#and there's a staircase leading up to it but there's a gate in front of the stairs that's usually locked I believe

[damnprecious]

If I had a nickel for every time a random kid appeared at eye-level with me when I'm sitting by my window working on a project on my computer in my first floor (not ground floor) apartment I'd have two nickels which isn't a lot but it's weird it's happened twice

[chosok-amo]

Hi suki🫶 may i request umemiya taking care of sick reader? I read your satosugu x reader, and i wonder what umemiya will do😋 thank you

NASTY FEVER : UMEMIYA HAJIME

you’ve been mia since yesterday, making your boyfriend worried. when umemiya comes to your bedroom, he finds you unable to move from your nasty fever.

warning. established relationship! umemiya, fluff.

THERE WILL BE PART TWO (A SMUT, HIHI).

umemiya had been staring at his phone screen all morning, watching the line of unanswered texts he’d sent you. he tried calling you again, but once more, the call went straight to voicemail. he frowned, checking the time and realizing how unusual this was. you, of all people, ignoring him? the thought alone made him uneasy. you were the spoiled, clingy one, always texting and calling him at odd hours, demanding attention with the playful charm he adored. but now? complete silence.

unable to shake the worry gnawing at him, he decided to go see you himself. he climbed into his car, a sleek black vehicle that he only drove when visiting your estate, the car he bought after working for hours just to provide you the things you deserve—because otherwise, his bike was more his style—and set off.

when he arrived, he was greeted by your enormous mansion, an estate tucked behind towering iron gates, with manicured lawns and rows of imported flowers lining the driveway. the building was a sight to behold, almost as if it had been taken straight out of a modern fairytale: wide, high-ceilinged windows, intricate stonework, and a massive fountain in the front courtyard. he drove up to the entrance, where a valet opened his car door, and he tossed the keys over, barely pausing as he walked inside.

as he entered the grand foyer, the high ceilings and chandeliers reflected the wealth surrounding him. marble floors gleamed under his boots, and the soft sounds of a piano playing in one of the far rooms filled the air, likely a recording from one of the estate’s speakers. without wasting a second, he made his way to the staircase, a luxurious spiral lined with deep red carpet and framed by golden banisters, leading up to your bedroom. he took the steps two at a time, the worry he’d tried to keep at bay now growing with each step.

reaching the top, he walked through the expansive hallway, glancing at the opulent decor along the walls, each piece more valuable than the last—priceless paintings, crystal vases, intricate carvings. but none of it mattered to him now. he pushed open the double doors to your bedroom, stepping inside and glancing around the enormous space.

your bedroom was like a world of its own, with floor-to-ceiling windows draped in silk curtains, furniture so plush and ornate that it looked like it belonged in a palace, and a chandelier above the bed, casting a warm glow that softened the room’s already rich tones. his gaze landed on the king-sized bed at the center, where you were curled up under the layers of silk and velvet blankets like a tiny cocoon.

“hey,” he whispered, his voice breaking the silence as he stepped closer, heart racing a little. you looked so small, so fragile, wrapped up like that in the middle of your extravagant room.

he sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to gently pull the blanket down from your face. as the fabric slid away, he could finally see you: your features relaxed, your eyelashes casting soft shadows against your cheeks. he exhaled, a mixture of relief and worry swirling in his chest. “you had me worried sick,” he murmured to himself, his hand finding its way to your cheek, brushing gently.

as umemiya sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze softened, finally getting a close look at you. at first, he felt relieved just seeing you there, but the longer he watched, the more he noticed something wasn’t right. your skin, usually full of warmth and color, looked pale and drained under the soft lighting in the room, almost as if the life had been sapped from you.

a frown creased his brow as he reached out, his hand hovering near your face for a moment before gently pressing the back of his hand to your forehead. instantly, his eyes widened in concern—you were burning up. your skin was hot to the touch, feverish in a way that made his stomach twist.

“hey… you’re burning up,” he whispered, his voice laced with worry as his thumb brushed gently over your cheek. even in sleep, you looked uneasy, your face drawn and slightly flushed from the fever. beads of sweat glistened along your forehead, and he noticed a shiver pass through you despite the heat radiating from your skin.

he couldn’t remember ever seeing you like this. usually, you were lively, bright, and demanding in the best way, always pulling him into whatever you had planned for the day. but now, curled up and silent, you looked fragile, too still for his comfort.

swallowing the worry building in his chest, umemiya leaned closer, his hand moving to cup your face gently. “baby, wake up,” he murmured, trying to rouse you without startling you. his thumb continued to trace soft circles on your cheek, hoping that the gentle touch would bring you back just enough to talk to him.

your eyelids fluttered, opening slightly, and you let out a quiet, barely-there groan. your gaze met his, but it was hazy, like you were looking through him rather than at him. “haji…?” your voice was a weak whisper, barely audible.

he blinked at the sound of his name on your lips, relief mixing with concern as your eyes fluttered open, albeit just barely. the way you looked at him—through him, rather than at him—sent a chill down his spine. it was like you were there, but not quite.

“yeah, it’s me, baby,” he murmured back, trying to keep his voice steady as he ran his fingers through your hair, his thumb sweeping over your forehead before moving down to your feverish cheek. your skin was like fire, the heat radiating off of you making him frown tighter.

he moved closer to the middle of the bed, sitting beside you and studying your face closely. he noticed the light shiver that wracked through your body, a contrast to the feverish heat of your skin. “you’re burning up, princess… how long have you been like this?”

he scanned your face, noting the way your eyes seemed to struggle to focus on him, and the slight crease between your brows from discomfort. gently, he brushed his hand over your forehead again, trying to push back your hair, but it only seemed to cling to your sweaty skin.

“why didn’t you tell me you were sick?” he murmured, his voice laced with a mixture of worry and a little annoyance. “i was calling you all morning and yesterday, you didn’t pick up. i was worried sick.”

you barely registered his words, the gentle timbre of his voice mixing with the heat pounding in your head. though you could feel his hand brushing your forehead, his fingers moving tenderly through your hair, it felt as if he was miles away. your eyes drifted closed again, too heavy to keep open, and the exhaustion pressing down on you made responding feel impossible.

“hey, hey,” he said softly, his voice tinged with an edge of panic as he saw you slipping back into that hazy state. “don’t go quiet on me now,” he murmured, his hand cupping your face and his thumb tracing gentle circles against your flushed skin.

your chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, and another shiver ran through you, making you curl deeper into yourself. he frowned, feeling helpless, as he watched you struggle even to keep your eyes open. “come on, sweetheart… just a little longer,” he whispered, leaning closer, almost as if his presence alone could shield you from the fever’s grip.

but instead of replying, you simply let out a soft sigh, your body giving in to the fever’s exhaustion once more. it was as if responding took too much effort, each second sapping your strength further, until you couldn’t do anything but sink back into the comforting darkness.

a mixture of worry and frustration rose in his chest. you were so weak, so unlike your usual self… it was all so sudden too. he’d seen you just a few days ago, and you were fine then. so how the hell did you end up like this?

he shook his head, pushing back the barrage of questions and focusing on the more pressing matter at hand. you were sick, and sick bad. he needed to do something. he gently shook your shoulder, his fingers applying a light pressure. “baby, stay with me. come on, open your eyes.”

he kept his voice soft, but firm, not wanting to startle you, but also desperate for you to respond fully. his hand slid from your shoulder to your cheek, gripping you a bit tighter.

“i need you to wake up for me, princess. c’mon, you’re scaring the hell out of me.” his gaze traveled over your face again, trying to see if there was any change. you were so still, so unresponsive. it was like you were trapped in some sort of feverish stupor.

your body responded first, a soft jolt running through you as if your mind finally registered the gentle shake. your eyelids fluttered, the weight of exhaustion making each blink feel like an enormous effort, but at the sound of his voice, you fought to open them. hazy and unfocused, your gaze settled on him, trying to make sense of his worried face through the feverish fog clouding your vision.

“haji…?” your voice was barely a whisper, weak and breathy, as if even speaking his name took every ounce of strength left in you. your throat felt dry, the word scratching out as you blinked slowly, struggling to stay present.

he let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, a mix of relief and fear flooding his expression as his fingers brushed against your cheek. “yeah, it’s me, princess. i’m right here,” he murmured softly, but there was an urgency beneath his tone, a plea for you to stay awake, to stay with him.

you tried to smile, a faint tug at the corners of your mouth, but it faltered quickly as a wave of dizziness washed over you, making you close your eyes again. “i… i don’t feel good,” you whispered, voice barely audible as you shifted slightly, curling further into the warmth of the blanket but instinctively leaning into his touch.

as you spoke, his heart clenched in his chest. the sound of your weak voice, so unlike your usual bright and animated tone, just drove home how serious this was. “yeah, you’ve got a serious nasty fever,” he murmured, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on your cheek. “when did this start, princess?”

he shifted his position, moving to sit closer beside you on the bed, his weight denting the mattress as he adjusted the blanket around you. he reached out, gently brushing back some of the hair sticking to your forehead. you were burning up, but shivering like you were cold.

your head shook weakly, barely a tilt as you struggled to even keep your eyes open. “i… i don’t know,” you whispered, voice trailing off in a soft rasp. the effort it took to form the words felt exhausting, like even the smallest movement drained what little strength you had left.

you blinked, trying to focus on his face, but everything seemed blurry, like you were looking at him through a thick haze. “just… feels like it came out of nowhere,” you mumbled, your voice sounding as distant to yourself as it did to him.

you shifted slightly, wincing as a shiver wracked through you, your body’s warmth a painful contrast to the chills creeping over you. instinctively, you leaned closer to him, seeking out his warmth, the feeling of his presence somehow reassuring. your fingers curled weakly against the blanket, clutching it closer to your chest as you muttered, “sorry… didn’t mean to worry you…”

he exhaled through his nose, frustration mixing with concern. the uncertainty only heightened his worry. how long had you been sick without him knowing? how high did your fever reach before he showed up? it could’ve been dangerous.

he swallowed hard, trying to ignore the tightness in his chest. you looked so delicate, so unlike your usual feisty self. normally, you’d be demanding attention and playing up how vulnerable you were. but now, all he saw was genuine fragility.

“don’t apologise… just stay awake for me, okay? just a few more minutes,” he assured, his hands gently running along your arms over your blanket, trying to soothe the shivers that wracked your body.

he leaned closer, one hand moving to hold your forehead, the other resting on your cheek. he had to keep you awake long enough to get some medication in you. “how long have you been in bed?” he pressed, his voice a soft prodding.

your eyes fluttered open, just barely, as you tried to recall. it felt like days, time blending together in a feverish haze. “since… yesterday? i think,” you murmured, uncertainty lacing your voice, the words coming out in a weak, almost questioning tone. the memories were fuzzy, each attempt to think it over making your head pound harder.

you swallowed, feeling the dryness in your throat and the weight in your limbs. “i… i tried to get up,” you admitted softly, closing your eyes again as exhaustion pulled at you. “but… i couldn’t,” you added, almost like it was an apology, frustration slipping through your voice as you pressed yourself further into the pillow.

he gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the wave of worry that washed over him. yesterday? you’d been like this for a day?

“why didn’t you call me, princess?” he asked suddenly, his tone sharper than he intended. but the thought of you being here, alone and sick for that long, just made his anger flare.

he immediately tried to soften his voice, realising that wasn’t exactly helpful right now. he leaned closer, one hand still against your forehead, the other tracing gentle patterns on your cheek. “i would’ve come over. you know that.”

umemiya’s jaw clenched as he watched you slip back into that feverish haze, eyes fluttering shut once again, caught somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. his gaze softened despite the frustration simmering beneath, taking in the flush that colored your cheeks, the way your lashes brushed against your skin. you looked fragile, far too fragile, and it made his chest tighten with anger and helplessness.

he let his eyes drift around the room, the opulent space feeling eerily quiet and empty, the silence amplifying his worry. how had no one noticed? how had no one thought to check on you? but he caught himself, remembering the countless times you’d insisted on your solitude, telling every worker in the house to leave you be able unless you called them—something he’d grown to understand and respect, even if it frustrated him now.

you’d always been strict about your quality time, loving your own space, always setting your own boundaries. he also knew about your parents’ long work trips once you told him days ago, leaving you alone for weeks. he felt a pang of worry, realizing how long you might’ve been curled up in this bed, too sick to even get up.

still, the thought of you here, curled up alone in this grand room, with no one to look after you gnawed at him. he exhaled deeply, a slow sigh escaping as he reached out, brushing a thumb gently across your fever-warmed cheek. his other hand moved to check the blanket, making sure it was snug around you.

“have you even eaten?” he whispered to himself, his voice thick with concern. he brushed his thumb gently over your forehead, feeling the heat radiate from you, and his jaw tightened. he’d never forgive himself if he left you to go through this alone.

you managed a faint shake of your head, your movements slow and weak, but it was enough to make his heart sink. even in your half-conscious state, you were honest, admitting in that small gesture that you hadn’t eaten, that you’d been here alone and struggling.

umemiya’s jaw clenched, again, his eyes darkening with both worry and a quiet anger at the thought of you lying here for so long, too sick to even take care of yourself. “damn it, princess,” he murmured, voice breaking with a mixture of frustration and affection. his other thumb traced softly over your cheek, his touch tender despite the tightness in his expression. “you should’ve called me… you don’t have to handle everything alone.”

as you shook your head weakly, the admission of having not eaten sent a stabbing pain through his chest. you’d been here, alone and vulnerable, and you didn’t even have the strength to eat. he could barely hold back the rush of anger and worry.

“jesus christ, princess…” he muttered, his hand move to clenching the blanket at your side, trying to keep his emotions in check. he didn’t want to upset you, not when you looked so fragile, but the thought of you here... “why do you always have to be so damn stubborn?”

he grumbled under his breath, anger simmering within him, the fact that you didn’t call him the second you started feeling unwell driving him crazy. he knew you were stubborn, but this was on a whole new level. you were sick, you were suffering, alone and in pain. without a word, he reached for the home phone on one of the bedside tables, dialing the direct line to the kitchen.

a soft beeping sound filled the room as he waited for someone in the kitchen to pick up. he still held your cheek gently with his other hand, feeling the heat radiating from your fevered skin. as the line finally connected, a familiar voice sounded from the other end.

“yes, sir?” the kitchen staff member greeted warmly to umemiya after hearing his polite yet firm voice, clearly recognizable from having worked in the house for years. your staff are already familiar with umemiya, so when they hear a man’s voice they instantly know it was him. “send up some food,” umemiya ordered, his voice firm with no room for argument. “soup—chicken noodle, and some water. no, wait. make that ginger tea, add some honey too.”

he looked down at you, your figure so small and fragile under the covers. he couldn’t shake the feeling of worry and anger from his gut. even after all this time, you were still so damn stubborn, and it frustrated him to no end.

“yes, sir,” the voice replied calmly on the other end of the line. “anything else?”

umemiya glanced around the room before answering gruffly, “yes. send some medicine—fever reducers and anti-inflammatory,” he paused, eyeing your weakened form. “and something for a sore throat too.”

“right away, sir.” the voice responded swiftly, understanding the gravity of the situation from the tone of his voice alone.

he hung up, placing the phone back on the bedside table, and turning his attention fully back to you. he moved his hand from your cheek, but not before letting his touch linger for a moment. he sat back a bit, letting his eyes roam over you again, seeing the small shivers that continued to wrack through your body. he leaned forward, pulling the blanket as tightly around you as he could.

a faint murmur slipped from your lips, barely above a whisper, “cold…” the word sounded so small, carrying a fragile edge that made umemiya’s heart twist. he took in the sight of your shivering form, noticing for the first time how thin your shirt was, your legs barely covered by your shorts.

“i’ll fix that,” he whispered, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to your feverish forehead before he stood up. he hesitated for a second, his gaze lingering on you, then he walked over to your walk-in closet. the sprawling space was filled with clothes and luxurious fabrics, but he focused only on finding something warm, something that would help ease your shivering.

as he picked out a soft, thick sweater and a pair of cozy sweatpants, he felt an urgency—an overwhelming need to see you comfortable again. he returned to your bedside, sitting beside you once more. “let’s get you warmed up, okay, baby?” he murmured gently, brushing a few strands of hair back from your face.

you responded with a small, almost imperceptible nod, your lips curling up into a weak, grateful smile. your eyes were half-lidded, exhaustion pulling at your body, but you still managed to muster a response, your voice a faint, strained whisper.

“yeah…”

he saw the way you watched him, though your eyes seemed heavy and unfocused, you still tracked his movements. he could see the relief in your gaze, a silent thanks for his being here. umemiya gave you one last reassuring look before he set to work, shifting and tugging at the covers.

unemeiya managed to get you dressed, the thick, comfortable material of the sweater and sweatpants providing some much-needed warmth to your shivering form. he tucked the blanket around you, making sure every inch of you was covered, trying to block out the chill that seemed to permeate every inch of the room.

he laid a gentle hand on your forehead again, the heat still burning underneath his touch. he noticed the sweat beading on your skin, your fevered state clearly taking its toll. he needed that medicine—now.

after a while, umemiya finally managed to settle you against the headboard, your back resting comfortably against the soft pillows he’d piled behind you. the blankets were wrapped snugly around your shoulders, a small comfort against the feverish chill that clung to your skin.

“here, just a little more,” he murmured, holding the bowl of soup carefully in one hand while lifting a spoonful to your lips with the other. his eyes softened as you blinked drowsily, barely managing to focus on him. even through the haze, you kept your gaze on him, as if anchoring yourself to his presence.

you parted your lips, accepting each spoonful as he fed you with a tenderness that spoke of his worry and care. his thumb brushed over your knuckles, tracing gentle circles in reassurance as he murmured, “that’s it… one more.”

with each bite, he stayed close, watching you carefully, his gaze never leaving yours for long. though weak, you could sense the warmth in his eyes, a silent promise that he wasn’t going anywhere. it was enough to bring a small comfort through the fever’s hold on you, as he patiently helped you through each bite.

a weak chuckle slipped from your lips, catching his attention as he continued to frown, his brow furrowed in silent frustration. you could see that sulky look in his eyes, the kind he wore whenever he was quietly scolding you—this time for not telling him you were sick.

“what’s so funny?” he muttered, his voice laced with concern, though he couldn’t quite hide the hint of annoyance. you gave him a small, hazy smile. “you’re frowning like i committed a crime,” you teased weakly, voice barely above a whisper.

as your voice floated over, he couldn't help but huff a soft sigh, his lips almost curving into a smile. even when you were sick and exhausted, you still managed to be a smartass, still managed to find the humour in his worry.

he let his gaze travel over your face for a second, taking in the slight flush to your cheeks, the fever still leaving its mark. his fingers ran softly over your skin, feeling the heat that radiated off of you. “pretty sure being this stubborn should be a crime,” he muttered, his tone half-teasing, half-concerned.

he brought the next spoonful of soup to your lips, his eyes meeting yours. “open up,” he gently commanded. you were slowly but surely finishing the bowl, each spoonful a testament to your progress. you took each bite obediently, too tired to argue or protest. but the way you looked at him, the fire in your eyes still burning despite the fever, made him smile.

as he fed you another spoonful, he chuckled softly, a sound that rumbled in his chest. “look at you, all compliant. guess you’re easier to handle with a fever, yeah?” he chuckles.

“you’re lucky you’re sick as hell, otherwise i’d be yelling at you right now,” he continued, his voice taking a firmer tone, though the worry in his eyes betrayed the attempt to chide you. he lifted another spoonful of soup, holding it to your lips, waiting for you to take it before he spoke again. “do you know how worried i was, princess?” he asked, his frown deepening slightly, the question clearly rhetorical.

you managed a weak chuckle, your lips curling into a small smirk as you glanced up at him. “did i make you cry, haji?” you teased, voice raspy but playful, though you could barely keep your eyes open. despite the fatigue weighing on you, the spark in your gaze was unmistakable.

umemiya scoffed, rolling his eyes, though a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “yeah, right. you wish,” he muttered, feigning offense. “you might have had me a little freaked out, but you’re not getting any tears out of me.”

he brought another spoonful of soup to your lips, his eyes still watching you intently. “you should be focusing on getting better, not cracking jokes,” he chided softly, but his smile betrayed the warmth beneath his words.

as you took the spoonful, you gave him a small grin, savoring the way he fussed over you. “i’ll keep that in mind… next time i wanna make you cry,” you whispered, too tired to manage more than a lazy smile.

umemiya huffed out a soft laugh, shaking his head at your sass. even with a fever, you were still as cheeky as ever. “yeah, yeah, princess. don’t push your luck,” he reprimanded, though his voice betrayed his amusement. he knew you well. once you were set on something, especially the act of teasing him, there was no stopping you.

he chuckled, gently brushing a stray hair from your forehead. “keep talking like that, and i’ll start charging for this five-star nursing service,” he teased back, though his hand lingered, his thumb gently stroking your temple.

after, he stirred the spoon in the bowl, watching the broth swirl around, then brought it up to your lips again, holding your gaze as he spoke. “one more spoonful. think you can manage?”

you gave him a small, weary nod, lips parting slightly as he brought the spoon to your mouth. though every muscle in your body felt heavy, there was something soothing about his presence, the gentle way he held your gaze, the warmth of his fingers as they lingered at your temple.

as you swallowed the last spoonful, a soft hum of satisfaction slipped past his lips. he placed the bowl back on the bedside table before he leaned closer to you, his eyes roaming over you. the slight flush to your cheeks was now more pronounced, the fever still holding its grip.

he reached out and laid a hand on your forehead, feeling the heat beneath his palm. he frowned slightly, the worry still etched across his features. “you’re still burning up…” he muttered, his fingers tracing the edge of your jaw.

you nodded slowly, your voice barely above a whisper. “still feel like shit…” you admitted, your eyes drifting to the glass sitting on the bedside table. the dryness in your throat only added to your discomfort. “and... thirsty.”

umemiya nodded, understanding your needs without you even having to say much. he reached for the glass of water, wrapping his fingers around the cool, smooth glass. he held it for you and guided it to your lips, gently supporting the back of your head. “try to take small sips, okay? too much too fast and you’ll throw up,” he instructed quietly.

he watched as you took small sips, making sure each one went down without issue. he observed your movements, noting the tiredness in your eyes, though he couldn’t help noticing the slight quirk of your lips as you looked at him. he chuckled softly, his eyes never leaving your face. “what’s that look for?” he asked, curiosity lacing his voice as he placed the glass back on the bedside table.

you chuckled weakly, shaking your head in response to his question. “nothing,” you murmured, though a small smile lingered on your lips. there was something comforting about his presence, the way he fussed over you even when you felt your worst.

umemiya, noticing that you hadn’t finished the tea your staff had prepared earlier, picked up the warm cup and held it out to you. “you need to drink this too,” he insisted gently. “it’ll help with the fever.”

you took a few more sips, the warmth spreading through your body, making you feel a bit better despite the lingering fatigue. he watched you closely, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and affection, making sure you drank as much as you could.

once you managed to finish most of the tea, he reached for the medication, his demeanor shifting to one of gentle authority. “alright, time for your medicine,” he said, opening the packet and handing you the pills along with another glass of water. “just take it easy and swallow these down. i’ll be right here.” you nodded, taking the pills and the water, grateful for his insistence. as you swallowed, you felt the heaviness in your body begin to lift, even if just slightly. his nurturing care wrapped around you like a warm blanket, easing the discomfort you felt inside.

umemiya watched as you swallowed the pills, a sense of relief washing over him. he knew they’d help bring your fever down, make you feel better. his eyes still roamed over you, taking in your tired form, your pale skin, the way your shoulders sagged with fatigue.

he moved closer, his hand reaching out to brush a few strands of hair back from your face. “feeling any better?” he asked quietly, his voice filled with concern and affection. his fingers lingered at your temple, tracing small, soothing circles on your skin.

you raised an eyebrow at him, a playful smirk forming on your lips despite the fatigue that weighed you down. “oh, yeah, it feels like magic,” you said sarcastically, your voice laced with a hint of teasing. “a minutes in, and i’m already dancing around like a fairy.”

it was hard to keep the teasing tone out of your voice, even in your current state. the way he hovered over you, checking in with such genuine concern, warmed your heart despite the fever that still clung to you.

you couldn’t help but feel a little amused by his eagerness to gauge the effects of the medicine so soon. it hadn’t even been a minutes since you swallowed the pills, yet here he was, acting like he was waiting for some miraculous recovery. his affection was palpable, wrapping around you like a cozy blanket, and you felt a flutter in your chest. it was comforting to know he cared so much, even when you felt like a shell of your usual self.

umemiya chuckled at your sarcastic reply, his eyebrows lifting in amusement. he should’ve known better, even feverish and exhausted, you still kept your sass. your witty comebacks, the way you didn’t lose that edge, even in your state of illness— it was one of the things he loved about you.

he shook his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. “you’re a real comedian, you know that?” he teased back, his hand still tracing patterns across your skin, his touch gentle yet firm.

you laughed softly, a mix of sarcasm and playful defiance in your voice. “what can i say, baby? i’m a natural entertainer, even when i’m a hot mess,” you replied, a teasing glint in your eyes despite the fatigue weighing you down. the laughter felt good, a small reprieve from the fever that still clung to you.

“besides, someone has to keep you on your toes, haji. wouldn’t want you getting too comfortable playing nurse,” you added, a smirk dancing on your lips. it was a lighthearted jab, a way to keep the atmosphere from becoming too heavy. his smirk only deepened, and you could see the fondness in his gaze as he continued to gently brush his fingers along your skin, creating a soothing rhythm that calmed your racing thoughts.

“but really, i appreciate you being here. just don’t expect a standing ovation for my performance tonight,” you quipped, chuckling again softly, the warmth of his presence wrapping around you like a comforting blanket.

umemiya chuckled, shaking his head again. only you could find a way to keep your spirits up, even in your weakened state. he knew it was a defense mechanism, a way to mask the discomfort behind your witty banter.

“oh, princess, i already have a standing ovation in mind for you,” he teased back, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “but it’ll have to wait until you’re feeling better.” he could see the fatigue in your eyes, the way they were starting to droop as you tried to keep up the banter.

umemiya felt a surge of warmth in his chest as he watched you, the fatigue beginning to win the battle against your spirited facade. wanting to comfort you in the best way he could, he moved slowly, shedding his clothes until he was only in his boxers. he wanted to keep you warm, and sharing body heat felt like the perfect solution.

sliding under the covers beside you, he nestled in close, a playful grin on his face. “come here, you little shit,” he joked, his voice light but laced with affection. wrapping his arms around your shoulders, he pulled you against him, your body fitting perfectly against his.

he pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, feeling the heat radiate from your skin. “you’re stealing all my body heat, you know,” he teased, though the warmth of you pressed against him was comforting. his heart swelled with affection, grateful to be here with you, even if the circumstances weren’t ideal. “but i guess i can’t complain,” he murmured, his fingers brushing through your hair as he held you close, hoping his warmth would help chase away the chill of your fever.

you let out a weak giggle, the sound light and airy despite your fatigue. instinctively, you wrapped your arm around his bare waist, seeking comfort in his warmth as you nestled your head against his hard chest. the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath you was soothing, grounding you amidst the haze of your fever.

“guess i’ll take the heat, then,” you murmured, your voice slightly muffled against his skin. there was a sense of safety in being so close to him, a shield against the chill that had settled in your bones. his warmth enveloped you like a blanket of sun kissing your skin in the morning, and for a moment, the discomfort of your illness faded into the background.

you could feel the tension in his body ease as he held you, his fingers gently tracing patterns on your back. it was a simple gesture, but it spoke volumes of his care. the banter may have been playful, but this closeness was what truly made you feel better. with umemiya beside you, even the worst of days seemed a little more bearable.

umemiya relished in the way your body fit against his, the way you instinctively clung to him. it felt good to hold you like this, even if it was because you were sick. he held you closer, his fingers tracing soft lines across your back, feeling the shiver that still clung to your body.

“you’re always stealing my body heat,” he teased again, his voice low and rough. “just can’t keep your hands off me, huh?” he chuckled lightly, the sound rumbling in his chest beneath your ear.

you hummed softly at his teasing, a playful smile tugging at your lips as your fingers began to run gently up and down his chest. the warmth radiating from him felt incredibly comforting, and the connection between you only deepened with each gentle stroke.

“maybe you can stay the night for today,” you suggested lightly, your voice playful yet sincere. the thought of having him beside you, wrapped up in each other’s warmth while you tried to shake off the fever, was immensely appealing. you loved how his presence made everything feel safer, more secure.

you looked up at him, your eyes sparkling with mischief despite your exhaustion. “what do you say, haji? an all-night nursing shift, just for me?” you added, teasingly batting your lashes, the affectionate banter bringing a bit of life back into your weary body.

umemiya chuckled at your suggestion, a flicker of warmth in his eyes at the thought. the idea of spending the night with you, watching over you as you fought off the fever, appealed to him more than he cared to admit.

“hmm, an all-night nursing shift, just for you, princess?” he repeated, feigning reluctance before a smirk tugged at his lips. “and here i thought i was already working overtime, given how stubborn you’ve been all day.” he let his arms tighten around you, pulling you closer into his chest.

“fine, but you owe me. big time,” he paused for a moment, his fingers tracing lazy circles on your back, taking a moment to relish in the feeling of having you close. “now close those pretty eyes and try to get some rest,” he instructed softly, his voice filled with a tender firmness. “the faster you fall asleep, the sooner you’ll kick this fever’s ass.”

you let out a soft sigh, feeling the weight of your exhaustion wash over you. “all right,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper as you closed your eyes, succumbing to the warmth and comfort surrounding you.

you tightened your arm around his waist, pulling him even closer beneath the blanket. his steady heartbeat against your ear was soothing, and you focused on that rhythmic sound, allowing it to lull you into a sense of peace. the tension in your body began to melt away, the worry and discomfort fading as you nestled against him, feeling safe and cherished.

“just don’t let go,” you added softly, your voice muffled against his chest, wanting to hold onto this moment for as long as you could.

umemiya chuckled lightly at your demand, a soft rumble in his chest. “like i could ever,” he muttered quietly, his voice thick with affectionate amusement. he tightened his arms around you, pulling you firmly against him, wanting to comfort you and provide you with the reassurance you craved.

he leaned his head down, his lips brushing against your forehead, leaving behind a gentle kiss. “go on, princess. just let it all go. get some shut eye, you stubborn little thing,” he encouraged gently, his fingers running lazily through your hair.

he continued to hold you, his touch gentle and soothing, his fingers tracing small, slow circles on your back. he could feel your breathing begin to deepen, the steady rhythm of your body against his letting him know you were finally falling asleep.

umemiya looked down at you, the soft rise and fall of your chest against his, the way you clung tightly to him. he couldn’t help but smile, feeling a sense of protectiveness as he watched over you, ensuring you got the rest you so desperately needed.

he continued the soothing motion, his fingers moving along your scalp, trying to ease any remaining tension. “don’t worry about a thing, princess. i’ll be right here when you wake up,” he murmured, voice barely above the whisper with his lips on your forehead.

for hours, he remained in that space, his gaze flickering between the television screen and your peaceful face. the soft glow of the screen cast gentle shadows across the room, but his attention was mostly on you, the way you nestled against him, your breathing gradually becoming steadier.

each time he caught a glimpse of you, he felt a wave of warmth and protectiveness wash over him. he couldn’t help but smile as he gently pressed his lips to your forehead, the action becoming instinctual, a silent promise that he would be there for you. his fingers continued to stroke your hair, weaving through the strands, creating a rhythm that seemed to sync with your deepening sleep.

he kept the TV volume low, not wanting to disturb you, but found himself growing restless as the hours ticked by. despite your peaceful slumber, he could sense the occasional hitch in your breath, the subtle sign that your body was still battling the fever. he continued to soothe you with his touch, whispering soft reassurances that you might not even hear.

“i’ve got you,” he whispered quietly, though he knew you couldn’t hear him. the world outside faded away, and for him, nothing mattered more than ensuring you felt safe and loved in that moment. he stayed vigilant, anticipating the moment you’d wake, ready to shower you with affection and care. in the stillness of the room, umemiya felt a sense of peace settle over him, knowing he’d be right there when you opened your eyes again.

[winedarkthoughts]

house of addams (7)

— 🌖 pairing: ot7 x fem.reader

— 🕷️ genre: mystery, angst + fluff + smut

— 🗝️ word count: 7.3k

— 🍄 summary: you’re invited for a night at the Addams house.

— ☕ content warnings: mentions of (mutual) stalking and taking photos without consent, smoking, weapons + firearms

— 🕸️ a/n: ok listen, i am a sucker for tropes.

previous chapter ← series m.list → next chapter

chpt. 7: the dinner party

october 30, 2004

The gates of the Addams house greet you with open iron rails, swinging open, just like before, without any kind of assistance. It only makes you hesitate for a moment, because you figure you're in for more of a shock once you get inside.

The Addams house looms tall and intimidating from atop the hill. The sun has nearly completed its descent past the treetops into the darkening wilderness, and the windows of the house are aglow with warm light. It makes it look more like a place fit for habitation.

The image of all of them cozied up at the dinner table, ready to share a meal together like a little family, pops into your mind. But it is very quickly shooed away, because it hurts a little to think of happy families.

A few old lamposts illuminate your way up the path. When you get a little closer, you can see shadows moving through the dirty glass windows.

Even in the darkness, you can see the overgrown weeds and crumbling stone that makes up the exterior of the house, and it makes you even more curious to see what it looks like inside.

Standing on the front landing, you check your watch. Five fifty-five p.m. The invitation said six sharp, so you figure it won't hurt to arrive a few minutes early.

The iron knocker is in the image of a black cat's head, with a mouse dangling by its tail as the handle. You grasp the mouse and rap it against the door three times.

A few moments pass before the old wood is creaking open.

You're half expecting the door to open by itself like the gate, but no. Jungkook stands there, dressed in a dark pinstripe suit with his hair in slick curls. The warm lamplight crawls across his face, but his strange paleness still startles you a little.

"Good evening," he greets you, opening the door wider to beckon you inside.

You're glad you're dressed adequately. The formal dress code was a little intimidating. You opted for slacks, a white button-up, tie, leather vest (even with a silver pocket watch chain for extra flare), and an oversized suit jacket. All with the leather coat you purchased at the bookshop thrown overtop to combat the cold.

Wearing a dress isn't ideal in any situation other than for looks, especially when you're carrying items that are meant to remain concealed, so you opted for a more practical outfit.

You're expecting the inside of the house to be just as decrepit as the outside, but this isn't the case. The long, elegant hallway is lined with framed oil paintings and sconces holding lit candles, flickering in the slight draft, an air that feels a little ghostly.

You follow Jungkook into a large foyer with polished floors and a tall domed ceiling overhead. A grand staircase that branches in two directions leads up to the balconied second floor.

You can't help stopping for a moment to admire the grandeur of the place. Every curve, every corner, is embellished with carved wood or shining brass accents. It isn't even dusty, let alone decrepit.

"Come," Jungkook says softly. "He's waiting for you in the lounge."

He leads you through more labyrinthine hallways, all aglow with candlelight, gesturing you through an oak door.

The room inside is dimly lit with soft lamps, a fully-stocked bar tucked into one corner, the remaining walls lined with full bookshelves. There's plenty of seating options, from plush-looking armchairs to curving sofas.

"I'll see where he's gone off to. Wait here, please," Jungkook blurts out, sounding nervous, and closes the door without waiting for a reply.

You take the opportunity to look around a bit.

Lush ferns decorate almost every potential empty space, probably thanks to Yoongi. There's a table in the center of the circle of seating options, crowded with appetizers. Oysters on the half shell, perfectly pink shrimp and cocktail sauce, chunks of fresh salmon with lemon wedges, all resting on giant slabs of ice.

You walk over to the ledge of the bar, examining all the fancy bottles and crystal decanters. Some of them have little tags hanging from their glass necks, labelling them. Blackberry vodka, silver rum, 0.3% cyanide, hemlock syrup.

It's just as you're ducking your head under to examine the hidden shelves behind the bar counter when a light voice interjects,

"Nosy little thing, aren't you?"

You turn to find the head of the house himself standing there in the doorway, though you didn't hear it open or him enter.

You've never seen him this close before. And what a vision he is. Dressed in all black, skin showing through the deep cut V in his shirt, hair slicked back, and a grin that's just as slick to match.

"Yes," you quip back, unapologetic. "I've made a career out of it."

His smile only widens, as if to say I'm well aware.

"Drink?"

"Please," you reply.

His smile, which is much brighter and lighthearted than you anticipated, remains as he crosses the room and stands behind the bar.

"Any preference?" he asks.

"Whatever you recommend," you answer, plopping down on the velvet green Chesterfield sofa, digging in your bag for your notes. At this point, it's less of a bag and more of a giant mess of papers and folders and photographs held together by a few pieces of straining fabric.

Hoseok plucks a perfect sphere of ice out of a silver dish, dropping it into a martini shaker. He grabs the decanter of blackberry vodka, and a few other bottles and mixers.

"Very thorough, aren't you?" he asks as he pours shots and drizzles into the shaker.

"That's right," you respond, spreading out the near-endless stream of documents according to the map in your head.

You can hear the clack of the shaker, the sound of its contents being poured. A moment later, a martini glass filled with near pitch-dark liquid, garnished with a blackberry, is placed by your side.

"Thank you," you say, grabbing the glass and taking a sip. There's the hint of flavored vodka, a berry tartness, and some other taste that you can't quite name.

Hoseok sinks down in the chair across from you with a matching glass in his hand, crossing one slim leg over the other.

"So," he begins, and you don't have to look at him to feel his eyes scanning you up and down. "You're the one she settled on to sort out this mess."

You pause your obsessive shuffling.

"She?"

In the middle of taking a sip from his drink, he looks at you like he's a little confused.

"The mayor? She is the one who hired you, isn't she?" he asks.

"Yes," you admit. "What of it?"

A slight smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.

"I admire your suspicion, ______," Hoseok says, and hearing your name from his mouth is strangely thrilling. "But you must trust me when I say that me and my family have done nothing to cause the deaths and disappearances, at least to our knowledge."

"Then you better start telling me what you know," you reply sharply, fixing him with a strict gaze, and he doesn't break it.

"That is why you invited me here, isn't it?" you ask. "To tell me what you know?"

Hoseok considers it for a moment.

"Of sorts, yes," he replies, cryptidly.

You suppress the slight annoyance that wants to creep into your expression, focusing back on your documents. Spreading out a map littered with red circles and connecting lines, you point to one of the marked indicators.

"This is the Addams House, correct?" you ask, instinctively using your interrogation voice without realizing it.

It makes Hoseok chuckle internally.

"Correct," he replies cooly.

"And these," you point to several of the red circles. "Are the last known locations of the five missing persons. Remarkably close, hmm?"

"Come now, ______," Hoseok says in a playfully chiding voice. "Location may be suggestive, but it isn't incriminating."

"I never said it was," you bite back. "I'm merely suggesting that this house, as well as the surrounding area, displays some very strange qualities. And I can't leave any stone unturned."

Hoseok nods, almost appreciatively.

“I’d expect nothing less,” he says, smiling that same radiant smile.

“You’ve done your job well, haven’t you?” he inquires, setting his glass down and rising from his seat, beginning to circle around the couch.

“I should hope so,” you reply a little hesitantly.

He passes by the bar and picks up the discarded martini shaker, fiddling with it, the ice inside clanking.

“How far-reaching are your investigative powers, I wonder?” he says.

He’s at your right-hand side, and suddenly he tosses the shaker halfway across the room in a perfect arc. It lands in the small sink at the bar counter with a loud clang.

Your head whips toward the sound, focus ripped away from the sea of papers.

When you look back at him, he’s adjusting his jacket lapels, sauntering back over to his seat.

“Far enough to get the job done, I suppose," you reply, trying to uphold a neutral yet strict tone of voice.

"Hmm," Hoseok says, raising a brow. "Far enough to constitute stalking?"

The back of your neck prickles.

"What makes you say that?" you ask, though both of you know well enough that you're playing dumb.

"Ever heard the expression "walls have ears?" Well, trees have eyes, and they've told me all about you."

He's back in his seat, but you still feel like he's circling around you. Not many people make you nervous, let alone intimidate you, but Hoseok is apparently one of the exceptions.

"You should know that I am very protective over my family," he says, the tone of his voice dipping a little deeper. "Naturally, I keep an eye on them."

With that, he reaches into his inside jacket and pulls out several files. Flipping open to specific pages, he throws them down on the coffee table between the two of you with a papery slap!

Staring up at you are several photos, and it takes you a second to recognize them as ones from your own camera.

Jimin, walking to class, his hand frozen in time while brushing through his hair. Taehyung, hands in his coat pockets, meandering through town on his way to the police station. Jin, leaning against the garden wall, cradling a coffee cup in his hands.

It takes you another few seconds to realize that the file is from the pile of folders you brought with you. He must've slipped it from you when he tossed the shaker into the sink, a diversion to make you turn your head.

A crooked grin, slick voice, and sticky fingers apparently.

"I admire the dedication even more than the suspicion," Hoseok says, reaching into his jacket again, but this time he pulls out a silver cigarette case.

He holds it towards you with a questioning tilt of his head, offering you one, but you shake your head. He takes one out, puts it to his lips and lights it with the flick of a lighter.

It doesn't smell like tobacco though, more like cloves and pennyroyal buds.

"Technically," you begin. "Stalking includes inducing fear in the victim; intimidation, threats, and the like."

The subtext is clear: good luck taking me to court for this.

A smile breaks out on his face.

"No harm done," he says. "They were quite flattered, actually."

You don't really know what to do with that statement. It must show on your face, because Hoseok smirks with an exhale of fragrant smoke.

"Don't worry about it, detective," he says, sounding amused. "We're all sinners here. What's a little felony charge here and there?"

You watch the ghosts of smoke twist from the end of the cigarette between his slim fingers. Something about the way the smoke moves is unusual, like it doesn't quite obey the laws of physics that normal smoke would.

"In fact," he says, reaching into his other jacket pocket. "I must admit that I'm a little guilty myself."

He takes out another folder, opens it, and lets it fall on the table. It's a mass of photos, and they're all of you. Sitting in the cafe through the window, walking through town, collecting samples at in the woods.

Now you know where that I'm being watched feeling was coming from. If you were normal, you might've been creeped out by it. But this isn't the first time you've been trailed and you doubt it will be the last.

"I'm curious, though," he starts. "What exactly made them worthy of stalking in the first place?"

You look down at the spread of appetizers like you're contemplating reaching for one. You're not going to mention how you've been trying to distract yourself from what you saw at the lake, or the fact that you find all the inhabitants of the Addams House to be a little too compelling.

"I knew that all of them were cagey if not outright lying about living here, and given this place's reputation, I found it necessary to dig deeper," you answer in a leveled voice.

"And you figured that this place might be connected to the disturbances?" Hoseok replies, though it doesn't sound like a question.

You set him with a firm gaze.

"I never ignore patterns."

He stares right back.

"Words? Yes. Actions? Sometimes. But never patterns."

He's really staring at you, like he's trying to find the answer to some unspoken question in his head. The look in his eyes is somewhere between inquisitive and impressed, maybe even—

"I think you have darker thoughts than you realize, detective," he says. The smoke tendrils from his last drag hang, mesmerizing, between the two of you.

"If you truly want to know what's strange about this place, I can show you."

He's leaning forward slightly in his chair, and but before you even have time to think about what that means, the loud clang of a bell is sounding through the air.

"Ah," Hoseok says, taking one last puff from his cigarette before stubbing it out in the crystal ashtray on the coffee table. "That's Jin calling us to dinner."

He rises to a stand and straightens his jacket lapels.

"Once you're done with your cocktail, we'll head into the dining room."

You haphazardly gather your notes, down the rest of your drink, and follow him out of the room.

He leads you through the ornate hallways, quickly darkening with the setting of the sun. The sound of clinking dishes and pleasant chatter grows steadily louder.

When you emerge into what you presume is the kitchen, you're almost struck speechless.

It's a humongous, grand, high-ceilinged room, and nearly everything is in shades of green and gold. The dark marble floors are flecked with gold veins, the dark wood cupboards and drawers are fixed with gold handles, even the smell in the air has a rich, golden warmth to it.

The countertops are a deep jade quartz, and the floor to ceiling stained glass windows are in patterns of emerald and amber. More plants decorate the space, though these are taller and more lush.

The huge stove is crowded with copper pots and pans, all sizzling and bubbling and hissing with their savory aroma.

There's someone standing over the stove, wearing a crisp white button-up and black apron, a small saucepan in one hand, swirling sauce on a plate in fancy shapes. There's a whole line of plates before him, making him look like a master chef plating up a dish for a hoard of diners.

"Oh, hello _______," the man says cheerfully when he notices you, and you realize that it's Jin (though you guessed as much from his ridiculously broad shoulders).

The next second he's squirting something into a different pan, sending up a surge of sweet-smelling flames, though he doesn't even turn his head from you.

"Hello," you manage to greet him, captivated by how he expertly juggles everything. There's sauteing vegetables, sizzling meats, a bubbling broth, not to mention something that you can't see in the oven.

The sound of shattering glass sounds from the next room.

Hoseok suppresses an eye roll.

"Please excuse me, detective," he says, sounding like a slightly annoyed parent. "If you wouldn't mind lingering in the kitchen while I sort this out. Jin so likes the company."

Jin flicks a spurt of hot oil over one shoulder, missing Hoseok by an inch, but he only bursts into laughter while sliding out of the room.

Jin doesn't seem to mind as you curiously look around the gigantic room, he just continues his work in comfortable silence.

That's a common theme with Jin. He's charismatic and perfectly capable of carrying a conversation, but he appears to enjoy your company despite how quiet and reserved you are. He merely glances your way every few moments, like he's reassuring himself that you're still there.

You like how he doesn't push you for conversation. It seems like he enjoys observing you just as much as you enjoy observing your surroundings (though you do enjoy observing him when he's not looking).

"Very impressive," you can't help but say as you watch him out of the corner of your eye.

"Thank you," he replies happily, and then adds playfully, "Feel free to mention that at the table."

Your eyes scan over the variety of coffee contraptions, no doubt because of Jin the cafe owner. Then you reach the refrigerator, black with gold handles, but instead of plastic magnets there are little antique picture frames with photos of all if the house's inhabitants. Because of course even the fridge has to align with the aesthetic.

"Looking for something?" Jin quips, clearly amused.

It's then that you wonder what exactly you'd find inside the fridge. Jin knows you've been watching him. Does he know what you suspect he is?

"What would I possibly be looking for?" you reply nonchalantly.

Jin lets out a chuckle that would dissolve even the thickest tension.

"If you're looking for blood bags and raw meat, you won't find them here."

He says it so jokingly, that you start to think maybe you were wrong about him. Maybe is he just some normal man with normal tendencies, the only reason for his nocturnal lifestyle attributed to him owning a 24 hour coffee shop.

Maybe you don't have to imagine him standing among a rack of blood bags at the local hospital, stealing them for his own benefit while leaving others without the vital resource.

Because if that's the case, then you have no reason to suspect he has anything to do with the deaths and disappearances. Maybe you could even—

"I don't keep them in that fridge," he says.

Your amused expression drops.

The timer on the oven beeps.

"Almost ready. If you wouldn't mind moving into the dining room and taking your seat," Jin says, focusing back on plating each dish.

You take the hint, leaving him in his element.

Another grand room, but with much higher ceilings, almost like a dark cathedral. There are the same stained glass windows and marble floors, and a massive crystal chandelier lit by tapering candles hangs overhead, though you have no idea how anyone could get so high up in order to light them.

Though the thing that demands the most attention is the long table in the center of the room. More dripping candles, some more like piles of wax with a lit wick, and bouquets of dried flowers serve as centerpieces. A black lace tablecloth, glinting silverware, dishes with images of crows and insects.

You don't even notice the people standing around the table until a small projectile is hurtling past you. Head whipping around, you see Jimin standing there with a slingshot held up to his face, and that face painted with a smirk.

From the way he's looking at you, it's not outrageous to assume that he was aiming at you. That is, until you hear a crash from behind you.

"Hey! Don't hit my azaleas!"

You immediately recognize the voice as Yoongi's, but your eyes are locked on Jimin. This is the first time you've seen him without a mask.

Uncovered by a hat, his silver hair falls across his forehead, and his eyes, unobscured by sunglasses, shine a strange blue-gray.

Something about his face is dangerous, it makes you want to see how close you can get before that danger becomes a real threat.

"You missed," you say, even though the smirk on his face is not one that belongs to someone who's missed their shot.

He just smiles on, and his teeth are sharp. Unnaturally sharp, as if every tooth beyond the front two have been filed down to fine points.

"If I wanted to hit you, I would've hit you," Jimin replies.

Hoseok approaches the two of you, ready to unleash another lethal roll of his eyes. He holds out his hand, and Jimin gives up the slingshot with a little huff.

"We have a no weapons at the table policy," Hoseok explains as Jimin pushes past him. You move to follow, but Hoseok stops you too.

"I'm afraid we also have a no recording devices at the table policy," he says with a knowing look.

You stare at him in slight disbelief, but he appears to be serious.

You want them to trust you, if only for the sake of the investigation. If they know something, you can't seem like a threat.

So you start to empty your pockets.

There's the microcassette recorder in your coat pocket, the digital recorder in your pants pocket, the flash drive recorder in your other pants pocket, the pen recorder in your inner jacket pocket.

You make a show of straightening your clothes before trying to slide past him, but he blocks you again with a raise of an eyebrow.

How the fuck...? Ugh, fine. You suppose you can actually be trustworthy instead of just pretending to be.

You take out the spare digital recorder in your left jacket pocket, the mini microphone in your shirt pocket, the flashlight with the secret button clipped to your belt. And the fake lapel pin. And the video camera in your bag. And the smaller backup camera in the hidden pocket inside your bag.

When you look up, you see that everyone in the room has stopped to watch you, all with expressions of slight shock.

Remembering one last thing, you hold up a finger, fishing out the micro nine pistol from the holster at the back of your waistband, setting it down at the top of the pile of contraband. As well as the extra magazine.

There’s a moment of stunned silence, and you think that maybe you shouldn’t have revealed the fact that you usually bring your gun to unfamiliar situations. But then you hear Jimin chuckle.

“Well,” he says from across the room with nothing but amusement in his tone. “It’s definitely a party now.”

Now that everyone is properly de-weaponed and de-deviced, everyone moves to take a seat, with Hoseok at one head of the table and Yoongi at the other in a tall peacock chair.

Your place is between Jimin and Taehyung, with Jungkook and Namjoon sitting across the table.

You should’ve guessed that Namjoon would be here, live here. As a P.I., you’re kicking yourself that you didn’t guess as much earlier.

Jin is still in the kitchen, dishes clanking. And what you perceive as awkward silence hangs in the air. To them, it simply feels like impatience being soothed.

You wait, wait for one of them to acknowledge the situation. Why have you been invited here?

“Did you enjoy the appetizers, _____?” Jimin asks.

You sneak a glance at him. He’s dressed in a silk shirt that billows around his form, his pale hair now pushed back from his forehead, transforming his face from relatively innocent to dangerously attractive. He watches you eagerly, waiting for your reply. He caught all of the seafood himself, after all.

You just nod in response, but Jimin flashes you a pleased smile all the same.

“We weren’t allowed to have any, of course,” Taehyung remarks, giving Hoseok a pointed look.

“Guests eat first, Taehyung, you know that,” he replies swiftly, but from the little grin on both their faces, it’s clear they’re only teasing.

You wonder how often they have guests in a place like this.

Another silence falls, you sneaking glances at everyone around the table. Except when you dare glance at Hoseok, he’s already looking. He must sense your discomfort, because then he’s saying, “My apologies, detective. We haven’t had proper introductions yet.”

He starts with the person to his left.

“This is Taehyung, our resident coroner. He runs the morgue downstairs.”

This is the first time you’ve made eye contact with Taehyung since you arrived in the house, and he doesn’t seem like the same man you met in the morgue. This man is at ease in his own home, a man who isn’t bound by professional constraints. He’s looking at you now less like a private investigator and more like a stranger that he doesn’t want to remain a stranger.

You’re not sure which you prefer.

“This is Jimin, he’s currently studying chemistry and marine biology at the university.”

Jimin meets your gaze when you glance at him, cocking his head back slightly and flashing a hint of those sharp teeth again.

“Yoongi, our genius little green thumb. He’s the one who keeps the place nice and lush,” Hoseok gushes, and Yoongi gives a little wave and straight-lipped smile, blushing only slightly.

“Namjoon, our favorite bookworm. And brilliant scholar! About to publish his third book.” Namjoon nods his head towards you with a small smile.

“And this is Jungkook, the youngest problem in the bunch,” Hoseok says, gesturing towards the young man in the pinstripe suit. Jungkook acknowledges you still somewhat nervously.

“Forgotten someone?” A voice calls.

Jin saunters into the room, having abandoned his apron for a lace jacket with sewn-on fabric flowers. He takes the empty seat to Hoseok’s right, straightening his hair. But it doesn’t like he’s been slaving in the kitchen this whole time at all. Not one stain on his clothes, not one dew drop of sweat.

“Could never forget you, darling,” Hoseok replies. “And this is Jin, our lovely chef who keeps us all so well fed.”

Jin gives a tiny little bow in your direction, along with one of his charming smiles.

There’s another pause, as if they’re waiting for you to say something. All you can think of is that they already know you, there’s no need for you to introduce yourself. So you say the first adjacent thing to come to your head:

“Glad to have met all of you.”

And you barely notice it, already looking down at your empty plate, but they simultaneously stifle the flutter in their gut.

“Alright,” Jin announces, clapping his hands together. “Let’s eat!”

Everyone but you, in near perfect synchronicity, grabs the silver cloche set before each of their table settings, and places it over their plate. Jimin gestures for you to do the same, so you obey.

When you remove it again, after everyone else does the same, the former empty plate is suddenly full. A thick and creamy soup, speckled with spices, steaming in a bread bowl crusted with garlic and herbs.

And of course no one bats an eye at the casual error in the law of physics, too busy passing around a bowl of greens to garnish and a bottle of red wine to fill their glasses. You don’t object when Taehyung holds the bottle over your own glass with a questioning raise of his eyebrow.

And by God, is it delicious. The cream base of the soup melts perfectly with hints of herbs and the peppery bite of truffle shavings. And of course, the best part is being able to break off a bit of flavored bread and dip it into the pot of gold before you.

“This is delicious,” you can’t help but blurt out, saying it like an aggressively objective fact.

“Thank you,” Jin replies, smiling wide like a child that was just complimented on their most recent art project. Except you can’t display a bowl of soup on the fridge, but you would if you could.

“Yoongi helped me forage the mushrooms,” Jin adds.

Mushrooms? Now that you think of it, the soup does have a distinct earthy taste.

“Do you forage often?” you ask, looking at Yoongi.

“Not as often as I’d like,” he replies.

“Why is that?” you ask, and a small smile tugs at Yoongi’s mouth. There’s a shared chuckle from around the table.

“What?” you blurt out, almost certain that they are making fun of you or know something that you don’t, probably both.

“You’re doing your interrogator voice,” Jimin says, but it doesn’t sound malicious, more like…endeared?

A look around the table, and everyone’s face matches the tone of his voice. He says it as if the two of you have known each other for years, as if you’re friends. It puts a strange, almost sickly feeling in your stomach. You set down your spoon.

Soon the air is filled with pleasant dinner-time chatter. They keep trying to bring you into the conversation, like you’re somehow one of them. But you’re here to get a job done.

It becomes exceedingly more difficult to concentrate solely on the case when the main course comes out. Again, due only to the covering and uncovering of your plates with the silver cloches, the remains of your soup disappearing.

A choice cut steak, generously seasoned, drizzled with a red wine sauce, a heap of garlic and herb mashed potatoes, and more mushrooms grilled to tenderness. You’re not normally fond of mushrooms, but these are surprisingly flavorful in a way you wouldn’t expect from a vegetable, let alone a fungus.

“They’re Pepperwood caps,” Jin says, as if reading your thoughts. “Yoongi grows them on the grounds.”

In all your research, you’ve never heard of Pepperwood caps.

“Hoseok isn’t eating them,” you say pointedly. “Neither is Jungkook,” you continue. There are no Pepperwood caps on either of their plates. Instead, a small pile of white capped mushrooms with brown spots.

“To my knowledge, those are Deadly Dapperlings, yes?”

They all look at each other.

“You don’t miss anything, do you detective?” Hoseok says with a little grin.

Your research on fungi has made you a novice at recognizing the lethal ones.

“Jungkook and I find that the poisonous ones have a particularly robust flavor,” Hoseok continues.

You watch him as he says it, waiting for him to elaborate, but he never does. So you return your attention to your perfectly cooked steak.

“I imagine you’re curious about what precisely the fuck we all are,” Jin interjects the silence, and your fork stops halfway to your mouth.

“Really all that needs to be said is that whatever you’ve already deduced is probably true.” He has his hands clasped together, his shirtsleeve riding up to expose the crescent-shaped bite mark on the inside of his wrist. He smiles when he notices you staring.

“Don’t worry,” he says, sounding amused. “I can be trusted around exposed neck flesh.”

You raise an eyebrow.

“So there’ll be no biting over the course of the evening?” you quip, only half joking.

Jin maintains his level gaze.

“Only if you want it desperately,” he replies.

You mold your face into a hard mask of indifference before you say something stupid.

“I must admit,” Taehyung begins. “I'm a little older than I look."

You stare at him like you’re trying to read a book. It’s true, he doesn’t look a day over thirty.

Jimin clears his throat.

"I'm not exactly...from here," he says, and when you look at him you swear you see something shift underneath his shirt.

The man in the peacock chair shifts.

"I'm a little more tuned into nature than most people," Yoongi adds. It’s only then that you notice that the dried flowers in their vases are leaning towards him like he’s the sun.

Jungkook is fidgeting in his chair, avoiding your gaze. But you can gather as much from the pallor of his skin and the deep-set dark circles under his eyes, both of which become clearer and easier to see the more times you look at him.

He has a ghostly air about him, like a whisper in the wind.

You look at Namjoon, and he smiles with a shrug.

"I just run a bookshop," he says.

A shared laugh sounds around the table. Namjoon rolls his eyes.

"Okay, maybe I've made a few blood pacts, but I'm a folklorist for Christ's sake!"

You genuinely can’t tell if he’s joking, but you suppose it doesn’t matter. Though, judging by what you’ve seen tonight, he’s probably telling nothing but the truth.

Finally, you turn to Hoseok.

“I’m…not all there,” he says, and you wait patiently for more.

He scratches the back of his head, looking like he’s trying to find the right words.

“You can see me sitting here, but it’s only half of me. You can touch me and hear my voice, but it’s not actually me. I need to be…contained.”

Now you’re staring at him in confusion.

“You ever read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?” Namjoon asks.

Before you can answer, another loud clang of the bell is sounding. Everyone else merely looks at the clock, but you flinch violently at the skull-rattling volume of the noise.

Jin wipes the corner of his mouth with his cloth napkin and pushes his chair back. Everyone else does the same, covering their now empty plates with the silver cloches.

Hoseok rises to a stand.

“Would you like to join us for coffee and cocktails in the library? Dessert should be ready shortly,” Hoseok says, though it doesn’t sound much like question when he heads down the hallway without waiting for an answer. And apparently it didn’t sound like a question to anyone else either, because Jimin and Taehyung are soon pulling you up from your chair and leading you out of the room, with Jimin even wrapping one arm around yours as Taehyung presses himself to your side.

The library is a dark room, no less grand than the rest of the house, with the same candlelit chandelier and sconces. Floor to ceiling bookshelves wrap themselves around the entirety of the room, complete with a wooden ladder on a sliding rail. There’s a roaring fire in the fireplace, and plenty of leather chairs and couches gathered around it.

Jimin lets you go when the door is shut securely behind you.

“Who wants a drink?” Jin asks, heading over to the bar cart in the corner, but you’re more drawn to the tea set on the low table by the fireplace. It’s all black and gold, with little images of ravens on the cups and saucers.

You pour yourself a cup with cream and sugar, taking a languid sip and relishing in its perfect richness.

Jin distributes the drinks as he prepares them without having to ask anyone what they want. A glass of white wine for Taehyung, something sparkling and slightly radioactive looking for Jimin, that same blackberry concoction for Hoseok, hot toddies for Namjoon and Jungkook, and a glass of some citrusy cordial for Yoongi. When you get a closer look at his glass you notice that Jin even took the time to carve a little jack-o-lantern face into half a tangerine as a garnish.

Jin makes himself the dirtiest martini you've ever seen, with only half the glass with liquid in it, the top half being a copious pile of olives.

“So, detective,” Hoseok says, leaning against one of the bookshelves. “How can we be of service?”

Your eyebrows raise.

“You want to help?” you ask, still incredulous. Because to be honest, you’re not quite sure what the purpose of this evening is supposed to be. To intimidate you? Confuse you? Judging by the fact that you stalked them because they fell under your radar of suspicion. You figured that if they were going to offer to help they could’ve done it with an email.

“Of course,” Taehyung says from his seat on one of the couches. “The last thing I want is more bodies on my autopsy table due to deaths that could’ve been avoided.”

“And something is harming the wildlife,” Yoongi adds.

You set down your cup and saucer, digging in your bag to start spreading papers all around you.

“What’s the deal with the mayor?” you ask.

“She's...unpopular with the general population," Namjoon offers. "A little too different."

"She won the election, didn't she?" you counter.

"By the skin of her teeth," Jimin replies. "Minority vote kicked in at the last second. And a lot of people aren't happy about it."

"Different, huh?" you say. The implication is clear.

"Or at least, her ancestors were, and I think her daughter is too. Tends to run in the family, stuff like that," Taehyung adds.

"She looks out for those like us," Yoongi says. "When she can, that is. It's gotten a little harder these days."

"Why is that?" you ask.

Yoongi shrugs.

"That's just how it goes. Some times are harder than others."

"Is that why the mayor wanted everything off the record? Why there's hardly been any media coverage?" you ask.

"That's what I'm guessing," Yoongi replies.

"She's paying me out of pocket," you inform them.

"That doesn't surprise me much," Namjoon adds. "She's always been too generous for her own good. I imagine she cares more about this strange case than most of her colleagues."

"So she knows about all of your…proclivities? That’s why she sent me your way?” you ask.

“I’d be surprised if she didn’t,” Yoongi replies. “Normal people tend to think we’re weirdos, but those who are like us know when they’re looking in a mirror.”

"What about the paper?" you ask.

Their expressions cloud with confusion.

“Uh, what about it?”

Ah, have you finally breached the topic of something they want to hide?

“Several people have claimed to have negative experiences with the press, but the main publishers have barely commented on any of the cases.”

“Oh, you mean the Periscope Press,” Taehyung supplies.

Hmm, maybe they don’t have anything to hide after all. But that doesn’t mean you trust them yet.

“It’s an underground newspaper, independently published, geared towards folks like us. Though it’s mostly full of garbage these days, we don’t have a subscription,” Taehyung explains.

“We can get you copies of the last few editions, though,” Jungkook adds, startling you a little since you haven’t heard him speak much tonight. He suddenly looks down at his shoes like he just realized the fact too.

“If you want,” he says, this time in nearly a whisper.

“That would be great, thank you,” you reply graciously, though he continues to avoid your gaze.

“So, detective,” Hoseok begins, and with the drink his voice is a touch more gravelly. “What’s your next move?”

They’re all looking at you now, curious and waiting.

You look down at your notes and fight the urge to clench your fist, because to honest, you’re not sure.

“I’m sure our little sleuth has a plan,” Jimin quips from his place sprawled out across one of the couches.

“I’d like to get access to Bradley’s reports and records, and wear down Mrs. Bradley if at all possible,” you begin, forming a list in your head. “I’d like to continue fieldwork around the woods and the lake, maybe see if anyone at the university can do some tests on those unusual mushrooms. I’ll be continuing my rounds around town to see if any civilians have anything to offer. Hopefully I can get some more information on the ones still missing.”

“And the lake?” Jimin asks.

You don’t want to talk about the lake. Thinking about it puts a sinking feeling in your gut, the stench of hot poisoned salt water filling your nose.

You don’t want to talk about what you saw. In your line of work, simply seeing isn’t enough. All that matters is hard evidence. So that’s what you’re gonna get.

Downing the dregs of your coffee cup, you start to gather up your notes.

“You’re leaving?” Jimin says, sounding wounded. “Before dessert?”

“I’m afraid there’s some things I wanted to get done tonight,” you say, ready to retreat back into your hole and dive back into the distraction of your work, where there aren’t several pairs of sultry dark eyes watching your every move.

“I suppose it is getting late,” Hoseok says. Though he doesn’t mention that many of them either don’t need to sleep or simply prefer to be active into the darkest hours of the morning.

“Let us send you home with some goodies, hm?” Hoseok nods to his housemates.

Jin cuts you slice of blue velvet cake, packing it up in a little bento box container.

You object at first, saying you don’t want to take a container as nice as this one, but Jin just retorts with a wink, saying that you’ll just have to come back sometime to return it.

Yoongi takes some cuttings from one of the dining room table centerpieces, adding some clippings from plants around the house as fillers, and wraps the bouquet in brown paper tied neatly with a bow. He hands it to you with a shy expression.

Namjoon gifts you a small stack of books, bound together by a leather strap, with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the top of the pile. He gives you a smile when you notice.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” Jungkook says when they lead you through the dark halls to the front door, which you didn’t expect.

He carries your gifts as the two of you travers first the cobblestone path and then the small hill down to where you parked your car.

“Sorry we’re so strange. And vague. I imagine it’s frustrating,” he says suddenly.

The walk up to this point has been completely silent, so the sound of his voice startles you just a bit.

“Yes, you’re all very weird,” you say, and Jungkook’s face sinks.

“If any of you ever change I’ll be very disappointed,” you finish, and that puts a full smile on his face, full enough that you can see the bunny-like jut of his front teeth.

A few moments of silence, the wind singing a low song.

“You’re very cynical, you know,” he says.

That makes you look at him, but his face is that same neutral expression, dark eyes wide like a young doe’s. He says it like a simple observation, not with the judgmental you’re used to hearing.

“Am I?” you reply, unable to choke back the little sarcastic bite to your tone.

He nods.

“You think no one could ever believe you just for the sake of believing you. You think you need to prove yourself.”

You stare at him, long and hard enough to miss the fact that the two of you have reached your car.

He opens the door for you, and you’re glad that you’re heading to the safety of your home because all these kind gestures are starting to make you feel weird.

After you start the engine, Jungkook leans down to look at you through the open window.

“Try not to worry about the case so much,” he says softly. “Trust your instincts, you’ll figure it out.”

There’s a moment of silence where you stare at him some more, wondering how a man who’s been so quiet and shy for the duration of the evening can shock you dumb with just a handful of words.

“Thank you, Jungkook,” you manage after a while. “And thank the others for a lovely meal.”

He nods and smiles, backing up to let you drive off down the hill.

Back at home, you make a fresh pot of coffee and tuck into that slice of cake while you draft an email to the mayor detailing your most recent findings.

Then you look through all the books you have on mushrooms, even go to the internet, but you find absolutely nothing on Pepperwood caps. To the rest of the world, they don’t exist.

You fall asleep with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde lying open in your hand.

~~~

a/n: thanks for your patience! :)

[animesmolbean]

Words Hold Power

An “The Umbrella Academy” fanfiction

Five x Reader

(Female)

Author's Note: Welcome to my The Umbrella Academy fanfiction! I'm so excited to share this story with you all! TUA is my favorite Netflix show! I'm very sad to see it's in its final season, but all great shows come to an end! But at least we'll get to rewatch it over and over again, lol.

Speaking of which, please, no spoilers for S4 since I have not watched it yet. I'll let you guys know where I am in S4 in coming posts.

With that said, I just wanted to tell you guys this. There was one hesitation I had with writing this story. Handling Viktor's character. I know about the journey of this character and Elliot Page's journey as well. I know about the transition, and I wanted to tell you how I planned on approaching this.

I did research on this topic and wanted to be sure I was handling it correctly. I researched how I should write transgender characters and their journeys throughout the story.

I also read other TUA fanfictions for research to see how other authors handle it, and like the research, it's a mixed bag. Some use Viktor only, and some show the name change.

After researching, I decided on an approach.

I will follow what the show does and show the transition story Viktor has. I chose this because I believe it's a beautiful journey, and the show does a great job handling the topic.

One last thing, all the main characters (The Hargreeves siblings) are aged up a little.

With all that said, I hope you enjoy the first chapter! ♥️

~Character Info~

Reader's ability is cursed speech. She can make anyone do what she says with only a few words. It's similar to Allison's, except she doesn't need to say certain words first like her, and her ability is much more powerful. To the point where she has to be extremely careful about what she says.

(As you can tell, this was inspired by the anime character, Toge Inumaki from Jujutsu Kaisen.)

Chapter 1: We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals (Family Reunion)

On the twelfth hour of the first day of October 1985, forty-three women around the world gave birth.

This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women have been pregnant when the day first began.

Sir Reginald Hargreeves, eccentric billionaire and adventurer, resolved to locate and adopt as many of the children as possible.

He got eight of them.

Many years later, the kids grew up and went on with their lives as adults.

There was Number One, aka Luther Hargreeves. Big, strong and was currently on the moon, studying and preparing for whatever his mission was.

There was Number Two, aka Diego Hargreeves. Impulsive, brave and works as a vigilante of sorts.

There was Number Three, aka Allison Hargreeves. Famous actress who was currently on the red carpet in front of paparazzi.

There was Number Four, aka Klaus. A lazy, free-spirited soul who is currently leaving rehab and using the money he got from the rehab to buy drugs. He ended up in the back of an ambulance.

And, there was Number Seven, aka Vanya Hargreeves. She was quiet, timid, and was currently leaving the theater after practicing her violin.

However, their lives would change forever with one broadcast.

Their father was now dead.

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY

☂

Vanya rode a taxi to her childhood home. A place she lived for many years.

The Umbrella Academy.

A tall condo-like building with a black gate.

Vanya approached the building and opened the doors, whose windows were decorated by umbrellas.

The foyer was fancy still. The middle was open with a chandelier hanging above a small round table in the middle. Tall, smooth white beams holding the sides which held the second floor. A staircase that leads to that second floor was behind the small round table.

It was just as Vayna remembered it. Every little detail was still there.

“Hey, Mom.”

Vanya called to the woman in the living room. Said woman sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace, which currently had a fire going. She stayed still as she stared into the dancing flames.

“Mom?”

“Vanya?”

A familiar voice turned Vanya’s attention elsewhere.

“You're actually here.”

She turned and saw her sister, Allison coming down the stairs.

“Hey, Allison.”

“Hey sis.”

Allison now stood before her sister. She chuckled and brought the other girl into a hug, which Vanya quietly but graciously returned.

“Ah. What is she doing here?”

A new voice spoke through the quiet foyer.

“You don't belong here. Not after what you did.”

It was Diego.

“You're seriously gonna do this today?” Allison spoke up, her tone telling that she wasn't in the mood for the male's attitude.

“Way to dress for the occasion, by the way.” She added, mocking Diego’s attire as he ascended the stairs. He was still in his “hero” gear; knives and everything.

“At least I'm wearing black.” Diego shot back nonchalantly as he turned left on the stairs, disappearing from the girls’ views.

Vanya, now uncomfortable, spoke up quietly, “You know what? I- Maybe he's right. And I shouldn't-”

“Forget about him.” Allison interrupted her. “I'm glad you're here.” She spoke softly. Vanya’s lips quirked up a little at Allison's words. The sisters shared a moment of silence.

☂

Diego arrived at his late father's room, to see Luther there checking the windows. He leaned against the doorframe.

“I can save you some time. They're all locked. No forced entry, no sign of struggle. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

As he spoke, he walked over to Luther who was also walking towards him.

“Oh, you got big, Luther. What's the secret, huh? Protein shakes? Low carbs?” Diego asked mockingly.

“What do you want?” Luther asked, not wanting to deal with Diego's attitude.

Diego reached into his pocket and pulled out a few folded pieces of paper, handing them to Luther. “The autopsy report.”

After he teasingly tried to pull them away from Luther, the latter brother snatched them out of his hand.

“And you have this, why?” Luther asked.

“Well, that's because I… broke into the coroner's office.” Diego explained as he sat down in an armchair. “And surprise, surprise, Dad's death was… normal. Just a boring, old heart failure.”

“Yeah, so?” Luther looked at Diego.

“So, why are you in here, checking all the windows?”

“Were you the first one on the scene?” Luther asked.

“Pogo found him.” Diego answered.

“Yeah, I talked with Pogo. He said he couldn't find Dad's monocle.”

“And your point being?” Diego asked in a bored tone.

“Can you think of a single time you saw Dad and he wasn't wearing that monocle? No. Which means someone took it. Which means there's a chance he wasn't alone when he died.”

Diego sat up from the armchair. “There is no mystery here. Nothing to avenge. Nothing to solve, nothing like that. It's just a sad old man who kicked it in a big empty house. Just like he deserved.”

“You should leave.” Lither spoke, not liking Diego's tone with that last sentence he spoke.

“Whatever you say, brother.” Diego said in a mocking tone as he turned to leave. Before he did, he turned back to Luther. “By the way, did you visit (Your Name) yet?”

Luther shook his head. “No. I was about to, actually.”

“You know where she is.” Diego simply said.

☂

Vanya entered the living room, looking around at the interior. She spotted a comic and new articles on their group, The Umbrella Academy. She looked at the bookshelves and pulled out one book in particular.

The title read, “Extra Ordinary My Life as Number Seven”

It was her autobiography book. The one she wrote when she left the academy.

She observed it solemnly until a voice spoke out.

“Welcome home, Ms. Vanya.”

She turned and saw Pogo, a human sized monkey dressed formally with a cane and glasses.

Vanya walked over to him and hugged him. Pogo hugged back with a hum. “So good to see you.” He noticed the book in her hand. “Ah, yes, your autobiography.”

“Do you know, um…” Vanya paused before continuing. “Did he ever read it?”

Pogo thought for a moment before replying, “Not that I'm aware of.”

Vanya turned her attention to the portrait above the fireplace. It showed a boy, around seventeen in age, sitting with a neutral but sophisticated look on his face.

“How long has it been since Five disappeared?” She asked.

Pogo turned to look at the portrait too. “It's been sixteen years, four months, and fourteen days.” The two looked at each other. “Your father insisted I keep track.”

“And… how long has (Your Name) been in that coma?”

“Sixteen years, four months, and six days.” Pogo replied.

“You wanna know something stupid? I always used to leave the lights on for him. I was scared that he would come back, it would be late, and the house would be dark and he wouldn't be able to find us, so he'd leave again. And he would take (Your Name) with him. So, every night I'd make a little snack and make sure all the lights were on.”

Pogo nodded. “Oh, I remember your snacks. I'm pretty sure I stepped in half those peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches, and those (Favorite type of Cookie) cookies.” He sighed a couple times before he spoke again, “Your father always believed that Number Five was still out there somewhere. He also believed that one day (Your Name) would wake up. He never lost hope.”

“And look where that got him.” Vanya said solemnly.

☂

Allison went up to her late father's study, looking around the area. The familiarity of it brought up a memory.

〰️

Reginald Hargreeves was working in his office, as usual, when Grace knocked on the door. She entered before closing the door.

“The children are ready for bed, sir. They wanted to say goodnight.”

She turned and walked a couple of paces and opened the sliding door.

On the other side revealed the eight children, all wearing matching pajamas. Allison was in the center while the others surrounded her. Little (Your Name) stood between her and Five, a black cloth face mask covering her mouth and nose.

The children were all smiling as they waited for their father to acknowledge them. But he was so into his work that he didn't even glance up at them.

Sensing the awkwardness, Grace quickly dismissed the kids. The kids, of course, were disappointed but not surprised. As they left slowly, (Your Name) tugged on Allison's sleeve, silently asking her to come.

“I'll be there in a minute (Your Name).” The girl whispered. (Your Name) tilted her head to the side. Allison spoke again, “Why don't you go hang out with Five for a bit before bed? I know you planned on it.” She gave the masked girl a small smile. (Your Name) felt her cheeks warm up, but she nodded, leaving and quietly walking over to Five. The boy saw her coming and, with a nod of his head, gestured to her to follow him. (Your Name) nodded and started to walk beside him. As she did, she heard Allison,

“He's always busy.”

〰️

“Where's the cash, Dad?”

The sound of a voice diverted Allison's attention and she walked over to her father's desk, hearing clamoring noises. She leaned forward to look to see who was over there.

“Klaus? What are you doing in here?” She asked.

Said boy looked up and gasped at the sight of his sister. “Oh! Allison! Wow, is that you?” He asked as he stood up. He embraced her slowly; Allison slowly returned the hug. “Long time. Too long.” He pulled away. “Hey, I was hoping to see you, actually, because I wanted to get your autograph. Add it to my collection!” He planted his chin onto his hands.

Allison let her brother act because it was how he always behaved when she noticed the white paper bracelet on his left wrist. “Just out of rehab?” She asked.

“No, no. No, no, no, no. No. I'm done with all of that.” Klaus replied with a sigh as he removed the bracelet. “I just came down here to prove to myself that the old man was really gone.” He smiled. “And he is! He's dead. Yeah!” He clapped, making Allison smile a little, shaking her head a bit.

“You know how I know? Because if he were alive, not one of us would be allowed to set foot in this room.” Allison silently agreed with Klaus.

“He was always in here, our whole childhood, plotting his next torment, right?” He said with a chuckle as he sat in the armchair behind the desk, putting his feet on the desk. “Remember how he used to look at us? That scowl?” He pointed to the man's portrait onto the wall behind him. “Thank Christ, he's not our real father, so we couldn't inherit those cold, dead eyes!” He stretched his eyelids to show more of his eyeballs. He fake screams, making Allison chuckle a little as Klaus started to dramatically imitate their late father.

“Get out of his chair.”

Klaus turned his head and saw Luther standing by the doorway. “Oh, wow, Luther! Wow, you really, uh… You really filled out over the years, huh?” Klaus said as he stood and flexed his arm muscles.

“Klaus.” Luther warned.

“Save the lecture. I was already leaving. You guys can talk amongst yourselves. I am going to visit (Your Name). Oh! The precious little sister of ours.” He chuckled softly. Before he could leave though, Luther stopped him. “Drop it.”

“Ex-squeeze me?” Klaus said.

“Do it. Now.” Luther ordered.

Klaus pulled his arm away from Luther and went back to the desk and started to empty out his pockets, which held a few of his late father's belongings. “It's just an advance on our inheritance! That's all it is!” Allison chuckled silently at her brother. “No need to get your little panties in a bunch.” With that, Klaus left, closing the door; leaving Luther and Allison alone in the room.

“So, Klaus is still Klaus, in case you are wondering.” Luther started.

“You know, after all these years, I find it strangely comforting.” Allison stated.

“Did you see Diego?” Luther asked.

“With his stupid outfit?” Allison added in amusement.

“Oh, I know. Do you think he wears that thing in the bathroom?” Lauther asked.

“Like in the shower?” Allison asked for confirmation.

“Yeah.” Luther confirmed.

“Yes, absolutely!” Allison laughed.

The two went on to talk about how their lives are going now that they are adults. Luther was the only one to stay while the rest went their separate ways. Their conversation ended talking about Allison's family and her powers.

〰️

A little later, everyone congregated in the living room. The fire was still going in the fireplace as everyone sat in silence.

Luther started talking about doing a memorial service for their late father. Some like Allison were mostly confused by this or making fun of it like Klaus.

“Is that my skirt?” Allison asked, noticing Klaus wearing a skirt now.

“Oh, yeah this. I found it in your room. It's a little dated, I know, but it's very breathy on the bits.”

Luther stopped Klaus before he could go further and started to talk about their father's death. He had a theory that he didn't die simply of heart failure. He recounted how he was acting suspicious and requested Klaus to try to communicate with him. Klaus was not interested.

“I can't just call Dad into the afterlife and be like, “Dad, could you just stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?”

“Since when? That's your thing.” Luther said.

“I'm not in the right… frame of mind.”

“You're high?” Allison asked, not surprised.

“Yeah! Yeah!” Klaus laughed. “I mean, how are you not listening to this nonsense?”

“Well, sober up, this is important.” Luther said.

Klaus only sighed.

When Luther started talking about the missing monocle, Diego concluded that Luther was suspicious of all of them, saying that Luther thought one of them killed their dad. This caused everyone to get upset. Diego insulted Luther's leadership, Klaus got up and jokingly said that he might as well go murder their Mom and (Your Name), unless she was already dead. Vanya left in silence and. Allison left in silence as well. Luther tried to defend himself, but it was too late.

They weren't always like this. When they were kids, they were tight knit.

〰️

17 YEARS AGO

“This is Jim Hellerman, reporting live for Channel 2 News outside of the Capital West Bank at Main and Sixth. A group of heavily armed men stormed the bank not three hours ago and took an unknown number of hostages.”

The armed men surveyed the bank as they pointed their guns at the bound up hostages and pushed them behind the counter as they proceeded with the robbery.

Unexpectedly, a girl with curly black hair, in a school uniform and mask, walked casually to one of the robbers.

It was Allison.

“Hey, get back with the others.” The robber ordered the girl.

“I heard a rumor.” Allison spoke.

“What? What did you say?”

Allison leaned forward and used her ability, “I heard a rumor that you shot your friend in the foot.”

The robber pointed his gun at one of his partners and promptly shot him in the foot, knocking him down. The hostages screamed at the sound of the gun.

Suddenly, someone, dressed in a boy's school uniform with a mask came crashing down from a window above and landed behind the counter. It was Luther. He punched one robber and threw him out the window with surprising strength.

Then, another kid dressed like Luther came from the other side of the bank. “Guns are for sissies. Real men throw knives.” He threw two long knives at one of the robbers only for them to redirect to another robber and immediately killed him.

There were now only two robbers left in the lobby.

One of them climbed onto the desk and pointed his gun shakily at the three kids. “Get back, you freaks.”

“Hey, be careful up there, buddy.” Diego, the knife throwing kid taunted.

“Get back now!”

“Wouldn't want you to get hurt.” Allison taunted as well.

“Or what?”

A fourth kid appeared seemingly out of nowhere, sitting criss cross on the desk. A taunting smirk on his face. This was Number Five.

The robber shot at Five, but he disappeared and reappeared on the other side. When the robber turned around and tried to shoot him again, he suddenly realized that he was not holding a gun.

“Ooh! That's one badass stapler!” Five taunted before smacking the guy's hand holding the stapler into his head. This knocked the robber over.

All they had to do now was get rid of the robbers in the vault.

Or so they thought.

There was one more.

He loaded his fun and his gun cocked, catching the kids off guard.

“Down you freaks!” He yelled.

Suddenly, running from a hidden place behind a wall was a fifth kid, dressed like Allison, as she pulled down her face mask. She directed her attention to the robber.

“Explode!”

The single word echoed loudly through the bank, and just before the guy could turn his gun to the girl, his body suddenly exploded, body parts, guts, and blood spreading out everywhere. The hostages screamed in fear. The girl quickly covered her face again, breathing heavily as she ran to her siblings.

She gestured to all of them. They couldn't see much of her face, but they could tell she was worried by the look in her eyes.

“We're okay. Thanks (Your Name).” Allison said.

(Your Name) hummed, nodding as she walked over to behind the desk with the others, while two more kids dressed like the rest of the boys joined them. Five looked at her. “That was pretty badass. Good work.” He complimented, giving her a smile. (Your Name) felt her cheeks warm up a little, and she tilted her head a bit and closed her eyes. Most people wouldn't be able to tell her expression behind the mask, but Five knew she was smiling at him in thanks.

“Do we really have to do this?” A meek voice asked.

“Come on, Ben. There's more guys in the vault.” Luther told the boy.

Ben sighed as he walked to the vault door. “I didn't sign up for this.”

He entered as the hostages all ran for their lives out of the bank. Inside the vault, the last of the robbers were eyeing slaughtered by Ben's ability. He screeched and roared as his tentacles ripped them apart and threw them against the walls. Blood splattered all over the windows.

Once it was quiet, Ben came out, covered in blood. “Can we go home now?” He asked, his breathing shaky.

It was time to leave.

The seven kids started walking towards the entrance of the bank. (Your Name) pulled out a small vial and turned the cap. She pulled the bottom part of her mask up and put the bottle to her lips. She tilted her head back and started swallowing the liquid. She finished it and placed the empty bottle back in her pocket.

“Are you feeling okay?”

Five's voice made (Your Name) turn to him. She nodded and hummed in thanks. Five offered his arm to her. “Ready?” He asked. The girl nodded again, and she hooked her arm with Five's. Five smiled at her, and they started walking after their siblings.

The seven kids emerged from the back as the news reporters pointed their cameras at the group, and they all clamored to try to talk to them.

Above on the top of a building nearby, stood Reginald Hargreeves, observing the other kids with a mini telescope. An eighth kid, dressed like Allison and (Your Name), minus the mask, stood next to him.

“Why can't I go play with the others?” The girl asked.

“We've been through this before, Number Seven. I'm afraid there's just nothing special about you.” Reginald said as he lowered his telescope.

The girl looked down. “Oh.”

Eventually, Reginald came down to stand with the children.

“Our world is changing. Has changed. There are some among us gifted with abilities far beyond the ordinary. I have adopted seven such children.”

‘You mean eight.’ (Your Name) thought to herself as she looked down temporarily, her arm still linked with Five's.

“I give you the inaugural class of the Umbrella Academy.”

Many news reporters asked many questions.

“What happened to their parents?” One asked.

“They were suitably compensated.” Reginald replied.

“Are you concerned about the welfare of the children?” Another asked.

“Of course. As I am for the fate of the world.” Reginald said.

〰️

☂

Everyone was in separate rooms, having their alone time after the little dispute from earlier. Klaus was still in the living room, trying to talk to their late father but he ended up knocking the vase filled with his ashes over.

Luther was walking through the hallways, reminiscing until he got to his room.

Allison was looking through her belongings until she found a gold heart locket with ‘A+L’ carved onto the front.

Klaus took the vase into the kitchen where he proceeded to take more pills.

Diego laid on the couch in the living room, playing with one of his knives.

Vanya sat on the stairs, a solemn look on her face.

Luther eventually found a familiar record and played it on the record player.

“I Think We're Alone Now” by Tiffany started to play.

Everyone heard the familiar tune all throughout the house and they all started to dance in their respective rooms.

Childhood nostalgia ran through their bodies as they all danced like no one was watching. Even Pogo moved a little to the beat.

But suddenly, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed.

The music stopped as the house reacted to the violent disturbance.

The siblings all ran to the courtyard and saw a giant hole, surrounded by blue lightning.

“What is it?” Vanya asked.

“Don't get too close!” Allison warned.

“Yeah, no shit.” Diego said.

“Looks like some sort of temporal anomaly. Either that or a miniature black hole. One of the two.

“Pretty big difference there, Paul Bunyan.” Diego insulted.

“Out of the way!” Klaus exclaimed as he came out with a fire extinguisher and tried to spray it but it was out of steam. So, he just threw it at the mysterious anomaly only for it to get sucked in.

“What is that gonna do?” Allison asked.

“I don't know. Do you have a better idea?” Klaus asked.

The anomaly got stronger and Luther ushered everyone behind him to protect them. Klaus wanted to run. Luther and Allison held hands.

The electrical crackling intensified and someone emerged from the anomaly, arms out. It disappeared and the person fell out of the sky and landed on the ground. The sky cleared up as the siblings walked towards the person, who stood up. He was dressed in a suit way too big for him.

“Does anyone else see little Number Five, or is that just me?” Klaus asked.

The boy known as Five looked at himself then back at the siblings.

“Shit.”

☂

The six were now in the kitchen. Five was busy making a sandwich while the others watched in shock.

“What's the date? The exact date.” Five asked.

“The 24th.” Vanya replied.

“Of what?”

“March.”

“Good.”

Luther spoke up. “So, are we gonna talk about what just happened?”

Five didn't reply. He just continued with making his sandwich.

Silence fell for a couple of seconds until Luther stood up. “It's been seventeen years.”

Five scoffed. “It's been a lot longer than that.” He blinked over to the cabinet.

“I haven't missed that.” Luther muttered.

“Where'd you go?” Diego asked.

“The future. It's shit, by the way.” Five replied as he blinked back to the table.

“Called it.” Klaus said.

“I should've listened to the old man. You know, jumping through space is one thing, jumping through time is a toss of the dice.” Five looked up at the siblings. “Nice dress.” He told Klaus.

“Oh, well, danke!” Klaus said, playing with the article of clothing.

“Wait, how did you get back?” Vanya asked.

“In the end I had to project my consciousness forward into a suspended quantum state version of myself that exists across every possible instance of time.” Five explained.

“That makes no sense.” Diego spoke up.

“Well, it would if you were smarter.” Five sasses.

Diego stood up to confront the boy but Luther stopped him, holding him back.

“How long were you there?” He asked.

“Forty-one years. Give or take.”

Luther and Diego sat back down. “So what are you saying? That you're fifty-eight?” The former asked.

Five looked at Luther. “No, my consciousness is fifty-eight.” He finished his sandwich. “Apparently, my body is now seventeen again.”

“Wait, how does that even work?” Vanya asked.

“Delores kept saying the equations were off. Eh.” Five took a bite out of his sandwich. “Bet she's laughing now.”

Vanya was confused. “Delores?”

Five ignored her and looked at the newspaper that told him about Reginald Hargreeves’ death. “Guess I missed the funeral.”

“How'd you know about that?” Luther asked.

“What part of the future do you not understand?” Five asked. “Heart failure, huh?”

“Yeah.” “No.” Diego and Luther said together.

Five hummed before clicking his tongue. “Nice to see nothing's changed.” Then, he got a good look at his siblings again. He realized that one was missing. “By the way, where's (Your Name)?”

The other five siblings looked at each other, solemn expressions on their faces now. “Well…” Vanya started. “There isn't an easy way to say this.” Allison said. “She's in a coma.” “She's dead.” Klaus and Diego finished. “Diego!” Allison scolded.

Five looked at his siblings, a subtle look of worry on his face, but on the inside, his heart was beating faster. “What happened?”

“Well…. like I said… this isn't easy to say.” As Allison tried to explain, they suddenly heard soft footsteps approaching the kitchen. They slowly turned their heads and what they saw shook them to the core.

There stood…

(Your Name).

Klaus yelled in surprise.

“Holy shit.” Diego said.

Everyone else looked in surprise.

(Your Name) was alive.

[ilongfor-the-arts]

Tea and Music

Pairing: Marquis de Gramont x fem! Reader

Warnings: smut!, language, mild begging, choking, unprotected sex, use of “good girl”

Summary: Part two of Poetry in Motion! These are the events that happen after Marquis meets our ballerina reader.

Word Count: 6.7k

Read Part one HERE!!!

Taglist: @jiawalker

The limo crushed the small stones under its tires as it drove along the white gravel path. The entire estate was completely covered in trees and green once we passed through the golden gates. I couldn't see the sides of the gate from the car, so I assumed his estate extended for miles.

Not a blade of grass was out of place.

I would have flirted with Vincent sooner if I had known he was concealing a mansion.

Our conversation two nights ago was extremely straightforward. He introduced himself, and I asked him one question before he insisted on speaking with me in person.

His address was on a street I'd never heard of before. I thought that perhaps it was in the Paris slums. His fancy suits and elegant demeanor were just a ruse to convince people he was wealthy.

But, alas, he lives in a mansion. Who would’ve guessed?

As the car approached the large front doors, I tried to hide my surprise. His house was something out of a movie. To take it all in, I had to turn my head completely left and right. It possessed at least three levels. It was made of lovely white vintage brick and black shingles. Two poles supported an enormous balcony on opposite sides of the large double front doors.There were dozens of tall arched windows. The architecture was inspired by the French countryside, but it was elevated to the highest level.

It appeared vintage and loved, but not worn.

“Alright madame, we are here.”

My trance was broken by the posh driver.

“Oh, yes.”

He opened the door for me, offering his hand to ensure that I would not be inconvenienced in the slightest.

I could grow accustomed to this type of treatment.

I hoisted myself up by grasping his smooth palm.

“Have a pleasant visit, madame.”

He spoke with a classy accent. His elegance, however, couldn't compete with Vincent's. The elderly driver jumped back into the driver's seat and began bustling away, rocks crunching beneath the tires.

I cocked my head upwards, hesitant. I could feel nerves brewing within my stomach. The butterflies were flying free. I took a deep breath, steadying my mind.

I honed in on the rustling of the trees, waiting until the butterflies had completely dissipated.

I couldn’t believe I was about to enter the home of a man I had just met.

I knew his name.

I knew he liked ballet.

I knew where he lived.

And, that’s it.

I climbed the few steps leading to the glass double doors.

Should I knock?

No, he was expecting me.

I gently pushed open the door. The hinges didn't creak in the least.

The doors opened to reveal a large room with white marble floors and a double staircase that swirled to the top floor. The banisters were made of gold, the dark wood walls were covered in expensive-looking paintings, and each room was separated by a large, open arch.

“Hello? I’m here!”

The waves of my voice echoed around the large, nearly empty room. I felt dwarfed by the high ceilings.

“Welcome.”

my heart skipped a beat. Vincent appeared out of nowhere, sauntering through the archway on my left, hands in pockets.

He remained silent, waiting for me to break the tension.

“Uh-Thank you for having me… your house is beautiful.”

As the gravity of the situation became clear, my tone became somewhat shaky. Vincent gave a small smile.

“Thank you very much. I have quite a few estates-“

Woah, woah, woah. A few estates? As in more than one?

“But this one is by far my favorite. It’s lavish, and quiet.”

The trees gently rustled. In the distance, birds chirped. My heart was pounding in my ears.

“See? Nothing. No sounds except those of nature.”

My knees shook. Those two previous statements felt like one big, blatant sexual innuendo. I hoped that sex wasn't the sole reason for having me in this lovely estate that just so happened to have no neighbors for miles.

He leaned against the wooden arch, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his dress pants. Vincent furrowed his brow as he observed my concern.

“Please, don’t be worried. I know I was just given the pleasure of becoming your acquaintance. But, I assure you, I possess a sophisticated character.”

The corners of his mouth turned upwards.

“Come.”

He said this as he stepped away from the arch, motioning for me to follow him into the next room.

“I have something I believe you will enjoy.”

I returned his stare. His beautiful eyes shone with warmth. He seemed to have changed slightly now that I was in his house. He appeared to be... more at ease. Neither his gaze nor his tone indicated any discomfort. He was no longer concerned with maintaining any sort of facade.

I couldn't bring myself to be afraid of him.

I smiled.

“Alright.”

My short heels clacked against the marble. As I strolled past him, I captured his familiar scent and was overcome with nostalgia.

The room I entered was significantly smaller than the one prior. Rather than being adorned in paintings, there was merely one green landscape above the unlit fireplace. One wall was entirely covered in wooden shelves, each of which was crammed to the brim. When I looked closer, I noticed that each section was filled with vinyl records. Some are still wrapped in plastic, while others have clearly been loved for years.

“Oh wow! You have quite the collection!”

I exclaimed as I ran my fingers along the spines of various records. Marquis laughed, amused by my intense interest.

“Oh wow!”

I had to use a surprising amount of force to pry one of the vinyls off the shelf as it was jammed into a completely full rack.

“You have the music from Giselle!”

Vincent strolled over to me, leaning over my shoulder to observe what had captured my attention. It was a record, with a lady and man engaged in dance. The lady wore a blouse and bodice, while the man donned tights and a decorated top.

“Do you enjoy this ballet?”

His hot breath cascaded across my face and neck as he inquired. A shiver ran down my spine as I realized he had placed his frame directly behind mine.

“Yes, I do. I was in it a long time ago. And, ever since it’s been one of my favorites.”

“Ah, you were in it?”

I flipped the vinyl to the back, reading each track and reminiscing.

“Yes, I was Giselle.”

“But of course you were.”

I scoffed, dismissing his high opinions of me.

“It really was not that impressive. It was a small community theater, and it was years ago before I decided to pursue ballet professionally.”

“It makes little difference where you do it. I'm sure you danced as well as someone from the Opéra National de Paris. Your talent is just as visible in a small theater as it is in the world's largest.”

I pushed my finger between two vinyls to create a gap so I could slip the record back into its original position.

“You flatter me.”

Vincent dragged his fingertips along the spines. As he did so, I fixed my attention along his veiny digits, my brain beginning to slip into places it hadn't been in a long time. I closed my eyes, forcing my mind to return to the present. Vincent drew his gaze across the records, studying them and searching for a specific item.

“Ah!”

He discovered what he was looking for.

“Swan Lake, another one of my favorites.”

He pulled it from the shelf and began to study it.

“Tchaikovsky's music is a work of art. He manipulates the instruments, allowing them to move in a poetic manner. It truly is unparalleled.”

He cocked his head to the side, meeting my eyes.

“Do you enjoy this ballet?”

He raised his brows, inviting me to respond. I shuffled towards his hot body, nodding.

“Yes, of course, it’s a classic.”

This cover depicted a woman bending over a lake, with a swan at her side. Beautiful blues were used to paint the entire cover.

“One of my dream roles is the swan queen.”

Vincent's lanky fingers pried the record's cover apart, and he slid the vinyl into his palm.

“One day, that role will be yours. I have no doubt about it.”

He handled the record with extreme grace and care. Despite being a large and rather intimidating man, his touch was featherlight. He opened a small cabinet located in the middle of the shelves with his opposite hand, revealing a beautiful maroon record player.

“And when you appear as the swan queen, it will be your role for the rest of your life. The audience will know instantaneously that no performance before or after yours will compare.”

Vincent placed the needle on the record's edge. The sound of a rich oboe filled the entire room. He placed his hands on his hips and viewed the black circle spin in a circle. The atmosphere became cozy and inviting. Despite being in a secluded mansion in the middle of the French countryside, I felt oddly at home. My heartbeat was regular.

Vincent glanced over his shoulder.

“Do you drink tea?”

He inquired.

I was so enthralled by Vincent's lovely figure that I had to shake myself awake when he spoke.

“Oh! Yes, of course. I love tea.”

Vincent unbuttoned the cuffs of his white dress shirt, rolling his sleeves up to reveal lovely veins dancing across his forearms. I gulped, my face growing hotter as butterflies began to hatch within my lower abdomen.

“Would you care to drink tea with me on the porch as we indulge in this lovely music?”

I nodded, unable to hide the grin playing on the corners of my mouth.

“I would like that very much.”

-

Vincent brought out a large silver tray, atop which was a lovely china set with pink flowers and gold stems.

“I would expect a wealthy man like you to have help. Rich men don’t make their own tea.”

I said, my tone slightly mocking. Vincent chuckled, plopping down onto the cream colored cushions.

“I don't usually make my own tea. But I specifically requested that we spend the day alone. The bustle of people detracts from the peaceful energy.”

I put a sugar cube in one of the adorable cups and poured tea on top, watching the sugar break and dissolve.

I picked up the saucer and leaned back, my body relaxing against the plush cushions. I had a fantastic view. My back was to the house, leaving the entire garden open for inspection. The green stretched as far as the eye could see, interrupted only by a few healthy trees. The property had a gray gravel path that twisted and turned. At the horizon, the gentle hill of the land met the flawless blue sky.

The scenery was lovely. I wish I knew how to paint.

My hair was tousled by a gentle breeze. The soothing music wafted through the house, reaching my ears as a mere whisper.

“Are you enjoying the view?”

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, savoring the cozy energy as I sipped my tea. The steaming liquid poured down my throat, warming me from within.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.”

I rested the cup in my lap.

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself? I feel like we talk so much about me.”

I said, chuckling slightly.

Vincent sipped his tea while crossing his legs and gazing out at the horizon. His gorgeous side profile was highlighted by the gentle glow of the sun.

“My life is… not very interesting.”

His demeanor had transformed. Instead of being charming, he had become aloof.

“Oh, I’m sure your life is plenty interesting. I mean, come on, this house is ginormous! What do you do?”

Vincent grit his teeth, avoiding the question.

“I made all of my money in real estate.”

He returned my gaze, his fondness restored.

“Oh! That sounds interesting.”

I took another sip of my delicious tea.

“You must’ve gotten extremely lucky.”

He flashed me a tight smile.

“Yes, absolutely. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be where I am now.”

The birds in the distance chirped peacefully, blending with the music to create a cohesive energy that flowed through my being.

“Please, tell me if I am crossing any boundaries with this question.”

I perked up. He had piqued my interest.

“However, you are a very attractive woman. And you are constantly expressing yourself through the arts. I find it difficult to believe you don't have suitors flocking to you at all times.”

I gulped, my gaze fixed on the tea in my lap.

“Well, honestly, it’s difficult to keep a relationship when you’re constantly either in the theater, or searching for your next opportunity. The little free time I have almost never lines up with the free time of others.”

He fixed his gaze on me, listening intently to every word I said. I'd never had a conversation with a man who was so enthralled by me.

“I’ve had relationships, but it's difficult to make them stick. Lately, I’ve kinda given up. It’s stressful, y’know?”

Vincent hummed.

“Yes, I can imagine.”

He sipped his tea one last time, leaning back completely to display his stunning neck. He leaned forward and placed the china cup atop its saucer before assuming his previous position.

"Well, with me, you never have to worry about that, ma chérie." My few important obligations rarely interfere with my personal life. And, if they do, I promise to commit to our relationship and not let it fall through the cracks."

His dedication surprised me. I raised my brows.

“Well, that is very kind of you. I appreciate the reassurance.”

“That is, if pursuing a relationship with me is something that entices you.”

His statement piqued my interest. I suppose I hadn't considered the question, "What are we?" I was definitely interested in pursuing a relationship with him, despite only having become acquainted a few days ago. I felt a genuine connection, and I'd be a fool to pass up this opportunity.

Also, the reality that he was filthy rich drew me to him.

I finished the sweet tea, placing it on the black wire coffee table.

“Yes, I believe I would be interested in that.”

I gave him a genuine smile, which he returned.

“Good, I am glad to hear that.”

He folded his hands and tucked them into his lap, his gaze following. He was deep in thought, as if caught between reality and his thoughts. Vincent came to after what seemed like an eternity. He returned his gaze to mine. His attention had been drawn to a new emotion. He was looking at me with calculating eyes, as if he was carefully pondering what to say next.

This was unusual for him, as he always seemed to know exactly what to say.

“I don’t mean to sound creepy when I say this, but I have been admiring you for a while.”

To be honest, I didn't mind. And I didn't think he was creepy at all for expressing his admiration for me.

“In all honesty, I’m flattered. The way I see it, I wouldn’t put myself on the stage if I was afraid of extreme admiration. I mean, that is kind of the goal of a performer. Y’know, to make people fall in love with the performance.”

Vincent nodded, his smile widening. He was pleased with my response.

“I recall seeing you perform for the first time. It was about two years ago, in Coppélia. You played a minor role, but your beauty captivated me, and the more I sought you out, the more I fell in love.”

There was something sensual about the thought of Vincent admiring me from afar for years. It all seemed so forbidden, him watching me from a box, carefully calculating the best time to ask me out.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why didn’t you ask me out sooner?”

Vincent shrugged.

“I assumed you were in a relationship. I tried to forget about you, but you were always on my mind. Then I didn't see you at the Opéra national de Paris for a year. My job was particularly demanding at that time. It was best if I concentrated solely on that. So I didn't go looking for you. I assumed that chapter of my life had come to an end. Then I notice you're performing in La Bayadère. And I knew that whatever force governs our universe had given me the opportunity to become your acquaintance.”

I couldn’t stop my face from breaking into a grin. I’ll admit, it felt insanely good to be admired by someone.

“Are you a nostalgic person?”

Yes, extremely.

“Yes, I am.”

“Ah!”

He exclaimed, rising to his feet.

“In that case, I have one more thing I think you would like to see.”

I followed him through the house. If I didn’t have him, I would undoubtedly be lost. Each lavish hallway felt as if it extended for miles. I followed, and followed, and followed. Until eventually we reached a pair of black double doors. They were covered in beautiful flower designs. Vincent turned the golden knobs, pushing the doors open to reveal… a bedroom?

Wow.

It was a nice bedroom, to be sure. The floors were tan wood, and the walls were a dark brown color. A large, black chandelier hung from the ceiling with an expensive crystal thread. The bedframe, curtains, and dresser with a large mirror all looked like they were plucked from the queen's bedroom.

In fact, the whole place felt like it belonged to a king. The gold accents, intricate details, and visibly expensive fabrics all gave me the impression that I was in Buckingham Palace.

Vincent headed over to his dresser, which was located on the opposite side of the room as the bed. He began rummaging through various objects, searching for something.

“Ah! Here it is! I knew I kept it!”

He gave me... a leaflet? No, it's a program. It was the program from my first performance ever at the Opera Nacional de Paris, Coppélia. My eyes shot open.

“Oh my God! I can’t believe you kept this!”

I flipped through it, reading the names and contemplating all the wonderful people I'd had the pleasure of working with.

“Of course I kept it.”

I raised my eyes to him. He smiled, pleased that I had found enjoyment in this little bit of nostalgia.

“Um-”

I began.

“I-I don’t mean to take your memories from you.”

I said with a small laugh.

“But, would you mind if I kept this?”

“But of course! There is no need for me to keep a silly little booklet now that I have had the pleasure of meeting the object of my affection.”

We shared a moment of peaceful, happy silence.

“Besides, if it makes you happy, I'll gladly give it to you. We've decided to pursue a relationship. So, it is my responsibility to do everything in my power to please you.”

His gaze darted to my lips before returning to my eyes, implying something taboo.

His eyes grew dark. My posture became stiff. Vincent took a large step towards me, and I had to tilt my head almost completely backwards to look him in the eyes.

I was hit with a wave of déjà vu. I was no longer on the streets of Paris, but rather in Vincent's bedroom. This time, there was nothing preventing us from delving head first into our desires.

He cupped my cheek, running his calloused thumb over my cheekbone. My breath caught in my throat. My lower abdomen was in knots, more from anticipation than from nerves. There wasn't much that could happen on the dark streets of Paris. But suddenly everything was possible and within reach. All I had to do was reach out and grab them.

“The relationships you’ve been in… have any of them had the pleasure of…”

His voice trailed off, beckoning me to finish the thought.

I gulped, a lump forming in my throat.

“No.”

My voice quivered as I felt overpowered by his pressing gaze.

Vincent tutted crispy.

“Pity.”

He stated, his voice lowering to a sensuous whisper. I envisioned him whispering sweet nothings into my ear while thrusting mercilessly into my tight cunt.

My stomach flipped.

My knees shook.

All of the blood in my body rushed to my core.

Wetness began to pool in my panties.

I adjusted my weight uncomfortably, anticipating Vincent's next move.

He leaned forward, his lips inches away from mine. I desperately wanted to break the tension by pressing my mouth to his, thereby beginning the downward spiral of pleasure. However, my train of thought was derailed when I felt Vincent’s opposite hand glide up my thigh.

I squeezed my eyes shut, sighing in pleasure as his digits swiftly located my clothed clit. He tenderly massaged my sensitive bud. The subtle sensation was utterly euphoric. My head bowed forward, my hands anxiously clutching his white dress shirt.

Vincent jerked my head upwards, forcing my misty eyes to lock with his lust blown pupils.

“You’re already so wet, ma chérie. And I have barely even touched you.”

His velvety accent became 10 times more seductive now that it had fallen an octave.

“Oh, it will be so wonderful to watch you come undone.”

He pressed his plush lips to my jugular, applying gentle kisses to my neck as he continued to draw figure eights onto my clothed clit. I threw my arms around his neck, hanging onto his strong frame as my knees threatened to give out.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to bury my face between your thighs and taste your sweet little cunt.”

I couldn’t handle the erotic tone combined with the featherlight touches to my clit. It was far too much for my touch starved body to handle. needed something. I was ravenous for his mouth, his fingers, his cock. I wanted so badly to be destroyed by him, to be given such pleasure that I fear coming back to reality.

“Vincent.”

I said between heavy breaths.

“Yes ma chérie?”

My jaw hung upon, mouth unable to form coherent sentences.

“P-Please. I need you-I need you so bad.”

Vincent drew back, his lips slamming into mine. Our mouths matched like puzzle pieces. We were so glorious together that I swear I could hear angels singing in perfect harmony.

“What would you like me to do to you ma belle, hm?”

He said in between fiery kisses.

“Make me cum, Vincent, please.”

His tongue slid into my mouth, giving me a fleeting taste of his passion before he quickly yanked it back. I was flustered. Our connection had been severed, and I was unsure as to why.

Vincent grasped my chin, forcing me to keep my head still.

His hair was struggling to remain neat. The single, dangling strand was a great metaphor for his once well-kept demeanor now crumbling before my eyes.

“Beg. Beg me to fuck you. Beg me to make you cum.”

He demanded.

Mt jaw quivered. His hand had retreated from my core and now lay atop the swell of my hip.

“P-Please Vincent. I need you. I need you so bad.”

Vincent narrowed his eyes disapprovingly.

“Oh, ma chérie, I know you can do better than that.”

He placed his lips to mine, swiftly reigniting the flame before suffocating it once more.

“Be my good girl and beg.”

I locked gazes with Vincent, feeling his sexual energy course through my body in waves.

“Please-“

I began, my desire somewhat strangling the words within my throat.

“Please Vincent… Please, I need you to make me cum.”

I brought my palms to his chest, attempting to quickly unbutton his dress shirt. Unfortunately, my hands were far too jittery and the buttons were far too small for me to make any significant progress.

“What exactly do you want ma belle, hm? Tell me.”

His velvety accent wafted through me whenever he spoke, adding to the wetness that had begun to pool in my panties.

“Please, please. I need you.”

Thankfully, the sexual tension had subsided just enough for me to compose meaningful sentences.

“Please, please, I need you. I need your mouth between my legs. I need-I need you to fuck me. I need your cock so bad. Please, please make me cum it’s all I can think about.”

A devious smirk spread across Vincent’s face.

“Why didn’t you ask me sooner?”

He connected our lips, reigniting the raging fire of desire that burned between us. Vincent hoisted me off the floor, his large hands traveling up my short sundress and resting against my ass. He carried me with ease, his hands gentle but his lips aggressive.

Vincent tossed me onto the bed with little regard for tenderness. However, I was barely impacted by the blow, as the mattress quickly suppressed and conformed to my physique.

I lay, my gaze fixed upwards towards Vincent’s lanky frame. The dim yet sensual lights foregrounded the sharp curvatures of his face. His long digits located his top button and he began to leisurely undo his shirt without breaking eye contact.

Suddenly, I became aware that my dress had ridden up my thighs, exposing my evident desire. I grasped the hem, pushing it downwards in a futile attempt to conceal my yearning. Vincent ceased his movements, crawling over the end of the bedframe with haste.

His hand wrapped around my wrist, pinning my hand above my head.

My eyes darted upwards, the breath hitching in my throat as I perceived his close proximity. Vincent’s previously quintessential appearance was slowly dissolving. A few strands of hair had broken loose from their original location and were now dangling aimlessly above his brow. Furthermore, his shirt was halfway undone, exposing his prominent collarbone and somewhat highlighting his toned chest.

“Don’t cover up for me, ma belle.”

He murmured, his sultry accent sending a wave of desire to my lower abdomen. My cunt throbbed.

“I want nothing more than to see every inch of you.”

Vincent lodged his thigh between my legs, his clothed knee grazing against my hot core. I jolted, a wave of heat coursing through my body. My back arched instinctively, mouth falling open as I involuntarily ground my hips against his thigh in an effort to increase friction.

Unfortunately, he revoked his leg before I was able to procure further pleasure. His free hand followed the soft curve of my side, sending shivers down my spine. My body became cold with anticipation. Goosebumps rose along my skin.

Vincent’s calloused fingertips grazed against my clothed clit. Heat radiated from my wet core as I squeezed my eyes shut. My brow furrowed as he began to slowly draw figure eights onto my clit.

“Ah, you are so wet and I’ve barely even touched you.”

His soft lips connected to my jugular, peppering gentle kisses down my neck.

“I’ve thought about this moment for a long while.”

With his hands required to support his weight as he descended, his powerful clasp released my wrist. I entangled my fingers in his silky hair, further ruining his pristine image.

“Although I pride myself on maintaining a certain level of class, I can’t deny that I’ve often thought about how satisfying it would be to bring you immense pleasure.”

He continued to press his lips against my hot skin, his face now level with my clothed breasts.

Vincent leaned back on his knees. He dragged his eyes up and down my frame, running his tongue across his bottom lip. I suddenly felt small under his gaze.

His tender fingertips located the ball of my ankle, and he hastily removed both of my short heels, tossing them aimlessly to the floor. After he had discarded my shoes, he trailed his large palms upwards, caressing my calves, then my thighs. I watched intently as his veiny hands slipped under the hem of my dress. Vincent hooked a finger in the waistband of my panties, dragging them down my legs at a painfully slow pace.

Once I was fully exposed, he assumed a position between my legs. Thankfully, the bed was grand enough for him to lay comfortably.

All the blood in my body had rushed to my core, and I could feel my heartbeat throbbing vehemently within my lower abdomen.

Vincent trailed his moist lips along my inner thigh, gazing up at me devilishly through his lashes as he did so. He was well aware that his teasing behavior was propelling me into a state of lust filled desperation.

When he established that he had prolonged my suffering enough, he hastily buried his face between my thighs. I gasped, throwing my head back onto the opulent pillows. My thighs instinctively clenched around his head, but Vincent’s strong hands pulled my legs apart to free himself.

He flattened his tongue against my clit, taking his time to draw out his movements so as to not supply me with an orgasm too hastily. He was thoroughly enjoying the elongation of my pleasure.

After a brief moment of supplying delicate sensations to my clit, I felt the tip of his finger prod at my entrance. I threw my hands upwards, grasping onto the bed frame, my knuckles quickly turning white.

“Oh fuck!”

I exclaimed, grinding my hips against his gorgeous face.

“Vincent-Vincent your mouth feels so good, holy shit.”

I spoke in mangled cries, not caring to keep my voice down. After all, there was no one around for miles to be bothered by my proclamations.

His middle two fingers pushed into my entrance, thrusting upwards to stimulate my walls.

“You taste wonderful, ma belle.”

He uttered, continuing to fuck me with his fingers throguhout the duration of his praise. Vincent located my g spot. My nails dug into the bedframe, undoubtedly leaving prominent scratches. He took note of my non verbal cues.

Vincent increased the intensity of his fingers. Quickly, the coil of pleasure began to tighten within my lower abdomen. I bucked my hips against his face, but Vincent quickly stifled my movements by pressing my hips into the mattress.

“Are you close?”

He murmured against my clit. The gentle vibrations set my nerves ablaze with white hot desire.

“Yeah, yeah I’m so close.”

I mumbled, my arms beginning to tremble as I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt my orgasm begin to seep into the corners of my brain.

Vincent’s long digits expertly located my g spot with every thrust.

His warm mouth continued to duck and stimulate my swollen bundle of nerves.

The erotic sounds of his fingers fucking my cunt reverberated loudly throguhout the predominantly empty bedroom.

“Then cum for me, ma chérie.”

His endearing words proved to be the last necessary step in reaching my release. The tension that had built within my stomach exploded as I came gloriously all over his face. My back felt as though it had been rammed into a solid brick wall.

My chest heaved, and I found it arduous to supply my lungs with sufficient oxygen.

My eyelids began to flutter open as the movements of both his tongue and fingers slowed. When he removed his digits and mouth, I was overcome with a glorious sensation of complete satisfaction. Both my mind and body succumbed to bliss. I had never before experienced such an absence of disquiet.

Vincent climbed over me, his torso now bare.

I cracked a small grin, my palms flattening against the expanse of his soft chest. His lips shone with my arousal. I trailed my fingertips slowly downwards, halting when I reached his thick leather belt. I began to undo the buckle, however, Vincent caught wind of my intentions. With one hand, he engulfed both of my wrists, pinning them above my head. I gasped.

“Oh, no, not now.”

His gentle lips tenderly kissed the soft divot behind my ear. I took a deep breath, the scent of his pricey, heavy fragrance clouding my mind.

“I have waited far too long for this moment. It would be foolish of me to allow you to furnish pleasure when my desire has been consuming me for years.”

Vincent moved off of me and stood to remove the remainder of his clothes. With a pleasurable whoosh, he pulled his belt from the loops of his formal pants. Subsequently, he removed his shoes and allowed his trousers to gather about his ankles.

He met my stare, the mellow hue of the faint overhead lights collecting within his green irises.

“You look beautiful.”

Once again, the heat from my body began to travel downwards.

Vincent’s boxers were the final article of clothing to be removed. I gulped audibly, as his sizable cock was now standing fully erect.

Holy shit, I thought to myself.

He possessed one of the most winsome cock I had ever laid eyes on. I clenched my thighs together, my cunt eagerly clenching around nothing.

When he had finished undressing, he climbed back over me and our lips met once again. I melted into the kiss, exhaling sensually as I sunk into the plush mattress. Vincent’s hand grasped the hem of my dress, tugging it upwards until I was forced to raise my arms.

Thankfully, the supportive nature of the outfit allowed me to function in the absence of a bra. As a result, my entire body was now fully exposed for Vincent’s piercing gaze.

He discarded the dress and dropped his hips suggestively until his prominent erection pressed against my lower stomach.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, beckoning him to progress further. Vincent shuffled his hips, tip now dangerously close to my aching cunt. But, before he slipped inside of me, he raised a free hand and tenderly brushed a few unruly strands of hair from my damp forehead.

“If you wish to stop at any moment, merely apprise me and I shall cease.”

I gave him a nod, throwing my arms around his neck to provide an anchor. Vincent pressed his lips to my neck, applying a few gentle kisses before sliding his cock into my wet cunt.

My walls stretched, hastily conforming to his rather large girth. My back arched into his solid torso. I inhaled sharply as he buried the entirety of his length deep within me.

“Are you alright, ma chérie?”

His body stilled. I groaned in mild frustration.

“Y-yeah. I’m more than alright. P-please just fuck me already. I-I need you so bad.”

Vincent pulled back. His lips were plush. His hair was disheveled. His cheeks were a bright shade of pink.

His disarranged appearance was a stark contrast to the previously sophisticated man I had met at the start of this afternoon. However, I do consider the duality of man to be a topic of the utmost enticement. There is something captivating about the notion of commencing a relationship with someone who has a secret side that solely you have the pleasure of becoming acquainted with.

Without further words, Vincent began to roll his hips. The slight pain of his cock quickly dissipated to create room for immense pleasure.

My eyes rolled to the back of my head.

“Does that feel good? Hm?”

He spoke with a slight vocal fry. The raspiness of his tone elicited a visceral reaction. I dragged my nails along his smooth back, undoubtedly breaking skin.

He grumbled deep within his chest.

When I didn’t answer, Vincent pulled his face back, blown pupils meeting mine. I gazed at him through half lidded eyes. I found it difficult to ignite passionate eye contact when I was presented with the distraction of his cock expertly grazing against my g spot with every fervent jerk of his hips.

He wrapped a large hand around my neck. My pulse rose to the top of my skin as black spots began to cloud my vision.

“Come on, ma belle, be my good girl. Tell me how good I make you feel.”

I exhaled a shuddering breath.

“F-fuck… you feel so good inside me Vincent.”

I gulped.

“Y-your cock feels so good.”

Vincent’s skin began to sheen with a thin layer of perspiration. The unruly strands of brown hair deepened in color as they stuck to his forehead. I moaned pornographically as the grip on my neck constricted once more. My jaw dropped. The brief lack of oxygen only added to the flurry of incoherent thoughts bouncing around my skull.

“Oh, my, you’re such a good girl for me.”

He gulped, a soft sigh escaping his swollen lips.

“You’re taking me so well.”

The erotic words combined with his smooth accent contributed to the tightening of my lower abdomen.

I was close, dangerously close.

I could feel my body reaching the edge, and I would soon fall into a state of euphoria.

Vincent’s adjusted his hips ever so slightly, his tip now reaching deeper than before.

I instinctively turned my head away. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as I buried my face into the bed. My brow furrowed. My eyes squeezed shut as I anticipated my release.

Vincent utilized his thumb to reposition my face.

“No, don’t look away. Be my good girl and look me in the eyes.”

I forced my eyelids open, meeting his piercing stare as ever so slightly increased the frequency of his thrusts. Every instinct beckoned me to throw my head back, but I fought the desire. And, I instead kept my eyes fixated on Vincent’s blown pupils that had almost entirely consumed his irises.

“I want to watch you. I want to see your face as you cum all over my cock.”

I gave him a slight nod, indicating that I could hear while trapped in my lustful stupor.

His hand traveled downwards, gently caressing my curves before reaching my swollen clit. Vincent applied gentle pressure, and, with that, I let go.

I kept my eyes fixated on him, allowing my face to contort as it pleased.

Vincent groaned loudly, his cum coating my walls.

He continued to fuck me throguh my orgasm. His movements gradually slowed as the fog of euphoria began to dissipate. My chest rose and collapsed with fervor.

When I deemed it safe to break eye contact, I allowed my eyelids to flutter shut. Suddenly, I became aware of the gravitational pull the bed exerted on my body.

Jesus, I was exhausted.

Vincent removed his cock from my core. However, he remained atop me, tenderly pushing my unkempt hair back to create mild uniformity.

“You may stay here, if you’d like, for however long you wish.”

His voice was as it had been prior to our physical encounter.

I giggled, my mouth breaking into a slight smile.

“Your house is magnificent.”

I met his gaze, his eyes now possessing a tender quality.

“I don’t know if I ever want to leave.”

I said with a scoff.

A smirk played on the corner of his lips.

“Then don’t, stay here for as long as your heart desires.”

[saistappen]

Dog park | CS55

In which Carlos and you meet again at the dog park and he asks you out on a date

▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

The weather was almost miraculous. It had been raining heavy for the last few days, so there hadn't been a single minute when you could leave the house without an umbrella.

But now all the dark clouds had disappeared, leaving the bright blue sky free and even the sun finally said hello again after its days-long break.

The sun's rays shining through your living room window and literally tickling the tip of your nose caused your mood to suddenly change by one hundred and eighty degrees.

You actually liked the rainy weather. Especially in autumn, when the leaves turned red and gold, covered the ground in a colorful carpet and it was slowly becoming time for hoodie weather again and you could get the coziest blanket out of the closet and snuggle up on the sofa.

But the days of rain, as it had been for the last week and a half, had been so bad for your mood that when your alarm clock woke you up in the morning and you heard the rain pattering on the roof, you would have liked to pull the covers over your head and just go back to sleep.

Now, however, the sun's rays were more or less giving you a boost of energy, which had been woefully lacking for the last week and a half.

Your golden retriever lady, who was lying in her basket in front of the window, also felt the sun's rays on her golden fur, so she lifted her head and looked at you curiously.

"How about we go for a walk in your favorite park, Laika? " You approached the dog directly as you kicked the laundry basket in front of you on the carpet.

There was a huge pile of laundry in the basket, waiting to be folded. However, you could leave the laundry lying around for a few more hours. After all, who knew how long the sun would stay?

Tail wagging, the dog rose from her basket and stretched once before running out of the living room.

You looked after the dog with a furrowed brow. It was not uncommon for Laika to leave her basket in the living room and go back upstairs to her bedroom, where she also had a basket so that she didn't have to sleep alone downstairs in the living room at night.

Before you ran after your dog, you switched off the TV, which was showing the last few minutes of an episode of Hawaii 5-0.

Watching TV while folding laundry had recently become your ritual, so that the annoying folding of the laundry went even faster than in silence.

"Laika?" You shouted as you left the living room and your feet carried you towards the hallway where the wooden staircase led upstairs.

The golden retriever lady was already at the front door with her collar and lead in her mouth. And when she spotted you, she started to turn in circles, wagging her tail.

Laika always did this when she was excited or looking forward to something.

"I see you're ready, huh? " Smiling, you ran your hand through the dog's thick fur before taking off her harness and lead and getting Laika ready for her walk.

A short time later, after you had slipped into a thin jacket and your shoes yourself, you left the house in the direction of the dog park.

The park wasn't too far from your house. The dog park offered a huge green area where the dogs could let off steam with each other or where you could take your dog for agility - the dog sport where you could work the dogs out with various obstacles.

As the dog started to realize where she was actually going with every step you took closer to the dog park, she began to wag her tail excitedly and pull slightly on the lead.

Laika loved going to the dog park, spending time with other dogs and getting a good workout.

You usually spent countless hours in the park, so every now and then you had a book with you and the dog lady would stretch her legs while you sat on a bench and read.

"Take it easy," you chuckled as Laika began to bark excitedly while you pushed open the gate that separated the dog park from the road.

From a distance, you could see countless dogs and their owners either playing with their dogs or chatting in groups.

You already knew one or two of them from your many visits. Among them was the Spaniard, Carlos, with whom you had already had countless conversations.

Laika in particular had fallen in love with Carlos' male dog Piñón, so that even now, when she spotted him, she started barking happily and looked up at you impatiently.

"Take it easy. You can go straight to your lover," you smiled as you let the gate fall into the lock behind you and then released the lead from the harness.

Within seconds, Lakai sprinted off and seemed to know exactly where Piñón was. It wasn't long before she spotted the male dog among all the other dogs and the two greeted each other.

"Hey y/n! " the Spaniard shouted from a bench as he raised his hand and began to wave almost frantically and the smile on his lips almost doubled in size.

A slight tingling sensation formed in your stomach as you walked along the narrow gravel path over to Carlos.

While all the other owners stood together in small groups and mostly talked about the training of their dogs or even bragged about the tricks their dogs could do, you and Carlos always kept to the background.

And so it was that the Spaniard joined you on his and Piñón's first visit to the dog park and you talked about everything except training your dogs.

Because it was really annoying to listen to strangers bouncing around with their dogs and always trying to give you tips and tricks on how to train your dog even better. And most of the time you were accused of training your dog wrong.

"Hey you," you smiled as you came to a halt in front of Carlos and the bench.

Without hesitation, the Spaniard stood up and pulled you into a warm hug to greet you.

" You must have been waiting for better weather too, huh? " he grinned after he had hugged you briefly and then let you go again.

"Yes, Laika stood outside the door whimpering almost every evening while she watched the rain..."

The Spaniard nodded sympathetically as you sat down next to each other on the bench and your eyes scanned the park for Laika and Piñón.

The two of them chased each other playfully across the green space, with one or two dogs joining in and playing together.

It was nice to see how carefree and happy your dog was finally able to play again after the prolonged rain meant she could only just get out for a walk.

"I can totally understand that! Piñón felt the same way. He didn't understand why it had been pouring like that the whole time. "

"Laika didn't either. She missed Piñón incredibly too," you smiled as you looked over at the Spaniard, whose brown eyes were on you.

Even when you first met here in the park, you had clearly sensed that there was something between you. A certain tension that made your heart beat a little faster every time you were near Carlos and caused a slight tingling sensation in your stomach.

"And what about Laika's Mistress? ", the Spaniard raked, while his knee began to touch yours lightly and a slight electric shock was instantly sent through your body.

Reflexively, your teeth dug into your lower lip as your hands began to play with the light blue leash.

The last time you had flirted was in high school, if you could even call it flirting. Because you'd never been really good at flirting, so now you didn't really know what the perfect answer to his question was.

"Me? I missed Piñón too," you giggled, even though you knew full well that the Spaniard wanted to know if you had missed him.

Because you had. During the countless rainy days, you had always found yourself thinking about Carlos and wondering what the Spaniard was doing and whether he was even thinking about you.

You raised your eyes cautiously and looked straight into Carlos' brown eyes. There was an amused smirk on his lips, while his eyes - like every time he looked at you - radiated warmth.

You had often observed Carlos in the presence of other women who were here at the dog park and had sought a conversation with Carlos.

He had had a conversation with each of them without turning them down, as it was out of the question for him to tell them directly that he wasn't interested.

Even their flirtatious looks and words left Carlos cold, as he only had eyes for you.

You were the only one in the park that he looked at so specially and with so much warmth in his eyes. And above all, you were the only one he actively sought to be close to.

You were special to him. You could sense that. And Carlos also sensed that he was special to you.

But neither of you had made the first move yet.

"You know very well that wasn't my question," he almost breathed, causing goose bumps to spread across the back of your neck.

It was really crazy what the words or closeness of another person could do to your own feelings or physical reactions.

As if your body and its own feelings were slipping away from you and pressing into the other's hands and entrusting them unconditionally.

"I-I... I missed you," you said, almost whispering, while you could clearly hear your voice beginning to tremble.

The heat rose in your cheeks within a few seconds, making you feel like you had a fever, your cheeks felt so hot.

Maybe you should be embarrassed that your body reacted like a teenager to a grown man. But it didn't really matter, because your body wasn't the only one reacting like a teenager in love in this situation.

Carlos' cheeks also turned a light shade of red, which looked really cute on him, so that a smile crept onto his lips.

"I missed you too," Carlos replied softly, causing the butterflies in your stomach to wake up and start flapping their wings, making your tummy tingle.

Smiling, you now sat there, simply enjoying the words and the warmth that each other radiated.

No further words needed to be spoken. Because you could both clearly feel how attracted you were to each other and that there was something between you that screamed more than just friendship.

It was crazy that you walked into a dog park just to see your dog playing and romping with other dogs and hadn't even come close to the idea of meeting someone you could fall head over heels in love with.

One person would probably find it rather cheesy, while another would talk about fate or great love.

But for you, it was just a coincidence. It was a coincidence that Carlos came to the dog park right here and that you two got on well right from the start and that you hit it off pretty quickly.

And it was a coincidence that your dogs got on well and that there was an intimate connection between the two of them.

"Can I ask you something? " Carlos broke the silence between you at some point, causing you to flinch slightly and take your eyes off your dogs to look back into his brown eyes.

And there was the warmth and a hint of security in his eyes again, which made you literally lose yourself in them.

Unable to speak, you just nodded while your heart skipped a little and you waited anxiously to see what Carlos would ask you.

"Would you make me the happiest person in the dog park by going on a date with me? "

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 1

Warning: swear language, mentioned childhood trauma, and you know it's a war college so you should be prepared.

Note: I hope you will enjoy this chapter, I'm currently working on ch 2, there will be more excitment as the story goes on, pls bear with me I have so many ideas for this fanfic ;)

A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.

—Article One, Section One

The Dragon Rider’s Codex

„You’re late.” says General Melgren, when I enter his office. He is staring out of the window, and didn’t turn around when he heard me closing the door.

„I apologise, but…” I try to defend myself.

„I dont’t care about your excuses. This is the Conscription Day and you will not fail.” he starts his lecture for the hundreth times.

As if he let me fail. I had been trained for this day since I was born. I am strong, he made sure of that. He doesen’t know the word love since my mother’s death. I never once received a kind word from him. For me he’s a monster, not a father. I hate him.

„Yes, General.” I answer, while I’m tightening my grip on my canvas rucksack.

„Go, and don’t forget what’s your duty. And do not forget that you are a Melgren! Do not bring more shame on this name, that you already had. The Riders Quadrant the only place the suitable to hide your…disfunction.”

What a kind man, I thought. That’s not my fault that I was born this way.

„Yes, General.”

„You’re dismissed.”

With his last word I walk out of the office and I go to wait for Violet in front of her mother’s office. Voices rose from beyond the closed door. They arguing, again.

It’s not a surprise beacuse everybody knows that Violet Sorrengail isn’t meant to be a Rider. She’s small and fragile. The complete opposite of a Rider. Only General Sorrengail is blind to this fact.

Basgiath War College is famous for its cuelty throughout Navarre. Nonetheless thousands of twenty-year-olds waiting to enter their chosen quadrant. I am one of them.

Every Navarrian officer, whether they choose to be schooled as healers, scribes, infantry, or riders is molded within these cruel walls over three years, honed into weapons to secure our mountainous borders from the violent invasion attempts of the kingdom of Poromiel and their gryphon riders. The weak don’t survive here, especially not in the Riders Quadrant. The dragons make sure of that.

I nearly dropped my rucksack when General Sorrengail’s door opened with such a force that’s matching Mira Sorrengail’s temper. She’s Violets older sister by six years.

Mira Sorrengail is the epitome of the perfect Rider. She has short hair to match the standard Rider’s length. She was dressed in black leather and carried her battle worn rucksack in her hand. She was elegant and lethal.

„It seems that General Sorrengail didn’t change her mind about Violet and the Riders Quadrant.” I say when she realises that I was waiting for them.

„No. She’s batshit crazy.” Mira says without a care that the guards might tell her what she said.

„Don’t worry, I’ll be there for her. I can’t guarantee that she will graduate without a scratch, but I will do my best to protect her.” I try to calm Mira.

In this moment the door opened again a whole lot gentler then before. It was Violet.

We practically grew up together, because my father always left me here in Basgiath when he had left to fulfill his duty as one of the most powerful Generals.

Violet was a kind, gentle but sharp tounged woman. She dosen’t fit any of the criteria that makes someone suitable for a life of a Rider.

„Hi Aelin.”

„Hi, Vi. How are you?” I ask her refering to the talk with her mother.

„We don’t have time for a chit chat. Let’s go. We only have an hour before all candidates have to report, and I saw thousands waiting outside the gates when I flew over.” Mira says as she starts walking, leading us down the stone staircase and through the hallways to Violet’s room.

„She’s fucking efficient, I’ll give you that.” Mira mutters

All of Violet’s personal items have been packed into crates that now sit stacked in the corner.

„I was hoping I’d be able to talk her out of it. You were never meant for the Riders Quadrant.” Mira says while emptying Violet’s rucksack to see what she packed that makes it look so heavy.

„So you’ve mentioned. Repeatedly.” Says Violet while she stares at her sister with daggers in her eyes. „And what are you doing? It took me the whole night to choose what I want to bring with me.”

„Sorry Vi, but your pack is almost as heavy as you. It would be impossible to carry it across the Parapet, even for me, and I’m stronger than you.” I wince as she try to catch her books that Mira deemed unnecessary.

„Hey, I want those books. You can’t throw all of them away.” Shouths Violet.

„What’s this for then?” She asks holding up one of the books.

„Obviously killing people. If my memory correct that’s a book about poisonous herbs” I say to at least save one of the books for Violet.

„I’m surprised that you even tried to read a book” Replies Mira not even paying attention to what she says.

„I’m not illiterate Mira. I just have problems with reading and you know that too.” I cringe because I really hate this topic.

„Shit, Aelin I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.” Sighs Mira, then looks at Violet to divert the subject.

„Take off those horrible boots, they are a death trap. You’ll slip right off the Parapet with those smooth soles. I have a set of rubber-bottomed rider boots made for you just in case.” States Mira while giving the boots and black leather clothes to her sister. „Now, get changed while I sort out the rest of this mess.”

„And you…” She begins and check my clothes if I too need to change them.

„You’re set.” Mira states in a surprised tone.

„Yeah, you know my father. He never let me embarass him by falling off the Parapet beacuse of something this trivial.” I said as I roll my eyes.

„Than at least he did one thing right in his life.” Mira says harshly while she finish packing into Violet’s rucksack.

„Rider black is supposed to be earned. Someone’s going to say we didn’t earn them.” I hear Violet refer to her clothes and mine, when she emerges from the bathroom in her new attire.

„You’re a Sorrengail. Fuck what they say.” Responds Mira while she laces Violet into a vest-style corset over her shirt.

„Here, this is yours. Put it on too.” Mira say and I get a corset that matches with Violet’s one.

„What is this?” I ask while trying putting it on.

„Something I designed,” she explains „I had it specially made for you two with Teine’s scales sewn in, so be careful with it.”

„Dragon scales?” I jerk my head back to look at her. „How the hell? Teine is huge.”

„I happen to know a rider whose power can make big things very small.” A devious smile plays across her lips.” „And smaller things… much, much bigger.”

„How much bigger?” I ask laughing.

„It’s a secret.” She says while motioning Violet to sit in front of her.

„You’re the worst.” says Violet.

„Oh come on Vi, don’t tell me that you aren’t curious.” I tease her.

„Head forward. You should have cut your hair.” Mira says while she pulls the strainds tight against Violets head and resume weaving. „It’s a liability in sparring and in battle, not to mention being a giant target. No one else has a hair that fades out silver like this, and they’ll already be aiming for you.”

„You know very well the natural pigment seems to gradually abandon it no matter the length.” Says Violet with defiance. „Besides, other than everyone else’s concern for the shade, my hair is the only thing about me that’s perfectly healthy. Cutting it would feel like I’m punishing my body for finally doing something well, and it’s not like I feel the need to hide who I am. Besides it’s not like Aelin will blend into the environment either.”

„So what’s your excuse for not cutting your hair?” Mira asks with raised eyebrows. „Because I know you have one too. You two always come up with something to get out of trouble.”

„I won’t cut it. I can braid it tightly to not distract me in a fight, besides it’s not like I resemble the General. My hair and my eyes come from my mother.” I say while looking into a mirror on one of the walls.

It’s true. I’m nothing like my father. I look just like my mother, as they say. She was a beauty and the only person whom my father loved in his life. Unfortunately that caused her death.

When she was in her last months in the pregnency, she was attacked by a group who wanted to eliminate the General using my mother. But she was a warrior and tried to save us by escaping. That was when someone injured her and left her to die. When they found my mother she was dying. Pregnant with me. The healers tried to save her but they are not gods. They can’t bring back the dead. They were only able to save me. These are the only facts that I know because nobody want to speak about my mother in fear to anger the General.

Between the few minutes that my mother had died and I was saved, happened a lot of things to my body. My hair is supposed to be a natural golden color but has strands of silvery white, just like my eyes. They should be golden but there are tiny circular parts around my iris where the silvery white color appears. The healers said that it was due to lack of oxygen. My father can’t even look at me because I remind him of my mother and my unique coloring is remind him of her brutal death and that he couldn’t save her. I think this is the main reason that he hates me. The other is another consequence of the circumstance of my birth.

When I was old enough that the General brought tutors to start my education, it turned out that my brain suffered some damage too. I was dyslexic. It doesen’t mean that I can’t read, it’s just really-really difficult. As if the words are running away from my eyes, everytime I try to read something. It doesen’t matter if it’s a short or long text. My memory is great enough that I can remember a lot of things after hearing it but not everything. That makes studying a whole lot of harder. The General ordered that we keep it a secret, so outside my father, and the tutors, the Sorrengail children are the only ones who know it. This is the other reason why the General said in his office that I bring shame on the Melgren name.

„Well then there’s nothing that I can say to change either of your mind.” Sighs Mira. „Then listen to me well.” As she starts to summarize years of knowledge into fifteen harried minutes, barely pausing to breathe.

„Be observant. Quiet is fine, but make sure you notice everything and everyone around you to your advantage. You’ve read the Codex?” Mira asks

„A few times.” Violet answers.

„I tried but I don’t remember everything.” I shrug.

„Then Violet will help you memorize it once you begin your classes. Then you should know that the other riders can kill you any time, and the cutthroat cadets will try. Fewer cadets means better odds at Threshing. There are never enough dragons willing to bond, and anyone reckless enough to get themselves killed isn’t worthy of a dragon anyway.”

„Except when sleeping. It’s an executable offense to attack any cadet while sleeping. Article Three-„ cites Violet.

„Yes, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe at night. Sleep in this if you can.” She taps the stomach of my corset. „Both of you.”

„There’s hidden sheaths sewn diagonally along the rib cage in your corset. For your daggers.” Continue Mira.

„I only have four.” Says Violet, then she grabs them from the floor and slide it into the sheaths.

„I have four and a sword.” I say to Mira while pointing at them at my ribs and thighs, the sword is strapped to my back.

„That’s fine. You’ll earn more.” She nods „Wear the armor at all times. Keep your daggers on you at all times.” She points to the sheaths down her thighs.

„Someone’s going to say we didn’t earn them.” Violet says. Clearly she worries too much.

„Come on Vi, remember what Mira said. You’re a Sorrengail. Fuck what they say. We will survive no matter what!” I say trying to calm her down a bit.

„Exactly. You’re both famous Generals daughters. A Sorrengail and a Melgren. You can do what you have to do to survive and never forget that.” Agrees Mira with me. „There’s no such thing as cheating once you climb the turret. There’s only survival and death.” The bell chimes – only thirty minutes left. She swallows. „It’s almost time. Ready?”

„No.” Replies quickly Violet.

„My hands are trembling.” I show them that indeed my hands are visibly shaking.

„Neither was I ready.” A wry smile lifts a corner of Mira’s mouth. „And I’d spent my life trainig for it, just like Aelin.”

„We’re not going to die today.” States Violet and slings the rucksack over her shoulder.

The halls of the central, administrative part of the fortress are eerily quiet as we wind our way down through various staircases, but the noise from outside grows louder the lower we descend. Through the windows, I see thousands of candidates hugging their loved ones and saying their goodbyes ont he grassy fields just beneath the main gate.

From what I’ve witnessed every year, most families hold on to their candidates right up to the very last bell. The four roads leading to the fortress are clogged with horses and wagons, especially where they converge in front of the college, but it’s the empty ones at the edge of the fields that make me nervous.

They’re for the bodies.

Right before we round the last corner that will lead tot he courtyard, Mira stops.

„What is – Oof.” I hear Violet’s muffled voice when Mira yanks her against her chest, hugging her tight in the relative privacy of the corridor.

„Aelin, you too. Come here.” Says Mira as Violet makes room for me, and then extends her arms.

„I love both of you. Remember everything I’ve told you. Don’t become another name on the death roll. Both of your lives are equally important. Do everything you can to stay alive.” Her voice shakes, and I wrap my arms around her, squeezing tight.

„We’ll be alright. I’ll be alright.” I promise.

She nods, her chin bumping against the top of my head. „I know. Let’s go.”

That’s all she says before pulling away and walking into the crowded courtyard just inside the main gate to the fortress. Instructors, commanders, and even General Sorrengail and General Melgren are gathered informally, waiting for the madness outside the walls to become the order within. Out of all the doors in the war college, the main gate is the only one no cadet will enter today, since each quadrant has its own entrance and facilities. Hell, the riders have their own citadel.

„Find Dain Aetos,” Mira tells us as we cross through the courtyard, heading for the open gate.

„Dain?” Asks Violet with a smile. I think she has a huge crush on him, but didn’t admit it yet. I don’t think he’s such a good person as Vi thinks, but I was never that close with him. We always avoided each others company. There’s something in his eyes that’s makes me uneasy.

„I’ve only been out of the quadrant for three years, but from what I hear, he’s doing well, and he’ll keep both of you safe.”

„As if I want to go near him” I say silently

„It doesn’t matter Aelin, just stay alive.” Scolds me Mira

„And you. Don’t smile like that,” she turns to Violet. „He’ll be second-year.” She shakes a finger at her. „Don’t mess around with second-years. If you want to get laid, and you should” – she lifts her brows – „often, considering you never know what the day brings, then screw around in your own year. Nothing is worse than cadets gossiping that you’ve slept your way to safety. This applies to you too Aelin.”

„So I’m free to take any of the first-years I want to bed,” I say with a smirk. „Just not the second- or the third-years.”

„Exactly.��� She winks.

„Then we should definitely find the handsome ones. This is our first task Vi.” I joke with her, in hope that she at least smiles because she seems a little greener the longer she looks at the wagons at the road.

„Let’s cross the Parapet first Aelin.” Says Violet

„Sure Vi.” I wink at her.

We cross through the gates, leaving the fortress, and join the organized chaos beyond.

Each of Navarre’s six provinces has sent this year’s share of candidates for military service. Some volunteer. Some are sentenced as punishment. Most are conscripted. The only thing we have in common here at Basgiath is that we passed the entrance exam – both written and an agility test – which means at least we won’t end up as fodder for the infantry on the front line.

The agility test was easy with someone like me who had the „luck” to train under General Melgren’s watchful eyes. But the written exam was a nightmare. I barely passed despite the fact that I practiced for non-stop before it. It’s just the fact that I’m not like the other normal candidates. Give me a weapon and I’ll know how to use it. Bring me an opponent and I will figure out how to win. But I just can’t will my barin to function normally. Which my father likes to remind me all the time.

The atmosphere is tense with anticipation as Mira leads me along the worn cobblestone path toward the southern turret.

The majority of the crowd moves to line up at the base of the northern turret – the entrance to the Infantry Quadrant. Some of the mass heads toward the gate behind us – the Healer Quadrant that consumes the southern end of the college. Then I spot a few taking the central tunnel into the archives below the fortress to join the Scribe Quadrant. Violet wanted to be a scribe for her whole life. But General Sorrengail has other plans.

The entrance to the Riders Quadrant is nothing more than a fortified door at the base of the tower, that we rider candidates will climb.

We join the riders’ line, waiting to sign in, and then I glance up.

High above us, crossing the river-bottomed valley that divides the main college from the even higher, looming citadel of the Riders Quadrant on the southern ridgeline, is the Parapet, the stone bridge that’s about to separate rider candidates from cadets over the next few hours.

„And to think, I’ve been preparing for the scribe’s written exam all these years.” Says Violet in thick sarcastic voice. „I should have been playing on a balance beam.”

„Believe me Vi, I’ve been playing on a balance beam for years but I don’t think that’s the same as the Parapet.” I say laughing. „However I’m a little excited about this.”

Mira ignores us as the line moves forward and candidates disappear through the door. „Don’t let the wind sway your steps.”

Two candidates ahead of us, a woman sobs as her partner rips her away from a young man, the couple breaking from the line, retreating in tears down the hillside toward the crowd of loved ones lining the roads. There are no other parents ahead of us, only a few dozen candidates moving toward the roll-keepers.

„Keep your eyes on the stones ahead of you and don’t look down,” Mira says, the lines of her face tightening. „Arms out for balance. If the pack slips, drop it. Better it falls than you.”

„Maybe I should let them go first,” whispers Violet.

„No,” Mira answers. „The longer you wait on those steps” – she motions toward the tower – „the greater your fear has a chance to grow. Cross the Parapet before the terror owns you.”

„Mira’s right and you know it Vi. We will be alright. I’ll be there with you until we cross this damn thing.” I try to cheer her up. „If you want I’ll be the first, than you can watch and copy me.”

„Thanks, Aelin.” Smiles Violet.

The line moves, and the bell chimes again. It’s eight o’clock.

Sure enough, the crowd of thousands behind us has separated fully into their chosen quadrants, all lined up to sign the roll and begin their service.

„Focus,” Mira snaps, and I whip my head forward. „This might sound harsh, but don’t seek friendships in there. Forge alliances. Both of you.”

There are only two ahead of us now – a woman with a full pack, and a man with the woman crying over him. He’s carrying an even bigger rucksack.

I look around the pair toward the roll-keeping desk, and my eyes widen.

„Is he…?” Whispers Violet.

Mira glances and mutters a curse. „A separatist’s kid? Yep. See that shimmering mark that starts on the top of his wrist? It’s a relic from the rebellion.”

„A dragon did that?” She asks.

I nod. „Yes. General Melgren told me once, that it was his dragon that did it to all of them when he executed their parents. Nothing like punishing the kids to deter more parents from committing treason. Most of the marked kids who carry rebellion relics are from Tyrrendor.”

It always seemed cruel to me. Punishing the children for their parents actions.

In this moment the blood drains from Mira’s face, and she grips the straps of my pack, turning me to face her. „I just remembered.” Her voice drops, and we lean in to hear her better. „Stay the hell away from Xaden Riorson.”

That name…

„That Xaden Riorson,” she confirms, fear lacing her gaze. „He’s a third-year, and he will kill you the second he finds out who you are.” She lifts her gaze to Violet. „Both of you.”

„His father was the Great Betrayer. He led the rebellion,” Violet says quietly. „What is Xaden doing here?”

„All the children of the leaders were conscripted as punishment for their parents’ cirmes,” I murmur. Yep, my father was really a monster.

Mira whispers as we shuffle sideways, moving with the line. „Mom told me they never expected Riorson to make it past the parapet. Then they figured a cadet would kill him, but once his dragon chose him…” She shakes her head. „Well, there’s nothing much that can be done then. He’s risen to the rank of wingleader.”

„That’s bullshit.” Violet seethes.

„He’s sworn allegiance to Navarre, but I don’t think that will stop him where you’re concerned. Once you get across the Parapet – because you will make it across – find Dain. He’ll put you in his squad, and we’ll just hope it’s far from Riorson.” She grips my straps tighter. „Stay. Away. From. Him.” She knew me well enough to feel the need to repeat it. I don’t like this whole rebellion relic thing. This punishment is too curel.

„Roger that.” I say to calm her down.

„Noted.” Nods Violet.

„Next,” a voice calls from behind the wooden tablet hat bears the rolls of the Riders Quadrant. The marked rider I don’t know is seated next to a scribe, whose eyebrows rise over his weathered face. „Violet Sorrengail?”

She nods, and picking up the quill she sing her name on the roll.

„But I thought you were meant for the Scribe Quadrant,” he says softly.

„General Sorrengail chose otherwise,” I answer him.

„Melgren?” He asks.

„Yes, my name is Aelin Melgren.” I say then I sign my name on the next empty line on the roll.

„You look so much like your late mother,” He says while sadness fills his eyes.

„You knew my mom?” I ask amazed.

He turned his head to Violet „Pity. You had so much promise.” So he knew my mother, but won’t say a thing. As usual. But I just want to know what she was like.

„By the gods,” the rider next tot he scribe says. „You’re Mira Sorrengail?” His jaw drops, and I can smell his hero worship from here.

„I am.” She nods. „This is my sister, Violet. And this is Aelin Melgren. They’ll be first-years.”

„If your sister survives the Parapet.” Someone behind me snickers. „Wind just might blow her right off.”

„Shut up, idiot. You have a higher chance falling of the Parapet than her. It seems you don’t have a brain to think with, if you don’t know to not interfere in the adults conversations.” I answer angrily.

„You fought at Strythmore,” the rider behind the desk says with awe. „They gave you the Order of the Talon for taking out the battery behind enemy lines.”

„As I was saying.” Mira puts a hand at our shoulders. „This is my sister, Violet and our friend Aelin Melgren.”

„You know the way.” The scribe nods and points to the open door into the turret. It looks ominously dark in there, and I fight the urge to run away.

„I know the way,” she assures him, leading us past the table so the snickering asshole behind me can sign the roll.

We pause at the doorway and turn toward each other.

„Don’t die, Violet. I’d hate to be an only child. And you too Aelin, I consider you my sister so stay alive.” She grins and walks away, sauntering past the line of gawking candidates as word spreads of exactly who she is and what she’s done.

„Though to live up to that,” the woman ahead of us says from just inside the tower.

„It is,” Violet agrees.

„But at least she’s a good sister.” I say laughing.

My eyes adjust quickly to the dim light coming in through the equidistant windows along the curved staircase.

„Sorrengail, and Melgren as in…?” the woman asks, looking over her shoulder as we begin to climb the hundreds of stairs.

„Yep.” There’s no railing, so I gesture Violet to keep her hand on the stone wall as we rise higher and higher.

„The generals?” the blond guy ahead of us asks.

„The same ones,” I answer, offering him a quick smile.

„Wow. Nice leathers, too.” He smiles back.

„Thanks. They’re courtesy of our family.”

„I wonder how many candidates have fallen off the edge of the steps and died before they even reach the Paraphet,” the woman says, glancing down the center of the staircase as we climb higher.

„Two last year.” Violet replies immediately. „Well, three if you count the girl one of the guys landed on.”

The woman’s brown eyes flare, but she turns back around keeps climbing. „How many steps are there?” she asks.

„Two hundred and fifty,” Violet answers.

„Oh god Vi, I love your brain.” I said laughing, then we climb in silence for another five minutes.

„Not too bad,” she says with a bright smile as we near the top and the line comes to a halt. „I’m Rhiannon Matthias, by the way.”

„Dylan,” the blond guy responds with an enthusiastic wave.

„Violet.” Vi give them a tense smile.

„Aelin.” I say and wink at Vi, ignoring Mira’s earlier suggestion that we avoid friendships and only forge alliances.

„I feel like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this day.” Dylan shifts his pack on his back. „Can you believe we actually get to do this? It’s a dream come true.”

„I can’t fucking wait.” Rhiannon’s smile widens. „I mean, who wouldn’t want to ride a dragon?”

„Do your parents approve?” Dylan asks. „Because my mom’s been begging me to change my mind for months. I keep telling her that I’ll have better chances for advancement as rider, but she wanted me to enter the Healer Quadrant.”

„Mine always knew I wanted this, so they’ve been pretty supportive. Besides, they have my twin to dote on. Raegan’s already living her dream, married and expecting a baby.” Rhiannon glances back at us.

„What about you? Let me guess. With names like Melgren and Sorrengail, I bet you were the first to volunteer this year.”

„Yes, I wanted to come here since I can remember.” I say with a smile. „I’m really excited about this. I mean do you see the dragons? They magnificent.”

„I hear ya girl.” Says Rihannon as we high five. „What about you Violet?”

„I was more like volun-told.”

„Gotcha.”

„And riders do get way better perks than other officers,” Violet says to Dylan as the line moves upward again. The snickering candidate behind me catches up, sweating and red. Look who isn’t snickering now. „Better pay, more leniency with the uniform policy,” she continues. No one gives a shit what riders wear as long as it’s black. The only rules that apply to riders are the ones in the Codex.

„And the right to call yourself a supreme badass,” Rhiannon adds.

„That too,” I agree. „Pretty sure they issue you an ego with your flight leathers.”

„Plus I’ve heard that riders are allowed to marry sooner than the other quadrants,” Dylan adds.

„True. Right after graduation. If we survie.” Says Violet. „I think it has something to do with wanting to continue bloodlines.”

„Or because we tend to die sooner than the other quadrants,” Rhiannon muses.

„I’m not dying,” Dylan says with way more confidence than I feel –  however I practiced for this for my whole life – as he tugs a necklace from under his tunic to reveal a ring dangling from the chain. „She said it would be bad luck to propose before I left, so we’re waiting until graduation.” He kisses the ring and tucks the chain back under his collar. „The next three years are going to be long ones, but they’ll be worth it.”

„You might make it across the Parapet,” the guy behind us sneers. „This one here is a breeze away from the bottom of the ravine.”

I roll my eyes. He doesn’t learn.

„Shut up and focus on yourself,” Rhiannon snaps, her feet clicking against the stone as we climb.

The top comes into sight, the doorway full of muddled light. Those clouds are going to wreak havoc on us, and we have to be on the other side of the Parapet before they do.

Another step, another tap of Rhiannon’s feet.

„Let me see your boots,” Says Violet quietly, probably hoping that the jerk behind me can’t hear her.

Her brows puckers, and confusion fills her brown eyes, but she shows her the shoes. They’re smooth, just like the ones Violet was wearing earlier. My stomach sinks like a rock. I know what she will do.

The line starts moving again, pausing when we’re only a few feet from the opening. „What size are your feet?” She asks.

„What?” Rhiannon blinks at her.

„Your feet. What size are they?”

„Eight,” she answers, two lines forming between her brows.

„I’m seven,” Vi says quickly. „It will hurt like hell, but I want you to take my left boot. Trade with me.”

„I’m sorry?” She looks at her like she has lost her mind.

„These are rider boots. They’ll grip the stone better. Your toes will be scrunched and generally miserable, but at least you’ll have a shot at not falling off if the rain hits.”

„Oh hell, don’t you dare Violet Sorrengail,” I hiss at her. „Just minutes ago I promised your sister that you will survive this damn Parapet, and now you want to throw away your best chance? Absouletly no.

„I give you my left boot. It’s the same size.” I say to Rihannon.

„What? No, that was my idea.” Whispers Violet.

„I know, but I will do it.” I reply. „Now hurry up, we don’t have time. It’s almost our turn.”

Rhiannon purses her lips in debate for a second, then agrees, and we swap left boots. I barely finish lacing up before the line moves again.

The top of the turret is bare, the crenelations of stone rising and falling along the circular structure at the height of my chest and doing nothing to obscure the view. The ravine and its river below suddenly feel very, very far. Every trial in the quadrant – including this one – is designed to test a cadet’s ability to ride. If someone can’t manage to walk the windy length of the slim stone bridge, then they sure as hell can’t keep their balance and fight on the back of a dragon.

And as for the death rate? I guess every other rider thinks the risk is worth the glory – or has the arrogance to think they won’t fall.

I breath deeply as I walk the edge behind Rhiannon, and in front of Violet, my fingers skimming the stonework as we wind our way toward the parapet.

Three riders wait at the entrance, which is nothing more than a gaping hole in the wall of the turret. One with ripped-off sleeves records names as candidates step out onto the treacherous crossing. Another, who’s shaved all his hair with the exception of a strip down the top center, instructs Dylan as he moves into position, patting his chest like the ring hidden there will bring him luck.

The third turns in my direcion and my heart simply…stops.

He’s tall, with windblown black hair and dark brows. The line of his jaw is strong and covered by warm tawny skin and dark stubble, and when he folds his arms across his torso, the  muscles in his chest and arms ripple, moving in a way that makes me swallow. And his eyes… His eyes are the shade of gold-flecked onyx. The contrast is startling, jawdropping even – everything about him is. His features are so harsh that they look carves, and yet they’re astonishingly perfect, like an artist worked a lifetime sculpting him, and at least a year of that was spent on his mouth.

He’s the most esquisite man I’ve ever seeen.

Even the diagonal scar that bisects his left eyebrow and marks the top corner of his cheek only makes him hotter. Flaming hot. Scorching hot. Gets-you-into-trouble-and-you-like-it level of hot. Suddenly, I know that I won’t take Mira’s advice that not to fuck around outside my year group.

„See you girls on the other side!” Dylan says over his shoulder with an excited grin before stepping onto the parapet, his arms spread wide.

„Ready for the next one, Riorson?” the rider with the ripped sleeves says.

Xaden Riorson?

„You ready for this, Sorrengail? I think Melgren is fine, but you seems a little pale.” Rhiannon says moving forward.

The black-haired rider snaps his gaze to mine, turning fully toward me, then he looks onto Violet. That’s when I see it, the rebellion relic. It start at his bare left wrist, then disappears under his black uniform to appear again at his collar, where it stretches and swirls up his neck, stopping at his jawline.

„Oh shit,” I whisper, and his eyes snapped back to mine, as if he can hear me over the howl of wind that rips at my secured braid.

„Sorrengail? Melgren?” He steps toward us, and I look up… and up.

Good gods, I barely reach his collarbone. He’s massive. He has to be more than four inches over six feet tall.

I nod once, while a I make sure that I stand before Violet. To my movement the shining onyx of his eyes transforms to cold, unadulterated hatred. I can almost taste the loathing wafting off him like a bitter cologne.

„Aelin?” Rhiannon asks, moving forward.

„You’re the Generals daughters.” His voice deep and accusatory.

„You’re Fen Riorson’s son,” Violet counters behind me.

Xaden sucks in a deep breath, and the muscle in his jaw flexes once. Twice. „Your mother captured my father, and her father executed him.”

„Your father killed my older brother. Seems like we’re even.”  Oh gods Violet, just shut up please, I beg in my mind.

„Hardly.” His glaring gaze strokes over me like he’s memorizing every detail or looking for any weakness.

I hold his glare, as if winning this staring competition will gain us safe entrance to the quadrant instead of crossing the Parapet behind him. Either way, I’m getting across. I promised to Mira that both of us will be safe on the other side.

His hands clench into fists, and he tenses.

I prepare for the strike, if I have to protect Violet. He might want to throw us off this tower, but I won’t make it easy for him.

„You all right?” Rhiannon asks, her gaze jumping between Xaden and me.

He glances at her. „You’re friends?”

„We met on the stairs,” she says, squaring her shoulders.

He looks down, noting our mismatched boots, and arches a brow. His hands relax. „Interesting.”

Fuck, Violet and her big heart.

„Are you going to kill us?” Asks Violet behind me.

„Shit, Violet just shut up please.” I hiss at Vi. „I don’t think it is a good idea to tempt someone throwing us off, who is bigger and stronger then us. I suppose you just have a death wish with pissing him off.” I facepalmed.

His gaze clashes with mine as the sky opens and rain falls in a deluge, soaking my hair, my leathers, and the stones around us in seconds.

A scream rends the air, and we jerk our attention to the Parapet just in time to see Dylan slip.

Violet gasps behind me.

He catches himself, hooking his arms over the stone bridge as his feet kick beneath him, scrambling for a purchase that isn’t there.

„Pull yourself up, Dylan!” Rhiannon shouts.

„Oh gods!” In the corner of my eyes I see that Violet’s hand flies to cover her mouth. That’s when Dylan loses his grip on the water-slick stone and falls, disappearing from view. The wind and rain steal any sound his body might make in the valley below.

Xaden never takes his eyes from me, watching silently with a look I can’t interpret.

„Why would I waste my energy killing you when the Parapet will do it for me?” A wicked smile curves his lips. „Your turn Melgren.”

Fucking handsome bastard.

[james-is-here]

(late) Halloween post bitches 😎✌🏼

Had to remake this but luckily I was just making the header and adding tags so I didn't lose too much 😁 and I'm proud that I posted a holiday fic 😌 I believe this fic shows how creative I am.

Spider divider by @adornedwithlight

Is there a pairing in this? I don't know, read and find out 😏

Special tag for @succubus-hansol 😁 I've had this in my docs for a few months now. 9k+ words 😲 Long but worth the read.

Blogs: @forever-atiny @lemon--shark @victorbutnotreally @leezanetheofficial @belladonna6-6-6 @heartbinn @yongbokkk @dontwannaexsist @tomorrowxtogather 

Tags: Vampires, Blood, fighting, abuse, fluff then angst then fluff, Vampire Mirror logic what's that?, should be implied that the boys are all together

Lmk if I forgot a tag or you want to be added to taglist :)

The sky was sparkling and the night was cool as the fluttering of wings flapped above an 18th century, two-floor house, a black roof and grey exterior walls, and a patio that wraps around to the left side. A courtyard with a fountain in the middle has a cobblestone path circling it, leading to the patio stairs in front of the front door. A fence with a gate around the whole lot.

The house resides on the outskirts of the town of humans. It's on a shallow hill, often used for dares. ‘Fifty bucks for the first one to reach the gate without backing out.’ 'I dare you to stand at the Shadowborne gate for five minutes without one of them noticing you.'

Shadowborne, that's the species that lived in the house, but it wasn't the entire species obviously. One clan resided in the house, the Stravian Kin Clan, and the human folk knew what they were, a couple of humans once tried to venture further than the gate one night which resulted in the law within the town that prohibited any residents from going into the forest after the clan leader left the trespassers worse for wear.

That never stopped the occasional rebellious teens from slipping through the fence to fulfill their bet or dare.

One night though, no humans trespassed or disturbed the land as a few bats flew and played around above the house, sometimes landing on the roof to settle down. Still, the playfulness continued with sneaky crawling before nipping at the victim and chirping happily at the reaction.

Two small bats were flying around while a slightly larger one sat on the roof when a fourth bat showed up, seemingly out of the clouds and the two smaller ones stopped flipping in the air to watch the new arrival above them before its wings stilled and it began to fall to the ground.

They watched as it fell to the ground before turning to the one on the roof. He chirped, flapping his wings to head for the balcony at the back right of the house on the second floor that leads to a large round room with bookshelves and pillows strewn about on a large cushion-like rug, covering the floor of the whole room.

The bats fly over to the balcony before three clouds of two deep red swirls twist around and up as full bodies are revealed before it dissipates and the now human-like forms take off in a run out of the room. They push through the doors and run to the right before coming to the wide opening of the stairs, dashing down the first staircase, turning on a flat section before coming to the last staircase and taking two at a time.

The taller one became impatient and grabbed the railing at the flat part before jumping over and landing on the first floor as the other two followed the stairs and continued the rest of the way, a few steps behind the taller one.

“Hyung!!” The one who jumped the stairs called out before he went to the front window and looked into the courtyard. “Hyung!!” One of the others, a blonde, ran to the right through the living room to the study as the other, a brunette, ran left towards the kitchen.

The “Hyung” in question appeared a second later, opening the study doors and the blonde collided with his chest with a ‘oof’. “Sorry! There's a bat! Th-They flew from the clouds before going limp and falling. Th-Their flight pattern was slow and staggered slightly, I think they're hurt.” “Did you recognize them?” “Uh…” If the blonde could blush, he would cause then he says with a chuckle, “Um, no. The…The moon was behind him…”

The older one huffed a smile before both were turning to the male at the window. “I can see him!” He yelled. “Him?” “Yeah! He's next to the fountain, he just reformed in a cloud of rust.” “Rust?” “Yeah, it was like a rust color.”

“Hyunjin, away from the window.” The tall vampire, Hyunjin, slouched away from the window and sat back on his shins with a small pout as he watched the older vampire open the door and walk out to the edge of the front deck.

He listened closely, watching the figure before he spun around when he heard another boot hit the wood porch. “No, back inside.” He scolds the blonde like a dog and he backs up before going over to Hyunjin and peaking through the curtain with him.

Chan slowly steps off the patio into the gravel. He slowly stalks forward, straining his enhanced hearing to the edges to listen to the figure as he circled the fountain. His inner protector senses the figure as a threat as he stalks forward and one more step has the figure turning his head before he's upright, trying to drag himself away from the taller, intimidating, clear leader of the territory he crashed into.

“I-I’m sorry! I-I’m sorry! P-Please have mercy…m-mercy, please. I-I w-won't bother y-you, sir, I-I’ll leave j-just please, I-I need-” He yelps and stops scooting back away from the other vampire when a twig from a dying bush from the garden surrounding the path stab into the wound on his side. He cries out painfully, falling onto his back with his eyes squeezed shut to not cry, to not be weak as he pushes the twig away from him and gripping his side.

“Why are you here, Emberborne?” Is all the leader says.

Emberborne. Like Shadowborne’s, their bat forms are a reddish-orange, living West of where Shadowborne’s inhabit. So why and how is one all the way East and by itself?

“I-I don't…I d-don't mean…harm...” The boy is panting heavily, eyes trained on the night sky and almost hyperventilating before he huffs out heavily a couple of times, his eyes fluttering shut while his hand lets go of his side and his head slowly falls to the side, unconscious.

The Shadowborne, Chan, steps closer until he crouches down next to the boys left side and gently moves his hand to look at the wounds on his side and stomach. The loose-fit shirt, frilly with large sleeve cuffs, typically what older generation vampires wore, was torn and bloody. On the boy's side were two large open wounds, but not as deep as a gash, almost like something grazed him and took the top layer on skin but when Chan grazed lightly over the middle wound on the side of the boys stomach to move the shirt, he hissed as his fingers suddenly stung slightly.

Moving the shirt out of the way, he sees a silver bullet. He moves to the right side of the Emberborne quickly, picking him up with an arm under his knees and his upper back then turning back to the house.

Hyunjin and the blonde were at the front door the moment Chan had stood up with the boy. “Go get Minho.” “Chan Hyung, he’s with Changbin to get the supplies from the forest border.” Hyunjin reminds him as Chan gently puts the boy on the couch so his wounded side is facing him.

Groaning, he sighs while removing the boy's top. “Okay. Hyunjin, in the study behind the desk, is an old black bag. Can you get it? Felix, go get one of Innie’s shirts and prepare a room. Where’s Jisung?” “He went to the kitchen to, I assume, look for you.” “Get him along with some blood packs.”

Hyunjin returned with the black bag as Felix went off. Opening it and digging around, Chan pulls out a small pair of medical tongs and a small glass jar. “Hyung, who is this?” “Don’t know. He’s an Emberborne and…” He drags out as he carefully uses the tongs to grab the silver bullet and carefully extract it, placing it in the small jar and then putting the lid back on. “...He must've been attacked. Eh, Don't touch that.” Though it was in a glass jar, it was still a silver bullet, so he quickly slapped Hyunjin’s hand away when he reached out to look at what Chan had just removed.

He pulls out gauze along with a bandage. “Come here, Jin.” He guides the young vampire to sit on the back of the couch while holding the unknown boy up so he can place the gauze and cotton along the wounds before wrapping the bandage around his torso. “His healing is gonna be slow until he wakes up and he can feed,” Chan explains when he sees the confusion on Hyunjin’s face as he sits on the couch with the boys head on his lap.

“What could an Emberborne even be doing here?” Hyunjin asked. “Ran away? Outcasted? Lost his clan? Who knows. We’ll just have to wait until he wakes up.” Chan mutters as he puts everything back in the back except the tongs and the jar.

Felix returns with Jisung and two other seemingly younger vampires behind him. “Okay, gotta get some of this into his system,” Chan mutters as he takes the pack of blood from Jisung and the shirt from Felix. From the front door, two vampires walk in as their reforming smoke dissipates behind them and they're carrying large bags on their shoulders. “Hey, We’re- Woah.” The last two clan members stop at the sight of the others surrounding what they think is a human on the couch.

At the sign of Minho about to hiss as he glared at the boy, Chan handed the bag that was dripping blood into the boy's mouth to Hyunjin, who continued the steady dripping, before standing up. “It's not a human, it's a vampire.” “How do you know?” “Well, his fangs, the slight burn marks on his wounds from a silver bullet-” “The fact that he was a bat and almost crashed into us.” Jisung cuts him off as he points between him and Felix then Hyunjin speaks up without looking away from feeding the unconscious vampire. “He reformed in a cloud of rust.”

“Okay, I got it.” Minho relaxed as Chan took the bag from him. “Oh, I tidied up the room next to the library for him.” “Thank you, Felix. Wanna take him up?” Felix nods before taking the half dripped pouch from Hyunjin and picking the boy up in a princess carry and taking him through the large foyer and up the stairs to the room he made up.

It's the size of a master bedroom, all of them are, and in the center against the right wall is a queen bed covered with a dark green quilt and matching canopy hanging from wooden posts.

Felix gently places the boy on the bed where he folded the blanket and sheet out of the way. As he tucks the boy in, he goes to walk away but stops and gently moving his hair away from his eyes. “You look so young.” He mutters to himself before taking his hand from under the blanket, looking at where an existing pulse point would've been.

Felix’s brows furrow before placing it back next to him and took his other wrist. “No mark?” “Emberborne’s aren’t like us, Lixie.” Felix jumps, turning to see Chan walk in and walk over to him to sit on the edge of the bed. “Right. I wasn't really taught about Emberborne’s…Before I found you, my old clan literally obliterated everything about Emberborne's.”

“Shadowborne's have been marking their offspring with their clan sigils for eternity, even in today’s evolved age. It's for protection and safety and forms when we grow into our vampire side. Unfortunately, with Emberborne's, they still have old ideations like us but believe they need to grow up and survive on their own, that they don't need protection of their family. They don't get any marks until they make their own family. An emberborne once lived to be three hundred and six before they got a sigil, finding their partner. They were the last of their birth family to get their own family sigil.” “Wow.”

Felix began to absentmindedly rub his thumb back and forth on the boy's knuckles, looking away from Chan to look down at his peaceful face. “What got him?” “I assume Hunters. Pulled a silver bullet out of one of the wounds.” “What? That's not cool.” “No, it's not. Oh…” Chan pulled something out of his pocket and moved to sit on the other side of the boy. “I noticed sun burn welts as you were bringing him up here.”

He gently moved the blanket away and moved the top part of his shirt. “Oh no.” Felix sat on the bed, watching Chan rub an ointment over red patches on the boy's chest. “Attacked during the day? He must've been chased out of wherever he was hiding.” Felix says as he hovers a finger over one of the burns. “There's no signs that show how old he is. Do they age slowly like us?” “They do. He may look the human age of nineteen but he may be one of our ages.” “Well, Hyunjin looks nineteen but he's like two hundred.” Chan snickers as he caps the ointment.

“You're really invested in this boy.” “I’m just worried about him and he looks interesting. You know me, I cried when we found Seungmin and he said a wolf got him.” “You do know that when he's awake and healed, we’ll have to send him off…right?” “Wha- But Hyung-” “We can't keep an Emberborne. Ember and Shadow don't mix.” “But…But you brought him in. You bandaged him up, you care about him.” “Felix!” Chan bared his fangs and his eyes flashed before closing his eyes the moment he saw Felix flinch and took a deep breath while looking away.

“I did what I did because I couldn't leave him with the bullet. Plus he begged for mercy, I couldn't-” He's silent for a moment. “Couldn't just leave him...” “Hyung…” Felix says softly as he watches Chan get off the bed and walk towards the door. “Come on. Let him rest.” Chan mutters as he stares at the floor, hand on the door.

Felix walked over to him, glancing back to the boy then to Chan. “Go.” Chan says firmly, tilting his head out the door to get Felix to walk out. Felix sighs, looking down at his hands and walking to the left to the library, probably to curl up in his corner Chan predicts.

Chan sighs, looking back at the boy on the bed before walking out.

Chan and his clan had long been asleep before the sun began to rise. He's buried under his dark red bedding with one of his younger vampires tucked in his arms who snuck in shortly after he fell asleep so he’s not sure who it is.

It had only been two hours, behind the thick curtains the sunrise peaked behind the clouds and lit the outside of the house with the new daylight but Chan suddenly jerks awake, looking around the dark room to figure out what was wrong.

Looking down, he notices the body in his arms was Felix. He's glad he didn't completely put off Felix from earlier.

Unwrapping his arms from the blonde, he slips out of bed, going to check the house just in case. Maybe his senses were detecting one of his vampires out of bed, possibly Changbin trying to sneak one of his pouches. Changbin was banned from the fridge during the day, their night time, after the last time he took one a day early and ended up having to wait an entire day before they could get their next month's supply. His feeding schedule was shit after that and they had to bribe their supplier for an extra pouch.

Their supplier being at the human towns hospital, an older doctor that they made a deal with after the human trespassing law was made. No humans in their forest for a month's worth of blood packs. The town didn't want anymore deaths so some of the residents donate blood simply for the vampires.

When Chan left his room, he was on the other side of the house from the library, he walked to the left towards the stairs, pausing at the other doors he passed by to hear the breathing of one or two of his clan, only passing the rooms who's doors were open.

Changbin’s door was closed with two sets of breathing, so that rules out Changbin sneaking blood and explains Hyunjin’s door being open as Hyunjin usually slept with Changbin. Seungmin’s door was closed but Jeongin’s was open and with Minho’s being closed and Jisung’s being open, and Felix with him, the two baby vamps were together and Ji was with Min or one baby was with Ji and the other with Min.

So what woke him up?

That's when a thought entered his head and he walked to the library. When he gets there, he freezes, lowering his body as he slowly stalks to the open bedroom. Peaking in, the blankets on the bed are thrown away and there's no longer a body, the blood pack Felix left behind now on the floor, empty. His thoughts are on overdrive as he dashes over to the rope hanging at the end of the hall and pulls, it was an old design feature that came with the house that triggers small bells that are in each room.

He hears a yelp near the stairs and runs over to it, finding the boy from before. “Wait, Don't move!” The boy looks up to the second floor balcony and Chan can see and hear his rapid breaths along with noticing the blooming red staining the shirt which means his bandages were soaked as well before the boy takes off in the direction of the living room. “Wait!” By that time, the others are out of bed, alert but mostly grumpy at being woken up so early into their sleep.

The sun just rose for crying out loud.

“Corner him, I think he's trying to leave.” He calls out when he can feel the others growing closer as he jumps over the railing and follows the boy.

He follows him through the living room and into the study. He runs behind the desk, cowering against the decommissioned fireplace behind it before glancing at the side door that leads to a passageway to the kitchen.

Chan lowers his height, hands outstretched to stop him. “Hold on, wait, it's okay, you're okay.” “I-I’m sorry, I don't-” “It's okay, calm down, we won't hurt you. What’s your name, fledgling?” The boy pants, glancing at the door then back to the person in front of him. “Don't, please. It's okay.” Chan slowly steps forward, crouching down lower to look less intimidating which shocks him himself but he chalks it up to just not wanting the boy to aggravate his wounds and dressings.

He barely gets another step when the boy takes off, pushing open the cracked door and running to the kitchen with Chan following.

In the kitchen, Changbin and Felix are waiting, listening, until Changbin is turning when he hears the running in the study’s hallway.

The boy was looking behind him, watching out over his shoulder for Chan before turning and stopping with a squeak when he noticed Changbin. He swerves, diverting the other way but is stopped by Felix and he runs back the other way, dropping to his knee and sliding past Changbin before standing back up, staggering and holding a hand to his side as he looks back at the other three before running again and Chan follows, Changbin and Felix joining as well shortly after.

The boy runs back to the foyer, through the empty room that used to be a dining room and to the stairs. Running up the stairs, he runs in the direction of the room he first left but Minho and Seungmin block him. He skids to a stop, going to run the other way but Jisung, Hyunjin, and Jeongin block him.

Breathing heavily, fear and panic washed over his face as he looked at each of the split groups, from the two on his left then the three on his right, then the three below him.

A window catches his eye, poised above the flat level of the stairs that conjoin the first level and second level staircase. A slight billow of the curtain pinned to the wall to still keep light out giving away that the window was open. “Wait! Wait! Don't do it!” Chan exclaims, noticing the boy glance at the window.

He shrinks back to the wall, looking to his left and right again to see the other strangers have gotten closer. “Stop him!” Chan yells at the two groups but the boy is already running the moment Minho dashes forward to grab him.

His transformation is quick, rust smoke envelopes his body and dissipates as a bat emerges and he’s trying to fly up to the window but with a weak chirp and pained squeak, his flying falters and he falls. “No!” Chan runs forward and catches the weakened Vampire in his hands.

The bat squeaks and chirps, flapping in Chan’s hands as the groups on the second floor have converged and looked over the railing the moment the bat began to fall.

“Shh, Shh, it's okay little fledgling, we won't hurt you. Settle down, it's okay.” Chan says in a hushed tone, a hand moving from underneath the bat to rest over his back and using his thumb to pet his head. “It's okay. You have to calm down little one. You almost got yourself burned.” Still panting and breathing heavily, the flapping has stopped, wings draped over Chan’s hand as he looks up at the male holding him. “It's daytime. You would've made your condition worse.”

Chan continued to pet his head as Felix and Changbin walked up next to him while the others still watched from above. “Are you calm enough? Wanna reform?” He watches the bat heave a few more breaths before his head falls flat on Chan’s palm like a dog draped over the arm of a chair, looking up at him and making Chan huff a small laugh. “Want me to set you down or do you need a toss?” He flicks his wings and Chan steps back towards the stairs, the other two walking back from him to give him space.

Chan tosses the bat gently in front of him before rust smoke is swirling around and the boy reforms then promptly falls to the floor, legs folded underneath as his hands hold him up on the floor. “I-I’m sorry..” He breathes out with an exhale, voice soft and gentle as he tries to catch his breath. “I-I didn't mean to…I’m sorry.” He whimpers and Chan carefully steps forward.

“It's okay. What’s your name?” “M-Mn…a-and I’m not a fledgling…I’m two hundred and fifteen.” “Sorry, I did that out of habit. You look young like Hyunjin.” You look up and back, eyes jumping from one vampire to the other before dropping your head back down. “I didn't mean to invade your territory…I-I was f-fleeing from hunters and they found me…I-I was so scared, I started running without reforming or thinking. Th-They chased me till dusk, one got me with his bullets. The trees barely covered me.”

Your right hand moved from the floor to absentmindedly touch your burns before a hand takes yours and you flinch. “Sorry, didn't want you to touch the ointment or the burn itself.” You gasp suddenly and your hand leaves his to go to your side. “The bullet. Where-” “I extracted it. Put it in a jar, might take it to the human town authorities so they could do something with it.”

You fall back, slowly scooting away. “H-Humans? Do you interact with humans?” Chan’s hand gently rests on your ankle. “No, we just have an alliance with them. The most interaction we do is with our blood supplier at the hospital. That's it.” “How…How do they trust you so easily?” “They made a law awhile back after I mauled two humans when they trespassed. Humans stay away from our property and we stay away from their town. Even our supplier stays away, just drops the bags at the edge of the forest.”

Your eyes water, glassy as you look up at Chan. “N-No humans?” “Yeah. Hey, don't cry. Are you hurt? Do you need anything?” “Wh-Why are you being so nice to me?” Chan hesitates, glancing at Felix next to him then back to the boy. “You begged for mercy…and I couldn't leave you with a silver bullet slowly killing you.” It's quiet for a moment other than the others moving to the second floor of the stairs and sitting along the banister. “The…Uh, the bullet is also blessed…M-Might want to take it to a priest as well…if the town has one.” You stare down at your fingers where the older vampire notices your burnt fingertips. “You tried to remove them.” “Yeah…the first two were painful and easy but the third one was too far.”

Shaking his head, he awkwardly looked around then back to the floor. “I, um, I’m sorry. I-I’ll be out tonight, I promise.” “You can stay until the silver effects wear out and you're replenished.” Looking at the grandfather clock next to the front door, it's eight in the morning and Chan giggles softly as he glances back at the others.

“Late night snack anyone?” “Me!” Changbin says first and gets up, already halfway to the kitchen and the others laugh and stand as well. “Come on. Let’s get some blood in you, might help get you closer to restoring your quick healing.” Chan helps you stand, supporting you as you stumble slightly then look over at Felix. “Hi…” “Hi.” Felix smiles. “Sorry I almost crashed into you and your friend.” “It's okay. Come on, let's go feed.” Felix gently holds your shoulder and helps guide you to the kitchen.

The others have already started to walk away before you and Felix except Minho who stands next to Chan, watching the two of you walk away. “What happened to Shadows not liking Embers?” “He's injured.” Chan shrugs, looking down at his hands. “Wouldn't be right, especially since...well y’know.” “Yeah, Yeah, begged for mercy.” “Silver doesn't take long to leave us so he should actually be good to leave tonight. Then he’ll be on his way.”

Minho scans Chan’s stance and listens to his tone of voice. “Why does it sound like you don't want him to leave?” “It's just the leader in me or something, feels wrong for him to be alone with no protection.” His thumb finds the mark on his left wrist, grazing over his Clan sigil, on his right wrist is his birth clan sigil. Minho takes his hand, replacing his thumb with his own. “He’ll get protection one day. That's how his species live. Now come on, Changbin might eat the whole stock.” That brings a small smile to Chan’s face, his fangs peaking through and Minho pokes his cheek while moving to take Chan's hand, lacing their fingers together. “Cute.” Chan swats him away, letting go of Minho’s hand then heads to the kitchen. “Chan! I’m just teasing!”

Chan was right when he said Mn would be okay by night. The remaining effects of the silver gone and plenty of blood had his quick healing restored as he slept. After everyone who wanted a pouch had one, everyone promptly went back to bed for the rest of the day.

Mn woke up first the moment he could hear the grandfather clock strike. Walking over to the window, Mn opened the curtain and watch the sky, the sun out of the way and leaving behind a beautiful night sky.

Mn sighs when he knows he’ll have to leave and go off flying again. He might as well leave now, Mn told them he'll be gone at night so he’ll be gone.

Wearing the youngest vampire’s shirt he was given, his boots in hand so as to not cause noise, he tiptoed his way next door, carefully opening the door then closing it and padding his way over to the balcony. He ties the curtain out of the way before carefully opening the window doors and walking out onto the patio.

Mn slipped on his boots and tie them before standing up, looking back into the house that he's felt the safest in ever before walking over to the stone railing and climbing up, jumping off before reforming and flying up. He hovers, taking one last look at the house before taking off into the clouds and away from the Shadowborne’s.

When Felix went to check on Mn when he woke, his whole body deflated at the open door before going to the library, deflating even more at the open terrace then going back to his room.

“Good evening, Felix.” Hyunjin greets with a yawn while rubbing his eyes, walking into his room and flopping on the bed next to him. “Mn’s gone.” Hyunjin drops his hand next to him and looks up at the male who's balled up on himself, arms wrapped around his knees as he stares at his blanket. “Well, of course he is. His quick healing must've kicked in while he was sleeping so he left like he said he would.” “Yeah, well…Kinda wanted him to stay around.” Felix mutters, turning away to bury half his face into his elbow. “He's an emberborne, Felix. The only reason he was here was to recover.” “I know…”

It was quiet for a while, Hyunjin rubbing his back before he shifts. “Um, I kinda want to be alone for a while. If you need me I’ll be on the living room ceiling.” “Oh…Okay Lixie.” The blonde reforms, swirl of deep red covering him before dissipating and Hyunjin watches the bat fly away towards the living room. “Oh Lix…” He says sadly as he gets up and leaves the boys room.

Walking downstairs, he looks up to find the boy curled up and huddled in the darkest corner of the ceiling, away from lights and candles. “Hyun?” He stood at the end of the living room in front of the study to look at Felix properly. “Whatcha looking at?” Chan asks, legs moving off the top of the desk as he puts his book down and joins the other. “A Felix.” Looking up as well, Chan spots him.

“Aw, why’s he in his corner?” “Mn’s gone.” Hyunjin answers simply and Chan sighs. “Sorry Lix.” The only reply he got was a small chirp before he looked down. “Good to know he's all better now.” He tells Hyunjin as he moves to the couch. “Yeah.” Hyunjin joins him, leaning into him.

“Hyung, I get that he begged for mercy and he was injured…but you seemed extra caring towards him. Even more than usual, as if he was a part of the clan like us.” “It was just the clan leader in me. He doesn't have his own family so he doesn't have a protective sigil.” “He doesn't? I knew they had to fend for themselves but they don't even have family sigils?” “Nope.” Chan took Hyunjin’s right hand to graze his thumb over his family mark. “They only get one, while we get a family…” he then reaches for Hyunjin’s other hand. “and clan marks, they only get family marks and only when they've found their partner.” “Like the three hundred year old Ember?” “Yeah.” “So…it could be even longer than that until an Ember finds it’s family? They go unprotected for that long?” Hyunjin’s voice was filled with concern, not exactly enjoying Emberborne traditions. “They do.”

They look up at the fluttering of wings to see Felix gently flutter his way down before landing on Chan who scoops him up and pets his head with his thumb, comforting his little bat. “We never asked why he was all the way over here. He's from the other side of the world.” “Yeah…but he’ll be fine on whatever journey he's on.” Chan replies and lifts Felix up as he tucks his wings to his sides. The older male gently kisses the top of Felix’s head and he chirps, relaxing in Chan’s hold.

The rest of the night, the others carried Felix around. When he's down he prefers to be small, to be coddled, and to be held. When he's small, they can hold him and he won't be in the way unlike his full form.

He was resting with his eyes closed on Chan’s shoulder, the older vampire walking around trying to find something to do when there was a knock on the front door.

“Jeez, what stupid humans decided to trespass this time. Gotta give it to them though, they've never gotten to the front door.” Chan mutters, mostly to himself but also for Felix to hear if he's awake.

Chan went into the empty dining room, which Jisung has been trying to convince everyone to make into a second living room, to peek out the window. When he sees an old style of suit, lace cuffs showing from under an old, seemingly Victorian suit coat, he shuts the curtain and walks over to the door to open it and finds an old face to fit the old fashion.

“Are you the leader of the Stravian Kin clan?” “Yes? What's this about? We don't normally get other vampiric guests.” He can feel Felix shift on his shoulder and nuzzle into his neck. “As a fairly recently formed clan, you and your brethren or consorts must attend the gathering of clans to form or reestablish alliances with other clans along with checking in with your family and friends.” The male hands Chan a rolled up scroll. “It’d also be best if you wear…less human clothes lest you stand out or draw attention.” Chan glances down at his boots, jeans, and t-shirt before looking up and nodding. “Yes, of course sir.” “and if you are a clan that has integrated into the more modern world, the shiny devices are prohibited.” “We aren't, that won't be a problem.”

The gentleman glances at Felix on Chan’s shoulder and smiles softly. “Do you mind?” He lifts his hand a little and Chan looks down at Felix who has been awake, now just flopped on the older male’s shoulder. Felix chirps and the man reaches up to gently pet his head. “My kin use to do this with me whenever I’m in my natural form. Not as much anymore due to them finding their own clans.” He pulls his hand away and Felix trills happily before snuggling back into Chan’s neck. “The gathering is…” He trails off before sighing. “Do you per chance have a clock?” “Yeah.” Chan steps back and looks towards the grandfather clock.

“It's eleven thirty five, sir.” “Thank you. The gathering is at two, in your scroll is a sigil. Simply run your fingers over it and your clan will be transported, saving you the long flight to Vesper Sanctum.” “Thank you, sir.” “Of course. Have a nice rest of your evening.”

Chan bows as the man turns around and leaves, shutting the door and sighing. “Great.”

“Do we really have to wear this?” Changbin complains. “Unfortunately.” “But I thought we wanted to be different and stick out?” Seungmin asks on the back of the couch, pulling at his collar.

Chan had to fly around the attic to find the old dress wear they used to wear before changing to more modern clothes. “Well, any other time, yes, but since we're a new clan and this is our first time doing something like this, I kinda don't want to make any bad impressions to future allying clans.” “About that, I think it's dumb. Why ask for alliance with some unknown clan of Shadowborne's when we're perfectly fine on our own. We have a deal with the human town, we're comfortable living here, why do all this?”

Chan sighs, moving from fixing Seungmin’s collar to standing in front of a frowning Minho to fix his shirt. “Protection, resources, friends? We're not the only new clan going, I’m sure. Plus every clan will be there, it's also a family reunion.”

“Will emberborne's be there?” Felix, having been coaxed out of his bat form by Jisung, asks quietly, voice soft and quiet as he fiddles with his frilly sleeves. “You didn't ask that man and he didn't mention it either.” Chan is silent for a moment then moves again to Felix who stands behind the couch. “I’m not sure.” He gently takes Felix’s hand to tuck the shirt sleeve into the coat sleeve. “But if they are…you can't run off.” Chan could feel it, feel Felix’s hope while also being able to see it in his eyes. Felix goes to protest, to explain why he's asking but he knows Chan knows why he's asking.

“Okay. I won't run off, but if…if he is there, and he comes over to us…what do we do?” Chan finishes tucking his sleeves, holding his hands gently yet tight. “Don't greet him like a friend. Greet him like any other clan associate.” Felix nods and Chan lets go of his hands, pulling him into a hug. “I’m sure he's okay, Felix.” “He just left though…he's probably not going to be there.” “We may be different but we're equally fast. And if you're right then I’ll hold your mopey little bat butt for as long as you need.” Chan says, hoping to make the younger laugh and it works, Felix pulling away with a light laugh and smile. “Thank you, Hyung.” “Always. Now let's get going, Bin looks like he's about to rip the lace.” “It's itchy.” The aforementioned male whines as the others laugh.

They gather around Chan as he opens the scroll to see his own sigil. Tracing the lines, it glows red and deep red smoke swirls around them from the ground and when it reaches their head and dissipates, they're stood in front of a castle, multiple clans walking through the front door and inside.

The scroll disappears in Chan's hand at the same time they hear hissing, looking up to see two women baring their fangs at each other. “Hyung, look.” Jeongin holds on to Chan’s arm and points to the ground.

Leading into the castle were two carpets, black on the left and red on the right. The two women stand in the middle where the carpets meet before two men split them apart and pull them inside. “I guess it's literally every clan.” Hyunjin mutters from behind Chan.

Taking a deep breath, he nods his head slightly then glances at the boys. “Come on.” He walks over to the black carpet with the others in tow, Jeongin still holding on to his arm as his gaze lingers along the red carpet they're walking away from.

When inside the large ballroom, Felix and Jeongin are immediately bombarded by their siblings from their family clan, hugs so tight both of the boys look like they're gonna suffocate if they weren’t already dead and didn't breath like normal humans.

Changbin’s sister soon appeared and eventually it was just him and the boys that didn't have siblings. He couldn't spot his family yet but when he did, he didn't leave Minho and Hyunjin behind.

Eventually they all returned back to Chan and he looked around to notice all the clans gathering together. He moves his to the wall out of the way of the others and as to not be in the center, too much attention for them.

A moment later, clans start walking around to other clans to begin mingling. “I think this is the alliance making part.” Minho whispers and Chan sighs. “Yeah…” “You okay?” “I honestly wanted to go home the moment after I saw my family.” Chan mutters, looking at the clans around him. “Now I’m tired.”

Minho takes his hand in one of his, patting it gently with the other before clasping it over their conjoined hands. “It's okay. Just focus on us for now.” He looks around to see his own clan talking to one another and smiles as he leans against the wall behind them. “Okay.”

They stood there for who knows how long, just in their own world in the back of the castle before Felix notices the edge of a dress in the corner of his eye and looks up. Emberborne's have begun mingling with some of the Shadowborne’s and the dress of one catches his eye. “You idiot, you trying to make the whole of this species hate us?” The woman screeched quietly as she drags another vampire by the ear next to them, a couple steps away.

“I meant what I said. Your idea of an arranged marriage to the opposite species of a clan I don't even care about is wrong.” The woman slaps him, an angry scowl on her face as the male clutches his cheek. “Mom-” “No. This is why you’ll never get a protection mark. You should be grateful we're even helping you get protection, you weakling. Couldn't even escape some hunters during your punishment. Should've just left the bullet in, save us the hassle.”

Suddenly a man is stomping over, moving the woman out of the way just to slap the male again. “You just lost us an eternity's worth of alliance with the oldest Shadowborne clan here. You're gonna go back over to them and agree to marry their daughter, you're gonna fix all of this.” “I don't even like their daughter.” Another slap, at this point, Felix is watching instead of listening, his silence drawing Seungmin’s attention as well as Jisung’s to the same sight.

“You're marrying her no matter what. You’ll be getting protection while also fixing the alliance you broke.” “No! I’m not gonna do it!” Chan and the others are now watching when they finally hear the fight not so far away from them.

“Don't make us force you to fly another world wide trip to learn your lesson. Maybe this time the sun will get you.” Chan’s hand tightens in Minho’s. He doesn't know who the kin is but just the sound of parents forcing their kin to fly across the world just to learn a lesson made him extremely angry.

“Do you want me to fix an alliance or do you want me dead, make up your fucking minds!” Another slap and now more clan’s have gathered to watch and listen, the Shadowborne’s looking worried while the Emberborne’s watch like the kin deserves whatever he's getting. Emberborne’s are so cruel to their unprotected kin, Chan thinks.

“You don't get to speak out like that.” The man finally moves, the woman and her dress originally blocking the vampire but now they could get a look at the abused vampire.

“MN!” Felix calls out before he can catch himself and he's shrinking in on himself as everyone turns to him and Chan steps forward, standing next to the blonde protectively. “How does he know your name?” The man, presumably Mn’s father, asks darkly, glaring at the boy. “They helped me after the hunters got me. They didn't leave me for dead with a blessed silver bullet stuck inside me. Cause I begged for mercy.” “They should've ignored it and let you die.” “Hey!”

They turn to Chan who stands in front of the others. “Just because you have different traditions doesn't mean you wish for your kin to be dead. And he has a point, you're making these comments about wanting him dead but you also want to force him to fix an alliance?” “Chan, don't-” His dad slapped him again, causing him to fall to the floor.

Chan doesn't know what came over him but in that moment all he wanted to do was protect. He dangerously bared his fangs to the Emberborne who turned towards him at the sound of Chan's low hiss. “N-No, Chan, please- Ah!” Mn’s mother kicked his side when he tried to get up, kicking him back to the floor as his father chuckled darkly. “You dare challenge me?” The older vampire smirks darkly, showing one of his fangs.

“Ch-Chan…don't do it…” Mn pleads softly from his spot on the floor, leaning on an elbow and looking up at the male and the others behind him.

“You want to challenge me, fine. Let's go outside.” Mn’s dad walks away and Mn tries to get up to follow them out but his mother steps on his back. “Dear, let him go. Since he’s the problem, he’ll be the prize.”

Mn’s mother lifts him up by the back of his coat, shoving him over to his father who grabs his jacket like the woman did and brings him outside. He throws Mn to the side as Chan stands on one side and he stands closer to the castle. They're a few feet apart, snarling at each other as they circle around.

“You win, you get Mn. I win, I get him and you’ll never see him again.” Mn’s dad declares before disappearing with speed to end up behind Chan and kick his back, knocking him down but he gets up and uses his speed as well, to try and knock his ankles out from under him but the other dodges and transforms in a rust cloud before flying away from Chan and reforming. No rules were established, Chan notes before transforming and darting out from his red cloud so fast that no one notices his small black form disappearing and curving to the right, reappearing at the other vampires left and reforming to kick him, destabilizing him and giving him the chance to swipe his foot and knock the other over before stepping back.

“Impressive.” The man complimented as he got up, gaze not leaving Chan. “But not enough.” He reforms again, flying to his left to circle Chan who watches, focusing on the bat circling him, spinning to his other side to continue following but there was no bat on his other side. He had tricked him but he couldn't turn fast enough before he was kicked to the ground again.

“Dad, please…” Chan hears Mn’s voice, looking up to see Mn’s mother holding him down, preventing him from intervening.

Suddenly, wave of energy crashed over Chan as his briefly red eyes meet Mn’s gold. Gasps and whispers start around them and it appears that Mn’s parents didn't notice what just happened.

Chan hasn't felt this since he first started his clan, since he first found his brethren before they became his consorts and their eyes quickly flash red.

Chan just bonded with an Emberborne.

He's got to win this, He's gotta beat Mn’s dad, He has to get to him. Who knows what title he’ll be given when he will claim Mn but he has to, has to take him from his wretched abusing family.

He pushes up, standing on his feet and turning to Mn’s dad who stands confidently in front of him with a cocky smirk. He reforms again, darting out of his smoke before it dissipates completely and he flies along the edge of the crowd before flying out and knocking his wing into Mn’s mother and disappears again.

“That little twerp.” The woman shouts as she looks around and Chan flies by her again and she yells in annoyance, trying to swat at him but Chan is already making another round and finally she does what he wanted her to do.

She stumbles back from stepping on Mn who’s quick to reform and fly away, blinding his mother with his smoke before it disappears and she's looking around for her son. “MN!”

Mn’s father looks around for Chan and his son, listening as best as he could for flapping wings before he's turning to the front of the castle. In front of the stone railing to the entrance stairs was Chan and Mn. “Can I bite you?” “What?” “Can I bite you? I can take you from your family, you can be with us.” “But I’m-” “Which Shadowborne would you prefer? Me or some random woman.” Mn gasps softly and Chan can see his eyes shine in the moonlight and the few flame lamps surrounding the yard. “Yes. Yes, you can, please, my family fucking sucks, please.”

“Stop this nonsense! No one has won, Mn move out of the way!” He turns to his father who's beginning to storm over to him. Chan stands behind him, his left hand grabbing and ripping the fabric of Mn’s suit out of the way as his right holds Mn’s waist and he leans down. “What are you doing!” “Winning my fight.” He smirks before leaning down and sinking his teeth into Mn’s exposed skin. Mn yelps out at the initial pain and intrusion before he groans, hand reaching up to Chan’s that rests on his shoulder.

The crowd gasps at Chan's actions, astonished that he matched and claimed an Ember so quickly and easily. Behind them, they could hear the rest of the clan cheer excitedly, especially Felix.

Chan was immensely comfortable where he was but still forced himself to pull back, pulling out his fangs as Mn moved his hand so they could both watch the Stravian Kin sigil almost burn into his skin but it really shows up as if someone was invisible and tattooing his wrist. It shined gold once it finished and Mn smiled.

They look away from the mark to Mn’s father who stares at them, practically gobsmacked. Chan smirks, leaning down and licking the blood off Mn’s shoulder without looking away from the older Vampire. “I win.”

Mn’s father huffs angrily, fisting his lapels and tugging them down, straightening his coat before transforming and flying away with Mn’s mother following shortly after.

Chan stands straight, watching them fly off and when he looks down, Mn is already looking at him. “You really want me in your clan?” “Well I can't take it back.” He lifts a hand and wipes a trail of blood off with his finger before licking it off. “And Felix probably won't let you leave again. Since you left, he was in his bat form until we had to get ready for this.” Before Mn could ask where he was, he saw someone jump over the railing next to them and turned in order to catch a blonde vampire.

“Mn! Are you okay? How are you? How’d you get here so fast? Did you miss us? I might've missed you. You paired with Hyung! How do you-” “Felix! Hey, calm down, I’m not going anywhere. Not anymore.” Felix removes himself from Mn and looks up at him before gasping. “Gold is really pretty on you.” Mn laughs and pulls Felix back into a hug before flinching and giggling as he pushes Felix away. “Okay, warn me before you lick me, please.” “Warning.” Chan cheekily mutters before cleaning the rest of his bite, Mn yelping at his voice suddenly being next to his ear. “Th-That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Chan Hyung! Can we go home? I’m tired.” Changbin asks as he pulls at his collar. Chan looks around before spotting the man that invited him to this place. “Do we have to fly back?” “No, where's your sigil?” “It disappeared when we got here.” “Oh, that's not meant to happen. Here.” He walks back into the castle before emerging with another scroll and handing it to Chan. “Here's a new one.” “Thank you.” “Of course.”

Chan turns back to his clan and watches Mn look at the other boys with flashes of gold. Smiling, he walks over to them. “Let’s go home.” Felix holds Mn’s hand as smoke envelops all of them and they're all back in the living room.

“Finally!” Changbin cheers before quickly running off to his room to change. “Come on, Mn.” Felix gently tugs Mn’s arm and pulls him towards the stairs.

Mn goes to walk to the room he was put in before but Felix stops him, pulling him towards his room. “The others had to deal with my bat butt for most of the night before the gathering, it's only fair for you to do your part.” Mn laughs, letting him lead him the other way to his room.

Felix had dark blue blankets and a match canopy. On the wall across from the bed was a vanity with a mirror. “Oh shoot.” Felix quickly went over to the large window and pulled his curtains closed, tying and tucking them to block out any light. Mn goes to walk over to Felix as he goes into the closet but the mirror catches his eye.

Tilting his head more to bare his neck, he reaches up to the still visible teeth marks from Chan, his fingers gently touching the area around it as he smiles, straightening his neck as he looks down at the vanity surface, shy of his own reflection.

“My mom always said I’d never mark or be marked…” He speaks aloud, knowing Felix will hear him. “I feel so…happy to see this after constantly being told I don't deserve a mark, that I deserve to be alone and unprotected.”

Felix had slowed down on the knot he was tying on his curtains, looking over to Mn. He stares at the male for a moment, thinking something over before walking over to him. “Can…Can I show you something?” Mn looks up at Felix and nods. “Um, your- Our…sigil is on you but there's another part to it.” “What do you mean?” Felix hesitates. Should he really be first? Chan was the first for all of them but since he connected to Mn at the castle he's been wanting to kiss Mn. “I-I assume it was gold when it appeared?” “Yeah.” “Do…Do you trust me?” Felix whispered, stepping closer to Mn, so close that Mn gasps softly as his breath hitched. “Y-Yeah. I-I do.”

Felix admires Mn’s rusty eye color for a moment before speaking again. “Close your eyes.” He whispers and Mn listens. Felix hesitates again before gently pressing his lips to Mn’s. Mn gasped but didn't pull away. They were both hesitant and cautious but eventually they moved in sync. Felix carefully cradled Mn’s face, parting his lips to drag his fangs over Mn’s bottom lip. Mn automatically parted his own lips and did the same before Felix dragged his tongue over Mn’s fangs.

Felix’s arms moved around Mn’s neck when his hands finally found Felix’s waist. Felix’s fangs pierced Mn’s lip slightly and he proceeds to lick up the blood and Mn hisses before pulling back and looking down at his wrist, the sigil glowing a bright red and it stung slightly. “What…” Mn whispered in awe and confusion. Felix was about to tell him what he just did before an echo of a voice sounded from the first floor by the stairs.

“Felix, I know you didn't just do what I think you did!!” Mn looks out the open door then over to Felix, brows furrowing in deeper confusion and they walk out the room and down the hall to look over the banister to see Chan looking up with his hands on his hip. “What do you mean?” Felix played innocent and Mn looked between the two.

“You binded with him.” “Binded with me?” Mn asked, still confused but Chan spoke over him. “Felix, I can smell your arousal from the study, I’m not dumb.” “Sorry, Chan. Technically speaking you were the first to Bloodbind and bite him so all I’m really doing is going next before the others.” Watching Felix defend himself was adorable to Mn. He leans in, kissing Felix’s cheek and he stops mid sentence. “Can someone explain what Bloodbinding is?” “Y-You-” Felix blinked and shook his head. “Uh, Your parents didn't tell you? That's one of the things all vampires have in common.” “Felix, my parents didn't believe I’d ever find my own clan.” “Right, uh…”

He looks back down to Chan, the older vampire crossing his arms as he watches them, then back to Mn. “I’m gonna go see, Hyunjin, for a moment then I can-” “Felix, it's coming from him too.” Chan interrupted Felix, who's become flustered. “Well, I wasn't sure if- It's his first time doing this I didn't think-” Mn eventually understood what was going on and turned Felix towards him with a finger under his chin and pecked his lips. “I-I don't mind helping…” Mn muttered shyly and Felix stared at him with wide eyes before shakily nodding. “Y-Yeah, Yeah, okay.”

Chan shakes his head, a warm smile playing at the corners of his lips, as they step away from the banister and make their way back to Felix's room. He finds it both amusing and heartening that Felix is already captivated by Mn, almost as if the two were destined to connect. The ease with which Mn has also woven himself into the dynamics of their clan fills Chan with a sense of relief, knowing that this new bond has formed so effortlessly in their unique clan.

[themratts]

A Surprise For Papa

[ A mysterious 'gift' arrives at the ministry, addressed to Copia, and he's not quite sure what to make of it ]

Rating: Teens and Up (May be subject to change)

Chapter One • Delivery (word count : 2.3K)

—— 🍼

It was easy enough for Papa to get into the zone when it came to his ministry work. Despite how tedious and time consuming it could often be, by now, at his age, he was more than familiar with the grind and it came simply enough to him every day.

He’d sit, at his usual deskspace with his usual documents and reports and church budgets and he’d scribble away at them for as long as he had to. The trick was not to get knocked out of his focus once he was already in. That in itself, was the hard part. As he set his coffee mug down, three sturdy knocks met the door of his study, and when the Ghoul’s voice followed, Papa knew he was in for a long day.

“Hey,” Before Copia could even respond, the door was being opened and his eyes were greeted by the sleek and feisty figure of the fire ghoul. Dewdrop leaned against the doorframe, he told him, “Something’s here for you,”

“What?” That was odd. Not that things - fanmail, letters, whatever else - never came for him, but they were commonly delivered to his personal chambers. The odd part was the way Dew had shown up just to tell him about it, “Here for me?”

“Yeah.”

“What is it?” He asked but the ghoul only shrugged.

“Haven’t opened it. But it’s weird.”

Copia wasn’t sure if he was more curious, or worried. He turned in his chair now, papers forgotten for the moment. “Weird how?”

“Come and see for yourself,” As he left, Dewdrop flicked his tail and then it disappeared into the hallway. Papa knew he shouldn’t. He needed to stay, to get things done. Yet, he couldn’t help the urge to follow him. As if something was pulling him from his chair. Copia rose to his feet, and made his way after the ghoul in the distance.

He led him through the hall and down the main staircase. Before turning, and gearing them into the ghoul livingspace. A widened room with separate halls that would lead to ghoul dormitories, but the open area served as a nice space for them to hang out. Ahead, Papa could see two ghouls crowded around a small table. And when he got closer, he recognized them to be Aether and Swiss. Aether was especially close to whatever was on the table, nose twitching when he sniffed so curiously. Dew stepped to the side, hands on his hips.

“Guys, move.”

The other ghouls looked up, and backed away when Copia approached. Now that he could see what they were looking at, he was even more weirded out. A basket, it looked like, covered by a lumpy, stuffed-in sheet with a single folded piece of paper sat atop. A note, it looked like. It simply read “Papa” on the front. Copia’s brows furrowed, creasing the paint on his forehead. He looked at the mysterious package, to his ghouls, and then back down.

“Where did you get this?”

“It was left at the gate this morning,” Swiss answered, crossing his legs where he sat on the other side of the table.

“The gate?” Copia almost laughed, “This isn’t a prank, is it?”

“Nope,” and Dew shoved his clawed hands into his pockets, “Although that’d be hilarious.”

On the other side of Papa, Aether was taking another step back. He shook his head and crossed his arms, “It smells so strange,” He noted, tilting his head, “You should open it.”

“It smells strange? What does it smell like?”

All three ghouls exchanged a look. A hard to read expression, but it was enough to creep Copia out. He shivered, and when none of them answered, he reached instead for the note that was laid atop the blanket. It was written in unfamiliar handwriting, on thin, ordinary lined paper. He scanned the front and the back, before flipping it open. In big letters on the inside, the words read,

“Your problem now.”

Disturbing. A deeper confusion coursed through him and Papa turned back to his ghouls, “you are sure this isn’t a prank?”

“Not a chance,” Dew raised his hands innocently. Feeling defeated , Copia once again forced his attention back to the basket. He was almost scared to open it. He felt a pressure in his chest, an uneasiness. The circumstances were just so weird. But what choice did he really have?

“Alright,” He sighed. And Copia let his gloved fingers grace the edge of the basket. He hovered there for a second, before moving again. And when he did, he jumped backwards. Something inside the basket had moved, too. “Wh-what the hell!?”

“Dude,” Dew pushed him forward, “Open it!”

“What is it!?”

“We don’t know any more than you do.” A blatant lie.

Papa grumbled. He went to push and rub at his temples but halted when he remembered his face paint. He had to resort to a groan instead.

The thought that whatever was in the basket was alive was both alarming and very concerning. His hand crept forward to the blanket again, as he decided not to waste anymore time in getting to the bottom of it. Carefully, he removed the sides from their tucked position, and lifted the blanket from the basket.

It was barely in his hand for a second before he’d dropped it in shock. Papa gasped, stumbling backward and letting his mouth drop open. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected to be inside- but it definitely wasn’t that. A tiny, wrapped up, sleeping little baby.

“What-what the fuck!?” He yelled , slapping his hand to his head. Way, way too startled to care about his paint anymore, “what.. what!!?”

The ghouls were looking at each other, but none of them seemed as surprised. They’d known, of course, what was in there the whole time- from the moment they’d picked it up, the sound of the infant’s heartbeat had been a giveaway.

Copia spun around to them, “what is the goddamn meaning of this!?”

But Dew shrugged, “I feel like we should be asking you that,”

“che cazzo vuoi dire!?”

“I mean, it’s pretty obvious,”

“No it isn’t!?”

“Well,” Swiss leaned forward on the table, “it must be yours.”

“My…..” Copia felt like he’d just hit a brick wall. His stomach absolutely dropped, and he stared blankly at the small baby in confusion and disbelief. “..it… n-no, it can’t be. It can’t be,”

“Why the hell else would it be here?”

“It-It’s not mine.”

“Dude-“

“It isn’t!” Stressed, Copia’s fingers raked through his hair, “It-It just can’t be!”

“Hey, Relax,” Aether placed a hand, soothingly to Copia’s back. Well, about as soothingly as pointed claws can manage, “we’ll figure this out,”

Inside the basket, all the commotion had begun to rouse the sleeping infant. Its hands grabbed weakly at the sheet it was swaddled in , eyes barely opening. Copia just watched. He could hardly breathe.

It… it couldn’t be….

..Could it?

Dew’s tail thumped against Copia’s leg, “why the fuck would someone leave you with their baby if it’s not yours?”

“Can you, please…” Papa groaned. He pulled a chair out from the table and slumped himself into it. “I need… to think for a minute. I just… oh my god…”

Swiss leaned a little closer. Nose angled toward the baby’s hair, “little thing’s super fresh too,” he said, then looked up, “what were you doing nine months ago? Or. I guess. Who?”

Copia remained slumped against the table. He shook his head, “how-how should I know..”

“Nine months ago… nine…” Aeth suddenly snapped his fingers, “We were still out on tour nine months ago,”

The realization settled in on all of them, and all three ghouls slowly turned their heads toward Papa. He was staring blankly at the table, unmoving, stiff as a board but the piercing red that painted his ears was a clear indication that he was in fact, still listening.

“..So, did you..?”

“-on tour?”

“I mean, that’s about right, but-”

“Please.” Copia groaned and leaned back in his chair. His head was pounding, even as he tried to think back to however many months ago, just entertaining the idea that this baby was somehow his had him shaken. What were the chances of this!? He felt… extremely unprepared. “Just… just let me breathe for one moment..”

The ghouls managed to silence themselves, and exchanged looks instead. They weren’t entirely sure how to feel, either. As humorous as it partially was, this was also a very, very serious deal. If this was, in fact, the child of an Emeritus.

The baby made a small, fussy noise and flexed its little hand again. Aether reached forward, allowing it to grab hold of his claw. He smiled, “Cute,”

“Do you think it came from on tour?” Dew asked, and leaned forward on the table beside Papa. The man was quiet for a second, mind running a mile a minute. It was moments until he answered. Quietly, palm against his forehead.

“It’s… it’s not impossible,” he groaned, “but-but unlikely, no? This wasn’t.. I mean, I..”

“I guess you’re a father now,” Dewdrop suddenly slapped him on the back, “Congratulations,”

“Fermare, we don’t know that,”

“There is literally no other reason this baby would be here right now,”

“You know, it’s addressed to ‘Papa’ and not to ‘Copia’, notice?” Aether pointed out, then. He picked the card up, and flipped it around on all sides, as if in search of a clue, “Maybe it came from someone inside the ministry? You know, a congregational member?”

Swiss shrugged, “Yeah, but on tour?”

“Those Sisters who come along and help out backstage?”

“Ohhhh,”

They both looked to Copia, awaiting an answer or reply but he just sat there, blank look on his face. His eyes descended toward the baby in the basket, who was looking at him now, too, and smiling. His heart felt a million things at once, “I can’t believe this..”

“What about a DNA test?” Aether suggested with a shrug, “You know, just to make sure.”

“Yes,” Papa swallowed. It was almost like the reality had started to settle in, and the longer he gazed upon the infant the realer it started to feel. Was it true? Was he really a father now? And if that were the case… who the hell was this baby’s mother?

He felt regret, fear and uncertainty. Guilt. Copia leaned forward, exhaling deeply and covering the upper part of his face with his already paint-stained gloves. He shook his head, mumbling something not quite audible. The ghouls looked at each other. And Dew took a step back, “I’m gonna go get Sister,”

“No,” Copia lifted his head, “Please, per favore, she cannot know about this!”

“What?” The ghoul let out an amused hiss, one of laughter, “You expect to hide an entire baby from her?” He could practically see Papa sweating.

“we-well… eh…”

“They’re gonna know about this one way or another.”

He knew they were right. Groaning again, Copia just shook his head and slumped back in the chair. He didn’t notice when Dewdrop turned and left the room, but even then, he didn’t care. His body felt numb, and he stared and stared at that little bundle on the table. How could something so small carry such a heavy weight of responsibility? He couldn’t even imagine what this would do to his schedule. To his… everything. Copia trembled.

“I.. I-I don’t know the first thing about taking care of a baby,” And Aether placed a hand on his shoulder, patting it there.

“It’s alright,” He did his best to comfort, “You’ll figure it out,”

“How could this have happened…” Papa shook his head, slowly. And when he turned, and looked up at the ghoul beside him, his eyes appeared damp, “How could I be such an idiot?”

“You aren’t an idiot,”

“The thought of..” He paused, and his lip quivered. Copia turned his head away, emotions hitting him somewhat suddenly. He told him, “...the thought of someone, someone carrying my child, while I am far away, with no idea, no way to care for her, to be there or to help… that breaks my heart,”

“Hey,” Aether continued to pat his shoulder, “Hey, It’s alright. And… besides. She seemed to know where you are, yeah? She left the baby here. So.. if she’d wanted you for anything, don’t you think she’d have reached out?”

Papa hung his head, low. The words weren’t nearly as comforting as they might’ve sounded. Whoever this woman was, she likely wanted nothing to do with him. Nor with the baby, apparently. The longer he thought about it, the sadder he became.

Copia rose from his seat. The baby gazed up at him, eyes wide and curious, and made a small babbling sound. The man sighed, “I don’t know. I don’t know.. where this came from, or what’s going on here, but. We certainly aren’t going to leave it here, and certainly not without a home.”

From the basket, he lifted the little baby, still wrapped and swaddled in its blankets. It was warm, precious, and when its little head lay against him he felt himself melt. He mumbled quietly, “You are certainly adorable..” And brought one finger up to let it grab. The baby giggled, gently when it did and Copia couldn’t fight his smile. “I wonder if you have a name,”

“I guess you’ll pick the name,”

“I guess…” Papa sighed. He only watched, still and mesmerized by the tiny being in his arms, how sweet and sound, and resting on the possibility that this baby was his own. He just couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t. It had been so quick, so sudden. And yet.. after only ten seconds in his arms, Copia knew. If this baby was his… if it was really true. He wouldn’t stop at anything to be the best, the best Papa that he could possibly be.

[owatazumi]

basileia | enhypen

genre royal, kingdoms, vampires, fluff, fantasy, female!reader, enha as vampires and princes featuring enhypen!vamp!prince and reader!princess warnings mention of blood, violence, etc. in future episodes

as the princess of one of the most feared and well-known kingdoms it wasn’t unusual for you to get letters and invites from other kingdoms yet you never really paid much attention to them since they were boring and un-amusing in your eyes.

A gust of wind swirled into your chambers as the courier walked in. You could feel your heart racing in anticipation as you saw the mysterious seal of the Adon Kingdom on the letter he held. You had heard many stories about this ancient kingdom but never imagined they would make a move like this, a move that could affect your path forever.

trepidation filled you as you opened the note and read its contents, unaware of what may be coming next...

“dear princess,

It is our great pleasure to extend an invitation to Your Majesty to attend the coronation of Prince Heeseung atop the throne of the Adon Kingdom. This historic occasion marks the first time in three decades that a new ruler will be installed. We would be honored if you were to grace us with your presence on this joyous day, as it would indeed be a privilege for all those present. We eagerly anticipate your arrival at our grand celebration on the 3rd of November. Prepare for a day of unforgettable festivities and merriment, as we welcome you to the majestic kingdom of adon. Your presence is greatly appreciated and awaited.

sincerely, the kingdom of adon."

you had never encountered an opportunity like this before and you couldn’t contain your excitement as you immediately went to prepare for the trip to the kingdom.

after a long journey, you arrived at the gates of the adon castle perfectly in time. to your surprise, you were welcomed by three princes who were wearing their representative colors ever so elegently as they greeted you. the youngests gaze made it clear that he wasn't happy about having a stranger enter his kingdom and his two elder brothers seemed equally hesitant but still managed to welcome you with warm smiles and respectful bows “welcome dear princess” their voices harmonized together beautifully. "i hope you had a pleasant journey, dear, im jay, prince of mars" as he introduced himself his hand went to his chest, a small grin plastered on his lips. your eyes land on the boy with black and white hair who is staring at you with distrust. the dark-haired boy who seems pretty quiet and observant notices the staring contest between you both and finally speaks up "dont mind riki... he doesnt trust people at first yet he does warm up at some point." jay nods in agreement and lets out a hum before motioning you to follow them inside. the castle was huge you could even say humongous yet it was beautiful and oh so breathtaking. "im sunghoon, prince of mercury, m´lady..." the prince introduced himself right before leaving you at the bottom of the staircase so you could meet their oldest brother.

your heart raced, waiting patiently amidst this spectacle, you finally caught the prince's attention. Your hesitation led you to approach the boy slowly and carefully, introducing yourself in an admiring and respectful tone “good morning your majesty, I’m the princess of azure” he nodded in approval as he extended his arm for you to grasp “no need for such formalities princess...” His eyes locked with yours and you could almost feel the weight of all of your worries and fears slipping from your shoulders. “Just call me heeseung" a smile appears on both of your faces as a blush gracefully spreads across your soft cheeks before a tap on your shoulder prompts you to turn around. you’re met with a pink-haired boy who has the brightest smile you have ever seen. “hello dear princess!” the boy beams you a smile as he reaches out his hand for you to take. he leads it in front of his mouth yet before he does anything his eyes meet your widened ones “may i?” he refers to your hand which is in front of his lips and right after you agree he gives a light kiss to your knuckles as he bows before he stands up straight once again “i’m glad you could make it princess” his smile was really addicting and you just couldnt take your eyes off of the boy. heeseung was still beside you and so was the pink-haired boy who was talking to you in pure excitement. they lead you to their table where a few other boys already settled down including jay, sunghoon and riki. “i’ve always wanted to meet you! i’ve heard so much about you but of course only good things!” his enthusiasm made you chuckle “thank you, i’m glad to meet you too— what was your name?“ you tilted your head as you leaned slightly closer to hear him better since the room was quite loud. “my apologies princess, im sunoo, prince of venus" you felt your heart flutter as your eyes met his. you couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement as you realize that you are seated with the most feared and respected kingdom of all time...

to be continued...

<33

@j-wyoung @lacieeeeee00

[lipglossanon]

Winter’s Knight

vampire!Leon S. Kennedy x fem!reader

inspired by Leon’s romantic look 😌 and the song Dracula’s Wedding by OutKast 💜 also the poetry mentioned is from Emily Dickinson; there’s also one line plucked from Dracula

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, biting/marking, fated pair, strangers to lovers, blood, blood kink, scent kink, dirty talk, oral (f receiving), OC friend of reader named Lara just in case that throws anyone off, unprotected sex, creampie

title from Winter’s Knight album by Nox Arcana

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!! 💜 😘

“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” you mimic in a high tone before rolling your eyes, “opportunity my ass.”

Your friend Lara convinced you to go on this holiday trip with her, all expenses paid, as she wanted the company. The boyfriend that was originally going to be accompanying her had been dumped the week prior. Cheaters never win had been Lara’s flippant reply when asked. 

It felt like it happened overnight and before you knew it, Lara had whisked you away to three different countries one of which being the current visit in question. You think you’re in Romania or maybe Estonia; you’re a little mixed up as your plans had changed mid train ride. 

Lara’s family had some connections in the area and so you were both staying in a rather posh old castle turned tourist destination. 

A very lovely place except now you were completely turned around when all you wanted was to get a bottle of water from the concierge and go back to bed. Your footsteps have slowed considerably as you take in the magnificent gothic architecture and the beautiful paintings ranging from landscapes to some strange brooding man encapsulated in shadows; you’re never fully able to make out what he looks like, too much shadow blanking his features. 

You find yourself at a dead end, ornate furniture filling the space with a singular painting taking up the entire wall. It literally takes your breath away. It must be the place you’re staying in, the front gate still looks the same from what you can tell; it’s this castle seated on a rocky cliff face overlooking the villa down below. Your hand reaches out to touch, but you hover over the gilded frame before dropping it back to your side. 

“Lovely, no?”

A smooth, low voice has you spinning around, a thrill of fear humming in your chest. 

A man stands to the side, a little further down the hall. He’s tall, slim waisted with broad shoulders that stick out to you, even being shrouded in the dim lighting like he is; his eyes shine like an animal’s before you blink and it’s gone. 

That small niggling of fear in your brain is getting louder as he moves closer, making no sound in his sharp dress shoes. 

He keeps his eyes locked on the painting as he stops next to you.

“Quite an ancient castle,” he murmurs, almost too low for you to hear. 

When he finally turns to face you, you almost gasp. He’s beautiful, almost ethereal with his snowy white hair and fair complexion; both make the blue of his eyes almost glacial. 

He smiles sardonically, “Lost?”

You squint your eyes at him, lips pursing in suspicion, “You could say that.”

He grins and his teeth glint sharply before he turns, holding his arm out for you. 

“I can guide you back to your room, miss?”

You smile sarcastically as you step up alongside him, completely ignoring the proffered arm, “Miss is just fine, sir.”

His eyes flick from the end of the hallway to you and he hums in amusement, “Well miss, shall I lead the way?”

“Oh, please do,” you simper and this earns a low chuckle from the handsome stranger, making your heartbeat flutter at the sound. 

He guides you back to the foyer and up the grand staircase, pointing out paintings or furniture that have some kind of significance to the castle. Pausing in front of an oil painting not far from your room, he falls into a sort of melancholy. 

“This was one of the ladies of the castle,” he finally pulls back, turning without looking back at you, “I’m sure you can find the rest of your way, miss.”

You startle, not realizing he was just going to dip out now. 

“Hey!”

He pauses, half turning so you can see the profile of his straight nose and sharp cheekbone.

“Thanks, mister?” You trail off, hand fluttering in the air as you gesture. 

He fully turns to smile at you, “Mister is just fine, thanks.”

You can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out of your chest, missing the way he lights up at the sound, eyes cataloging you far more closely than before. 

“Well, thanks Mister,” you shake your head, smile still stretched across your face, “maybe I’ll see you around then.”

“Maybe,” he murmurs, bowing to you at the waist, “goodnight, Miss.”

“Goodnight,” you tilt your head and wave your hand.

Laughing to yourself, you turn and head further down the hall and into your room.  He watches you until the door clicks shut and he turns back to leave. Pausing in front of the painting once more, he brushes a thumb across the placard on the bottom. 

“She feels like the one, hmm?” He murmurs to the half smiling woman, “now that she’s here, I don’t know if I can do it.”

A door snapping shut from further down the hall has him pulling away from the painting and slipping off into the night. 

You run into the strange gentleman again in the castle gardens situated just to the side of the towering edifice. Since Lara’s pacing in her room trying to figure out what went wrong with your travel plans, you decided to go for a walk instead of sitting around doing nothing.

You’re looking at one of the dead withered trees off to the side, debating if sitting on the bench here is safe from any falling branches when that low smoky tone speaks behind you. 

“There’s a certain slant of light, On winter afternoons, that oppresses, like the heft of cathedral tunes.”

You squash your urge to jump in place and spin around to face him. He’s no less devastatingly pretty in the weak winter sunlight. 

“Good afternoon to you, too,” you smile, enjoying the weirdness he exudes, “and what a conversation starter, might I add.”

He meets your smile with his own little grin, “Somber poetry for a somber day.”

You giggle, “Guess so.”

He gestures and you sit on the bench as he takes a seat next to you. 

“Here on vacation?” You kick at a loose rock with your booted foot.

“You could say I’m here for leisure,” he muses, blue eyes taking in every nuance of you. 

You tilt your head to look at him, “Oh I could, huh?”

Laughing, you straighten up, hands fiddling with the clasp on your jacket, “Well, I’m also here for leisure. Even though it’s kind of an accident.”

He raises an eyebrow and you continue, “It was a mix up and we ended up here. A vacation, just not in the right place.”

“How fortunate am I,” he smirks and you feel heat blaze in your chest, eyes dropping to look down at your jacket. 

You tug on the zipper, catching your finger in the teeth with a hiss. It snags a bit of skin as you jerk it free, blood beading on your fingertip.

His features are serious as he takes your hand in his, “You must see to it so it doesn’t become infected.”

You nod, touched at his concern, “I have some alcohol swabs and bandaids up in my room.”

He brings your hand closer and you get the wild idea he means to suck your finger into his mouth, but he only kisses the back of your hand as he pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, a light gray fabric that looks like it costs more than your entire wardrobe. You catch his initials, L.S.K., monogrammed in black on the edge. 

“Thank you,” you murmur, feeling flushed in the cool afternoon air as you clasp the handkerchief to your finger. 

“My pleasure. Shall I escort you back to your room, miss?”

Lips parting, you take in his pinched features as he stares at your hand before nodding again, “Yes, please.”

His eyes snap up and he smiles, relief spreading across his face, “Good, good.”

Once you’re both standing, he snags your elbow with his fingers and gently guides you along. Since he’s much closer than before and you’re not sniffling from the cold air, you catch a strong smell of cedar and cloves that nearly makes you swoon. 

“Are you okay?” He stops, grip firming up on your bicep to tug you closer making the smell even stronger. 

“‘m okay,” you murmur, eyes drooping as you slump against his chest, “just smell good.”

You feel him laugh and the low baritone makes your cunt throb so hard you whine into his jacket. 

“Maybe moving from the cold into the warmth has made you dizzy,” he says kindly, “come, let me help you to your room.”

Completely unsure as to what’s happening to you, you let him lead you back to your room. Your legs don’t seem to want to move the way you want to and the more you breathe in whatever cologne he’s wearing, the more slick drips from your pussy into the gusset of your panties to the point you’re soaked between your thighs. 

He murmurs low platitudes in your ear that just makes everything better worse, so by the time you make it back to your room and he eases you down into your bed, you’re asking him to stay. 

“No. You’ll thank me later,” he soothes, pulling off your winter boots and tucking you under the covers. 

“Please,” tears prick your waterline, emotions and hormones all over the place. 

His lips thin and he runs a hand through his white hair, strands ruffled when he clasps your hands together, “Just close your eyes. I’ll stay here.”

Dropping to the floor, he kneels alongside your bed, keeping your hands together. Struggling to keep your eyes open, you just know he won’t be there when you wake up and some part of you hates that idea. 

“Didn’t think it would affect you like this,” he murmurs as you drift off. 

With a small shift, he moves forward and pulls the pricked finger into his mouth. His hot tongue lashing against the digit is the last thing your mind holds onto before it slips away like sand in the tide. 

When you come to, it’s dark outside and Lara is shaking your shoulder. 

“Finally,” she huffs, brows pinched, “thought I was gonna have to take you to a doctor or something. You good?”

You squint at her but can’t remember anything but the stranger you met helping you back inside from the cold. The rest is a cloudy blank in your mind. 

“Yeah, just tired I guess,” you raise up, pushing the blankets away to swing your feet out of bed, “what’s up?” 

As you shift, you notice a small square cloth and a bolt of memory, of sitting on the bench with that man, makes your eyes widen. You pick up the handkerchief and tuck it into your pocket. 

She smiles weakly, “Kinda stuck here a few more days then we’ll just fly back home in time for Christmas.”

You frown, an uncomfortable sadness pinging in your chest, “Oh? That’s fine. I like it here, so it’s not like it’s a hardship.”

Lara laughs, “Maybe for you. I’m ready to be somewhere that has pizza delivery.”

You grin, “Fair enough,” you push her shoulder, “well, when do we plan on leaving?”

“Two days is what my travel agent says,” she looks down at her phone, “that was the nearest opening since it’s the busy season and plus a storm is coming in tonight.”

“Ahh,” you nod along, “plenty of time to sightsee then.”

She giggles at your teasing and stands up from the bed, “I just wanted to let you know. It’s kinda late but the kitchen’s still open if you wanna grab something. I’m honestly exhausted from being on the phone all day so I’m gonna crash.”

“Hang on!”

You throw on some shoes and meet her at the door, “I’ll walk you to your room and head down to grab some food. You sure you don’t want anything?”

“Nah,” she shakes her head, “I had something earlier since I thought you’d eaten. You sure you’re feeling okay, though?”

“Mmhmm,” you smile, pausing outside her door, “promise.”

She returns your smile, “Okay, goodnight then.”

“Night!”

The door snaps shut behind you as you walk away, heading to the staircase and down to the restaurant. You take your time, stopping to look at various paintings on the way down, even pausing in front of a suit of armor to peer into the empty helm. 

“Expecting a skeleton?”

You jump backwards, nearly tripping as you stumble into the firm chest behind you. 

Righting yourself, you feel hot all over in embarrassment as you meet your strange acquaintance for the second time today. 

“U-uh, hi,” you feel jittery with nerves, like a new crush, “thank you for today by the way. I don’t know how I got into my room, but I’m guessing you helped?”

His brows raise in surprise, but it’s quickly replaced by a warm smile that makes butterflies flutter in your chest, “Yes, you weren’t feeling well. Dizzy from the temperature change.”

You take a half step back, leaving more distance between you two. 

“Well, thank you,” you clear your throat, “uh, I was going down for a late dinner, do you want to join me?”

A sly grin crosses his features making you nervous, “I’d be delighted although I’ve already.. eaten this evening.”

“O-oh okay,” you stumble over your words as you turn to walk down the stairs, “anything you’d recommend?”

A sharp bark of laughter escapes him as he walks alongside you, “No, nothing I’d recommend. Although I’ve heard their special today is excellent.”

Surprised at his outburst, your brows furrow as you smile in confusion, “If you say so.”

You lapse into a comfortable silence as you both make the walk to the dining room. There’s just something about him that draws you in like a moth to a flame. At first you just thought it was his strange mannerisms, but in the short span of time that you’ve spent together you just feel connected on some hidden level that you’ve only just discovered. 

Dinner is a quiet affair; the strange man, who you still don’t know the name of, joins you for your meal. He makes small talk about the local area in which he’s well informed about, no surprise. After you’ve finished your meal, he offers to take you out for an after dinner stroll around the castle before bed. 

Not wanting to leave his company just yet, you readily agree and let him lead you around the place. It’s as he’s guiding you down a long L shaped hallway filled with more paintings that a chill runs down your spine and he freezes in place, half turning to shield you from the person who seems to materialize in front of you two. 

“Hello, Leon,” a silky voice purrs as a beautiful woman steps into view. 

She’s beautiful and ethereal in a way that’s almost terrifying, much like the mysterious gentleman half blocking your view; Leon she called him. 

“What a lovely surprise,” she steps closer, form appearing to ripple in the dappled moonlight streaming from the windows. 

“Ada, how can I be of service?” His polite tone’s cold and to the point, even as he pushes you further behind him. 

“Aww, don’t be like that,” she lilts, voice playful and coaxing, “I’ve already seen your pretty playmate. Is she a new friend?”

You blink and the dark haired woman is standing next to you, Leon twisting uncomfortably to turn around. 

She twirls a strand of your hair with a manicured nail, “I won’t bite. Unless she asks,” she winks at you and your eyes widen in surprise.

“She’s new, yes. A visitor,” Leon’s hand reaches out to grasp your hip, tugging you into his side, “so don’t play games.”

“Games?” She laughs, eyes bright, “are you still sore that I stole Claire away?” she pouts at him, “she wasn’t your one, so why are you still upset?”

You watch all of this with rapt attention and so much confusion. 

He scowls at her, eyes darkening as he straightens his stance, “It doesn’t matter if she was the right one or not, you stole her away from me.”

She laughs outright at that, side stepping away from you and closer to him, “Can’t steal someone if they want to be taken, right, Leon?”

He deflates a little, gaze flitting to you and back to her, “What do you want now?”

“To bother you,” she smiles over at you and you notice her incisors are longer than normal, “since I’m just passing through, thought I would say hello to an old friend.”

They stare at each other for a beat longer than what’s comfortable before she sighs melodramatically. 

“As much as I would love to stay, and believe me I want to so very badly,” she blows a kiss at Leon as she walks backwards to the far end of the gallery, “I do have unfinished business nearby that I must take care of. Ciao!”

It’s so quiet after she leaves that the ringing in your ears sounds abnormally loud. 

Leon clears his throat and gives you an apologetic smile, “I’m very sorry about all of that.”

You wave your hands, “No worries. It’s not really my business, y’know.”

He winces at that and you scrunch your nose, internally cringing at yourself. It’s a somber feeling as he quietly leads you back to your room. 

Pausing at the threshold, you reach out and snag the sleeve of his shirt. 

“Hey,” you murmur, dropping your gaze to the fabric you’ve pinched between your fingers, “you wanna meet up tomorrow?”

He frowns although you don’t see it and slowly tugs his arm loose, “I don’t know.”

Whatever feeling that has been building in your chest feels like a punctured balloon at his flippant tone. 

“Oh,” you drop his shirt like it burns, willing the tears away at least until you can shut the door, “I-I didn’t mean to— nevermind. Kinda silly of me. Hopefully I’ll see you before we leave.”

His fingers circle around your wrist tightly, holding you in place, “You’re leaving?”

You level him with a flat stare, “Of course. We’re only here for a couple more days. So if you’ll excuse—“

He presses forward, pushing you through the doorway to follow after, letting the door swing shut behind you both. 

“Let go of me,” you twist your arm but Leon doesn’t budge. 

A concentrated look arrests his features, blue eyes skimming down your body and back up to your face. 

“Leon,” you bite out sharply, making him draw up short, “that’s your name, right?”

“Yes,” his eyes look wild as he lets go of your wrist to grasp both of your hands with his own, “yes, my name is Leon. Leon Kennedy. I’m sorry, this isn’t quite how I wanted things to go.”

You finally pull your arm away, “I’d like it if you left. I’m really confused and you’re acting strange.”

He looks at you so sadly it makes your chest hurt, “Can I show you something? I’ll leave you alone after that if that's what you’d like.”

Pursing your lips, you squint at him until you finally nod, “Alright.”

His shoulders sag and he walks back over to the door. Holding it open, he waits until you cross the threshold before stepping back in front of you. You make the short walk to the painting down the hall from your door when Leon pauses. 

You look at the painting then to his serious face with raised brows.

“You’re showing me this again?” Confusion colors your tone, “am I missing something?”

“Have you read the name underneath?”

Shaking your head no, you step forward to read the small gold plate underneath. 

“Claire Kennedy née Redfield,” you murmur to yourself. 

Claire? That mysterious woman mentioned her name earlier. The one Leon said she stole away. The correlation is there but you feel like you’re missing a huge part of the puzzle to actually end up at the correct explanation. 

You turn to Leon, “So is this the Claire you were talking about?”

He nods, eyes heavy and sad as he flits his gaze between you and the painting, “Yes. It was a political marriage. We were friends before everything happened.”

“Ookay,” you frown again, “so she ran off with her girlfriend?”

He flinches at that, “My other wife.”

You feel floored, “Wait, what?!”

Rubbing your forehead, you’re getting a pain behind your left eye from trying to parse it all together. 

“So, your new wife ran off with your then current wife? Am I getting that right? How long ago was this, Leon?”

He gestures a little wildly at the plaque, “You didn’t see the year?”

Squinting, you lean forward and can make out circa 1849. 

“Fuck off,” you blurt out, leaning back and taking a half step away, “what kinda joke is this?”

“I wait my whole life to bite the right one,” he mutters to himself, hand raking through his parted hair, “that’s not to say I didn’t mess up a couple of times before.”

You take another step back, away from Leon, “What do you mean?”

His eyes snap over to you and you freeze in place. Everything about him seems to be amplified to ten now, he’s exuding an energy that makes the hair on your arms stand up. 

“You’re the one,” he steps up until he’s in your personal space, “Ada and Claire were accidents. I didn’t realize that there’s only one compatible partner for me.”  

“Compatible partner?” voice pitching high, “you sound crazy right now.”

His brows lower, “You feel it too, little miss. It’s why you passed out earlier. Blood calls to blood.”

You’re hit with a wall of need so crippling your legs give out making you come down hard on your knees. 

“I’ve been shielding you,” he murmurs, kneeling in front of you, hands reaching out to brush across your jaw and neck, “it’s a lot to take in, I know.”

Gasping in deep breaths, you’re overwhelmed with the scent of cedar and cloves from earlier. You don’t know how you forgot that smell but now it’s all you can concentrate on; your head goes fuzzy as arousal sweeps through your body. 

“What is this?” you slur, eyes hazy as you slump forward into Leon’s shoulder, “what did you do t’me?”

“Nothing,” he soothes, petting down your back, “it’s just the effect of the compatibility. I can’t explain it; I just instinctively know it’s right.”

Reaching out, your hands weakly clasp at his shirt, “I don’t understand.”

“It’s okay,” he coos, “let me take you to my room.”

Not able to argue against him, he easily lifts you into a bridal carry. He uses one hand to block your eyes and you feel cold wind before he removes his palm and you see you’re in a room three times the size of your own. Leon eases you down onto an absurdly luxurious bed, sheer drapes lost to the shadows of the ceiling. 

Once he steps away, leaving a sizable gap between you both, the dizziness subsides and your thoughts aren’t as fleeting. 

“What the fuck?” you whisper, hands shakily brushing wisps of your hair back from your face, “what the ever loving fuck? Am I losing my mind?”

Your eyes quickly dart around, taking in the opulate furnishings and huge windows overlooking the cliff side, showcasing you now must be on the upper level of the castle. Your gaze lands on a time worn painting off to the side of Leon and his first wife, the dark haired beauty he called Ada. Next to it is another portrait of his second wife, Claire, yet another beautiful woman with red hair. 

Leon’s hands ball into fists at his sides as he takes in a deep breath, “It’s not as bad as it seems.”

“Leon, what’s going on?” Your voice breaks, mind struggling to keep up with what’s happening to you. 

“My first wife,” he points to the older portrait, “we were human at the time.”

“At the time?” You squeak out.

He hums, eyes flashing in the low light, “Yes. Then the change occurred to me after getting lost on a hunting trip. When I returned, I offered it to her but she refused,” he tilts his head up and shields his eyes with a hand, “and I made her like me anyways. She was my wife. Our vows were to be together in sickness and in health. She didn’t see it that way.”

You watch as he shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose, stepping to the portrait with his fingers outstretched but never outright touching the canvas. 

“She said it was til death do us part but I thought she was my one,” he sighs sorrowfully, “so I changed her and she loathed me. She eventually left one night never to come back. I didn’t chase after her, resigned to her resentment. I didn’t hear from her for hundreds of years. Then Claire came along.”

Your eyes jump from Ada to the smiling redhead in the other portrait. 

“Her brother needed her to marry someone with an upstanding background; someone with title and lands to trade,” he smiles bitterly at you, “I posed as my own great great nephew and set up the marriage. We became friends through our letters and when we wed it was wonderful. I kept what I was from her for as long as possible.”

He steps over to you and you flinch making his eyes droop in pain. 

“She figured it out quickly, such a smart woman,” he smiles crookedly, “I loved her dearly, but she wasn’t enough either. I changed her thinking that this is it, but it wasn’t. She wasn’t the one either. Ada came soon after and easily whisked her away from me.”

He sighs forlornly. Your lips part but you change your mind and refrain from saying anything. 

“Claire’s brother even convinced Ada to change him so he could defend her honor against me,” he blows out a short breath, “letting you know in case he shows up to be the gallant hero.”

“Leon,” you murmur, at a complete loss for words. 

“We all understand each other now and they’re happy where they are,” he laughs derisively at himself, “and I’ve lived alone here, running this place through a shell company hoping against hope for just one more chance.”

“This is insane,” you finally say to him, “you’re telling me you’re a vampire and I’m beholden to you? And on top of that you practically have a coven. This is impossible.”

“But you feel the pull, too,” his voice dips into that low smoky tenor, “you’re the one. You are to be my new bride.”

Your laugh startles you both, but you can’t stop the manic giggles once they start. Once the mania seems to pass and with it your hysterical laughter, you finally get yourself under control and clear your throat. 

“Prove it,” you tell him seriously, heart beating so fast your sure he can hear it, “let me see this vampire side of yours and if I believe you, if you convince me, then I’ll be your bride.”

His smile lights up his whole face making your breath catch.

“That’s easily done.”

He stands directly in front of you and that strange energy fills the room; you watch in complete astonishment as he looks like he dissolves until there’s only mist floating in the air. It drifts languidly past you and you feel the bed dip with body weight. 

His hot breath caresses your ear, “Is that enough, little bride?”

A full body shudder hits you as he kisses across your neck, the sharp prick of fangs dragging across your skin. 

“Let me bite you,” he whispers sweetly, “let me show you how deep our bond truly is.”

Feeling completely off centered, you breathe out one word without thinking, going with only what feels right.

“Yes.”

His teeth sink into the side of your neck and you cum, slick filling your panties until you’re sure it’s dripping down your thighs. It feels like a typhoon of emotions rains down through your body, pleasure so strong your eyes sting; then, it’s swept through to be quickly replaced by a feeling of home so deeply connected to the man behind you you could openly weep. It’s like a puzzle piece slotting into place somewhere in your chest. 

Moaning, your hands scratch at the bedding and he hums against your skin. Pulling away with a low groan, he runs his tongue over the puncture marks. 

“So good,” he mouths against your jaw, “let me mark you again.”

Whimpering, you lean back against him as he sinks his teeth into a new spot, softly sucking blood from the wound. His hands slip around your waist to pull you into the V of his thighs. You choke out a whine as your cunt throbs, on the verge of another orgasm and he hasn’t even touched you intimately aside from his teeth in your neck. 

“Leon,” you keen, one hand reaching over your head to tangle in his soft, snowy hair.

Chillbumps race down your body when he finally pulls away to place a soft kiss on the bite. He sucks at the tender skin making you mewl longingly until he pulls away with a sigh. 

“Let me taste that sweet little pussy,” he purrs in your ear, “I have been dreaming of biting your thighs and kissing your cunt til you can’t take anymore.”

Tugging his hair harder, you whimper and nod your head, “Please, Leon.”

The scent of cedar comes across stronger as he kisses your neck one last time before shifting you both until you’re laying back on his bed. He strokes his hands all down your body, eyes drinking in your expressions.

“You’ve been driving me crazy this entire time,” he slowly undresses you, scraping his sharp incisors against the skin he reveals, “smell so good, so sweet. Makes my mouth water.”

You whimper while watching as he unbuttons your jeans and works them and your panties off of your legs. He groans to see the slick mess between your thighs, cunt glistening with your arousal. 

“Look at you,” he breathes out, blown out pupils flicking up to your own dazed eyes. 

Wasting no time, he lays down between your spread legs and kisses the top of your pussy, ignoring where you most want his mouth. He drags his lips down and then buries his face in your cunt, spreading your lips apart with his tongue as he licks all over your pussy. Grunting, he shoves his tongue into your hole to spear you open on the thick muscle. 

“Leon,” you whisper down to him, feeling so turned on you can’t think straight. 

He groans and pulls back, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”

With a sigh, you relax against the sheets only to jolt as your pussy throbs when he bites you at the crease where your cunt meets your thigh. 

Crying out softly, your head thrashes against his bed as he repeats it on the other side. 

“I know, but bear with me,” he murmurs, blood coating his mouth as he lovingly kisses the puncture wounds, “doing so well.”

You splay back out against his sheets as he buries his face between your thighs again. He keeps your legs spread as he slowly kisses and sucks at your cunt, like he’s never tasted anything better in his life. Everything’s sensitive and on the verge of too much, but you wouldn’t dream of asking him to stop. That slow syrupy pleasure that’s made your thoughts honey thick is more than welcome. 

He laps along the seam of your pussy lips until he glides the tip of his tongue up to the hood of your clit. Leon circles the pudgy bud all slow and soft, tongue dipping down to flutter inside your soaked hole. Groaning at the slick flooding his mouth, he laps at your cunt with long broad strokes of his tongue. He pulls back to suck on your pussy lips before kissing across to your thigh and sinking those sharp fangs into your supple skin. 

Your back arches, a low whine spilling from your kiss bitten lips. He kisses and sucks the bitemark until it's ugly and irritated, then drags his lips back to your cunt, kissing your mound softly.  He makes out with your pussy with hot and bloody open mouthed kisses, spit drenching your swollen clit as you moan loudly. 

Your orgasm builds higher and higher until it’s a tight band ready to snap in your lower belly. Leon senses you getting closer from your body spasming and your voice gaining in volume as he greedily eats your cunt, hungry eyes watching you from between your legs. 

With a low keening groan rumbling from deep in his chest, he sinks his fangs into your fat pussy lips as he fucks his tongue into your clenching hole. That pinprick of pain flooded by intense pleasure is enough to push you completely over the edge. Wailing, your spine bows as your climax floods through your body, cunt pulsing and gushing slick as your toes curl in the sheets. 

Almost growling into your pussy, Leon flutters his tongue into your hole, lapping up all the slick dripping from your cunt, tongue loudly squelching in and out of your clenching walls. 

He finally pulls away with a low moan of pleasure, lower jaw coated with slick and blood. 

“So good for me, little bride,” he slinks up your body, joints moving unnaturally but you're hardly able to think past the pleasure buzzing in your brain, “going to make you mine, keep you forever.”

 Humming, you tangle your fingers in his hair and pull him down into the messiest kiss of the night. He almost snarls into your kisses as he gets rougher, tongue and teeth dominating your mouth, a bruising pressure on your lips. 

“Promise me you’ll stay,” he demands, eyes flashing at you as he presses you down harder into the mattress, “stay with me, be mine.”

You softly brush back his hair, voice soothing as you reply, “I promise, Leon. I’m all yours. I’ll be your new bride.”

He nuzzles his face into your neck before sinking those deliciously sharp teeth into you again. Weakly moaning, your eyes roll back as your clit throbs in time with your heartbeat. You feel him shudder when he pulls away to kiss the sluggishly bleeding marks.

“My bride,” he sighs, dragging his pouty lips across your jaw, nose tracing your skin, “you promise to give me all that you are.. all that you will be.”

“Promise,” you gasp out as his hand sneaks down to tease across your clit, cunt soaking the sheets further with fresh slick, “promise, Leon.”

He kisses you then, the hot copper tang of blood flavoring his sweet sentiment. You’re swept under another tide of arousal from his messy lips and tongue while his fingers play with your pudgy clit. 

He shifts until he’s next to you, blood smeared mouth parted as his eyes trail down your body. Gripping your hip, he helps turn your body to face him, leaving you both lying on your sides. Your hands reach out to trail down his chest just now noticing that he’s still dressed.

“No fair,” you tease, tugging on the silky  material.

He laughs softly, bringing your hand up to kiss your inner wrist before scraping his fangs across the sensitive skin making you shiver. Letting go of your hand, he quickly undresses, dropping his clothes off the side of the bed in a heap. You bite your lip, taking in the long lean lines of his body, eyes widening to see his thick cock filled out and resting against his thigh. 

“Leon,” you breathe out, wide eyes tracking back up to his pale blue ones. 

This time your hands lightly scratch along his pecs to his twitching abdominal muscles, nails barely scratch the soft thatch of hair above his hard cock. 

“You can touch me, liebling,” his lips quirk up into a half smile, “I only bite a little.”

A giggle slips out and your hand grasps the base of his dick and squeezes earning a low groan from the handsome man next to you. 

“Stroke me, tease me, do whatever you wish,” he murmurs, hands coming up to cup your breasts, “I’ll enjoy it all.”

You whimper as his long fingers dig into the soft flesh of your breasts, thumbs rubbing circles across your stiff nipples.

While one of your hands teases the head of his dick, you slide the other one to cup his balls making his cock kick, blurting precum onto your fingers.

“It’s so sticky,” you murmur unthinkingly, smearing the precum around his tip making it slippery for your fingers to rub across. 

He groans loudly, bucking his hips and sliding his cock through your fingers in a clumsy effort to fuck your loose fist. 

“And these are so sensitive,” his low tone razes goosebumps as he tweaks and pinches your nipples until you’re rubbing your thighs together. 

“Leon,” you moan, arching your back to press your breasts more firmly into his hands. 

“I haven’t had a chance to taste these,” he purrs, ducking his head to nip your chest.

“Please,” you tighten your hand around his cock and pump your fist, “bite me.”

He presses closer against you, hands pushing your breasts up as he dips his head down. Kissing the stiff peak, he licks around the puckered skin close to your nipple. 

“Smell so good,” he mumbles, kissing your nipple softly before sucking it into his mouth. 

He rolls his tongue around the hard bud before pulling away with a soft pop. He drags his lips down to suck on the skin underneath your breast before opening his mouth and biting deep into the tender flesh. 

“Oh god,” you cry out, body writhing so much Leon has to use one hand to grip your ribcage tightly to keep you still. 

You're too out of it to jerk him off, hands instead moving to grab onto his hips. He pulls away with a gasp only to sink his bloody teeth into the soft fat of your other breast. Your cunt is a drippy mess by the time he pulls away the second time, tongue sucking the blood off his fangs as his eyes seem to shine with unnatural light. 

“The finest of wines,” he smiles at you, licking his lips slowly. 

Your cunt throbs and aches, walls fluttering around nothing—feeling empty and needy. 

“Leon,” you grab his hand and guide it to your soaked cunt, “please, I want you.”

“Oh my beautiful bride, so wet and ready for me,” he hisses, easily sinking two fingers knuckle deep into your clenching pussy.

Your hands move from his hips to dig into his shoulders making him grind his fingers deeper into your aching cunt. He pulls them halfway out before thrusting them back in, the flat of his palm smacking against your swollen clit. 

Nails digging deeper into his skin, you rock your hips in time with his hand, whining and moaning as he fingerfucks your pussy rough and deep. 

“Such a sweet little wife I have,” he kisses your ear as your eyes struggle to stay open, cunt clamping down on his fingers from the endearment. 

He drags his cock against your thigh, smearing precum against your skin to mix with the slick dripping from your pussy. 

“I want to be inside you,” he whispers hotly against your lips, “I want to be buried deep in my bride’s pussy as I drink from her pleasured body.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” you chant, throat dry from all your gasping and panting, “I need you inside me, Leon. Please.”

He pulls his fingers out slowly making you  whimper once your cunt’s empty again. Leon shushes you gently, gripping his cock in one hand while his other grabs your thigh and wraps it over his waist. Rubbing the fat head of dick up and down your slit, he teases his cock across your hole before using the tip to part your pussy lips and rub across your sensitive clit.

You rock your hips forward and he kisses your neck, tongue lapping at the marks he left. Moving his cock back down, he slowly presses his dick into your leaking hole. 

“So tight,” he murmurs, praise lacing his tone and making you hump down onto his cock.

He lets you work your wet cunt on his dick until he’s buried fully inside your pulsing heat. 

“Needed this,” he groans, rutting his cock slowly in and out of your pussy, “needed to be inside of you, a part of you.”

Pleasure washes over you like the tide meeting the shore. Leon’s cock grinds against the spongy spot at the front of your cunt making you ooze slick until it’s dripping down his balls, leaving a creamy ring around the base of his dick. 

With a small shift, he rolls you completely over onto your back, body weight pressing you down into the mattress as he fucks in deeper inside your fluttering pussy. His pelvis grinds down onto your pudgy clit sending little bolts of desire throughout your whole body. 

“Leon, so good,” you whimper, fingers grasping at his biceps, hips rolling forward to keep his dick inside you, leaking tip pressed against your cervix. 

“Taking me so well, a perfect fit,” he kisses you gently, sucking your tongue into his mouth, teeth nicking the muscle causing blood to flavor your kisses. 

Moaning hungrily, Leon gets rougher, mouth pressing against yours so tightly your teeth ache. A high keening cry slips out between the bruising press of Leon’s lips against yours. Pulling away, he growls and drags his mouth to your neck, lathing his tongue against the multitude of wounds he left earlier. 

“So tight around me, are you getting close, little love?” He chuckles and teases your neck with his teeth making you keen and squirm against him. 

“Yes, please, ‘m close,” you moan, legs coming up to wrap tightly around his waist, “w’nna cum, wanna feel you inside me.”

Leon hums and swivels his hips, rutting his cock into your cunt without pulling out until you’re clawing at his back with short choked off whines. He grinds against your clit until your eyes roll back into your head. 

His teeth sink into your neck one last time, pushing you over the edge for the second time as your orgasm crashes through your body. Crying out, your arms and legs lock around Leon’s body, head thrown back as your cunt clenches around his dick. 

“So lovely,” he pulls back, licking the blood away from your neck, “my perfect bride.” 

He rabbits his hips into your squelching cunt until finally stilling, cock buried balls deep inside your spasming pussy as you milk his throbbing dick. Your pussy walls flutter and clamp down around him as he spills hot and sticky inside your slick heat. 

“Beautiful,” he kisses your earlobe with a sigh, cock kicking inside your pussy as he finishes painting your walls white. 

Endorphins make you dizzy and bubbly, smiling up at Leon’s blood stained face as he gazes lovingly down at you. 

“My husband,” you murmur, lovesick and sweet, hands coming up to caress his face and he kisses each of your palms. 

“All yours,” he promises seriously, “there is a reason why all things are as they are.”

You laugh and smooth a thumb under his eye, “You’re so cute.”

He snorts a laugh, delighting you immensely, and settles down into the messy sheets before pulling you into his chest. 

With a soft kiss placed atop his heart, you snuggle into his body until he wraps his arms around you. The soft rise and fall of his chest lulls you to sleep. 

Talking to Lara the next day is surprisingly easy. You have the feeling Leon used some weird vampire energy on her since she seemed unusually chill about it. Promising you that she’ll keep in touch once she heads back home, you spend the few short hours she has left together before she leaves early for the airport. 

It’s sad to see her go, but with Leon’s steady presence next to you filling your senses with that wonderful smell of cloves and cedar, you have zero regret in staying. 

[animesmolbean]

Words Hold Power 

An “The Umbrella Academy” fanfiction

Five x Reader

(Male)

Author's Note: Welcome to my The Umbrella Academy fanfiction! I'm so excited to share this story with you all! TUA is my favorite Netflix show! I'm very sad to see it's in its final season, but all great shows come to an end! But at least we'll get to rewatch it over and over again, lol.

Speaking of which, please, no spoilers for S4 since I have not watched it yet. I'll let you guys know where I am in S4 in coming posts.

With that said, I just wanted to tell you guys this. There was one hesitation I had with writing this story. Handling Viktor's character. I know about the journey of this character and Elliot Page's journey as well. I know about the transition, and I wanted to tell you how I planned on approaching this.

I did research on this topic and wanted to be sure I was handling it correctly. I researched how I should write transgender characters and their journeys throughout the story.

I also read other TUA fanfictions for research to see how other authors handle it, and like the research, it's a mixed bag. Some use Viktor only, and some show the name change.

After researching, I decided on an approach.

I will follow what the show does and show the transition story Viktor has. I chose this because I believe it's a beautiful journey, and the show does a great job handling the topic.

One last thing, all the main characters (The Hargreeves siblings) are aged up a little.

With all that said, I hope you enjoy the first chapter! ♥️

~Character Info~

Reader's ability is cursed speech.  She can make anyone do what she says with only a few words.  It's similar to Allison's, except she doesn't need to say certain words first like her, and her ability is much more powerful.  To the point where she has to be extremely careful about what she says.  

(As you can tell, this was inspired by the anime character, Toge Inumaki from Jujutsu Kaisen.)

Chapter 1: We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals (Family Reunion)

On the twelfth hour of the first day of October 1985, forty-three women around the world gave birth.  

This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women have been pregnant when the day first began.

Sir Reginald Hargreeves, eccentric billionaire and adventurer, resolved to locate and adopt as many of the children as possible.

He got eight of them. 

Many years later, the kids grew up and went on with their lives as adults.  

There was Number One, aka Luther Hargreeves.  Big, strong and was currently on the moon, studying and preparing for whatever his mission was.  

There was Number Two, aka Diego Hargreeves.  Impulsive, brave and works as a vigilante of sorts.  

There was Number Three, aka Allison Hargreeves.  Famous actress who was currently on the red carpet in front of paparazzi.  

There was Number Four, aka Klaus.  A lazy, free-spirited soul who is currently leaving rehab and using the money he got from the rehab to buy drugs.  He ended up in the back of an ambulance.  

And, there was Number Seven, aka Vanya Hargreeves.  She was quiet, timid and was currently leaving the theater after practicing her violin.  

However, their lives would change forever with one broadcast.  

Their father was now dead. 

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY 

☂

Vanya rode a taxi to her childhood home.  A place she lived for many years.  

The Umbrella Academy.  

A tall condo-like building with a black gate.  

Vanya approached the building and opened the doors, whose windows were decorated by umbrellas.  

The foyer was fancy still.  The middle was open with a chandelier hanging above a small round table in the middle.  Tall, smooth white beams holding the sides which held the second floor.  A staircase that leads to that second floor was behind the small round table.  

It was just as Vayna remembered it.  Every little detail was still there.  

“Hey, Mom.” 

Vanya called to the woman in the living room.  Said woman sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace which currently had a fire going.  She stayed still as she stared into the dancing flames.  

“Mom?”

“Vanya?” 

A familiar voice turned Vanya’s attention elsewhere.  

“You're actually here.” 

She turned and saw her sister, Allison coming down the stairs.  

“Hey, Allison.” 

“Hey sis.” 

Allison now stood before her sister.  She chuckled and brought the other girl into a hug, which Vanya quietly but graciously returned.  

“Ah.  What is she doing here?” 

A new voice spoke through the quiet foyer.

“You don't belong here.  Not after what you did.”

It was Diego.

“You're seriously gonna do this today?” Allison spoke up, her tone telling that she wasn't in the mood for the male's attitude. 

“Way to dress for the occasion, by the way.” She added, mocking Diego’s attire as he ascended the stairs.  He was still in his “hero” gear; knives and everything.

“At least I'm wearing black.” Diego shot back nonchalantly as he turned left on the stairs, disappearing from the girls’ views.  

Vanya, now uncomfortable, spoke up quietly, “You know what?  I- Maybe he's right.  And I shouldn't-”

“Forget about him.” Allison interrupted her.  “I'm glad you're here.” She spoke softly.  Vanya’s lips quirked up a little at Allison's words.  The sisters shared a moment of silence.  

☂

Diego arrived at his late father's room, to see Luther there checking the windows.  He leaned against the doorframe.  

“I can save you some time.  They're all locked.  No forced entry, no sign of struggle.  Nothing out of the ordinary.” 

As he spoke, he walked over to Luther who was also walking towards him.  

“Oh, you got big, Luther.  What's the secret, huh?  Protein shakes?  Low carbs?” Diego asked mockingly.  

“What do you want?”  Luther asked, not wanting to deal with Diego's attitude.  

Diego reached into his pocket and pulled out a few folded pieces of paper, handing them to Luther.  “The autopsy report.” 

After he teasingly tried to pull them away from Luther, the latter brother snatched them out of his hand.  

“And you have this, why?” Luther asked. 

“Well, that's because I… broke into the coroner's office.” Diego explained as he sat down in an armchair.  “And surprise, surprise, Dad's death was… normal.  Just a boring, old heart failure.”

“Yeah, so?” Luther looked at Diego.  

“So, why are you in here, checking all the windows?”

“Were you the first one on the scene?” Luther asked.

“Pogo found him.” Diego answered. 

“Yeah, I talked with Pogo.  He said he couldn't find Dad's monocle.”

“And your point being?” Diego asked in a bored tone.

“Can you think of a single time you saw Dad, and he wasn't wearing that monocle?  No.  Which means someone took it.  Which means there's a chance he wasn't alone when he died.”

Diego sat up from the armchair.  “There is no mystery here.  Nothing to avenge.  Nothing to solve, nothing like that.  It's just a sad old man who kicked it in a big empty house.  Just like he deserved.” 

“You should leave.” Lither spoke, not liking Diego's tone with that last sentence he spoke.  

“Whatever you say, brother.” Diego said in a mocking tone as he turned to leave.  Before he did, he turned back to Luther.  “By the way, did you visit (Your Name) yet?” 

Luther shook his head.  “No.  I was about to, actually.” 

“You know where he is.” Diego simply said.

☂

Vanya entered the living room, looking around at the interior.  She spotted a comic and new articles on their group, The Umbrella Academy.  She looked at the bookshelves and pulled out one book in particular.  

The title read, “Extra Ordinary My Life as Number Seven” 

It was her autobiography book.  The one she wrote when she left the academy. 

She observed it solemnly, until a voice spoke out.

“Welcome home, Ms. Vanya.” 

She turned and saw Pogo, a human sized monkey dressed formally with a cane and glasses.  

Vanya walked over to him and hugged him.  Pogo hugged back with a hum.  “So good to see you.” He noticed the book in her hand.  “Ah, yes, your autobiography.” 

“Do you know, um…” Vanya paused before continuing.  “Did he ever read it?” 

Pogo thought for a moment before replying, “Not that I'm aware of.” 

Vanya turned her attention to the portrait above the fireplace.  It showed a boy, around seventeen in age, sitting with a neutral but sophisticated look on his face.  

“How long has it been since Five disappeared?” She asked.

Pogo turned to look at the portrait too.  “It's been sixteen years, four months, and fourteen days.” The two looked at each other.  “Your father insisted I keep track.” 

“And… how long has (Your Name) been in that coma?” 

“Sixteen years, four months, and six days.” Pogo replied.  

“You wanna know something stupid?  I always used to leave the lights on for him.  I was scared that he would come back, it would be late, and the house would be dark and he wouldn't be able to find us, so he'd leave again.  And he would take (Your Name) with him.  So, every night, I'd make a little snack and make sure all the lights were on.” 

Pogo nodded.  “Oh, I remember your snacks.  I'm pretty sure I stepped in half those peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches, and those (Favorite type of Cookie) cookies.”  He sighed a couple times before he spoke again, “Your father always believed that Number Five was still out there somewhere.  He also believed that one day (Your Name) would wake up.  He never lost hope.” 

“And look where that got him.” Vanya said solemnly. 

☂

Allison went up to her late father's study, looking around the area.  The familiarity of it brought up a memory.  

〰️

Reginald Hargreeves was working in his office, as usual, when Grace knocked on the door.  She entered before closing the door.

“The children are ready for bed, sir.  They wanted to say goodnight.” 

She turned and walked a couple of paces and opened the sliding door.  

On the other side revealed the eight children, all wearing matching pajamas.  Allison was in the center while the others surrounded her.  Little (Your Name) stood between her and Five, a black cloth face mask covering his mouth and nose.  

The children were all smiling as they waited for their father to acknowledge them.  But he was so into his work that he didn't even glance up at them.  

Sensing the awkwardness, Grace quickly dismissed the kids.  The kids, of course, were disappointed but not surprised.  As they left slowly, (Your Name) tugged on Allison's sleeve, silently asking her to come.  

“I'll be there in a minute (Your Name).” The girl whispered.  (Your Name) tilted his head to the side.  Allison spoke again, “Why don't you go hang out with Five for a bit before bed?  I know you planned on it.” She gave the masked boy a small smile.  (Your Name) felt his cheeks warm up, but he nodded, leaving and quietly walking over to Five.  The boy saw him coming and, with a nod of his head, gestured to him to follow him.  (Your Name) nodded and started to walk beside him.  As he did, he heard Allison, 

“He's always busy.” 

〰️

“Where's the cash, Dad?” 

The sound of a voice diverted Allison's attention and she walked over to her father's desk, hearing clamoring noises.  She leaned forward to look to see who was over there.  

“Klaus?  What are you doing in here?” She asked.  

Said boy looked up and gasped at the sight of his sister.  “Oh!  Allison!  Wow, is that you?” He asked as he stood up.  He embraced her slowly; Allison slowly returned the hug.  “Long time.  Too long.” He pulled away.  “Hey, I was hoping to see you, actually, because I wanted to get your autograph.  Add it to my collection!” He planted his chin onto his hands.  

Allison let her brother act because it was how he always behaved when she noticed the white paper bracelet on his left wrist.  “Just out of rehab?” She asked.

“No, no.  No, no, no, no.  No.  I'm done with all of that.” Klaus replied with a sigh as he removed the bracelet. “I just came down here to prove to myself that the old man was really gone.” He smiled.  “And he is!  He's dead.  Yeah!” He clapped, making Allison smile a little, shaking her head a bit.  

“You know how I know?  Because if he were alive, not one of us would be allowed to set foot in this room.” Allison silently agreed with Klaus.  

“He was always in here, our whole childhood, plotting his next torment, right?” He said with a chuckle as he sat in the armchair behind the desk, putting his feet on the desk.  “Remember how he used to look at us?  That scowl?” He pointed to the man's portrait onto the wall behind him.  “Thank Christ, he's not our real father, so we couldn't inherit those cold, dead eyes!” He stretched his eyelids to show more of his eyeballs.  He fake screams, making Allison chuckle a little as Klaus started to dramatically imitate their late father. 

“Get out of his chair.” 

Klaus turned his head and saw Luther standing by the doorway.  “Oh, wow, Luther!  Wow, you really, uh… You really filled out over the years huh?” Klaus said as he stood and flexed his arm muscles.  

“Klaus.” Luther warned.

“Save the lecture.  I was already leaving.  You guys can talk amongst yourselves.  I am going to visit (Your Name).  Oh!  The precious little brother of ours.” He chuckled softly.  Before he could leave though, Luther stopped him.  “Drop it.”

“Ex-squeeze me?” Klaus said.

“Do it.  Now.” Luther ordered.  

Klaus pulled his arm away from Luther and went back to the desk and started to empty out his pockets, which held a few of his late father's belongings.  “It's just an advance on our inheritance!  That's all it is!” Allison chuckled silently at her brother.  “No need to get your little panties in a bunch.” With that, Klaus left, closing the door; leaving Luther and Allison alone in the room. 

“So, Klaus is still Klaus, in case you are wondering.” Luther started.

“You know, after all these years, I find it strangely comforting.” Allison stated.

“Did you see Diego?” Luther asked.

“With his stupid outfit?” Allison added in amusement. 

“Oh, I know.  Do you think he wears that thing in the bathroom?” Lauther asked.

“Like in the shower?” Allison asked for confirmation. 

“Yeah.” Luther confirmed.

“Yes, absolutely!” Allison laughed.  

The two went on to talk about how their lives are going now that they are adults.  Luther was the only one to stay while the rest went their separate ways.  Their conversation ended talking about Allison's family and her powers.  

〰️

A little later, everyone congregated in the living room.  The fire was still going in the fireplace as everyone sat in silence.  

Luther started talking about doing a memorial service for their late father.  Some like Allison were mostly confused by this, or making fun of it like Klaus.  

“Is that my skirt?” Allison asked, noticing Klaus wearing a skirt now.  

“Oh, yeah this.  I found it in your room.  It's a little dated, I know, but it's very breathy on the bits.”

Luther stopped Klaus before he could go further and started to talk about their father's death.  He had a theory that he didn't die simply of heart failure.  He recounted how he was acting suspicious and requested Klaus to try to communicate with him.  Klaus was not interested.  

“I can't just call Dad into the afterlife and be like, “Dad, could you just stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?” 

“Since when?  That's your thing.” Luther said.

“I'm not in the right… frame of mind.” 

“You're high?” Allison asked, not surprised.

“Yeah!  Yeah!” Klaus laughed.  “I mean, how are you not listening to this nonsense?” 

“Well, sober up, this is important.” Luther said.

Klaus only sighed.  

When Luther started talking about the missing monocle, Diego concluded that Luther was suspicious of all of them, saying that Luther thought one of them killed their dad.  This caused everyone to get upset.  Diego insulted Luther's leadership, Klaus got up and jokingly said that he might as well go murder their Mom and (Your Name), unless he was already dead.  Vanya left in silence and. Allison left in silence as well.  Luther tried to defend himself, but it was too late.  

They weren't always like this.  When they were kids, they were tight knit.  

〰️

17 YEARS AGO

“This is Jim Hellerman, reporting live for Channel 2 News outside of the Capital West Bank at Main and Sixth.  A group of heavily armed men stormed the bank not three hours ago and took an unknown number of hostages.” 

The armed men surveyed the bank as they pointed their guns at the bound up hostages and pushed them behind the counter as they proceeded with the robbery.  

Unexpectedly, a girl with curly black hair, in a school uniform and mask, walked casually to one of the robbers.  

It was Allison. 

“Hey, get back with the others.” The robber ordered the girl.  

“I heard a rumor.” Allison spoke. 

“What?  What did you say?” 

Allison leaned forward and used her ability, “I heard a rumor that you shot your friend in the foot.” 

The robber pointed his gun at one of his partners and promptly shot him in the foot, knocking him down.  The hostages screamed at the sound of the gun.  

Suddenly, someone dressed in a boy's school uniform with a mask came crashing down from a window above and landed behind the counter.  It was Luther.  He punched one robber and threw him out the window with surprising strength.  

Then, another kid dressed like Luther came from the other side of the bank.  “Guns are for sissies.  Real men throw knives.” He threw two long knives at one of the robbers only for them to redirect to another robber and immediately killed him. 

There were now only two robbers left in the lobby.  

One of them climbed onto the desk and pointed his gun shakily at the three kids.  “Get back, you freaks.” 

“Hey, be careful up there, buddy.” Diego, the knife throwing kid taunted.

“Get back now!” 

“Wouldn't want you to get hurt.” Allison taunted as well.

“Or what?” 

A fourth kid appeared seemingly out of nowhere, sitting criss cross on the desk.  A taunting smirk on his face.  This was Number Five.  

The robber shot at Five, but he disappeared and reappeared on the other side.  When the robber turned around and tried to shoot him again, he suddenly realized that he was not holding a gun.

“Ooh!  That's one badass stapler!” Five taunted before smacking the guy's hand holding the stapler into his head.  This knocked the robber over.  

All they had to do now was get rid of the robbers in the vault.  

Or so they thought.  

There was one more.  

He loaded his gun and his gun cocked, catching the kids off guard.  

“Down you freaks!” He yelled.  

Suddenly, running from a hidden place behind a wall, was a fifth kid, dressed like the rest of the boys, as he pulled down his face mask.  He directed his attention to the robber.  

“Explode!” 

The single word echoed loudly through the bank, and just before the guy could turn his gun to the boy, his body suddenly exploded, body parts, guts, and blood spreading out everywhere.  The hostages screamed in fear.  The boy quickly covered his face again, breathing heavily as he ran to his siblings.  

He gestured to all of them.  They couldn't see much of his face, but they could tell he was worried by the look in his eyes.  

“We're okay.  Thanks (Your Name).” Allison said.

(Your Name) hummed, nodding as he walked over to behind the desk with the others, while two more kids dressed like the rest of the boys joined them.  Five looked at him.  “That was pretty badass.  Good work.” He complimented, giving him a smile.  (Your Name) felt his cheeks warm up a little, and he tilted his head a bit and closed his eyes.  Most people wouldn't be able to tell his expression behind the mask, but Five knew he was smiling at him in thanks.  

“Do we really have to do this?” A meek voice asked. 

“Come on, Ben.  There's more guys in the vault.” Luther told the boy.

Ben sighed as he walked to the vault door.  “I didn't sign up for this.” 

He entered as the hostages all ran for their lives out of the bank.  Inside the vault, the last of the robbers were eyeing slaughtered by Ben's ability.  He screeched and roared as his tentacles ripped them apart and threw them against the walls.  Blood splattered all over the windows.  

Once it was quiet, Ben came out, covered in blood.  “Can we go home now?” He asked, his breathing shaky.  

It was time to leave.  

The seven kids started walking towards the entrance of the bank. (Your Name) pulled out a small vial and turned the cap.  He pulled the bottom part of his mask up and put the bottle to his lips.  He tilted his head back and started swallowing the liquid.  He finished it and placed the empty bottle back in his pocket.  

“Are you feeling okay?” 

Five's voice made (Your Name) turn to him.  He nodded and hummed in thanks.  Five offered his arm to him.  “Ready?” He asked.  The boy nodded again, and he hooked his arm with Five's.  Five smiled at him, and they started walking after their siblings.  

The seven kids emerged from the back as the news reporters pointed their cameras at the group, and they all clamored to try to talk to them.  

Above on the top of a building nearby, stood Reginald Hargreeves, observing the other kids with a mini telescope. An eighth kid, dressed like Allison, stood next to him.

“Why can't I go play with the others?” The girl asked.  

“We've been through this before, Number Seven.  I'm afraid there's just nothing special about you.” Reginald said as he lowered his telescope.  

The girl looked down.  “Oh.”

Eventually, Reginald came down to stand with the children.  

“Our world is changing.  Has changed.  There are some among us gifted with abilities far beyond the ordinary.  I have adopted seven such children.” 

‘You mean eight.’ (Your Name) thought to himself as he looked down temporarily, his arm still linked with Five's.  

“I give you the inaugural class of the Umbrella Academy.” 

Many news reporters asked many questions.

“What happened to their parents?” One asked.

“They were suitably compensated.” Reginald replied.  

“Are you concerned about the welfare of the children?” Another asked.  

“Of course.  As I am for the fate of the world.” Reginald said.  

〰️

☂

Everyone was in separate rooms, having their alone time after the little dispute from earlier.  Klaus was still in the living room, trying to talk to their late father, but he ended up knocking the vase filled with his ashes over.  

Luther was walking through the hallways, reminiscing until he got to his room.  

Allison was looking through her belongings until she found a gold heart locket with ‘A+L’ carved onto the front.  

Klaus took the vase into the kitchen where he proceeded to take more pills.  

Diego laid on the couch in the living room, playing with one of his knives.

Vanya sat on the stairs, a solemn look on her face.

Luther eventually found a familiar record and played it on the record player.  

“I Think We're Alone Now” by Tiffany started to play.  

Everyone heard the familiar tune all throughout the house and they all started to dance in their respective rooms.  

Childhood nostalgia ran through their bodies as they all danced like no one was watching.  Even Pogo moved a little to the beat.  

But suddenly, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed.  

The music stopped as the house reacted to the violent disturbance.  

The siblings all ran to the courtyard and saw a giant hole, surrounded by blue lightning.  

“What is it?” Vanya asked.

“Don't get too close!” Allison warned.  

“Yeah, no shit.” Diego said.

“Looks like some sort of temporal anomaly.  Either that or a miniature black hole.  One of the two. 

“Pretty big difference there, Paul Bunyan.” Diego insulted.

“Out of the way!” Klaus exclaimed as he came out with a fire extinguisher and tried to spray it but it was out of steam.  So, he just threw it at the mysterious anomaly only for it to get sucked in.  

“What is that gonna do?” Allison asked.

“I don't know.  Do you have a better idea?” Klaus asked.  

The anomaly got stronger and Luther ushered everyone behind him to protect them.  Klaus wanted to run.  Luther and Allison held hands.  

The electrical crackling intensified and someone emerged from the anomaly, arms out.  It disappeared and the person fell out of the sky and landed on the ground.  The sky cleared up as the siblings walked towards the person, who stood up.  He was dressed in a suit way too big for him. 

“Does anyone else see little Number Five, or is that just me?” Klaus asked. 

The boy known as Five looked at himself then back at the siblings.  

“Shit.” 

☂

The six were now in the kitchen.  Five was busy making a sandwich while the others watched in shock.  

“What's the date?  The exact date.” Five asked.  

“The 24th.” Vanya replied. 

“Of what?”

“March.” 

“Good.” 

Luther spoke up.  “So, are we gonna talk about what just happened?” 

Five didn't reply.  He just continued with making his sandwich.  

Silence fell for a couple seconds until Luther stood up.  “It's been seventeen years.” 

Five scoffed.  “It's been a lot longer than that.” He blinked over to the cabinet. 

“I haven't missed that.” Luther muttered.  

“Where'd you go?” Diego asked.

“The future.  It's shit, by the way.” Five replied as he blinked back to the table.  

“Called it.” Klaus said.  

“I should've listened to the old man.  You know, jumping through space is one thing, jumping through time is a toss of the dice.” Five looked up at the siblings.  “Nice dress.” He told Klaus. 

“Oh, well, danke!” Klaus said, playing with the article of clothing.  

“Wait, how did you get back?” Vanya asked.

“In the end I had to project my consciousness forward into a suspended quantum state version of myself that exists across every possible instance of time.” Five explained.  

“That makes no sense.” Diego spoke up.

“Well, it would if you were smarter.” Five sasses.

Diego stood up to confront the boy, but Luther stopped him, holding him back.

“How long were you there?” He asked.

“Forty-one years.  Give or take.” 

Luther and Diego sat back down.  “So what are you saying?  That you're fifty-eight?” The former asked.

Five looked at Luther.  “No, my consciousness is fifty-eight.” He finished his sandwich.  “Apparently, my body is now seventeen again.” 

“Wait, how does that even work?” Vanya asked.

“Delores kept saying the equations were off.  Eh.” Five took a bite out of his sandwich.  “Bet she's laughing now.” 

Vanya was confused.  “Delores?” 

Five ignored her and looked at the newspaper that told him about Reginald Hargreeves’ death.  “Guess I missed the funeral.”

“How'd you know about that?” Luther asked.

“What part of the future do you not understand?” Five asked.  “Heart failure, huh?” 

“Yeah.” “No.” Diego and Luther said together.

Five hummed before clicking his tongue.  “Nice to see nothing's changed.”  Then, he got a good look at his siblings again.  He realized that one was missing.  “By the way, where's (Your Name)?”

The other five siblings looked at each other, solemn expressions on their faces now.  “Well…” Vanya started.  “There isn't an easy way to say this.” Allison said.  “He's in a coma.” “He's dead.” Klaus and Diego finished.  “Diego!” Allison scolded. 

Five looked at his siblings, a subtle look of worry on his face, but on the inside, his heart was beating faster.  “What happened?” 

“Well…. like I said… this isn't easy to say.” As Allison tried to explain, they suddenly heard soft footsteps approaching the kitchen.  They slowly turned their heads and what they saw shook them to the core. 

There stood…

(Your Name).

Klaus yelled in surprise.  

“Holy shit.” Diego said. 

Everyone else looked in surprise.  

(Your Name) was alive.

[slaymitchabernathy]

The Nanny

Soarynn’s shoes click on the pavement as she walks down the paved walkway.

It’s a daunting task, walking up to the front door of the President’s Mansion.

She wraps her fingers around the handle of her purse a bit tighter to settle her nerves. Today she has the most important job interview of her life.

She carefully climbs the steps leading up to the front door and stops to notice the golden rose engraved on the door handle. She takes in a deep breath, slowly blowing it out.

You’re prepared for this, she tells herself, you’ve already got one foot in the door.

Getting one foot through the front gates was difficult enough. The Peacekeepers guarding the front entrance of the Mansion gave her quite a hard time, asking for all sorts of identification, they even spoke to someone on the intercom before she was granted access.

She hopes it won’t be like this should she land the job.

She knocks only twice before looking over her outfit one last time. She wanted to dress to impress but also dress for practicality. Today she wore a pencil skirt, charcoal gray with a button-up shirt with short sleeves that stop at her shoulders. It is, after all, August and it’s not getting any cooler anytime soon.

She paired the outfit with kitten heels and her purse, hopefully, they approve of her wardrobe.

The door opens after a minute and she’s greeted by an older woman with an impressive-looking head of hair. “Hello, you must be Soarynn, the new nanny.”

Soarynn gives the woman a polite smile and nods, reaching her hand out, “Yes ma’am.”

“I’m Eudora, we spoke over the phone several times,” Eudora tells her, shaking her hand, “do come in out of this heat. It’s been absolutely dreadful.”

Soarynn cautiously steps into the President’s Mansion and can’t help but marvel at how beautiful it is on the inside with the grand marble staircase and the magnificent tall ceilings and windows. It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

“You’ll get used to it,” Eudora calls from over her shoulder, already walking down the hall leaving Soarynn with no choice but to follow her. “Back there was the foyer, there are several sitting rooms, bathrooms, and dining rooms on the first floor. All the guest rooms are also on the first floor, the President and his family all reside on the second floor. Staff also stay on the first floor.”

Soarynn bobs her head as they walk through a maze of hallways that she’ll have to familiarize herself with should they keep her around. “Don’t worry about getting lost,” Eudora says with a chuckle, “the children know their way around this house better than their father.”

A wave of nerves washes over Soarynn at the mention of her possible employer, the President of Panem.

They pass by a large portrait and Soarynn can’t help but stop and look at it. The portrait is of the Snow family, Coriolanus Snow, and his wife Livia sitting on a sofa with their children playing on the floor below them. Eudora sighs and gazes up alongside Soarynn, “The children still miss their mother, but they’ve gotten past the hardest stages of grief. Now it’s up to the adults around them to help them grow and move on.”

Soarynn swallows, can she handle that responsibility?

“It’s an insurmountable loss,” Soarynn decides, “losing a parent is the worst thing that can happen to a child.”

She can feel Eudora looking at her but she doesn’t look away from the stern face of Coriolanus Snow, handsome but stoic. No emotion whatsoever.

“Yes,” Eudora agrees, “although I wouldn’t expect Coriolanus to talk about it at length. He doesn’t talk about anything that doesn’t have to do with running this country.”

Soarynn can only imagine why.

“Anyways, we went over your files, performed several tedious background checks and it seems that you’ve passed all of them, my dear. Congratulations.”

Soarynn’s eyes widen at Eudora’s comment, “You mean I got the job?”

Eudora laughs as if she just said the funniest joke ever, “Oh no dear. Coriolanus will be the one to officially decide, but he usually leaves these things in my capable hands. He can’t be bothered with finding another nanny.”

Another nanny.

Based on what she gathered from several phone calls with Eudora, Soarynn is not the first nanny who’s been employed by the Snow family. But she hopes she’ll be the last.

“He trusts you with a lot then?” She asks, following Eudora down another hallway. Eudora nods, “Yes. Goodness knows where he’d be without me telling him where to be and when to be there. I’m technically his event coordinator, but lately, I’ve been doing more than my job description. Which is why we’ve been looking for a new nanny to help with the children.”

They round a corner and walk into a larger hallway with windows that go from the floor to the ceiling, Soarynn glances outside to see the extensive grounds that surround the Presidential Mansion. From what she’s heard, President Snow is meticulous about the upkeep of his gardens, and he has an entire greenhouse full of roses.

“The children, are they…are they as outgoing as they appear on television?” She implores, only knowing President Snow’s three children from the brief snippets she’s seen of them on television, mostly from Lucky Flickerman’s television show.

Eudora chuckles, “They’ve certainly never met a stranger, but then again they were born into this spotlight, so I suppose it’s only natural that they embrace the attention. But after the death of their mother, they’ve more tucked away, Coriolanus doesn’t let them do nearly as much as they did before Livia passed.”

Soarynn swallows down every piece of information she can get about her possible employer and his children. Should she get this job, keeping his children happy will be the most important thing in her entire life.

They come to a halt in front of two large wooden doors and Eudora sighs, giving Soarynn a somewhat sympathetic smile, “This is his study. He’ll speak with you, assess you, and decide if you’re worthy of being trusted with the privilege of watching over his children.”

Well, that’s not making her feel any better.

Soarynn must not be doing a good job at hiding her nerves because Eudora gives her arm a gentle squeeze, “Don’t fret dear, you’re not the first nanny and you most likely won’t be the last either. Nothing is personal, strictly business. Should you get the job then I’ll help you get settled and learn the ropes.”

Should. There’s a lot riding on that particular word.

Soarynn takes a deep breath, “Alright, I suppose I shouldn’t delay any longer.”

She watches Eudora slip into the study and waits with bated breath for what feels like hours before Eudora comes back out and nods for her to enter, “President Snow will see you now.”

Soarynn quietly steps into his study, closing the doors behind her before planting herself in front of them.

He’s sitting behind a large desk, probably the biggest desk she’s ever seen.

A wall of windows is behind him, and to the left and right the walls are made of bookcases. There’s also a fireplace built into the left wall with a small sitting area surrounding it composed of armchairs and sofas. Soarynn notices the small bar cart of brown and amber liquids as well, he must have a drink or two while running the country.

She stands as still as a statue for at least a minute before he finally looks up from his work and beckons her forward with the wave of his hand, “Come in Ms. Nightingale.”

Soarynn does her best to remain calm, composed, and above all, like a stellar Capitol citizen.

She slowly sinks into one of the armchairs that sits across from his desk, crossing her ankles over one another and clasping her hands in her lap. A proper lady if she’s ever seen one before.

President Snow doesn’t seem to be in a rush to conduct this meeting, in fact, he doesn’t seem to care at all as he continues writing on several documents that lay before him.

Soarynn takes this as an opportunity to truly study the President of Panem up close and personal. He’s as handsome as he appears on television, at twenty-five he’s got a chiseled jaw and a gorgeous smile from what she’s seen. His hair is lighter in person though, and his hair seems to be more curly as well. Perhaps he slicks his curls back with gel when making public appearances.

He’s deeply focused, his blue eyes scanning the papers while he scribbles the occasional note on them.

Soarynn looks at the right corner of his desk where a single photograph sits. It’s at an angle to where she can see that the photograph is of his three children. Not his wife.

She tears her eyes away from the framed photograph and finds him looking right at her, his piercing blue eyes analyzing her. Soarynn sits up a bit straighter, still unsure of how to go about this interview.

President Snow sits back in his chair, at ease in his home, "You're younger than the others."

Soarynn blinks once, twice, "Pardon?"

He sighs, "The other nannies that I've hired, you're younger than all of them."

All she can do is nod.

"Your resume impressed me Ms. Nightingale, and you managed to pass all the background checks with flying colors as well. So tell me, why do you think you'd be a suitable nanny for my children?"

Soarynn can feel her hands shaking, but she's prepared herself for a question like this. "I'm very good with children," she tells him, "I'm dependable and organized, and I see this job as a great honor."

President Snow scoffs a laugh and tilts his head back, "Yes, a great honor," he mumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose, "running after my children at all hours of the day is a great service to the country of Panem."

Soarynn finds herself feeling a bit small now, she didn't know what to expect from President Snow but he's just full of surprises it seems.

He sits back up, resting his forearms on his desk, "I won't pretend that you're the first nanny that's walked through my door, and to be quite honest with you, you probably won't be the last nanny either. My children need a source of stability, do you understand? The death of their mother shook our family, and I've been left to pick up the pieces it seems."

Soarynn nods, she remembers clear as day when the death of Livia Snow was announced. It shook the entire nation, and the Presidential family more than anyone.

"I understand sir."

"Good, good. My oldest, Ceraphina, she remembers the most about her mother but, even she's starting to forget Livia more and more. I'd appreciate it if you didn't refresh her memory on it any further. I want to move forward, not backward."

"Yes sir."

President Snow scans her body for a moment, nodding to himself, "You seem like a good fit for our family Ms. Nightingale, but let me make one thing perfectly clear, my children are to be your first and top priority. Nothing else matters but them. They're all I have now that Livia is gone. I can't have any more children. They're my future. My legacy. Should it come down to it, your life will come before theirs."

It's a rather large and daunting pill to swallow. Soarynn knew the risks of this job going into it, that should the children's lives be put at risk, she would be expected to give up her own. But it leads her to wonder, who on earth would want to hurt children?

"Of course sir."

That seems to be all he needs to hear because President Snow picks his pen back up and opens up one of the drawers in his desk, pulling out a file and tossing it onto the desk. "It says here in your file that you're Glen Nightingale's daughter. Allow me to offer you my condolences on his passing."

Soarynn didn't expect her father to be brought into this but perhaps this is a way of testing her emotional stability. Can she work under pressure?

"Thank you," she says quietly, looking down at her lap.

"How did he pass?"

"Heart failure," she answers, "we...we didn't see it coming. But he left me with everything I could possibly need."

President Snow grunts in approval, "A good man then. I do believe that our fathers were good friends back in the day, I used to go to dinners with them when I was just a boy."

It's hard to picture President Snow dining with her own father but she doesn't find it impossible. Stranger things have happened.

"Yes, he was very well connected," Soarynn agrees, shifting in her seat.

President Snow flips open her file, scanning the pages and Soarynn can see a standard photograph of her on one of the pages. "You can see my information?" She asks, her curiosity getting the best of her.

President Snow looks a bit surprised at her question but he nods, "Yes, I'm granted access to all information concerning citizens of Panem. This is mostly to ensure that you're of sound mind and body, and to make sure I know exactly where your loyalties lie."

Her loyalties.

"I can assure you that my loyalties lie within the safety of the Capitol sir," she says, "I attended the Academy, same as my father."

He looks her up and down, leaning a bit closer towards her, "I'm well aware of your loyalties. But let me make one thing perfectly clear Ms. Nightingale, your getting this job has nothing to do with your family name. It has nothing to do with your father being friends with my father. All I care about is your skillset and devotion to the well-being of my children. Am I clear?"

Soarynn swallows, "Crystal."

He sits back up, closing her file, "Good. You'll start today, meet the children, learn the house and the routines. Eudora will help you with the rest. Should you fail to meet my standards, you'll be fired immediately."

"Thank you, sir."

He waves her off and Soarynn all but runs out of her seat, desperate to get out of President Snow's scrutinizing gaze. She goes to pull open the doors when his deep voice stops her in her tracks.

"And Ms. Nightingale?"

Soarynn looks at him from over her shoulder, "Yes sir?"

"You are not their mother. Don't try to be something you're not, do you understand? My children don't need another mother, they need a nanny."

Soarynn bites her lip before answering, "Yes sir."

꧁ ꧂

Eudora Trinket can talk a lot.

She rambles on and on about all the procedures and routines Soarynn should be aware of while they walk through the Mansion. Soarynn can't help but marvel at how big it is, and how many people they pass through the halls. According to Eudora, all the staff are Avoxes, aside from the Peacekeepers.

"Now Coriolanus almost always goes out to dinner at night, so the children are asleep when he comes home."

Soarynn nods along to Eudora's words as they begin to climb up the grand staircase, "There's a back staircase as well for staff that you can use, the children use it often. Now, under no circumstances should Coriolanus be disturbed at any time, not even the children should bother him during the day. That's how the last nanny got fired."

Soarynn shivers at those foreboding words. This job is not promised. Any day could be her last.

Once they reach the second floor, it becomes much more quiet. "The family's rooms are all on this hall," Eudora leads them down a particular hallway, "Coriolanus sleeps here, and the children's rooms are all down here along with their playroom. You're allowed to come up and down as you please, just don't disturb Coriolanus if he's in his room."

They stop in front of another door and Soarynn can hear laughter from the inside. "You know their names correct?"

"Yes. Ceraphina, Celeste, and Caspian."

"Good. I'll let you get acquainted with them. Coriolanus wants you to start immediately, so your day will be done when he gets home from dinner tonight." Soarynn hadn't thought about how long she'd be here but she supposes that there are worse places to work at.

"Alright. Should I need any help, I suppose I should come and ask you?"

Eudora hums, "Yes dear. I have a complimentary bedroom downstairs for when I'm required to spend the night, but I do most of my work in the red sitting room, the children will know where that is."

Soarynn glances down at the golden door handle and notices another rose engraved into it. He must really like roses.

Eudora quietly opens the door and Soarynn peers into the playroom to find it quite colorful and bright. The entire back wall is made up of windows with a long bench pressed against it to serve as a window seat it seems. There are books, toys, stuffed animals, and dresses scattered across the floor.

Three blonde children run around the room shrieking as they chase each other. Or well, the girls are chasing one another, and their brother is sitting on the floor watching them.

"Children," Eudora says sternly, causing them to stop in their tracks, "I'd like to introduce you to your new nanny. This is Soarynn."

Here goes nothing, Soarynn thinks to herself before stepping into the room. All three Snow children gaze up at her with wide blue eyes, "You have blonde hair like us," Ceraphina, the oldest, says, scanning Soarynn up and down, "the other nanny had black hair." Soarynn offers her a smile, "Well people come in all different shapes and colors."

Eudora crouches down and beckons the girls closer to her, "I expect you to show her how things are done, and I expect you girls to be on your best behavior alright? Make your father proud." Both girls give Eudora a determined look and they nod, looking back up at Soarynn, "You can come play with us," Celeste says, "we're playing tea party."

Soarynn raises her eyebrows, "Well that sounds delightful."

She carefully steps over several toys and follows the girls to a small table tucked in the corner, where most seats are occupied by dolls. "Do your dolls have names?" She implores, remembering how obsessed she was with dolls when she was younger. Celeste nods and picks one of the dolls up, "Yes! This one is Sofie, she's a princess."

Ceraphina grabs the teapot and opens the lid, "And our Daddy is the President of Panem." Soarynn nods along, "Yes he is, his job is very important." Ceraphina tilts her head and takes another step towards Soarynn, not stopping until they're toe to toe, "Are you gonna leave like the other nanny?"

Soarynn wishes she could give Ceraphina assurances, but her father made it very clear that tomorrow was not promised. Soarynn crouches down until she's at eye level with Ceraphina and tucks a stray curl behind her ear, "I'm going to be here as long as I possibly can, okay?" It seems that Ceraphina wanted to hear something along those lines because she breaks into a big smile, "Perfect! Our Mommy died so we don't have a Mommy anymore, right Celeste?"

Celeste who's making her doll drink imaginary tea perks up and nods, "Yep, Mommy died because she was sick. Daddy says so."

Soarynn cards her fingers through her hair and sighs, "Yes, I heard about that, I'm so very sorry for your loss." Ceraphina shrugs and reaches out to touch Soarynn's shirt, "It's okay, I get to go to school next year, Daddy says so."

"Momma." Soarynn looks over to the left where Caspian, the youngest of the Snow children has slowly pushed himself up and is carefully walking over to them, "Cas, Mommy isn't here anymore, remember? Now Soarynn takes care of us," Ceraphina explains, taking his small hand in her small one.

Caspian pouts and looks down at his small shoes, "Soar."

Soarynn smiles and reaches out to run a hand over his blonde curls, "That's right Caspian, I'm here to take care of you all. Now why don't we have some tea?"

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn never knew that children could have so much energy until now.

She's steps behind the girls who are running ahead of her, leading her to what's supposedly the ballroom. "Come on!" Ceraphina calls, waving her over, "It's this way!" Soarynn tightens her hold on Caspian's small hand as they slowly walk down the hallway, making sure not to walk too fast for his pace, "We're coming."

The Snow children are from what she's gathered, more aware than they're given credit for. Both girls are extremely smart and outgoing, always wanting to take the lead whereas Caspian is quiet as a mouse. Ceraphina says he wasn't always this way, that he talked more before Livia died. Now he simply latches onto the nearest stuffed animal which in today's case, is Lenny the lion.

"Lenny," Caspian says, holding up his stuffed animal for Soarynn to see again. She nods and squeezes Caspian's hand, "I can see that. Are you sure that you want to bring Lenny outside?"

Soarynn had suggested going to play outside after being cooped up in the playroom for a good two hours, figuring a little fresh air couldn't hurt. Both girls are waiting for them when they finally reach the ballroom and it's bigger than Soarynn could've imagined. "Oh my," she whispers, "nothing is small in this house is it?"

Ceraphina skips over to her, her curls bouncing, "C'mon Soarynn! C'mon Caspian, let's go outside!"

Caspian it seems is still debating whether or not to bring his beloved stuffed lion but he comes to a conclusion and gives Soarynn a nod, “Outside Lenny.”

Well, if that’s what he wants.

All four of them make their way across the shiny ballroom floor, it’s so perfectly polished that Soarynn can see her reflection in it. “Do you come into this room often?” She asks, glancing up at the ornate ceiling. Celeste twirls in front of her, holding out her arms for balance, “Nope! Ever since Mommy died we stopped having parties.”

Oh, well, best not to bring up the ballroom again.

Soarynn can’t help but feel as if she’s digging up old memories of the children’s mother. Perhaps she should stick to more surface-level topics like coloring and playing dress-up.

She lets out a deep sigh when they finally push open the large doors that lead to the terrace. The sun is shining and the birds are chirping, gladly welcoming the Snow children and their new nanny to a beautiful summer day.

The girls run ahead once again, twirling by the steps that lead down to the grounds. “Look at the clouds!” Celeste calls out, pointing at the white fluffy clouds. Soarynn looks down to find Caspian staring up at the sky with fascination, “Cloud,” he says, reaching his small hand up.

Soarynn nods, “That’s right, there are quite a few clouds today.”

“Let’s go play in the gardens!”

Soarynn nods to Ceraphina’s words and leads her and Caspian over to the steps, coming to a halt when she realizes just how many steps they’ll have to take. Caspian seems to be able to walk by himself for the most part, but she’d rather not test it.

“Do you mind if I pick you up?” She asks, feeling a bit silly asking a two-year-old for permission but he’s not just any two-year-old, no, he’s the President of Panem’s only son. He’ll be treated as such.

Caspian seems to give it some thought before he nods, “Up,” he agrees, allowing Soarynn to swoop him up and hold him on her hip. He barely weighs anything to her and this will be much easier for conquering the stairs.

It's adorable how quickly he clings to her, resting his head on her chest while one of his hands holds her shirt. From what she's seen he's a very sweet little boy, quiet but sweet. Anyone must be quiet in comparison to his sisters though who are very outspoken.

Once they reach the ground she goes to put him down but Caspian clings to her even tighter, "No!" Soarynn's eyes widen in surprise, but she won't be the one to deny him. "Alright," she says, "don't need to tell me twice."

They follow the girls around while they play, chasing butterflies and giggling, happy as can be. Caspian watches in fascination but makes no indications of wanting to be put back down. He's as comfy as can be. A butterfly lands on top of his stuffed lion after a while of the girls chasing it, dangling precariously on Lenny the lion.

Soarynn gasps, smiling at how confused Caspian seems at the butterfly, "It's a butterfly Caspian," she tells him, "looks like he likes Lenny." Ceraphina and Celeste eye the butterfly with mischievous smiles, "Can we hold Lenny Caspian?" Ceraphina asks, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Soarynn can see where this is going and it'll end in tears.

"I don't think so," she answers for Caspian who clutches onto Lenny for dear life, Ceraphina frowns but Soarynn doesn't want a dead butterfly on her hands. Their father wouldn't be very pleased with that.

Both girls settle for simply watching the butterfly and Soarynn can't help but feel as if they're being watched. Which she's sure they are, but by security. Where the Snow children go, Peacekeepers are sure to follow to ensure their safety at all times.

She looks up at the Mansion, her eyes zeroing in on a figure standing by one of the windows. President Snow.

She feels caught even though she's doing nothing wrong. Being under his scrutinizing gaze is more than enough to make someone feel guilty.

Soarynn turns so Caspian can see his father, "Look Caspian," she points, "there's your father." All three children look up and the girls gasp, waving up at the most intimidating man in the world, "Hi Daddy!" Caspian simply stares up at the window, his bright blue eyes watching his father.

President Snow doesn't wave back and a moment later he's turning away from the window, his attention seemingly called elsewhere. "Does your father ever come outside with you?" Soarynn asks Ceraphina who seems to have all the answers to her questions.

Ceraphina shakes her head, "Nope. Mommy didn't like us playing outside because she'd get her shoes dirty."

The more she hears about Livia Snow, the more she wonders about her. "I see. Why don't we go play over here?" Soarynn suggests, wanting to get their mind off of their mother as much as she can.

It is, after all, her job to make them happy.

꧁ ꧂

"Coriolanus is going to be at dinner tonight, so you'll stay with the children until he gets back home," Eudora tells her. Soarynn can only nod along to her words, "Alright. I suppose the children will be having dinner early then?"

They're seated in one of the many sitting rooms the President's Mansion has. This one is entirely red, from the furniture to the wall color. Soarynn can't help but study Eudora Trinket now that they're up close and personal. She's very beautiful, with long eyelashes and perfect skin. She must know all the ins and outs after working with the Snow family for so long.

"Yes, the most important part of their nighttime routines is simply making sure that they're all asleep before Coriolanus gets home. He doesn't like coming home to a house full of wild children, not that the children could ever be wild," she mumbles. "Anyways, Caspian is the hardest to get down, he's been quite fussy since his mother passed away, nothing seems to calm him down these days so any tricks are appreciated. Coriolanus doesn't want to turn to medication to get him to sleep."

Soarynn frowns at the suggestion of giving that sweet little boy medicine to make him fall asleep. She'll make sure he's dreaming of happy things before his father gets home tonight.

"I'll see to it that all the children are sound asleep when President Snow arrives," Soarynn assures her, glancing out into the hallway where all three children are playing on the floor with their toys. Eudora had found them all outside and called them in so she could go over a few more things with Soarynn.

She gave them all lemonade and cherry tarts, a delicious snack in Soarynn's opinion.

"How have they been so far? I know the girls can tend to get a little too excited whenever there's a new nanny in the house," Eudora says softly, giving Soarynn a somewhat sympathetic look. Soarynn shrugs and offers her a tight-lipped smile, "They've been wonderful. And a great help in showing me where everything is. It'll take a few days for me to get my bearings."

Soarynn knew the Presidential Mansion was big, but she never imagined it would be this big. It's like a maze with all these corridors and hallways, small rooms and large rooms.

Eudora chuckles, taking a sip of her lemonade, "Yes, the Mansion can be quite confusing. I think Coriolanus prefers it that way." Soarynn raises her eyebrows, surprised at what the President seems to prefer and not prefer, "You must be close to him then if you can call him by his first name?"

Eudora hums, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger, "Not necessarily close, but he knows I'm not going anywhere. After Livia passed it was so strange, he was so...dependent on me, and Coriolanus is very independent, very closed off as you've seen. But it was as if he needed me to tell him what to do every five minutes. I think he was in shock if I'm being honest. Nothing prepares you to become a single parent you know."

Soarynn nods, while she doesn't have any children of her own, she certainly knows what it feels like to lose a parent, a loved one.

"I see him as a nephew," Eudora continues, "sometimes a rather annoying one but I do care for him and his children deeply. They're a good family, and he tries to be a good father. It's not easy running a country and looking after three children, so the search for a reliable nanny has been rather difficult these past few months."

"Soarynn? Can we go play something else?"

Both women snap back into focus at Celeste's question and Soarynn is quick to put on a smile and wipe her hands off on her skirt, "Of course we can sweetheart, let's go back to the playroom."

Celeste smiles up at her, reaching for Soarynn's hand and she gladly takes it, "Okay! Daddy bought us new dresses to play dress-up in, maybe you can fit into one!"

Soarynn hums, slowly standing up from the sofa and giving Eudora a nod, "We'll see you at dinner?"

"You will dear," Eudora confirms.

"Let's go, let's go!" Celeste chants, dragging Soarynn towards her siblings, "I'm coming, I'm coming," Soarynn mumbles, watching the other two Snow children light up when they see her walking towards them.

"You're gonna play dress-up with us?" Ceraphina asks, her blue-gray eyes twinkling with excitement. Soarynn gives her a confirming nod, bending down to pick up Caspian who's already reaching out for her, "I sure am."

"Are you gonna play other games with us too?"

Soarynn adjusts Caspian on her hip, not wanting him to slip while they go up the stairs, "I'll play whatever games you want me to play."

And she means it too. Whatever makes them happy.

꧁ ꧂

"Come on girls, it's time for bed."

Neither of the girls put up a fight which Soarynn is grateful for. It's been a long day.

"Will you read us a story?"

"I sure will."

All three children have their own rooms but Soarynn learned at dinner that Ceraphina and Celeste prefer to sleep in the same room together. She didn't need Eudora to tell her why, she already knew why. Because their mother died so now everything was different than it was before.

She finds it rather sweet though, how no matter how much these girls have, they always choose to stick together. And all three children could easily sleep in one room considering the sheer size of their bedrooms. Ceraphina's is all pink, with a large canopy bed filled to the brim with stuffed animals. Soarynn doesn't know how they manage to get any sleep but the girls claim that the animals help keep them safe.

They both run to the bed, dressed in the softest pajamas with their hair braided down their backs. Soarynn had been a bit nervous about bath time since she found that children either loved it or hated it, but the girls didn't put up any fuss, only wanting her to style their hair once they were done.

"Come look at all our stuffed animals," Ceraphina calls out, crawling over her sheets to gather as many animals as she possibly can. Soarynn spots several bunny rabbits and horses. "My goodness, you two certainly have quite the collection," Soarynn says, sitting on the edge of the bed. Celeste giggles and flops onto the pile of pillows, "Yep! Daddy always buys us stuffed animals when he goes away on trips."

Soarynn pales at the thought of President Snow going away on business. She hadn't seen him once today besides that moment in the window, but just knowing that he was here in case anything went wrong made her feel much better. To have him in the Districts worries her.

"How thoughtful of him," she murmurs, pinching the bedsheets between her fingers, "what story do you want to hear tonight?"

Both girls scrunch their noses while they think, a cute habit they must've picked up from one of their parents. Ceraphina being the oldest is the first to have an answer, "The one about the bunny rabbits in the meadow." Celeste perks up at that suggestion and quickly nods, a few of her shorter curls springing loose, "Yes! Eudora doesn't do the voices like Daddy does."

Soarynn frowns, "The voices?"

"Mhm. Whenever Daddy reads to us he does funny voices for the characters."

Oh, how...sweet. Soarynn didn't even think that President Snow ever put his girls to sleep but apparently, there have been enough times for them to grow used to his silly voices. And what a silly thought to picture the President of Panem changing his voice to mimic bunny rabbits.

A parent's love knows no bounds.

"Alright, I'll do the voices, although I won't be as good as your father," Soarynn warns them, earning her some giggles. "It's okay," Celeste tells her, "the other nanny never read us bedtime stories."

What monster did they hire before her?

Soarynn pushes those thoughts away and goes to search for their requested book, mentally preparing to come up with some bunny rabbit voices.

How hard can it be?

꧁ ꧂

"I know," Soarynn whispers, bouncing a wailing Caspian up and down, "but you're so tired sweet boy, you need to go to bed."

Caspian tries to wiggle out of her hold but Soarynn will be damned if she drops the President's son because he doesn't want to go to bed. "No! Momma want Momma!" He cries out for the hundredth time.

Soarynn sighs, she hadn't anticipated Caspian putting up such a fuss about bedtime. The girls went down easy after she read them a bedtime story. It nearly broke her heart when they both made sure to confirm that she'd be coming back tomorrow.

She can't imagine how many times those sweet girls have watched another woman walk out of their lives, almost the same way their mother did.

But she promised them that she'd come back tomorrow.

Unless their father decides to fire her tonight.

"Do you want Lenny?" Soarynn asks, grabbing the stuffed lion off from his dresser, "No Lenny," Caspian says, more tears falling down his chubby little cheeks. Soarynn gently wipes away his tears, glancing at the clock again. It's almost eight o'clock, far past his bedtime but Caspian is not going down without a fight it seems.

Soarynn looks out the large windows of his nursery, wondering what it would be like for this to be your view every day, the Mansion grounds with the Capitol right behind your backyard. The children don't even blink at the idea of their father being the President.

A wild idea crosses her mind but it's better than the other things she's tried. "Why don't I sing you a song hmm? Would you like a lullaby?"

Caspian hiccups, his cries faltering at her suggestion. He probably understands more than he lets onto but Soarynn can't really blame him. He's the baby of the family.

Soarynn walks over to the rocking chair, groaning when she finally sits down and gets off her feet, "Much better," she decides, smoothing down his curls, "See? It's alright Caspian, you're alright."

She digs through the rolodex of songs in her mind, she always loved to sing, even sang in the choir at the Academy for a couple years. But once her father passed away, she hasn't felt like singing a whole lot.

But tonight calls for all the stops.

Soarynn cradles his head agasint her chest, rocking them back and forth when she begins to sing.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow, A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your eyes, and when they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, here it's warm, here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."

Soarynn swallows after signing the last line, remembering her father kissing her forehead whenever he'd sing it.

She presses a soft kiss to Caspian's forehead, smiling at how precious he looks when he's asleep.

She rocks them for a little longer, humming the song to keep him asleep before she finally stands up and walks him over to his crib. Eudora says he'll get a bed once he turns three, but until then he's got his crib, beautifully carved mahogany at that.

"Sweet dreams sweet boy," she whispers, carefully placing him down in his crib, making sure he has Lenny the lion within his grasp just in case he needs a friend.

Soarynn watches him sleep for a moment, wanting to make sure he doesn't wake up needing anything.

She can't help but feel an internal need to protect these children, to care for them and make sure they know how loved they are, even if it's not really her place to do so.

She finally leaves, quietly closing the doors behind her and letting out a breath of relief once she's finally alone.

Today felt like five years compressed into one.

And it's only her first day.

Still, she enjoyed getting to know the children. All that's left for her to do is wait for their father to return home. So she settles in the playroom, curling up on one of the larger sofas they have with the book she brought along with her in case she had some free time. After today, she knows she won't.

Soarynn listens out for anyone calling her name, the sound of any children padding down the empty hallways but she hears nothing.

Nothing until heavy footsteps announce themselves at the playroom doors. Soarynn looks up wide-eyed at President Snow who's lingering in the doorway, watching her.

"I...you're back," she finally manages to get out, her voice merely a whisper.

He nods, stepping into the playroom, "I am, and none of my children were there to greet me at the door so I suppose you succeeded in getting them all to sleep."

Soarynn swallows, praying that one of the children doesn't decide to make a grand entrance right now, "I did," she replies.

President Snow looks around the playroom, his eyes scanning over all the toys and miniature pieces of furniture he probably had custom-made for his children, "Haven't been in here for a while."

Soarynn closes her book, she wasn't prepared for small talk. "The children seem to enjoy playing in here together."

He slowly nods, his eyes traveling up and down her body. She took of her shoes but now she's wishing she kept the heels on, she must look so unprofessional.

"Dinner was good then?" She asks, immediately wishing she had just kept her mouth shut. She's the nanny, not the assistant.

President Snow raises his eyebrows at her question while she waits for him to fire her on the spot, but he surprises her. "It was good," he agrees, "long but good."

They both sit in their silence for a few beats, neither of them knowing what to say until he cards his fingers through his curls, "Why don't we check on the children so you can go home?"

Soarynn shoots up from the sofa, grabbing her things and slipping on her heels, "Excellent idea."

He steps to the side so she can walk out and Soarynn feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand up when she feels his warm breath on her for a second. But then it's gone and they're both walking side by side towards the children's rooms.

"They were well-behaved today?"

"Yes sir."

"Good," he grunts, clasping his hands behind his back, "I've never known them not to be," he adds.

Soarynn believes him, the Snow children are very sweet.

They stop at Ceraphina's doors and Soarynn carefully cracks them open, peering in to see both girls under the covers, sound asleep with stuffed animals in their hands. She can feel President Snow right behind her, his presence is overwhelming. She looks up to find that he has a genuine look on his normally stern face, a small smile splayed across his lips.

"They can't stand to be apart," he whispers, backing up so that she can close the doors, "they might as well be twins."

Soarynn chuckles, "They certainly act like twins."

She's never seen sisters be so close before, so in tune with one another.

President Snow hums, "Yes, well it's good they're both asleep. They've had a busy day."

How do you even know that? She wants to ask him but Soarynn chides herself while they walk down to Caspian's nursery, she's sure he has all sorts of people telling him about every little thing his children do when he's not with them.

She holds her breath when he opens the doors to Caspian's nursery, praying that they aren't welcomed by wailing but all she hears is silence. She peers in to see him still asleep, Lenny hugged to his chest now.

Soarynn does her best not to look entirely relieved.

President Snow watches his son for a moment, long enough for Soarynn to look back in, just to make sure something isn't amiss but it all looks good to her.

"No one's ever been able to get him to sleep," he says softly, disbelief reflecting in his piercing blue eyes, "no one except me and Livia."

Soarynn wonders if that's supposed to be a compliment, supposed to make her feel proud. She thinks back to Caspian crying for his mother, desperately seeking her out even though she no longer exists.

"I just sang him a lullaby," she explains, brushing her hair behind her ears. President Snow closes the doors gently before looking down at her, so imposing and authoritative, "It must have been some lullaby. He's never slept like this since Livia passed," he says, shaking his head, "every nanny would greet me with a wailing son and tired eyes."

Soarynn is most definitely tired but she's missing a crying Caspian and she's proud of that. He wasn't too fussy once she started singing. "Well I'm glad that you were able to be greeted by a quiet house," is what she finally says, not wanting to say the wrong thing and come off as cocky or arrogant.

He nods, rubbing the back of his neck, "Me as well. I suppose that's all for today then, my driver will take you home."

Soarynn wants to jump for joy, she survived the first day! But she refrains from doing so and simply nods, "That's very kind of you. Thank you, sir."

President Snow hums, already padding down the hall to his own room. "Goodnight Ms. Nightingale," he calls, not even looking back at her.

Soarynn watches him go, he must be terribly lonely in this big Mansion, with no one to truly talk to unless he's paying them to listen. She's no different then, just another employee.

"Goodnight sir," she whispers, turning on her heel to walk in the opposite direction.

She quietly makes her way downstairs, towards the side entrance Eudora had shown her after dinner. The front entrance was for big spectacles, important visitors who had to be seen entering the President's Mansion to send a message to those watching. On a daily basis, those who worked and lived inside the Mansion used the side entrance since it was more secluded and just easier to access.

Soarynn is met by the President's driver and the cool evening air, "Good evening Ms. Nightingale," the driver greets her with a curt bow at the waist, "you reside on Cornelia Street, is that correct?"

Soarynn doesn't even want to know how he knows where she lives. "Yes," is all she says before slipping into the car. It's quite possibly the most luxurious vehicle she's ever been inside of with custom-wrapped leather seats, a small mini bar, and so much leg room. Ten people could easily fit inside of this car.

She leans against the window once the car begins to move, watching as a side gate opens up for the car, guarded by two Peacekeepers armed with guns. She'll have to get used to their presence.

She nearly drifts off to sleep but snaps herself awake when she sees the familiar townhouses that neighbor her own. Her fingers trail along the fine leather interior, stopping at the door handle where there's another rose engraved into the metal.

He must love roses.

The car comes to a quiet stop and the driver opens the door for her a moment later, promising to be back in the morning to pick her up. Soarynn didn't think she'd be given privileges such as this but she's not complaining. This is much better than walking.

Soarynn yawns once she's within the safety of her own home, so very ready to get some sleep. She still can't believe she got the job, that she works for the President of Panem now. She ought to do everything in her power to keep this job for the sake of the children.

She just hopes it doesn't come at the cost of her own sanity.

| Part 1. |

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

[neobubz]

Prey (M)

Word Count: approx. 23k Pairing: fem reader x jaemin Warning(s): mature audiences only, explicit language, horror, sex, smut, kidnapping, abusive relationship, dubcon, slow-burn, story telling Preview: Sighing in bed your heart still hums with the smallest tickle of desire. The feeling of Jaemin’s arousal still prevalent against your core. Biting your bottom lip you hold back the urge to relieve yourself of this yearning. It’s strange. You’ve only known him completely for two days and yet you feel like you’ve known him a lot longer. His caring nature the complete opposite of your ex. The way his lips tug up slowly into such a bright smile has little butterflies soaring through you.

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

Stumbling around a corner you grasp onto the sharp concrete edge. Not even out from the underground labyrinth you’re exhausted, hurt, and wanting this game to end. Glancing down at your ankle it’s already showing signs of bruising. Having tripped down the last four steps when you heard the familiar sound of chains being dropped to the floor behind you, you landed hard on your ankle.

“Princess!” A sweet voice calls out to you from far away. “Come out; come out, wherever you are!”

“Shit!”

Limping forward you do your best not to put too much weight on your ankle. You needed to get as far away from that jackass as possible. Spending a week on the run you’ve managed to stay away from him. The only time coming into any form of contact was when you headed to a safe room that was provided on every floor.

Each floor has a special padded room where there’s a bed, bathroom, and table for you to eat and rest. Every morning you’re woken by an alarm. Giving you time to eat a meal that is dropped off to you by a dumbwaiter and time to shower and change into a fresh pair of clothes — white leggings, white socks, white shoes, and a white sweatshirt — before being let loose to try to make it to your designated exit, the front gates.

Each time you’re given a month to try to escape. The first attempts you failed ending up getting caught quickly. Not knowing the layout of the house, not aware of the rules you kept failing every time. Now, more aware of your surroundings and more aware of the rules you’ve made it a whole week without being caught once!

Feeling victorious you slip into a small room that leads you to the next floor through a secret passageway. This house has many hidden rooms and secret tunnels that have both helped you escape your captor but also led you straight to him. This particular tunnel will lead you to the massive library, one that always reminded you of the Beast’s library in Beauty and the Beast. Huge bookshelves that you need one of those tall ladders to reach the top shelf. Three individual floors stocked with books from multiple generations that grew up here.

Crawling up the staircase trying to be as quiet as possible you hear the thud and clang of chains through the wall. Holding your breath and keeping still you try not to make a sound — terrified that somehow the man after you will have the ability to pull you through the wall. To claim what little hope of freedom remained.

“Where could she have run off to?” His sweet voice sounded as if he was right next to you. “What do you think, Nana?”

Internally groaning you remain still. Nana, the female Doberman who hates your fucking guts is helping him.

Of course she is! He never plays fair!

There are exactly three Doberman’s on the grounds. Nana is the only one you know by name since she’s the only one allowed inside. The other two, guard the outside, only knowing them as ‘The Boys.’

When you first arrived you were chased to the front door and almost mauled by the two guard dogs. The truth is, it was Christmas time and you were finally going home after three years of working through every holiday — climbing the corporate ladder. Your father understood your determination to reach your goal of Vice President, while your mother — she wanted her baby home, saying that she’s missed you time and time again.

On your way to your parents’ house your car decided to break down on the side of an old back road. The highways congested by a terrible accident had you hitting your GPS for an alternate route. Well, that is until your GPS gave out and you were driving blind. From your memory you were just five hours shy of your old town. Having traveled all day you planned to camp out at a hotel before setting off for the rest of your journey.

When your car broke down, you tried to find a signal to call for a tow truck. You tried to call home and perhaps get a ride from your dad who would be more than willing to make the journey. No signal. Trekking for miles you ended up deep into a wooded section trying to find a tall hill to try again. No signal.

Hours passed, your feet blistered from the stupid heels you decided to keep on from work —taking them off you start walking on the forest floor bare footed.

Your phone reading 2AM had you slumping over a huge boulder when lights sparked on in the distance. Lights meant people! People meant help! Help meant getting the fuck out of here and back home!

Making a dash towards the lights you pray they don’t go out. Stomping on twigs, branches, rocks, you pay no mind to the stinging pain in your feet. The only thing you wanted was to get some help and possibly some food. Making it to the source of the lights you find yourself in front of a huge gate. Well, several gates to be exact. All with beautiful ornate designs and what look like chains looking them up tight.

“Fuck!” You curse. “Come on, don’t do this to me!” You look around frantically for a call box, a way to contact the owners. “Shit!” You stomp when there’s nothing in sight.

Walking around the side of the house in search for a side or rear entrance. With the size of the estate there has to be a place where a groundskeeper lived, or someone patrolling that will be able to help you. And that’s when you see it! The golden opportunity! A door through a stone wall is sitting wide open.

“Jackpot!” You rush over. Peeking inside you call out before entering. “Hello? Hello?!” You take a step onto the property. “Excuse me! Hello?! Is anyone there?”

Not a single sound. No owls hooting. No wolves howling far off in the distance. No crickets or other woodland creatures making noise to signal their presence. Nothing.

Fog covers most of the ground blocking your view completely after 20 yards. Keeping close to the wall as a guide back to the door, you take your first real steps through the property. Finally, hearing a noise, you recognize the whinny of a horse.

Walking towards the sound you see a stable with a beautiful black horse sticking its head out. “Hey there,” you giggle, walking up to it. “What’s your name?”

Sticking out your hand, you allow the horse to give you a little sniff. Amazed at its reaction when it nuzzles against your hand you spot what you believe is its name on the front of the stall door. ‘Minnie.’

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Minnie.” Sighing you try to peer through the fog. “If you’re here that means someone’s here to take care of you.” Giving the horse one final pat you depart.

“Hello?! Please! I need some help! Is anyone here?” You call into the night.

Just then a bark sounds off through the fog. Minnie behind you starts to whinny loudly almost as if shouting out to you. Flittering between the barking that is now getting closer and sounding to be more than one dog and Minnie you start to head back in the direction you came from. Rushing towards the wall you keep one hand on it while you head for the door.

“Eh?!” You scream when you find the door has since been closed. “No! This…This is the door I came through!” You yank on the doorknob. “Hello?!” You bang on the wooden door. “Hello?!”

The barking grows louder sending you straight into a mad dash away from it. “Shit! Shit! Shit!” You try to find your way through the fog. “Please! Call off your dogs!” You cry into the night. “Please!”

Finding yourself in front of the tallest wall you’ve seen in terms of a residence you head for what you believe is the front door. “Sir! Madam! Anyone! Please!” You beg at each window. “Please! I’m not here to hurt you! I’m in need of help! Please!”

Low growling halts you in your steps. In front of you coming out of the fog are two large Doberman’s. Thanks to a childhood friend growing up you know the breed of dog — sadly, it’s a breed you want nothing to do with. Lowering their body, they start to growl. Teeth baring, saliva dripping — looking a lot like Cerberus, minus one head.

“D-Down…” you gulp. “I’m a friend…” you try to reason with the snarling beasts. “H-H-Help!” You screech. “Please!”

The dogs slowly start to approach you, backing you further away from the front of the house. Keeping your movements slow you keep a safe distance from them. Well, safe enough to make an attempt at escaping.

“Good dogs,” you try to placate them. “Very good at guarding the house… Such good…boys?” You question the genders.

One of the dogs lunges towards you which sends you off running towards the back of the house screaming like a banshee. Tripping over things that are sprawled out on the lawn you’re almost eaten alive but you manage to get to your feet fast enough. Rounding the corner heading to the front of the house you see a silhouette in the window.

“Please! Call off your dogs!” You shout banging on the window as you pass by it.

Rounding the next corner you leap up to the front porch ringing and banging on the door for dear life as the two dogs approach you slowly. Their fangs ready to tear into you. Your heart pounds in your ears as each step they take draws you closer to the end. Flashes of your childhood and of all the times you called your mom where she pleaded for you to come home plays before you.

Tears streaming down your face you call out for help once again. One of the dogs snaps at you, their face mere inches from your own. Using their body they force you to lie down on the ground, the other hovering close by.

“Please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I just want to go home!” You cry.

And that’s when it happened. A loud whistle breaks through their snarling and both dogs back off of you sitting down near your feet – whimpers coming from both of them, their ears, and heads lowering almost as if in shame.

“Wh-What?” Your head arches back to see someone barefooted with another Doberman at their side.

“You’re the reason for all the noise?” A young man asks looking down at you with hooded eyes like he just woke up.

“Please! Please!” You scramble to your feet and reach out to him only to have the dog at his side block him. It too baring its fangs. This one however strikes more fear in you then the two behind you combined.

“Nana!” He shouts and the dog backs down. “Who are you? Why are you on my property?”

“Please…” your head starts to spin. “I need…” the world before you starts to darken. “Help…”

Everything turns black.

Slowly your eyes start to open. Blinking away the sleepiness your head feels thick and foggy. As if you’ve been sleeping for far too long. Your body aches as you start to come alive.

“What in the hell happened?” You ask yourself trying to sit up. Quickly holding onto your head the room starts to spin and your legs and feet ache. “Why am I so sore…?”

“Ah! You’re awake!” Startled you turn to the person who just spoke and see a young man holding a silver tray in his hands. “I thought I saw you moving more and figured you’d eventually wake up,” he smiles coming closer to you. “I just finished making some of my grandma’s homemade chicken noodle soup. I hope you’re hungry, there’s a lot of it!”

“Wh-Who are you?” You croak out sounding like a toad.

“You must be thirsty,” placing the tray down on a small stand near the bed you currently realize you’re in, he grabs a glass of clear liquid. “Drink up.”

Looking at the glass and the young man you shake your head in protest. ‘Rule number one, never accept drinks or food from strangers’ — your moms voice rings in your ear.

“It’s just water,” the young man laughs taking a good swig of the liquid. “See,” he holds out the glass.

“Who are you? Where am I?” You continue to croak.

“Sorry how rude of me. My name is Jaemin Na,” he chuckles. “And you’re currently in my downstairs guest room.”

“Why am I here?”

“You don’t remember?” You stare at him confused your head pounding. “You fainted last night — this morning, actually.” He quickly corrects.

You whisper, “I fainted…?”

Just then a large dog saunters into the room, a Doberman by the looks of it. In the split second it took you to identify the breed flashes of earlier spring forward. You running and screaming while two large dogs chase after you. Monstrous beasts hovering over you snapping at you, keeping you pressed against a wooden porch. The dog standing next to Jaemin notices the change in your demeanor and starts growling.

“N-No!” You crawl away from it in the large bed.

“It’s okay! Nana, go and play,” he urges the dog away. It doesn’t move but starts to whimper. “Nana!” He says in a stern voice. The dog takes one more look at you and you’d swear on your life it looked like it rolled its eyes before leaving the room. “Sorry, she’s a sweet girl but she doesn’t like anyone but me. She’s been like that since she was a puppy.”

“Three dogs?” You ask.

“Yes. There are three Doberman’s on the property. Nana is a guard dog for inside, and the boys, they guard outside. Now please, have some water. You need to hydrate.”

Eyeing the man in front of you every nerve in your body is on edge. The whole ordeal a little too strange but at the same time you were trespassing on what is most likely private property. You should consider yourself lucky your brains aren’t currently splattered on the ground, or that the dogs didn’t just tear you apart and eaten you for a midnight snack.

“My car broke down,” you whisper taking the glass. “I need to call for a tow truck. May I please use your phone?”

“Yes, of course. If you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing back here? No one is ever on these backroads.”

“There was an accident on the highway. I tried to bypass it and then my car broke down,” you take a sip of the water to find that it was indeed just water. Nothing strange smelling or tasting in it, you hope.

“I heard about that on the news last night. A huge 20 car pileup, consider yourself lucky you weren’t a part of it,” he sighs. “These roads including the highway gets pretty dangerous this time of year,” he gets up going to the tray. “Especially with the oncoming snow.”

You choke on your water. “Snow?!”

Nodding, Jaemin puts down the lid and heads over to long heavy curtains with tassels. They look like they’ve come straight out of gothic movie. Pulling the curtains open you see snow currently falling onto the ground.

“N-No!” You scramble to your feet but hiss when your feet make contact to the floor.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Jaemin sighs holding out a supporting hand. “I don’t know what you were doing but your feet are pretty messed up. Why didn’t you have shoes?”

“My heels,” you look around the room.

Scratching the back of his head Jaemin reaches underneath the bed. “These?” He holds up a pair that looks like it’s been through the shredder.

“M-My shoe…”

“Nana got a hold of them last night. I guess when you were being chased you dropped them. I tried to get them away from her but…yeah…I’m sorry. I hope they weren’t expensive. I can reimburse you!”

Sighing you crawl back into the bed provided for you. “No, they were just an old pair of shoes. It’s fine.”

“I don’t know how quickly a tow truck will be here. Do you have any belongings in your car that I can get for you?”

“I have a suitcase and my purse,” you tell the young man. “My cell…” you whisper. “My phone!!!”

“It’s right here! I managed to grab it before Nana did any damage to that don’t worry.”

“Thank goodness. I need to call my parents too.”

Nodding, Jaemin brings over the tray smiling proudly. “Why don’t you eat something first, I’ll get the first aid kit and get you all bandaged up and then you can go and make those phone calls while I head out and get your things?”

“Jaemin, please, you’ve already done so much as is. And I want to apologize for trespassing. I saw lights and I —”

Shaking his head he gives you a beautiful white-toothed smile. “It’s alright, really. I’m actually happy. I don’t get a lot of guests out here. It’s nice to have someone to talk to aside from the dogs.” Leaning into you he holds his hand up like he’s about to tell you a secret. “Between you and me they’re terrible communicators.”

Laughing for the first time since you left for your parents you smile at the lame joke. “Sadly, most animals are.”

“Well, I’ll let you eat. If you need anything I’ll be right outside in the other room.”

Jaemin turns to leave and just as he walks out of the room you call out to him. “Thank you! Jaemin…” your voice becomes small. “I really do appreciate this.”

“My pleasure,” he bows his head in your direction.

Glancing down at the warm bowl of soup that is really starting to make your mouth water you glance to the door. Hearing the TV turn on and the weather being put on you suspect that he isn’t trying to see if you take a bite or not. ‘Rule number one, never accept drinks or food from strangers.’

“Sorry mom…” you whisper before digging into the soup.

The first bite has your eyes rolling into the back of your head. A shiver rushing over your body at the scrumptious taste. Bite after bite you let the warmness of the soup coax your soul into tranquility.

Feeling like your life isn’t in danger by some creepy person you take a look around the room. The bed your in is quite large, most likely a queen with pretty plain covers — soft pink almost white, with matching curtains and pillows. The room overall feeling quite feminine. A chair sits off to the corner next to the window, a potted plant most likely fake behind the chair and a cute little reading corner to escape into the worlds of literature.

Across from the bed is a dresser and on top a mirror with scarce items around it. Tissues, small plants, and a few books for what you guess is aesthetic purposes mostly. To your left a nightstand and lamp rest with an old magazine from a few years ago. The room is quant but nothing to special. Just as one would expect of a guest room.

As you’re finishing up your soup Jaemin knocks on the door. “If you think you can make it, the phone is in the living room.”

“Oh, yes!”

“And I’ll take this,” he comes forward taking the soup bowl. “How was it?”

“The best chicken noodle soup I’ve ever tasted hands down!”

Giving a shy smile Jaemin nods. “Granny was known for her cooking. This was something I always wanted when we’d get snow here. Just makes everything cozier.”

“Are you here alone, Jaemin?”

“Yeah,” he lets out a deep sigh. “My parents are in the city a couple hours away. They never liked it here but me, I loved it. Everything is just slower when you’re out here. No one’s running into you on the streets. The air is cleaner. It’s quiet and of course the best part, no annoying neighbors.”

He walks out of the room with the tray continuing to talk. “I came out here a few years ago on a whim. I had to leave the city or else I was going to go crazy. I was only planning to stay for a couple of weeks but those weeks turned into years.” He walks back into the room. “And I haven’t regretted it since,” he holds out his hand for you.

“Not having annoying neighbors would be a dream,” you take hold of his hand. “I have this one neighbor who insists on singing terribly every night at around 8PM,” you groan. “I wouldn’t mind if he was half way decent but when he tries to hit those high notes it’s like a cat getting run over.”

Helping you out of bed, Jaemin wraps a secure arm around your waist. “If I’m being honest I wouldn’t mind a neighbor or two. Being out here is nice but it can get lonely. Would be nice every blue moon to talk to someone. Even if the only thing we talk about is the weather or sports.”

Assisting you across the floor you’re now aware of how badly you tore up your feet last night. The adrenaline from running away masking any pain that you should have felt.

“I want to apologize for my dogs. I did get them to be guard dogs but I didn’t think they’d have you running around and hurting yourself.” He peers down at you.

“It’s my fault. I’m the idiot who walked onto your property in the dark. They probably thought I meant to hurt you,” you laugh. “I am pretty tough when I need to be.”

Laughing at your joke Jaemin’s hand tightens around your waist. “I’d better be careful. I haven’t found a wife yet and I’d rather not have my face messed up before then.”

He sets you down on the couch then grabs the throw blanket that was on the back of what you assume is his chair. “Hard to find someone out here?”

“Talk about impossible,” he places the blanket over your lap. “That is unless I want to be a sugar baby with a granny as my sugar momma.”

Trying not to laugh you turn from him. “That’s unfortunate,” you let out a small giggle.

“Yah!!” He chuckles. “I’m not kidding! It’s granny city out here! You would think when someone gets old they’d want to be near hospitals and everything else that will help keep them preserved. No, these grannies are rough and tough.”

“Poor Jaemin,” you pout as he brings the phone over to you.

“Tell me about it,” he pretends to cry.

“A landline,” you smile gently. “Haven’t seen one of these in a long time.”

“Well the cell service out here is spotty. This baby is great if you ever have an emergency.”

Taking a seat in his chair Jaemin quiets down as you dial your childhood home number. This isn’t what you wanted. You wanted to surprise your parents with coming home for the holidays. To just pop up on their doorstep and practically give your mom a heart attack because she was so happy to see you. Now…Sighing you wait for someone to answer. You’ll have to ruin everything.

“Hello?” Your father answers.

“Dad?”

“Baby! How are you? What are you doing calling in the middle of the day? Shouldn’t you be working?”

“I, umm…” you start to twist the coiled cord around your finger just like you did back when you were a kid and had to talk to family you really didn’t want to. “Dad…you see…”

The couch dips down beside you. Glancing over Jaemin urges you to tell him what happened.

“Dad, hold on for just a second.”

“O-Okay?” He asks worried.

Covering the mouthpiece you let out a staggered breath. “What are you doing?” Jaemin whispers.

“I was planning on surprising my parents this year. They didn’t know I was coming up. They thought I was working through the holidays.”

“Wow that is a surprise,” he pauses to think. “Mind if I talk?”

“Y-You?”

Nodding Jaemin takes the phone away from you. “Sir? Yes, hello. My name is Jaemin Na and I’m sitting with your beautiful daughter right now. The reason she called you,” he glances down at you his lips turning up into a smile. “Is because she wanted to ask if you’d join us for Christmas.”

“WAIT?!” You whisper shout at him.

“You see sir,” he chuckles. “Well, your daughter and I have been getting rather close,” he winks dramatically. “I thought it was only customary to meet her parents and we can all get to know each other before, well…” he stills his body becoming stiff.

“What did he say?” You nudge Jaemin.

Gulping Jaemin nods, “y-yes sir.” His voice cracks. “Th-Thank you, sir.”

“Jaemin!!!” You whine.

“Yes, I’ll put her back on.”

Handing the phone back to you, you watch Jaemin lean back onto the couch looking like he’s seen a ghost. “Dad what did you do to him?!” You shout.

“I’m so happy, baby,” he sniffs. “Your mom is already packing her things as we speak.”

“Really?! You’re coming?!” You grab hold of Jaemin’s knee out of excitement.

Looking down at your hand Jaemin really looks at you for the first time. Seeing your beautiful hair shining in the ray of light permeating through the window. The pure joy on your face as you talk to your father. It’s been years since he’s seen someone genuinely happy. Ever since his granny passed the world seemed dull — with you here beside him, he cracks a smile, it feels like his grey world is starting to find some color again.

“Yes, okay, yeah I’ll put Jaemin on. I love you too daddy! See you soon!” Holding out the phone you whisper address to Jaemin.

“Oh, yes, sir, the address is…”

Waiting until Jaemin hangs up the phone you hit him hard on his leg. “Ahhhhh!!!” He shrieks. “What was that for?!”

“What did you do Jaemin?! Why are my parents coming here for Christmas?!”

Rubbing his leg he pouts. “I was thinking on my toes. Plus, you can’t possibly think you’ll be able to trudge through the snow all the way to your car with your feet as bad as they are!”

“They’re not that bad. See!” You stand up and take one single step on your right foot. A wave of pain rumbles through you. “Shit…” you whisper stuck in place.

“Told you,” Jaemin grabs your hand pulling you down to the couch. “I’m sorry if I overstepped. I didn’t mean to. The house is big enough for your parents and then some.”

“But what about you? Won’t this ruin your Christmas plans?”

“What Christmas plans?” He scratches the back of his neck chuckling. “My parents are too busy rubbing elbows with every other rich person in the city. The parties are always the same and always boring. I’ve been skipping out on them since I was 14. I normally spent my Christmas’ here with my granny.”

“When did she pass?”

“A year before I came to stay here. I would have come sooner but it felt wrong to just show up here with her gone.”

“D-Did she pass here?” You look around spooked at the thought someone died here.

“Nope. Dad shoved her in a nursing home. Don’t get me wrong it was a ritzy place but it wasn’t home for her.”

Your shoulders falling as you relax; you reach over giving Jaemin’s knee a little squeeze. “I’m sorry about her passing and I’m sorry your parents didn’t see a long time ago that Christmas should be spent with your family not with snobs.”

“Thanks…” he places his hand over yours. “Seriously with your parents and you here it’s going to make this a pretty awesome Christmas.”

“A part of me wonders if you didn’t set this up so you wouldn’t be alone,” you squint.

Avoiding your gaze Jaemin starts to smile coyly. “Alone? Who’s alone? I have Nana…”

“Yeah…you’d have spent it alone,” you shake your head. “I guess in a weird way I’m glad things happened the way they did last night. I don’t want to think for a second someone as sweet as you is spending Christmas alone…”

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

“Hmmm…maybe she went into another room. Let’s go, Nana.”

Hearing the dragging of a chain as well as Nana’s bark farther off into the distance you slowly let out a breath you were holding. Doing your best to remain quiet you head up the staircase that will lead you to a painting in the library. Little by little you tread carefully.

Determined to make it out of this hell hole you move like a cat up the stairs. When you reach the top of the stairs, you take a huge breath in. This is the furthest you’ve made it in a while. Looking straight ahead at the wall, you carefully unhook two clamps. There was a secret about the painting in the library. Behind it there were holes in the wall that allowed you to see out through the eyes of the painting.

Standing on your tippy toes, your ankle throbbing as you do, you peer into the library. Only able to see a few feet in front of you and a little to the right and left, you can’t see anyone.

Excited you grab the doorknob ready to rush out of this tunnel and make your way to the front of the house. Because for once…

You made it! You actually did it!

“Gotcha!” A voice behind you snickers as strong arms wrap around your waist.

“No!!! No!!!!!” You scream thrashing in your captors arms. “Get off of me! Get off!!!!”

“Now, now, princess.” He laughs doing his best to attach the chain to your collar. “You know the rules. Rule 5, ‘If I catch you, you need to come quietly.’”

“Get off!!” You start to cry reaching for the door to run away from him. “Please!!!”

“Maybe you’ll be a little smarter next time.”

Turning your body away from the door you come face to face with the man that’s kept you locked in this home for lord knows how long. His once black hair now dyed silver, dark brown eyes, a beautiful smile that once made your stomach soar with butterflies, now it only makes you churn with revulsion. He leans into you placing his forehead onto yours.

“I’ve missed you this past week,” he nuzzles his nose with yours.

“Please…just let me go…” you beg.

Wrapping his arms around you tighter he holds you flush against his chest. “You know I can’t do that. Now, come on. It’s time for dinner.”

Letting go of you, you try to make a beeline straight for the door but are yanked back when he pulls hard on the chain. Immediately the air is taken from you. Your head thrashing forward as you’re pulled back — straining against the already tight collar. Choking, your gasps echo in the staircase. Falling forward he keeps a tight grip on the chain — ensuring you don’t hurt yourself and you can’t get away from him.

“Princess!” He snarls. “What have I told you about doing that?! I don’t want to hurt you!” Rubbing his forehead he thrashes his arm down yanking you forward. “Rule 7! ‘If you try to resist I will have to make you submit!’” He roars. “I don’t want to hurt you! I love you! But you keep breaking the rules! They’re there for you so you don’t get hurt!”

Taking a few collective breaths he attempts to calm himself down. It’s understandable that you try to resist. If the roles were reversed — he pauses, thinking. The corner of his lip tugs up into a smirk before his tongue glides across to the same corner. If the roles were reversed he’d be happy that you’ve kept him the whole time. Doing his best to please you.

The idea of him kneeling on the ground in front of you. Collar on tight and your hand having a firm grip on the leash — smiling proudly at him. Running a hand through his hair and filling his head with compliment after compliment has him ensnaring an arm around your waist, his lips dangerously close to your own.

“I need you,” he whispers his breath hot on your face. The faintest hint of his favorite brand of coffee wafting around the two of you.

“N-No…” you cry out trying to tug on the collar. “Please…I’m hurt…”

He becomes rigid. “Hurt? When?”

“On the stairs earlier.”

Turning his head away another round of fury courses through him. The thought of plowing into you long gone in the blink of an eye. Rule 2, ‘if the party being hunted finds themselves hurt they are to call out the safe word: red, or push the red button at one of the safe rooms. Signifying that the game is over.’

“Do you hate me that much,” he mutters.

“Wh-What?”

His head lowers until the front fringe of his hair covers his eyes. “You’re hurt…you should have let me know…”

“I didn’t want it to end.”

Honesty is your greatest ally right now. It’s true. Rule 2 clearly states that the game will end until you’re fully healed. You’ll be locked back in your room with nothing but your thoughts and a few books to keep you occupied. Then as customary the game will start over. You being placed at the starting point again! This has happened two times before.

The first time you were on bed rest for what you figured was a month. Still able to see the rise and fall of the sun it was easy to keep track of the days. After you were better you were blindfolded and taken to another part of the house for the game to start all over.

The second time was a much bigger injury. You had gotten cut deeply by a broken shard of glass. Bleeding profusely you thought that you were going to die. Nana was the one who found you on the floor in a pool of your own blood. She sounded the alarm and that is when Rule 2 was issued.

“Why didn’t you want to end the game? Do you hate me that much? Do you want to leave me that badly?” The man in front of you tugs on your chain tilting your neck up so he can peer into your eyes. “Don’t you get it?” His hands start trembling. “I’m in love with you. I’ve never felt this way about someone in my life! And all you can think of is leaving me! After everything I’ve done for you.” He turns around yanking you back down the steps.

“Pl-Please!!” You cry. “I just want to go home!”

“You are home!”

“I want my parents!” You start to wail clutching onto anything that you can to stop him from taking you back into that room. “I want my own bed. I want to go to my job! I want to see my friends! If you love me why can’t you let me go?”

Stopping at the bottom of the staircase you see the chain go slack in his arms. “You were going to leave me…” he whispers. “After I helped you… After I took care of you…”

“Did I ever say I would leave permanently?!” You attempt to march up to him. “Did I ever say I wouldn’t call or stop by?” You growl. “You are the one who put that in your head! Not me!”

“Would you have called?”

No. You think to yourself. Yes. Your mind quickly changes. Maybe? You sigh. There is no clear answer.

“I couldn’t lose another person.” He pulls you flush against his chest, arms wrapping around you, his face burying into the crook of your neck. “I finally found the light with you.”

“Please…” you try to pull away from him but he just wraps his arms around you tighter.

“Why can’t you love me like I love you?”

Because you’re a psychopath! Your brain screams. A twisted son of a bitch who’s dead set on never letting you out of his clutches!

But your heart…He leaves a few kisses on your neck heading up to your jawline. Your heart is fickle. Your heart is unfaithful. His hand leaves your waist and wraps around your neck, holding your head in place. Your heart…He peers down at you. Tears threatening to fall as his lips meet yours. Your heart is in love with him…

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

Sighing on the couch you snuggle in Jaemin’s blanket. Taking in his scent you smile. The smell of laundry detergent, soup, and face lotion — in other words…fresh. Glancing up at his silhouette walking past the huge bay window he gives you a quick wave before heading over to shovel the walkway from the main entrances of the gates. And he needed to shovel a path to the garage where his truck is. Since your parents are coming over in just two days the house needs a little sprucing up. A little Christmas cheer. Not to mention, a shit ton of food to ring in the celebration.

Sadly, your feet are still messed up so you can’t help Jaemin with shoveling. The moment you mentioned it he put his foot down hard saying he would never allow it in the first place. So, here you are inside by a nice fire in front the TV. According to Jaemin, this house is primarily or was primarily a summer home. So that also means there are no Christmas decorations.

After the phone call with your dad the two of you planned out everything. You would get the bare minimum of decorations, a small tree that you quickly decorate, a few lights and candles for outside and inside; as well as some holiday plates.

Giving you ample time to rest up, you’re itching to get up and try to get to work to help in any way possible. Jaemin being the sweetest man you’ve ever encountered when he offered his home to you and your family. You just needed to find a way to pay him back for his kindness.

The front door opens and a rush of cold air wafts inside the cozy house. Bringing the blanket up to keep warm you glance in his direction. “How thick is the snow?”

“Not bad at all. Already did the first gate, the path and now I’m about to head out to the second and third gates. I forgot the key. Granny was extra precautions when it came to security.” He sighs. “But she also made it harder for herself and everyone else.”

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do? Maybe start the car and warm it up?”

Coming from the kitchen back to the living room, Jaemin leans over the back of the couch peering down at you. Craning your neck back you giggle at the goofy face he makes.

“Just rest, okay?” He places a chilly hand against your cheek. “We have plenty of time to get this place ready.”

“I just feel useless right now. If only I wasn’t stupid and changed into my sneakers I would be able to help.”

Doing something unexpected Jaemin places a chaste kiss on your forehead. “You’re not useless. You’re doing so much right now.”

“I am?”

Nodding he walks away from you heading for the door where Nana waits for him. “You’re bringing color back into my life. And I can’t thank you enough for it.” With that Jaemin walks back out into the chilly air.

Color?

Sitting up on the couch you work up the nerve to stand. Wanting to sit closer to the window to keep a close eye on Jaemin — in case of an emergency, you make it to your feet. After the phone call with your father Jaemin brought out the first aid kit and wrapped up your soles in gauze.

Gently you decide sliding your feet across the wood flooring would be easier on you than stepping for the time being. Sitting at the window seat you wrap yourself up in a cocoon and watch the man that has opened his home to you. Far off at the second gate he pushes the snow around easily. It really does look like the light fluffy kind. The complete opposite to when it was falling on the ground a few hours ago.

Nana and the other two dogs roll around and play in the snow. Nana close to Jaemin, the other two further away from her. He was right when he said she doesn’t like the male dogs. Chuckling, your eyes rest on Jaemin.

What did he mean when he said you’re adding color to his life? Was his life that grey before?

Looking around the living room there aren’t many pictures. There’s one of a family but it looks to be way older than Jaemin’s parents. There is however, a small boy with his arms tightly around a woman in one picture, next to Jaemin’s chair. The boy an exact resemblance to Jaemin. If he’s here all alone and his parents in the city, it’s clear that they’re not close.

“I’m sorry, Jaemin…” you whisper.

You needed to make this holiday special for him. No longer being about your parents coming out to see you, you trudge over to the phone. Quickly dialing your parent’s number you keep a close eye on the door.

“Hello?” This time your mom answering.

“Momma, hi,” you smile brightly.

“Baby!!!” She screams on the other end making you move the phone away from your ear. “Okay, what all do we need to bring? I’ve packed and repacked and I can’t decide what we need!”

“Maybe enough stuff to stay through the New Year?”

“The New Year?” She mumbles. “Is that okay with Jaemin?”

“I haven’t asked him yet but I’m sure he won’t mind. He’s been here all alone for a couple of years.”

“Alone? You never visited?”

“Visit? I just met him, why would I visit?”

She pauses on the other side before belting out the loudest yell you’ve ever heard. “Honey!!!! Get your butt in here now!!!” She calls for your dad. “Sweetie I’m going to put you on speaker phone, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

You hear whispering and shuffling going on in the background before your dads voice rings through the phone. “Baby,” he whispers.

“Hey dad…”

“Now… tell your father what you just told me about you and Jaemin.”

“I told mom that Jaemin and I just met.”

“Just met?” Your father sounds surprised. “Wait, he never said…”

“Darling I think your father jumped to conclusions. He thought this whole thing is because Jaemin is going to pop the question.”

“What was I supposed to think?” Your father grumbles. “A man invites a woman’s family over to his place for the holidays and it’s a little out of the blue and not to mention our baby girl was talking about getting back into the dating world after that last jackass.” He spats.

Clenching the phone tightly the image of your ex resurfaces. Your father wasn’t wrong when he called him a jackass. Cheated on you left and right to the point you were terrified that you might have gotten an STD/STI when you started to feel unwell. Thankfully, your tests were negative and it was merely the flu, but you were terrified for a good while.

“How did you just meet him?” Your mom probes.

“Last night my car broke down around 2 miles from his home. I was trying to find a few bars so I can call for a tow but then I saw lights in the distance and well here I am.”

“He hasn’t…” your father whispers. “You know…”

“He’s been a perfect gentleman. I’m the one who did something wrong,” you snicker looking at your bandages feet. “Which is why he thought about you guys coming down here instead of me driving up there.”

“What happened?”

“I got chased by his guard dogs. Two Doberman’s had a good workout because of me. Sadly, the kitten heels I was wearing didn’t make it through the wooded area and I was just walking on my bare feet and of course tore my feet up.”

“Baby!” Your mom gasps. “Please go to the hospital!”

“I’m fine.”

“What if you get an infection?!”

“I’m fine, mom, really. They’re just bruised and scratched up. Jaemin has already cleaned and bandaged my feet. I’m in incredibly good hands here,” you twirl the cord around your finger as a gentle smile creeps across your face.

“Ahhhhh…” your mom giggles. “Is he cute?”

“Cute?!” Your dad shouts.

“I’ll let you be the judge of that,” you giggle like a schoolgirl. “But the reason I called was —”

Hanging up the phone you jolt around as the front door opens up and you hear Jaemin calling for Nana. Kicking off the excess snow off his shoes he steps inside face bright red.

“We’re good to head out!”

“Why don’t you sit down and rest for a little. I have something I need to talk to you about.”

“Am I…” he walks over to the couch a terrified look on his face. “In trouble?” He asks.

“That depends. When you talked to my father did he seem extra happy about something?”

Stilling, Jaemin’s head slowly turns away from you. “I-I don’t know what you mean?”

“Well, I made another call home to tell my parents to bring a little extra something and when I did my mom revealed that my dad had the impression that you and I were a couple.”

Jaemin jolts up holding out his hands. “I swear!” He starts speaking quickly. “I didn’t intend to give him the wrong impression. I was going to tell him about what happened and then all of a sudden he’s calling me son, and saying I can’t wait to meet you. And then he warns me that if I hurt you I’m as good as dead and I’m sorry!”

Finally letting yourself laugh you shake your head. “I’m not mad, Jaemin. It was funny to hear what happened. Don’t worry my parents aren’t mad at all either and knowing them they’ll apologize again and again for the misunderstanding.”

Falling down onto the couch Jaemin lets out a huge exhale. “So, I’m not going to die?”

Smirking you nudge his arm. “At least not yet you aren’t. Oh, and if it’s alright with you I told them to bring extra clothes to last them up till the New Year.”

“New Year?” Jaemin asks.

“When you were talking about being out here all alone for Christmas I had an idea. I took time off of work until the second week in the New Year and well,” you reach over placing a hand on top of his. “I thought we can spend time with you for Christmas and the New Year so you’re not alone.”

Staring dumbfounded Jaemin’s eyes tremble. Gulping deeply you watch his adams apple bob up and down before he reaches out to you pulling you towards him. Smashing his lips onto yours. His hand wraps around your neck as he slowly moves his lips across yours. Not knowing fully what to do you sit there stunned.

What shocks you even more is when you find your own lips moving along with his. Feeling you returning the kiss Jaemin starts to use his body to push you back onto the couch. A small squeak from you has him smiling against your lips.

What is going on?! You freak out.

Not being the crazy party girl type you don’t even give your number out to strangers when you’re at bars with your co-workers. Yet here you are, kissing a complete stranger. Staying at his house. Inviting your parents over for the holidays! Who the fuck are you?!

But the better question is…why does it feel so good to kiss, Jaemin?

Trying to get a better angle a chuckle leaves you when you hear Jaemin’s coat rustling around. His smile starts to spread across his lips and with one final peck and a growl he sits up.

“Stupid coat,” he unzips and rips it off of him.

“Well that was unexpected,” you tease.

“I’m sorry about that. I mean I am and I’m not. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“I did kiss you back so I wouldn’t say I was uncomfortable,” you sit up staring at the young man before you.

His chest rises and falls as his tongue skates over his lips. His eyes going from yours down to your lips and back up to meet your own. His cheeks flushed from the cold and perhaps from your small make out.

Jaemin is truly a very attractive man. Dark black hair that isn’t too short or too long. A nice medium length that you can run your hands through. The sweetest smile you’ve ever seen. Even now as his lips start tugging up into a grin you can’t help but to smile as well. He’s just that type of person that can make others happy and smile just by smiling himself.

Leaning into him you grab him by his neck yanking him towards you. “You haven’t answered my proposition at all,” you say against his lips.

“What was it again? I think I forgot,” he drags his lips across yours tempting you.

“Is it okay for my parents and me to stay here and celebrate the holidays with you?”

“Hell with the way I feel right now you can all move in!”

“Then I guess we have some major shopping to do,” you let go of him and stand up.

Grabbing your waist his eyes widen. “Be careful!”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a system now!”

Sliding your feet across the floor as if you’re a figure skater you make it to the guest room without feeling any pain. Doing a little twirl you end with a ‘ta-dah pose’ to which Jaemin gives you a round of applause. Even in the corner of the room where Nana has decided to stand — as far from you as possible, you swear you see the slightest wag of her tail. Perhaps it really was a great thing ending up at Jaemin’s.

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

Lying in bed you stare up at the white ceiling. The game ended a while ago. The triumphant feeling you had of almost escaping has turned you into a hollow shell. No longer eating or drinking, you’ve put yourself on the ‘self-harm’ list in your captors’ eyes.

Sitting in a chair in the corner he turns another page in the novel he’s been reading for the last day and a half. He hasn’t left your side at all — well, except when he makes your meals, but even then…you tug on the collar around your neck jingling the chain that he holds loosely in his hand, alarming him. You’re still kept within saving distance.

“Have you decided to eat yet?” He asks going back to his book.

“No.”

Exhaling, he slams his book shut. “Why are you doing this? You need to eat. You need to drink.”

“Let me go and I will.”

“If I let you go you’ll run away and call the cops.”

“Of course I will!” You scream. “You’ve kept me locked in this fucking house for God knows how long! I want to go home! I want to be with my family! Why can’t you understand this?!” You start thrashing your body around on the bed.

“Stop! Stop!” You completely lose control of yourself. Throwing your hands around wildly you end up scratching your face, blood trickling down your cheek. Upon seeing you he springs up from his chair rushing over to you and grabs your arms. “For fucks sake stop!!” He climbs on the bed straddling your lap. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

For a brief second you pause to stare him dead in the eyes. “Good!” You spit venomously.

“What?!” He whispers.

“I’d rather die than spend another minute here with you!”

As fast as lightning your wrists are gripped tightly and thrown over your head. Putting all his weight on you, causing you to not only moan but gasp from the lack of air — you’re unable to move. Yanking, you try to get him to loosen his grip. Twisting and turning your body in any direction you can you try to throw him off. When nothing works you release the most guttural scream.

“I never wanted to do this to you!” He screams down at you. “When you…when you said yes,” his voice becomes a whisper. “I was so happy. I thought finally someone who sees me has come into my life. Someone I can call mine forever…”

“Yet you locked me up! That isn’t love!”

“You were going to leave me! Don’t lie to me!” He pushes against your arms, his grip tightening.

“I said I needed to go back home. I needed to get back to my life and my job. That never meant goodbye forever!”

“Yes it does…” he whispers.

“When I said yes, I meant it! At that moment I meant it with every fiber of my being! When I said I needed to go I didn’t mean forever. We would have talked as much as you wanted. You could have come out and visited me and vice versa, but you took all of those possibilities and threw them out the fucking window!”

“Your home, what does it look like again?”

“What?!”

“Your home in the city…”

“Who the fuck cares now?! They probably threw all my shit away!” A tear trickles down your face.

There’s no doubt in your mind that all your things have been emptied out of your apartment. There’s no way in hell your landlord would just allow you to skip out on months of rent. Hell, you don’t even have a job anymore most likely. All that hard work — years of staying away during holidays to grind out another win for the company wasted because of the man currently top of you.

“You still have your apartment.”

“What?”

“I’ve been paying the rent this whole time.”

“WHAT?!” You scream.

“I’ve also invested in your company and have talked to your boss and he thinks you’re working exclusively on a deal with me at my home office. You’ve been given a pay raise since then.”

“Get off! Get the fuck off of me!”

This time listening to you, he slides off of you sitting defeated at your side.

“What in the hell are you talking about? How did you invest and why hasn’t my boss wanted to see me? What about my family?!”

Sighing he glances your way before looking away again. “My family owns half of the city where you work. In other words were filthy stinking rich. I was supposed to take over my father’s company but I chose to venture off on my own – small business dealings with tech companies here and there. It paid the bills and brought in the connections I needed to stay in my father’s good graces.

“Your wallet,” he fiddles with his fingers. “I looked you up. Found you on the company website and looked into the company as a hole. The two days I was gone after our fight,” he finally looks up again. “That’s when I went and took care of things on your end…

“As for your family,” he looks at you with the darkest gaze you’ve seen him wear since your huge fight that started this mess. “You’re the one who told me you’re a workaholic who doesn’t visit much. When they called me to see how everything was I said that you’ve been busy and I haven’t heard from you for a while. This mess,” he points to you. “You did yourself.”

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

“Can you hand me the last bit of tinsel?” You ask Jaemin.

“Are you sure we need more? The trees starting to look like it belongs in a flapper movie.��

“Yes, this area here is boring. It needs a little sparkle!”

Handing you the last chunk of tinsel you do your job of decorating the crap out of the tree. This is your favorite thing about Christmas. Decorating the entire house and tree until everything looks like you’ve stepped into a tiny Christmas village. Sadly, due to time constraints and the fact this isn’t your home — only sticking with the utmost crucial of decorations. One, being mistletoe that is now hanging at the entryway from the kitchen to the living room – two, a Christmas playlist setup to fill the house with cheer.

Garland was placed around the front door, the entryway above the mistletoe, and on the staircase upstairs where your parents would be staying — and you even found cute mini already decorated Christmas trees to put in their rooms for some added cheer.

There were stockings hung over the mantle of the fireplace, but the best part of all…

“When do you want to start wrapping the presents?” Jaemin holds your hand as you step down from the small step ladder.

“Uhh, I guess we should get it done now. I’ll be cooking for most of the evening to help get as much food done as possible.”

“Is Christmas normally this extravagant at your house?”

“Which house?” You smirk. “My place in the city or my childhood home?”

“Both.”

Grabbing the bag of presents you got for your parents and even Jaemin, you go to your corner of the living room – already telling him that their backs will be facing away from each other the whole time so they won’t see anything that will ruin the surprise.

While shopping for your parents Jaemin asked what you wanted. You tried to tell him nothing that this holiday is about him but he kept looking at you like ‘if you don’t tell me what you want you’re going to get something you REALLY don’t need.’ Settling on a book you wanted to get eventually, Jaemin went off on his own to find you something special.

Having asked him what he wanted he said anything that catches your eye he’ll gladly accept. Talk about vague.

“My house in the city for the last couple years I’ve barely had time to decorate during the holidays. I make a goal every year to start as soon as December hits but I always end up putting up a fake tree and that’s it.”

“This coming from a woman I had to pull away from the decorations or else this house would end up like Santa’s workshop?!”

Laughing you start cutting some paper for the gift you had already purchased for your mom.

“I’ve been trying to earn this huge promotion at work. It will allow me to work from home a lot more and have more flexible hours. It gets really lonely being so far from home so I was thinking of getting a pet. A dog or a cat maybe. I’m not sure. But, I don’t want to think about leaving it at home all the time. I want to enjoy having a pet.

“Then there is finally going out on dates, meeting Mr. Right, marriage, kids, the whole nine yards. I want to have a good job that allows me to have these luxuries. Sadly that means I’m always working overtime even around the holidays.”

“What kind of job do you have?”

“I’m the chief of my department for marketing. I started out as just a regular floor employee but I worked my ass off for the past seven years and slowly worked up to being chief. What I want is to be up on the main floor with the big wigs.”

“Big wigs? President and Vice President?”

“Shareholders too.”

“Ambitious, I like that in a woman.” He states with a slight smirk in his tone.

“And what about you Mr. Na? What type of job do you have?”

“I’m an investor. My dad owns his own company and I go out looking for things we can invest in to expand our outreach. It’s not a demanding job and I do most of my research at home.”

“Seems nice,” you sigh. “But then again, getting the companies to listen to you is pretty grueling work.”

“Tell me about it. I tried to get this one company to sit down for five minutes with me, took me over a year. My father really wanted to do business with them. It was get this meeting or start looking for work elsewhere.”

“Damn, if he wanted the company why didn’t he contact the person himself?”

“‘You need to learn how to handle tough situations, son. One day you’ll be taking over the company. You need to be firm, strong, and know the business inside and out.’” He speaks in a gruff voice. “What he truly meant was, get your ass up and start contributing or I’m going to kick you out of the will.”

“Anything in particular you wanted to do more?”

“I wanted to be a doctor. My uncle used to let me shadow him whenever I wanted. It was awesome! The rush of people coming in. The split second decisions you have to make. Having someone’s life in your hands. Just thinking about it makes my heart beat faster. But the best part is helping people in need. That isn’t what my father wanted to hear so bye bye medical school.”

“I’m so sorry, Jaemin.”

“It’s in the past. I make a decent living and technically, I did help you.” He peeks over his shoulder the same moment you look over yours.

“You sure did,” you give a reassuring smile. “Now let’s focus on the task at hand. Because next up is cooking!”

For the next two hours you and Jaemin work nonstop to wrap every gift. Trying to keep small talk to a minimum you sit in a comfortable silence between the two of you. Being here with Jaemin feels like a breath of fresh air. Maybe it’s the fact that you’re away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Maybe it’s because for once you’re not focusing on the grind and appreciating the time you’re having to just slow down, but it’s nice. And Jaemin is amazing company and a generous man and host.

When the holidays end and you have to go back to your life, you peek over to see him sliding another gift off to the side. You’re really going to miss him.

The rest of the evening you spend bossing Jaemin around in the kitchen. He learned all about the foods your parents like. Hearing story after story of how you almost burnt down the kitchen, also how you almost electrocuted yourself, and the failures and triumphs of your cooking ventures. When everything that was cold is cooked and put away in the fridge you stretch your back hearing it crack loudly.

“Come over here,” Jaemin pats a spot on the couch. “You’ve been standing for hours. It’s time to rest.”

“I think you’re right.” Skidding your feet across the floor you plop down next to him. “It’s been a while since I’ve cooked that much. It felt nice.”

Grabbing your legs he hoists them up to his lap making you squeak in surprise. “If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?” He asks starting to rub your tired aching legs.

“Hmmm…” you lay back and enjoy the soothing massage. “I suppose I’d want lemon pepper chicken. Well, anything with chicken.” You laugh. “My dad used to make fun of me and say with all the chicken I ate growing up he’s surprised I haven’t sprouted feathers and started laying eggs.” Chuckling along with you, Jaemin heads down to your ankles which feel especially sore. “And you?”

“What I made you yesterday,” he smiles. “It’s simple, easy, never goes out of fashion and it’s just too damn good.”

“Ahh yes, granny’s famous chicken noodle soup! What was she like?”

Pausing he leans back for a second his arms resting on your legs. “She was the sweetest person on this earth. She loved animals and sometimes I felt she loved them more than people. She used to say animals are easier to read then people. They don’t hide their motives from you. If they don’t like you they show it. If they want to eat you, you’ll know. If they love you,” he glances your way and for some reason the smile that spreads across his face has your heart skipping a beat. “They’ll never leave you.”

“That’s really beautiful…”

“Yeah, but don’t let all that fool you. She was a hard worker. Went out and worked at the polls when it was voting time. Helped some lawmakers get into office. Even worked with a former president on an ecologically friendly venture. She was a real badass. Her true passion lies in helping people. Believe it or not she wanted to be a doctor too, but her father forbad it.”

“What?! Why?!”

“‘Women can’t be doctors. They’re job is to take care of their families.’” He starts to massage your ankles again. “My great grandpa was a bit of a misogynist,” he chuckles. “So, when my granny had my dad and uncle she told them repeatedly, whatever you want to do in life I’ll support you. I think she thought at least one of them would go into the more eco-friendly territory as she did but both of them had other plans. My dad…” he grimaces.

“He likes money. ‘Money can provide for the family, for you, and for others.’ He loved his mom and respected her but he also thought she was making poor decisions and leading too much with her heart. He is a born businessman. My uncle, at least he got my granny’s love for helping people, however,” he laughs. “He likes helping the rich clients try to keep their youth if you know what I mean.”

“Cosmetic and plastic surgeries?”

“Oh yeah,” he shakes his head. “When he started off he was in the ER but when I was around 16, he switched out and went where the money is. I think it’s because my aunt spends it all on designer brands. She’s a shop-a-holic.”

“If I met your family what do you think they’d think of me?”

Pausing Jaemin looks to you slowly. “Exactly what capacity are you meeting them in?”

Shrugging you smile. “Any type I guess.”

“As a friend they wouldn’t really care. The only thing I believe they’d say is to not be seen too much in public with you as it would give the wrong impression of my relationship status.”

“Damn…”

“If it were, uhh, as a girlfriend,” he unconsciously slides his hands around your calves gripping the other side — making you inhale from the sudden movement, goosebumps decorating your skin. “They would like that you’re ambitious, that’s for sure,” his grip tightens around your calves. “But I do have to ask, what do your parents do?”

“My mom is a retired school teacher and my dad is a truck driver.”

Immediately looking away from you his grip becomes even tighter alarming you. “It wouldn’t matter if you were the love of my life. They wouldn’t accept you because you’re not from a well to do family.”

“So because I’m not from some rich family they wouldn’t give their blessings on this hypothetical relationship?” Nodding Jaemin side glances your way. Lips drown into a pout he looks like a small child whose toy was just taken from him. “I’m sorry your parents are like that. Monetary reasons shouldn’t dictate over a person’s true feelings for someone. Has there been someone in the past they didn’t approve of?”

Shaking his head no, Jaemin unravels his grip on you. “I’ve turned down every person they’ve brought forward. My father got so angry he asked me point blank if I was an ass chaser.”

“Ass chaser?!” You stifle a giggle.

“Just because I despised every woman they threw at me doesn’t mean I’m gay! Which I’m not! I love women and I’m not interested in men!” He grumbles.

Placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder you draw his attention back to you. “From that kiss you gave me I can 100% tell you’re no ass chaser.”

Letting out a huge exhale his hands run through his hair a look of dread on his face. “I need to apologize for that. I was just really excited. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or to imply anything. I mean we don’t even know each other and —”

Sliding your legs off his lap, you lean forward and put a finger over his lips. “It’s fine. There is no need to apologize. Besides, it’s been a couple months since my last relationship. It was nice to be kissed again.”

“Your last boyfriend…what was he like?”

“Total punk rocker type. You know the chains on his pants, tight black distressed skinny jeans. Studded leather jacket. The emo hairstyle with gauges and piercings.” You roll your eyes. “Believe it or not I fell for the boy in the band. How lame is that?”

“I didn’t know men were still in their teenage angst phases.”

“I mean he loved everything about the clothing and music. I didn’t judge because I mean you like what you like. I fell hard for him. He pulled me up on stage, was holding me, touching me, and then kissed me in front of everyone. I was so stunned when they took me backstage — I didn’t even realize I was put in his dressing room.

“He told me that he saw me out in the audience and thought I was beautiful and wanted to talk. It was weird. I mean here I am in a strangers —” pausing you start to laugh. “Fuck! I’m in the same situation!”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t even know the guy, he kissed me, and then we talked for hours.” Leaning into him you smirk. “Sound familiar?”

Forcing back a smile Jaemin exhales deeply. “Yes, yes it does. How long did that relationship last?”

“Eight months. He found himself another pretty girl at a show and fucked her. I walked in on them when I went to surprise him.” Scoffing you cross your arms over your chest the memory filling you with rage. “That was the only time I left work early. Hell, the only time I put anything over my job. I was crazy for this guy.

“He was exciting! Made me see a different side of myself I never knew I had. I grew so much in my own confidence and started speaking up and speaking back to people. His ‘stick it to the man’ attitude was contagious. Believe it or not, it made me a beast at work and how I earned the respect of the big wigs in my company.

“For once things felt like they were going in the right direction. So, when the last stop on their tour was at a club near my work, I decided to surprise him. It had been a month since we had last seen each other face to face. We talked on the phone and stuff but we were really busy.

“So, I show up and head to the dressing room to find him balls deep in some whore! Like are you kidding me?! I left work early! I didn’t pull an all-nighter like I normally do. I dressed up for him. Had on my sexiest heels that he liked and what do I get instead…him shoving his dick in some random ass woman.”

“What did he say?”

“‘Babe! It’s not what you think!’ It’s not what I think?! Can you believe that! I threw the gift I bought for him at him. Called the woman a whore, and stormed out of the building. Threw all his shit into a box, left it at the lobby of the building I’m at and told the front desk by no means is he allowed to go up to see me.”

He shakes his head sighing. “I’m sorry…men like that…they’re pigs. I would never do that to the person I’m in a relationship with.” His voice becomes soft, “especially when the person is as beautiful as you.”

“Thanks,” you slump down into the couch. “But let’s not fool ourselves. At the end of the day we’re all made of the same cloth. All we need is to have the right person come into our lives at the right time and it’ll fuck everything up.”

“NO!” He shouts startling you.

Before you realize what’s going on you’re pushed onto your back — Jaemin hovering over you, his body settling between your legs. Staring up at him in both confusion and something else you’re eyes search his face for answers.

“I would never look at another person! Never!” He growls. “As long as you’re mine and I’m yours there’d be no one else. No one!”

Wrapping your hand around his neck you yank him down to you into a lip lock. A deep groan rumbles in his throat as the two of you fight over dominance. Teeth clanking against each other’s, the kiss growing wet and hot as it continues. Laying more of his weight on you, you feel something hard rub against your womanhood. Gasping against his lips, he uses the opportunity to slide his tongue into your mouth.

Succumbing to the feeling, he roams your mouth leaving no corner untraced. His lips moving across yours seamlessly as your tongues dart in and out of each other’s mouths. Lifting your head up, you manage to catch his tongue between your lips and start to suck on the taut muscle. Giving just enough of a taste to inform him of what else you could do with your mouth.

Growling, he pulls back and you gasp for air. With one arm propping himself up, he uses his other hand to wrap around your neck — gripping tightly. Thanks to your ex, you’ve learned that choking is a huge turn on for you. The feeling of being at someone’s mercy, begging and pleading under them.

Looking up through cloudy eyes, Jaemin’s jaw tightens as his chest rises and falls his brown eyes now dark with lust. Trying to speak his grip tightens more making your hips involuntarily bucking up to his. Eyes rolling back into his head from the friction your clothed core felt against his growing bulge sends shivers throughout you.

Leaning down to you, his hand still around your neck he plants a hard kiss against your lips. “You deserved better. The bastard!” He growls nipping your bottom lip so hard it bleeds. “He should have worshipped the ground you walked on.” He slides his tongue over your bleeding lip.

“Jaemin~” you moan his name loudly.

“You’re so beautiful…So fucking beautiful…” he forces your head back giving him access to your neck.

Wrapping your legs around him you lose yourself in the feeling of his kisses. Sliding his tongue across your jugular he opens his mouth biting down on your throat. Again, your hips buck up to meet his — this time the grind against his groin grabbing his attention.

“We should stop,” he runs his teeth across your neck nipping and sucking on your skin.

Lifting your hips once more you protest the notion. “Don’t want to,” your legs wrap around him tighter.

Sucking on the side of your neck his hips roll into yours. A cry comes from you as you cling to him. He wasn’t even inside of you and yet you’re falling apart by the seams.

“Your parents are coming tomorrow morning. We need to get some rest.” His hips move against yours again clearly stating that though his mouth says one thing his body is on the same side as yours.

“I’m not tired.”

With one final grind of his hip into yours, he pulls away from you despite your desperate attempts at keeping him locked in your arms.

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” he reaches behind him grabbing one of your legs and prying it off of him. “I just…” he smiles down at you. “I respect you too much to do this.”

“To fuck me?” You pout.

“I would never fuck you,” his hand goes to your cheek, his thumb rubbing across your bottom lip where you give it a little bite. “I would make love to you. We just got caught up in our emotions. Trust me, tonight is not the night for this.”

Your legs go limp as the burning passion inside of you starts to simmer down to something subtle. A warm cozy feeling like snuggling up on the couch with a cup of coco – snow falling, a sweet romance movie playing on the TV. He respects you. He doesn’t want this to be a onetime fling. A deep thud in your chest has your stomach doing summersaults.

“I don’t know what’s going on between us, but I like it.” You confess.

“All the better reason not to jump into bed with each other.” He gets off of you and holds out his hand. “Now let’s get some sleep.”

Sighing in bed your heart still hums with the smallest tickle of desire. The feeling of Jaemin’s arousal still prevalent against your core. Biting your bottom lip you hold back the urge to relieve yourself of this yearning.

It’s strange. You’ve only known him completely for two days and yet you feel like you’ve known him a lot longer. His caring nature the complete opposite of your ex. The way his lips tug up slowly into such a bright smile has little butterflies soaring through you.

His strong grip that he had on your neck, you reach up wrapping your hand around your neck — activating the lust within you. Unconsciously your hips buck into the air, a whimper passing your lips. For fucks sake the man isn’t even in the room!

Growling you roll over onto your side, shove the thick quilt between your legs and force yourself to get some sleep, if it’s even possible with salacious thoughts of a naked Jaemin on top of you filling your head.

Turning on the shower Jaemin steps inside feeling the cool water wash over his burning skin. His mind reeling with the image of you underneath him. Clinging to him, pulling him closer to you. In that moment he wanted you. To hear what your cries of pleasure would be like. Knowing that it was him who made you feel so good.

“Why didn’t I just let her?” He grumbles placing his head against the wall of the shower.

Reaching down, his hand wraps around his length. Sliding his hand up his shaft, Jaemin grits his teeth. He’s still hard even after a few minutes of calming himself down after your steamy make out. This is ridiculous! The mere thought of you has him hardening on the spot.

“She wanted you! Stupid!” He growls pumping himself in his hand. “She was begging for you!” His grip tightens. “You could already be deep inside her!” His hips buck forward a groan echoing in the shower.

Closing his eyes an image of you on his bed starts to appear before him. Your beautiful body laid out waiting for him to tend to your every desire. How you’d open your arms for him, begging to feel him on you — to kiss every inch of your body, and treat you like the queen you are.

His hand moves faster up and down his cock. He pictures you squirming underneath him as he kisses his way down your body. Fondling, kissing, licking, sucking, and biting on your breasts, and nipples.

“Shit!” He groans slamming his free hand against the wall.

Seeing how your chest would rise and fall as he worked you over with his mouth. Tasting you, savoring you, falling deeper for you. When you finally come undone for him, how he’d slurp up every last drop of your juices — his face wet from your arousal.

“Fuck! Fuck!” His hand moves like lightning as he builds himself up to come.

But what he would love the most, what he’d crave the most is to be inside of you. How you’d need to adjust to his size. The tightness of your juicy pussy choking his cock from the intrusion. Seeing your face when he slides into you, how your lips would part and the slightest ‘ahhh~’ being released.

All building up to him making love to you slow and deep. Keeping his eyes locked onto you, his gaze penetrating deep into your soul as you both become one. Then, as he feels himself ready to come you whisper the one thing he wants to hear the most.

‘Come inside me…’

“Ahhh!!! Fuck!!!”

White strands splatter onto the shower wall and floor. A mixture of sweat and water drip down Jaemin’s body. His skin reddened from exertion. Breathing heavily he strokes his length until the last drop of come drips to the floor.

“Shit…” he whispers a ghost of a smile decorating his face.

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

Staring at the empty bowl of soup you exhale deeply. Shoulders slumping over, tired lifeless eyes staring at the bottom of the bowl. Another fight lost. Your stomach and body not strong enough to withstand the hunger strike you put yourself in.

Placing the bowl on the cart you avoid the obvious satisfied gleam coming from your captors eyes. Of course he’s happy. His princess finally gave into what he wanted…AGAIN!

Frustrated you fall back onto the bed. “You don’t have to be so dramatic,” he chuckles next to you. “I’m not smiling because I won. I’m smiling because you’re eating again.”

Giving him a huge eye roll you turn to face the blank boring overly sterile white-tiled wall.

“Come now,” he sits next to you, hand on your hip. “Was it at least good?”

“You know it’s good.” You reply sharply.

It was a stupid question. Of course it was good. His granny’s homemade chicken noodle soup. Every time he made it you could never resist. The only problem is that it takes you back to when he wasn’t this monster. When he actually cared, or so you thought.

“Princess?”

“I’m not your princess.”

His hand on your hip tightens. Pressing his buttons has been both a fun game of yours lately. Seeing how far you can push him to the edge without causing yourself any damage. If he was going to make you play his game you were going to have him play yours.

“You are my princess,” he tugs on your hip urging you to turn onto your back. “And you know what, I’ve been a neglectful boyfriend.”

Giving in just a smidge you turn onto your back, but you don’t make eye contact. “Not my boyfriend. You fucked that up.”

“I know. Let me make it up to you.”

Scoffing you turn your head away from him. “Not a chance. I don’t believe in second chances. Once someone shows their true colors there's no going back.”

“But there is one way I know I can make it up to you.”

There’s something in his tone that makes your head turn in his direction. A secret promise that only he knew of. Side eyeing him, you find his eyes slowly going dark. A light smirk coming to his face as he peers down at you. Quickly turning away from him, you go to turn your whole body when he climbs on top of you, straddling your hips.

“Not so fast,” he chuckles. “Don’t you want to know what it is?”

“Fuck you!”

Throwing his head back the most sinister laugh comes from him. One you’ve never heard before that sends shivers down your spine.

“No princess,” he bends his body down, lips pressed against your neck. “I’m going to fuck you.”

Shrieking, your face turns to his. Eyes wide your body starts to burn with both fear and what you hate to admit…desire.

“What?!”

“It’s been over three months,” he pecks your lips. “I think we’re long overdue. Don’t you think?”

“No!”

“Mmmm, are you sure?” He presses soft kisses from your cheek down to your neck.

Biting back a moan you try to roll him off of you. “Yes! I’m sure!”

“Funny,” he falls off to the side but wraps his arms around you so you roll over with him, half your body dangling off of him. “I was thinking we’d switch things up a bit. You’ve never been on top before.”

And he fucking does it! The seed has been planted in your brain. The last shred of dignity gone with two simple words on top.

“You’re lying.” You challenge.

Motioning for you to crawl on top of him you eye him skeptically. This had to be a trick. Another one of his sick twisted games. He’s never let you be on top, not even when he was somewhat sane. There had to be a catch, a hidden motive.

“I’m not. Do you know why I’ve preferred to be on top?”

“You’re a man with a fragile ego,” you deadpan.

Sucking his teeth he stares up at you unamused. “No, my sweet princess.” Reaching out he grabs the chain hooked to your collar. “It’s because I love seeing the look on your face as we make love. That’s why. I don’t want to miss a single moment of how beautiful you look while I’m inside you.” Tugging on the chain you find your body unconsciously moving you on top of him.

“I’m pretty sure you’d still be able to see me even if I were on top.” You try to keep up your act but your mask starts to slip.

“No, it wouldn’t be the same,” he pulls you more until you’ve completely climbed on top of him. “Depends on how good it feels your face could be buried in my neck. I don’t want that. I want to see my princess. How she takes me inside of her,” he pulls your face to him giving your lips a small kiss. Not lingering but more of a soft press that always without fail has you leaning in for more.

“Should have just said that you know.”

Smiling he wraps his arms around you, keeping you locked in place. “I’m a man with a fragile ego,” he teases. “Don’t you remember how it all began?” He lifts his hips to meet yours. “How badly we wanted each other?”

You quirk a brow. Desperately fumbling with the mask you’ve chosen to wear so you don’t have the urge to grind down onto his lap. “Before you turned into a psychopathic kidnapper?”

“Mmm kidnapper perhaps, psychopath no.”

“You make me play that stupid game!”

“We don’t have to play it you know,” he grinds against you once more carefully waiting for a reaction.

“Bullshit.”

“I’m serious. If you don’t want to play it, we don’t have to. However, we can always play another game instead,” his hands go from your waist down to your ass giving it a good squeeze as another roll of his hips sends shivers down your spine.

“A-And what game is that?”

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

Sitting across the table from Jaemin you can’t help the smile plastered on your face. Seeing how well your parents are getting along with him. How he’s not shying away from your father’s prodding questions about his private affairs. Little by little he’s proving to be the real deal — a gentleman through and through.

“I just can’t thank you enough for what you did for our daughter,” your mom reaches out, touching his hand. “If anything ever happened to her we wouldn’t be able to live with ourselves.”

Placing his hand on top of hers he smiles gently. “I’m just glad I could help her. Plus, she’s brought more joy into this house. I should be thanking you guys for raising such a wonderful person.”

“Jaemin!” Your mom squeals. “Stop you’re too much!”

Laughing, you all enjoy the Christmas Eve meal you’ve prepared with Jaemin’s help of course. But, it was your father’s special gravy that you were dying to consume for the past couple of years that topped the meal off. Ever since you were little you’ve wanted to know what his secret ingredient is, but he has yet to share it with you — likely for the fact if you knew you’d stop showing up for holiday meals altogether in his eyes.

“So, Jaemin, where are your folks? I find it odd they aren’t here.” Your dad eyes Jaemin up and down, sizing him up.

“Dad, really?” You glare.

“It’s fine,” Jaemin smiles your way. “My parents are a couple hours away. Honestly, I’ve never spent the holidays with them. Even when I was with them I was never with them. They’re socialites and I hated everything to do with that so I just ended up staying here with my granny.”

“You’re parents are socialites?” Your mom gasps.

“Must be rich to afford this place,” your dad adds gruffly.

“My father owns several companies and my mother is a former model.” This time it was your turn to gasp. Chuckling he shrugs sighing. “I don’t bring them up since people will automatically judge me and think I’m stuck up, or that they aren’t good enough to be around me. It’s been like that my whole life. So, I keep them a secret until I get to know people — still, I end up losing 90% of who I tell.”

“I’m so sorry,” you whisper.

“People can be like that. Best not to waste any time worrying about the shoulda coulda woulda’s and focus on what is in front of you.” Your dad pushes his plate from him. “Speaking of right in front of us, how about dessert?”

“I’ll get it!” You spring up eagerly.

“Let me help you sweetie,” your mom follows you into the kitchen.

When your parents arrived you saw from the carrying container that your mom made her famous pumpkin pie! At least it’s famous in your home. Grabbing a knife you all but carve half of the pie just for yourself when your mom smacks your hand.

“No way,” she nudges you away and takes your place. “You do that every time. When will you learn?”

“Old habits die hard I suppose. Plus, it’s been years. I think I deserve a bigger piece.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be years if someone came home more often.”

“I know, and I promise I’ll try to visit more it’s just with this promo —”

“Promotion, we know.” She sighs slicing up the final piece of pie. “But sweetheart we’re not getting any younger and we want to see our daughter.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So, Jaemin, huh?”

“Leave it to you to go from scolding me to talking about boys in less than five seconds.”

“It’s a gift,” she licks the knife. “So, what’s the deal between the two of you?”

“There’s no deal.”

“He’s obviously smitten with you. Have you guys kissed yet?”

Quickly you grab two of the pumpkin pies and head straight for the dining room. “Mom! Gosh! Stop!”

“What did I say?” She shouts behind you.

The rest of the evening was spent sitting by the fire and your parents filling Jaemin in on your whole entire life — a few objections and clarifications coming from you to make sure that what was stated was in fact the truth. Your mom always one to sensationalize some of your more interesting childhood moments.

When the clock strikes 11PM, your parents decide to call it a night while you and Jaemin finish up Miracle on 34th Street. Snuggled up on the couch closest to Jaemin’s chair you find your gaze bouncing between the TV and him. His eyes fixated on the movie rather blankly.

“I’m sorry about them,” you gain his attention. “I hope they didn’t bore you with all the baby stories.”

Smirking, Jaemin leans so he’s facing you instead of the TV. “Quite the contrary, I loved hearing about you as a kid. Especially the frog story. Seems you’ve wanted to be a princess for a long time,” he teases.

Pouting you turn away from him in a huff. “So I kissed a frog when I was 4! It’s not my fault I thought the story was real…”

You wait for a reply from Jaemin, something smart or another teasing joke but when you hear nothing you look over to see he has since disappeared from his chair.

“What the…” you whisper.

“If you kissed him,” a voice says in your ear making you jump. “Like you kissed me I’d be surprised he was still living.” He sits down next to you.

Your whole body comes alive the moment he looks into your eyes. There’s something about the way he looks at you that makes you feel like you should run away and save yourself, and another part that makes you want to succumb to whatever he demands of you.

“This might sound weird and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I’ve wanted to kiss you all day.”

“Y-You have?”

Nodding Jaemin tucks some of your hair behind your ear, his eyes locked on yours. “All… day.”

“Wh-Why haven’t you?”

“I wanted to make sure I had permission to kiss you first. I’ve been doing it impulsively these past two times that I at least want to make sure I ask at least once.”

“You may ask,” you say in a trance.

“May I kiss you?”

Leaning into him your lips hover over his. “Yes you may.”

Going into his million-watt stunningly smile, Jaemin reaches out to you. Hand wrapping around to the back of your neck while his lips gently land on yours. Just like last night your body tingles with excitement and desire, but the kiss already feels different.

Slowly, Jaemin moves his lips across yours almost lethargically. His grip on your neck keeps you in place as he takes his time kissing you. Savoring every movement of your lips modeling together, no matter how small.

Pulling back for just a second he gazes into your eyes with such a look of fondness you melt on the spot. This is what it feels like to have a genuine partner. And with the way he’s looking at you like you are the heavens and earth to him, this is what it feels like to truly like someone soul deep.

“I could kiss you forever,” he tilts his head before diving back down for another kiss. “You have the softest lips.”

Giggling you cave in to the moment. Enjoying every ounce of admiration Jaemin is showing you. From the sweet nothings he whispers in between longer moments when he has to take a breath. To the sparkle in his eyes when he looks down at you. Though you’ve only just met him there is something so amazingly fantastic about him.

“Oh, and by the way,” he kisses you slowly once more. “Merry Christmas,” he smiles against your lips.

“Christmas?” Turning your head you find that it’s 12:01AM Christmas Day. “Merry Christmas, Jaemin.”

“This is the best Christmas by far.”

“Same here,” you reach into him wrapping your arms around him. “I hope you have many more amazing Christmas’ to come.”

“I hope so too,” he wraps his arms around you pulling you with him.

Landing on top of him you both end up in a fit of laughter. Not bothering to look back at the movie you snuggle into his warm inviting embrace until sleep takes hold of you.

Christmas came and went in the blink of an eye. Christmas morning your mom pulled out the works and made everyone cinnamon rolls, a tradition in your household before you opened up gifts which you were super happy to find out that your parents bought some gifts for Jaemin.

Nothing too fancy just some candles and things everyone needs around the household and when you had mentioned he had three dogs, well that meant dog toys — which surprisingly, Nana loved A LOT!

You however went and got Jaemin a matching set of pajamas with yourself and your parents, another tradition you had growing up. All day on Christmas you wear the new set of pajamas and then there is the family photo that is taken, this time with Jaemin’s arm wrapped around your waist.

What you didn’t expect was to get extremely personalized gifts from Jaemin. Every conversation you had with him was heard. Gifting you your favorite snacks, the book you mentioned, a CD you wanted to get but hadn’t gotten around to getting it. But the real amazing gift is when you opened up a box that had an expensive brand of perfume inside.

You tried to tell him you couldn’t except it but he said he thought it would be perfect for you and that he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The following days after Christmas your father and Jaemin started to get really close to each other. Your dad giving him advice about tending to the land and the horse — having grown up on a farm for most of his life his advice was apparently welcomed with open arms. While they were getting acquainted your mother was tending to you and helping you make a speedy recovery.

It was nice to be taken care of again something you missed while being on your own. Whenever you were sick or unwell mentally, emotionally, even spiritually — you missed your moms loving arms, her words of wisdom, and caring touches. She even seemed to enjoy doting on you again as well. The best thing, was just talking to her again, face to face instead of over the phone.

“I didn’t want to bring this up,” your mom blows across the fresh coat of paint on your fingers. “Have you thought of Jaemin being your next boyfriend?”

“Mom!”

“Don’t mom me! I’ve seen the way the two of you look at each other. I haven’t seen you look at a boy like this since Chris. Maybe it’s time to forget what’s his name and find the happiness you deserve.”

“I don’t think about Erik at all. Why would I? He cheated, I was hurt but I moved on months ago.”

“Have you moved on? Burying yourself in your work doesn’t equal moving on. It’s okay to have liked him sweetie. We’ve all fallen for the boy in the band at some point.” She exhales deeply placing your hand down on your lap. “Have I ever told you about Dominic?”

“No~” you lean into her intrigued. “Who is Dominic?”

“My middle school and high school crush. He was gorgeous!” Her eyes flutter by the mere memory of him.

You’ve heard all about your moms ex’s before your dad. Your mom being such a beautiful woman it didn’t surprise you she had a lot of boyfriends and short flings, but this man, she’s kept him a secret from you. No doubt someone she wanted to keep to herself for as long as possible.

“He has gorgeous green eyes with the smallest fractals of yellow in them that sparkled in the light. Dirty blonde hair that reached past his shoulders — granted he was tall and skinny, but when he stood next to me I couldn’t think of anyone or anything but him. It was like tunnel vision in the best possible way. The only sound I heard was his voice. The only person I saw was him. It was amazing and terrifying all at the same time,” she laughs.

“Did you guys date?”

“No. We didn’t.”

Well that explains why she never brought him up in terms of her exes.

“You see,” she continues. “There was this one time on our middle school field trip to the capital where he asked to speak to me alone. I could have sworn right then and there he was going to say something in the lines of a confession. The strangest thing is that at that particular time I didn’t know what my feelings were. I knew I liked being around him. I looked forward to the class we had together but I guess my brain didn’t formulate that I was head over heels with this guy.

“Anyway, he brings me off to the side away from everyone and he’s twitching and fiddling with his fingers. He was so cute,” she giggles making you giggle. “It’s not often you see men nervous like that so remember those moments because they’re super funny and warm to look back on.

“So, he opens his mouth and says ‘I have something to ask you…’ and just when I moved closer to him because he was speaking so softly I could barely hear him my friend shows up saying she wanted to show me something. Right then and there he went from being super nervous to almost relieved and waved me off. To this day I want to know what he wanted to ask me, but I never found out.”

“So when did you realize you liked him?”

“Our second year of high school when he was constantly throwing remarks to a mutual friend of ours. It wasn’t jealousy, more like annoyance. She was dating this guy off in the military — spraying love letters with her perfume so when he read it, it would smell like her, she was so cute. Well, everyday he’d come in and it was starting to irritate her and me as well. She’s my friend, I had to stand up for her. So I did.

“He got embarrassed told me he was going to kill me and how, and that was how our friendship ended. But my feelings weren’t so easily broken. For the next two years I couldn’t stop myself from looking at him with heartbroken eyes. I liked him so much. I even wonder sometimes if he was technically a first love, but it wasn’t meant to be.

“It took me years to get over him but once I let him go I met your father and have been happy ever since,” she cups your cheek in her hand. “Sometimes letting go of someone you really liked is the hardest thing in the world, but it also opens yourself up for something new and wonderful.”

Just then a knock is placed on your door, Jaemin standing in the frame. “Your dad wanted me to ask if the two of you would like to go out for dinner tonight.”

“On New Year’s Eve?” Your mom growls already standing to storm off and find your dad. “Does this man have no sense of tradition?! I’ll be right back sweetie I need to have a word with your father!”

“May I come in?” Jaemin shuffles back and forth on his feet.

Squinting you enjoy his sudden nervous behavior. “It is your home you know.”

“It is,” he runs a hand through his hair. “But you are staying here for the time being and this is your room.”

“Get in here,” you wave him in.

Just as Jaemin sits down on the edge of the bed you hear your parents going back and forth arguing about dinner.

“Is it always like this?” Jaemin inquires.

“Nope,” you start painting your other hand. “I guess my dad thinks the pizza and Chinese food drivers will get confused trying to find your place. Probably wants us to pick a buffet style place where we can get a little of everything.”

“Pizza and Chinese?”

“Yeah I only ate pizza as a kid, well that and chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, the usual kid stuff. My parents wanted something more elevated but I refused. So from the time I was 8 till now they have Chinese and I have pizza on New Year’s Eve.”

“You guys have so many traditions,” he resituates himself so he’s looking at you. “I’m a little jealous.”

“Play your cards right and you won’t have to be jealous,” you wink.

His eyes light up with shock and hope. His body leaning forward, face mere inches from yours as he smiles brightly. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“I don’t know. What do you think I’m saying?”

Closing the gap between the two of you his lips land on yours. Again, your body bursts to life. Your heart races as your body warms up instantaneously. Wanting to wrap your arms around him you keep your still drying nails away from him.

Jaemin’s lips move across yours slowly. Taking his time to savior the kiss you’ve been itching to have. The past few days you’ve found yourselves only able to steal pecks and glances — your parents having an uncanny ability to pop in at the drop of a hat, limiting anything from progressing.

“I think you’re saying you like me,” he cups your cheek in his hand.

“What if I am?”

“I’d be the happiest man on earth,” his lips find yours again.

“We’re staying here —” your moms voice causes both Jaemin and yourself to break apart quickly, but not quick enough. Folding her arms across her chest your mom eyes the two of you. “Well what do we have here,” she teases.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry I just…” Jaemin stands up frazzled. “It won’t happen again I —”

Holding up her hand he stops talking. “I think my daughter would be upset if you stopped kissing her,” she giggles. “It’s fine, Jaemin.” She walks up to him. “You’re just the kind of man I think my daughter needs in her life. So, what to do about dinner?” Her eyes bounce between Jaemin and yourself. “Your father and I will head out and pick up the food. That should give the two of you some time, alone…” she winks.

“Mom! Stop!”

Shrugging she leans in giving Jaemin a kiss on the cheek. “Have fun,” she whispers to him. “Darling!” She calls out to your dad. “Get the car started we’re picking up the food!”

The rest of the night the four of you spent together watching the New Year’s Eve celebrations on TV. Nothing serious happened after your mom left a few more kisses before Nana made her presence known to both of you. So Jaemin took her outside for a little playtime while you finished getting ready for tonight. Another tradition you had growing up was to get dressed nicely to ring in the new year.

Now, as the clock ticks down to midnight you can’t help but look around at everyone smiling and laughing. You didn’t expect this at all when you started your trek to your parents home. To end up in another home with such a kind and accommodating man.

Perhaps your mom is right. It’s best to let go of your past to open yourself up to something new and wonderful.

“5! 4! 3! 2!” Your parents and Jaemin start to shout.

Maybe it’s time to move onto him…

“1!”

Everyone starts to cheer. Your mom popping her little confetti before your father wraps his arm around her giving her a big kiss. Squinting in both disgust and admiration for the love they still have after all these years you look to Jaemin who is just smiling fondly.

“Go on!” Your mom pulls away from your dad. “You both need to have a new years kiss.”

“Sweetie,” your father warns.

“Oh hush,” she waves him off coming over to you. “Bring in the new year in hopes of finding new love,” she lifts you off the couch, pulls you to Jaemin and plants you down next to him.

“Mom, really,” you shake your head.

“Not like the two of you haven’t kissed before.”

“WHAT? Whe—” Your father shouts but is cut off by a kiss from your mom.

“I’m sorry about her,” you turn to Jaemin.

“It’s okay. If she didn’t bring you over here I was going to come to you,” he takes hold of your hand. “I’d really like to kiss you right now.”

“She’d really like that too.”

“Mom!!!!” Chuckling Jaemin stares at you lovingly. Waiting for you to give him the green light. “For goodness sake, Jaemin.”

Pulling him into you by the neck you smash your lips together. A huge smile playing across his face as his arms wrap around you, holding you close to him.

“Happy New Year,” he whispers against your lips.

“Happy New Year, Jaemin.”

An hour later your parents called it a night both too exhausted to keep their eyes open any longer. Heading upstairs to their designated room, you wonder if you should head to bed as well. But when you feel Jaemin’s gaze on you something within you or the air changes completely.

Hearing your parents' voices fade off into the distance the couch dips down next to you, Jaemin’s form extremely close to you.

“Finally,” he chuckles. “I was wondering when they’d call it a night.”

“You were?”

“Mmhmm,” he leans into you with the cutest grin plastered on his face. “I have an important question to ask you.”

“And what is this important question?” You lean into him your lips a few inches apart.

“I know we haven’t known each other for a long time but I was wondering,” his eyes drop down to your lips before bouncing back to your eyes. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my girlfriend?”

“For real?” You ask a little shocked by the question.

It wasn’t that you didn’t see this coming — you 100% saw it coming it’s just the timing and the new year, and you’ll leave in just two more days…when will you see him again? How long will it be before you feel his lips on you when you leave him? A sharp pain stabs at your heart with just the thought of being separated from him.

“Yes for real,” he chuckles holding your hand in his. “I really like you. I don’t think I’ve ever liked someone this fast or as much in my whole life.”

“What about your family? I thought you said they wouldn’t approve of me?”

“I could care less what they have to say about you. I like you and that should be good enough for them.”

“So we’re really doing this?” You giggle.

“Only if you say yes,” his hand goes from yours to your neck.

“Yes! Of course!”

Pulling you to him, Jaemin crashes his lips onto yours. Long gone are the gentle kisses from earlier where it felt like he was trying to savor every last second the two of you could share. In its place is a different beast altogether. A thirsty hungry creature that is devouring your soul little by little.

“Lean back for me,” he whispers on your lips, voice husky.

Doing as instructed you lay back until your head touches the pillow behind you. Parting your legs, Jaemin slides between them, his body pressing against yours. Instantly you feel something hard press against your clothed core. Heat consumes your body into wanton flames of desire.

“I’m going to need you to keep your voice down, okay?” He asks you a smirk laced in his voice. “I don’t want your parents to hear at all.”

“J-Jaemin!” You squeak when he grinds his hips into yours. “Th-The bedroom!”

Shaking his head he lowers himself to you. Lips brushing across yours. “I want to finish what I stopped the last time, right here on this couch.”

“B-But the bedro —” He cuts you off with a gentle kiss to your lips.

“Let’s play a game,” he kisses you again before moving down to your jaw.

“A game?” You sigh into the feeling of his lips on you.

“Mhm,” you arch your neck when his lips kiss a line around your décolletage. “I want to see how quiet you can be while we make love.”

Grabbing your leg he yanks you closer to him a loud squeak spilling from your lips. Covering your mouth with your hands you stare wide eyed. Fear racing through your veins you chant in your mind for your parents to have their door closed and to already be settling down for the night.

“Shhh,” Jaemim chides. “If you’re too loud they’ll hear.”

Legs spread wide for Jaemin to comfortably nestle between them, he starts to grind his hip into yours. Tightening your grip on your mouth you do everything in your power not to moan. Moving his hips into yours gently your hands slowly fall from your mouth. Light gasps leaving your lips.

“You have a choice,” Jaemin whispers. “We can skip the foreplay and get straight to business or I can eat you out until you see stars.”

Snickering your eyes squint with intrigue. “Think you can actually make me see stars?”

“Oh my little princess, I know I can.”

“Then how can I say no?”

Having stripped you of your shirt, bra, and pants your now left in just your panties. Clothing tossed off to the side, Jaemin rips his shirt over his head — broad chest throwing you into a world of lust. Not thinking that this type of body would be underneath the clothes Jaemin was wearing you reach out — sliding your hands down his chest.

“This is unexpected,” you purr.

“Come here,” he gestures with his finger.

Sitting up you lean forward and are wrapped in Jaemin’s insanely thick strong arms. Chills rush over you as he showers you in kisses. Lips moving across yours hungrily. His tongue slipping in and out of your mouth making you weak in the knees. Consumed by his lips on yours you don’t even notice that he’s resituated you so your back is against the cushion — his body sliding down onto the floor between your legs.

Holding his face in your hands he growls against your lips, nipping your bottom lip.

“Get comfortable, okay?” He asks against your lips. “And remember try to be quiet.”

Sliding your hips down to the edge of the cushion, you rest your back against the back of the couch. Legs hiked up at your sides, Jaemin leans in giving your lips a small kiss before working his way down your body. Stopping at your breasts, he wraps his lips around your erect buds giving each side a little suckle before heading south.

Body already burning from his touch, his lips, his intense gaze on you while he heads for your pulsating bundle of nerves — you start panting when he slides his fingers across the front of your panties. Gripping the fabric of the couch you jolt away from his fingers, already far too sensitive.

“What’s wrong?” He chuckles. “Why did you move from me?” Wrapping his arms around your hips he pulls you back down to him. “There we go,” he mumbles face smack dap between your thighs. “Much better.”

“Jaemin….” You whine.

Body twitching in anticipation you use your finger to bite on when Jaemin starts to rub over your panties. Trying your best not to moan out into the night.

“You’re so wet,” Jaemin pulls back his hand marveling at the string of wetness that soaked through your panties and onto his fingers. “My beautiful princess is so wet for me,” he smiles brightly. “Such a good girl.”

Eyes rolling into the back of your head at the strangest compliment you’ve ever heard — Jaemin pulls your panties to the side before giving your soaking folds a good sniff.

“Mmmm,” he grunts. “You smell so good…”

His eyes fixed on yours Jaemin opens his mouth ever so slightly and gives your sensitive bud an open mouthed kiss.

“Ahhhh!!!”

Again, Jaemin kisses your bundle of nerves. Clamping your hands over your mouth, your hips start to move up to his lips in dire need to feel him on you again.

Slipping out his tongue, Jaemin licks over your clit gently. Your body jerking away at the initial lick, but his arm that rests on the side of your hip keeps you steady. Once more he licks over you tasting your juices. Pulling back his lips glisten against the light from the fireplace.

“You taste so good, princess.” He kisses your clit. “Now be good for me and keep your voice down, okay? I don’t want to have to try and explain this to your parents.” He winks.

“Jaemin…” you breathe out unsteadily. “Please, the bedroom. I can’t…it feels…”

Shaking his head he swipes his tongue up your folds again making you jerk. “Wouldn’t matter,” he chuckles. “You’d still be a moaning mess when I’m done with you. Out here,” he gives you a dark look. “You need to be quiet. It’s part of the game.”

Eyes closed tightly your hands grip onto Jaemin’s hair. His mouth like a suction cup is glued to your pussy. Licking and sucking over every inch of your soaking folds. The slurping sounds echoing through the silent house. Soft whimpers that you wish were loud screams of pleasure bounces off the walls in the living room.

Jaemin wasn’t kidding when he said he’d make you see stars. With how hard he’s sucking against you, to the way his tongue skates across your clit — his fingers ramming inside of you, your all but in another galaxy completely.

Pressure builds up in your lower stomach. Body covered in goosebumps, you shiver when a particular swipe of his mouth sends a jolt of pleasure through your body.

“Fuck! Jaemin!” You cry out.

Sucking as hard as he can Jaemin rises from your pussy with a pop. “I could live between your legs,” he growls nipping your inner thigh. “You taste so good. I can’t get enough of you.”

“Jaemin, please…the bedroom…” you try to crawl away hoping if you could at least get away from him for a second you could lead him to the room you’re staying in and lock the door.

Grabbing the sides of your panties, Jaemin starts yanking them down your body. Lifting yourself up he removes the last bit of clothing off of you and sends it flying to somewhere in the room. Now exposed to him, he wraps both arms around you.

“Brace yourself, princess.”

“Wh-Wha?!!!!!”

You scream out. Actually scream! Jaemin’s mouth moves across your pussy like a hungry beast. Nipping at your puffy folds your quiet whimpers and whines grow louder the rougher he is with you. Sliding his fingers inside you, Jaemin curls them until your pulling away from him, back arched and a moan wanting to be let free.

“Come for me, princess.” He mumbles against you.

“Jae…Jae…Jae…” you start to chant.

Toes curling the pressure in your stomach charges forward like a bull. Eyes crossing and fluttering you start pressing down on his fingers as if trying to push him out of you — this very action sending you over the edge.

With Jaemin’s mouth suckling your clit and his fingers coaxing the most powerful orgasm of your life, you start lifting yourself up from the couch. His arms wrapping around you securely, but his mouth never leaving you.

“I’m…I’m…” you breathe out quickly. “I’m…FUCK!!!!” You scream. “I’m coming!!!”

No longer worried about how loud you are, you ride out the best toe curling, pussy throbbing, slick dripping orgasm of your life!

“Sweetie?!” You hear your fathers voice from the top of the staircase. “Is that you?”

Pulling away from you quickly, Jaemin lifts you up, gathering you in his arms. Legs like Jell-O he has to practically carry you out of the room. Using the walls and chairs to help keep you up, you’re taken into your room.

Just as your door closes you hear your fathers footsteps coming down the stairs. Pushing you against the wall, the familiar sounds of a belt and zipper being undone, Jaemin pulls your hips back until you're hunched over. That’s when it hits you. The feeling of Jaemin’s dick sliding between your legs. Slicking his cock up with the juices still dripping from you.

When he’s nice and slicked up, with as much tenderness as he can muster, he slides into you.

A low guttural groan quakes in your throat at the feeling of his cock pushing past your entrance. Hissing as you adjust to his size, Jaemin kisses down your back.

“Sweetheart, are you okay?” Your father calls from outside your door.

Jaemin takes this opportunity to slide his cock out of your pussy before slamming back inside of you. Squeaking you scramble to get away from him.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Your dad goes to open the door.

“Better make it sound convincing or your dads going to see me buried in this sweet pussy of yours.” Jaemin whispers behind you.

Again, he slides almost the whole way out of you before ramming into you. Doing this on purpose you try to compose yourself. This isn’t something your parents need to hear let alone see. Bracing your arms on the wall you try to predict Jaemin’s next deep thrust.

“I’m…” you breathe in feeling him slide out. “Fine!” You quickly answer before Jaemin has a chance to ram into you. “I stubbed my TOE!” You fucked up your timing and end up moaning.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine! Real-ly!!!”

Sensing you try to get used to his movements Jaemin picks up the pace but keeps the thrusts nice and deep, making sure to go as deep as your pussy will allow him.

“You don’t sound okay.” Your fathers voice quivers with fear.

“Real-ly…I’m…fine…” you say with each thrust. “Go back…” your body curls when Jaemin’s cock rubs over your g-spot. “To bed…” you whimper.

“Do you need me to get Jaemin?”

“NO! Seriously, I’m fine. Go back to bed! Good night dad!”

Silence comes from the other side of the door. Jaemin keeps fucking you from behind, the back of your hand making your whines softer so your dad can’t hear you.

“Okay…” he finally says. “Good night…”

Knowing full well he doesn’t believe a damn word you just said, it doesn’t bother you at all. You’ll deal with his questions later. All you want is for him to leave so Jaemin can fuck you properly.

“Love you, dad!” You throw out for good measure.

“Love you too sweetie…”

Slowing down his thrusts, Jaemin pulls you back flush against his chest. His hands grabbing hold of your breasts. Fingers pinching your nipples, making your hips buck forward.

“Good job princess…” he whispers against your ear.

“Jaemin…” you moan his name.

“You’re mine now,” he growls against your neck. “All mine!”

Chomping down on your neck, Jaemin waits until your fathers footsteps sound farther away before he pushes you forward, grabs hold of your hips, and rams himself in and out of you.

Choking on your moans your cunt is used to get him off. Holding onto the wall, anything you can reach, you keep yourself steady. Jaemin grunts behind you while spewing the sweetest and filthiest explicitives from his lips.

“That’s right princess,” he growls. “Clench your sweet pussy around my cock.”

“Jaemin!!!” You cry.

“Fuck!” He slams into you one last time before pulling out completely.

Falling forward your pussy clenches around nothing. Missing the way his cock feels inside of you, you turn around to see him staring you down. The only source of light in your room is the bright full moon shining through your window.

“Come here,” he holds out his hand.

Leading you to the bed, Jaemin kisses you gently as your back rests against the covers. Crawling on top of you he settles between your legs. Pumping his dick between his hand a few times, he slides back into you.

Curling at the feeling of being filled again, you open your arms for him. Putting more of his weight on you, Jaemin leans forward connecting your lips together. Going back to his deep thrusts, he takes his time finding his own release. Your lips move across each other’s with haste but also tenderness.

Sliding your fingers up and down his back, you start to feel goosebumps appear on his skin. Smiling against his lips, Jaemin pulls back just enough to peer into your eyes.

“You feel so good,” he pecks your lips.

“Jaemin,” you pull him back down to you.

“Yes, princess.”

Leaning up you whisper in his ear. “Fuck me.”

Without being told twice, Jaemin’s hips slam into yours. Chasing his release he no longer hesitates to give you the best fuck of your life. His cock hitting places you’ve never had hit, you cling to him — nails digging into his back leaving behind marks, and your legs wrap around him keeping him in your grasp.

Jaemin’s deep thrusts start to become erratic. His hips slamming into yours vehemently you keep your moaning to a minimum by burying your face into the crook of his neck.

“Shit!! I’m going to…” he grunts.

“Inside me! Inside me!” You chant.

“Fuck!!!”

“Fill me up,” you bite on his shoulder.

Thrusting into your soaking cunt one last time, Jaemin growls lowly in his throat. Filling you up completely with his come.

“Shit…” he hisses.

With a few more thrusts of his cock, he makes sure every last drop of his seed has coated your insides. Breathing heavily, your bodies covered in sweat, he peers down at you.

“That was amazing,” he chuckles.

Giggling you exhale deeply, your walls clenching around Jaemin’s dick. “You’re telling me!”

“I still can’t believe you said yes,” he lowers his forehead to yours. “I truly am the luckiest man in the world.”

“I’m all yours from now on, Jaemin...”

▽ ⓟ ⓡ ⓔ ⓨ △

Pulling away slowly from your captor you do your best not to make a sound. Your body sore from the multiple rounds of fucking you just endured. Wobbling across the room,

heading for the bathroom to relieve yourself you grab your clothing on the way back to the bed that was sprawled all over the floor. Sliding into your shirt and underwear you go to put on your pants when strong arms wrap around you from behind.

“No, don’t.” He whispers against your neck.

“I’m cold.”

“Then let me warm you up.”

“Haven’t you had enough fun to last you a lifetime?” You taunt.

“Princess, I haven’t even begun to have fun yet.”

Pulling you up against him his bulge pokes against your lower back. Truly an insatiable man, your legs start to quiver. A perfect match the two of you. Solely based on your carnal sexual desire for the other, you take a deep breath to calm your beating heart.

“What? Want another round before you leave?”

“As many as I can get.” He slips his hands under your shirt going straight to your breasts. Grabbing them harshly you moan into his touch. “I’ll never stop loving the sound of your voice.”

“Only one more time, okay? It’s already hard for me to walk.”

Snickering he pulls away, spinning you around until your flush against his chest — bulging muscular arms wrapping you in a warm bear hug.

“My apologies. I just can’t seem to control myself when I’m inside of you.”

Going to your tippy toes, you slither your arms out from his embrace and wrap them around his neck. “I want you to make love to me. Nice,” you peck him on the lips. “And slow…” you move to his cheek. “And deep…” you nip his chin.

“Fuck!!”

Sprawled and completely passed out beside you, covers only concealing his lower body you stare at the man who has kept you away from your family and life. Doing your part for the past two weeks of being his little princess, his doll, who taunted him but also yearned for him — you’ve managed to secure part of your freedom.

Laying on the ground of your bed rests the chain that is normally hooked to the collar around your neck. Smirking you watch as this sick twisted creature breathes peacefully in his sleep. Hair mussed and over his face. Your nail marks painting his skin, he has no worry in the world.

Reaching behind you, you grab your pillow. Thoughts of your family rush past your eyes. Your mom and dad who you haven’t seen in so long. Who you’re only allowed to talk to with him in the room — parents totally clueless that they’re baby girl has suffered without their knowledge. Your job, your life, your apartment that you apparently have waiting for you out of arms reach.

Gripping the edges of the pillow you start to shake. Blood boiling inside of you as rage takes over you. Eyes watering with tears you’ve wanted to shed for so long clouding your vision just as darkness consumes you…

Your feet smack against the cement flooring of the downstairs labyrinth. Turning corner after corner you head as far away from that monster as you can. Their lifeless body making you stagger every time you find yourself going higher and higher to salvation.

Bursting through the first set of doors, Nana, perks up. Her eyes squinting at you. It’s been a few months since you’ve seen her. The last time when your captor caught you trying to escape into the library. Taking him up on the offer of not participating in his game anymore, you were kept in your room for what you assumed was a couple of months. The psycho himself spending most of his free time down there with you.

Gulping, you try your best not to alarm her. The last time you saw her she actually didn’t try to maul you. Your presence in her home apparently starting to grow on her.

“Nana,” you call her. “He’s down there. Go to him.” You point.

Standing she eyes you like she’s peering into your very soul. She wasn’t like the two idiots who guarded the house. Nana is the smartest dog you’ve ever come into contact with.

“Go on girl, he wants you,” you say as happily as you can while your body is seconds from breaking down.

Walking up to you slowly, she passes by before heading down the stairs. Waiting until she turns the corner you slam the door shut keeping her down there and out of your way. The moment she realizes her master is dead she’ll come for you. You know it!

Making a bee line through the hallways you’ve grown to know through all of the games, you take the quickest and easiest path to the main floor. In the hallway hangs a painting of a boy and girl playing outside. The boy pushing the girl on a swing. It’s a beautiful painting that initially had you marveling at it quite a few times. But what lies behind the painting is a staircase that takes you up to the ground floor.

This path you tried to take multiple times in the past but you were always caught. The reason being, it’s the easiest and most obvious choice. This time however, you don’t have to fear. No one is coming after you. You’ve made sure of it.

Coming through another painting on the ground floor, one that is of your captors’ beloved grandmother, you walk through the hallway that leads to the library on the far end of the house. Dashing though the vast room, you say goodbye to all of the books you’ll never read. You sprint through the hall until you’re passing the room your mother and father slept in when they were here — when you were safe and not held captive by someone you thought cared for you.

Rushing down the stairs you almost fall when you land onto the main hallway. Your heart pounds in your ears and head as you burst through the front doors and into the bright sunlight. Shielding your eyes, you hear the familiar barks of the two guard dogs. However, unlike last time they don’t charge at you. They just stare you down, eyeing you the same way that Nana did.

“N-Ni-Nice boys,” your voice trembles. “It’s m-m-me…don’t you remem-ber?”

Slowly you walk past them but they follow closely behind you. Clenching your eyes tightly you round the right hand side of the house heading straight for the barn. Memories of how you got onto the property come flooding back to you.

Finding your trek to see the horse as boring, both of the dogs halt their movements and go back to the front of the house.

A shaky breath passes from you and like a bat out of hell you run to the door that leads out into the huge forest hillside. Yanking on the doorknob, tears start to pour from your eyes. Of course it’s locked! Of course!!!!

Turning back to the front of the property you know that there are several gates that you’ll need to get through in order to leave. And that’s when it hits you! Reaching around to the back of your neck, you unbuckle your collar. Hanging nicely through the hook where your chain goes, is a key.

‘Now, to be sure that you’re given proper incentive to participate, I’ll add this to your collar.’ Your captor loops his index finger under the fresh new leather collar around your neck, pulling you to him. ‘This is a key that will get you past the gates. You’re free to go if you make it out of all three and step over the property line. Do you understand?’

Gripping the key in your palm you make a mad dash to the first gate. The guard dogs now on full alert start barking behind you. Not paying them any mind you rush to the first gate. Shoving the key into the lock you struggle to open it. The dogs barking growing louder, has you turning back to see them approaching you quickly.

“Shit! Shit!”

Trembling against the lock you manage to open the first gate. Quickly going through you close the gate behind you just as the dogs rush it — bodies slamming against the gate like rabid animals.

“I’m sorry!” You cry. “I’ll make sure you guys are all found. I promise!”

Noticing there’s a lock on the other side of the gate, you struggle to keep the gate closed long enough to secure it. But once you do…you slowly back away from it. Seeing as the coast is clear and you no longer have to worry about the two ferocious Doberman’s snarling at you, you run to the second gate and repeat the same thing.

The third gate however, you breathe out unsteadily. Is what seems like half a football field away.

“For fucks sake!!!” You scream. “Come on! You’re almost there!” You pump yourself up.

Slowly you run to the final gate. Lungs burning, your throat dry as a desert and muscles aching with fatigue you trudge through what you believe is the early summer sun. Your skin prickling under the heat, you find a slight comfort in the feeling. Being trapped inside for so long you almost forgot what the sun felt like against your skin.

Finally, nearing the last gate your body starts to break down. The adrenaline that was pumping through your veins starting to dissipate. Staggering up to the gate you grip it as you try to keep your body upright. Your stomach convulses as if you want to throw up.

Honestly, for what you assumed is a couple of days, you’ve felt a weird queasy feeling. Not wanting to eat any eggs for breakfast, made you have to tell your captor that it made you nauseous. On one occasion having you running to the bathroom to relieve your stomach.

Shaking your head you rid yourself of the memories. Sliding the key into the lock, the beautiful sound of the gate opening sends chills throughout your body.

“I did it…” you whisper. “I really did it…”

Tears pour from your eyes like a waterfall. Your body finally gives out and you collapse to the ground. Finally you’re free! You did it! You beat that sick psychopath at his own game! You won!!!

Clambering to your feet you take your first step towards freedom when the gates close with a loud slam that has you springing back.

“Wh-What?!” You rush to the gate trying to push it open. It doesn’t budge. “No! No! No!!!” You yank against it.

“Did you really think you’d get away that easily?” Darkness blacks out your vision completely at the familiar voice coming from behind you. Paralyzed with fear the only sense still functioning, your hearing.

“The pillow, now that was an interesting choice.” He chuckles. “I must commend you for that one. However, I think my supberb acting skills should really get a round of applause.” His footsteps draw closer to you.

“You should have checked to see if I still had a pulse, my naughty princess. Always, and I do mean always…check for a pulse. You thought you got me there for a second.” He let’s out the most maniacal laugh you’ve ever heard. One that breaks you out of the darkness and back into reality.

“Here’s what you did wrong,” he spins you around. “You switched up your game. That’s what tipped me off first. You’ve been pushing me away from the moment I locked the doors and gates to you. Barely even letting me touch you,” he slides his arms around your waist, yanking you to him harshly. “Then, all of a sudden you want me to fuck you. You want me to fill you up with my come,” again he laughs in the most disturbingly unhinged way possible.

“Come now, you should have eased into this new act of yours. Granted it would have meant you’d be under my control for much longer, but at least I wouldn’t have suspected anything.” Pressing his forehead against yours he kisses your nose.

“Even if it meant fighting against death itself I would never leave you.” He whispers. “Want to know why?”

Shaking your head no, your body starts to give out. Hope leaving you. There’s nothing left for you to live for. Nothing left for you to fight for, to keep you here. He isn’t going to let you go. You’re going to die here. You know he’ll just make up some lame ass excuse. Hell, he’ll probably make your death one for the books. An elaborate plan that has no flaws whatsoever. Fool proof.

“Come on, guess…” he pouts.

“I don’t know, Jaemin…”

After all this time you finally utter his name. Attempting to keep the two personalities separate for as long as you possibly could you finally face reality that Jaemin is the monster and the monster is Jaemin. And you… like the prey you are, you fell right into his trap.

“You’ve been sick lately haven’t you?” He asks.

“And…”

“My dear princess use that smart brain of yours.”

“I’m tired…” you snap.

“Now, now… just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you have to be so snippy with me. After all, this is a joyous occasion!” He hugs you warmly. “We’re going to be a family!!!”

Through your self pity daze you hear the words: pregnant, joyous, and family.

Pregnant… your brain clings to this word. Pregnant…Pregnant…Pregnant…

PREGNANT!!!

“Wh-What?!!” You scream.

“Isn’t it wonderful news?! At first I thought it was just a stomach bug. But when you kept turning away from the eggs, and saying that you felt queasy, and even throwing up a few times. That’s when I decided to call my mom. Boy is she beyond pissed, but screw the old bat! Of course we’ll do a pregnancy test to be sure, but baby!!!! We’re going to be a family!!!”

Jaemin holds the sides of your face while he smothers you in kisses. Your brain malfunctioning. No! This can’t be true! You can’t be pregnant! You just can’t be! He’s lying! You’re just sick! That’s it! No! No! No!!!!

“Oh princess!” He pulls back looking down at you lovingly. “I promise we’ll never be separated, okay? We’ll be together forever! Ahhh!!! We should quickly plan a wedding! We need to do things properly! Can’t bring our precious baby into this world unwed!”

Turning behind him you see all three dogs wagging their tails happily. “Do you hear that guys?! I’m going to be a dad!!!”

As if clearly understanding him all three dogs bark with glee.

“Now, come on…” he giggles happily. “Mama,” he uses a new nickname. “Let’s get you out of this sun and cleaned up.”

Pulling you away from the gate you look behind you as the last bit of solace leaves your body completely. You’re never going to get out. No matter how strong you think you are. No matter how smart you think you are… You look up at Jaemin who’s babbling about everything they need to do to for the baby and the wedding. You’re never going to beat him…

NEVER….

S E Q U E L-C L I C K.H E R E

[obxone]

Unlikely Pairing (Part Three)

Edited-ish. ~4k words.

Warning: Smut ending

(Part 1) (Part 2)

Taglist: @shara-ne

“Damn Kiara,” Cleo exclaims as you near her family home. You all walk through the gate, and Kiara tenses up with every step. “You live here? This is like the White House, man.”

You giggle and look at the others at Cleo’s comment.

“How bad do you think it’s gonna be?” Pope asks.

“Scale of one to ten?” She asks, glancing at the four of you lingering by the gate. “Twenty.”

“Do you want us to wait with you?” You ask, reaching for her hand to give it a squeeze of reassurance.

“No. I… I gotta take this. Thanks for walking me.” She scrunches her face, moving her hair behind her ears before glancing at you. “You should see her house next.”

You blush, looking at the clear pool water.

“I doubt my parents will even be home,” you mutter, kicking the toe of your shoe against the concrete lining the pool area. “They probably didn’t even notice I was missing.”

Kiara pauses on the steps, looking at JJ, who does not seem to want to meet anyone’s eyes. “Bye JayJ.”

He salutes her wordlessly, and you frown at him, not sure what is causing a rift between them.

“Come on,” Cleo motions the group back through the gate, and you start the trek toward your house.

“So…” you muse, elbowing JJ as Pope and Cleo lead the way. “What’s that about?”

“Nothing.”

“Jay…”

“Just drop it,” he mutters.

“All right,” you turn onto your street and join Pope and Cleo, who paused at the main gate.

“Wow!” Cleo whispers as her hands grip the bars. “This is bigger than the White House.”

You laugh with a shake of your head. “No, it’s not. But, Sarah’s house practically is.”

“Of course it is!” She mutters, shaking her head and stepping away. “I saw that Bahama’s house.”

You glance back at the estate before turning to your friends. “Check in soon? I’m not sure anyone is home, but a shower sounds so good.”

“We’ll check in,” Pope agrees, fist bumping you before you turn to JJ with a sad expression.

“Text me if you need me,” you pat his shoulder. “Or come by. You know you’re welcome here anytime.”

“Thanks, Princess,” he flashes his dimple and hugs you before taking a step back. They all wave, and you watch them go before you punch in the code to the gate and step through. The walk up to the house feels incredibly long, and your hands shake once you reach the front door. You lift your hand to knock, but the door is pulled open.

“Hi,” you whisper. Your gaze finds your mother. “Hi, Mom.”

“Oh, my god.” The teacup slips from her hand and shatters against the marble floor. “Archibald!”

“Honey, is everyth-?” Your dad comes around the corner but pauses. His eyes widen, and you are immediately pulled further into his house and their arms. “Thank God!”

“I know, I’m sorry,” you murmur, nestling against them.

“You are home,” your mother sobs, tears welling in her eyes as she touches your face.

“I’m home,” you reassure her before she hugs you tighter.

“Honey,” your dad prompts, encouraging her to let go. “She’s home, she’s okay.”

You reassure them both. “I’m okay. But, I would really like to take a shower and get some fresh clothes.”

“Of course,” your mother agrees, stepping back while wiping at her eyes. “I’ll get you something to eat, and we will make some calls to let everyone know you are home, safe and sound.”

You nod, smiling a little before heading for the staircase. You hurry to the second floor and down the hall to your room. A warmth spreads through you that your parents are happy to see you and glad you are home. It feels nice to see them in the same place together.

After a long, hot shower and fresh clothing, you make your way back downstairs. You find your parents in the sunroom, a small spread of food on the ottoman between them.

“You already look so much better.” Your mom smiles, running her fingers through your freshly washed and blown out hair. “We’ll have to get you a facial and a mani-pedi soon,” she hums, tapping your chin to look at your sun kissed face before glancing at your short unpolished nails.

Everyone is silent for a moment, and you shift uncomfortably at the way their gazes run over you, calculating what you look like.

“Here, Sweetheart,” your father says, leaning forward to collect a small plate and pass it to you along with a cup of water. “Please eat something.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

He nods, straightening his suit jacket before glancing at your mother. “Umm… if we are all settled here, then I will go to the office.”

“You’re going in?” You ask around a bite.

He nods, rising from his seat. “Yes, Sweetheart. The Island needs their favorite mayor.”

“Okay,” you whisper, not able to hide the disappointment in your voice. He ignores it and pecks your mother's cheek and then your forehead before going.

“I should go into the office as well,” your mother says quietly, knocking the invisible crumbs off her skirt. “Real estate stops for nothing, I’m afraid.”

“I understand.”

She smiles, squeezing your arm before she is up and gone. You exhale, looking around the quiet sunroom before pushing the half-eaten plate away in disappointment. You had been missing, and even with you back, nothing has changed. You wander through the house until you are back in your room and diving under your covers to comfort yourself.

A little bit later, the doorbell rings, startling you as you drop the book you are reading and jog to the front door to open it. Sarah exhales at the sight of you. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.” You open the door wider and allow her in. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Umm…” she paces in the foyer for a second before turning to you, running her hand through her blonde hair. “So…”

“Sarah?”

“I know, I’m trying,” she whispers before exhaling harshly. “Rafe is back.”

“What?!”

She nods, biting her lip before repeating herself. “Rafe is back.”

“Oh my god,” you whisper as fear claws up inside of you. “On Kildare?”

“Yep.”

“Fuck!”

“I know.”

You turn to her with wide eyes. “What are we going to do?”

She shrugs. “There isn’t much we can do.”

“Sarah! I robbed your brother!” You exclaim, hands pressing to your stomach. “I shoved your brother off his own boat and stole it! I left him there to feign for himself! He’s going to kill me!”

“That’s not all of it either,” she murmurs, and you stare at her in shock. “I think the cross is coming back… to Wilmington, tomorrow night.”

“Holy shit.” You lower yourself onto the chaise decorating a wall in the foyer to steady yourself. “Does Pope know?”

“No, not yet.”

You nod, hands pressing to your face. “Okay, we need to tell him. To tell everyone.”

“I know, I was going to tell everyone at the Chateau.”

“Oh, umm,” you frown, pulling out your cell to show her a series of texts. “You can’t. He’s on lockdown.”

“Fine, I’ll go there.”

“I can tell Kie,” you offer, tucking your phone back in your pocket. “And I’m sure we’ll find JJ after.”

“Great, and I’ll tell John B… also Big John is alive.”

“What?!” You snap.

 “I saw him this morning.”

“Holy fucking shit!”

“I know, it’s a lot,” she murmurs before glancing at the door. “We should hurry though, right?”

“Right!” You agree and grab your keys and follow her out to the driveway. “You need a lift?”

“No, I have my bike.”

“Okay,” you agree, opening the car door quickly. Your mind racing that Rafe is back, Big John is alive, and the cross is within reach again. “And Sarah?” She pauses from climbing on her bike to look at you. “Be careful.”

“You too. Oh, I meant to ask, your parents…?”

You frown, looking at the ground.

“They aren’t here, are they?” She takes your silence as a response. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” you say, meeting her gaze again. “We got bigger problems.”

She nods and pedals off as you get into your car and turn it over. It purrs to life and seems to operate fine, even having sat still for weeks on end. You thank the heavens and shift onto the driveway before leaving the empty, quiet house behind.

Nothing registers are you drive, not until you are parked at the Carrera household and getting out of the car as Kiara walks to the end of the porch. Concern flashes across her face when she sees you and the expression you have.

“We have a problem,” you rush out, jogging up the stairs to meet her. “Rafe’s back.”

“Rafe?!”

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you okay?”

You nod, glancing at the house where you can see Anna and Mike moving around inside. “And guess what else? The cross is coming back, tomorrow night.”

“What?!”

“Yep, Sarah is telling Pope now and then John B. I came to tell you, and we have to go tell JJ.” You rush out, glancing at the house once more. “Like right now.”

She goes to tell her parents while you hurry to get back in the car. Moments later, she comes running out and gets into your car with you. Both of your minds racing a mile a minute on the change of events.

“Ready?” You ask, gripping the wheel tightly.

“Yeah, let’s hope they don’t kill me for this.”

You offer a hesitant smile, before backing out of the driveway and heading to The Cut, to JJ’s.

“Honey!” Your mom’s voice calls for you. “Someone is here for you!”

“Who?” You call back as you leave your dad’s office. The pogues had all agreed to meet later, so unless something had gone wrong it should not be one of them. And they knew what you are doing, you are hunting for the keys to his SUV. He did not drive it often, but it would help with getting everyone to Wilmington in one or two vehicles. The keys are not in any of his drawers, so you know they have to be upstairs in the primary suite somewhere.

You pause in your steps once you see Rafe standing near your mom. She is grinning ear to ear at you. Your heart races as he smirks, dragging those cold blue eyes over the length of you.

“Rafe…”

“Hey, Baby.”

“Honey, you didn’t tell me that Rafe and you have decided to work through your problems!” Your mom smiles at you as she slides her Birkin onto her arm. “I think it’s lovely. So many exciting things happening. Your return, Rafe’s return, and you two lovebirds dating again!”

“Mom,” you whisper, but she ignores you.

“Well, I’m off to an open house. You two have fun!” She waves her hand without looking back at you before she is gone.

You exhale, again you are alone with Rafe. The options are limited on what you can do, and you know that as you begin easing your foot back while Rafe looks around the main floor.

“I saw the news bulletin,” he murmurs, hands in his pockets when he looks back at you. “Five Kildare teens returned…”

“I saw it,” you mutter, hands clasping in front of you. You try to play off your attempt to quietly escape. “Why are you here?”

He smirks, raising one hand to his face. His thumb brushes his nose. That signature gold signet ring flashing in the sunshine. “You know why?”

“No, I don’t.”

He chuckles, moving closer to you, but you quickly put the same amount of space back between you. “Don’t run from me, Princess.”

You swallow, looking at your feet briefly. “Rafe, you shouldn’t be here. I don’t have time for this.”

He smirks again. “Busy trying to ruin your future over those pogues some more?”

You roll your eyes, arms crossing over your waist. “What’s it to you?”

“You heard your mom, I’m your boyfriend.”

“Rafe…”

“You said it yourself at Singh’s, didn’t you? That you belong to me.”

You huff, heat flashing through you as you think about that night in Singh’s mansion and how you spent the night tangled in Rafe.

“Why won’t you stay put?” He continues when you move away from him again.

“Because,” you whisper, easing another foot back as he takes a step forward. The house is empty other than the two of you. No one will hear you scream if he tries anything and that terrifies you. “I’m afraid that you are going to hurt me.” You reach back, your hand tightening on the doorknob that leads back into your father’s office. You are ready to slip inside and close it in his face at a moment’s notice.

“And why would I do that, Princess?”

“You know why.”

“I do, but I want you to tell me why.”

Your hand trembles as you ease the knob to the right with his next step. The door creaks as it opens, and he chuckles.

“I’ll catch you; you know that. I told you this wasn’t over.” He reaches for you now that he is within arm’s length, but you shove yourself backward. His hand barely misses your arm, and you start to shut the door, but he wedges himself into the space before shouldering himself into the room. “Why would I harm you, huh?”

You quickly sidestep him, giving him ample room, but staying near the door. He peruses your father’s office. He smirks when he spots your school picture, his finger dragging over it. It was taken last year when you graduated from high school and still had the hopes and dreams of escaping to college right away. Of escaping this tiny island, and all the chaos that seemed to ooze out of every crevice.

He turns to look at you, crossing his arms over his chest, his jaw clenching for a moment before he speaks again. “Answer me.”

You close your eyes for a moment, wishing the pogues would come to your rescue even though you know better than that. You will have to face Rafe Cameron all on your own just like you did when you were held captive. “Because of Barbados.”

He nods, lips pursing for a moment. “And what happened in Barbados?”

You roll your eyes. You are not going to play this game with him. But he shifts, blocking you from the door before you can take another step. His breath fanning over your face as he stares down at you.

“What happened in Barbados, Baby?”

Your gaze darts around looking for something to use to defend yourself if he decides to become violent at any second. You had crossed the line with him after shoving him off his boat and stealing it to save your friends.

“Hmm?” He asks, his finger hooking under your chin and turning your attention back to him. “Tell me.”

“You know what happened.”

He smirks, and a chuckle promising vengeance leaves his lips. “I do, but I want you to tell me.”

“Why?” You swat his hand away. “Why bring it up again? You are on Kildare and from what I understand you got what you wanted, Daddy’s approval to come back.”

He smirks before gripping your wrist and bringing your hand up to his body. His hand presses yours against his chest. “Yeah, I did. I came back to take over for my dad. What did you come back for, huh?”

“My family is here.”

“Where are they then, hmm?” He asks, glancing around through the open floor plan.

“Work.”

His face morphs into one of mockery.  “Their only daughter comes back from being lost at sea for weeks, and they went to work?” He tuts, sliding his hand along your shoulder. His fingertips brush over your collarbone. “Doesn’t seem like they care too much to me.”

“So what?” You quip. Rafe is well aware of the sore spot you have when it comes to the topic of your parents being present and attentive.

He chuckles. “So, come with me. Come to Tanneyhill. They won’t miss you.”

“And why would I do that?”

He shrugs, dragging his thumb across your bottom lip. “Because you owe me.”

“I don’t owe you shit.”

He chuckles, hand moving to bump under your chin before trailing down your chest to the top of your dress. His fingers hook into the bowl to pull it loose. “You stole my boat remember.”

“It’s safe in the harbor.”

“Oh, I know. I found it already.” He grins before hooking two fingers into the bow at the top of the lace-up detail in your dress. “But you still owe me. You fucked me for hours, telling me how much you missed me and how much you belong to me before you tricked me and left me to deal with Singh’s men on my own after you stole my boat.” He shakes his head, and you can see the frustration at your betrayal brewing beneath the surface. “Does that seem fair to you?”

You frown, heart racing wildly as he gently tugs at the laces, pulling them free stitch by stitch until your dress hangs open. You inhale sharply as he begins to tug the sleeves down your arms. “What do you want then Rafe?”

He steps closer, leaving not an inch of space between you. His lips brush your temple and down to your cheek. “I already told you, Baby. I want you.”

Your dress crumples to the ground, pooling around you, and he grins, lips brushing across the corner of your mouth.

“And I intend to get just that, or else I report you and your little friends for theft,” he muses, his fingers dragging down your back to toy with the clasp of your bra. A shudder consumes you, and your hand tangles into the front of his shirt as he undoes the clasp. “What do you say, hmm?” He inquires, bumping the tip of his nose against yours. “Come with me or go to jail for larceny with all the pogues including Sarah.”

“Rafe…”

“Those are your options, Baby. I know your parents will bail you out, but the others,” he tsks. “They’ll sit in there and rot… maybe not Kie and maybe not Sarah, but Pope…JJ… John B.” With each name, his fingers drag your bra straps down your arm until it hits the floor at your feet. 

When you do not respond, he starts to step away from you. You reach for him, hands grabbing at his shirt, the material soft and expensive in your grip. 

“And what if I come with you?”

He smirks before his lips ghost over yours. “You belong to me. You’ll do and say anything I want. You’ll be mine.”

You inhale sharply, aware that saying yes to being his would be the ultimate betrayal to your friends, and you would never be one of them again, but you also know that you cannot go to jail and drag them with you. Not after everything. Not if there is a way to save them. Especially if they are supposed to get the cross tonight.

“Fine, you have me.”

 “Good girl.” He kisses you, groaning as his hands hook under your thighs lifting you with ease before he starts towards the overstuffed leather sofa that your father sometimes took meetings on. You end the kiss and search his face as he sits down, holding you on his lap. Your hips straddling his.

“What are you doing?”

He smirks, his hand cupping your face so that his thumb can graze over the rim of your chin.

“Getting what I want.” His other hand skims up your thigh to encircle the band of your panties before he pulls harshly. The lace fabric tears with ease, and he tosses them over his shoulder. “I’ve always wanted to fuck you on this sofa. I’ve wanted to see what it was like to make you come all over the leather.” The promise in his words makes your stomach flip, and your teeth sink into your bottom lip as he unbuttons his shorts and shifts you under him on the sofa. His shorts and underwear join your clothing on the floor before he removes his shirt, tugging it up, and over his head. A shiver races down your spine when his hand drags down your naked body to brush between your legs. “Soaking wet.” He hums, nipping at the inside of your thigh. I’m going to make you wish you had listened to me,” he murmurs, one hand fisting your hair and the other gripping your hip as he sinks into you. You bite your lip to muffle any noise at his sudden movement. “We are going to be happy together. Kildare’s finest couple.”

“Rafe,” you moan as he starts to move, giving you no time to adjust to him. Your nails rake down his back as he drives into your relentlessly. The sound of skin on skin echoing around you. His pace is brutal, every detail of his fantasy playing out before him.

“I can give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of!” He growls, his teeth nipping at your shoulder before he nuzzles into your neck. “And now, now you’ll deal with what I want to give you until I forgive you.”

“I know,” you whisper, tears welling in your eyes as the realization of what you have agreed to sinks in. ��I know, Rafe. I’m sorry.”

You gasp, head tipping back as he finds your g spot. Your body trembles as he brushes up against it repeatedly. 

“Be a good girl, and I’ll let you come all over my cock before we go and get my cross back.”

“Your cross?!”

He nods once before pulling your mouth back to his for a messy hungry kiss, and his hand falls between your bodies to touch between your legs. You groan into his mouth as your body flushes with heat. His thumb circles your clit while his other hand wraps around your neck, squeezing your throat as his hips meet you thrust for thrust until you cry out. The orgasm washes over you, drowning you in pleasure, and your walls suck him deeper with greed. He groans, spilling inside of you afterward. You pant, shaking as you come down from your orgasm. He collapses into you. The naked press of his body against yours reminds you how well you fit together physically. 

Rafe’s nose is buried in your hair as he lets you milk him for every drop. Once you are sure that you can stand properly, you shove at his chest and slip away from him, ignoring the mixed orgasms that are now smeared on the leather and spreading down your thighs.

“Cross,” you rush out. “You said cross.”

“Yeah, Princess. My cross. We are getting my cross back, tonight.”

“But…”

He tips his head. “What? You think the pogues deserve it, don’t you?”

“It belongs to Pope’s family.”

He laughs, standing and pulling his clothes back on. “Fucking Pogues, all the same. It is my cross, I worked to get it, not Pope!”

You stare at him, head still spinning from his words. “How are you getting it?”

He shrugs. “It is coming in by train, and a friend is going to help me get it.”

“Barry?”

Your skin crawls at the thought of The Cut’s largest drug dealer and Rafe’s former friend, though it seems they have mended their past.

He hands you your dress, his lips brushing your temple before he snaps out his instructions for you. “Get dressed, I haven’t got all day.”

“I can’t…”

“Oh, but you are,” he says, opening the office door. “We have a deal. You’re mine now. Pack a bag, and meet me outside, you have ten minutes. And don’t even think about telling those pogues anything.”

The door closes with a snap, and worry floods you. Would you all run into each other tonight? And, if you did, would Rafe harm them or you so that he could get and keep his cross?

(Thoughts? Chapter Four?)

[jaycewrites-192000]

Crush | Part Three

Summery: Y/n and Mikey have gotten even closer, if possible. And unfortunately, it would be what leads to a terrible accident...

Pairing(s): Sano "Mikey" Manjiro x Reader

Warning(s): Kidnapping, Implied Drugging, Guns, Takemichi’s Been Time Traveling Again

You sigh quietly and rest your head on your hand. You in were in class, wishing nothing more for than the clock to speed up. Something out there must have been listening, cause finally after what felt like forever, the bell rung. You along with your classmates were given time to take a break. You reached your arms up past your head and stretched.

Two of your friends joined you at your desk. “Could teach have been anymore boring?” One of them said with a uninterested tone. “Like, at least try to grab our attention.”

“Seriously.” Said the other, sitting on the edge of your desk. “Time never seems to run out when you have some oldie talking about algebra.”

“I was about to fall asleep.” You say. “I’d give anything to get out of this right now.”

“Hey Y/n!”

You and your friends turned their attention towards the classroom entrance. In the doorway, was Mikey. Your friends tore their gaze away from him to look at you. “Hey Mikey.” You say.

“Come on. Let’s hang out.” Says Mikey with a grin. You roll your eyes playfully and stand up from your desk and walk over to him. “You want me to skip class?”

“Yeah?” Mikey says, as if you should know already. You shake your head. “Alright fine.” Mikey takes your hand, before you two left you waved apologetically to your friends. One of them gave you a thumbs up, despite their still shocked expression. The other nods, with the same expression.

You and Mikey rushed out of the school before any staff could see. “Where are you taking me this time?” You ask as you get on the back of his bike. “Wherever you want.” Mikey answers as he starts up the bike.

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately. Taking me wherever I want to go. Why’s that?” You ask teasingly. Mikey looks back at you. “I just want to.” He says before driving off. You held onto Mikey, excited to see how the rest of day would go.

The next day you were able to stay at school for the whole day. You wished Mikey would have saved you from boredom yet again, however, tonight there would be a Toman meeting. He needed to be ready for it. Speaking of, your brothers who usually walked you home from school, would not be there either.

You grabbed your bag and headed out of the classroom after the last bell rang. As you made your way through the hall and down the stairs, you couldn’t help but get the feeling you were being followed. You stopped at the bottom of the staircase, and looked back up to see if someone was at the top. However, there was no one.

You shrugged it off, assuming you were just tired, before walking again. You walked past the school gates and make your way home. You look down at your phone, texting your brothers that you were on your way home before pocketing it again.

After a few seconds, you felt that feeling again. Only this time, it was undeniable. You weren’t imagining. You stopped in your tracks and looked over your shoulder. Sure enough, you were being followed. You had recognized one of them. The tallest of the four guys, was in your class. A wannabe delinquent. Someone who looked for trouble and wanting to start shit.

And it seems he has made a few friends.

You narrow your eyes. “What do you want?” The tallest smirked before walking towards you, the others followed after. He walked in front of you and looked down at you, a look of malicious intent in his eyes. “So. You’re “invincible Mikey’s” girlfriend huh?”

“Nope.” You mutter. He rolled his eyes. “Come on. Everyone knows. You two can’t keep your hands off each other for two seconds.”

“What does it matter to you?” You ask. “Well, isn’t just everyone who knows about you two. Our boss knows.“ He leans down closer to your face. “And he wants to meet you personally.” Your brows furrowed, your grip on your bag tightened. You knew where this was going. “So how about you be a good little girl, and come with us.”

“No thanks.” He laughed, as well as his little “gang” of friends. “You really think you have a choice?”

“I’m not going with you.” You say firmly. “Now you better back the fuck up.”

“Or what? You’ll hit me? Go ahead, I’d love to see you tr-”

You shut up him with a swift punch to the face. He fell to the ground roughly. You then turned the others, all of them with shocked expressions. “Toman’s fourth division captain and vice captain, Smiley and Angry. Ever heard of them?” You start, tossing your bag aside.

“They’re my brothers. Do you really think after all this time growing up with them, I wouldn’t learn to throw a punch?”

You gather the strength to stand tall and stare them down, challenging them. “Now I’m not going anywhere with you freaks. If you really wanna take me, you’re gonna have to kill me.”

“Tsk. Come on! She can’t take down all of us!” One of the three still standing said, after getting over his shock. They all three rushed you, fist raised to punch. You rose your own fists, and just like that, it was on.

You were looking for a way out in the midst of the fight. You were doing fine for now, even managed to take down one. But you were going to reach your limit soon. You delivered one last devastating kick to one of them before starting to take off.

But you wouldn’t get far, as the leader of the small group and stood once more. He reached down and grabbed a hefty looking rock, and whacked you against your head with it. You didn’t even have time to process the pain before you blacked out.

The quick sharp sting of a palm striking your cheek woke you after, who knows how long. You gasped sharply eyes shooting open wide, darting around rapidly trying to make sense of your surroundings. From what you could tell, you were on the ground of an old abandoned warehouse. Your body ached, and when you tried to move, a tight squeeze could be felt around your wrists.

Your hands had been tied with duct tape behind your back. “Oh shit.” You exhaled.

“Oh shit is right.”

You craned your neck up, searching for the source of the deep voice that filled your ears. You were kicked from your side, onto your back. Above you, was a large framed man, a scar going down his left eye. “Have a nice nap?” He asked with a smirk. You scowl, trying to move away from him. You were stopped when you felt a wave of nausea washed over you. You groaned and shut your eyes tightly, trying to focus on not vomiting.

“Aw, are you ok? Feeling a little sick?” The man chuckled. “I guess that makes sense. Though, I’ll be pissed if you die right now cause of that shit I had my men give you. So try to stay awake will ya?”

You open your eyes slightly, breaths coming out ragged and uneven. “What…What do you want?” You managed out. “Nothing from you.” The man tells you. “I want Mikey.”

Your breath catches, you look up at him again. “Why?”

The man kneels down next to you. “Come on, use your brain. Mikey is powerful, very powerful. And he created a powerful gang. So what do you think will happen to that gang, when such a powerful leader dies suddenly?” He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a handgun. “He may be invincible to punches and kicks. But I doubt that applies to bullets. Don’t you think?”

“Bastard.” You spat. “Too scared to actually fight him like a man? Gotta use guns like a little bi-”

A sharp cry of pain left you as the man punches you hard in the gut. “I’m not scared, I’m smart. I understand Mikey is near unbeatable. I’m not looking to start a fight I can’t finish. With this.” He waved the gun around. “I can finish it real quick. Now.” He then takes you phone from your pocket.

“Let’s give your boyfriend a call, huh?”

Mikey had been waiting for every member to arrive to the meeting, while he waited, he was talking with his vice commander Draken.

“I swear she likes that bear I got her more than me.” Mikey mutters, as he looks through the pictures you sent him of you and your “new best friend”. “Seriously.” A slight pout forms on his lips. Draken rolls his eyes. “She’s not replacing you.” He tells Mikey.

“Doesn’t feel like it.” Before Draken could attempt to reassure him again, Mikey’s phone rang. “It’s her.” Mikey says, his pout quickly turning into a smile. Draken decides to give him so privacy, so he walks away.

“Hey Y/n! You almost here? The meeting is gonna start soon and I wanna take you somewhere after.”

‘Aw, isn’t that sweet?’

Mikey’s grin dropped. “Who are you?”

‘Isamu. But that’s not what’s important. I’d like for us to meet up. Have a little chat, you know?’

“Where’s Y/n?” Mikey asks firmly.

‘Right next to me. Don’t worry, we didn’t rough her up too badly. Not yet at least.’

Mikey was gripping onto his phone so tightly, he thought he might snap it in two.

‘But that can change very quickly. So, here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna come here, alone, and so help me…you tell anyone, come with backup, even just one other person with you…I’ll fucking splatter this bitch’s brains all over the wall. Got me?’

“….Yeah.” Mikey says lowly.

‘Good. See you soon.’

Isamu texted Mikey the location after he hung up. And just like that, Mikey stormed off. Draken watched as Mikey walked off. “Mikey! Where are you going?”

“Meeting’s canceled.” Mikey tells him. “I have something I need to take care of.” He kept walking, ignoring Draken’s calls after him.

“What the fuck?” Draken muttered. He wasn’t the only one who was confused. All of Toman were taken back as their leader sped off away from the meeting. Among them, was Takemichi. The sight of Mikey speeding off sent a wave of panic through him. “Damn it.” He said under his breath.

“What’s wrong?” Chifuyu asks him. “It’s Y/n. She’s in trouble.” Takemichi answers. Chifuyu nods. Previously, these two had thought of a plan to prevent this situation. However, it seemed as if things are moving along faster than expected. “We need to find Smiley and Angry and go.”

“I haven’t seen them show up yet.” Chifuyu says before taking out his phone. “I can try calling them.”

Just as he said that, two bikes pulled up at front. Takemichi and Chifuyu looked over to see Smiley and Angry. They looked tense. Takemichi and Chifuyu hurried to the two.

“Where the hell is Mikey?” Asked Smiley. “He left.” Answered Chifuyu, keeping quiet about just why he left for now. “Was Y/n with him?” Asked Angry. “No.” Takemichi mutters. “Fuck.” Smiley spat. “You know I find this really fucking weird. Y/n disappears and Mikey leaves before the meeting starts with no reason why.”

Takemichi ignored the slight fear he felt from Smiley’s ever growing rage. “I might have an idea where she is, and Mikey’s going there right now.” He said quietly. Chifuyu gave him a concerned look. Was he really about to tell them?

“Where?” Asked Angry. “Come on, I’ll explain on the way. We don’t have much time, Y/n and Mikey are both in trouble.” Takemichi hurried off, followed by Chifuyu and the twins.

Takemichi doesn’t know just how he’s gonna explain the situation to the twins, or just how he knows where their sister and Mikey is. But right now that didn’t matter. What matters right now, is saving Mikey and Y/n before it was too late.