walker or person who decided to go for a late night walk or run. Cars passed by from time to time, but there weren't many of them.

"Not a single soul." Colby sighed, a dreamy smile on his face as he looked down on the road. You nodded, stifling a yawn.

"I bet most of them are washing windows now," you whined, making him chuckle. "Can you take me to the nearest gas station? It's not far from home."

You noticed a slight disappointment on his face, which he quickly masked.

"Yeah, sure."

For a moment there was silence, and you took the opportunity to organize your thoughts. You wondered if you should start a conversation about what happened at the store. You were sure Colby had been thinking about it the whole time, but he didn't want to be too insightful. Even if he asked about your past, you wouldn't know what to answer him. That your parents owed a debt to evil people and died for not paying it off?

You squeezed your eyes shut at the thought. You stared at the moon, trying to calm your thoughts. Then you took a moment to appreciate that wonderful, breathtaking boy next to you. You looked at him in some kind of admiration. He was so beautiful that you were about to cry. You were so close to burying your hand in his messy hair, but it took all of your strength to hold back. A smirk formed on his face as he noticed you staring at his facial features. Instead of laughing at you, he simply changed the topic.

"How do you spend Christmas?"

"Hm?" you muttered, your voice still laced with sleep.

Colby raised his eyebrows at you. "You got a Christmas tree?"

You looked up at him and were torn between telling him the truth or lying.

"I spend Christmas alone. I don't have, I don't have anyone around me with whom I could share this evening. Also, Christmas are overrated. "

"I can help," he said, the words dropping out before he could think about them. Ordinarily, he calculated his sentences, sometimes spending hours or even days thinking about how he would word something, whether it was an email to a friend or a hypothetical debate. But there was no time for that now, the dilemma thrust right into his face with no escape route.

"What?" You swallowed.

"I can help you," he said. "You shouldn't be alone in this time. If you let me, I'd love to invite you to dinner with my p—. " he stopped mid-sentence. You felt like crying. No one in your life has ever shown you as much love as this man. Okay, maybe except Josephine.

"You don't mean that," you said quietly.

"I do," he said, a little more confidence in his voice now. "Let me help. I'll do anything. You shouldn't be alone. You can't be alone. Can I help?"

A faint smile grew over your lips and you nodded, colour rising to your cheeks as your smile grew. "Thank you. But your family-"

"Oh, they will be delighted to meet you."

He seemed nice enough, you thought, and there were surely worse ways to spend the next couple of hours than accepting his helping hand: you could take your mind off the solitude and maybe even make a friend.

But nothing could help you forget your past.

To Be Continued.

[ryuryuryuyurboat]

coffee. oh, and you too

synopsis: you were ready for an uneventful day at work. what you weren't prepared for, however, was to have a very... interesting conversation with a stranger.

genre: modern au, fluff, crack (an attempt was made)

characters: neuvillette x gn! reader (can be interpreted platonically)

warnings: barista! reader, i did not think this through, reader is referred to in 2nd person, there is NO mention that it's neuvillette until the end...

a/n: starbucks triple-filtered tap water mmm. also. neuvillette. drinks black coffee. hot. likes, reblogs and comments highly appreciated!!

©2023 ryuryuryuyurboat. do not repost, translate, plagiarise, or modify in any way, shape or form.

masterlist

you heave a sigh as you clock in, mentally preparing yourself for yet another mundane shift of cold brews and oat milk lattes. your coworker acknowledges you with a nod and a head pat as he brushes past to clock out, and you hold in the urge to heave yet another sigh as you realise that you are quite literally the only barista manning the counter for the rest of the evening. again. 

“one blonde roast for takeout.”

“okay, coming right up!” 

as your last customer exits the café, you feel like slumping onto the floor– and never getting back up again. your face is sore from the customer service smile, your mood still sour after a previous customer hurled insults at you for his hot flat white order being too hot. 

you look up at the clock. 10 minutes to closing. surely it wouldn’t hurt to start cleaning up? you muse, hands moving to the back of your waist to untie your apron. 

the chimes on the door rings. you pause in your movements and look up– only to see the best-dressed man you’ve ever set your eyes on in your entire life. you don’t realise you’re staring until he stops in front of the counter and clears his throat. “excuse me, are you still open?” archons, even his voice sounds classy! 

you try your best to recover what is left of your composure. “uh, yeah, would you like to order anything?”

he stalls, looking at the menu on display, confusion reflected in his eyes. “i do apologise, i’m quite unfamiliar with cafés… is there anything you’d recommend?”

“um, considering it’s quite chilly out, maybe a hot drink… like, uh, honey almond milk latte? or you could get a flat white if you want something stronger!” your hands fumble with the towel under the counter. 

the man hums in thought. “alright then, i’ll try that latte.” he looks back at you with a gentle smile that you swear made your knees weak. 

“sure! takeout, or having here?” you smile back as you move to make his drink.

“takeout, please.” he responds, then, almost as an afterthought: “a pity it’s almost closing time, i’d have loved to have it here.”

“oh? you can stay here for a bit, you know?” i have rizz. you mentally pat yourself on the back. “it’s supposed to be closing time, but normally if it’s raining out we’ll stay open for a little longer until the rain gets lighter…” 

“in that case, i hope you don’t mind me imposing for a bit.” he uncaps the cup to take a sip. “interesting…is this what people prefer over plain coffee?” you hear him mutter.

you’ve heard (and seen) many reactions to a new drink, but this is a first. and you’re intrigued. “mind elaborating?”

*bonus: the man, whom you’ve come to call “monsieur neuvillette”, asks you for a cup of plain warm water — and you quickly oblige. he drinks it and makes a face. “if i may, i’d just like to say that this water’s delicate aftertaste is quite refreshing, do you specially process it?” your confusion is written all over your face. “it’s just…tap water???”

taglist: @i23kazu (send ask to be added to taglist!)

if you liked this, do consider dropping me a follow for more :>

[fictionally-driven]

Prologue

pairing: Wriothesley x f! reader

trigger warnings: violence, blood, murder, imprisonment, suggestive, ptsd, mentions of child abuse

Chapterlist | Next Chapter >>

The streets of Fontaine were bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun, casting long shadows and giving the city an almost ethereal glow. The meeting with the Iudex of Fontaine in Palais Mermonia had been as expected—tense and bureaucratic. Discussions about the affairs related to Meropide were never easy, but the Duke was thankful for the cooperation and support he often received from Monsieur Neuvillette.

Wriothesley’s heavy footsteps echoed against the cobblestones.  He rarely ventured to the surface, but duty had called. Now, as the golden hues of the setting sun bathed the city in a warm glow, he made his way through the bustling streets of Fontaine. The surface world, with its vibrant life and spectacle, always felt a world apart from the fortress he governed.

He exhaled slowly, a sigh mingling with the evening breeze, as his thoughts drifted to the faces of the prisoners. Each one had a story, a past, and sometimes, Wriothesley wondered if he would ever truly understand morality as a whole. Lost in contemplation, he barely noticed the few passersby giving him a wide berth, recognizing the emblem of his station and the aura of authority he carried. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he navigated through the throng of people.

He barely registered the world around him until a sudden impact jolted him from his thoughts. He had collided with someone, and the force of it sent them both stumbling.

“Oh, for the love of–!” The exasperated voice brought him back to the present. He looked down to see a young woman picking herself off the ground, brushing the dust from her garments. Her eyes, alight with irritation, met his, and she frowned deeply.

“Watch where you’re going, will you?” she snapped, not caring that he towered over her. Wriothesley found himself momentarily speechless. The setting sun framed her face, casting a radiant glow that highlighted her delicate features. Her beauty struck him, the kind that seemed to draw the light towards her, making her skin glow and her eyes sparkle with an inner fire.

“I’m terribly sorry,” he managed to say, his voice softer than usual. He noticed then the bouquet of flowers scattered on the ground, petals crushed and stems broken. Flowers? A curious pang of disappointment twisted in his chest. Did she have a suitor already?

"You should be more careful! It is a busy street!" she retorted, dusting off the last of the debris. Her eyes darted to the ground where a bouquet of flowers. "Great, just great. Now I have to remake this bouquet and I'll be late for the delivery."

Wriothesley watched as she hurriedly gathered the damaged flowers, her frustration evident. She handled the blooms with a surprising tenderness, and he felt an inexplicable urge to assist her.

"Let me help you," he offered, kneeling to pick up a few of the scattered flowers.

“These were for a customer,” she explained, kneeling down to gather the remnants of the bouquet. “A difficult one at that.” She sighed, still irritated. Her hands moved with a practiced grace, but there was a hint of urgency in her actions.

“I’m really sorry about that,” Wriothesley repeated, a hint of guilt creeping into his tone. He handed the flowers he’d picked to her and she was already on her feet, clutching the ruined bouquet.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, her irritation giving way to resignation. “I’ll just have to work faster.” She offered him a brief, distracted smile, more out of politeness than anything else, before dashing off down the street, leaving him standing there.

Wriothesley watched her go, her figure soon swallowed by the crowd. He stood there for a moment longer, the noise of Fontaine’s streets fading into the background. The warmth of the setting sun lingered on his skin, but the encounter had left a different kind of warmth in his heart. He absentmindedly reached up to adjust his collar and felt something unusual. Pulling it free, he found a petal of a red poppy flower nestled in the fabric. He held it between his fingers, its vivid color a stark contrast to the muted tones of his attire. The petal, delicate and vibrant, seemed to carry a weight of its own, leaving him with a sense of unease. With a final glance at the direction she had gone, Wriothesley turned and continued his walk, his thoughts no longer solely occupied by the fortress of Meropide. The image of her fiery eyes and the way the sunlight had kissed her features stayed with him. He resumed his journey back to Meropide, the image of the spirited florist and the red poppy petal lingering on his mind.

Chapterlist | Next Chapter >>

[heavyhitterheaux]

She Gets the Last Word Part 3

First Lady of Private Garden Fic

AN: You're going to learn one way or another not to mess with the First Lady

Synopsis: An Instagram live featuring Anitta was the absolute last straw when she mentioned the First Lady. She catches wind of it and realizes that there is truly only one way to settle this

Pairing: Husband!Jack Harlow x Wife!Reader

Slight NSFW 18+

Requested by my baby @hoodharlow​ 😘🥰

Read part 1 and part 2 first

Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere

“Baby?” You said to Jack in order to get his attention. The both of you were laying down with Jack lying on top of your chest.

“Yes mamas?”

“I’m thirsty so I’m going downstairs. Do you want anything?”

“You.”

“Jackman! I meant to eat or drink!”

“Uh yeah, my wife.”

“I can’t with you. Baby, move over so I can get up.”

“No.”

“I’ll be right back!”

“You have thirty seconds starting now.”

“Jack, it’s going to take at least thirty seconds to get your ass off of me.”

“Not you fat shaming me.” Jack said while looking down at you from his rightful spot on top of your boobs. 

“No one even said that so stop being dramatic. I’ll be right back.”

“Give me a kiss and I’ll let you go.”

“Fine.” You leaned down to plant multiple kisses on your husband and when he was satisfied, he finally rolled off of you so you could get up.

“I’m already missing you! Don’t take too long!”

“I promise I won’t, it’ll be less than five minutes..”

While you were downstairs, Jack suddenly got a notification on his instagram saying that Anitta went live and he had been mentioned. He immediately rolled his eyes and wasn’t going to bother clicking on it since he knew that this was dangerous territory from previous experiences. You had almost fought her at least two times before and he was trying for there not to be a third time. 

And once he did, he immediately regretted it.

“Shoutout to Donatella Versace for custom-making this outfit, and shoutout to Jack Harlow 'cause he's gonna be taking it off of me tonight, I need everyone to make sure that his bitch of a wife is occupied while he does.”

Oh, fuck. 

Not wanting for you to find out, Jack quickly left the live, and simply threw his phone to the side and waited for you to come back.

He was trying to do something to occupy himself and keep his composure before you came back so that you wouldn’t notice that anything was wrong.

Two minutes later you came back and noticed that Jack was looking a little nervous which left you confused.

“Smush? You okay?” You asked concerned and brushed one of your hands through his curls as you settled back down beside him.

“I’m fine, baby girl.”

“Then why do you look so nervous? Did something happen in the two minutes I was gone?” You asked while laughing wondering what possibly could have occurred. 

“Nope.”

“I’ll get it out of you sooner or later. I always do.”

“It’s nothing mamas.”

“Don’t you think I know when you aren’t telling me the truth by now? We’ve been together for almost ten years.”

“I just… I don’t want you to worry about it. Let’s just finish watching the movie.”

“Jack, you don’t want me to worry about what exactly?”

“Baby girl, it’s nothing. I promise.”

“If it wasn’t nothing, you wouldn’t be this nervous to tell me. Baby, come on. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it and deal with it like we always do.” You said while leaning over to kiss his cheek. 

Just then your phone went off signaling an incoming facetime call from your best friend Saweetie and you immediately answered.

Now Jack knew he was in for it because he had a good feeling as to why she was calling you.

“Hey! What’s going on?” You answered with a smile. It had been about two days since the last time you two had a facetime call. But, being best friends you made sure to text each other every day.

“BITCHHHHHHHHHHH!!! DID YOU FUCKING SEE ANITTA’S LIVE?!”

“What? Girl, why would I watch that? I could care less about her.”

“Baby, you about to care about this. She said and I quote “Shoutout to Donatella Versace for custom-making this outfit, and shoutout to Jack Harlow 'cause he's gonna be taking it off of me tonight, I need everyone to make sure that his bitch of a wife is occupied while he does.”

You were quiet for a few minutes trying to take in what Saweetie had just told you.

Oh, so she was really asking for it now

“I’m sorry, what? Come again?”

Jack knew he was done for. 

“And she and her fans were tagging Jack during the entire thing! He didn’t say anything to you?! I think they were saying he logged on at one point but didn’t say anything.She was eating that shit right up when her fans started bashing you.”

Jack was now trying to make an escape out of the bedroom, but you quickly caught him out of the corner of your eye. 

“Jackman Thomas stop right there and get your ass back here. Di, let me call you back.”

“Oh shit, don’t kill your husband.”

“No promises.”

Once you hung up, you threw your phone to the side and crossed your arms while looking up at your husband.

“Pookie?”

“Yes?” Jack answered while rubbing the back of his neck indicating his nervousness.

“Did you log onto her live and not tell me?”

“Umm?”

“Did you hear her say that?”

“Kinda sorta.”

“JACKMAN EITHER YOU DID OR YOU DIDN’T. SO WHICH ONE IS IT?”

“I heard it, but baby I didn’t mention it because she’s not important!”

“Oh, so this is why you were acting all nervous and shit when I came back, huh?”

“Y/N, let it go, please. You know that she is nothing compared to you. I love you and that’s it. That’s all. End of story.”

“Nuh uh. I told that bitch that she had one more time and this is strike three. Imma kick her ass now.”

“BABY!”

“No! She’s asking for it and she doesn’t know when to quit.”

“This is exactly what she wants! She wants to get a reaction out of you.”

“Well she fucking got it. I can’t believe you weren’t even going to say anything to me.”

“Babe….”

“Admit it. You weren’t. Saweetie had to be the one to tell me and not the person that I’m married to. Do you not see anything wrong with that picture?”

“I thought because she’s not important that it wouldn’t matter.”

“Well you thought wrong.”

“Come here, stink.” Jack sat down on the bed and pulled you onto his lap and kissed your forehead.

“What?” You asked while crossing your arms.

“First of all, lose the attitude before I fuck it out of you. Second, I love you. You know that right?”

“I know, I love you too." You muttered back while trying to look anywhere and everywhere except your husband's eyes.

“You know you’re the only one for me, right?”

“Yes, but you’re mine and I can’t understand why people want to be so disrespectful of that.”

“I agree baby. But you are literally the only person to ever make my heart skip a beat and have butterflies and shit. No one else will ever come close.”

“Stop smush!” You exclaimed while hiding in the crook of his neck.

“I’m serious!” Jack moved you to the side so that he could lift your chin in order to be able to face him. 

“I know you are. I just…. It’s hard to see people talk about your husband and be disrespectful. It’s like we’re married so she needs to back off. If she doesn’t want to be single so bad, she needs to get a boyfriend.”

“I know and the best thing we can do is to ignore it.”

“But!” Jack immediately cut you off with a kiss. 

“Baby, promise me.”

"I'm from the southside of Atlanta and you know good and damn well that I don't play that shit. Someone needs to put that bitch down."

"Y/N, I'm serious."

"I know shit is serious when you're calling me by my first name."

"I'm going to need for you to do better. All of this fighting shit needs to stop. We're trying to build our future and we need to focus on that and not you kicking someone's ass on a weekly basis."

"But…"

"I don't care if they deserve it either. I need you to promise me and once again lose the damn attitude."

“I promise.” you replied and Jack leaned down to kiss you once more. 

Not being satisfied with your tone of voice, Jack then eyed you and made a face.

"Lay down. Now.”

"Or what?"

"One of these days Mrs. Harlow is going to learn to stop testing me and getting an attitude." Jack replied while reaching under your shirt and massaging your left breast which resulted in a soft moan erupting from you.

"I.. don't have..  an attitude." You replied between breaths as Jack began to place soft kisses on the side of your neck that was facing him before replacing his mouth with his hand slightly choking you making you whimper.

"You sure about that?" Jack asked while slipping your shirt over your head and making the motion to slide you off of his lap and lay you down.

You stayed quiet as Jack then removed your shorts leaving you completely bare in front of him.

"I asked you a question, baby." You heard him say as he reached down to massage small circles on your clit making you whimper.

"I'm sure." 

"Well I beg to differ. Keep them legs spread."

You, Danielle, Saweetie, and Nicole decided to do a small get together and the four of you decided to go to dinner and go bowling afterwards since Jack was currently in New York and you could use the company and the distraction from the instagram live that had taken place.

All of you were in Atlanta, and Nicole wasn't taking any summer classes so you invited her to come along.

You admit that you weren't very good at bowling. None of you were, however, it was still fun nonetheless.

It was your turn when you heard the familiar voice of the one person who you couldn't stand.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. You actually let your husband go somewhere by himself?"

Anitta.

You were doing your best to ignore her and focused on the pins that were staring back at you at the end of the lane to knock as many down as possible.

"No this bitch didn't." You heard Saweetie say from behind you.

"She needs to take her ass on somewhere."

"I know you heard me, little girl."

You tossed the ball down the lane before turning to the left to look at her. 

"I'm going to need for you to stay over there and mind your own business."

"Or what? Is Mrs. Harlow going to beat my ass? I'd like to see you try. Don't like being called little girl huh?"

"Oh shit, her hoe ass is asking for it now." Danielle added while looking over at her.

"Keep in mind, my husband isn't here to hold me back so watch your mouth."

"You would've thought that she learned from the last two times." Nicole muttered while rolling her eyes.

Danielle then stepped in front of you to peer up at Anitta since she was shorter than her as well.

"Walk away. You don't want to go there with her."

"Aw! How cute! Big sister has to step in and fight your battles for you."

"Not at all. She can defend herself just fine. However, if you step towards my little sister, you're going to have to deal with me too."

"I'm not scared of you or her little self for that matter."

"Famous last words." Nicole said while shaking her head. 

"Anitta, I have given you multiple opportunities to walk away and yet you're still over here in my face."

"Hmm oh how did you like my Instagram live? Can't wait until Jack can take a dress off me."

All you saw was red.

You reached past Danielle and lunged at her making her fall backwards and slide under one of the many chairs that was set up near the lane she was bowling in.

"Get off of me you crazy bitch!"

"Oh! I got your crazy bitch alright!" You said while landing another punch as she was trying her best to push you off of her.

Just then Nicole noticed one of Anitta's friends trying to come up behind you to attempt to throw a punch at you and she immediately stepped in.

"Don't you fucking touch my cousin, bitch!"

Two more of Anitta's friends came over to attempt to defend her and that was when Danielle as well as Saweetie stepped in.

“Bitch if you make me break a nail I swear!”

“See, yall talked all that shit and can’t even fight!”

“We from the southside of Atlanta and we don’t play that shit.”

At one point, you were now standing and grabbed Anitta by her hair as she was kicking and screaming and threw her down one of the bowling alley lanes actually knocking down the pins.

"Now that's what I call a strike." You said aloud and could hear Danielle, Saweetie, and Nicole laughing.

You looked down at your right hand to see that one of your nails had broken and you rolled your eyes.

"Your dumbass made me break a nail."

All you could hear was Anitta moaning as you squatted down to face her.

She was bleeding from only God knew where and you didn't feel bad for her one bit.

She got what was coming to her and she was asking for it for almost eight months.

"I warned your bitch ass to stay away from me and my man. Now look what happened. I don’t know why your ass is up here crying. Maybe next time you'll actually listen to directions and stay the fuck away. And hire a new hairdresser. Those tracks came out a little too easily. I always get the last word." You state while tossing the loose track in her face. 

Just then you heard sirens outside and looked at your older sister with wide eyes.

"Go out the back go go! I'll get our purses." You heard Saweetie say as you slipped off your heels in an attempt to be able to get your car faster. 

Once the four of you were safely in your car, the realization of what had just happened was finally starting to set in.

"Finally! That bitch deserved it!" Nicole exclaimed while checking to make sure that she didn't break any nails.

"She did but…"

"But what, Y/N?"

"Jack is going to be so mad at me."

---

Meanwhile Jack was in New York currently looking at a necklace that he got for you. It had his initial J on it and it was in rose gold. He couldn’t wait to be able to give it to you when he flew back to Atlanta in the next three days.

Just then Urban shoved his phone into Jack’s face to show him something on his timeline on instagram. 

“Watch this! Watch how this girl literally threw the other one down the lane in the bowling alley!”

Jack took Urban’s phone and was watching the fight unfold from the beginning. 

“Got damn, did she tear her tracks out?!”

“And she’s so much smaller in comparison to the other girl, but she kicked her ass. I wonder what started the whole thing.”

“Who knows?”

“How much do you wanna bet it was probably over a guy?” 

“Probably was. Do you think Y/N will like this?” Jack asked, showing Urban the necklace.

“If it has anything to do with you, you know that she’ll love it.”

Just then Jack had an incoming facetime call from you.

“And look at that, you talked her up.” Urban said while walking out of the room.

“Hey my baby!”

“Hey babe! How are you?”

“I’m good, you surviving without me?” Jack asked and you simply shrugged.

“I’m doing the best that I can, but I mean the girls can only keep me entertained for so long.”

“EW! SPARE US THE DETAILS!” Jack heard Nicole yell and all he did was laugh.

“Well it won’t be too much longer and I’ll be back. And what are you still doing up?”

“You already know that I can’t go to sleep unless I talk to you first.”

“I know.”

Just then you moved your hand in front of the camera and Jack caught sight of your broken nail.

“Baby!”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I just got your nails done before I left and you broke one already?”

“Oh, you know me. Just a little clumsy at times. I’ll call her to get it fixed tomorrow.”

“You okay, mamas?” Jack asked while eyeing you. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something wasn’t right.

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“I don’t know…. You just seem a little off. I just want to make sure my baby is good.”

“I promise I am. I’m about to go to sleep so I love you and can’t wait to see you on Friday.”

“Love you too, baby girl.”

Liked by jackharlowsource, laflare1017, champagnepapi, druski2funny, normani, theestallion, and 3,293,861 others

theshaderoom: yall remember that video we posted the other day with two girls fighting in the bowling alley in Atlanta? we have officially gotten word that it was none other than Y/N the First Lady of Private Garden and Anitta!! Eye witness accounts state that Anitta went up to Y/N first, however it is believed that the First Lady threw the first punch! We’ll be sharing details as we learn more!

jackharlowsource: oh shit does jackharlow know his wife is still out in these streets fighting? 

normani: YESS MY BABY BEAT HER ASS! SHE DESERVED IT!

druski2funny: y/ninsta THREW HER DOWN THE DAMN LANE!!!! jackharlow GET YOUR WIFE LMAOOOO

lilnasx: all I saw were tracks flying lmaoooo wheww anitta you should have known better girl! y/n don’t play about her man! strike three!

sza: I AM SCREAMINGGGGGGGG

jackandy/naremyparents: come on y/ninsta we love you, but how much longer are you going to keep fighting people for?

thestallion: wait one damn minute, I spy saweetie, mortirolo, and danivalentine 😭😭😭

urbanjack24: did yall notice how all of them are staying quiet as hell? lmaooo but anitta deserved it. y/ninsta kept warning her

druski2funny: anitta how them floorboards taste? you shoulda known better than to play with my girl!

lilnasx: WAIT A MINUTE! I AIN’T KNOW mortirolo HAD HANDS LIKE THAT!

softtcurse: so sad I missed this in person. y/ninsta I am so proud of you for standing up for yourself and kicking that bitch’s ass

urbanwyatt: YASMIN!

softtcurse: urbanwyatt what? what I say?

jackharlowsource: DJ drama is going to end up dropping her ass if she keeps this up. Jack has the patience of a saint but he deserves better from his wife. this makes all of privategarden look bad

Jack was in disbelief as he scrolled through the multiple comments and the tags of the most recent post on the shade room.

All of PG was with him and no one was uttering a word, not knowing if it was safe to do so or not. Jack’s jaw was clenched and the famous neck vein was sticking out.

“Umm, Jack?”

He didn’t even bother responding. 

“Look I know you didn’t want her fighting but the girl deserved it.” Shloob said while passing his blunt to Urban who had a look of disbelief on his face.

“And she didn’t say anything to you?”

“Nope, and she had called me that night and acted as if nothing was wrong.”

Jack was then trying to call you, but it would go to voicemail every single time.

“She has to know that you know. I have never seen a time when she didn’t answer a call or a text from you.”

Jack then sent a text to Neelam who he knew already was aware of what you had done.

Jack- I need to get on a flight to Atlanta in the next hour

Neelam- You still have some things to do first

Jack- It can wait. I need to go and talk to my wife

Neelam- Just call her

Jack- Nah, this needs to be said in person

Jack had then landed in enough time in order to get to your show and was going to confront you before you went on stage. He couldn’t wait until after.

All he could see was red and couldn’t believe that you would keep something like this from him.

Once he got to the arena, Brandi was the first one to spot him and was trying her best to calm him down before he went to see you.

“Jack, I know you’re mad...”

“With all due respect Brandi, you don’t know a got damn thing right now. Where is my wife?”

Brandi simply pointed in the direction of your dressing room and Jack was soon in the doorway. He peeked in to see you, Julissa, Danielle, Saweetie, and Nicole and made a note to get on them later for letting you fight and not pulling you away.

Nicole was the first to spot him. 

“Oh, shit.” You heard her mutter and turned to see that you were now face to face with a pissed off husband.  

“Everybody, out now. I need to talk to my wife.”

Everyone filed out of the room and you were actually legit scared of what was about to happen.

“Y/N….”

“Yeah, pookie?”

“Cut the fucking shit right now. So you decide to fight her even though I told you to let it go? And end up on TMZ and The Shade Room? Oh, and not answering your phone when I called you? You knew what the hell you did and you weren’t even about to tell me?”

“Babe…”

“Don’t fucking interrupt me because I’m not done. Do you… do you not realize how that makes you look? How it makes all of PG look? You’re better than that, at least I thought you were. You get mad when I keep shit from you but you turn around and do the exact same thing.”

“Wait…”

“I’m not waiting for a got damn thing. You promised me that you would stop doing this shit and I turn around and here we are again? Why are you even crying? Your tears really aren’t doing anything for you right now so stop. I am so disappointed in you, I can’t even begin to explain how much. So, this is the type of example you want to set for our kids? Because you know they’re going to see this one day, right?”

“That is not fair and you know it! I was defending myself because she legit started it. I was going to ignore her, but she kept going!”

“And I’m about to get on Saweetie, Danielle, and Nicole for just letting it happen.”

“Don’t blame them.”

“How can I not? They were with you weren’t they?”

“Baby, I’m sorry, okay?”

“Nah, sorry is not cutting it. I am so tired of you pulling this shit.”

“I…”

“You cannot always fight your battles with your actual fists all the damn time, you’re an adult so you need to act like one. We aren’t in high school anymore.”

You were sitting there quiet because for once you were at a loss for words.

“Like Y/N, you promised me and what? You forgot and that shit went out the window?”

You remained quiet and didn’t offer a response.

“So, you don’t have anything to say now?”

“I said I was sorry, smush.” You tried to come closer to Jack to embrace him, but he immediately backed up.

That definitely stung.

“You can be sorry all you want, but it won’t mean anything if you don’t do better.”

Without another word, Jack left out of your dressing room and you were left to sit there and reflect on everything that had happened in the past week. The tears wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon. 

He then cornered Saweetie, Danielle, and Nicole in the hallway and they knew that they were about to be in for it.

“So, yall just let her fight her huh?”

“Jack…”

“No, I told yall to keep an eye on her and keep her company, not have her fight and the three of you jump in too! You didn’t even try to stop her!”

“In our defense, Anitta did start talking shit first.”

“Okay? Ignore that shit. All three of you are too old to be acting like that and that is the exact same thing that I told her.”

“We had to defend her!”

“Yall trying to justify what you need is not going to fly with me. And Danielle you’re the oldest so I kind of expected more from you. That’s your little sister yes but come on.”

“Jack if you would have heard how she was talking to Y/N...” Danielle started to say but was immediately cut off. 

“I’m done talking about this, I just…. The four of yall are dead wrong.”

“Wait, Jack where are you going?”

“Tell her I’ll see her at home, I’m too pissed off right now.”

It had been two weeks since everything went down and it was safe to say that Jack was barely speaking to you.

You couldn’t blame him, however, one thing that you’re always going to do is defend yourself.

There was so much tension in the house and Urban was doing his best to keep the peace, but it didn’t seem like anything was working.

You had made one of Jack’s favorite desserts as a peace offering and he didn’t even touch it.

2fo ended up eating it. 

Wanting for this to be over with, you went upstairs to your shared bedroom to confront him.

Jack was scrolling on his phone and didn’t even make a point to look at you when you walked into the room which has never been the case. 

“Baby?”

“What?” Jack answered you but still didn’t take his eyes off of his phone. 

“Are you still mad?”

“Not as much as I was before but yes.. Did you need something?”

“I… I really am sorry.”

“You know how you can prove to me that you are?”

“What’s that?”

“You seriously need to go to therapy and anger management.”

“Oh…”

“Were you expecting me to say something else?”

“I really didn’t know what to expect.” You replied being completely honest. 

“Seriously, you need to do it because I don’t feel comfortable bringing a child into this situation.”

“Jack…”

“No, I'm not budging on this. I’m not having you walk around here mad and angry at the world because someone decided to say something about one of us with you carrying our child. They can sense that shit. And you aren’t about to put yourself or our child at risk. You know how your anger is.”

You sighed before replying to him knowing that he was right. 

“I guess that makes sense. I promise I’ll go.”

“Don’t promise me anything, show me. You promised me that you wouldn’t fight her and look how that turned out.”

“I’ll try my best to do better.”

Just then you got a text on your phone from Brandi.

Brandi- Y/N, I don’t want you to panic but....

You- Out with it Brandi

Brandi- I’m pretty sure that Anitta is going to press charges

Taglist:

@harlowsbby

@babyharleezy

@hoodharlow

@stefansalvatoresgf

@jackiehollanderr

@primadxna-girl

@dessmxsworld

@cockslutslurper3000

@raelorns21

@variety-fangirl

@gbaabyyyy

@kamorsstuff

@harlowthot

@sinsandsuccubus

@curlyhairclub

@bootlegroach

@haylexo10

@thinkingaboutjharlow

@fluidsentiment

@charli123456789

@moody4world

@yourstrulymayah

@yana4life

@beanbagbitch

@alinadolans

@carma-fanficaddict

@minaxcarter

@arination99

@xjup1t3r

@venusvinc

@jacksmoviestar

@jackharloww

@midnight-star47

@minkookie95

@inluvwithladybug

@tynesharandolph8633-blog

@exoticr0ses

@jharlowsangels

@jackierose902109

@jackmansbabymama

@cmalass

@megawhoree

@softtcurse

@sia2raw

@miniaturehideoutmentality

@hoya122

@nattinatalia

@jackslover12

@skyesthebomb

@jackharlows-world

@louisianalady

@fdl305

@automaticpeachsong

@harlowcomehome

@gassyandsassy1

@babygirlwilly

@amethyst09

@harrycanyonmoonn

[ccbb2222]

You Know I Hate it When You Cry: Part 2. Rooster x Reader

Part 2!

Bradley Bradshaw x Reader pairing

Summary: Much to the reader's dismay, she can't ward Rooster off for long...and Bradley uncovers a shocking secret.

Warnings: * This story contains Mentions of Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)* Please be advised this could be triggering. Angst, Eventual Smut, Protective and adorable Rooster.

18+ Minors DNI.

True to his word, Bradley was there the next evening when you showed up for your shift. You could feel his eyes burning into your back as you walked in with your head down, not wanting to make direct eye contact.

As you slide under the bar you turn to place your purse underneath and see him approaching from the corner of your eye. "I'll go grab those extra, uh, napkins!" You tell Penny hurriedly, moving quickly before Bradley was able to reach you.

She looks at you with a bewildered look before turning towards Rooster and suddenly it clicks.

Not ready to face either Bradley or Penny, you shut the door to the back room behind you, and take a deep breath. That was close. You felt bad for avoiding him, he hadn't done anything wrong. It was just...better this way. Better for him. You had too much emotional baggage and you couldn't burden him.

Pushing down the rising panic, you reach for a box of extra napkins and turn to open the door.

"Hey," Bradley stands on the other side of the door, a sheepish look on his face, "Penny said you may need some help with some boxes?"

Of course she did. "Oh, no, I'm fine. Thank you, Bradley." You reassure him, moving to step around him.

As your shoulder brushes his, you feel his hand slowly reach for your arm. You freeze in response.

"Hey," He says a little softer, "Did I," he restarts, dropping his hand from your arm, "Listen, I hope I didn't say anything, or do anything to offend you." Meeting his gaze, you see his mouth turned down in a frown, his eyes searching yours, "I apologize if I overstepped last night."

"Bradley," You say, matching his low volume and sighing with a look to the floor, "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just...I'm just not in a great place right now." You offer honestly.

He nods, "The problems with the ex?" He guesses.

You nod. "It's complicated. I just don't want you wasting your time talking to me. You've got a sea of beautiful women in this bar just waiting for you to hit on them." You say with a small smile.

His eyebrows raise, "So you think I'm hitting on you?"

"I mean, you followed me to help carry boxes...so yes." You provide with a laugh.

Rooster smiles again. "You're perceptive." His admittance to hitting on you makes you blush, "Hey, you just take your time. I'll be here, drinking the beers you pour and watching you dodge Hangman."

"Bradley, I don't think —"

"Like I said," He cuts you off, taking the box from your hands and walking backwards, not breaking eye contact, "I'll be here."

Damn him and his stupid charm. And his tight ass. And that goddamn mustache you want to rub across every inch of your body.

"Don't get your hopes up," You reply instead.

"Too late." He says with a wink before turning around and placing the box of napkins on the bar. You watch as he returns to his friends, and the smile doesn't leave your face.

The Hard Deck was crowded tonight, and your shift flew by. All of the bending and reaching behind the bar was not kind to your healing abdomen, however. As the hours ticked by, you grew more and more sore.

As the bar cleared out, Bradley made his way over to a barstool, sitting down while you helped a final few customers before last call. He watched as you winced, but didn't mention it, not wanting to push you too far.

He recognized a few men from the base approaching and struck up a conversation while keeping an eye on you. One of the men in the group called over to you, "My buddy here finally got his promotion!" You smile and offer congratulations, "How about some top shelf liquor to celebrate?"

You look up at the tall shelf you would have to reach to grab the liquor from, and your abdominal muscles instantly protested. "Oh sure! Let me try to reach it," You say in good spirits.

Then men turned back to one another to resume their conversation but Bradley kept an eye on you as you reached up to grab the scotch on the high shelf.

What you didn't account for was the hem of your cotton tank top riding up as you reached. From his angle, Bradley watched as your shirt lifted, and his brow instantly furrowed at the bruises scattering your stomach.

Purple bruises in the shape of fingers lined the outside of your hips, and your torso had a scattering of smaller bruises just above your belly button. He clenched his beer tightly in his hands, his face turning into a scowl.

He knew what it was like to get rough during sex. He enjoyed it, and he always made sure whoever he was fucking enjoyed it. Those bruises weren't to benefit your pleasure. Of that he was sure.

You let out a sharp breath as you reach for a few shot glasses, pouring them out for the officers that approached you. Meeting Bradley's gaze, your breath hitched once more. He looked positively livid.

"Alright boys," You say after they toss back the alcohol, trying your best to keep the mood light, "I'm afraid it's closing time."

Penny had turned the lights on and sufficiently kicked out most of the bar just moments before, and within minutes it was just you and a very angry looking Bradley.

You decide to keep to yourself, picking up a rag and wiping down the opposite end of the bar.

"Where are those from?" He asks, looking up at you.

"What do you mean?" You ask, knowing exactly what he means.

He calls your bluff, "The bruises that have had you wincing all night. Where are they from?" His tone is harder this time, and it's hard not to interpret his tone as angry with you.

"I'm fine, Bradley." You say firmer, not looking up from the countertop.

He slaps his palm on the bar top and you jolt, a panicked look in your eyes. Immediately you felt like you were back in your San Francisco apartment, facing Grant's rage.

He immediately registers your response to his outburst and his expression becomes remorseful, eyes no longer hard, "Shit, I'm so sorry." He apologizes, "I shouldn't have reacted like that." He runs a frustrated hand through his hair and you stay silent.

"Please, I know you don't owe me any explanation," he tries again, "I just need to know you're okay. I need to know you're safe."

Staring into your eyes you know instantly he is being sincere.

"It's not on you, Bradley," You say, feeling those damn tears starting to well up in your eyes once more. "You don't need to protect me."

"I know I don't." He says with a nod, "But I want to."

______________________________________________________________

Part 2!! Phew. Little cliff hanger for you. Part 3.

I'm also starting a tag list- LMK if you want in :)

Tag list:

@rosiahills22

[xqnqx]

Breaking Glass

Description: She wasn't given a choice. Instead, it was made for her.

A/N: This is a Lawrence Gordon (kind of) imagine/fanfiction I wrote for my friend! @urfavsuh @thinkingoflawrence

And this being my first post is kind of random and new to me, but enjoy it as much as you can!

TW: Mentions of blood, trauma.

Word Count: 4.619

The old TV flashed with a static sound. A bright light flashed, followed by waves of gray lines that rushed across the screen before merging into a complete image. However, Nia still seemed to be unconscious, as she didn't catch the odd-looking puppet appearing on the flickering screen. For most trap survivors, this was a very obvious start to what soon became their nightmares—the famous Jigsaw puppet. It was an odd way of introducing someone to a torturous device from which you would most likely not get out alive, but if you did, it would be the trauma that kept the torture going. Either way, you were about to experience the most terrifying pain of your life. And Nia didn't know. Nia didn't know what it was all about. Besides not knowing where she was and how she got there, Nia had no idea who this 'Jigsaw-Killer-Guy' was. Because for the last few months, Nia had been busy trying to escape the shithole she was forced to call 'home'. She was looking for quick, easy jobs left and right that would give her just enough money to pass the month. She never had the chance to take a break. She never had the chance to watch TV. Whenever she heard a mention of Jigsaw's name leaving customer's mouths or in the news that played in the background of the few cafés she worked at, it was brushed off. Why would she care? Nia had only herself to care about.

Perhaps that was the mistake.

"Hello, Nia. You don't know me, but I know you."

A dark voice, difficult to follow from the old speaker, rang out each time the odd-looking puppet's jaw dropped. This was when Nia finally jerked her head towards the TV, still having a hard time keeping her head up. Her eyelids kept dropping, but her ears were open to listen as the voice continued, "You may now feel confused or frightened." There's a pause. "Angered." Nia began to make muffled noises, confused at that. She tasted metal, rust, and something pressed on her tongue that she couldn't push out of her mouth. Her head dropped again, and her eyes widened as she noticed the straps around her wrists and, when she looked further down, around her ankles too. Nia made another muffled whimper. Her heart started to race. She tried to struggle herself out of the tight restraints, but to no avail. No matter what she did or how she tried, she couldn't get off of that metal chair.

Before Nia tried to struggle again, she heard the voice explain, "But you should know not to lose. Here, I'll show you what happens if you do."

The white puppet disappeared in delay before there was something presented and instructed to her; she couldn't remember. The images and her memories were now only blurred into a few sections of that trauma. And Nia remembered the sudden explosive sound coming out of the television. She remembered the muffled scream she let out, which would have sounded much louder if the device around her head hadn't been hooked into her upper and lower jaws. "Permanently ripped open," the voice said, and Nia cried out. There was nothing to remember anymore, only parts.

...

"Oh, I know how it feels to let out that rage you're building up inside. Maybe this time not onto another person, but yourself," he said so simply, so understanding.

...

"Listen, Nia. There's only one key to open the device."

...

A bright light sprung out before her eyes from the ceiling. This light, resembling that of a spotlight, seemed to present a glass box not far from her feet. The glass walls of the box were too dirty to reveal any of the contents. Even from where she was sitting, she couldn't see anything. "Look in front of you. There's a glass box you're going to have to break in order to retrieve what's at fault for your sensitive heart."

...

Nia put the small invitation card back into her pocket after she took a look at the name again. "Bobby Dagen, survivor of the great Jigsaw killer," as the writing said. The name belonged to the man standing next to the group circle of other Jigsaw survivors. He's considered an author, or whatever—just some ordinary-looking guy with a pretty wife who's not over his traumatic experience yet. This 'Bobby', who was talking to his PR team at the time, organized this whole group meeting. But of course, with lots of cameras—more than enough so that the whole world was able to see what a truly amazing person he was, empathizing with survivors like him. Though Nia couldn't bother to remember his name again. She couldn't bother to join the group of people either. She preferred to sit somewhere near the exit, next to this one doctor, she couldn't remember the name of either. And Nia told herself that she was not like them. Not like those bunch of traumatized people who couldn't stop clinging to what made them eventually form this meeting. She saw tears rolling down faces and quivering lips that formed words she couldn't hear from where she was sitting. But it's not that talking about your experiences is necessarily a bad thing, Nia thought to herself. But in front of cameras? In front of everyone? Alternatively, if her mother hadn't convinced her that this would be the first step towards 'self-healing', and if she hadn't threatened to force therapists on her if she didn't agree, Nia would've still be rotting in her apartment.

Nia glanced over at the man next to her, who seemed to wear the same uninterested expression on his face as her. She couldn't help but slightly smile at that. The thought of having some sort of company with this was reassuring. Still, Nia had to sigh once more, looking impatiently around the room. She was waiting for the camera crew to finally send signals. And she carefully placed her hands on her shaking leg when she was about to switch her gaze to the author again. That's when she heard the chair next to her squeaking and the doctor in it asking her, "Does it still hurt?" He hesitantly pointed at her bandaged arms as Nia replied with a raised eyebrow. Without even realizing it, her arms shifted a little in his direction. "May I take a closer look?" the man asked, making sure. After a moment, she nodded.

His hands barely touched her arms. Instead, he gently turned her palms back and forth and lightly tapped a few spots, which she had no suspicion of. Nia attempted to read his face, and she hesitated at first. There was no way Nia would've told him the actual truth—that she didn't know what actually happened. What a stupid thing to believe, too, Nia thought. So Nia tried to come up with words to explain what had happened while he examined her arms. However, for some reason, she was unable to find those right words—or any words, for that matter. Only Uhh's and Yeah, well's formed her sentences before she started them all over again. The doctor offered her a small smile after he looked back up at her and assured her that there was nothing she should be concerned about. But his eyes lingered a little too long on her cheeks, causing Nia to switch her gaze. 

Unsure why she did, Nia tilted her head slightly, asking the doctor almost in a whisper, "Do you believe Bobby?" Nia didn't know why she asked him that. She guessed that it might have been an attempt at starting up a conversation, which was already difficult and awkward enough for her in this situation. She saw a change in his expression that she couldn't quite pick up on. Nevertheless, there was no time for that when she heard Bobby's loud shout, "Welcome!" interrupting her from across the room. He opened the introduction with the same speech that is printed on the back cover of the book he published. It was the same choice of words that had the fancy-dressed PR team grinning with excitement behind the cameras. Nia, on the other hand, took his speech as an insult. The man next to her seemed to agree, as she huffed at Bobby's words. Bobby Dagen did not continue to speak for long before he sat back down in his chair and, with a bow, invited the survivors to share their stories as well. Or, as he put it, 'finding trust in him'.

But at first, there was silence. At first, the people's eyes in the group wandered around, unsure of where to begin. Some glances paused at the cameras until Bobby held up his palms to give in. "All right," he admitted, opening his eyes again. With one short exhale, he gestured to the random survivor he selected with an extended palm. "You made a decision, right?" he asked. The woman he was aiming this question at raised her head to reveal the dejected expression on her face. "A decision that saved your life," Bobby added. "How did that make you feel?" Her arms were folded tightly together, and she faltered before she answered with one single word, "Free." After a moment of silent crying, she continued, saying, "He was abusive. I tried to stop it before, but it wasn't until that moment that I really did something. It was him or me, and I chose to live. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. He gave me a choice." The woman seemed a little proud in her glassy eyes as Bobby gave her an understanding nod. But Nia simply shook her head, looking away before commenting, "Bullshit."

Nia's comment caught the attention of all the many eyes in the circle at once. Between the heads, she noticed Bobby staring at her, and as if by instinct, the cameras followed his gaze as they automatically shifted to her as well. As she went on, Nia made an effort to ignore the unexpected attention, even from the man beside her. "You chose to live? Is that what you're all talking about—having a choice?" The question was directed at every single survivor in the group. With that, she stretched out her arms in front of her to present the thick bandages wrapped around her skin. "Look at my arms!" she shouted. "I had to break a glass box, using my bare hands, for a key that didn't even fit the fucking lock. I had no damn choice. I was supposed to die."

...

"Live or die; make your choice."

This sentence still echoed inside Nia's head. Like a switch being flicked, it made her instantly think back to what had happened. How her knees collided with the freezing, stony ground and how her face was just inches from the glass box as she slowly lifted her head. She remembered her shaking hands groping the surface of the box, whispering little hopes for something as simple as a button that would open it. Hopefully, some answer would've saved her from this hell. But that hadn't been the case; she was forced to realize that as she began to pound her fists on the hard glass. She could barely hold herself upright, but the pain in her bones and the pain in her arms urged her to keep going. And with every swing and every hit, she heard the ticking of the timer at the back of her head getting louder. Her muffled screams grew louder until Nia was finally able to stick her arm through the broken, bloody opening with the sound of her skin ripping, which nearly made her vomit. The key tied to the thread sank deeper into the dirty glass shards, causing Nia to widen her eyes in terror. Like a crazed animal, she tried to dig and shovel the key out of the broken glass, and it took a while before she finally pulled it out. Without taking a single glance at the key, she quickly pressed it against the small lock at the back of her head.

But it didn't fit.

Nia still remembered the way her heart was pounding against her chest as she tried again and again and again, but the key just wouldn't fit into the lock. Nia yanked the key back into her sights again, struggling to calm her frantic gaze.

On the key were words engraved, "no second choices."

...

Nia carefully blinked back up at the crowd of people still staring at her. Despite her mouth being open, she didn't say a word. Instead, she pressed her lips together before spitting out a nasty, "That's bullshit. Jigsaw is bullshit." If only Nia could've caught the face the doctor made. Bobby, on the other hand, twitched his eyebrow as he clasped his hands together. "Well, you still decided to agree to the invitation, seeing you here. You survived," he said, speaking as if he were doing this as a profession.

Yet he didn't know anything. Her eyebrows shot up in fury, but Nia bit her tongue, preferring to lean back in her chair and find a way to somehow calm the anger that was boiling inside her. "There's no reason to be glad about surviving if you're wanted dead," Nia said. Bobby seemed a bit taken aback by her words. He did anything but answer, going through many facial expressions. And his last irritated look faded into relief when the cameras switched in his direction again. With that, his personality changed again in the blink of an eye. "But that's exactly what defines each one of us. We were forced to endure a traumatic experience," he concluded. "And I don't necessarily think that there can't be any positive outcome to that."

"Like what?" a woman in the circle asked. Bobby smiled, getting up from his chair again to deliver yet another speech.

"Fucking prick," Nia whispered in a snarl.

"Liar too," she kept going, feeling something tickling down her cheek. "Shit-" Red drops fell down her chin to sink into her white bandages. It was after another drop fell that Nia realized that the blood was coming from her cheeks. She carefully placed her fingers to touch the wounds that had undoubtedly reopened. Beside her, she could hear the doctor say something, but she didn't listen to what he exactly said. Instead, she continued to quickly rub her cheeks with her bandaged hands, but this only resulted in the blood smearing. "Are you alright, miss?" Nia felt herself becoming more nervous, and she leaned down to her bag before explaining, in short, "Wounds opened." Without giving him time to react, Nia rose from her seat to rush out of the room in hopes of finding the nearest bathroom. While she did, she was rummaging through her bag, seeking out any plasters, bandages, or even tissues that she knew she had thrown in earlier. For some reason, though, Nia found nothing, repeating the process over and over again. Stumbling, she eventually found the ladies' bathroom and pushed down the door handle with her elbow. "Where did I..." She pushed the door open with a swing of her hips.

Nia threw the bag into the sink and picked it up again from the bottom, shaking it like crazy. While she listened to the contents falling against the white ceramic, she kept asking herself, "Where?! Where?!" And as she searched through the dumped items like a madwoman, thankful that there appeared to be no one in those bathroom stalls, her eyes dared a few glances into the mirror. Her forehead creased. Nia carefully touched her right cheek with her tied fingers, nearing her reflection. The cuts weren't particularly huge, but they still hurt like hell, mostly on the right side. Nia turned on the faucet after taking far too many paper towels from the dispenser once the drips started hitting the sink. "Jesus," she murmured as she dabbed layers of paper towels on the corner of her lips.

"Jesus!" she yelled out this time as she heard a knock on the bathroom door behind her before it opened. With her eyebrows pressed together, she exhaled in relief when she recognized the person in the mirror's reflection. "It's you."

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help but make sure," the doctor from before paused from where he was standing, noticing her startled reaction. His hand was still placed on the door as she asked him, "Make sure? Well, why? I..." Nia turned to the mirror once again, raising her hands from the sink's edge and bringing them to her lips. She started wiping again. "I don't think there's much you need to make sure of," she snorted under the paper. The man offered a small, hesitant smile before moving to the red first aid box, which was hanging on the wall next to him. Nia heard the little door of the box creak, sighing again. "I was about to head home anyway." And as the words left her mouth, Nia felt a hand on her cheek, followed by the feeling of a damp cloth being rubbed against her skin. She felt fingers carefully gripping her chin, and their faces being far too close to each other for strangers. He's a doctor, Nia assured herself, trying to avoid any attempt at making eye contact. Although she was a little embarrassed by the warmth in her cheeks, she let him continue. "There's really no need. It's just a bleeding, it'll close up again," Nia mumbled while he adhered plasters to her skin. His fingers left her face, and she looked back in the mirror. "I understand your feelings towards Jigsaw," Nia heard him say, which caused her to turn to face him again. The doctor didn't look at her; instead, he put her stuff back in her bag and washed the water over the basin to remove the blood drips. He discarded the rags in the trash can. "Having to saw off my own foot was more than just a challenge. He put me through hell." Nia nodded slowly. Now that he mentioned it, her eyes wandered to look at the cane the man was carrying close to him. He continued speaking, "But then again, I survived because he wanted me to."

"It definitely isn't the same with you."

Their gazes met in the mirror.

"What is it that you want to tell me, doctor?"

He smiled at the nickname she gave him before leaning against the sink, shifting his gaze from her reflection to her actual face. "Jigsaw wants people to cherish life again, so he gives his victims a second choice to achieve that. Seeing that you did not get a second choice but more of a death wish makes it hard to believe that it was actually Jigsaw."

Nia felt her heart sink at that very moment.

His little theorizing didn't line up with what she had convinced herself to believe. Or was it what she was convinced to believe? Nia didn't know it herself, and the thought made her shake her head. All she knew was what her wounds and the remaining memories allowed to reveal to her. But never did she try to theorize. "So, you're saying that Jigsaw has nothing to do with..." Her voice fell silent as she was unable to continue her sentence. Nia's eyes shut for a moment, trying to compose herself. The man hesitated until speaking again, "Well, not that he particularly has nothing to do with it, but who knows? Maybe Jigsaw was only an inspiration."

The disbelief in her expression was evident to him. And this caused him to close his mouth again. Nia remained silent, still in thought, and she stared around. She placed her hand on her bag, ready to grab it and storm out of the bathroom. But she didn't dare take a step towards the exit. Instead, she turned back to the man, facing him without actually looking at him. "Would you..."

"...bring me home?"

"Sure," he responded after a nod.

...

...

Nia muttered another thank you before opening her small mailbox to take out the stuffed stacks of letters. It took her a stronger push to close the mailbox door, keeping the letters in her arms. The lights flickered as Nia took her first step on the stairs, which caused her to blink up at the ceiling. Her gaze switched when she heard the man who had walked her home call her name. "Yeah?" Despite the distance between them, her soft voice still reached his ears. When he opened his mouth again, he was still standing by the exit, not having taken another step in her direction. "Don't worry so much, alright?" he assured her.

"Even though you may not believe it, it will get better. You will get better." Nia shrugged, snorting, "Sure." Yet she didn't take another step. "Thanks again for accompanying me home. I..." However, she quickly silenced herself as she remembered what the man had just told her. So she instead brought a smile to her lips, waving a small goodbye before walking up the rest of the steps. That's when she heard the exit door close. And when she got to her front door, she went through the various papers. Nothing particularly caught her eye. Nothing except this little card that didn't appear to be wrapped in any kind of envelope. As if it had just been thrown in. As Nia leaned in to read the little words inscribed on the card, her eyebrows wrinkled before she flipped it over a few more times again.

"Are there choices?"

...

"What do they mean by 'choices', Lawrence? This is getting absurd." Nia folded her arms back together after shoving the card towards his plate. She received a puzzled glance from the man seated across from her before he picked up the paper. He seemed to be merely thinking for a while. Meanwhile, her eyes scanned the restaurant they were at, fiddeling with her necklace. She made nervous attempts to avoid looking suspicious. His mouth began to form words when his gaze slowly returned to her. His expression seemed to remain the same. "This..." He waved the card a little. "Where did you get this?" he asked. "From my mailbox. The day you brought me home, remember?" she replied. "I don't know when this got there. No envelope, nothing. They know where I live." Nia leaned forward to keep their conversation as private as possible. "Lawrence," she whispered his name. "I'm sca..." Her voice broke, only leaving a desperate expression on her face. Lawrence, the man she was talking to, changed his expression. "You're safe," he assured her right away as he placed his hand on hers. Nia pursed her lips, not knowing what to believe. "This won't happen again. I promise." Nia's eyes wandered around the room again before she whispered to him once more, "How can you be so sure?" She continued, "They know where I live. I don't even know how I got kidnapped in the first place and now... Fuck, if it'll happen again, I-"

"-Nia." There was a pause in which Lawrence simply looked into her brown eyes. "I promise. I'll be there." The way Lawrence spoke those words, no matter how ridiculous it may seem, they made Nia feel some sort of surety. It made her nod and exhale this pressure she was feeling deep inside. "Alright. Okay." Her gaze turned away from him as she went on, "I just... I don't know what they would mean by that." Nia rested a palm on her forehead and used the table as support for her elbow. "What choices do I have? I mean, they, whoever it was, wanted me dead." Lawrence shook his head. "There weren't any choices given," he muttered almost to himself. "Exactly!" Nia's voice got a little louder than she intended to. She huffed, "And I still survived. Fuck knows why."

"I feel like I'm keeping secrets from myself." She picked up her fork, only to set it back down. Her appetite was long gone. And it didn't help staring at her food, falling into thought again.��It was unclear to her why they had decided to have this conversation in a fine restaurant like this. Neither did she know why she picked out her favourite dress for this. "Hey, don't try to put so much pressure on yourself now. You've already endured enough." Lawrence's stern look somehow caused Nia to smirk. She somehow agreed.

"You know, either way, it's nice to finally talk to someone." The smirk stayed on her lips as she added, "It's been some time." He, on the other hand, looked a little surprised at first, but then quickly felt relief at the quick change in atmosphere. He smirked as well.

"Yes, I can't help but agree."

Quietly giggling, Nia heard him join in.

"I just hope you're right about me being safe."

...

In the end, Nia's memories summarized the entirety of her relationship with Lawrence. They remembered him as someone special. Someone who appeared ordinary to others but not to her. Because to her, he was everything for her. There were so many moments with him—so many that she longed to relive them again. There were so many words he said with such kindness that Nia initially believed she didn't deserve. And maybe it was like that. Whatever the case, Nia's memories of him always ended with their final conversation.

...

"No, you're right. I need to find some kind of new beginning in my life." Lawrence glanced up from his cup of coffee without lifting his head. He had his eyebrow raised as Nia kept speaking, "Like breaking glass. Trying to let go of the past, y'know?" Nia laughed at herself for her poor choice of metaphor. "Nevermind." The flush warming up her cheeks was obvious to notice. But Lawrence knew what she was trying to imply, nodding before asking, "A new beginning, you say?" with enough comprehension in his voice. "And what would you consider your start to be like?" Nia didn't expect him to ask a question like that; he could tell by her face. "Well, you see..." She exhaled. "I have no idea." And Nia giggled again, seeming unsure whether to tell him or not. "Anything to pull myself out of this mess I feel like I'm living in. No yoga or anything silly like that," she tried, but she couldn't think of anything. Instead, she continued to stir her tea, waiting for some genius idea to finally form. So she spoke again, "Maybe I'll finally decide on a new job? I've been to a few different places now. I got enough experience, I guess."

"What do you say?" Lawrence stopped sipping, listening carefully.

"Maybe even switching states, too? Saying my final goodbyes to this shithole New Jersey is? I heard San Francisco is nice." Nia kept on wondering, murmuring to herself, "Expensive but nice..." The way she talked about her dreams made it seem as if that's all they were —simple dreams. It sounded meaningless, no more than a joke for her to even consider, based on the way Lawrence could hear it in her voice. He let out a soft sigh. "Oh, Nia, you're doing it again." She seemed a little surprised by his words. "What?" Lawrence put his coffee back on the table. "This." His hand gestured to her face. "You talk as if you don't trust yourself."

"What do you mean, I..."

"Nia, I know you'll do it," he said. Nia shut her mouth. "You're doing good. Better even. But if you keep on wondering and never dare to take the first step, those dreams will eat you up. Nia, it's okay."

"I know you'll do it."

She didn't know what else to do but thank him. And he told her, "Not for this," with a smile so warm.

She never would have imagined kissing it like she did.

[achingwoundforaheart]

TW: mention of assault and abuse.

Inej was growing more restless, she wanted to talk to y/n, but about what, and why? Same questions racked her brain too. She couldn't scratch off the feeling that she'd seen y/n before, somewhere, before she joined the dregs. It wasn't the Meangere. She hoped, but where else could she have seen her.

Y/n was a native of Ketterdam, born and brought up, in an orphanage. She looked Suli, maybe that's why Inej thought she had seen her somewhere, the same dark skin and deep brown eyes. Thick black hair that she wore in different braids, she'd cut them short, up till her collarbone, sometimes they'd come loose when she cooked and she'd blow them away. Inej fought the urge to tuck them behind her ear every time it happened.

The Meangere had made her scared of touch but she still craved intimacy. Her hands always rushing to her knives whenever she thought someone was staring, even with Nina and Jesper, it'd take her back. Not with y/n though, granted they never touched, fingers brushed sometimes when she served or cleared out plates, but there was calmness to her.

Y/n occupied her brain for a long amount of time but she was in denial about a possible crush. Her restraunt would be open now she thought, it was late morning now, maybe I could go there and talk. About what though, Inej groaned with frustration. Anything to keep her mind off y/n would be wonderful.

It would be wonderfull but something better happened. She saw y/n staggering through the small roads in between buildings. Inej could talk to her now, ask what she was doing here and why she wasn't at the shop. Inej was annoyed at how excited she was to have a reason to talk to her, but followed her through the roofs nevertheless.

Terrible things seemed to follow y/n ,perhaps that's a constant at the barrel or Ketterdam in general, anytime she thought she'd finally had it sorted some other asshole appeared out of nowhere. Past was catching up but she did not want to feel that helpless, ever again. She'll make sure of that. Walking with unsure footing she made her way towards a slaughter house she owned. No restraunt in Ketterdam can flourish without good meat and y/n knew the best way to get anything was to get it yourself. Making sure it was empty, she sharpened few knives and set up the table with the drain for blood. He had to be gotten rid off.

His body hidden behind the counter at her restraunt. Coheen Cain, former warden of her orphanage, abuser. He should never be let near children. Things he did to y/n, knife scars running across her abdomen like he pointed out this morning when he turned up at her shop. He was smug his cologne filling the air and suddenly y/n was 12 again crying, bleeding in the basement.

Never again.

Get your blood off my counter she sneered at him when he dragged his chair to sit there.

What blood darling he laughed, it was short lived and turned into a scream. Y/n drove a knife into his hand resting on the counter. The other customers startled, fled the scene, Cain was just recovering, he smiled menacingly.

Oh you missed our time together so much sweetie he dared. He shouldn't have, she took out the knife and poured vinegar on the wound, directly. Blood curdling scream left his mouth.

You destroyed my counter she said, monotonous, she was not going to that basement again, ever. Cain cradled his hand panting, bleeding, suddenly realizing she wasn't the girl from the basement anymore. But his ego seemed to survive the pain he spat at her.

Oh you shouldn't have done that sir she said her words dripping with poison, surpringly no one was around to watch, the scream having scared them. Y/n threw knives at people who disturbed peace often, people knew not to mess with her. Cain should have known too. He might have been alive then. She threw a knife that landed on his heart. He bled out on her floor, she watched as he took his last breath and pulled him behind the counter. Almost mechanically, she'd killed in self defense before, it was the Barrel, if you were alive more than five years here, you had to have killed. This was different. She killed a past.

She needed to get rid of him. She might have dodged stadwatch with tax evasion and Fight Clubs but murder, in daylight, that's a ticket to hellgate. She did not plan on that anytime soon. She started cleaning out the blood, closing the shop, scaring away anyone who lingered. Leaving the lunch outside so people would leave her alone, people generally protect anyone who gives them food.

She had to check the slaughter house before she could take his body there, there was a tunnel, it had to be unlocked, so she could come unnoticed. She felt someone watching her but was too overwhelmed to pay much attention to it.

She dragged his body through the tunnel, it was wet and it stunk, and fluids kept leaking from his body, spoiling her clothes, but she didn't care, she was not going to that basement again.

She hauled his body on the table. Then she was sure she was being watched. Inej. She was being watched by the Wraith. She threw a knife in her direction.

Leave she snarled. Inej was startled, and bit scared, she hadn't seen anything yet. She didn't think y/n would see her, she had been extra quiet. And then she was pushed to a railing, a divider to keep animals sorted, knife to her neck and her hand pressing firmly on her chest. Fear consumed her, cold with fright, she sent a prayer to her saints.

I said leave, y/n whispered, stressing each syllable, pushing harder. I should fight Inej thought but she was paralyzed from the fright, the girl in front of her, red with anger and sweetly and venom in her eyes, they were still the prettiest brown she'd seen.

I'm going to die here Inej thought, I'm going to die here at the hands of y/n, but she's touching me right now, and I'm scared but I don't want her to move away. She prayed instead. With one swift motion y/n spun her around tied her tightly to the pole, making her face away from her work station, she crossed over to face Inej, grinding her teeth, and squatting. She held the tip of her knife at her chin lifting it up.

Tell me why I shouldn't kill you.

Inej gulped, she was scared but something told her she wasn't going to die today

Talk, talk for you freedom, Wraith.

Inej opened her mouth to speak but nothing came to her mind.

Y/n stood and went behind her and she could no longer see her face but she could hear her perfectly well.

I know you're trying to cut the ropes, I wouldn't bother, I had them fabricator made.

Inej withdrew her knives back into their sheats in her sleeve.

Good girl Inej could hear the mirth in her voice. She wasn't going to die.

Why are you here.

Why am I here, I don't know I wanted to talk. Inej thought. Kaz told me to she lied.

Kaz knows you're here? She asked with amusement in her voice. She was standing over Cain's body, Inej could not see that though, she plunged another dagger into his abdomen, blood rushed out, slowly, she watched it flow.

Yes

Hmm, I think you're lying. Y/n said pulling out the dagger only to stab the corpse again. At all the points he'd cut her, and kissed her. Her body felt like it was on fire, of both pain and pleasure.

Inej tried to look but the ropes were tight.

Keep your eyes to yourself, if you want them.

So you're not killing me then Inej said with some confidence which she thanked her saints for.

I haven't decided yet. Depends on how much you know. Y/n was humming now. She sliced opened his stomach, not even grimacing at the smell. Took out his intestines and dumped them into a bin. Blood all over her.

I don't know much Inej confessed.

Hmm

I saw you in the narrow lanes, so I followed.

So it wasn't kaz who sent you.

He did, she lied again not wanting to sound like a liar.

She clicked her tongue. Sharp voice, echoing.

I think, no one has any idea that you're here Wraith.

Jesper knows she said quickly.

Mhm she hummed with question. Breaking off his ribs now, then used a cutting wire to cleanly decapitate him. Effectively tearing him down. Cutting him up.

Jesper is not in the Barrel y/n said, he went towards the island nearby, for a gambling event last night.

Shit Inej thought.

Lying to me won't buy you your life Wraith. How about you tell me something true. She said, coming and sitting right behind Inej.

A chill ran through her.

I was following you.

I know, why is my question.

I don't know. She replied admitting it more to herself than y/n.

Y/n had finished cutting him up now, he was three buckets of organs and meat now. She sat with her back against Inej's playing with her knife. Her skirt soaked in blood, Inej could smell it, it made her a bit sick. She kept praying.

You don't know she asked. You just follow people for no reason?

It is kind of my job Inej said. Y/n laughed, almost maniacally.

I mean I gather information I can use.

Hmm find anything on me? She teased, but also tensed, just in case.

Unfortunately not.

Good.

Will I die today inej asked quietly. Y/n smiled and dragged herself to face Inej.

You tell me

I don't want to die

Hmm okay, what are you willing to give for your life.

Anything.

How about a date?

Inej blinked, dumbfounded, looking at the girl who'd tied her to a pole, laying next to her covered in blood and spinning a knife in her hands smiling at her.

I'm sorry what.

A date Inej.

I-um yes.

Good girl. She said pleased with herself. She opened her roped and let her walk around still smiling, but making a date with her knife and thighs in her brain.

I can leave?

For now, see you tomorrow, at 5, wear something nice y/n said standing up now. Brushed a part of her hand not covered in on Inej's cheek, and even now, when she thought y/n might kill her, Inej wasn't scared, but excited. Lock the doors when you leave she called out, walking away.

For once Inej did not follow.

[queen-of-writing-bad-things]

Henry Danger Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 5

Episode 33: Rumblr (SMUT)

Season 5 Masterlist

*Welp, we now all know what's happening in Danger Force Season 3. Am I happy? No. Do I want the writers to wake up to a million insects in their underpants? Yes. Can I do anything about it? Nope. 

I'll figure out a way to make it work when we get to that, but for now, SMUT FOR EVERYONE. It's a little further down, so I'll tell you when to dim your brightness and order your mum to go away, so enjoy this one! Needy, moody, sad, and grumpy Ray is my favourite <3

Everyone knew that Captain Man was meant to be a legend. 

When the people of Swellview talk in the future, his name will be mentioned in awe. He will be in the hall of fame, one of the greats, a hero revered by children after hearing all the grand stories from their elders. 

For Ray, his job was control. It was freedom dripping from his fingertips, an ichor promising him eternal youth. For Ray, being a superhero was everything magical and thrilling.

But loving (y/n) was like breathing. He needed her. 

She was more, everything magical and beautiful and extraordinary, and for whatever reason or whatever good deed he did in a past life, she was his. His sweet girl. The one he was going to marry. 

And she was gone. 

Not gone gone. Just away. A family reunion in her home town - a big event that demanded her presence, no matter how much she insisted that her job wouldn't let her leave so easily. 

(y/n) hated those reunions. It was just a chance for her snooty aunties to ask where her wedding ring and children were, for her cousins to pry into her elusive job, and for her parents to wonder why that nice young man she was marrying couldn't attend. She hated the constant questions and distasteful jokes, even if they were her family, but she hated leaving him more. 

They'd both agreed that it was for the best. Someone had to stay to protect the city; Captain Man and Miss Danger simultaneously couldn't be away, so Ray waved her off, promising he'd cope in her absence. 

Have fun, see your family, and don't worry, sweet girl. We'll be okay here, he'd said. 

Unfortunately, he wasn't okay, and he certainly couldn't cope. 

Ray fell apart when she got in the cab, watching until the car disappeared past the horizon, instantly wishing he could kiss her one last time. After that, he returned to the Man Cave, convinced he'd be okay. It was only a few days, and she never got to see her family because of him, so it was right to let her go. At least, that's what he told himself. 

"He's miserable..."

"Oh yeah, he's definitely pining for her." he heard Henry and Charlotte whisper the next day, watching him mope around the room with a scowl on his face. The place was too quiet, and all the rooms seemed too dark without his darling girl's sunshine to brighten them. She was his wife - or she would be - and he hated being separate from her. 

Four days later, his situation nosedived into pure hell as time passed. There was no point in getting dressed; his fiancée wasn't here to see him, so pyjamas it was. There was no point brushing his hair and teeth; she wasn't there to kiss or fuss over his handsome looks. There was no point in shaving; he didn't want to go outside. The world would go on without Captain Man, but he couldn't go on without his sweet girl. 

That's how he ended up on the ratty, old couch in Junk-N-Stuff, stuffing stale cereal into his mouth and drinking milk from the carton. Despite his melancholia, Jasper couldn't move him - he was still the boss, even if he wasn't acting like one. He crashed there on the third day, clad in a dirty t-shirt, pyjama bottoms and a dressing gown because his bedroom reminded him of (y/n) too much. 

So, the boy was reduced to serving customers, apologising for the tramp in the corner, and dodging around the mess he made. 

"Wake up, lil' snoozy!" Jasper exclaimed as he used a handheld vacuum to clean up the cereal the man had spilt down his front. Just because this was a junk store didn't mean they had no standards, something (y/n) had taught him from day one. Oh, how she'd hate to see her doofus now. 

"Jasper, turn it off! It's too early for vacuuming," Ray snapped, wishing to be left alone to wallow in his self-pity. His body ached, longing for his sweet girl and the completeness she brought him, but he knew she was far away and doing much better than him. 

He waited for her to phone him every night, and like clockwork, she did. He played it cool, acting like he was functioning like a normal human being when he asked about her day, who she'd seen, and what she'd done. He didn't tell her how much he missed her; he didn't want to spoil her trip. As long as she thought everything was okay and she was happy, he could last until she came home. 

Until then, he hugged her pillow at night, pretending it was her in his arms, and when the clock struck three, the first tears fell. Every single night she was away. 

God, he missed her. God, he was a mess. And god, he made a pathetic sight. 

"It's three in the afternoon," the boy replied candidly, glancing across the store as he awkwardly hovered near the man. A shower or a change of clothes wouldn't hurt him, and he wished he'd stop shovelling the old cereal into his mouth, but Ray wouldn't listen. 

"If that were true, Junk-N-Stuff would be open!" He grumbled, having dozed the day away since his heart stopped aching only when he was asleep, but even then, his dreams featured a radiant beauty giggling and calling him her doofus. 

Was he sad? Possibly. No one else ever became so depressed when their partner left for a few days, but this wasn't just a partner. This was (y/n) he was talking about, and for as long as he could remember, she'd always been there. Not having her around felt unnatural now, like a piece of him was missing. 

"It is," Jasper revealed in a frustrated voice, and Ray opened his eyes enough to see what he meant. Jasper felt sorry for the man, knowing how not a day went by when he didn't see (y/n), so this was a rare experience for him. 

Still, customers had been complaining about him all day. The old lady waddling through the store, staring at him curiously, wasn't different. No one needed to see him in his dirty, crusty grandpa slippers. 

"I like your robe. Can I buy it?" The strange lady requested, making Jasper frown. He didn't want to think of the last time it had seen a washing machine; (y/n) wore it once last week, meaning Ray didn't want to wash away the memory of her in it. 

"No," he scoffed. It was comfortable and faintly smelt like her perfume, giving him succour whenever he nosed the collar. How could he give it away when he remembered how cute she looked as it dwarfed her on the couch?

"I'll give you two bucks," the lady proposed, eying up the cheap fabric.

"...Deal," Ray sighed. As much as he loved the memory, he wasn't in the mood to argue and couldn't bear any reminders of his beloved fiancée, so he threw his box of Captain Man's Her-ohs! cereal to the side and stood up to strip off the robe. 

"Okay, let me just get your real money from right here in my not-empty purse..." she said slowly, rummaging in her bag to convince the scruffy man she'd pay him when in reality, she had no intention of giving this schmuck anything. Ray didn't see through the deception, though, handing over the clothing without a second thought since they were clouded by his loneliness. 

However, the second she took the dressing gown, her sweet, little old lady act dropped, much like Ray when she used her meagre strength to push him to the floor. After four days of eating nothing but crap, Ray was wobbly on his legs, and his grief didn't help, meaning he fell like a domino into a crumpled, teary heap. 

"See ya, sucker!" The woman hissed through her false teeth, sneering at the man as he slumped against the dusty rug, making no attempt to get up or fight back. What was the point? He could feel Jasper's stare but couldn't care less when everything felt floppy. His world had lost its colour - it faded when she left in a taxi. 

"That lady stole your robe!"

"So what? (y/n) always said it was ugly, anyway..." he muttered, nuzzling into his arm before slowly shuffling onto his knees. He sniffed at the mention of his sweet girl, wondering if she was having fun with her younger cousins or hearing family tales from her granduncles. He wished he'd gone with her, but he didn't know her loss would make him feel like this. 

"She's getting away!"

"Ehhhh, who cares? I'll just steal a robe off someone else later. Circle of life," Ray shrugged, plonking back down on the couch to return to his cereal. (y/n) was due back at the end of the week anyway, so he might as well eat his feelings. Y'know, instead of calling and telling her how much he missed her. 

"Actually, she's having some trouble getting up the stairs, so...still time to get it back before you do something (y/n) wouldn't approve of," Jasper said, watching as the old woman tried to get her aching joints and creaking knees up the few steps to the door, but her hip replacement couldn't do it. 

He knew the man was lost without his soulmate, but he wouldn't steal anything from anyone. He didn't have the heart or energy. 

"Oh, I don't care about a crappy---" Ray argued, his words slurring at the end, proving the kid's point. He couldn't be bothered to do anything, so the pensioner made her getaway, skulking out of the store with the stinky robe bundled in her arms. Well, that was the last time he'd see that. 

"What's wrong with you?!" Jasper snapped, knowing the answer, but he wanted to hear the man admit it. He swore he was fine, viciously bit off anyone's head who mentioned his fiancée, and insisted he wasn't missing her. What a load of shit. 

"Nothing!" Ray whined, chewing more cereal before looking down and seeing how grubby he looked, "clean my shirt."

"You know, if you're missing (y/n), you could just call her," the teen suggested, sighing as he stepped forward and began vacuuming whatever unknown chunks clung to his off-white t-shirt. Ray glared at him; his heart clenched at imagining her voice again, hearing her soothe all his worries, telling her he hated being so far away from the love of his life. But how could he be so selfish?

"No, thank you. (y/n)'s with her family... She won't want me to ruin the celebrations, so it's better if I--I'm fine. Fine. Totally fine, so leave it," he stammered, realising he was letting his true feelings slip too much and to Jasper. 

In all the years he'd known (y/n), she'd been away plenty of times for various reasons, and every time, he'd always survived. However, he just wished he remembered how much it always sucked. 

"Four days, man..." Jasper sighed and continued cleaning him up, shaking his head at his bullheadedness. He knew the heroine was probably feeling the same way, longing for her doofus, but neither would say it, so he said nothing. 

"Ray!" Suddenly, a shout came from the back room, and Henry, Piper and Charlotte ran into the room. They burst through the beaded curtain, panting and tired from sprinting into the elevator, but they needed their boss. Their whining, lonely, pathetic boss.

"We've got an emergency call."

"The Toddler just escaped from Swellview Prison," Piper described, thinking it was a difficult situation, given the notorious criminal, but Ray didn't even bat an eyelash. No point in fighting crime when Miss Danger wasn't there to look all pretty and hot by his side. 

"He greased himself with baby oil, and no one could grab him!" Charlotte added, hoping to inspire some energy into the man, but he shoved another handful of Her-ohs! into his mouth. 

"Ha! Slick move. Let's bounce!" Henry chuckled, satisfied with his little pun, but his jovial mood soon stopped when Ray stayed on the couch. He'd had enough of this; the moping, the crying, the snappy mood, and how every emergency had fallen to him. He might as well have taken the flight with (y/n). 

"Ah, who cares about The Toddler? We catch him, and we throw him in jail. Six weeks later, he's back out on the street..."

"Are you still sad 'cause (y/n) left for her family reunion? Dude, it's been four whole days!" Piper exclaimed, thinking Charlotte was joking when she mentioned that Captain Man didn't do well without his other half. This took the biscuit, though, 

"I don't miss her! Why do people keep saying that?!" Ray hissed, throwing a fistful of grained hoops in her direction. Of course, he fucking missed her, but he couldn't say it out loud. They'd phone (y/n) and inform her of how sad he was; his pride couldn't bear that. It was just a little heartache, nothing he couldn't handle. 

"'Cause you look disgusting and have done ever since she left," Charlotte retorted in her classic dry tone. Little did he know that (y/n) was counting down the seconds until it was socially acceptable to leave, divulging to the girl that seeing her family meant nothing if he wasn't with her - the family she had to choose. 

"I know what to do..." Henry whispered to the girls, aware his boss was too stubborn to say anything else. Out of everyone, he had the most experience with man-child tantrums, and he had a rough idea of what to do. Fair enough, he didn't have a sweet touch but was trying his best. 

With his sister and friend watching him curiously, the boy kneeled beside his boss, who didn't take much notice, even when a mysterious beat came out of nowhere. Maybe it was cringy, but singing worked before, all those months ago when Frankini cursed Swellview and Ray skipped town. 

"Remember when you took The Toddler, bro?" He started the song, slowly looking up at the man's brooding face, hardened by his ten o'clock shadow and unimpressed stare. Despite it being his best effort to try and cheer him up, Ray didn't appreciate the gesture, shutting it down before the second lyric could leave Henry's lips by throwing cereal in his face. 

"I don't need the Pump-Up Song!" Ray snapped, standing up with a sweeping fury. He gulped down what he needed; an urge to admit he was lovesick and to hear his sweet girl's reassuring voice. But what if that wasn't the only thing?

"I need new guys to fight!" He growled, throwing his hands up as he crossed the store. That raised a few eyebrows and made the kids look at each other because Captain Man was out of action. After all, Miss Danger was too. No one said anything about this twist - the fact that he'd grown tired of a twenty-year-old routine was a surprise. 

"You mean you need (y/n) to come back and cuddle you?" Piper proposed, assuming he was making excuses or something. However, the look he threw her could kill, indicating he didn't appreciate the hint he was a loser. He was a loser, but not just because his fiancée was out of town. 

"I. Am. Fine! I'm just sick of fighting the same criminals over and over again. I'm bored!" 

"And missing (y/n/n)," Charlotte remarked smugly, giggling because she knew it was true. But Ray wasn't joking. Yes, he ached for his pretty girl, but even crimefighting hadn't taken his mind off it. In the past, he used to throw himself into his work to distract himself from anything - his unrequited love to a disastrous date - but this time, it hadn't worked. The itch was still there, the one that told him to do something, but he couldn't scratch it. 

"Charlotte, I swear--"

"Try going on Rumblr," Piper said before he could give her friend a good talking to, making his head tilt in a manner (y/n) would find adorable. 

"Huh?"

"I can't help with (y/n), but try going on Rumblr," the brat suggested casually, shrugging because it was up to him to change his mood. All she could do was try and help him, and whilst she couldn't fly (y/n) home, she could try to find him a fight worthy of scratching the itch. 

"What's Rumbler?" Ray asked, sounding like such an old person with his poor, elderly pronunciation, much to the amusement of the teens. 

"Nah, it's Rumblr!"

"Yeah, Rumblr."

"It's an app."

"Called Rumblr." Jasper, Charlotte and Henry worked together to explain it to him. Perhaps not in the best, most efficient way, but it got through to Ray. Probably. He looked a little lost, making Piper chuckle since he got so confused when his precious fiancée wasn't around to spell things out for him in his old age. 

"I sometimes forget how old he is..." She joked with her friends, causing the hero to grumble and set his lips in a firm line. Just because he was older didn't mean he was foolish; besides, he had experience, just not with these newfangled application things. 

"What's Rumblr?" He asked, mushing the syllables together as they did, so he was down with the kids as he stood there in his disgusting t-shirt and grandpa pyjamas pants. 

"Well, it's like a dating app, but instead of matching women with creeps, it matches heroes with villains," Piper explained, flicking the app up on her phone so he could see. 

They didn't have things like this in his day, and Ray immediately doubted its credentials about why a villain would actively seek the law. Life was hard when he didn't have his darling girl around to help him, and it made him realise how used he was to have her around. 

"Why would a villain want to find a hero?"

"Attention."

"Publicity.

"Yeah, think about it. Any bad guy that fights Captain Man ends up all over the news," Jasper said after the girls, describing how the hero brought the villain status and respect amongst their vicious circles. That's how The Toddler and Doctor Minyak gained notoriety, thanks to Captain Man, even if they never managed to defeat him, not even when he still worked alone. 

"And if they actually beat you in a fight..." Charlotte started, making Ray scoff at such a thought. As if he'd let that happen--he was too awesome to let that happen, honestly. 

"Boom! Evil sponsorship. They've just turned their villain hobby into a villain career."

"Yeah, well, no one's gonna beat me in a fight," the large man smirked cockily, tossing another cereal nugget into his mouth. Depressed, lonely or sad, he could still kick ass when needed. He just didn't want to do it when his sweet girl wasn't with him, something the kids saw straight through. 

"Big talk from someone who's afraid to get on Rumblr," Piper sassed, earning some bemused noises from the group. They oohed at the man's wariness, making him wrinkle his nose and shuffle from foot to foot because it made him sound like a coward. 

"I'm not afraid to get on Rumblr!" Ray snapped with his mouth full, putting his walls up again because he didn't like talking about his feelings. These were the kids he cared for (more than their parents) - they didn't need to hear his problems. 

"I just like to meet villains the old-fashioned way, that's all. I bump into them at a crime scene, we start to banter a little, my sweet girl says something clever, one thing leads to another, and suddenly, I'm fighting this bad guy, and it's amazing," he fantasised, crinkling the box in his hands. 

He could practically taste the scene. It was dark, dingy, and disgusting - everything a hero loves. Miss Danger and Kid Danger were by his side, fighting for their lives--everyone in Swellview's lives, and it was all explosions, adrenaline, and danger as they threw punches, kicks and insults at the bad guy. That's how battles were meant to go...

"Yeah, dude, that's not how villains and heroes meet these days," Henry chuckled, deeming his boss so stuffy with his rose-tinted views on heroic meet-cutes. 

"Yeah, well, it should be!"

"Just try it. Get the app, make a profile, and put yourself out there," Charlotte told him. She knew he was nervous; doing something like this without (y/n) was out of his comfort zone, and he wouldn't have her to turn to, but they were with him. All he had to do was take the first step. 

"I don't know... (y/n) normally helps me with this sort of thing..." Ray muttered, scuffing his foot against the floor, but they heard him clearly - maybe felt a smidgeon of sympathy for him. 

"Ray, what if your perfect villain is out there waiting for you right now? What if you could introduce them to (y/n) when she gets back?" Jasper came forward, placing a warm hand on his shoulder as he tried to offer the guy a tiny sliver of hope. He smiled at the thought of having his girl in his arms again, but then, he remembered whose hand was touching him, and then, well, his imagination got the better of him. 

"Yeah, well, what if I end up fighting some guy I don't even like, and I accidentally spill mustard on my butt, and he spends the whole evening calling me Mustard Butt?! What then?! Huh? What then?! I can't tell my sweet girl about that!" He exclaimed, rambling as he thought about everything that could go wrong.

No matter how improbable, they were still mortifying and not something he'd want (y/n) to know about. 

"Did that happen to you before?" Charlotte asked, thinking that scenario sounded too detailed to be a fevered imagining. 

"No!" Ray denied, gazing into his cereal box, even though it made him seem guiltier. 

"Because that's a very specific concern."

"It didn't happen!" He insisted, nibbling a little more as Henry smirked. It probably happened, and he would love to know which villain called him that, but they quickly moved on when he clammed up. The man was too shy to agree to anything and hated the thought of going alone, so Piper had a suggestion. 

"What if you and Kid Danger went together?" She said, knowing her brother would support him and be his wingman. Ray still looked unsure; with something as tender and delicate as this, he needed his favourite girl, but Henry would have to do. 

"What, you mean, like, go on a double fight?"

"Sure! Come on, man. How often do we even fight crime anymore? Maybe once a week? Only on Saturdays?" The kid smiled reassuringly, leaving the cash register to approach the man debating the offer, but could he go through with it without his sweet girl? Would she be mad knowing he went fighting without her?

"Listen, just come! It'll be fun! (y/n) would want you to do it! Come on, please!" Henry begged, wearing down his boss' resilience.

"Fine--okay!" Ray groaned, sniffing as he tilted the box into his mouth and drowned himself in cereal. Most of it went onto the floor, with only some going down his throat, but the teens didn't say anything. They didn't expect him to agree, making it a pleasant surprise that they'd get to create his Rumblr profile and find him a hot fight. 

"Great! Aw, man, seeing you like this again is so good! You've been such a loser since (y/n) left!" Henry grinned, slapping his older friend on the arm as he finished his snack and looked at him dryly. Swallowing the dry grain with a wince, he turned to the children, who giggled at what the kid said - nothing but the truth. 

Ray, of course, didn't see it that way. He clutched the box tightly and stared at each of them, sighing when their mischievous smiles didn't budge. Piper made kissy noises, making her boss blush and growl because he didn't like the taunting as much as he didn't like the implication that he fell to pieces when his wife left. 

"I am not a loser! God, you make it sound like I can't function when she leaves!"

"Well, you can't! Just look at yourself. Without (y/n) around, you get all grumpy, gross, and moody," Charlotte replied, gesturing to his grotty clothes, unshaven face, and tousled hair. 

Ray looked down at himself and shrugged, thinking it had been a rough few days, and he didn't have to be perfect. And the correlation between his mood, appearance and (y/n) was nonsense. Girls occasionally left their lovers, and nothing happened to them, so why were they convinced by this narrative that he wasn't sleeping, eating or living correctly? Perhaps because it was true. 

"Look, I loved her for ten years and survived whenever she left!"

"That was when you were a chicken! Now, you don't spend a single minute apart from your sweet girl, meaning now she's gone, you've become a loser!" The girl chuckled, watching as the man grew increasingly frustrated, throwing his hands in the air as their words got to him. All too real words - so true he struggled to admit they were wrong. 

"Yeah, and it's only been four days. Imagine how much he'd miss her if she went for two weeks?" Piper added, sharing a smile with her friend as Ray lamented the thought. 

He wanted her so much. At least she was with him all those years ago, so far yet so close, and he could revel in her friendship. They were correct, though; back then, he lived with the heartbreak of believing she didn't love him every day. Maybe he was too spoilt nowadays, waking up to her in his arms every morning, safe, soft and smiling. Perhaps he'd grown too accustomed to such niceties, or possibly, his perfect girl made him weak-hearted. 

Ray wasn't sure. All he knew was that he couldn't give them the satisfaction of his confession that he was indeed a loser. 

"Oh my god! I don't need (y/n) to function because I certainly don't miss her! Why won't anyone accept that I am fine?!" 

"Well, I beg to differ from where I'm standing, doofus," a gentle voice suddenly said from behind him, making everyone look over in shock as the T-Rex roared fire and the door opened. 

It was like time had stopped. There, in the doorway, smiling brightly, dressed in mismatched, rumpled clothing, and looking like she'd been to hell and back (or an airport), was (y/n) in all her glory. 

A small, floral-print suitcase was by her feet, a raincoat tucked under her arm, and another bag hitched over her shoulder as she stood there excitedly at finally coming home, although earlier than expected. A tugging on her heartstrings told her a week was too long, and besides, her family had driven her up the wall from day one. Why stay when she'd already had enough after the first dinner?

"(y/n/n)! Didn't expect to see you home until at least Tuesday!" Henry remarked, grinning as brightly as her as she laughed and glanced at her feet, obviously quite bashful at her dramatic entrance. 

Oh, Ray's face was an absolute picture. His mouth was propped open slightly, and perhaps he was drooling slightly at the pretty sight she made, although Henry couldn't tell. He'd gone pale and silent as he took her in, blinking furiously to check she wasn't some melancholy-induced dream, but no. His sweet girl had come home, and she, wearing a faded hoodie and her oldest pair of jeans, looked drop-dead gorgeous. 

"Eh... My aunts had a fight with one of my uncles over divorcing their sister for the babysitter. Just another happy family reunion, so I decided to cut it short, and I'm glad I did," she shrugged, dismissing the memory of seeing a man plead for his...unmentionables since she'd yet to go to a family event where there wasn't a punch-up. Next time, however, she'd definitely take her husband - she hoped he'd be - considering how goddamn awful he looked.

"I leave for four days, and everything goes to pot? Oh, Raymond..." she said softly, meeting his big, sad eyes as she draped her coat and bag over her case, hoping to take all the pain away now she was back. 

She'd never seen him like that - not even in the old days when he returned from another failed date. Not even the prettiest model used to make him fall to pieces after dumping him, so she was shocked to see her doofus in the filthiest of clothing, having not bothered to get dressed, surrounded by a puddle of cereal she swore she'd thrown in the trash, and looking like a hobo with his rough stubble. 

She moved to walk down the steps, to take him into her arms and assure him she had no intention of leaving in the foreseeable future, to fuss over him for not taking care of himself simply because she was out of town, but she never got the chance to. 

In the blink of an eye, Ray, having regained the use of his brain after it shortcircuited, dashed towards her at speed, becoming a blur for the kids as he was there one second and gone the next. (y/n) gasped as his arms circled her, his head buried in her chest since the stairs gave her a height advantage, but Ray didn't care. His strength allowed him to pull her up and keep her there, lifting his sweet girl off the floor as he crushed her in a tight hug born of desperation and yearning. 

With her tiptoes hovering above the floor, the woman had no choice but to return it, offering no complaints, save that he really needed a shower, as she squeezed him and cradled his head to her neck. There was no way she'd ever leave again after the phone calls and late-night longing for the man she could hear but not see, feel or touch. 

What was it her great aunt said? 

"Husbands and wives are meant to be together, so separating them rarely makes the heart grow fonder. Just forgetful and bitter. It's unnatural... Plus, we're all dying to meet the man you daydream about. Don't think we haven't noticed, young'un. You've got a boy on your mind, and that ring says it all."

"I've missed you, (y/n). So much..." Ray confessed hoarsely into her skin, making her sniffle too when she felt his eyelashes wet her collarbone. How could she leave him when he was nothing but a sweetheart to her?

"I missed you too, doofus. Every day," she replied, watching the kids roll their eyes and shake their heads at his theatrics. 

They'd tell her how many times he denied that over the past few days and why she couldn't ever leave again--to save their sanity. But, for now, they left the lovers alone to reunite, knowing they'd come down to the Man Cave in their own time once Ray convinced himself it wasn't just a dream. 

He was still nuzzling into her body, inhaling lungfuls of her perfume and the distinct whiff of the taxi she'd taken from the airport, but he could ignore that. She was here; she was real, and he promised himself at that moment he'd never let her go again. The place wasn't the same without her, and he just couldn't cope. 

"Welcome home, sweet girl..."

~

*DIM YOUR BRIGHTNESS. MOTHERS LOOK AWAY NOW. IT'S SMUT TIME. I know doing the boom-boom in the shower is impractical and fairly dangerous, but I don't care :) 

5000 words of smut coming up, hot and steamy. literally. 

As hard as it was to leave, a reunion between lovers was always special. It nearly made up for the restless nights and arduous days.

The plan had been to go straight downstairs and do the Rumblr thing for Ray - after he told his sweet girl about it. However, after hugging and kissing in Junk-N-Stuff for ten minutes, he and (y/n) discovered they weren't quite ready to mingle yet. 

He kept stroking her hair, pecking her lips and whispering in her ear, apologising for falling apart without her around, but he added that he couldn't help it. Ray refused to set her down, preferring to keep her in his hold as he returned downstairs, fed up with the weird stares he got from the stuck-up customers. 

After spending so long apart, he wanted to drop her on the bed and welcome her home properly, but as much as she wanted to be underneath him, (y/n) couldn't bear it. Not when he hadn't washed, shaved or changed his clothes in days. 

That's how they ended up where they were now; in their en-suite with Ray standing at the sink. The basin was filled with warm water, his cheeks were sudsy from shaving foam, and his fiancée was sitting on the counter with a razor in her hand, helping him reach all the tricky contours of his face. 

He could do it himself after thirty years of practice, but she wanted to, enjoying the closeness as his hands ran up and down her legs and he studied her features. She was so pretty, concentrating on not hurting him, even if the blades couldn't nick his skin. 

"You could've called me, y'know?" (y/n) muttered as she swiped the razor down his cheek, wiping away the foam and stubble underneath. His hands stopped exploring her nude legs, squeezing her thighs after she'd stripped to her underwear for the intimate activity - jeans and a hoodie would just be uncomfortable. 

"You didn't have to suffer in silence, doof. Especially after all those phone calls."

"You were busy eating stews and watching your family rip each other apart. Didn't want to get in the way," Ray replied quietly, closing his eyes and swallowing as she cupped his jaw to tilt his head upwards. Swishing the razor through the warm water, she went again, resting her free hand on his bare chest as she raked another stripe down his throat. 

His stubble was sexy, rough and prickly against her skin, and secretly, (y/n) longed to feel it between her legs - an extra sensation- but it had to go. Captain Man was clean and polished, so she'd have to wait another day for her fantasy and let his wandering hands satisfy the fluttering heat growing in her core. 

"You never get in the way, Raymond," she told him sternly, poking her tongue out cutely as she rolled the razor under his chin. "They were all asking about you, wanting to know where my hunk was..."

"Hunk? Would that be your Aunt What's-her-name? Should I be worried?" Ray chuckled, pushing his touch up the apex of her thighs so he could grasp her waist. He'd only met the old lady once, but she'd crooned over how handsome he was, asking for his arm whenever she needed to stand up and congratulating her niece on hooking such an attractive catch. 

"Well, if she was thirty years younger...she still wouldn't have you because you're mine," (y/n) giggled, cleaning the razor again before leaning forward to kiss the clean section of his face. His skin was perfectly smooth underneath her lips, and when she pulled away, she saw Ray's intense, smouldering stare. He stared at her hungrily, feeling his yearning for her grow at her words and seeing her clad in practically nothing made it worse. 

"Anyway, that was before she called Candy a man-stealing hussy."

"Did your uncle get his truck towed after they slashed his tires?" He asked, rubbing his thumbs over her hipbones as they swapped gossip. Maybe he would go next time, anything to see this drama in action...and hear all about how he'd pulled the loveliest girl in her hometown. 

"After he put an ice pack down his pants, yeah..." (y/n) giggled, finishing him off before giving him a once over for any missed patches. Oh god, he looked so hot and clean-shaven, and her giggles died down when she rubbed his face with a towel and noticed his stare...

"All done?" Ray asked, lifting a hand to feel his smooth jaw, impressed when he noticed the excellent job she'd done. She nodded and set down her utensils, looking proud of herself as she felt the other cheek, chest...and abs. He was in his underwear, too, standing tall and broad between her legs as she pulled the plug, watching the water swirl down the drain. 

"Yep... Glad my doofus is still underneath all that fluff."

"Hmmm... Think you deserve a reward, sweet girl," the man hummed, holding her steady as she slid off the counter, knocking some toothpaste over on her way down, but neither cared. Glancing down, (y/n) could swear the bulge in his briefs was more prominent than when they first started, and she longed to take him in her mouth again - for the first time in a week.

It had been too long since they were intimate, and he looked gorgeous, skin pressed against skin.

"Oh, yeah? What were you thinking?" She asked teasingly, squealing when his damp cheeks brushed against her neck as he kissed the skin there, sliding his hands around her to grab her ass cheekily. 

"Shower with me?" Ray offered, smirking against her skin before biting down on her collarbone. (y/n) squealed at the sharp sensation, scraping her nails over his shoulders as he kneaded her flesh. 

God, how he'd missed that sweet ass of hers, fondly pulling and squeezing her cheeks, landing a short, sharp spank on the right one. The tingle dragged another gasp from her, and she hooked a hand around the nape of his neck, bringing his lips down to hers. The man groaned at her taste, immediately upping the intensity to a near-makeout session as his hands left her ass to her hips and down her outer thighs. 

It was so tempting to push her back onto the counter and spread her thighs to have her there and then, but it had been a long week, a long trip, and too long since he'd seen her naked. He had to get her in the shower. Now. 

"Mmm, doofus... That's a tempting offer...and I happily accept," (y/n) grinned mischievously, breaking the kiss when their lungs burned and muscles ached. They panted in unison, breath mingling as he reluctantly released her - he had to; otherwise, he'd never get his wish. 

"Come on then, darlin'," Ray muttered, pecking the space between her eyes before moving away from her, sights set on the spacious cubicle in the corner. 

Ray wasn't one for decor; he could be put in a room with gold leaf walls, scarlet carpets, and tiger-print sheets, and he'd like it. Not because he enjoyed the gauche style but because he didn't care. Who cared about what a room looked like when it functioned perfectly fine? That's why he insisted on having the Man Cave's best bathroom. (y/n) came in with her woman's touch and did the decorating, and he chose the best shower money could buy. 

Large, beautifully tiled with Schwoz's finest plumbing work and a big, multifunctional shower head that sprayed at different speeds and intensities. It even had a small, built-up ledge that acted as a seat--something he and his sweet girl made full use of many times. 

It was the best shower, so he had no problem rolling his shoulders back, hooking his thumbs into the elastic band of his underwear, sliding it down, down, down--until they dropped to the bathmat near the sliding doors. Kicking them off without another thought, he opened the shower and began twisting the knob until the spray blasted to life. 

"Fuck, that's cold--" he grunted when the icy water hit his hand, but it soon warmed, allowing him to dip his fingers in, then his wrist, forearm, shoulder, and chest, and then, he stepped in. 

Behind him, (y/n) was smiling to herself, possibly looking insane, but she didn't care. Her doofus was in front of her, as bare as the day he was born, preparing the shower for them to share, so she could scrub away the airport and cab smell from her body. Who wouldn't feel blissful?

"You comin', sweet girl?"

"Of course, doof. Gimme a minute," she muttered, not bothering to unhook her bra and slide it down her arms properly. She had no time for that, impatient enough to yank it over her head like a t-shirt and let it fall to the floor. 

Peering through the steamy glass, Ray hardened at the sight of her exposed, unashamedly staring at her body as she teetered toward the half-open door. He couldn't wait to pull her into his arms, but in the meantime, he hungrily drank in how she slowly pushed her panties down. Maybe she was teasing him, or perhaps he was just thirsty, but he longingly stared at how she moved, revealing his favourite spot in the entire world inch by inch. 

"Were you staring?" (y/n) asked as they skimmed past her knees, landing next to his when she stepped out. The door opened quickly, and Ray wasted no time grabbing her wrist and dragging her under the warm water, making her giggle at his bold impatience. 

"I wouldn't do that," the hero told her, but the laughter in his voice said otherwise. 

"Sure... I've missed you, Ray. Thought about you every day," she murmured as they assumed their natural showering position, her palms flat against his chest and him holding her waist as the rain fell and warmed their skin. It was nice to stand and have each other adjust to the perfect sanctuary of the shower; bedrooms could be invaded, but no one ever bothered them in there. 

"You have no idea... Thought I was going crazy without you here, my love," Ray replied, holding her close, enjoying the intimacy of having his fiancée in his embrace again. 

His eyes squeezed shut at the lonely nights, and solitary dinners flashed through his mind, but he didn't let it win. That was then, this was now, and he had the girl of his dreams, wet, naked and entirely focusing on him. 

"I kinda guessed the minute I saw you, doof..."

"Couldn't eat...couldn't sleep...needed my sweet girl."

"Raymond. Next time, you c--in fact, you're coming with me for the next reunion. So I can make sure you're taking care of yourself," (y/n) told him firmly, looking him in the eye, silently making him promise. Whether she was out of town or not, he had to look after himself--so she'd have her doofus to return to. 

"Me goin' home to your momma's cooking? Don't tempt me, darlin'," Ray smirked, reaching around her body to grab a bottle of shower gel from the shelf. It was floral-scented, very girly, and not the sort of thing Ray would've had in his bathroom five years ago. But it smelt of her, and she smelt of home, which he needed more than anything. 

Behind her back, he poured a small amount into his cupped hand, twitching a smile at the deep jewel-red colour before leaning away from her. 

"May I?" He smirked, swiping the soap over her chest anyway since she never refused, although his ordering was slightly off. With him cleaning her body, starting with her shoulders, (y/n) studied her lover from his freshly shaven face to his broad shoulders, toned chest, abs...

"Most people wash their hair first, doof..."

"I'm taking a new approach," Ray mumbled, paying extra attention as he moved down her arms, fingertips gliding effortlessly with the suds he left. With his eyes on her body, (y/n) enjoyed the moment, feeling pretty under his gaze as he returned to her chest. The only way to go was down; she knew what his approach meant. 

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" She whispered, head lolling back when he cupped her breasts, washing them more thoroughly than her arms. She sighed as his thumbs brushed over her nipples, turning them into hardened peaks and making him stiffen with them. 

Cracking an eye open, she glanced down, noticing how his cock was noticeably thicker than it had been minutes earlier. She gulped at the sight of it, core fluttering from his touch and the thought of being filled, but Ray seemed to be taking his time - the man known for being incredibly patient. 

"Turn around..." he ordered his pretty girl gently, making her whine since she didn't want to lose this precious sight, but then, he explained - albeit with a sly sparkle in her eye. 

"Gotta wash your back, darlin'." It sounded euphemistic, so she did as he asked. Her movements were jittery, ruled by adrenaline, as his arms slipped back around her, cupping her tits again when his lips met the back of her neck. 

Letting her head fall against his shoulder, she sighed, biting her lip when she felt his solid length against her back, slotting into the space between her cheeks. He soaped up her torso, exploring her soft tummy and back up to her breasts, but never the one space she wanted him to touch - the aching, throbbing slick between her thighs. 

Ray growled against her neck, rutting into the small of her back when she whined, unable to stop himself when she pressed her ass backwards. She needed him inside her; it had been too long, and perhaps it was the steamy environment, but the tension between them was electric, with neither remembering a recent time when they were this desperate. 

"Thought you were gonna wash my back?" (y/n) asked smugly, only to gasp when his touch slid down to her pussy, two fingers immediately circling her clit to make her writhe against him. 

"I've got the love of my life letting me touch her up. Any man would get distracted," Ray replied, equally smug when she became jelly-like against his body, moaning quietly as he played with her. The woman was speechless by how he ran his fingertips through her slick lips, relaxing against her doofus, so he could use her as he pleased, and Ray was eager to please both of them. 

"But if you want me to wash your back, sweet girl, put your hands on that wall and bend over."

"Yes, Captain," she muttered, eagerly following his command by facing the wall and sticking her ass out. 

It would provide her with enough support when combined with his iron-like grip on her hips, so she wouldn't fall, but it wasn't the usual comfort the couple was accustomed to. Ray liked space and comfort to fuck his girl to heaven and back, and (y/n) loved lying there and taking it, but this would do to scratch the itch. The burning, feverish, all-consuming craving willing them to return to carnal instinct. 

"That's it, sweet girl. Show me this pretty pussy--fuckin' missed it," he groaned as she braced against the wall with her ass pointing his way. The angle meant he could see her glistening centre perfectly, ready for him to plunge into after too long apart, and how she eagerly presented for him made his blood drain south. 

Fully hard and standing to attention, the hero took himself into his palm, pumping his length as (y/n) parted her thighs. It wasn't surprising how quickly things escalated, given how much they'd missed each other, and they were used to fucking every day. The quicker they got it out of their systems, the sooner they could complete the shower and return to bed, where Ray automatically assumed they'd go again, making him grow feral. 

"Please, just fuck me already, Ray. 'S been too long," the heroine whined, wiggling her hips to tempt him, but if he was anything, Ray was meticulous when it came to her pleasure. 

Dragging the bulbous head through her slick, he planted his feet next to hers, giving himself enough space to fuck her freely and not topple over in the slippery environment. Lining up with her entrance, he could feel how his hand shook - a new sensation that made him gulp. He'd never been this frantic, thinking if he didn't have her now, he'd go insane, and it was all for the panting beauty before him. 

"You want me, pretty girl? Want my cock inside you? You need it?" Ray teased, rubbing himself against her entrance, daring to slip inside by half an inch before retreating. Anything to make her whine and squirm against him. 

"Stop teasing, doofus. Fuck me now...fuck me hard," she growled, making her lover grin at how riled up he'd made her. Not wanting to leave her aching any more - he was too on edge and horny anyway - a taunting dip turned into a full sheath, pressing his length into her tightness with a long groan of her name. 

They cried out together, relief flooding their veins at what felt like fucking coming home. Ray didn't stop until his pelvic bone met her ass, fully wrapping her around him as his hand left her hip. After missing her for so long, the hero craved contact, intimacy, and the feeling of her body against his. He placed his forearm on the wall against her head and curled an arm around her tummy, pulling his sweet girl as close as can be as he bottomed out. 

"You want me to fuck you hard, I'll fuck you hard, little girl. Missed this pussy so much..." he groaned, biting where her neck met her shoulder to smother the guttural noise when he dragged his hips backwards. The electric pleasure made (y/n) squeal; her warm cheek squashed against the cool tiles as he tested a hard, brutal rhythm. 

Ray plunged into her steadily, cautious since it had been a while, but his sweet girl didn't want gentleness and kind words. She'd had enough pleasantries and polite smiles for one week; now, she wanted him to take what he needed and give her the fucking she yearned for. 

"I won't break, Ray. You can fuck me harder than that."

"Bad fucking girl," Ray grunted savagely as he snapped into her, forgetting his slow, steady introductory pace for a brutal pounding slap-slap-slap.

He knew when she was taunting him--daring him to go faster, even when he didn't want to hurt her. But (y/n) knew he could never, not when she was practically moulded to his cock, so she moaned, spurring him on to go faster, harder, deeper.  

Days apart meant Ray was up to the challenge, quickening his movements rapidly, finding a rhythm that made the flesh of her ass jiggle, and the room filled with the sound of skin hitting skin. Lips found her cheek, neck, shoulder--anywhere he could nip, bite, suck, and leave fleeting bruises. 

Meanwhile, his free hand drifted both sides of her navel, sometimes preferring to tweak her nipples, hold her tits or slap them. But after playing with them for a while, he searched for something else, running his fingertips down to her pussy, where, to his satisfaction, toying with her pulsing clit made her clench and slump against the wall. 

"R-Ray-gonna cum--" (y/n) stuttered, feeling the blinding heat creep up on her suddenly, and before she knew it - before Ray gave permission - she was tightening around him uncontrollably. The slightest touch of her slick nub and a few thrusts were enough to push her over, perhaps from having no contact for so long, with nothing more than her own hand to take the edge off during those boring nights, alone in her childhood bedroom. 

The man groaned at how tight she became, thrusts stuttering since he didn't expect her to cum so quickly. Half a second later, he snapped back into reality, realising what had just happened, and he pressed her to the wall, snarling in her ear as she rode the high. 

"Fuck--shit, that was hot. This pussy must be so needy, sweet girl. Not been around to fuck it properly, and now look at you. So desperate to cum, you'll do it before I say the word." 

"I--I'm sorry, C-Captain. I--" (y/n) stammered, breathless and still reeling from the sudden climax. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as her heart pounded in her ears, telling her she'd done something wrong. Ray always loved being in charge, telling her when and how he wanted her pleasure, ensuring she paced herself correctly, but as she floundered, he couldn't help but nuzzle into her neck with a smug smirk. 

"Don't apologise, darlin'," he insisted, returning to a slow, painfully tender speed, rocking into her like he hadn't just been rearranging her guts. It was almost like he was thinking...taking his time to ponder his next move as she recovered...waiting until the sensitivity passed. 

"Now..." the man muttered, more to himself than her, as he brushed his thumb over her breast, making her mouth open and hips push back into him. The slowness was maddening, and as swiftly as the relief came, (y/n) found herself needy again--just as Ray found himself hooked. 

"How about another?" He asked smugly, finding her clit again, making his girl shriek when he hurriedly circled it without mercy. The hiss of the water hitting their bodies masked her cries of pleasure, his near-evil chuckle, and the soft slaps of their bodies meeting as he brought her to a gentler climax. 

Unlike the last, when he fucked her at an almost inhuman speed, he wanted this one to be gentle in a soul-destroying way, so he kept his thrusts shallow and unhurried whilst his assault on her clit was lightning. 

Furiously tracing figures of eight on it, he edged her towards her second orgasm, keeping himself as still and steady as possible since any proper pace would make him cum on the spot. Instead, he simply wanted to give her something to cum on, knowing his poor, sweet girl had been alone and empty for too long, aching for his cock to pump her full like he did every day--night--afternoon--whenever. 

"Ray--"

"Cum for me," he commanded, and no sooner than he did, like her pleasure was his to pluck, she did. 

All it took was a little pressure on her pussy and his fat cock deliciously stretching her walls, and she was cumming again, gasping as it hit harder than before. What was sensitivity earlier brought intense pleasure this time, making her choke and scream his name for no one but him to hear. 

For a long moment, he stood still, not moving an inch as she spammed around him, rock hard inside her, thick and pulsing and breaking her open - but he didn't move a single inch. He kept himself there, continuing to rub circles around her clit and giving her precisely what he wanted her to have.

Something to cum on.

His head buried into her neck, nosing her dripping hair, panting against her skin as he mumbled praises and curses into her ear. He stayed like that, circling her clit hard and regaining his speed, knowing if he prolonged his own end, he'd burst into flames or go insane. With his fingers still cupping her cunt, he returned to work, soothing her whimpers, cock flexing and throbbing hotter than sin, building her pleasure into an intense, slow crescendo.

"Fuck me so good, Ray..." (y/n) cried, swearing she couldn't take any more--that if he made her cum again, it would be her petite mort - the little death, but she couldn't find it in herself to push him away. She needed more, craved everything he could give her, and vowed to do anything to get everything she could. 

And it seemed her swimming head didn't realise her lips moved until she goaded him, not that she cared. 

"Sweet girl..."

"Do you know how many times I had to get off alone without you there? You know my fingers aren't enough, doofus, but I had to--thought about that weekend we had at Lake Tahoe. Y'know, when we broke the bed..."

"Fuck--you looked so gorgeous beneath me. Just like you do now," Ray groaned, screwing his eyes shut at the memory, and he could practically taste it on his tongue as he indulged in her sweet heat. 

He remembered that trip perfectly; the clandestine skinny-dipping, the many hours spent tangled in the sheets...having to sign a check to the hotel manager for damage done. But the imagined image she painted in his mind made a scorching heat lick up his spine. Picturing her smothering her moans as her hand slipped into her pyjama shorts at midnight, her secretly cumming to the thought of him made him go harder, seeking a much-needed release. 

"So good to me...my good girl. Give me another one," he muttered, fucking into her as he mouthed her neck and kept rubbing her clit, wringing out her cunt once more. 

"Oh fuck---Ray!"

"Yes--give it to--me--feel it coming. Give me a g-good one, darlin'," he grunted as he chased his end, burying himself into her a final time before she fell apart, taking him with her. Ray sank his teeth into her neck as he shot his load into her, overwhelming pleasure making his muscles tense and relax as it hit him harder than expected. 

Everything squeezed around him tighter than usual, her back arching into him, her hand finding his forearm on the wall, so she had something to grip instead of uselessly clawing the smooth tiles. 

Convulsing in pure bliss, part of (y/n) wondered if she was hurting him, judging from the stuttered groans he released into her hair. But then, he rasped "good girl" into her ear, and her walls fluttered again, proving how pleasantly tired and satiated she was once the sparks died down. Safe in his secure hold, she peeled her face off the wall and rested it against his shoulder, turning her face to lovingly rub her nose against his jugular as his movements ceased. 

No movement. Tightly immobile in his arms, Ray remained silent behind her, removing his hand from her pussy as she fell back to reality, humming soothingly when her body jerked from the tiny jolt to her clit. 

"I--I liked t-that reward," she croaked, licking her lips, despite the water reigning over their heads. 

It only struck her then how it was now lukewarm, obviously struggling to maintain the temperature the longer they were in there, but the man holding her was like a furnace anyway, affectionately rubbing her tummy, pelvic area and breasts as he became soft and adorable again.

"Good," Ray hummed, chastely kissing her cheek - a far cry from their debauchery, but they needed the sweetness just as much. Time to reaffirm their love through precious gestures and gooey words. 

"How about we finish up in here and then have a nap? You must be tired, sweet girl..." he offered, pulling out of her with a soft grunt and turning her around, so he could see her pretty face. 

Travelling all day had sucked the energy out of her. Part of him felt guilty for succumbing to his desires before allowing her to rest properly. Still, as he tenderly cupped her cheek, it wasn't tiredness he saw in her eyes. 

"I guess I am a little tired, doof," she shrugged, watching as he glanced off to the side to find her favourite shampoo, knowing he wanted to get her in bed as soon as possible. And whilst she liked that idea too, she figured it was for an entirely different reason...

"But it's been nearly a week since I last saw you. I'm not sleeping until we fuck at least two more times..."

Oh, it was good to be home. 

~

SAFETY. That was a meaty one. I think Ray knows not to let his sweet girl go again. Not without learning how FaceTime works--

I already know this is going to be a twenty-something thousand-long chapter, so without further ado--let's get into it!

An hour later, the lovebirds joined their little family in the Man Cave, wrapped in each other's arms and tripping over their feet. It was hard to hug and walk simultaneously, but they managed it, too handsy and affectionate to let go as they stumbled down the steps. 

As Schwoz, Jasper and Piper worked on getting the perfect photo of Captain Man, Henry and Charlotte created his Rumblr profile. Ray had to look perfect if he was going to find the perfect villain, so he did the pouting, and the teens at the supercomputer did the typing, knowing he wouldn't do it himself. 

"Okay. Name--Captain Man. Interested in--criminals," Henry muttered as he typed in some essential details. Meanwhile, the man of the moment was finding his feet in modelling, throwing Schwoz some of the smoulderiest smoulders he could muster as his sweet girl cheered on from the sidelines. 

"Ray, we need that pic for your profile."

"You can't rush art!" Schwoz snapped from his place on the floor because he needed the hero's best angle as he flexed his muscles in front of the picturesque backdrop. 

Honestly, Ray didn't know what he was doing, finding himself snatched from the sanctuary of his and his precious girl's bedroom and placed in a world he didn't understand. 

"Smile with your eyes, not your mouth!" The small man instructed, making the man tilt his chin down to make his gaze look soulful and doe-like. Flaring the whites of his eyes made him look a little crazy, but (y/n) thought he looked hot anyway, ogling his muscles and handsome face with little shame. 

"Show me your soul! No, no, no, your other soul. The better one!" Schwoz growled, snapping a few more pics as Ray changed positions, finding the perfect angle that showed off his best features - flawless hair, sharp yet gorgeous features, broad shoulders, cinched waist, whole lotta abs. 

"That's it...that's the one. I'm on a five," the haughty photographer announced, tossing his expensive camera up in the air for Piper to catch. She and Jasper acted as his assistants to clean up his messes when his artistry became too much to bear. 

"Great work, Schwoz!" The girl complimented, catching the device before it smashed into a million pieces. However, Piper, being Piper, saw herself as the senior assistant, and if her boss was on a break, then so was she. 

"I'm on a five!"

"Whoop--why am I holding everything?!" Jasper gasped as she threw the camera over her shoulder. It took all his effort to catch it, juggling it with everything else he had to carry; a towel, a bag, a water bottle...

"Don't care! On a five--byeeeeee!" Piper ignored him, disappearing behind the backdrop as Ray adjusted his gloves and headed toward the computer, meeting his sweet girl halfway. She wrapped her hands around his bicep, hugging his beefy arm to her body since it helped calm his nerves, which were getting the better of him in such unknown territory. 

"You looked really hot there, doofus."

"I did?" Ray asked quietly, looking genuinely surprised when she said that--as if he couldn't believe he could be desirable in this situation. She giggled and nodded, pressing her cheek to his bicep since it wasn't often she saw him in uniform as plain old (y/n) (y/l/n). Fighting crime and avoiding death didn't give her much chance for drooling - maybe she'd ask Schwoz for copies of those photos. 

"Mhmm... Couldn't take my eyes off you," she remarked with a Charing smile, stopping to kiss him gently before the kids at the computer caught on. Looking over their shoulders and seeing them canoodling wasn't unusual, but they had a job to do, no matter how uneasy the boss felt. 

"Okay, Ray...Favourite book?" Charlotte asked, ready to provide some juicer details for their prospective villain, but that would be harder than she and Henry first thought, considering they were working with a guy whose world revolved around a handful of things. 

"I don't read," Ray replied dryly, shrugging off something so dull in favour of holding his precious fiancée to his chest. No one could blame him for being so touchy after not seeing her, but he had to focus. 

"Favourite poem?"

"Same answer."

"Hobbies?"

"Fighting and Miss Danger." So far, they had a limited list. That pretty much summed up Ray's life; when he was fighting, he was with Miss Danger, and when he wasn't fighting, he was with (y/n) - one and the same person. He wasn't interested in much else, even though his sweet girl rolled her eyes at being considered a hobby. 

"Likes?"

"Fighting and Miss Danger."

"Dislikes?"

"Reading."

"You're a fascinating man, doofus," (y/n) giggled, hugging him gently to stop him from squirming and shuffling his feet. She knew he wasn't comfortable, but this idea didn't sound too bad, and if it prevented him from being so antsy and restless, she'd go along with it. 

"Okay, describe your perfect fight," Charlotte told him whilst Jasper sorted through the dozen photos of Ray's pouty face. That was a tricky question because the hero had been in thousands of fights during his career, so he had a lot of material to work with. Now, what to choose from?

"I don't know...I don't know..." Ray floundered, overwhelmed by the experience, making his sweet girl coo and lovingly stroke his bicep. How could he choose one scenario when he'd seen it all? It felt impossible, especially when he realised his answer might decide whether he got himself a hot fight that night. 

"Don't overthink it. Just be yourself," Henry advised him, so Ray took a deep breath. With (y/n) soothingly rubbing his pec, he closed his eyes and imagined the perfect scene, unlikely to happen but his dream nonetheless. 

"Okay, uh..." he swallowed for a second, dithering for another before he saw it, "it's midnight. I'm on top of a blimp...and suddenly, there's this bad guy. Sparks fly, and so do our fists. I defeat him, obviously, and I jump off the blimp right as it explodes into my sweet girl's arms. And she gives me the best reward I could ever ask for..."

"Oh, yeah!" Henry complimented, ignoring the mushy ending for the rest of the man's perfect fight because...wow. It sounded epic, something Henry would love to be a part of, and (y/n) didn't mind the idea of being there for her doofus at the end of it all. 

"You sure it's not too much?" Ray asked, unsure if he was asking for too much, but dreams are meant to be outlandish - no harm in going big. 

"Oh, no!"

"Okay, I think we have our profile pic," Jasper announced, tapping a button to send his chosen image to the supercomputer. He'd gone through all of them, and this one was the best, impressing the teens and loved-up couple when Ray's burning smoulder finished uploading. 

"Wow!"

"I'd fight you..." (y/n) remarked as she admired her doofus, secretly gloating that the hottie on the screen had his heart set on marrying her. Ray blushed at her words, squeezing her in a side hug as he pecked her temple, enjoying the affection from her in the knowledge she fancied him. 

"Totally!" Jasper agreed, simply saying that his boss looked good, but when he got too close to Ray's other side, daring to put an around his shoulders, he went too far. The hero stiffened under his touch and shrugged off his arm by stepping closer to (y/n), kissing her instead of surrendering to the boy's touch. Well, he wanted to kiss his sweet girl anyway...

"All right. Profile's done. Let's take this puppy live," Henry said, seeing they'd ticked all the boxes, dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's, so it was now just a matter of waiting for replies to come in.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait..." However, Ray stopped him, laying a hand on his sidekick's shoulder to stop him from hitting the button. His nerves wouldn't let him do this; putting himself out in the open wasn't his style. 

"Nah--" Henry ignored him and uploaded his profile anyway. He who dares wins - that was his motto, and Ray wouldn't find himself a new and exciting fight but just waiting around in his hideout. 

"No! What are you doing?! I said wait!" The large man exclaimed, shocked that the kid would expose him like that, but a strange ping came from his phone before he could give Henry the third degree. Odd - it didn't sound like his usual text tone. 

"What's this?" He asked, gingerly taking his phone from his belt to analyse the notification, but he couldn't make heads or tails of it. He showed (y/n) first, most comfortable with her, but she shrugged too, gesturing for Henry to come and interpret the technobabble. 

"That's a match. Somebody wants to fight you," the kid revealed, smirking at his boss's stunned face. Ray looked at his pretty girl and Charlotte in shock, wondering how he managed to find someone so quickly, but he had to be decisive here. He didn't want any old idiot.

"Huh, okay--oh..."

"More matches!" Henry grinned as the beeps began coming thick and fast, constantly pinging Ray's PearPhone. Every villain on the app wanted a chance to fight Captain Man, which definitely didn't go to the man's head. He assumed everything was a waste of time; no one would want to fight little old him...

"Is that a smile, doofus?" (y/n) teased, brushing her pinking against her lover's crooked cheek as he struggled to contain his happiness. 

"No..." Ray lied, using all his strength to not giggle when her touch tickled his skin, but she saw through it anyway. She knew when he was relieved and snuggled into his side with an even greater grin, happy that he was pleased - even if she didn't like the idea of virtual fight-finding. 

"Yeah, it is!"

"Maybe..." Ray broke out in a smile, unable to contain it, when she peered over his bulging bicep, watching his fight requests stretch into double digits. He honestly couldn't believe that they were right, and not only was Rumblr legit, but he now how plenty of fish to choose from. 

They could be selective, choose the most suitable, and not worry about only getting the mingers. Some genuine contenders were in that extensive list, from those who also hated books to the criminals who had the hots for Miss Danger. And that meant Captain Man would have to bring his A-game, not that he was worried. 

How bad could it be if his sidekicks were going with him? Although, it would be the strangest triple date (y/n) had ever been on - well, the first. 

No one said she was returning to normality. No, her home was very much for the weird and wonderful. 

~

Fifteen minutes later, the stage was set. 

Charlotte was still sitting at the computer, readying the list of potential matches for everyone to judge. The spectators had gathered, eager to see who wanted to take on Captain Man, meaning Henry and Piper had taken their seats on the couch, a bowl of steaming popcorn straight from the auto-snacker set on the table between them. 

Of course, the girl returned to see the action, rubbing her hands at the thought of a judging session, but she didn't expect a show before the action started. Across the room, Ray was bench-pressing, lifting double his body weight to try and gain some last-minute muscle. (y/n) told him it was useless and a waste of energy, but she would never deny herself the gorgeous view. 

Every time his arms flexed, his muscles bulged and rippled underneath his skin, making her drool as she stared at his exposed chest. He'd stripped out of his uniform and the shirt he'd picked after showering, exposing an unfairly attractive, sleeveless, azure tank top, which perfectly showed off his torso. 

Pair that with how he was reclining on the bench, and she was practically on fire--begging to be allowed to sit in his lap. As encouragement, of course. To help with his heavy load. Although Jasper swore, that was his role. 

"Don't touch my bar," Ray told the boy firmly as he routinely lifted the weight, barely breaking a sweat since he did it every day. However, Jasper thought he needed help if the great hero overstepped his limits. 

"I'm not touching it. Just here if you need me."

"I don't need you," Ray grunted, wishing the boy would go away while he did his thing. He wanted to impress whoever he met later on and, better still, impress his sweet girl. 

The man may have been dense, but he knew when his fiancée checked him out, so he wore the tank. It showed off his best features, and he wouldn't mind if she sat in his lap and...aided his concentration. 

"Here if you do."

"I won't. Sweet girl, tell him," he whined, pressing effortlessly, aware of what he could do, and if he wanted anyone watching his strength, it wouldn't be Jasper. The kid had arms like ramen noodles. 

"Safety first," Curly insisted like that would convince him. Ray only dropped the barbell once when (y/n) entered the gym wearing...things, wondering why her soon-to-be husband wasn't in bed. This was different. 

"I'm indestructible!" 

"Here if you need me."

"Despite being indestructible, doofus, I'd prefer if you were as unharmed as possible. Jasper's just helping out," (y/n) spoke from the foot of the bench, ogling from the perfect angle since she had a bird's eye view of his broad shoulders, narrow waist and...fuck, those muscles. 

"If I get hurt, darlin', you can just kiss it better," Ray flirted, smirking as he pushed through the burn in his arms. He didn't need to look to know her cheeks were scorching, fluttering her eyelashes, and smiling coyly, feeling his chest swell with pride.

"Ray, stop pumping up your glamour muscles, (y/n) stop drooling over them, and both of you get over here, so we can start looking at these matches," Henry called out from the couch, ruining the flirtatious moment between the couple. 

He and Piper were growing bored, and Charlotte was ready to show them their options, meaning the hero needed to stop preening himself and bring his sweet fiancée over. 

"Yeah, dog. I wanna look at pictures of other people and judge!" Piper added, waving the ice-cold soda in her hand dramatically. 

"All right, we're comin'. Jasper, take this," Ray grunted as he lifted the weight into Jasper's waiting hands. He left the bench and took his sweet girl into his arms, unaware that the boy was no superhero. He didn't have endless, nudging muscles, so he struggled to hold it, stumbling before gradually taking it to the floor - with himself. 

"Now, I'm going to show you all the bad guys that saw your profile and want to fight you," Charlotte told her boss, ignoring the clatter of Jasper and the barbell, not to mention how her friend stroked the man's biceps like they were priceless. 

"Let's get to the judging!" Piper bellowed in a deep voice, locking eyes with Charlotte so they could smirk over (y/n)'s blatant goo-goo eyes. Suppose she didn't pick up her tongue. In that case, she'd trip over it, utterly besotted with her doofus and his bare arms - the ones curled around her body, keeping her close to his chiselled torso. 

"Okay. If you don't want to meet up with them for a fight, you swipe left. If you do want to meet up with them for a fight, then swipe right, and the app will automatically set up a meeting," the girl at the computer continued, explaining the Rumblr app, which seemed simple enough, even for a very impatient man. 

"Y'know, it's funny. I feel like ten minutes ago, I told you I wanted to see my matches, but you're still talking. I haven't seen any," Ray sniped snarkily, hoping to get to business quickly. Still, he just came off as rude, something Charlotte, with all her hard work, didn't appreciate. 

"And I'm on a five!" The girl huffed, tossing the PearPhone into the air to slope off and escape the man. He was insufferable, and god knows how (y/n) put up with him, big, muscly asshole that he was. 

"Raymond! What have I told you about being rude?!" The woman scolded her lover, smacking his arm, although that could've just been another excuse to feel his skin. However, she looked genuinely upset with him, throwing Char an apologetic look before the girl disappeared behind the secret door. 

"If I want to make friends, I have to be friendly?" Ray asked, already knowing the answer, but he grovelled for her forgiveness anyway. Even if Charlotte was the one who deserved it, he craved his pretty girl's approval and affection more than anything. 

"Exactly, you doofus!" She exclaimed, trying to be stern, but it melted when he whined and pecked her cheek, casually handing Piper the PearPhone over his shoulder. She was in charge of everything technical now and brushed past her boss and friend without staring when he kissed her neck. 

"Okay, so just look at these pics and tell me if you wanna swipe left or right," she told him before quickly moving on to the first applicant. Tyler Mayhem - a funny-looking guy whose chosen quote was, "The first rule about Rumblr, you do not talk about Rumblr". He may have thought he was hot, but Ray wasn't too impressed. 

"All right. This guy says his likes are--"

"Left," he said immediately before Henry could read his profile. He didn't care if he liked homemade explosions and soap-making; the guy looked weird. 

"Okay... This guy is from--" Henry quickly moved on, noticing his boss' unimpressed face. Mop Man was a vegan, part-time cleaner at the Swellview Cineplex from Bordertown who claimed to "mop up heroes" - what a loser. 

"Oooh...left."

"Wow," Henry muttered flatly, growing frustrated since he wouldn't even give the potential fights a chance. Ray kept swiping left, finding a fault in everyone, whether their weird hair, lack of prowess or pathetic alter egos, which meant Bad Guy went straight out the window. 

"Wow, this villain once robbed a--"

"Big left!" 

"Are you serious, dude?!" The kid exclaimed, thinking he looked okay. Perhaps a little weedy, but the guy looked like he'd be worth a minor scuffle. 

"What?" Ray looked at him innocently, wondering why his sidekick looked so grumpy when all he was doing was holding his precious girl, occasionally kissing her forehead, and taking orders. It wasn't his fault that all these villains were noobs. 

"You're not even giving any of these villains a chance."

"That last one's name was Bad Guy. I'm not gonna match with anybody who can't come up with a better name than that," the hero hissed, grimacing at the poor persona before turning his back on the screen.

He was strutting around like a peacock, puffing his chest out as he sauntered past (y/n), making her giggle, but Piper found his words hilarious. 

"Yeah, okay, Captain Man," the girl chuckled sarcastically, thinking he was one to talk with his bland name. He must've devised it in five seconds all those years, yet Ray was still very protective of his name. 

"What did you say?" The man growled, taking a step toward the brat, who didn't even work in his Man Cave. One snap of his fingers and she'd be out, and she'd do well to remember that. 

"Okay, okay, okay, doofus! It's a lovely name, and y'know, I love calling you Captain..." (y/n) intervened, stepping between Piper and her fiancé so they didn't fight. With her eyelashes fluttering and palms pressed to his chest, Ray couldn't help but forget about the argument, his smouldering gaze following her hungry one as he got her meaning. 

"More matches, more matches, more matches--we're gonna do more matches," Henry rambled, seeing how the couple lost focus, and he'd worked with them long enough to know that look. The hungry look. Bedroom eyes. The "I want to see that tank top on the floor" face. 

"Let's do this, one guy. This guy, right here. What do you think of him?" 

"Too short," Ray shrugged, draping a tree trunk-like arm around (y/n)'s shoulders, encouraging her to snuggle into his side. With Bubble Brain being five-foot-eight - with socks on - Piper swiped left, giving Ray another option, yet he was quickly turned down too. 

"Too tall." Rock Sampson went, too, no matter if he was a "walking German murder machine". So, she pulled up the next guy - The Writer. He was the perfect height and loved complaining, but it seemed like the pen was mightier than the sword here, and Ray couldn't bear to be seen fighting a noob. 

"Just right..."

"Nice!"

"But ugly. Pass," he said flippantly, irritating Henry again as his sister moved on. There had to be something wrong with the guy, but he was presented with the most beautiful women, models and Miss World winners, yet he chose (y/n) out of them all. His taste was specific, subtle and unpredictable but specific. 

But the next guy...he had something about him. Something specific. 

"The Lawn Ranger?" Ray read out, his heart thumping as he viewed the guy's profile. He looked nothing short of incredible; he had a cool name, handsome, boyish looks, a brief but practical introduction, and even his dream fight was identical. Rumblr said he was the best, but suddenly, the hero felt jittery. 

"Yeah, man. You guys are a ninety-seven per cent match for each other, and look! His dream fight is on top of a blimp," Henry said calmly, noting how quiet the man had gone. He held (y/n) closer but never took his eyes off the screen, studying this Lawn Ranger and his beautifully sculpted face. 

"At midnight. Just like yours!" Jasper exclaimed, thinking the guy's suitability was uncanny. 

"Yeah, but, I mean, it's not like he wants to--"

"...Jump off it as it explodes-- Yes, that's exactly what it says, doof," (y/n) cooed, squeezing his arm as best she could, unable to get her fingers to meet around it. Ray couldn't believe it, acting toughly vulnerable as he got closer - it had to be too good to be true. 

"You really think that this bad guy could be the one?" He asked quietly, unsure if he should expose his feelings for something so risky. 

"Yeah..."

"Yeah, dude."

"Let's do it."

"You know you want to, doofus," his family encouraged, thinking they wouldn't find anyone better, but Ray was still nervous. He looked at (y/n), wanting her to tell him this was stupid and to back off--to stay safe--but she just smiled and nodded. If his sweet girl thought it was okay, then...

"I guess we could swipe right..." he said anxiously, much to his helpers' delight. Before the hero could change his mind, Piper accepted the fight, creating a match between Captain Man and The Lawn Ranger, which pleased Ray more than he let on. 

"Okay! Looks like you got a fight set for an hour from now at TBD," Henry read aloud, recognising the initials, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Ray, however, being the superhero he was, had heard of every scum-filled hole in Swellview. 

"Oh, The Beating Dungeon!"

"Oh, yeah! That underground fight club!" (y/n) grinned, squeezing him tightly, and finally, the excitement began to eat away at Ray's nerves. He was looking forward to the fight, but as one wave of anxiety passed, another came. 

"Oh my god, it's happening! What am I gonna wear?"

"Your Captain Man uniform?" (y/n) suggested, seeing how he was overthinking it. All he had to do was be himself; after all, he was the great hero of the city, but she understood his nerves. She had been the same when preparing to go on her first date with him, deeming her wardrobe inadequate and her face a let-down. 

"Yes, that's perfect, sweet girl! It looks great on me!" he exclaimed, seizing her by the shoulders and pulling her into a swift kiss. He'd hear no argument from (y/n), who regularly checked him out in the super-suit, seeing no imperfection, unlike Ray, who suddenly felt inadequate. And don't get him started on his face. 

"But I gotta go lift some weights first."

"Here if you need me!" Jasper offered again, ready and eager to be there for the hero in case his vast bulk failed him. As if. 

"I don't need you!" Ray insisted, running to his weight-pressing bench with (y/n) hot on his heels. He'd never let her do something so dangerous, but he wouldn't deny her the show, loving how dark her eyes got when he got his arms out. However, a little help would be good. 

"Henry, come give me a spot."

"What?!" Jasper gasped, wondering what his best friend had that he didn't - save for the fact Ray liked Henry a lot more. But the kid was busy, speeding through the Rumblr app because if the man wanted him and (y/n) to tag along tonight, they'd need fights too. 

"Hang on, dude. I gotta set up my Rumblr profile."

"You haven't set it up yet?" Ray asked worriedly, the determination draining from his face as he curled his arms with the barbell. Fabulous; now, he was worried that the kid wouldn't get a date in time, and when he looked at his precious fiancée, she didn't look particularly hurried, either. 

"Relax. I'm done," the boy said calmly, flicking through his phone as the alerts started to fly in. Like Captain Man, every villain in Swellview wanted to fight Kid Danger, so he had the quantity, yet he wasn't fussed with the quality. 

"Lot of matches, so..."

"Let's see 'em! I'm ready to get my hate on!" Piper said excitedly, hoping to have more input from her brother than with Ray, but Henry wasn't in it for the fight. This was just his way of upholding his side of the bargain. 

"Nah. I'm probably just gonna pick the first one."

"You're gonna swipe right on the first villain you see? Do you think that's wise, kid?" (y/n) asked, placing her hand on the boy's shoulder, using all her resilience to tear her gaze away from the Greek god pumping iron. 

"Henry, don't do that. You deserve so much more," Jasper agreed with the woman, stepping into his friend's personal space in a borderline creepy manner. Suddenly, his face was too close for comfort, making Henry recoil whilst Ray put his weights down and came over. 

"Whatever. This guy seems fine. Just gonna swipe."

"What's his name?" The hero questioned, finding his sidekick's disinterest in who he was fighting concerning. 

"Uhh...Kyle."

"Mmmm. Sounds like a dud." Henry scoffed at Ray's criticism once he'd accepted the match. Just because he had a dull name didn't mean he wasn't worth the trouble; this night was for him. Who cared what Henry did?

"Says he likes energy drinks and punching holes in walls." That didn't sound too bad. A little psychotic, but Kyle was meant to be a villain. 

"Sounds like my uncle..." Jasper joked, making (y/n) chuckle. She knew that feeling, shivering upon remembering her ill-fated reunion, but the memory was interrupted by a notification beeping on Ray's phone. 

He pulled out his PearPhone, glancing at the screen before gasping. It was like he'd seen a ghost; all the colour drained from his face, and suddenly, his hands couldn't stop shaking. Whatever was on his phone made the renowned Captain Man nervous. 

"It's him! It's him! The Lawn Ranger sent me a message! Oh my god!" He squealed, dancing on the spot like a teenage girl getting a text from her crush. 

"What did he say?" Piper asked.

"I dunno. I'm too nervous--you read it, darlin'. You read it..." Ray panicked, assuming the worst, despite having mutuality with the guy. So, he passed the device to (y/n), who took it with a bemused eye roll, wondering who this fangirl was and what she did with her doofus. 

"I'm excited to get to mow you," she read, feeling like she was back in college when she was always the third wheel. Being a major in mechanical engineering will do that to you, but for Ray, the nerdy, cheesy pun was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. 

"Mow you! 'Cause he's The Lawn Ranger," he laughed, unlike his companions who didn't see the hilarity.

"You're not gonna get that kind of wordplay from Kyle."

"Just...go back to your weightlifting, you big doofus," (y/n) sighed, shaking her head as he dreamily skipped across the room, twirling and holding his phone to his chest like the boy had texted back. 

Henry giggled at the strange sight he made; he could deal with the underhanded insults about his upcoming match, but the kid found his boss' newfound obsession funny. It reminded him of when his boss used to jump through hoops to get a second glance from his sweet girl, unaware she was in the other room, melting after the slightest interaction with him. 

And speaking of the girl, she seemed remarkably un-busy. Less focus on his and Ray's fights and more on hers - wasn't Miss Danger attending tonight?

"What about you, (y/n/n)? Who's gonna be your villain for tonight?" Henry inquired, having thought this was supposed to be a triple-fight, and the sudden question made Ray drop his weights again. 

"Oh, I don't think I'm gonna bother," (y/n) shrugged, tapping the PearPhone still in her pocket, but a little explanation wouldn't have hurt. Ray's face flashed with panic for a second as he concluded she didn't want to attend, leaving him to suffer with Henry because he couldn't fight with her support. 

"What?! But sweet girl, you said you'd come! You have to! I can't do this without you! What if I forget how to fight? Or if I fall over and forget how to walk? What if this is one big joke, and I don't have anyone with me?..."

(y/n) blinked at him for a few seconds - one, two, three - before bursting into laughter. It wasn't mean, vindictive, or anything like that, but he worked himself into such a panic she couldn't help but chuckle. Ray looked at her, completely bewildered, as she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck to run her fingers through his hair. 

"Doofus! Don't be a doofus all your life..." She said gently, leaning up to softly kiss him, silencing his screaming worries because when Ray kissed his sweet girl, all was right in the world. 

"You'll not forget how to fight or walk, so stop worrying! This guy seems legit, and anyway, I'll be there the entire time."

"What about your fight? You don't have a Rumblr profile..." the hero said quietly, hoping she wasn't going just to sit and watch. That didn't sound fun, and he didn't want her sitting at some grimy bar, accepting drinks from every asshole in Swellview because he was off fighting The Lawn Ranger. 

"And I don't want one, doof. I'm perfectly happy just going to The Beating Dungeon and waiting for the right villain to come along. Ladies don't like to be rushed into these things. We want them to make the first move," she teased, hyper-aware of his bare arms around her--so close to ripping that tank top down the middle. 

"You sure you don't want to arrange a match, (y/n/n)? You just wanna go and scout the crowd?" Henry asked concernedly. He'd existed around their lovey-dovey moments long enough that he didn't care if he was interrupting, and he wasn't affected by Ray's glares, either. 

The kid never thought he'd say it but agreed with Ray. Going alone sounded so risky, and whilst he didn't doubt Miss Danger's allure and popularity, Captain Man would patrol anyone who dared go near her. No one would be good enough to fight his sweet girl, and he could see a brawl erupting when the hero said something...inflammatory. 

"Nope. Call me old-fashioned, but I want to meet a villain properly, have them buy me a drink, and take it slow. This online fighting will never catch on..."

~The Beating Dungeon~

No one could say The Beating Dungeon wasn't impressive. Maybe it needed cleaning - scum-filled from the floors to the bar to the people who frequented it - but it was really cool. 

Everything was designed to tend to any villain's needs and welcome any hero who wanted to fight there. From the neon lights to multiple platforms and weapons for them to choose from, there was everything they wanted, away from the prying eyes of Swellview's Police. Good thing, too, because the joint was packed tonight. 

Captain Man, Kid Danger, and Miss Danger walked in to see a hero and villain tumble to the ground in a scrap. The brawl impressed Ray, skipping like a child as he led his sweet girl hand-in-hand into the club, ecstatic at the prospect of his upcoming fight. 

"This is so exciting! I love that there's a place where everybody's down to fight!" The man exclaimed as they worked their way through the crowd. Many recognised the three brightly dressed figures crossing the floor, some showing a flicker of interest when (y/n) offered them a friendly smile, only for her doofus to scare them off with a cutting scowl. 

She wouldn't get much action tonight at this rate.

"Oh my god! It's Captain Man, Miss Danger, and Kid Danger!" A feminine voice cried behind them as they neared the bar's edge. Looking over their shoulders, the trio saw two interesting characters bound up to them, dressed in lizard-themed costumes that made them look almost identical. 

"Yeah... What's up?" Henry asked casually, keeping it friendly, even though their green, scaly skin, flickering tongues, catlike eyes and smooth heads creeped him out. 

"We're the Lizard Twins. We'd love to fight you one day," the male lizard said, twitching his head to the side with his sister in a reptilian manner. They took their aesthetic very seriously; unfortunately, (y/n) had never been a fan and only wanted to hide under Ray's arm when they looked her way. 

"We couldn't believe it when we saw your profiles on Rumblr," the girl said before her eyes flickered to (y/n), who shuffled nervously under her keen gaze. 

"We didn't see yours, though, Miss Danger. Are you off the market?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. I'm just waiting for the right offer," the heroine said with a polite smile, but her open-ended statement sounded like a proposal. 

"Oh, do you guys wanna fight right now?" The guy asked. He and his sister raised their hands in an elegant yet creepy manner, with Ray instinctively raising his fists. Anyone would love to take on Captain Man and his sweet girl, but sadly, they couldn't accept. 

"We can't..."

"Sorry, guys. We're actually here to fight someone else," Henry apologised, gesturing to him and Ray as (y/n) gently shook her head and declined the offer. 

Honestly, she saw organising a fight as trouble and much preferred to save her resources, skills and energy for when they were needed, not when she felt like flexing her super-regeneration. 

"Aw, Bumblr!" The male lizard sighed, sad to know someone else had beaten them to the chase. 

"Yeah, I matched on Rumblr with The Lawn Ranger, so..." Ray bragged, looking smug as he boasted bout the epic fight he had lined up for himself, but strangely, the Lizard Twins didn't fall on the floor in admiration. Instead, they turned to each other and snickered, finding something funny whilst the trio missed the joke. 

"What's so funny? Do you know this Lawn Ranger guy?" Miss Danger asked, squinting her eyes in suspicion as a low, uneasy feeling settled in her stomach. 

"Yeah. He's right over there," the scaly girl smirked, looking over her shoulder as her brother snorted, unable to hide their amusement. 

"Eating chilli!" The pair ran off with their hands clamped over their mouths to stop any other giggles escaping, so to see what was so damn hilarious, the heroes looked across the room. And that's when they saw the elephant. 

He was huge. Big, tubby and soft. His outfit looked like it had been shrunk in the wash. Cheap, patchy and...grassy. His face looked like it was made from rubber. Flabby, pasty, and stained with chilli sauce from where he'd slurped from the bowl. 

The Lawn Ranger looked nothing like what he had done online, and (y/n) instantly suspected his Photoshop skills fixed the sharp jawline and blemishes on his profile, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the sinking feeling in Ray's stomach as all the good feelings drained away, and he certainly didn't want to talk to the elephant in the room. 

Suddenly, he felt cornered. Humiliated. Cheated. 

"Oh, noooo..."

"Just pretend you don't see him." Henry hissed, turning his boss away from the chubby guy, praying he hadn't seen them in the crowd. What had been perfectly arranged was quickly falling into a nosedive, and the kid knew he and (y/n) needed to act as damage control, but things only got worse. 

"He looks nothing like his pictures!"

"Yeah, you got catfished, doof. I'm sorry," (y/n) said softly, stroking the man's back to be supportive as she held back something along the lines of, "I knew this would all end in tears."

"He looks stupid!"

"He's right behind us..." Henry told them curtly, playing it cool as he glanced over his shoulder to the weirdo strolling up to them. The Lawn Ranger had definitely seen them, probably because they weren't hard to miss in those uniforms, so now, all they could do was tolerate him. And the stench of damp grass. 

"Hi!"

"How are you?"

"Who might you be?" They asked politely, but their smiles looked a little too friendly--crazy, even--as the grass-wearing oddball cleared his throat and boldly addressed the heroes - like he wasn't a walking bush. 

"It's me! The Lawn Ranger!"

"Yeah, I didn't recognise you. Probably because you didn't look absolutely nothing like the pictures you posted," Ray replied cuttingly, his voice harsh and accusatory, making (y/n) dig his fingernails into his bicep to make him watch his tone, not that she could blame him. She was pretty pissed and feeling quite protective of her doofus. 

"I know... I should probably update those," The Lawn Ranger shrugged, having the decency to at least look guilty, but his enthusiasm returned in leaps and bounds, "but I can still fight!"

Ray didn't look too impressed as the so-called villain tried to start the grass trimmer in his sweaty palms - his weapon of choice - like he would mow his enemies into submission. However, he proved pretty clumsy as he dropped the garden tool onto the floor, missing the pull string entirely. 

"Oopsie..." he said quietly, offering the unamused heroes a small smile before bending over to pick up the trimmer. A loud, sharp ripping sound surged through the air, making (y/n)'s cheeks turn pink and Ray's mouth flop open because everyone knew what that sound was. 

"That was my pants..." the guy chuckled nervously, avoiding anyone's eyes during the worst introduction in the history of the human race, which proved too much for Henry to bear. He had to look away - to spare the man's dignity. 

"Yeah, I got that..." Ray retorted flatly, wondering if he should shield his precious fiancée's eyes from this debauchery. If it wasn't the massive hole in the man's ill-fitting pants, it was the expanse of exposed, hairy, flabby stomach hanging from his too-small shirt that would offend her eyes, and Ray didn't want her seeing any more of The Lawn Ranger's...man-garden. 

"Excuse me, gentlemen--milady. I'm just gonna scooch by you real quick. Back in a jiffy... You and I could fight once I'm done with Captain Man. Eh, Miss Danger? I'm a huge fan!"

"Haha, yeah... Nooooo," (y/n) laughed courteously before she let her fake smile fall once he'd run to the bathroom, thinking she'd rather die than be seen fighting that guy. It wouldn't be fair, and she believed she gave all her opponents a fighting chance. 

"This guy is a loser, sweet girl!" Ray hissed in her ear, resenting the idea that he A) thought the fight was still on, B) assumed he could beat him in a fight, C) dared to ask Miss Danger out, and D) hoped she might say yes. 

"You're telling me. Look, why don't we just go? This was obviously a big mistake--" the heroine said gently, wanting to remove her doofus from the embarrassing situation before anything else could go wrong. But suddenly, a booming, commanding voice came over the speakers as the lights dimmed, and an electric guitar riff replaced the background music. 

"Heroes and villains, put your hands together for the hottest villain in Swellview!" The host bellowed, making his fellow villains scream in delight as a shadowy figure dropped through the glass ceiling. 

A man dressed in an orange basketball uniform landed gracefully in a puddle of broken glass and spotlight, a deranged scowl on his face when he stood up. The unknown villain accepted an energy drink from someone in the crowd, cracking it open to take a long swig before crumpling the can on his forehead.

"Who's this freak?" (y/n) asked, not knowing whether to be disgusted or impressed as he tossed the can to the floor and howled at the sky like a savage animal. 

Everyone, give it up for Kyle!" Judging by the cheers from the crowd, Kyle was hot stuff, and Ray felt his heart sink a little lower as he recognised the name. (y/n) did too, and when she looked at Henry with his gobsmacked expression and awe-inspired eyes, she knew why. 

"Dude! Dude! That's Kyle! That's Kyle! That's my match! Oh, he's even better than the pictures!" The boy said excitedly, unable to believe his luck at how his apparent "dud" was the hottest villain around. 

However, as much as (y/n) congratulated him, Ray found it impossible to be happy for his sidekick, standing there with his arms folded and a pitiable frown ruining his handsome features. 

"I'm ready to go," he said haughtily, utterly done with the charade. He'd been humiliated, mocked, and had become a spectacle, so his bed was only calling to him now, where he could hide in soft sheets and his sweet girl's arms. Anything to forget the name Rumblr and everything to do with it. 

"What?

"I'd like to go."

"Are you serious, dude? What about Kyle?" Henry spluttered, marvelling at the man's mardy selfishness. This was the chance of a lifetime, and whilst he knew this started at Ray's night, he'd be insane to pass fighting Kyle - and Ray would be cruel to stop him. 

"I'm ready to go." But the hero wouldn't budge. 

"Can't you just wait while I fight Kyle?" Henry asked, looking at (y/n) pleadingly, hoping she'd get through to her fiancé if he couldn't. The woman felt for the kid, squeezing his upper arm supportively as she turned to her lover with her diplomatic head on. She felt for Ray, her heart bleeding because she knew how torn up he'd think over this let-down, but taking it out on the kid was unfair. 

"Couldn't we wait until Kid Danger is finished with Kyle, doofus?" She asked sweetly, using all of her best tricks to try and soften his hard, bitter exterior, but she fell in love with the man - and his stubbornness. 

"What are we supposed to do, darlin'?"

"Let's just...I don't know...fight the grass guy! Just to blow off some steam!" (y/n) suggested, although she didn't sound sure of herself as the couple glanced at The Lawn Ranger to see him taping the tear in his pants. Oh god, he made a tragic sight, bent over without a sewing kit, making Ray look at his lover, unimpressed and bored. 

"Ew! Sweet girl, are you serious?"

"Look, you matched with him, right? There's gotta be something between you. You're both interested in Miss Danger--give him a chance!" Henry exclaimed, trying to convince him, but one look at The Lawn Ranger and Ray knew he wouldn't give him any chances. He didn't fight guys with tape on their asses.

"I'm interested in Miss Danger because she's my wife--or she will be! This guy is a loser. Like she said, this was a mistake!" 

"Yo, this is just part of putting yourself out there. Okay? You leave now, and you'll end up sad, covered in cereal, and moping around your wife!" Henry sighed, predicting an inevitable future where Ray returned to his slump until the next big fight came. And who knows when that will happen. 

"I like cereal! And I don't mope..." the hero argued, growing pouty and defensive since the boy assumed he fell apart when not entertained, turning to cheap fixes, poor hygiene and his poor pretty girl. 

"You mope, doofus. You're the mopiest moper who ever moped when you get sad. Besides, we can't ruin this fight for the kid," (y/n) chuckled, rubbing her hands up and down his chest as Ray whined, vying for her affection to soothe the pain in his chest. 

She'd admit that fans like The Lawn Ranger weren't her favourite, but he would fill their time significantly as Kyle grew impatient to start his match. 

"WHERE'S KID DANGER?" He bellowed, scanning the crowd, and Henry couldn't contain himself. Maybe it was against orders and a little embarrassing - how loud he screamed - but god, he was so ready to throw fists. 

"I'm right here!"

"Come on, man. Don't leave me here with this guy!" Ray begged, practically tearing up when his sidekick eagerly walked away, but there was nothing he could do to stop him - just hug his precious fiancée tighter. 

"You have Miss Danger! Have fun!" Henry grinned before slinking into the crowd, leaving the couple alone with The Lawn Ranger. (y/n) untangled herself from her doofus, keeping close since he needed the contact, but she couldn't ignore the guy, no matter how pathetic he was. 

"Hi," Ray said tightly, knowing he had to keep it civil for the sake of his girl and out of respect for the people around them. However, his so-called perfect match made it so damn difficult not to...deck him. 

"Grass attack! Grass attack! Grass attack!" The Lawn Ranger grunted as he chucked fistfuls of grass clippings at him and (y/n). Thankfully, the vegetation didn't do anything - because it was the most ridiculous and ineffective attack either had ever seen - but the sheer audacity had Ray fuming. 

"Um, I think I'm gonna sneeze..." (y/n) coughed, rubbing her nose as the grass caught her face. The pollen made her eyes run and her nose itch, which was the final straw for Ray, who could cope with the humiliation, but no one agitated his precious girl's sensitive sniffer. 

"Who is the adversary here? Will you excuse us for a second?" He asked, hurrying his fiancée away from The Lawn Loser before she went into a hay fever fit. Unfortunately, during their escape, they happened to stumble across the Lizard Twins, who couldn't help but giggle and snigger after watching the entire exchange. 

"Don't you two have anything better to do?" Miss Danger hissed, placing her hands on her hips as she confronted them. Whilst Ray wanted to mope at a spare table in a shadowy corner, she needed to make them see - no one made fun of her doofus. Especially not nobodies like those two. 

"You're marrying a dork! Do you seriously wanna be tied to a guy who matched with--"

"Shut up!" The heroine snapped, yanking the laser control from her belt quicker than the Lizard Girl could blink. 

She didn't get to finish her sentence before she and her brother hit the ground, thanks to a couple of amber plasma bolts for opening her poxy mouth. The Lawn Ranger watched with an open mouth as they lay there, lifeless, but (y/n) didn't care. Ray was her priority, and she didn't want him out in the open like some roadside freak show, so she took his hand and guided him to what he wanted. 

A small, isolated table in a shadowy corner. 

"Thank you, sweet girl. You didn't have to do that," Ray said quietly as he sat on the cheap bench, resting his arms on the table. She sat opposite him, reaching out to interlace her fingers with his. 

"Yes, I did. You're not a dork. You're a doofus. My doofus. And I hate seeing you like this... I'm sorry it didn't work out," (y/n) replied softly, lifting his hand to kiss his knuckles, her tummy fluttering when the affection made him crack a small, sad smile. Whilst she could give him company, there wasn't much else she could do, just sit with him and be a shoulder to cry on - take his strain for all the times he took hers. 

"It's okay. I'm sorting it..." the hero muttered, squeezing her hand like a lifeline as he fished the PearPhone from his belt. 

His sweet girl looked at him curiously, taking a moment to figure it out, and Ray could pinpoint when it clicked. He loved that about her--how things connected so quickly for her. He only wished he could do the same. 

"Running away won't help."

"Right now, darlin', I just want you and me to go home. Or anywhere. Anywhere but here," Ray sighed, thumbing a specific contact on his phone, which started the achingly long dialling tone as he waited for Charlotte to pick up. 

Charlotte was the one to call in an emergency. That girl was brilliant, so she'd help him out, arrange for them to be picked up, and then he could escape this nightmare. (y/n) still didn't like it, hoping the night wouldn't end like this, but he was determined to run. 

"What's up, Ray?"

"I wanna go home!" He sounded utterly miserable when Charlotte finally answered, and she didn't seem too pleased to be disturbed so early into the night. 

"What's wrong?" The girl sighed, having been enjoying some downtime with her fellow helpers. A disaster involving the man and his planned fight was almost predictable, but she'd expected him to last longer than this. 

"The Lawn Ranger is lame. Kid Danger left me. And I'm not even kidding--I sat down in some mustard, and it's all over my butt!" The man cried, making (y/n)'s mouth open in sympathy as he avoided all eye contact. She was ready to cry for him now if she had felt sorry for him, knowing exactly why he didn't mention it earlier. 

Did she really wanna be tied to a guy who matched with The Lame Ranger and unknowingly sat in some jerk's spilt mustard? Of course, he stayed silent. 

"Oh, doofus..."

"Isn't (y/n) there with you?" Charlotte asked, wondering how it could be so bad when his fiancé was there to support him. She could vaguely hear her voice in the background, so, putting two and two together, she guessed the woman was tending his wounds and drying his tears. Why she was needed was beyond her. 

"Yeah, but we--I don't wanna be here. I wanna be in our bedroom, in bed, with no one watching, so we can--"

"Gonna stop you there!" Charlotte exclaimed hurriedly, wanting to know none of the finer details--for the sake of her innocence. Instead, she changed her focus, glad to know someone was sitting with him, although she felt for (y/n) and all the moping she was putting up with. Because he moped. A lot. 

"Where did Henry go?"

"He's fighting Kyle, who's awesome," Ray sniffled as the kid of the moment was thrown through a window. His fight had led him to the building rafters, where Kyle had momentarily gotten the upper hand, meaning he took a tumble. 

"Holy shit!" (y/n) gasped, feeling her heart thud against her rib cage when the boy landed on his back with a grunt. Her boy. Her kid. Beaten like a punching bag. Tossed around like a rag doll. And yet strangely, he seemed to be enjoying it. 

"This is the best fight I've ever had in my entire life!"

"I'm gonna destroy you!" The couple watched in shock as Henry got to his feet just as Kyle broke through the window's remains. It was all fun and games for them, witty banter passing between the two as Henry pulled out a grappling gun and shot the hook across the room. 

"Where'd you get a grappling hook?!" Ray questioned, almost speechless at how their relationship had blossomed; from humble beginnings to solid sparring partners, both were fighting for their lives - all in good fun. 

"I took it off Kyle! He knows exactly what I like!" Henry grinned before zipping off, flying away before his opponent could thump him. Kyle landed before he could get a hit in, but he was still tenacious, hot on Kid Danger's heels to resume the spat. Seeing Henry having so much fun infuriated Ray, so he returned to his phone. 

"I wanna go home! Tell Piper to come pick Miss Danger and me up!" He begged, pulling (y/n) beside him this time. It was a tight squeeze in the booth, but they managed it, her practically sitting on his knee, but Ray liked it. He craved it. The close contact until they could go home. 

"Just drive yourself!" Charlotte told him, knowing they'd taken the Man Van.

"Kid Danger has the keys! Come on! Piper has a license--we've established this!" The man whined down the receiver, stamping his foot as best he could with (y/n) so close. He sounded like a child, tragic and annoying, as he begged for help, clutched the phone and nuzzled into his sweet girl simultaneously, searching for support and comfort where he could. 

"Y'know, it's funny. I feel like ten minutes ago, I told you to drive yourself, but you're still talking and not driving," the girl sassed, recalling her boss' words earlier that afternoon when he'd been so rude to her. 

"When I said that to you earlier, it was hilarious, but when you say it to me, it's just mean!" Ray sniffed, hoping she'd put her unkindness aside to rescue him and his girl. However, his suffering was what Charlotte wanted to hear. Satisfied he was moping, she hung up, much to her pleasure and Ray's despair. 

"What?! No! She hung up on me!"

"I won't lecture you on being friendly again, but just remember that what goes around comes around, doofus. And now, we're stuck here," (y/n) sighed, resting her head on his shoulder, pausing to kiss the edge of it. 

Ray hummed, aware she was right, but he didn't want to repent, apologise, or grovel. He wanted to go home. 

"This night is a bust," he sniffled, wallowing in self-pity and misery as he turned to kiss her head in return. 

Perhaps he'd reflect on this moment later and deem it the highlight of the evening - a quiet spot and a private conversation with his darling girl, who put up with more of his shit than she deserved. But right now, nothing seemed to shine, not even as they slipped their hands together and rested for a second.

"It'll be over soon. We'll just wait for the kid, and then, we can slip out. I mean, what else can go wrong?" (y/n) chuckled humourlessly, rubbing her cheek against his uniform's silken sleeve as they assumed all that was left was a long wait for Henry to finish...until a voice came from behind. 

"Grass attack incoming!" The unmistakable sound of The Lawn Ranger exclaimed, appearing from nowhere, making Ray sigh, but nothing could've prepared the couple for what he planned on doing. 

Suddenly, a grass shower rained on their heads, making (y/n) gasp softly and lean into her doofus, voicing her annoyance with a disgruntled whine. He'd been told to back off, yet he'd returned, throwing handfuls of grass over them, ruining her hair and making her nose itch again. 

"What the--"

"Grass on your head! Grass on your back!" The Lawn Ranger grunted, explicitly aiming for Ray, but given his proximity to Miss Danger, it was inevitable some of his attacks would scatter over her too. A stony expression fell on the hero's face, drawing a line between himself and his fiancée because she didn't sign up for this harassment, and honestly, neither did he. 

"Grass on your shoulders! Supergrass attack!"

"ACHOO!--Sorry...allergies," (y/n) sniffed, holding her nose to try and stop herself from losing it again, but the itching wouldn't stop. 

That was the final straw for Ray. He usually found her sneezes adorable, but now, he'd reached the end of his rope. 

"I can't do this. Come on, sweet girl..." he muttered, moving to leave with Miss Danger; he didn't know where, but he had to get away from this loser. Rising from the table, hands still joined, they stepped away from The Lawn Ranger, who looked shocked at the man's rudeness. 

"What's wrong?"

"Look, you seem like an awful person," Ray sighed, meaning it in the kindest way since he was a villain. Apparently. 

"Thank you!"

"And any hero would be lucky to fight you..."

"What are you doing?" The guy asked worriedly, sensing something was wrong from how Miss Danger avoided his gaze and Captain Man spoke - his words sounding like the end game. 

"I'm breaking up this fight," Ray said, ripping off the bandaid instead of dragging it out. Maybe it was cruel, but fighting the dweeb would be worse, knowing one punch would finish him, so no matter how much he whined, he didn't want to be associated anymore. 

"No, I can change! Literally! In the winter, I turn brown!" The Lawn Ranger reasoned as if that would make it any better. 

Of all the things he could've said, becoming a sad, crispy colour didn't impress, not like Kyle did with Henry as the two streaked past, the former dodging lasers as the kid spammed his controllers. 

"Kyle is everything!" Kid Danger grinned before continuing, sparing no time for his boss since he enjoyed himself so much. That did it for Ray; the humiliation was too much, and he didn't care if he had to wait on a park bench in the driving, pissing rain. 

"And we're leaving. Miss Danger, are you coming?"

"Of course," (y/n) nodded, darting under his arm as she braced herself for the stormy night, but they couldn't leave until The Lawn Ranger stopped whining. 

"But why?! I haven't even asked Miss Danger for a fight yet!"

"Look, it's not you. It's me. I'm...too good for you. And believe me, my incredibly hot fiancée's way outta your league," Ray replied, leaving (y/n) unsure whether he regarded her superhero skills or more feminine ones--like she'd be interested in the guy. 

Regardless, that's where they left it, turning to leave before things got ugly, but without looking where they were going, it was inevitable they'd bump into someone. Unfortunately, the Lizard Twins had to be another stroke of luck. 

"Sorry..."

"We didn't see you there--"

"Hey! Thanks for swiping us!"

"Yeah, can't wait to fight you," the brother-sister duo said, confusing the couple as they stared at Ray with their reptilian eyes. The hero had no idea what they were talking about, with the last thing he wanted being another fight. 

"I didn't match with either of you."

"Yes, you did," the guy argued as he and his sister took out their phones, and to the heroes' shock, there it was on the Rumblr app. Captain Man had been signed up by some unknown power to fight the Lizard Twins - his account had accepted the fight proposal. And that wasn't the worst bit. 

"These guys say you matched with them, too," the girl said, gesturing over her shoulder, where a whole hoard of villains stood, each presenting their phones to show that Ray had arranged to fight everyone. 

He and (y/n) gulped as they studied his phone, wondering how it could've happened, but as far as the villains were concerned, he was fair game. 

"Let's rush this fool!" One bellowed a battle cry, rallying his fellow bad guys to take on Captain Man. 

"Care to fight, Miss Danger?" He asked, glancing at his sweet girl as they dug their heels in and charged. There was little time to decide, and Ray would understand if she wanted to duck for cover behind the bar, but that wasn't how (y/n) rolled. His fights were hers, no matter how outnumbered they were. 

"Oh, Captain... It would be my pleasure," she smirked, clenching her fists before charging with him, taking on the stampede head-on. 

Immediately, they were pushed to the centre, fists and feet coming out of nowhere as they clawed at whoever they could touch--and in the middle of that lot, there was plenty to handle. No one could tell who was hitting who, but it felt good to work out the frustration, even if it meant taking a few dozen blows to the ribs. 

Eventually, they fell to the floor, pummelled down by the onslaught, but it was better down there despite being trodden on a few times. In the madness, Ray managed to find his lover, gripping her hand as he yelled in her ear to start crawling; there had to be an exit somewhere. 

Crawling on their bellies, the couple made it out alive, a little sore and breathless but pumped with adrenaline, raring to go back in. Henry was too busy with Kyle to notice the mass brawl in the middle of the room, but that was okay because they'd found their own entertainment - a veritable scrum. 

"This is barbaric," (y/n) panted, rolling her shoulders back as the bruises and internal bleeding fled her body. Being in the middle of the brawl was awful, but being a spectator was worse; the sheer savagery would make anyone turn conscientious objector. 

"I know...wanna go again?" Ray smirked, nudging her elbow once they'd caught their breath. It was savage, dangerous, and bloody, which made it fun. Exhilarating. 

"With you? Always, doofus," the heroine giggled, becoming breathless again when he pulled her into a hurried kiss--all tongue and clashing teeth since Ray was running on adrenaline, yet he needed his fix. Miss Danger was hot when she fought; he liked girls who could hold their own. It was an impulse. 

Breaking apart as quickly as they connected, they bared their fists again and went for it, screaming and diving for the crowd, but then...nothing. No welcome. No returned battle cry, nothing. 

Standing back and observing allowed the couple to see the fight for what it was; a mass scrabble for anyone bored enough to have some excess energy. Even though Captain Man was the one who started it, he wasn't missed. 

Hell, he wasn't even sure if his so-called matches even realised he was missing, the final blow coming when The Lawn Ranger pushed him aside, knocking his large frame into (y/n)'s simply so he could rejoin the fight. What happened to his eagerness to fight the legendary hero?

"Guys! I found more grass outside!" He said joyfully, receiving no reply, but he joined the fray anyway. 

"Hey, I thought we were...weren't you fighting me? And Miss Danger? Guys? Remember? We matched? Guys? Lawn Guy?" Ray called out in vain, drawing no one's attention as the fight drifted outside, where the competitors would have more room to try and Kill each other. 

That told them everything they needed to know, and to her sorrow, (y/n) could pinpoint the moment Ray's heart shattered. 

"They're gone, doofus. I, uh...think they forgot about us," (y/n) told him gently, emphasising the final word because she realised how lonely the place felt now nearly everyone had left. There were a few stragglers, but they looked only there for the music, company and booze. 

No, they were alone now, and she didn't want Ray to feel such a terrible thing by himself, yet his face said everything. Not sad, dejected, angry, or rejected, just hopeless. The feeling that comes when everything is over. 

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, darlin'. You've been...amazing. It's just...this day is the worst," Ray sighed, slipping out from underneath her supportive hand to slump on a bar stool. Everything had drained from his body; he had nothing to give except sagging over the bar with her standing between his knees. 

"What can I do to make it better?" She asked gently, hands stroking his cheeks as she prepared to do anything to cheer him up, but suddenly, something happened neither of them had expected. 

"Eh, yo, excuse me," the bartender caught their attention, unphased by the Captain's melancholic stare and Miss Danger's protectively suspicious squint. Perhaps he was interrupting, but he didn't care. 

"We didn't order any drinks," (y/n) told him slowly, baffled when the man placed two glasses in front of them - one containing fresh, creamy milk and the other her go-to cocktail. An odd combination but an uncanny one because few people knew her order. 

"These are from the gentleman at the end of the bar."

"Who?..." Ray asked, only for the words to die on his tongue as their gazes fell on a lone figure not two metres away. 

There, perched on a stool, drinking warm milk from a sippy cup, was The Toddler. The actual Toddler. He didn't shout nonsense, pull a ridiculous weapon, or even vow destruction on Swellview. All he did was give the awestruck couple a friendly nod and a warm smile - the kind you'd get when seeing an old friend for the first time in years. 

"Toddler?" Ray frowned, a million questions racing through his mind, but the man-child didn't speak. He jerked his head to the stool next to him, wanting to talk privately rather than shout across the room.

"Come on, sweet girl..."

"Wait, doofus," (y/n) stopped him, holding onto her lover's bicep when he tried to guide her over there. She wasn't scared or anything stupid like that, but she felt there was a time and place for everyone, and right now, her calling was to wait for him, sip her cocktail, and leave him to talk without her. 

"Go talk to him. I'll be right here if you need me."

"Are you sure? I don't like leaving you here, especially in this dump," Ray replied worriedly, glancing around the room like someone would try something on Miss Danger with Captain Man so close. His worries were unfounded there, but leaving her out still didn't seem right. 

"I'll be here when you're done. Go to him," she implored, pecking his lips before gently pushing her doofus away. Shuffling on the bar stool, she crossed her legs and took a long sip through her curly straw, meaning Ray knew she meant business. He circled the bar slowly, tentatively, gingerly, feeling her eyes on his back with The Toddler's on his face - watching his every move. 

"Well, well, well...Captain Man," The Toddler said, smiling warmly like he was meeting up with an old friend - and he was, in a way, just not in a way Ray ever expected. 

"What are you doing here?"

"I, uh...been a little bored lately. Fighting the same heroes over and over again," the villain sighed, clenching his fingers around his sippy cup as he retold a story that was eerily familiar to his adversary. 

"Right?" Ray chuckled quietly, relaxing against the bar's edge. Sitting down made him feel vulnerable, so at least like this, he could still be on his feet and ready for action - plus, he could smoothly turn his head to check on his sweet girl. 

The Toddler noted his wariness, eyes sliding to Miss Danger over the way, but he said nothing, knowing they were in a unique situation. 

"So, my younger brother--"

"The Newborn?" 

"Yeah, he talked me into making a profile on this app called Rumblr," he said, shocking Captain Man because it was like he was telling his story. How a slightly annoying but lovable younger brother convinced him it would be a good idea to sign his soul to the goddamn devil of online fighting. 

"I did the same thing! That's why I'm here!"

"Same, but I don't know... It's not for me," The Toddler sighed, staring at his warm milk because his night had been terrible like the hero in front of him. A total disaster. He was tired, back at square one, and didn't know what to do, but at least he'd found a kindred spirit. 

"Thank you!"

"I mean, Rumblr set me up tonight with this hero named Kicky McGee. And he didn't look anything like his picture!" The villain exclaimed, looking fed up with everything. 

Across the bar, (y/n) dropped a few eaves and smiled into her drink, knowing some heroes and villains are just made for each other - there was no shame in exploring old partnerships. 

"Yes! Who does that?!..." Ray agreed, leaning against the bar again as the two fell silent for a second, unknowingly sharing the same thought. 

"I like to meet my heroes the old-fashioned way."

"I like to meet my villains the old-fashioned way," they said together, their faces becoming severe when they realised how much they had in common, despite being sworn enemies. Hero stared at villain, and villain stared at hero. And both were on the same page for the first time in their long history. 

"You know, Miss Danger said that before we came, but I, uh...didn't think it was true," Ray said nervously, licking his lips as he tried to find the right words. His sweet girl was onto something with that thought, making the men look over their shoulders to see her drinking alone, resting her chin on her hand as she stirred what was left in the bottom of her glass. 

"Hmmm..." The Toddler hummed, pensive, as he tipped another splash of milk into his mouth before speaking, "You've got yourself a great girl there, Captain Man. Excuse me if I sound disgusting for a moment, but she makes you an even greater hero. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to her."

"I know... She's everything to me," Ray replied wistfully, his eyes growing soft when Miss Danger noticed them staring and smiled. Toddler chuckled quietly when he saw how Captain Man switched off, utterly enchanted by such a simple, sweet smile, but he'd known from the minute he first saw them together. She was the only thing in his eyes. 

The serenity didn't last. Before they could settle into the comfort and, strangely enough, the safety of a moment's ceasefire, Henry burst onto the scene. He'd been run ragged by Kyle, panting and aching from the non-stop combat, but he had no complaints. That had been the best night of his life. 

"Ahhh, what a fight! That was amazing!"

"Congrats!" The Toddler remarked, not in a snarky manner, but maybe with a hint of jealousy. At least someone's night went well, but upon the sound of one of his greatest enemies, Kid Danger's hackles went up, his chest puffed out, and his expression hardened. What was Ray doing sharing a drink with...him?

"Toddler?!" He spat, clenching his fists like he would thump him one. This was too good to miss, and past altercations couldn't be ignored, yet the boy looked at his boss with pure betrayal when he stopped him from getting any closer. 

"Hey, easy, junior. I'm off the clock," Todd reassured him, showing the sidekick his drink so he knew he meant no harm. Henry looked baffled but backed off, seeing how relaxed Ray felt--enough to leave (y/n) alone over two metres away. 

"Well, I guess I should get going anyways," the villain sighed, thinking he'd overstayed his welcome, but there was a mischievous glint in his eye. He hopped off his stool, taking his drink from the bar, but not before smiling coyly at the duo. 

"I gotta swing by Swellview Airport and...not skyjack a cargo plane full of blankies. Sure would be a shame if someone tried to stop me," he said, saying one thing and meaning another, but he didn't push it any further. 

"Well, see you around."

"Thanks for the drinks, Todd," Ray called after him gratefully, knowing he and his sweet girl needed a pick-me-up after their night. It was a surprisingly sweet gesture, and despite their differences, the hero genuinely appreciated it. 

"Toddler..." the man-child corrected him for old time's sake, his smile full of mirth and...fondness as he tipped them his drink before walking away.

Leaving the hero and his sidekick to chat, The Toddler circled the bar, searching for one person. 

Still sitting on her stool, Miss Danger looked rather bored, having reached the end of her cocktail, and she had no doofus to entertain her. She was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't hear him approaching, noticing the villain only when he was by her elbow, dwarfed by the height she gained on the tall chair. 

"Can I get you another drink?" He asked smoothly, making her laugh as she pushed her glass toward the bartender. 

"No, thank you. Technically, I'm on duty," (y/n) replied, gesturing to her bright uniform, which dictated that she was meant to be working, not overindulging. Even if there weren't any apparent threats, she liked to stay sharp, something The Toddler silently admired as she straightened herself out and gave him a polite smile. 

Captain Man sure knew how to pick them. 

"Oh, right, right... You and Captain Man..."

"What about us?" (y/n) asked cautiously, turning to give him her full attention. It was difficult to relax entirely in his presence, but she had to admit; he'd piqued her curiosity simply by talking to her and not going home. 

"You're good for each other," the man-child said casually, shrugging as if they weren't entering dangerous territories - crossing their personal lives with work. The woman raised an eyebrow at that, wondering why he'd bring it up after years of knowing her and Ray and showing no interest in what they were like as people. 

"Since when are you a romantic?"

"I'm not..." he replied, showing no interest as he pushed off the bar, making her wonder why he'd come over to talk. Surely, he didn't just want to compliment her and Captain Man's relationship; otherwise, he could've just said it the next time they fought. 

"But, uh...me and the Captain have a little...something arranged, and I was wondering if you want to join us?" The Toddler offered, shuffling his feet, making her giggle. Was he nervous? Because of her? Well, consider her flattered, although a little hesitant. 

"Are you asking me to a...fight?"

"Yeah...

"Well..." (y/n) paused, gaze flicking to where Ray and Henry were nattering, the latter clearly trying to convince his boss to go after him - to have the fight they both obviously wanted. But the man hadn't actually said yes, and from the looks of things, he was dithering about whether he wanted to go, which made her reluctant. 

"I don't know... I came here for Captain Man. It wouldn't be right to leave without him," she said sadly, trying to let him down as gently as she could. It wasn't a straight-out refusal or an unreserved yes, but The Toddler understood her position. He still had hope. 

"Hey, I get it. But if you change your mind, I'll be at Swellview Airport all night... Feel free to bring your boyfriend if you want," he smiled, strolling away with a soft smile like he already knew what she'd do.

He'd just gotten to the exit when the entire conversation caught up with her - not some crazy fever dream where she and her doofus were friends with The Toddler for a few minutes. It had happened, and if he could tease her, she could tease him. 

"Fiancé!" She called after him, loving the small yet significant correction. Todd did not indicate whether he heard her, but she didn't need it. 

Looking a little crazy as she sat there, grinning, she lost herself in her thoughts again, spurred on by the fluttering in her tummy from thoughts of him. Her doofus, who hurried to her side - out of nowhere - with more energy than he'd had in days, was inspired by Henry and his insistence that The Toddler wanted more than a drink at the bar. 

"Sweet girl! We gotta go to the airport! Toddler's gonna skyjack a plane!" Ray exclaimed as he skidded to a halt, seizing her forearms because he wanted to chase after the villain. And he wanted her to go with him...if that was all right with her. 

"Oh, was that what he was talking about? Big fight, is it?" (y/n) asked, sliding off the stool and stepping into her lover's space. Ray's fingers slid down her arms and curled around her waist, pulling her closer until their navels touched. 

"Huge. Just what I need to bounce back..."

"Then, what are you doing standing here? Go after him!" She exclaimed, wondering why he was making the villain wait when he'd ask for a fight - the old-fashioned way, just how they both liked. Ray sighed, cupped and stroked her cheek with a soft gaze, thinking his place was standing there with her. 

"Only if you come with me," he replied, unphased, when she looked surprised as if she couldn't imagine him wanting her there. 

"Doofus, this is your fight. Are you sure?"

"Do I want to see Miss Danger kicking ass in this skirt? Hell yeah, I'm sure," Ray chuckled, growing hot under the collar from the mere thought, and his lifted mood made her smile. It was nice to see him happy again, and now that she thought of it, Toddler had invited her too, so it wouldn't be intruding. 

Come to think of it, when was the last time she and Captain Man fought side by side with nothing to stop them? Maybe she needed it as much as he did; the offer was more tempting now. 

"So, darlin', what do you say? Wanna go on a fight with me?"

"It wouldn't be the first time you asked me out," (y/n) joked, leaning up to kiss his cheek before pulling away to give him her answer, "but yes, doofus. I would love to go on a fight with you."

"Then, what are we doing standing here?" Ray grinned, looking ten years younger when the emotion stretched across his face. 

He conjoined their hands tightly without further prompting, pulling her away from the bar with a feverish need that the bartender knew all too well. He saw those goo-goo eyes the hero gave to his fiancée, so his assumption wasn't unfounded, meaning he smiled and shook his head as he watched the lovers race for the door. 

On the way out, they passed a familiar face - The Lawn Ranger, holding a slab of freshly dug grass for the long-gone brawl. He looked at the couple longingly, expecting to bag himself a fight now everyone else had left, but Ray was ready to plough down anyone in his path, even tubby, grassy weirdos like him. 

Releasing a long battle cry, and with his hand still clutching his sweet girl's, he charged at The Lawn Ranger, swinging his fist and landing a brutal blow on his nose. It splattered across his face, making the so-called villain clutch his face in pain, but he never got a chance to grass attack them. 

Before he could blink, the heroes were long gone, stealing away into the night since they had a prior engagement. And a flight to catch. 

"That was so mean, Raymond," (y/n) hissed as they ran into the rain, making her squeal and shield her head, not that she had any chance of saving her hair. Part of her didn't care for the pathetic man, thinking he was weird, but she was too sweet not to feel a sliver of guilt, wondering if they should've stuck around a little longer. 

"Trust me, sweet girl, we've done him a huge favour. No one would want to fight him, but at least now he can say Captain Man punched him in the face," Ray bragged, holding his muscled arm over her head to act as a makeshift umbrella. 

"True...and I can say Captain Man took me home tonight," she giggled, hurrying along the sidewalk as they headed for the dank, dirty alleyway where Ray parked the Man Van. 

It wasn't a long walk, but the chilly air made her shiver and duck into his side, stealing the warmth radiating from her human furnace. Ray laughed, bringing her closer since he knew her uniform wasn't built for heat retention, and if they didn't stick out like sore thumbs, they'd look like any regular couple hurrying down the road. 

"That was never in doubt, my love. I'll choose you every time," he promised as they ducked into the alleyway. 

No one noticed the heroes' presence in the shadows, how they whispered each other's names and paused against the wall. Ray dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers, leaving her breathless more than the frigid air ever could - kissing in the rain.

[jerry-hornes-foot]

steve teasing a needy reader ? 👀

Okay I'm sorry but this ask drove me absutely fucking hog wild feral, like completey fucking insane

1313 words

18+ only

Smut

Steve Harrington x Gender Neutral Reader

Tags: dom/sub; sub!reader; dom!steve; flirting; teasing; begging; offensive language; bondage mention; outdoor sex

A sudden loud swell of music snaps you out of a daydream, making you realise you've barely been paying attention the last 20 minutes. Your eyes refocus on the screen, and you're making a vague attempt to catch up on the dialogue when Steve leans in and whispers in your ear,

"This movie fucking stinks."

You don't really want to admit it as it was you that fought to see this one, but it really is bad. Not even laughably bad, just mind numbingly dull.

"Oh my god it's so bad." You say with a quiet laugh. "Should we just go?"

"Nah we made it this far, didn't we? Besides... there's other things we can do to keep us entertained."

Steve's hand appears on your leg, his fingertips slowly edging their way up your thigh. Your face starts to feel hot as your blood starts rushing.

"Steve!"

"What?" He whispers, feigning innocence as he leans in and starts to kiss your neck.

"We can't!" You protest, trying to ignore the warmth spreading below Steve's rogue fingertips. "Someone might see us."

"Oh, you're right." He says, sitting up and looking around the empty theatre. "I mean it's packed to the rafters in here, I can barely hear you over the roar of the crowd."

"Very funny. What about the guy who was sitting down-"

"Gone." Steve interjects. "He left about a half hour ago."

You take another look around the room. The full theatre is totally empty. The two of you are completely alone, and there's got to be at least 20 minutes or so left before the credits. Unlikely you'd be disturbed."

"Okay then." You whisper, trying your best not to sound too excited.

Steve's hand stops still right at the top of your thigh, it's taking every ounce of willpower you have not to grind into his hand.

"No, no." He says, a smug grin spreading over his face, "You're right, we shouldn't."

His hand lingers, fingertips barely grazing the crotch of your jeans.

"I never said that!"

"Oh yes you did! You said we couldn't and you're absolutely right!" Steve leans in close to you, close enough that your lips just barely brush over his for a second before he whispers, "You'll just have to wait."

You practically run out of the theatre when the credits start to roll, so eager to get Steve home and into bed. If you can even manage to wait that long. The stairs would do just fine. Fuck it, maybe even the front porch. It's dark when you get outside, it seems as though you must be the last customers to leave. The two of you set off towards home but you've barely gone a few steps before Steve turns and steps in front of you,

"Hold on a second." He says, grabbing you by the shoulders and pushing you back into the alley behind the theatre.

He pushes your back up against the wall, his knee slipping between your legs so that you're straddling his thigh. He lifts a hand and cups your face gently, tipping your chin and leaning his mouth in close to yours. Just as your eyes start to close in anticipation of the feeling of his lips touching yours, Steve lifts something into your eyeline. You look over to see he's holding two popcorn kernels between his fingers.

"You spilled some popcorn on your shirt." He says, with a weak attempt to cover the fact that he's laughing, then turns on his heel and begins walking towards the house.

"Hey!" You shout, running after him. "That's not fair!"

"What's not fair?" He teases. "Oh you thought- ? What in a dirty alley behind a movie theatre? I really never thought you were the type."

He turns off suddenly down the path that leads to the trail through the woods.

"Where are you going? We live this way."

Steve turns and looks at you with a knowing smirk.

"Thought you'd want to go the scenic route."

You both know that the so-called "scenic route" through the woods took at least an extra 10 minutes, if you really put your mind to it, but Steve seemed more than happy to take the walk at a more gentle pace. He strolls on ahead of you, drowning out your protests with a chirpy whistle.

It feels as though you've walked miles and you're still not even half way home. You've done this walk a thousand times before, but this is the longest it's ever felt. You can still hear Steve whistling behind you. In an attempt to make your frustrations known you have stormed on ahead, stomping angrily through the leaves to really drive your point home. After a while Steve's footsteps quicken and you feel him grow closer. His arms wrap around you from behind and pull you close, stopping you in your tracks.

"What's made you so grumpy, huh?"

His arms squeeze tightly around your ribcage.

"You know exactly what." You say huffily.

Even without looking you can tell Steve is smiling.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean."

As he says that, one of his hands slips down and pushes in between your legs, he tenses his hand making you whine, grinding your hips against him pathetically before he slips his hand away and releases his grip. The second you're free you spin around and grab onto the fabric of his jacket, pushing him up against the nearest tree.

"I can't take it anymore, Harrington, you've got to fuck me."

"We're not even halfway home." He laughs.

"Don't care. I can't wait that long. Fuck me right here. Fling me on the ground and just fuck me, right here, in the mud."

Steve's eyes widen, the smile on his face growing even larger, mouth dropping open slightly in disbelief.

"God you're so desperate."

"Yes, yes I am, alright? I'll do anything, I'll beg you, I don't care I just need to you to touch me, please!"

Steve's back is pressed up against the bark of the tree, with the weight of your body pressed against his. You're trying your best to straddle his knee again, to get some semblance of relief by humping his leg like a horny dog, but he's standing perfectly straight to deny you the satisfaction.

"God you're fucking hot when you're desperate." He says. "I was looking forward to fucking you when we got home but honestly, I think I'd be wasting a good opportunity."

Steve grabs hold of your chin and holds your head firmly in place, keeping his eyes locked on yours.

"Maybe I'll just tie you up, huh, how about that? Jerk myself off while I make you watch, so fucking hungry for me but with nothing you can do about it.

You whine. Its loud and pathetic, you don't even bother to try and hide it.

"Or maybe we could stay out here, wait and see how long it takes you to get on your knees."

"I'll do it, anything you want I'll do it, just please fuck me, touch me, anything!" Your voice is trembling.

Steve releases your face from his grip and you drop to your knees instantly, gripping the fabric of his jeans and staring up at him,

"Please Steve, come on, I'm literally on my knees here begging you, take me right here I'm all yours."

Steve beams. Reaching down, he grabs your hands and pulls you back to your feet. Holding your face in his hands he pulls you close and kisses you. Your hands grab desperately at his body, hungry to pull him closer to you. When he pulls away from you for a moment you feel as though you could scream. The tension wracks your body and makes you feel woozy. Steve stares down into your eyes and smiles again,

"I'm going to fucking ruin you."

[metalbuckaroo]

Birthday to Remember

SUMMARY// After being pulled along to a strip club by your friends on your birthday, you end up leaving with some company.

WARNINGS// smut, oral (f receiving), kinda corruption kink, pussyjob, cursing, mentions of tobacco and alcohol use

AU// Stripper!Bucky x Innocent!Readee

AN// Requests and asks are always open, 18+ ONLY Minors DNI

Masterlist

Moodboard by// @commonintrest Dividers by// @skylightlantern

The last thing you wanted on your birthday was for your friends to drag you to a strip club. You felt awkward and out of place walking amongst the room full of half naked men and drinking customers.

"This just feels weird." You sighed, following your three friends towards the bar that was in the corner. "We'll get one of those private rooms they have here for parties and a beefy man. It will be a birthday to remember, c'mon." One of them grinned.

You pitched in on the drinks and a private room, one of the men walking in right after you. Dark, chin length hair and a sweet smile that nearly distracted from the tight leather shorts that left little to the imagination.

You spent most of the time staring down into your glass, having to silently remind yourself you were suppose be having fun as your friends cheered and giggled as they stuffed bills into the waistband of the man's shorts; whose named you learned was Bucky.

You weren't really paying attention to what he was doing. More to the way the silvery metal of his arm gleamed under the dimmed lights and where metal met flesh at the base of his shoulder.

Wondering how he got it or if he could feel when someone touched it, rather than thinking of the smooth way his body moved.

One of your friends said something to him that you couldn't quite make out. Bucky nodding and looking over at you with a half smile.

"Want the birthday special?" He asked, moving to stand in front of you. Your face warmed at his words and you swallowed thickly, shaking your head. "No, it's fine."

"Oh, come on. Don't be a prude." One of the three girls groaned, poking one of your crossed legs.

Wetting your lips, you glanced up at Bucky who looked at you with welcoming eyes. "Yeah, okay." You nodded.

Your stomach flipped when he took the drink from your hands, handing it to your friend before the cool metal of his left hand nudged at your knee for you to uncross your legs.

Bucky placed his hands on the back of the couch, your shoulders trapped between metal and flesh as he leaned down to talk in your ear. "If you're uncomfortable with anything, just pinch me."

You gave another nod and he smiled, flashing his pearly whites as he leaned his knees against the edge of the plush cushion on either side of yours.

Your heart beat wildly in your chest when he tugged at the laces of the shorts to loosen them before taking your hands in his.

Bucky was eating up every reaction you gave. The way you chewed your bottom lip as he guided your hands along the taut muscles of his chest and abdomen, your fingers feeling every dip in the smooth skin and grazing over the barbells that pierced through his nipples.

He especially liked the way you weren't trying to rush his hands to go under his shorts; letting him be in full control.

Your eyes went wide when he stopped your hands at the waistband of the leather, the sound of your heart beating and blood rushing in your ears almost drowning out the sound of your friends giggling and squealing.

And the sound of the door opening.

"Buck, you've got a set." Another man said from the doorway. "I'm in the middle of a session." Bucky huffed, looking over his shoulder but not moving your hands. "Cap is gonna fill in."

Letting out a heavy sigh, Bucky finally let go of your hands, but his close proximity wasn't letting your body relax just yet as he leaned to peck a kiss to your cheek. "Happy birthday." He chuckled before standing.

A broad blonde took his place, this one letting you sit in peace and stare into you half empty glass.

"I'm gonna head home." You exhaled, glancing at the happy looks on your friend's faces. "Fine, buzz kill." One of them muttered.

Pushing through the crowded club, you pushed the heavy metal door open. Bucky was leaned against the concrete wall of the building not far from the door, now in a pair of sweats and a hoodie as he smoked a cigarette.

"The birthday girl." He grinned, blue eyes meeting yours as you stepped closer. "Want one?" He asked, holding the cigarette out towards you. "Uh, no. Thanks."

"Listen-" he cleared his throat, pushing away from the wall to stand in front of you. "I can find someone to cover for me if you need some company on your walk home." He offered before bringing the cigarette to his lips.

"I'll be fine, I'm not too far." You shrugged, looking to the sidewalk. "You can't walk alone, it's one in the morning." Bucky chuckled, shaking his head. "That's different than walking with a stranger?"

His tongue jutted out across his bottom lip, eyebrows twitching upwards. "Well- I was about five seconds away from putting your hand in my shorts around thirty minutes ago. I think I'm a little better than a stranger." He teased, leaning forward slightly. "Besides, your friends kinda seem like assholes."

He wasn't wrong. They were sometimes pushy, telling you to loosen up a little and dragging you along with them to places where you felt out of place.

"Ok, fine." You exhaled. Bucky cracked a smile and dropped his cigarette, stomping it out under his shoe. "Let me get my stuff, just wait here for a second." He said, brushing his fingers to your forearm.

"Thanks, for walking with me." You said as you unlocked your front door. "This isn't the worst side of town but it's not the best either." Bucky said with a small laugh.

"I forgot to tip you, by the w-" his warm hand stopped yours from digging in your wallet, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it. Just- invite me in for a drink." He shrugged.

You narrowed your eyes at him, cocking your head to the side. "You're not a creep, are you?"

Bucky laughed, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. "No, just don't want a pretty girl to spend her birthday alone. Plus, I had someone take over my shift."

"Well, my apartment is dry. So, you're out of luck on that drink." You smiled, opening the door to walk into the small studio apartment. "That's fair."

Bucky was good company as the two of you sat on the couch in your living room, telling you funny stories about his time working at the club and listening intently to anything you said. The lighting in your apartment made his eyes even more blue than you'd noticed earlier and his features look sharper, framed by his dark locks.

Over the last couple of hours he had slowly moved his way closer to you. Close enough that you could smell his woodsy cologne mixed in with the scent of cigarettes, his metal arm resting on the back of the couch as his right hand would occasionally brush against you when he'd talk.

"You're cute, like a bunny." He said with a small laugh, making your face heat up. "Thanks, I guess?" You mumbled, chewing your tongue as he lifted his hand to your cheek.

He hummed in response, leaning closer until his lips brushed yours and your breathing hitched.

You pressed a hand against his chest and leaned away slightly. "I've never..." You trailed off, hoping he'd get the point. "I figured that much. Can go as far as you want, or we don't have to at all."

"How many girls have you said that to?" You silently cursed yourself for saying it as soon as you did, biting down on the inside of your cheek. He just chuckled and brushed his thumb over the tip of your nose. "I'm more of a long term guy. Pretty sure I can count who I've slept with on one hand."

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." You said quietly, pulling at a string on the seam of your jeans. "I know." Bucky said before slotting his lips over yours, the kiss gentle and sweet.

The taste of cigarettes and mint gum flooded your tastebuds when his tongue slipped past your lips to press into yours, the softness of his plump lips contrasting the scratch of his stubble.

Bucky just felt so welcoming, his touches cautious to wait for you to stop him as his hand moved from your cheek. Fingers ghosting down the side of your neck to leave goosebumps in their wake, along the buttons of your blouse and finally stopping to wedge between your thighs.

He pulled away, leaving your breathless as you blinked your eyes open to meet his lust filled blue ones. "Remember to pinch me if anything makes you uncomfortable." He teased, pecking a kiss to the corner of your mouth.

Things were moving fast, clothes quickly discarded on the path from the couch to your bed. Bucky's hands and lips only parting from you long enough to rid another clothing item that shielded his skin from yours until all that stood in his way was your underwear and his leather shorts.

You weren't sure if it was the head rush from only knowing Bucky for a few hours after holding out for so long, or the way his darkened eyes looked you over as he bent his body over yours.

"You're so beautiful." He breathed, leaving a brisk kiss to your lips before trailing wet kisses down your neck and chest.

Your hands gripped onto the sheets harder the further down your abdomen he got, trying to keep your breathing even as fingers hooked in the waistband of your underwear.

Bucky looked up at you one last time before dragging the fabric down your legs, tossing them to the side and taking his spot back between your legs.

You propped yourself up on your elbows to watch as he peppered kisses to the inside of your thighs, cold metal and warm flesh gently massaging the outsides of them as his stubble scraped at your skin.

A squeak erupted from your throat when he sunk his teeth into the supple flesh, making you move your leg away from his face to pull the skin from between his teeth.

Bucky chuckled and placed a soothing kiss on the mark. One to remind you that none of this had been a dream.

An excited chill ran down your spine when his hot breath fanned your dripping folds. Bucky giving one last glance before flicking his tongue over the sensitive bud, a soft chuckle bubbling in his chest when your body jolted and you drew in a sharp breath.

"So responsive, I could get use to that." He winked, licking a stripe from your entrance to your clit.

Bucky basked in every breathy sound and reaction he elicited from you, moaning at the taste he wanted to burn into his memory. In hopes he had another chance at this, the slice of heaven he held in his hands.

The chance to have his own angel to bend and mold into his filthiest dream.

He moved his hand to ease his middle finger into your heat, groaning at the immediate flutter of your walls as your hands fisted the sheet and chest heaved with a soft moan.

"Oh, c'mon. You can be louder than that, bunny." Bucky purred, curling the long, thick finger to find the sweet spot to set off the reaction he wanted. A louder moan pulling from your chest when he found the rough patch just inside your cunt making him smirk. "There it is."

He locked his lips around your clit again, fingers curling into the spot that pulled the vulgar sounds from your sweet lips as he sucked and flicked his tongue over the bundle of nerves. An unfamiliar feeling quickly building in your lower belly.

"Bucky-" You keened as white hot pleasure surged through you, your trembling thighs closing on his head as his metal hand moved from your hip to grope at your chest.

His fingers pinched and grazed the pebbled bud before massaging the flesh under his palm as your back arched, your breath catching in your throat and ears ringing.

Bucky lifted his head from between your legs, finger continuing to stroke your walls to work you through your orgasm as he pulled the laces of his shorts loose.

Your skin felt like it was on fire, every nerve alive as you opened your eyes again to Bucky standing at the end of the bed and shoving the shorts down his thick thighs. Erection springing free to give a glance of the two barbells on the underside of his cock. One under the ridge of his swollen head, the other at the base.

Your heart pounded in your ears when he moved back between your legs, stomach flipping from the nerves as his leaking tip ran through your folds and prodded your entrance. "Wait-"

Your hand pressed to the firm muscles of Bucky's stomach made his movements still and eyes flick up to meet your nervous expression. "We can stop if you want. Or we can try something else." He suggested, leaning on his palms to catch your lips in his briefly.

You nodded and let out a shaky breath. "Yeah, something else." You breathed.

A whimper passed your lips when he rocked his hips forward, the barbell sliding over your clit sending shocks of pleasure through you.

Bucky's bottom lip disappeared behind his teeth as let out quiet groans from the feeling of your slick coating his shaft.

"Talk to me, bunny. This okay?" He panted, gaze raking over your naked form that still had the sheet clutched tightly as melodic sounds spilled from your lips.

"Feels good," You panted, words slightly slurred from the dizzy feeling in your head caused by the pressure quickly building again. "So good." He moaned, holding his base to have better guidance through your folds.

You bit your lip into your mouth as tears prickled your eyes from the second wave of warmth that spread, choking out a moan as his pace quickened.

"Fucking shit-" Bucky huffed, his grip on your thigh tightening and release spilling onto your lower abdomen.

You inhaled a few deep breaths, trying to steady your heart beat as he pecked a kiss to your knee before standing from the bed to grab a piece of clothing for clean up.

You pulled the blanket from under you to hold to your chest, waiting for him to get dressed and make an excuse to leave like you'd heard your friends talk about after a hook up.

Instead, he wandered towards the kitchen, finding an empty can as he lit a cigarette, your eyes staying fixed on the way the muscles in his back rippled with his movements.

"C'mere." Bucky said with a soft groan as he got under the blankets with you, sitting the can on the nightstand. "You're staying?" You asked, furrowing your eyebrows at him.

"If you want me to, yeah." He shrugged, holding his arm out for you to lay on as he placed the cigarette between his teeth and grabbed a pillow to cushion the metal.

You gave a soft yeah and cuddled into his side, the soft whirring of his arm under the pillow helping you slowly drift to sleep.

You felt yourself waking up as the bed dipped under the weight of Bucky moving, deciding not to fully wake up and let him leave in silence.

"Hey," Bucky whispered, moving his body over yours to press a gentle kiss to your shoulder. "Hmm?" You hummed in response, peaking an eye open to look at the slate blue eyes that held adoration in them.

His knuckles brushed down your arm, a sweet kiss placed on your lips as he gave you a soft smile. "I gotta go, but I left my personal number under your alarm clock. Give me a call sometime."

You nodded and smiled lightly at him, another kiss pecked to your lips before he left the bed to gather his things, walking towards the door.

"I'm gonna hold ya to that, bunny."

TAGLIST: @likeahorribledream @cxddlyash @iwannabekilledtwice @bookstan0618 @glxwingrxse @yliumy @pineprincess @makbarnes @cupcakehinch @doasyoudesireandlive @magicwithinnightmares @andy-is-gay @stucky-my-ship @marvel-3407 @maladaptivexxdaydreaming @i-l-y-3000 @avoxzy @impala1967666 @mollygetssherlockcoffee @supernaturalbaesduh @bucky-hues @suchababie @eireduchess

[babyboibucky]

The Match - Part 9

Pairing: CEO!Bucky x Fem!Reader

Summary: Bucky brings you and Mackenzie with him to an important meeting.

Word Count: 3.3k

Warnings: Uhhhh hmm work tension, sexual tension, idk Bucky and Mackenzie being annoying as usual lmao

A/N: ALSO I know I haven’t mentioned what the fuck Bucky’s company is all about because c’mon, I didn’t expect I’d get this far lmao so IDK there might be continuity issues or inaccuracies or whatevah, just ignore it lmao it’s fiction. ANYWAAAY, I just want to say how GRATEFUL AND OVERWHELMED I am with the amount of attention that this series is getting. I appreciate every feedback, every ask and every freaking debate about this shit lmfao. I love you guys. I can’t put into words how much I appreciate you all askcnasjkcnak bye

The Match Masterlist || MAIN MASTERLIST

Don't let Bucky or Mackenzie get to you.

Mark's advice rang in your ears like a chant as you watched Bucky and Mackenzie's exchange about the project. Joining them in the conference room for a major brainstorming session was you and a couple of people from your team with Beverly taking down the minutes of the meeting.

The upcoming project was a huge one, given that Barnes Group of Companies was a huge name in the automobile industry. Meanwhile, Wilson Enterprises is one of the biggest autonomous vehicle technology companies out there. This partnership was one for the books, possibly an industry changer too.

You wanted to be a part of it, wanted to spearhead the entire thing and watching Mackenzie take the reigns on this one was truly making your blood boil.

"That sounds like a nice idea, Kenzie." Bucky praised, nodding his head.

Mackenzie shrugged, "It's what I do, Buck." she said.

"Yeah, it's a great idea. I do have some comments though, if you don't mind?" you asked.

Bucky and Mackenzie exchanged glances before turning to you. You glanced at Bucky for a quick second before ignoring the way he was eyeing you with genuine interest.

"I know that bringing in a celebrity to endorse this brand new model would definitely create noise around the partnership. Although I think that would take the spotlight away from the actual product we're creating here. We want customers to focus on the brand new car model and the technology that Wilson Enterprises will be providing it with, not on the celebrity endorser." you explained.

Mackenzie hummed, "I get where you are coming from. That's a good point, actually. But a celebrity endorser will pretty much do everything for the brand. Have him up on billboards and different advertisements and you're all set." she further explained.

You chuckled, "But then how will people understand what the entire partnership is all about? Aren't we supposed to be communicating a certain message to our consumers? Wouldn't it be better to hold an event to launch the product instead? Invite the press and key opinion leaders to spread the word. Have Bucky and Mister Wilson talk about this partnership. They're famous and powerful enough to get the message across. Why waste the budget on a celebrity when we literally have everything we need to make noise?" you shrugged.

The entire room was silent after your feedback, even Mackenzie wasn't able to respond to your suggestion. Glancing over at Bucky, you saw that he was giving you the look-- the one with half-lidded eyes matched with a head tilt, the one that often resulted to him giving you a very nice reward once office hours are over.

Feeling your breath hitch in your throat, you quickly looked away and shrugged your shoulders, "I mean, that's just my two cents. Having worked here for years, I just based it on my experience. You're the expert here, Mackenzie." you offered a proud smile.

Mackenzie tried to brush it off and turned to Bucky, "What do you think, Buck? I'm still into the idea of hiring a celebrity. That's good publicity. And let's not get worried about the budget now," she said, placing a hand on top of Bucky's that was resting on the table, "I have a lot of connections so I can definitely get an endorser for a much lower rate." she reassured.

"We may have a huge budget for this, but that doesn't automatically mean that we have to use it all up. We can allocate it somewhere else, maybe start a CSR campaign as well? We are, after all, coming out with an environmental-friendly model." you suggested.

You heard Bucky when he took a sharp inhale, bringing his hands up to rub his lips as if in deep thought. He then turned to Beverly, however, his eyes remained on you.

"Take note of everything she says." he reminded her before standing up.

He asked everyone else in the room of their opinions, whether it was your or Mackenzie's idea that the company will go for. The team was divided in half, some of them preferring Mackenzie's celebrity pitch probably because they didn't want to do a lot of work.

Bucky nodded, "Well, I guess we'll have to discuss both ideas with my partner Sam and let's see where we will go from there. I have a meeting with him this afternoon, I need you and Kenzie with me there." he said, looking at your before turning to Kenzie with a charming smile.

Don't let them get to you.

-

You've never wanted for the ground to swallow you up until this moment as you stood behind Bucky and Mackenzie in the elevator. This felt so much more uncomfortable than when you shared it with Bucky after swiping right with him on Tinder. There was still tension and it felt so much worse now because you didn't know whether it was between you and Bucky or him and Mackenzie.

Fucking Mackenzie and her nicely manicured nails which always seemed find its way around Bucky's arm. You eyed her hands as they squeezed his arm, the both of them talking in hushed voices as if you weren't standing behind them.

"I've been dying to try this restaurant, I heard they serve good food. Do you want to go have dinner there sometime this week?" she asked Bucky.

"I'll check my schedule, which restaurant is this?" he asked.

When Mackenzie uttered the name of that restaurant where you celebrated your promotion, you and Bucky choked on your own spits at the same time. Warmth crept up to your cheeks at the same time Bucky's ears reddened.

"Oh, what's going on?" Mackenzie asked with a nervous chuckle as she looked at you and Bucky, struggling with your coughs.

You recovered first and shook your head, "Sorry, I get allergies. Anyway, I've been to that restaurant. They do serve good food, the staff was very hospitable as well. I'm sure Bucky would enjoy it there." you said with a smile, pushing your way past them when the elevators door slid open.

Mackenzie asking Bucky whether he was up for dinner was the last thing you heard. Good luck explaining to her why he's banned from there, you thought to yourself.

Bucky led the way to his car and it instantly brought certain memories back. You weren't going to lie, you missed the fucking and how Bucky always made sure to take care of your needs. Seeing his car was enough to make your thighs clench at the memory of him fingering you as he drove.

His gaze was on you when he opened the door to the passenger's seat, his eyes inviting as you approached him. And just as when you were about to slip in, he turned over to Mackenzie and gestured for her to get in.

What a fucking asshole, you thought to yourself as you took a step back to ride in the back instead. You tried to keep your expression stoic when you saw that Bucky checked for a reaction. He seemed perplexed when he saw that you didn't react that much to what he did.

One hundred points to Gryffindor.

-

The location for the meeting was at a nearby restaurant so you didn't suffer that much during the entire ride. Mackenzie was busy with her phone anyway, typing out messages with those manicured fingers you were beginning to hate.

By the time all three of you arrived, Sam was already there. He donned a navy blue suit and he was rocking it. You'd seen his photos on the internet and knew that he was good-looking, but seeing him in the flesh, you were stunned at how gorgeous he was. Sam stood up when he saw Bucky, offering a kind smile to you and Mackenzie.

You weren't sure whether you were just being assuming or what, but you noticed how his eyes lingered on you longer that it did with Mackenzie.

"Sam." Bucky greeted, shaking his hand before introducing you and Mackenzie.

Sam shook Mackenzie's hand first before he turned to you. You took his hand and introduced yourself, "Mister Wilson." you said.

"Please, just Sam." he told you as he gently squeezed your hand before letting go.

"Have a seat." Sam said to Bucky and Mackenzie before pulling out the chair next to him, motioning for you to sit down.

You thanked him and sat down; straightening up, you were met with Bucky's watchful gaze as he sat down across you. Your attention was taken away when Sam asked what you wanted to order, he even suggested a certain dish and immediately went to discuss that it was his favorite thing to order.

This was going to be an interesting meeting.

And interesting it truly was, because you didn't expect for Sam to be so laid-back and easy to communicate with. He wasn't one of those uptight CEOs who were very intimidating to work with. Simply put, he was the complete opposite of Bucky. While Bucky was ice cold, Sam was sunshine and warmth with his attitude.

When it came down to pitching your and Mackenzie's ideas to him, you suddenly got nervous. Sam wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth; from what you've read, he started off working regular jobs before he climbed his way to the top. He was a self-made man and he had extensive knowledge in the marketing industry, having a doctorate degree in the said area.

Mackenzie was the first to discuss her strategy about hiring a celebrity endorser. She said it was fast and straight to the point. When it was your turn, you started off a bit shaky but eventually found your pacing.

"We wanted to ask you how this should go on about. I know that the offer for a partnership came from our end and that we're supposed to pitch the details for it. But we wanted you to be involved in this as much as we are." Bucky further explained.

Sam nodded and let out an amused chuckle, "I really appreciate this, Buck. I was going to ask you if I can contribute with the planning as well. I'm very particular when it comes to marketing our products." he said.

"That being said, I loved both ideas. I think hiring a celebrity endorser is good." he said, making Mackenzie smile proudly.

"But I would rather hold an event to launch the product. You understand the product and what we want to do with it. It's not just a brand new car, it's an innovation and the messaging is very important. I'm very impressed." Sam said, his attention geared towards you.

"Wow, I'm honored." you laughed. "Coming from you, I mean I've read about the marketing studies you did. Pretty big deal to receive a compliment from you." you admitted.

It was meant to be a genuine reaction, really. You had no ill intentions for it, you didn't do it to make Bucky jealous or get the upper hand. However, your passion for your career and area of expertise seemed to favor you. It had Bucky on edge, seeing you and Sam get along so well.

You didn't even need to check for Bucky's reaction because he simply cleared his throat and excused himself to go to the restroom. Mackenzie seemed unbothered though, when Sam favored your pitch over hers. You couldn't read her, sometimes she'd come off competitive but right now, she was unaffected.

When Bucky got back, he was quick to finalize the meeting, "I guess it's a done deal then. We'll work on the details of the launch and maybe we can set another meeting for the major presentation for your approval?" he asked Sam.

"That sounds like a plan. I'm looking forward to working with you." Sam told everyone, although he did seem to be directly addressing you.

"Alright, I'm leaving too." Mackenzie announced after Sam left the restaurant.

"Oh, you're not heading back to the office with us?" Bucky asked.

Mackenzie shook her head, throwing her bag over her shoulder, "I have another meeting. You know how it is with freelance work." she said as all three of you stood up to head outside of the restaurant.

"My Uber's here, I guess I'll see you both sometime this week." she said and waved at you before turning to Bucky and pressing a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm counting on that dinner, okay?" she reminded before slipping into her Uber, leaving you and Bucky to head back to the office together.

Alone with Bucky. In his car. The exact same car where plenty of fucking happened. Again, you chanted Mark’s advice in your head over and over again.

Don’t let Bucky get to you. And most of all, don’t cave in.

You quickly slipped inside the front seat of Bucky’s car before he could even open it up for you. The air was thick between you and Bucky and it almost felt like it was suffocating you. Reaching for the seatbelt, you tugged at it but it wouldn’t budge. Cursing to yourself, you tried again but to no avail.

“What’s wrong?” Bucky asked.

“Nothing. Seatbelt’s just stuck.” you grunted, using both your hands to pull down at it.

“Here, let me.”

Suddenly, Bucky reached over to your seatbelt and tried to fix it. His face was inches away from yours and you literally felt your insides jump at how you were immediately drowned in his perfume. If you moved forward so much as half an inch, your lips would already be pressing against the corner of Bucky’s mouth. And that thought was sending your senses into overdrive.

Do not. Cave. In.

The loud click of the seatbelt made you relax and thank goodness that Bucky was quick to move away from you, fixing his suit before starting the engine. The office may just be nearby but the fact that you and Bucky were together was making it feel like it was going to be an hour-long drive.

“So what do you think about Sam?” Bucky asked out of the blue.

He was gauging you, trying to get a reaction from you. Maybe he was expecting you to be flirty with your response, or be defensive even? You weren’t going to give him that.

“I think he’s great. Like I said, I’ve read his marketing studies and they were very insightful. I learned a lot.”

Plain, simple and safe. There was no hidden meanings and no malice; you were doing great at this whole not letting Bucky get to you thing. You made a mental note to thank Mark for his advice.

“He seems interested in you.” Bucky said again, shrugging his shoulders a bit and trying to be as nonchalant as he could.

“Well we are in the same field of expertise and I was very straightforward about admiring his skills. I’d be disappointed if he brushed off my ideas.” you slightly chuckled.

“I liked Mackenzie’s idea better, honestly.” Bucky blurted out.

By this time, you had Bucky’s plans figured out. He was coming for your job, using it as a bait to get a reaction out from you. He knew how much your career meant for you, how competitive you were in your field. Whenever his other tactics wouldn’t work, he’d always go for the career aspect.

“It was good.” you agreed, turning to Bucky with a small smile. “I think we can do that for other campaigns. Just not with this partnership. I like her.” you said.

“You do?” Bucky asked in surprise before he cleared his throat upon realizing that he sort of broke his facade.

You shrugged, “She’s a headstrong woman. She reminds me of myself actually.”

If you were alone, you would have given yourself a high-five because that statement truly made Bucky think. His forehead creased as he drove, his hand rubbing his chin and his jaw clenching as if he was in deep thought.

It was silent inside the car for a brief moment, before it was interrupted by the trilling of Bucky’s phone. He fished it out of his pocket but before he could even answer it, it slipped out of his hand and disappeared beneath his seat.

“Fuck.” Bucky cursed, both his hands on the steering wheel as he continued to drive, his attention divided between driving and searching for his ringing phone.

“Shit.” he hissed again, not knowing how to get his phone while driving. He quickly glanced at you before focusing on the road again. “Baby, can you get it for me?”

You almost missed the term of endearment. Almost. It was obviously a slip of the tongue because he genuinely didn’t seem to realize that he called you that. Bucky was more focused on the road rather than processing what he just said. You chose to ignore it the same way you did to the butterflies that erupted in your stomach.

“Yeah, okay.” you said and reached over to him, bending down to look for his phone.

In a split second, your face was right in front of Bucky’s crotch as you tried to reach beneath his car seat. You tried to ignore the bulge that was staring right at you and let your hand do the searching.

“Can you reach it?” Bucky asked.

You straightened up, “No. Can you pull aside?” you asked.

Bucky checked the surroundings and then the rearview mirror, “We can’t. We’re at a no loading and unloading zone.” he explained.

The phone continues to trill and it doesn’t seem like it would stop any time now. You sighed and removed your seatbelt before stretching your body over Bucky, slipping underneath his arms on the steering wheel so you can fully reach under his seat.

From another car’s view, you looked like you were giving him a blowjob. Not that you haven’t done that before, in this same car.

Finally, you felt his phone at the tip of your fingers and stretched further, your free hand coming to grip Bucky’s thigh unintentionally. It was only when you felt his muscles flex beneath his trousers that you realized how near your hand was to his crotch.

“Did you,” Bucky cleared his throat. “Did you get it?” he stammered.

You still have a certain effect on him, how very nice. Biting back a smirk, you hummed in response before pulling back and then handing him his phone casually. Mackenzie’s name was flashing on the screen as the phone continued to ring.

“Sorry, can you answer it and put it on speakerphone?” Bucky asked again.

You shrugged and did as you were told, holding the phone near Bucky as he continued to drive.

“Hey, Kenzie. Sorry, I dropped my phone. What’s up?” Bucky asked.

“Yeah, so my meeting got cancelled at the last minute. I was thinking maybe we can grab that dinner tonight instead?”

Bucky stole a quick glance from you but your face remained stoic, your hand steady as you held out his phone.

“Sure, how does around 7pm sound? I can pick you up.” Bucky offered.

“Sounds great. So are we checking that restaurant I was talking about?”

Bucky’s ears turned red again but he quickly recovered, “I was thinking of trying out a different one. I honestly didn’t like their dessert.”

Huh, that was weird. You and Bucky didn’t even make it to--

Fuck, he was talking about you, you realized. Clenching your jaw, you tried to keep calm. He was trying to get a rise out of you, don’t give in. Don’t react. Bucky’s conversation with Mackenzie didn’t last long and ended when they settled the location for their dinner.

The ride back to the office was quiet again, until your phone lit up from a notification. Bucky was already parking in the basement when you checked your phone, an audible gasp slipping past your lips upon reading the notification from LinkedIn.

Samuel Wilson wants to connect with you.

-

The Match Special Tags:

@marvelslag @weird-mumbling @propertyofpoeandbucky @lostinthoughtsandfeelings @mostly-marvel-musings @squishybabies @megzdoodle @suchababie @annathesillyfriend @xhollycowx @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog @5-seconds-of-mendes @gogolucky13 @countonthesun @iloveshawnieboi @learisa @borikenlove @scarlet-natasha89

Everything Bucky Tag List:

@ddowii​​ @jessou893​​ @stealapizzamyheart​​ @bagelofthelord​​ @mxnt​​ @dontputyourfckingdrinkonmytable @jeeperky​​ @ohladymacbeth​​ @wildflowergubler​​ @supraveng​​ @twinerd14​​ @buckysmar @bakugouswh0r3​​ @sweetcoldharmony @wintersfilm​​ @charminivy​​ @amelia-song-pond​​ @iamvalentinaconstanza​​ @mcubqrnes @im-squished​​ @tcc-gizmachine​​ @sipsteacasually​​ @prettyintopeerpressure​​ @weloveyasmin​ @est19xxshit​ @bloodhon3yx​ @dressed-in-prada​ @lizette50​ @thatfangirl42​ @sunflowerbunny2​ @unmagically​ @okiegirl24​ @sugarpunch-princess​ @enlyume​ @vvipgotbb @slimeyderp​ @lyoongx​ @just-deka​ @nobody-will​ @jaziona92 @elisebuitron​ @dpaccione​ @suvikamahes98blr​ @buckybarneshairpullingkink​ @earthtonav @x-judyjude-x​ @nani-kenobi @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @belladonnabarnes​ @iloveangstposts​ @weenersoldierr​ @asemistablehundredyearoldman​ @reidbuck​ @lizzarooni​ @girlfriday007​ @bonkywobble​ @lost-in-the-stars03​ @its-yasbxtch​ @whoth3hellisbucky

[ladyartemesia]

The Kiss

◐ PART VIII of THE ALPHA ◐

◐ Series Masterlist ◐

◐ Part I ◐ Part II ◐ Part III ◐ Part IV ◐ Part V ◐ Part VI ◐ Part VII ◐

Pairing: Alpha Werewolf Jimin x Omega Reader

Rating: Hard Mature 18+ (for this installment)

Warnings: this one is a little darker, descriptions of violence, ABO sexual dynamics including discussion of scenting, marking, mating, and claiming, strong sexual innuendo, discussion of violence relating to ritual combat, possessive behavior, injuries and discussion of injuries, lots of people have, use and are threatened by knives, kidnapping and drugging, its not as bad as it sounds, but it is definitely a bit darker…

Word Count: 4250

Author’s Note: I said it before but it bears repeating...You have no idea what your support has meant to me. Truly your asks and your messages and comments…they made me so happy. You made me believe that people wouldn’t forget about this story. I am so grateful you were able to wait. As many of you know I faced a medical emergency recently and you were all so lovely. The best followers on this site and I MEAN that. As always, my angels @ppersonna @xjoonchildx and  @untaemedqueen​  were (and continue to be) the best betas and the best friends anyone could ask for. My thanks to ALL of you for helping me bring this story to life! I don’t know what I would do without your daily encouragement and your daily support. You guys are the heartbeat of this story. It wouldn’t be here without you.

——◐——

Two Years Ago 

——◐——

Centuries ago the moon goddess stumbled across her human soulmate while he was sleeping. Struck by his beauty, but reluctant to reveal her identity, the goddess began to visit him in his dreams where she could hide her true form and appear before him as a mortal woman. 

In the world of dreams their love flourished and from that blessed union the packs were born…

The wolf nations celebrated this sacred romance every ten years during the Festival of the Lover’s Moon…

The day of the festival was spent eating and drinking and dancing at large parties, but when the sun went down… well—

That’s when things got really interesting. 

On the night of Lover’s Moon the young unmated wolves of the pack were permitted to commemorate this legendary love story in a decidedly scandalous manner. 

The unmated men assumed the role of the goddess’s sleeping lover—they were blindfolded (to represent slumber) and led into a large sectioned off area of the dark forest to ‘wait and dream.’

Unmated she-wolves over the age of maturity (eighteen) took herbal scent suppressors and ventured out into that very same forest in order to anonymously ‘visit’ the young men ‘in their dreams’...

The rules for what exactly that meant were pretty fast and loose which was why Min Yoongi was thanking the goddess and every other deity he could think of that Yunli was still seventeen. 

“But I will be eighteen in two days! Please can’t I just—“

“No. Absolutely not under any circumstances ever.”

“But Yoonji is going!”

“Ji-ah is nearly nineteen and has never been interested in any of the snotty little man-pups of our pack.” He snorted. “She’s probably going out just so she can shove a bunch of them in the lake.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Yunli mumbled irritably. 

Kim Taehyung yawned idly and snuggled into the cozy little pallet he prepared at the base of his favorite tree. The blindfold he and all the other unmated ‘lovers’  wore was made from witchcloth and could not be removed while the sun was down—so he had snuck into the forest earlier to set everything up. 

Now all he had to do was wait until—

“H-Hi Taehyung.”

Oh sh—

“Uh. Hello...Miss.”

Taehyung didn’t recognize the owner of that voice, but he knew for sure who it wasn’t. 

“I was hoping to find you tonight.”

This is not good. 

“Well I’m—I’m flattered… naturally but—”

She touched his hand and he squeaked. 

“I was thinking you and I might get to know each other a little bet—eep!”

The sharp point of a custom blade pressed directly into the unfortunate young beta girl’s pulse point. 

“Are you lost, puppy?”

A heavy cloak obscured the newcomer’s features, but there was no mistaking her meaning. 

Taehyung bit his lip to keep from snorting as the poor she-wolf scrambled away. 

“Ji-ah,” he tsked with feigned disapproval, “that wasn’t very nice.”

Min Yoonji grinned as she sheathed her wicked looking dagger and slid languidly into his arms. 

“You don’t like nice girls, Kim Taehyung.”

“I like you,” he whispered breathlessly against her lips. “Nice or not—it doesn't matter to me…” His hands slid greedily over her soft curves—pulling her closer till he felt the beat of her heart against his own. “I’ll like anything as long as it’s you.” 

This was the stupidest idea in the history of stupid ideas. 

Jimin huffed as he struggled to find a comfortable position against the giant boulder he’d chosen as his perch.

Why did I let Taehyung talk me into this?

He could be at home—in bed—comfortably sleeping off the all-day feast he’d indulged in. 

Instead he was out in the middle of the forest sitting blindfolded on a rock in the off chance that one of the she-wolves was out looking for him. 

Not bloody likely. 

Not when prime targets like Namjoon, Hoseok, Jungkook—and countless others—were scattered throughout the woods. 

“Park Jimin?”

Every hair on Jimin’s body stood on end. 

It was a soft whisper—the speaker clearly didn’t want her voice to be recognized, yet something about the sound sent a curious frisson of interest down his spine. 

He gulped. 

“Yes… that’s me. But if you’re looking for Hoseok he’s just a little deeper in. You probably caught his scent downwind so—”

“I’m not looking for Hoseok.”

Jimin licked his lips and the sight of it sparked a odd curl of heat in the pit of your belly. 

“I don’t know where anyone else is…”

“That’s quite alright.” A muted shuffle of movement reached his ears as you settled down beside him. “I was looking for you.” 

“Oh…” He rubbed the back of his neck idly. “Are you sure?”

Laughter like fairy bells whispered through the air and Jimin felt his heart clench.

Don’t get your hopes up. 

“Who are you?”

You were silent for a long time and then—

“I am someone who owes you a debt. One I have never been able to repay.”

Jimin’s head tilted curiously as he considered your words. 

“I’m sorry, miss… you must be mistaken. There isn’t—“

“You don’t remember.” 

It was a statement—not a question. Your voice was nearer now. He could feel the warmth of your body close to his—though not quite touching. “It was your wolf that saved me. But you had not gone through the Change yet.”

Familiar shame spiked sharply in his chest.

“I’m seven years past the Change...Why have you never mentioned this before?”

“Circumstances prevented me from doing so.” 

There was a cold finality to your pronouncement—which of course did nothing but further inflame his curiosity. 

“Then why come to me now?”

“I’ve come to repay you.”

Jimin’s mouth dropped open. 

Were you trying to—?!

“Oh—no please that-that’s not necessary—I could never take advantage of—”

You giggled again.  

“I am not offering my body, Park Jimin.”

Jimin breathed a heavy sigh of relief then shook his head with a wry chuckle. 

“Well considering the circumstances I can hardly be blamed for assuming you might be. And honestly most men would jump at the chance to—”

“You...are not most men.” 

Jimin’s eyes narrowed beneath his blindfold. 

“Little she-wolf—I may not be wrestling bears for fun or bare knuckle boxing in the town square, but I am still an alpha.”

The weight of his command poured over your body as he spoke the last word. There was no order or intent—he had simply given you a taste of his power. 

Aside from your direct blood relatives, no alpha had ever dared unleash their compel in your presence—therefore you were utterly unprepared for the effect it had on you—

Utterly unprepared for the strange surge of want so potent and profound that it stole the breath from your body. 

It was primal—invigorating—

Sensual.

You and your wolf may not have been entirely connected yet, but she was suddenly quite vocal about her desire to fully bask in Park Jimin’s attention.

A wicked grin played over his lips as he leaned in closer and you could almost feel the soft brush of his lips against your cheek. 

“Did you think I would not desire the touch of a beautiful woman in the moonlight?” he whispered. 

Please touch me, Alpha. 

Your eyes widened. 

Dear goddess. Your inner wolf was turning out to be a shameless hussy. 

“You might desire it, but you are far too  honorable to accept it as payment for a debt.”

Jimin drew back warily. 

You were correct of course. After all he had refused you when he believed that was your intent but—

“How could you know that?”

Evade. Evade now. 

“Well... how could you know I was beautiful? You’re blindfolded.”

He shrugged and your wolf took careful note of the way it made all the pretty muscles in his back and shoulders ripple. 

He will give us such strong—

Oh boy. 

He will do no such thing. Please calm down. 

“Not everything must be seen with your eyes.”

Is that how you found me? All those years ago...

Questions churned chaotically beneath your consciousness but you dared not give voice to them. 

Focus.

“I must repay this debt. Ask for what you want and—if it is in my power—I swear it will be yours.”

Jimin smiled again, but this time it was somehow softer. For a moment he looked almost…

Sad. 

“I’m afraid that the only thing I have ever wanted is not within your power to give...and I dare not ask you or anyone else for it.”

For her. 

He sighed and drew even farther away from you—in fact it seemed like he was preparing to leave. 

No. 

Your hand reached out almost of it's its own accord and wrapped tightly around his wrist. The contact sent a shock of searing heat through his veins and he froze. 

“Please alpha. It is not acceptable for someone like me—” a leader, a Luna, “—to owe another my life and offer nothing in return. You must let me pay my debt.”

Omega, his wolf growled, sweet perfect omega. 

Suppressors may have hidden your scent, but the siren song of an omega pleading prettily in his ear was unmistakable—irresistible…

“What if all I want is your name?”

You sighed deeply. 

“I cannot give you that. My name is… not mine to offer.”

Jimin laughed. 

“A woman I cannot remember with a name I cannot know and whose face I cannot see.” He shook his head. “Perhaps you are just a figment of my imagination.”

It was hard to explain what happened next...For whatever reason his words cut you deeply and you were overcome with the desire—no need—to refute them somehow. 

“I’m real enough,” you whispered, bringing his hand to your cheek. 

Jimin was genuinely beginning to wonder if you were a witch as well as a she-wolf. Being close to you was intoxicating and the urge to draw you in was steadily overpowering every other thought.

“Could I ask you for a kiss, then?”

“You—...You saved my life and all you want... is a kiss?”

The air grew heavier as the strange magnetic pull between you swelled to a silent inescapable crescendo. 

“In Seoul I often searched for someone who could ease my loneliness, yet each time I walked away emptier than before.” His thumb brushed gently over your lips and your eyes fluttered shut. “I have never had a kiss that meant anything to me.”

But yours might. 

It was unclear who moved first, whether he pulled you to him or you surged forward but when your bodies aligned and your lips met his for the first time it was as if you had never been separate from one another. 

As if you had always been deeply—intimately —together. 

The indescribable feel of him lit over your senses like a struck match. It was an ignition in the purest sense of the word— a fiery visceral awakening fueled by a consuming flood of desire. 

Yes, Alpha. 

He might never see your face or hear your name, but Jimin knew he would remember the taste of you for the rest of his life. It was hot and bright like liquid sunshine— a pure relentless light flowing through him where there was once only darkness. 

A soft needy moan rose up from your chest and he growled in primal satisfaction as you melted against him. 

Your fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt of their own accord, desperately trying to bring him closer until he wrapped his arms around you in a heated embrace. 

“Please,” he begged breathlessly against your mouth. “Please tell me who you are.”

The words crashed over you like a bucket of ice —dousing the hazy pleasure of his kiss with a cold bite of reality. Suddenly you were wrenching yourself away from him and your wolf whimpered in misery at the loss of his touch. 

“I can’t,” you whispered. 

And then you were gone. 

“Did someone hurt you?”

You looked up to find Jin taking in your tears with cold fury. 

Twin knives were already gleaming dangerously in his hands and he appeared ready to filet whichever bastard was foolish enough to make you cry. 

“No,” you sniffed—well aware of how pitiful you were at the moment—crying in the corner of your cousin’s kitchen. “I got myself into this mess without any help—as usual.”

Jin sighed and slid down next to you. 

“Tell me.”

“Something happened that I…I didn’t intend.”

“Oh I knew that already. The Luna isn’t supposed to be running around on the night of Lover’s Moon in a forest full of blind horny wolves—“

You snorted and shook your head. 

“You’re absolutely right. I should have stayed away.”

Jin’s eyes narrowed and he wondered if perhaps you had caught Kim Namjoon with another omega. Nothing would be official until after the Change of course, but your bond with him was basically a foregone conclusion at this point. 

“You went looking for someone...didn’t you.”

You nodded miserably—all but confirming his fears. He made a mental note to push Namjoon in the swamp at the next available opportunity. 

“You know... the stories say that a Luna is powerfully drawn to her mate under the Lover’s Moon—that her wolf can sense him even before the Change.”  He reached over and gently began to brush the tears from your eyes. “So it’s not surprising that you sought him out, but it’s not really fair to hold whatever it is you saw against him. There is no relationship between you yet and…” he chuckled, “kisses beneath festival moonlight don’t really mean anything anyways.”

It was clear that Jin had somehow gotten the entirely wrong impression, but perhaps that was for the best. 

No one knew of your connection to Jimin and no one had seen what passed between you. 

Still…

Something about his assessment stung you. 

“You really believe that? ...That a kiss exchanged tonight means nothing?”

“I do.” Jin spoke with conviction. “There’s ancient magic at play in those woods. You can’t always trust what you see—or what you feel.”

“Oh I...I didn’t know…”

After a moment you laid your head against his shoulder and let the last of your tears run silently down your cheek. 

“Jin-ah have you ever wanted something you knew you couldn’t have?”

“Yes.” He sighed heavily and pulled you in to snuggle a bit closer. “When I was younger I dreamed of having a mate just like everyone else…”

The words were so softly spoken—almost wistful. Your heart splintered just hearing them. 

“But… she could be out there—your mate.”

Jin shook his head. 

“When is the last time you heard of a female alpha?”

Fresh tears welled up in your eyes. 

“Jin…”

“Hey,” he whispered, “don’t waste your crying on me. I’ve long since come to terms with who and what I am.”

“You’re not sad anymore?”

“Well… maybe sometimes I am… but I had to accept that people like us are not like everyone else. Our destinies were written long before we were born.”

“And you believe you’re destined to be alone?”

“Wolves in a pack are never really alone.”

“Yes...but they can be lonely,” you whispered thinking back to Jimin’s words. 

For a moment Jin’s eyes were the saddest you had ever seen them. 

“Well...I suppose they can.”  Then he chuckled and gave your nose an affectionate little tap. “But you don’t need to worry about that. When the time comes Namjoon will take his place at your side and the two of you will build a wonderful life together... Isn’t that what you want?”

Isn’t it?

Your treacherous thoughts drifted back to the boy in the moonlight—to the way your body sang when he touched you and the strange insatiable desire to know him and be known by him in return.

“Please...Tell me who you are.”

A heavy ache settled in your heart. 

You were the Luna of the mountain nations. A true born moon princess. 

You could never be the woman who kissed Park Jimin underneath the stars. 

You were not like everybody else. 

“...Yes. That is what I want.”

——◐——

Now 

——◐——

Jimin’s heart pounded as he tore through the dark paths of the wood with Taehyung, Yoongi, and Jungkook close behind. 

He had never led an attack—had never been trained to command wolves in battle. 

It was his first true test of leadership and he hadn’t even been a leader for twenty-four hours. 

Yet the fears and anxieties that might have normally clouded his mind were notably absent. 

There was only you.

Ironically Jimin owed Namjoon yet another debt—this time for explaining what exactly someone like him was capable of. 

The alpha Jin captured had given up their plan and position after being exposed to Jimin’s unique gifting, so he had a concrete target in his mind… He suspected however, that your captors had taken precautions after leaving some of their men behind. They had shifted their camp. 

But it wouldn’t be enough to save them. 

Jimin didn’t need your location to find you. 

He spent years refusing to look at you, and even then he always knew exactly where you were. He could sense you in any crowd—hear your voice in a thousand.

Once it had tormented him cruelly to be so aware of you. 

Now it was the only thing keeping him sane. 

He followed the connection between his heart and yours like a lifeline and it guided him as surely as the stars. 

The alphas followed him without question. 

If any of them harbored lingering doubts before, they were firmly laid to rest after what they saw at the cottage. No ordinary wolf could do what he had done. 

The Alpha would bring back their Luna and retribution would be swift indeed. 

The drugs in your system kept swinging you in and out of lucidity like a nightmarish pendulum. You tried to shift after the initial nausea faded, but whatever they gave you kept your wolf caged beneath your skin. 

Jimin

The longing you felt for your mate was the only thing tethering you to reality. You could almost hear him echoing in the far corners of your mind—  

I’m coming Omega—hold on. 

I’ll find you. 

Part of you recognized that his voice was likely nothing more than the wistful creation of your drug-addled mind, still you clung to it like the last shred of hope while the minutes (or hours) flew past.

Chaos clouded your thoughts even in clearer moments as many unavoidable concerns forced their way through the haze. 

Jin was at the house with you when they broke in. You had no way of knowing if he survived. 

The men who took you were crass and irreverent. Their eyes followed your form with too much interest and too little respect. 

It was starting to get cold and (due to you nearly dismembering a high council member and needing to be compelled unconscious) you were still wearing a thin white ceremonial dress which offered very little protection from the elements. 

You wondered idly if your idiot captors would let you freeze to death before they accomplished whatever it was they took you for. They clearly needed you for something or you would have been long dead by now. 

None of them struck you as particularly brilliant planners so the mastermind must be somewhere else... 

Frankly the entire situation was as puzzling as it was troubling. Iron Claw had always gotten along well with your pack. 

Technically they were (almost) what the human governments called a vassal state. The presence of a Luna determined the dominant pack in a region and the Luna of the mountain nations had been born into Silver Fang—your pack—for the last thousand years or so. 

Why would they challenge us now? 

The birth of a Luna indicated that the goddess had chosen that pack to lead. Their willingness—not only to kidnap you—but to go against the dominant pack by doing so was alarming to say the least. 

A sudden explosion of movement and sound interrupted your contemplation. Motion erupted all around you—boots pounding on the ground, men falling into their wolf forms, knives being drawn… 

You lifted your head—straining forward to see the source of the commotion—and nearly collapsed in relief when you finally did. 

Alpha

Your mate stood at the edge of the camp flanked by two enormous black wolves. 

A deadly looking jingum sword gleamed dangerously in his right hand. You recognized it immediately as your great-grandfather’s combat blade—the thousand year-old weapon of the Silver Fang Alphas. 

Relief flooded your chest all over again at the sight of it. Only Jin could have given him that sword—which meant he was still alive. 

The black wolves—Yoongi and Jungkook—snarled viciously but made no move to attack. 

Your captors were still scrambling into some sort of combat formation when Jimin finally spoke. 

“You have violated our sacred laws, trespassed in sovereign pack lands, kidnapped a Luna under the protection of our goddess, abducted the mate of the Silver Fang Alpha, and risked open war between our peoples.” He took a single step forward. “Surrender now and I will be merciful.”

The biggest of your captors—a man you recognized as the de facto leader—spat viciously on the ground. 

“You are not my Alpha,” he growled.

A cold—almost cruel—smile twisted over Jimin’s lips.

“Very well.”

Then he dropped to one knee and a massive grey wolf—Taehyung—leapt over his head and tore out the defiant leader’s throat before he even hit the ground. 

Your mouth dropped open. 

Bangtan formation.

Yoongi and Jungkook lunged forward in opposite directions, tackling their targets to the forest floor in a bloody clash of teeth and claws. 

One of the larger Iron Claw alphas half-shifted and charged Jimin but his arm shot out lightning fast, catching his attacker by the throat to send him flying through the air into a tree. 

The next several minutes could only be described as terrifyingly beautiful.

It was immediately clear that Jimin had been holding back when he fought Namjoon. 

He dispatched his opponents with such elegant savagery it was almost art.

You were so mesmerized watching Jimin sensually sword dance his way through a dozen alphas nearly twice his size that you almost missed Taehyung’s wolf rushing over with a dagger clenched between his teeth. 

Luna are you okay? 

You grinned and held up your rope-bound wrists. 

“I’ll be better once you pass me that knife.”

Taehyung nodded once and dropped the blade at your feet before tackling another wolf that was tearing towards the two of you. 

You sawed through the ties around your ankle first then twisted your arms to try and slice through the restraints on your wrist. 

The Iron Claw wolves were clearly no match for Jimin and his alphas. 

Jungkook and Yoongi chased after the few who were trying to run while Taehyung half-shifted to subdue the handful of wolves left alive as prisoners. Only Jimin continued to fight as the last three of your captors still standing took turns being slammed into the dirt by his strikes. 

He was clearly capable of dispatching them, but you were fairly convinced that you would die if you had to stay away from him for another second. The ropes, however, were surprisingly thick and the angle you were cutting them at wasn’t the best. If only—

You were almost free when you saw it. 

One of your captors had pulled a hunting javelin from their supply wagon. He must have hid himself at the onset of the fight, but now he was comfortably concealed by the shadows—and taking aim at Jimin. 

Your heart dropped into your stomach. 

The attacker appeared to handle the weapon with familiarity. He was too far back—too well hidden—Jimin would never see him in time—

The last cord around your wrist snapped and you were on your feet, pushing through the combined haze of fury and sedatives to charge the wolf who dared attack your mate. 

By the time he saw you it was far too late. 

Under the effects of the drug your aim was a little skewed but you weren’t Kim Seokjin’s cousin for nothing. 

One clean flick of your wrist and the dagger shot through the air, burying itself between the brute’s shoulder blades—all the way to the hilt. 

His body fell to the ground just as Jimin sent the last of your captors careening into a pile of previously defeated foes. 

For a moment all was quiet. 

Then your eyes locked across the distance and everything around you sharpened to a single whispered word. 

“Jimin.”

He had run non-stop for miles and torn apart a dozen wolves to get to your side—no amount of space between you now was tolerable. 

The sword clattered to the forest floor as he moved toward you—desperate to feel you—to wrap himself around you and know that you were safe. 

What happened next was as natural as breathing.

You opened to him and he lifted you into his arms, taking your lips in a hot unrepentant kiss. 

Fire exploded across your senses, burning away everything but the touch and taste of him. Every part of you was at once fiercely and gloriously alive. Desperate moans passed between you as he licked into your mouth—a dark primal promise of the pleasure he would take between your thighs. 

“Alpha,” you whimpered, too delirious with want to manage anything else. 

Suddenly Jimin’s eyes shot open. His hands flew to cup your face, searching it with a mixture of realization and disbelief.

“You… It was you.”

If you are already on the taglist, then I will automatically tag you for the next part! If you would like to be added to the taglist, please let me know.

Please tell me what you thought of this update! I am really excited to hear your thoughts! Feedback really does fuel my writing and hearing from you means a lot to me! On days that its hard to write, I go back and I read your lovely words and it makes me want to keep going! I cannot overstate its value in my heart! Seriously this story keeps going because you guys have been so supportive and wonderful. You have no idea how much just a few word can brighten my world and fire up my muse. 

[opalesense]

um um hiii! im like literally in l o v e with ur writing, especially the diluc and kaeya stories (im such a simp omg) and was wondering if you could do some more diluc x reader x kaeya nsfw—

ofc you can ignore this but ty if you consider it!! stay hydrated and safe ily <3

over the counter

diluc x f!reader x kaeya (NSFW)

6.5k words • ~40 min. read

summary: after a tense night at the tavern, kaeya accidentally forgets his belongings and comes back to see you and diluc having an intimate moment – or maybe it wasn’t an accident...

warnings: slight degradation, a lot of jealousy!!  drama!!

notes: reader is in a relationship with diluc beforehand just to switch things up a little from my last fic! also this fic favors diluc a lot more so diluc simps come get your juice ;D thanks for waiting anon ily too <3 i’m so sorry this took so long T_T

SPENDING WEEKEND NIGHTS AT THE TAVERN was not uncommon for you. In fact, whether you were in the mood to drink or not, one of the main reasons you frequently visited the bar was to keep Diluc company, who greatly appreciated the effort you put into making sure he didn’t feel alone while he worked. Evenings with the two of you were often spent idly chatting while he served drinks, which surely kept his spirits up throughout the longer and busier nights. Customers usually commented about how Diluc always seemed to have a grin on his face when you were around, unlike some other nights where his deadpan expression often intimidated the people of Mondstadt and subsequently intimidated the customers themselves.

 That didn’t stop business from booming, of course. As long as the alcohol was good and quickly served, customers couldn’t care less about how intimidating Diluc could be. Neither would they care about how he would sneak some free drinks to your seat across the bar if you asked for it, or how he would shyly rest his hand on top of yours if the night was slow and no one was paying attention.

 In the end, on weekend nights when you were sitting in your favorite seat at the bar that was conveniently never taken no matter how busy the night was (or maybe not so convenient, since Diluc always made sure to secretly reserve it when the weekend rolled around), people knew never to bother the two of you. After all, on nights when Diluc was happy, he gave spectacular service to bargoers, who decidedly took advantage of this hospitality and thus visited Angels Share more often knowing the atmosphere was better if you were there.

 But of course, as soon as a certain blue haired customer walked into the establishment to take his long awaited night off of the week, Diluc couldn’t help but shake his head at you and sarcastically remark, “Well, here comes trouble...”

 “What, are you not happy to see me, brother?” After placing his belongings down, Kaeya took his seat next to you and shot you a friendly grin to briefly acknowledge your presence. “I’ve been coming here after work almost every night for so long – have you finally gotten tired of me already?”

 Diluc rolled his eyes and began making a Death After Noon for his brother, already knowing the specific bittersweet flavor he likes without Kaeya needing to ask. “Come to think of it, it’s about time I take off that family discount of yours, I’ve been too nice to you these past months.”

 Kaeya crossed his arms as he leaned forward on the counter with a scoff. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 “It means I need financial compensation for the headache that you induce whenever you’re in the same vicinity as me,” Diluc joked as he finished making the drink then set it in front of Kaeya, who took the glass with a pout and turned to face you.

 “You hear this guy? Financial compensation... as if he needs it, being the richest jerk in all of Mondstadt to date.”

 “Watch your tone, idiot,” Diluc snapped back as he turned to serve another awaiting customer.

 There was no doubt that the two seemed to get along quite well as of late.  At first it was almost as if they were both trying to impress you by showing you that they could be nice to each other as per your request, but as time passed, competition turned into a slow realization of having genuine concern for each other, and the brothers have been on the road to reconciliation ever since.  Even when Diluc ended up being the one to completely sweep you off your feet and steal your heart, Kaeya never showed any opposition and even encouraged your relationship.  “Despite everything, you truly deserve her, ‘Luc,” you overheard him reassure Diluc months ago after admitting defeat in their competition.

 There was no doubt that you loved Diluc more than anything.  He provided you with everything you could ever ask for, from emotional support and material things to overwhelming satisfaction in the bedroom.  But at the back of your mind, especially on slightly tipsy nights such as this one, lies a certain lingering thought about that certain blue haired brother.  Was it so bad to fantasize about being pressed between the two?  Was it so bad to imagine the feeling of being fondled and manhandled by both of them at the same time?  Was it so bad to be at least curious about being shared between the two?

 You took a sip of your free drink as you stared blankly at the dents on the wooden counter.

 Maybe it is bad, you thought.

 After all, if Diluc mentioned that he wanted a threesome with someone else, you wouldn’t exactly be ecstatic about it.

 That’s why you would never mention these fantasies to either of them, despite trusting them both with all of your secrets after being close with them for so long.  You were scared of how Diluc would react to your curiosity.  You were scared he would get the wrong impression and that your relationship would come tumbling down as a consequence of your little fantasy.

 Maybe it is bad.

 Your thoughts were interrupted by Kaeya snapping his fingers in front of your face.  His head was tilted to the side as if he were trying to meet your downturned gaze.  “Hey.  Did I lose you?  What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”

 “I was just lost in thought,” you ignored the subtle compliment and averted your eyes from the counter to look at Kaeya’s face, the shadows of the dimly lit tavern casting on him at the perfect angle to show off his features.  You had to admit he was handsome - hell, all of Mondstadt surely thought so too.  You glanced around nervously looking for Diluc to see a glimpse of his fiery hair heading up the stairs to the second floor, presumably to serve a table.  He was understaffed today, you remember him saying.

 “What were we talking about again?” you asked Kaeya, a little dazed and confused, overwhelmed by the reality of the moment.  The clinking of glasses throughout the tavern, the bard playing the lyre in the corner, and the large group of rowdy men at a nearby table flooded your senses, leaving you a bit dizzy with no help at all from the alcohol.  He simply laughed, gazing down as he swirled his own drink in his glass then met your eyes once more.

 “I was asking how you and Diluc have been,” his sharp stare contrasted with his soft grin as the currently sober man turned his stool to completely face you.  There was intention in his eyes, but you couldn’t exactly pinpoint what those intentions were.  “I know he doesn’t like to catch up with small talk so I don’t like to bother asking him about what’s new.”

 With the heel of your boot you decided to turn your stool to face him as well.  Your knees were less than an inch away from touching his, which made you internally flustered given the fantasy you were just thinking about.  You tried your best to keep your eyes on his face, ignoring his exposed skin just under his neck.  He tilted his head back and took a sip of his drink then continued.  “Besides, I enjoy talking to you more than him anyway.”

 You could see right through him in this moment.  Or at least, you thought you could.  Maybe you were overthinking it, but you swore you could see his sapphire eyes slowly trail from your eyes down your body all the way to your grazing knees then dart back up again.

 Maybe it was bad.  Maybe it was the lighting.

 “We’ve been doing good,” you nodded, studying his face more.  “He’s been a lot happier recently since the two of you have been getting along more.  Don’t tell him I told you that, though,” you leaned in slightly with a wink.

 Kaeya let out a low chuckle at that and looked down at his glass again, taking a moment to form his next words.  With a nod, he let out a sigh of relief.  “That’s great.  You’ve been looking a lot happier too, I can tell.”

 “Oh?  How exactly can you tell?  We haven’t seen each other in a while,” you crossed your legs, feeling defensive, which accidentally brushed his in the process.  You quietly apologized and he slightly lifted his hand up to excuse you.

 “Oh, it’s nothing too crazy.  It’s just the glow in your face and the pep in your step when I see you on the streets while I’m out patrolling.  Seems like Diluc’s got one happy girl,” he tilted his head back for another sip, and for a moment, you saw his genial smile drop as he set his glass back down on the counter.  But as quickly as he let go of his façade , he quickly masked his intentions again with a chuckle.

 He seemed a little jealous, you thought.  But before you could fully form a thought around that idea, Diluc came back with a tray in hand, empty glasses and mugs balancing on top of his palm.  He carefully placed each of them into the sink and got to work on washing then drying them.

 “How have you been, Kaeya?” he said with his back turned towards you both, “You weren’t flirting with my [Y/N] while I was gone, were you?”

 “How could I do such a thing?” Kaeya huffed, seemingly offended.  “Put some more faith in me, brother.”

 Diluc turned around with a glass in hand, drying it with a rag and initially focusing his attention on Kaeya.  You watched as the two stared at each other across the bar for a few moments, the air suddenly getting thicker as they both emanated a strange seriousness, almost as if they were arguing telepathically.  Diluc’s intense stare burned into Kaeya’s cold expression, his arms tensing up so much that you thought he was going to break the glass in his hands.  It was a little scary to witness how quickly the mood could change in only a few minutes, and feeling a little uncomfortable, you decided to stand up and make your way to the second floor balcony for some fresh air, away from the loud atmosphere of the main room and even further away from whatever random feud the brothers sparked up tonight.

 The crisp air was meditative.  It was soothing to stand on the balcony, leaning over the rail and staring into the night sky, letting your mind wander.  Your days were often bustling with work and interacting with people so it was very rare to have a moment like this to yourself.  At first, you figured it would be best to go back downstairs – after all, it had been a week since you’ve talked to Kaeya and it would be nice to catch up with your friend.  But you weren’t sure why the mood was suddenly so tense, especially since nothing had really happened and as much as you knew how Diluc was protective over you, you felt like he was overreacting.

 As you took slow sips of your drink, savoring the taste and gazing upon the night life of Mondstadt below, seconds turned into minutes, then minutes turned into an hours, and soon the moon had settled into the midnight sky and the tavern was nearing its closing time.  You hadn’t realized that so much time had passed until Kaeya, who was usually the last customer to leave the tavern, whistled towards you from below as he was walking home, waving to get your attention then finally turning away and bidding farewell.

 “Darling,” you heard a familiar voice behind you as you were waving back to Kaeya, “Did I do something to upset you?”

 You turned to see a clearly apologetic Diluc standing in the balcony doorway, his arms crossed and hair messily thrown up into a ponytail.  “Why didn’t you come back inside?  We were waiting for you,” he quietly asked as he slowly approached you.

 He placed his hands on your waist and pressed his forehead against yours while rubbing small circles into your sides with his thumbs.  You pressed a soft kiss to his lips which he gladly returned with several more gentle kisses across your face, humming slowly and patiently waiting for your response.

 “You didn’t do anything wrong, Diluc.  I really just needed some fresh air.  I’ve felt a little overwhelmed all night and didn’t notice how much time passed,” you muttered.

 You were telling half the truth.

 You didn’t want to admit that you thought Diluc was being a little overdramatic, and you certainly didn’t want to tell him that you were overwhelmed with the thought of being touched by him and his brother at the same time.  Some things are better left unsaid.

 Maybe that was bad.  Maybe white lies were okay, only for now.

 He pressed one last kiss to your forehead before nodding as he processed your words.  “Let’s get you warmed up back inside, you must have been freezing out here.”

 “I didn’t think this is what you meant by getting warmed up,” you softly giggled in between passionate kisses as his bare, warm hands traveled up your top to eventually pull the entire damned thing off.  He tossed it off to the side mindlessly before unbuttoning his own uniform top and letting it drape next to yours over the bar stool it landed on.

 “I’ve had a long night,” he trailed the kisses down to your neck, gently biting enough to only leave subtle marks and murmuring against your skin.  He lifted you up onto the counter to get better leverage over you, slowly spreading your legs apart then continuing the kisses down your collarbone.  “And you look so beautiful tonight, I can’t help myself.”

 “Just make it quick, okay?” you nervously looked at the window behind him which allowed the moonlight to illuminate the already darkened bar but also allowed anyone who felt like peering in to clearly see the two of you getting touchy in the tavern.  You let him press up against you regardless, feeling his bulge grind against your clothed hips desperately.  “What if someone sees?” you whispered, teasing him with the idea of getting interrupted and caught, which you knew annoyed him to the core.

 “Good,” he paused for a moment to look up at you, his hungry eyes burning into your memory.  “Let them see that you’re clearly mine.”

 Your heart throbbed at this sudden possessiveness and with a naughty smirk, you decided to give up the innocent act.  With a few swift movements, the rest of your clothes were ripped off until you were half naked, the only remaining bit of modesty you had being the underwear that clinged to your skin until Diluc eventually pulled that off too, exposing you fully to him.

 “So beautiful,” he sighed as he kneeled down in front of you, pulling your hips towards him then pinning your knees to the counter as he lowered his head to your aroused cunt.  “And all mine.”

 You couldn’t help but let out quiet, staggered breaths as he immediately wrapped his lips around your clit, gently sucking and nibbling on the sensitive nub as his eyes remained glued to yours.  “All y-yours,” you reaffirmed, which made him hum in appreciation.

 He had never considered fucking you in the tavern before, especially since he rarely had the establishment all to himself for a shift, but just this once, he was happy he was understaffed tonight.  All the frustrations he had endured this evening, from the annoying table on the main floor to bickering with Kaeya about things that didn’t seem to matter anymore led to this very moment where he hungrily licked your wet folds, burying himself into the sound of your hesitant moans and feeling himself harden by the second.

 “P-Please fuck me already,” you breathlessly begged, “Please, Diluc, hurry…”

 “Cum for me first,” his low voice muttered into your aching cunt, making your legs quiver, “Show me how much you really want it.”

 The whine that escaped your throat was suddenly replaced with a gasp as Diluc pushed two fingers into you, immediately setting a quick pace and pressing into your sweet spot.  “Cum for me, darling,” he let go of the grip on your leg to stand up and hover over your torso, leaning closer to your face and snaking his free hand up your back.  “Be a good girl and cum on my fingers.”

 “D-Diluc…!” you whimpered with a pout, which earned a hum of disapproval from him.

 “Master Diluc,” he sternly reminded you, shifting his fingers into you quicker, causing your brain to malfunction as you began to tighten around him.

 “M-Master…!  I’m…!”

 “Go on,” he ran his fingers through your scalp and grabbed a handful of hair, leaning down to kiss you and muffle your moans of pleasure as you finally reached your climax, gushing around his fingers and trembling at his touch.  You whimpered in his mouth, muscles slightly spasming still as you started to calm down from your high and feel his fingers slowly pull out of you.  While keeping his grip on your hair, he let go of the kiss and stuck out his tongue against his fingers, licking your fluids in front of you and smiling in satisfaction.

 “Good girl,” he said as he revelled in his favorite taste.  You watched as he lapped up all the fluids, the mixture of cum and saliva glimmering on his fingers under the light of the moon through the window.

 Speaking of which, you weren’t sure if it was the way you were slightly tipsy or perhaps the heat of the moment deceiving you, but through Diluc’s messy locks and shiny fiingers, you swore you saw a glimpse of a familiar shade of blue through the window.  It was unmoving, sure, but it was there nonetheless, and it wasn’t there the last time you looked through the glass.

 Maybe it was bad.

 Maybe it was Kaeya.

 Horror sunk into your chest for a fleeting moment, but you blamed it on the alcohol, and the way you were thinking about Kaeya and Diluc so much within the past few hours.  Besides, all the thoughts you were having about the strange color in the window were replaced by the way Diluc unbuttoned his pants with one hand, the other still intertwined in your hair, then freed his cock and let it rest on your stomach as he slowly laid you down across the counter.  He pulled you towards him once more so your head could rest on the wood, his hair-tangled hand acting as a cushion while his elbow took its place beside you so he completely caged you in.  “Be quiet for me, okay?  We don’t want to wake all of Mondstadt this late at night…”

 “I’ll be good,” you promised him, letting your hands travel down to feel his length resting on your skin.  It had some weight to it as you lifted it, and as if you two were mentally in perfect sync, he pulled his hips back to let you position the tip at your entrance.

 Excitement boiled in your stomach as he slowly inched his hips forward, pushing his cock into you little by little, stretching your walls apart by the seams.  Your mouth went agape with the sheer stretch alone and fighting the urge to moan had never been more difficult.  Instead, the only sounds that filled the silent room was Diluc’s heavy breath as he closed his eyes from the way you wrapped around him so well, the gentle gasps and whimpers from you as he bottomed out and nearly hit your cervix, then the sudden rhythmic slapping of skin as he began to pound into you with no warning.

 Your eyes rolled back into your head at the rush of pleasure that came with the rolling of his hips into yours.  It was so difficult to keep quiet, so hard not to at least whimper and give tiny moans here and there as he fucked you silly on that bar counter, but he couldn’t care less since he told you to be quiet and expected you to follow suit.  You knew that.  He instead opted to gently wrap his hand on your throat without applying pressure – simply as a warning.

 You couldn’t control your orgasm even if you wanted to.  The way he stared into your eyes so desperately while his cock kissed your cervix repeatedly made you lose control so easily, and he took advantage of the way you tightened around him by fucking into you harder.  Faster.  Deeper.

 “You’re so fucking good, darling,” his hazy eyes glanced down to your lips with the intent to lean down for a kiss.  “You’re–“

 A loud knock on the door startled the two of you enough for Diluc to stop his thrusts and look up towards the source of the noise, a few red strands of hair draping over your face and tickling your cheek.  He stared intensely at the door, pushing into you again at snail speed as he waited for an indicator of who was the culprit of the noise.

 Another knock sent a jolt up your spine – or maybe it was the way Diluc snapped his hips into you once then slowly pulled back to drag out the pleasure.  With a frustrated huff, he decided to tighten the pressure around your neck and pound into you at the relentless speed he set before, quietly shushing you when you initially gasped in surprise.

 After one more knock, Diluc lost his patience.  It was his greatest pet peeve of interruption becoming a reality.  “We’re closed!” his voice boomed loudly so the person on the other side of the door would surely hear him, startling you at the sudden break of silence.  Clearly frustrated, he pounded into you faster, chasing his pleasure, knowing that he would need to deal with whoever was bothering the two of you this late at night and wanting to quickly reach his release before then.

 “It’s me,” both of your eyes widened at the familiar voice, “I forgot my stuff at my seat, could you let me in real quick?”

 Diluc turned his gaze down past your head to see that, as a matter of fact, Kaeya’s belongings were still at his seat from earlier.  His eyebrow twitched as he quickly pulled himself off of you, leaving you quietly gasping for air and clenching around nothing.

 “Get under the counter,” he whispered so quietly that you just barely heard him, “Don’t move a muscle.”

 Following his command, you made you way under the counter, nestling your naked body next to a cabinet of liquor as you watched Diluc button his pants and loosely put his shirt back on, buttoning it while he walked around the bar towards the door.  At that point, all you could do was listen to a set of keys jingle as he unlocked the tavern door and a gust of cold air rushed through the entrance, strong enough that you shivered behind the counter and hugged your knees to retain warmth.

 “Get your things then get out,” Diluc bluntly greeted Kaeya, who chuckled in response.

 “Aw, why the sudden hostility again?” you heard slow footsteps approach the bar, sending your heart racing with anxiety, “And why the disheveled appearance?  Oh, let me guess–“

 “Get your things.  Then get out,” Diluc said more sternly.  You could recognize that tone from anywhere.  He was furious.

 “But let me guess first!  Judging by the way the tavern is still a mess, I know you weren’t cleaning up the place just now.  And by the way your clothes are so messily put together even though they were so neat and tidy earlier, as well as the sweat on your forehead…  Oh, don’t tell me I interrupted something intimate, dear brother!”

 You didn’t need to see him to know that Diluc’s jaw was tensed, unable to form a response out of pure annoyance and frustration.  And still, Kaeya pressed his buttons.

 “You were fucking her real good,” he teased after waiting for a response and getting nothing from Diluc, ”I could hear it from outside the door.”

 “I fucking hate you,” was all Diluc could say in response.  He didn’t actually mean it, you knew this, but he was beyond irritated.

 Kaeya shuffled to grab his belongings by his seat and turned to face the door.  But as if he weren’t being petty enough, he reached into his bag for something and suddenly tossed it behind him – his house keys, which landed behind the bar right next to your feet.  Your eyes widened at this. You swore you stopped breathing even if you didn’t mean to.

 “I think I might have left something behind the counter too, mind if I check?”

 The silence that followed was unbearable, even if it only lasted a few seconds.  All of the sudden, your heart began to pound out of your chest, not only because of sheer fear and anxiety, but also because of the possibility that Kaeya would see you so vulnerable behind that counter, naked and hugging your knees, waiting for someone to hold you and ‘warm you up.’  Maybe he already did see you through that window.  Maybe it wasn’t just your mind playing tricks on you.

 “Okay, I’m sorry, Diluc, maybe I’ve gone too far–“

 “No,” Diluc interrupted him, “Go ahead.  Go get your keys.”

 What?

 “Seriously?” Kaeya scoffed in disbelief.

 What are you doing, Diluc?

 “Go on.”

 What’s happening?

 “‘Luc, I know she’s there, I’m just messing with you–“

 “No, Kaeya,” Diluc turned to close the tavern door and lock it, “I know you’ve been eyeing her since the very beginning, even before I came along.  I’m not even mad, I just feel sorry for you.  I feel sorry that I took away someone you wanted so badly and that you haven’t been able to move on since.”

 Diluc took a few steps towards the speechless brother and lowered his voice, still maintaining the same intensity and dragging out his words.  “So why don’t you go behind the counter and get your fucking keys?  While you’re there, you might as well fuck my girlfriend with me too, since you want her attention so badly.”

 The room froze in time, only for a moment.  Thoughts began to flood your mind – why would Diluc say that, especially since he was usually very protective over you?  Should you refuse to let Kaeya see you, or let it happen?  After all, it’s not like you weren’t at least a little bit curious how this situation would unfold...

 While you sat in the corner naked and trembling, you held back your breath and listened to Kaeya’s footsteps slowly drag across the wooden floor, the creaking getting closer and closer until he was in your peripheral vision.  “Diluc,” he immediately turned away once he saw you sitting there, exposed and cold, then let out a disgruntled sigh.

 “Come now, Kaeya,” Diluc stepped in front of him to enter the bar and suddenly grab your arm, lifting you up with no hesitation and making you gasp in embarassment.  He pinned your arms behind your back and turned to make you face Kaeya, whose eyes were glued to the opposite wall out of a little bit of respect.  “How about we make this a competition, since you seem to love competing so much?”

 “Diluc,” you whimpered as you tried to struggle out of his grasp with no success, which you didn’t complain about because a part of you wanted to unravel this situation even further.  “Please…”

 “Please what, darling?” he muttered into your ear from behind, “Oh, don’t tell me you’ve been pining for him too.”

 “N-No, of course not,” you whined, “I just…”

 Maybe it was bad.

 Maybe it was bad, but you were going to do it anyway.

 You pressed yourself against his hips, gently grinding on his erection and letting out small whimpers.  Just like Diluc, you hated being interrupted and couldn’t exactly think straight. All of this petty arguing didn’t matter to you, especially since you wanted them both from the beginning either way.  In an attempt to admit your secret without explicitly saying it, you mustered up the courage to mutter, “Please, both of you, stop fighting and just…  fuck me…”

 Diluc tightened his grip around you with a grin, letting out a low scoff.  “Slut.  I knew you were a slut,” your eyes widened and stomach burned in excitement at the sudden degrading nickname he called you, “I bet you’ve been thinking about something like this for a while, haven’t you?”

 You sheepishly nodded as he slowly pushed you back onto the counter, this time laying you on your stomach and bending you over.  “I won’t deny that I’ve been thinking about the same thing lately,” he started to unbutton his top again as you raised an eyebrow at this new information.  He huffed with annoyance as he unbuttoned his pants and turned his head to the dumbfounded brother across the bar.  “Kaeya, either grab your keys and go or stay here and keep her mouth occupied.  I’ll let you decide – just make it quick and quit standing there.”

 With your head dangling off the counter, you watched as Kaeya slowly turned around to face the two of you, studying the scene for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.  As if he finally made a decision, he put down his belongings again, took off his vest, and made his way across the counter, his hips only a foot away from your face.  Meanwhile, Diluc had already freed his cock once more, keeping one hand on your restricted arms and using the other to prod your entrance with his tip.  The excitement was overwhelming, coursing through your veins as you watched Kaeya slowly unbutton his pants as well with a bit of reluctance.

 “Please hurry, Kaeya,” you softly begged, hoping to encourage him to quit holding back since it was obvious he was being overly shy, “Please, I want this so bad…”

 “I’m sure you do, darling,” he adopted the pet name from Diluc, “But I like seeing you so needy for me when I’m moving slow like this.”

 Letting out an impatient growl, Diluc grabbed onto your hips as he sheathed his cock with your cunt all at once, making you mewl and sigh at the feeling of being full again.  He began rolling his hips deeply just as he did before he was so rudely interrupted, never failing to maintain his quick rhythm and making your brain short circuit.

 With his slender fingers, Kaeya held your chin in his hand, lifting your face up to look at his and grinning once he saw how your mind was lost as you burned with pleasure.  He stared at your flushed cheeks and panting mouth, comparing it to the usual calm and composed demeanor you always seemed to have.  He smirked, rubbing a small circle into your chin with his thumb.  “So this pretty, helpless face is what Diluc gets to see every single day?  I’m very jealous, brother.”

 That comment only made Diluc pound into you harder, his weight shifting into his arm to pin you down further.  “Cry about it,” he mocked.

 Ignoring the comment, Kaeya only pressed his lips together in a pout to tease you, slowly taking out his cock which made your mind boggle at the sheer size of it.  He was just as deliciously large as Diluc was, and as he began to stroke it in front of your face, secretly admiring the sight of you being fucked senseless by his brother, you couldn’t help but feel like you were melting in the presence of such dominating forces hovering over you.  Without second thought, you left your mouth agape, letting your tongue stick out in a wordless way of telling him you wanted to take him, to satiate your hungry desires that you hid for quite some time now.

 “Eager, are we?” Kaeya didn’t seem to ever shut up his teasing, “I was just going to stand here and enjoy the show, but if you really want it that badly…”

 One hand on your chin turned into one thumb in your mouth, which you received gratefully nonetheless.  He let you suckle sweetly on his finger, cooing at how pathetic you looked drooling all over it when he hadn’t done anything yet.  All the while Diluc let go of your folded arms and instead used both hands to firmly grip your ass and pound into you deeper, the sound of slapping skin filling up the room along with his shaky breaths now and then.

 A whimper escaped your throat as you looked up at Kaeya’s face,  He didn’t need to hear you say the words to know that you were quietly begging for a taste of him by looking at him so innocently, and as such, your wish was his command.  He took a step forward to nestle the head of his cock into your mouth, his thumb still on your tongue to make you open up wider and let you salivate over the taste of his skin until he slowly began pushing himself deeper, watching your gag reflex just to find out you were taking him in quite nicely.  His heart was aching with jealousy that Diluc was so lucky to have you all to himself, but nonetheless, once he fully bottomed out inside of your throat that he had to remove his finger to fit properly, he saw this as an opportunity to enjoy himself and sighed in pleasurable relief.

 Kaeya’s hands found their place on both sides of your head as he slowly fucked your throat, wanting to relish in the feeling of you wrapped so tightly around him, holding back coughs and tears.  It was a painfully delightful contrast to the way Diluc was relentlessly abusing your aching hole from the other side of the counter, letting out his pent up frustrations of the night in the form of deep thrusts and shameless pants.  Kaeya couldn’t help but leave quiet moans here and there as well while he slowly pushed himself in and out of your mouth, filling your throat up with his entire length just to pull back with a sigh then do it again.

 Eventually, Kaeya became more comfortable with picking up the pace, watching as Diluc’s slammed his hips into yours and yearning for a similar feeling.  His hands traveled through your scalp, tangling through your hair messily as he leaned in to fuck into your mouth with more intent.  You hummed sweetly as Kaeya finally stopped holding back, giving into the pleasure and matching Diluc’s rough pace.  The feeling of the two of them ignoring their feud and instead taking out their frustrations on you made your insides twist and knot together knowing that after so long, your fantasies have come to light – or rather, they came to this dimly lit tavern in the middle of the night.

 Diluc was the first to release himself in you, filling your drenched cunt with his seed and controlling his staggering breaths as he fucked you slowly to calm down from his high.  It made you needy to hear his low groans in their fullest volume, but you knew that that had to be saved for different circumstances.  His fingers that dug into your skin so intensely gently lifted off of you has he wiped the slight sweat off his forehead and simultaneously looked up to watch Kaeya fucking your throat.  If he hadn’t been so exhausted from work tonight, he would’ve secretly loved to invite Kaeya for another round, knowing how tightly your cunt wrapped around him the second Kaeya started touching you.

 Shortly after, Kaeya finally reached his own release too, letting your nose nestle in his trimmed blue hair as he dumped his cum into your throat unceremoniously.  His chest slowly rose and fell with each deep breath he took, trying to control himself as he felt you attempt to swallow his seed while he was still inside you.  The feeling drove him crazy and craving for more, but as he averted his gaze from you to look at Diluc on the other side, a wave of regret and jealousy washed over him knowing that this was probably going to leave him off on bad terms with his brother – again.

 But much to his dismay, as he slowly pulled out of you, Diluc only laughed.  He laughed wholeheartedly as he gently caressed your waist, soothing you while you gasped for air.  Kaeya stood there confused on the sudden lightheartedness in the air, tucking himself back into his pants and getting ready to leave as soon as possible, slightly ashamed for indulging in such an impulsive moment of vulnerability for you and Diluc.

 “Not so fast,” Diluc spoke the first words after the long period of silence once Kaeya started to pick up his belongings, “You’re forgetting your keys.”

 With the help of Diluc, you slowly lifted yourself up to lay on your back, keeping your legs spread and incoherently mewling for more.  Diluc only grinned at this, shushing you with a gentle look and caressing your thigh as he briefly saw his cum pooling on the counter.  Kaeya nervously glanced at you before entering the bar and walking towards his keys next to Diluc’s foot, grabbing them, then standing back up with an averted gaze.  The poor boy was so nervous, but you had to admit he tasted so good.

 Diluc placed a reaffirming hand on Kaeya’s shoulder, making Kaeya lift his head and look into his eyes.  The two shared a moment of eye contact, communicating a shared sense of apology to each other.  Maybe it was bad at first, but regardless of how much they seemed to be at each others throats, they always seemed to make amends in the end.

 “Okay, get out,” Diluc bluntly said, which followed with hurried footsteps towards the door and a quick, “Alright, alright, I’m leaving!” from Kaeya.  The exchange made you laugh, but once Kaeya was finally gone and Diluc had locked the door behind him, you were beginning to get antsy.

 “So,” Diluc trailed his eyes up and down your trembling body still splayed out on the counter, “would you, by chance, ever be interested in doing that again?  Just the three of us?”

 “I want to so badly,” you breathlessly admitted, replaying the past half hour in your head and letting the memory brand into your mind.  “Please, Master?”

 He thought about it for a moment then grinned.

 “I’ll think about it.  As long as you know you belong to me in the end, maybe another round with him wouldn’t be so bad.”

[folkloreguk]

French Class [2]

A/N: I hope you all enjoy this part! I’m excited to put out more parts soon!

genre: optional bias (m) x reader (f), smut, oral (f receiving), car sex, dirty talk, college!au, nerd!reader, fuckboy!bias

words: 4.4 k

✽series masterlist✽

taglist (lmk if u wanna be added!): @lovely-ateez

“And then he asked me if I would wear his tie around my neck while he- Hello? Earth to Y/N? Are you there?” Your roommate, Chohee, waved her hand in front of your face from across the table. You had occupied the seats in the back of the Chinese restaurant, in a niche where you were mostly hidden from other customers. Turns out, for all the spicy stories she had in store – as always – that had been a great idea.

“I swear your thoughts have been all over the place lately. Are you sure you have nothing to talk about?” She twirled a strand of her dyed pink hair around her fingers while she mustered you suspiciously.

“I’m sorry, I zoned out. It’s nothing, I’m just tired. I’ve been studying day and night. Looks like you’re the only one with the stories today. Just start again from the part where he got the whipped cream from the fridge,” you said.

“We went over that part five minutes ago! Have you paid any attention?” Chohee shook her head with a grin. Then she began her bedroom-adventure story from the beginning, because she knew as well as you, she loved talking about it.

Truth was, you had one hell of a story to tell. And no, you had not been paying attention. Not because you were tired. Not because you had studying on your mind. But because one hundred percent of your focus was currently directed at the boy only a few tables from yours. You only saw the back of his head, but there was no doubt about his identity. The mop of hair was unmistakable. Plus, he was in his famous black leather jacket. There was no mistaking this piece of clothing. It was decorated with white splatters of acrylic paint and had his name written messily across the top of his back. You could just about make out the tips of the letters as he leaned back comfortably, legs spread on his chair, chatting to his friend.

Chohee had no idea about the grip the person behind her had on you. She was your closest friend, and yet you hadn’t broken the news to her: You were hooking up (and not just once) with the so-called “hottest guy on campus”. AT least those had been her words when she had first told you about him. Lately you had to admit, you were starting to agree. It wasn’t like you wanted to keep secrets from her. In fact, on many occasions you had almost crumbled and told her the full story. Had she not been such a chatterbox, and did she not love gossiping as much as she did, you swore she would already know about your little arrangement with him.

She was aware of this much: You and him were casual friends. Study buddies, one would say. You had subtly passed over the little details of your friendship. How grocery store visits sometimes turned into visits to his dorm because of a simple text of his, or how you had sneaked out on more than one occasion in the middle of the night because he had told you his dormmates weren’t home. It wasn’t weird to Chohee that you brushed over the particularities of your “one-night-stands” when you returned in the mornings. You had never been as big on sharing as she was.

Maybe you wanted to keep things to yourself out of fear what people would say, too. You couldn’t care less whether people knew you were sleeping around. But everyone knew him, or so it seemed. Girls wanted him. Boys wanted to be him. All you desired was his friendship and some fun. You had no interest in being known on campus or having people you’ve never met giving you the side-eye over having sex with an oh-so-special boy. One day you would tell Chohee all about it. You weren’t technically lying. Just not sharing the entire story.

“Remember how I said H/N was the hottest guy ever?” Chohee suddenly said. The sound of his name made your head snap back to reality.

“Oh, now you’re listening, I see. All it takes is for me to mention your new bestie,” she teased. “You shouldn’t get too attached to him. I have a feeling that girls are interchangeable to him, either way. Anyway, I’ve decided I find his friend Korain much more attractive, since I’ve been hooking up with him.”

Would it be weird to correct her? To promise her, when you had more time and weren’t so distracted, you would lay the truth on her? He isn’t like that at all, you wanted to say. Yes, he liked female attention. But that didn’t make him a bad guy. Would it sound crazed to explain how he knew how you took your coffee, and how he sent you pictures of your favorite animals before your exams to take some of the nerves away? Or how he reported that it took him exactly 1,012 steps to get to your dorm from his place? Multiple times you had tried to count the distance yourself, but you never seemed to have enough focus to make it. Something always caught you off guard. You had doubted his credibility, but he swore he wasn’t bluffing.

Speaking of his friend Korain – who was at this very Chinese restaurant with H/N – he was suddenly making eye contact with you. Before you could slide lower into your seat like a frightened animal, he had grinned at you. Oh no. Prompted by his friend’s smile in your direction, H/N now turned his head. You were thankful Chohee was still deep in her explanation on why she had changed her opinions on the two very boys only a few tables away. If only she knew.

H/N’s eyes caught yours and a smirk plastered on his face. You assumed the tiny smile you sent him would do, but no. The two young men had collected their things and were getting ready to leave. The exit was the opposite direction, and yet H/N took the long way there. His stride was that of a model as he approached your table.

“Y/N,” he said, voice sweet like sugar candy and his smile charming like famous artwork. “You wanna hang at the library later?”

Chohee was now eyeing him as if she was your bodyguard and he was an obsessed fan who had crossed into your personal space. All you could think of was how you wanted him as your dessert. Now. But you had an exam coming up in a few days. So, his invitation fit just right.

“I’ll be there.” You smiled politely. He gave you a raised eyebrow, but then nodded, said goodbye, spun around and followed his friend out of the restaurant. When you looked at Chohee, she was already giving you eyes that asked a billion questions at once. Fantastic. Now you’d have to explain that “hang at the library” was not some sort of codeword for sex, but you had – against all odds – convinced the local prince of fuckboys that studying wasn’t such an atrocious idea after all. But fate saved you before you could begin your clarification.

“Oh no! Where has the time gone? I have to get to my afternoon lecture!” Chohee exclaimed, quickly gathering her purse and jacket. “My professor will curse me if I’m late again!”

And with that, she scrambled up from the table. “Don’t think you’re getting off easy just because I have to go! I demand a good story when I get home!”

You knew she was just being dramatic, and should you decide to keep everything to yourself for another month, she wouldn’t be mad. And yet, the urge to tell her crept up on you as you watched her hurry out of the door while waving one last time. Your morning classes had been the only appointment in your calendar for the day. So, with nothing else to do, you fished for your phone to message him for a time to meet at the library.

~

“What were you being so weird for earlier?” he asked as he plopped down on the wooden chair across from you. His books slammed on the table, and you flinched a little. Boys.

“Thanks for reminding me why I chose to sit in the group project area today. Could you be any louder in a library?” you said. “And thank god we’re the only ones here.”

“Thanks for reminding me that you’re still great at avoiding questions,” he returned.

“I just didn’t want my friend to ask questions.”

“So you talked to me like a five year old would respond to their kindergarten teacher? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me? The guy with the reputation?”

“No, I’m not. Wait? What? And what kind of reputation would that be, if I may ask? The you-only-sleep-with-a-girl-once-reputation?”

“You should know the nastiest rumors mostly prove to be false. I was thinking of something more delightful. Like a gives-the-best-head-on-campus-kind of reputation.”

You snorted. “And who is going to do the research to prove that?”

“Why don’t you look around and report back to me?” he smirked.

“No thanks. I’m already hooking up with a guy who’s more than a handful.”

He faked taking offence in your words with a theatrical gasp. “Is that so? The girl I’m hooking up with isn’t much better. Always asks to hang at the library like she doesn’t beg me to fuck her the second we get out of there.”

“Let me remind you that you were the one who suggested this place today,” you said. “I was ready to jump into your bed and you had to stall time like this.”

“Are you for real? What are we still doing here, then?” he asked, and you tilted your head with a suggestive grin that mirrored his.

15 minutes later:

“Who the fuck stores five umbrellas in their car?” You kicked another one off the backseat you were lying on. Your bra was exposed beneath your shirt which he had pushed up on your chest and was now attacking the exposed skin with hungry kisses.

“That’s what you get for not getting it on in the library,” he muttered against your skin without looking up.

“We’d be asking to get suspended from there by doing that,” you said. “And I cherish my library very much.”

He only made a snickering noise and shook his head before he went to take off his shirt – and promptly hit his head on the car roof. “Ow! This sucks. I can barely move.”

“That’s what you get for not waiting until we’re at your place,” you teased him with his own words. But judging by the prominent bulge in his pants, you supposed you didn’t want him driving anywhere. Not with naughty things on his mind, and with you next to him to only make him hornier. Your eyes fell on the dark purple spots on his abdomen, and you grinned.

“Wow. Someone must have worked hard to make that stomach even prettier,” you said.

“Yeah, you would know all about that, wouldn’t you?” He bent down to your ear and his husky tone sent cold shivers up your spine. Of course, you knew. You were the one who bit and sucked the hickeys into his skin two days ago, after all. His hands palming your boobs through your bra drew out a desperate sigh from you.

“Let’s play a game. What do you say?” he asked.

“What kind of game would that be?” Your interest was roused. He was lost in thought for a moment, hands slowly running up and down your exposed legs. Luckily, you had opted for a skirt today. All he’d had to do was to push it up to your belly and get rid of your underwear after your short but very steamy make-out session on the backseat. The cool air on your exposed core was only magnifying your impatience.

“Whoever comes first, loses.” You couldn’t suppress a chuckle at his idea, and he eyed you with indignation. “You don’t like it?”

“Everyone knows women take longer to orgasm than men do,” you said. “Are you trying to dig your own grave or what?”

“That’s why I’ll have a head start,” he announced. His hands circled the skin close to your core, creeping up your thighs slowly.

“And what’s the prize for winning?”

“The loser owes the winner a favor.”

“Too vague. I don’t trust you with that.”

“I don’t trust you, she says as she waits for me to fuck her in my car,” he mocked.

“I don’t trust your crazy ideas,” you clarified. “What about this? The winner pays for the loser’s next meal when we eat together.”

“Deal.” He slid his fingers over your pussy, and you crumbled into a whining mess within seconds. No matter how much your head denied it, he really was the best. He caught your clit between his digits and your eyes rolled to the back of your head for a moment.

“Shit, you only turn me on more if you’re going to moan like that.” He lowered his head and spit on your center, and the laughter that had been bubbling in your throat died in an instant. His fingers rubbed your nub fast and spread his saliva – without doubt his attempt at tipping you closer to the edge before he had even begun to fuck you.

“Too bad you find me so hot,” you said, and let out a purposely dramatic whimper, followed by his name in your best fake-porn-voice. His smile had something wholesome, as if he was admiring his friend making silly jokes, but also a glint of playfulness. You knew had been a mask when he bit his lip and exhaled slowly. With ease, he slid his middle finger into you. As he curled it against your sweet spot, he bent down to suck on your clit and your back arched at the sudden pleasure.

“Too bad you’re going to lose,” he said, and then continued his antics. Had he continued this way for another few minutes, his words wouldn’t have been so far from the truth. But you had other plans.

“Are you going to fuck me now?” you asked. “That’s enough of your head start.”

“I only just tasted you. Why would it be called a head start, if you’re going to stop me two minutes into giving you head?” he asked and you would’ve slapped his shoulder, had he been close enough. Instead, you closed your eyes for a few seconds. He was the competitive one here, and you didn’t mind enjoying yourself for now. Sighing in temporary defeat, your head fell back onto the seat. The sun was shining its last rays through the car window. They caught in his curled eyelashes and on his skin, coloring him golden.

“That’s a good girl,” he said, arm snaking around your thigh. He held on to you, but it wasn’t as if you could have moved away from him. Your head was right by the car door. His lips around your clit paired with his finger steadily rubbing against your sweet spot inside of you made you feel like floating. His free hand touched your leg gently, caressing your skin as if he wasn’t also simultaneously pushing you to the urge to yell out his name in pleasure. You tangled your fingers in his soft hair, as if you needed to do so to keep him in place. But something in the back of your mind still had a desire for winning. Trying to collect the last bits of your dwindling sanity, you hatched a plan. Good on you – you knew just what rode him into madness.

“I- I need you to fuck me, please,” you begged, making sure to add an extra layer of tragedy to your voice. “Please, I want it so bad.”

He looked up at you, a dark glint in his eyes. Of course, he did. All was going according to plan. It wasn’t like you had known him all your life, but you were perfectly aware of one thing. He could never resist your dirty talking and begging.

“Please?” you bat your eyelashes ever so longingly at him.

“Is that so?” He was now straightening up. His black pupils were dilated, and he was looking at you with the expectation of a loyal puppy waiting for his treat. You grabbed the front hem of his pants and pulled him towards you. In a moment, you had unzipped the material for him.

“I want you to fuck me like you did the first time we met. At the party,” you said. “Do you ever think about it, too?”

“Fuck, of course I do,” he said. Faster than you could register, he was ripping a condom wrapper and sliding it onto his free length. His cock stood angry and hard against his stomach. Perhaps your dramatic words weren’t so far-fetched. You couldn’t wait for him.

“Then do it, please,” you said. “Right now, this pussy is all yours. Use it the way it should be used.”

He muttered a swear under his breath and you knew he was in the palm of your hand. His hot breath fanned your neck as he bent over you, cock aligned with your exposed core. For a moment his length slid through your wetness, and he groaned at the warmth that was about to engulf him.

“I’m so fucking wet,” you moaned. “And all for you.”

You would have been lying if you said you weren’t enjoying the exaggerated show you were putting on for him as much as he did. Although, you weren’t sure whether you were allowed to call it exaggeration, at all. Your walls clenched around nothing as the tip of his cock touched your juices and he eyed you like he could’ve eaten you up right then and there.

When he finally entered you, he instantly sighed. His eyes were shut tightly as he dealt with the impact of feeling you around his shaft. A small spark of triumph went through you. That was, until he pushed your legs up and snapped his hips against yours. A sharp, sudden burst of pleasure shot through you and the coil in your stomach tightened all at once. You suspected your plan was backfiring slightly. Your words not only appealed to him and his famished mind and body. They also got to your head, and there you were, barely able to contain yourself under a load of blind hunger.

“You want me to fuck you senseless, huh?” he asked. His words went straight to your core. Nonetheless, you had a goal to work towards and you weren’t set on giving up.

“Yes, oh my god,” you whimpered. “That’s all I’m asking for. Please, I know you can. You always fuck me so well.”

In response, he rammed his body into yours so abruptly, you gave off a noise of surprise and pleasure at the same time. He bent his upper body over yours to support himself. His hands lay flat on the seat on both sides of your head. His thrusts made your legs shake now and then, when his cock hit that one spot inside of you. It was causing you to see entire galaxies on the inside of your eyelids. When you blinked up at him, the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon. Darkness had always suit him better than the golden sunset, either way. The muscles in his arms flexed and his eyebrows furrowed, and for a moment you called victory yours. But you couldn’t be sure for longer than a moment.

Because from one second to another he straightened up and slowed his thrusts. The gradualness had something equally as striking. He dragged his cock through your scarlet walls and his fingers found your clit. You drew out a ragged breath and cursed him for regaining the upper hand. Yet, you quickly abandoned the thought of defeat. When you allowed yourself to feel the pleasure, every last thought vanished at last. You moaned and whimpered helplessly. Without overthinking, you wrapped your hand around his wrist. He shot you a confused smirk.

“Too much, baby?” he said. “Think you won’t be able to handle it? A shame. It would really be too bad if you lost. You were doing so well up to now.”

You swallowed, hard. His patronizing voice tugged at your nerves and yet you loved when he spoke to you this way during sex. And he was aware of it – hence his knowing grin.

“Don’t stop moving,” you asked him to keep up his thrusts. “It’s not fair, otherwise.”

“Oh no. I would never dare break the rules,” he said.

He did as you said, and it only made things more mind-consuming for you. You were again reminded of the small tornado raging in the pit of your belly, threatening to consume you all over. It was only a matter of time. But what he could do, you could do better.

“Do you like fucking me in my skirt?” you taunted him, blinking ever so sweetly. Your eyes were dripping honey as you put on your most innocent gaze. “Am I pretty like this?”

“You’re the prettiest,” he muttered, biting his lip as if he was stopping a thousand moans from spilling out. “So. Fucking. Hot.”

“If I wear this skirt to class tomorrow, and you see me in the halls, will you think of this moment?” you asked. His fingers on your clit were shaky and moving unevenly. You might have been digging your own grave along with his. You didn’t care. Too many lectures you had wasted, barely able to concentrate because of the boy on top of you.

“Definitely. You weren’t wearing that earlier, at the restaurant,” he said. You wondered how many people had ever seen him this way – utterly breathless, all his cool vaporizing at once.

“Good observation,” you said, but you were struggling with your words as much as he was unable to keep calm. What was meant to sound lazy and seductive had morphed into a whimper and small sighs. “I wasn’t. I- I put it on just for you.”

He cursed again and abandoned all his remaining self-control. His grip on you was iron-tight and you clenched your fists. Oh, how you wished you could have buried your head into a pillow, or better even, the crook of a neck. Instead, you moaned his name almost soundlessly and searched for his dark eyes.

“Say my name again,” he demanded, like it was his last request on earth. So, you obeyed, only because you would have done anything for him right now, if it meant that he would keep fucking you that way.

“Oh my- my god,” you moaned. “Please don’t stop, fuck-“

“You look so hot right now, baby,” he groaned. “Shit- I could come just looking at you.”

“Then do it,” you said. Challengingly, you both smirked at each other. It lasted only the blink of an eye. You felt your insides twist before you could have prevented it. And all of a sudden, you crashed. Your intense orgasm erupted, and it took you several seconds to realize it, but then you heard it. His high-pitched moans, quiet and curse-stricken, could only mean one thing. You weren’t the only one, and therefore not the first to reach your high. A content smile spread on your face as his messy thrusts went on for a short while and you bathed in the remaining moments of bliss.

Silence set in as you both kept still to catch your breaths. You worried he would pin the loss on you, nonetheless, and inwardly braced yourself for his accusations. But to your surprise, he only laughed and collapsed on top of you. His breath tickled your neck slightly.

“We’ll be splitting the bill, I suppose?” he said. He straightened up to look you in the eyes playfully.

“Looks like it,” you said. You guessed his fighting spirit had been appeased and his energy had been spent on better things than arguing with you. You never minded it.

~

“Did you have a nice study session? Does the library lady assume you’re homeless and actually living there, yet?” Chohee teased as you entered your shared kitchen. She was typing on her phone but looked up when you only laughed.

“Is that a hickey?” she asked, and you knew you were done for. “What exactly is it you were studying? H/N’s body?”

“I guess I should tell you. Sooner or later, you’ll know,” you relented.

“Tell me what? Oh my god. Are you guys dating? Are you dating H/N?”

“No! You know I have no time for a boyfriend,” you said. “But…we’ve been hooking up.”

“Damn girl,” she said. “What do you have on him that he keeps coming back?”

“Excuse me? Am I really that boring of a company?”

“No. You’re the best company I could ever ask for, obviously,” she said, smiling at you. “But you remember his reputation. He sleeps with the same girl only once.”

“It’s just a stupid rumor,” you said. “Besides, we’re not just hooking up. He’s my friend. You already knew that.”

“Friend, huh?” Chohee asked. “Alright. So, you’re telling me he can hang out with you without trying to get it on?”

“He can, actually. And let me tell you, he’s cool. And pretty funny, too,” you said. She raised her eyebrows at you. “We’ve set some rules. We hook up, but also hang out as friends. Neither is allowed to be upset when the other turns down sex. We can both hook up with anyone else, still. No jealousy, no attachments. Just a good time.”

“Alright,” Chohee nodded. “If you’re so close, do you think you could introduce me to some of his friends sometime?”

You laughed, nodding. Chohee and H/N had quite some things in common, you realized then. Maybe that’s why you liked the two of them so much.

“Let’s see how long that lasts, then. Don’t wrap him too tightly around your finger, or he might trip and fall,” she winked. It was your turn to raise your eyebrow. Whatever she might have been insinuating – you had zero plans of making it reality. (Yet.)

[abcitycake]

This is something I’d like to share when it comes to ableism. I was diagnosed with autism in my sopmore year. They had to accommodate me in order to graduate, I had difficulty paying attention and understanding my work in classes. Thankfully I was able to leave school. Skip to university, my passion was wanting to learn Japanese, and a dream to get a degree and move to Japan to teach English. But instead my only options there was “office skills” I got it done but didnt use anything with it. That was in 2010-2011. For the next 10 years, I didnt know what to do. My only chance in getting to learn what I wanted was out the window. My dad made me promise if I could handle regular classes without as much accommodations, I could go to the school to learn Japanese. But unfortunately I did fail. The subjects and classes weren’t difficult to understand, it was the homework that needed to be done online, and it was very confusing, so I failed. I am forever disappointed that my passions were disregarded, and forced to do something i wasn’t comfortable with. For the next 5 years- my parents toxicity towards me became worse. I ran away a couple of times in 2017 just to get away from them. I went to a women’s shelter for a week. Risked homelessness just to get away from them. But I finally got my own place, and have been here ever since. I have been here for nearly 5 years this October. I did work. But around 2018, I noticed my energy would slow down and I couldn’t stand on my feet for more than 3 hours. I been working with my dads business since 15, so about a decade. I think this was my first experience with “burnout”. I was luckily given smaller hours and not do tasks such as taking customer orders. I have a processing issue, I either dont understand something right away, or i processed it too quick. In May of 2019, I quit my job of 13 years.

My dad and his coworker that he treated like as a “teacher’s pet” began to micromanage me. That time was when summer vacation was fast approaching, and it would get hot around 9 to 10 am. I WAS GOOD at my cleaning job for the outside, and i was trying to do it as fast and best I could. But they brought me back out, and said I didnt sweep the flower petals right, (We had a tree that would drop flowers in the spring and summer) and my dad took the blower with this tone I always hated; and I started to cry right there. They left, I go back in the bathroom to cry and decided: I’m DONE. I finished washing the dishes for the last time and try to slip away without the coworker knowing, I was going to tell her when I got home. But she caught me, and was FURIOUS.

She said the most vile horrible things- such as along the lines of; “Be lazy, have no job then” “Text your dad that you’re quitting your job, and your name is Tammy, THATS your new name, now!”

She meant, and compared me to my MENTALLY ILL AUNT. Who can’t work because of mental illness. I refuse to associate with her ever since. She of course, pretended nothing happened when i would stop by there- and ofc seems to have forgotten. But I, never will.

Skipping to this past January, 2022. My mom and I were on the way to visit my sister, and celebrate my 30th birthday. She brings up I should “go back to work”. Just her saying that made my blood boil.

“You’re still so young, you should be working”

“Go to (mentions this store) for work”

“You dont have to go back to a restaurant place”

Even when I said I quit working at the job I went to after my dad’s business, because of TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT, SHE BRUSHED IT OFF.

One of my only explanations to why she wanted me to work again is simply because “you need a social standing” “you’re young” “Your sisters work, so you can too”

Made me so fucking angry. This woman is AWARE, of my disabilities, or doesn’t seem to know I HAVE LIMITED Time standing around before I shut down after 3-4 hours on a job, and I was treated HORRIBLY, for the last 3 years of my time working.

Oh, and it doesn’t stop there. To hammer the final rusty nail on the coffin, this happens:

On the way home after having my birthday, my mom asks about my niece and if was nice seeing her; and I said

“Yeah just don’t Iike the screaming she does (keep in mind she’s not 2 years old yet)”

I have sensitive hearing, and I cant be around kids often due to that,

SHE RESPONDS AN SAYS “Well you were like that too at that age, and it hurt our ears”

This fucking bitch GASLIGHTS ME FR THINGS I DID AS A CHILD IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BC IF YOU CONSIDER THAT TIME I WAS AUTISTIC BEFORE GETTING DIAGNOSED, I would only scream and cry to communicate.

SHE CONTINUES TO BERATE ME FOR CALING HER TOXIC IN THE PAST AND AT THAT POINT I PUT ON MY HEADPHONES TO BLOCK OUT HER HURTFUL BULLSHIT.

That’s probably going to the the last time in a long, long time, I will ever go with my family to celebrate my birthday. As of now, I have my YouTube channel. It’s been rough the past few months and I lost my monetization, but when I get it back I’ll plan my own goddamn trips by myself, or in the future with my beloved, sweet girlfriend.