#also!! they had silver sheen obsidian!! first time ever seeing it in person it's so cool

[vpofcookies]

Shout out to the guy at the rock store who did not charge me or my friends for our matching ace rings <3 <3

[joohoneyhoe]

Hell or High Water || One

The sound of rain mixed with tears,

the sound of your breath in my ears.

[song inspiration: EXO - El Dorado + EXO - Exodus]

|| Chapter One || Chapter Two ||

info: byun baekhyun x oc x park chanyeol genre: pirate!au, historical!au, smut, fingering, rough sex, choking, unprotected sex, angst, implied domestic abuse word count: 4.7k a/n: Byun Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol, two of the most dangerous pirates to sail the Mediterranean. Both revered and feared by all of their kind. But, they aren’t at all what they seem, not by a long shot. 

Byun Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol, captain and first mate of the famed ship called the Exodus. Two of the most ruthless, fearless and utterly unforgiving pirates in all of the Mediterranean. Two men who fought against each other from the young age of sixteen, up until the age of twenty-seven, when Baekhyun destroyed Chanyeol’s ship, The Lady Luck. He decided to spare Chanyeol, bringing him on as his first mate, knowing he was of better use to him alive than dead. They soon became as thick as thieves, literally and metaphorically. 

You didn’t hear one name without hearing the other anymore, it just didn’t occur. Though they were like oil and water, they worked together better than anyone either of them had ever shared an alliance with in the past. I could never quite figure out what made them so compatible as leaders, thieves and warmongers. One was the ocean waves and the other, the sand on the beach. Always crashing into each other, seemingly polar opposites, but never able to separate one from the other.

Which was unfortunate for me, Baekhyun’s wife.

“Good morning, Florence.” Baekhyun greeted me as he walked into our sleeping quarters, placing a chaste kiss to my forehead as I sat on the bed. I got up and walked away from him, ignoring his gesture and heading to my wardrobe to get dressed for the day. I could feel him staring after me, no doubt put off by my reaction.

“What is wrong, woman?” he questioned, coming up behind me, his hot breath on the back of my neck, which was already damp from the humidity. 

“Nothing, Baekhyun.” I replied coolly, removing my silken nightgown and hanging it over the wardrobe door. I felt his finger glide up my spine, tracing each vertebrae along my naked back. His lips kissed my shoulder, soft to the touch, intoxicating. Old memories of the Baekhyun I fell in love with all those years ago, coming to the surface. But, the memories didn’t linger for long, the dull ache in my side reminding me he wasn’t the same Baekhyun I once loved.

He was a monster.

“You know how I feel about dishonesty, Florence.” he whispered, making my jaw clench.

“How could I forget.” I retorted, quickly pulling on my breeches and one of his white linen undershirts, covering the bruises on my body from a previous disagreement. I brushed past him, grabbing my boots and hastily putting them on. I quickly put one of my many hidden knives into my right boot, making sure it was in it’s proper place. As I moved to leave, he blocked my path, his dark eyes boring into me.

“Florence…” 

I chewed on my bottom lip as I looked up at the face of my husband. His skin honey colored and smooth, barely looking as if he was a day over twenty. He had always been beautiful to me, even now, being the tyrant he was. I admired the hoop through his lower lip, the two silver chains hanging from it, each connecting separately to the collar of his black shirt. 

I also looked over the cut along his upper lip and the bruising beneath his left eye. I had put those there, because you did not strike me without getting struck back. Murderous pirate or not, you got back what you dealt out.

It seemed our disagreements only increased with time, becoming more violent with every argument. It didn’t matter what I did, or what I said, it only ever made him angrier. But, I had refused to just lie down and take it. That’s not who I was, nor was it who I would ever be.

“You know that I love you.” he stated, causing me to let out an exasperated sigh at him.

“Your behavior says otherwise, husband.” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest. A look of shame passed over his features, but was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

“You are no better.”

“No, I am not.” I responded, casting my eyes away from him as he approached me. His hands held my biceps, stepping in close and kissing my forehead for a second time that morning.

“I do not want to fight today, my love. I only want to spend time with you. We are here but a few days, lets just enjoy the city while we can, okay?” he requested with a smile, the one that made my insides feel like they were on fire.

“Okay, Baekhyun.” He held his arm out offering it to me, and I took it, letting him escort me from our quarters. 

The ship was bustling with activity, everyone doing their set duties before leaving to go out to the local tavern, drink too much, cause mischief and lay with unsavory women. No doubt, someone would come back with something they didn’t expect, or did, who knows. They were pirates, that was the least of their worries.

“Chanyeol, I am headed into town with my wife for the afternoon. Join us.”

Baekhyun more demanded than asked his first mate. Chanyeol put down the whetstone he had been using to sharpen his sword, standing up, his frame towering over Baekhyun substantially. My eyes roamed over his shirtless torso, his tanned skin covered in a sheen of sweat, his well muscled upper body on display for all eyes to see.

His obsidian eyes fell on me, that mischievous smirk crawling across his lips, as he caught me staring. I frowned, quickly averting my eyes and crossing my arms over my chest. I wasn’t exactly Chanyeol’s biggest supporter. He irked me in every possible way one man could irk someone.

“Sure Captain, I need to get my feet on dry land for a bit anyway. My sea legs are tired.” he joked, winking as he brushed past me to grab his shirt, sheathing his sword in the process. I walked away from both of them, heading off the ship on my own accord, ready to be on solid ground after three long months out on the open sea.

I stepped out onto the sand, feeling the salty sea air rustling my black hair, blowing it away from my face. I took in a deep breath, enjoying the smell of land and sea mingling together. This was one of the most beautiful ports in all of the Mediterranean, and my personal favorite. The Amalfi Coast, nestled between mountains, vineyards and citrus groves, facing out to the beautiful cobalt blue of the Tyrhennian Sea. If I had to pick a place to spend the rest of my days, it would have been here. As I gazed out over the beautiful city, my thoughts were interupted by Baekhyun and Chanyeol both coming up on either side of me, laughing loudly. I let out a sigh, then continued the trek towards town.

“Florence, my love, where would you like to go first?” Baekhyun questioned, his hand touching my lower back gently. “I’d like to visit the market. I haven’t had fresh fruit in a month.” I replied quietly.

“Anything for you, my darling.” his arm came up to wrap around my shoulders, tugging me close to his side. It almost felt like it had when we first fell in love, our days filled with moments just like this.

“I wonder if there are any new wenches.” Chanyeol mused, essentially ruining the moment.

“Don’t you have a wife?” I snapped.

“Don’t we all?” he retorted with a grin, his long legs carrying him further ahead of us. Baekhyun chuckled at him, but quickly stopped when I rolled my eyes and huffed. 

“Sorry.” He apologized, removing his arm and taking my hand into his instead as we came upon the market.

“Why did you have to bring him along?” I questioned, stopping at a silk stand to look over all the beautiful fabrics and clothing. He stayed close, leaning against the table as he watched me.

“He goes everywhere I do. You know that, Florence.” he reminded me, his long fingers touching a pale pink silk nightgown, feeling it carefully. I looked over at him, his eyes unwavering from my face.

“I’m well aware of that, Baekhyun. I just–I just thought today was about us, I suppose.” I said in a defeated tone, my stomach dropping a little in disappointment. His hand touched my cheek tenderly, thumb caressing it.

“It is about us today, my love.” his lips brushed against mine, the kiss brief, but filled with desire.

“Now, lets get you that nightgown. Then I’ll have the pleasure of ripping it off of you later.” he growled into my ear, my face heating up at his unbridled advances. He picked it up, placing it into the basket I had brought along. Baekhyun handed over a few coins to the merchant without looking at him, his smile widening as he took in my flustered appearance. 

“Come on, lets look around some more.” he suggested, taking my hand and dragging me along with him. 

We wandered back and forth between merchants, talking and laughing together, just like we used to. To see him smiling, teasing and flirting with me, like he still loved me the way he had all those years ago, was refreshing and made me wish it could remain that way. Though I knew it would not. The Baekhyun I knew was gone, merely an idea, a distant memory now.

This was just a fluke.

I stopped at another table, one filled with an assortment of beautiful daggers, tracker knives and shanks, my weapons of choice. My hand came down to run over one the blades, feeling the cold steel beneath the pads of my fingers as it gleamed in the hot summer sun. It was the most beautiful knife I had ever laid my eyes on, and I wanted it. Just then, I felt a hand on my back, thinking it was Baekhyun, only to turn and find Chanyeol instead. I pulled myself away from him, looking around for my husband.

“Did you get your fruit?” he inquired, taking a bite out of a bright red apple. I watched his teeth sink into it with ease, a bit of juice dripping down his chin, making my mouth water.

“Where is Baekhyun?” 

I demanded, stepping away from him, his closeness giving me a feeling I didn’t quite care for. There was no reason to deny it, Chanyeol was a good looking man. He was charming, quick witted, deadly with a sword and even deadlier with his words. Women fawned over him for a reason, one I understood all too well.

“Oh, Baek had some business to attend to. He told me to look after you until he got back.” he replied nonchalantly, picking up the blade I had been admiring, twirling it around in his fingers with ease.

“I can look after myself, thank you.” I spat back, watching his fingers work that beautiful knife so skillfully. 

“I’ll take this one.” he told the merchant, mouth still full of apple as he tossed him his money. He threw the core over his shoulder, not caring where it landed, then took my wrist and pulled me away with him. I quickly shook him off, but continued walking beside him. 

“Here.” he held the knife by it’s blade, handle out, offering it to me. 

“What’s this?” I asked, perplexed. 

“You wanted it. So, it’s yours.” he explained with a shrug as I took the knife from his long fingers with caution. I eyed him as he pulled another apple from his satchel, offering that to me as well, making me raise an eyebrow at him.

“Oh, come on, I didn’t poison it or anything. Just take it, you have been complaing about being without fresh fruit for weeks.” he teased with a laugh, tossing the apple in the air for me to catch. I let out a laugh as well, catching it by some miracle as we continued walking. 

“Where did you find apples?” I questioned before I bit into it eagerly, that sweet taste filling my mouth, making me sigh happily.

“Oh, I know a guy. You’re welcome, by the way.” he said with smirk, nudging me with his elbow. I choked on a piece of apple slightly, clearing my throat before speaking.

“Thank you, Chanyeol. I’m sorry you have to follow me around. I’ve never been exceptionally kind to you.” I admitted quietly, my head down as I looked at the beautiful fruit in my hand. Suddenly the weight of his arm landed over my shoulders, his other hand plucking the apple from mine and taking a big bite, making me scowl at him for doing so.

“Eh, you’re not so bad.” he confessed, giving me back my apple.

“Wish I could say the same.” I commented with a chuckle, taking another large bite of the fruit as we walked aimlessly. I had almost completely forgotten his arm was around my shoulders, until his fingers brushed my exposed collar bone. I ducked out from under his hold, making him drop his arm at his side.

“You hungry? I think Baek might be longer than he anticipated, so we might as well get some grub.” he suggested, quickly switching gears to avoid any awkwardness between us. I nodded, watching him pick up his pace, long legs moving him faster than mine ever could. 

It was strange being with Chanyeol like this, very strange. Normally, I avoided him at all cost, especially considering how long he had been my husband’s enemy. I had never truly gotten over that, but Bakehyun had. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as I thought he was, and maybe spending time with him today wouldn’t be so awful. But, there was one question still on my mind.

Where was Baekhyun?

I sat across from Chanyeol at one of the nicer taverns, the one Baekhyun and I usually frequented when we stopped at this port. It was probably my favorite, because it’s deck sat right at the edge of a cliff, looking out over the vast ocean. The sun was already setting, beginning to dip below the horizon, making the water glitter. 

“Hey,” Chanyeol spoke, startling me slightly as his hand nudged mine, making me look up at his smiling face. “I thought I lost you there for a second.” 

“I’m sorry. That tends to happen when I stare out at the water.” I answered, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

“Don’t be sorry. The water is where people like you and I belong, so it’s understandable to long for it when you’re not in it.” I surveyed his features carefully, seeing the way his eyes almost went black as he looked out at the vast ocean. I don’t think anyone loved the sea as much as Chanyeol did. Not even Baekhyun.

“Did you get everything you needed today?” he questioned, switching the subject after pulling his gaze away from the water. I nodded, still feeling as if there was something troubling him, especially for him to behave the way he had towards me all day. We were never this civil with each other. Ever.

“Chanyeol, is your wife okay?” his eyes widened in surprise at my inquiry, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Um–actually, she died a few months back. Before we left the last port, to be exact.” he revealed, my hand coming up to cover my mouth in shock. He fiddled with his tankard, spinning it around and around, aimlessly. My hand instinctively reached out, stopping him and taking his into my own. His gaze wandered up to meet mine, his eyes showing his sadness.

“Why didn’t you tell, Baekhyun?”

“I did. I told him before we left home that she was ill, and that she probably wouldn’t make it to when we were set return. He said I was better off without her anyway, and I would thank him later.” my eyes closed slowly, my heart breaking for Chanyeol and myself. Surely if he thought that about Chanyeol’s wife, his view towards me couldn’t be too far off.

“I’m–I’m sorry, Chanyeol. I didn’t know.” he gave me weak smile, squeezing my hand that still held on to his.

“It’s okay. She had been ill for a while, and I sent for her family before we departed, knowing I wouldn’t return before she…left. She deserved a better life than anything I had given her. I had only ever caused her pain, stress, and heartache. I just wish I would have let her go sooner, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten ill at all, and could have lived a happy life with a man who truly loved her. It’s a little late for that now, I suppose.” he pulled his hand away, grabbing his tankard and swallowing down it contents in one go.

“Anyway, we should get back to the ship. I’m sure Baekhyun is waiting for you.” he pushed his chair back, standing up and throwing money down onto the table top. I followed, grabbing my basket of things from the day and following him out of the tavern towards the ship.

We didn’t speak the entire trip, just simply weaved in and out of the way of drunkards and whores, Chanyeol occasionally placing a guiding hand on my lower back. Once we were at the ship’s dock, he halted, making me turn around to face him.

“Chanyeol?”

“We’re all sleeping at the Inn tonight, this was part of the plan all along. Baekhyun left to go get everything in order, so the two of you could have the ship to yourselves.” my eyebrows raised sympathetically at the pained expression on his face. No matter what he said or did, he had loved his wife, there was no doubt in my mind about it. This whole day had just been a reminder of that for him.

“Thank you for today, Chanyeol. I–I enjoyed it.”

“Me too. Sleep well, Florence.” he shot me a wink and flashed me that big grin, then took off back towards town, leaving me on the docks alone. 

When I turned around to face the ship, Baekhyun was standing at the ship’s edge, leaning over it with a smirk on his handsome face. I couldn’t help but return it. It had been so long since I had seen a genuine smile from him, it made my insides nearly melt.

“Come to bed, my love. I think I recall a promise being made of me ripping a pink nightgown off of you.” I clicked my tongue at him, shaking my head at his shamelessness as I made my way to where he was standing. His hands reached for me, swiftly pulling me against his body, swaying us back and forth with the waves.

“I have another surprise for you.” he whispered, brushing the tip of his nose against mine.

“Oh, really, another surprise? I’m one lucky woman today.” I remarked, kissing him quickly, noticing the chains connected to the ring in his lip had been removed. He flashed me a smile, lacing our fingers and pulling me towards the Captain’s quarters, or as he liked to call it, our personal lair of sin. 

“Ok, we have to be quick.” he directed, his hand on the door handle. I eyed him suspiciously, but nodded. He opened the door swiftly, yanking me inside and shutting it behind us. I set down my basket as he began crawling around, checking under every surface in our room.

“Baek, what are you doing?” 

“AH! There you are, you little scoundrel!” he exclaimed, his voice muffled from being half way under the bed. He backed out slowly, holding something fairly small in his hands.

“Close your eyes and hold out your hands, my love.” he requested, his voice sweet and gentle. I did as he said, putting them out in front of me. I felt something soft being put into my hands, fluffy and squirmy too, making me flinch slightly.

“Open your eyes.” I opened them up and glanced down, finding a tiny gray kitten in my palms, making me immediately cradle it to my chest. It meowed softly, beginning to purr as I held it close.

“Baekhyun?” I choked out as he reached out to pet the feline.

“You always loved that damn cat we brought on to use to catch the rats below deck. Well, it had babies and this is the only who survived. I thought you would enjoy the companionship.” he explained, fingers caressing my cheek.

“Thank you.” I said, eyes watering at his kindness. I couldn’t remember the last time he had done something like this for me. It had been years.

“You can thank me by putting on that nightgown.” he replied, taking the small creature from my hands and setting it down onto the floor. It quickly scampered under the bed, hiding once again. I retrieved the nightgown from my basket of things, placing it on the table as Baekhyun leaned against the nearest wall.

“Turn around.” I ordered, motioning for him to do so with my index finger, making him chuckle.

“Kitty might wanna get out from under the bed…and soon.”

I took everything off, dropping it all to the floor and pulling on the garment. It felt cool against my skin, the fabric gliding across it smoothly. It was a wonderful feeling against my hot flesh, cooling it down substantially. I almost didn’t want it to come off, but at the same time, I did.

“Alright, you can turn around.” he spun quickly, ripping his shirt off in the process. His muscles reflected nicely against the candle light in the room, all those years of hard manual labor on display for me and my eyes only. My feet carried me to him of their own accord, fingers outstretched to feel him. It had been so long since I’d been able to touch him like this, feel the weight of him on top of me.

“You are beautiful.” 

His hands held my hips, fingers tightening around the silk fabric, lips kissing my collar bones. I sighed, my body beginning to tremble under his touch. I grabbed his face, bringing his lips to mine and kissing him hungrily. He began pushing me back towards our bed, the back of my knees hitting it before he pulled his mouth from mine.

“Can I rip this thing off of you yet?” he snarled, bunching it up in his hands, beginning to pull it upwards. 

“It’s so pretty though, Baekhyun.” I whined.

“Fine.” he yanked the garment over my head, throwing it behind him to land wherever it may. He grabbed my thighs, lifting me up to wrap my legs around him, then dropping me onto the bed. I heard the kittens claws scratch against the wood flooring, as it ran out from under the bed.

Baekhyun’s lips were on mine before I could even comment on it, his hips grinding into my exposed core, making me groan into his mouth. My fingers tangled into his hair, tongue prodding his lips until he opened up to me. 

“Please, Baek.” I pleaded, my hands moving down to untie his breeches, trying to push them from his hips. He swatted my hands away, hastily sliding out of them. His hands ran up my thighs, kneading them until he met my hip bones.

“I do enjoy it when you beg.” he snickered, taking a hand and cupping my heat, making me gasp loudly. 

“It’s been so long, Baekhyun. Please…don’t make me wait any longer.” 

“I won’t.” without any warning, he dipped two fingers into me slowly, my breath releasing from my chest. My hips undulated into his palm, but he pushed me back against the bed, restricting my movement. I desperately tried pushing him away, but he didn’t let me.

“Don’t fight me, Florence. You can let go, feel it.” he whispered into my ear, catching it between his teeth before bringing his lips to mine. He curled those long fingers, thumb rubbing me as he did, whimpers leaving my lips. 

“That’s my girl, be as loud as you want tonight.” his voice was smooth as the silk nightgown I had on previously. Cool, soft against my skin, like the ocean after dark.

“I want to hear you scream for me, only me. You are mine.” 

He pulled out his fingers, replacing them with his length and thrusting roughly. My nails scratched down his back, digging into his flesh as I cried out his name. His hand tangled into my hair, pulling my mouth to his, but instead of kissing me, he brought my bottom lip between his teeth and pulled.

“Baek, oh God! Harder!” my voice cracked, head tilting back as he rocked his hips into me, my stomach tensing as my core throbbed. His lips attached to my throat, smirking into it, giving me an extra hard thrust.

“Shh, you’ll get what you need, my love.” 

His hand trailed south, long fingers parting my folds further as he pumped into me. He put pressure on it, his cock brushing against his index and middle finger as he opened me up even more. It felt like my body was pulsing, every fiber of my being intertwining with Baekhyun’s.

My breath hitched in my chest as his fingers left me, but his thumb pressed down on my bundle of nerves. He grabbed my thigh, lifting it over his shoulder as he worked me over to completion. I pushed my digits into his raven hair, tugging on it harshly, a high pitched groan escaping his chest.

I couldn’t remove my eyes from him, looking at his beautiful sweat covered flesh. Every tendon in his neck strained, his pulse point pushing against his skin, every pound of his heartbeat visible. I leaned up, biting down on the juncture between his neck and shoulder, surely leaving a mark. 

His fingers clasped around my throat, shoving me back down and away from him. His eyes darkened, hand constricting tightly, cutting off my airflow. I whined loudly, rutting into him as he bottomed out inside of me. He hit me once more, harder than ever, feeling myself let go finally.

“That’s it, come on.” he encouraged, kissing me with vigor, the cool metal from his lip ring clacking against my teeth. I pulled my other leg up and over his shoulder, the new position causing him to lose his control. He quickly pulled out, jerking himself until he released his seed all over my stomach. 

I let out a loud breath, my body relaxing into the bed as Baekhyun got up, walking towards the wash bowl to grab the rag. I rested my arms over my head as I waited, him coming back into my view moments later. His hands were gentle as he wiped away his mess, caressing my skin as he did so.

“You did well tonight, my dear.” he praised, dropping the dirtied cloth to the floor before laying down next to me. He pulled me into his side, grabbing my thigh and throwing it over his still naked waist, fingers stroking me lightly. 

We lay together in silence, listening to the waves lapping against the ship, rocking us smoothly. It was almost like we were sixteen all over again, not a care in the world.

“I wish we could stay this way.” I expressed quietly, hand resting on his chest.

“We can stay this way all night, Florence. And look,” he leaned over the edge of the bed, grabbing something. “we have this guy to keep us company.” he placed the kitten on my stomach carefully. I pet the beautiful gray cat, it careening into my touch.

“What are you going to name it?” he asked me, scratching it’s chin as it purred. I cocked my head a little, eyeballing the feline closely, trying to determine a fitting name for it.

“Lucky. I think Lucky is a good name, since we don’t know if it’s a male or a female.” I told him, stroking the kitten as it snuggled into the crook of my neck. Baekhyun rolled on his side, continuing to pet Lucky.

“It’s a good name, Florence. Now, rest, you deserve it.” he kissed my temple, then moved down, so he could rest his head in the crook of my neck where the kitten wasn’t. I proceeded to stroke both of their hair, smiling to myself.

It wasn’t long before they were both asleep, leaving me alone to be with my own thoughts, enjoying the calm before the storm. Because that’s exactly what all of this was.

The calm before the storm.

[juuvio]

Kill Our Way to Heaven

Haikyuu!! [Sawamura Daichi / Kuroo Tetsurou] 

Genre: Angst, fluff, friends to lovers, eventual romance, dancing AU. 

Rating: Mature

SUMMARY

When Daichi watches the alluring creature move in harmony to the music, he feels the freedom he hadn't felt all his life.

Also available on AO3!

CHAPTERS: 5/?

The club venue oozed with class with its blend of sophisticated style and sumptuous velvet furniture, combined with contrasting fluorescent lightning flashing from above; the classic color changing dance floor brought life to the party that raged on each night.

The dark haired man fumbled in his pockets for his wallet as he sat on a stall at the bar counter, watching the dance floor flare with vivid colors to dance with the people on top of it. Daichi wasn’t one to dance himself, but he often liked watching others give it their all while they were wasted. Amusing at the very least. A bulkier man, muscles protruding through his form-fitting shirt and wild, spiked up silver hair scooted up next to Daichi, throwing an arm around him. The guy sure didn’t have boundaries, and Daichi often wondered how he managed to get along with someone so touchy-feely. In all honesty, they wouldn’t be friends in the first place if they didn’t happen to sit by each other in class. But Daichi couldn’t deny he was glad they did, Bokuto was a good friend even in the short amount of time they got to know each other.

“Daichi, man! So I want you to meet my boyfriend.” His raised voice was barely heard over the blaring music, which was a surprise considering Bokuto is very loud. He nodded towards the bartender who sported a striking icy gaze, pretty much perfectly proportioned features and messy, dark wavy hair. Good looking was an understatement. He gave Daichi a soft smile as he held a towel and a glass in his hands.

“Hey, I’m Akaashi Keiji. Bokuto mentions you a lot.”

“Sawamura Daichi… But just Daichi is fine. Nice to meet you.”

He nodded and briefly glanced away to place the glass down, directing his attention back on the two men. “Fancy drinking anything? It’s on the house.”

“Oh, I’ve already drank quite a bit before coming out—”

“Oh come you had like half a glass!” Bokuto whined beside his face, Daichi feeling his intrusive breath on his cheek. Bokuto was always so close, his touchy habits training Daichi to not be so bothered if he ever felt someone jump on him in the middle of the street. That wasn’t an entirely a good thing, what if he was getting mugged and he assumed it was Bokuto?

“If you don’t remember correctly, I didn’t even want to come out.” Daichi groaned. This whole night had been unplanned. All he wanted to do was sleep, but Bokuto was ever so persistent and basically dragged Daichi out of his apartment. Although, perhaps it was a good thing. That apartment had been feeling increasingly suffocating in the recent weeks, following a break up with Yui. He still loved her, the same as he always did when they were friends, and even now after all they went through. But Daichi needed time to heal before anything got back to normal again.

“But you never come out.” The owl like man turned away from the bar and his almost golden gaze widened at the dancefloor. “So about that other friend I wanted you to meet…” His eyes were unmoving from the area and Daichi furrowed his brows before sliding himself around on the stool to face the dance floor. There was some sort of commotion, and it was hard to make out what was going on until he focussed properly. A song Daichi hadn’t heard before rang in the background, the lyrics English and hard to understand, yet from his frequent exposure to various musical artists being young and all, he managed translate a few words.

The figure in the centre of the attention moved gracefully yet firmly along with the tune, his hips moving erotically against the low vibrations left by the bass, head thrown back in a dramatic motion for the rest of his unruly hair to follow, the look in his eyes fierce and deadly as he ran a jeweled tongue along his parted lips. His face was mesmerizing, those dark long eyelashes that stretched out for days on end, elongated by the casted shadow under the harsh lighting that occasionally crossed him, the subtle perkiness of his nose, the way his skin was as golden as the sun and echoed back the vivid colors of the strobes. The deep obsidian hair fell over half of the dancer’s face, and the rest of it reaching out in every other direction. Chaotic may have been an understatement, it looked like the guy just rolled out of bed and got on with the day.

His movements however, were not so lazy and disorderly. It felt free yet organized into this perfect sequence that flowed in perfect timing to the tune that surrounded him.

Daichi was totally and utterly captivated by this alluring creature, and that’s not something that happened every day. In fact, recently he had been numb of emotions that run along with being attracted to another person, fear settling in the depths of the cracks in his character, but this performance unfolding before him washed away the clawing at the corners of his mind. It drew him in, embraced him, trapped him in a world detached from reality. The surreal feline glare landed on him many moments ago before Daichi tore himself out of the daze, realizing only when the otherworldly beauty ran a warm touch down the side of his face, amber gaze locked onto him viciously. His skin shon with the sweat sheened upon it, gleaming off the unnatural lighting surrounding them.

“Wow,” Daichi breathed, releasing that breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding. The mischievous smirk that crossed the dancer’s face sent skin crawling chills down his spine.

“Aw~ Bo, this your friend? He’s adorable!” Daichi was startled by his blissful laugh that followed his words, shooting a look at Bokuto.

A cackle sounded beside Daichi, this time coming from the his two-toned hair friend. “Next time, don’t watch him so intently. He’s a witch, or somethin’. Puts a spell over you and once you start looking you can’t look away!”

Daichi felt the sheepish heat crawl across his face, raising his hand to hide himself away some how with a groan. “Sorry.”

“What? Don’t apologize man, I love it when I get stared at.” He patted Daichi on the shoulder and dropped himself down on the stool next to him, leaning over the counter to speak close to Akaashi so he could hear him.

“That’s Kuroo. Fucking awesome dancer, right?” Bokuto spoke in Daichi’s ear, whose face was pulled into a sloppy grin and cheeks warmed to a pink shade from the alcohol.

“Pretty impressive...” Daichi agreed, side glancing this Kuroo person who turned back to face them as Akaashi passed him his drink.

“So, who’s handsome?” He asked, Daichi being too dense to realize he was referring to him.

“Bro, meet Sawamura Daichi! Daichi, Kuroo Tetsurou.” Bokuto gestured between the two men as he dragged his stool over to sit more in a circle like form with the other two. “Daichi here is in my class!”

“Oh sick, first time I’ve seen you though. Surprising you’re Bo’s friend and he’s only just dragged you out now.” A short snicker left him and he took a sip from his drink.

Before Daichi could fit a word in, the conversation was yet again overpowered by Bokuto. “Couldn’t scare him away as soon as I meet him! Now he’s warmed up a little I’m totally bringing him out all the time.”

“Are you now?” Daichi challenged the owl, hearing Kuroo crack up. “Good luck.”

“Ooooh, man he’s putting up a fight. Someone doesn’t want to go out partying with Bokuto?” Kuroo’s tone was laced with playfulness and taunts, earning that much wanted reaction out of Bokuto when he blew up in his face and demanded Daichi to come out with him every weekend starting from now.

Kuroo excused himself to head out to the smoking area, Daichi accepting his request to join him to leave Bokuto and Akaashi to have some time to themselves. He still didn’t really know this Kuroo, but his entire being intrigued him. So far he gathered he was an amazing dancer, Bokuto’s best friend, and insanely attractive. What was Daichi thinking, was he having a crush 10 minutes into meeting someone? He felt like a schoolgirl. And on top of it all, he was crushing on another guy. He knew it was okay, Bokuto and Akaashi are perfect together. But Daichi never imagined himself to be attracted to guys, this was most certainly a first. Or maybe he had the feelings deep down the whole time, but buried desperately in denial.

Daichi caught the flick of the lighter ignite the end of the cigarette, the smoke curling upwards and danced with itself, very much like how Kuroo did. “So that dance earlier… You practiced that for a while or something?”

“Huh? Oh, nah I improvised. I was being sloppy as hell, I’m too drunk to dance properly.” Daichi had lost count of the times the laugh that left the taller male made his heart stutter on a beat and the way it made his stomach fill with wings.

“What? That seriously wasn’t you dancing properly?” Daichi gaped his mouth in disbelief, pretty convinced that his performance was something the gods themselves choreographed.

“Oh god, I’m embarrassed!” He raised a hand to cover his face, tips of his ears growing warmer. “I can’t even see straight! My footing was all wrong and I was totally out of time with the music.”

Daichi had always heard of performers of all sorts to be self-critical, but seeing it in the action truly shocked him. “Well, for what it’s worth… I thought it was perfect.” Did I really just say that? He swallowed back his tongue and nervously rubbed the back of his head while he mused over what to say next to make Kuroo forget he ever said anything.

“Really? That actually means a lot.” Kuroo gave him a soft smile— or a smile that was at least softer and more innocent than his recent devious smirks and grins. Even those sharp, amber eyes softened which made him look significantly younger. Cute. Daichi mentally shook himself, was he already drunk to start thinking these things? Not a chance, he wasn’t so much of a lightweight regardless that he didn’t tend to drink a lot. “Hey, Daichi?”

“Yeah?” Daichi thought he might have responded too quick, but Kuroo continued on as normal.

“Well, forgive me if I’m wrong but, you kinda seem upset,” Kuroo stated honestly, cocking an eyebrow up at Daichi’s stretched out silence. “Sorry—”

“Ah no, no it’s okay. Was just thinking.” He trailed his eyes around the small outside smoking area surrounded by this wooden fencing and some overhead wooden shelter rimmed with festive wired lights that hung down loosely on some areas. He took a large gulp of his drink before speaking again. “Few weeks ago me and my girlfriend broke up, guess I’m still not over it…” He didn’t understand why he was sharing this with a guy he just met, he could have lied and said he was fine. But he didn’t. It was only now that it was clear he desperately needed to lift that weight bearing down on his chest that he would willingly tell anyone nearby.

Kuroo gave him a sympathetic smile and lightly tapped Daichi’s shoulder with his fist. “Where there’s love there’s no getting over that crap. There’s just moving past it.” He spoke as though from experience, and Daichi drew his eyes to look at the brief sullen expression that masked Kuroo’s features. He turned his head to look at Daichi again, holding up his glass towards him. “Cheers to failed love.”

What a dark way to put it, but Daichi found himself chuckle anyway. Maybe because it was painfully true. “Yeah, cheers.”

The glasses left a ringing aftermath from the clink, the two men proceeding to drown themselves in the rest of their drinks and pulling away with a gasp for fresh air. Daichi pulled a strained face at the burning down his throat, not remembering the last time he drank that quickly before. Kuroo crushed the end of the cigarette butt on a nearby table and motioned his head towards the door. “I’m hearing some tunes going off in there, let’s go.”

Daichi was taken aback when the bed head took his hand, pulling him by the arm through the heavy door and weaving past various clubbers. He watched Kuroo’s nape as though he was in a trance, unable to tear his eyes away from the man guiding him. He only just noticed, but it seemed like Kuroo had an undercut, though only noticeable and visible from behind. Little details.

Kuroo swirled back around to face Daichi, his lips slowly pulled in a grin before leaning in closer to the slightly shorter man, soft lips brushing against the other’s ear. Daichi felt chills in this heated environment. “I’m gonna go grab us some more drinks.”

He nodded and watched Kuroo make his way towards the bar, Bokuto throwing his arms up in one of his over exaggerated motions upon seeing Kuroo again. Daichi finally mustered the energy to force his legs to follow on, joining the others at the counter. When Akaashi lined up several shot glasses in front of them and filled them with a clear liquid, Daichi could feel already tell he wasn’t going to make it out alive tonight.

“Ready?” Bokuto asked, pushing over an even amount of shot glasses between him, Kuroo and Daichi. On the count of 3, they threw back the shots one after another, pushing past hesitation on the following shots they had to come while their throats and chests felt like they were on fire. This time, Daichi wasn’t the only one pulling a face. Bokuto let out a victory howl of some sort, while Kuroo groaned dramatically as he scrunched his eyes shut, tears threatening to spill over the corners.

“Fucking sambuca. I’m gonna throw up.” Kuroo rasped, cupping his mouth following up an unnerving gag.

“Please not over the counter, Kuroo-san,” Akaashi said, concern curving his brows from the fear of having to clean up vomit.

“Ugh, man you got soft. You could take way worse than that!” Bokuto’s laugh boomed, turning on his chair to face Daichi. “See, even newbie here is fine!”

“I’m not.” Daichi held back a burp in case a cup full of vomit came up instead of air. “I’m never doing that again.”

Another presence made itself known when unknown arms wrapped around Kuroo’s hunched over torso from behind, a ball of cinnamon hair briefly made out under the dim lighting. “Assholes doing shots without us.” His voice was whiny and almost child-like, bringing his head up to rest his chin on top of Kuroo’s nest. “Akaaaashi, give me and Iwa-chan the strongest shit here. We gotta catch up.”

“Oh shit, you two losers.” Kuroo chuckled from under his arms, raising his head up from the sticky counter. “Man get off you’re breaking my neck.”

“Are you calling me fat?”

“Fucking obese.”

Daichi found himself laughing at their little bickering, the previous burning now morphed into a warm buzz lingering in his chest. He watched another man whom he recognized from University as Iwaizumi Hajime, pry doe-eyed man off Kuroo and the dancer raised from his seat and took confident steps towards him. He stopped before him and looked down at Daichi, expression completely unreadable. “Yes?”

“Let’s dance.”

“I don’t think I could keep up with you, Mr. Professional Dancer,” Daichi remarked, watching Kuroo’s signature smirk make another appearance.

“I’ll lead the way, just trust me.”

“Trust is a strong word you know.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall and break your neck or anything crazy.”

“Maybe I could trust that much, or should I be worried?”

Kuroo’s toothy grin beamed at him, feeling as though he could melt under that smile all night. “Depends, do you deem me to be dangerous?”

The way the word rolled off his tongue raised the hairs all over Daichi’s body, the slight glimmer of his tongue bar gleaming through his rosy lips and pearly teeth as he spoke. That was enough to prompt him to grab onto Kuroo’s plain black T-shirt and pull him in close, their sheened skins almost touching. “You reek of danger.”

Kuroo’s hands locked around Daichi’s arms, pulling and tugging him wobbily onto the luminous dance floor and spun around with added drama to the effect. His stray strands fallen on his face made the most movement, swinging across his entire face and small pieces matted his to glowing face. Daichi felt the other’s hands travel past his waist, brushing up to his back to gain leverage. He didn’t know what Kuroo had in mind, but if it was anything like what he pulled off earlier that night, Daichi would most definitely be left with broken bones.

Daichi’s body was forced backwards, but before he could register he was about to fall or completely lose his footing, a firm grip was planted on his arms, twisting him into a twirl then landed him in Kuroo’s ‘X’ positioned arms across his chest, his lips barely glazing across his skin and breath sending waves of ice across his body from ghosting upon it. It wasn’t long until Kuroo had pushed him out again and held only one arm securely to twirl him out. Daichi felt his vision flash when Kuroo suddenly disappeared from his field of vision, realizing moments later he was down below, crouched down with his slender legs parted outwards and his expression directed upwards towards him sultry and bone-tingling. Fuck. That tongue piercing again, Daichi could never get bored of seeing it run along those dreamy lips of his.

Kuroo planted each of his hands on Daichi’s thighs, oh those thick, toned to death thighs. Kuroo had to hold back his request of having Daichi choke him up to hell’s door with them to avoid looking too crazy. He felt all the bumps and curves that shaped his legs through his jeans, only leaving his imagination to run wild about what monsters could be hidden underneath. He stumbled a bit on way up, the alcohol finally taking it’s toll on his coordination, but Daichi’s strong arms held each side of Kuroo’s, his warm, dark eyes staring intently at the antique gaze. They continued on with their semi-graceful movements, likely not to be due to intoxication hindering their balance, but Daichi still felt like he was on clouds when Kuroo pulled him around like a marionette. He felt alive, as though those movements were his own. He felt free and serene, surrounded by the blaring music and blinding colors that felt like anything but wild like they were suppose to be. This dreamlike state he was lost in consumed his mind, intoxicated him as the alcohol did, dragged him into an untouched world where it was only him and Kuroo.  

When warmth grew against his lips, Daichi never expected it would be Kuroo’s lips crushed against his own. They moulded and fitted perfectly, the movement smooth and flowed in with each other. It felt so right, or at least right for now. Tomorrow when he was sober and hungover he could regret this, but for this very moment he let himself go. They eventually pulled away, but in no hurry. They left a small space between their faces, and it was rather disorientating to begin with, seeing Kuroo so up close like this. Kuroo literally looked flawless even at point-blank.

“You’re beautiful,” Daichi breathed out, his warm breath brushing against Kuroo’s skin.

“You’re undeniably hot,” Kuroo responded, his lazy grin crossing his features. “Thought you were straight?”

“I’m not sure anymore,” Daichi answered honestly, mentally questioning his lack of bewilderment at this moment. He was kissing Kuroo, a guy, a guy he just met, a guy who he finds insanely attractive. “I suppose this answers all my sexuality questions…”

Kuroo giggled at Daichi’s confusion. “Guess so, am I seriously your first gay kiss?”

“Uh-huh.” Daichi admitted, their faces pulled further apart now as they shuffled off the dance floor without tearing their eyes away from one another. A few whistles and hoots sounded from the bar counter, the two drawing their attention towards Bokuto, Oikawa, Iwaizumi and some other newly joint students Daichi recognized from University. Right, everyone just witnessed me make out with Kuroo. The burning under his skin made itself more prominent in the short space of 5 seconds and he whipped his head away sheepishly. “Oh god.”

“Whoops, can’t hide now.” Kuroo snickered close to his face.

Daichi stole a glance towards Kuroo, noting that he was right. “Fuck it then.” He clutched the back of Kuroo head, intertwining his fingers through his silky locks and pulled him down for a second make out session. I don’t regret this now, but later is a different story.

.

The soft quilts were not his own, but Daichi still felt right at home. The surroundings were not familiar, but he felt comfortable. Or better put it, he felt too lost in the depths of lust to care where the hell he was. The increasingly large gaps in his memory and awareness was not concerning, he was drunk, it was expected. Now what was worth caring about was the immensely seductive devil beneath his weight, his sinful lips dancing with Daichi’s, wandering hands trailing in those regions Daichi wouldn’t think another man would venture in. Daichi held the other’s heavily decorated wrist above his head, feeling the ropey texture of the many cord bracelets lined up on his wrist. He pulled away to take in the marvelling sight before him. Kuroo was beautiful. But so was Yui. So why did he never feel this way towards her? Why did he not feel this intense, mind consuming light when laying his eyes upon her beautiful body? Why?

Daichi hadn’t noticed the drowsy voice from below him speak multiple times until a warmth spread across his cheek. It was Kuroo’s hand, his thumb soothingly tracing circles along his skin and his eyes glazed with concern. “Daichi?”

“I— I’m sorry. I’m not sure…” What I’m doing. He couldn’t force the words out, and he was scared to look back at Kuroo’s face. Afraid to see the look of disappointment. “I’m just—”

“Daichi. Relax. We don’t have to do anything.” He gave a soft chuckle, but it sounded more sincere rather than humorous. “I mean I wasn’t gonna let anything further than this happen, I’m too drunk to see what I’m doing.”

“Fuck, I’m really sorry.”

“Honestly, don’t worry about it!” When Daichi rolled off Kuroo he sat up with a groan, running a hand down his weary face. “You can still crash here if you want.”

Daichi glanced around the room, noting the sophistication and modernism to it yet with a little added personality. Book shelves were organized neatly, almost too neat to be considered simple need for tidiness, the desk home to a Macbook, surrounded by a few action figures from whatever series Daichi couldn’t make out, his sight gravely hindered by his intoxication. He snickered briefly to himself, this guy’s a bit of a dork… “I— uh… This your place?”

“Yeah, live alone so don’t worry about running into anyone else here,” Kuroo assured, leaning his head back on the leather headboard. His voice was slightly slurred and drawled out, as expected. “There’s spare room round the corner, come I’ll show you.” Kuroo hopped off the bed in a stumble and almost lost his footing, but thankfully regained his balance. Sort of. He shot out a sloppy grin to the rather terrified looking Daichi who thought he’d have to look after someone with a concussion for the rest of the night. He held out a hand towards Daichi, who took it gratefully and in which it aided him in not falling over like Kuroo almost did.

Their fingers remained interlinked as Kuroo led Daichi down the dark hallway, the only light source coming from Kuroo’s supposedly bedroom behind them. They stopped at another door and entered, the room looking less personal and more guest roomy. “Ta-da! Make yourself at home, I need to go pass out or somethin’.” Daichi didn’t have time to question anything; before he knew it Kuroo was stumbling back down the hall and was soon followed by the sickening sound of him hurling his guts out in the bathroom, the splashing against the toilet bowl causing Daichi’s stomach to turn.

“Eugh,” Daichi expressed with a chuckle, looking ahead in the dark room. He dragged his feet and let himself drop on the bed like a pile of rocks, feeling the room shift and spin uncontrollably as soon as his feet left the firm ground. The spinning was almost enough to make Daichi throw up himself, but he thankfully had a strong stomach.

His eyelids grew heavier with each passing second, the spinning becoming more intense as the darkness began to engulf him but his entire body had already shut down, leaving him incapable of moving now regardless if the spinning threw his brain out the window. Eventually, finally, he was lost in the bizarre and wonderful world of dreaming.

The luminous, mid-morning gleam peeked past the wooden blinds, the fluid light creeping through even the tiniest cracks to intrude on the peaceful darkness. Daichi’s eyes had not yet met with the waking world, but his mind cried at the persistent ache brewing behind his eyes and in the depths of his temples. His mouth and throat felt like the desert, and his body ached like the after-workout curse. In other words, Daichi felt like shit.

Minutes passed by too quick for Daichi to process, the crippling hangover preventing him from making a move out of this unbelievably comfy bed… A bed that wasn’t his. He pushed himself up and looked around the room, perplexity settling in his mind as he mulled over if he booked out a hotel or something, or maybe he broke into somebody’s house, or something that could explain where the hell he was.

Ignoring the pain behind his eyes that only grew with movement, Daichi pushed himself off the bed and took a few unsteady steps towards the door, opening it as gentle as possible. He glanced up and down the hall before following the sound of maybe the television playing distantly in the background. The short hallway opened up to what seemed to be the living room, a large television playing Tom & Jerry with a certain bed head huddled up on the sofa, knees raised his his chest and a cigarette between his fingers. Now it started to come back to Daichi, he crashed at Kuroo’s. After doing nothing with him. He wasn’t sure if he should be disappointed or thankful, and he was rather surprised he was still painfully attracted to the memory of that gorgeous dancer. The same gorgeous dancer watching cartoons in the morning. Adorable.

“Tom and Jerry, really?” Daichi asked, his sudden voice clearly scaring the crap out of Kuroo who reacted faster than a spooked cat.

“Fuck, Daichi. And yes I will never grow out of Tom and Jerry.” He held a hand over his chest to calm his nerves and relaxed back into the sofa while still sat to face Daichi, a tired smile stretching his lips. “Had a good sleep?”

“I think so, but I feel shit now.”

“Same man,” he groaned, turning back to face the television. He seemed genuinely interested in the episode. “Grab yourself a drink or something, there isn’t much food unless you fancy pocky for breakfast.”

Daichi followed his outstretched arm towards the kitchen and laughed. “I’ll stick with just water. Hey uh, thanks for letting me crash here.”

“Don't mention it.”

The kitchen held the undertones of something freshly furnished or just very modern, the entire apartment looking on the high-end spectrum of living areas. Bokuto had mentioned his friend, now known to be Kuroo, was the same age as them. How did a 20 year old afford something so nice? “So, you always lived alone?”

“Yeah, surprisingly this place isn’t so expensive. But still a bit pricey to handle alone. Actually looking for a roomie so we could split, it’s kinda a struggle to pay it all myself.”

Daichi felt his eyebrows raise at the roomie part. “Looking for a roommate?”

Kuroo turned his amber gaze towards him, an idea sparking the light behind them. “You know anyone? Or like, are you looking by any chance?”

“Actually…” Daichi hesitated, musing whether or not this was a good idea. Kuroo was acting normal as ever about the night before, so Daichi should too. It meant nothing. Yet he couldn’t rid that clawing feeling at the back of his mind about what he felt when he watched Kuroo last night, and why he lacked that with someone he thought he was in love with. “I mean I still live with my ex. So I guess I am kind of looking. How much is it?”

“Oh ouch, you need to get out of there,” Kuroo smirked playfully, “well if it’s split between us two then it’s ¥30 thousand a month. Kinda pricey but then again it’s Tokyo… And this place isn’t rat infested!”

Daichi wasn’t even surprised at the price, he was more surprised Kuroo was able to pay the full ¥60 thousand on his own up until now. “Oh that’s actually okay…” This isn’t a good idea. “But I’ll probably have to think about it a little, I mean moving is a big deal.” Moving is a big deal, that wasn’t a lie. But it’s an especially big deal when moving in with someone that confused the hell out of your sexuality, and the fact they get stupidly drunk and semi-hooked up.

Kuroo gave a shrug and smiled, looking back towards the screen and drawing in a long drag from his cigarette, the end flaring brightly between the cracks in the dull ash. “Sure, if you make up your mind and all just call me.” He tossed his unlocked phone at the end of the sofa closest to Daichi, who walked over to pick it up. He added his contact information onto Kuroo’s list and shot himself a gibberish text to get Kuroo’s number, the buzz felt faintly in the jeans pocket. He stepped over to Kuroo to hand him his phone back, their hands lingering on the slight touch for a moment too long before they pulled away.

“Nice meeting you, Daichi.” He smiled, that lazy, taunting smile which screamed out to Daichi ‘I know I’ll see you again.’

“You too, Kuroo.”

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