#business events in banquet hall | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sonotpattismith · 20 days ago

Text

but daddy I love him her!

pairing: billionaire's son!gojo x farmer's daughter!reader word count: 10.7k content: angst, fluff, romeo and juliet retelling, hurt w/ comfort, implications of abuse, smut, 18+

gojo fan-art by @3-aem

The grating sound of fake laughter would be ingrained in your mind for the remainder of the week, you were sure of it. In the midst of your zoned out staring and eavesdropping (though even that was becoming mind-numbing at this point), the tray of hordeurves balanced in your hands began to tip ever so slightly. It only caught your attention when one of the caviar topped… whatever it was started sliding to the right. With a strangled gasp, you quickly righted your posture, your spine now stiff as a board.

You cast your gaze across the banquet hall of high profile, and thus high nose individuals, their glittering jewelery and lavish gowns nearly blinding you, and you assured that no one had seen your slip up. With a quiet sigh of relief, you mustered a polite smile for the goach woman before you, slipping off her glove to grab an appetizer from your tray.

God, you needed this job, but for the love of all that is holy, you didn’t expect it to be this agonizing. In truth, it could have been worse. You could have found a temp job that really had you breaking your back as you were used to, so perhaps putting up with some horribly privileged elites for the few hours of their… gala or fundraising event or whatever excuse they used to justify such lavish get-togethers, wasn’t as bad as you were making it out to be.

You didn’t get details of the event you’d be servicing until just an hour prior to its beginning when you were given a run down about the nature of the event as well as the importance of the clientele. Of course, you had already heard of the Gojo family long before your temporary manager explained them to you with sweat dripping anxiously down his forehead. They were the business tycoons of Tokyo, owning half the real estate that you’d likely ever stepped foot in in this city.

There was a slight unease in your stomach at the thought of being entrusted to work at an event so… high profile, but your subtle irritation for the gall of it all trumped that anxiety tenfold. Not only had you had a good understanding of who the family was due to good ole’ word of mouth, but it also didn’t help that they had been singlehandedly making your father’s life a living hell for the past few years.

Sure, they weren’t intentionally targeting the man, but as their franchises and real estate continued blossoming throughout the city, there were growing pressures for your father to sell his farmland with the intention of their company building more fucking skyscrapers filled with law firms or IV transfusion spas or whatever the hell it was that these rich people filled their pockets with. He had stayed resolute in his intention to keep the farm, but you knew the rising property taxes that came along with that Gojo family price tag popping up all around him was making it difficult for him to keep it afloat.

Which is precisely why you were currently pretending not to be creeped out by the middle-aged man leering at you from your peripheral— you really needed this money.

Clearing your throat, a wobbly smile graced your lips as you held out the tray to him in hopes that it was the caviar he was eyeing and not your… hordeurves. Perhaps that was the wrong move to make though, because he was taking one and staying with a look on his face that said he had an offer that you just wouldn’t be able to refuse.

“You do private events, sweetheart?”

You had half a mind to tell him that this was a private event, but the Rolex on his wrist told you that he had too much money to piss off.

“I-I’m contracted by the catering company, sir.” You explained with your eyes facing forward, gulping down the heartbeat that had manifested in your throat at the way he chuckled patronizingly and leaned against the wall you were standing by. “I work the events that they send me to.”

“Alright then, better question,” He grinned connivingly as he absentmindedly straightened the gold cufflinks at his wrists. “Can I contract you for a private event?”

Any hope of rebuttal got stuck in your throat, caught between your burning desire to defend yourself and the even greater need for this job to go well.

“I’m pretty sure your three ex-wives would agree that contracts aren’t really your strong suit, wouldn’t you say, Junto?”

Disguising your near instantaneous chortle as a cough, you quickly turned your head away from Junto and your knight in… Prada? Lord knows you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The sleezeball scoffed, but it seemed he too felt the waves of dominating energy coming from the younger man that dared challenge him, because that scoff quickly turned into a strictly rehearsed laugh.

“You always did have a mouth on you, didn’t you, kid?” He gritted through his fake smile as he patted said kid on the back, who only offered a mocking aw, shucks in return. “You stay outta trouble, huh?”

The man promptly removed himself from the situation lest he be torn apart anymore by someone who appeared less than half his age. Biting at your bottom lip, you weren’t sure if it would be appropriate to acknowledge what you had just witnessed, so you opted to face forward, trying to ignore the scent of the woodsy cologne that just wafted an air far too expensive for you to even be breathing in. Despite your careful composure, you could feel his eyes on the side of your head.

“What a fuckin’ weirdo, amaright?” He broke the silence for you, a smug smile stretching across his lips when you failed to contain your laughter that time around.

“Oh my god, I thought he would catch fire standing so close to the candles with so much gel in his hair.” You whisper-shouted, absolutely reeling to get it off your chest after standing in silence for so long.

Your savior chortled next to you, hunching over himself ever-so-slightly as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his perfectly-tailored suit. Finally daring to look his way, you were almost knocked off your balance for the second time that night as you took in his striking, white hair and icy-blue eyes that seemed to twinkle supernaturally under the candlelight’s flicker. He looked to be your age, and you figured he was the son of one of these bigshots that was dragged here for the sake of networking.

“Maybe we should get him back over here then. We need something to liven this place up— a grease fire would do nicely.” He teased while straightening his posture once again to look out amongst the sea of people as you giggled along beside him.

“Thank you, by the way.” You expressed sincerely once your laughter had died down. “It was kind of an awkward position he was putting me in.”

The man only hummed, observing you with a mischievous glint in his other-worldly eyes that had you thinking the creep was onto something when he told him to stay out of trouble.

“Wanna know how you can thank me?” You felt a premature flush falling over your cheeks as he leaned down to be within your earshot. “Sneak me a piece of the cake that’s in the back, yeah?”

At once, the tension in your shoulders dissipated, and you smiled apologetically at him.

“I can’t cut the cake until the hosts give their speech.”

“Ah, see, therein lies my problem because that is assuming I would be staying for the entirety of this snoozefest.” He was promptly taking the tray from your arms and blindly handing it off to another unsuspecting worker who was passing by. “C’mon, I just want a little something sweet before I dip out of here. Please?”

Maybe it was the fact that you felt partially indebted to him, or maybe it was that irresistible pout he was directing your way, or, most likely, the fact that he was obscenely attractive. Whichever it was had you slipping into the kitchen where the lavish cake was waiting atop the counter, peeking around to assure the coast was clear before you grabbed a knife. With an unbelieving shake of your head, you turned it around so as to cut from the back and not make it so obvious.

Your heart was thumping wildly against your white-button down-clad chest as you promptly maneuvered it back to its proper positioning, grabbing a spoon before you made a beeline toward the hallway where he said he’d be waiting. Sure enough, there he was, just barely illuminated by the candle-lit lanterns hanging in the grand hallway as he leaned against the wall.

“Hah! You’re a total badass!” He cackled shortly as he pushed himself off the wall. Surveying the plate in your hand, his brows furrowed suddenly. “Just one?”

You shifted nervously on your feet, the corners of your lips twitching in uncertainty.

“You… wanted two?”

“No, where’s yours?” The question fell from his perfectly pink lips as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. With the reemergence of that incriminating pout, he presented the hand that had since been hiding behind his back. In it, was a bottle of champagne that looked like it cost more than what you were even getting paid for this stupid event. “Brought us some bubbly and everything— you know what, it’s fine. I can share just this once.”

At once, he was leading you by your free arm down the dim hallway until he reached an alcove that would be perfectly disguised to anyone looking straight down the hall.

“Wait, wait, I can’t be here—”

“Why not?”

“Why not?” You scoffed in bitter amusement at his oblivion as he sat crisscrossed against the wall. “Because I could lose my job, that’s why not.”

“Oh, please,” He waved you off as he nodded toward the spot beside him. Slowly, you begrudgingly took a seat next to him. “You’re not gonna lose your job.”

With a resignated sigh, you set the plate down on the floor before him.

“You sound sure of yourself.”

“Oh the—” He flinched back as he popped the top off the champagne, the abrupt rupture making you squeal. “—surest. What are you doing working this dick-measuring competition anyway?”

You tried not to get distracted by the way his lips settled eagerly around the cake-filled spoon, the smallest of moans leaving him in the process before he passed the plate to you.

“Need a new laptop for school.” You explained, though you knew it was only a fraction of the story, but you had a feeling he wouldn’t understand your financial struggles as he allowed drops of champagne to spill onto his freshly-pressed suit pants. Despite your better judgement, you took a bite from the cake as well. “Too many open coffee cups next to electronics got me too confident. So, I’m stuck as the Gojo family mule for the night.”

He huffed out a laugh through a mouthful of champagne. You two soon swapped, him taking the cake and you grabbing at the neck of the bottle. Leaning your head back against the wall, you tilted your head to look at him.

“You know, I heard this whole thing was actually a networking thing for their son.” You rambled, the slightest hint of alcohol clearly making you way too comfortable with this stranger. He only hummed beside you, the faintest of amused smiles on his handsome face. “Heard he’s a real disaster, too.”

“I heard he showed up an hour late.”

“Of course he did.” You snorted softly with a shake of your head. “If I had half the opportunities that dude had—”

“What would you do?”

You fell silent for a moment, smushing some icing around the delicate, china plate. In your peripheral, you saw the small, shiny triangle shaped logo at the base of his black tie, and it once again reminded you that even this man, as relatable as he might appear to you hiding from the party to stuff his face with cake and champagne, wouldn��t understand the petty issues of the working class.

“I wouldn’t be passing out caviar to a bunch of billionaires— that’s for sure.”

“Satoru!”

At once, the man was snatching the plate from your hand, juggling it along with the champagne bottle between his long fingers.

“That’d be my queue.” He quipped, glancing down at your name tag before testing how it sounded on his lips. You blinked owlishly at him, because you could have sworn that Satoru was the name of— “Sorry, you know me— real disaster.” He winked before swiping at the leftover icing at the edge of your parted lips and licking it from his thumb. “Try not to get propositioned while I’m gone!”

You watched with unreserved horror as he stumbled to his feet to race up the hall before anyone could come down to find you. In the quiet solitude of the secluded hallway, you could still just barely hear the host of the event introducing his son with some heartfelt speech about how proud he was of him that was most definitely written by someone else. A churning sense of mortification settled in your stomach as you looked up at the portrait on the wall behind you of the Gojos.

The Gojos and their son.

The Gojos and their white-haired, blue-eyed son.

Oh, you were so losing your job.

It seemed as though you couldn’t get enough air into your lungs no matter how hard you tried as you stood with the rest of the contracted wait staff for a final rundown of how service went overall that night.

Following Satoru’s abrupt departure, you begged a coworker to switch roles with you for the night— a change she was more than happy to oblige given she was on dishwashing duty, but you were just eager to be avoiding any possibile run-ins with the man you had just shit-talked right to his face. It was the only reason you made it through the night without vomiting, you were sure. Why had you opened your stupid mouth?

A call of your name pulled you from your self-depricating thoughts, and you lifted your head to meet the gaze of your manager. Through the blood rushing in your ears, his words sounded muffled to you as he handed you an envelope. Blinking a few times, you shook your head and called out to him just as he had moved onto the next worker.

“Sorry— what did you say this was for?”

“Long night, huh?” He chuckled at your supposed sluggishness. “One of the guests wanted to give you an additional tip. Guess you left an impression.”

You gulped, looking down at the envelope with the slightest of trembles in your fingers. It burned a hole in your pocket the entire drive home, and you were more so than usual frustrated at your run-down truck’s pathetic engine. It wasn’t until you had showered, cooled your nervous system even in the slightest, and gotten into your bed that you worked up the courage to open it. Flinching back as if it might explode in your face, you slowly tore it open.

“Holy shit.” You breathed out, clutching the envelope closer to you to inspect the stack of bills glaring back at you. Frantically thumbing through them— your head started to spin after you hit five-hundred. “He’s insane. Oh my god, he’s insane.”

Pulling out the wad of money, a small napkin you recognized as one you were offering the guests with the horderves fell onto your mattress. You snatched it up, frenzied eyes quickly skimming the sloppy penmanship.

Thanks again for the cake, and try to keep your coffee off of your new laptop.

— Satoru ‘Real Disaster’ Gojo

The money, along with the note, sat untouched at the bottom of your bag for nearly a week. It felt so unbelievably wrong to use it, but you weren’t exactly sure what to do with the thousand dollars you’d received in exchange for a slice of cake and an insult. So, it remained there as you pretended to forget its existence, continuing to work your actual job in the meantime as though you didn’t already now have more than enough for a new laptop.

It’s where you found yourself now, mindlessly reading over the notes from your previous class as you sat at the front desk of your campus library. Your days were typically slow like this, especially since it wasn’t anywhere near finals season, which is about the only time of semester you would see this place bustling with students. There were no complaints from you though, as you were able to study and get homework done so you’d be free to help your dad out around the farm when you were home.

The writer’s block you were suffering from was just on the cusp of escaping you as you finally began typing out an opening paragraph for the marketing paper you had been stuck on for nearly an hour. As if the universe was dead set on mocking your academic struggles, a student strolled up to your desk just as your fingers began moving across the keyboard on the library computer. With a barely disguised sigh of frustration, you looked up to offer your services, but your typical greeting died in your throat.

He looked different than when you had last seen him— out of his Prada suit and instead donning a university crewneck as he scrolled purposefully through his phone with furrowed brows of concentration. Satoru Gojo; maybe it wasn’t such a shock that he attended the same university as you, given it was what some would call a ‘prestigious’ university that you were only lucky enough to attend due to the scholarship you grinded your ass off to qualify for each semester.

There was a subtle hitch in your breath as he hummed triumphantly, zooming into something on his phone before leaning over the counter to show you. You hoped that perhaps he would have forgotten all about you, and you redirected your attention to the book he was showing you.

“Do you know if you carry this book? I ordered it for class, but it still hasn’t—”

You felt your stomach practically drop through your ass and onto the floor below you when he abruptly cut himself off. Daring to glance up from his phone, you found those intensely stunning eyes wide and trained on you. A slow smile spread across his lips, and the shock in his eyes morphed into that wicked mischievousness that seemed to come so naturally to him.

“Well that dinosaur certainly doesn’t look like a new laptop to me.” He quipped, clicking his phone shut to lean against the counter on his elbows. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“That’s because I didn’t buy a new laptop.” You explained with burning cheeks, reaching for the bag you had stored under the desk. Fishing around at the bottom of it, you procured the envelope that had been lingering in your possession for a week. You slid it over to him. “Nevermind the fact that I could have gotten three laptops with that kind of money.”

Gojo backed away from the envelope as though it might burn him to touch it, raising his hands defensively.

“So, I figured you could get a nice one. Sue me—”

“I’m not taking your money, Gojo.”

“Ouch— not the family name, princess! You wound me.” He clutched theatrically at his chest before letting his arms fall beside him with an aggravatingly charming smirk. Huffing out an indignant sigh, you moved to search the system for the book he had shown you.

“We’re not friendly enough for the first name basis, and we’re certainly not friendly enough that I’d accept this kind of money from you.” You emphasized with a few pointed clicks of your mouse before turning to face him once again. “That book is in the third row to your left.”

“Yeah?” He hummed, eyes assessing you pensively. The ever present smirk on his lips never faltered. “And what would you have done with it if you didn’t run into me?”

Pursing your lips, you narrowed your eyes at him in challenge, but it was one he was more than prepared to take on as he tilted his head mockingly.

“Who knows, I’m partial to animals— maybe a local shelter would have needed it more than me.”

“How very noble of you.”

“Well, you’re not the only one around here drawn to philanthropy.” Leaning in until he could feel your breath fanning against his nose, you smiled in feigned charm. “Of course, my efforts wouldn’t be contributing to a tax write-off, but giving is giving, right?”

But your biting accusations didn’t deter him, if anything, that fierce tongue of yours only intrigued him more after so long of everyone in his life blindly agreeing with him. You wondered if he could hear the way your heart was racing against your chest, because it was just your luck that the arrogant son of the family fucking your dad’s life over was breathtakingly handsome. He hummed softly, picking up the envelope from the counter to pat it teasingly onto your nose.

“And that’s what you thought I was doing? Charity work?”

“Well you certainly weren’t doing it because I left any sort of stellar impression.” The confidence in your tone faltered as you recalled that night, a flush falling over your cheeks. “I’m sorry about that, by the way.”

With a mockingly wistful sigh, he turned around, leaning back on his elbows against the counter as he tilted his head back to look at you.

“Well, I could hardly blame you. You don’t know me, after all.” His anticipatory tone told you that he was plotting something in that pretty, privileged head of his. “And that’s our problem, isn’t it? You don’t know me, I don’t know you— you said it yourself, princess. Can’t accept this kind of money from a stranger.”

You didn’t respond, not wanting to encourage whatever nonsense he was currently conjuring up. Standing from your desk, you walked around the counter and headed down toward the rows of books. Gojo was hot on your heels though, trailing behind you as he leaned down to use his ‘inside voice’.

“This is the part where you’re supposed to say, ‘Well what do you suggest then, Satoru?’.” His pitched impression of you almost made you smile, but, again, you didn’t want to egg him on. Instead, you headed down your intended row and began skimming the books as he leaned against the shelf. “Well, I’m so glad you asked, because I happen to be in need of a date for my lovely family’s… hah, whaddya’ know— charity gala this weekend.”

“And this concerns me how?”

“What better way to get to know one another than spending a few hours pretending to like each other, huh?”

“You’re delusional, Gojo.” You shook your head with an incredulous smile. Finally spotting the book he had shown you, you pulled it from the shelf and shoved it toward his chest. “Not happening.”

“C’mon, it’s a win-win for both of us. I get a night without my parents on my ass introducing me to every poor girl they sink their claws into, and you can keep the money knowing it was a gift from a friend.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, a bemused smirk taking over your features as you crossed your arms over your chest.

“Let me get this straight.” You began with a pop of your hip, leaning back on the shelf across from him. “Satoru Gojo is having to rent a girlfriend for the night. Is that what I’m hearing?”

“Weeell, if you put it that way, that would make you a—” He quickly shut his mouth upon seeing the icy glare you shot his way, daring him to finish that sentence. With a subtle fear hidden behind those striking eyes, he mustered a sweet smile. “—a fool to not take me up on such a kick-ass offer.”

“Nice save.” You muttered with a roll of your eyes, pushing off the wall to get back to work. He stepped forward though, placing his arms on either side of the shelves by your head and effectively trapping you in. That cologne that you remember driving you crazy all those nights ago was once again making your head spin, and you struggled to find the courage to look him in the eyes.

“Live a little— it’ll be fun. Think of it as… as prom!” His eyes widened to emphasize his point.

“I went to prom— could’ve gone without it.” You whispered with a challenging glare.

“That’s cause I wasn’t your date.” He shrugged obviously, and you were beginning to see how it was that Satoru Gojo always seemed to get his way. “I’ll even steal ya’ your own piece of cake this time.”

This had you turning your head to the side to hide your tickled smile, shaking your head as he laughed triumphantly at the sound.

“Atta girl! Now come on and put your number in my phone before I retract my offer.”

“Don’t push it, Gojo.”

“Right— yes, ma’am.”

The two of you didn’t message much in the days leading up to the event. When you did, it was mainly Satoru not-so-subtly checking in to assure that you hadn’t changed your mind. He let you know that he’d pick you up, but a ride was the last thing you were worried about as you surveyed your appearance in the mirror.

Formal events hadn’t ever exactly been your scene, given the more modest living conditions that you had grown up in. You could only pray that you weren’t embarrassing yourself as you smoothed your hands down your old prom dress that you had miraculously managed to squeeze yourself back into. It was the only formal dress you owned, the glittering stone details on the bodice contrasting nicely against the noir, silk fabric. While it looked nice enough, you were sure you’d have trouble breathing the rest of the night, already fantasizing about how exhilarating it’d be to take it off after everything was said and done.

With an anxious sigh, you leaned forward to carefully color in your lips. You gave yourself one last look over in the mirror before leaving your bedroom. A subtle cringe shook your frame as your heels clacked noisily against the wood floor. The last thing you wanted was to be questioned anymore by your father than you had already been when he saw you poking through your mom’s old jewelery box. You had played it off as a fundraising event your university was hosting, but you weren’t sure that he was entirely convinced.

There was a firm knock at the front door that had you rolling your eyes in exasperation, because you had told him to just text you when he got here. You were grateful that it seemed as though your dad was still out and not here to witness Satoru Gojo of all people picking his daughter up as a date. With a final huff of self-encouragement, you pulled the door open.

Now, he had had a line prepared about the hell of a place you got here, what with all the acres of land extending out the back of the property, but his lazy joke dissipated from his mind at the sight of you all done up for him. You looked so different than the last times that he’d seen you, and it wasn’t just that your eyes were shimmering with intricately placed shadows, or that your dress hugged your frame sinfully.

No, it was the light in your eyes that had previously been overshadowed by the weight of your responsibilities each time you’d seen him. Gone was that lingering exhaustion that dared taint your features, and in its place was a hopeful glimmer that knocked the wind from him as you directed it up at him with fluttering lashes.

He no longer felt like the young-adult he had grown to be, resembling more so a fumbling teenage boy picking up the homecoming date that was far out of his league. Anxiously, fiddling with the knot of his tie as if it was to blame for his sudden labored breathing, he chuckled half-heartedly.

“You clean up nice for someone who didn’t even want to come in the first place.” Gojo quipped as he bowed theatrically with an outstretched hand.

“Well I sure hope I look the part with how much I’m charging you.” The wink you sent him as you placed your hand in his nearly had him falling to his knees, and he wondered how he would survive the remainder of the night without embarrassing himself.

Nearly the entire drive was dedicated to him giving you the rundown of the event— who would be there, who he was pointedly trying to avoid, the sequence of events for the coming night. It all somehow snowballed into him babbling about the reality show worthy fueds and shambled love lives of the city's most elite names. You wanted to keep up, but Lord could this boy talk.

Even with all his rambling, nothing could have prepared you for the hundreds of scrutinizing eyes that fell upon you as soon as you entered on the arm of the hosts’ infamously single son. There were already a myriad of guests here, drinks in everyone’s hands and people on the dance floor.

“Why do I get the vibe that we’re disgustingly late?” You muttered through a polite smile, your hand curling tighter around Satoru’s bicep as you two continued making your way in.

“Pfft, if they want me to stay till it ends, I sure as hell ain’t coming right when it starts.” He retorted with a scoff before leaning down to your ear-shot. “Learn the ways of the disastrous prodigal son, princess.”

There wasn’t a chance in hell that he was ever going to let you live that one down.

“Ooo, and there are those people I was avoiding. Remember the ones with the twin daughters— come dance with me.” You could barely keep up with his rapid fire, and you wouldn’t have the chance to ask him to reiterate because he was moving toward the center of the room like a man on a mission, because he was one, the mission being to get through this thing unscathed.

“Wait, Gojo, I don’t know how to dance.” You whispered-shouted as you tried to desperately dig your heels into the ground, but he was stronger than you and a hell of a lot more determined.

“Just stand there and pretend to be in love with me— I’ll do the rest.” He winked, the arm you had yourself wrapped around swooping down to scoop you against him with an urging hand on the small of your back. “Hand on the shoulder— atta girl.”

Through your flustered blush, you glared indignantly at his patronizing. He tutted softly, his other hand dancing down the silken skin of your arm to grasp at yours.

“That look isn’t screaming ‘love sick’.” Gojo informed through an amused smile. Before you could manage to huff out a response, he had spun around to dip you dramatically, the abrupt motion emitting a delighted squeal from you, much to his satisfaction. “There it is— keep looking at me like that. Talk to me— really sell it.”

You weren’t sure how he did it— how his effortless charm managed to break through even the strongest of resentments you held toward that last name of his. It was all around you though, enveloping you in his orbit and blanketing you in a warmth you were sure was radiating right off your incandescent cheeks. As you stared at the flickers of indigo that seemed to speckle throughout his otherwise icy irises, you nearly forgot what you were supposed to be doing.

“Right, um…” Your eyes fluttered dramatically as you racked your mind for anything to say to him. The dimple in his right cheek that winked at you with each of his ravishing smirks made it difficult for you to stay on track. “Physics.”

“Physics?” He repeated with unconcealed mirth, and you nodded.

“The book you checked out the other day— it was a physics book.” He hummed affirmatively as if questioning where the hell you were going with this. Truthfully though, he was too lost in the flustered twitching of your plush lips to care if any of what you were saying actually made any real sense. From so close, he could see the sun-spots lining your nose and cheeks like the most breathtaking of constellations. “It just surprised me. It’s not a required class for business majors.”

“It’s not, and I—” He paused his explanation to twirl you under his arm, reveling in the enraptured smile that graced your face as he pulled you back in. “—am not a business major.”

“Oh? The prodigal son dares not follow in his father’s footsteps? How scandalous.” There was an airy giggle lingering in your tone that fell upon his ears like the most harmonious of symphonies. “And what, pray tell, is the alternative that has led his little lamb astray?”

Those curved lips of his parted to indulge your curiosity, but the announcement that dinner would be served momentarily had a groan slipping past them instead. Just as he moved to guide you to the respective table with a hand on the small of your back, you tugged at his sleeve.

“Wait, I have to pee.” You whispered, hoping the guests bustling around you didn’t hear it.

“Oh— yeah, there’s a bathroom to the right of the entrance.”

He was about to walk away, leave you to do your business when you clutched tighter at his sleeve. Looking down at you with furrowed brows, you stared up at him with wide, pleading eyes that said please don’t leave me.

You heard Gojo’s head bumping impatiently against the door of the restroom as you managed to wrangle the zipper of your dress down. There was an embarrassingly long attempt of trying to simply lift the gown up as would have been far easier, but it was proven difficult with the stubbornly form fitting fabric. Now though, as the joints in your shoulders flexed painfully in an attempt to zip it back up, you realized you had an even bigger dilemma.

Mortified beads of sweat began lining your forehead as you panted at your reflection in the mirror, your zipper still barely halfway up your back.

“Did you fall in or something?” You heard him call out from outside the door, only making your heart pound more mercilessly against your chest.

“I-I’m fine! I’ll be right out.” But your voice was trembling ever so slightly in the midst of your subtle panic, and it made him push off the door, leaning in closer with furrowed brows.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing!” You stammered breathlessly, but you were rapidly coming to the realization that you wouldn’t be getting out of this without some help. Fighting back tears of frustration, you leaned your forehead against the door. “I— I’m just kind of… stuck.”

“Stuck?” The doorknob jiggled with his attempt to get in. “Open the door.”

The already stuffy air of the restroom seemed to grow ten degrees warmer in tandem with your crippling embarrassment as you hyped yourself up. Holding up the front of your dress, you timidly cracked the door open. Gojo was quickly shoving his face in through the small opening, assessing the situation with an incredulous expression. He almost laughed, but it died in his throat upon seeing your panicked face.

“Okay, alright, calm down. Let me in.” You moved back as he slipped inside.

“I-I can’t get it back up.”

“You’re fine. Turn around and let me try.” Gojo steadied his hands on your shoulders as you turned your back to face him. A brief sigh of relief fell from your lips at the sound of the zipper rolling up, but it halted midway. He paused, blinking a few times before attempting to tug it up again. “Okay— um…”

“Oh my god.”

“No, no, it’s— it’s fine.” But the laughter he was previously suppressing began to boil over to the surface. It came out as a controlled choke in his attempt to push it down, but you still heard it.

“It’s not funny!”

“I’m not laughing!”

“You’re laughing at me!”

His teeth were sinking mercilessly into his bottom lip to avoid pissing you off anymore, but the wolfish grin on his face was making it increasingly difficult. Falling forward until his forehead laid against your shoulder, he shook his head with a boyish cackle.

“Ohhh, you’ve made this night so much more entertaining for me.” He sighed wistfully before pushing you forward to dramatically haul his foot onto the toilet seat as if to brace himself. “Alright, deeep breath for me, let’s go.”

In spite of your humiliation, you too couldn’t help but begin giggling nervously at the absurdity of the situation. Gulping in a deep breath, you straightened your posture as stiff as you could as a theatrical grunt bubbled in his chest with his firm tug. The blasted zipper finally slid up the remainder of your back, leaving you both hollering in relief.

“See?” Satoru was clutching onto your arms lest you double over with the force of your belly laughs. “You just needed a big, strong— ”

“Satoru?”

Both your heads shot up to look at the now open door, and the woman you recognized as his mother now stood at the entrance with a less than impressed expression on her stern face. You could have strangled him for not bothering to even close the door, let alone lock it.

Mortified wouldn’t be a strong enough word.

Your fingers dug anxiously into your thighs as you sat at the painstakingly quiet table, sat right across from the woman who had just witnessed her son wrangling you back into your dress in the event’s restroom. At the very least, it seemed Satoru wasn’t fairing any better, staring down at his place setting as he took an absentminded sip of his wine. You had never seen him so… serious before. Though you had only known him briefly, it felt like a completely different man sitting next to you.

“So, I assume you two met at university?” His father’s stoic voice was finally the one to break the tension that he wasn’t even sure the reason of in the first place.

Glancing up with a fluttering gaze, you found the man’s familiarly striking blue eyes directed at you.

“Um, yes. We attend the same university.” You thought it best to not specify that that wasn’t where you two met, already having made an ill impression on his mother as it was.

“Oh? And what are you studying?” His mother opened her mouth for the first time since redirecting the both of you to the table. You looked up as the wait staff set a salad in front of you, though you felt far too anxious to eat right now.

“My major is in business.” You informed, picking up your fork in an attempt to at least look like you weren’t internally short-circuiting. There was a soft nudge on your thigh as Satoru subtly bumped his knee against you to get your attention. Peering over, you noted with flushed cheeks that he was tapping at the smaller fork at your placement, praying his parents didn’t make a comment to embarrass you any further. Gulping harshly, you moved to correct your mistake.

“Business, huh?” His father’s face seemed to light up marginally at your answer, and he looked toward his son pointedly. “Perhaps you can talk some sense into Satoru then. He’s been so stubborn about this… what is it again?”

You watched from your peripheral as his hand clenched at his silverware in response to his father’s not-so-subtle jab.

“Quantum physics.” He responded bluntly, stabbing at the tomato on his plate a bit more aggressively than necessary.

It was becoming clear to you the reason for his abrupt switch in temperament. You had only spent all of ten minutes sat with his parents, and it was evident how they seemed to drain that spark that was usually so easily present in his eyes. His response made your lips part slightly in astonishment. It’s not that you thought he was stupid, but you certainly had never pegged him as the type disciplined enough for such a rigorous field.

“Quantum physics!” His dad held his hand out with a bitter laugh before looking back at you. “Now what do you suppose he is going to get out of studying quantum physics that will be more fruitful than if he stayed within the family business?”

You wanted to defend him, already preparing a curt but respectful response about how he’d get more out of studying something he was passionate about, but the older Gojo continued talking.

“Is that what you’re doing?” He asked you as he took a sip of his wine. “Studying to stay within a family business?”

The mention of your family spilling from the lips of the very man responsible for ninety percent of their struggles made your jaw clench. Perhaps it was the forlorn expression that had overtaken Satoru’s once lively face that gave you the courage to not simply brush it under the rug.

“Actually, I’m studying business in hopes of buying my father’s farm from him in the future.” You clarified with your lips set in a firm line. Beside you, Satoru’s head slowly turned to face you as it seemed he had come to the realization faster than his parents were.

“A farm?” His dad scoffed with an amused smile. “That’s nonsense. No sense in wasting your efforts on a farm. You should hope to do better than your parents did, don’t you think? I certainly hope the same for my son.”

You felt the blood rush to your cheeks, cluching at the napkin in your lap.

“Dad, that’s—”

“Better?” You laughed bitterly, cutting off whatever attempt Gojo was going to make to defend you. “Perhaps, sir, my father’s farm would be doing better if your company wasn’t driving him off his own land.”

It seemed that the man was finally putting two and two together, your last name falling from his lips in recognition.

“I see what this is about.” He shook his head with a patronizing smile, wiping at his mouth with the stark white napkin. “Sweetheart, this is just the way society progresses. City’s grow, and—”

“As does your bank account, I’m assuming.” You bit back with a raised brow. “What progresses society is people who actually give a shit about that society.”

“A farmer’s mouth too to match her father’s. Boy, son, do you know how to pick them.”

“Dad! ” Satoru growled out in warning as his silverware clattered down onto his plate, and you weren’t sure if the flush in his cheeks was from anger or humiliation.

“Don’t bother.” You abruptly stood from your seat, hoping desperately that you could hold your mortified tears back long enough to not break down in front of everyone. “I think I’ve had my fill of playing dress up for one night.”

As you stormed toward the exit, the bottom of your dress bundled up furiously in your hands, you could hear Satoru calling after you. You couldn’t bear to look back at him though, the tears falling in angry, stinging streams down your cheeks as the fresh air nipped at your face. His long legs seemed to carry him much faster than you anticipated though, and his hand was soon curling desperately around your arm.

“Please, I’m sorry. I didn’t know—”

“No, but I did, okay?” You cried, swiping furiously at the mascara you were sure was staining your face right now. “I knew better, and I still let myself be— be humiliated. So, please just spare me the pity and let me go home, Gojo.”

“I’ll drive you—”

“Alone. I want to go home alone.”

His movements faltered, a hushed guilt striking his handsome face. The moonlight’s illumination seemed to bounce off his incandescent eyes as his gaze fluttered. With a solemn nod, he strode toward the sleek, black car parked just out front and knocked on the window. When it rolled down, a black-haired man peeked out in question as he adjusted the square frames on his nose.

“Take her home.” Satoru demanded simply before moving to open the back door for you. You kept your eyes focused on the ground as you ducked into the vehicle, but you could feel his solemn gaze burning a hole into the side of your head with every step. “I mean it— I’m sorry.”

After a pregnant pause with no response, he turned his head to the side, his Adam's apple bobbing with his strained gulp as he closed the door.

For the first time in what seemed like years, you went home and allowed yourself to cry in your father’s arms. Of course, this entailed your explanation of what had actually been going on that night, but you were too beside yourself to care anymore. In truth, you wished you could have told him how much you hated it, how you were counting the seconds until you could leave and forget about whatever idiotic agreement you’d made with Gojo. You couldn’t though, and that made your bitter tears that much worse.

Despite your rampant views on the lap of luxury these people draped themselves upon, it felt new and exciting to be at the front of it for the first time. As you desperately wracked your brain to explain your sudden change of heart, all clues pointed back to him, because it was exhilarating to waltz with him as though you had stumbled upon an ever gracious prince, and you could still feel the aching in your cheeks from the sheer force of the laughter he was able to pull from you even during perhaps one of the most embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions of your life.

You had come to the realization, and perhaps your father had as well, that it wasn’t the respect of the haughty company that had surrounded you two that night that made you feel so depraved as it was pulled from you— it was Satoru, and the way you couldn’t for the life of you find it in yourself to fault him for the impertinence of the masses, no matter how much easier it might have been if you did.

A tear escaped you for every memory of each smirk, each lingering touch and longing gaze— because it was the brash reminder of your glaring differences that stung worst of all. It was the realization that at your very core, you and Satoru were one in the same— in a desperate pursuit against the expectations set before you, yet forcefully pulled into the sickening orbit of their consequences nonetheless.

Satoru Gojo wasn’t at fault, you finally admitted to yourself as you stared up at your ceiling that night. You thought about the darkness that shrouded him with each insolent syllable that fell from his parent’s lips. You thought about how lonely it must feel in that grand house of his with no one around that didn’t have an agenda to push on him.

You thought about how many times he must have hidden in that little alcove in his vast hallway— not because he was the Gojo family’s disaster, but because however grating the silence his seclusion provided mustn’t have compared to the gruelling disquietude of belonging to family who had everything in the world except an ounce of care for their only son.

You had stopped crying for the shamed farmer’s daughter, and instead shed a tear for the forgotten prodigal son.

In the midst of star-lit dreams of dance floors barren of self-righteousness, you were pulled from your slumber by the distinct, sharp thuds against your window. It was proven difficult to pry your eyes open, given the countless streams that had stung them to sleep. Rubbing sluggishly at them in hopes of waking up enough to assess the situation, you slowly sat up in your bed. You paused for a moment, wondering if perhaps you had just been dreaming the offending noise, but it soon sounded once again.

Pulling yourself begrudgingly off your warmed sheets, you slowly made your way to the window, almost fearful of what you’d find as you peeked through the curtains.

“Oh my god.” You rasped out at the sight before you. Ripping your curtains aside, you wrangled your window open with a soft grunt. “What in god’s name are you doing, Gojo?”

He looked up at you as if surprised that you’d actually appeared, and the stunned expression made you wonder how many of the windows in your house he had assaulted before finally finding yours. His neatly tailored, sleek black suit still sat proudly on his frame as he huffed out a sigh.

“You were supposed to say ‘Romeo, oh Romeo—”

“Do you not remember what else Juliet tells Romeo in this scene?” You whispered furiously down at him, but he only blinked owlishly at you. “She tells him that he’s gonna get his ass beat if he gets caught. You’re not exactly my dad’s favorite person right now.”

“Then come down here.” He insisted pleadingly, holding up a bag for you to see. “I stole you a piece of cake.”

The two of you sat in the bed of your truck, shoulders slumped against one another as you passed a plate of cake back and forth. Neither of you were quite sure what to say, but you both knew it was comforting that the stars shining above you held nary an opinion about either of your paths. There was a blackening bruise lining his right undereye, the lid ever-so-slightly squinted shut. He didn’t mention anything about the way your eyes were still swollen from the tears you had shed, so you didn’t ask about his black eye or split knuckles.

“I’m sorry, Gojo.” It was the only thing you could think to say. Part of you was apologizing for the harsh manner in which you had prematurely critiqued him, the other part felt obligated to apologize for whatever had transpired between him and his father following your departure.

“Don’t call me that.” He shook his head, that tired expression haunting his face once again. “That’s not who I want to be— not right now.”

Gulping down the lump in your throat, you corrected yourself.

“I’m sorry, Satoru.”

It was silent for a few moments longer as you two finished your shared dessert. With a sigh, you leaned your head back to stare up at the myriad of stars shining down on you, and, from your peripheral, you saw Satoru do the same.

“There’s a theory in quantum physics that says objects don’t exist independently.” He began, his good eye working to count each star that caught his attention— willing them into existence. “In other words, if no one is around to see it, it just… doesn’t exist.”

Your lashes fluttered as you soaked in his words, the implications weighing down on your chest as you cast a sidelong glance his way, but he was too busy assuring that each star was observed, acknowledged and therefore real.

“I think it felt like that for me. Like the version of me I actually understood didn’t exist because no one was willing to acknowledge it.” He confessed, his head finally lolling to the side to observe you next. Each freckle and scar, each blink and trembling lip was confirmed under his watchful eye. “I don’t think anyone’s ever seen it.”

“I see it.” You reassured in a hushed whisper. A small smile finally curled at the corners of his mouth as he nodded softly.

“You see it.” He confirmed.

You hummed pensively, a modest smile of your own lighting your features ablaze.

“So if you closed your eyes right now— I would just cease to exist then?” You challenged his theory teasingly, wondering when the last time it was that he had gotten to speak about his passion to anyone who actually cared. Although he knew the partially philosophical theory ran much deeper than the laden explanation you were giving, he couldn’t help but indulge your challenge.

“Science is science, princess.” Satoru shrugged with a beguiled smirk.

“So, you’re saying— ” You leaned forward to tug on his already loosened tie until it came undone. The motion had a rushing heat swirling in his chest, taking note of the way the moonlight emphasized the mischievous glint hidden in your eyes. “If I tied this thing around your eyes— poof— I’m no longer here?”

“Well, a good scientist always tests his theories, of course.” He stammered breathlessly, his legs parting to accommodate your crawling between them. His lips parted as you slowly moved the tie over his fluttering eyes, your chests brushing together while you reached behind him to secure it around his head.

Moving away from him, you leaned back to observe your handiwork. Although blindfolded, you still tilted your head with a teasing smirk as though he’d be able to see it.

“Well?” You whispered, watching the way his chest heaved with anticipatory pants. “Am I still here?”

The aged truck creaked ever-so-slightly as Satoru shifted onto his knees, his hands reaching out blindly until they met your ankle. Using it as a guide, he carefully crawled forward, hands snaking up your body until he was hovering above you. The ends of the tie that hung from the back of his head brushed against your cheek as he leaned down closer to you.

“Not sure yet.” His hushed tone sent shivers down your spine, and you laid back to stare up at him.

Nimble fingers trailed up to search out your face, and a tickled smile fought its way onto his lips when he grazed your nose instead on his pursuit. Although it wasn’t his target, he still brushed a featherlight touch down the bridge of your nose before moving to cup your flushed cheeks.

“Your nose is still here, cheeks are still here.” Satoru murmured each checkpoint tenderly. Humming contentedly, he brushed a few lingering hairs behind your ears, thumbing against the delicate lobes in feigned assessment. “Hair, ears…”

His face was drawing closer with each confirmation, and soon the fingers that were still tucked behind your nape pulled your head up ever so slightly until his lips brushed against yours. It was barely a graze initially, a deliberate tease that he was quickly realizing he didn’t have the willpower to keep up, quickly abandoning it in favor of molding his mouth harmoniously against yours.

“Your lips,” He sighed wantonly against you, his voice almost falling into a soft whine. “Your lips are still here— thank god.”

You giggled against him, reaching up to run your fingernails down the short, velvety hairs of his neatly kept undercut. It made him shiver, a smirk curling into your frenzied kiss as he hummed appreciatively.

“Your hands.” Satoru continued as you pushed at his suit jacket, making him pull away from you for a moment as he shrugged it off. The very hands that he’d just confirmed the existence of didn’t pull him back down right away, instead surprising him as they worked quickly to unbutton his dress shirt, and it was soon joining his jacket in a discarded pile beside you. He clutched at your wrists maneuvering them to run your tender hands down his chest.

And so he disproved his own theory with the eager exploration of each heaven-sent inch of you, pulling your sweater over your head to confirm the way your breasts heaved against his chest, leaning down to brush his nose and lips across each one of good measure. You aided him with fumbling shuffles to pull down your sweatpants, his desolate moan nearly breaking the resolve of your patience as he carefully inched forward to lick a strip up your folds that glistened under the moonlight in a manner he wished he could see.

“All here, princess.” Satoru murmured near drunkenly, pressing a few sloppy kisses against your throbbing heat to elicit a few more of those bewitching whimpers from you before making his way back up to press his lips bruisingly against yours.

“And if you leave would I still be here?” You panted against his lips, reaching down to fumble with the buckle of his belt before pulling his bottoms down past the lean curve of his ass.

“I won’t leave— I’ll never leave.” He shook his head forlornly, glistening lips falling open as you grasped at his cock. Falling forward on his elbows, his clammy forehead pressed against yours.

“Swear it.” You gasped as his tip pushed blindly into you, your moans synchronizing in blissful tandem. Through his parted lips, you could still see the way his lips twitched up at your words.

“What shall I swear by?”

Your heels dug into the cool surface of the truck bed, driving your hips up, pushing him deeper into you as he ground down, the subtle impact sending his head reeling back up to face the stars.

“Not your parents, not your last name.” Your responses began to sound like mindless babbles, but he could swear he understood each syllable as he nodded desolately in raptured agreement. The blunt edges of your short nails dug into his nape to pull him closer to you, your lips brushing once again and sharing each exhale greedily into one another’s mouths. “By you, just you, Satoru.”

“I swear.” He gasped, his hips snapping up in a brutal pursuit of your mutual intoxication. Each of your saccharine moans sent tendrils of euphoric bliss twisting down his spine, and he clutched at your waist in an attempt to ground himself as he felt his own thrusts quickly losing their focus. “I swear— ah! I swear I’ll never leave, and you’ll— ” His rapturous moans cut rudely between his oath. “— and you’ll always be here.”

“I’ll always be here.” You confirmed, brows meshing up as you watched him fall apart with the reassurance of your promise. Reaching up, you pulled the tie down to fall around his neck, his eyes finding yours in an instant as though he would be able to pinpoint their warmth even blind, and he was sure he could— he was sure he could do anything as he spilled himself into you, riding out his high with slack-jawed, lanugid grinds.

“You’ll always be here.”

And it was true even as you two woke beside one another that next morning after you’d snuck him up to your room. The bruise around his eye had spread substantially, the injured lid now swelled completely shut, but he swore even with just one eye to behold you that you were just as stunning as you had been beneath the moon’s gracious light last night underneath of him. Sitting up on his hands, he allowed the sheets to fall down his chest as he observed the way you seemed to still shiver even under the protective layers of your sweater and thick bottoms.

Brushing the hair from your face, he leaned down to press his lips against your temple, each of his tender kisses pulling you farther and farther away from your slumber until you stirred beneath him. He smiled when you groaned in disapproval at his interruption of your coma-like state.

“Sorry, I just don’t want your dad to catch—”

But, much like the theory he rambled on about the night prior, his acknowledgment of the man seemed to will him right into existence with a careful knock on your door. You shot up into a sitting position, eyes wide and frantic as you moved to push against Satoru’s shoulders, attempting with fleeting hope to wrangle his large frame into the closet or perhaps under the bed.

No attempt would be fast enough though, not with your father’s burning desire to check on you following the state that you’d gone to sleep in the night prior, and the door creaked open.

“You doing okay, sweet—”

There in the cramped bed of his daughter was the very man you had cried against him for just mere hours ago— the son of the very family that had assured you’d never hope for your own aspirations in life, far too focused on fixing his that the Gojo’s had made their life mission to ruin. An unreadable mix of emotions swirled onto his stunned face in a way that had both of you holding your breath.

His lips parted, but he took note of the swelled, gruellingly dark bruise that surrounded his eye and branched out subtly onto the bridge of his nose. He watched the way the Satoru still clung to your hand, and how your fingers curled in uncertainty into the fabric of his open, button down shirt. He thought about how despite all that you had told him last night— you couldn’t find it in you to speak an ill word about him, only noting to your father how scared he’d looked at a dinner table with his own parents.

Your father’s tired shoulders slowly deflated as he sighed.

“Why don’t you two come down to get something to eat?” With that, he shut the door, leaving the two of you in stunned silence as his boots retreated down the stairs.

“Is that—” Satoru licked his lips anxiously, his good eye flickering frantically around the room before falling on you. “Is that code for something?

You could only silently shake your head, your gaze still fixed upon the door he’d just left through. Although your heart was still pounding relentlessly against your ribcage, it was beginning to settle with the assurance that your father was a far more merciful man than you had ever given him credit for.

The two of you slowly creeped downstairs after having gotten yourselves together, Satoru’s white hair still disheveled from your pillow as he hesitantly poked his head out to peer toward the kitchen. Your father’s back was facing him, working to flip what looked to be a pancake on the griddle before him, but he turned around upon hearing the creaks in the stairs.

You had to give him props, because even despite his nerves surrounding his life at the moment, he still stepped forward to bow to your father in greeting, a motion that had the smallest of smiles hinting at the man’s lips. With a hum, he turned back around to plate the pancake that had finished cooking.

“My daughter tells me you're a physicist, Gojo.” He commented, taking the plate of stacked pancakes to place them on the table.

It took him aback, as he wasn’t sure anyone had ever called him that before— ever even acknowledged the path he had chosen for himself. You watched with a soft gaze as his good eye fluttered rapidly while he blinked away the misty haze that seemed to involuntarily cloud it. With a growing smile, he nodded slowly, taking a seat in the chair your dad had pulled out for him.

“Trying to be, sir.” He explained breathlessly before looking up at you with a tender smile. “And it’s Satoru— just Satoru.”

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hauntedmentalityfart · 2 years ago

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thef1diary · 2 years ago

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All Eyes On Her | D. Ricciardo

Summary: Keeping the secret that you're dating Daniel becomes a lot harder when the other drivers have their eye on you when you wear a dress considering they haven't seen you out of team wear.

Warnings: 18+, jealous Danny, reader is a tease, Lewis attempting to flirting with reader, kind of jealous sex?, Dan is completely in love with the reader, orgasm denial (for reader), oral (m receiving), fingering, filthy words.

pairing: daniel x fem!driver!reader (established relationship), lewis x teammate!reader

word count: 3.5k

The FIA is hosting a black tie event, and since you're a driver, it is mandatory that you attend. If it weren't, you'd be downing shots in a club with your boyfriend.

Speaking of, you received a message from the man himself. He sent you a selfie with a cheesy smile that you fell in love with. You wished that you two could be in the same hotel room. It was brutal that you two would travel together because of your career but could barely spend time actually being together.

Well, if you wanted to, you could. And that has been brought up in your conversations a lot. But the thing is, you're the only female driver on the grid, and fraternizing with a fellow driver wouldn't look good for your image. Those weren't your words, it was drilled into your mind by your PR manager about a million times whenever they saw you 'too close' with another driver.

So, you and Daniel decided that it would be better if you two kept your relationship a secret. Although he understood why, he wished that he didn't have to. He wanted to enter the paddock with you-side by side-being able to proudly say that you're his girlfriend.

It's been like that for six months now.

You responded to his selfie with one of your own. A big smile you only had when you were around him. You ensured that you didn't reveal your outfit for tonight as you wanted to see his reaction in person. But you knew what he was wearing; a dark green suit with a white collared shirt. He even left the top few buttons undone, already knowing that he was planning to tease you tonight.

But you had your own plan.

You checked your appearance in the mirror one last time before heading out. Coincidentally, you ended up matching with Daniel. Recently, you bought a few dresses and told Daniel all about it, and you are almost certain that he bought a suit to match the dress, even though he didn't know you would wear it today.

You layered two necklaces together, one longer so it follows the deep neckline of your dress. The longer necklace actually had the letter D on it—an initial necklace. It was very obvious who bought it for you. The only reason you wore it was because if anyone saw it, you'd know that they were probably looking where they weren't supposed to. And maybe, tonight you didn't mind playing with fire.

When you entered the banquet hall, you were amazed by all the decorations. It was evident that they went all out to host a party that you didn't even know what it was about. Seemed to be like a gathering to attract the right people for the upcoming season. After all, the more popularity and money, the better. You almost rolled your eyes at the thought.

You looked around and locked eyes with your lover, who was standing beside Lewis telling him something that you were sure he wasn't even paying attention to. You waved at him with a cheeky smile on your face.

You decided to make him wait a bit, after all he was busy. Walking up to your team principal, you commented "looking good Toto," rarely seeing him in a proper suit.

"Who are you?" He asked, barely containing his smile as you faked offence. "Your favourite driver."

"You look different, surely you cannot be who you say you are." He continued on with the act which made Susie smack his arm. "Ha ha, very funny Toto" you playfully rolled your eyes.

"What he means to say is that you look stunning." Susie added and Toto nodded with her words. You thanked her and continued talking, mainly about the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, Daniel was still watching you. Lewis nudged him, gaining his attention. "What'd you say?"

He chuckled, looking towards you as well. "Who's that?" Lewis asked as the pair couldn't see your face, only your back.

Before he could answer, a few other guys joined them. Pierre, Charles, and Lando were now conversing with Lewis but Daniel's sight couldn't move away from you.

Once again, lost in his own world, the others were now silent, just watching him watch the back of a apparently mysterious lady. "He hasn't taken his eyes off her ever since she arrived I think" Lewis told the guys. Pierre nudged Daniel, making him look at the Frenchman with a glare. No one can let him enjoy his view in peace.

"Do you even know who that is?" Pierre asked. "She's with Toto, so I'm assuming that Lewis would know?" Charles looked towards the English man who shrugged. "I don't know man, but I'm sure I'll get to know her tonight." He smirked, already thinking of ways to approach you.

"Already calling dibs on her huh?" Daniel asked, clenching his jaw as he heard them talk about you. "Well, I'm sure you can't. Didn't you say you have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah I do. But let me ask you this, what makes you think she isn't taken?" He retorted.

"Only one way to find out" Lewis stated, setting his drink down and making his way towards you.

"peut-elle regarder ici?" [can she look here?] Pierre said out loud, making Charles shake his head, "Wait til Lewis talks to her"

"Out of all the people, why Max?" Lando commented as he noticed that you moved away from Toto and Susie and now conversing with Max. "What's wrong with that?" Daniel asked.

"Max is just Max, and he’s in a relationship so why is he even with her?" He shrugged. They all saw Max laughed loudly at something you said, and the way you placed your hand on his arm in response.

"Do you think if Lewis gets her number, he'll share it?" Charles asked which earned him a smack on his head from Pierre. "Not with you." His friend replied.

Daniel was definitely getting irritated by the words he was hearing about you—his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, you were conversing with Max until you heard your teammates voice, "hello, beautiful."

You turned around to face him and noticed how his eyes turned wide while you had a confused expression on your face. "Lewis, hi"

All the guys were intently watching as Lewis said something to make you turn around. As soon as you did, Pierre coughed loudly as he choked on his drink, Lando laughed, and Charles was stunned into silence. All while Daniel had a smug smile on his face, because he was the only one that knew it was you.

"Oh wow" Lewis muttered along with your name. By now, Max excused himself and made his way over to Daniel and the group. "She looks..." Charles began, "beautiful" Pierre finished the sentence and they nodded in agreement.

"Lewis?" You waved your hand in front of him and snapped him out of his thoughts when he didn't respond to your question. "Sorry, what?"

"What happened, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna be honest and say that I thought you were someone else." He told you which made you smile, "mhm, I got that a few times tonight."

"Maybe the FIA needs to host more events, can't believe you walk around in Mercedes gear all the time." He stepped closer and told you, trying hard to maintain eye contact.

You slightly tilted you head at him and peeked at the men looking at you two behind him, mainly looking at Daniel who made direct eye contact with you. "Well I wouldn't want to walk in a dress and heels in the paddock now would I?"

"True, but I definitely wouldn't mind seeing that."

You raised your eyebrows, "are you flirting with me?"

"Is it working?" He instantly responded but you saw how he cringed a bit at that question. You shook your head with a smile on your face, "Lewis, I think I should make it clear, I'm in a relationship. So no, it's not working"

Realization was evident on his face, and he began apologizing. "I guess he was right then" he muttered but you heard him, "who?"

"Daniel. He asked how can I be so sure that you're not taken."

You looked in Daniel's direction at his mention but he wasn't there, the other guys still looking at you with Max included now. Strange, you didn't know where he went.

"Hey, I'll still give you credit for trying" you laughed. "Totally didn't make it awkward, you're not going to push me off the track in the next race, are you?" He joked, and just like that, the topic of conversation changed.

"For that question, maybe I will."

Once you ended your conversation with Lewis, he returned to the group—who were all smiling at him for his failed efforts. "Not a word. Not a single word" he instantly said before anyone could make a comment.

"What did she say?" Lando completely ignored Lewis' instructions and asked a question. "She's taken." He simply replied making all the boys eye's widen, "you still asked her out? Come on, she's your teammate"

"So what? She's stunning, and I'd be an idiot not to realize that."

"Guess you are then, you never asked her out until she dressed up." Pierre told him, who earned a glare in response. "Forget it, she has a boyfriend anyways."

"Not surprised at all"

Lewis internally groaned, wondering how he was left to converse with the younger generation. He looked around for someone near his age—well if you could call it that. Daniel had seemingly disappeared in thin air.

All the guys knew you were attractive, but no one really wanted to act on it as much because they saw you as just a driver than a woman—which you weren't entirely sure if you liked that or not. But now, seeing you all dolled up in a beautiful dress made them think otherwise. But, it sucked knowing that they won't have a chance because you're taken. By who, they didn't know.

You were tired of the smile you had to keep up for various conversations that sometimes felt like an interview. It didn't help that you couldn't see the man you initially came here for.

You held your phone in your hand while also entertaining a glass of water in the other. Even though it was an open bar, you knew that you couldn't get drunk here. It was merely just a test.

You tapped on Daniel's contact which was just the letter D with a heart. Hovering your finger over the call button, contemplating whether or not you should call him.

Before you could, you felt an arm slip around your waist and a kiss was pressed to the side of your forehead. You already knew it was him, because no one else would dare to do that. You didn't like physical affection unless it was from him—mainly because it was his love language and you had to quickly adapt to it, not complaining at all though.

"Where were you?" You asked as you looked up at him. "Out, for a breather."

You frowned, "are you okay?" confused because you knew he liked parties. He nodded, and diverted your attention to the way he was completely checking you out. He smiled once he saw the pendant adorning his initial. "Bold choice" he commented before dragging his finger on the skin underneath the chain as he picked it up.

"Daniel." You warned, wanting to smack his hand away but loved the butterflies it was giving you—both in your stomach and even lower.

He looked up at you with an intense look in his eyes, "yes?"

"Don't do that. We're in public"

"You know, you look amazing tonight." he said, quieter so no one around you could hear. You stepped closer, whispering in his ear, "and if you behave tonight, you'll be the one taking this dress off."

"Darling, the things I want to do to you does not include any behaving." He dropped the chain and held your chin with his thumb and pointer finger.

"You don't know how bad I want to kiss you, to smear that lipstick."

Subconsciously, you leaned into him before you could contain yourself. But you were still confused why he was acting like this. "I hate to ruin this, but again, we're in public. You can't do any of that."

He sighed, stepping away from you. You decided to leave him with a thought, "for the record, I can't wait to be down on my knees for you too."

Daniel tried to reach out for you but you were just out of his grasp, walking away. His thoughts were now invaded by the image of you still in your dress on your knees with smeared makeup due to your tears, and spit drooling from your mouth as you sucked him off. "Fucking hell" he muttered to himself as he watched you mingle with others with a smirk on your face because you knew what you just did to him.

Sadly, since you were the only female driver on the grid, you mainly hung around with the guys. So, you were now with the group that watched you before.

However it didn't last long when Daniel joined you as well. He didn't say anything except "sorry, need this one for a moment", held your hand and took you away from the group.

He didn't stop walking until you exited the banquet hall into the main hall, taking you towards an empty hallway. He pushed you up against a wall and caged you in between his arms.

"What do you think you're doing?" You asked him, knowing well that you riled him up. He didn't answer you, instead he placed his lips on yours.

All thoughts left your mind as your hand tangled itself in his curls. He dropped one hand from the wall and lifted your leg, wrapping it around his waist then resting it on your thigh.

He parted away from you for a moment to breathe before trailing kisses down your throat and the exposed skin even below it. The lower he went, the harder it was to contain your moans. Once he played with the chain using his mouth, and began placing filthy wet kisses, you couldn't contain your moans any further.

He didn't stop or look up, but his hand came up to cover your mouth as he continued his ministrations on your neck. Once he was satisfied with the rare marks he made on your skin that would only get darker with time, he faced you with a smile on his face.

"You know everyone is going to see those right?"

"I know"

You pushed him away, "idiot. We're supposed to keep this a secret."

"But do you really want to?" He asked, holding your hand, placing a light kiss on the back.

"You know I don't."

"Then don't."

He was stepping closer again but you placed your palms against his shoulders, stopping him. "Why now?"

"No reason"

You were quiet for a moment, thinking about what could possibly tick him off like this. Then you smirked when you realized. "You're jealous"

"No I'm not" he responded, way to quick.

"So you don't mind if I go back to continue the conversation with Lewis?" You began to move away from him but he held you back. You chuckled at his reaction, you weren't actually going to go anywhere.

He was all you needed, wanted.

Once again, he held your hand and led you somewhere. You shook your head when you entered the bathroom. "That impatient huh?"

"Less talking, more action, baby"

This time, you initiated a kiss. One hand finding its familiar place in his hair while the other unbuttoned his shirt. "Who's impatient now?"

"Shut up"

You two didn't bother completely removing either of your clothes. His shirt was just unbuttoned and his hands wandered under your dress and pulled down your panties. In between your kisses, one of your legs were wrapped around his waist like earlier but this time, his fingers were teasing your entrance.

In the midst of the sweet kisses, you didn't realize when his fingers were probing your hole, swiftly entering two fingers. He groaned, commenting on how wet you were for him.

You trailed your hand down his chest, and palmed his cock through his pants. Using one hand to unbutton his pants, the very ones belonging to your new favourite suit of his.

Fortunately, the stalls were empty, but the risk of anyone possibly walking in was exciting as much as it was scary.

His fingers were now pumping in and out of you at a brutal pace, tipping you closer to the edge. "Right fucking there baby, please don't stop" you begged, but obviously, it's Daniel, he wouldn't listen.

His fingers stilled inside you as soon as you got those words out, "I think you said something about being on your knees for me earlier"

You rolled your eyes at him, "asshole"

"Keep that up and you won't be getting an orgasm any time soon" he slapped the inside of your thigh before unwrapped it from his waist.

"I don't need you for that. I can do that myself too"

Daniel raised an eyebrow at your words, "yeah, can you?" You nodded, but he didn't like that answer. He brought his wet fingers to your lips, which you greedily sucked on.

"Not better than me. Now get down on your fucking knees" he instructed after pulling his fingers out of your mouth. You didn't instantly obey, instead, you placed your hands on his face and brought him in for a filthy kiss. "I love it when you talk to me like that"

Bringing yourself down on your knees, not caring for the dress you are wearing, you watched as he brought his pants and boxers down to his knees.

You licked your hand before placing it on his cock, then brought your mouth down on him as well. You could feel his hand on your head, tangling in your hair as he guided you—even though you knew well enough what he liked and disliked.

You already knew that you'd be getting an orgasm later tonight, so you focused on his pleasure. After all, you loved seeing him all hot and bothered because of you.

"No hands" Holding your head still, he chose his own pace, face fucking you. As he pictured before, you were on your knees, spit drooling from your mouth, and tears staining your cheeks. This was perfect.

"You know, anyone can walk in here and see you on your knees for me" he told you, looking at the door to the bathroom then back at you. You moaned around his cock, liking the thrill of it.

His hips stuttered and he warned you that he was going to cum. You took that chance to regain control, using just your mouth to tip him over the edge.

Earning a mouthful of his cum, you opened your mouth and stuck your tongue out to show him, then swallowed. He tilted his head back, muttering a curse word as that image would be imprinted in his mind for a long time.

He held your hand to help you stand up. You pressed a kiss to his lips and walked towards the mirror to hide any possible indications of bathroom sex. As expected, your lipstick was smeared, your eye makeup was slightly messed up due to your tears.

Daniel stood behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. "I don't like you" you told him. "Why?"

"Didn't give me an orgasm" you muttered while fixing your hair. He chuckled, "thought you could do that on your own."

You pushed him away, "doesn't mean I want to"

He turned you around, and brought you close to him again. Twirling a strand of your hair around his finger, "I know baby, but can't have you getting everything you want now"

"Asshole" you commented again which caused him to whisper in your ear, "darling, if you behave, I'll definitely be the one taking that dress off you" he used your words against you.

He held your panties in his hand, and you held you own hand out, asking him to give them to you. But he shook his head, "I think I'm gonna keep these"

You couldn't argue because Daniel opened the door to the bathroom and held your hand as you walked out. What you two didn't expect was for Lewis, Pierre, and Charles standing nearby, watching with wide eyes. "So much for keeping it a secret" you muttered.

"At least they know that you're mine now" Daniel told you as you guys walked away, heading outside. You stopped, "so you were jealous!" You exclaimed.

#daniel ricciardo #f1 fanfic #f1 fic #daniel ricciardo x reader #daniel ricciardo fic #daniel ricciardo smut #thef1diary fic #f1 x reader #f1blr #f1 fandom #f1 imagine #formula 1 #f1

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riizegasm · 5 months ago

Text

Impure Intentions || L. CY (Anton)

❀ pairing: chaebol heir!anton x rival!reader, implied fem!reader

❀ genre: enemies to lovers (but not really), fluff, suggestive

❀ word count: ~6.7k

❀ warnings: explicit language, mentions of dysfunctional families, one heated kiss scene

❀ summary: From the day you were born, all you ever heard was, “don’t fall in love with Anton Lee.” A better heir to a multimillion dollar conglomerate would follow their family’s advice. But you…not so much.

❀ a/n: sheesh, talk about writer’s block. This work has taken me so long and so much effort, but i'm very proud of how it turned out! It may have even helped me out of my slump. Also, please don’t judge me too hard. I know nothing about business and corporate families!!! As always, likes, reblogs, and replies are strongly encouraged. Happy reading!

Your head aches. The lights in the banquet hall are too bright and the clink of gilded silverware is too loud. Polite chatter buzzes around you like a pesky fly evading a swatter. The air is suffocating, overly stuffy with high end perfumes and colognes clouding the space. This is torture; the Lee family banquets always are.

It would be better if you could enjoy the food or engage with the various guests like everyone else does, but this is enemy territory. Your family had made it abundantly clear that this was not an event for fun, but rather for scoping out the competition. Lectures about a corporate acquisition going south and details about poor contracting simply entered in one ear and left via the other. You didn’t care why you had to be there. The knowledge of your forced attendance did enough to damper your mood, especially once you were hit with all of the rules around your presence.

Sit still, look pretty, smile politely, eavesdrop on any corporate plans, and don’t talk to Anton Lee.

You never understood your family’s obsession with keeping you away from him, the prized son and heir of the Lee empire. Everyone made sure to fill your mind with negative opinions and baseless rumors about the young man, as if to deter you from even giving him a chance. It wasn’t like you had much of a choice, however. You’ve never even seen the man, let alone had a conversation with him. Anton Lee was much more of a mythical being than he was a person, in your eyes. He was always whispered about, but never seen.

From what you gathered, he was around your age, tall, broad, and supposedly extremely handsome. He was known for his overly harsh demeanor, rumored to command a room with a simple word. His presence apparently spoke volumes, enough to speak to his blunt nature and bad intentions. It made sense, your parents would always say. After all, he is a Lee.

“Fix your face, honey,” your mother snaps with a forced smile. “You’ll give yourself wrinkles before you turn thirty if you keep scowling like that.”

It takes everything in you to fight an eye roll, biting back the string of expletives waiting on the tip of your tongue. “Sorry. I’m going to run to the powder room.”

You don’t bother to wait for her response before excusing yourself from the cocktail table, getting lost in the crowds of people as you head towards the bathroom. Away from your family, the air feels somewhat lighter, although it still reeks of entitlement. The throb in your head is insistent now, forcing you to escape to find relief.

You find yourself heading towards a set of grandiose double doors, hoping they will lead you anywhere but here. Luckily, your prayers are answered as you step through them onto a stone balcony. The crisp nighttime air does wonders to cool your heated skin, a slight breeze ruffling the loose fabric of your dress.

This is exactly what you needed, space and solace.

“Rough night?”

A soft voice makes you jump out of your skin, whipping your head around to find the source. Its owner leans up against the exterior wall, somewhat bathed in shadow. All you can make out is a glimmer of white teeth, reflecting the moonlight.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” the figure apologizes, taking a small step forward into the light.

You feel your breath stutter in your chest as you take in the man. The first thing you notice is his sheer beauty, lips enticingly full and nose broad. His beauty is complemented by his tall stature, the height difference between you two becoming increasingly apparent as he approaches. Like this, bathed in the moonlight, it’s impossible not to notice the broadness of his shoulders and how they taper into a small waist. He fills out his all black suit beautifully, the garments clearly tailored to his every curve.

“Are you alright?” The man asks, stopping only a few feet away.

The concern in his tone is just enough to snap you out of your reverie.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just, um, needed some air.”

The man nods in understanding, leaning over to place his forearms against the balcony’s railing. You struggle not to eye the way his suit jacket stretches across an impossibly wide back. Instead, you mirror his stance, looking out at the beautiful gardens below, bathed in silvery moonlight. Just beyond the seemingly endless maze of hedges, you can make out what looks like a small lake, it’s surface rippling under the nighttime breeze.

“It can be stuffy in there,” the man says softly.

You find yourself hanging onto his every word, shocked that such a mild tone could come from such an intimidating man. “Yeah, it really can be.”

The man lets out a small chuckle, no doubt amused by your clear annoyance. “So I take it you’re not in the business.”

“No, I’m–,” you pause for a moment, not sure how much of your identity you should reveal to the stranger. “I’m related.”

He chuckles again, this time turning to look at you. “Hm, I guess I could say the same for me, then.”

A round of applause sounds from somewhere inside, and you curse under your breath, knowing your family will kill you for your absence. The man next to you seems unphased, as if he’s used to the party going on without him.

“I think I should get back.”

The man flashes you a smile, its brightness almost blinding in the dark. “That’s okay. It was nice chatting with you…”

“Y/N. And you are?”

“Anton,” he whispers. “I hope I can see you again, Y/N.”

An icy chill travels up your spine, momentarily freezing you in place. But you force yourself to remain composed, plastering a smile on your face. You silently thank your years of etiquette training and the countless social events you have had to smile for. With a slight nod of your head, you disappear back through the double doors, instantly choking on the scent of Chanel No. 5.

. . .

It’s easy to believe that your first encounter with Anton Lee would be your last, especially as the weeks pass without a single sign of him. It makes sense that he wouldn’t start making regular appearances at events after attending just once. He has managed to spend twenty years staying out of the spotlight, and you can’t imagine that changing now.

But, for some reason, you can’t help but search for him in the crowd of every gala or at the tables of any grandiose banquet.

He would be easy to spot, with his overwhelming height and dazzling smile. Maybe his honey brown hair would be slicked back off his forehead this time, or maybe it would hang in front of his eyes to conceal his bright gaze. You’re sure that he would still talk in that overly soft tone of his, somehow managing to command a room without a change in volume.

Even his absence begins to feel like a presence in and of itself, drawing you in like a moth to a flame. You tell yourself that it’s simple intrigue and nothing more. The first time you had ever laid eyes on your supposed family nemesis had been on a balcony bathed in the moonlight. Where had he been all these years?

More importantly, why had he disappeared again?

The question runs through your mind as you accept a flute of champagne from a waiter, eyes flitting around the charity dinner in hopes of spotting a specific someone. Somewhere near the front of the banquet hall, the Lee family is seated at a table with a few other wealthy families, but their oldest son is nowhere to be found.

You crane your neck to get a better look. Just to be sure, you tell yourself. But the contorting you force yourself to do has you leaning right back into a waiter, your elbow knocking into his empty tray. The sudden movement has your champagne flute slipping out of your grasp, icy bubbles splattering across your chest and down the front of your dress. You can practically feel the daggers that your mother is shooting you from across the table, always having scolded you about the embarrassment that comes along with being a klutz. Before she can part her lips to tell you off, you excuse yourself politely, dashing out to find a restroom to freshen up.

You let your heeled feet carry you through a maze of hallways, side stepping waiters and party guests as you move further and further away from the event space. It’s only when you travel down a flight of stairs that you find yourself a seemingly private restroom, briefly stepping inside to clean yourself up. No matter how much you dab at the stain in the center of your bust, the wine doesn’t seem to budge. You thank the heavens that it was champagne instead of a red, saving you some degree of embarrassment.

After a few minutes in the restroom, you find yourself wandering around, ending up in a much more secluded lounge space, equipped with a couple of couches surrounding a coffee table. You immediately collapse onto one, sighing as the ache in your feet finally lifts.

It’s only then that you feel your eyes begin to sting, a familiar rush of heat striking your face as a lump begins to form in your throat. The sticky sweet smell of champagne still clings to your body, your dress uncomfortable where the alcohol seeped into it. You’re sure that you look a mess, knowing that tear smudged makeup would be the last thing to complete your disheveled look.

“Another rough night?”

The soft rasp of a voice instantly has you perking up, breath caught in your throat as you take in the tall figure approaching you. His crisply pressed suit hugs his broad shoulders and cinches at an impossibly small waist. His lips are quirked upwards into a small smirk, clearly teasing. Something about it is enticing, setting off a stampede in your stomach.

“How could you tell?” You mumble, trying not to stare as Anton settles into a lounge chair across from you.

The man’s smirk just deepens. “Wild guess. What happened?”

“I spilled champagne on myself and now I look a mess.”

“You don’t,” Anton states, smirk dropping from his face. “You could never look bad.”

You fight the urge to roll your eyes. “How would you even know that? You’ve only seen me twice.”

Anton chuckles, finally relaxing into the plush of his chair. His legs separate ever so slightly at the action, allowing you to admire his mile-long legs. It’s almost frustrating, how perfect he looks. You imagine that if anyone never looks bad, it’s him.

“I’ve seen you way more than twice, Y/N.”

The simple statement has you turning your eyes away from his figure, meeting his open gaze. He seems so casual, so unbothered, as if that one sentence hasn’t turned your world upside down.

“Wait, what?” You find yourself tripping over your words in the rush to get them out. “Wh-what do you mean you’ve seen me more than twice? I only met you the first time at that contracting dinner a few weeks ago.”

Anton chuckles again, cocking his head in a puppy-like manner. “Yeah, that was the first time we’ve met, but I’ve seen you so many times. You and your family have been at every major event since we were kids. How could I not see you?”

“But, I’ve never–,”

“I know,” Anton interrupts. “I like to stay outside or in whatever lounge areas I can find. These things always make me really anxious.”

Wow, you didn’t expect such an honest admission from a man of Anton’s status. If anything, his candor makes him much more attractive, as if he could get even more perfect.

“You know we’re supposed to hate each other?” He asks, a small smile making his eyes crinkle at the corners. “Apparently you’re my rival in the field, and I’m supposed to hate everything you say and do.”

Unfortunately, you know the feeling, causing you to let out a small giggle. “Oh trust me, I know. Do you, though?”

“Hate you?”

You nod, fighting a smile as Anton pretends to think.

“Nah,” he eventually answers. “My grandfather taught me from a very young age that I should never harbor negative feelings for beautiful women.”

The implication has heat rushing to your face, forcing you to struggle to keep your composure. “Well, my family has always told me that attractive men always have impure intentions.”

Anton chuckles, shaking his head slightly. He takes a beat before standing, letting his eyes rake over your still seated figure as he begins to retreat down the hallway. It’s impossible to decipher where the intensity of his gaze stems from. He eyes you as if he were hungry, trapping you against the couch with his stare alone.

“Then let me show you just how impure my intentions are.”

The man is gone with little more than a wink and a smile, leaving you with warm cheeks and the scent of champagne clouding your nose.

. . .

You’re surprised to see Anton as soon as the next event, only three weeks later. It’s a simple charity ball for some rare disease research, but for some reason, Anton has decided not to hide in the shadows for this event. It’s interesting to watch how despite his supposed anxiety, he is clearly in his element. He greets everyone kindly, shooting various guests a charming smile as he is introduced to them. His father looks proud of him, a hand kept clapped over his shoulder the entire time.

You wonder if he’s comfortable like this, with a blur of people and faces constantly passing by him. However, you are instantly snapped out of your wondering when a manicured hand grips your shoulder. The feeling of your mothers lips close to your ear sends a shiver down your spine, a perpetually bad omen.

“Straighten up,” she scolds. “We’re going over to talk to the Lees. Their son is making a public appearance at an event like this for the first time. No funny business.”

You would laugh if not for the uncomfortable way her nails dig into your shoulder. It forces you to instantly fall in line behind your father, taking a deep breath as you get closer to the Lees. What is only a few seconds feels like hours until you finally stand face to face with your supposed rival.

“Yoon Sang, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” your father greets, shaking the hands of the head of the Lee family.

He even leans in to place a friendly kiss on Mrs. Lee’s cheek. You find yourself standing frozen in place as the parents exchange greetings, unable to do anything but stare at the man before you. He sports his signature charming smile, mouth full of perfectly white teeth on display. Not for the first time, you feel your face grow warm.

“We thought it was about time for our Y/N to meet Anton. After all, they will be competitors when they take over the respective businesses, right?”

Your father’s comment snaps you back to attention. However, you are immediately distracted by the feeling of Anton’s large hand engulfing yours, his palm both warm and surprisingly soft to the touch. You have to glance upwards to meet his eyes, but it’s impossible to miss the amused glint in his stare.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Y/N. I have heard so much about you.”

You force a smile on your face. “The pleasure is all mine.”

It’s easy to tune out the conversation after that, letting the adults blabber on while you reminisce about the feeling of Anton’s hand in yours. The man seems to be similarly distracted, clearly eyeing your figure. The silence between you speaks volumes, and you hope your parents are too deaf to hear it.

“We would love to have Anton over at our headquarters sometime,” your mother suggests, her piercing voice rising above the noise of the ball. “I’m sure Y/N would be happy to show him around!”

You don’t even have time to process the full body panic that begins to overcome you before Anton’s family is readily agreeing.

“I agree that it would be great for them to know the ins and outs of the business,” Mr. Lee replies with an overly saccharine smile. “We would love to have Y/N over for lunch at the estate as well. Who knows? Maybe they’ll find themselves to be friends.”

Your dad chuckles, obviously disgusted by the thought. “You’re so right. The two might even do a merger some day!”

As the group erupts into phony laughter, you feel the beginnings of a migraine tingling behind your left eye. Something about the cacophony of laughs and the dull classical music is making you ache, your stomach starting to swim with nausea. You dare a glance upward, fighting the pain that blooms in your head with the motion.

Anton’s gaze is bright where it meets yours, a soft smile poised on his full lips. His cheeks are dusted with a slight blush, clearly flustered by the implications. There’s a slight fidget in his fingers, twirling expensive rings as a means of soothing himself.

He’s cute, you realize, not for the first time.

It’s only after a few more moments that the families say goodbye, the Lees promising to send a lunch invitation soon. Anton shoots you another smile before he follows behind his family, suddenly looking small despite his large stature. You can’t help but smile as you watch his departure, suddenly realizing that your migraine has disappeared.

. . .

The Lee estate is just as gorgeous as you expected it to be, with tall stone gates and artfully placed landscaping. It looks impossibly large from where you’re seated in the car, causing nerves to begin to creep up your spine. You pass off the butterflies that begin to flutter in your core as obvious intimidation that comes with being on the property of your family’s biggest rivals. It surely has nothing to do with an overly soft voice, broad shoulders, and kind eyes.

“Remember,” your mother had told you before sending you off. “This is business. Reveal nothing and absorb everything. And most importantly, remember that Anton Lee is not your friend.”

You take a step out onto the perfectly paved driveway, surprised to already see someone standing by the door. Anton seems to perk up when you lock eyes, shooting you a polite smile. His wave betrays his excitement, though. You imagine that if he were a puppy, his tail would be wagging.

“Y/N, hey! I’m glad you actually came.”

“Please,” you shoot him a cheeky smile. “As if I could ever turn down an invitation from the Lee family.”

Anton lets out a slight groan. “Don’t remind me that this is ‘business.’”

“Well then what would you like for me to call it?”

Anton shrugs, turning to hold the front door open for you. It’s only when you pass through the threshold, Anton still standing behind you that he responds.

“A lunch date.” Before you have the chance to respond, Anton is shutting the door behind you both. “Come this way. Food’s on the patio.”

It takes a few turns down intricate hallways to get to a set of double doors that lead to the patio. As promised, there’s an assortment of sandwiches and salad laid out on a round table, two seats set across from each other. You would be impressed, if not for the even more stunning view that lay before you.

The patio looks out on sprawling gardens, tall bushes and blooming flowers swaying softly in the breeze. A little beyond the landscaping, a wooden dock leads out to a large pond, its greenish-blue water seemingly sparkling under the midday sun.

“Wow, this is beautiful,” you breathe out, unable to take your eyes off the sight before you.

“Yeah, it is, isn’t it? My parents have always had an affinity for water.”

You imagine that all of their properties have pools or lakes, much like this one. Meanwhile, your own family prefers the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle, never expanding beyond brutalist modern penthouses in the tallest apartment buildings in the city. It must be nice, you imagine, to have a space that feels like a home and not just another office.

Eventually, the two of you sit, settling into a comfortable silence as you distribute food amongst yourselves. It’s quite amusing to watch Anton as he eats, clearly possessing the hunger of a growing young man while forcing himself to take small bites and practice the etiquette of an heir. You wonder if you look the same, so obviously restrained while you want to let loose, if only for a bit.

Despite the fact that you haven’t seen another person since you set foot in the Lee estate, you know that people must be somewhere. There are always eyes on you.

“I’m surprised that your family was so adamant about having me over,” you begin, settling back in your chair. “I thought I was the enemy.”

Anton smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Well you know what they say. Keep the enemy close and all that.”

“Is that what you want to do? Keep me close?”

You know you’re treading in dangerous waters. All it would take is one word about the obvious flirting to Anton’s parents for you to become your family’s disgrace. You can practically see the headline now: Conglomerate Heiress Gets Rejected By Rivals’ Son. Your family would disown you. And yet, as color begins to flood Anton’s cheeks, you can’t find it within yourself to care.

“Yeah,” he says, voice coming out even softer than usual. “I think that is what I want to do.”

You duck your head, clearing your throat in an attempt to settle the flutter in your stomach. “I’d like that.”

A sudden interest in lunch leaves both of you munching away in silence. It’s peaceful, despite blushing cheeks and racing heartbeats. It allows you to realize that being around Anton is unlike being around anyone else in your family’s circle. Here, there’s no pressure to be prim and proper, no pressure to listen out for secret ins and outs of business.

It’s odd to find comfort in the one person who is supposed to bring you anything but. And yet, with the warmth of the sun on your face and the pleasant fullness in your belly, you’ve never felt more at home.

“You know,” Anton starts once you have both cleared your plates. “I think we’re supposed to be talking about business.”

You fight the urge to roll your eyes. “Can I be honest?”

Anton nods slightly, honey brown hair shifting across his forehead.

“The business is the last thing I want to talk about.”

Anton smiles. “Trust me, I feel the same way.”

There’s a beat of silence, the two of you content to simply sit as the breeze ruffles the flowers that dot the landscape. When Anton speaks again, you watch his mouth, noting the way that his lips hold the same hue of the red tulips in the nearby flower bed.

“Can I show you something?”

The simple question has your gaze flickering back upwards, trying to ignore the way your heart races when his eyes meet yours.

“Sure,” you whisper, words instantly carried away by the wind.

Following behind Anton through the grass proves to be harder than you imagined, his long legs allowing him to move with a grace and speed that is difficult to match. He leads you in between a maze of flower beds, bringing you deeper into the garden until you’re surrounded by tall hedges on either side. From here, it’s impossible to see the house, so you just continue to follow behind Anton. You find yourself eyeing the broadness of his shoulders and the way his shirt shifts across the muscles of his back as he walks. It’s hypnotizing, so much so that you don’t realize that you have arrived at your destination.

“This is my thinking spot,” Anton says with a little flutter of his arms, clearly trying to present the space to you.

The hedge maze has opened up to a small central pocket, not housing much except for a small fountain and a stone bench. Anton is quick to take a seat, motioning for you to occupy the space next to him. It’s a bit of a squeeze, putting you and Anton close enough that you can feel the heat of his skin on your own. You dig your nails into the stone of the bench, hoping that it will steel your nerves.

“I like to come out here when my parents get in my head about the business. It’s pretty peaceful.”

“Yeah,” you say softly, despite knowing that no one is within earshot. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah, it really is.”

There’s an airiness to Anton’s voice that has you turning to face him. You take in a sharp inhale when you notice that his eyes are already on you, the close proximity leaving your faces mere inches away from each other. The overwhelming rush of blood in your ears forces you to turn away, taking a deep breath to calm your thundering heartbeat.

“You take all the girls here?” You aim for teasing, but the slight break in your voice makes it err more on the side of desperation.

Anton shakes his head earnestly. “You’re the first person I’ve brought here who isn’t my family.”

The admission feels like a sucker punch to the gut. Except there’s no pain, just a rush of warmth that climbs up your throat like ivy. Anton is clearly surprised as well, his own words deepening the pretty flush that has taken hold on his cheeks. His bottom lip is trapped by his teeth, its plushness oh so enticing in the afternoon sun.

“Y-you know,” you stutter out, swallowing thickly before continuing. “When you said you had impure intentions, I thought you were joking.”

“I don’t think I could joke about how bad I want you.”

It should feel like a corny line. It should feel like something he says to all the girls. After all, he’s Anton Lee. He could get anyone he wanted at the drop of a hat. So why does it feel so real when he says it to you? Why does it feel like those words are meant for you, and only you?

Anton’s gravity is pulling you closer, allowing you to lean further into his space. You’re close enough that you can feel his warm breath fanning your face, coming out in gentle puffs that reveal just how fast his heart is racing. He has released his bottom lip by now, leaving it glossy with saliva. It’s impossible not to anticipate the smooth glide of it against your own.

A sudden vibration snaps you both out of your bubble, the two of you popping apart as if you were repelling magnets. It takes a few seconds for you to realize that the vibration is coming from your own phone, buzzing incessantly. You shoot Anton an apologetic look before stepping away to take the call.

“We need you back home,” your mother rushes from the other side of the line, not bothering to waste time greeting you. “Your father wants to hear about your business with the Lees before he heads to his strategy meeting in an hour.”

“But the Lee house is thirty minutes away!”

You can practically hear your mother’s eye roll over the phone. “Then you better get going.”

. . .

Business meeting, my house at 4pm?

The text comes as both a surprise and the most expected invitation in the world. In your flurry to leave his house the week before, you had made sure to leave the man with your number. In turn, he smiled wide, promising to invite you over for another “business meeting” soon.

Before you can inquire about how much business will actually be necessary to discuss, your phone buzzed again.

My parents just left for a business trip to Milan.

A flutter rushes through your stomach at the implications. It’s clear what that means, that the two of you will finally have a chance to act on your chemistry without the watchful eyes of competitive families. The two of you will finally get to exist as your own people, and not as rivals and heirs of major global conglomerates.

The thought alone has you spending extra time on your appearance as you get ready. You make sure your hair sits just right and that your lips are perfectly glossy before pulling on a swimsuit and heading over. You try your best to remain as still as possible during the entire ride there, knowing that nerves in combination with the late summer heat will be enough to set you aflame.

Your heart is slamming in your chest by the time you finally pull into Anton’s driveway. It’s accompanied by a soft flutter of affection when you spot Anton’s figure, waving at you from the doorway. The wide smile on his face alone is enough to melt you. But the relaxed fit of his muscle tee and the way his swim shorts sit low on his hips has your face flooding with heat.

He greets you with a tight hug when you cross the threshold into the house. You try not to swoon at the firm pressure of his arms around your torso, ignoring the heat of his bare skin on your own. Anton had never touched you before, not beyond a simple handshake exchanged in front of parents, always respectful to a fault. For the first time, you find yourself grateful for that fact, knowing that now that you’ve had a taste of his touch, you will forever be addicted.

“I’m so happy to see you,” Anton gushes. “My parents have been really getting on my nerves about business and competition lately.”

“So you decided to invite the competition over to chill?”

Anton smiles, cocking his head in a puppy-like manner. “No, I invited the competition over to swim!”

So that’s why he reminded you to wear a bathing suit mere minutes before you left for his house. It makes sense, from the minimal texts that the two of you exchanged. Anton was always excited about the balanced heat of late summer, citing it as the perfect time for a lakeside swim. You wouldn’t know, of course, never having the luxury of having a lake in your backyard.

“What about your staff?”

“I let everyone have the afternoon off,” Anton responds proudly before letting his smile sink into something softer, more private. “I just wanted us to have some time alone.”

The simple admission rings out loudly in the otherwise quiet house. It’s clear how badly Anton wants this, how bad he wants your company despite the taboo that comes with it. Unsurprisingly, you find yourself wanting it just as bad, if not more. You’ve never craved anyone’s presence the way you have craved Anton’s, despite him being the one person in the world that you supposedly need to keep your distance from.

A small nod on your end is enough for Anton’s smile to grow once again, pearly whites on full display as his eyes wrinkle at the corners. The sight alone has your heart beating a little harder in your chest, the minor flutter in your abdomen growing into a full stampede of emotions. The feeling only intensifies as Anton engulfs your hand in his, lacing your fingers together as he leads you out into the backyard.

The late afternoon sun sparkles against the water, illuminating everything in a blue-yellow glow. It’s the most captivating sight for miles, you’re sure, until Anton begins to take his shirt off. The way his muscles shift under his unblemished skin rivals the beautiful surface of the lake, sparkling in its own way. His shoulder blades dance across his back enticingly as he leans down to remove his socks and shoes.

He shoots you a smile over his shoulder before cannonballing right into the water.

It takes only a few seconds for the man to reemerge, slicking his honey brown hair off of his forehead. His biceps bulge with the movement before waving you into the water. It’s as clear of a signal as any, but you can’t help but hesitate, suddenly shy at the thought of stripping down to your bikini in the presence of such a man. But the delicate reflection of sunlight in his eyes and the easy smile on his face is enough to draw you in.

Before you know it, you’re discarding your clothes, taking a running head start to join Anton in the water.

Your skin is submerged in an icy chill, the water surprisingly cool for so late in the day. But soon the warmth of another body is nearing, making the cold that much more bearable. You resurface with a giggle, giddy from the feeling of swimming so long. Instantly, Anton is joining in, clearly happy seeing you filled with such glee.

“Fuck, it’s cold!” You exclaim, shrieking when Anton splashes a bit of water your way.

“It’ll get better,” Anton grins. “You just gotta keep swimming.”

It’s easy to do as told, letting your body relax as you continue to wade in the cool water. Eventually you let yourself fall into your back, feeling the contrast between the warm sun on your face and the cool water surrounding your body. It’s serene, allowing you to let your worries quite literally float away. However, the feeling of a chilled hand grazing your hip is enough to snap you out of your relaxation, scrambling to right yourself in panic.

“Sorry!” Anton chuckles. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just getting bored without you.”

“It’s okay,” you soothe, finding that the pace of your heart is beginning to quicken for an entirely different reason.

Anton looks especially beautiful like this, with his damp hair splayed messily across his head and drops of water dripping down his face. The sun has just begun to set, painting Anton’s skin with a beautiful golden hue. His eyes glisten just like the water, sunlight sparkling as it dances across the reflective surfaces. Like this, Anton seems so bright, so luminous, that hating him seems impossible.

“I’m really glad you came today,” Anton says, his voice dropping to that soft shy tone he always uses in the presence of others. “I’m glad to have someone who gets what it's like.”

You can’t resist the smile that begins to tug on the corners of your mouth. “You’re not just saying this to get my family’s business secrets?”

Anton huffs out a laugh. “No. I’m saying this because I really like you. I like spending time with you, even though I’m supposed to hate it.”

With every word, you find yourself drifting closer to the man, his hand remaining steady on your hip as you tread lightly. Despite the obvious effort to keep your head above water, you feel like you’re drowning. But the slick feeling of Anton’s skin against yours reminds you that you won’t drown. Anton won’t let you.

“I like you, too.”

The simple admission has Anton’s face flushing, the pretty rose color glistening orange in the light. It’s beautiful. He’s beautiful. You hate to dull his beauty in this moment, but you have to.

“But what about our families? It’s not like the two of us can ever be anything.”

Anton sighs, his face dropping with realization. “I know, but…is it crazy to say that I don’t care?”

The hand on your hip tightens, pulling you even closer into Anton’s space. It’s close enough that the two of you end up bumping knees every so often, constantly moving to keep yourselves afloat. Here, in his space, you can see the way that his lashes cast subtle shadows on his cheeks. It’s easy to count the few moles that pepper his face and neck, sitting stark upon unblemished skin.

When his eyes meet yours, it becomes clear what you wish to do. No, what you need to do.

“Anton,” you whisper. “What did you mean when you said you had impure intentions?”

The man moves to open his mouth, but before he can get the first syllable out, you cut him off.

“Don’t tell me,” you coo. “Show me.”

You would be lying if you said you never thought about the feeling of Anton’s plush lips on yours. In reality, you spent too many nights lying awake, thinking about the slick feel of his mouth on yours, of the way his large hands would feel clutching onto your body, of the feel of his soft brown strands underneath your fingertips.

But dreams never compare to the real thing.

Nothing could compare to the pure bliss of having Anton’s mouth slide against your own. He moves fervently, letting the kiss carry the twinge of desperation that you both have felt since you’ve met. It’s far from the polite way that you expected Anton Lee to kiss, but that makes it that much better.

His nose grazes your cheek as he tilts his head, angling himself to kiss you deeper. His tongue is warm as it eases its way into your mouth, the warmth a welcome contrast to the chill of the lake. The hand that was once grasping your hip travels down to your backside and thigh, lifting you up to wrap yourself around his waist. It’s improper, at the very least, but you can’t find it in yourself to care when Anton sighs softly into your mouth.

It feels like ages before the two of you part, chests heaving where they remain pressed together. You’re so close that you imagine that even water can’t exist between you two. Anton’s abdomen is solid where your core is pressed up against him, supporting your weight so that neither of you are at risk of sinking.

“That,” Anton whispers, “is what I meant by impure intentions.

You can’t help but giggle at the boy’s breathless tone, suddenly feeling giddy that you were the one to make him this way. You were the one to fluster the ever-perfect Anton Lee. It was you. It’s always been you.

“Our parents…” you mutter reflexively, your mind a war zone.

“Hey,” Anton coos, bringing a hand under your chin.

With just a gentle tilt, you meet his eyes, instantly getting lost in the way his gaze bores into yours. As if he can’t help himself, Anton leans in to place a quick peck on your lips. When you part, a soft whine escapes your lips, mourning the loss of your lover’s kiss.

“Y/N, we’ll figure it out. I won’t let this go south because of our parents.”

You nod nervously, trying your hardest to believe in the reassurance that Anton is trying to provide you. As if he could sense the residual nerves, Anton presses his lips against your forehead in a soft kiss. The sensation makes your eyes flutter shut, a content smile beginning to grown on your face. After a brief moment, Anton chuckles.

“Who knows?” He mutters. “Maybe our parents will get that merger after all.”

. . .

[8 years later]

BREAKING NEWS: Lee Enterprises and TOTAL, Inc. have announced a historic merger to form one mega-corporation. This announcement comes one year after CEO and President of Lee Enterprises, Anton Lee, and Chairperson of TOTAL, Inc., Y/N Y/L/N, announced their marriage. The new multinational conglomerate will be known as Lakeside, LLC, and is said to have a current stock value of over five billion dollars.

.FIN.

#anton imagines #riize imagines #riize #anton lee #riize fluff #riize smut #written in the stars

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mingis-orangejuice · 7 months ago

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How do the OG love interests react to you with Sylus?

*a/n: Hi guys this is my first headcanon so please be nice :) In this none of them are officially dating MC but it's pretty obvious that they all have feelings for her. Also, it takes place at a work event for MC and I know technically in the main story there's no way Sylus would be allowed into a hunter’s association event, but I couldn't think of any other type of event where they would all happen to be at the same time. Either way, this is just for fun so it doesn't really need to make sense.

Genres/Warnings: fem!reader, nothing to really worry about, this is just some good old-fashioned fluff/crack. Some jealousy tho

An award ceremony was coming up at Unicorns to award the best hunters at the company, You were surprised when Captain Jenna told you that you’d been nominated for a few categories like most wanderers eliminated in a single mission and even Hunter of the Year, but since you were a rookie hunter you didn't think you’d win any of them, still, it was nice to be included, especially since you were one of the only rookies to be nominated.

That evening you got a call from Sylus congratulating you on your nominations.

“How did you even know I’d been nominated” you asked.

“Mephisto informed me,” he said with a small chuckle

“Oh so you have him monitoring me at work now?” you questioned, slightly annoyed.

“He was simply in Linkon doing some business for me, is it my fault that he happened to pass by your office on the way back to the base?” Sylus sarcastically asked, you could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

“Anyways, I wanted to ask you, have you decided on what you’re going to wear to the award ceremony yet?

“Yeah, why?” you were suspicious of his sudden interest in your fashion choices.

“Good, come over to the base I want to see it,” he said flatly

“Why?” you were even more suspicious of his motives now.

“Well, we’ll need to match if I'm going to be on the arm of the Hunter of the Year right?” *click*

Sylus didn’t even wait for you to reply and just hung up, almost like he knew you’d come over anyway so he didn’t need confirmation. He was right. Somehow he had not-so-subtly invited himself to your award show as your plus-one.

As you walk into the banquet hall, arms linked, you see a familiar face in the crowd…

Zayne:

-Zayne would be a little bothered but would hide it by asking Sylus a million questions. about how he knows you, when he met you and how long have you and him been friends.

-He would make sure to emphasize the word “Friends” to know for sure if you two were dating

-his logic is if you and Sylus are dating, one of you would correct him, but if you are indeed just friends you wouldn’t say anything.

-to his relief, you didn't correct him

-Sylus would sense the fact that Zayne probably has some type of close relationship with you too so he’d pull you a little closer by your waist as he proceeds to ask Zayne his own series of questions about how he knows you.

-Zayne would be satisfied after the conversation and excuse himself to go find his seat.

-even tho he was relieved that you weren’t dating Sylus he’d still glance over at you every few minutes because he couldn’t put his finger on it but he has a hunch that Sylus might be bad news and he wants to make sure you’re safe.

-Sylus would keep his hand on your waist the whole night because even tho you didn’t notice Zayne’s glances Sylus sure did.

-Overall while Zayne wouldn’t like the fact that you came to the ceremony with another man (especially since you didn’t even think to invite him) he’d respect your choices and leave you be (mostly)

Rafayel:

-He’d be the most openly bothered by it.

-the second he sees you walk in he runs up to you, ready to playfully scold you for not inviting him and that he had to find out about the event from Thomas, so he thought he’d invite himself. He told the person at the door that he was your plus one (he also slipped them a $100 bill)

-as he ran up to you his smile faded as he saw your arm linked with another man that wasn’t him

-oh so this is why you didn’t invite him

- He would greet you with a long hug hoping to make Sylus Jealous

-he would instantly turn on his best customer service voice when greeting Sylus to try and hide how hurt he is that you invited some random guy instead of him

- but that would quickly fade once Sylus starts answering his long list of questions he just has to ask to make sure this random not important guy that you invited instead of him was worthy of being your plus one.

-Rafayel takes every answer as a challenge to try and one-up Sylus

-if Sylus mentioned that he took you to a fancy Italian restaurant in Linkon City last week, Rafayel would mention how he took you to a real Italian restaurant in Italy last month, (or at least how he wanted to but you were busy with work and couldn’t just drop everything and join him in Italy)

-if Sylus said he bought you the dress that you’re wearing, Rafayel would remind you of the time he bought you a cute mermaid-themed hoodie which is actually your favourite and you use it all the time, therefor it’s more important than a dress that you’ll only wear once

-while Rafayel was getting worked up trying to keep up with Sylus. Sylus kept his calm demeanour the whole conversation, he noticed that the calmer he was the more annoyed Rafayel would get and he found it amusing.

-Rafayel would constantly text you throughout the night to check on you even though you were sitting only 1 table away.

-Sylus took note of this and would purposefully do things like put his arm around your shoulder or wipe the food off your lips to get Rafayel to frantically text you making sure you’re ok, and ask if you want to switch seats and come sit next to him where you won't have a random guy constantly touching you.

-overall he will be suuuuper jealous and will make it very obvious (even though in his mind he thinks he was being subtle)

Xavier:

-I think he’d be extremely bothered but he'd be way better at hiding it than Rafayel

-like the others he’d also have a few questions for him about what his relationship with you is but he would very casually drop them into a normal conversation

-he, much like the others stared at you the whole night, but only just to make sure you were ok, definitely not because he was jealous or anything. You’re his co-worker and friend so he feels responsible if anything happens to you.

-he would try and do a background check on him during the event on his hunter's watch but nothing came up, since Sylus obviously didn’t tell Xavier who he really was.

-this made Xavier even more worried, who is MC really sitting with, how is she so calm and why would he give him fake info, just what is he trying to hide?

-he was so focused on staring at you and Sylus that he didn't even notice that he downed 3 full plates of finger foods, every time the waiters would pass by he would unconsciously grab the plates out of their hands and bitterly eat while staring, almost like he’s in a trance.

-once you guys get to the apartment building and the adrenalin wears off he’ll notice that his stomach is in so much pain from all the food he unknowingly ate while staring at you and Sylus.

-he nearly collapses in the elevator on the way to your apartments, so you decide to invite yourself over to his and take care of him

- he may be in tons of pain right now but at least he gets you all to himself

*Please do not reupload anywhere this is my original work

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ashprince-of-bel-air · 2 months ago

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Little Dove: Part 2

Im flattered you guys liked part 1! Here is part 2 and I'm going to try and write a couple more chapters!

Part one , Part 3

Your mind had lingered on Emperor Caracalla ever since the day you attended that court, the twinkle in his eye as he spoke to you and the way he kissed your hand, bringing a blush to your face every time you remembered it. Once you would have dreaded the next calling of the senate, now you were praying for the days to pass in the hopes you could see Caracalla again.

The Gladiator Games were set to begin on the morrow, a special occasion to appease the Gods. Rome had not felt the relief of rain for months now, her citizens were were on the brink of unrest and madness. Food had come in short supply to its people, fueling the fire that had already been simmering for the last decade under the rule of the twin Emperors.

The Games were to be a grand spectacle, to rival that of the celebration thrown when the Emperors were coronated. It was to be a multi day spectacle of battle, blood and victory, one that anyone of importance was expected to attend, any snub would be considered a slight against the Gods and the Emperors promised there would be punishment for it.

As a senator your father was expected to attend all 3 days of the Games, ones that you would be attending with him, making your official debut to the entire senate and the public. You knew the reason for this, he was trying to marry you off to a man of influence, to further his career in the senate, you would never carve your own path like your brother's would, your worth lay with whomever would take you as a wife, a fact you wholly resented.

The sun bore down relentlessly over the stadium, the heat of it feeling more intense by the minute, almost becoming unbearable as the day wore on. You watched the matches enthusiastically, these were your first games and you were surprised at how enthralled you were. Previously you had believed them to be barbaric and unnecessary, yet you could not deny the pull of them as you sat in the stadium. The roar of the crowd and atmosphere was hypnotic as you found yourself cheering on the gladiators, each battle more exciting than the next.

The next match was the main event the munera, the top gladiator's from the best ludus' would compete to become primus palus of the day. It was to be the bloodiest competition of the day, one that everyone had waited for, taking bets on which gladiator would become the victor. The battle was hard one by a gladiator named Septimus, you joined the crowd in chanting his name as he made his victory lap, caught up in the moment, not noticing a certain Emperor looking down upon you from the royal box, a smile spreading across his face as he watched you enjoy the games.

An invite to the royal palace for a banquet worthy of the Gods was extended to all the senators who attended the games, the finest wine and food would be served to Rome's finest citizens. The palace was awe inspiring, you had never seen such grandeur, it made your father's villa look shabby in comparison. Marble and gold adorned every room, rich tapestrys hung through the hallways as you and your father made your way to the banquet hall, ready to mingle with the rest of the senate.

For once it was nice to be holding a cup of wine rather than pouring it, though the eyes of the lecherous old senators were still raking over your body; you made sure to not let it ruin this night for you, your first and maybe only royal banquet. You could feel the hot gaze of your father upon you as the night went on, each man he sent to you walked away with a sour look on his face, you were beautiful but not worth the effort these men would have to put into courting you. You would pay for this act of defiance after the games were done but you were too busy reveling in the banquet to care.

Though Caracalla had senators queuing up to vie for his and Geta's attention he never took his eyes off you once he spotted you. He knew you would be in attendance and would make his way to you at his first opportunity. The way you rejected the advances of the men who came to you made him chuckle, many women would love the attention yet you spurned it, you were different and it made him want you more.

Finally the senators had stopped approaching him, he had grown tired of the baseless flattery of men who did not mean it, only attempting to gain influence. Caracalla sat upon his throne, his loyal monkey Dundus upon his shoulder, feeding her grapes and laughing as she ruffled his hair, growing excited from the bustle of the crowd. A thought popped into his head as he finally caught you stood on your own, having rejected another man for the night, he knew how to get your attention.

Caracalla stroked Dundus' small paw and pointed to you in the corner, motioning for her to go to you. As Dundus crawled away he smiled to himself, he knew this would get your attention and he watched the situation unfold.

It was nice to have a moment of peace, the men and old senators finally having given up on you for the night, you let out a relieved sigh and took a big gulp of wine. It wasn't long until you felt a scurry up your dress, you almost screamed until you recognised the cheeky monkey from before. You giggled as you felt her play with your hair once again "Well hello Lady Dundus" Stroking her head and playfully shaking her tiny paw. "And where is your master then?" You smiled at her before looking up, seeing Caracalla sat in the distance, a smile upon his face as he looked at you, his eyes flitting up and down over your figure.

This was a perfect opportunity for you to speak to him again, hoping the blush wouldn't creep up onto your cheeks as you spoke to him, wanting to keep your composure before him. You walked through the crowd to stand before his throne, ignoring the stares as you walked past with the Emperor's prized pet upon your shoulder.

"My Emperor" You bowed politely before him, the feeling of butterflies in your stomach almost making you stutter as you spoke. You held your hand up to Dundus who was happily sat upon your shoulder, letting her grip and inspect your fingers curiously. "She is a very cheeky one isn't she my Emperor?" Your voice playful, hoping you were not being to over familiar with him.

"She just knows a pretty lady when she sees one, Little Dove" The nickname made you blush ever so slightly, unable to think of a clever answer to him like you would to any other man who tried to flirt with you. Caracalla held out his arm and Dundas swiftly jumped back to her master, nestling onto his shoulder playing with his hair once more, ruffling it in a way that made him look even more attractive.

"So my Little Dove, did you enjoy the games today?" His smile was cocky as he spoke, he knew you enjoyed the games, he spent most of the day glancing down at you in the stands below his royal box. "Yes my Emperor, it was my first time attending and it was enthralling, I must admit I may have gotten caught up in the excitement of the crowd though." You spoke without thinking, admitting you got caught upon in the crowd was unbecoming of you but you found it hard to censor your thoughts Infront of him now.

"The games will do that to a person, the primal nature of them gets to all of us my dear" Caracalla spoke softly to you, finding your nervousness towards him flattering, especially after you had spent the entire night ruthlessly rejecting any other man who came before you. A thought popped into his head as he spoke to you, thinking this would be the best way to get you to himself.

"I want you to join me in the royal box for tomorrows games Little Dove, it is an entirely different experience viewing from the heights that Gods would" His eyes gazed over your face, judging your reaction before quickly adding. "Your father would also be invited of course" He did not need to invite your father, he was the Emperor and he could do as he pleased, yet he did not want to offend him or have him take his wrath out on you.

Your eyes light up at the invite, not only would you get to be in close proximity with Caracalla again but you were invited to the royal box, a luxury very few would ever be afforded. You bowed quickly again, this time trying to hide the blush that was now very apparent on your face. "Thank you my Emperor, I shall inform my father right away and you can make the arrangements with him" Your smile was wide as you made your way quickly to your father, almost giddy as you told him. Obviously your father would not decline, you even almost saw a twinkle in his eye as you told him but you were too excited to care. You would be joining Emperor Caracalla in the royal box tomorrow, a thought that caused your heart to flutter, excited as to what day 2 of the games would bring.

#emperor caracalla fic #gladiator caracalla #emperor caracalla x reader #emperor caracalla

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fxrmuladaydreams · 1 year ago

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mine (cs55)

possessive!carlos x reader

summary: carlos can’t help but feel a little possessive when someone else tries to flirt with you

warnings: google translated spanish, reader doesn’t speak spanish (I’m sorry, I don’t speak spanish), please feel free to leave me little blurb requests for any of the drivers I write about

All it would take is one glance from anyone who even remotely knew either one of you, and they’d think you were an item. Well, they’d at least think there was something going on between the two of you. Whether it was the way Carlos kept an arm around your waist to keep you tucked into his side in the garage, or the way you held onto his hand in the paddock so as to not get separated from him with all of the bustling people around, it was clear as day that there were more than platonic feelings floating between the two of you.

The other drivers knew that you were strictly off-limits. Poor Pierre had to find out the hard way, seemingly avoiding the Ferrari garage whenever possible after having a little talk with the Spanish driver.

Charles often teased the two of you for your affection for one another, claiming that if Carlos knew any better he would ask you out before someone else swept you off your feet. You knew it was unlikely though, your heart belonged to Carlos, and it would be difficult for anyone to compete with him for it.

Carlos also knew that no one would be able steal you away from him. Sure, around you or Charles he could be a silly guy, but he knew how to keep others away from you. It wasn’t hard for him to intimidate anyone who tried to get closer to you. All it would take was an arm around your waist, pulling you into his broad chest, and a look to the offender, a look daring them to try something and see what would happen.

You spent races watching him from the Ferrari garage in a Ferrari team kit shirt with a bold number 55 on the back, as if to remind anyone that even though he was on the track he was still there with you. He made sure that you were the last person he saw before getting in the car, and the first person he saw getting out of it.

Rare as they may be, podiums with Carlos were special, a thing to be celebrated. Being able to see all of his hard work and training culminate to his success was a privilege you held close to your heart.

After parties were mostly a formality to Carlos. He knew he needed to spend the extra time with his team, thank the sponsors and higher-ups that decided to attend, all while he would much rather be back in his hotel room with his arms wrapped around you as you watched a movie together.

He rarely went to any work events without you nowadays, claiming that having you there with him made it more bearable.

You picked out a dress that you knew Carlos liked, stepping into it as you hear a knock on the door.

The Spanish driver greets you when you open the door, his adoring eyes travel down your body, then back up to your face. His breath catches in his throat.

“You look beautiful mi amor.” He sighs, a lazy smile resting on his face.

You feel your cheeks heat up under his gaze, and pull him into your room.

“Could you zip me up?” You ask, turning your back to him.

The dress hangs on your hips, your back fully exposed to Carlos as he slowly zips it up, allowing his fingers to graze your skin softly.

“Ready to go?” His breath fans the back of your neck as he speaks.

You hum and nod, taking his hand in yours and leading him outside.

The banquet hall was busy, people grouped together in clumps all around, a dance floor with flashing lights packed with buzzed partygoers, and a bar where people stood shoulder to shoulder trying to get a drink.

Carlos keeps you close while he makes his rounds talking to various groups of people, other drivers, and sponsors. A hand intertwined with yours turns into an arm around your waist when it gets a little too crowded. You spend most of the event nodding along with whatever Carlos said to who he was talking to, it was all them giving him different variations of “congratulations” really.

You can feel yourself start to get tired as the night goes on, finding yourself leaning even more into Carlos than usual.

“Let me get you a drink amor, then just a little bit longer and we can go back upstairs.” He gives you a soft smile, stepping away from you towards the bar.

Your eyes travel around the room. Most of the drivers have ditched the banquet hall, most likely in search of a club. You can see a few Ferrari employees scattered around though, toasting to a great race and an even better next one.

You sigh when you feel a presence next to you once again, ready to offer Carlos a smile and a thank you for your drink, but the eyes you meet when you turn aren’t the deep brown ones you’ve grown accustomed to.

“Hey beautiful, I don’t think I’ve able to make your acquaintance yet.” He gives you an unsettling smile as his eyes shamelessly trail up and down your body.

He’s standing far too close for your liking. You give him a small smile and take a step back.

Carlos waits at the bar for your drinks, but any and all thoughts about the glasses that are placed next to him are lost when he sees you. It’s very clear that you’re uncomfortable and very clear that the man who’s decided to invade your personal space won’t take the hint.

“So what do you do for F1? I mean, you’re far too pretty to be an engineer or mechanic.”

You try not to scoff at his comment, wincing when he brushes his hand against your arm.

Carlos leaves the bar and walks back over to where you’re standing, a tight feeling spreading in his chest. He reaches you in seconds, pulling you into him so that you’re standing chest to chest. You visibly relax in Carlos’ hold, letting out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding in.

Carlos looks to your offender. “Ella es mía. Si eres inteligente te irás ahora mismo.” His eyes bore into the man who now looks frightened. (She is mine. If you're smart, you'll leave right now.)

He nods, then walks away from you quickly.

“What did you say to him?” You ask, looking up at Carlos.

He looks back down at you and shakes his head. “Nothing amor.” He releases you from his hold, opting to take your hand. “Let’s go back upstairs.”

You follow him as he leads you to the elevator, then to the door of your hotel room. He stands close to you as you search for your room key.

“Goodnight Carlos.” You tell him.

“Goodnight amor.” He replies quietly.

Neither one of you makes an effort to move, you staring into his eyes, as his glance down at your lips. He wonders if he should finally take that step forward with you.

“What did you say to that guy earlier?” You ask him.

He leans closer to you, his nose brushing yours, giving you the opportunity to pull away from him.

“I told him that you’re mine. And that if he was smart he’d leave.”

You let out a quiet laugh, then leaning into him, and press your lips to his. He wraps his arms around you, pulling you impossibly closer to him.

“I’m yours.” You whisper against his lips.

“And I’m yours.” He smiles.

#carlos sainz x reader #cs55 #formula one x reader #cs55 x reader #carlos sainz

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cacharclub · 2 years ago

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#banquets in silchar #silchar #banquet #hotels #hotel #banquet halls #business #startup #entrepreneur #best hotels in silchar #deluxe hotels in silchar #hotel near club road #hotels in silchar #events #corporate #companies #corporatelunch #corporateevents

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ramada-neemrana · 1 year ago

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#Weekend Destination Neemrana #Hotel in Neemrana #Hotel on Delhi Jaipur Highway #Hotels in Japanese Zone Neemrana #Hotels near Neemrana #Business Hotels in Neemrana #Rooms in Neemrana #Neemrana Hotel #Best Hotels in Neemrana #Hotel for Wedding in Neemrana #Hotels for Conferences in Neemrana #Corporate Events in Neemrana #Restaurant in Neemrana #Japanese Restaurant in Neemrana #Hotels near Neemrana Fort #Banquet Hall in Neemrana #Banquets in Neemrana

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scribbly-squid · 26 days ago

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Anyone, Anything

Lucifer x F!Imp Reader

Lucifer's world is thrown into chaos when his wife, Lilith, announces she needs a break from their relationship. Her sudden departure leaves him reeling, clutching their infant daughter, Charlie, in his arms as he battles feelings of betrayal and heartbreak. Struggling to reconcile his emotions, he finds himself thrust into the challenges of parenthood alone - until he meets a fellow Hellborn who understands his struggles.

🌻I finally got this chapter finished. It took too long in my opinion, I kept rereading it and didn’t like how some parts sounded. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter / Masterlist

Chapter 1

“What do you think happened?”

You glanced over at Carrie, a fellow imp maid who’d become your closest companion since you started working at the Morningstar Manor. She stood with one hand on her hip, a mischievous gleam in her yellow eyes.

“About what?” you asked, your tone light as you continued sweeping the vast banquet hall. The gilded chandeliers overhead sparkled like constellations, but the heavy silence in the manor was impossible to ignore.

Carrie groaned dramatically, rolling her eyes. “You know…” She glanced around, making sure no one else was nearby before leaning in closer. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “About Lilith leaving.”

Your movements slowed just slightly, the broom catching against the polished marble floor. You straightened and looked up at her, feigning indifference. “I don’t know.”

Carrie narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms as she leaned against the handle of her feather duster. “Oh, come on. You’re telling me you haven’t noticed anything weird? The arguments? The way Lucifer’s been stomping around like a walking thunderstorm?”

You straightened, gripping the broom handle a little tighter. The mention of Lilith’s departure made your stomach twist. Of course you’d noticed the shift in the manor’s atmosphere—the tension so thick it felt like it could suffocate you. Lucifer Morningstar, the King of Hell and the most fearsome being you’d ever encountered, had been anything but his usual self.

“I try not to get involved in things that don’t concern me,” you said finally, your voice quieter than you intended.

Carrie let out a short laugh, shaking her head. “Don’t concern you? Girl, everything concerns you when you live under the same roof as him. Especially when you’re cleaning up after his messes.” She gestured vaguely to the ornate table behind you.

You sighed and turned back to your sweeping, but the knots in your chest only tightened. It wasn’t as though you hadn’t thought about it—hell, you’d overheard more than you cared to admit. The shouting matches, the muffled sobs, the tension that seemed to saturate the very air of the manor. Lilith’s departure hadn’t been a single event. It was a slow unraveling, weeks of barely-hidden turmoil that had finally snapped.

And then there was Charlie, their three-month-old daughter, who’d been thrust into Lucifer’s care. You’d seen him with her a few times. He tried, that much was clear, but he looked… lost. Out of place.

But it wasn’t your place to talk about it.

“I think it’s best we stick to our jobs,” you said carefully, focusing on the rhythmic sweep of the broom. “We’re here to clean, not to speculate.”

Carrie snorted, muttering something you couldn’t quite catch under her breath. But for once, she dropped the subject, moving off to dust one of the massive chandeliers.

The two of you worked in silence for a while, the occasional clang of cleaning tools echoing off the high ceilings. Somewhere in the distance, the faint sound of Charlie’s cries reached your ears. It tugged at something deep inside you—a strange mixture of pity and unease.

You shook the thought away, focusing on the task at hand. The Morningstar family’s affairs were none of your business.

“That should do it.” Carrie’s voice broke the silence. She stood back, brushing a stray feather from her duster as she surveyed the gleaming banquet hall. “Banquet hall’s clean. Mister Winfred will be satisfied.” She pulled a crumpled note from the pocket of her apron and squinted at the next item on the list. “Next up… the parlor room in the west wing.”

You groaned, leaning against your broom for support. “Are you kidding me? We’re on the complete opposite side of the manor! Isn’t there something else we can do here in the east wing?”

Carrie scanned the list, her lips moving silently as she read. After a moment, she shook her head. “Nope. Everything else is west wing. Looks like we’re walking.”

“Great,” you muttered, dragging the broom behind you as you followed her toward the door. The thought of trekking across the sprawling manor was exhausting enough, but the unspoken tension in the air made it worse. The weight of it pressed down on your shoulders like the suffocating heat of Hell itself.

You paused at the doorway, casting one last glance back at the room. The banquet hall gleamed, every surface spotless and perfect. But it was hard to ignore the feeling that no amount of cleaning could fix the fractures running through the Morningstar Manor.

As you and Carrie made your way toward the west wing, the faint sounds of Charlie’s crying grew louder, echoing through the long, marble-lined corridors. The noise tugged at your heart, each sob sharp and insistent, like a tiny dagger pricking your conscience. Before long, you found yourselves passing her nursery, the door slightly ajar. The room inside was dim, but you could make out the faint glow of a nightlight and the shadow of her crib.

Your hoovesteps slowed, hesitation creeping in. Should you check on her? The idea of Charlie crying alone made your stomach churn. You stopped, your hand twitching at your side as if to reach for the door.

But before you could take another step, Carrie grabbed the sleeve of your uniform, stopping you in your tracks. You turned to her, confused, only to find her shaking her head firmly.

“What if His Majesty got the wrong idea?” she whispered, her tone serious.

Her words sent a jolt through you. The last thing you wanted was to be caught somewhere you didn’t belong, especially by Lucifer Morningstar himself. You nodded reluctantly, even as every maternal instinct in you screamed to go inside.

Ignoring the pull in your chest, you forced yourself to follow Carrie, leaving the sounds of Charlie’s wails behind. Each step away from the nursery felt heavier than the last, but you kept your head down and your focus on the path ahead.

By the time you reached the parlor in the west wing, the cries still echoed in your mind, no matter how far you walked. Carrie was already at work, humming softly as she dusted an elaborate set of shelves lined with ancient books and strange artifacts. But you... you couldn’t focus. Your hands gripped the broom tightly, your tail flicking with unease as your thoughts spiraled.

“Hey, you alright?”

Carrie’s voice snapped you back to reality. You glanced up at her, startled, your tail instinctively curling around your ankles as if to ground you.

“Yeah,” you said softly, nodding. You forced a small smile, hoping it was convincing enough. “Just a lot on my mind, I guess.”

Carrie raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. “Don’t let it get to you,” she said, returning to her dusting. “Things in this place are always messy, one way or another.”

Her words lingered as you turned back to your work, sweeping the intricate patterns of the parlor’s marble floor. But no matter how hard you tried to focus, the image of Charlie’s tiny, helpless form wouldn’t leave your mind. And somewhere, deep down, you wondered if anyone else in this entire manor felt the way you did.

“I’m fine… just noticed we left one of the buckets with some of our supplies back there,” you said, forcing a casual tone. Setting down the duster in your hand, you straightened up and glanced toward the door.

Carrie paused mid-dust, arching an eyebrow. “Really? I didn’t notice anything missing.”

“Well, I did,” you replied, your voice steady as you moved toward the exit. “I’ll go fetch them. Wouldn’t want Mister Winfred finding out we’ve left unsightly items lying around for guests or, worse, His Majesty to see.”

Before Carrie could object or ask questions, you slipped out of the parlor and into the hallway, your heart racing. Retracing your steps toward the banquet hall, you couldn’t shake the growing unease gnawing at you.

The sound of soft humming drifted down the corridor as you neared the nursery again, making you slow your pace. You stared at the slightly ajar door, your ears twitching to catch the tune. It wasn’t the usual stillness you associated with the nursery—it was soothing, low, almost angelic.

*He must have heard her crying and came to lull her back to sleep,* you thought, relaxing slightly.

Just as you turned to leave, Charlie’s wails broke through again, this time louder, more desperate. The sound startled you, and you froze in place.

“Oh, golly, what’s wrong, sweetie? You were falling back asleep…” Lucifer’s voice came next, carrying a hint of panic beneath his typically smooth tone.

Against your better judgment, your feet moved toward the door. Your curiosity—and that unshakable maternal instinct—got the better of you. Peering cautiously through the small opening, you caught sight of him. Lucifer Morningstar, the King of Hell himself, was pacing back and forth across the nursery. He cradled Charlie in his arms, his movements careful yet frantic as he hummed a soothing tune under his breath. His usually pristine suit was slightly disheveled, his bowtie loosened and his hair tousled from running his fingers through it.

It was a sight you never thought you’d witness. The fearsome ruler, looking utterly normal as he tried to console his infant daughter.

For a brief moment, you felt an unexpected pang of sympathy for him. He wasn’t just the all-powerful king you served; he was a father fumbling his way through the chaos Lilith had left behind.

But before you could linger any longer, a sharp throat-clearing behind you jolted you back to reality. Your entire body stiffened, and you turned slowly, dread pooling in your stomach.

Mister Winfred stood there, his gaze like daggers as he appraised you. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his posture was as rigid as always.

“And what exactly are you doing here, loitering outside His Majesty’s nursery?” he asked, his voice icy and clipped.

Your tail instinctively curled around your leg as you stumbled over your words. “I-I was just… I thought I heard—”

“Save your excuses,” he snapped, his lips pressing into a thin, unforgiving line. “You’re not paid to eavesdrop on matters that do not concern you. Get back to your duties before I report this breach of discipline to His Majesty.”

Your stomach dropped at the threat, the weight of his words hitting you like a blow. Bowing your head quickly, you stammered, “Y-Yes, Mister Winfred. Right away.”

Without another glance back at the nursery, you hurried down the hallway, your hooves clicking against the polished floor.

[ . . . ]

The cries echoed through the hall, dragging Lucifer from a rare, deep sleep. Groggy and disoriented, he reached instinctively for the space beside him—only to find it cold and empty. His fingers brushed the silken sheets, and a sharp ache of loss filled his chest. Lilith’s absence was still fresh, raw enough that every reminder felt like a blade twisting. With a weary sigh, he slipped his hooves into his soft duck slippers, the absurdity of the gesture lost on him as he accepted the tug back into harsh reality.

It had been less than forty eight hours since Lilith left, yet it felt like an eternity. The once vibrant and commanding aura of the Morningstar Manor now felt muted, its halls too quiet except for the cries of their infant daughter. His responsibilities as a father weighed heavily on his shoulders, and sleep had become a fleeting luxury. Whenever he closed his eyes, he was haunted by memories of Lilith’s departure, her face devoid of the warmth he once knew, her parting words cold and final.

Dragging himself down the dimly lit hallway, his tail trailed limply along the floor. The cries grew louder as he neared Charlie’s nursery, each sob pulling at a part of him he hadn’t known existed. This wasn’t just unfamiliar—it was uncharted territory. Fatherhood, single parenthood, the raw ache of abandonment… Every piece of it unraveled him in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

With a resigned exhale, Lucifer pushed open the nursery door and stepped inside. The soft glow of a nightlight bathed the room in a warm, golden hue, casting shadows on the walls adorned with delicate celestial designs. His daughter lay in her crib, her tiny face red and scrunched as she wailed, her tiny fists flailing. The sight softened something in him, a reminder that no matter how lost he felt, she was even more helpless.

“Alright, apple pie,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing as he scooped her up with practiced gentleness. “I’m here now.”

Charlie’s cries quieted slightly as he began to rock her, pacing the length of the nursery. His movements were slow and deliberate, a sharp contrast to the storm raging inside him. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a bottle of milk, its surface glinting faintly in the dim light. Holding her securely with one arm, he warmed the bottle with a soft, golden glow from his palm.

Once it was ready, he offered it to her, and she latched on eagerly, her sobs dissolving into quiet, rhythmic gulps. The room fell into a peaceful silence, broken only by the sound of her feeding. Lucifer sank into the rocking chair by the crib, cradling her close as he watched her eyes begin to flutter shut. A tender smile flickered across his lips, though it was weighed down by the shadows in his gaze.

“At least you’re still here,” he whispered, stroking her fine hair. “You’re the one thing keeping me sane in this mess.”

The quiet was broken by the sound of a throat clearing behind him. Lucifer’s head snapped toward the door, his crimson eyes narrowing dangerously. His aura darkened instinctively, a protective edge sharpening in his voice.

“And what exactly are you doing here?” he growled, his tone low and menacing.

Standing in the doorway, poised and unflinching, was Winfred. The imp butler’s expression remained neutral, but his piercing gaze met Lucifer’s without wavering. “My apologies for intruding, Your Majesty,” he began evenly, his hands clasped behind his back. “But I thought it prudent to check in, given recent… changes in the household.”

Lucifer’s annoyance flared, though he quickly turned his attention back to Charlie, who was drifting into a light slumber. He adjusted her position slightly, his movements careful and deliberate. “You have a habit of showing up uninvited, Winfred,” he muttered, his tone icy.

Winfred remained unfazed, his posture as rigid as ever. “A habit, perhaps, but a necessary one. With Lady Lilith gone and many of the staff following her or deserting their posts, someone must ensure that the manor—and its King—continues to function.”

At the mention of Lilith, Lucifer’s jaw tightened, and his tail flicked sharply against the floor. The betrayal still stung, even if he’d grown accustomed to hiding it. “The manor will survive,” he said curtly. “Hell will survive. Right now, she’s all that matters.”

His gaze dropped to Charlie, his voice softening instinctively as he held her close. For a moment, he wasn’t the King of Hell or the fearsome Morningstar; he was simply a father, cradling the one person who hadn’t abandoned him.

Winfred inclined his head, his tone calm but firm. “Of course, sir. However, there is a balance to be struck. Your responsibilities as a father are undeniable, but so are your duties as the ruler of Hell. Delegation, at least in part, may ease your burden.”

Lucifer exhaled sharply, his frustration mounting. “And what do you propose, Winfred? That I hand her off to someone else? That I treat her as an inconvenience like—” He stopped himself, the words catching in his throat.

Winfred’s expression softened just slightly, his tone almost understanding. “No, sir. I propose finding someone trustworthy to assist you. Not to replace you, but to ensure that you can balance both roles. Hell may wait, but it won’t wait forever.”

Lucifer’s gaze lingered on Charlie’s peaceful face, his tail curling protectively around the base of the chair. The thought of entrusting her care to anyone else gnawed at him, but he couldn’t ignore the truth in Winfred’s words.

“If you truly believe there’s someone capable of earning my trust, then perhaps,” he said finally, his voice quieter but no less commanding. Rising from the rocking chair, he adjusted Charlie in his arms, her tiny form nestled against his chest. “But for now, leave us.”

Winfred bowed deeply, his movements fluid and respectful. “As you wish, Your Majesty.” With that, he turned and disappeared down the hall, leaving Lucifer alone in the golden glow of the nursery.

He looked down at Charlie, a rare, soft smile gracing his lips as he stroked her hair. “It’s just you and me now, apple pie,” he murmured. “And I promise, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

[ . . . ]

Once you grabbed the bucket from the banquet hall, you made your way back to the parlor, your mind still reeling from the earlier conversation with Winfred. The butler’s words weighed heavy, and though you tried to shake them off, they lingered like an unwelcome shadow.

As you entered the parlor, Carrie was finishing dusting the last of the shelves. She glanced over her shoulder and smirked. "Wasn’t sure when you’d be back," she said, her tone teasing.

"Sorry," you muttered, setting the bucket down. "I bumped into Winfred on the way there."

Carrie winced, her tail flicking nervously. "Oof. That explains the look on your face. What did the old grump want this time?"

You hesitated, debating how much to reveal. "Nothing much," you lied, grabbing a rag from the bucket and moving toward a nearby table. "Just reminded me to stay on task. You know how he is."

Carrie snorted, rolling her eyes. "Sounds about right. He’s always lurking around like he’s got nothing better to do than breathe down our necks."

She hopped down from the stool she’d been using to reach the higher shelves, dusting off her apron with exaggerated annoyance. "Last time, he scolded me for ‘improper posture’ while dusting. Posture! Who cares about posture when you’re cleaning?"

Her dramatic reenactment of Winfred’s scowl drew a genuine laugh from you, momentarily easing the tension you’d been carrying since your run-in with the butler.

"Alright," Carrie said, stretching her arms above her head. "We’ve got one last thing on the list—"

A knock at the door interrupted her, and both of you turned toward the sound.

Standing in the doorway was Guthrie, a cheerful imp who worked in the kitchen. He offered you both a friendly smile. "Good afternoon, ladies. Just checking in on how you’re doing."

Carrie raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "What? Winfred’s too busy, so he sent you to spy on us?"

Guthrie chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not spying, no. Well, maybe a little. He’s rounding up what’s left of the staff for a meeting."

Your brows furrowed. "What for? Is someone in trouble?"

Carrie scoffed, her tail flicking dismissively. "When isn’t someone in trouble with that shriveled imp?"

Guthrie shifted awkwardly, glancing between the two of you. "I don’t know the details, but he specifically asked for everyone to gather. You two should come along."

Reluctantly, you exchanged a look with Carrie before following Guthrie out of the parlor and down the hall. The tension in the air thickened as you approached the kitchen, where the remaining servants had gathered. Whispers filled the room, but they fell silent when Winfred stepped onto a crate to address the group.

The butler’s stern gaze swept over the assembled staff, his hands clasped behind his back. "Thank you for arriving promptly," he began, his tone clipped and commanding.

"As many of you are aware, Lady Lilith is no longer residing in the manor. Some of you witnessed her departure; others have heard rumors. Regardless, this is a private matter, and discretion is paramount. His Majesty does not wish for this information to leave these walls."

A ripple of unease passed through the room. One of the younger imps raised a trembling hand. "But… what about the staff who left? Won’t they spread word about what happened?"

Winfred’s expression darkened, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Those who abandoned their posts have forfeited their loyalty to this household—and the protection it offers. His Majesty will address them in due time. For now, your focus should remain on your duties. His Majesty and young Miss Charlie are our priorities. Am I clear?"

A chorus of uneasy nods followed, though the tension in the room remained palpable.

"You are dismissed," Winfred said sharply, stepping down from the crate.

The staff began to disperse, their murmured conversations resuming as they filed out of the kitchen. You turned to leave with Carrie, but Winfred’s voice stopped you in your tracks.

"Y/N, a moment."

Your stomach dropped, and you exchanged a worried glance with Carrie before turning back to face the butler. "Yes, sir?"

Winfred regarded you with his usual composed demeanor, though his piercing gaze seemed to weigh you down. "You will assist His Majesty with Miss Charlie. Effective immediately."

Your heart skipped a beat, and you struggled to find your voice. "W-what? Why me? I’m just a maid—I barely know anything about…" You trailed off, unsure how to phrase it without sounding defiant.

"Precisely," Winfred replied, his tone unyielding. "You are unassuming, diligent, and discreet. His Majesty requires someone who can balance attentiveness with subtlety, and you have demonstrated those qualities."

You hesitated, your mind racing. This wasn’t what you’d signed up for. You’d come to the Morningstar Manor to escape your past, to provide for your son without drawing attention to yourself. Now, Winfred was thrusting you into the center of the Morningstars’ inner circle.

"But… I’m not sure I’m the right person for this," you said weakly.

Winfred tilted his head slightly, his gaze softening just enough to unsettle you. "You have a son, do you not? Five years old, if I’m not mistaken."

Your blood ran cold. "That’s none of your business," you said sharply, though your voice wavered.

The butler’s calm expression didn’t falter. "Perhaps not. But I believe your experience as a mother will serve you well in caring for Miss Charlie. You understand the stakes better than most."

Anger and fear churned in your chest. "You can’t just… use that against me!"

"I’m not using anything against you," Winfred said evenly. "I’m offering you an opportunity to prove your worth—to His Majesty, to this household, and to yourself."

You clenched your fists, glancing away. Images of your son filled your mind, his laughter, his smile. You’d made sacrifices to ensure his safety, to keep him hidden. Refusing this assignment could risk everything.

"Fine," you said quietly, your voice laced with reluctant resolve. "I’ll do it."

"Good," Winfred said with a curt nod. "You’ll begin immediately. His Majesty is in the nursery. Introduce yourself and make yourself useful."

As you turned to leave, you paused, glancing back at Winfred. "And if he doesn’t want me there?"

The butler’s gaze was steady. "He will. He may not realize it yet, but His Majesty needs help. Even the Morningstar has limits."

With a heavy heart, you made your way toward the nursery, each step feeling heavier than the last. You could only hope that stepping into this new role wouldn’t unravel the delicate balance you’d fought so hard to maintain.

You inhaled deeply, steeling yourself before heading down the hall. Every step felt heavier than the last, your mind racing with what awaited you in the nursery. As you neared the corridor, you spotted Carrie fussing with some picture frames hanging on the wall, clearly stalling to catch you on your way out.

The moment she caught sight of you, she bounded over, her tail swishing nervously behind her.

“What in Satan’s name was that about?” she demanded, her voice a mix of curiosity and worry.

You avoided her gaze, keeping your expression as neutral as possible. “It was… nothing. Winfred gave me a new task to do, nothing more.” Your tone was curt, and you resumed walking further down the hall, hoping she’d take the hint and drop it.

“Nothing?” she repeated, hurrying to keep pace with you. “I thought he was going to skin you alive! What did you do? Forget to polish the silver? Spill something in the banquet hall? Oh, wait—don’t tell me it was because of the time I—”

“It wasn’t about any of that,” you interrupted sharply, cutting her off before she could start confessing to crimes you didn’t want to hear about.

Carrie’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, and she darted ahead to block your path, forcing you to stop. “Uh-uh. You don’t get to brush me off like that. What did he want?”

You hesitated, weighing your words carefully. Carrie had been your closest friend in the manor, but even she didn’t know the full truth about your past—or your son. "It’s nothing you need to worry about, Carrie," you said firmly. "I have it handled."

Her tail flicked, and her brow furrowed as she crossed her arms. “Oh, really? Because you’ve got that look on your face. You know, the one you get when something’s bothering you but you’re too stubborn to say anything.”

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. "It’s just… Winfred assigned me to assist with Miss Charlie."

Carrie’s jaw dropped, her tail stilled in disbelief. "What? You? Of all the imps in this cursed place?"

"Yes, me," you said dryly, stepping around her to continue down the hall.

"But why?" she pressed, falling into step beside you. "You’re not even a nanny! I mean, I’m sure you’re good with kids, sure, but this is different. This is the Morningstar’s kid! If you so much as sneeze wrong, he’ll—"

"Carrie," you interrupted, your voice laced with irritation. "I don’t have a choice, okay? Winfred made it clear this isn’t optional."

She fell silent for a moment, processing your words. Then, with a sly smirk, she elbowed you gently. "So, you’re telling me you’re going to be spending quality time with the big boss himself? Maybe you’ll even get on his good side."

You shot her a look. "That’s not how this works, and you know it."

Carrie shrugged, the smirk never leaving her face. "Hey, I’m just saying—if anyone can charm a grumpy king, it’s you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," you muttered, quickening your pace.

As you neared the nursery door, Carrie finally stopped trailing you, her teasing expression softening. “Hey… seriously, though. If you need anything—or if it gets to be too much—just let me know, okay? You don’t have to deal with this alone.”

You paused, her words catching you off guard. Turning to face her, you managed a small, genuine smile. “Thanks, Carrie. I’ll keep that in mind.”

With a deep breath, you pushed open the door to the nursery, stepping into its quiet warmth. The room was dimly lit, with soft golden hues spilling from a nearby lamp. Inside, Lucifer sat in a rocking chair, his posture both regal and relaxed as he cradled Charlie against his chest. The infant was sound asleep, her tiny hand clutching the edge of his jacket.

Lucifer’s gaze shifted to you the moment you entered, his crimson eyes sharp and watchful. There was no mistaking the subtle narrowing of his gaze, the unmistakable glint of protective wariness that only a father could carry.

Your throat tightened, but you forced yourself to meet his gaze. “Your Majesty,” you said softly, inclining your head in a respectful bow. “Winfred sent me. He thought you might need… assistance.”

Lucifer’s expression didn’t soften. If anything, the air in the room seemed to grow heavier, his presence suffocating in its intensity. “Did he, now?” he said coolly, his deep voice cutting through the stillness like a blade. “And what makes him think I need *help*?”

You hesitated, carefully choosing your next words. “He thought… perhaps it might ease your burden, even just a little. Raising a child is no small task, especially with everything else you’re managing.”

The room fell silent, save for the faint, rhythmic sound of Charlie’s breathing. You could feel the weight of Lucifer’s scrutiny, his piercing gaze dissecting every word, every twitch of your expression.

At last, his eyes dropped to the sleeping infant in his arms. His features softened imperceptibly, the harsh lines of his face easing just slightly. When he spoke, his voice was quieter, though no less commanding. “And what experience do you have with children?”

Your heart pounded, memories of your son flickering through your mind like a distant flame. “I… I’ve cared for children before,” you said carefully, the words deliberate as you skirted around the full truth. “Being an older sister, I’ve learned how to handle their needs. I’m… patient.”

Lucifer studied you for a long moment, his tail swishing lazily behind him, though his gaze remained sharp and calculating. The seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity before he finally exhaled, a low sigh that carried both weariness and reluctant acceptance.

“Fine,” he said at last, though his tone remained guarded. “But don’t worry about today. You’re free to go.”

Relief washed over you, though you kept your expression neutral. You bowed respectfully. “Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you.”

Lucifer didn’t respond, his attention already returning to his daughter as he gently adjusted the blanket around her. You took that as your cue to leave, stepping back into the hallway and closing the door quietly behind you.

As the door clicked shut, you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. You made your way toward the staff area where everyone’s lockers were tucked away. The dimly lit corridor offered a brief respite from the tension you’d been carrying, though your chest still felt tight. Slipping inside the locker room, you let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the day pressing down on you.

You quickly began to change out of your uniform, swapping it for your usual attire. As the fabric slid off your shoulders, the familiar comfort of your clothes helped ease some of your nerves. Tugging your shirt over your head, you brushed your hair back, smoothing the strands that had been tousled and fixing the bits that stubbornly pricked upward at the base of your horns.

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed someone entering the room. Carrie stepped in, her arms folded, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. She caught your gaze and gave you a small nod.

“Hey…” you greeted softly, your voice subdued as you grabbed your bag to stow away your dirty uniform.

“Hey yourself,” Carrie replied, leaning casually against one of the lockers, though the tilt of her tail betrayed her curiosity. “You okay? You looked like you were walking to your own execution earlier.”

You let out a dry chuckle, though it didn’t reach your eyes. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” you muttered, shoving the uniform into your bag.

“Well, I mean, you walked into the devil’s den,” Carrie teased lightly, though her tone grew more serious. “So? How bad was it? Did Lucifer breathe fire? Throw you out the window? Blink and disintegrate you?”

You rolled your eyes. “No, nothing like that. He was… intense, sure. But he didn’t kill me.” You slung your bag over your shoulder, leaning back against the locker with a sigh. “He’s just… protective. Can’t really blame him for that.”

Carrie studied you for a moment, her usual snark giving way to genuine concern. “Still, that’s no small thing—being asked to help with his kid. Winfred must think you’ve got nerves of steel or something.”

“More like he didn’t give me a choice,” you muttered, crossing your arms. “It’s not like I volunteered for this.”

Carrie tilted her head, her brow furrowing. “You sure you don’t think it’s a punishment or something, do you? Like, ‘Hey, you annoyed me today, so go deal with the King of Hell’s kid’?”

You shook your head, though her words made you pause. “No… I don’t think so. Winfred was weirdly insistent, like he thought I’d be good at it. It’s just—” You hesitated, the weight of your secret hanging heavily on your mind. “It’s a lot.”

Carrie gave you a long look, her tail flicking thoughtfully. “Well, if anyone can handle it, it’s you. You’ve got that whole ‘calm under pressure’ thing going on. Plus, you’re good with kids… right?”

Her words struck a chord, and you glanced away, pretending to adjust the strap of your bag. “I guess,” you said quietly.

Carrie didn’t push further, instead offering a small smile. “Well, good luck with it. If nothing else, you’ll get some great stories out of it. ‘The Day I Survived Lucifer Morningstar’ has a nice ring to it.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at that, shaking your head. “Thanks, Carrie. That’s… oddly encouraging.”

“Anytime,” she said, giving you a playful salute as she turned to head toward her locker.

As you made your way out of the staff area, her words lingered in your mind. Despite the weight of the task ahead, there was a strange sense of resolve building within you. Whatever came next, you’d face it—one day at a time.

"I’ll see you later," you said, managing a small smile, though exhaustion was already tugging at the corners of your mouth.

"See you later!" Carrie called back, her voice cheerful as she headed in the opposite direction, her tail swishing as she disappeared down the corridor.

You sighed softly, adjusting your bag’s strap and stepping out into the streets of Hell. The evening air was heavy with the scent of sulfur, mingling with the distant din of chatter and the occasional scream. Finally, you spotted the bus stop just up ahead and felt a wave of relief at the sight of the bench waiting for you.

I can finally rest my feet, you thought, eager for even a moment’s reprieve after such a long day.

But, as luck would have it, your relief was short-lived. A hulking shark demon plopped down on the bench just as you approached, sprawling out and taking up every inch of space. His massive tail swayed lazily, nearly knocking over the trash can beside him.

You stopped in your tracks, an internal groan echoing in your head. Great.

Awkwardly, you hovered a few feet away, clutching the strap of your bag a little tighter. The demon glanced up, his beady black eyes locking onto you, and a slow, toothy grin spread across his face. You could feel the weight of his gaze, predatory and calculating, making your skin crawl. Still, you kept your eyes straight ahead, trying to focus on the road.

Hailing a cab wasn’t an option—you’d spent nearly every spare cent on bills and essentials for your son. That left you with one uncomfortable choice: waiting here in silence, no matter how unnerving it felt.

“Just wait it out,” you muttered under your breath, casting another hopeful glance down the road. The bus had to show up soon, right?

The demon’s grin widened, his jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light. “What? Too good to sit by me, girlie?” he sneered, his voice deep and mocking.

You stiffened but didn’t look at him. “Just waiting for the bus,” you replied evenly, keeping your tone calm and distant.

Your tail swished behind you, betraying your unease as you heard the demon shift on the bench. His heavy footsteps thudded against the ground as he stood, his towering shadow falling over you.

Fuck me, you thought, shoulders tensing as you braced yourself for whatever was coming next.

The demon leaned closer, his breath foul with the stench of decay and whatever he’d eaten last. “Waiting for the bus, huh?” he rumbled, his voice dripping with amusement. “Seems to me you’ve got nothing better to do. How ’bout keeping me company, sweetheart?”

You shifted your weight, gripping your bag tightly. “I’d rather not,” you said sharply, forcing yourself to remain composed as your eyes flicked to the horizon.

Where is that damn bus?

He laughed, a low, guttural sound that sent a chill up your spine. “Aw, don’t be like that. Bet you’re more fun than you look,” he teased, his grin widening as he leaned in even closer.

Your patience snapped like a taut wire. Turning sharply, you finally met his gaze, your eyes narrowing. “Back off,” you said, your voice firm and unwavering. Your tail cracked loudly like a whip, the sharp sound cutting through the tension. “I’m not interested. Move along.”

For a moment, the demon looked surprised, his grin faltering. Then he laughed again, louder this time, a sound that grated against every nerve in your body.

But before he could say anything else, the rumble of the bus engine filled the air. The headlights cut through the haze, and the bus rolled to a stop with a hiss, its doors creaking open. Relief flooded you as you stepped forward quickly, ignoring the demon entirely.

“Catch you later, sweetheart,” he called after you, but you didn’t spare him a glance as you climbed aboard, finding a seat near the middle of the bus.

Sinking into the worn cushion, you let out a long breath, the tension finally melting from your shoulders. You glanced out the window, catching a glimpse of the shark demon glaring after you, his face twisted in annoyance.

Safe at last, you leaned back and allowed yourself a moment to relax. The familiar sights of I.M.P City rolled past the window, the vibrant chaos of Hell’s streets a strange sort of comfort. As the bus rumbled along, a small smile tugged at your lips. Home was close, but there was one more stop to make before you could call it a day.

Pulling out your phone, you tapped out a quick message to your son’s babysitter, confirming that everything was still fine on that front. Within moments, a thumbs-up notification popped up, and you felt a surge of gratitude.

The bus slowed to a stop, and you hopped off, your shoes clicking against the pavement as you made your way to the nearby grocery store. The doors slid open with a mechanical hum, and you stepped inside, heading directly for the aisle you needed.

Your hand found the familiar box on the shelf, and you smiled faintly, tossing it into your basket. It wasn’t much, but it was one of your son’s favorites—something small to make him smile after a long day.

After a quick trip through self-checkout, you stepped back out into the warm evening air, the receipt crinkling in your pocket. With your purchase in hand, you started the final leg of your journey, your thoughts already drifting to the warmth of home and the sound of your son’s laughter.

No matter how difficult the day had been, you reminded yourself, it was worth it for him. Always.

As you rounded the corner, your apartment building came into view—a modest structure that had seen better days. The paint was peeling, the windows were slightly fogged, and the steps groaned underfoot, but it was yours. No palace in Hell could match the comfort of the home you’d built within these walls.

You climbed the familiar flights of stairs, each creak of the wood a sound you could trace blindfolded. At the top, you paused in front of your door, the muffled sounds of cartoons and soft giggles filtering through. A smile tugged at your lips as you pulled out your keys and unlocked the door.

The hinges squeaked as the door swung open, and the lively chatter of the cartoon characters greeted you, mingled with the unmistakable sound of your son’s giggles. The sight of him on the living room floor, cross-legged with his favorite plush toy clutched in his tiny hands, made your heart swell. His eyes, wide and bright, flicked to you instantly, and his face lit up with sheer joy, revealing his sharp little teeth in a grin that mirrored yours.

“Mama!” he cried, springing to his feet with surprising speed and charging toward you, his small arms spread wide.

You crouched just in time to scoop him into your arms, holding him tight as his arms wrapped around your neck. The exhaustion from your day faded into nothing against the warmth of his embrace. "Hey, sweetheart," you murmured, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Were you good for Ms. Ella?"

He nodded so enthusiastically you thought his head might pop off, and from the kitchen, you heard a chuckle. Turning your head, you saw Ms. Ella wiping her hands on a dishtowel as she stepped into view. Her kind, wrinkled face softened as she watched the two of you.

“An absolute devil, as always,” she said with a knowing smile. “He helped me set the table for his snack earlier. I’d say you’ve got a proper little gentleman in the making.”

You laughed, ruffling his messy hair, and he beamed with pride. “Couldn’t do it without him,” you said, your tone warm as you gently set him down. Reaching into your bag, you pulled out Ms. Ella’s payment for the evening, handing it to her with a grateful nod.

“Thank you so much, Ms. Ella. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She waved her hand dismissively, her smile unwavering. “Oh, it’s no trouble at all, dear. He’s a delight, as always. You just make sure you get some rest tonight, alright?”

“I will,” you promised, seeing her out with a final wave.

The moment the door clicked shut behind her, your son tugged on your sleeve, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Mama, can I have it now? Pleeease?”

You raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “Have what, exactly?”

He pointed at your grocery bag, practically bouncing on his toes. “The Greed Seeds! I saw them!”

You laughed, reaching into the bag and pulling out the small box. His delighted gasp filled the room, and he clapped his hands together like he’d just won the lottery. “Yes!”

“After dinner,” you said firmly, holding the box just out of reach as he pouted dramatically. You scooped him up again, carrying him toward the kitchen. “Now, how about you help me cook tonight, huh? Chef’s assistant, as always?”

He nodded eagerly, the pout vanishing as he threw his arms around your neck again. Together, you began working on a simple dinner, with him passing you ingredients and ‘taste-testing’ bits of veggies when he thought you weren’t looking.

The kitchen was small, but it felt vast and alive with the sound of his laughter. When the food was ready, the two of you sat down to eat at the little table by the window. The meal was simple but hearty, and as you listened to him animatedly describe the latest episode of his favorite cartoon, you couldn’t stop smiling.

It wasn’t a glamorous life, but it was your life. Every late shift, every exhausting day, every run-in with the rougher parts of Hell—it was all worth it for this.

Later, after dinner was cleaned up and his small hands had claimed their prize—much to his uncontainable delight—you tucked him into bed. He clutched his favorite plush toy tightly, his eyelids heavy but his grin still bright.

“Love you, Mama,” he whispered sleepily, his voice barely audible as he snuggled into the blankets.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” you replied, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead before pressing a kiss there. “Sweet dreams.”

As you turned off the light and quietly shut the door behind you, you stood for a moment in the silence of your small apartment. Exhausted but content, you let out a long breath and smiled.

This was home. And nothing else mattered.

Tag list: @diffidentphantom

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