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huihuiheart · 3 months ago

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Loosen Up My Buttons - Seventeen - Woozi

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Seventeen Masterlist

Pairing: Office Worker! Jihoon x Office Worker! Fem Reader

Summary: Your work rivalry carries a lot of tension. Especially come promotion time, but what happens when the two of you finally snap?

Warnings: Cursing, dirty talk, bratty speech, degradation (in the dirty talk), oral (fem rec), fingering, spanking (light), dom! Jihoon, sir kink (light), unprotected sex, cumming inside, multiple orgasms, crying (from pleasure).

Word Count: 4278

You swore that if he wasn’t so hot and you didn’t need this job quite so badly you’d have snapped a long time ago. Jihoon really grated on your nerves. It didn’t help that he was your only rival when it came to being noticed at work. Your only true competition for a raise or promotion. Thankfully up to now it had been for promotions with multiple openings, but not anymore. Your department head had just left and so the potion opened to the team leads. You and Jihoon each push yours to keep ahead of the other. You were mumbling curses under your breath when entering the break room for another coffee only to see the very bane of your existence.

He turns from pouring his coffee, expression smug as ever upon seeing you, “Guess who just completed another project.”

“That’s because they only trust your team with low-level shit. If you had the Arlington or Campbell projects things would be very different.” You counter without hesitation.

“Is cursing really appropriate for the workplace?” Jihoon jumps topics seeing the opportunity to strike at something, as the snake of a man always did.

“Have I ever fucking cared? I stay professional with clients and in meetings, but in the break room no one fucking cares.” You roll your eyes at him.

“You better watch out, when I get promoted I better not hear any of that or we’ll have a problem,” Jihoon smirks at the way you so visibly bristle at the comment.

“If you get it because god knows I’m not going down without a fucking fight. Now get back to work… or do they actually get more done without your hovering?” You have a turn to smirk now having finished fixing your coffee to leave before he does as the supervisor passes. The same supervisor who had been in the area and you intentionally neglected to tell Jihoon. If he wanted to be a dick he’d get to see what it got him.

“Come on guys, I know we’re exhausted, but we’re almost done. Arlington meeting is on Friday and if we nail that we’ll all get a nice little check and on top of that we can go to Boo’s Bar on me. Start our weekend off right.” You encourage your team, and the cheers in response make you chuckle when Jihoon walks by with a scoff to sour your mood again.

“Having to bargain to get work done isn’t a good sign of your leadership.” He muses, raising a brow when you whip around towards him.

“It’s not bargaining, it’s a reward to thank them for all the hard work they do. Some of us know how to appreciate others and have fun after all.” You counter feeling more smug than attacked.

“I know how to have fun! In fact, I’m sure I could have more fun with my team than you do!” Jihoon insists, having to make a competition out of everything.

“If you have to make fun into a competition then you really don’t grasp the concept of it.” You scoff rolling your eyes, “But if you insist you know where we’ll be Friday night.”

Jihoon got on your nerves, yes, but that would certainly be good entertainment for you too. Seeing how out of place such a stuck-up man like Jihoon would be in that environment. This would be something to look forward to, especially whenever he got on your nerves between now and then. Though you knew the antisocial man was likely to chicken out.

Once Friday rolls around though you refuse to allow yourself to dwell on Jihoon when you have to present your team's project in one of the biggest quarterly meetings. Focused solely on getting through and your team completing this successfully. A wave of relief washing over once you’re on the other side of it. Seeing them off rather professionally before your team immediately turns to cheers after, everyone is relieved after putting so much into this project. Now finally able to amuse yourself with the concept of Jihoon being knocked down a few places as everyone rambles about how they will celebrate tonight at Boo’s or over the weekend. Only more excited as Jihoon stomps past you to his desk to sulk.

Your team mostly walks down the block to Boo’s after work, packing your blazer into your bag, and undoing a button to relax some. Sitting at the bar to let Seungkwan know you were covering the team tonight and unwinding some there before whatever else happened. Somewhat stunned as Jihoon’s team walks in a few moments later. Jihoon’s tie was long gone and a few buttons popped, sleeves rolled up as well. The sight of him making your jaw drop for a second before quickly correcting yourself in time for him to spot you and head over.

“A Vieux Carré,” Jihoon says, obviously trying to seem above this place only to blink in shock as Seungkwan goes to mix it up without an ounce of hesitation. Making you have to hide your smirk at how ineffective his plan to make this all seem lesser blew up in his face so well when the drink was placed before him.

Seungkwan’s attention turned to you, “I indulged you with your first drink request, but no more of this. See you need to celebrate tonight, so I’m bringing your wine out.”

You watch him walk off, returning with a bottle of 2004 Masseto, opening it to pour you a glass before setting it back down. Jihoon’s jaw-dropping now at the sight of the wine.

“I… here I was thinking you had no taste at all, but I stand corrected. At least you know how to pick a good wine.” Jihoon finally speaks though it is still slightly condescending and Seungkwan has you back before you can even put your glass down.

“Too bad you won’t be getting any of it. See this is part of the private collection that I have just for her.” He beams before winking at you. Today certainly was your day and maybe it would teach Jihoon to keep the pointless remarks to himself for once, though you knew that was likely too good to be true.

Jihoon scowls and it only makes you even prouder, taking the opportunity to goad the man even more, “Besides what do you even have to celebrate tonight?”

Jihoon rolls his eyes, “You can go out for reasons other than to celebrate something.”

You know that he’s trying to save face and it makes you smirk around your glass, “Right, that’s why you’re so good at letting loose.”

“You say that as if you’re not just sitting here too.” Jihoon counters and you roll your eyes.

“That’s because everyone else has someone they're with, and them having fun is more important than me proving something to you.” You shrug as you sip on your wine, “ Sometimes I’ll dance with Boo too, but he’s busy right now.

Jihoon raises a brow before standing and offering you his hand. Surprising you some, but you’re not about to give him any more reasons to talk shit to you. So you take his hand, get up, and follow him out to the floor. Hating how your body heats up when he puts his hands on your waist. Closer to Jihoon than you ever anticipated you would be right now, following his lead even as it has you both drawing closer to each other. Hands drifting all over each other as the music takes over, your coworkers all whispering as they notice. Jihoon not letting you go anywhere when you get flustered though.

“Are you going back to being shy, put together, professional now? Don’t tell me that now that I’m proving you wrong you can’t back up your own words.” Jihoon muses, only chuckling a little more when you glare at him.

“Absolutely not.” You insist as you continue to dance with him, “What about your stuck-up reputation though?”

“Like they would say anything to me when I’m about to get a promotion.” Jihoon counters to bristle you intentionally.

“If.” You roll your eyes, “If you get the promotion.”

“Well, how exactly are you going to stop me from getting it?” Jihoon taunts you smugly.

“You should be the one worrying about stopping me after today.” You taunt right back. You are biting down on your lip to stop any sounds when his grip tightens on you.

“You know what I hate most about you?” Jihoon’s question is rhetorical as he whispers it against your ear, “ It’s that you’re how when you’re trying to be a threat.”

You shudder when he says it, but you’re not giving in that easy, “If this is a new tactic to beat me it won’t work.”

“I wish that it was sweetheart, but unfortunately for me, it's the truth. Even if that gives you a slight edge over me.” Jihoon admits, licking his lips as he looks over you instead of being flustered or embarrassed over it.

“Well, what if I told you that makes us even?” You respond though you’re not as bold as him in doing so. It only serves to make him even more smug though.

“Awe, have you been having a hard time when I put you in your place sweetheart?” Jihoon is backing you towards the bar now as the song ends.

“Have you been having a hard time when you can’t?” You counter, taking a turn to smirk when his eyes darken as a result. Leaning in all the way now as he traps you against the bar.

“How about we get out of here and I show you just how well I can put you in your place, hm?” Jihoon offers and you’re snatching up your purse, letting Jihoon drag you out of the bar and presumably to his place. Your brain only sends red flags for a moment that perhaps he was playing you, but that quickly gets thrown away when he pulls you inside and smashes his lips against yours. Pressing you against the door and pinning you there with his body. Jihoon quickly dominated the kiss, wanting to show you who was calling the shots.

Jihoon is affected by you even more when he pulls away to see you panting and dazed just from a kiss. Growling into your mouth when you grab his collar and pull him back in. Nipping at your lips in retaliation.

“What was that?” Jihoon hisses when you both separate again.

“Oh please Jihoon, since when have I ever made anything easy for you?” You counter only to whimper when Jihoon’s hand is behind your head, gripping your hair firmly.

“Fair enough, we’ll do this the hard way then.” Jihoon shrugs before leading the way to his bedroom with that grip, tossing you onto the mattress.

“What’s the hard way?” You ask and Jihoon smirks as he crawls over you.

“Well if I told you then it would spoil the fun.” Jihoon pouts coyly at you, not about to let on anything about what he has in store for you.

“How will you know if I’ll like it then?” You counter, gasping when Jihoon’s touch travels under your shirt.

“Little bratty sluts like you like whatever I have to give, don't worry,” Jihoon says, fingers toying along the hem of your bra before pinching at the flesh. Pulling his touch away just to remove your shirt.

“Oh, that’s what they’ve lied and said to you?” You can’t help but take the opportunity to mess with him. Jihoon not saying anything in response, simply removing your bra next only to slap your boobs and smirk when you whimper.

“Well look at how fast you stopped talking. Jihoon teases you.

“I can start again just as fast.” You shoot right back. Only for him to pinch your nipples and earn a yelp.

“A minute from now I’d like to see you try.” Jihoon isn’t phased by your attitude as he finishes undressing you. When he doesn’t toss your panties aside you assume it's him being a prick who is just pocketing a prize. Only to realize that’s not what it was when Jihoon is twisting them around your wrists. Securing them tightening in the fabric over your head.

“What’s that supposed to do to stop me?” You raise a brow at him.

“Oh I thought about stuffing your mouth with them to shut you up instead, but then I thought that we could probably find a much better use for that mouth of yours.” Jihoon counters and suddenly you have nothing to say, your mind full of thoughts of him filling your mouth with other things. Jihoon caresses your cheek before gripping firmly and making your lips part as he undoes his pants, “So let's see what your mouth can do better yeah? Talk shit or make me cum.”

You give in easier than you’d like to admit with his cock in front of you. Your mouth falling open more than his grip was forcing, sitting pretty and limp as you looked up at him and waited for what he would do.

Jihoon doesn’t keep either of you waiting long before he’s in your mouth. Pressing against the back of your throat when he gets as deep as he can, his work slacks pressed against your cheek as you gag around him slightly. Your spit not only coating his cock, but creating a mess on his pants as well. Jihoon couldn’t care less though, ready to pay whatever dry cleaning bill came out of this. So long as he could continue to lose himself in the feeling of your mouth. Grip returning to your hair and tugging slightly before holding you in place.

“See I knew you could do so much better if your mouth was given a better use.” Jihoon pants out, never stopping the movement of his hips, “Just made for taking cock, not for trying to take my place.

You definitely would have made a smart response to his face had you not been unable to. Jihoon’s other hand comes down and brushes under your teary eyes.

“That’s all it takes to make the smart, composed Y/N dumb. A cock down her throat. It’s okay to cry though, pretty girl. In fact, it’ll get you what you want… my cum.” Jihoon’s voice is cracking and shaking more than he’d like to admit. You’re really about to make him cum though. His moans are music to your ears as he finds his orgasm, stiffening as he cums into your mouth. Pulling out to just the tip until you take every last drop.

“Show me.” Jihoon tugs your hair, tilting your head back and sucking in a sharp breath when you show him all of his cum in your mouth, “Good, now swallow.”

You’re giving in too easily and you know it. You don’t find that you care all that much right now though. Not really anyways. That doesn’t mean you won’t test him, however. After all, it got you such a good result this time, who knows what it might get you next. Hopefully something even better.

“You learn anything, sweetheart?” Jihoon asks and he should know as soon as he sees you smirk that you aren’t about to give him the answer he’s looking for.

“Yeah, that when I talk shit you get hard and cum in like a minute.” You smugly answer only to get a smack to your thigh.

“I bet you think that you’re some hot shit right now, don’t you?” Jihoon scoffs, “But we’ve barely gotten started, so why are you talking when you don’t even know what you’re in for?”

“Because it's fun pissing you off, plus you’re hotter angry.” You shrug giggling a little in enjoyment.

“Oh sweetheart I’m beyond angry. I’m livid.” Jihoon spits back and you’re practically dripping now. So overwhelmed with lust that your head feels heavy.

“And what is that going to get me?” You ask Jihoon, wanting nothing more than to poke the bear right now.

“What I want, not you.” Jihoon insists though you’re sure that you’ll have no problems with whatever it is he wants.

“And what is it that you want?” You question Jihoon, licking your lips knowing how many possibilities there are.

“You reduced to a dumb crying slut beneath me.” Jihoon answers, “And that’s exactly what I’m going to get too.”

“Then get it.”Your words make Jihoon jump to action again, practically ripping the rest of your clothes off your body. Pushing your legs towards your chest until you let out a whine at the tight stretch making him smirk a little and coo.

“So tense sweetheart, is this from being all uptight at the office? Don’t worry we’ll get you loosened up a little more each time we do this. After all, I like you all exposed for me, filthy little soaking cunt just begging to be stuffed.” This is the first time anyone has implied that this isn’t a one-time thing and it stirs something in your gut. “Gonna train every inch of your little body to handle me.”

You open your mouth to retort, but he beats you to it, blowing onto your pussy and making you whimper instead of talking back as he intended. Exactly what Jihoon had been planning on achieving in doing so. You’re quick to fix him with a glare though.

“Do you even need to do that for your small dick?” You bite back, only you see his eyes darken more than they ever have tonight or in the time that you’ve known him. Jihoon only smirks as he turns around to straddle you, using his body weight to pin your legs towards your chest still, and maybe stretching them a little more in his irritation at the moment.

“As if you didn’t choke on it.” He scoffs to himself spitting on your cunt before using his now free hands, two fingers smearing his spit around before spreading your folds to spit more directly onto your entrance now. Pressing one finger in as his lips wrap around your clit, not spending any time on gentle and delicate. Fully intending to get you ready for him quickly so he can make you eat your words as he fucks you entirely open. His weight prevents you from squirming away from his harsh actions. Jolting at the way he curls his fingers once he has added a second and finds the spongy patch that has your vision blurring a few seconds later. You think it’s solely from the sheer pleasure until you feel your cheeks wetting as tears fall only then realizing the full extent of your body's reaction. Jihoon is unable to see how quickly he got what he wanted as he is locked onto your pussy right now, fully intent on having you gush around him. The pads of his fingers massage at your spot while his mouth only gets more intense on your clit, moaning around it between harsh sucks. Not letting up until you’re cumming around him, lifting his weight off your trembling legs to turn around and face you again, only growing more smug at the sight.

“One orgasm is all that it takes sweetheart? Had I known that I would have crawled under your desk to give you one a long time ago, after all, that’s probably the best way to get you like this. Sweetest too.” He winks at you as he licks your slick off his lips. “How much more of a crying mess does that mean you’ll be on my cock though? Do you wanna find out sweetheart?”

“Will you even last long enough to make that happen?” You raise a brow at him as if you’re not an absolute fucked out mess beneath him.

Jihoon responds with a swift slap to your cunt before pressing your legs to open more until your hips lift, “I’m not some little virgin who blows his load the second he feels a slutty cunt.”

“You could have fooled me with how you reacted to my mouth, but I guess we’ll just have to see.” You know it's quite likely that you’ll be the one eating your words, but that you’ll have no real complaints about it when he does.

Jihoon scoffed as he ran his tip through your folds only pushing in when he finally pulled a whine from you, “That’s right sweetheart. You’re talking big, but just a needy little cockslut for me huh?”

When you refuse to answer him he stills inside of you, “Answer me. Be good and say yes sir.”

“And why would I ever give you that satisfaction?” You grit out as if you weren’t so gone you were almost ready to give him anything that he asked for.

“I mean you should get used to saying it now since I'm going to be your boss soon enough.” Jihoon grins wickedly, “And if you don’t I’ll walk away leaving you high and dry.”

The threat in his words settles on you like a heavy weight and your heart nearly stops, swallowing down your pride, “Yes sir.”

“Yes sir what?” Jihoon pushes you further as he still doesn’t move.

“Yes sir, I’m your needy little cockslut.” Your voice is soft, but thankfully not so much so that Jihoon doesn’t push you further.

“There’s a good girl who knows how to listen. Don’t worry sweetheart, girls who do as they’re told get rewarded.” Jihoon’s tone is slightly condescending still, but he’s praising you nonetheless as his hips slowly start to move. The position he has you in allows him to press in deep, the man focusing more on that and making it hard than fast. “Bet you’d learn to listen even better if I filled you up with cum. All the biggest brats just need someone to make a mess of their little cunts to start acting right.”

“There’s only one way for you to find out if it will.” Your words spur him on. Willing to say whatever you’ll need to to get him to follow through on that though. Something that has Jihoon cursing under his breath and finally picking up the pace, shifting so that his pelvis grinds against your clit whenever he fills you up again. That is the moment when you once again become an incoherent mess. Jihoon looks into your eyes as he smirks down at the incoherent mess that he’s made of you.

“That’s right go dumb for me. I want you to cum like this and only when you’re good like that will I fill you up.” Jihoon growls down at you as he closes the gap, breath hot against your face. Not letting up until that’s what he gets, you delving further into pleasure as you cum for him. Jihoon continues on for only a moment longer until he’s cumming inside, warmth spreading through your core for another reason now. Jihoon rolling off you now to allow you both to catch your breath and for you to stretch your sore legs out.

Jihoon looked over your form, licking his lips before grinning mischievously, “Round two?”

You huff a laugh before grinning right back, “You’re on.”

The rest of your night ends up like that. Bleeding into the weekend as well. Though you weren’t entirely animals, having some reprieve from all the sex. Having to adjust to the sight of Jihoon in casual clothes which was surprisingly more shocking than seeing him naked. Adjusting also to having to wear his clothes for your little impromptu weekend away. Learning that Jihoon wasn’t as much of a prick as he could be in the office. Still, all good things had to come to an end… kind of. Going back to work on Monday sparked the rivalry back up, but had anyone really focused there were signs things had changed. A door held when it would have been left to close in the face. A coffee cup was replaced with a full one right on schedule by the other. Including certain people in lunch orders now. Still, it never went anywhere beyond friendly professionalism in the office. Despite the fantasies on both sides. Even outside the office where it was obvious something was developing you were both still feeling it out. Slow to everything outside of the physical aspects so as to see if it was merely tension or not. Finally grasping the feelings involved as the month drew to a close and the time to reveal the promotion came.

Jihoon finds you in the breakroom as you both get coffee before the meeting to announce it, “You know it’ll be really hard not to fuck you in the office when you’re having to call me sire all the time.”

You would have gotten him back for the teasing had you not gasped so incredulously at how blatant he just was in the office. Despite you two being the only ones in the breakroom. Jihoon simply winks as he sips his coffee on the way out. You roll your eyes as you follow behind. Having to hold back your laughter when Jihoon ends up eating his words anyway, you having been given the promotion.

You lean in with a smirk while passing his desk after finalizing everything with HR, “You may not be my boss, but that doesn’t mean I won’t let you fuck me in the office.”

Your whispered words make it up slightly to Jihoon who is now following behind you to help you break in your new office.

#kinktober 2024 #loosen up my buttons #seventeen imagines #seventeen imagine #seventeen smut #seventeen x reader #woozi imagines #woozi smut #woozi x reader #lee jihoon imagines #lee jihoon x reader #lee jihoon smut

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anna-the-undertaker · 4 months ago

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Redemption

Part 2 of Failure

I wrote this while half asleep... i make no promises that this will be of good quality.

tags: @obeymelucigirlie @anfasith

The House of Lamentation was unnervingly quiet in the days following MC’s departure. Even Mammon’s usual complaints had faded, replaced by a tense silence as the brothers struggled to come to terms with what had happened. MC had left, gone without a word, leaving them to face the weight of their own failure.

Lucifer, as always, was the first to break the silence. "We need to go to Diavolo," he said sharply, standing before the others. His voice, though calm, carried the edge of frustration.

Mammon groaned, already exasperated. "Diavolo already told us no, Lucifer. What’s the point of goin' back to him?"

Lucifer’s gaze hardened. "The point is that the exchange program is in jeopardy. If we don’t resolve this, it reflects poorly on Diavolo and everything he’s trying to accomplish. That’s unacceptable."

Satan crossed his arms, eyeing Lucifer with a raised brow. "Of course you’d make it about Diavolo," he scoffed. "As if it’s not our failure that caused this in the first place."

Asmo leaned back, flipping his hair out of his face. "He’s right, though. We did mess up. But leave it to Lucifer to focus on saving Diavolo’s reputation instead of admitting we all screwed up."

Levi huffed from his corner, his eyes still glued to the floor. "Yeah, because it’s not like we’re the ones who pushed MC away or anything," he said sarcastically. "Why admit that when you can just blame it on the need to save face for the program?"

Lucifer’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t argue. His loyalty to Diavolo was unwavering, and while the others were right about their collective failure, the bigger picture was what mattered most to him. "This isn’t just about us," he said, his voice tight. "It’s about maintaining the integrity of the exchange program and Diavolo’s goals. We have to fix this."

"Sure," Mammon snorted. "’Cause that’s what matters, right? Not the fact that we treated MC like shit."

Beel, quiet as ever, finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the tension. "We didn’t think MC would just leave like that. But if they didn’t wait, it’s because we gave them no reason to."

Lucifer glanced at Beel, his expression softening just slightly. "I know we failed them. But if we don’t resolve this, Diavolo’s entire vision is at risk. We owe it to him—and to MC—to make things right."

Satan let out a sharp breath, shaking his head. "Fine, let’s go to Diavolo. But don't pretend this is just about protecting Diavolo’s reputation. You need to acknowledge that we failed MC. We can’t keep avoiding that."

Lucifer didn’t respond, but the tension in his stance remained. He knew they were right—on some level, he had to admit their failure was personal. But he couldn’t let the exchange program fall apart because of their mistakes. They had to make things right, for both MC and Diavolo.

When they arrived at the castle, the atmosphere was tense. Diavolo stood before them, his expression stern, a stark contrast to his usual warmth.

“What is it you want?” Diavolo asked, his tone steady but his eyes narrowing slightly. “I thought I made myself clear the last time we spoke.”

Lucifer stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. “We want to go to the human world and bring MC back.”

Diavolo’s expression hardened. “No.”

The rejection was swift, but none of the brothers moved. Lucifer squared his shoulders. “You gave us one task, and we failed it. But we can’t just leave things as they are. MC didn’t deserve the way we treated them. We can fix this, but only if you give us the chance.”

Diavolo’s eyes flickered, but his voice remained firm. “And why should I believe you won’t fail again?”

Mammon, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, spoke up. “Because we ain’t the same idiots we were when they first came here. We get it now. We messed up big time, and MC’s the one who paid the price. But we can make things right.”

Levi fidgeted nervously before chiming in. “We… we didn’t realize how much we hurt them. But we’re not asking for an easy way out. We just want to explain. To show them that things can be different.”

Asmo, for once not focused on himself, added, “They deserve to know that they matter. That we care. We didn’t show it before, but we will now.”

Satan’s voice was steady, but there was a hint of frustration in his tone. “We understand that we have to respect their decision. But we can’t just leave it like this without at least trying.��

Beel’s deep voice was the last to cut through the tension. “We owe them more than an apology. We owe them a choice.”

Diavolo remained silent, his gaze sweeping over each of the brothers. There was no arrogance in their voices, no bravado. They were genuinely remorseful, determined to make amends. But the weight of their failure still lingered heavily between them.

“You realize,” Diavolo began slowly, his voice thoughtful, “that this isn’t just about saying sorry. If I allow this, you will have only one chance.”

Lucifer nodded firmly. “We understand.”

Diavolo watched them closely, his gaze sharp. “Whatever happens, you will live with the consequences. If MC agrees to return, you will respect every boundary, every condition they set. No arguments. No excuses. And if MC says no, you will never reach out to them again. You will let them live their life, free of interference from the Devildom. Can you accept that?”

Another pause, then the brothers spoke almost in unison. “Yes.”

Diavolo sighed, his expression softening, though there was still a hint of wariness in his eyes. “Very well. I’ll grant you permission to go to the human world and speak with them. But remember this—this is your last chance. Whatever MC decides, you must honor it. Do I make myself clear?”

Lucifer nodded.

Diavolo looked at each of them again, his gaze lingering on Lucifer for a moment longer before he nodded. “Then go."

With Diavolo’s permission granted, the brothers turned to leave. They had one chance. One last opportunity to make things right with MC. Whatever happened next, they knew they would have to face it head-on.

And this time, they wouldn’t fail.

The journey to the human world felt strange, foreign even to those accustomed to traveling between realms.

They stood together in awkward silence, the unfamiliarity of the human realm unsettling for even the most composed of them. Lucifer led the group, his expression as unreadable as ever, but the tension in his shoulders was clear. This wasn’t about comfort—this was about obligation. He had made it clear to Diavolo, and to his brothers, that they were here to fix their failure.

The air felt heavier as they approached MC’s neighborhood. The houses were neat and quiet, each one blending into the next, a far cry from the towering grandeur of the Devildom. There was no magic here, no signs of the supernatural, only the mundanity of the human world. It was a stark reminder of how far MC had truly come to be with them—and how easily they had pushed them away.

“Doesn’t feel like they’d be expectin’ us,” Mammon muttered under his breath, his eyes flicking nervously from one house to the next.

“They’re not,” Satan replied curtly, his hands shoved into his pockets. “But they’ll have to hear us out.”

Levi was silent, his anxiety apparent in the way his eyes darted to every unfamiliar detail. He wasn’t sure how they were supposed to approach this. What if MC just slammed the door in their faces?

Beel’s gaze was fixed on the house as they approached it, his expression uncharacteristically serious. “We need to make this right,” he said quietly, though it was more to himself than anyone else.

Lucifer didn’t respond, but his pace didn’t falter. His mind was focused, sharp. This wasn’t about personal feelings—this was about salvaging the exchange program, Diavolo’s vision. But the closer they got to MC’s home, the more the weight of their earlier failure pressed on him.

They reached MC’s house, a modest home nestled in the middle of the street. It was so normal, so human. It was hard to believe that the person they had failed lived here, in a place so different from the Devildom. The brothers exchanged uncertain glances, but Lucifer’s expression remained as stoic as ever.

Lucifer stepped up to the door and knocked, the sound loud in the quiet of the neighborhood. There was a pause, and for a moment, it seemed like the door wouldn’t open at all.

But then it did.

MC stood in the doorway, eyes wide with surprise. They blinked, clearly shocked to see the brothers standing on their doorstep. For a moment, they said nothing, their expression caught somewhere between confusion and disbelief.

“Lucifer?” MC finally spoke, their voice cautious. They glanced past him at the rest of the brothers, their confusion deepening. “What are you all doing here?”

They didn’t step back, didn’t invite the brothers in. Instead, they remained frozen, their body language tense, as if they didn’t know whether to retreat or demand an explanation.

Lucifer cleared his throat, his voice calm and measured, though there was a slight edge to it. “We’ve come to speak with you.”

MC frowned, clearly taken aback. “Why?” Their tone wasn’t angry, but there was a guardedness in it, a wariness that hadn’t been there before.

“We need to make things right,” Lucifer said, his words deliberate. “We owe you an apology."

MC crossed their arms, their brow furrowing. “You came all the way to the human world just to apologize?”

Lucifer met their gaze evenly. “Yes.”

MC blinked again, clearly not expecting that answer. They stayed in the doorway, not moving, their confusion evident. “I don’t understand. Why now? You didn’t care before.”

The question hung in the air, and the brothers exchanged glances, each one feeling the weight of MC’s words. They were right. They hadn’t cared—or at least, they hadn’t shown it. Now, they were faced with the consequences of that neglect.

Satan spoke first, his voice steady. “We didn’t realize how badly we handled things until it was too late.”

Levi shifted awkwardly, his fingers fidgeting. “We… we thought you’d be okay. That we didn’t need to do anything different.”

Mammon scratched the back of his neck, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. “We screwed up, alright? We know that now.”

MC’s gaze flicked between the brothers, clearly still confused. “But why does it matter to you now? You never gave me a reason to think it did.”

Asmo stepped forward, his usual charm subdued. “It’s not just about us. You deserved better than how we treated you.”

Beel nodded slightly, his deep voice quiet. “We need to fix this. If you’ll let us.”

Lucifer, his voice as calm, added, “We’re here to offer you the choice. You don’t have to decide now. But we’d like to explain… if you’re willing to listen.”

MC stood in silence for a moment, their eyes scanning the group. They still looked uncertain, confused. They had left the Devildom for a reason, and now the same people who had driven them away were standing on their doorstep, asking for a chance.

Lucifer didn’t press further, his gaze steady but not demanding. “We’ll only take as much time as you allow. The decision is yours.”

MC remained rooted in place, unsure whether to let them in or turn them away.

MC sighed heavily, the weight of the situation evident in their expression. They stepped aside, opening the door wider. "One chance. That’s all you’re getting," they said, voice low but firm. "But I’m not promising anything."

The brothers exchanged glances, a mix of tension and uncertainty passing between them. One by one, they followed MC inside, stepping into the human world in a way that felt far too personal, far too grounded. This wasn’t the vast halls of the Devildom or the intimidating presence of Diavolo’s castle. This was MC’s home—ordinary, familiar, and completely foreign to them.

As they entered, they couldn’t help but look around, taking in the details of MC’s space. The house was warm and lived-in, with a simplicity that contrasted sharply with the dark elegance of the Devildom. Personal items were scattered about—photographs on shelves, books stacked on a coffee table, the faint smell of something homemade lingering in the air. It was a place of comfort, a stark reminder of everything MC had left behind when they were dragged to the Devildom.

Their gazes softened for a moment as they looked around, taking in the humanity of it all. It was a world they didn’t understand, a world that MC had been forced to leave behind. And now they were standing in the middle of it, unwelcome guests in a place that clearly wasn’t theirs.

"Follow me," MC said, leading them through the house to the living room.

The brothers shuffled in awkwardly, unsure of where to stand or what to say. The living room was modest, with a worn couch and a few comfortable chairs. MC gestured toward the seating. "Sit wherever," they said, making their way to a large, well-worn armchair in the corner of the room—their favorite spot.

The brothers hesitated for a moment before taking seats. Mammon flopped onto the couch, trying to mask his unease. Levi nervously perched on the edge of a chair, his fingers fidgeting with his sleeves. Asmo crossed his legs delicately, still glancing around the room. Beel, as large as he was, tried to make himself smaller in one of the armchairs, while Satan leaned back against the wall, arms crossed.

Lucifer, ever the leader, remained standing, though his posture was more measured now. After a brief silence, he nodded to the others. “We owe you an explanation.”

Mammon was the first to speak. He scratched the back of his neck. "Look, I didn’t mean anythin’ by the stuff I said back in the Devildom. You’re not useless. I just… I didn’t think about how it sounded." He glanced at MC, guilt flickering across his face. "I’m sorry for all the times I treated ya like a burden. That wasn’t fair."

Levi shifted in his seat, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t mean to shut you out. I just… I didn’t know how to deal with it, you being a human and all. It felt… weird. But it wasn’t because I hated you or anything. I just didn’t know what to do."

Satan, his arms still crossed, spoke next, his voice calm but measured. "I was too focused on my own pursuits to notice how you were feeling. I treated you like an afterthought because I assumed you’d adapt. That was my mistake."

Asmo leaned forward slightly, his usual charm dimmed. "I thought I was helping, you know? Giving you tips, telling you how to look your best. But I guess I never really thought about what you needed, not just what I thought you should be."

Beel, quiet as always, spoke softly. "I didn’t think about how my indifference affected you. I didn’t realize you felt so out of place because of it. I’m sorry I made you feel like you didn’t matter... and that I didn't step in even though I saw they way my brothers treated you."

Finally, Lucifer stepped forward, his gaze steady as he addressed MC directly. "We failed you. I failed you. We were tasked with making you feel welcome in the Devildom, and we did the opposite. But I’m asking you now to return to the Devildom and take part in the exchange program again. This time, things will be different. You have my word that your boundaries will be respected, and your needs will be considered. The choice is yours."

MC stared at them, their expression unreadable for a moment. Then, slowly, the tension that had been simmering beneath the surface began to rise. Their hands clenched the arms of the chair, and their breathing became heavier.

"You think this is that simple?" MC’s voice was tight, their body rigid with restrained emotion. “You think you can just come here, apologize, and ask me to go back like nothing happened?”

The brothers exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the shift in MC’s tone.

“You don’t get it, do you?" MC’s voice grew louder, their frustration bubbling to the surface. "I was trying so hard. I was trying to adapt to everything, to be understanding, to keep up with whatever the hell was happening. But none of you cared. None of you bothered to see how hard it was for me.”

Their eyes welled up with tears, but their anger didn’t waver. "I stepped up, even though I had no idea what the fuck was going on! I was thrown into a world I didn’t understand, and you treated me like I was beneath you because I’m human."

Levi shifted uncomfortably, his guilt written across his face.

"You all ignored the fact that I’m human. Do you even realize what that means?" MC’s voice cracked with anger and hurt. "The human world is nothing like the Devildom. We don’t have magic. We don’t have super strength. Everything you guys take for granted? We don’t have that. All the dangers I was exposed to, all the things I saw? I only knew about that stuff from works of fiction!"

The brother's expressions tightened, but they remained silent, letting MC speak.

"I didn’t ask for any of it!" MC continued, their voice rising. "And all I expected—all I wanted—was some support. But even that was too much for you."

Tears streamed down their face as they yelled, their emotions finally spilling over. "You treated me like I was nothing. Like I didn’t matter. And you didn’t even realize it!"

MC’s breath came in shaky gasps as they continued, their voice rising again. "You never thought about what it was like for me, did you? To be ripped out of my world, thrown into yours without a choice. You have no idea what that felt like. The fear, the confusion…"

Their eyes flickered to Lucifer, their tone sharp. "Lucifer, you were supposed to guide me, to make sure I was okay. But all you did was push me harder. You kept demanding more, expecting me to be perfect, like I was supposed to just know how everything worked. You never stopped to think that maybe I couldn’t keep up because I had no idea what I was doing!"

Lucifer’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing, allowing MC’s words to cut through the air.

"I kept trying!" MC shouted, their voice cracking again. "I tried to understand all of you! I tried to accept you as you were because I thought… I thought maybe, just maybe, we could make this work. But none of you did that for me. None of you even bothered to try to understand or get to know me."

They took a shaky breath, their fists clenched at their sides. "You all treated me like I was less than you. Like I was just some... pest. Do you even realize how much that hurt?"

Their eyes flitted to Mammon, and their voice softened, though the pain was still raw. "We made a pact... I thought we could be friends, but instead, every day you called me a burden, Mammon, every day you called me useless, and I believed it."

Mammon shifted uncomfortably, his gaze lowering to the floor.

"And Levi…" MC’s voice cracked with hurt. "You made me feel like I was some kind of alien. I tried to get closer, to understand your hobbies, your games, your anime, but you didn’t want me there. You didn’t want me at all."

Levi swallowed hard, his fingers twitching nervously, but he remained silent.

"Satan…" MC shook their head, their voice trembling. "You acted like I was nothing more than an inconvenience. I tried to learn from you, to be better, but you couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge me."

Satan’s face remained impassive, but there was a flicker of something behind his eyes—regret, perhaps, or guilt.

"Asmo…" MC’s gaze hardened. "You treated me like I was a toy. You never cared about what I was feeling, only how I looked."

Asmo bit his lip, his usual charm nowhere to be found.

"And Beel…" MC’s voice softened again, though the hurt was clear. "You never cared whether I was there or not. You never even saw me, not really."

Beel’s brow furrowed, his expression conflicted, but he stayed silent.

MC’s voice shook as they continued, the flood of emotions finally breaking through. "Do any of you have any idea what it was like for me? Did any of you stop to think, even for a second, what I was going through? I was terrified, overwhelmed, and completely lost, and none of you cared. You just went on with your lives like it didn’t matter."

Their chest heaved as they struggled to rein in their emotions, tears streaming down their face. "I didn’t ask to be dragged into the Devildom! You all brought me there! I was tossed into an ocean of unknowns and left to drown!"

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of MC’s words settling over the brothers like a lead blanket. Each of them sat in their guilt, forced to confront the truth they had ignored for far too long.

They took a deep breath, wiping the tears from their face. "I get it. You’re all different. Your personalities, your sins—they make you who you are. But it still hurt. And you never even noticed."

The room was thick with tension, the weight of MC’s words still hanging in the air. Silence stretched between them, broken only by the occasional shifting of one of the brothers. They could feel the storm of emotions brewing within MC, but none of them knew how to approach it.

It was Mammon, uncharacteristically quiet for most of the conversation, who finally broke the silence. His voice was softer than usual, hesitant. "Why didn’t ya wait? Why didn’t ya give us a chance to—"

"I did wait!" MC screamed, their voice cracking with the raw force of emotion. Their words sliced through the air, and the brothers stiffened, caught off guard by the intensity of the outburst. "I waited for days. I stayed at the castle, going back and forth in my head, wondering if I should stay in the Devildom or leave."

They took a shaky breath, the flood of emotions overwhelming them. "I was hoping—no, praying—that one of you would notice. That one of you would realize I was gone and do something. I thought maybe… maybe you’d text me, or call, or show up and ask where I was. But none of you did! Not a single one of you noticed I wasn’t there!"

Lucifer’s eyes darkened with a mix of guilt and frustration, but he didn’t speak. Neither did the others.

"I kept thinking that maybe I was just overwhelmed," MC continued, their voice trembling. "That maybe I needed time to clear my head, and someone—anyone—would realize I was gone. But you didn’t. None of you cared enough to ask where I was."

Their hands were clenched into fists at their sides, their anger spilling over. "Do you even know how long I waited before leaving? How long I sat in that castle, hoping that you’d notice?"

The brothers remained silent, each of them wrestling with their own guilt. MC’s eyes flickered between them, their breath coming in short bursts.

"How long did it take for you to realize I was gone?" MC asked, their voice cutting through the silence like a knife. Their gaze was sharp, demanding an answer. But none of the brothers spoke. Not a single one of them could bring themselves to say it.

The silence stretched on, heavy and suffocating. The truth was clear in their hesitation—it had taken far too long for them to realize MC had left.

MC let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow. "That’s what I thought."

Lucifer stood still, his usual composed demeanor fraying at the edges. He couldn’t meet MC’s eyes. The weight of their words, the sharp truth of how deeply they had been hurt, cut through him in a way he hadn’t expected.

“I failed you,” he finally said, his voice low but clear. There was no defensiveness, no attempt to explain away his actions. Just a cold admission of the truth. "My priority has always been the exchange program, ensuring it succeeded for Diavolo’s sake. I didn’t stop to think about the toll it was taking on you."

He took a breath, trying to maintain his composure, but the guilt was palpable. "I pushed you because I assumed you could adapt quickly. I expected you to adjust without fully understanding the strain I was placing on you. That was wrong. I should have noticed your absence, but I was too focused on everything else. On controlling the situation."

His fists clenched at his sides. The fact that he, the one who prided himself on being aware of every detail, had completely overlooked MC’s struggles stung his pride deeply. Yet, even now, he struggled to express anything beyond responsibility for the failure.

"I should have reached out. I should have ensured you were taken care of. That’s on me." His voice hardened, more with self-directed frustration than anything else. "But I can’t change the past. All I can do is offer my word that, if you return, things will be different. You’ll have the support you deserved from the start. I’ll make sure of it."

There was no grand apology, no emotional outpouring. This was Lucifer, after all. But in his own way, he was laying down the burden of perfection, admitting his faults, and offering what he could—a promise to do better.

Mammon shifted uncomfortably, the guilt weighing heavily on him as MC’s words echoed in his mind. He was used to deflecting, cracking jokes, or brushing things off, but this was different. The raw hurt in MC’s voice had stripped away his usual defenses, leaving him feeling exposed.

He finally spoke, his voice quieter than usual. "Look, I didn’t think—no, I know I didn’t think. I was stupid, alright? I didn’t mean half the stuff I said to ya, callin’ ya a burden and all that. I thought we were just messin’ around, y’know? But I see now that it wasn’t like that for you."

His hand rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit he couldn’t shake. "I didn’t notice you were gone ‘cause I wasn’t payin’ attention. I was too caught up in my own crap, thinkin’ you’d just be fine on your own. But ya weren’t, and I didn’t realize it until it was too late."

Mammon’s eyes flicked toward MC, the usual spark of confidence gone, replaced by a rare moment of sincerity. "I shoulda been there for ya. You’re my responsibility—I’m your first, after all and I was startin' to enjoy havin' ya around. And instead of bein’ there when ya needed me, I pushed ya away."

His voice softened, regret heavy in his words. "If I had just checked in, sent a stupid text, somethin'—maybe ya wouldn’t have left. But I didn’t, and that’s on me."

He took a deep breath, his usual bravado completely absent. "I’m sorry. I dunno how else to say it. I messed up big time, and I wanna fix it, if you’ll let me."

Mammon looked down at the floor, unable to meet MC’s eyes any longer, his usual cockiness replaced with genuine remorse.

Levi sat rigidly in his chair, his fingers twitching as he tried to form the right words. Anxiety clung to him, making it hard to even look up at MC. His usual self-deprecating thoughts were swirling in his mind, amplified by the heavy silence that followed Mammon’s apology.

"I... I didn’t know you felt that way," Levi stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought… I thought you didn’t really care about me. Like, why would you? I’m just some otaku, stuck in my room, not worth bothering with."

He tugged at his sleeves, fidgeting, the weight of guilt pressing down hard. "I—I kept calling you a normie, pushing you away, ‘cause… I didn’t know how to deal with you being around. I thought you’d never get me. Like, how could you understand me? So, I kept my distance. I didn’t want to let you in."

Levi finally glanced up at MC, his eyes filled with regret. "But that wasn’t fair. You… you tried. You were trying to get close, to understand me, and I didn’t let you. I didn’t see how much you were struggling. I was too wrapped up in my own insecurities to even notice you were gone. I should’ve noticed. I should’ve said something, but I just—"

He stopped, biting his lip, his gaze dropping back to the floor. "I screwed up. And the worst part is, I made you feel like you didn’t belong, like you didn’t matter. But you do. I… I’m sorry."

The silence that followed was deafening to Levi. He didn’t know if his words meant anything, but it was all he could offer now. The regret, the shame—it all churned in his gut, knowing he had failed to be a friend when MC needed one the most.

Satan stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He had listened intently as each of his brothers spoke, but now that it was his turn, the weight of his own actions—or lack thereof—pressed on him. Unlike the others, Satan wasn’t one for emotional outbursts or long-winded apologies, but he knew MC deserved more than just silence.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me,” he began, his tone measured, controlled. "I’ve always been more focused on my own interests. Books, knowledge, the pursuit of understanding… I’ve lived with the assumption that I didn’t need to involve myself in others’ lives unless it directly concerned me."

He met MC’s eyes for the first time, his usual calm replaced with a tinge of regret. "I treated you like you didn’t exist. I didn’t see you struggling because, frankly, I didn’t care enough to look."

Satan paused, his voice tightening with frustration. "I should have known better. I’m not a fool. I’m aware of how difficult it must have been for you, adjusting to the Devildom, dealing with us. But I ignored it. I let my own indifference and arrogance blind me to what was happening right in front of me."

He took a slow breath, his jaw clenched slightly. "I didn’t notice when you left because, in my mind, you were just another part of the background. But I realize now how wrong that was. I should have paid attention. I should have acknowledged your presence, your struggles, from the very start."

Satan’s voice softened, though it remained steady. "You deserved better than how I treated you. I can’t change the way I acted, but I can promise that, if you give us another chance, things will be different. I’ll be better."

There was no dramatic flair in his words, no false humility. It was simply the truth as he saw it—a cold admission of how deeply he had failed to live up to his own standards.

Asmo shifted in his seat, his usual charm and carefree attitude nowhere to be found. The guilt was evident in his eyes, but beneath it, there was a hint of confusion. He wasn’t used to feeling like this—uncertain, unsure of how to fix what had been broken.

"Darling," Asmo began softly, his voice lacking its usual flirtatious lilt, "I… I didn’t realize how much I was hurting you."

He folded his hands in his lap, fidgeting slightly, a stark contrast to his usual self-assured posture. "I thought… well, I thought I was helping. You know? I mean, I love helping people express themselves. I thought if I gave you advice, helped you look your best, it would make things easier for you in the Devildom."

He paused, biting his lip as he tried to find the right words. "But I get it now. I wasn’t thinking about what you wanted. I was just focused on what I thought you needed. I treated you like you were just some kind of project—something to dress up, to show off."

Asmo’s eyes softened, and he leaned forward slightly, his voice quieter now. "I didn’t care about what you were going through. I didn’t stop to think about how you felt, how overwhelmed you must’ve been."

He looked down at his hands, his fingers twirling a ring absently. "I should’ve noticed. I should’ve been there for you—not as someone trying to change you, but as someone who cared about you. The real you. And I’m sorry I didn’t see that sooner."

For once, Asmo seemed lost for words. His usual self-confidence had been stripped away, leaving behind something more vulnerable. "I just… I want you to know that I do care. I always did, in my own way. I just went about it the wrong way."

Beel sat quietly, his large hands resting on his knees as he processed everything MC had said. His usual calm, almost stoic demeanor had given way to a sense of heaviness that weighed on him in a way that even food couldn’t distract him from. He looked down, his brow furrowed, trying to find the right words to explain what he was feeling.

"I didn’t notice you were gone," Beel said, his voice deep and quiet. "And I should have. I’m sorry."

He shifted in his seat, his gaze still focused on the floor. "I’ve always been focused on my hunger, on making sure I didn’t lose control. And because of that, I didn’t pay attention to how you were feeling. I didn’t think about how hard things were for you."

Beel’s eyes flicked up to meet MC’s, the sincerity in his voice clear. "I didn’t mean to make you feel invisible. I just… I didn’t know how to be there for you. I figured as long as I wasn’t hurting you, it didn’t matter if I wasn’t around. But I was wrong."

He took a breath, his hands clenching slightly in frustration with himself. "I should have noticed you were struggling. I should have made sure you were okay. But I didn't."

There was a pause as Beel collected his thoughts, trying to put into words the regret he felt. "I’m sorry for the times I made you feel like you didn’t belong. I didn’t see how much it hurt you, but I see it now. And if you give us a chance, I’ll make sure you don’t feel that way again."

Beel’s expression was somber, his usual calmness replaced with a quiet guilt that weighed heavily on him. He wasn’t one for grand speeches, but in this moment, his words carried the weight of his sincerity.

MC’s hands trembled slightly as they wiped their eyes, their voice still raw from the intensity of their outburst. The confessions and apologies from each brother had hit them hard, but there was still a part of them that remained guarded. They looked at the brothers, one by one, searching their faces for something—anything—to prove that their words were more than just an attempt to ease their own guilt.

"Do you really mean it?" MC asked, their voice quieter now but still carrying a sharp edge of vulnerability. "All of you? Are you really sorry, or are you just saying this because you feel guilty?"

The brothers exchanged glances, the weight of the question pressing down on them. It wasn’t just an apology MC needed—it was proof that they could trust the brothers again.

Lucifer spoke first, his voice steady and firm. "I meant every word. We’ve failed you, and I won’t deny that. But I wouldn’t ask you to return if I didn’t believe we could make things right this time."

Mammon nodded quickly, his hands fidgeting nervously. "Yeah, we ain’t just sayin’ it to make ourselves feel better. I messed up, but I ain’t gonna let that happen again. I promise, MC."

Levi swallowed hard, still battling his anxiety. "I… I mean it too. I don’t want to push you away anymore. I’ll try harder to let you in."

Satan uncrossed his arms, his expression more thoughtful. "I don’t make promises lightly. But if I say I’ll do better, I will. You have my word."

Asmo leaned forward, his voice softer than usual. "I really do care, darling. I may not have shown it the right way before, but I’ll do better. I promise."

Beel, as straightforward as ever, added quietly, "I’m sorry for everything. I’ll try to be more aware of you, of what you need. You deserve that."

MC looked down for a moment, their mind racing. They had every right to walk away, to tell the brothers it was too late, that the damage was done. But something deep inside them—something that had longed for connection, for understanding—pushed them to speak again.

"I’ll come back," MC said slowly, their voice still shaky, "but only if things change. I’m not asking all of you to suddenly like me or be my best friend, but I need you to try. To at least get to know me on some level. I want to feel like I belong, and that won’t happen unless you put in some effort."

The brothers were silent, listening closely as MC continued. "I need you to be more understanding, more supportive. I’ve been doing this on my own, and I can’t come back if it’s going to be like that again. I need to know that you’ll try—that you’ll actually make an effort this time."

The weight of MC’s decision hung in the air, but for the first time since the conversation began, a sense of relief settled over the room. The brothers exchanged glances, the unspoken understanding that this was their second chance—the one they couldn’t afford to waste.

Lucifer stepped forward slightly, his voice steady but softer than before. "We’ll return to the Devildom together. You have my word, things will be different."

Mammon flashed a small grin, though there was still a hint of nervousness in his expression. "Yeah, this time, we’ve got your back, promise. Ya won’t regret comin’ back with us."

Levi nodded quickly, still fidgeting. "I’ll... I’ll try to be better. We’ll make sure you don’t feel alone this time."

Satan gave a brief nod, his voice as firm as ever. "We’ll make the Devildom feel like a place you belong. It won’t be like before."

Asmo, flashing his usual charming smile, added, "This time, darling, we’ll show you that you're welcome. I’ll make sure of it."

Beel simply nodded, his deep voice reassuring. "We’ll look out for you, like we should have from the start."

MC felt the heaviness in their chest lift slightly. There was still a lot of work to be done—trust to rebuild, feelings to unpack—but maybe this time, it could work. They gave a small nod, their voice steady but cautious. "Alright. Let’s go back. Together."

The brothers seemed to relax, the tension in the room dissolving just a little. Lucifer gestured toward the door, his usual authoritative air returning. "Then let’s not waste any more time."

With that, they left MC’s house, stepping back into the human world’s fading light. The transition back to the Devildom felt different this time, the air buzzing with a mix of uncertainty and determination.

As they stood together in front of the portal, the brothers and MC exchanged one last glance. It wasn’t just a return to the Devildom—it was the beginning of a new chapter. One built on mutual effort, understanding, and, most importantly, the chance to do things right.

Together, they stepped through the portal, leaving the human world behind. The familiar sights of the Devildom greeted them on the other side, but this time, the tension that once filled the space between them had begun to fade.

This time, they returned as something more—something closer to what MC and the brother's had always needed.

#obey me #obey me headcanons #obey me imagines #obey me mc #obey me mammon #obey me lucifer #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me diavolo

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creedslove · 9 months ago

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HEARTLESS 💔 - FINAL CHAPTER

Agent Whiskey (Jack Daniels) x f!reader

Summary: A wedding, a new addition to the family and revisiting memories finally bring the Daniels family their well-deserved happy ending ❤️

(This is the last chapter of the HEARTLESS 💔 series)

• YOU CAN READ THE ENTIRE SERIES ON MY MASTERLIST

Warnings: a tad bit of angst (but not really, it's mostly just expressing emotions and revisiting sad memories), mentions of suicidal thoughts, fluff, brief smut (more like mentions of it), tension, talks of becoming a widow, Wyatt and his baby sister being the most adorable kids in the world, happy ending ❤️

A/N: it took me so long to get this done, I guess nearly six months, I don't know, I feel I sort of lost my way with this story, but I had to come back and finish our cowboy adventure, give them their happy ending. I love you all and I really hope you enjoy this chapter, I thank you everyone who has followed this story and showed me support through all these months of writing! It wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you ❤️🫶

12.6k words

Nothing could have prepared you for the reaction your cowboy had the moment you broke the news to him you were pregnant - or rather he found out about it by spotting the test boxes in the bathroom trash. You had been worried about everything, so many scenarios running through your head, always anticipating the worst and making you fear each single measure he could take. Just to have a grown ass cowboy on his knees before you, his face resting against your womb as he blinked away the tears that insisted on flooding those brown baby cow eyes of his. He just worshiped you, mumbling so many words you couldn't quite tell what they were, but the way he looked up at you, as if you were his whole world, made your heart skip a beat. It was a terrifying change, but you oddly didn't feel scared, not at that moment, not when you had Whiskey at your feet, showing he wasn't going anywhere, he was committed and devoted to you, to his family, a family that was growing, just like that tiny little seed in your womb, that was going to grow into a full baby, a blessing to that undeserving man, something he prayed for every single night, there was nothing Jack Daniels wanted more than to be a good man to his family, to be the husband and the father you and the kids deserved.

The kids.

He chuckled to himself at the thought of it, something that seemed just like a distant dream short days ago, was now a reality, the fact Wyatt was about to become a big brother, and the overwhelming love he felt for his son, also multiplying towards his second child. It was also terrifying to him, to love someone he hadn't even met yet, and how that could be taken away from in the blink of an eye like it happened to him before. He shook his head, squinting his eyes unaware of the tears that rolled down his cheeks, chasing those thoughts away. Nothing would happen to his family, you, Wyatt and the little angel inside of you would be just fine, because that was his responsibility and he would fight for it until his last breath. You felt his tears against your bare skin and a gut feeling told you exactly what he was thinking about, you didn't want him suffering for that, things wouldn't be as tragic as they were, Jack Daniels was a heavily traumatized man, who lived in fear of losing his family by not being good enough to protect them. You couldn't let your cowboy suffer in anticipation like that, so you pushed him gently, sitting on the floor to face him in the same eye level and stroked his cheek, the way his eyes were red with tears and he sniffed even if he tried his best to control his emotional reaction, reminded you so much of Wyatt, your son being the tiny little version of him. You placed your lips on Jack's forehead, then you went to his cheek kissing his tears away and finally to his lips, never breaking eye contact, at the same time he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you as close as possible, needing the reassurance only your touch could provide. You kept your cowboy so close to your heart, taking deep breaths and letting his presence sink in, finally realizing how much you'd missed your cowboy, spending days apart from him. You had been so deep into your own thoughts after finding out about the pregnancy you completely neglected the side that craved your cowboy with you. You wanted to hold him, kiss and make love to him, but at that moment, you could see the vulnerability in his eyes.

It broke your heart; Jack was a strong, fearless man towards anything that did not involve his family. He was able to take down dozens of enemies in a fight, he could face the most furious bull in a ring, he didn't fear death or pain when he was out in the world protecting a nation that didn't even know they were in danger to begin with, but he was not that brave when it came to his sugar and his son, and especially not once they added a baby into the mix. One could call him paranoid, but he was just not willing to take the slightest risk, it had happened once, it wasn't going to happen twice.

"Sugar, I-”

His voice cracked, he had tears in his eyes, threatening to spill at any given second, he wanted to promise you, word it out loud how hard he would fight for you, for your relationship as a couple, your upcoming wedding, he wanted to assure you you could splurge as much as you wanted, choose whatever made you happy, he wanted to throw himself at your feet like the dog he was, he wanted to cry and beg your forgiveness even if he had already done that before, more than once, and even if you, out of your superior state of grace, had forgiven him. He wanted to tell you he knew he wasn't worthy of you, but he wasn't strong enough to keep away, he wanted to swear you and the kids would be forever safe, he would do anything you wanted him to: quit Statesman, throw away all his lassos and whips, he would become a goddamn farmer if it were up to you. He wanted to thank you for bringing sense into his life again, for robbing him from those depreciating, suicidal thoughts. He wanted to thank, and beg and promise you, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything at all, all he did was blinking his tears, letting them run down his cheeks. You knew it, you knew it all, he didn't have to say it, you could feel it from his heart to yours. Caressing his cheek gently, you nodded, leaned towards him and kissed his lips once more.

"I know cowboy, I know it”

•••

The slight noise of crayons sliding through a sheet of paper filled your ears and brought your attention back to reality. You focused your eyes on the bright colorful shades that added a meaning to a confusing drawing Wyatt was finishing. A pillow under his bum so he could be tall enough to use the coffee table as his personal art table, while he glanced at his baby sister, Rosie, who rested in her baby seat and watched attentively her big brother's every move. The eight-month-old cooed and kicked her little legs, wanting Wyatt's attention back at her, their bond being as strong as it was the day she was born, he giggled at her.

"Calm down, Rosie… I will continue the story in a minute” he said in his smart pants way and turned his head at you, knowing something was up. Wyatt was only six - proudly going 7 in a few months, but he was able to tell whenever you were lying to him. He'd asked if you were alright a couple of times in the last hour, and you'd said yes. But you clearly weren't fine.

Dropping his crayons, he got up and walked towards you, bright brown eyes staring into yours and a comforting smile.

“What happened, mommy?”

“N-nothing happened, honey… why don't you go and keep telling Rosie the story… What story was it?”

"The story of us before she was born…” he said proudly and you let out a chuckle, of course he would want his little sister to know her origins and tell her everything that happened in the months that followed your wedding proposal up to her birth. You allowed yourself to stop the mental torture and point at Rosie who kept cooing in order to have Wyatt talking to her as she loved. As much as the sight melted your heart, a heavy weight in your chest stopped you from taking another breath without feeling pain. Jack should have been there with you. He should be sitting right next to you, playing with his kids and giving you all sorts of dirty smirks hinting at what would go on in your shared bedroom once the kids were off to dreamland. But he wasn't, and you swallowed hard every time you thought about it. You hadn't lied to Wyatt at all, when you said nothing happened; because nothing indeed had happened, the real problem was that something should have happened. He should have declined Champ’s request for a last mission, and being the stubborn cowboy he was, when he got there, he should've killed his enemies straight away, he should have answered Statesman's official communication channels, and above all, he should have arrived home two days ago.

You didn't get contact from him and neither did the agency, even if they actually sent Ginger to your ranch so she would keep you company and make sure you weren't lost in bad thoughts, even if she stood in your kitchen making you a cup of tea, always offering you dozens of stories in which Whiskey managed to save the day and showed up at the last minute, it still didn't work, quite the opposite, it made it everything worse. But you had to remain strong for the kids, there was no reason to spread panic, even if you were feeling panic yourself, you couldn't do that to them.

You hugged your little boy tight, burying your face into his soft curls, and smiled, looking at your precious Rosie, picking her up from her seat and holding her gently.

"Go ahead, love” you told your son and Wyatt smiled, giggling and tickling her tiny little feet.

"So… after daddy found out you were a little seed in mommy's tummy…”

And at your son's sweet words towards your daughter, your mind drifted off to the memories he was taking so much pride in telling her.

•••

“Honey, it's okay, I'm fine, our baby is fine” You'd told your cowboy for the third time but he wasn't convinced just yet, it had been a silly little accident and nothing more: you’d been playing tag with Wyatt and Jack outside when a chicken running lose crossed your path and your tripped over it. Thinking in retrospect, it wasn't silly, it was plain stupid actually, but the moment Jack saw you tumbling, he ran towards you as fast as possible, immediately lifting you up and placing his hand on your belly. The pregnancy was now two months along, and your soon-to-be husband was always in a state of alert, just like a guard dog, he wouldn't leave your side unless it was strictly necessary to, and at any slight glimpse of danger - well, his exaggerated conception of danger -, he would be ready to act.

"Sugar please, you fell down, that's something pregnant women aren't supposed to do, let's just go to town, get you to the clinic, have one of those fancy ultrasounds exams and make sure everything’s fine. Afterwards, Wyatt can have one of those happy meals he loves and you can check up any remaining wedding details you'd like to”

You both knew there was no detail you hadn't double checked in the month and a half you'd found out about the pregnancy. Your wedding was all set and ready to take place - a week from then, at the Daniels’ ranch. Everything was thoughtfully chosen, organized and done despite how fast things were going. However, the fear in that man's eyes made you nod and agree to his request. You knew you were okay, just as your baby was okay, but he didn't, not when his worst nightmare haunted him every single day, giving him no breaks or concessions; the horror of losing yet another child taking away his logical rational side more often than he'd liked. So you did it for him, for your worried cowboy. For the cowboy who wouldn't keep his hand away from your small baby bump and would pray silently for things to be okay.

“Alright Jack, let's go”

You gave in to his request and allowed him to help you climb up the Bronco, along with Wyatt safely tucked in the backseat just a few moments after he ran inside to grab you and himself a jacket. Your heart clenched with an overwhelming wave of love, your family was so perfect it didn't even seem to be real. As you watched the ranch become smaller and smaller in the rear mirror, Wyatt played with some dinosaur toys in the backseat, you noticed the cemetery entrance Whiskey drove by; the same cemetery Gabriella was buried with her unborn baby and that brought another pang towards your chest. You thought of her and her baby, and the joy and expectations she must've had, you thought of your own cowboy, and how hard it must've been for him to receive the news that destroyed his life. Placing your hand on your womb, you stroked it gently. You weren't worried until then, but the cold realization of what happened to your fiance, was enough to spike the doubt. Life was going so well for you, perhaps too well, and you worried at some point the good wave of luck would die out. Thoughts wandered, but a heavy hand rested on your thigh, snapping you out of your thoughts. Jack glanced at you, still keeping his attention on the road, but making sure to look into your eyes.

"It's going to be fine sugar, our sweet little bean is here, safe and sound”

You nodded thankfully for his words and tried calming down, knowing you'd be in town soon.

You could list the most emotional moments of your life: your first kiss, your first love, the first time you ever saw that pathetic handsome cowboy, the instant you fell in love with him, your first time with your cowboy, the first time you exchanged love words, finding out you were pregnant with Wyatt, listening to his first heartbeats and you could spend a lifetime listing all of those moments. So you figured the moment you heard your newest baby's heartbeat for the first time, you wouldn't become too emotional, but you were definitely wrong. The moment the loud heartbeat filled the room, your heart raced like crazy, looking around you saw your cowboy's eyes filled with tears, a sweet smile as he leaned in and pecked your lips gently, at the same time Wyatt's happy grin also caught your attention. The way he clapped his small hands so excitedly and giggled.

“See mommy? Baby sissy is alright!”

He said happily, as he was sure he would get a sister, and turns out, he was right all along.

That night, after Wyatt was safely tucked into bed, Jack came over to you, a basket and blankets in hand, a shit eating grin as he cornered you and kissed your cheeks, before going south and getting to your neck. Goosebumps spread all over your skin, you knew exactly what he was thinking of and you couldn't help but chuckle. He was still your handsome, charming silly cowboy and you loved him with every fiber of your being. He didn't even need to say anything, just offering you his hand, knowing you'd take it without questioning and without further ado, you two were quickly running through the green grass of the ranch, escaping to your old getaway spot, the one you'd spend uncountable hours with your cowboy, just enjoying the sunlight or the moonlight, relaxing and hiding away from everything and everyone. The early stages of your relationship, where you didn't know if you and the cowboy would actually become something more than a steamy affair, before even dreaming of getting pregnant with his child and going through everything you did. You would both get into your favorite date place: the barn.

Just a blanket to make things comfortable, some treats to nibble on and all the love flowing through your veins.

"It's been so long since we came here” you told Whiskey, as he opened the door and welcomed you after him. He didn't say anything, not before pressing you against the wall and stealing a kiss. And that cowboy was hungry for you. The way his hands gripped your waist before roaming over you, his heavy breathing and a whole new discharge of hormones thanks to your pregnancy, got you so worked up, your hands sinking into the softness of his hair, his stetson lying on the floor at how fast your make out session started.

"Missed you, sugar.. it was about time we came up to our good ol' barn, ain't it right? Just us… ‘cause mommy and daddy gotta have their fun” Jack's heavy breathing was so enticing to you, the way he hungrily went over to your neck and without you even noticing him, he had set the blanket on the floor, making it a cozy place for the two of you to lie down among stacks hay. Smooth dirty cowboy, must've done that a thousand times. If those barn walls could talk, they'd certainly tell the most explicit erotic tales, ones out of many that were actually starred by you. However, there was no place for jealousy of the past, instead you focused on the bright future you got ahead of you and the known fact you were now the only one going to the barn with your cowboy. No other woman would touch him but you, and that was priceless.

By the time you were both finished with your round, all that was left was resting against each other's body. His arms firmly wrapped around you, short nails scratching up and down your naked back, at the same time you nuzzled his chest. His warm skin and his heartbeat, those small details reminding you it was real. Your happiness was real. Love overflowing you at all times and nothing could be better at that moment. As you shifted and lay on your back, Jack's hand immediately rested on your baby bump. It was still quite small, but you could both see it taking its shape, it was your child growing healthy and strongly inside of you. The mixture of you and the cowboy, the final proof your love was so abundant it flooded into something more. Whiskey's hand stroked your skin, a distant smile on his face, as so much went through his mind. He couldn't help but experience so many feelings at once: love, fear, excitement, regret, grief. All of that mixed up in the handsome mess he was. He couldn't wait to meet his sweet daughter, because just like Wyatt, he was also certain it was time for a baby girl Daniels to make her debut in the family, yet, he couldn't help feeling the bitter taste of regret, thinking of all the wasted time and opportunity he could've spent around you and baby Wyatt. Thinking of how he could've and should've been there for you and him. Your first pregnancy, how everything was so new and scary, how hard and stressful things were, how much you and your son needed him. He closed his eyes and silently prayed for forgiveness, trying to convince himself better late than never, which was true, but he could've been a better man. His mind also drifted to very old times, when he wasn't much more than a boy recently graduated from high school, a wedding ring shining and a beautiful, young and bright Gabriella expecting their baby boy. She was supposed to have gone to college that year, if she hadn't gotten pregnant, Jack knew she would've made a great lawyer, exactly like she dreamed of; he often blamed himself for robbing her of her bright future, even if he knew he would've managed to work and given her and their son the best life possible. It was a topic he discussed several times in therapy and grief counseling. At first, he was adamant about not wanting to do it, but Champ only gave him two options: either treat his old deep wounds, or leave Statesman behind and start over with no job, no money, no support. And he was being kind, because more than once Jack heard people telling straight up to his face he should be rotting in jail. The truth was that Champ was right, he needed to, he should've treated himself years ago, it made him understand and finally accept that no one was to blame, but the killers who ended Gabriella's and the baby's lives. It made him see, he had loved them with all his heart, but he was still alive and he was entitled to be happy, he shouldn't feel guilty about loving someone else, about wanting to build a life with someone other than Gabriella, and above all, he understood that his sweet Gabriella would want the same for him, because he was sure if he was the one who died that night at a convenience store, he would never wish her a lifetime of sorrow and grief like he led.

"I think you're miles away from here, Jack…” your voice had snapped him out of his thoughts and brought him back to reality, just as your touch, fingers running through his hair as he chuckled and nodded.

"Just thinking about life, that's all”

"You know I love you, right, cowboy?”

“I do, just as I love you sugar. With my whole heart”

He pecked your lips and then got to your belly, his mustache tickling your skin as he left a trail of little butterfly kisses on your bump.

“And I love you too, baby, with all my soft old heart, a broken heart fixed with so much love and patience by your beautiful mama, your handsome big brother and by you, because I'm sure you're daddy's little sheep”

•••

"... So when you still lived in mommy's tummy, daddy called you little sheep, because you were too tiny to be a cowboy and also a girl” Wyatt giggled at his own joke and cooed as Rosie clapped her chubby hands. Your kids’ genuine happiness and innocence filled your heart with love and pride, and the fact your cowboy wasn't anywhere Statesman looked for him, only fueled the worst fears and thoughts you had going on. Raising your two kids on our own wouldn't be impossible, you'd done it before with Wyatt, you'd been strong enough to do it, but that was not the occasion any longer. You wanted your cowboy by your side, Jack and you were meant to be, you were married now and you wanted nothing more than to stay with him for the rest of your life, to watch your kids grow and grow old with him. You loved him with all your heart and that lack of news was driving you insane. Turning to Ginger, she simply shook her head, still no sign of him, and it pierced your heart. You wanted your sweet handsome Jack next to you, so you could both enjoy your family.

"... And then Rosie, mommy married daddy and it was under the willow tree! Remember we played snowman last Christmas there?! Mommy looked like a princess! Mommy, tell Rosie you looked like a princess!”

Wyatt tugged at you and caught your attention again, you kissed your daughter's head gently and then stroked your son's beautiful face. He was the sweetest child you'd ever met, he'd been your best friend for so long, you just nodded at his words.

"And you tell Rosie you looked like a tiny little prince and walked mommy down the aisle!”

“So Rosie…, Mommy and daddy's wedding was so fun! Let me tell you…”

•••

The arrangements for the wedding weren't as complicated as you thought they'd be, not when you had Whiskey by your side, always willing to make your dream - and his, come true. No matter the decoration, the dress, the flower arrangement or the buffet. Anything was perfect for him, because at the end of the day, you'd be his forever, his wife, the mother of his beautiful children. You'd sign your name as Mrs.Daniels, just like Wyatt and your baby would. And he couldn't wait for that to become true.

Taking advantage of the fact it was awfully warm for December, you both decided to hold the wedding at the ranch, where you could fit all the guests - nothing too much, just friends, some relatives, fellow agents on Whiskey's part, anyway - and all the other things implied by a wedding: a beautiful altar, a nice dance floor and all the great amount of flowers your cowboy insisted on you gifting you with, roses of course, he loved those as a little boy because his grandma and mama loved them, and it's a commonly well-known fact that above being a Mama's boy, Jack Daniels had been a grandma's boy, which only made you love him even more. He was a roses man, and you knew with all your heart that a little Rosie was growing up in your belly, the perfect mixture of your love and the cowboy's, just like your handsome, precious son Wyatt, was.

The location chosen at the ranch could only be by the willow trees, such a special place for you and your family, it was bound to become even more special. It would be the place where you and Jack would exchange your vows of always loving each other and your family; it was beautiful. The directions were also perfect, the exact balance between simple and elegant. Nothing to be too much, just some fairy lights carefully placed on the trees, white chairs on the green field and several roses of all colors scattered all over the place. You'd always heard men didn't usually take part in those details, but your Whiskey couldn't be further from that; he loved spending every moment helping you decide what you wanted and giving some of his thoughts too. The cake tasting was also another happy occasion: Jack made sure to take you to the best bakery in town, you, him and Wyatt had the hard task of trying a little bit of every cake available in order to pick the right one for the party. You, trusting your boys’ fine taste, you let them pick the cake: strawberry and cream. Everything seemed ready for the two of you to tie the knot. The dress was also easy to find, you weren't picky, you wanted something pretty and comfortable, that would make your baby bump discreet and allow you to enjoy your special day. Taking Wyatt with you so he would help you choose the best outfit, you simply loved how attentive and sweet he was, all the time he clapped his little hands and giggles

"You look pretty mommy!”

That's what you'd heard the most those days.

Your handsome cowboy on the other hand, had his suit completely figured out: after inviting some of the Kingsman agents, Eggsy sent your fiance a special fine tailored suit, the kind that fit your cowboy so perfectly and it hung tight to all the right places. He looked so good, too good it was almost impossible to be able to hold yourself back and honor the agreement you'd both made to wait until the wedding to sleep together again. It was quite silly to do that, but you remembered being younger and reading somewhere about how having a dry spell a few days before the wedding could fuel the honeymoon even more. You and Jack decided not to travel for your special getaway, he was still very worried about your health, no matter how many times your doctor assured both you and him things were alright with mama and the baby. There was also the fact you didn't have anyone to leave Wyatt with as well, he was a kind and sweet child to be around, but he wasn't used to being away from you for more than just a couple of days. Your mom was completely out of the picture and you and Jack didn't really feel comfortable in hiring someone to watch your boy on such short notice. A couple of weeks at your ranch, enjoying the upcoming end of the year festivities, your family and taking care of your pregnancy didn't sound that bad at all, you were looking forward to it and each time you saw Whiskey, your heart fluttered, thinking of all the happiness ahead of you.

Two days before your wedding, Wyatt woke up sneezing and sniffling, you had warned him not to spend too long around the river with his dad, you weren't certain what kind of vegetation was that, but it was enough to strike an allergic reaction in your little boy; and since Jack had been out to go fishing and Wyatt wouldn't leave his side for two seconds, it was understandable he didn't wake up feeling great, which made you give him some antiallergics in order for him to feel better. It'd worked to an extent, if it weren't for the fact the antiallergic your son got was the drowsy kind and it put him down to sleep through the whole afternoon, so without Wyatt's usual presence around you, always playing or asking millions of those thoughtful and creative questions, you took some time for yourself, relaxing and lying on the couch, waiting for Whiskey to be home. Your future husband was as excited for the wedding as you were, he couldn't wait to say ‘I do’ and finally be able to be your husband, and yet, you could still see there were some days in which Jack's mind wandered and he seemed so lost in thought. Or late at night, it wouldn't be rare to get up to grab a glass of water and find him looking out the window, silently and reflexively, just staring into the darkness outside the window. You hadn't asked what was going on, suspecting it had to do with something extremely intimate, and that didn't worry you one bit, your love was strong and your cowboy was devoted to you, perhaps it was something to do with those ugly thoughts he dealt with a while back; although he'd assured you he still went to the his therapist appointments regularly and things were much better in that sense then. Eventually, you felt your eyes getting heavier and heavier, and you ended up dozing off, your body fully relaxed against the comfortable couch and the warmth of the sunshine coming through the big window.

The distant sound of the Bronco's engine wasn't enough to wake you up by itself, you were so tired, a combination of your pregnancy and all the rush you had been settling things, all you needed was just a couple of hours of extra sleep and you'd be all set. Your sweet cowboy knew that more than you did, so he just tiptoed his way into the kitchen in order not to disturb you. The cowboys sweet tooth was really making him lose focus, so he had to grab a slice of that delicious cake you'd made him; no matter how many times you'd told Jack he looked the same sexy cowboy as always, he was sure he was growing a soft belly, and that was certainly due to your great cooking and mostly baking skills. And yet, he couldn't care less about it. He would trade any abs and fit body in the world for the happiness of your shared domestic bliss. He was so absentmindedly eating his second slice of cake - it was just too good to stop in the first one, he didn't even notice you approaching him, only when you placed your delicate hand on his back he managed to turn around and give you a smile as best as possible, due to the amount of cake he was eating, so you just chuckled and shook your head

“Chew it slowly cowboy” you said sweetly and wiped some crumbles off his cheek and then went to his chest, doing the same with his shirt. His free immediately rested on your belly as he grinned.

"How's the little cowboy?”

"He's alright… I'd like to talk about the big cowboy, though” you told him and saw his puzzled face as you chuckled and wrapped your arms around his neck. Jack's body was so broad and strong, it simply made you always feel safe and quite turned on, although you couldn't get distracted by him. His arms wrapped around your body, heavy hands resting on the small of your back as he sighed, he hoped he wasn't in trouble, although he had quite a good guess what you wanted to talk about. He placed a peck on top of your head and looked into your eyes.

“What is it, sugar?”

"I want to know what's going on, cowboy… I know you're excited about our wedding, just as I am, but sometimes you just get so lost in thought, you wake up in the middle of night and underneath all that spark of happiness, I still see some melancholy underneath… I don't want to see you sad, Jack”

He closed his eyes when he felt your hand on his cheek, the slightest caress was already so comforting for that broken cowboy; he was a screw up but he had the best intentions, all he wanted was to make you happy without having to worry about losing the three of you. You, Wyatt and the baby being much more than he ever deserved, he just wished he didn't worry so much about everything all the time. Taking a seat on the chair and pulling you to his lap, he rested his face on your cleavage, sighing as he wondered if he should actually open up and tell you what was constantly on his mind. What if you somehow misinterpreted what he meant?! What if you got angry with him and his over protection? So many things ran through his mind as he remained in silence for a few seconds, until once more that healing caress of yours snapped him out of his newest wave of melancholy, this time tangled into his messy hair, you could see the tension dissolving from his shoulders and how he was ready to talk.

"I'm so happy with everything that's going on… our wedding, our baby, our cowboy Wyatt growing up stronger than a horse, I spent so long thinking I could never be happy in my life only to be the happiest man in the world. I'm so thankful to you for all of that, sugar. You made me a better man, you made me want to be better for you and our family and now we're welcoming a new baby into our lives, I can't help my excitement to do this with you, sugar, it's my dream coming true”

The cowboy said honestly, this time he was the one who held your face between his hands, caressing it gently and being so delicate towards you like he'd always been. Still, you knew him, being sure there was a little bit more to it than just the pure excitement.

"And…?”

Whiskey licked his lips and gave you a sad smile, seeing nothing would go past you unnoticed, not when it came to him at least. He felt pretty happy and safe because of that, his heart warm at how sweet you were.

“And my mind keeps taking me back to when I was young… All this wedding preparation going on reminds me of the first time I got married… how young and naive I was, how happy Gabriella got, and how hopeful we were when lil Jack was growing in her belly” he swallowed hard and lowered his eyes “please sugar, don't think I'm comparing you two or that I still love Gabriella in that way, but it makes me sad to think my boy could've become a man, a big strong cowboy, and his mama should be a hell of a successful woman by now. I know I discussed this hundreds if not thousands of times over the years, but their fate was just so unfair, and along with that, the fear of losing you and our beautiful little family the way I lost them starts creeping up in my chest and I just get so paranoid over everything an-”

You interrupted your cowboy with a kiss; touching his lips with yours, feeling the warmth of him irradiating onto you, the way his arms wrapped around you and he deepened the kiss, loving to have a taste of you, especially when his mouth couldn't make the right words, he knew his heart could, and above all, your heart could listen to it. And you understood it, you really did, it wasn't because Jack still thought of his late wife, not in that way, but he just couldn't help wondering what would've happened if things didn't go the tragic way they did. Your cowboy was a romantic and sensitive man, no matter what he tried saying or doing. You broke the kiss with a gentle smile and took his hand “come on, cowboy, let's go for a ride” you told him as you dragged him out of the kitchen, stopping midway just to let Helen know you and Jack would be gone for a while and she should keep an eye on Wyatt just in case.

The walk to the stables was quick, as your cowboy didn't hesitate in going after you, still slightly puzzled as to why you decided to go out like that, but the moment he saw your smile, he went soft: he would do anything for you. You finally let go of his hand and went to Silver Pony, greeting her and petting her head, warming up his heart. Jack loved how sweet and kind to the animals he kept at the ranch you were, knowing you loved that beautiful horse, just as much as Wyatt loved his beautiful little pony, he frowned softly as he saw you getting the saddle and putting it on your horse.

"I thought we'd agree you wouldn't ride horses for now, you know, to prevent stuff in case you fall or-” you interrupted your cowboy with another peck on the lips, knowing he wouldn't resist further than that. Smiling you shook your head slightly

"You know, it's funny you don't want me to ride a horse but you do want me to ride a cowboy every single night” you winked as you saw a slight red shade crossing his cheeks before he cleared his throat “come on, Jack, I'll be safe, I'll be with you, you're the best cowboy in the world, the best I've ever seen, we'll just take a short ride and that's it…”

And with your puppy eyes, you managed to convince him. Like you always did.

And you were right after all, the ride was short and calm, nothing different went on, as you two exited the ranch entrance and took the small side road towards the fruit trees, the cowboy just assumed you were going to pick up some to make a dessert or something similar, but the moment you crossed the fruit path and walked a bit further, stopping by the cemetery, was when he finally realized what you'd had in mind. He did not see that coming, a part of him still tried to deflect him from considering that, but when he saw you getting off Silver Pony and picking up some flowers, it was the confirmation he needed.

“S-sugar, why? Why are we here?”

He asked as you took his arm and made your way inside of that holy place.

"I think it's important, maybe this will ease your mind, Jack… I know how hard this subject still is for you, and I also know you haven't visited her in a while. I think it's important for you, and well, for me too, that way we can soothe these feelings that still haunt you, cowboy. Let's go, I do it with my heart open”

And with your encouraging words, your cowboy Jack Daniels took your hand and walked towards his late wife's grave, knowing it was always a bittersweet feeling, but above all, necessary. He hadn't been there in a while, it was almost as if he'd lost the habit of doing so, not feeling that need of visiting them, not after he started attending therapy and realized he had to let his first family go, not after he realized he needed to fight for the family he had with you and that was the most important thing. Still, around special dates such as their anniversary or worse, the anniversary of their passing, he felt he had to honor them by showing up and leaving a couple of flowers. Jack was also aware that you visited their grave once and it warmed his heart. You took some of your time to acknowledge their existence in a substantial way and not treat them as if they were just his weird obsession. Once he realized you both stood in front of the tombstone, he took a deep breath. No matter if years and decades went by, the sight of their names written there always pierced his heart. He knew his relationship with Gabriella could've taken so many turns if she hadn't died: they could've been together until this day or they could've split up, they could still have feelings for each other or hate each other's guts, so many possibilities, none of them would ever come true, but what shattered his heart for real, was to think of his little boy, think of his little Jack, still so small and fragile inside his mommy's tummy, unlike Gabriella, Jack never got to hold him, never got to look into his eyes or caress his hair. Technically, it should've been easier for him to get over the loss of someone he had never met, but it wasn't, if anything, it was even worse, because he could never stop himself from wondering what would've happened. Would his son be good at school or get bad grades? Would be a mama's boy like Whiskey himself was as a kid or would he be rebellious? If he'd followed his dad's step and found his sweetheart earlier in life, there was a fat chance Whiskey would be a grandpa by then.

But those ifs and might-have-beens were just spiculation. There was no way to know it, and not to descend into madness once more living off daydreams and made up scenarios, was that he seeked help. He was better now, better than he'd ever been, but at emotional times like those, it was quite difficult not to be caught in the moment, so he felt startled when you placed your hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want me to go and give you some time?” You suggested as you placed the flowers on Gabriella's and the baby's graves, you had a gut feeling that moment was important for your cowboy, but now that you were actually there, you felt slightly dislocated, not knowing exactly what to do or what to say, it felt so intimate to be there, to see Jack's eyes fill up with tears, but instead of asking you for a moment, he tightened his grip around your hand and kept you in place. The two of you closed your eyes and said a silent prayer to his first family. You thanked Gabriella for taking care of your Jack and promised her you would make him happy, not letting him fall into his old depressive habits again; you also wished her and her baby's soul peace and happiness in heaven. Jack, on the other hand, prayed for them and for his new family, he told them he would always keep them both in his heart but it was time to let them rest, they'd never be forgotten or unloved, but the cowboy had another family to love and protect, he asked them for their blessing and he burst out crying when he spotted a blue butterfly on Gabriella's grave. She used to love butterflies and blue was her favorite color. It could've been a sign or not, he wasn't really sure, but the fact was that a weight seemed to be lifted off his chest at the same time he pulled you for a hug and thanked you for going there with him.

Truth was: if roles were reversed and Jack had died that night instead of Gabriella, he would've wanted her to move on and find peace and love with someone who could truly make her happy, so he finally realized and convinced himself there was no reason for him to do that, his late wife would've wanted the same.

•••

As Ginger got off the phone and paced the room, you felt your throat tightening with anxiety and worry; your chest was so heavy and the tears threatened to splurge from your eyes at any moment, there was still no sign of your cowboy and the way Ginger seemed tense as she whispered information with whoever was at the agency, only brought you even more fear of having lost your husband. You eyed the kids, who behaved perfectly and it pained you not being able to appreciate that, you wish you could sit down with them, talk and play, smile and hold them, but at that moment you were so unavailable, all you needed was to have some news from your cowboy, that was all you wished for; you wish you could hold him tight, you wish you could feel his presence, his warm, his scent all over you again. You craved your cowboy, your husband, and you couldn't even begin to consider the possibility of not having him anymore, at the same time those depressive thoughts were the only ones that crossed your mind. Wyatt complained about being hungry and as much as you should have gotten up and started making him dinner, you simply couldn't move yourself from your seat. Everything hurt and the way Ginger hung up and simply shook her head, signaling there were still no words about your cowboy, just shattered your heart. You discreetly dried a single tear and nodded at her, as you buried your hand into your son's curly hair - exactly like his dad's when he went a few extra weeks without a pretty decent trim. Even at your gentle caress, Wyatt still whined about being hungry, but seeing you were under no conditions of making them dinner, Ginger offered herself to make him some mac&cheese while Helen immediately stepped up to prepare Rosie's bottle. You thanked them and enjoyed a moment of silence as you were left in the living room by yourself. You shook your head thinking of things you couldn't actually change, but if you had that power you would've insisted him to stay, not to take that last mission, the future for the two of you along with the kids was just so bright, you had so many possibilities, he didn't need the money, he should've just stayed home with you. It should be a quiet evening, having a family dinner together, feeding and bathing the kids and then snuggling in bed, feeling those quick strong hands of his, roaming all over your body while those devilish lips whispered the most sinful things in your ear.

If only.

You sighed and got up, walking around the living room, stretching your legs and trying to control that huge sadness that seemed to have taken over you like a dark thick shadow that wouldn't go away. As you went to the window and watched it how the overcast sky had turned into a dark night, cold night, you saw the trees moving softly with the wind, which blew coldly through the leaves, you thought of how thoughtful Jack had become those early days before the wedding, how he would just stare outside and allow his mind to drift away, you knew now he had thought of his late wife and how things could've been different for her, you didn't want to think of that, because your troubled mind would wonder if you had really lost your husband already, if your worst nightmare had become true, if he would be reunited with Gabriella at that moment. So many ifs, as much as you fought that thought it didn't seem so distant which made you gasp and finally broke into tears. It was torture. Your heart was broken.

When you looked out the window once more, your eyes were still blurred with tears, as you tried controlling yourself, knowing it wasn't the time for your kids to see your outburst, so at first, you didn't actually see that curious figure moving in the darkness, it wouldn't even make sense to you, no one could be possibly wandering around, the glimpse of a mysterious figured might've been confused with a hallucination, but not the sound of a horse's hooves approaching the house. That was very real, you realized, the moment you raised your head and frowned trying to see exactly who it was. It wasn't possible, was it? The thing you'd been praying for the most for the past couple of days, had you fallen asleep? Were you dreaming? You wouldn't be able to tell, not with that anxiety bombing you completely making you feel as if your heart was about to beat right out of your chest. Not holding back anymore, you simply ran to the front door, opening it and rushing towards the knight in shining armor coming back home to you.

"Jack!!!” You screamed at the top of your lungs, your face filled with pure emotion as your depressing, pained tears were quickly replaced by happy ones, the relief you felt was enough to spread through your body and make it weak, having the sensation you could reach the ground at any moment, but there was no problem, your cowboy was finally back home.

Noticing you, your despair and your eagerness to see him, Jack immediately got off the couch and finished the path towards you by running. Welcoming you into his eyes, you jumped on him, crying and gripping his body against yours as if your life depended on it. You cried as you felt his hands running up and down your back, the way he whispered sweet little soothing words, reminding you he was finally safely home. You couldn't believe it, one moment you felt terrified you'd have to move onto a sad, depressing life without your cowboy, and then next, he was right there, for you. You also knew he was tired, hungrily, bruised and in need of a shower and certainly a lot of Ginger’s painkillers, but you allowed yourself to be a little bit more selfish and keep him to yourself, holding your husband and taking every bit of him.

"It's okay sugar, I'm home… it was the last one, I promise you, from now on, I'm retired Agents Whiskey, no more leaving my family behind to risk my life for others” he promised you with his whole heart, not being able to take your sadness at the realization of how much you'd suffered with him gone. He couldn't do that to you nor your family, he had priorities in life, and they would always be you, Wyatt and Rosie.

The way Jack kept you in his embrace, face buried into your neck, your sweet scent reminding him of home and showing him that just like you, he wasn't dreaming, he was indeed back home from a mission he didn't die for a true miracle, his heart calmed down. You could've stayed in that embrace forever, it was all your heart begged and ached for, nothing more or nothing less, and the only thing that was able to break that hug was when Wyatt's voice shouted a happy “daddy!!!” at the top of his little lungs, followed by Rosie's cooes and loud baby noises, the cowboy's eyes filled with tears at that scene. It wasn't just his sugar, it was also his kids claiming for him, his family who waited hopefully and patiently for him to come home to. He opened his arms to them, Wyatt running as fast as his favorite horse and Rosie being brought in by Helen, but it didn't take very long until she was in her daddy's arms, cooing and gripping his cheeks like she always did while he kissed her sweet face. There was no reason to cry or be sad about stuff, the Daniels were reunited again.

•••

The next couple of hours went by in a blur, you felt anesthetized at everything that went on, and while Jack had to sit down with Ginger - and Champ who arrived about an hour later and got them all locked into your cowboy's office, Helen insisted you to take a bath, followed by a calming herb tea, while she kept an eye on the kids for you.

You never really knew what went on during the mission, it was top secret after all, the only thing you were informed about was that the mission was dangerous, but a success, and Jack Daniels, now retired and former Agent Whiskey had been a hero. As a thank you for all the years of service, Champ gifted your husband with a significant part of the Statesman's shares, which would assure you and your family a comfortable future to put it mildly. Not only that, but he also offered your cowboy his CEO job, not the whole chain, but from the local factory, which meant he didn't have to drive more than just a few miles until the distillery, sit down at his desk, get his demands done and come back at the end of the day to see his beautiful family. It certainly brought you a big relief, your cowboy would be safe and sound and your kids would grow up with their dad around.

Once everyone finally went home, Jack had clarified all the professional details, he was able to shower, eat and have you take care of his wounds, stitching him up and patching him up, he was finally good to go. Of course, he had a 5 o'clock growing due to the days he was unable to shave, but he would have enough time for that. The important thing was that the four of you lay on the couch of your living room, relaxing and letting the calmness sink in. Your cowboy sighed relieved as he rubbed your arm up and down, at the same time the kids yawned but fought so hard their sleep. Wyatt was rubbing his little eyes, and yet, he didn't want to go to sleep at all, his tiny little hands caressed Rosie's thin and soft hair, the one that smelled like strawberry baby shampoo and he loved it. He giggled at her, who returned her big brother's affection by giving him a sweet gummy smile.

"Mommy, daddy, can I continue telling Rosie about the wedding?” Wyatt asked between yawns as Jack chuckled and nodded, his fingers toying with his son's soft curls, the feeling of his feeling surrounding him was better than anything he'd ever experienced before.

"Go ahead little cowboy, just don't forget telling your pretty little sister how beautiful mama was”

At his daddy's incentives, Wyatt let out one last long yawn and looked at his sister.

“So, Rosie… about mommy's and daddy's wedding. Mommy was so pretty!”

•••

The unusual warmth for December allowed you to have the wedding of your dreams: right by the willow trees, just as you had fantasized about since you were just Whiskey's girlfriend a few years back. Time flew by just as a lot of things between the two of you, things that had finally been settled and worked on, and your happy ending was near. You stared at yourself in the mirror, in awe at the fact the wedding dress suited you way better than you thought it would. It was a relief, as your pregnancy progressed, one of your bride's fears was not fitting into your special dress on your even more special day. Luckily, that wasn't the case. Everyone who helped you get ready, had been nothing but kind and honest, when they all told you you looked beautiful, but none of these compliments were nearly as heart warming as your son's, whose little eyes got brighter the moment he spotted you. He had insisted on getting dressed along with his dad, since he was convinced cowboys should help each other, but once he was ready in his adorable cowboy attire, he insisted on helping his mama this time, after all, you two had been best friends for a long time, so it was fair he would be by your side. Not only that, since he'd been officially invited to walk you down the aisle, Wyatt had noticed how important his task was, and he didn't want to do his mommy dirty, he wanted things to be perfect, so once he rushed to you, you simply got on your knees to hug your little man. In a way, if it weren't for him, none of that would be happening.

"You're beautiful, mommy!”

There was something Wyatt wasn't tired of saying, perhaps it was all the kindness you had in your heart you used to raise him well, or maybe he was just taking after his dad in being a charming cowboy, it was still too early to figure it out, but what really mattered for you, was how proud you were of the little human being he was becoming. Those were motivational things that assured you things were on the right track, when it came to raising and loving your family. As you twirled and your son clapped in excitement, he giggled and wrapped his little arms around your legs once more, not containing his urge of hugging his mommy once more. It never crossed his witty mind that it could wrinkle your beautiful dress in any way, but if you were being honest, neither did it go through your own mind. You'd never refuse any of your beloved ones’ caresses out of fear of wrinkling a piece of clothes. Things were perfect the way they were, you couldn't want anything more for the three - well, now four, of you.

"Mommy! Daddy’s so nervous! He can't wait” Wyatt whispered between his giggles, not sure if that was gossiping or not, but he didn't see any harm in telling his mommy about important things like that, and those were important to him. You chuckled and held him again, placing a peck on top of his head and nodding.

“Well, I'm nervous too… it's a dream daddy and I have, you know? It's coming true… it's like having so many butterflies in your tummy, kinda like when it's your birthday and you can't wait, that's all you can think of and you feel as if your tummy is funny but in a good way?!” You explained to him the best way you could, a way you knew your son was going to understand and you couldn't be happier about the face Wyatt was so damn smart. Good thing both your and the Daniels genes were a good mixture, because he took you by the hand with his smaller one and nodded.

“It's time mommy!”

The walk from the house to the willow trees didn't seem to be that long before your wedding day, you could've sworn things were a lot easier than they seemed at that moment, but each time you looked at your son's pure determination in taking you to his daddy, your heart calmed down. You figured your husband was as nervous as you were, but not only that, he was probably as happy as you were too, and in addition to it, he must've been so handsome. You just didn't expect him to be that handsome. So handsome that the moment you reached the willow tree path, everything seemed blurry and not so important. The decorations you knew were beautiful, the fairy lights on the trees, the roses all scattered around, the guests, all of your friends, fellow agents and important people who took part in your lives, all of that simply came second the moment you spotted your cowboy. Jack was so handsome, the gorgeous, flawless suit he'd been gifted by Eggsy and the Kingsman simply fit him like a velvet glove, perhaps it was that, or the way he took off his cowboy hat in respect at your entrance, knowing you should be the spotlight, after all, you were the bride, just not any bride, you were his bride and that was enough to make that old mushy heart beat nearly out of his chest. It was like nothing existed at that moment except you and him, and once the song played and your son took you by the hand, accomplishing the very expected task given to him, you could barely believe that was real, but it was, and you were marrying your cowboy.

As you stood in front of your fiance, you swore you never felt such a stronger wave of love for him. You both had gone over so many things, but in the end, love overcame it all and there was no other way things would be like, you and him would finally be together, married, before the men and before God, forever and ever.

"You look gorgeous, sugar” he whispered and took your hand, kissing it gently, before he turned to the priest and you did the same. The ceremony was short and full of beautiful words, exactly like you and Jack wanted. No boring services where you both and the guests would fall asleep halfway towards it. Your cowboy always defended the idea of small ceremonies and large parties, and you couldn't agree more. When you were both pronounced husband and wife, he kissed you, and you returned the kiss, the way he held you in his arms showing you it was real and meant to be, oh that cowboy meant business. But he didn't just stop there, once he broke the kiss, he got on his knees in front of you, like the gentleman he was and pecked your stomach very gently. An obvious and yet extremely delicate way of breaking the news to the world there was a new member of the Daniels family on their way.

•••

As you carried an asleep Rosie into your eyes while Jack did the same with Wyatt - your husband was a gentleman, he carried the heavier one so your back wouldn't hurt - he couldn't help but chuckle.

"He fell asleep before telling her about our wedding party, that was a good one”

"And he couldn't even get to her birth either, but don't worry Jack, I'm sure we'll all be gifted with his version of the facts, all they gotta do is recharge their batteries for a little while and they'll be good to go, way better than us, by the way, because I'm exhausted”

"Me too, sugar”

Your cowboy planted a sweet peck on your lips, watching as you placed Rosie carefully in her crib and covered her up, tucking your gorgeous daughter in and allowing her to fly into her sweet dreams. Then, it was your son's turn, you followed Jack into Wyatt's little cowboy room and watched him do the same, tucking your son gently and wishing him sweet dreams with the loveliest whisper and closing the door behind him. And then it was just the two of you, finally the two of you.

As Jack took you to your shared bedroom, you could already see a hint of sadness in his eyes. He was sure you were about to enquire about what happened on that mission, but the only thing you did was approach your cowboy carefully and slowly and kiss him. Feeling his heavy hands resting on your hips as they brought you closer to him at the same time you wrapped your arms around his broad width. Things didn't have to rush, not now, not at the moment where you were so deep into his caresses. As he broke the kiss, you stroked his cheek.

"I know, Jack. I know you aren't supposed to talk about what happened on that mission, I'm aware it's top secret, but I also know you nearly died, so I just want to tell you I'm thrilled to know you aren't doing it again, I'm so happy you've finally retired, that way I don't have to worry about not having you coming back home to me, and well, us, your kids, your family. I just love you with all my heart, and I don't think I'd bear becoming a widow…”

Your lips were immediately connected with his, as he felt the urge of kissing you once more, the way your words stung - because he knew you were correct, he knew missions were getting more and more dangerous, either that or perhaps Jack was becoming too old for that. But he also knew he had no right to screw things up, not when you two had built a gorgeous family, he didn't have the right to take that away from you by letting you become a widow, and god forbid Jack die before enjoying his marriage and kids. It wouldn't be fair, not after everything you two fought so hard for - still, your words melted his heart all at once, he loved you endlessly, more than anything in the world, and he wished he knew how to word that out for you, so a gentle kiss was the best he could come up at that moment.

“You won't lose me, sugar. I promise you that much, you got all of me, I am retired and I'll be around so much you gonna get tired of my face all the time”

“I doubt that, cowboy… I love you”

"I love you too, my beautiful sugar. You're the woman of my dreams, my beautiful wife” Jack kissed your hands as he wrapped his arms around you, placing you down the bed and straddling you. He was having his way with you that night, something the two of you anticipated so much. There was nothing you wanted more than to sink into your cowboy's arms. Forever.

•••

What Wyatt failed to tell his little sister before the two of them fell asleep exhaustedly wasn't the biggest part of the story, but you were sure he would've told her how good the yummy food was - and that he was the one who helped you pick it all up, and in case you and their daddy decided to get married again, for the party purpose of course, and nothing remotely similar to a breakup, Wyatt was sure you'd call Rosie for her help too. He would also tell her about how pretty it was to see the two of you waltzing, exactly like a princess and a prince, and how you and his daddy danced with Wyatt on the dance floor until he was too tired to remember what happened next. For the following months, there was nothing more than just pure bright happiness in that ranch. Wyatt started school, he was still in kindergarten, and as much as you and Jack were proud of your little boy, you could've sworn you saw a single tear run down your tough cowboy's cheek. He was thinking of how many important things he'd missed from his son's life, but that wasn't going to happen again. He was a present dad, the kind of person to attend any type of teacher-parent conference and be there all the time for his kids. He loved them with all his heart, and with the months progressing along with your pregnancy, Jack had stayed by your side at any given opportunity. He loved you, and he loved his baby girl, and every single night he dreamed of her; he dreamed of her sweet face, a face that resembled yours, as well as Wyatt's, and even resembled his own. He wondered what her hair and eye color would be like, and as he saw your pregnant belly swollen with his baby, the love seed he planted there, it also made his own heart swollen with pride.

When you woke up cramping and soon enough your water broke, he felt he had won the damn Superbowl, driving you to the hospital in his Bronco at the speed of light and later on having Helen pick up Wyatt from school and take him to the hospital. By the time your lovely little cowboy was officially a big brother to your newest bundle of joy: Rose Marie Daniels.

Although Wyatt insisted on calling her Rosie because he thought it was cuter and the nickname sort of caught on. If you usually went by ‘sugar’, your husband and son went by ‘cowboy’, why couldn't your beautiful daughter go by ‘Rosie’ after all?

And so went on your life as a married woman to the man of your dreams and your two beautiful children. There was nothing you could ask for, you had it all, and you loved every single part of it.

•••

A whole year had passed: your cowboy had finally gotten used to his retirement, out go super secret dangerous missions, and in come mornings spent at the distillery, supervising the production of the finest Statesman's liquor, afternoons spent taking care of the ranch and carrying Rosie all over, as the two of them waited eagerly for Wyatt to come home from school. You had talked to your husband about daycare, he knew it was quite a good idea, his baby daughter was smart and fast as a thunder, but the mere idea of sending her off to spend the whole day away from him was enough to tear his heart apart: he couldn't go without watching silly little cartoons, or making cute piggy tails on her soft hair and allow her to take a daily nap on top of his chest and belly. She was almost turning two, and as much as it mesmerized him to see her blossoming and growing up so fast, it still saddened him to see how fast time flew by. He was getting a third kid fever, but he wasn't sure if it was happening; maybe it was, he still needed to talk to you about it, but those were later plans, he still had so much to do with his life, with his family, he wanted to enjoy Wyatt, who was now nearly turning 8. His beautiful Rosie was practically a toddler now, and there was nothing more he enjoyed in the world than picking up Wyatt from school and letting the kids run loose with you in the green fields while he grilled his famous burgers. Those were special days, because they had nothing elaborated in them, just a family moment among the Daniels, something the brokenhearted cowboy thought he would never get, but turns out he did. He deserved it all. After trying so hard to convince himself he didn't, after trying to convince himself he was just a heartless man, he was shown he wasn't a horrible human being as the two of you had thought several times. You two had come along a long way, but in the end, things had worked out, because your love was big and strong, and nothing in the world could come between you.

As you watched Wyatt and Rosie playing with Silver Star, you walked to Jack, wrapping your arms around his body and kissing him deeply. His face was smooth as always and his mustache always trimmed, just as you loved kissing and riding quite often. You smirked at him and snuggled him.

“So, have you made up your mind, honey?”

"About what, sugar?”

“You know, running for mayor in this upcoming election..”

You and Jack had discussed it, more likely drunkenly discussing the possibility, you didn't know if he had actually meant that, but you knew your husband well enough to see that fire in his eyes and the genuine will to help the ones in need and give it back to the city that took him in. He returned the smile and kissed your neck, warning a groan from you.

"I still don't know, I think of it sometimes, it would be nice, I know I'd have support from you, the kids and quite a lot of people in town, but I worry it would make our lives too exposed you know, and I don't want that, I love our life the way it is, how happy and calm those kids are, I don't know about mixing up things…”

“Well, I want you to remember I love you and I'll support you no matter what. I gotta admit it makes me feel a little nervous to have this possibility of getting into politics and having our lives changing completely, although I'm sure I'd love to call you Mr.Mayor”

And at that naughty line, you earned a smack on your butt, making you squirm softly and see your cowboy really enjoyed the nickname, even if he didn't try running for mayor. Still, there was something else you knew he wanted, it could be a future plan too, but it wouldn't hurt to talk about it.

"You know, I was thinking that maybe in the near future, we could have a third baby… what about adopting this time?”

And your cowboy's heart nearly exploded with happiness and excitement. There was nothing he wanted more than seeing his family grow. No matter if it was by blood or simply by love, for a man who bought a ranch to fill it in with broken promises and lost dreams, nothing made him happier than to see his family running all over that place with so much joy and excitement. The happy giggles and squeals, and to think that could even grow, it was just an endless bliss, the kind of bliss Jack Daniels, former Agent Whiskey had to pinch himself and make sure he wasn't asleep, but instead, it was his lovely, beautiful reality.

"Daddy!!! We're hungry!”

Wyatt chimed in as he ran to him, followed by Rosie, who clung to her dad as if her little life depended on it.

"Yes, daddy, we’we hungwy!” She imitated her big brother, still not able to pronounce the R’s properly and making her daddy's heart melt into a puddle of love and affection. He got on his knees, wrapping his arms around his children. He loved them with all his heart. Just as much as he loved you, deeply, more than anything he had ever loved anyone.

Jack Daniels, former Agent Whiskey, a man whose heart was once broken, was now a man full of love. He was devoted to his wife and his beautiful kids, nothing in the world mattered more than them and for someone who had been known as a heartless man, he was nothing but love and comfort for you, Wyatt and Rosie.

The four of you were perfect for each other and maybe in the near future, there would be another addition to the Daniels, but until then, that cowboy was going to devote himself completely to you.

He wasn't ever called a heartless man again, not with that amount of love he felt overflowing through himself. He loved and he received love, just like he was supposed to, just like he deserved it.

____

A/N: thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you all for the kindness and the support you all showed me with this story. It's been nearly a year of what should've been just a one shot and turned into a 20 chapter piece of work! I'm so happy and proud of myself for being able to write this beautiful story, nothing cheers up my heart more than knowing you all showed me so much love! Please besties, it's been a long ride, so if you can, leave me a feedback for our cowboy's last ride, I hope you've enjoyed it, as much as I did! Love you all and once more, thank you for the support ❤️💫

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wordsandrobots · 2 months ago

Text

So I do kind of want to write something about the ending of Gundam ZZ, having now finished my rewatch. But as an aside to that, I wanted to note a few thoughts about how Judau is presented, or, rather, how he isn't presented in a romantic context by the show.

Because both Amuro and Kamille definitely have romantic aspects to their arcs. Amuro has his crush on Matilda and Fraw Bow's (unrequited) crush on him, while Kamille's relationships with Four and Fa are key to his development throughout Zeta. It's treated as part of them 'growing into manhood', in that highly tedious way of exposing a lot of uninterrogated sexism, that we nevertheless have to accept as part of the framework within which these stories were written.

But Judau doesn't have anything like that. He and Haman's rivalry is not really presented in romantic or sexual terms, at least, not directly. Haman is *scared* of Judau and transforms that into a desire to control him, and while her control of several other characters is coded in romantic terms (capital R Romantic, no less, when it comes to Mashymre), their particular dynamic is instead rooted in a push and pull over their differing world-views. Judau's embrace of straightforward emotionally-driven action is critically at odds with the puppet-mastery Haman aspires to and exposes the loneliness and pessimism beneath her approach. She's not in love with him; she's fucking furious this no-account kid could come along and be a shining example of an empathic, caring newtype, right as she'd given up on that as a possibility for humanity's future.

And with Chara, and Judau getting smothered in boobs, the titillation is entirely on her side. It's not even played as him being embarrassed by it, which, while it clearly plays into the joke about Chara being unattractive owing to her overly-sexual aspects, is still notable when there are pretty much zero examples of Judau caring about girls in that way at all. Or, in fact, girls caring about him that way.

Roux and Elle's bickering is notably devoid of any 'we want the same guy' aspects. I shall go further and say that Gundam Wiki ascribing Roux as Judau's love interest is bunk: they never once have romantic interactions and there are other good, character-based explanations for them picking the same path at the end. She and Elle butt heads for the same reason there is tension between Roux and the Shangri-La kids from the start. She's more grown-up and more invested in being the grown-up in the room, which rubs everyone else the wrong way.

Elle, meanwhile, does seem to have strong feelings for Judau but whether these should be considered romantic is actually a surprisingly slippery question. That is, obviously that's the natural read in the sense of being completely typical, but there's a sequence in the final episode that positions her feelings slightly differently.

Under a cut due to spoilers and two teenagers slapping each other.

Right before Judau heads out for his climactic confrontation with Haman, Elle tries to talk him down, since he could very well be killed. He won't listen and Beecha tries to make Elle stop, leading to her backhanding him, him slapping her, and the two of them accepting that they can't do anything except be there in the hope Judau will come back home safe.

Setting aside the gender weighting on the slapping, the part that makes Beecha really angry is Elle asking how he can let Judau go alone because, despite Beecha often disliking playing second fiddle to the other boy, he doesn't like the idea of Judau going alone either. It's just at this point, they're down to one other remaining mobile suit and the priority is protecting the ship.

Beecha is clearly miserable about this too and his contribution here is helping Elle come to terms with the situation. What interests me is that this places Elle's emotions on the same level as his, that of a deeply concerned friend who, regardless of their differences, don't want to see any harm come to Judau. Beecha is implied to have (romantic) feelings for Elle and gets annoyed at her paying more attention to Judau, but here he's the one to express the bulk of the shared emotions. In essence, the text renders everything platonic while underscoring how the Shangri-La gang have grown closer over the course of the show.

Either that, or you go the other way and read this as Beecha's jealousy coming from his own crush on Judau, and conclude he and Elle are reaching the same conclusion about a shared romantic connection to a third person. I don't think that's likely as the intention, although who knows? Certainly Judau shows no negative reaction to an earlier comment by Roux about Beecha being cute, so maybe this is another case where polyamory was the solution.

(And if this isn't a perfect summary of what kind of relationship Roux and Judau have, I don't know what is. That's not romance; that's the cosmos' peanut gallery in the making.)

Irrespective, I find it interesting how the show forecloses romantic possibilities around Judau, not by having them hook up with other people ala Fraw (crucially, there's no hint Elle and Beecha actually do form a couple), or by killing them off, but simply by placing the friendship of the group above everything else. At the end, while Kamille and Fa dance on the shore, Judau's big moment is being reunited with his sister ahead of leaving to get some greater perspective on the world.

I do wonder if this is part of Judau being a more immature character than Amuro or Kamille. After all, the point is that he doesn't 'grow up', doesn't shed his driving anger or the idea of trying to save everyone, instead carrying forward the possibility that things can change in spite of all the 'damn adults' who've harmed the world. He manages to embody Amuro's original idealism about the future without succumbing to the sin of 'doing something he can't take back' over the course of the battles he's forced into.

Again, it's either that or we add another tick in the 'asexual protagonists' column, which would also be perfectly groovy.

#gundam #gundam zz #judau ashta #elle vianno #roux louka #beecha oleg

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bow-of-aros · 3 months ago

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Day One: Anticipation

Summary: Caleb gets himself into a bit of a sticky situation. It's alright, Molly won't drag this out for toooooo long.

Hi folks! I'm trying my hand at tickletober this year and I hope that I can get a good chunk of fics out! This is my first time writing for the Mighty Nein but these two are so special to me so hopefully I did them justice <33 I'm still finding my footing in writing for this community, especially with new characters, but I hope that you guys enjoy!

“Oh, hello Caleb,” Mollymauk slid through the door to Caleb’s and Nott’s room, “Now, what am I going to do with you?”

Caleb, to his credit, was only mostly pressed against the headboard. It was cute how he thought that keeping a straight face was going to do him any good, especially when it was undermined by the faint blush that was spreading across his cheeks and creeping up to tinge his ears a rosy hue.

It took him a few tries to get his voice to work, words failing him in a way they so rarely did, and Caleb finally said, “Ah, hallo, Mr. Mollymauk. I was actually feeling rather tired, so I think that I’m going to get some rest if that’s alright with you.”

Molly watched in amusement as Caleb tugged the sparse blankets over his fully clothed body, not even bothering to take off his disgusting boots or his book holsters before closing his eyes.

He waited as Caleb shifted fruitlessly in an attempt to find a more comfortable position for a few moments, before silently creeping over and crouching so as to be on eye-level with their resident wizard.

Honestly, Molly was impressed that he’d managed to get that close given how Caleb managed to somehow always be on high alert. Someone needed to slow his brain down a little bit, loosen the tension that he’d never once lost since Molly had met him.

Caleb cracks one eye open, nearly flinging himself off the bed as he’s greeted with Molly’s red gaze, mischief dancing across his face at Caleb’s panicked “Scheiße!”

“Shit, Caleb,” He spoke as though he wasn’t currently clambering atop Caleb, “We really gotta get some muscle on those bones. Imagine if any of our many many enemies got their hands on you?”

The look Caleb shot him could’ve dried up an ocean. Molly was honestly impressed that he could pull it off considering that the wizard is literally underneath him.

“I won’t have to worry about that. You seem to be able and willing to protect me if that happened.”

Well, he’s not wrong.

“You know, I could definitely protect you from something.”

Caleb’s gone still underneath him. It might have something to do with the fact that Molly’s started lightly drumming his claws on his holsters. That’s good, he’d been getting a little too relaxed.

“Ah, nein, Mollymauk. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Molly feigns ignorance, fiddling with the straps securing the holsters over his ribs. And if he lets his fingers ‘slip’ every so often? Well, who could resist the nervous smile on the face of such an adorable grump?

“Oh but I do, Caleb!” He starts slowly unfastening the frankly absurd amount of buckles, “I mean, you just told me that you wanted to get some rest and it can’t be comfortable with these books digging into your ribs.”

At the word digging, Molly feinted a lunge and almost cracked up at Caleb’s yelp.

“I mean, what kind of friend would I be if I left you like this.”

Another calculated brush and Caleb’s hands shot out to push Molly’s away. He’d be concerned about how easy it was to tuck his hands under his knees if he didn’t know that Caleb was enjoying this.

“Molly! Mollymauk! We can talk about this, ja?” Molly carefully slides the holsters down. He knows how important those things are to Caleb and he’s not a monster. “I’m sorry!”

Oh?

“Oh? You’re sorry? Now you’re sorry?” A hitched breath as Molly places his claws on now-bared ribs.

“You didn’t seem very sorry when you left me at Jester’s mercy. She had my tail, Caleb!”

Giggles are beginning to slip out and Caleb’s eyes are glued to his hands. Maybe Molly should put him out of his misery.

Eh. In a second. Let him sweat.

“Ja, I’m sorry!” He’s babbling now. Good. “Mollymauk, bitte, if you’re going to do it, just do it.”

“Alright, alight.”

A sigh of relief. Oh, Mr. Caleb, you let your guard down too quickly.

“Ten.”

“Was?! Nein Mollymauk! There’s no need to count!”

It’s almost too easy with him.

“Hey, you’re right! Nine comes next!”

A groan breaks through the anticipation. Maybe Molly should stop using the same joke every single time.

Nah.

“Three!”

“Mollehehey!”

Awww. “Laughing already? You are not ready for what’s coming. Two.”

“Nein! Habe mitleid, Molly! Plehehehease!”

Caleb’s face almost matches his hair, his eyes crinkle at the corners and he just looks so happy. Really, who is Molly to deny him this?

“One.”

#tickle fic #critical role #the mighty nein #caleb widogast #mollymauk tealeaf #ticklish!caleb widogast #fluff #teasing #augtickletober2024 #tickling #i love these guys #hopefully i did them justice #fanfic #tickletober 2024

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ihearteugeneroe · 10 months ago

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im having so many feelings about john and gale in the new episode and i NEED to share them. buckle up guys this is a long one because this last episode was angsty for these two and i love psychoanalysis

HUGEEE MOTA SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!

first and foremost, john is absolutely not okay. like i know we have seen this so many times already because he’s been on a mental decline since episode six but it’s gotten worse. the beginning scenes where him and gale fetch the water and gale tries to create some playful banter only to receive a mostly silent john is scary, especially because he knows that man is a chatterbox that can’t shut up to save his life. something has changed and gale knows, but gale doesn’t push it.

second of all, the topic of marge. nobody would ever make fun of a guy getting a letter from his girl because that’s the only source of joy they get inside the hell of a pow camp. but the way john seems almost annoyed by it, as if it is personally inconveniencing him is so noticeable. now one could argue it’s just because he doesn’t have a girl back home, but i don’t think he cares even a little bit about that. john has realized that his home is wherever gale is. which brings me to my third topic.

the scene where gale tells john he asked marg to marry him. the fact that he doesn’t even say those exact words, but rather “popped the question and she said yes”. god, the tension in that scene was goddamn near unbearable. john is entirely stoic which is concerning knowing that he is a man of emotion who feels things on an entirely different level than most men. something is turning within his brain and his way of congratulating gale was so robotic and almost calculated. i feel like a part of him kind of froze in that moment. i mean, he likely knew they would never get anywhere serious because hell this is the 1940s in the middle of a war but still. his buck is no longer his. and who does he have besides buck?

which brings me to one of my final points: john is realizing he doesn’t have anybody. that scene between them where he mentioned he never got letters because he didn’t set it up right, and was so concerned gale would only know this version of him and not his old self. i don’t think anything gale could’ve said would help, but it was nice that he tried at least… john’s whole world is gale, but gale has his world back in america. he has a home. he has something to return to and someone to love when he’s out of this mess. all john is going to return home to is his own loneliness and severe ptsd. john is a feeler and he feels things deeply and painfully, like a knife in the belly, especially when it comes to gale. the man he’s in love with has a woman to return to, and he might as well just be a legend that gale tells his kids about someday. but to john, gale is everything. he will never forget.

anyways this episode for them was VERY angsty and it’s late and i’m tired so this is kind of all over the place but i wanted to share my main thoughts. thank you for reading if you got this far i’ll probably continue my rant tomorrow depending on if this actually gets any traction LMAO i still don’t know how tumblr works.

#mota spoilers #mota #masters of the air #john bucky egan #gale buck cleven #angsty thoughts #john is not okay #they both need hugs #and therapy #the brainrot is consuming me #bucky x buck

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eomereadig · 2 months ago

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Snippet: The Responsibility of Love

Fandom: Star Wars

Pairing: Commander Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi/Captain Rex

Rating: E

Tags: sexual tension, polyamory negotiations, Rex has low self esteem, threesome M/M/M, smut, Stewjoni Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan has a vagina, vaginal sex, oral sex, cunnilingus, thigh grinding, Stewjoni biology, cervix fucking, kinda, alien biology i guess, mild breeding kink, spitroasting, blowjobs, sloppy seconds, creampies, aftercare, crying after sex, just a bit, porn with feelings, top!Rex, top!Cody, bottom!Obi-Wan, sub!Rex, service top, soft dom!Obi-Wan, soft dom!Cody, possessive behaviour, making out, miscommunication, excessive hand holding

Full fic now avaliable here

It wasn’t often that Rex admitted to being surprised by anything anymore, but he certainly counted himself as much (pleasantly so) regarding how easy his new relationship fell into place. In his head, he compared it to something from one of the sappy romance holo-novels that Jesse liked to read when he was sure no one was looking over his shoulder. (It was a little known fact that as his commanding officer, Rex was indeed privy to his entire internet history.)

It almost seemed unbelievable how well they’d all fallen into step with one another. Even with a mountain of reassurances from both of his loves, Rex had been nervous about how it would all work. Seeing the two of them together was one thing, but it sat completely different now in his gut with the knowledge that he had a place between them. But at the same, Rex wasn’t one to intrude. There were still so many new boundaries to work out and Rex didn’t count himself keen to see where their tolerance for him ran out - theory and practice being so different, after all.

Quickly though, and therein came the surprise, Rex had been forcefully shown that all his worrying was for naught. They were equals in this - ranks were left at the door. Now that he knew that they both wanted him, and that he wanted the both of them in return, his earlier jealousy had fizzled away into nothing. How could he feel anything other than safe and secure when Obi-Wan squeezed his hand and Cody looked at him so happily while he did it? When Cody had kissed him on the cheek one morning and Obi-Wan looked on with a dopey smile, jealousy hadn’t crossed Rex’s mind even once. Even seeing the two of them together was a comfort now, rather than a pain. Why would Rex feel bad when he knew that he had a place right in the middle of them?

But as he’d thought earlier, theory and practice were two different things. Actually putting himself into that spot in the middle was another matter entirely.

It went without saying that Rex wasn’t used to this - to being able to have affection any time he wanted it and to allow himself to dote on the others whenever it took his fancy. Allowing himself to have nice things was still a foreign concept to him, though he was getting better. The fact that Cody and Obi-Wan seemed happy to take things slow, at Rex’s pace, had him relieved and overwhelmed all at once.

Being able to push his comfort levels and knowing that he was still safe and secure was a feeling he quite liked, he decided. The ability to be affectionate, to try new things like tucking Obi-Wan’s hair behind his ear or kissing Cody’s knuckles without fearing their rejection was something heady.

That being said, he wasn’t yet comfortable holding their hands in public. He did sit close to them whenever he could, though, tucked under Cody’s arm or against Obi-Wan’s shoulder. Rex knew he was probably being more obvious than he’d like but he couldn’t bring himself to care all that much.

He was safe with them - the feeling all the more pronounced than it had been before. It was definitely something he could see himself growing used to, even though it scared him. The more you had, the more you had to lose, after all. And in this war, it seemed like all Rex did was lose things at times.

One thing that Rex was keenly aware of, however, something niggling in the back of his mind that didn’t make him… nervous , exactly, but something close to it, was the fact that the three of them had yet to fuck, even almost a month into their relationship. With campaigns to fight and hectic schedules at the best of times, it was rare enough for the three of them to even have aligning free time - let alone the energy to spare to even think about getting their cocks out. Rex imagined that even if he hadn’t been a part of the equation, Cody and Obi-Wan wouldn’t have been faring much better.

The first time the three of them all had a handful of hours to spare together was late into the evening cycle around the time that even the most dedicated of officers were beginning to head to bed. Usually, Rex would have spent the gaps in his schedule like this with Torrent Company, but when Obi-Wan and Cody had invited him to join them in Obi-Wan’s quarters to watch a holodrama, Rex had of course accepted - keenly aware of all that the offer might entail.

He found himself sitting on Obi-Wan’s bed which was only slightly larger and more comfortable than his own, Cody to his left and the Jedi himself to his right. Even despite the cosy atmosphere of Obi-Wan’s quarters, Rex couldn’t help the way his mind kept drifting back to the idea of them fucking, lingering on his own lack of experience in comparison.

Sure, Rex had fucked pleanty of times, of course he had - both vod and natborns of various species alike. But this was different. It meant something . More than ever before, Rex wanted to make it good for the both of them, wanted them to keep doing it.

Full fic now avaliable here

#livy's writing #star wars fanfics #star wars #captain rex #commander cody #obi wan kenobi #obi wan kenobi x rex #obi wan x cody x rex #codywan

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sorrowmoons · 14 days ago

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Sickly Desires

Wiggog Y’rath x Gn!Reader

16+

Cw- sexual tension, innuendos, and setting. Nothing explicit happens!! (Both remained fully clothed, it’s one of those “you could guess what happens next” thing.)

GN!reader (hopefully.. lmk if I made any mistakes) perhaps ooc wiggly. This is some what comfort?? Idk. Kinda self indulgent.

Not proofread!!!

A sharp gasp filled the quiet room, the shifting of the mattress accompanying it. Your breath was shallow and quiet, occasionally the air getting caught within you whenever the clinging tentacles sucked onto your skin. They’d release, leaving red bruises in their haste.

You were being held in place on your bed, the dimly lit room only accepting light through your window that welcomed the moonlight. Green eyes stare down at you, catching you in a predatory glare.

While you were clothed, the tentacles threatened to tear the fabric each time they wondered. Some went up your sleeves, some wrapping around your thighs and legs. One in particular inched closer to your neck, slowly making it way to wrap around your neck. Your breaths became nervous, quick puffs of air escaping your small frown. Your eyebrows slightly furrowed, eyes shutting whenever the lingering touch of the tentacles roamed your body.

Your legs have long since tried to close, but the tentacles that have restrained your knees pull them apart. This gave you the view of the man standing before you, on the ground—his knees close to the edge of the bed.

He looked down at you, watching. He watched as you struggled against his restraints, his face hard to determine, besides the occasional uplift of his lips to form a ghost of a smirk. He would do this whenever a certain noise escaped you, or a certain expression filled your face.

“What sickly desires you have.” He muttered, his voice thick and deep, but sweet and soft at the same time.

You huffed, your squirming becoming more and more frantic. A confusing mix of emotions invaded your body and mind. On one hand—you felt nervous—anxious. The growing pit in your stomach made you afraid to succumb to Wiggog. You didn’t want to accept the desire you truly felt. A desire that corrupted your empty thoughts. Of him—the one who invaded your life one day and wouldn’t let you forget the past. His growing effect on you has put you in this predicament. The growing need for him never ghosting away.

He had eventually sensed this—what you felt, even if you hid it well. He was always freakishly good at it. You knew he could find out—what you desired, on a more personal, carnal level. You were terrified that he’d find out. But here you are, Pinned down. Restrained by the very man you had been fantasizing about for years now.

Breaking you out of your thoughts was the small tentacle wrapping around your neck. It crept up your jawline, sliding across your check. It inched closer to your lips that shut closed from the contact. Your eyes pinched closed as you felt the tip of the tentacle prod at your closed lips. You let out a muffled whine of sorts as the strength of the tentacle broke through, pushing its way into your mouth. It slithered it way in, slightly growing in size to fill it.

You may have been trying to deny his touch because you were trying to prove you didn’t feel a need for him. Make him believe, so he’d leave you alone. While, over the years of being under his wing (if you could even call it that) he has grown a fondness to you. But that didn’t overshadow the fact he’d tease and nitpick. While you, on the other hand, had been scared at first. But you grew an attachment to him in return. Truth be told, you liked him more first. But overtime, as the two of you had incredibly better interactions, you grew a more.. deeper attachment to him.

And as his tentacle resides in your mouth, the other one’s squeezing and grabbing at your arms and legs and waist, you had a dwindling hope he felt the same.

So, with this spark of thought burned alight in your mind, your limbs eased, your eyes slowly opening. Your body became calm, in his grasp. If, for even a possibility, a chaos of a man could find some room for love in him, you showed him you trusted him. If a being of pure cruelty could shred a bit of its darkness to allow you in, you would show him you are there, waiting.

His eyes turned soft, almost. His expression less sharp. His eyes seemed to glow a bit brighter, staring down as you eased into his touch. While, despite the innuendo of satisfying a carnal desire, a mortal would be equally scared. And while your body felt the effects of heat and desire, your heart calmed. He sensed you felt.. safe.

The tentacle slid out of your mouth, and you took a deep, calm breath in. Your eyes connected with his, and in that moment, you felt truly connected to him. Like you both came to an understanding. In a sick, lustful scene, maybe it was what was needed for you to show him you’ll allow him that vantage.

Slowly, you felt the tug of tentacles. You were pulled close, at the edge of the bed. You breathed heavily, but steadily. He now loomed over you, his eyes hooded. Your heart raced finally, but not in fear. The tentacle that was wrapped around your neck freed you, escaping-eventually disappearing into the shadows of the room. Slowly, one by one, the tentacles disappeared, leaving you and your disheveled form lying, panting on the bed.

The bed sunk slowly, the weight of Wiggog’s body becoming present on it. You slowly lifted up, leaning on your elbows. He leaned in slowly, his hand finding your chest to push you back down. The tension was beyond thick, slowly cracking by each passing moment. He slowly climbed on top of you, his knee pressing closer to you. You felt still, shy to make contact. But as you looked at him, you could tell there was something else going on in his mind. His face showed an expression you had never seen before, only in quick, lingering gazes that would be shared for split seconds before his regular face came back. Mostly before he weren’t away, into the black or elsewhere.

“You must know, I don’t love easy.” He mumbled, green tendrils falling into his face. His eyes peered at you, him fighting the urge to break the tension.

You looked, eyes switching from his two eyes. Your chest raised and fell, and a sense of warmth embraced you.

“You think I don’t know that? I’ve known you for years..” you mumbled in return, your eyes lowering to his lips, roaming his face.

He chuckled lowly, and a moment later, after what felt like time had stopped—his lips reached yours. A deep, long kiss. You leaned into him, but mostly he leaned in. You were flat against the bed, the weight of him evident. You felt the creeping of tentacles once again finding you, wrapping around limbs. They almost seemed.. distracted. Hesitant whenever Wiggog would kiss you again and again. His mind was too focused on you.

That night was spent with longing touches and satisfying the desires of both of you. In the end, Wiggog knew we.. liked you. He couldn’t admit he loved you, not yet. But deep down, he did. Eventually—he would come to terms with it.

For now, you find comfort in his embrace, fogging out any other thought of evil or cruelty. Accepting what he was and is.

#hatchetverse #hatchetfield #lords in black #wiggog y'rath #wiggly x reader #wiggly #Wiggog y’rath x reader #lib x reader #if any minor/adult is uncomfy #just unfollow #lords in black x reader

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sicklyseraphnsuch · 8 months ago

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Honestly, Im a little disappointed that it wasn't messier. Im disappointed that there wasnt more shouting. That Lauda was providing most of the pushing and everyone else was just kinda... rolling over? I wanted an argument that would have brought the roof down on them 🙄

the reason theres so much constant tension in this party is that they all havent tried hard enough to punch each other in the face - like really smash.

to be totally serious tho, remember when Chetney told Ashton to gtfo and thats what broke the tension? someone finally getting the guts to be mean and to push hard on someone else's reckless bullshit?

the fact that theres no such equivalent here? the fact that chetney hasnt intervened on that level? thats whats keeping this tension.

on one hand, the way some of the party treat laudna is so fucking patronizing, its actively painful - Ashton whispering to Laudna for an apology? wtf? the way they acted like she was a misbehaving toddler set my teeth on edge. Then Imogen... Buddy, pal, you just watched your mother regurgitate Ludinus's lies like they were stone cold facts and youre out here accepting the same thing from Laudna without a second glance. You know she has a problem! You know she's not the most reliable narrator! You know she fails insight checks against herself all the time!!!

Ashton and Imogen both needed to treat Laudna like a threat in that moment bc she attacked someone without provocation during a rest when they were trusting her to not do that and it was clearly premeditated because she covered herself in darkness. The fact that they dont demonstrates that neither are taking her capabilities seriously enough. The fact that they arent addressing the threat she presents - to others and herself - is allowing her to continue hurting herself and others.

Whereas, Fearne is complicit in it all because shes so conflict averse. She was never gonna be the one to hold Laudna over the fire.

Chetney and Orym would have. Orym was trying to but literally only Dorian backed him up. And Dorian doesnt know fuck about all. He joined them two days ago. Hes got no fucking clue whats happening!! Oryms the only one really pointing out the fact that he was attacked unprovoked

and sure laudna was aiming for the sheathe, but thats splitting hairs... i believe we removed targeting each armor piece somewhere in dnd 3.5 or something lol - if youre targeting a piece on someone, the usual call Matt makes is to give this a higher DC. Matt making Marisha roll arcana makes sense bc yes you can control wither and blooms "chosen target", but when the target is attached to something else, and moreover the target is a thing - not a creature like the spell says RAW... it makes sense that a failed arcana check would lead to that failure

for all intents and purposes, laudna was aiming for orym. she didnt mean to hurt him but again, shes operating under the influence (and yes I do mean that connotation). a lot of people do shit they dont mean under the influence. but they still gotta do the repairs when they come back to their senses. harm was still done. Orym attacking laudna bc he was hurt and blinded is also fucking reasonable. he didnt fucking know it was her in the first place.

for laudna to say that orym hurt her when she attacked him - that was grade A manipulation

and heres the thing too, when someone is acting under the influence, people usually call it out. they say stuff like "youre drunk" or "youre high" to acknowledge that hey, this isnt you but also this isnt acceptable either. no one breathed a fucking word about delilah until the very very end. they all treated laudna like she was in a reasonable state of mind, and she wasnt. they werent meeting her where she was at and so they failed to reach her

now to orym... did they all agree that the sword was oryms? bc that was a discussion they did not have... chetney made a one off comment about how theyll need permission for it (possibly implying orym but never explicitly stated)... was the idea that orym gets it because he got hurt first? that wouldve been stupid for sure

to dorian's point, hey its just a sword. swords hurt people. what youre gonna look at every sword with magic geometry and expect to see it cuddling puppies? swords are made to hurt. even when its defending. it can parry but if you need a shield get a shield. sure, this was otohan's sword but the sword is not sentient (laudna girl you need to insight check your patron pls). otohan hurt her not the sword. and to allow her to consume it was more leaning into her trauma - its not setting a good precedent for future healthy coping mechanisms basically

that said, dorian cant just say that without acknowledging the depth of laudnas trauma. the sword actively triggered her. this does reek of a PTSD episode where she went running to a soothing influence. to simply say its just a sword without paying respect to laudna's hurt is also incredibly dismissive - well aimed as it was.

chetney is sus. thats it. thats the take. i dont believe this old man when he said he trusts laudna. i think hes plotting

tl;dr - everyone tried to help laudna, no one tried to stop her which might be the only way to help her now. she needs someone to hold her back and call out when shes under the influence again.

#cr spoilers #critical role

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uhohbestie · 9 months ago

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There Are Monsters Nearby [Chapter 14]

🏜 Pairing: Grian/Scar

🧟‍♂️ Tags: zombie AU, zombie apocalypse, lovers to exes, slow burn, eventual reconciliation

📖 Summary: The day after Scar breaks up with Grian, the dead come back to life. Knowing that venturing out alone is a death sentence, the sudden onset of the apocalypse forces them to stick together despite the tensions between them. In the wreckage of the world, they're forced to survive side-by-side, coming to terms with the fact that—try as they might—there's still no one they trust more than each other.

Chapter 14 - Scar's worsening condition forces him to share his situation with the trio. Grian should learn that honesty is the best approach, but he doesn't. Quackity makes dinner, and Karl shows off his nail polish collection to Scar. Grian continues to be his own worst enemy.

📝 Words: 8,099

🔗 Link: Read Chapter 14 on AO3

—

“Who are you waiting for?”

The question catches Grian off guard, and he revels in it.

Everything about it reeks of distrust and paranoia. How on earth would he and Scar communicate with anyone outside the group without attracting attention? And why the hell would they do it in the first place? The sheer absurdity of it sparks a deeply satisfied, bitter validation in Grian’s chest—the proof he needed to confirm he wasn’t the only one with apprehensions lurking in the back of his head.

“Who do you think?” Grian challenges without answering the question.

“It just seems like you were really pushing for us to get us here as fast as possible, and now you’re in no hurry to move on,” Quackity deflects in a perfectly level tone, acting like he has the higher moral ground. “Put yourself in our shoes—how do you think that comes off?”

“I’m in an organ harvesting cult that’s in league with the zombies,” Grian scoffs, rolling his eyes at the absurdity of it all. “Is that what you want to hear?”

“You’re the one saying it,” Quackity pressures, relentless. “I just asked a question. You started making all these wild leaps.”

Grian doesn’t have time for this, resenting how he’s been pushed so effortlessly onto his back foot by Quackity’s clever questioning. The validation of the trio’s mistrust doesn’t benefit him, and he still doesn’t want to out Scar to people who could not only be a threat, but have just shown they don't see them as equals.

“Are we in court?” Grian snaps. “Am I on trial? There’s no hidden meeting with some ragtag party of bandits waiting in the wings. We’re just tired. It’s not a secret. And frankly, I’m sick of you three acting like we’re holding you back. I’ve said it before, but clearly it bears repeating—you can leave without us. Go ahead. No one’s going to stop you.”

It’s a bold ultimatum, one that Grian’s sure Scar wouldn’t appreciate, seeing as he's made it abundantly clear they benefit from the strength in numbers.

Quackity gives Karl a look, loaded. He then makes a gesture that communicates something Karl clearly understands, but Grian can’t decipher. It feels damning.

It feels like he’s been caught.

It’s a feeling he’s been experiencing way too often, lately.

“I think we should talk to Scar,” Karl says at last, gentle but firm in a way that’s clear he wants to put an end to the argument.

“Scar’s going to agree with me,” Grian mutters anyway.

—

Another Friday with another chapter of zombie au! This chapter has some of my favourite Vulnerable Grian Moments™. We hope you like it!

You can read the whole story thus-far linked below!

You may not rest now, There Are Monsters Nearby (on ao3!)

#trafficshipping #scarian #life series fanfic #zombie au #TAMN #TAMN fic #updated the banner too :3

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hotreadingwitch · 2 years ago

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Tony x Reader - Yes Daddy

Content Warnings/Kinks: daddy kink, bruising, spanking, orgasm denial, praise kink, hair pulling, oral sex, rough sex, unprotected sex

Yes Daddy

Tony dragged Y/n down the hallway away from the party and toward his master bedroom. He had that wild grin on his face that made Y/n know that she was in trouble. When they arrived she ripped herself away from him, rubbing her now bruised wrist.

"What is your problem, Tony!" She cried, "I was ready to have a good time"

"Not in that dress you're not" he yelled back, gesturing to her barely covered body.

"You don't own me Tony" Y/n asserted, standing up at her much older boyfriend, "You can't control me!".

"You might not be one of my many possessions Y/n, but I do own you" he growled before leaning in to whisper, "You and I both know that pussy is mine".

Y/n huffed, crossing her arms, annoyed with him.

Her pouty face arose something within Tony. He pulled her close, clutching her waist. "You're such a naughty girl pulling me away from my own party," he said with a smirk, "And in that slutty dress no less".

She pulled him closer, gripping his expensive tie before beginning to place light pecks down his neck. "What are you going to do about it daddy?" She whispered in his ear.

Y/n felt him tense at her comment.

"I'm just going to have to punish you" he growled before turning and pushing her roughly onto the bed. He pulled her so that her bum was in the air, tucked over his lap. He pulled up her dress and quickly removed her panties, leaving her bottom completely exposed to him.

SMACK

A slap landed on her bum.

"Tell me Y/n" he mused, "Are you sorry?"

"I am daddy" she pouted, turning to look up at him with her doe eyes.

SMACK

She cried out in pain.

"How sorry?" He continued, his voice dripping with lust.

SMACK

"Very sorry" she cried out, the pain beginning to get to her.

Tony continued, slamming his hand roughly down onto her skin until he'd spanked her 20 times. He loved everything about his girlfriend, from how obedient she was to how her pert ass jiggled when his hand slammed down on it.

"Good girl" he smiled.

Tony wiped a tear from her eyes before pulling her off his lap and guiding them farther back onto the bed. He sighed, swiping a gentle finger over her wetness, making her mewl before getting down until he was level with her heat and beginning to work her. He started by lapping up her wetness and then moving to focus on her clit. Y/n felt the feeling again begin to build up little by little, getting more intense each minute that Tony continued to please her.

He licked until Y/n was breathing heavily, close to the brink of her orgasm. "I'm gonna cum" she sighed, ready for the waves of pleasure to begin rolling over her. At the exact moment that her orgasm began to burst Tony pulled himself away from her heat with a devilish grin. Y/n whined, rubbing her legs together, chasing the feeling, upset at the fact that he'd just ruined her orgasm.

"Sweetheart," he said, smirking up at her, "I'm gonna ruin you until you can't take it anymore"

She nodded, complying with his sadistic plan.

Tony continued like this, forcing her clit to an orgasm and then denying her until her pussy was red and sore. When the familiar sensation of warmth and tension came close to its peak this time, Y/n knew that it was her last. Each small orgasm had been stronger in intensity than the last...this now was all she could take.

"I'm close Tony" she whimpered, out of breath, heart racing and sweaty, "I need to cum now"

"As you wish sweetheart" he replied before continuing to sloppily suck her clit while swirling his tongue around it.

He continued as the feeling burst from the tip of her clit throughout her body. The intensity of her long-awaited climax was so much that her back arched and her legs began to twitch uncontrollably. "Fuckkkkkkk" she screamed, her voice horse as her body shook off the final waves.

"Such a good girl" Tony cooed, stroking her cheek, "Now follow me"

She rose, obediently obeying his dominant orders, following him as he guided her, holding her hand. Y/n gasped as she was pushed up against Tony's expensive wooden dresser and bent over, her cheek pressing against the flat surface.

"You ready sweetheart?" He questioned, lining himself up at her entrance.

"Yes daddy" she mewled, excited by the feeling of his tip pressed against her.

Tony growled before sliding into her, her slickness wrapping immediately around his hard cock, swallowing him whole. He bottomed out within her, his balls hitting the crack of her ass, making him grunt. From there he began to thrust in and out of her at the most satisfying pace.

"Oh yes" she cried, her back arching into his movements, "Fuck me just like that"

Turned on by her comments, Tony only got rougher. He pulled her hair, making her back arch even more allowing each thrust to dig deeper and deeper within her. He then snaked his arm around her front, thumbing her clit roughly from behind. The combination of her clit being played with and her pussy being demolished by his cock was almost too much for her to take. Y/n squirmed beneath him, practically gasping for breath. Soon, both of them were close to their orgasms.

Y/n came first, the pleasure releasing from the centre of her heat, making her legs twitch and her clit throb. Tony followed quickly after, egged on by her tightening around him.

"Fuck you're so tight" he snarled continuing to fuck her through their orgasms, elongating the feeling for as long as possible as his ropes of cum splattered her walls.

When they were done he flipped her around, planting a passionate kiss on her flush, puffy lips. She responded with fervour, slipping her tongue around with his. He then dragged away from their kissing, looking her deep in the eyes.

"Don't ever wear that fucking dress again".

#tony stark x reader #tony x reader #tony stark #smut #oneshot

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potatomountain · 2 years ago

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TLaM Chapter 4

“Warm Welcome”

mutant reader x human ateez- Seonghwa Focus

Word count: 2.5k

Warnings: there will be potential triggers for anxiety and mental illnesses all throughout this story. Not all characters are nice at first.

AN: not all chapters are going to be long, a reminder a lot of the times i don't edit my works and that this is a slow burn, its going to take awhile for mc to meet and trust each of the eight but she’ll get there!

This is a work of fiction, in particular Fan fiction, and in no way is this a representation or an accurate depiction of ATEEZ or any other idols/people used for this work.

Any feedback is always appreciated and adored! Comment on the masterlist to be added to the taglist <3

Masterlist

previous | next

...

======

Before he could reply or react, our attention was grabbed by a door swinging open a bit loudly and the soft pitter patter of someone's hurried steps: a very small someone. I saw them first, a Typhon child rushing into the room and up to Seonghwa, wrapping her arms around his legs just as he fully turned to the commotion.

"Ah, Eun Yeong, is something wrong?" Gently he reached down and rubbed the girl's bright orange hair, avoiding the three horns that were protruding through the strands an inch from her front hairline. The girl's wide vibrant red eyes were fixated on me, her black-tipped nose flaring as she breathed in my scent.

As if finally registering Seonghwa's words she looked up at the much taller man, shoulder level with his knees. "Other kid sleeping, but I want to play." She pushed out her pouty lips and I noticed a scab in them, most likely from the constant grazing of her fangs.

Seonghwa peeled the young girl off his legs and knelt down in front of her, motioning back towards me. "I'm with another guest right now Eun Yeong, I can play with you later."

She huffed out, brushing him off and instead taking the two steps towards me. Her skin was naturally tanned, if a bit more with an orange tone than most, and she had freckles running over her bare arms and shoulders that were a deep black, giving a beautiful contrast to the blue and pink sundress she wore; she seemed a polar opposite to my own Typhon characteristics.

We locked eyes over my tea cup as I took another sip, waiting for whatever this girl was going to do next. Just behind her Seonghwa seemed to be waiting as well, brows pulled up and together with obvious concern; even more so when she lifted a finger to point at me. "You wanna play?"

I nearly choked on my tea, setting it down as I cleared my throat and gathered my bearings. Seonghwa pulled her a few steps back and immediately began to apologize for her but I held up a hand to stop him. "She's fine I just-" I have never been asked that by a child, even the few Typhon children I had seen would stick to their parents and were very skittish as they often could sense the animosity towards them. "I didn't expect this. Her name is Eun Yeong?"

"Mhmm! I'm four!" With a toothy grin she escaped Seonghwa's hold and pulled herself onto the ottoman next to me. "Will you play?"

I could feel warmth radiating off of her, and I had to stop myself from leaning into her. "Seonghwa was going to give me a tour after I finished my tea." I pointed out, noticing the speckles went all the way down to her bare feet, the tips of her toes black. While I had initially declined, the girl had my curiosity even more peaked about this place.

"Can I join?"

"Eun Yeong… it's her first time here." Seonghwa began to protest before I could, still watching the two of us cautiously. It was clear he didn't want to scare me off, which was the opposite of what humans usually wanted.

I shook my head, feeling the corners of my lips lifting as I met the girl's eyes once more. "I don't mind if you join us… in fact I insist." With the young child next to me I felt a bit more relaxed in this new place, as if she was a little sun or ball of energy to ease the tension in the air as well as warm it up.

The way her features lit up, gasping with pure joy, solidified my decision. "Yays! I can tell you all the best places to nap!" With gusto she pushed herself off the seat and grabbed Seonghwa's hand. "Did she meet Mister Woo yet?"

He shook his head, letting out a soft sigh as he stood up. "No, Woo isn't here today, Eun Yeong. She can meet him next time if she wants…" He glanced up to meet my gaze just as I took another sip of my tea. "Wooyoung is my kitchen help and he often plays with the children here." He clarified, which I was grateful for.

With a soft nod I went silent, focused on the tea as Seonghwa turned his full attention to the Typhon girl. "You didn't ask for her name, Eun Yeong, what are you going to call your new friend?"

She gasped dramatically, turning to me with her brows pushed together. "Oh no- I was rude. Don't tell Yuyu!" Lips still against the tea cup I watched as the girl knit picked at her appearance and posture until she was bowing formally. "Nice to meet you, I'm Eun Yeong, and you are?"

Just to make her wait I finished off my tea, slowly setting it down. She looked adorable glancing up at me impatiently through the orange fringe, fidgeting her hands in front of her as she waited for my reply. I told her my name, watched her stand back up with relief, and then continued with "but you can call me whatever you like."

"Then Unnie?"

Well… I don't think I've ever met a more straightforward person in my life, and this girl was just four. "Sure." Happy with my acceptance, she bounced on her feet, giggling and glancing at the hall. I didn't think she was going to wait much longer, so slowly I pushed myself off the ottoman, filling up the tea cup. "How about I drink this during the tour? There is a lot of tea anyway."

She let out a low squeal, tugging on Seonghwa's arm and looking up at him just as he locked eyes with me. "If that's what she wants then let's start the tour. It's not much, I assure you."

"It is already plenty, Seonghwa, I'm excited to see the rest." Admittedly I was, even with my nerves still on edge and every little sound filtering in my mind for any sign of danger.

This place was already so welcoming it was hard not to like it… but for that reason alone I didn't want to trust it. If I didn't know Seonghwa's father, someone I trusted, I probably wouldn’t have rethought the tour and even ignored the child; but I wanted to make an effort.

After a small moment of hesitation, Seonghwa nodded and then motioned towards the arch. "This is our lounge, across the hall is the children's room. Eun-Yeong?"

"Yes! Come see!" The fiery child rushed ahead of us and into the hall, holding onto the door knob until both Seonghwa and I were behind her. She pushed the door open with more care than she had left the room earlier, then stepped inside.

The room was large, not as big as the lounge area but decent. I was expecting a typical children's room like on TV, but this was different. One corner of the room was set up as a children's reading corner with different sizes of colorful chairs. Another corner of the room seemed to be a makeshift fort with several layers built in as it reached the ceiling. Between the two setups were three little teepees, and I could make out a pair of feet sticking out of the left one by the fort. That must be the other kid Eun-yeong mentioned.

The corner to the left of the door was organized with several shelves for toy bins, with a few desks to the right of the door and a full black chalkboard wall with rules written on it as well as basic words and lessons.

It was well organized, not too colorful or chaotic but it wasn't lacking either. The center of the room held an array of small tables for toys, dollhouses to the left and more play room just under the windows to the right, neither were cluttered and plenty of space between them all.

"This is a neat room…" It actually looked fun, a stark contrast to the play rooms I had as a child. "What else is there?"

Eun-yeong pouted at my eagerness to move on, her hands finding purpose on her hips. "This is the best room though!"

Seonghwa seemed to be fighting off laughter. "For you maybe, but not for us adults."

"Being an adult sounds boring."

This time he did laugh at her sassy counter, my own lips pulling up into a grin, a small giggle leaving me. "It is boring, stay young forever."

Eun-yeong sighed as if she had many worries on her mind, shaking her head. "Silly adults. Come, I show you next room." Taking the lead she walked past us and out into the hall. Still laughing, Seonghwa and I followed. I busied myself with a drink of my tea while Seonghwa shut the door and followed after the small girl.

"What room are we going to show her next?" A few meters down the hall we came to a stop in front of a crossroads of shorts. To the left was a partition, a few computer monitors could be seen over it on a desk with a door behind it labeled "office". To the right were stairs, and straight ahead there was a kitchen door on the right.

Eun Yeong looked at her options, weighing them heavily. "They're all boring!" Huffing, she turned to look up at Seonghwa with a pout. "What do you think?"

"Well- why don't we just tell her?"

"Fine." The girl turned to me, the teacup pausing against my lips. "The stairs go to the rooms for the others."

"There are rooms for rent upstairs for Typhon's, but I budget with them or just have them help out around the place as payment." Seonghwa clarified as I just nodded, lowering the cup.

Eun Yeong pointed to the door by the stairs. "The kitchen. Woo is usually in there!"

Seonghwa quickly added on "Our residents are also welcome to help themselves but guests like you I enjoy taking care of." The smile he sent my way was sweet, genuine, but didn't relax me as I knew it's intention was.

"And there-" Eun Yeong continued as she pointed to the office. "Mister Sangie works there sometimes! But it's really Hwa's space."

"She means Yeosang, he's a friend of Wooyoung's who's very good with tech. He installed my security and comes by to update or check for problems occasionally." Once more I was thankful for his clarification but…

"Why are you telling me all this? I'm simply a guest right?"

He paused, tongue poking the inside of his cheek as he thought it over. "Well, my father has talked about you quite a bit so I wouldn't say that. I hope you, more than anyone, can enjoy this place to your heart's content."

I frowned, looking down at my nearly empty teacup. "I see… I'm going to finish my tea now, thank you for the tour." I bowed my head a bit and turned on my heel.

"I- Blue wait…" I had managed only a handful of steps before the human had caught up to me, standing in my way. "Did I make you uncomfortable? If so I'm sorry I-"

"You didn't make me uncomfortable, Seonghwa, I haven't gotten comfortable enough to become uncomfortable just yet." I stopped him, looking up through my lashes despite the eye contact making me uneasy. "That is nothing against you or this place, I just- it's very new to me. All of this. And it is a bit much."

I ignored the whirlwind of emotions he showcased, my only familiarity with this reaction being his own father and even that was limited. Shifting, I moved past him and back into the lounge area. "Please don't fret, despite my unfamiliarity with all this, I don't necessarily dislike it." I really just didn't know how to handle it, or how to process this.

The tavern was warm and welcoming in ways that felt unsafe to me, simply because they were new and unfamiliar.

Seonghwa followed behind, stopping just inside the archway as I stopped at the table and tea. "Alright… shall I leave you to your tea?"

Turning to face him, as I felt I owed him that much, I froze in place as a new face entered my line of sight: the sleeping figure was now staring me down. He was human, despite my initial confusion over his bright orange and red hair, there were no other signs or indications he wasn't. He seemed to still be quite drowsy, his stare hazy as he blinked dark eyes into focus.

A chill ran down my spine as the man's full lips pulled into a boyish grin, waving a large hand in greeting. He didn't seem shocked to see an unfamiliar Typhon here, which given the nature of the business made sense; yet he greeted me as if I was just another friendly human.

I was far too confused by his actions to notice Eun-yeong run in, not until she was squealing and jumping into the strangers arms. "Minnie!! You woke up!"

Panicked, I did the only thing I could do without bolting or changing- I glanced at Seonghwa out of the corner of my eye with a silent plea for help.

He seemed to catch on, stepping between the stranger and myself. "We have a guest, would you like to introduce yourself and head into the playroom?"

Eunyeong had a different idea. "Can't Unnie come with?"

"Miss Blue is overwhelmed right now, Eunyeong, we need to give her space." Once more I was astonished by Seonghwa's gentle tone and kindness for Typhons in general. It truly felt as if Typhon's were treated no different than humans here- I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"Oh, a newcomer?" The stranger's deep voice startled me, the back of my thigh hitting the table behind me when I jumped back. I held my breath when he looked around Seonghwa with that same boyish grin. "Welcome, I'm Mingi. I'm usually here with Eunyeong."

They are being so kind I should be polite.

Easier said than done, a frightened mewl left my lips when I tried to speak, eyes now wide as saucers. The three stared at me, perplexed, but I could only shake my head.

Limit reached.

Speech was out of the question so I pointed to the tea, then Seonghwa, and bowed my thanks, rushing out of the tavern in a heavy jog.

I didn't stop until I was at the subway entrance, out of breath.

Only when I descended the stairs and people scurried out of my way did I realize I left my hat and glasses back at the Tavern- and I didn't pay either. Sure he said the tea was free but…

I suppose it was more reason to consider going back… could I actually muster up the courage though?

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#ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez x reader #ateez ot8 #ateez yeosang #ateez hongjoong #ateez yunho #ateez wooyoung #ateez angst #ateez fanfiction #ateez mingi #ateez mutant au #to love a monster #tlam #ateez seonghwa #ateez choi san #ateez jongho

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