#and then he’s like ‘*flop sweat* get help’ *YOU* GET HELP SIR!

[benbamboozled]

“you punched my dead mom and dad and set them on fire and let the devil live.”

Source is Batman (2016) #100

[stars1997]

Honeymooners

Paring(s): Nico Hischier x Fem! reader

Warnings: SMUT!!! (18+), shower sex, bathroom sex, vacation sex, thigh riding

(Not edited)

Summary: What better way to celebrate a becoming husband and wife than fucking like rabbits on your honeymoon.

Part 1

should I do a part 2??

_

The lights flash, the music shakes the venue. His hands never leave your hips as you dance. the night was a blur. Your family and friends forgotten as you look into the eyes of the man you just married.

A smile from ear-to-ear cover both of your faces. You did it the man that you have been dating for three years is now your husband. You have waited your whole life for this moment, and it was exactly how you dreamt it would be.

“I love you.” You mouth to him. Your eyes wide with a sparkle.

The night felt like it ended to short. You say goodbye to the guest. Nico’s friends giving you a pat on the back and welcoming you to the family. Your family crying and hugging you as you try to break away from them to get into the car.

You wave one final goodbye as you slip into the passenger seat of the car.

“Kiss me husband.” You say to him. He leans over and kisses you, having to pull away so he can drive.

_

Planning the honeymoon was one of your favorite things during you wedding plaining. You had to choose between so many different places but after some long and hard thinking you both chose to go to the Maldives. You were able to book one of those water villas.

The plane ride was long, but you and Nico go to snuggle up together. It feels like forever since you and Nico have had time alone with no interruptions.

When you got off the plain you had a diver waiting for you. the ride to the villa wasn’t that long. You and Nico sat in silence the whole ride just taking in the view in front of you.

When you finally got to your room. You flopped down on the bed. Your flight didn’t get in till six in the morning, so it was still very early.

Even though you slept on the flight you still felt like you could sleep for the rest of the day. Nico pulled your luggage through the door, struggling a bit because the door kept trying to close on him.

“Thank for your help babe.” Nico says, bringing in the last bag.

“I’m on my honeymoon I’m legally not allowed to do any heavy lifting.” You say sending a big smile his way. He lets out a laugh before joining you on the bed.

Your eyes close as Nico pull your body into his. “We can’t sleep we have to stay awake. Otherwise, we won’t be able to sleep later.” His lips brush your ear when he talks making you let out a little giggle.

“I know a way we can stay awake.” You turn so now you’re facing him. your hand now resting on his chest.

“I saw we go and wash of the germs from the plane together.” Your hand now moving lower and playing with the strings of his sweats.

You stand up, his eyes never leaving you. you pull your shirt over your body your bra was quick to follow. Nico’s eyes move from your face to your tits. 

Your sweatpants were next, now only being in your underwear. You grab your things and make your way to the bathroom. You could hear shuffling coming from the other room.

You pull your underwear down, now completely naked. You turn on the shower letting run for a minute before stepping in.

You take your hair out of the bun that it was in just as Nico walked through the door completely naked. Your eyes lock in the mirror, and you give him a smile. Your eyes then trail down to see his boner.

“Someone’s excited.” You let out a little giggle, turning around so you’re facing him.

“I am because I get to fuck my wife.” The way his words roll of his tongue makes your thighs clench.

He walks over to you and pushes you back against the counter. “I need you to turn around I want to you watch as I fuck you. you got that?” you nod your head not able to get any words out.

His hand comes up and pinches your nipple making you gasp. you knew he wanted you to use your words.

“Yes. Yes sir.” His hands grip your waist, flipping you around. The marble counter cold on your stomach.

“Your eyes stay open the whole time. I need you to see how good I fuck my wife. You got that princess?” you let out another yes, but it was so quite your surprised that Nico heard it.

His fingers move to your wet cunt. “Always so ready for my cock. You’re such a good girl, always so wet for me. Make sure you keep your eyes on me baby or else ill have to punish you and I don’t want to have to punish you.” His other hand grips your hair forcing your head up.

He used the tip of his cock to tease you. you push you hips back into his and let out a whine.

He gave you ass a little slap before pushing into you. Your mouth hung open as you struggle to keep your eyes on him. His thrusts were fast.

“Good girl doing so good for me. That’s it. Fuck, your always so tight for me.” He brings his lips to your shoulders kissing you and leaving marks.

Your eyes threaten to close at the feeling, but you somehow keep them open.

“I’m going to fuck you in ever place of this room. And then tomorrow I’ll do the same thing. God, I love your pussy so much. I love making you feel good.” You’re close now. His thrusts mixed with his fingers on your clit.

“I’m going to cum!” Your moans fill the bathroom.

His thrusts don’t slow down. His fingers pick up a little bit more speed. Your head falls back, eyes closing as you cum.

He thrusts into you a few more times before he pulls out. His cum landing on your back.

“I told you to keep your eyes on me. We are going to get into the shower and you’re going to get yourself off on my thigh. Then when we get out of the shower, you’re going to watch me get myself off. You won’t be able to touch me or yourself. You just sit there and look pretty so I can look at you.” He gives your ass a slap.

Both of you now stepping into the shower. He takes his time washing your hair and body before he slips his leg in between yours.

His hands grab your waist, pulling you closer to him. making your clit rub against his thigh.

Your head drops to his chest as he continues to move you along his thigh. Your nails drag down his back.

the warm water running down you’re back adding more to the sensations you’re feeling.

 It didn’t take you long to cum. Your nails dig into his back more. his mouth finding yours. His kiss was hard as he works you through your orgasm.

“Wash my hair for me?” he leans down giving you a kiss on your forehead. You let out a giggle into his chest. His hands still holding your body close to him.

[luvv4j4ybe11]

✧Summary~lo’ak shows you just how much he missed you..and your thighs☺️

✧Warnings~ cursing,thighfucking,degrading, praising, overstim, dom!lo’ak, sub bratty!reader,dirty talk, and i think thats it. Lmk if i missed anything, enjoy bby<33

✧ For better experience, listen to this😉

Previously..

“He places your legs on his broad shoulders, squeezing and rubbing them all over. “Need an answer, babe.” He says sternly,tone dripping in lust.

Grabbing your neck softly, he bends down to leave gentle kisses on the tip of your ear all the way down to the lobe. Tugging at it softly with his teeth, making you yelp out at the feeling of his sharp fangs and hold onto his shoulders tightly.

“Yes, yes I want you to.” He looks at you with a raised brow, waiting for you to say what he wants to hear. “..please sir..” you say needily, grinding your cunt into his buldge. He smirks in approval at your words, taking off both of your loincloths swiftly.

“You got it, mama”

☆彡 ミ★

He holds both of your legs in one of his hands while using the other to place his cock in between your puffy folds.

Both of you let out a moan at the feeling of him against you, softly he bucks his hips into you. Hitting your clit with the tip of his dick, making you moan sinfully at the contact.

He does it again, harder this time. Just to laugh at your reaction, making you roll your eyes at him. He raises his brows at your attitude,“Yeah? That’s what you’re doing,mama?” He says cockily, purposely doing the same thing again and not pausing in between his thrust. Leaving you a breathless, whiney mess.

“Mhm..that’s what I thought.” He remarks, slowly closing your thighs together around his cock. Making him throw his head back in bliss.

He wraps his arms around your legs, giving him leverage to start a slow pace. His tip brushing against your clit even more harshly, and the weight of his cock gliding against your slick covered folds. The little bit of friction on your sensitive cunt sending you to the edge.

“Fuck! Lo’ don’t stop! M’cumming!~” you yelp out, grabbing his large veiny hand for support. “Justtt like that, mama. So fuckin’ cute” he coos, moving his hips in circles to drive you crazier.

Your legs shake as you aggressively as you cum, his words and hips making your head dizzy. He chuckles at your fucked out expression,but that quickly turns into a loud wonton moan as your thighs shake and tighten around his cock.The coil in his stomach getting tighter.

He stares at you hungrily, his features quickly turning desperate each time you squeeze your thighs around sensitive cock. “Ah~ damn baby, tryna kill me? So-hah fuck~ so pretty for me. My perfect little tawtute” he rambles thrust getting sloppier the closer he gets.

You’re a shaking, blubbering mess, still on cloud nine from your recent orgasm and the way his cock kept hitting your overstimulated clit didn’t help any better. His pretty nosies and facial expressions making your second orgasm creep up on you quickly.

“Lo’akkk!~ please! Too much!” You whine, digging your nails into his muscular arms. “Awh, my poor little tawtute can’t handle how her mate is using her like as his own personal fucktoy?” He taunts, speeding up his pace while pressing his hand on your lower abdomen. “Deal with it, mama. Be a good girl for me.” He growls at you lowly, placing more pressure on your abdomen. Making you gush all over him.

He dips his head back at the feeling of your soft thighs squeezing him even tighter, making the coil in his stomach snap. Cumming in thick ropes all over your chest,face, and of course, your thighs.

He rode out both of your highs before flopping on top of you, placing all of his weight on your small form. Wrapping his arms around you tightly and snuggling into the crook of your neck.

You giggle breathlessly at his gentle touch. “You miss me,pretty boy?” You ask, kissing his forehead gently and rubbing his scalp. “Mhm.. so much.” He says sheepishly, a low purr coming from his chest as his tail wraps around your calf protectively.

Knowing you both aren’t moving for a while, you fall asleep to the noises of rain and fauna around you.

A/N~ YALL I DID IT!! Basically took me the whole day but it’s posted!! Day 5 and 7 are on the way shortly😉 stay safe and hydrated bbys🩷

Duces🫶🏽,

Luvv4j4ybe11

~

~

~

Taglist: @pandoraslxna @neteyamswillow @neteyamlove69 @zafrinaxyz @hotdsworld @itchaboi-itchyboy @alexxie @urlocalgayblueberry @somedays-i-just-feel-bad-bitch @blue-slxt @skywonder @tallulah477 @marcelruizboba @koalalafications @rihnnx @km-ffluv

[goldfish-afterhours]

ROB THEM BLIND - ONE

— Home // Genshin Impact Bank Robbery AU

“Welcome to Minlin Bank. How may I help you today?”

As the line shuffled forward slowly, Lumine felt her throat becoming tighter and tighter; the note stuffed in her jacket pocket growing heavier and heavier. She was sweating—partly from the thick jacket engulfing her body, its hood flopped to her eyes to obstruct her face—but also because of what she was about to do. 

‘This is a robbery. I am armed—do not think about resisting or alerting anyone. Put all the money in this envelope and you will not be hurt.’

Lumine had scrawled those words on a piece of lined paper last night, ripped straight out of a notepad. Multiple discarded drafts littered her hotel room from all her attempts at obscuring her handwriting. 

“Next! Good morning, sir, welcome to Minlin Bank.”

The person in front of her left for the desk, and Lumine shifted forwards, so she was now the first in line. All of a sudden, she felt very exposed, as if all eyes were on her now that she was at the front of the line. She clenched her fists. I can do this, she told herself. I have to do this. 

“Next!” A cheery clerk waved her over. She looked young, even younger than Lumine, with bright eyes and black hair braided in two loop pigtails. For a moment, Lumine felt dazed. How would her actions affect this young bank teller? Would Lumine be able to sleep soundly tonight, knowing that she had threatened someone so innocent? 

The young lady’s voice broke into Lumine’s thoughts. “Welcome to Minlin Bank. How can I help you today, ma’am?”

Lumine took a shaky breath. Before she could back out, she pulled her hood tighter over her head, plunged her hand into her pocket, and—

“Get on the ground! Get on the ground!” a deep voice bellowed. Gunshots sliced through the air, embedding themselves into the walls like meteors with a sickening bang! Glass shattered, and the poor clerk serving Lumine screamed. 

“Last chance unless you want your head blown off! Get on the ground!” another voice shouted above the chaos of people crying and bodies falling to the floor. 

Lumine felt someone tug at her clothes. “What are you doing? Hurry and get down!” a woman whispered, looking up at her with eyes wide in terror.  

She crumpled the note back into her pocket and dropped down with everyone else. Most people were cowering on the floor with their hands over their heads, but Lumine was bold enough to tilt her head up slightly to catch a glimpse of what was going on. 

There were four—no, five of them. All male, all wearing some sort of mask to hide their face. The man who had shouted first donned a sinister red mask, with bared teeth and horns sprouting out of its head. He was so big he made the machine gun in his hands look tiny. Red tattoos ran down his arms as he tapped the muzzle of his weapon against anyone who held their head too high. Two men leapt over the counters, bags in their hands. A loud thump and the shriek of metal against metal meant they had successfully broken into the tills, and Lumine could hear the rustling of paper as they stuffed the cash into their bags. 

Curiously, there was a man standing at the front entrance of the bank. He had no visible weapons on him, and his arms were crossed. He was clearly not acting as a lookout—his back was to the front doors. Yet he made no effort to subdue or intimidate the people either. He just stood there, watching, white hood shrouding his face. He almost looked like a grim reaper dressed in white. 

“Hey, girlie. You’re holding your head a lil high. Got a death wish?” a playful voice breathed down Lumine’s neck. For a moment, she contemplated turning around and punching him right in the middle of his elaborate crimson mask, but that would surely draw too much attention. Instead, she covered her arms above her head like everyone else, even pretending to tremble. But in reality, her blood was burning through her veins. 

The groan of the counter and the sound of boots hitting the ground alerted Lumine that the robbers had obtained their goal. It was only a matter of minutes now. 

“Okay, okay, you can all get up now,” the man in the red-horned mask said. She craned her neck up to peek from her hood, and several customers were also starting to stir. The loud bang of a gunshot, however, made everyone drop to the floor once again. “Just kidding~ Stay down and count to a thousand. Any person who moves before that gets a bullet in their tongue.” 

‘One, two, three, four…’ Lumine could practically hear everyone counting under their breaths. But if she waited to one thousand with all of them, the criminals would definitely slip away, and she could not let that happen. 

‘Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight…’ At this point, the thundering of boots faded away. The only sounds audible in the bank were heavy breathing and muffled sobs. 

As quietly as she could, Lumine slowly got to her feet, careful not to rustle her jacket. No one paid her any notice. Lightly, she stepped around the shaking bodies on the floor. Shards of broken glass sprayed the counter and floor. Bullet holes decorated the walls and the ceiling; surprisingly, the fish tank in the corner of the room came out unscathed. A bright red goldfish flicked its tail in the water as it changed direction, unconcerned with the violence that had just taken place. 

The police had not yet arrived, but Lumine could hear their sirens in the distance. And if she could hear it, that meant the robbers would hear it soon too. She had to leave, right now. 

Lumine carefully stepped through the giant hole in one of the glass entry doors. The road was deserted, all pedestrians having fled the moment the armed robbery began. 

She shut her eyes. Wind whistled past her ear. She could hear the street lamps humming lowly, a cricket chirping, the soft paws of a cat leaping onto a fence, and—

Heavy boots. 

Lumine’s eyes flew up and she broke into a run to the back of the building, down an alleyway, towards the direction of the sound. The footsteps were soon joined by the low rustles of paper money being jolted against a moving bag. Right before voices became audible, Lumine slowed to a walk, then tiptoeing on the cobblestone walkway.

“...talk too much. You think this is a game?” a voice snapped, his voice dripping with annoyance. 

“What’s wrong with that? I might as well have some fun with it!” 

Lumine pressed her back against the wall, summoning the courage to peer past the corner. Three of the five robbers were walking down the alleyway. A large bag was hoisted over the biggest man’s shoulder, while the ginger-haired man who had threatened Lumine was walking beside him, one hand in his pocket while the other twirled a gun around his finger. The third person with them was unfamiliar; she must have missed him during the chaos. He was much smaller than the other two, but he seemed to be scolding them without any fear, despite the largest man’s bicep being the size of his entire head. 

“C’mon Xiao, let Itto have a little fun with it! What’s the problem?” the ginger-haired man said airly. 

“The problem is he acts like a stupid oaf. Him just being there makes us more likely to get caught,” the one called Xiao retorted.

“Hey, I don’t act stupid!” Itto exclaimed indignantly. “In fact…you act stupid! Stupid!”

As they bickered with each other, Lumine took the chance to creep closer and closer behind them, darting into the next alleyway or behind corners to remain out of sight. They were talking so loudly to each other, she was sure they did not detect that someone was trailing them.

Until her foot hit a pebble. It barely made a sound as it fell back on the cobblestone paths. 

But these robbers were better than she had given them credit for. Xiao immediately stopped in his tracks. “Shut up.”

“No, you shut up!”

“We’re being followed.”

Lumine held her breath, but the footsteps became louder, as if they knew exactly where she was. She waited a few moments—maybe they would dismiss it as their imagination and be back on their way—but they came insistently closer. 

Okay, too close. I have to go, she thought. But before she could even move a muscle, a hand flew between her shoulder and neck, trapping her against the wall. 

“Now, now, what do we have here? Someone trying to play the hero?” The elaborate red mask was now resting against the side of his head, revealing his face. This is never a good sign—it meant he had no fear of her seeing what he looked like, since dead men tell no tales. His voice was playful and smile teasing, but his blue eyes were void of anything, as if they barely registered Lumine in front of him. “Didn’t you hear the big, scary man? You want a bullet in your pretty face that badly?” He leaned closer, but she did not flinch. 

“No,” Lumine responded. “I want compensation.” 

Before the man could respond, she pulled out the crumpled note from her pocket, unfolding it with one hand and shoving it in his face. “I was just about to rob them when you stole my target.”

The man squinted his eyes at the note before scoffing. “So what? You want us to open our bag right now and hand you a stack?”

“Just one stack? Don’t play. I want to talk to your boss. I’ll negotiate with them.” She put the note back in her pocket.

His lips curled into a sneer. “And just why would we let you do that?”

“Because you’re going to want this back, won’t you?” Lumine spun a blue charm around her finger. 

The man seemed to do a double-take. He looked down at his belt, confirming that the blue charm that was hanging from a chain on his belt loop was indeed gone. He looked back at Lumine, no sign of surprise on his face, but she could see that he was now clenching his jaw. 

Lumine winced as the cold metal muzzle of the gun made contact with her cheek. He was still smiling, but any trace of amusement was gone. “Give that back, girlie,” he said smoothly, as if chiding a toddler, “and I promise you’ll still be able to see out of one eye after.” 

Itto, who had been listening quietly behind him the entire time, finally broke his silence. “Hey, wha—? Didn’t Zhongles tell us not to hurt anyone if we can help it? You can’t shoot her just for that, Ajax!” 

“Watch me,” Ajax responded, clicking off the safety of his gun. 

The shortest one who had detected Lumine in the first place tugged at Ajax’s arm, the one holding the gun against her face. “Don’t,” he insisted. “Just bring her to him. He will decide.” 

Ajax’s eyes flicked to glare at Xiao, and for a moment, Lumine thought he was going to turn the gun on him instead. But instead, the ginger-haired man sighed and lowered his arm. 

He stepped away, and Lumine let out a gasp of relief, her heart threatening to leap out of her chest. 

Ajax shrugged. “Alright, alright, I can’t argue with my brothers, can I?” he said. “Count yourself lucky, little lady. You just earned yourself an audience with the Guili Assembly’s head.” He shook his head at them, as if they had just convinced him not to buy an ice cream cone instead of murder. “But watch yourself.” His empty eyes flicked back to Lumine, and she had to will herself not to flinch. 

“One wrong move and you’re dead.” 

[mrsarnasdelicious]

The Band of Bebbanburgh - I - How Sihtric Met Finan

Uhtred enters the small messy apartment like he owns it. He most certainly owns a key to it...

"Sihtric!" He yells.

The apartment's inhabitants hurried from the bathroom, half naked and tucking himself away. "What were you doing?" Uhtred asks. "Taking a piss. The fuck you doing in my house?" The young man asks in reply. "You call this a house?" Finan frowns at the kid. He can't be older than twenty or so. "Who the fuck are you?" The lads round on the Irishman. So much for a pleasant first meeting. Uhtred most certainly miscalculated there.

Uhtred coughs dryly.

Finan and the younger man both turn to him. "Fina, Sihtric. Sihtric, Finan." He says curtly. Sihtric steps forward, offering Finan a hand. "Go wash up first." Finan scoffs. Uhtred groans in mild desperation. "Yes, sir." Sihtric sneers, slouching to his tiny kitchen.

Finan can't help but stare at the lad's ass, which looks utterly phenomenal.

Sihtric washes his hands and comes back to both older men. "Now what'd you interrupt my lazy sunday for?" He asks Uhtred. "I just wanted to introduce Finan." Uhtred replies. "Fek off." Finan says. Both Uhtred and Sihtric look at him with surprise evident on their faces. "Oh come the fuck on. Uhtred, you did not drag me all the way to the back of town just to shake this sorry sods pissy hand." He says. "I washed it!" Sihtric protests.

"Alright... you're here for more than hands." Uhtred rolls his eyes at the instant bickering. Then he turns to Sihtric. "You'll do him, pro bono." It is an order. "Yes sir." Sihtric rolls his eyes. "And you better fuck off with the attitude." Uhthred snarls.

And then he just leaves.

Finan is utterly nonplussed. "Do me?" He furrows his brows. Sihtric scoffs and flops down on the absolutely prehystoric looking sofa. "Yeah, let you fuck me." He grabs a cig and lights it. The scent of smoke and vanilla spreads through the studio apartment. "Wait what?" Finan can barely believe what he is hearing. "Uhtred thinks I am his little bitch boy to use, just because I pay the bulk of my rent with sex work." Sihtric takes another drag of his cig. "Bullshit." Finan swears. "It is the only thing I am good at." Sihtric replies wryly.

"I am sure that is not true." Finan begins to feel sorry for the kid. But Sihtric scoffs, blowing smoke from his nose. "I'm a cage fighter, but it doesn't make me enough to pay rent and do the shopping." He says. "Fucking shit." Finan hisses. Sihtric sends him an unamushed look. "I don't need your pity, so you can fuck off with it. Now do you want me to suck your cock or not?" It is a sneer and Finan wonders if Sihtric is being forced into this by Uhtred. He wouldn't pin his new friend like that type of guy...

"You don't have to." He rumbles.

Sihtric snuffs his cig. He gets up and saunters over to the Irishman. He falls to his knees. "I bet you're thick. And you trim. I want to smell the sweat in your pubic hair." He murmurs. Finan opens his mouth to tell him he shouldn't, but Sihtric nuzzles his face against the faded cloth of his jeans. "I will make you cum so hard, you will never want another." Sihtric purrs.

He opens Finan's fly. He mouthes at the cloth of Finan's boxers. "Oh Jesus Fucking Christ." Finan groans. His prick is beyond just interested. He is hard as a rock and already creating a precum stain in the grey cotton. "Oh fuck, you smell so good." Sihtric whimpers. He mouthes at the stain, hot wet mouth agonisingly close to the head of Finan's cock. Finan drags his finger through Sihtric's dark hair. All his protests are forgotten all he can focus on is Sihtric's mouth. And then he looks down... Into those mismatched eyes. And he knows he is lost.

One pool of ocean and one pit of mud.

Sihtric pulls Finan's boxers down his thighs. The Irishman's cock springs free. "Mouth watering." He hisses. And then he lewdly opens his mouth. "You want me to fuck your pretty whore mouth?" Finan growls. Sihtric nods. Finan craddles Sihtric's chin. The younger man's whispery goaty tickles his palm. "Such a good boy." He growls. Sihtric whines in reply. He is impatient, it seems to Finan.

He takes his cock in his hand and slap his glans down on Sihtric's bottom lip, which is swollen to lsuh plumpness with wanton arousal. Sihtric is turned on by this, too. His tongue comes out to swipe at the slit in Finan's cockhead. "Jesus, you know what you are doing, don't ye baby?" Finan groans. Sihtric, in form of answer, closes his mouth on the first inches of Finan's cock.

He is still looking up at Finan.

"I'll make you gag." Finan warns. Sihtric sucks more of him into his eager, wanton mouth. Finan tightens his hand into the youth's hair, grunting like a rutting boar. It had been a while since he had last been given a good round of head. His last girlfriend hadn't wanted to do it. Said he smelled weird, not matter how good or how often he washed. But Sihtric relaxes the muscles of his throat and shoves his face against Finan's pubic bone.

Too soon, Finan feels his orgasm approach. It is rushing in on him like a fucking freight train. He drags Sihtric off by his hair. His cock comes free with a lewd wet pop. Sihtric whines at the loss. "Not yet." Finan shakes his head. Sihtric pouts up at him.

"Get up!" Finan orders. Sihtric obeys without a shred of hesitation. Finan's eyes rove over the younger man's body. The lad is well built and his cock is standing to attention. "Take off your joggers." Finan tries to sound gentler. Again, Sihtric obeys without a peep. His cock springs free, throbbing and glistening with precum.

Finan closes the distance between them.

Sihtric's breath hitches as Finan grabs his hard, slick shaft. "You were as ready to cum as I." It is not even a question. He gives Sihtric a slow languid jerk. "Well?" He presses the youth for it. "Yes ... Yes sir." Sihtric moans. "Such a flithy little slut you are." Finan growls. "Thank you, sir." Sihtric demures.

Finan cups Sihtric's cheek with his free hand. Sihtric closes his eyes without having to be told. "Good boy." Finan growls. And then he closes the distance.

KIssing Sihtric feels easier than kissing any woman he's ever been intimate with. He's never been with a man before, yet the feeling of Sihtric's strong yet supple lips is like coming home. He is coming home to the taste of vanilla, nicotine and his own cock and the vibration of Sihtric's wicked moans against his lips. He could very well drown in those moans.

He unhands Sihtric's cock. "Bedroom, now." He snarls. "Fuck ues, sir." Sihtirc breathes.

He traipses into his bedroom, Finan hot on his heels.

Unlike the main area, the bedroom is tidy and Sihtric's bed is huge.

Just for good measure, Finan grabs Sihtric by the hips and throws him into the sheets. "You are going to wish Uhtred had never taken me to you." He hisses. Sihtric rolls onto his back, cock point at the ceiling. "All mouth and no trousers." He purrs as a challenge. Finan scoffs loudly and makes quick work of his clothes.

Once he is as naked as Sihtirc, he crawls on top of him.

Sihtric moans as their cocks collide. Finan bucks his pelvis right away. "Gods! Will you fuck me?" Sihtric asks. His voice trembles a little. Finan takes a moment to consider the situation. Not fifteen minutes before he was worried Uhtred was forcing Sihtric into prostitution and now he was buckarse naked in the lad's bed. Did something go wrong along the way? Or is Sihtric just this hot on him?

"Do you want me to fuck you? For true?" Finan asks, very seriously. "I want you to fuck the tar out of me. Fuck you like you hate me." Sihtric replies. "No, I won't, you have not earned my hate. You deserve better." Finan tells the younger man . Sihtric flusters and looks away. "At least don't pretend you love me. I don't want your fucking pity." He tries to sound snide.

"I won't give you pity. But I will not hate you either. I just want to know I am not forcing you into anything." Finan says. Sihtric pushes Finan over, so now he is on his back in the younger man's stead. Sihtric straddles his hips and clasps a hand on his throat. "I want to feel the imprint of that massive fucking cock for the next two weeks. I want to show off the bruises you'll leave on me. Make me proud of the screw up I am, for the love of the fucking gods." He hisses.

His hand on Finan's throat slowly starts to close. Finan knows he is trying to provoke him into rash actions.

Finan puts his hand around Sihtric's wrist. "You can ride me, if you like." He rumbles. Sihtric's grip slackens, a little. It's a start. "Do you want to ride my cock, Sihtric?" He asks. Sihtric nods and allows Finan to move his hand from his throat, to his chest. "Yes, I do." Sihtric whispers. "Can I prep you first?" Finan might not have been with a man before, but he is not stupid. He knows anal takes time. "You don't have to." Sihtric replies, though it is unabashed. His mood seems to be evening out. "I don't want to hurt you." Finan says gently.

Finally Sihtric smiles at him. "You won't hurt me. I'm, as one would say, well trained. Aaaand I played with myself just before Uhtred brought you." He says. Finan cups Sihtric ass, fingers slipping into the cleft. "So you are still open and relaxed for me." He purrs lewdly. He presses his fingertip into Sihtric's pucker. Sihtric moans sweetly. "One more?" Finan asks. "More like two. You're quite big." Sihtric replies. "All at once?" Finan furrows one raven coloured brow. "I can handle it." Sihtric says. And thus Finan adds two fingers at once. Sihtric pushes back on him. "Gods, fuck." He groans. "You good?" Finan asks. The youth nods, confident and grinning. He is proud of it too, Finan realises.

"I'll get you a condom." Sihtric says. "No raw ploughing?" Finan teases. "Not today." Sihtric replies playfully. "So there will be a next time?" Finan asks. "Are you kidding, where else am I getting a cock like yours." Sihtric murmurs. Finan decides not to push the matter. Sihtric gets off of him to retrieve a condom from his cok drawer. Finan takes the time to marvel at his back and arse.

Sihtric is gorgeous, in a strange, rebellious sort of way. He's muscular, well trained, with thick cordy muscles. His skin is pale, but has an odd oiled glow to it, though his skin is not feeling that moist. His hair is dark brown, shaved up on the sides and kept moderately short. He has a tattoo spanning from the side of his head to his neck. He wears several bracelets and rings, and Thor's Hammer on a leather thong around his neck. He keeps a whispey moustache and even less of a goaty. But he pulls it off. He pulls it off like the piercings in the shell of his ears and the tiny gemstone in one nostrill. He just does.

Sihtric comes back to bed.

Without any further ado about anything not concerning Finan's cock, he rolls the condom over The Irishman's considerable erection. And then he just sinks down on him!

"Holy Jesus!" Finan all but shouts. "Your Jesus has nothing to do with this." Sihtric says. "Then who does?" Finan purrs warmly. "Freyr and Loki." Is the reply. Finan only recognises Loki because of the marvel films. But he decides to ask later.

Sihtric rides him in a slow yet deft way that has Finan teetering on the edge and at the same time want more. So much more!

"Let me make you cum." He rumbles. Sihtric looks a little surprised. "I ... erm..." He flusters a little. "I could cum from just this..." He mumbles. "You don't have to." Finan replies warmly. He curls his fingers around Sihtric's cock. The youth moans, rolling his hips. "So beautiful." Finan growls. "Thank you, sir." Sihtric lisps. He fucks Finan's fist, precum all but dribbling from his slit. "You gonna cum for me, pretty boy?" Finan rasps. Sihtric moans, but shakes his head. "No, why not?" Finan taunts. "Too- too soon." Sihtric says, his voice a soft whine. Finan laughs warmly. I won't last long, Princess. Go chase that high." He says. "Okay, but I want you to choke me." Sihtric replies.

Finan decides not to question it. The regrets are for later, like with anything he does. He is far from the good catholic boy his parents wanted him to be.

He grabs Sihtric by the throat. The young man's eyes blow wide and he moans like a fucking pornstar. "Jesus fuck." Finan growls. He clasps Sihtric's throat firmly, while also still jacking him off. But Sihtric shoos his hand from his cock. "Just choke me." He hisses.

Finan obliges. He tightens his grip on Sihtric's throat. The youth moans as best he can. His cock twitches, precum gushes from the throbbing red head down on Finan's abs. "Gunna be a good boy an' cum?" Finan growls. Sihtric nods feebly. Finan tightens his grip a little more, causing Sihtric to whimper loudly. "Say it." Finan whispers. Sihtric leans into his grip, moaning as best he can. Finan does not actually expect the youth to speak. But he sees Sihtric enjoys the taunting.

Sihtric's cock twitches wildly, more precum gushing from the slit.

"Go on." Finan growls. Sihtric whimpers loudly. He is dangling right on the edge. He is so close he can taste his climax. It is inevitable. "I'm gona.. Fuck I'm gona cum." He croaks. "Then cum." Finan snarls, tightening his grip a little more. That shoves Sihtric firmly over the edge. He moans feebly, spending himself all over Finan's belly. He cums quite generously, shooting as far as Finan's chest. "Good boy. Such a good boy for me." Finan growls. "Now you ride me, make me cum too." He instructs. He knows it won't take long. The way Sihtric's ass is clenching around him already has him on the edge.

"Yes sir.." Sihtric demures.

He puts his hands on the perfect sculpt of Finan's chest. Finan's breath hitches as though he is bracing himself. He knows Sihtric is gona do well. And indeed, Sihtric begins to ride him like he's trying to break his pelvis. Finan grabs him firmly by the hips to slow him down, but Sihtric is not having it.

"Fucking cum for me." He hisses. "Cum inside me." He murmurs.

And that is Finan's undoing. He bucks his pelvis spasmically and spends himself inside the condom, groaning loudly. "Yes, fuck yes." Sihtric groans, closing his eyes to savour the moment.

He then gets up, letting Finan slip out with a lewd little groan.

"Fuck, you are amazing." Finan growls. "Fuck you." Sihtric says in a derisive tone. He pulls the condom off of Finan's cock and tosses it in the bin. "You just have to cop an attitude, don't you?" Finan sits upright. Sihtric rolls his eyes, plopping down in the windowseat.

"Well, I was good, wasn't I?" He leans against the cold glass. Finan heaves a soft sigh. "Why am I suspecting that was only a sliver of what you usually do." He says. "Because you are a smart man." Sihtric grins at him. Finan gazes up at the ceiling. He is genuinly wonder what the fuck Uhtred has gotten him into. And he suspects that indeed, this first meeting with Sihtric is only the tip of the iceberg.

[junkydrawr]

More Snively fic!

This scene is wedged in after fishing with Sonic and Sally but before gardening with Melinda. A few other scenes (not posted) take place in between as well and this scene also references other non-posted earlier stuff. Also, there is reference to the SatAM episode 'Sonic Conversion' (where they attempt to build a deroboticizer).

After Snively had woken the next morning and gone to the loo to do his business, he entered the kitchen. Instantly his caution radar went up. Bunnie wasn't preparing a meal. She was pouring their coffee into two canteens.

"What's going on...?"

"We're having breakfast in the pavilion."

He retreated to the couch, yawning. "Mmm. I'm actually rather tired still. I think I'll go back to sleep."

"Oh no, you don't. Yer comin' with."

"I'd rather not."

She slung both canteens over her shoulder. "That's nice. Ah don't care. Ah'm hungry, so let's go."

He flopped back onto the couch.

She sighed. "Don't be a stubborn git. Get up or Ah'm gonna drag you there by the hairs."

He growled. "You wouldn't dare."

"Ah wouldn't?" She laughed; he heard her metal feet getting closer. "Just try me, Sugah."

He didn't move.

He felt her furred hand grip his forearm and pull.

"Stop it!" He squealed. "Don't touch me - I'm tired! Just let me stay here!"

"Snively, stop that! Gosh, yer bein' stupid. How old are you, anyway?"

He sat up, lip lifted in a snarl. "Old enough that I don't need Mother Rabbit pulling me out of bed. Maybe you want to wipe my ass, too?" He grabbed his bag of clothes and stormed towards the bathroom.

"You don't need to take a shower!" She yelled through the door.

"Yes, I do!" He took his sweet time bathing and getting dressed.

They walked silently to the pavilion, he trailing behind the Mobian. Watching her hips sway, the fluffy puff of tail. Pondering, not for the first time - her luck for getting rescued before her nethers could turn to metal. He imagined she would've died quite quickly then - her body unable to purge the organic waste.

I doubt she sees herself as lucky.

He entertained the idea of sneaking away but then she turned to assure he was coming. He twisted his lips. They came to the meeting area and he beheld the core Freedom Fighters seated at the biggest table, an array of breakfast before them.

The skunk let out a huge groan as the two sat down. "How am I supposed to eat now, with that bloody stench in the air?"

Sonic chuckled.

Snively bristled. "Come off it, rodent. I don't smell. I've just showered."

"That makes it worse. At least the dirt helps mask it a little." Geoffrey held his nose.

"You smell like an armpit that's been sweating for a week straight." Snively sniffed and looked over the food. Bunnie handed over his canteen of coffee.

Sally let out a sigh. "Good morning, you two. Can we not start the day off with bickering?" Her stink eye settled on the skunk. He smiled coyly, tipping his hat.

Snively reached over the table for a blancberry muffin. Bunnie filled a bowl with sliced fruits and berries and slid it to him. "Eat somethin' good, Sugah."

He tried to ignore Geoffrey and Sonic's snickering. He wouldn't admit, but he enjoyed the fruit quite a bit. There was a certain...immediacy to it, a freshness that was never present in the dehydrated foods of Robotropolis. He popped berries into his mouth, savoring them between swigs of coffee.

The Mobians chatted about inane things. The weather. The current chores they were assigned to. Apparently, they operated on some kind of rotating schedule, when they weren't terrorizing Robotropolis. He tuned out, staring over at the path that led to the ring pool.

The chipmunk, Rosie, was leading some of the children down the path. The two-tailed fox turned and waved at them. They waved back. Snively took a bite of the muffin.

Sally sighed and Sonic patted her back. She picked up a small curl of paper, fiddling it between her fingers. "Sir Charles is still working on accessing the Command Room ducts. He's been spraying the metal grates with the Krudoz solution."

Rotor nodded. "How's it going?"

"They're corroding more slowly because of the coating over them. But we'll get through." She looked at Snively. He sipped his coffee, avoiding her eye.

"What can you tell us about those snake bots?"

He shrugged.

"You built them, didn't you?"

"Yes. What's there to tell? They're patrol bots. Robotnik never listened to me when I said the ducts needed to be protected. So I remedied that."

"They have some kind of tranquilizer in their bite?"

He nodded, helpless to the sneer that began to curl his lips. "Effective, wasn't it?"

"You had to run and let your uncle out to help you, so no," said Sally.

Do not react. He took a bite of the muffin, extra big. More time chewing, more time to bitchslap his rage back into its corner.

"Is there any easy way to deactivate them? It's too dangerous to throw Krudoz bombs inside the duct. Might eat the floor away right from under us."

"Not really. Maybe you could use a recording of my voice to tell them to stand down. They only respond to me. Robotnik and Naugus don't know about them."

"Yeah, that could work. We'll record you later. Have Sir Charles try it out." She looked over the group. "Once we can spy on the Command room again, we'll do our trial attack."

Snively ate another piece of fruit. It had a fibrous texture, a taste like coconut and strawberries. He tried to ignore a sudden spike of nausea. Attack. Missions. Despite his efforts, he had to set the fruit down as his belly lurched.

I...I can't go back there.

"W-w-what..." He cleared his throat. "...what kind of trial attack?"

"Don't worry, Sugah, we ain't needin' you for this one," Bunnie said, nudging his arm. He jumped slightly at the touch.

"We're planning to hit a factory. Just a test to see how Robotnik and Naugus retaliate without you there."

Snively grunted. "Ah. This paltry shit again."

The predictable frown arrived on Sally's face. "What?"

"This small fry nonsense. Let's blow up one factory. Let's shut down the generator for a couple hours." He yawned. "Let's just be a pain in the rear rather than inflict some serious damage. The SWATbots and their terrible aim caused more problems."

She scoffed. "We can only do so much at once. The longer we stay in Robotropolis, the higher the risk we get caught. And we aren't an explosives factory. We don't have some huge stockpile of bombs."

"Then build up until you have enough to actually do something. Do you know how annoying it was to constantly rebuild trifling things after you wrecked them? Like having a child make a mess right after you cleaned up."

Geoffrey snarled. "Why don't you shut it? Nobody asked your opinion."

He gave Bunnie a sidelong sneer. "Then why am I here? I told you I wanted to stay in bed."

"There's another reason we can't just blow everything up, Snively." Sally blew out a long, aggrieved sigh. "You know that."

He took a swig of coffee. His mind was blank. It couldn't be for fear of ruining anything. All their outdoor statues and monuments were long destroyed.

"I'm sure you don't care, of course, but...we do." The Princess's voice was a degree above frozen.

Another swig, and a shrug. He hoped to look apathetic rather than clueless.

"I don't think he gets it, Sal." The hedgehog scowled.

"The roboticized!" Sally exclaimed. "We have to be careful. That's why we don't target certain buildings. That's why we can't just 'blow everything up'."

Oh. Snively set down his coffee. "Why bother? They're a lost cause."

Sonic and Sally had a matching fire in their eyes. He heard Bunnie hiss beside him.

"Yo, my Uncle Chuck ain't no lost cause! Even if he can't get his body back, he's got his mind! He's alive!"

"We're working on a deroboticizer. We had some luck, but it didn't take."

An insidious chuckle escaped him. The heat level was rising at the table, but he uncapped the fuel anyway. "I highly doubt that."

His thoughts drifted to the massive shell of wires and glass in Robotropolis. How far along was Robotnik in building it? And then powering it, with energy far beyond what these animals had at their disposal?

They do have the power rings though...

He couldn't much ponder that, with Sally murdering him with her gaze. "I don't know why you're laughing. You don't know the progress we made."

"Heh. Then tell me."

She recapped their 'success story' and he shook his head. "Sounds like all that happened was the nanites created a superficial skin of flesh over the existing metal. But without anything to sustain it...it literally rotted away." He ate another berry. "Hardly a rousing victory."

For a moment, he basked in wicked satisfaction. The Princess's gaze dropped, crestfallen. Silently, she nibbled on her toast.

"Yo, that isn't cool, Snobley."

"What isn't cool? Breaking your bubble of delusion?"

"Oh mah stars. Snively, that's enough." Bunnie nudged him.

"I'll break your stupid nose!" Sonic jeered, his threats intertwining over Geoffrey's: "Oh, I'll break you, mate." Snively resisted the urge to yawn again. Julian had made worse threats before breakfast.

"They aren't a lost cause." Sally set down her toast, voice dark with ire and rising steadily. "It doesn't matter about our setback. We'll keep trying. When we bring Robotnik down, we'll have all the resources we need. And if we can't deroboticize them...we'll free their minds. They aren't a lost cause!" Her fist slammed the table.

"Sir Charles has been the only breakthrough in eleven years." Snively shook his canteen, hearing the unfortunate slosh of one last swig remaining. "But...good luck. I'm sure you'll do it. Somehow."

"We'll do it, Snively. We took Robotnik down, took you down. Destroyed the 'great' Doomsday machine. We got my father back. Look at our track record - look at yours. Why should I even care about the words of a failure?"

His teeth grit behind his lips. He fumbled for words cruel, vile... he ached to cut the grins off Geoffrey and Sonic's face, scalpel digging in deep, smell the blood. Instead, he sat, quivering with the want of violence.

"Believe what you want," he finally spat. "I've seen what overconfidence brings to an arrogant fool."

"So have I. Which is why you're sitting here, eating breakfast solely at our mercy." Sally wielded that scalpel with her eyes. The snickering from the men continued.

He jumped as Bunnie's hand touched his arm. "Come here. Ah want a minute, Sugah."

He pulled his arm away, but stood. Anything to get away from the vermin.

------

Bunnie led him out of earshot - well, unless she screamed at him - to the edge of the pond's path. Being this close triggered the urge to head down and smoke.

"What was that all about, Sugah?"

"Just doing what I do best." Snively ignored her narrowing eyes. This was such a bore.

"Being a right git is what you do best?"

"Yes. Amid dispensing a dose of reality."

"It ain't reality."

"It is. You delusional fools just don't want to hear it. Everything is sunshine and roses with you." He rolled his eyes.

"And what's so wrong about tryin' to be positive? Ah know you ain't got much practice, livin' with Robotnik and all, but you could try it for once." She placed a hand on his arm and his skin crawled.

The mention of Julian brought that wretched bastard's face to the forefront. The bitterness inside him simmered. Came out in a hiss, boiling hot. He wrenched away. "Quit touching me, animal!"

A flurry of emotions whipped through her face. Surprise, anger. He braced himself for the punch. But the last emotion settled and it rankled him even more. Empathy.

"Ah know what yer doin'. Puttin' on a front. Actin' tough because yer scared to let us in. Scared to even try makin' friends."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." He laughed. "Make friends? Words of a failure? I'll break your stupid nose? Yes, I'm truly feeling the kinship, Mobian."

"If you didn't bite like a little snake, if you weren't such a prickly little cactus all the time -"

She should've been a poet.

"I'm not in need of 'friends' like those." She'd forced him to come to this stupid breakfast, forced him to sit with the fleabags. Brought up Julian. And even worse, she was still hitting him with those dewy eyes of hope and compassion. Such things deserved to be crushed underfoot. They were nothing but luscious fruits brimming with poison.

"...And what a joke, to think any of you are actually friends. Your situation is what created your supposed bond. Would you really be friends with a boar like Geoffrey?" A dark sneer cut his face. "Would an uppity priss like Princess Stick-up-the-ass even look twice at a twangy bumpkin like you?"

"Don't talk about her like that," Bunnie growled, and her metal fist clenched by her side. He watched it, a strange rush of eagerness flooding his veins. Oh, to break down Miss Rabbot's facade of saintliness. Make her give in to the urge to brutalize. It surely must reside beneath that sugary exterior.

He cast an eye to the meeting table, still within sight. The occupants were watching them.

All I need to do is push a few buttons...and bam. She'll go off like a bomb.

"Oh and why not? She's just a bag of lies, like all of you. Filling you with this nonsense. Why do you even want to be deroboticized, anyway?" He reached forward, flicking a fingernail with a 'ping' against her metal shoulder.

She bit her lip. "It...it ain't just about me."

"But it mostly is. Admit it."

"No, it ain't!" Her voice rose. But her eyes were going glassy, gathering tears.

This was like a child's game and he basked in the pettiness of it. "How can it not be, Rabbot? You want to trade your best asset just to look 'pretty' again."

A small cry escaped her. Her metallic fist raised up to her breast, tightening. Ready to launch. He goaded further, dug in.

"Come on, Rabbot! Do what you do best. Use that fist!" He took a step forward.

She drew in a breath and slowly that hand unfolded. The empathy was gone at least, replaced by disappointment and a wayward tear. She wiped it, turned away. "Ah'm going back to breakfast. You either come or don't."

She left him standing there with his cheek tilted, waiting for the blow that never came, the sick want of it gurgling in his gut like reflux. He watched her go back, watched all the eyes staring at him, waiting for him to move.

Fool. You look like a fucking fool.

He turned and headed for the pool, with not even a cigarette to fill the hollow inside.

----

Bunnie returned to the table and took a long drink of coffee, composing herself.

"Snively's not joining us?"

"He ain't ready to be civil yet, Ah guess." She slowly chewed one of the fibrous fruits. Her mind was in the past, to the day she thought she'd been deroboticized, just for a short while. In all the commotion with Chuckie reverting back to Robotnik's slave, she hadn't had much time to grieve. Late that night, crying in the shower, she'd noticed a sludge, a congealed film over her robotic parts that smelled terrible. She'd scrubbed and scrubbed, sobbing until long after the water was cold.

Without anything to sustain it... it literally rotted away.

She swallowed hard, feeling her throat close.

"You're too soft on him," Sally said.

She quietly cleared her throat. "Y'all can't expect him to change overnight..."

"Hey. You alright? What did he say?"

"Nothin'. Just bein' a git. Ah can handle it."

"Maybe he should go back to the jail," Sally said. "We gave him freedom too soon. He hasn't earned it."

"Maybe you should just give him a good beat down," Geoffrey waved a piece of toast. "That's how Robotnik kept him in line."

"Do Ah look like Robotnik to you?" Bunnie snapped, her voice turning bitter. "Other than my metal arm, of course. Ah don't know, maybe Ah am closer to him than anyone."

"Bunnie..." Concern wrinkled Sally's brow.

"Maybe he's right, ya know. About the lost cause."

"Yo, that stupid dweeb isn't right about that!" Sonic was up in a flash, sitting next to Bunnie and putting his arm around her. "Like Sal said, once we get the city back, we got all the tools we need. And we got Uncle Chuck. He ain't gonna stop until he figures it out."

He gave her a shake until she finally cracked a small smile and a nod.

"Mon cheri! My sweet!" Antoine and Rotor came up then, the coyote handing a flower to Bunnie. He gave Sonic a dirty look. The hedgehog returned to his seat.

"What took you so long?"

"That automatic vacuum I made for Ant had a little...glitch." Rotor sat down. "I had to help clean up the mess it made."

"I am thinking...the robots you make for me are curse-ed," Antoine said.

"Seems that way." Rotor chuckled.

"More like you're cursed," Sonic amended with a smirk.

As Sonic and Antoine bickered, Sally looked to Rotor. "You're starting to clean the workshop and storeroom today, right?"

Rotor wilted. "Yeah. I'll be done... maybe two years from now?"

"I was going to have Snively help Rosie today. But I think you could use it more. Would you be all right with him helping you?"

Rotor waffled uncertainly, then nodded. "Yeah. I guess so."

"All right. Good." She smiled, and then her eyes drifted to Bunnie again. The rabbit looked away, but unlike Snively, she felt no ire for the compassion in her friend's eyes.

But she did feel shame.

----

Snively smiled, then did a quick lookabout to make sure nobody saw him smiling. He'd taken off his boots and waded into the cool waters. A patch of clay made a wonderful burrow for his feet. He wiggled his toes into it, smiled again.

The last time he'd willingly swam was sometime in his childhood, before coming to Mobotropolis. Father had often had meetings with other stuffy bigwigs at the lakeside. Young Snively had kept himself entertained wading and floating (and sneaking alcoholic drinks when he could).

I've forgotten how pleasant water is. He did a pivot, his hands trailing through the coolness. When he came to face the path, Sally was standing there. Shit. He didn't drop the smile fast enough.

"I saw," she said. "You're finally smiling, now that you went and hurt Bunnie's feelings, after all she's doing for you."

"Yes, I'm a 'right git'," he said. Smiled again, just to annoy her. "Maybe you should exile me from the village."

"I can exile you back to the jail cells."

"Whatever pleases you, Princess." He waded out further, turning his back to her. Any deeper and he'd get his rolled-up pants wet.

"It would please me if you did something constructive today. Not wandering around and getting yourself beaten up again."

He smirked, looked over at her. "You really shouldn't blame the victim, Princess."

Her eyes went dark. "You are not the victim, Snively."

Such a priss. It was a joke. She's as humorless as Uncle.

"I am being constructive," he said to her continued glare. "I'm taking a mental health day. That's important, right?"

She gave an exasperated headshake. "You need more than a day. But...speaking of health, I want Doctor Quack to examine you. Make sure you're ok."

A screeching laugh burst from him. "Did you say Doctor Quack?"

"Yes, Horatio Quack, our doctor-"

He put a fist to his mouth to stop the mad giggles. "Haha...Q-q-quack...oh, you people are hilarious."

"We'll get you in today," she said and his giggling finally quelled.

He sloshed a hand, perturbed. A Mobian poking and prodding him? Asking questions about old scars? No thanks. "I don't need an exam. I'm healthy. I've been injected with a zillion nanites over the years."

She ignored that. "After that, I want you to help Rotor. He's going to start organizing his storeroom. It's a big job."

"But I'm forbidden to go in there." He shook the wrist with the tracker.

"And who forbade you? Come on. Let's see if Quack can see you."

He took a step back. "I'll help Motor, but I'm not going to your quack of a doctor."

"Yes, you are. Come on." Her hands went to her hips.

"No."

"Snively, don't think I won't come in there and drag you out."

That brought enticing thoughts of how she'd look with her fur plastered to her skin. Another step back. "You're welcome to try."

She growled, eyes flashing. "Or maybe I'll go fetch Daddy. Do you want him to get involved?"

He stiffened. "You...you don't have to get him. I... I just don't want to be touched by some weirdo. If I was sick, I'd tell you." He widened his eyes, stuck out his bottom lip.

She groaned. "Fine. You can go to Quack tomorrow."

That isn't going to happen. If I can push it back one day, I'll push it back another. Indefinitely.

He waded towards shore. He'd gotten his pants wet after all. Sally griped while he took his time putting on his socks and boots.

----

They headed through Knothole. Cresting a small hill, they came to a strange octagon-shaped building plated in metal. On one side was a long, low building, on the other was a hut. The hut door opened as they came near, and the pudgy walrus emerged.

"Uh, hi guys."

Sally unclipped her computer. "NICOLE, disable location 'Rotor's workshop' on Snively's tracker."

"Disabled, Sally."

Rotor stood near the door of the metal building. "Might want to stand back."

When the door opened, Rotor dived to the side. Like a flood, a mixed assortment of junk came flowing out. Metal scraps, robot parts, wires, tools. When the tide settled, it revealed the storeroom was still crammed floor to ceiling.

Snively kicked aside a broken screwdriver. "Hoarding issues?"

Rotor rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you never know what you need until you need it."

Snively's foot found another item. A rusted and dented head of an old caterkiller robot. He snorted, gave it a good boot. "Is everything in here as useless as that?" He turned to Sally. "I've changed my mind. I don't want to help with this."

"I don't recall this being a voluntary assignment." She patted Rotor's arm. "Good luck. And you let me know if Snively is misbehaving."

Rotor blushed. "Sure, Sally."

The Princess left. Snively watched her, then cast a side eye to the walrus. He was watching her too. Did everyone around here want a piece of squirrel?

"Better get started. I mean, this is gonna take more than one day anyway, for sure. I'm gonna get some tarps so we can organize things."

Rotor headed towards the long building, which Snively assumed was the workshop. Not that he cared. The walrus's back was turned.

Perfect opportunity to escape. He's too fat to catch me.

He tried to forget that the walrus had caught him before.

Snively spun around and hurriedly skittering away. He got to the small hill. At the bottom, Sally Acorn stood with her arms crossed.

He came to a stop. Slowly, she unfolded one arm and aimed a finger back towards Rotor's hut. Her eyes were murderous.

Rotor was laying down the second tarp when Snively returned. He didn't say a thing, just pointed to a stack of tarps. With a grunt, the Overlander took one, shaking it out and laying it aside the others.

"Come on, this is gonna be fun. Who knows what we'll find?" Rotor smiled unconvincingly.

Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe I can find things to disable this stupid tracker. Snively's eyes brightened at the thought.

Sally will most likely have you frisked, you know.

A dirty little smile touched his lips. Well. Then I better fill my pockets.

Rotor looked over with a frown.

Then again, I imagine it'll be Tuna-breath here doing the search.

He leaned down and hooked a finger in the caterkillers's busted-out eye socket. "So, which one is the trash tarp?"

-

Four hours later, they had items on every tarp...and had barely made a dent into the contents of the storeroom.

Rotor uncertainly looked down at a jumble of frayed wires. Snively swiped it from his hand.

“That is absolute garbage.”

“But I could salvage a few of those wires, I-”

“You've got enough wire to encircle the bloody planet!” Snively whipped it towards the trash pile.

“Yeah...I guess so.” Rotor observed a piece of pipe next. “Hmmm. Well, it's a litle rusted, but-”

“Trash.”

With a sigh, the walrus chucked the pipe at the trash tarp. He yawned then, rubbed at his eyes. “All this sorting is tiring.“I'm beat. Think I'll pick this up again tomorrow.” 

“Fantastic. Well. Goodbye.” Snively bent over and dusted off his pants, then turned to walk away.

“Um...wait.” Rotor wrung his hands. “Do...do you want to help me tomorrow?”

Not particularly, he wanted to say. Of course, if he didn't, Sally would probably find something even more irksome to occupy him. He blew out a breath.

“Think you can sneak some drinks over here?”

“Like...alcoholic drinks?” Rotor frowned and shook his head. 

“You're no fun...” Snively sighed, looking over the tarps. Even the 'keeper' piles were absolute junk.

“It's ok. I'll see if Antoine is free.”

At that moment, Sally approached. Snively grit his teeth; he had been hoping to escape before she showed up. 

“How are things going? My goodness, Rotor, was all of this really in there?”

“This isn't even a quarter of it,” the small human grumbled. 

She gave him a dark stare. “And how were you today? Did you behave yourself? Rotor, how was he?” 

“I was an angel,” Snively simpered, batting his eyelashes. 

“I don't know what that is,” Rotor said, scratching his head. “But...um...yeah. He was really helpful. Don't think he wants to come back tomorrow though.”

“Well...” Sally smiled sweetly. “Isn't that too bad. Same time tomorrow, Snively.”

He grumbled. “Yes. Well. See you then, Motor.” 

“Um...It's Rotor...”

“...Whatever.” Again, Snively made to leave. Sally put her hands on her hips.

"Wait a minute. Take off your boots and socks. Turn out your pockets."

Snively squeaked, putting a mock-abashed hand to his mouth. "Why, Princess! Shouldn't we have some privacy before you remove my clothes?"

"You wish. Do it, or I'll have them removed in front of the whole village!"

"What's with you animals and stripping me?" He mumbled.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing." He grunted as he crouched to take off his footwear. No contraband there. His pockets came out similarly empty. You must think I'm truly stupid, Miss Priss, to steal on the first day.

She didn't know about his underwear either, apparently. Bunnie hadn't laughed about it with her?

Good. The perfect hiding place for me. Albeit a little uncomfortable.

She scanned him with NICOLE then, checking for any electronic devices or trackers. Satisfied, she beckoned him to follow.

--

"Am I released from my servitude?" Snively asked as he trailed her down the hill.

"For today." Her eyes narrowed. "It's dinnertime. Bunnie is eating with Sonic, Antoine and I, just so you know. You're on your own."

His stomach grumbled right on cue.

She smiled, bereft of humor. "Apologies go a long way with her. She won't go demanding them, but believe me. It'll help."

He mumbled under his breath. "I'm not apologizing for being right."

She tilted her head. "I can't understand you when you mumble like that. Speak up."

He shook his head.

She tossed her hair, sniffed. The epitome of snobbery. "I doubt it was worth hearing anyway. Stay out of trouble."

Yeah right.

----

He swung open the door to Bunnie's, pausing in the threshold. The place was quiet. If she was eating with her friends and hadn't invited him, she must still be sore from the truth beatdown.

"Oh please," he muttered. "If I bawled every time Robotnik said something mean, there wouldn't a speck of dry land on the planet!"

There was leftover noodles and vegetables from last night in the cold storage. But when he opened the door, the noodles were absent. His stomach growled again. She must've taken them to the dinner.

"Shit." He twisted his lips, went to the window to peer in the direction of the mess hall. No amount of hunger would force him in there.

I take it she doesn't want me here tonight. He sighed, searched the fridge again and found nothing tempting. He took a packet of smoked fish from the pantry and left. One stop at the jail to retrieve the hidden cigarettes he'd stolen from Geoffrey and then he was at the pond, lighting up.

In between puffs, he ate the fish. It was salty and strong. He made a face, thoughts going to Rotor. And then to the piles of things... There had been wires. Magnets. Batteries. He lifted his wrist, eyeballing the tracker.

I know I can disable it. Might need some kind of shock protection to wrap my wrist. In case there's some kind of anti-tampering failsafe in there. He wouldn't put it past Sally.

He'd wait. See what else emerged from the depths of the storeroom.

His thoughts then turned to the Freedom Fighter's pointless mission. It would be curious to see how Robotnik and Naugus were faring without him. Terrible, I'm sure. I was the city's heartbeat.

He stretched out his feet, looking over the pool. The remembrance of the water sliding on his skin, cool as weightless silk. He shivered, contrasting it to the oppressive clouds, the perpetual twilight of Robotropolis, all waters rancid and vile. The noise, the smell, the acidic sting in the air.

He started a little at his thought.

I don't miss it.

A light drizzle started. He, wedged against the tree stump, was mostly protected from it by the swaying leaves above. It felt nice after the work of the day, regardless.

It carried on for a long while. He guessed he'd been here an hour, burning through two more cigarettes. Nobody came down to swim. The sky shifted to a darker blue, the light waning.

He burped and it tasted like fish. Yuck. He was terribly thirsty. He stood and went to the shore, crouching down to cup his hands into the water. But as he went to drink, he froze.

The water in the middle of the pool was...bubbling? He opened his hands, letting the liquid slip through, and retreated several paces. Brow wrinkled, he stood warily.

Now a light was shining up through the depths.

What in the bloody hell?

A loud whoop startled him. It sounded like a hurricane was headed down the path. The blasted hedgehog. Quickly, he ducked behind one of the trees.

The hedgehog zoomed out onto a log that overhung the pool. Snively had never sat on it for fear of falling into the water (or getting knocked in by that mutant fox). He stood, his sneakered foot tapping. The turmoil of the water grew, the glow became so bright Snively had to squint, his eyes watering.

From a tower of water, a sparkling gold ringlet arose. A power ring! Sonic grabbed it, quickly tucking it into his knapsack.

Snively's mouth flooded with saliva, his brain awash in sycophantic thoughts, tingling with the serotonin rush. Oh, if I could get that for Uncle, he'd be so pleased with me, it would make him so happy, I must get it-

Sonic zipped away. The glow faded, the pool fell dim in the waning daylight. A mosquito bit his arm, breaking him from his stupor.

He blinked away after-images of the golden ring. The rush vanished, replaced by the sourness of loathing. He set his nails into his arm, twisting the skin, pinching hard enough to dig red crescents. You stupid sod. You absolutely pathetic... You are not Robotnik's bitch anymore...!

He emerged from the trees, gazing forlornly at the dark waters. His stomach rumbled from the fish. More mosquitoes swarmed him. It was nearly night and he was without a haven.

He dropped his arm, let it swing, feeling the weight of the tracking bracelet.

...No...you're not Robotnik's slave anymore. Now you're just the chattel of these damned animals.

----

He wandered the darkening village aimlessly.

There was no masochistic way he was going to stay at Geoffrey's again. He ended up back in the prison hallway, but once his teeth began chattering, he abandoned that idea.

Feeling frazzled, he wandered again before pausing before Sally's hut. Lights were on inside. She moved past the window, with NICOLE in hand, her mouth yammering.

"Any excuse to hear the sound of your own voice," he muttered. A dark smirk spread on his face as he watched her pace. Various fantasies he'd entertained on long hours of security played through his head.

A sudden breeze cooled the rising sweat on his body... A strange wind swooping over his left side. He turned to look and his scream was only stifled by a gloved hand clamping over his mouth.

Sonic drew back his hand when Snively was done squealing. The hedgehog's quills were on end. "Just what you doin' out here, Snerdly, peeking at my girl? "

"Uh... N-n-no." Snively cleared his throat. "I uh...need a place to sleep tonight."

Sonic's smile was vile. "You sure the heck ain't sleeping at her house."

Snively couldn't help the rising sneer. "Someone is insecure..." He cleared his throat again. "Very well. Do you have room?"

"Nobody is roomin' with this ole hedgehog. And if Bunnie kicked you out, then you probably deserve to sleep on the ground tonight. Ciao, Sardine-breath." He zoomed off, the blast of wind knocking Snively on his ass.

"Pfft." He dusted himself off. "I should go charm the pants off the Princess just for that. Well, if she wore pants..."

He moved on, pausing outside a hut with immaculate flower bushes. He could almost smell the cologne that permeated the house like cat piss.

Why not. He knocked on the front door. After a moment, it opened with a blast of scented air.

"Good evening, Antoine. Is there any chance I could sleep here tonight?"

Antoine gave a smary, sweet smile. "Why, Snipley. I love having zee guests." He stepped back, beckoning inside graciously.

His bullshit meter dinged, but Snively went in anyway. Antoine reached past him to shut the door, and the smile dropped from his face. His whiskers quivered.

"You fuel. You dare to come here after you have upsetted Bunnie!"

Snively groaned. "My goodness, you animals are such gossips. Do you ever just keep things to yourself? We got in an argument -"

He was cut off by a fist to the chin. "Ow. Damn it!"

"Be glad I do not skewer you!" The fox hissed and pulled Snively from the door by the shirt front. "You are not even fit to sleep in my rosebush, connard!"

Snively yanked away and fumbled for the doorknob. He backed out onto the stoop. "Mange de la merde," he sneered, relishing Frenchy's surprised look before the door was slammed in his face.

He twisted his lips as the cool breeze blew across his bald head. Wandering again. Geoffrey and his friends were smoking by the pool now. That was a no go. He thought of asking Rosie. Maybe going back to Rotor's? He sat in the pavilion, but the roof overhead didn't alleviate the chill. I should have grabbed a blanket before I left Bunnie's...

His aimless feet took him to the object of his thoughts. He gazed upon Bunnie's hut.

I'll do what Sally said. I'll apologize. Grovel a little. She'll lap it up.

A strange pang radiated through his chest. It's not like you don't deserve to grovel. For what you said.

He scowled hard, imagining himself squashing that stupid feeling under his boot. I didn't say anything untrue! And these animals have caused every one of my broken bones. They can get stuffed.

He drew in an angry breath and stopped himself from knocking on her door. Instead, he opened it and stepped in, expecting to be instantly reprimanded.

She was not at her usual spot at the kitchen table or rocking chair. The lights were off except for her bedroom, where the door was ajar. He heard her voice.

Well, she isn't with Antoine. Unless he beat me over here?

Light on his toes, he snuck to the door. As he peeked in, he heard her mummer.

"Yer a monster."

He froze.

She was turned away from him, standing before her mirror. Her jumpsuit was a purple lump on the floor. He drew in a breath. With the reflection, and his position, he could see all of her.

"Ya know they think it too. Ain't just him..." She continued to beseech her glassbound twin.

She was the antithesis of Sally's slim, athletic form. The rabbit's hips were full, breasts heavy and soft.

His breath caught, not for rushing blood or rising lust, but for what lay hidden beneath her clothes.

Where her robotics meshed with her flesh, on arm and legs...ropey scar tissue edged the metal like rocks on a shoreline. He imagined a foreign body lodged in flesh, and the body encapsulating it, protecting itself from further harm.

Her body didn't much care for the invading metal, I suppose.

The process is supposed to be seamless. Sir Charles intended to save mangled limbs, replace worn out body parts. There should be no ill reactions with the flesh and metal.

...Yes, but Charles never perfected it. He gave up at the first setback. His silly idealism couldn't handle sacrifices that have to come with advancement...

His musing was derailed by a soft, pervasive sound. He refocused his hazy eyes, saw her hands lift to cradle her face and stifle her weeping.

He backed away from the scene. You did that to her. 

He moved quietly to the door, through her cozy, secure home. It was warm. It was safe.

Did what to her? Gave her powerful limbs that have helped her people? But she's not as pretty anymore?

He eased out the door, frowning and curling his lip, dredging up bitterness to combat the unease.

She has it good. All these animals have it good! They could live here hidden, forever in peace, but they chose to fight. That's on them!

He closed the door quietly and stood out on the stoop. The night breeze quickly chilled him. Or perhaps the coldness was coming from within.

It doesn't matter. Say you're sorry, just to get back in.

He stood there, idiotic, with his fist raised.

I'm sick of saying sorry.

The night deepened. The moons were mere slivers. Another gust made him shudder. He knocked on the door.

There was no answer and he knocked again. Finally, he saw her shadow behind the small window. She opened the door. Clothed again, her eyes were bright yet tired, her headfur freshly combed. She scowled.

"Ahh, so you finally crawled back here, huh? A mite too cold out there, Sugah?"

With this shit on, it is.

He held his tongue, plastering on a meek smile. "Miss Rabbot, allow me to apologize. I was out of line."

Her scowl took on a dark edge. "Since when do you care about that, now that yer uncle ain't here to knock yer block off for it? You get to say exactly what's on yer mind now, don't you?"

He cleared his throat. "I say things I don't mean."

She narrowed her eyes. "Yer nothin' but a lyin' snake. Ah think a little cold air could do ya good."

He opened his mouth, then closed it. A stab went through him at the accuracy of her words. Normally, the disdain would be received with relish, a satisfied rush. That he meant enough to evoke such ire. But the thrill didn't come. He took a step back, lowering his eyes. "Very well."

He didn't look back as he started to walk away.

"Snively, git back here."

He turned, confused. She beckoned inside.

"Ah didn't say to stay out there."

He silently headed in and sat awkwardly on the couch. She turned on the kitchen lamp. Her bedroom door was open, the interior still illuminated.

She put a kettle on for tea and then leaned her back against the counter.

"So you didn't mean what you said, huh. Well, then, Ah'm curious. What do ya think Ah do best, if it ain't hitting thangs with my metal fist?"

He hadn't prepared for this pop quiz. "Ahhh...cooking? Being...nice?"

She laughed, a short cynical sound.

"Nobody around here is...nice like you," he continued, lamely.

"Now you're tellin' fibs. Don't look at me and lie, tellin' me Ah've got a greater value beyond these metal parts. See, yer the only one who's come out and said it outright."

He thought of Securitybot #002. His friend and guard, but still only so because it was programmed to be. He could make another just like it, and another.

"Robots are a dime a dozen."

She frowned.

"Your parts are a convenience, but are they necessary? Are they something Motor couldn't duplicate? Or he could build an actual robot to work for you."

"So yer saying Ah have no use."

He drew in an irritated breath. Maybe sleeping outside was better than enduring this prattling. "So you're saying, if you hadn't been roboticized, you'd just be sitting back?"

She turned to get teacups and tea. Pouring, her voice was hard. "No, Ah wouldn't, but Ah wouldn't be much use either. You said it. All Ah'm good for, as Ah am now...is for these." She sighed and brought the tea to the table. "Come and get a cup."

He stayed on the couch, his body stiff. He felt clenched as a turtle in its shell, his insides burning with acid. I don't owe her anything, I don't owe her shit.

I didn't ask her to take me in. She did it to look like some shining knight, to wave her supposed mercy under everyone's nose.

She sat down. "It's nice and hot and you still look cold. Yer shivering."

It's why she didn't hit me. Keeping up the guise of a saint. It must be what she's doing. Who does anything nice for free..?

He felt locked. Inflated with vitriol. He growled, unable to withstand it. She needled him in a way Julian hadn't managed. "I said it to anger you. Hurt you. I said it because I knew it would!"

She lifted her cup and blew over the top.

His muscles relaxed enough for him to move. But he was wary. Maybe she wanted him over there so she could toss the scalding liquid in his face.

She took a sip and nodded. "That's obvious, Sugah." She patted the tabletop.

He came over, cautious, perched on the edge of the chair. She set down her cup.

"Relax. If Ah'd wanted to hurt you, Ah would've thrown ya clear out the door. Maybe a good kick to yer skinny rear."

The steaming liquid flowed through his cells, easing the chill away. He sipped for a long while. Keeping his mouth occupied seemed wisest, but when it was finally free he muttered. "If it's obvious...then why do you take it seriously? The things I say...? It's what I'm best at. Being a 'right git.'"

She leaned back. Shaking her head, her lips pursed. It was the type of look he'd imagine from Sally, that condescending disappointment. "You might be from Robotropolis, but you ain't a robot. Yer not an automaton. Are ya?"

He took a sip.

"You choose to say thangs. Nobody makes you. Ah'm askin', are you a robot?"

He didn't answer. I might as well be.

"Tell me why Ah shouldn't take it seriously, when you choose yer words calculated, on purpose...to do damage?"

He couldn't tell her why. There was no why. She was wrong. He was a shell on strings, each being yanked by the emotions inside. Hate dark as a thousand nightfalls, the bitterness of a million lemons, the anger deep enough to fill an ocean trench. He was nothing but a corpse being kept alive by those things, moving, talking, for their whims.

She got up and rummaged in the cold storage and he continued to sip, staring blankly at the tabletop. She set down saucers, forks and a cheesecake.

"Ah'm cravin' a snack. You?"

He shrugged. His sweet tooth rarely turned down sugar.

She cut two slices.

He silently cut off a small piece and let it melt in his mouth. The weight of her eyes was on him.

"Still waitin' for an answer."

"What do you want me to say?" He mumbled. "I...hurt people. It's...what I do. Would you blame a thorn for scratching you? Snow for making you cold?"

"No, but you ain't some inanimate object!"

He swallowed hard. "... But... It's... I can't say anything I haven't said. I... I don't know how to be any other way. This is why...I..."

And now anger rose up. How dare some fucking animal make him feel like this! Fumbling. Apologetic. Demanding of him, as if they had a right! Expecting him to engage in their foolish sentiments and sunlit lies! He set down the fork with a clink, hissing. "...this is why I just want to be bloody left alone."

He stood up, intending to retreat to the couch and the impenetrable shield of a blanket pulled over his face.

"Sit down. You better not be wastin' that cake."

He stood there, breathing like a bull.

"Sit that scrawny butt down!"

He dropped back into the chair.

She smiled slightly and ate a piece of cheesecake. He gripped the fork and glared at the delectable treat.

"No need for you to be mad, Sugah. You get a warm couch and cake. It's rough, Ah know."

She must be practicing sarcasm with Sally. He ate another piece. It was really good, but his enjoyment was muted. He almost wished he were back in the infirmary, drowsily listening to the beeps. Hopped up on meds, eating the Medibot's cherry gelatin with whipped cream. It had been strangely peaceful, he thought. Devoid of humanity and warmth, but devoid of anything cruel either.

Heaven, I guess. I didn't know what I had.

That almost made him laugh.

Bunnie sipped tea and ate her cake quietly for a few moments. Finally she spoke. "You ever heard of Robo Rage?"

He shook his head.

“Yeah, it's when the roboticized snap...when they start chantin' Robotnik's mantra and tryin' to capture or hurt us. They ain't people no more. Ah mean, we've really only seen Sugah-Chuck regain his will. And he slipped up a few times, before he got it back fer good. A few times, he tried to capture us, drag us to Robotnik. Villagers started callin' it 'Robo Rage'. That snap, that mindlessness.”

I'd just call it programming, Snively thought. But whatever.

Bunnie continued. “They don't want him here when he comes. They hate that he knows where we live. Many of 'em think it's only a matter of time until he turns on us."

He assumed 'Sugah-Chuck' was Sir Charles. He took a sip and didn't say anything. He doubted the robotic hedgehog would turn on the Freedom Fighters. Regaining his will had broken the programming. Broken programs didn't repair themselves.

She slowly licked cheesecake off the fork, lost in contemplation, and he had to look away. It was making him sweat again.

"Yer probably wonderin', what's my point? Well, Ah'm just the same to so many of 'em. I see 'em watching. Waiting for the day when I'm gonna snap and they can finally say 'we told you so, ya'll never should've let her live here. She's a monster."

He mumbled through a mouthful.

"Haven't Ah told you to stop muttering like that?"

"They sound like bloody idiots."

"Oh yeah?"

"How are you going to snap? And Sir Charles... He's gotten his will back; he's no longer under Robotnik's control."

Those green eyes were keen. "Sounds familiar, Snively."

He snorted and held up the wrist adorned with the tracking bracelet. "My will is hardly free. I was stopped from going where I wanted, remember?"

She ate the last of her dessert slowly. Setting down her fork, she brushed off her hands. “Fine. If you want to pretend yer a little robot...no accountability....just doin' what yer told...then Ah'll do it. Ah'll tell you what to do.”

He grunted.

“If you want to think that all Ah care about is my looks, and that's why Ah want to be normal again...then think it.”

He stuffed in another piece of cake.

“Say whatever you want to me. Ah can take it. Maybe yer just sayin' what everyone really thinks. That takes some nerve, that does.” Her eyes packed a punch nearly as hard as her fist. “But when it comes to Sally-girl, you're gonna stop. She's got a lot to worry about and you just do yer best to make it worse! Give her a break.” "

"I will if she does." He curled his lip.

"Ah mean it."

Her gaze pierced him. He tried to meet it, defiant, but his eyes dropped first. He saw her robotic hand on the table, imagined the scars under her clothes.

He took a breath. Mumbled, because she didn't like it. Because he didn't like the way he felt. "I'll try."

--

A/N: Ok, so I wrote the talk at breakfast and then the last bit with Snively and Bunnie eating cake separately, then I tied them together. I hope it didn't across disjointed. Anyway, I don't know how I feel about this whole scene, it seems boring to me but hopefully you all liked it. Meh!

[ladyvesuvia]

Captain Maybank

PAIRING: JJ Maybank x Fem!Reader

SUMMARY: Crushing on a classmate and confessing to him three years later.

WORDS: 2.0k

WARNING(S): usage of she/her pronouns, cursing, kissing, fluff, messy writing kinda, NOT PROOFREAD

A/N: for @pogueslandia cos i take long to rep i’m so sorry hajeiehdksjw anyway voila ALSO YAY GUESS WHO’S BACK i honestly intended for this to be an angst but couldn’t find ways to make it sad so have fluff :’)

Moving into a strange town of which you knew little to nothing about is terrifying because it should be. But honestly? You felt anything but.

It was liberating to walk the streets of an unfamiliar place however lost it made you feel, however parasitic. You parted with your friends from the city with emotional goodbyes but somehow you just knew you would eventually get over it.

“Sign’s a bit creaky now, isn’t it?” you said while you got your stuff together in an attempt to make friendly small talk, looking up at the aged sign of a fish you had also seen on the printed shirt of the man you could only assume owned the store.

He was wiping sweat away from his forehead. The man chuckled. “Mhm, been telling my son ‘bout that. For the record, it’s been half a year.”

“Sounds like a drag, sir.”

“Sounds like a drag indeed.” He nodded politely with a wave to excuse himself, soon jogging over to the other men carrying crates and crates of stock.

You swung your bag on your bag, finally ripping off the pack of a popsicle you’d bought from the nearest convenience store on your way here.

Outer Banks isn’t so bad, but you have yet to see for yourself when you go to school after the weekend.

——

Starting eighth grade in a school you knew nothing about should also be frightening, but it isn’t. The cute guy who almost never turns up makes it a little better. Okay, a lot better. You had even made a game out of it: if he comes to school, you’ll buy yourself something good and it always turns out great; you see him, you get yourself a new trinket, and you enjoy your day! The only problem is that he’s frequently absent.

Heck, you only know his name – JJ. And that’s only thanks to that one girl with curly hair who’d asked if he was free later that night.

“JJ,” she had half-whispered and half-hissed to him, poking him with her pen. “JJ!”

“What up?”

“You free tonight?”

Kinda bummed you out that he’d said yes.

Welp, you thought to yourself that day, scouting for someone new to like. Guess he’s taken.

And Typical You would’ve gone about your day, scouting the hallways for someone bearable. But you didn’t. See, you’d never been the type to critique each and every person you come across but, Lord, they made it so easy.

It didn’t help when a couple of girls invited you to sit with them and you learned more about their cliques.

“Pogues and Kooks?” you laughed. They didn’t seem so amused. “Oh, so it’s legit? Like, rich bitches are Kooks and. . .”

“I mean, we wouldn’t put it that way,” said one of them, seemingly defensive of your impression of them.

Goodness me, you thought to yourself. Do they think I’m a Kook? ‘Cause I’m from the city?

You made up your mind by then that, well, maybe an in-between clique would be nice. But you decided to prioritize scouting for a new person to like. A while after the information of the Pogues and Kooks came into your head, it was hard to unsee who these people were.

Guy by the lockers? Cocky.

Guy who offered to carry your bags? Gentleman, but smells like flip flops, the bad ones.

New guy who ran into you and held out his hand? Nope, because who the fuck wants to shake hands nowadays?

The one who sat just across from you in most of your classes? He’s alright, he’s great. Fantastic, even. He likes to sit with his legs a little bit too open in his seat, his leg prone to getting at least one student and or teacher to trip. The only problem? He’s JJ.

You barely even knew the guy! You laughed to yourself, taking in the amount of stupidity you were bringing upon yourself.

“Yes, Miss [Y/L/N]?” your teacher had asked from the front, bringing all eyes to burn you deeply. Unfortunately or fortunately, JJ was present, and you didn’t know if it made the situation better or worse, for however ashamed you were to be seen in that scenario, it sure felt good to be seen.

“Nothing, sir.” You feigned a cough. “Er — carry on.”

Maybe it was your situational disposition, but you could’ve sworn he had stared a little longer than everyone else.

Or maybe, just hopefully, he really was.

——

You weren’t a liar, but one summer night forced you to be one, what with an empty bottle on the surface of the one and only familiar boat.

“Okay, yeah, sure, maybe I did have a thing for John B three years ago but that was so long ago!” False. You’d been lying about who you liked in this friend group for a long while now, and the only one who knew was John B himself.

“Why’re you talking like he’s not here?” JJ snorted, patting John B at the back. “Also, I am not letting this go, I am totally gonna hold this against you.”

You shot John B an apologetic look, desperate to get out of the situation. You had only said you liked John B to, well, eliminate the possibilities of ever making it awkward with JJ.

“Mhm,” Kie nodded, her eyes narrowed. “If there’s nothing there, then kiss John B on the cheek.”

Fuck. “What are we, twelve? I’m not kissing anybody.”

“Fine,” said Kie, trying not to laugh. “Shake hands, then.”

“Fine,” you say.

Brows furrowed, you held out your hand to John B, who was conveniently just sitting across from you.

“So?”

“No, Kiara, still no.” Okay, I handled that pretty well. The worst is over.

“Alright, if you say so.”

“In fact,” you say, already tasting the next stupid thing you were about to say out loud. “I like . . . Pope.”

“Pope? You like Pope?” John B started, as if challenging you to keep on going. You don’t look at JJ; you would look anywhere but JJ’s way. “Too bad he’s not here, huh?”

“Some news,” JJ commented, laughing. The least you could do was, well, laugh along. What the hell were you supposed to do? What else should you have said?

That you like JJ? That you’ve been so head over heels for him the moment you met? That you thought those feelings would go away when you got to know him but it only got worse?

——

Kie had to leave because of her curfew. John B had to make you suffer, leaving you alone with JJ himself to clean up.

“Captain,” you greeted, offering a pretend salute to him.

“Madam,” he responds, bowing. “Ahoy.”

The two of you laugh, the running gag a big thing to the two of you. It’s fun, that’s it. And it’s so easy to be with him. Who’s to say what you have right now wouldn’t be ruined by the truth you hide in your heart?

On school days, you’d have pushed to get home already but it wouldn’t be so bad now, seeing that you’re already there. You sit at the stern, still holding the can of soda you had yet to finish; it had gone warm.

To your surprise, JJ sits next to you.

“Pope, huh?”

Nope, I’m just stupid. Please know I like you. Or don’t. Yep, better that you don’t.

“It’s just a crush,” you tell him, brushing it off. Please talk about something else instead.

“Those can hurt too, you know.” JJ sits down next to you, dipping his feet into the water, playing with the ripples that followed wherever he brought it. You did the same thing.

You snort. “Like you’d know anything about that, Captain Maybank.”

JJ shrugged. “Eh, what do you know, the ladies wanna cruise with me.”

“Aw, you have your way with words, you know that?”

Silence. A good one? You decide it is anyway.

You raise your feet off the water, waiting until your side stilled before tapping at the surface with your toe. A good webbed ripple danced along the water. Ripple by ripple, it’s beautiful. It brings the same kind of satisfaction you get when dominoes fall on each other and the sound of it all going down is consistent.

All was well until the urge to confess came.

“You’d like anybody but me, wouldn’t you?” JJ said, causing you to almost tip over. Thankfully, you caught yourself before the worst could attack.

“What?”

“Kidding,” he said, but the breeziness in it was gone. “Captains make jokes.”

Silence once more. Probably not the best kind.

“I lied,” you find yourself saying. Fuck. No turning back. You can’t take back a ripple or rearrange dominoes once one has already been tipped over. “I’ve been lying and I am so, so, sorry and this is probably a bad idea because I have no escape because we’re in the middle of night waters and I can’t drive the damn boat in case you freeze and–”

“Hey, hey, breathe,” JJ said, laughing. You do, but only because you would die if you don’t. “Okay, go on.”

“And – and – uh, where was I? Right! I guess what I’m just trying to say is this is stupid but I like you and I only said I liked John B and Pope is because I don’t wanna ruin our friendship because I know you see me as a friend, and, well, I mean, don’t you?”

“Oh,” JJ said.

“Fuck, I am so, so, sorry. Just — just forget I ever said anything and pretend I’m hammered and just bring us back to the docks—”

“Can I kiss you?”

You froze, evidently not because of the cold, but probably partly that as well. “What?

“Well, I can’t not ask for permission first, you know,” he said, laughing. He watched you for a while, but you said nothing, for probably a solid forever. “So, uh, can I?”

“Is it a pity kiss?”

“I’ll let you be the judge of that.” And he inched closer, and the closer he went, the more your heart did the stupid thing it always does at the sight of anything remotely close to affection.

But what came next could’ve killed you in the best way possible – his lips were on yours for the first time, and your hands were awkwardly placed on your lap, unsure if it was still mobile. Was it?

——

It was more than just a pity kiss. The following weeks were enough to answer that; you’d never been so happy. So much more time spent on the boat, most of which were spent with just the two of you taking advantage of each other’s company.

Surprisingly, he attended school more. It’s fun, it’s great, it’s everything you could ever ask for and more. He knew you so well, and you him.

A routine of Captains and Madams just made you warm all over, and you hated the warm. It’s hard to explain, really. You’d never had anything like it. It’s something you can’t just write, something words couldn’t account for, and it’s well known that words do a lot of work.

It’s, as general and as direct as you can explain it, brilliant.

“Why do you even like me?” you ask him on a Friday night when he’d excused the two of you from your friends, hanging out in the same place you two had let out the truths out of you.

JJ looked at you with that same smile you had always longed to see. “Why don’t I?”

“That’s such a cowardly answer!” you teased. “I’m kidding, it’s a good answer. I just want you to elaborate.”

Was it weird that as of this moment, you are holding the hand of someone you never thought you’d be more than friends with? Totally. In a good weird, though.

He began to count with his free hand, listing off things he likes about you. “You’re funny, you’re pretty, you’re smart, you’re . . . you. You’re [Y/N]. And I like that I don’t have to pretend to be someone else with you. I like that I like me with you.”

“Hm, is it just me or is JJ Maybank getting all moochy with me?”

“That he is, and rightfully so.”

The two of you played with the ripples more that night, watching the moonlight distort along its surface, and with it your faces.

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[trueshellz]

Ice Cream, Sticky Kisses Event for @keiamor

Warnings: pet names (sweetheart, pretty girl), semi-public sex, swearing, reader getting verbally assaulted, suggestive thoughts, forced multiple orgasms, a bit of roughness.

Beach parties were the best thing ever!

Sun, sea, sand and hot guys were the perfect way for you to wind down after your last term at college. Exams were over and you had celebrated by purchasing a new bikini, a red one shoulder two-piece with a separate red chiffon skirt. It was jewelled around the hem with little gold diamanté detailing and the sides were cut out. You had gone past the store for 3 weeks before you even considered buying it, thought about it for another 2 weeks before you tried it on and another 2 days before you took the plunge.

Now, lying here under a huge parasol with your shades on you were excited to relax and recuperate before you started your new job in a week. The sun was warm on your legs, you could hear the thump of the waves as it hit the rocks near you and the faint screams of children as they played nearby. You had found a small secluded place where you wouldn't be disturbed on your trip. The chime of the ice cream van broke your daydream, deciding that it would be a good way to cool down and get some sugar.

Slipping on some flip flops, you tied up your hair and made your way across the beach through the small crowds of people. Making sure to avoid the groups of rowdy young men, the ones content on causing trouble with their predatory gazes and wandering hands. Edging to the side, away from the main shore towards the van you yelped, whirling around, when a hand landed purposely on your ass. Not an accidental brush, this hand cupped your ass like it was a ripe melon squeezing gently before you shoved him off. He reeked of alcohol and sweat, the gross combination making your nose wrinkle as you tried to side step him.

"Fuck off!"

"Come on sweetheart, you're out here looking that... I just wanted a quick taste."

"Ew. Leave me alone."

Moving away from him, you pulled your skirt around you tighter, vaguely aware of him swearing behind you. The noise getting louder as he followed you, your heart thumping in your chest as you searched for a security or lifeguard to help you. Turning around, you could see him stimping behind you spit flying, hands held in fists as he cursed at you. Your momentum suddenly broken when you rammed headfirst into a wall.

Or what felt like a wall at least.

"Shit... sorry... I- oh wow."

A lopsided grin, eyes twinkling with humour as you met his eyes. His blond floppy hair styled on the side, locks falling into his golden gaze. Hands clasping you by the arms as he steadied you, Pro Hero Hawks in all his winged glory. His skin tanned, a gorgeous shade from his time outside, hard muscles where they were pressed against your boobs, his-

"You fucking bitch! Who do you think you are huh? Think you're better than anyone else? Ugly bitch, you deserve to-"

"Finish that sentence, I dare you."

Gone was the humour and grin, eyes focused on the man behind you as he moved you to the side gently. Walking until he was face to face with your attacker, his wings arched menacingly behind him as he glared. Moving until he was nose to nose with him, you watched in awe as the vile man almost shrank before your eyes. The anger dissipated, almost sober now, eyes filled with fear as they darted side to side, seeking some help or assistance.

"Don't look at them. Why you looking at them? Don't look at her either. You had so much to say earlier. Care to repeat that?"

"No."

"I'm sorry, what? Can't quite hear you."

"No, sir. I'm sorry."

Hawks glared down at the man before walking back and holding your hand, tugging you away from him towards the benches. Sitting you down, you were suddenly aware of the feathers around you carrying a cold drink.

"I-"

"Drink something. You look like you're going to pass out, sweetheart."

Mouth opening and closing a few times, you sipped the drink in your hand. Looking up at him through eyelashes, his bronze legs encased in red shorts and yellow sunglasses perched on the top of his head. His wings had folded back now, demeanor a lot calmer without the danger around. His hands on his hips as he scanned the area, eyes darting around the beach. The sun catching his hair making it almost glow in the light.

"Thank you." You smiled a little when he looked at you. "For saving me back there."

Hawks couldn't help but stare a little, you looked so beautiful sitting there in his favourite colour. The warm hues against your beautiful skin, matching his wings, was gorgeous to look at. He could see the gems on the hem, the strip of skin peeking through at your hips and imagined the tan lines you would get. Recalling the incident, he remembered how scared you had looked when the guy was following you. He had seen the incident happen, not wanting to step in since you looked like you had it under control, but the disrespect he saw was too much.

"Can I treat you to an ice cream as a thank you?"

Sitting back on your blanket under the parasol in your little secluded corner, this time with Hawks sat beside you eating an ice cream, you couldn't help but feel a little nervous. You would glance at him from the corner for your eyes and see him smile at you, cheeks heating before you looked away quickly. His glasses were perched on his head, hand supporting him as he leaned back and licked his cone, you couldn’t help stare at the way his tongue would dart out to scoop up small bits. Watched enthralled as it would poke out and lick the side of his mouth, the strawberry sauce dripping down the sides from the heat making him chase it with his mouth.

Little did you know, the Pro Hero was thinking equally un-hero thoughts about you.

He had no right being this turned on, dick pressed against his shorts as he watched you eat your ice pop. He could see the sweet treat move in and out your mouth, cheeks hollowing as you sucked it. The sugary liquid coating your lips, small dribbles leaking down the side of your mouth that would would scoop up with your finger. Tongue lapping at the side to stop it melting, dragging it up its length before swirling it around the tip. The whole thing was erotic... and so wrong of him to think about. Especially after the pervert following you earlier. He wanted to bash his face in, make him suffer for what he did and said to you.

“... Hawks?”

Crap, you were talking to him?!

“Sorry, sweetie, I didn’t catch that.”

Too busy staring at you blow that ice pop.

“I said, you must be busy.”

“Hmmm, kind of.”

A sudden gust of wind had you shrieking, hands up to cover your face from the sand but it never came. Eyes opening slowly, you found yourself face to face with Hawks as his wings shielded you from the small sandstorm. So close, you could see his long eyelashes and the small spatter of hair on his chest. His hands were around your arms again, feathers tickling you slightly and you realised how well matched you must look. His red wings against your red bikini, the gold gems matching his sunglasses.

“Wanna wash off in the water?”

Hawks couldn’t keep his eyes off you, he knew he should, knew it was wrong but the way you looked right now? Fuck. The water sliding off your body, bikini wet and pressed to your skin. The skirt thing discarded, he could see the lushness of your ass when you turned around. Moving towards you, he couldn’t stop himself from pulling you towards him, having you fall onto him as he caught you in a soft kiss. He could feel your small gasp rather than hear it, the intake of breathe before his mouth descended on yours.

“Tell me to stop if you don’t want this.”

The words were a whisper, drowned out by the water crashing around you and the thunderous rush of your heartbeat in your ears. He could see your body heat, flush from embarrassment as his hands clasped your ass. To answer him, you grasped the back of his neck and pulled him towards you. His kiss harder this time, a loud groan as you responded back in kind, your arms wrapped around his neck as he ran his fingers across your ass. His lips were soft, teasing as he bit your bottom lip and soothed the small hurt it caused, licking the side of your neck and sucking the skin there. His hands grabbing your ass harder now, fingers digging into the soft flesh, kneading it as he started rubbing himself against you. The length of his dick pressed against your stomach, a small flush working it’s way up his body as you reached into his shorts to wrap your hand around it.

"Can I..."

The question left hanging as you held him, running up and down his cock slowly. Smiling when his head dropped forward on your shoulder, a small groan leaving his mouth. Hawks dragged you to the side, an area enclosed by rocks as where the water was shallow and you didn't risk drowning. Fingers wrapped around your wrist as he pulled you until you were pressed against some rocks as his other hand untied the strings holding his shorts up. Your mouth running a little dry when he pulled about his length, long and hard curved up and slapping against his stomach. The tip red and glistening with precum, a long vein along the bottom curling to the top. Hawks reached up to untie your bikini, eyes questioning until you helped him. Your tits bouncing as they were free from their confines, his mouth licking from your sternum to your nipples. Back arching when warm and wet surrounded it, your hand threading through his locks as you held him there.

"Hawks..."

"Call me Keigo, sweetheart. Especially when I'm going to be fucking your tight pussy in a bit."

His words sent a rush of desire through your body, wetness pooling between your legs with each pull of his mouth. His hands trailing to his hips to take your hand and wrap it around his hard length, you mouth opening on a gasp as he began moving it up and down.

"Just like that, sweet girl. Stroke my dick while I get this body ready for me."

You gasped when his fingers drew your bikini bottoms to one side, thick fingers deftly parting your folds to gather your slickness. Dipping into your hole before circling your clit, fingers pushing further each time while his mouth distracted you. Your own hand moving up and down, gathering the pre cum to ease the way. You cupped his balls as he pressed two fingers inside you, the dual feeling making him groan loudly against your tits. Fingers moving in and out, pushing against your gummy walls as he rubbed your clit. Stretching you around them, adding a third and making your gasp, head thrown back as he spoke against your chest.

"Gonna stretch this pussy out, get it all swollen and puffy. Make it leak with my cum when I'm done. Fuck, you're so wet."

Suddenly he pulled out and away, hand stroking his dick as he lifted your leg, exposing your pussy once more before he started pushing in bit by bit. Your hands scrambling for purchase on his shoulders, running to the top of his wings and he held your hips. The feeling of his dick pushing into you had you whining, head buried in his neck as he groaned. The push and pull feeling as he added an inch at a time until your body had accepted the intrusion. His hips snug against yours, hands cupping your ass as he started moving in and out, wings providing a little protection from the elements and any wandering eyes who walked by.

You couldn't hear anything over the rush in your ears, his groans and whines in your ears as he snapped his hips. The slapping of skin on skin drowning out the waves crashing around you. Mouth finding yours and swallowing your sounds as he fucked you, louder and louder reaching a crescendo when your orgasm came abruptly. Your breath came in short pants as your heartbeat raced, not giving you reprieve, Hawks fucked into you harder. Spreading your legs wider so he could push into the deepest parts if your pussy, the movement hitting your gspot.

"Wait... H- Keigo. Slow... slow down. Please."

But that didn't stop him, his growling as he came again reaching a peak we you felt his hips stutter against yours. Your back arching and body shaking just as he pushed into you to the hilt and painted your insides with his cum. Kissing you neck and moving to your mouth, a hard kisses all tongue and teeth and he bit your lips until they were swollen from his kisses. Fingers digging into your ass until he emptied himself inside of you, grinding against your clit until you were sensitive.

The moment completely destroyed by a huge wave of water splashing on both your heads and making you both sputter. His dick slipping out with a wet pop. Your giggles met his as he looked at you, hair sweaty and stuck to his head as he put you down into the water. The cold a shock to your heated skin and wobbly legs.

[demonslayedher]

"Grandpa Kokushibo" AU

This started as a simple little joke in those Muichiro doodles. And then it was just supposed to be a simple little drabble. A simple little Crack Fic. But next thing you know...

------

“You… you are my descendent…”

“…huh…”

Six flaring eyes loomed over Tokito, the two in the middle etched with writing. Upper Moon… One…

“Those eyes…”

Having been so locked on the demon’s eyes, he didn’t realize at first that it was talking about his own. “…huh…?”

“…They’re red… a sign… a Kakushaku-no-Ko… you have… potential…”

“……huh…..”

“Become… a demon…”

“…huh………. Huh!?”

With little recourse to convince the demon to leave like he might attempt with a bear or a boar, Tokito brought the demon home. “Sweetheart? I, uh… a relative of mine is visiting.”

His wife, whose complexion was lovely even without the luxuries of make-up, smiled up sweetly from where she knelt, with their two young sons asleep on the futon before her. “You still have family? What happy news---”

The demon, Kokushibo, bowed lowly so that he could fit inside the door. “Good evening,” he said.

“…G…Good evening,” she gawked, her soft green eyes wide and locked. “A… a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure… is mine.”

“Uh, so, it seems this is my great-grandfather of sorts. A great many ‘greats.’ A few centuries’ worth of ‘greats.’ What a coincidence that we’ve just run into each other.”

“It’s no… coincidence. I have… always been searching… for Sun Breath users…”

Tokito smiled with his face like puddy. “Sun Breath? What’s that?”

“…to kill them…”

Tokito and his wife shared a “ghh!!” as their throats tightened.

“I did not expect… to find the remains of the Tsugikuni Clan… out here… in this… dump…”

“I, uh, I sort of recall that name being way back in the family. But on the wrong side of the war, you know? We haven’t been a warrior clan since the start of Edo times.”

“A pity… but… no matter… you will have… a greater master to serve…”

“Um! Uh! Would you like to meet your grandsons?”

“Honey, what are you—”

Six eyes widened. “Grandsons?”

“I have twin boys! I’m busy raising them, I don’t have any time for swordsmanship, haha! All I know how to do is swing an ax.”

“Heirs… are important… they’ll do no good… as children… You,” he looked to Tokito’s wife, whose eyes were swirling trying to follow his gaze. “You do it. You raise them. I’ll… train my descendent…”

“Train…?”

“You may have… the ability… to attain the Breath… of the Sun…”

“D---di---di—didn’t you say you were going to kill S-S-Sun Breath users?”

“Why would I… kill my descendent…?”

Tokito was doing his best, but he was hitting his limits for how many more surprises he could take that evening. “Listen, I… I only want what’s best for my family. I want to watch my sons grow up, and teach them how to live a simple life out here in nature. Ancestor or not, we want nothing to do with demons.”

“My dear,” his wife said, some surprised admiration in her tone.

“I have to ask you to leave.”

“I cannot.”

“You will take ‘no’ for an answer!”

“I cannot,” Kokushibo stressed. “The sun is rising. Sunlight… will kill me…”

“…ah… oh. That’s a problem.”

“I’ll remain… here…”

“I’m sorry, I can’t have you do that. You’re a demon, and—”

“Defy me… and I will kill your family.”

“---GHH!” the Tokito couple swallowed harder.

----- The boys woke up to find a demon quietly sitting cross-legged in the corner. Yuichiro cried, Muichiro stared. Tokito didn’t want to scare them, however rightfully they should be, so he smiled and introduced the demon as their grandfather. Kokushibo politely bowed his head. The boys were quickly accepting. In his heart, Tokito cried and begged the forgiveness of his religious parents for not teaching them a proper distaste for evil.

In a battle of will, Tokito would be easily outmatched. But for however many years Kokushibo had on him, he didn’t seem like a quick thinker. Tokito might be able to beat him in a battle of wits. He had an ability that was sure to ward Kokushibo off, if only he could wield it with the right timing.

“If you leave me no choice, Grandfather, then I guess I must learn this Sun Breathing swordsmanship you keep talking about! Maybe you’re right, maybe I do have potential! I’d like to think all my practice cutting down trees makes me adept with a blade,” he smiled, his hands proudly at his hips. “Will you take a look this evening?”

“Yes… I eagerly await… seeing your potential… my descendent…”

Tokito grinned. He couldn’t wait either. In the meantime, Yuichiro and Muichiro spent the daylight hours at either side of the unusual houseguest.

“Grandpa, you have flames on your face. Do those hurt?”

“They do not…”

“You have as many eyes as a bug. Why do you have so many eyes?”

“Because… I am… a demon…”

“It looks gross. With all those eyes, can’t you see it looks gross?”

“I can see… a great many things…”

“Why are there eyes on your sword? Can your sword see?”

“My sword is made with… my blood… its eyes… are my eyes…”

“Is your sword a bug?”

“What’s its name?”

“Kyokokukamusari.”

“Kyokko…”

“Kyokyaku…”

“Kyokyakoku…”

“Kyokukuka…”

“Your tongues… are young.”

When evening fell, Tokito put his plan into action. It took no special effort on his part, all he had to do was trust himself.

“Yahh! Yaahh!” he yelled as he swung his ax. “Yaah! Yar! Yagh! Yuh!! Ya—AHHH!” he spun around and fell down, nearly lopping off his own arm. Perfect!

All of Kokushibo’s eyes, even the ones down his sword were blazing on him, and he waited for Kokushibo’s reaction. There was no fooling those eyes, which made Tokito’s plan all the better.

That demon would know!

“You are very…”

“Yes?”

“Clumsy.”

Precisely! This would chase that pesky demon off, wouldn’t it?

“I can see… it will take… many years… to train you…”

…no.

-----

The centuries had made Kokushibo resilient to setback, and time flowed at a different pace for him. “Become a demon now… and you will have… all the time you need… to attain… Sun Breathing…”

“Now, now wait!” Tokito waved his arms. He had taken the full next day to get his wits rounded back up, while Kokushibo resided indoors again patiently allowing the curious bos to poke the eyes of his sword, proving to them he was too powerful to be harmed by their tiny fingers. Yuichiro contemplated poking Kokushibo in one of the eyes on his face, but he hesitated when all six were focused on him, and he cried and buried his face behind his hands. “Wait. Wait. You can wait, can’t you?”

“Wait… for what?”

“If it’s inevitable that I have to become a demon, can’t you wait for me to be a human longer?”

“What good is there… in being human?”

“I want to watch my boys grow up!”

“I am a demon… I see them… perfectly fine.”

“Well, I mean, but, no, I mean, like, out there, having a normal family life with them. Working in the mountains, coming home, making food.”

“A human body… is weak… and will starve… without food… A waste… of time… to constantly…. work… for… Your body… will grow old… and frail… Become a demon… and these concerns… will vanish…”

“You—you make a compelling argument, Grandfather. But being human is good too!”

“How… is being human… better… than being… a demon?”

“I, well… is… isn’t it weird to learn Sun Breathing if I can’t see the sun?”

The demon’s eyes, every last one of them, went wide. Tokito had him! “You’re… right…” he said, stunned.

“Haha, oh, Grandfather! It’s been so long since you’ve seen it that you must had forgotten about it! All the creatures of this world are meant to be touched by the sun’s rays, it’s the natural way of things. It’s a blessing.”

“Sun Breathing… may require… practice… under the sun…”

“Haha, it may take a while, but I guess I’ll have to do my best on my own.”

“I will… train you… at night… and by day… you will train… under the sun…”

-----

The arrangement seemed to be working a while. Whether Tokito trained during the day or not (he did not), his progress was slow. His wife had come to get accustomed to the situation, knowing she had to make the best of it until the demon hopefully got bored and left. Having the boys so entertained during the day helped her get a lot of extra work done around the house.

“Grandfather,” she addressed him. “We got a great catch for dinner tonight, look at the size of this fish! What part of the fish is your favorite? I’ll serve that part for you.”

“Demons… do not eat… fish…”

“Oh, how rude of us. What would better suit your tastes?”

“Demons… do not consume… human food… we would… vomit it…”

“Ahhh… oh. Well, we can’t have that.”

“Grandpa. Grandpa,” Muichiro tugged at his hakama. “Then what do demons eat?”

“Humans.”

Muichiro stared, and after what felt like a long time in human experience, his face flushed and his eyes welled with tears. Yuichiro pinched his cheek. “Don’t cry, stupid. He’s only teasing you.”

“…oh,” Muichiro, red-faced and cheek still stretched smiled with relief.

Their mother, meanwhile, was blanched white, the fish still flopping around in her stiff hands.

--

“You’re not… making much… progress… could it be… you’re not… practicing… in daylight…?”

“Ah, ahhhh, yes, I’m afraid not,” Tokito sweated profusely. “That… that’s just part of being human. There’s so much work to do all day and then I have to sleep through so much of the night. I may never learn swordsmanship at this rate, hahaha!”

“Then hurry… and become a dem—”

“S-Sure must had been nice to be in a samurai clan back in your day, huh? Servants to do all the tedious chores and stuff so you could focus and train! May, maybe it’d be nice to hear some stories about when you were growing up! The boys would love to know their family history too, I’m sure!”

“…what chores…?”

“Oh, haha, oh, Grandfather! Did you not even know what chores were? What a charmed life—”

“What chores?” he stressed.

“Uhh---well---chopping trees, mostly.”

“Your ax… hand it to me…”

“Uhh… yes, sir.”

“I will chop your trees… so you… may advance… in your training…”

“Ye… yes, sir.”

-----

They had an excess of very high-quality wood on a regular basis. It sold so well on Tokito’s occasional trips into town that he found himself with more money than he ever had in his life. “Use it… to buy food…” Kokushibo instructed him. “Nourish your family… with it… buy warmer clothes… save your labor…”

Tokito had been raised being told that demons were evil, but he began to question that. They were all part of a world beyond humans, populated by Buddhas and Tengu and foxes, who was to say that their nature was entirely evil?

All at once, one night after months of the demon’s constant presence, he disappeared. Tokito and his wife cried with relief, and Tokito vowed to use the gifts the supernatural ancestor bestowed on them to raise his family well, and to never forget humility in the face of things outside their human experience.

But then he came back the following night.

“G-Grandfather,” he trembled. “Y-y-you’re back.”

“I went out… to feed. Now… continue… your practice…”

Inside, his wife cried on behalf of them both, for Tokito was too scared to anything but obey.

-----

Two years went by. With no choice, Tokito could not help that his swordsmanship improved. “Hhm,” Kokushibo nodded with approval. “Soon… I shall… find you a sword… no longer… a wooden one…”

“Aw, you don’t need to trouble yourself, Grandfather!”

“It is… no trouble… to steal one…”

“Well, what I mean is, I’m still so clumsy! Hahaha! Sure would be a waste of effort to kill myself by accident, wouldn’t it?”

“Hmm… you are right…”

“Hahaha!”

“I will… make you a demon first…”

“No! No, wait! I’ll keep practicing, I’ll keep practicing! Let’s hold off on a real sword until I’m ready!”

“You are… delaying… the inevitable…”

“And you are exceedingly patient, Grandfather!”

“That person… is not… so patient… he watches… and tells me… to hurry… and be done… with you…”

“Ghh!” he gulped as he went pale. He should never had forgotten his humility facing that which was outside human experience.

“Gra-a-a-a-nd-paaaa!” came a voice at the door of the hut. “Come fold origami with us!”

“I would… rather play Go…” the demon answered as he turned around and answered the summons.

“Go is boring!”

“You will… appreciate it when you are older…”

His wits. Tokito had to keep thinking with his wits.

-----

Another year went by. Kokushibo remained outwardly patient, but once again made mention of ‘that person.’

“He has… more tasks for me… than to be here… tonight… I will grant you his blood…”

“Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!” Tokito raised his voice at him. This was it. He had to enact his next plan. “What are all these ‘tasks’ anyway? You still take plenty of time away to be a hitman, what else could he possibly have you do?”

Kokushibo answered very simply. “Look for… the blue… spider lily.”

“Ha! Spider lilies aren’t blue, everyone knows that,” sneered Yuichiro.

“The spider lilies are all dead,” said Muichiro. “It’s winter.”

If Kokushibo had twelve eyebrows, he would had raised them in their direction. “I… see… winter… of course… they must… be seasonal…”

“Are you senile, Grandpa? Of course they’re seasonal. They only grow in autumn.”

“You see big patches of them all of a sudden!”

“Autumn… of course… how could I… had forgotten…”

“That’s to be expected, don’t be so hard on yourself, Grandfather,” Tokito’s wife sweetly smiled to him. “They’re a daytime flower, it must be so long since you’ve seen them.”

“Daytime… yes… of course… they’re under… the sun… no wonder… it’s been… impossible… for demons… for a thousand… years… that person’s… blood… is swelling… within me… with… frustration…”

With the rising tenseness in Kokushibo’s voice, Tokito’s muscle sprung with their own tension. “N-no wonder! How sad! How sad that demons can’t go under the sun! I hope I never—”

“That person… will give you… more time. For you… must search… in the daytime…”

“Ghh…” he swallowed. “Y… yes, sir.”

“That’s stupid,” said Yuichiro. “You’re not going to find any in winter.”

“Yes… it’s stupid. You will… search next autumn… and train… until then… and…”

“……….and……….?”

“Play… Go… with me. These rascals… have no… appreciation for… Go…”

“It’s boring, Grandpa!”

“I’m trying, I can’t remember all the rules!”

“Let’s play Shogi instead!”

“Fine… lay the board… let’s play Shogi…”

-----

Two more years passed. Tokito had reprieve from his training during the autumns to search for the blue spider lilies, and one untimely fall in those searches gave him a much longer reprieve from training. His leg was badly broken, and he spent most of the winter bedridden.

“Haha… I’m still so clumsy…” he laughed, covering up that he also wanted to cry.

“And now we have to do all your work,” grumbled Yuichiro.

“Are you still in pain, Dear?”

“A… a lot, yes…”

“Become… a demon…”

“N-no! I’m still so clumsy, I haven’t mastered any of the Sun Breath yet!”

“I don’t want Daddy to get hurt anymore,” Muichiro said with tear-stained eyes. “Next autumn, I’ll go look for the flowers instead.”

“Ghh!” Tokito and his wife looked to him, helpless to tell their son to stop.

“Very good… a good child…” Kokushibo patted his head. “You will… be useful… to that person… too…”

It had to stop. Tokito needed to hurry and eliminate this demon, for the sake of his family.

-----

The following autumn, his leg still bothered him. On most days it was fine, but when it rained or when he climbed too stiff of an incline, the pain kept coming back. He could not use it as any excuse to skip his training, though, for Kokushibo would use that as an excuse to rip him from his humanity.

He kept up the training, as well as ventured out through the mountains to search, and ventured down the mountain periodically to sell the wood that Kokushibo cut. On one of those trips into town, he overheard the gossip.

“I heard it was demons.”

He froze to the spot and listened. He knew it wasn’t Kokushibo, for he was careful not to cause any incidents that would inconvenience the Tokito family—a strange thing that Tokito was sorry for being grateful for. But, perhaps if an incident had occurred closer to them, he’d have heard the following gossip sooner.

“The Demon Slayers are sure to catch it.”

“Demon Slayers?”

“Swordsmen with the sun in their blades, they fight with Breaths to take those monsters down.”

Breaths! Like Sun Breathing!

“Um!” he butted in. “How can I find these Demon Slayers?”

“How? We don’t know. Do you have a demon on your hands, Tokito?”

“…Ghh!... N… No…” he bit his lip and rolled his eyes back to avoid looking at them as he lied.

Maybe there was someone out there who could help him. But how would he find them without raising Kokushibo’s suspicion? The stress made it hard for him to sleep and gave him headaches. His could not risk any talk of this at home, but his sweet wife could see how it pained him, and she whispered with a light cough to let her and the boys take care of searching for the blue spider lilies.

-----

His wife fell ill. A common thing, for humans.

“I’m sorry, Grandfather. For now while I’m still human, I still have human responsibilities to my family. I need to find medicine for her. I’ll be back after I go fetch a herb that will help.”

“You know not where… to find… the blue spider lily… but know… the location… of… a little… herb…?”

“Yes. I’ll be right back.”

“It’s… raining…”

“I know exactly where it is.”

“Where… is it…”

“It grows on the side of a cliff near here.”

“You… know… of plants… on a cliff… but not… the blue… spider lilies…? You… wreak… of… a liar…”

Tokito ran cold.

“And… to think… someone… as… clumsy… as you… would… try… in this… weather…? You…”

This was not the time for everything to crash and fail. His wife’s lungs were in a bad state, if Kokushibo were to do something to him now—

“…are… more… idiotic than I thought… stay here… my… stupid descendent. No wonder… you take… so long to progress…”

The demon very soon returned, unbothered by how his clothes and hair left dripping wet pools throughout their home. He did not know which herb it was so he had cleaned the cliffs of them, allowing Tokito to sort through and pick out the ones that would help. Tokito made them into a medicine to treat his wife, and while it eased her coughing over the following day, she was still in a worrisome state. Kokushibo rolled all six eyes before leaving again that night, returning very close to dawn with his hands full of medicines. “Something… in these… ought to do it…”

It took a little careful trial and error, but a few of them turned out to be very effective, and she soon made a complete recovery.

And now, Tokito had a debt to pay.

-----

He made progress in Sun Breathing. Something was breaking through, making sense in his muscles. Kokushibo watched all the more silently with each night. They both had the sense that there was a change coming soon. Tokito was on the last of his wits.

The time Kokushibo spent around his sons, influencing them… it likewise had to end.

“Grandfather,” he asked, his forehead against his thumbs. “Where do we go once I can no longer be in the sun?”

“You can reside here… as long as that person… allows you to… you want… to watch over your sons… do you not…?”

“I don’t know that much about demons. But if I become one, they’ll be in danger, won’t they?”

“…I will make certain… no harm… will come to your family…”

Tokito closed his eyes with a sigh. “Thank you.”

“Of the two of them… Muichiro… may also… be of use… to that person…”

“Ghh!” his whole chest tightened as much as his throat.

He had let this go on too long. How could he find them? How could he find the Demon Slayers? How could he do without ‘that person’ knowing?

----- The sun! Whatever action he took, it had to be under the protection of the sun!

“Tokito, good to see you!”

“It’s been months!”

“You had us worried.”

And humans! There was a strength in humans he couldn’t forget, and must always find himself humbled by. Anything he could ever accomplish on his own was so small, but with the help of more people! “Thank you for keeping us in mind! My wife fell ill a while, but she’s recovered now.”

“Psst. Are you still, you know?”

“You know?” another one asked, biting her lip and rolling her eyes back a second. “You know?”

“Ah… ah!! Yes!”

“Not to worry, lad,” an old man patted his shoulder. “Your family’s fallen on hard times, and that’s a shame. We’ve spread word of your family, and it’ll reach the right ears soon.” With a grin, the old lady next to him pointed to a crow flying overhead.

“Ahhh!” his eyes watered, and he bowed so low his face nearly hit his knees. “Thank you so much!”

“Hold your head up, young man. Do your roots proud!”

Yes. Even if his roots were Kokushibo, he could not allow himself to lose his humanity. There was still hope!

-----

Tokito had to protect his family. This Breath had a power, a power strong enough to make ‘that person’ want to rid the world of anyone who could use it. Maybe it was ungrateful to hone it as a gift to his eventual rescuers, a weapon that they might use.

A weapon they might use against Kokushibo, the ancestor who had spent years teaching it to him.

After a long day of training in the rays of the sun and well into the night, Tokito returned to his home, already dark inside. Muichiro and Yuichiro were wrapped up in their futon and using Kokushibo’s knees for pillows. All six of his eyes opened slowly, focused solely on Tokito. “You’ve… grown much stronger… it’s time soon… for a sword…”

-----

A knock came at the door. “That’s odd,” his wife blinked her big green eyes to it. They were not used to visitors.

“I’ll get it!!” Tokito shouted with a smile and bounded over to it. Their cry for help had been answered! It had to be buff, strong swordsmen, ready to rescue them and eliminate the demon—

He pulled wide the door, and against the light, there was the silhouette of two small children, and a demure lady in a traveling kimono.

No, this was wrong. Something was wrong. There was something special about these people, but they were not the Demon Slayers he waited for. As his breath tightened, the woman searched his face with growing concern. One of the children at her side looked inside the house, starting first on the woman with the big green eyes, and then the two identical children with long hair, staring back at the door while their Go board was illuminated by the outside light, and then to the dark corner of the house, where a demon sat and stared back.

“Ubu… ya… shi… ki?”

-----

(((And then, the author who only wanted to write a short crack fic, put the fic away, scared by the evil she had unleashed.)))

[leon-scott-kennedy]

Frostbitten

Chreon, Rated-T

Read on Ao3

Leon had barely kicked off his unbroken-in boots and flopped face-first on his bed when his phone rang. He groaned. Getting called back to the training field might kill him. Every inch of his body ached and throbbed after taking a literal beating for the last ten hours; he couldn’t be bothered to change out of his sweaty clothes, let alone shower. USSTRATCOM training was tough and the instructors tougher, but this was precisely what he had signed up for, a chance to help people, to make sure that Raccoon City never happened again.

The handset slid out of the cradle when Leon smacked it in his blind search. It hit the floor with a clunk, half suspended by the cord.

“Shit.”Leon grabbed the phone and rolled onto his back. “This better be important.”

“Rough day?”

Leon sat up, a lump forming in the back of his throat. “Chris?”

Weeks ago, Leon tracked down Chris long enough to send an email warning him that Claire had gotten herself into some deep shit and needed a hand, and then handily tacked on his new number in a hastily added PS. But, unfortunately, Leon himself was a bit busy with his so-called new job, which so far consisted of him having his ass handed to him on a regular basis, and he hadn’t been in contact with Chris or Claire since Raccoon City two months ago.

Honestly, Leon had hoped the Redfield siblings had found each other and were off chasing Umbrella and saving the world together, but apparently not. Coupled with Leon and Sherry having seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet for weeks, Chris had been a little desperate when Leon finally managed to send an encrypted email.

“How’s it going, rookie?”

Leon snorted and flopped back on the mattress, tucking his free arm behind his head, his fatigue melting away. “Oh, you know.”

“That good, huh. I know you can’t tell me what’s going on, but are you okay?”

Always with the tough questions. Leon sighed, but his stomach gave a funny little flip. “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

“I definitely owe you one.”

“I think we’re about even.” Leon wasted nights alone in bed thinking about the night he spent buried against Chris Redfield’s chest, arms wrapped protectively around him as he fell apart when Raccoon City was still a smouldering ruin on the horizon. Leon yearned for that level of comfort and warmth. “Did you find her?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I found her. But, we lost someone.”

Leon’s chest ached. How many people was that now? How many people had they lost in this war that they hadn’t even been aware they were fighting. Umbrella destroyed so many lives; hurt so many people. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

Condolences - apology, solace, commiseration - hung thick in the air between them, so many words left unsaid. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. I’m sorry I left, that I abandoned you when you needed me; I wish you were here.

“How’s Sherry?”

“She’s good,” Leon lied. His stomach clenched painfully at the thought of the little girl he and Claire had managed to save from the city. The one thing Leon had done right.

Except, the first thing the government had done was take Sherry from Leon, separated them, interrogated him for days until they finally held her life above his head like a guillotine. His visitation remained few and far between, but she was alive and well taken care of, and that’s what mattered. Even if she’d traded one lab for another.

“Good. That’s good. Listen, Claire and I are back home getting things in order, but we both want to see you. Without you, I wouldn’t have found her.”

“Chris, seriously. It was nothing. I just passed on the information I had.” Leon twirled his finger absentmindedly in the phone cord. “I couldn’t get to her, but knew you could. I’m glad you found her.”

“You’re in DC, right?”

“What? Yeah. Listen, Chris-” Leon tried.

“We’re going to drive down for the weekend before we fly back to England next week. We’re putting together a team, but Claire really wants to see you. I want to see you. I need to thank you.”

Leon scrubbed his hand across his mouth and stared helplessly up at the stucco ceiling. Chris wasn’t going to take no for an answer, not that Leon wanted him to. On the contrary, he wanted to see them as badly as they wanted to see him.

“The weekend should be fine,” Leon said. “I usually have them off unless they decide to airdrop me into the center of a national park with nothing but a combat knife and a flask. I mean, no guarantees, but, you know.”

“Jesus Christ, Leon. What have you gotten yourself into?”

Leon grimaced. “Unfortunately, that’s classified.”

“I sure as hell hope you know what you’re doing.” That made two of them, but Sherry’s life hung in the balance.

Chris and Leon hashed out tentative plans for the weekend. Claire and Chris would drive the nine hours down from Franklin County on Friday, which Leon found insane. Nine hours trapped in a vehicle with their sibling for a dude they barely knew, only to be met with disappointment because Leon wouldn’t be whatever they expected. All the same, he’d let them crash at his place for the weekend, and then they’d fly out of the Dulles International Sunday evening.

Warmth blossomed in Leon’s chest; hope. Things weren’t ideal. Yes, he’d been coerced into the service of his country, but he wanted to do what he couldn’t in Raccoon City; save people, make Umbrella pay for their crimes. Maybe he could have done that alongside friends, allies, or Chris. Instead, the acute loneliness tingled in the back of his mind, a constant reminder that he had been abandoned. Not on purpose, no, but his naivety showed weakness.

The call ended with a promise, like their last separation, a reluctance to part, but a promise of companionship, of warmth, of friendship that was almost destined to end in grief. Leon couldn’t help the anticipation that bloomed.

Leon noisily clattered the headset back into the cradle and took stock of his tiny bedroom cluttered with dirty clothes, plates, a half-empty glass of water, and first aid supplies. “Fuck.”

Cleaning the apartment wouldn’t be so bad considering his severe lack of possessions, and he had three days before visitors arrived. Not that either of the Redfield’s would care about the clutter and shortage of furniture. If anything, they would understand. So much had been lost the day Racoon City disappeared in a mushroom cloud. Still, he tidied every moment he had between beatings, lectures, and exams.

Friday morning, the apartment was shockingly spotless except for the freshly used coffee mug in the sink. Loading it into the half-empty dishwasher wouldn’t have been all that difficult if Leon wasn’t already running behind schedule. The commute to the training center took twenty minutes on a good day if he obeyed all traffic laws.

Today likely wouldn’t be one of those days since he was due for roll-call in seven minutes, which seemed pointlessly ridiculous as he was the only agent in training. But the government liked to make him jump through hoops, literally.

Each course they had him run became increasingly complex and ludicrous to the point that Leon failed more than ninety percent of the time. With each fall, one instructor that he didn’t know the name of, only called Sir, yelled “dead” as if it wasn’t already abundantly clear that one mistake would be a death sentence in the field. Something he probably knew that better than the assholes pulling the strings. None of the big wigs had lived the hell he lived, seen what he had seen, and relived what he relived every night alone twisted in the sheets of his bed.

By the time Leon trudged through the front door of his tiny apartment, two hours later than planned, his entire side was mottled blue and purple from the fresh thrashing at the hands of his close combat instructor. His hand to hand had improved the most over the last month with the help of his natural flexibility and agility that earned him a few jokes about how he should have joined the circus. But they were impressed.

Nothing about his training was normal, even he knew that. Nothing like the Anti-Umbrella Pursuit and Investigation Team had been formed before, people had never been reanimated from the dead by a virus before, and they were trying to prepare him for the worst. A nightmare they had never experienced themselves, but he had.

The phone rang. Leon groaned, staggering as he pivoted where he had been about to face-plant on the couch, and headed for the phone in the bedroom.

“Hello?” Leon said, almost certain it was Agent Benford with a new brutal assignment. He sagged onto the bed in relief, curling onto his side when the increasingly familiar greeting of ‘hey, rookie” rumbled in his ear. “Chris.”

“Thank god. Where have you been? This is the fourth time we tried calling.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Leon groaned as his side twinged. “Got, uh, caught up at the... office.”

“You sound like you’re in rough shape.”

Leon hummed. “Been worse.” A sad truth.

“We were calling to say we’re an hour out, but now that’s more like ten minutes,” Chris said, and Claire shouted something unintelligible in the background. “Oh, right. Remind me to give you this number. Claire made me get one of those Nokias so she can keep track of me.”

Claire screeched indignantly, and Leon snickered. “I’ve got a pager,” he offered as consolation. All that much easier to be at the government’s beck and call, but if Chris ever needed him, or Claire, or Sherry.

Leon rattled off a few quick directions to get the Redfield’s to his place, then hung up the phone and rolled out of bed to shower. The hot water stung the fresh bruising, his muscles ached, but he felt human the more he scrubbed away the sweat and grime.

The buzzer for the front door rang as Leon eased a fresh t-shirt on over his head; his shoulder twinged, but he limped over to buzz them up.

A few minutes later, since the building’s elevator took years because of the ‘historic’ value as the real estate agent had put it, someone knocked at the door in a frantic staccato. Leon swung the door open, hair still damp, and was immediately tackled in a hug.

Fight or flight kicked in, Leon’s brain came back online in fits and started in time to hug the small woman hugging him tightly rather than throw her over his shoulder. Claire’s mouth ran a mile a minute. Apparently, he had been missed, and Claire didn’t appear to want to release him anytime soon if the creaking of his ribs were anything to go by.

Leon stared helplessly over her head at Chris, who laughed, but pried his sister off Leon so he could drag him in a hug too. Chris enveloped Leon in a bear hug. That level of high alert that itched in the back of his mind for months ebbed, not disappeared, but faded enough that Leon enjoyed the moment, squeezing Chris back just as tight.

“Come in,” Leon said as he stepped back and waved them into his tiny apartment. “It’s not much, but, you know.”

Claire and Chris shucked their shoes and jackets and wandered into the apartment. Claire scrutinized every little detail or lack thereof. Decoration wasn’t exactly at the top of Leon’s priorities. Nevertheless, he had what he needed: a couch, a TV, a coffee table that doubled as his kitchen table, and a mattress in the bedroom. No bedframe, but he wasn’t picky. Clean sheets and a blanket, and he was good to go.

“It’s, ahh...” Chris trailed off as he glanced around the sparse room.

“What are you, a squatter?” Claire cut in. She stood in front of the mostly empty closet she’d opened.

“Okay, I was going to say it’s a bit Spartan,” Chris said. He slapped a comforting hand on Leon’s shoulder. “Can’t be easy to start all over from nothing, again.”

Leon rubbed the back of his neck, shoulders slumped. “I did warn you guys. Not much to do.”

Chris hummed, his hand dropping from Leon’s shoulder as he wandered off to the kitchen. “You got beer?” The fridge was stocked with two six-packs of cheap beer, a bottle of ketchup, a carton of 2%, and eggs.

“I’ll order food,” Claire said, glancing around, but the phone wasn’t in sight. Leon directed her to the bedroom, where his mattress sat on the floor against the wall. “Jesus Christ, Leon, is that a milk crate?” Clearly, she’d found the bedside table with the phone and takeout menus.

Groaning, Leon sank down onto his couch and buried his face in his hands. The cushions sank beside him as a much larger body sat down. Leon peeked out from between his fingers at Chris, who smiled sadly at him.

“If you need anything-” Chris started.

“I’m fine.” Leon ran his fingers through his damp hair and slouched so his elbows rested on his knees. “Not a lot of time to do much these days, you know, between the daily ass kickings and memorizing a million and one protocols.”

Chris mirrored Leon’s posture. “You could always come with us.”

Leon shook his head.

“Leon-”

“I can’t,” Leon snapped in time for Claire to walk out of the bedroom.

For a second, Claire paused, eyes bouncing between the heavy tension that hung between them. “I ordered Chinese. Did I miss something?”

“No,” Chris and Leon said at the same time.

The food didn’t take long to arrive. The delivery guy, already familiar with Leon’s apartment, joked that he had company for once. The restaurant had even thrown in some free spring rolls for one of their best customers. Sad, considering he’d only been in DC for a little over a month.

The three of them settled on the couch together; Leon squashed in the middle of the sofa, pressed against Chris because Claire had claimed one end with her feet up and tucked her toes under Leon’s thigh. They’d settled for a cheesy action movie they found flipping through channels, something with a bus that couldn’t stop, but ignored it in favour of light conversion, mostly Claire. Neither Chris nor Leon were much in the way of conversationalists. Still, Chris offered a tidbit here and there, and Leon hummed along, nodding when need be, and occasionally offered the occasional dry joke that had Chris and Claire in stitches. Chris nearly snorted beer out his nose when he made an off-the-cuff remark about the first day always being the easiest.

Pleasantly buzzed from a few beers and noodles heavy in his belly, Leon began to nod off, his head helplessly bobbing with the weight of fatigue.

Distantly, Leon heard a chuckle. His head plopped down on the closest shoulder, broad and warm, and the last thing he remembered was Claire wiggling her toes under his thigh and giggling.

When Leon woke up to his bladder screaming, the apartment was dark. For a brief second, he panicked when he discovered his mobility restricted, but his foggy mind pieced together the clues to form a complete picture. He was still on the couch, curled into Chris’ side, nose pressed into Chris’ neck. The arm slung around Leon’s shoulder held in him what couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than a secure embrace. They were barely covered by what Leon quickly realized was the thin comforter from his bed because Claire, curled up on the other end of the couch, had stolen most of the blanket, leaving Chris and Leon with a tiny corner.

Leon eased himself out of Chris’ protective hold and slipped off the couch, tucking Chris back under the blanket so he could escape to the safety of the bathroom in what was becoming a pattern. Wake up cuddled with a man he barely knew, panic, then flee.

The moonlight through the clouded window lit the bathroom enough for Leon to piss and wash his hands without hitting the light. He stood, hands braced on the edge of the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The bags under his eyes were lighter, and his hair was a wild tangle after falling asleep with it still damp. Even if he looked less tired, he was exhausted. He shivered. DC winters were colder than he was used to.

Shuffling back into the living room, Leon found Claire stretched further out on the couch, having used Leon’s absence to steal the very little room Leon had occupied beside Chris. “That seems about right,” he said, then jumped when Chris’ head popped up from where it had been stretched out against the back of the couch. “Oh! Sorry, I can just...” Leon waved vaguely back down the hall towards his bedroom.

Chris lifted his corner of the blanket in invitation.

“I don’t want to be a bother,” Leon argued, rubbing his arm. “I can just sleep in my bed.”

“Isn’t this your blanket?” Chris asked.

Leon shivered in the cool December chill. “It’s not that cold.”

“Leon.”

Leon slunk back to the couch under Chris’ watchful gaze and tried to find space, but Claire’s sprawl left no room for Leon to squeeze back into. He hovered for a moment, uncertain of how to proceed, but the choice was taken from him when Chris grabbed him around the middle and hauled him down over his lap. Leon squawked, slapping a hand over his mouth. His butt nestled between the arm of the couch and Chris’ thigh, his legs thrown over Chris’ lap.

For almost a full minute, Leon stared at Chris open-mouthed, unable to do anything but blink like a startled owl while his attacker shook with silent laughter.

“Cat got your tongue, rookie?” Chris snickered.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Leon snapped his jaw closed, pursed his lips and purposefully flung an arm around Chris’ shoulders before wiggling until he was burrowed tightly into the warmth of Chris’ side like a kitten. Still, it took a few minutes for Leon to relax enough to sink into the heat of the body beneath him, Chris grinning a challenge to him. Leon rolled his eyes and stuck the cold tip of his nose into Chris’ neck.

“Christ, Kennedy,” Chris said as a stilted shudder ran through him, but wrapped Leon in an inflexible hug like the first night they met, the night Leon’s anxiety and doubt demanded the comfort of another person, the night he still dreamt about. “What are you? Part snowman?”

“Popsicle, but thanks for asking,” Leon mumbled.

Tucked under a small corner of the worn comforter he found in a thrift shop his first night in the city, Leon tilted headfirst into the satisfaction and comfort of Chris Redfield. Most men would have balked at even the idea of cuddling with another man, but Leon had never been like other men. He’d learned early in life to take comfort where he could because kindness was often isolated incidents of empathy.

The smell of coffee tickled Leon’s nose. He was hot, a little too hot, and a little sweaty, but he was comfortable, safe. He pressed into the warmth, groaning quiet contentment when the heat squeezed back until a sharp snort and a giggle shocked him into alertness like a splash of ice water.

Leon’s eyes snapped open. Claire grinned at him from the far end of the couch, legs pulled up to sit cross-legged, hand curled around a steaming mug of coffee. “Morning.”

Ao3

[fandomsonrequests]

your coffee, sir

fandom: ATEEZ

characters: kim hongjoong

reader: gn!

word count: 700+

warnings: suggestive, some cussing, viagra pranks

a/n: i have no idea what viagra pranks are supposed to be like so please bear with me :’)) the fic is unedited, please enjoy!

requested by anon

“It was so hilarious,“ Your friend wheezes and she sets down her drink, retelling the time she played a viagra prank on her significant other. “They thought they were slick pretending that they weren’t horny—“

“But of course they were.” You interjected as you took a sip of your own. You received an amused nod in return and hummed in satisfaction. “I mean at least you got to fuck afterwards.”

She shrugs in agreement while a smug expression covers her face. The both of you lapse into silence at the cafe, enjoying your respective drinks when she pipes up again. You quirk a brow at her curiously, seeing the way her eyes read mischief all over.

Oh dear… this wasn’t good.

You brace yourself for whatever she was to say, already preparing yourself for the worst to come. “What are you thinking?”

“Truth or dare?” She hums, running her finger along the rim of her mug.

You figured that whatever the outcome, you would “lose.” It was obviously a prank set up as a trap for you. You sigh, holding yourself back from rolling your eyes at your friend’s antics. You really did love her but she was such a gremlin at times.

“Dare.” You answer.

“Try the prank on Hongjoong.”

“I knew it,” You sigh in defeat, slumping back against the leather seat of the cafe while your friend giggles under her breath. You let out a tiny groan and ran your hand down your face, thinking about how to do this. “What do I get out of this?”

“I owe you a favor and,” She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet, handing you an expensive bill. “This. Take it or leave it.”

You eyed the money in her palm and took it out of her hold, receiving a victorious grin. “Alright, I’ll update you next week.”

And that’s how you ended up having to set a hidden camera in the bedroom while another was placed in the kitchen. You made sure to capture yourself mixing the crushed tablet of Viagras into his coffee. You made sure to hide a small camera in one of the corners; he’d notice a usual one right away since he was in there so often.

As you stirred the coffee, throwing the spoon into the sink soon after, you couldn’t help but feel some sort of excitement bubble in you. You always thought that this kind of prank was a bit out of your taste but doing it now stirred some sort of feeling inside of you, It was probably a win-win for you anyway: you get Hongjoong out of his studio and you get to spend some “quality time” with your loving boyfriend. It was perfect. Anyways, if he wasn’t in much of the mood, despite the massive boner he’d soon have, you wouldn’t push him to do anything that he didn’t want.

You knock on the door to his office, peaking your head inside to see him working as per usual. The blond only looked up when he noticed you placing the mug near the table beside him, pushing back the headphones that sat on his head. He flashes his usual bright smile and reaches out to you. You giggle when he pulls you close to him, burying his face into your stomach.

“Thank you, babe.” Hongjoong mumbles into your shirt before standing up to give you a proper kiss.

“Anything for you dear.” You whisper into his lips, kissing him once more.

You then head over to your shared bedroom, flopping onto the bed and scrolling through your phone. Sometimes you’d glance at the camera, giving a wave or two, as you wait for the viagra to take effect. At first, you didn’t think much of the interaction that had taken place previously, almost forgetting about the prank you had set up until Hongjoong bursts into the room, a light sheen of sweat covering his skin.

You jolt up from your spot on the bed, seeing him panting heavily while he donned a painfully hard tent in his pants. You had to hold yourself back from smirking at the state your boyfriend was in now. Before you could ask him what was wrong though, he had already pounced on you, smothering your lips with his.

You moan into the kiss, whimpering when he reaches under your shirt and brushes his thumbs against your nipples. “Are you busy, kitten?” He whispers into your ear, hips subtly grinding into yours.

You shake your head no, seeing his flustered state morph into something more smug.

“Good, because I was hoping you’d help me out with my little problem here.”

[bl--ankhaeji]

Bed of Roses

Pairing~ Emperor!Taeyong x CivilianPharmacist!Reader

Genre~ fluff,, angst,, empireau

Warnings~ smut..like three different scenes,,fem!recieving oral,,handjob,,switch?Tae/Reader,,Talks of war,,mentions/slight descriptions of death,,mentions/descriptions of extreme illness,,Taeyong has PTSD and nightmares,,mentions of blood,,Taeyong has insecurites,,mentions of rotting flesh

A.N~ This is my fic for the taeyong gallery collab hosted by @alreadyblondenow   I am releasing two days later than planned I am sorry for that. This fic is based off of the painting The Kiss by Gustave Klimt. Also big thanks to my mutual/beta reader, Xiami, @kjmsupremacist​ and the mutual who made this beautiful banner for me, Mylin, @suh-insane​ This is my longest fic so far I hope you all enjoy 😊 Oh and before I forget there is a whole like sort of surgery scene in here PSA I am no doctor, I know nothing substantial about medicine or medicinal practices. I got the inspiration for that scene from a drama so...(props if you can guess which one it is)

W. Count~ 12.5k 

The screams of thousands ringing in the air is deafening. Buildings are burning to the ground from a ravenous blaze. A vibrant haze of orange and red covers every single object in sight. No matter where he looks there is someone crying; hell, even the sky seems to be crying tonight. Taeyong’s legs give out from under him, bringing the once-strong prince to his knees as his head drops, hanging lowly in shame. How had he let it get this far? What happened to his beautiful peaceful empire full of its joyous people?

War. That’s what happened. His father had gotten power hungry and bloodthirsty, a terrifying duo. He remembers sitting in the royal meetings listening to the decisions his father would make, hating every single one but not having the authority let alone the guts to stand up to him. Hurried footsteps bring the prince out of his memories as a peasant girl, barefoot and in a tattered dress, appears in front of him.

“Prince Taeyong!” she cries, tears rushing down her face as if trying to see who will beat the other to the ground first. The prince's head snaps up at her cries, looking intently at her face. Her once-beautiful features are now horribly damaged and scarred from what looks like a massive burn. The girl opens her mouth, words making their way out until they stop suddenly and are replaced with a blood-curdling scream. 

It’s then that Taeyong notices the spear cutting through her flesh, beginning to protrude through her midriff before it retrieds back through her body. The girl’s now-limp body falls in a heap in front of the prince, her blood flowing rapidly out of the deep gash. In her place stands an enemy soldier. The soldier raises his sword and the two men quickly commence into a brief battle. Taeyong quickly overtakes the soldier, tearing him down almost effortlessly. 

The tired male stands tall, chest heaving, almost completely covered in blood before he rushes back to the girl, cradling her in his arms, even though his subconscious already knows it’s too late. “M-miss, oh my god miss, p-please please wake up,” he stutters frantically, lightly tapping her face. “MEDIC!! HELP SOMEONE!” he screeches so loudly it feels as if it’s ripping his throat. 

Countless people have died in front of him this whole time. Countless bodies lay around him–men, women, and children alike. Yet he’s hellbent on trying to yell for a medic that he knows isn’t there to help this one girl. Suddenly, he sees the girl's eyes flutter open. “My prince,” her voice barely whispers, her shaking hands reaching up slowly to softly cradle the prince’s tear streaked face. Suddenly the strength returns to her body, her hands, once gentle, now harshly gripping the side’s of Taeyong's face, nails causing what feels like permanent moon shaped indentures on his face. “YOU!” she spits. 

Her eyes, once gentle and kind, tainted with fear, now hold an anger and bloodlust so intense it is almost suffocating. “You’re the reason I’m like this! You and the royal family caused this-this WAR. And for what reason, huh? Thousands of lives lost; all of my friends and family are now dead because of you. I’M EVEN DEAD NOW BECAUSE OF YOU!!” Her hands now tightly grip his neck. “If I have to die by your hands then you have to die by mine. You made this bed of thorns, now lay in it. DIE!” 

“AHHHHHH!” An ear piercing cry leaves the man's lips as he now sits up in his bed scrambling to the headboard as if trying to get away. His clothes and bedding are drenched in sweat. His personal guard, Doyoung, rushes into the room, thinking there was a possible intruder from the emperor's cries. Even though this was far from the first time the emperor was plagued by night terrors, he could never be too certain.

“Your Highness, Your Highness please. Taeyong! Snap out of it; you’ll wake the entire empire, sir please.” Doyoung pleaded with the now sobbing man. “Your Highness, it’s okay it was just a dream, none of it is real.” The guard's large hand lands on the emperor’s back as he rubs soothing circles in hopes of calming the almost hysterical man. 

The dream may not have been real but his pain was, the war was real. His sobs are deafening. 

His people, his country. He failed them; he’s still failing them.

~

The once-cowering man now stands tall with an aura of elegance and power radiating off of him. After Doyoung’s fruitless attempts at trying to talk Taeyong into getting some help for his recurring nightmares, the emperor was due down in Neo City, sometimes referred to as N-City, the capital of the Neo Empire. At least once a month Taeyong comes down from the castle placed in the heart of Neo City and walks around greeting and getting to know the citizens of the city. Taeyong has always been very passionate about knowing the people under him and knowing how they live. He never wants to be an emperor that lets his people suffer while he lives extravagantly in the castle. 

He figures that’s the least he can do after failing them once already. 

He shrugs on his royal cloak even though he and everyone else knows that it’ll come off in no time once he joins the people. Taking a seat in the carriage across from Doyoung, Taeyong is handed his crown.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fuck fuck fuck. That’s all that you can think of as you race to make it on time. You’re so fucking late; how could you have let it slip your mind? The emperor always comes down around this time and you’re usually always in your spot on time, but you woke up late this morning after pulling an all-nighter preparing medicinal herbs for the elderly people down your street. 

Your rucksack flops lifelessly beside your hip as you finally come to a stop, managing to make it to the spot in the nick of time. You had to deliver the herbs this morning and it almost cost you to miss seeing the emperor. Ever since Taeyong had taken over as emperor and started making his monthly visits, you always made sure you were there to be able to see him. You had a special spot you always occupied. It was the perfect spot where you could see him but not be front and center so that he could see you. 

Indiscernible chatter and yelps of delight grow louder and more constant. The second you turn your head, an unmistakable crown floats atop the heads of an ample number of people. At that same moment you hear the emperor's joyous laugh, the beautiful sound bringing an uncontrollable smile to your lips. The crowd of people slowly thins out, finally allowing you to catch a glimpse of the handsome man, and you can’t help but to be taken aback by his beauty even though this is far from your first time seeing him. The first thing you look at are his eyes. Despite his entire demeanor radiating a bubbly happiness, you can see the truth in his eyes. 

Taking in the appearance of the royalty, you notice the dirty cuffs on his white button up that sit rolled up on his forearms. Ahhh he must’ve been helping Mr. Young plant vegetables again. Your mind conjures an image of the older male who has the gall to make even the emperor plant vegetables for him and  a small chuckle falls from your lips. Making your gaze up to his head, you take in the royal crown. You always wonder how the crown manages to stay rooted on his head despite sitting on it lopsided 90% of the time. A crooked smile that shines brighter than the sun graces the emperor's features and you suddenly feel your cheeks warm like a furnace. 

Too caught up in your trance, you don’t feel the person bump into you until you’re already on the ground. The silence that greets you rings heavy in the air and isn’t broken until you hear a gasp, while at the same time feeling warm, nimble fingers wrap around your arm, gently lifting you from the ground. “Are you okay?” an male voice rumbles, a voice you’re no stranger to, a voice you were just delighted to hear mere seconds ago. 

“I uh I-I ah-h y-y-yes-,” you stutter, struggling to form coherent words once you realize that the emperor has helped you up from the ground. 

The emperor helped you up.

The emperor has his hand wrapped around your arm.

The emperor saw your fall... Dear God THE EMPEROR SAW YOUR FALL!

“I-I uhh YES-yes, I am fine,” you rush out, keeping your head down, refusing to meet the eyes of Emperor Taeyong, terrified of the judgement that might lie in them at your embarrassing fall. You quickly release yourself of his hold, scurrying away before he or anyone else can get a glimpse of your face. With your heart pounding in your ears and tears pricking your eyes you run back to your house as fast as you can manage, cutting your time to see the emperor extremely short. Hey, at least you have more time to prepare; you’re going to make things a little bit different today. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Your Highness.” Doyoung’s curt voice takes Taeyong’s attention away from the retreating back of the girl he just helped off of the ground mere seconds ago. 

“Wha-–ah yes! Let’s keep moving, shall we?”  

The sound of the horses' feet clacking against the stone ground echoes throughout the carriage. “Doyoung,” the emperor starts, looking almost wistfully out of the window. “Do you think that girl from earlier is okay?” 

“I would assume so, seeing as how she had no trouble when running away as if she had just robbed a bakery,” he replied with a slight tilt in his voice.

“She did run away quite enthusiastically, didn’t she?” Taeyong can’t help the small grin that overtook his face at the memory of the girl. It was rather funny seeing her scramble away as if she had just committed a crime. 

“Your Highness, we have arrived.” The coachman speaks from the outside of the carriage as it slows to a stop. 

Despite the limited space, Taeyong stands, shouldering the heavy royal robe. The door to the carriage is opened by one of the royal guards, who proceeds to escort Taeyong to the steps of the palace. A sound of disdain falls from the guards lips and catches Taeyong’s attention. “What seems to be the problem, might I ask?” Halting his steps, Taeyong turns towards the guard and gives him his full attention. 

Realizing the emperor heard him, the guard stiffens, stuttering over his words hurriedly, attempting to make sure the emperor didn’t misunderstand. “Ah—no, Your Highness. There is no problem; not with you, at least, it’s just there’s this girl that always comes to the palace every week, and it’s just really annoying to send her away all the time.” 

Spotting a girl making her way up the palace steps, the guard and Taeyong watch as the girl encounters her first guard, thrusting the huge bouquet into his face then bowing, appearing to say something completely inaudible from this distance. Standing straight, she looks as if she begs the guard for something, a hopeful look etched onto her face only for it to fall after the guard says something in return. Seemingly giving up, the girl turns to leave the palace, only this time she hangs her head down in sorrow. 

Gathering what could be classified as a humongous bouquet, you make your way to the palace, even though you know you’ll probably be sent away again. Having succeeded in finally getting them to at least take the bouquet, you can only hope it reaches the emperor. Usually you just give him a nice bouquet full of roses that grow right in your garden at home with a nice little card attached reminding him to eat and get enough fluids, things like that, but this time after seeing the emperor you know he needs more than just roses. You gathered up and put together a bouquet full of beautiful red roses, gladiolus colored a light pale peach, white poppies, and a bunch of basil sprinkled throughout the bouquet. 

Each flower carries a significant meaning with it that you want to give to the emperor and even if none of your other bouquets got to him, you really wish this one will. Sitting down, you prepare to write the note that you would leave this time. 

It’s me again, Your Highness. I saw you today when you went down to town, and you looked really tired despite the smile you put on your face for us. I do hope you are getting enough sleep while also keeping yourself fed and hydrated, otherwise if you get sick, who will lead us as well as you do? 

As you can see, I gave you a little something different than the usual roses. Considering that you’re a busy person, I’ll assume that you don’t know these flowers or their meanings so allow me to tell you. 

The red flowers are obviously the roses I have been giving you for the last year or so. The pink looking flowers are called Gladiolus and they symbolize strength and get their name from gladiators who fight with strength and honor. The white flowers are called White poppies; they symbolize peace and the remembrance of war. They got that meaning because they are usually the flowers that grow atop fallen soldiers' bodies after war. Finally the little green leaves sprinkled throughout the bouquet are called Basil; although usually used in food, they are also thought to bring peace while warding off negative spirits, symbolizing good wishes, wealth, and a happy home. 

Now that you know their meaning, I hope you can understand why I gifted these to you. Till next time Your Highness. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Closing the folded piece of paper, Taeyong lets out a breath before looking at the beautiful bouquet in his hands. He was surprised that someone took so much notice and cared so greatly about him and his well-being to do something like this. With a light heart and a small flustered grin, he places the card back in the bouquet, setting the flowers in a vase atop the vanity in his room, somewhere where he is sure he will get to see the flowers everyday. 

Back to normal again this week, Your Highness. I do hope that you were able to receive last week's bouquet, but I know there’s a good chance you did not, just like you will not this week. Do not ask why I continue to deliver these bouquets even though I know that you have not gotten a single one. It is too much to explain over a single note. I hope you have eaten well and stayed hydrated throughout this week. I also hope you have been sleeping well. If not, one way I find that helps is lavender oil. You could take it orally or drink some lavender tea before bed. You could even keep lavender in your room to infuse the area with its scent. 

That’s it for this week, Your Highness. Till next time

Closing the note from this week, Taeyong places it back inside of the bouquet, setting it down on his vanity. “Doyoung!” When you delivered today’s bouquet, Taeyong had made specific orders to ensure that it got to him this time. “Could you fetch me some lavender?” 

So after the first time, every week Taeyong couldn’t help but find himself lying in wait anxiously just to get your bouquet and read the sweet little notes you left in them. He had made sure to keep every single letter. His room was so full of roses that he had to start placing them all over the palace, but not without making sure to get the little note always cuddled inside. Not only that, he even started to smell like roses and he couldn’t be happier. He soon found himself relying on the little notes left in the bouquets’ to get himself through the week. Even if it was the simplest message just telling him to make sure to eat, drink, and sleep properly it still means the world to him.

 He would get so excited for the bouquets that he had even started to make his way down to the palace entrance when he knew you were coming. Doyoung would compare it to a dog waiting on their owner to get home. He swore one of these days he was going to stop being a scaredy cat and go out and accept the bouquet himself, but until that day came he would remain behind the palace doors. 

The resounding gong of the grandfather clock echoed throughout the room, alerting Taeyong of the new hour. It’s not like he didn’t already know, though. “It’s 4 o’clock, I have thirty minutes till my roses come.” Signing the last of the documents, stacking them on top of his desk, Taeyong stands, stretching his lithe body in order to get rid of the stiffness in his joints. Walking around his desk, Taeyong makes his way through the door.

A monotone voice laced with sarcasm breaks the silence, scaring Taeyong. “I guess it’s time for your one-sided weekly date. Or is it one-sided since one brings gifts while the other just watches like a creepy stalker?” Doyoung questions, leaning against the wall next to the entrance whilst raising his eyebrow.

“N-no! I mean, yes, it is close to time for the delivery, but it’s not a date.” A light blush covers Taeyong’s cheeks as the word ‘date’ falls from his lips. “I was just leaving to go around the palace and see how everything is going, checking and making sure things are happening the way they should–y’know, kingly duties.”

Turning to face the obviously flustered king, Doyoung gives him a deadpan expression that screams mmhm sure. “All I got from that was that you admit to being a creepy stalker.” Taeyong’s mouth flies open, unable to give a coherent response. “Oops, look at the time! You should probably start making your rounds,” he says, walking out of the room, the sound of Taeyong’s incoherent ramblings drowning out as he walks away. 

Sobering up from his conversation with Doyoung, he makes his rounds around the castle, steadily making his way to the entrance, keeping his eyes on the time. By the time he makes it to the entrance, he can see the girl making her way up the palace stairs, still a little dot in the distance. He can’t help but notice the way his hands begin to feel clammy and his heart rate slowly picking up as your face comes into view. 

He remembers the first time he came down and was finally able to see your face clearly. He swears it was as if the world stopped. You looked more beautiful than any bouquet he has received from you. He was so flustered that he couldn’t help but to blush every time he thought of you. He knows because Doyoung wouldn’t shut up about the magenta red that spread along his cheeks at random times that day. 

He was so focused on looking at you that he didn’t realize the rushed way in which you gave the guard the bouquet. All he knew was that one second he was staring at your face and the next your back as you lightly jogged away. Slight disappointment settles in his stomach as he realizes you didn’t even attempt to convince the guard to give the bouquet to him this time. 

The guard walks over, handing the bouquet to the waiting king, not wanting to be gone from her post too long; she quickly turns around, moving to head back before the voice of the emperor stops her. “Wait!” Taeyong notices the tension in her body at the sound of his voice, “Yes, your highness?” she asks, voice shaking slightly. 

“Where is the note?” 

Turning back around, she faces the emperor. “What note, sir?” 

“The note. The one that’s always in her bouquets.” Taeyong notices his voice came out sharper than he intended when he sees the guard flinch slightly. “I apologize; I didn't mean for that to come out so harshly. I just—there’s always a note that comes with her bouquets and-and there’s not one in here.”

“Ah, I don’t believe there was one in there, Your Highness. At least, I didn’t see one when she handed it to me.” Upon seeing the crestfallen look that sits on the emperor's face, the guard instantly offers to check and see if it had fallen off somewhere. 

Not wanting to get his hopes up, Taeyong replies, “No you’re fine–it’s fine if you didn’t see it when she handed it to you then it must not have been there in the first place.” Taeyong can hear how disheartened his voice was. Deciding it’s time to go inside, he sends the guard off to go do what they were doing beforehand.

“Hey Tae, how was the–What’s wrong?” Doyoung instantly notices the somber expression placed upon the emperor’s face. “You usually are about ready to jump off of the walls and now you look like the baker just ran out of those sweet potato cubes you get when we go into town.”

“It’s nothing.”

Grabbing Taeyong’s shoulder, Doyoung turns him around so they’re face to face, “That girl didn’t say anything mean in that note she leaves in the bouquets did she? Cause if she did, so help me god- no so help her I will-.”

“Calm down, she didn’t say anything mean. She didn’t say anything at all. There was no note in the bouquet this time.” 

“Oh. Uhh well, at least she still delivered the roses. Maybe something happened and she didn’t have time to write the letter,” Doyoung tries to reason, hoping he would be able to say something that would lift his friend’s spirit. Taeyong could tell Doyoung was trying his best to be supportive but there is nothing he could say right now that could make him feel any better.

“Y-yeah, maybe.” Not wanting to think about it anymore, Taeyong leaves for his room with a wave. At least he finished all of his paperwork for the day and he can just lay in bed.  

Taeyong finds himself walking through a field filled with flowers without an end in sight. It’s not until he sees the outline of a person sitting in the field that he starts to speed up, hoping he could ask the stranger where he was at. 

As he gets closer, the person begins to seem more and more familiar. It has him thinking, trying to figure out who it could be. As if the person hears him they turn around and he’s surprised to see you sitting in the field. 

“Hello Taeyong.” 

“Ahh hi.” Taeyong can feel his heart rate pick up almost as if it’s trying to jump out of his chest.

“Would you like to sit with me? The bloom is absolutely beautiful today.” Replying with a stiff nod, the usually confident emperor shyly takes a seat in the field of white flowers. Giving the seemingly flustered male a soft smile you pluck one of the flowers out of the field, lifting it up to your nose smelling the fragrant plant. 

“Smells heavenly. Would you like to take a sniff?” you ask, taking the flower away from under your nose, handing it to the male opposite you. 

Taeyong takes the small white flower out of your hand, lifting it to take a whiff. He immediately recoils as the putrid smell of rotting flesh infiltrates his senses, “Wha-” You snatch the flower away from his hand taking another whiff. 

“Smells great, doesn’t it? I love the smell of white poppies.” It’s then that Taeyong’s mind remembers the white flowers that were in the first bouquet that he received from you as well as the meaning of the flowers. Finally taking in his surroundings, Taeyong realises that it’s not just a field of flowers but a field of dead bodies. 

“Y’know Taeyong, I used to be sad thinking that I was going to have to go forever without ever getting to see these gorgeous flowers. But because of you and the war your family started, all of these dead bodies were able to sit here and grow some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen.” By now you have picked up a whole bouquet worth of the poppies, little pieces of rotted flesh hanging off of the bottoms, “Too bad I had to die before I got to see them.” 

After hearing her last sentence Taeyong takes a good look at the girl, noticing that the white poppies she had collected were all from her body. “Y’know maybe you should die too so you can fully witness the beauty of these flowers,” you say with a slight tilt to not only your voice but your head. 

Before he can question it you’re already driving a spear through Taeyong’s heart. 

~

“Taeyong you look like absolute shit. Do you really think you should be going into town like that?” The bags under Taeyong’s eyes look bigger and heavier than the robe on his shoulders. It has been a week since you dropped off the bouquet without a note.  

“Yes, Doyoung. It’s been a month, we don’t want people to worry.” 

“Funny. You say you don’t want them to worry but you look like the living dead. They’ll worry either way.” The guard rebutts, crossing his arms sassily.

“Doie, I don’t have the time nor the energy to argue with you, just please can we go?” 

“That’s just it. You always have time and energy to argue with me! Taeyong, it’s been a week; it was just one note out of hundreds. Who knows; maybe she just forgot to put it in the bouquet, but regardless of what happened you can't keep moping around and carrying yourself like this. You’re an emperor, for pete’s sake! What will you do when she stops bringing the bouquets?”

Taeyong freezes. What will he do? He can't expect you to deliver bouquets forever, can he? At some point you’ll get tired of it, tired of him, and what will he do then? Standing straight, Taeyong makes his way out of the palace, head held impossibly high. 

“I- dammit Taeyong I didn’t mean it like-”

“No. You’re right, I can’t expect her to always bring the bouquets, that's selfish of me.” I can't always expect her to be here. It's selfish to expect her to be here. “Come on, we have people to see,” he says, climbing inside of the carriage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally done unpacking your clothes from the last minute trip you had to take last week, you plop onto your bed, completely beat. One of the families you delivered medicine to ran out suddenly and you had to rush to their house so that their child did not die. You spent the rest of the week nursing the child back to health after they had to go without medicine.  

The thing is, you got the message in the middle of making the emperor’s bouquet for that week and you didn’t have the time to make a note to put in the bouquet. Even though you know that the emperor doesn’t receive the bouquets at all, you still felt the guilt sitting in the pit of your stomach that entire week. 

You don’t realize you’ve fallen asleep until you’re woken by a series of rushed knocks on your pharmacy door. Getting out of bed reluctantly, you grab your apron, tying it around your waist and walking to the door in order to go see who it is. 

“Chamomile Pharmacy, how may I–” you start opening the door until you get sight of the person on the other side and quickly slam the door back in place. Why was Emperor Taeyong at your door?!? And why did you just slam the door in his face? Reopening the door, you start bowing and apologizing to the seemingly starstruck emperor at once. “I-I am so sorry Your Highness, I didn’t mean to do that, it’s just you caught me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it to be you behind the door,” you hurriedly attempt to explain until Taeyong is knocked out of the way by his royal guard Doyoung. 

“We don’t have time for this right now. You can have your little–whatever this is later. We need you to make more of this medicine for Mr. Young immediately. We showed up at his house right as he passed out and this was on his counter!”        

Grabbing the bottle, you realize this is the heart elixir you made him some time ago, “Shit! Okay I’ll be right back. I need to go grab something out of the garden first,” You quickly tell the men, writing at the speed of light on a piece of paper. “Here, while I’m getting that I need you two to look and find these in that cabinet over there. I need everything ready for when I get back so I can quickly get this to him.” 

Rushing out into the garden, you quickly sort through various plants until you find the two you’re looking for. You barge back into the pharmacy to see that Doyoung and the emperor got a little over half of the ingredients down. “Okay, even though everything isn’t down yet I’m going to go ahead and get started. One of you, continue to look for everything while the other comes over here and gives me a hand. We have to hurry.” You are so focused on getting the medicine done that you don’t even notice Taeyong handing you the supplies. 

Finishing up the elixir and gathering all of the utensils, you stuff them into your rucksack and run out of the door. “We rode horses over here, it’s faster than on foot. Hop on Taeyong’s; we have to go,” Doyoung all but commands as he mounts his horse, already taking off. The adrenaline pumping through your system helps to keep you calm about the fact that you now have your arms wrapped around Taeyong’s waist and are currently on a horse with him. 

In no time you’re riding up to Mr. Young's homely brick house, the one that he and his late wife built back when they were younger. Pushing your way into the house, you see the old man lying on a cot on the floor. Taking everything out, you lie it on a towel next to you on the floor and pull on a pair of gloves. 

Quickly checking the old man's pulse, you let out a breath in relief that it’s still there but very faint. You take a pair of medical scissors and cut his shirt open. Grabbing the bottle containing the green elixir and a needle syringe you urgently but carefully extract some of the liquid from the bottle. At this point the silence in the room is deafening, but you’re only able to hear the white noise buzzing in your ears, blocking out any and all distractions. 

You check and make sure that it’s the right amount before giving the syringe a slight squeeze, pushing a few drops of the liquid out of the needle. Taking a deep breath, you harshly stab the needle into the man’s chest, forcing the liquid through the needle, unknowingly garnering stiff gasps from those who are watching. You immediately retract the syringe only to place your hand on the same spot, firmly yet softly massaging it. 

After massaging for a couple of minutes you sit back, bated breaths falling from your lips. “You can take him to his room now, he needs to rest. I’ll go make some tea for everyone.” Gathering your supplies, you take them to the kitchen to disinfect and sterilize them. Behind the doors of the kitchen you finally feel yourself calm down and it’s then that you notice the intense way in which your hands are shaking.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything was going fine, and he was almost done making his rounds with everyone. One of the last people he had to meet with was Mr. Young, the sweet old man who always made him help pick things out of his garden, and that’s when the day took a turn. Was it for the worse? Taeyong didn’t know yet. Walking in on the man passed out on the floor shook Taeyong to his core. When he and Doyoung finally noticed the empty bottle on the countertop, they read the label which stated the pharmacy where the medicine was from. 

From there, they took two of the guard’s horses and were off to find the pharmacy. It’s there that Taeyong found you, though the circumstances were less than great. He still couldn’t believe you were right there in front of him, but the moment was over after Doyoung realized what was happening. Now that everything had calmed down and Mr. Young was okay, the fact that you were just a few steps away in the kitchen was eating at the emperor. 

“I don’t get why you just don’t go in there and talk to her.” Doyoung spoke suddenly, sounding bored with his life after noticing the way in which the king fidgeted in his chair, eyes constantly flitting to look back and forth from the kitchen door to his feet. 

“I mean, it’s not like she can do anything; you’re an emperor for god’s sake. Unless you want to continue being a creepy stalker, I suggest you go in there and tell her that you’ve been receiving her bouquets and you like them or some shit like that.” 

“I-I can’t just barge in there and–”

“He only had jasmine tea in his cabinets, so I hope there’s nothing wrong with that,” you say, walking into the living room with a tray of tea-filled cups in your hands. 

“Jasmine is fine,” Doyoung replied, simultaneously leaning down to pick up his cup. Taeyong suddenly couldn’t speak as you looked at him expectantly, wanting to make sure he was okay with jasmine tea. All he could do was look up at your glowing face with eyes that might as well be in the shape of hearts. “Ah jasmine is good for him as well. Forgive my liege, he's still a little shaken up from the situation.” 

With a soft nod you turn around, moving to make your way back into the kitchen. It was then that Taeyong’s mouth and mind decided to move as one. “Wait! Where are you going?”  

“Oh, uhm, I was going back to the kitchen. I figured you two would want to be alone,” you say, almost cradling the board to your body, gesturing awkwardly towards the door. 

“You don’t have to.  Why don’t you sit in here, with us?” 

“I mean, if you’re fine with that.”

“I’m fine, I’m more than fine.” The words were out of Taeyong’s mouth before he could even process them fully. You move to sit on the other side of the loveseat beside Taeyong. 

The sound of purposeful slurping provided by Doyoung barely sufficed at cutting the tension in the room. “I just remembered, we never seemed to have gotten your name?” Doyoung asked, ending the silence that layered the house. 

Quickly swallowing the tea in your mouth, you reply “Oh, I’m sorry, how rude of me, my name is Y/n. I’m the owner of Chamomile Pharmacy.” You add a bright smile at the end.

“Owner, huh? You must really like medicine.”  

“Hmm, I guess you could say that, but not really. I mainly just like flowers, and growing up I realized all the medicinal benefits they hold, so I figured why not make money and spend my life surrounded by what I love?” You sit back in the seat, seemingly comfortable now that you’re talking about a passion. “I get to help people while surrounded by plants all day; it’s a win-win.” 

“Mmhm, that sounds lovely. Oh, Taeyong.” The king’s head practically snaps up at the mention of his name. Spotting the mischievous look in his best friend's eyes, his stomach practically dropped to the floor. “You love flowers as well, specifically roses. Don’t you, Your Highness?” 

“I–”

“Yeah, I distinctly remember your love for roses starting after receiving a bouquet full of them every week.” Doyoung had no idea that this was the flower girl at first, but Taeyong could tell by the way he had been acting ever since you came around that he had come to piece it together–especially after you blatantly declared your love for flowers just a few mere seconds ago. 

At his words, your mouth fell open in pure unadulterated shock. The emperor had been receiving your bouquets?! And he liked them? You had no idea how to feel with all of the mixed emotions flowing through you. 

Wide eyed, you ask, “You’ve been receiving my bouquets, Your Highness?” 

Taeyong is flustered when he replies, “Y-Yes I have, they are very… nice. Thank you for them.”

“He really likes the little love notes you put in them,” Doyoung adds, deliberately putting the word love in front of notes. At his words, Taeyong throws the harshest glare he could at the other man, wishing he could strangle him with his eyes alone. 

While Taeyong was glaring daggers at the knight, you couldn’t help but feel sheepish. You thought you were giving those flowers away for nothing, only to realize that the emperor had been getting them and he liked them. Then you remembered that you had forgotten the note in your last one. 

“Ah, I just remembered that I forgot to put a note in the last one.” You speak bashfully, lowering your head. “Well, I didn’t forget, per say, I just didn’t have the time–an emergency came up while I was making it and I had to hurry. I didn’t think it would matter that much since you weren’t getting them, but now I know you were, so I feel bad.”

“No, it’s okay, I understand. There’s no need for you to feel bad, things happen.” Taeyong finally speaks, not liking the obvious way in which you blame yourself. Standing up, he motions to a door, stating that he has to use the restroom.

The room sits silent at Taeyong’s absence. You still feel guilty, but before you can think too hard about it, Doyoung shocks you out of your thoughts with a  question, “Y/n, why do you always give roses?”

“Hm? Oh, why roses? Well that's easy, because he’s The Rose Emperor .” Doyoung lifts an eyebrow in question. “Ah, I forgot that I’m the only one who calls him that,” you explain quickly. “Well, one of the reasons is because he has this beautiful rose-shaped scar right under his right eye. And I mean, he’s like a rose. Pretty and elegant and practically harmless to the unsuspecting eye, but he has thorns, which he uses to keep people away, thorns he uses to hide things from everyone, even those closest…”You trail off for a moment, thinking. “Hmm, if you think about it that way, wouldn’t that mean we're all like roses?” You speak nonchalantly, looking somewhat deeply into your cup of tea. “So that would make this world a bed of roses, wouldn’t it?” 

Standing but a few feet away, hiding behind a wall, the man in question couldn’t help but overhear. The way you talked and the words you used to describe him made his heart pound. You sounded so sweet and genuine, and he couldn’t help but believe every word you said. His hand uncontrollably caresses the scar you mentioned. He never noticed that it looked like a rose. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Doyoung, I need to borrow some of your clothes.” Busting into the guard’s room, the emperor pants quickly, garnering the man’s attention. 

“Wha–for what?”

“No questions, I just need them,” the young ruler says, walking into the man's wardrobe. “Oh and if you have a hat and mask, I’m going to take those, too.”

Taeyong’s presence in the shop is known as soon as he walks through the door, a bell ringing upon contact. Hurriedly pretending to scan the shelves as if searching extremely hard for something, Taeyong hears you enter the room through the back door moments later. 

“Sorry for not greeting you as soon as you came in. I was doing a little gardening in the back. Is there anything I can help you with today?” you ask, simultaneously washing the slight dirt off of your hands at the sink.

Knowing it would be rude to not acknowledge you, Taeyong turns to face you, self-consciously tugging on the mask resting on his face, not knowing if he wants you to know it’s him or not. You walk over after drying your hands, ready to help the customer, finally getting a good look at the man’s mask-covered face. You freeze in your spot, not knowing if you are just delusional or if Emperor Taeyong is actually standing in the middle of your pharmacy. 

“Uhh Your Highness..?” you question slowly, giving the stranger room to deny if needed. 

“I–uhmm yes,” Taeyong stutters, taking the mask off of his face, revealing his apparently not-so-secret identity. Despite breathing just fine a few seconds ago, Taeyong seems to not be able to when you give him a dazzling smile. You ask him why he’s here and if he needs anything. “Yes, I’m here because I, uhh, need something to help with… headaches! Yes, I get headaches, y’know, from reading papers all day.”

“I have just the thing to help with that! I get headaches myself, and I find that the plant Feverfew helps a good bit. The plant itself can be a little strong and could cause irritation to the mouth if chewed, so I just grind it up and make a nice little diluted concoction with it, and it does wonders,” you say, grabbing the bottle containing the liquid, placing it on the counter, and making your way to the other side so you could bag the medicine.

“I must warn you, though–it can have very light side effects that can cause nausea, digestive problems, and bloating.” Finishing up you place the now bagged medicine on the counter sliding it over to Taeyong. 

“Ah, how much do I owe?” 

“Nonsense, you’re good, consider it the Monarch's discount.” Thanking you, the emperor grabs the bag, making his way out the door, “Bye, come again.” 

After the first time, Taeyong continued to visit the store, each time for a different reason. He stayed a little longer each time he visited, finding himself wanting to indulge in your presence more and more. Even when you would go to the palace to deliver your weekly bouquets he would come out now just to start a conversation with you. You both would end up just sitting on the palace steps talking for hours on end. 

Now was one of the times when you would sit outside the palace talking with the king.  

“Your Highness, word was just sent in from the WayV kingdom, and there are forms to be signed urgently.” Doyoung addressed the young emperor, throwing an apologetic look at you for ruining your time together. 

A breath falls past your lips as you push yourself up. “Oh well, I guess that’s my cue to leave. See you later, Your High-” 

“Wait. Why don’t you come inside with me? This shouldn’t take too long.” 

You and Doyoung gape at the emperor, both in shock. Wanting to hurry and get things settled, Taeyong passes both of your almost statuesque bodies. Doyoung offers to show you around while Taeyong does his work but the emperor quickly refuses. “I’ll do it when I finish.”

Grabbing your wrist, Taeyong all but drags you to his office. There are so many twists and turns that you have no idea how Taeyong didn’t get lost. “You can sit over there on the couch in the foyer. I have some books on the shelf over there you can read if you want. I'll be right here behind this desk.”  

Taking in the extravagant office, you can’t help but notice how roses cover almost every single open surface possible. He really did keep every rose he got from you. Just that thought alone makes your heart pound so hard that you can hear it beating in your ears. Deciding you should do something before you look weird, you walk over to the shelf, surveying the books available to you. 

You pick a book that looks good enough and sit down on the couch.You try to focus on the words in front of you, but the room is warm, and the couch is comfortable, and your eyelids begin to feel heavy. You didn’t realize you fell asleep until you felt Taeyong gently shaking you awake. The sun had started to set, casting a beautiful warm golden glow around the room. 

 Taeyong sat beside you on the couch, still grasping your shoulder as you both stared intensely at each other. You felt yourself slowly leaning towards the beautiful man, almost as if you were in a trance. Taeyong couldn’t help but take in every gorgeous feature on your face as it was surrounded by a golden halo.

Moving his hands from your shoulder to the nape of your neck he pulls you in, no longer able to hide the attraction he has for you. Your lips mingled in a dance only privy to them. Leaving the one on your neck the other moves to the side of your face, Taeyong positions you just how he wants and you couldn’t help but to give in to him.  

It was as if his entire being consumed you and you had no choice but to follow his lead. Removing his mouth from yours he steadily transitions his lips lower splaying damp kisses all around your jugular. “Y-your highness, m-maybe we should stop.”

“Call me Taeyong darling and I don’t want to stop if you don’t.” he says, eyes flitting up to look at yours. “Do you want to stop?”

Feeling a fire burning in your stomach setting your lower regions ablaze, you know you can’t give him anything but the truth, “No, I don’t want to stop Taeyong.” Taeyong’s satisfied hum rumbles against your collarbone, “That’s my girl.” 

His lips find their way back to yours, an involuntary moan falling from yours as Taeyong pushes his tongue inside your mouth. He takes his time exploring your mouth as if he wanted to get acquainted with every nook and cranny. When he took his lips away this time it was as if he took your soul right with him. A small discontent whine leaves your mouth causing the male to coo, “Aww look at my precious rose, so needy already.”

He plants a small peck on your lips pushing you to lay back on the couch, “May I remove your pants darling?” Giving him a small head nod he starts to lower himself down to your now wet core. Your underwear comes off right along with your pants and the slightly cool air hitting your hot core feels almost heavenly. 

Lifting your legs on top of his shoulders Taeyong plants soft kisses along your pelvic region finally deciding to stop teasing he licks a long slow stripe up your wet pussy making sure to give a little more pressure right onto your clit. 

Taeyong’s hands move to sit in the crevice of your pelvis, tightening his grip simultaneously bringing you closer to his mouth as he proceeds to contort his tongue between your soft lips as a pianist moves their fingers across the keys aiming to hit the right notes to make you sing.

Your voice cracks almost violently as endless moans drip from your lips like sap out a tree. Eyes sealed shut you can’t help but to see stars as Taeyong makes you feel like you’re on top of the world. His soft hair rests between your fingers latching onto the strands for dear life as you attempt to somehow ground yourself. 

If he wasn’t holding you down you know for a fact that you would be humping his face akin to a dog in heat. “Fuck.” he moans between your legs sending vibrations all the way down your body. Suckling your lips between his as he looks up at your face scrunched in pleasure, “Open your eyes baby, look at me.” 

You should not have had as much trouble as you did opening your eyes but after a few seconds you finally were able to do so. “I want you to focus on me baby, watch me eat this succulent pussy of yours until you cum.” One of his hands moves, transitioning to start rubbing your clit applying ample pressure. 

His tongue starts to prod at the opening to the place in which you seemed to want him the most right now. The combination of his mouth and hands was too much and you felt your legs start shaking as you alerted Taeyong of your oncoming orgasm. “That’s it baby, cum for me. I want to see it.” 

You didn’t even know your voice could go as high as it did in that moment. Your labored breaths were halted as Taeyong pressed his wet lips to yours causing you to taste yourself on his lips. “You still up for that tour?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Your Highness, there have been reports of an outbreak of some sorts. For right now it’s small but we have no idea what it is or where it came from.” Doyoung says, ending his report on current events. 

“Okay, since this is something we have no prior dealings with we need to tread carefully. Get everyone who might be infected and make sure they’re getting proper care. Talk to them, see what their symptoms are and ask what they were doing before they got sick. Maybe we can try and piece together how you contract it.”  

“Should we alert the public, Your Highness?” 

“No, not for now at least. This is still manageable. We don't want to scare everyone for no reason.” Finishing up his duties, Taeyong starts to head to your house. 

You had yet to talk to Taeyong about what happened that day despite having seen each other multiple times since then. Not like you regretted it or anything you just felt bad about Taeyong servicing you and you not being able to return the favor. You were interrupted in the middle of your naughty thoughts when you heard soft knocks ring against the door not to the pharmacy but to your house placed on the side of the pharmacy. 

Answering the door you only expected to see one person on the other side of the door. “Hi Taeyong.” you breathe softly gazing at the male opposite you. 

“Hello my rose.” placing a kiss on his lips you let him enter the room. Taeyong pulls two books out from his bag and you hurriedly rush over to where Taeyong sits on your bed grabbing your book as Taeyong pulls you onto his lap. Reading for a while your mind can’t help but to go back to what happened. 

Taeyong can feel the air in the room change as you squirm on his lap. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” 

“Uhh nothing Yongie.” 

Grabbing a hold of your waist Taeyong lowers his head to your ear, “It doesn’t feel like nothing darling.” His warm breath hits your ears as he slowly lets his tongue dart out and lick a stripe up the shell of your ear. 

“I- just want to pleasure you as well. Last time you only focused on me and I want to return the favor.” you speak turning around in the male’s lap legs wrapping around his waist. You bring the male into a feverous/feverish? Kiss. You hear his breath hitch as you slowly grind down onto his semi hard dick, and you feel the grip he has on your waist tighten. 

Moving yourself to Taeyong’s thigh instead of his entire lap. You maneuver his pants off leaving his boxers on. You slip your hand between your bodies reaching for Taeyong’s boxer clad cock. Lightly squeezing while massaging his length you lean forward gingerly planting kisses along his neck swirling your tongue on each spot you kiss. 

“Shit Y/n.”

“You want me to take it out, Yongie? Do you want me to wrap my hands around your hard dick and rub you till you cum all over my hands.” you tease applying more pressure to his hard appendage, “Hmm maybe I’ll even let you watch me lick your cum off of my hands.” 

“Oh Fuck yes.” 

“That doesn’t sound like begging to me baby.” 

“Hmm please baby, please take it out and make me cum.”

You grin, squeezing his now fully hard cock harder, “Well since you asked so nicely.”  Your hand moves to the band of his boxers removing the clothing. His erect penis pops up, slapping the male’s clothed abdomen after finally being released.

You let a few drops of spit fall onto the palm of your hand before giving Taeyong what he wants, gripping him. You slowly start to work your hand up and down his stiff cock fluctuating the strength you use to grip it.

“How does that feel Tae? Are you enjoying yourself sweetheart?” you whisper in his ear speeding up your ministrations. A broken moan falls from the semi pouted lips of the emperor. The feel of your hand gripping his cock felt like heaven he could barely think. 

The slick sound of your hand going up and down his dick was all that could be heard throughout the room. Taking your other hand you begin to not only stroke his length but also fondle his balls. “Ah, Y/n I’m not going to last much longer please make me cum.” Wanting to give him what he wanted you run the pad of your thumb along the underside of him and slowly massage the bundle of nerves just under the head. 

As soon as you do, a whimper leaves Taeyong’s lips as his head falls forward resting on your shoulder. His mouth starts sucking on any pieces of exposed skin he can find and you feel him mumble against your shoulder, “I’m cumming.” His warm release falls onto your hands covering them as you try to squeeze out every last drop. Raising your hand to your mouth you lick some of the cum off of your hand tasting him. 

“Fuck sweetie you’re gonna be the death of me.”

“Taeyong. It’s gotten worse. The illness has started spreading; our attempt at keeping it contained was a failure. While it did slow the spread, it did nothing to stop it.”

Slamming his hand on the desk Taeyong couldn’t help but to curse, “Fuck! Did you at least figure out how it’s contracted and its symptoms?” 

“Yes, after questioning the patients it became pretty clear that it wasn’t contracted in any specific way. Almost all have reports of having been in public settings surrounded by a lot of people and said a few days later they caught a pretty nasty cold. Instead of it going away like a normal cold does, it started to get worse, pretty soon they couldn't move at all, not even lift a finger. After developing hot flashes, they start to lose the ability to speak, and you know they are about to die when they start to have rashes appear upon their skin.” 

“Have you asked the doctors if they can find a cure?” 

“Yes, we have already put them onto it, but for now there is nothing.”

Thinking about what he should do, Taeyong's hand comes up to scratch his jawline. He knows that he has to alert the public of the outbreak now. “Okay, since there is no discernible way in which they get it, we can assume for now that it is passed from excessive human contact. Doyoung, I need you to release a statement stating that there should be no excessive contact between everyone. If able to avoid big crowds then stay away.” 

Writing the commands down in a notebook, Doyoung asks, “Anything else?” 

“Yes, since it has gotten a lot bigger now, the public must be alerted, even though by now I am sure they have each heard their own variations of what’s happening. It’s better to tell them the truth than lie. We need everyone to be fully informed with correct information so that they don’t make things worse.” A tired sigh falls from his lips, “Release a doctor’s statement. I want the royal doctor to make a statement that will tell the public all they need to know about this new illness so they can protect themselves.”

“On it, Your Highness.” Doyoung says, turning around and quickly heading out the door. You were supposed to come visit Taeyong today. He's glad he gets to see you. You always make things better for him. You walk into Taeyong’s office to him writing something in a notebook. He was so involved in what he was writing that he didn’t hear you come in.  

“Hey Yongie.” Walking over to the male, you see him raise his head from the paper, looking at you with a dazzling smile. 

“Hello, beautiful.” Taeyong pulls you into his lap, “How was your day, my rose?” You start rambling on about what was going on at the pharmacy, and Taeyong finds himself zoning out looking at you talking animatedly about a customer you had today. It’s times like these where Taeyong realizes he could never live his life without you. 

Taeyong has been really busy lately, dealing with the disease outbreak. You guys have hardly seen each other. New word had been put out about the disease after one of the people who are believed to have gotten it first were found. Sadly they were on their last string, but their family said something about them eating a strange fruit some odd days before they had gotten sick. 

Business for you has practically skyrocketed, people hurrying to get all types of medicines just out of plain fear that they might contract the disease. Even though there is no cure yet, they still think that arthritis medicine will somehow help them. 

You had secretly been working on your own attempt at creating a cure, wanting to help Taeyong and get some of the pressure off of his shoulders and wanting to help the people affected by this disease. Of course it has gotten nowhere, but at least you try. 

You had asked Taeyong what the fruit that their family said they ate looked like in hopes of being able to find it and base an antidote off of that. He gave you the same description they gave him, but it didn’t lead anywhere. Noticing how empty the pharmacy had become, you felt it was the perfect time to go pick up some bread. 

Flipping the sign and locking the door you head towards the bakery. Ever since the decree had been made for people to not group together, the streets had been the emptiest you had ever seen. Walking in, you couldn’t help but notice the other people that stood around talking waiting on their baked goods. Putting in your order, you stand off to the side. 

“You know, they say that Emperor Taeyong has caught the disease.”

“What?! You can’t be serious.” 

“Why would I joke about something like that?” the first lady says, looking well over offended. “I have a friend who has a cousin who has a brother who has a boyfriend that works in the palace.” 

“Woah, so you basically know the emperor.” 

“Exactly. I swear on it, the emperor has the disease.” You proceed to tune out the gossiping women on the other side of the room. You know that there’s a good chance the lady is lying, but what if Taeyong has the disease? He hasn’t come to visit in a few days. You feel your chest constrict at the mere thought. 

You’re so distraught that you don’t hear the baker telling you your order is ready until after she walks up to you and hands you your bread. “Oh, uhh thank you.” Giving the lady a small nod, you walk out of the bakery.

When you get back to the house, you check for mail and find some in the mailbox next to your door. Picking it up, you notice the royal insignia on the envelope. Figuring it’s from Taeyong, you instantly start to tear it open.

Hello my rose, I don’t know how to say this to you, but I’m sick, really sick. I got the disease. I’m so sorry darling. Worst of all is I can’t even see you. I absolutely forbid you from coming here. Do you hear me? From now until we meet again, we can communicate by letter. I love you so much, my rose. 

Love, Your Yongie

As your mind slowly starts to register the note, your knees instantly give out, bringing you to the floor of your living room. You can barely register the sting from the impact. You couldn’t help but let out a broken gut-wrenching cry. Your tears feel like fire as they run down your face. You clutch your heart; it’s as if you can feel it breaking. 

Everyday Taeyong sends you a letter and everyday you put it in the pile with the others. It broke your heart every time you would put the letters unopened together with the others and never wrote a response back, but recently you had thrown your entire being into finding a cure for the disease. You couldn’t risk another breakdown like when you first found out, because every single second matters. 

Every second you spend trying to find a cure brings you closer to a forever with Taeyong, and you couldn’t risk that. You still open and run the pharmacy like normal, but even then you spend all of your time asking customers everything they know about the disease and whatever anyone they knew who had it was going through. 

Lately, the way you’ve been going at it was to find the fruit that supposedly started it all and find out why the human body reacts so badly to it. You just managed to find it yesterday while you were out in the forest for the third time hunting for it. You were planning to do some tests and see what you possibly can do. 

A series of harsh knocks rain upon the pharmacy door and the irritation at the possible customer shows on your face. “I’m sorry but we’re clo–” Your sentence stops abruptly as Doyoung harshly shoves past you, the anger and tension in his body evident.

“You know, you have some fucking nerve. Taeyong is literally dying right now, he is fucking dying yet he still manages to write you everyday. And on days when he can’t muster the strength he gets someone to write what he says.” Whipping his body around he faces you, face scrunched in a horrendous snarl, “And you can’t even take the time to write a fucking letter back. All you do is sit in this pharmacy and play in your stupid garden all day.”

It’s then that he notices the pile of letters sitting neatly on your desk, a scoff pushes its way past his lips, “Oh my fucking god, you didn’t have the decency to even open them. Have you ever even loved him? Tell me. Honestly.” He stares directly into your eyes, the fire in them seemingly endless. “Or was he just some toy? A part in some plan you had to get rich and become an empress or some shit. Did you just use my best friend for your own selfish reasons?” 

Your mouth opens, preparing to say something only for it to close again. Repeating that process multiple times you find out that there were no words you could say that would satisfy him. “And it’s funny because if that was your plan, then it worked. I know you don’t know but Taeyong planned to propose, he wanted–no, wants to spend the rest of his life with you. I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but oh well.” At his statement, your mouth falls open again, leaving you utterly speechless. 

A moment of silence passes and a heavy sigh from the male fills the air. He stares tiredly at your desk, exasperated. “He’s dying, simple as that. Doctor says he doesn’t have much longer before the rashes start popping up. His estimate was at most two weeks.” With his face angled away from you, the tears that streamed down his face weren’t visible. “Do what you will with that information. I don’t have the time for this.” 

Turning his body, Doyoung walks out the door, leaving a chill in the air. You don’t even have it in you to cry. Your sorrow runs farther than any river in the world, yet the thought that kept you from breaking down was Taeyong’s smile. Then you realized you would never be able to see it again if there was no cure. Swiping  away the tears that managed to fall, you get back to work. Taeyong wasn’t going to die on your watch. 

Your chest felt so tight, like it was squeezing all of the air out of your lungs. You could barely feel the shock of your heavy footfalls on the pavement as you ran like your life depended on it. The steps to the palace have never seemed longer as you ran, hoping you made it in time. Passing guards all were blurs as you swore you were running at the speed of light. 

Making your way to Taeyong’s room, you see a distraught Doyoung crouched outside of the door. His silent cries cued your heart to fall to your aching feet. Barely able to get the words out you ask, “Am I too late, is-is he g-gone?” Your voice broke as you spoke those words. Doyoung doesn’t say anything as he silently raises his head to look at you. “I can’t be late. I-I found it, I found the cure. I have the cure to save Taeyong.” 

Not able to withstand Doyoung’s gaze, you burst through the king’s bedroom doors, instantly spotting the palace doctor at his bed. Taeyong lays lifelessly on the bed, chest barely managing to move up and down. This was not the Taeyong you knew, not the man you fell in love with. This man was just but a shell of him. You had never seen his skin so pale, his face sunken in to the point where you can easily see his cheekbones you loved to rain kisses on. 

“Doctor.” Your gaze shifts from the sleeping male to the doctor beside him, “He’s not… dead, is he?”

“No, not yet, but I do recommend you give your last goodbyes.” 

Walking up the man, you forcefully push the vial containing the cure into his hands, “Here, this is the cure.” Broken stutters leave the man's mouth as he questions the integrity of your statement. “Listen, we don’t have a lot of time; just trust that it will work. I have tested it on five different people, all of varying ages, and four out of five of those people survived. The only reason the fifth didn’t was because they were too far gone.” 

You update the doctor on what the antidote is and what it does. “The antidote is not a cure per say, it doesn’t get rid of the disease. I studied the fruit that the disease stems from and something in the DNA of it, let's just say it doesn't agree with something in our DNA, which causes basically an allergic reaction times 100. This antidote soothes the part of our DNA that reacts so badly, and that in turn stops the allergic reaction so that it doesn’t kill us. Now that I’ve wasted time explaining that to you, can we please get the antidote in his system?”

All of your talking caused the sickly emperor to awaken to your voice in the room with him. “Y/n, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to not come here. I-” 

“Taeyong, calm down, baby, please. I am here to save you.” You nod to the doctor giving him the go for the injection. “The doctor is about to inject the cure for the disease into you, then you’re going to get better for me, okay?”

After administering the shot, Taeyong had fallen asleep again from lack of energy. It had been 10 hours and you sat every single one on his bedside, wanting to be the first to see him. In those 10 hours, you told the doctor how to make more of the cure so that he could get it to everyone, and Doyoung finally came into the room after hearing what you had done, and gave you a proper apology for snapping at you. 

You feel a hand grip yours, and you snap your head up to see Taeyong looking back at you with a smile as big as he could conjure right now placed on his face. Quickly handing him some water, you start to question how he feels. Telling you he feels the best he has in weeks was good enough to satiate you for now. 

When Taeyong had finally convinced you to lay in bed with him, you chose this moment to give him his answer. 

“Yes.” A look of confusion covers Taeyong’s face as he wonders what you are saying yes to. “Yes, I will marry you.”  

You and Taeyong decided not to have a huge wedding, instead choosing to hold a ceremony with just a few of your closest friends, but you did have to present yourself to the empire now as the new empress.

“Are you ready, my rose?” Taeyong asks, walking up behind you in front of the mirror, enclosing his arms around your waist. You turn around to look at him directly, taking in his attire. 

“Why do you have such a heavy robe?” you question, noticing the heavy piece of clothing. You’d always wondered that whenever you would see him out of the palace. 

Shrugging his shoulders, Taeyong plants a kiss upon your cheek, “I-I don’t know it’s just customary, I never thought to change it.”

“Well, for my first decree as empress, I declare that you get a new robe, a lighter one.” you say, dusting the imaginary dust off of his shoulders. “You don’t need to have such a heavy weight on your shoulders. You can tell it weighs you down. I don’t want you to overexert yourself.”

“Will do, my empress. Come, we have to go now.” 

It was getting to the last leg of the parade the citizens held in your honor. You felt so welcome by everyone. You were expecting people to hate you because you weren’t already a royal before you married Taeyong. “How are you holding up, darling? I know these things can take a lot out of people.”

“I am fine, my love, just slightly tired.” You can’t help but wave at every person you see, feeding off of their enthusiasm. Overcome with emotion, Taeyong can’t help it when he cradles your face in his hands, lowering his head whilst tilting yours to give him room, and plants a loving kiss upon your cheek. Your cheeks were on fire at his public display of affection in front of everyone, yet you found yourself fully indulging in the kiss, closing your eyes in hopes of savoring the moment. The kiss caused an uproar within the crowd, the citizens ecstatic at the relationship between you both. 

“Taeyong, what was that earlier today? Why’d you kiss me?” 

“I’m sorry, baby. I couldn’t help it when I saw you and how happy you looked waving at everyone,” he explains pulling you into another kiss, but this time on the lips. Slowly the kiss becomes heated and you start pawing at each other's clothes, almost ripping them off. Taeyong plants kisses along your neck as you begin to fondle his soft manhood. 

You feel Taeyong’s hand slide to your cunt rubbing your clit, “Looks like someones already ready for me. I wonder who made you this wet sweetie.” he taunts, slowly pressing one finger inside of you then a second curving them up and spreading them out in order to stretch your tight hole. Your low breathy moans fill the room bouncing off of each and every wall. 

Pretty soon you both are ready, blindly walking yourself to the bed you land on the soft cushion with an oomph. Taeyong slowly grinds his now hard cock up and down your slit puposely prodding at your clit. You wriggle your hips silently begging the male to hurry up and put it in. 

Giving into you because he was just as excited Taeyong finally slides himself in, his stiffness getting completely engulfed by your wet hot cavern. “Mmm, I’ll never get used to how well your needy pussy takes me in baby.” His slow thrusts simultaneously scratching that itch but just enough to make it come back for more.

“Harder Tae, I need to feel you wreck me.” Granting your wish taeyong stops the gentle loving strokes, swapping them out for a harsher more unforgiving thrusts. His hips smack yours as Taeyong puts what feels like all the power he has in his thrusts. You close your eyes and see stars as Taeyong fucks your soul out of you. His hands have an unforgiving grip on your waist, one going up to massage your breast, teasing your nipple.

Taeyong starts laying kisses along your body leaving purple spots in his wake. “ I want everyone to see that you are mine and I am yours forever and always.” Whispering in your ear, “Go ahead and cum for me baby, let everyone know what we’re doing so they can see who you belong to.” 

You all but scream Taeyong’s name out in pure ecstasy as you cum the hardest you ever have to date. It felt as if you had been transported to another world. Taeyong cums right behind you filling you to the brim with his seed. “It’s a little too late to say this now but I think it’s about time we start thinking about children.” He says pulling himself out of your now swollen lower region. 

“Oh my god shut up, I hate you,” you cry, out rolling your eyes

“I love you too, my rose.” 

[daisys-gard3n]

Got monster brainrot so Im current drawing werewolf mista w/ cute lil wolf ears and sir pls rail me while i pull on them ugh

-pubby

Mista with the fluffy hair and ears and tail, putting you in the mating press because he couldn't help himself. You just smelled so good and you walked in during the middle of his rut...

He's whining when you pull on his ears, it makes him want to lap and dig his tongue deep into your hole because it makes him feel so good and he wants to do the same thing for his mate!

His tail wagging as he pounds into you, pretty much drooling and growling like a feral animal as he pulls you into a messy kiss as his knot swells up bigger until he's plugged inside of you, pulling away as his hot cum fills you up and he lets out a howl, trying to push himself deeper into your to make sure you breeded nice and well. Mista would then lick at the sweat forming at your skin, kissing you and his tail wagging happily as he waited for his knot to go down. He's talking about how cute the puppies you to are gonna make are, about how he can take care of you and bring you food to feed his young, all while his ears are perked up and his tail wagging happily. Of course, this is his rutting period and his knot can go down pretty quickly. That means he's still horny and wants to fill you up all over again, just to be sure that you're so full and there's not a chance that you aren't bred thoroughly! If you try to push him off, he gives you the puppy dog eyes and his ears flop down as he whines a little. It really gets to you, Mista knows how to play with your heart as you just let him rail you all over again happily. All while he licks and presses kisses on your face, scenting you on your neck to let the other werewolves in the neighborhood know that you were taken.

[hansols-yoda-boxers]

Bad Decisions (Just You)

Seungcheol x Female Reader

Word Count: 5436

Contents: reader is a bratty sub but cheol is fucking whipped, oral (male receiving) while sleeping, manhandling, slight body praise, choking, pet name (babygirl), sir kink, dom svt, hair pulling, face fucking, drooling, fingering, marking, living room sex, wall, sex, bed sex (all unprotected), multiple creampies, very slight breeding kink 

Note: So as if this is some pop song I’ve given it two titles cuz I couldn’t decide. Anyways okay this is so late and I am so sorry for that but a very happy belated birthday to @bootyful-seventeen !!!! You are so much fun to talk to and I know I can go to you with that weird shit and you’ll roll with it. You write fun stuff and I really love that you don’t take it too seriously, the lighthearted stories are wonderful and your soft dad!svt stuff makes my heart melt. You are genuinely such enjoyable company and I hope you know that I really love our friendship and I’m really happy to know you. 

Truly, the day had been a veritable orgy of dumb decisions.

You shouldn’t have gotten so worked up when you woke up, cuddling with your boyfriend and feeling something hard pressing into your lower stomach. You shouldn’t have looked at the clock to see that Seungcheol’s alarm would go off in approximately six minutes. You shouldn’t have shimmed below the covers and found a cozy spot between his legs.

You definitely shouldn’t have pulled down his sweats and started sucking him off to wake him up.

And yet you did, despite truly, honestly, definitely knowing better you couldn’t help yourself and you did it anyway because life really is too short to deny yourself the pleasure that is your boyfriend’s cock, even if you didn’t think through the timing at all.

And so you felt a hand in your hair as you moved your lips, taking his cock into your mouth. And you heard his low, gravely, early morning groans, the first sound out of his mouth that sent arousal careening through your body and had you pressing your thighs together. You sunk into the bliss, letting your hand slip between your legs to tease yourself, mind clouded with the enticing idea of morning sex, knowing it would set your day up just right.

Until Seungcheol’s alarm started blaring in your ears and he let out a much more annoyed groan. His hand pulled off the blankets easily and you gave him the sweetest look you could, still whining as he pulled you back off of his cock and rolled out of bed.

“Aw, come on we ca-”

“No,” he warned. “You know I don’t have time.” He eyed you, regarding you suspiciously as he pulled his sweats back up. “Now I have to shower and get ready and deal with this,” he motioned to the now very obvious boner in his sweats, “before I leave.”

“You had that before I started,” you whined. “And you know I could help y-” Your words fell off as he leaned closer to you suddenly, grabbing your jaw firmly with a slow burning intensity in his gaze.

“If I let you help me, I’ll be late. So now thanks to you, I won’t be able to get the thought of fucking your mouth out of my head. You’ve already managed to ruin me for the whole day.” You tried to bite back the grin tugging at your lips but you couldn’t and Seungcheol’s grip tightened. “Don’t get smug, babygirl.”

You didn’t wipe the look from your face, watching him as he let go of you and headed for the bathroom. “What are you gonna do about it?” You giggled. Seungcheol threw you a look over his shoulder as he left the room.

Unsurprisingly, the bad decisions did not end there.

You had things to do, it wasn’t like your day was empty but you did have some free time, and most of what you needed to do was from home today. And on any other day that wouldn’t mean much more than that you would start dinner since it was easier for you to get something ready.

Today, however, it meant you were going to tease him.

Once he was on his way you got yourself out of bed, taking you time washing up and picking pretty lingerie. You grabbed a pair of leggings and searched through his closet to find one of his shirts and felt only the slightest bit unhinged at how you couldn’t stop smiling and chuckling to yourself over your plan to mess with him all day.

And mess with him you did. The morning started off with innocent selfies when you had spare moments. The first few he reacted to sweetly but as you sent further back and then mirror selfies he got frustrated. It was far too easy to wind him up and so much fun teasing him about what was hidden under his big, comfy shirt.

The more frustrated his messages became the more it egged you on. The more it made you wanna act like a brat. In between his warnings not to distract him while he was working (and your instances that he didn’t have to open the pictures in the middle of his work day) you could sense his desperation. You knew that with every minute that passed he wanted you more and more and that feeling was just far too fun and far too powerful.

That’s what you told yourself as you had slipped your leggings off that afternoon and started teasing yourself over your panties, why you pulled your shirt up and caught it between your teeth, letting out muffled little moans and whines as your fingers worked and your hips rolled and bucked and followed the sensations.

As you started recording the video you were much more ready to say you were just messing with him further and not that all of your shenanigans had backfired only slightly and had you far too needy when he wouldn’t be home for another hour or so. You had to hope that when he got home he’d be too needy and wouldn’t try to punish you by taking away sex.

Then again, any time he’d tried that he gave in after a day or two. He really couldn’t resist you.

“When are you coming home?” you whined through the fabric between your teeth. “Please, I need you so badly.” Admittedly, you were hyping it up a little more for the camera just to get to him but the thought of how he would be when he got home was all the incentive you needed. 

“Please, please fuck-” You ended the video. You knew very well you were going to be in trouble for sending him a video and then not letting him see you cum, but today was a day for bad decisions and you were rolling with it now. A long moan left your lips and your back arched as you came, legs trembling and core squeezing around your measly fingers, reminding you of what you really wanted inside of you.

You felt a little dazed as you sent the video, though not nearly as fucked out as you wanted to feel. Either way you let yourself flop back on the bed, comfy and considering a nap while you waited for Seungcheol to come home. You could go start dinner though, not that you felt you would be eating when he walked in the door. Your sleepy mind thought about what you might make and if you needed to prepare anything ahead of time until your phone buzzed.

[You’re in so much trouble, babygirl]

You snickered as you read the message.

[Well you’re not here, looks like I can do what I want]

[Not for long]

[You’re such a little brat today, babygirl]

[Better hurry up and get home before I wear myself out] You couldn’t keep in your chuckles as you put down your phone, heading to the bathroom to freshen up just a bit. You could figure out food later but at the moment what you really wanted was to think about your boyfriend getting home. You took as much time as you could washing up, picking out his favourite perfume for you and fixing your lingerie and hair. You took the opportunity to turn on a sex playlist, hoping that you hadn’t added anything that would wreck the mood too much. You were preoccupied enough that you missed the soft click of the front door.

“You wanted to test me today.”

You spun around and gazed down the hall to where Seungcheol had just come through the door and was taking off his shoes. His gaze was dark and intense and it filled you with arousal as much as it did glee. As soon as they were off he was making his way towards you as you stepped out into the hallway. You bit down on your lip, trying not to smile too widely as he grabbed you by the waist and pushed you back until you hit the wall with a gasp that was quickly swallowed by his lips.

He kissed you with all the pent up passion and tension from a day of teasing, hand coming up to your throat as he pressed you into the wall with his body. You easily let his tongue past your lips, whining unabashedly against him as his free hand grabbed at your hip and he pressed one of his thighs between your legs.

Your hands couldn’t help themselves, pulling him closer by his hair at first, but it wasn’t long before they wandered. They seemed to have a mind of their own as they moved down his shoulders and you felt up his arms, feeling him smile into the messy kisses and urging your hips to move, grinding on his thigh subtly. Your hands moved further, slipping down his back before grabbing at his ass and drawing a light groan from him before he pulled away from the kiss, lips moving to your ear as the hand around your throat tightened.

“Do you know how much grief you caused me today?” He growled. “Do you know how much trouble you’re in babygirl?”

“Not enough,” you hummed, solely to get his hand just a little tighter and have him push you down on his thigh a little more roughly. He pressed his hips into you, rutting against you and you felt even more heat pooling between your legs, your mouth watering at the feeling of his hard length pressing into you from the movement.

“Do you feel that, babygirl?” His voice was rough and you could hear his own desperation just under the surface. “Do you feel what you do to me? Do you know how hard it was to get through the day with you acting up like that? Spending me pictures of your pretty body? Sending video?”

“H-H-” you tried to speak but the way he pressed his thigh up between your legs and rolled his hips against you drew a desperate moan from your lips instead, your hands grabbing at him and trying to pull him closer. Your legs trembled slightly as you ground your core down against his thigh, feeling the dull sparks igniting inside you and wanting more.

“You’re such a brat today,” he growled, easily adding to the arousal pooling between your legs and drawing a whimper from your lips. Your mind was quickly closing on in your goal, fueled by your need and wanting almost nothing more than for him to fuck, you brain searching for any words that would have that happening faster.

“Y-You-” You forced your words out despite your whines and hazy mind. “You sh-should punish me, sir.”

A gasp left your lungs as he pulled his thigh out from between your legs. His hand moved from your throat to your shoulder and he pushed you down roughly to your knees, his hand tangling into your hair easily. You gazed up at him with a pout and he smirked down at you as his other hand undid his belt.

“I know what you want, babygirl,” he murmured, unzipping his pants. “I know that you want me to fuck you against every piece of furniture in this apartment.”

“Please,” you whined, whimpering louder when he tugged roughly on your hair.

“You’ve been a brat. Getting off without me is one thing, but using it to taunt me while I can’t do anything? And now you think you deserve to get off again? To get just what you want?” He chuckled, shaking his head before giving you an intense gaze. “Open your mouth, babygirl.”

You kept your eyes on him, letting out a whine but doing as he said as he pushed his boxers down. You itched to look at his cock, hard in his hand as he pumped it slowly and groaned. You squirmed, letting your tongue hang out as you gave him a sweet look. Seungcheol brought his cock to your lips and you leaned forwards, earning another chuckle from his lips.

“Pretending to be eager now? Do you think that’s going to make it up to me, babygirl?”

“No, sir,” you mumbled as sweetly as you could. “I j-” you gasped again as he tugged at your hair roughly. Before any more words could make it out of your mouth he thrust his cock between your lips, letting out a groan.

“You’re too mouthy today, babygirl,” he groaned. “Let me use that pretty mouth for something more productive.”

Seungcheol held your head still as he started to fuck into your mouth. Groans fell off his lips as and his gaze grew darker and darker as his hips moved steadily into your mouth. Your hands dug into the skin of your thighs, breathing through your nose and trying not to touch yourself the way you desperately wanted to.

“God, your mouth feels so good,” he groaned. “Maybe I’ll just fuck your mouth all night, babygirl. You’ve been so bratty maybe I won’t even fuck you. I shouldn’t, you don’t deserve it.”

You let out a desperate moan around his cock. He was only saying that to get to you, he wanted it as badly as you did. But now, with his cock in your mouth and your thighs pressing together and getting no relief the only thought on your mind was to get more. You did your best to relax your throat, trying to lean forwards and take more of his cock.

Seungcheol cursed under his breath, his grip in your hair tightening as his cock breached your throat. You gagged around his length, drool dripping out from the covers of your mouth before he pulled his cock back to let you breathe.

“If you want me to fuck you properly,” his voice was growing rougher as his hips picked up their pace, fucking into your mouth faster. “Then you shouldn’t make your mouth any more enticing, babygirl.”

You moaned around him in response, keeping your gaze on him as best you could as his cock thrust into your throat again, a deeper growl leaving his lips at the feeling as you moaned around him and felt more drool coming from your mouth, getting more and more messy by the second as he started to chase his high.

“Fuck, you feel so good, babygirl,” he growled. “Your pretty mouth f-feels so good.” His hips started to snap into your mouth more quickly and you kept your jaw and throat as relaxed as you could, moaning around his cock and trying to grind or roll your hips on nothing, needing some relief desperately.

Seungcheol, let out a rough growl as he pushed into your throat and came, holding your head down on his cock as he released. His cum ran down your throat and pooled into your mouth. You gasped to catch your breath when he slowly pulled his cock away and tilted your head back, looking down at you hazily.

“God you look pretty like that, babygirl,” he groaned.

Your voice was breathy and had a desperation you could no longer hide. “I’d look better bent over the couch, right sir?”

He bit down on his lip to hold in the near growl that came from his chest but there was nothing hesitant about the way he pulled you to your feet roughly by your hair. Was your mind not already on the goal of being fucked you would be downright giddy at the way he handled you so roughly. His hands grabbed at you as you made it to your feet and he pushed you to the couch, bending you over it easily.

You bit down on your lip, gasping as he pulled at your panties, tearing them off and spreading your legs. One of his hands tangled into your now messy hair while the other dragged through your folds. You pressed your hips back into his hand and heard him chuckling, though his voice was much breathier.

“You’re just so enticing, babygirl,” he groaned, easily pushing two fingers into you as he leaned over you back. “God, even when I want to punish you I just can’t help myself. I shouldn’t be fucking you when you’ve been so bratty, but I really can’t resist your pretty pussy.” You let out small moans as you ground your hips back and he curled and thrust his fingers at a steady pace. “The way you get so desperate for me, the way you’re moaning for me,” he pressed his lips to your back, between your shoulder blades. “I know you know what you do to me.”

You lost yourself in the feeling, shamelessly rolling and grinding your hips back as much as he’d allow. His fingers moved more and more quickly, feverishly, into your cunt. His lips found the back of your neck and sucked marks into your skin, drawing shivers down your spine and moans from your lips at the feeling.

Your toes curled as he pressed a third finger inside easily. Your head fell forward as you pressed your hips back even more and moaned out for him, fingers grabbing at the fabric of the couch to steady yourself as the intense feeling in your core built stronger and stronger.

“God you’re so cute when you’re needy. You got yourself all worked today too, didn’t you babygirl?” You moaned, nodding your head and feeling your legs tremble as you clenched around his fingers at his words. Your hips kept moving, getting so close to your high as the coil in your core curled tightly.

Curses feel off your lips as Seungcheol nipped at your ear. “I really shouldn’t give you what you want,” his voice was rough as he pressed his hips against you, his hard cock pressing against your ass.

“Please,” you weren’t even sure what you were begging for as your mind spun. Did you want to cum right now or did you want his cock first? Both ideas sounded heavenly to your very clouded, very aroused, extremely needy brain. “Please, sir, please.”

You bit down on your lip to hold in your whine as he pulled his fingers from your core. A hand found your hair and you let out a gasp as he pulled you up roughly, bringing his wet fingers to your lips.

“Open up, babygirl.”

You let your lips fall open easily, eyes fluttering closed as you tasted yourself on his fingers, suck them clean messily. Your tongue ran over his digits as he let go of your hair, dropping his hand between your legs and nearly making your knees buckle as he suddenly started rubbing fast, rough circles into your clit.

You cursed around his fingers, legs shaking as you leaned your thighs against the back of the couch, trying to stay on your feet as the pleasure coursed through you. The coil in your core curled tighter and your moans climbed higher in your voice. Seungcheol’s lips sucked roughly at the side of your neck as he rutted against your ass and low growls rumbled from his chest.

He waited until you were right on your edge to pull his hand away. A whine welled up in your throat but it didn’t make it out as his hand found the middle of your back and pushed you forward, bending you over the couch again. He pulled your thighs a little wider and you felt your eyes roll back and flutter closed as you sunk his cock into your cunt.

“H-H-” No words made it off your lips as he grabbed your hips roughly and thrust into you. Moans fell off instead, one after another as every movement of his hips sent pleasure coursing through you, your legs trembling as you teetered on your edge. His thrusts were edging on rough and quick but deep enough that they made you dizzy, his low groans and growls only adding to the arousal curling tightly in your body.

“G-God you feel so f-fucking good, babygirl,” Seungcheol’s fingers dug even more deeply into your hips. The uneven roughness in his voice only serving to turn you on that much more. “God I r-really can’t resist you. Your pretty, tight pussy. F-Fuck the way you moan for me.”

Your voice was a mix of curses and moans and whines of “please, sir, don’t stop, sir.” Your hands scrambled for purchase in the fabric of the couch, on the edges of pillows as his cock sunk into your heat over and over and you started to clench around him. The sound of his hips hitting your ass mixed with the moans and groans falling from both of you as your toes tried to curl.

“Please, s-sir, I- fuck- I’m-” The words could barely make it off your tongue.

“Cum for me babygirl, cum on my cock.”

You cried out, body shaking as you came hard. Pleasure washed over your body in tidal waves, reaching to the tips of your fingers and toes as you moaned for him. What little strength your arms had gave out and you fully fell into the couch below. 

Seungcheol’s hips kept moving, fucking you through your orgasm and into sensitivity. Your legs didn’t stop trembling and your moans died to whimpers as his hips kept moving. Your face pressed into the cushion below and your arms were shaky as he let out breathy groans and growls and a few curses at the feeling. Pleasure started to build inside you again, much more easily but he didn’t bring you to your edge again, pulling out quickly.

His hand grabbed your hair and pulled you to your feet and he spun you to face him. His hands found your hips and you gazed up at him, desperate and nearly drooling as he smirked at you, sweat on his brow making his hair stick to his forehead as his chest heaved and he pulled you across the room.

You gasped as he pushed you into the wall, the hot skin of your back hitting the cool drywall as his lips found yours feverishly. The way he kissed you nearly made your legs give out all on it’s own and your hands scrambled to wrap around his neck until he tugged at his shirt, pulling it off of you and ridding you of your bra as well. He made quick work of his own shirt before grabbing both your wrists in one hand and pinning them to the wall above your head. Your legs trembled as he lifted one and wrapped it around his waist as he ground his cock through your folds.

“Are you too tired, babygirl?” he asked, a teasing edge to his voice.

“No, sir,” you whined breathlessly, giving him a sweet look and struggling to keep your eyes open as he pushed into you again, the new angle drawing a high pitched moan from your lips. He ground his hips into you, smirking as your head fell back to the wall and you tried to ground your hips down for more.

“Still needy?” He cooed.

“Please,” you let the words fall off your lips, any sense of shame long gone. “Please keep fucking me. Please I need your cock, I need your cum, I-” your words turned to moans as he thrust up into you roughly before settling on quick, shallow, movements making you tremble easily from the first thrust.

He moved his lips to your ear, voice rough and verging on a growl. “You need my cum, babygirl? Do you want me to cum deep inside you?”

“Please,” your voice was breathy and high as you curled your fingers in towards your palms and squeezed your leg around Seungcheol’s hip. You pulled weakly at his wrists but he easily held them still, hips snapping into you as low groans fell off his lips until his met yours in messy, desperate kisses.

Your legs trembled, the wall and Seungcheol’s body weight holding you up as a coil started to curl tightly in your sensitive core again. You could barely focus on the kisses, leaving messy moans against his lips as his thrusts grew a little rougher and uneven.

Seungcheol let out a moan against your lips as he released deep inside you. He ground his cock slowly into your cunt and you let out a broken whimper at the feeling of his cum filling you even more, flexing and curling your fingers out as your hips followed his movements greedily, still wanting more.

Seungcheol pulled you leg away from his hip and let go of your hands and you braced yourself against the wall. He let your leg down but was quick to push your thighs apart, dropping down and shooting you a warning look to keep your legs apart for him. You bit down on your lip as he drew his fingers up your inner thigh.

He let out a groan as you felt his cum starting to drip out of you. Your legs were shaky and weak but you did your best to hold yourself up as he brought his fingers to drag through your folds, gathering his cum before fucking it back into your sensitive core. Small whimpers slipped out and you struggled to stay on your feet as his fingers fucked you slowly, your core clenching around them, having a mind of its own.

Seungcheol chuckled as he pulled his hands away and stood in front of you. His clean hand came up around your neck, pressing down every slightly while he pressed his fingers to your lips and you took them into your mouth just the way he wanted. You gazed with heavily lidded eyes into his intense ones, subtly biting the inside of his lip as he watched you suck on his fingers.

“Do you need a little more, babygirl?” His voice was quieter but still had a roughness to it and made you needy cunt clench again as his cum dripped down your thighs. You nodded lazily, giving him a sweet expression and reaching for him to pull him closer to you.

He pulled his fingers from your mouth, pressing into your body with his and kissing you roughly, squeezing your throat just a little more. You kissed him greedily, his own kisses following suit. You grabbed at him weakly and moaned against his lips as he ground his cock against you. Even though your body was tired, your legs felt like they might give out if you stood on them for much longer, you couldn’t help yourself. You were all wrapped up in him and you wanted every little bit he could give you.

Seungcheol’s hands grabbed your waist and you gasped as he pulled you away from the wall and properly into the bedroom. His movements were even more forceful as he pushed you down onto the bed and you couldn't help the lazy smile that tugged at you lips as you gazed up at him, squealing as he pulled your hips roughly to the edge of the bed and lifted your legs, throwing them over his shoulders.

He leaned over you, grinding his cock through your folds and drawing a moan from your lips as his cock rubbed over your clit. “You can’t get enough of me, can you babygirl?” He teased.

“No sir,” your voice came out breathy as you gazed up at him, wanting nothing more than for him to sink his cock back into your core. “Please.”

His hand found your throat again, pressing down lightly. “I give into you too easily,” he said, gazing at you heatedly. “You’re lucky you’re so addicting babygirl. So lucky I’ll never get enough of you.” Both of you let out moans as he pushed into you, your legs trembling from the feeling alone.

“You’re so lucky I need you so badly,” he groaned as he pulled back and thrust into you roughly. “And that having you like this is one of my favourite things, o-otherwise you’d be in so much trouble for being such a needy brat all day.” His voice wavered just a bit as he gave you strong, deep thrusts between pulling out slowly, each one making you cry out in pleasure and struggle to keep looking at you.

“Fuck, watching your tits bounce every time,” his grip on your hips got tighter and his thrusts faster, picking up a steady pace even tough they stayed just as rough. “Feeling your legs shaking in my hands. The way you c-clench around me.” You took in his rough, low voice as he spoke, building back up to his next orgasm.

Your own release built too, the coil in your core curling tighter and tighter with every movement. Your fingers sunk into the soft sheets and gripped them as your head spun and moans poured off your lips. Your mind could barely find the words and make up sentences anymore, so wrapped up in the pleasure he was giving you as his hips snapped into you.

“C-Cu- F-F-F- C-” The words were so hard to get out of your foggy brain but you heard Seungcheol’s breathy chuckle.

“Are you going to cum again, babygirl?”

You let out a whine, trying to find the words in your muddy, hormone addled brain. “Y-Y- Yo- c-c-c-”

Seungcheol leaned over you, his hips driving into you much faster and only his hands on your hips keeping you from being pushed up the bed with the force of his thrusts. “Do you want more of my cum, babygirl?”

“P-Pl-” you managed to nod between moans and struggling with words.

“I’ll give you j-just that, babygirl.” he growled. “You t-take my cum so well how could I resist f-filling you until you can’t take anymore. I know how b-badly you want it. G-God I could fuck you senseless like this every day, f-fucking you full of my cum until you’re carrying my child. Is that what you want, babygirl?”

You cried out, back arching off the bed as you came hard. Your eyes squeezed shut and stars burst behind your eyelids as your body shook. Pleasure crashed over you in a tidal wave, reaching every bit of your body as Seungcheol’s cock kept pounding into you.

Curses fell off his lips as your body kept shaking and whimpers started to fall off your lips. Your whole body felt sensitive and your sounds were high in your voice as your mouth hung open, gaze hazy and eyes barely open and he chased his high, fucking you hard until his hips started to stutter.

He released deep inside you with a loud, low, rough groans. You tried to catch your breath as you felt his cum filling you more and more in thick ropes, his grip on your hips holding you in place as he ground slightly into your heat.

As he started to catch his breath he pulled out of your slowly, wrapping a hand around his cock and watching as his cum started to leak out of your cunt. You felt him bring his cock back to your core and let out a whine, squirming under him as he pushed his cock back in slowly with a breathy groan.

“Fuck you just feel so good,” he said. “I can’t help myself.” He pulled back and let more cum drip out before pushing it back in slowly again. You squeezed your eyes shut, whimpering and pressing the side of your face into the bed and he pulled out, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek before letting your legs down.

Despite how tired he’d gotten he went to get a washcloth. You listened to his footstep leave and come back moments later, whimpering as he brought the warm cloth between your legs. He hushed you gently, rubbing your hip soothingly as he cleaned you up, taking another cloth to wipe the sweat off your brow and you smiled slightly at how refreshed it made you feel.

As he climbed into bed with you you looked at him blearily and he gave you a soft smile. He helped you move up the bed and pulled you to lay on his chest, rubbing your back gently and pressing kisses to your forehead.

“Do you need anything to eat?” He hummed.

You shook your head, nuzzling into his chest. 

“Anything to drink? Or do you want a bath?”

“Nothing,” you mumbled. “Just you. I just want you.”

“Perfect,” he said softly. “Because I just want you, too.”

[apocalypseornaw]

Open My Eyes

Apocalyptic AU.

Dean gets increasingly jealous of your bond with Gadreel and things come to a head after a misunderstanding on a run

Dean had known you for years. Long before the dead started to rise and the world as it was previously known came crashing down. He knew you inside and out, you were one of his best friends. Maybe that was why it was bothering him so deeply to see you get closer with someone who was fairly new to your group. Gadreel had come in with the Banes twins. They’d gone through Bobby’s usual line of questions without missing a beat and had fit in smoothly enough with everyone else. That had been nearly six months ago which was a lifetime nowadays.

He tried to get you out of his head as he walked across the field that stretched between the outer fence and inner fence of the compound all of you now called home. It’d started life as a high school but with some hard work and a lot of blood, sweat and tears it was now a suitable place to survive the new world. Unfortunately before he could reach the sanctuary of the building where Bobby, Sam and Jody were waiting to talk about the new run that needed to happen he heard the all too familiar sound of your laugh.

He turned and found a small smile working its way onto his face when he saw you walking with Alicia and Max. You had your arm around Alicia’s shoulder and was laughing at something Max had said. He started to call your name but before he could he heard it called from a different direction and felt his mood immediately sour when you pulled your arm from Alicia to greet Gadreel as he made it to the three of you. He watched you pull the other man down to whisper something in his ear and felt anger flick at his mind. Especially when Gadreel laughed then whispered something back to you. Dean spun on his heel, he didn’t need to see any more.

------

The door to the meeting room slammed open but luckily for the three people sitting around the table it took a lot more than that to rattle their nerves. Bobby barely glanced up from the map “Nice of you to join us Dean now how about leaving the damn door on the hinges?”

Sam watched his brother drag a chair out and flop down into it. He wanted to ask what was wrong but knew that they needed to get this meeting through and that Dean was prone to shut down if asked directly what was wrong. He always did better with letting it slip through cursing whatever had soured his mood.

“From what we can figure there’s a couple veterinarian clinics along the route as well and considering the fact that people medicine isn’t actually any different than animal medicine they may have supplies there and it wouldn’t hurt to check” Jody spoke tapping a few different places on the map. Bobby nodded then cut his eyes at Dean “You and Sam up to taking a team and checking it out? We need the supplies to winterize this place once and for all, not to mention having extra medical supplies on hand wouldn’t hurt”

“Yeah we can handle it Bobby” Dean promised although it was apparent his mind was still not focused on the meeting. “All in all it’ll probably take about a week or so considering the ground you’ll have to cover so I’d pick a good team. Take Y/N with you too she hangs out with Alex and Kaia enough she can spot anything that has medicinal usage from a mile away” Jody added with a wink to Bobby before pushing away from the table to head out. She’d be gathering supplies for whatever team was picked and wanted to get it together.

Bobby watched her leave then turned back to his surrogate sons. “So I was thinking Y/N, Alicia, Max, Gadreel and Charlie would be a decent team to take. Ain’t like any of those girls can’t handle their own in a fight. Max can get through any tight spot and Gadreel is strong as a horse” Dean scoffed at that which earned him a look from Bobby “You got an issue with any of that son?”

Dean shook his head “Nope” then pushed his chair back “I’m going to gather my gear, you two can make sure everyone is up to the run” with that he walked out leaving Bobby to throw a questioning look at Sam who simply shrugged “I don’t really know what that’s about either” “Make sure he keeps a clear head. There’s a lot of dangers out there and not just the biters got it?” Sam nodded “Yes sir”

------

You were helping Jody to gather supplies for the upcoming run after she’d come out of the meeting with Bobby, Dean and Sam. “Do you know anything that could be bothering Dean?” She asked, holding out a pack of dried meat. You took it and shook your head “Not that I know of but I could always just ask him?”

She shrugged “No he’ll tell you or Sam if whatever it is gets to bothering him too much” You would hope so anyways. You always went to Dean if anything was bothering you. He’d offer advice if that’s what you were after or simply offer comfort or a place to vent. “I’m gonna grab my jacket and go bag from my room then I’ll meet everyone by the front gate” she nodded to let you know she’d heard you so you turned to head towards the living quarters.

The halls that had been transformed to be mini dorm rooms were actually quite comfortable considering. You considered yourself lucky that you’d been close with a lot of your group before that fateful day that a widespread virus was alerted in the news. You could still remember Sam’s phone call to you “Pack just what you need. Dean will be pulling up at your place any time”

You’d hastily thrown clothes and the contents of your medicine cabinet in a bag. Before you were through grabbing what you deemed necessary you heard a heavy knock on your door followed by Dean’s voice “Come on sweetheart! We gotta go!” When you opened the door your eyes widened when Dean shoved a gun into your hand. “Dean, what’s going on?” you asked and he took a deep breath “Long story short? The dead are rising. True,blue zombies. We gotta go cause shit is hitting the fan fast”

You gripped the gun noticing the one in his own hand and nodded “Lead the way Winchester. You know I trust you”

------

You shook yourself out of thoughts of the past. You needed to focus on this run completely. You grabbed your go bag from the floor checking what ammo you had and slipping a machete at your side. You glanced at your bat leaned next to the bed but decided against it. It was better the few times you’d go out solo or with just one other person. From what Jody had said there was a full team going after the winterizing supplies.

You slipped your jacket on then slid the strap of your bag across your chest. You walked back towards the doors that led outside. The electricity that the compound ran off of came from a mixture of solar panels and generators. The good part? Bobby knew enough to be able to brew enough corn liquor that the generators had fuel for years.

The only downside was that meant the few vehicles you had could only be used in moderation. Short runs horses were used for but considering this one would take about a week and would be gathering supplies for all the black panel van that was used for such runs was parked by the front gate awaiting those going.

You walked towards the gate and smiled when you spotted Dean standing with Bobby and Sam at the front of the van. They were clearly going over the mapped out areas one more time but you knew neither of them would mind you inserting yourself into the conversation. Since Dean’s back was to you and Sam noticed you first so you raised one finger to your lips. He quickly turned his attention back to the conversation so you wouldn’t be noticed.

You quietly took a few steps forward and slid your arms around Dean’s waist and leaned your head on his shoulder even if that meant you had to stand on your tip toes and still barely reach “So where are we going?” you could see the corners of his mouth tick up and knew he was fighting a smile “We’re going to a few different places sweetheart. You wanna hang off me like a spider monkey or you want to actually look at the map?” you feigned a pout “Why can’t I hang off you like a spider monkey and look at the map?” he rolled his eyes with a laugh “Get down”

You pulled your head down from his shoulder and moved your arms from around his waist to step slightly in front of him and look at the map Bobby had laid across the hood. Sam went over the stops with you, highlighting the couple where you’d be taking the lead since you knew more about what was needed for medicinal purposes. “Sounds good to me. Who’s the rest of the crew?” you could’ve sworn you saw a look be passed among the three of them before Bobby said “Alicia, Charlie, Max and Gadreel” you nodded approvingly at the choices “All good picks”

You heard a sharp whistle and turned to see Charlie walking towards the four of you trailed by the rest of the crew. “What’s up bitches? We ready to ride?” “Of course dear” You replied meeting her halfway.

------

Dean watched as you greeted the rest of the crew going on the run. Charlie was like a sister to him, Alicia and Max were cool but spending the next week in close quarters with you and Gadreel? Yeah he may look for some biters just to have an excuse to kill something.

“Alright! Everyone load up!” he barked out and you cut your eyes up at him “Depends, can I have shotgun for the first few miles at least?” He barely glanced at Gadreel before saying “Of course sweetheart” . You shot him a wink then walked around to the passenger side of the van along with everyone else who was climbing into the back.

Sam didn’t miss the look Dean threw at Gadreel or the way his brother had bristled anytime over the last few weeks when he’d see you with the other man. Was that what the attitude was about before the meeting? Was Dean jealous? He chose not to say anything for now and instead simply walked around to sit next to Gadreel on the middle seat since Charlie had taken up the backseat along with the twins.

------

Your destination was two states over. It was a contraction warehouse that had fallen early. Bobby kept an eye on the amount of biters in it versus the prospects of anyone actually getting inside.

Considering the zombies had lightened up in that area and everything needed to finish winterizing the compound and green houses could be found there it was worth the risk to go. That way you'd have running water and fresh food no matter how severe the coming winter got.

You were curled up with your feet under you watching the road whip by as Dean drove. You had a shoebox full of cassette tapes in your lap looking over them to see if any peaked your interest. You plucked one out of the box and stuck it into the player simply to see Dean's reaction when it started playing.

When the first few notes of It's My Life started playing he cut his eyes at you "Bon Jovi really?" You grinned "Hey Bon Jovi rocks...on occasion" then started singing along and couldn't help but laugh when Sam, Charlie and Max joined in.

No matter the music or the company Dean couldn't fight the smile that worked its way onto his face. You had shifted to have your legs out in front of you and were now drumming on the dash along with the music and had everyone in the van either singing or laughing along. Why had he never realized how amazing you were before? Why had it literally taken an apocalypse to open his eyes?

He watched you turn in your seat and bump Gadreel's leg as You Give Love a Bad Name started and felt that same flicker of anger. Maybe he'd waited too long to see what had been in front of him for years, maybe Gadreel had realized it a lot sooner.

The first day on the road was pretty uneventful. There were no stops to be made marked on the map so it was filled with just driving besides stopping for everyone to find a tree.

Considering the route was figured to be about three days there and three back (giving plenty of leadway for any issues that might arise) you asked Dean once the sun started going down if he was ready to pull over somewhere for the night or if he wanted you or Sam to take over driving.

He glanced in the mirror at Sam "What do you say Sammy? Wanna take the wheel for a while?" "Sure" Sam agreed so Dean stopped dead in the center of the road..not like there was a lot of traffic.

"Well I'm gonna climb in the back and get a little sleep" you announced after realizing Charlie, Max and Alicia were all knocked out. "Yeah Gadreel you wanna hop up here man? I'm pretty wiped too" Dean suggested and Gadreel replied "Sure. I already caught my few hours"

Gadreel held the side door open so you slid under his arm with a smile "Thanks '' he smiled in return. When Dean walked around he grabbed the door "I got it. Thanks" Gadreel simply nodded and climbed into the passenger seat.

You were already slid in next to the window when Dean climbed in next to you. You waited until Sam had started driving to turn so you could curl up next to Dean. He looked down at you with a raised eyebrow "What are you doing?" You grinned "Sleeping. Now hush and be a good pillow" instead of pulling away like you half expected he raised his arm slightly to pull you closer to him "I'll be a good pillow if you be a good pillow" you smiled when you felt him lean his head over on you and whispered "Deal"

"Look alive. This is the first of two vet clinics we gotta hit on this trip" Dean spoke as he pulled the van to a stop and glanced around. "Seven people so I'm thinking three teams of two and leave one person behind the wheel in case we need a fast exit?" You suggested and he winked at you "Just what I was thinking"

You slid your gun into the holster on your thigh but grabbed the machete from your floorboard as first line of defense. Guns were loud and the last thing you wanted was a herd of amped up zombies descending on the group before you could even go through the clinic. You turned and looked at everyone then nodded to yourself “Ok so Charlie you up for setting this one out?” She shrugged “Sure but I get to help clear the next one”

You shot her a smile then said “Ok Max and Alicia, Dean and Sam then Gadreel you’re with me..everyone good with that?” Everyone nodded but Dean who just walked to the back of the van to grab the canvas bags out without so much as a look in your direction. You raised an eyebrow to Sam who shrugged so you followed behind Dean keeping an eye out to make sure all of the commotion hadn’t attracted any undue attention.

You stood slightly behind him hearing him mumble to himself before he turned around and realized you were standing there “Son of a bitch Y/N. Make some noise sweetheart, the point is to not blend in with the dead” you grinned playfully “Is that your way of asking me to bite you?” he rolled his eyes but you could see just the barest hint of a smirk trying to work its way onto his face “Just be careful in there. Sure you trust him to have your back?”

You cut your eyes over to your group where they were all watching the woods line that bordered the back parking lot of the clinic “Yeah, I’ll be ok. Not gonna lie I don’t think I’ll ever trust anyone to have my back the way I trust you or well Sam but Gadreel has proved he’s good in a tight spot”

He nodded and for a second you thought he was going to say something else but he simply held out one of the bags “Remember get in, get out” you took the bag with a small smile “Aye aye” then walked back over to the group.

Dean watched you walk over to Gadreel. You said you’d never trust anyone the way you trusted him..that meant a lot didn’t it? He shook his head then walked over himself to pass Max then Sam a bag before nodding at Charlie “We’ll be out in five”

------

The clinic had three entrances. One to the side of the building, one to the back and one to the front. You and Gadreel took the back entrance, the twins took the side leaving the front to Sam and Dean.

You touched the handle of the door then looked at Gadreel “You want me to pull and you be ready or vice versa?” “Ladies choice” he replied with a laugh. You nodded then motioned to the door “In that case you pull and I’ll be ready”

He got into position but waited until you gave him a nod to open the door. You hoisted your machete but no noise came. You leaned inside and stomped your foot a few times “Hello? Anyone home?” You cut your eyes at him and he shrugged. “Maybe no one ended up here?” “We can only hope” you replied before walking further inside.

You could hear the rest of your crew checking but it appeared the clinic was well and truly empty. You picked a room and waved to Gadreel to follow you. The moment you stepped into the room you pulled your flashlight out of the pocket of your jacket and saw that from the looks of it you’d picked the operating room.

You motioned to the wall of shelves in front of you “I hate to ask but do you think you can give me a lift to the top one so I can see what’s up there?” He laughed lightly and you could feel the short jokes coming but instead he simply pointed to the machete in your hand “Lay that down so I don’t accidentally get stabbed and I’d be glad to” you laid the machete down on the silver table that was in the middle of the room then turned back to Gadreel “Better?” he nodded “Turn around so I can give you a boost then I’ll keep one hand on your back to steady you” you turned towards the shelves like he said and felt his hands around your waist a second before he lifted you into the air.

You climbed onto the highest shelf that normally would take a step ladder to reach then smiled over your shoulder at him “Thank you.Now get ready so if I find something good”

------

Dean and Sam had cleared three different cabinets. They’d found a good amount of first aid supplies ranging from suture kits to wound cleansers. “I’m gonna check on Alicia and Max” Sam said so Dean replied “I’ll check on Y/N and Gadreel”

Sam headed towards the back of the clinic where the twins were so Dean headed towards the operating room where you and Gadreel had gone into. He could hear you laughing right before he opened the door to see Gadreel putting you back down on your feet, his hands were still on your hips and you were smiling up at him with your hands against his chest.

Dean felt that same flicker of anger but this time it was mixed with more emotions than just that. He almost felt sick with just how angry he felt, not to mention the hurt. You weren’t even kissing Gadreel but he felt as if he’d walked in on a lot more intimate moment than he had. Luckily he was able to reel it in and sounded emotionless when he waved a hand towards the two of you “Didn’t know I was interrupting something. Times up, we gotta go so whatever you two are doing, stick a damn pin in it or something” then turned and walked out without saying a word.

------

Gadreel watched Dean walk out then looked back at you “What was that about? I was just helping you down..he doesn’t think we..?” you weren’t sure what to say. To anyone else Dean would’ve sounded almost bored but you knew him well enough to know when he was blocking emotions. You weren’t sure what was going on but when Dean sounded emotionless were the times that his mind was being his worst enemy “I have no clue honestly Gadreel. Don’t worry about it though, I’ll handle it” “I’d never disrespect you or any woman for that matter. I mean well don’t get me wrong you’re a beautiful woman but I thought..” he trailed off and looked again at the door when Dean had disappeared out of then shook his head “Just know if I did anything wrong I apologize” “You didn’t Gadreel. Don’t worry Dean just gets a little antsy on runs” you explained with a strained smile.

By the time you and Gadreel made it to the parking lot everyone had loaded their bags and only Sam stood outside the van. He took the bag from Gadreel then glanced at you, You followed him to the back of the van and watched as he added your bag to the bunch. After he shut the door he turned around and leaned close to you. “What happened in there?” You groaned slightly “He didn’t make a scene did he?” he shook his head “No but I know him like you know him. Now what happened?” You took a breath running your hand down your face “I think he got the wrong idea when he saw Gadreel with his hands on me. He was helping me down off a tall shelf that was it Sam I swear! You know me I wouldn’t do anything on a run and honestly? Yeah Gadreel is a good looking guy I have eyes but that doesn’t mean I’d screw him on a run for fuck’s sake we both have sleeping quarters back at the compound..I don’t know why Dean acted like that! Nice to know one of my closest friends thinks so highly of me that he thinks I’d risk anyone's life to fool around on a run”

You were starting to move past confused onto anger the more you spoke and Sam knew that so he reached out and squeezed your shoulder “Breathe, ride in the backseat with Charlie and Alicia. I’m gonna ride up front with him and Max is riding in the middle seat. I’ll try to talk to him ok?” you nodded, not trusting your voice at the moment because you were highly conflicted.

Finally you managed “Ok” then walked back around the van to climb into the backseat with Alicia and Charlie. Charlie raised an eyebrow at you not riding upfront with Dean but welcomed you into the conversation she and Alicia were having.

The third day on the road meant clearing the second vet clinic. You were going through a list of top things to look for with Alicia. All of you had stopped a few miles from the clinic to clear the road of an overturned tree. You and her were keeping an eye out for any dead that may be attracted to the noises. So far you both had killed one a piece.

“All clear ladies!” Charlie called out so you both headed back to the van. You wanted nothing more than to ask Dean why he’d acted like he had but refused to start an argument in the middle of a run. You’d push it down until all of you got safely back to the compound then you’d confront him about it.

You climbed into the backseat silently sliding between Alicia and Max. You didn’t really want to spare a word for anyone but since Bobby had been clear the clinics were more your wheelhouse everyone was looking at you as to what to grab for human use and what could be left behind.

You finally spoke as Dean was pulling into the overgrown parking lot of the clinic “I’ve went over the list with Alicia and Sam so they both know what to look for” Dean knew you were talking to him in particular and barely cut his eyes at you in the mirror before saying “I’m staying behind the wheel this time. Charlie can go in with Sam” you nodded more to yourself than in response to him. Why was he being so damn infuriating? If he’d just talk to you then...well what exactly would you say?

You climbed out and once your feet hit the dirt you turned to Gadreel “Ready?” he nodded so you looked around to everyone for their acknowledgement that they were all set.You shot one final look at Dean before falling Gadreel across the lot.

------

“Son of a bitch that damn thing came out of nowhere” you cursed kicking the now permanently dead zombie at your feet. Gadreel pulled a bandana from his pocket and held it out “You’ve got some blood smeared across your cheek” you wiped at it and gave him a small albeit appreciative smile “Thanks and again I’m sorry about how Dean acted” he shrugged “It’s ok really. It’s understandable”

You laughed harshly “Accusing us of screwing around literally on a run? That’s understandable? You’re a little too zen” he looked at you for a moment as if there was a second meaning to what he’d said but if there was you couldn’t quite grasp it. He shook his head after a moment then held a hand out “I’ll carry the bag”

------

Dean was watching the door of the clinic closely. Max and Alicia were the first duo out followed by Sam and Charlie. You and Gadreel bought up the rear.

He tried to bite his tongue but when you started to climb in considering you were the first one in the van he couldn’t stop the words before they came out “You and Gadreel didn’t get into anymore tight spots did you?” He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth but it was too late to pull them back then. He could see the shock in your eyes when you froze halfway into the back seat and slowly turned to look at him the shock quickly turning to anger “Believe me Dean if I was to fuck Gadreel I’d wait until I had longer than a few minutes to try him out” before either of you could say anything else Sam opened the front door and Charlie stepped up to climb in behind you.

Dean was still staring at you in the mirror when he heard Alicia ask if you were ok since you were balling up what looked like a bandana in your hands. “Yeah just took out a biter so Gadreel gave it to me to clean the blood off”

------

You purposely turned to stare out the window and cursed the moment you’d agreed to come on this run. You wouldn’t cry. Hell you couldn’t afford the luxury of hurt feelings these days but knowing that didn’t exactly take the sting out of Dean’s words. You looked down at your hands as you tied Gadreel’s bandana into a loose knot then untied it and repeated the process. You just had to get this run over then you could distance yourself from Dean. You’d said the first thing that had came to mind that would hopefully hurt him the same way his words had hurt you..what had exactly become of yours and Dean’s friendship over the last few months?

Day four meant the last leg of the run before the turn around to head home to the compound. You hadn’t spoken a word to Dean and hadn’t really spoken to anyone without them saying something to you first. Dean hated that his jealousy because whether he liked it not he was jealous he hated that he’d let it put a wedge between you and him,

He had no idea what he could do to even slightly make it up to you. He spotted the turn off for the construction warehouse so he cleared his throat “Charlie you wanna be a wheelman again?” she glanced up from her spot next to you and nodded “Sure!” “Then we’ll do two teams of three that good with everyone?” he was hoping you’d say something but instead of what he wanted you to say you looked up “I’ll be on the team with Alicia and Max. I have the list you said we needed. I’ll tear it in half and hand Gadreel the other half. You, him and Sam can find that stuff”

Dean didn’t attempt to argue with you and only nodded instead “Sounds like a plan” Sam cut his eyes at his brother not really being used to him being ok with someone else calling the shots but it was you after all. “You good?” he asked quietly and Dean replied “Yeah” then pulled into the parking lot of the construction warehouse.

------

You were out of the van the moment it stopped rolling. There were two zombies shambling around the lot and you took them out in tandem. You turned to look at everyone as they climbed out of the van and managed to crack a smile when Charlie teased “My oh my someone woke up on the wrong side of the apocalypse” you shrugged “Hey beats any other stress release there was pre-z”

A small chorus of laughter went through everyone and you were glad for that. You didn’t want whatever was happening between you and Dean to affect everyone else. You winked at Alicia “Grab your brother and lets go shopping” she laughed and grabbed Max by the arm then motioned to you “Lead the way”

------

Sam could practically feel the tension in the air between Dean and Gadreel. He had thought for a while Dean’s feelings for you went deeper than friendship but it hadn’t been as blaringly apparent until Gadreel came into the picture. He was a good guy, he got along well with everyone in the compound. He respected that the women helped keep everything going and always managed to pull a smile to your face over some small joke. Dean was threatened by him because up to this point there hadn’t been any other guy that garnered any of your attention away from Dean not one anyone that you would be a possible match with.

The three of them were working in silence quickly gathering what was on their half of the list. Sam was personally just hoping no fight broke out that he’d had to break up. He noticed that Dean kept cutting his eyes at Gadreel and said a prayer under his breath that just for once Dean would let it go.

He had no such luck because although Dean didn’t say anything Gadreel cleared his throat “Dean” Dean raised his eyebrows in response to the other man “Yeah?” “Just so you know nothing happened between me and Y/N. She’s a beautiful, amazing woman but...”

Dean cut Gadreel off before he could finish speaking with a shake of his head “I was in the wrong man...to snap at either of you. You’re both grown, what you do is your business and I trust the fact that neither of you would do anything on a run to risk your lives or anyone else's”

Sam watched the both of them for a moment trying to decipher if they were actually trying to get along or mutually waving the white flag for your benefit but the moment was broken by Alicia’s scream of your name. No words had to be passed amongst the three men; they all started running towards the sound.

------

You were following behind Alicia and Max trying to keep an eye out for the last couple items on your half of the list. You glanced up at a shelf that ran nearly up to the high ceiling of the warehouse and decided to check it out. Max stopped when he saw you looking and offered “Want a hand getting up there?” you shook your head with a slight smirk “Naw I think I can handle it but stay close just in case”

You made it to the halfway point and had even grabbed a few things you knew were needed when you went to step on a board and felt it crack under you. One minute you were standing the next you felt yourself falling and only barely managed to hold onto the backpack you had been storing supplies in.

You hit hard behind the shelf and heard a low growl.You pushed yourself to sit up and saw three biters shuffling towards you “Son of a bitch” you groaned trying to get to your feet. You went to push yourself up but felt a gush of blood from your left arm so you used your right to get to your feet just barely avoiding the chomping teeth of the zombie that was bearing down on you. You could hear Alicia scream your name but couldn’t spare a response. You had to show attention to the threat in front of you. You slammed your machete into the skull of the first one in front of you and cursed again when you realized that while you’d killed it your blade was stuck. You reached for the knife at your side knowing it was your only chance. You kicked the second one square in the stomach knocking it back long enough you could stab the last one in the eye.

You pulled your knife free and felt the one you’d kicked grab your jacket. You struggled to get out of it before the zombie sank it’s rotting teeth into the material. You slammed your knife into it’s skull then leaned heavily against the wall. The shelf slid away to show you an exit route. You ran towards the sunlight now streaming in and saw that Dean, Sam, Gadreel, Max and Alicia had all worked to get the shelf pulled out.

The moment Alicia saw you she looked at the guys “Turn around let me help her check herself out” the men all quickly obliged so you let her pull your shirt up and check across your back,stomach and both arms to assure you hadn’t been bit. “Didn’t you find a few suture kits at the last clinic?” She asked and you nodded then spoke loud enough the guys could hear “All clear boys. You can look now”

Dean’s eyes were glued to your left arm where the sleeve of your grey shirt was soaked with blood “Please tell me that’s a cut sweetheart” you smiled slightly “Bastard tried to bite me but only got my jacket” “Thank god” he breathed. You simply nodded and looked around “Did we get everything we need cause I’d really like to go home to the compound now. It’s been a long week” Sam laughed lightly and nodded “Yeah we got it all but first someone has to help stitch you up before we roll out”

------

Charlie had been nominated to help you stitch up your arm so you were sitting in the back of the van while she worked. Everyone else was keeping an eye out to ensure no more biters made their presence known. “So are we gonna talk about some of the weirdness?” You raised an eyebrow which made her nod in response whether at you or at herself “Ok then guess not” she tied off the last stitch and snipped it “I don’t have to tell you to keep it clean” you slid your shirt back on fully and gave her a small smile “I know aftercare instructions ma’am”

------

Dean watched you in the rearview mirror as he drove. You’d fallen asleep in the jacket Gadreel had given you to wear considering yours had been turned into a zombie chew toy. He couldn’t find it in himself to be angry that you were leaning against Gadreel asleep. He’d nearly lost you. Nothing else mattered. Why had he acted like he had towards you? Why couldn’t he just tell you he had feelings for you? Why hadn’t he realized it before Gadreel joined the compound? He let out a breath which made Sam look his way. “You good?” He nodded “Yeah be even better when we get home”

A few days had passed since all of you had made it back to the compound. You had barely spoken to Dean since getting back. You were still conflicted about the way he’d acted on the run.You were walking through one of the greenhouses checking the medicinal plants. You could hear someone walking behind you but didn’t have to look to know who it was. You’d know Dean’s footsteps anywhere.

“What’s this one?” He asked stopping at the plant furthest away from you “Echinacea, it helps for colds and flu” you replied barely looking in his direction. He walked a little closer to you and touched another plant. “What about this one?” You sighed loudly before answering “Ginger, it has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial,antiviral property and helps with nausea”

You finally turned to look fully at him “Can we not act like you actually give a damn about any of these plants? Why are you here Dean? You’ve avoided me for days, hell I’ve avoided you too so why are we talking now?” he took a few steps towards you stopping only a mere foot away “I miss you, you’re my best friend and I acted like an idiot..” “And practically accused me of being a whore that couldn’t even wait to get back to safety to fuck someone” you added and he chuckled lightly “That too”

“Why Dean? Why have you been pulling away from me for months and why did this run just cement the fact that our friendship is apparently broken beyond repair” you felt your voice break but didn’t try to hide it. You cared about Dean even if you’d resigned yourself to only being a friend to him because he’d never see you as more. Now you’d even lost that.

“Please, don’t say that Y/N. I was an asshole I’ll admit. I never should’ve acted like that towards you or Gadreel..it’s just..” he trailed off and you were too tired of beating around the bush by that point so this time you were the one to snap “Just what Dean?”

“I saw you getting close with him. I saw the way you two looked at each other then seeing his hands on you and the way you were smiling..I knew I’d lost any chance with you. It took me seeing you with him to open my eyes to just how much you mean to me” you were stunned into silence at his words. After a moment without you replying he laughed bitterly “Yeah and now I look like an idiot to add to it. Look I just wanted to say sorry and I hope you’ll forgive me”

He turned to walk out and only then did you find your voice “You are an idiot” he turned around to face you “Excuse me?” You crossed the space to stand in front of him “You’re an idiot Dean Winchester. I've had feelings for you for a long time. Yeah Gadreel is a good looking guy and a sweetheart. We’re good friends and I like spending time with him but as far as who I want? It’s been you, it’s always been you”

A smile slipped onto his face “Well does that mean we’re gonna give this a try?” you shrugged nonchalantly “I don’t know. Are you gonna be a jealous ass if I have male friends and hang out with them?” he laughed “No, I promise you my days of being a jealous asshole are over. If you’re sure you want me I know you only say what you mean” you tapped your chin in mock thought for a moment before saying “In that case why don’t we seal it with a kiss?” “Thought you’d never ask,” he replied, pulling you into his arms.

[st4rlabsforever]

This is the start of a 5+1 fic i thought I’d share. I promise it eventually has a point lmao. It’ll be on ao3 when it’s complete

title: acts of service

words: 1.2k

pairing: sam/bucky

summary: “Can I touch you?” Barnes asks. It’s maybe the most jarring thing Barnes has ever said to him, and that’s saying something considering Barnes has graced him with such hits as let’s take the shield, Sam and we’re breaking Zemo out of prison, Sam but he can already feel the ghost of a hand hovering over his back as if asking for permission.

“To relieve the tension,” Barnes says as if Sam is particularly dense.

i.

The first time it happens, Sam falls asleep almost immediately afterwards.

They’re fresh off the heels of a reconnaissance mission that leaves every joint in Sam’s body feeling all forty years of his big age on this miserable space rock. It probably doesn’t help that his wretched D.C. rental has got to be a hundred degrees in the sweltering summer heat and to top it all off, he’s pretty sure Mercury is in retrograde. He’d only chosen this place because it was cheap and close to the hangar for nights when he didn’t have the energy to fly back to New Orleans. 

“This place is worse than mine,” Barnes says neutrally, messing with the busted AC unit.

“Why are you here again?” Sam grumbles. Barnes had followed him back from the base for some reason or other that he couldn’t be bothered to think about right now.

“Seriously,” Sam says, flopping onto his bed and wincing when it exacerbates the throbbing pain shooting up his back. “Just leave me here to die.” At least he’d had the sense to toe off his boots first, which just leaves him to stew in the miasma of sweat in his uniform.

Barnes lets out a long-suffering sigh, and seriously, why is he still here? Sam isn’t sure he can deal with Barnes’s dry wit on top of everything else he’s got going on in this little corner of hell tonight, which, judging by the way the AC sputters and coughs before giving up completely, he’s pretty sure is going to be A Lot. He feels a weight plop down unceremoniously next to him.

“You need to take your suit off,” Barnes says, and does he really have to sound so grumpy all the time? “You’re going to be more sore in the morning if you don’t.”

He has half a mind to leave it on just to spite Barnes. Sam grumbles something unintelligible into the comforter and hopes Barnes gets the idea. He hears yet another sigh followed by the feeling of a zipper running down the length of his back.

Sam still has no idea what Barnes is doing in his apartment at 2 AM in the dead of summer. They’d technically agreed to go separate ways after dealing with the Flagsmashers – Sam had been perfectly fine with that; hell, he’d been under the impression Barnes had been more than fine with it. Neither of them had brought it up again when all was said and done, though. And now every inch of his body aches and he’s too exhausted to start another argument tonight. He can already feel a migraine coming on.

“Can I touch you?” Barnes asks. It’s maybe the most jarring thing Barnes has ever said to him, and that’s saying something considering Barnes has graced him with such hits as let’s take the shield, Sam and we’re breaking Zemo out of prison, Sam but he can already feel the ghost of a hand hovering over his back as if asking for permission.

“To relieve the tension,” Barnes says as if Sam is particularly dense.

Again, Sam grunts into the mattress. It’s less assent and more begrudging resignation to whatever the hell Barnes means by ‘relieve the tension’. For all Sam knows, Barnes has also decided he’s had enough of this partnership and plans to kill him in his sleep – and okay, he knows Barnes would never actually do that, but again – Mercury. Retrograde. Pisces. He’s more focused on the tension building at the back of his head and the way his lower back feels like it’s been run over by a large truck, all thoughts of which come screeching to a halt when Barnes digs his thumbs into Sam’s shoulder blades.

Sam hisses on reflex because it hurts like a mother, but the second Barnes’s fingers ease up, the relief is so instantaneous that it leaves Sam floating and feeling like he’s just inhaled a Xanax or three. The groan he lets out is honestly obscene.

“W’th hell,” he slurs. Now that the pain has subsided to a manageable level, Barnes’s knuckles gently knead his shoulders, rolling back and forth across his spine.

“Where else?” Barnes asks with a grunt.

It must say something about how quickly Sam is able to recalibrate to a new normal because he mentally shrugs and just twists his neck a few times, ignoring the little sparks of pain that flare up and hoping Barnes gets the message. He expects the white hot pain this time when Barnes’s thumbs settle at the base of his neck. The chill of the vibranium when Barnes gently wraps his fingers down the front of Sam’s throat for better leverage? Decidedly less expected. And he concludes immediately that the goosebumps spreading across his back and down his arms are a Completely Normal biological reaction to the cool metal. He’s absolutely not examining it any further than that, no sir.

And again, the relief is immediate. Barnes’s fingers roam down the backs of Sam’s arms, prodding, kneading, grinding until a jolting sensation runs from his elbows to his palms, which suddenly feel a little less strained. His palms had been shot to hell from all the shield practice lately, but how the hell had Barnes even known that? Sam melts into the mattress. He’s not sure he could move right now even if he wanted to, limbs loose and coaxed into the consistency of jello by Barnes’s stupidly strong fingers.

“Where else?” Barnes asks again, monotone. His motions are strictly utilitarian, clearly seeking to achieve maximum relief with as much economy of movement as possible.

“My head…?”

Sam isn’t actually being serious, and he genuinely expects a sarcastic response, but despite how incredible the last few minutes have been, his migraine is still steadily growing. It shouldn’t surprise him when Barnes’s fingers retreat, only to settle again on his temples. The pain causes his vision to flash. In its wake he feels all the tension leave his head. He’d just been fucking with Barnes, but Barnes had gone and literally scared his migraine away. Honestly, it’s far and away the best massage Sam’s ever had.

“Wh’re’d y’learn t’do that?” he says, because the pain has been replaced with a reprieve so intense that he can barely keep his eyes open at this point.

He can’t see it, but he knows Barnes rolls his eyes. “Go to sleep, Sam,” is all he gets in response. In the absence of any other complaints from Sam, his hands wander over Sam’s scalp, gently seeking out and destroying every problem spot with faultless accuracy.

Sam sighs into the mattress, quickly losing consciousness. Vaguely, he’s aware of Barnes speaking, but the words come out garbled like his ears are underwater.

The next morning, Barnes is gone – probably left the instant Sam fell asleep. Sam wakes up in a puddle of drool and the stench of his uniform nearly causes him to gag, but holy hell. His neck, shoulders, back, his everything feel like they’ve quite literally had the stress and aches and cramps wrung out of them, and the high lasts well through the morning. It’s the best night of sleep Sam’s gotten since the re-Blippening and he refuses to think about the fact that Barnes was responsible for it.