#THANK YOU TOAST THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU-
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lavful · 8 hours ago
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Thanks for the tag star!
I came up with the username lawfullavender when I was 16/17 b/c my friends introduced me to the DND alignment chart and I was the only lawful one in the group, and lavender is my favorite color/flower/scent. That was too long so I shortened it to lavful. @leylila is just my law-purple in Tagalog :)
Tagging: @rainofthetwilight @pancho-pinto @toasted-cricket @hundredsofsmallbirds @ilofu @juniperjellyfish @queennai714 @zvmz
(some of us haven’t talked in ages, i still care for you <3)
Tag game🎉
Tag your moots and ask them where they got the idea for their tumblr accounts name!
For my name it was a nickname I was giving back in middleschool! One of our teacher had a system where we worked with 'wifi' eachtime we talked in class we lost a bar of the "wifi" (was a weird joke and we never held count on that) All the kids usually joked if they needed 'wifi' , they would borrow mine if they wanted to talk more. (I was incredibly shy in middle school, I only talked to like 3 people at school;^;)
They called me Ms. Wifi because of that. I just thought it would be funny if I put 'miss' instead of 'ms' because of my terrible actual wifi connection I have at home lol.
That's my story! Now moots, only if you guys want to, tell us your story.
Tags-> @slipping-lately @firequeenofficial @noagskryf @twinklstarrrr @halfbakedspuds @polterwasteist @rokushi-san @mygedagtes +anyone that sees this and wants to do this as well
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lazysoulwriter · 2 days ago
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valentine's day special - drew starkey. ♡
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You woke up to the smell of coffee and something sweet in the air. Your body stirred against the soft sheets, and before your eyes even opened, you knew—something was different this morning.
Then, you heard it. A quiet shuffle. The sound of a deep breath, like someone was mentally preparing for something.
Your eyes fluttered open just in time to see Drew standing in the doorway, balancing a tray in his hands, looking like he was experiencing a full-blown internal crisis. His brows were furrowed, bottom lip caught between his teeth, as if he was terrified you might hate whatever he was about to present.
"Okay, okay," he muttered to himself. "You got this. Just—"
Then he looked up, realizing you were very much awake and watching him.
"Oh, shit."
A laugh bubbled up from your chest. "Good morning to you too, Valentine."
Drew let out a breath, moving carefully toward the bed. "Alright, don’t laugh," he warned, setting the tray in front of you. "I actually tried."
Your heart melted instantly.
On the tray sat a full breakfast—pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast. And then, the pièce de résistance: a small bowl of fruit, each piece carefully cut into the shape of a heart. Strawberries, bananas, even tiny apple slices. It was ridiculous. It was adorable.
It was so Drew.
"You—" You bit your lip, eyes flicking from the tray to his face, which was already turning red. "Did you cut the fruit like this?"
Drew groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Yes. And before you say anything, do you have any idea how hard it is to cut a damn banana into a heart?"
You burst into laughter, grabbing a strawberry heart and holding it up. "This is actually so cute. Who knew you were such a hopeless romantic?"
He scoffed, flopping onto the bed next to you. "I am not. I just… I wanted to do something nice for our first Valentine’s Day." His voice was quieter now, more sincere. His fingers toyed with the edge of the blanket, and when he looked up at you, there was something so earnest in his expression that your chest ached.
"You’re perfect," you murmured, setting the tray aside so you could lean in, cupping his face in your hands. "Thank you for this."
His lips twitched, like he wanted to make a joke but was too flustered to do it. Instead, he just kissed you, slow and warm, like he was soaking in the moment.
When you finally pulled back, you grinned. "But seriously, how long did it take you to do this?"
Drew groaned, dropping his head onto your shoulder. "Too long. Just eat the damn fruit before I start questioning my life choices."
You laughed, popping a heart-shaped banana into your mouth. Best Valentine’s Day ever.
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mandalhoerian · 1 day ago
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SYZYGY PART I: PERIASTRON / PERIHELION ❥ caleb x reader x xavier | 24K | AO3
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SUMMARY:
The summer of your life had a name — Caleb. He was August itself, a world of honey-drenched, cloudless afternoons and laughter of gold-saturated old days echoing through the years, clear as sunlight on water. Gravity, pulling you two together. You orbiting around each other, closer, brighter, almost, almost. Until, just like the dandelion puff of childhood dreams or the sudden drop of a swing going too high — he was gone. Then came Xavier. The quiet glow of the moon, silver constellations scattered against the abyss, not demanding your orbit. He was light without heat, steady and luminous, guiding you through the night Caleb had left behind, illuminating all the spaces where once there had been warmth and wonder instead of emptiness. But what happens when the sun rises again to chase away the moon and stars that endured without it? Can the sky hold them both? Can you? Or must one always eclipse the other?
WARNINGS: pseudocest im embarrassed do NOT look at me, this features an underage caleb getting a hard-on because of an underage reader for the first time. it's not sexualized or detailed, and there is no scene of masturbation. i tried to handle it with care and describe it as vaguely as possible and work around it, grieving/mourning, blood and injury, angst, fluff, the everpresent bittersweet undertones, backshots from xavier at the end. this is (going to be) a threesome fic, not a love triangle in which you choose one, so, proceed with caution.
A/N: yeah, uh. remember this post? i'm writing it now. before i knew it though it grew so much, so i had to separate it into two parts. this one is what i call "parallel lines", in which xavier's presence is heavily present in your life with caleb before they meet through you, and vice versa. this concept is like the gift that keeps giving, and i hope you like it as well. what do you want to happen in the next chapter? please don't be shy to interact and tell me what you think, and help me out by reblogging for the second part to come out faster! thank you so much! <33
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For as long as Caleb had known himself, he had been jovially tethered to you, less a brother and more an ever-present guardian, orbiting your life like some self-appointed fairy godmother who had found his life’s purpose in watching over you.
When school was in session, his days began before the sun even thought about rising — dragging himself out of bed at an ungodly hour to help Gran with breakfast, shaking off sleep with the clatter of dishes and the smell of butter hitting a hot pan. The kitchen was always dimly lit, humming with the quiet sounds of the world waking up. He'd scrub down counters while eggs sizzled, sweep the floors before the coffee had finished brewing, steal bites of toast in between flipping pancakes.
And then — your lunch. He always made it just how you liked. If you wanted peanut butter, he spread it thick. If you swore off carrots for the week, he swapped them out for something else, slipping in a treat when Gran wasn’t looking.
Breakfast was always a battlefield. You, groggy and barely functional, glaring at the sight of anything green on your plate, and him, sighing, coaxing, bribing, bending over backwards just to get you to take a single bite of something that wasn’t sugar-coated.
And then, of course, the walk to school.
You always complained, swearing you didn’t need him to take you, that you could find your way just fine. And yet, without fail, you were right there beside him every morning, rubbing sleep from your eyes, shuffling along in whatever oversized hoodie you’d thrown on that day, your shoelaces untied, the imprint of your pillow still faint against your cheek.
The moment you arrived at the school gates, the dynamic shifted. Caleb wasn’t just your gege anymore — he was Caleb Xia, the local celebrity.
Kids greeted him like he was some hometown hero, flocking together in the distance just to get a look at him, either scattering when he noticed them or waving at him if they were brave enough. Teachers nodded at him in approval, a dependable, responsible older brother. And you? You just rolled your eyes, huffing, tugging at his sleeve like you’re embarrassing me, can you leave already? as he lingered in conversation, half-smirking at your impatience.
The highlights of his school day weren’t the classes or the fleeting moments of downtime between them — it was lunch breaks spent calling you, phone wedged between his shoulder and ear as he unwrapped whatever quick meal he’d grabbed from the cafeteria. "Did you eat yet?" was always his first question, followed immediately by, "Did you like it?" as if your opinion on the food he packed for you was the most crucial piece of intel of his day. He could practically hear you rolling your eyes through the speaker, mumbling something through a mouthful of rice or bread. It didn’t matter — he just needed to hear it, to know.
After that, his mind switched gears. Physical training, drills fine-tuned for DAA hopefuls, routines meant to push his endurance to the next level. His uniform stuck to his back, sweat beading along his brow, but he relished the burn, the ache in his muscles a steady reminder of why he was doing this. When training ended, he sprawled out on the bleachers, water bottle pressed against his overheated neck, scrolling through footage of aerospace battleships on his phone. Each sleek design, each launch, every maneuver—it reminded him why he worked so hard. Why he wanted this so badly.
But none of that mattered when late afternoon rolled around.
His friends ribbed him for it, tossing casual jabs his way as they packed up their things. "Ditching us again for babysitting duty?" someone teased. Caleb only smiled from ear to ear and didn't pay any mind to it, pretending the subtle condescension thrown your way didn’t needle under his skin. They didn’t get it. They never did.
Because for him, the best part of the day wasn’t the grind, wasn’t the push toward his future. It was the moment the last bell rang at your school, and he was already there, stationed by the gate, feet bouncing slightly on the pavement, waiting to see you emerge from the crowd.
Nothing compared to that anticipation. The way his breath would hitch for half a second as he spotted you — bag slung haphazardly over one shoulder, uniform slightly wrinkled, the sleeves of your cardigan pushed up because you always ran too warm. The moment your eyes met his, and that immediate, effortless way you gravitated toward him, your first words never hi but something offbeat, something small and inconsequential.
Like it was a given. Like, of course, he’d be here. Of course, you’d find him first.
And as he fell into step beside you, listening to whatever was on your mind that day, the earlier teasing, the exhaustion, the ache of his training—all of it faded into something background, something irrelevant.
Some days, your hand in his felt wrong. Too loose, like you might slip away if he wasn’t careful, or too tight, like you were holding on for something unspoken. Those were the days when your usual chatter dwindled, when your feet dragged instead of skipping along the sidewalk, when your eyes darted past him instead of meeting his.
Caleb never asked outright — he knew just what to do, adjusting, seamlessly redirecting your path before you could even notice, with slight nudge at your shoulder, an easy pivot at the next turn, suddenly you weren’t heading straight home anymore.
The little grocery store on the corner, the one with the faded awning and the soft chime at the door, became your unspoken secret place. The scent of paper and ink mingled with something sweet the moment you stepped inside — an inviting warmth that settled between the shelves lined with pastel notebooks, glittering pens, and delicate origami sets among a handful of aisles, lined with neatly stacked boxes of biscuits, rows of colorful trinkets in plastic bins, glass jars of fruit jellies that caught the light just right.
But it wasn’t just the stationery that did it. It was the back garden, where clusters of hydrangeas bloomed in careful bursts of lavender and blue, their petals shifting with the breeze. It was the way the sun liquidized through the narrow windows, turning the space golden in the late afternoon, a place stitched into memory as a guarantee: no matter how heavy your day had been, you would leave here lighter.
It was the colorful bins of imported candies, the tiny glass jars of trinkets shaped like animals and tiny constellations, the slow rhythm of browsing through things neither of you needed but always wanted. And most of all, it was you, little by little, softening again, your fingers grazing the spines of journals, your lips quirking upward when he held up some ridiculous eraser shaped like a cat with sunglasses.
Someone else might’ve called it a routine. Caleb knew better.
It wasn’t a habit. It wasn’t even a conscious decision. It was instinct, written into his bones, an unshakable part of him. Taking care of you wasn’t something he did — it was something he was.
Caleb dropping to one knee, his uniform pants already scuffed and dirt-streaked from basketball practice, to wordlessly tie your undone shoelaces, his fingers moving with muscle memory before you could even notice they were loose. The sting of fresh scrapes and bruises on his skin ignored in favor of making sure you wouldn’t trip.
Caleb at the kitchen table, the sharp scent of freshly peeled apples mixing with the smell of open textbooks, carving them into little bunny shapes while you scrawled through your homework, utterly absorbed. You never asked him to, but when he placed them next to your notebook, you’d pick them up one by one without looking, popping them into your mouth like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Caleb picking out the tomatoes from your sandwiches, his hands moving with an unthinking efficiency, discarding them onto his own plate before sliding your food back to you. Gran had insisted he leave them in, but he never listened. You never ate them, anyway.
Caleb slinging both your backpacks over his shoulder at the end of a long day, even when you huffed about being a big girl now. Even when you swatted at him in protest. He carried them anyway, adjusting the straps like it was second nature, making it look effortless despite the weight pressing against his shoulders.
Caleb pressing the cool mouth of his water bottle against your arm, nudging it toward you because some quiet alarm in his brain had gone off, warning him that you hadn’t had a sip of water all day. No words exchanged — just the expectant arch of his brow, the silent order in his gaze.
Caleb swiping a thumb across your cheek, brushing away the stray crumbs from whatever snack you had been stuffing into your mouth mid-conversation. His touch was brief, casual, like a passing thought, but it lingered — just for a second — before he pulled away, already moving on to something else.
It was nothing, all of it. Small, everyday things. Thoughtless, maybe, to him. But to everyone else — adults looking on with indulgent smiles, other boys his age shaking their heads with exaggerated groans — it was something more. "God, Caleb, you’re setting the bar too high. You know most guys would trade their little sisters for a corn chip, right?"
Caleb’s instinct to look after you didn’t end at the school gates. Even with the separation of campuses forcing distance between you, his presence lingered in ways you never noticed — woven into the small, seemingly inconsequential moments of your day.
It wasn’t about dictation. You hated being told what to do, slipping through the cracks of authority like water through cupped hands. So instead, Caleb nudged. Shifted. Steered.
A casual mention of someone’s cool Lumiere pencil case turned into you borrowing their markers, which turned into sitting beside them in art class. A passing remark about a classmate’s awesome Lumiere trading card collection suddenly had you talking to them at recess. The kids who shared their snacks without hesitation, who pulled out chairs without asking, who held their ground when pettiness soured the lunch table — those were the ones Caleb quietly nudged you toward.
It never felt unnatural. That was the key. He didn’t force anything, never shoved you in any particular direction. He just made it easy.
A suggestion to invite someone over, tossed out so casually it barely felt like a suggestion at all. A last-minute reminder that some kid — one he had already vetted in the background of his mind — liked the same ridiculous show as you, ensuring you had something to bond over.
And if certain kids seemed off — if their teasing had an edge to it, if they tested boundaries in a way that felt just a little too familiar to Caleb’s instincts—he never said a word. He didn’t have to. He simply didn't encourage those interactions, didn't make space for them, let them wither naturally while something better took root.
You never noticed the quiet maneuvering and how he even knew the information about those classmates despite being an upperclassman. You never realized how your world had been subtly, deliberately arranged in a way that kept you surrounded by good people. People Caleb knew would look out for you when he wasn't there.
And that was the point.
No one had questioned it thus far. Neither had he. There was nothing to be questioned.
Until today.
It was hot. The kind of thick, sweltering summer heat that made the air shimmer and the pavement burn. The wooden porch steps beneath him radiated warmth, baked through by the afternoon sun, carrying the scent of dry wood and dust. Cicadas droned in the distance, their unrelenting hum pressing in from every direction, blending with the tinny sound of the (probably-not-appropriate) streamer’s voice coming from his phone.
You were sprawled beside him, popsiclle stick half-forgotten in your fingers, red syrup trailing down your wrist in slow, sticky rivulets. Caleb’s eyes flicked to it absently, knowing you wouldn’t notice until it reached your elbow. Your bare feet were pressed against his leg, leeching his shade like some smug little barnacle. He groaned, giving your ankle a lazy shove, but it was more for show than any real effort to get you to move.
Every so often, you’d lean against him, cheek brushing his shoulder, the heat from your skin seeping through the fabric of his t-shirt. The scent of artificial cherry clung to your breath, mixing with the toasty cotton and the faintest trace of his own shampoo. It was too hot for this. Too hot for you to be all over him, only to wiggle restlessly a second later, squirming back into place like you had no idea what you were doing to him.
He could’ve moved. Should’ve, probably. But he didn’t. Just huffed like it was an inconvenience, like he wasn’t fighting the stupid grin pulling at his mouth, like he wasn’t waiting for you to settle against him again.
And then the screen door creaked open, and the heavy scent of heat-crisped fabric softener drifted out as Gran stepped onto the porch, hands settling firmly on her hips, and said it.
"You're getting too big to be stuck to Caleb all the time, dear. You're not a baby anymore."
It wasn’t meant to be sharp, wasn’t meant to sting, but the comment lodged in Caleb’s chest like a stone dropped into deep water, sinking fast, heavy and cold.
Not a baby anymore.
Obvious. So obvious it should’ve bounced right off him. He was nearly a grown-up, already edging taller than some of the older boys, his limbs stretching out of last year’s clothes. His tank top, once loose, clung to him now, damp with sweat at the collar. His shorts were scuffed at the knees from a summer spent biking too fast, landing too hard. He was supposed to be out on the blacktop, running plays with the high schoolers, scraping his elbows on asphalt, staying out past the first flicker of streetlights without a second thought, doing something — anything — that didn’t involve a permanent shadow trailing at his heels that would get the upperclassmen laughing. And you…
What were you supposed to be doing? Not hanging off of him, apparently. Not pressing your warmed skin against his in the heat of the day, not reaching for his hand out of instinct, not tilting your head toward him when you laughed, as if his reactions still mattered most.
The stick of his finished popsicle rested on his tongue, sticky-sweet, a lingering taste of artificial apple that felt almost mocking now. His fingers flexed, restless, drumming once against his knee before stilling.
His eyes flicked toward you — kicking your legs lazily against the porch steps.
"Then what is he?" You wrinkled your nose, squinting up at Gran as if the answer should have been obvious. "Just big?"
Gran chuckled, shifting her weight as she leaned against the doorframe, a soft amusement ushering her voice. "Big enough to start weaning you off a little."
And just like that, the rock pressing against Caleb’s ribs sank deeper, like someone had tied it there, pulling everything inside him tight and wrung out.
Weaning you off.
The thought made something in his chest ache, like a muscle being stretched too far, too fast. The thought of you — apart from him, orbiting somewhere beyond his reach — felt foreign, wrong. Not turning to him first? Not following his lead? Where would you even go? And worse — who would you go to?
"That’s dumb," you declared, licking the last of the syrup from your fingers with a casual finality that almost soothed the raw edges of his nerves. "Why would he do that?"
You sounded so sure. So utterly certain, like it was a fact of the universe. Caleb clung to that certainty, let it settle in his chest, tried to believe in it as much as you did. But then Gran hummed, low and knowing, like she had seen this all before, like she was watching something inevitable play out in real time.
She turned to Caleb, fixing him with a look that sat too heavy on his shoulders. "Caleb won’t want you tagging along forever."
Something lurched inside him.
His heart, steady just a moment ago, suddenly pounded too hard against his ribs. The space between his shoulders burned. He parted his lips to argue, but no words came, his throat tight, thoughts tangled.
"No," you huffed, scrunching your face, clear unhappiness bleeding into your voice. "He’s my gege."
Yes. Exactly.
Then why did Gran sound like that? Why did she act like this was some inevitable truth, like he would want you to stop trailing after him, like he would ever just let you go? He didn’t mind it — of course he didn’t.
A flash of heat rolled down his spine, unsettling and sudden, a strange pressure creeping under his skin. His body tensed against it, a shudder running straight through his core before he could stop it.
No. He liked when you followed him. He wanted you there, always half a step behind, always reaching for his sleeve, always seeking him first. That wasn’t weird, was it?
Gran knew exactly what she was doing. The amused curve of her lips, the way she adjusted her stance, arms folded loosely, her gaze warm but knowing—it was the look of someone who had already seen the ending of a story before anyone else even knew it had begun. But she was kind enough not to say it aloud.
"All right," she conceded, her voice easy, lilting, teasing but patient. "If you really think you're okay with being tied to him for life—"
"I am," you declared, not even letting her finish. Not missing a single beat.
It hit Caleb like a struck match to dry air — instant combustion. His pulse faltered, then surged, something white-hot and golden unfurling in his chest. A triumphant, yes, a relief so fierce it made his head spin, his body hum with something too wild to name from you sayingit like it was the most given thing in the world.
But Gran wasn’t done.
"But what if he isn't?" she pressed. "What about when he finds his special someone?"
The concept was an anathema lodged into the gears of his mind. Special someone.
A vague, faceless figure materialized in the space next to him, spectral and wrong. Another girl, maybe. Someone else at his side, standing too close, reaching for his sleeve the way you did now, calling his name with too much familiarity. Someone who would take up space that should be yours — laughing with him over dumb inside jokes, stealing food from his plate, tugging on his hand in crowded spaces without thinking.
Taking care of her. Looking out for her. Ruffling her hair when she did well on a test, cooking for her, walking her home, bringing her gifts without needing a reason—
His stomach twisted sharply, his insides wrung tight like a dishcloth, and suddenly, the popsicle stick in his grip felt foreign, sharp. Slowly, he became aware of the way his fingers had curled around it, tight enough that splinters had bitten into his palm. Too tight.
The porch creaked as you shifted closer, knees bumping against his, your oversized t-shirt — his, actually, stolen ages ago — hanging off one shoulder, damp with summer sweat. You tilted your head, strands of sticky hair clinging to your forehead, blinking up at him with that wide, guileless stare. Your eyes, bright and searching, caught the light, reflecting flecks of gold.
"Caleb…"
There was concern there, nestled between the syllables of his name. An innocent plea, a tug at something deep inside him that he wasn’t ready to name.
His skin prickled.
"Gran’s being silly, pip-squeak," shot out too fast, too forced, but he grinned through it anyway, stretching his face into an easygoing mirror of comfort. With every fiber of his being, he shoved everything back down — buried it under the warmth of the day, under the scent of melting sugar in the air, under the sound of your breathing, steady and trusting beside him. His fingers flexed, then relaxed just enough to let him flick the splintered popsicle stick onto the porch steps. "There’s no way I’m ditching you! Come on, are we finishing the episode or what? We’ve got a lot to catch up on."
He slung an arm around you, dragging you back against his side like it was nothing, like it wasn’t the only thing grounding him in that moment. Your skin was warm, sun-drenched and soft, the scent of your shampoo still clinging to the damp strands of your hair. You leaned into him without hesitation, fitting against him the way you always had.
And yet.
Something inside him stirred, curled its fingers around his ribs, squeezed tight.
He wasn’t supposed to feel this way.
The sky shifted, brilliant blue bleeding into orange, then purple, the air growing thicker as the heat of the day slowly receded. Gran’s voice filtered out from the kitchen window, something about dinner, but Caleb wasn’t listening. He wasn’t here anymore. His thoughts drifted somewhere further, somewhere he didn’t want to go — somewhere you couldn’t follow.
His thumb rubbed absently at the crook of your elbow, tracing slow circles over the softest part of your skin, a mindless habit meant to soothe — himself, that is.
The thought clung to him, a persistent dog at his heels, refusing to be shaken loose. It trailed him through the evening, barking at him nonstop as he moved through the small rituals of routine.
It was there when he set the table, watching you from the corner of his eye as you padded barefoot across the linoleum, the oversized sleeves of your pajama top slipping past your wrists. It was there when you tugged at his sleeve, your voice soft but insistent, grabbing his attention just as he pulled the dish from the oven. Feed me, your eyes seemed to say, mouth already open, waiting. And, like always, he gave in — pressing the edge of a still-hot bite against your lips after he blew on it, pretending not to notice the way your breath hitched as you chewed.
It was there when you curled up beside him later, your body slack with sleep, limbs tangled in the throw blanket you’d stolen from his lap. Your breath tickled against his arm, warm and steady, stirring something deep in his chest that he didn’t want to name. The scent of your shampoo — faint now, laced with the salt of dried sweat from a long summer day — lingered between you. He told himself he wasn’t listening to the soft, rhythmic exhales, wasn’t matching his breathing to yours.
And then, it was there when he tucked you into bed. Just like always.
You blinked up at him sleepily, covers pulled high, cheek squished against your pillow. Your room smelled like you — faintly sweet, warm, something nostalgic he couldn’t describe but had known all his life. His fingers brushed the edge of your blanket as he lingered by your side.
It was normal.
It was always normal.
And yet, the thought, the one he had spent the entire day trying to drown out, pressed against the back of his mind like an uninvited whisper.
He couldn’t imagine not wanting you by his side for the rest of his life.
Years later, Caleb would pinpoint this summer, the summer of his fourteenth year, as the day something shifted irreversibly. The death of whatever childhood innocence had once dressed itself as sibling love.
An apple blossom plucked before its time, its petals discarded in favor of a fruit too heavy, too low-hanging, too wrong to belong among the delicate branches of the family tree.
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Xavier never saw you cry at the funeral.
You had stood still, wrapped in black, hands curled into the fabric at your sides, nails pressing half-moon indentations into your palms. The air had smelled like freshly turned earth and incense, the whispers of condolences processed with you nodding along when spoken to, shaking hands, murmuring words that felt rehearsed, felt expected beneath the weight of something heavier, something unsaid. Your face was unreadable, gaze fixed somewhere far beyond the two caskets, one of which was empty, beyond the faces of mourners, beyond here.
He didn’t see you cry when you returned to what was left of home, either. Not when you stood at the threshold of devastation, the scent of charred wood and melted plastic still thick, mingling with the metallic tang of exposed steel. Not when you traced the edge of a broken picture frame with trembling fingers, or when the wind rattled through the skeletal remains of walls that had once held your precious family safe. If grief lived in you then, it had no tongue, lurking behind you like a ghost waiting to be acknowledged.
No, the first time you let him see you cry was months later.
It didn’t loom like an impending storm, didn’t announce itself with thunder and lightning. One moment, the world was steady. The next, the floodgates had opened.
His kitchen was warm, steeped in the golden hues of a sun too lazy to set just yet, its light stretching long across the counter where you sat. One leg was tucked beneath you, the other swinging idly, the heel of your sock skimming against the cabinet with soft, rhythmic taps. The room smelled of burnt sauce — nose-stinging, acrid, clinging to the air like a mistake neither of you wanted to acknowledge, and the pan sat abandoned on the stove, its contents an unappetizing mess of charred edges and failed ambition, but for once, you hadn’t laughed at him yet. That was the first sign.
Xavier leaned against the counter across from you, arms folded, waiting for the inevitable teasing. But it never came.
Instead — your breath caught.
A small thing. Barely there. An inhale cut short, like something had snagged on the way down.
His eyes flickered toward you just as your thumb hovered over your phone screen, frozen in place. The glow of it bathed your face in cold white light, so at odds with the warmth spilling in through the window. You weren’t looking at him. Weren’t looking at anything, really — just staring at the screen, your face blank.
And then, without sound, without warning, you folded into yourself.
Like something inside you held too tightly for too long had given way.
He knew this kind of breaking. Intimately.
It didn’t strike like lightning, didn’t split a person open in a single, violent moment. No, it settled, burrowed deep into the marrow, rewrote the shape of the bones it took root in. He had felt it before, held it before — in another life, in another ending. When your body had gone too still against his. When your breath had slipped against his neck, not with fear, not with struggle, but with something soft. A shaky exhale. A barely-there smile. A release so quiet, it had broken him more than any scream ever could.
He knew how grief hollowed a person out.
How it made ghosts out of the living, how it made you ache for someone even when they were right there, breathing the same air, sitting just an arm’s reach away.
And still — watching you now — it hurt.
You swiped at your face, impatient. Like you could erase the tears before they even had a chance to fully exist. But your hands betrayed you. They shook.
Xavier turned off the burner, the flame vanishing with a quiet click.
Gently, he pried the device from your grip. You let him. No resistance, no glance upward. Just the smallest movement, turning into him, pressing your forehead into his shoulder as if you could fold yourself into the fabric of his shirt, disappear into the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
The screen dimmed in his palm, but the voice still filtered through the speaker, sunny and youthful, threaded with a teasing affection that made Xavier’s throat tighten.
"I’ll be back soon. Be good, okay? Or you’ll be doin’ the cooking this time and I won’t lift a finger to help you."
A promise. A joke. A lie, but not an intentional one.
Then — a sound.
Small. Fractured. Barely more than an exhale, but enough to hit like a wound splitting open.
Xavier didn’t ask. Didn’t need to.
Instead, he shifted, lowering his chin against the crown of your head, his arms curling around you in a hold that wasn’t tight, but anchoring. Until the light from the window cooled into that dusky shade of evening, casting long shadows, making the edges of both of yours melt into one.
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The same summer that had been the genesis of Caleb’s anxieties about growing apart, you wouldn’t shut up about the summer camp he was sure Gran had sent you to just to put space between the two of you. Much to his chagrin, you had returned beaming, spirits fiery, smelling like lake water and pine sap, and carrying an entire new world in your hands.
Not that he minded — not really. He had always liked listening to you, always liked the way you told stories with your whole body, hands gesturing wildly, feet kicking the air, voice rising and falling like you were spinning some grand epic instead of just talking about canoe races and bonfire singalongs.
But this time, the stories weren’t about him.
They weren’t about things you had done together.
Instead, they were about them.
Lian. Cass. Milo. Names that meant nothing to him but tumbled so effortlessly from your lips, light and familiar, flung at him like paper planes, each one carrying a piece of you away. Lian said this, Cass did that, Milo was so funny when—
Your laughter filled the space between you, unguarded and bright, the kind that made your whole body move with it — shoulders shaking, hands bracing against your knees as if you needed to physically steady yourself from the force of the memory. You were sitting cross-legged on the couch, your oversized academy hoodie bunching at your elbows, the hem riding up just enough to reveal a sliver of bare skin above your pajama shorts.
Caleb watched, his own smile engaging, practiced — the kind he knew was expected in moments like these. He leaned back against the armrest, stretching his legs out beneath the coffee table, socked feet grazing against yours without thought. Yeah? What’d he say? The words left his mouth before he could register them, autopilot kicking in where his thoughts strayed.
You inhaled sharply, hands flailing slightly as you tried to contain your excitement. "Okay, so we were in the mess hall, and Cass dared Milo to chug this absolutely vile shake we made by spinning this random online wheel, right? Like, I’m talking — smelled like feet and regret. Anyway, Milo, being the overachiever that he is, actually considers it, and then — Lian, oh my god — just looks at him and goes, ‘I hope your digestive system is strong enough for this betrayal because in spirit, you aren’t.’"
You barely got the last words out before dissolving into another fit of laughter, head tilting back, eyes squeezed shut in delight, hands clapping together like a little cymbal monkey, and the sound wrapped around him like the softest parts of childhood.
Caleb nodded, fingers curling slightly against his knee. "Yeah. That’s — uh, that’s funny."
It wasn’t.
The words felt hollow in his mouth, like biting into a fruit that looked ripe but tasted wrong.
This Lian guy — what was his deal? A little too self-aware, wasn’t he? Try-hard humor, the kind that made people laugh at things instead of with them. The type of jokes even Zayne would roll his eyes at.
“You have to hear about this too! One night during campfire stories, Lian started messing with the group by making up these ridiculous prophecies. You had to be there, but trust me, it was so good. He told Milo that he was doomed to trip over a tree root before the week was out and Milo actually did trip! It was insane. So obviously, we decided that Lian was our new oracle and now he gives everyone fake fortunes, like ‘beware the wrath of the cafeteria lady,’ or ‘your socks will mysteriously disappear in the night.’ And honestly? They’ve all come true. It’s freaky. So, everyone thought with his powers, we should overthrow the entire camp and take over as co-rulers, and honestly, I think we could do it."
At one poing, Caleb had turned around, elbow braced against the couch arm, fingers curled loosely against his temple, and giving you that look, the one that said he was listening, that you had his full attention — but if you peered in closer, you’d see the way his gaze had dulled just slightly, like the glimmer behind his pupils had been quietly snuffed out.
"Oh yeah?" His voice came out smooth, too smooth, an autopilot response. "Where’d this revolution come from, exactly?”
"Okay, okay!" You beamed, sitting up straighter, knees bouncing with the effort of holding in your excitement. "So it all started when we got caught sneaking extra marshmallows from the mess hall. Lian was like, ‘This is tyranny, and we must rise up!’ So obviously, we started plotting this whole elaborate scheme to recruit our bunkmates and take control of the schedule board. If we changed the wake-up calls and sneaked into the admin office, we could make it so we got an extra hour of free time every day—”
Your hands waved wildly as you talked, nearly smacking him in the face at one point. Caleb barely blinked, smile thinning out a bit as you continued, oblivious.
"—and then Lian said that if we were in charge, we’d have unlimited access to the snack stash and, Caleb—imagine—unlimited s’mores!"
You looked at him then, eyes wide, expectant, your lips still parted from your last sentence like you were waiting for him to get it, to light up the way you did, to jump in and tell you it was brilliant.
Instead, Caleb nodded slowly, lips pressing together in that familiar, measured way, the one that meant he was choosing his words carefully. "Sounds… revolutionary."
"Right?!" You beamed. "Lian even made a fake list of camp rules with ridiculous demands, like mandatory nap time and designated hammock hours. And you know what? I think he'd make a great leader.”
"Well, I mean, I thought you were supposed to be co-rulers?"
"Oh, we are," you said quickly, leaning back against the couch with a dreamy sigh. "But sometimes I feel like Lian just naturally takes charge, you know? He always has these ideas, and everyone just listens to him. It’s kinda amazing."
“Yeah. Amazing.”
"And Cass invited me to a sleepover this weekend," you announced, dropping the words like a meteor in still water. "Her parents are hosting, please, please, please! Can I go?"
Caleb barely had time to process before his stomach knotted, a visceral, immediate reaction.
No.
The word was right there, balanced on the tip of his tongue, begging to spill out before he could even think. No explanation. No reason. Just no.
His fingers curled tighter around the book in his lap, the spine pressing into his palm, though he hadn't turned a page in over ten minutes.
He didn’t know this Cass. Had never met her, had never had a say in whether or not she was someone you should be spending time with. Hadn’t chosen her for you.
You were watching him, chin propped on your hands, your knees tucked to your chest where you sat at the other end of the couch. Expectant. Like you were sure he would say yes and asking for the sake of asking.
Something in his chest twisted, sharp and unrelenting.
He wanted to be selfish. Wanted to say no because it wasn’t normal for things to be changing like this. Wanted to tell you to stay home, to keep things exactly the way they had always been. That sleepovers weren’t necessary, that you didn’t need to be anywhere else.
But he wasn’t your parent.
He wasn’t your guardian.
But he was your gege. Wasn’t he?
His breath came a little too tight, but he forced himself to smile anyway, reaching out to ruffle your hair the way he always did. The way he should. The way that meant nothing had changed.
"Yeah," he said, swallowing down the frog in his throat. "Have fun."
Your whole face lit up, legs kicking excitedly against the cushions. "I will!"
He forced out a chuckle, the sound barely reaching his ears. "Don't forget to give Gran her parents' contact numbers, okay? I'll drop you off."
That night, long after you had gone to bed, Caleb found himself standing outside your room, barefoot on the floor, staring at the thin ribbon of light seeping out from beneath your door, pale and flickering as your shadow moved beyond it, listening to the soft rustle of fabric the quiet scrape of a zipper, the muffled shuffling as you rearranged the contents of your overnight bag.
He had done this before. Stood in this exact spot, staring at the door separating him from you, listening to the quiet sounds of you existing on the other side. When you were younger, it had been different — he used to do it just to check, just to make sure you were still breathing. A habit formed in childhood, lingering into habit, into routine.
But this time?
The space between him and that door felt vast, like he was standing on one side of a canyon that hadn’t been there before. He wasn’t checking in. He was watching something slip through his fingers, something skittering out of reach.
His fingers twitched at his sides.
He could knock. He could find an excuse — ask if you needed an extra charger even though it was you who usually came asking for one, joke about how you were probably overpacking for just one night, tease you about stuffing half your closet into your bag.
He could say something.
But he didn’t.
He just stood there, letting the seconds stretch long and thin between you.
And then, with a quiet exhale, he turned away, and turned in for the night.
Caleb lay in bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, but he wasn’t really seeing it. The shadows cast by the faint glow of his bedside clock stretched long and distorted as the numbers ticked forward, marking the slow crawl of time. Sleep never came. He didn’t expect it to.
His mind wasn’t drifting — it was pulling, unearthing something he hadn’t allowed himself to think about in years. A memory, worn at the edges but still sharp where it mattered.
The stories you used to tell.
Before camp. Before Gran. Before normalcy wrapped itself around your lives like an ill-fitting skin. Before you both learned how to live outside the sterile, white-washed walls where childhood had been something to endure rather than experience.
Back then, in the cold fluorescence of a place that smelled of antiseptic and something metallic beneath it, you had been the light.
The dreamer.
The one who could take four walls and turn them into something else entirely.
"I don’t belong here, my home is up here in the stars," you had whispered to him once, curled up on the too-thin mattress beside him, your voice hushed like the walls themselves had ears. "But it’s okay. He’s coming any day now."
"Who?" he had asked, because he knew the answer but wanted to hear you say it.
"My knight."
You had said it with absolute certainty, with a conviction so fierce that it almost made Caleb believe it too. "He promised he’d come back for me. But I won’t leave you here. He can take us far away, somewhere safe. Somewhere we don’t have to be afraid anymore."
Somewhere beyond the reach of men in white coats.
Back then, your world had been built on make-believe. On whispered prophecies and stories woven in the dark, each one an attempt to carve hope from the letters making up despair. And Caleb —
Caleb had never put stock in fairy tales, never believed in heroes riding in on white horses, or in distant kingdoms built on wishes and fate. But he had believed in you.
He had believed in the way your voice could soften the sharp edges of reality, the way you could take something cold and sterile and fill it with warmth, make it bearable. He had listened — really listened — memorized every inflection of your whispered stories in the dark, every frantic hope you clung to with tiny, desperate hands. He let you weave the illusion, let you pull him into that world where escape was possible, where you weren’t just waiting for whatever came next, helpless.
Then Gran took you in.
The men in white coats disappeared — gone, dead, buried beneath layers of the Chronorift Catastrophe and things nobody in this household ever talked about again. Life rearranged itself into something resembling normal, into the quiet rhythm of home-cooked meals and school bells and summer nights spent sprawled on the porch. And the stories?
They vanished.
The experiments had left fractures in your memory, gaps where entire years had been pried apart and left disassembled. Somewhere along the way, the knight from the stars had slipped through those cracks. Swallowed by time, forgotten, unspoken, lost to the void.
But Caleb never forgot.
The words still lived in the back of his mind, tucked away in the places he never let himself visit. He could still hear your voice, younger, softer, whispering of a promise made long before you ever met him. He promised he’d come back for me.
For years, that story — your story — had been his greatest nightmare. Not the experiments, not the men in white coats, not the ghosts of the past, but the idea that the princely knight you had once spoken of so fervently would come after all.
Caleb had spent endless nights staring at the ceiling, waiting, listening, dreading. He had imagined it too vividly — some older, stronger man arriving in the dead of night, welcoming himself back into your world, with a voice manlier than his to turn your head and hands steady enough to pull you away from him. He had pictured the way you might look at someone like that — wide-eyed, breathless, smitten — so enamored that you wouldn’t even glance back.
But in the end, there was no celestial rescuer.
No dramatic abduction. No grand, sweeping moment where someone took you from his grasp.
Just this.
Just time. Just life. Just the quiet, inevitable turning point of you growing, changing, stepping further and further outside the world the two of you had built. Not running, not even intentionally leaving him behind — just moving forward in a way that felt naturally inevitable, while he remained standing in place, watching your back drift further away.
He swallowed hard and turned onto his side, the sheets cool against his skin, but the heat in his chest refused to settle. His fingers curled into the fabric, gripping nothing, holding onto air.
The knight from the stars was never real.
But the fear of losing you had always been.
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Xavier’s apartment smelled like burnt toast.
Which was impressive, considering toast wasn’t even part of the meal.
Xavier’s second attempt at breakfast was going about as well as the first, which was to say: disastrous. The air purifier was whirring uselessly, struggling to clear out the acrid smoke curling into the walls, your clothes, your hair. The sink had already claimed several casualties — half-peeled vegetables, a cracked egg that never made it to the pan, and a bowl of rice that had turned a color rice should never be.
The only thing that had survived unscathed was the jar of honey.
And even that, apparently, was proving to be a challenge.
You sat at the counter, chin propped up on your hand, watching as Xavier wrestled with the lid and not even lifting a finger to help to see how long he could hold on until he wanted to recruit your help with that rare pleading face of his.
His long fingers, pale and deft, curled around the glass, his knuckles pressing white with effort. The lamplight pooled over the sharp angles of his wrists, catching on the fine bones of his hands, the faint veins trailing up the smooth expanse of his forearms. His skin, impossibly fair, seemed to drink in the light rather than reflect it. He was all silken precision, all effortless control — except for the slight crinkle kissed between his brows, the faint crease of concentration on his otherwise perfectly composed face.
He twisted the lid one way, then the other, then braced it against his hip with the air of someone prepared for battle. The muscles in his forearm tensed beneath the pale stretch of skin, lean and corded, a whisper of restrained strength. His silver lashes lowered, his lips pressed into a flat, determined line.
It was an absurdly regal effort.
And then—
POP.
The lid exploded off like a gunshot.
Honey burst from the jar in a gilded arc, catching the light as it splattered across the counter, his hands, and, most notably, his face.
For a moment, neither of you moved.
A dollop of honey traced a viscous, lazy path down his cheek, catching at the delicate edge of his jaw, slipping past the curve of his mouth. His lips, soft and finely shaped, parted slightly in what could have been a sigh, or maybe just exasperation. The strands of silver hair that framed his face were damp with syrup, sticking to the flawless cut of his cheekbones, glinting like strands of moonlight caught in amber.
And still, his expression remained blank. Like he didn’t quite register what had happened yet.
You were the first to break.
It started as a tremor, something caught in the back of your throat. A choked, strangled sound that barely registered as your own.
Xavier turned to you, silver lake blue eyes impassive.
“Is something funny?” he asked with a pout he was trying to hold back.
It wasn’t.
It wasn’t.
Except—
It was.
The laugh broke free before you could stop it, shaking loose from your chest, raw and unfamiliar. Your shoulders shook. Your head tipped back. It wasn’t just a chuckle, not just a small exhale through your nose — it was real laughter, the kind that knocked the breath from your lungs, the kind that you hadn’t felt in so long it almost startled you.
Xavier did not react.
Did not wipe the honey from his cheek.
Did not reach for a towel.
He simply stood there, deep pink dusting his ears, regarding you with an expression that was entirely too resentful. As if you were the strange one. As if he hadn’t just declared war on a honey jar and lost spectacularly.
You doubled over, forehead pressing to the counter as your fingers curled against the cool surface, struggling to breathe, to ground yourself. And yet, the laughter only came harder.
And then—
Then it hit you.
There were tears in your eyes.
Your breath stuttered, laughter fracturing into something quieter, something softer. Something more fragile. The sound wavered, teetering between joy and grief at laughing in the kitchen with someone else at another time, until it settled somewhere in between.
Xavier didn’t say anything.
He just reached for a napkin and, with surgical precision, wiped the substance from his face, and only managed to smear it around more.
You hiccupped, breath still uneven, as he casually put the jar down on the counter, closing a palm on top of it.
“Well, we’ve got honey at least,” he said, leaning in and turning his soiled cheek closer to you. “Do you want it?”
You nodded, biting your lip as you raised a finger and brushed along his cheekbone, collecting honey in a sticky trail as he kept his quiet-twinkled stare on you. As you pulled back your hand, he turned and licked his tongue over it, taking a taste as he contemplated the flavor thoughtfully.
"Good quality," he noted approvingly, his tone matter-of-fact.
His skin was soft. Soft enough that despite the sugar clinging to him, the warmth and tenderness beneath made you lean forward and kiss him where you touched. Just lightly. Bare lips pressed against his cheek, soft and fleeting before pulling away. You tasted honey and sunshine when you licked your lips, bright like liquid gold melting on your tongue, spreading like butter in your veins.
You looked up just in time to catch his double blink of surprise, eyebrows rising delicately to his hairline as his cheeks flushed deeper rose under all the sticky mess. A moment passed between you in silence — a private eternity.
Avoiding you when he was the one who made the move, Xavier immediately just went on to clean — like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t just unknowingly cracked something open inside you. And you sat there, fingers trembling as you wiped your eyes, pretending you weren’t still smiling.
Falling in love had never felt like this before.
It had never crept in through the cracks, never been this quiet, this steady.
But now, as you watched him move through the kitchen in search of something to put in front of you to eat, all awkward grace and quiet embarrassment, you realized—
Maybe it had been happening all along.
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The first time you saw Lumiere, you were too young to understand much of anything beyond the debilitating terror.
The world had cracked apart, splitting open at the seams, spilling its horrors into the streets like a wound that would never close. Sirens screamed through the chaos, their wailing voices swallowed by the greater, more inhuman sounds of the city tearing itself apart. The sky was wrong — a giant hole torn into the middle of it, unnatural and seething, pulsing like something alive.
Buildings didn’t just fall, they folded, twisting in on themselves, steel beams curling like dying fingers reaching for something they would never grasp. The ground trembled beneath your feet, a violent, groaning thing, the earth itself recoiling from the carnage. Wanderers moved through the ruins, warping the space around them, turning the air to something heavy and impossible. They weren’t just there — they were everywhere, shifting, flickering, bending reality like a cruel trick.
People ran. A panicked, mindless stampede, scattering like birds in the wake of a predator as smoke rolled thick through the streets, pressing its fingers against your lungs, squeezing. The streets had become graveyards. Cars sat abandoned, doors flung open in frozen panic, some crushed beneath fallen debris, others twisted into shapes that no longer resembled vehicles at all. Glass littered the asphalt, catching the firelight in fractured glints, like the last remnants of fallen stars.
In mere hours, the city had unraveled into something unrecognizable, like the world was really ending.
And in the middle of it all—
A spectral shimmer against the bruised expanse of the sky, carving through the ruins like a streak of molten silver, like a shooting star descended down to earth. He moved with the force of a video game character come to life, graceful, otherworldly, his blade carving arcs of light through beasts too vast, too nightmarish to fall to mere guns made by men.
You remembered the moment gloved hands — gentle, strong — had pulled you from the wreckage, lifting you out of the chaos as if you weighed nothing at all. The world around you was still crumbling, still breaking apart in ways too enormous for your small mind to comprehend, but in that instant, none of it reached you. His arms curled around you protectively, familiar in a way, shielding you from the twisted bodies of cars, from the distant screams, from the flickering, impossible reality of the Wanderers.
Your tiny hands had clung to his sleeve on instinct, desperate for something solid, something real, and even now, you could remember the way it felt beneath your fingertips — not coarse, not burned, but impossibly luxurious, like something that didn’t belong in this world at all. His white coat, unblemished despite the wreckage, didn’t seem to absorb the destruction the way everything else had, it should have been ruined, torn by shrapnel, dirtied by smoke and fire, but it wasn’t. It was perfect. As if nothing — not the crumbling city, not the collapsing buildings, not the monsters warping the air — could touch him.
He had only looked down at you once, but that was all it took.
Those eyes — deep blue, so calm it felt unreal, like water untouched by wind— had met yours, not with pity, but certainty. His hair, the lightest shade of white gold, caught the glow of the firelight, making it near impossible to tell where the light ended and he began. It was almost holy, a glow that made him seem less like a person and more like something from a fairy tale. A savior carved from light and distance.
And then, without a word, he had pulled you closer and lifted off the ground.
The city fell away beneath you, the fires and spiraling smoke blurring into streaks as the wind roared past your ears, the world that had just moments ago tried to swallow you whole becoming nothing but a smear of color beneath your feet. Up here — wrapped in the warmth of his power, cradled in the cocoon of safety — you were untouchable. Weightless as light itself.
You had never been this high before. Never seen the world like this. Never felt like this.
For a moment, in the middle of catastrophe, it was a dream.
And just as suddenly, it was over.
He descended with effortless precision, the wind dying around you as your feet met the ground, his arms the last thing you let go of. Gran’s trembling hands were there in the next breath, pulling you into a desperate embrace outside the shelter, voice cracking with relief.
You turned to look for him.
But he was already gone.
Not a word, not a trace. As if he had never been there at all.
And that was all it took. You were obsessed.
As you got older, fascination twisted into obsession. The internet sleuth in you wasn’t held back by being fourteen, hunting for everything, books, articles, classified reports that had leaked onto obscure message boards, desperate for any scrap of information on Lumiere. Your search history became a shrine to him, spiraling down a rabbit hole of half-truths and speculation that even explaining porn to Gran would be easier.
You scoured forums where people spoke about him in fanatic reverence in endless threads filled with theories and fragmented testimonies. Some claimed to have seen him in the flesh, accounts breathless and disjointed, warped by awe and that phenomenon where one couldn’t exactly convey what they had gone through in perfect storytelling. Others swore he was nothing but a myth conjured by higher-ups to give birth to hope in the chaos of Linkon’s Catastrophe, possibly a constructed hero for the screens, the latter of which you knew better to entertain at all.
You watched every second of available footage, even the grainy, unstable clips filmed on trembling phones, taken from rooftops, from shattered streets, from whatever vantage point people could find before fleeing for their lives. You rewound, paused, analyzed, frames gone over with meticulous care one by one for anything you could find to get closer to his identity.
How he moved, fluid and precise, inhuman even with evol-user standards, the world around him bent in subtle ways as if the reality itself wasn't sure how to hold him, light distorting at the edges of his body.
You traced backtracked his path through the city, cross-referencing footage with satellite images, tracking where he had been, where he had vanished, where the destruction had ended in his wake, taking scraps of information jotted in the margins of notebooks, highlighted documents saved on your drive, timelines reconstructed in frantic detail.
You tried to reconstruct your own memories, too, for anything related to his face, but they slipped through your grasp like sand through clenched fingers — there for a moment, vivid and raw, before scattering into something blurred and incomplete. Time and trauma had eroded the edges, distorting the details, leaving you with fragments instead of a whole.
You remembered the feeling more than anything.
The glow of his energy swimming around him, a halo of sentient light, illuminating the space between you. It wasn't warm like fire, nor cold like electricity, but something else entirely, brushing against your skin like a cat bumping its forehead into your hand, threading through your bones like a current that recognized you.
You knew, deep in your bones, that you wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. And that fact shaped you in ways you couldn’t explain.
Caleb thought it was hilarious.
“You could’ve picked literally anything else,” he teased, arms crossed as he watched you rearrange your Lumiere fanart posters for what had to be the third time that week, but there was an undeniable awe in the way his eyes swept over the sheer dedication on display. You would roll on the floor and kick your limbs just not to do your assigned chores, but the organization skills invested in Lumiere was nothing short of neat.
You barely glanced at him, too focused on making sure the edges of the posters were perfectly aligned. “And you still would be making fun of me.”
He snorted. “Listen, I support you, but you’ve turned this into a lifestyle.”
His gaze flicked around your room, taking in the full extent of your devotion. The shelves were packed — action figures still pristine in their boxes, rare collector’s items standing proudly on display, books and magazines carefully arranged like artifacts in a museum. A limited-edition Lumiere print, framed in glass, hung on the wall like it belonged in a gallery.
He reached over and flicked the head of a small Lumiere figurine on your desk, watching as it wobbled slightly before settling. Then he gestured toward the obscenely priced framed poster you had nearly cried over when it arrived in the mail.
“How much of your allowance have you blown on this guy?”
You turned to him, entirely unrepentant, eyes gleaming with conviction. “Every cent has been worth it.”
Caleb let out a long, dramatic sigh before collapsing onto your bed, bouncing slightly against the mattress as he folded his hands behind his head. His eyes flicked between you and the sheer shrine of Lumiere memorabilia covering your walls, his under-eye puffs creasing somewhere between amusement and mild exasperation.
"You know," he mused, stretching out like he had all the time in the world, "if you ever put this much dedication into something productive, you'd probably rule the world by now."
So much dad-talk with this guy.
"You’re just mad I’m putting my energy into Lumiere and not boosting your ego twenty-four-seven," you shot back, rolling your eyes as you took a step back to assess your latest Tetris-like rearrangement of posters. No visible surface of the wall underneath. Perfect.
Caleb hummed thoughtfully, still watching you with the kind of lazy, calculated interest that always meant trouble. Then, after a beat of silence, his lips curled into a slow, knowing grin.
"Actually," he drawled, tilting his head just slightly, "I bet you have some secret Lumiere fanfic account somewhere, don’t you?"
Your heart nearly stopped. "What—"
“Oh, you totally do.” Caleb was grinning now, wide and victorious, like a cat that had just batted its prey into a corner and was taking its time.
You grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him with everything you had. He dodged effortlessly, laughing as it thudded uselessly against the floor.
“Shut up, Caleb!”
“I’m right, though. I knew it.” He sat up, rubbing his chin as if deep in thought, the way he talked dipping into that slow, calculating tone that made your stomach drop. “Now the question is — what exactly do you write? Reader-insert? OCs? Ooh, or is it those tragic longing glances across the battlefield type deals?”
You peeked through your fingers, glaring from behind your hands. “How do you even know all of this?! You’re — You’re not supposed to know things like this! You’re a guy!”
“Wow. Gender stereotyping? In this day and age? For your information, I listen when people talk. Unlike someone.”
“I never talked about writing!” you shriek cracked in sheer betrayal.
“Please. You definitely have a secret account. Probably one of those edgy usernames, like ‘EclipsedSoul94’ or something.” He snapped his fingers. “Or wait — maybe something romantic. Like… ‘Lightbearer’s Muse.’”
Your entire body locked up.
Caleb’s eyes went wide, and in the split second of silence that followed, you knew you were doomed.
“No. Way.” His voice practically beamed with glee as he shot forward, bracing himself on his hands and knees like he was about to pounce. “Did I actually get close?!"
You scrambled back, heart hammering. "Shut up!"
He was laughing now, leaning into every bit of your suffering. "Wow, this is even better than I imagined. Really though, what do you write? Self-insert where you get rescued by him again? Maybe a little strangers-to-lovers? C’mon pip-squeak, you can share it with me… Oh, wait — do you make him suffer? Tragic backstory rewrite? I’m thinking angst. Big, dramatic, heart-wrenching—”
"Get out of my room!"
This time, you launched the pillow with actual intent to maim. He caught it effortlessly, barely even flinching, his grin unaffected.
“Oh, I’m going to find it,” he declared, tossing the pillow back onto your bed as he stood. “It’s only a matter of time.” He pointed two fingers at his own eyes, then turned them toward you. “Just remember — you can’t hide from me forever.”
And with that, he was gone.
The second the door clicked shut, you collapsed onto your bed, burying your face into the nearest pillow and screamed.
You were so screwed.
Despite the relentless teasing, the smug grins, the knowing looks whenever you so much as mentioned Lumiere’s name, Caleb never actually tried to talk you out of your obsession. Never scoffed and told you to get over it, never dismissed the endless streams of theories and analysis spilling from your mouth. If anything, he made it worse.
Because instead of shutting you down, he fed into it.
Where everyone else might have tuned you out, offering half-hearted nods and vague hums of acknowledgment, Caleb locked in. Not just humoring you—engaging. Matching your energy in a way that no one else ever had.
Somewhere along the way, he had started picking things up. Not just the basics — anyone who spent enough time around you would eventually know Lumiere’s name, his signature abilities, his role in the Catastrophe. But Caleb went further. He started stockpiling trivia, hoarding it like ammunition, waiting for the right moment to use it against you.
And he did. Mercilessly.
"You know, technically, Lumiere’s first recorded appearance after the Catastrophe is actually three years later, he’s not entirely gone," he had dropped casually over breakfast one morning, flipping through his phone like he wasn’t watching your reaction out of the corner of his eye. "A witness in South End reported seeing a guy with light-based powers interfering in a protocore smuggling ring. No solid proof, but some people think—"
You nearly choked on your coffee.
Or the time you were mid-rant about power scaling inconsistencies in an old debate, only for Caleb to lazily stretch his arms and yawn, "Yeah, but Lumiere’s light refraction abilities could inherently be tied to gravitational fields, so if you think about it, it actually makes sense that his speed varies depending on—"
You had thrown a book at him.
He acted like it was effortless, like this knowledge had just naturally embedded itself into his brain, but you knew. He had researched this. Had studied. Absorbed every ridiculous tidbit just for the sole purpose of catching you off guard, slipping it into conversation like he had always been an expert.
And whenever you found out about a rare Lumiere event — an exhibit, a convention panel, a last-minute pop-up experience — Caleb always somehow made time for it. No matter how busy he was, no matter how much he acted like he had better things to do, he never let you go alone.
He was the one dragging you out the door before you could overthink it, nudging you along when your nerves made you hesitate, handing over your ticket with a long-suffering sigh like this was somehow his responsibility. And yet, despite all his grumbling, he never actually looked reluctant.
He took you to Lumiere-themed pop-up cafés, sitting across from you in a booth that was entirely too colorful for his tastes, making some sarcastic remark about how even the food was branded. And yet, when the latte art arrived, he took the picture before you could even reach for your phone, angling it just right to catch the aesthetic lighting.
He cringed at the massive life-sized Lumiere cardboard cutouts at events but still held your bag when you ran up to one, grinning like an idiot as you posed beside it. And then, when you weren’t paying attention, he took actual good pictures, ones where you didn’t look stiff or awkward, capturing the moment exactly as it was — your excitement, your enthusiasm, the way your entire face lit up.
He even tagged along to convention panels, sitting through debates over Lumiere’s greatest heroic moments like he had a stake in them. You expected him to zone out, maybe nap through the more obscure discussions, but he never did, if anything, he leaned into the arguments with the investment of a man lingering before a soap opera he told his partner he wasn’t interested in, standing up with hands on hips.
And when you shot him a look, silently accusing him of enjoying this way more than he let on, he just shrugged.
"Hey, I’ve been forced into this fandom. Might as well commit."
You wanted to argue, call him out on the fact that he was the one feeding into your obsession, not the other way around. But the moment you turned to say something, he was already flipping through the event schedule.
"Alright," he would lock in. "Where’s the merch booth?"
Caleb had made your love for Lumiere feel valid, important — even if he never let you live it down.
One year, on your birthday, Caleb somehow managed to track down the holy grail of Lumiere merchandise—an original, limited-edition plushie from an exclusive release, the kind of thing that had vanished off the market almost as soon as it had dropped. You had spent so much searching for it, scouring secondhand listings, watching auctions climb into absurd price ranges before vanishing altogether and appearing right back in someone else's hands to be auctioned once more, hands in your hair agonizing over the relic of the fandom hardcore collectors would have sold their souls for.
And Caleb, of all people, had found it.
You still remembered the moment you unwrapped it — the weight of the box in your lap, the crinkle of carefully folded tissue paper giving way beneath your fingertips, the instant recognition as soon as you caught a glimpse of soft, familiar fabric. Your breath had hitched, hands going still, heart skittering in the hollow of your throat like jostled dice as the realization sank in.
This wasn’t some replica. This wasn’t just a well-kept version of the later reprints. This was the original.
You lifted it with something close to reverence, fingers ghosting over the embroidered details, the slightly worn tag still attached to its side. It looked untouched, preserved like a piece of history, but you knew better. You knew how old it was, how impossible it should have been to get something like this in such pristine condition.
You had screamed and made him jump, nearly knocking him over with the force of your hug, your hands shaking as you clutched it close to your chest, running your fingers over the embroidered insignia and the carefully-stitched details. "No. No way. NO WAY! Where—how—? Caleb!"
He ruffled your hair in that annoyingly familiar way, his touch light but lingering just a second longer than usual. “It wasn’t even that hard to get.”
You pulled back, still clutching the plushie to your chest, blinking at him in disbelief. “What do you mean it wasn’t hard? Caleb, this thing has been sold out for years. People would kill for it. I would’ve killed for it.”
He just shrugged, all nonchalance, like he hadn’t just gifted you something nearly impossible to find. “Luckily, you don’t need to, because I know people.”
You narrowed your eyes. “You do not know Lumiere merch scalpers.”
“I might.”
You gawked at him. “Wait. Wait. Did you actually—”
Caleb waved you off, leaning back in his chair like the conversation was already over. The birthday cake remnants still sat on the table nearby, plates half-empty. “Just be grateful, gremlin.”
You stared at him, still overwhelmed, your heart all over the place from equal parts excitement and the dawning realization that he had to have gone above and beyond to get this. And he wasn’t even rubbing it in your face like he normally would. Just looking content with himself. 
The warmth of the stove lights flickered against his face, highlighting the soft grin playing at his lips, but beneath all the teasing, there was the unbearable smother of honeyed fondness that made your breath catch for just a heartbeat.
You hugged the plushie tighter, still clutching it like it was the most precious thing in the world. “Caleb.”
He cracked an eye open, raising a brow. “Hmm?”
You didn’t even know what to say. Thank you didn’t seem enough. But you also knew he’d never let you dwell on it too long. He was always like this — giving, caring, yours, in a way that was so deeply ingrained in your life you sometimes forgot to acknowledge it.
Choked up, you nudged his leg beneath the table with your foot. Caleb, ever the instigator, nudged back, his grin widening as your little game escalated into a full-blown under-the-table foot war. The plates and empty glasses clinked slightly as your shins bumped, his movements slow and infuriatingly confident, while you tried to gain the upper hand.
“You’re the worst,” you muttered instead, trying to mask the sudden warmth creeping up your neck.
Caleb, predictably, took the bait, his grin widening as he leaned back, stretching his legs out to trap yours in place. “You love me,” he shot back, effortlessly smug, not expecting anything more from you.
And maybe that was what made it so easy to say what you did next, words slipping out before you could think twice. “I’d probably be miserable without you.”
His foot froze against yours.
You didn’t notice, too focused on reclaiming your space in the ongoing foot war, pushing against his shin again with renewed determination. But across the table, Caleb had gone completely still, his smile faltering just slightly before he recovered, clearing his throat.
“Yeah, yeah,” he murmured, shaking his head, but his ears were red, his voice softer than before.
Another time, he had stayed up with you all night, camping out in a virtual queue just to secure tickets to a Lumiere-themed convention. You had woken up that morning to a confirmation email and Caleb sprawled on your couch, half-asleep with his phone still in his hand.
You had launched yourself at him, tackling him in joy, and even though he had groaned about being used as a human pillow, he had never once pushed you away.
Looking back, you wondered if you had ever truly understood that these memories weren’t just tied to Lumiere. They were wrapped by the safety and happiness of Caleb always making space for your hyperfixations, in the laughter over something only he would ever indulge.
The things you treasured most had never belonged to Lumiere. They had always belonged to Caleb.
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The old town, infested with Wanderers and long abandoned by warmth, was colder than expected — not the kind of cold that settled, but the kind that moved, restless and alive, carried on the wind like an unseen force threading through the empty streets, it was something biting, something electric, like static before a lightning strike, like unseen teeth grazing exposed skin.
You had felt it before Xavier did.
Even before the wind cut sharper, before the first true gust sent loose debris skittering across the road, you had known, drawn in on yourself instinctively, chin tucked, shoulders hunched, fighting the chill that threaded through your coat as if the layers meant nothing, arms locked tight around your body, gloved fingers curling against your sleeves, as if bracing for something just beyond the horizon.
And then, you had stopped talking somewhere along the walk back, words trailing off until there was nothing but the sound of your footsteps, picking up pace, pressing forward.
Xavier hadn't noticed — not at first.
Not in the way he should have.
He had just assumed you were cold, that you, like him, simply didn’t want to be caught outside when the storm hit. Had brushed it off as something normal — the logical reaction to impending bad weather.
The place they had taken for the night barely deserved to be called a shelter. It was a husk of a room, abandoned to time, walls bruised with damp stains that crept like ivy, smelling of old concrete and rusted metal. The single window rattled in protest against the wind, its warped frame allowing the night to slip through in cold, sharp breaths, laced with the damp tang of rain that hadn’t yet fallen.
The heater struggled against the chill, wheezing out uneven bursts of warmth that never reached past the center of the room. Its hum was a frail thing, swallowed by the rising howl of wind that curled through the alleyways outside, hissing and whistling through unseen cracks in the foundation.
They had a plan — keep watch in shifts, take turns standing guard. But plans meant nothing when he felt safe enough and wooziness had already sunk its fangs deep, wrapping around his limbs, tugging him down like stones in water.
Sleep took him fast.
Swift. Unfought. Unnoticed.
At some undefined hour of the night, he surfaced from sleep — not to cold, but to warmth.
His mind waded through the haze of exhaustion, sluggish and unwilling, thoughts tangled in the remnants of whatever half-formed dreams had been unraveling in his head. Instinct kept his body still, his muscles coiled, tight, waiting. The room was silent except for the distant hush of wind through the cracks, the faint coughing of the heater struggling against the damp chill.
And then, awareness seeped in.
Something soft. Comfy. Pressed against him.
The warmth wasn’t from the heater.
It was you.
The realization was a breath held too long, burning his lungs. You had curled into him in sleep, your body drawn close as if seeking something — comfort, heat, him.
Even without seeing your face, he felt it in the way you clung, your fingers curled tight in the fabric of his shirt, gripping like something in you needed to hold on. Your knuckles pressed into his ribs, your breath ghosting across his skin in shallow, uneven pulls, whisper-soft, as if shaped from the same air that carried his secrets.
And you were trembling.
Not violently, not enough to wake, but enough that he noticed. Enough that something deep in his chest cavity wilted at the thought of whatever had driven you to this.
Outside, the storm had come in full.
Lightning split the sky in flashing white veins, illuminating the window for a fractured instant before plunging them back into darkness, wind howled through the streets, carrying the sharp, sudden crack of thunder. You flinched in your sleep, whining softly.
And suddenly, Xavier understood.
His body moved before his thoughts could catch up, a quiet, instinctual response written into muscle memory. He shifted — not abruptly, not enough to jostle you awake, but with a frictionless glide as if settling deeper into water without disturbing the surface.
The mattress dipped beneath his weight, adjusting to the subtle pull of your body against his. He could feel the way you fit against him, the way you curled inward, seeking warmth, seeking him. The fabric of his shirt tightened under your grip, your fingers still balling the material as if you weren’t ready to let go, even in sleep.
He could have woken you. Should have.
A gentle shake of your shoulder, a quiet murmur — It’s just a storm. It will pass.
But inexplicably, he didn’t.
Instead, he stayed.
Let you burrow closer, let your breath even out against his collarbone, let the fragile rhythm of sleep attempt to reclaim you, no matter how restless it was. The scent of you — faint traces of perfume and the lingering damp chill from the air outside — mixed with the slow burn of body heat between you, wrapping the moment in something neither of you would acknowledge in the morning.
He told himself he was only waiting. Just for a little while. Just until you settled.
What came next was barely a sound. A breath, a whisper, something fragile enough to be mistaken for the wind rattling through the walls.
“Caleb.”
Xavier froze.
A slow, twisting sickness thrashed in his gut, bitter and ugly, something he had no right to feel.
Outside, the city howled. Wind rushed through the skeletal remains of forgotten buildings, rain lashing against the rattling windowpane in fits of fury. Thunder cracked, deep and rolling, a sound that did not settle — it shuddered through the bones of the earth, rattled the air, tried to shake loose whatever it could.
But inside?
Inside, there was only this.
The press of your body against his. The shape of you molded against his side, fingers still curled into the fabric of his shirt as if you meant to hold onto him. As if he was the gravity keeping you from drifting. As if you were reaching for him — not just in sleep, not just in the thick haze of exhaustion — but truly, blindly, instinctively.
And yet—
It wasn’t his name you whispered.
Xavier’s jaw locked, his breath shallow. He could have let you go. Could have moved away, broken the moment, shaken you gently awake and told you to take the bed. Could have reminded you, in some quiet, necessary way, that he was not the one you were calling for.
But he didn’t.
He couldn’t.
He let you stay there, let himself absorb the warmth of you, the weight of you. Let himself pretend, for just a moment, that this meant nothing. That it was only an exhaustion-born slip of the tongue, a dream clawing through the grave, something fleeting that would dissolve with the dawn.
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The storm prowled in late, a hulking beast dragging its belly across the sky, smothering the moon beneath a thick, churning mass, its swollen clouds rolling like restless beasts. Lightning flickered in their depths, a pulse beneath thick, churning skin, illuminating the world in fractured glimpses — a flash of the windowpane, rain-streaked and rattling, a brief glint of an airplane model on the nightstand, the sharp angles of shadows clawing across the ceiling. Then darkness again. The first distant growls of thunder were rolling in low, stretching their echoes across the night.
Caleb barely noticed.
The flickering blue light of the TV played over his face, his body sprawled across the bed in an easy sprawl, one arm slung over his eyes. The hum of voices from the screen blended into the static haze of his thoughts, their weightless chatter filling the space without asking anything of him. A small comfort.
A bolt of lightning ripped the sky in half, flooding the room with a bone-white flash.
CRACK!
A thunderclap like a gunshot split the air, slamming into the apartment with a force that rattled the windowpanes, making the lights flicker, and Caleb flinched, breath caught mid-inhale. And just like that, awareness returned to him.
You were afraid of storms.
It had been years since you’d last crawled into his bed on a night like this, but fear didn’t just disappear — it wore new faces.
Just like life.
Once, fear had been the thunder outside your window. Now, it was subtler, more intangible, abstract. Time itself, pulling you both in opposite directions like a tide too strong to fight.
His world had grown far beyond the childhood walls that once felt endless. The cracked pavement of your old street had given way to stadium lights, the sharp echo of a basketball on concrete replaced with the rhythmic squeak of sneakers on polished hardwood. Grueling practices stole his evenings, high-stakes games consumed his weekends, and the weight of expectation had begun bearing down on his shoulders like a physical thing. Coaches, teammates, strangers — each of them had carved their own demands into him, shaping him into something more than just the boy you used to know.
A name. A talent. A future.
And yet, all of it — every late-night practice, every exhausting sprint, every sacrifice— had been a decision made in the quiet of his own mind.
For your sake.
Because while his world had stretched wide and far, you had remained at the center of it. Home was still in your shadow.
Had it been too much to expect for it to be the same for you?
You were no longer just the kid who used to chase after him, feet barely keeping up, breathless and laughing, wide-eyed and weightless and trusting in the way only children could be.
Your hands had once been so small, always grasping, always finding his wrist, his sleeve, the hem of his shirt—any part of him that anchored you. In crowded hallways, you used to press into his side as if the press of bodies and the rush of voices would swallow you whole if he wasn’t there to hold you tight, fingers curled tight in the fabric of his jacket like you thought he was going to leave you behind.
It was in the way you spoke now. No more sidelong glances in his direction, no more pausing to gauge his reaction before deciding whether to commit to a thought. The kind of confidence that wasn’t borrowed from him but built on your own ground.
It was in the spaces you carved out, the ones where his presence had become optional instead of assumed. The text chains he wasn’t part of, filled with names and inside jokes he didn’t recognize. The weekend plans you no longer ran by him first, the group outings where he wasn’t automatically included. People who had their own memories with you — memories he wasn’t in. Once, your world had overlapped so completely with his that he never questioned whether he had a place in it. Now, it was expanding, growing branches he hadn’t been there to water.
The signs were everywhere, in details so small they almost felt petty to notice — almost. The way you’d tilt your phone away when typing, in the existence of private social media accounts he didn’t have access to. The way you ordered for yourself at restaurants without giving him that familiar look, the unspoken “you know what I like” that used to pass between you. The way your late-night talks had dwindled, from every time something went wrong to only when it was serious.
Once, you would have knocked on his door in a heartbeat — over a bad test grade, a ruined outfit, a stubbed toe. Now, days passed before he even realized something had happened, and by the time he asked, you had already handled it. Solved it. Moved on.
And he told himself it was good. Healthy. A natural part of growing up.
But needing him less was one thing.
Needing him not at all — that was something else entirely.
And then there were the looks — the ones he hadn’t noticed at first, or maybe just refused to.
The first time he really saw it — not just noticed in passing, not just brushed off — was on the court at seventeen, the burn of the game still fresh in his muscles, sweat rolling down his spine in slow, sticky beads. His heart was hammering from the last play, his breath still unsteady, but none of that mattered the second his gaze flicked toward the sidelines.
You were there, exactly where you always were, standing just beyond the edge of the gym floor, your voice still ringing from whatever cheer you’d thrown his way. But he was there too — some near-graduate with too much ego and too little sense, stretching lazily near the bench like he wasn’t watching you, when he very much was.
Caleb saw it in the slow drag of his gaze, the way it traced over you like a hand, the up-and-down appraisal that made his stomach fold in on itself hot and tight.
This fossil wasn’t some kid on the playground getting red-faced and tongue-tied, some middle school idiot stammering through a crush while Caleb loomed over him, effortlessly making himself an immovable wall between you and them.
Back then, it had been easy. He never had to try. A single glance, a well-placed hand on your shoulder, a casual, dismissive she’s busy or oh, she’s not dating yet or she’s got a curfew or we’ve got family plans tonight was all it took to send whatever unfortunate boy packing. Those little guys were no real threat — not to him, not to you. They were children. Awkward, unsure, easily intimidated.
But this?
This was a whole different game.
Fourteen. His baby pip-squeak was fourteen. And that guy was nearly eighteen. A senior. Already filling out college applications. Already halfway out the door with a look that said I know exactly what I want, and I think I can take it.
Caleb felt the arrival of the crunch time before he fully processed it. The way his body tensed. The slow, curling heat that started in his chest, burned its way up the back of his neck and set his entire head on fire. His pulse had just begun to settle, but now it was climbing again for a different reason.
Of course, he didn’t throw a punch. Didn’t snap, didn’t bare his teeth, didn’t let the heat curling in his gut explode into something reckless.
Instead, he did what he always did — smiled.
That same easy, sunlit grin that made people relax. That made them believe he was nothing but warmth, nothing but laughter and good-natured charm. He slung an arm over his teammate’s shoulder, casual as ever, fingers pressing just a little too firmly into the guy’s back — friendly, but firm. A little too much weight in the gesture. A little too much control.
Like a predator playing with its food.
“Oh, man,” he laughed, loud enough to carry, his voice bright and effortless, even as something cold settled beneath it. “You think you can handle her? I live with her. Believe me, you do not want that smoke. She still holds a grudge over a game of Kitty Cards from, like, five years ago.”
His teammate chuckled, but it wavered with the subtle knowledge thrown his way about Caleb’s relation to you. A half-second too slow, a fraction too stiff. Caleb felt it — the subtle crack in his posture, the moment of hesitation.
Good.
Caleb clapped him on the back, kept his grip just strong enough, let the force of it push the guy a step forward, off balance. His grin never slipped, easy and golden, smooth as ever.
“Nah,” he added, shaking his head with a laugh. “You don’t want to stoop to her level and be a child with her. Trust me.”
And that was it.
That was the cut. You’re too grown for her, don’t even think about it.
It wasn’t the thunder that rolled overhead yanked him away from the memories but the knock. Barely more than a dull tap compared to the pelting rain.
A flicker of intent, and his evol pulsed through the air, slipping unseen into the metal of the lock. It gave without resistance, the faintest click swallowed by the storm’.
The door eased open, and there you were.
You stood at the threshold, wrapped in the dim glow spilling from the hallway, shadows pooling at your feet. Your sweater, probably stolen from his closet, if he had to guess, enveloped you like a hug, sleeves too long, hands swallowed in soft fabric, the hem skimming the tops of your bare thighs, and for a moment, he didn’t know if it was the storm making the room feel colder or the sight of you standing there, small and uncertain, like something fragile carried in by the wind. our hair clung to your cheeks, still damp from the shower, no matter how many times he’d told you to dry it properly. The Lumiere plushie — faded from years of love, seams slightly frayed — was clutched tight to your chest, its little embroidered eyes peeking out between your fingers.
For a second, you didn’t move. Just hovered there, framed by the doorway, uncertain. The flickering light from the hallway cast uneven shapes across your face, catching on the tension in your brow, the way your lips pressed together like you were still debating this. Still deciding whether to step forward or turn back.
The storm cracked overhead, a sudden burst of white against the night.
You flinched.
That was all it took.
Before he could say anything, you moved.
A blur of of warmth and familiarity as you darted forward, slipping beneath the blankets in a single, fluid motion, your body curling against his, urgent and instinctive, like you were a mole that could burrow deep enough to escape the storm itself.
The scent of shower clung to you, damp and cooled, mixing with the lingering sweetness of whatever tea you must have abandoned in the kitchen. Your skin, still chilled from the hallway, met the steady heat of his side, and the contrast sent a shiver through you — a quiet tremor he felt before he heard your voice.
“I hate this.”
The words came muffled, half-buried in the plush fabric of Lumière, your cheek pressed into the space between his shoulder and chest. Your fingers tightened around the stuffed toy, nails pressing into worn seams, but your body had already melted against his. Seeking. Settling. Staying.
“It’s too loud.”
He exhaled, measured and steady, adjusting the blankets in a practiced motion. Tucking you in. Smoothing the covers over your shoulder, pulling them snug around you both, layering warmth like a shield against the chaos outside.
But his hands lingered.
Half a second too long. Fingers brushing against the fabric of your sleeve, feeling the shape of your wrist beneath.
Just a hesitation. Just a moment.
Then he let go.
Outside, the storm raged on. Inside, in the dim hush of the room, you had already begun to relax — breath evening out, shoulders losing their tension. Your weight, solid and real, grounding him in ways you probably didn’t realize.
He swallowed, tilting his head slightly, watching the way your lashes fluttered.
“Didn’t you say you’d be fine since Lumiere would protect you?” he teased with the kind of question meant to earn an indignant huff, a half-hearted rebuttal.
You just sighed instead, pressing in closer, tucking yourself into the space between his arm and his chest like you belonged there. Maybe you did.
“Lumiere can protect me in here, as well.”
Caleb let out a short, breathy snort, shaking his head, but didn’t push the moment further. The teasing remark on the tip of his tongue faded before it could form, swallowed by the quiet rhythm of your breathing against him. Instead, he let his focus drift back to the television, the glow of the screen flickering in shades of blue and white, the sound barely more than a murmur beneath the rain. His eyes tracked the movement, but none of it stuck — just colors, light, a meaningless blur against the weight of you snugly close beside him.
He could feel your heartbeat, a tad bit too fast and off-kilter, just beneath the layers of fabric between you. The rise and fall of your breath matched his own, an unconscious sync that had existed for as long as he could remember. The plush weight of Lumière was still crushed between you, your fingers lax around its worn edges. The storm continued, but none of the chaos reached you here. You were safe. You had always been safe with him.
That was the way it had always been.
Since you were small, since the first time a storm had driven you to his room, since the night you’d climbed into his bed without a word and dived beneath his blankets. Caleb had gotten used to it — used to the way you always found your way back to him when you were afraid, as if his presence alone was enough to ward off the things that scared you.
But something was different this time.
It wasn’t the first time you had curled up against him like this. Wasn’t the first time his bed had become your refuge against thunder and lightning. But it was the first time he was aware of it—so painfully, keenly aware.
Of the way your weight settled against him.
Of the way your warmth seeped through his clothes, into his skin.
Of the way his own breath felt suddenly too shallow, on the verge of shaking.
The first time in what felt like forever that he wasn’t just letting you exist beside him, wasn’t just offering quiet comfort out of habit.
It blindsided him, sharp and sudden, like stepping off a curb he hadn’t seen coming. His pulse stuttered — missed a couple beats, even — before picking up again, faster this time, uneven and unsteady. His breath caught, a fraction too shallow, barely making it past his throat.
Heat bloomed low in his stomach, curling, spreading, wrong. A rush of something hot and electric, sharp in its intensity, unwelcome in its timing. The front of his shorts grew uncomfortably tight, and panic — raw, visceral, boiling — shot through him before his brain could even fully register why.
His arm, draped around your shoulders in what had always been an easy, thoughtless gesture, suddenly felt rigid. His fingers twitched where they rested against the soft knit of your sweater, a tremor he hoped you wouldn’t notice. You were pressed so close, body warm and trusting, the scent of your shampoo curling into the space between you, something faintly sweet, familiar. The steady rhythm of your breathing ghosted against his collarbone, peaceful, unaware, safe.
Safe with him.
(You’re too grown for her, don’t even think about it.)
His stomach twisted, shame lashing through him with an intensity that made his skin prickle. He squeezed his eyes shut, jaw locking tight, willing it away. Not now. Not here, not like this.
But it didn’t go away.
If anything, it sank deeper, worse.
Like an itch beneath his skin that he couldn’t scratch, like a wire pulled too tight, like something recalibrating inside him in a way he wasn’t sure he knew how to stop.
One of your arms had somehow found its way under his shirt in the process of shifting closer, your fingers curled loosely against his ribs, barely brushing. The touch was a simple point of contact, yet it may as well have been a live wire pressed against him.
The stuffed Lumière had been shoved between you at some point, an afterthought, its worn fabric smushed and doing absolutely nothing to create any real distance. Your bare leg had tangled with his under the blanket, knee slotted against his in a way that should have been familiar, routine, but wasn’t — not anymore.
You had melted into his side the moment you felt safe, your body losing all tension like a sigh exhaled straight into him. He had felt it happen. The moment your fingers twitched once, twice, then stilled. The way your breathing deepened, evened out, slow and unguarded. The tiny, involuntary nuzzle as you nestled closer, like instinct, like trust.
It was the kind of thing he would have laughed at, should have laughed at — how absurdly fast you had knocked out, how easily you had settled into sleep as if the storm outside had never existed.
But he couldn’t laugh.
Because while you were perfectly at ease, he was staring at the ceiling, pulse jackhammering, dick rigid with something too messy to name and had him going completely, utterly insane.
This can't be happening.
He shouldn’t be thinking about you like this.
Shouldn’t be feeling like this.
Every rational part of him screamed it, pounded it into his skull like a warning siren. This was you — the same person who he had been sheltering even from his own eyes, the same person who had never thought twice before crawling into his space, his bed, his arms, whenever you needed comfort. And right now — right now — you were trusting him to be nothing but safe.
But safe was the last thing he felt.
His skin was too tight, heat licking up his spine, an uncomfortable, cloying pressure settling in the pit of his stomach that refused to ease no matter how many slow breaths he forced past his lips. The sheets felt too warm, the press of your body against his too much.
Then came the thought — the one he didn’t mean to have, the one he tried to shove down the moment it clawed its way into his brain.
It would be so easy to press your hand down firmer.
He crushed it before it could fully form, but the damage was already done.
Not just because of what he was feeling, but because of what he wasn’t feeling. No alarm, no disgust, no immediate, sharp-edged denial cutting through the fog about being your older brother — having to be your older brother. Just this. The slow, creeping horror of understanding that something had shifted long before this moment, that it had been shifting for years, and that he had been pretending not to notice.
The worst part wasn’t that it was happening.
The worst part was that he had spent so long convincing himself it never could.
That he had been so certain he had outgrown it. That he had locked it away, buried it, desensitized himself into something safe, into something good, into the person you needed and wanted him to be.
And yet—
And yet.
Here he was, feeling like this, every nerve in his body betraying him, his own self-control slipping through his fingers like sand.
Like he had never locked those feelings away at all.
Like they had only been waiting.
Touch had always been natural between you, something woven so seamlessly into the fabric of his life that he never stopped to think about it. It had been there since childhood, an unconscious language of familiarity, of belonging. You’d always looped your arm through his without a second thought, fingers hooking around his sleeve as you walked beside him, grounding yourself in his presence. Slipped your hands into his jacket pockets when the wind bit too sharply at your fingertips. Draped yourself over his back with a huff when you were too lazy to move, trusting him to hold your weight like it was nothing.
He could still feel the way you used to pull at the hem of his shirt when you wanted his attention, a silent, wordless request that he never needed to question. The way your forehead would press against his shoulder when exhaustion hit, your body sinking against his like it was second nature. The absentminded way you toyed with the ends of his hair when he was distracted, your fingers twisting through the strands in quiet loops. He had been used to it. To the gentle, fleeting pressure of your foot nudging his under the dinner table. To the way you never seemed to notice how close you sat, legs pressing together without hesitation. To the weight of your head against his chest when the world felt too loud and you needed silence wrapped in the steadiness of him.
It had always been that way. It had always been fine.
But lately — lately, things weren't quite right.
Not in the way you acted. You were the same. Still wrapping your arms around him after games, still slipping beneath his arm when you needed comfort. Still pressing into his side without hesitation, warm and familiar, never second-guessing the space you took up in his life.
But he felt it differently now.
It crept up on him in moments that should have been nothing — the way your warmth seeped through his clothes, the slow drag of your fingertips on the flushed skin of his ribs, the faint pressure of your breath against his skin when you leaned in close. A quiet, unbearable awareness.
You weren’t a kid anymore. He wasn’t your gege anymore.
Too much. Too much. Too much that he could collapse into a black hole right here, right now.
He needed to create space between you before he did something stupid.
But when he stirred slightly, you only sighed in your sleep, nuzzling further into him. The plushie that was basically a barrier between you slipped, letting him feel the press of the plush of your chest against him, your leg sliding firmly between his. He froze, every muscle in his body locking up, sweat beading along his hairline and face absolutely on fire.
No.
He pried your hand from underneath his shirt, the drag lingering on a loop inside his head even after he let go. His hands trembled, barely steady enough to nudge the stupid plushie out of the way, pushing it aside like it had been the thing keeping him pinned in place instead of you.
Slowly, he lifted himself from the mattress, moving inch by inch, muscles taut with the effort of keeping his movements smooth, controlled. Every cell in his body felt raw, hyper-aware of every rustle of fabric, every shuffle of weight. The mattress dipped as he pulled away, but you didn’t stir beyond a faint murmur, too deeply gone into blissed dreamland to notice his absence.
His pulse hammered in his throat as he hovered there, hesitating — watching the way you curled into the space he left behind, seeking warmth, unconsciously reaching for something that was no longer there.
He let out a slow, shaky breath before carefully sliding his pillow into your arms instead. It was an old thing, worn soft at the edges, still faintly carrying his scent. The moment it settled against you, you hummed — a barely-there sound, sleepy and content — as you pulled it close, nuzzling into the fluffy fabric, tucking your face into it the way you had done to him only moments ago.
You didn’t wake. Because as far as you were concerned, nothing had changed.
But Caleb sat there for a moment longer, watching you, fingers curling into loose fists uselessly at his sides, his breathing uneven in his own chest. The covers rose and fell with each peaceful breath you took, oblivious to the way his world had tilted on its axis.
He swallowed hard, throat dry, and reached to pull the blanket higher over your shoulder. Smoothed it down, lingering where it shouldn’t.
Then, without another sound, he slipped out of the room and spent the next hour standing beneath the icy spray of the shower.
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The protofield and the Wanderer had vanished. Help was en route.
Xavier’s leg wound that he’d gotten while protecting you, while not fatal, was severe enough that crimson seeped through his dark pants and pulled between your quivering fingers as you applied pressure.
And the insufferable bastard just huffed through his nose, as if this were just another routine mission, another insignificant injury in a never-ending string of perilous nights with barely a flinch crossing his features, the sight of his own blood seemingly less concerning to him than it was to you.
“It’s not as bad it looks,” he repeated, for the tenth time.
The words only worked to ignite an infuriated coil inside, molten and barbed.
Your hands tightened, pushing down harder than you needed to. He barely reacted. Just watched you, lovable and doe-eyed, his body slack in a comfortable way against the broken wall behind him. The dimness of the failing streetlamps trying to reach into the alley you two were in cast his silver hair in eerie light, making him look even more ghostly than usual.
“Stop saying that,” you said, shakier than a house of cards in a storm, accusing.
His breathing was deep. Slower than it should be. Your brain was running too fast, trying to calculate blood loss, survival rates, anything to make sense of what was in front of you. But all you could see was him, pale under the glow, blurred because of the saltwater pooling in your eyes, fading like smoke. Like if you blinked, he might vanish completely with the teardrops.
You started digging through your pack, yanking out the field kit with hands that wouldn’t stop shaking. You needed to stop the bleeding. You needed to make sure he stayed. Stayed with you.
Not again.
The med kit slipped through your fingers, scattering across the pavement. Your ears rung with the loud noise the metal case made, subconscious plunging you back in that day. 
Not again.
You re-experienced the force of the explosion that had thrown you to the ground, had ripped the breath from your body. The world burned. Heat, suffocating, picking at your skin like a vulture, searing your lungs.
Fire, ash, the splintered ruins of what had once been home. And you, crawling through the rubble, reaching for something, anything. Your fingers had closed around metal — small, cool despite the heat — the necklace you'd gifted Caleb, half-buried in dust and debris. What remained of him, worn but still legible, pressed into your palm. It was all that was left.
Not again.
Nausea gripped your stomach as your blood-stained hands hovered in the air, fingers twitching with clumsiness of desperation. But this time was different. You weren't grasping for ghosts, sifting through the ashes of an irreparable past. Could still do something. had to do something.
Reaching for the scattered supplies, your wrist was suddenly caught in Xavier's gentle grip, stapling you to the present moment.
“You’re panicking,” he commented.
Yanking your hand away, you retorted sharply, "Of course I'm panicking. You're bleeding out, Xavier."
He studied you intently, head tilted in that familiar, contemplative manner, searching for the traces of what that had pulled this state out of you. Then, with a hint of misplaced levity, he remarked, "This is nothing. A quick nap will fix me."
It was the wrong thing to say.
Your throat tightened. The world swayed for half a second, the ill-timed attempt at reassurance in his words reduced to a cup of water tossed onto a wildfire.
You thought of all the times before, of wounds that hadn’t healed, of a love confession whispered too late. Too late, after the funeral, when you stood before the empty grave, the one filled with nothing but dirt and a marker with his name. There had been no body to bury, no hand to touch one last time, no real goodbye to be had. Just you, alone, the cold night bleeding your life force, the whisper of your own voice breaking as you knelt, fingers digging into the soil, telling him the words you should have said when he was still there to hear them.
"Please, stop being like that, I can't—" Your voice cracked as you ducked your head, hiding your face from him, palm pressing against your mouth to stifle the words threatening to spill out. I can't do this again.
Xavier let out a fast breath, his posture stiffening in the kind of regret that made people avert their eyes. The joke had fallen flat, misplaced at a time like this, and he knew it. Another inhale, slower this time, he flexed his fingers against his thigh, then stilled, hovering on the edge of movement, caught between reaching for you and holding himself back.
His gloved hand moved, brushing lightly against your cheek.
He was warm. He was still warm.
Your breath caught. The fear squeezed you dry.
You had waited too long with Caleb, naively believing he'd always be there for you just like he promised, naively believing he was invincible just as he was in your childhood self's adoring eyes.
And now, here, with Xavier bleeding in front of you, you refused to wait again.
You didn’t think. You just kissed him.
It was sudden, too quick, too desperate. He stiffened under your touch, startled — but he didn’t pull away, didn’t break the contact, just let you take and take and take because you were drowning and he was the only thing keeping you above the surface.
Your fingers twisted into the front of his coat, pulling him closer like you could hold him together, like you could keep him here. Your hands were still slick with his blood, but you didn’t care. You didn’t care about anything except the way his breath hitched, the way he stayed perfectly still for a fraction of a second before his hands moved.
One to the back of your neck, fingers threading into your hair. The other against your waist, grounding. He kissed you back with a cautious intensity, uncertain at first, but growing decisive, nothing like the way you kissed him. Like he was learning you, like he was mapping out every shaky breath, every fractured sound you made.
When your kiss began to tremble, he seamlessly took control, molding his mouth to yours as if this dance were one he had practiced countless times before.
Slow, gentle, soothing. He chased the taste of salt on your lips, breathing the shuddering sound you made down like it was sustenance. He tasted like earth and ozone, clean in ways that reminded you of starlight, of open skies and safe nights. This moment felt small, private, contained — his body curved into yours, warm, solid, a shelter where you could fall apart and still be held together. His scent washed over you, crisp, like fresh air after a storm, dizzying — reminding you exactly whose mouth was against yours, exactly whose hands were touching you right now, exactly where you were.
Everything ached. It hurt too much, it wasn't enough. You wanted him closer. Always closer. Until all you could breathe, until all you could taste was the shape of his name on the roof of your mouth.
You pulled away, gasping against his parted lips, head spinning.
Before you could apologize — for losing control, for being selfish, for needing someone so desperately you didn't stop to consider whether or not that was what they wanted too, or the shape they were in — he tugged you into the curve of his shoulder, resting his cheek against the top of your head. Fingertips grazed along your arm, tracing your scar tissue like braille. His heart thrummed against your ear, strong, steady. Loud.
"It'll be okay," he said. "I'll be okay. I promise."
The words were hushed. Reassuring. Absolute.
Somehow, you believed him.
As suddenly as it had appeared, the panic drained away. Your muscles uncoiled, nerves steadying. The ringing in your ears faded. Slowly, slowly, everything sharpened back into focus.
In the distance, a siren wailed.
"You better be," you said, shaky as a leaf in winter, brittle, thin, the syllables weak against the night. "You can't make me fall for you only to just die like this."
These words had never left your heart before. Swelled there for years, growing too big, but never leaving, never finding their way out into the cold. They had belonged to Caleb once. Caleb, who smiled wide as a sky at sunset and ran faster than a starship and wore his kindness like armor. But now the words meant something new. Now you didn't have to keep them locked up inside of you, guarded and afraid of what would happen if you let them loose. The shape of them still fit. Differently, maybe, but they weren't lost, weren't strangled or broken. It felt like letting a bird free from its cage after years of watching its wings grow frail in confinement.
The wind sighed softly through the trees. A stray cat hissed. Little glowing spots began floating around like dust particles.
Xavier pulled back abruptly. Stared at you, unblinking, the ink blue of his eyes shining. Evenly. Silent. Still holding you.
For a moment, nothing happened. For a moment, everything stopped. Time slowed around you, caught between one breath and the next. And then—
Light.
Xavier began to glow. Silvery-white, like a miniature star, brilliant enough that he illuminated the entire alley. The color bled outward, pouring down his shoulders in rivulets, streaming over his arms, dripping off his fingertips. He seemed to fold in on himself, bowing his head in embarrassment — but all you could do was watch, transfixed, mesmerized.
Something warm flared within your chest, unfamiliar. Like you could feel Xavier through your heart, humming just beneath your sternum, some part of him pressed close against your pulse point. He wasn't bright enough to blind you, just enough to bathe your surroundings in starlit brilliance, seeping into the cracks in the crumbling pavement, the shadows cast by overgrown hedges, the empty shell of a playground down the street.
"Xavier..."
"Sorry," he mumbled, covering his face with the back of his hand like he could hide somehow, shield himself from his own radiance. His ears were red. "This is... not what I meant to do."
You reached out toward him without thinking, fingertips brushing against the fabric of his glove. He froze. Noticing yourself, you hesitated, realizing exactly what you were about to do — touch a star, an impossible thing, a dream — but then his hand twitched, settling firmly into yours in a way that you were almost convinced it was always meant to belong there. His fingers laced through yours, warm and secure, like he'd done this a thousand times. His grip loosened. Tightened. Loosened. Reassuring both you and himself that this was real. This was happening. Neither of you would drift apart and dissolve like morning fog beneath the light of the sun. You wouldn't blink, and he wouldn't be gone.
Gentle warmth wrapped around you. Comfort. Steadfast support. Starlight in the darkness, chasing away the shadows.
"I love you, Xavier," you told him, echoing the words again, wanting him to hear, wanting him to understand. You placed the shape of them into his upturned palms you pulled down to his lap to see his face clearer, and his grip tightened. "I'm in love with you."
The light emanating from him intensified. A shimmering aura that shone around him like a corona. It pulsated once, twice, before seeming to catch on something and expanding like a burst of fireworks. White orbs of light poured from nowhere, dancing through the empty space between your bodies, suspended in mid-fall. A few fluttered down to land against the backs of your hands covering his.
"Would you be mad if I said that... I must be on the brink of death to imagine hearing these words?" Xavier's confession tumbled from his lips hesitantly. In the starlight, his face looked youthful, vulnerable, younger than you had ever seen before. "Even if this is my brain playing tricks on me before it fails, I'm happy."
Emergency lights flashed against the houses lining the street, probably using Xavier glowing like a midnight sun as a beacon, faint red and blue lights cutting into your vision. Xavier heard it too, since he drew you tighter against him and buried his face against your shoulder. One hand released yours to curl protectively around your head. Even though this embrace didn't smother his shine, Xavier used it like a cocoon to encapsulate you. To guard you, like you were the wounded one in need of protection, and not him.
The ambulance doors opened with a hydraulic whirring sound. Footsteps approached quickly. At least two pairs, judging by the sound. Voiceless words spilled into the alley from the paramedics' radios. The static intermittently cracked between the garbled syllables, distorting some of them into incomprehensibility.
All at once the starlight winked out, plunging the street back into the dark.
"Tell me again once we are home." The words brushed past your ear, carrying an intimacy that made you swallow against the dryness of your throat, made you bury your face more deeply against his shoulder. Home. "Please. So I know I haven't dreamed this up."
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The air down in Linkon carried that early autumn crispness that rose from real soil Skyhaven didn’t have — cool enough to sharpen the senses, not quite enough to bite. The first traces of fallen leaves clung to the pavement, the scent of rain in the cracks of the sidewalks. Caleb adjusted the strap of his duffel bag as he stepped off the tram, stretching his shoulders as he took in the city around him. It was familiar, the building-rich skyline cutting pointy shapes against the evening sky, the low hum of traffic filling the streets, but something about it felt...
He had been away too long.
Skyhaven had pulled him into its orbit the moment he arrived, swallowing whole whatever life had come before. Days blurred together in cycles of training, flight simulations, and coursework that left little room for anything beyond forward motion. Every morning began the same: drills before sunrise, sweat stinging his eyes, muscles burning as he pushed himself further, faster. Afternoons were a relentless stream of lectures, technical briefings, theory stacked upon theory until the numbers and flight paths blurred in his mind. Even the nights were accounted for — hours spent in the simulator pods, perfecting maneuvers until the glowing interface was burned into the backs of his eyelids.
There was no room for spontaneity at Skyhaven. No empty spaces to fill with last-minute plans or lazy afternoons. His world had been compressed into systems — routine, structure, efficiency. He knew exactly when to eat, when to train, when to sleep. Knew the weight of his rations down to the last calorie, the time it took to shave a fraction of a second off a flight sequence, the precise moment his body would demand rest before pushing past it anyway.
It was such a whiplash to be home, all things considered.
His room at Gran’s place wasn’t really his anymore. It had the same walls, the same furniture, but it felt more like a museum exhibit than a lived-in space — a carefully preserved snapshot of someone he used to be.
The bookshelves were still lined with old textbooks, pages stiff from time, filled with equations and flight theories he once poured over like scripture. The model airplanes he built by hand sat untouched on his desk, their delicate structures gathering dust, frozen mid-flight. Posters, faded from years of sunlight creeping through the blinds, hung at odd angles where the adhesive had begun to peel. It was all still there, exactly as he had left it.
And yet, it didn’t feel like it belonged to him anymore.
It was more of a storage closet for the past, a collection of objects tied to a version of himself that no longer fit, as if waiting for a version of him that no longer existed to return. But it had a way of creeping in when he least expected it.
Your favorite song playing in the campus coffee shop, breaking through the rigid structure of his day like you’d just knocked on his door, the scent of something familiar drifting through the halls, pulling him back to late nights in Gran’s kitchen, you sitting cross-legged on the counter as he tried to study, chattering about whatever new fixation had taken over your brain that week.
Now, the closest thing he had to those endless summers with you were the five-minute breaks between classes, when he’d glance at his phone and see your name lighting up the screen. A meme, a quick update, a half-formed thought sent without context — small things, fleeting things, but still enough to remind him that you were there.
Sometimes, it was just a single reaction picture in response to something he had said hours ago. Other times, it was a wall of text, a full-fledged rant about something that had clearly gotten under your skin — another debate with some idiot online, a disastrous group project that made you question about how those people had gotten into college at all, an overanalysis of the show you’d decided to watch together. And every so often, it was something quieter. A late-night message, typed out but never sent until morning that meant, “I miss you,” in your language.
You ever think about how weird it is that we don’t live in the same city anymore? Like, I can’t just show up at your room and annoy you :(
He always answered, even if it took him hours to find the time.
Because no matter how much distance stretched between you now, the messages kept him tethered to you like the string did to a kite.
He pulled out his phone, glancing at the last message and location you had sent him: Meet me at the plaza. We’re hunting.
A small, fond smile tugged at his lips.
The “Find Lumiere” campaign had taken the city by storm. A massive scavenger hunt dedicated to the legend himself, the hero who had saved mankind during the Chronorift Catastrophe ten years ago. Clues were scattered across major landmarks, leading participants on a chase to uncover fragments of his legacy, with tickets to the first screening of the new movie they were making about Lumiere promised to the winners.
Of course you were obsessed with it.
Caleb had never said it out loud, but for the longest time, he had been jealous of Lumiere. Or, rather, what Lumiere meant to you.
It was irrational, of course. Lumiere wasn’t real — not in the way that mattered. And yet, Caleb had spent years competing with the idea of him, feeling that strange, sour feeling whenever he saw you fawning over an image of a man who had saved you in more ways than one when Caleb wasn't there to do so. 
Because, at every age, he wanted to be the one you looked at like that. He wanted to be the one you admired, the one who made your eyes sparkle the way they did whenever you spoke about Lumiere. He had been your person for so long, the one you relied on, the one you trusted — but even as kids, there had always been that distance, that unreachable part of you that belonged to a random dude you wrote RPF about.
He shook his head, shoving his hands into his pockets as he made his way to the plaza.
You were already at your rendezvous point, bouncing slightly on the balls of your feet as you checked your phone, your expression focused. Your jacket was too thin for the weather, but you never cared about things like that when you were excited. Caleb took a moment to just look at you, to take in the way you had changed — taller, more sure of yourself, your hair styled differently than he remembered.
“Didn’t even let me settle in before dragging me around the city?” he teased, stepping up beside you.
Your head snapped up, and the moment your eyes met his, a wide grin split across your face. “Obviously. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, Caleb. You should be honored I’m making you my partner for it.”
He scoffed but couldn’t help the warmth that spread in his chest. “Yeah, yeah. So what’s the plan?”
You immediately launched into an explanation, showing him the map on your phone, outlining all the locations where the next clue could be. Caleb listened, but mostly, he just watched you, letting the familiar rhythm of your excitement wash over him.
Maybe you had grown apart. Maybe life had taken you in different directions. But right now, in this moment, it didn’t feel that way. It felt like no time had passed at all.
He would never get tired of watching your face light up when you were truly invested in something. The way it always seemed to catch people off guard, how utterly genuine and open you were whenever you felt strongly about something. It was honest; it was you.
So it wasn't entirely out of character for him to notice how lovely you looked today that he could just lean down and capture your lips with his own. Just the imagination got his mouth dry, throat working hard to swallow as he averted his eyes.
The first clue was hidden near the old Chronorift Memorial, a massive glass sculpture in the heart of the city that stood as a tribute to the devastation. Caleb watched as you practically bounced in place, your breath fogging in the chilly air as you scanned the area for anything that looked out of place.
“Oh! Over there!” You grabbed his arm before he could react, tugging him toward the base of the monument.
Caleb let himself be dragged along, ignoring the way his skin heated at the contact. The crowd gathered around the sculpture was thick, blocking whatever sign you were pointing at. All Caleb could see was you, the shine staining your eyes, your sparkling excitement.
God, he'd missed this. Missed you.
Without thinking, his fingers curled around your wrist, brushing the soft skin beneath. Your pulse fluttered beneath his fingertips, beating fast with energy and excitement, and he let himself savor the feeling. He missed seeing you this happy.
"Look!" you cried, reaching up on your tiptoes for balance. "I think I spotted something there."
Caleb followed your line of sight up toward the top of the monument — and sure enough, just below the highest peak of glass sat a tiny object, glinting in the sun.
"Think I can climb up?" you asked aloud, frowning at the structure as you examined the potential footholds. The memorial's glass surface was polished smooth, with no apparent way of scaling the towering mass, though that didn't stop you from trying.
Caleb reached out a hand though to pluck it easily out of the sky, and the object flew towards him. He waved it back and forth over your head. "How 'bout you just ask for it like normal people?"
Your mouth dropped into a dramatic frown. "Rude. If this was a proper game, you would've given me the illusion of a fighting chance before stealing my loot from under my nose."
"I'll make it up to you," he laughed, spinning the prize between his fingers. “You know, I think I’m a little offended. I saved your life, like, a million times growin' up, and you never obsessed over me like this.”
You snorted, rolling your shoulders back in a casual shrug. "Never crossed my mind. Besides, Lumiere wasn’t an asshat."
It was Caleb's turn to scoff. You motioned with your palm held upright like a customer waving down service.
"Please. Sire. Kind sire." He shook his head at your antics but gave you the small golden thing anyway. Your face lit up as you took it carefully between your fingers. "Thank you, kind sire. May good fortune bless you upon our next meeting."
It was actually a puzzle, which he guessed would contain a clue leading to the next location.
After solving the puzzle, you gleefully tapped at the digital interface attached to your wrist, navigating the device expertly until the next coordinates appeared onscreen. "Found it. Not far from here actually... should only take us a few minutes to walk there."
And so you continued your treasure hunt together.
Time drifted like clouds across the sky, lazy and aimless, broken by quick bursts of purpose. A stroll turned to weaving through foot traffic, hustling in fits and starts as you hunted down your destination and discovered the next hint in line. The setting changed — crowds grew thicker, colors bolder, lights brighter — and yet the pace stayed the same: slow, steady, unhurried. Caleb thought you would have wanted to hurry, but instead, you lingered. Stopping to buy two cups of warming tea along the way. To exchange an old bill for shiny coins. To listen to the music pouring from the doors of a small cafe as passersby filtered in and out.
It was nice.
Really nice, actually.
For a while, Caleb forgot everything beyond the edges of the bubble surrounding you, letting the sounds fade into nothing but white noise.
At one point, when you reached the endpoint, a question suddenly rose to his tongue, breaking the comfortable silence between you.
"Why me?" he asked without meaning to. "I'm not exactly an obvious choice to play tag with."
You lifted an eyebrow at him, glancing over at your map again. "You kidding? Who else would I invite?"
Caleb shrugged, the cold breeze grazing his shoulders, making him fold them in just a little bit closer.
"A friend?" He shot you a playful grin that came easier than he thought possible, earning himself a shove. "I don't think we've done this in ages. What makes today special?"
His stomach did a somersault when you hooked your arm around his elbow, holding onto his sleeve tightly.
"What about spending time with Caleb is so horrible to you? We haven't seen each other much these days. I'd love some quality time before you leave again." You nudged his side gently. Sincerity disguised as banter. He caught your tone of affection rather well, so well he couldn't help but feel giddy from your proximity. How warm your hand was wrapped around his elbow.
Even with the light atmosphere, it struck him like lightning how much he had been craving such small intimacy with you.
And right there, right then, the urge to tell you how he felt nearly consumed his entire being. Like he would crumble from the inside out if he kept pretending to be your brother for a minute longer. Yet, as much as he was dying to let it all out — because that is how bad he had it for you — there was also the more likely scenario of you finding him repulsive.
Just the idea of a life without you by his side made him sick and dizzy.
No, not today. Not anytime soon. He'd rather be by your side until the end of his days and wear the mask of gege than be hated by you.
So he swallowed down those three words, locking them tight in a chest bound by iron chains within the deepest recesses of his heart. And, ignoring the dull ache that remained in their wake, forced himself to brush off the truth like the joke he wished it were.
"You could write me letters if you miss me that much, pip-squeak," he teased, nudging your shoulder with his.
You leaned against him easily, swaying with the motion as you bumped into his side. "Pssh."
Then your hand slid down his forearm, curling around the crook of his elbow as you rested your chin on his shoulder. From here, you looked up at him through lashes streaked in amber sunlight, a happy, contented smile touching the corner of your lips.
Something expanded inside Caleb's heart — hot and painful and aching. He felt suddenly like he might cry, walking down the sidewalk through the throng of people going about their day as the wind ruffled through your hair, the heat of your palm seeping through the sleeve of his jacket, warm and solid where you held onto him.
If he closed his mind to everything else, if he ignored the way you smelled like home, if he could make himself pretend that the shape of your body against his was sister-shaped, just maybe — maybe — he could convince himself that this was enough. It had to be enough. Because even if Caleb wasn't quite certain when his feelings toward you began, or when they evolved beyond the bounds of familial ties — even if he knew you would never see him that way and loved him when he was your gege, that you would never know this small sliver of reality — he still had you. Right now, in this moment, the person most precious in the world to him stood next to him with your head resting on his shoulder. Smiling, trusting, safe.
And that was more important than any label he could slap on it.
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Xavier hadn’t meant to stay the night.
He wasn’t even sure when he had fallen asleep.
One minute, they had been sitting on her couch, drinking tea from mismatched mugs, the only sound between them the low hum of the TV and the soft, lazy crackling of rain against the window. It had been late — too late — and you had been curled up beside him, half-draped in a blanket, the fabric of your sweater slipping just past your fingertips as as you scrolled idly through your phone.
Xavier had been reading, an old paperback you had lying around just for his enjoyment, the spine creased from years of use. He never asked where you got them — books with pages instead of screens — but he liked the way they smelled, the quiet permanence of ink pressed to paper.
The next thing he knew, the morning light was slipping in through the curtains, cool and blue, and you were gone.
He blinked, exhaling slowly as he sat up. The couch creaked under his weight.
He wasn’t alarmed — he never was — but his first instinct was to check for you anyway, a quiet, habitual concern that never quite left him. His ears picked up the faint noise of water running. The shower.
He leaned back against the couch, rubbing his fingers over his eyes, then glanced at the time.
6:42 AM.
Too early. But he should go.
He pushed himself to his feet, rolling his shoulders, then went to grab his jacket from where he had tossed it over the chair. He reached for it — then paused.
The bookshelf beside the chair caught his attention.
Not because he had never seen it before — he had been in your place countless times by now, had run his fingers over the neat stacks of old holotapes and datapads, the figurines and the framed pictures —but because one of a drawer, just beneath the shelf, slightly open. A few inches, maybe less.
It hadn’t been that way last night. He was sure of it.
Xavier never pried. He had spent too many years keeping his own secrets to go looking for anyone else’s. But something about that space, about the way the papers inside were just barely visible, about the way they had been tucked away yet left ajar, made his fingers pause against the zipper of his jacket.
Paper.
Not anything digital. Not an emitter. Handwritten pages.
Xavier frowned slightly, spine going ramrod straight. His fingers twitched once against his sides, tingling at the tips.
He should walk away.
Instead, he reached down and pulled the drawer open.
The pages inside were stacked haphazardly, some folded, others crinkled at the edges like they had been handled too many times, as if they had been written, held, then discarded — kept, but never sent. The ink had bled into the fibers of the pages in places where the pressure had been too much.
He pulled out the topmost one, smoothing it with his fingers. Your handwriting. He knew it instantly. A little rushed, pressed into the paper as though you had been writing quickly, too quickly.
Then he saw the name.
Caleb.
His grip on the paper tightened.
The words on the page blurred for a moment, but he forced himself to focus. He forced himself to read.
Caleb, I don’t know how to start this, or even why I’m writing it. Maybe because I don’t know how else to reach you. Maybe because if I put it down on paper, it might cleanse me like one of those full body detox things that I would no longer feel so bloated anymore with this poison I’m trying my hardest to hide from him. I still wake up expecting you to be one call away. I still reach for my phone thinking I can send you a voice message while I wait for my takeout to arrive, tell you something ridiculous that happened, or send you a picture of something stupid just because I know you’d call me to laugh about it. But you’re not here, and I’m talking to an empty space where you used to be. You were always the one I counted on. The one who knew me better than anyone. I could say a single word, and you would know exactly what I meant, what I was feeling, what I needed even when I didn't want to say it out loud. And now, months later, without you, I still feel like I’m missing a part of myself. Like something vital has been cut away, and I am expected to keep going like I don’t notice the absence. But I do. Every second, I do. I should have told you. I should have told you a long time ago.
Xavier’s shallow breaths were loud in his ears.
If I had, maybe things would have been different. Maybe I wouldn’t be here, writing this, trying to hold onto something that has already slipped through my fingers. Maybe if I had been braver, if I hadn’t been so afraid of gran and ruining what we had, you would have known just how much you meant to me. To this day, I don’t know how to move on. Everyone thinks I have. That time is the best medicine there is, after all. But how can I, when so much of me is still tangled in you? When every step I take feels like I’m walking further and further away from you, and I’m terrified that one day I’ll look back and realize you’ve faded from my memory, that I won’t remember the sound of your voice, or the way you laughed, or the exact shade of your eyes in the sunlight. But it’s more than that now. It’s not just the fear of forgetting, it’s the guilt of moving on. Of letting someone else hold me, kiss me, love me in the ways I never got to lov I wonder if you would even care. If it would matter to you at all knowing there’s someone in my life now. Would you look at me the way you always did, like a little sister, someone to protect, to guide, and still feel responsible for even in your big age? Would it even cross your mind that I waited and it’s my biggest regret? But I guess it doesn't matter anymore. I love him. I didn’t wait to tell him until after I was forced to lose him. Confessing before it was too late was the best decision I’ve ever made. And I don’t know what to do with that. Because when I’m with him, there are moments, just flickers, tiny fractures in time, where I forget. And then, all at once, it comes back. The missing piece. You. If you were here, if you could read this, I don’t even know what I’d want you to say. I just know that I’d give anything to hear you call me pip-squeak one more time. I need you to tell me it’s okay. That I’m not leaving you behind. That I can love him and still carry you with me. But you’re not. And I have to live with that.
The ink trailed off there.
There was a crease in the page, like you had pressed the pen too hard until you changed your mind.
Xavier stared at it.
The paper felt fragile between his fingers, like it might tear apart if he held it for too long.
Slowly, he put it back, and pressed the drawer shut.
He turned. His feet carried him soundlessly across the floor, toward the hallway, to where he could hear the steady drumming of water against the bathroom tiles, to where you stood facing the shower wall, head bent, your hair falling in thick wet clumps around your shoulders.
You heard his footsteps — of course you did — and lifted your head as he entered. Water cascaded down your back, collecting briefly at the base of your spine before disappearing. Your skin shone, faintly, the steam curling off the glass, settling in a soft cloud around your body, clinging to the planes and curves of it. You seemed to glow in that tiny space, a radiant centerpiece amongst white tile. You gave him a tired smile as he approached — inviting, questioning.
"Sorry! Did I wake you?" you asked instead, your face flushed pink from the heat, strands of wet hair stuck against your damp neck and collarbones. Your tongue darted over your lips as you moved beneath the spray of water again, turning away from him to put away the shampoo bottle on the built-in soap tray.
Xavier's hand landed against the frosted glass door. The hinges groaned softly in protest when he swung it fully open. Your eyebrows rose high onto your forehead when he stepped inside without asking, closing the space between you in three strides, boxing you in against the marble wall. The shock of hot water bearing down on him didn't quite register through the dead focus he had on you.
Your lips parted, breath catching. In surprise? In interest? He wasn’t sure, and right now he didn't care. Something childish tugged at him. Something that didn't care he was fully clothed, the black turtleneck sticking uncomfortably to his skin, jeans tightening with water. All he could think about was how soft you looked despite everything. How good you smelled, flowery and clean, how your wet skin practically sparkled beneath the fluorescent light of the bathroom.
How badly he wanted to etch himself into you, to have his name spill from your lips like fresh ink, blotting out the ghost of a dead man already written in your past.
Water droplets clung to your eyelashes. On impulse, he reached up to brush them away gently, and they fluttered against his knuckles.
"Xavier, what—"
"I had a nightmare," Xavier cut in smoothly, feeling more like himself, sounding far calmer than he really was. "Will you comfort me?"
"Oh..." The word came out somewhere between surprise and concern, tinted with something sympathetic. Xavier had to be looking half out of his mind, or too pathetic, standing here as soaked as a drowned rat in front of you while you were naked. He was worrying you. The idea snapped him back to reality like a splash of hot oil, and he immediately wanted to turn tail and leave before you demanded he elaborate. He couldn’t. Couldn't admit this was his version of needing affection. You frowned, reaching out to rest your hand over the side of his neck to draw him closer. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No," Xavier replied without missing a beat, leaning down to bump his nose against yours. Gingerly, like he wasn't quite sure if this would be welcomed, he rested his hands lightly on either side of your waist, the water sluicing down his back, warm, comfortable despite the situation. His throat bobbed once, twice, and he dipped his head down, unable to keep himself from admitting what he wanted most from you.
Your touch relaxed. It slid behind the back of his neck, fingers curling inward. He felt grounded again with your palms tracing a path down to his back, one palm pressed flat and firm between his shoulder blades while the other ghosted along his nape. It made goosebumps rise on his flesh, a pleasant sensation only you could provide. And when he bowed forward, your frame folded to accommodate, molding against his broader shoulders perfectly, bringing him into a sweet embrace. One that burned into his memory, warming him to the bone in more ways than just physical.
"Okay... Okay. Let's get you out of these wet clothes first," you cooed sympathetically and kissed him right below his ear. That tender, understanding gesture made Xavier's heart squeeze in his chest painfully. He thought about the letters hidden away in the drawer, if you had done anything like this at all with Caleb, but he quickly banished it from his thoughts and focused on the solid feeling of your body slotting so easily into his, like you were always meant to be there. Where no one else was allowed. "Then tell me how I can help, okay? Whatever you need."
Fifteen minutes later, Xavier had your front pressed into the condensation-dripping wall of the shower after he'd stripped off all his clothes and joined you.
You were flattened against the chilly surface as your nails clawed helplessly against the slick tiles, eyes were glazed over, lips swollen. One arm looped securely around your midsection, cupping one breast possessively, while the other braced a forearm beside your head and against the wall, trapping you effectively between Xavier and the marble barrier, each thrust pushing you upward on your tiptoes as he grinded insistently against you from behind. His grunts tickling the shell of your ear amidst his deep, staccato breaths as he buried himself up to the hilt, bottoming out deep within your pulsating core, piercing the misty veil surrounding them in an intimate halo.
Everything felt too intense. Too intimate. It shouldn't have been so overwhelming — this wasn't even a new position or angle. But something about it today made Xavier feel like the world was collapsing around him, and the only thing he could hold onto was your body, writhing beautifully between him and the smooth stonework. And maybe that was exactly what it was, he mused vaguely between driving into you from behind while relishing how hot and wet and tight you were around his cock — a sort of catharsis, releasing emotions he never voiced aloud, able to purge the anxieties he normally swallowed down just from hearing you chant his name incessantly, each moan like honey trickling down his throat and pooling warm in his belly.
You were practically keening underneath him now, rocking backwards as best you could to meet every roll of his hips with matching fervor. Your face angled toward him, seeking a kiss which he eagerly acquiesced, both of you moaning brokenly into one another's mouths at the perfect slide of his tongue against yours, tangling almost lazily in comparison to the frantic rhythm building between you two. Xavier reveled in the sweetness of your taste, licking deeper past your lips with unashamed greediness while enjoying your muffled gasp and subsequent whimpers vibrating on his palate.
There wasn't anywhere else in the universe Xavier would rather be than inside this shower cubicle fucking you senseless until the only thing remaining on your tongue were prayers begging for release and praise echoing throughout the enclosed space, resonating clearly through his ears and straight into his pounding chest.
"Call out my name more," Xavier uttered hoarsely, punctuating each word with a hard slam of his hips that made you choke on your cries of ecstasy. You complied beautifully without question, moans spilling unrestrained from those perfect, kiss-swollen lips alongside declarations of love that had the tempo of his hips speeding up, becoming faster, harder, rougher. "Who's here with you right now?"
"Y—Xavier!"
At this rate, Xavier might end up blowing his load first before being able to feel you tighten around him one last time. The sound of his name in that husky, breathless tone made his balls tingle warningly, pleasure threatening to spill over at any moment. "Again," He growled darkly as his pelvis connected audibly with the supple flesh of your ass. "Who's making you feel good? Who is making you forget your own name right now, hm?"
Your reply came out in between pants. "You, Xavier! Oh god, Xavier! Only you!"
"Yes... Me," he crooned triumphantly, sinking his teeth firmly enough into the meat of your shoulder so you would remember the shape of his mark, leaving red marks that resembled brands branded into your soft flesh. "Only I can give you what you need, isn't that right? No one else. Nobody else will ever do... I'm the one here... Now..."
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buck-star · 2 days ago
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Be my valentine
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Valentine’s Day is just a day, right? Nah! Not with Bucky, he’s making sure the day is unforgettable for the two of you.
Pairing: College!HockeyCaptain!Bucky Barnes x College!Girlfriend!Reader
Wordcount: 2.861 Words
Warnings/Tags: Established relationship, college au, mention of toxic past relationship, kissing, ice skating, fluff
Authors Note: Happy Valentine’s Day with our favorite Captain. Another Part for Steady and Pengu. Shout out to @elixirfromthestars for all the love and encouragement for these two! Thanks to @soelstress for proofreading. Divider made by me.
Events: Beginnings Bingo [Row One-Three | First Performance | @sweetspicybingo], Hurt and Comfort Bingo [B032 | Row One-Three | Stealing clothes | @hurtcomfort-bingo], Fandom-Free Bingo: Book Night Edition [G4 | Bed Sharing | @fandom-free-bingo]
Masterlist | Bucky Barnes Masterlist | Endless love collection
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A low grumble leaves your lips when the bright light of the sun shines through the curtains. The smell of warmed toast with chocolate as well as the smell of your favorite tea fills your nostrils. However, you curl yourself further into your warm blanket, inhaling the minty scent of Bucky, mixed with the familiar scent of your strawberry shampoo Bucky loves to use as well. It’s stuck to your pillow, and the fresh mint with the strawberry makes your stomach rumble slightly.
"Someone's hungry?” The amused voice of your boyfriend fills the room, his footsteps quiet on the wooden floor of his room. You growl, pulling the blanket further over your head. Bucky chuckles softly, placing something he's probably carrying in his hands on the nightstand next to you. He then sits down next to you, bringing both of his calloused hands to the edge of the blanket and pulls it off of you, leaving you exposed to the cool air in the room — and the beautiful smell of breakfast he has prepared. “Steady, my precious girl, don't make me show ya that trick.”
Bucky grins when you try to reach for the blanket, your eyes barely open, while he throws the blanket to the other end of the bed. “Pengguuuuu,” you whine, refusing to open your eyes completely. Maybe just to get to see Bucky's trick, the one he uses every morning when you don't want to move your ‘pretty ass’ out of the bed — those are Bucky's words.
“Steadyyyyyy,” Bucky laughs softly, mocking you in a playful way. He brings both of his hands to your shoulders, caging you in before he leans over you. His warm breath against your shoulder makes you shiver, squirming slightly under your boyfriend's intense, amused gaze. “Ready, or do ya want to get up before the trick?”
You shake your head, trying to hide the smile that tries to creep onto your lips. Bucky chuckles, shaking his head, seeing right through your cute little act. He then shrugs and moves to kneel above you, his knees pressing into the mattress underneath you, while he lowers himself to sit on your legs. His thick, long fingers move down to your sides, while he leans over you, his firm chest pressing against yours.
“Three…” he chuckles, kissing your cheek. “Twoo,” he whispers, his lips trailing closer to your mouth, kissing the corner of your lips. “One,” he mumbles, pecking your lips softly before he pokes his fingers into your sides. A shriek leaves your lips and you try to wiggle away. Bucky grins at you, his body keeping yours pressed into the mattress, while he lets his fingers slide up and down your sides, poking into your soft flesh. “Ya can't escape my tickle attack, Steady.”
You giggle, trying to push your hips up to get him off of you but Bucky's way too heavy for it, plus his strength is probably twice yours. “Penguuuuu,” you laugh, opening your eyes to look at your boyfriend who has the sweetest and biggest smile plastered on his plump lips. “That's not the right trick.”
Bucky smirks, nodding his head. “It is, the other way is enjoyable for ya to stay in bed.” You growl, knowing that he would pepper kisses all over your face usually but causing you to snuggle further into the mattress of your bed. His soft lips and sweet kisses are too perfect to do anything else but just lay there and let him trail them all over your soft skin. Bucky keeps poking his fingers into your sides, not letting you move much while he grins at you with that devilish curl of his lips, though his ocean blue orbs still have the softness and tenderness in them.
“Oke, oke, I will get up,” you giggle, trying to catch your breath while your boyfriend pouts slightly. You shake your head, trying to free your hands from underneath Bucky's knees but he doesn't let you. His fingers slow down until he just strokes along your sides, letting you take deep breaths, with his body still flush on yours.
“Sure, Steady? It just started to be fun,” he teases, poking one of his fingers into your side once more. You giggle, squirming underneath him. Bucky grins, sitting up slowly before he gets off of you, watching you intensely. “I made your favorite sandwich.”
Your eyes widen and you look to the side, slowly sitting up as well. Your back against the headboard so you have a better look at the plates Bucky placed next to you on the nightstand. Bucky grabs one of his hoodies that he has thrown on the bed earlier, handing it to you. With slightly shaking hands you take it, looking at Bucky with a confused expression.
“Wh-Why did you… You don't have to make breakfast, Pengu,” you whisper, feeling slightly guilty that he gives you everything, while you're not giving him that much — that’s at least what you think. Bucky shrugs, waiting for you to take on his hoodies before he hands you a plate with a chocolate banana sandwich.
“I don't have to but I wanted to, I love spoilin’ my precious girl. And, Steady, do ya remember what I said once?” bucky asks, taking the other plate before getting comfortable in bed next to you. He tangles both of your legs together, grinning when you lean more into him with a shake of your head as answer to his question. “I said I would give ya the world, that I would collect all the stars if it's what ya wish for. John didn't know how to treat his girl, but it gives me the opportunity to show ya what ya deserve, what it means to be loved.”
“Don't say that…” you mumble, tears are forming in your eyes. Bucky chuckles when you pout and bite into your sandwich. A soft sigh escapes your lips when the taste of chocolate fills your mouth. With a look at your boyfriend, who's keeping his eyes focused on you, you bite into your sandwich once more. Your heart flutters, this is your man, your perfect man. “Don't make me cry, I'm sensitive, Pengu.”
“My sensetive girl, aren't ya, Steady?” Bucky chuckles, kissing your forehead softly. “You know what day it is?”
You think for a moment, frowning slightly. “Friday… the 14th February,” you say softly, waiting for your boyfriend to confirm your answer. He nods but tilts his head, waiting for you to say something more than just that. “A day of the week?”
Bucky laughs, throwing his head back. “Yeah, that too. But I meant it is Valentine's day, Steady.”
“It's just a day,” you say with a soft but sad smile on your lips. It's the first valentines day you spend with Bucky, but it's just a day like every other. John loved to go out with his friends, go to parties so for you it's nothing special anymore. Your heart drops as you think about it. Did Bucky make you breakfast to go out with his friends afterwards but doesn't want to feel guilty then? “You can go out with your friends, if that's why you made breakfast, Pengu.”
“What? No, of course not. I mean, how— why do ya think that?” Bucky wonders, his expression changing from the playful he had before to a concerned one. “Steady, I'm sorry if I gave ya the feeling that I only made breakfast for ya because I want to go out with friends. But the only plans I have today are with ya, and even if I would want to go out with them, ya know, ya would come with us. So, who put these thoughts into ya pretty head?”
“John just didn't care about Valentines day or anything, he went out with friends, and when i got mad he told me I shouldn't make a big deal out of it,” you say, looking away from Bucky to not see the disappointed expression on his face, though, he looking with nothing but pure love at you. “He said it's just a day. A-And I know… you're not him, and I'm sorry I don't want to disappoint you with talkin—”
“Steady,” Bucky whispers softly, not wanting to make you feel bad by interrupting you but also not wanting you to push yourself into something because you talk about John. You keep your gaze away from him. Bucky puts his now empty plate to the side, doing the same with yours before he pulls you into his lap. His calloused hands run up and down your sides. “Can ya look at me?”
You shake your head. Bucky chuckles, one of his hands sliding up your neck and around to your chin, lifting it slowly. With a soft pout and teary, red eyes you look at him. Instead of the anger or disappointment you thought you would see in his face, you're greeted with nothing but pure understanding and softness.
“Aren’t you mad or disappointed?”
“There’s no reason for me to be mad, is there?” Bucky asks with narrowed eyes. “For ya it's normal to accept when John did something even if it was just for his fun, and it's just normal for ya to need time to get used to the fact that you're also allowed to have a say, that I deserve to be treated like a princess. And if it needs me forever to show you, I will gladly do it.”
“I love you, Pengu,” you mumbles, leaning your forehead against Bucky’s. He chuckles softly, closing his eyes before breaking the distance between your lips. His lips are soft and warm, moving softly against yours, as his hands to your waist to pull you closer against his broad chest.
“I love ya, too, Steady. So, are you ready for our date?” Bucky mumbles against your lips. You nod, noticing the mischievous glint in his ocean blue eyes. He has planned everything for the perfect Valentine's Day for the two of you.
— —
“Penguuuu, no! What if I crash into something,” you whine, trying to hold your arms in front of you with your boyfriend's hands over your eyes. Bucky chuckles, it's not like he would ever dare to let you run into anything, plus, he's walking directly behind you. Bucky's chest is pressed against your back to keep you close to him. “Oh, there’s a wall! There is a wall in front of us.”
“I don’t think that you can compare an ice rink with a wall, Steady,” Bucky laughs, leading you further to sit down on a seat. They are pretty familiar and you narrow your eyes. Bucky takes his hands off of your eyes and you look around.
You look around, narrowing your eyes. It's the ice hockey hall, but except for you and Bucky it's empty. Bucky leans against the edge of the ice rink, a smirk plastered on his face when he nods toward the skates that are next to you. His… and a pair you have never seen before — they look the same like Bucky's just a bit smaller.
“Coach lets us order stuff over the site we get our Hockey stuff. And if we pay for them, he doesn't care if we also buy stuff for friends or for our girls. Guess why Sam has so many hoodies, because his girl is stealing all of them,” Bucky explains with a soft chuckle. “Asked the coach if we could spend today here, he allowed. Now, try them on, see if they fit.”
You do as he says, trying the skates and they fit perfectly. Bucky changes his shoes for his skates as well, helping you up. You're a bit unsteady, but his calloused hands on your waist keep you close against him upright.
“Pengu, can you get on the ice the way you always do when you're getting on the ice with your team?” You ask, blushing softly.
Bucky grins, nodding his head. He leads you to the entrance, helping you on the ice before he walks a few steps backwards. With more speed he runs along the way between the rows of seats, jumping a bit and landing on the ice. He's moving like it's the easiest thing ever. Bucky glides over the ice, just before he crashes into you, he stops. The ice that he scratches off flies high and lands all over you, making you shriek and shake yourself to get the cold away from your face and neck.
“Like that?” He asks with a huge grin, slowly moving closer to you.
“Without the cold snow shower,” you giggle. You reach your hands out and Bucky takes them, while he moves backwards over the ice, he pulls you with him. His blue orbs locked with yours.
“Wouldn't have earned that sweet giggle of yours then, Steady,” Bucky mutters, pulling you flush against him. You chuckle, wrapping your arms tightly around his waist. Bucky keeps his arms firmly around your shoulders, moving faster backwards, turning the two of you a few times.
To your surprise he can keep both of you balanced, while you can’t even move backwards on the ice. Bucky twirls the two of you around a few more times, making you giggle softly, while your hands grip his shirt tightly.
“It’s impressive how you can hold us both up while moving so elegantly on the ice, Pengu,” you mumble in his chest, pressing soft kisses on his shirt. Bucky smiles down at you, his chin resting on top of your head.
“Ya wanna know the most impressive thing of the night?”
“Not me,” you giggle, shaking your head before Bucky can even say another word. He chuckles low in his throat, his chest vibrating and you can feel the steady beating of his heart speeding up slightly.
“Mhm, ya are always the most impressive, Steady. But I mean somethin’ else right now, somethin’ I prepared and wanna show ya,” Bucky says, taking a deep breath.
“You’re nervous, Pengu.”
“That I am,” he confesses. You don’t see Bucky being nervous often, he’s a calm and grounded person, but sometimes — mostly when it comes to you or a surprise for you, he gets nervous. More than for his hockey games. “Wanna make it special for you, want ya to love it.”
“It is special. You already made it the most beautiful Valentine’s Day, not just because of the breakfast in bed, or the ice skating, but you’re here with me,” you whisper, leaning your head back to look at your boyfriend. His ocean blue orbs are on you, like all the time. The corner of his plump lips are curled upwards as he turns you around in his firm grip.
“Now, look up for a moment,” Bucky mumbles, pointing at the display above the ice. You follow his hand to it, noticing a familiar picture being shown on it. It’s you and Bucky, a picture he took in the summer break after John broke up with you. The picture he has still has his phone background.
The lake in the background, just like the blanket and snacks for the picnic, while he has you pulled into his chest. One of his strong arms firmly wrapped around your waist, as the two of you grin into the camera.
In the background your favorite song starts playing. The picture changes to another one where Bucky’s wearing a red dress of yours and you’re wearing his hoodie and sweatpants. And then there is a video of the two of you. Your first kiss, a day at the swimming hall, Bucky talking to Penguins in the zoo, your first Christmas and New Year’s Eve together. And another video where you cheer him on during the hockey game. You’re cheering him on before he pulls you into a soft kiss.
“Pengu… this is… it’s… beautiful,” you whisper, leaning your head further against his broad chest to look him in his eyes. “It’s perfect, just like you, thank you. I love you so much.”
Tears well up in your eyes when the next song plays, the lights shine down on the ice, projecting colourful hearts on it. Bucky turns you once more, grinning happily at you.
“I love you so much, too, Steady. So, do you give me the honor to dance with you?” He asks, his head lowering. You nod, getting lost in the depth of his blue orbs. Bucky places his hands on yours, placing them around his neck before he slides his calloused ones down to your waist.
He slowly moves over the ice with you, his lips on yours — unless you need to catch your breath he pulls back slightly. His forehead resting against yours then.
“My Steady, my precious,” Bucky murmurs, moving his hips to the music, making you giggle.
“My Pengu,” you mumble, locking your eyes with his soft ones. This man is a menace, in the best way possible — your menace. Dancing with you on the ice, while he keeps both of you balanced and still swings his hips in the most adorable and funny way you have ever seen of Bucky.
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Taglist: @rogersbarber @loki-laufeyson68 @etherealdisneyvillainness @winterschildren8 @pono-pura-vida @kimmie113080 @sergeantbarnessdoll @sebastianstanisahotmf @mercurial-chuckles @holylulusworld @randomawesomeperson102 @looking1016 @multiversefanfics @kpopgirlbtssvt @iris-xoxo-juhu @fckedupandbeautiful @hisredheadedgoddess28 @casa-boiardi @blackhawkfanatic @mrsalexstan @thesarcasmqueen-22 @kandis-mom @peachy-satan00 @armystay89 @queen-honeybee-stories @alexxavicry @unabashed-lover-of-fictional-men @grilledcheesewithjalapeno @irisk12 [tag yourself]
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turboputt03 · 3 days ago
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AWWWW THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
@sewer-rabbit @eve-the-beep @ax-fantasma @cricket-toast @inkwellgoddess + MANY MANY OTHERS AND ALL MY BELOVED MUTUALS!!!!! + ALSO SOME OTHERS MENTIONED ALREADY!!!!
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I love you moots I love you artists I love you writers I love you commenters I love you lurkers
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sheafrotherdon · 1 day ago
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It’s warm inside the cottage—warm from the fire Nicky has coaxed to life inside the grate; warm from the lamplight and the newly-boiled kettle; warm from Nicky’s anticipation of Joe coming home. As he pokes at the fire he hears the gate at the bottom of the garden path rattle and close, and the muted jingling of Joe’s keys. He crosses the room and opens the door before Joe can fit his keys in the lock, and immediately has to bite back a hoot of laughter.   
Joe stands before him, bedraggled and miserable, his curls plastered to his face from the steadily-falling rain, water dripping from his beard. The collar of his coat is turned up for protection, but it’s entirely soaked through. Joe’s eyes are wide and pleading, his mouth turned down at both sides. “I forgot my umbrella,” he says mournfully.
Nicky feels his heart pinch a little, but can’t help but laugh at Joe’s expression. He hurries Joe into the house, closing the door behind him. “Ah, ah, do not move,” he says as Joe takes one step off the doormat. “Clothes off, my love.”
Joe toes off his shoes with a sigh that seems to come up from the bottom of his soul. “Is this really the time for . . .”
“It is hard to believe,” Nicky says sincerely, “but I am able to resist you in this moment.”  He helps him out of his wet coat and hangs it on a peg on the wall. Joe’s shirt is wet across his shoulders and at his cuffs, while his trousers are damp to the knee. Nicky bats Joe’s hands away from his shirt buttons and undoes them himself. “Your fingers will be cold,” he tells him. “This is faster.”
Joe mumbles something Nicky wouldn’t be sure he wanted him to hear were it not in Ligurian, but he lets himself be efficiently stripped until he’s standing, shivering in his underwear, arms wrapped around himself for warmth. “I’m cold,” he tells Nicky. He’s pouting.
“We will fix it,” says Nicky pleasantly, and tugs him off the doormat, through the kitchen, and up the stairs to the bathroom, where he pulls a warm towel out of the linen cupboard and efficiently sets to rubbing it all over Joe’s head. “My haaair,” Joe whines, but Nicky pays him no attention, except to hand him the towel when he’s finished and suggest that Joe complete the task of getting dry. While Joe works, Nicky pulls sweatpants and a t-shirt, a hoodie and thick socks out of the dresser in the bedroom, takes them to Joe and kisses him on the forehead. “Come downstairs when you are done,” he murmurs, and Joe leans after him as he pulls away, and Nicky swats at him with affection.
He readies two mugs of excellent tea and is buttering toast when Joe appears again. “Thank you,” Joe says gruffly from inside the hood he’s pulled up all the way around his face.
“My love,” Nicky says, hoping his expression doesn’t betray his amusement.
“What?”
Nicky shakes his head. “Oh . . . just . . . It’s nothing.” He passes Joe a mug, and a plate with two thick slices of toast on it, and picking up his own he sits in the vacant armchair on Joe’s left, stretching his socked feet out toward the fire.
Joe munches his toast silently, and pushes back his hood before he drinks his tea.
“Better?” Nicky asks gently.
Joe’s expression shifts from neutral to fond. “I hate the rain,” he confesses.
“And the cold,” says Nicky.
“And the cold,” repeats Joe.  His cheeks are beginning to pink from the warmth of the fire, and his sigh is no longer weighted with all the world’s woes. “I am lucky to come home to you.”
“I’m glad you recognize it,” Nicky teases, and chuckles as Joe tries to jostle his elbow. “Finish your tea. There is more firewood, and I soon I will place a hot water bottle in our bed.”
Joe smiles at him, closed-mouthed and happy, cheeks round with satisfaction, the skin beside his eyes wrinkling in exactly the way that always makes Nicky think of how kind Joe is.
“You are my warm avenging angel,” says Joe.
Nicky wriggles his toes at the compliment. “Flatterer,” he whispers, but leans over to meet Joe halfway, and seals the moment with a kiss.
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crimson-and-clover-1717 · 11 hours ago
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This is one of my favourite scenes. I think it showcases their characters so well.
How tender Stede is with Ed’s absolute chaos of a breakfast
Stede’s confident body language - he ‘did good’ last night
Ed’s calmness and vulnerability in sharing one of the darkest moments of his life, and how his belief in Stede’s love helped him live again.
I hurt a little that Ed is desperately and poignantly trying to tell Stede he wants to give up the violent way of life, but doesn’t quite have the words… but this will sort itself later.
But the little moment that gets me is the toast.
S: ‘Toast… with a bite already taken’
E: ‘… that was me.’
That was me.
First, it’s Taika’s delivery of the line. It’s so light and subtly funny. Ed’s almost pleased with himself. You don’t make someone breakfast and hand it over with your own teethmarks in it, Ed! But also, thanks for clarifying. In case it was Roach or Archie instead. Like, obviously it was Ed!
That was me.
But it got me thinking about life on ships, and Ed’s Hornighost memories in the gravy basket about Felix stealing food, and the severe punishment for that. Food on a ship would be tightly controlled. And the idea, you would take a bite out of another person’s breakfast, especially your Captain’s! It’s almost an act of insubordination.
Now of course Stede doesn’t run that sort of ship, and Stede and Ed are in an intimate relationship; but fear is long-lived, and Ed has grown up and lived within punitive cultures. I mean, imagine if he’d taken a bite out of his dad’s food!
To be so relaxed that he wanders down to the kitchens, gets food for his lover, but also his Captain, and eats some of it on the way. And openly admits to it with no bother… they’ve rekindled their previous domesticity, and more.
I think it tells much about their intimacy, but also how much Ed is healing from his past. They are just going to be that sort of annoying restaurant couple that constantly eat off each other’s plates.
Perhaps that’s a lot of overthinking about a piece of toast. But I love finding meaning in the minutiae. The little details that tell us so much about the character growth of these two.
There’s a bite in my toast!
That was me
That was me 💕
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redvexillum · 1 day ago
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You did NOT just serve up this grade-A, farm-fresh, red-hot domestic discipline masterpiece featuring subby cowboy Lucifer.
The "third time’s the charm" breaking point? The fact that **our darling Reader lured this man in like a patient predator, only to tie him up and TEASE HIM WITH ABSOLUTE MALICE? Oh, chef's kiss. You just KNOW Lucifer is too strong for most people to handle, but the way he melts under Reader's touch? The "yes, ma'am" energy so thick you could spread it on toast?
AND THE DIALOGUE. HOLY HELL.
"Do you want me to help you relax, sweetheart?"
😭😭😭 Lucifer gulping, shaking, on the verge of tears just because he KNOWS his only answer is yes. This is some TOP-TIER POWER PLAY. I am losing my mind.
AND THEN—THE TEASING.
"T-Thank you, darlin'," he whispered against you, "let me make it up to you now. S-Show you how sorry I really am."
STOP, HE’S TOO PRECIOUS. He’s CRYING INTO HER SHOULDER. This big, strong, hardworking cowboy Lucifer, melting down to a pathetic, desperate mess under the reader’s control. And the knife? THE KNIFE??? YOU GAVE HIM A BLADE AND HAD HER CUT HIS ROPES WHILE HE SHIVERED AND SOBBED AGAINST HER?
I am experiencing divine revelation.
✨Bucking Bronco✨
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@bat-boness keeps fucking cooking with their Cowboy Lucifer art and I shall do the same!!! @nayomi247 and @liveontelevision this is your fault too lol, we have now formed a small but mighty Cowboy Lucifer cult fan club
Lucifer x f!sinner reader
Summary: Lucifer finds himself in a punishing situation…
Warnings: 18+, smut, hand job, oral (m receiving), p in v
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“You know, this wouldn’t be happening if you would come in from the farm on time, Luci,” you scolded as you finished tying the last knot on his wrists. "I don't think I ask for much."
This was the third night in a row your hardworking husband has missed dinner with you. You let it slide the first night. The second night you gave him a gentle reminder to not overwork himself. But tonight was the last straw. A third night of eating alone with a cold plate of food sitting across the table from you. You loved him dearly, but you hated that his priorities didn’t seem to be in order. You were going to make sure he learned his lesson one way or another. He tried to butter you up as he usually did when he came in from work late, knowing full well what he'd done. You feigned a smile and told him not to give it another thought. You told him to get comfortable and that you would join him upstairs soon. But when you walked into your room with your rope in hand, he gulped. He knew damn well that he was in trouble. You sat him down on the ottoman and wrapped your ropes around his hands and wrists, pinning his arms behind his back, effectively rendering him helpless against your ‘punishment’.
“Darlin’, I-I’m sorry, time just gets away from me sometimes! I-I would never do anything to upset you,” Lucifer stuttered. “P-Please, have mercy…”
You checked the tightness of your ropes before standing in front of your husband, towering over him in his subdued state. “Oh, I’m not upset with you! But since you’ve just been working so hard lately, I thought it’d be mighty kind of me if I helped you relax.” You brought your hand to his chin and had him meet your intense gaze. “Do you want me to help you relax, sweetheart?” you asked, knowing all too well that there was only one answer he could give you.
“Y-yes,” Lucifer responded meekly.
"That's my good boy," you praised, a small whimper escaping Lucifer's throat. You slowly dragged your hand down his open-shirt chest, stopping right above his already very apparent erection. He did his best to buck his hips up in an attempt to create any sort of friction. But all this did was cause you to pull you hand away from him immediately. He whined pathetically. "Behave now," you reprimanded. Lucifer looked up at you with glassy eyes and nodded obediently. You smiled and brought your hand back down to its previous spot, hovering just about his hard-on. You heard Lucifer's breath hitch as you finally placed your palm over his cock that has been painfully straining against his jeans. It took every ounce of willpower in him to remain still while you toyed with him.
"P-Please," Lucifer mewled, "I-I can't...hng..."
You pulled down the zipper to his pants lethargically, watching Lucifer's chest rise and fall more and more rapidly until you finally released his already leaking cock from its confines. "I love how needy you are for me, sweet pea." You gripped his length in your hand and started stroking him meticulously. Lucifer's whines filled the room, you've never heard sweeter sounds than his desperate cries. His precum leaked onto your hand, your jerking motions becoming smoother. You circled your thumb over the head of his cock, applying the lightest of pressure to it. Lucifer cried out as he bucked his hips once more from your teasing. You let go of him again, tears now welling up in his eyes from the loss of your touch.
"I'm sorry!" Lucifer nearly shouted. "D-Don't stop, please...I'll behave, I-I promise!"
"That's strike two, Luci," you warned. "You wouldn't want me to leave you like this, would you now?"
"N-No! Please...", a single tear rolled down his face. You smiled gently and wiped it from his cheek.
"Shh, it's alright," you cooed, "patience, my love. I'll take care of you."
He took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm himself down. He knew deep down you wouldn't leave him in such a desperate and vulnerable state. You knelt down on the ground, gripping his shaft once more. You stuck out your tongue and licked up the length of his cock, tasting all the precum that had spilled out of him. Lucifer's voice caught in his throat; he was beyond forming any coherent sentences at this point. He struggled against his binds, losing grip of his control fast. Your tongue circled his swollen tip, eliciting the smallest yelps from your lover, your hot breath driving him insane. You enveloped him suddenly, bobbing your head up and down, taking as much of him as you could. Lucifer was frozen, he dared not move again in fear of the repercussions. Instead, he was loud, moaning and whining from everything you were giving him in this moment. You let him go with a satisfying pop, flashing a mischievous grin.
"Tell me what you want, sugar," you teased him as your hand replaced your warm mouth. "Use your words."
Lucifer's hat had fallen in front of his face, you could no longer see his eyes. You lifted it up only to see them glowing a bright crimson red, his hunger for you now abundantly evident. "N-Need you," he choked out, "need to feel you, n-now. Please...ride me..."
You smirked at him and nodded. You stood up once more, removing your belt in one swift motion and tossing your shorts off so the side, your soaking pussy now in full view. Lucifer gulped audibly. You straddled yourself against Lucifer's hips, teasing his cock with your dripping folds. You decided to wear his hat on your head instead so that you could clearly see the disheveled mess of a man beneath you. He blushed hard at the sight. You leaned down and planted the tiniest peck to his forehead.
"Now, are you going to be late again?" you questioned playfully.
"N-No," Lucifer promised. "I'll come in from the farm on time, I-I swear! You'll never w-wait for me again!"
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear." You lined yourself up and slowly lowered yourself onto him, taking him an inch at a time. He was thicker than most, so he knew you needed just a little bit longer to adjust to his abnormal size. Not that you minded in the slightest, he was able to hit all of the right spots without even moving. Once you bottomed out on his cock, you both let out a wanton moan. After a few seconds of letting yourself stretch around him, you began to shift your hips. Your sudden movements forced Lucifer to lean against the crook of your neck for support. He felt as though you were trying to milk him dry. Which is exactly what you were doing.
"F-Fuck, Lucifer," you stuttered, "always making me f-feel so good, baby. Look s-so pretty under me..." Lucifer could barely hear your praises over his own sounds. This was pure bliss, but agonizingly torturous at the same time. His bound hands were eager to touch you, to hold you, to feel you.
"My love, please, I-I'm begging, let me go..." he cried into your shoulder. "I'm so so sorry, I-I...please..." You stopped your movement completely and started gently petting the back of his head. How could you deny him any longer?
You reached down and grabbed the sheathed blade that adorned his hip. "Stay perfectly still," you commanded, reaching around and carefully slicing the ties around his arms and wrists, letting the rope fall to the floor. You tossed the knife far away from you while Lucifer's hand immediately gripped your hips.
"T-Thank you, darlin'," he whispered against you, "let me make it up to you now. S-Show you how sorry I really am." Without warning, Lucifer lifted you up only for him to slam you right back down on his throbbing cock. The cry you let out was lustful and wanting. His hips bucked up into you at a relentless pace, your cunt clenching around him desperately while you both chased your highs. You dug your nails into his shoulders for support as he pounded into you over and over. You felt that familiar knot in your stomach growing larger, threatening to snap any given second as your lover pushed you to your breaking point with each thrust.
"L-Luci," you whimpered helplessly, "I'm close, s-so close, mmph, fffffuuu-uuuccck..." Your pleas only seemed to drive him even madder than he already was as one of his hands left your hips, his thumb finding that small sensitive bundle of nerves. You nearly screamed from the new sensation.
"Me too, sweetheart, m-me too, shit,' Lucifer breathed. "Cum f' me, l-let me feel you cum around me..."
With those words, stars clouded your vision. You felt your cunt pulsate around Lucifer's cock, tightening and squeezing him without abandon, your juices leaking onto his lap. Your orgasm pushed your lover over the edge as well, his grunts and whimpers echoing throughout the room as he filled you up to the brim with his hot seed, having to bite down your shoulder as to not lose himself in the pleasure. As you both started to recover from your highs, you cupped Lucifer's face in your hands and brought him in for a deep kiss. Your tongues fought for dominance, still trying to catch your breath in the process. You pulled away from him, his half-lidded eyes gazing up at your adoringly.
"You owe me a new rope," you chastised lovingly.
~~~
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I have no real excuse for this :3
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cupcakeinat0r · 22 hours ago
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Another Valentine's w/ Dadbod!Miguel
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It’s that time of year again; A day you so dreaded turned into one of your favorite days of the year: Valentine’s. 
And even though you insist on telling each other you ‘won’t be getting each other anything’ because ‘all you need is each other’, both parties buy gifts anyway (and let’s face it; his were always pricier. The man’s a scientist.) 
Like the year prior, you cooked him breakfast in bed wearing something that was very much short-lived and ended up on the floor, ripped, before he even got to the toast. 
Having taken off from work, especially for the holiday, the both of you then rest in bed, the midday sun cascading across the bedroom floor. Just like last year, he’ll big spoon you, the plush of his stomach against your back and rumbling along with his rich chuckles. Just like last year, you two will snicker in bed, because he’s just murmured in your ear how he’ll need to renew that gym membership if you keep cooking for him like this; how his New Year’s resolutions are impossible with you around. But then he’ll immediately thank you, not for just loving him through food, but for being his rock; he would’ve never eaten this good before you. He would intertwine his fingers with yours under the sheets, the size difference in them endearing. Just like last year. 
After an accidental nap, Miguel groggily mutters in your ear how he’s gotten reservations somewhere nice and that he’s been wanting to take you. Here’s the kicker: it was in 30 minutes. 
“What?!” you jump out of bed and instantly retreat to your closet. Easy for him to stay calm, all he had to do was comb back those black curls of his, dress those muscles, and be ready to go. 
Miguel waits for you in the bedroom, announcing the time you have left through the bathroom door. When he hears your haste voice through the wall, he smiles to himself. 
His eyes wander, and maybe too far, because he finds a notebook. Curious and mindlessly looking for something to do while you finish getting ready, he goes to it and reads through it. It’s fine since there’s no secrets between you; you go into each other's things all the time. 
It doesn’t take too much reading to realize it’s a journal; your journal.  He remembers you mentioning wanting to start for this new year. A little part of him knows he shouldn’t… but the curiosity was killing him. He looks back at the door for a moment, ensuring you’re still occupied.
He turns to the book and resumes reading, but it’s not as wholesome as the first few entries.
His face falls, a certain, familiar wave of heat passing through him as he reads your handwriting. 
This entry was all about him. 
You two had just made love, and you raved about how romantic and tender it was, going into details of how sweetly he treated you. And you also praised the rougher side of Miguel; how he took control in bed, how his strength kept you in a trance, and that body…
You went on to list the many things you wanted Miguel to do to you. Bashfully written secrets of love kept away, in hopes that maybe, through manifestation, they’ll come true, rather than being upfront and telling him what you want. How you wanted to experiment with taking the control for a night, maybe making the entire performance be about his pleasures for a change. To kiss up his thighs and the little pudge of his stomach, until he was rock solid, placing kisses there as well until he was too worked up to resist begging. How you want to experiment with food and maybe use his entire torso as a plate for your enjoyment. 
‘Whipped cream off his chest and tummy… GAWD. I need a moment. Goodnight.’ was how the entry was sealed.
There was also mentions of wanted to be choked by him, tied, and other various things that Miguel would otherwise be shocked coming from you.
Miguel stares down at the notebook baffled. He knew you loved his body the way it was… but he guess he just didn’t realize how much. 
“Okay, baby, I’m ready. You got the-” a perplexed Miguel turns around to you, your notebook in his hand, and you immediately want to crawl in a hole.
“Miguel,” your voice shakes with shame, bracing yourself for an unbearably embarrassing response, ”How much of that did you read?”
Miguel’s lips curl into a wicked smile. 
“Whipped cream?” his brow quirks.
“Oh… so that much, huh?” he sheepishly nod. You’re stuck where you stand.
Miguel walks with purpose and ease until he’s right in front of you, his frame demanding the lift of your head and guilty gaze.
“Mamita, there’s no need to be hiding this stuff from me.” the tone of his voice is nothing but nurturing and reassuring.
You smile softly up at him, grateful that he at least isn’t disgusted by your twisted mind. Desperate to change the subject, you look at the time, “We can talk later, but aren’t gonna be late?” You ask in hopes he’ll take the bait.
“Late to where?”
Miguel’s hands find the flesh of your hips, giving them a light squeeze, pulling you closer to the plush of his muscles. The small yet dominant gesture making your heart flutter,
“We’re staying right in this room.” 
And he made alllllll your dreams come true in one night. 
Happy Valentine's Day <3 xoxo
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muttsupreme · 1 day ago
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drunk as hell but this Valentine’s Day I want Roman
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I want Roman not even asking you to be his Valentine because it’s a bargain deal. He gets you as a life partner, his little fugglesnuggle, his freak, his partner in crime, so yeah, it should be obvious you’re his Valentine. But he sees some tweet about how guys should always ask, that it’s just so important, so — while you’re in the shower, he comes in. As he usually does. But with your favorite flowers (it doesn’t matter that they’re out-of-season). Oh, and outside he also has some huge box of assorted Ferrero Rocher chocolates he remembers you talking about? And those designer shoes, you know, the ones you saw in Saks Fifth? Yeah, you should wear them tonight.
It’s not really that, though, that makes you all feel-good. It’s more that he kisses your back and shoulders when you get ready. More, more of that — more of, “You’re soft. Do you drink virgin’s blood? Seriously? The lotion I get you cannot be that good.”
He takes you to your favorite cafe for brunch. It reminds you of Paris, with outdoor seating and a delicious toasted marshmallow latte, but today you get a matcha with strawberry cold foam. He makes fun of you, “You’re drinking grass. Grass drinker. It’s not even, like, uhh — a what, cleanser? Just straight urban hippie grass juice. With a little fruity fluff.”
Afterwards, you both attend a nice museum exhibit, which you both enjoy for the first thirty minutes until you realize you’re both self-assigned critics and need a day off. So, movies — which, with Roman’s background in the film industry, is debatably worse. But Annie Hall is playing in his private theater until the late afternoon. It’s nice, it’s sweet, you’re both entangled like one great, big knot.
For dinner, he takes you to an Italian restaurant. It’s one that was once way out of budget when you first started working with him, one that you were honestly scared of walking into when he first brought you after work. Now it’s a second home. He calls it ‘your place’, meaning the place you had your first official-unofficial date. He still gets whiny when you say you didn’t know it was actually a date. You were just under the impression that your boss was trying to be nice so you don’t tattle on him for every little perversion.
He acts like it’s nothing, “Whatever, fuck you, it’s Valentine’s Day. Was I supposed to let you sit all alone and vibrate yourself numb?” He doesn’t expect a ‘thank you’, doesn’t really expect anything. This is just what you do, right? Standard procedure. You’re supposed to at least get your…romantic person (he holds himself back from saying ‘wife’), some chocolate and candy and flowers, and a nice dinner.
You walk for a while after dinner; he likes walking sometimes, usually when he’s drunk or high or upset. He’ll tell his driver to follow, just sort of not stay too far away, for when they actually wanna get home. You buy him flowers on the way back; some street vendor has Osiria roses. Beautiful flowers with dark reds and soft whites striping through the petals. He was fucking humiliated, because what, you’re buying him flowers? Like he’s some flamboyant metrosexual? You can only laugh at how ironically accurate that is. Truth is, he really doesn’t mind. He actually fucking loves it. Can’t stop ‘subtly’ smelling them when you ‘aren’t looking’.
He leans all over you on you while walking to the car. He just drapes himself over you, clings to you. Opens the door to the car for you with a snarky, “M’lady, the penthouse princess.” He nuzzles your shoulder and neck the whole ride, like a stray you’ve just picked up. For just a moment, he picks up your hand and kisses the part where your thumb meets your pointer finger, and then acts like it didn’t happen at all.
He clumsily grabs his roses and — most importantly — your hand as you both walk inside. Nudges you, an excuse to rub up against you as you both step into the private elevator. He quickly gives in, leaning on you and then making some exaggerated snoring sound as if he’s fallen asleep on your shoulder. A moment passes.
“You full? Like it?” He sounds uncertain. It shows, now, as it always will eventually, that he especially wanted you to like it. Paid attention, thought it out.
“When don’t I?” It’s half a scoff and half a laugh. You really have no room to say you don’t like one of your favorite restaurants in Manhattan, if not the world. Especially when he gets you the same pasta you had on your first date, the same tiramisu, with a hazelnut latte. He scoffs in return, face scrunching up as if it’s physically painful for him to imagine that you’re just lying, going with the flow.
When you both get into the penthouse, it’s actually not very late. You’re both full, and he groans as he stretches like an old man. He’s getting stocky, because he actually eats with you around. You notice when he doesn’t.
“You…like, like me, right?” He’s changing when he asks the awkward question, one he feels like should be left unsaid, it should be kind of obvious; you live with him, you work with him, you’re his Valentine. Every time something goes wrong or you’re upset, you call him. Of course you like him, duh, but maybe you don’t, or maybe you’re just playing the game, getting inside his head.
“Rome, come on. It’s us,” your words are supposed to portray just how dumb it sounds to ask you, of all people, that question. You’ve seen this guy cry, sob, you’ve felt him sneak into your bed after a nightmare, he’s told you stories of his fucked-up childhood and you’ve seen him get hit so hard he’s lost a tooth. He has admitted to you, in the privacy of the dark, quiet penthouse, while in the same bed with him playing a game of ‘Truths’, that he pissed the bed as a teen. And you’re still here. You’re always there.
“Fuck you, I know. I know you like me. But, do you?”
“Yes! Jesus, honey, yes, I like you,” you say quickly. It doesn’t take long for you to grab and hold his cheeks, feeling the scruff on them, rubbing circles with your thumb. He leans into the touch, kisses your thumb. His eyes practically twinkle.
“Yeah. Yeah, you do,” his first ‘yeah’ sounded almost whispered, like it soothed some part of his soul, whereas the second ‘yeah’ immediately turned back into typical Roman. That faux suaveness never fails to make him look silly, all sweet and stupid.
“Bed now?”
“Bed now,” you agree. And it isn’t inherently sexual. You’re both tired, and he wants your skin on his. He lays the roses beside your flowers, assuming the maid will put them in water for him.
The two of you brush your teeth together in the en-suite. You do your skincare routine together (although his takes longer). And at the end of both, he comes over to where you sit on the edge of the sink and puckers his lips for you to kiss, and you hop off and head over to the bedroom to change.
He nearly never sleeps without a shirt. Whether he’s wearing an undershirt, or one of your tees, he’s almost always in some shirt and his briefs. He takes his shirt off tonight, and doesn’t put one back on in its place. He’s soft, shaven, and just a little pudgy. Little freckles and moles are dispersed sparsely around his pale skin that has very recently been seeing just a bit more sun from a recent vacation to Italy.
“You’re such a fuckin’ perv,” he comments awkwardly at your staring. It sounds confident, funny, but you can tell that he’s sucking in his tummy, flexing his biceps as if he’s some big, strong man.
“I appreciate beautiful things. Don’t you?”
“Oh — smooth, smooooth fucking operator, very nice. I mean, an art exhibit is one thing, but full-frontal is kinda different.”
“Mm,” you come up to him, kissing his back now, kissing his shoulders. “Not with you.” It has two meanings, a double-edged sword: he always finds such weird shit so artistic, and not even in a directly perverse way; he loves the movie Brown Bunny, and genuinely believes that the blowjob was crucial to the plot. On the other hand, he’s also just — different. Even if full-frontal, on average, may not be worthy of the Louvre, it’s Roman. He’s Venus as a boy. He’s something entirely different from the rest.
And he can’t handle that. His face scrunches up again, as if in pain, feels his eyes hot, wet. You’re kissing his back and saying he’s art.
With a quick whine, he’s turned around in your arms and facing you, kissing you the way you’d imagine a woman may kiss her husband after he returns home from The War. It’s silly, it’s almost like he thinks you’ll disappear if he stops, it feels like he’s a kid, like he’s a little kid again with a crush on Sally-May-what’s-her-name aka who-gives-a-fuck. Like he’s never kissed in his life, and he’s wearing noise-cancelling headphones and the only thing playing is how the fabric of your dress moves against his hand as he hold onto it like reigns, and the squeaky noises of lips on lips, and your soft little noise is surprise.
But you don’t push him away. You let him take his fill. And he does, and when he’s done, he licks his spit from your lips with such reverence that it’s hard not to laugh.
“W-fuck, what?”
“No! No, Roro, it’s fine, no, you’re just,” you chuckle breathlessly, partly because you’re trying to hold back a laugh at his actions, tongue slowly tickling and tracing your lips, and partly because you hardly have any breath left after that kiss. “Oh, Romeyrabbit. You’re just silly. Silly, silly boy.”
He’s about to retort, but your hands are in his hair and he allows it. He’s okay with being some fucking stupid ‘Romeyrabbit’ and ‘silly boy’ if you take off this dress. So he crumples, nuzzles into your touch, and tries tugging off your dress.
“Okay, okay,” you respond, paying no mind to his puppy dog eyes the moment you pull away to take off your dress. “You, too!” You demand, and he quickly obeys, unbuckling and unzipping, slacks on the floor in seconds, tugging his socks off along with them.
He watches while still standing. He knows he looks stupid, just standing there and gawking at you, but — Venus of Townley is in his bedroom tugging down her dress and slipping off her shoes.
Taking too-big, clumsy steps, he walks with his bare feet in only his navy blue Calvin Klein briefs to go behind you and take off your bra with clammy hands. He tugs it down your shoulders and lets it fall down your arms. It’s not sexual, it isn’t anything at all; it’s him, it’s you, it’s a quiet, cool bedroom on Valentine’s Day.
Panties are next and then it’s all off. He keeps his briefs on, usually does, though he may take them off at some point through the night. But this is enough. He leans into the crook of your neck from behind, his nose nudging at your ear.
“Mmbed,” he mumbles what seems like a childish demand. “Beddy-bye.”
You hold his hand where it’s wrapped around your tummy, draw it up to your lips, and kiss the back of it. He sways with you in his arms — well, less of swaying, more of yanking you side-to-side with a playful growl. You giggle, let out a ridiculous laugh. You can feel his grin on your skin.
In bed, it’s soft, and the sheets feel as expensive as they are. Your noses touch, and he nudges them together when you start to fall asleep during the ceremonial staring contest ritual that has apparently just begun. But soon, you drift off and he doesn’t nudge you, just lets you. You make little “mmn,” noises in your sleep and his lips quirk up at them. He stares. He watches you sleep, if only for a few minutes. It’s a weird thing to do as is. But he likes it, the two of you entangled and him being able to just love you, watch you, observe you as you are. It is Valentine’s Day, after all. It begs the question of what the whole fucking holiday is about if not just this.
Just this. You and him. How nice is that? How nice can life fucking get?
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steviewashere · 2 days ago
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No Context WIP Snippet
I was tagged by @queenie-ofthe-void, thank you! <3
(Also...maybe a little bit of context, but this is for @puppy-steve. Keep your eyes peeled, homie, you might be getting a Valentine's Day gift by the end of today.)
——— Sweat beads down his right temple, head burrowed in his pillow, seeking out Eddie’s guiding stare. Steve moves closer. His hand gently tickles over Eddie’s naked ribs, fingers tracing the edges of his puckered scars, listening to his snores stutter at the touch. But when he doesn’t stir, Steve only gets closer, the gap between them non-existent.
Eddie’s scent is muzzled by his sleep. It’s faint. The light smokiness of freshly lit firewood, of golden brown sticky marshmallows, and toasted graham crackers. Steve can’t help himself, slotting his face under the heavy hang of Eddie’s hair, nose pressed deep into the soft give of his neck. Inhaling.
His tongue craves Eddie’s skin, lolling out on its own accord. Gently, he presses it flat to his scent gland, whole mouth bursting with flavor. Musk and marshmallows. Mouthing, lipping along the slope of his neck. Nibbling at him, barely letting his teeth sink in.
———
(Also, also this low-key reads like somnophilia...I promise you it's not. You gotta trust me on this, but I can assure to you it is not.)
No pressure tags: @scoops-aboy86 @alwaysurvalentine @sidekick-hero @ataliagold @gloomysoup
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charliedawn · 3 days ago
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knocking on your door at three am in the rain
Charlie, dearest, I am… so sorry to bother you so soon and so close to the date… but may I perhaps inquire about a Valentine’s Day with the Hannibal’s? Please? Please?? Pleaseeeeeee????? They deserve something nice today :)
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Valentine’s Day with the Hannibal Family
The morning at the Hannibal estate began as it always did—refined, quiet, and steeped in an air of sophistication. But today, a subtle shift had taken place. There was a box of chocolate waiting to be unwrapped on the side of the table. A vase of crimson roses sat at the center of said dining table, a rare acknowledgment of the holiday that none of them usually bothered to celebrate.
You, however, were determined to bring a little more heart into the occasion.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, my terrifying murder family,” you announced as you walked into the room, arms full of small, individually wrapped gifts.
Peter’s face lit up immediately. “Wait, we’re doing Valentine’s ?”
Kevin smirked. “Apparently.”
Hannibal Sr. raised a brow, a knowing glint in his eyes. “I suspect you had something to do with this.”
You grinned, placing a package in front of each of them. “Of course. What, you thought I’d ignore the perfect excuse to force you all into a unwanted display of affection ?”
Morgan picked up his gift, eyeing it suspiciously. “What is it ?”
“Open it and see,” you replied confidently, plopping down in your seat with a self-satisfied grin.
One by one, they unwrapped their gifts. Peter gasped audibly as he pulled out a hand-knit scarf in deep forest green. “You made this ?”
You nodded proudly. “I did. Thought you could use something warm.”
He brought it to his face and took a long inhale. “I love it…Thank you so much.”
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You smiled.
Okay. Hannibal 1 is happy with his gift.
Kevin tore his open too, revealing a T-shirt that read Trust me, I’m an artist in bold letters. He burst out laughing. “I’m wearing this immediately.”
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He ran upstairs to change.
Morgan, ever the skeptic, unwrapped a sleek, elegant pen—one you had painstakingly researched, knowing he would appreciate quality over sentiment. He turned it in his fingers, nodding in approval. “Not bad.”
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Hannibal Jr. lifted the lid off his box to find a carefully curated collection of rare teas. He let out a soft hum of approval. “You do pay attention. Merci, mon/ma cher/chère.”
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You smiled as he called you dear in French and nodded. Fancy…Seems like he also liked his gift. Good job you.
“And for you, sir,” you said, sliding the last box toward Hannibal Sr., “a new set of antique wine glasses. Because, frankly, I fear for my life every time you handle the old ones.”
A low chuckle escaped him, and he lifted his glass of morning coffee in a mock toast. “A thoughtful gesture. I’ll be sure to use them wisely.”
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After breakfast, Peter surprised everyone by shyly pushing a box of chocolates toward you. “I, uh, actually got you something too. Since you’re always making things for us.”
Your heart warmed as you took it, grinning. “Peter, that’s adorable. You’re my favorite today.”
Kevin snorted. “Wow, no hesitation.”
“Sorry, I play favorites on Valentine’s,” you teased.
“Then I suppose I’ll have to bribe my way into first place,” Hannibal Jr. mused. He reached into his coat pocket and handed you a small, wrapped package. Inside was a beautifully intricate bookmark, its design reminiscent of old-world craftsmanship.
You blinked, touched. “This is gorgeous.”
“I know you read more than you sleep,” he said, taking a sip of his tea. “It seemed appropriate.”
Morgan rolled his eyes but handed you something as well—a first edition of a book you had casually mentioned months ago.
“Wait,” you whispered, flipping it open in disbelief. “This is impossible to find.”
Morgan smirked. “Not for me.”
You opened your mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by Kevin shoving something into your hands. It was a mixtape.
“A mixtape ?” you asked, amused.
He shrugged and pretended to be nonchalant about it. “Figured I’d introduce you to good music.”
“I will treasure it forever,” you declared dramatically and chuckled before putting all of them in a bag.
Then, finally, you turned to Hannibal Sr., raising a brow. “And what about you ? Do I get the Valentine treatment or…?”
He studied you for a moment, then reached into his pocket and placed a small, silver key in your palm.
You frowned. “What’s this ?”
“The key to the library,” he said smoothly. “You now have unrestricted access.”
Your eyes widened. “You never let anyone in there unsupervised—maybe Morgan sometimes but...”
“A rare exception,” he admitted, amusement flickering in his gaze. “One you have earned.”
For once, you were speechless.
Peter clapped his hands together. “Well, this was unexpectedly wholesome.”
You beamed at all of them, your heart warm. “Happy Valentine’s Day, you terrifying, ridiculous, wonderful people.”
Kevin smirked. “We should do this every year.”
Hannibal Sr. merely raised his glass again. “Perhaps.”
But the rare, almost fond expressions on all their faces told you everything you needed to know.
Message from Author:
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interstellarlyinlove · 1 day ago
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Heartbroken (Feb 16th)
word count: 531
@wolfstarmicrofic
Remus and Sirius are sitting across from each other in a cafe that serves the best breakfast Sirius has ever had. It’s absurdly early, the sun is not completely up in the sky, and the both of them are sweaty and miserable. At least, Sirius feels sweaty and miserable. 
“Do you feel good right now?” Sirius asks, stirring sugar into his coffee. 
Remus snorts. “I feel miserable.”
Sirius raises his cup of coffee for a pseudo toast. “Hear, hear.”
“Why would someone do something so energy consuming at five thirty in the morning?” Remus blinks, slumping in his chair. “I am so sore. And tired. How did you convince me to go?”
Sirius scoffs. “As if. It was your idea, darling babe. You wanted us to get into working out this year.” Sirius considers for a moment. “It wasn’t a bad workout class, honestly. Just rather intense.”
“And too loud and dark. Ugh. I can't believe I still have to go through an entire day.”
Sirius laughs. “That’s a funny sentence.”
Remus blinks again. “I have to teach in a couple of hours. Do you know how much fun I have teaching?”
Sirius raises an eyebrow. “You love teaching.”
“I do,” Remus says, nodding miserably. “Just not after a high intensity– what is it that we did, again?”
“I’m not sure,” Sirius says. He rotates his shoulder and it pops. “All I know is I really underestimated how much it would kick my ass.”
“And to think we were teen Quidditch athletes a few lifetimes ago.”
Sirius laughs, shaking his head. “Don’t remind me, you’ll break my heart.”
Remus smiles and Sirius is in love with the smile lines around his eyes. “I know we’re not that peppy right now, but I think we kicked that workout’s ass as much as it kicked ours.”
Sirius nods. “Yeah, definitely.”
Remus looks at his watch. “When does your shift start?”
Sirius cringes. “I forgot about that.”
“You forgot about your job?”
Sirius smiles. “Yeah. I have a twelve hour shift today.”
“Oh no,” Remus says, sounding entirely too mortified. 
Sirius snorts. “It’s not that bad. It’s mostly just healing broken bones and runny noses this time of year.”
Remus shudders. “Oh, how I love teaching. Thank you for reminding me.”
“Anytime, Re,” Sirius says. He takes a biteful of his eggs. “I don’t necessarily want to do what we did this morning ever again, but this is nice. Spending more time in the morning with you.”
Remus throws his straw wrapper at Sirius. He’s smiling when he says, “You’re being entirely too sentimental for six thirty in the damn morning. Finish your breakfast.”
“Aye aye, cap–”
“We could do something less sweaty if you want. Next time.”
Sirius grins. “Oh, you can’t get enough of me, can you?”
Remus makes a show of moving out of his chair. “I will go home without you.”
Sirius reaches out for Remus’ hand and holds it. “Don’t. You’re the best part of my morning.”
Remus’ eyes soften. “You are, as well. Always.” He winks playfully. “Don’t tell anyone, though.”
Sirius mimics sewing his mouth shut. This is the best morning Sirius has had in a while. 
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marigoldbaker · 7 hours ago
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you in every universe
A Midwinter celebration with her new wife and their blended family goes awry when Jaheira inadvertently swaps places—and lives— with a version of herself who never lost Khalid to Jon Irenicus.
oh my fucking god lmao this is actually being posted. yes it is like 35k words!!! yes i am putting it all up here now!!! living my dream of the 35k word oneshot finally and it's the most beautiful thing in the whole world!!!!!
obviously this was for @bg3-winter-big-bang and i cannot believe i am finally putting it up. worked with the wonderful and incredible @aye-toast who created such beautiful illustrations (links pending) and honestly this was just ... it is just ... if you read this please talk to me about this fic and also i love you and also thanks for living that bisexual jaheira life with me
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liminalpebble · 2 days ago
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Hey Peb! 💖 I’m not sure if this suits the length/format, but how about: Avengers au, you & the team are celebrating a successful mission, and our Silvertongue proposes a toast. In amongst the standard congratulations, he accidentally hints at a feeling or two about the reader.
If this doesn’t work for you, ok to skip 💚 thank you!
Surprise! Happy Valentine's Day, Lady. Loki has something special for you! 💚
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The Angel in His Ear
AN: The Avengers rely on you as their tactical expert. You're the well-prepared strategic agent, the voice in their headsets that invisibly guides them through their dangerous missions. Sometimes, though, it can be thankless work. Loki, however, never takes you for granted and he's about to show you just how much you mean to him.
AU Loki on Avengers team x femme reader
CW: nothing I can think of. Cussing, maybe. Mostly a fluffy Valentine's treat for @sweetsigyn and @ladyofthestayingpower
----
It was a coincidence really, that the mission wrapped up February 13th. Stark's victory parties were always held the day after, like clockwork, when everyone was back together in Avenger's Tower. It was a sacred tradition. That meant, of course, that this one would be on Valentine's Day.
You groaned and rubbed your temples as you thought about it. You'd completely forgotten about these parties, forgot about Valentine's Day too. It hardly seemed important when the whole team was expecting your voice in their headsets telling them which bullets to dodge or exits to take. Every ounce of your energy had been used up on tracking the team, constantly directing them through their earpieces in real time. It was grueling and stressful, hours of making quick decisions to get everyone out alive.
Even thinking about dragging yourself to the swanky party in your nicest (but most uncomfortable) dress while everyone schmoozed and mingled and chitchatted with fancy drinks and hor d'oeuvres, made you feel a bit bitter.
It wasn't that you didn't like a party, or a nice drink, or delicious food, or your team members. It was just that most of the time you didn't feel like you belonged. You weren't a super soldier or a demigod, you were just an agent.
You were the first agent to greet them as they landed, funneling out of the jet slapping each other's backs in congratulations and basking in their victory, forgetting that you were the one guiding them through it all.
Not all of them were like that, though. Tony was, of course, an asshole and never even acknowledged your presence. You were pretty sure he didn't even know your name. Natasha was kind, usually giving you a little nod, or wink, or salute of thanks, sometimes even a hug. But the best moment always came last, when you'd spot Loki's tall elegant form exiting the plane. He always let everyone go before him, and he always walked towards you gracefully with that irresistible smile, even when he was beaten up or clearly exhausted.
Every time, he would take your hand gently, bow to kiss it and say, “Thank you, dear lady, for your guidance. We could never do this without you.”
That was enough to send all the blood rushing to your head in a hot wave, but then he would also meet your gaze for a long moment, those aquamarine irises taking you in, making you feel so seen, valued, precious even.
You loved those moments, and he never failed to bestow them. Every time. You tried to rationalize his actions. He's a prince, after all. In his culture it's probably just good royal manners to be over-the-top charming like that. He'd probably do that with anyone.
At least I'll get to see him in a suit, you thought with a smirk as you put the finishing touches on your hair and makeup. You huffed at your reflection in the mirror. It was the same thing you wore every time, that one “good dress” and nice heels. With a sour feeling you thought to yourself, it doesn't matter. No one will notice me anyway.
Nevertheless, you rallied and click-clacked your way around the shiny atrium, drink in hand, trying to just enjoy the scene; the breathtaking skyline, the beautiful gowns and opulent red and pink lanyards and balloons. The free gourmet chocolates and champagne weren't bad either. Yeah, you considered, Yeah I could get used to this.
Just as you were beginning to settle into enjoying your anonymity and sensory treats, you heard a beautiful silky baritone call out your name. You'd know that voice anywhere and it gave you a bubbly rush that had nothing to do with the champagne.
When you turned to see him in that stunning three-piece suit, you decided that the view of the city was only the second most breathtaking thing you'd seen tonight. He was a beguiling dream in perfectly tailored forest green satin, and he was grinning broadly at you and only you. And god, he had his luscious inky black hair pulled back into a neat low ponytail tonight. You were definitely not prepared for the heavenly sight of him looking like this. You were so stunned you momentarily forgot that you can't breathe and swallow your drink at the same time.
Coughing slightly, you greeted him warmly. “Loki! Sorry! You surprised me. You look fantastic.”
He nodded graciously, hands hooked into his pockets as he shifted weight from one foot to the other. If you didn't know any better, you'd think he seemed a bit boyish and nervous, and you couldn't for the life of you imagine why.
“As do you, my dear lady,” he said kissing your hand, “absolutely ravishing.”
You giggled. You couldn't help it. The man oozed charm.
You spotted the slightest hint of pale pink painted over his porcelain cheeks and a funny little sway in his movements.
“Loki...are you drunk?”
“Nooo,” he said with a theatrical hand to his chest, “why of course not! I'm just full....but I am very full.”
“Full of what?”
“Shit,” quipped Thor from behind his brother, then laughed thunderously at his own cleverness.
Loki rolled his eyes and rubbed his forehead in annoyance while the big blond oaf slapped his back and said, “Oh, I only jest, brother!” then sauntered on through the room with his flagon of ale.
Loki sighed and then met your eyes saying, “You know, sometimes I feel like I don't belong on this planet.”
“That makes two of us...and I was born here,” you said.
“Really, darling? What a shame that you, of all people, feel like an outsider.” He fixed you with those beautiful sapphire eyes again. “As one who's always been one, I'd hate for you to feel such pain. You're...so warm...so kind.”
“It's okay,” you said softly and sadly. “I'm used to it. And I'm just grateful for your kindness.”
“I see you, my lady,” he said with a faint, knowing grin, “and you deserve the kindness you give.”
You both toasted to that. But the moment was shattered as Tony took the mic and began the long process of toasting their victory. Everyone took turns, drunkenly slurring a “cheers” into the microphone and praising their friends. It was par for the course with this sort of thing, white noise in the background of your many evenings spent this way. Until something altogether different happened...something no one was expecting, least of all you.
Loki had performed a graceful little hop onto the stage and before you knew it, you heard your name, in his voice, float through the entire room, loud and clear.
You stood, staring like a deer in headlights, completely unsure of what was about to happen and willing yourself to disappear right through the floor. You questioned if this was really happening, but then he said your name again, more softly, just for you this time even though it was across a room.
“A toast to this dear lady, to the guardian angel speaking into our ears, guiding us like a goddess of victory through the darkest and most violent of times. My dear,” he continued, a broad lovely hand over his chest and eyebrows peaked in a soft expression. He seemed on the verge of tears. “You've saved us all, but you've saved me especially, in every way...been a friend when I was friendless, saw the good in me when no one had.”
The room was utterly silent. You could hear your own pulse in your ears. He couldn't be saying what you though he was saying, could he?
“You spent so many days listening, caring, seeing me. Well, I see you, darling. And shame on anyone who took you for granted.”
He took a moment to scowl at his team mates, a sharp glare above his severe cheekbones giving everyone pause, especially Tony. With a single look he made it clear that no one would undervalue you ever again, or they would have to deal with him.
He held on to the microphone stand now, looking down contemplatively, uncharacteristically unsure of what to say or how to say it.
Finally he continued, “What I mean to say is....I...you are...I feel...oh hell.”
He leaped off the platform in one graceful swoop and bounded towards you, closing the distance in a few effortless movements of his long legs.
Before you knew it, his arm curved gently around your waist, the other cradling your face and his lips meeting yours frantically in an ecstatic kiss. The world faded around you. There were deafening cheers, there were glasses clinking, there was confetti and music, but none of it compared to the little universe of joy Loki had just made for you.
You pulled back, reluctantly, but in need of air, high and dizzy from his grand gesture. He stared down at your face, the most lovely thing he had ever seen, and stroked it gently saying, “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you...I just...”
You shut him up with another long giddy kiss. Then said, “We should have done this a long time ago.”
You both chuckled and began to dance in a shower of confetti, hope, and relief, knowing that you'd both have a guardian angel from now on.
@averagetmblrusser @primrosesposts @fruityfucker @arunabrak @mischief2sarawr @ladyofthestayingpower @acidcasualties @unlucky-number-13 @goblingirlsarah @gigglingtiggerv2 @lokihiddleston @chokeanddagger @lokischambermaid @lokisgoodgirl @marcotheflychair @smolvenger @alexakeyloveloki @littlespaceyelf @little-wormwood @loopsisloops @joyful-enchantress @eleniblue @loz-3 @the-haven-of-fiction @sweetsigyn @muddyorbs @icytrickster17 @holdmytesseract @thenerdyoldersister @thedistractedagglomeration @sailorholly @coldnique @peaches1958 @infinitystoner @peachyjinx @mischiefmaker615 @jennyggggrrr @tripleyeeet @itsybitchylittlewitchy @mochie85 @huntress-artemiss @madi0987 @buttercupcookies-blog @annoyingsweetsstranger @anukulee @aesonmae @angelofasgard16 @salempoe @n3rdybirdee @buttercupcookies-blog @fictive-sl0th @queenofstarsign85
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usomads · 2 days ago
Note
Can you do a Valentine’s Day story with Kenny Omega x Fem Reader ?
Kenny and the reader are married and have a romantic night together consisting of dinner , and a romantic bath leading into love making. Thanks in advance!
You Taste Better // Kenny Omega x Reader
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Author’s Note -> Happy Valentine’s Day! I’ve been so busy recently between moving, visiting family, and then some things that have come up but I’m hoping I get a little more consistent with writing pretty soon. I’m not usually one to write about fluffy stuff like this, but since the day calls for it I guess I’ll do it.. just this once 😉 as always, happy reading!
Pairings -> Kenny Omega x Fem!Reader
Warnings -> Fluff galore, Cursing, Hickies, Fingering, Handjob, Unprotected P in V, Not Proofread, MDNI
Word Count -> 2.3k
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Valentine’s Day: a day for extravagant gestures, lavish gifts, and world-class dinners. But this year, your first Valentine’s Day married to Kenny, things would look differently. He insisted– begged even, that the two of you stay home and he’d handle everything.
“I got this,” he’d said confidently this morning, kissing your forehead and disappearing into the kitchen.
But now, as you stood in the doorway, arms crossed in amusement, you watched your husband fumble his way through cooking dinner for the two of you. Adorned in a simple black tee and sweatpants, Kenny was the epitome of domestic charm– if not a little bit chaotic. Steak sizzles in a pan while a pot of mashed potatoes sits abandoned on the counter, a wooden spoon resting near the edge of the countertop.
“You’re supposed to stir those, babe,” you pointed out, holding back laughter.
Kenny turned, a sheepish grin on his face. “I was… getting to it.”
You shake your head, walking over to him and taking the utensil from him, giving the potatoes a much needed stir. He wraps his arms around your waist from behind, planting a soft kiss to your hair and resting his chin on your shoulder.
“You’re interfering with my master plan,” he murmurs, lips brushing the skin under your ear.
“You looked like you needed some help, babe.”
“I’ll admit to needing you, but that’s nothing new.” His hands slide down your waist, pulling you closer to him. You breathe out a sigh, now having your own troubles focusing on the potatoes. He chuckles at you, kissing your temple before pulling away to finish with the steaks. 
Dinner eventually made its way to the table– not perfect by any means but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You and Kenny sit across from each other, candlelight flickering between you, casting a warm glow on his face. He pours you a glass of wine, making a toast to another year together.
“To my beautiful wife,” he says, his voice soft now. “The one person makes every win, every loss, and everything in between worth it.”
Your heart melts at his words and you know for a fact that right now, there is no place you’d rather be than here. No five-star restaurant, no elaborate trip, nothing could compare to the serenity of this moment. As chaotic as it was trying to get dinner together, you wouldn’t trade this for the world.
You continue with dinner, making conversation and occasionally flirting and cracking jokes back and forth as you finish your meal. The two of you finish eating and Kenny stands first, gathering your plates and placing them in the kitchen before coming back to the table and extending his hand to yours– taking it and leading you upstairs. The second you step foot into the bathroom, your breath hitches in your throat. The tub was already filled with warm water and full of bubbles, the air thick with the soothing scent of vanilla and sandalwood. Rose petals decorated the water and tile floor, with dozens of candles flickering around the room– the only source of light.
You turn to him. “When did you do all this?”
Kenny smirks. “I have my ways.”
With gentle hands he undresses you, his fingers trailing slowly down your arms before guiding you into the water. Warmth envelopes you, relaxing your muscles as you watch Kenny undress himself. He slips in behind you, pulling you into his chest. His arms snake around your waist as he presses a soft kiss to your bare shoulder.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Y/N,” he murmurs.
You lean back against him, sighing contentedly. “Best one yet, baby.”
The two of you relax in each other’s embrace, soaking in the moment– one that you don’t get often with how often he’s on the road. You feel the water ripple beside you as he brings his arms out of the water, cupping water in his hands as he rinses your hair. He reaches for your shampoo– the one you bought specifically because he loves the scent, and gathers some in his hands before lathering it and bringing his hands to your hair. He massages your scalp, his hands warm and deliberate, working the soap through your roots and ends before rinsing it out. He follows with body wash, his body wash, and rubs the skin along your shoulders and chest– kneading the tension out of your muscles. The soft glide of his fingers sends shivers along your spine and soon his lips follow, brushing the sensitive skin of your ear once more.
“Kenny…” Your voice barely whispers.
He hums, his hands drifting lower. “I told you– I got this.”
The water ripples as he turns you to face him, rinsing the soap from your body. He watches the water cascade from your skin, his eyes dark with something deeper than just affection, then brings his hand to your cheek. His thumb brushes your lips before capturing them in a kiss– slow, passionate, and filled with all the love in the world.
You melt in his arms, your fingers threading through his damp hair as his hands explore your body under the water. His touch is gentle yet firm, teasing yet possessive. The steam wraps around you both, the heat between you far exceeding that of the water.
He pulls away just enough to look at you, his lips swollen and red from the kissing, his breathing heavy. “You are so damn beautiful.”
Your heart races as he trails his kisses lower, his mouth finding the most sensitive spots along your neck, your collarbone, and lower still. His fingers ghost over your thigh, spreading warmth in their wake. 
“I think we need to take this somewhere more… comfortable,” he whispers, his voice husky.
You nod, breathless, as he stood, water dripping from his toned body. He holds out his hand, helping you out of the tub before wrapping a plush towel around you. But the moment your feet touch the floor, he lifts you into his arms, carrying you into the bedroom. You take in the sights around you– rose petals scattering across the bedroom floor and your shared bed, a bottle of Dom Pérignon resting on ice, and a plate of chocolate covered strawberries.
A giggle escapes you. “So, dinner and a bath weren’t enough?”
Kenny smirks, sitting you on the bed gently. “Oh love,” he murmurs, he presses a kiss to your cheek, “the night’s just getting started. Here,” He hands you a flute of champagne. “To us.”
You both sip your glasses as he reaches for a strawberry, swirling it in the air playfully before bringing it to your lips.
“You know, they say strawberries are an aphrodisiac.”
You smirk, staring into his eyes as you take a slow bite, your fingers brushing his. “Mmm… then I guess you’re trying to get me in trouble tonight.”
He laughs, taking another sip of his champagne. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m just celebrating.”
You raise your glass to his, your eyes darkening with something deeper. “To celebrating, then. And to you– my favorite indulgence.”
You clink glasses, sipping slowly, your eyes locked on one another over the rim. You reach for a strawberry, holding it between your fingers before pressing it gently against his lips.
“Your turn.”
He takes a bite, licking a stray bit of chocolate from his lip. “Delicious. But I think you taste even better.”
He groans softly, setting his glass aside before leaning in, his fingers tilting your chin up. Your lips meet, warm and unhurried, tasting of champagne and chocolate. His hands slide to your waist, pulling you closer and guiding you towards the center of the bed. Your fingers intertwine themselves in his hair, tugging gently at the strands along the nape of his neck, drawing a soft groan from his lips. The towels that had clung to your bodies were now long gone, laying on the floor in a heap as you were now chest to chest– skin to skin. The warmth radiated between you, heartbeats in sync, moving together as one. 
His fingers trail down your body faintly, ghosting along your freshly bathed skin directly where you needed him most. They danced along the flesh of your thighs, moving ever so delicately towards your aching heat as his lips found the sensitive skin of your neck, nipping and gently sucking fresh marks along your jaw. You whine in a mixture of pleasure and frustration, your body calling to him for more. 
“Be patient, baby,” he breathes into your skin, “I’m in no rush tonight.”
Kenny’s lips find yours once more and you sigh in content, his fingers growing closer and closer to your glistening core. You shiver when his digits finally reach you, your eyes fluttering closed as he drags his fingers through your wetness, finding your clit and rubbing soft circles into the swollen bud. You hiss, your head falling onto the mattress as you finally feel relief from this burning tension. Your hips unconsciously follow his movements, your body desperate for more– dying for more.
You weren’t the only one silently begging for release, however, as his hardened cock pressed into your thigh– and for a moment you swore you could practically feel him throbbing against you. You wrap your fingers around his shaft, pumping his cock with your hand, earning a guttural moan from him. His head falls in the crook of your neck, soft moans and groans being breathed into your ear as you stroked him. It was then that his fingers teased your entrance, entering you one at a time, and thrusting into you with slow and deliberate movements.
His voice is husky and full of lust as he whispers in your ear, “Fuck, Y/N… still so fuckin’ tight for me…”
“Means you gotta fuck me more, baby,” you breathe out, the curling of his fingers inside you having you nearly breathless.
He growls, lifting his head and resting his forehead on yours. His eyes are trained on you, watching your face contort with the slow thrust of his fingers as he himself tries to keep his composure from your touch on his cock. He pulls himself away from your hand, removing his fingers from inside you much to your protest, and instead teases your entrance with the tip of his cock.
“Later. Right now,” his lips brush against yours, mere centimeters away from pressing them together again, “I wanna make love to you, baby.”
You gasp as his length slowly enters you, stretching you around him– your walls molding to the size of him. You’ve had sex with Kenny countless times, but he never fails to take your breath away every time he pushes himself inside you. His eyes stare into yours as you bite your lip, and you’re convinced you’ve drawn blood, but all of your thoughts melt away as Kenny stares at you lovingly while he buries himself deeper inside you. He stops as he’s bottomed out inside you, a breathy moan falling from his lips as he locks your lips again, devoting every ounce of love and passion into the kiss. He doesn’t stop kissing you as he begins to rock his hips against yours, his cock slowly thrusting inside you.
Whimpers and moans escape you with every movement of his hips, your body overcome with pleasure as he delivers on his promise to make love to you. He pulls away from your lips, breathing heavier as he brings your legs to his hips, letting them interlock around his waist as his slow thrusts continue. You moan his name like a mantra, the sounds of your lovemaking echoing your shared bedroom. 
“O–oh, Kenny…”
“Fuck, Y/N, you’re so beautiful.” He peppers kisses along your cheeks, and with each new location they find he utters compliments, affirmations, and most of all– proclamations of his love for you. He feels your pussy flutter around him with each sentence, your body telling him you believe each word that falls from his lips, but most importantly– that you’re close to your release. His fingers find your clit once more, resuming his soft circling motions which makes you cry out for him even more. 
“K–Kenny, baby, I–”
“Eyes on me, baby…” he mutters, “Wanna watch you cum for me. I’ve got you.”
Your eyes open to his already looking into yours, and you feel it. The love, the passion, the desire, all combined and manifested into one single gaze. It’s this gaze that sends you over the edge, your orgasm rippling through you– powerful and warm, just like him. His follows suit, his eyes never leaving yours as he releases himself inside you.
The two of you ride out your respective orgasms together, heartbeats still as one, the rise and fall of your chests in unison. Nothing else matters in this moment, the entire world has completely faded from existence– it’s just you and Kenny. The two of you. Together as one.
He pulls out of you slowly and you whine at the loss, feeling incomplete without him consuming every ounce of you, and he chuckles– pulling you into his chest. 
“So, how’d I do, baby?” he mutters, placing a kiss below your ear.
“Not too bad, so long as you don’t forget about those candles like you did the potatoes.” You giggle, gesturing to the candles in the bathroom, still burning bright.
“Fuck!” Kenny scrambles out of bed, running to the bathroom as you laugh at him, your heart full of nothing but love and admiration– despite the domestic chaos. 
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