#but I did get to walk across a border
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docdudo · 3 months ago
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Hybrid 141 As Parents - Foster Human Child!Reader (Part 7)
You and Johnny were at a standstill. You woke up not long ago from your nap, still safely tucked to his side in the nest in an almost claustrophobic way. You were ready to just get up and leave this situation, but Johnny didn't really let you, actually still insisting on playing with you, which resulted in now.
Both of you were staring eachother. You were satting quietly against the nest border as Johnny laid hid big body across the nest easily, laid on his side as he smiled smugly at you, hand holding his head up, his other hand resting quietly near your little feet. If you tried scooting backwards, he would pull you back easily with just a small tug.
"Pup, come on, ya knae ya want to play a wee bit~" He almost singsongs, voice low and provocative...
Still a bit babyish too.
"Wanna play tag?" As you shake your head quietly, he crawls a bit closer, keeping his big body somehow lower than your sitting position. "No tag? I'll play nice, papa always play nice!" He smiles big, sharp and long teeth on display, making you tremble a little.
You still shake your head, embarrassed.
"Hide 'n seek?" He pouts exaggeratedly, long, fluffly ears pinned back on his head. It looked... kinda cute, but you still shook your head a little. "Come on, Lass.... It'll make ya good to move around a wee bit..."
"Don't wanna play..." Your murmur quietly, still pretty much shy around them.
Johnny lets out a little whimper at that, which immediatly startled you a bit at the high pitched sound.
"How about... just a walk around, yeah?" He suggests gently, only to immediatly sit up a bit, getting excited about his own idea. "Oh, yeah, yeah, let's go for a walk, wee pup! That way, you can get to knae the place around the house, aye?"
"If they are going for a walk outside, they need to be properly dressed." Kyle casually remarks as he comes inside the room out of nowhere, clothes in hand. "It's already getting dark, and the temperature is dropping. Price said that it's threatening to snow tomorrow." "Already??" Johnny growls slightly, and that immediatly makes you jump back a little on the nest. "Oh, nae, nae, it's okay, pup, i'm so sorry, wee pup, come 'ere." He changes tones quickly, leaning over you to coo gently as he paws the blanket tangled around you, pulling you closer.
"Unfortunately." Kyle huffs a little, wings shuffling behing his back, getting fluffly. "I though we would have more time."
Johnny hums, frowning as he considers what to do next, his hands holding you to his chest, even as you squirm a little.
"It's probably okay for a human, aye?"
"If they are properly dressed, yes. Come here, chick." You didn't have time to react as Kyle bend down and picked you up on his arms, the blanket still wrapped around you.
Johnny got up too, stretching like a real dog as he watched Kyle gently set you down on the carpet and pat your clothes, straightening the sweater and pants that got rustled after your nap.
"Give me your hand, chick." Kyle smiles easily, gently, grabbing your hand after you hesitantly lifted it. "John got good things, thank god. This gloves and hat feel very warm."
"It has to be, right? Weren't them in a store that caters to humans too?" Johnny kneeled down by you, watching faithfuly as Kyle gently put the thick wool gloves on your little hands.
"Yeah, but you know how it is. They say they cater to these less common races, but in the end it's just a marketing scheme." Kyle roll his eyes slightly, once again dropping out of the gentle persona he usually adopts when near you. "But these are fine, they feel thick and warm, the wool is good quality, the type that will isolate the heat nicely."
Kyle picked up the new thick jacket they got you at the store, quickly helping you into it, zipping it up tight over the sweater. It did feel warm, almost too warm to your already warm room.
"And here's your beanie, Lass!" Johnny smiled big, picking up the wool beanie and using one of his big hands to push your hair back flatly, your eyes squinting at the action as you feel the hat being placed expertly on your head. "Does it feel warm?"
You nod quietly, feeling a bit too wrapped up in your new clothes.
"Good! Let's put on your shoes and go outside, aye?"
It didn't take long for the three of you to be making your way downstairs, immediatly caughting Simon's attention as he frowned.
"You're leaving?" He asks gruffily, posture immediatly changing as he crossed his thick arms over his chest, still frowning.
"Aye, going outside with the lassie to exercise a little!" Johnny quickly smiled, nodding as his tail wagged behind him.
"It's late."
"It's like, 6:30 p.m." Johnny smiles back, rolling his eyes a little.
"It's cold outside."
"They're wrapped up." Kyle adds, smiling a bit too smugly.
Simon squinted his eyes a little more, annoyed, which only made the younger two laugh with a bit too much arrogance.
"Stop going all mama bear, Si, they're gonna be fineeeeeeee~" Johnny laughs, gently nudging you towards the front door.
Simon growls quietly at that, but cuts himself off almost immediatly as they see you weaken your steps.
"I just don't like the idea of having them outside at this hour and at this weather." He replies, voice heavy and low, almost growled out.
"It's not good for them to be cooped up inside all the time." Kyle points out, Johnny quickly nodding to agree with his mate.
Both harpies and werewolves are very active and outdoors' species. Contrary of Wraiths, obviously.
"Let them go, Simon. It's good for the kid to walk a little too." John raises his voice for the others to hear him from the kitchen.
Simon huffs, but his posture relax slightly. He glances at you, that is obediently still by the door, Johnny big presence pressed against your back as he still smiles smugly at Simon.
"Be careful, eyes on them all the time, don't start with your little games yet, this is a little human kid we are talking about." Simon speaks slowly, clearly holding back on a growl as his fingers started to let out small wisps of shadows.
"I knae, Si! What do ya take me for?? 'M nae dimwit!" Johnny huffs, rolling his eyes before he lets out a big grin right after. "I'm not play wrestling this wee baby yet, it's just a little walk!"
"God, I also want to let loose and fly a little..." Kyle huffs a bit, stratching his wings, tho quickly tucking them back when he saw you take a small step away in intimidation. "But I'll let that for later. I'll help John with dinner."
"Be back before dinner." Simon warns Johnny once again, that just throws a mock salute his way and steps out of the house, taking you with him.
"Right, mama bear! We'll be right back!"
"Don't compare myself to the likes of Nikolai." Simon huffs as he turns away from the now closed front door, going to the kitchen to both help the other two with dinner and to watch Johnny and you outside the kitchen window.
Part 6 / Part 8
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scap34 · 23 hours ago
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No one touches what’s yours ♡
sub! sugar baby! Toji x sadistic! rich! dom! younger! male! reader
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warnings: cussing, mild daddy kink, oral sex, dirty talk, degradation, implied sex, mild manipulation, mention of murder
Another shitty gala. What was this one for? A charity? Who even cared? If half the money wasted on flaunting wealth actually went to the cause, he was pretty sure there wouldn’t even be a need for charity anymore.
Instead, it was just another popularity contest. And lucky him, you happened to be the star of the show—the hot, rich jock everyone loved to worship.
What did that make him? Your cheerleader? 
Toji scowled as he downed the wine in his glass. Expensive, yet it tasted like shit. He’d already had three in the last half hour, and the buzz was barely there—a waste of both time and money.
But that wasn’t what bothered him. It was all the eyes on you. The overly flattering tone, and greedy eyes people looked at you with. His fingers itched for his blade. To paint the shiny white floor red with their blood. 
You were his. So why the hell were people so fucking close to you?
Then your cold gaze met his, and for a moment, that disinterested look melted into faint amusement. Without hesitation, you made your way toward him, leaving behind a trail of disappointed murmurs and bitter faces, none daring to voice their complaints aloud. 
Toji stayed rooted in place, arms crossed, waiting for you to come to him. When you finally did, he didn’t bother hiding his irritation. “Why the hell did you drag me to this?” he grumbled, his tone bordering on petulant—not that he’d ever admit it outright.
You had the audacity to chuckle, a soft, amused sound that only annoyed him more. “I didn’t.” You replied smoothly. “I told you, you wouldn't like it, but you insisted on coming anyway.”
Did he say that? Yes. 
Did he care? No.
“What was I supposed to do? Sit around at home like some miserable housewife?” He snapped back. 
You didn’t respond immediately, but the gleam in your eyes said everything. It was that look—the one you got right before one of your ideas. The kind that left him sore in all the right places and utterly, blissfully wrecked. 
Was it the housewife comment? Fuck, would you care about fucking him here? 
“Yeah, baby? Need your husband to make you happy?” you practically purred, your voice low and husky, dripping with amusement.
The tone alone had him shifting in place, a rush of heat racing down his body. Damn tux was too tight, but he knew better than to blame it on the suit. Knowing you, the control freak you were, you’d probably had it tailored perfectly to his measurements ages ago. Made perfectly to hug every curve of his body, all on display for your eyes.
Getting a fucking boner right now would like public exposure. 
You must have been rubbing off on him, cause the thought only served to make him more aroused.
“Y/N! What a delight to see you here!”
Your eyes shifted lazily from Toji to the man approaching, your expression unreadable. He was in his late forties, with hair that was clearly dyed to hide the gray creeping in—an attempt to cling to his youth. Everything about him screamed smug, from his tailored suit to the self-assured smirk plastered across his face.
The man practically radiated envy as he took you in. Of course he did. You were everything he wasn’t—young, rich, and devastatingly handsome. Flawless in a way that made people resent you the moment you walked into a room. And you were all his. 
“I wasn’t planning on coming,” he said, voice dripping with fake humility, “but luckily, I managed to find a spot in my schedule. I’m sure you didn’t have that problem. After all, you always attend these things, don’t you?”
He spoke loud enough for others nearby to hear, as if trying to gain some kind of upper hand in the conversation. 
You didn’t look fazed by it. The coldness in your eyes was sharp, daunting even as your lips curled into a fake, practiced smile.
“Isn’t it customary for the host to attend their own gala?” Your words were curt and polite to the point of biting cold. Throwing his words right back at him with chilling precision. 
Toji could almost hear the man’s teeth grind together in outrage at being one upped in the rich people dick measuring contest. Not that you were playing along. You didn’t need to. He could attest to how big your dick was. 
He let out a huff of laughter. The man’s eyes landed on him. The annoyance in his eyes shifted to interest as he took in Toji’s body. The tux, obviously not doing anything to hide his body. 
If this had happened anywhere else, he would’ve beaten the shit out of him. But this was your fancy gala, surrounded by those rich assholes who eyed your wealth like pesky flies. He wasn’t stupid enough to mess up your business. You’d be pissed at him, and not in a good way.
“And who is this? Your date?” The man’s slimy gazed trailed down his body. Toji had to resist the urge to shove a wine glass into his throat. 
“Yes. This is Toji.” You replied seemingly unbothered but he could see the way annoyance crept into your eyes. The way you shifted slightly closer to him. You didn’t bother introducing the man to him like you couldn’t bother with it. 
Toji bit down on his tongue, fighting the smug smile that threatened to tug at his lips. The man wasn’t important? Good, he didn’t want to play nice anyway. Toji’s eyes didn’t leave you. 
Fuck. He didn’t think you could get hotter. But you were hell bent on proving him wrong weren’t you? 
The confident, uninterested attitude of your that pissed everyone off was such a fucking turn on. Why the hell were you so hot? 
Your eyes met Toji’s heated look. Your eyes rovered down his body, sending pleasant shivers down his spine. “My sugar baby.” You added on as an afterthought. 
He hated you. You knew exactly what you were doing to him. That confident smug gleam in your eyes. You sipped your wine with a smug smile. 
Damn you. You had fucked him before coming here. So why was he getting horny again? He got less boners as a teenager during puberty. 
“Then do you mind if I have a taste? What’s a bit of sharing between business partners?” The man’s slimy voice cut between the tension. 
Your smile disappeared in a flash. Before he could react, you had an arm around his waist. A possessive hand pulling him to you. Half his body pressed against your warmth.
“He’s not a toy.” You half snarled the polite facade in your face slipping. Your arm wrapped around Toji’s waist, a possessive gesture. 
Toji’s mind short circuited at the firm possessive touch. All he could hear was his heart thumping in his chest, and feel your firm muscles against his. Your fingers felt like a brand, marking him, claiming him as yours. 
He knew he was yours. But this just cemented it. It wasn’t something that had been there but never acknowledged anymore. It was real. He was yours. And you were his. 
He barely remembered anything past the man paleing at the thunderous look on your face. Stuttering half apologies even as his face burned with embarrassment and anger. Leaving as soon as possible. 
Toji didn’t give a fuck about him anymore. 
The innocent touch of your hand on his waist, made heat pool in his stomach. Your gesture was possessive, and demanding. He loved it. 
Despite the fact that he could have easily defended himself, or even killed that scumbag, this was better. You defending him with possessive anger burning in your eyes. A scowl on your lips as you protect him. This was so much better. 
He didn’t even notice when you led him out the hall. Only when your eyes met his, did he kiss you. Pushing you up against the wall, body grinding against yours. 
His lips pressed against yours, hungry for more. You easily took back control, after your initial surprise. Kissing back ruthlessly, plundering Toji’s mouth. Fucking his mouth with your tongue. 
He pulled away panting softly, and leaned his body against yours. The hard line of his erection pressing against your thighs. He resisted the urge to grind against you. 
You recovered quickly, a sadistic smile spreading on your lips. “Hard from a kiss, baby?” You cooed, your hand moving to cup his clothed cock. Your thumb flicked the head of his cock. The movement had him moaning, expensive fabric rubbing against his sensitive head in delicious ecstasy 
“It’s your fault.” He whined, shifting his body to hump your thigh, more dog in heat than an experienced killer. Need burned in his body like a drug. He wanted you. Wanted your cock in his hole, taking what was yours. Making him yours inside and out. 
“What a needy slut.” Your eyes were dark, all consuming. He wanted you so fucking bad. He humped against your thigh, pants falling for his kiss swollen lips. “Need to be fucked that bad?”
“Yes,” he practically whined. The thought of your cock had him salivating. His hips rolling against yours. You didn’t even look bothered, the dark look in your eyes only gave it away. 
“My needy cock whore,” you cooed lowly, your tone anything but sweet. “Don’t worry, daddy will fuck you good.” The nickname and the way your fingers squeezed his ass, had him melting into your arms like putty. 
“Mhmm yes please.”
“Who was that guy anyway?” He asked suddenly, a few days after the gala. You looked over at him, your fingers paused typing. All your attention on him, he almost wanted to change the topic, just so your focus stayed on him.  
A live horse race played on the tv. Like a typical day, you spent your time working near him, like the possessive asshole you were.
“What guy?” 
“That asshole who tried to hit on me.” He said vaguely unsure how to describe him. All he could remember was getting fucking into the sheets. Your voice muttering praises into his ear each time you started a new round. 
“Him? Don’t worry about it. I got rid of him.” You said turning back to typing on your computer. He blinked at you incedulously. That was it?
You got rid of him? 
“What,” his throat felt dry, he licked his lips. “Did you do?” He didn’t even know what he was expecting to hear. 
You didn’t even look away from your laptop to answer. “Exposed a few scandals and destroyed his company. His reputation and business are gone now.” You retorted coldly, working on your laptop.
He blinked at you, dazed, bewildered by your words. He knew you were cruel. The words tycoon most commonly used with you. You had to be cruel to make it to the top at such a young age. He knew that too. But it felt different experiencing it firsthand. You’d destroyed someone’s business and reputation for him.
He didn’t want to bring up that he could take care of himself. That he was the sorcerer killer. A weak human was nothing to him. He’d been taunted all his life for being the black sheep of the Zen’in family. For running away. For all the money he lost gambling. 
But you were different. You were a bastard. He knew that. You’d humiliate him. Push his body to the limit. But you’d also caress his cheeks and praise him. He was yours and you found nothing wrong with him. You were an oddity he didn’t mind.
He tugged your computer away from you. You let him, looking a bit bemused. He gently placed it on the table and straddled your thighs, his knees on either side of you.
His hard cock pressed against yours. You looked up at him with a raised brow. Your hands wrapped around his waist, rubbing circles. He grinded down on your cock, making your breath hitch, eyes darkening with lust. 
“Toji? What are you doing?” You asked huskily. Your hands encouraged his hips as he grinded down. Your cock rapidly growing harder. 
“Nothing,” he replied mischievously. His hands ran up his thigh, and disappeared under his shirt. Under your hungry gaze he played with his chest. Moaning when he pinched his dusty pink nipple, the pain mixed with pleasure.
“Yeah? How about I give you something to do then baby?” you muttered huskily. Your hands held his hips as you smirked. “Why don’t you suck my cock, baby?” 
His grinding nearly stopped if it wasn’t for your hands moving his hips, in slow circles. His cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment. 
Suck your dick? He’d never done that before. But he couldn't help but want it. The idea made him harder. 
You could see his reluctance and palmed his clothed cock. “Be a good boy, Toji and suck me off.” He flushed darker, at your blunt words. His cock strained against his flimy pants, pre-cum smeared onto it. 
He nodded weakly. There wasn’t any chance he’d refuse anyway. He was weak for you.
“I can’t,” he sobbed, around your cock. The sound sent bolts of pleasure. Red marks on your thighs, where your baby dug his fingers in too hard. The pain barely registered to you. Not when the pleasure was so strong. 
You held back a smirk and frowned. “Already baby? I haven’t even cum yet.” Toji let out another frustrated sob. The sound reverberated through you making you bite back a groan.
“Please please ple’se can’t,” he begged, rubbing his cheek against your cock like a puppy. Like it would make you give in. You wouldn’t say it’s Toji’s fault for not making you cum. That was all you. Making him take a dildo as he sucked you off. You conveniently forget to tell it was also a vibrator. He’d came immediately when the vibrations started. And again when you increased it. 
The view didn’t help you. Fat pecs bouncing with each movement, trembling thighs parted lewdly, showing off his useless cock. His own cum staining his thighs messily. You had half a mind to turn him around so you can see the way his hole took the toy. 
But then you’d miss the dumb slutty look on his face. The fucked dumb look on your baby’s face. Cheeks flushed red, tears clinging to his lashes too stubborn to fall, lips bitten red and swollen, expression scrunched in pleasure and overstimulation. 
His pretty lips stretched obscenely around your cock. Messily sucking your dick, licking it like a pathetic kitten. The sight of his face could make you cum but you were holding out. After all, you had a goal in mind. 
“Come on Toji. You’re really going to leave me hanging?” You usually never called him by his name during sex. Your baby caught on. His hands clenched tighter and he tried to please you. Messy and sloppy. You loved it. 
“Ple’se t’rn it off,” he pleaded looking at you with desperate tear filled eyes. It just made you want to shove your cock back into his mouth and fuck his throat till his voice was hoarse. 
“Make me cum first, baby.” You replied like that other times he asked. He let out a choked sob, body trembling when you turned up the vibrations. Desperate and wreaked was the best look on your baby. 
“That needy, baby?” You can see the conflict in his eyes, all his previous confidence thrown out. Only a hazy of need and wanting to please in his eyes. He nodded lips around the head of your cock. 
“I’m going to fuck your throat then baby. Can you take it for me like a good slut?” He shivered from your words and nodded quickly. Opening his mouth obediently. 
You smirked. “Use your words baby.” He flashed a pretty red. 
“Ple’se, fuck my throat,” he pleaded weakly voice a bit hoarse. 
“As you wish, baby.” You smirked, your hands holding his hair a bit roughly. He barely winched, his cock twitching with interest. 
You had to hold back a grin as you pressed your cock into your baby’s mouth. He didn’t even gag. The perfect cock slut. You let out a groan and started to face fuck him. 
Toji barely protested, his moans sending heat pooling. Within minutes you finished onto your baby’s tongue. Toji obediently swallowed it. Hazy adoring eyes meeting yours, begging for praise. 
You chuckled and wiped your cum off his lips. “Good boy.” Your perfect baby. 
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fxstpace · 2 months ago
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how you get the girl; teaser
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summary: when you lose a bet against your brother and he forces you to go on a blind date, the last thing you expect is to find your ex-boyfriend at your doorstep, with a bouquet in his hand and a confession on his lips.
⇢ pairing: yoon jeonghan x fem!reader ⇢ genres: romance, angst, smut, exes to lovers au, brother’s best friend au (ft. brother!joshua hong) ⇢ teaser word count: 0.6k ⇢ warnings: profanity (full warnings tba)
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“Hi,” he says. “Thanks for the shower.”
“No problem.” You swallow the hitch in your voice, gripping the chopsticks in your hand tightly. “I hope the water was warm.”
“It was.” Jeonghan hesitates for a moment, eyes flickering all across your kitchen before finally meeting your gaze. “Do you need any help?”
“Oh, uh, no. I’m just making ramen. Couldn’t find anything else, sorry.” 
You hate the way your throat dries and your mouth clams up. You rest your hip on the counter, keeping your body angled sideways so you can keep one eye on the stove without appearing rude. All these weeks, and Jeonghan still manages to render you speechless. It’s almost ridiculous.
He jerks, a movement bordering a shrug and a grimace. It’s rare to see Jeonghan so awkward, rarer still to see him floundering for words. If there’s one thing Jeonghan is, it’s a smooth talker. He can charm his way into anything, putting that honey-rich timbre and smooth baritone of his voice to good use. 
“I hope you don’t mind, but,” he finally says, “I put my jacket to dry by the washing machine. The rest of my stuff is in the hamper.”
“Oh. Okay.” You nod. Of course he remembers the exact layout of your apartment—he had been there when you went house-hunting, after all—but it still serves as a sharp reminder to what you used to have and everything you couldn’t salvage. You give the ramen a small stir.
“We didn’t get much of a chance to talk.” Jeonghan sounds casual, but you know better than anyone it’s just feigned. “Because of the rain, and all.”
“...Right.” You turn off the stove and carefully tip the ramen into two bowls. 
“How have you been?”
You force out a chuckle. “That’s redundant, Jeonghan.”
“Just being polite.” He is still calm, and it irritates you.
“Why did you want to meet me?”
Jeonghan lets his head drop, his long bangs falling onto his forehead. He’s let his hair grow out; it almost brushes against his shoulders. He still has the same lean, lithe figure he’s always had, though. It’s slightly disconcerting—familiar yet foreign at the same time.
He moves to lean on the counter opposite you, crossing his arms over his chest. “I can’t meet up with an old friend?”
“We both know your only friend is Joshua.”
“Ouch.” The laugh he barks out is dry. “I have lots of new friends now.”
Your fingers curl into your palm, nails digging into your skin. A tense silence fills the space between you both. Mechanically, you hand him a bowl of ramen and a pair of chopsticks. He takes them wordlessly, nodding his thanks. 
You pick up your own bowl and walk towards your small dining table. You don’t gesture for Jeonghan to follow—you know he will, anyway, just like how he walked into your life with no warning. Your first bite of ramen nearly burns your tongue. You bite back a yelp. 
“Careful, it’s hot,” Jeonghan warns, a hint of a smile on his lips. You glare at him and it vanishes immediately. “Sorry. But I’m serious—how have you been? We haven’t spoken in a while.”
“I wonder why that is.”
“Still the same, I see,” he says, chewing around a mouthful. “I’ve been good too, thanks for asking.”
“You’re an asshole, Jeonghan.” Your grip on the chopsticks falters. They clatter onto the table, but neither of you pay any mind to it. 
Jeonghan rubs some broth off the corner of his mouth, finally averting his gaze to his bowl of ramen instead of looking at you. You sigh, fighting the urge to crawl back into your room and pretend this isn’t happening.
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⇢ a/n: thanks for reading! please send an ask/reply if you would like to be added to the tag list :)
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yestrday · 4 months ago
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: ̗̀➛ DESPERATION INCARNATE yan! xiao / gn! reader
in every life, he had sworn to protect you. in every life, he had failed. in this life, he'll make sure that it won't happen again. to keep the you in this life from ever slipping away from him like you did so many times before.
in which xiao falls in love with you in every life and slowly goes insane.
( reincarnation au, w4r, lots of blo0dshed and decápitation, graphic description of vi0lence, mention of xiao's sl4very, deáth... lots of it, sort of enabler aether but for a lil bit, the beginnings of a yandere, angst. lots of it as well )
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“you know, yéyé says that if you make a wish on a dandelion seed, then your wishes will come true!”
the unnamed adeptus fixes his golden gaze on a fellow prisoner, sitting across from him with a bright smile. the prisoners around them have given up already, with their dull, glazed eyes and the repeated prayers of deàth spilling from their cracked lips. but this odd one, although their face caked with grime and their hair matted from bloòd, smiles at him from the darkness.
“... dandelion seed?” he goes, not bothering to wince or be embarrassed by his raspy voice. this dull life strips you of your dignity and pride. there’s no use in saving face when you’re looking at deàth right in the eyes. “i have never heard of such a thing.”
“oh, you don’t know?” the little prisoner cocks their head at him. “it’s a curious thing! it’s a flower with fluffy petals covering the middle part. yéyé said that whenever he takes a walk on the borders between liyue and mondstadt, he’d pick some for himself and make a wish!”
the adeptus scoffs. “wishes have no place in my world. actions must be taken if you want results. your grandfather sounds foolish. now be quiet, lest you want the god to take care of that noisy tongue of yours.”
his fellow mate sticks said tongue out at him and gives him a dirty glare. “how rude! my yéyé is the smartest one in our village, you know. he takes a record of all the crops harvested. he’s veeery important! besides, don’t you want to know what he wished for?”
he sighs. it wouldn’t hurt to indulge this one’s yapping for a little more time. the painful groans were starting to take a toll on him and conversation, no matter how foolish the premise sounded, was a nice change of pace. even if his throat was hurting from use because of the god’s neglect to give them drinkable water. “what is it, then?”
they grin at him. “he wished for mondstadt’s harsh winds to disappear! isn’t he cool?”
“why wouldn’t he use the wish for himself?” he cocks his head. “it seems to be more efficient and logical.”
the little prisoner stares at them from behind their bars.
“... what.”
“you are so dull to talk to.”
ugh, this little—! they were the one who started the conversation! before alatus could snap something back, they fall back dramatically and shake their head at him in a pitying manner. “wishes aren’t made to be efficient and logical, stupid! they won’t always work! that’s why they’re just wishes!”
he decides that this thing is absolutely aggravating to talk to, but he won’t deny that he likes their company. “then what’s the use of doing something so useless?”
they laugh. it echoes through their cell, a pleasant tune before it escapes through the bars and gets lost in the sad symphony of groans and lifeless pleas. they continue to laugh like they were underneath liyue’s vast blue skies instead of an underground tomb. “isn’t it obvious, mister adeptus? it’s for hope!
“if you wish on a dandelion and blow the seeds away, your wish will be carried for all of teyvat to hear! and then– and then! even if it’s just a teeny bit of hope, you’ll start to feel that everything can be possible!”
“sounds inefficient.”
“that’s why i said you’re so dull to talk to.”
“hmph.”
“i don’t understand why you keep coming back down here, mister adeptus,” comes the familiar cheery voice of his once prison mate. the surrounding cells are all empty, filled with corpses of the dead long gone. the young god has no time to spare any thought for the useless mortals hanging in his underground prison. the adeptus slides a tray of milk and bread between the bars and into the lap of a grinning face.
even you, he thinks as he examines their sallow face and dry lips. you have been forgotten.
 “you have plenty of companions upstairs. shouldn’t you be celebrating and parading around with them? i heard through the cracks that you’ve got plenty of rice wine to waste.”
“they are not my companions,” he snaps, but they don’t flinch as they snack on the food. “they’re fools who waste their time mindlessly partying and deriving pleasure from the pain of the weak. and i’m… i am nothing more than the god’s plaything.”
he sinks to the ground, sighing. “... [your name],” he whispers, staring at them tearfully from behind bars. “i will get us out of here, i promise.” his hands, shaking and caked with blood, gently reach for their cheek. it’s rough and awfully thin, and something in his chest breaks whenever he sees such a beautiful thing covered in dirt like they were nothing. “i’ll get you back to your village. i’ll make sure that you’ll see your grandfather and your siblings again.”
their hands squeeze his lightly, not having the energy to reciprocate his tenderness like they used to. “i know,” they whisper back to him. they smile up at him, though it is now weak and shaky. “... your hair is green.”
his brows knit together in confusion, but they brush back a few stray strands and smile at the feel of it in their palm. “... i’ve never seen a dandelion, you know. but my yéyé says that dandelions are green. i don’t know if it’s this shade of green but…” you close your eyes and chuckle. “it’s nice to know that i have my own dandelion right in front of me.”
“...?!”
“my dandelion… i have a wish to make,” you mumble to him. alatus closes in, ready to serve you your heart’s deepest desires.
“anything… anything you want, [your name], i’ll make it come true. so…!”
“smile for me, will you?” you peer up at him, watching confusion take over his delicate yet rough features. “you always look so sad. as my dearest friend…
“my only wish is that i see you smile. even if it’s just once.”
the adeptus returns the next day, milk and bread on a tray once more. they are wasted on the floor.
a corpse smiles from the shadows of the cell.
he thinks back to the wish he couldn’t fulfill yesterday. try as he might, it’s hard to stretch his lips into a genuine smile.
maybe it’s because he’s collapsed on the ground, yelling in pain as his whole world blissfully sleeps in the corner.
maybe it’s because whenever he tries to smile, it doesn’t feel right.
not when there’s no one to smile for anymore.
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the end is nowhere in sight, yet rex lapis keeps pushing forward.
alatus’ spear plunges into the guts of the demons, spurting black blood over his lithe body as he pulls it out. around him, his fellow yakshas are also hard at work. bosacius tears bodies apart with his four bare hands, splattering more blood and leaving a gruesome sight behind. menogias clicks his tongue and furrows his eyes at the electro yaksha in disapproval.
“can’t you be a bit more graceful, bosacius?” he steps out of the way as bonanus and indarias team up to fling a particularly mighty foe across his way. “these corpses are dismal to look at!”
bosacius laughs boisterously, hoisting an enemy up in the air and cracking their skull on a rock in one fell swoop. “i can’t be bothered, brother! this is the way bosacius fights! with bare hands and strength! corpses are not meant to be looked at anyway!” crack. crack. the gruesome sounds of his fighting are lost in the sounds of war around them.
with a clever twist of his body, alatus sends a corpse to the four-handed idiot to which he skillfully catches without even sparing a glance. “less talking, more fighting,” he says ever so curtly. “rex lapis requires our immediate assistance. do not dally.”
bosacius and menogias send each other a knowing glance, quite familiar with alatus’ undying loyalty to their senior adeptus. the fighting continues and alatus continues to let himself get lost in the chaos, never minding the mysterious ache that binds his chest tighter and tighter with every demon purged. when the battle is won, no one celebrates. it’s hard to, when you feel the blood of the thousands you have massacred drying on your skin. alatus approaches rex lapis, his toned back shadowed by the rising sun as he overlooks the aftermath of the war.
“you’ve fought well, alatus,” rex lapis’ deep voice acknowledges him, brown eyes still steady on the horizon. “you do well to keep the contract.”
“i do not need a contract to serve you, rex lapis,” alatus starts humbly, lowering his gaze in respect. “i owe you my freedom and life.”
“you say that, yet i now have you enslaved to kill for another cause. to me, there is no difference.” rex lapis casts a glace on his most loyal follower. “yet you say that i have given you freedom.”
alatus takes note of the dry bitterness underneath rex lapis’ otherwise gravel tone. “i have signed the contract of my own free will,” he professes, daring to gaze his golden eyes into his lord’s similar ones. “you need not worry about me, my lord.”
rex lapis chuckles, before beckoning alatus to his side. “look at her harsh winds and cold peaks,” the senior adeptus muses. “our nation is blessed with vast plains and tall mountains, but our neighbors shoulder the bitter cold while fighting their side of the archon war.”
“indeed,” alatus could only say. “but your victory is sure now, my lord. soon you will rebuild liyue to glory once you’ve taken the seat of the seven.”
“mmm, yes,” rex lapis hums. “the war nears its end. seven victors from different nations, including bitter and wintry mondstadt. i wonder what sort of archon will rise from mondstadt. our borders are joined together— while violetgrass root themselves on the stony sides of our mountains, their dandelions withstand harsh winds even as their seeds threaten to fly. perhaps their new archon can give them a home where they can grow unbothered, while i build our citizens to be as resilient as a violetgrass.”
… dandelions…
“apologies for the unnecessary question, my lord, but… have you seen a dandelion?”
“oh, they’re curious little things indeed. native to mondstadt. if guizhong had time, she used to walk by the borders and pluck them to make a wish.”
alatus’s breath hitches at the familiar tale. “... what did she wish for, if i would be permitted to know?”
rex lapis’ lips turn into a half-smile, hardened eyes softening at the memories of a dear friend long gone. “she wished for liyue to prosper under my rule. never used a wish on herself.”
“... huh.” the wind blows back alatus’s matted hair, revealing forlorn eyes as they gaze at the sun. “... i wonder why they all do that.”
“does this all sound familiar to you, alatus?” the younger adeptus looks up to see his lord gazing at him with a soft look. alatus shakes his head and straightens his back, taking on the stance of a soldier once again.
“no. this is not the time for me to be concerned with another nation’s trivialities.” he bows his head to the adeptus and starts to make his exit. he doesn’t know why, but a gloved hand takes one of the stray strands of hair self-consciously and turns back to rex lapis. “another question… if i may be so impudent to ask.”
“impudence is not a word to be used on you, alatus. go ahead.”
for a moment, alatus’s confused and conflicted face makes him look like the young adeptus rex lapis saved from the hands of a cruel god. now he is not a battle-hardened soldier, but a lost boy who doesn’t know what to do. “... is the shade of my hair… similar to that of a dandelion?”
the older adeptus cocks his head at the unusual question. “far from it, no.” he studies alatus’s look of disappointment as he lets go of the strand. “why do you ask?”
“... nothing, my lord.”
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moments of respite like this are rare in this current era of warfare, so soldiers cherish every single second of it. but for alatus who has only known bloodshed ever since his days at the mercy of the young god, this temporary peacefulness is a waste of time. in a camp just outside of liyue harbor, alatus and his fellowmen idle around a crackling campfire.
“you’re too fidgety, alatus-gē,” pervases laughs as he takes a bite out of his grilled ticker fish. he raises one to alatus’s face. “care for one?” when the senior adeptus scowls and turns his head away, he shrugs and scoffs it down stick and all in one gulp. “more for me then.”
“those malevolent gods continue to let their underlings rampage as we sit here and idle,” alatus frowned at the seemingly peaceful campsite of his fellow yakshas and even a few outstanding mortal warriors. “we should be making plans and calling reinforcements. the war will not end unless we bring that monster down to its watery grave.”
“oh my,” comes a motherly sigh. a young woman with silvery gray hair smiles slyly at alatus. her slender figure stretches across the log serving as a seat in front of the campfire, the cleansing bell tinkling delicately at her side. “you youngsters are quite eager to get into danger these days. not everyone has the energy to keep battling, you know? why i—” she sighs mournfully, pressing her fingers to a supple cheek “— even i need my beauty sleep. charging into the fray daily with no rest is just too much!”
“ping,” he addresses the newcomer. “i see that you are as vain as ever. if you’re not willing to put your all into this war, why did you even enter the contract?”
“i am upholding my end of the contract,” huffs ping. “but only within reason! you’re the one who’s out of reason.” she waves him off with her hand, shooing him off like a stray dog. “take a walk or something. call it a night patrol to ease yourself. i’m afraid your scowl is going to affect me and give me wrinkles.”
alatus takes a good moment to ponder the suggestion before he feels ping’s eyes narrowing at him threateningly. with a deep sigh, he takes his spear with him and teleports himself to a quiet walkway some ways off the guili assembly. war had touched this side of liyue too, it seemed, with swords rusted with blood plunged to the ground and tattered kerchiefs belonging to soldiers waving solemnly in the air. alatus knows this place to once been the safe haven of rex lapis and the late guizhong’s people before the war took the sweet goddess’ life and perished her to dust. now it is mere ruins, a reminder of the evil deities are willing to commit for power.
alatus has years of battle experience under his belt, but it doesn’t make the feeling any better as he stares at these relics. he focuses his gaze on the moon and walks by.
… rumble rumble…
a weathering wall shakes just a few steps away, alerting alatus’s senses. he quickly arms his spear as he vigilantly approaches the spot. the place is teeming with ruin guards and other dangerous mechanisms and although mindless machines are no match for him, alatus is not one to underestimate an opponent. when he peeks around the corner, it is not the eerie glowing eye of a machine but a pair of eyes about to glaze over.
covered in soot and dirt, a raspy voice tries to speak out, “w… wa… ter…”
alatus blinks in surprise when he finds a human instead but quickly teleports somewhere to get drinkable water. in a moment, he appears again in front of them and swiftly tips the saucer into their mouth. gently lifting their head, he watches as they desperately glug down the water. some of it spills from the sides, but the light in their eyes quickly revives until they pull away with a gasp.
“ugh… ha! i thought i was a goner there!”
alatus freezes.
two shining [eye color] eyes peer up at him gratefully as a wide grin spreads across their face.
“thanks a lot, mister adeptus.”
they are escorted into liyue harbor. alatus does not talk to them or even spare them a glance, afraid of whatever feelings that may arise should he do so. he’s aware of the curious glance they send his way, scrutinizing his every inch. he doesn’t like how they stare at him with awe and absolute trust. this is an era of warring gods, where adepti like him dig into flesh and blood to pursue their ambition. fools who cling to whoever feeds them die easily.
they continue staring. it feels like fire as his guilt and memories long pushed away pour from his heart and threaten to consume him whole. his steps feel heavier, as if any second now and the earth will cave in and send him straight to hell. unconsciously, his eyes glance back to them and they… smile.
it hurts.
flashes of a corpse long gone come back to him and he tears his eyes away. he shakes this haunting feeling away, yet their stare that bears the weight of decades' guilt continues to burden him all the way to camp.
"ping," he says gruffly, catching the attention of the group. everyone's a bit startled at the arrival of a newcomer, a dusty and malnourished one at that, but even more so that alatus decided to trek uphill instead of just conveniently teleporting himself. "take care of this one," is all he curtly says before plopping down underneath a tree and closing his eyes.
ping huffs in disdain and gives him a dirty look, but quickly changes it to give the newcomer a warm smile. “come now, sweetie,” she coos, placing a comforting palm on the small of their back and escorting them to the bonfire. “you’re positively shivering! it makes sense, given that that yaksha’s always so cold.” at this alatus grunts, but she doesn’t pay him any mind. “here’s some soup and a blanket to cover you with. my gosh, you’re so dirty! what have you been doing? playing around in the mud?”
you eagerly take her up on her offer, and soon you’re swaddled in a thick blanket and bowl of carrot soup to enjoy in front of the fire. “i was actually studying some of the leftover ruins at the assembly. i thought that maybe i could get some useful things and use them for myself.”
ping gasps dramatically at your story– a young adult scrapping for leftovers in the middle of the war– and alatus rolls his eyes. “poor, poor thing!” she cries and draws you in for a hug. “don’t worry. here at morax’s camp, you won’t have to suffer through that anymore! you’ll be cared for until we can find a suitable place for you and the other survivors to live!”
you laugh. “i think you have the wrong impression, ms. adeptus, i’ve had it pretty easy compared to others during this war. what i’ve been scrapping are materials!”
ping cocks her head, and alatus even peeks out from the tree he’s hiding behind. “materials, darling?”
“yes! screws, tree bark, metal, you name it. i’m finding them so i can continue making my gadgets.” you fish into your bag, and they can hear the clanking of metal and other stuff as you sift through the mess. “ah, here it is, one of my favorites!” you pull out a curious box, the cuhui wood engraved with liyuean details. you gently snap the box open and reveal a little figurine made out of precious stone, frozen in an elegant twirl reminiscent of liyue’s traditional dances. you begin to crank the little knob at its side, and when you release it a pleasant tinkling of sounds fills the night air.
ping stares wide-eyed at the pretty treasure, listening to its sounds with a fond look on her face. even pervasive hums as he gnaws on his nth fish, his scratchy voice humming along with the old lullaby. other nearby campers close their eyes and let their minds wander for a while, to a place where lullabies such as this sang all day and wars didn’t raze grass and civilians to the ground. for a moment, they let themselves be deluded into a moment of peace.
when the tinkling fades away, only the crackling of the fire remains. “pretty, isn’t it?” it takes ping a moment to snap out of her trance before nodding enthusiastically.
“quite! oh, if it didn’t look so perfect slotted between your hands, i might have snatched it for myself! although,” she nervously chuckles, feeling the stern gaze of the silent adeptus lounging behind the tree. “i might not have the chance anyway. a certain someone has been glaring at me ever since i conceived the thought.”
“maybe he wants it for himself?” pervases jokes. “he could do with it, what with all that stress.”
“hmph, i’ve no need for such trivial things.” he goes back to resting against the trunk without another word.
ping sighs and shakes her head at you, like a disappointed mother. “he’s always like that,” she laments. “he’s morax’s most faithful servant, i’ll tell you that, but sometimes it makes me wonder what will happen after this war is over. surely he won’t be going around slaughtering monsters?!” she raises her hand to her mouth like the thought was too unforgivable.
pervases hummed, thinking hard and long about how his senior would act in a time of peace. “hmm… i think alatus-ge would like to fish. he seems like the type.”
the image of the bloody general fishing floats above your three heads. ping waves it away. “as if!” she scoffs. “he’d just spear the fish and be done with it!”
“what kind of person do you think alatus-ge is…?”
“alatus, alatus!”
something twists at his gut, a mix of anticipation and dread, but he stops in his tracks to wait for you. you catch your breath beside him. “you’re so fast for someone so short!” you complain. “how do you do it?”
“slowness isn’t an option on the battlefield,” alatus curtly says before turning to assess. you’re covered head to toe in dirt, and your fingers are covered in grime like you’ve been digging. he sighs and rubs a speck of dirt from your cheek. “another one of your foraging hunts? you can always tell me if you need something. it’s too dangerous outside the camp.”
“i used to tell you, didn’t i?” you pout. “but you can’t tell the difference between a cork and a screw!”
alatus blushes. he can’t really wrap his head around these machineries. whenever you and cloud retainer got into one of your excited conversations about tinkering and machinery, alatus could only pretend like everything you just said didn’t make his head spin. if you got into another of your rants about the intricacies of machines or whatever, everything you said went into one ear and out the other.
“but you still listen, don’t you?” ping and pervases teased him with knowing grins. he had hit them over the head after that.
“... tus! alatus! ugh, you’re not listening again!” you had gotten into a lecture of the differences between corks and screws, but now you shake him by the shoulder with furrowed brows. “you’re always like this. is machinery really too hard for you?”
“everyone has their strengths.” he ruffles your hair, smiling softly when you visibly relax. “you wouldn’t want me to tell you about how to efficiently kill geovishaps, do you?” when you make a face, he laughs slightly. “thought so.”
“they just… ugh. they just smell so bad!”
“... they smell like rocks.”
as the two of you finish the rest of his patrol, alatus doesn’t miss a moment to watch your every movement. here, under the red rays of dusk, you look so alive. your cheeks could be healthier, but alatus is comforted with the knowledge that you stuffed yourself full this morning. your eyes have a twinkle in them, not the last sparks of ember that you had tried to hold on for so long. and you smile… because you want to. not because you had to. not because you had to comfort your fellow friend in prison.
“looks like we’ve walked too far,” alatus comments, sighting the dandelions swaying in the distance. “we should head back to camp before it gets too dark.”
“oooh, dandelions,” you muse. you and alatus stand side by side, taking in the dandelions swaying in their pastel heads swaying in the wind. “i heard they were pretty, but seeing them in person is better.”
standing by your side, alatus takes in your countenance. there is an indistinguishable look in your eyes as you watch their seeded heads bob and sway, your smile somewhere between content and forlorn. the setting sun paints your face with an orange hue, only serving to make you look as if you’ve come out of an oil painting itself. alatus’s breath hitches and he tears his eyes away from you.
self-consciously, he rubs a teal strand of his hair before tucking it back. “do… does my hair…” you turn your gaze to him questioningly, and his pale face burns at the embarrassing predicament he’s put himself in. “does my hair look like the dandelions?”
you stare at him for quite some time, only blinking and not saying anything, before you tilt your head back and laugh. alatus’s face only reddens further and he hits you with his elbow in his embarrassment. you only continue to laugh, even as alatus is beginning to throttle you and beg you to pay no heed to his words. when you’re done laughing, alatus huffs at you and refuses to look at you.
“oh, you… silly adeptus, i would have mistaken you for a pure-hearted maiden there!” you giggle into your hand, and alatus’s brows knit themselves in huffiness as you continue to tease him. “come on, you have eyes. they’re not even close in color!”
he kicks you lightly in the shin, before turning around and walking off to the distance. “come on. let’s head to camp before night,” he says as if nothing’s happened. you stare at his back for a while, a teasing smile on your face, before shaking it off and hurrying to catch up to him. when you catch up to him, you leap at him with your arms around his neck, ruffling his hair with a bright smile on your face.
“don’t be too grumpy, alatus!” you laugh, even as he sends you a look of frustration. “once this is all over, we’ll come back to this place and make wishes on those dandelions!”
“don’t forget about me, mister servant,” you lightly laugh behind your bars. “bring me lots of food, okay? then once you get me outta here, we’ll have a big ol’ feast at my yéyé’s.”
one of the guards tug at alatus’s shackles but he clings to your cell even as they grunt and pull. “[your name], i’m not leaving you! i can’t! i won’t!”
you chuckle. “stupid mister adeptus. who’s going to swipe cake for me then? now go, shoo.” you wave him away, smiling weakly. “i know you’ll come back for me. you always will.”
you’ve always had a knack for being the unluckiest person alive. even if your smile was so bright that it seemed to ward off evil, tragedy always seemed to tightly coil around your neck like a noose. he wanted to be the one to cut it off, in both the last life and this.
once again, he always seemed to be too late.
“they’ve broken through the formation!” indarias yells, slamming a fiery fist through her enemies. the pyro-blessed yaksha, usually so playful and coy, looks at her comrades with panic. “there’s no one left at the camp to defend them anymore. they’re— they’re all—!” she swallows down the bitter reality, pervases and her other comrades’ gored bodies flashing through her mind. “the civilians can’t defend themselves from all those monsters!”
“shit.” menogias slices through a foe and turns to their youngest, standing atop a pile of bloodied corpses. karmic debt wraps him and the other yakshas like a dense fog, and it gets harder to breathe with every passing second. still, he calls out to him.
“alatus—!”
the young yaksha only spares him a golden glance, before slipping the bloodied mask on. “you don’t have to tell me twice.” and he disappears into the air.
you are not there when he reappears at the camp. no one is. everything is on fire, and he can barely see what’s in front of him thanks to all the smoke and ashes polluting the air. he hisses at the burning in his lungs, but he perseveres forward as he strains his ears for any signs of life. the faint clashing of weapons and maniacal laughter is far away, but they grow stronger as he continues.
he steps on something… fleshy. growing dread rises within him as he slowly looks down.
that… is a severed hand.
biting his tongue, he rushes forward through the sea of flames. more and more decapitated limbs and bodies litter the area. arms, legs, torsos, feet… the handiwork of psychopaths, no doubt. because an ordinary soldier would not do this. not to civilians. not to people who could not defend themselves. he sees no face to mourn for. he sees no head to remember.
roars of laughter peal through the air as he braves a wall of fire. as the sky is dyed red with both fire and dawn, alatus’ face pales when he sees the enemies marching around as they shout triumphantly into the chaos.
your head, beautiful as he had always remembered, parades past him on a wooden stake.
when karmic debt takes over, he doesn’t remember anything the next morning when he sobs and cradles your sleeping face, surrounded by the bodies of foes and allies alike.
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in your next life, you are both strangers. he looks high and low for you in liyue, but he does not find you.
celestia orders the seven archons to launch an attack on khaenri’ah, and alatus and whoever is left of the adepti is ordered by rex lapis to stand by in liyue and eliminate any escaped khaenri’ahns. although he has nothing against them, he is more than happy to follow his lord’s commands, because he has nothing else left to do but do his duty.
surely enough, the khaenri’ahns have found some escape route that leads up to liyue. unfortunately for them, alatus and the others are there to massacre them without hesitation.
in one of the escapees, his eyes widen behind his mask as he meets your scared eyes. in this life, they have diamonds in them, and they stare back at him with fear and unfamiliarity rather than mischief and friendliness. he thinks you still look beautiful.
even as he drives a spear through your chest.
when the massacre is finished, he tries to find your body. but there are too many of you, bodies upon bodies and the stench of death heavy in the air. he cannot find you, his pearl, in this bloody sea of corpses.
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years have passed, and he has not seen you since.
well, that would be a bit false. he does see you, but not… you. he does not walk with you in flower fields to admire your face bathed in sunlight nor does he watch you rummage through ruins for scraps of metal and machines. he does not idly chat with you behind bars to pass the time away nor does he help soft bread to your chapped lips as he comforts you with promises of your freedom and your yéyé.
he sees an image of you, the hallucination that his karmic debt has conjured for him in his nightmares. you smile at him ever so sweetly, joining him in his bed at wangshu inn. you’re always so pure and pretty in your nightdress when you sidle up to him to share in his warmth. but when you lean over to press a kiss to his cheek, alatus’ eyes shoot wide open as he feels your hand wrap around his neck and squeeze. he should fight, he could fight, but how could he? your face is twisted in hatred and disappointment, whispering to him about his betrayal and failure to save you. ‘you killed me, you left me, you fed me to the dogs.��
how could he fight back, when all you have said is the truth?
and so alatus, now named xiao, wakes up for another day drenched in his sweat and tears.
he is patrolling guili plains when he spots a familiar head of gold and the tinier head of white walking idly through the grasses. it’s not unusual for aether and paimon to be here, but they’ve thoroughly explored and exhausted this area of any treasures, and last he heard they were in fontaine. he hides away in a tree, observing their usual back and forth as they seem to wait for someone.
“like i’m saying, they’re an hour late!” paimon fumes, stomping the air as she throws a tantrum. “what if someone happened to them? oooh, paimon knew we should’ve picked them up from mondstadt! they’re always so clumsy!”
“oh, don’t get your crown in a twist, paimon,” aether says, nonchalant as ever. he glances towards xiao’s way and hums to himself, as if partaking in a fun little secret (he’s always been so perceptive, xiao muses), and takes a bite out of his sunsettia. “geniuses like [your name] are always like that. losing track of time, getting caught up in some curious thing they encountered on their way… they’ll be here soon, promise.” he hands out his half-eaten sunsettia to paimon. “sunsettia?”
“ew, gross! don’t hand paimon your leftovers!”
xiao perks at the familiar name, opening one eye as he lazily ruminates the familiar syllables in his head. [your name], [your name], [your name]... like he could ever forget that. he whispers it in his sleep, prays to your hallucination like a god, screams it every morning… [your name], [your name], [your name]... he watches aether finish his sunsettia and sighs to himself. he shouldn’t be silly. numerous people with your name have appeared in liyue ever since he’s last seen you, and not one of them was you. he shouldn’t get his hopes up.
“— iiii’mmm! so, so sorry!” a sobbed yelp breaks the peace of the plains from the distance. a hefty backpack overshadows the figure carrying it, running as fast as they can with the weight on them. they skid to a stop in front of the traveler and paimon, who greets the newcomer with an amused smile and a huffy face. the backpack ungracefully lands on the grass with a loud clang, and its owner falls alongside it as they try to catch their breath. “i’m so— huff— sorry! i was— hah— on my way here when i— huff— came across a travelling merchant. they had all these goods from fontaine and i— hah— couldn’t resist!”
paimon once again stomps the air. “well, you should try to be more mindful from now on! it’s rude!”
“i’m so~ory,” the eccentric figure whines pitifully. they rummage through their bag and pull out a pretty tin box, the kind used to store cookies. “forgive me, paimon?” in the usual paimon fashion, her eyes twinkle upon seeing the pretty sugar cookies stored inside, and upon the first bite all is finally forgiven.
“hm, is it just me or is someone watching us…?” they wonder, looking around the guili plains for any signs of life. “i feel this, uh, weird pressure. or am i just delusional…?”
when they turn, xiao catches their eyes through the canopy of leaves on the tree he’s occupying. his breath hitches, his eyes widen, and the world seems to halt to a stop.
you unknowingly lock eyes with the adeptus, cocking your head as you try to find the stranger peeking on your little group.
you blink when the pressure is finally gone, and you look back at the highly perceptive traveler in confusion. he only regards you with a small smile and shrugs.
“you’re awfully interested in the engineer, don’t you think?” aether playfully muses as he walks in on one of xiao’s rare times of relaxation. he lounges on wangshu inn’s balcony as he overlooks the scenery beneath him, almond tofu in hand. “why don’t you greet them for yourself then?”
xiao doesn’t spare him a glance as he brings a spoon of the silken food to his mouth. “unnecessary.”
aether rolls his eyes, taking the spot next to xiao as he studies the adeptus with a smile. “don’t be like that, you introvert. you’re always following us around while they go study liyue’s machines. i’m sure zhongli would be pleased to know that you have friends outside of us and the other adepti.” xiao scowls when aether uses his lord as a guilt trip, but doesn’t comment any further. “[your name]’s a wonderful person, if not a bit ditzy at times. i think they and cloud retainer would get aloong quite well if they ever met each other.”
he thinks back to your second life, where you chattered the night away with the crane adeptus about machinery and the like. bathed in the glow of the campfire, alatus would only dare observe from a distance as you talked passionately with stars in your eyes. aether observes as xiao’s eyes soften. “they did.”
the traveller huffs a laugh, slumping his cheek against the wooden railing as he looks out to the scenery too. “reincarnation, huh? there were things like that in other worlds as well.”
he’d never admit it, but he had always been pleased by the fact that aether had the shared experience of living for eras, if not longer. the other adepti were never close to humans, but aether and his sister had always walked alongside mortals in order to observe their stories. xiao lets the wind graze his cheek. “... did you ever have someone you wanted as well?”
“i made many friends but…” aether quirks a small smile, tapping his fingers on the wood lightly. “my sister was really all i needed.” he notes the hidden pain in his voice. “we’ve traversed many worlds together, and we will always have eternity together. but you don’t have someone like that.”
golden eyes meet golden, and xiao shudders at the sly look that aether gives him.
“well, unless you do something to change that.”
‘damn you, aether.’ the traveller’s always been sort of a bastard hiding behind gentle manners and a pretty smile, but he never thought that he’d stoop so low as to awaken the dark feelings that he’s kept repressed for so long. ‘sly dog.’ he makes a mental note to not react when aether calls for him next as some sort of petty revenge.
today, you are alone. your backpack is lighter, thankfully, otherwise you would not be able to travel through the huaguang stone forest’s cliffs and falls. he’s joined you on this journey since you started a few days back, but he continues to grow with paranoia every time he sees you walk too close to the edge. he’s also saved you a few times, summoning wind to stabilize a shaky glide or carrying you further away from the edge when you started rolling in your sleep.
his heart twists when he settles you back in your sleeping bag. he takes in your sleeping face, murmuring nonsense in your sleep, and the sides of his lips tug into an unconscious smile. you’ve always had that habit in the lives that he’s known you in, and he pushes aside the strands of hair to take a clearer look at your face. when the babbling subsides, your dopey grin relaxes itself, and the heartaches begin once again. so many times he’s watched over you like this, but the last time he had was… was when you were…
your face, peaceful and oblivious, overlaps to a bloody, dismembered one. xiao inhales sharply and shakes the image out of his head.
he starts with your cheek, caressing it softly with his calloused fingers as he revels in your warmth. they trace every feature— your fluttering eyelids, the in-betweens of your eyes, your twitching nose— until his thumb presses on your lip. this was not a luxury he could afford back then, but now, now.
‘i can protect you in this world.’ he thinks. his lips brush against yours, but he does not lean in further.
‘all my past transgressions, i will make it up to you.’
you smile in your sleep peacefully, just as you did... so many years ago.
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you appear in xiao’s dream once more.
it starts off the same as always. you are draped in fine liyue silk, batting those innocent eyes at him as you call him to your shared bed. he knows what will happen next, having relieved this for centuries on end. you will crawl upon him, you will wrap those hands around his neck, and you will admonish him. xiao stares at the alluring image of you and does not budge from the foot of the bed.
“[your name], come to me.” your image cocks its head in confusion, but you follow anyway. now that he’s met the real you, he can clearly see the difference. your hair isn’t that shade, your eyes are much too wide and— ah, his image of you has slowly been creeping away from his mind after years of separation. the thought of it twists his heart.
he watches you crawl over to him, tempting and innocent like a newly wed bride. you sit on your knees dutifully, awaiting his next command. he reaches out, strokes your hair— it’s not as soft as this in real life— and smiles darkly.
“i love you, [your name].”
you smile. “i know.”
“i always have. even after all these years.”
“i know.”
your eyes held so much light and passion than this blank-minded image of you. he inhales. “i’ll miss you.”
you furrow your brows, frowning in confusion at the sudden confession. “alatus, what are you talking about—?!”
xiao’s face is unmoving as he watches you choke on your blood, staring up at him wide-eyed as your hands shakily reach up to the spear embedded through your chest. “a– la– tus…?” he does not respond to your weak call, yellow eyes dull as you bloody his spear and heave with every gasp. “wh– how could…?”
“i’ve met you, [your name],” he whispers. he thumbs away the blood trickling from your lips. he breathes in slowly, knocking his head against yours. your image stares at him in betrayal and fear. “in this life, i’ve finally met you.” he feels your image dissipating and he brings you in closer. “finally. after all these years.”
“a… la… tus…”
“this time. this life. i promise you.” he entangles your bloody hand in his and presses a kiss to it. “we will finally be together.”
“no matter what.”
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98752-blog · 4 months ago
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You normally kept to yourself, a little cold, a little aloof - polite but definitely standoffish.
Soap takes that as incentive to pick at you, tease you anyway he can - he was bordering unprofessional, but hey, he got Lt. to open up didn't he? You shoot back just as much, a little more sharp but he can see your shell breaking.
one day, he notices you seem a little more tired, a little more drained, you're in the hallway, murmuring quietly into your phone. He can't make out what exactly is being said, but he decides to go up to you once he sees you've hung up.
"Look as though yer boyfrien' jus broke up w'ye," he grinned, cute and boyish
You say nothing, your chest is shaking and your breathing is shallow. You're afraid if you speak, you'll just crumble.
Your lack of words stuns him, and you shock him even more when you just walk by him to head back to your room. He trails after you, not much in mind, though deep in the recesses of his mind, he is worried.
When you go to shut the door in his face he can't hold back his comment:
"Team's walkin' on eggshells cus' a ye"
You shoot him a nasty glare, and all the words he wanted to say die in his throat. There are thin tear tracks down your face, he pushes forward, "Hen, i didnae mean,"
papers shift underneath his feet and he looks down in surprise, there are letters and trinkets strewn about your floor, pictures and so so many letters.
"What's all this?"
"Get out Soap." You find an empty spot in the mess and he has reason to believe you've sat there more than once.
"Worried abou' ye." You just shake your head, hands finding the letters closest to you. He carefully steps over the mementos, and scoots until he's standing next to you, before plopping down gracelessly.
"Lookin' like yer friend really did break up with ye." He said quietly, taking everything in.
"Johnny, can you just go, please." Your voice breaks midsentence and he whips his head around and sees you now, fat tears down your cheeks. Without thinking his hands reach out and he pulls you into his arms, cradling your head against his chest.
"Ach, I- Hen, listen, I'm an eejit, a big smelly eejit - I'm sorry, really, I am - don' cry, please." He whispered, heart clenching as you trembled in his arms. When you settle, he shifts to reach for a letter - there are so many he doesn't have to move far. It's from your mother, apologizing for how she had reacted to you moving across the world.
He remains silent and stationary, before reaching behind him and grabbing a blanket to wrap around you, tucking the ends behind him.
"Sometimes I wish I wasn't here." He jolts and squeezes you, "I ken bonnie, it's ay tough life ta hae any relationship."
"I don't have a boyfriend Soap. I mean missing all these big things back home... losing my childhood dog, missing my grandmas funeral, not being with my grandad while he was hospitalized."
You sniffle and it sounds like a gunshot to him, his heart beating too fast, "I'm not there to support my family, I'm not there for them when I should be."
"Ye can take a leave." He says, voice low and soothing. You scoff, wet and rough, "What then? Try my best to put everything back together just to leave and go save the world again?"
"Their world is falling apart and mine is going with it. Theirs is the one I'm supposed to be saving - I can't - because I'm not there for them when I should be."
His arms were tight around you, "I ken bonnie, it's hard... hard to be away from the people you love."
"I wouldn't come back." You whispered hoarsely. the words hanging in the air like a dirty secret.
The door creaked open and his head shot up, "Bloody hell," Ghost stands in the doorway, his figure nearly blocking out the light. His eyes dart from Johnny's to your small figure, bundled and cradled gently. He lingers for a beat more before he trudges in, leaning down to pick up all the letters and trinkets off the floor. He sits in your chair with a heavy sigh, eyes scanning over everything in his hands.
A heavy question sits in the air: Do you want out?
"Sergeant." The Manchurian accent rumbled in the space, you lifted your head up, eyes bloodshot.
"Sir."
"My office, 0600 tomorrow."
"Sir." Ghost looks at you impassively, before directing his attention to the notes in his hands.
The words blurred together,
what you've missed
what you're going to do when you visit
when are you available
would you ever come back
Your best friend got married, a wedding invitation sits unopened, the date months past - a mission in Russia, he recalls vaguely.
An invitation to a family gathering, new relatives to meet, new babies to play with, faces to see, places to go
missed
missed
missed
missedmissedmissed
Ghost couldn't relate, a shadow of who he used to be, a dead man walking.
But he feels a small ache; a bittersweet longing, he may not have people who cared for him anymore
but you certainly do.
And he can spur the smallest bit of humanity in him to feel some regret for you, knowing that despite him not having anyone, he wasn't being left behind in their lives - unlike you.
for: @waves-against-a-cliff thank you, for speaking sense
for:@rememberwren can't write heartache like you do, but damn trying - projecting in the meantime
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dilemmaontwolegs · 1 year ago
Text
Irresistible || CL16
Pairing: Charles Leclerc x fem!reader Summary: A one night stand comes back to haunt you when your father plans to marry his mother. Warnings: 18+ only, nsfw, smut, cheating, time skipping, kind of taboo (future stepbrother) WC: 6.1k F1 Masterlist || One || Two
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December 2019
Two years ago you had spent an amazing week in Monaco during a European getaway. It was meant to be a once in a lifetime trip but now you sat opposite your father at the kitchen table in your family home trying to understand what he was saying.
“…the kindest woman. You’ll love her, just like I do.”
He fell in love so now you were expected to leave behind everyone you knew and just start a new life with his new family. You knew he had been happier since the trip but you never would have thought it was because of some long distance relationship. He had kept that to himself for a long time.
“Can’t you just have a midlife crisis like everyone else?” you asked. “Why are you moving us across the world for a stranger?”
“Did you not hear me? Pascale is not a stranger. Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be. I love her.”
Resentment built and you pushed your chair back as you stood up. “You loved mum too, and look how that ended.”
Your father sighed and you immediately felt guilty for the heaviness in that one breath. It wasn’t his fault your mother decided domestic life wasn’t for her and left when you were just a baby. It wasn’t his fault that she met a man who had a motorcycle and flirted with the wrong side of the law. And it certainly wasn’t his fault that they crashed in a high speed police chase when you were 15.
You sank back into your seat and picked at the chipped Formica table top. “I’m sorry, dad.”
A calloused hand from a life of hard work gently patted yours. “It’s a big adjustment, pumpkin, but you said Monaco was a beautiful place. I thought you would be happy.”
“It was, but I’ll never see my friends.”
“I’m not saying you can replace them, but you’ll make new ones. And even with the different timezones I’m sure you can make arrangements to video call each other.”
He was making an effort, you could recognise that at least. “Fine. I suppose it won’t be that bad.”
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August 2017
All of the streets seemed to look the same, the stonework buildings towering over you as the afternoon sun dipped even further below the mountains that bordered the place. You had no idea which way it was to get back to the hotel and you weren’t going to risk the international roaming charges to use the internet on your phone, you already spent most of your savings on the clothes in the bags that hung from your wrists.
You were too busy looking up and trying to get a sense of direction that you didn’t see the man getting out of his car. Pain flared in your knee as a door slammed into it and you dropped the bags to clutch your leg that throbbed and drew a groan from your lips. It was worse than hitting your funny bone and you grabbed the hood of the car to balance when you nearly teetered over.
“Mon Dieu, est-ce que tu vas bien?” 
You couldn’t understand a word he said but the accent was almost enough to make you feel better, until you looked up. The setting sun cast a golden glow around the man and you swore he was more beautiful than the godlike statues you had seen in Rome the week before. 
“I, I,” you stammered stupidly as he knelt down beside you and repacked the bags that had fallen to the street. His bright green eyes lingered on the red lace bra and panty set you had spent a small fortune on before he cleared his throat and shoved them in the bag. “I don’t speak French.”
“You should really be watching where you are walking,” he said as he stood up, his accent saturating his words and making the scolding sound sexy. And it was most definitely a scolding. “You could have been hit by a car.”
“I was,” you pointed out as you tested your leg and winced when you put your weight on it.
“I meant one that was driving past. It was a good thing I was parked.” He looked down his nose and shook his head. Somehow this stranger had managed to make you feel guilty for disappointing him, and it started to infuriate you.
“I really don’t think this is all my fault,” you snapped as you swiped your bags back. “This is a footpath, and that is a no parking zone. Maybe you should concentrate more on where you should be driving than how I should be walking.”
You narrowed your eyes at him and he did the same until his lip twitched and a smirk broke out. “You think I am a bad driver?”
You looked at the double yellow lined he was parked over and squared your shoulders. “Does a duck quack?”
He mouthed the question back before he understood what you were implying and laughed as he took a step closer. “I like you, you are funny, and delusional. What is your name, and what are you doing tonight?”
You were still trying to figure out if he had complimented or insulted you when someone called out and stole his attention before you could answer.
“Charles, dépêche-toi!”
You both turned to the group that had arrived, all of the young men looking almost as handsome as he did. They had to be from the same modelling agency, or there was something seriously strong in the water here.
“Well?”
You looked at Charles and found he was still waiting for an answer. “Probably still trying to find my hotel.”
“Funny,” he chuckled before waving his friends off. “Je te rattraperai plus tard.” He took your bags and stuffed them in the backseat of his car before offering his hand. “I can’t have you walking these streets all night, god knows what trouble you could cause.”
“I was doing fine, until you hit me with your car, and now you want to drive me in it? Nuh-uh, I would rather take my chances on foot.”
You stepped around him to get your bags back, or at least you tried to but your aching knee gave out. You would have fallen to the pavement but a strong arm curled around your waist and pulled you against him. 
“You could have just asked if you wanted to hold me, biche.”
“Excuse me?” You pushed away from him and gritted your teeth through the pain. “I’m not sure in what world you think that is flirting, asshole.”
Charles threw his head back with a laugh and easily caught up to you, his palm heating the small of your back as he guided you around to face his car again “Biche, not bitch, it’s a cute little deer. I can call you Bambi instead, I quite like that. Unless you want to tell me your name?”
You rolled your eyes, unsure whether the endearment was an improvement at all, but stepped into the car when he opened the door for you. “No thanks, I don’t know if you are some sort of stalker.”
He laughed again before walking around to the driver's seat. “What hotel are you staying in?”
“The Fairmont.”
The flashy car roared to life and you turned to face Charles when his laughter grew. “So you would tell a stalker where you are staying but not your name?”
“That sounds to me like you are admitting you are a stalker,” you shot back with a daring arch of your brow. “Besides, I’m staying with a man that would snap you like a twig if you tried to turn me into a skin suit. I don’t have anything to worry about.”
“Your boyfriend?”
You snorted at the question and shook your head. “My father.”
He smiled at the news as he pulled out into the traffic and drove the short distance to the hotel. Your meandering had only left you two streets away from it so it was probably more of a nuisance to drive you there but Charles didn’t seem to mind. 
“Are you enjoying the city?”
“It’s beautiful,” you said with a nod. “It’s almost a shame to leave tomorrow.”
“Have you been to Jimmyz?”
“Not yet.” You had heard of the club but most nights had consisted of a late dinner with your father and then bed. It was actually the first day you hadn’t spent hanging out with him, he had gone to get a haircut that was long overdue after all the travelling and you had used the alone time for a little girl shopping.  
“You should come tonight, my friends and I are going and I owe you for hitting you with my car.”
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January 2020
Your father thought it would be a good idea for Pascale to come and stay for a week before the big move. She owned a hair studio so it was easy to take some time off and she was due to arrive any moment. He had all but begged you to make an effort with Pascale before leaving for the airport. He had never brought a woman home, or at least while you were there, so it was strange to see how he fussed over the crumbs in the kitchen sink. 
You did a quick final inspection through the house but with most of the belongings already sold or shipped off to Monaco there was next to nothing that could make a mess. You only hoped all your things arrived in time at the other end. It was bad enough you were going to be staying with one of your step brothers to begin with but it was only for a few weeks while the renovations on the new house dad and Pascale had bought were finished. He promised that your room would have a view of the ocean and your own bathroom - it was absolutely a bribe but you were fine with that.
The car pulled into the driveway, past the large real estate sign with an unmissable SOLD sticker across it. You had seen a handful of pictures of Pascale on your dad’s phone but when she stepped out of the car you realised they didn’t do her justice. Despite being on multiple planes that never made for a decent sleep, she looked refreshed and even her hair was still in a perfect blowout. She was really pretty, or maybe it was the bright smile she gave your dad when he parked the car.
“Do I look alright, Peter?” she asked as she touched her hair nervously and straightened her blouse.
“It’s not an interview, sweetheart,” he chuckled as he grabbed her suitcase. “You look beautiful.”
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August 2017
The club was unlike anything back home. The music seemed to seep into your skin, the bass vibrating in your bones. Even the air was intoxicating with the promise of a night of bad decisions.
“Bambi, I didn’t think you would actually come.”
You turned away from the bar and found Charles drinking in the sight of your short, tight dress. His eyes followed every line, dip and curve of your body and he bit his lip as he dragged them back up to your face. For the price you had paid you were happy it had the desired effect.
With your confidence bolstered you sent him a smirk and grabbed your drink that had been placed down. “Well you did say you owe me, you can start with my drink.”
Charles didn’t look away as he reached into his pocket and stepped closer, his hand reaching past to slap a bill on the bar top. His scent reached you, the cologne inviting you to lean closer and inhale the decadence of vanilla and bergamot. “The usual, please.”
He could have stepped back while his drink was made but he chose to stay close, his eyes flicking down your cleavage to see the red lace set he had been daydreaming about all evening. “How about we get out of here?”
You had fantasised about a summer romance since the trip began, what young woman wouldn’t when they were going to Europe? But you hadn’t been able to conjure a face as handsome as his when you closed your eyes late at night and your hand drifted beneath the blankets. Now you had the opportunity in the palm of your hands and you weren’t going to let it slip from your fingers.
Tipping your head back, you met his green eyes that dared you rise to the challenge. “Lead the way.”
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February 2020
You were jet lagged and exhausted when you finally reached your temporary accommodation.
“Charles is just on his way back from work but he shouldn’t be too far away. Make yourself at home, sweetheart,” Pascale said as she helped you with your bags.
The apartment was bare with mostly blank white walls and a few framed pictures of Ferrari cars. It was a typical boy space that was in desperate need of soft furnishings to liven it up, but that wasn’t your problem to deal with.
“He just bought the place so he’s still finding his ‘vibe’,” Pascale noted when she saw you eying up the empty space, the words sounding like they were verbatim and not her own. “But there’s two bedrooms and two bathrooms so you’ll have your own space. The builder said our house will be finished in a few weeks.”
“It’s great, Pascale,” you assured her as you set your bag down on the bed with a long yawn. You were surprised to find it had a floral duvet and a sheet set already made up - something you were sure she had done for you.
She nodded and placed your other suitcase down before leaving, closing the door most of the way. “I’ll let you rest for a bit.”
You woke to voices down the hall and found a blanket had been draped over you at some point.
“Can’t she sleep on Enzo’s couch? I don’t even know her, she could try to sell my things. There have been stranger things done before.”
“Ah-ah, no, and she doesn't even watch racing. Peter said she had no interest in the sport.” Pascale sighed heavily, the same way your father did when he was having to repeat himself. “She’s a lovely young lady, and she’s going to be family so please treat her as such.”
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August 2017
“Where are we going?”
Charles just smiled and kept driving through the quiet streets before pulling into a hotel far nicer than the one you were staying in.
“You live in a hotel?”
He laughed and tossed his car key to the valet driver. “No, but I have a roommate who would probably not be very happy with me if we woke him.”
He already had a room and led the way to the elevators with the confidence of a man who had certainly been here before. You didn’t mind, you were hardly a saint, and you knew exactly what you were doing when you dressed for the night out. You knew how you wanted the night to end.
For a man who looked eager to undress you, like he had done with his eyes, he didn’t touch you until the door was firmly closed behind him. But once that door locked shut it was as if the leash he had kept a hold of himself with was dropped and he pinned you against the wall, his lips finding the hollow of your neck.
The temperature in the room seemed to swell as his kiss climbed higher and he finally reached your lips. You moaned at the feel of his hands roaming your body and his tongue slipped past your parted lips when he dragged the zip down your spine.
“J'ai envie de le faire depuis que je t'ai vu pour la première fois. You are so fucking sexy.” [I have been wanting to do this since I first saw you.] He stepped back and watched the material fall away to reveal the tempting red lace he had been dying to see.
Your heart skipped a beat at the hunger in his eyes and you reached behind your back to unclip the bra. It was thrilling to watch the colour of his eyes fade to black as you revealed more skin to him but when you reached for your panties he spurred forward to stop you.
“Mine,” he stated as he brushed your hands aside and hooked his fingers into the waistband instead. Falling to one knee, he dragged the lace down your thighs and let them tangle around your ankles before kissing your hip. Your head fell back against the wall with a thud as he nudged your legs apart and pulled one leg over his shoulder. “What’s my name?”
Your forehead crumpled as his breath warmed your cunt and you buried your hands in his hair to hurry him up, but he was too strong.
“What’s my name?” he repeated.
“Ch-Charles,” you stammered as his fingers teased your entrance without delving further, driving you wild with need.
“Good girl, remember that when I make you scream.”
The words left you drunk and you would have dared him to make good on them but his tongue found your clit and two fingers curled into your cunt. All thoughts left your head while he was knelt fully dressed before you and all too soon his name echoed across the room as he brought you to your first of many highs.
You could barely walk by the time you collapsed on the king bed and your head was spinning from the various positions you had found yourself in. You only bothered to move when a phone vibrated on the bedside table and you reached over to see if it was yours.
Giada: When are you coming home?
“Need a break, Bambi?” Charles teased as he returned from the minibar with a bottle of water, cracking the top off and offering it to you first.
You took the bottle with a grateful smile and swallowed a few mouthfuls to ease your dry throat. “Who’s Giada?”
His eyes flicked to his phone and he grabbed it, quickly replying to the message before tossing it aside and caging you beneath his body. “My roommate. Now, where were we?”
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You should have been in a dead sleep but something had woken you. It was an ungodly hour given the darkness that was still outside but it did mean you saw the light of Charles' phone. His soft snores were silenced by the pillow he buried his face in and you took a second to admire the sight of his toned body in the moonlight.
Giada: It’s so hard to sleep without you here. I love you xxx
You slipped out of the bed without waking him and hated how good the ache between your legs felt because of him. You should have known a man like him was bound to have a girlfriend. She was probably a model.
You quickly gathered your clothes and dressed on the way to the door, closing it silently behind you. No one had to know you were even there and in a few hours you would be heading to the airport, never to see Charles again.
It took far longer than you expected to find your way back to the hotel and your father was already awake when you entered the room.
“You look like you had a rough night.”
You continued on your way to your bedroom in desperate need of a shower before packing. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Fair enough.”
You reemerged looking refreshed but you still felt contradictory inside. You told yourself that you did nothing wrong but it didn’t help when you knew there was a woman waiting at home for the man you had fucked. Fucked didn’t begin to cover what you had done - he had hung the stars and the moon, he had expanded your mind to the pleasures that could be sought with the right experience and partner. He had ruined you for all the men back home.
You fought to tug the zip of your suitcase closed, more than ready to leave the place behind, and growled in frustration. Your dad knew better than to bring attention to your mood but he gently moved you aside and closed the stubborn zip himself.
“How was your night?” you asked as you went to the kitchenette and made a strong brew of coffee.
He smiled to himself and picked up the suitcase to add it to the pile by the door but his smile dimmed when he saw how miserable you looked. “Nothing special, I just had dinner and a walk by the water.”
Normally you would have picked up on the lie, but you were too self centred to notice how happy he looked. He was glowing.
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February 2020
You followed the voices to the living room and found Pascale in the doorway saying her goodbyes. You couldn’t see the face of the man she was talking to, only a head of dark hair, but he turned when his mothers attention was drawn away. 
“You…” you breathed as you recognised the green eyes that had haunted your dreams for two years. Pascale frowned and you plastered a fake smile as you held your hand out. “You must be Charles.”
“I am,” he hummed as he looked at your hand before enveloping it in his much larger one. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’ll see you both for dinner tonight, Charles can drive you until we get you a car.”
Charles seemed to be hearing the news for the first time. “I can?” 
“Yes, you can. Now make sure she feels at home alright, maybe introduce her to some of your friends.” Pascale blew a kiss and left Charles to close the door.
His eyes sparkled with mischief as he locked it and you realised at that moment just how fucked you were because, despite the quick prayer you had sent, Charles had recognised you too. “Hello again, Bambi.”
“Fuck me,” you muttered beneath your breath.
Charles smirked and booped you on the nose as he walked past you and towards his kitchen. “No thanks, you’re going to be my sister soon.”
You hated that for a second you were disappointed before common sense returned and you went to your room to find your phone. “Dad, I can’t stay here.”
“Why not?”
“Charles is an asshole, that’s why,” you whispered angrily, your eyes scanning the bottom of your door to see if he was eavesdropping. 
“It’s only for two weeks, three at the most, plus he will be heading back to Italy for work on Monday.”
“Who the hell works in Italy and lives in Monaco?”
“He does, you would know that if you had a conversation with him and got to know him.”
“I don’t want to get to know him, I want to go home.”
“This is home now,” your dad said quietly as you heard Pascale arrive home at the other end. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
You flopped onto your bed with a groan as the call ended. Two weeks. Two fucking weeks. You groaned again as you realised that it may be just two weeks of living with him but there would be a lifetime of having him as your step brother. “Fuck!”
“I might have to get a swear jar to cover your half of the utilities.”
You surged upright and found Charles leaning against the balcony door, a balcony you apparently shared with his room next door. “Can I just make one thing very clear? As far as I am concerned, whatever happened two years ago - it didn’t. Nothing happened. I never saw you before today.”
“Nothing happened?” he chuckled as he walked into the room. “You still have that sense of humour because I remember a lot happening. Do I need to jog your memory?”
You hated how your body betrayed you, how your eyes followed his every step as he closed the distance between you. “You’re actually sick. Our parents are getting married.”
He stopped in front of you, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from your face and his eyes traced your lips. “You were gone when I woke up.”
“Giada wasn’t your roommate.”
“No, she wasn’t,” he admitted with that same smirk that simultaneously had you wanting to both slap it or kiss it away. “I have a new roommate now.”
“Not for long, I am gone as soon as the house is ready.”
“Oh, Bambi,” he laughed, swaggering his way back to the balcony door. “I wasn’t talking about you.”
“Asshole.”
“Biche.”
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“Charles, you should introduce Y/N to Charlotte,” Pascale said as she poured another wine for you. “That’s his girlfriend. You would probably get along with her, she’s about your age and a very nice girl too.”
You bit your tongue as you raised your glass to your lips and stared at Charles over the rim. Placing the glass back down, you smiled sweetly. “Is that right? I could do with making a girlfriend here, someone to talk about boys with. Maybe she can set me up with a handsome Frenchie.”
A foot kicked you under the table and you chuckled at the glare he was sending you over the greek salad. 
“We go to brunch on Sunday,” Pascale said with a pat to your hand. “You should come.”
“Count me in.” You stabbed a sweet cherry tomato with your fork before sealing your lips around it and humming in delight. “This was a delicious meal.”
Charles soon declared he was exhausted from the drive back from wherever it was he worked in Italy and Pascale looked a little disappointed that the first family dinner was cut short. Since he was your ride, you had to say goodnight to everyone too and followed him out to the car that was even flashier than what he had two years ago. His Ferrari fixation was more than just pictures of the cars in his apartment but he drove one too. 
“You are quite eager to leave,” you noted as you lowered yourself into the passenger seat, your skirt riding up your thighs as you settled into the leather. Charles inhaled sharply as he saw the hint of your panties peek out and slammed the door shut before storming his way around the car.
“I’m in half a mind to take you over my lap and turn your ass red,” he growled as he pulled out of the driveway. 
“Arthur is lovely,” you commented as you smiled at your reflection in the window. You were absolutely enjoying the way Charles gritted his teeth, but he had started this dance in your bedroom. “He offered to keep me company while you are away next week. I think I might enjoy his company more than yours.”
“Biche,” he warned as he broke the speed limit and practically skidded to a stop in his reserved parking spot. “You’re mine. No one else touches you. Ever.”
You slipped out of the car and felt his eyes on your ass as you climbed the stairs to the apartment. Though you had a key you waited for him to open the door and kept your voice low while he fumbled with the lock in his frustration. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you.”
“Everything looks good on me,” he argued as he turned the key and shoved you through the doorway. 
“Is that what your girlfriend tells you?”
“No, she prefers me with nothing on.” 
You could understand why that was but didn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing you agree as you went to your room. “Goodnight, Charles.”
“Night, ma biche.”
It was still early but you refused to leave your room, instead opening your laptop to watch a movie. You were halfway through a stupid rom-com when you heard a feminine voice in the apartment and you paused it to check you weren’t hearing things.
“Oh, Charles, bébé, baise-moi!”
You rolled your eyes at the sounds of the headboard banging on the wall you shared and rifled through your bag to find a pair of headphones. It seemed that they grew louder or you became hyper aware of what was happening in the room next door, and a needy throb began between your legs when you heard Charles moan deeply. 
Your frustration built until you disappeared into the bathroom and doused yourself in a cold shower, cursing him the entire time you waited for your blood to cool. You could finally think clearly after drying off and recognised he was only making his next move in the game he had started. It was time to start planning yours. 
Charles' steps faltered when he emerged from his bedroom shirtless but he recovered quickly and walked past your position on the couch as he went to get himself a drink of water. 
“You should try Gatorade,” you suggested as you flipped through the channels leisurely. “I find it better than water after a good fucking.”
“What are you wearing?” he finally asked after emptying the glass in one breath and wiping his lips dry.
“This is how I sleep,” you said as you stretched your legs out onto the ottoman. “Is that a problem for you?”
His eyes followed the line of your legs to the edge of the black and red babydoll you wore and cleared his throat. “No, no problem.”
“Charles, who are you talking to?” A pretty brunette emerged from the room and scanned the room, taking in her half naked boyfriend talking to you who was barely dressed much more than him. 
You rose to your feet before Charles could recover and bounced over to the young lady, wrapping her in a hug. “You must be Charlotte, maman’s told me so much about you. I thought I would have to wait until Sunday to meet you.”
“Maman? Sunday?” she asked as she looked at Charles for the answers.
“This is Y/N, my step sister - or soon to be -” he added quietly. “Maman invited her to brunch.”
“We are going to be great friends, Lottie,” you sang as you stepped back with a grin. “I just know it.”
Charles nearly broke his glass as he tossed it in the sink and headed back to his room, returning a moment later with a sweatshirt and jeans on. “Allez, mon amour,” he called to Charlotte as he grabbed his keys. 
You pouted playfully as he led her to the door. “She can sleep over, I don’t mind - I have earplugs.”
Charlotte flushed pink and clearly had no idea you were in the house while they were getting down and dirty. It made it all the more entertaining as you waved goodbye. “I’ll see you Sunday.”
Charles waited until Charlotte had passed the doorway before following, casting a final glance your way. “Don’t wait up.”
You felt his presence in your room before you saw him step out of the shadows with just a towel slung low on his hips and the bed dipped under his weight. “Well played,” he admitted, flopping back and making himself comfortable. 
Rolling over, you turned to face him and tucked your arm under your head. “Did you think about me when you were with her?”
His lips twitched before he gave in to the smile. “Every fucking second.” 
“She’s pretty.”
He reached out and brushed your cheek with his knuckles. “You’re beautiful.” 
You could feel yourself falling to the temptation that his lips provided and it was getting harder to resist taking what you wanted. “You should go back to your room.”
“Your lips say one thing but these say another,” he teased as his touch drifted over your collar and down to your breasts, the thin babydoll doing little to hide your nipples that had hardened since he laid down in the bed. “They are begging for something else entirely.”
“Charles,” you whispered as you leaned into his touch before you could think better of it. 
“I forgot how good my name sounded on your lips,” he hummed as his hand slipped beneath the material, “but I like it better when you scream it.”
“This is a bad idea.”
It didn’t stop him from rolling your nipple between his finger and thumb and drawing a soft sigh from you. “Why is this a bad idea, biche?”
“Because you have a girlfriend, and you’re my step…step…fuck…” Your eyes fluttered shut as his hand slipped between your legs and he touched you over your panties.
“Let me worry about Charlotte, you just relax and spread those lovely legs wider for me.”
“This is going to end badly.” You knew it but it didn’t stop your knees from parting for him. There was something about him that threw caution to the wind, it had been that way the first time you met too. He was pure temptation. He was the apple and you were Eve, unable to resist taking a bite. “I’ll find somewhere else to stay.”
He bit his lip as he watched how your body danced for his touch. “But not tonight.”
“Not tonight,” you conceded as you watched his eyes darken with lust. “Now please fuck me.”
Charles woke alone for the second time after sleeping with you but he smiled when he heard music playing in the living room. “You stayed,” he teased as he walked down the hall, trying to tame his hair along the way. 
“Didn’t have another option but I have found some short term rentals to view next week.”
He froze and his hands dropped to his side. “Wait, you were serious?”
“Yes, this isn’t going to work because if I’m anywhere near you this will just keep happening, and it was a mistake.”
The pop music suddenly grated on Charles' nerves and he grabbed the remote, changing it to another channel before tossing the remote away. You knew he was sulking at the thought of losing his plaything but you ignored him and watched the French news that you couldn’t understand. 
Something on the tv caught Charles’ attention though and he sat up straighter, his arms unfolding as his mouth parted in surprise. The breaking news headline was one that was universal and you realised something big was happening. 
“What is it?” you asked as he remained fixated on the tv. 
“It’s that virus,” he murmured. You had seen it on the news at home before the move, the outbreak reaching all across the globe as it spread person to person. You had been worried about it on the plane with each cough you heard. “It’s spreading here.”
“Okay, and?”
 His hand found its way to his mouth and he bit his nails as he listened, translating and relaying the information for you in sporadic bursts. “You won’t need that rental, Bambi.”
“Why?”
He turned to you with an odd look that you couldn’t quite figure out, possibly apprehension or anticipation or a mix of both. “At midnight tonight the whole country is going into lockdown.” 
His phone started ringing almost immediately and he excused himself to take the call. “It’s work.”
“Shit, shit, shit.” You grabbed your phone and dialled your dad. “Did you hear what’s happening? What do we do?”
“Relax, pumpkin, it’s going to be fine,” he assured you. “It’ll all blow over quickly, I’m sure. They can’t stop the world from turning, can they?”
You laughed in agreement and felt a little better by the time you hung up the phone, but Charles returned looking stressed as he dropped onto the couch beside you.
“Good news or bad news first?”
You didn’t think it mattered either way and just shrugged.
“Italy is also going into lockdown so there’s no reason to go back on Monday.” He draped his arm over your shoulders and pull you into his side. “Looks like we are going to be seeing a lot more of each other.”
“Is that the good or the bad news?”
“Well, I like my job so not being able to do it is bad for me, but being trapped with you indefinitely certainly sounds good to me.”
“Indefinitely?” you laughed and shook your head. “As soon as the house is done I’m gone.”
Charles' laughter silenced you and his kissed your temple. “Oh, Bambi…The builders will be locked down too, nothing will be finished any time soon. You’re all mine.”
“Shit,” you groaned in realisation. It was going to be impossible to keep your hands off him and from the grin on his face he knew it too.
“This is going to be great.”
Click here for part two.
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fandoms-writings · 6 months ago
Text
Little Schemer
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Pairing: Biker!Bucky Barnes x fem!reader
Word Count: 5.5K (hehe)
Summary: Secrets got Bucky into trouble with you, but he'll never do it again, if you'll give him another chance. This is for the drabble request "choose me" & "let me hear you make that sound again" <3
Warnings: 18+ ONLY, angst, secrets were kept (no cheating, i promise), emotions, smut, p in v smut, fingering, oral (fem receiving), spanking, slight bdsm, bordering overstimulation, some aftercare.
A/N: thank you so so much to @perdidosbucky-yyo for beta reading for me, i love youuuuuuu <3
Masterpost || Bucky Masterlist
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Bucky knew he fucked up. He shouldn't have kept you in the dark like he did, but he was just enjoying having you to himself - that you didn't know who he was. You were a breath of fresh air in this godforsaken town and he just wanted it to stay that way for a little longer. 
He wasn't ashamed of himself, but people treated him differently when they knew. Much like when you learned who he was - what he is. 
As he pulled up to the bar's back door, turning his bike off, your face flashed in his mind. The tears, the anger, the shake of your head when he tried to reach out to you. He swore, just thinking about it made his heart break all over again. 
The door opened next to him and he turned to see Steve standing there with a confused look in his eyes. "You good?"
Bucky nodded and sighed, standing from the bike and pocketing the keys. "I'm fine." 
He shouldered past Steve, not wanting his brother to see the turmoil he knew he was wearing on his sleeve. 
He quickly spotted the table in the back of the rundown bar where the others were sitting, smiling amongst each other and chatting and laughing. He plastered on a grin, hoping it reached his eyes enough to be convincing as he approached the table. 
He just had to get through this little gathering and he could go home. Go home and wallow in his self-pity and sorrow. 
But as he came up to the edge of the table, a laugh from across the room had his blood freezing in his veins. It took all of his effort to keep from tripping over his own feet as he slowed to a stop. 
His friends at the table gave him concerned and confused looks as they watched him turn, peeking over his shoulder to the source of the laugh he hadn't heard in two weeks. 
His heart strained in his chest when he saw you. You were laughing at something the guy sitting next to you had said, the smile on your lips as beautiful as it always was. He saw the way your fingers fiddled with the fabric of the skirt you were wearing, the sage green satin already wrinkled under your hand. It was a nervous tick of yours, something you did when you were upset or anxious, or just not having a good time. 
Bucky fought the urge to go over to you, to get the guy away from you and get your hand to stop picking at your skirt. He was about to lose that fight with himself, insert himself into a situation that had nothing to do with him, when Natalia stepped up next to him, bumping his arm with her own. 
"You're being obvious James," Her voice was quiet as she spoke, "and by the way you're looking at her, I'm assuming she's the reason you've been so off lately." 
He pushed a heavy breath through his nose as he continued to watch you, your smile dimming. "What about it?" 
Nat stepped in front of him, pulling his attention from you and down to her red hair. "Make a decision." She softly demanded, reaching forward to pat his chest, right above his heart, "Make a good one." 
She stepped past him, walking back to the table. He heard her quiet voice tell the others to leave him be, that he'll either join in a minute, or he won't, and that was that. 
Bucky looked back at you, watching as you excused yourself from the conversation with the stranger and stood from your barstool. The man tried to caress the side of your arm, but you dodged out of his reach, quickly making your way to the other side where the bathrooms were. 
Bucky straightened his shoulders with a deep breath, intending to wait for you to return to try to speak with you, but when he noticed the man from the bar stand and follow your path, he started seeing red. 
His feet started moving before he could stop himself, refusing to believe that maybe you wanted this guy to follow you. That you were leading him to a more secluded area. Away from prying eyes and eavesdroppers. He wouldn't believe it because he knew you, and he knew what that look on your face meant. 
He quickened his pace when he saw how close the stranger was getting and he could see the uncertainty, the anxiety, in your eyes as your unfocused gaze swept passed him to try a subtle look over your shoulder. 
Your eyes widened slightly when you spotted the guy trying to be nonchalant about following you, and your steps faltered. You were too slow in your reaction to turn back to your route and catch yourself, but Bucky was there, your sides freezing under his touch as he caught you. 
He tried to will the anger from his face as you gazed up at him, your eyes focusing on his before he leaned down. "I've got you, he won't touch you." 
You swallowed and took a shuddering breath, but you nodded to him, the tension beginning to ease from your muscles as you righted yourself, your hands reaching and landing on his arms. The warmth from your skin seeped through the long sleeves of Bucky's henley, shivers instantly threatening to crawl up his spine. 
"Where were you trying to go?" He asked, trying to keep the rage from his voice as he watched the man gain on you, "I'll walk you there." 
"The bathroom," Your small voice replied and he curtly nodded, but before he could guide you there, you spoke again, "I was going to hide there until I could sneak out without him seeing." 
A fist closed around his heart, "You're here by yourself?" At the nod of your head, Bucky's head started to spin as he thought of solutions for you. Frank might get mad at him for what he was about to suggest, but he'd handle him later. 
"I have somewhere better for you," He said, slowly guiding you away from the bar guy who was watching you two, "Will you trust me? Just this once." He knew it was a lot to ask, considering how he'd lied to you for months, but he knew that you remembered how he'd always put your first. Your happiness, your satisfaction, your safety. Nothing else mattered to him until you were taken care of and protected. 
Your chin dipped in a nod and Bucky immediately began cutting a path through the growing crowd, his hand on your lower back as he led you to the other side of the bar, quickly and thoroughly. 
It wasn't long before he came across the door he was looking for, and knocked before swinging it open. Inside was Frank's office, but luckily the man was out of town for the week, so no one would come knocking. 
Bucky ushered you inside before closing and locking the door, pulling the blinds shut so no one could peek inside the small office window. He kept the lights off, but the lights from the bar showed through the small cracks in the blinds, throwing light stripes of yellow through the room. 
Bucky looked through the blinds, watching the man from the bar as he looked around the space, looking for you, only to mutter to himself before going back to sit at the bar. 
"You can wait here as long as you need," Bucky softly said, turning in your direction, but not fully looking at you. 
"Won't Frank be mad?" You asked. You'd met him once when Bucky first started dating you. He'd paid Frank to not tell you about the club, and once Frank saw how far gone he was for you, he kept his part of the deal. 
"Let me worry about Frank," He assured you, "If you need anything, I'll let Wade know you're back here," He reached for the handle, "Lock it after I leave, alright?" 
"Wait." Bucky froze at the frenzied tone as you called for him, his hand on the door handle. The next words of yours were muttered on a low breath, and the sorrow dripping from them sent a crack through his chest. "Why won't you look at me?" 
"I... "He hung his head with a sigh and released the handle before turning towards you with his hands on his hips. "I didn't think you wanted me to see you. Or that you wanted to see me." 
Your soft footsteps padded closer as his gaze remained on the floor, the toes of your shoes coming into his vision. You'd worn those simple black flats you loved so much. They were your everyday shoes. There were no bows and no straps. The most unremarkable thing you owned and yet the sight of those shoes so close to his boots made his heart leap into his throat. 
"James," You called for him, your voice dragging soft fingers down his back, a shiver following in its wake. "Why would you think that?" 
"Because of what I did," He muttered, "What you saw me do."
He heard you heave a breath at the mention of the incident he'd been replaying in his head since you walked away. The blood coating his knuckles. The gasp that fell from your lips. The dread that had instantly flooded his chest at those wide eyes of yours as you backed away. 
You, running from him. 
"Will you please look at me?" The crack in your voice pushed him over the edge and he finally raised his eyes to meet yours. It may have been dark in that office, but even on the blackest of nights, Bucky would know exactly where to look to find your eyes. 
"I'm sorry," you whispered. 
"No, no you don't apologize," His words were heavy on his tongue as he scrambled to understand why you were saying that. "I'm the one who scared you, and lied to you." 
"And I'm the one who ran off before you could explain yourself," Your fingers fidgeted in front of you like you were keeping yourself from reaching for him. "It's not like I didn't know." 
Bucky's whole world froze. "What do you mean?" 
You let out a weak scoff, "Come on, Bucky, it's not hard to connect the dots, I just had to want to connect them."
At the shock that must've been written all over his face, you let out a small sad laugh. 
"I mean, c'mon," You started, "I get asked out by this motorcycle guy, who everyone else in town seems to be scared of. He's the only one in town who doesn't wear one of those vests and is the only one who the club leaves alone." You took a step forward, reaching for his hand. He let you take it in your gentle hold, your fingers turning it over so his knuckles were on display. "He also shows up to my house with weird bruises and cuts on his hands that he has no believable explanation for." 
You looked up from his hand, not letting it fall between you. 
"I just wish he would've told me," You whispered, "If I had known, I wouldn't have gone looking for you that day. I would've seen your text saying you were busy, and left it at that." 
Finally, you let his hand go, taking your warmth with it and he tugged his lip between his teeth to fight the urge to reach out for you.
"And now, I feel like I have to choose between now you and past you. The you I know you are, and the you I thought I knew." 
He took a deep to steady himself, though it came out shakier than he wanted it to. 
"I'm so sorry," His voice strained in his throat, "I just didn't want you involved. I liked that you didn't know who I was. I just wanted to enjoy that while it lasted." 
"Were you ever going to tell me?" You asked, your arms wrapping around yourself. 
"I was," He may have been quick to answer, but he didn't want you thinking for even a second longer than you already had that he was going to keep you in the dark forever. "I promise, I was going to tell you, but I didn't want to scare you off." 
You were quiet for a moment, and he could see those gears turning in your head as you contemplated his words. 
"Please," He whispered, "I'll do anything. I'll do anything you ask if you choose me. The me you now know I am." 
You took him in for a second - the bags under his eyes, the weight dragging down his shoulders, the pained sorrow lining the edges of his face. "Tell me everything." 
"Everything?" He asked. 
"Everything. No more secrets. No more hidden skeletons." You dropped your arms and stepped toward him, "I want to know it all. And then, I'll decide." 
His stomach erupted in nervous butterflies, realizing this was it. This was his last shot. 
So he told you all of it.
How he ended up a part of the club in his early twenties. How you'd stumbled across a rare moment of him having to defend his club's integrity from another. How even though he has to do those things, he doesn't necessarily enjoy it - he's just good at it. 
Some parts had you laughing, pulling a smile from his lips at the joyous sound that seemed so out of place considering the situation. Others had you hastily wiping the tears from your eyes as you sniffled. 
He spilled his guts to you. He turned over every stone and shone a light in every dark corner of his heart. He laid it out before you, for you to examine and judge, but he'd do it a thousand times over if it meant you'd let him sit next to you like you were. 
You two were in that office for hours. The bar had hit its peak hour. The music outside the office had turned from quiet rock to bassy club as people filed in to dance. The lights had lost their old yellow and turned to blues, greens, purples, and pinks, flashing through the blinds.  
When he was done telling you his life story, from the moment he joined the club to you sitting across from him, you were silent, staring up at him on the leather couch. 
"Thank you," You whispered, your voice barely audible over the bass on the other side of the wall. "Thank you for telling me." 
He nodded, his chest aching in suspense as you continued to watch him. 
"Do you really love me?" You asked, "You said in your story about how when I ran off, you couldn't believe you fucked up the one relationship you'd ever cared about and lost the only girl you ever loved." 
Bucky's heart fell to the pit threatening to swallow him whole. He remembered saying those words, but he didn't think you'd heard them clearly enough because you hadn't acknowledged them. He hadn't meant to let them slip quite like they had, he wanted to tell you in a much more romantic way, but his mouth was moving faster than his brain. 
He dipped his chin in a nod, "I do." Your lips twitched up in the corners and that was all he needed to gain more confidence in his emotionally raw state. "I love you, and I've loved you from the moment I first heard you say my name back to me." 
You didn't say anything back, you just sat there with that small grin on your lips as you contemplated him. Everything that he was. Bucky didn't usually like being the center of attention, being examined. But with you, he'd remain under your eye for as long as you allowed. He did his best to ignore the race of his heart as he waited for a response, but your next move did nothing to help ease its fast pace. 
You slid over to him, gently raising your knee and setting it on the other side of him, straddling his thighs as your hands rested on the front of his cutte. He wanted to grab you, desperate to have his hands on you, to feel you again, but he didn't want to push you. So he fisted his hands at his sides as your fingers trailed up his neck and to his chin before resting on the sides of his neck. 
"I've missed you," You whispered, the smile falling from your lips as your eyes traced the lines of his face. "I want to choose you as you are now," You started, his heart racing at your words, "But you have to keep being honest with me. No more secrets." 
Your nose brushed against his as your eyes looked up from his lips and his breath caught in his throat. "No secrets. Ever," He whispered, the movement of his words brushing his lips every so gently against your own. "You have my word." 
"If you ever keep a secret like that from me again," You muttered, your words crystal clear as they engrained themselves into his heart, "There won't be another chance. Got it?" 
He nodded, "I understand." 
"Good," You remained close, your breath fanning against his lips as his hands itched to reach for you. "Are you going to touch me?" 
He swallowed around the lump in his throat, imagining his hands touching you after the things you've seen him do was the hardest part. He didn't want to stain you with the bad side of him, the red on his hands. 
"Bucky?" Your voice brought him back, and he opened his eyes - when had he closed them? 
He wanted to voice what was racing through his mind, but he couldn't find the words and decided to save them for another day. Instead, he asked, his voice hardly above a whisper, "Can I touch you?" 
There was a certain understanding in your eyes as you nodded, "Of course you can." 
His hands found their way up to cup your face, the calluses of his fingers brushing against your soft cheeks. "Can I kiss you?" 
You let out a soft laugh as you nodded. That was all he needed before he closed that minuscule gap between your mouths, groaning when your hands tightened against the sides of his neck. 
Your lips danced to a familiar tune, but there were new notes now. Understanding and trust, however fragile and new. Longing and relief at starting fresh.
Your lips parted, allowing him to taste the subtle drink still on your tongue from hours ago. His hands slid down your shoulders and ribs, landing on your hips and pulling them against him. A whine vibrated through your chest into his mouth and the heat that filled his being was overwhelming as he rocked your hips with his hands. 
"I'm never losing you again," He said against your lips, "Never."
"I'll hold you to that," You breathed out, tugging on his bottom lip with your teeth. 
"You better." His hands squeezed your hips, pulling them down again against the hardness in his jeans. 
"I love you, James," His hands slowed as you pulled away. "I love you so much, and that's why I was here tonight." 
His brows pinched together. "What do you mean?" 
"I know you come here every Friday night," You said, "And I didn't want to talk over the phone, and I didn't want to lose my nerve and hang up before you could answer a call, so I came here hoping to see you tonight. And I'm glad I did." You smiled down at him, your hips still moving against his.
He shook his head in disbelief and shock as he loosed a huff of a laugh. One of his hands left your hip and reached up to stroke your cheek. "I love it when you scheme about me." 
You let out a shocked laugh, "I do not scheme!" Your laughter burst out as he grabbed you and flipped you around, hovering over you on the couch. 
"Alright alright, whatever you say," He muttered into the skin of your neck as he trailed his lips down its surface, inhaling the scent of you as he made his way to the bit of your breasts that showed when he pulled your shirt down, "Schemer." 
You opened your mouth to deny the nickname but you hadn't realized his hand trailing up the inside of your shirt, sneaking its way under your bra, his fingers gently pulling at your nipple. Whatever you were about to say broke off in a soft gasp, ending in a little whine that was like fuel to the heat driving Bucky's hand under your skirt. 
It trailed up the softness of your leg, tracing soft patterns as it climbed before landing over the damp cotton covering your center. He pulled the fabric to the side and groaned a soft 'fuck' at the slick that instantly coated his fingers before they slowly circled your clit. "I want to taste you," He said the words into the skin of your breast, "Will you let me taste you again?" 
"Please," You begged, your fingers tangling in his hair, pulling at the roots, "please Bucky." 
He smiled into your skin as both of your hands worked to pull the fabric of your skirt up to your waist. Bucky wasted no time pulling your underwear to the side and languidly dragging his tongue up your slit, moaning as your taste flooded his mouth. 
"God I missed this," He wrapped his mouth around the entirety of you, his tongue working slowly as he savored the moment. He would never take another moment with you for granted again, he was going to take his time to brand everything into his mind. The way your eyes fluttered but tried to stay open to watch him. The feeling of your hands pulling on his hair when he slipped two fingers in, curling them against your walls. The breathiness in your voice as you begged him to let you fall over the edge of release. 
"Bucky please," You struggled to grind into his mouth when he pulled away again to watch your cunt greedily swallow his fingers. 
"Can I take you home?" He asked, looking up at you. 
You looked down at him, the exasperation in your eyes almost making him laugh. "Now?"
He nodded, "Yes," He curled his fingers again, a smile growing on his lips as your jaw dropped and let out another delicious sound, "I want to fuck you properly, not in this office." 
"What if I want you now?" You asked, your voice tight and he groaned at the confession. 
"I would fuck you, but I don't want Frank coming back and smelling you in here," He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against yours, "That's only for me." 
A low whine filled his ears as you tugged your lip between your teeth and nodded, "Okay, but you're driving." 
He curled his fingers one more time, relishing in the gasp you sucked in before he removed his fingers from you, sticking them in his own mouth to suck them clean. The sight made you moan before you leaned forward and pulled his hand away so you could capture his mouth with yours, tasting his mouth as he blindly adjusted your underwear and skirt back to normal. 
You two left the office, locking it behind you and weaving your way through the crowd that had gathered in the bar. Bucky laughed as you began to dance behind him while he led the way. When you both got to your car, you tossed him your keys and he sent off a short message to Steve letting him know he was leaving his bike around back. Steve had the spare key and would take it to the club for him. 
Bucky couldn't remember a time he drove so fast as he drove to your place, especially when you were sitting in the passenger seat looking at him the way you were. Your hands trailing over his lap, gripping him through his jeans. 
Your hand had made it past his belt and zipper, sneaking under the waistband of his boxers to start stroking him as you trailed kisses down his neck when he pulled into your driveway. He hastily threw the car in park and turned it off before turning to you and pulling you in for a bruising kiss. 
He pulled your hand out from his jeans and pressed the keys into your fingers, "Get inside," He mumbled against your lips, "You have two minutes before I come in there and take what's mine. I don't care where you are." 
You whined, trying to kiss him again when he pinned you with a look and you shuddered, nodding. 
"Go," He whispered, chuckling to himself as you scrambled to get out of the car and raced up your front steps. He fixed himself back into his pants, not bothering to redo his belt, before getting out of the car. He wouldn't have cared, but he didn't want any of your neighbors calling the cops for his indecency. 
He made sure to grab anything you left in the car and lock it before slowly climbing the same stairs you ran up. You'd left the door open in your haste, and your house was quiet as he stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind him. He undid his boots, refusing to drag anything on to your soft clean carpets. 
As Bucky climbed the stairs to your room, he pulled his belt off, loosely wrapping it in a loop as he approached your half open door, pausing at the sight before him. 
You were sitting against the headboard, naked with your fingers buried in your cunt. Your breathy sigh when you spotted him was his undoing and he grew achingly hard in his jeans. 
"Did I say you could touch yourself?" He struggled to make his voice stern as you flushed, quickly removing your fingers. 
"I just wanted to be ready for you," You whispered, "I don't want to wait anymore." 
He smirked, and approached the bed, setting the belt on the edge of the mattress before he started removing his own clothes. "Kneel right here," He gestured to the bit of mattress in front of him, "and face the other way." 
You nodded, and he could see you easily slipping into the submissive side of you that you only let him see. You moved to where he wanted you, and when he was done undressing, he grabbed the belt again. 
He leaned forward, placing his chin on your shoulder as his tone softened, "You remember your safe word right?" You nodded, mumbling the chosen word in confirmation and he smiled, placing a kiss on your shoulder, "Good. Are you okay with this? Or do you not want that tonight?" 
"I want it," You breathed, a shiver raking over your body as he kissed your neck. 
He nodded into your shoulder before pulling back, "Give me your hands." 
You instantly followed his instruction, putting your hands behind your back, and he looped his belt around your wrists, fastening them together. "Bend over, darlin," He ordered, pushing his hand on between your shoulder blades. He grabbed your shoulder to help you bend over before angling your hips higher, presenting you before him. 
His hands wrapped over your ass, squeezing and spreading them apart. 
"Fuck," He muttered, probing your entrance with a thumb, "You're dripping." You moaned into the comforter as he pushed a thumb in, "I can't wait to feel you around me again." 
You moaned his name again, begging him to fuck you, but he shook his head.
"Not yet," He pressed his thumb further in as he rubbed your cheek with his other hand, "You touched yourself without my permission." He heard your gasp as he pulled his hand back, "Good girls don't do that." 
The smack that rang through the air as his hand collided with your skin was drowned out by the loud moan that you voiced. He waited for you to remember the rules of this little game you played and it didn't take long for pride to swell in his chest as you angled your head out of the blanket. 
"One," You whined, trying to push back against his thumb that was still in your cunt. 
"There you go," He muttered, raising his hand, "Let me hear you make that sound again," and bringing it down again and again as you kept count, your moans turning to shrieks then wails as you reached five. 
He gently laid his hand on the red skin, rubbing away the sting as he praised you, leaning down and kissing the tender area before tugging your legs off the bed. He kneeled behind you, giving you only one warning, "Don't come until I say you can," before removing his thumb and replacing it with his tongue. 
"Oh fuck," You cried, "James!" Your legs shook as your toes tried to push against the ground to raise your hips. His hand pulled your legs apart, keeping your feet from touching the floor as he moaned into you, the vibration tearing another cry from your throat. 
He knew you wouldn't last long like this, but god he just couldn't get over you. He wanted to devour you whole and this was the closest he could get. 
When your cries turned incoherent and your legs started shaking, he removed his tongue, gently setting your legs down and standing behind you. He leaned over you, resting his cock between over your ass and he kissed down your spine, letting you calm for a moment before undoing the belt and helping you turn over. 
He wiped the tears from your cheeks, placing gentle kisses along the trails. "You did so good." You hummed, your lids heavy but your eyes alert as you watched him. He lifted your legs, pushing your knees to chest, "I think you deserve a reward," Your eyes lit up, "What do you think?" 
He chuckled at your frantic nod, "Please, James," you begged, "Please fuck me. I've missed you so much." 
His heart squeezed, "I know," He lined himself up with your entrance, slowly pushing in as your jaw dropped open, "I've missed you too." 
His own breathing became tight as your cunt gripped him, pulling him in, eager to be filled by him again. 
"Fuck, I love the way you feel around me," he ground out, slowly pulling out and pushing back in, setting a slow rhythm. "You're always so warm, so perfect." 
His hands moved your legs to the side, holding them open as he sped up, driving into you. He wrapped one of your legs around his waist, letting go so he could reach up and gently grab your neck. One of your hands wrapped around his wrist, tightening with his own, letting him know how tight to squeeze, making your eyes roll back as you gasped. 
"Oh fuck," You whined, forcing your eyes open to look at him. "Bucky please, I'm so close, so close, please." 
He opened his hand, wrapping it around the back of your neck and pulling you up. Your hands shot out to grip his shoulders as he placed his forehead against yours, his pace growing brutal. 
"Hold on," He told you, "Almost, almost." 
He felt the familiar tightening in himself as he watched you do your best to stave off your own release, waiting for him. 
"Oh, good girl," he panted, his brows pinching, "good fucking girl, just a little bit more. You're gonna come with me, yeah?" 
You nodded, words gone from your brain as your moans grew higher in pitch. 
"That's a good girl," He praised, the sensation growing stronger and stronger until he knew the edge was right there. "Come for me baby," He all but begged, "Come on my cock, soak it , come on." 
He rambled as you tightened around him, squeezing his cock until he was falling over that edge with you, pleasure blinding behind his eyes as they closed. "Fuck fuck fuck," He dropped your other leg, catching himself as he fell over you, his breathing short as every other thought vanished from his brain. 
All he could focus on was the feeling of you wrapped around him, your fingers in a death grip on his shoulders as your cries filled his ears. 
"There you go, there you go," He muttered into your neck as you came down from your high. "I love you so much, I love you." An airy laugh broke from your chest. 
"I love you," You whispered, pressing your lips against his shoulder. 
Once you both came down from your high, he cleaned you up before joining you in bed, wrapping you into his chest. He would never forget how he'd almost lost this - lost you. 
As you drifted to sleep against him, a smile on your lips, he vowed to himself and to the silence of the house that he'd never fuck it up again. Never again.
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the-fiction-witch · 7 months ago
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Bracken Bunny
Media - House Of The Dragon Character - Davos Blackwood Couple - Davos X Reader Reader - (OC) Lady Y/n Bracken Rating - Smut (Non Con) Word Count - 1503
Warnings - Blood, Non Consent, Kidnapping
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I held my breath, keeping my lungs strong and stiff. My knees were deep in the thick, slimy mud but I kept my legs still so I didn’t sink or slide any more. My fingers trembled slightly as I held the string taut. I watched my line of sight as the rabbit nibbled at the grass and slowly popped up its head. So I released the string sending the arrow across the grass and striking the rabbit.
I hurried over, taking my arrow back and putting the rabbit into my bag with the few rabbits, birds and mushrooms I had gathered while hunting.
It wasn’t much, I hadn’t found much of anything all day. The rainy and damp days are likely sending most game away.
I slowly walked the border between Bracken and Blackwood land, looking for any game on our side. Often gritting my teeth if anything was on theirs, I wanted to take it but I didn’t want to give any excuse for a fight.
I stopped short as I saw a deer chewing on a tree, I quickly grabbed an arrow and used the border stone to rest my foot to keep me from sliding on the mud. I held my breath as I drew my bow and quickly let it go, but the deer jumped away and I missed.
“Shit.” I sighed,
I’m not letting it go, I hurried over the border and followed the deer as close as I could to see it but not spook it.
The deer once again stopped in the open Blackwood field to eat some grass, I made sure it couldn’t see me as I drew another arrow making sure to line it up perfectly holding my breath and keeping my arm straight.
Just as I was about to release the arrow, I felt the cold sting of a blade against my bare skin, the blade pressed against my neck, and the hot breath on my ear. “Drop the bow,”
“Or what?” I whispered,
“or drown in your own blood.” He warns, “Drop it. Now.”
I grit my teeth and put my bow down on the grass,
“Good, now… tell me, what is a little bracken babe doing on blackwood land?”
“Tea Party,” I spat back,
“Humm, you weren’t planning on striking down that deer were you darling? A Blackwood Deer on Blackwood Land.”
“It’s not a Blackwood Deer, it was on Bracken land when I-”
“And now it’s on Blackwood land making it a Blackwood Deer.” He interrupted, “So? Did you plan to shoot?”
“... Yes.”
He chuckled, “I could have your head for that,” he paused, “But… you have a rather pretty head,”
I gasped, “Let me go. Let me go I’ll go home.”
“Awww… no, it’s a little late for that my little Bracken,” He chuckled smugly, “You are going to stay right here with me,” He growled his tongue slipped from his lips to lick the lobe of my ear, his other hand came around me holding my hip sliding over my dresses damp fabric, he got handsy sliding across me with little regard like I was some whore from a blackwood brothel.
I squirmed but he just held me tighter pressing the blade closer to my skin so if I moved more than even a breath it would cut my skin, “Let me go,”
“Now why would I do that? I think you and I could enjoy ourselves out here.” He purred, as his hand getting braver and less considerate brushing his hand across almost all of me, “quiet the pretty little thing aren’t you?”
“Let me go!” I snapped,
“No, no, you’re going to let me have my fun. Or I’ll cut your head off. You’re choice.” He demanded, “Yes?”
I didn’t answer merely huffed knowing I had little choice in this matter,
“Good,” He praised as his hand cupped my breast through my dress,
I gritted my teeth to stop my violet insults at him, trying to think of a way of getting out of this,
“Hum… how did the brackens ever get a pretty little thing like you,” He growled as he took the blade from my neck but before I could even move he pressed his body completely against my back thrusting his hips into mine and forcing me to feel the stiff shaft below his trousers, his other hand came to cup my other breast, his hands squeezing and fondling me. “Usually all Bracken girls are wide horse-faced little shits who look like they got pummeled with a sword… but you,” He smirked, “You’re beautiful, and ever so pleasing to touch little bracken.” He praised, “Let's get a better look at you,”
“Don’t. You. Dare.” I warned,
“Ohh I would, I would dare darling,” He smiled in my ear as he grabbed the fabric of my dress and gave it a firm tug forcing the top of my dress down and exposing my breasts to the air,
I screamed and tried to squirm away but he held me too tight,
“Ohh yeah, a very pretty little bracken,” He growled cupping my bare breasts in his hands and squeezing them hard, “Maybe I should take you back to Raventree Hall with me,” He purred gliding his tongue across my cheek,
I didn’t answer, too busy trying to get out of his perverted grip,
“Would you like that? Should I drag my little Bracken home with me kicking and screaming? Throw her on my bed and fuck her cute little cunt?” He smirked one hand moving from my breast to force its way between my legs grabbing me through my dress,
“My father-”
“Like I give a shit about your father. Or any other Bracken, All I want right now is this.” He smirked squeezing me tighter, “And I am very tempted to steal it,”
“Let me go. Let me go right now, or I will scream so loud every man in Stone Hedge will come and-”
“And what?”
“And drag you to Stonehedge on the back of their horses, and hang you from the tower.”
He chuckled, “You can’t really blame me, look at you. On Blackwood land, with muddy knees, a soaking dress, with your tits out. How am I meant to resist you?” He began to twist on my nipple as it hardened from the cold air,
I screamed from the pain, but he didn’t care. His one hand squeezing my breast his fingers twisting and tugging on my nipple, his other hand between my legs stroking so hard his fingers moved between my folds through my dress, his hips rubbing against my back forcing me to feel his hard shaft,
“Fuck… I might not be able to wait, I might just need to bend you over in this field,” He growled,
But quickly while he was so distracted I grabbed my blade from my belt and turned quickly sliding on the mud and grass and slicing his cheek as I did,
“Ahh! You little fucker!” He grabbed my wrist and for the first time we made eye contact, His smile only grew as he realized who I was,
And I gulped, eyes wide and becoming breathless as I now knew… which blackwood he was. Davos Blackwood, Lord Blackwood’s violet, hot-headed son, and I instantly realized just how fucked I was.
“My, my, my… Looks like I don’t just have some pretty little Bracken girl in my arms,” He smirked squeezing my wrist until I was forced to drop my blade, “But I have the pretty little Lady Y/n Bracken in my arms,” He growled licking his lips, “Ohh yeah, you’re coming to Raventree with me little lady,” He smirked as he forced me back around and used my belt to restain my hands behind my back,
“No, I am not,” I demanded my voice shaky,
“Yes, you are, How ever could I pass up such an opportunity? To keep little lady Bracken as my prisoner. They’re gonna have to be very compliant to get their little lady back.” He smirked, “And in that time I… will get to make very good use of you,” He growled biting my neck, “And I’ll be sure you pay you back for that little cat scratch,”
“I swear you try and take me I will scream bloody murder the whole way to Raventree,”
“Will you now?” He chuckled, “Not if I do this,” He grabbed my ribbon choker necklace forcing it off me and before I could even protest he forced it between my lips and tied it behind my head gagging me and silencing me.
I screamed but it only came out as a muffled mess, I tried to squirm but the belt held me too tight, I had no choice, no option but to do as he demanded.
He forced my dress back up to hide my breasts and wrapped his cloak around me pulling the hood up so anyone we encountered wouldn’t know who I was, “Come on now my little Bracken Bunny, Let’s get you someplace comfy.” he smirked taking my blade and my bow as he forced me to walk with him. 
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the20thangel · 7 months ago
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Playing with Fire
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Summary: This is a Tumblr request: a Targaryen reader who resembles a lot of Daemon. Like she's not afraid to fight. And there are stories of her, and when Benjicot meets her, he's in love. Like down bad. And when they fight together, it is whispered that they are alike and fit so well. And it gets back to Rhaenyra, who betrothes them. Even if they have already done that nasty thing together. (🫣) I hope that makes sense, and using a name is okay.
Tags: NSFW, MDNI, 18+
Word count: 3519
(this is an x reader fanfic but just with a name)
Princess Alyssa yawned; her flight to the Riverlands from Dragonstone was long. All she wanted was to get to her destination and take a long nap. She regretted not taking her mother’s advice to land at Harrenhal for a moment and rest, especially since her father, Prince Daemon, was there. She just did not want to see her father right now. Alyssa was her father’s daughter, just like her father was grandmother Alyssa's son. They all burn hot, especially their temperament, and sometimes they would slightly singe each other in arguments. She loved her father with all her heart, but sometimes, being alone with him without her mother to calm them both would do more damage than good.  That is why Alyssa chose to fly past Harrenhal and continue to Raventree Hall. 
Raventree Hall recently got a new Lord to rule the land. Lord Benjicot Blackwood proudly took his place as lord after the tragic death of his father, Lord Samwell. Her mother, Queen Rhaenyra, tasked her with welcoming the lord in his position and asking him to swear allegiance again to her. Alyssa was chosen as the representative of her mother’s council. Princess Alyssa was proud to be her mother’s representative; people often called her mother’s sword. She would gladly give up her life fighting for her family and their rightful places in the realm. 
As she flew closer to her destination, she remembered the conversation she overheard her mother’s council had before she left. They wanted to find a betrothal for her, preferably one that would benefit her mother’s cause. Alyssa scoffed; all the men, heirs, and lords she had met so far were too weak. Some feared having a wife who would rather fight battles than sit all day and embroider pretty patterns on their clothes. At the same time, others were too busy flaunting their skills, like peacocks trying to one-up each other, thinking that they would impress the dragon princess. She knew it was her duty to marry one day, but none seemed good enough for her. Her thoughts were cut off as she arrived at Raventree Hall, seeing the famous weirwood tree filled with ravens and crows rather than red leaves. Commanding her dragon to land in the closest clearing, thinking the people will probably not enjoy having a dragon land on a tower and causing damage to the castle. 
Once landed, Alyssa jumped down from her dragon, Gaelithox, a beautiful black dragon with a few red scales, looking like lava flowing across his body. Many people were afraid to be close to him, so it seemed fitting that they were made to bond. As she scratched under his chin, showing her gratitude through their bond for reaching their destination safely, Alyssa heard a group of men walking towards her. Turning around, Alyssa noticed a beautiful woman in the middle of the group, Alysanne Blackwood, a woman whom Alyssa greatly respected—a fierce warrior who did not care for silly men and their silly games. 
Alyssane Blackwood was surprised to hear dragon wings fly over her family’s castle and more shocked to see Princess Alyssa. 
“Princess Alyssa, welcome to Raventree Hall. We were not expecting your presence here, my princess,” greeted Alyssane. 
“Forgive the sudden appearance, but my mother wanted to send congratulations to the new Lord of House Blackwood… and where may this lord be?” asked Alyssa cocking her head to the side. 
“He will be back soon. He needed to check on a few things on our outer border of the lands. Come, let me take you to your chamber and let you refresh up before meeting with my nephew,” led Alyssane as she and her party turned back into the castle. 
Alyssa stared momentarily before turning to her dragon, “Jikagon arghugon.” Asking her dragon to find food. As Gaelithox launched himself into the air, Alyssa finally moved to follow the Blackwood party. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alyssa sighed in tranquility; she needed a steaming bath to ease her sore muscles from being on the dragon's back for too long. As she prepared to lower herself, a knock broke her out of her tranquil state. Huffing in annoyance, she quickly stood with only a bathrobe covering her body. As she creaked open the door, she was greeted by a servant girl. The girl told her that her lord had finally returned and invited the princess to a small feast. Alyssa thanked the girl and told her she would be there soon. 
She did not need servants' assistance because she did not bring any gowns. Alyssa was her mother’s representative of the crown, so she needed to be ready for anything coming her way. A gown would only hinder her ability to defend herself. She dresses herself in a black and red riding coat and trousers. The shoulders of her coat were made to look like dragon scales. Her riding coat looked alot like the one her mother used to wear when she was younger. After she tied her hair into braids, she fastened her sword to her belt and walked out of her guest chambers. There, a guard bowed and led the way to the feast hall. 
At the top of the hall stood a grand table with what Alyssa could assume was Benjicot Blackwood, the new lord of House Blackwood. Young men wearing House Tully colors were to his left, and to his right was Alyssane Blackwood. Alyssane noticed the princess first, turning to whisper to her nephew as he quickly scanned for the princess, his eyes widening when they found her. 
As Alyssa looked at the young lord, she couldn’t help but be impressed with his appearance. He was pretty handsome, with a certain charm of a warrior, from the scar on his lips and his storming hazel eyes. He had a smirk on his lips as he gazed upon the princess. Alyssa noted how his house colors were so close to her own. She hadn’t worn red in a while, but still, both houses’ colors were indeed complementary of each other. 
Benjicot was surprised by Alyssa Targaryen’s appearance, as he had heard the rumors that the Princess was just like her grandmother. Who preferred to wear riding trousers rather than dress in pretty gowns and loved to sword fight. He just was not expecting to have such a gorgeous woman stand in front of him. The princess dressed in not the highest quality gowns found in court to diminish her beauty, but Benjicot only seemed to think that it highlighted her beauty more. She looked ever the part of Valyrian women from Old Valyria, just like his maester used to teach him.  Alyssane, noticing her nephew ogling the princess, cleared her throat. 
“Princess, it is my honor to introduce you to my nephew, Lord Benjicot Blackwood, lord of Raventree Hall of House Blackwood.” she introduced as she nudged her nephew to stand and bow. 
“My Princess, House Blackwood welcomes you, and it is an Honor to have you here.” bowed Benjicot, giving her a smirking grin. 
Alyssa nodded with a grin, “You honor me, Lord Benjicot.” 
“Please call me Ben or Benji. My name is too much of a mouthful to say,” stated Benji, flushing when the princess smirked at him. 
“My, such liberties, I guess I should provide the lord the very same for being such a gentleman. Very well, you may call me Alyssa.” Graced Alyssa, laughing at Ben’s ever-growing redder face with a wild grin showing up on his face. 
“Please let us continue the feast in honor of your new lord,” Alyssa exclaimed, and the crowd cheered. 
Benji sat down with a grin, turning to the Tully brothers, who smirked and made smooching faces at him. Alyssa walked to sit next to Alyssane, but the lady stood there and allowed the princess to take her seat next to Benji. As they continued with the feast, Alyssa spoke with those around, finding their presence welcoming; after some light teasing, the Tully brothers followed in, being more familiar with the princess and not so courtly. This is where Alyssa thrived, creating genuine connections with people, not court pleasantries and kissing ass to try and get favors. 
Once they were well into their wine, Oscar turned to the princess, “So, Alyssa, are the rumors true that you can beat ten men at once in a duel?” 
Alyssa raised an eyebrow, chuckling, “I don’t know when the rumors become so dramatic; it wasn’t ten men.” 
Which intrigued the rest of the group, “But you did beat a group of men in a duel?” asked Kermit. 
Alyssa hmmed, turning to stare at the men, noticing Benji’s curious face with a hint of something that she couldn’t pinpoint yet. 
“Would you all like to find out? Tomorrow, you, Oscar, and Ben can all fight me at a duel.” Alyssa asked as Oscar and Kermit's faces paled. While Ben nodded, he wanted to see more of her. 
“Ah, on second thought, how about just Ben? Fighting him is like fighting twenty men,” countered Kermit nervously. 
Alyssa laughed at the sudden excuse, agreeing to the term she and Benji would fight a duel, one that everyone started betting on who would win. Alysanne smiled and noted how comfortable the princess and her nephew were with each other. 
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The next day, a huge group formed on the training grounds, all wanting to see the princess and their lord duel. As the princess walked to the ground, she extended her arm to Benji, who took it and shook her hand. 
“First to yield wins the match!” exclaimed Oscar, and the rest of the group buzzed excitedly. 
“Best of luck to you, Ben. Don’t hold out on me.” wished Alyssa. 
“And to you, my princess.” agreed Benji as he took his stance. 
With that, Alyssa raised her sword and swung it while Benjicot dodged it quickly and moved to the side to swing his own. Alyssa smiled, thinking how much fun this match will be as she pivoted away from the lord. She tried to kick his legs, but Benji saw through her moves and jumped. In return, he tried to grab her leg, but the princess did a back handspring. She had the advantage she did not fight like men; she used her grace to make moves such as cartwheels and handsprings to evade her opponents.  Benji grinned at the princess’s ingenuity. He kept being surprised more and more by her. As the two continued the dance of striking and dodging, Alyssa decided to act on a move she had only tried on her brothers before. She ran to Benji, and as she was about to reach him, she slid, knocking him down on the floor on top of her. Then, as he struggled to catch his breath, she flipped him, enclosing her legs on his waist as she raised both her and his sword to his neck.  
Everyone gasped, seeing the lord finally react to his position, grinning at the princess who could beat him; she, in turn, was smiling at him. 
“I believe I won, Ben,” she taunted as the crowd cheered the princess. She had beaten Bloody Ben in a duel. 
Alysanne laughed, seeing her nephew's love-stricken eyes. Of course, her nephew would fall for someone who could beat him in a duel. She was planning to write to the queen about how the princess was doing, but she also decided to write about how close and comfortable the princess and nephew were becoming with each other. 
Alyssa was breathing heavily, still basking in her glory, when she felt something poking underneath her. She gasped once she recognized what it was. Ben was still huffing underneath her, and he could not help but groan in embarrassment, having the princess feel his growing bulge poke her. Alyssa quickly stood up, suddenly feeling warm in her stomach. She tried to act like feeling him did not affect her, so she extended her arm to help him. Ben took her hand before kneeling and kissing it. 
“I, Benjicot Blackwood, Lord of Raventree Hall, swore my fealty to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, the rightful queen to the iron throne, and her daughter, Princess Alyssa.” pledge the young lord as the rest of the crowd quickly bowed. 
Feeling uncharacteristically overly warm, Alyssa nodded, “As… as representative of my mother, the queen, I, Princess Alyssa Targaryen, thank you, my lord. House Blackwood will be a great ally for House Targaryen.” As she turned around, her cheeks heated up, still riling from feeling him underneath her. 
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Alyssa was frustrated; she was still warm after bathing and changing clothes to a simple silk dress. She never felt like this before, so hot and bothered. Instead of feeling disgusted by the apparent lust from Benji, she felt excited. This infuriated her; what was she supposed to do? She didn’t know how to act, but her body was pleading, pleading for her to find answers with Benjicot. After letting out a frustrated growl, she decided to see the young lord. Stepping out in a thicker coat, she asked the guard to take her to Benjioct’s chambers, urging her to speak to him urgently. 
Once she reached the lord's chambers, she knocked, waiting for him to answer, dismissing the guard and thanking him. Benji opened his door to see the princess standing there; he invited her in when he noticed she was only wearing a thin silk dress underneath her coat, feeling his trousers tighten again. 
As he opened to ask the princess about her troubles,  Alyssa growled in frustration. 
“You, Ben, are my troubles; you have cast a spell on me,” Alyssa explained as she approached him. “You are not like any of the men I have met before; you do not see me as a royal womb; you see me as a person. You make my body call out for you and-” 
Benjicot cut her off by kissing her passionately, bringing her body to his, pushing away the heavy coat, and snaking his arms around her waist. 
“You, my princess, accused me of casting a spell on you when, in reality, you did on me, I just responded. You don’t know how gorgeous you are, how your body encaptures mine. How I yearn for you.” whispered Benji as he kissed her with each word, going down and down to her neck. 
Alyssa gasped, “Show me, show me how much you yearn.” as she kissed Benjicot. 
The young lord growled into the kiss as he raised her and dropped her onto his bed, setting himself on her. As they continued to kiss, Alyssa snaked her hand down his body until she reached his stiff burgled, messaging it, growing in delight hearing Benji’s groan into her mouth. 
“You are playing close with fire, my princess..” whispered Benji, staring into her purple eyes. 
Alyssa smirked, “I am not afraid of fire, my lord.” 
Benji leaned down to capture her lips, raising a leg around his waist as he slowly started to grind himself on her, causing the princess to moan in his mouth, grabbing his hand and placing it on her breast. Benjicot moved down her neck and began kissing and biting her neck, leaving noticeable love bites. 
“Ben… so good... Please,” whispered Alyssa as she moved her hips, grinding her soaking clothed cunt to his stiff bludge. 
Benji grunted his hands on her hips, stopping their movements and making the princess whine. 
“Shhh… I don’t want to finish so fast; I’m not done with you yet, princess,” whispered Benji as he raised the princess’s dress from about her head. 
“You have too many clothes on, Ben,” whispered Alyssa as she sat up and helped Benji remove his shirt as the young man threw off his trousers. 
“You’re gorgeous, Alyssa,” breathed Benji, tracing his fingers down her body and reaching for her soaking entrance. 
“Please don’t tease me; I ache too much to be teased.” pleaded Alyssa, gasping in delight and feeling a finger slip in her entrance.  
“That’s my good girl, taking my finger so well,” growled Benji as he continued to pump his finger in and out of her entrance, slowly adding a second and a third finger. 
Alyssa writhed in delight, moving her hand to her sensitive bud, messaging it to match the rhythm Ben was moving his fingers in, feeling a growing sensation in her stomach. 
“That’s it, sweet girl, find your release, show me how much you love my fingers inside of you, wishing it was my cock.” grunted Benicot with hooded eyes, watching her becoming undone. 
“Ben, please, I want…no, I need your cock. I want to finish on your cock.” stated Alyssa with small tears in her eyes as she stared into those hazel eyes. 
Growling in delight, Benjicot out his fingers and aligned his cock to the princess’s soaking entrance. Looking for her approval, Alyssa nodded and moaned loudly, feeling Benji enter her; it was a pleasurable pain. Before Ben could start moving, Alyssa stopped him. Benjicot looked at her with questioning eyes. Alyssa deviously grinned as she flipped them, with Benjicot at the bottom and Alyssa on top. 
“Let me show you a skill of a dragon rider,” whispered Alyssa as she started bouncing on his cock. 
Benjicot moaned, closing his eyes; he was so deep in her, her walls sucking him in deeper and deeper. 
“Ugh… open you eyes… I want to see your beautiful eyes.” commanded Alyssa, raising his head more. 
Benjicot opened his eyes, thinking he had gone to paradise, for an angel was riding him, moving those beautiful pale hips up and down, side to side. His cock went in and out of her entrance. The sounds of soaking and sweating skin slapping each other. Not wanting just to sit by, he grabbed her hips and helped Alyssa move up and down with a harder and more precise force. He was causing the princess to moan more. 
“You are mine; nobody will ever come close to you, just like I will be yours,” promised Benjicot, feeling his release coming closer and closer.
Alyssa felt her release also close and decided to lock her legs around him; she needed him to release in her; she would take it nowhere else. 
Benjicot saw what she was doing and asked if she was sure. The princess, still bouncing on his lap, expressed how much she needed him to fill her. With that, Benji kissed his princess, filling her womb to the brim. Alyssa moaned into his mouth, letting her release milk him in deeper, feeling content in feeling him fill her up. 
As the princess and lord finished, they lay on his bed, with her on top of him. Benji petted her hair, catching his breath as he felt her breath on his neck. Alyssa looked up, caressing his cheek. 
“I hope this is not a one-time thing; I really like you, Ben,” confessed Alyssa. 
Benjicot looked down at the princess, gracing her with a dazzling smile, “I adore you. I could not just let you go. I want you as my wife.” 
Alyssa smiled, kissing him again before the two let slumber take to the land of dreams. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following week, Alyssa felt like she was in a pleasant dream, hunting with Ben and the boys, training with them, and flying her dragon freely without worrying about a war brewing. Also, there were times when  Benjicot and she had much time to themselves, using it to take her in the woods, her chambers, and even once in the library. She was content. 
She was currently on his lap in his chambers, kissing him as the lord moved his hands to her waist, moving her body to start grinding on him. When a loud knock shocked them out of the mood. Growling, the Princess removed herself from his lap, sitting on the chair, crossing her legs as she pretended to be reading. Benjicot sighed, annoyed at being interrupted, opening the door to show his aunt, whose grin only grew when she saw the princess in his room. Benjicot knew technically the princess should not be in his chambers as he invited his aunt in, asking her if something had happened.   
“A letter arrived from Dragonstone..” started Alysanne, noticing Princess Alyssa narrow her eyebrows in confusion. 
“Is everything alright? Did something happen?” asked Alyssa, worried that she had neglected her mother’s protection. 
Alysanne shook her head, “The queen is asking for your return and House Blackwood to present ourselves to Dragonstone.” 
“Did she give a reason, Aly,” asked Benjicot, seeing Alyssa worry even more. 
“I wrote to the queen how much you two seem to like each other, and the queen and I decided it would be best to unify our house. We will be going to Dragonstone to discuss a potential marriage between you both,” explained Alysaane, watching in delight as Benjicot smiled widely, turning to face the princess, who stood in shock. 
“I guess I will be fulfilling my dream of making you my wife,” said Benji as he took the princess into his arms and kissed her.
479 notes · View notes
nerdycheol · 9 days ago
Text
I Loathe You Forever? - I
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❤️‍🔥Pairing: real estate developer!jungkook x architect!f reader
❤️‍🔥Genre: Enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, comedic misunderstandings, professional rivalry, personal growth, future smut
❤️‍🔥wc: 7.5k
‼️JOIN THE TAGLIST by sending an ask or replying under this post‼️(those who asked to be added to taglist will be added for every part of this series)
taglist:@justanarchiveforfics@lovingkoalaface@itstoastsworld@yooniepot@junniesoleilkth@dna-black-and-blue@whothefuckisthishoe@sweet-nothings111@taiwan0618@miniesjams32@mochibites00brokebitch-101@stvrlighytt@amarawayne@minimoninini@somehowukook@134340-kr@madussthoughts@ali99eel @haley-17-coup
note: ahhh finally here!! sorry for the delay guys. writers block took over me. also, i don't have much knowledge in the field of architecture, all i that have written is based on the little searching i did. so forgive me if anything is wrong. anyways enjoy. Hope you like it.
(TAGLIST OPEN)
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Chapter 1: The Nemesis
You adjusted your blazer, brushing invisible lint off your sleeve as you stepped into the sleek, glass-walled conference room. The sunlight streaming through the high-rise windows gleamed on the polished table, emphasizing the grandeur of the setting. You exhaled slowly, forcing down the irritation bubbling within you. This wasn’t your first time being summoned to a high-stakes negotiation meeting, but today was different. He would be there.
Jeon Jungkook.
Just thinking his name made your jaw tighten. He exuded an air of confidence so thick it bordered on arrogance, his smirk practically a trademark of his existence. You’d crossed paths with him multiple times—at architecture expos, during bidding wars for projects, and once in a particularly heated argument that ended with him walking away smugly as you seethed in silence.
"Good morning," you greeted the group already seated at the table, keeping your tone polite but professional.
The client’s representatives nodded, but your gaze instinctively shifted to the far end of the room, where Jungkook leaned casually against the wall, scrolling through his phone. He looked effortlessly put together, as usual. His tailored suit fit him like a glove, and his dark hair fell just slightly over his forehead, giving him an air of both charm and menace.
"Ah, look who decided to join us," he drawled, not even bothering to look up. "I thought you might’ve bailed when you heard I was attending."
Your fingers tightened around the strap of your briefcase, but you forced a smile. "And miss the chance to outshine you? Never."
That made him glance up, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. "Outshine me? That’s ambitious."
"Ambition is the backbone of success," you replied coolly, taking your seat across from him.
The room fell into a tense silence as everyone seemed to sense the undercurrent of hostility between you two. It was no secret that you and Jungkook didn’t get along, and while some found your rivalry entertaining, others probably wished you’d sort it out—or, at the very least, keep it out of professional spaces.
The meeting began with formal introductions and a presentation about the project—a groundbreaking, sustainable luxury housing complex that was bound to make waves in the industry. You took meticulous notes, occasionally glancing at Jungkook. He was annoyingly composed, nodding at key points and even asking insightful questions that made you begrudgingly respect him.
When it was your turn to speak, you rose confidently, presenting your ideas with the passion and precision you were known for. You could feel his gaze on you the entire time, but you didn’t falter. Not until he interrupted.
"That’s an interesting take," he said, his voice smooth but laced with condescension. "But don’t you think the budget constraints would make your design unrealistic?"
You turned to him, narrowing your eyes. "Not if the materials are sourced correctly. I’ve already identified suppliers who can meet both cost and quality requirements."
He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "And if they fail to deliver?"
"They won’t," you snapped. "Because unlike you, I don’t make baseless promises. I do my research."
A low murmur spread through the room, and you caught the amused glint in the client’s eyes. Jungkook, however, didn’t seem fazed. He simply tilted his head, as if weighing your words, before letting out a soft chuckle.
"Touché," he said, and for a brief moment, you thought you saw something other than mockery in his expression—something closer to respect.
The rest of the meeting continued in a similarly tense fashion, with the two of you subtly (and sometimes not-so-subtly) undermining each other. By the time it ended, you were mentally exhausted but determined not to let it show.
As you packed your things, Jungkook approached, hands casually tucked into his pockets.
"Not bad today," he said, his tone almost casual. "For someone who’s always playing catch-up."
You clenched your jaw, refusing to rise to the bait. "Funny. I was just about to say the same to you."
His smirk widened. "You know, if you put half as much energy into working with me as you do fighting me, we might actually accomplish something impressive."
You stepped closer, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination. "I’d rather quit this project than work with you."
"Careful," he murmured, his voice low but teasing. "Words like that have a way of coming back to haunt you."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving you standing there, seething and utterly annoyed. You didn’t know what frustrated you more—his smug attitude or the fact that he always seemed to have the last word.
//
The afternoon sun poured into the cafeteria, warming the modern space with its open design and glass walls. You sat with your friends at a corner table, trying to shake off the lingering annoyance from the morning meeting. A tray of food sat in front of you, mostly untouched, as you poked at the pasta with your fork.
“Are you okay?” Jisoo asked, her brows furrowed with concern. “You’ve been unusually quiet since the meeting.”
“I’m fine,” you muttered, though your scowl gave you away. “Just tired of certain people.”
“Certain smug people?” Yuna chimed in knowingly, grinning as she sipped her iced coffee.
You gave her a pointed look but didn’t respond, focusing instead on rearranging your food into neat sections.
The conversation was interrupted by a familiar voice that made you freeze.
“Well, isn’t this a lovely group,” Jungkook drawled as he approached your table, a casual, almost predatory smile on his face.
Your friends looked up in surprise, while you mentally cursed the universe for your terrible luck.
“Hello,” he said smoothly, his tone polite but carrying just enough of that signature Jungkook smugness to set your teeth on edge. “How are you all? Having a good meal?”
“Hi, Jungkook,” Jisoo replied, her tone warm as she smiled at him.
“Yes, thank you,” Yuna added politely.
You, however, stayed silent, your fingers tightening around your fork.
Jungkook’s gaze shifted to you, and his smile widened. “No witty remarks today? I’m almost disappointed.”
You forced a tight smile. “I’m saving my energy for people who deserve it.”
He chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “Well, don’t let me ruin your lunch. Have a good meal.”
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving your table in a sudden hush.
Jisoo broke the silence first, looking after him with a thoughtful expression. “He’s so polite. Why do you hate him so much?”
“Polite?” you repeated, your voice shooting up an octave. “He’s cunning! A fox in a rabbit’s clothing. He only cares about himself, always looking for ways to outshine everyone and make them feel small.”
Yuna snorted, trying to stifle her laughter. “A fox? Really?”
“Yes!” you said, throwing your hands up in exasperation. “He’s smug, manipulative, and—” You paused, groaning loudly. “Ugh! I’ve lost my appetite.”
Jisoo and Yuna exchanged amused glances before Jisoo said, “You should eat. You’ll need energy to fight against the ‘fox.’”
Yuna grinned, nudging your tray closer to you. “Come on. It’s fuel for the battle.”
You huffed, reluctantly taking a small bite of pasta as they laughed at your expense. Despite your annoyance, you couldn’t help but smile faintly at their teasing.
Little did you know, Jungkook had overheard just enough of your outburst to find it endlessly entertaining.
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The next few weeks passed in a blur of meetings, phone calls, and emails, all of which included one consistent, infuriating factor: Jeon Jungkook. It seemed as though he had made it his personal mission to counter every idea you presented, every proposal you crafted, and every small victory you claimed. It wasn’t just work—it was war.
At first, you thought you could ignore him. His sarcastic remarks, his polished smile, his irritating habit of leaning back in his chair during meetings like he owned the world. But the more you tried to focus on your work, the more he found ways to disrupt your peace.
It was on a particularly stressful Wednesday afternoon, during yet another project meeting, that he pushed you too far.
“While I appreciate the effort,” Jungkook said, his tone dripping with false politeness, “don’t you think your design is a little… ambitious? We’re trying to appeal to practicality here, not fantasy.”
You inhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the conference table. “Ambitious is exactly what this project needs, Jungkook. Unlike some people, I don’t believe in settling for mediocrity.”
The room went silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. The other team members exchanged wary glances, clearly uncomfortable with the escalating hostility.
Jungkook’s eyes sparkled with amusement, as if he lived for these moments. “Mediocrity, huh?” he said, leaning forward slightly. “And here I thought practicality was just another word for success.”
Before you could retort, the project manager—an older, no-nonsense woman named Mrs. Kang—cleared her throat loudly.
“Enough,” she said firmly, her sharp gaze darting between the two of you. “We’re here to collaborate, not tear each other apart. If you two can’t keep your personal rivalry out of this project, I’ll find someone who can.”
The reprimand stung, but you swallowed your pride and nodded. Jungkook, to his credit, looked slightly chastised, though his smirk didn’t entirely disappear.
After the meeting, you stayed behind to gather your notes, hoping to avoid any further interaction with him. Your friends, Jisoo and Yuna, had lingered as well, partly out of curiosity and partly because they seemed to have made it their mission to witness every interaction between you and Jungkook.
“Well, that was intense,” Yuna remarked, leaning against the table with a sly grin. “You almost had him there.”
“Almost?” you said, raising an eyebrow as you shoved papers into your bag. “I’d say I held my ground pretty well.”
“You did,” Jisoo said with a supportive nod, though her expression was tinged with concern. “But maybe tone it down a little next time? Mrs. Kang looked like she was ready to throw her clipboard at you both.”
Before you could respond, a familiar voice cut through the conversation.
“You know,” Jungkook said casually as he approached, standing beside your group with his trademark smirk, “I think Mrs. Kang likes you better when you’re not scowling.”
Yuna stifled a laugh, while Jisoo’s eyes widened slightly. You straightened up, glaring at him. “And I think the rest of us like you better when you’re not talking.”
He laughed, the sound warm and unguarded, catching you—and apparently your friends—off guard. Jisoo blinked in surprise, and Yuna looked between the two of you with barely concealed amusement.
“Relax,” Jungkook said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just messing with you.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” you asked dryly, slinging your bag over your shoulder.
“Maybe,” he said, his expression softening slightly. “You’re not as bad as you think, you know. When you’re not trying to annihilate me, that is.”
His words left you momentarily speechless. Before you could think of a reply, he turned to Yuna and Jisoo, giving them a polite nod. “Ladies,” he said, before walking away, leaving you with a strange mix of frustration and confusion.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Yuna grinned mischievously. “Did he just compliment you? I think he’s warming up to you.”
“Warming up?” you repeated, incredulous. “I think he’s just finding new ways to mess with me.”
Jisoo tilted her head thoughtfully. “Or maybe he’s just… not that bad?”
You shot her a look. “Not you too.”
Yuna laughed, slinging an arm around your shoulders. “Come on, let’s grab coffee. You’re going to need the caffeine to deal with him tomorrow.”
Despite your annoyance, you allowed them to steer you toward the cafeteria, their teasing chatter providing a welcome distraction from the lingering echo of Jungkook’s unexpected words.
//
Later that evening, you sat cross-legged on your small couch, biting absentmindedly into a biscuit as you stared at the project plans displayed on your laptop screen. Despite your best efforts, the words and numbers blurred together, your mind circling back to Jungkook’s parting comment.
“You’re not as bad as you think.”
You sighed, chewing a little more aggressively than necessary. What did he even mean by that? And why did it bother me so much?
A muffled noise from the other side of the wall pulled you from your thoughts. You froze mid-bite, tilting your head toward the sound. It was faint but persistent, a combination of shuffling and the occasional thud.
“Is someone finally moving in?” you murmured, brushing the crumbs off your hands. “I hope it’s someone nice.”
Clapping your hands to remove the last traces of dust, you stood and stretched. “I should sleep now,” you muttered, shutting your laptop and heading to your bedroom.
//
The next morning was a blessed weekend, and you decided to hit the gym for a workout. The familiar buzz of people and the clang of weights greeted you as you stepped inside, ready to lose yourself in the rhythm of exercise. 
 After a quick warm-up, you moved onto the treadmill, your earbuds blasting your favorite playlist.
Just as you settled into a comfortable rhythm, you heard a familiar voice cut through the music.
“Good morning.”
Your eyes widened as you turned to see Jungkook, his smug grin in full effect, standing a few feet away in athletic gear.
“What are you doing here?” you asked, pulling out one earbud. “You don’t go here.”
“I do now,” he replied casually, holding up a water bottle as if it were proof of his membership.
You scowled. “Great. I used to only see your face on weekdays, and now you’ve ruined my weekends too.”
He smirked. “Happy to be of service.”
Muttering under your breath, you turned your attention back to the treadmill, determined to ignore him. Unfortunately, his presence lingered in the back of your mind throughout your workout.
After finishing at the gym, you returned to your apartment building, sweat-soaked but feeling lighter. That relief disappeared the moment you spotted Jungkook standing outside his door—the apartment next to yours. He was fiddling with his keys when you approached.
“Are you stalking me?” you huffed, crossing your arms.
He looked up, eyebrows raised. “What are you talking about? This is my house.” He motioned toward the door beside yours.
You froze. “You’re the new neighbor?!”
His lips twitched with amusement. “Surprise.”
Throwing your hands in the air, you muttered, “Did a black cat cross my path or something?”
He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Why blame the cat? Sounds like your luck.”
“Ugh! Whatever. Just don’t talk to me,” you snapped, storming into your apartment and slamming the door shut.
//
The next morning, your alarm blared, jolting you awake. “Crap, I’m late!” you exclaimed, scrambling out of bed. You threw on clothes, grabbed your bag, and dashed out the door.
In the parking lot, you stopped short. Your car tire was completely flat.
“What the hell? I’m already late!” you groaned, kicking the deflated tire. As if on cue, a car honked behind you. Turning, you saw Jungkook’s car idling nearby. He rolled down the window, smirking as usual.
“What happened? Flat tire?” he asked.
“No, I just thought I’d admire the pavement,” you snapped.
He chuckled. “Get in. I’ll drop you off.”
“Forget it. I’ll just take the bus or something.”
“You’re already late,” he pointed out. “Waiting for a bus will make you even later. Just get in. We’re going to the same place, anyway.”
Reluctantly, you sighed. “Just my luck,” you muttered, climbing into the passenger seat.
As you settled in, he leaned over, his hand brushing past yours to grab the seatbelt. You stiffened, your breath hitching at the unexpected closeness.
“What are you doing?!” you exclaimed, leaning away.
“You forgot to wear your seatbelt,” he said nonchalantly, buckling it for you. His proximity made your cheeks warm.
Clearing your throat, you said, “Just drive.”
The ride was suffocatingly quiet, save for the occasional hum of the engine and the faint melody of a radio station playing in the background. You stared out the window, counting streetlights, while Jungkook drove with a maddening calm, as though he wasn’t the reason your morning was already spiraling out of control.
When you finally reached the office, you spotted Jisoo and Yuna near the entrance. They waved, each holding a coffee cup.
“There you are!” Jisoo said, handing you your usual order. “But why are you two coming together? Did you guys make up?” She nodded toward Jungkook, who was parking his car.
You scoffed. “You think? It feels like I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.”
Yuna grinned. “You sure it’s just today?”
Rolling your eyes, you took a sip of coffee, ignoring their teasing. From across the lot, Jungkook caught your eye and winked, making you groan inwardly.
It’s going to be a long day.
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The following week, the project’s momentum picked up, and with it came the next challenge: site inspections. The project’s location, an expansive plot of land nestled just outside the bustling city, was to host a blend of eco-friendly architecture and luxury living. It was a brilliant concept, one you were proud to contribute to.
But, of course, Jungkook had to be there.
You arrived at the site early, your boots crunching against the damp gravel as you stepped out of your car. The sky was a murky gray that promised rain at any moment.  The workers were setting up survey equipment, and Mrs. Kang was speaking to the lead engineer near the makeshift office trailer.
You greeted her briefly before diving into your inspection. Walking the perimeter, you visualized how the landscape would transform: sleek, energy-efficient homes nestled seamlessly into the natural terrain. You smiled to yourself, already drafting ideas in your head.
That brief moment of peace was shattered when a familiar voice cut through the air.
“Careful not to trip over your own ambition.”
You turned, already annoyed, to find Jungkook strolling toward you, hands in his pockets, an insufferable grin on his face. He looked out of place in the rugged setting, his polished shoes and tailored jacket a stark contrast to your practical attire.
“Do you have anything useful to say, or are you just here to be a nuisance?” you shot back.
“I’m here to inspect the site,” he replied smoothly, stopping a few feet away from you. “Same as you. Unless you’d prefer I stay out of your way?”
“That would be ideal,” you muttered, turning back to your notes.
“Noted,” he said, though he made no move to leave. Instead, he stood beside you, his gaze scanning the horizon. “You’re imagining it, aren’t you? How it’ll all look once it’s built.”
You hesitated, caught off guard by his observation. “Of course. Aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “I prefer to deal in realities, not fantasies.”
You scoffed, scribbling a note on your pad. “That’s the problem with you. You don’t dream big enough.”
“And that’s the problem with you,” he countered, his tone light but pointed. “You dream so big, you forget about the details that make it all possible.”
His words stung more than you cared to admit, but you refused to let him see it quickly masking your reaction with a smirk. “And yet, somehow, I always manage to make my dreams a reality. Maybe you should take notes.”
Jungkook chuckled softly, his gaze flicking to you. “I don’t need to take notes, ___.” He leaned slightly closer, the warmth of his presence unsettling in the cool morning air. “I just need to make sure you don’t overlook the cracks in your perfect vision.”
Before the conversation could escalate further, Mrs. Kang approached, clipboard in hand. “Enough flirting, you two,” she said dryly, startling you both.
You gaped at her, heat rushing to your face. “Flirting? We’re not—”
“Whatever it is, keep it professional,” she interrupted, cutting you off. “We’ve got a lot to cover today, and I need both of you on the same page.” You marched ahead, eager to put distance between yourself and the aggravating man.
The briefing began, with Mrs. Kang detailing the challenges of incorporating the sustainable design into the natural landscape without compromising the luxury aspect. It was an intricate balance, one you knew was crucial to the project’s success.
As she spoke, you noticed Jungkook occasionally glancing in your direction, as if gauging your reaction. You ignored him, focusing instead on contributing ideas to address potential construction delays. Yet, every time you spoke, Jungkook would counter with his own points—some valid, others seemingly designed to provoke you.
It was a delicate dance, the two of you weaving between collaboration and combativeness, and everyone present could feel the tension simmering beneath the surface.
Once the meeting concluded, the group split off to survey different areas of the site. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kang assigned you and Jungkook to the same section.
“Great,” you muttered under your breath as you grabbed your gear.
Jungkook caught up to you, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “Looks like we’re stuck together. Try not to lose your temper, yeah?”
“Try not to test my patience,” you snapped back, quickening your pace.
The two of you navigated the uneven terrain in tense silence, the only sounds being the crunch of gravel underfoot and the distant hum of machinery. Despite the irritation simmering within you, you couldn’t help but notice the way Jungkook’s sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in every detail.
“This area’s going to be a challenge,” he said finally, breaking the silence. “The slope’s too steep for a traditional foundation.”
You nodded reluctantly, scribbling in your notebook. “We’ll have to design a tiered structure. It’ll cost more, but it’ll integrate better with the environment.”
“Agreed,” he said, surprising you with his lack of sarcasm.
For a brief moment, the hostility between you eased, replaced by a shared understanding of the task at hand. It was... unsettling, this glimpse of a Jungkook who wasn’t insufferable.
But the truce didn’t last long.
As you crouched to examine a patch of soil near the slope, Jungkook crouched beside you, his proximity making you acutely aware of his presence.
“Don’t fall,” he said, his tone laced with mock concern.
You shot him a glare. “I think I can manage.”
He smirked. “Just checking. I’d hate to see you take a tumble—though I’m sure you’d land gracefully.”
Your lips twitched despite yourself, but you refused to let him see you smile. “If you’re done with the commentary, maybe you could focus on the work?”
“Always focused,” he replied with a casual shrug, leaning back on his heels .
The two of you worked in relative silence after that, occasionally exchanging remarks but mostly staying out of each other’s way. Still, you couldn’t deny the odd sense of balance you felt. As much as Jungkook annoyed you, there was no denying that he challenged you—and, in some ways, made you better.
By the time the day ended, the sun was dipping low on the horizon, casting the site in golden light.
“Well,” Jungkook said as you packed up your things. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
You raised an eyebrow. “If by ‘not so bad,’ you mean tolerable, then sure.”
He chuckled, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Careful, ___. You might start liking me.”
You scoffed, brushing past him. “Won’t you like that?”
The site inspection lasted longer than expected, with Mrs. Kang pointing out areas of concern and requesting alternative solutions. You focused on the discussion, ignoring the occasional pointed remarks Jungkook threw your way. By the time the meeting wrapped up, the sun was dipping low on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the site.
“Good work today,” Mrs. Kang said, giving both of you a nod before heading to her car.
You exhaled, relieved to be done for the day. Gathering your things, you made your way back to your car, eager to leave Jungkook and his infuriating smirk behind.
But, of course, he was right behind you.
“Heading out already?” he asked casually.
You shot him a sideways glance. “Unlike some people, I don’t loiter for no reason.”
He chuckled, pulling his keys from his pocket. “Maybe I just enjoy the view.”
You paused, caught off guard by his words. When you turned to look at him, he was already walking toward his car, his expression unreadable.
What was that supposed to mean?
Shaking your head, you climbed into your car and drove away, determined not to dwell on the strange moment.
But as you lay in bed that night, replaying the day’s events in your mind, you couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to Jungkook than the infuriating façade he so carefully maintained.
//
The following days were a whirlwind of preparations for the next phase of the project. Meetings turned into late nights at the office, and the constant pressure made it difficult to think about anything—or anyone—else. Yet, somehow, Jungkook always found a way to intrude on your thoughts. Whether it was his annoying quips during meetings or the rare moments when he actually offered useful insights, he was impossible to ignore.
And then there were those chance encounters in the hallway of your apartment complex. At times, you'd walk back to your unit after a long day, only to find him leaning casually against the wall outside his door, scrolling through his phone or adjusting his jacket. The sight of him, always so effortlessly put together, would grind your nerves in the most infuriating way.
You hated that.
And yet…
There was something oddly grounding about his presence. Something that kept you on your toes, pushing you to be better, sharper, more determined.
Not that you’d ever admit it to him.
//
The unexpected moments of civility between you and Jungkook were becoming annoyingly frequent, leaving you with a strange, unsettled feeling. No matter how much you tried to resist, there was something undeniably magnetic about the way he pushed you—both in your work and under your skin. The snarky remarks, the constant tension, and those rare moments when you actually managed to work together were beginning to blur the line between pure irritation and... something you refused to acknowledge.
The project was demanding enough without having to navigate your complicated feelings toward the man who seemed to have an uncanny ability to get under your skin.
The following week, you found yourself once again working late in the office, trying to meet the growing deadlines for the project. The building was quiet, the hum of the fluorescent lights filling the space. As the clock ticked closer to midnight, you couldn’t help but notice the familiar presence of Jungkook leaning against the doorframe.
“Still here?” he asked, his voice breaking the silence.
You glanced up, your tired eyes narrowing at him. “What do you want now?”
He grinned, his expression mischievous. “I was just about to ask you the same thing. Aren’t you tired of working yourself to the bone?”
You rolled your eyes, closing the contract in front of you. “I have deadlines, unlike some people.”
Jungkook pushed off from the doorframe, walking further into the room. “Yeah, well, some of us know how to balance work and... other things.”
You raised an eyebrow, sensing that this conversation was going somewhere you didn’t want it to go. “Other things? Like what?”
He paused, then leaned against the desk, his eyes locking with yours. “Like... not taking everything so seriously.”
You swallowed, a flicker of something strange stirring in your chest. “I take my work seriously, Jungkook. Unlike some people, I don’t waste my time.”
There it was again—the challenge in his eyes, the unspoken understanding between you. For a moment, neither of you spoke. The air in the room felt charged, thick with an unspoken tension. Finally, he broke the silence.
“You know, you’re not as bad as you pretend to be,” he said, his tone almost contemplative.
You blinked, caught off guard by the statement. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged. “Just an observation. You’ve got a lot of potential. But sometimes you’re too busy fighting to see it.”
Your heart skipped a beat, the unexpected compliment catching you off guard. You opened your mouth to respond, but the words escaped you. Instead, you focused on the papers in front of you, trying to divert the conversation back to something you could control.
“Stop,” you muttered, not wanting to hear anymore. “We’re not friends. Don’t pretend we are.”
Jungkook’s smile faltered, but only for a second. “I wasn’t pretending,” he replied, his voice quieter now.
You looked up to find him staring at you, the usual smirk replaced by something far more serious. But before you could say anything, he turned and walked toward the door.
“Goodnight, ___,” he said softly, pausing at the threshold. “Try to get some rest.”
You didn’t reply, instead watching as he left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. You sat there for a moment, the weight of his words lingering in the air. It was the first time in a long while that you found yourself wondering if Jungkook was more than just the annoyingly handsome man you had to deal with.
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The following day, you arrived at the office early, determined to get ahead. You had a meeting with Mr. Kim in an hour, and you wanted to make sure every detail of your presentation was perfect.
The quiet hum of the office greeted you as you set up in the conference room, spreading out your notes and adjusting the slides on the projector.
You were so absorbed in your work that you didn’t notice Jungkook standing in the doorway until he cleared his throat.
“Early bird,” he remarked, stepping inside.
You glanced up, surprised to see him. He was holding a folder, his expression unusually neutral.
“Shouldn’t you be sleeping in? Or is this your way of keeping up with me?” you asked, arching an eyebrow.
Jungkook smirked. “If I wanted to keep up with you, I’d have to slow down first.”
Your jaw clenched, but before you could retort, he held up the folder.
“Relax,” he said, his tone almost teasing. “I’m here for Mr. Kim’s meeting too.”
“You?” you asked, incredulous. “I thought you weren’t involved in this project anymore.”
“Things change,” he replied cryptically, taking a seat at the table.
You stared at him for a moment, suspicion creeping in. But there was no time to dwell on it—Mr. Kim walked in moments later, his presence commanding immediate attention.
//
The meeting was tense. Mr. Kim scrutinized every detail of your proposal, his sharp gaze cutting through your explanations. Jungkook, to your irritation, chimed in more than once, pointing out areas that could be “streamlined” or “revised.”
At one point, Mr. Kim leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful.
“You both clearly have strong opinions,” he said, looking between you and Jungkook. “But I need a cohesive vision. If we combine both your ideas I believe the results would be better, don’t you think?” he asked Mrs. Kang, his tone calm but pointed.
Mrs. Kang nodded in agreement, her expression firm as she turned to you and Jungkook. “You’ll work together on this and present a joint proposal by the end of the week. I expect nothing less than a refined, cohesive vision.”
Your heart sank. A joint proposal?
You chanced a glance at Jungkook, who maintained a neutral expression, his features unreadable as if he had expected this outcome all along. He gave a small nod, his voice steady and calm as he replied, “Understood.”
You forced a smile, masking your frustration. “Of course.”
As the meeting adjourned, you gathered your notes, avoiding Jungkook’s gaze. But as you turned to leave, he fell into step beside you.
“This should be fun,” he said dryly.
“Fun?” you shot back, your voice low. “If by fun you mean unbearable, then sure.”
Jungkook chuckled, his tone lighter than expected. “Come on, we’ve worked together before. This won’t be so bad.”
You stopped walking, turning to face him. “That’s because you weren’t actively trying to sabotage me before.”
His expression softened, the humor fading. “I’m not trying to sabotage you.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” you muttered, brushing past him.
But his next words stopped you in your tracks.
“For what it’s worth,” he said quietly, “I think your idea has merit. It just needs refining.”
You turned to look at him, surprised by the unexpected compliment. He met your gaze evenly, no trace of sarcasm in his tone.
“Thanks,” you said, the word awkward but genuine.
He nodded, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Don’t mention it. Literally.”
You couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped you, though you quickly stifled it.
“See you at 3,” you said, turning on your heel before he could see the faint smile tugging at your lips.
As you walked away, you couldn’t shake the feeling that Jungkook was more than the rival you’d always seen him as.
The day passed in a haze of back-to-back meetings and endless emails. By the time three o’clock rolled around, you were already dreading the joint session with Jungkook.
The conference room felt a little too big when you walked in. Jungkook was already there, leaning back in his chair with his laptop open. He glanced up as you entered, and for once, his expression was unreadable.
“Ready to collaborate?” he asked, his tone suspiciously light.
You set your notebook down, ignoring his attempt at humor. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Jungkook chuckled softly, closing his laptop. “You always make it sound like working with me is a death sentence.”
You didn’t respond, choosing instead to spread out your notes and connect your laptop to the projector. Jungkook watched you in silence, which only made the tension in the room thicker.
Once everything was set up, you cleared your throat. “We need to streamline the sections on resource allocation and timeline management. Mr. Kim was clear about that.”
Jungkook nodded, leaning forward. “Agreed. But we also need to address scalability. Your plan is solid, but it doesn’t leave much room for growth.”
You narrowed your eyes at him. “It’s a proposal, Jungkook, not a five-year strategy. The goal is to secure approval for the immediate next steps.”
“And if the immediate next steps aren’t sustainable?” he countered.
The back-and-forth continued, each of you stubbornly defending your perspectives. It wasn’t until nearly an hour later that the conversation took a slightly different turn.
“You’re not listening,” you said, exasperated. “I’m not saying scalability doesn’t matter, but—”
“I’m listening,” Jungkook interrupted, his tone calm. “I just don’t agree with you.”
You let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Fine. Then what’s your brilliant solution?”
He leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “We split the sections. I’ll handle scalability and resource optimization. You take the timeline and project scope. We’ll merge it once we’re done.”
It wasn’t a bad idea, but admitting that felt like handing him a victory. “Fine,” you said grudgingly.
Jungkook smirked. “You’re welcome.”
“Don’t push it,” you muttered, turning back to your laptop.
The next few days passed in a blur of work. True to his word, Jungkook focused on his assigned sections, and you had to admit—begrudgingly—that his suggestions were solid. But working with him still wasn’t without its challenges.
"Your timeline’s too aggressive," he said one evening as the two of you reviewed the merged proposal.
You shot him a glare. "It’s realistic."
"It’s unrealistic if you expect people to work 12-hour days," he replied, leaning back in his chair. "Not everyone’s a workaholic like you."
"Maybe if everyone were, we’d get things done faster," you shot back.
Jungkook laughed, the sound catching you off guard. "You’re impossible, you know that?"
You crossed your arms, but there was no malice behind your glare. "And you’re insufferable. So, I guess we’re even."
For a moment, the tension eased. You caught a faint trace of a smile on Jungkook’s face, and it was… disarming. But before you could dwell on it, he cleared his throat, his expression turning serious.
"We’ll need to present this together. Have you thought about how we’ll divide the slides?"
You nodded, grateful for the shift in focus. "I’ll take the opening and scope overview. You can cover scalability and resource planning."
"Deal," he said, extending his hand.
You hesitated for a moment before shaking it. His grip was firm, his hand warm.
"Let’s try not to kill each other during the presentation," you said dryly.
"No promises," he replied, a teasing glint in his eyes.
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The morning of the presentation, you found yourself nervously adjusting your blazer in the mirror. It wasn’t because of Jungkook—that would be ridiculous. But as the two of you stood side by side in the conference room, presenting to Mr. Kim and the board, you couldn’t help but notice how seamlessly you worked together.
Jungkook’s delivery was polished, his points sharp and persuasive. When it was your turn, he didn’t interrupt or overshadow you.
When the presentation ended, Mr. Kim smiled, nodding with approval. "Excellent work. I’m ready to move forward with the proposal. Thank you all for your hard work. Let's aim to have the implementation ready by next week."
As the board members filed out, you felt a small surge of relief.
"You did good," Jungkook said quietly, his voice low enough for only you to hear.
You glanced at him, surprised. His expression was uncharacteristically genuine.
"You too," you replied softly.
For once, there was no snarky retort, no sharp edge to his words. Just a quiet acknowledgment that maybe—just maybe—you made a good team.
_________________________________________________________________________
It was a quiet morning when Mrs.Kang summoned you and Jungkook to his office. Her expression was unreadable, which immediately put you on edge. Jungkook, as always, looked irritatingly calm, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his perfectly tailored suit.
“I have good news,” Mrs. Kang began, gesturing for the two of you to take a seat. “A significant proposal has come in from a high-profile client based in Las Vegas.”
You exchanged a glance with Jungkook, your curiosity piqued.
“The client is considering investing in a long-term partnership with our firm, but they’ve requested a dedicated team to oversee the preliminary project.”
Jungkook leaned forward. “What kind of project?”
“A comprehensive legal framework for their expanding business operations,” she explained. “It’s a multi-faceted endeavor, involving contracts, compliance, and regulatory assessments. They need everything done efficiently, and they’re willing to pay generously for it.”
You nodded slowly, already anticipating the workload. “And who’s handling it?”
Mrs. Kang’s gaze flicked between the two of you. “You are.”
Your stomach dropped. “Together?”
“Yes,” she said firmly. “The client specifically requested for our best workers, and after your stellar performance in the last project, it’s clear that’s you two. This is a major opportunity for the firm, and I trust you’ll make it a success.”
Jungkook’s lips quirked into a small, smug smile. “Sounds like a challenge.”
You shot him a glare before turning back to Mrs. Kang. “How long will we be in Las Vegas?”
“Until the project is completed. The initial timeline is four weeks, but it could be extended  depending on the client’s requirements.”
Four weeks. Four weeks of working with Jungkook. You weren’t sure if you should laugh or cry.
“When do we leave?” Jungkook asked, his tone calm and professional.
“Tomorrow morning,” Mrs. Kang said, sliding two plane tickets across the desk. “I expect regular updates. And remember, this project could define the trajectory of your careers.”
As you left her office, you couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in your chest.
“Guess we’re going to Vegas,” Jungkook said as the two of you walked back to your desks.
You didn’t dignify him with a response.
//
The next morning, you found yourself at the airport, juggling your carry-on bag, laptop case, and an iced coffee you barely had time to grab.By the time you reached the airport the next morning, you were already exhausted. It wasn’t even 7 AM, but Jungkook was waiting at the gate, scrolling through his phone like he didn’t have a care in the world. His effortlessly polished outfit—a simple black hoodie and dark jeans—looked like something out of a casual photoshoot.
You, on the other hand, were fighting a losing battle with your overstuffed carry-on bag and a coffee cup that kept threatening to spill.
“Morning,” he greeted, barely looking up.
“Morning,” you mumbled back, though your tone suggested it was anything but good.
As you plopped into the seat next to him, you struggled to balance your coffee on the armrest while rummaging through your bag for your boarding pass. Jungkook glanced over, clearly amused by your chaotic energy.
“Are you planning on staying there or what?” he quipped, nodding at your bag.
“It’s called being prepared,” you shot back. “Not that you’d know anything about that.”
He smirked. “I packed in twenty minutes, and I guarantee I have everything I need.”
“Congratulations,” you said dryly. “Do you want a medal?” 
He smirked, clearly unbothered.
When boarding was announced, you couldn’t hide your irritation when you saw that your seats were together. The last thing you wanted was to sit next to Jungkook for the duration of the flight. But of course, you didn’t have much choice. There was no way you were going to fight him over something so trivial, even if the idea of being stuck next to him for hours made your skin crawl.
As the plane took off, you tried to focus on the city shrinking beneath you, but you couldn’t ignore how Jungkook had leaned over, practically pressing against your side as he peered out the window.
"Can't you stay put?" you muttered, your irritation rising.
He smirked without looking at you. "Not everyone can sit still for hours like you."
You shot him a glare, but he was already lost in the view outside, and there was nothing more to say. Silence settled between you, the quiet only interrupted by the hum of the plane.
“Vegas,” he mused, breaking the silence. “I hope you packed something that isn’t boring lawyer attire.”
You turned to glare at him. “And what exactly do you think I should’ve packed? A sequined dress and feather boa?”
He grinned. “Not a bad idea. It’d definitely make things more interesting.”
You crossed your arms. “For your information, I have plenty of stylish clothes. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Sure you do,” he said with a teasing lilt. “But Vegas is a little more… exciting.”
“You can’t even see half the things in my suitcase, so stop assuming,” you snapped, your tone sharper than you intended.
“Relax, I’m kidding.” He leaned back in his seat, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “You’re so easy to wind up.”
You rolled your eyes, trying to ignore him, but then Jungkook started fiddling with the instruction sheet that was in front of him, crinkling it loudly. The constant rustling made it hard to concentrate, and you were starting to lose patience.
“Seriously?” you asked, finally glancing over at him.
He didn’t look up from the pamphlet. “What?”
“Can you stop with that?” you said, irritation creeping into your voice. “It’s like you're trying to annoy me on purpose.”
He raised an eyebrow, looking at you briefly. “I’m just reading it.”
“You’re not reading it, you’re crumpling it,” you retorted. “Could you, for once, just sit still?”
He shrugged, still flicking through the paper. "What if something happens? I need to make sure you're okay. You’ve got no one here but me."
You snapped, "That’s why we have flight attendants to help us."
He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. "True. But I can’t say I trust them as much as I trust myself to look out for you."
You groaned, leaning back in your seat, hoping he'd get the hint and stop, but the crinkling continued, and you were about to lose it.
“Seriously,” you muttered. “You’re exhausting.”
“Guess you’re stuck with me for the next few weeks,” he said, completely unbothered by your frustration.
The playful banter continued for the rest of the flight, with Jungkook finding every opportunity to tease you about your organizational skills—or lack thereof. By the time the plane landed in Las Vegas, you were equal parts annoyed and amused, though you’d never admit the latter.
As you walked off the plane, Jungkook glanced over at you, a smug look on his face.
"Ready for Vegas?" he asked, his grin wide and teasing.
You shot him a look, trying to suppress the rolling annoyance that surged through you. Of course he’d ask that now. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Just try not to get in my way.”
He raised an eyebrow, the playful smirk still in place. “No promises,” he replied, leaning in a little closer, clearly enjoying your irritation. A small sigh escaped your lips as you looked away. Why does he always have to be so... impossible to ignore?
207 notes · View notes
writersblockiskillingme · 1 year ago
Text
Peace | Coriolanus Snow
Pairing: Coriolanus Snow x reader (fem!District12!Baird!reader)
Summary: Coriolanus Snow never thought that he would find peace, until he did.
Warning/s: Snow being in love, Snow being Snow, talk about death (reader is alive, don't worry), possible grammar and spelling mistakes
Author's note: Inspired by one and only Taylor Swift.
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Our coming-of-age has come and gone
Suddenly the summer, it's clear
I never had the courage of my convictions
As long as danger is near
And it's just around the corner, darling
'Cause it lives in me
No, I could never give you peace
Coriolanus Snow could swear that the rustling of the grass beneath his shoes couldn't be louder as he walked in the Meadow.
However, even though he felt an odd irritation towards that, he felt good. He was finally able to get rid of his Peacekeeper white uniform which he replaced with a simple white shirt and some gray pants that he found. His dog tag was still hanging from around his neck. He forgot to take it off from all of the haste when he was trying to find you as fast as he possibly could once his shift ended for the day.
The wind was dancing gracefully across the leaves on the trees surrounding the always oh so peaceful Meadow just a little outside of the border of District 12.
District 12.
Coriolanus Snow was still a little bit doubtful when it came to the loser District.
He could remember his hated towards, well, everyone and everything when he found out that he was going to be deported for the Peacekeepers. He could still remember that empty feeling when he sat at, what seemed like, the most uncomfortable chair in the world as someone started to cut his blonde locks away.
He lost everything. Every hope for the better.
That is up until it was reported to him that he could chose any District in all of the Panem that he wished.
Coriolanus could've been deported to a nice, clean District like 1 or 2. Yet he chose the poorest District of all. The words "District 12" left his mouth without the second thought when the authorities asked him where he wanted to be deported. He didn't even speare one single thought as he said it.
He asked himself, why did he do it? The question wouldn't leave his mind. It haunted him every day. It clouded his ever racing mind.
Why did he do it?
Yet now, he finally spotted a figure sitting on a giant rock, playing the guitar while muttering the words as she tried to write yet another masterpiece that he was going to cherish forever.
Your hair was flowing around in the wind as your fingers graced the strings of your guitar that Coriolanus got for you from the Capitol.
He tried to stay as quiet as he possibly could. He didn't want this moment to end. He didn't want you to stop singing so he froze once he got close enough so he could listen to you for a bit.
Even the mockingjays on the trees seemed to quiet down as you played the guitar. They were soaking up every melody, every note that you decided to grace the word with.
"And it's just around the corner, darling
'Cause it lives in me"
Your melodic voice rang around the Meadow. So quiet yet so powerful. Graced with softness and pure care. He didn't deserve you. He knew that.
Suddenly nothing mattered anymore. The only thing that truly mattered was the fact that you were alive.
Every doubt he had racing, cursing, his mind vanished forevermore as he listened to you sing and play your guitar, when he saw you performing with the rest of the Covey, your family, the night after he got deported to 12.
Right now, nothing was more important to him than you. He didn't care about his deportation, about Dr. Gaul, about Highbottom.
Maybe he was clueless. Maybe it was his fault for letting himself feel vulnerable in this very moment in the Meadow outside of 12. Or maybe he was just young and dumb for finally letting his guard down... but he felt like there was hope for him at last. Because you were here. You were alive, and if he had to mess up his reputation and lose everything once more just so he could here the sweetest of melodies leaving your lips he was sure that he would do it.
"No, I could never give you peace"
But I'm a fire, and I'll keep your brittle heart warm
If your cascade ocean wave blues come
All these people think love's for show
But I would die for you in secret
The devil's in the details, but you got a friend in me
Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?
Coriolanus felt himself freeze completely.
His brain nor his body was working anymore as he watched the screen along with the rest of his classmates that were chosen to be mentors for this year's tributes in the Hunger Games.
The scene was tough to watch. He wanted to look away yet he found himself unable to do so.
No matter how hard he tried he couldn't rip his eyes away from the screen that showed reaping the tribute he was supposed to mentor.
A girl from District 12.
He felt uneasy the moment he found out who he was supposed to be mentoring, he felt like his hope was lost. His hope for winning the Plinth Prize and repearing his reputation was ruined. He was ruined.
But now, as he watched you step in after your name was called out, he felt unfamiliar feeling of pure warmth growing and spreading in his chest, consuming him completely. The feeling was unknown, it made him feel weak. Out of control. He hated it.
Yet, as Coriolanus watched your hair bounce as you stepped out of the crowd in the middle of the square, he felt like he would fight the devil himself just so he could make sure that you were safe, that you were going to get out of the arena alive.
He watched your expression and your posture. You were trying to appear as calm and unbothered as possible. You were successful in your attempt, but he saw right through it.
Perhaps it was because he found himself in the similar position as he watched you or perhaps he simply observed a bit too closely.
Whatever it was, it did not prepare Coriolanus Snow for what was about to happen.
°
Why am I here? What am I doing?
These are the questions Coriolanus asked himself as he unintentionally, yet at the same time quite intentionally, tried to seek some warmth from his red Academy's uniform in his pathetic attempts to warm himself up a bit in the middle of a very cold night on his way over to the zoo where you were forced to stay before the games started.
The food wrapped in a handkerchief that had his father's initials on it started to feel too heavy in the pocket of his uniform.
Feeling the cold shiver run down his spine he realized that it's not from cold or from the fear of the Peacekeepers blocking his way over to you in the middle of the night. No. It was something else. Something he was aware of, but couldn't yet admit it to himself.
He watched every step he took so as to not startle you in the cage of the zoo.
As he got closer, he realized that he saw a figure in the dark leaned against the bars of the zoo's cage.
It was you, of course. You were looking up at the sky as your hair slightly flew around in the light, cold night's breeze.
At first he thought that his plan to play star-crossed lovers was a dumb call. That it was bad. Mentor falling desperately, hopelessly in love with his tribute was just madness and quite a desperate attempt to draw some good public's attention to give you a shot at surviving in the arena was quite pitiful, truly. Where was his head at, at that moment? Who would ever fall for that nonsense?
But as he saw how the people thrived for a tragic pair of star-crossed lovers and as he realized that good citizens of the Capitol loved a good tragic story, he came to a conclusion that maybe all of this was actually worth it.
More importantly, as he called out your name quietly as to not startle you and alert other tributes he figured that it was a right call after all.
Especially when, even tho a part of him didn't want to, as he came over to you on the other side of the bars, gave you food that he smuggled from the Academy, wiped your long lost tear as it streamed down your beautiful cheek, as he soked in your beauty, admired your gentil kindness and finally as he kissed you like he needs you more than an oxygen that he has to breath over the empty space in the middle of the bars, he wasn't really pretending after all.
Yet when it was time for him to go home just so his absence doesn't go noticed by grandma'am and Tigris, he asked you one thing that was bothering him, eating him alive. One thing that caused him absolute despair from the moment he met you.
"Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?" He whispered in the darkness as he held his hand against your cheek like you were the most delicate rose.
Your integrity makes me seem small
You paint dreamscapes on the wall
I talk shit with my friends
It's like I'm wasting your honor
Coriolanus Snow was hurrying towars the room in the Capitol's Academy in which he will be able to monitor the games along with some of his classmates.
He had to stay at home to help his grandma'am much longer than the would've liked. He was in such a hurry that once he got to the door he literally pushed it open with full force.
He strolled down effortlessly over to his chair so he could look over you as he heard the voice of one and only Lucky Flickerman.
"Now that is an entrance I'm jealous of."
Coriolanus ignored him.
He sat down next to Sejanus Plinth as he reasted his head on his hand as soon as he did that, the look of pure stress overflow his features as his piercing blue eyes locked themselves on the screen watching you.
"I may be wrong." He heard the voice of Sejanus Plinth as he stared at the screen, not looking away. "But it seems to me that you actually, genuinely care about whether or not she makes it out alive."
Coriolanus felt himself freeze for a moment, but he quickly forced himself to gain his composure back.
"I don't-"
"Don't lie to me, Coryo."
He kept his mouth shut after that.
And you know that I'd swing with you for the fences
Sit with you in the trenches
Give you my wild, give you a child
Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other
Family that I chose, now that I see your brother as my brother
Is it enough?
Coriolanus Snow could still remember the feeling of slight cold breeze as he hoped off of the train in 12 for the first time ever.
His boots stepped right into mud and he closed his eyes for a moment in slight annoyance. What an amazing way to alive here and do the things he was ordered to do.
He gripped more tightly just in hope to gain more confidence that he could actually pull through with this.
He stepped forward, letting out a puf of breath to steady himself.
Just as he was about to step after the rest of the new recruits as the one who is last in line he heard something that he hoped he would hear again. A voice which belonged to the person for whom he decided to go to the poorest District, paying the last bit of money he owned.
"Coryo!" Your voice shouted and he turned around slowly, almost not believing that you're here.
You ran as fast as you could just to get to him as fast as possible.
Your hair was flying around as your ran, the back of your dress dragging itself after you. The lightness of your steps, the graceful way you carried yourself, your eyes, your lips, you.
You collided against him, throwing your hands around his neck as you gripped on his shoulders as tightly as you possibly could, afraid that he will disappear from your grasp once again.
You looked so out of place. You were like a finest, most beautiful rose of all, but that rose grew in the middle of the mud. It fascinated him.
He wrapped his arms around you instantly, gripping your body strongly yet at the same time gently as he brought you to his body even closer. You felt like if he pulled you any closer the two of you would become one person.
He hid his face into your neck, breathing in your flowery scent. It smelled like home. Home which he was forcefully ripped away from, but now he was finally able to return.
"How did you-? What-?" He stuttered, couldn't get the words out.
"Tigris told me you were about to become a Peacekeeper." You got out, still holding onto his arm, your gripp still tight, afraid of losing him again. "However, Sejanus told me that you would arrive to 12."
This took him a back a little.
"You spoke with Tigris?" He asked, his voice not hiding his utter, but non the less happy, shock.
"We wrote to each other." You answered with a smile. "She's amazing, truly."
He couldn't be happier at this moment, he was so happy that it scared him.
But maybe, as he watched your smile and took your hand into his, pressing your palms against each other, he realized that just maybe life in the poorest District won't be as bad as he was afraid.
But there's robbers to the east, clowns to the west
I'd give you my sunshine, give you my best
But the rain is always gonna come if you're standing with me
One thing was for sure, life after the games was not easy.
You would have nightmares. He didn't know about them, you wouldn't told him. That is up until the rest of your family met up with him on a picnic day.
You looked so tired, so pale, you weren't acting like your usual self. It scared him.
That's when Lucy Gray pulled him aside after she saw his worried gaze on you the entire day. What she told him ripped his heart and shattered every piece.
"She's screaming at night." Lucy Gray whispered just so you wouldn't catch them, not that you could, you were so tired you were barely awake. "She has nightmares about the arena."
When he later on confronted you about your nightmares just so he could help you somehow you broke down.
You told him that maybe it wasn't the best idea for him to be with her. You were sad a lot more often, the screaming because of nightmares and everything else haunted you.
Before you could say anything else, tho. He kissed you like he would die without you.
"You're safe with me." He mumbled against your lips. "We can have a future here together, that is if you will have me."
"Of course I will Coryo, but-"
"No but's, then, my love." He told you, taking the handkerchief out of nowhere as he wiped away your tears that continued to stream down your face.
"Here, away from every harm, away from the games... maybe I could finally give you peace."
Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?
Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?
->
->
->
TAGLIST:
@hellonheels-x @especiallythewomenandthechildren @prettyinsatiable @caroline-books @runningfrom2am @10ava01 @thecrowdedstreetin1944
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unriding · 27 days ago
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PROTECTING YOU FROM A CREEP. ft. endo & togame (separate)
in which a persistent pursuer doesn’t quite get the hint … that is, until they come face to face with your boyfriend. potential warning for implied stalking ( not by the characters ). f!reader.
sfw. similar to headcanons from my previous blog, but is not a repost!
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As if any unwarranted looks your direction could ever go unnoticed by Endo.
He’s pegged you as the type of person to be much too trusting of everyone you come across since day one, now even more so from the way you didn’t even bother to question the reason behind why Endo would suddenly want to pick you up from work (though.. had he known that your shifts were adjusted to wrap up at 11 PM, he certainly would have started doing so much, much earlier).
He decides to wait just outside the back entrance of your building, clock on his phone reading 10:58 PM. It doesn’t take him long to note that the street lights in this specific lot are dim, and the area itself is practically empty. Nothing out of the ordinary considering the time, but it’s definitely not the ideal place he would like for you to be walking alone in the middle of the night.
It’s not like Endo himself is immune to your cute face or your endearing personality either, but — everything about this just rubs him the wrong way.
That stranger that only visits your work when he knows you’re working. According to your coworkers, he’s got his hands on your full schedule for the month. How that would even be possible is beyond him, your coworkers, and your own comprehension. Apparently nobody had told him your hours, but in the end, he got the information from somewhere.
He thinks this has been going on for much longer than you’ve let on.
A sudden set of footsteps catches his attention, though they’re not as heavy as he imagined they would be. The new moon tonight makes it difficult for Endo to see clearly, but from what he’s able to make out — he’s smaller than him, at least.
Not that he would have a hard time with someone who happened to outsize him.
He almost says something. He certainly would have, without a doubt, but you’ve always had a thing or two to say about him ‘starting unnecessary fights.’
So he waits. He waits and watches as the man in the hood looks as if he’s about to open his mouth to say something, but changes his mind upon noticing Endo beside the door.
Specifically, the infamous infinity on his neck. The tattoo that anyone in Makochi could recognize in a single glance — one that spells death for whoever is foolish enough to bother him, let alone his girl.
The man freezes in place. The new boyfriend you’ve been talking about was him?
Perhaps Endo’s reputation as one of the strongest still stands even years after high school has passed — especially now, with the way the stranger stares at him, completely dumbstruck.
Something bordering sadistic in Endo bubbles inside his chest. He can’t help it — not when he knows that had he not decided to come to pick you up, you would have been alone with him by now.
And now that he’s seen him up close, he doesn’t like him one bit.
“Ah, here to pick her up?” Endo cocks his head to the side. “That’d be my job, don’t you think?”
“W-Who?” He stammers, eyes narrowing into his best attempt at a glare despite the tremble of his lip. “I don’t know anyone here, man.”
He almost laughs. “Well, don’t leave so soon,” he makes his way towards him, circles him like a wolf stalks his next prey.
“What’re you doing lurking at her work place like this?” Endo stops when he’s just beside him, ‘Frank’ only a couple inches from him now, “ya little punk?”
“I’m here for the trash. I can come back tomorrow—”
“Really now..” Endo leans in, almost laughing when he retreats backwards. “Because I thought you looked awfully familiar. You’re not that guy who got a hold of my girl’s work schedule, did ya?”
His eyes go wide. “N..n—”
“Cuz a nice girl like that’s already got a boyfriend,” he checks his watch, bored. 11:01. You’d probably be double checking your things by now. “Ah.”
“Unless you’d like for her to see you passed out on the floor, of course. We could arrange that.”
“Wouldn’t you like that, you mutt?”
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You really, really should have taken up Togame’s offer to pick you up.
He’s always laughed at your glare, much to your annoyance. Presses a fingertip to the skin between your brows with an amused grin, reminding that you that “such a harsh look only looks cute when it’s you, y’know.”
Only, he’s nowhere in sight and this time, you truly hope your glare doesn’t come across as cute. Your back roughly bumps into the wall with your last step away from your pursuer, hand flying up to flash your phone’s messages his way — “my favorite turtle” clear across the top of the screen.
“My boyfriend’s really big and scary, just so you know,” your voice falters, panic flashing across your eyes for a moment. “And he’s on his way. I told him all about you.”
He smiles, and a chill runs down your spine.
“Did you now? Well, he doesn’t know you like I do,” he sneers, slowly moving to close the distance between the two of you. “I could treat you better. You know I could. Just give me another chance, and I’ll prove it.”
You shake your head as hard as you can. “I said you aren’t my type,” your voice comes out quieter this time, hoping the volume masks at least some of the fear, “a lot of times. And I have a boyfriend.”
It doesn’t faze him. If anything, you think he looks amused by your efforts to turn him down.
“Did you think I didn’t know that, silly girl?” He’s closer now, enough to stretch his hand out and nearly reach you, “I really, really like girls like you. I don’t care… about your little boyfriend….”
Your eyes slam shut, back pressed against the wall and your hands hugging your purse to your chest — tightly, as if something so small could still potentially shield you from him. “Well he’s gonna b-be here, so—”
Togame. Where is Togame? Your heart pounds a thousand beats a second, eyes clenched shut harder than ever before, and you wait—
But his hand never reaches you.
There’s only a brief noise of surprise from your pursuer before it turns into something resembling pain, and your eyes flutter open.
“Jo..!”
You quickly note the faint trace of sweat along his temples, as if he had frantically searched every corner of the town before finding you. It doesn’t take you much longer to note the furrow of his brows next — the way he always does when he’s angry.
“Got yourself in a real interesting situation while I was on my way, did you now?” Togame’s grip tightens on his wrist, and he winces. His eyes flicker towards you, taking a second to make sure you’re not hurt.
He sighs in relief when you appear unharmed — aside from the slight tremble of your hands, of course, but no visible injuries. Lucky for him, he thinks, or he would have had to ask you to leave the scene.
Which leaves one thing.
“Hey… you,” the look in his eyes darkens, “what do you think you’re doing bothering her like that?”
“Cornering her against the wall …. and what was that? Tell me….” Togame lets go of his wrist, only to grab a fistful of his shirt. “Exactly what you were planning to do while I was away.”
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am-i-interrupting · 1 month ago
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Across the River | Viktor x Jinx’s Older Sibling
Chapter 2: Quiet
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Summary: After the explosion and disappearance of Vi, you take your little sister across the river to Piltover. You struggle to keep the two of you afloat but manage to get Jinx to the academy. This is where she procures an internship that changes your lives.
Viktor tapped his pen against his chin. Something was missing. He looked at the equations and written in his notebook and everything was correct. So what was wrong?
“You’ve been staring at that page for ten minutes,” Jayce said.
It clicked in the silence that followed after.
“Have you heard from our assistant today?” he asked.
Jinx was normally bouncing around the lab. She was always jittery. Something always moved on the girl, whether her whole body or just her foot tapping against the tiles of the floor. A light tap of the steel toe, which curled just barely to the bottoms of her shoes, against the ceramic of the tiles would ring all throughout the day. She was often humming even as she read Viktor and Jayce’s old notes to gain further understanding of the Hextech of today.
It’d been quite today. Abnormally so with her absence. Viktor offhandedly questioned when her noise had become the norm when it was for so often and so long the opposite.
Often times she stayed just as long as he did. Mourning and groaning as he locked the lab late some nights that she couldn’t stay longer. However, as he often reminded her, she was still in school and thus not allowed to remain with Hextech equipment unsupervised. Neither mentioning that she would stay awake in the early mornings, youth on her side, when he fell asleep at his desk.
“I- huh, no, I haven’t,” Jayce said.
“How unlike her.”
She’d only missed one day in her two month internship. This day having been warned a week and a half in advance for some undisclosed reasons. When Jayce laughed at how antsy she’d been, making sure it was okay that she missed a singular day, she was twisting her fingers together then suddenly stopped. She exhaled from her nostrils with false humor and Viktor was the one of the two who heard her mutter beneath her breath about how she wanted to keep her internship.
He leaned back in his seat. He used a foot to scoot back from the desk enough to open a drawer. He thumbed through the files until he found the one labeled ‘Jinx’
He opened it.
First Name: Jinx
House Name: None
Gender: Woman
Age: 17
All of this information he already knew. He flipped through the pages detailing her schooling and academic prowess. He then found the page detailing her guardian, where he hoped the information he sought would lay. There it was.
“I’ll be back,” Viktor said as he grabbed his crutch and started walking towards the door.
Jayce looked at him with furrowed brows but did nothing else to question him.
Typically, Viktor would likely say it’s inappropriate or a cross of boundaries. However, he would admit he’d grown found of the girl.
She was loud and chaotic but she reminded Viktor of himself. A stark contrast to him but not so different really.
She often lost herself in work very similarly to how he did. In a way Jayce didn’t truly understand. Yes, Jayce was passionate but he was also concerned with things neither of them were.
She’d peered over his shoulder at notes multiple times and pointed at equations with her own pencil. All she would say was that it didn’t look quit right and walk away. He did the exact same thing to her.
Those late nights in the lab were often times filled with her standing at the chalkboard, writing down ideas bounced off one another.
Jayce was his partner. Jinx was more so like a shadow. A very loud, hyperactive shadow but one nonetheless.
He stepped out of the taxi he’d hauled down in a less well off part of Piltover. It was close to the border between it and the Undercity.
The houses were still miles above what he grew up with down there, both metaphorically and literally, but he knew this was not a part of Piltover the upper class looked at in a bright light.
He walked down the road to a small apartment complex. He pushed open the door to the building and scanned the lower floor. He was looking for the number 07. It didn’t take long for him to find the right door.
He raised his fist and knocked.
A moment later the door opened to reveal a figure shorter than him with deep purple or perhaps blue hair. “Can I help you?” you asked in a curt tone.
“I apologize if I have the wrong home, however, I am from the Hextech corporation. I was looking for a young woman named Jinx, is she here?”
“What’s it—“
“Is that Viktor?” Jinx’s voice, though a bit hoarse, sounded in question.
A hand appeared on your shoulder, fingernails painted pink and blue, which gently guided you back.
“Oh, hey,” Jinx said as she came into view of Viktor.
Her hair was not in the usual bun Viktor was used to seeing it in but instead let down in two long braids which pooled at the ground. Her attire was baggy and old, clearly for comfort.
It was her eyes and nose that Viktor noticed most. Both red, irritated, and puffy. Her lips were pale in contrast. Though Viktor had no frame of reference if that was their usual color as she always had them painted a muted purple tone but assumed they were more so pale than usual.
“Do you need me to come in?” she asked as she pulled one of her braids over her shoulder and began running her hands over it. “I would have come in this morning but I wasn’t feeling sick and I didn’t want to get you sick, well sicker and so I thought it’d be best if I stayed home but I can come in if—“
“No,” you said. “You’re not going anyway except bed.”
“I’m inclined to agree,” Viktor said. “We don’t need you in the lab, though you’re always a pleasure to have. It is just out of character for you to miss so I thought I would come check to make sure you’re alright.”
“Oh.” Jinx’s shoulders dropped and her hands stopped. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Now go and lay down,” you told her.
“Yeah, um, it was nice seeing you, Viktor,” Jinx said with a small wave before she turned and walked over, sniffling as she did.
You exited the apartment, the door creaking closed behind you.
You looked at the man before you, the Viktor Jinx would go on about, one of the two creators of Hextech.
He wasn’t what you expected. He had cheekbones that were beginning to become an unhealthy level of sharp. Permanent bags were beneath his eyes, framed further by a mole under one. His hair was unkempt and wavy, falling in his face slightly. Not at all what you exited.
He was almost akin to the type of people you grew up around. Tired and sickly.
“I’d say I’d invite you in but that would be a lie even if she wasn’t sick,” you told him. “Nothing personal, I just don’t like people in my space. I’m Jinx’s older sister.”
“Pleasure to meet you. She speaks highly of you,” he said.
You snorted. “Yeah, right, I find that hard to believe.”
Viktor made a noncommittal noise. His lips moved mutely for a moment before he settled in saying, “She speaks fondly of you, mostly.”
“That’s more likely. I’d offer you a ride but I don’t have an automobile and she’s a baby when she’s sick. You got here by yourself, you can get back?”
“I am more than capable,” Viktor said as he shifted some of his weight off his cane.
You took note of that. “I’m a jackass,” you said bluntly, “but I’d be saying that to anyone. Well, not anyone but anyone Jinx likes so much. She’s constantly worried about impressing you two. Don’t want to give her any more reason to.”
“I understand completely. When I first made my way to Piltover, I was much the same.”
“You not from here?”
“From across the bridge,” he said.
“Ah. Nice to know some people make it up top,” you said. “Anyway, I’m going to make sure she didn’t pass out in the hallway. Good day, Viktor.”
“Good day to you as well.”
You went back inside. Viktor stood for a moment, looked around the empty hall, and then proceeded to take his own leave.
If you like this story, consider helping me continue to be able to post through looking at my mobility aid wishlist if you have the money to spare.
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prettyundeadgirl · 8 months ago
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Crave The Rose
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1st and 3rd gifs made by me :)
Summary: Throughout your time in King's Landing, you and the carelessly attractive Kingsguard grew fond of each other. Your sister Margaery believes you both suit each other exceedingly well, soon setting you two up, and beneath the moonlight, love unfurls.
Pairing: Jaime Lannister x Tyrell Female Reader
Wordcount: 1.9k
Tags: Fluff, Smut, 18+ MDNI
AO3 Link
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From the moment he set foot into the lush gardens of King’s Landing, his pair of viridescent eyes, shot with gold, set themselves onto you with an untold and profound intrigue. 
He’d go to the gardens whenever the chance arose, knowing you frequented there. He first enjoyed admiring you from afar, and it soon led him down a luring path where he’d do anything possible to get closer to you. Whether it was a simple, “Pardon me,” to brush past your skin and hear your gentle voice apologize for ‘being in his way,’ or to simply greet you. 
Engaging conversations soon blossomed, and you grew rather fond of him, leaving your grandmother and sister early to catch up with him and walk through the endless greenery, scented with vibrant inflorescences.
The day was up early, new and fresh, yet the torrid heat remained the same. You strolled beside the pond’s stone borders, taking a seat on the edge and basking in the generous and unyielding rays of sunlight that brightened the strands of your hair and complemented certain aspects of your features. 
Jaime had arrived only moments after and spotted you in an instant. He gathered in the picturesque view—the delicate movement of your leg crossing over the other, the intricate, floral trim of your dress, and the way you hovered over the pond to see the fish swimming beneath the lily pads that lay afloat, graced with pearlescent water lilies.
When you looked at him, lashes lifting slowly with that smile you always gave him, everything in his peripheral vision was meaningless as he stared at you—the electric, captivating focal point. And like the white, casting moon, you had a gravitational pull on the ocean tides of his attention, distant yet somehow influential, tugging him along. It wasn’t until you broke the contact to face your approaching sister Margaery that he was then dragged onto the mundane shores of reality. 
Margaery was undoubtedly graceful, with her lustrous, long brown hair and soft doe-like stare.
“Grandmother wants to speak with us.” She stated, and as you stood up from your spot, she acknowledged Jaime with an inquisitive glint before interlacing her arm with yours. You asked her what she wanted as you both withdrew from the area, leaving Jaime with an indescribable and strange sense of longing.
Gone from his view, a smirk appeared on her face, and etched in her creases was a curiosity one couldn’t possibly deny, and it had been there for some time.
“He’s rather handsome, isn’t he?”
“Very.” You answered noticeably quickly. 
“He likes you, I’ve seen it. I think you’d make a beautiful couple.”
Disbelief flashed across your features and you expelled a scoff, “You’re all wrong, he’s a Kingsgaurd. Forbidden to love. And he swore an oath to the king, your king.”
She giggled at your reaction, “Dear sister, you have much to learn. Most men never keep their oath, and what I saw today, his mind was clearly breaking that oath.” She drawled the last few words, wanting you to hear every syllable.
She was right.
Out of his sight, involuntary images and thoughts of you embedded themselves into the crevices of his mind—some pure, most not. It lingered in the back throughout his day and grew in the night before he went to sleep, and when he awakened, the hazy memory would come to a clear. He spent many mornings and nights this way—starting and ending with you, and he almost felt himself go mad, but he never knew one to love it as much as he did.
Beneath the heavens, you were situated on a long stone bench surrounded by verdant bushes and flourished plants, gazing out to where the sky and sea touched. The golden hours of the afternoon drained into the horizon; the sun, already gone, succumbing to its own inevitable demise. Darkness swept away the remnants of daylight that lingered, until the night prevailed, and myriad pinpricks of white sparkling light, softer than satin, adorned it graciously. 
The glistening, tranquil waters lapped against the stone structure, its song melding with your blissful hums. It reflected the prideful moon hung above which watched as you held a flower you plucked from a nearby bush, stripping it of its petals until all that remained of it was the stem. You placed the petals into your hands, sending them off into the night where they swayed down for the vast expanse of water to claim, flowing away until they were no longer visible.
Before long, your attention is drawn to the familiar clattering sound of armor approaching your direction.
“Ser Jaime.” You greeted, rising from your seat.
“Lady (name).” 
“What did you wish to speak to me about?”
His brows slightly furrowed at your question, “I was told you had wished to speak with me. Did you not?”
“No,” You admitted with pure honesty, taking a few steps forward. “My sister told me you wanted to meet me here, said you had something you’ve been wishing to tell me for a while.”
A spark of realization pervaded you after you finished your sentence, and as if by magic, the realization traveled to him as he smiled and you let out a small laugh, a sound he never tired of.
Inches away from him with that gentle gaze that sent his heart to cease, you raised your arm and traced the indentations of his shiny, aureate armor. The world was quiet—just the two of you, surrounded by nothing but plants and gleaming stars.
“Do you have something you wish to tell me, Ser?” The sudden shift in your tone and closeness sent an unbidden tightness to his throat.
“Yes.” He admitted. “I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid my eyes on you.”
Pulling him closer, your lips grazed and you kissed him, the rose of your mouth blooming against him. His hands, by nature, encompassed the curves of your hips, and the cool gilded fingertips of his false hand contrasted with the warmth of your exposed skin and sent shivers through you.
He sought the answer to a question that plagued his unsettled mind, rendering him incapable of thinking about anything else for the duration of your time here, and at the base of your tongue, the answer evades him: Your lips were as soft and divine as he conceived, and you tasted sweeter than any honey he’s ever had, making him smile against the orient pearl bone of your teeth. 
You pulled away, and his lips grew cold at your abrupt absence, “It’s late. Could you escort me back to my chambers?” You said against his mouth, words coated with a heavy implication.
His lips curled into another grin, “Of course.”
Arm looped around his as you were led into the Keep, where shadows draped against the narrow halls and slowly fell onto you. The silence was a symphony until your footfalls quick and sure echoed the halls akin to the beating of one’s heart. 
When you reached the door, he wasted no time, drawing you close, the warmth of his body enveloping you as he reconnected his lips to yours with a fierce intensity. In that moment of pure, unbridled passion, you both shared the same thought: I don’t want this to end. 
You craved each other, he was doubtless of it as you pulled him into your chambers with deafening haste, and once the door had shut, his hands moved with purpose, and your dress descended to the floor. You clumsily fiddled with his armor, removing the burdensome weight of his duties. 
With your bare bodies exposed to the night’s air, he propped you against the wall, and you wrapped your legs tightly around his waist, never breaking the burning, sinful kiss. Your fingers entwined with his flaxen hair, and a carnal desire had curled its way through his veins, clogging his marrow and taking over him entirely. His kisses were rough and possessive as he moved to your neck, and you sighed those pretty, sensuous moans he tended to find himself imagining, yet they could never compare to how you sounded now. 
He carried you with ease, and the gentle river of bed sheets, brightened by the pale moonlight, creased as he lay you upon the bed and gazed at your flushed cheeks and half-lidded eyes, with your legs parted for him and him only. You were utterly remarkable, sculpted by The Seven themselves; and he briefly wondered if he was even worthy of your love, for his perceived flaws over the years tainted him, and the gold hand fitted on his arm reminded him of it.
Your eyes gleamed up at him with sincerity and love, not a trace of judgment or distaste. It was louder than his doubts and beckoned him.
He pressed his weight on you and planted seeds of sloppy kisses, starting from your mouth, and down to the cleft between your thighs. Your sighs were heavenly when his mouth met where you wanted him most, and he relished in your taste as his generous tongue performed a rhythmic undulation. You lifted your hips, pushing into his mouth, and further parting your legs to provide him better access, and when he heard whispers of his name fall from your lips like it was the only word you’ve ever known, it swept over him, defeating any worries he harbored.
His name floated in the air, and he felt you tremble and wither as he licked your sensitive flesh. A blissful wave had overcome you, your chest rising and lowering. It was nothing you had ever experienced, and you desperately wanted to feel it repeatedly.
He returns to your mouth once more, allowing you to taste yourself on his lips. His fingers traced over your thighs before lifting your leg from your knee, leaving you completely accessible to him. You hummed when he placed himself inside you with much need, movements starting slow and soon quickening, desperate to let out the build-up of his release in you. Your hands clutched at his back, nails ever so slightly indenting crescents into his skin as you felt his cock grazing the spot that ached for him. He moved away to stare into your eyes, admiring you for a moment your eyes brimming with love and lips parted, trying your best to stay silent and not draw attention to your chambers if anyone walked by. Still, the effort was futile as your moans fluttered out of your throat.
He moved to your ear languidly and spoke breathless words. “Tell me… Tell me I’m yours and only yours.” The tension in your abdomen tightened at his gentle demand, and a weak smile pressed against your ear as you did as you were told.
You couldn’t contain it any longer, and you came hard and sweet beneath him. He soon followed, a soft, low groan escaping his chest, and his thrusts slowed as your breaths intermingled in the room of meager light, slowly coming back to awareness. You and him never wanted the Gods to let it be forgotten, and you remained in each others’ arms until the night turned day.
In the early morning, sunlight swept away the dust of stars, and you were awakened by a lightness in the bed and a chill to your body that wasn’t there during the night. A sullenness burdened your heart when you twisted to an empty side, but soon diminished and was replaced by a warmness at what had been placed on the pillow, leading you to replay the unforgettable event that occurred in the night.
A single rose.
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mickyschumacher · 1 year ago
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[THE DEATH OF ME!]
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𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: friends with benefits is never a good idea. friends with benefits with carlos sainz especially isn't a good idea.
𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: 18+ (minors dni), jealousy, fwb to lovers trope!, let's hear it for the google translated spanish!!, unprotected sex again (using a condom is hot behaviour ♡︎), remnants of gaslighting?, oral sex, p in v, pussy eating, overstimulation, cumming inside, love confessions, set it up reference!, carlos realising his red flags, mention of rebecca donaldson as the other girl but she isn't vilified or anything (some peeps scare the shit outta me), idk anything about granada (except the memories of the alhambra! can i get an amen?)
𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: carlos sainz x fwb!fem!reader
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 6k+
𝐀/𝐍: this was a messaged request so i hope it was up to par! kinda long but we get there eventually. plot holes? yes. proof-read? um... to my sore eyes, yes.
𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓
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There were many things the world still couldn't explain. The human body, the brain especially, why humans yawn, the cause of Alzheimers, or why tomatoes have 10,000 more genes than humans do.
In addition, you couldn't explain how you had gotten to be friend with benefits with none other than Carlos Sainz, an F1 driver for Ferrari.
Well... there were some parts you could explain. Like how you met. You were simply a girl from Pampaneira, Granada going grocery shopping after eating up the last of what was in your fridge and Carlos was a fresh bachelor who decided to spend a part of his vacation with his friends over 400 kilometres away from his Madrid home in Granada.
A fresh bachelor who also happened to need grocery's for his cousin's raging hangover.
To say you were the town's golden girl was a bit of an understatement. You were far too busy greeting all your local residents. You didn't notice Carlos when you first walked into the store.
But Carlos noticed you. Actually he noticed you before he even laid eyes on you. Your sweet floral perfume roamed the air and engulfed him, luring him without any words. And then he saw you.
You were a beautiful woman. Everything about you... the long hair, your glowing skin, curves every lover goes to dream about at night, eyes that you would never want to let down, your lips... God your lips, one look at them and no sane person could stop thinking about them... at night; and then there was your smile, a social service that could get rid of all the tension in this world.
You didn't notice Carlos until you felt a pair of eyes staring at you from the health isle that was poorly across from all your fruit. There was no shortage of attractive men in your town let alone Granada. But you had never seen a man like Carlos before.
The thicket of brown locks that you craved to run a hand through, his gorgeous tan skin that God must've given, the mysterious chocolate eyes, the perfectly plump lips which made you think he just had to be a good kisser, the slight scruff on his face that made you wonder how it would feel on your skin, the taut body... a gorgeous man.
You didn't know who Carlos was. In Pampaneira, although you new what it was, no one really cared for F1. It was a village that bordered on as a small town. Everyone here knew each other well and spent every second socialising.
You couldn't decide whether you wanted to talk to him or whether you were too nervous to. But it didn't matter because Carlos made the first move and introduced himself. You introduced yourself. He complimented you. You complimented him.
And that was that.
By nightfall, he was in your bed and the both of you had the most sinful, steamiest sex of your lives. So much that Carlos saw you for the rest of his time there. So much that when it was time to leave, Carlos told you to come with him.
And you did.
It was all of that that had led up to all of this. This being your attendance to a dinner at an F1 event as Carlos' plus one in Barcelona. He couldn't hide a beauty like you. Besides, the Spain paps had already managed to weasel their way into your relationshpi with Carlos. Most people thought you were dating. But Carlos had firmly laid the rule out as one did when you became friends with benefits: you don't fall in love. Neither one of you. You agreed for the sanity of your brain because you were far too attracted to the man to fall into the tricky waters of love.
"Holy shit, Carlos..." Lando swore when his eyes landed on the entrance of the dinner.
Carlos raised a brow at this driver, turning his head to the direction of Lando's gaze. He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw you. Every time he saw you, he couldn't be more thankful that he had eyes.
You had captured everyone's attention no doubt. How could they not look? Not when you were dressed in a light yellow satin material that hugged you in all the right places. Not when your neck was adorned in the diamond lariat necklace Carlos had brought you, hiding all the hickeys he had place there this morning. Not when the back of the dress scooped so far down that it only rested a few inches above your ass.
Christ, Carlos thought as he discreetly adjusted his tight pants. You were a sin.
You greeted all the drivers, laughing softly when Lily and Alexandra started to fawn over your appearance.
"I'm telling you, you are probably killing Carlos right now," Lily whispered on one side of you.
You rolled you eyes as Alexandra quipped on the other side, "Probably? Look at him. He is suffering."
You pressed your lips together, preventing a full-blow grin from washing onto your face.
That was kind of the point.
You tried to avoid as much of Carlos as you could because riling him up was one of your favourite pastimes. But in your endeavour, you felt a familiar hand graze your bare back, sending a warm tingle up your spine.
"All of this when we don't get to finish the night together? No juegas limpio, mi niña bonita," Carlos' lust-ridden voice whispered as his head dipped down, letting him place a small kiss behind your ear. You don't play fair, my pretty girl.
You gave him a meek smile. As much as you loved his compliments, they were starting to get you these days. The endearments combine with his actions were stirring up feelings that should be sounding alarms in your head.
"Jugar limpio no es divertido," You shrugged nonchalantly, trying to divert you eyes to the dinner. Playing fair is no fun.
"That's true." Carlos poked his tongue in his cheek upon hearing your remark. You reminded him of a firecracker. Always ready to burst and come back with something to say.
"You have to admit it is sad though, hmm? Because all I want to do is take that dress off you and fuck you. I want to make you cum over and over again till all you can call yourself is mine. I want to watch my cum fall from your pussy because you can't take it all, niña bonita. And then I want to push it right back in so you can walk around with it all day. Soon. I promise."
You let out a shaky breath as Carlos' breathing became heavier and heavier. You chewed down on your bottom lip, standing a bit straighter to discreetly clench your legs together. With a small smile, you turned to Carlos. "I hate you," You told him in the softest and sweetest voice you could muster.
Carlos grinned, making your heart skip a beat. He put his hands around your waist, his chest facing your back, and his chin resting on your collarbone. "Please. You love me."
You blinked blankly at the cold splash of reality that fell over you. You gave a dry and short laugh. You patted his hand with your own. "En tus sueños, Carlos." In your dreams, Carlos.
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Mornings without Carlos usually meant you had energy because you weren't having your brains fucked out. But your usual opening of your socials had brought something that drained you entirely.
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You stared at your ceiling of your hotel room blankly. Regardless of whether Carlos was awake right now, he wouldn't have even seen this. He didn't read any other news other than his favourites like ESPN or the CBS Sports Network.
You rubbed your eyes tiredly. What was this feeling in your stomach? Anger? Annoyance? Jealousy? You couldn't really put a finger on it and nor could you tell why.
You turned to plant your face in your pillow and let out a muffled groan.
How did you even get here?
Right. The grocery store.
You missed home. Home was an almost 2 hour flight or an eight hour car ride away. You missed when things were simple. When they made sense. Because lately, nothing had made any sense.
The thought of home brought you to the next train of thought: food. And as if on cue, your stomach growled at you with demand. So with the motivation of not starving to death, you got ready to have breakfast and headed down to the nearest cafe because hotel room service sucked.
Opting for a mocha with an extra sugar to counteract the bitterness in your life, you sat down with some a variety of churros and croissants to choose from.
Your phone blared it's default ringtone, capturing your attention. Your eyes flickered over the name and your heart softened and your bad mood had slightly eased. You grabbed the device and slid your thumb to the right.
"Buenos dias, mamà," You greeted. Good morning, mama.
You could hear her exclaim with joy, a sound you hadn't heard in a while. "Ah, mi niña bonita, buenos dias! ¿Cómo estás? No has leído las noticias, ¿verdad?" Ah, my pretty girl, good morning! How are you? You haven't read the news, have you?
You winced at your mother's pet name. You hated this. You hated that the lines between before Carlos and during Carlos were blurring.
"Sí, mamá, lo hice. Don't worry. It's just gossip. All fake," You told her even though you had no idea yourself. Yes, mama, I did.
You heard a sigh of relief from the other side of the call, making your heart hurt. "Right? I thought so. Carlos would never do that. Es un buen chico." He's such a good boy.
You could only tightly smile, agree, and be thankful you weren't seeing your mother in person otherwise she would've been able to tell straight away. You didn't know because all you had agreed on with Carlos was attraction. Nothing more and nothing less.
You caught up a bit with your mother. The conversation ended with her demanding a family dinner to which you told her you would see if Carlos had the time.
It was a simple conversation yet it was eye-opening.
You wanted that family dinner so badly. You wanted to be able to go see your mother and Carlos hang out. Hell, his own mother wanted you to call her mom. You wanted the stupid romantic things like dates, a person who would listen to you, the whispers of sweet nothings because... because you were in love with him.
Of course you were. Sure Carlos slightly had a quick temper and he wasn't that great at being emotional with you or anyone for that matter... but there was that saying: you like because and you love despite. Despite all of his flaws–because no matter how great a man is, he has his flaws–you loved him.
“Buenos dias, cariño,” A familiar voice greeted behind you. Good morning, sweetheart.
You turned your head, finding the root cause of all your problems stand before you with the most handsome smile.
"Carlos," You said with a slightly surprised tone.
Carlos smiled in return, placing a lingering kiss on the side of your head before he sat in front of you. The both of you waited for his coffee to be placed on the table before any conversation between you resumed.
"It's a beautiful day, no? I feel good about this weekend too. It kind of feels like everything is coming together," Carlos told you, raising his brows excitedly at you.
You gave a gentle smile, taking a long sip of your mocha. Slowly you placed the cup down and took in a sharp breath of air. "Carlos... can I tell you something?"
Carlos furrowed his brows and softly laughed at your almost worried tone. He nodded. "Sí, cualquier cosa." Yes, anything.
You looked down at your cup, fingers tracing the rim of the glass as you wondered how to start. Your mouth opened and closed, uncertainty closing in on you. Your eyes snapped up at the taunt of your name slipping from Carlos' mouth.
Okay... you got this.
"Carlos, I... I don't think we should do this anymore."
The crinkles in between in eyebrows and amused smile on his face told you that you had lost him. "You are going to have to be a lot more specific than that, mi niña bonita."
You chewed at your bottom lip. This nickname was getting tiring if he didn't mean it the way you wanted it to. "I mean us, Carlos. This... whatever this is. Friends with benefits... our relationship... it has to stop."
Any amusement on Carlos' face had dropped. He leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he tried to think back on how you had come to this decision. "I–what? What do you mean? Did something happen? I thought this was going fine... amazing, even."
"This isn't working for me anymore. I don't want to do this anymore," You shrugged with the pretence you didn't care.
Carlos grabbed your hand with his, rubbing the back of yours gently. "Is this the stupid headline thing? Cariño, they don't know what they're talking about."
"You didn't even deny it," You laughed softly as a bitter taste arose in your mouth and you slipped your hand our of his grasp.
Carlos stared at you for a while, unable to defend himself. "I don't understand. We agreed from the start that this wasn't going to be exclusive all the time. Three rules: it's open, we respect each other and we don't... we don't fall in love."
You paid no attention to where Carlos had paused. You shook your head, waving your hand in dismissal. "It's not that... I just... I don't want to do this, okay? Just leave it alone."
"Then what is it? I know you. You can give me a better explanation than 'I don't want to do this'. I can't leave this alone. Did someone say something to you? Did they do something? I swear, Y/N, if they did–"
"No," You quickly and sharply interjected. You took a deep breath. "Carlos.. I want more from you. I don't just want to see you every night and morning. I want to see you when we go out to have dinner. I don't want to be your sidepiece, Carlos. I can't... not when I feel like this."
The silence from Carlos was deafening. He struggled to open his mouth. His eyes twinkled with pain. "But you know I can't give you that."
Right. Carlos Sainz didn't do relationships. He was an F1 driver. They liked pass the parcel. And it just so happened, you were his parcel.
You nodded slowly. "Lo sé. Por eso lo siento. I'm sorry for ruining things between us but I can't do this anymore. Because if I do... I'm afraid I fall even further. And that's not fair on me." I know. That's why I'm sorry.
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As much as you would like to say you were a responsible citizen who didn't make bad decisions when you were upset, you couldn't.
The offer of clubbing by some of the girlfriends of the drivers was far too appealing in your situation. Your agreement excited the girls because you rarely joined them on these outings because you were too caught up with a certain Spaniard. Granted they didn't know the real reason behind why you were so ready to join them but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
As you arrived to the club, Lily let out a low whistle when she laid eyes on you. "How do you say hot as fuck in Spanish? Because my oh my you are hot as fuck right now."
She wasn't wrong. You felt hot as fuck right now. It was a warm night in Barcelona and the sexy black long sleeve mini dress, the same one you reserved for Carlos, was staring at you, begging for you to take it out of your suitcase. It stuck to your curves, it had some scandalous cuts, and it was backless. A perfect dress for Carlos? Sure. But a perfect dress to let go of yourself in a club.
You almost snorted at the golfer's theatrics but instead you opted for a flutter of your eyelashes and a stretch of your hand. "Oh dear madam, you flatter me!" You thanked her in a poorly imitated British accent.
Heidi and Alexandra laughed quietly as Lily rolled her eyes before grabbing your hands. "Let's go! I need some tequila!"
Quickly all four of you were by the bar, taking shots of cava (Spanish wine) instead of tequila. Well, you watched them take shots of cava. You may not be having the best day in the world but you were smart and sober enough to know that you and alcohol was not a good mix right now. And all the pleas of these girls could not convince you to do it.
Soon enough, you were all on the dance floor. The club couldn't be more of a club: sweaty bodies dancing on each other, old 2000s' music thrumming so loudly that you would think it was coursing through your veins, neon lights flashing rapidly across the room.
You... you were a vixen, dancing your way through all the bodies, relishing in all the lingering eyes you had captured. Every move you made was unintentionally alluring; your long tresses grazing your skin seductively, sticking to your skin at times as the humidity of the club made you shimmer in the flickering lights while you controlled the pulsing rhythm.
Lily, Heidi, and Alexandra watched in a shortly-lived awe before their eyes widened as a guy behind you edged closer to you. You could feel his breath brush pass the nape of your neck while the heat of his body began to circle you as his chest neared your back.
You couldn't feel a damn shiver down your spine that made you feel good as you once did but you weren't sure if you care that much. With the music blaring and your urge to escape reality without a sip of alcohol, you got closer to the man.
Dancing slowly to the music, you moved your ass closer to the man, feeling his hand lay on your waist. Your head fell back on to his should as he began grind his body into you. You squinted at the purple and pink lights floating in the air, frustrated. Why wasn't your body reacting the way you wanted it to?
The man's lips ghosted over the shell over your ear and he whispered, "Let's get out of here, baby."
Your mouth opened to respond but before you could let out a syllable, you felt the man's presence disappear and a hand grab your forearm, pulling you towards them.
You snapped your eyes to the figure, eyes widening slightly at the familiar brown locks, flushed cheeks, and the same chocolate eyes. Only those eyes were far darker. The host of pure craze.
"Carlos–"
"I think she's fine. You can leave," Carlos said curtly, ignoring your call of his name, brown eyes firmly planted on the stranger.
The man, sensing Carlos' anger and annoyance, held his arms up in defence and walked away.
Without looking at you, Carlos held his rigid grip on your arm and hastily walked you out of this club with heavy steps. You could spot the trio of girls nearby whispering their apologies, concerns, and how they forgot to mention they invited the guys.
"Carlos," You called wearily, watching him open the door of his Ferrari.
"Entra," He looked over at the door, waiting for you expectedly as he leaned on the car. Get in.
"What? No, Carlos, let's talk about this–"
"Get in the damn car and then we'll talk about this."
You let out a huff at the absolute resolve Carlos sported on his face. With a clenched jaw, you dipped down into the Ferrari, immediately finding the comfort in the familiar seat. You peered over towards Carlos, who was walking to the driver's seat.
Fucking hell. What had you gotten yourself into?
Silently, Carlos slammed the door shut. He took a glance at you and sighed before reaching out to grab your seatbelt and click it into place. The cologne you had gotten to used to infiltrated your nose as heat radiated off of his body. Putting the car into drive, Carlos was off onto the streets.
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The ride to your hotel was fast. Carlos was well over the speed limit and all the buildings zipped past you like lightning. It was unnerving to see the combination of speed, silence, and anger in Carlos but you were lying to yourself if you said you didn't find it somewhat attractive. Carlos' hands firmly on the wheel, his taut jaw, hardened eyes... God, you were awful.
Not wanting to cause any commotion for all the gossiping fans, you both quietly arrived to your hotel room. You both took off your shoes silently by the door. You took a little longer, fiddling with the straps of your heels in hope to by you some time to think of something... anything to say.
With nothing coming to mind, you turned around to Carlos standing in front of you. His brown eyes stared hard at you while he chewed the inner corner of his mouth. You let out a small exhale when you felt his hand caress your cheek, the soft pad of his thumb pulling down your bottom lip.
"Carlos..." You called once again.
Carlos momentarily closed his eyes at the feeling of your breath against his hand. "We barely finished our conversation this morning and you were going to fuck some stranger? Hmm?"
"I–" You wanted to say no. You really did. But you weren't raised a liar. "Yes. I was," You stated almost apathetically. You returned his sharp stare with a pointed look. "What is it to you?"
Carlos sucked in a sharp breath of air. His other hand snaked around your waist, pulling you so you were flushed against him. He pushed down the grin that was beginning to form once he felt your hardened nipples against his chest. He dipped his head down to your ear. "Say it again. I dare you. Try it again and see if I won't fuck you and edge you over and over again."
Your mouth fell open at Carlos' declaration while your pussy ached, clenching around nothing. You swallowed all the saliva that had gathered in your mouth, letting out a nervous incredulous sneer. "You wouldn't. You're driving tomorrow."
In addition to the three rules, Carlos had a special one of his own: no fucking the day before driving or throughout the weekend. Because of his addiction to your body and the animal he was, sex expended far too much of his energy and he knew for a fact that his team would be able to tell.
The hairs on your body stood straight and goosebumps began to travel down your skin as Carlos' thumb trailed from your lips to the valley of your breasts. His head tilted to the side, eyes moving from your tightly covered tits to your face. The corner of his mouth tugged up, forming a humoured smirk. "You don't think I will? After the shit you pulled? I made you a promise yesterday, cariño, and I'm going to fulfil it."
You let out a soft exhale. Your heart was racing in your ears. "Carlos... this isn't right. I meant what I said. I can't pretend like everything is fine like you. Besides you said it was open, right? You, out of all people, can't react like this."
Carlos' possessiveness was something you could never entirely wrap your head around. Sometimes it was there and other days it wasn't. He was all over a model yesterday and now he was pulling you away from other men? It was ironic.
The gaze that Carlos held told you there was something he wanted to say, right on the tip of his tongue. But he couldn't say it. No... he couldn't admit it.
But you gladly would for him.
"You're afraid, Carlos. And I don't blame you. You've never had a serious relationship, you never committed, you never fallen in love so I'm not that surprised. But you've got to understand that I can't stay with you like this."
Carlos huffed in amusement, shaking his head shortly after. "You're wrong."
You raised a brow. "Am I?"
He nodded slowly. "I mean you're right about the relationships and commitment," He started, ensuring his eyes were firmly planted on you, "But I've fallen in love."
Your shoulders slump at his admission. Great. This was exactly what you needed right now. "Y-You have?" You asked with a small voice and a want to blare some heavy music through yours ears.
Carlos nodded once again. "At first sight. In a grocery store. There was this girl. She walked in, didn't notice me. But I saw her. I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world. She laughed and smiled with the locals and I thought that for a second I died and went to heaven. I caught her eye and introduced myself. She did the same–"
"Carlos..." You interjected, feeling your heart pick up it's pace once again.
But the Spaniard continued his story. "We complimented each other, we talked and joked. Then we went to bed that same night. It was perfect. And after we finished, the thought of losing someone like her scared me. It was so terrifying that instead of asking her out, like a normal person, I asked her to become a bloody sidepiece out of all things. Can you believe it? I was an idiot... an idiot in love. I still am an idiot. Because she told me she loves me and I haven't done anything about it. Well, till now."
Carlos let out a long exhale, eyes nervously darting across your face, trying to draw any conclusions of your reaction.
You narrowed your eyes. "I hate you."
"What?" Carlos spluttered.
"Kidding!" You broke out into smile. "I love you too, Carlos. Not as much as you though. First sight? You are down bad," You jested, trying to not let all the fluttering feelings swirling in your body burst out of you.
Carlos blinked blankly at you. You were unbelievable. He shook his head at you, feigning a look of disappointment as he pulled you towards the bed. The soft sheets morphed around you, lulling you to a comfort you had been craving ever since you had put on your heels.
You eyed the lust-ridden look Carlos had. "I was being serious, Carlos. You're racing tomorrow. You have all the time in the world. I'm not going anywhere. Besides, sex after a podium sounds nice," You offered, hanging your arms around his neck as he hovered over you.
Carlos smiled gently at your confession, heart warm at the thought of you by his side. He pushed your hair behind your ears. "As sweet as that is... I was also serious about my promise."
Carlos' leaned in, taking in one last glance of you before pressing his lips to yours. Goosebumps began to swarm every inch of your skin as his hands trailed down your body, finding your hips. If only he knew his tracks the way he knew your body.
You let out a small moan, giving Carlos a new access to your mouth. Your skin prickled with a new wave of heat that was unlike any before. Because this time you knew things were different. He loved you. And you loved him back.
You felt Carlos' tongue invade your mouth while his warm hands had moved to your bare thighs. His grip on your skin tightened as he revelled in the feeling of your plump skin rolling and burning in his hands. All because he touched you.
He removed his swollen lips from yours. The very same lips quirked at your whine. "You know this dress was driving me crazy?" He told you, planting his lips on your neck. His fingers skated up your thigh, inching loser towards your heated pussy.
Christ.
You leaned into his touch, losing yourself as he marked your skin with his love. His lips sucked on your soft skin with a greed the both of you had never felt before.
"Yeah? When? When you first saw me or when I was grinding on that guy?" You teased, running a hand through Carlos' dark brown locks.
Carlos paused, looking up at you with narrowed eyes. His fingers continued to travel, finding the soft and soaked fabric of your panties. "Niña bonita, you sure talk a lot for someone who is so wet from only kisses," He murmured against your lips as he pressed a finger on your cloth-covered folds and lightly grazed your clit.
You gasped at the sharp tingle shooting up your body. "Fuck, Carlos," You sighed, feeling a certain craving begin to settle in.
Carlos sported a grin that you almost wanted to smack off of his face. A feeling which only intensified once he removed his finger from your clit, leaving you breathless as he removed your dress. He sucked in a sharp breath coming across your bare body. "You know... going braless I get," He started while he trailed his finger down the valley of your breasts and towards your pussy. His finger stopped right above your clit. "But no underwear?"
You stayed silent, chest heaving at his touch. You were waiting for Carlos to push you right into the ecstasy you had been bordering on. "Carlos, please."
Carlos smiled at your strained plea, bringing his lips to your stomach. "Your pleasure is my pleasure," He remarked.
You watched as Carlos' head dipped down between your legs, hands firmly wrapped around your thighs. "Fuck, you are soaking, cariño," He called out, eyeing your glistening folds and feeling the heat radiate off of them.
You squirmed at his breath travelling up your spine. "Only for you," You rasped.
Carlos could only feel his heart pace as he watched you clench around nothing. His cock was flushed against the fabric of his pants and his underwear. Fuck, the pain was almost a dizzying as the arousal he was receiving. You were so good to him... oh the things you did to him. Good girls deserved rewards, did they not?
Your mouth fell open as Carlos' tongue laid flat against your folds, taking one long lap at your arousal. You could feel him smile against your thighs. "You taste so good," He murmured before plunging his tongue back into your warm folds.
He explored every crevice of your pussy while you hand shot out to his brown locks, pushing his head further into you. The obscene grunts that echoed in the room after leaving Carlos' mouth were nothing compared to the pace he had taken. He was devouring you; inhaling and savouring your very essence.
You removed your hand from his hair and the back of your head fell into the soft sheets. Your hips bucked against his tongue while soft moans fell from your swollen lips. "So good, Carlos, fuck," you cried out, voice straining from the pleasure.
Carlos took your praise as encouragement, pushing his tongue further into your slick folds while his thumb found your needy clit. He circled the sensitive bundle with a teasing gentleness that sent bursts of throbbing pleasure down your core.
A groan fell from his mouth upon feeling your hand in his hair once again. The slight tremble of your thighs and the clenching of your pussy told him that he was doing everything right. You were on the brink of losing it.
"Cum for me, niña bonita," Carlos urged, thumb rubbing your clit faster and tongue lapping at your puffy folds.
Your hips quivered against Carlos' tongue, thighs tightening around his head as your eyes shut tightly, finding a white light in the dark abyss. Your eyes watered while your mind became absent in your climax. "Fuck, fuck, fuck! Carlos!"
Carlos momentarily stopped his actions, watching your face contort in pure pleasure. You looked beautiful. Hot, naturally, but beautiful. The thin sheen of sweat made you glow and your swollen lips with the few traces of lipstick were a hot mess but he loved it.
"No, no, no," You mumbled in quick turns when you felt his tongue and thumb return not a return a single second later.
"I said multiple orgasms, cariño. You can give me another."
Despite your refusal and the slight burn of your sensitive folds, your body liked to betray you, convulsing once again. Your hips trembled against his touch while your fingers grasped the bedsheets tightly.
Christ. Carlos was going to be the death of you.
Carlos greedily and happily watched your overstimulated pussy grind against him involuntarily. By the last quiver of your hips, he gave you a warm smile, mouth lowering to leave a trail of kisses across your stomach. "Well done, mi hermosa princesa." Well done, my beautiful princess.
You gave a tired smile, feeling a little less than beautiful with your sex sweat-ridden hair and skin sticking to the sheets.
"Princesa, are you sure you can handle my cock? I haven't tired you out too much, have I? Carlos queried, half with genuine concern and the other half with a tone that was almost patronising.
You narrowed your eyes before giving him a sickly sweet smile. "Well, you did promise to fuck me. If you can't, then nevermind."
Carlos couldn't tell whether he was proud or tired of your shit. You were clearly tired yet you had a lot to say back. Like he said, you were a firecracker.
With one hand, he removed his polo shirt. His brown eyes bore into yours as he slowly removed his pants. His lips quirked at your sharp intake of air once your eyes feasted on the throbbing bulge in his underwear.
Your heart thudded against your chest while you sat up from your position and inched closer towards him. You looked up at him with big eyes, hand trailing down his taut chest.
Carlos heaved, feeling the you skim past his body hair. His tongue darted out, resting on his lips as he carefully watched you open your mouth and sink your teeth into the waistband of his underwear.
"Fuck me," Carlos muttered under his breath, eyes glued to you while you pulled his underwear down.
Carlos quickly removed his underwear from his feet and in hast movements, pushed you onto your back. He rolled his eyes at the teasing laugh that fell from your lips despite it being the most pleasing sound to his ears.
You looked at the Spaniard hovering above you, hand gently brushing his cheek. You smiled, running a hand through his hair. "I love you, mi amor." I love you, my love.
Carlos held your gaze, chest heaving at your sudden admission. He felt impossibly warm. It was like the first time he had met you all over again. He felt the same way the night you first had sex. He whispered, "Again. I want to hear it again, please."
Your eyes softened and your heart ached at his earnest plea. "I love you, Carlos. Forever."
Carlos stared at you for another second before bringing you into a long kiss. "I love you more."
You let out a small whimper, feeling Carlos' thick cock against your engorged pussy. You watched as his eyes became clouded with lust. Just rubbing his cock against your folds was an obscene high that made the both of you shiver.
The sudden jerk of your hips as his cock rubbed your sensitive and overstimulated clit made you cry out. "Fuck...," You moaned out, "I need your cock, mi amor. Please."
Carlos was so lost in the pleasure it took the slight dig of your nails in his forearms to ground him once again. "Me too, princesa," He grunted, selfishly grazing your clit again with his cock just so he could watch your hips jolt once again. Fuck. Your reaction drove him crazy.
Carlos forced himself to get ahold of himself and focus on pushing his cock into your pussy. Your hands fell to his neck, steadying yourself while a gratifying burn ached through your core. "Me estás llenando, amor. Muévete, por favor, Carlos." You're filling me up, love. Please move, please, Carlos.
A groan flew from Carlos' lips as he fell into your plead, hips beginning to rut against you. Your swollen folds clamped around him, holding a vice-like grip on his aching cock.
Your sweaty skin stuck against one another while Carlos brought this lips to yours, consuming all your lewd moans with sloppy kisses. He pushed his cock further into you, feeling his balls slap against you, making the most immoral and obscene sounds known to man.
With one hand placed on your hip, the other travelled to grope your breast. Rubbing your nipples in a circular motion, a shudder erupted through you, feeling your clit brush against his cock with each thrust of his.
Carlos looked down at you, feeling his cock pulse at the fucked out expression that teetered on your face. You could barely breathe with all the air escaping your lungs as the familiar white light edged near you. You clenched around his cock, signing Carlos that you were close.
"Carlos, fuck. I'm going to.... I'm going to..." You panted, unable to get out the words as the lust rang throughout your brain.
"You're going to cum? Tell me, mi amor, who did this to you? Who makes you feel this good, hmm?" Carlos beckoned, increasing the snap of his hips.
You cried out, right on the cusp of pleasure. "Tú, mierda, tú lo haces. Fuck!" You, fuck, you do.
Everything around you became a blur, your orgasm hitting you in waves of pleasure. Your moans were silent but your body said it loudly: shaking against Carlos' cock.
"That's right. Me. No one el–shit," Carlos cursed, feeling your orgasm in his cock as you clenched around him. A high-pitched sporadic whine fell from his lips, hips stuttering against you.
The both of you moaned as his hot white cum spilled into your walls. Your folds clamped around him, taking every last droplet into your pussy.
You fell against the bed with an exhausted sigh. You felt the bed dip as Carlos did the same. You felt his hands snake around your waist, pulling you closer to him.
You turned your head to the side, raising a brow at the chocolate eyes flickering over you.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, cariño. I should've never ever let you be in a position where you felt like a fucking sidepiece. You are so much more than that. The love of my life," Carlos murmured, pushing a greasy lock of hair behind your ear.
Fuck. This was a new side of him you were seeing. The emotionally available one. And you loved it. "Well, as long as I'm not a sidepiece again," You shrugged, laughing softly.
"Never," Carlos confirmed. "You can beat me with those heels of yours if I ever do."
"Hmm... tempting. Although the guy from the club looks so much stronger. Did you see his muscles? So big," You fawned, fluttering your eyes dramatically.
Carlos sighed, shaking his head. An amused smile spawned on his face upon hearing you burst into laughter.
You were going to be the death of him.
© 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐘𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑
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leirastar · 22 days ago
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new world | chapter 5
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Pairing: Ot8 Ateez x reader AU: fantasy AU | stranger -> mates Summary: A tragic accident left you unable to use your wings and, with that, claimed your father's life, leaving you in the care of your noble uncle. In Hala, a house of eight kingdoms, each boasting its own wonders, you never imagined that amidst the pain, you would also fall—this time, in love. Word Count: 2.9k | 13 minutes A/n: YAYY ANOTHER CHAPTER! I've kept this in the draft for way too long! i lowkey want to just release all the chapters i've written. BUT i want you to wait a little..just a little longer HIHI. BTW GUYS WHY CAN'T I REPLY TO ANY OF YOUR COMMENT? PLEASE HELP ME OUT! Warning: mentions of hospitals, bad weather, AND YUNHO JEALOUS. KIND OF?
The days after Yunho’s visit felt unusually quiet. A few letters had arrived by an owl with soft, silver-tipped wings—you had affectionately named her Snow after the gentle way she flew, gliding through the cold air like a wisp of moonlight. The letters were brief but warm: updates on Reed, musings on the cold weather, and simple questions that made you smile.
But then, two days passed without a letter.
and you found yourself standing in the field, hands brushing over fresh thyme, as you tried to shake the restless feeling gnawing at your chest. You’re obsessed, you thought, scolding yourself, though the words felt hollow. It wasn’t as though you could help it; Yunho lingered in your thoughts like the scent of summer rain, impossible to forget. He was everywhere in your mind, in the quiet moments when you worked or the still hours before dawn. You could still hear his voice sometimes, soft and steady, and picture the way his eyes crinkled slightly at the corners when he smiled.
The wind was brisk today, the chill seeping in from Reed’s borders. The weather in Caius had turned slightly colder, a quiet herald of the upcoming winter, its edge sharpening the air as it rolled in from the north. You were near the eastern edge of Caius, where the terrain dipped and rolled toward the sea. Beyond the safe, fertile fields of your home lay treacherous waters, made colder and darker by the proximity to Reed.
Today, you were gathering herbs to bring to a border hospital where soldiers often fell ill from exposure.
It’ll be a long ride, you thought. I should leave soon.
You bundled the thyme carefully, your fingers working the stems with a practiced rhythm. Around you, the fields were alive with subtle sounds—the rustling of grass, the distant caw of gulls carried on the wind. Normally, the peace would soothe you, but today, something felt different. Off. It was as though the very air carried a charge, an invisible hum that raised the hairs on your arms.
Straightening, you shielded your eyes with your hand and turned toward the horizon. The sun hung low and bright, casting long shadows across the earth, but there—just for a moment—you saw it. A shadow passed over you, swift and silent, darkening the patch of earth where you knelt.
You froze.
Slowly, you looked up, squinting into the sunlight, and your breath caught.
Yunho stood at the edge of the field, cloaked in muted gray, his tall form striking against the pale sky. The wind tugged at his cloak and dark hair, but his face was calm, almost serene, as though he had been walking through the fields for hours. A faint smile pulled at his lips, so familiar and yet so unexpected that you could only stare. In his hand, he held a small bundle of herbs—rare ones, with deep green stems and silvery flowers that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
“Hard to find this time of year,” he said lightly, his voice carrying over the wind as he held them out to you.
You rose to your feet slowly, the earth firm beneath your boots as you closed the distance between you. Your fingers brushed his as you took the herbs, and you startled at how cold his skin felt, chilled from Reed’s borders.
“Where—how did you get these?”
“Reed’s borders are colder, but you’d be surprised what grows there when you know where to look.”
You turned the small bundle over in your hands, marveling at it. The flowers were delicate, yet they held a vitality that belied the harshness of the environment they came from. Yunho’s quiet attentiveness never ceased to surprise you; how did he always seem to know exactly what you needed before you did?
“I didn’t expect you,” you admitted, your voice softer than you intended.
“Should I apologize for the surprise?” he asked, a teasing lilt in his tone.
“No.” You shook your head quickly, warmth curling through you like a hearth fire against the cold. “I was… going to the hospital near the border. There are soldiers there who need these.”
At the mention of the outskirts, Yunho’s expression shifted slightly, his brow furrowing faintly in concern. “The border?” He paused, his gaze holding yours. “Then I’ll join you.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to,” he said simply, his voice leaving no room for argument.
You opened your mouth to protest again, but the words faltered on your tongue. There was a calm determination in Yunho’s eyes that you recognized all too well. Once he made up his mind, there was no changing it. Instead, you let out a quiet sigh and looked away, back toward the sea where the faint mist gathered on the horizon. “It’s not an easy ride. The terrain gets rough the closer we get to the border.”
“I’ve made harder rides,” Yunho replied, the faintest smile tugging at his lips again.
You couldn’t help but smile back, despite yourself. “Suit yourself.”
He fell into step beside you as you walked back toward where your horses waited, tethered near the edge of the fields. The silence between you was comfortable, broken only by the crunch of grass beneath your boots and the distant call of the sea. You felt Yunho’s presence like a steady warmth at your side, grounding you in a way you hadn’t realized you needed.
Surprisingly, you had always brought two horses during your journeys to the outskirts—one for yourself and the other to carry more herbs and supplies for the soldiers in the hospital. The second horse, a sturdy gelding with a speckled coat, had been borrowed from a friend of your uncle’s back in Caius. He stood quietly nearby, his dark eyes calm and steady as the cold wind ruffled his mane.
Yunho glanced at the gelding, his brow lifting faintly. “Prepared as always, I see.”
You smiled lightly, brushing your hand over the horse’s neck. “He’s reliable. And strong enough to carry more than I need.”
He let out a soft hum of approval, stepping closer to check the saddlebags. “It’s a good habit to be over-prepared.”
“It’s not over-preparedness,” you replied with mock indignation, adjusting the straps. “It’s practical kindness.”
Yunho’s lips curved slightly, the expression softening his otherwise stoic features. The way he looked at you—steady and thoughtful—made something in your chest tighten unexpectedly. “Kindness suits you,” he said quietly.
You looked away quickly, cheeks warming as you busied yourself with the straps of your saddle. “Come on, We’ll make better time if we leave now.”
With the horse ready, you moved to mount, but before you could, Yunho stepped forward, his hands suddenly—yet gently—grasping your waist.
“Let me,” he murmured, his voice low.
Before you had a chance to protest, he lifted you with effortless strength, plopping you onto the saddle as though you weighed nothing. The brief contact was enough to steal your breath, the warmth of his touch lingering long after his hands dropped away.
Your heart hammered in your chest as you stared down at him, wide-eyed. Yunho only offered a faint, knowing smile before turning to his own horse.
“Ready?” he asked casually, as if nothing had happened.
You swallowed, cheeks warm, and managed a shaky, “Y-Yes.”
With that, he swung up onto the gelding, settling beside you like he belonged there, leaving you with your pulse still fluttering wildly. The sight of him on the gelding was a little surreal—A diplomat of Reed, so at ease on a borrowed Caius horse—but you supposed there was little that could rattle him.
As you untied your horse and began preparing for the journey, Yunho took a step closer, his golden gaze scanning the sky. “The wind’s picked up,” he murmured. “We should leave soon if we want to avoid the worst of it.”
You glanced at him, surprise flickering in your chest. “You’re familiar with Caius’s winds now?”
“Not as familiar as you,” he admitted with a slight shrug. “But I’m learning.”
The quiet sincerity in his tone caught you off guard, sending a small ripple through your chest. You looked away quickly, pretending to adjust your reins, though the faint heat on your cheeks betrayed you.
“Ready?” you asked over your shoulder.
“Lead the way.”
And so you did, guiding the horse down the familiar trails that led to the outskirts. The road to the border hospital was long and winding, cutting through Caius’s fertile fields before giving way to the rugged, colder outskirts. The sea grew louder the further you traveled, its dark waters visible now through breaks in the terrain. The ride was long and cold, but Yunho’s presence—steady and unspoken—made the journey feel far less lonely, his quiet companionship both comforting and maddening.
“You don’t need to follow me, you know,” you said, breaking the companionable silence as the wind tugged at your cloak.
“I already told you,” Yunho replied smoothly. “I’m not following you—I’m protecting you.”
You rolled your eyes. “From what, Yunho? Overgrown roots?”
He smirked faintly. “If they try to trip you, I’ll deal with them swiftly.”
You huffed a laugh despite yourself, though you didn’t miss the way Yunho’s gaze stayed sharp and ever-watching. He took everything in—the frost-kissed trees, the distant hills, and even the quiet, shadowed patches of the path—as if he were on guard for something you couldn’t see.
As you neared the hospital, the winds turned colder, the air sharper. From this far east, you could see the faint mist rising from the distant seas—the treacherous waters near Reed’s border.
“I didn’t realize how often you made this trip,” Yunho murmured, his voice carrying over the wind.
“Someone has to,” you replied softly. “Soldiers give up a lot to protect the borders. It’s only right they’re cared for when they’re wounded.”
Yunho didn’t respond right away. His gaze lingered on you for a moment longer than necessary before he turned back to the path ahead.
When you arrived at the hospital, the smell of herbs and wood smoke greeted you. The building wasn’t grand—just a few interconnected rooms with thick stone walls and sturdy beams—but it was warm and alive with movement. Healers bustled from bed to bed, soft murmurs and quiet groans filling the air.
Mistress Calla, the head healer, spotted you as soon as you entered. Her face brightened, and she strode toward you with open arms, pulling you into a quick, firm hug.
“Y/N, there you are!” she said warmly, releasing you to examine the basket slung over your arm. “You’ve come at just the right time. The fevers have been worse this week, and we’re nearly out of thyme and elderleaf.”
You handed her a bundle of the fresh herbs Yunho had helped you gather. “These should last you a little while. I’ll check on the soldiers in a moment.”
But Mistress Calla’s gaze flickered past you, and her lips curled into a knowing smile. “And who’s this?”
You turned, realizing Yunho was standing just behind you, his expression carefully neutral as Mistress Calla appraised him.
“This is Yunho,” you said quickly. “A friend.”
“A friend?” Calla’s voice lilting with mischief, her brow arching in a way that made your cheeks heat. “Well, I don’t remember your friends looking quite like that. Tall, dark, and handsome, is he?”
You shot her a look. “Calla…”
“I’m just saying,” she continued unabashedly, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper as Yunho busied himself glancing around the room. “You’ve got half the soldiers in here sighing after you like love-sick pups, and now you bring a knight through my doors? What’s the story, Y/N?”
“There’s no story,” you said firmly, though your face betrayed you with a rising flush. “Stop it. I need to get to work.”
Mistress Calla chuckled, giving your arm a pat. “Fine, fine. Go tend to your wounded boys. Just don’t forget the tall one standing right there.”
You shot her a glare that only made her grin more widely before turning toward the soldier’s recovery room, shaking your head. Yunho glanced at you curiously, his golden gaze searching your expression.
“What was that about?” he asked quietly.
“Nothing.” You brushed him off quickly. “Come on. Let’s check on the soldiers.”
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As you stepped into the soldiers’ recovery room, quiet conversations died away, replaced by soft murmurs and shifting glances. You were a familiar sight here—someone who brought care, kindness, and a bit of light into their weary days.
“Ah, it’s her,” one whispered, nudging his companion. “She’s back again,” another murmured, his voice holding the edge of awe. It wasn’t uncommon—your visits often stirred soft whispers, your presence like a fleeting light among them. You moved between beds, greeting patients and checking wounds. Yunho followed at a measured distance, his presence drawing lingering glances from both soldiers and nurses alike.
“Is that her escort?” you heard one whisper.
“Lucky man,” another murmured, their tone tinged with something you couldn’t quite place.
At the word escort, you noticed—just barely—that Yunho’s chest puffed up a little, his posture shifting with an unconscious pride. It was subtle, yet unmistakable, as though being called your escort had released a feeling inside him he couldn’t quite place.
At one cot, you stopped to tend to Eli. He sat up straighter when he saw you, his youthful face flushing red. Barely older than nineteen, he was all sharp features and nervous hands, his usual bravado faltering whenever you were around.
“Eli,” you said softly, kneeling by his side. “How’s your side today?”
He cleared his throat awkwardly, his voice cracking just slightly. “Be-Better now. It’s always better when you’re here.”
You couldn’t help but smile. “You say that every time.”
“It’s true every time,” Eli mumbled, glancing away as you carefully checked the healing wound beneath his bandage.
You smiled softly, noting how well the wound was healing. “You’re recovering nicely. You’ll be back on your feet soon.”
“I—I wouldn’t mind staying a little longer if it means I get to see you.” His voice was quiet, shy, and you could feel Yunho’s gaze sharpen from across the room. You laughed lightly, brushing it off.
“You’ll get yourself back on patrol soon enough, Eli.”
“Only if you promise to visit,” he blurted, the words rushing out before he could stop them.
You opened your mouth to respond when you felt it—Yunho’s gaze. Glancing back, you found him near the door, his expression unreadable, though something sharp flickered in the way his eyes lingered on Eli. The soft sound of Yunho’s boots echoed through the quiet room as he stepped forward, his tall figure looming nearby. Eli glanced up sharply, his flush deepening as Yunho’s tall figure loomed nearby.
“Are you finished?” Yunho’s voice was calm, but there was something deliberate about the way he said it. You blinked, surprised. “Almost—” “I’ll wait outside,” he said shortly, turning on his heel and disappearing through the door without another word.
You frowned after him, his abrupt exit leaving you slightly unsettled. Turning back to Eli, you forced a gentle smile. “Rest up,” you said softly as you adjusted his blanket. “You’re healing well, but don’t overdo it, alright?”
Eli gave you a small nod, though his gaze flickered briefly to the door where Yunho had disappeared. “Is… he always like that?”
You let out a soft laugh, brushing off the question. “Don’t worry about him. Just focus on getting better.”
As you finished tending to the other soldiers, Yunho lingered in the back of your mind. You moved through the motions with practiced ease, but every quiet corner and every whispered conversation seemed to amplify his absence. When you finally stepped outside into the crisp evening air, you found him saddling the horses.
He worked in silence, hands moving efficiently as he tightened the straps and adjusted the reins. His face was calm—neutral, even—but the faint tension in his jaw gave him away.
“You didn’t have to leave so abruptly,” you said, stepping closer.
Yunho glanced up, his golden-brown gaze catching the fading light. “I thought you’d prefer to work without distractions.”
“You weren’t distracting me.”
He didn’t reply, only finishing with the saddle before offering you a hand up. You took it, his grip firm and warm, but the silence that followed felt heavier than before.
The sun dipped lower as you rode home, the sky streaked in amber and violet. Shadows stretched across the rolling hills, and the sharp, crisp air carried whispers of Reed’s colder winds. Yunho rode beside you, quiet and watchful, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
It was an easy silence, one you had grown accustomed to with him—but tonight, something lingered underneath, a weight you couldn’t quite place. Finally, you turned toward him, breaking the quiet.
“Alright. What is it?”
“What is what?” Yunho replied, his voice calm, but too carefully measured.
“You’ve been brooding since we left the hospital,” you pressed, watching his profile closely. “Did Eli say something that got under your skin?”
His fingers flexed around the reins, the only sign that he was considering his words. “No,” he said finally, the cadence of his voice steady as always. “Not exactly.”
You tilted your head, waiting, the rhythm of the horses' hooves filled the silence until Yunho finally spoke, his voice steady but softer than usual. “It’s not jealousy, if that’s what you’re thinking. They admire you. I understand why.”
You glanced toward him, his expression calm but his eyes telling a deeper story. “Then what’s bothering you?”
He looked ahead, the golden light catching on the edges of his face, softening the sharp lines. For a long moment, he said nothing, as if the answer were something he’d only just allowed himself to put into words.
Finally, he turned his head slightly, his gaze holding yours, warm and steady.
“Because I’d rather be the only man you look at like that.”
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