#and I'm sure that we'll know it sooner or later

[ikamigami]

"Earth doesn't have to forgive Lunar"

Blah blah blah

Then just screw laes maybe? Huh?

I liked the episode where Lunar and Earth cleared things between each other ^^

Lunar seems so much more mature than at the beginning of the show..

He was able to look within himself and he also was able to realize why exactly he did wrong..

I was angry at Earth at first because she shouldn't be so upset at Lunar for not telling her anything.. like Earth he probably didn't talk to you or anyone because of his issues and he didn't even realize that it was that bad.. like he even said so..

Sometimes people won't take our helping hand.. but you don't have to make it look like they're such an issue for even not realizing that they need help..

Earth annoys me with how she's apparently the only one who tries in this family.. apparently.. and how she can't even comprehend that others don't have to want help that's one.. and two that maybe like Lunar they don't even realize it's that bad.. that they're issues are that bad.. and also what annoys me about Earth is that she expects others to be flawless.. like yeah she knows no one is perfect.. but how she acts says otherwise..

But it's understandable because she was Creator's golden child so she was raised spoiled..

My anger was short though cause it went away when Earth started talking about how she misses playing with kids.. this is something that Earth has every right to be angry at Lunar.. and not that Lunar doesn't have an insight about how bad his issues are..

I feel for Earth.. I know how much it sucks to be not able to do things that you could do before.. for me it's been over a decade.. but for Earth it was not so long ago so it hurts more..

I hope that eventually things will get better between Earth and Lunar..

I enjoy laes and while Kat is no longer writing for it I still don't want to see it end so soon..

And by that I mean that I don't want any changes.. I don't want Earth and Monty show or Lunar and idk who show..

I want Lunar and Earth show..

Hopefully things between the two won't be too akward or forced like during Christmas party..

I'm glad that Lunar was there.. because while Earth's feelings matter so does Lunar's..

He's still a part of family..

And tbh this situation is bizarre.. wish Lunar could start working on himself to be less self-centered but in different way.. a way that doesn't include hurting your own sister for life..

I think that's not fair to Lunar.. especially cause he wasn't making his depression and star power stuff everyone's problem..

He just kept things to himself.. he wasn't even lashing out like Eclipse or Moon on most of occacions.. he was rightfully upset at Nexus for babying him and hiding things from him..

It the Lunar lashed out at Earth yes.. but if it wasn't for NSP things wouldn't be that bad.. cause at the end of the day who has never lashed out in their life?

I really wish that Earth realize that everyone have their struggles and shortcomings.. and it doesn't make anyone bad..

I want Earth to forgive Lunar because he doesn't deserve that.. he tries his best.. he very quickly started working on himself because he loves his family.. he doesn't want to lose it..

I understand Earth's conflicted feelings though.. I also feel bad whenever someone will hurt me and I feel angry at them.. like I want to be angry but at the same time I feel bad about it.. even now I'm trying to move on from what happened last year..

Earth is allowed to not forgive Lunar.. but personally, like yeah it's probably because of my personal beliefs and worldview, I can't imagine Earth and Lunar's relationship to be okay if Earth won't forgive Lunar..

I think that forgivness is important.. even if at least to one's healing..

But that's how I view life.. and I know that others view it differently..

Maybe it's all a part of the big plot where Earth realizes how she's affected by how Creator raised her..

I'm trying to be positive ^^

I like these shows ^^ They're well written most of the time or at least to me 👉👈

I find some decisions to be frustrating but mostly at first because then I often like how things go later..

And I realized that I'm mostly frustrated at fans takes xbxbbxbxbxbxnbxbbxbx

I have to work on ignoring it cause this isn't healthy and also fandoms are always the most annoying part in anything xD

[lemonhemlock]

I'm a 'Martin won't ever publish another ASOIAF book' truther but in addition to King Bran being profoundly idiotic, Martin has major structural issues that are now too 'big' to 'fix' imo. Namely, the ages of the characters are ridiculous and are all wrong for where their arcs need to go. The characters on the show were aged up and even the younger ones grew up on screen so Bran and Sansa and Arya were at least into late teens/adulthood at the end of the show - one is 13 and other is currently 11 and Bran is like, what, 8 in books? sksksksksk Just absolutely disastrous.

The characters should have been in their mid to late teens at the start of AGOT, at minimum. Especially because Martin essentially treated them, and has them act, like adults. I'm sorry, but I don't think that man has any understanding between the mental and physical developmental differences between, say, a 14 year old girl and a 17 year old girl. Every character appears and acts like they are anywhere from 3 to 5 years older than they are.

Also, the POV structure, while interesting, has also been disastrous in actually getting the story moving because certain characters have to be in certain places for things to happen while others are just sitting around killing time.

Hmmm, I don't really agree about the POV structure. It functioned fine for three books and offered compelling court drama, battles, magical elements and intriguing plot-twists. AGOT / ACOK / ASOS are pretty well paced and I've even seen someone making the case that the series could even have ended in that point and would have been one of the best fictional fantasy experiments. I found myself agreeing and disagreeing. I think the ASOS ending would have still distinguished ASOIAF from other fantasy series in its toppling of the good-guys-win-everything type of wrap-up, but it would be way less ambitious than what GRRM ended up pursuing.

The pacing problems came about with AFFC/ADWD. And I'm not one to talk here, because I'm an AFFC truther and it's always been my favourite of the series, so my two cents on this is that Dany's Slaver's Bay plotline is too damn long. Tyrion is also taking too damn long to get to her. It's a drag. In the book she is supposed to solve the Quaithe riddle,* escape Vaes Dothrak, get herself an army + navy, make the decision to leave Slaver's Bay AND sail to Westeros, so that in TWOW she can fight Young Gryff, face-off the Others, become a mask-off tyrant AND get deposed? It's a lot.

I honestly think he should just give up the 7 book compartmentation, admit defeat and just add another damn book to the series to get Dany to Westeros and fit in his fAegon plotline. It's not like he doesn't have the pages. No one's gonna care if there are 8 books instead of magic no 7. But my guess is that he's hung up over some decisions he's made in the past and kept trying to make the gargantuan plot fit inside this neat box he envisioned - 7 books, King Bran, Caesar!Jon etc. It would explain why he tried a time skip between ASOS and AFFC and had to scrap it - it would make more sense for the Stark children to be older. But he characterized himself as a gardener-style writing who doesn't plan everything in advance and lets the story grow organically. In that case, he should make allowances if the story grew in a direction he did not initially predict and make the required changes! Maybe King Bran made sense when he first wrote the initial three-book outline, but that was a long time ago & many other plot points changed.

My advice is to just stop trying to make the plot fit the previous designs, stay true to the way the characters evolved and respect the themes you've painstakingly developed over the course of nearly 30 years. Otherwise what's the point? If your original ending doesn't fit anymore, think of another ending ffs. The show is irrelevant at this point, so what if the endgame will be different? IDK, I'd be thinking that this is my life's work and I have every right to do it justice. Perhaps that's what he's thinking too and why it's taking him so long.

I agree that the ages of the characters are ridiculous, but if a time skip really, really can't fit anywhere, it's better to compromise on the age issue and leave off with a teen monarch than it would be to impose a surveillance state in Westeros as the solution with all-seeing, all-knowing Bran. That's a starkly dystopic ending, if you ask me.

Not to mention that it clashes directly with the end of magic - how is Bran supposed to be the Tree of Sauron if there's no magic anymore and everything goes back to normal? On what basis does he even get to be king at all if he's just a regular boy? How will he even survive being pulled out of the weirwood net if magic leaves the realm of men?

*“To go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward you must go back, and to touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow.” JFC, if Dany has to get to Asshai, I will fucking scream.

[bobbysdeath]

There is not a locked room anywhere that with the right tools and enough time you can't break into.

[ID: A series of 21 gifs from the TV show 9-1-1.

The 1st gif shows Hen and Eddie untangling Halloween decorations at the firehouse. Eddie says, "You never know when a door is gonna close, and when it does, then...". Hen replies "It's sealed".

The 2nd gif shows Shannon talking to Eddie, who is offscreen, at a restaurant. She says, "Because if I try to do this again before I'm ready, there won't be a second chance."

The 3rd gif shows Pepa talking to Eddie, who is offscreen. She says, "It's been too long. You need to do something or you're going to be alone forever."

The 4th gif shows an injured woman lying on a backboard in a c-collar talking to Eddie and Hen, who are offscreen. She says, "We're all gonna die alone. Might as well spend time with our loved ones while we're still living." The gif cuts to a shot of Eddie and Hen looking at her.

The 5th gif shows Shannon lying down in an ambulance with a c-collar. She is talking to Eddie, who is offscreen. She says, "I'd love...a little more time."

The 6th gif shows Eddie during a flashback talking to Shannon, who is offscreen. He says "Can we please talk about this later? Can I maybe just get a little damn time?"

The 7th gif shows Eddie with tears in his eyes talking to Kim, who is offscreen. He says, "Never did get to say all the things I wanted to say. or hear all the things I needed to hear, I guess."

The 8th gif shows Ramon sitting down at a table talking to Eddie, who is offscreen. He says, "Why didn't you tell us?" The gif cuts to a shot of Eddie, who says, "Pretty sure you know the answer to that question."

The 9th gif shows Eddie standing in front of his fridge with tears in his eyes, talking to Ana, who is offscreen. He says, "I should have said something sooner." Ana replies, still offscreen, "Yeah. You probably should have."

The 10th gif shows Buck talking to Eddie, who is offscreen. He says, "You said you did this a year ago, why are you just telling me now?"

The 11th gif shows Eddie underground during the well rescue. You cannot see his face. He says, "I need more time", but the text indicates it's unintelligible. The gif cuts to a shot of Bobby looking frustrated, then cuts to a shot of Buck shouting, "Cap, can't we give him more time?"

The 12th gif shows Christopher yelling at Eddie, who is offscreen. Offscreen, Eddie says, "We'll make an even bigger gingerbread house next year, right?" Christopher replies, "You could be dead next year!" The gif cuts to a shot of Eddie looking up at Christopher, who is offscreen, with a shocked look.

The 13th gif shows Eddie on the phone. He says, "Why wait? Well, there's no better time than now."

The 14th gif shows Eddie at the firehouse talking to Chimney, who is offscreen. He says, "Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. If you love her, tell her."

The 15th gif shows Shannon at a restaurant talking to Eddie, who is offscreen. She says, "Eddie, uh, I think–". The gif cuts to a shot of Eddie, where he cuts Shannon off and says, "Please, just...let me say this."

The 16th gif shows Buck talking to Eddie, who is offscreen. He says, "Uh, Eddie–". The gif cuts to a shot of Eddie, where he cuts Buck off and says, "Just let me finish."

The 17th gif shows Buck being pushed towards the ground, with blood splattered on his face. He is staring ahead at Eddie, who is offscreen, with a shocked expression. The gif cuts to a shot of Eddie, who is lying on his side on the street, with his head in a puddle of blood. He is staring ahead at Buck, who is offscreen, as his hand falls forward towards Buck.

The 18th gif shows a close-up of Eddie talking to Christopher, who is offscreen. He says, "You can always come back. If you change your mind five minutes or five months from now...".

The 19th gif shows Eddie sitting in a confessional booth. Offscreen, a priest says to him, "Well, I imagine after 23 years, something in particular must be bothering you enough to make you feel like you need to be here."

The 20th gif shows Eddie talking to Buck, who is offscreen. He says, "Don't walk away from something before you even know what it is."

The 21st gif shows Eddie opening his front door. The gif cuts to wide shot of him smiling and nodding hello to Buck, who is offscreen. Eddie is wearing a button-up shirt with no pants. The gif then cuts to a shot of a visibly upset Buck standing outside, looking at Eddie.

END ID]

[woso-dreamzzz]

Surgery: Christmas

Mapi Leon x Ingrid Engen x Child!Reader

Summary: Christmas with Cub

"We could get her another cat?"

"We're not getting her another cat!"

It's strangely difficult to find ideas for Christmas presents to give a little girl that's only obsessed with cats, the washing machine and baking.

Your mothers can't exactly buy you your own washing machine or an electric mixer or, god forbid, another massive cat for you to carry around and insist isn't fat, isn't a complete monster or isn't the absolutely worst enemy of your mothers.

One of those worst enemies, your incredibly fat tabby Garfield, sits on the kitchen counter attempting to bat open a box of cereal to feed his never ending hunger.

Mapi and Ingrid ignore him, knowing that sooner or later this burst of energy will leave and he will amble off to a sunspot so he can nap away the rest of the day.

"Mami!" A call comes from your bedroom. "I'm stuck again!"

Mapi scrubs a hand over her face. "Just a minute, cub! I'm coming!" She turns back to Ingrid. "Definitely a no to the cat?"

Ingrid sighs. "No more cats."

"Just trying to make it easier on us!"

"Go and help our kid put on her t-shirt. I've got this."

But Ingrid very much doesn't have this. It shouldn't be this difficult to find a Christmas present for you but you're such a content kid. You've already got toys and the tv and the washing machine and the cats.

There's not really much else you want or need.

You're no help either, of course, because when Ingrid asks, you just reply with a simple:

"Er...I can get more time in yours and Mami's bed?"

So, it was very clear that you didn't quite know what you wanted for Christmas either apart from, clearly, curling up in Mapi and Ingrid's bed with them and probably kicking Mapi in her sleep.

Ingrid spends weeks stewing over what she and Mapi could get you. They'd gotten you a few throw away things like a new yellow digger after your last one fall off the balcony and smashed into the pavement below and a cute little necklace that doubled as identification with things like your name and had Mapi and Ingrid's numbers on them in case you ever went missing in a crowded area.

In the end, it's Frido that comes to her and Mapi's rescue, throwing out an idea at random during lunch when Aitana takes you up to the buffet to find some chicken.

It's a throwaway comment but with Mapi and Ingrid struggling to work out what else they could get you, they cling to it like a lifeline. They're fairly easy presents to source, something that Ingrid is glad for because she's cutting it abnormally close to Christmas day to get everything sorted.

"Mami..."

There's a crackle on the monitor that has Mapi stirring awake.

"Maaaami."

Mapi counts to ten in her mind before rolling out of bed, kissing a still sleeping Ingrid on the cheek and making her way out to your room.

"Merry Christmas, cub," She says as she pushes open your bedroom door," I see you've got company."

All of the cats seem to have migrated to your bed overnight.

Garfield, as usual, is laying on his back after (presumably) being used as a stuff animal for most of the night. Bagheera sits by your feet, grooming herself primly while the monstrous León-León stands nearby, tail flicking from side to side as he stares.

"We had Christmas cuddles," You say happily," And now we have the gingerbread?"

"We'll have to wait. Mama is still asleep."

"Why?"

"Huh? Why is Mama still asleep? She's tired."

"But why?"

"Because she was busy making sure everything was good for today."

"But why?"

Mapi scrubs a hand over her face. "You know what, let's go eat that gingerbread. Then we'll go and get your Mama."

You wiggle happily all the way to the kitchen, where Mapi lifts you up onto the counter so you can have a breakfast of the gingerbread you and Ingrid made last night and so Mapi can stop you from running into their room before Ingrid is awake enough to function.

The cats come running in as soon as they hear the rattling of their dishes - though Garfield kind of lumbers in, far behind León-León and Bagheera but still manages to steal most of the food.

Mapi does a pretty good job of stopping you going for the presents until Ingrid finally gets up, a nice warm mug of coffee waiting for her and an overly excited child trying to shove some gingerbread into her mouth.

"Tha-Thanks, Cub," Ingrid laughs as she pushes away one of your sticky little hands from where it's trying to shove biscuit into her mouth," But I'm fine with my coffee."

"It's good," You say through your own full mouth and Ingrid laughs.

"I know because it was made by us, with lots of love." Ingrid kisses the tip of your nose. "But really you should eat it all yourself."

"Really?"

"Really-really," Ingrid insists and you giggle, kicking your feet happily as you finally settle on her lap, sprinkling gingerbread crumbs everywhere as you move.

Garfield, as he always does whenever there's food to spare, comes ambling over to eat them all up.

Usually, Ingrid would scold him but Mapi's coming over with presents and she decides that even the cats can get away with things they usually wouldn't today.

"Are you ready for presents?" Ingrid asks, bouncing her knee so you burst into a round of giggles.

"Presents!"

Mapi and Ingrid exchange triumphant looks as you tear open your presents.

Your new ID necklace is placed snugly around your neck immediately, ready for in case you get lost during the walk your mothers have planned later that day.

You take great delight in placing your new yellow digger with all of your other construction toys in the corner of the room next to your little wooden set of tools.

"Mama! Mami! It's CAT!"

It's truly a surprise how many CAT themed things the club has managed to make in such a short amount of time. It's even more surprising just how much stuff they can buy for so cheap a price with their team member discounts.

But, perhaps the most surprising of all is how much the club was willing to just straight up give to them in return for just a few pictures of you with CAT the mascot.

It's not shocking to the staff and fans alike who the biggest CAT fan is and, while you do regularly appear on Mapi and Ingrid's Instagrams, it's a rarer feat to see you featured on the team's.

But, with just three pictures of you with CAT and a very cute video of you nearly taking the mascot of their feet in an attempt to hug them, Mapi and Ingrid received a bundle of CAT merch in return.

"It is CAT," Mapi laughs," It's a t-shirt with CAT on it!"

"And a keyring! And a new mug!" Ingrid continues as you rip open your presents, getting more and more excited the more CAT things you see.

"CAT's my second best friend," You tell Mapi and Ingrid earnestly in the next hour as you all take a nice walk together through the park.

"Oh, yeah?" Mapi says," And who's your best friend?"

"You and Mama," You reply.

"Oh, cub," Ingrid coos," That's so swe-"

"And Bagheera and Garfield and León-León."

Mapi laughs. "There it is."

[areislol]

ㅤㅤAN ACCIDENTAL CONFESSION — AL HAITHAM + KAVEH

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd what the hell were we? ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤTell me we weren't just friends

pairings. al haitham x fem/afab! reader x kaveh

warnings. MDNI/READ WITH CAUTION, lowercase intended, not an established relationship but kaveh/al haitham both harbour feelings for you and vice versa, college! au, best friends, reader is a virgin, accidental confession, both al haitham and kaveh focus on you, 18+ themes, explicit content, dirty talk, oral (fem receiving), porn with feelings, foreplay, threesome, p in v, praise, protection kings!! rough/soft kissing, needy kaveh, soft dom! kaveh, dom! al haitham

synopsis. both al haitham and kaveh are fed up with an upset you arriving home at 1 in the morning, eyes red and puffy from crying over your date who turned out to be like the rest of the other guys you've went on a date with, a jerk.

wordcount. 9.3k

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤfriends

you stood before the mirror, meticulously adjusting the folds of your outfit, every detail carefully curated after hours of contemplation. tonight was yet another date—your fifth one.

however, as you made your final preparations, alhaitham's voice cut through the air like a sharp blade, his tone laced with veiled annoyance.

"where are you going?" he questioned, his gaze scrutinizing your dolled-up appearance.

with a sigh, you turned to face him, meeting his gaze with a mixture of resignation. "i'm going out," you replied, your voice tinged with a hint of exasperation. "another date."

alhaitham's brow furrowed in frustration, a deep sigh escaping his lips. "another date?" he repeated, his annoyance palpable. "you know how these always end up. every man you go out with ends up being a jerk."

beside him, kaveh nodded in silent agreement, his expression mirroring alhaitham's. "it's like you're drawn to the wrong kind of guys," he added, his voice filled with concern.

"i know," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "but i have to keep trying, don't i? i can't give up hope that someday, i'll find the right one sooner or later."

kaveh's expressions softened with understanding, alhaitham on the other hand wouldn't let this slide. his brows furrowed hidden anger as he continued to stare at you.

after a couple of seconds, kaveh stepped forward, enveloping you in a warm embrace. "just promise us one thing," he murmured, his voice gentle yet firm. "promise us that you'll be careful, that you won't let anyone hurt you."

you returned the embrace, feeling the weight of his words resonate deep within your soul. "i promise," you whispered, your voice barely above a whisper. "i'll be careful."

alhaitham let out a deep sigh, his eyes screwed shut. "i still don't approve of this but you better keep your promise. just give us a call if anything happens, we'll be waiting."

you nod your head, offering him a tender smile. you make sure that you look perfect before putting on your shoes and waving goodbye to your best friends. they return the wave, wishing you luck.

the door clicks shut, leaving the apartment shrouded in a heavy silence.

"... why did you wish her luck?" alhaitham asked, raising his brow. kaveh groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair. "i don't know, i did it by instinct, i think." he replied.

they had been down this road countless times before, watching as each of your dates inevitably ended in disappointment and heartache.

with a heavy sigh, alhaitham sank into the nearest chair, his features etched with a mixture of frustration and concern. "i don't know how much longer we can keep doing this," he muttered, running a hand through his hair in agitation.

kaveh nodded in silent agreement, his gaze fixed on the floor. "i know," he murmured with regret. "but what can we do? we can't just sit back and let her do this to herself."

a heavy silence descended upon the room, broken only by the soft hum of the city outside. for a moment, alhaitham and kaveh sat in contemplative silence, grappling with the weight of their unspoken feelings for you—their roommate, their best friend.

finally, alhaitham broke the silence, his voice tinged with determination. "we need to do something," he declared, his gaze meeting kaveh's with unwavering resolve. "we can't keep ignoring how we feel about her."

kaveh nodded in agreement, a flicker of determination sparking in his eyes. "you're right," he replied, his voice low and almost airy. "but what can we do?" alhaitham didn't respond, he stared down at his slippers and sat up straight.

"i don't know. we'll just have to wait and see."

standing in front of the elegant restaurant, bathed in the soft glow of the evening lights, you couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest.

the anticipation of the evening ahead filled you with a sense of eager anticipation as you checked the time on your phone—7:00 PM, right on the dot of your agreed time.

as you wait for your date to arrive, you can't help but admire the appearance of the restaurant, its ornate facade and inviting ambience promising a night of culinary delights along with the loud and enchanting conversation.

yet, as the minutes ticked by and your date failed to make an appearance, a knot of unease began to form in the pit of your stomach.

you glanced at your phone once more, the digital clock mocking you with its unyielding display of time. 7:05 PM. 7:10 PM. still no sign of your date. a sense of disappointment washed over you like a wave crashing against the shore, mingled with slight frustration at being kept waiting.

for a brief moment, doubt crept into your mind—had your date forgotten about your plans? or worse, had they stood you up altogether? amidst the whirlwind of emotions, you couldn't help but cling to a glimmer of hope, a small voice whispering that perhaps there was a reasonable explanation for their lateness.

with a deep breath, you resolved to give him a few more minutes, your nervousness was gnawing at your heart. you stood there, bathed in the soft glow of the evening lights. as the minutes stretched into an eternity, you finally made the decision to go inside the restaurant, with a heavy heart and a sense of resignation weighing heavily on your shoulders.

you made your way to a table for two, the empty chair across from you a stark reminder of your dashed hopes and unfulfilled expectations.

as you settled into your seat, the waiter approached with a warm smile. "good evening, madam," she greeted, her tone gentle and reassuring. "are you ready to order?"

you shook your head in response, a bitter taste lingering on your tongue as you explained the situation. "i'm actually waiting for my date," you admitted, "but it seems they're running late."

the waiter's smile faltered slightly, a pang of sympathy flashing across her features as she nodded in understanding. "i'm sorry to hear that," she murmured, her voice laced with genuine concern. "i hope they show up soon."

the waiter couldn't help but bite down on her lower lip, she had seen this scenario play out countless times before—lovers left waiting, hopes dashed, and dreams shattered. and even so, she couldn't help but hold onto a sliver of hope, praying that your date would arrive.

with a sympathetic smile, the waiter left you to your thoughts, giving you the space and time, you continued sitting there, surrounded by the soft hum of conversation and the tantalizing aroma of delicious food.

as the minutes dragged on and the sympathetic looks from surrounding tables grew more pronounced, you found yourself struggling to maintain your composure under the weight of their silent scrutiny.

the whispers and glances sent in your direction felt like daggers to your already wounded heart, with a heavy sigh, you realized that you couldn't bear to endure another moment of the pitying stares and hushed conversations.

you couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment and regret crashing into you, you really should've listened to them. your eyes remained on the clothed table,

pushing back your chair, you rose from your seat and made your way towards the exit, the eyes of the other diners following your every move with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

as you reached the door, you ignored the prying eyes and hard gazes, you stepped out into the cool night air, the weight of disappointment heavy on your shoulders.

with each step you took away from the restaurant, a sense of relief washed over you, the oppressive atmosphere of the dining room gradually fading into the distance.

alone with your thoughts and emotions, you stopped just a couple of steps from the door—reaching into the pocket of your jacket you pulled out your phone, about to call alhaitham and explain, once again, about how your date went.

just as you were about to press the "call" button your finger was just hanging above the screen, was it really a good idea to call him now? you knew how this would play out.

"i told you so"

"what did i tell you?"

"when will you ever learn your lesson..."

the last thing you wanted to hear was alhaitham scolding you and his "i told you so". letting out a frustrated sigh you click your phone shut and stuff it back into your pocket. you decided to just walk home instead.

it wasn't that dark out, the sky was a mixture of dark blue and a slight tinge of orange hue. you tried your best to distract yourself with what was in your view but that was to no avail. you already knew what was going to happen as soon as you opened the door.

it was a reoccurring thing between you, kaveh and alhaitham. every time you went out on a date they would sigh in disappointment and try to talk you out of it but of course, it never worked.

despite your differences, a bond had quickly formed, forged through late-night conversations, shared meals, and the occasional movie marathon.

as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months and months turned into years, your apartment became a sanctuary—a haven where laughter echoed through the halls and memories were woven into the very fabric of the walls.

unbeknownst to each other, alhaitham and kaveh harboured feelings for you, their affections hidden behind smiles and casual banter. and in the quiet moments of the night, as you lay in bed lost in thought, you couldn't help but wonder if perhaps your own feelings mirrored theirs—a thought that both thrilled and terrified you.

as you made your way to your shared apartment you couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt right through your chest, your two best friends who you knew cared deeply about you were always trying to help, and yet here you were, walking back home in the darkness after being stood up by your fifth date.

you heaved a great sigh, disappointed in yourself. once i go inside, i'll definitely apologize to them! you said to yourself before finally arriving at your apartment. you mentally prepared yourself and let out a sigh before shoving the key into the keyhole and turning the lock.

you were finally home with... two clearly disappointed and concerned men.

you knew that as soon as you opened the door, a wave of bickering would hit you in the face, not that you really minded most of the time.

—

the memory of that night still lingers vividly in your mind, more so when your dates leave you staring at the ceiling, wondering where things went wrong. you’re at the akademiya, seated at a study table under the soft, golden light of a desk lamp.

kaveh sits across from you, gesturing animatedly, a frustrated yet passionate artist explaining his latest design concepts. alhaitham sits beside you, quiet but ever-present, nose buried in a book, his occasional interjections laced with sharp wit aimed squarely at kaveh’s more extravagant claims.

"listen," kaveh says, leaning forward, his blonde hair falling slightly into his eyes. "do you know how hard it is to convince some people that aesthetics and functionality can coexist? alhaitham, for example, wouldn't know—"

"they can coexist," alhaitham interrupts, not looking up from his book. "but not when your design priorities lean toward creating monuments to your own ego."

you laugh, the sound drawing both of their gazes to you. kaveh’s annoyed expression softens, while alhaitham finally looks up from his book, his usual unreadable mask slipping just slightly.

"maybe if you stopped bickering for five minutes, i could help you settle this debate," you suggest, playfully bumping alhaitham’s arm. he looks at where your elbow touched his sleeve, then back to your face, the faintest twitch of a smile on his lips.

"unlikely," he says, but his tone lacks its usual sharpness.

kaveh groans. "honestly, how do you even put up with him? the man has the emotional range of a piece of petrified wood."

"better than being a storm of emotions no one asked for," alhaitham counters smoothly, making you laugh again.

the tension between them eases slightly at the sound, though neither of them would admit it. for a brief moment, there’s a silent understanding between the three of you, a shared connection that feels warm and unspoken. it’s a moment you’d later remember with a pang of nostalgia during one of your many failed dates—a reminder of the comfort and ease you find in their presence, even amid their constant bickering.

the night stretches on, and kaveh’s complaints blur into alhaitham’s occasional quips, you catch them both stealing glances at you when they think you’re not looking. kaveh’s gaze is warm, like sunlight filtering through leaves, while alhaitham’s lingers, as if trying to decipher a puzzle he hasn’t yet solved.

it’s a memory that clings to you, even as you sit through yet another disastrous date.

—

you pushed the side of the door open, being careful and slow with your movements as if that would magically make alhaitham and kaveh not notice you.

the door swung open, revealing the dimly lit interior of your apartment, a wave of apprehension washed over you like a cold, unforgiving tide. and there they were, just as you had feared—alhaitham and kaveh, sitting opposite of each other on the couch, their expressions a curious mix of concern and amusement.

alhaitham, ever the observant one, wore a knowing smirk on his face, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he met your gaze. he didn't need to hear your explanation—he knew exactly what had transpired during your date, and he was more than eager to tease you about it.

suppressing a sigh, you mustered up a weak smile, steeling yourself for the inevitable barrage of questions and teasing remarks that were sure to follow. "hey guys," you greeted, "i'm back."

kaveh nodded his head, his expression more subdued than alhaitham's, yet no less filled with concern. "welcome back," he murmured, his tone gentle. "how'd the date go? judging by the looks of it..."

his voice trailed off as he observed your face, you were clearly upset. "it didn't go well. you didn't call me or kaveh because you knew that we would scold you, right? did you really think that i wouldn't know?"

alhaitham's words were abrupt and caught you off guard. you swallowed the lump in your throat before letting your eyes rest and nod your head hesitantly, you were just going to blurt out everything.

"you're right. i just... look i'm sorry that i never listen to you guys, i know you guys care about me and i never listened to your advice and—"

you were cut off by the sudden sensation of a warm palm cupping your cheek. your eyes peeled open and to your shock alhaitham was right there, right in front of you. his face just inches away from yours.

caught off guard by alhaitham's sudden gesture, you froze in place, your breath catching in your throat as his warm hands cupped your cheeks gently. his touch sent a shiver down your spine, igniting a flutter of butterflies in the pit of your stomach as you met his sharp gaze with wide eyes.

his eyes held a warmth and intensity that sent your heart racing, a faint blush painting his cheeks in a delicate shade of pink. have you ever seen him so flustered before?

words failed you as you searched for something, anything, to say in response to his unexpected display of affection. the air between you crackled with unspoken tension.

there was a pregnant pause, and before you knew it alhaitham's lips parted, his voice a soft murmur that sent shivers down your spine. "i've been wanting to do this for a while," he admitted, his tone laced with longing.

a rush of emotions surged within you—confusion, excitement, love… lust. you had always harboured a deep affection for alhaitham (and kaveh), a connection that transcended the boundaries of friendship, yet you had never dared to voice your true feelings, fearing that the confession would change your friendship for the worse.

kaveh's sudden intervention shattered the intimacy between you and alhaitham, leaving a palpable tension hanging in the air. as kaveh placed his hand on alhaitham's shoulder, his glare bore into his roommate with intensity.

"i thought we agreed that we would take this slow," kaveh's voice was low and laced with a hint of frustration, "and that i could do the first move?!"

take this slow? kaveh doing the first move? what did he mean by that? were they planning something?

alhaitham remained silent, his focus unwavering as his eyes remained locked on you, his expression unreadable as his gaze roamed your face with a hunger that sent a shiver down your spine.

you could feel the weight of his gaze on you, the intensity of his scrutiny stirring a whirlwind of emotions within you.

in that moment of hesitation, uncertainty gripped you like a vice, squeezing tight around your chest as you struggled to make sense of the tangled web of emotions unravelling before you. a part of you longed to just smash your lips against his.

but another part of you wants to push him away, you knew someone like alhaitham or kaveh wouldn't be interested in you, absolutely no way and chance. maybe alhaitham just had no sense of space? no it couldn't be... alhaitham was always cautious of the space between the both of you.

as the seconds ticked by, the weight of your decision bore down upon you like a heavy burden, you spoke up, breaking the tense silence that hung between you and your roommates. "i... guys?" you began, your voice trembling slightly. "what..."

your voice trailed off as your eyes flickered between alhaitham's and kaveh's, your eyes said more than enough. kaveh sighed, glaring at alhaitham once more before removing his hand from the pearl-grey-haired roommate's shoulder.

kaveh’s glare softened as he turned his gaze back to you, his expression shifting to something almost… vulnerable. he hesitated, but his eyes held a warmth that sent a flutter through your chest, despite your earlier doubts.

"look," kaveh said, softer now, "i wanted to tell you how i felt for a long time. i was just… scared, i guess." he let out a small, nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "i didn't want to mess things up. we’ve all been living together for so long, and i thought, if i just took my time, maybe you’d—"

"maybe you’d what?" alhaitham cut in, his voice calm yet firm, though his gaze softened as he glanced between you and kaveh. "kaveh, you were dragging this out. i was tired of waiting for you to make a move." he then looked at you, his gaze piercing, his voice a low murmur. "but you have a say in this too."

both their eyes were on you now, waiting, and you felt a wave of vulnerability crashing over you. part of you was ready to tell them to forget it, to insist it was impossible that two people like them could actually feel anything for you. but that other part—that part that had wanted nothing more than to close the distance between you and alhaitham moments earlier—begged you to take this chance.

heart pounding, you took a shaky breath and decided to lay everything bare. “i thought… you two were just teasing me all this time. like this was some kind of game.”

kaveh’s face softened as he reached out, his fingers grazing yours, sparking something electric between you. “it was never a game, not for me,” he murmured, voice low and rough with barely contained longing. “i’ve wanted you for so long. every time i held back, every time i watched you with him… it drove me crazy.” he shot a glance at alhaitham, his jaw clenched, before looking back at you, his eyes intense, burning with something raw.

alhaitham’s gaze was unwavering, filled with a hunger that sent a rush through you. he stepped closer, his fingers brushing your cheek, tilting your face to meet his gaze. “i don’t share easily,” he murmured, his voice a low growl. “but for you… i’d rather share than let you go.”

the weight of their words crashed into you, heat pooling in your chest, spreading through your veins as you struggled to process the intensity of their confessions. your heart hammered as their gazes bore into you, each one daring you to respond, to give in to the passion simmering between you.

“i don’t want you to walk away,” you breathed, barely able to get the words out, your voice trembling with anticipation. the moment you said it, their expressions shifted—like wolves finally catching sight of their prey.

kaveh let out a shaky exhale, stepping in close, so close you could feel his warm breath against your skin. “so… you’re really choosing both of us?” his tone was teasing, but the edge of desperation was clear as he reached for your hand, squeezing it, his gaze dark with want. 

alhaitham’s lips quirked into the barest hint of a smirk as he leaned down, his mouth ghosting over yours, sending a shiver down your spine. “good,” he whispered, his voice barely more than a murmur. “because i’ve been waiting far too long for this.” then his lips met yours, not gentle this time but demanding, claiming you with a passion that left you breathless. his hand tangled in your hair, pulling you close, deepening the kiss as if he wanted to drown in you.

the kiss ended, but your head was spinning, your breath shallow as kaveh took his turn. he didn’t hesitate, capturing your lips in a heated, needy kiss, his hands gripping your waist, pressing you against him as he let out a low groan against your mouth. he kissed you like he’d been starved, pouring every bit of pent-up desire and frustration into that kiss, his fingers digging into your skin like he never wanted to let go.

as they pulled back, their gazes seared into you, hot and possessive, leaving you trembling and flushed. alhaitham’s hand found your chin, lifting it to meet his gaze again. “we’re not holding back anymore,” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. “you’re ours now. understand?”

you swallowed, nodding, feeling the intensity of their words settle deep inside you. every inch of you was alive, buzzing with the thrill of finally being theirs.

kaveh’s fingers tightened around your waist as he pulled you closer, pressing his body flush against yours, his mouth moving with a fierce, desperate hunger. each kiss from him was deeper, rougher, as if he couldn’t get enough of you, and couldn’t stand the thought of letting you go for even a second. his hands slid up your sides, feeling, exploring, setting every nerve on fire.

alhaitham’s hand slipped under your chin, turning your face toward him as kaveh’s lips left a trail along your neck. his gaze held a dark intensity, his eyes blazing as he lowered his mouth to yours once more, this time with a slow, tantalizing hunger that made you melt against him.

his kiss was deep and claiming, his hand tangling in your hair, tugging just enough to make you gasp. he broke away just enough to murmur against your lips, his voice low and possessive. “tonight, you’re not leaving either of us.”

they moved as one, guiding you backwards, step by step until the back of your knees hit the edge of the bed. you barely had a chance to react before kaveh’s hands slid down to your thighs, lifting you effortlessly and lowering you onto the sheets. he climbed over you, his breath heavy and uneven, his eyes fixed on you with a need that made you shiver.

alhaitham was right beside him, his gaze roaming over you, drinking in every inch with a dark, dangerous smirk that sent a thrill through you. his hand slipped to your shoulder, pushing you back onto the bed as he leaned down, his lips brushing against your collarbone, sending waves of heat through you.

“we’ve waited long enough,” he murmured, his breath hot against your skin. his hand drifted over your waist, firm and possessive as if to remind you exactly where you belonged. “and we’re not stopping until we’ve had our fill.”

kaveh’s hands roamed over your sides, his touch both soothing and electrifying, his lips finding yours again in a kiss that left you breathless, completely lost in him. you felt his fingers trace down to your hips, his touch growing bolder, needier, as he let out a low, throaty groan against your mouth. he pulled back, his face inches from yours, his voice husky with desire. “i’m not letting you go, not tonight.”

their hands intertwined as they held you between them, their breaths coming faster, hotter, their gazes locked on you with an intensity that made you feel utterly exposed.

their hands moved in unison, each touch lighting up every nerve as they explored, learning each curve, each reaction that drove you to the edge of your senses. alhaitham’s fingers trailed down your collarbone, pressing firmly as if marking you, his lips following close behind, leaving a scorching path along your skin. he moved with a confidence that left you dizzy, his gaze locked on yours with a look that was both possessive and admiring, making you feel utterly consumed.

kaveh, on the other hand, was all fervent energy, his hands eagerly roaming over you, his touch alternating between gentle caresses and firm grips, as though he couldn’t get close enough, couldn’t believe you were actually there with him. his eyes met yours, softening for a moment, before he leaned in close, his voice a low, heated murmur in your ear. “i wanted this for so long... didn’t think i’d ever get the chance.”

their hands intertwined as they hovered over you, each touch driving you deeper into a haze of desire, their combined warmth pressing in on every side. alhaitham’s hand slid around to cup your face, his thumb brushing over your cheek as he leaned down, his lips barely grazing yours before capturing them in a slow, searing kiss that stole your breath.

he pulled back only to press a trail of kisses down your jaw, his hand sliding down to meet kaveh’s as they both moved over you, their touches merging, amplifying, until you were lost in them.

the way they worked together, each knowing instinctively how to push you further, was overwhelming, every movement calculated to keep you teetering on the edge. alhaitham’s smirk flickered at the sight of you, utterly undone, and kaveh’s smile softened, his eyes dark with desire and a hint of wonder. 

“you’re ours,” kaveh whispered, his voice thick with emotion, his lips grazing your ear before pressing a kiss there. “no more waiting, no more doubts. just us.”

the words hit you like a tidal wave, their weight sinking into your chest and filling every hollow corner of your heart. you couldn’t help but feel your legs tremble, though whether from the intensity of their presence or the truth of kaveh’s confession, you weren’t sure.

alhaitham, ever the steady one, noticed immediately, his arm wrapping securely around your waist to keep you grounded. his touch was firm yet tender, anchoring you to the moment while kaveh’s words pulled you further into an ocean of emotions.

kaveh’s hand moved to cradle your face, his thumb brushing along your cheek in a gesture so gentle it nearly made you break down. “do you know how long we’ve waited?” he asked softly, his honeyed voice trembling just enough to betray his own vulnerability. “how long have we watched you chase after things you didn’t need because you were too scared to see what was right in front of you?”

the words brought forth a flood of memories, moments you’d tried to bury in the recesses of your mind because they felt too intimate, too confusing. you thought back to that time in the akademiya library when you had worked late into the night, determined to finish your research. kaveh had arrived first, arms laden with snacks and tea, a dramatic sigh escaping him as he plopped into the chair beside you.

“you’ll burn yourself out like this,” he had said, offering you a bite of his food as though it was the most natural thing in the world. his hand had brushed yours when you reached for the tea, lingering just a second too long. 

then alhaitham had joined, quiet as always, slipping a warm blanket around your shoulders with an almost imperceptible sigh. “if you’re going to work yourself to death, at least have the decency not to catch a cold,” he’d said, but his hand had stayed on your shoulder a beat longer, giving it a squeeze that spoke volumes.

at the time, you’d chalked it up to kindness, their unique ways of looking out for you. but now, standing here with both of them, you realized how much of their affection had been buried beneath subtleties you’d chosen to ignore. 

—

“i can feel you overthinking,” alhaitham’s voice cut through your haze, sharp yet not unkind. he tilted your chin with two fingers, his piercing teal gaze meeting yours. “stop it. you’re here now, with us. that’s all that matters.”

kaveh let out a soft laugh, though it carried an undercurrent of frustration. “you really do make things harder than they need to be, you know that?” he teased, though the tenderness in his expression betrayed his words. “running off on all those pointless dates... what were you even trying to find, huh?”

heat crept up your neck at the mention of your failed attempts at dating. you looked down, only to have kaveh gently nudge your chin upward with a finger. “look at me,” he said, and his voice was so soft, so unbearably full of emotion, that you couldn’t resist. “you didn’t need any of them. you never did. did you think we wouldn’t notice? that we wouldn’t care?”

the vulnerability in his question broke something inside you. “i didn’t think... i didn’t know,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “i thought i was just—someone to bicker with, someone to tease. i didn’t think i meant that much to either of you.”

kaveh’s eyes widened briefly, shock and something deeper flickering across his face. “you didn’t think—” he cut himself off with a disbelieving laugh, though there was no humor in it. “you’re everything to us,” he said, and the rawness in his tone made your chest tighten. “do you have any idea how much you mean to me? to us?”

alhaitham’s hand slid to the back of your neck, grounding you once more. his touch was steady, reassuring. “we’ve waited long enough,” he said, his voice low but firm, his teal gaze unwavering. “you’re ours now. there’s no need to run anymore.”

the truth of his words settled over you like a blanket, warm and inescapable. memories of their quiet devotion played in your mind like a reel. kaveh dragging you out for “fresh air” after a particularly grueling day, his arm slung casually around your shoulders but his concern evident in the way he kept glancing at your face. alhaitham staying up with you during a storm, his usual stoicism giving way to a quiet patience as he read aloud to distract you from the howling winds. they had always been there, waiting, even when you didn’t realize it. 

—

“you don’t have to keep fighting it,” kaveh murmured, his lips brushing your forehead. “let us take care of you for once.”

“don’t give them a choice,” alhaitham added dryly, though the smirk on his lips was softened by the way his fingers caressed the side of your neck. “we’ve already decided.”

you laughed softly, the sound shaky but genuine. “you two really are impossible,” you muttered, but there was no malice in your words—only affection, deep and unrelenting.

“and yet, you’re still here,” kaveh pointed out with a grin, his hand finding yours and squeezing it. “which means you’re stuck with us. so stop running, and let us love you the way you deserve.”

the tears you hadn’t realized were building finally spilled over, but they weren’t tears of sadness. as kaveh’s lips met yours, warm and insistent, and alhaitham pressed his forehead against yours, grounding you in his steady presence, you felt something shift. the weight of doubt and fear melted away, leaving only the overwhelming truth: you were theirs. entirely, irrevocably theirs. 

kaveh’s lips found yours next, his kiss softer but no less intoxicating, filled with an urgency that made your knees weak. his fingers tangled in your hair as he deepened the kiss, his body pressing into yours while alhaitham’s hands explored your curves, his touch firm and deliberate. “you’ve always been ours,” kaveh whispered against your lips. “you just needed to realize it.”

“and now you will,” alhaitham added, his voice steady but carrying a dangerous edge. his teeth grazed your jawline, sending another shiver through you. “we’ll make sure of it.”

your body melted between them, every nerve alight as they overwhelmed you with their presence. kaveh’s lips moved back to your neck, and his tongue flicked against a sensitive spot that made you gasp. alhaitham smirked at your reaction, his hands finding the curve of your waist and pulling you flush against him. “so sensitive,” he murmured, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

kaveh chuckled, his breath warm against your skin. “let us spoil you,” he said, his tone softening but his grip on you unwavering. “let us show you how it feels to be truly adored.”

your hands clutched at their shirts, grounding yourself as the heat between you all grew unbearable. their touches, their words, the way they worked together—it was dizzying, intoxicating, and everything you hadn’t known you needed. with every kiss, every touch, they erased your doubts, replaced them with a certainty you could no longer deny.

kaveh lingers there, lost in the sensation, nuzzling into the soft heat of your belly as if it were his lifeline. suddenly, he lifted his head up, moving closer to your breasts, you watched him impatiently, and just before you could speak, his tongue traced your sensitive buds, and a shiver ran down your spine.

his hot breath tickled your skin as he slowly dragged his lips over each tiny bud. you let out a soft gasp, my hands coming up to tangle in his hair. "fuck, that feels so good," you moaned, arching into his touch.

“wait, it’s my first time…” your hands place themselves over his shoulders, heat rushed to your cheeks at the lewd scene before you.

kaveh gazes into your eyes, his expression softening with tender affection as he cups your face in his larger hands "i promise to be gentle with you, darling. this is a special moment for us, and i want it to be perfect." his thumbs stroke along your cheekbones as he leans in to place a sweet, lingering kiss on your lips. "just breathe deeply and focus on the pleasure... let me take care of everything else."

he quickly dips his head, the soft hums of pleasure escaped his lips as he trails hot kisses along your sensitive nipples, lapping at the hardened nubs with a flick of his tongue. his hand kneads your breast, fingers sinking into the supple flesh as he pinches and rolls her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

as he takes one nipple into his mouth, suckling greedily as he flicks his tongue rapidly over the bud. he grazes the sensitive skin with his teeth, sending jolts of pleasure-pain straight to your core. his other hand braces against the mattress, supporting his weight as he presses closer, his rigid length grinding against your thigh.

releasing your nipple from his mouth with a wet pop, a string of saliva connected with his lips to the abused bud. he blazes a trail of open-mouthed kisses down your body, nipping and sucking at the smooth skin of your stomach before hooking his fingers into the waistband of your pants. “wait–”

with a tug, he yanks your pants and panties down your legs, baring your glistening folds to his hungry gaze. he takes a moment to admire the sight, his cock throbbing with need. he watches it for a couple of seconds, completely entranced and mesmerised before diving in to feast on your cunt. his tongue delves between your slick lips, lapping up the sweet essence as he holds your hips steady with bruising force.

all the while, alhaitham watches from the side, his palm resting behind your neck as he turns your head towards him, crashing his needy lips onto yours, brows furrowed as he kissed you impatiently.

kaveh moans softly at the sight of your perfect tits, the way your body shivered and trembled with each lick. his mouth waters at the scent of your arousal permeating the air. without hesitation, he buries his face deeper in your pussy. he licks a broad stripe up your slit, swirling around your clit before plunging his tongue deep inside your tight hole.

muffled gurgles emanate from his throat as he worships your cunt, slurping on your juices greedily. his eyes are transfixed on the mesmerizing dance of your engorged clit peeking out from beneath its hood, begging for attention. he obeys, flicking the sensitive bundle of nerves mercilessly with the tip of his tongue, making sure to catch every drop of your ambrosia.

his hands roam higher to fondle your breasts at the sounds of your praise and moans. "ohhh f-fuuuckkk! yes, just like that!" your shameless moans fill the room as he feasts on your sopping cunt. you writhe against the mattress, grinding your dripping core against his eager mouth. "don't stop, mmmnnn!" you cry out wantonly, throwing your head back in ecstasy. your hand's fist in his hair, holding him tight against you.

your thighs quake around his ears as his tongue works you over, stoking the fires burning in your loins higher and higher. "oh god, yessss!! right fucking there! ahn…!" the intense waves crash over you, threatening to drown you whole. he doesn't let up though, fucking your convulsing channel with long, hard laps of his tongue as your cunt clamps down around him, milking him for everything he has.

before you've even begun coming down, he surges forward and crashes his mouth to yours in a passionate, sloppy kiss. his whiskered cheek slides along yours as his musky scent invades your senses – equal parts salty-sweet from his kiss – bringing back up essence and uniquely man. the mingling scents and flavours of both of you mingle into one delicious medley you'd burn for.

still kissing you fiercely, he rolls your sensitive nubs. he pulls back from the kiss and you can clearly see how he smirks up at you with a wicked glint in his eyes, still savouring your shared flavour on his tongue. you gasp as he pulls back, his saliva mixing with your juices as he gazes hungrily down at your flushed face.

he glances down at your dishevelled appearance, noting the pearly essence dripping down your chin and neck. slowly, teasingly, he traces a finger through your sticky mess, collecting your release before bringing it to his lips. you whimper as he swirls his tongue around the digit, cleaning off the intimate proof of your mutual satisfaction.

without warning, he grips your hips and spins you around, pushing you face-first against the dirtied sheets. your legs wobble slightly from the aftershocks still rippling through you, but he holds you steady with one large hand resting between your shoulder blades.

his hard, heavy cock springs free from its confines, thick and veiny, already drooling with pre-cum. the head smears against your soaked entrance as he kicks your feet further apart. he groans, grinding the leaking tip along your slippery entrance. he teases the tip along your wet slit, coating himself in your slick arousal.

slowly, oh so slowly, he sinks into your welcoming heat, groaning low in his chest as your velvety walls stretch and accommodate his impressive girth. "fuck…” he begins with a shallow thrust, letting you feel every ridge and vein dragging against your fluttering walls, drawing a loud and erotic moan from you. 

once he bottoms out, he pauses, giving you a moment to adjust. then he starts to move again, withdrawing almost completely before sliding back in with a lewd squelch. he sets a deliberate pace, taking you slow and deep, relishing the way your cunt squeezes around his length. each thrust rocks you forward, his heavy balls slapping obscenely against your sensitive clit.

you’re pinned firmly against the bed as he fucks you, his hips pumping at a steady, torturous pace. the wet glide of your slick walls hugging his aching cock sends shivers racing up his spine.

"mmmph, unghh… you’re so tight—" kaveh groans quietly against your shoulder, hot breath puffing against your overheated skin. his hands skim lower to grip your full, rounded ass cheeks possessively, rolling the globes in his palm and kneading the flesh. he drives into you harder then, forcing the breath from your lungs with each powerful snap of his hips.

he slams into you harder and faster, his hips pistoning erratically as he chases his pleasure. the sound of skin slapping against skin echoes loudly in the bathroom, interspersed with your shameless moans.

"uunf! nngghh…!" he moans and whimpers are broken, lost in the feral rut. he bites down on your shoulder, leaving a vivid mark on your flawless skin as he continues to pound into you like a man possessed.

sweat beads on his brow and he grips your hips so hard bruises form, grinding you down onto his shaft as he rails you relentlessly. “f–fuck! cum for me…!” he demands breathlessly after hearing your moans grow erratic as he nears his peak.

suddenly, his entire body goes taut as a bowstring. with a guttural groan, he slams into you one last time and explodes, flooding your spasming walls with jet after jet. he pulls out of you abruptly, leaving you feeling empty and wanting. before you can protest, he flips you over onto your back and settles his weight on top of you, pinning your wrists above your head.

he’s breathless, his chest heaving up and down almost in sync with yours, his eyes trailed around your clit, drinking in the sight of your naked body splayed out.

at that moment, alhaitham places his hand over kaveh’s chest, successfully moving the tired man out of his way, kaveh whines but slumps down beside you, lazily groping your breasts.

alhaitham hooks his hands under your thighs and pushes them back towards your chest, folding you nearly in half and exposing your dripping cunt to his hungry gaze before trailing a single finger through your slick folds and circling your swollen clit. at his touch you whined, legs quivering.

“fuck me,” you breathed, adding a small whine to it. he releases your wrists and grips your hips once again, the tip of his girthy cock nudging insistently at your entrance. with one swift thrust, he sheathes himself fully inside you, stretching you deliciously around his pulsing length. he lets you adjust for only a moment before setting a ruthless pace, pounding into you with animalistic abandon. the sounds of the obscene slaps of flesh and your increasingly high-pitched moans made it all the more lewd.

the new angle allows him to hit that spot deep inside you with each punishing stroke, sending you into complete bliss. at his command, his powerful hips stutter before finding a new, unhurried rhythm. he continues thrusting slowly yet forcefully, working his massive cock deeper into your clinging heat. “nghhhh..."

the renewed slowness allows him to fully explore the intimate clutch of your pussy as it grips his throbbing length. each languorous slide has his shaft nestling against the fluttering ridges and bumps that line your most sensitive canal. he swivels his hips sinuously, grinding his swollen tip against the hidden spongy spot deep within you with every withdrawal and penetration.

a fresh rush of tingling warmth starts building at the base of his spine as he picks up steam once more, the sensations growing more intense by degrees. your eyes practically roll behind your eyes at the euphoric feeling, your moans bounced along with every thrust of his long cock. “fuccckkk, more.. please..!”

he continues his unhurried, sensual rhythm as the last vestiges of your shared climax fade, your bodies still intimately entwined. his shaft pulses lazily inside you, twitching in time with each roll of his hips. slowly, the intensity ebbs, replaced by languid aftershocks wracking your frames.

you both shared your breaths, sweat, juices and cum all mixed together everywhere, on both your skin and the bed, he leans down your face, pressing feather-light kisses along your sweat-dampened collarbone. “you like that?” he groans into your ear as he grips your hips tightly, his claws digging into your soft flesh as he pounds into you relentlessly.

the wet slapping sounds of skin on skin fill the room, punctuated by his guttural grunts and your high-pitched moans."fuck yes, take it all…" he snarls, his voice dripping with lust and dominance."your tight little cunt was made for my cock, wasn't it? tell me how much you love being used like the cum dump you are" alhaitham’s pace becomes even more frenzied, his thrusts growing erratic as he chases his release.

he reaches around to roughly grope your breasts, ignoring the whines and complaints from kaveh, pinching and twisting your nipples as he continues to pound into you. "gonna fill you up...breed this hungry pussy...mark you as mine," he growls, his words becoming more disjointed as pleasure overwhelms him.

with a forceful thrust, he buries himself to the hilt inside you. Leaning in close, his hot breath fans across your ear as he begins to move, setting a punishing pace. his voice is low and husky as he whispers, "you feel so fucking good wrapped around my cock, such a tight little pussy, gripping me like you never want to let go. you're mine to use, to fuck, to fill. i'm going to ruin you for anyone else." his hips snap against yours relentlessly, the sound of flesh slapping against flesh echoing through the room. he continues his filthy litany in your ear, punctuating each thrust with a growled word. "take. it. all."

your cries of pleasure echo through the room, the thrusts were too aggressive, too harsh, too much. but you liked it. kaveh slides in behind you, nestling his thick shaft between your ass cheeks. he grinds against you teasingly while alhaitham continues to relentlessly pound your pussy from the front. kaveh’s hands roam over your body, pinching your nipples and trailing down to circle your clit.

"such a greedy little girl," he growls in your ear. "two cocks and you still want more? let's see how much you can really take."With that, he lines himself up with your puckered rear entrance and slowly pushes inside, stretching you deliciously as he fills you completely. you're now stuffed full of cock from both ends, caught between two muscular bodies using you for their pleasure. the sensations are overwhelming as they begin to move in tandem, fucking you relentlessly.

alhaitham’s relentless pounding from the front shows no signs of letting up, his powerful thrusts driving you wild with pleasure. meanwhile, kaveh behind you moves at a much more languid pace, savoring every inch of your stretched hole as he lazily pushes in and out. "Mmm, so tight...like a warm velvet glove around my cock," he murmurs, his breath hot against your ear as he nibbles on your lobe.

your moans grow louder and more wanton as these contrasting sensations overwhelm your senses. you can feel alhaitham shaft throbbing inside you, hitting all the right spots with each forceful stroke. behind him, kaveh’s slow drag provokes electric tingles that make you clench reflexively around both cocks. "ohhh fuck yes! just like that!" you cry out desperately. The dual penetration is too much to bear for long.

“‘s—s too much!” tears welled up in your eyes at both the pleasure and pain of both their cocks in you, you were getting overstimulated, it hurt so good. “s—slow down! ah…!” alhaitham’s thrusts slow slightly at your desperate plea, but he still manages to hit all the right spots inside you. he leans down to capture a tear rolling down your cheek with his tongue, savoring the salty taste. "shh, it's okay baby...i know i'm being rough. but you're so fucking perfect like this," he murmurs against your skin as he continues to move within you at a slightly more measured pace.

kaveh behind slows his movements as well, allowing you a moment of respite before picking up again in time with alhaitham’s renewed rhythm. the sensations are almost too much to bear now—the deep stretch and drag from behind contrasting beautifully with the relentless pounding in front. "nnngh...so good..." you whimper, overwhelmed by pleasure and emotion.

as your climax hits, your inner walls clench and ripple around both alhaitham and kaveh still-throbbing shaft. the sensation pushes them over the edge as well. " fuck yes! cumming so deep inside you...!" with a guttural groan, he buries himself to the hilt and unloads, his hot seed flooding your spasming pussy in long spurts. kaveh soon  follows suit moments later, grinding against your ass as he fills you with his own release. his warm cum coats your insides along with alhaitham’s, creating an intimate mix of their essences within you.

alhaitham carefully eases out of your still quivering heat, watching transfixed as his release slowly leaks out to trickle between your thighs. he scoops up some of the creamy fluid and brings it to his lips, humming appreciatively at the taste.

“ah.. alhaitham give me—give me a moment—” you breathed, trying to catch your breath after the intense session. “but i need to clean up your mess, look how dirty you are” he chuckled. He can clearly see how your eyes widen at your words, a wolfish grin spreading across his face. he takes in your thoroughly debauched appearance with hungry, satisfied eyes before nodding.

slowly, he lowers himself off you onto his hands and knees behind you as he reaches beneath you to run two large fingers through the mess of slickness leaking from your freshly-fucked hole. lapping his fingers clean with kittenish swipes of his tongue, he gives your sensitive bud one final teasing flick that has you bucking back into the bed. crawling onto the mattress with cat-like grace, he positions the swollen head of his shaft at your fluttering opening.

alhaitham grins mischievously as he teases your slick entrance with the tip of his cock, spreading your juices around in a tantalizing display. his eyes gleam with dark hunger as he watches you squirm beneath him. "mmm, look at that...my cum leaking out of your greedy hole already. you can't get enough, can you?" he chuckles lowly and slowly pushes forward, sinking into you once more.

“i—i don’t think i can take another round…” you breathed, face flushed with sweat slicken strands of hair stuck on your forehead.

“this is just the beginning," he purrs, resuming his sensual rhythm as he claims you again. alhaitham’s hips undulate against yours in a slow dance of pleasure, each deliberate thrust sending ripples through your connected bodies. "i’m going to fuck this pussy all night long until it's raw and sore from my cock."

kaveh stretches out beside you on the bed, a lazy smile playing on his lips as he watches alhaitham work your pussy over once more. he reaches out to lazily stroke your sweat-dampened skin, tracing patterns along your curves. "you two enjoy each other so much," he muses, his voice low and content. "i think i'll just lie here and watch...for now." He settles in comfortably, propping himself up on one elbow to continue admiring the erotic display before him.

alhaitham seems perfectly happy with this arrangement, continuing his slow but thorough fucking of your willing body. His thrusts grow slightly more urgent as he feels kaveh’s gaze upon them, driving him to make the most of their moment together.

his eyes flash with a predatory gleam as he hears your soft whimpers, his cock twitching within you in anticipation. "mmm, i’ve craved this moment for so long," he growls, his voice low and husky with desire.

"you don’t know how long i’ve been wanting to be in this pussy...every inch of that luscious body. and i'm going to take my time savoring each delicious moment." he leans down to capture your lips in a searing kiss, his tongue delving deep into your mouth as he continues to move inside you at a slow, deliberate pace.

“i'll fuck you until dawn breaks," he promises against your lips, "and even then maybe not be done exploring every sweet spot on this perfect pussy." his hands roam over your curves possessively as he speaks, mapping the terrain of your skin like an explorer claiming new lands.

“all night long…”

—

a few weeks later, the sun shone through the curtains of your cozy shared apartment, its golden rays highlighting the organized chaos within. a half-finished bookshelf project leaned against the wall (kaveh’s idea, naturally), while alhaitham’s books were scattered across the coffee table in a way that made your neat-freak self twitch. it was a scene of domestic tranquility, punctuated by the occasional bickering that had somehow become oddly endearing.

kaveh was in the kitchen, attempting to cook breakfast—a noble endeavor that would inevitably end with alhaitham stepping in to prevent the fire alarm from going off. you sat cross-legged on the couch, watching the spectacle unfold with a mug of tea in your hands.

“this doesn’t need your interference, alhaitham!” kaveh snapped, waving a spatula threateningly as alhaitham leaned against the counter, arms crossed, his expression as unimpressed as ever.

“i’m merely ensuring we don’t end up eating charcoal,” alhaitham replied coolly, reaching over to adjust the stove’s temperature.

“can you two not start world war three before i’ve had breakfast?” you asked, trying to suppress your laughter.

they both turned to you at the same time, as if suddenly realizing you were watching them with that fond look you couldn’t quite hide.

“we’re not fighting,” kaveh said quickly, though his defensive tone was softened by his sheepish grin.

“it’s just a discussion,” alhaitham added, though the faintest twitch of a smile betrayed him.

you set your mug down and walked over, slipping yourself between them. “whether it’s fighting or discussing, i’m calling a truce. we’re all having breakfast together, and no one’s allowed to sabotage it.”

kaveh gave you a mock salute, while alhaitham raised an eyebrow but gave a slight nod of agreement.

later, the three of you sat around the dining table, sharing a surprisingly decent meal that kaveh had insisted on plating himself.

“this is nice,” you said, glancing between them with a contented smile.

alhaitham looked at you from over his book, which he’d brought to the table despite kaveh’s protests. “i suppose it is.”

“you suppose?” kaveh scoffed, though there was no real heat in his voice.

you laughed, leaning back in your chair as a warm sense of belonging settled over you. it wasn’t perfect—there were still arguments, quirks, and a lot to figure out—but it was yours.

and as kaveh started another impassioned rant about alhaitham’s lack of appreciation for the “art” of cooking, you realized you wouldn’t have it any other way.

note: wowie this is the first time i've written quite a long smutty fanfic ever, what an experience.

taglist: @tomansimp @one-offmind @miitchiji @dainsleif-when-playable @momoewn @stygianoir @irethepotato @v4an @imetsk @fiannee @sunnyf4lls if im missing anyone please tell me because i have an inkling feeling i missed a few..

liking + following + reblogs are very much appreciated!!!

another note: if you found any spelling/grammar mistakes PLEASE tell me (i don't want to be embarrassed)

[joelscruff]

feelings on fire (joel miller x f!reader) 18+ PART TEN

masterlist | kofi | notifs | *spongebob narrator voice* 4 months later. well, i'm not gonna bore you all with excuses, god knows most of you have heard what's been goin' on with me at this point lmao. but yall have been so patient and lovely and i really really appreciate it. i hope you enjoy this chapter; it's a little bit of bliss before things get... interesting. there's still more to come (about four chapters or so) and i'll try to update much sooner next time but please remember i'm only one person & i write this for fun (and for free) in my spare time!!! ik it can be frustrating when there are long periods between updates but i'm trying my best, please know that. k love u bye 💕 chapter summary: you & joel enjoy your little weekend getaway, far from the prying eyes and ears of your parents. rating: 18+ explicit warnings: age gap (reader is early 20s, joel is mid 50s), unprotected p in v sex, creampies, dirty talk, praise kink, size kink (joel has a big dick), tummy bulge, deepthroating (or...attempted deepthroating), cum swallowing, fingering, pussy kisses, ridiculous amounts of fluff, namedropping one of my fav songs of all time because i can, the tiniest mention of sexual assault (aka noah) word count: 12.9k ao3

You think you might finally understand what it means to experience happiness.

Not the feelings you've faked for most of your life, not the plastered-on smiles and faux giggles, autopilot prayers and forced gratitude. No - real happiness. That tingling sensation of nothing but pure bliss, safety, love, and peace, something that's felt far out of your reach for most of your life. It swells in your chest, makes a home in your heart as you nuzzle into fluffy pillows, warm bedsheets, and feel yourself drift in and out of consciousness, completely and utterly relaxed. Happy, you can't help but think to yourself, I'm so happy.

You're aware of Joel's presence, fading in and out here and there as he wipes a damp cloth between your legs, across your stomach, down your thighs - taking care of you, making sure you're comfortable. Afterward he cuddles in behind you and wraps his arms around your middle, buries his face in the back of your neck and inhales deeply; you wonder if he's feeling the exact same way you are right now - god, you hope he is.

"That felt so good," you murmur to him softly, eyes still closed, "Felt so good, Joel."

He kisses your neck, holds you tighter in his embrace, "I know, babygirl."

"Can still feel you inside me," you breathe, "It's like you're still there."

He chuckles softly, "Not to burst your bubble but that's probably cum. Couldn't get all of it with the cloth." The words that should be dirty - should seem shameful - do nothing but send a warm tingle down your spine, a sleepy smile to your face. You know he's right - you can still feel something warm deep inside you, a slow trickle making its way to your opening, but there's something else. You're still pulsing every so often around the phantom of a shape, an echo of what was still there only a few moments ago.

"It's not just that," you shuffle in the sheets, nuzzling your face further into the pillow, "it's like... like you're still in there, spreading me open."

He groans and his grip around you tightens, fingertips pressing into the malleable softness of your belly. He leans down to press a small kiss to your ear, "Can't just say stuff like that, angel. Gonna get me hard again." You shiver.

"Good," you whisper, "'Cause I want you to do it again."

His legs tangle with yours under the sheets as he pulls you in, scruff nuzzling against the bare skin of your shoulder, "We'll wait a little bit," he murmurs, "You're gonna start feelin' a little sore soon, if you don't already."

"I don't," you breathe, and you mean it. "Doesn't hurt at all, really. It... it didn't hurt. I always thought it would hurt."

You can almost feel his frown against your skin, "S'not supposed to hurt," he murmurs, "Woulda stopped if you'd been in any pain."

You smile, "I know you would've."

He hums into your hair, strokes his hand down along your arm, "S'good," he mumbles, and you're suddenly aware of the heaviness in his voice, the way his lips wrap lazily around the words.

"Are you sleepy?" you ask softly.

"Yeah, baby," he breathes, "M'sleepy."

You smile at the adorable admission, then lean back into his embrace and settle in. The sun is starting to go down, casting the room in long orange and blue shadows, warm and comforting. Your eyes close again and you focus on that blissful feeling, on the weight of Joel's naked body behind you holding you close, the sound of his breathing, his smell. On the fact that you've never felt more safe in your entire life.

"I'm so glad it was you," you whisper, and you don't mind if he's already fallen asleep.

--

You're not sure how long you both nap, but you wake up soon after to a completely dark hotel room, save for the flickering lights from the traffic below and the warm glow of the buildings outside the window. Your eyes flutter for a few seconds as your brain reconnects you to the present, and you're suddenly very aware of a dull ache in your groin, an unpleasant throb that hadn't been there earlier.

"Ow," you mumble incoherently, reaching blindly for the blankets and pulling them back to peer down at yourself, but the room is so dark that it's difficult to see anything properly, "Ow."

"S'wrong?" you hear Joel mumble beside you, stirring from his own slumber.

You wince in embarrassment, shaking your head, "It's nothing, go back to sleep."

"Y'said 'ow'," you feel him sit up and reach over to turn on the lamp, "You okay?"

As soon as the lamplight floods the room your eyes cast downward, half expecting to see some medical emergency, some horrific reason for the vacation to end early, to ruin everything before it's barely even started - but thankfully it's none of those things. You're just a little swollen - puffier than usual - and aching, but not in a good way. You bring your hand down and cup yourself gently, hissing a bit when your fingers brush against your opening; it feels almost like a bruise.

"Oh, honey," Joel murmurs, and you turn your head to see his brows furrowing in concern, "Y'sore?"

You wince, biting your lip, "Um, a little."

He frowns and pulls his own side of the blankets back, and you can't help the warmth that floods your cheeks when you see his exposed body; the dark hair wisping across his tan skin, his soft belly and strong thighs - and his cock, soft and heavy and impossible not to look at. You've seen him naked several times at this point but every time still somehow feels like the first, like it's brand new. You watch as he crawls downward and gently places his hand on top of yours.

"Lemme see," he murmurs softly, and you allow him to pull your hand back, exposing your sore pussy to him. His brow furrows, "Aw baby, you're all swollen."

"Is that normal?"

He nods, eyes still trailing up and down, "It's normal," he assures you, "It's probably worse 'cause - well," he smiles sheepishly, peering up at you.

"'Cause you're so big," you finish for him, your own lips turning up into a smirk, and he chuckles.

"Yeah, that." You watch as he brings his hands down and very carefully thumbs your outer lips, pulls them apart to assess what's inside. He groans, and you're about to ask what's wrong when you see a thin stream of his cum dribble out onto the sheets below.

"Fuck," you both whisper at the same time, and when your eyes meet you can see that his are suddenly dark, glassy. You feel yourself begin to throb beneath his touch.

"Still full o'me," he murmurs, eyes trailing back down to where you're dripping, "Messy girl."

Your own eyes go hooded as you watch him lean down and press a small kiss to your clit; your hips buck up, a whimper slipping past your lips as his whiskers prickle deliciously against your sensitive skin. He smiles against you, kisses your clit again and darts his tongue out to taste, just for a moment. You whine.

"I know what you need, babygirl" he whispers, nosing your mound and closing his eyes, "I know what'll help."

Your mind races with possibilities. "Wh-what?"

He suddenly pulls back, crooked smile lighting up his beautiful face, "A bath. It'll help with the soreness." Oh. He presses another kiss to your clit, "If I can bring myself to stop kissin' this perfect pussy."

You giggle softly and he opens his eyes to look up at you again, smiling tenderly. He reluctantly pulls himself off you and climbs off the bed, reaching down to grab his discarded underwear from the floor. "I'll start runnin' the water," he tells you softly, pulling them on and taking a step forward to brush your hair out of your face, "You just relax, sweet girl. Don't move a muscle."

The bath is warm and inviting, lit candles lining the counter and floor and dousing the room in a warm glow; it's hard to believe only a few hours earlier you were on the verge of a panic attack on these very tiles. Now you lean back against the cool rim of the claw foot tub, eyes closed as you submerge yourself in the hot water. There's no panic or anxiety in your body anymore, just warmth and comfort and the welcome ache in your groin, the smell of vanilla in your nose.

"Good temp?" Joel asks softly nearby, and you hear his hand breach the surface of the water, testing the heat. You smile.

"Perfect," you breathe, eyes still closed, "Thank you."

His hand brushes lightly against yours under the water and he squeezes it gently, then murmurs, "I'll give you some privacy."

Your eyes snap open, "No," you cradle his hand in both of yours as your brows furrow, "Stay."

A smile breaks across his face, charming and boyish as he seats himself down next to the bathtub with barely any hesitation, like he'd been hoping you'd say that. He keeps hold of your hand beneath the water and tilts his face toward yours - you press your forehead against his and breathe a long sigh of relief.

"Feelin' okay?" he murmurs, "Emotionally?"

You nod, sighing contentedly, "More than okay," you whisper, "I... I still can't believe it actually happened." Your lips twitch upward and you press a soft kiss to his cheek, closing your eyes, "Thank you."

He squeezes your hand again beneath the water before pulling out and bringing it upwards to cradle your face, tilting your head to look at him. His eyes are still a bit sleepy, hair sticking up in all directions and that beautiful smile still lighting up his face as he thumbs your cheek.

"I should be thankin' you," he breathes, "For trustin' me like that, bein' so vulnerable with me." He leans in to kiss you tenderly, but his words send a sudden flutter of insecurity through your body and you pull back to look at him again, unsure.

"Was I... was I good at it?" you ask quietly, "Did I do okay?"

"Oh, angel," he murmurs, bringing his other hand up to cup both your cheeks and brush his nose gently against yours, "You did so good. So, so, so good."

He ends up washing your hair, a small but significant gesture that makes the feelings from earlier bubble up again, the warm fondness and tenderness and love. You lean back in the tub, eyes closed, lost in the sensations of his big hands deftly applying the shampoo and conditioner, massaging it into your scalp and making your eyes roll back. It's ridiculous how even this makes you throb beneath the surface, the ache dissipating a bit in the hot water. So much so that when he caps the conditioner and rinses your hair once again, you reach up to take his hand and squeeze, eyes still shut.

"Touch me," you whisper, voice already desperate, "Please."

He doesn't need any convincing, inching toward the side of the tub and reaching inside to cup your pussy in his big hand again, softly rubbing your clit. You whimper and tremble, gripping the edge of the tub for support and whining when he speeds up, circling and rubbing it exactly how you like it.

"Poor little pussy," you hear him murmur, "Just needs some relief after gettin' fucked like that, doesn't she baby?"

"Mmhmm," you manage to hum, squeezing the sides of the tub and nodding furiously, "Y-yeah."

"Took so much cock in this little hole," he whispers, and that's enough to send you over the edge, eyes snapping open as you shake and shiver in the hot water. You see him sitting there, smiling at you with a devious glint in his eyes. He knows exactly the effect he has on you.

--

"What do we do now?" you ask him softly from the couch a little while later, carefully scrunching a towel in your hair and watching as he changes the bedsheets upon your request - you'd felt a bit embarrassed asking, but you'd really rather not sleep in a wet spot. He'd been more than gracious in honoring your request.

It's late, but the nap and the bath have left you feeling wide awake, and you have to admit that you're feeling a bit hungry too despite the full meal earlier. Does sex make you hungry? You file it as a question to ask Tasha.

"Whatever you wanna do, darlin'," he says with a smile, turning down the sheets and gesturing for you to join him in bed again, "C'mere."

You give your hair one last squeeze and pad over to the bed, clad in Joel's Grateful Dead shirt from earlier today. You don't care in the slightest that it's not necessarily the cleanest article of clothing to be wearing after a bath - it smells like him, feels like him. You just can't get enough of him.

Insatiable.

You both climb back into bed and he pulls you in immediately, tugging you close and wrapping his big arms around you. You lean back into him and feel yourself grinning without even really thinking about it, eyes closing as you focus on the feeling of his chest moving back and forth against your back with every breath.

"Always look so pretty in my shirts, babygirl," he whispers in your ear, and it sends tingles down your spine, a rush of warmth to your heart. He kisses you gently and you listen as he inhales deeply, nose buried in your damp hair. His hand travels downward and you both watch as he cups your pussy yet again, warm and soft.

"Feelin' a little better?" he asks quietly, thumb trailing gently up and down your outer lips, "Still sore?"

"Better," you reassure him gently - and you mean it; the warm water did help to ease the ache.

He hums and continues to trace your soft lips, nosing your ear and breathing deeply again, and fuck, you could get used to this. This casual intimacy, being touched without any expectations, any fear or anxiety. Feeling safe and wanted and cared for in his embrace, no worrying about getting home early, no time limit looming. Just you and him.

I love you, you want to whisper.

Your stomach growls.

He removes his hand almost immediately. "Room service," he says with a chuckle, and your eyes snap open again as he reaches over and grabs the menu on the nightstand, placing it in front of you both, "Pick your poison."

Your eyes are drawn almost immediately to the dessert section, followed by a short wave of guilt. You're craving something sweet, but you can't help but think back to being a kid again, asking for treats and being denied, feeling as if your desires were unimportant, childish, silly.

But no, you're not that scared kid anymore. You're not. You won't be.

You bite your lip, "You know what I could really go for right now?"

"What?"

"It's silly, but-"

"It ain't silly, babygirl," he murmurs, and his big hand travels down to squeeze your thigh gently, a comforting gesture, "Whatever it is, it ain't silly."

Less than a minute later he's on the phone with room service, ordering you a hot fudge sundae.

You spend the rest of the night nestled in the warmth of your hotel bed, flicking between channels, legs tangled together beneath the sheets as you take turns scooping heaping spoons of ice cream back and forth. Your mouth and fingertips are sticky, chocolate lining your lips, dribbles of melted vanilla dolloped on your chin which Joel wastes no time in delicately lapping up with his tongue.

"God, you're so fuckin' sweet," he whispers to you, kisses you softly, darts his tongue out to taste again. You hum against his lips and try to keep your emotions at bay; he tastes like chocolate and vanilla and safety.

--

Waking up is different with the morning sun shining brightly through the hotel windows, but that's not the only thing that's different; you notice as your eyes flutter open that the ache in your groin is gone, replaced by a growing hunger and arousal in the pit of your stomach.

Oh, wow.

Joel's arms are around you, wrapped strong and solid, and when you turn within them and see him sleeping next to you, the hunger only grows. God, he's so handsome like this - the grey in his hair sparkling in the early light, jaw soft and lax with sleep, cheeks flushed. Almost angelic in his own way, gentle and peaceful.

Until his eyelashes begin to flutter delicately against the streams of sunlight, brow furrowing in sleepy confusion at your sudden movement; he's awake.

The desire in your belly burns.

"You look so cute," you whisper without even really thinking about it, and his eyelashes halt their fluttering to give you another look of confusion.

"Cute's not exactly a word I'd use to describe myself," he mumbles, voice thick with sleep, "S'all you."

"Well, I would," you reply with a smile, watching as he closes his eyes again and nestles his face into the pillow. You reach forward to gently thumb one of the lines at the corner of his mouth, deep-set and soft beneath your touch. His eyelids twitch but he doesn't open them, "You're so soft too," you admit quietly.

"Again," he breathes, lips turning up slightly into a sleepy smile, "Not a word I'd use."

"Cute and soft," you repeat, thumb moving downward to trace the shape of his bottom lip, "And mine."

He chuckles under his breath, face smooshing a little more into the pillow, "M'yours," he murmurs, "all yours."

All yours.

You lean in even closer and inhale deeply, nose trailing up and down along his temple. Your eyes almost roll back at the scent of him, the masculine and heady aroma of his sweat alighting your senses. You're wide awake now, pussy throbbing somewhere below as you press a kiss to the apple of his cheek, tongue darting out to taste his skin.

His eyes open halfway, eyebrow raising as he sleepily watches you work your mouth up and down the side of his face, breath coming quicker and more frantic as your legs wind around him under the sheets. Obliging your desperation, his big arms tighten around you and he rolls the both of you, allowing you to settle on top of his large, warm body.

You stare down at him, hunger clear in your eyes.

"You were inside me," you whisper.

His mouth turns up at the corners, "I was."

"It felt really good."

"It did."

You lean your face down to trace your nose along his cheekbone again, eyes hooded, voice needy.

"I want you to be inside me again."

He peers up at you, sleepiness already fading from his expression as he watches yours with mirrored desire, "Yeah? You want me to be inside you right now?"

You nod, "Yes, please."

"Then turn over on your side, angel."

A little confused but certainly not opposed, you do as he says, rolling back over onto your side and resting your head softly against your pillow. You feel his hand dip downwards beneath the sheets, then his fingertips glide smoothly along your abdomen. Your heart hammers in your chest when he lifts up your - or rather, his - shirt and thumbs your tummy gently.

"Are y'still sore?" he murmurs, "How d'you feel?"

"M'wet, Joel," you whimper, grinding back against the blankets and trying to feel him, "M'really wet."

"Lemme feel," he breathes, hand trailing downward even further. His fingers dip into your soft, soaked centre and a low groan rumbles in his throat, "Oh babygirl, so wet for me."

"Put it in," you whimper, not caring how pathetic and needy you probably sound, "Please, Joel, put it in me again."

"Christ," you hear him mutter, arousal burning in his voice, "Okay baby, hold still, I'll put it in. I'll make you feel better."

Seconds later you feel the heat of his tip crowding the space at your entrance, already wet and sticky. A soft moan falls from your throat at the sensation, eyes closing as you feel Joel's hand cup your leg and pull it upwards, holding you open. He hooks it in the crook of his arm, shuffling forward a bit and pushing the head of his cock inside your heat.

"Oh, fuck," you whine, head falling backwards. You feel his nose in your hair again, feel the stretch of your pussy and the widening of your thighs as he pulls your leg up even more.

"Yeah, there you go," he murmurs, pushing inside further. He goes slow, takes his time, until he's fully sheathed inside of you and your eyes are rolling back on their own accord, quiet whimpers tumbling past your lips. "Yeah, look at you takin' that cock."

As if by muscle memory your hand reaches downwards to cup the protruding shape of him at the bottom of your tummy, a low whine in your throat. He's so big inside you, nestled perfectly within the deepest parts of your body just like he'd been last night, large and warm.

"Feels so good," you manage to gasp out, other hand clenching into a fist against your pillow, "So good, so good." It's almost a mantra, voice breathless as you squish your face against the cotton and push back almost lazily against him, his balls settling heavy and warm at the base of your ass. You can feel every twitch of his shaft, the way the tip pulses against that special spot within.

"Yeah, you like bein' full like that, don't you baby?" he murmurs, "Don't even need me to move, do you? Just like feelin' it in there, huh?"

And you almost hate how right he is, how just the sensation of being so full of him already has you on the edge of an orgasm without any stimulation. Because you want more, you want what he gave you last night, want him to fuck you even firmer, deeper, without holding back. You want it to last hours.

But you know it's too much before he even starts to move, that familiar ache in your groin returning as your walls constrict around the long shape of him. He pulls out slowly, takes his time, pushes back in at a snail's pace. You feel a tickling sensation against your clit, his pubic hair pressing deliciously against the wet skin as he fills you - and without any warning, you start to come.

"Fuckfuckfuck," you cry out into the sunlit hotel room, trembling in his arms, legs shaking. You can tell in his body language behind you that he's taken aback by your sudden release, hand suddenly dropping from your calf so he can palm your sternum and pull you against him.

"Oh, honey," he groans, simultaneously tender and aroused, "Are you comin', baby? You comin' just from bein' stuffed full like that?"

"Yes," you grit out, voice a high keen as your body shakes and your release stretches out before the both of you in quick spasms, "Yes, I'm sorry."

"Nonono, no sorries," his voice is honey in your ear, fingertips grazing your nipples as he lays his palm flat against your chest, "You're a good girl, angel. You're such a good girl."

You continue to spasm on his cock, legs quivering and pathetic whines tearing from your throat until your orgasm has passed and you're just leaning back into his embrace, eyes closed. You breathe deeply, lashes fluttering when he noses your jaw and presses a soft kiss to the space beneath.

"S'alot for you," he murmurs, "I know it's a lot, babygirl. Don't ever gotta apologize for comin' too fast, not to me."

You hum softly, still extremely aware of his girthy size stretching you out somewhere below. Your eyes open and you peer downwards, brows scrunching in wonder and pleasure when you see where you're joined, where his flesh meets yours. You really are full, the base of his cock barely visible beneath your folds, the pubic hair that had caused your early release still pressed against your outer lips.

"How does it even fit?" you ask softly, almost by accident, but he just chuckles.

"The human body is a hell of a thing," he murmurs, kissing your cheek and pulling you in even closer, shuffling you on his dick just a little bit and making you wince a bit with oversensitivity, "You want me to pull out?"

"No," you shake your head and readjust yourself in his embrace, taking a breath, "No, I want you to keep going."

"Y'sure?"

"I'm sure."

He doesn't need telling twice. Within seconds he's resumed his slow and careful thrusts, almost rhythmic in their presses and pulls, filling you and emptying you in melodic succession. You reach down and take his big hand in yours, squeeze his fingers and let him fuck you like he had last night - tender, soft, comfortable. It almost doesn't feel real; how are you in a hotel room in another city, wrapped up in bed with a man three times your age, his cock buried to the hilt inside your body while you whimper and twitch in his arms? How did you get here?

"Y'know, women are a bit different than men in the orgasm department," Joel says gently behind you, stroking your hand with his thumb, "You might be able to come again if we try."

Your eyebrows go up, "Really?"

"Mmhmm," his hand slips from yours and he reaches it downward to carefully prod one of his fingers against your sensitive clit. You buck in his arms but don't protest, watching as he temporarily halts his slow thrusts to rub you softly. Your eyes go hooded, body melting like jelly in his arms as his his thick fingers slowly begin to work against the already swollen bud.

"Feel good?" he whispers.

"Yes."

He continues his careful circling, presses a kiss to your shoulder and resumes fucking into you. The sounds are pornographic in nature, surrounding your senses and filling the room with the low slap of his hips against your ass and the wet squelch of your juices dripping down his palm. But it somehow doesn't feel dirty or shameful - in fact, it's hard to imagine anything that feels more right than this.

"Joel," you breathe shakily, face twisting against the pillow again, heart pounding.

"I know, feels good doesn't it, babygirl?" he noses your skin and breathes you in, hooks your leg under his arm a bit more and groans softly, "God, you're so fuckin' tight. Such a tight fuckin' pussy."

It's your pussy, you want to breathe, it's yours. I'm yours. But you can barely get any words out as his thrusts pick up speed, as the sounds get louder and his fingers against your clit become firmer in their movements. You can feel yourself teetering on the edge again, the fire in your belly burning hotter than ever as you let him crowd your space as much as possible, let his body push yours further and further until your eyes are rolling back and all you can feel is the steady thrust of his big cock and the girth of his fingers against your pussy.

"I'm coming," you moan out weakly, "M'coming again, Joel."

You don't hear what he says in response, ears muffled as if you're underwater, pleasure spreading throughout your body and hitting you at full force like a hurricane as he fucks you through it. You're barely aware of the sounds you're making, high pitched and almost feral as his hips slap against yours a few more times. And then you feel it, the hot pulses of his cum painting your insides, filling you up as his cock spasms and twitches deep inside.

"Oh, fuck," he groans, voice thick with pleasure and sleep as he buries his face in your hair, hips stuttering, "Fuck. Take it, there you go."

Yeah, you could get used to this.

--

You'd been pretty sure you wouldn't leave the hotel room this weekend, just like you'd told him a few days prior. The thought of staying wrapped up in bedsheets, warm bodies pressed up against each other, sharing soft kisses and quiet whispers and tender looks...it'd be more than enough for an enjoyable getaway.

But it's hot, way hotter than you'd anticipated before arriving - and the pool is calling your name.

Or maybe something else is calling your name.

You stand in the bathroom and stare at your bikini clad form, a smile curving your lips as you assess the thin straps and baby pink frills. To think you'd tried to return this to Joel, briefly refused to wear it. Now you're about to don it in front of a hotel pool full of people like a normal woman, like someone without shame, without guilt, without a mother who'd skin her alive if she saw her wearing it.

Your smile falters.

You'd texted your mother after getting out of bed, apologized once again for missing her calls last night and told her you had a "busy" day at the festival ahead of you, that you'd let her know when you leave tomorrow. All she'd said in response was Ok.

You'd climbed back into bed defeatedly, finding a home against Joel's naked form, "She's mad at me," you'd murmured softly against his bare chest, squished into his side with his heartbeat thrumming in your ear.

"Don't think about her right now," he'd whispered, carding his fingers gently through your hair, "Think about this. How this feels."

He'd peered at you so softly, so full of warmth and affection. Those three words had been on the tip of your tongue again, so close to tumbling past your swollen lips - but you'd held it in.

It hadn't stopped you from texting Tasha though:

we had sex and i love him.

UM!! UMMM!!!! DETAILS????

monday!!! i'll call you

🫡 ok slut just leave me hangin i see how it is. AT LEAST TELL ME HE LIKED THE LINGERIE.

oh he liked it :)

queen shit

"Hi, pretty girl," Joel's voice says suddenly, and you're snapped from your reflection in the mirror to find him leaning against the doorway, clad in a pair of swim trunks and a Bob Dylan t-shirt, "Look at you."

You pose a little bit, hand on your hip, "Think the pool boys will like it?"

He laughs lightly, shaking his head, "I don't doubt it, but they might have some competition." He holds out his hand for you and you take it, stepping forward to let him pull you in close.

"They couldn't hold a candle to you," you whisper honestly, and he kisses your forehead with a smile, thumbing the corner of your mouth.

"Wait 'til you see my breaststroke, that'll really get you goin'."

You snort and slap his arm playfully, "Lead the way, pool boy."

--

Joel may have just been teasing about his swimming ability, but he certainly hadn't been wrong about it getting you going. You watch from the comfort of a lounge chair as he whips back and forth across the broad expanse of the hotel pool like a bullet, kicking off from end to end without much effort at all. His arms are strong and lean, body fast and nimble as the water splashes around his broad form. Every so often his face peeks up from the water and you catch a glimpse of his drenched scruff, the way the greying locks of his hair curl down his forehead into his eyes. God, he's fucking gorgeous.

You're laid out in your bikini just watching, letting him expel some energy before you join him. He'd told you he likes swimming but doesn't get to do it as much as he'd like, what with his work responsibilities. You wonder if he'd ever want to swim in your parent's pool...

You shake the thought away as soon as you think of it. There's no feasible way that could work, no option that wouldn't involve an obscene amount of risk. But still... the thought of watching him from the comfort of your own backyard, just completely alone without any bystanders or hotel guests...

"You gonna join me or what?" Joel suddenly calls from the water, and you blink the thoughts away and throw him a grin. He wades near the shallow end, arms coming up to lean against the concrete edge as he peers at you. "Don't keep me waitin', baby."

You feel your cheeks warm, unable to help but glance back and forth to see if anyone is watching, listening. Everyone else seems to be minding their own business, lost in their own conversations, their own fun. Nobody cares that you're here with him. Nobody cares what you're wearing.

Slipping from the lounge chair, you totter over to the edge where Joel resides and slowly sink down onto the concrete, kicking your legs over the side to seat yourself in front of him.

"God, these legs," he almost groans, immediately taking one in his hands and massaging your calf, your knee, your thigh, "Look at you."

"Stop acting like you haven't seen me naked," you tease, though you still feel a bit shy underneath his gaze as he moves his attention to your other leg.

"Doesn't mean I'm gonna stop admirin' this body," he seems lost in his own movements as he caresses the space behind your knee, "You're so god damn beautiful." His hands suddenly wrap around your waist and without much warning he's carefully pulling you down into the water, moving you in close. On instinct your arms come up to wrap around his neck.

"How the hell am I here with you right now, huh?" he murmurs, leaning down to brush his nose gently against yours, "How're you even real?"

"I could ask you the same thing," you reply a little breathlessly, "I've been asking myself that since we got here."

He slowly turns your bodies in the water, peering down into your eyes like you're the only people here - and you might as well be. You're unable to stop yourself from leaning up to press a kiss to his lips, from letting your tongue dart out to gently explore his mouth; he tastes like toothpaste and chlorine.

"Y'gonna swim with me?" he asks after you've pulled away, pupils blown a bit wider, "Gonna put that little swimsuit to good use?"

"I think I'm putting it to good use right now," you breathe, inching closer so your breasts are pushing against his chest. You're genuinely surprising yourself at your own boldness, especially in such a crowded place - it's almost like you're a different person here, the person you're supposed to be, confidence coursing through your veins. You stand on your tiptoes beneath the water, bringing one of your legs up to wind around his waist.

"Hmm," he hums, and his face is still dripping with water, the wrinkles in his skin peppered with little droplets that make you crazy, "You do have a point there, darlin'."

You lean in again to kiss him, feel a burst of pride in your chest when you see the sudden hunger and arousal in his expression. Just before your lips touch however, you pull back from him and throw yourself into the water, turning back to toss him a cheeky grin.

"Gotta catch me first," you giggle, then speed off in the opposite direction, leaving him standing there with a look of surprise etched on his face - followed quickly by a look of determination.

"Oh, I will," he practically growls, diving into the water in the same manner and reaching out to grab your ankle.

Time passes quickly in the pool, Joel chasing you back and forth, catching you time and time again until you're a giggling mess with tears streaming down your face and his fingers pinching your sides. You can't remember the last time you had this much fun, felt so free and light. You suppose your night out with Tasha had been a fun experience for the most part, until you remember the vague feeling of an unfamiliar body pressed against you from behind and the smell of alcohol crowding your senses on the dance floor.

No, don't think about that.

Before long you've exhausted yourselves, settled back near the edge of the pool where you started and just softly talking to each other. His big hands are all over you beneath the water, palms wide on your bare hips and tummy, caressing your thighs and your back, touching everywhere he can reach. You feel almost lightheaded with desire, eyes hooded as you peer up at him and tighten your arms around his neck, pull him closer and silently beg for more. You can feel the shape of his hardening cock through his swim trunks, pressed wet and heavy against your thigh. It makes you salivate.

You suddenly hook your chin into his shoulder, bury your face in his neck and whisper, "I wanna suck it, Joel."

"Yeah?" he murmurs, hands exploring your back and holding you tighter against him, letting you rut softly against his bulge, "You wanna go back to the room and suck on it, babygirl?"

You nod ferociously against him, "Yes. Please."

It doesn't take long at all for you both to be out of the pool and making your way back over to the chairs to grab your towels. It's frantic the way you rush to dry off, slipping back into your flip flops and shaking the water from your hair as quickly as possible. Joel follows suit, ruffling his own towel through his hair and making your body burn with need, lost in how sexy he looks with water droplets cascading down his large and strong form, dipping down his sternum and into his belly button. All you can think while you look at him is how badly you want to lick, to taste.

You're making your way back toward the entrance together when a woman runs up behind you, calling out, "Wait, hang on!" You both turn, confusion in your expressions as she reaches you and holds out something in her hand - your phone.

"I think you or your dad left this behind, sweetie," she says with a smile and places it in your grasp, "Gotta be careful!"

"Th-thank you," you manage to stutter out, eyes wide as she nods and turns away from you to head back toward the pool.

You stand there dumbstruck for a moment, thoughts muddled.

You or your dad.

Your dad.

You turn to Joel then. He's looking at you with what you can only describe as apprehension, lips downturned into a frown as he stands and waits for you to say something - anything. You stare back, words failing you.

And then you burst out laughing.

His apprehension turns into a smile, eyes crinkling at the corners as he laughs along with you and squeezes your hand in his tightly - as if to say, this isn't wrong, what we have isn't wrong and you know that. And you do, which is why he has to practically drag you back inside the hotel as you double over and heave out laugh after laugh, tears in your eyes.

"Silly girl," you hear him mumble under his breath fondly as he leads you to the elevator, and all you can do is keep giggling.

--

"I love your cock."

Your knees dig into the plush rug of the hotel room, ass sitting atop the balls of your feet as you kneel between Joel's wide legs. He's sitting comfortably on the couch, one hand resting to the side while the other strokes circles into the apple of your cheek. His cock is out of his swim trunks, heavy and hard in your palm as you slowly stroke him up and down, up and down, heart pounding in your chest.

You've done this to him before, you remind yourself, and he said it was good.

But not like this, another part of you argues, not properly.

"Yeah, you love it?" he murmurs, breaking you out of your thoughts. With his words his hand drops from your face and joins yours on his shaft, helps direct it toward your cheek so he can press the tip ever so gently against it, "What d'you love about it, baby? Tell me. Wanna know."

"It's so big, Joel," you practically whimper, brows furrowing together at the sensation of his warm stickiness on your face, "So big and so thick and long."

"I know, baby," he coos softly, smearing it along your jaw in a way that has goosebumps rising all over your flesh, "Bigger than your pretty face, huh?" At his words he delicately lays the length of his cock against your face from base to tip, lets it rest there as you close your eyes and try to calm your breathing. You're so fucking turned on.

"Big," you repeat, as if no other words can find their way to your brain, as if your brain doesn't even exist; all that exists is this. The feeling of his warm dick laying heavy across your face, precum leaking out onto your forehead.

"And what's it taste like, babygirl?" He's suddenly moving it downward, towards your mouth, and you happily lean forward to lap at the tip. It pulses against you, leaks onto the pink softness of your tongue. "Tell me what it tastes like."

"Kinda salty," you whisper, peering up at him with big eyes, "But good, it still tastes good to me." Your nose scrunches and you peer up at him sheepishly, "Tasha said it's not supposed to."

He laughs breathlessly, taps the tip against your bottom lip, and when more precum dribbles out you allow it to drip into your mouth. You swallow, eyes never leaving his, then swirl your tongue all around the head before slowly taking it into your mouth and suctioning carefully.

"God, you make me fuckin' crazy," his voice rumbles in his chest, eyes hooded, "Look at you suckin' on my cock." After a few seconds he pulls it out and taps your lips with it again, hissing a bit through his teeth, "Fuck, this mouth. And those eyes," his head leans back against the couch and he groans, low and deep, "You gotta stop lookin' at me like that, angel. M'not gonna last."

"How am I looking at you?" you ask shyly, a smile playing at your lips.

"Like... you're just so new to everything."

"But I am," you say with a breathless giggle, "It is new to me."

He smiles fondly down at you on your knees in front of him, so vulnerable, "I know," he tells you, "It makes me want you so bad."

"You have me," you whisper, leaning forward to mouth at the head of his cock once again, "M'yours, Joel."

His lids go heavy as you suckle gently on the tip again, reveling in the masculine taste of him and the way you can feel his heartbeat on the tip of your tongue. You suck it the same way you did last time - like a sucker or a popsicle - and you hope it feels good to him, hope you're doing it right.

"That's so good, baby," he murmurs, and you whimper at his praise.

You pop him out of your mouth and take a deep breath, peering up at him curiously, "Can...can you..."

His brow furrows, "Can I what, angel?"

"Can you show me how to... how to take all of it? Like, how to put it in my throat?"

The expression on his face is hard to describe, a mix of disbelief and untamed arousal. His mouth opens to speak but he doesn't say anything, taking a few seconds to formulate a response before clearing his throat and giving you a weak - and slightly wrecked - smile.

"Y'sure you wanna try that?" he asks you, ever the gentleman, "That's....it's a lot to take in your throat, babygirl."

"I know," you breathe, sincerity in your eyes, "But I wanna try."

He reaches down and thumbs a stray hair from your face, pushes it behind your ear, "You're probably gonna gag," he murmurs gently - a warning. "It might be uncomfortable for you."

You raise an eyebrow, "So... you don't want me to?"

He laughs breathlessly, "I... I didn't say I don't want it. But I don't want you to try something you don't feel ready for," he frowns, "Don't want you to feel any pressure with me."

"I don't," you admit honestly, "I don't feel any pressure, Joel, I promise. I just...really wanna try it. I want you to show me."

He takes a deep breath, strokes your cheek gently and then reaches down to hold the base of his cock again. Your hands fall to his thighs, still clad in his swim trunks.

"Lemme just see how far you can go without gaggin' first," he tells you softly, patiently, "Want you to stop when you feel it in that spot, okay? Don't go any further than that."

You nod, already beyond excited that you're learning something new, something that'll make him feel good. You open your mouth to take him back inside but he touches your face again, stopping you.

"Deep breath," he advises quietly. You do as you're told.

He helps guide the fat head of his cock past your lips, watches as you very slowly ease yourself down. You close your eyes, all your focus centered on this singular task, fighting to push past the slight discomfort of having your mouth stuffed so full. It takes barely a moment for you to reach the point he was talking about, when you feel the head of his cock brush ever so slightly against your gag reflex. On instinct, your eyes snap open, your entire body freezing in place.

"Right there?" he asks quietly, but you know he's not waiting for an answer, knows you couldn't talk even if you wanted to, "That's so much baby, good girl." His praise send throbs of pleasure to your pussy, warmth to your cheeks. Your eyes meet his and you can see how turned on he is, see the way the corners of his mouth twitch with pleasure. "Let go when you're ready, honey."

You hold yourself there for a few more seconds, eyes watering a little bit as you hold his gaze, just testing the power of your lungs and the strain of your jaw. When it becomes too much you pull your mouth off him and find yourself gasping for breath, fingers digging into the meat of his thighs as drool spills down your chin.

"How was that?" he asks, thumbing your cheek again with one hand and stroking himself with the other, working your saliva up and down his length, "Uncomfortable?"

You shake your head, "It was good," you whisper, voice a bit crackly, "I wanna try and take more, can I?"

He nods, smiles encouragingly and taps his swollen cockhead against your bottom lip again, slow and tantalizing, "Course you can, babygirl," he murmurs, "Deep breath."

You inhale deeply again, gathering as much air into your lungs as possible before sinking your mouth down onto him and allowing his thick girth to fill you all over again. This time when you feel him reach that spot, you let yourself keep going just a little bit further, allow the head of his cock to push more firmly against it and slip the tiniest bit into the back of your throat.

You gag immediately.

It's very loud; a dry wretch that you can admit sounds absolutely horrific in the current circumstance. Before you can even really process what to do next, he's tugging you off his cock, voice suddenly worried, frantic, "Okay, no, that's too much," he says quickly, and you look up to see him shaking his head, "You're gonna hurt yourself."

"M'fine," you try to garble out, but you're shocked when just talking suddenly sends you into a coughing fit. You bang on your chest and squeeze his thigh with your other hand, feeling more drool cascade down your chin and onto your bare chest.

"Angel," he says soothingly, leaning forward to pat your back, brows furrowed again in concern, "I'm sorry, honey."

You shake your head, "I-I'm okay," you splutter out, "Just gimme a second."

"It's too much," he repeats, almost pleading, "Please, baby, I don't wanna see you struggle, that's not fun for me."

As much as you hate the idea of giving up, you have to admit that he's right. That wretch had not been pleasant, and while you think you could eventually learn to take all of him, maybe forcing yourself to do it when you're supposed to be having fun on vacation isn't the best time.

"Okay," you mumble defeatedly, sitting back on your knees, "But I still wanna suck it."

He laughs again, relief flooding his features as he leans back on the couch and smiles crookedly at you, "You can still suck it, darlin'. Just take your time and don't push your limits, alright? Promise me."

"I promise."

You spend the next fifteen minutes or so playing with Joel's cock, stroking it with your hand, kitten licking along the shaft and head, just touching as much as you can without any time pressure for once. He pets your hair as he watches you, thumbs your cheeks and dimples, small groans tumbling past his lips, face scrunched in pleasure as you explore. You take as much of him as you can in your mouth, bob up and down slowly with your eyes trained on his face, feel the way his thick length twitches and pulses against your tongue.

It's almost feral the way you drink him down, hollowing your cheeks and basking in the way his body responds to you. You're so wet, aching to touch yourself but wanting this moment to be just for him, a thank you for this weekend, this hotel, for everything. Instead you palm his balls, roll them in your palm and revel in the desperate sounds he makes.

"I love your cock," you whine, repeating your earlier statement as you fist it up and down with spit pooling at the corners of your mouth, "I love it so much, Joel." You can feel yourself dripping in your bikini bottoms, feel your own slick gathering on your inner thighs.

"I know, baby," he gasps out, running one hand through his hair and the other through yours as his belly tenses and untenses, as his thighs tremble, "I know you love it, s'all yours, baby. S'your cock."

"My cock," you echo, almost a whimper, "Mine."

"Yours, it's yours," he moans loudly, hands curling into fists as his head hits the back of the couch, "Shit, I'm gonna come."

"Come in my mouth," you tell him immediately, wasting no time in sinking back down onto his length. He doesn't ask if you're sure; he's too far gone to be a gentleman anymore, and you love it. You watch as he suddenly sits up on the couch, reaches both hands forward and cradles your head in them firmly. He helps you move up and down, groaning as he does, and then-

His cock pulses on your tongue, thick and heavy, bobbing against the roof of your mouth. You feel a burst of cum hit the back of your throat, then another, and another, all the while Joel moans and holds your head in place, toes curling into the rug. Your eyes roll back as he fills your mouth, overwhelmed by the salty taste and thick texture, and - without really meaning to - you swallow around him to make more space. He practically whines at the sensation, pulsing once more to release one final burst of his spend.

And then he's falling back against the couch, cock popping out of your mouth, expression dazed. Without thinking about it you swallow the rest of his cum, eyelashes fluttering at the odd sensation of it all slipping down your throat. So much, gone in an instant. It's only then that you actually realize what you've done.

"I swallowed it," you say, panic suddenly brewing in your stomach, "Was I supposed to swallow it?"

He laughs softly, covers his mouth with the back of his hand, "It is perfectly fine that you swallowed it, darlin'," he smiles wide and opens his arms, "C'mere."

You clamor off your knees and crawl into his lap immediately, straddling his thighs and pressing your wet bikini bottoms against the slope of his belly. He lets out a little groan, pulls you in and strokes your hair.

"You did so good," he praises you softly, kisses your temple, "So good, baby. Made me come so much."

"There was a lot," you tell him, nuzzling into his neck and letting your breathing slowly even out, "S'why I swallowed it, I was trying to make room."

"Was it okay? It didn't make you gag, did it?"

You shake your head, a pout on your lips, "Felt good in my mouth," you whisper, "I liked it."

He hums, hands trailing from your hair to your bare back where he unclasps your bikini top and lets it cascade to the floor, then reaches down and tugs at your bottoms. You lift up carefully, let him slip them down your thighs and watches as you kick them off, leaving you fully naked in his lap.

"So pretty when you're bare like this," he whispers, and it sends more slick to your folds, oozing down and making a mess on his tummy. He cups your pussy in one hand and slides two fingers easily inside of you, thumb rubbing circles against your clit. You grip his arm, eyes falling closed and pitiful little sounds slipping from your mouth. "My good girl deserves a reward for suckin' my cock so good, swallowin' all that cum, don't you think?"

You nod, biting down on your lip and letting him fuck you with his digits, eyes rolling behind your lids.

"Yeah, you do," he answers for you, "You deserve it, angel. Always."

He makes you come easily, leaving you a messy, twitching heap in his lap as your arms wrap around his neck, body going lax and loose. After a few moments he picks you up and carries you to the bathroom, helps you into the shower, smiles when you peer blearily up at him through your afterglow.

"Just close your eyes and lean against me," he tells you softly as the water falls, removing his swim trunks and getting in to stand behind you, "I'll get you cleaned up, sweetheart."

--

You nap after your shower, exhausted and sated in every possible way. Joel wakes you up around two o'clock with more room service - sandwiches and soup that you devour with bright eyes and light conversation side by side in bed. It's domestic bliss the way he thumbs mustard from your lips, pours you more water, slices your key lime pie and feeds it to you with a fond smile.

I love you I love you I love you.

"Would it absolutely ruin this moment if I suggested tryin' our hand at a hymn?" he asks when you've both finished, wiping the crumbs on his fingers with a napkin and gesturing to his guitar case in the corner of the room.

You grimace, "I guess not."

"I'm just thinkin' about your parents," he places his hand on your hip - clad in another one of his shirts - and gives you a sympathetic smile, "It's probably best to pick somethin' and have it ready."

You nod. You know he's right, that your lack of preparedness these past few weeks has been pretty reckless considering it's been the entire "reason" you've been seeing him. With a sigh you slip out from under the covers and traipse over to the couch, listening as Joel unclasps the guitar case.

"I did some research," he tells you as he walks over, hooking the strap over his shoulders as he goes, "I think our best bet for an easy tune is How Great Thou Art. Pretty repetitive chord progression, only uses G, C, and D."

You make a face, crossing your arms, "I can't believe I have to do this."

He laughs, "It was either that or Come Ye Sinners, and I think that one's a little too on the nose, don't you think?" He tosses you a smile and you can't help but return it, feeling your frustration melt away under his gaze.

"Can we do that thing again where I get a reward?" you ask shyly, biting your lip. His eyebrows go up, a smirk lighting his face.

"Hmm, I think that's doable," he sits down beside you, tuning the guitar, "What'd you have in mind?" You notice the way his eyes dart toward your groin and your cheeks warm.

"I was actually thinking that maybe..." your hands play with the hem of his shirt nervously, unsure what he'll say, "maybe you could play something for me? You said last night that you've written some songs," you shrug, trying to be nonchalant, "I'd... I'd really like to hear one, if you wouldn't mind."

He peers at you for a few seconds, smirk fading briefly only to be replaced with a tender smile, eyes softening as he gazes at you. Warmth blooms in your chest. You never want him to stop looking at you like that.

"I can do that," he tells you quietly, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "I mean... I can't promise it'll be good, but-"

"I don't care."

He chuckles and nods, grips the guitar again and clears his throat, "Well, alright then. Let's get started."

For the first time ever, the lesson is actually a lesson. No undercurrent of sex, no inappropriate touching or sensual glances, no teasing or filthy words. You're not sure how you're able to hold yourself back so easily, able to really focus on what Joel is saying and showing you, helping place your fingers in the right locations and teach you the strumming techniques. Maybe it's because you're tired - you did come three times already today - but it's not just that.

It just feels so... normal. So easy. You think back to that first lesson, the nervousness you'd felt and the pounding of your heart in your chest, the anticipation and the fear.

It's different now. Now that he's been inside you, become one with you, it's like your whole dynamic has changed - for the better. Of course you still feel that curious nervousness, the innocence, the electricity between you. But there's something so solid and tangible about it now, something certain. Something real.

He shapes your fingers along the neck of the guitar, praising you softly every time you play a note that sounds right, encouraging you as you repeat the G chord a few times, then C, then D. You strum along slowly, taking your time, and before you know it you're playing something that actually doesn't sound half bad.

"We definitely need to work on buildin' up those calluses," he murmurs, stroking the tips of your fingers under his thumb, "Well... If you're gonna do this long-term, I mean."

You peer at him curiously, tilting your head to the side. He looks sheepish, like he's said something he hadn't meant to.

"You think I could do this, like... for real? As a hobby?"

His mouth turns up at the corners and he nods, "I think you can do anything you set your mind to, darlin'."

Your heart is suddenly in your throat at his words, emotion bubbling under the surface of your skin. You drop your hand from the guitar and reach up to cup his face, pulling him toward you to press a gentle kiss to his lips. He kisses you back just as soft, just as careful.

"Thank you," you whisper, tears pricking in your eyes, "Thank you for saying that."

He presses his forehead to yours, shakes his head ever so slightly, "Don't gotta thank me for sayin' what's true, angel. You deserve to hear it every single day."

You finish the lesson with tears still welling in your eyes, a lump in your throat. When you lean the guitar against the side of the couch he cradles your face in his hands and gently kisses the tears away, brushes his lips along your eyelids and cheeks, your jaw and your lips, saying everything without saying anything at all.

"Okay," you sigh, taking a deep breath and opening your eyes to smile sweetly at him, "Time for my reward."

He chuckles and rolls his eyes a little, reaching for the guitar and beginning to tune it again. You watch as he twists the keys, strums a little here and there, hums softly for each note to match his voice. Anticipation rises in your chest.

"Now, uh," he clears his throat a bit, avoiding eye contact, "It's been a while since I played this one but it's, uh," he takes a breath, "It's one I wrote when Sarah was born. Used to sing it to her to help her fall asleep."

You melt at the words, smiling wider, "What's it called?"

He finally meets your eyesight, lips pressing together sheepishly, "Sarah."

Oh, duh. You nod in encouragement, leaning back against the armrest of the couch and waiting for him to begin. He takes another deep breath, dropping his gaze to watch his fingers shape the first chord. It's then that you notice his hands - usually deft and steady - are trembling a little bit, so much so that he has to readjust his position on the strings a few times.

He's nervous.

He stares at his hand, takes another deep breath.

You wait.

"Sorry," he mumbles under his breath, "Sorry, just gimme a minute."

"It's okay, take your time." Your voice is barely a whisper, awestruck by the sudden vulnerability you're witnessing. He'd agreed to the reward so quickly, you'd been sure he didn't mind. But now as you sit here waiting, you're not so sure. You watch him take more deep breaths, watch as he closes his eyes and seems to center himself.

"If you don't want to-"

"I want to," he says immediately, shaking his head, "I want to, I've just... I haven't sung in a while."

Your brow furrows, confused, "You sang yesterday in the car, didn't you? And you sang Tangled Up In Blue when we first met, and that other one, the one from the eighties."

His lips turn up at the corners, a welcome smile, "Take On Me."

"Yeah, that one."

He sighs, tightening his grip on the guitar, "It's not that I haven't sung I guess. Wrong wordin'," he bites his lip, "It's moreso that I haven't sung this one. Or any of my originals. Not for a long time."

You frown, "How come?"

"I guess... I just..." he searches for the words, staring at the floor, "No one's really asked me to. And it's not like I'm playin' gigs or tourin' or any of that pipe dream stuff I thought about when I was a kid." He laughs humorlessly, like the concept is ridiculous, "So I guess I just kinda... stopped, after a while."

You feel a sudden sadness that you can't really explain, picturing that bright-eyed little version of Joel, stuck in a household that wouldn't let him grow, wouldn't let him be himself. All those dreams and big ideas, dashed before he was able to get out and make his mark. Life getting busy, too busy, other responsibilities taking up all his time until the thing he loved most became nothing but a memory. A pipe dream.

It makes your heart ache.

"D'you mind if I just..." he meets your gaze again finally, eyes soft and a little sad, "Could I maybe just hum it? Instead? I know that's kind of a cop-out, but-"

"Of course you can," you breathe out, hand coming down to rest atop his knee, "Of course you can hum it."

"I'm sorry, baby, I know you wanted -"

"It's hard being vulnerable, Joel," you interrupt him again, shaking your head and stroking your thumb against his skin, "God knows it's been hard for me, and you've been nothing but patient." You give him a watery smile and he returns it, "Please take your time. I can be patient too, I promise."

You can tell how much he appreciates it. He reaches down and picks up your hand, presses a gentle kiss to the back of it before setting it back down and taking one last deep breath.

"Well, here it is," he says with a little more confidence, a smile playing at his lips.

You've heard him play before, obviously; you've already seen the way his fingers work the strings like it's just second nature, the way his thumb strums out the chords effortlessly. But this time is different. Knowing what he's playing is completely original, born from his own creativity out of love and devotion, a father's affection and protectiveness, it just sounds special. New. He begins to pluck out a soft, slow, soothing melody that immediately puts you at ease, makes you lean back further against the couch and loosen your body. It's tender, quiet - a lullaby.

He hums softly, voice crackling a bit in his throat at first but then settling into a smooth and comforting sound. It's almost like a waltz, the way the chords change back and forth, in and out, slow and steady. Of course you wonder what the real words are, what his quiet hums are substituting, but you find that it doesn't really matter. What matters is the look on his face, eyes distant, as if he's picturing his daughter as she was when she was little. You try to picture it too, thinking of the photograph in his house, the one of him pushing Sarah on the swing. Just a father and his little girl, against the world.

It isn't a very long song. It fades out relatively quickly, and as soon as he strums out the final chord you sit up on the couch and clap ferociously, tears stinging in your eyes all over again.

"I'd usually, uh, play it a couple times for her," he says awkwardly, "'Til she fell asleep."

"It was beautiful," you tell him earnestly, "It was so beautiful, Joel."

He shakes his head with an embarrassed laugh and swivels around to go place his guitar back in its case. He doesn't say anything else, but he doesn't need to. You know how he feels when you spot the tips of ears, tinged pink, warm from your praise.

--

The rest of the day passes in what feels like a warm, luxurious, passionate blur. You go to dinner that evening and order lobster, revel in the way it practically melts in your mouth with sips of champagne and bites of blueberry cheesecake. Joel tells you a little more about his life, tells you everything you want to know about his daughter and his ex. It's not a difficult or uncomfortable conversation like you'd been worried it might be. Instead, you feel closer learning these things about him, feel even more connected to him than you did before as he tells you about Mish and Sarah, their relationship, the arrangement.

"I think I understand it better now," you tell him thoughtfully, "Now that I've actually..." you peer at him shyly, "You know... done it."

He chuckles, "Sex is a powerful thing, it really is. And when you find someone you're compatible with it can be really easy to keep goin' back to 'em. Settle into it, you know? Even if the other parts of your relationship don't work."

"It's like...friends with benefits, right?"

"Exactly. And it really does work for some people, worked for Mish and I for a long time," he shakes his head and reaches across the table to take your hand, "But that's over now, I need you to know that. It's over. You're the only woman in my life and that's how I want it to be. You believe me right?"

His eyes are soft, warm, loving, sincerity practically glowing in his expression.

"I believe you, Joel. Of course I believe you."

You have sex again when you get back to the room, slow and intimate and tender and perfect. You claw at his back as whimpers and cries tear from your mouth, writhing in pleasure beneath him on the bed as he fills you over and over, murmurs filth in your ear and presses down on your clit with his thumb. It's like you've died and gone to heaven, this feeling of permanent bliss and satisfaction, the sensation of being so full and so connected. It's the closest you've ever felt to real inner peace; who would have thought that sitting on a cock instead of in a church pew would be the thing to bring you closer to godliness?

I pray at the church of Joel Miller, you think to yourself as you recover from your fifth orgasm of the day, laying there with fluttering lashes and heaving belly, mind foggy and eyes bleary. Joel is kissing your thighs somewhere below, whispering praises, humming against your skin as he wipes a warm cloth over your twitching pussy.

"I keep thinking about how many sins I've committed in the last twenty four hours," you mumble to him, sleep quickly making its way into your psyche, "And then I remember that I don't care."

His laugh is the last thing you hear before you drift off.

--

Sunday morning is bittersweet. You spend most of it wrapped in Joel's embrace, tracing the freckles and scars on his skin, drifting in and out of consciousness while he peppers kisses all over your face and neck. You have to leave the hotel by noon, get back on the road again and head back home, but the bed is so warm. He's so warm. Everything is warm.

"You never fucked me in the shower," you whisper to him softly, so quiet you wonder if he can even hear you, "Or on the floor."

"I still can," he murmurs, voice husky with sleep, fingers trailing delicately through your hair, "We have a little time."

You nuzzle into his warmth and close your eyes, sighing contentedly, "No," you breathe, "I just want you to hold me."

So he does.

--

The drive home is quieter, but not in a bad way. You're still tired from your escapades and find yourself dozing every so often, vaguely aware of Joel turning down the volume or switching the song to something more chill when he notices you starting to drift. His hand is ever-present on your thigh, stroking the skin over and over like it's just habit at this point. You know you should be forcing yourself to stay awake, to enjoy these last few hours before life goes back to normal, but he really did a number on you.

It's only when you stop at a gas station - the same one where you first saw the playlist you weren't sure you were meant to - that you finally start to feel more awake.

"So tell me about this Angel playlist," you say with a smirk, waving his phone at him as he gets back in the truck, "Can we listen to it?"

A look of surprise crosses his face, but he doesn't seem upset, "How did you even find out about that?"

"I'm in control of the music, remember? It's your spotify."

He groans, cheeks flushing as he pushes on the gas and pulls out of the station, avoiding eye contact. "You were not supposed to see that."

Intrigue floods your brain, fuels your grin, "So it's for me?"

He takes a moment to respond, thumb stroking the wheel as he eyes the road, lip between his teeth. You can tell he's debating whether or not he should answer you, but his silence says everything. Impatient, you practically bounce in your seat, "Can we listen to it? Pretty please?"

He laughs a little breathlessly, shaking his head in disbelief, "Who is this girl sittin' in the front seat of my truck?" He squeezes your thigh, "You're gettin' bold, darlin'. I like it."

"Enough to let me listen to the playlist?"

He sighs, but you know he's not mad, can see the smile tugging at his lips, "...Maybe. At least enough to listen to one song. Will that tide you over?"

"Yes, it most certainly will," you're already tapping Angel, eyes alight with curiosity, "Which song?"

"Northern Sky by Nick Drake, should be the first one there."

You turn to him with a raised brow, "How do you know that's the first song?"

"'Cause I made the damn playlist."

"And you listen to it a lot?"

He laughs again, eyes rolling fondly as he turns his attention back to the road and grins at your words, "You're somethin' else."

You've still got a shit eating grin on your face as the song starts, the soft strumming of guitar filling the small space. Oh, this is pretty. You playfully nod your head to the chords and he rolls his eyes again, strokes your thigh and keeps his attention focused on the road.

And then the lyrics start.

I never felt magic crazy as this I never saw moons, knew the meaning of the sea I never held emotion in the palm of my hand Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree But now you're here Brighten my northern sky

Your grin fades almost immediately, realization blooming on your face as the reality of what this playlist actually is begins to dawn on you. You'd thought maybe it was songs he wanted to share with you, songs he wanted to teach you how to play. Just random tunes that he compiled together with you in mind.

No, that's not what this is at all. As the lyrics continue, the melody growing more steady, more beautiful, you realize that these are songs that remind him of you. An entire playlist dedicated to the way he feels.

You stare at the road as the song plays out, not speaking. Your eyes are stinging with tears but you can't bring yourself to say anything, to even look at him. You feel him squeeze your thigh again, a comforting and reassuring little gesture. As if to say, l know, I'm here. As the final chords fade out you frantically reach for his phone and press pause, out of respect for his privacy but also because you're completely unprepared to hear another song like that. You catch him peering at you in your periphery, and you will yourself to look at him with watery eyes.

"Satisfied?" he asks softly, giving you that gorgeous crooked smile.

All you can choke out is a "Yeah."

--

Arriving back at the parking garage hurts. Joel pulls his truck in beside your car, still in the same spot you'd left it, and takes the key out of the ignition with a long sigh. You look over at him, emotion burning in your throat.

"I don't wanna go home," you whisper.

"Oh, babygirl," he murmurs, brow furrowing, "C'mere." He holds his arms open and you clamor over the center console to settle into his lap, burying your face in his neck. He holds you tight and rubs your back, hushes you softly when you start to cry. How is this weekend already over? How are things just supposed to go back to normal now?

"I don't want you to go back there either," he breathes, "If I had it my way you'd be comin' home with me." You feel him press a kiss to the spot just beneath your ear, "But you're strong. You're stronger than you think you are and I know you can get through this. Whatever they have to say, whatever they do, you'll get through it. We'll get through it together."

You don't say anything else, just melt into the warmth of his body and let him hold you, comfort you, until your cries and hiccups fade into even breaths. You pull back slowly and peer at his beautiful face, long to say the words you've been holding back all weekend - but you know there's a reason you've been holding back, know this isn't the right time, not yet.

Instead, you kiss him. It's soft and sweet, a tender goodbye. Temporary, fleeting. You know it's not forever, know you'll probably sneak over tomorrow night to see him again under cover of darkness, find yourself in his bed, get wrapped up in him. But it's a goodbye nonetheless. A goodbye to this - the simplicity, the sense of normalcy and lack of time constraints, the domestic bliss and the thrill of the escape. A goodbye to the bliss.

Driving away from him a few minutes later, watching his truck fade into the distance in your rearview mirror - you think it might be one of the hardest things you've ever had to do.

[spiderfunkz]

SELF CONTROL

pairings. cho hyun-ju x f!reader

cw. established relationship, mentions of drinking & partying, a headcanon blurb on how i think hyun-ju would react if her partner gets flirted on.

author's note: this isn't written in my usual layout because i just feel like it lolz.. anyways sorry for not posting, the squid game fandom is lowkey dying. but my requests are still open!!

hyun-ju doesn't typically get jealous, but oh boy, does she get protective. she always has an eye on you, especially if you two go out. if it's a walk she'll have her arm wrapped around your waist or she'll hold your hand. but if it's a lively party at night, she likes to see you have fun, though she makes sure she has a clear sight of you.

she just needs to make sure you're safe and don't go near any trouble. she'll sit by the bar as you dance or sing, taking a sip or two of soju. hyun-ju isn't a big drinker, however, her alcohol tolerance is surprisingly high.

she doesn't look at you in a creepy way, but it's her movement of gesturing that you're taken, and you're hyun-ju's. it's not a stare, maybe more of a glare, but people seem to pick it up sooner or later.

but to the ones that don't?

"hiya, pretty. what'chu doing around here?" a guy steps up, his posture seems confident. you're sure the facade will fade, "sorry?" you chuckle, seemingly startled by his bold-self. "oh, please, don't be sorry. tell me, angel, are you free after all this? let's leave, just the two of us."

hyun-ju knows you can handle situations like these, but she's sure to check if you're uncomfortable. your body language speaks waves to her, she can read you like a book. but for situations like these, where the guy gets too close, hyun-ju stands by closer.

"i'm taken," you shrug. "ah, i'm not surprised. someone as gorgeous as you? i'd be shocked if you weren't taken. so, who's the lucky guy? he doesn't need to know, trust me, baby. we'll have an amazing time." — "she's a woman, actually. and i'm uninterested. you can go find someone else who is willing, maybe the exit."

the guy scoffs, at your joke and because he doesn't seem believe you. hyun-ju is quick to step up. it's funny to see his stupid smirk die down, and it's funnier because hyun-ju is taller than he will ever be.

"is he bothering you? hon?" hyun-ju's tone is assertive, she's intimidating. she makes sure the other person knows to just back away. you nod, "there you are, hyun! he's just about to leave, right?" you tilt your head, almost mocking him, he just runs to his crowd of friends.

she always asks if you're okay. she's so proud to have someone so beautiful and a person who can stand up for themselves. but she doesn't like to see your hands get dirty, if a guy gets touchy, hyun-ju's fist is the only thing he'll touch.

[hotchner-edu]

Silly Hotchner | Aaron Hotchner

Synopsis: When the BAU team and local investigators loiter by your hideaway, you're forced to speed up their investigation.

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Mermaid!F!Reader

Warnings: aaron points a gun at r for a few seconds oops

For the past two days there’s been a disturbance at the bank of the river near your favorite hideout. Normally, you wouldn’t be as reckless when it comes to the surface dwellers, but you were starting to get antsy.

The sky was brightening again after a peaceful night, and like clockwork, the group of surface dwellers were starting to gather, staring at the edge of the tree line and back toward the water. This time, you see a few new faces joining in.

Swimming upstream into the wide river and slowly drawing closer to where the group of people are, you hear their distorted voices from under the water.

Peeking your head up so your eyes were above the water’s surface, you hide yourself behind one of the tall rocks.

“I'm Agent Hotchner. You said that witnesses saw him here?” You hear a stern voice echo around the clearing. Looking over, you see a tall man, hands on his hips, as he talks to some of the other surface dwellers.

"Hikers said they saw a boy in a baseball cap throw a duffel bag into the water before running off." The man he's talking to explains, gesturing to the still river.

The handsome man— Agent Hotchner nods along and gazes out into the water as well. "Right. Well, we'll need to comb through the river floor to try and find the bag. It may give us an idea of how our unsub is operating."

"My boys have been on that since yesterday, but the river's too deep and the bottom is filled with jagged rocks. The duffel bag could be lodged between some stones." The other man sighs, running a hand over his forehead.

"Divers?"

"They won't be getting in until tomorrow, something about a shortage in oxygen tanks."

Agent Hotchner looks deep in thought as he squats down by the edge of the river. "Any chance the bag could have been carried downstream and into the ocean?"

"It's unlikely. The river doesn't get much movement, and the bag would be trapped by the rocks if it were weighted." The other man explains, looking exhausted. "Well, I have to get back down to the station. The parents of the last girl who turned up are coming in. Let me know if you and your team need anything."

You watch as the other man leaves quickly, allowing Agent Hotchner to do some more thinking. As his eyes dart around the length of the river, your eyes widen when his gaze finds yours. Immediately popping back down into the water, you quickly begin swimming back in the direction of the ocean.

Nothing good could come out of meeting a surface dweller.

However, as you're shooting through the water, a large black object grabs your attention. It's resting against one of the stones, strap caught under a different rock.

If this was the object the surface dwellers were searching for, giving it to them would allow them to leave the area sooner than later and you could return to your hideout.

Reaching for the object, you're taken aback by how hefty it is. Tugging it hard, you manage to free it from under the second rock, and you carefully try to lift it. It would be a slow endeavor to move it toward somewhere shallower, but you were sure that Agent Hotchner wouldn't do anything drastic in that time.

Cautiously, you tug it behind you by the strap, swimming back toward the area where the surface dwellers were gathered. When you approach your previous watching spot, you brave another peek into the surface.

Nobody was paying any mind to the water currently as they seemed to be staring down at the dirt by the trees, pointing into the distance and talking. Knowing that this was your window of opportunity, you swing the bag forward and push it toward the edge of the river, letting the soaked object lay halfway on the grass.

As you go to shove it fully out of the water, you perk up as you feel a presence near you. Turning your head to the side, your eyes widen as you see Agent Hotchner staring down at you, gaze inscrutable as he points something at you.

"Who are you? This area is under investigation." His tone is deceivingly calm with an edge of caution that made your mind scream for you to get away.

You stare at the object he's pointing at you. It was an odd shape, and his finger was resting on a hook on its underside. He sees you staring at it in wonder, slowly lowering it the longer he studies you.

"Bag..." your voice comes out like a whisper as you shyly point to the object you dredged up.

He seems speechless for a second before tucking the object by his side and sighing.

"Thank you, but you shouldn't be diving down there all alone. It's dangerous." He steps forward and squats down a little, extending his hand toward you. "Here, let's get you out of there first, and then I'll have someone take you home."

You let out an amused giggle and poke his hand gently before shaking your head, slowly drifting further back into the river. "Silly, Agent Hotchner."

Aaron watches as you sink back into the water, disappearing from sight like you were never even there to begin with. As you swim further away, you can hear the distorted voices of the other surface dwellers stumbling upon the bag too.

To your luck, finding the bag at the bottom of the river for the surface dwellers led to the outcome you had hoped for. As you're playing with the trinkets in your hideout, you freeze as you hear a muffled voice above the river.

You wondered why surface dwellers would be by the river again, especially since it was dark out now. Peeking out from your hideout, you hear the voice again.

A familiar deep voice reaches you. "Are you here?"

Smiling a bit, you swim up toward the surface and peek your head out from the water. "Silly Hotchner?"

By the edge of the water, Agent Hotchner is standing there in much more casual clothes. Much to your relief, he was alone.

"You're still here." He says in a bit of surprise.

Nodding, you swim closer to him. "What are you?" He asks under his breath, more to himself than to you.

When you don't answer, he shakes his head a little to snap out of his stupor. "I just... I wanted to come back to thank you for finding the duffel bag."

You beam brightly at this. "Did you find who you were looking for?"

"We're close." He nods, sitting down beside your arms as they leaned on the edge of the grass.

"What was that... thing earlier?" Your voice comes out with an air of naivete as you ask him.

Agent Hotchner furrows his brows a little and frowns. "Thing?"

You lift your arms to extend in front of you, mimicking how he was holding the object. Realization dawns across his face and he allows a small, sheepish smile to flit across his lips. "That was a gun."

"Gun?" The word slides off your tongue with a stilted tone, your unfamiliarity with the object clear.

He nods and his voice grows softer, greatly juxtaposing the tone he was using when he first saw you. "It is used to hurt people and animals. If you see someone else pointing one at you in the future, try to get away if you can."

"I've always heard that surface dwellers were dangerous. I guess that's true." You respond softly, watching him with curious eyes.

"Surface dwellers?" He echoes in confusion, mind already working a mile a minute to process the current situation.

Nodding, you contemplate the idea running through your head for a moment. "You can't tell anyone else. Promise?"

He nods and watches you carefully, expression shifting when you lift yourself a little more and kick your tail up to break through the water. His eyes stare in shock at the glimmering scales decorating your tail, winking at him under the moonlight.

The sudden reveal has his eyes widening owlishly, his mouth falling open in a small gape. "You're beautiful..." He whispers in awe.

"You're pretty too." You reply quickly, sinking back down into the water.

He looks taken aback for a second, but immediately looks down with a grin as he shakes his head. "I thought I was imagining things when I first saw you."

"Well, we usually stray away from surface dwellers."

"Is that what we're called?" He muses rhetorically, keeping his eyes on you. "Do you live in this river?"

Shaking your head, you glance back toward the water. "Not really. I just like it here. I live out there most of the time." You point further out toward the ocean.

He nods and looks up at the sky, studying the stars. "I don't live here either."

"Where do you live, Silly Hotchner?" You ask quietly, propping your head on your hand as you admire him. This seems to amuse him as he shakes his head and chuckles breathlessly.

"You can call me Aaron. That's my name. People only call me Hotchner when I'm working."

Nodding in understanding, you play with the blades of grass in front of you. "Aaron... do you live far from here?"

He nods and yawns a little. "Yeah... I live pretty far from here."

You can't help but deflate at that, a pout overtaking your face. "Oh."

"Why? What's wrong?" He asks with a gentle voice, attention now solely on you again.

"That means I won't see you again, right? After you catch who you're looking for." Your voice is small, now knowing the feeling of companionship filling your heart was fleeting.

His eyebrows furrow again, something that seemed common for him, and his face softens. "Do you want to see me again?"

Nodding a bit bashfully, you rip some of the grass under your fingers. "It's been a long time since I've talked to someone else."

Aaron seems to consider this for a second, and he reaches out to rest his hand on yours. "I have a son. His name is Jack, and I think he'd like to meet you."

Snapping your eyes to meet his, you grin widely and nod. "Will you both come then?"

Chuckling a bit, he nods too. "Yes, as long as you don't stray too far from here."

Humming to yourself softly, you mentally go over your plans for the upcoming seasons. "I'm going to stay here until snow falls on the trees again."

Aaron looks around the perimeter of the treeline and agrees steadily to your silent request. "Yes, I think it'll be good for us to come visit before the winter."

A chilling breeze whistles past the swaying tree branches and curls around Aaron's seated figure, his warm hand clutching yours a bit as he shivers. "It's cold. You should go back." You suggest, satisfied with his promise to return in the near future.

He looks a bit hesitant before conceding as goosebumps paint along the length of his arms despite being sheltered by his zip-up. As he starts rising from his spot, you gasp a little. "Oh wait, before you go." You wait for him to pause and look at you questioningly before you dart back under the water and toward your hideaway.

Hurrying through the little hole-in-a-wall shelter, you nab a shiny trinket you fished from the ocean a while back. Returning to the surface, you hold out the object with a smile.

"A gift." You explain to Aaron as he crouches down to take it from your hand.

He holds it up to catch the moonlight, admiring the little crystal chunk. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"It's one of my favorites." You explain with a shy grin, happy that he seems pleased with it. "So make sure to come back soon."

He chuckles a little and runs his fingers along to pockets and grooves of the crystal. "Trying to bribe me?"

"Is it working?"

Shaking his head fondly, he pockets the trinket. "I'll bring you something in return when I come back. Now remember what I told you?"

Nodding, you proudly recite the lesson you'd learned. "Stay away from guns."

Smiling in fondness, he leans over to swipe his thumb against your cheek. "Attagirl."

[ahgasegotarmy116]

The Art of Etiquette Part 11 | Jeon Jungkook

Summary: The days leading up to the ball become fewer but a harsh reality hits you leaving you more conflicted than you already were. Pairing: f!reader x Etiquette instructor Jungkook Word Count: 2k~ Warnings: No real warnings a/n: So yeah...it's been a while. Sorry it took me so long to update this story and sorry it's so short but I wanted to bring this one back into the light. I know I keep on saying the ball is in the next chapter but it really will be in part 12 I promise. I wanted to make this chapter longer but I figured I made you guys wait long enough...plus I needed to reintroduce something I spoke about in the first chapter. Start from the beginning

The next couple of days go by in a blur. 

Extra long lessons with Jungkook after my seemingly never ending lectures have my head pounding. 

"Miss y/n?" my professor calls me over to his desk, finishing up my last lecture before I have to go see Jungkook. "Yes?" I ask and wait patiently for him to hopefully get to thee point sooner rather than later. 

"The submission deadline for the writing contest is this weekend. Have you submitted your piece?" he asks, looking up at me through his glasses from his seated position.

I curse at myself internally, having completely spaced about it.

"I haven't but I plan on doing so as soon as I can! The deadline is Sunday night right?" I pray, hoping that I'm correct. "It's Saturday night at 11:59 pm. Do you think you'll be able to complete it in time?" he questions, adjusting his glasses. 

"Yes, of course. They won't be holding the awards ceremony until next month though correct?" I ask and he hums, confirming my suspicions. "Should be around two or three weeks after depending on how many submissions they get" 

I nod and thank him once more for the opportunity and luckily the reminder as well and quickly rush out. I choose to text Jungkook this time the reason why I'll be a few minutes late again, hoping that'll keep him from nagging me about it too much

~~~~~

"You seem...distracted today" Jungkook points out, watching as I wondered off in thought for the fifth time today. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. What were you saying?" I ask, feeling guilty since he's gone out of his way to go through the guest list of the rsvp'd attendees of the ball this weekend. Making sure to tell me a little about each family to hopefully prepare me for the kinds of people that'll be there and how to compose myself around them.

"Let's take a break, otherwise you'll start mixing everyone up" he chuckles and sits down in a chair that's more or less facing me. 

"Are you alright?" he asks, tilting his head and taking note of the wrinkles between my brows as I'm clearly fighting some sort of internal battle that doesn't involve him today. 

"I have this writing contest that I had completely forgotten about and the due date is this Saturday" I sigh, slumping in my chair but this time he luckily doesn't scold me for it. 

"The same day as the charity ball..." he trails off and I nod, covering my face with my hands.

"He told me about it over a month ago" I grumble and Jungkook chuckles warmly at my inner turmoil. I groan as a response and he decides to not tease me about it anymore. 

After a while of sitting in silence he pulls my hands away from my face, making me glare at him as a response.

"Today is Tuesday correct?" he asks and I respond with a sigh of a small 'yes'. "I have an idea then" he says, peaking my interest. "Why don't we spend part of our time on our lessons and the rest of the time on your paper" he offers making my brows furrow.

"You'd do that for me?" I say, sitting up straight in my chair, trying to figure out if this is a joke or not but he simply nod.

"I don't see why not. You've been doing well in all of your lessons with me and I think you're more than prepared for the ball so there's no need to beat a dead horse. We'll just spend a little bit of our time getting to know the attendees and do a dance or two to keep you sharp and then I'll help you with your paper" he says and get's up to clear a space on his desk. 

"You'll help me?" I question, his willingness to sacrifice our lesson time for my extracurriculars surprising.

"I know it's important to you and if there's any way I could be of any sort of help to you then just let me know. You can work at my desk if you'd like" he says, picking up my bag that he knows has my laptop in it and bringing it over to said desk. 

It's times like these where he's sending me mixed signals of going from an etiquette teacher to someone who seems to truly care about me that makes me almost want to ask him questions like 'What are we?' or 'What are your intentions with me?' but even that last one is too open ended. 

"Are you alright?" he asks, when I haven't moved a muscle to walk over to his desk yet leaving me shaking my head in a way to get me out of my train of thought. 

"Yes. Sorry, yes I'm fine. I'm just trying to figure out what sort of topic I'd like to write about" I explain, owning up to what my partial train of thought might've been earlier. 

"Well what sort of contest is it? Is it for an article? A study?" he asks, going at it with a more academic approach, which makes sense in this case it's anything but that.

"It's creative writing. Basically anything from stories of love to poems of heartbreak to even the most suspenseful horror thrillers you could come across!" I say, getting more excited as time goes by, thinking about all the possibilities and topics I could write about. 

Picking one though is going to be difficult.

"Have you chosen your genre yet?" he asks and I plop myself down on his desk chair, sighing and opening up the blank document that I've been staring at off and on for weeks. 

"You haven't even started it?" he sighs and I shake my head, disheartened at the thought of waisting so much of my precious free time with nothing to show for it.

"What do you usually write about?" he asks, helping me work through the creative process. "Mostly love stories" I sigh and when I look up at him I see him smiling down at me, "Don't laugh" I glare and he holds his hands up in surrender. 

"I wasn't laughing, I was smiling. There's a difference" he smirks and brings a chair over to sit near me. "Yeah well don't do that. It makes me feel like you're mocking me for being a lovesick schoolgirl" I grumble and he chuckles. 

"Aren't you?" he says, resting his elbow on the desk and propping his chin on his fist, giving me that infuriatingly attractive grin he knows does wonders on a girl's nervous system. "No, I'm not. Now would you please be quiet if you're not going to be helpful" I huff, pulling the flyer out of my bag and giving it a once over. 

"Okay enough with the teasing I'll help" he says and looks over my shoulder to check it out as well before I hand it to him and go looking through my Pinterest board to see if I can find some inspiration.

"Have you ever written a love story set in the eighteen hundreds? Something to do with kings and queens? Princes and Princesses?" he suggests and I know for a fact that I haven't. "Isn't that a little too cheesy with the whole fairytale kind of route?" I say, pointing out how cliché it would be.

"Not if I help you" he offers and I look at him suspiciously. "What sorts of people do you think I would have to study in order to be a proper etiquette teacher?" he says, his words answering the question I had telepathically asked. 

"I guess you'd be the perfect collaborator in that respect" I admit and he nods and moves his chair closer making me lean away from him as a response. 

"You know I don't bite pretty now come on, we've got some work to do" he taunts, slipping in that pet name he knows messes with my head, leaving me scoffing in response before turning back to the blank document staring me in the face on my computer screen. 

~~~~~

The next two days we do just as he had said, spending an hour or two on my lessons and the rest on my story. However rushed it is I feel like it's my best story yet. 

The research on the time period has been simple since Jungkook's had all the answers and if not he finds them out for me, making this whole piece seem even more authentic.

When I take breaks Jungkook pours over the text, doing edits here and there and talking me through the scenes to help formulate some parts a little more artistically, making the regal setting come to life. 

Friday has been a different story, as both deadlines approach us the time we have left is in conflict of where our priorities should lie.

"We can skip our lesson today" Jungkook finally says after I've put my heels on. "But tomor-" "You're ready" he say, cutting me off mid sentence. "Spend the rest of your time on your story" he smiles softly and places a hand on my shoulder before leaving the room, no doubt to get us some sustenance to keep us going.

Something about the interaction made my heart flutter. His confidence in me as well as his want for me to spend time on something I'm truly passionate about makes a sort of funny feeling settle in my stomach. 

Am I-?

"Black or green tea this time?" he asks, coming back into the room with a little tray of food and tea pot ready to envelop the tea leaves of choice. "Black please, I need all the energy I can get" he chuckles and does just that, adding a few scoops to the pot before closing the lid and letting it steep. 

"Were you able to work on it again once you went home?" he asks, bringing my bag over to his desk and pulling my laptop out for me. "I did but it's hard to work on it without yo- without being here" I say, not wanting to admit that I in some way needed him, my cheeks heating up at the slip up.

"Right" he smiles, not sparing me a glance as he plugs in my charger and pulls the chair out for me. 

"Is everything alright?" he asks once he sees my hesitance in coming closer but I shake my head and as a result shake myself out of the headspace I had allowed myself to trail into.

"There's nothing to be nervous about" he says, reading me perfectly like he always does. "What if it's not good enough?" I sigh, my hands resting in my lap, not making moves to reach for the keys. 

"It's a beautiful story told from the heart about a love so true one could only dream to experience something so heartbreaking" he says and his compliment however sincere seems unable to reach me now.

Once he's seen my head droop further he turns my chair around and crouches in front of me, tilting my chin up the slightest bit. "Your writing is beautiful. Anyone who's eyes get to land on a single word of yours should thank their lucky stars" he says making me smile just the slightest bit.

"There she is" he says with a warm tone, one I had never heard before making my heart flutter once again. 

"Now come on" he says spinning me back around to face the screen. "We've got a deadline to meet do we not?" he says and places his hands on my shoulders as a way to show some confidence and solidarity, believing in me until his last breath.

"We do indeed" I chuckle softly and finally rest my fingers upon those familiar keys.

prev / next Series Masterlist

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[mynameismad]

What have I been up to?????

Hey all! I'm sure you're all cycling rapidly through the stages of grief like I am, but I thought I'd just check in and let everyone know what's going on with me and when they can expect more comics!

GOOD NEWS: I got a concept art job! I've been working freelance for a client for about two months now and things are going great! Honestly working on short assignments with weekly deadlines has been an amazing break from the slow, constant march of longform comics. I am surprising myself every day and haven't been this excited to learn and grow as an artist in a very long time. Moving forward, I would like to find a full time job in games and stay there, rather than continuing to hustle full-time in comics. I've paused my Patreon for the foreseeable future.

THAT BEING SAID: I will always be making comics!!!!!! I love them a lot, they've been good to me, and I have all these ideas in my head that NEED to be let out. I want to start making them in my own time, rather than as my main source of income. We'll see how long it takes to find true stability in concept (maybe never, lol) but in the meantime I will keep drawing my silly little guys and posting them online for everyone to see. I have to! I have to keep going and making the art I want to see in the world! We have to keep going!!!!

SAKANA: hoping to get back to the fish boys sooner rather than later. I've been stuck on whether to end the latest chapter right away or get a few more pages in there. We're moving into a HEAVY part of the plot, which will be trickier to write, so I've been procrastinating lol. Please don't take my extended absence as proof that I'm walking away from the story: I've just been busy with a new job and I don't know exactly how to get to the next chapter yet!! (also, jsyk, the Webtoon mirror is something I was doing for fun! not a priority!!)

RR: I actually have a few different projects started for RR! Chapter 2 is like 9 pages in, but then I paused and started work on a 20ish page minicomic, which is like 7 pages in. I'm going to finish the mini first and hopefully upload it to itch.io. For Chapter 2, I created this really elaborate environment in an effort to force myself to learn Blender, but then I got a job....so I have no time to learn Blender lol. Still trying to figure out whether to simplify or push forward.

OTHER: yeah...I am a comic artist at heart so obviously I have a million things I want to do. But SAKANA and RR are the highest priority right now!

UPCOMING: I am pursuing other freelance work for shorter, more manageable projects! If you need somebody to redline all your thumbnails, critique the first draft of your synopsis, or make a 20-40 page comic, please keep me in mind!

In closing: I'm locking my twitter accounts tonight and moving away from the platform for now. I'll be here, Instagram (@/mad_rupert), and BlueSky (@/madrupert). Thanks for sticking with me, let's hold onto and support each other in the coming weeks, months, and years! Let's keep going!!!!! I love you all so much!!!

[kittenshift-17]

39 Sterek?

Thanks for sending this one in! I hope you like my drabble.

39. "You are such a hypocrite."

"You know, you're such a hypocrite," Stiles huffed at Derek in annoyance when he walked into his bedroom and found the werewolf in question lounging on his bed.

"How so?" Derek quirked an eyebrow without taking his eyes of the book he was reading.

"You're always at Scott about using a person - using Allison - as his anchor. And yet here you are, invading my bedroom every other night and surrounding yourself with my scent and presence. I'm onto you, sourwolf. I know you think of me as your anchor. What happened to 'People don't make good anchors'? huh???"

"What makes you think I'm using you as my anchor?" Derek asked coolly.

Stiles faltered a little.

"Uh, the invading my room all the time, seeking me out when you've been shot, generally shoving yourself into my life?" Stiles suggested.

"That's called being Pack, not an anchor," Derek argued, snapping his book closed and glaring at Stiles.

"Uh huh," Stiles huffed doubtfully as he turned back to his computer. "Sure it is."

"Anchors shouldn't be people," Derek reminded him. "It's too dangerous to rely on another person as a means of clinging to our humanity."

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it a thousand times when you lecture Scott," Stiles rolled his eyes. "People can't be trusted; people can leave you, or betray you, or try to kill you. You're so damaged, dude."

"Don't call me dude," Derek growled, and he sounded like he was coming closer. "I'm not trying to be a dick to Scott by telling him not to use Allison as his anchor, you know?"

"Not trying, but artfully succeeding."

Stiles flinched when Derek's large hands came to rest on the tops of his shoulders, squeezing lightly.

"An anchor is supposed to help us remember our humanity," Derek reminded him, and he had his lecture-y voice on, which meant Stiles was about to be bored to tears. "It's supposed to be something we can grab hold of and cling to when the wolfish side battles for dominance and threatens to overthrow our humanity, rendering us mindless, ravenous beasts."

"I know that, Derek."

"It needs to be something consistent. Something that can ground us. Something we can hold onto to keep from losing ourselves entirely, which means it needs to be something that isn't going to break up with us and swan off with someone else the second the flush of young love begins to ebb."

"You couldn't sound more tragic if you tried, sourwolf."

"I tell Scott that he needs an anchor that isn't Allison because she's an Argent, and sooner or later, we'll see her fall in line with her family's values and ideals, which will mean she hunts werewolves. And because they're dumb teenagers, head over heels for each other in the thrall of young love, and it will fade as they grow up. They'll go to different colleges, move away, or find other people they're romantically interested in, and Allison will be fine. But Scott will be a wreck because his anchor will be gone, and he'll be no closer to having full control of his shift and his wolf than he was when he was first bitten."

Stiles sighed and tipped his head back, peering up at the ceiling before Derek hung his face over Stiles's, brow heavily furrowed like it always seemed to be.

"Scott needs to find something that makes him feel human that isn't a girl," Derek repeated.

"Like what?" Stiles asked. "Anger, like you?"

Derek flashed a little bit of fang at him before he sighed softly.

"Anger was my anchor for a long time," Derek nodded. "But that's not sustainable either. Anger is only useful for as long as a person remains angry, and I'll never heal or move forward if I cling to my anger as a means of clinging to my humanity."

Stiles raised his eyebrows.

"So... I am your anchor now?"

Derek huffed softly.

"Not you specifically," he grumbled.

"I so am," Stiles laughed.

"Your humanity is my anchor," Derek whispered. "Not specifically you, Stiles. Just your humanity. How breakable you are, how fragile compared to me."

He gave Stiles's shoulders a slightly firmer squeeze, making the joints ache just a little.

"Knowing how easy it would be to break you is what I use."

"So you think of maiming me to keep the wolf in check?" Stiles deadpanned. "Thanks, dude. I feel super safe with you right now."

Derek barked a little laugh before quickly suppressing it like he always did whenever Stiles managed to drag a smile or a laugh out of him.

"Knowing how easily I could hurt you and how much I don't want to do that is what I use as my anchor," Derek murmured. "Knowing how, even as human and breakable as you are, you still fling yourself headfirst into danger with little more than sarcasm, and your baseball bat is what helps me keep my wolf in check."

"What if... you said it's bad for Scott because he and Allison might be separated or whatever..." Stiles frowned, twisting his chair to peer up at Derek when the werewolf moved back to give him room before stepping between his knees.

"Scott and Allison aren't pack, even though they're dating," Derek shrugged.

"Meaning, what?" Stiles smirked. "We're pack, so I'm stuck with you for life?"

Derek's smile was all meanness.

"Something like that."

[stormz369]

☕💖 Can I Get Your Number? ☕💖 Ch 11

Jason Todd x (f)Chubby!Reader

written with a female reader in mind, first person pov, no use of Y/N, will probably get NSFW later, let me know if there's anything else I should tag this with!

warnings/labels: angst, little to no comfort yet

wc: 2.2k

Chapter Selection

Dick: heeeyyyy Jay?

4:03pm

Dick: … Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay??? Bruce is asking questions about your relationship.

4:45pm

Jason: And I'm ignoring them.

4:56pm

Dick: Well don't! It's important.

4:57pm

Jason: Not possible. It's not his relationship.

5:02pm

Dick: Look, I know you don't like sharing details with us, but Bruce is wondering how serious this is. Like … is she coming to the next Wayne Foundation Gala? Should we expect her at Christmas? Are you gonna tell her about your night job? These are things we kinda need to know

5:10pm

Jason: First of all, I'm not going to the next gala, so why would she? Second, it is way too early in the year to be worrying about Christmas.

5:15pm

Dick: … And the job?

5:25pm

Jason: … When do you tell someone something like that? We've only been together for a few months, but at the same time we've been together for /months/. It simultaneously feels too early and too late…

5:29pm

Dick: Yeah … you're asking the wrong guy, dude. I've only ever dated people “in the business” as it were … Tim might have some insights on that one.

5:31pm

Jason: Yeah, that's not happening.

5:38pm

Dick: Which leads us back to TALK TO BRUCE.

5:40pm

Dick: … DON'T YOU LEAVE ME ON READ YOU LITTLE SHIT!

6:30pm

Bruce: Call me

8:30am

Bruce: Jason, I just have a few questions for you.

9:30am

Bruce: Jason!

10:45am

Jason: Jesus Christ, B! Dick told me about your questions, I don't know what you want me to say! I have no answers for you, ok? This is all new, just let me figure it out!

10:50am

Bruce: As long as you're considering how best to approach the situation. I'm sure you realize you do not want someone else to tell her these things before you have the opportunity to. If you are serious about this relationship, sooner will be better than later.

11:02am

Jason: Believe me, I know. My worst nightmare is her finding out because some asshole tries to kidnap her. I know that us being together puts a target on her back, and if she doesn't know it's there she's at even greater risk. I know all this. It will be handled soon.

11:30am

Bruce: … That sounds pretty final; are you planning on ending things before something goes wrong?

11:41am

Jason: That would be the smart thing. The selfless thing. And I've considered it, I really have. … But I just can't. I don't want to. Can't I have just one good thing? Just this one, and I'll never ask the universe for anything else.

11:50am

Bruce: Jason, of course you can have good things! … But you need to find a way to tell her, before circumstance takes the choice from you.

11:58am

Jason: Working on it

12:04pm

Bruce: Good. We'll see you both at the gala next month then.

12:09pm

Jason: I think the fuck not!

12:10pm

Bruce: It's your turn, you have to come. And if you think that girl doesn't want to be shown off on your arm we'll need to revisit your training, because your observation skills are slipping.

12:15pm

Jason: … This kind of thing is exactly why I didn't want to introduce her to the family.

12:19pm

Bruce: Is it so hard to buy your girl a dress and spin her around the dance floor a few times?

12:30pm

Jason: If any of those socialites flirt with her I won't be held responsible for my actions.

12:33pm

Bruce: You will not threaten, attack, or arrange an attack on anyone at the gala.

12:37pm

Jason: Of course not

12:40pm

Bruce: That includes after they leave, Jason!

12:43pm

Jason: … Damnit.

12:50pm

“Thank god you got the security system in place, huh?” she chuckled a bit mirthlessly as they watched the news. The night before, Jason had installed new security measures around her apartment; better windows with strong locks -and bullet proof glass, but she didn’t know that-, motion detecting cameras on the balcony and front door, and stronger locks on both doors. Perfect timing too, because Bane’s escape from Arkham had just been announced. 

Jason pulled her closer, stroking her back, and kissed her forehead. “Not gonna let anything happen to you baby. You just stay inside for a few days, ok?”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders; “can’t. Gotta go to work tomorrow…”

“... Please don’t. … Please, I’ll take care of your rent, just don’t go out there until the bats have him back in Arkham.”

She looked up at his face, frowning a bit. “Jay, we can’t let them hold us hostage in our own homes. He could be out for months, it’s happened before. Hell, if he doesn’t do anything immediately and someone else starts making trouble, he could be loose for years before they get around to him. Besides, it’s not like you’re not going to work while he’s out.”

This was it. This was the moment; he was going to tell her. The only reason he was going to work was because his work was putting Bane back in Arkham. Say it. Say it right now. … She needs to know, just say it. This is the moment… Maybe she’ll stay inside if she knows, then she’ll be safe. Say it. …

“... then … let me take you to work? And pick you up at the end of your shift too.”

“... Just for a few days.” She nodded, kissing his cheek.

He sighed, stroking her shoulder, and held her close. … Coward.

A week later they were sitting on the floor in her apartment, legs crossed, knees touching, both wearing short sleeve shirts. Jason's wrists were resting on his knees, so she could see his arms. He refused to look in her eyes; this was too awkward.

The point was to slowly get him acclimated to the idea that she was a safe person to show his scars to. His forearms had some of his less gruesome scars, mostly cuts and a few old burns, and he was already less uncomfortable with her touching him there, so it seemed like the most reasonable place to start. She gently squeezed his hands, looking down at them. Not touching yet, just sitting with the fact that they were there.

“... Can I ask how you got them?”

This was it. This was the moment; he had to tell her now. Tell her. Tell her where they came from. Tell her what you do. Do it. Right now… 

“... Um … well, …”

He was trying to find the right words, how to start this conversation. But all she saw was hesitation. So she squeezed his hands, smiling gently; “it's ok if you're not ready.”

It really wasn't. He knew it wasn't; she deserved the truth, she needed the truth, and she needed it soon. But it felt like too big of a thing to just say all of a sudden, and it was so easy to accept the easy out. He squeezed her hands back, smiling weakly.

“... I love you.” Just give him a little longer, he silently begged the universe; he'd tell her soon, just not today. Give him a little longer.

“I love you too, Jay~” God, how he hoped that would still be true when he finally told her…

“What do you think?” She spun on the pedestal, showing off a green dress. Jason and Steph had taken her to get a gown for the gala; Jason would have been happy for it to be just the two of them, but she insisted she needed a girl's opinion too.

Steph grinned. “I love that silhouette on you. … But the color ….” She waved her hand in a ‘so-so’ motion.

“What's wrong with the color?” She frowned, looking down at herself.

“Nothing, you look beautiful.” Jason smiled softly.

“But it'll look like Christmas!” Steph exclaimed.

She tilted her head, frowning. “Christmas?”

Steph nodded emphatically; “Jason only has one tie for these events, and it's red!”

“Oh! Well then I need a red dress!” She grinned, gathering up the skirt and running for the changing room. “I wish you had the tie with you to compare …”

“I can find a picture!” Steph grinned, going through her Waynebook photos.

Jason blinked a bit, not fully sure what was happening. “... Y- … huh? … you wanna wear red?”

She reemerged, grinning; “Of course; I want everyone in that room to know at a glance that I'm your girl~”  He blushed bright red, letting her take his hand and pull him toward a selection of red dresses. Steph smirked a bit, following along to help find a few dresses that would match his tie nicely. 

She blushed brightly and giggled at the soft groan that emanated from Jason's throat when she came out in a dress with a high slit and off the shoulder sleeves. Steph smirked; “That sounds like a yes to me.”

“Hmm…” She shifted and squirmed a bit in front of the mirror, frowning at her reflection. “I dunno about this one…”

Jason stood behind her, offering her his hands. “Why not? You look incredible…”

She blushed more, taking them. They stood in the mirror, him behind her and to the side a bit, her hands resting in his like he was leading her onto the dance floor. “I dunno, … the slit is really high, and the off the shoulder sleeves sit in a way that draws attention to my arm fat…”

Jason frowned, gently squeezing her hands. “And?”

She chuckled a bit, looking at his face in the mirror. “What do you mean ‘and’?”

“You're gorgeous. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise it's because they're jealous of how effortlessly beautiful you are. You're going to be the most stunning girl at that entire stupid gala. Really, getting to see you outshine all those hoity-toity-stick-up-their-ass bitches is going to make it worth going.” The sincerity on his face almost made her believe it. She giggled, turning toward him. 

“... I haven't danced since P.E. in middle school…”

“We'll practice. Come on, let's practice.” He gently guided her away from the mirror. He guided her hand to his shoulder, then held his hand by her side, hovering a bit. “Can I touch?”

She nodded, grinning, and his hand finally rested against her side, gently guiding her in a simple waltz. Neither of them was particularly graceful, but Jason had the most basic steps memorized from years of being forced to attend Wayne functions. They stared into each other's eyes, mesmerized by the adoration and security they found in each other.

The trance was broken by Stephanie's coos of; “Aww, you two are adorable~”

Jason cleared his throat, smiling softly. “So … this dress?”

She looked in the mirror again, fanning out the skirt a bit. “... You like it that much?” He nodded, unable to tear his eyes off her, and she grinned. “Ok, this one then.”

Steph spent the next hour helping her find shoes that she'd be able to walk and dance in before they were finally able to check out.

That night at her place, Jason offered her a plate and kissed her cheek. She was, inexplicably, excited about the gala, she had fun picking out a dress, and now he was going to butter her up even further with her favorite dinner. She beamed, leaning into the kiss, and blinked in surprise as he sat behind her, gently pulling her to lean against his chest. 

“... Babe?”

He hummed softly. “Yeah?”

“... You're … this is good?”

He nodded, arms wrapped around her waist, and kissed her shoulder. “This is good. Eat up~”

She grinned, trying not to vibrate with excitement, and ate happily. “Mh~ it's perfect~ thank you~”

“Of course~” Everything was falling into place. It had been a perfect day. There was no way she could be angry that he'd kept this from her for so long, right? She'd forgive him. She'd understand, and she'd love him anyway. She would… right?

Although, maybe he shouldn't be sitting so close when he told her. If it scared her, she might think him being behind her was a threat. And with him touching her like this, she was trapped against him. He didn't want her to feel trapped. He needed to find a casual way to let go of her, and get to the other side of the room so she would know she was safe when he told her … but he was so comfortable here … maybe just one more minute like this. 

… Besides, it was better not to ruin her dinner. … Actually, maybe he shouldn't do it today. He didn't want her to associate the meal with this news, after all. Plus, they had the gala coming up, if she was upset she'd feel beholden to him, to go together even if she was upset. He didn't want that. No, maybe he should do it after the gala. 

… Yeah, after the gala…

Next ->

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

Taglist (open):

@jawdropforkpop @krys0210 @snowy-violet @superthoughts @wordsfromshona @mystic60 @iwannabealocalcryptid @morstuavitamea-a @frosty--giants @arisa191 @prized-jules @phoenix666stuff @dinonuggysandhuggus

[forever-rogue]

It's a Lifestyle

AN | Hello, its me! Back from the dead for my favorite time of the year. It's just a sweet little scene with Eddie and his angel and their love of Halloween! 🥰

Warnings | Language

Word Count | 2.1k

Masterlist | Main, Eddie 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Eddie looked forward to coming home every day. So much. Like so much. 

Because he always knew that you'd be there, excited to see him, even if it hadn't been that long since you'd last seen each other.

He parked his truck in the driveway of the small house that now belonged to the two of you.

A very own home for you both.

He noted your car in the driveway as well, but when he came inside the house, you weren't there to greet him. He took off his boots and set them by the door, reaching down to pet Pickles as she wound herself around his legs. The small black cat purred loudly before giving him one final rub and heading over to the window to sit on the ledge and stare outside. People and animal watching had become a favorite pastime of hers.

"Angel?” he called out, wondering where you had managed to disappear too. He poked around downstairs but found nothing but the delicious smell of fresh brownies. It was like you'd known that he had been craving them. You definitely made the best brownies…not that he was biased or anything.

When you didn't answer him, he climbed up the stairs, assuming you were in the bedroom or office or…somewhere. Hopefully.

As he got to the top of the stairs, the floor squeaked slightly. That alone was enough to alert you to his presence, “Eddie?”

He followed the sound of your voice down the hall and around the corner, finding the stairs to the attic pulled down, “its just me. What're you doing up there?”

“Hi my love,” your pretty face appeared and made him smile, “I'm just going through some boxes to find the Halloween Decorations! I know I have some from the years past-”

“It's not even September yet,” Eddie raised an eyebrow, amusement written all over his face. He was trying not to laugh, but it was all in good fun.

“Halloween is a year round tradition, Edward!” You beckoned for him to come up the stairs, “its not my fault that my year round decor just happens to be Halloween appropriate. Halloween is a lifestyle.”

“I thought it was a holiday?” He started to make the short climb, quickly standing up next to you. He gently took your face in his hands, beaming at you.

“It's a lifestyle,” you repeated, putting your hands on his forearms, smiling back at him, “hi.”

“Hi,” he leaned and kissed you softly, pulling away much sooner than you would have liked, but you knew you'd get plenty more later, “Halloween being a lifestyle choice makes sense considering your skull collection.”

“It is an impressive skull collection,” you mused before kissing him again. When he had first met you he was surprised to find that you collected all sorts of different replica skulls. You didn't give off the vibe immediately but he found that they did suit you, “wanna help me decorate, handsome?”

“For you? Anything,” he agreed, heart swelling at the pure joy on your face, “you want to decorate now? We'll decorate now.”

“And maybe go shopping for some new decorations?”

“Sure baby,” he promised, “you never decorated our old apartment much.”

“It was small,” you shrugged softly, “and that only felt like a home because of you. But this is our home now, one we worked hard for. And there's no one else I'd rather be here with. Now we have the freedom and ability to make it our own, however we want.”

“Yeah,” fondness colored his voice as he pressed a kiss to your forehead, “I love you, you know?”

“I love you,” you threw your arms around him and gave him a cuddly, tender embrace, “now, my love, will you help me bring the boxes downstairs?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he sighed dramatically before immediately getting ready to bring everything down the ladder. You could have asked him for the moon and stars and would have gotten them for you, “I hope you know I'm only being nice because you made brownies.”

“I knew I made them for a reason,” you grinned at him, “you're not a hard sell, Eddie Munson.”

“You're lucky I love you!”

“I love you lots and lots,” you promised, moving the first box towards him so he could bring it down, “and then some!”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“I'm not sure about this,” Eddie frowned at the coffee currently nestled in your hand, eyebrows almost disappearing into his dark curls, “why do you want a drink that tastes like pumpkin?”

He was, meanwhile and as usual, holding a cup of hot, black coffee. You grinned and shrugged your shoulders before talking a long sip, “because it's delicious and the right amount of sweet and spicy. Besides, it doesn't taste like pumpkin, it's the spices. Try it.”

“What if I die?” He scoffed dramatically before taking the cup of your hand taking a tentative sip. You watched his face go through several emotions before he finally swallowed.

“It's good, huh?” You knew him well enough by now to know when he liked something. He mumbled something under his breath before handing the coffee back to you, “and you didn't die.”

“It's…acceptable,” he tried to play it off but you could see him struggle to hold his laugh back. He quickly grabbed it again and took another sip, “I wouldn't try it again.”

“Whatever,” you kissed his cheek before taking your coffee back and looping your arm through his, walking him in the direction of the home goods store you'd dragged him to. Not that he was really complaining - he loved Halloween too after all, “you don't have to admit I'm right.”

“You wish,” he rolled his eyes dramatically, eyes widening when he noticed all the Halloween items in the shop’s window display, “wow. That's so much Halloween…and it's still so early in the season.”

“That's how it is nowadays,” you shrugged, “but it's to my advantage!”

“What exactly is that you're looking for?”

You moved to step in front of him, looking ridiculously cute in your sweater and scarf and boots, all bundled up to stay warm, “we are looking for whatever speaks to us. You gotta feel it in your gut.”

He couldn't help but laugh as you reached for his hand and laced your fingers through his, “whatever you say, angel.”

“We don't have to do this,” you whispered softly, “if you don't want to, I don't want to make you do this, or to make you feel obligated-”

“I want to do this,” he promised, “I love spending time with you, whatever we do.”

“Me too,” you relaxed, smiling shyly at your boyfriend. You reached over and tucked a rogue curl that had escaped from his bun behind his ear, “c'mon on then! Oh - you get to pick what we do next. Wanna go to Guitar Center maybe?”

His eyes lit up as he nodded. He knew that you weren't a music nerd like him, but you always listened intently when he spoke about it, often getting very passionate. You always supported him and his music and he couldn't ask for more.

 “Hell yeah.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

That afternoon you spent several hours walking around and looking for the perfect Halloween and fall decor for the house. It was, admittedly, a lot more fun than Eddie could have imagined.

Plus, the two of you had gone to Guitar Center afterwards. Which hadn't hurt. You always felt like you were lost when Eddie got really into talking about music, but you loved how passionate he was about music…everything really.

The only thing that was left to do was to get pumpkins for the front porch and maybe some pie. But that you wanted to do closer to actual Halloween so the pumpkins wouldn't rot. Although Eddie had insisted that would look metal as fuck. 

The two of you had decided to make it a date day and by the time the two of you were heading home it was later into the evening.  Eddie was driving your car, one hand on the wheel and the other one was holding yours.

Music was playing quietly as the two of you talked about anything and everything that crossed your mind. After a while, a content silence fell over the two of you as you stared out the window at the passing scenery.

“What're you thinking about, angel?” He quickly turned his head to look at you, his face illuminated by the passing street lights.

“Nothing,” you felt your cheeks warm up, and keep your eyes turned from his. he squeezed your hand and you knew better than to think he would leave it alone. That wasn't his style at all. You turned your head to face him, squinting your eyes before sighing, “Alright, its something. But it's silly and you're going to laugh.”

“I wouldn't laugh,” he insisted as you raised an eyebrow at him, “fine, I won't laugh unless it's very laugh worthy.”

“You're such an ass,” but you were laughing now, the sound full of adoration and affection, “I was just thinking about how much I love this.”

“This?”

“Us,” you watched a smile tug up the corners of his mouth, “I love being with you. I love you.”

“I love you too,” he turned the street to your house, effortlessly pulling into the driveway and parking the car. You unbuckled your seat belt and turned to him, looking at him sweetly, “what? You're looking at me all funny.”

“I'm not looking at you funny,” you leaned over the center console and traced your fingers gently along his jaw, “I just really love you.”

“And…? I know there's something else you're not saying,” he took your chin in his hand and tilted your face up towards him, “out with it angel.”

“It's just that,” you bit your lip, sucking in a slow breath, “I can't wait to marry you one day. I mean. I know this is all real, that what we have is real. But I also can't wait to call you my husband one day. It's like an added little bonus.”

“Oh,” his pale cheeks turned bright pink as he tried to control his excitement. At first you were worried that he wasn't going to share the same sentiment but any worry that popped up quickly disappeared, “I can't wait for that either. I can't wait to call you my wife one day.”

“And you'll be my husband,” you whispered as he nodded eagerly, “you want to marry me too?”

“Of course I do,” he admitted shyly, “and I'm going to propose. You'll just have to wait and see when that is. It'll happen but you'll never know when.”

“Until it happens…”

“Until it happens,” he agreed. Eddie held out his hands and motioned for you to shuffle over the center console, “c'mere.”

“We're in the car!”

“Don't care,” he insisted, helping you over and onto his lap, “just wanna be close to you.”

“Even better,” you whispered as you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him close to your lips so you could kiss him. He sighed softly against your lips, his warm and sweet smell overwhelming you in the best ways possible, “I love you so much, Eddie. Thank you for always dealing with me and my shenanigans.”

“I've never dealing with you,” he nudged his nose against yours, “I love every bit of you. Plus I also enjoy all of your so called shenanigans. We just have…adventures. Silly ones, but good ones. and I happen to love Halloween as much as you. It's a win-win for me.”

“For both of us,” you pressed your forehead against his, “do you wanna go inside and put up some of the stuff we got?”

“Yes,” he agreed eagerly, “but I want to enjoy some more of you first.”

“What…oh,” you grinned, “I would very much like that.”

“Let's go then,” he opened the door and gently helped you out of the car, “no time to waste, m'lady.”

“You're such a dork!”

“So are you,” he countered, “but I love you regardless.”

“And I love you, Eddie."

[life-is-more-than-just-a-game]

♠️ What a day off of games with the aib males can look like. ♠️

A/N: Sorry, I've been absent for two days now, but for good reason. I wasn't feeling too well mentally and needed some time to myself because something happened that put me in quite a hole ... 🥲

Still, I've been thinking about what I could post here next, so I've prepared a few headcanons that define what I think a day off of games with the male characters might look like. 🙈

I hope that some of you are still around and will read through it. Feel free to let me know what you think about it or if you think any of them might have other interests! ✨

Characters: Aguni, Arisu, Chishiya, Karube & Niragi.

POV: gn!reader

Warnings: Not given.

A g u n i

It depends on what time we are in.

If the beach still exists, Aguni is often prevented from doing anything with you outside if he already occupies the number one spot.

You would have to live with the fact that you would hardly have any time just for the two of you, because someone from his troupe would always want something from him.

If he realises that this is bothering you - or he is annoyed by it himself - he will turn his boys away and say that they should leave him alone for the next 2 hours as far as possible because he has better things to do.

In general, no matter what time loop we are in, I would say that Aguni would adjust to your needs.

I have the following typical scenario in mind:

Nobody said it would be easy with you, but let's be honest: it's the Borderland, what excited yet relaxing things could you do here so far?

Aguni: "So there are no games waiting for us today. Any ideas what you want to do in our day off?"

Y/N: "Uhm ..."

Aguni: "Come on, you must have been in the mood for something."

Y/N: "Yeah, but I really don't know for what I am in the mood for ..."

If you really don't know what you want to do, he would give some suggestions.

Aguni: "We could go to the pool."

Y/N: "Too cloudy for my taste ..."

Aguni: "We can do some sports together."

Y/N: "Now your expectations are set far too high!"

Aguni: "What about fishing?"

Y/N: "Can't we just get some fresh air and go for a walk together?"

Aguni: "..."

Y/N: "..."

Aguni: "You knew very well what you wanted to do, didn't you?"

Y/N: "Without my lawyer, I won't say anything."

A r i s u

If you want to do something, then Arisu is definitely the right person.

The boy is always up for a lot of nonsense and fun activities.

This is probably also because he doesn't want to constantly think about the terrible circumstances that are happening here.

He has got used to life here, but living in constant fear doesn't get someone anywhere and only has a negative effect on oneself.

So, if he is being trapped in a world that could take his life sooner or later, he at least wants to live every day as if it were his last.

You will not regret spending time with him.

He comes up with the wildest ideas, starting with taking a closer look into the various broken buildings.

Of course, he would still be cautious of entering any places just like that- not that both of you suddenly find yourself in a game, because that's what you're trying to avoid today.

You still wouldn't be able to stop him.

Y/N: "A-Are you sure we should do this, Arisu?"

Arisu: "Nope, but you only live once, so let's check this building out- maybe we'll find some interesting things in here."

Y/N: "Would you define 'corpses' as interesting ...?"

Arisu: "Wow, you really managed to ruin my fun."

Investigating the building would include lots of laughter and piggybacks when your feet get tired from all the walking over ruins and debris.

Eventually you find out that this building was a former arcade.

You can definitely pass the time well there.

Arisu: "Would you like a game of billiards?"

Y/N: "I'm going to rip you off so bad, love."

C h i s h i y a

Listen, this boy is a damn lazy piece of shit.

When there aren't any duties don't expect him to do something special.

He has no problem putting his feet up for a day and literally doing nothing.

Feel honored if he spends his time with you at all.

No matter where you both would be, he would find ways to just doze off and relax while you - after all - lie in his arms and enjoy his closeness.

It's nice that he can do that, but you can't.

He would definitely be a great help to you.

Y/N: "We've been lying around here all day."

Chishiya: "Well realised."

Y/N: "I'm bored."

Chishiya: "Then do something."

Jokes on you, no, he wouldn't.

Making you pout is one of his favorite things to do.

Y/N: "But I wanna do something with you today since we have enough time finally."

Chishiya: "We do something, darling."

Y/N: "Idiot, that's not what I meant!"

How could he be bored if you let him get on your nerves so easily?

In contrast to you, he has something to laugh about and something to amuse himself with.

Nevertheless, he would at least agree to a compromise:

Damn, you love the nightlife.

Chishiya: "How about this? We'll use the time now to laze around and in the evening we'll take a look at the neighbourhood together and see which places are damned by games this time."

Y/N: "We don't take part in any games, our visas count enough days for us."

Chishiya: "Who said anything about taking part in a game?"

Y/N: "So, if I let you lounge around now, you will promise me to stay up late with me?"

Chishiya: "That's a deal."

K a r u b e

To me the funniest but most chaotic one.

During the day, at least.

I can well imagine that Karube and you had already planned the day ahead the evening before.

But what would life be like if everything went as planned?

The morning is pleasant. You wake up together and after a intense cuddle-round, you start your routine as usual.

Unfortunately, Karube realizes that he can't find something.

Something very important when it comes to following his routine.

In the end, it all comes down to searching your whole accommodation for his cigarettes.

Karube: "Honey, d'you know where my cigarettes are?"

Y/N: "I don't know where you put them yesterday after you got ready for bed."

I mean, when you do smoke yourself, they can be important for you too ...

If not, well, then you are a very nice and good person!

You can guess where this is going.

Y/N: "Did you found them?"

Karube: "I would have told you when that would be the case."

Y/N: "Sure you didn't throw the box away because you smoked you last one yesterday evening?"

Karube: "I know my pack of cigarettes inside out, there were at least three more in there."

You spend the whole forenoon looking for his damn cigarettes.

You turn the whole accommodation upside down.

Both of you look under every stone.

In every room.

Two times- minimum.

Now he remebers ...

Y/N: "Karube, forget it, you don't have any- ... Darling ...?

Karube: "What is it?"

Y/N: "What's that in your pants pocket ... at the back of your butt?"

Karube: "Uh-... Oh!"

Karube: "You found them! That's right, I put them straight in my jeans yesterday so I couldn't forge- hey!"

Y/N: "Yeah, I threw your boxer shorts at you!"

N i r a g i

Oh, my dearest reader-chan, please stay close to him no matter where he goes.

When he has nothing to do, he will go through the city streets looking for people to annoy.

He would look for trouble and find it- even if there's no reason for trouble, he'll just make it happen himself and find his reasons.

I don't know how, but at least you managed to stop him from taking his gun.

That's something you should be very proud of.

However, that doesn't stop him from doing anything and we know that.

So please. Stay. With. Him. Thank you!

In any case, you walk around the area together and check it out a little.

You'll talk about pretty trivial things every now and then, but that's still more pleasant than just talking to each other all the time.

When you meet someone, Niragi is ready to provoke them directly for no reason.

Thank god you had a firm hold on his hand or his arm so you could quickly drag him in another direction to avoid the innocent people.

Y/N: "Oh, look!"

Yes, you also like to pretend to see something that you would find interesting.

… In partially empty shop windows.

The nice thing is that he would still look to something you tell him to look at.

Niragi: "What the fuck should I look for?"

Y/N: "See the rocks there?"

Niragi: "You kidding me, right?"

There could actually be something interesting there.

Well, most of the times at least.

It's nearly impossible but who know?

He will touch his nose and look at you angrily- but not without laughing afterwards at your amiable stupidity.

Y/N: "OH, SEE WHAT I HAVE FOUND TH-"

Niragi: "What is it this time? Another boring and ugly stone you think it's fascinating?"

Y/N: "No ..."

Niragi: "Oh, what is it this time then?"

Y/N: "The tree there."

Damn, he loves you so much for what you are, he can't even be bothered.

[st4rymoon]

hi i have an idea 😋

can u do a fic where Steven and the reader are in a friend-with-benefits situation but she doesn’t know he’s a superhero so while she was reading fanfics on her new celebrity, the new white suit vigilante Steven saw her screen and had an idea to make her feel good 🤸

This was so fun to write HEHEHE😽 I have a feeling the suit would give Steven a boost of confidence… I see him getting more daring and touchy than usual. He just feels like he has a stronger power over you than usual 🙊

☾˚⋆𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝘩𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡

✶ 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘹 𝘍𝘦𝘮 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: After joking about how you think the white masked vigilante could kiss you better than he could, Steven decides to put it to the test.

𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: p in v, brattish reader, unprotected sex, creampie, language, sex! in Mr. Knights suit xx, dumbification on both sides, soft dom steven, friends with benifits, very slight choking

"I wonder if he's cute." You smiled as the photos of a new vigilante flooded your feed. A white suit with moon-embroidered accents that was well-fitted on the stranger fighting off some robbers.

Steven sat beside you as you talked about how you'd bet money the man behind the suit was handsome. Unbeknownst to you, the man under the suit was, in fact, attractive and sitting right next to you.

Steven managed to keep under the radar from cameras and news outlets, but sooner or later, he knew he'd be caught when fighting crime. "And if he is cute, what then?" Steven curiously asked.

"Might have to kiss him, ya know, for keep us safe and all," you wink as you stand beside him. His eyes trailed with your form as you packed up your belongings. "You think he'd kiss better than me?" Steven asked with a teasing pout as he stood up and wrapped his arms around your waist.

His lips softly kissed down your neck and onto your shoulders as you tried to ignore the hard-on pressing against your ass. "Maybe, might even fuck me better," you teased. Steven scoffed at your words; he knew you were trying to poke his buttons, and it worked. Even when the man you were talking about was him.

"We'll just have to see about that, huh?" he smiled as you pulled away from him with an eye roll.

A few days later, you again ended up at Steven's flat. Waiting for him to return from whatever shenanigans he was up to today. You decided to kill some time and go on your phone, scrolling through your Tumblr as you came across a new writer appearing on your feed. Moonknight smut.

Moonknight? Is this the name of the new sexy superhero? You squealed as you turned onto your stomach and got lost in the reading. The story pulled you to the point that you didn't even hear Steven walk into the flat.

He tip-toed quietly to you and took a look at your screen. He followed along as you read without you noticing his ninja-like movements. Steven chuckled at the filthy words you read, deciding it was a good idea to announce himself as he summoned his suit.

You jumped as you heard a loud noise from behind you. "I've been told you're quite fond of my suit," you heard from the suited figure before you.

Your mouth dropped at the familiar voice. "S-Steven?" you gasped as you stood from the bed. "I'm not sure who Steven is, love. Whoever this fella is, do you think he'd kiss you better than I could?" With that sentence, you knew it was Steven.

"I'm not sure, Mr. white suit. Wouldn't I have to try it before making rash judgments?" you cooed as you walked up to Steven and ran your fingers up his chest. "I think you're right." the glowing eyes from his mask scrunched as he smiled.

Your eyes lit up as Steven's mask disappeared, putting you face-to-face with the handsome superhero. "Told you he'd be sexy," You teased as Steven's Hands trailed down your hips. You smiled as you took in Stevens's soft features. His soft lips curled into a smile as you traced his cheekbone with your thumb.

"And very handsome." you purred as you yanked him down for a kiss. The sound of your lips smashing against each other as you lapped at each other's mouths was intoxicating for Steven. He squirmed in his uncomfortable suit as his trousers grew tight. "In the suit, fuck me in the suit," you gasped as your nails dug into his forearms.

"Why else would I have this on?" he smiled, yanking your shorts down swiftly and the time it took Steven to unzip his pants was impressive, to say the least. "Look at me, darling, look at me," Steven hummed as he moved a pillow behind your back, arching you up perfectly.

"Does he kiss better, mmhm?" Steven teased as he bit down your neck, his hands moving to the back of your thighs and spreading you wide. "Yeah, and he'll fuck me better, too" You brattly replied.

"Acting like a brat, honey? Why? Does the suit make you want to talk back?" Steven hissed as he rubbed his leaking tip between your folds. “You can keep the attitude up darling, I don’t mind” he cooed.

"Mhm" you moaned as you watched his hips roll with each thrust. His thick tip rubbed against your clit ever so slight, purposefully teasing and riling you up.

Your eyes lit up as you watched Stevens's eyes roll into the back of his head as he pushed into you. You could see the veins in his neck bulge as he sunk deeper into your sticky cunt. "Feel's so fuc- ahh" Steven cried out as he thrusted into you.

Stevens's calloused hands groped you hungrily, his nails sinking into your plush thighs in desperation. Embarrassment filled Steven as a loud moan left his lips. Your cunt pulsing around him had him drunk. You smiled dumbly as you watched Steven's white mask appear in an attempt to save himself from embarrassment.

His glowing eyes stared down at you with a pathetic furrow "God love you always f—feel so good," he huffed as you clawed at his sleeves. You brainlessly bounced along with his deep thrusts as his hands gripped his bookshelves.

"Stev- stevenn," You sobbed as he threw your legs over his shoulders. Your content moans filled stevens ears as his public bone rubbed against your swollen clit. "Feels good, doesn't it love? Getting fucked by the guy who keeps you safe?" He chuckled shakily.

It was true, and you loved it, loved knowing the man who could pull multiple orgasms out of you was the man behind the white masked vigilante. "Pl- wanna see your face plea-" You sobbed as Steven's arms cradled your head for a better position.

You could feel him hitting the deepest spots inside you, and the moment his hand wrapped around your throat, your eyes rolled back into your skull. Steven's mask disappeared, and you were met with his puppy dog eyes admiring you as a desperate moan left your lips.

Steven couldn't help but smile as he watched you come undone on his dick, your white pearly slick making the sex all the louder. He could feel you pulsing around him in a way that had his saliva dribbling down his lips. "oh my g- bloody hell" Steven's guttural moan filled your ears as he collapsed on top of you.

You could feel your slick dripping down your thighs as Steven fucked his messy loads back into your cunt while you clung onto him for dear life. One last moan left Steven as you squealed in pleasure.

Steven's hands carefully lowered your legs and pulled out with a hiss. His suit was off in seconds, and you were flushed against his chest. You both bathed in each other's warmth before Steven ran a hand down your head "Surprise" he cockily chuckled as you sighed.

“Superhero vigilante is definitely a turn-on." You smiled.

[valentinebugzee]

Chapter 2 of Sonic Boom! Stone AU

Love, Trust, and a handful of thread

Finally Stone gets to serve eggman a latte with steamed Austrian goat milk

Sticks and Shadow form an alliance, besties with different trust issues yay

EDIT: I accidentally posted the unedited version on here so it's better to read the fic on Ao3!!

Meanwhile back at the cafe:

Amy apologized profusely for Stick's behavior

"I'm so sorry Mr. Stone, she's usually way nicer..." The Hedgehog's ears drooped

Stone shook his head "No need to apologize, Ms. Amy, she's not the worst customer I've ever had."

It was true because Sticks wasn't even a customer yet, she was a whole other problem...

She was getting close to blowing his cover, her theory was dangerously close to the truth, just who was that badger?

A nut job according to her friends, but she wasn't the first person to be suspicious of the human, the cops (well, cop: singular) were wary of him, warning him from causing havoc, "Eggman is enough work already!" to which Stone scoffed internally at, Sonic and his team do all the work.

He didn't want to defend "heroes" but had to admit even if it pained him, they weren't so bad, if he could divide his time between his job as a barista and his..hobby then he'd be able to maintain a somewhat normal friendship with the rodents.

Were echidnas rodents? He'd look it up later.

A little kid was sitting next to his brother eating a cupcake, his little brother started fighting him over it until it dropped for the older brother's hand.

Stone grabbed two cupcakes from behind the glass display and went to give one to each boy.

"Here you kiddos, free of charge." He smiled giving each kid a cupcake, he also briefly glared at their mom who just sat there and let them fight each other.

Sure he may be a villain but he will judge bad parents, he needed good reviews for his restaurant anyway.

Amy internally cooed at how nice Stone was to kids.

Sonic took the last sip of his coffee and patted his legs seemingly looking for his wallet, even though he wasn't wearing any pants, Stone made a face at that.

"Crap, I forgot my wallet, let me just scurry back home and grab some money, I'll be back in a blink of an eye."

"You don't have to do that, this is the first time you guys grace my cafe with your presence after all, your orders are on the house."

"That's so nice of you mister!" Tails beamed at the man, "Yeah a little too nice, you give out a lotta free stuff, money doesn't grow on trees y'know" Sonic said, there was no malice in his tone.

"Yeah, we all know money comes out of printers." Knuckles spoke between bites of his brownie.

They all stared at him for a moment.

Tails sighs "Remind me to discuss Knuckles's counterfeiting habits."

A loud blast from outside interrupted the peaceful atmosphere.

It was Eggman, of course, "Told ya' Eggman would appear sooner or later." Sonic said to Stone, "Stay right here Stones, we'll protect the place."

The moment the barista's eyes landed on the villain beyond his glass doors his heart skipped a beat, suddenly no one else existed it was just him and that man.

That maniacal laughter only served to make the pink effect around him grow even brighter and more glittery.

Or however the hell you describe Shoujo vision in writing.

The team ran out to fight the man in the egg mobile, the fight went on for a minute while Stone stared in awe at the evil doctor, admiring his every command to his robots, and how determined he was.

"Why's your face like that, Mister? And what's with all the glitter?" the little kid from earlier asked

Stone realized how odd he was behaving, he'll have to get his act together if he wants Dr. Eggman to become his new boss.

Another laser blast hit the spot right in front of his cafe if it had been any closer it would've absolutely destroyed the entrance.

He quickly adjusted his clothes and hair and sprinted toward Eggman.

"Hey! You there! uh, sir!" Stone waved to the doctor, in return he raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar man.

He lowered his egg mobile enough to not have to raise their voices to hear each other, he yelled anyway.

"What do you want?!...and who are you." Dr.Eggman questioned, looking the man up and down.

Stone breathed in, "This is it, don't mess it up", he thought to himself.

The barista grins, "I'm Stone..my name is Stone, and this is my coffee shop, I was wondering if you could move this battle a little further away from my shop, I don't want to be destroyed...is all." Stone cleared his throat nervously.

Eggman stared at him for a moment.

"Stone! What are you doing man!? He's gonna laser blast you!" Sonic yelled out, Amy prepared her hammer, ready to protect Stone.

But Stone didn't waver or spare them a glance, he felt like this was his first test, to prove how worthy he was, so he stared right back.

Everyone in this village has a staring problem.

"...and why should I listen to you?" Eggman snarled, if it was anyone else talking to him he would've ordered a robot to throw him in the ocean immediately, but he was intrigued with this "Stone" guy, if he was speaking honestly to himself he'd admit that Stone was the most beautiful man on this godforsaken land.

Which doesn't sound that impressive since every other man was an animal.

"um... please?" Stone awkwardly tilted his head to the side.

Eggman groaned, "Okay fine! Now stop glittering!".

And with that Eggman's egg mobile floated away.

"Glittering?.." Stone parroted, he shrugged and just sighed with one last glance at Eggman.

The team quickly went after him, but Sonic zoomed back in front of Stone.

"Okay I don't know how you did that but that was impressive." He smirked before speeding back to his friends.

Soon, the team went back to their previous seats, they noticed that Stone seemed a little happier than before.

Then Eggman appeared, without his egg mobile and robots that is.

Stone's back straightened and his eyes went wide, he smiled again.

"Welcome, sir." Stone greets him as calmly as he can, "It's "Doctor"." Eggman corrected.

Stone nodded enthusiastically, "My apologies, Doctor."

The Doctor asked the questions literally everyone else has asked already, "when was this place even built?", "What are all these coffees?", "what's with the red stain on the ground?"

"Let me serve you something special, Doctor." The villain raised an eyebrow, "Just go take a seat and I'll bring it to you in no time."

And that's what the doctor did.

Stone started working on his special order, He gasped a little when he turned around and found Amy and Sonic right behind him, "Dude, do you want us to get this guy out of here?" Sonic offered, "Yeah, you don't have to serve him if you don't want to." Amy added.

"No! No no, don't do that, this is exactly what I want.." He looked back to smile at the doctor, whose back was facing him.

Amy can recognize that smile anywhere, and Sonic recognizes that pink aura...

"Oh boy." Sonic moans, "Don't be like that." Amy giggled and nudged her blue friend.

"What?" Stone asks while already turning around to resume making the drink.

"Stone..is there something you want to tell us?" Pinky sways gently.

"uh yeah, customers are not allowed behind the counter." Stone tries to hide his crimson face from the other two.

"She means about Eggman, don't tell me you got the hots for a guy that needs his robots to do every little thing for him"

"I can do every little thing for him." Stone thinks.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Stone shrugs.

Amy and Sonic exchange a look before chuckling together.

"Okay, but we're gonna kick his butt if he tries anything, just signal for us whenever." Sonic and Amy return to their friends, who have equally smug looks on their faces.

Stone finally finishes the drink and servers it.

"Here you go sir-I mean Doctor!" he stammers.

Eggman looks at it suspiciously before taking a sip, his expression changes for a second before going back to faux annoyance.

"This is...good...what is it?" "It's a latte with steamed Austrian goat milk." Stone beams, Eggman takes another sip, and Stone stands there staring at him with fond eyes.

"What? Are you just gonna stand there? Scram!" Eggman commanded.

Stone immediately obliged with the goofiest grin on his face.

Sonic and his friends were severely judging him.

15 minutes late Cubot and Orbot barged through the doors, "We fixed the Egg mobile, boss!" the two robots announced, the cube-shaped one pointed at Stone "Hey isn't that the handsome guy with the stupid grin you told us about?"

Eggman quickly got on his feet, "What? No! What are you talking about!?" And dragged his henchmen out the door.

Stone was sure that he might just die.

___________________________

Sticks looked for the hedgehog, she knew this forest like the back of her claw, there were only so many caves she could look through before finding the morally ambiguous emo dude.

The purple glowing symbols on the cave's walls caught her attention, surely he was here.

She dragged her hand along the rough texture of the cave's interior, admiring it for a moment, she wondered if tails could decipher what was written.

"What are you doing here." She snapped her head around quickly to face the black and red hedgehog.

"You!" Sticks's grating voice echoed through the cave.

She stepped forward, "I need your help, this is urgent."

Shadow squints his eyes as if telling her to go on.

"There's this man- a "Stone" as he calls himself, he's pure evil I'm telling you!" She squeaked, "His coffee shop just appeared in the middle of town, and everyone seems to like him." She glared at the ground beneath her.

Shadow eyebrows furrowed his eyebrows ever so slightly, the badger's hands were at her side clenched tightly, and the hair on her head and back stood up, this was serious.

"What will I gain from helping you?" Shadow scoffs.

"It's what will you gain from not helping me, we'll all be under that man's mercy if we don't do anything." she flailed her arms around.

Shadow thought about it for a moment, he can't have somebody establishing dominance over the entire area, he can't let a lower lifeform do that...

"He wants to brainwash us all, I'm tellin' ya!", "and what good would that serve him?"

Sticks grabbes Shadow by the shoulders, "He wants to discover the village's most crucial secrets!" Shadow rolls his eyes "What 'crucial secrets' would this pathetic village even have?"

"Um, Comedy chimp's real name, the real secret ingredient in Meh Burger, Soar the eagle's shady past." She lets go of him and snaps her fingers, "Catch up, Shads."

"And why did you choose me specifically to help you?" he lifted his nose up high, "I'm sure the colorful bunch you call friends would love to help you sort this out."

"They don't believe me!" She screeched.

His face scrunched up and his ears twitched at her loud voice, "Chaos, I wonder why" The ultimate lifeform thought.

"And they're all probably brainwashed already! They ate and drank from that guy's food, it's definitely *full* of microchips." Sticks stomped her foot, "And I can't do this on my own, I need someone strong enough to handle him if I'm kidnapped!"

Shadow hums and thinks to himself...

Her theory sounded insane, yes, but anything is possible, he doesn't want to deal with the aftermath if they could deal with this before it starts to get ugly.

"...How about this." He approaches the brown and cocoa girl, "I need proof, something to go off of, I can't just dive blindly into action like I'm some...blue boy."

He puts a claw on her shoulder, "Prove to me that this man is something more than just a barista, then I will form an alliance with you."

Sticks's eyes light up with anticipation, "Deal!" she announced before grabbing his hand in a handshake.

He regrets this already.

__________________

The sun was almost setting, and Stone's off the clock.

He locked the cafe's doors and stretched his back, today was draining and eventful, now he had to go pick up some stuff for the shop and himself, and *then* he could go home.

He picks up the bag he was gonna carry groceries in.

From behind a tree nearby Sticks nudges Shadow, "Okay, he's out of the shop and he's heading for the market, we just have to wait until he's all alone, and *bam*! Catch him and make him spit out the truth!"

The hedgehog tapped his foot impatiently, "This sounds idiotic, if your theory about him being a government agent is correct how are you going to combat him to interrogate him?"

"I don't have to, I'll set up a net for him to tangle up in."

"Oh really? And how will you be able to do that if you don't know his specific path?"

"I'll follow him and when the time's right I'll run a few steps ahead and set up a trap."

Shadow snorted, "You can't possibly believe that you'll be able to set up a whole trap when you're only a few steps ahead."

Sticks crossed her arms, "are you doubting my skills? 'Cause let me tell ya' I've been hand-making nets, boomerangs, weapons, and all kinds of traps since I was a little cub! This is easier than..than.."

"taking candy from a baby?"

"Yeah!" she fumed.

"If you seriously believe that you can pull this off, then have at it, but I won't stand around and watch this pathetic display."

"Fine." She stomped and turned her back to him.

"He's gone by the way."

She gasped and stepped out of the tree's shadow and turned her head around frantically looking for the subject of her distress.

She turns back to Shadow, "This is all your fault-" Before she could point an accusing finger she realized that he had already left.

_____________

After a few minutes of looking and cursing Shadow out to herself, she finally found him.

She hid behind a stack of wooden crates staring at the human who was negotiating the price of some fruit with the merchant.

She sat there monitoring him.

The sound of the merchants, buyers, and kids all blended together as she started to space out, her thoughts becoming louder than outside noises.

Why don't her friends ever trust her? She was right that one time with Eggman's dreambot, was that not enough? Were her contributions to her team not enough?

And then here comes Shadow, her last resort.

They've only spoken once and at the end of that interaction, he dropped her from the sky!

The badger rubs her eyes before her tears fall, she was thankful that Amy wasn't here, the last thing she wanted to talk about was her feelings.

"I'll show 'em.." she mutters to herself.

She shifted her focus back to the government agent, he's been standing there since forever, what could possibly be that intriguing about fruits!?

She crawled out of her hiding spot and rolled over to hide behind a stand closer to Stone.

Her ear perked up as she tried to pick up on what Stone was saying.

"Beige berries you say?"

"I didn't say anything." The merchant deadpanned.

"A beige berry pie does sound good... you're prices are ridiculous though."

The merchant scoffed, "If you don't like it then how about you go pick the berries yourself."

"oh yeah I'll just venture into the forest while the sun is setting with zero protection just to pick berries for a pie, that sounds like a great idea."

There was a short pause... before Stone headed towards the forest to do just that.

"He's going to look for berries... I'll have to be quick and swift and precise, I only have one chance to catch him." she took a bite of her apple.

"Are you going to pay for that?" The merchant asked.

"Put it on the government agent's tab." she sprinted away.

____________

Stone admired the forest, which I will not describe because you know what a forest looks like.

Walking through the forest at this hour was rather nice, it was quiet except for some chirping and other animal noises, and the vague sound of someone setting up a net which he would gracefully ignore.

He thought about the pie he was planning on making, would the doctor like it? Would he even come by again?

Stone didn't know why he was asking himself these questions, he wanted to be the man's henchman, nothing more, nothing less, so why did the mere thought of him make his heart flip, jump up, kick back, whip around, and spin?

He shook his head, this was no way to think of his future boss.

He kneeled to pick the berries from a bush, that bush didn't have enough to make a pie, so he'd have to continue his walk.

His mind wandered for a minute, how would he grab the doctor's attention enough to get him to even *consider* Stone as a worthy henchman? The only things he knew about him so far were that he hated the rainbow furry hero squad and he treats his robots like garbage.

Oh, and that he loved the latte he served him. Stone beamed to himself proudly at the memory, if he could sell his latte-making skills to Eggman then he could definitely sell his evil-doing skills.

He should've spoken more to him when he had the chance instead of creepily staring at him from the counter. Stone's smile fell and he inwardly cursed himself.

Whatever, what's ahead of him is more important, he still has time to figure out how to win the villain over.

"He hates those rainbow critters huh..." Stone strokes his beard, "Maybe if I can catch them for him.. he'll see how useful I could be."

He giggled to himself in anticipation, he looked back up from his feet and saw another beige berry bush a few steps ahead of him, that one will surely suffice for the pie.

He trotted towards the bush, and all of a sudden everything was upside down and his bag was on the ground with the fruits spilling out, he had let out a shriek before coming down from the initial shock with a few deep breaths.

He fought against the restraints of the net he was caught in but it just wouldn't budge, his arms were tightly bound at his sides, and his legs were also bound together, he huffed and looked around for help or any sign of whoever put him in this predicament, all he found was a wooden stick to the head and then darkness.

______________

Stone groaned before slowly opening his eyes and quickly closing them again when the light assaulted them, which only served to make his pounding headache worse.

The sun had already set, and the only source of light was an electric lantern hanging from one of the tree branches, emitting a strong white light directly at his face, it brought back many unpleasant memories.

"Ugh..where am I?" His eyes adjusted to the light and he could make out the figure of a badger in front of him, holding his wallet, he knew this lunatic was going to be a problem, he could see a hut just a few feet away, it matched its owner.

"I'm the one that should be asking questions here Mar-...Mar-wane" She pronounced his name like it hurt.

"It's Marwan... honestly that pronunciation is more offensive than the stick to the head you just gave me..and being hung upside down on a tree." He rolled his eyes, thankfully he was off the clock and out of uniform now and he could disrespect people as much as he pleased.

And yeah his name is 'Stone Stone'

"Shut up!" The wallet fell from the badger's claw.

She stomped towards the man and pressed her finger against his chest.

"This is an interrogation."

"Oh really? I thought I was roleplaying a pea pod." Stone snorted but there was no humor behind it.

"The only role you're going to be playing right now is the victim."

Stone raised an eyebrow "Pardon?" he was unimpressed.

"That didn't come out right." Sticks scratched the back of her head, "But that's not the point!"

"The point is I want to know exactly who you are." Her voice got low.

"You were holding my ID just a second ago."

"I mean who you *really* are, I know that you're not just some barista." Stick put her arms behind her back.

Stone swallows.

"I see right through your act and I will not stand around and watch you hornswoggle those innocent villagers and my friends!" She circled him.

Stone made a face, *"hornswoggle?"* he mouthed.

"As much as I enjoy this 60's caveman detective persona you got, I haven't a clue what you're talking about."

Sticks noticed the shift in his tone immediately, she stopped in her tracks, and her jaw clenched, he was using his sweet talker voice on her and would spew out a bunch of bunk.

"I'm just a guy trying to get by you know?... My old manager wasn't the nicest, so I had to find my way, I quit my job and I just happened to have enough to move here and start my own independent business, just to serve happiness in the form of freshly made coffee." He fluttered his lashes

Sticks wanted about to barf.

"I'm not as dumb as I look."

"Unfortunately." His tone went back to his *real* one.

"Then explain to me how the crud did your shop just appear in the middle of town?" she interrogated.

"Let's just say that it was already built just...moved."

She squints at him, "And why did you choose this town specifically?"

"I just heard good things about it."

That's the biggest piece of horse junk she's ever heard in her life, the only good thing that could be said about this town is that you don't have to go there.

Sticks decided that she needed to try a different approach, accusations.

"I know exactly what you are."

"...Why did you ask then-"

Sticks clutched Stone's shirt in her hand and pulled his hanging form towards her until they were nose to nose.

She inhales, "You're a government agent that's her to plant microchips into our food to brainwash us and learn all of our secrets to rule this village and turn us all into soldiers! and when that works out for you you'll be promoted to general and then betray your agency and who knows what else!" She exhaled and pants.

Stone looked at her in a way that could only be described as something between disbelief, anger, and exhaustion.

"Why would I plant microchips into your food...When I could just use your damn phones for that?! And what agency!?" Stone argued.

"Because I don't got a phone, so you can't control my brain."

Stone closed his eyes tightly for a second and took a deep breath, she's so lucky he has his arms tied.

"The only way your brain would prove useful is if I scoop it out of your carcass with a screwdriver." Stone countered, making the author debate whether they should change the fic's rating or not.

"Your threats don't scare me."

The human sighs deeply and prays that this is all just a very bad poised-berries-induced nightmare, "Can you at least put me down? It's hard to focus with all the blood rushing to my head."

"No! You don't deserve to be put down! You will stay right there like an oversized bat mutant until I can prove to my friends that they can trust me." she let go of him and crossed her arms, continuing her previous route of circling him.

Stone's expression faltered at the confession.

"Your friends don't trust you?"

Sticks pressed her lips together, there was something more genuine about Stone's shift in tone, perhaps pity.

"Not usually..or maybe they do-or-ugh!" Sticks made a noise of frustration that was equivalent to a chihuahua choking on a kazoo.

The badger sits down on a conveniently placed rock, "I dunno..."

"At first I thought it was because they don't trust my intuition," By intuition, she meant insane theories, "But I haven't even had a conversation with Shadow before today, and he also doesn't trust me!" She kicks the ground in frustration.

Stone hated this badger, he truly did, but that didn't mean he didn't feel at least a little bit of empathy for her, he went through something similar himself.

"..it sounds like to me that this is more about proving yourself than proving me evil."

The badger wailed, "That ain't it it's- it's about both... maybe." she rubbed both hands through her hair frantically, "I hate feelings talk! I'm so glad Amy isn't here she would've- wait a minute." she paused abruptly through her vent.

Her head slowly turned to the hanging man, she jumped from her seat "You're changing the subject!"

"Oh, am I?" He rolled his eyes, though he wasn't sure if he was actually changing the subject or that he cared, His moral compass was jammed.

"You're trying to persuade me into being vulnerable and talking about my feelings like a- like-"

"A therapist?" Stone guessed.

"A journalist!"

That checks out.

"This isn't working... I'll grab something to get you to talk, stay right there!" she ran inside to her hut.

He wasn't going to wait and find out what it was.

It only took Sticks a few minutes to emerge from her home with a comically large feather.

"Now you'll think before you talk- where did he go!?" She yelped, and she ran towards the spot where the government agent was previously hanging.

All that was left was a net that was burnt to a crisp around some edges.

The realization consumed her before the anger did, "I was right... I'm not paranoid...I was right!!" she pumped her fist in the air, the feather long forgotten.

Her friends were going to be so sorry when they find out just how wrong they were, she started doing her little "I told you so" dance over the burnt net.

"What are you doing?" a hoarse voice a few feet behind her interrupts her short victory shimmy, she screeches.

"Shadow?!" She was almost happy to see him, almost, before she remembered that she was mad at him, she crossed her arms and turned away from him.

Shadow kneels down over the ruined net, "These burn marks... they're precise, it was a machine that had done this."

"You were right," Shadow said the words with hesitation, he hated being wrong.

Shadow narrowed his eyes when no reply came, the badger just glanced at him with one eye for a second before shutting them again and turning further away.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

She huffs and takes another step further away.

"Seriously?" He approaches her, "What has gotten into you? I don't have time for this foolishness."

"And I ain't got time for jerks either." She huffs.

"Is this about the trap thing?"

No reply, but she did turn slightly to glare at him.

"I was... wrong, okay? Now get over it."

She turned around again, they were back to square one.

"What do you want an apology?"

Sticks made a noise of frustration before sitting back down on the rock she was sitting on earlier.

"Speak up!" Shadow's patience was running thin.

"I want to understand why you don't trust me! You don't know me!"

"That's exactly why I don't trust you."

The badger's ears twitched, "oh.. that makes a little sense." her ears drooped.

The red and black hedgehog didn't want to get sappy with one of Sonic's hooligans but seems like he'll have to in the meantime.

He sat on a conveniently placed log next to the conveniently placed rock.

"I am..." He sighed, "I'm sor..." He groaned, "Sorry." it looked like he wanted to throw up, he looked down at his feet, "If we want to make this alliance work, we're going to have to trust each other from now on, happy?"

He looked down at his feet, he had the faintest blush on his cheeks, wow he was much worse than Sticks at this feelings thing.

Sticks smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder, "No worries Shads', I forgive ya'."

"Never call me that." Shadow stands up. "Let's discuss our next move tomorrow, he probably already went home by now."

"Let's kidnap him!"

"Yes because kidnapping a man from his home would make people trust you way more." He snarked.

"Oh, you're right, that's why we need each other."

"I don't need anyone."

"Oh yeah? Why're you teaming up with me then?" she teased, leaning her face uncomfortably closer to his.

"Don't push your luck." He grabbed her face and pushed it away.

_______________

Does anybody else have this problem where they write so so much but there are more words than events actually happening? yeah same

sorry for the abrupt ending lol