#anyway I thought this little interaction was cute and I hope to make more small comics as I go through the story | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

giveafike · 2 months ago

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ben shelton taking you on a date after flirting for months on atp/wta tour 😋

TLDR: Tennisplayer!fem reader x Ben Shelton flirting on tour until Ben acc gets a grip and asks reader out.

EDIT: part 2 here!

Word count + info: 5.1k! A LONG one but I just do not know how to stfu!! Dialogue (including comments, texts, phone calls - lots of flirting and teasing). Mentions of Carlos Alcaraz too (couldn't resist) alongisde Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz.

Character Inspo: She's cheeky n playful (was listening to Promiscuous Girl - Nelly Furtado & 5 Star Hotel - Raye as I was writing this amongst many other similar songs so.... yea...behaviour like Sabrina Carpenter - yk just... fun! I didn't write any specifications but in my head I was envisioning Tyla so! But put whoever you want to cast ;)

Warnings + Content Ahead: SFW, this is sooo cute. There is a little naughty tsk tsk suggestive scene (CAR SCENE - feel free to skip) bit but nothing NSFW, teasing, playful relationship, little jabs here n there, hope its making ur feet kick! I hope it's funny too, like it makes u smile bc I had sm fun writing this !

Azzie Notes ✚: I literally gasped and giggled when I saw this prompt - I can't!!! SO, so, soooo cute I loved this prompt anon pls keep sending me more, you have this writer wrapped around your finger now. I love the idea of Ben with a WTA player, such a cute and fun dynamic!! Anyways, hope you all enjoy ;)

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Game, Set, Match - B.T.S

You stood on the court, the crowd's roar fading into a distant hum as you focused on the match ahead. A small smile played on your lips, and your eyes narrowed in determination. The bright sun overhead felt like a spotlight, buzzing on your skin, illuminating your every move and sharpening each muscle in your body. You were a force to be reckoned with — both polarising and captivating, your quick wit and cheeky banter stirred strong opinions. With a playful shrug and a blown kiss to the crowd, you dismissed the critics, your confidence as effortless as your serves.

Years of competing in Junior Opens had forged your resilience, and now you have been stepping into the world of professional tennis, where the stakes were higher and opponents fiercer. You had navigated this transition well over the past few years, finding your rhythm amidst the pressure, your footing steady on the path to greatness. The attention came quick too, especially with names like Nike wanting you to be an ambassador, and all sorts of products wanting you to be the face of the company, from protein powders to headphones - it was endless. The taste of victory was sweet and addictive, each match bringing you closer to the big prizes and recognition you had longed for. But just when you thought you had everything figured out, a whisper of uncertainty began to tug at the edges of your focus... not a what, but more a who?

In the past year and a half, life on tour has shifted for you in a whole different gear. Don't get it twisted, tennis remained top priority, but there was an undeniable spark that made the grind far more enjoyable and unpredictable, and that spark was no other than Ben Shelton. You first noticed him from afar, where casual nods turned into lingering glances that made the hair on your skin stand. With his raw power, boyish grin, and confidence that radiated from him, "Big Ben" was impossible to ignore. But it was during the Australian Open earlier this year that things between you really began to heat up.

Ben was anything but subtle. Once he set his sights on you, his flirting was relentless. You couldn’t help but feel flattered; it was hard not to get hooked to that buzz. After all, it wasn’t every day that a guy like him, full of charm and a teasing smile paid you so much attention. Others had thrown glances your way and offered compliments, but Ben? He stepped up his game like no one else.

Your first interaction was at a practice session where Ben sat by in the empty stands, right up by the court, arms folded and a smirk on his face. You could feel his gaze following you, his presence hard to shake off, not that you wanted to. As you finish another practice set, you heave, closing your fist to celebrate, and walk over to your bag, glancing up as his eyes light up as you catch his.

“You’re looking decent out there,” he teased, leaning over the railing, his voice laced with a challenge.

You stopped, placing a hand on your hip as you shot him a smirk, squinting up at him as you caught your breath. “Decent? It’s okay, I get it, it must be tough admitting I’m shaping up better than you.”

He laughed, stepping closer, his eyes never leaving yours. “Better? That’s a stretch, Y/N. But I’ll let you keep thinking that.”

You shrugged, a teasing grin playing on your lips. “Believe it or not, it’s happening, Ben,” you winked before slinging your bag over your shoulder and heading toward the tunnel. His chuckle followed you as you disappeared from sight.

The banter didn’t end there, though. Throughout the tournament, you could feel his eyes on you, watching during your matches. On TikTok, he left comments that had both your fans and his buzzing. One day after you posted a training video, he had commented: “You sure you’re training for tennis and not modeling?”

You grinned, tapping out a reply. “I’m great at multitasking. What’s your excuse?”

His response was instant. “Just waiting for you to finally give me a real challenge.”

Comments turned into small conversations as you passed by each other, where you’d joke and flirt like it was the most natural thing in the world. His relentless teasing was addictive.

It cooled off slightly to just a couple of liked stories and posts until Wimbledon had rolled around. By this point, the stakes felt higher. You were in top form, but off the court, the media seemed just as interested in your interactions than your matches. And it didn't end there either, it wasn't long before other peers started piqueing interest. For example, Carlos? He wasn’t subtle either.

After a long match, you were relaxing in the players’ lounge when Carlos wandered over, his smile too bright to ignore. He leaned against the table beside you, casually close.

“You were on fire out there today. Maybe we should hit the practice courts sometime,” he suggested with a casual grin.

You tilted your head, a playful glint in your eyes. “Careful, Carlos. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you in front of your fans.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ll risk it. Besides, we’re both Nike athletes, we’ve got to stick together.”

Before you could reply, Ben Shelton walked into the room, his gaze locking onto you and Carlos immediately. His smile didn’t falter, but the way he sized up the interaction was hard to miss. He strolled over, hands in his pockets, exuding calm confidence.

“Carlitos,” Ben greeted, his tone casual, though the unspoken tension hung between the lines. “What’s this? Making future practice plans?”

Carlos shot Ben a quick glance, still smiling but aware of the shift. “Just talking about tennis, you know,” he said lightly. “Gotta keep sharp.”

Ben’s eyes flicked between you and Carlos before landing squarely on you. “I’m sure you can manage without help. She’s been getting a lot of attention lately, let her breathe.”

Carlos gave you a light tap on the arm before backing off, offering a polite nod. “Catch you later, Y/N.”

You waved him off with a smile. “See you around, Carlos.”

Once Carlos was out of earshot, Ben shifted a little closer, though still maintaining that casual air. “You’ve got him interested,” he commented, his voice dropping lower.

You looked up at him through your lashes, the corner of your mouth lifting into a sly grin. “What, jealous, Shelton?”

Ben’s grin spread wider, but his tone remained easygoing. “Nah, just keeping tabs. Making sure I’m not falling behind.”

You stood up slowly, meeting his gaze as you adjusted your posture, your eyes glinting with mischief. “I don’t mix business and pleasure, Ben. We’re both Nike—gotta keep it professional.”

He chuckled, tilting his head. “So, you’re saying you’re all business?”

You turned to face him fully, taking a step closer, your voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “Oh, not always. But you’ll have to keep up to find out.”

With that, you brushed past him, leaving a lingering tension in the air. His eyes followed you as you walked away, and you could practically feel his grin growing. The banter was always playful, but now, with each exchange, the stakes seemed to rise; the unspoken understanding was clear: the game was very much on.

As the summer heat intensified, so did the buzz around Nike’s newest campaign. Your latest photoshoot was all about capturing both your athleticism and your bold personality. In a blue baby tee top with a heart-shaped keyhole and a matching skort, you struck poses that screamed confidence, captioned simply: "Ready?"

The comments rolled in quickly, and it didn’t take long before Ben made his appearance.

It didn’t take long for the comments to roll in. And as expected, Ben was quick to chime in.

benshelton:

"You call that ready? Looks more like you’re just warming up."

You chuckled, tapping your response.

Y/N.Y/LN:

"Warming up is all I need to beat you, Shelton."

benshelton:

"Beat me? Let's not get ahead of ourselves... You'd need more than a warm-up for that."

The banter was familiar, yet it always left you with a smirk. You leaned into the challenge.

Y/N.Y/LN:

"Careful, or I might just take that as a challenge."

benshelton:

"I play to win."

The playful back-and-forth didn’t go unnoticed by your fans, but it was clear this game of teasing wasn’t just for show. It must've been a week before it escalated further. You hsd landed a major Victoria’s Secret campaign, and it was unlike anything you had done before. They flew you out to Paris and guided you through the whole thing. The theme was dark and seductive—a fallen angel vibe. Lingerie, lace, and the kind of allure that left little to the imagination. You felt powerful, but also aware of how this would get attention—not just from the public, but from Ben.

You posted one of the shots late that night. The lighting was dramatic, casting soft shadows across your body as you reclined in lace.

The caption was simple yet suggestive: "Best kept secret. VS Summer 2024 Fallen Angel Collection, from me to you."

Naturally, Ben couldn’t resist commenting.

benshelton: Fallen angel, huh? Guess that means you’re trouble.

You rolled your eyes, suppressing a smile as you typed out your reply.

Y/N.Y/LN:: I thought you liked trouble.

It was no surprise when he slid into your DMs right after that.

benshelton: "I do. But you're playing a dangerous game."

You bit your lip, leaning back against your hotel bed. It was late, and the quiet Paris night settled around you, but your heart raced.

Y/N.Y/LN: " A game? Who said I’m playing? "

benshelton: "You might not be playing, but you're already winning."

You hesitated for a moment, then smirked as you typed out your next message.

Y/N.Y/LN: "And here I thought you said you could keep up."

Almost immediately, your phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn’t another text. It was a FaceTime call. You let it ring for a beat or two, your pulse quickening, before answering.

Ben’s face appeared on your screen, his hair slightly damp and his grin all too familiar. "You really know how to mess with a guy’s head, you know that?"

You smiled, pulling your covers up over you and leaning into the pillow. "What’s got you all worked up? It’s just a campaign."

He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "Just a campaign? C’mon, you know exactly what you’re doing."

You blinked up at him, teasing. "And what is it that I am doing, Ben?"

His grin widened, but there was a glint in his eyes. "You’re pushing my limits. You're tempting me"

You chuckled, biting your lip as you let his words settle over you. "Tempting? Now that’s an accusation if I ever heard one. Maybe you're just easy to push."

Ben raised an eyebrow, viting a smile back as well. "Maybe I am. But you better be careful, or you might get burned."

The heat in his gaze made your heart skip, but you kept your tone light. "I think I can handle the heat."

Ben’s smile deepened. "That’s what I’m counting on."

You stared at each other through the screen, the tension palpable even across the distance.

Finally, you smirked, pulling the covers higher. "Goodnight, Shelton."

He sighed, but his grin didn’t falter. "Goodnight, angel. Sweet dreams."

From there, the texts seemed to pour out. Every random moment, one of you would reply to a post or find some excuse to message or call, any reason to interact. You had a secret surprise up your sleeve which you knew would practically bring Ben to his knees for you if he wasn't there already, and it had something to do with a custom dress for a red carpet.

It was a hot July night in Spain, the night draped itself around you like a warm embrace, the energy of the red carpet charity event still pulsing in the air. Your dress—a stunning, sheer, sand-colored creation—clung to your body in all the right places, slit at the thigh, your hair pinned back, accentuating your glossy, sheen skin on your neck down your shoulders. The dress shimmered under the streetlights, leaving just enough to the imagination, but not too much.

Photos were posted by your team, "behind the scene" shots and red carpet poses. The cameras had devoured every moment, the attention was full on and the night buzzed well. You reveled in the limelight and felt like a true celebrity for the night but, as the evening wore on, you began to feel drained from all the social interactions and wished you could just be alone with your phone, texting the one man who truly kept you on your toes.

Finally, as you collapsed into the backseat of your car, exhausted but exhilarated from the night's events, your phone buzzed with a missed call from Ben. The driver glanced back at you through the rearview mirror as you eagerly turned on your phone and smiled to yourself. In that moment, all you wanted was to be alone with Ben and continue this thrilling game of flirtation and surprises. You call him back after a minute passes, butterflies in your stomach fluttering away.

"Couldn't wait, could you?" you teased, giggling as you leaning back against the plush seat. His grin appeared instantly, filling your screen.

"Wait? After that post?" Ben's voice was a mixture of playful frustration and barely concealed admiration. His eyes roamed over your dimly lit image through the screen as though he could see you sitting there in that dress. "You’ve been trying to kill me with these looks for months, but this? This is the final straw."

You laughed softly, pretending to adjust the neckline of your dress as he clearly struggled to keep his composure. "I'm just doing my job. Don’t get too distracted."

Ben shook his head, a grin still lingering on his lips. "Distracted? I’ve been refreshing Instagram like a madman just to catch another angle of you. And from what I saw, I’m not the only one. You’ve got every guy on tour dropping their jaw."

You smirked, rolling your eyes playfully. "You jealous?"

"Jealous? Let’s see. Alcaraz, Ruud… even Tsitsipas liked your post. You know that guy doesn’t just like anything. But trust me, no one’s more jealous than me," Ben teased, his voice dipping lower.

You laughed softly, brushing a hand over your dress as you adjusted the fabric, playing coy. "Ben, there’s only one person I’m trying to get a rise out of—and it’s definitely not them."

His grin widened, eyes gleaming through the screen,scheming away, "Glad to hear that. So...how about you give me something a little more exclusive?Just a sneak peek. Something that’s all mine."

You crossed your legs slowly, feeling the slit in the dress reveal just a bit more skin, and you caught the driver’s eyes flicking up to the rearview mirror. He quickly cleared his throat and looked away.

You smirked, feeling a rush of boldness. "I'm in public, Shelton. What are you suggesting?"

Ben’s eyes glinted with mischief, his grin widening. "Nothing crazy. Just a little something to hold me over."

You raised an eyebrow, leaning back, the sound of the city humming outside as you sighed. You stretched your legs out across the backseat, angling your body to the side, draping yourself across the backseat for a full body shot. The dress shifted, catching the city light while still being dimly lit, showing off your figure perfectly as you lounged effortlessly. "Is this what you had in mind, Ben? A full shot?" you purred, looking up at your phone, your eyes sweet and innocent.

Ben’s jaw tightened, his chest rising as he exhaled sharply. "Damn, Y/N, I knew you'd look good, but this…" He let out a low whistle, leaning closer to the screen, his eyes glinting and a blush creeping up all over. "You’re not playing fair."

You smirked, enjoying the power shift. "Fair? You asked for it, Shelton."

He laughed, but it was strained, the heat in his voice unmistakable. "Yeah, but you know how to take it to another level. Now I'm the one who's going to be distracted all night." His tone softened, a teasing edge returning. "Just one more reason for me to fly out, don't you think?"

"One more reason?" you echoed, playing with the neckline of your dress, a smile teasing your lips. "I think I’ve given you more than enough."

Ben groaned softly, running a hand through his hair, clearly captivated.

" Y/N, you don’t know what I’d do if I was there right now."

Your heart skipped a beat. "Yeah? What would you do?"

"I’d start with that dress," Ben murmured, his eyes never leaving yours through the screen. "Slowly. You know, just enough to tease. Then—"

The driver cleared his throat, and you bit back a laugh. Ben noticed, his eyes narrowing playfully. "Caught?"

"Almost," you whispered, your pulse quickening as you adjusted in your seat, the thrill of being on the edge of danger sending a shiver down your spine. "You’re getting me into trouble."

"Ben’s gaze softened, though his grin stayed. "Me? You’re the one that looks like that." He paused, his voice low and rough. "God, if I could just be there…"

"Careful," you warned, grinning as you looked at him through half-lidded eyes. "You might lose yourself completely."

Ben’s gaze darkened, and his voice dropped even lower. "Maybe I’m okay with losing it when it comes to you."

You bit your lip, heart racing as you shifted in your seat. The driver’s eyes flicked up to the mirror again, and you quickly glanced away, fighting the blush creeping up your neck. “You’re dangerous, Shelton. Keep talking like that, and I might have to mute you.”

“Go ahead. Mute me,” he dared, his voice thick with challenge. “But I bet you won’t.”

You smiled, a small, teasing hum escaping your lips. “Oh, you think I’m scared?”

“I think you like teasing me as much as I like it.” His voice was gravelly now, every word laced with want.

Your breath caught, eyes wide a bit before you were about to respond when the car pulled up to the hotel. The driver got out quickly, opening the door for you. You stepped out, feeling the cool night air wash over your skin as you walked through the lobby, Ben still watching intently through the screen. You could feel his gaze on you as you made your way to the elevator, the tension between you buzzing like electricity.

Once in your room, you tossed your bag onto the bed and sank down onto the mattress. "Alright," you breathed, "I’m back in my room."

Ben’s voice came through the phone, teasing yet low with interest. "So… how’s that dress treating you?"

You grinned at his not-so-subtle curiosity. "It’s treating me well so far," you teased, running a hand over the fabric. You stood up, positioning yourself in front of the mirror.

Slowly, deliberately, you reached behind you to the zipper. "I’ll give you a little preview."

You lowered it just enough for the strapless dress to reveal a sliver of your smooth back, keeping the front of the dress held firmly in place with your other hand. The exposed skin was just enough to tease.

You turned back slightly, catching his reaction through the screen, his eyes locked on you. "You wanted to see, right?" you whispered, mischief clear in your voice.

Ben let out a breathy laugh, clearly amused. "You really know how to keep a guy on edge."

You shot him a playful look over your shoulder, still holding the dress in place. "It’s all about the suspense. You should know that by now."

Ben's gaze flickered, his tone a bit softer. "You’re making it hard to focus."

With a smirk, you turned to face him, still holding the dress tight. "Goodnight, Shelton."

Before he could say another word, you ended the call, tossing your phone onto the bed, feeling satisfied. You knew he wouldn’t forget that little moment anytime soon.

By the time August had rolled around, the tension between you and Ben was impossible to ignore. Months of teasing, playful banter, and phone calls had built into something electric, something undeniable. Now, you were both in New York for the U.S. Open. The final Slam of the year where you'd cross paths for the year, and maybe the final chance for one of you to make a move.

After winning your third-round match, you made your way through the tunnel, your heart still racing from the adrenaline of your win. The buzz of the crowd still rang in your ears, but as you walked toward the tunnel, you heard familiar voices ahead.

Ben, along with Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, stood laughing and talking just a few feet ahead. Their voices echoed in the corridor, their banter unmistakable.

“Bro, it’s embarrassing now,” Frances teased. “You’ve gotta ask her out. She’s into you, we all know it.”

Ben groaned, looking exasperated, dragging his hand over his face. “It’s not that easy. I don’t want to screw it up.”

Taylor chuckled. “Screw it up? Dude, she’s been giving you eyes all week. Just make the move.”

Frances nudged him. “It’s not like she’s hiding it either. The way she teases you, she's a green light.”

You smirked, slowing your pace as you approached. They didn’t notice you yet, too absorbed in their teasing.

Ben sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just… I don’t know.”

“They’re right,” you chimed in, finally stepping into view, as you walked by, wiping sweat off your brow, smirking. Their heads snapped toward you, startled. “Take their advice, Benny. It’s 'bout time you did something.”

Ben’s eyes widened as you walked past, your tone light but with an edge of challenge. His friends burst into laughter, both of them slapping Ben on the back, shoving him back and forth.

Frances grinned. “See? Even she's asking you to make a move, man.”

Ben shot him a look, but his gaze lingered on you as you disappeared into the locker room.

Later, after a shower and a change of clothes, you made your way back into the lounge, feeling refreshed but still riding the high of the match. You didn’t expect to run into Ben waiting for you, leaning casually against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

You raised an eyebrow, a slow smirk tugging at your lips. “Stalking me now?”

He pushed off the wall, taking a step toward you, his expression shifting from playful to serious. “No, what-uh, but I... I wanted to catch you before you left.”

“Oh?” You crossed your arms, looking up at him. “What’s up?”

Ben took a breath, looking almost nervous. “About what you said earlier... maybe they’re right. Maybe I have been holding back.”

You cocked your head, feeling your heart quicken at his sudden change in tone. “And?”

“And I think I’m done waiting,” he said, his eyes locking with yours. “Would you want to go out with me? Just us. Dinner, maybe?”

For a moment, the world seemed to be still. Ben, usually so confident and playful, stood before you with a vulnerability that tugged at your heart.

You let the moment hang, letting him sweat just a little before your lips curled into a teasing smile. “About time you asked, Ben.”

His tense shoulders dropped, a grin spreading across his face. “So, is that a yes?”

You let out a small giggle, your voice soft but playful. “Yeah, it’s a yes. Better come like a gentleman though.”

That night, you stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the sweet, soft dress you’d picked out. It was a pale pink dress, fitted at the top with a flowing skirt that flattered your figure perfectly. The neckline was delicate, with thin straps that accentuated your shoulders, and the soft fabric wrapped your waist before cascading down to just above your knees. The dress was sweet and soft, but still undeniably you—playful with a touch of elegance.

You headed down to the hotel lobby, taking a seat as you crossed one leg over the other, checking your socials. At 7pm on the dot, Ben walks in, running a hand through his curls before he sets eyes on you.

Ben stood there in a crisp white button-down shirt, the sleeves slightly rolled up to reveal his strong forearms, accentuating his strong shoulders, paired with dark, well-tailored pants. His curls were just tousled enough to seem like he hadn’t spent hours fixing it, but of course, he had. He looked handsome—maybe even a little nervous.

“You look stunning,” he said, his voice low as his eyes took you in.

You smiled, a soft blush warming your cheeks, as you stood up. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He offered you his arm, and you linked yours through his, your fingers brushing over the firm muscles of his bicep as you stepped out into the lobby. There was a quiet buzz between you, the usual playfulness replaced with something softer, more tender.

As you walked to the car, Ben opened the passenger door for you, giving you a gentle smile as you slipped inside. Before he could close the door, you leaned over, reaching for the driver’s side door and popping it open for him.

He chuckled, shaking his head as he got in. “You always keep me on my toes, don’t you?”

You grinned, sitting back in your seat, and pulling your seatbelt over. “Always.”

The ride to the restaurant was comfortable, a soft hum playing through the speakers, "Love is Only a Feeling" by Joey BadA$$, making you smile a bit at his subtle but purposeful details. As the city lights flickered by outside, you felt a sense of calm settle over you. Every so often, your hand would brush against his on the center console until finally, you slipped your fingers into his, holding his hand gently as he drove.

Ben glanced at you, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of your hand. “You seem... different tonight,” he said, his voice soft, almost as if he were trying to figure out the shift in your usual dynamic.

You smiled as you gazed at him. “Different how?”

He hesitated, his grip on your hand tightening just a little. “I don’t know. Less playful. More...”

“Serious?” you finished for him.

He nodded, giving you a small, sheepish grin. “Yeah. I like it, though.”

You let out a soft laugh, leaning your head against the seat. “It’s just nice to finally be doing this.”

When you arrived at the restaurant, a small, candlelit Italian place tucked away in the quieter part of the city, Ben quickly got out and hurried around to open your door again. This time, when you stepped out, you smiled up at him, letting him take your hand. Before you could fully stand, he bent down, bringing your hand to his lips and placing a gentle kiss on your knuckles.

Your heart fluttered at the gesture, the sweetness of it catching you off guard. “Such a gentleman,” you teased, though your voice was softer than usual.

Ben smirked, though there was a hint of nervousness in his eyes. “I’m trying.”

Inside, the restaurant was intimate, with small tables with flickering candles, and soft jazz music playing in the background. Ben led you to a corner table, pulling out your chair before taking his seat across from you. The low hum of other diners provided a cozy backdrop as the two of you settled in.

As you both browsed the menu, you found yourself resting your chin in your hand, watching Ben with a soft smile. He glanced up and caught you staring, a blush creeping up his neck. “What?” he asked, his voice a little breathless.

“Nothing,” you said, your lips curling into a grin. “Just... enjoying this.”

Ben reached across the table, his hand finding yours again. “Me too.”

Dinner was perfect. The pasta was rich, the wine smooth, but what made the evening unforgettable was how easy everything felt between you. Conversation flowed naturally, deeper than it ever had before. You talked about travel plans and places you both dreamed of visiting and shared stories about family traditions—like how your grandmother used to insist on making a very experimental desserts during the holidays, no matter how disastrous it turned out every year.

At one point, you glanced out the window, taking in the soft glow of the city lights before turning back to Ben. “What about you? If you could be anywhere right now… where would it be?”

Ben didn’t hesitate, his eyes locked on yours. “Honestly? Right here. With you.”

You felt warmth rise to your cheeks, your heart skipping at the simplicity of his words. He wasn’t trying to impress you, just telling the truth, and somehow, that made it even more meaningful. You reached across the table again, slipping your hand into his. His fingers intertwined with yours, the gesture now familiar, yet it sent a shiver through you all the same.

“I’m glad you asked me to dinner,” you said quietly, the weight of the night settling around you both.

Ben smiled, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of your hand. “I’m glad you said yes.”

As the night wound down, Ben drove you back to the hotel. The city outside passed by in a blur of lights, but inside the car, everything felt still and comfortable. You held his hand the entire way, feeling the warmth and quiet reassurance of his touch.

When the car pulled up to your hotel, Ben quickly got out, making his way to your side to open the door. You stepped out, and this time, you didn’t let go of his hand. Instead, you turned to him, standing close in the cool night air.

“Thank you for tonight,” you whispered softly, looking up through your lashes.

Ben’s smile was gentle, his eyes warm as they met yours. “Anytime. Thank you for being here, with me.”

Your eyes crinkled as you smiled before you leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek that lingered for a moment. His skin was warm, and you felt him inhale sharply at the unexpected touch. When you pulled back, your heart was racing, but you smiled up at him, feeling the lingering heat between you.

“Goodnight, Ben,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze lingered on you, and though he smiled, there was a quiet intensity in his eyes. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

You gave his hand one last squeeze before letting go, making your way into the hotel with a soft smile on your lips. You glanced back one last time to see him leaning against his car, a playful wave and your lipstick still visible on his cheek. For once, you weren’t in full control, but somehow, that felt right.

In a world dominated by meticulous moves, it was these quiet moments that grounded you. Now, with someone like Ben by your side, every win, every loss, and every day on the court held more meaning.

Sometimes, the most important victories happened off the court.

#benshelton #ben shelton #ben shelton x reader #thisissolongsorrynotsorry #ILOVEDTHISPROMPT

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pocksprincess · 1 month ago

Text

Chapter 2 - Meet Cute

Series masterlist

Obito Uchiha x f!reader

Modern AU, obi still has scars, he (29) is a doctor and reader (25) is a vet nurse, pining, he is a simp, obito isn't nice to himself :(

Word count - 1887

Beta baddie - @dabilove27 love you <33

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It's you. His pretty new neighbour. Standing at his door in a skimpy yellow sundress that leaves little to the imagination–not that his imagination isn't in overdrive right now at the sight of you. It's part of (the main) reason why he hasn't popped over to introduce himself. Pretty girls have always made Obito nervous. And for good reason, the prettiest ones are often the cruellest.

And it's as your face breaks into a friendly smile and you trill at him, “Hi, neighbour!” that he hopes that rule doesn't apply to you.

"Hi…" He manages to croak out a greeting in response, his scarred hand clenching the open door he leans against for support. He really wishes you hadn't caught him in his lounge wear and before he had a chance to shower.

"For you." You don't give him any time to breathe as you hold out a bottle of red towards him confidently.

"What's this?" He asks dumbly, frowning at the neck of the bottle gripped between your fingers. Your nails are short, the polish on them chipped, each finger painted a different shade of pastel–mirroring the remnant colours of summer as the season begins to turn.

"Um, it's wine. Ever heard of it?" You're teasing him, smile turned a little more wicked, but not malicious. It surprises Obito, you're bold.

Your demeanour is playful, just friendly banter…between strangers. It makes him fidgety, he isn't the best at social interactions, let alone with someone as friendly and familiar as you. It makes him instinctively pull into his protective shell–the one he uses to keep others at an acceptable and safe distance.

You huff a small laugh at his reaction and he wonders what his face looks like caught in the crosshair of your dazzling smile and shining eyes.

"Yeah, I've...I meant, what's it for?" He stumbles over his question, mentally cursing himself for not being more cool and assertive. Deep down (or maybe not that deep) he's still the gawky teenage boy that doesn't know how to talk to girls.

"It's a housewarming gift!" You announce proudly, hand still hovering in mid-air, caught in the purgatory of his front porch–neither on your side nor his.

"I think I'm the one who's supposed to do that," he nods at your offering, "yaknow, since…you're the one who moved in." He finishes lamely, what little confidence he had waning under your glittery-eyed gaze, mirth dancing deep within. It makes him feel bad, like a shitty neighbour, but in all honesty, he was too chicken to knock on your door.

You're so beautiful and warm, always smiling and waving at him like you're old friends. Obito knows he'd fuck up any welcome wagon he tried to roll out in your honour, so he just...didn't bother–figuring you'd probably just settle in and he'd never actually have to speak to you. He feels pretty stupid now with you at his door in a cute little sundress, hair playing about your face in the gentle breeze, and holding out a bottle of merlot (his favourite, how did you guess?) with a mischievous smile playing about your lips.

You surprise him once more when you lean towards him, just a fraction, as if you're sharing a secret only meant for the two of you. "Well, maybe I got tired of waiting." Your voice is low, so familiar, and he can see you quietly relish in how it makes him react.

He feels the heat rise to his cheeks unwarranted, mouth hanging slightly open as he flounders for any sort of response. Your words weren't even innately suggestive, you didn't say anything scandalous, but Obito's thoughts race at their hidden meaning anyway. Could you be...flirting with him? He isn't practiced in the art, but he's almost certain that's what's happening here. Either that or some serious wishful thinking on his part.

You shift in place while you wait for his response, putting your weight on your opposite hip, almost as if you're tired of standing out on his doorstep. He has a fleeting thought to ask you in but bats it away when he realises the absurdity of it-it would definitely seem weird coming from a near total stranger.

"Um, yeah...I-I'm sorry about that," Obito isn't quite sure what to say, or what to do with his arms. He realises they are limp at his sides and decides to cross them over his chest instead, grounding himself with the embrace and hopefully making him appear more confident (or something). He forces his gaze to meet yours, fighting the urge to flit them away.

"Don't be silly," you chastise him, but coming from your lips, it sounds gentle-reassuring, "It's no problem, really." You shake the bottle in your grip, all but pushing it into his chest, as you finally give him your name. It's just as pretty as the rest of you.

He quickly unfolds an arm to catch the bottle in his hand, his rough and scarred fingers grazing over your soft ones in the process. He didn't even think, just used his naturally dominant arm to reach for the object, forgetting his carefully trained practice of using the left since the accident.

The touch sends a jolt of something into his navel, and he has to suppress the urge to show his obvious reaction to your nearness. You have no such reservations, hitching in a breath as your eyes zero in on the place where your skin just barely meets his, your hand frozen in place around the bottle–delicate fingers overlapped with his larger ones. And he swears your pupils dilate–becoming large and round like a feline tracking its prey. Are you even aware of your reaction or is this all part of the game?

Obito jerks his hand away from yours, narrowly missing the door with his elbow, and barely manages to hold on to the gift you brought him. God, he must look and sound like a total idiot.

Your eyes dart back to his face, your features twisting into a slight frown as you slowly lower your hand back to your side, fiddling with the yellow tie that dangles from your waist.

"Sorry," you apologise, as if you did something wrong. You look so sad. Of course you think that, *he* made you feel that way…it's just been so long since anyone has touched him skin to skin, not even a handshake, especially a beautiful woman. He's always so careful, so aware of keeping only his left side angled towards someone, only ever using his left hand in front of others. Your little surprise visit made him sloppy, he forgot himself. And now you think it's your fault.

"No, please!" The words jump from his throat and Obito winces at the desperate tone in his voice. He gathers his courage with a deep inhale and then lets out the anxiety gnawing at his gut with a breath-get it together, man.

"This was really nice of you," he looks at the bottle, turning it until he can read the label, "it's one of my favourites."

He offers you a rare smile (one he doesn't afford many), it probably looks awkward and disingenuous on him but it seems to clear the brewing storm clouds from your expression, a sunny smile lighting up your face. Any reservations you may have had about the moment that just passed between you disappears and you are back to the friendly neighbour routine.

"Really?" You seem excited that you so accurately pegged something about him. He's not sure whether he's impressed by your insight or irritated that he can be so easily read. You remind him of someone else in that regard…

"You just look like a red wine kinda guy, I'm glad I picked the right one." And you do look glad, you look proud of yourself and something else…something soft and oh so dangerous when you look at him.

Obito swallows instinctually, trying his best not to read into any of your actions or glances. He really is pathetic, you're just being neighbourly, a decent person and he has to ruin it by thinking with his dick. He's always been easily led by a pretty face with an even prettier smile. Usually women only use him to get what they want, knowing it will work every time, the desperately overlooked disfigured guy with no self esteem.

But you seem different, he doesn't get the impression that you have malicious intent, you don't even seem to be phased by his scars. Most women grimace when they see him, whisper to their friends, no doubt about what horrible thing could have left him so permanently twisted. No, you can't be…romantically interested in someone like him. You're just nice, maybe you even want to be friends, or something. It's refreshing and terrifying all at once.

You study his face, perhaps slightly amused, as if you can see the battle going on inside his brain. He thinks you might also feel a little awkward since neither of you has spoken in a while. He can tell because you're twisting your fingers together–a nervous habit, perhaps? It looks uncomfortable, but you don't seem to notice.

"Well, I better be going…" you float the statement out into the sea of stillness between you, breaking the tension-filled silence. "I just wanted to give that to you before I forgot or chickened out."

He can't believe you could possibly chicken out…that's his job. But it feels oddly reassuring knowing that a stranger feels the same anxieties as he does. Guess he's not the only one who struggles with people. And maybe, just maybe, that means you aren't quite as confident as you appear. Maybe you are being genuine and are just looking for friends, no one has come to help you with your belongings or visited you since you moved in. Maybe you're as lonely as he is.

"Oh yeah, of course. Well, thank you, really." He tries to put as much sincerity into his response as possible but the words sound stiff to his own ears.

"Any time, neighbour." You smile a wicked little grin, unfazed by his awkwardness, back to your mischievous tone as you descend his front steps slowly.

And it's only in that moment that he realises he never gave you his name in return. What a fucking moron.

"Obito!” He blurts out as an afterthought. You look confused and slightly taken aback by the sudden outburst. He takes a breath and tries a small smile, “Name's Obito.”

“Obito,” you repeat, sounding the name out on your tongue. It makes his heart thump harder in his chest.

"Well, seeya, Obito!” You call out, throwing up a hand in goodbye as you walk to your door.

He returns the gesture, nodding his head and jerking his hand up clumsily when you turn around to smile at him one last time–key in the lock as you hesitate for a second. And then you're inside and his door is shut and he's leaning against it heavily–breath leaving his body in an audible whoosh. He rests his head against the door with a thunk, eyes screwed shut.

But it's no use, he can still see your kind eyes and pretty smile in the darkness.

#obito uchiha x reader #obito x reader #naruto fanfiction #obito uchiha x you #obito x you #☾•°•lûneywrites•°•☽#☾•°•neighbourly series•°•☽#divider by @/firefly-graphics

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whimsical-roasting · 1 year ago

Text

okay just imagine being friends with colin and jamie being like slightly jealous

okay so i’m thinking about doing like a psych major!reader who shadows Dr Sharon at the football club for experience and ends up having a thing with Jamie... like Jamie asks for her to tutor him on psych knowledge and being a better person and ofc they lowkey fall for each other but don’t know it...

ANYWAYS AROUND THAT PLOT LINE... the reader and Colin end up as bffs (lowkey spoilers for Colin’s info in s3?).. also my bestie is @sokkigarden and i love and appreciate her support

okay, so reader is shadowing Dr Sharon and Colin is so nice that he consents to her sitting in on the session since Dani was a bit too traumatised to have any silent observers

she doesn’t speak and tries not to make too much eye contact but when they do lock eyes, she gives him a soft smile, and he returns it

after the session, now only 3 people know Colin’s gay... him, her, and Dr Sharon. when she catches his eye at the end of the session, she does a little lock and key motion to her lips as if to say ‘my lips are sealed, promise’ with a soft smile, and he smiles and nods

the reader is usually extroverted and chatty but remains professional - not really interacting with the boys unless necessary (obvi Ted won’t have any of it, but that’s a diff point) so Colin isn’t too fussed about her...plus, she seems genuinely nice

in the next couple of weeks, the reader bumps into Colin in the hallway and goes, “oh!! Colin, I was out on the weekend and saw this and thought of you, so um, here :))” and nervously passes him a small pocketbook of affirmations since Dr Sharon instructed him to reaffirm “I am a strong and capable man”

he grins and thanks her, and then BOOM, they’re now good friends. he offers to drop her home when her Uber cancels, and they blast Taylor Swift and rap to Drake

now fast forward a while when Jamie asks the reader to tutor him in psych/therapy, and it is a funny exchange:

Jamie: you’re uh, good at this psych shit huh?

Reader: uhh, you mean the 4+ years I’ve dedicated to this degree? Yea, I kinda hope I’m good at this psych shit

Jamie: can you help me do better at therapy?

Reader: um,, therapy is more of a personal thing.. you kinda do better yourself

Jamie: oh, then what do you do :/

Reader: -_-

Jamie: no no, I didn't mean it like that, fuck sorry

Reader: I can tell you about tools and theories that can HELP YOU help yourself

Jamie: yea yea.. that. let's do that, I want that

Reader: this isn't a drive thru, Tartt, you can't just ask like it's a dollar menu

anyways,, she agrees bc experience yea totally it’s the resume experience and not cause he has a cute thinking face and emotional intelligence is hot or anything like that

so they’re like a month in with this whole ‘tutoring’ thing and she’s at his place and he notices a childish bracelet on her wrist.. he seems to notice a lot about her but he tells himself it’s cause he’s getting more self-awareness (lmao dumbass, SELF-awareness has nothing to do with HER hair, eyes, and new accessories but sure)

okay the next day in the locker room, he sees Colin w the same bracelet??? so he asks and Colin’s all like, “it’s a friendship bracelet, boyo!” and Jamie just kinda nods not replying before they head out onto the pitch

next time he and the reader are tutoring he asks why she and Colin are wearing the same bracelet thingy...she tells him it’s a friendship thingy and she made it for the both of them.... Jamie just kinda stares and goes ‘where’s mine.’

she blinks at him and tilts her head, “are we friends?” and his mouth falls open “we’re fuckin not???” he questions, slightly offended. and she’s all like “no no, ofc we are... but maybe just not friendship bracelet level friends”

Jamie fights back a pout, but there’s a crease in the middle of his brows and she wants to lean forward to flatten it with her thumb but fights the urge

there’s silence for a moment...

“when you upgradin meh?”

#jamie tartt x reader #jamie tartt #ted lasso x reader #ted lasso #colin hughes #psych major!reader x jamie tartt #as a psych major myself #i am gonna INDULGE

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pretty-blkgirl · 5 months ago

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your blog is becoming my safe place so now i got another request 🥲❤️

may you do another black!reader x seungmin?

maybe the reader is wearing long box braids, and an attractive guy complements her hair and asks to touch it. seungmin witnesses the interaction and gets a lil jealous and possessive over the reader.

anyways, i love your writing! i hope you're doing well ~ 💞✨

Possessive

//black!fem reader x Seungmin//

Synopsis: Your husband gets jealous when someone flirts with you

Genre: angst, little suggestive

Warnings: reader is fem, swearing, suggestiveness at the end

A/N: Thank you @bbyseung for the request 🫶🏾 I appreciate you soooooooooo much

~~~~|~~~~

“Relax your face” You giggle, looking down at you and your husband’s interlaced fingers.

“Why is he looking at you?” He asks, his face twisting up more into pure disgust

You shrug and follow Seungmin’s glare, making eye contact with an admittedly handsome man. Since you guys were at an event for JYPE, you assumed the guy was either an idol, dancer, or producer. Either way, you couldn’t care less as you turned your gaze back to your husband.

“Baby forget about him” you whisper into his ear. A defeated sigh escapes his lungs as he finally looks at you

“I’m sorry,” He says, “I just get jealous sometimes”

You smile, “It’s okay. Let’s go find the members”

You two stand from the small couch you were occupying, making the handsome stranger debate whether or not he should go talk to you.

The little devil on his shoulder must have won, because he made his way over to you and Seungmin before you two could even take the steps to walk off.

“Hello,” The man says, bowing at the two of you. Politely, you bow but take notice of how Seungmin keeps his body upright. You didn’t have to look at his face to know he was absolutely fuming at the boldness of the stranger.

“Excuse me if this is rude, but I wanted to let you know that your hair is gorgeous”

You grin, instinctively reaching a hand up to play with one of your braids. You had gotten them done the day before; 30-inch knotless box braids in the color 2b, medium-sized.

You were lucky your bestest friend in the whole wide world was a hairstylist because you only spent a little over $200 excluding the tip. She also made you buy her dinner, but that’s only because she bought lunch.

A less-than-gentle squeeze of your hand pulls you out of your thoughts, and you quietly reply, “Thank you! I appreciate that”

Seungmin, ever so possessive, decides to place himself in between you and the stranger. It was silly. Your annoyingly cute husband looked beyond pissed as the stranger paid no mind to him.

“And your dress” The man continued, “It’s really pretty as well”

“Thank you” Seungmin answers before you can, “I bought it for her. Picked it out and everything”

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes and chuckle a little (earning a quick glare from your husband).

“Oh, then you must have good taste,” The man says, still looking at you, “But you can’t take credit for how beautiful her face is, can you?”

….oh no

“Thank you for the compliments, but we really should be going” You rush to say before Seungmin can start talking back

“Forgive me, but I don’t think I could ever forget a woman like you. Can we meet again?”

Seungmin talks before you do this time, letting out a livid, “In your fucking dreams”

As if he could sense the tension, I.N comes out of seemingly nowhere and puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder

“Hyung, y/nnie, we’ve been looking for you two.” He says, his eyes darting between an angry Seungmin and smug looking stranger

“We were just about to come looking for you guys too! Honey, let’s go meet up with the members," you plead, tugging at Seungmin’s arm.

It takes both you and I.N. to drag him away, the stranger simply rolling his eyes and walking over to the next woman he sees.

Seungmin seethes, “Who the fuck is that?”

“The son of one of the shareholders, I think” I.N shrugs, “But it doesn’t matter. Forget about him”

“He hit on my fucking wife, right in front of me”

“And that was disgusting and disrespectful” You sigh, “But I don’t want anyone else but you. Please don’t let him ruin our night”

With a swift glance at you and I.N., followed by the growing voices of the members a few feet away, he decides to let his anger go.

However, that doesn’t mean he didn’t remind you of who you belong to later that night.

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tiedyeflannels · 6 months ago

Text

Red String Theory

Kim Seokjin x reader

Word count: 1.2k

Genre: established relationship, fluff

A/N: 'Sup! I thought I would take a quick break from Tae's series so I could write this fic for the man, the myth, the Moon that's coming home next month! She's kind of short, but I hope you enjoy!!

“Hey, Y/n/n,” Jin spoke, making me turn my head in his direction.

We were sitting on the couch together just watching the TV while taking a break from moving furniture. I raised my eyebrows and hummed to let him know to continue.

“I’ve got a question.”

I shifted toward him a little and put my legs across his.

“Shoot,” I said, looking at him with full focus on what he was going to ask.

He looked down at my hands before pointing to my wrists, “Your bracelets. What are their meanings?”

A confused smile appeared on my lips, “What? My bracelets?”

He nodded, “Mhmm! You wear them all the time and never take them off, so what’s their story?”

I chuckled at the question, but nodded all the same.

“Okay, um…” I lifted up my right arm and spread the bracelets one wasn’t overlapping another.

“So these are just hair ties,” I said, stretching the two black bands wrapped around my wrist then letting them snap back.

“This one,” I pointed to a string friendship bracelet with different colors of blue, green and grays, “was given to me by a friend in college during a club we went to together.”

Then I pointed to the last one, which was a small silver bracelet with tiny diamonds spaced throughout.

“And this one’s obviously the one you gave me for our first anniversary.”

He smiled, “And that’s obviously my favorite one out of all of them! What about those?”

Just like I did before, I moved the bracelets making sure that they don’t overlap.

“These are just more friendship bracelets from some of the club members,” I pointed to two braided strings that were made up of three different colors each that were tied around my wrist.

“And this one was made by my high school best friend,” I said, pulling apart the magnets then putting them back together.

I nodded at my finished explanation before Jim hooked a finger under the little red string around wrist.

“What about this one, hmm?”

I looked at him with a smile, “Have you heard of the ‘Red String Theory’?"

He shook his head at the question.

“So there was a TikTok that I had watched a while back and it was of this girl who was telling a story. So she was saying how she had seen something about the ‘red string theory’ and that it reminded her of something that had happened at her work. She worked at a store and this couple comes in and are trying things on and she’s smiling at their interaction because she thinks they’re cute.

“When they were ready, they went up to pay and then left the store. After they left, she saw something on the ground which happened to be a red bracelet-”

“No,” he gasped, fully immersed in the story.

I laughed, “Yes! She noticed that it was the same one the guy was wearing too. She thought that they would come back for it, so she put it in a drawer and forgot about it… until the next day,” I led on.

He simply nodded, urging me to go on.

“The girl that was with the guy the other day had come in asking if there was a red bracelet here. The cashier said yes and went to fish it out of the drawer, but while doing that she noticed the new ring on her finger and asked her about it. The girl had the biggest smile on her face and said that she couldn’t talk about it because it had just happened and would start crying, but thanked the cashier for the bracelet and the ‘congratulations’ she received before leaving the store.

“After that happened, she had searched up what the theory was and decided to wear one too. And she was wearing it for a few months, until she had started talking to a guy- I can’t remember if it was an old friend or someone new, but anyway- one day she was hanging out with her, now, boyfriend when she realized it fell off, making her wholeheartedly believe in the theory.”

“You didn’t explain what the theory was,” he said as I was just about to keep talking.

“I was just about to get to that,” I nudged him in feigned annoyance which made him chuckle.

“Sorry! Please continue,” he gestured.

I huffed.

“Anyway! It’s believed, in some cultures, that when people are fated to be soulmates there’s an invisible red string that ties them together. So if you wear a red bracelet and meet someone, then it’s supposed to fall off if they’re your soulmate,” I finished.

“Couldn’t that all chalk up to coincidence though,” Jin questioned, eyebrows furrowed.

I shrugged, “Maybe so, but I’m a hopeless romantic so things like this or fate were always things that I loved which is why I started wearing one.”

“So then this,” he pulled at the red string bracelet, “Has never fallen off?”

I looked down at the string and let out a chuckle before raising my head to look at Jin again.

“Actually, this is a different bracelet. The first one I started wearing after I watched the video fell off when we met.”

“WHAT?!” I nodded, biting back a smile, “Mhm, it was after that fateful day you spilled coffee on my jacket, invited me to eat to make up for it, then we spent the whole day walking around and talking.”

I happily sighed at the memory, “I got home and realized that my bracelet wasn’t on my wrist anymore, but I didn’t really think anything of it because I had been wearing it for a long time until you texted me later that night to ask if we could go on a proper date… And now, here we are,” I gestured around our apartment.

He nodded, “Ah… so you wear that like a keepsake?”

I snapped my fingers and pointed at him, “Exactly! It reminds me of you and that day so I tend to look at it whenever I’m feeling down!”

He hummed before he looked at his own wrist, “Maybe I should wear one, too, so we could match.”

I chuckled, “Sure, come with me.”

I got up and took Jin’s hand, pulling him along to the kitchen where some of the moving boxes were. I dug through a few as Jin took a seat on a stool, then I found my embroidery string and took out the red one along with a pair of scissors.

Walking over to where he was sitting and taking a seat too, I had him hold out his wrist while I unwound the string, wrapped it around and tied it before cutting off the excess material.

“Tada,” I cheered, placing the items in my hands on the table.

“Hey Y/n,” Jin started and I turned to look at him, humming in question.

He grabbed both of my hands, “I’m really happy that we share this string.”

He kissed the top of my head as we sat in a peaceful silence and looked around at the piles of unopened boxes and half moved furniture in our new apartment.

Knowing what he meant by that statement, I rested my head on his shoulder and happily sighed.

“Me too, Jin.”

#bts fic #bts x reader #bts x y/n #bangtan #bts #bts fanfic #bts x you #bangtan sonyeondan #jin x reader #bts jin #jin #kim seokjin #kim seokjin fanfic

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mazeinthemiroh · 2 years ago

Note

Could you do headcanons on how skz would act around their crush? 😂

how stray kids would act around their crush

genre: headcanons; romance, fluff, slight crack

word count: 1k

warnings: cursing, you stan 8 dorks btw i hope you know that

pls like and reblog if you enjoy! feel free to request anything <3

bangchan

he's actually such a flirt, bro-

but he's also shy so it's like... pick a lane, yk??

because when he's like not-so-subtly flirting with his crush and they flirt back?? he's all giggly and stuff

such a dork lmao

compliments you as much as he possibly can without seeming like a simp

but he is so

wants to get closer to you and be your bestie. finding out more about you and getting to know you on a more personal level is his goal

because, in his mind, there's one thing having a crush on someone. but it's another thing entirely once you build a special connection with someone based on that initial attraction

lee know

ahh minho

ahsdbdjhdbuwegfu

he's my favourite when it comes to his response to a crush because it is pure taking the absolute piss

minho builds a playful connection with his crush; he wants to tease them, mock them, and make fun of them any chance that he can get, without completely hurting their feelings and missing his chance.

he is learnt over time how to balance his playfulness in this way

spends a lot of time thinking about you

so much so that it distracts him from his daily tasks

he would never admit this though. it makes him frustrated

like "how dare they consume my thoughts 24/7"

overall, it's totally obvious that he has a crush on you to onlookers because he can't help his ever-growing smile when talking to you

his mission overall is to make you smile or laugh

changbin

invites you out A LOT

yeah he doesn't really try hiding his crush on you because he doesn't really see the point

in his opinion, he shouldn't have to hide such feelings

talks to his friends about you

so they definitely know

wooyoung and yeonjun be sighing dramatically as changbin brings you up in their conversation yet again

"we went to the arcade the other day an-" "y/n love arcades, we should totally go with them next time! they said they were good at the claw machine but-"

you get the idea

he's super sweet about you. gushes and brags about you to no end

and this doesn't really change once he actually starts dating you

he's a very consistent boy

hyunjin

this man has probably written poetry about you before he even talks to you

anyways

he's such a cute little dumpling, wtf

smiles softly at you

compliments you boldly but with a shy tone

tries not to make it obvious that he likes you. idk he's very aware of himself so he is always second-guessing his actions

each time he sees you, he seems to find it harder and harder to talk to you without you knowing he's head-over-heels in love

he just falls deeper and deeper

until he just comes out and says it

abruptly and messily

yeah <3

han

very engaging

probably a tad bit hesitant going up to you but does it anyways

he fights through his little bit of nerves because seeing you smile means more to him

he will try and find any excuse to be next to you and talk your ear off

he wants to get to know you. wants to know what you like, what you dislike. what makes you tick?

he can be a master of small talk when he needs to be so easing himself into any conversation with you proves to be straightforward to him

laughs louder than usual around you

talks faster, too

he just gets excited once he's finally up and talking to you, it's hella cute

felix

has eyes only for you

very obvious that he likes you

and it's because he always singles you out

he makes a beeline to where you are as soon as he clocks you're in the same room as him

unintentionally flirty

overall just super friendly and wants to get to know you from the get-go

but doesn't want to come across too strongly

probably overthinks everything he does or says to you

will meditate and reflect on how he interacted with you later that night when he is alone with your thoughts, probably torturing himself over things he said or things he didn't say

overall he has a very conflicting time

i relate to him so much, dammit 🚶

seungmin

he doesn't stop smiling around you

so smiley that his cheeks hurt after being near you for at least five minutes

but then he realises in order to actually be with you he needs to try and talk to you first

baby step seungmin, come on

so he's racking his brain to say something funny or interesting. if you look at him, it's like you can see the cogs in his brain working at full speed. fascinating to watch i must say

but what comes out of his mouth is a simple "hey, how have you been?"

impressive, isn't it?

honestly, it's good to start simple. and seungmin finds that these little interactions with you are better than he could have ever dreamed of.

jeongin

he does not SPEAK

avoids you at all costs, no i'm not exaggerating

so awkward bro, the amount of harassing the other members had to do to get him to talk to you is embarrassing

but honestly same, innie. it's hard speaking to your crush, cut him some slack!

once he's into it, he's fine

"what was i worried about?"

all he has to do is be his cute and awesome self and there's not much else to it!

is kind of formal when he speaks to you

once he loosens up and gets closer to you, he starts becoming more casual and relaxed

538 notes · View notes

readyforthegarden · 9 months ago

Text

Breakable Heaven - Part Seven

Pairing: Danny Wagner x Female Reader

Synopsis: Being the maid of honor in your best friends wedding is already stressful enough without the best man being the ex-boyfriend who tore your heart to shreds. Stumbling across a dating app with dates for hire, you take a chance, inviting a perfect stranger to pretend to be your boyfriend for the weeklong celebrations. But how long can the charade last when the champagne starts pouring and feelings start growing?

Warnings: drinking, swearing, smut: fingering(f!receiving), penatrative sex. being accosted by a drunk person, slapping 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

A/N: Thank you everyone for your patience as I worked through a little block and got back into the rhythm! I'm hoping to be back on Wednesdays because that means the very last update will be on Valentines Day which is ALSO Wagner Wednesday, and how cute is that?! Anyway, this chapter is hot and heavy right at the beginning, so enjoy!

WC: 6747

There was no awkward conversation, no uneasiness between you and Danny the next morning, like you thought there may have been. There really hadn’t been time for conversation. Danny kept true to his promise of keeping up, small periods of rest, slight dozing before another round. You were sure you couldn’t continue on, yet the next morning, you were pressed back against the shower tiles as Danny’s long fingers pumped in and out of you, moaning prayers in the shape of his name into his mouth.

Your hair products and the steam from the hot water filled the bathroom with a lavender haze, one you simply refused to try and fight. Your fingers gripped into his slick skin trying to keep yourself upright as your knees buckled beneath you. Feeling his back muscles flex under your grip, you whined as his thumb pressed against your clit, rubbing small circles around it.

“You make the sweetest sounds, honey.” Danny mumbled into your mouth as you gasped when he curled his fingers inside, hitting that sweet spot that made your toes curl.

“God, Danny,” your panting was becoming more rapid, and you tore your mouth away from his to rest your forehead on his shoulder, concentrating on the feeling building in your sore muscles. Shivers ran down your body, and you weren’t entirely sure if it was from the cool tiles or the beginning ripples of your orgasm shooting through your body. Your answer came as Danny pressed down with his thumb, directly on your clit, letting the friction of his thrusting hand rub it and send you into oblivion. “God, fuck!” you lifted your head only enough to bite down on Danny’s shoulder as your walls clenched around his fingers. Your legs felt like jelly, and Danny’s arm slid between you and shower tiles, holding you upright as he let you ride it out.

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you honey,” he whispered softly, pressing small, chaste kisses above your ear, inhaling your lavender scent. Releasing his shoulder from your mouth, you tucked your head into his chest as the warm water sprayed down around you, trying to catch your breath. You barely registered him sliding his fingers that were inside of you into his mouth, cleaning them off before wrapping around your waist and holding you up more firmly.

As you stood in the shower, you could feel his hard length pressing against your abdomen, twitching between you as one of his hands slid down your back and began gently kneading one of your cheeks. Raising your head, you looked up at him with tired eyes that betrayed everything you were about to say.

“I could go again,” your voice was meek, yet laced with desire, and Danny smirked down at you.

“We don’t have to, baby,” he brushed water off your face. You could already feel the ache of want starting up. His fingers, you had learned, were incredibly talented, but they were no match for the real thing.

“I want it, Danny,” you lifted your chin the best you could and puckered your lips, meeting him in a kiss before trailing your lips down the curve of his jaw. “I need to feel you one more time,” Danny’s eyes flickered darkly before he kissed you roughly, cupping your face in his hands. When he pulled away, he turned you and pressed you back against the tiles, colder now to your skin since you’d been fully in the hot water. He tugged your hips back, using his own knee to spread your legs a bit further apart before running the head of his cock up and down your slit, gathering your wetness.

You tried to hide the quiet, sharp hiss as he pressed into you, your muscles sore and beginning to ache. Danny froze, one of his hands leaving your hips and pulling your damp hair across your back and leaning forward, pressing a kiss to your shoulder blade.

“Honey, I mean it, I don’t want to hurt you,” Danny murmured to you. A small whine left your throat as you wiggled your hips.

“You won’t,” you sighed as he stilled your hips. “Please,” Danny continued peppering kisses down your shoulder before leaning into your ear.

“You stop me if you need to, okay?” he continued softly. “Promise?”

“I promise.” Danny kissed your cheek before straightening up, sliding against you again before gently easing himself inside you. At last, you felt him fully inside you, and you sighed. Have you ever felt so complete with anybody else? Had anyone else been able to satisfy you as many times as Danny had and yet have you so insatiable? Your body shivered as Danny slowly withdrew from you and pushed back in, a soft moan falling from his lips as he slid back into your warmth.

“So fucking good,” he groaned, the grip on your hips tightening. He quickened his pace, and you could feel your body sliding against the wet tiles with each pump of his hips, your cheek sure to have an indent line from the grout. The fire was alive and well in your belly, though you weren’t quite sure that it had ever been put out since you and Danny had finally gotten your hands on one another.

The soreness between your legs lingered, but the push and pull of Danny’s cock was intoxicating, you couldn’t care about anything else, you didn't have the capacity to think about anything as his hips picked up pace, sharp breaths spilling out between his grit teeth.

Needing to feel another part of him, you moved one of your hands from the wall of the shower, reaching blindly behind you, your fingertips grazing the skin of his abdomen, scratching at the hairs that led down to his pelvis. Danny let go of your hips with one hand, grabbing your wrist and holding it behind your back, a slight tug that stretched you and caused you to moan loudly. The echo in the bathroom was lost on you, though to Danny’s ears it rang through them, he wanted to have the sound of your voice sighing and moaning and whimpering playing in his ears at all times. It made his heart beat madly in his chest, urging him to do whatever he could to hear it even more.

“Danny,” his name on your lips and tongue was heavenly, he squeezed his eyes closed, committing it to memory, your exact tone and timbre, so he could play it on loop in his mind the next time he was alone at night. His hands had already done the job of memorizing your body, and he found himself amazed and gratified that everywhere he touched, he fit perfectly. His hands cupped the swells of your hips and the dip of your waist perfectly. His body fit with yours like a puzzle piece, and he found himself thinking at one point if it was possible you had been made for one another.

Unbeknownst to him, you’d thought the exact same thing in the night, tangled up in his arms and legs, both of you catching your breath between pressing sloppy, lazy kisses to the other's skin. You fit so well against him, and you couldn’t help but notice how perfectly full you felt with him inside you.

You could feel Danny getting close, his thrusts were getting faster, less rhythmic. He was grunting into your ear, coaxing himself along while all you could do was whimper and moan, everything coming out staccato from the jostling of your body.

“Give it to me, please Danny,” you gasped out, looking over your shoulder the best you could. His eyes were still screwed shut in concentration but he gave you a little nod, his wet curls bouncing as he did. All too soon, Danny withdrew himself, panting sharply as he came on your bare back, the sudden warmth on the cold skin of your lower back causing you to gasp.

Hearing splashing, you saw out of the corner of your eye as Danny stepped back, going to the shower wall next to you and leaning back against it, panting. One hand rested over his heart, the other his stomach. His eyes were still shut, and you took the opportunity to gawk at him. He looked like a statue of some god from another time, muscles defined as if chiseled from stone. His head tilted back, causing his curls to fall back away from his face. His jawline was sharp as his mouth hung open, taking in as much air as his lungs could in the humid space. You felt he was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen.

After a few moments, his eyes slowly opened, immediately finding you and his lips turned up into a smile as he watched you blush from getting caught. You pushed away from the wall yourself, stepping over to him and wrapping your arms around his waist, leaning up to leave a trail of kisses along his chest and neck. His hands rested on your upper back, and once he had enough breath in his chest, he leaned down and kissed your lips.

“Satisfied, honey?” smiling against his lips, you nodded, pulling back. You looked up at him, tired eyes glimmering.

“For now,” you replied softly, watching him smirk back.

“Well, let’s get you cleaned up again, I think some breakfast will do us good.” Danny eased you back under the spray, making sure to grab your washcloth and load it back up with soap, giving your body another rub down with it.

Once both of you were properly cleaned and rinsed, you realized you’d run late for the scheduled brunch that morning. You and Danny ran around as much as your exhausted bodies would let you, throwing on clothes and halfway drying your hair.

Danny’s hand slipped firmly into yours as you walked down to the restaurant, and you couldn’t help but feel there was something different in his grip. There was more purpose behind it as his fingers entwined with yours and squeezed gently. You walked closer to him, too, as your steps fell in line with one another. You hadn’t cared that your hair was still damp or you only threw on a bit of mascara with your dress, because Danny’s curls were still as damp, and he looked down to you and grinned and suddenly it didn’t matter anymore.

It wasn’t until you entered the small banquet area that you got anxious, seeing everyone already seated and eating, chattering amongst themselves while you and Danny walked in.

“There they are!” Mike grinned. “Good morning!” you and Danny smiled and took your seats, saying your good mornings back. The table was set up family style, and Danny wasted no time grabbing your plate and beginning to pile scrambled eggs onto it, checking silently if you wanted bacon or sausage before placing a few strips on your plate with a smattering of mixed fruit and a slice of toast. He loaded his up as well and dug in as you sipped from the water glass in front of you, catching Olivia’s eye. She looked at you like a cat that finally caught a mouse she’d been chasing, cornered and ready to pounce.

“I’m surprised you’re sitting so well,” Olivia smirked over her champagne glass at you when she finally opened her mouth. Taking in your confused expression, she set down the glass before leaning close. “I came by your room last night to see if you were okay.” A fire red blush ignited on your cheeks, spreading down your chest. “I had the lobby give me a spare key card.”

“You didn’t,” you shot a look at your best friend, who only continued to grin more.

“I opened the door after you didn’t answer, and heard enough to know you were fine.” she grinned. “More than fine, actually.”

“Liv,” you shot her a look, softly warning her. “We’re at breakfast.”

“Oh, I know, you’re famished.” she winked, nodding to Danny who had nearly wolfed down his entire plate already. She then leaned in closer. “And it confirmed every theory I’ve had.” you looked at her puzzled again. “The dick was so good he left you brain dead.” Olivia batted her lashes. Clearing your throat, you realized she wasn’t wrong. Quite a few times last night you were left speechless.

“You’re absolutely right, Liv,” you nodded, stabbing a piece of melon with your fork and shoving it in your mouth, chewing as slowly as possible so you didn’t have to engage again. It wasn’t until Danny was going for a second helping that you really looked up from your plate again, noting two other empty place settings towards the other end of the table. You nudged Danny’s elbow and he looked at you, slightly offended you almost made him spill food on the table until you nodded and he followed your vision.

Mike cleared his throat and caught both of your attentions as Danny settled back in his chair.

“I kicked Gavin out of the wedding.” he informed you and Danny. “After you left dinner, he started going off on the rest of us and I just couldn’t do it anymore.” you nodded and looked down at the table. You couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for the way things went down.

“Don’t you dare,” Olivia reached out, grabbing your hand under the table and clutching it in hers. “I know that look, don’t you dare feel like you’re responsible for that dicks behavior.”

“Olivia is right,” Mike agreed. He looked you dead in the eye as he spoke again. “And I’m sorry that you dealt with it for so long.”

“Thank you,” you accepted Mike’s apology, knowing it was heartfelt.

“That leads me to another situation, though.” Mike glanced at Danny. “I’m short a groomsman.” Danny blinked a few times before Olivia sighed.

“Danny, will you step in please?” Olivia gripped your hand like she was begging you instead. “I cannot have an uneven line up in my photos, it will haunt me forever, please?” Danny’s eyes were wide.

“I-I don’t even have a suit, I don’t-”

“We’ll figure that out, and I’ll pay for whatever it takes.” Mike joined in on the pleading. “Please, Danny?” Danny looked from the couple down to you. You just gave him a small shrug, not wanting to force him into anything he wasn’t comfortable doing.

“You won’t have to awkwardly make small talk with any of the other family or dates,” Olivia chimed in, trying to sweeten the pot.

“Okay, I’ll do it.” Danny smiled softly. Agreeing to be in the wedding of people he’d only known a week was a little crazy, but then again, here he was, head over heels for someone he’d known just as long. In Danny’s opinion, time was an illusion. After breakfast, Danny was whisked off, back into town to try and find a last minute suit to match the rest of the groomsmen, and you were taken back to Olivia’s room with her and the other bridesmaids, going over the itinerary for the next day.

You couldn’t help your mind wandering as the planner started rattling off details you’d memorized before you set foot in the vineyard. Every time you moved, there was a tender feeling in all of your muscles, and you kept remembering images of Danny surrounding you. His face glancing up at you from between the valley of your breasts as he marked a path down your body, his doe eyes shining with mischief. His strong arms wrapped around you as he sat on the edge of the bed, helping guide your body in a rhythm while your hands were tangled up in his curls. You felt like Danny was your first taste of something addicting, and you couldn’t wait to get more.

It wasn’t until you felt a push on your shoulder that you left your memories, looking over to Olivia, who was smirking at you once again. You hadn’t realized the small meeting was over, and the other bridesmaids had left, leaving you and your best friend alone.

“Whatcha thinking about?” she grinned, batting her eyes and leaning forward.

“What do you think?” you rolled your eyes.

“You have skipped all the details for so long, and now I’ve heard it myself, you have to tell me!” Olivia squealed.

“Fine,” you sighed. “That man is the best I’ve ever had. He’s loving and caring and in the same breath he’s this sexy force of nature. He’s unlike anyone else. Danny is very good at finding all the buttons to press exactly when you need them pressed.”

“Sounded like it,” Olivia waggled her eyebrows. She continued to ask her questions, and this time you answered, sparing a few details here and there. Meanwhile, Danny was having a conversation of his own while waiting in a fitting room alone.

“You’re what?!” Sam’s brows were furrowed in disbelief as Danny shrugged on the other end of the screen. “Daniel, that’s insane.”

“I know, I know, but I couldn’t let them down.” Danny smiled sheepishly. “Besides, it means I can spend more time with her and I don’t have to walk aimlessly around while she’s busy during the cocktail hour.”

“I guess, man,” Sam sighed. “If anything, this’ll make a good story for Jake and Josh. I may have let slip what was going on with you this week.” Danny shook his head at Sam’s apologetic grimace.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Danny grinned. “I uh…I think you’re all going to meet her soon.” Danny watched as there was movement on the screen, and Sam glanced back to the camera with wide eyes. “I may have taken your advice, made a move.”

“Daniel!” Sam grinned back. “What did she say? Did she say yes?”

“Um..” Daniel tried to fight the smile and Sam laughed loudly. “One thing led to another…and then another…and then another…”

“So she does feel the same for you then?” Sam smirked.

“I’m pretty confident she does, yeah.” Danny felt a small blush warm his cheeks, thinking of the way you looked at him in the shower this morning. It was more than lust and desire, there was something deeper behind your eyes, and he knew he felt the exact same. In fact he was itching to get back to the hotel and see you again.

“I’m happy for you, Daniel.” Sam nodded. “You look really, really happy and if you’re jumping into someone's wedding just to help her and her friends out, she must be an amazing woman.”

“She is.”

“Hey Danny, I’ve got another suit for you!” Mike called from behind the door.

“Okay!” Danny turned back to Sam’s bemused face. “I’ll talk to you later, Sam.”

“Bye lover boy!” Sam waggled his fingers towards the camera on his phone before hanging up, leaving Danny to toss his phone onto the chair in the dressing room, opening the door and taking the suit Mike handed him.

“I think that one will work, it’s not quite perfect, but it’s close enough I don’t think Liv’s eye will twitch when she looks back at photos.” Mike laughed as Danny closed the door to start getting dressed.

“I’m glad you guys didn’t come back to dinner last night.” Mike’s voice was muffled through the door. Danny tugged on the dress pants, zipping them as he listened. “Gavin and Naomi started to argue with Olivia and I, and my parents. Even my dad was upset and finally snapped, and told them to leave. It was a nightmare.”

“It wouldn’t have done anyone any good for us being back there.” Danny shook his head, though Mike couldn’t see it. He buttoned the shirt closed before pulling on the suit jacket. “I think I’m allowed to say it now, but if I could’ve, I would’ve knocked Gavin out, given the chance.”

“Me too.” Mike sighed. “It’s unfortunate it had to be this way, but we couldn’t stand by and let his behavior continue. My parents and his parents will just have to deal.” Danny checked himself in the mirror before opening the door and stepping out.

“What do you think?” Danny stood in front of Mike, who looked him up and down and nodded.

“Works for me,” he said. “We’ll get you a dark green tie and socks and we’ll be on our way.”

Back at the vineyard, once Olivia was done pumping you for details, you made your way back to your room, picking up the trail of clothes that had been left behind in the rush. The bed had been remade, and you felt a bit of embarrassment that the housekeepers had to step over your discarded panties and clothes and change the twisted and tangled sheets.

You had changed into some cozier clothes, popping an ibuprofen to help your sore muscles before settling into the couch in the living area, turning on the TV to occupy your time. Getting bored easily, you only later half an hour before you turned it off again, getting up and wandering back to the bathroom.

It took less than a second for you to turn on the faucet on the jacuzzi tub, grabbing the bottle of complimentary bubble bath and pouring a good amount under the running water. Padding back to the bedroom, you grabbed your phone and earbuds, putting together a playlist on your music app while the tub filled. Once you were happy, you put in your earbuds and pressed play, stripping down and lowering your body into the hot water.

“I don’t know another way to explain it, Sam.” Danny sighed into his phone. Once he had parted from Mike, Danny decided to call his best friend back, walking his way slowly up the stairs to your room. There were still things he wanted to talk through in his newly limited free time. “I feel so…like full when I’m with her.”

“Daniel, you’re in looooove.” Sam’s voice was sing-songy as he replied. Danny stopped in his tracks, staring at the floor in front of him. Normally he would think the accusation was ludacris, how could he be in love with someone he barely knew? But the flutter in his heart told him Sam’s teasing was true.

“I am,” Danny grinned. “It’s insane but Sam, I’ve fallen absolutely in love with her.”

“Yes!” Sam cheered. “It’s about time you opened that heart back up.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Danny chuckled, rolling his eyes and continuing on towards your room.

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Sam continued. “Tell her all your embarrassing stories from school and tour.”

“Hey, don’t scare her off before we’ve had a chance to make it official.” Danny muttered as he slid his keycard in the door. The living room was quiet, and Danny figured you were still with Olivia.

“It’s better to come from me, you know how Josh gets excited when he tells stories, it’s a lot of embellishment.” Sam reasoned with an indignant sniff. There was noise on the other end of the line and he paused. “What was that?”

“I don’t know.” Danny also paused, hearing a humming noise coming from the bedroom. He draped his garment bag over the arm of the couch and stepped closer to the doors, opening them slowly. Nothing greeted him but a perfectly made bed, and he furrowed his brow before glancing at the bathroom, seeing a light escaping through a crack in the door.

“Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand? With every guitar string scar on my hand, I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover!” Danny slowly peeked in, glad Sam’s call back was only audio as Danny’s eyes were greeted with you, eyes closed and relaxing under a mountain of frothy bubbles. He could see the earbuds nestled in your ears and your shoulders swaying as you sang along to the song. “My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue. All's well that ends well to end up with you. Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover!” Danny winced slightly when your voice went sharply off key on the word true, exclaiming it as dramatically as the blonde songstress who wrote it, but his grin remained plastered to his face.

“Jesus,” Sam cringed into the phone. “Are you still in love after that?”

“Yeah,” Danny nodded, though Sam couldn’t see. “Yeah I am.” A squeal echoed in the bathroom as Danny focused back on you. You’d opened your eyes, startled by his sudden presence and took the earbuds out, staring at him with a deep scarlet blush as you placed them on the side of the tub.

“How long have you been there?” you asked quietly.

“Not long at all,” Danny answered simply. “I heard some noise and just wanted to check it out.”

“I’m okay.” your eyes went to the phone in his hand and you covered your mouth. “Are you on the phone?!”

“...Yeah,”

“How much did you hear?” you asked, biting your bottom lip.

“Everything!

“Nothing!!” Sam confirmed as Danny denied. You could hear Sam’s voice over the phone and put your hands over your whole face, groaning before sucking in a deep breath and letting your body slide down the tub and submerge yourself fully underwater. Danny laughed to himself before leaving the bathroom.

“Alright, I gotta start getting ready for this rehearsal dinner. If I don’t talk to you tomorrow, I’ll see you next week?”

“For sure, Daniel. Have fun, be safe!” Danny could practically hear the wink in Sam’s voice as they hung up. Danny could hear you resurfacing in the bath and starting to let it drain. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself, so he settled on sitting on the bed, waiting for you to exit the bathroom. When you did, you were wrapped in a robe, your damp hair hanging around your shoulders. You still had a sheepish blush about you as you made eye contact with him.

“Safe to say you won’t be asking me for harmonies any time soon, huh?” you chuckled, trying to ease your embarrassment.

“Actually, I thought you were amazing.” Danny pushed back, a smirk on his face as you rolled your eyes. “In fact, I think you should replace Josh in our band.”

“Oh yeah?” you moved forward, climbing onto the bed and making yourself eye level with the little liar. “Maybe you’ll win a grammy with me in the band.”

“I’d love another one.” Danny grinned as you bumped the tip of his nose with yours.

“Oh, you already have one?” you quirked an eyebrow. “Damn, Mike and Olivia have no idea they’ve got a superstar in their wedding.”

“I’m happy to help,” Danny shrugged. You shifted, moving from your hands and knees to straddling his lap. “Sam said you must be amazing to be worth all this.” Danny smiled as he wrapped his arms around your waist. Your eyes shone up at him, a small smile gracing your lips.

“You told him about me?” your voice was soft but excited. You had been at the disadvantage that Olivia was literally with you on this trip, but Danny’s friends were states away. You hadn’t really thought of him talking to them about you or even the wedding, since it was supposed to be more a secret on his part.

“Once or twice, yeah.” Danny looked at you, brushing a damp wave away from your face. “I figured I better tell him before he sees me walking through the airport holding hands with some strange girl when he picks me up.”

“True,” you shrugged. “Though what a story we could make up for that, huh?”

“Mm, went to a vineyard, got drunk, hooked up with this girl and brought her home.” Danny nodded. “Sounds solid.”

“Oh no, you’d have married me to bring me home,” you shook your head. “I want that rockstar money, and sit in the penthouse I’d think you have while you work your ass off on tour.”

“Oh, my new wife would be sorely disappointed when she got back to see my one bedroom condo.” Danny laughed. You faked a desolate sigh, sitting back with a pout.

“She’ll live, I guess.” the two of you devolved into a fit of giggles. There was a small feeling of uncertainty that lingered between you, at least, in your heart. Joking about a fake future with Danny left you wondering briefly if after the wedding tomorrow, if that very next morning, he would still be interested. You weren’t immune to the fact the both of you were in a bubble of proximity, and that had a major impact on things.

What if you boarded that plane back home and once there, he realized he just got caught up in the act?

“Speaking of weddings,” you cleared your throat, rolling your shoulders back and ignoring the nagging feeling in your stomach. “We should start getting ready for the rehearsal.”

“Yeah,” Danny agreed softly. His hands were still on your waist, and his body was in no rush to move. “We should,” neither of you shifted a muscle, content to stay as you were for a few seconds longer. Finally you broke the connection, moving to get off the bed.

“If I don’t do something with this hair now, it’s going to frizz.” you sighed, walking back into the bathroom, leaving Danny to get ready in the bedroom by himself.

“If we have to walk down this aisle one more time tonight I’m going to hang myself from the rafters.” you groaned, leaning on Thomas, who’d been upgraded to best man in the wake of Gavin and Naomi’s departure.

“I’m sure we only have to do it a few hundred more times before Olivia is satisfied.” Thomas replied with a yawn.

“I’m starving, dinner was supposed to be an hour ago.” you whined, feeling your stomach grumble.

“Okay, just one more time guys! I just want to make sure we have the timing down perfectly!” Olivia called out, passing everyone to situate herself at the end of the line. Her long, white silk dress cascaded around her already making her look like a beautiful bride in her panic. As you glanced forward at the start of the procession, you caught Danny’s eye as he was turned slightly where he stood next to Mila, talking softly. When he noticed you, he sent you a wink, making you smile before the music started, and he turned back around at attention, linking arms with Mila.

Olivia’s one more time turned into three more, and finally she was satisfied enough to release you all for dinner. You were back on Danny’s arm, walking with your hand in his back from the chapel to the small restaurant banquet room, dreaming of whatever entree was being served. Olivia and Mike were only a few steps ahead of you both, talking and laughing when suddenly Olivia gasped, stumbling on the stone pathway.

“Oh god dammit!” she cried. Rushing over, you feared the worst, that she’d broken her ankle and would have to hobble down the aisle in a cast or brace. Luckily Mike had caught her, and he was staring down at her shoes, lifting up the hem of her dress. “I knew I should’ve waited for tomorrow to wear these! Now my wedding shoes are ruined!” you looked at where she nodded, the small heel of her pump was broken, hanging off the back of the shoe.

“Don’t worry!” moving back, you handed your small clutch to Danny after sliding out your keycard. “I brought a bunch of stuff in case of an emergency on the wedding day, and super glue was one of them! It’s just in our room, I’ll be right back!”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Danny offered, turning back as you moved to the staircase, you shook your head with a smile.

“I’ll be right back!” your own heels echoed on the stone steps and Danny and Mike escorted Olivia into the restaurant. You had two things on your mind as you made your way to your room. Retrieving the super glue from your emergency bag, and getting back as quickly as possible to dinner to find out whatever was causing the mouthwatering smell in the lobby. You hadn’t noticed a shadow looming over your own once you turned the corner towards your room, and was startled when a hand grabbed your upper arm. A sharp gasp pulled from your throat as you spun around to see Gavin standing there, eyes red, and clothes rumpled. “Gavin, what are you doing here?!”

“I-I need to talk to you,” he looked as if he’d been crying, and you pulled yourself from his grasp as he swayed a bit, the stench of whiskey on his breath.

“You’re drunk, Gavin. You shouldn’t be here, Mike and Olivia kicked you out.”

“Naomi left me.” he ignored your speech, only looking at you with what you could only describe as the worst attempt at puppy dog eyes you’d ever seen.

“Good for her,” you rolled your eyes, turning around to leave him in the hall and finish your mission, but he grabbed you again, this time winding his arms around your waist tightly.

“She wasn’t you, babe.” Gavin sniffled. “I’m so sorry I ever wanted her, I’m sorry babe.” you grimaced as he started crying again, feeling nothing but disgust for the man trying to hold onto you. Your palms flat against his chest, you tried to push yourself out of his grasp, but Gavin was strong.

“Gav, let me go,” you demanded, trying to keep calm.

“Come back to me?” Gavin leaned in towards you as you moved away, trying to shuffle out of his grasp, but only managing to turn yourselves around. “Baby we were so good together, I’m sorry I lied, you were the best thing I ever had.”

“Gavin, that’s very nice, but I’ve moved on, I’m not interested.” you pushed his chest again, but he was solid. It was like slow motion, as Gavin closed his eyes and leaned towards your face, lips puckered.

“I think I’m gonna go check on her,” Danny told Mike and Olivia after they joked you must’ve gotten lost on your way back to your room.. You’d taken a bit longer than it should’ve to get a tube of super glue. He was starting to get concerned that maybe the stone floors had taken you out as well. Getting up from his seat, he placed his napkin on the table next to his plate, and left the restaurant.

As he made his way up the steps, he thought to himself about making you even later. Surely a few moments of kissing couldn’t cut into a simple shoe repair time that much. Danny nearly skipped up the last few stairs, giddy at the idea of pressing you against the door and smudging that perfect berry lipstick you wore. As he turned the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks. He saw you, wrapped in Gavin’s embrace. Gavin’s face was close to yours, his eyes flickered up and he smirked before leaning in closer. You didn’t seem to protest the movement, though he couldn’t see your face. Danny turned around, feeling his heart shatter in his chest.

Of course you would get back with Gavin. Of course Danny would let down his walls, and let himself fall in love with a perfect stranger and think that it meant anything. Of course he would blindly follow his heart straight into heartbreak. Danny’s feet moved of their own accord, taking him back downstairs and straight out the front doors, the cool night air hitting his face. He couldn’t go back and sit with everyone just yet.

A sharp smack echoed in the hallway. Gavin stumbled back from you, hands now cupping his cheek. Your nostrils flared in anger, hand stinging from the harsh slap that had been long overdue.

“Don’t you ever think you can kiss me,” you seethed at your ex. “Ever again. You’re a sad, drunken loser, and I am so happy to be rid of you.” Gavin just whimpered and sniffled, still slightly in shock. “Now fuck off.”

Pushing past him, you continued your journey to your room, making sure to lock the door behind you before searching for your emergency kit. You gave yourself a little time, one, to make sure Gavin had left the hallway, and two, to shake off your adrenaline. Tonight wasn’t a night for fighting with your ex, it was Olivia and Mike’s night, and you weren’t going to draw attention away if you didn’t have to.

When you made your way back to dinner, glue in hand, Danny’s seat at the table was empty, and you looked at it puzzled.

“Where’s Danny?” you asked as you sat, holding out your hand for Olivia’s pump and trading her for a pair of flats you’d grabbed before leaving your room.. She smirked as she took the offered shoes and handed you hers.

“Probably counting down the seconds until it doesn’t look like you two had a quickie.” she winked as you rolled your eyes.

“I would have had to see him to have a quickie, Liv.” you laughed. “He’s probably in the bathroom.”

“Suuuurre.” Olivia giggled, looking unconvinced as she took a sip of her champagne. You got to work gluing her heel back to her shoe, holding the pieces together tightly for a few minutes until Danny finally rejoined you at the table.

“Hey,” you smiled at him, and he only returned it in a nod, barely a twitch of his lips. Your eyebrows knit together in confusion at his sudden mood change. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just took a walk outside for a few minutes.” Danny answered, reaching over his plate for his glass of water. “Not feeling very well.” you frowned and pouted, your hands full as he picked up his fork, pushing his food around his plate a bit.

After a bit, you were finally full, having fixed the shoe and let it set, and dug into your meal. Mike’s father stood up, clinging his glass with his fork and catching everyone's attention.

“I know tomorrow will be full of speeches so I’ll keep this brief.” he said, “Aside from a few less than ideal situations, this week has been a beautiful reflection of the love Michael and Olivia share with one another, and the love that they share with their closest friends. I’d like to raise a glass in a toast to that, what brought us here today, and keeps us going for all of our days; Love. To Love!”

Everyone raised their champagne glasses up, repeating the sentiment before sipping the bubbly spirit.

“To love,” Danny muttered to himself, watching you out of the corner of his eye as you giggled with Olivia over something. He clenched his jaw as he swallowed down the sweet liquid, the bubbles falling flat on his tongue. ‘More like heartbreak.’ he thought to himself. Having enough of the merriment in his state, Danny pushed back from the table, catching your attention.

“Everything okay babe?” Danny’s heart splintered at the pet name, something he once longed to hear from you know feeling hollow. Danny cleared his throat as he stood and nodded.

“Yeah, I think I’m just going to go and lay down,” he answered.

“I’ll come with you,”

“No,” Danny stopped you from getting up from your seat. “You should stay, enjoy dessert. I’ll be fine.” you looked hurt, and that hurt Danny, but he couldn’t stand the thought of being alone with you right now. And that’s where he left you. He made his way back to your shared room, changing out of his clothes and into his pajamas before climbing into bed. It was too late to really call Sam, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to admit the embarrassment to him quite yet. Danny settled against his pillow, closing his eyes and trying his best to ignore the wafting scent of lavender coming from yours only a few inches over. All he had to do was make it through tomorrow, and it would be over. He’d wake up early, book a flight home after the reception, and spare any more awkwardness for both of you.

He just had to make it through the wedding.

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#danny wagner #danny wagner x reader #greta van fleet #josh kiszka #jake kiszka #sam kiszka #breakable heaven fic #danny gvf #danny wagner fanfiction

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espinosaurusrexex · 2 years ago

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Im not sure how this works but can I request Steve for the secret admirer bingo square if it's still available? I can just picture him being so sweet and thoughtful with notes and gifts or drawings. Thanks<3

Oh, this was such a cute idea! I don't know if I did it justice with the little piece I created. I hope you enjoy anyway. 💗

Secret Admirer (Bingo Game)

!BINGO ASKS CLOSED!

College!SteveRogers x Reader

word count: 1.1k

warnings: fluffy, shy Steve, just very sweet

✨ college steve playlist ✨

A small knock on your dorm room door and another piece of paper slipped through the gap at the bottom of it. It wasn’t the first one you’ve gotten. It happened all the time, to be honest. Sometimes it was a note, saying something along the lines of ‘You look beautiful today’ or ‘You make me smile’. Sometimes it was little drawings, hasty sketches but laced with so much precision, you could really see the talent behind it. And they were all signed by ‘Grant’.

It was super sweet, but the problem was, you didn’t know a Grant.

The first time it had happened was a Friday, about two months ago. Wanda had picked up the paper on her way to the closet and handed it to you with a smirk.

“Wo’s Grant?” She had teased with excitement, thrilled to finally see you getting yourself out there again. But her face had fallen when you answered with an equally surprised look on your face. “I don’t know who Grant is.”

By now, you had gotten used to the little messages you received almost regularly, even missing them a little when ‘Grant’ had not sent you anything that day. It was exciting to figure out the mystery of your secret admirer, as Wanda had proclaimed, you wanted to know who it was. Who wouldn’t, right?

But you had no idea. And after another two weeks of Wanda obsessively searching for your secret messager, you slowly began to give up, just enjoying the little gifts and accepting the forever unknowing of this mystery. You made peace with it. And besides, it wasn’t like the people you wanted would want you back, anyway. There was this one cute guy in your elective class, Steve Rogers, but he was kind of ignoring you. And who would blame him, you’ve heard many people talk about how cute he was, he had plenty to choose from. The people you’ve seen him hang out with on campus were very hot, too. And super nice. But they never held anything more than small talk with you.

You weren’t very lucky when it came to relationships and dating. Which was why it was so nice to have those little messages passed under your door from time to time. It showed you that you weren’t totally undesirable. Which you weren’t. There had been one guy that had asked you out last semester but he was a total weirdo. And then there was A girl named Yelena, but she just disappeared halfway through the date - said there was an emergency, well, you knew what that meant.

So yeah, to say you were lost was an understatement. Which was why you resumed pining for the hunky blonde in your class that smiled at you from time to time. Today, you had said class again and after yet another uneventful lecture, your professor had asked each of his students to sign up for the fundraiser he organized this semester. And as you stood in line, someone suddenly tapped your shoulder.

“You dropped this.” You turned and came face to face with Steve who was holding a pen out to you. You were frozen for a second, just looking into his blue eyes and fighting not to get lost in them.

“Oh, thank you.”

“No worries.” He smiled and then looked away, almost shyly.

You turned back and made another step as the line in front of you got shorter. But your mind was racing, your hand clenching the pen in your hand as you thought about the tiny interaction with Steve. This was your chance, right? He was literally standing right behind you.

You turned around again. “Steve, right?”

A small smile snuck on his face, his eyebrows raising slightly, “Uh... yeah. And you’re Y/N, right?”

“Yeah... hey I don’t want to come off weird or anything, but would you maybe wanna grab a coffee with me?”

“Now?” He asked surprised.

You laughed nervously. “Well, preferably after we signed up. I’m not standing in this line for fun.”

Steve chuckled as he bit his lip and it was the prettiest thing you’d ever seen. “I would love to.”

Now you were smiling like an idiot as you turned around to hide the little fist bump in excitement. You would mess this up, this was your chance! You stood next to Steve as he leaned over the table to write on the sign-up sheet.

“Do you have a favorite coffee shop?”

“Stan’s place is nice,” you mumbled with your arms crossed, glancing over the way Steve carefully signed his name down.

“I’ve heard of it...” He said concentrating, but you were too distracted by the name he scribbled on the dotted line beneath yours.

Steven Grant Rogers

Could it be? Your heart began to race as you saw the way the G curved on the page. It was engraved into your memory by now. This was the ‘Grant’ you had been seeing for weeks, scribbled at the bottom of countless messages.

“Your..,” you began, but your throat felt dry. “Your middle name is Grant?” Your voice had done a weird squeaky thing at the end of your question, and when Steve stood up straight to look at you again, his smile faded.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah... I’m just a little surprised. I’ve been getting some messages lately.” You told him carefully. Curious as to what his reaction would be. It seemed as though Steve realized, at that moment, just what you had discovered. And to your surprise, the too-cool-for-you facade you had prescribed him fell off his body like a curtain. He was blushing, his hand immediately rubbing at his neck, but he couldn’t hide it anymore.

Quite frankly, you didn’t know what to do with the revelation. Secretly, you had wanted it to be Steve. But at the same time, the person you had crafted in your head with the help of the notes and drawings, didn’t match the man standing in front of you. It was confusing and exciting, and scary, and nice.

“Uhm, I guess there’s no use to pretend anymore, is there?” He asked embarrassed and your heart fluttered.

“I... I thought you never noticed me.”

Something hushed over his eyes then. It was gone as soon as it had come, but it made Steve look sad. “Never noticed you? You’re all I ever think about. I just didn’t know how to tell you...”

“Oh.” You smiled, willing your giddy heart to calm.

You were quiet for a moment, and Steve was fidgeting with his arms, trying to place them somewhere else. And when he finally settled on holding his elbows in front of his chest, his biceps bulging and drawing your attention, he spoke. “So, about that coffee,” he pressed his lips into a line nervously, “can we make it a date?”

You bit your lip while chuckling slightly. “I would love to.”

If you've come this far, please show this post some love. Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated 💕

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tulipscomeinallsortsofcolors · 4 months ago

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Good morning (or other appropriate time-related greeting) Tulip!

I was rereading Fish (because Emmy is fantastic) and I had a question-- in your fic The Butterfly People Effect, would Emmy's story be different?

At first I was just going to ask you, but then I started gathering evidence as a bit, but then it spiraled a little and now I have a Theory.

My gathered evidence is as such: I believe it was Roman who was approached by the pixies who took her in the main storyline, but I can't remember where in the story that was. If I remember correctly, the pixies asked Roman about her and if she was happy, and he said yes, but left out that she was happy because she was away from them. This means they were still around, and is also confirmed in Fish, when Emmy a. can see flashes "of small yellow wings" and b. tells Virgil that she wants the pixies to leave her alone. In TBPE, Logan is able to be less at-odds with his status as a fae and is more confident because of it. While he doesn't interact with the pixies who took her, he does have a lot more interactions with other fae, and I don't think it's outlandish to assume he might know who they are and what they did. Finally, in Fish there's a bit about Emmy not being allowed to talk about fae things, including Logan, but that she had watched him when she could, but could never "work up the nerve" to talk to him, implying that she really wanted to.

My conclusion based on this evidence: I think, in TBPE, Logan might have reached out to Emmy first (maybe as a 'Offering an apology from my season to you, because that was Not Okay'?), and because Logan is Logan and Emmy is Emmy, eventually gained a little sister out of it.

My math: Emmy was 10 when she was taken, and she was gone for 7 years, and 16 when Fish takes place and based on the other fics in Epilogues & Emmy saying they live in a town she couldn't have imagined three years ago, I think Fish is about 3-5 years after the main storyline. This would put Emmy at about 11-13 when Shit Hit The Fan, and makes she between 3-6 years younger than Logan, which is prime little sister age.

From this, I raise: Logan getting a little sister means Thomas also gets a little sister, and I also think Greta and Emmy interacting when they are hanging on to her while trying to finish the cloak would be fantastic. Thomas is the only sibling of LAMP in LAOFT present at the time of them getting together, which is very unfair to him. In TBPE at least he's gotten to know Greta a little and therefore has backup from her, but adding Emmy to the mix would be a. good for Thomas and b. excellent for the audience to witness.

Anyway, hope my rambling was entertaining for you. Emmy will now forever live in my heart as Thomas's partner-in-crime in TBPE's storyline. (*Cough* Any Emmy Trout crumb you will drop to us is fantastic *cough* she's such a cool character idea *cough*)

(Also, unrelated, but started TBPE with "Let's tell a story. No, not that one." lives in my head RENT FREE and I love it so much.)

this is so cute believe it or not ive never thought of Emmy's place in TBPE and this is so so good, love the concept

#ask #crownoflaurelandbramble #love and other fairytales ask

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sapphires-and-silver-linings · 2 years ago

Text

Half-Life | Chapter Three

There was something to be said about loneliness, though: at least it was predictable.

Pairing: Plaga!Leon S. Kennedy/F!Chubby!Paranormal Investigator!Reader

Tags: Fluff, Mutual Pining, Angst, Sexual Tension, Blood, Body Horror

Notes: It's been a minute since I last posted, but this chapter was a doozy to write! Second longest chapter I've ever churned out, which is insane to me lol. Anyway, I hope you guys like this installment! I was blushing and squealing and kicking my feet while writing it lmao. Leon makes me so sad, but these interactions between him and Bunny (the reader) are SO CUTE. I'd love it if you guys told me your favorite lines or parts in general in the comments! Feedback is what helps keep me motivated!

Masterlist | Previous | Next

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It had been a full day since you left, and Leon loathed to admit just how miserable he felt.

He had spent the rest of the prior afternoon with Wolfie hunting for small game, the crow barely able to satiate his hunger.

He always liked the hunt, as he allowed himself to be in the moment, focused solely on his senses and cutting off the tide of emotions that threatened to pull him under.

The distraction didn’t last long, however.

He had killed a couple squirrels and another crow, hoping for something a little more substantial, when he came across a rabbit—a plump one with brown fur—and the reminder of you and the note you left stopped him mid-strike, the animal easily able to escape his normally deadly grasp.

He cut his losses after that, deciding he didn’t want to hunt anymore. He split his meager spoils with Wolfie as he always did, and paced his house until nightfall, his thoughts rampant and his mood sour.

He tried to sleep it off but tossed and turned instead (though that wasn’t exactly an irregular occurrence for him).

And now here he was, sitting in his boat in the middle of the lake and spearing any fish that dared to skim the surface of the water, using his tail and those four spidery appendages he had re-released from their place on his spine specifically for the task.

He didn’t like to keep them out for the sake of his own humanity, but the skin of his back rippled and ached when they were confined for too long.

Ten years and he was still uncomfortable in his own body.

He hated it.

He had a growing pile of fish sitting in a bucket before him, reveling in the fact that at least he’d be eating well for the day, briefly pausing his surveillance of the water to snack on one of the scaly creatures.

He wondered what you must be up to right now. Probably already halfway across the globe, bound for home. He wanted to ask you how you’d go about keeping the public from bothering him, but he had been so preoccupied with getting to know you, he had forgotten.

He questioned idly whether or not you would keep to your word, but he supposed it was out of his hands now.

And, for some reason, he trusted you.

It was laughable, almost, how quickly he gave in the moment you didn’t budge from his scare tactics. He had become so inherently suspicious since the events that transpired in Raccoon City, as well as what occurred right here in this village a decade prior, so it shocked him how easily you blew right through his mental defenses.

To be fair to himself—which he often wasn’t—you had caught him so utterly off guard, he had no precedence to follow. No one else had gone that completely against common sense when faced with his monstrous form, and he simply couldn’t wrap his head around it. Besides, he was so starved for social interaction, he couldn’t stop himself from leaping at the opportunity to relish it.

He wanted the whole ordeal to be enough to pull him through to his plotted end, but he thought it was deeply unfair that he only craved more. More conversation. More attention. More affection.

It would have been easier if you had just run.

There was something to be said about loneliness, though: at least it was predictable. At least it was safe.

His inner ramblings were suddenly cut short when he heard a strange sound from the distance. There were footsteps again, but something else he couldn’t quite place—something that rumbled.

His first thought was a vehicle and panic immediately set in, causing him to paddle back to land as quickly as possible.

He wondered if you had broken your part of the deal and alerted others to his presence. Maybe he had been wrong to trust you, after all.

He cursed himself under his breath.

He made it back to shore, the footsteps and that strange sound coming to a halt somewhere too close for comfort. It was in the direction of his house, where he had left Wolfie to dutifully await his return.

If anything happened to his dog, he wasn’t sure what he’d do, praying to a god he no longer believed in that whoever trespassed wasn’t here to cause harm.

He bolted through the woods, dodging between the trees with practiced ease until he was skidding to a halt in the brush beside his home.

The sight that greeted him baffled him to his core.

There, just at his front door, was Wolfie, tail wagging happily as he sat on his haunches. But what really caught his eye was a figure standing above the dog, reaching out to feed him what looked like a treat from their hand.

And, when they turned to face Leon’s direction, the sound of him bounding through the forest catching their attention, he realized the person on his doorstep…

Was you.

“Leon!” you called jovially as he revealed himself from the tree line. “I was wondering where you were!”

“What the hell are you doing here?” he questioned, his tone harsher than he meant it.

You didn’t seem phased, however, as you replied, “I figured I was due for a vacation. Decided to stay in the country for another week.”

“Doesn’t exactly explain why you came back here, though.”

“Well, I told you I wanted to explore the area more, didn’t I? But don’t worry, I didn’t come empty-handed.” You stepped aside and swept your arm behind you, revealing a large metal wagon stacked with all sorts of items.

So that was the strange noise he heard.

“This wasn’t in our agreement,” he stated, sounding more annoyed than he actually felt. If anything, he was glad you came back. But he worried about what exactly it would entail if you did stay with him. He then added, conjuring up as much disdain as possible to make a point, “You should leave me alone.”

You raised a brow at him, skeptical. “I don’t think you mean that, Leon.”

“Oh, yeah? Why wouldn’t I?” He stood to his full height like he had the moment you first met, narrowing his bloodred eyes while he tilted slightly forward, as if setting up to lunge.

You seemed fed up with his clearly empty threats as you stepped up to him, hands placed on your supple hips in defiance. “Because you’re lonely and I’m the only person you’ve met in the past decade that didn’t run away screaming at the sight of you.”

He scoffed. “Oh, so you’re bothering me again out of the goodness of your own heart, then?”

“Maybe…” You glanced at your feet for a moment as you found the words to say, “And it’s also possible I came back because I find you interesting. This could be mutually beneficial, you know.”

“Interesting?” he repeated dubiously. He felt a pang of disappointment as he looked down at you. “Am I really just some specimen for you to study? Is that what this is to you?”

Your eyes widened at his accusation, throwing your hands up in the air. “Oh my god, of course not! Sure, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t fascinated by your… quirks… but that’s not the only reason I came back.”

“You mean to use me as a field guide for your little hiking trip?”

“Well, that too. But still not it.”

“Then why?”

You seemed almost embarrassed as you looked away from him, finally admitting, “I like you as a person, Leon. I enjoyed spending time with you and thought you might have felt the same. I… I’m sorry if I overstepped. I can leave if that's what you want.”

Leon was stunned by your words, unable to do more than gawk at you as you awaited his response.

Realizing you might not get one, you nodded, crestfallen. “Right, yeah. This was a bad idea. I’ll just—I’ll just get out of your hair, then.”

You turned to grab the wagon and make your exit when Leon wrapped his claws gingerly around your arm, stopping you in your tracks. You gazed back at him, searching his face for an answer.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t know what to say,” he told you honestly. Leon almost always had a cheesy one-liner or a snarky quip at the ready, but not for the first time since meeting you, he was speechless.

What could he even tell you, though? That he was thinking about you since you left? That he found himself missing you after only knowing you a day? You must already find him pathetic as is. He didn’t want to exacerbate it.

“You don’t have to say anything,” you responded, a sad smile alighting your pretty face. The thought that he caused it made his stomach twist in a knot. “I was being presumptuous. I shouldn’t have bothered you again.”

You tried to pull away once more but he wouldn’t release his hold, feeling incredibly stupid with how badly he was handling this. “No, it’s fine. I want…” He swallowed, then, unable to meet your eye as he adjusted what was about to leave his mouth, “I don’t mind if you stay a little while longer.”

Your gaze softened as you looked at him, gripping his wrist and squeezing it affectionately. “You sure?”

“Yeah. Yes.” He stared down at your small hand wrapped around him, the warmth emanating from it distracting in a way he found both disarming and comforting. His eyes trailed up your arm to your face, glad to find the once dejected expression had been replaced with a gentle sort of contentment.

You were anything but predictable, and this situation was far from safe, but Leon had to admit… meeting you was the best thing that had happened to him in a long, long time.

Wolfie brushed up against your leg, probably looking for another treat, and the spell was broken. The two of you quickly pulled apart, chuckling awkwardly.

Leon forced himself to look away from you again—not wanting to linger for too long—when his gaze fell upon the wagon once more, curiosity piqued. “So, what exactly’s in there?”

“Oh, right!” you exclaimed, a grin on your face as you began pulling things out of the small vehicle. “I come bearing gifts!”

With gusto, you listed off the items as you grabbed them, “Brought groceries for me, though I wouldn’t mind sharing, of course! And some water, too, cos I don’t exactly trust drinking from the area. Not too keen on getting a parasite.” You paused after that, eyes wide in realization. “No offense!”

He laughed loudly, shaking his head. “None taken, I promise.”

“Right, moving on,” you continued, cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. “I also got myself an air mattress so you can keep your bed and I don’t have to sleep on the floor.”

“Not exactly sure how any of those things are gifts if they’re for you.”

“Hold on, Leon, I’m getting there,” you admonished light-heartedly. “The gifts are next.”

You then pulled out a dog bed with an array of chew toys and bags of treats set inside, as well as a box of various books. “Some things for Wolfie, as every good boy deserves, and since you told me you don’t have anything to read, I grabbed a bunch of random stuff from the local bookstore. Don’t be too harsh on what I picked, though, cos I had no idea what you’d be interested in.”

Leon wondered if he would ever get used to your kindness toward him. To not only provide nice things for his aging pet but to bring him something to read after off-handedly mentioning he was short on entertainment.

A memory tugged at the edges of his mind, one he thought he buried a long time ago.

It was in the days following his parents’ deaths, forced out of his home and prepped to be sent into foster care. He had been taken to the police station so he would no longer be faced with the carnage in the house he grew up in, no one willing to bring him back before the bodies and subsequent viscera they left behind were cleaned up.

Finally, the social worker assigned to his case took him to the house to retrieve his belongings. It was painful—even to his young mind—to see his home spotless like nothing happened there. But the images of blood spattering the floors and walls were imprinted in his brain.

Eventually, he’d learn to repress them.

The social worker helped him as he collected his things, throwing them haphazardly into suitcases and bags found around the house before lugging them into the trunk of her car. He had thought he gathered everything, about to climb into the backseat, when he remembered his favorite storybook—the one his mother would read to him every night before bed. The one she read to him before she was taken from him.

He ran back into the house as fast as his little legs could carry him, tearing apart everything in his path to find the one thing he had that still connected him to the family he lost.

“It was here! I swear it was here!” he cried as the woman shuffled after him, her eyes sad as she watched him collapse on the living room floor.

“Do you know where you last saw it, Leon?” she asked gently, kneeling beside him.

He pointed with a shaking finger to the dining table nearby, his parents having been slain in that very room.

“Oh, sweetheart…” she whispered, realizing that it was likely ruined by the blood that had drenched it only a few nights prior. “I think they had to… throw it away.”

Leon broke down at that, curling in on himself and sobbing so hard he thought he might throw up his guts right there on the hardwood floor. The woman did the only thing she could think of and carefully tugged him into her arms.

“I’m so sorry,” was all she offered, knowing there was nothing she could say that would help or change the way this child’s life would be eternally fractured. “I’m so sorry.”

Eventually, he cried all the tears he had left, and the woman led him to the car once more. He watched through the window with dull eyes as the neighborhood faded into the distance.

That was the last time he ever stepped foot inside his childhood home.

Then, after his parents' funeral, he was about to be taken to his new foster family, frightened and unable to find the silver lining in any of it. The social worker, though, did the kindest thing anyone had done for him in that dark time.

Just as he was about to get out of her car and trudge up to the unfamiliar house he’d be residing in—not knowing how long he would even be staying there until he’d likely be shipped off to another family—she handed him a gift, telling him to open it when he got inside and settled down.

He did just that, having to take a while to sit in his new bedroom and stare at the four walls, trying to adjust to his surroundings and be brave like his parents would have wanted.

He finally picked up the gift, tearing the wrapping paper off with tiny, careful hands and opening the box revealed beneath.

What was inside brought tears to his eyes, and he pulled the item to his chest so hard, the edges dug into the skin there, even through his shirt.

It was his favorite book.

Sure, it wasn’t the same one, its predecessor stained by sticky fingers and the pages ripped and crinkled from years of use, but it was still his.

The police officer that saved his life the night his parents were killed might have led him to join the force when he grew up, but that simple kindness of gifting him a cherished item he thought he lost forever was what pulled him through in those early days of grief and uncertainty of the future.

He couldn’t believe he had even forgotten, his heart clenching as he realized that book, which sat on his shelf in his apartment back in the States, was probably long gone now that everyone thought he was dead.

Once upon a time, he had hoped he could pass on that little book to his own child when he finally managed to settle down.

What a pipe dream that was.

Well, maybe it could bring another kid joy if it wasn’t just thrown out altogether by his landlord. It wasn’t like he had anyone to give his things to, after all.

Perhaps Claire had the chance to go through them and send everything to a shelter. He could wish.

He supposed there was no use thinking about it now, though.

It was ten years too late.

“Leon?” you asked him, pulling him from his thoughts with your soft voice. “Did you hear me?”

He exhaled, sporting a sheepish expression. “Sorry, I was just thinking. Say it again?”

“I was telling you about the fuel I brought.”

“Fuel?”

“For the generator! I figured we could get it up and running. That is, if you’re okay with it. I even got extra lightbulbs in case some of them don’t work.”

Leon shook his head and chuckled, taken aback by how much thought you put into your return. “What did your ride have to say about all of this?”

“Nothing, cos I rented a car for the week. Wanted to make sure I had a way to get back into town whenever I needed. You know, in case I missed anything.”

“Missed anything?” he asked, incredulous. “By the looks of it, you brought everything but the kitchen sink.”

“One can never be too prepared!” you defended earnestly.

He fought a wide grin but ultimately lost to his amusement. “I guess that’s true.”

After you finished showing him everything you brought, the two of you got down to business. You managed to get the old generator up and working, replacing a few of the lightbulbs that had gone out. After that, Leon went back to the edge of the lake to retrieve his bounty of fish while you remained behind to put things away.

When he returned, he found you finishing your task by placing the books you bought onto the shelf next to the dining table, slotting the last one into position as he approached. The two of you stood there, eyes roaming over the different titles nearly in unison.

It was a random array of classics, modern fiction of different genres, and nonfiction that consisted of how-to guides, memoirs, historical biographies, and science books. You really seemed to choose a little of everything, and he appreciated it.

He caught you smiling in his peripherals, turning to face you as you pulled out a novel with a black, shiny cover. You looked up at him with a teasing glint in your irises before saying, “Ever read this classic? I picked it out just for you.”

He grabbed the book from your hands and stared at the title. “Twilight? Can’t say I’ve heard of it.”

Your eyes nearly bugged out of your head as you pulled the book back from his grasp, looking at the inside of the cover. “That’s right, you’ve been here since before this was even published.”

“That mean I was missing out?” he questioned jokingly.

You had a wicked expression on your face as you replied, “Oh, you were. It’s practically a modern Jane Austen if you can believe it. A love story of epic proportions.” You squinted at him for a second before biting your lip and adding, “You might even relate a bit to the love interest.”

“What, is he a monster, too?”

“Vampire, so close enough.”

“What kind of vampire are we talking about here? Nosferatu? Dracula? How human does this guy look?”

“Pretty human, I’m afraid. But he sparkles in the sun, so that’s kind of inconvenient.”

Leon scoffed. “Poor him.”

You laughed and he basked in the sound of it. “Poor him, indeed. Maybe if you ask nicely, I’ll read some of it to you before bed.”

He raised a brow at that, ignoring how that made his stomach flip at the thought. “You gonna tuck me in while you’re at it? Get me a warm glass of milk?”

You rolled your eyes as you slid the book back into its place on the shelf. “Only if you’re a good boy.”

His mouth went dry at your words, unexpectedly affected by them and unable to reply.

Seeing how he froze, you cleared your throat and rushed to change the subject, “Anyway, I wanted to ask you how bathing works here. I didn’t see a tub in the house anywhere.”

Leon shook his head to clear his thoughts before responding, “Yeah, I’ve been doing that in the lake, actually.”

“Hm, it’s a little too cold for me to do that. I guess I can live off of rag baths or something.”

“There are some in the area, like big wash basins. I can bring one in here for you, put it in the side room there. We can just dump the water out the window or something when you’re done. Wouldn’t want you to catch a cold or feel gross while you’re here.”

“That would be amazing,” you said, leaning over and running your hand down his bicep. He was forced to suppress the shiver the action caused as you continued, “Thank you for being willing to go through the trouble.”

Against his better judgment, he gripped your shoulder lightly. “It’s the least I could do after all this.” To make his point, he gestured around the house with his free hand, referring to the electric light filling the room, the stocked fridge and pantries, and the books that now lined the once-empty shelves.

“You deserve it, Leon. I wish I could do more for you if I’m honest.” A faint pink tinged your cheeks as you looked away from him.

He felt his heart stutter in his chest at that, wishing he could pull you into his arms but knowing that was far too forward.

“Anyway, I’ll start making dinner if you want a taste. I know you got your fish to eat, but you might like a homemade meal after so long without one.”

“Yeah, that sounds… nice. I’ll go get a tub for you, I guess.”

You smiled at him brightly and he begrudgingly let you go to do as he said he would, thinking about you the whole time he was out.

After about half an hour, he returned, having found and scrubbed clean a dirty metal bathtub he found in one of the village houses, along with an old rug. While you set the table, he placed the piece of fabric on the ground beside the far window in the side room and then put the tub on top of it, hoping it would serve you well.

The two of you ate dinner, and although he found it delicious, he couldn’t help but prefer his fresh meat to the meal you had cooked.

You had noticed his avoidance of the vegetables on his plate and laughed about it, asking him if he was really that picky. He was quick to inform you that he could eat plants, but he didn’t like them or need them to live.

“Ah, a true carnivore,” you had said, nodding as if you understood. As if that were normal.

He would probably never get you. But he wanted to, for whatever reason.

After dinner was finished, you cleaned the dishes and pulled out that book you had mentioned earlier, looking positively maniacal as you plopped onto the loveseat by the fireplace. Leon sat on his stool, leaning back against the dining table as he awaited your performance.

He realized very quickly why you were so giddy to read it to him.

It was awful, and you seemed to find subjecting him to it hilarious.

He told you as much after you finished the first chapter and you giggled. “I’m sorry, but this book came out when I was a teenager and it had me in a chokehold at the time. It’s funny now, but you can somewhat blame this series for pushing along my obsession with the occult.”

He hadn’t given much thought to the age gap between you, but he realized suddenly that it was at least a decade. You were a grown woman and he wasn’t aging, but that didn’t stop him from questioning it a little. Just another reason he shouldn’t entertain this pull to you he seemed to have.

However, that couldn’t stop the next few words from coming out of his mouth, the casual flirtation as natural as breathing, “So you’ve always had a thing for monsters, then? Here I thought I was special.”

“You are special,” you assured him, making heat rise to his face. “Insomuch that you’re the first and only monster I’ve come across. Besides, I don’t think Mothman would be so quick to invite me over for dinner.”

“He’s missing out, then,” Leon mused, forcing himself to calm down and not read into what you were saying. “You’re an entertaining guest.”

The two of you chatted and joked all evening, much like the last time you had visited, before you decided it was time for bed. You took turns brushing your teeth in the kitchen sink—Leon grateful that you brought him a new toothbrush and paste to use—and then you carried your duffle bag to the adjoining room to change into your pajamas.

He grabbed some of your things to go upstairs with him, switching to sleepwear himself before unfolding your air mattress on the floor by the window.

The glass was still broken from when Ada had shot through it a decade ago, and although Leon had cleaned the shards off the ground so that he wouldn’t get them stuck in his feet, he never bothered to patch the hole. Watching you enter the room and shiver as the breeze blew in, he decided tomorrow he would cover it, just to keep you comfortable.

You laughed when Wolfie barked at the small mechanical air pump loudly whirring as it began to fill the bed, and Leon smiled as you kneeled next to the canine and petted him to alleviate his distress. You patted the dog bed you placed beside Leon’s footboard, cooing as he curled up on it immediately.

Leon could get used to this, you being here. And that was a dangerous thought. You were only back a day—only planned to stay a week—and already he was settling into whatever new normal came with being around you.

He needed to put some distance between you expeditiously if he wanted to keep what was left of his sanity.

As you finished inflating the mattress and placing the bedding you brought for it, you turned to face him and saw the frown and furrowed brows that marred his features.

“Leon, you okay over there?”

He shifted his gaze to you again, schooling his expression and inwardly admonishing himself for not controlling it in the first place. He supposed he was out of practice, though he was never really good at hiding his emotions, anyway.

“M’fine. Just… tired.” It was close enough to the truth. He had barely slept the night before and he knew there were bags under his eyes as you took in his face thoughtfully.

“Hope I didn’t keep you up too late,” you apologized, biting your lip and looking almost timid.

Fuck, you were cute.

Unfair.

“Course not. Even if you did, I think it was worth it,” he assuaged, running his clawed hand through his hair. “Not like I have a job to do or anything. Plus side to being a cryptid is that you don’t exactly have to follow a schedule.”

You giggled, visibly relaxing, and shuffled under the covers of your bed. “Well, thank you for letting me stay again. I’m having a good time and I hope you are, too.”

“No problem,” he replied, thinking that perhaps he should be thanking you for the company you were providing him. He refrained. “And I am. It’s been… nice.” That was the understatement of the century, he knew, but it was all he was willing to express.

“Good,” you said before you rubbed your face into your pillow, a loud yawn echoing in the room. “Night, Leon.”

“Night.”

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed awake after that, listening to you snoring softly across the room in a way he found almost endearing, his head foggy with exhaustion and the sheer disbelief that you were here at all.

The things you did to him, you’d never know.

Then finally, he closed his eyes.

+++

You awoke slowly to the sound of someone calling your name, rubbing your eyes and sitting up on your inflatable bed.

You yawned as you peered over, Leon crouched on the floor by his footboard, running his fingers through Wolfie’s fur.

“I see you learned your lesson about how to wake me up,” you teased, voice slightly hoarse from sleep.

He shook his head, smiling. “What can I say? I’ve always been a quick study.”

You offered an upward tug of your lips before you lifted your arms above your head, stretching out until a soft squeak left your mouth against your will.

You heard Leon chuckle beside you and you gave him a faux glare as you ripped the blankets off your legs. “What’s so funny, Mr. Kennedy?”

He stood up and only needed to take one long step to be next to your bed, towering over you, before he bent down and offered his hand. “Nothing at all, little rabbit.”

You scoffed but allowed him to easily pull you to your feet. “Is that my official nickname now?”

“‘Fraid so. It suits you a little too well.” His eyes were on you for a moment before they drifted to your still-joined hands. He ran his finger over the ring you were wearing; the one he had given you. “I thought you were joking when you said I was proposing to you,” he mused.

“I was,” you huffed indignantly. “When I pawned off the other stuff you gave me, I decided I wanted to keep this one because it looked cool. And… it reminded me of my time here.”

“And you just so happened to put it on your ring finger?”

“Don’t you get any ideas. It just fits that one best.”

He grinned down at you mischievously before releasing your hand from his grip. “If you say so.”

“Anyway, now that we’re up…” You sidestepped him to open the bedroom door, trying not to let him see the way his teasing got you all flustered. “I’d like you to take me on a tour today. After breakfast, of course.”

He sighed with exaggerated annoyance. “If I have to.”

You nodded before bounding out of the room and down the stairs, calling back, “You do!”

You were quick to enter the side room, peeling off your pajamas and pulling out your clothes for the day. You eyed the top you had bought the morning before on a whim, considering how it flattered your form and showed a decent amount of your cleavage, but thought better of it. These little flirtations you shared with Leon likely didn’t mean anything, and you loathed to appear desperate. You’d save it for another day, you decided.

You finished changing, then dealt with your unruly hair before brushing your teeth and washing your face.

Leon joined you shortly after in the kitchen, also donning a new outfit, though the worn fabric and the awkward way it hung off of him made you want to get his measurements just so you could spoil him with a new wardrobe. You worried about going through with it, though, afraid it would come across as rude or even creepy to ask.

Like the top you deliberated wearing, you decided to save that conversation for another day. You had a week, after all.

“You making anything for breakfast?” he questioned, leaning casually in the archway, his long arms crossed in front of his chest. You found it both funny how human it was and… strangely attractive.

You averted your gaze. “Just gonna eat cereal. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t expect you to be my personal chef, you know.” He pulled one of the fish he caught the day prior from where you had stacked them in the bottom of the fridge. “Plenty happy with what I got.”

You scrunched your nose at the smell of the scaly creature as he released it from its ziplock bag. “Eat whatever you want, Leon, but you better scrub your mouth after that. Can’t have you reeking of fish while we’re out all day.”

He offered a lazy salute before taking a large bite. “Yes, ma’am.”

You grinned and prepared your own breakfast, your stomach already growling.

After eating, and after Leon dutifully brushed his teeth and tongue with added vigor at your behest, he pulled out an old map to aid in your little adventure. You noted the handwritten scrawls across the page, naming each location in the area. You weren’t sure what building you were in, so you trailed your finger from the hunter’s lodge to where you assumed Leon’s house sat.

“We’re here, I’m guessing?” you asked him, pointing at what was titled “the chief’s manor” on the old, yellowed paper.

He nodded, seeming impressed. “Didn’t expect you to figure it out so quick.”

“Well, I use maps on my investigations, you know. A lot of places with cryptid sightings have shit service, so I can’t rely on my GPS. You eventually figure things out after getting lost in the woods a couple times.”

He chuckled at that. “So, where do you want to go?”

You stared thoughtfully at the map for a few moments, thinking about where you’d like to start. “How about we explore the right side of the area first since we’re already here? Then we could do the left side tomorrow.”

“You’re the boss,” Leon said, shrugging.

“Damn right,” you replied with a smile.

You then got to work filling your backpack with water bottles and a sandwich for later. You even added a baggie full of lunch meat for Leon.

Once out of the door, the two of you (and Wolfie, of course) began your little journey. There was a cool breeze that swept across the path ahead, but the sun was high and warmed your skin. You even pulled out your ballcap and placed it on Leon’s head to keep the light out of his sensitive eyes, which he rolled at your demand, but didn’t protest.

You traveled down to the abandoned factory and what the map called “the valley”. The factory didn’t hold much of your interest after a quick sweep, but the valley was like a playground to you, the area just a bunch of wooden platforms and bridges set into the surrounding cliffs with a couple of small, empty buildings.

Leon didn’t have much to say about any of it, grumbling about how the area was one he usually avoided, but you caught him smiling softly at your excitement. You were glad for it because you knew most people found your unbridled joy more annoying than endearing.

After that, you circled back, passing Leon’s house and heading to the village in order to reach the church.

As you were perusing the gravestones in the front, enamored by just how old some of them were, you spoke to Leon about something that had been on your mind, “So, the day we met, you told me that I reminded you of someone. Can I ask who?”

He let out a puff of laughter at your nosiness. “Her name's Claire. We survived Raccoon City together.”

“She become an agent, like you? Or was she the person you were protecting when you were forced to join?”

“Neither. She took off pretty much as soon as she could to find her brother. The person I was protecting was this girl named Sherry. She had antibodies against one of the viruses in the city, and they were threatening to experiment on her if I didn’t do their bidding,” he explained, his expression hardening at the memory.

“Jesus,” you muttered. “Your friend ever find her brother?”

“Yeah, at least that side of things worked out.”

“So… what happened after? Y’know, before you came to the village,” you questioned.

“I’m not sure what you mean. I worked as an agent for six years. Then this. Not much else to say about it.”

You bit your lip, deliberating how to go about asking him what you wanted to know, deciding to be straightforward instead of coy. You had never been good at subtlety, anyway. “I meant you and Claire. Were you guys a thing?”

“Ah.” He chuckled lightly. “No, we weren’t. She’s great, don’t get me wrong, but we were just friends. Kept in touch until, well… you know.”

“Right.” You found yourself to be strangely relieved that there was nothing between them, but you admonished yourself for even caring. You were only here for a week, after all. No use getting attached, especially after only a couple of days.

He was thoughtful for a moment before he added, “I wonder about them all the time. How they’re doing. A lot can happen in ten years.”

“I don’t know about your friends, but I can at least update you on Ashley, if you’d like?” you offered.

“Is she okay?” he questioned, going stiff. He seemed to always expect the worst and that broke your heart a little.

“Yes, she’s perfectly fine,” you assured him, glad to see him visibly relax at your words. “In fact, she’s more than fine.”

He tilted his head, “That so?”

“She’s a member of Congress now. Kind of following in her dad’s footsteps, I guess. She’s pretty popular among the younger crowd, always fighting for the underdog. They started calling her a saint after she founded an organization to help people who’ve gone through kidnapping, hostage situations, and things like that. A real inspiration.”

Leon smiled wistfully. “I’m happy to hear that. I always knew she had it in her, to be her own hero.”

“You know, she’s made several public statements about what happened here. Obviously, there were parts heavily doctored, but still.” You paused a moment, playing with the hem of your shirt. “She talked a lot about you, too. How you saved her. Like you were a modern-day Hercules or something.”

He scoffed, seeming almost diffident. “I was just doing my job. And she saved both herself and me plenty of times. She should give herself more credit.”

“So humble,” you teased, snaking your arm through his, having to strain your neck just to look up at him. “You really are a catch.”

He rolled his eyes and pulled away from you, “And you think you’re funny.”

“I am funny,” you corrected with a grin, trying not to feel hurt by the way he distanced himself.

He shook his head. “Well, c’mon then, miss comedian. Let’s get a move on.”

The two of you continued your expedition, walking into the nearby church. You raved over the large building and its architecture, awed by the massive stained glass window that painted you, Leon, and Wolfie in a kaleidoscope of light.

Even in this form, you couldn’t deny that Leon looked pretty washed in the rainbow hues. You raked your eyes over him before meeting his gaze and you froze, worried you had been caught ogling him. He turned his head quickly, though, and seemed almost embarrassed. As if he were the one that was caught.

You realized that he had been staring at you, too, butterflies fluttering in your stomach at the thought.

You moved on to the quarry, finding a massive skeleton that made your jaw drop to the ground. Leon explained that it was called El Gigante, a troll-like monster that he had slain himself. He laughed as he patted Wolfie’s head, adding that the dog had aided in the fight, not to give himself too much credit.

After getting your fill of the fascinating creature, you eventually pushed forward, reaching the edge of the lake and deciding to sit on the dock together to eat your lunch. You pried your shoes off, dipping your sweaty feet into the water, cringing at how cold it felt against your skin.

You chatted idly as you ate, Leon feeding pieces of the deli meat you brought to Wolfie as he devoured his own. You smiled at the sight before gazing back out at the lapping waves, the rhythmic sounds of them hitting the dock almost mesmerizing.

“You should take me on the lake at some point,” you mused, pulling your legs up so that your feet could dry out.

“Sure, that can be arranged. It’s nice out on the water. Peaceful.” He pulled your ball cap further over his forehead. “I like to go fishing a lot these days, just so I can sit out there and shut everything out.”

“I’m not one for fishing,” you admitted, knocking your shoulder gently into his. “But the rest sounds great.”

“It’s a date, then.” You both froze at his phrasing and he was quick to amend, “That was a joke.”

You were disappointed to hear him take it back but smiled up at him regardless. “Joke or not, that sounds good to me.”

You lazed about for a while after that in silence before you pulled your socks and shoes back on, mentioning the fish farm to Leon. He told you about how it was infested with algae and vipers and smelled terrible. You made a face, not exactly keen on wading through stinky snake water, opting to call it a day and head back for his house.

You had just reached the wooded path heading for Leon’s abode when both he and Wolfie stopped dead in their tracks. Not noticing their halted movement, you took a step forward and Leon threw his arm in front of you, barring you from walking any further.

“What’s wrong?” you questioned in a hushed tone, seeing Leon’s severe expression and Wolfie’s raised hackles.

“Bear,” was all he offered.

You were about to say something when a loud rustle was heard from the tree line just ahead of you. You swallowed as a giant bear sauntered onto the path, uncomfortably close to where you stood.

Looking at the massive creature, it was suddenly apparent what Leon meant when he said you’d been lucky up to this point, never facing a predator beyond a fox or large bird in your investigations. You didn’t realize just how big they were in person.

Instead of moseying on like you had hoped, it began to walk toward your group. Panic set in when Wolfie growled and snapped his jaw, the bear seeming to take offense, huffing irritably and edging even closer.

“Down, boy,” Leon commanded the dog, who immediately backed away. Leon stepped in front of you slowly, whispering, “Don’t move.”

You nodded at him and he gave one in return before facing the dangerous animal again. He stood to his full height and splayed out his appendages, hoping they would deter it from further approaching. But the damn thing didn’t back off, letting out a roar and lifting itself up on its hind legs, somehow even taller than Leon.

You had heard male brown bears could grow up to eight feet in height and weigh half a ton, though you had never thought about what that meant in real life. It was terrifying.

Suddenly, you felt something touch your waist. You let out a small gasp as you looked down, finding that Leon’s tail was coiling around you. It tightened and yanked you towards him, and you tried to avoid the sharp barbed end of it as it slid across your middle.

His tail was forgotten, though, when Leon raised his claws, bared his fangs, and growled. The sound was deep and loud and so inhuman it sent a bolt of fear through your whole body. A fear that even the gargantuan bear before you, ready to maul you to death, didn’t elicit.

The noise had apparently even rattled the predator itself, which took a few steps back and dropped forward onto its front legs once more. Leon growled again, this one quieter and more guttural, but no less frightening.

The bear just huffed before trotting off into the forest.

Leon exhaled in relief, relaxing his position. “We’re good to go if we hurry,” he said without looking at you.

“Um, Leon? Can’t exactly hurry when I’m trapped like this.”

He turned his head sharply, his red eyes widening when he noticed his tail had completely encircled your torso, squeezing you tightly as the tip flicked precariously close to your face.

“Fuck,” he said, slowly and carefully unfurling the appendage from your body. “I’m so sorry. I—I didn’t even realize I did that. Are you okay? I didn’t catch you with the barb, did I?”

You let out a breath as soon as you were free. “I’m fine, it didn’t get me.”

“Good, cos there’s venom in it. Depending on where it stings you and how deep, it might paralyze you for a while.”

You stared up at him with a horrified expression. “Seriously? How long is ‘a while’?”

“I normally use it when I’m hunting bigger prey, like deer, so I don’t exactly sit around and wait for it to wear off before going for the kill. But I have used it on predators in self-defense, and they were up and at ‘em in about an hour.”

“Have you ever stung yourself by accident?” you couldn’t help but ask.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t work on me. Immune to it, I guess. Still hurt like a bitch, though.”

You eyed his tail warily. “And you really didn’t know you grabbed me with it?”

“I didn’t,” he said, sighing glumly. “Guess it was just… instinctual.”

“Well… thank you. For protecting me, I mean.” You couldn’t deny that the whole ordeal scared you, but you were still grateful. And Leon was still Leon, as far as you could glean.

“Of course, it’s my—” he cut himself off and let out a soft chuckle. “I almost said ‘it’s my job’. Old habits die hard, I guess.”

“I suppose if I’ve roped you into showing me around the place, it kind of is your job,” you joked.

He smiled and you finally relaxed, the warmth of it—even despite his sharp teeth—was enough to make you feel safe again.

He cleared his throat awkwardly before looking at the tree line where the bear had disappeared, his tone serious as he said, “We should really head home in case he comes back.”

“Right, of course,” you replied, reaching out to hold onto his arm once more. You were pleased when he allowed it, guiding you to the safety of his house, Wolfie happily trailing behind.

You might have been frightened, but you couldn’t deny the exhilaration that coursed through your veins.

You wondered what the rest of the week would have in store.

+++

Leon awoke much the same way as he had the day before: to the sound of your deep breaths and even heartbeats caressing his ears from across the room.

He didn’t stir, only stared up at the ceiling of his canopy bed, thinking about yesterday’s events.

It started out as a good day, which he realized he came to expect in your company, but he knew something shifted after the bear incident.

You spoke to him as if nothing changed, but the way you looked at him—or more accurately, the way you refused to look at him—was distinctly off. He figured you were just rattled by the whole thing, but he had shown you a side to him he hoped he would never have to. The part that was truly monstrous.

And the way he had wrapped his tail around you? How it seemed to move of its own accord? The cursed thing often flicked about without him directly using it, but he believed he generally had full control of the appendage. Apparently not.

That realization alone was enough to concern him, but the fact it involved you mortified him beyond belief. He was shocked you didn’t decide to pack up and leave the moment the two of you returned to the house.

Instead, you made dinner like the night before, and while you cooked, Leon had duct-taped an old towel over the hole in the upstairs window to have something to do and to give you space.

You had then called him down for the meal, Leon choosing to eat all of what you cooked despite his preference for fresh meat and little else, in part hoping it would come across as some sort of olive branch. You seemed surprised by it but didn’t make a comment like you might normally.

He also caught you staring at his tail, and he had his guesses of what you might be thinking.

He assured you what happened earlier wouldn’t happen again, and you told him it was no big deal and that you weren’t worried. He didn’t believe you, though he had no choice but to let it go and pretend the fact he scared you didn’t make his stomach twist in knots.

After clearing the table, you mentioned wanting to take a bath, and Leon was quick to start the process of boiling the water for you, telling you to relax and read a book. As a compromise, you began reading aloud more of that ridiculous vampire romance novel you bought for him as a joke. Although the story wasn’t exactly his cup of tea, he was happy to hear your little performance just for him, entertained by the voices you gave each of the characters.

You had just ended a chapter—number four or five, he couldn’t recall—when he finished filling the tub with hot water. You obviously had to wait a few minutes for it to cool down enough to get into, but once you were ready, you ducked into the side room.

Leon, still wanting to talk to you and not knowing what else to do, sat against the wall on the opposite side, Wolfie curling up in his lap as you chatted back and forth.

He could hear the quiet splashing as you moved and cleaned yourself out of his sight, and started to imagine what you looked like under your clothes. How your soaked hair dripped water onto your shoulders and ran in rivulets down your body; how your wet skin would feel under his hands.

He physically recoiled from his wandering thoughts, smacking the back of his head against the wall and letting out a hiss of pain.

“You okay over there?” you questioned, voice light and teasing, though still concerned for his well-being.

God, you were too good for him.

“M’fine,” he grumbled in reply, dropping his face into his hands, urging himself to get a grip.

Eventually, you emerged from the room in your pajamas, wringing your hair out with a towel. As you strolled past him to brush your teeth in the kitchen, he was struck by the aroma of the soap you used.

Lavender and vanilla.

The smell was enough to make his mouth water, trailing after you as if possessed. He loomed over you, wanting nothing more than to bury his face into the crook of your neck and inhale.

You turned to face him quizically after rinsing your mouth, and he took a sharp breath to pull himself out of whatever trance he was in, removing himself from your personal space.

What the hell was wrong with him?

In all the years it took to get used to what he became, he had never been compelled by anything except hunger. He hated that fact, and it troubled him, but whatever this was? It felt far more dangerous.

At least the hunger was predictable.

The two of you had gone to bed without further incident, but he had tossed and turned for hours after, unable to banish the thoughts of you swirling in his head, especially with your sleeping body mere feet away.

To hear you, to smell you, to practically feel the heat emanating from your skin across the room… it felt like torture. Would he be able to survive several more days of this?

He finally sat up in bed the following morning, feeling restless despite not getting much sleep. He called out your name as he grazed his eyes over you.

You were laying on your side, facing away from him, a mess of hair the only thing he could make out from the pile of blankets you were wrapped up in.

He called your name again, a bit louder, and you finally stirred, rolling over to look at him with bleary eyes.

“Morning, Leon,” you sighed out, rubbing the sleep from your lashes.

“Mornin’,” was his gruff reply, dragging his fingers through his hair. “You still determined to go exploring today? Even after what happened with the bear?”

You grinned lazily, turning to face him and propping yourself up on your elbow. “Of course I am. You think a lil run-in with the local wildlife will deter me? Clearly, you haven’t been paying attention.”

He could argue he’d been paying too much attention, but he’d never say it aloud.

You continued, “Besides, I have a big, strong man to protect me.”

He scoffed, shifting his face away from you so you couldn’t see the blush spreading there. “Oh, yeah? Who’s that?”

You rolled your eyes before slowly dragging yourself out of bed and sauntering over to him, crossing your arms. “You, silly. Now hurry up and get dressed. We got a big day ahead of us.”

Before he could protest, you were out the door.

He blew air through his teeth and shook his head, begrudgingly getting to his feet. He looked down at Wolfie, who wagged his tail but didn’t move to leave his cushy dog bed. “Women, am I right?”

He quickly got dressed, cursing the fact he didn’t own a single thing that fit him. He wasn’t sure why he cared, as if a change of clothes would make you interested in a monster.

Your flirtations admittedly affected him, but he wasn’t going to kid himself into thinking you’d ever be attracted to him like this. And for your safety, it would be better if you weren’t. You were strange, sure, but you were still human. Human and fragile, he had to be reminded.

Pulling himself together, determined to keep his distance and stop flirting with you, he made his way down the stairs to face you once more.

As he turned the corner, however, the sight that greeted him made him stop in his tracks.

You had just finished changing, walking out of the side room when you saw him and smiled, doing a little twirl with the outfit you were wearing. “You like it? I bought this shirt just the other day.”

He couldn’t prevent the way his eyes raked over your form, taking in the fashionable boots, tight jeans, and puffy-sleeved baby doll top that sat low and tight across your chest. You had even done your makeup and styled your hair in a high ponytail, front pieces of it dangling to frame your face.

It hadn’t even been five minutes and you were already testing his resolve.

Unfair.

“Well?” you prodded when he only stood in silence.

He cleared his throat and nodded, trying to act cool. “You look… nice. Not sure how comfortable it’ll be to hike around in all day, but you do you.”

You rolled your eyes, pushing past him and into the kitchen. “I think I’ll be just fine.”

The rest of the morning was spent eating breakfast and setting up for the next trip, though there was a heavy tension Leon was suddenly aware of. It had always been there between the two of you, but it had been a slow, simmering thing. Something manageable.

Now, though? It felt like the pot might overboil.

He had to stop himself from staring at you multiple times, trying desperately to be the gentleman his mother raised him to be. He didn’t want you to think he was a pervert on top of being a literal monster. He had to have some principles to hold on to, after all.

It’s not like you knew how deeply you were affecting him, anyway. And if he could help it, you never would.

The day’s journey was a bit strenuous, having a lot more ground to cover than the one prior. He decided it was best that Wolfie remain behind, the dog cozied up on his little bed as you were leaving.

Once you exited the house, Leon kept his eyes peeled for that bear again, or any other potential danger, not wanting a repeat of yesterday’s events. Still, he couldn’t help but smile softly at the way you approached every new area with such awe and excitement. It was strange to see someone find such joy in a location he’d deemed his own personal hell. It almost made him appreciate the place, to see it through your eyes.

Almost.

The two of you visited the farm and the lakeside settlement, returning to the gate of the villa to eat your lunch at the table inside.

After you finished your meal, you bit your lip the way you always did when you were deep in thought. The action drove him a little crazy, but he ignored it.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“Do you think we’ll have time to explore the castle today?”

He sat back in his seat to consider it, glancing out the nearby window. “Well, we’re making good time. Still got a few hours of daylight. If you don’t dawdle too much on the way there, we probably could.”

You beamed at him, an excited squeal leaving your mouth. “Fuck yeah! I’ve never been to real a castle before!”

He couldn’t deny the self-satisfaction he felt at the idea of providing you with so many new experiences. If there was anything he was sure of, it was that you’d never forget your time here, and that would be a good enough turnout for him.

He smiled in return. “Well, let’s get to changing that.”

Leon had been through the area many times over the years, clearing the paths that had been obstructed when he was chased around it a decade ago. It was still a difficult trek, especially for a human, and the two of you had to stop occasionally so that you could catch your breath and drink some water.

He didn’t mind it one bit, finding himself observing the sun glinting off your sweat-slick skin. Your makeup was holding up surprisingly well, though the loose strands of hair you had pulled from your ponytail were beginning to stick slightly to your face. His eyes drifted to your chest, watching it rise and fall with your every breath.

“Okay, we’re good to keep going,” you told him, thankfully unaware of his gaze, which he quickly turned forward.

Eventually, you made it to the rickety old bridge that led to the burnt-down slaughterhouse. Leon had repaired it as best he could in the early days of his transformation, wanting an easy way to get around the area. He found he could jump over the ravine with his new superhuman abilities, but it was still a precarious leap.

He went to stroll across the wooden planks, held together by rope, when he noticed you hadn’t moved to follow.

He raised a confused brow at you. “Well, c’mon.”

You swallowed as you approached the bridge, nervously stepping onto it. Your knees buckled when you looked down and saw how high up you were. He easily caught you, and you held on tightly to his arm for balance.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he mused. “Little miss thrillseeker is scared of heights?”

“Not… usually. More scared of how rickety this thing is than anything,” you grumbled.

Your grip on him was bruising, but he didn’t mind. “We crossed another one just earlier and you seemed fine.”

“Well, this one isn’t nearly as sturdy, is it?” you snapped, letting out a shaky exhale as you tried to take another step.

He looked thoughtfully at you for a moment, deciding to take a risk by sweeping you off your feet and holding you up in his arms.

“Leon!” you yelped, wrapping your hands around his neck fearfully. “What the hell?!”

He chuckled lightly as you peeked over your shoulder. “Don’t worry, bunny, I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.”

You pivoted to face him with wide eyes, your face reddening. “Aren’t I too heavy for this?” you questioned nervously.

He scoffed. “I could pick up a car, easy. This is nothing.”

“I more so meant the bridge. Wouldn’t want to break it with both our weights combined, right?”

He shook his head. “Do you trust me?”

You stared at him for a few moments but eventually nodded timidly. “Yeah. I do.”

“Then trust,” he began, taking a step forward, “that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

“Okay,” you squeaked, holding onto him tighter. You buried your face into the crook of his neck so you wouldn’t have to see the way the creaking bridge swayed with every movement.

He carefully worked his way across without concern, enjoying the feeling of you in his arms. You were delightfully warm as you pressed against him, and the feeling of your breath sweeping over his throat forced him to suppress a shiver.

Regretfully, he made it to the other side, setting you down on solid ground once more. “See? Not so bad.”

You seemed flustered, likely because of your nerves concerning the old bridge, taking a moment to adjust your clothes and hair that were rumpled slightly by the ordeal. “I guess not.”

The two of you began the brief hike to the castle after that, Leon feeling the absence of your body heat so intensely, it was worrying. Whatever this was between you, it was getting out of hand, and Leon was apparently unable to keep his distance.

He had never been particularly good at saying what he wanted, but that never stopped him from seeking it out as if he were a damn homing missile. His interactions with Ada in the past were proof of that. He would have followed her anywhere if he were able. If she had let him.

He banished thoughts of her from his mind, an easier task after a decade of doing it over and over again. His thoughts of you, however, were a different beast altogether.

He figured, though—he hoped—that once you left, he’d learn to push away his feelings for you, too. At least he had practice.

He was pulled from his introspection when he heard you practically scream in excitement as you came around the bend in the path, the massive, sprawling castle revealed to you.

“Oh my god! Just look at it! It’s huge! And the structure? Friggin’ impressive!” you gushed as the two of you approached the gate.

He grinned down at you and could almost see the stars in your eyes. “Wait 'til you see the inside.”

Your joy was nearly infectious as you explored the area, dragging him around from place to place and only letting him lead when you needed directions. He didn’t mind it, happy to trail after you as you oohed and aahed at damn near everything you saw.

He watched as you admired the flowers in the courtyard, the blooms unruly due to years of neglect, not yet killed by the autumn chill. Once you had turned your back on the bed of red carnations, he couldn’t fight the urge to pluck one from the dirt.

He strolled up behind you as you cooed over the bluebells, offering it to you when you faced him again. “For you.”

You looked surprised at first, but your expression melted into a sweet smile. “Thank you, Leon.”

Before you could reach out to take it, he bent forward and gently tucked it behind your ear, standing upright to get a full view. “Suits you.”

You seemed almost bashful for a moment, looking away. Trying to fluster you was rapidly becoming his favorite pastime.

Quickly as it had come, your almost shy demeanor disappeared, a twinkle forming in your eye as you plucked a stem of the bluebells and stuck it into Leon’s back pocket. “There, now we’re even.”

He chuckled at the action, finding your reciprocity charming, and the two of continued your journey onward.

You eventually entered the grand hall, and when you finished appreciating the opulence of the marble walls alone, you began to take in the decor.

“You said you like the artwork in the castle, right?” you questioned, pointing at a large landscape painting in front of you.

Leon nodded. “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind putting most of these up at my place.”

“Well… no one’s stopping you,” you goaded, grinning at him slyly. “I think this one would look perfect in the dining room, don’t you agree?”

He laughed, running his hand over the back of his neck as he considered it. “I don’t know, it’d be a hassle to bring them all the way to the house.”

“Sure,” you admitted, crossing your arms. “But don’t you think it’d be worth it to spruce up the place? Make it a bit more… homey? Besides, we could just take them out of the frames and roll them up. Make our own. It could be a fun little DIY project, and it’s not like you aren’t swimming in lumber.”

“Fine, I’m convinced.” He sighed, admitting you had a point. “You’d make a decent car salesman, you know that?”

You scrunched your nose at the thought, helping Leon remove the heavy frame from the wall, although he didn’t need it. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

Leon smirked, allowing you to gently pull out the canvas, rolling it up. “Just an observation.”

You clicked your tongue in faux offense, continuing the task at hand.

The two of you collected six different paintings, which Leon was now stuck with holding for the rest of the trip. It was a nuisance, but at least having something in his grip prevented him from acting on his impulse to reach out and touch you.

Finally, you came across the library, and he knew you could spend an eternity going through the seemingly endless amount of books that lined the shelves as soon as you entered. You were about to make yourself comfortable and start reading to your heart’s content, but Leon had to remind you of your limited time.

“But this place is a gold mine!” you told him with a pout, the expression so damn cute, it tested his already crumbling resolve.

“Look, there’re still places to visit, and you have a few more days. We can always come back if you want,” he proposed.

You sighed exaggeratedly but gave in as he thought you would. “Fine, but you can’t stop me from taking some of these,” you informed him, shoving several books into your bag.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Afterward, he led you into the ballroom, and the way you gazed around in amazement at the sheer size of it made him chuckle.

“Imagine the parties in this place…” you mused. You dropped your backpack on the ground suddenly, marching to the center of the floor. “You know how to waltz, Leon?”

“Can’t say I do, unless you count slow-dancing at prom. Even then, I’m probably a little rusty.”

“Well, set down those paintings and get over here, mister. I’m gonna teach you how to dance like a prince,” you demanded earnestly.

“Seriously?”

“Please..?” You gave him your best puppy dog eyes, and despite his reluctance, he found it difficult to say no to you.

He gave out a long-suffering sigh, placing the paintings against the wall and meeting you where you stood. “If I step on your toes, you only have yourself to blame, bunny.”

You smiled up at him. “A risk I’m willing to take.”

Slowly and carefully, you put his hands into their proper positions; one in your own and the other resting against your waist. You coached him on how to move, and he followed your lead at first, stiff and awkward in his motions. Within a few minutes, though, he quickly picked up the rhythm and you allowed him to take charge, giggling as he spun you around the room.

“You’re a natural,” you complimented, rubbing your thumb against his shoulder where your hand was placed. He found himself doing the same to your side and was enthralled with the shiver that ran through your body, proof that maybe he had even the slightest effect on you.

“What can I say—” he started.

“You’re a quick study?” you teased, echoing his earlier words.

“No, actually,” he corrected, pulling you a little closer. “I was going to say, ‘I have a great teacher’.”

You rolled your eyes. “Sure you were.”

After a few more blissful minutes, Leon begrudgingly slowed to a halt and released you from his grasp. “Well, we better get a move on. It’s our last stop for today.”

You went to grab your backpack but he prevented you, telling you to leave it as you’d be coming back through, anyway. You nodded, following him to the final destination.

You laughed with pure glee when he brought you into the throne room, immediately bounding towards the massive, gilded seat. You took your time studying it, running your fingers over the intricate carvings along the sides before pressing down on the red cushion to test its comfiness.

“Well, go on. Sit,” he encouraged, crossing his arms over his chest.

You beamed at him before putting your attention back on the chair, turning and gracefully perching on top of it.

“Look at you, practically made to be royalty,” Leon told you as he approached.

He was joking, but there was truth in it. Seeing you sit on the ornate piece of furniture with one leg crossed over the other and your arms draped upon the sides of it was truly a sight to behold. He didn’t know you could appear so regal, even if it was for pretend.

“Made for it?” You hummed thoughtfully before saying, “Perhaps I just inherited the throne, the only remaining family of the recently deceased king.”

“Mm, and what would that make me, your Highness?” he questioned, tilting his head. He stood before you now, and he would’ve been remiss not to notice the playful gleam in your eye as you raked your gaze over him.

“You can be my loyal knight,” you told him, nodding your head. “There are those that transpire against me in this very court, sir. I would need someone diligent and strong to watch for my usurpers, after all.”

“A knight, huh?” Leon mused, coming up beside you and tracing a clawed finger along the back of the chair. “Not the fierce dragon holding the fair maiden hostage while she waits for someone brave or stupid enough to come looking for her?” He kneeled beside you, then, resting his elbows on the arm of the throne, his chin pressed on top of his folded hands. “No one’s managed to get past me yet. Sorry to tell you, princess.”

You shifted in the chair to face him, fingers splayed out on either side of his arms. “Even better… we could be Beauty and the Beast. A lonesome prince cursed to a monstrous form until he finds true love. And, of course, I’m only here to trade my life for my father’s, who had been terribly rude to sneak into your home unannounced. He’s a bit of an eccentric, you must know, but he’s a good man. And I’m eventually charmed by your uncouth mannerisms and prickly personality.”

“Uncouth and prickly? Ouch,” Leon chuckled. “Well, how does it end, then? Does true love turn me back into a human? That would be nice.”

“If we’re following the original tale, sure. But I have it on high authority that Beauty might have been more disappointed by the transformation than relieved.”

Leon raised his brows at that. “Disappointed the Beast turned back into a prince?”

“I’m sure she didn’t complain, of course. He was handsome, after all, and still the man she fell in love with, but… Beauty loved the Beast in part due to his monstrous form, not in spite of it.”

“Beauty sounds like a freak,” Leon quipped, though your words made something of a home inside of his chest, curled up and warm. “I bet you think The Little Mermaid should have kept her tail, don’t you?”

You bit your lip as you mulled it over, and he struggled not to stare at how the soft flesh gave under the pressure of your teeth, his eyes jumping back to meet yours almost guiltily as you finally replied, “Although I think the story would have been infinitely more interesting if she had, there’s something to be said about sacrifice in the name of love. It was a little unfair, though.”

“Unfair?”

“Well, why did she have to sacrifice everything for the prince? She gave up who she was on a fundamental level just to be with him. And what did he give up? He was still a prince. He was still handsome and rich. And then he got a beautiful girl so desperate to be with him, she’d trade her family, her friends, parts of her own body, her voice—just to get a chance with him. Feels a little unbalanced, doesn’t it?”

You were closer now, and he realized you both had shifted toward each other, like gravity itself had a hand in it. His tongue ran along the back of his teeth as he studied you and that smile dimpling your cheeks.

If it were gravity, you must have been the sun, then.

“I guess I never thought of it that way,” he responded. “What other wise inferences do you have for me, princess?”

You giggled and the sound might be imprinted in his brain forever. “Oh, so many, it’ll make your head spin.”

“Guess I have a lot to learn,” he replied, grinning.

“Definitely, but I think the biggest lesson here is that it's all a matter of… perspective.”

“I can’t believe anyone would want to overthrow you with smarts like that, your Highness. Sounds like you’d be a great ruler.”

“And that’s precisely why they seek to steal my crown, dear sir. An intelligent woman is a dangerous one,” there was a teasing lilt in your voice that made him suck in a harsh breath, your expression so open and light juxtaposed with the intensity of your eyes trained solely on him.

A silence stretched on between you as you simply stared at each other, and he could feel his heart hammering in his chest—could hear your own do the same, though he wouldn’t dare hope it meant what he wanted it to.

You made him feel human.

But then he saw his own reflection in your eyes, and the sight of his sharp teeth was the reminder he needed that he wasn’t human, and he never would be again.

He supposed his curse couldn’t be broken.

And so he pulled away.

“We should get back to the house. It’s a long walk,” he told you, looking at the floor instead of you, afraid he might do something rash if he met your gaze for a moment longer.

You let out a shaky breath, blinking as if you were pulled from a daze, and stood. “Yeah, right. Of course.”

You grabbed your pack from the floor in the ballroom and he took the rolls of paintings leaning against the wall, the two of you rushing to leave the old castle behind.

And, with the awkward quiet that settled between you as you journeyed back to his home, both of you unable to meet the other’s eye…

It was a long walk, indeed.

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