#and i know that i'm never going to see him or speak to him again

[amdiriel]

lonely

Azriel x fem!Archeron!reader

SUMMARY: Reader, the second Archeron sister, finds herself overwhelmed by the sight of her sisters in their respective happinesses one day. Luckily Azriel stops by her room in time to comfort her.

WARNINGS: feelings of loneliness (real), fluff, Azriel being hot (that’s a given), slight suggestiveness at the end, first time writing

NOTE: hey, i’m diri! been sort of a silent spectator on this tag for a while but then i wrote this and thought hell why not!!

WORDS: 2.5k

main masterlist PART 2

•••

The emptiness of loneliness burned hollowly in my chest, blooming when I entered my room at last, stumbled onto my bed.

Pathetically, I just wanted what my sisters had. I didn't dare show it, but I ached to be held, loved, to love fiercely and be happily, healthily devoted to someone.

I wanted to be touched and adored. I wanted to build a life with someone. To not have to look, wish, hope, or dream about it anymore.

My knees curled up under my chin as I sat there in the nest of my bedding, looking blankly at the wall as the tears came.

I hadn't realized that I had been softly weeping until the knock came to my door. Fuck. I heard his soft, beautiful voice announcing himself, asking to come in.

When I don't reply, frozen in terror that he'll come in and see me in this state, Azriel calls my name again in question. I know he can sense me behind the door, and when I sniff, he calls lowly, "I'm coming in."

Panic sweeps through me as he pushes open the door, eyes falling on me in concern as I wipe at my face. The book he borrowed from me goes from his hand to a side table as he comes to me, forgotten. "Hey. Hey, what's going on?" he asks with the softest tenderness I've ever heard him speak. To know that it was reserved for me makes my chest ache for it even more, and another little sob slips from me. He sits on my bed and reaches for me, hands going to my arms and rubbing up and down.

“I’m sorry,” I croak, shaking my head and trying to draw back and wipe my face. He doesn’t release me.

“No,” he says firmly, squeezing my arms. “No, you’ve done nothing wrong. Let me help you.”

I shake my head again, can’t seem to stop, trying to wave him off. “It’s not something you can help with,” I rasp. “It’s my own shit, I’ll deal with it—“

“Tell me what’s going on.” His tone brooks no argument.

I can’t speak for a long moment, for several long moments. The words are embarrassing, stuck like molasses on my tongue. To say them would be to humiliate myself. But he isn’t relenting. I realize that five hundred years of extracting information from people as spymaster had made him patient in a way I could never outpace.

“It’s just hard,” I finally settle on, not quite processing my own words. “It’s hard seeing them—my sisters, I mean. Sorry, I think I’m just tired, out of it—“ He shakes his head with a squeeze of my arms.

“Stop trying to excuse your feelings. It’s merely how you feel,” he murmurs, watching me carefully. A breath puffs uncomfortably in my chest, but I go on.

“I’ve always made myself content in the fact that something like that didn’t really happen to people like me. I’ve never known why,” I rasp, the color finally rising in my cheeks as I gear up to admit, “But I’m—“ I choke. “I just see them and I feel so lonely.”

His expression shutters and his eyes soften. “Sweetheart,” he whispers, stroking my arms. To hear that word from his lips is already a shock, but knowing it’s directed at me makes me fall apart more.

“I’m not one for self pity, ever,” I get out as another cry raises the pitch of my voice. “I just feel so alone.”

A huff of a sigh leaves Azriel’s lips and he draws me forward. “Come here.”

My breath shudders in my chest as I try not to lose it, try to calm myself as the tears stream hotly down my face. “I’m sorry,” I whisper again. “I feel ridiculous. It just hurts sometimes. Right here.” I rub my chest where the hollow ache is.

He hums and soon I’m in his arms. He gently scoops me onto his lap and tucks my head into the crook of his neck. He’s so warm, so strong, and smells so good that I shudder again and let myself break in his embrace.

His hushing and stroking over my hair lulls me as every bad feeling seeps out of my body. He holds me quietly until my crying ceases, until my shaking stills. Until I am merely breathing tiredly against him.

I could fall asleep like this, could die peacefully here. His hand strokes my hair again. “Feel better?” he asks, his voice a quiet rumble that rumbles in his chest, therefore mine.

I blush profusely at how ridiculous I’m being, but make no move. I nod. I can’t move, can’t look at him. I must be the silliest, most ridiculous woman—female, I correct mentally—at my age that he’s ever seen. He’s centuries old and has a better grip on things than I do. I know he feels bad for me, but any respect he had before must have loosened considerably in the minutes he’s seen me in this state.

As I’m trying to overcome my embarrassment, he strokes my hair softly and begins on a murmur, “I get this way too. I feel it right in my chest, like you said. I have for a long time.” I don’t dare breathe or move. He’s revealing very vulnerable feelings and I fear one move will scare him off. He sighs. “It is difficult—seeing everyone pair off and be happy. Just as difficult to see my brothers as it is for you to see your sisters that way. But you aren’t alone. You’re never alone.”

I sigh, whispering haltingly, “I know. But—it isn’t the same, is it?”

He shakes his head. “It isn’t,” he concedes, “But you shouldn’t doubt that you’ll find that. You’re more than deserving of it.”

A little flutter in my chest, and of all things, a smile blooms on my face. “You are too, Azriel.”

I feel his smile against my hair.

I sigh and draw away even as my body screams in argument, not looking him completely in the eye. “I really am sorry. For—this.” I gesture nonsensically between us, eyeing the wet stain at the collar of his shirt with a small wince. “I really am not usually like this,” I grumble.

His soft chuckle draws my eyes to his face, and I find him looking down at me softly, amusedly. “I know. You’re usually very formidable, self-assured. It was a surprise to see you so…” I raise my brows as he searches for the word, something he usually never has to. “Weighed down,” he settles on.

I don’t know what to say. I settle on a small shrug of my shoulder as I take my sleeve and wipe my face again, sighing as a calm settles over me again.

When I glance back over at him, he’s still observing me quietly. “What?” I croak.

“Nothing,” he says softly with a shrewd yet not unkind look in his eye. “It’s just funny.” I frown, but he continues on before I can interrupt. “You give yourself a private moment to let it out, then you reset. Like nothing happened.”

I feel a heat in my face at the accuracy.

“It’s funny because, well,” he shrugs, “It reminds me of myself.”

I glance warily over him with questioning tilt of my head. “You don’t seem like the type to deal in self-pity. Or crying at all for that matter,” I reply wryly.

His lip curls in amusement, and something hot curls in my stomach at the sight of it. My expression remains carefully composed, as it always is. “I have my moments,” is all he says.

I roll my eyes, shifting on the bed and sniffing. “Cryptic as always too.”

His laugh is quiet yet rumbling, and even though we don’t touch anymore, I feel the sound tumble deliciously through my muscles and bones, all over my body. “There she is,” he practically drawls, mirth lighting his hazel eyes. Cauldron bloody boil me.

Then he softens again. “But know that anytime you feel like this, you don’t need to wait for a private moment to yourself. Come talk to me,” he offers. Tingling warmth blooms in my chest. In my handful of years since turning fae and finding my place in Velaris, he’s been a kind but somewhat infrequent friend due to his busy nature. “What you feel isn’t anything to be ashamed of, and I’d rather you not bottle it all up.”

I eye the impenetrable Spymaster again, brow raised. “Bit of the pot calling the kettle black, aren’t you?”

He laughs in earnest now, and I watch in wonder as it lightens his features. And again that sound—

I’d been careful not to let my foolish mind not delve too deep in daydreaming about the silent, beautiful specter I had met in my house in the human lands those years ago. Everything about the fae then and even now had just seemed so elevated above my little life. And as hard as I worked, as skilled as I had become with my new body and abilities, I still felt like a complete novice, like a schoolgirl amongst grown men and women most days.

So no. I would not be the fool that fell for the male way above her very modest level, not when I knew he’d be too nice about it, and make me feel even more like the fool.

“What are you thinking about?” his voice breaks through my reverie. He’s eyeing me with amusement now, and a hint of fondness.

I force the heat creeping to my cheeks way down within the depths of myself, determined not to make more of a fool of myself than I already have. “Just wondering why you came in here. I wasn’t—“ A blush rises to my cheeks in earnest now. “You couldn’t hear me crying from the hall, could you?”

He shakes his head, hands creeping forward over my bedspread as though to placate me. “No, no. I just came to return the book you let me borrow,” he replies gently, and again my eyes fall to the book he had dropped on the table near my door as he came in to comfort me. Oh. Right. “You were right. I did like it.”

A small smile creeps up on my lips. “Of course I was right.” He chuckles again, and I relish that I can make him do so.

“Will it inflate your ego terribly if I tell you that you have surprisingly good taste?” he drawls. I let out a playfully indignant noise and gently shove his shoulder.

“Says you. You may be quiet, Shadowsinger, but don’t think I haven’t noticed you peacocking more than once,” I toss back. He draws closer with a little grin. Holy fuck.

“Well when I’m as talented as I am, why shouldn’t I?” he purrs, the most Rhys-like I’d ever seen him. I hold onto my composure for dear life.

“Yeah, well, you can take your peacocking and incredible talent off my bed and out of my room,” I retort with a scowl, shooing him as I fight blushing like a schoolgirl. He laughs, but slides smoothly off my bed and stands, hands raised in mock surrender.

I realize then that he had taken me from my depressive state, comforted me until I calmed, then goaded me until I smiled and bantered with him again.

His eyes go from mirthful to soft, and a beat passes where he’s looking down at me still sitting on my bed, and me at him. His lips quirk. “I’m glad you’re alright. Come to me with anything. I mean it,” he reiterates with gentle firmness. I nod my head.

He begins to leave, but I blurt his name and he halts. As soon as he looks at me again, I murmur, “Thank you.” He nods his head once, eyes kind.

I expect him to turn, to leave. But he steps toward me. I still as his hands gently hold the sides of my head, and he drops a single kiss to my hairline. I don’t move or breathe until he leaves the room with one last look at me over his shoulder.

My door snicks shut and a rush of breath leaves my mouth as my hands fly up to my face. My back finds the duvet.

I was fucked.

—

Azriel walks leisurely down the hall from her room back to his once more, musing on the hour that had just passed in her room.

He’d always found the second Archeron sister to be the most interesting female he’d ever met.

Clever, strong, funny. Beautiful, absolutely, in her own way. She was interesting to look at—that counted far more than conventionally beautiful.

The kind of person you don’t let get away.

He’d have to play this carefully. Had he had thoughts these past two-three years about the fact that they were both the remaining unmated ones of their respective sibling units? Yes. But he knew that even as it drew the two of them together in a careful dance around the line, it could also end very poorly if that was the only assumed reason that he wanted her.

Which it wasn’t.

Sometimes he curses that of his brothers, he hadn’t met her first. He could have, should have wooed her. Then, at least he could be enjoying the same felicity his damned brothers were currently enjoying with two of her sisters.

But she’s proving to be a tough one to crack.

It was no matter, he decides. He hadn’t failed to notice at least some attraction on her part. But she brushes off most things with a clever joke, much to his frustration.

Tonight had been a step forward. Even as it had killed him to see her in such a state, he thanked every bit of fate that led him to her room as she had been breaking.

So he could be the one to hold her, put her pieces back together.

He could have held her in his arms, in his lap until the day he died.

But he knew getting her to come back out, to grin and tease him again was more important than his selfish desires. And gods, what a sight she was when she did.

It was no matter, he thinks to himself again. He’d be patient. He’d be the person she’d lean on until he could make her want him. Maybe she’d allow him to touch her in the way he envisioned in his most needy moments in the dark of night. He enters his bedroom and sighs.

Fuck. It might be another one of those nights after all.

•••

NOTE: hey so uhhh if literally anyone cares i’ll make a part 2

[just-some-random-blogger]

I said I was going to reblog this when I woke up. That was today and now I'm sleepy and about to go to sleep but I REFUSSSE TO DO SO BECAUSE MY GOSSHHH THIS GOD MEEEEE SOMMEEEEEE TYPAAA WAYYYYY HELLO????????? 😫😫😫😫😫😫

Even if it was in a different way, you had a hard time refusing him when he used the same charm tactics as his twin brother.

I cannot put into words how this like... Changed my brain???? Like it's so beautiful and sensible and yah. That part. That would 100% happen if you were dating a twin like hello? Also idk the thought just makes me swoon ))))):

“Reckon we’re past that, hmm? Your problems are our problems, and all.”

JSJDJDJSJJSJSJSJJSHSHSHHSHA HES SO STUPID THIS IS WHY HES MY FAVE BB GIRL ARE YOU SINGLE IM TRYNA GET YOU PREGNANT AYO MY GUY WHAT DO YOU MEANNNNNNN WHEN YOU SAY THIS UR SO SILLY WTFFFFFF IM GIGGLING LIKE I GET PAID TO DO IT

“That’s a big deal.” He hummed, sympathizing with you to make you feel better. “Bloody inconsiderate, if you ask me.” But you weren’t asking him, and somehow his justification of your feelings only made you feel worse. “What? Not allowed to speak my mind?”

HE REALLY SAID SIS LOUDER AND

“If you’d rather, we can forget the elixir and grab dinner instead. I’m not Fred, but I’m pretty damn close.” He gave you a cheeky smile, earning an honest laugh from you.

NASJJSJSBSJJSJSB IM SO SORRY THE GEORGE GIRLIE IN ME WANTS SO GO HELL YEAH LETS MAKE THAT RAT FREDDIE RUE THE DAY HE WAS BORN 😫😈😈😈 HES JUST SO DARLING I LUV HIM HES SO SILLY AND STUPID FUCKKKK

“I was not getting sloshed, I was doing business.” He corrected, defensive over the fact. “S’pose you were hoping I’d take a little longer, yeah? Give you some more time to cozy up with my brother?”

“Blimey, Fred. If you took any longer, I’d imagine you’d have to move in with the lad.” George took your side on the matter. “At least she wouldn’t have to worry about you missing dinner again.”

👏THAT👏PART👏 RIP HIM TO SHREDS GEORGE. ANNIHILATE THAT GINGER GIT

“Yeah, right. What else did he fill in for, sweetheart? Anything you think I should know?”

“Yeah, but I bet you would’ve let him, right?”

EXCUSE ME

He grabbed your hand, spinning you back around to face him. He pulled you into him, his athletic build never leaving him even after he stopped playing quidditch.

.... WHAT ABOUT IT

“Bitching and moaning cause I couldn’t be home to take you to dinner… if you were so upset, why didn’t you come to me, princess? Tell me what was wrong?”

❓❓❓❓ DI BALE SANA NANDITO KA???? HELLO

(tr: NEVERMIND IF YOU WERE ACTUALLY HERE. and the pick is let's go stupid/idiot)

You could smell fire whiskey on his breath, feeling his chest heaving with anger against your own. As angry as you were, you couldn’t help but feel a rush of arousal run through you. The slight sneer on his face, the fire in his eyes, and the protective hold he had on you was sending your head spinning with thoughts much less pertinent to the topic at hand.

I fear I may be quaking in my boots... It's not the only thing quaking.

“See, Princess? She’ll always tell me the truth.”

NO CUZZZZ

His grin faded, slowly sinking into a scowl as your disobedience remained clear.

I love icarusing myself WHAT ABOUT IT WEASLEY

“So you don’t care who’s between your legs?” He continued, unrelenting as you stared him down. “Doesn’t matter who, as long as there’s a cock in you? As long as someone’s taking care of your pretty pussy?”

HES GOT SUCH A DIRTY MOUTH ON HIMMMMMMM FUCKKKK OFFF

“Doesn’t matter, sweetheart. When I’m done with you, I’ll be the only person you can think of. Surely then you won’t be able to forget who you belong to.”

Raw. Next twin.

“My little whore needs more?”

“Asking a lot from someone you aren’t being very good for.”

Brat tame me then 🙄✋ I dare you also

Silently, he sunk to his knees between your legs, pulling you to the edge of the table by your hips. He didn’t spare a single glance at your face before his tongue connected with your core, the warm wetness of his tongue even more pleasurable than the rough pad of his thumb.

VIOLENTLY SHAKING IM ILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

“Oh, god.” You gasped, your legs resting over his shoulders in attempt to stop the constant trembling of the lips. “I’m yours, Fred, fuck!” You exclaimed, a sheen layer of sweat forming over your forehead as the knot in your belly began to tighten. “Only you can make me feel this good. Nobody else.” You whined, your fingers tightening on the locks of hair as you began to tug at the strands. You could feel him smiling against you, happy to finally hear you admit the truth.

UghhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHH SO GOOD NEXT TWIN LMAO HAHAHAHHH

Green-Eyed Monster | F.W.

For the first time ever, Fred Weasley finds himself jealous over the only person in the world he needn’t worry a bit about.

Pairing: Fred Weasley x f!reader

Word count: 8k

Warnings: SMUT 18+, unprotected sex, oral + fingering (f!receiving, (lots of) dirty talk, name calling, praise/degradation, dom/sub dynamic, some nipple play, touch of a breeding kink, possessiveness/jealousy, some toxic themes, established relationship, swearing, drinking, arguing, angst, fluff, sorry if miss any!

first hp fic in a very long time! what better to post than this mess (jealous, possessive, sexy mess). basically pwp—let me know what you think! (Barely edited at all lmao my apologies)

You sat quietly at George’s desk, eyes focused on a piece of parchment as you both tried to break down the recipe George had scribbled down. There was a hiccup, a hitch in the plan of brewing a batch of Euphoria Elixir for the joke shop, and it was pushing back your plans to place them on the shelves this week. After a few hours of quiet deliberation on his lonesome, George decided to seek your help in hopes of speeding up the process.

So, the two of you put your heads together and re-read the ingredient list a million times, wondering how the hell it turned out murky green instead of sunshine-y yellow. The cauldron sat smoldering across the room, a rain cloud above it as the bubbly mixture spilled over the sides. Upon first glance, you had stated the absolute obvious.

“Isn’t that supposed to be a rainbow?” You raised an eyebrow, looking at your brother-in-law as he collapsed in his chair.

“Yes, you git.” George rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. You shot him a sharp look, warning him to be nice if he wanted your help. You knew George didn’t mean any of the insults—he was simply frustrated and maybe even a little embarrassed that he could not figure it out by himself. “Sorry, Y/N.” He conceded, realizing he came on a bit too strong.

“S’alright.” You assured him, stepping towards the desk where he sat. “Where’s the ingredient list? We’ll start there.” You offered, knowing you would help no matter how poor of a mood he was in. You loved George almost as much as you loved Fred, if you had to compare. Even if it was in a different way, you had a hard time refusing him when he used the same charm tactics as his twin brother.

After spending so many years in a relationship with Fred, it would be obscure for you not to have a bond with the closest person to him. Over the years, he’d surpassed a friend and had grown into your own brother. You were certain that no matter where life took you and Fred, George would always hold a special place in your heart. When the two opened their shop in Diagon Alley, you volunteered most of your free time to help them in any way you could, and whether it was tweaking new products or doing some of the dirty work, you never really minded.

That evening in specific, Fred was off on some ‘official business’, which really just meant meeting with a potential product buyer at The Leaky Cauldron. Last month, George took the burden of doing so, and they decided it was only fair for him to do it this time. Unfortunately for you, as much as you loved supporting them, it did interfere with your evening plans with him. So, sulking and trying your best to swallow it down, you distracted yourself with stocking shelves downstairs to prepare for another busy day ahead.

You were actually near grateful when George emerged from the office, calling out to you in desperation. It gave you a break from the monotonous back and forth, and someone to talk to. If it could not be Fred, you decided George was the next best.

“So, what’d’ya think it could be?” George asked, peeking over the cauldron that was still spitting back at him. He dodged out of the way, trying his best not to get any of the splashback on his new jumper.

“Well, from what you’ve told me, seems like you put all the right stuff in.” You deducted, pursing your lips slightly as you read over the list for what seemed like the millionth time. “Sad as it sounds, I doubt we can save it now, even if we figure out what happened.” You said, recalling your potions knowledge that Snape had relayed over the years.

“Right, but I’d like to know what’s wrong before I try again.” He explained, taking a moment to look over your sad expression. His eyebrows furrowed, his head cocking to the side as he tried to figure out where it was coming from. “What’s got your knickers in a twist?” Your eyes flickered upwards to meet his, your cheeks tinged red from the heat of the room. Your lips dipped into a frown as you shrugged your shoulders, brushing him off so you did not need to explain yourself. “I know you better than that. Come on, now.” He urged, placing his palms flat against the desk as he leaned towards you, a challenging look in his eye.

You narrowed your brows, keeping a stony expression as you met his gaze. “What’s it to you, Weasley?” You shot back, unsure of where your defensive nature was coming from. Perhaps you weren’t willing to discuss your relationship problems with your boyfriend’s twin brother, or maybe it was because you felt foolish for being upset at all.

“Reckon we’re past that, hmm? Your problems are our problems, and all.” He responded, also unsure of why you were being so reserved with your thoughts. Usually, you were an open book, especially with the two of them.

“My problems aren’t your problems, Georgie.” You shook your head, shutting down the ridiculous notion. “Let’s get back to the real problem, yeah?”

“No, I don’t think so.” George disagreed, his concern now over something completely different. “Is it about Fred?” At that, the tips of your ears began to burn and you shifted uncomfortably in your seat. “Ah, I see.” A devious smile crossed his lips.

“It’s not a big deal.” You covered your tracks, tapping the ink-less quill against the worn parchment.

“I have a hard time believing you, considering you just lied to me.”

“Lied is a strong word,” you rolled your eyes, quickly realizing that there would be no escaping the conversation. “I didn’t lie about anything.”

“What’s he done?”

“Nothing!” You exclaimed, a dry laugh leaving your lips. “It’s just… I’m just being dramatic.” And it’s true, you were being dramatic. Well, maybe not fully, but that’s what you were trying to convince yourself of. “I just miss him, I suppose. I know you both have been busy, but I think maybe I underestimated how busy you would actually be.” You continued, knowing it was wrong to confide in his twin brother about your relationship issues. Still, it felt good to get it off your chest, to voice the concern and have someone shoot you down, just so you knew you were being irrational. “This is the third night in a row we’ve canceled our plans. I’ll get over it. It’s no big deal.”

“That’s a big deal.” He hummed, sympathizing with you to make you feel better. “Bloody inconsiderate, if you ask me.” But you weren’t asking him, and somehow his justification of your feelings only made you feel worse. “What? Not allowed to speak my mind?”

“No—“ you let out a defeated sigh, slumping down in your seat. “I know that, but I was hoping you would tell me I’ve gone mad, instead.”

“Blimey, Y/N, you’re allowed to be upset. We're busy, yeah, but you’re still his girlfriend.” George said, jumping slightly when the rain cloud above the cauldron let out a crack of thunder. “If you’d rather, we can forget the elixir and grab dinner instead. I’m not Fred, but I’m pretty damn close.” He gave you a cheeky smile, earning an honest laugh from you.

“S’alright, Georgie. Thank you, though.” You appreciated his kindness, but you were sure it would only make your predicament even worse, considering Fred’s recently acquired short-fuse when it came to you and George spending so much time together. It was odd for him to be so protective, so jealous of the one person in the world he needn’t worry about, but it seemed as though the new trait was permanent. Perhaps it came from the fact he was also missing you due to your busy schedules, and how it sometimes seemed you and George were most often left at the shop alone.

“You know, I have noticed that lately.” George continued, leaning against the desk as he reminisced over the last few weeks. “Always seems to be us stuck here together.”

“Mhm.” You mumbled, slowly realizing that you weren’t as insane as you previously thought if he was noticing all of the same things. “Let’s just figure this out so I can get home.”

So you did. A grueling hour spent recounting George’s every step in brewing the elixir left the two of you puzzled and even more frustrated. By that point in the night, you were hunched over the long list of his steps you had jotted down so you could (hopefully) discover what he missed.

“I dunno, Georgie.” You sighed. “Seems like you did everything—“ you cut yourself off, leaning closer to the page on the desk as you caught something you hadn’t seen before.

“What?” He asked, his head snapping towards you. “What is it?”

“You said when you let it simmer, it was turquoise.” You said, looking up at him.

“Yeah, so?” He replied, confused why it was such a big deal.

“It’s meant to be blue.” You explained, a grin on your face as you relayed the information to him.

“Turquoise… blue… same thing, innit?” He asked, standing and walking over to you.

“Maybe to you.” You giggled, pointing to the piece of paper where he missed the step. “After you add the shrivelfig, you have to stir it until it changes color.” He walked up behind you, placing one hand on your arm as he leaned over your opposite shoulder. He smelled of butterbeer, likely due to the one he’d been nursing the entire time you sat together. You immediately noticed the warmth of his body, how similar it felt to how Fred touched you, but how drastically different it was all the same.

“Blimey, you’re right!” He exclaimed, his voice still soft so he was not yelling in your ear. “What would I do without you?” He gave your arm a gentle squeeze, leaning closer and pressing the side of his face to yours in a makeshift hug. His hand dropped to your back, lingering there as the conversation continued.

“It’s nothing, really.” You smiled, closing your eyes to enjoy the warmth for a moment. “So now you know. You can do it again, but make sure to stir it until it’s blue. By tomorrow, we’ll have it bottled and on the shelves just like we planned.”

“Our number one girl, saving the day yet again.” He sighed in relief. “I better get to it—“

Before his thought could finish, the door to the office swung open, cutting him short. Your eyes turned upwards, landing on a slightly drunken version of the boyfriend who’d abandoned your evening plans. The gloss of his eyes and the goofy smile on his lips led you to believe so, and the redness on the apples of his cheeks only solidified it. Only his cheeky grin didn’t last too long when he processed the scene in front of him, how close the two of you were, how heavy George’s hand seemed on your back and how rosy your own cheeks were.

Quickly, his jaw tightened, his gaze narrowing as he tried to decipher the whole situation. His nostrils flared ever so slightly, and his arms raised to cross over his chest. Immediately, you knew what you’d be in for; a long, tiresome argument that changed absolutely nothing. Instead of fighting the silent accusations, defending yourself for no real reason at all, you watched him with the same intensity while you awaited a snide comment.

“So what’s all this, then?” Fred asked, his face clearly conveying all of his emotions.

“Helping Georgie make the elixir while you were off getting sloshed at The Leaky Cauldron.” You muttered, noticing George straighten himself up in hopes of avoiding any further damage.

“I was not getting sloshed, I was doing business.” He corrected, defensive over the fact. “S’pose you were hoping I’d take a little longer, yeah? Give you some more time to cozy up with my brother?”

“Blimey, Fred. If you took any longer, I’d imagine you’d have to move in with the lad.” George took your side on the matter. “At least she wouldn’t have to worry about you missing dinner again.” At that, Fred’s eyes cut to you, immediately understanding where the underlying tension was coming from.

“Is that right?” Fred’s voice was no louder than a whisper, all of the pieces clicking together in an instant. “I don’t suppose the two of you had dinner? Let him fill in for me while I was gone?”

“No, we did not.” You snipped, standing as you gathered the ingredients for George’s second attempt at the brew.

“Yeah, right. What else did he fill in for, sweetheart? Anything you think I should know?” At that, your eyes widened and your face turned red. Your entire body felt like it was engulfed in flames, appalled that he would even think such a thing.

“Piss off, Fred.” You muttered, stepping out from behind the desk as tears stung your eyes. George shot you a sympathetic look as you pushed past his brother and out into the stairwell. You trodded down to the main level, swiping fallen tears away from your cheeks as you rushed out the front entrance of the building.

The cool air of the night was nice, especially after spending so long cramped up in the tiny office space, but it was not as freeing as you might have hoped once you heard footsteps following behind you. Without acknowledging him, you pulled your keys from your pocket, hoping that maybe he forgot his own set and you wouldn’t have to deal with his drunken arguments tonight if you got inside before him.

Of course, you knew that was childish and cruel, because despite being upset with him, loving him was the only thing you knew how to do. You unlocked the front door, holding it open with your boot-clad foot as he stumbled his way behind you. As soon as he passed through the doorway, you continued on your journey to ignore him and tossed your keys on the counter.

“Hey,” Fred reached out, his warm hand landing on your arm, stopping you from running any further from him.

“What?” You snapped, immediately regretting the harshness of your tone. He recoiled at the sound, shocked that you spoke to him in such a way. Usually the two of you saw eye to eye on everything, and in your long standing relationship arguing had never been your thing. Until you left school, you were certain the two of you had never been angry at each other, ever.

“What the bloody hell was that about? I leave for a few hours, and the two of you get on like that? Does that happen every time I step out?” You couldn’t help but roll your eyes again, wondering why this became such a problem in the few short months you’d been graduated.

“Merlin, Fred. You’re acting like you caught us in a broom closet.” You tried again to make your way to the bedroom, unwilling to argue a point he knew was blasphemous anyhow. “We were working, not fucking.”

“Yeah, but I bet you would’ve let him, right?” He grabbed your hand, spinning you back around to face him. He pulled you into him, his athletic build never leaving him even after he stopped playing quidditch. “Bitching and moaning cause I couldn’t be home to take you to dinner… if you were so upset, why didn’t you come to me, princess? Tell me what was wrong?” You could smell fire whiskey on his breath, feeling his chest heaving with anger against your own. As angry as you were, you couldn’t help but feel a rush of arousal run through you. The slight sneer on his face, the fire in his eyes, and the protective hold he had on you was sending your head spinning with thoughts much less pertinent to the topic at hand.

“Maybe I would have if you spared me the time of day.” You argued, finding yourself short of breath as you realized just how much he towered over you. “But, as it seems, you’ve been too damn busy to spare me a second glance.”

“Christ, when did you get so needy?” His rebuttal came easy, like he’d been waiting to have this fight for weeks. “Weren’t satisfied at home, so you thought my brother could do it for you?”

“Are you daft?” You hissed, feeling his fingers tighten on your hips. You hated that the feeling made you forget about your troubles, urging you to push the argument to the side and settle it in a better, more pleasurable way. “If that’s what I wanted, you think I’d be up here arguing with you?”

“That depends, sweetheart. Were you planning on getting caught?” He raised an eyebrow, the thud of his heart against his chest letting you know just how worked up he was. There was no way he truly believed you would do that to him, especially after all you had been through together. You wondered if maybe the lack of time spent with each other was getting to him, souring his thoughts because he missed you just as much as you missed him. “We may be identical, Princess, but he could never give you what I can.”

You hated to admit it, but for some strange reason, jealousy looked really good on him.

“What, a headache and a poor mood?” You decided to play his game if he wasn’t willing to listen to reason. If he wanted to fight, you could do it too. “I’m sure he could manage. In fact, he could probably do a hell of a lot more.” That seemed to strike a nerve in him, pushing him over the edge in an instant and changing the entire mood hanging heavy in the room. He no longer wanted to talk, but rather prove a point.

He took a step backwards, never easing his hold as he pushed you towards the kitchen table. He didn’t stop until your ass hit the edge, a mischievous look in his eye replacing the earlier annoyance. He had you locked in place, no intent to back down as he stared down at you over the bridge of his nose. Then, a small smirk turned the corner of his lips, leading you to believe he was also thinking of a much more simple way to solve your problems.

“Maybe you just need a reminder of who you belong to, yeah?” He asked, his voice quieter than it was before. You felt your mouth run dry, your eyes never leaving his as a dull ache between your legs began to pester you.

That would make you feel better, but he had pissed you off enough that you wanted to refuse him the satisfaction.

“Maybe we should get Georgie up here. According to you, he’d be the one to set me straight.” There was a slight venom in your tone letting him know you wouldn’t be letting anything go so easily. A low chuckle shook his shoulders, his eyes gleaming with a sinister look you weren’t sure you’d ever seen from him before that night. He shook his head ever so slightly, playing into you as he reached one arm behind you.

Your heart raced as you awaited a response, wondering if maybe you pushed him too far and crossed a boundary you could not double back on. You didn’t have to wonder long, because without a second thought, he cleared all of the items littering the table with one swift move of his arm. Papers scattered everywhere, floating through the air and landing all over the floor. Broken products and half finished merchandise for the shop tumbled off the edge, falling less than gracefully onto the tile below. Without ever breaking eye contact, he raised an eyebrow, daring you to say it again.

“You think he can fuck you better than I can?” He asked, giving you the opportunity to change your mind.

“Right now? Yeah.” You spat, wondering if he’d ever drop the act and get on with his day. “Seems like all you want to do is get on my nerves.”

“Yeah?” He challenged, his face so close to yours you could feel his breath on your skin. The tip of his nose grazed your own, his normally warm and comforting irises engulfed by his lust-blown pupils. Or perhaps it was anger that gave him the new look—you weren’t quite sure. “You’d rather go home with him at night? Wake up next to him every morning? Is that really what you want, princess?” He taunted, knowing very well that your heart was his, even if he found himself caught up in a few moments of doubt.

Still neglecting to give him any gratification, you nodded your head despite the sickening feeling that washed over you at the thought. As if he called your bluff before you ever said it aloud, he laughed at the certainty in your action, which only seemed to anger you further.

“If that’s the case, seems like I’ve got my work cut out for me tonight.” He responded, brushing the comment off as if it were nothing. If there was one thing Fred couldn’t ever turn down, it was a challenge, and since coming upstairs with you, it was only further proven to him that’s all this was. “Maybe I’ve gotten too comfortable, sweetheart. After so long, you think you’d know that you’re mine, huh?” Before he continued his tyrant, he used his hands on your hips to lift you onto the table with ease. The ache between your legs had grown stronger, more intense and impossible to ignore. You could feel the wetness soaking through your panties, and the thought of his strong arms lifting you so carelessly only made you spiral further. “Maybe I expect too much of you.” He theorized, recognizing the gleam in your eyes because he’d seen it a thousand times before.

He let his hands trail under the hem of your jumper, settling on the button of your jeans as he undid it with ease. You never let your eyes trail from his face, realizing that no matter how upset you were, it could never take away from how much you loved him. He was beautiful, his fiery red hair and the freckles splattered across his cheeks and nose creating a perfect picture. The softness of his complexion and the gentleness hidden deep in his expression assured you that whatever the two of you were doing was nothing more than an act. He knew you were his just as well as you did, but he knew the only way to settle the (admittedly, misguided) fear was to hear you say it aloud.

You helped him pull the fabric from your legs, wrapping your arms around his neck as you lifted your hips from the table. He discarded the clothing on the floor, paying no mind to it as he returned his hands to your bare legs. His eyes searched your face, carefully looking for any sign of discomfort. Instead, he was met with a pleading expression that only seemed to fuel his too large ego even further.

“No matter,” he disregarded his earlier rant, his eyes growing heavy as his hand fell between your legs. His fingertips grazed the thin fabric separating him from your core, a shiver running down his spine as he noticed the arousal that had soaked straight through. “I don’t mind having to show you. Least I’ll get to have my fun too, yeah?” He applied slight pressure to your aching clit, watching to see your reaction. Your eyebrows knitted together, your lips parting slightly as your hips moved forward into his hand, your body betraying your mind and begging him for something more.

At that, a grin encased his face, happy to see that he hadn’t lost his touch, even if your lives were vastly different and ever-changing by the day. He knew exactly how to make you feel good, and he took pride in it.

“See, Princess? She’ll always tell me the truth.” He taunted, his voice quiet as his eyes trailed down to his hand. You swallowed hard, knowing he had you in a stalemate. “Tell me again, who do you think knows how to make you feel good? Who does it best?” He was on a power trip, unwilling to slow down until he heard you admit it. Still, you stood your ground, pressing your lips tightly together so not a single sound could pass through. His grin faded, slowly sinking into a scowl as your disobedience remained clear.

He removed his finger from you, tracing the hem of your panties as he hooked his finger through the side of the fabric resting on your hip. He awaited an answer, giving you the opportunity to change your mind. When you kept your stoicism, he gave one, hard tug on the lacy fabric until it snapped in two. He used his other hand to do it to the opposite side, giving himself easy access to you without hearing a complaint on your end.

“So you don’t care who’s between your legs?” He continued, unrelenting as you stared him down. “Doesn’t matter who, as long as there’s a cock in you? As long as someone’s taking care of your pretty pussy?” Your cheeks flushed, your chest burning as the filthy words washed over you. “Doesn’t matter, sweetheart. When I’m done with you, I’ll be the only person you can think of. Surely then you won’t be able to forget who you belong to.”

His hand connected with your bare cunt, his fingers trailing through your arousal and settling over your clit as he began to trace slow circles into the sensitive area. Your legs trembled at the contact, finally feeling some relief from the nagging sensation that had been taking over.

“Fuck. Fred.” You whispered, giving yourself away immediately. He let out a low hum, pleased with the sound and knowing he was the reason for it. He had you where he wanted you, and now he just had to keep up the pace. You could feel his hardening length against your leg, distracting you completely from the pent up anger and frustration.

“That’s it.” He encouraged, his middle finger sinking inside of you as he let his thumb take over on your clit. “That’s my girl.” He made sure to accentuate the claim, never once letting you forget it. “All you needed was a little help remembering.” Slowly, he pumped his finger into you, keeping time with his thumb as he began to work you towards a climax. “You want to say it for me? Tell me what I already know?” Instead of responding, you let out a whine, your hips bucking forward into his hand. Although it wasn’t what he was looking for, it was just enough for him to keep going.

He curled his fingers as he pumped them into you, begging for a reaction as your hand wrapped around his bicep for support. You felt the tense of his muscles as he worked at you, only pushing you closer to insanity. You were his, undoubtedly and wholeheartedly, and you would be crazy to ever want anyone else.

“Stubborn little thing tonight.” He remarked, his eyes focused on the point in which his hand met with you, never breaking his stare as he watched his fingers disappear into you. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Need more, Freddie.” You replied, your eyes squeezed shut as you felt the pleasure pulsing under your skin. It had been a long time since you felt him this way, and your impatience was quite clear.

“My little whore needs more?” He teased, applying a little more pressure with his thumb. A gasp fell from your lips, sending your upper half leaning forward until your forehead rested against his. “Asking a lot from someone you aren’t being very good for.” He chastised you for your behavior despite being the one that caused the problem in the first place.

“M’sorry, my love. S-so sorry.” You rushed out, his fingers brushing against the sweet spot inside you only he knew how to find.

“That’s not what I want to hear sweetheart, and you know it.” His tone was firm, unrelenting as he continued his torment. You let out a groan of frustration, wishing he’d quicken the pace and give you what you wanted, even though you refused to give in to him.

He leaned forward, closing the gap between your mouths as he grew tired of waiting for the words he wanted to hear. He tasted like the whiskey that had been fuelling his poor mood, sweet and bitter all at once as his tongue grazed your bottom lip. You hated how easy it was for him to turn you into a mess, hated how easy it was for him to make you forget you were angry at all. You pulled him closer to you, holding his arm tightly so he would not pull away. You were stubborn, but despite that, you were showing him everything he wanted to see through your actions alone.

You broke from the kiss as a particularly intense wave of euphoria pulled your stomach. Your forehead continued to rest on his, holding you upright as he continued to give you just enough to keep you satisfied.

“Say it, princess.” His voice was low, raspy and laced with desire as he watched you turn into a mess below him. “Tell me you’re all mine. Tell me I’m the only one who can make you feel like this.” Instead, you connected your mouths again, letting a desperate moan out at the same time. He drank in the sound, his cock throbbing as his hips jutted forward into nothing. He was almost more desperate than you were, which only allowed for you to take him less seriously.

“G-gonna have to try harder than that.” You found a peculiar pleasure in leaving him on edge, giving him a taste of his own medicine as he continued to torture both of you at once. “Show me why I should say it, Freddie. Seems like you’re all t-talk.” You stuttered, tripping over your words as you tried to keep your composure.

He withdrew his hand from you, making you cry out in frustration from the loss of pleasure. Your eyes met his, desperation written all over your face as you protested his actions. Silently, he sunk to his knees between your legs, pulling you to the edge of the table by your hips. He didn’t spare a single glance at your face before his tongue connected with your core, the warm wetness of his tongue even more pleasurable than the rough pad of his thumb.

You laid back on the table, your hands sinking downwards and tangling in the soft locks of hair. Although you were denying him of the statement he wanted to hear, you could not deny that your last argument was wholly untrue. Fred was determined to prove a point, and he was doing it well.

You weren’t far off from an orgasm, his tongue making quick work at pushing you to the edge. The sounds falling from your lips were telling of your current state, and as delirium began to set in, your defenses began to break down.

He suctioned his lips around your clit, adding his fingers to the mix and returning to his earlier pace to torture you further. Every nerve in your body was ablaze with desire, need seeping from every pore as you realized just how badly you needed the release. Sick of the game, you finally broke in fear he would leave you hanging yet again.

“Oh, god.” You gasped, your legs resting over his shoulders in attempt to stop the constant trembling of the lips. “I’m yours, Fred, fuck!” You exclaimed, a sheen layer of sweat forming over your forehead as the knot in your belly began to tighten. “Only you can make me feel this good. Nobody else.” You whined, your fingers tightening on the locks of hair as you began to tug at the strands. You could feel him smiling against you, happy to finally hear you admit the truth.

Pleased with your confessions, he curled his fingers against your g-spot one last time, generously giving you the very thing you’d been pleading for. In a mess, your entire body tensed as the pleasure took hold. The orgasm washed over you, leaving your heart racing against your chest and your head swirling with filthy thoughts for the boy between your legs. A hum of approval let you know he was more than happy with your performance, and he kept his pace until he felt you relax against the table below you.

Once he knew he’d gotten the most out of you, he rose to his feet, towering over you as you laid below him. In the dim moonlight, you could see your orgasm glistening on his chin, only furthering his cockiness as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip so he did not waste a drop of it.

“Always taste so sweet, princess.” He whispered, using one hand to free himself from his pants and his boxers. “And it’s all for me.” He continued, slipping his shirt from his head. He used it to wipe his face clean before tossing it on the floor to join the growing pile of clothes. With shaky hands, you lifted your upper half from the table and pulled your own jumper over your head. “Isn’t that right?” He stepped toward, settling between your legs as his hands ghosted over your bare thighs.

You let out a whimper, his grip landing on your already sore hips as his eyes raked over your entire frame. Your gaze flickered to his cock, hard and aching for relief as he continued to tease you. His fingers tickled your stomach as he trailed his touch upwards, his palm landing flat against your breast as he gave it a gentle squeeze. He let the pad of his thumb brush over your hardened nipple, sending another wave of pleasure through you.

“Answer me, sweetheart.” He wasn’t playing anymore; he wanted to hear the words, and he was done with your obstinacy. He pinched your nipple between his thumb and forefinger,

“Yes,” you huffed, already forgetting the pleasure from your first climax as a whole new wave of need began to take over. “I’m yours, Fred. All yours.” You reiterated your earlier statement, now willing to do whatever he wanted of you to prove the point.

“Tell me how bad you want it.” He shot you a twisted little smile, almost as if he was getting off just from the thought of you begging for him.

“I need it, baby. Need to feel you, please.” You whined, reaching for his arms and pulling him closer. “Want you so bad, Fred. Been waiting all night for it.” You felt the tip of his cock connect with your cunt, his expression faltering as soon as he felt the wetness.

“God, you make it so hard to be upset with you.” He hissed the words through his teeth, using his hand to guide himself through your folds as he sucked in a sharp breath. He settled himself just over your already sensitive clit, pushing his hips forward ever so slightly to apply pressure to the spot. “Sound so pretty when you’re begging to be fucked.”

Slowly, he let his tip run back through your arousal, settling the head just at your entrance. He pushed himself forward, but just barely. You whimpered as you braced yourself for the feeling, only to be let down when he stopped himself from going any further.

“Fred,” you warned, catching his eye so he could see your desperate face. You hoped that if he did, he would stop being such a tease. “Please fuck me.”

“What was that?” He smirked, turning his head slightly so his ear was closer to you. “Didn’t quite catch it.”

“Fred, stop—“ you cut yourself off, letting out a huff of annoyance. You knew chastising him for his actions would only make him less likely to give in, even if it was incredibly hard to hold it back. “I need you to fuck me.” You repeated, clearer and louder in hopes of swaying his decision. “Can’t wait any longer, baby. Please.”

At that, he pushed forward the rest of the way, sending your entire body raising with goosebumps. The stretch as he filled you was exactly what you craved, and as he reached the hilt, his tip brushed against your g-spot so delicately that it almost made you come undone right then and there. Your eyelids grew heavy with satisfaction, focusing on how full you felt with him inside of you, knowing that he for certain would always be the one for you.

“That good enough for you, Princess? This is what you wanted?” He asked, letting himself rest inside you for a moment. He felt your walls flutter around him, pulling him even further and making it harder for him to resist you.

“Mhm,” you hummed, giving him a tired nod of agreement. You could feel him throbbing inside of, desperate for a release just like you had been moments before, but he was still trying to prove his point.

“Nobody else gets to have you like this, sweetheart. You’re mine.” He whispered, now sober from the alcohol but intoxicated by an even stronger, deadlier force; you. “He couldn’t fuck you like this, and you know it.” As he spoke, he withdrew his hips and slammed them forward into you again. The action stole the breath from your lungs, twisting your stomach with pleasure as your nails scratched over his skin.

He began at a pace, slower than normal but the force behind his movements making your head spin. You moaned quietly, lost within the feeling of being so close to him. He never failed to take your breath away, never failed to amaze you with his every move. You were so in love with him it sometimes felt like there was no room within your heart for anyone or anything else.

“Tell me, Y/N.” He ordered, his stare never wavering as he fucked into you. As much as he wanted to succumb to the sensation of you wrapped around him, he found it hard to push the thoughts of your earlier arguments out of his head. “You think he’d fuck you like this? You think he could make you feel this good?”

“No, Freddie.” You gasped, feeling the strength of his thrusts increase, sending the legs of the table wobbling. His fingers tightened on your hips, likely leaving behind angry red marks that would fade into reminders of him for days to come.

“That’s it, Princess.” He panted, his chest heaving as he tried to resist the pull of pleasure. “Don’t you think, not even for a second, that anyone can give you half of what I can.” You both knew this to be fact; nobody in the entire world could ever compare to him. “And why do you think that is?”

“‘C-cause I’m yours,” you managed to stutter out the response, watching him as the statement washed over. He brought his hand to your thigh, your legs wrapped tightly around you as he pulled you back on him with every thrust. His head fell back on his shoulders, the dim light of the room casting a beautiful hue over his already breathtaking features.

“That’s right,” he grunted, slamming his hips forward again. There was a thin layer of sweat sheen on his chest, the toned muscles of his abdomen flexing every time he moved. The exposed columns of his neck made your mouth water, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed back his own groans of pleasure. “Was that why you were mouthing off? You just needed someone to take care of you? Just needed me to fuck you?”

“God, yes.” You moaned, feeling the pressure in your belly begin to reach a peak.

“You gonna cum for me, sweetheart? All over my cock?” He smiled, looking down at you so he could appreciate the view. “Come on now, making a fucking mess of it.”

“Fuck,” you whimpered, his words hitting you hard and causing the tightening knot in your belly to tense even further.

“That’s my pretty girl. Just like that.” He continued to encourage you, studying your expression as pleasure began to twist it.

It didn’t take much more for you to descend into another orgasm, your entire body quivering as you cried out for him, singing his name like a hymn and he was the god in which you prayed to. Your throat was raw, raspy from the constant string of moans passing your lips. You were tired, almost too fucked out to continue on, but he was having none of it. He didn’t slow his pace as you came down from the high, instead speeding up and ensuring that he pulled your entire body down on him as he fucked into you.

“Freddie, please.” You breathed, feeling the threat of overstimulation begin to creep in. He would have had sympathy had he known you couldn’t take it, but he was confident in your ability to keep up with him.

“What’s wrong, Princess? Wanted it so bad and now you can’t handle it?” He asked, his eyes glazed over with lust as he felt himself approaching his own orgasm. You frowned at his words, now on a quest to prove your own point as you tried to ignore the stinging beginning to set in.

“I can t-take it.” You huffed, a shiver running down your spine as he reached upwards and palmed your breast. He gave the supple flesh a gentle squeeze, his eyes closing in bliss as he let himself slip out of the persona he had created.

“Being so good for me—just a bit longer now.” He whispered, his voice far away as his eyes settled over your face once more. “Bloody hell, Y/N.” he groaned, his forehead creasing as his eyebrows furrowed together. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

He slipped his hand between your legs, his thumb landing atop your clit. He traced slow circles, knowing you were a bit further behind him and unwilling to climax without giving you at least one more. He could see how tired you were, but it did not deter him from his commitment to pleasing you.

“I love you, Fred.” You whispered, softened entirely by the sweet look in his eyes. All of his previous anger fled, leaving him just as the boy you’d fallen so hopelessly for.

“I love you, sweetheart.” He hummed, his hips stuttering and his stature faltering. “Give me one more, yeah? I know you can do it.” And he was right, your entire body was ablaze with another orgasm much more powerful than the last two.

“Together?” You gasped, reaching up and settling your palm on his cheek.

“Yeah? You want to cum with me?” He encouraged your train of thought. “Want me to fill that pretty cunt? Really show you who you belong to?”

“Fuck yes, please.” You cried, your fingertips tangling in the locks of hair hanging over his ears. Your walls clenched around him, drawing him in and effortlessly finishing what you had started.

You felt his hips stall, a low growl leaving his lips as he pulled you down on him one last time. He managed to whisper your name as he spilled his release into you, the feeling of him filling you completely sending you spiraling on your own accord. You let out a defeated sigh, the tail end of it turning into a whine as your body went rigid. Your nails scratched at the skin of his arm, your hand on him the only thing keeping you tied to earth instead of floating up and through the clouds.

The both of you rode the high together, euphoria infiltrating every nerve in both of your bodies as he leaned down towards you. Ever so gently, he laid his head on your chest, which was still heaving as you tried to catch up from the lack of oxygen. He placed a plethora of small kisses against the warm skin, his eyes fluttering closed as he appreciated the comfort that came with your company.

Silence hung heavy between you for a few moments, neither of you sure where to go from there. You were still strung out on bliss, barely remembering what got the two of you in the position until he spoke again.

“M’sorry, sweetheart.” His voice barely broke through the room, so timid and shy that you almost missed it completely. “I know you’d never do that. Just got in my head, I s’pose.”

“I… I get it.” You sighed, twisting a lock of his hair. “If I walked in on that, after us being so.. you know. I’d likely feel it too.” You confessed. “I was upset that we had to cancel dinner. I am upset, but not at you.” You tried your best to explain yourself despite exhaustion eating away at your mind. “I’m just upset because I miss you. You’re so busy now, and I’m happy for you, really, but I miss you too.”

“You think I was bloody happy about it?” Fred chuckled, the tip of his fingers tracing shapes into your skin. “I’d much rather be here, with you.” At that, you relaxed completely, understanding that you had gotten too far into your own head. “It’s my favorite place to be. Always has been.”

“Mine too, Fred.” You hummed, smiling softly at the thought.

“I reckon I was a bit jealous, ‘specially at the thought of you and George spending so much time with each other. Would rather it be me, you know, sitting at the shop and laughing with you all night… taking you out for dinner… loving you.” Another gentle kiss was placed to your chest, just before he looked up to meet your eyes. The soft, warm, familiar sight made you feel at ease. He was back to being your Fred, the one you missed all along.

“Darling, you have nothing to be jealous about.” You promised, smiling as he placed a quick peck on your lips. “Though, if it means we get to have brilliant sex like that, by all means do what you have to do.” You explained. “Bloody brilliant, at that.” Without any further words, the two of you descended into a fit of laughter and the clouds that previously hung above your head seemingly cleared in an instant, easily proving to him there was really never a need to worry at all.

[laufeysvalentine]

i want you.

remus lupin x fem!reader | masterlist

summary ༄ remus x best friend!reader -- or in which you're in love with your best friend, but he's not exactly in love with you back... angst

word count ༄ 3.2k

nora’s notes ༄ eeek my first writing post!! i'm so excited. this is kind of bad but IDC part two will be coming and i swear will be better written okay enjoy!! mwah 💘

“moony!” you sing-song as you twirl into his dorm, lips spread into a wide grin. “we’re leaving for hogsmeade, hurry up.” 

he’s on his bed, glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose as he glances up from his book, suppressing a smile when he sees you. “hi, y/n.” 

he embodies the word comfort, you think. he’s wearing one of his trademark warm wool sweaters, an empty mug of tea by his knee, gray blanket draped across his lap, and that smile. it would be the death of you, you were sure of it. 

“hi,” you respond, clasping his book and setting it onto his bedside table. “c’mon, everyone’s waiting for us downstairs.” 

he sighs so deeply you think he might crack a lung, and loops his pointer finger through one of the belt loops of your jeans to pull you onto his bed. “do we have to?” 

as much as you’d like to stay here with him, you also want to buy more chocolate frogs, so you spring back up, tugging at his hand. “yes, please. i’m low on my candy stock.” 

he groans, letting you pull him off of his bed and out of the dorm. “your sweet tooth is killing me.” 

you shrug. “that’s what you signed up for when you said yes to being friends in first year. now you’re just living with it.” 

he just hums in agreement, letting you wrap your arm around his. remus lupin, your best friend. he’s the kindest man you’ve ever met, let alone known. it would be a lie to say you weren’t completely and utterly in love with him, and even more of a lie to say you hadn’t been since before you were a teenager, even if you didn’t understand it then. but, alas, as soon as you’d admitted it to yourself, you also resolved to never, ever tell him. you were sure he didn’t feel the same about you, and why would you carelessly toss away the best friendship and most understanding person ever just for some feelings? 

and so, you waited and hoped, prayed that it would go away. you would move on and keep your friendship. 

and, of course, you didn’t. 

“y/n!” james calls once he sees the two of you walking down the stairs to where the rest of the marauders are waiting. “finally.” 

“we sent you up like ten minutes ago,” peter complains, frowning. 

you shrug. “oops.” 

remus shifts his arm to settle around your waist, nudging you in front of him. “well, we’re here now, so get a move on.” 

you thread the hand he placed on your stomach with your own, thumb rubbing circles onto his. he smiles down on you, and that smile, oh, lord. you could see it a million times and never have enough. you’d jump over bridges to have him watch you like that all the time. you’d sell your soul to be his, really and truly. and the worst part is, you have no shame about it. merlin, you’re in love. 

—

jelly beans or chocolate frogs, that is the question. you glance at one, then the other, then the other again. your shoulders slump. it’s too hard of a decision. you’re about to cave and get both when you feel warm arms wrap around your waist, a chin settling onto your shoulder. without looking, you press a kiss to remus’ cheek. “hi.” 

“hi,” he replies, inhaling your scent, nose tucked between your ear and your hair. 

“chocolate frogs or jelly beans?” you ask anxiously, holding up the two in front of you. “or both?” 

“both,” he agrees with you, and you can feel the tension slowly leaving him as he stands behind you, entwined with you. 

you nod, happy with his judgment, about to speak when someone beats you to it. 

“remus?” a voice yells from behind, excitement coloring her tone. 

you know who this is without looking too, but you wish you didn’t. remus slowly stands back to his whole height, and the sudden absence of his warmth makes you shiver. you turn just as he does, even if you don’t want to see the girl beaming at him. 

you know her, of course you do. doesn’t everyone know celeste huxley, the most beautiful hufflepuff to grace hogwarts’ campus? angels sing when she walks past, men and women fall to her feet in her wake. she’s worshiped, adored. okay, you’re being dramatic, but still. 

you hate her. 

you hate her silky hair, her evergreen smile, her cesspool of kindness. 

and you hate yourself more for hating her. she’s never been mean to you a day in her life, she couldn’t be mean to anyone even if she tried. but still. she’s who you’ve tried to be your whole life. she is the blueprint, the model with cherry-red high heels you wobble and blister your feet in. she has all Os on her OWLs, victoria’s secret hair, people who love on her like a celebrity. and she’s fucking obsessed with your best friend, of course. she could have anyone in the world, and she picked him. why couldn’t she love sirius or james, like half the girls at the school? why did she have to want remus? 

and the worst part is, she deserves him. he deserves someone as perfect as he is, even if that’s celeste. 

as you swallow down your hatred, you realize she’s started to pull remus away from you, pulling on his sleeve towards the jelly slugs, and you almost lob your stupid chocolate frog at her head. tears sting your eyes and you try your best to blink them back as you watch remus watch you, only half-listening to her blabber. he knows you hate her, and the most sheepish, guilty look comes over his face. you ignore him, putting your candy back, too upset to think about eating it. luckily, you spot sirius in the corner and quickly try to make your way over him when you’re pulled back. 

remus has got ahold of your belt loops again, and you watch him whisper something to celeste before gently removing her hand from his sweater and pulling away. he chose you now, but for how long? the thought chills you, goosebumps prickling your skin, your heart. 

“dove,” he says quietly by your ear. “what happened to your candy?” 

“didn’t want it,” you mumble, walking towards sirius. 

“why not?” he’s dancing around the topic, and both of you know it. 

“not hungry.” 

“i’m sorry.” 

“s’not your fault,” you say. you’re not mad at him, you could never really be mad at him, but you’re upset nonetheless. you push away towards the black-haired boy perusing the shelves. “siri, you done?” 

you link arms with your other friend, leading him out of honeyduke’s, leaving remus trailing behind. 

—

“hi dove.” a voice, and its accompanying owner, peeks out from the doorway into your dorm. “may i come in?” 

“hi rem,” you say in response, beckoning him in, putting your book to the side to let him crawl onto you. “can’t you always?” 

his shoulders sag slightly, slumping into your bed as soon as he reaches it. his head is in your lap, and he closes his eyes once you begin to massage his scalp with your fingers, pressing a kiss to your exposed hipbone next to him. 

you don’t say anything, you just let the silence dance between the two of you. 

he’s so pretty. you brush some of his sandy strands out of his face to let yourself just admire him. the towering giant and all his gentleness. your fingers trace the outlines of his face, the scars that decorate it, all the way down to his right pinky, where he has the cutest tattoo. 

i love you is all you want to say. the words pulse at your throat, begging you to let them free. but you can’t. you can’t lose him. anyone else, sure, you would do it. but not him. not remus, your remus. 

when he wakes, groggy but grounded, you have a hot cup of tea ready by your bed, ready for his consumption. you hand it to him as soon as he’s fully awake, pulling himself off of you to accept the mug. “i don’t deserve you, dovie.” 

“don’t say stuff like that, rem. if anything, you deserve better.” you press a kiss to his cheek, smiling. 

“there’s nobody and nothing better than you,” he promises, hand landing on your lower thigh to massage it gently. you smile, letting the quiet linger between the two of you a little longer before speaking up. 

“you wanna talk about it?” you ask, watching him sip his tea. 

he gives you the most adoring smile, and you want to put it in a box and lock it up and keep it forever. “just tired.” 

“okay,” you say, searching his face to verify what he’s saying. “you can always talk to me, you know.” 

“thank you.” remus is always sincere, it’s one of the things you love about him, but he seems especially sincere now. “you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, y/n.” 

“and you are to me,” you whisper, eyes dipping to his plush pink lips. you want to kiss him so badly right now, but you know he just means it like a friend, as much as you wish it wouldn’t. 

swallowing, you wipe those ideas away, choosing to rest your head against his fleece sweater-covered shoulder. he drops a kiss onto the top of your head, and you sigh in contentment. this is why you refuse to tell him you love him. you couldn’t live without these moments. 

“there’s a party tonight at nine-ish,” he says softly. his thumb is rubbing circles on your knee. “sirius is dragging me along. will you come?” 

you contemplate it only briefly. “i’m tired, rem. you should go, though.” 

“i’ll stay back with you,” he decides with resolution. your heart melts, it’s sweet of him to want to stay with you, but you want him to have fun. plus, you can feel in how his body coiled with excitement when he talked about it–he wants to go. 

“no, go.” you glare playfully at him. “i won’t forgive you if you don’t.” 

“i’ll stay with you,” he repeats, staring right back at you. “it’s just a party. i’d stay with you forever, you know? you’re my favorite person.” 

“i’ll be mad at you if you don’t go, i swear to merlin,” you egg him on, heart melting. 

“no.” he’s too stubborn for his good. 

“i want to be alone,” you lie. you know he wants to go and you refuse to hold him back. “i might come later on, just not at nine. i’ll be there at ten, maybe.” 

“and i’ll wait for you,” he promises. 

“please, remus.” you put on your saddest tone, gaze up at him pleadingly. “i just need some alone time.” 

“you want to be alone?” he asks cautiously, searching for any hint you may be lying. 

“yes.” you cross your toes, tucked under your quads. 

he’s hesitating, and as if in perfect timing, a knock sounds at your door before a familiar head of black hair peeks through. 

“moony, let’s go. leave poor y/n alone.” sirius clicks his tongue. 

you push remus’ shoulder lightly, gesturing for him to go. he casts one long look at your face, as if memorizing every ridge. 

“she’s not going to change while we’re gone, get a move on,” sirius groans from the door. you nod at the statement, and remus concedes. 

“i’ll be here the whole time,” you promise. 

“call me if you get lonely.” he makes you swear before reluctantly getting up. you kiss his hand to send him off. 

you were lying when you said you would join him at nine. five minutes after he’s out the door, you’re fast asleep under the covers, the ghost of his touch comforting you. 

—

as soon as your eyes open, you let out a sound of disappointment. you can tell you haven’t slept through the night, as none of your roommates are in their beds, and they always sleep in. the clock reads that it’s only a bit before eight forty five, and you roll over in your bed. you know you won’t be able to fall back asleep, but you try anyway, until the door slams and your eyes fly open. 

it’s lily, face flushed with the cold and excitement. the second she sees you kissed by sleep, she covers her mouth. “sorry, y/n! were you sleeping?” 

you wave her off. “no, i was already awake. what’s up?” 

“james is going to be at the party tonight. will you come? please, please, please? i don’t want to go alone with him,” she begs. “please.” 

you weigh your options: if you stay here, you’ll just lay in bed, not sleeping. you might as well go with her, you’ll see remus there too. 

“okay,” you agree, and she practically drags you out of bed, she’s so happy. 

—

even though lily’s the one who dragged you here to keep her away from james, she’s off with him in a corner within ten minutes of you getting there, leaving you in a sea of other people, alone. of course, you know most of your housemates that are stuffed into this crowded common room, but you don’t know any particular one of them enough to properly go up to and chat. you sit awkwardly on a couch for a few minutes, next to couples making out, before finally just giving up and getting ready to leave. 

you saw sirius going into a bedroom with someone, so he’s out of the picture, peter’s smoking in the corner with some ravenclaws you have no interest in speaking with, james is alone with lily, and he’d kill you if you interrupted them, and you have absolutely no clue where remus is. 

whatever. you walk towards the door to the girls’ dormitories, stumbling over students on the way, when you just barely catch a glimpse of sandy hair outside on a balcony. you’d know it anywhere–that’s remus. you scramble towards him, eager to see a friendly face, hand cracking the door open, when just as quickly as it came, the excitement dies in your throat. 

because just behind remus is a girl you hate to see. celeste, hair floating behind her. if you blink hard enough, you see a breeze wafting through her hair as her fingers knot around remus’–your remus–neck. his hands are on the small curve of her waist, and he’s pushing her against the railing and, oh god–they’re kissing. 

you let out a thick gasp and your hand slaps over your mouth. you turn and flee. they probably heard you, but they can’t maneuver through the crowd like you can. within seconds, you’re sure you’ve lost any trace of them, darting through people as you sprint outside to the outside of the castle. sure it’s past curfew, but you can’t bring yourself to care. 

no one will see you now. 

he’s supposed to be yours. he was yours, he was yours in more than just a best friend. those nights when he fell asleep in your bed, having you wrap your arms around him for warmth, he was yours. when you always visited him post-full moon in the apothecary, and as much as he wishes to push you away, you never let him, he was yours then. when he lets you in, truly and fully, and lets himself cry against you, letting you take care of him for once. you’re the only person he’s ever let himself cry in front of.

and even though you’d deny it a million times, and you did, to sirius, to james, you’ve always hoped that he liked you back. deep down, in the parts of your soul you only ever showed to him. he didn’t have to love you, even. just like, that would be enough. anything would. 

but that was too much for him, clearly. 

you’re crying. tears, fat and hot, soaking the skin on your cheeks. head in your hands, letting your open palms pool the salty water. you feel nothing but yourself and the wind against the cold of the stone steps, whipping your hair around. 

“dove.” 

you squeeze your eyes shut, hoping you’re hallucinating, praying the voice you just heard wasn’t real. you couldn’t see him right now. that would be humiliating. 

“y/n?” 

you crack your eye open when you hear the same voice, trying to swallow your sobs back and failing as they manifest into ugly hiccups. you’re not hallucinating. merlin damn it. 

in front of you, peering up at your blotchy face, is remus lupin, your best friend. the man who’s not yours. 

he’s on the step below you,  but one hand snakes its way onto your knee, soothing your skin with his slender thumb, the other finding your hand to intertwine your fingers. fuck, his touch both makes you lean into him and want to throw up at the same time. his eyes are chock-full of compassion, and god, you hate it. “what’s wrong?” 

his words send you blubbering into tears again, rubbing at your eyes as something splits open in your chest. “n-nothing.” 

“something’s wrong, love. let me help you. let me in,” he pleads in the softest tone, and you have to fight to not give in, to wrap your arms around him and never let go. remember celeste, remember that terrible sight of his lips on hers. 

“remus, leave me alone.” you’re shaking, but somewhere inside you, you find your resolve. you stand, pulling away from him, and make to run back inside the castle, but his long legs catch up to you easily, arm shooting around your waist when your knees buckle and you collapse onto the floor in sobs. 

“y/n, you’re scaring me,” he says, panic accumulating in his voice. “please tell me what’s wrong and i’ll fix it, i promise. please, baby. it’s killing me hear you cry.” 

you’re so close to the doors, you can see them. you stand again. “you don’t get to say that.” 

“what?” his arm’s still around your shoulder and you shove it off. 

“stop it! you’re so mean, remus. you don’t get to call me dove and call me baby and say stupid things like how there’s nobody better than me and i’m your favorite person and then go off and kiss other girls,” you spit out on the verge of hyperventilating. you don’t even know what you’re saying anymore. it’s just coming out, spewing out of your mouth like the vomit that’s sure to follow. but even as each word shocks you, you know they ring true. “i hate you for it. i hate you for leading me on for years when i’ve loved you since we were kids! you’re terrible, remus. i hate you.” 

he’s absolutely stunned trying to process your words, and you use the momentary distraction to race back into the school, gunning for your dorm and locking it once you’re inside. the image of celeste and remus plays through your mind all night, so much that you can barely even think about how you confessed your love to him.

masterlist | next part

tags @lydiasfalling @dancingwithourhandsuntied

[retiredteabag]

Unknown Rivals

Pairing: Sukuna x Reader

Synopsis: There was only one thing worse than being paired with Sukuna for an important school project, and that was realizing the slacker somehow had a higher class standing than yourself.

Tags: Academic rivals, enemies to eventual lovers, type A reader, mentions on anxiety.

pt. 1 - pt. 2 - next part

〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰

You had been partnered with Sukuna for weeks now, and you were starting to lose it. After turning in your draft for the final presentation, you had learned of your classmates status as a student.

After having assumed that every meeting the two of you held was more of a free tutoring session for the lazy man, it would turn out Sukuna was the only student in class who was rivaling your own grades.

After this information had been absorbed, you left class without so much as a glace the boy's way.

It killed you to know that he was so nonchalant, that he barely put any effort into class and work yet he was up there with you.

He likely thought you a fool, all that time "teaching" him, he probably spent mocking you.

You couldn't help the flood of thoughts that overtook you, thoughts of him mocking you to his friends, thoughts of him screenshotting your messages to send to some group chat, thoughts of him making jeers at your intellect while you explain a concept ad nauseam.

Oh, how you hated him.

It didn't help that you so desperately craved approval from others. Teachers, friends, parents. You wanted it all. If you hadn't their validation, what did you have?

You worked tirelessly to earn the grades you maintained, even if people teased you, called you stuck up, or a sycophant. Was it so wrong to want to be liked?

And here he was, above it all, putting little to no effort into his work and still coming out on top.

He must have found it real funny. Probably had a good laugh every Friday when you met to "work" on your project.

That is why you found yourself writing up a short email, explaining how you no longer had an interest in meeting with him to prep. Requesting he develop his final presentation alone and informing him that from that day forward you would research, write, and present separately.

You hadn't even requested he send in his work for your review, though he had never done it before. No, you would do your part as far away from Sukuna as you possibly could and hope he never looked your way again.

This project was a big deal, you would be presenting it not just to your classmates and professors, no, but company stakeholders as well. They would be coming out to the auditorium to see students speak during finals. Some might even be looking for possible interns.

Apparently Sukuna knew what he was doing so maybe you didn’t need to monitor his work.

You were still going to stress about it though.

--

"UGH! I just cringe to think of every conversation. Why was he even meeting with me?"

You and your roommate had gone out for dinner and you were regaling her with the woes of your school project while she dipped her fries in a generous coating of milkshake.

"That boy looks like he's never held a coherent thought in his head, I doubt he cared to spare any consideration to something other than himself." She spoke with her mouth full, taking another bite, "He looks pretentious."

She wiped her fingers off on her jeans and reached for another handful of fries.

"But that's just the thing" You sigh, "he looks like he wouldn't handle complex thought but-" you're cut off by her giggle but you push onward, "-I'm serious! But he's apparently some wonder boy, a reeeeeal academic." You end your thought with a huff, dipping a nugget into some ketchup, and finishing your meal.

"Well now your Fridays are free, that's nice at least." She shrugs and all you can do is nod. "Who would have thought popular Sukuna is a nerd like you."

"He's not a nerd." You point a finger at her, "He doesn't even study! And I don't get why everyone likes him, he pays nobody the time of day."

"Are you kidding me?" She makes an incredulous laugh, raising her browns.

"What?"

"You haven't the slightest clue why he's so popular? Have you seen the man?"

As much as you hate to admit it... she was a little right. He was undeniably attractive. And his tattoos stretched across his body in a way that made him look like art. He wasn't a peacock either, flaunting himself, he seemed indifferent to the whole thing. He really was just one lucky bastard.

I seriously hate that guy.

--

The next week was filled with your typical busyness, avoiding your project partner didn't really occupy too much space in your mind, especially since he hadn't taken the curtesy to even respond to your email.

That was why, when you eventually saw him straighten his posture the second you entered the shared class, him stalking your movements carefully, you couldn't help but feel frustrated.

Did he say anything? No. Did he try to get your attention? No. But he kept looking at you, and every so often during the lecture, you could feel his gaze in your direction. Serving to annoy you further. He could pay no attention in class and still catch up to your academic level.

Stop being a distraction.

Ugh.

--

After the last fiasco with this professor, you weren't exactly looking forward to sharing a word so you found yourself packing up the moment class was over. It hadn't even taken you putting away your folder for you to feel a hand on your shoulder.

"Hey."

You narrowed your eyes in his direction. Sukuna spoke.

"We should probably discuss the presentation."

This might have been the most you had ever heard him say at a time. About school or otherwise.

"I sent you an email, you know?"

You shuffle your bag to fit everything comfortably and zip it up. Continuing on, "We already split everything up, if you'd like to see my slides so you can match my format you'll find them in the email I sent." You swung your bag over your shoulder, "Last week."

You were making your way to the classroom door, fully prepared for him to shrug it off, but he seemed to have kept up with your pace, speaking down into your ear as you made it to the threshold.

"I've looked over your slides. That's not what I'm talking about." He followed behind you, opening the classroom door wider to stand next to you.

"Sukuna. I emailed you. I've emailed you several times. What about our project do we need to discuss that you couldn't have just emailed me about?" You try to keep your voice down, your professor was still at his desk.

"Shouldn't we... I don't know, be practicing?" He shrugs.

"...What?"

"Practicing? For our presentation? I don't know, I figured you would be the type to want things to flow smoothly."

You pull back, "I do want things to flow smoothly, like I already stated in the email, I am going to present first, then wait for questions, and then you'll go and do the same."

He raises a brow, "I got that." The way he looks at you and speaks so patronizingly distinct as if to suggest you were the slow one. "I'm just saying, we should practice at least once, I want to make sure you can do it."

It took you a moment to understand what he had just said. No way, NO WAY he had just suggested that YOU didn't know what you were doing. You bark out a laugh. "I'm sorry? You want to make sure I can do it?"

He stands still, looks up at the ceiling, and hums, "Well, you're so anal about stuff, I figured you'd want to."

You can hear the blood pounding in your ears, "I'm sorry I like things to be done right." You swing your bag a little more aggressively. "I'll send you my presentation notes so you can make sure I can do it."

You start to march down the hall, offended by his lackadaisical insults when he swoops up to you in just a few strides. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying.... wouldn't it soothe your anxiety to go over it together? I don't think it's wrong to suggest that we would do better after having gone over it at least once."

Oh sure, he was thinking about your anxiety, how kind. You roll your eyes.

You saw him out of your periphery and clutched your bag to your chest as he approached. When you turned to see him he had his arms raised in defense. "If you really care so much I'll add my slides to the presentation and send it to you."

"Good." You swung back. "I've only been asking for," you roll your eyes, walking backward to one of the campus exits, "oh, I don't know, weeks?"

"Fine." He huffed, squinting at you, "But we seriously should go over it so I can be sure you don't ruin my work with your public speaking." He was smirking at you, you had never seen that look on his face and you hoped never to see it again.

"Oh-" You gasp, "my gosh." You stomp away, whipping out your keys, "Thanks Sukuna, I'll try not to ruin all your hard work since you're such a team player."

That man was dead to you.

--

You would never say it to his face, but as finals approached, you were beginning to feel the typical sickness in your stomach. You made recordings of your note cards to listen to at night, practiced your speech endlessly, and changed the batteries in your clicker at least three times.

You had always been anxious, memories of puking before tests as a child still live on in the churning of your gut. This anxiety helped to motivate you but was unnecessarily intense, your own mother had told you to loosen up in the past but that was simply not something you were capable of controlling.

"Well, you're so anal about stuff-"

Oh, that man pissed you off. And after all that effort to seem cool and composed in all of your "tutoring" sessions, he could still tell that you cared. Cared more than you should.

You would never be the cool girl.

And this was why you were growing more upset with the understanding that you felt- you knew you really would feel better if you could just have the chance to practice your speeches.

But your pride had gotten in the way.

Couldn't he have just said that he wanted to practice instead of making it seem like he didn't believe in you?

His email did come, by the way. No words, just an attachment.

And damn him, the slides we good, not too crowded, and perfectly concise, he even had his speaker notes included and as you whispered them to yourself while sitting on your mattress you became determined.

You would not let this man outperform you. There would be employers present looking for interns and if you wanted to be noticed you could not be seen as the weak leak between the two of you. Especially not if it was Sukuna.

You started your email at 11 that night and rewrote for far too long.

Yes, you would practice your presentation with him, because and ONLY because you wouldn't allow him to drag you down.

It would also help settle your nerves, but he didn't need that confirmation.

It was on. Partner or not, you were fighting for the top spot in class and if your speaking ability fell short in comparison to his, you could not ever stand to look at him again.

But one thing you knew for sure as you sent the email, was that your advisor would be receiving some correspondence about avoiding a certain someone in future semesters.

It was past midnight. You started drafting a note about your class enrollment needs.

〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰

Tags: @blueyesuguru @monimonster57

[mingyuonlyfans]

warnings: cuddling with gyu, suggestive content

a/n: it's rainy, i'm cold, and i miss my man or whatever he is to me so bad :(( so here's a lil gyu drabble <3

asks are open!

You shuffle against the soft sheets of your bed as you wait for Mingyu to return from the bathroom. You close your eyes momentarily, right arm suddenly rising from its place on the bed, waving your hand slowly from side to side. You smile softly when you hear the sound of the water running from the bathroom stop. You continue to wave your hand slowly.

“You do that a lot.” Mingyu’s voice rings through your ears, your heart suddenly beating a lot faster than before, fluttering here and there. “I noticed just now.” You open your eyes, smiling widely and turning your head so that you can see him, face fresh and hair wet, in his favourite pair of sweatpants and a black shirt. You feel a blush creeping up your ample cheeks, spreading all the way to your ears, tinting them a soft pink. Mingyu walks over to the bed, running his fingers through his hair and shaking it, hoping to dry it quickly because he knows you love it when his hair is all fluffy and cute and he loves it when you play with his fluffy hair. 

“I know it’s weird,” you hum, “but it’s comfortable, you know?”

He laughs, and it just sends you to the moon and back, you feel your heart clench in delight. You feel suffocated, but the good kind. You could feel your chest being clouded with so much love for the boy whom you gladly call your boyfriend. You’re certain your heart will explode from too much love and positive feelings for him right there. He smiles endearingly, “Yeah, I know.”

Mingyu sits down near your resting head, prompting you to tilt your head up once again to look up at him, only for your heart to skip a beat when your eyes meet his, that dazzling smile of his never faltering. He leans down and captures your lips into a sweet kiss, which you gladly return. He pulls away, and you notice how his eyes shine brighter than it did previously, and how his cheeks were reddened beautifully. You reach up for his neck and he understands, leaning down once again for his lips to meet yours. His arms snake around your torso, lifting you up easily before settling you down on his lap.

His tongue swipes over your bottom lip, and you part your lips slightly, just enough for him to slip his tongue in to explore your mouth. You moan quietly, your hand sliding down from his neck to grab onto his forearms. You squeeze when you feel his arms tighten around you. He pulls away and you can feel his smile when he plants a kiss on your cheek before resting his head on top of yours. You move your head to the side and kiss his neck softly before proceeding to wrap your arms around his torso and your legs around his waist. 

Mingyu sighs in content as he presses you closer to him, reveling in the feeling of having you in his arms, your warmth and your scent that feel like home. “I missed you.” He mumbles into your soft hair. You smile before looking up at him, eyes shining, making Mingyu feel like he’s staring into a pool of stars. It was unbelievable, he thought, how you manage to make his heart flutter and feel like it was going to burst anytime after such a long time. You were magnificent. You lift your hand to cradle his face, and he leans into your touch eagerly, as if he was terrified of losing the warm feeling of it against his cheek. You look into his eyes, his beautiful, wonderful eyes before speaking. “I missed you too.”

Mingyu smiles, eyes glossy. He kisses your forehead fondly before he removes your legs from his waist and lays down, you on top of him. You giggle as he pulls you down, pressing your head against his firm chest, and you turn your head to listen to his heartbeat, hands tracing patterns on his forearms. He places an arm around your waist and a hand softly playing with your hair. You close your eyes, the soft beating of his heart lulling you to slumber, cuddling closer to him. 

Then thunder crashes, followed by the heavy pitter-patter of rain against your roof. Your eyes snap open, you smile, delighted with the weather and its timing. You look up at Mingyu, and you see him smiling. “Well, isn’t that nice.”

He chuckles, and you feel his chest rumble underneath you. “You’re such a nerd,” he says fondly. You smack his chest softly, though you doubt he felt it with how much he works out. “I mean that in the most loving way, baby.” You let out a huff of delight before sitting up, straddling him, pressing your core hard against his. Mingyu whines. “We’re supposed to be soft tonight. It’s raining, you’re cuddly when it’s raining.”

“I am cuddly when it’s rainy,” you muse, smiling down at him deviously, “I just think it’s nice to have some fun a little once in a while.” You tilt your head, as if your suggestive words weren’t enough. Your boyfriend shakes his head, chuckling. 

“Why can’t I say no to you?” he asks before sitting up.

You trail a finger down his chest, looking up at him through your lashes. “Because you love me.” You say before leaning in to press your lips hungrily against his. 

[preciousjoongie]

↯ MAKE HER TAP OUT ↯

↯ synopsis ⇝ jaehyun, your enemy, challenges you and sees how long you can hold off being edged.

↯ warning ⇝ smut, enemies to friends with benefits, college setting, edging, overstim, squirting (all f!receiving)

you were perch against a tree in the middle of campus, a large textbook laid out in your lap. your face was a picture of stress with the way your eyebrows furrowed and your nose was slightly scrunched.

"having trouble?" an annoyingly smooth voice rang out, pulling you out of your deep state of concentration. a shadow of a tall but sculpted figure was casted a shadow on your and your books. if this wasn't going to make you go insane, he would.

rolling your eyes, you looked up at home. jeong jaehyun. the most annoying person on campus. or should i say on earth. you two went to high school together but he never really acted like this. he was actually on the shier side, only have up to 3 friends. but now that he's gotten into college, he tries to act like he's been this way forever.

yes, people can change. but you didn't really expect it to be jaehyun. you excepted him to be a nicer and kinder person but this.. this was bullshit. you should've stuck with your gut feeling and just kept yourself trapped inside of your dorm room all day.

"i'm perfectly fine," your voice was monotoned and laced with annoyance; it made him chuckle. "why do you hate me so much, baby?" you weren't gonna lie and say that him calling you that didn't make you feel some type of way. regardless, you wasted no time to give a response, "maybe because you're an asshole."

you roughly closed your text book and picked up the rest of your supplies, stuffing it all in your bag. jaehyun looked around at the other people in the park, "you don't have to be so loud, you know? it was just a question." he looked back down at you. you got up, throwing your bag over your shoulder. "yeah, well, regardless of how i say it, you're still an asshole."

"maybe i'm not an asshole. maybe you just think i am." he said, trying to match your quick pace. "why are you following me?" you said, now walking down the empty and concrete path you take to get to your dorm.

completely ignoring your question, he brought up something that made you want to snap his body in half. "or maybe you're just mad that i won that scholarship and you didn't." you stopped in your tracks. he stopped just a couple feet behind you.

you turned around, "yes, that is why i'm angry. your family is rich that you could buy my entire bloodline. and that scholarship was the only i could afford to come here! this is one of the most prestigious schools in the world and i could've had a full ride if it wasn't for you. now my family is in life long debt and if i don't become successful then i'm done for." you threw my hands up and brought them back down, softly hitting your plush thighs.

he sighed, always feeling bad about stealing that from you. "now, please leave me alone so i can become successful and save my family." you turned back around and continued walking. but you came to a halt again as you heard jaehyun speak. turning back around, you saw him walk closer. "i'll pay it off. all of it." his hands in his pockets.

you wanted to tell him off and tell him that you didn't need his sympathy money. but in reality, you did. you needed all the money you could get. "only if you can do one thing." and there's the catch. part of you knew it was too good to be true. "uh-huh." you mumbled.

he stepped forward, hovering over you. "i wanna edge you, see how long you can. and if you last longer than my timer.. then, yeah, i'll pay it off. but if you tap out before then.. bye bye money." his voice was low and cold. you could tell he meant it.

your face shifted into disgust, shaking your head. "fuck you, jeong jaehyun." you said before walking off to your dorm room. he watched you walk. walked the way your hips swayed and the way your hair slightly bounced as you did. he knew if he were in front of you, he'd get to see your round tits bounce as well.

it's been hours since that interaction with jaehyun. you sat at your desk, working on your math when you got a call. it was your mom. "hi, sweetie," her sweet voice sounded. "hi, mom." a smile beamed across your face.

you heard a heavy sigh come through the speaker of the phone. uh oh. that's not good. "is everything ok?" you asked. "well, your father and i would lie to you and say it is but, it's not. honey, you're gonna have to come home after this semester. we can't keep taking out loans from the bank. we are so sorry." your moms voice was shaky and she was hesitant to speak.

you pursed your lips in order to try and hold back some of the tears that wanted to fall. you sniffled before speaking, "it's ok. i understand. t-thank you for telling me..?" you didn't know what else to say.

after your mom hung up and you wiped your tears, you remembered what that giant pervert said. how hard could it be to last a couple minutes being edged? you sighed, can't believe you were actually about to do this.

you quickly walked out the door, going down the single suites downstairs. this is what you could've had if jaehyun hadn't have stolen this from you. "hey, hey, do you know where jeong jaehyun stays by any chance?" you asked one of the boys on the hall.

"last door to your left." he said. you quickly thanked you, almost sprinting down the hallway. as you got there, his door was decorated with blue stickers. you rolled your eyes at how childish the stickers were. you took a deep breath before knocking, trying to not think about.knowing if you thought about it, you would've ended up back in your dorm room and packing.

about 10 seconds later, the door opened to a wait haired and shirtless jaehyun. he smiled. you huffed, pushing him into his room and closing the door. "look what the cat dragged in," he smirked with a cocky laugh.

"are we gonna do this or what?" you were impatient. not to be touched by jaehyun but to just live a life where you don't have to live in debt and where it's not eating you and your family alive.

"someone's eager." he ran a hand through his hair. you crossed your arms and your head fell back. he licked his lips looking at you before grabbing his phone. "c'mere." he gestured. you walked over to him, looking at a spiny wheel on his phone. each section had a different number from .30-5 hours. you tapped the middle to spin with furrowed eyebrows.

it stopped on two and jaehyun nodded with a smile. "i'm confused, what does this mean?" you looked up at him. "2 hours. that's how long you belong to me, doll."

"2 hours? what!? and what do you mean by "belong to you"!?" you exclaimed loudly. he threw his hands up, "you work for what you deserve." you huffed before inhaling, ready to finally tell him off but before you could do that he pick you up, throwing you over his shoulder as if you were a sack, "yeah, yeah. i've heard enough of you running your mouth today. how about we hear some of those pretty moans instead." he entered his bedroom, closing the door. setting you down on the bed, and standing in front of you, you started your shit again. he was so tired of it.

"oh, you are such a pervert." you bit back at him. he quickly shut you up by pushing you backwards on his bed. a small shriek rang through jaehyun's ears after action. you sat up on your elbows. "i'm gonna take these off, okay?" his voice was softer, changing the whole mood from tense to calm. you nodded, not even hesitating. you laid back down fully, not even wanting to watch.

jaehyun slid down your shorts and your underwear in one swift motion. you felt so bare, your face heating up and your eyes widening. it went silent after the clothes hit the ground. sitting up, you saw jaehyun staring at your pussy in awe. he bit his lip before looking up at you with a smirk. "you're so wet, baby." he cooed before taking two fingers and running them through your folds. you hissed, your reaction making jaehyun's dick grow harder.

"i can't believe i have finally have you to myself." finally..? your face had confusion written all over it but since jaehyun had already started the timer, you didn't wanna annoy him anymore. he would've probably been an asshole again and add more time if you did.

"ready?" he asked, teasing your tight hole with two fingers. "yes," you squeaked out. he immediately, but slowly, stuck his fingers into your leaking cunt. a stunted groan echoed in the room. he curled his fingers, while quickly pumping them in and out of you. you furrowed your eyebrows and opened your mouth to moan but nothing came out for a second. that was until his long fingers brushed that sensitive spot in your pussy. you moaned loudly, now letting them flow out. his cold rings pressed against your clit, making you shudder but also bringing you closers as they gentle rubbed against it.

"j-jaehyun," you cried out. the sound of your wet pussy being finger fucked echoed throughout the room. "fuck!" you shrieked as you felt yourself about to cum. he saw the way your legs started to close are his arm and how your pussy did the same around his fingers.

he couldn't have that. he wouldn't. he quickly pulled them out before you could cum. a small whine left your lips. you tried to rely on rubbing your thighs together to get off. "good girl. good job letting me know how your gorgeous body works." he stroked the inside your thigh, trying to calm you down a bit before he got back at it. maybe he's not much of an asshole as you though.. still sj assume though.

you didn't hear when he dropped to his knees. all you could focus on the small twitches of your walls and you involuntarily clench around nothing. that was until you noticed warm air blowing on your pussy. before you could even lift your head an inch, a long stripe was licked up your pussy. jaehyun's tongue was flat. his hands gripped your thighs to stop you from moving your legs.

"ah, shit." you whimpered. you pulled up your shirt, and started to softly pinch your nipples. you were doing even more damage to yourself but you couldn't help it. you moaned as receiving pleasure from two different parts of your body. sure, you've played with your pussy and nipples at the same time but having someone eat you like this while you pinch your sensitive buds made it feel so much better.

you hand reached down to grab his hair. he was slurping up your juices so loud, like he was trying to quench his thirst. he shook his head into you cunt softly. you couldn't stop the lewd noises that came from your pussy and your mouth.

jaehyun was so into it. he couldn't care less if you came right now or not. he wanted to taste your cum so bad. but he knew to not let you go this easily. he wanted to work you up and break you back down over and over and over again until your body was shaking underneath him. until your body was like jello. he wanted to see you shattered. he wanted to make you tap out just to get him to stop.

he groaned into your pussy at how good you taste, "holy, fuck." he pulled away from your puffy pussy to mutter. your pussy was so wet and sticky since was covered in your juices and his spit. all thanks to him.

he drove right back in, not wanting to pull away from it again. his tongue fucked into you so deeply and when he softly nibbled or sucked on your clit, it drove you up the wall. "ah, fuck. jaehyun.." yoh legs started to close again making him pull back. you let out a groan, your high slowly faded away again.

that's how it was for next hour and a half. he would do anything and everything to push you close to the edge and pull you right back. he fingers you multiple times, sucked your tits and even used a vibrator he bought an hour before you even showed up, just knowing you were coming.

you body was shaking as jaehyun was back at eating you out. your body shook with every slurp, feeling his now warm rings at the rim of your hole. "jaehyun.. i cant do it anymore. it's too much for me," he staggered out. tears were flowing out of your eyes from some many rejects.

"come on, baby. i know you can do it." he tried to encourage you but it wasn't enough. your legs were too weak to tighten around his head. your hand left his hair to hold on to the covers that were soaked at the end from all your juices. but they're about to be soaked even more.

your core started to tighten but in a different way. it felt like you were gonna piss on yourself. "jaehyun.." you squeaked out which he hummed to. "jaehyun!" that's when hit the bed three times, tapping out. it was kinda of too late since the moment you tapped out, you squirted. it covered the bottoms of your thighs, the bed, and on jaehyun's chest and the bottom of his face and neck. you could hear the faint sound of your arousal dripping on the floor.

jaehyun licked his lips before smiling. embarrassment flooded your body as you thought you just pissed on him. "you just fucking squirted." he sounded amazed. which he was. he'd never made a girl squirt before. and him doing this, this was like an accomplishment. he chuckled a bit.

when you found out you just squirted, you felt relieved. but suddenly, you felt dread. you basically came before the timer. you wanted to sit up and say something but your body wouldn't allow you. jaehyun stood up and looked at your body. "oh, you look so beautiful, baby." he rubbed your thigh.

"look at this mess you made." he said gesturing towards his body. his abs were covered in your juices. you held back the whimper in your throat. even though your body felt like you couldn't even look around just using your eyes, you wanted to fuck jaehyun. you don't care if you have to tap out in the first second.. you wanted to feel him inside of you.

"fuck me." you whispered quietly. jaehyun didn't let you see the shock that went through his body. he thought you'd had enough and to be honest, he was going to let you rest for the rest of the week. knowing damn well you need it.

jaehyun's shorts weren't on for much longer. his cock was now stuffed deep inside of your swollen and abused cunt. you let out a strangled moan as his hips rubbed against your pussy clit. your hands wrapped around his neck. he moved quite slow at first until you asked him to go faster. he waited for you to say that. his hips snaps forward, his abs contracting with each thrust.

by the end of the night, or early morning, you were burned out. completely. jaehyun had to help you bathe and get back into your clothes. he laid you on the couch while he changed the soaking bedsheets. he brought you back into bed, laying next to you.

"don't worry. i was going to pay it regardless. and i know i'm a big pervert. but i'm a big pervert with a crush on you." he whispered as you had finally fell asleep, playing with your hair.

divider credits: @adornedwithlight

[basuralindo]

Thanks for the @!

uhhhh

For a guy who can't shut up in the tags, I actually really suck at coming up with things to say about myself when asked (I've started off on the wrong foot at basically every job by turning into a deer in headlights when new coworkers try to get to know me with questions like this lmao)

I grew up in the mountains (singular, it was a volcano in the middle of the ocean, but similar vibe) raising chickens, and they're still one of my favorite animals of all time

Speaking of favorite animals. I was always obsessed with snakes, but they were prohibited in the state so I could never own or see any in the wild, so I got obsessed with eels as the next best thing. Once on a vacation when I was little, I almost got bit by one of the deadliest sea snakes on earth because I thought it was a zebra moray and swam right up to check it out (don't swim up to morays either btw. that would have been a bad idea even if I was correct)

Just about everyone who taught me to speak had a different accent and native language and the area I lived was a major hub for both immigrants and tourists, which resulted in me always code switching and never developing a consistent accent of my own. To this day my base accent is made up of bits and pieces of shit I lived around that leans heavily towards whatever the last person I spoke to sounded like. It's awkward af and always makes me worry that I sound like I'm mocking people

I'm 31 and met my partner when I was 14, meaning I've known him longer than I knew myself alone, and I still get really mushy about that. We talk to each other in so many layers of references and inside jokes built up over the years that it may as well be a different dialect

Tagging @quartz-candles @sluttyonceler @katabaesis @firenren @deezneezz-2 @ineffable-writer @unpredictable-probabilities @masterofrecords @weilaverdui (again if anyone feels like doing this go for it, I want to know about my mutuals but always forget names)

IF YOUR SEEING THIS, SAY 5 THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF AND TAG 5 PEOPLE

I was an sonic fan.

I try my best to stick to the canon.

I love pop & rock.

I know a lot about anime(like jujutsu kaisen) so some people misunderstand me that I like anime.

I suck at gaming

@aurora-starlight-silly @miracle-negative @r31ncl0udcry @zoepreppyutfan @fruitcake5

[sofa-king-lame]

I'm curious as to what you'd do with 47 (out of spite)!

Yay thank you!

Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors or crappy formatting, I smashed this out in the notes app on my phone lol.

—

“Honestly, Eddie, we never understood what you were thinking moving to LA,” Helena sighs. “It’s so…progressive.”

“Abuela was here,” Eddie argues. “Pepa is here.”

“Your abuela came back, and Pepa has been thinking about doing the same. Soon you’ll have no family left there, Edmundo. Moving back here is the right decision,” Ramon chimes in. Eddie’s jaw tightens and he feels Buck tense next to him, and Eddie knows he’s biting his tongue to stop from interjecting. Buck had offered to be there when Eddie told his parents he was moving back to El Paso, and given the sick feeling that had settled in his stomach when he realised he was running out of reasons not to tell them he gratefully accepted.

“I have family here. I will always have family here,” Eddie argues. “The 118 are my family.”

“Coworkers, Eddie? Really? They don’t know you like we do,” Helena sighs. Buck is now visibly uncomfortable, enough that Eddie sees it in his peripheral vision.

“You’re right. They know he better,” he bites out. “This isn’t - I didn’t call you to argue. I’m moving for Chris, I need to fix things. I can’t do that when he won’t - when you won’t let me speak to for more than ten minutes at a time on a video call with a shitty connection.”

“Edmundo,” Ramon admonishes, “you’d better watch the way you speak to us or you’ll find yourself alone in your rental unable to speak to Christopher at all.”

“Excuse me? You remember he’s my son, right?” Eddie snaps. “He’s not your do-over child after you fucked the first three up.”

“See what I mean, Ramon? He never spoke to us like this before he moved to LA. You watch, he’ll be telling us the city turned him gay next,” Helena huffs and something inside Eddie breaks. He grabs Buck’s face and kisses him, dirty and wet, right in front of his parents. Eddie had resented his parents for a long time before he moved to LA, but pure spite and anger had been building inside him since the moment they appeared on his doorstep to take Christopher away from him. He wants to hurt them.

Buck has gone completely still and his parents are silent as Eddie pulls back, eyes unfocused and hazy as he finally realises what he’s done.

“Oh. Oh fuck,” he whispers as Buck pushes his chair back and darts out of the room. Eddie hangs up the call as his parents start talking over the top of each other and runs after Buck, catching him halfway to his car.

“Eddie, I can’t talk about this right now,” Buck starts.

“I’m sorry, fuck. Shit. I should have - I shouldn’t have done it like that,” Eddie stutters. “I should have asked.”

“Yeah, maybe you should have,” Buck mutters. He won’t look Eddie in the eye and it makes Eddie feel a little sick. He’s definitely just made things infinitely more difficult with his parents, and now…now he doesn’t want to go to Texas. He didn’t want to go anyway, he was moving purely out of necessity, but now he feels like he can’t. Because that fucking kiss -

“Is it always supposed to feel like that?” Eddie breathes. Buck’s eyes snap up to meet Eddie’s, bright blue and clouded with confusion.

“Like what?” Buck asks hesitantly. His hands are shaking, but he’s not breaking eye contact now.

“Like coming home,” Eddie whispers. He hears Buck’s breath hitch in his throat as he takes an uncertain step closer, reaching out but dropping his hand back down.

“Eddie.”

“Can I try that again?” Eddie asks. Buck nods enthusiastically and doesn’t wait, closing the distance between them and kissing Eddie in a way that is so devastatingly tender he might float away on the light breeze ghosting over them. Yeah, he definitely isn’t moving to Texas now.

“Fuck,” Buck laughs, his hands coming to rest on the back of Eddie’s neck.

“Look at you,” Eddie murmurs, “corrupting this innocent Texan boy.”

“Me? You’re the one who shoved their tongue down my throat in front of his parents,” Buck snorts.

“Yeah, well. Seems like my subconscious wanted me to create a reason to not move,” Eddie sighs.

“You’re not -"

“We’ve got a 48 off next weekend. Come with me to bring Chris home? Enough is enough. He can be mad at me here, but I’m done. I want my kid back,” Eddie huffs. Christopher can be as pissed off as he wants, but he can do it under this roof. In their home.

“Oh your parents will love me being there,” Buck snickers.

“I don’t give a shit what they think. Will you come?”

“Yeah, Eddie. Of course. Let’s go get him back.”

[short-honey-badger]

It's okay may I request yandere headcanons for shanks from one piece

Absolutely it is! I LOVE some yandere Shanks. It's one of my personal favorites! Hope you enjoy! Sorry it's a little short I'm still getting the hang of headcanons ❤️

Shanks simply adores you, and he isn't shy in letting you or anyone else know it. He doesn't care about PDA or if you are getting embarrassed at his behavior. Shanks would show you how much you meant to him at any time of day. Holding you tight to his chest, that muscular arm wrapped around your waist to make sure you can't go too far. Lips always a hairsbreath away from you, ready to smother you with kisses at any point.

He is everything that you have ever wanted, as long as you are loyal to him and he doesn't catch you talking with anyone outside of his crew. Shanks doesn't trust easily, so he definitely didn't trust outsiders. So if he's a little mean when he herds you away from the group of girls you've been cutting up with, well. That's just for your own good.

"You don't need to talk to them, baby. Not when I'm right here. You don't want me to be lonely, do you?"

He isn't above making you feel guilty if he wants something either. You don't want to wear the outfit he picked out specifically for you? Well, you just don't care about what he wants anymore. You end up wearing what he wants, even if it's not something you're totally comfortable with.

And don't get him started when he catches another man speaking with his sweetheart. That lighthearted, loving attitude is replaced with something dark and dangerous. The entire island will feel the change in Shanks when he slowly stands from his seat and stands behind you at the bar from where you'd gone to get drinks.

"This guy bothering you, doll? You need me to take care of him for you?"

But afterward, Shanks will make sure you know who you belong to. How much you love him and how you would never ever leave him while he takes you apart piece by piece. His hand and mouth map you out like it's the first time he had you all over again. He covers you with his lean body, making sure that you can't feel or see or sense anything other than him.

But despite how softly he handles you, his words are aggressive, mad, and possessive all at once and all for you. You are his, damn it, and Shanks didn't think he could live in a world where he couldn't be with you. He needs you to understand how much you own him, how much Shanks needs you like he needed oxygen.

"You should have known better than to talk to another man, baby. You know that I'm yours right, so it's only fair that you be mine. Where you just trying to make me jealous, sweetheart?"

[bloggerspam]

"So, like." Steph oh so nonchalantly starts, stirring her melting froyo to the toppings mix in. "Since we're all official now…"

"Yeah..?" Val draws out the vowels, unsure of where her (new!) girlfriend (girlfriend!!!) is going with this conversation.

Steph opens her mouth, closes it. Starts to say something, stops. Opens her mouth again, only to slump as she stuffed another bite of her froyo into her mouth.

"I know the whole girlfriend-girlfriend thing is new and all," Val furrows her brow, "But we were friends first, y'know. Whatever it is," Val sets down her froyo to lay a hand gently on Steph's wrist on the table. "You can talk to me."

Steph looks up into Val's eyes, hopefully seeing her sincerity, and they lose time like that for a moment. Val could drown in those diamond blues, and thank whatever higher beings exist for it.

Steph blinks, coughing with a lovely blush on her face before she dons on a determined expression. "Jason said that you knew—about, well…"

Val relaxes, finally understanding what the issue is. "Your night shift?"

"Yes!" Steph slumps in relief. "Yeah. Well—he said you knew about his night job, but I'm—I'm glad you know about mine too."

"It wasn't that hard of a stretch. From what he says you guys know about Amity Park too, right?" Val rubs her thumb up and down Steph's warm skin.

"Yeah, 'course." Steph grins, taking another bite of her froyo and humming happily. She even does a happy little wiggle, she's so cute Val might die.

Maybe Danny can find her in the Realms and bring her back?

"It was a little hard, considering Phantom doesn't really capture well on digital, but we had our suspicions, especially when the accident was well documented at the hospital.

Val nods, leaning back and taking her own bite of her froyo before it completely becomes slop. "Bet it didn't help that Huntress avoided cameras like an expert," Val smirks, before it turns wry. "And fought like cats and dogs at first."

"I was surprised Sam hated Phantom, actually." Steph tilts her head, making a face and completely missing Val's expression. "Jason was convinced they were there during Danny's accident."

Val isn't sure what to say to that, because it sounds like…it sounds like Steph thinks…?

"Speaking of—" Steph beams at Val, blinding her in her already poor state of confusion, "Will you tell Sam if she wants to get back in the game over in Metropolis, we can put her in contact with the Supers to talk about it?"

"You want me to tell Sam this…" Val says slowly, "…because you think Sam is Huntress?"

"Uh…yeah?" Steph hesitates, before ticking off her points with her fingers. "Their fighting styles match, she's got Tucker for the hoverboard, body type is closer—"

"Body type???" Val confusedly asks to herself, Steph still listing a baffling amount of things that support her theory.

Val cuts in louder. "Out of curiousity, how did I factor in?"

Steph pauses at the interruption, blinking. "I mean—you went out with Danny right?"

"That's it??" Val incredulously asks. Steph hunches her shoulders.

"That's how I got in the game??" Steph puts down her empty froyo cup with a hollow thunk. "I was dating Red Robin before even knowing his identity, and then eventually, made my own Robin costume and made Batman hire me."

"That's actually very hot of you," Val says, though she's still confused as fuck. "I would never be able to date a vigi in their mask. Too much stress circling around secret identities."

"I threw a brick at him once for like, stalking me." Steph bares her teeth, looking Val up and down salaciously, "And masks don't bother me all that much.

Val feels her face heat before she manages to get a hold of herself. She wonders if that opinion will hold when it comes to full face helmets.

"Sam's not Huntress." Val decides to nip this in the bud, froyo abandoned into a wet glop. "And I'm going to take you to bed so I can really show you about body types."

Steph gapes at her, satisfyingly red in both mortification and, if frantic glances along Val'd body mean anything, arousal.

"Yes." Steph rasps. "Yes please."

Val wastes no time, grabbing Steph's wrist and tossing their trash on their way out the froyo place.

"I know it's technically our first date," Val says over her shoulder, handing Steph her helmet once they arrive at Val's bike. "And usually I'm supposed to wait for the third date—"

"Fuck that." Steph practically jumps on the bike behind her, wrapping her arms deliciously around Val. "We've been dating for months now, take me to bed."

"You got it babe." Val grins in her own helmet, revving the engine. "Hang tight."

The shoot off with laughter and glee in a mess of bike fumes and dust.

Mechanic! Val AU Extras!

I decided to create a whole new post for the extras, apart from the main story. Sorry If the reblog confused anyone!

But hey, i finally got the inspiration to write this scene out!

It's really bad and rushed because I JUST finished it, but its done and i am not changing it. <3

Also on AO3 :)

===

Jason has a plan.

He fidgets with the box of chocolates in his hands, waiting for the door to open. Danny had said he understood, in his texts, had reacted positively to Jason asking to see him, to celebrate Danny's move.

But text can only go so far, and the subtext is actively trying to murder Jason via anxiety and guilt.

Jason's not 100% sure, basically, that Danny knows Jason likes him. The misunderstanding was cleared, but the uncertainty has not.

Jason had a plan, a big one. He was going to take Danny, just the two of them, to the Gotham Observatory to celebrate the move. He was going to lead Danny through the exhibits that he had researched thoroughly before hand, and then take him to dinner at this little hole in the wall Italian place, with the perfect mood lighting and atmosphere for a cozy little dish of spaghetti. Maybe joke about Lady and the Tramp, tell Danny he's pretty.

He was going to ask Danny to be his boyfriend, cuddled up together in the ambient candle lights in his best leather jacket and a little moon rock pendant, to the moon and back and all that. It was going to be perfect, it was going to be good.

And then, maybe, in the far off future Jason could…could let Danny in. Let him know he knows about Phantom, despite Steph's doubts. Slowly start teasing Danny about Red Hood and Jason Todd being on his Hall Pass list.

But then Talia had snitched on Timbers, taunted Jason about how his little replacement was so very hard to catch before throwing a knife at his head.

And then the misunderstanding happened, and Val with the Red Hood reveal, and—

And Jason had a plan, but the plan went to shit.

But Jason is a Bat, against all fucking odds, and so he pivoted, adjusted, re-calibrated the entire time he was working on that stupid Mazda.

The new plan is sound. The new plan is a little slapshot, but it works, and Jason has been practicing his heartfelt apology and subsequent love confession for the last two hours.

The door opens, Danny looking worse for wear. He looks sad, downtrodden, and hurt. Eye red-rimmed and skin a pallor that insomniacs love to don, lips chapped and bitten to all hell. His hair is all over the place, and his voice creaks and cracks when it asks who is it? before the door is even fully open, and Jason thinks he'll have to tell Danny not to do that in Gotham, to check before opening the door because it's not safe and—

And Danny is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, eyes widening upon seeing him, looking flustered and embarrassed to be seen in "such a state."

Jason practiced, he reminds himself, for two hours.

The door opens, and Jason opens his mouth before Danny can even greet him.

"I'm Red Hood!" His voice squeaks at a pitch it's never squeaked before, "I'm Red Hood, you're Phantom, and I'm desperately hoping you understand that I'm an idiot and I was being chased by three ninja assassins and had bloody gloves and couldn't text properly."

Danny is speechless, Jason can see this by the way his mouth flaps open and shut but no sound comes out. Jason is about to crawl out of his own fucking skin. He doesn't remember what his speech was before. He pivots.

"I know I should have waited," He continues, and despite all the training he's so panicked he possibly can't even see anymore, "But I don't like making you wait if I can help it because I'm kind of desperately in love with you?"

There's a long silence.

"Was that a question?" A different voice calls out from behind Danny. Tucker, he thinks.

"No!" Fuck, his face is burning. He looks Danny in the eyes, tries to convey confidence. "I am desperately in love with you."

He stands there, just for a moment, before remembering the chocolates and shoving them gentle into Danny's chest, who takes it with a startled blink. "I got you chocolates. To say sorry, and that I like you."

Danny looks down on at the box, a novelty thing. They're fancy, high quality, shaped into the different moons of Jupiter. Jason had them custom made for the Observatory date.

"I—" Danny pauses, still seeming to process things as he stares at the chocolates in his hand, using his other hand to try and pat down his hair. He's beautiful, and Jason hates that he made him feel any type of negative feelings at all.

"It's okay," Danny finally settles on, smiling softly at him. Jason's insides feel like molten lava. "It was just a misunderstanding."

"Yeah," Jason smiles helplessly back, "But it still hurt you."

Before Danny can say anything to that, he's yanked back into the apartment. Jason reaches out, instinctively, before catching himself.

Sam stands in the doorway with her arms crossed and a scowl that could curdle milk.

Jason swallows dry spit.

"You did hurt him." Sam's voice is so low Jason could scoop it off the floor, "And Danny might forgive you, and Val might have let you off easy, but I don't like it when people hurt my friends."

Behind her, Jason can see Danny being dragged away by Tucker, who gives him a two fingered salute and a wink.

Well. Fuck.

Jason's got a long time to grovel before he can see Danny again, he can tell.

Jason takes a deep breath. It'll be worth it.

Because when all is said and done, he's gonna ask Danny to be his boyfriend.

By the way Danny blows him an apologetic kiss, he's fairly confident they'll be fine.

He catches the kiss and puts it in his pocket, ignoring Sam's rolling eyes, and prepares himself.

Jason, after all, has a plan.

[sillylittlecat1]

~☆・Pairing :Seong gi-hun x Hwang in-ho

~☆・summary: gi-hun repays in-ho for saving him when playing mingle

~☆・warnings: smut,swearing,oral,anal,spit as lube,fingering,semi-public sex and etc

~☆・ authors note: if there are some mistakes please forgive me as english is not my first language!!!!!!! and chat i almost typed seong in-ho HELPPP but that aint my fault chat they r husbands AND!!! when they were playing mingle lets imagine in-ho saved gi-hun!!!!!!! uwu (god i feel so cringy)

Night ☆

It was late at night when in-ho woke up because of some players talking as he was about to shout to shut up he saw it was player 456. gi-hun as he was about to stand up and go by him to see whats he doing but then he noticed player 390. so he just laid back down listening to them not gonna lie he wished he was talking to him like he was with player 390.

He looked at them laughing gi-hun was having a real laugh and smile after a while something he didn't see in gi-hun this time in-ho was starting to get angry how dare that fatso make gi-hun laugh. But before he could do anything, player 390 stood up and went back to sleep. thank god in-ho thought to himself. Then he got up from the bed and started walking to gi-hun he was as quiet again the moment fatso left as always poor gi-hun he traumatized him 3 years ago.

he quietly sat down next to gi-hun "did you sleep at all?" in-ho asks as he looks at gi-hun "no someone has to guard." gi-hun says. "Just go to sleep im sure no one will do anything." In-ho says as he looks around everyone was indeed sleeping quietly. No one was gonna do anything as mingle was an hard game that tired them all out so they all slept soundly but gi-hun still had trauma that something will happen. "But we never know what will happen and I can close my eyes for a second and they would all start attacking and killing others." Gi-hun said coldly "just go to sleep look at them they are all out sleeping like pigs they are not going to attack and you need rest for the games tomorrow." said in-ho "i will not go to sleep for fucks i played these games before! i know what will happen for the love of god! all we know they can be all fake sleeping and just waiting for right time to attack!" Gi-hun said annoyed he looks at in-ho before clamming down "Young-li look im sorry..it's just that we never knew what could happen 3 years ago it happened so suddenly so im traumatized that it will happend again." Gi-hun says.

In-ho just smiles "no your right im sorry i get that your afraid to lose all your friends again. Why dont i guard?" In-ho says as he looks at gi-hun. Gi-hun nods his head no. "No, I couldn't let you do that, let me guard as my repay for you saving me when we were playing mingle. If you didn't pull me with you in that room I could have died." Gi-hun says he was indeed thankfull for saving him he remembers looking around for anybody from his group while people were running and screaming as the timer was about to run out in-ho grabbed him pulling him in the room.

"It was nothing and I wouldn't let my friend die and plus I'm sure you can repay me in another way..." in-ho says looking at gi-hun's face gi-hun didn't know what he meant but before he could speak in-ho interrupted him. "Well im going to the bathroom" as in-ho stood up gi-hun said "its not safe to go alone." In-ho looked at him "well no one is awake right now so why don't you come with me" said in-ho. "I'm not going to leave them alone." Gi-hun said back. "Come on we will be quick im sure u have to go as well nothing will happen this is different from sleeping im sure no one will do anything in 2 minutes we are in the bathroom." Gi-hun was unsure but in the end he agreed as he needed to use the bathroom. "Fine but quick we never know." They both stood up and started walking to the doors of the bathroom before knocking.

Then a red triangular guard opened the window and gi-hun started speaking "we need to use the bathroom" but the triangular guard responded with "access is not permitted at this time." Guard said closing the window. "Come on." gi-hun said he was about to walk away but before he could in-ho pulled him back then he knocked again the guard opened the window this time seeing in-ho "let us in we need to use bathroon. " In-ho repeated the same words the window again closed "its useless come o-" before gi-hun could finish his sentence the door opened he was about to question it as how did he do that but before he could he was already walking in the bathroom he looked at in-ho strangely, yet he didn't want to ask anything, he just went off to do what he needed to do as gi-hun went in the stall in-ho turned to the guard and grabbed them by the collar then he whispered "dont let anybody in i dont care what they want or need to do so dont let them in or ill kill you?" In-ho said letting go of the collar guard just nodded and went back to guard the door.

As in-ho went back in the bathroom he noticed gi-hun at the sink refreshing he couldn't help to look at him and his lips even tho he lost some weight had dark circles he was still handsome for someone in his 50s he was good looking. Then Gi-hun noticed in-ho was looking back at him quietly without saying anything "you're back is everything ok young-li what did the guard want?" Said gi-hun in-ho finally snapped back to reality "oh yes im good. The guard just said that next time he won't let us go inside, he just gave this in time and that it." Even tho in-ho was lying he was a pretty goddamn liar. Gi-hun nodded "so.. how long have you been friends with player 390 I've seen u laughing with him so im assuming u two have been friends before the games" in-ho looked at gi-hun as he dried off his hands. "Well we have been friends for quite a long time, honestly I really don't remember how long but yeah." Gi-hun said looking back at in-ho that looked like he was thinking about something but he quickly snapped back at reality "anyways about earlier what did you mean by repaying you in another way." Gi-hun said breaking the silence between them in-ho didn't say anything once again as gi-hun looked at him with pure confusion god in-ho wanted to kiss him really bad (what a gayass) "ill give you an hint then how you can repay me" said in-ho gi-hun still didint get the hint until in-ho grabbed him and pulled him into a hungry kiss.

Gi-hun's eyes widen as in-ho kissed him he was not expecting this. He thought by repaying him in other way was to cover for him or hell give him his lunch. Even tho he when he was out of the shock he didnt stop in-ho he couldn't help but like this?.. no this cant be true for fuck sake he has a fucking daughter and was married to a woman a WOMAN! But still he couldn't stop because it felt so good yet so wrong but he couldn't help so he stayed in the kiss until in-ho stopped kissing him to breathe after in-ho caught air he couldn't help but smile. "You didn't pull back seems you liked it" said in-ho smirking now while gi-hun was looking emberrased but in-ho didn't care as he grabbed gi-hun once again pulling him back into a kiss this time tho gi-hun suprisingly kissed him back in-ho couldn't help but smirk into the kiss.

After a while the kiss grew more intense in-ho was kissing gi-hun so hard yet so passionate all then all of a sudden in-ho picked gi-hun like he was nothing gi-hun was in shock i mean dude was in his 50s and still picked him up like he was a sheet of paper and dude was jacked. in-ho placed gi-hun at the sink now biting his neck. Gi-hun groaned as he put his hands in in-ho's hair softly pulling it. "Young-li.." yet in-ho ignored him and kept bitting him and giving him hickeys 2 seconds passed by and gi-hun pulled himself closer to in-ho and wrapped his legs around in-hos waist as he did that he noticed something hard and felt it as realization kicked in his eyes widen before he could do anything in-ho picked him back up and carried him in the stall he placed gi-hun back down "you still want to repay me gi-hun?" In-ho asked as he started fidgeting with his waistband of his pants "young-if someone could enter the bathroom." Gi-hun responded "don't worry they won't only thing that will be entering is me tho." In-ho said without a care in the world he had enough of eye fucking he wanted the real deal gi-hun was stunned as he realized kicked in by what he meant by entering in god was he a freaky old man but he couldn't help but to like it tho "gi-hun u have been awfully quiet what happened to our old little smiley gi-hun when u were talking to 390." In-ho said then gi-hun looked at him "what are you talking about-" gi-hun responded with confusion "of course hes gonna make me laugh hes my bestfriend what r u jealous-" said gi-hun but was interrupted by in -ho "you know never mind i like you more when ur quiet so lets shut u up shall we." With that he kissed gi-hun once again gi-hun could feel in-ho's tent at this point he needed him with that he stopped the kiss and got on his knees and pulled down in-ho's pants down releasing his cock and god was he big gi-hun couldn't help but gulp. While in-ho was enjoying the show he couldn't help but smirk but his smirk was quickly cut off by a groan as gi-hun took licked the tip then he put his whole cock in his mouth making him gag quickly in-ho grabbed gi-hun's hair in the fist then he laughed "clam down i aint going no where let me help.." said in-ho with a graspy voice then he helped gi-hun by moving his head he couldn't help but groan once again god he waited for this moment for 3 years and it felt so god in-ho closed his eyes letting gi-hun suck him like he was his last meal i mean there was a chance but no he couldn' t let them kill his poor little gi-hun as gi-hun was sucking him he noticed grip on his hair meaning in-ho was pretty much enjoying it oh and the sounds proved that in-ho was close but in who stopped fully to catch his breath in-ho open his eyes quickly "you're already sleepy, there's more, don't worry, stand up now and bent over the wall." Gi-hun listend and bent over his hands being placed on cool wall Then he felt in-ho behind him in-ho carefully pulled gi-huns pants down as he smiled then he spit on his two fingers then whitout warning he put his two finger up and started streching him out "y-young-li.. what the hell" gi-hun groaned "what i did nothing" in-ho smirked then he added a 3rd finger "ah..agh..young-li i need you." Gi-hun said oh lord was that a mistake if in-ho wasnt any harder oh how was he now he took out his fingers and kissed gi-hun on the neck as he lines up gi-huns poor hole.

He entered gi-hun slowly he and gi-hun groaned as he gripped on gi-huns hips he stood still for a moment giving gi-hun time to feel comfortable and to adjust after a while he slowly started to move in and out gripping gi-huns hips harder then he started to move faster the skin clapping could be heard from outside "young-li..ah..go faster.." in-ho smirked "you sure u can take it" asked in-ho in grupy yet panting voice and you could hear gi-huns panting "yes.." gi-hun said gi-hun slowly he and gi-hun groaned as he gripped on gi-huns hips he stood still for a moment giving gi-hun time to feel comfortable and to adjust after a while he slowly started to move in and out gripping gi -huns hips harder then he started to move faster the skin clapping could be heard from outside "young-li..ah..go faster.." in-ho smirked "you sure u can take it" asked in-ho in grupy yet panting voice and you could hear gi-huns panting "yes.." gi-hun said in-ho listened to him as he almost immediately started moving roughly at this moment almost slamming into him both of them now drench in sweat and breathing heavily gi-hun moaning as hard as he can in-ho for third time moved down to kiss his neck and mark him up he bit gi-huns ear and whispered "you slut look at u being vocal only for me" said in-ho as he smirked and started slamming even harder like there was no tomorrow. Gi-hun was moaning yet panting at the same time as in-ho was slamming so hard into him his ass now being red as hell. In-ho noticed that gi-hun was close so close his poor cock but he was close too. So he knew they aint gonna last long so he took gi-hun's cock and started jerking him gi-hun was now moaning like a desperate whore in heat as he jerked him faster and faster also in-ho slamming into him rougher and rougher after 1 minut gi-hun came panting and shortly after so did in-ho cum in gi-hun both of them basically falling on the floor as they looked around seeing mess they both made then looking at eachother.

After they both got dressed they left the stall and started to refresh gi-hun looking at mirror seeing all hickeys in-ho left he thank god the colkar of the track suit would cover it then he noticed in-ho smrking being proud of his work. They both left the bathrooms gi-hun basically limping back to bunks "sir where were you two man i was worried u both died" said player 388 while rubbing his eyes and yawning (MY LIL CUTIE PATUTIE POOKIE) "we were at the bathroom" said gi-hun smiling kindly at 388 "also are you ok i seen you limp" player 388 pointed it out "oh he just slip but hes ok" said in-ho quickly player 388 nodded and went back to sleep at it couldnt be more than 3am or 4am. "Gi-hun go rest ill guard and i mean it." Said in-ho looking back at gi-hun "you sure?" Responded gi-hun "im sure u didnt sleep at all and plus i did a tool on you" said in-ho smirking gi-hun rolled his eyes and went off to finally sleep.

.......

"Glad that is over" said a guard 1 to another one "yea man they were fucking like rabbits in heat." Said the guard 2 then a another guard came over "what happend?" Asked guard 3 "boss fucked shit out the player number 456." He responded "dang good for boss tho he can finally stop staring at his ass through the cameras."

THE END IM SUPER GLAD I AM FINALLY OVER TO A GIRLY THAT REQUESTED THIS IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG IM JS A SLOW PERSON ! ILL BE FASTER NEXT TIME!!! AND TO A GIRL WATING ON THANOS X READER IM TRULY SORRY FOR THE WAIT!!!

[sweetbunpura]

Blaze

First - Second

"Rolls, you keep all these books, but where's the one you were reading?" Yuu muttered to herself as she looked through the dorm for the book Rollo had asked for.

He was still at S.T.Y.X, having tests run on him by Idia and the others as they tried to learn why Rollo's blot levels weren't going down. The damage Malleus had done to him during his overblot had caused him to be bedridden. Yuu bit her lip as she remembered that Rollo had gone back in for surgery before she had left.

".....Child of Man."

Speaking of the devil, Yuu closed her eyes and sighed through her nose before slowly turning to see Malleus standing behind her in the hallway. The draconic fae didn't have any visible damage on him, outside of the tired look in his eyes, he was relatively unharmed. Yuu felt anger begin to boil in her stomach and she glares at him.

"What?"

"I...I came to apologize-"

"Keep it to yourself then, cause I don't wanna fucking hear it."

He flinched at her harsh words. "Please. I-"

"Draconia, do you know how much damage you did to everyone? And I'm not just talking about NRC, I'm talking about the entire world." Yuu folds her arms. "Locking someone in their dream hurts the person. What we dream about is often times us at our most vulnerable."

Malleus' eyes focused on her. "I..."

"Do you know what Rolls' dream was?"

"...."

"I know you know what it was, you were keeping an eye on everyone's, including mine." Her voice got sharper. "What was it?"

"His brother... he dreamt that his brother was alive."

"And mine?"

"Child of Man-"

"And mine?"

"You were back home and your father was alive." Malleus' hand curled into a fist. "Everything was happening at once! Lilia leaving and you talking about finding a way home! I was going to be alone again!"

Thunder boomed outside causing a green light to flash and illuminating the room. The fae flinched as he stared at the cold look on Yuu's face.

"You'd be alone? So, Sebek and Silver are what? Dead weight? Not there?"

"N-No-"

"But you'd said you'd be alone. Three years you've spent here, Draconia, and not once did you make yourself out to be friendly. You made yourself be aloof and mysterious. You were powerful and untouchable with an air of majesty about you."

"That is not-"

"But it is, right?" She raised her eyebrow. "It was only after you interacted with me did people start seeing you as being approachable. Sure you'll live for far longer than any of us will, but you'll have memories. Even if they hurt, you can look back on them with fondness."

"Then I'll be haunted by them instead." He bared his teeth. "You speak of all the good it brings, but never the hurt that follows. The memories you have of your father, they hurt you, do they not?"

"Of fucking course they do, but you know what else comes with it? Happiness. I'm glad those memories happened, I'm glad I can look back on them despite everything."

"You are not cursed with a long life!"

"And you were blessed with a loving living father!" Yuu snapped. "Lilia may not be your fucking blood, but he loved your ungrateful ass like his own son!" She snarled. "I would give anything to have my dad by my side! For him to see me graduate and grow into the woman he knew I could be!"

"And I gave you that, did I not?"

"That was a imitation, you sack of shit! You, who only thought to save Lilia and me, didn't think to regard the others! Call what you did for what it was, Draconia, it was you being fucking selfish! You fucking spoiled little brat!"

"I'm not a spoiled brat and I am not selfish!" Flames erupted around Malleus. "Such names you call me, but you are equally unable to see what you are! A sad and angry little girl!"

"I know what I am, Draconia, I just don't hide it! You expect me to roll over and accept what you've done!? To welcome you back with open fucking arms? News flash, you piece of shit, I didn't do that with the others and you certainly ain't getting the special treatment for this!"

"And yet you befriended them just like you have me."

"I gave them a second chance because they gave me time to fucking heal and think about what happened." She rolls up her sleeves, showing off the numerous blot scars. "Everyone caused a blot scar. They didn't come at me with a 'woe is me' story. They gave me time and a heartfelt apology. Meanwhile, you come to me after three days and expect me to open my arms up to you."

The flames died down as Malleus looked chestfallen.

"Draconia." Yuu's voice is quiet as she holds up the book Rollo requested. "Rollo is stuck at nearly overblotting, Idia and Ortho can't figure out why, and he's gone in for a 2nd surgery because of the wounds you caused him."

"I-"

"The amount of anger and malice coming off of you overfed his Unique Magic, that's how he was able to take you down. If I lose the man I love, I will personality hunt you down and show you how hard this 'sad and angry little girl' hits."

With that, Yuu shoved her way past Malleus and left Ramshackle. Leaving the young heir there to ruminate on what he had done.

[stanzo75]

hogsmeade date?<3

Storyline: George wants to ask y/n on a date to hogsmeade but is scared of rejection.

Background: y/n is in ron’s year, best friends with fred and george through ron. George has a HUGE crush on them, y/n likes him back but is better at containing it.

pairing: George Weasley x reader

(my requests are always open 🫶)

You are sitting in the common room with Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville, all talking about weekend plans. It was Ron who brought up the topic, asking everyone what they planned to do at hogsmeade. You hadn't gotten the chance to speak yet, everyone addin in their plans one by one. Harry was lucky enough to get Fred to agree to sneaking him in again, and you wondered why he said just Fred and not George as well. Usually those two did everything together, you would know, if they're not off causing trouble they're always at your side. Maybe George had something to do that day? You felt a pang of disappointment, you had wanted to ask him to accompany you during the trip. You pushed the confusion and disappointment down as you listened to everyone else speak. Hermione was going with Ginny to J. Pippin's potions shop with Ginny to restock on supplies for Snape's class and work out where to stop as they went. Ron was going to Zonko’s and honeydukes with Harry, once Harry arrived. Neville was insistent on making a strict schedule so he could visit The Magic Neep, Dogweed and Deathcap, Brood and Peck, while still leaving room to spend the rest of his time at Honeydukes. It was quite interesting to listen to Neville talk about those shops, you'd never cared much for plants or beasts but you admired Neville's interest in the subjects. Suddenly ron piped in, turning to you,

“What do you plan on doing?”

You had not yet realized you didn't know what to do anymore without George, and you didn't want to intrude on anyone else’s plans.

“I think i'll just sit at the three broomsticks” you reply quietly.

Surprisingly, Ron looks pleased and nods, quickly changing the topic. 

Feeling left out, eventually you just get up to go roam the halls. As you're walking past the kitchens, Fred and George pop out, looking pleased. George seems to light up when he sees you, making his way over to you with a smile, Fred follows behind as he stuffs baked goods into his pockets.

“Hello gorgeous, what are you doing out here? Ron told me you'd be up in the common room with them.” he asks.

You don't want to admit the real reason you left so you reply with,

 “It was getting too stuffy in there, I needed fresh air.”

Fred suddenly speaks up,

“I'm going off to see angelina!! George dont forget what we talked about”

You watch as fred moves a painting nearby and dips into the passageway behind it, it was the first secret passage george had ever shown you. You turn to George with a puzzled look.

“What is he talking about?”

George looks flustered for a moment before composing himself.

“It's nothing! I mean, its something stupid, nothing important”

He looks as if he's holding something back, but you don't pry.

“Want to uh, head up to my dorm with me? I've got new charms to try” he asks, looking hopeful.

You smile and nod, always happy to spend time with George, especially when he’s showing off new flashy charms he learned. As you enter the common room, your friends are all still chatting. When Ron spots the two of you he shoots George a questioning glance, and George shakes his head back. Ron groans and turns back to his conversation. That was weird, why are both ron AND fred being strange? Was George planning some extraordinary prank? Without you knowing? George awkwardly shrugs it off and gently grabs your hand to lead you away to his dorm. His hand felt so natural in yours, you're not even sure if he meant to do it. As you arrive in his dorm, you flop down on his bed, propping your head up with your hands to watch him. 

“Why are Ron and Fred acting so weird?” you blurt out, curiosity taking over. He looks stunned for a moment, as if trying to come up with a believable response. 

“Don't lie to me George,” you say sternly, noticing his brain working to fabricate a story, “does it have something to do with the trip to hogsmeade?” 

It felt sort of stalkerish to ask that, but it had been picking at your mind ever since you learned of it. 

He goes a deep shade of red, you couldn't tell if it was blush or anger, probably both.

“Which one of them told you?” he sounds a mixture of nervousness and anger, maybe a bit of sadness? You couldn't exactly tell. 

“Tell me what?” you ask, clearly this was deeper than you thought. What did their secrecy have to do with you? 

He hesitates for a moment, before asking “you actually don't know?”

“ know WHAT george? All I know is that Ron and Fred are being weird, and that Fred is helping Harry into Hogsmeade but for some reason you aren't this time. It just sounds to me like you are planning something  stupid you don't want me to know about. What kind of prank are you planning george?” you say, watching him intensely.

He processes your words for a moment before sighing in relief, only for his shoulders to tense back up when he realizes he has to explain to you.

He walks over to the bed, sitting beside you as you sit up as well to face him.

“Listen, I wanted to ask you on a date to Hogsmeade and they've been pestering me about it ever since I mentioned it, but i havent had the courage to actually ask you. I understand if you say no, you're probably already busy with your friends anyways. I just thought it'd be easier to not ask rather than be rejected.” he says quietly, “just promise me this won't ruin our friendship, i can't lose you”

You sit still for a moment. Is this real? Is it finally happening?

He takes your silence as a no, and looks absolutely heartbroken, you can see his jaw clenching in an attempt not to cry.

“George,” you say softly, and he looks back at you, he looks as if he's preparing himself for bad news, “you should've asked me, i'd love to go with you”

His face lights up, his stress evidently melting away, “you mean it?”

“Of course I mean it! I wasn't even going with any friends, i was going to sit alone at the three broomsticks because i had been hoping you'd be there, but then i heard you weren't going with fred and i assumed you were going with someone else, or that you just didn't want to go” you explain. He smiles softly, “you know i'd never abandon you for someone else” he says, moving closer to you to look you in the eyes. You feel a warm surge spread through your body, completely endorsed in the smile on his face. You lean in instinctively, and in return you feel his lips pressing against yours, his hands moving to your hips. You kiss him for a few moments, but it feels like forever, you can feel your heart beating so hard it might explode, kissing him felt like fireworks. When the kiss is finally broken, he pulls away looking mesmerized, his cheeks turned a light red. 

“I choose the shops we go into though” you say jokingly,

He chuckles and responds, “whatever you want, love”

[gldrushh]

SUGAR AND SIN | JK

🧁✧ ˚.TITLE: Sugar and Sin.

🧁✧ ˚. PAIRING: Mafia boss! Jungkook x female oc

🧁✧ ˚.GENRE: Mafia au, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, slow burn, dark romance, crime/thriller.

🧁✧ ˚.BLURB: When curiosity takes Aurora Beckett from cupcakes to creeping into a mansion, she stumbles upon a world she’s not ready for. Sneaking around is one thing; getting caught by a business mogul is another.

🧁✧ ˚.TAGS: oc is a little impulsive(maybe a lot), oc makes a dumb decision what's new, KIM TAEHYUNG makes an entry, he's a sly bastard but we love him for that

🧁✧ ˚.WARNINGS: Mild Violence/Threatening Behavior, mentions of paranoia/ anxiety.

🧁✧ ˚.A/N: thinking I'm gonna make a masterlist for this series 🤔🤔

🧁✧ ˚.TAG LIST: @scuzmunkie @eshieslovemaze

CHAPTER 9: AURORA

Cheeto was still planning on running away.

His sharp nails scratched in a irratible manner against the soft wool of the lavender hued sweater as he continued to make constant attempts to wriggle out of Aurora's arms, clearly displeased with being escorted back to his "prison."

"Stop it, cheets. I really like this one." She mumbled to tabby, readjusting him in her arms.

If the landlord of her apartment, Mrs Jung was any better of a person and not a stone heart lady in her fifties who acted like any movement of fur was a national emergency, maybe cheeto and her sweater wouldn't have to go through this.

But since that wasn't the case, Aurora just hoped her little troublemaker would get the sweetest of homes even if that came in the cost of never seeing him again.

Until then, he'll have to do with his prison.

The jingling of the door bell on the animal shelter's door was familiar to Aurora and so was the purrs and barks that came along with it the instant she pushed inside.

"Morning, Eunji!" the brunette called out as she stepped inside, the familiar scent of cedarwood and pet shampoo filling the small lobby. "Look who's here to make it good." She joked, putting the orange tabby with a permanent scowl on the front desk.

Eunji glanced up from the front desk, her dark hair falling messily from her ponytail. "Ah, this little demon!" She laughed, taking him in her arms to press a kiss to his head that softened his mood a little. "I swear he does it on purpose to piss us off."

Aurora couldn't agree more.

"Thank you again, Aurora. He and I really do trouble you a lot."

She shook her hand in front of her dismissively. "Oh, no, it's alright. I found him hanging around the back of the bakery for some reason. It wasn't much trouble."

Aurora couldn't have lied more even if she tried.

"Still, thank you. You took care of him for the night." A smile, speaking of gratitude spread on her face to which Aurora smiled back in response. Eunji placed him back on the floor, letting Cheeto saunter to his personalized bowl that Aurora had gifted, filled with cat food. "He'll be fine here for now," she said, but there was a flicker of concern in her voice.

A concern Aurora felt all too well. leaning against the counter, she asked. "How are things going here?"

Eunji's smile faltered for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh. "It's... fine. For now." Her voice trailed off as she glanced around at the animals. "I'm doing my best, but the deadline is getting closer."

"I know." Aurora nodded quietly, her voice soft but resolute. "And I've been doing my best to save up some money to help. I promise we'll find a way."

Eunji's expression turned into a softer one. "I really appreciate all that you do for this place, Aurora. You've been a huge help really but I can't help but worry. I don't want them to loose their homes."

"Hey, we'll figure something out," Aurora cut in, trying to sound more optimistic than she felt. "The fundraising event is also around the corner. Don't lose hope." Aurora glanced around the shelter, her heart squeezing as she thought of this place closing down.

"We'll make sure they have a place to stay."

Eunji smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I hope you're right."

After waving goodbye to her friend, Aurora made her way to her bakery, considering the opening hours are gonna be starting soon.

A unease in her steps rather than a usual quiet energy, as if she was walking on clouds, free of the earth's pull when she was walking to her bakery.

A hesistant look crossed over her face rather than something speaking of characteristic familiarty as she entered in and her eyes instantly searched for the back room, her feet pulling her towards the space with a calculated carefulness because her mind was a little tease and was imagining pictures of the men from last night doing some satanic ritual there to call the Satan. She wouldn't question it if shadow man appeared instead.

But instead, the room was... normal. Everything was in its place, nothing suspicious lying around. No mysterious boxes. No blood rituals. Nothing.

She sighed in relief, shaking her head at her own paranoia. Of course, there was nothing. Smooth work, though, she had to admit.

Still, something gnawed at the back of her mind.

No. Hell no.

Before any sly ideas could worm their way inside, Aurora pushed them shut as she did with the door.

She would just take shadow man for his words, even if it's as crazy as it's sounds and mind her own buisness. She doesn't need to get involved in whatever this is.

୨ৎ

Days passed, and Aurora found herself clinging to small highlights and distractions. Sometimes it was the video calls with her parents, where her dad proudly showed off the progress on his classic. Other times, it was late-night strolls with Lia, searching for tteok-bokki shops that were still open to pair with cheap soju. She'd spend time hanging out with Cheeto at the shelter, helping Eunji with the animals. And when she wasn't doing that, she was getting the hang of her new crocheting hobby.

But it was the time when she'd start to close the bakery for the day as well as start to run out of distractions. It was the stillness in the moment that would make her thoughts run wild.

So she'd feed the gnawing curiosity little crumbs by lingering just a little late to keep an eye out of for any whispers of the shadowy world she'd glimpsed but it was like these men were robots, programmed to do one thing without a mistake and sound expect the heavy shuffles of their shoes.

That'd make her dare a little bit more where she'd try to creep around the alley, clearly learning nothing from the experience she had with that pervert who was somehow gonna show her a cat other than cheetoo, last time.

But then again, she had not catched the sight of that creep or his boss since that encounter, in the group of the black clad men.

Hyunsoo though, often spotted her lurking but would only offer a curt "Go home," blocking any attempts she made to learn more. And when she'd try to make progress in their blooming friendship in the nights he'd feel the necessity to walk her home, he'd just give his signature silence.

This night, she had enough with all the attempts gone in vain.

The nagging thought kept getting louder: she couldn't just sit by and let whatever shady business was happening around her continue unchecked.

I need to know what's going on, she thought, tapping her foot restlessly against the floor of her apartment as the clock approached midnight but still keeping mind of the people living in the floor beneath.She didn't had the time to deal with a noise complaint.

That's when the plan took root. Not a well-thought-out one, but she was getting desperate. And desperate times called for...well, stupid measures.

She slipped into an black hoodie she had borrowed from lia and jeans, her version of a "stealthy" outfit, and tied her hair back. She even grabbed some dark eyeliner and smeared it beneath her eyes for an extra layer of concealment.

Looking back into the mirror, she rather saw her 14 year old version who had stepped fresh into her emo phase because a guy she had a crush on mentioned he liked emo girls and not a woman who was gonna be putting her life on line.

Atleast they had one thing in common- both were comically absurd.

Determined, she stepped into the night with a box of blueberry cupcakes in her hand.

Her feet still bouncing in an anxiety that seemed to peak as her eyes stayed glued to the rearview mirror as the cab trailed behind the two black SUVs ahead that took off after packing up their work.

"Follow that car," she had told the cab driver, a request that earned her an odd look before he agreed. Ever turn and twist, she kept reminding herself- this wasn't some fun spy game; she was following people who might kill her if they noticed.

-But if she could just figure out what they were up to, maybe she'd stop feeling like a puppet in a dangerous game.

"Miss, this area is pretty out of the way. You sure you want to follow them all the way out here?" the driver asked, his eyes flicking between the road and the retreating taillights.

Aurora gulped. "Yeah, I'm sure."

They drove for another ten minutes, winding through the city until the buildings thinned out into sprawling estates, each bigger than the last. She felt the weight in her chest grow heavier, but she couldn't back out now.

When the black cars finally slowed down and turned into a massive iron gate, Aurora's breath caught in her throat. Holy hell, that's a mansion. She slouched lower in her seat, trying to avoid being seen.

"You want me to stop here?" The cab driver slowed down the car at a distance and asked with doubt.

"Uh, yeah, yeah. Just... pull over."

The car eased to a stop at the side of the road. Aurora peered out the window, her heart racing as she watched the two cars disappear past the gates. The mansion loomed beyond, a monstrous structure of dark stone walls and glass, practically glowing under the moon light.

She hadn't expected this. This is where they're going?

This had to be something far more important and..sinister than she thought. And she was gonna find that out. Without overthinking, she handed the driver some cash with a thank you and slipped out of the cab, keeping to the shadows as she surveyed the metal gate that shut as soon as the cars got inside.

Although one thing stood out. There were no other men in black. No other guards surrounding or on duty in front of this place that looked like the home for royalty.

It looked more like a trap than mere carelessness.

She wasn't sure if she should be getting closer to that. But after a few moments of pacing and chewing her lip, she noticed an old side entrance near the back far from what looked like the main one, small and rusted. Now that was carelessness on their part.

A quick glance around. No one in sight.

Taking a deep breath, Aurora sneaked in through the gate and slipped onto the estate grounds, clutching the box in her arms like some kind of weak alibi as if her plan of serenading the shadow man with them if she accidentally stumbled upon him would actually work. He could use some sweetness in his system anyways.

She crept along the side of the well trimmed bushes, trying her best not to think about how this was possibly the worst idea she'd ever had. But she was committed now.

The garden was more of a massive lawn, perfectly manicured with tall hedges and sculptures that looked far too expensive to be touched, let alone damaged. Slowly, she began moving further into the garden, sticking close to the hedges and keeping her steps light. She couldn't help but glance around, half expecting some hidden security camera to zoom in on her at any moment. Her breath came out in small puffs of air as she pressed herself against the side of a large stone sculpture, listening intently.

Footsteps.

Voices.

Aurora's heart rate spiked as she heard the low murmur of men's voices not too far away. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but they were getting closer, and that was all that mattered. Crap.

She darted towards the nearest shadowy corner, hugging the side of the mansion's tall, imposing walls. The soft moonlight glinted off the sleek black stone, and for a moment, she felt small, like she had just stepped into a world far too big for her to understand.

As the voices grew louder, her pulse pounded in her ears. Aurora ended up practically pressed against the cold stone of the building, trying to stay hidden

Then, she heard it.

"Didn't expect to see a little mouse wandering around here." A deep smoth voice spoke out from behind, the edges of the words lilting with amusement.

Aurora recognized the voice before she even turned around. It was the same one she and Lia tuned in the buisness channels for.

Aurora's heart jumped into her throat at the realization, and she whipped around. Her eyes widened as they locked onto the tall, well-dressed man who was the finest one to walk on earth according to 6 mainstream magazines ever year.

She blinked. Then blinked again.

Holy. Crap.

Standing before her was Kim Taehyung-the Kim Taehyung. The one and only heir to Kim corporations- a ridiculously powerful family with buisness lineages that went beyond the borders of South Korea. The one that was always somehow in the top 10 trending topics. The one she and her blonde haired best friend may or may not have fangirled for in several occasions

Her brain short-circuited for a moment, processing the fact that the most handsome and recognizable man was looking down at her, and she was wearing a hoodie and extra eyeliner for gods sake.

Aurora's grip tightened on the cupcake box, as if it would save her from whatever was happening.

"KimfreakingTaehyung!" she gasped in one breath. Some part of her wished to lia to be here so she could validate this moment because Aurora didn't think anyone's going to believe her.

"What-how-I mean, what are you doing here?" she blurted next, half in awe, half in panic. Her attempt at being inconspicuous was completely blown. "Oh my God-- is this your house?"

Taehyung chuckled, "Kind of." Oh God, kill me.

His eyes then glanced down at the cupcake box in her arms, making the amused look get replaced by something else. But it was only for a second before his usual expression was back on with a greater intensity.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Ms Beckett." He spoke again and she almost fainted hearing her name come out of his mouth. Aurora had expected mystery, maybe even a little danger, but Kim Taehyung knowing her name was definitely not on the list..

Her mind reeled and words got caught in her throat. "Y-You know who I am?" The question "also can I touch you to see if you're real?" tried to escape from her mouth but she pushed it back down.

He smiled that million dollar smile of his, that made headlines. "You do buisness with a close friend of mine. Of course I know."

Aurora's brain screeched to a halt. Business? Friend? She replayed the words in her head, trying to connect the dots, but none of it made sense. She didn't know anyone in his circle-or at least she didn't think she did. Her wide-eyed stare must've been a dead giveaway because Taehyung's amused grin grew wider.

"You seem confused, Ms. Beckett," Taehyung said, his voice teasing. "Considering my friends leaves... quite the impression." His eyes flickered with something, like he was dropping a secret into her lap.

The realization hit her like a freight train.The shadow man. The man who owned her bakery and all the danger in her life. He was Kim Taehyung's friend? Why would a man with elegance like his would ever be acquaintances with a man like him?

Unless... there was not much difference between elegance and elusive.

"I... didn't know," she whispered, feeling like she was standing on the edge of a cliff. "I had no idea."

"It's alright. Most don't." He cooly said.

Despite his confirmation, she found it hard to imagine the polished business heir, always in the public eye, charming his way through interviews and dazzling the media with... that man who lurked in the shadows of alleyways and backdoor deals.

She glanced at Taehyung, the question burned on her tongue.

Taehyung, meanwhile, was studying her with mild amusement, clearly enjoying the way her mind was spinning. His gaze flicking to the cupcake box in her arms again. "I've also heard you're quite the baker, Ms Beckett. Just not that you did late night deliveries by sneaking around."

Aurora flushed, suddenly very aware of how out of her depth she was. "I-well, I don't usually... I mean, this isn't exactly a delivery!" she stammered, her voice embarrassingly high-pitched. "I was just... taking a walk and... you know, ended up here. As for the box it's like a emotional support. "

Her mind scrambled for something less ridiculous to say, but all she could focus on was the fact that Kim Taehyung was standing in front of her, smirking like he'd caught her in the most awkward situation possible-which, of course, he had.

"A midnight stroll in guarded grounds? Are you lying, Aurora?"

Aurora's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red and she was grateful for the dark the night provided at this moment.

Focus, she scolded herself again. This is not the time to act like a school girl with a crush in front of Kim Taehyung.

"Guess I got a little curious." She slyly managed although it leaned more towards awkward and I want the ground to swallow me in.

Taehyung's smile returned, but there was a subtle shift in his expression-something darker, though still controlled. "Curiosity is fine, Ms. Beckett," he said, his voice smooth as ever and now echoing in her ear as he leaned closer. "Just be sure you know when to stop." He added, the last being a deep whisper.

Aurora shifted uncomfortably on her feet as he leaned in and his rich, intoxicating colonge that clung effortlessly to him crashed onto her senses like a truck with a drunk driver, making the flush travel down to her neck.

Oh she needed to get out of here.

"Right. Well, I should... probably get going," Aurora managed to say, her voice slightly breathless. "Before I... accidentally let my curiosity get the better of me again." She gave a weak laugh, trying to will her face back to a normal color.

He maintained that smile on his face with a grace and smoothly took the cupcake box from her before she could disappear from here and most probably the face of the earth after the embarrassment she had put herself through, in front of Kim Taehyung, no less.

"I'll be expecting one of those boxes for me next time."

→ To be continued..

→ Previous chapter.

[foryoufics]

"Trustrated" 2

Authors Note: Alright, I'm going to do it. I'm so scared, but, I'm going to write smut but it's also going to be super sweet

Part 1

Pairing: possibly pining!/platonic! Ot7 x Reader, Not so platonic! Jungkook x Reader (they're all very close, in this one your name and Jungkook blur some boundaries)

Warnings: smut 18+ minors, little ones, please don't interact. guided masturbation, sort of therapy sesh, fingering, mentions of oral f receiving, sort of dom reader, talk of nipple play and riding

"Gguk, this is crossing so many lines and boundaries in our friendship as well as us being professional together; not to mention it is a bit embarrassing for me and it has to be awkward for you"

"I know. I want you to be comfortable, so I give you my word it stays with us. If you never want to speak of it again, we won't.....so may I help you?"

"..... Alright," you agree reluctantly

"Alright, thankyou. There's no need for you to be embarrassed and I don't feel awkward at all. Now if you make sounds and I get affected you have to promise not to tease me," he laughs, "okay?"

"I won't, thankyou...."

"Ofcourse, now to do this you need to be comfortable and you may have to let me in your head a bit, you'll have to be vulnerable, can we do that?"

He sees you chew your lip nervously, "YN, I'll need you to tell me you trust me or this won't work"

"What if I say something weird?"

"It stays between us, so, do I have your trust? Can you do those things?"

You nod hesitantly

"I'll need you to actually use your words and say it"

"Okay......yes"

"Mmk, thankyou. Lay down and get comfy"

You lay down on your back under your blanket and get as comfortable as you possibly can, "okay so do I like....take off my clothes?"

"Are you sure you're comfy?" He bursts into laughter, "you look stiff"

"I'm fine," you assure him honestly

"Okay, well, do you usually take-wait, turn the TV up enough so Snow can't hear"

You nod and turn the volume on your TV up a bit, "is that family guy?"

"Bob's Burgers"

He smiles and tries not to laugh, "alright, now, do you usually take of your clothes immediately?"

".....my pants," you shrug

"I'm sorry, your blankets are up to your chin, are you sure you're comfortable?"

"Yes, I always do this"

"Even by yourself?" You nod

"Alright....well, yeah, you can take off your pants, but, leave your underwear on for now"

You slide your pants down your legs and off of your body and toss them to the side under the covers somewhere

"Good job. Okay, lay back, close your eyes and take some deep breaths to clear your mind"

You lay back and close your eyes and he waits a moment

"Alright, this is the part where I will need you let me in your head a bit and be vulnerable. We need to set a mood, what do you usually think about that works?"

"This is weird," you almost sit back up but he tells you to lay back down, "YN, why do you think it's weird?"

"What I think about is weird...."

"I'm sure it isn't that bad"

"I think about......when Snow was on the way..."

He blinks, "Okay, I'm just going to need some explanation"

You lay down and look up at your ceiling, "I think about the bump....."

"Alright, only yours or in general?"

"Only mine I guess .....I feel like it sounds so bad if I don't explain it"

"It doesn't sound bad, but, if you want to explain it, if you think that will help, please go ahead"

"Okay, so uhm.....when Snow was given to me, I didn't really have any choice, I had never had any experiences before and-"

"You don't have to go into that if you don't want to"

"Thanks, it's okay, I know when to stop....anyway, I was a kid, and I was alone, but, that's when I met you guys, I mean we were both kids, but....I was young and I didn't get to really experience love, not real love, but Hobi and Jin hyung looked after me and Snow and they made me comfortable. They always told me how pretty I was and got things I needed, all of that stuff.....I didn't feel alone, I actually felt loved, by them and having Snow there......and it made me realize that, I'd like that someday again. The right way, like, I would fall in love with someone and they would want to do that with me, and I imagine them caring about me and the baby. Before I was an idol....growing up.....there wasn't any love like that, I don't think things are supposed to be like that, that's why I never tried to be with anyone....but.....it's not so much that it's the pregnancy itself, just the meaning I put behind it I suppose, like I don't want to just be constantly pregnant for attention in fact I'd only want to do it maybe one more time, it's not an attention thing like I want all eyes in a room on me and to be the subject matter of every conversation or anything in fact I hate that, I hate when people do that, I made sure they didnt-," you start going down a rabbit hole of defending yourself

"YN," he stops you, "Breathe, in and out, there you go....you're fine, I understand. It's the intimacy, you crave the intimacy. You don't have to defend yourself, it's actually sweet," he smiles, "Okay, lay down, close your eyes and I'll set a scene. I'll use myself, I feel it's less awkward for me that way, is that okay with you?"

You nod to his question and lay down, once again closing your eyes

"Okay, I'll set the scene," you giggle and he laughs, "what? What's funny? Things are supposed to be getting sexy," he smiles at you

"No, it's just the setting the scene, okay, okay, I'm sorry. I need to relax, clear my head, sexy thoughts"

"Yes, sexy thoughts." He giggles

"Now you're laughing!"

"Sorry, shh~," you both take a minute to compose yourselves, "okay, ready?"

"Yes," you resist the urge to say 'set the scene~' and set the ball rolling on you two laughing again

"It's after dark, you're home and you decided to make those fucking amazing soft bake sugar cookies of yours. You're in the kitchen, Snow is out so you're stress baking. I come into the kitchen door when I get home and I see you making the dough; is it dough or batter?"

"I think it's dough but I don't know, that's the only thing I bake other than apple butter"

"Okay, so, I see you and you have the dough in the big bowl and you're stirring it with a big spoon. There are ingredients everywhere on the counter and all over you. I take a second at the door to watch when you aren't paying attention. I enjoy the sight and I'm ready for the cookies, but, I can see you're stressed out. I come over and I wrap my arms around you from behind. I give a little squeeze and rock back and forth on the balls of our feet, really gentle. I kiss your cheek, lick some sugar off, and as I reach around to steal some dough you smack my hand. I gently take the bowl you've got the death grip on and pry away from you and I sit it on the counter where you can't reach it because I know the bump won't allow you with edge of the counter. I slide my fingers into yours, kiss your face, and I ask what's wrong. "I'm fine, why would you do that-" "

"Am I going to be stressed out the whole scenario?"

"We're going to take care of it," he chuckles, "trust me"

"Okay...."

"Where was I? Oh yeah, 'Im fine, why would you do that!? Where is the cookie pan?' I won't let you look for it. 'YN, talk to me, why are you stressed? You were fine this morning, what happened?' I let one hand slide around and rub lazy circles over your tummy with my thumb, I rest my chin on your shoulder. 'Snow went out, like out out' 'Oh, good for her, do I know the boy?' 'You know the girl' 'Oh~, look at me,' I lift your chin with my finger to look at my face. 'She is alright,' I peck your nose. 'Come on, I had a long day too,' I take your hand and gently guide you to the bathroom with me, pointing with my head and I give you a cheeky smile. My hair is growing out so little curls fall in my eyes. I slowly take off your shirt, over your head," you follow the story and slowly take off your shirt from over your head under the blanket.

"I look at you and I hum in content, and help you undress and step into the hot water I ran in the tub with some bubbles-shoot, I forgot, I ran hot water and added some bubbles-sorry"

"It's okay, you're doing great," you smile

"I take your hand and help you step in really carefully and then I undress, I'm a bit more rushed with myself, then I get in and sit on the other side. 'Mere'," I smile and reach my hand out for you to come lean on my chest and you do. I wash all of the sugar and eggs off of your arms and face really soft and then I reach down under the water and wash in between your thighs first, then I let my hands wander to your breasts and I lean your head back for just a soft kiss. When we have had enough of the little soak I help you stand to rinse off in the shower and just wrap my arms around you and hold you. Then after we dry off I take you to the bed and I lay you down, I kiss your lips, a bit deeper this time and I come and lay on your other side. For a while I just lazily feel your skin, your arms, your legs, I rest in on your middle for a minute and rub my thumb over them. "You're so beautiful," I tell you honestly, speaking from the heart as I kiss you again and reach around to hold your face. This time it's a long lingering kiss, hot, heavy. How we ended up with you swollen to begin with but I'm just so happy and I feel so warm and glad you convinced me to do it because it did take a while-"

"Mm~," you hum without realizing it and smile just a faint smile at the thought

"Oh? My pretty girl wants something?" I smile down with my forehead on you before kissing you again, a bit more aggressive this time, but still tender I don't want to hurt either of you. I pull away to kiss your ear-," he gauges your slight reaction of almost biting your lip and smirks, "then I gently graze my teeth over the lobe, there we go, you're biting your lip-I move on to kiss your neck and notice you're arching your back for me, wanting more and allowing me more access but I just chuckle and slowly move downward, keeping my eye contact and I place a firm throw pillow behind your lower back," you again, follow the story and do so, "there~, I kiss your breast and then I kiss your bump before I tap your thigh, 'Spread 'em, let me see those panties, see how wet you are. Oh~, I saw you squirming, bucking those hips just now into nothing,' I bite my lip between my teeth and watch as you spread your legs and show me those soaking sticky panties. I lay on my tummy with my head just above your heat, 'So needy~, let's take care of you and make that stress go away, yeah?' I wrap my arms around your legs and lick a strip over your folds-"

"Mmf~"

" 'Want those off?' I tilt my head up at you and you're nodding and pleading," just as you were, "I slide them off and find my place again, I start with my nose nudging your clit, as I flatten my tongue to taste you and I groan when you grip my hair. You're so sensitive-You can use your fingers now, reach down, really slow, that's it~, use three, spread the slick up and down your folds, don't stop until I say so. I flick my tongue against your clit with a few kitten licks, but neither of us like that, so I push the tip of tongue to it and apply pressure with little figure eights-oh you're mewling now. You can speed up and put pressure where you want it, there you go~ good girl~......I see if I keep this up you won't last and you need this to take time so I kiss where I was just attacking and sit up and oh~ you're whimpering now~, "fuck~"," he has a real reaction himself, at this point you had fully relaxed into the moment and let the scene take over, you were in that world and didn't know what sounds you were making, "Slow down," he tells you to slow your hand and you do so because you were about to see stars but wanted this to last as long as possible; who knew when the next time could be?

"I reach up to rub my thumb over your nipples and seeing you like it I give just a gentle pinch, but I think we both preferred my thumb, I play with you and watch you grow needier, practically grinding the air. Then I stop and I lay down, I prop myself to a comfortable position, 'Ride me, please~, you're in control'. You look unsure, I tell you it's okay, and help you straddle me. I love when you ride my thighs but not tonight, I run the tip along your folds to be sure you're ready and wait for you to decide to sit on my dick. That's it, you sit, nice and easy and slow and my head falls back at how warm you are, and I wait for you to move at whatever pace you want. You move up and ease off of me really slow and then back down on to me and I praise you and then you order me to help you so I kiss you and guide your hips keeping a slow pace when I feel your legs start to shake and I can feel you're so close. You tell me to stop, you wanna be in the poisition we were in before, so I lay you down again and replace the pillow, and you tell me you just want my fingers, fast, so I reach down and I place three fingers in and pound them into you as you asked, you grab my wrist to stop, and say it's too much, you want them how they were earlier. I remove them and again flatten them and apply pressure outside, rubbing hard and I look at your face. Your head is tilted back, you're blissed out and I tell you it's okay, let go. Your mouth is hanging open and you're panting."

"Y/N, did it work?" He asks you obviously knowing it has, you're laying there with a goofy smile and your chest heaving as you catch your breath.

"Feel better?"

"So much better~, I feel amazing~"

"Glad I could help," he winks and leaves you there just soaking in the aftermath and relief of the moment

[from-memphis-with-love]

Songbird - Chapter 12 - Return to Sender

Summary: After months of rebuilding her life in Chicago, Valerie is suddenly thrust back into the Elvis vortex when she's summoned for a deposition in his divorce proceedings.

Word count: ~7,800 You can also read this on AO3 here!

Four months. That's how long I'd managed to stay away from anything Elvis-related. Four months of building a new life, of focusing on my students at the community center, of pretending my heart didn't skip every time I heard one of his songs on the radio. 

I was just starting to get my life back on track and then the universe decided to go and fuck it all up. 

It started innocently enough. I was walking home from work, arms full of sheet music and thinking about what to wear on my date with Richard - a perfectly nice, perfectly normal accountant who'd never worn a big ass TCB ring in his life - when I heard someone behind me.

"Excuse me? Miss Pedretti?"

My heart did that stupid little skip it always did when strangers knew my name. These days, that usually meant one thing. I turned slowly, already preparing my "no comment about Elvis" face. But instead of a reporter, I found myself facing a teenage girl with braces and hope in her eyes.

"Could I... could I maybe get your autograph?"

I stared at her. "My autograph?"

She nodded eagerly, holding out a piece of paper. "I saw you perform at Murphy's last week. You sang 'At Last' and it was just... wow. My friends don't believe I found you walking down the street!"

For a moment, I couldn't speak. Someone wanting my autograph. For my singing. Not because I was "that girl who almost married Elvis" or "the Chicago singer who broke up the Presleys." It was almost comical.

"S-sure," I managed, juggling my sheet music to sign her paper. "What's your name?"

"Jenny. I'm learning to sing too. My teacher says I've got potential, but..." She bit her lip. "Well, you know how it is."

I did know. Standing there on a Chicago street corner in March, I remembered being her age, full of dreams and doubt in equal measure. Before Vegas. Before Elvis. Before everything got complicated.

"Keep at it," I told her, handing back the paper. "And come see me at Murphy's again. I'll save you a seat up front."

She beamed like I'd just handed her the moon. As I watched her practically skip away, I couldn't help smiling. Maybe I was finally becoming my own person again.

That feeling lasted exactly three hours.

I was getting ready for my date, trying to decide if the red dress was too much for a simple dinner, when a small avalanche of memories crashed down from my closet shelf. Literally. A jewelry box I'd shoved up there months ago chose that exact moment to commit suicide, spilling its contents across my bedroom closet like broken promises.

And there it was. The little guitar charm he'd given me one night in Vegas, after I'd told him about wanting to learn how to play. Elvis had disappeared for an hour, sending the Memphis Mafia into a panic, only to return with this tiny silver pendant. "Now you got your own li’l six-string," he'd said, fastening it around my neck. "Even if it's just for show."

I picked it up, the silver warm against my palm like it remembered my skin. Almost four months since I'd walked out of Graceland, and still these little pieces of him kept surfacing. Like shells washing up on a beach long after the tide's gone out.

*

The date with Richard was... nice. That's the thing about nice. It's comfortable, predictable, safe. He took me to a little place off Michigan Avenue, held doors open, laughed at all my jokes. His tie was perfectly straight and his conversation was perfectly pleasant. The kind of man my mother would have loved. The kind of man who'd never break furniture when he was angry or pop pills to keep his demons at bay.

"So then the client says, 'But I thought depreciation was just a feeling!'" Richard chuckled into his wine glass.

I forced a smile, pushing my spaghetti around my plate. The guitar charm felt heavy in my purse, where I'd stuffed it after being unable to just leave it on the floor. Like carrying around a piece of lit dynamite.

"Valerie?" Richard's voice pulled me back. "You okay? You seem a million miles away."

"Sorry." I took a sip of water. "Just thinking about tomorrow's lessons. I've got a student who--"

"Oh God." His eyes had fixed on something over my shoulder. "Is that what I think it is?"

I turned. The restaurant's small TV was showing footage I knew too well - Elvis outside Graceland, making his divorce announcement. They'd been replaying it for months now, but this was different. This was new footage.

"Sources say the divorce proceedings have hit a snag," the announcer's voice carried across the quiet restaurant. "Priscilla Presley's lawyers are alleging that the relationship with Chicago singer Valerie Pedretti began before the separation..."

The marinara sauce suddenly looked too much like blood.

"That's you, isn't it?" Richard was staring at me like he'd never seen me before. "I mean, I knew you'd been in Vegas, but I didn't realize... That's really you they're talking about?"

"I should go." I stood up so fast my napkin floated to the floor like a surrender flag. "I'm not feeling well."

"Wait, let me drive you--"

"No." I was already grabbing my purse, already moving. "Thanks for dinner. It was... nice."

The wind hit me like a slap as I burst out of the restaurant. Even after the worst of winter is gone, the Chicago cold takes no prisoners, but I barely felt it. All I could think about was Elvis' face on that TV screen - tired, drawn, but still beautiful enough to stop traffic. Still able to make my heart do that stupid little dance even through a television screen. God damn him.

I walked home in a daze, my heels clicking against the sidewalk in rhythm with my racing thoughts. Three blocks from my apartment, I realized I was humming "Blue Christmas."

"Fucking hell," I muttered, forcing myself to stop.

My apartment felt emptier than usual when I finally made it home. The silence pressed in like a physical thing, broken only by the distant sound of the El and Mrs. Kowalski's cats fighting next door. I kicked off my heels, poured myself a generous glass of orange juice, flopped down on the couch, and tried very hard not to think about anything at all.

The knock came just as I was pouring a second glass.

"Delivery for Valerie Pedretti?" The courier looked about twelve and thoroughly unimpressed by having to work this late.

I signed for the envelope, my stomach already sinking. Legal papers always feel different than regular mail - heavier, somehow. Like they know they're carrying bad news.

Sure enough, the letterhead screamed trouble: HENDERSON, WRIGHT & ASSOCIATES, ATTORNEYS AT LAW - LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

"Miss Pedretti," the letter began, "You are hereby summoned to appear for a deposition in the matter of Presley vs. Presley..."

The words swam on the page. Deposition. Testimony. Under oath. Required to appear. April 15th - three weeks away in Los Angeles. The papers even included a first-class plane ticket. Priscilla’s touch, no doubt. Class all the way, that one. Making sure she’d look magnanimous even against a homewrecker like me. 

But first, according to the very detailed instructions, it was suggested I meet with Elvis' attorney in Memphis to "prepare for deposition." Like our relationship was something that could be reduced to sworn statements and legal documents. Like anyone could prepare me for facing Priscilla across a conference table while describing exactly how and when I'd fallen in love with her husband.

Fuuuuck. 

I set the papers down and walked to my window. Chicago spread out below, a maze of lights and shadows. Somewhere out there, Richard was probably still sitting in that restaurant, trying to process how his nice, normal date had turned into a tabloid story. Meanwhile, in Memphis...

The phone rang, making me jump. I already knew who it would be.

"Jesus Christ, how fast does news travel?" I barked without preamble.

"Faster than Elvis after three cups of coffee." Marty Lacker’s voice was warm, familiar, despite not hearing him for months. "You get the papers?"

"Just now." I pressed my forehead against the cool glass. "How bad is it?"

"Well, Crazy’s taking it hard. Been in his room for four days straight, won't talk to nobody except Billy." A pause. "He's clean though. Almost two months now."

My traitorous heart did that stupid little dance again. "Marty..."

"Just thought you should know." His voice softened. "You doing okay?"

"Sure." I watched a couple hurry past below, huddled together against the wind. "I'm great. Just got summoned to testify about the most famous man in music. Probably gonna have to face his wife in a room full of lawyers. Might have to detail every moment of our relationship while the press has a field day. Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Val–"

"I gotta go." I hung up before he could say anything else.

*

I called the community center first. "Family emergency," I told them, which wasn't exactly a lie. Then I called Deena.

"Three weeks?" She whistled low. "That's a lot of time to think about seeing him again."

"I'm not gonna see him." That was a lie. I started throwing clothes into a suitcase - different clothes this time. Nothing he'd bought me, nothing he'd seen me in. "I'm going to Memphis to meet with his lawyer, prepare for the deposition, and then to LA for the… the actual thing. That's it."

"Uh huh." I could hear her smirking through the phone. "And if you just happen to run into him?"

"I won't." But even as I said it, my hand brushed against that damn guitar charm I still hadn't put away. "Graceland's huge. And anyway, Marty says he's practically living in his room these days. I’m not going upstairs." Another lie. 

"Marty says?" Now she was definitely smirking. "Thought you weren't talking to any of them anymore."

"What do you even wear to a deposition prep?" I changed the subject, holding up dresses like shields. "Something that says 'Yes, I slept with the man but I'm still a respectable witness'?"

"Honey," Deena laughed, "I don't think they make clothes for that."

*

The flight to Memphis felt endless. Maybe because this time I knew what was waiting. No more sneaking in through back doors or hiding from photographers. This time I had actual business. Official paperwork and everything.

Ed Hookstratten's office was exactly what you'd expect from Elvis' longtime attorney and friend. Wood-paneled walls, leather club chairs, and enough tchotchkes to stock a small museum. The man himself was tall, distinguished-looking, with kind eyes behind thick black-rimmed glasses that had probably seen every kind of trouble Elvis could get into.

"Miss Pedretti." He stood as his secretary showed me in. "Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat."

I sat, smoothing my skirt nervously. I'd finally settled on a navy blue suit that made me look older than my years. Professional. Trustworthy. Demure. The kind of gal you'd believe under oath.

"Now then." He settled behind his desk, pulling out a thick folder. "Let's talk about what to expect in Los Angeles. Priscilla's lawyers are... aggressive. They're going to try to paint your relationship with Mr. Presley as something tawdry. Something that began before the separation."

"But it didn't," I started, but he held up a hand.

"I know that. Mr. Presley has been very clear about the timeline. But they're going to try to twist things. They'll ask about Vegas, about when you first met him. They'll want details about every interaction, every moment alone. They'll try to make you nervous, make you slip up."

"Do I..." I swallowed hard. "Do I have to talk about everything? Every detail?"

"Only what's relevant to establishing the timeline." Ed's eyes were kind. "But yes, you'll need to be specific about when certain... developments in your relationship occurred."

My cheeks burned. Great. I'd have to discuss my sex life with Elvis in front of his wife and a room full of lawyers. While under oath.

"There's something else." Ed leaned forward slightly. "Mr. Presley has requested to sit in on our preparation sessions."

The world tilted sideways. "What?"

"He feels it's important. To show support." Ed's voice was carefully neutral. "Of course, if you're not comfortable..."

"When?" The word came out embarrassingly breathy.

"He's actually waiting in the conference room now."

My heart stopped, then started again double-time. "Now?"

"Only if you're ready." Ed stood. "We can do this another day if you prefer."

I thought about it, really thought about it. I could walk out right now. Get back on a plane to Chicago. Let Elvis fight his own battles for once. Who cares if they held me in contempt of court? 

But then I remembered his face on that TV screen. Remembered Marty saying he was clean. Two months clean. Remembered how my heart did those stupid little traitorous flips every time someone uttered his name. 

"Okay." I blurted out before I could regret it, barely standing on shaking legs. "Let's do this."

Ed led me down a hallway that felt miles long. Each step brought me closer to a moment I'd both dreaded and longed for. Almost four months of radio silence, and now...

The conference room door opened.

The first thing that hit me was his cologne - that same spicy scent that used to linger on my skin. Then I saw him, and my knees nearly gave out.

He was leaning against the conference table in a charcoal suit that had to be new - the cut was perfect, highlighting shoulders that seemed broader than I remembered. The jacket was open, revealing a crisp white shirt and a thin black paisley scarf. His hair was different too - styled but not overdone, letting those natural waves I used to love running my fingers through show. But it was his face that stopped my heart. Clear eyes, sharp jawline, that intensity I remembered but this time without the pill-haze that used to soften his edges. He looked devastating. He looked amazing.

He looked every inch the nightmare I'd been trying to forget.

"Miss Pedretti." His voice was pure business, but I caught how his fingers tightened on the table edge. "Thank you for coming."

I croaked something that might have been "Of course" and sank into the chair Ed so graciously pulled out for me. As far from Elvis as possible, but still close enough to notice he'd lost weight - all of it muscle now. No more hint of puffiness from the pills. Just lean strength wrapped in expensive wool. 

God damn him.

"Let's begin with the timeline," Ed said, spreading papers across the table. "Miss Pedretti, when exactly did you and Mr. Presley first meet?"

I focused on Ed, on my notes, on anything but the way Elvis's presence seemed to fill the room like smoke and suck the air right out of me. "July 1969. At the International Hotel in Vegas. I was there to audition for Frank Sinatra's show."

"And the nature of your relationship at such time?"

"Just... friendly." My voice caught as Elvis shifted, his ring catching the light. New rings, I noticed. Different from the ones he used to wear. "We didn't become... involved until much later."

"Be specific about dates," Ed pressed. "They'll want exact timing."

I could feel Elvis watching me, could practically taste the tension rolling off him. But his face remained carefully blank as I detailed our early encounters, our growing closeness, that first kiss. Professional. Detached. Like we were discussing someone else's life entirely.

Only his hands gave him away - those beautiful fingers drumming against his thigh in a rhythm I still heard in my dreams. A tell I'd learned to read months ago, back when I knew every mood, every gesture, every unspoken thing.

"And the first time you were intimate?"

My cheeks burned. In my peripheral vision, I saw Elvis go very still.

"September 3rd," I said quietly. "At my apartment. We... it was..."

"Just the date is fine," Ed cut in smoothly. "They'll want to establish it was well after the separation papers were signed."

I risked a glance at Elvis then. Bad idea. His eyes met mine for just a second, but it was enough. Enough to see he was remembering too; that night of dim lights and whispered promises, his hands on my skin, the way he'd looked at me like I was everything...

"Let's take a break," Ed suggested. "Coffee?"

I fled to the bathroom, needing space, needing air. In the mirror, my reflection looked exactly like I felt. Wrecked. My carefully applied lipstick was bitten away, my cheeks flushed, my eyes too bright. So much for trying to forget him. One look had undone everything.

When I returned to the conference room, Elvis had relocated to the far end of the table. His jacket was off now, shirt sleeves rolled up, and I had to stop myself from staring at his forearms. Had they always been that tanned? That strong? He was studying some papers intently, but the muscle jumping in his jaw told me he knew exactly when I walked in.

Ed's secretary had brought coffee - good coffee, not the burnt studio sludge I remembered from our late-night recording sessions. I wrapped my hands around the mug like a shield.

"Now then," Ed continued, "let's discuss the living arrangements. Priscilla's lawyers will likely focus on your time at Graceland."

"I had my own apartment," I said quickly. Maybe too quickly. "In East Memphis."

"That's good. They'll want to establish you weren't living at Graceland full-time." Ed made some notes. "Though they may ask about overnight stays."

Elvis's pen scratched against paper, the sound sharp in the quiet room. I forced myself to breathe normally, to ignore how his shirt pulled across his shoulders as he wrote. Had he been working out? He looked like he'd been working out.

"There were... some nights," I admitted. "But always discreet. Always after..."

"After Priscilla had already gone back to California," Elvis finished. His voice was controlled, professional, but something in the way he said her name made my stomach clench. “Where she’s lived for the past - oh, two or three years.”

"Exactly." Ed nodded. "Now, about the Christmas incident--"

"Do we have to get into that?" The words burst out before I could stop them. In my peripheral vision, I saw Elvis' head snap up.

"They'll ask about it." Ed's voice was gentle. "It was widely reported that you left Memphis rather... abruptly. Right before Priscilla was expected to return."

"Because I thought..." I stopped, swallowed hard. "I was under the impression that..."

"That I was taking her back." Elvis's voice was very quiet. When I dared to look at him, his eyes were fixed on his coffee cup. "But I wasn't. I was trying to tell her in person about filing the papers. Trying to do the right thing. For once."

The right thing. Like that made up for the months of silence after. Like that explained why he hadn't come after me, hadn't called, hadn't...

"Miss Pedretti?" Ed's voice pulled me back. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Suddenly, my stomach hurt. I took a sip of coffee, nearly burning my tongue. "What else do they need to know?"

The questions continued - endless, specific, humiliating. Yes, I knew he was married when we met. No, nothing happened until after Vegas. Yes, I was aware of his... history with other women. No, I never expected or received any financial support.

Through it all, Elvis sat like a statue, only his hands betraying him. They kept moving - adjusting his tie, running through his hair, drumming that maddening rhythm on the table. Once, he got up to pace by the window, and the sunlight caught him just right. The sight of him outlined against the reddening sky, strong and clear-eyed and more beautiful than ever, nearly undid me completely.

"I think that covers the major points," Ed said finally. "We'll meet again tomorrow to go over–"

"Actually," Elvis cut in. He glanced at me for just a second. "I’ve got some studio time booked."

My heart squeezed. I pictured us being together in the recording booth, making beautiful harmonies.

"Day after tomorrow then," Ed said. "Same time?"

I nodded, already gathering my things, needing to escape before I did something stupid like cry. Or beg him to explain that agonizing silence. Or ask him if he still thought about that night in the rain, when he'd...

"Valerie."

I froze at the door, his voice hitting me like a physical touch.

"Thank you," he said softly. "For doing this. For... everything."

I didn't turn around. Couldn't. "Sure. Whatever helps."

The hallway felt miles long as I walked away, my heels clicking against marble in rhythm with my hammering heart. Behind me, I could have sworn I heard him say something else, but I kept walking. Some doors, once closed, should probably stay that way. Even if they held everything I ever wanted on the other side.

*

The Memphis humidity hit me like a wet blanket as I left Ed's office. March here felt like June anywhere else - the air thick with the heft of memories I'd been trying to outrun. I'd forgotten how this city got under your skin, how it made everything feel more intense somehow.

I'd booked a room at the Peabody this time, not trusting myself anywhere closer to Graceland. The hotel was exactly as grand as I remembered - all marble floors and crystal chandeliers, those famous ducks still doing their daily parade through the lobby. But it felt different now. I felt different.

"Messages for you, Miss Pedretti," the desk clerk said as I passed. Three pink slips, all from the same person.

Sophie: "Heard you were in town. Dinner?" 

Sophie: "Don't you dare hide in that fancy hotel room." 

Sophie: "Getting takeout from Rendezvous. Bringing the crew. Be there at 7. No arguments."

I smiled despite myself. Trust Sophie to know exactly what I needed.

She showed up right on time with Mary, Ginger, and Donna, their arms full of ribs and coleslaw, faces full of questions they were too polite to ask. At least at first.

"So," Ginger said finally, watching me pick at my food. "How'd it go?"

"Oh, you know." I took a long sip of orange soda. "Just had to discuss my sex life with Elvis in front of his lawyer while the man himself sat there looking like every fantasy I've ever had, only better. No big deal."

Mary nearly choked on her ribs. "Better?"

"God, Mary." I flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "He's… different. Like someone turned up all his colors or something. And that suit..." I groaned. "That damn suit should be illegal in at least forty states."

"You know he’s been living at the studio,” Sophie added.

My heart did that stupid little flip it always did when anyone mentioned what he was up to.

"He looks happy," I said finally. "Healthy. Like he's finally..."

"Finally what?"

"Himself." I sat up, reaching for a rib. I was happy for him, truly. But so very sad for myself. "And I'm stupid for even noticing. For even caring. He had four months to call, to explain about Christmas, to... to anything. But he didn't."

Sophie was quiet for a long moment. "Maybe he couldn't."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just... there's things you don't know. About after you left." She picked up a napkin, started shredding it carefully. "He was bad, Val. Real bad. The Colonel had to cancel so many meetings. Jerry says they nearly lost him a couple times."

The coleslaw turned sour in my stomach. "What?"

"Then one day, about two months ago, he just... stopped. Everything. Pills, booze, all of it. Started getting real serious about things." She looked at me carefully. It hadn’t occurred to me that she’d even known about the pulls, much less discuss them openly. How much of a cocoon was I living in?

"Don't." I stood up, needing to move. "Don't try to make this into something it's not. He's getting divorced because Priscilla wants to live in California. Because their marriage has been over for years. It has nothing to do with..."

"With the fact that he's recording your favorite songs?" Donna’s voice was gentle. "The ones you used to sing together late at night? Don’t think we weren’t listening."

I stared out the window. Far ahead I could see Beale street spread out like a carpet of lights, and somewhere out there, Elvis was in his studio, singing songs he loved. Songs I used to sing. My throat felt tight.

"I can't," I whispered. "I can't do this again. Can't let myself hope that maybe this time..."

"Then don't." Sophie stood, came to stand beside me in her motherly way. "Just... be here. Do what you came to do. And maybe..."

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe this time you'll both be ready for it."

*

The whiskey burned going down. I never really drank but tonight felt like a whiskey kind of night. The first glass had made my hands stop shaking. The second was just starting to blur the edges when the phone rang.

I stared at it, watching it rattle against the nightstand like it was trying to escape. I wasn’t expecting a call, but I knew. The same way I always knew when it came to him.

"Hello?" My voice came out steady. Thank God for Jack Daniel's.

Silence. Just breathing. Then: "This is harder than I thought it would be."

My heart seized. His voice was different. Rougher, like he'd been in the studio all day. Or like maybe he'd been doing a lot of thinking too.

"Don't." I took another sip, letting the burn ground me. "Just... don't."

"Valley—"

"I can't do this with you right now." My fingers tightened on the glass. I pressed it to my forehead and sighed. "Tomorrow's gonna be hard enough without..."

"I know." He sounded tired. Human. That was always the most dangerous version of him. "Just wanted to hear your voice."

"Well, you heard it." The words came out sharper than I meant them to. Or maybe exactly as sharp as I meant them to. "Goodnight, Elvis."

"Wait—"

I hung up. My hands were shaking again.

The phone rang again immediately. I let it ring five times before unplugging it.

Later that night, my reflection stared back at me from the bathroom mirror - cheeks flushed from whiskey and something else, eyes too bright. Looking at myself, I could almost understand what he'd seen in me. Almost.

I finished my drink in one swallow and didn't let myself pour another. Tomorrow would be brutal enough without a hangover.

*

Morning hit me like a fever dream - all golden light and sticky heat, the kind of day that makes promises it can't keep. I spent too long getting ready, trying on and discarding outfits like armor. Finally settled on a cream-colored dress that made my skin glow and my dark hair look somehow deliberate instead of wild. Professional enough for a lawyer's office, but also...

"Stop it," I told my reflection. "Just stop."

Ed's secretary showed me into the conference room first this time. I was early, needing to compose myself before...

"Morning."

I froze. Elvis was already there, leaning against the window frame in a light gray silk shirt that made his eyes look impossibly blue. No scarf today, just a few open buttons that showed the gold chain I remembered all too well. He looked like he hadn't slept. Join the club.

"You're early," I managed, proud of how steady my voice sounded.

"Couldn't sleep." His eyes met mine in the window's reflection. 

Last night's phone call hung between us like smoke. I busied myself with my notes, trying not to notice how the morning light caught his profile, how his hands kept moving restlessly, how he seemed to take up all the oxygen in the room just by existing.

"About that–" he started.

"Don't." I gripped my pen tighter. "Please."

"Good morning!" Ed swept in, saving me from whatever Elvis had been about to say. "Shall we begin? We need to discuss the more... delicate aspects of the timeline today." I thanked my lucky stars that Colonel Parker had chosen to sit in the waiting room today.

Even with that small consolation, my stomach still dropped. The delicate aspects. Like how exactly we'd gone from stolen kisses to shared beds. Like when exactly I'd gone from being his backup singer to his...

"Actually," Elvis' voice was rough, "maybe I should step out for this part."

"No." The word surprised us both. "Stay. They're going to ask about all of it in LA anyway. Might as well..." I swallowed hard. "Might as well get it all out now."

His eyes met mine, dark with something that made my pulse jump. For a moment, I saw everything there - remembered heat, old promises, new regrets. Then he nodded once and took his seat.

"Very well," Ed opened his folder. "Let's discuss September third."

"September third." My voice sounded far away. "Elvis had finally come up to my apartment. We'd been... there had been moments before. Almost moments. But that night..."

I could feel Elvis's eyes on me, knew he was remembering too. The way he'd shown up at my apartment door, lean and hungry. How he'd stood there on my carpet, looking at me like a man who'd finally stopped running from something. From everything.

"Be specific about the timing," Ed pressed. "Priscilla's lawyers will want to establish--"

"It was late," I cut in. "After ten. We'd been recording all day, then I'd gone to dinner with some of the session singers. He came by after, said he wanted to talk about the arrangements we'd been working on. But..."

Elvis shifted in his chair. His knuckles were white where he gripped his pen.

"And then?"

God. How could I possibly describe it? The way the air had changed between us as he stood in my tiny living room. The easy conversation that had turned into something else entirely. How we'd gone from discussing music to... to everything.

"We..." I stopped, started again. "It wasn't planned. We were just talking, and then suddenly we weren't talking anymore, and..."

"I understand this is difficult," Ed said carefully, "but for legal purposes, we need to establish that nothing physical occurred before the separation papers were signed. Priscilla's lawyers will try to suggest otherwise."

"Nothing happened before the separation," I said firmly, though my voice shook slightly. "That night was the first time. And after... after that, we agreed it couldn't happen again. Not until Priscilla had gone back to California."

In my peripheral vision, I saw Elvis' hand tighten on his pen. He was staring straight ahead now, jaw clenched, but I could feel the tension radiating off him.

"And you maintained that agreement?" Ed asked.

"Yes." The word felt like glass in my throat. "Until she left. We both... we knew it had to be that way."

Ed made some notes. "And when the relationship resumed?"

"Approximately three weeks later." My voice was barely a whisper now. "After Priscilla had gone home to California. And I saw the papers in the drawer.. they were signed months before that.”

"Miss Ped–Valerie." Elvis's voice was strangled. When I dared to look at him, his face was tight with barely controlled emotion. "You don't have to-"

"Yes, I do." I turned back to Ed. "They're gonna ask all this in Los Angeles anyway, aren't they? About every detail, every moment?"

"They'll try," Ed admitted. "They'll want to establish a pattern of behavior. But you don't need to share anything... intimate. Just the timeline."

"September 23rd," I said quietly. "That's when we... when things changed. Well, we - you know - for the second time. And yes, I'm sure of the date. Yes, it was after she left. And no, we never..." I swallowed hard. "It was never about hurting anyone. We tried so hard not to..."

"I think that's sufficient," Ed said gently, closing his folder. "We'll take a break and--"

"No." Elvis stood abruptly, his chair scraping back. "We're done. All of it. She's not doing this anymore today."

"Elvis--" Ed started.

"I said we're done." His voice had that edge I remembered, the one that meant he was about to lose control of something. Of everything. "Give us a minute?"

Ed closed the door behind him, leaving us in a silence broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning. Elvis stood at the window, hands in his pockets, looking out at Memphis like he was seeing it for the first time.

"You didn't have to stop the prep," I said finally. "I can handle it."

"Can you?" He turned, and something in his face made my chest tight. Not the old dramatic Elvis - just a man who looked tired. "Because I'm not sure I can. Sitting here, listening to all of it laid out like... like it was just dates on a calendar."

"That's all they need," I said. "Just the timeline."

"Is it?" He leaned against the window frame. "Because it feels like they're trying to turn this into some cheap scandal."

"Wasn’t it?" The words came out before I could stop them. "The backup singer and the married star?"

"No." His voice was quiet but firm. "We were never that. You know we weren't."

I did know. That was the hell of it.

"I’m clean," he said suddenly. "Two months now."

"I heard." I studied my hands. 

"Should've done it sooner. Should've..." He stopped, started again. "Should've done a lotta shit sooner."

The simplicity of that admission hit harder than any dramatic declaration could have. This was the Elvis I remembered - the real one, underneath all the showmanship and easy smiles. The one who could break your heart just by being honest.

"Why didn't you call?" I asked finally. "After Christmas, after... everything."

"Honestly?" He gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "I was a mess. Needed to get my head straight first. Figure out who I was without..." He gestured vaguely at himself, and I knew he meant without the pills, without the haze he'd lived in for so long.

We stood in silence for a moment, the weight of missed opportunities and wasted time settling between us like dust.

"We should get back to it," I said, gesturing toward the paperwork on the table. "Finish the prep."

Elvis nodded, straightening himself. Just like that, the mask slipped back into place. Professional. Distant. Like we hadn't just cracked open something we couldn't quite close again.

The next two weeks stretched like molasses. More prep sessions, more carefully worded statements, more moments of trying not to look at each other across conference tables. Memphis watched us like a soap opera, every coffee shop and beauty parlor buzzing with theories about why I was back in town.

"Ignore them," Sophie advised over sandwiches one afternoon. "They'll talk no matter what you do."

"Easy for you to say." I pushed my coleslaw around my plate. "You're not the one getting death stares at the grocery store."

"No, but I did see Mrs. Milton organizing another prayer circle for your soul." She grinned. "Though this time some of the younger girls told her to stuff it. Times are changing, even in Memphis."

The flight to LA loomed closer. I decided neither to use the tickets Priscilla so graciously provided nor to fly out with Elvis and the boys. Instead, Ed had arranged everything just for me - flight, hotel reservations, a car to meet me at LAX. The Colonel's influence, making sure everything looked respectable. Like I was a legitimate witness, not some little homewrecking hussy being dragged into court. 

The night before we left, my phone rang.

"You packed?" Red's voice was gruff with concern.

"Almost." I stared at my open suitcase. "What do you even wear to get grilled by your... by Elvis' wife's lawyers?"

"Ex-wife," he corrected gently. "And wear whatever makes you feel strong. You're gonna need it."

He wasn't wrong. LAX hit like an uppercut - all sunshine and palm trees and reporters who somehow knew exactly which flight to watch for. The flashbulbs started before I even hit baggage claim.

"Miss Pedretti! How long were you and Elvis–" 

"Is it true that–" 

"What do you say to accusations–"

Ed's promised car materialized like magic, whisking me away to a hotel that probably cost more than my rent. The suite was bigger than the first floor at school.

"Remember," Ed said as we did one final prep session that evening, "just stick to the facts. Don't let them bait you into emotional responses."

Easier said than done when you're about to face the woman whose husband you... No. Not husband. Not anymore. The papers made that clear, even if my guilt hadn't quite caught up to reality.

*

The deposition room felt like a tomb. Everything was cream-colored and sterile, from the walls to the conference table that stretched like a barrier between two worlds. I was early - or so I thought.

She was already there.

Priscilla sat at the far end, a vision in cream Chanel tweed that probably cost more than my first car. Even now, the sight of her hit like a left hook. She was just as beautiful as that night at the International - all delicate features and perfect posture, making me feel large and ungainly in my navy suit that suddenly seemed cheap and ill-fitting.

They say men "cheat down," but looking at her, I felt it in my bones. What could Elvis possibly have seen in me when he had this porcelain doll at home? I was all wrong angles and wild curls that the humidity had already started to revolt against. Too fleshy, too loud, too... everything she wasn't.

Her eyes met mine across the room - cool, assessing, like she was cataloging every flaw. I forced myself to hold her gaze even as my stomach churned.

The Colonel arrived just before the attorneys, settling into a chair near the back of the room like a spider watching its web. His presence felt like another weight pressing down.

The attorneys filed in like well-dressed vultures. Priscilla's lead counsel, Andrew Marshall, looked exactly like you'd expect. Silver-haired, sharp-featured, with eyes that had probably never smiled in their life. His team arranged themselves around him like a pack of wolves circling prey.

Elvis arrived last, flanked by Ed Hookstratten and his team. He looked devastating in a charcoal suit I'd never seen before. Our eyes met briefly before he took his seat, and something in his expression made my heart stumble.

"Please state your name for the record," the court reporter began.

"Valerie Marie Pedretti."

"And your occupation, Miss Pedretti?" Marshall's tone was almost friendly.

"I'm a singer and music teacher."

"How long have you been performing professionally?"

This wasn't so bad. Just basic background questions. I felt myself relax slightly. "About eight years. I started teaching music while still in college."

"And how did you come to be in Las Vegas in July 1969?"

"I was there to audition for Frank Sinatra's show at the International."

"Successful audition?"

"No, sir."

"But you stayed in Vegas anyway?"

"I had other opportunities." The words came easily. These were simple facts, nothing to fear.

"Yes, quite fortunate how those opportunities presented themselves." Marshall's tone shifted slightly. "Tell me about the elevator, Miss Pedretti."

"Objection to form," Ed cut in. "Vague question."

"I'll rephrase." Marshall's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Please describe your first encounter with Mr. Presley."

I recited the story we'd rehearsed. "We met in an elevator at the International. Brief conversation. Professional."

"Professional." Marshall tested the word like wine. "And after that?"

"Mr. Presley offered me a position as a backup singer."

"Just like that? No audition? No formal process?"

I felt the first hint of danger. "I had to prove myself in the studio."

"Of course." Marshall shuffled some papers. "And these late-night recording sessions... always strictly professional?"

"Yes." My voice was steady, but my hands had started to shake under the table.

"Even the night of August 31st?"

"We were working on arrangements—"

"Until 4 AM?" His smile sharpened. "With no other singers present?"

The room suddenly felt smaller. Across the table, Elvis shifted in his chair.

"Miss Pedretti," Marshall continued, his tone deceptively light, "let's discuss the gifts."

"Objection," Ed started, but Marshall waved him off.

"Simply establishing the nature of their relationship."

"The jewelry, the clothes..." Marshall consulted his notes. "Quite generous for a professional relationship."

Something in me snapped. "Is accepting a gift from a friend against the law, Mr. Marshall?"

The room went very still. I caught myself too late, remembering Ed's warnings about staying calm. Across the table, Elvis's lips twitched slightly.

"Friends." Marshall's voice hardened. "Is that what you call it? These 'friendly' gifts worth thousands of dollars? This 'friendly' apartment in Memphis?"

"I paid my own rent," I said quietly, trying to recover my composure.

"With money earned from your suddenly flourishing career? Amazing how doors opened once you became Mr. Presley's... friend."

Each word felt like another cut. I forced myself to breathe steadily, to remember Ed's coaching. Don't let them bait you.

"Let's discuss Christmas, Miss Pedretti." Marshall's voice took on a new edge. "The night you fled Memphis rather... dramatically."

"I left because I believed Mrs. Presley was returning home." The rehearsed line felt hollow now.

"And why would that concern you? If, as you claim, nothing inappropriate had occurred?"

"I wanted to be respectful of their marriage."

"Respectful?" Marshall's laugh was soft, cruel. "Is that what you call your behavior in this photograph?"

He slid a manila envelope across the table. Inside were photos from Vegas - innocent moments made to look sordid. Elvis and I at the piano. Walking in the garden. Leaving the studio late at night.

"Quite cozy for a 'professional' relationship, wouldn't you say?"

I couldn't speak. Each photo felt like another nail in the coffin of everything beautiful we'd shared. Every moment twisted into something… cheap.

"But this," Marshall produced another photo with theatrical timing, "this is my personal favorite."

My heart stopped. There it was in glossy black and white. Elvis and me outside the service entrance. The kiss that had started everything falling apart. The one Red thought he'd contained.

From the back of the room, I caught the Colonel's slight smile. He'd known. Of course he'd known.

"Perhaps you can explain this particular... professional interaction?" Marshall's voice dripped with false concern.

Hot tears pricked at my eyes but I wouldn't let them fall. Wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"This was taken after the separation papers were signed," I managed.

"But before they were filed," Marshall countered. "While Mr. Presley was still very much married to my client." He turned to directly address Priscilla. "I'm sorry you have to see this, Mrs. Presley."

Across the table, Elvis made a sound low in his throat - the kind of sound a wounded animal might make. His hands were clenched so tight his rings must have been cutting into his skin.

"The timing of this photograph," Marshall continued, "suggests a rather different story than the one you've been telling. Phone records show calls to your apartment at all hours. Staff reports intimate dinners. And now this... very convincing evidence of a relationship that clearly began long before any legal separation."

The implication hung in the air like smoke. I sat perfectly still as Marshall systematically destroyed every beautiful memory, every tender moment, every time Elvis had looked at me like I was his salvation.

"In fact," Marshall pressed, "isn't it true that your relationship with Mr. Presley was instrumental in the breakdown of his marriage?"

"No," I whispered, but the word had no power anymore. Not with that photo staring up at me, damning in its simple truth.

"I think we need a break." Ed's voice cut through the fog of humiliation.

I stood on trembling legs, my dignity in shreds but my spine still straight. As I made my way to the door, I caught Priscilla watching me. Something flickered across her perfect features - not quite sympathy, but understanding maybe. She knew what it cost to love him. What it cost to lose him.

Behind me, I heard chairs scraping; Elvis trying to follow, probably, and his lawyers holding him back. The Colonel's voice, low and firm: "Let her go, boy. This is how it has to be."

Even through the tears that threatened to fall, I held my head high. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me break. Not Marshall, not Priscilla, not even the Colonel with his calculated chess moves. But inside, something had shattered. The last remnants of whatever fairy tale I'd been telling myself about loving Elvis Presley.

In the bathroom, I pressed my forehead against the cool mirror and watched my tears finally fall. They'd been playing us all along. The Colonel, Marshall, maybe even Priscilla - they'd had that photo in their pocket like a silver bullet with my name on it. Just waiting for the right moment to pull the trigger.

The worst part? It was such a beautiful photo. Even in black and white, you could see it - the way Elvis held me, the way my hand curled into his jacket, the perfect capture of a moment when love felt bigger than consequences. Now it was just evidence. Another nail in the coffin on our relationship. 

I could never, ever go back to him. 

I wiped my eyes, fixed my makeup with shaking hands. There were still hours of this to get through. More questions, more photos maybe, more carefully aimed arrows meant to make me bleed. 

*

Thankfully, the bathroom was all marble and soft lighting. The kind designed to flatter even the most tear-stained of faces. I white-knuckled the edge of the sink, watching water drip from my chin. My legs felt like two dangling noodles. 

The door opened. In the mirror, I saw her enter - still perfect, still pristine in her cream Chanel. But something was different now. A slight tremor in her hand as she reached for her purse. The way she wouldn't quite look at her own reflection.

Without a word, without even looking at me, Priscilla placed a tissue on the counter beside my hand. The gesture was neither kind nor cruel. Just acknowledgment, maybe, of another woman trying not to cry in a fancy bathroom.

Jesus Christ. 

I was being comforted by Elvis Presley's wife. The same woman whose marriage I'd helped destroy was wordlessly offering me tissues while I tried not to ruin my mascara. The absurdity of it made me want to laugh, but I was afraid if I started, it would turn into something else entirely.

I took the Kleenex, carefully dabbing under my eyes. We stood there in silence, two women doing the familiar dance of fixing makeup that couldn't really fix anything. The surreal intimacy of it all made my chest tight. In another life, another universe, we might have been friends. We'd have so much in common; the way he looked at us when we were too naive to know better, how it felt to be the center of his world until something else caught his attention, what it cost to love someone who belonged to everyone and no one at all.

"My attorneys that photo for months," she said softly, reapplying her lipstick with practiced precision. "They were waiting for the right moment."

Our eyes met in the mirror. For just a moment, I saw something flicker across her perfect features, not sympathy exactly, but recognition. And that was somehow worse than if she'd been cruel. Because she understood. More than anyone else on earth, she understood exactly what it felt like to be caught in Elvis's orbit, to be torn apart by his gravity.

Her kindness felt like another kind of punishment - because how fucked up was it that the woman who had every right to hate me was the only one who really knew what this felt like?

She capped her lipstick with a precise click. Checked her hair one last time. Then she was gone, the door closing behind her with barely a sound.

I wiped my eyes, straightened my shoulders. There were still hours of deposition ahead. More questions, more photos maybe, more carefully concocted accusations to make me crumple. But at least now I understood - this wasn't really about me or Priscilla anymore. This was just what happened when you loved a man who would always love being Elvis Presley more than he could ever love any of us. @whositmcwhatsit  @ellie-24  @arrolyn1114 @missmaywemeetagain  @be-my-ally  @vintageshanny  @prompted-wordsmith @peskybedtime @lookingforrainbows @austinbutlersgirl67@lala1267 @thatbanditqueen @dontcrydaddy @lovingdilfs @elvispresleygf @plasticfantasticl0ver @ab4eva @presleysweetheart @chasingwildflowers @elvispresleywife @uh-all-shook-up @xxquinnxx @edgeofrealitys-blog@velvetprvsley @woundmetender @avengen @richardslady121 @presleyhearted @kendralavon7 @18lkpeters@lookingforrainbows @elvisalltheway101 @sissylittlefeather  @atleastpleasetelephone @eliseinmemphis@tacozebra051 @thetaoofzoe @peskybedtime @shakerattlescroll @crash-and-cure @ccab @i-r-i-n-a-a @devilsflowerr@dirtyelvisfant4sy @elvislittleone @foreverdolly @therealslimshakespeare @getyourpresleyfix@gayforelvis @headfullofpresley @h0unds-of-h3ll @hipshakingkingcreole @p0lksaladannie @doll-elvis @tacozebra051 @richardslady121 @jaqueline19997 @myradiaz@livelaughelvis @deke-rivers-1957 @jhoneybees @atleastpleasetelephone @eapep @elvispresleywife @that-hotdog @landlockedmermaid77 @sissylittlefeather @kawaiiwitchy @eapep @iloveelvisss @argangelbornxoxo