#can I still draw him with golden eyes or is it a lost cause ;v;.. I'm going to miss it so much if it's a different color

[yuseirra]

I watch the stars in a night when I can't see you again, The love is scattered just like you Before long it'll fall and shake the stars I simply want to sleep in your dreams

It's not enough, I wanna love you, ah, ah I can't think of anything but you Love me, look at me only Oh, I love you down to the marrow

[katsukikitten]

A harem collab in which we go to a party with our v precious hero 18+ Smut boooiiii

Sitting across from him never did get easier. As much as you told yourself it would. 

If anything it got harder and harder to share the same room as him, let alone air. 

But you were lucky enough, or unlucky enough, to join the agency when you did and to be partnered with your big time crush FatGum. Although you idolized him you were sure he didn't remember you. 

And how could he? He saved countless people a day so it should be no surprise that he had no idea who you were on your first day. Still, it stung. 

And it shouldn't still sting or come to a surprise when he sets down a flyer on your desk. A huge smile on his chubby cheeks as he taps the sheet of paper.

"Can you believe it?! The agency is throwing a new year's eve party!" He practically gushes, lingering by your desk with his intoxicating smile. He rummages in his brown bag, setting breakfast onto your desk careful to avoid getting grease stains on the flyer as if you'd hang it up one day instead of shoving it into the trash. 

"They have one every year." You shrug, thanking him for the breakfast but tossing the paper into the trash can. His smile never waivers as he pulls it from the fresh bin, returning it to the smooth wooden top. 

"Yea but not at a fancy hotel and never an open bar! We should go!" His eyes crinkle in the corners and your heart hammers in your chest. 

Little do you know he prays to the Gods you don't say no. 

"I dont know, it's such short notice. Like next week ain't it?." At least it wasn't a no. He smiles, thinking of your competative behavior. 

"Oh I see what it is." He takes the sheet from your desk, waltzing to his own, "You're scared."

"Tch, scared of what?" You hiss, snatching for the paper. 

"Scared I'll out drink you!" He laughs at your cute scowl as you size him up. His metabolism was insane, and with him being in his larger state you might not be able to win. 

But he didn't have to know that. 

"You fucking wish you could out drink me! Remember the last party we went to? You showed your age and could barely stand!"

"Oi! I was much thinner then. I think luck is on my side this time." He slaps his belly and you smile. A genuine laugh fills the room causing Taishiro's heart to clench. 

"Yea, yea." You wipe away a tear, "We'll see." 

The day drags on and on, turning into a week of you glancing his way. Making sure he wasn't gaining any extra weight as he brought you your normal breakfast daily. 

It wasn't until the day of the party did you gain the advantage, a fight almost turned wrong and Taishiro had to use majority of that stored fat for a deadly punch to stop the villain from terrorizing the city. 

Still you'd never want this type of advantage just for a stupid drinking contest. Although he was not at his largest, he still had a considerable "dad bod" going on. 

"I still can't believe they had a tux in this size so late!" Taishiro shouts into the locker room at the agency, adjusting his tie as he waits for you. Meanwhile nerves eat you alive as you stare into your reflection, wondering if this dress fit okay, smoothing the fabric over your stomach self consciously. 

"You okay in there? We're gonna be late." He calls softly, hoping you aren't having second thoughts about going with someone like him. 

"Coming!" You call back, glancing at your deep amber dress a final time before rushing into the hall. 

"I was just thinking you were going to forfeit and then I-" Words die in his throat and he drinks you in. Beautifully complimented by the shape and color of your dress as he mouth hangs agape. 

"Wow. You look…" 

"Tai, I know, I look...different." 

"Amazing, perfect, breathtaking." He gives you a pointed look, "Which is no different than how you normally look." 

Heat creeps up the back of your neck and you're thankful he misses your flustered expression. The walk to the hotel and the brisk cold air gives you time to not only cool off but think.

Really reflect on the year, this horribly rotten, all bad luck year. Reminding you of all the times you had failed but also reminding you of all the opportunities you had missed. And not opportunities in the sense of promotions or saving people but opportunities to get closer with a certain somebody. 

You glance up at him and he glances down at you, smiling in a way that sets your skin on fire and yet it makes you feel at ease. 

Slowly you were coming to hate it. 

"I'm excited that they decided to invite some smaller agencies. Means I can introduce you to some of the kids I interned. Well I guess they are adults now huh." He looks nostalgic, sad even as he stares into space. Opening the door to the large hotel and it the look sticks with him until he is just before the party doors. 

"Ready?" 

"As ready as I'll ever be." You huff as he places his hand on the small of your back, bringing you into the rented ballroom. Lights and sounds consume your sense as music dances around light conversation. You're beginning to wonder if a drinking contest was such a good idea that is before you see the CEO of your agency totally shit faced. You glanced down at your watch, it was only 8pm. 

Taishiro guides you around the room with a "starter" drink, introducing you to old and new faces. Beaming with pride as he introduces you as his partner and not his sidekick like other heroes had done in the past. You hated how much your heart raced. 

"And this is Kirishima! He was one of my best and most memorable! Kids got guts and heart in spades!" He slaps Kirishima on the back and the young man slumps forward with a sharp toothed smile. 

"Aw come on, I wasn't that great…" He scratches the back of his head. 

"I heard that's when you became 'unbreakable'! I think that's so cool!" You gush over the young hero complimenting him to no end. 

"Stop. You'll give me a big head." He smiles, blushing furiously before his eyes wander to the closeness of the two of you and then they settle on your drinks, "You're not trying to out drink the infamous FatGum are you?" 

You laugh loudly before leaning in close as if to share a secret. 

"Oh, yes and I plan to kick his ass." 

Kirishima returns your smile and stage whispers 

"Taishiro-sama has lost a good bit of weight. I believe in you!" He winks before someone across the room calls for him, "Call me when you get really started!!" 

Two hours pass and you find yourself sitting across from your partner with his sleeves rolled up. Showcasing those deadly forearms as he slams back another shot. Kirishima keeps tally on hotel stationary and announces the number of shots. 

"You'll have to take five to be in the lead! You'll have two minutes to decide to forfeit or-" But before he can finish you're grabbing for one of the prefilled shot glasses. 

"Kanpai!" You shout, slinging them down, ignoring how the room is spinning and how bright the light reflects off of the table full of empty shot glasses. 

Kirishima's eyes widen as you down an extra shot for good measure, tallying the booze count with worry.

"Fat hero." He says, almost gritting his teeth, "You'll have to take seven to be in the lead." 

The large hero leans on his forearms on the table, the alcohol he's had had mostly been processed and maybe your figured that out. That he was starting to lose his edge so he takes you up on the challenge knocking back the several shots as if they were water. You're eager to gulp down a few more praying it drowns out your feelings for the sexy man across from you, instead he lets his broad hand hover over the shot glasses. Silently giving you a reprieve and noticing just how much you're sweating, how blown your pupils are. 

"Let's give it a minute shall we?" He smiles as you drown in his golden eyes. Biting at your lower lip and with a defiant grip you swallow down a final shot.

"Your turn." You focus hard to make sure your words didn't slur, not wanting this feeling or night to end. He snorts, shaking his head wishing you acted out any other time than this. 

"I forfeit." He places his hands up and you glare at him as you wonder if he did it on purpose. Before you have the time to accuse the crowd erupts into a deafening cheer, the room lags as you try to place names with faces as they come close to congratulate you. As more and more people crowd you, the hotter the room feels. Politely you excuse yourself to an enclave balcony closing the doors tightly behind you as you gulp down air, desperate to cool off and douse the desire that burns hot in your belly seeping to your core. 

"Fuck." You rake your nails through your hair as a hit of icy air skates along your skin leaving goose flesh in its wake. A steady warmth comes from behind you, voice deep as he speaks softly. You can tell he's using the same tone he uses on victims, trying not to startle them with his size. 

Little did he know how much you loved how much bigger he was. A safe haven, protection embodied. 

"Ready to go home?"

"No I'm fine! Perfectly fine." He sucks his teeth at your stubborn reply, leaning in close with his hands in the pockets of his tux. 

"You look flushed...you seem out of it." 

"I'm totally of sound mind!" A bark to which he laughs, giving in to the liquid courage as his large hand tilts your chin towards him. Flirting with a line he swore he'd never cross. 

"Yea, if you're so sound of mind, would you let me do this?" He asks, leaning closer, lips almost brushing yours. Your breath mingles with his in little puffs of fog agaisnt the cool air and suddenly you're burning again. 

From the inside out.

His lips touch yours, gently, passive at first and if he's trying to fight against his urges. Slowly he breaks away, amber eyes glued to your mouth before he sighs. Hoping he didn't just fuck everything up. 

In an instant you're drawing him back to you, hands in his golden wheat hair and your fingers weave through the strands. Mouth opening and demanding more as his large hands grip onto your ribcage as if you'd float away. 

And maybe you would, you felt like you could. 

Frantically your hands demand more, exploring up his shirt, touching across his stomach and digging your nails down his back. His own hands follow suit, gripping at your ass and tits, memorizing every luscious curve until he is drunk off of you and you only. You moan into his mouth and with that he loses all restraint. 

Shoving you against the harsh brick building, fisting your hair to tilt your head for better access, exploring your mouth with his well skilled wet muscle. Hands trailing beneath your dress to find your dress, squeezing at your thick thighs and when you moan in approval he moves higher and higher still until his fingers brush against the damp fabric. This time it is his turn to groan as he presses his hardened cock against you, your hips move to grind against his large fingers. 

"Please Tai" It is soft, breathy, sending him into a frenzy as he gives you exactly what you want. Letting his fingers slip beneath the fabric to gather the slick between your folds, gently rubbing against your throbbing clit. You arch against his touch, exposing your neck to him, he leans over and bites. Placing kisses along your throat, making sure to be careful enough to avoid marks before his hazed brain causes him to speak. 

To confess. 

"Do you know how long I've wanted to do this?" He asks, plunging his fingers into your tight heat, stretching you as you mewl, "Ever since I first laid eyes on you. Kamisama you were perfect. And tonight. Fuck baby. Wearing my eye color for all to see. You want people to think you're mine?" 

"Yes, Taishiro. I want people to think I'm yours." You moan, fucking yourself on his fingers before he takes over. Setting a quick pace before he curls his thick fingers just right, in an instant you're creaming against his digits. Crying out as he overstimulates you before he covers your mouth with his broad hand, reminding you just how much he dwarfs you.  

It makes you cum again and again and he corners you against the wall. Cock twitching as he laps up your sinful faces with a gluttonous appetite. 

"Please Tai, pleeeasse." 

"What's wrong baby? My fingers not enough?" His cocky tone drives you mad and your hips buck against his touch before he withdraws from your heat. Panting he levels his gaze yo you. 

"Is this what you want?" Peppering you with kisses as if you could deny him and his godly hands.

"Don't make me beg Tai…" You rasp, he gives a devilish smile. 

"Then I won't." His hands slink up your dress, gathering it at your waist as on skillful finger pulls the overly damp underwear away from your soaking sex. He frees himself and you swallow, not realizing just how large he was, for a moment you worry you won't be able to take him. 

"I'll be gentle." He coos, easing himself in an inch at a time as your stretch around his thick cock. Pussy fluttering as it adjusts to his size, he gathers your legs to his sides, squeezing your hips to keep from rutting into you roughly. He pistons his hips slowly, watching your face contort as he angles himself just right. Sensual thrusts have your legs and pussy squeezing him so deliciously tight. Still he worries he's going to hurt you.

"You okay?" Alcohol lingers on his breath and you swallow him whole with a kiss. Moaning into his mouth softly as he rocks you into one of your most intense orgasms to date. It's a slow build, undeniably intoxicating as his steady pace hits your spongy soft spot and his pelvis rubs against your clit. The coil in your stomach snaps and your body clamps onto the behemoth of a man tightly, stars dot your vision as he continues to fuck you through it. 

"God you're so beautiful ya know? So responsive to my touch. Taking me so well baby." He purrs against your ear, "Makes me want to keep this pace all night." 

He keeps true to his promise, bringing you to new heights at the steadiest of paces, causing you to lose count of how many times you've cum on his length. Pussy attempting to milk him dry as he palm swallows your screams. He looks at your features, your makeup running from delirious tears, mouth fallen opened in a propetial O as your hair clings to your skin. 

"Kamisama you're like art." He kisses your quickened pulse, "Ready for me to fill you love? You're squeezing me so tight…" 

He groans and all you can think of his him and the searing pleasure that courses through your veins to settle in your over sensitive heat. His cock twitches and you want nothing more than to be stuffed full of the Fat Hero's fat cock and his cum.  But words are lost in your hoarse throat and all you can do is nod, moaning his name as if it were a prayer. It's all the encouragement he needs, quickening his pace as the crowd inside grows louder. Counting down from 10. 

It's all lost to you and his hips snap against you, the brick scraping against your shoulders as his grip on you becomes so tight you're sure you'll bruise. Your body hyper aware of every little sensation as you drown in pleasure and warm amber sun, he groans, painting your walls in hot ropes of cum, your vision spots as your body arches to meet him as your spams a final time while his lips crash to yours. 

All the while fireworks erupt over head, bringing in the new year on a literal high note. 

He huffs, sweating as he looks at you, still buried to the hilt. Swiping his thumb over your cheek and running mascara before he breathes out so gently. 

"Happy new year baby." 

[dameronology]

obi-wan kenobi relationship alphabet

as requested by the lovely @read-and-rec - i hope u enjoy!!

a - actions. what sort of things do they do to show they love their s.o?

for obi-wan, it would be in his every day actions. he's not all that big on grand gestures - can't be drawing attention to a relationship he's not supposed to be in after all - so it's reflected in the actions that show how well he knows you. like, he always flips the pillow before you come to bed so that it's cold, and when you have a particularly early start, he'll get up 20 minutes before you to make you breakfast

b - beginnings. how did the relationship begin? how has it changed?

i don't think obi would get into a relationship in the casual way -- he'd probably have to be in love with his best friend (that's u, ofc) and it would take a life threatening event for him to finally confess his love. not a lot would change, bc you're still best friends, but obviously there's the added closeness and love.

c - comfortable. how comfy are they with each other? peeing with the door open close, or would they rather keep the mystery?

he'd let you determine that. but also bc most of your time together is spent within your quarters, due to the natures of your job and the risk of people seeing, you're within close proximity a lot of the time so you're bound to be pretty comfortable around each other. you wanna burst into the refresher when he's in the shower cos you you had twice as much coffee as ur bladder can hold? he's not gonna stop you

d - dates. do they consider dates to be important? what kind do they prefer?

his favourite kind of dates are the ones where he gets to be close to you - whether that's wandering round the temple gardens after dark, or curling up in bed and watching a movie. if you ever get the chance to catch a break and escape to a far, far away planet, he'd definitely be up for something more grand.

e - engagement. how would they propose? who would even pop the question?

i don't think he would propose - more on that later - but if he did, it would be low key. even though there's like 0% chance of you rejecting him, he wouldn't want to put that pressure on you by making a big, public ordeal of the occasion

f - fundamental. for them, what is the most fundamental part of a relationship?

support & commitment. for obi-wan, he needs someone who's gonna be there for him through thick and thin; someone who will listen to him when he needs to vent and someone who will lay with him in bed when everything gets too much. he also needs someone who is committed and in it for the long run, bc he's lost so many people and can't face to see another go (especially by choice). of course, you get both things in return from him.

g - gratitude. how do they show their appreciation for you?

he just says it how it is. ten times a day really, but especially before bed - "have i ever told you how much i love and appreciate you?"

h - home. a random domestic headcanon.

he's terrible to share a bed with. you'll fall asleep on your respective sides of the bed, hands interlinked, and then get woken up two hours later by him spreading out on the whole mattress like patrick the goddamn star fish, forcing you onto the floor

i - infinite. do they believe their love is endless, or is there something that could break it?

obi-wan is both. if you turned to the dark side, or betrayed him or his cause, he could never forgive you, and the relationship would most certainly be over. it doesn't mean he'd stop loving you though - he couldn't ever do that. not even if he tried his hardest. so, his love is infinite but there are things that could make him turn away from you.

j - jokes. who's the funny one?

if you like dry humour, he's definitely the funny one, but with practical jokes and puns, that would be you.

k - kiss. how do they kiss? favourite type?

every morning before he goes to work, obi-wan will pull you towards him and give you a deep, breath-taking kiss; with one hand on your back and one on your neck, it'll be on your mind for the rest of the day. that's his favourite type of kiss.

l - longing. who's the clingy one? how are they with long distance?

neither of you, but also obi-wan sometimes. obi-wan becomes a thousand times clingier when he has nothing to do; if he's between missions and meetings, he'll stick to your side like a golden retriever. it's cute at first, but then when you can't even sit down for twenty minutes to do paperwork without him wrapping himself around you? that's when you drop the council a message and beg them to do something with him. anything.

m - marriage. do they wanna get married?

initially, obi-wan isn't all that bothered by marriage. he doesn't need a ceremony or a wedding to prove either person's commitment - and he just kind of assumes that all those vows and promises are a given, regardless of whether you have a legal document to hold you to your word.

but, if you're still together after order 66, when he's on tatooine? he'd never be opposed to it. if it's important to you, he'll respect that.

n - nicknames. what ones do they like?

he likes when you call him obi, and for you, it's either my darling or my love

o - over the top. are they ever ott? or are they more low-key?

maybe in battle, but obi-wan generally relies on subtle & low-key gestures rather than massive displays of affection.

p - picture. what's their favourite picture of them and their s.o?

there's a selfie you took on your second or third date (idk if selfies exist in the star wars universe but...we move). he has his arm around you, and you're pressing a kiss to his cheek. it's so simple, but it means everything to him.

q - quintessential. what is one they would refuse to compromise in their relationship? what's a deal-breaker for them?

again - the dark side. even if he breaks the code to be with you, obi-wan is going to a dedicated jedi til the day he dies and it's something he holds in a regard as high as his love for you. so, he could never, ever be with someone who ever went against what he believed in, or someone susceptible to slipping.

but if he did see the person he loved turning to the dark-side? he'd do everything in his fucking power to stop it. he'd lose sleep and risk his life to help you, but once you're gone, that's it. if he couldn't save you before, he knows there'd be no chance once you'd turned.

t - tattoo. would they ever get matching tattoos with their s.o, or a tattoo for them?

probably not a tattoo, but i don't think he'd be opposed to subtly engraving your initials on his lightsaber

u - understanding. how understanding are they? or are they a little difficult?

understanding KING. it doesn't matter what the issue is, he's gonna be there to listen and make you feel valid. even if you do something that irks him a little bit, he'd still have all the patience in the world.

v - vases. do they buy flowers?

all. the. time. sometimes for special occasions, sometimes just because

w - wandering. do they wanna travel? or immediately settle down?

before order 66, obi would love travelling with you, provided you both work in a similar field and he can make it look conspicuous. if it's after, he's not entirely enthusiastic about planet hopping when darth goddamn vader has it out for him, but he would absolutely love to settle down.

x - ex. how many exes do they have? any horror stories?

one word: satine.

y - you. favourite thing about their partner?

just...everything. he could never choose a favourite thing. he could say your eyes, and the way you sparkle when you laugh, but then he'd feel bad for forgetting your butt, and the little dimples in your hips, and the way your brow creases when your confused. see what i mean?

z - zeal. how excitable are they? who's the calm one?

he's definitely the calm one. he can be very enthusiastic in battle, but in other aspects of life, he has the chilled out aura of someone who has consumed a pound of the devil's lettuce

[unfortunate17]

Oh, so much delicious angst... If you're up to it, 4 or 23 from the promt list for obikin. Thanks in advance.

I’m stupid because I didn’t know which prompt list you meant, did both, and then realized you most definitely meant the dialogue one LOL. 

So here is 23 from HERE (“I would’ve died for you.”) and 23 Angst from HERE (“When did you stop loving me?”) combined! 

Happy New Year! 

I re-wrote this like 6 times before I gave up, hopefully it’s still reasonably enjoyable to read 😩 

Anakin brings him home from a sub-surface level bar six weeks after Obi-Wan returns from Naboo. Obi-Wan has already had a few too many drinks, wallowing in his misery. Even the bartender-bot had started to look at him with pity.

It’s more than he can say for Anakin.

Anakin simply pulls him into a speeder without so much as a glance, deposits him into his refresher, and shoves him into bed once he’s sure Obi-Wan’s not going to retch or hurt himself. There’s a calculated coldness to his actions, all of Anakin’s usual playfulness has all but vanished. Much like his possessions from their quarters.

He still remembers that morning clearly. He’d leaned over to drop a hasty kiss on Anakin’s cheek, already late for his morning meeting, when Anakin had bristled uncomfortably. Obi-Wan had looked at him with an unspoken question spelled out on his tongue, but Anakin had only shrugged, mumbled something about how weird it was seeing Obi-Wan without his usual facial hair.

By the time he’d returned, Anakin had been gone. His tools and droid parts and clothes nowhere to be found. Ahsoka hadn’t been able to look him in the eyes when Obi-Wan had asked her about him.

Now, for a moment, the two of them regard each other. Anakin looks tired, the area under his eyes smeared dark, skin pallid like he hadn’t been sleeping. The sight sends a pang through Obi-Wan and without thought, he reaches out to draw Anakin close.

Anakin flinches away immediately. “I’ve brought you home like Master Windu asked,” he says stiffly, “I’ll be going now.”

Obi-Wan watches him shuffle, ice spreading steadily in his veins. The anger, he had been expecting, but never this stony silence. Truthfully, he’d take anything, any outburst, if it only meant Anakin would look at him again with something other than steely blankness.

He reaches out to catch one of Anakin’s hands. If Obi-Wan had been sober, he’d have probably lost his nerve by now, but alcohol has always made him far braver than he should be. He drags Anakin down until he’s kneeling between the V of his knees and presses a hand against the sharp cut of his jaw. They’re eye-level now, even if Anakin isn’t looking at him.

“Come by for breakfast tomorrow, my dear,” he murmurs gently. “I’ll make flatckaes.”

“I’m a better cook than you.”

“Perhaps after then,” Obi-Wan swallows. “I’ve missed spending time with you. We can do whatever you’d like,” he attempts a cracked smile, “I won’t even make you meditate.”

Anakin doesn’t raise his eyes from where he’s fixed them on the floor, but Obi-Wan feels his jaw work tightly under his fingers. “I’m training with Ahsoka tomorrow morning.”

“At night then,” Obi-Wan tries, biting back an unexpected sob, “maybe we could – catch a holodrama?”

“I can’t. I promised Padmé I’d see her.”

“Afterwards?”

Anakin lets out a long rush of air. “Obi-Wan – ”

The tone makes Obi-Wan flinch. He looks at Anakin, slides his hand upwards, past the smooth skin of his cheekbones, and up into his lovely tangle of golden hair. He tries to memories the curve of Anakin’s mouth, the furrow of his brow. Thinks of the way Anakin’s eyes used to light up at the very sight of him.

“The day after then,” Obi-Wan whispers. He leans in to kiss him, the motion nearly unconscious, but Anakin startles backwards once more.

Obi-Wan isn’t proud of the sound that escapes him. It’s a broken thing, punched out of his sternum, almost a whimper. He tightens his hold on Anakin when he tries to stand. “Anakin, please,” he begs. The whiskey makes his tongue thick, the words difficult to shape in his mouth.

Anakin allows his grip, sits back down. He squeezes his eyes shut, pained, and Obi-Wan’s heart hammers at the thought of causing it.

It was really only a few weeks ago that they were pressed together in this very bed, Anakin laughing into his neck, rubbing cold feet into his shins. The notion is unthinkable somehow, makes Obi-Wan ache.

Now, there is only silence.

Obi-Wan clears his throat, and the sound is loud, a cacophony in a moment in which even the force dares not to breathe. He’s not pleased with the words that fall out of him next, but Obi-Wan can’t quite hold them back.

“When did you stop loving me?” he asks, then immediately regrets it. Obi-Wan doesn’t want an answer, not truly.

At this, Anakin’s gaze snaps back up to him. He looks even more tired now, face drawn. But his eyes still widen in what Obi-Wan thinks is shock. Or maybe surprise.

Obi-Wan waits, but Anakin doesn’t speak, providing no justification or answers. He simply sits back on his haunches and looks miserable, put-out. His shoulders are bent under a weight that he should never have to carry. Obi-Wan grits his teeth against the knowledge that he’s somehow added to it.

Finally, Anakin sighs. “I should go.”

Obi-Wan settles his free hand over Anakin’s cheek, brushes a thumb over a lovely cheekbone. “Please don’t.”

Anakin allows the motion, but his brows furrow in what Obi-Wan knows is anger. “Why not?” he snaps. And finally, finally, there’s anger. A dark corner of Obi-Wan’s mind relishes having Anakin’s attention again. “I thought you were dead. I mourned you, Obi-Wan. You knew how I felt about you and you used it against me to sell your act. I would’ve done anything for you, Master. I would’ve died for you and you didn’t even care.”

“It was a poor decision,” Obi-Wan admits miserably. “I cannot tell you how much I regret it.”

“You’re only sorry because I’m upset,” Anakin snarls in response, “because I’m no longer in your bed. You came back and tried to pretend like nothing was wrong. Like what you did didn’t even matter.”

The sheer depths of his failures are difficult to consider for too long. Obi-Wan’s throat hurts. The force reveals nothing, empty and cold as it is, his connection whiskey-dulled.

And really, Anakin is right.

What does Obi-Wan’s apology even mean? Obi-Wan, who has always kept his emotions close to his chest, guarded, even when Anakin had expressed his desire for more, asked for something as simply given as verbal reassurance. He’d spent so long working through his own feelings, his own struggles, that Obi-Wan has never stopped to think that perhaps one day, Anakin might no longer be interested in waiting.

“That’s not true Anakin,” he insists, bringing Anakin close. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

Anakin resists. Obi-Wan watches him, desperation rising with every breath. He thinks of never really seeing Anakin again, of being alone in these wretched quarters. Thinks of watching Anakin with another, someone far more worthy, who would never dream of betraying or hurting him.

Even more horrifyingly, Obi-Wan thinks of someone in his own place. Of someone basking in the warmth of Anakin’s love, his fierce loyalty, enjoying the gentleness of his hands, the curve of his spine in bed.

Obi-Wan is going to be sick.

Tears glob in his throat, splinter at the corner of his eyes. The burn of alcohol in his veins is waning now, a chill settling in his bones. “Will you ever love me again?” he asks at last.

The ensuing silence is enough to make Obi-Wan’s vision go blurry with tears.

Anakin’s posture doesn’t soften, but emotion ripples across his face. Obi-Wan watches the line of his throat as he swallows, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “Obi-Wan,” his voice is tight, “gods, please don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan offers again. He forces himself to let go of Anakin then, even if he can’t help but trace his shoulders one last time. Obi-Wan rakes his eyes over Anakin’s face, the softness of his features, the brightness of his eyes. “I love you,” he presses a fist to his mouth, trembling, “You will always be the single most important – “

“Stop,” Anakin says. His mouth twists unhappily and he leans forward, tucking his forehead into Obi-Wan’s chest. His voice is muffled now. “Please. I can’t bear to see you like this, Master.”

Obi-Wan heaves in response, shivering. He cups the back of Anakin’s head, rubs at the nape of his neck gently. Tries to pour what he can never express into what remains of their bond.

Anakin shakes his head once, the motion decisive, before he leans back and maneuvers Obi-Wan into bed. The world spins for a moment as Obi-Wan’s head settles into the pillow. He wants to say more, but he’s not sure if he has any words of value left.

But then Anakin is climbing into bed beside him, folding around him. He thumbs clumsily at the wetness on Obi-Wans cheeks even as Obi-Wan clings to him like he might vanish at any moment.

“I was angry,” Anakin admits quietly, words trembling on a shaky breath. He rubs Obi-Wan’s back, tucks his face into his neck. “But I didn’t want to hurt you like this. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, my love.”

“No,” Anakin holds him tighter. He kisses Obi-Wan’s head. “You’ve always taught me not to seek revenge. What I’ve done is – this isn’t what I wanted.”

“Anakin – ”

Anakin shushes him, pulling the blanket up around the both of them. His chest trembles. “Sleep, Master. We’ll talk more about this in the morning.”

Obi-Wan curls an arm around him, tries to calm his racing heart. “You’ll stay?”

“Always.”

[queenxxxsupreme]

ok ok- the reader is a very talented fighter (let me have this so many fics are about helpless peasant girls tagging along) and gets ambushed, manages to fight off a pretty hefty group, but gets a forehead cut that looks scary in the process. eskel helps wrap her up and they try to avoid eye contact but then she looks up and hes looking at her and Tension and then they kiss???? ok thank you bye

A/N: Hi babe!! I hope you liked this <3

Warnings: mentions of death, nothing outside of canon though, 

***

The sound of swords clashing together still rung Eskel’s ears. He stood in the edge of the woods with his sword in one hand and another man’s dagger in his opposite hand. His side hurt, the stab wound burning and stinging with every breath he took. His left fingers were numb after he grabbed the blade of a sword. Blood and sweat on his right temple caked his hair to his face, blocking some of his vision. His broad shoulders moved with every heavy breath.

Golden eyes flickered around the clearing in search of you. There were a half dozen slaughtered men scattered throughout the open space. Every one of them tried to best the witcher, and every one of them failed.

Eskel’s eyes fell on a man across the clearing. He was on his stomach, trying to drag himself into the woods with his arms. The witcher crossed the clearing and used his boot to turn the man over onto his back. The man cried out in pain, clutching a wound on his stomach. 

“Who sent you?” Eskel spoke through his teeth. When the man didn’t answer, Eskel placed his boot over the man’s hands, pressing down on his stomach. “Who fucking sent you?”

“I’ll-I’ll never tell.” He choked out. 

Eskel growled from within his chest, his eyes lingering on the man before he plunged the dagger into the man’s chest cavity and twisted, effectively putting him out of his misery. 

“Eskel!” Jaskier’s rather high-pitched cry took the witcher’s attention away from his latest victim. The bard was crossing the clearing, looking over his shoulder as he ran. “Eskel!” 

“Keep your voice down, bard.” Eskel spoke through his teeth, moving towards Jaskier.The witcher wasn’t mad at him, but moving caused a searing pain to radiate throughout his body. 

Not watching where he was going, Jaskier tripped over a severed leg and nearly hit the ground but Geralt caught him. 

“Oh thank gods!” Jaskier breathed out in relief, clutching the witcher as if his life depended on it. 

“Where are Y/N and Geralt?”

“Hell if I know. There was a big scary one chasing me-THERE HE IS!” Jaskier moved to stand behind Eskel as a large, bulky man came from the direction Jaskier was running from. Eskel twirled his sword around in his hand, readjusting his grip. 

Eske moved away from Jaskier towards the man. He was taller than Eskel by a few inches and definitely larger. As the man and Eskel crossed swords, Jaskier looked around the clearing in search of you. He cringed at the sight of the bodies laying around on the ground.

Geralt emerged from the tree line, wiping blood from his nose with the back of his hand. Jaskier was about to greet his best friend when movement behind him made his blood run cold. 

There was the glint of a sword in the moonlight as it was raised into the air to cut down the White Wolf. Jaskier opened his mouth to warn Geralt when the assailant’s eyes went wide and his head fell to the ground. 

As the dead man fell to the forest floor, you brought your sword down to your side. 

“Y/N!” Jaskier called your name, relieved that everyone was safe and accounted for. 

However, hearing your name fall from the bard’s lips took Eskel’s attention away from the man he was fighting. He looked away for a split second only to have the blade of the sword brought down on his collarbone. Eskel hissed in pain and spun around to cast aard. The man went flying back into the bushes where Eskel finished him off. 

As he returned to the clearing, his eyes immediately found you. You were standing on the edge of the clearing, eyes gazing around at the carnage. 

“We need to be moving.” Geralt said.

“Some of us are injured, Geralt.” Eskel shook his head. “Can’t travel safely until we’re all okay.”

“Are you okay, Y/N?” Jaskier asked you. 

“I'm fine.” 

“You've got a nasty cut on your head, darling. You should sit.”

You shook your head, moving to gather the items from your bag that had spilled. But your head spun as you moved too fast and you reached out for something to stabilize yourself. 

Eskel was by your side in a heartbeat, offering you a sturdy arm to grasp. 

“Sit down.” He spoke, deep voice rumbling like a quiet thunder. 

You didn't fight him, feeling the urge to vomit as you tried to open your eyes. You closed them tightly and let him guide you down onto a large rock. 

“I’ll be right back. I'm going to get a few things to patch you up.”

You watched the witcher wall away from you to his satchel. When he turned back to you, you quickly looked away. You didn't want him to catch you staring at him. 

You teetered a little where you sat, having moved too fast. 

Eskel knelt down in front of you. 

“Is…. Is it okay if I….?” He couldn't find the right words to use. You opened your eyes to meet his golden gaze. He was so close to you that you could see specks of brown and black around the outside of his irises. 

“Yes.” You answered, your voice a weak whisper. 

He used gauze to clean around the cut. His eyes focused on you, on making sure the cut wasn't too deep and that it didn't need stitches. 

With him this close, you could see all the little scars that littered his features, the ones that weren't as prominent as the one that mutilated the right side of his face. There were little freckles across the bridge of his nose and over his cheeks. You wondered if they'd be more visible if his skin wasn’t tanned from being out in the sun so much. Perhaps if he had a fairer complexion like Lambert or even Geralt, his freckles would be more noticeable. 

His eyes flickered over to you and that's when you realized you were staring at him. 

You quickly looked down, muttering out an apology. He said nothing in return. You wanted to bite your bottom lip, to mess with your fingers or something. You were a little nervous. There was a tension in the air that could be cut with a dill knife. 

Just as you were about to open your mouth and apologize for staring so rudely, he spoke. 

“Good news is you won't need stitches.” He sat back on his knees, putting a little bit of space between you two. 

“Is there…. bad news?” You hated how quiet your voice was. What if you offended him by staring? You didn't mean to. You just had never seen him so up close before, and it was like seeing the stars on a clear night. He was a handsome man, a breathtaking masterpiece of physical imperfections and a heart of pure gold. 

“You could have a concussion. Is your head hurting?”

“A little, but I think that's because one of those bastards elbowed me in the head. I knocked his sword out of his hand and he ended up tackling me before I had a chance to stop him.”

“Are your ears ringing?”

“No.”

“Are you nauseous?”

“When I move too fast.”

“Can you see clearly?”

You brought your eyes back to him. As your eyes met his, your heart began to beat quickly in your chest. You forgot that he had asked you a question. You found yourself lost in his gaze. 

But something moved out of the corner of your eyes. You turned your head to see Jaskier move towards Geralt. 

“Let me, uh, finish patching you up.” Eskel muttered under his breath as he moved to sit up on his knees. 

You nodded a little. He went back to work, staying silent as he put a bandage over the cut. You kept your gaze down, unable to meet his line of sight. 

“You fought well today.” He complimented, keeping his voice low. “You handled that sword like a pro.”

“Thanks.” You tried your best not to smile but you couldn’t hide the blush on your cheeks.

When he moved to get up, your hand shot out for his arm. Your body seemed to have a mind of its own as you leaned forward to kiss him, but you stopped short of meeting his lips. 

“Can I….?” You felt your cheeks blaze as you trailed off. His golden eyes were glued to you. “Please?”

His lips moved in a yes, but no sound came out. His hand slipped around the back of your head, drawing you in for a tender kiss. His fingers tangled in your hair, drawing you closer to him. 

There was a wolf whistle that made you both pull away. You looked to Jaskier, who was clapping and wore a happy grin on his lips. 

“Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent!”

Geralt rolled his eyes. 

Eskel let out a little sigh as he stood to his feet. He held his hand out for you. You smiled and put your hand in his.

Taglist: @pressedinthepages @mishafaye @whitewolfandthefox @wolfyland07 @belalugosisdead @persephonehemingway @keira-hulmaster @dinonuggs69 @greatestauthorofmygeneration @shadow-hunters-lover @dancingwith-thesunflowers @tedi-fach-las @thecomfortofoldstorries @raspberrydreamclouds @natkowaa @disasteren @weathervanes-my-oneandlonely @onlyhenrys @wackylurker @criminaly-supernatural @magpie343 @permanently-exhausted-witcher @hina-chans-stuff @the-space-between-heartbeats @havenoffandoms @carriebee1 @ger-bearofrivia @naominami @writingawaymylife @reaganjenelle @theawkwardpedestrian @scarlettwitcher @badassspaceprincess @just-a-sad-donut @summersong69 @an--actual--human--disaster @rubyqueen819 @omgkatinka @c-a-v-a-l-r-y @vonxcon @mazakeen @bravelittlesunflower @thereagles @awkward-turtles-world @menalliha @cotton_mo @maan24 @thefirelordm @monkeymo @krenee1drful @nympha-door-a @she-wolfoftheinquisition @titaniafire

[whatshername-please]

Out of the Water - Chapter V

Synopsis: You were very proud to be a mermaid, thank you very much. You didn’t want to be where the people were. Actually, you’d rather avoid it. Defending the merfolk was the biggest goal in your life… well, it was until you meet a certain pirate… it seems that your family really had a thing for humans, after all. Not that you’d ever admit it…

Pairing: Harry x reader

Word count: 4514

Part 5 of ?

Warnings: none? Possibly grammar mistakes? Also, some cuss words

A/N: English isn’t my first language, so I’ll probably mess up some tenses, grammar and stuff. Go easy on me, please. Feedback is always appreciated.

               The sun was fading away in the horizon and soon it would be dark and, as you walked, you wondered why everything in this damned kingdom had to be so far away? Didn't they have magic carpets or something like that? Besides, since it was getting darker by the second, the sense of urgency was growing too. You had the feeling that Audrey was just playing with you - she obviously knew where you were, so why she didn't make a move yet? It was like a cat and mouse game and you were the mice heading towards a trap. Also, Mal having the Amber did not put your mind at ease since you didn't have the advantage.

You were literally entering to the lion's lair willingly.

"What happened between you and Hook?" You raised an eyebrow and Evie, who had come to talk to you, explained. "We heard the screaming. I know he can be difficult to deal with, but soon we'll all be in Auradon together".

Evie was way too good for this world, wasn't she? You didn't have the heart to contradict her or tell the atrocity the pirate had done to you.

"I know, sweetie. Don't worry, I'll try to be civil, even if the person in question is an utterly jerk who deserves a punch".

She sighed, looking almost disappointed. Obviously, you didn't give the answer she was hoping for but honestly, what was she expecting from you? Moreover, your response was nice enough, considering Harry was annoying and a water thief.  

"That's a beginning, I suppose. But I think we can work on the aggressive attitude, though" she said with a shrug.

Oh, maybe you should have skipped the punching part... If she thought that was violent, you hoped she never found out that you almost chopped Harry's finger off, then.

As the time passed you grew impatient, it was already night and no one was in a chatty mood anymore. As for you, you've never wished for a day to end so fast and, on top of that, something else was bothering you and it was not the perspective of facing Psycho Audrey. Maybe it was the fact that once everything was over, Mal would let the kids off the Isle (it was what she had promised, after all). However, as much as you want to believe her, you had your doubts. Either way, nothing would ever be the same.

Finally, you arrived at Fairy Cottage and crossed the garden very quietly, trying not to draw attention to yourselves. When you finally got at the building, Ben burst the door open.

Great way to go unnoticed.

However, in the end, it didn't matter because Audrey wasn't there and your little journey had been a waste of time, thereby she was still on the loose and you had no one idea where she could be or what she was planning to do (but whatever it was, it would be unpleasant). Suddenly, the sound of a bustling knock filled the air startling everybody.  Ben followed the source of the disturbence and discovered a very scared Chad locked in the pantry.

The poor thing looked completely distressed and hysterical and, soon after, he mumbled some nonsense and rushed off without a second thought.

"Well, at least he is pretty" you said out loud. How Cinderela could have had such a foolish son was beyond your comprehension, but his golden locks made up for the lack of discernment.

Harry laughed and the clumsy encounter with Chad lifted everyone's spirit and, when you left the Cottage, there weren't Mal's gang or Uma's crew anymore, just friends trying to save the world. Even if you were all doomed; at least you'd end up things in good terms.

Yeah, that's what you naively thought.

Evie told Ben about Mal's promise and apparently Mal had had other plans that she didn't bother sharing with anyone: she was going to close the barrier for good. No more in, no more out.

Nothing serious or extreme.

No reason to freak out...

Holly shit!

You felt like a fool!

Just to think that you gave your word to Harry and Gil that Ben wouldn't do that! You were so mad that you couldn't even talk and it never happened before! Also, you didn't have the heart to face Uma, not after you said to her things were changing for the better. You knew how Uma pretended to be tough, but right now her spirit had been shattered...

Harry confronted Ben about the lie and you thought he'd lose his shit and gut someone, but he just looked completely broken, like someone had taken away his will to fight. Even though Harry and Uma knew pain and betrayal, they didn't expect this. They trusted the people of Auradon were different and they were let down.

Things weren't suppose to go this way! You wanted to do something! Anything! But what?

It was then that Celia took the amber from Mal's hand and threw it into the water. Well, if you were screwed before, now you were hopeless. At least it was for a good cause, if people in Auradon thought their lives were worthier than the life of the inhabitants of the Isle, let them rot. You couldn't even be mad at Uma for leaving since that was what you wanted to do too, but you knew there was nothing you could do to help her in this moment. Actually, you knew Uma well enough to know that going after her would only bother her.

The words Harry said to you earlier about Auradon's privilege echoed in your mind and you couldn't stay put anymore.

"I know this is not my place to say something. I mean, most of the time I'm not even here, I'm not a VK and closing the barrier doesn't affect my life... but it does. It does because there are people there, good people destined to live a dreadful life just because they were born on that Isle! People in Auradon have been living their perfect little lives where everything is pretty and colorful while we claim to be the good guys, but what we have done to the villains and their kids is atrocious! There will always be good and evil, that's how life works and we can't run away from it. Deciding which path to follow is what defines someone's true self, but in order to make this decision we need to have a chance. Mal, you of all people should know that, you had a chance and now that your life is good you want to deny those children the same opportunity? From this day on, every time you play 'happily ever after' with your prince charming, know that you are doing it at the expense of a child on that Isle"

You wish you had heard Mal's reply, but as soon as you finished talking, the world froze.

                                                     _______

Legend says that you were indeed the hottest stone statue in Auradon, but it didn't soothe you a bit. To say you were pissed was not nearly enough to express what you were feeling right now. If Audrey weren't already dying, you would have gladly killed her yourself. The only reason why you were still in the awful human world was Uma... this, and also because becoming stone had consumed all your energies and right now you were way too busy drinking a huge bottle of salted water to not die of dehydration.

Your grandfather would have to choose another diplomat because you were never ever setting foot on land again.

Maybe, if you weren't so angry, you would have choked on your drink when Mal told Hades was her father.

It explained a lot about her, though.

So, Hades, Mal's father, was the only one who could save Audrey and they were going to fetch him on the Isle to help the dying girl. Oh! The double standard! When a kid from Auradon curses everybody is "a mistake", but if someone from the Isle does that is "they are too dangerous, let's lock them up forever". Is it fair? No. Does anyone care? Also no.

You thought it couldn't get any worse, but boy, you were wrong. Uma just said she was going back to the Isle, which was pretty understandable and expected, but you had one itty-bitty tiny hope that she would stay.

Oh, on top of that, everyone accepted Mal and Ben's selfish decision to close the barrier. You scoffed under your breath, salted water wasn't enough to deal with all this, you needed something stronger, like vodka. The good thing was, since everyone was leaving and your cousins were safe, you had no more business in the human world and you took your cue from the VKs to announce your own departure too.

You waited for the limo alongside Uma, Harry, Gil and Celia, the atmosphere was tense, and you had seen happier people at funerals.

"I thought you were going back to Atlantica" the teal haired girl said, breaking the overwhelming silence.

"I'll go with you... until we reach the barrier, at least" your voice was more hoarse than you expected it to.

"Yeah, don't want to risk getting trapped, right?" If this was supposed to be a mean comment, Harry had failed; he just sounded sad, like everyone else. The pirate wasn't expecting an answer but you gave him one, anyway.

"I wouldn't mind going to the Isle, but there is no magic there and no magic means no legs for me, so you would be stuck with a mermaid... unless you don't care to carry me around..." you half-joked.

The car finally arrived and you got into it. It was nice that Ben sent the limo to pick up the VKs, and the guard's vehicle was going ahead, probably to go find Hades. There was all sorts of food in the limo, but no one touched them because all of you were way too lost in your own minds to be hungry. As you were approaching the Isle the unsettling feeling in your stomach grew worst and there was definitely something wrong with your eyes. Just before the car crossed the barrier, you asked the driver to stop. For one second, it seemed he would argue against it, but you gave him a warning look, since you weren't in the mood for more useless fights.

"Uma, can we talk outside for one second, please?" you asked.

You two got out of the car and, as soon as Uma closed the door, you hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Uma. I'm so sorry" the only thing you could do was to repeat how sorry you were, but you knew your apologies didn't change anything.

"I know" she reassured you, looking in your eyes "It's not your fault, you shouldn't be apologizing".

"Someone has to" you said, your felt so tight in your chest that hurt. Then, Uma smiled and hold your hand.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me. I don't know how I would have gone through the past months without you"

"You'd have done just fine, you're a fighter" it was now or never, you lowered your voice so even if someone in the car was paying attention to the conversation, they wouldn't hear you "You can still change your mind, let's go back to Atlantica and, before you interrupt me, Harry and Gil can come too. I have no idea how this is going to work but we'll figure it out" you offered her - you had to try.

"You know I can't abandon the Isle, speacially now" her eyes were full of sorrow, she knew exactly what meant to go back "Maybe you can swim near the barrier so we can see each other from time to time".

You knew she would say that, but it didn't mean it hurt any less.

"Definitely!" you tried to sound cheerful, but the words that left your mouth were robotic and fake "We'll see each other again".

This was a lie, even if you saw each other it would never be the same. The realization hit you hard and that weird feeling that you had in the car, finally made sense when streams of salt water started falling from your eyes.

"I'm leaking!" you freaked out "What is that?! I'm leaking!"

"You're crying, you idiot" she laughed, her eyes watering too.

"Nonsense, mermaids don..." before you could complete the sentence, Uma hugged you again, which made you start crying even harder.

No, not crying, leaking.

"I promise, Uma. I'll not stop fighting for the Isle. I'll talk to Mal, Ben or whoever I must to! They will change their minds, even if, in order to do so, I have to summon up the wrath of the ocean upon them".

You didn't know how long you two stayed crying in each others arms but a voice with a thick accent called both of you after a while.

"Are you ladies alright?" Harry asked. The pirate and Gil were standing there next to both of you. The dark haired boy had a hint of curiosity on his face but he knew better than to tease his captain.

You two pulled away from the hug, Uma looked slightly embarassed to get caught in such an emotional moment.

"I can't believe I'm leaking" you said while trying to wipe away the tears from your eyes; however, they insisted on falling down.

This was so awkward.

"You're not leaking, you're crying" Gil's brow furrowed "Don't you know what crying is?"

"Yes, I do... it's just I've never cried before..." you said between sobs.

"Wow, life in Auradon must be really perfect if people don't even cry here" for the firts time since you met him, he sounded sad. The boy was probably thinking about all the opportunities he would never have in Auradon because he was destined to live on the Isle forever.

They took away Gil's bright smile and you could not forgive that.

"It's not that... I live in the sea, tears don't fall when you are under water" you explained, finally calming down.

"Maybe the ocean is just a big pool of mermaid's tears." Gil said absently, eyeing the vast blue ocean in front of him and you couldn't help but hug the blonde boy too.

The Sea Bitch was such a softie.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Gil. I wish we had more time to know each other better, but I know for sure that you're loyal, brave and gentle. I hope you are very happy. You deserve it".

You broke apart short after and Gil seemed very touched by your words.

"Thanks... that was one of nicest things that someone ever said to me" he offered you a shy smile "I wish you the same".

You looked at Harry, who looked back right into your eyes. You stared at each other until you hold out your hand, which he accepted. It was weird, Harry Hook has gotten on your nerves since the very first moment you met. He was smug, annoying and a little crazy, but at the same time he was very funny and fearless, qualities that you admired. You wanted to say something, but before you could open your mouth he let go of your hand.

That was it, then.

You also said goodbye to Celia and wished her the best. Then, the VKs got into the car again and, since Harry was the last one standing outside, you took the chance to ask him a favor.

"Please, take care of Uma"

His face broke into small smile and he nodded slightly.

You watched with a shattered heart the limo cross the barrier, taking away your friends from you forever.

There was nothing else you could do, so you jumped into the ocean and disappeared between the waves.

Not an hour ago all you wanted was to be back home, but now everything seemed pointless. For the last months Uma lived in Atlantica and going back without her gave you a knot in the stomach, things wouldn't be the same anymore without your friend there. The two of you used to spend hours plotting ways to get everyone off the Isle, finding a hole in the barrier or just talking about the future... and now you had nothing but crushed hopes. Of course you wouldn't give up, but you felt like you had moved backwards 10 spaces in the game, you fought for the merfolk on the Isle for so long and when it finally seemed that everything was going to be fine, it was a lie.

You were so absorbed in your thoughts that you didn't pay attention to where you were heading, which caused you to bump into your mother and younger brother.

"Where have you been"? Attina asked, her voice was somewhere between angry and concerned, but it was impossible to miss the vein popping out on her forehead "I was worried sick about you!"

"Sorry mom, I was in Auradon" you told her, knowing very well that this answer would only upset her more because there was no way she hadn't hear about Audrey and her little mishap.

"Auradon?!" The look of horror on her face made clear that she knew about what happened and wasn't happy about it. If humans thought you were hardcore, it was because they never talked to your mother "Do you know what Sleeping Beauty's daughter did?"

If you knew? You lived and survived it.

"I heard even Uma was there! Your grandfather was almost sending guards to look for you and your cousins! What happened?"

"Did you finally meet Uma, then?" your brother, Nereus, joined the conversation. He didn't know anything about Uma or that you two were friends. Also, he had no idea that he had talked to her many times when she was under the charm spell.

Then, your mother called by your full name, which never meant something good.

"You weren't there in hopes to befriend Ursula's daughter and bring all the merfolk from the Isle to Atlatica, were you?" Your mother knew you so well... and she wasn't happy.

"Of course not, mom..." I'm already friends with Uma, you added mentally.  

Before she started complaining, you explained everything that happened that day (ok, almost everything, you definitely skipped some parts). Her disapproval face grew to the point her vein was ready to explode, while your brother gasped and cheered at the most exciting parts, as you told the story. Under other circumstances you would have narrated the events in a dramatic and majestic way, not sparing any single detail; however, it was way too painful to remember that was your first and last adventure with Uma and her crew.

"Will they close the barrier forever for real?" Nereus asked and, when you nodded, he offered you a sympathetic smile. He knew how much you fought for the merpeople on the Isle.

Your mother, on the other hand, had other things bothering her.

"So, you tell me that they let a bunch of kids fight against a delusional girl who held one of the most dangerous tools of dark magic in the kingdom? Where were Fairy Godmother, the Blue Fairy, the 3 Good Fairies? You can't trust fairies, that's what I always say to your grandfather! Where were Belle and the Beast? Any adults?!" as she talked, her voice got more and more high-pitched, until she was practically shouting.

"They were probably under Audrey's spell" you enlightned her, even knowing that it would not ease her mind one bit.

"That's an absurd! How can we trust our kids to go to Auradon Prep if they can't keep the security system of a museum working properly?!"

You and your brother exchanged looks. Although your mother had a valid point, you didn't want to hear any of it, which was odd, because you never missed the opportunity to roast the human world.

Claiming to be tired, you excused yourself and swam to your room and, as soon as you got there, you glanced at the spot where Uma would used to stay, knowing that you'd probably never talk to her again. You felt like someone was crushing your heart and if you weren't under the sea, tears would be rolling down your face. You lay on the bed, trying to stop thinking about Uma, the Isle and everything. It was a good thing that you were exhausted, so you soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

You weren't sure how much time had passed, but, suddenly, you were woken by someone knocking on your door. You cursed under your breath, who, in the seven seas, was disturbing you right now? Not even bothering to look up, you invited whoever was at your door to come in, you heard them entering and closing the door and, after a moment, you felt the weight of someone sitting on your bed.  

They coughed and you recognized the deep voice that belonged to none other than your grandfather, King Triton.

"Grandpa!" you sat up quickly and hugged him.

"Hello, my dear" everyone feared your grandfather for he had quite a dauntless reputation (even you had to admit that he was frightening sometimes), also, his temper was known in all Auradon. However, when he looked at you with those gentle eyes, you forgot he was the King of the ocean, in these moments he was just your grandfather and you fell protected and loved near him.

"Oh grandpa, it was dreadful and I'm misarable" you hugged him again, hiding your face on his neck.

"Your mother told me what happened and that King Ben wants to close the barrier" his voice was so calm that it was difficult to imagine that when he was angry he could create storms and tsunamis.

"That's horrible. I feel so powerless and guilty! I know most of people think everyone in the Isle is evil but that's not true! They are kind and loyal and they don't deserve to be doomed to perish in that place! You should have seem their faces when Mal told them the program had been shut down" your grandfather wasn't know for his love for villains, everytime someone brought Ursula up he got riled up and changed the subject quickly, but you needed to speak out.

"And who are 'they' that you're talking about?" he asked, stroking you hair softly to confort you.

"You know... Celia, Gil, Harry... and Uma" you were nervous to talk about Uma with him. Actually, despite him knowing that you were in charge for her "search party" you have never discussed that you wanted to bring her to Atlantica, even more that you had brought her to the palace clandestinely and that she lived under his roof for months.

"Uma?" his voice was stern when he said your friend's name.

"Grandpa" you straightned up and looked him in the eye "I know it must be hard for you because Ursula caused great pain to our family but Uma has nothing to do with it, she is brave, smart and care so much about other people. She had the chance to stay in Auradon but she came back to the Isle because she couldn't abandon them! She might has taken some questionable decisions, but who hasn't? She was fighting for what she believed was right! Isn't it what you taught me?"

King Triton furrowed his brows; the wrinkles in his forehead were visible which could only mean he was deliberating something.

"You do seem to know a lot about her" he said after a while, his voice and face were severe and you swallowed... this conversation was taking a dangerous path.

"Well... I..."

Before you could finish the sentence, your grandfather cut you off.

"I know what you did"

You froze, he couldn't possibly be talking about Uma living in Atlantica. There was no way he knew that, if he had had any suspicion of what you did, he would have been beyond furious, so you tried to play cool.

"What are you talking about, grandpa?"

He raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"I know you brought Uma to live here in Atlantica"

And then you died.

The end.

Oh wait.

You weren't dead... but you were sure your grandfather just told you that he knew about Uma... Something was terribly wrong. He probably noticed your bulging eyes and horrified expression because he elucidated soon after.

"I raised seven daughters, my darling. I don't need my trident to see through a charm spell and a lie" it was weird, his voice was strangely serene and he looked slightly amused.

"But... how... like... why... Aren't you angry?" there weren't enough words to describe your shock right now.

"I learned to trust the people I love a long time ago, even when we don't agree on the subject." his tone was solemn and wise and it made you feel so small and pathetic because you knew you had disappointed him.

"I'm sorry, grandpa.... I'm sorry that I lied to you and that I disappointed you, but I'm not sorry for what I did" you didn't have the courage to look him in the eyes, but he lifted up your face and smiled.

"You didn't disappoint me. I trusted you enough to let you do what you thought was right, that was what I taught you. And considering everything I saw in the last months, I believe Uma is a good girl and I'm glad you're friends"

You returned his smile, not in your wildest dreams you thought your grandfather would understand this and it made you so glad how supportive and understanding he was about everything.

"I'm sorry for lying to you! I won't do it again" you promised him.

"You're young, you will" he laughed it off "But trust me when I say that I'll be by your side no matter what"

Everything should be perfect; however, there were a bitter feeling in your mouth and a knot in the pit of your stomach that you couldn't get rid of. In the end, it didn't matter if your grandfather trusted Uma or not, because she would be trapped on the Isle forever.

"So… I think I need your help" you bit your lip, uncertain of how to say it "We can't let them close the barrier for good, but I don't know what to do!"

"Don't worry, I promised I'll talk to King Ben about this. They can't just close the barrier like this without measuring the consequences" he reassured you "Now, rest, my darling. You had a long day"

He got up and swan towards your door, but before leaving he turned his head and said.

"Otherwise, you have my permission to summon up the wrath of the ocean upon them" he winked at you and left.

"Wait" you whispered to yourself "How does he even know?"

And then it hit you.

"SEBASTIAN!"

[gb-fics]

Dressed in Confidence

Fanfiction:

Kiryuuin Shou x Kyan Yutaka (Golden Bomber)

Note: So, you might have seen the self-cover Shou shared yesterday and it inspired me to write a fic right away. For the context: The character originally performing the song has a magic suit that makes him confident and popular with women. Please, don’t question how it works, we’ll just pretend a suit can magically change Shou’s appearance and personality in this fic ^-^ Also, if you haven’t seen the video, please check it out, because he is gorgeous in it and maybe it will make the story seem a little less random ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgzL_Ccmr1Y

„Just go over and talk to her already”, Yutaka urged quietly.

He didn’t know whom of the girls Shou had set his eyes on, but the glances he kept sneaking at the group of women opposite to their booth at the bar were more than obvious. Yutaka had waited to speak up until Jun and Kenji had went over to the counter to secure new drinks for themselves though. Shou was naturally self-conscious and Yutaka hadn’t meant to make him uncomfortable in front of the others. But his silent longing was becoming hard to bear.

“I can’t just do that”, Shou protested. Obviously, he knew what Yutaka was talking about immediately. He didn’t even seem surprised that Yutaka had noticed. “I’m not some kind of gigolo.”

Yutaka frowned. Although he was pretty good at seeing Shou through, he sometimes didn’t understand his reasoning anyway.

“Chatting up girls in bars and being a gigolo are two totally different things.”

Next to him Shou squirmed on the bench seat.

“I just don’t have that kind of confidence”, he whined.

“You are handsome, famous and you have money. Women have every reason to be interested in you. So, pull yourself together.”

Yutaka had lost count of how often he had given Shou similar pep talks already.

“I’m not”, Shou said right away. He cleared his throat. “I mean, I’m famous. And I do have money. But I’m not handsome.”

It was difficult to come up with the right reply to that. Yutaka never found the right words to talk about Shou’s looks.

“You should let them decide for themselves”, he pointed out.

Shou shifted his weight again. He reached down to check for the bag he kept on the floor between his legs. He had kept checking for it all evening, as if he was scared it might suddenly disappear.

“Please, if I go over there, I won’t even be able to look them in the eyes.” Shou winced.

Yutaka hoped that Jun and Kenji would hurry. The conversation was starting to make him uneasy. He didn’t know how to cheer Shou up without praising him, and he didn’t know how to praise him without making him uncomfortable. Being Shou’s friend could be difficult.

“What’s in the bag anyway?”, he changed the topic. Not the best solution, but at least a way to distract Shou from his self-pity.

“Ah, I wrote Party wo Tomenaide for that franchise, remember? They’re currently working on this magic suit and they gave me a prototype when I recorded the video for the self-cover. It’s supposed to make you cool and confident and popular with women.”

“And you brought it to the bar?” Yutaka hadn’t meant to let disdain sneak into his voice, but Shou pulled up his shoulders instinctively as if he wanted to shield himself from potential judgement.

“Just in case”, he said defensively. “We sometimes end up talking to women, when we’re in a group and I thought it might be a good chance to try it out. See if it even works. In case there is ever something I’ll need a lot of confidence for.”

Yutaka felt soothed to think Shou had only eyed the women as test objects to sate his curiosity about the suit and that he had not fallen in love from across the room. His tendencies in that regard were sometimes worrisome.

“Well then, give it a try”, he suggested. He had heard about the suit but hadn’t known Shou actually owned a prototype. He was curious, if it would work. Shou’s confidence could surely use an occasional boost and it would be great to no longer be the one responsible for it.

“If you insist”, Shou mumbled, but he was already fumbling with his bag. It was obvious he had only waited for some sort of permission.

He pulled out a suit coat and inhaled soundly before he got up. For a moment, he just stood there with the piece of clothing in his hands indecisively. Then he slipped it on in a surprisingly smooth motion.

All Yutaka did was blink and the next second, a completely changed person stood in front of him. Shou’s traditional Tamiya shirt had miraculously transformed into a silky, black suit. It even came with matching dress shoes. But it wasn’t just that. His hair had changed, too. It was styled in perfect shape and showed green streaks that made his look seem edgy and interesting. He was even wearing makeup that differed his usual style. A bright yellow flower stuck in his buttonhole.

Shou had transformed into someone so conventionally attractive, he might indeed start working at a host club.

Absent-mindedly he straightened his suit coat and turned towards the group of women.

He looked dazzling, but almost like a stranger.

Yutaka was surprised that he hesitated for so long before approaching the women anyway. He followed him with his eyes, curious how this would turn out.

Shou’s posture seemed straighter than usually as he walked through the room, yet he still managed to look awkward. He looked like a person who was arguing with himself about every step.

Finally, he stopped right behind a cute girl with bangs. Yutaka should have been able to guess it was her whom Shou had been watching. He would have chatted up her more light-haired friend, but when it came to Shou, she was just his type.

The girl didn’t notice him, though.

Shou just stood for a moment, although her friends had already noticed him. Seemingly, Shou had no idea how to draw attention to himself. He hesitated for far too long, before he reached out and tapped the girl on the shoulder. She flinched, which caused Shou to jolt in return and the whole situation was so awkward to watch, that Yutaka winced under his breath. The good looks and the confidence to approach women had done nothing for Shou’s coolness.

The girl turned around and even from across the room, Yutaka could tell that she seemed startled at Shou’s appearance. Her expression wasn’t annoyed but spoke of pleasant surprise. If a girl looked at you like that at first sight, it was very difficult to blow it.

Even from across the room Yutaka could tell that Shou would blow it.

Instead of looking at the girl while talking, he kept his eyes on the ground and his posture shifted, making it seem as if he wanted to curl back up into himself. He looked exactly as miserable and self-conscious talking to women as he had as a teenager. Everything about his body language radiated insecurity.

Yutaka sighed.

The woman shook her head. Instead of taking it with dignity, Shou managed to look even more miserable. Knowing him, Yutaka assumed he was probably blushing. He still didn’t make eye-contact.

After a very painful minute, Shou turned around and shuffled back to their table. He no longer seemed confident at all. His outward handsomeness remained, but it didn’t match with the way he carried himself at all.

“Sorry”, Yutaka said. “At least now you know.”

Shou sat down on the bench next to him again. Yutaka noticed that he wasn’t slumping down as usual, though, but sat surprisingly straight. It made him look taller and more self-assured.

“Too bad the suit is not working.”

“Oh, I don’t mind”, Shou said and turned towards him. His voice wasn’t as quiet and gloomy as Yutaka had expected. He spoke smugly. “I’d rather spend my time with you anyway.”

Yutaka eyed him suspiciously. The makeup suited him; his features looked more contoured and his skin smooth. His lips were always wide, but tonight they glistened invitingly. It was still Shou’s face, but the makeup brought out all its good qualities more strongly.

“What?”, he asked.

“Why would I waste my time with these women, when I can spend the night with a pretty guy like you?”, Shou asked. He was meeting Yutaka’s eyes head on. That was rare for him already, but tonight his gaze was challenging rather than stubborn.

Yutaka was so irritated by his unnaturally confident tone, that it took him a moment to realize what was going on.

“Oh, ha ha, very funny”, he said dryly.

“I mean it”, Shou insisted and placed his hand on Yutaka’s shoulder. He often did that, especially when he got tipsy and he had already had a couple of beers tonight, though by no means enough to justify him acting so out of character. His touch right now felt different, however. He wasn’t just seeking out body contact, he was using the gesture as an excuse to lean in, bringing them closer together. Suddenly, Yutaka was very aware of how close Shou was sitting.

“Let me buy you a drink”, he said, before turning around. Shou usually hated calling over the waiter and when they went to a restaurant together, he normally left it to the others. He was too shy and polite to raise his voice at strangers.

Now, he raised his arm and called out loudly: “Excuse me?” to make the young waitress turn around. “A bottle of champagne, please. Your most expensive one.”

The waitress nodded and headed off.

Shou turned back to Yutaka.

“Champagne? The expensive one? What’s gotten into you?”, Yutaka asked, still irritated. Before this, he could have written it off as a joke, but Shou would never waste money just to prank him. “You never order anything high-end.”

He still felt like he was talking to a stranger.

“Nothing but the best for my kitten”, Shou said.

Yutaka chocked.

“What?! What did you just call me?”

“Kitten”, Shou repeated. He sounded hoarse. His eyes trailed down Yutaka’s body and he didn’t try to hide the fact that he was shamelessly checking him out. It made Yutaka feel unexpectedly hot.

“Unless you prefer another pet name?”

And then Shou smiled.

It wasn’t a smug, cocky smile. His smile was warm and genuine and it looked just a little bit insecure as if he worried that he had crossed a line. It made Shou look shy and kind and charming. His teeth weren’t showing, but his lips seemed even wider and absolutely gorgeous and the small dimple on his left cheek didn’t seem as misplaced as usual, but it fit in perfectly with his handsome face. The smile turned him from a stranger into nothing but Shou, but the best version of Shou that he could possibly be. It was Shou the way he would look if he were no longer worried and self-deprecating; still shy but no longer scared.

Yutaka’s knees grew weak. But it wasn’t just his knees. It was his shoulders that suddenly held no tension anymore and his arms, that turned into butter and his whole body felt like it might just melt away when Shou smiled at him like this and called him cute names.

“Uhm”, he said.

“Your champagne”, the waitress interrupted them and Yutaka turned hastily, glad for the interruption that allowed him to clear his head. Something about this suit seemed to be working at least.

The waitress placed a bucket filled with ice on the table, that held a bottle of champagne. Steam was rising from the bottleneck, indicating that it had just been opened. Yutaka hadn’t expected it to be done for them already, but it was probably better that way. They would surely have created a mess otherwise.

The bottle came with four glasses and only their sight made Yutaka realize he had completely forgotten about Jun and Kenji. He wondered what was taking them so long.

“Let me get that for you”, Shou offered, although Yutaka hadn’t moved to fix himself a glass at all.

Shou placed his fingers on Yutaka’s wrist as if he wanted to physically stop him from helping himself. Once again, the gesture wasn’t untypical for Shou. He often touched people while talking to them, but this time, it had a different quality. Usually, his touches were distracted as if he didn’t really notice what his body was doing at all. But right now, he looked down on his hand resting on Yutaka’s bare wrist, and then he looked up, meeting his eyes, as if he wanted to make absolutely sure, that Yutaka became aware of the contact. His touch was fully intentional this time and Yutaka sensed heat creeping up his neck.

The touch lasted just long enough to not feel accidental, then Shou pulled back and reached for the bottle of champagne instead. He closed his long, slender fingers around the bottleneck firmly and took up a glass. His movements were secure and controlled. Yutaka had always admired Shou’s hands, that seemed too elegant and coordinated for someone who moved the way he did. But when it came to his hands, Shou always seemed to know what he was doing.

He poured a glass of champagne without spilling a drop and held it out to Yutaka.

Yutaka thought that with all the things that had changed, Shou’s hands had stayed exactly the same.

He took the glass and Shou held his gaze for a moment. It was Yutaka, who looked away first. Shou was wearing coloured lenses and his eyes were bright and intriguing. He didn’t seem in a hurry as he poured himself a glass as well.

Yutaka watched his movements closely. He could still recognize Shou’s way of moving, but he seemed less stressed and therefore less awkward. The only real difference seemed to be, that he was relaxed for a change and Yutaka wondered, if Shou would always look this sexy, if only he managed to put him at ease more.

Shou placed the bottle back into the bucket and held up his glass to Yutaka while meeting his eyes again.

“To a night full of fun”, he said. He said it like he was thinking of something dirty.

“To a fun night”, Yutaka agreed and clinked his glass to Shou’s. He did his best to make it sound less suggestive.

He emptied half of the glass in large gulps. The champagne made him feel bubbly inside, but he doubted it was because of the alcohol. This version of Shou made him nervous.

“Tastes expensive”, he observed lamely, although he couldn’t tell one champagne from the other.

Shou smiled again and once more, Yutaka thought that his lips looked stunning tonight.

“Oh, you guys ordered champagne!”, Kenji’s voice chimed in unexpectedly.

“When did you change, Shou? Is that the magic suit?”, Jun asked and pulled up his chair to sit down opposite to them.

Although Yutaka had hoped to be rescued from this weird tension, he still felt mad at them for interrupting.

Kenji placed himself on the bench next to Shou.

“He brought the suit to the bar to pick up girls, but it doesn’t work”, Yutaka declared maliciously. He was no longer sure if he was annoyed with Jun and Kenji for showing up, or for staying away for so long, or with Shou for acting so weird in the first place.

Shou patted the bench next to himself.

“Here, Kenji, come closer”, he said.

Kenji shuffled closer.

“Why?”, he asked. It was very much like Kenji to comply first and ask questions later.

Shou raised his hand and ran his forefinger across Kenji’s sharp jawline.

“So I can get a better look at your handsome face.”

Something inside of Yutaka constricted uncomfortably. He didn’t know why he felt so upset, but he couldn’t deny that he felt jealous of Kenji. Since the suit hadn’t worked on the girls, he had assumed it was only him having this effect on Shou.

“Oh god, what’s up with you?”, Jun asked, sounding seriously worried.

Kenji gave an embarrassed sound, but started pouring champagne for him and Jun as well without waiting for an invitation.

“The suit is turning him gay”, Yutaka explained nonchalantly and emptied his own glass.

“What’s turning me gay is sitting here with such cute guys”, Shou said lightly. He didn’t sound embarrassed at all. Rather than joking, he seemed flirting.

“That’s disturbing”, Jun said somewhat too loudly. “Someone get him out of this suit!”

Shou batted his eyelashes before looking right at Jun at the other side of the table.

“Please, Jun”, he said. “If you want to undress me, all you have to do is ask.”

Jun made a startled noise that turned into a mixture between a nervous laugh and a cough.

Yutaka placed his glass on the table too soundly.

Shou turned towards him. He leaned in closely.

“Don’t be jealous, kitten”, he said lowly. “I haven’t forgotten about you.”

Yutaka wondered how Shou had noticed his feelings without even looking at him, when Yutaka had troubles naming them himself. He felt oddly happy when he heard the pet name again. Shou hadn’t used it for Jun and Kenji. Maybe that meant something.

“I’m not jealous”, he lied and reached for the bottle of champagne. “I just need more alcohol, if you’re going to stay like this.”

He poured himself the rest of the champagne until his glass was so full, it nearly overflowed, before he put the empty bottle back onto the table.

Shou pulled the flower from his buttonhole. Up close, Yutaka could tell that it was a yellow rose.

“Here”, Shou said. When his voice was so low and deep, Yutaka’s body turned into butter again. He wondered, if Shou had the same effect on Jun and Kenji while wearing the suit.

“What are you doing? Get that thing out of my face!”

“Take it”, Shou insisted. “This one is only for you. To remind you, that you’re special to me.”

Yutaka hesitated. He wished Shou would sound joking, because a joking Shou was something he knew how to deal with. He still had the feeling that he was getting pranked, but he didn’t know how to avoid it.

He took the rose gingerly and placed it on the table plate demonstratively instead of keeping it in his hands. Shou’s facial expression was impossible to read. Yutaka could not tell, if he had offended him.

“It’s empty already?!”, Kenji complained. He had taken up the champagne bottle and studied it in disbelief.

“I can order another round!”, Shou offered right away and already raised his hand, but luckily, Kenji stopped him.

“It’s fine”, he said quickly. He seemed to be a little uncomfortable around this new version of Shou as well.

“Yes, I think it’s time we all go home”, Jun confirmed.

“No!”, Shou protested. “No, no! This party can’t stop! We have to keep drinking! Let’s celebrate all night.”

“It’s late”, Kenji pointed out.

“And you seem to need rest the most”, Jun agreed.

“You should take off this suit”, Kenji added. He spoke very gently, not like he was soothing Shou, but as if he was seriously worried about him.

“They’re right”, Yutaka said softly. He realized that he was worried about Shou, too. Tonight, he seemed unpredictable and possibly reckless. “Let’s pay the bill and then I’ll take you home.”

Shou turned and looked at him cheekily.

“I see, so you want to continue the party elsewhere.” His tone left no room for wondering what kind of party he had in mind.

“What? No!”

“I’ll take you to a fancy hotel”, Shou suggested and this time, he leaned in so far that Yutaka involuntarily pulled back. “Just give me a chance. If you let me, I’ll make you feel things that no woman has ever made you feel before.”

Yutaka’s neck felt hot again and now his face started to heat as well. He thought of everything that entailed. He thought of feeling Shou inside of him.

“Just let me try”, Shou coaxed, but he no longer sounded flirtatious. He sounded like he was begging. The despair in Shou’s voice scared him. He didn’t know what to do with it.

“Shou”, he said as sternly as possible and grabbed him by the shoulder to push him back. It felt like dealing with someone, who was very, very drunk. “It’s really time you take off that suit and get some sleep.”

Shou pulled back from his touch and wrinkles were showing around the root of his nose. The lines made his face look so characteristically himself, that Yutaka felt almost relieved.

“I don’t want to”, Shou said and finally, he sounded like his stubborn self again. “I don’t want this party to end.” He seemed to be repeating the words like a spell now and gestured towards the table as if he wanted to include everything. “I don’t want this night to end. I want to stay with you all night.” He gestured towards himself. “Like this.”

Yutaka didn’t fully understand what Shou meant, but his emotions seemed so raw and honest, it pained him anyway.

“You can’t, Shou. You are not yourself.”

Shou hung his head.

“I am”, he said. “I am.”

“Hey”, Yutaka said gently and touched his arm. Jun and Kenji stayed out of the conversation like they always did, when Shou turned difficult. It was only ever Yutaka, who managed to soothe him. “You need some rest.”

“Fine”, Shou agreed reluctantly. “But you have to take me. And I’m keeping on the suit.”

“Okay.” Yutaka sighed. He figured they could argue over the details later. He looked up at their bandmates. “Why don’t you guys go pay? We’ll pay you back later. I’ll make sure Shou gets home safely. Maybe the fresh air will help.”

“Alright”, Jun agreed. The fact, that neither of them argued about splitting the bill immediately although it contained the expensive bottle of champagne proved they were all irritated by Shou.

“Come here”, Yutaka said as gently as possible and took Shou’s arm to pull him up from the bench. “Let’s get you home.”

Shou followed without resistance. He picked up his bag, that was now empty and allowed Yutaka to guide him over to the front door of the bar.

It was colder outside, although the temperatures were warm enough that they didn’t need a jacket. The cold air cleared Yutaka’s mind a little, but finally getting some distance to Shou certainly helped as well. Inside the bar, he had started to feel dizzy.

Yutaka pulled out his phone and opened an app.

“I think I’m going to call us a cab, alright? We can’t take the train with you looking like this. Also, you might try to pick up random guys, if we don’t get you home straight away.”

“You’re jealous again”, Shou observed and this time, he sounded gleeful.

“I’m not”, Yutaka muttered and requested a ride before putting the phone back into his pocket.

When he looked up, he realized Shou was standing awfully close again. The suit seemed to be making him taller as well, because Yutaka had to look up to him slightly. Maybe it was just his straight posture in combination with the heel of the dress shoes though.

“Have you heard of personal space before?”, he complained and took a step backwards.

Shou took a step forward immediately. If anything, he was standing even closer than before.

“Sorry, that my handsomeness is making you nervous”, he said with a sleek grin. Yutaka had not thought that to be sentence he would ever hear from Shou unironically.

“Uh”, Yutaka said. He had been meaning to deny it, but Shou’s face was so close now, that he forgot how to say words.

“Shh, kitten”, Shou said quietly. He reached up and cupped Yutaka’s face with both hands. His touch was gentle but very secure. Yutaka could sense how bony and strong his fingers felt. They were surprisingly cool.

He knew that he was supposed to pull back, but he stood frozen, and he felt guilty for that. He knew that Shou was not himself and it was up to him to keep the situation from getting weird. But truth was, that he liked the way Shou touched him and he liked it when he held his gaze for so long and he liked it, when he called him kitten.

“Don’t”, he forced out softly anyway. “You can’t just do something like that in public.”

They were the only ones out on the street, but someone might walk out of the bar any moment. Anyone could see them.

“I don’t care”, Shou said. “I don’t want to worry about who could possibly see us. I’m tired of always worrying. I just want to kiss you.” He paused. “May I?”

Yutaka knew exactly what the answer was supposed to be. Under no circumstances could he allow this to happen, because it was reckless and dumb and moreover immoral.

“Yes”, he whispered.

Shou leaned in and kissed him with astonishing force. His kiss wasn’t hesitant at all. He kissed like he knew what he wanted. His lips were soft and his hold on Yutaka was firm. It made him feel very safe and oddly frail. He parted his lips and allowed Shou to kiss him like no one had ever kissed him in a public space before. Their teeth clicked together and Shou’s nose brushed his cheek and when he pulled back eventually, Yutaka was out of breath.

Shou looked at him and he broke into that sweet, bashful smile again, that looked so much like him, except lighter and happier than Yutaka had ever seen him before.

For a moment, he thought that he might just give in. He considered going back to a hotel with this new version of Shou, who would hold him in his strong arms and whisper sweet nothings into his ear and kiss him full of confidence. Yutaka would grow weak in his arms, because he was handsome and cool and self-assured.

But it wasn’t real.

“Stop it”, he said as gently as possible as Shou moved to lean in once again. “This is no good.”

“We can go somewhere more private”, Shou offered immediately.

Yutaka shook his head.

“It’s this suit. There is something wrong with it. It obviously works on men instead of women. It’s making you weird. You need to take it off.”

“No, no, please”, Shou said and he reached up instinctively, clawing his hand into the lapel of the suit coat as if he was scared Yutaka might try to tear it off. “This suit is not changing me. It’s just making me more confident. It’s … This is me. This is the version of me that’s in my head. It’s who I want to be. All the time. I don’t want to … I can’t let this end. I want to stay this version. I don’t want this party to end.” Vaguely he gestured back to the bar.

“So, you want to be someone, who promiscuously hits on all of his bandmates?” It had been meant as a joke, but it came out bitter. The way Shou had touched Kenji’s face made their kiss just now meaningless – regardless of whenever it was the suit or something Shou repressed violently.

“I want to be someone who is at terms with and open about his sexuality”, Shou blurted out.

Yutaka was pretty sure that the surprised was written all over his face. Before tonight, Shou had never indicated liking men at all.

“I want to be able to joke about it”, Shou said. “I don’t want to hide from the people closest to me. But most importantly, I want to show you how I feel. You’re the person I …”

He finally let go of his suit coat and his arm dropped down by his side as if he no longer had the energy to gesture at all.

“I wanted to try if the suit worked. I thought, if it does, I’d one day wear it to tell you. I wasn’t meaning to do it right away. Things got out of hand. I was scared of this night ending, because … I don’t know what will come afterwards.”

Yutaka licked his lips.

“So, you …?”, he started, but didn’t know how to finish the question.

“Yeah”, Shou confirmed. “I love you. And when I’m wearing this suit … when I’m wearing it, I’m cool and handsome. I’ll keep wearing it. And if you give me a chance, I think I can make you like me a little too. You allowed me to kiss you like this. You are at least somewhat attracted to me in this suit. I can be this version of myself for you. I’ll keep being it.”

Yutaka shook his head slightly.

“What are you going to do?” He wasn’t mocking Shou. He was sad, because Shou sounded so desperate. “Keep wearing the suit in your sleep?”

Shou shrugged and smiled helplessly.

“I hope they’ll design magic pyjamas soon”, he said.

Yutaka looked at Shou and all he saw was a handsome host. He had no idea where the despair in his voice was coming from. It was as if he couldn’t see below the pretty surface at all.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”, Shou plead. “I confessed to you. Don’t I deserve an answer?”

“Please, take off the suit”, Yutaka said. He suddenly felt exhausted. He was tired of dealing with this person in front of him. He just wanted to talk to his friend. “I want to give you a proper reply, but I can’t when you are wearing this suit.”

“It makes me better”, Shou insisted.

“This …” Yutaka gestured towards Shou and the green streaks in his hair. “I feel like I’m talking to a stranger. I need to make sure it’s really you.”

Shou looked at him for a long time and Yutaka was convinced he would decline. But then he nodded and slowly took off the suit coat.

He blinked and then Shou was already different.

He was back in his Tamiya shirt, his arms bare and pale and awkwardly holding on to the suit coat. His hair was blonde again and looked uncombed because he had run his hands through it early this evening. His face was flushed and bare and his eyes were tiny, but dark and so much warmer than when he was wearing coloured lenses. He kept his eyes cast down and yet Yutaka had the feeling he was seeing them for the first time tonight. He seemed small, hunched over once again and his head too large for his shoulders, making him look frail and in need of protection.

Yutaka felt a giant wave of affection rushing through him and he had to stop himself from wrapping his arms around Shou.

He had missed him. He had missed him so much more than he had ever expected. And he thought that this awkward little guy with the small eyes and the messy hair was the most beautiful version of a human being possible.

“Hey”, he said quietly.

Shou looked up briefly, but he didn’t manage to hold his gaze for too long, just as it had always been.

“Hey”, he replied.

“Do you …?” Yutaka broke off. For a moment, he considered that Shou might have forgotten about everything that had happened tonight. “Do you still feel the same? Without the suit?”

“Yeah”, Shou confirmed. “The same. Plus, an awful lot of regret for saying it out loud.”

Yutaka chuckled.

“I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable.” Shou looked down onto the suit coat in his hands. His hands still looked the same. “I behaved awful tonight. Sorry for putting you into a position like this. Let’s just forget I ever said anything. In fact, let’s just forget about this entire night.”

Worried lines were showing everywhere on Shou’s face. His face looked all weird and wrinkly. He looked like his old gloomy, over-thinking self again.

“I should probably burn this thing to make sure I never do anything this stupid again.”

“You probably should”, Yutaka agreed.

Shou had looked happier when wearing the suit, more relaxed. Yutaka wanted him to look this happy always, but he knew they’d have to find a different way for that.

“Sorry”, Shou mumbled again.

Yutaka paused for a moment.

“Though, if I’m honest, I’m going to miss you calling me your kitten”, he confessed jokingly.

Shou looked irritated. Yutaka let him suffer for just a few seconds more.

“I’m also going to miss you kissing me”, he added.

Shou looked up and sucked in his lower lip. His teeth were showing visibly. He looked by no means conventionally attractive and Yutaka loved him for that.

“Really?”, Shou asked insecurely.

“Really”, Yutaka assured him without hesitation.

Shou started smiling and it was the same smile as before. The warm one with the cute dimple, that made his lips look gorgeous and that was shy and hesitant, but finally happy without a trace of worry. And Yutaka thought, that they were going to get there and that they wouldn’t need a magic suit for it at all.

“We can always work on that”, Shou said. “Right, kitten?”

[caught-in-a-seesaw-stigma]

Peripheral 7.5

Pairings: OT7 x reader; Taehyung x reader; Taehyung x Jimin

Series Summary:  An unfortunate accident leaves Kim Namjoon with amnesia, and Big Hit, BTS, ARMY, and the entire world is desperate to help him regain his memories and knowledge. Fortunately, a new genetics company has successfully created a system to alter our brains into human databases which can help someone regain knowledge and memories through a simple input/output exchange. Can this new invention give us back our beloved leader?

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut, Idol AU

Word Count: 2K+

Warnings: NSFW 18+ Cursing, oral (female receiving), teasing, groping, bisexual overtones

Word Count: 2K+

Taehyung POV

All that skin...so soft, so smooth, so pretty…

Y/N’s thighs were rubbing together slightly and her hips lifted off the mattress as she released a barely audible moan. The oversized RJ shirt covering her body shifted further and further up her thighs and Taehyung licked his lips at every inch that was revealed before him.

“Tae,” she breathed out. “Please, touch me.”

Taehyung groaned at the needy tone in her voice and palmed himself over his pajama pants. The impressive tent he was rocking was barely contained behind the thin fabric. Y/N’s seductive movements caused his dick to twitch to life with a copious amount of precum pooling on his pajama pants,

Probably should’ve worn underwear.

Y/N reached out and pulled on Taehyung’s forearm, encouraging him to get closer to the bed. As soon as his thighs made contact with the edge of the mattress, Y/N was already trying to pull him onto the bed.

“Y/N-noona,” Taehyung chastised playfully. “You should be resting.”

“Rest with me, Tae-Tae,” she pleaded sweetly. “Come on, I’ll let you be the big spoon.”

Taehyung looked around the room in search of another person, but alas, Yoongi was nowhere to be seen, even though Taehyung could swear his hyung was just in the room a moment ago. Now, it was just him and Y/N.

Big spoon, little spoon.

There was a seven second pause before Taehyung released an exhale full of excitement and climbed onto the bed, hovering over Y/N’s barely clad body. The RJ on the shirt slowly morphed into a Tata graphic, and Taehyung was incredibly pleased.

It’s not just about being cute, it’s about being unique.

“Tae,” Y/N sighed. “I need you.”

“Do you now?” Taehyung grinned. “Where do you need me, beautiful?”

Y/N’s smile increased in brightness as she reached down to remove the oversized T-shirt from her body. The golden skin that was revealed nearly blinded Taehyung as he drank in every centimeter of her glorious body. His breath caught as she lowered one hand down her stomach and straight into her dripping folds. Taehyung gulped as her fingers split into a V shape to reveal her swollen jewel hidden in the folds. It glistened enticingly in the dim lamplight of the room, and Taehyung felt his throat dry up in response.

“I need you right here, Tae-Tae,” Y/N purred. “Be a good boy and help me out, yeah? Are you my good boy?"

"Fuck yeah, you know I am," Taehyung responded gruffly. "I'm a good boy, I swear."

“Show me how good you are, Tae,” Y/N pleaded. “Show me what that silver tongue can do.”

Taehyung happily situated himself between Y/N’s legs and started licking, kissing, and nibbling his way to her flushed core. The trails of arousal he swiped away with his tongue just made his dick ache even more.

She’s fucking delicious.

Once Taehyung’s lips made contact with Y/N’s hidden jewel, she released the most incredible sound from her throat. It was airy and light and full of passion and sweetness. Taehyung wanted to record it and play it on repeat so he could always have it bouncing around his ear drums. Every erotic moan she released just increased his desire to have more of her in his mouth, in his ears, in his world.

He dragged his tongue across every millimeter of her sex, not allowing a single drop to go to waste. The more he licked and slurped, the wetter she became, and the flavor of musky fruit pirouetted along his taste buds delightfully. Y/N’s essence rivaled the most exotic fruits and Taehyung was lost in the extravagant taste on his palate.

How can one person be this unbelievably sweet?

“Tae,” Y/N groaned. “Kiss me.”

Taehyung placed one last lingering kiss on her glistening lips before traveling to the ones above. He slotted himself between her legs and allowed his girthy erection to nestle on top of her throbbing sex. She hissed out of sensitivity, but the fabric was so soft that it wasn’t causing any discomfort. With measured precision, Taehyung dipped his lips to capture Y/N’s and he began languidly teasing her with small kisses and playful tongue flicks.

Y/N’s hand slid between their bodies to grasp Taehyung’s warm length over his pajama pants and he groaned as soon as she applied any pressure to his turgid length. Her delicate hands stroked him up and down while he continued drawing small whines and moans from Y/N’s mouth. The numerous rings on her hand confused him at first because he didn’t remember her wearing much jewelry, but he quickly dismissed the thought when Y/N sucked especially hard on his bottom lip. He moaned out in response and pushed his cock harder into her ring clad grip.

“Tae,” Y/N gasped as his lips traveled across her jaw and to her neck. “Ah, Tae.”

“That’s right, beautiful,” Taehyung whispered. “Say my name.”

She continued to chant his name in a hushed, breathy voice and her hand tightened around his shaft, causing him to groan and buck forward against her upper thigh. Taehyung nipped at her earlobe and made his way back to her lips, which were fuller than he remembered. In fact, they seemed to have doubled in size in the last few minutes. He sucked on the bottom one, puzzled by its plush texture.

What’s going on? Am I imagining things?

Y/N’s other hand traveled into his hair and pulled gently on the golden locks, desperate to recapture his attention.

“Tae,” Y/N whined cutely. “Why aren’t you touching me?”

Taehyung chuckled at the pout evident in her tone and he lowered one of his hands to palm her plump ass. It was unbelievably firm and warm in his palm and he used his leverage to rut against her even more, drawing more breathy moans out of her with every shallow thrust. As a matter of fact, her ass felt firmer than he thought it would.

Weird, but nice. She’s got a dancer’s ass.

“Tae,” Y/N squeaked out. “Tae, Tae,”

“What is it, beautiful?” Taehyung grunted as his pushed himself against her bare sex. “Do you want me to put it in? Tell me you want my thick cock inside of you. Say the word and it’s all yours.”

“No, Tae,” Y/N’s voice deepened slightly. “I want you to wake up.”

Did she just say she wanted me to wake up?

“Wake up, Tae,” Y/N persisted while stroking him. “Wake up.”

Taehyung wrinkled his forehead in confusion and took a moment to clear his lust-crazed mind. Her voice didn’t sound the same. It was almost like she sounded like someone else, someone he knew very well.

It couldn’t be his voice. That’s impossible.

As he pulled his face up from Y/N’s neck, he was pleased at the bright pink blossom he’d left behind, but that elation was short lived as he looked down and realized Y/N was no longer beneath him.

“Taehyungie,” Jimin smirked up at him. “Wake up.”

-----------------

Abruptly, Taehyung lifted his head and realized that he was still on the couch in the living room. He glanced at the lap he was in and repressed the urge to yelp. He looked up and realized that Jimin was giving him the strangest look and he gulped nervously before pulling himself into a sitting position, grabbing a pillow to cover the erection begging to be released from the confines of his pajama pants. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before he met Jimin’s curious eyes. As soon as he did, he immediately hoped that he hadn’t done anything to Jimin to hint at what his dreams consisted of.

“Are you ok, Taehyungie?” Jimin asked sweetly, while scooting closer to him. “You looked like you were having a nightmare. You kept moaning and moving against the couch. Was something chasing you?”

After releasing a nervous giggle, Taehyung shook his head and breathed out a sigh of relief. Jimin lifted a hand to rub at Taehyung’s shoulder, trying to ease the tension he could see tormenting his soulmate. Fortunately, Jimin didn’t seem to have a clue about what just occurred in Taehyung’s dream, so it appeared as though he was in the clear.

“I’m ok, Jiminie,” Taehyung assured his soulmate. “Just a weird dream, that’s all.”

Still though...what the hell was that all about?

Footsteps were heard coming from the hallway, and Yoongi appeared at the threshold looking less pissed than before. His facial expression gave off a serious vibe, but his eyes were sparkling with contentment.

Oh man, something happened between him and Y/N, I just know it.

“Hey, guys,” Yoongi greeted them with a sigh. “I’m sorry about my harsh words earlier, but I was really worried that we’d harmed our guest and it really upset me. I apologize if I hurt any of your feelings, but I didn’t want Y/N to have a bad impression of us. She’s only been here a few days, and we haven’t been taking care of her properly.”

Everyone offered up an apology at once and Taehyung almost missed Jimin’s hand slipping down and under the pillow on his lap. Delicate ringed fingers slid over the hardened outline of his erection over his pajama pants and Taehyung resisted the urge to yelp. His head snapped over to look at Jimin, but Taehyung found the cherubim's eyes locked onto Yoongi.

What the fuck are you doing, Jimin?

Yoongi lifted his hands and quieted everyone down and then leaned against the kitchen counter to look at them.

“Yoongi-hyung,” Jungkook piped up. “Is Noona ok?”

“Yes, Jungkookie,” Yoongi smiled softly. “She’s awake and she’s ok. She used some machine to run some tests on herself, but we have to wait for the results. Whatever fever she had earlier is gone now, but she’s feeling a little weak. She will probably be in bed all day.”

“Can we go in and talk to her now, Yoongi-hyung?” Hoseok asked. “Would she be ok with that?”

“I told her that you needed to talk to her and she’s waiting for you now,” Yoongi replied. “Visiting hours are open, but please, only go in a few at a time. I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

“Hobi-hyung and I will go first,” Jungkook spoke up. “We want to tell her about the weird stuff that’s been happening.”  

Taehyung was about to speak up, but Jimin’s hand retreated from his lap and he was momentarily distracted.

“You guys go ahead,” Jimin suggested. “Taehyungie and I will go in and see her after you’re done. If we all take turns, she won’t have to be alone unless she wants to.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Yoongi agreed. “Where’s Jin? Still sulking?”

“I sent him to his room,” Hoseok explained. “I told him he’s grounded until we find out more information from Bang PD-nim.”

“Ok,” Yoongi nodded. “I’m going to go shower and change while you two visit. It’s been a long morning and I’m exhausted. Tell Y/N that I’ll be back to bring her something to eat after I’m done.”

With that, Yoongi turned around and made a beeline for his room and Hoseok and Jungkook followed him into the hallway, heading to the end of the hall to Y/N’s room.

Left alone, Taehyung readjusted himself on the couch as Jimin turned sideways and stared at him with a neutral expression on his face. The living room was eerily quiet and Taehyung zoned out listening to the sound of the air conditioning kicking on once again.

“So,” Jimin’s voice broke through the tension in the room. “Do you want to tell me why you were dry humping the couch while nuzzling my dick earlier, Taehyungie?”

Taehyung inhaled too quickly at Jimin’s sudden question and ended up coughing uncontrollably. When he was finally able to speak, he met Jimin’s fiery gaze and gasped at the seductive grin blooming on his face.

Fuck...

Author’s Note: I finally got back to this story again. I’m hitting a stride with the plot and I am going to start working on the next big chapter since I already have most of it outlined. Things are getting a little sticky in the VMin corner, and I think the dynamics of their relationship are finally evening out. Should make the next couple of chapters very interesting. Thank you to @xxxille-girlxxx​, my gorgeous Goguma, for Beta reading this for me. Borahae, soulmate!

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

PERIPHERAL MASTERLIST

Caught-in-a-seesaw-stigma’s MASTERLIST

[perseusjackson-jasongrace]

Ma'am- how dares thou leave us off on a cliffhanger for both Empires on the Horizon and Kingdom Collisions V >:L I demand to know whats going to happen next!! (also take your time to write them lol )

Ah my friend you are right I am sorry for being so rude😭👀here's a Kingdom Collisions update. Please forgive me?🥺

Y’all know the drill by now. This is a fic i’m writing to try incorporate more descriptions into my writing. I do not have pre-written chapters so we’re both lost on what comes next or when the next update will be?! Please enjoy!

masterlist

TW: Suicide mention

Kingdom Collisions VI

Once upon a time in a land known for water and jewels there lived a young boy. He had skin the colour of soil and eyes the colour of oceans and were your gaze to ever fall upon this little figure you knew the earth was created just for him. The boy lived in a white-stone castle, surrounded by guards in clanking silver armour and blue-feathered helmets. Swords gleamed with their newness. They are decoration, a rite of passage. They only reflect the water. Children darted between their legs as they swoppeed shifts and if you looked closely the boy was often one of them. The castle stood proud and tranquil in the kingdom and gave the people hope.

If the white walls stand tall the queen will rise above all. 

A piece of poetry long since washed away.That single line ran through the city streets like rain water. Ran into people's homes, and under the wheels of rumbling cars. Generations had forgotten the poem to time but that line for it's power and rhyme had weathered the changing tides. If you listened closely the trees still knew the words. But nobody ever heard. The world was too busy and the day too new to remember what it was like to become one with evergreens.

Percy Jackson wakes up with a gasp, heart beating like conga drums. His fingers curl into his chest, leaving red marks as he winces sleep away. The world is still pitch black; stars hidden behind a blanket of storms. He wonders if they find comfort wrapped in the clouds. If those white puffs feel as soft as they look. Sleep is faraway, a distant friend stuck at a cold airport terminal. So he drifts to the window, ignoring the wind prickling his skin and sits down at the bench. The chiffon curtains rustle softly, talking to him in a language he hasn't quite yet learned. He knows they're saying something important. They must be if they brush against his legs every few minutes. Everyone is always trying to tell him something important. Something life changing and groundbreaking. He wishes he could pause time for a little while. Stroll through the gardens and into the ocean without anybody running after him.

The curtain drifts towards him again and he sighs as if the universe has made him designated driver. An unwanted, unwilling task.

Somewhere a bird caws and he snorts softly, "Okay, okay. I'm handling it."

He let's the sounds of the wind take him through the endless corridors, let's it carry him like a dying flower, like autumn leaves, like bonfire embers. The stone floor is cold under his bare feet and his body is littered with bumps. He misses the warmth of his castle. Misses the warmth of the hearth in every room and the smell of the sea that drifts in through open windows. Mostly, especially, he misses his mom. There is something distinctly missing from the Castle of Caelum. He hasn't quite put his finger on it but it doesn't feel right.

He doesn't have time to delve into that thought because all at once everything goes quiet. A large door looms before him.

"So this is it huh?" His voice is soft, afraid to disrupt the silence.

Taking a deep breath, filling up his lungs with the air of the Kingdom of Wind, he knocks on the wood. It is gentle and solitary and he's almost certain no-one heard it but his ears perk up anyway. He knows you can't pick up footfalls on stone but it doesn't stop his heart from racing in anticipation. The door opens with a soft click and tired eyes look at him.

"Percy," Jason's voice is raspy with crying and his heart shatters.

"Hey, can I come in?"

The blonde looks at him, brows furrowed and tear stains carved into his cheeks. Percy can see the tiredness in the prince's bones, like x-rays of exhaustion. He's about to say nevermind, about to walk away, walk past his own chambers and into the lifeless night. But the Prince nods once and moves aside.

He feels almost disappointed that he couldn't escape. Disappointed he couldn't just go back and never return. His mother's voice flitters into his head.

When your people are suffering you must lie down with them and ask them to tell you their story.

Why mom?

Because little one when the time comes you will know what to do.

How momma?

We are made of stories little one. We are made of all the things people tell us. Our dreams and hopes and memories are just threads in a tapestry and every person is connected to it.

I don't understand momma?

She smiled at him, perfect white teeth and dark blue eyes: When you think of me little one, what comes to mind?

Ten year old Percy frowned, Chocolate chip cookies, and your bedtime tales, and the beach, and hugs.

And what do you think about Grover?

Percy's green eyes had lit up like the sun: Play time and movies and ice-cream!

She laughed: And what about Dad?

His little brows furrowed: Fancy clothes and swords and paper and cuddles.

And Princess Piper?

His nose scrunched up: Cooties! He squealed and then he was running around the room; the world a flowing river, him a little fish learning its current.

You see little one, you didn't think about bones or skin or blood. You thought of memories and stories. Do you understand now?

He nodded as he scrambled into her lap: I think so momma. So if my people tell me who they are I can use their stories to help them when they're sore?

Almost little one. Half of hurt is because nobody listens. If you just listen to what your people are saying they will not hurt so much.

Is that because we have to tell our stories momma?

"Exactly. That is how we live. And live on."

Prince Perseus Jackson takes a deep breath and steps into the room. Immediately he can feel the icy wind, so much colder up here, stinging his bare arms, chest, legs. Save for the small silk boxers covering his most sensitive parts his body is exposed to the brutal temperatures and he cannot hide a shiver as he settles on the couch. The fire has died long ago, maybe not even put on for the night, if the grey ashes and lack of heat are indication enough.

"What are you doing here?" The blonde prince looks at him.

"The curtains told me to come."

"What?" He can hear the confusion, but more than that the weight of a thousand heartaches.

He wonders if every person who has their heartbroken feels like they're the first to ever go through it. If that feeling is so perfectly human it feels unique and special to each one.

"Sometimes the world talks to me and sometimes I listen."

"I don't really know what game you're playing but I'm not in the mood so if it isn't an emergency," Those eyes are ice blue, "And I honestly wouldn't care even if it was, please get out."

"I cannot." He shrugs and pulls a velvet blanket over him.

"I'd appreciate," Jason's teeth grit, "If you respected my boundaries enough to leave. I am not in the mood."

"The window is open, there is paper sitting on the desk and many crumpled pieces on the floor, and I can see you haven't even sat on your bed, never-mind slept in it. What do you plan to do Grace?"

"You know what." That voice is hard, malicious with fear, pain.

"I will not leave. And you will not either. You can sit there on your bed hating me till the sun graces us once more. You can punch me until I am the same colour as the dusk but I am not leaving."

"I hate you. Leave me alone." He can hear the tears hit the cold stone. He doesn't react. A shadow blocks the moonlight finally peaking through the clouds.

"I said leave me the fuck alone!"

"I cannot do that Prince."

"Don’t call me that." He snaps, pushing his face into Percy's, "Go away! I want to be alone."

"I can't Jason,"

"JUST LEAVE!" Golden fists pound at his chest, droplets of salt soaking into his skin, as if trying to wash away the bruising.

He grabs his husband's hands gently and pulls him to the couch.

"I'm not going to leave you."

"They all left." Jason gasps, "They left. HE LEFT!"

The scream draws blood from his ears, pulls oxygen from his veins.

"I'm here. I'm not leaving. I am here."

"Please," Sobs wrack that broken body, and Percy can feel the first cracks in a kingdom. "Please don't leave me. Please, please please."

He rubs his hand over a shaking back and mutters over and over again, "I will not leave you."

Prince Jason Grace cries a new ocean and he names it after the fire that caused it. When the sun peaks over the horizon, fracturing a wall of crystal, and attempting to warm those cold grey stones, Percy Jackson takes his husband to bed and ignores the fissures running under his feet.

Once upon a time in a kingdom known for storms and gold there lived a little boy. He had eyes of lightning and skin the colour of sunlight and if you ever caught a glimpse of him you knew only the darkest nights could ever produce something so beautiful. The guards are bathed in riches, weighed down by diamonds cut from dreams and earrings weighted with the pureness of gold. Swords are varied and prized. Bred for fodder. Used at will. He lived in a castle made of grey stone and it loomed over the kingdom like a black cloud. The people looked at it and shied away. For they too had a poem about their crown but they remembered every line. 

Those who fell under the shadow of stone were sure to be left to ruin by their king and cursed forever alone. A young boy with hair spun from starlight is trapped inside. Who will save him if he cannot hide?

Forgetting was a death warrant.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Tags (if you want to be added to/ taken off the tag list just let me know, all my channels of communication are open):

@nishlicious-01

@queen-of-demons-and-hell

@leydiangelo

@sparkythunderstorm

@asami-sato-has-never-sinned

[xxrainbow-princessxx]

Flowers - Leo x Isabella

A fluffy, sweet hearted fic - Leo and Isabella reminiscing on past traditions

Tagging: @drakewalkerfantasy @itslaniquelove @kingliam2019 @kimmiedoo5 @mom2000aggie @lorirwritesfanfic @lorircreates @hopefulmoonobject @rafasgirl23415 @texaskitten30 @rainbowsinthestorm @desireepow-1986 @speedyoperarascalparty @liam-rhys @choicesficwriterscreations

Bounding through the Palace hallways, Alessandra and Natalia squealed with happiness as they chased one another towards Leo’s study after they returned from grade school for the weekend “Papa!!!” They exclaimed in unison, opening the door with no regard to those in attendance. Leo shook his head as he chuckled towards the Prime Minister and the Kingdom’s secretary, “Sorry about that...” as Lia and Sasha threw their little matching backpacks into the corner, both wearing the same navy double breasted coats before running over to their father who happily propped each twin on each knee. “So where were we...” Leo tried to continue his meeting but the girls kept hugging him and whispering into his ear, “Papa...” Natalia whispered as Alessandra exclaimed, “Boo!” bringing them into a fit of laughter. Without even flinching, Leo opened the drawer of his desk taking out colouring pencils and with a scatter of pencils and paper, the Princesses happily coloured, allowing Leo to continue his meeting without as much interruption as the five year olds were distracted.

“Is that everything?” Leo questioned the Prime Minister and Secretary. Natalia on the other hand was busy showing off her picture to their visitors, “Mama... Mika.... Sasha... Me and Papa...” she confidently pointed to everyone in the picture as Alessandra stuck her tongue out in pure concentration scribbling a purple smudge, before looking at her sister angrily. The bottom lip was pushed out as her brows furrowed, “I was drawing Mika!” Yes... thank you, Your Majesty... I see...” the Prime Minister chuckled warmly, “... you have your hands full... we can pick this up next week...” Leo smiled, sighing heavily he thanked them for their understanding but he really didn’t care what they really thought, he was more interested in the twins’ day. “And how was school today for my two best girls in the whole world??” He cooed before his guests had even left the room. Alessandra began to giggle, “Lia has a boyfriend!” Leo’s sea green eyes widened as Natalia grinned up towards him proudly, “What do you mean you have a boyfriend?” Leo looked at his daughter with his nose scrunched up, “You know boys aren’t allowed!”

Natalia shook her head as Leo continued, “And what’s his name?” Alessandra giggled as Natalia rubbed her head into her father’s shoulder, “He is called Christian... he gave her a flower papa!” Leo’s brow furrowed, “A flower? Is your papa going to have to speak with Christian...” “Noooo...” the twins replied in unison, holding onto Leo as tightly as they could. Leo looked down at Alessandra, “You better not have a boyfriend too...” Alessandra didn’t answer him directly but giggled causing Leo to sigh heavily, “No... you aren’t allowed boyfriends until you’re fifty... how many times?” Lia and Sasha looked at one another holding up their fingers trying hard to figure it out, counting aimlessly as they could only count to fifteen. “Bella!” Leo exclaimed as the Laurentian Queen entered the room with her dazzling, bright white smile, “Sí mi amor...” she cooed, sitting down on the corner of Leo’s desk, the eight month pregnant Queen was content. As she brushed the twins’ loose hair from their faces, Leo acted shocked, “Did you know... Lia got a boyfriend today? He gave her a flower...” Isabella’s dark chocolate brown eyes widened as she tried to act shocked, “¡Qué... Mi querida!” she gasped, “And how is he your boyfriend?” Natalia stuck her hand into her pocket and pulled out a little squished up daisy, showing it to her mother, “Awwwwww” Isabella began to coo, looking across at Leo who was painfully rolling his eyes, “Isn’t that adorable...”

Even after the kids were in bed and the Royal couple cuddled into one another, Leo still wasn’t over it. “How the hell do they know about boyfriends?” Isabella bit down on her bottom lip, trying desperately not to laugh, “it’s innocent... don’t worry... we have another ten years hopefully to not have to worry about that...” Leo raised his brow slowly, “I wasn’t joking when I said they weren’t allowed to date until they were fifty...” Isabella pouted her lips, “Mi amor...” she giggled as she cuddled up beside him, “Do you not remember you gave me flowers...” Leo rolled his sea green eyes to the left, his lips slowly beginning to curl upwards, “That was different...” Leo began to reminisce, smiling to himself as he remembered each time that he gave Isabella a single ruby red rose every year that her and the Laurentian King and Queen visited Cordonia until he was fifteen. That was twelve bright ruby red roses; the first one presented when the Princess was born until the final year when her father and Constantine fell out. Twelve years, he faithfully presented that rare Cordonian Ruby Rose to her as a gift that only grew in the Cordonian Royal Gardens, never forgetting how the Princess looked back at him with those big brown eyes as she smiled bashfully, swearing never to have them near him again after she left, destroying the Rose bush, leaving nothing left.

Isabella was like Leo’s equivalent to the girl next door, falling in love with her more and more with each Rose he gifted her. “And how was it different?” Isabella raised her brow in question feeling Leo’s arms wrapping around her lovingly, “Because I knew...” Leo began to get lost in those dark chocolate brown eyes, picking out the golden specs that flickered in the candlelight, “... every time you looked up at me... you were mine...” Isabella smiled warmly as she grinned, looking up at the Sandy blonde haired Cordonian, “...and now we know that we know should have been together from day one...” Leo began to chuckle, “Can you imagine how it could have been?” Feeling Isabella’s fingers intertwining with his, he looked down at her wedding and engagement rings that glittered with flawless diamonds, “We could hold hands when we wanted to... kissed you when you were happy, sad, or just because we wanted to...” Isabella sighed heavily with a smile as she continued, “Celebrate each achievement, each milestone, each birthday...” Leo began to nod, leaning down to kiss the top of her head as Isabella yawned, “I’d get to kiss you goodnight...” he mumbled as his lips pressed against her head, “and tell you how much I loved you... always...”

Isabella peacefully slept, cuddled up in Leo’s arms whilst they were on the couch. The former Crown Prince of Cordonia sighed with happiness, his fingers delicately twirled through her chestnut brown curls in complete bliss. Leo sat up before he carefully carried his wife towards their bed as she sleepily wrapped her arms around him. Smiling as she cuddled into her pillow, Leo reached for his phone checking momentarily that the glare of the light wouldn’t wake her. He wanted to do something nice for Isabella. Grinning to himself, he sneakily cleared his and Isabella’s weekend calendars and sent an email to all their staff giving them the day off as the Royal family had made other arrangements. Isabella began to stir come morning as the sunlight began to flood their bedroom, her arm rolled over to hug her husband, but as she patted the blankets, Leo’s broad, muscular frame wasn’t there. The Laurentian Queen propped herself up, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she heard the rattling of silverware coming closer to her.

“Good morning sleepy head...” Leo began to grin as he pushed forward the trolley filled with pancakes, fruit, Cordonian chocolate that Leo made into a sauce and coffee. Isabella wearily smiled as her husband handed her a china cup filled with decaf coffee poured from a china coffee pot. “I could get used to you serving me coffee like this...” Isabella grinned as her eyes followed Leo’s naked torso, his silk pyjama bottoms grazed his hips, accentuating his abs and v cut. Leo began to chuckle, “I’m more than an object kitten... I should have known better!” before he gently kissed her. “What’s the occasion?” Isabella raised her brow, her dark chocolate brown eyes queried until her brow began to furrow, “Where are the girls?”

Leo handed her a stack of pancakes, drizzling the Cordonian chocolate sauce over them, “Don’t worry... they’re with your mother... I just thought you deserved a quiet weekend...” he was right, the Palace was very quiet, more than usual, “The staff are off today until Monday... it’s just us beautiful...” Isabella felt her heart melt and with a deep breath, she felt so content. He was right, it was what she needed and when she tasted those pancakes, an involuntary moan graced her lips, “mmmmm....” she smiled happily. Leo rolled his eyes to the left as he laughed, “Harry met Sally much?!” Isabella pursed her lips, desperately trying not to laugh as her husband teased her. The Laurentian King grinned, his bright smile dazzled as he continued, “I have a little present for you in the living room when you are ready...”

Isabella slowly turned, lowering herself from the Super King Size bed, draping her silk dressing gown around her. Isabella scrunched up her nose happily as she wrapped her arm around Leo’s bicep carefully before he kissed the top of her head, “I really hope you like it kitten...” as Leo escorted her happily. Isabella’s eyes widened in shock as she saw a large bouquet of long stem Cordonian Ruby Roses waiting for her. “But...” Isabella quietly murmured, “...how did you?” Leo took a deep breath as he handed her the bouquet, all fifteen stems adorned with a matching red bow. “I should have kept up this tradition a long time ago...” Isabella brought the bouquet to her nose, smelling the deeply perfumed flowers before looking up at Leo with those big brown eyes how she always used to, making his heart melt. Isabella sighed happily as she looked up at her husband, smiling at her as he always did, “Bella...” Leo whispered, “You are my everything... You always were and will be...” as he kissed her forehead gently. “Liam and I were able to find his mother’s notes and we were able to recreate the Ruby Rose... they’re only for you kitten...”

Isabella’s eyes began to water as happy tears began to roll down her cheeks, “Mi amor...” she sniffed, “I can’t believe you would do this...” as her eyes returned to the bouquet she held in her arms. Leo took the petite brunette into his embrace warmly, “There’s fourteen to cover the past and one for this year to represent our future...” he cooed, “I’m not going to ever take you in my life for granted again... I don’t think I could deal with you leaving again...” As Isabella looked up, she stared into Leo’s sea green eyes, “You’ve no idea how much that hurt me kitten when you left and I am never going to let you go!” Isabella’s chestnut brown curls bounced as she shook her head, “I’m not going anywhere...” giggling. The Sandy blonde haired Cordonian held the Laurentian Queen against him for what felt like an eternity, he didn’t want to let Isabella go, holding her a little tighter as she tried to step back, “Just a minute longer kitten... I don’t want this to end...”

[katsukikitten]

A/N bbs we are on day 4 of Kitten's Valentine's Day event! Enjoy the little picture I made and the fic I whipped up (was gonna do some Todoroki comfort but....🌶🌶 happened instead) NSFW BBS

Sweat beads down the nape of your neck, causing your hair to become damp as it clings to your heated skin. Glitter dances in the low light of flashing lights. Music blares loudly as you and the rest of the sweating bodieds sway to the beat that slowly crescendos.

When the beat drops you catch blue eyes that send shivers down your spine despite the burning intensity of their gaze.

Unbeknownst to you his gaze has been glued to you since he first spotted you, wearing a small black and extremely short jumper that exposes your sternum.

Normally he would fantasize about crushing a sternum, of hearing the satisfying crunch echo back to him followed shortly by a sharp gasp.

But yours, donned in nothing but winking blue glitter drives him mad as he thinks of drawing a different kind of sharp gasp from your kissable mouth.

Of his own tracing down it agonizly slow until he runs into the fabric.

His next thought is what he would do once he runs into that constrictive material.

He smirks as he knows he will burn it to ash beneath his hungry blue flames.

"Are you thinking of slicing someone up?" A familiar giggle interrupts his thoughts but his gaze does not waver, holding into your body like a prayer.

The blonde licks her knife as she looks over the crowd before leaning against a toned arm.

The dark haired man leans further back into the plush bench, long legs resting atop a low table littered with empty bags, bottles, and obscene amounts of cash.

You notice the blonde who giggles, curling herself against him and even whispering into his ear. He leans closer to the blonde but keeps his gaze on you.

For some reason you feel as if you're under the influence of more than booze.

You feel as if you're under the suggestion of a quirk. For whatever reason you cannot look away, as if a lamb staring in the face of a haughty wolf.

His eyes glimmer, smile widening as if he could read your thoughts. You swallow thickly, never sure what entrapment feels like considering you've always been powerless.

"Whose that?" You yell over the music to your friend, she squints before spying the hungry wolf. She makes an obvious face before shouting back.

"He is the woman eater I've been telling you about. Has a new girl each month. Just ignore him."

You turn to give him your back just in case, now hyper aware of his lingering eyes. Feeling their weight even this far away. The song sways your mood, asking you to forget him as the hours pass on.

As he watches he wonders when you'll leave? Will it be at last call or long after?

But what he doesn't know is that while he's looking you're not going home.

You lose yourself to the music, forgetting about him for a few moments before you glance up, just happening to catch his eyes again as he shamelessly stares. Bodies pass between the two of you, suddenly you've lost him before you spy the back of his head ducking through a back door.

Curiosity gets the better of you as you push through the drunken and high crowd towards the door you just barely saw him slip through.

Two guards stand in the way between you and the mesmerizing pair of eyes that you still feel on your skin. You shudder from the thought before a guard puts out a meaty arm to block the door.

"Restroom is that way." The other says gruffly pointing to the opposite end of the building. As a lie begins to form on your tongue a slender arm is slipped through yours.

"She's with me boys." A sugary voice purrs as a blonde head presses against your exposed arm. Both guards look visibly disturbed as they look at the woman who clings to you. The same one who clung to the blue eyed man. You swallow thickly as you stare into her face, noticing her ever flushed cheeks, golden eyes half mast as they glitter with manic glee even in the low light.

You especially notice the belt of a blades of several different sizes with hilts all decorated differently snugly wrapped around her slim waist. Briefly you question her age as she wears a school uniform but quickly you realize that there is a kink for it.

You smile politely if not awkwardly as the guards part their arms, allowing the odd duo to enter.

She slips from your arm, wrapping delicately strong arms around your torso, a knife now resting against your throat as she sing songs into your ear.

"Not everything you seek is good for you." She giggles, she pushes the knife with enough pressure and accuracy that a single drop of blood wets her blade before she pulls it away slightly to examine it. You watch her cheeks flush in the mirror of the blade as her eyes flutter from the sight.

From the small copper tang smell.

Your breath hitches, body frozen beneath her touch as she admires her work. The image of cold iron plunging into your throat, tearing apart your flesh with white hot swipes has your throat closing up while your heart free falls into your twisting stomach. Still you make no move to break free before she jerks her wrist in front of you causing you to both flinch and clench your eyes tightly shut.

When the kiss of her blade does not come you peek with one eye, vision slightly blurred as tears threaten to fall.

She points with her knife giving you a small shove, your hand automatically flies to your throat. Small beads of crimson dot your shaking fingers before the bleeding slows to a stop.

"He's that way. And if he doesn't choose to keep you. You'll be all mine." Another manic giggle before she let's her tongue slide up the length of steel grabbing every molecule of blood that she can. She shudders from pleasure, toes turning inward as she savors your life force.

"Oh how I hope he doesn't pick you...." She coos as you take a few steps back before turning to sprint.

Ragged breaths have your hands grabbing onto the nearest door knob before you slip into a darkened room. You stare through the small window, back to the room as you wait for her to pass by.

Once you realize she is not going to give chance you stop to catch your breath. Hands on your knees as you replay the most horrific moment you've encountered thus far.

Of her pink tongue lapping at the blood on the blade.

Lapping at *your* blood. Fingers press into your throat as you try to even your breathing. You pull your hand away for your digits to come clean easing a bit of your pain.

"My my, what is the little lamb doing in the Lion's den?" You shudder at the voice behind you, knowing exactly who it belongs to despite having never heard it.

He wastes no time, hands on your hips, pressing your toned ass against him as his tongue laps up the lingering droplets of blood from your encounter moments ago.

A gasp escapes your lips, head swirling as you feel him harden against you. The bass just barely reaches the two of you in the small room, lit only by the light from the hall and now candles in flickering blue flame. You gulp down another moan as his hand slips through the V, warm digit swirling over your perked nipple as a mouth steadily marks you as his.

You give into pleasure when you catch glimpse of his burning blue eyes in the reflection of the glass. Moaning as his heated hands explore more and more of your body as you brand him in your own way with lingering glitter. He growls in your ear as he tugs at the fabric of your jumper before it ignites, instinctual fear and panic pull at your stomach before you realize you're not burning. The blue flame is pleasantly warm as it licks up the fabric before it falls to ash at your feet. You feel his lips curl up against your hear before he speaks.

"That's more like it."

His hand finds your dripping core causing your throat to tighten. Not in panic but in fear of being too loud as he wets his fingers in your slick. Teasingly pressing agaisnt your throbbing clit before plunging them into your core.

"Aaaahhh." Your breath comes out hot, now of all times you wish you knew his name. As if he could read your mind whispers what to call him before nibbling on your ear.

"Dabi or Master is just fine." His tone dips cruelly before seizes your throat, hard enough it may leave a bruise.

But in that oxygen deprived moment you can do nothing but let this mesmerizing man have his way with you.

"Is that fine with you my little pet?"

"Y...yes master." You struggle to get out past moans as he increases his pace, separating his two fingers every now and again to make sure your cunt is ready for him.

"Good. I figured from how wet you are but I wanted to make sure." His voice is velvet in your ear before he removes his fingers from you, causing an aching feeling to settle both between your legs and in your chest.

"Here convince me that I want to make you a meal." He says presenting his fingers into your sight line. He separates them to show your clear juices string between two fingers. Blush dusts your cheeks as he connects them again moving them closer. You lick up the length of his fingers before sucking on them hard, he forces his fingers in further hitting your gag reflex to which you barely respond. He smiles from ear to ear as he thinks of all the ways he is going to ruin you.

He moves to bend you over what must be a low filing cabinet, the counter's edge bites into your hips as he spreads your legs to his liking. He bites his lip as he watches you twitch before he swirls his fingers a moment more. Removing them again as he eats you alive.

*"He's the woman eater...." *

Is this what your friend had meant when she called Master that?

You weren't sure, the only thing you were sure of is how quickly your release approached, all the while your gasp out his name and title interchangeable.

"Mmmmmmaster....." You cry out as he sucks harshly on your clit while you see stars. Finally convulsing and bucking agaisnt his mouth before he pulls away. You lean up, ready to drop to your knees to return the favor only for him to slam you down onto the counter with his strong hand, overstimulating you with his tongue to coax another crescendo out of you. He removes his belt, slapping it agaisnt your ass until gorgeous welts appear before he tenderly wraps it around your throat, holding onto it as if it were a leash. He drops his pants, stroking down the bead of his precum to wet himself although there is no need as you begin to wet your own thighs. You sway your hips, hoping to be filled like the slut you are earning a grin before he pulls harshly on the belt causing your head and upper body to come up a few inches from the cool surface.

"Hands stay on the counter, pet." He snarls in your ear, as he presses himself against you. You whine in response before he finally sheaths himself with one harsh thrust.

"Fuuuuuuck." He drawls out, stroking both your ego and G spot as he pulls out to plunge into you again. Quickly he sets an unforgiving pace as he pounds into you. Squeezing your hips and pulling on the belt ever now and again. You moan loudly, borderline screaming as he pounds into you, pulling out every animalistic desire you have. Especially so as you hear yourself echo in the room paired with his deadly grunts and the wet slapping sound of you taking him so well.

"Who do you belong to?" He hisses as grows closer to the edge.

"You master..." You cry out, feeling his dick twitch sends you ever closer to yet another cum of the night. He leans over, pressing himself into your back as he whispers in your ear.

"Damn right. You belong to me and no one else. You got that little slut?" You can do nothing but nod before he bites down onto your shoulder harshly sending you over the edge to convulse around him. Attempting to milk him for all that he's got. His hips begin to pound into you harsher and more sloppy as he continues to chase his own relief.

"Fuuuccck. My little slut has the best pussy.." He slurs before biting you again, cock endlessly twitching as he fills you to the brim, some of it oozing out to collect on your thighs. His hips stutter as he rides it out causing you to whimper, filling you with the desire for more, more of him and more of his seed. He slips out of you and leans away only for you to turn around and bring your mouth to his in a searing kiss. Tongue sliding across his in an attempt to tell him through hushed whimpers that you want to fuck all night.

Need to.

"Little pet." He smiles, wiping away the extra spit from your lips before he yanks you by your "leash".

"Let's get something to eat." You nod in response although your face is obviously crestfallen. He yanks on your leash, pulling you closer to him as he kisses you with lustful fever, hands exploring your breasts and hips before he pulls away completely before dressing in his over sized fur lined coat.

"And then I'll fuck you all over again. Okay my needy slut?"

[junie-bugg]

Prospects and Propriety - Chapter One

Summary: Everlark Jane Austen AU

“We’re very similar, you and I.” He turns the leaf over in his palm one last time and then presses it into my hand. His fingertips are warm where the leaf is brittle.

We are, aren’t we? Me, a girl forced to marry by the rules and expectations of society and him, a boy whose freewill was stolen away before he could even walk. We’re both prisoners. Destined to fates we did not choose ourselves. Now I see what was so funny to him.

The two of us: we are absolutely tragic.

Katniss Everdeen and her younger sister Prim are the adopted daughters of Mr. Haymitch Abernathy, a wealthy man with no biological heirs. By the rules of Panem society, an older sibling must be married before the younger can wed. In a time when women have no means of making their own living, marriage is the only way for Katniss to save her sister from destitution and set her up for a happy marriage of her own. Katniss sets her sights on Mr. Gale Hawthorne, a wealthy man who just moved to Whitley and who seems to have his eye on her. But what of the poor baker’s boy who once took a beating to save her life?

Read here on Tumblr or on my AO3 account: izzacrosswriting

Author’s Note: 

This is a story inspired by my love of Everlark and Jane Austen’s novels. I am in no way an expert on the Regency period and I include fashions/details that are not historically accurate.

The setting is an alternate England-like Panem.

The plot is my own (Gale is not Mr. Darcy people, don’t get it twisted) but does borrow aesthetics and ideas directly from Jane Austen and Suzanne Collins.

The cast of characters is a mix of canon Hunger Games and original characters I’ve created.

I plan on including links to music and ambiance videos I used while writing so feel free to explore those! I typically play nature sounds and music together on my laptop so sorry if you're reading on a phone!

Warning: I do plan on this series getting a lil smutty. There will be graphic depictions of violence, sex, and possibly death. I’m still working everything out:)

Nature ambiance(s):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ9uyQI3pF0&t=1694s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUjUhZ1Yy7Y

Music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cc9ofwF-e4

(If you want to listen to this on Spotify it's called 'The Secret Life of Daydreams' from the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack.)

Word Count: 1,727

Chapter One

I run my hands through the tall grasses at my waist. It’s the perfect morning. The crisp air doesn’t quite hold that harsh bite of winter that will soon sweep the countryside in blizzards and ice. Emerald leaves hint at the coming autumn with the slightest tint of yellow along their stems. The sun shines bright through branches and I watch the forest come alive with squirrels and chipmunks that scurry through the thick brush. The dirt path I followed to get here grazes the edge of the woods, but I’ve abandoned it to traipse through the wild-flower dotted hillsides instead. 

From this high up, I can see everything. The village of Whitley lies to the west. I can just make out the rooftops of the squat brick buildings off the main square. By this time the merchants will have opened their shops for business. The rest of the countryside is peppered with grand estates and bountiful farmland. Rivers gleam like veins of silver and dirt roads are wreathed in the dust kicked up by horse-drawn carriages. I wish I could stay and sit here all day. I would drink in the sun and drown in the low hum of insects, though Haymitch has warned me of the nasty gossip that follows a lady with a tan and a set of freckles. 

A lady. I almost snort. Apparently, that’s what I am. Or what I need to be if anyone is ever going to ask for my hand in marriage. The thought ruins the good mood my morning stroll had put me in. I throw myself down among the tall grasses and begin plucking mindlessly at their stems. 

Haymitch Abernathy, the legal guardian of me and my sister, has never been one to force us into doing things we dislike. I’m allowed to ride my horse alone, hunt with a bow and arrow, and take off into the woods whenever I please, like some woodland nymph from one of my father’s old stories. If it wasn’t for Prim and my greenhouse back at home I would probably live out here. Until it got cold of course. I’m allowed more freedom than any other young girl in the county, I’m sure. But not even Haymitch can protect me from matrimony. 

My sister is excited for me. I imagine she’s fantasized about her wedding since she knew what a wedding was. To her, marriage is a romantic fairytale. A strong, handsome man of large fortune will sweep her off her feet and give her an estate to run and small, cherub-faced children to care for. To me, marriage sounds like a death sentence. They say if I’m lucky, I’ll marry for love as well as for fortune, but I never want to love someone as much as my mother loved my father. Because when he died, in a way, so did she. The only person I know that I truly love is Prim. 

Primrose Everdeen, my little sister, was never the outdoorsy type like me. She’s fair, with golden blonde hair that hangs in ringlets past her slight shoulders, and a face as fresh and as pure as a spring dewdrop. She spends her days drawing, flower arranging, and studying languages with my old tutor Mrs. Winthrop. 

“She’ll be a highly accomplished woman by the time I’m done with her. Mark my words, this young girl is special,” Mrs. Winthrop had said to Haymitch mere days after first starting Prim’s lessons. She had been my tutor for years and had never said anything nearly as flattering about me. Sullen Katniss Everdeen must have been a lost cause in her eyes. 

I’m four years older than Prim who’s a mere twelve. We share the same parents, though we look almost nothing alike. Where she received the fair skin, blonde curls, and gentle blue eyes of our mother, I received the olive-toned, straight black, and storm grey palette of our father. 

I sit up suddenly, aware that I left home hours ago and it must be getting time for my lessons. I dread heading back to that stuffy room where I’m required to sit straight and learn to be “lady-like” under the scrutinizing gaze of Ms. Effie Trinket, my new tutor. Manners are of the utmost importance to her, seeing as she makes her living off of teaching them. She considers being late an unforgivable sin. 

With this in mind, I take my time gathering wild-flowers. There are so many at my feet, their delicate white and yellow petals peeking up amongst the grasses. I deftly craft two flower chains. One for me, which I place on the crown of my head, and one for Prim clutched in my hands. I notice some dirt under my nails and smile, wondering what Effie will say when I arrive late and grimy. 

She purses her lips and crosses her arms as I enter the room. “Where were you?” She demands in that high pitched voice of hers. 

“Out,” I shrug. I hadn’t seen Prim on my way in so I’m still clutching her flower crown. I offer it to Effie instead. “Flowers?” She squints at my offering, probably checking for bugs, before gingerly taking it and placing it down on a side table. 

“Katniss, I need you to take today’s lesson seriously.” Her clipped tone sets my teeth on edge.

“I always do-” I start, but Effie cuts me off. 

“Don’t lie to me, Katniss. I know you don’t care for etiquette. I know that to you a spoon is just a spoon, even when that spoon is a soup spoon and should only be used for soup!” 

Again with the soup spoon thing, it was one time. But she’s right. I find learning manners and etiquette a waste of time. I’ve only been out in society for a short while. I barely attend balls seeing as I’m sixteen and prefer to stay at home anyway. I look up and realize that Effie is still talking at me.

“Are you even listening? Mrs. Winthrop was right, you are hopeless.” She sighs and wipes non-existent dust off of her shimmery lilac skirts. “It is imperative that you start paying attention and make some kind of progress in these lessons. Mr. Gale Hawthorne has recently taken possession of Templeton and is traveling here, as we speak, to take up residence indefinitely. Do you know what this could mean for you?” Suddenly, her annoyance melts away and is replaced by a teary, almost hopeful expression. The way this woman’s emotions swing back and forth between happy and exasperated hurts my head. She comes to clasp my face between her palms. “Mr. Hawthorne earns ten thousand a year, Katniss. Ten thousand!” 

I have in fact heard of the Hawthornes. Maybe those lessons have had more of an impact on me than I thought. I was forced to spend months poring over books filled with the names and family trees of wealthy, well-known families that I had either already been acquainted with or might be acquainted with in the future. A healthy knowledge of people, especially rich people, will get you far in life. At least that’s what Effie says. 

Gale Hawthorne is the eldest son of the wealthy businessman Ezra Hawthorne. I forget exactly how Mr. Hawthorne first made his fortune but the word mine sticks around in my head. What his mine produced, I’m not sure. Precious gems? Gold? Coal? All I know is the Hawthornes are incredibly wealthy, and Gale being the eldest son inherited when his father died. He is in possession of everything from the family fortune to a legion of servants to the many extravagant houses in Town. Now it seems he’s grown tired with the city and has decided to try his hand at country living. Good, I think. A wealthy man who’s used to the high society of the Capitol won’t last long out here. He’ll be out of my hair before the month’s up. Effie must not realize this since she’s still staring happily into my face. 

“And?” I ask.

“Well, he’ll fall in love with you and ask for your hand in marriage!” She beams as if this is obvious. “If you play your cards right of course. For instance, he won’t find you very agreeable if all you do is scowl at him like you do me-” I jerk out of her grasp. 

Of course. Marriage. It’s one of the only things Effie has talked about the entire time I’ve been her pupil. 

“Yes, Mr. Abernathy warned me that'd you'd be. . .avoidant. But don’t you see? That’s the reason I’m here. To teach you how to win a husband! It’s an art you know.” She sighs, probably seeing the panicked look on my face, and slips back into a tone of tired annoyance. “You’ll have to marry someone, Katniss. Might as well marry knowing you’ll spend the rest of your life in the lap of luxury.”

She’s right, of course. There’s no way for women to make their own living. I can’t go to university to study business or law, I can’t run my own shop, I can’t inherit Haymitch’s estate or fortune. When he dies the money goes to some estranged cousin on his father’s side. I am a woman, therefore, I am destined to either marry or die poor and unprotected. And Prim…

If I don’t marry, then Prim can’t marry. One of the rules of proper Panem society is that a younger sibling cannot marry unless the eldest has, meaning I must be happily settled before my younger sister can even entertain the idea of love. If I don’t get married and Haymitch goes and does something stupid like die, there will be nothing I can do. For either of us. We’d be turned out of the house and left to beg for scraps. And I will not let that happen to Prim. Not again. 

I force myself to swallow past the lump in my throat and spend the rest of the afternoon paying careful attention to Effie. She’s trying to teach me to communicate with men via body language, long gazes, and the fluttering of lashes. 

This is the only way to save Prim, and with each horrible flutter I produce and each disappointed sigh from Effie, I feel my chances slipping away.

[behappykeepclassy]

LOVER Track-by-track Impressions

1. I Forgot That You Existed

catchy AF with the da-da-da in the beginning

“Free rent, living in my mind”

love how she sings “and quieeeetttt”

“It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference”

“I forgot that you sent me a clear message, taught me some hard lessons”

The “So, yeah” at the end is gold, like vocally shrugging

2. Cruel Summer 

Pure BOP!

Feeling that bass in my soul

“I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below” - 80s John Hughes movie style!

“Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes” is perfect

The whole chorus floats and soars and I love it so much

“You say that we’ll just screw it up in these trying times, we’re not trying” - SUCH A GOOD LINE

“So cut the headlights, summer’s knife, I’m always waiting for you just to cut to the bone” Ouf!

“I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you”

The raspy roar in her voice when she sings “He looks up, grinning like a devil”

3. Lover

Quiet and precious and sweet and lovely and cozy

So happy we have an album with a title song again

4. The Man

“They’d say I played the field before i found someone to commit to”

“Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you”

“I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man” - MY MOTTO FROM NOW ON, just running through my head constantly

“What I was wearing, if I was rude” - I feel like this also doubles for her sexual assault case against that radio DJ (blaming the victim)

“I’d be just like Leo in Saint-Tropez” LOL

The whole bridge, when she switches from “And getting bitches and models” to “If I was out flashing my dollars, I’d be a bitch not a baller” OUF

MY INHERENT FEMALE ANGER AT THE INJUSTICE OF THE PATRIARCHY IS ALIVE AND WELL

5. The Archer

This is one of my favourites, even though I’ve had it longer than most cause it was released earlier

Lyrically, best or second best on the album

Destroys me every time, goddamnit

6. I Think He Knows

“I am an architect, I’m drawing up the plans”

I love how she sings “skipping down 16th avenue”, like so specific and wonderful but universal

I like how she owns how much of a catch she herself is in the second verse - like yassss girl

“Lyrical smile, indigo eyes, hand on my thigh, we can follow the sparks (SPARKS FLYYYYYYYY), I’ll smile”

7. Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince

The way it starts, it made me think of The Killers “Well somebody told me that you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend…”

“American glory faded before me” - her fall from the spotlight

“I saw the scoreboard and ran for my life” - hiding away from media and everyone

I like how she incorporates the “OKAY” school chant in the background of the chorus

This has a lot of “I Know Places” vibes, especially second verse

The switch in the bridge from “And I don’t want you to (Go), I don’t really wanna (Fight), ‘Cause nobody’s gonna (Win)” to “And I’ll never let you (Go), ‘Cause I know this is a (Fight),” That somebody we’re gonna (Win)”

Wish she’d held the the last note that she started before entering back into final chorus (it sounded like it was going to go on longer

8. Paper Rings

Makes me think of the happiness of “Stay, Stay, Stay” with a dash of “Holy Ground” energy

Easily one of my faves

Jack Antonoff counting us into the chorus, just love him

Just such fun, every lyric and beat

“I like shiny things but I’d marry you with paper rings” and “I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this” SO CUTE

“Honey, without all the exes, fights, and flaws, we wouldn’t be standing here so tall” - so mature and wonderful and she’s so happy now!

I love that she brings it up an octave starting at the bridge and into the final chorus

I can’t help but smile listening to this over and over again

Like, I want Lover as my wedding song and Paper Rings as a choreographed 20s swing dance with my future husband

9. Cornelia Street 

Hit me the second time more than the first, like wow I actually love this

“‘I rent a place on Cornelia Street,’ I say casually in the car” CUTEEEEE

“That’s the kinda heartbreak time could never mend, I’d never walk Cornelia Street again”

Second half of the chorus makes me think of Dress

“Windows swung right open, autumn air, jacket ‘round my shoulders is yours” - ALL TOO WELL callback

“Back when we were card sharks, playing games, I thought you were leading me one, I packed my bags, left Cornelia Street before you even knew I was gone” - makes me think of when she sings “If I had known what I know now, I never would have played so nonchalant” in Come Back, Be Here

“Barefoot in the kitchen” - makes me think of All Too Well “dancing in the refrigerator light”

I also think Cornelia Street doubles for love itself, like this is it for her, this is the one big love for her and there won’t be another so she wants to get it right and keep it safe

10. Death By A Thousand Cuts

Ignore the lyrics and you almost think it’s a happy song (classic Jack Antonoff Bleachers thing to do)

“I look through the windows of this love, even though we boarded them up, chandelier still flickering here” - brilliant

THE PIANOOOOOOOOOOOOO (very Bleachers ‘Wild Heart’ outro)

She goes from “We were a fresh page on the desk, filling in the blanks as we go” in Cornelia Street to “But if the story’s over, why am I still writing pages?” in Death By A Thousand Cuts, and that kills me

“My heart, my hips, my body, my love, Tryna find a part of me that you didn’t touch”

“Our songs, our films, united, we stand, our country, guess it was a lawless land”

“Why are my fears at the touch of your hands? Paper cut stains from my paper-thin plans” - some of the best lyrics on the album right there, IMO

“My time, my wine, my sprit, my trust, Tryna find a part of me you didn’t take up” - this destroyed me more than I thought it would because it was so unexpected and raw, especially the second half of the line, like she’s realizing that he took too much and it hurts but it wasn’t good to lose herself like that

11. London Boy

Is the voice talking in the beginning Idris Elba?

“They say home is where the heart is, But that’s not where mine lives” - she says the second half like a secret she’s sharing with us over wine

Gotta go back to London STAT

“Doesn’t have to be Louis V up on Bond Street” LOL fancy baller line

12. Soon You’ll Get Better

This and The Archer are the two songs I cried during, just gutted

“The buttons of my coat were tangled in my hair” - how we think of the mundane things when the worst things are happening to try and distract ourselves

“Holy orange bottles, each night, I pray to you” - I don’t know what to say

“…’Cause you have to”

I love that the Dixie Chicks are lightly assisting the chorus without taking the song away from Taylor and its focus

The bridge and pre-final-chorus have me crying the most and I don’t know what to do

This remind me a lot of Ronan mixed with Never Grow Up and Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide

13. False God

Sax is a bit like the sax in Bleachers’ Everybody Lost Somebody (not complaining at all)

“We were stupid to jump in the ocean separating us

I get Dress sexy vibes from this (“The altar is my hips”)

The feathery way she sings the second “this loooovee)

Reminds me of “So It Goes…”

14. You Need to Calm Down

Still a bop, and always will be a bop - just so fun

15. Afterglow

I like that she owns up to her mistakes and destructive tendency

Makes me think of the Lover lyric “And I’m highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you” and in the music video it’s her jealousy that leads to a fight

“Fighting with a true love is boxing with no gloves”

“I lived like an island, punished you in silence”

16. ME!

Lyrically and musically, exactly like what happened with Look What You Made Me Do and Reputation - almost like a red herring to put us off the sonic trail of her album until single 2 came out

17. It’s Nice To Have a Friend

We get a story again! I’ve missed story song! (think Mary’s Song and Everything Has Changed mixed together)

Lovely chill indie vibes

“Something gave you the nerve to touch my hand”

Love me some trumpet

“Church bells ring, carry me home” (like third verse of Mary’s Song)

“Rice on the ground looks like snow” - poetic cute

18. Daylight

“My love was a cruel as the cities I lived in, everyone looked worse in the light” - like Cruel Summer and Getaway Car and even Back to December, she wanted something and got it, only find it wasn’t what she wanted and she ended up hurting someone in the process

Chorus makes me think of You Are in Love floating synth

“I wounded the good and I trusted the wicked” (Back to December, Getaway Car, I Knew You Were Trouble)

“Clearing the air, I breathed in the smoke” harkens back to The Archer’s “The room is on fire, invisible smoke”

“Threw out our cloaks and our daggers because it’s morning now” - she no longer needs I Know Places, no fear or hiding

“I once believe love would be (Black and white) But it’s (Golden) […] I once believed love would be (Burning red) But it’s golden” - Burning red calls back to Red (duh!), Golden calls back to Dress “Made your mark on me, a golden tattoo”, End Game “It’s like your eyes are liquor, it’s like your body is gold”, So It Goes… “Gold cage, hostage to my feelings” and Dancing With Our Hands Tied “Deep blue, but you painted me golden”

“You gotta step into the daylight and let it go” - remind me of the poem The Trick to Holding On that she wrote for Vogue (“The trick to holding on Was all that letting go”)

The talking outro is very Jack Antonoff/Bleachers’ Strange Desire, cause he threads introspective talking throughout, especially when she says “I wanna be defined by the things that I love” and he sings “I wanna be grateful for the experiences that I’ve had” in You’re Still a Mystery

[elvhenahhh]

Sketch of Zevran and my Soufei Mahariel done by the wonderful @pegaeae

He drew this eons ago, and I kept putting off posting it cuz I wanted to write a fic, but... Life kept finding a way to fuck with me. 

Thanks again, Logan, and I hope y’all enjoy the fic!

-----------

To Touch (aka FUCK.png cuz that’s what I named the file as soon as I got it)

The first time Mahariel did it, Zevran was confused as to why.

It was after the debacle at Kinloch Hold. She had seen him in Fade, stretched out and being trained – being tortured – by the older, initiated Crows. She hadn't said anything then as focused as she was on rounding up the rest of their companions and getting out as quickly as possible.

Afterwards, he could feel her gaze on her, heavy from across the campfire. When he could no longer stand pretending not to notice, he finally looked up and shot a grin and cheery wave in her direction. To his surprise, she rose from her seat next to Alistair and moved to sit next to him instead. He was also next expecting to hear her next words, “Tell me about Antiva.” So he did.

As he regaled her on Antiva's treasures and beauty, he could see the lines of her shoulders start to relax and a soft smile spread across her face. It gave him some joy to be able to relieve the Warden of her burdens even for a few moments though he would admit this thought to no one. It was as he was describing living in the apartment by the leather-making district, packed in like rats with the other prospective initiates that the heaviness began to re-enter her gaze.

He flirted with her at the end as is his habit and received nothing but warmth from her end, but the heaviness didn't seem to leave her. At a loss, he ended with, “Now, if it is all the same to you, I would prefer not to speak more of Antiva. It makes me wistful and hungry for a proper meal.” She nodded absently but didn't move away from him.

Then, moving slowly enough to telegraph her movement, she laid one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his chest, and drew him to her. For a fleeting moment, he thought they were to kiss, and he licked his lips in anticipation. She gently pressed their foreheads together, noses bumping as well, and then just... stayed there. Eyes closed, breathing softly.

And Zevran... Zevran was even more tense than the day he had his first kiss. Or when he first slept with another. Or his first kill. He could feel his face flushing, and he couldn't stop flexing his hands on his own lap. What was he supposed to do now???

They held the position only for a few moments, but it felt like hours. Her thumb swept a few times across his nape. His face was so close to her hers that he could see little flecks of dust on her eyelashes. Her hand was gently flexing and relaxing, and he suddenly realized that she was getting his breath to align with hers.

Finally, she pulled away. The hand on his chest returned to her lap, but the hand on his neck moved to his cheek. She paused to look at his face, and whatever she saw there caused her to smile brilliantly and pat his cheek.

Then, she was gone. Moved off to talk to Alistair again or Sten or... whomever. Leaving Zevran with the ghost of her touch and a lot of confusion.

-------------------

It was afterwards that Zevran remembered that it was called “donking,” a term coined by Alistair, of course.

Zevran had witnessed it was after a particularly difficult battle in the Brecilian Forest involving a revenant and several annoyingly active undead. Alistair had made some depreciating quip as he was wont to do. Something about nearly dying or living to die a different day instead, etc. For a moment, all the Warden did was stare at her companion with a furrowed expression for long enough that Alistair put up his hands and chuckled awkwardly. Then, she strode forward, clasped her hand on the back of his neck, and pushed their foreheads together. From where he stood, Zevran could see Alistair's wide-eyed and cross-eyed look though the Warden had closed her eyes. He couldn't hear, but he saw her lips moving. As she spoke, Alistair's expression went rueful then smooth as he also closed his eyes. She pressed their heads together for a moment more before stepping away, nodding curtly to Zevran and the scowling Morrigan, and continuing the way through the forest.

Whatever it was, it was an act of fond companionship... he guessed?

----------------------------

The second time...

The second time was after Taliesen.

Zevran was standing over Taliesen's dead body, and... it was good. Zevran was alive, and Taliesen was dead, and the Warden was alive, and all this was good, but.

A touch to his arm finally drew his gaze away from the corpse. Mahariel's golden eyes scanned his face though she said nothing. Zevran just smiled wryly and shrugged. She exhaled, loudly, a quick puff of air through her nose, a gesture that Zevran was quickly recognizing as fond affection based on how many times she reacted the same to Alistair or to any of their companions' antics.

Keeping one hand on his arm, the other went to his neck to reel him in again, their foreheads colliding with the softest 'donk.'

This time, he closed his eyes. In the dark, his world was reduced to the hands on his body, the breath against his lips, the face so close to his own. He reached out and placed his hands on the Warden's hips, and she responded by taking a step closer, bringing her warm body all the closer to his. Fingers scritched at the base of his skull causing him to hum tunelessly.

The sound of Wynne coughing “politely” and Sten's silent but palpable judgment finally drew them apart once more. With a final pat of his cheek, Mahariel stepped and turned away to regroup with their companions. At the last moment, Zevran caught her hand, tangling their fingers together. She turned back to him, golden gaze meeting his once more. This time, she was the confused one.

He brought their joined hands to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Better him than you, my dear warden,” he murmured against her skin.

They had slept together a few times at this point, but neither spent the whole night in either's tent, nor had they kissed, but. It was building. Something was building between them even if Zevran wasn't exactly sure what.

Mahariel exhaled fondly again and squeezed his fingers before finally drawing and turning away.

---------------------------------------

And now.

Now it is the day after the Archdemon's defeat. Denerim is still rebuilding, but for now, it is quiet in the room they share. Zevran stretches out across the bed and is vaguely disconcerted to find himself alone. The movement of the curtains quickly draws his attention, and he can see the distorted outline of his love standing out on the balcony.

Despite the apparent sunshine, he still takes a few minutes to get fully dressed. The day he trusts the appearance of Ferelden weather is the day he eats his leather boot. He can hear faint tittering outside, no doubt his love, mocking him for his sensitivity. (“It's not that cold, Zevran.” “Says the barbaric Dalish woman who has had all her life to adjust to this horrible weather.” “Ay, come here then, you baby.” “My, what a soft body you have. “All the better to warm you with, vhenan.”)

Fully dressed, he rises and makes his way to the balcony. As expected, Soufei is there, waiting for him, elbows propped against the railing. Gone are the heavy, enigmatic gazes; now, she greets him with a smile, bright and beautiful. He reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers trail along the braid she's started weaving into her hair and gently press against the gold earring in her ear, not the prince's that he once gave her, but a new one that they chose together whose partner he now wears. (“Gold like your eyes,” he whispers. “Gold like your hair,” she replies.)

Stepping in close, he cradles her jaw with both hands. It would be so easy to lean in and kiss her as they've done before, as he's done the dozens if not hundreds of times since they've affirmed their love for each other.  Already, he regrets the time lost, the time wasted pretending when they could've been kissing instead.

Indeed, he's paused for long enough that her gaze has turned into curiosity. Her head tilted slightly to one side, brow arched. She raises her hands to grasp the V of his collar, but she does nothing more than that.

Finally, he decides and uses his gentle grip to draw her closer. Forehead against forehead, noses bumping, soft breath against open lips. He doesn't look away, nor does she, too busy taking in all of her beauty. The black of her vallaslin, the flecks of deeper gold in her eyes, the flutter of her eyelashes as she blinks.

Sharing the same space, breathing the same air, reveling in the intimacy of it. Now, Zevran understands why she did it so long ago.

“I-” he hesitates. He knows what he feels, but to say it...

She smiles, granting him mercy. “I know,” she says. She understands, and this is one of the reasons why he loves her so. “Ar lath ma, vhenan. You can say it when you can.”

He swallows around the lump in his throat and nods against her.

Later in the day, there will be a celebration honoring the Hero of Ferelden.

Later, there will be boons and nobles and politics.

Later, there will be an order to rebuild and a guild to answer to.

But for now.

Holding each other close, reveling in the mere fact that they will live another day to live, to laugh, to love.

For now, this is enough.

[sgannaoui-blog]

The Odyssey- 2019 Film Adaptation

"'When your crew have taken you past these Sirens, I cannot give you coherent directions as to which of two courses you are to take; I will lay the two alternatives before you, and you must consider them for yourself. Homer’s great literary work, The Odyssey, is coming to the big screen in 2019. With background information on the film, we are interviewing Sound Designer Sophia Gannaoui. We have a list of songs featured in the film with descriptions of why they were chosen by Gannaoui herself.

*Note: This film is Rated R because of strong references to alcohol and the inclusion of mild curse words.

1. The Light Behind Your Eyes by My Chemical Romance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSg-eHng52E

Book 1 in The Odyssey holds an introductory discussion about the fate of Odysseus- the king of Ithaca. The instrumental of this song at the beginning represents sadness and mystery which is reflected upon the whereabouts of Odysseus himself. When the song transitions into having lyrics, the lyrics contain a very resigned mood starting off by saying, “So long to all my friends, every one of them met tragic ends.” For Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, he has given up all hope of reuniting with his father by saying “‘My father is dead and gone,’" answered Telemachus, ‘and even if some rumour reaches me I put no more faith in it now. My mother does indeed sometimes send for a soothsayer and question him, but I give his prophecyings no heed.’” Odysseus is the friend of Telemachus and the possible death of Odysseus is the “tragic end” that is mentioned in the song.

2. Pachelbel's Canon in D Major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80

Love is in the air in Books 3 and 4 filled with great elegance. Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major is a classic song played at weddings and is enjoyed by many. It already emotes romanticism through its legato playing. The celebration of the marriages of the children of the King and Queen of Sparta was a grand event, “For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heaven vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself. So the neighbours and kinsmen of Menelaus were feasting and making merry in his house. There was a bard also to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers went about performing in the midst of them when the man struck up with his tune.] “

Weddings bring people together in great unity and the ones in the story were what brought Odysseus closer to the royalty that took him in and discussed the Trojan War altogether.

3. Aaron Burr, Sir from Hamilton the Musical (Karaoke)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLgo9drgZ6g

This song contains many breaks for dialogue to speak over which is needed for scenes in Book 7 because of the main conversation going on between Ulysses and Alcinous. The original song contained comedic lines of reasoning and logic about drinking and reaching an elite level of political control. When “Ulysses said: ‘Pray, Alcinous, do not take any such notion into your head. I have nothing of the immortal about me, neither in body nor mind, and most resemble those among you who are the most afflicted,’” we had our actors saying this in a teasing way for the idea of immortality to be such an absurdity to Ulysses.

4. Troy Song from Phineas and Ferb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIOjFkcWT5g

In Book 8, “the muse inspired Demodocus to sing the feats of heroes, and more especially a matter that was then in the mouths of all men, to wit, the quarrel between Ulysses and Achilles, and the fierce words that they heaped on one another as they sat together at a banquet... Thus sang the bard, but Ulysses drew his purple mantle over his head and covered his face, for he was ashamed to let the Phaeacians see that he was weeping.” The Troy Song tells the story of the Trojan War in an upbeat matter. It is a positive song about defeat and victory which would give a reason for Odysseus to cover his face while crying. If the song was meant to be sad, Odysseus could freely express his sadness and memory of the war through tears but because it is a celebratory song, it gives him the purpose of hiding his true emotions.

5. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by Sleeping at Last

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU81DihqD0c

When Odysseus reveals who he is in Book 9, he describes his experience in fighting throughout the time of the Trojan War. When telling of the victory his soldiers faced, Odysseus said, “‘Thence we sailed onward with sorrow in our hearts, but glad to have escaped death though we had lost our comrades, nor did we leave till we had thrice invoked each one of the poor fellows who had perished by the hands of the Cicons.’” This represents sadness and struggle after the war and I imagine each soldier to have had the mission and duty to work as hard as walking the “500 miles” somberly sung in the song. The song does represent the hope of reuniting with loved ones saying “when I wake up, yeah I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man that wakes up next to you.” Soldiers waking up each day in hopes of being a day closer to being at home with their family in comfort, a fantasy that could not be lived by other members of their party.

6. Sail by Awolnation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CaypEojjKQ

As the men accompanying Odysseus on the ship believe him to be hoarding gold and silver in Book 10, their distrust corrupted their minds “‘Thus they talked and evil counsels prevailed. They loosed the sack, whereupon the wind flew howling forth and raised a storm that carried us weeping out to sea and away from our own country.’” The “ooh’s” in the song represent the strong howling noise caused by the wind escaping from the sack that was irresponsibly opened. In addition, the fragmented beats of the song represent the quick jumping of conclusions that led Odysseus’ men to open the sack.

7. Coming Home by Diddy featuring Skylar Grey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ImCpNqbJw

In Book 12, Circe warns Odysseus, "'When your crew have taken you past these Sirens, I cannot give you coherent directions as to which of two courses you are to take; I will lay the two alternatives before you, and you must consider them for yourself.” This line marks the true life or death matter in the journey back to Ithaca. Circe gives the choices of safety or risk to Odysseus and the beginning of the song’s slow tempo and somber tone represents this sad moment of decision making and risk taking. When the song transitions into rap, this follows the build-up of anticipation and danger in what Odysseus would have to face on his journey back home.

8. Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK8mJJJvaes

This song represents a complete wardrobe change based on a lower budget on clothing spending in thrift shops. Minerva transformed Odysseus into a man that looked older and dirtier than what he was in Book 13 and “As she spoke Minerva touched him with her wand and covered him with wrinkles, took away all his yellow hair, and withered the flesh over his whole body; she bleared his eyes, which were naturally very fine ones; she changed his clothes and threw an old rag of a wrap about him, and a tunic, tattered, filthy, and begrimed with smoke; she also gave him an undressed deer skin as an outer garment, and furnished him with a staff and a wallet all in holes, with a twisted thong for him to sling it over his shoulder.” The complete transformation of Odysseus’ looks is something new for him to experience and the increasing pace in the song is empowerment and motivation to make this change worth the sacrifice in order to take his kingdom back.

9. Jealous by Nick Jonas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQw2qIl838Q

In Book 18, Odysseus gets into a fight with a beggar named Arneaus (also called Irus). Irus challenges Odysseus in fighting for the hand in marriage of Penelope by saying, “I have a good mind to lay both hands about you, and knock your teeth out of your head like so many boar's tusks. Get ready, therefore, and let these people here stand by and look on. You will never be able to fight one who is so much younger than yourself." As the song says, “I turn my cheek, music up, and I’m puffing my chest, I’m getting ready to face you,” Odysseus is indeed getting mentally prepared to fight off Irus to become the suitor of his own wife Penelope. This is the moment where Odysseus goes into his mind for a moment to gain strength and realize his fight from the Trojan War is not over until he is reunited completely with his family.

10. Thousand Years by Christina Perri

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrM-Bkm4c_I

In Book 19, Odysseus talks with Penelope, still in disguise, about how he will return to her soon. Penelope has waited for so long for him to come home but there would be civil unrest if she waited any longer to find a suitor. She comes up with a solution to the public that would delay time for her marriage in order for Odysseus to come home before then which “Ulysses answered, ‘Madam wife of Ulysses, you need not defer your tournament, for Ulysses will return ere ever they can string the bow, handle it how they will, and send their arrows through the iron.’” Thousand Years reflects the undying love Penelope has for Odysseus as she truly does not want to find a new partner. She has waited for a long time for Odysseus to come home which can hyperbolically be compared to waiting a thousand years.

11. Shut Up and Drive by Rihanna (Karaoke)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPVo9MnoiEc

In Book 22, Eurymachus encourages Odysseus to fight every man fighting for Penelope by announcing, “‘My friends, this man will give us no quarter. He will stand where he is and shoot us down till he has killed every man among us. Let us then show fight; draw your swords, and hold up the tables to shield you from his arrows. Let us have at him with a rush, to drive him from the pavement and doorway: we can then get through into the town, and raise such an alarm as shall soon stay his shooting.’" The fighting montage that ensues after this proclamation has the karaoke track of Shut Up and Drive playing underneath it because it is as fast paced as the action taking place.

12. i love you by Billie Eilish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXfh63M5yLo

In Book 23, Penelope struggles with believing that the man who claims to be Odysseus really is him. Euryclea reasons "‘My dear child," answered Euryclea, "I am not mocking you. It is quite true as I tell you that Ulysses is come home again. He was the stranger whom they all kept on treating so badly in the cloister. Telemachus knew all the time that he was come back, but kept his father's secret that he might have his revenge on all these wicked people.’” The back and forth tempo increase and decrease in the song represent the fluctuating belief of Penelope that Odysseus is with her.

To listen to all of these songs incorporated within the storytelling of Odysseus’ journey home, watch The Odyssey in theaters- coming in the summer of 2019.

[mummapaintstheblues]

Dancing On The Ceiling

Hello lovelies! Hope you’re well. Here’s some smut!

Inspired by the beautiful and depraved souls of the nsfw family <3 

This is 4k of completely ridiculous indecency that nearly killed me, and it’s all filth. NSFW. An experiment in chakra control based kinkiness. My second attempt at smut! Enjoy!

The golden hour was fast approaching, that precious window of time during the middle of her busy shift where Sakura could spend sixty whole minutes sitting in blissful silence. Sometimes it was interrupted, which she considered an occupational hazard, but today she would be grateful for just a few seconds to herself.

It had been so much busier than usual, too many fledgling genin taking unnecessary risks, not enough staff. Sakura was used to postponing her breaks or even foregoing them altogether, but today she needed this.

Making a show of stretching her tired arms at the nurses station she turned toward the on call room.

“Alright, I’m on break guys. You know where to find me.”

There were nods all round as she raised a hand in a small wave. Halfway down the corridor she closed her eyes and sighed.

Finally, rest was within her grasp.

Though it seemed someone else also had a grasp on her.

A gloved hand snatched her wrist, yanking her backward before leading her toward the supply room. Sakura opened her mouth to argue but turned her head in time to see the back of a familiar mop of silver hair.

There was barely a second to think or mentally form the words to ask what he was planning. Pulling her in roughly through the door she finally got a glimpse of his face as she passed, the dark glint in his eye was recognizable enough. His next action confirmed her thinking.

Slamming the door shut with a fast jab, Kakashi rounded on her with speed that reminded her just how dangerous he could be. Releasing her hand, he used his to tug the mask down and under his chin. Sakura's mouth opened again to speak.

“What are you…”

The question was barely started before he'd muffled it. Lips meeting hers with a plundering fervor that she couldn't resist, as always. Their dalliances tended to play out like battles for the upper hand, an exciting and tempting game Sakura found herself caught up in once again.

Kakashi's towering figure began moving forward, pushing until her back hit a shelf of cleaning supplies. His hands on either side of her face capturing her lips preventing her from pulling away. Not that she would dream of it. Her own hands gripped at the front of his flak jacket, earning a grunt from him before a dominating tongue to forced its way into her mouth.

Sakura felt herself crumble and whimper, his hands drifting down to her hips, snaking into her lab coat. Eyes drifting shut, she pressed as many inches of her body against him that was physically possible.

Needing breath, her head was spinning before Kakashi reluctantly stopped the assault on her lips. Craning his neck down, resting his forehead against hers, he let out a long sigh of relief. His thumbs drawing circles on her hips sending pleasurable tingles to other parts of her body.

Both their chests were heaving.

“Miss me?”

He asked in a playful way that was instantly irritating. If her hands weren't so preoccupied in roaming his body as it pressed her into the shelf, she might've slapped him.

“You've got to be joking right? I saw you this morning…”

“Five minutes Sakura. I saw you for five measly minutes, after one whole week of not seeing you. And all I got to do was watch you get ready for work.” He whispered it huskily in her ear, his lips and nose forging a path down her neck, she tilted her head back to give him better access. “It’s been killing me all day”.

Fast becoming enraptured in the way Kakashi’s hands warmed her skin through her dress Sakura almost lost herself enough not to bite back. Damned if she was going to let him get the upper hand this early in the game.

“All day, really?” She couldn’t help the breathy way it sounded, with his tongue darting out in the sensitive areas behind her ear. ���And what exactly has been killing you? You seem pretty alive to me.”

“For starters, these.” One of his hands trailed down, fingers just ghosting her curves before darting in between her legs. He pinched the sheer stockings she was wearing, pulling them back with a snap on her inner thigh. “You honestly can’t expect me to just watch you put these on and not find a way to fuck you.”

Kakashi kept his hand dangerously in between her thighs, caressing up and down again in a barely there dance that made her throb for something harder. Her own fingers emboldened in their search of his body, ducking beneath his shirt to trace the hard lines of his abdominal muscles. Down the tempting V line of his pelvis. He was practically growling in her ear at the touch.

Sakura's eyes rolled back into her head, starting to become impatient with his teasing. Maybe she had missed him a little. There was at least one surefire way to fast track his attentions.

“While I like the sound of that, Kakashi…” it was the most seductive she could deliberately say his name, “I only get an hour's break…”

It worked.

“I'm not finished yet.”

He interrupted her with an impatient gravely tone and a bruising hold of her hip. Kakashi even saw fit to nip at her ear just a little causing Sakura to jolt in surprise. She could feel his smirk before he captured her in another brief but searing kiss.

It seemed he was only interested in silencing her now, it became harder to form any coherent thought other than internally begging for his fingers to touch her where she needed it most.

“Then you decide to torture me further…” his hand ventured higher, her legs instantly parting to allow him. “You think I wouldn't notice?” Fingers began to coax and trace at her entrance through the stockings. “Not wearing panties is practically an invitation Sakura, and I can feel just how much you want it…”

The tenuous and languid strokes of her lips with his fingers caused a shuddering sigh to rattle her. The sheer fabric adding a delicious friction, but he was right, she could already feel her treacherous juices beginning to soak through the material. The throbbing of the bundle of nerves intensified as he avoided the area altogether, making an amused huff in her ear at her obvious frustration. His hot breath drifted over her collarbone as his head dropped. Sakura arched her back willing that wicked tongue of his to travel.

Unable to move her hips to grind against his hand, as he still pressed her into the shelf, she took in a shaky breath as the grip at her side shifted. Fingers roughly scraping her skin through her clothes as it wandered, when he reached her breast he began feverishly massaging and a moan drifted from her lips. But he wasn't finished.

“To top it off…” he paused to bite the tender flesh of her still covered but neglected breast. “This…” he shifted with skilled sleight of hand to pop the first button of the dress, “...is new.”

“You like it?”

Another growl. Another button popped.

“Just as long as I'm the one who gets to take if off you.”

Kakashi's lips now had an edge of impatience sucking the sensitive skin at the start of her mound. When he tore the rest of the buttons free to expose her lace covered brassiere, Sakura opened her mouth to make a noise of displeasure. Instead a mewling almost whine escaped as his fingers stole the opportunity to finally press rough circles on her clit.

Kakashi sucked harshly on her nipple through the flimsy material. Sakura found her hands retreating to grip into his hair. Not once did he let up on the tight and tortuous rubbing through her stockings. When his teeth came into play against her nipple Sakura jerked with a sharp gasp.

“Now what kind of medic wears underwear like this. I think you wore it on purpose to rile me up…” he pulled the cup of her bra aside with his teeth exposing the nub for his next line of assault.

Sakura could feel herself slipping, revelling in the intensity of his touch, bringing her closer and closer. Already her body was rippling for him, craving the way he could fill her, clenching for something cruelly just out of her reach. His hot breath and that sinful tongue of his just lapped at the pert nub and another moan threatened to escape. She remembered herself just in time to bite her bottom lip.

“I did wear it on purpose, I thought you, uh… liked my underwear”.

Kakashi made a stifled groan before exposing the other breast with more force than expected. The breathy words she had spoken in his ear sparked even more urgency from him.

“I like it.” He said darkly, flicking his tongue over her nipple before raising his head to hers. “I like it even better when it’s not in my way.”

With a crushing force their mouths met again, teeth clattering, a sharp pluck of her other nipple. Sakura began wantonly grinding into his hand feeling the high building within her about to burst. Her own hands began a frantic search for the hard bulge she desired most but a quick movement from Kakashi ceased their journey. Her breath was coming out in quick short gasps which stopped abruptly as his hand withdrew from her pulsating nub, his other drifting down from her breast to join the other between her legs. All the while tongues in a dizzying dance for the upper hand.

That was when she heard it. The loud tear. Her surprise was muffled.

Just before breaking the kiss Kakashi ran his fingers along her newly exposed entrance. Coating himself while continuing the circling of her clit with his thumb, a lone finger thrust into her and Sakura felt her muscles drawing him in.

“See.” He panted in her ear. “Much better.”

Kakashi added another finger for effect, Sakura moaned her satisfaction before he was swallowing the noise. The slick sound of him pumping his digits into her filling the room. As close as she had been to bliss and fulfillment moments ago now there was only blinding desperation to bring him over the edge with her. Kakashi's kisses hungrily devoured her neck, blatantly disregarding the hosiery as it tore even further with his ministrations.

Sakura finally managed to reach the tantalising bulge, finding him fully erect, she palmed its length through the fabric. Kakashi grunted in approval or impatience, returning his attention to her breasts. When her hand awkwardly tugged the zipper down and entered the dark confines of his pants Kakashi tried to throw her off by lifting one of her legs up. Hooking behind her knee and hitching the leg around his waist. The angle causing his fingers to hit deeper inside.

“Oh god…. Please Kakashi…”

The plea tumbled from her lips as her hand tried to grasp around his impressive hardness.

“Please?” He released her nipple with a pop and she groaned louder with a buck of her hips. “Please what, Sakura?”

It was hard to think, or concentrate, or even breathe with the way he was heavily pleasuring her aching bundles of nerves. He was everywhere, all over her body, pushing her closer to release. Through it all Sakura was vaguely aware that she had most definitely handed over control. If it didn't feel so damned good she might be angry about it.

“Please fuck me… Kakashi…”

She didn't even care that it sounded like a pathetic whine now.

“Not what I want to hear,” he added a third finger, “tell me what I want to hear Sakura.”

To stop herself from crying out she bit down on his shoulder. The mouthful of sweater softened the noise while stars began to form behind her eyes. The vice grip she had around his member tightened as she fervently tugged. But that self control of his was god like as ever, even with the tempting drops of precum aiding her movements. The leg wrapped around him began to twitch against her will, her muscles clenching down hard on his relentless fingers.

Sakura admitted defeat.

“I..unf… missed you so much.”

Kakashi let out a long breath as if he was relinquishing his composure.

“That’s my girl.”

Her walls and muscles clenched hard again as his fingers quickly pulled from her body. Their absence keenly felt with an almost painful rippling effect that left her shuddering. In an instant Kakashi had lifted her other leg, wrapping her fully around his waist, Sakura had to grip tightly at his shoulders to hold on. Giving up the treasure between his legs.

Colliding back into the shelf she met his dark gaze.

“Is this… what you missed hmm?” he pressed the head of his cock to her entrance, her body straddling his in all the right places, her eyes rolled back as he pushed inside. “You missed me filling you up, isn’t that right Sakura?”

Kakashi lingered, paused waiting on her answer.

“Yes, oh god...yes Kakashi…”

It was like something snapped in him with the last syllable of his name. Holding her up and against the shelf he began thrusting into her with a wild fervor. Her nails dug into skin through his clothing, his grip now on her hips turned harsh and bruising, lifting her up and slamming her down to meet his needy erection.

Sakura felt her walls already tightening, his breathing turned raspy in her ear until it suddenly felt like he’d stopped breathing altogether.

And that was when she heard it. The rolling and clank of the cleaner’s trolley as it hit the door to the supply room. Before she had even turned her head Kakashi was moving, whispering softly.

“Hold on tight…”

It was a stark contrast to the demanding tenor just a few minutes ago. Sakura couldn’t even bring herself to panic completely, still in a euphoric state of orgasm, and she trusted him entirely. At least for the moment anyway. She wrapped her legs tighter, buried her face in the juncture between his neck and shoulder, put her arms around him. In a matter of seconds Kakashi had thrown something, she didn’t see what, at the lightswitch, turning it off. The room was now spinning even in the pitch blackness, but it could have just been from his movement. When everything stopped moving her eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the darkness.

All she could tell, from where she sat still in Kakashi’s lap, with him still inside of her, was that he was also sitting. His back resting against something bulky, his legs straightened underneath her, one large hand still gripping her hip. When she heard the door creak open a small slither of light shone through and Sakura was immediately disorientated.

Just where in the hell…

Reality dawned on her. She leant back to look at his face in the dim light, feeling a dull throb of the member inside of her. An orderly humming something out of tune as they stocked the trolley, beneath them.

They were hiding on the freaking ceiling.

Kakashi’s back was against the air conditioning unit, his feet planted against the wall behind Sakura, holding them there with chakra alone. The look on his face was a mixture of pain and amusement in the shadows. She would’ve slapped him if it didn’t mean risking her precarious position.

The orderly left, not even needing the light on to find what they needed, and Sakura watched the door click shut with a sigh of relief.

“Are you completely insane?”

She could now see better, almost laughing at the way his hair was brushing the ceiling.

“Not completely, perhaps seventy percent, on a good day.”

This time she did wriggle a little to whack him playfully before putting one of her hands to the ceiling just above. Sending chakra to the palm for stability.

“More like ninety…”

“Ma, Sakura, just consider this an exercise in chakra control…”

Now he was kissing her, the chakra in her hand faltered just a little as she lost herself to the intensity of it. Heat was pooling where their bodies connected, Sakura’s tender muscles twitching around his member. Not as clouded by lust as before, that was when she noticed something very interesting. And enticing.

He couldn’t move.

She smirked into the kiss. Payback was a bitch.

Slowly Sakura summoned all of her kunoichi balance to place her other palm flat above her as well, both hands now holding her to the spot with chakra. Experimentally she rolled her hips and he groaned into her mouth.

Then she pulled herself up with her arms before dropping back down onto his length. It was something like a pull up exercise that wasn’t all that difficult.

Immediately her body was screaming to do it again, to keep crushing against him like that harder. And as much as she wanted those bolts of pleasure to coarse through her repeatedly she wasn’t entirely sure how much he could hold before they both fell to the ground.

It would be an interesting game, and now she was the one in control.

As if hearing her thoughts the universe saw fit to add another element to it. The door opened and shut quickly with a click and muffled laughter. Sakura broke the kiss to peer out from behind the air conditioning unit, there was no way she would be seen in the shadows. The new invaders seemed to be too preoccupied with each other to notice in any case.

The noisy sound of slurpy kisses and sweet moans reached her ears. Sakura realized Kakashi would definitely have heard it as well, she chanced a glance at his face to see his eyes widen imperceptibly. She could feel the twitch of his cock inside of her, it must be killing him not being able to move. Feeling briefly empathetic she continued a dull circular motion of her hips, relishing the way he bit his bottom lip.

“Take it off, quick…” a female voice urged.

“No time. Just turn around.” The male replied.

Sakura got a full view of the woman bending over slightly, holding onto an upper shelf with both hands, a man stood behind her. Without any more foreplay he was pulling her panties down and ramming himself in. There was a stifled cry of pleasure before it was followed by increasingly louder smacking sounds of wet flesh.

For a brief moment Sakura watched transfixed, unable or unwilling to look away, the rotating of her hips gained a bit more momentum. Those sparks of pleasure were building again, like a fire that could grow out of hand at any second. Kakashi’s hot breath in her ear was a reminder that she needed to concentrate, unless she wanted to fall and crash the party. Literally.

“Sakura, see something interesting?”

His whisper was downright salacious in her ear. Made worse by the increasingly hard jerks of the man's hips as he buried himself inside that woman. Whatever spot he’d hit made her moan louder than before.

“Maybe just a little. Want me to describe it?”

Sakura watched Kakashi close his eyes tightly with a sharp nod. The length inside her twitching even more despite her increased movements. It made her realize one more thing, he was really getting off on this. She began that steady motion of before, lifting herself up slightly before dropping down, leaning in to whisper in his ear. From this position there was a slim view of the rutting couple below.

“Well, she seems to be enjoying herself…”

“So I hear.”

His reply was through gritted teeth. Sakura couldn't believe how much she was savouring having him under her complete control.

“He's taking her from behind, up her skirt…” she deliberately crushed her hips up and down against his in quick succession and didn’t stop. “She’s just dropped her hand between her legs to play with herself.” An especially loud moan accompanied Sakura’s words, Kakashi’s breath became uneven. “He’s going so fast and hard, I think she’s going to come…”

More sounds of slick slapping, more grunts and moans. Sakura continued to watch them, her own movements increasing in pace and ferocity. Kakashi’s voice was utterly broken in her ear, his usual cool vanished.

“Do you… like… watching them fucking Sakura?”

She nearly groaned in reply, juices flowing from her and coating him, likely spilling to the floor below. It was almost lucky that there was clothing still on to soak up the moisture. As much as she wanted to give in to him, ride him unmercifully until she came again, this was her moment in control. Her game. And she was about to go in for the kill.

“Only because I get to fuck you while I watch.”

Using all her trained skill, Sakura tensed her muscles around him and was rewarded with an honest to god whimper. Kakashi had just whimpered. She thrust and rotated her hips with wild abandon relishing the feeling while she attempted to keep her wits about her. It seemed the other couple were nearing their grand finale, a swift hand reaching up to slap the woman’s ass as he pounded into her. Despite her resolve Sakura briefly closed her eyes, the sensory overload causing a ripple of pleasure. But she wasn’t done with him yet.

“And I like it...much better… when you fuck me hard like that… and spank me.”

Kakashi’s breathing was ragged and out of rhythm.

The groaning below them had also reached high volume.

“I’m… gonna...come in you…” The man moaned in between grunts, at this point the woman was beyond words as she too reached her limit.

“Kakashi...I want you to come in me… now…”

Sakura’s plea undid him. She jerked her hips relentlessly, beads of sweat dripping from his face, huffs of breath like he had just run a marathon. Her own orgasm reached her, with a force that made her eyes shut tight, the pounding of the blood in her ears drowning out the sound of the couple semi cleaning themselves and leaving in a rush.

She noted her chakra hadn’t faltered one bit, used to the constant channeling and filtering to different areas of the body.

But Kakashi looked ready to collapse. Every single one of his muscles was tense or shaking with strenuity, his head slumped forward onto her chest, breathing still laboured.

Then she started laughing. His head very slowly raised.

“What’s...so...funny?”

“I was just thinking how useless you’re going to be later when I get home. Next time can you wait just a bit longer?”

Now he was laughing but still short of breath.

“Next time… don’t tempt me...so much…”

Sakura rolled her eyes, pulled herself up completely and off him. Throwing herself to the floor with grace and ninja skill. When Kakashi basically dropped in an almost crumpled heap a second later the mirth returned to her features.

“Lucky we’re in a hospital. How about next time we find less strenuous exercises in chakra control?”

He attempted to slowly straighten himself, she aided him for a second.

“That sounds like a tempting challenge…”

He winked at her.

Sakura spent the rest of her day acutely aware of the various inconspicuous ceiling spaces in other parts of the hospital. And making excuses about how she’d accidentally ripped her stockings. She didn’t even mind that her break had been interrupted today.